Actuon8 Motion Controller Package
The Actuon8 is the control electronics at the centre of the Actuon Ecosystem. It receives motion telemetry from your PC and converts it into coordinated, real-time commands for your servo drives, so that your platform reproduces what happens on screen with the timing and consistency of a system engineered for continuous use.
This package is a complete control layer: controller, Actuon-SIB safety board in a machined enclosure with emergency stop, COG control wiring, configuration parameters and a documented commissioning procedure. If you have the mechanical side of a motion platform — or you are building it — this is the part that makes it move properly.
Four platform configurations, one controller
A single Actuon8 drives up to eight independent control channels, which covers every architecture below from the same unit with no change of hardware. You select the configuration when you order, and the package ships with the control cables, parameters and commissioning procedure that match it.
| Configuration | Platform | Stroke | Control cables | Motion software |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 drives | Belt tensioner — 2 motor channels | Your design | 2 | SimHub, ACM Standard or ACM Professional |
| 4 drives | 3DOF motion platform — heave, pitch and roll | 150 mm | 4 | SimHub, ACM Standard or ACM Professional |
| 6 drives | Hexapod / Stewart platform — six legs | 300 mm | 6 | SimHub or ACM Professional |
| 7 drives | 6DOF motion platform — 3DOF plus traction loss front, traction loss rear and surge | 150 mm | 7 | SimHub, ACM Standard or ACM Professional |
Stroke supported today. The Actuon8 drives motion platforms with a 150 mm stroke and hexapod / Stewart platforms with a 300 mm stroke. Both are supported now, with validated servo drive parameters shipped in the package for the configuration you order.
One thing to know before you choose. Standard Edition covers belt tensioner, 3DOF and 6DOF. It does not drive hexapod or Stewart platforms. For a hexapod build, choose SimHub or Professional.
What the price difference between configurations covers. The controller is the same unit in all four, and that is deliberate. What changes with the configuration is the engineering supplied with it: the servo drive parameters COG has validated for that topology, the channel assignment, the commissioning procedure for that class of machine, and the control cables in the matching quantity. A smaller configuration with extra cables added later gives you the wiring and not the validated parameter set — and it is the parameter set, not the copper, that makes a platform move correctly and repeatably.
Supported configurations in detail
- Belt Tensioner — 2 servo drives. Independent control of the left and right belt-tensioning motors, for harness tension effects. Includes 2 x COG control cables and belt-specific drive parameters. The mechanical implementation of the tensioning system is yours to design.
- 3DOF Motion Platform — 4 servo drives. Heave, pitch and roll on a four-actuator platform with 150 mm stroke. Includes 4 x COG control cables and motion parameters.
- Hexapod / Stewart — 6 servo drives. Six legs in a Stewart configuration with 300 mm stroke, for full six-degree-of-freedom motion from the geometry itself. Includes 6 x COG control cables and hexapod-specific parameters.
- 6DOF Motion Platform — 7 servo drives. The COG 6DOF architecture: the four-actuator platform with 150 mm stroke plus three dedicated axes — traction loss front, traction loss rear and surge. Includes 7 x COG control cables and motion parameters.
Hexapod and 6DOF are two routes to six degrees of freedom. A hexapod derives them from the geometry of six legs; the COG 6DOF architecture adds three dedicated axes to a four-actuator platform. Both are supported; which one suits you is a mechanical decision, not a controller decision.
Belt and Motion modes
A physical two-position selector on the controller board sets the Actuon8 to Belt Mode or Motion Mode, each matched to a class of machine.
Belt Mode gives you independent control of the left and right belt-tensioning motors. How you build the tensioning system — linear actuators, drums, cables, belts or any other transmission — is your call. The controller supplies the control capability without imposing a mechanical architecture.
Belt tensioner systems use Belt Mode; 3DOF, hexapod and 6DOF use Motion Mode. You set the mode before putting the system into service, and the commissioning procedure covers it.
Actuon-SIB safety module, included
Every Actuon8 package includes the Actuon-SIB, the safety interface of the Actuon control layer: a machined enclosure housing the safety board, the emergency stop and a two-position selector used during calibration.
It sits between the controller and your servo drives and interrupts their enable signal on demand, removing drive torque independently of the controller and of the host PC.
It is not an optional accessory and is not sold separately — the controller and the safety interface are designed as one unit, so you do not have to specify, house or wire a safety circuit yourself.
Note on responsibility. How the Actuon-SIB is wired, mounted and used within your installation determines whether your machine is safe. That part is the integrator's, and it matters more than any other decision in the build.
How the Actuon8 is supplied
The controller is a PCB assembly — a board, without enclosure. Mounting and housing it in your installation is your part of the job. The Actuon-SIB is different: it arrives as a finished assembly in its machined enclosure, ready to install.
What is included
- 1 x Actuon8 motion controller — PCB assembly, with Belt / Motion mode selector
- 1 x machined enclosure with the Actuon-SIB safety board, emergency stop and calibration selector
- COG control cables, Actuon8 to servo drive — quantity according to the selected configuration
- 1 x USB-C cable
- 1 x RJ45 network cable, 3 m
- Installation, configuration and operation documentation
- Servo drive configuration parameters for your configuration
- Documented commissioning procedure
- Motion software according to the selected option
You supply the servo drives, servo motors, actuators and transmission, the mechanical structure, the host PC and the mains installation. This is the control layer, not a complete motion system.
Motion software
Motion software is a priced option, not something bundled with the hardware. Each configuration is offered at three prices, one per software choice, and the licence for the edition you select is supplied with the package at that price.
All three drive the Actuon8. They differ in where the software comes from, what it covers and who supports it. Both ACM editions permit commercial use.
SimHub Compatible. The Actuon8 is built to work with SimHub, which is the route many builders already know. SimHub is an independent product: its software and any licence it requires come from its developer, and no ACM licence is supplied with this option.
Actuon Control Manager — Standard Edition. A motion software licensed by COG and made compatible with the Actuon8. Broad title compatibility, configured for your Actuon8 out of the box. Covers belt tensioner, 3DOF and 6DOF. Commercial use permitted.
Actuon Control Manager — Professional Edition. COG's own motion software, developed in-house alongside the Actuon8. Adds the analysis engine with run-to-run comparison, 3D visualisation and actuator tuning, the External API with reference projects for Unreal Engine 5, Unity 6 and Godot, and hexapod support. Available with every configuration.
Supported stroke and transmission
The published servo drive parameters are validated for the stroke, transmission and speed below. A different lead, stroke or target speed changes the relationship between motor revolutions and linear travel, so check yours against this before commissioning.
| Configuration | Transmission | Travel | Linear speed | Motor speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DOF / 6DOF platform | 1605 ball screw | 150 mm | 250 mm/s | 3000 rpm |
| Hexapod / Stewart | 2010 ball screw | 300 mm | 500 mm/s | 3000 rpm |
| Belt tensioner | Your design | — | — | 500 rpm |
The hexapod configuration is built around a 300 mm stroke, twice that of a motion platform, and the controller firmware is prepared for it. The Actuon AX150-750 actuator has a 150 mm stroke and suits 3DOF and 6DOF platforms; for a hexapod, the mechanics come from you.
Servo drives
The Actuon8 works with the AASD servo drive family. COG validates a drive and motor combination for each class of machine, and the configuration parameters for the one matching your order ship with the package.
A hexapod is a heavier machine and uses a larger drive and motor than a motion platform. Its parameter set contains the extra torque and moderates the response, so the additional capability becomes control margin rather than mechanical violence.
Other AASD drives can be used where your machine needs them. Outside that family COG has not validated the behaviour and cannot support it — which is a statement about what we have tested, not a restriction on what you build.
Commissioning
The package ships with a documented commissioning procedure: mode selection, wiring verification, drive parameter loading, channel assignment, range and limit setting, and a first-motion checklist that begins by confirming the Actuon-SIB removes drive torque. Following it in order is what produces a predictable, repeatable result on a machine COG has not built.
Warranty and support
| Product warranty | COG products as supplied: Actuon8, Actuon-SIB and COG control wiring |
|---|---|
| Standard support | COG products, the documented interface and the commissioning procedure |
| Custom engineering | Your structure, drives, mounting and integration — available as a paid service |
| OEM and commercial | Handled directly with COG |
Third-party servo drives, motors and structure come with their own manufacturer's warranty and support, not COG's.
Frequently asked questions
Which configuration do I need?
It follows your mechanics. Two drives for a belt tensioner, four for a 3DOF platform, six for a hexapod or Stewart platform, seven for the COG 6DOF architecture.
What stroke does the Actuon8 support?
150 mm for 3DOF and 6DOF motion platforms, and 300 mm for hexapod / Stewart platforms. Both are supported today, and the validated drive parameters for the configuration you order ship with the package.
Is the software free with the controller?
No. Each configuration is priced with the software choice built in, so an ACM Standard or ACM Professional package costs more than the SimHub-compatible one. What you pay for the package covers the licence for the edition you chose.
Can I order any configuration with Professional Edition?
Yes, all four. Choose it if you want the analysis engine with run-to-run comparison, 3D visualisation and actuator tuning, or the External API with its reference projects for Unreal Engine 5, Unity 6 and Godot.
Which software works with a hexapod?
SimHub or Professional Edition.
What exactly does Belt Mode control?
Two motor channels, left and right, with independent authority. Linear actuators, drum or pulley drives, cable systems or any other transmission all work, provided they are electrically and functionally compatible.
Which ball screw and stroke should my platform use?
1605 with 150 mm at 250 mm/s for 3DOF and 6DOF; 2010 with 300 mm at 500 mm/s for a hexapod. Both work out to 3000 rpm at the motor.
Can I use the AX150-750 actuator for a hexapod?
No. It has a 150 mm stroke and a hexapod needs 300 mm. COG does not currently offer an actuator for that configuration.
Do I need servo drives and motors as well?
Yes. This package is the control electronics, wiring and software. The drives come from the AASD family, and the parameters for your configuration ship with the package.
Does the controller come in an enclosure?
The Actuon8 is a PCB assembly without enclosure. The Actuon-SIB does come in a machined enclosure.
Which cables are in the box?
The COG control cables from the Actuon8 to your servo drives, in the quantity matching your configuration, plus a USB-C cable and a 3 m RJ45 cable.
Is a SimHub licence included?
No. SimHub and any licence it requires are obtained from its developer.
Can I use this in my simulation centre or training facility?
Yes, with either ACM edition — both permit commercial use. Professional adds the analysis and diagnostic tools that matter most when you run several rigs.
Why does a larger configuration cost more if the controller is the same?
Because the configuration is not the board. It is the validated servo drive parameters for that topology, the channel assignment, the commissioning procedure for that class of machine and the matching control cables. Ordering a smaller package and buying extra cables does not produce a larger platform: the cables carry signals, the parameter set is what makes those signals move a machine correctly.
Can I move to another configuration later?
The controller supports all four. You would need the additional control cables, the corresponding drive parameters and the matching software option. Control cables are sold separately as spares; the validated parameter set for a different topology is supplied with the package for that configuration.
Do you provide the communication protocol or firmware?
No. COG supplies finished, supported products; internal protocol, firmware and engineering documentation stay with us.
Building on Actuon
You are buying components to build your own system, so it is worth being clear about what comes with them.
- The hardware is yours to integrate however your design requires.
- Both software editions permit commercial use. They differ in capability: Professional adds analysis, 3D visualisation, the External API and hexapod support.
- The Actuon name is not included. Using "Actuon", "Powered by Actuon" or "COG" on a product you sell is something we agree in writing.
- Your finished machine is yours. Its mechanics, installation and behaviour are your design, and COG does not certify or validate it.
Planning OEM integration, resale, or a recurring commercial project? That is a conversation, not a barrier — see Actuon for Business or Actuon Ecosystem — Commercial Use, and tell us what you are building.