Motion Control Tips

POSITAL has expanded its IXARC series of rotary encoders with a new line of 20-millimeter-diameter multiturn magnetic encoders designed for motion control applications with limited installation space. With a total housing length of 31 millimeters, these models are the smallest multiturn encoders in the IXARC range. They offer performance comparable to other POSITAL encoders in […]

Festo has introduced Festo AX Motion Insights Electric, an AI-based monitoring and predictive maintenance tool for electric axes and servo drives. The system is designed to reduce unplanned machine downtime by identifying wear and anomalies early. It supports improved reliability and operational efficiency in industrial environments. Motion Insights Electric enables maintenance teams to schedule tasks […]

Nidec U.S. MOTORS has expanded its TITAN motor line with two additional weather-protected vertical frame sizes and a new totally enclosed fan-cooled 2-pole model. The new manufacturing process for the frames enables faster production. TITAN motors are used in applications such as water and wastewater systems, petroleum, chemical processing and electric power. The new Weather […]

Encoder Products Company (EPC), a manufacturer of rotary incremental and absolute encoders, has been certified as a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) small business by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The certification supports EPC’s participation in federal contracting programs and contributes to economic development in designated HUBZone areas. EPC holds contracts with the United […]

The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA), an association representing the industrial power transmission and motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel, has added two new manufacturer members, Delta Rotating Solutions LLC and Macnaught USA, and welcomed back Carter Manufacturing Company Inc. Delta Rotating Solutions LLC provides flexible couplings and torque limiters for industrial power transmission applications in manufacturing, packaging, […]

Now in its eighth year, Design World’s annual Awards in Leadership in Engineering Achievement Program highlights innovation and engineering achievements from around the globe. This year, the expert independent judging panel reviewed dozens of submissions to award gold, silver, and bronze winners across multiple categories. The following products were recognized in the 2025 LEAP Awards […]

Proportional, integral, derivative (PID) position servo-loop tuning can be daunting. However, one simple technique works well for most systems. Chuck Lewin • Founder and CEO | Performance Motion Devices Inc. The first installment of this two-part series detailed a simple technique called step-response tuning that helps identify good PID-gain settings in motor-positioning applications. This manual […]

Proportional, integral, derivative (PID) position servo-loop tuning can be daunting. However, one simple technique works well for most systems. Chuck Lewin • Founder and CEO | Performance Motion Devices Inc. There are two types of servomotors commonly used for positioning motion control applications — the dc brush motor (which uses mechanical brushes to commutate the […]

The Bearing Specialists Association (BSA) and the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) have added three new product categories—open gearing, enclosed gearing, and adjustable/variable speed drives—to the PIE Technology Platform (PIE). With these additions, PIE now includes 35 bearing and power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) product categories, strengthening its position as a central resource for managing and […]

The winners of the 2025 LEAP (Leadership in Engineering Achievement Program) Awards were announced earlier this week in a digital ceremony, with products across 11 categories, including Motion Control. What sets the LEAP Awards apart from so many others is the involvement of the engineering community. Each year, the Design World editorial team assembles a […]

Midwest Motion Products has introduced the D22-376D-24V GP52-014, a brushed 24V DC gearmotor designed for compact, durable motion control applications. The unit delivers up to 23 in-lbs of continuous torque and 61 in-lbs of peak torque at an output speed of 275 RPM. It features IP54 protection and a compact design under 2.5 inches in […]

Midwest Motion Products has added the D22-376B-12V GP52-408 EU-1024 to its motion control lineup. This 12V brushed DC gearmotor features an integral optical feedback encoder with 1024 CPR. It delivers a continuous torque of up to 402 in-lbs, a peak torque of 443 in-lbs and an output speed of 6.9 RPM, providing precise control for […]

IO-Link is an open standard, point-to-point communication link for sensors and actuators. It’s defined by the IEC 61131-9 international standard which specifies a single-drop digital communication interface technology (SDCI, commonly referred to as IO-Link) for sensors and actuators. A typical IO-Link configuration includes an IO-Link master, which is the interface between the devices and a […]

PI, a provider of precision motion control and air bearing motion systems, has introduced the A-688 rotary stage, a motorized, air-bearing rotation stage designed for high-precision, frictionless motion and long-term reliability in metrology, optics, photonics and semiconductor applications. Built with a frictionless air-bearing design, the A-688 rotation stage provides high accuracy, stability, and durability. Its […]

Rolling bearings feature especially low friction characteristics, making it possible to reduce bearing friction by half, and offering the construction machinery sector the opportunity to achieve significant carbon dioxide savings without imposing high development costs. Stefan Scharting Schaeffler KG Schweinfurt, Germany Rolling bearings with optimized friction and performance characteristics can have a significant influence when it comes to reducing the power […]

It often happens than new technologies enable new forms of automation — or makes them more practical. One new electric-motor design recognized by this year’s R&D 100 Awards could prove one such technology. Lisa Eitel | Executive editor Most electric vehicle or EV motors use permanent-magnet synchronous motors or PMSMs with the magnets on their rotors, and […]

On the manufacturing floor of British Columbia-based BKB Cedar Manufacturing, the whine of the drill motor and churning of its bit into tough cedar posts made a reassuringly steady cadence — until, too often, it didn’t. Workers would manually position posts by moving a heavy carriage back and forth between drilling operations. They would then […]

Force Control Industries presents the CLPC Control Model LC, which provides precise positioning on indexing applications when coupled with a Posidyne clutch brake. Designed to control high cycle count applications where the scan times of PLCs are too slow for accurate positioning, the CLPC-LC includes the CLPC control unit, and a position encoder mounted on […]

Copley Controls has released its Nano High Power (Nano HP) and Nano Plus High Power (Plus-HP) digital servo drives for brush and brushless motors. Both series expand Copley’s compact Nano family and feature redesigned power boards for higher current output, making them ideal for traction motor applications in autonomous mobile robots (AMR), automated guided vehicles […]

Dart Controls introduces the 65E, a high-performance Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) controller for 12 through 48-volt battery powered equipment. Rated for 10 to 20 amps continuous current, it features adjustable maximum speed, minimum speed, current limit, I.R. compensation, and acceleration, plus a quiet operating frequency of 18kHz. The updated Dart 65E includes a reversing option […]

Acromag now offers a stepper motor controller in their BusWorks NT Series of Ethernet I/O modules. The new NT2710 module provides six pulse train/logic outputs, six encoder inputs, and four general-purpose digital I/O for motion control applications with stepper motor drivers. A wide variety of commands are supported to precisely control the stepper motor position, […]

At the 2025 LASER World of PHOTONICS in Munich, Germany, PI will present its latest precision motion solutions designed for industrial applications. Featured products include the F-141 PINovAlign, a cost-optimized, AI-supported 6-axis photonics alignment system; the H-815 industrial hexapod; and the B-421 BIX miniaturized nanopositioning stages. These systems are intended for continuous use in semiconductor, […]

Rollon, a provider of linear motion technology and a Timken company, has opened a new 13,600-square-metre manufacturing facility in Norton Shores, Michigan. The opening aligns with the company’s 50th anniversary and supports its plans for continued growth. This investment expands Rollon’s North American manufacturing capabilities to meet rising demand for linear motion systems in industries […]

The new N6 from Nanotec is a compact and powerful controller/drive for stepper motors (NEMA 14 to 34) and BLDC motors up to NEMA 23. With field-oriented control (FOC), the N6 ensures smooth operation and high energy efficiency. Its sensorless closed-loop control provides precise management of torque and speed. The controller/drive supports Hall sensors, incremental […]

Allient recently announced the expansion of its Allied Motion SA Series Axial Flux Motors with a new 63.5 mm O.D. size variant. These motors are designed for low-profile applications, such as camera systems, gimbals, scanners, and imaging equipment. As slotless motors, they have zero cogging torque for smooth, precise motion. Specification options available as standard […]