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What are the restrictions on assigning encoder and amplifier channels?

Due to restrictions in the controller's firmware, in general, the encoder signals used to commutate a motor must be connected to the encoder connector that matches the amplifier connector for the motor.  For example, if the leads of a motor are wired to the 2nd amplifier connector, the encoder that commutates the motor must be wired to an input of the 2nd encoder connector.  (For all configurations except for dual-loop encoders, a single encoder is utilized to both commutate the motor and close the PID loop.)

For incremental quadrature encoders, the encoder can be interface to either the differential or the single-ended encoder inputs of the required encoder connector.  However, the differential inputs are strongly recommended due to their much greater noise immunity.

For the first four serial absolute encoders, encoders from different manufacturers must be connected to specific pins in the required encoder connectors (please see the Controller's Third Party Equipment section for more details).

For a six-axis controller, the absolute encoders for the 5th and 6th motors must be connected to specific pins in the 1st and 2nd encoder connectors, respectively.

Once encoders and motors have been properly wired to controller connectors, the encoder and motor pair can be arbitrarily mapped to logical axes of a robot.  For example, an encoder and motor can be wired to the 4th encoder and motor connectors, but can be assigned to the 2nd axis of a kinematic module.