Drives (servo) + amplifiers

Especially for gantry systems, rapidly accelerating heavy loads can shoot the electrical power demand of frequency drives through the roof. At the same, time while braking, regenerative energy is being put back into the drive system. For Ilsemann Automation, the challenge was to make the most effective use of the braking energy and not dissipate…

In a previous motion-sizing articles, we reviewed how to properly specify (using software) a ballscrew-driven motion axis. Then we reviewed how engineering teams can use a similar software-based approach for sizing rack-and-pinion-based servomotor-driven axes on the same five-axis gantry. Now we’ll explore the process for sizing the components (using that same software) for an electric-motor-powered […]

Modern servo drives with advanced tuning capabilities — when paired with performance servo motors having high-resolution feedback — can eliminate load-to-motor inertia-mismatch concerns. By the Kollmorgen engineering staff The accepted principle of matching motor to load inertia is no longer pertinent with today’s faster motion-control processors and advanced control algorithms. This outdated inertia-matching method of […]

Elmo Motion Control, a manufacturer of innovative motion control technologies, now offers a new cutting-edge line of servo drives — the Platinum series of servo drives featuring advanced servo functionality and functional safety. An evolution of Elmo’s Gold line of servo drives, the new line of servo drives is designed to meet OEMs’ growing needs […]

H2W introduces a new DC Linear Brush-Type Servo Amplifier (LCAM 5/15) that is suitable to drive its complete line of voice coil linear actuators. Linear amplifiers allow the current to flow continuously to the motor which prevents any dead-band issues that occur in many PWM type amplifiers. Additionally, linear amplifiers have low EMI, and no…

NUTEC introduces a modular high performance 3-/4 Axis Gantry systems with travel ranges from 50mm to 600mm. Precision ballscrew drives or linear motors are user choices depending on desired performance characteristics. Both versions use servo drive technology to facilitate adaption to a wide range of operating conditions and enabling 24/7 operations. Architectures are available as…

Servo systems typically use a combination of three types of control loops: current, velocity, and position. The velocity control loop serves two purposes—it enables the system to respond to changing velocity commands, and it allows the system to resist high-frequency load disturbances. But the velocity loop by itself can’t ensure that the system maintains a […]

These PWM (pulse width modulation) servo drives include a dual axis EtherCAT drive. The NPMPM Series of EtherCAT servo drive modules provide motion performance previously only achievable using linear drives, without the drawbacks of such linear drives. These drives are significantly smaller, more efficient, produce less heat dissipation, are better protected and lower in cost.…

National Instruments and Bosch Rexroth have introduced a perfectly matched control and drive solution at this year’s NIWeek conference. The advantages of the control hardware CompactRIO and the programming environment LabVIEW are combined with dynamic servo technology. Rexroth’s pre-configured drive systems for measuring and testing machines cover a wide range of services and shorten the…

Servo controllers commonly use a cascaded configuration, in which a velocity loop is nested within a position loop. The velocity controller is tuned first, then the position controller. The current control parameters are usually set automatically. The position controller typically consists of a simple proportional coefficient, while the velocity controller includes a proportional coefficient and…

With SafeMOTION Release 1.9, safety functions for the ACOPOSmulti servodrive family have been updated. In addition to two new functions—Remanent Safe Position (RSP) and Safely Limited Acceleration (SLA)—the update introduces machine options for SafeMOTION parameters and improves both system availability and user-friendliness. To obtain a safe, absolute multi-turn position, homing used to be necessary each…

Kollmorgen introduces Kollmorgen Automation Suite™ (KAS) software version 2.8 and AKD servo drive platform firmware version 1.12. The additions include a new higher performance version of the AKD® PDMM, enhancements to the coordinated motion programming blocks and additions to the EtherCAT configuration tool. This enables OEM’s who utilize Kollmorgen’s automation and drive systems to deliver…

The LVD Sercos III is a compact, high-power and intelligent servo drive for low voltage 1548 VDC bus servo motion applications. The drive is for use with small low voltage brushless, stepper or brushed DC motors. In the case of stepper motors, the control is done through a closed loop commutation with no step loss.…

Servotronix introduces the LVD Sercos III, a compact, high-power and intelligent servo drive for low voltage 15‑48 VDC bus servo motion applications. The drive is ideal for driving small low voltage brushless, stepper or brushed DC motors. In the case of stepper motors, the control is done via a closed loop commutation with no step…

By Michael Jermann/ Assistant Editor When PennEngineering, a global leader in fastening solutions, designed the Pemserter, a new-generation, servo-driven fastener insert press, they used Emerson’s Unidrive M servo drives as the primary drive mechanism. The press would allow operators to install fasteners without needing to hold onto the workpiece. The Pemserter ensures the system delivers…

B&R has extended the safety function, “Safely Limited Speed at Tool Center Point,” making it possible to monitor the full spectrum of serial robot types in a safety application. This is a significant advance on the function first introduced in 2011, which so far has already allowed safe monitoring of all joints on a 6-axis…

Topics covered in this Tech Tip: Comparison of DC servomotors and brushless servomotors Sinusoidal and trapezoidal brushless servos Sinusoidal EMF and sinusoidal current Sinusoidal control for brushless and induction motors Closed-loop control for high performance Sponsored by: Download Design World’s Tech Tips E-Book Please complete the form below to unlock Design World’s Tech Tips E-Book.

Microbore tubing is an essential tool in modern medicine. Tiny in diameter, it’s also flexible and durable – qualities that make it indispensable for treating, repairing and even replacing parts of the human body. Manufacturers produce microbore tubing in a range of sizes for different medical purposes. Whatever the size, microbore tubing requires a rigorously…

Centricity Corporation’s EZ Indexer is a high precision flexible servo indexing system designed to work directly with today’s PLC or PC Control Systems.  Unlike traditional servo indexing systems the EZ Indexer has been designed as an off-the-shelf indexing solution that offers the most popular features of servo indexing at a price that competes with mechanical…

This webinar with Bimba Manufacturing and Design World Editorial Director, Paul Heney, discusses the capabilities of pneumatic mechanical, electro-pneumatic and electric stepper/servo actuation and control for use in commercial and industrial process applications. Beginning with “hard-stop” pneumatic actuators the whitepaper shares how these components work, the positioning accuracies that they can achieve and their cost.…

The Allen-Bradley Kinetix 5500 servo drive, Kinetix VP low-inertia (VPL) servo motor, and single-cable technology are an integrated motion system on EtherNet/IP that is compact, easy to use, and simplifies system wiring. For packaging, material handling or converting systems with more than six axes, these units do not require discrete power rail or additional accessories,…

Pro-Motion 4.5 motion systems offer visual tools for prototyping servo hardware, developing motion code, and optimizing servo loops. Key capabilities includes frequency-based servo analysis, easy-to-use axis wizard setup tool, fast and accurate servo loop auto-tuner, Windows 32 and 64-bit compatibility. Select between Bode plots or a frequency sweep in sin-, triangle-, or square-wave waveforms. Performance…

Ingenia Motion Control announces the release of the new i124 AC Servo Drive, capable of driving several motor types including AC induction and permanent magnet brushless motors with output power up to 1 HP. It can operate as a frequency inverter with programming capabilities allowing traditional V/Hz control method. It also incorporates an active Power…

by Laura Carrabine, Senior Editor Traditional motion controllers mainly rely on complex centralized motion control architectures to handle the high-dynamics of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) cross-coupled feedback topology of gantry systems. In addition, traditional units require expert installers for proper operation and maintenance. A new product family proposes a more efficient servo control approach for high…

Elmo has launched the Gold Drum HV 100/800 – a 60 KW, high-performance, wide bandwidth servo drive yet with a very high-efficiency of around 99%. The Gold Drum HV 100/800 is EtherCAT and CANOpen compliant and, in conjunction with Elmo’s Gold Maestro, creates a high-level, real-time, multi-axis network. Elmo’s ‘go-standard’ policy, allows easy expansion, upgrading,…