Servo motors find use in a wide range of applications, from cleanroom settings to dirty environments where they face exposure to varying temperatures, pressures, and even liquid and caustic chemicals, in addition to dust and debris. One specific class of servo motors called hygienic (or simply stainless steel) are motors specifically designed to satisfy hygienic […]
FAQs + basics
Integrated motor basics video: Benefits, communications, and support of distributed architecture
Integrated motors, sometimes called smart motors, are motors that integrate one or more motion system components. The motor part of the integrated motor can be a brushless dc motor, servomotor, or stepper motor. Typical motion systems have a number of common components including the motor, controller, a drive and power for drive and control […]
Brushless (electronically commutated or EC) motor basics video: Simple commutation to field-oriented control
Brushless motors are any permanent-magnet motors, switched-reluctance motors, or induction motors that omit the use of commutator and brushes for commutation. But one motor type is usually implied when engineers use the term brushless motor — the permanent-magnet design. Also called electronically commutated or EC motors, these don’t suffer from brush wear or arcing … […]
Torque motors basics video: Construction variations and sizing and selection approaches
A torque motor is a direct-drive electric motor — usually of relatively large diameter — that applies torque to a driven shaft directly without intervening mechanics. Torque motors usually have higher pole-counts and run at lower speeds than servo motors – but they deliver much higher torque than standard servo motors. Some in industry liken […]
Combination motion drive controllers basics video: Definitions and integration variations
Combination motion drive controllers are components or subcomponent groupings that perform both electric and electronic functions in motion designs to command precision motion tasks from one or more motion axes. Combination motion-drive controllers first command the movements of an electric-motor axis (to follow a prescribed output) and second supply the electrical power to the electric […]
Planetary gearbox basics video: Benefits, mechanical fatigue, and torque capacity
A planetary gearbox is a contained geartrain that takes the form of a mechanical component containing gear series. In fact, planetary gear sets may be the most common arrangement in integrated gearboxes. The planetary gearbox connects directly to a precision motor either through a coupling or (in an increasing number of cases) direct integration by […]
Motion controller basics video: Electronics, automation tasks, and networking
Motion controllers are pieces of electronics (and in an increasing number of integrated cases, electrical supplies) that run software to command movements on automated pieces of machinery. For more information on this, visit motioncontroltips.com/motion-controller. Motion controllers are designed to regulate the specific actuator type on the axes they’re commanding. That means these controllers include intelligence […]
What You Need to Know About Plastic Gears
Plastic gears are primarily recognized for their quiet operation and resistance to rust – attributes that are important in the food processing, medical equipment, and chemical processing industries, as well as in consumer applications. But plastic gears offer many other benefits, and advances in materials and manufacturing processes are helping to close the remaining performance […]
Strain-wave, planocentric, cycloidal, planetary, and thrusted-tooth gearing
Updated 2022 ⚙️ Trochoidal and cycloidal gearing includes elements that rotate and trace curves around some other element. More specifically, cycloids traced by a point on a rolling element’s circumference include epicycloids (for which the element rolls along the outside of a sun gear or other reference component) and hypocycloids for which the element rolls […]
What’s unique about worm gear lubrication?
Worm gears are used in various types of applications for their ability to provide very high reduction ratios and, in many cases, for their self-locking properties. But choosing the right worm gear lubrication involves more than just selecting the right viscosity. Most gear types, such as helical, bevel and spur, experience both sliding and rolling […]