Dubbed as the Hawk Evolution, the new machine features the industry’s smallest footprint for the bag size that it will manufacture. Designed to operate for hundreds of millions of cycles, its maintenance free stepper motor enables the packaging system to make a bag measuring up to 18-inch long and 12-inch wide.

Its jaw drive mechanism is run by the double stack Kollmorgen stepper motor, which is used in various industries and best known for its reliability and long service life.

Since the drive mechanism for the jaws have very limited moving parts, only a small number of parts could wear out. The only part that would need routine replacement is the high speed bearings that are easy to change. All parts of the Hawk Evolution are off the shelf, which means they are available through various distributors.

The packaging system also features a motorized unwind — a DC motor turns the spindle where the roll sits. The motor helps reduce stress on the pull belts, feed the film off the roll and maintain a constant tension on the film, enabling a smoother movement of the film in the system.

Motion Control Tips

“UL recognition on high-performance step motors is a relative rarity, so machine builders who might otherwise benefit from this technology are sometimes faced with choosing between moderate performance steppers or other motor options that are less than ideal for the application. So UL recognition of Kollmorgen’s POWERMAX II step motors is significant in that it enables OEMs whose machines need to be UL-certified to improve machine operation with high-performance steppers, without having to re-submit their equipment to UL for re-certification,” explains Josh Inman, Product Manager.

Kollmorgen
www.kollmorgen.com

Motion Control Tips

HM series hybrid stepper motors, as drop-in replacements in most industrial and medical hybrid applications, allow machine builders to reduce the ownership cost of their machine with no noticeable sacrifice in performance.  As a result, these RoHS-compliant hybrid step motors are an ideal solution in life sciences, fluid handling, industrial automation equipment, medical devices and vending/ticketing applications.

For more information, email sales.america@portescap.com or visit www.portescap.com.

Motion Control Tips

Completing the platform’s power range, the PCM7539X allows the IDEA system to be utilized with any stepper motor product offered by the company. In particular, the PCM7539X programmable stepper motor is designed to control the bigger size 23 stepper motor units as well as size 34 stepper motor units.

Similar to all Haydon IDEA Drives, the compact PCM7539X is a fully programmable control unit that is easy to use. Featuring a patent-pending graphic user interface, the stepper motor drive can be programmed using on-screen buttons instead of other proprietary programming languages or complex command sets. The software enables the system designer to troubleshoot programs that use multiple line or line-by-line program execution through interactive debug feature. The software also has the ability to simulate inputs and outputs prior to connecting in actual I/O hardware.

The PCM7539X IDEA programmable stepper motor drive’s technical specifications include 12VDC to 75VDC input voltage, programmable current control, eight digital I/O points, memory for up to 75 stored motion control programs and drive current per phase of 3.85A RMS plus a 30 percent “current boost” function that can be used during ramping.

Motion Control Tips

Steppers are generally classified by the number of allowable steps they can be commanded to move. For instance, a 1.8 degree step motor is capable of 200 steps/revolution (1.8 x 200 = 360 degrees, or one full revolution) in full-step mode. If operated in half-step mode, each step becomes 0.9 degrees and the motor can then turn 400 steps/revolution. Another mode called microstepping subdivides the degrees per step even further, allowing for extremely precise movements.

There are several different stepper motor technologies including permanent magnet motors, variable reluctance, and hybrid types. The principle of operation for stepper motors is fairly straightforward. Traditional variable reluctance stepper motors have a large number of electromagnets arranged around a central gear-shaped piece of iron. When any individual electromagnet is energized, the geared iron tooth closest to that electromagnet will align with it. This makes them slightly offset from the next electromagnet so when it is turned on and the other switched off, the gear moves slightly to realign. This continues with the energizing and de-energizing of individual electromagnets, thus creating the individual steps of motion.

Hybrid stepper motors are more expensive than permanent magnet stepper motors but provide better performance with respect to step resolution, torque and speed. Hybrid steppers combine the best features of both the permanent magnet and variable reluctance type stepper motors. The rotor is multi-toothed like the variable reluctance motor and contains an axially magnetized concentric magnet around its shaft. The teeth on the rotor provide a path to help guide the magnetic flux to preferred locations in the airgap. This further increases the detent, holding and dynamic torque characteristics of the motor when compared with both the variable reluctance and permanent magnet motor.

Stepper motors are relatively inexpensive and can be run open loop, requiring no feedback devices. Also, because the speed is proportional to the frequency of the input pulses, a wide range of speeds is attainable. However, while stepper motors are capable of producing high torque at low speeds, they generally are well suited for lower power applications not for applications requiring lots of torque to move heavier loads. They are best for applications requiring the control of rotation angle, speed, and position.

A few drawbacks are that not properly controlling the motor can produce undesired resonance in the system. Also, stepper motors are generally not easy to operate at extremely high speeds. And as the motor speed increases, torque decreases.

For two-phase stepper motors, there are two basic kinds of winding structures; unipolor and bipolar. A unipolar arrangement uses 6 wires but current can only flow in one direction. These types of motors also require a unipolar driver. A bipolar winding uses 4 wires and current can flow in 2 directions and it requires a bipolar drive. Bipolar motors are generally more efficient and can provide more torque than unipolar models, although they can heat up faster than unipolar motors.

A stepper motor’s low-speed torque varies directly with current. How quickly the torque falls off at higher speeds depends on a number of factors such as the winding inductance and drive circuitry including the drive voltage. Steppers are generally sized according to torque curves, which are typically specified by the manufacturer.

Motion Control Tips

With a unipolar winding, the PF55 stepper offers a holding torque of 120N, while a bipolar winding provides 150N of holding torque. In a full-step (2-2) excitation mode, the PF55 has 48 steps per revolution, a rated voltage of 5 and 12V, inductance between 12 and 37mH, and resistance between 5 and 36 ohms.

The PF55 stepper motor also comes in a gearhead model with 20 different ratio options, ranging from 6/25 to 1/300. These gearhead motors provide maximum torques of 400, 700, and 1000mN·m. All variations of the PF55 motor are also available with a connector.

Nippon Pulse PF55 motors are ideally suited for liquid dispensing devices, valve control machines, torque metrology instruments, printing machines, and medical diagnostic systems.

For more information, visit www.nipponpulse.com

www.nipponpulse.com

Motion Control Tips

The PFL35T features an outer diameter of 35mm and features neodymium magnets, which allow for a high driving force. Its sturdy design and construction and its ball bearing support makes the PFL35T durable and gives it a long life cycle.

The PFL35T is available with three lead screw pitches (0.48mm, 0.96mm, and 1.2mm), both bipolar and unipolar windings, a force rating up to 39.5N (at 200pps), rated voltages of 5V and 12V, and 48 steps per revolution.

Applications for the PFL35T include XY stages, liquid dispensing devices, medical pumps, semiconductor wafer handling machines, and data storage recorders.

For more information, visit www.nipponpulse.com.

Motion Control Tips

Coming from the company’s well-established portfolio of tin-can stepper products, PFG25G gearhead stepper motor is suitable for medical device industry’s projects that demand for high torque motor but have limited space.

The gearhead stepper motor is offered both in unipolar and bipolar winding and features 24 steps or 48 steps per revolution. Depending on the device’s step number and winding, Nippon’s gearhead stepper motor offers a rated voltage of either five volts or 12 volts. It also delivers a resistance ranging from 15 ohms and 122 ohms, a holding torque that stands between 8 mNom and 12 mNom. Weighting 35 grams, the PFG25G stepper motor’s other remarkable features include a starting pulse of 490 pps or 790 pps, a maximum torque of 100 mNom and a motor diameter of 25 mm.

Nippon’s PFG25G stepper motor offers customers the choice of more than 20 gearhead ratios, starting from 6/25 to 1/300. Depending on the motor’s gear ratio, it produces a maximum torque of between 20 mNom and 100 mNom.

Just like the rest of Nippon Pulse stepper motor products, the company offers customers the option to customize their PFG25G motor to meet their individual need. The Nippon Pulse factory and model shop can add longer lead wires, connectors, ball bearings, customized flanges, pinions and many other motor options.

Motion Control Tips

Borries latest markers feature an upgraded, high-speed stepper motor drive system that reduces cycle time in half-or more.

The drives were originally developed in response to the demands of the automotive industry for lower machine cycle times but faster production rates, as manifested by automotive stamping plants, where the stamping plants deliver 12 characters in three seconds at a speed of 5 mm.

Aside from the new systems, which are capable of increasing the throughput and reducing the cycle time, the company also provides retrofit packages for existing devices.

With the use of higher speed drives, the devices can be installed as retrofit kits either at the Borries factory or in the field. This gives users an affordable solution for optimizing marking speeds without the need of acquiring a new device.

Borries’ high-speed drives can be translated into several marking technologies: Stylus Marking, which utilizes fast-vibrating needle technology to produce minimal force on three-dimensional material; Scribe Marking, which is ideal in almost all deformable, three-dimensional configuration and delivers continuous-line mark that are easily-readable; Dot Matrix Marking, which is similar to Stylus Marking and Scribe Marking, but provides a visible dotted appearance; and DataMatrix Marking, which uses the same tool with the dot matrix and provides 2D codes (ECC 200 standard) that are camera-legible.

These high-speed drives are offered in the company’s programmable dot peen and scribe machines portfolio.

Motion Control Tips

The microstep drivers allow designers to optimize vibration, noise and motor torque for a broad range of applications. The circuit design is simplified by combining the features of an internal voltage regulator, DMOS output and control input translator. Operating from a maximum single 36 V supply, Rohm advanced DMOS (Pch + Nch) output topology does away with the need for external charge pump components.

The stepper motor drivers incorporate over-voltage, thermal protection and under-voltage not typically integrated in motor driver ICs. The drivers’ packaging benefits include a bottom-side heat sinking to simplify thermal design, pin-compatibility within parts with different current ratings, as well as adjacent-pin short protection on most of the models to reduce field and production failures, said the company.

Motion Control Tips

The planetary gears are delivered fully mounted on B&R’s 8LSA, 8LVA, 8JSA and 80MP series motors. Troublesome communication problems between the motor supplier and gear supplier are now a thing of the past. Gears in both straight and angled designs and with all conventional drive flange geometries were developed together with Neugart as technology partner.

The standard gears are single-stage for gear ratios i=3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 and have ≤ 8 – 15 arcmin backlash. The gears are also offered in two-stage or three-stage designs. At the top of the product line, the premium series provides backlash ≤ 1 arcmin as an option paired with high output torques.

B&R Industrial Automation
www.br-automation.com

Motion Control Tips

The TMCM-078 stepper motor drive is made for bipolar two-phase stepper motors, operating with motor coil currents of 0.7A to 7A (rms) (9.8A peak) and voltages of 15V to a maximum of 75V.

Depending upon the application, a high RPM of up to 256 micro steps or a high accuracy is possible, according to the press release.

A sensor-less load measurement capability can detect mechanical blocking, thus it can substitute reference switches plus the needed wiring.

The inputs for the direction, step and enable signals are optically isolated. The motor current is reduced to an adjustable level in standstills (standby) to prevent the motor from heating up unnecessarily, as well as to prevent the waste of energy.

All the outputs and inputs can be linked with JST crimp connectors or screw-pluggable connectors.

The module is available in rugged aluminum housing measuring 145mm x 96mm x 33mm.

Motion Control Tips

Among the kit’s features are out-of-the-box motor control and driver solution, which includes motors, the DRV8412-C2-KIT, a quick-start GUI, full development source code, Code Composer Studio (CCStudio) fitted with development environment (IDE), and a real-time control C2000 Piccolo microcontroller (MCU) controlCARD module. Modular control architecture provides flexibility to choose the suitable level of processing performance for the application. Additional TI MCU options will also be available next year.

The DRV8412 motor with integrated MOSFETs offers up to three times lower Rdson than other solutions, allowing up to 97% efficient operation, and delivers 6A continuous/12A peak current at 50V, eliminating the need for a costly heat sink. The motor driver also incorporates advanced on-chip protection such as under-voltage protection, over-temperature, and cycle-by-cycle over-current, to reduce design board space and complexity and ensure higher system reliability.

C2000 Piccolo MCU can perform communications, debug and control. The 32-bit C2000 MCU incorporates the most advanced CPU capability and control peripherals in an embedded MCU device family. This includes open-tooled reference designs through free controlSUITE software, real-time debug capabilities and access to the most systematic set of motor control software modules.

Easy-to-use GUI and C source code demonstrate current and voltage control of one or two brushed DC motors, as well as index and speed, which include up to 128 microsteps, of a stepper motor.

Motion Control Tips

The stepper motors offer a resolution of 819,200 steps/rev for smooth and quiet operation. The motors integrate everything needed for stand-alone control or operation from a PC or PLC. A total of eight I/O points can be configured as digital inputs/outputs, or analogue inputs. Aside from the 95 mm-long version, there is also a 126 mm version that can deliver 6.1 Nm, as well as a 156 mm version that delivers 9 Nm.

The stepper motors are said to deliver an acceleration precision of 1rpm/s and a velocity precision of 0.01rpm. The motors operate from 12V DC to 80V DC supplies and can deliver high torque at high speeds.

An ActiveX/OCX driver is also supplied to simplify interfacing with Excel, VB, LabView or other PC-based programs. Use of MAC protocol from JVL allows SMC85 controllers and QuickStep and MAC motors to be integrated on the RS-485 bus, supporting multiaxis or point-to-point operation of up to 254 axes.

Options include planetary gears, RS-485 and RS-422 interfaces for encoder I/O and connection to external PLCs or HMIs, double-shaft and single- or multi-turn encoders, and a pulse/direction mode for electronic gearing. The stepper motor can be available with wireless WLAN, Bluetooth or ZigBee functions, and is ready for next-generation options such as industrial Ethernet, Profibus and multi-turn encoders without external batteries.

Motion Control Tips

The new LF210 Laser Auto Focus system can control stepper motor focus drive or piezo focusing devices like Prior Scientific’s NanoScan. Line or Spot laser modes are now designed as user selectable. This means that one unit can be utilized for all types of sample irrespective of the number of features present.

The LF210 is ideal for use on upright microscopes with infinity corrected optics. A range of mounting flanges is also available to suit specific microscopes.

The LF210 also features a fast auto-focusing for reflective samples, piezo focus control from 0V to 10V output, LF100K keypad for stand alone operations, and stepper motor focus control.

Motion Control Tips

The new stepping motor encoder options for 0.36º and 0.72º motors are:

• 500 or 1000 pulses/rev
• 2 or 3 channel
• TTL or Differential (line driver type)

For 0.36° and 0.72° stepping motor and driver packages, Oriental Motor has introduced the CRK stepping motor and driver package. The CRK stepping motor and driver package highlights include:

• Pulse input 24 volt driver
→ 500 or 1000 pulses/rev
→ 2 or 3-channel TTL type encoders

• Built-in controller type
→ 500 or 1000 pulses/rev
→ 3-channel differential line driver type encoders

Oriental Motor
www.orientalmotor.com

Motion Control Tips

Designed to enable current and next generation office and home automation applications, the manufacturer’s wide range of industrial devices provides market-leading levels of reliability and ruggedness to support the drive for high efficiency, low power design.

The all-new AMIS-30523 combines a CAN transceiver and a stepper motor driver in one package, two-die device. This one-of-a-kind configuration can be utilized to control several motors of the same type on one bus, and provides important space-saving designs where a PCB real estate is limited or where one PCB mounted on the rear side of the motor is employed. Usual applications include general purpose stepper motors in industrial, automotive, marine and medical environments.

The AMIS-30523, which has a high speed of one megabit per second (Mb/s), delivers seven step modes from full step up to 32 micro-steps.

Meanwhile, the latest NCP1090, NCP1092 and NCP1091 are Power over Ethernet Powered Devices (PoE−PD) interface controller offering reliable and cost-effective integrated detection, ‘hot-swap’ and classification control in applications such as video over IP, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and wireless access point (AP).

Motion Control Tips

The TB62215FNG and TB62213FNG, based on a PWM constant current drive scheme, are single-chip two-phase bipolar stepper motor drivers that can deliver maximum motor output currents of 3.0A per phase and maximum motor output voltages of 40V.

The TB62215FNG operates with a clock-in decoder for clock input control, while the TB62213FNG has a control interface that makes use of phase input information provided by a host microcontroller.

Each driver has an on-chip voltage regulator to help create complete stepper motor control designs with the use of a single-motor power supply of as high as 40V.

Further flexibility in the design results from its capability to select two-phase, W1-2-phase, or 1-2-phase excitation modes.

A power-on-reset (POR) function and on-board thermal over-current shutdown help in minimizing component count and board space.

Manufactured through the company’s  BiCD process, the TB62215FNG and TB62213FNG incorporate DMOS FETs as output power transistors.

Supplied in 48-pin HTSSOP packages, the motor driver ICs will be ideal to applications ranging from vending machines and office automation equipment to arcade games and card readers.

Motion Control Tips

Manufactured by Applied Motion Products, the STM is a Drive + Motor + Control unit, fusing step motor and drive technologies into a single device, offering savings on space, wiring and cost over conventional motor and drive solutions.

Communication options include: RS232, RS485, CANopen, Ethernet and Ethernet/IP. Models are CE marked, and RoHS Compliant.

Servo2Go.com

Motion Control Tips

Gimme’s stepper motors are driven by Pololu A4983 Stepper Motor Driver Carriers. The stepper drivers, sensors and microcontroller are all embedded on a custom circuit board designed with Eagle CAD.

The key element that will interest other designers is its use of sensors. Chris Eckert said: “I want rudimentary motion tracking over 180 degrees so my first setup was a static array of five sensors. My idea was that, as an object moves past these five sensors, one or more would register a distance. Interpreting this information with an Arduino micro-controller, I could roughly point toward the object.”

“Simple idea but it got a little more complicated. The difficult thing about the sensors I’m using it that their output falls off exponentially with distance; objects farther away produce a MUCH smaller sensor change than objects close up. To get an approximately accurate distance from these sensors, I had to linearize the sensor outputs – lots of math. Took a while but I finally got it working well.”

When Mr. Eckert found “holes” in Gimme’s sensor pattern where none of the sensors can see the person standing on these “holes”, he tried a different approach, instead of increasing the number of sensors to process.

”Rather than having static sensors, I thought I’d sweep the sensors. I attached three sensors to a servo and slowly swept them back-and-forth. If any of the sensors detect an object, they move the three sensor array so that the centre sensor has the smallest distance. Voilà – motion tracking,” he added.

Motion Control Tips

“The iMC-P1 controller is a low-cost, compact controller that simplifies the task of selecting a complete stepper control system,” said Joe Griffin, sales manager of Techno Linear Motion. “The new iMC-P1 multi-axis stepper controller with Start, Reset and Stop buttons is rugged and industrial. There are eight 24V DC inputs and eight 24V DC outputs. Also, a durable desktop enclosure creates for a robust system which can operate on any industry floor without worry of damage,” added Mr. Griffin.

Through dip switches, the unit’s step size function can be changed from full to half to micro-step. Every controller has the ability to perform circular and linear interpolation. PalPC motion control software is also included as standard in every iMC-P1. Consumers can download Free LabVIEW drivers from the company’s website for use with their applications.

Motion Control Tips

“The iQ has advantages in both print accuracy and reduced operating costs compared with other machines, while maintaining the speed and precision associated with more expensive models. It is designed to operate with all intermittent labeling and packaging machinery,” said Gary Cowlard, chief executive of Open Date.

“The high specification iQ uses no compressed air to operate the print head, which is electronically driven by three stepper motors. These motors can be very accurately controlled, which in turn allows more print cycles per minute (currently up to 800) as well as better quality and consistency.”

“When developing this state-of-the-art thermal printer we took into consideration both the performance and sustainability criteria demanded by end users. With no need for compressed air the printer is a major step forward for this technology addresses both these key requirements. In addition the gentler handling of the motor means the life expectancy of a print head is twice that of air operated printers. Running costs are also significantly reduced and maintenance intervals are longer than for traditional machines.”

The Thermocode runs at a total speed of 600mm/s with a maximum print area of 53mm x 110mm. It is controlled by a 7″ touchscreen on which stored printed images can be edited and print settings can be adjusted during use. Program updates and print images can be downloaded through a USB port, which can be used as back-up memory. On-board memory stands at 8mb.

With its accurate ribbon drive system, 1,000 meter ribbon capacity and its ability to make fine manual adjustments, the Thermocode provides maximum efficiency of ribbon usage that further reduces operating costs and wastes.

Motion Control Tips

The kit is comprised of a chassis, pen-lifting servo motors, two stepping motors, USB cable, a power supply, a controller board and a Sharpie pen.

The Egg-Bot features a rigid but adjustable chassis, allowing user to mount spherical or ellipsoidal objects of different sizes and rotate them about the axis of symmetry through a computer-controlled stepping motor. Another stepping motor moves the pen about an axis perpendicular to the “egg” axis, while a servo motor lowers or raises the pen above the egg surface.

The software lets the user control the robot using a free illustration program Inkscape, and the user can draw an image directly, import designs or trace a photo from other programs. Whatever image the user chooses, the Egg-Bot will draw onto the surface using a robotically controlled pen.

According to evilmadscientist.com, the Egg-Bot can be used “to personalize Christmas ornaments or impress your friends with masterpiece Easter eggs.”

Since the machine needs to be assembled, it is a good starter kit for Do-it-yourself (DIY) robotics. The user can adapt it for other uses since all software and electronics are designed to be repurposable and hackable. The provider also suggests using the robot in controlling an Etch-a-Sketch.

Motion Control Tips

HT24 motors are ideal for applications where more power is required but changing to a size 34 motor is not possible. HT24 motors are available with single or dual shafts, have four leads and are suitable for bipolar and unipolar connections, and are optimized for microstepping. Three different stack lengths with holding torques ranging from 123 to 354 oz-in are available. Optional encoders, gearheads and brakes are also available.

Specifically wound for low inductance and low rated per phase current, the HT24 motors are ideally suited to run with AMP’s low cost STR4 microstepping drive.

For more information on HT24 Stepper Motors, visit http://www.servo2go.com/product.php?ID=105285

www.servo2go.com

Motion Control Tips

The 60mm 80MPF, 86mm 80MPH and 56mm 80MPD motors are known to be one of the most powerful stepper motors available in the market with regard to holding torque. The company now offers motors for demanding applications with holding torque ratings between 1.1Nm and 13.6Nm.

To control the motors, B&R offers Acoposmicro, X67 system and X20 system stepper motor modules that handle currents between 1A and 10A.

Special attention was paid when designing the 80MPF series to ensure that the installation flange is matched with the current 56mm motors from the 80MPD series. Thus, the two motors series’ mounting holes are identical. Just like all B&R motors, the new robust stepper motors also have a long operating life thanks to the high-quality materials.

The company carefully made the right selection for stepper motor bearings since these are major elements when it comes to reliability in harsh conditions.  Moreover, the seals on the bearings offer protection from moisture and contamination.

The 80MPF series motors have IP30 as standard, but IP65 protection can be achieved with the optional cover. The 60mm motors can be equipped with an ABR encoder, a motor brake and/or an SSI encoder depending on the application requirements.

Motion Control Tips

The selectable current decay pattern (MIXED/FAST/SLOW decay modes) further improves motor performance. Its circuit design is simplified by a combination of features, which include an internal voltage regulator, DMOS output and control input translator. Its built-in regulator allows operation from a single 36V (max) supply. A single clock (CLK) input instead of parallel control lines is converted by the equipment’s internal translator into motor drive signals. Moreover, the advanced DMOS (Pch + Nch) output topology from ROHM eliminates the need for external charge pump components.

The new microstep drivers from ROHM are the newest addition to the ROHM Stepper Motor Driver Series. They incorporate overvoltage, undervoltage, thermal and overcurrent protection not typically included in motor driver ICs. The series features the company’s unique Ghost Supply Prevention (GSP) function, which prevents aberrant operation during off mode.

“The combination of ROHM’s advanced power semiconductor process technology and enhanced packaging has resulted in exceptional motor driver solutions. Packaging benefits include bottom-side heat sinking to simplify thermal design, adjacent-pin short protection on most models to reduce production and field failures, as well as pin-compatibility among parts with different current ratings,” said Jeremy Bridges, Field Application Engineer of ROHM Semiconductor.

Motion Control Tips

The Dual Belt Tractor Feed, which is sometimes referred to as Caterpuller, is integrated with most strip processing and fine wire operations and offers benefits and features making it ideal for pull-feeding applications. The material can be guided between two pressure pads, one below and one above the cog belts. Pressure on the cog belts can be applied through an adjustable jack screw. The belts are made from plastic materials that are soft enough to flow in the wire diameter and are not very hard to avoid damage. The force is spread out across the surface area to minimize the effect when the material is being pulled, at the same time providing ample grip. Depending on the specific application, variable speed, constant speed, controllers and stepper or servo motors can be utilized to drive the Dual Belt Tractor Feed input shaft.

Motion Control Tips

The 5818 stepper motor series is a slightly larger version of Lin Engineering’s popular 5718 step motor line. Although they share the same mounting as the 5718 motor series, the new Super Torque 5818 stepper motor provides up to 50% more torque due to its slightly larger body. Bipolar and unipolar windings are available with the added option of getting a custom winding for high speeds or low resonance at no extra cost.

Common industries that may benefit from the added torque of a 5818 stepper motor are: packaging, automation, printing, semiconductor, dispensing, and many more. Custom options such as shaft modifications, cabling & wire harnesses, pulleys, and high temp materials are also available.

Lin Engineering
www.linengineering.com

Motion Control Tips

The new Standard Size 34 “HN Series” hybrid steppers come in three models (“lengths 2.64 inches to 4.92 inches”) with step resolutions of 1.8º (“200 steps per rev”) in full step mode. Holding torques (“bipolar”) from 397 oz-inch to 1076 oz-inch can be reached, depending on the model.

The all MAE ”HN Series” motors incorporate neodymium magnets for superior acceleration and maximum torque; ground rotors and precision-honed stators for improved performance and tight air gap; four, six, or eight leads upon request; simple, rugged construction that promotes long service life and high reliability; and single or double-ended shaft extensions.

Its motor rotation can be ran counterclockwise or clockwise. The value-added customization options include gearboxes (“worm, spur, planetary, or right angle”) with low or standard backlash, brakes, encoders, and cabling, endbelt, and special shaft. The all MAE ‘HN Series’ motors from AMETEK are CE approved, made according to EN 60034-1: 1995-02 specifications, and is provided to meet IP55 splash and dust proof protection.

Motion Control Tips

The new AMCS is a Web Server with embedded multi-axis motion controller at a very compact enclosure. It gives remarkable capabilities in network communication such as Internet and at the same time it works independently through its own system software. The server is accessed either through client applications or a HTML graphical interface. Devices incorporating the controller can be monitored and controlled from any place around the world through the worldwide computer network. AMCS is best suited for many automation applications, including industrial, textile, packaging, medical, scientific, semiconductor, machine tools and robotic.

AMCS can work in Client-Server network architecture with a possibility of creating local sub-networks, if there are a bigger number of control devices. In that case, the controllers can work in a hierarchical Server-Agent configuration. Unlike the agent, the server has the system software with additional features and monitors a group of agents. The agent and the server are both capable of directly controlling motor drives.

The motion controller has the power of both ASIC and DSP chips to implement the motion control algorithms. It has an advanced PID filter with acceleration feedforward and velocity, 32-bit position error and bias offset.

The controller is commonly programmed by used languages. Therefore, it does not require an advance level of knowledge in programming. With embedded interpreters, it is possible to write control programs in C language, HPGL standards and G-code and a language used in controllers from the Galil company. The writing control programs permit programming of advanced motion trajectories realized by a variety of kinematical configurations.

Motion Control Tips

These new devices are made to operate bipolar stepper motors in sixteenth, eighth, quarter-, half- and full- step modes, with output drive capacity of up to ±2A and 35V. These devices include a fixed off-time current regulator, which can operate in Mixed or Slow decay modes. The translator is the key to implement devices easily. Simply inputting a single pulse on the STEP input drives the motor one microstep. There are no complex interfaces, phase sequence tables or high frequency control lines to program. The interface is best suited for applications where a complex microprocessor is overburdened or is unavailable.

The chopping control automatically chooses the current decay mode (“Slow or Mixed”). Once a signal occurs at the STEP input pin, the devices determine if that step results in a lower or higher current in every motor phase. If it changes to a higher current, the current decay is set to Slow decay. If it changes to a lower current, the decay mode is set to Mixed (“set initially to a fast decay for a period amounting to 31.25 percent of the fixed offtime, then to a slow decay for the remainder of the off-time”). The current decay control scheme results in increased step accuracy, reduced power dissipation and reduced audible motor noise.

To improve power dissipation in PWM operation, an internal synchronous rectification control circuitry is provided. This internal circuit protection includes: over-current protection, crossovercurrent, undervoltage lockout (UVLO) and thermal shutdown with hysteresis.

Motion Control Tips

A typical linear motion control system has several basic components, including motors, actuators, controllers and drives. The drive type plays an important role in the overall system. Here’s a look at the most basic drive configurations, including the latest advancements in chopper drives.

The IDEA programmable actuator from Haydon Kerk is an example of cutting-edge intelligent chopper drive technology. IDEA consists of an advanced microstepping chopper drive with an intelligent programmable controller mounted to the rear section of a hybrid stepper motor linear actuator in one fully integrated package.

Defining the L/R Type Drive
An L/R type drive is a voltage source drive, where the L refers to electrical inductance and R stands for electrical resistance. Inductance is an electrical parameter relating mainly to inductors that are coils of wire wrapped around a core material that can be metallic, non-metallic, solid, liquid, or even air. Typical inductors are transformers, chokes, and motor coils (including the windings in stepper motors and stepper motor linear actuators). A related parameter called inductive reactance in an electrical circuit impedes the flow of current relative to the voltage frequency. It can be thought of as a “dynamic resistance,” increasing and impeding more of the current flow as the frequency increases. An analogy for inductance in the mechanical field would be the principle of inertia.

Resistance also impedes the flow of current in an electrical circuit but is a constant value and is not affected by the frequency value of the voltage or current. The stepper motor coil resistance remains essentially the same from standstill through maximum step frequency with only minor fluctuations due to temperature. A mechanical equivalent of electrical resistance would be the friction in a system.

Stepper motor manufacturers offer a variety of coil voltage ratings. With an L/R type of drive, you set the output voltage of the drive (measured at the motor leads) equal to the voltage rating of the stepper motor. The voltage level of the drive power supply will be set slightly higher due to voltage drops across the power transistors. The ratio of inductance to resistance (L/R) determines the current flow through the windings at a given step rate (or frequency) in steps per second. L/R = 1 time constant, which is equal to approximately 63% of the final steady-state current. At standstill, the maximum current flow into the windings is determined by the coil resistance alone. The impedance effect due to inductance is zero when the frequency is zero. This is the condition where the motor has maximum torque (holding torque) due to maximum ampere-turns, defined by:

T_H α N x I

Where:

T_H = the holding torque
N = the number of turns in the motor coil
I = the electrical current

As the step rate increases, the coil inductive reactance (X_L) also increases according to the formula:
X_L = 2πfL

Where:
X_L = the inductive reactance
f = the frequency (step rate)
L = the inductance of the motor coil

With a constant voltage source L/R type driver, the motor current decreases as the total impedance (X_L + R) increases.

Because torque, both static and dynamic, depends on ampere-turns, the output performance of the stepper motor or stepper motor linear actuator drops off as the speed increases. Another factor affecting motor performance is the back-EMF (electro-motive force) produced by the rotor rotating in a magnetic field. Motors also behave as generators. High step rates may produce peak back-EMF levels approaching or exceeding the L/R drive output voltage level. One method used to partially compensate for these effects is to improve the inductance to resistance (L/R) ratio by adding external series resistors and increasing the power supply voltage. Some common configurations are the L/2R and the L/4R drivers. Because the respective voltage sources would have to be doubled or quadrupled, the efficiency drops significantly and much more of the power is wasted as heat in the external resistors.

Categories of L/R Drives: Unipolar and Bipolar
Unipolar drives have simple output configurations and are used infrequently due to the relatively low torque output and low efficiency. A unipolar drive contributes to a torque reduction of approximately 30% as compared to a bipolar drive at the same electrical power. In a unipolar drive, only half the phase winding is energized at one time, whereas in a bipolar drive, the entire phase winding is energized.

A unipolar drive configuration. Notice that the motor phase winding is center-tapped, thus allowing current to flow through only half the phase winding at a time.

A bipolar drive configuration.

Bipolar drives have more complex output stages. Many of the new specialized integrated circuits have come down in cost, making bipolar drives more affordable. The output configuration is an “H-Bridge” which allows the reversal of the phase currents. Instead of the phase currents being switched on and off in just half of the windings like in a unipolar configuration, the currents flowing through the entire motor windings are reversed in bipolar drives. At equal electrical power into a given frame size stepper motor, the bipolar driver/motor configuration can produce greater static and dynamic torque than that of a unipolar driver/motor combination.

Chopper Drives
The term chopper refers to the method of rapidly switching a relatively high voltage to the windings on and off. This technique of switching the output voltage on and off controls the average current per phase.

There are several steps involved in selecting a chopper drive. First, choose a power supply that has a high output voltage relative to the voltage rating of the stepper motor to be driven. The high available voltage compensates for the increasing coil impedance due to rising inductive reactance as the motor speed increases. A power supply to motor coil voltage ratio of 8:1 or higher will provide the best performance at the higher motor speeds. Second, low-voltage steppers, with correspondingly lower inductance coils, are recommended. Linear type motor power supplies work well with these drives. Third, virtually all chopper-type drivers are a bipolar configuration, making use of the entire motor windings, which yields improved torque. Even unipolar stepper motors can be driven with these bipolar choppers as long as their rated coil voltage is not too high. Six-lead unipolar motors would be connected as a four-lead type by leaving the center-tap leads unconnected. With eight-lead steppers, you can connect the two coils of each phase in series (especially low-voltage coils) or in parallel. Because inductance changes as the square of the number of turns, putting two coils in series yields four times the inductance. Stepper motor performance improves at the higher speeds, as compared to an L/R type drive, due to the chopper drive’s method of monitoring and controlling motor current throughout the usable speed range.

To control the average current through the phase windings, this type of drive technology “chops” the high output voltage on and off. Most choppers use a fixed chopping frequency of approximately 20 kHz or higher. This helps keep system noise low, since the chopping frequency is above audible range. Based on this constant fixed chopping frequency, the average output current is controlled by varying the pulse width of these repetitive output pulses, a technique known as pulse width modulation (PWM).

The output current is monitored by comparing the voltage level across a small ohmic value series sense resistor with a set voltage that represents the rated motor current. During each cycle of the typical 20-kHz waveform, the voltage across the sense resistor begins to rise as the current increases through the motor winding. An electronic comparator continuously monitors this voltage level; when it equals the set reference voltage it turns off the output voltage until the start of the next 20-kHz cycle. The current in each motor winding builds and decays as the voltage source switches on and off during each cycle, yielding the proper average current per phase.

As the motor step rate, or speed, increases or decreases, so does the corresponding winding impedance and the chopper drive electronics help to compensate for this effect. At slow speeds (lower winding impedance) the on time of the voltage source is relatively short per cycle (small pulse width). At higher speeds (higher winding impedance) the on time is longer per cycle to allow the current to increase to the proper level (large pulse width); thus the term pulse width modulation.

Advances in Chopper Drives
Chopper drives are now selected for most new stepper motor linear actuator applications and there has been ongoing progress in this drive technology. For instance, the use of low on-resistance Field Effect Transistors (FETs) in the output power stage increases system efficiency and reduces power dissipation within the drive, which also reduces the required heatsink area and physical size of the drive package. Also, new power stage circuitry can provide the higher phase currents required from low-voltage, low-inductance motors, which can yield improved performance over a wider speed range. Enhanced phase current control increases motor performance such as automatically providing boosted current levels during acceleration and deceleration ramping, or shaping to reduce overall resonance of the system.

Other advances include multiple levels of microstepping (electronically splitting a full step into smaller increments) to increase motor resolution, reduce motor resonance, and lower the motor’s audible sound level during operation. Also, the integration of smart controllers, by use of on-board microprocessors, which allows for execution of real-time motion functions such as indexing with or without ramping, and creating complete interactive motion profile programs. These programs can be downloaded into non-volatile memory on the controller and then run independently and un-tethered from any host computer.

In the realm of I/O, interactive optically isolated inputs and outputs now allow the driver/controller to fully communicate with other devices and equipment in a motion control system. And smart controllers can accept encoder feedback, which can be used for motor positional verification or speed control.

Discuss this on the Engineering Exchange:

Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions
www.haydonkerk.com

::Design World::

Motion Control Tips

The Compact Driver provides 3-wire operation of 28mm Saia motors, including UCL and UCE linear step motors and UCD and UCB rotary stepper motors. The linear Compact Driver solution provides forces from 0.1 to 50N with a step resolution down to 0.021mm and distances up to 150mm. The rotary Compact Driver solution can be combined with an Saia UGA, UGD or UGM gearbox to obtain higher torque and RPM outputs, and increase step resolution, all from the same integrated driver board.

The Compact Driver’s algorithm is programmed to detect the end of the motor’s stroke. This automated end stop detection eliminates noise, reduces mechanical stress, and compensates for transverse distance tolerances, helping decrease system hysteresis and maximizing operating life.

Additionally, the Compact Driver is available with three different types of control interfaces that can be used for any number of applications where on/off or proportional functions are desired, making it simple to integrate into new and existing device designs. The ON/OFF mode is operated by an external switch where the proportional function is controlled by a 0-10V or pulse width modulation (PMW) signal.

For more information, contact Johnson Electric at (937) 454-2345 or by fax at (937) 898-8624.

www.saia-motor-usa.com

Motion Control Tips

The 8718 product line is a series of high torque, 2 phase stepper motors. The motors are available in three body lengths: 2.6”, 3.8”, and 5.0” and are capable of up to 1,288 oz-in of holding torque depending on the stack size. These motors can easily be utilized for high torque applications in industries such as packaging and food processing.

These motors can additionally be ordered with custom shaft modifications and various winding variations to meet your speed, torque, and power requirements.

Lin Engineering
www.linengineering.com

Motion Control Tips

The implementation supports the Read Holding Registers and Write Multiple Registers commands, which will give R/W access to all motor registers at speeds up to 1 Mbit/s, though typically the PC standard rates of 9600..115200 and 230400 bits/s would be used.

The implementation uses the original V1.1 version of the MODBUS protocol for maximum compatibility. For systems requiring a 2-wire RS-485, the MAC00-P4 interface module is used. For 4-wire RS-422, the MAC00-FSx modules or one of the MAC00-Bx modules are used.

MODBUS is generally considered the most widely used serial communications protocol in the industry.

JVL International
www.jvlusa.com

Motion Control Tips

The VersaDrive is available in both NEMA 17 and 23 sizes with a selection of standard windings and leadscrew leads. Nut choices include a robust anti-backlash nut and a standard nut. A centering bushing option is an adjustable feature which removes all radial play to assure the fastest and quietest operation possible. Also, a fixed screw version is available where the drive nut moves axially instead of the screw.

The USV17 VersaDrive can achieve up to 70 lbs. of dynamic force while the USV23 can achieve 150 lbs. When driven by a microstep drive, positioning resolutions for both sizes can be as fine as .0038 μM (.050″ lead at 51,200 steps per revolution). Standard positioning accuracy is .0004″/inch. A variety of modifications and options are available for the VersaDrive including custom windings, cabling and connectors, encoder feedback, Teflon coated screws and custom nuts.

The VersaDrive is designed to solve many linear positioning challenges. Engineers can count on this unique, versatile product line to simplify designs, create more compact assemblies, and lower costs.

USAutomation
www.usautomation.com

Motion Control Tips

Their top-to-bottom insulation system incorporating stator insulators and other components enables the steppers to withstand internal temperatures up to 130ºC. Robust design and rugged construction contribute to reliability and long service life.

These hybrid steppers include three versions with step resolutions of 1.8º (200 steps per rev) in full-step mode. Holding torques (bipolar) of 779 oz-in, 1062 oz-in, or 1416 oz-in can be achieved, depending on motor type. All are available in standard NEMA34 mounting configuration.

Other features include precision-honed stators and ground rotors for tight air gap and maximum performance, single- or double-ended shaft extensions, and high-temperature grade neodymium iron bore magnets. Motors can be supplied with 4 leads and single- or double-ended shafts upon request and can additionally be customized with gearboxes, encoders, and other options to satisfy particular application specifications.

Typical applications for these steppers include actuators, packaging machinery, pumps, and other equipment across industries. The motors are CE approved and manufactured according to EN 60034-1 specifications. UL versions are available upon request.

www.ametektechnicalproducts.com

Motion Control Tips

Saia UAL series motors are available in unipolar or bipolar models, with performance attributes that make them well suited for use in instrumentation, valve control, dispensing, metering pump, auger and medical automation applications.

Johnson Electric
www.saia-motor-usa.com

Motion Control Tips

The SP Series from Applied Motion Products of Watsonville, CA are NEMA standard 2 phase 1.8 degree hybrid stepper gearmotors which provide high torque in a compact lightweight housing. These offset light duty gearmotors are ideal for rotary indexing and positioning applications.

Available in Nema 17 & Nema 23 frame sizes, the SP Series Stepper Gearmotors produce up to 320 oz-in continuous torque in a cost-effective compact package. 5:1, 10:1 and 18:1 reductions are available.

The SP series feature fast damping and high slew rates for better control in full/half or microstep mode. The torque levels reached with this stepper gearmotor line makes them a cost effective alternative to servo motors in many applications.

Servo2Go.com
www.servo2go.com

Motion Control Tips

JVL also offers complete motion control solutions. This includes a wide range of gears that fit directly on the motors for any application:

Low Cost Planetary
If the application is cost sensitive and high performance is not needed the HMGH series is the right choice.

Worm Gears
If cost is important and a 90° angle is also needed – then Worm gear boxes, the HFOS series, should be the first choice.

High Performance Planetary
When an honest hard working Planetary gear box is needed think of the HTRG series. They provide standard backlash of 15 or 10 arcmin (1+2 stage) and also high precision reduced backlash of either 5 or 3 arcmin.

Backlash free Robot Gears
Combine bearing and backlash free gear box into one ultra compact unit – the HSPG reducer. These gears offer unbeatable specs and performance.

JVL International
www.jvlusa.com

Motion Control Tips

Motion Control Tips

In addition to full product features, benefits, specifications and ordering information, machine builders will find helpful guidelines on where to most effectively apply each technology type, and how to select the optimum product for a given application. Users will also find information on customization and rapid prototyping options.

Portescap
www.portescap.com

Motion Control Tips

STAC6 drives are rated at 6A for the 110V version and 3.2A with the 220VAC version. Adding CANopen allows the drives to be controlled by a CANopen master utilizing the DS301 and DSP402 communications protocols and the CAN 2.0b Passive physical layer. STAC6 drives have 7 digital inputs, 3 digital outputs and 2 analog inputs, encoder feedback is standard.

All AMPs CANopen compatible drives include Q programmer, Applied Motions powerful motion control language. Q programs can be downloaded and stored on the drive and then using the CANopen network, users can access, modify and trigger Q programs. Free printed literature and a price quote are available to aid product selection efforts. Full product CAD drawings are also available.

Applied Motion Products
www.applied-motion.com

Motion Control Tips

Available with a hard chrome, solid or hollow “platen” (track) in lengths up to 144 inches (3.65 meters), longer travels can be achieved by supplying the platens in sections, the H2W Technologies, industry standard, 12 lb. Linear Stepper is capable of very precise position, velocity and acceleration control when integrated with a microstepping drive and indexer. The resolution of these 2-phase or 4-phase motors is determined by the driver. One full step equals .010 in. [250 microns] and one microstep equals .00004 in. [1 micron]. Ideal for open loop positioning applications with moderate payloads, the “12 lb. Linear Stepper” can also be operated as a brushless linear servo with up to 5 Gs of acceleration and no loss of accuracy.

Capable of generating 12 lbs. [53 N] of continuous force, these single axis linear steppers have a forcer [motor], air bearings, side guide bearings, and platen [track] integrated into a compact, low-profile, package. The forcer connects to a motion control system via flying leads or “D” connector. Multiple forcers can operate on a single platen at the same time. Linear steppers can also be custom designed to meet a particular application’s requirements. Complete motion control packages including and indexer and driver for open loop operation or encoder, motion controller, and driver for closed loop brushless servo motor operation are available from H2W Technologies.

H2W Technologies, Inc.
www.h2wtech.com

Motion Control Tips

The R525 measures just over 3.3″ in length and 1.3″ in height making it very easy to accommodate in most systems. The R525 has been extremely competitively priced coming in at almost 20-30% less than similar products. The R525 is capable of outputting up to 5 amps peak current and handling up to 75 volts DC. Not only can it be used with all NEMA 8, 11, and 17 motor motors, it is compatible with the majority of NEMA 23 motors and many NEMA 34 motors as well.

Configuring the R525 unit is simple as well. With built-in RS485 communication, the unit can be easily connected to a computer and configured via Lin Engineering’s graphical user interface (GUI), LinDriver. Configurable settings include, but are not limited to:

1. Step resolution
2. Run current
3. Hold current
4. Damping modes for smoother motion
5. Selection of sensing the step pulses on the rising edge or falling edge

Visit the company website for more technical specifications as well as the downloadable R525 manual.

Lin Engineering
www.linengineering.com

Motion Control Tips

With the 80MPH series and 80MPD series, B&R offers the most powerful and efficient stepper motors on the market.

Equipped with an aluminum housing, the new NEMA 34 motors are able to transport thermal power dissipation with the lowest possible thermal resistance. This considerably reduces heating of the motor, which increases the lifespan of the bearings. As critical components, B&R places great value on adherence to the highest quality standards when selecting the ball bearings. The close-fitting seals not only protect against oil loss, they also generally prevent dirt particles from penetrating, which ensures that the lubricant is working at full efficiency. This even prevents oil loss when operating at high speeds. The optional IP65 upgrade with built-in clamp for the back of the motor makes wiring easier and permits use in particularly harsh environmental conditions.

The outstanding dimensioning of the components enables the motors to handle high longitudinal and transverse forces. The stepper motors can be delivered with or without an encoder system. The mechanical robustness of the magnetic encoders ensures trouble-free operation in industrial applications and therefore offers customers maximum reliability.

B&R Automation
www.br-automation.com

Motion Control Tips

Measuring only 1.1 inches across, the Accuriss 28 is capable of microstepping at up to 1,600 steps per revolution, virtually eliminating the resonance inherent in step motors. The Accuriss 60 is 2.36 inches across and can microstep up to 51,200 steps per revolution. A high-level command language is embedded in the controller to allow users to execute real-time motion commands or write programs that can be executed with a start command, upon power-up, or via input signals.

Both Accuriss motors include programmable I/O ports. Communication to the motors is via RS485 and up to 16 units can be daisy-chained together. A USB-to-RS485 converter is a standard Accuriss option to allow users to communicate with standard USB ports.

Three different lengths of each motor are available allowing the Accuriss 28 to achieve up to 11 oz in of dynamic torque and the Accuriss 60 to achieve more than 300 oz in. The Accuriss 28 can be supplied as a standard motor option on USAutomation’s Microstage™ positioning system.

Accuriss motors can be programmed from any standard terminal program (such as HyperTerminal) or from the Accuriss Terminal™ program, a free dedicated terminal program available for Windows. Once the Accuriss is programmed it is capable of independent motion sequences with only the DC power source connected.

USAutomation also offers a wide variety of modifications to the Accuriss Series to help users design an ideal solution. These include custom connectors, cabling harnesses, and unique mounting provisions.

For more information, contact USAutomation at (949) 588-0513 or on the web at:  http://www.usautomation.com.

Motion Control Tips

Greenville, DE – The STM is a stepper drive and motor unit fused into a single device that offers significant savings on space, wiring and cost when compared with conventional motor and drive solutions.

Powerful features such as advanced current control, anti-resonance technology, torque ripple smoothing and microstep emulation allow the STM to deliver optimized stepper performance ideal for medical, packaging, semiconductor and a wide variety of other automation applications. STM drive+motor units come standard with protection against over and under voltage, over-temp, motor shorts and motor open phase. They are RoHS compliant and CE certified.

The STM is available in lengths of 92.4 mm with an output torque of up to 125 oz-in, or 114.4 mm with an output torque of up to 245 oz-in. They provide three digital inputs, one digital output and one analog output.  Users can choose from an RS232 or RS485 communication interface and an optional 1000 line encoder that is integrated to the motor body without increasing the size of the unit. The optional encoder provides stall detect and stall prevention functionality.

Two versions with different control options are available; the S version with step and direction input, and the programmable Q version. The STM-S is quickly and easily configured with graphical, intuitive CONFIGURATOR software. The STM-S can be configured from a drop-down menu, or the user can quickly create custom motor configurations if desired. The STM-Q is well suited for more complex motion. It provides stand-alone operation and is quickly programmed with the robust Q programming environment, which delivers a number of benefits including register manipulation, conditional processing, math functions, multi-tasking and “generic” HMI compatibility.

Self-Test and Auto Setup features measure and configure motor parameters automatically, while Electronic Damping (anti-resonance) technology eliminates midrange instability for higher motor speeds and fuller use of available torque. Command Signal Smoothing reduces extraneous system resonances for smoother motor performance and reduced wear on mechanical components. Torque Ripple Smoothing adjusts the current waveform to reduce low speed torque ripple for smooth motion at low motor speeds. Additionally, MicroStep Emulation provides smooth motion for systems that require low step resolutions, such as retrofit systems with controller resolution that is fixed at a low value and cannot easily be changed.

For more information, visit www.servo2go.com.

Motion Control Tips

In the past decade, pulse/direction interfaces have become increasingly popular for the control of step and servo motors. This is due to the fact that pulse/direction signals provide a simple and reliable interface which is 100% digital, precise, and offers immediate response. When a pulse is sent, the motor instantaneously moves 1 step forward. For example, if the motor has a resolution of 200 steps/revolution, it will move 1.8 degrees. By changing the frequency of the applied pulse signal, it is possible to accelerate the motor. By counting the number of pulses, the motor’s position can be determined without any error whatsoever. The direction input is used to determine the motor’s direction of rotation.

All the required electronics are integrated in the motor itself in a single compact unit. The motor can be supplied with the connector either on the back or side of the housing. Either a M12 connector, screw terminal or DSUB connector can be supplied. The QuickStep motors, cables and planetary gears can be supplied from stock.

JVL
www.jvlusa.com

Motion Control Tips

The 4418 series is available in three different stack lengths starting with the nimble 4418S at 1.17” in thickness and the powerful 4418M measuring in at 1.58”. Depending on the stack length, these motors are capable of producing up to 68 oz-in of holding torque. As an added value, Lin Engineering is able to customize the motor performance and create new windings at no extra cost; various bipoloar and unipolar windings are available based on the needs of the application. Additionally, Lin Engineering is able to offer a number of mechanical customizations such as shafts and wiring harnesses.

The new 4418 series is suggested in applications where size is a factor and load capacities are critical to precision system operation. Industries currently benefiting from the features of this motor in their applications are: medical, printing, imaging, optical, and robotics.

www.linengineering.com/XtremeTorque

Motion Control Tips