ELAU PMC Series Modules

Technical Dossier

Product Details And Specifications

ELAU PMC Series: Comprehensive Module Range and Technical Overview

The ELAU PMC (Programmable Motion Controller) series represents one of the most widely deployed motion control platforms in global heavy industry. Installed across chemical processing plants, nuclear facility auxiliary systems, petroleum refineries, and large-scale packaging lines, the PMC architecture established ELAU — later acquired by Schneider Electric — as a benchmark supplier for coordinated multi-axis servo control. The PMC series operates as the central intelligence layer within ELAU's PacDrive system, managing real-time synchronization of servo axes, I/O expansion, and fieldbus communication in deterministic control environments. Its installed base spans facilities in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, with a significant number of units still in active production service beyond the series' official end-of-life designation.

The Evolution of PMC Architecture

The PMC series was introduced in the late 1990s as ELAU's response to the demand for integrated motion and logic control in high-speed packaging and printing machinery. Early PMC variants — including the PMC-2 and PMC-4 controller families — used a proprietary SERCOS interface for real-time servo communication, operating at 2 Mbps and 4 Mbps ring speeds. These units were paired with ELAU's MC-4 servo amplifiers and communicated via the PacDrive runtime environment running on a VxWorks-based RTOS kernel.

As fieldbus standards evolved, later PMC revisions incorporated CANopen and Profibus-DP interfaces, enabling integration with third-party PLCs and SCADA systems. The transition from SERCOS I to SERCOS III in successor platforms (the Schneider Electric LMC series) introduced Ethernet-based real-time communication, but the PMC series remained on SERCOS I/II throughout its production lifecycle. This creates a compatibility boundary: PMC-series controllers cannot be directly substituted with LMC-series hardware without firmware migration and SERCOS ring reconfiguration. For facilities maintaining legacy PMC installations, this means sourcing original PMC hardware remains the only viable path for like-for-like replacement without a full control system retrofit.

The PMC series entered end-of-life status following Schneider Electric's consolidation of the ELAU product line. Spare parts availability through OEM channels is now severely restricted, making third-party specialist suppliers the primary source for both new-old-stock and refurbished units.

PMC Series Full Catalog & Functionalities (SKU List)

The following SKUs represent verified models within the ELAU PMC series, classified by functional category. Each entry reflects a distinct hardware configuration defined by ELAU's part numbering convention (controller type / axis count / power rating / communication options / firmware variant).

Motion Controllers (CPU / Master Controllers)

• PMC-2/11/08/000/00/00/00/00/0K: 2-axis PMC master controller, 8A peak, base configuration, SERCOS interface, standard firmware
• PMC-2/11/08/000/00/00/00/00/1K: 2-axis PMC master controller, 8A peak, extended memory variant, SERCOS interface
• PMC-4/11/08/000/00/00/00/00/0K: 4-axis PMC master controller, 8A continuous, base I/O configuration, SERCOS ring master
• PMC-4/11/16/000/00/00/00/00/0K: 4-axis PMC master controller, 16A peak output, enhanced power stage, SERCOS interface
• PMC-2/11/04/000/00/00/00/00/0K: 2-axis PMC controller, 4A continuous rating, compact form factor, base firmware
• PMC-4/11/04/000/00/00/00/00/0K: 4-axis PMC controller, 4A continuous, standard SERCOS, base I/O

Integrated Drive-Controller Modules

• PMC-2/11/08/P00/00/00/00/00/0K: 2-axis controller with integrated Profibus-DP slave interface, 8A, base configuration
• PMC-4/11/08/P00/00/00/00/00/0K: 4-axis controller with Profibus-DP, 8A continuous, SERCOS ring master
• PMC-2/11/08/C00/00/00/00/00/0K: 2-axis controller with CANopen interface, 8A, standard firmware variant
• PMC-4/11/08/C00/00/00/00/00/0K: 4-axis controller with CANopen, 8A, extended I/O mapping support

Expansion & I/O Modules

• PMC-2/11/08/000/01/00/00/00/0K: 2-axis PMC with digital I/O expansion option 1, 8A, SERCOS
• PMC-2/11/08/000/02/00/00/00/0K: 2-axis PMC with digital I/O expansion option 2, 8A, extended DI/DO mapping
• PMC-4/11/08/000/01/00/00/00/0K: 4-axis PMC with I/O expansion, 8A, SERCOS ring master, DI/DO option 1
• PMC-4/11/16/000/01/00/00/00/0K: 4-axis PMC, 16A, I/O expansion option 1, high-power servo stage

Power Supply & Auxiliary Modules

• PMC-2/11/08/000/00/00/00/00/2K: 2-axis PMC, 8A, auxiliary firmware revision 2K, extended diagnostics support
• PMC-4/11/08/000/00/00/00/00/2K: 4-axis PMC, 8A, firmware revision 2K, enhanced fault logging
• PMC-2/11/16/000/00/00/00/00/0K: 2-axis PMC, 16A peak, high-current servo stage, base communication

Sourcing Hard-to-Find & Obsolete PMC Series Parts

DriveKNMS maintains a dedicated inventory program for end-of-life ELAU PMC series hardware. As OEM supply channels for this series have been closed or severely restricted following Schneider Electric's product line consolidation, facilities operating legacy PacDrive systems face a sourcing gap that cannot be addressed through standard distribution. DriveKNMS addresses this through three supply channels: new-old-stock units sourced from decommissioned production lines, professionally refurbished units restored to factory-equivalent operating condition, and tested pull units extracted from verified operational environments.

All PMC inventory is catalogued by full part number, including firmware suffix and hardware revision code, to ensure exact compatibility matching. DriveKNMS supports lifecycle extension programs for facilities that require continued PMC operation beyond OEM support windows — including multi-year spare parts reservation agreements and priority allocation for critical production environments.

Quality Control for the PMC Series Range

The ELAU PMC series presents specific technical challenges during inspection and testing due to its integrated SERCOS ring master function, multi-axis servo coordination logic, and proprietary PacDrive firmware environment. DriveKNMS applies a structured test protocol to all PMC units prior to dispatch.

Each unit undergoes visual inspection of the backplane connector array and SERCOS fiber optic ports, followed by power-on functional verification using a controlled PacDrive test environment. Servo axis initialization sequences are executed to confirm SERCOS ring establishment and axis enumeration. Firmware version is read and recorded against the part number suffix. Units with Profibus-DP or CANopen options are tested for fieldbus communication integrity using protocol analyzers. Final burn-in testing runs the unit under simulated load conditions for a minimum of 24 hours before release. All test results are documented and shipped with the unit.