by Jarrod Orszulak, Product Manager, POSITAL-FRABA The latest programmable encoders offer both incremental and absolute functionality on one hardware platform and can be programmed with a WiFi connection. Programmable incremental encoders have become more common recently. This is largely due to the fact that the measurement characteristics of the device (number of pulses per rotation, […]
IP65 rating and what it means for your application
by Brian Taylor, Application Engineering Manager, Schneider Electric Motion IP ratings have very specific definitions. Here we explain exactly what kinds of water and dirt exposure IP65-rated motion components can withstand. Just like the mysteries surrounding Stonehenge, crop circles, who shot JFK, and what a self-respecting individual would actually do for a Klondike bar, some […]
Keep Your Cool with Fans for Control Equipment
by Dan Jones, Incremotion Associates New fan designs help reduce heat, dust and excessive moisture in cooling applications. An important but often secondary consideration in control systems and control cabinets is cooling. Electronic control equipment such as controllers and drives, especially equipment that’s confined to enclosures with little or no natural air movement, is especially […]
New technologies lead to more efficient aircraft
In a time of increased costs and environmental awareness, fuel efficiency is a primary driver of trends in the aerospace industry. One way engineers are achieving greater fuel efficiency is by reducing the weight of the components that go into an aircraft. Lighter components make for a lighter aircraft, which makes it more fuel efficient […]
The hybrid servomotor: stepping up to closed loop
by Don Labriola P.E., President, QuickSilver Controls, Inc The use of hybrid servos grows as their control techniques are understood, and the costs of sufficient processing power shrink. Sophisticated control techniques have produced the hybrid servomotor system from the motor style commonly called a hybrid stepper motor when powered by an open-loop step driver. The […]
How to use vibration controls to boost machine throughput
Designers can double manufacturing productivity in all kinds of applications with the simple addition of adaptive vibration control. Some such systems operate at the drive level to get the fastest possible corrections. By Bipin Sen, Senior Business Development Engineer, Bosch Rexroth Increasing the speed of a packaging line, machine tool or pick-and-place operation may seem […]
Better ways to commutate BLDCs — with capacitive sensing
By Jeff Smoot, VP Motion Control, CUI Inc. Capacitive commutation can speed up the assembly of brushless dc motors and be more accurate than conventional Hall sensors. Examine a cordless power tool or a computer hard drive and you’ll likely find a brushless dc motor (BLDC) doing the work. BLDCs have become widely used in recent […]
Problems VFDs cause and cable types that help solve them
Any machine that uses a VFD is subject to the effects of the drive’s chopped dc square-wave output signals. Here we explain how those signals affect and interact with motors and surrounding equipment, and how cables can help protect many components against the signals’ more detrimental properties. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) run myriad machines—including industrial […]
What is your cost for unplanned electric motor downtime?
by Bill Martin, Product Manager, Electronic Overload Relays, Rockwell Automation Electric motors, if not properly protected, can cause damage if overloaded. A variety of motor protection devices are available for varying applications to prevent this.. Electric motors are the backbone to today’s modern industry. They provide the mechanical energy needed for most manufacturing processes—but they […]
How a new VFD filter protects motors from two voltages
by Todd Shudarek, Principal Engineer, MTE Corporation A new filter for adjustable speed drives handles both differential and common mode problems. Most users of pulse width modulation (PWM) ac drives are familiar with the elevated differential mode motor voltages due to the reflected wave phenomenon, fast rise times and peak voltages they can produce. However, […]
