Featured - Motion Control Tips

Servo motor offers increased torque, speed and efficiency in compact footprint

May 16, 2019 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

Kollmorgen’s AKM2G synchronous servo motors are the next generation of its AKM motor product family, and provide increased capabilities for demanding applications. The higher torque density of the AKM2G allows OEMs to substantially increase machine performance without increasing motor size. Greater flexibility and wider speed range enables machines to run faster, move heavier loads, and increase throughput. The AKM2G is also highly efficient, offering lower energy consumption and costs compared to competitive motors.

Key benefits include:

Smaller footprint – With average continuous torque increases of 30 %, AKM2G significantly reduces the space dedicated to motors and mechanical components without sacrificing performance. Newly available space allows for additional production capacity, and smaller machines can allow operators to run multiple machines at one time.

Increased torque – The higher torque density of the AKM2G allows machines to do more and increases throughput. With six sizes and performance levels between 0.3 and 10 kW, the AKM2G helps existing machines produce new variants such as larger-size product.

Wider speed range – With rated speeds up to 8,000 rpm, the AKM2G allows existing machines to run faster, change-over quicker and produce more when production demands surge.

Greater flexibility – The AKM2G supports a wider array of feedback, brake, thermal sensor, and shaft seal options, allowing OEMs maximum flexibility in machine design and compatibility with current machine configurations. Now available for low voltage and dc applications from 24 to 96 V providing optimum high-performance solutions for portable and mobile applications including operation from battery systems.

Higher efficiency – The AKM2G builds on the AKM’s industry-leading efficiency, bringing models to as much as 98 % efficient. OEMs can meet energy efficiency parameters that are becoming requirements in multiple markets.

For more information visit www.kollmorgen.com.

Drives and controls for robotics: See them at the 2019 Robotics Summit

May 16, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

In a couple weeks, the 2019 Robotics Summit (focused on the design, development, manufacture, and delivery of commercial robotics) will take place in Boston. It will be co-located with the DeviceTalks event at the Seaport World Trade Center. One display will be an array of precision processing and powering technologies for robotics.

Elmo Motion Control • Booth #118 — This is a top visit if you’re interested in drives and controls for on-robot (distributed) control. We recently touched on some multi-axis solutions for these setups in a visit at Automate:

In fact, you will get to see Brian Mason (who gives the booth tour in the above video) on Wednesday, June 5th at 2:00 at the Robotics Summit, when he will present on motion control in robots. You’ll also get to ask him questions about miniature network-based servo drives and novel ways to power and control robot joints for less cabling.

Infranor • Booth #139 — Look for servo drives and servomotors here, and give us a shoutout on LinkedIn if you end up having a conversation with this company about new robotics applications for semiconductor, packaging, or aerospace industries (and are at liberty to divulge a vague detail or two).

Performance Motion Devices • Booth #145 — Little-known fact about PMD … this company is well-versed in sharing motion fundamentals with the industry. So if your primary engineering focus is in fact not motion control and you attend the Summit, say hello to the team here to get answers to questions you’ve always wanted to ask but felt were elementary. Performance Motion Devices sells multi-axis motion products (and ICs, digital drives, and amplifiers, and machine boards) and provides technical support on these technologies.

PI • Booth #151 — Physik Instrumente makes regular appearances in our editorial for its precision subsystems. Piezomotors feature large in a lot of miniature designs — see what we did there? — although this company integrates a whole host of other actuator and motor types as well as various kinematics iterations. Check out this FAQ for more on the kinematic possibilities for some robotics: What’s the difference between serial kinematics and parallel kinematics in multi-axis motion design?

This is a piezo motor from Physik Instrumente (PI) that moves to 200 mm/sec. It has an integrated driver.

Kollmorgen • Booth #202 — Catch up on the features and case studies we’ve done (listed below) on how to size and apply servomotors, frameless motors, and stepper motors to robotics and other applications. Then go see the engineers from Kollmorgen at the Summit to see what new robotics applications they observe on the horizon for these technologies — especially for collaborative robots, industrial articulated robots, and medical robots … and particularly those employing frameless motors (a huge trend in the industry) as well as harmonic gearing for high torque density and smaller and faster robots.

Trends in electric motors Part II — Scott Evans sets record straight on motion design

Difference between continuous ratings and holding continuous loads (an ac servo-motor terminology primer)

Thermal time constants and managing PMAC servo motor overloads

Frameless motors and gearmotors for robot design at XPONENTIAL 2019

JF Shaw • Booth #212 — You’d be hard pressed to think of a component used in automaton and robotics that this company doesn’t supply, as they include sensors, connectivity equipment, motors, and drives; mechanical offerings relevant to the application of robots include spur gears, industrial belts, pulleys, and couplings … as well as whole assemblies and end-of-arm tooling including electrical and pneumatic grippers. We editors at motioncontroltips.com are just learning of the capabilities from this supplier ourselves, so stay tuned in coming months to get more on its engineers’ expertise in the design and integration of various industrial applications.

Using mechanical torque limiters to protect servo-driven machinery

May 15, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

Servomotor-driven machinery abounds in today’s automated applications. These designs typically require high speeds for top throughput, dynamic operation for nimble positioning, and (in many cases) quick reversals for indexing. So it’s key to have some means to:

Protect the servomotor from damage by sudden load changes, over-torque conditions, or shock due to machine issues. The latter can include errors in programming, mechanical or feedback malfunctions, faulty braking, and machine-operator mistakes.

Protect the power-transmission assembly (including gearing and couplings as well as ballscrew, belt, or other drive components) from the behavior of its own inertia, motor-rotor inertia, and (reflected) load inertia — and even leverage system inertia — in atypical situations.

That’s because the processes that servo-driven machinery execute usually involve either expensive workpieces or high volumes … mission-critical operations with equipment that is itself costly. Such processes are intolerant of unexpected downtime from shock and jam-induced failures of subcomponents.

Overload protection includes often-complementary electronic and mechanical means.

Consider how servosystems can include electronic fusing, current limiting, and other modes of electronic overload protection to address crashes and sudden axis stops. Such protection uses controls (such as PLCs or servo drives) and feedback to track the axis state — monitoring and controlling motor-winding temperatures, current and voltage, as well as output force or torque and position in some cases.

Where applicable, these modes of electronic overload protection also complement the use of powerful low-inertia servomotors to boost overall performance and efficiency. Then when there are issues with any monitored parameters (especially those that indicate total axis jams) motion controls trigger preset corrections with motor-drive shutdowns, brake engagement, or other commands to trigger a motor-based response.

But one limitation of electronic torque limiting is that it’s not always quick enough to prevent machine or workpiece (or process) damage. That’s especially true for addressing inertial effects on dynamic motion axes; the masses of the mechanical components exert behavior that electronic corrections generally don’t resolve. In other words, the reliance of electronically programmed torque limiting on motor operation to correct problems leaves no immediate mode of addressing the action of components’ rotating masses (inertia) downstream.

In contrast, mechanical torque limiters provide near-instantaneous response (breaking free in just 1 msec in some cases) to issues. When installed at the right location in the drivetrain, these disconnect system inertia from the locked portion of the axis and let the drivetrain coast to a stop. That helps prevent damage in the first dozen or so milliseconds of machine-axis crashes or over-torqued conditions, when the most damage typically occurs.

Torque-limiter selection requires calculation of torques to be experienced by the axis on which the limiter will operate — from the axis end back to the servomotor. Electronic protection sometimes fails to protect mechanical components in between. Shown here are Series T ball and detent torque limiters from DieQua Corp. Their low inertia makes them suitable for servomotor-driven designs (and those incorporating ballscrews) needing quick acceleration.

Torque limiters used this way are also called torque-overload devices, safety couplings, overload clutches, and slip clutches. Note: Though this may be just a matter of semantics, torque limiters are technically not clutches because they are not built for continuous slipping. Related (though also nonequivalent) technologies are mechanical overrunning clutches that use wrap-spring, roller ramp, ratcheting, and cam action for one-way engagement.

Servo-system inertia in context of torque limiters

Recall that according to Newton’s second law for rotating systems, applying torque τ (in N∙m) to a mass induces angular velocity ω in rad/sec — with acceleration inversely proportional to the moment of inertia J (in kg∙m²) of that mass. Power P = τ ω = τ 2π∙n — with 1 rad = 360° ÷ 2π∙n and n = revolutions per sec. Also:

Where t = Time to accelerate or decelerate (sec) so that stopping time and torque τ are inversely proportional.

Often, the torque τ of a sudden jam or braking (inducing an axis stop within just a few milliseconds) is quite high … to 100,000 N∙m/sec is not atypical … and in fact, overload via reflected inertia (from the mass of all the load and power-transmission components on the axis) can easily exceed the servomotor’s peak-torque rating.

Though machine axes can be built with torque ratings that allow for some momentary exceedances, a torque limiter in such a design can disengage at torques dangerously higher than continuous motor torque. These slip during shock loading of significant inertia-induced torque and not during startup or otherwise normal operation. Or the torque limiter (with the help of a speed sensor) can disengage the axis at some torque below peak motor torque and concurrently trigger a motor shutdown. When paired with electronic overload protection and installed where jams may occur (typically at the furthest reaches of axis actuation) still other mechanical torque limiters include a ring or other subcomponent to allow the mounting of proximity switches that in turn communicate overload conditions to a controller for electronic follow-up remediation.

Where axis cycle rates are aggressive for the application’s load inertia, the torque limiter may need to have expanded range and capacity. That’s certainly true where torque limiters protect against damaging levels of shock loading but allow system inertia to temporarily increase torque and power the axis through certain conditions, if that’s part of the design.

As mentioned, some servomotors are specifically engineered to have low (rotor) inertia; these often find use in high-performance applications having high inertia ratios of (reflected) load inertia to motor inertia — breaking the somewhat arbitrary rule of thumb that this ratio not exceed 5 to 10:1 or so. Search motioncontroltips.com for “servomotor inertia ratio” for more information on this. Also read the FAQ: Why does servomotor inertia matter?

Such motors exhibit quick deceleration (to stop from top speed in 20 msec, for example) but the inclusion of mechanical torque limiters is often required for wholly safe execution of dynamic tasks.

Torque-limiter variations for adding to servomotor-driven systems

Torque limiters are either releasable or continuously engaged. Releasable designs include ball-detent torque limiters (which are particularly common in servomotor applications), shear-pin limiters, permanent-magnet and loaded pawl-spring torque limiters, and sprag-engagement torque limiters.

Slipping torque limiters requiring no reset upon load correction include magnetic-hysteresis and magnetic-particle torque limiters as well as friction-disc torque limiters. During a machine-axis jam, these slip just enough to absorb inertia shock load and (as mentioned) trigger controls to let the motor stop.

When specifying torque limiters, look for availability of torque-specific models or those with some means of adjustment; backlash-free operation; and quantification of accuracy as a percent — ±4% of the trip torque, for example. Limiters billed as precision-tripping models will not exhibit lost motion (play). Torque limiters that integrate couplings also include misalignment-compensation values in degrees.

When to use gears to change the inertia ratio of a motor-driven system

May 15, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

In any system where a motor drives a load to achieve precise positioning, velocity, or torque, the ratio of the load inertia to the motor inertia plays a significant role in determining the motor’s ability to effectively and efficiently control the load, especially during acceleration and deceleration portions of the motion profile.

In this context, the inertia we’re referring to is mass moment of inertia (sometimes referred to as rotational inertia), which is an object’s resistance to change in rotational speed. An object’s mass moment of inertia is determined by its mass and geometry — specifically, the radius between the object’s center of mass and the point around which the object rotates.

Adding a gear set or gearbox between the motor and the load can improve the load-motor inertia ratio.
Image credit: Omron Industrial Automation

If the inertia of the load is significantly higher than the inertia of the motor, the load will essentially try to “drive” the motor, and the motor will have a difficult time achieving the desired position (or speed or torque). In an attempt to control the load, the motor will draw higher current, which decreases efficiency and increases wear on the motor and electrical components.

On the other hand, if the inertia of the motor is significantly higher than inertia of the load, it’s likely that the motor is oversized, which has negative implications throughout the system — including higher initial cost, higher operating cost, larger footprint, and the need to oversize other components, such as mounting hardware, couplings, and cables.

If the inertia ratio is too high — that is, if the load inertia is much higher than the motor inertia, causing problems with positioning accuracy, settling time, or control of velocity or torque — the load inertia that is seen by, or reflected to, the motor can be decreased by adding a gear set or gearbox between the motor and the load.

J_L = inertia of load reflected to motor

J_M = inertia of motor

Adding a gear set or a gearbox to a motor-driven system reduces the load inertia by the inverse square of the gear ratio, meaning that even a relatively low gear ratio can have a significant effect on the inertia ratio.

J_L = inertia of load reflected to motor

J_D = inertia of drive (ball screw, belt, rack & pinion)

J_E = inertia of external (moved) load

J_C = inertia of coupling

J_G = inertia of gear set or gearbox

i = gear ratio

Note that the inertia of the gear set or gearbox (J_G) is added to the load inertia, but its effect is typically small compared to the reduction provided by the gear ratio.

In addition to optimizing the load-motor inertia ratio, gearboxes are often used in motion control applications to increase the torque delivered to the load from the motor, but they also decrease the rotational speed delivered to the driven component from the motor, by an amount equal to the gear ratio. This is why gearboxes are often referred to as “gear reducers” or “speed reducers.”

In other words, if a motor running at 1200 rpm is driving a load through a 3:1 gearbox, the rotational speed delivered to the load will be 400 rpm (1200 ÷ 3). This reduction in speed can enable the system to operate at a more favorable location on the motor’s speed-torque curve.

Although it is possible to use a gearbox or gear set that is configured to reduce torque (and increase speed), in motion control applications, a more typical solution would be to choose a smaller motor.

Feature image credit: M. M. Nazari

What is disturbance rejection in motion control?

May 13, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

One of the key functions of a motion controller is to create the trajectories the motor follows in order to reach the target position (or velocity or torque). As the motor turns, the controller processes feedback from the encoder and compares the actual position of the motor with the desired position. If there are any deviations between the actual position and the desired position, the controller issues commands to correct the error.

Deviations can be caused by inaccuracies in the mechanical components (backlash in screws, compliance in connecting elements, or errors in mounting surfaces) or by unknown disturbances — often in the form of unexpected forces on the system that cause the position, velocity, or torque to rise or fall sharply and unpredictably.

The motor’s ability to follow the given trajectory and achieve the desired position is tracked and managed by the controller through a function known as command tracking or reference tracking. (When the controller is monitoring a process variable, such as temperature or fluid level, rather than the position, speed, or torque of a motion control system, this function is referred to as setpoint tracking.)

Each gain in the PI (proportional-integral) or PID (proportional-integral-derivative) control loop affects the system’s reference tracking. In addition, feedforward control, a proactive control method that predicts the system’s error and injects commands into the control loop to minimize the error, is often used to improve reference tracking and further minimize the deviation between the commanded position and the actual position of the motor.

To address unexpected forces that cause the motor to move away from the target value, the controller uses a function known as disturbance rejection, which processes the disturbance and provides commands that correct for these unknown forces or conditions.

Block diagram for a PID controller with an input disturbance (T_d).
Image credit: Quanser Inc.

In control tuning, the proportional gain (k_p) determines the amount of disturbance rejection. This makes sense because the proportional gain issues an error correction signal that is directly proportional to the error. So when a disturbance occurs, causing the motor to deviate from the desired state, the proportional gain outputs a correction signal to bring the motor back toward the desired state. In theory, the higher the proportional gain, the better the disturbance rejection. But in real-world applications, the maximum value of proportional gain that can be used without causing instability is limited by the system bandwidth and phase margin.

A controller can be tuned to balance the reference tracking and disturbance rejection functions, as shown here, or to favor one or the other.
Image credit: MathWorks Inc.

Motion controllers often use both functions — reference tracking and disturbance rejection — to provide accurate, steady-state performance and to reduce sensitivity to changing or unexpected loads. However, there are tradeoffs when both functions are used: the lower the overshoot and settling time for reference tracking, the more sluggish the disturbance rejection will be, and vice-versa. Tuning the controller involves finding the appropriate balance between the overshoot and settling time of the reference tracking function and the response time of the disturbance rejection function.

Compact step motors with high torque for space-limited applications

May 10, 2019 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

Applied Motion Products offers compact step motors in NEMA sizes 8, 11 and 14 for applications with limited space including medical devices, 3D printers, analytical and medical instruments, robotics and others.

These lightweight and low-cost motors offer high torque up to 22 oz-in. at low speed. Even while sized smaller, the compact step motors operate with high step accuracy and resolution as well as low vibration and noise – important factors in machinery lines and medical equipment. The compact step motor line includes:

NEMA size 8 in two lengths (1.24 in. and 1.85 in.) and holding torque up to 4.53 oz-in.
NEMA size 11 in two lengths (1.22 in. and 2.05 in.) and holding torque up to 14.16 oz-in.
NEMA size 14 in two lengths (1.02 in. and 1.57 in.) and holding torques up to 25.53 oz-in.

These hybrid-type small motors offer the highest torque density in their frame size. With a 1.8˚ step angle and being RoHS compliant, units are available in both single and double-shaft versions. To address customers requirements for specific connectors and couplings, Applied Motion Products provides its compact motors with customized cable and connector assemblies and a variety of options including flats, thru-holes, custom lengths, and more.

Applied Motion Products also offers a full complement of stepper drives that optimize the torque and speed performance of its compact step motors while providing smoother and quieter operation. For basic step and direction control applications, operators can set up the miniature STR3 stepper drive with just a screwdriver. A new STF stepper drive family offers on-board programming and network communications. All software tools for these drives are free and easy-to-use. Q Programming provides the option to store motion profiles on STF drives and execute profiles in stand-alone mode or via a digital I/O.

For more information visit www.applied-motion.com.

Robotics Summit in June: Attend for technology insights (and hero Tyler Shultz)

May 6, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

In a few short weeks, the 2019 Robotics Summit (focused on the design, development, manufacture, and delivery of commercial robotics) will take place in Boston. It will be co-located with the DeviceTalks event at the Seaport World Trade Center.

Side note — and yes, we at Design World are quite excited about this one: DeviceTalks is featuring a truly remarkable keynote speaker in Tyler Shultz, the entrepreneur and Theranos whistleblower who brought to light many of the revelations detailed in Bad Blood, which we cover here on designworldonline.com.

Shultz is the closing keynote in the afternoon June 6th and goes later than the Robotics Summit closing keynote from Dev Singh of Qualcomm Technologies on the application of 5G in robotics. That means if you register for the Robotics Summit, you’ll get to see and ask questions of both Singh and Shultz.

On the technologies themselves, we of course know that motion control and power-transmission technologies are at the heart of all robot designs. Following is a smattering of some such components you’ll see at the Summit.

Robot degrees of freedom — tracked with feedback

Sensing and feedback allow for monitoring of robot axes (to track position in space as well as speed, acceleration, and torque) for the correction of motion … to deliver on preprogrammed moves and adjust to external factors. In most cases, sensing and feedback components in robotics take the form of encoders (on electric-motor-driven axes) and other sensors for end-of-axis tracking or mapping. Some suppliers showing such technologies at the 2019 Robotics Summit include the following.

ifm • Booth #104 — Information to glean from these folks includes that on position and fluid sensors as well as diagnostic, networking, and connectivity solutions (which are increasingly pre-engineered, as we cover here and here). ifm manufactures industrial sensors and other control products to support an array of robotics applications — and those for assembly too.

Renishaw • Booth #130 — If you attend the Summit, get this team to summarize for you how to choose between and apply optical, laser interferometer, and magnetic encoder technologies. Renishaw sells (among other things) components for measurement and motion control, though the supplier is probably best known for its encoders for OEM positioning applications.

Motors propel, rotate, actuate robotic axes

Electric motors are far and away the most common technology imparting motion to robotics. On the rise today are PMDC motors, stepper and servo motors, PMAC and brushless motors, and frameless iterations of various motor subtypes. That latter can include direct-drive motors and (often when referring to motors that drive AGVs and similar autonomous robotics) torque motors.

Nidec • Booth #110 — As we outline in more detail in this article (Motion Trends: New motor breeds are smart, connected, and compact) Nidec founder Shigenobu Nagamori identifies these trends in industries employing electric motors:

• Home appliances traditionally employing brushed motors are increasingly using brushless dc motors
• Rising electrification of automobiles relies on electric motors
• There’s significant replacement of manual tasks in logistics and agriculture with automated designs — and the potential for drones in these markets is especially high
• Proliferating robots (including collaborative robots) are almost all equipped with electric motors and speed reducers. These robots are expensive, but use will rise as prices decrease, said Nagamori.

Visit Nidec at the summit to see its lineup of precision motors suitable to impart motion to robotic designs.

maxon precision motors • Booth #114 — If you missed the recent Automate show in Chicago, you didn’t get the chance to see the tabletop robotics display maxon had at its booth … a KINOVA arm:

The company’s Jaco2 Robotic Arm provides a lightweight, quiet and easily controlled device to the service industry; it actuates in six degrees of freedom using six flat motors.

You’re likely to see this or comparable application examples (as well as maxon motor and drive offerings to satisfy robotic designs with parameters as demanding as those for Mars rovers) in Boston — so go say hello.

Bodine Electric Co. • Booth #122 — This is a stop for stock and custom gearmotors and drives as well as fixed and variable speed ac, brushless dc, and permanent magnet dc motors and motion controls. Again, tag us on LinkedIn if you visit Bodine and want us to share your conversation online.

Electrocraft • Booth #226 — Here get a unique take on application-engineered motors and motion products for inspection and agricultural robots, robotic mowers, surgical robots, domestic-service robots, and end effectors. This motor maker also sells gearboxes, gearmotors, linear actuators, and integrated motor drives for such applications.

MICROMO • Booth #248 — One reason attend the Summit in Boston is to see this manufacturer’s micro dc motors firsthand — especially if you’re an engineer or OEM aiming to boost design quality. Besides brush and brushless dc motors, stepper motors, and linear dc servomotors, MICROMO also supplies gearheads, encoders, and micro linear actuators. As the North American supplier of FAULHABER micro-motion products, MICROMO also provides value-add design and engineering services.

Precision power-transmission for robotics

Harmonic Drive • Booth #119 — Strain-wave gearing sets are core to so many robotics applications. One company supporting this technology’s application is Harmonic Drive — which designs and sells an array of precision servo actuators, gearheads, and gear component sets. Solutions are standard or (in most cases) custom.

Note that on Wednesday at the Summit (11:45 to 12:30 pm) president and CEO of Harmonic Drive Doug Olson will present on these technologies for robotic actuators.

Intech • Booth #124 — Here you’ll get to see various robotic applications for self-lubricating plastic rollers, gears, and cam followers of non-hygroscopic Power-Core material (and supplied with durability calculations). Fast as well as lubrication (and maintenance) free, these motion components also have low inertia and deliver smooth motion so critical to automated designs.

See you in Boston.

Automate 2019 closes last show in Chicago with record attendance and leads

April 30, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

Automate, North America’s largest showcase devoted to automation industry trends, leading-edge technology and business innovation, ended its eight-year run in Chicago with record numbers. According to preliminary figures, more than 20,000 walked the show floor at the biennial event – an increase of 25% over 2017 – to see the advancements in robotics, vision, motion and advanced automation technology from over 500 exhibitors from around the world.

President of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) Jeff Burnstein reports that the majority of the largest exhibitors have already reserved their spots for 2021 in Detroit, all citing the strong connections they were able to make at this year’s show.

The Association for Advancing Automation is the global advocate for the benefits of automating. A3 promotes automation technologies and ideas that transform the way business is done. A3 is the umbrella group for Robotic Industries Association (RIA), AIA – Advancing Vision + Imaging, Motion Control & Motor Association (MCMA) and A3 Mexico. RIA, AIA, MCMA and A3 Mexico combined represent over 1,200 automation manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, research groups and consulting firms from throughout the world that drive automation forward.

Automate has proven once again to be a suitable venue for manufacturers to find the latest innovations in automation — from collaborative and mobile robots to artificial intelligence, machine vision and motion control, Burnstein said. “From what we’ve heard from exhibitors and attendees alike, the show was a great success, generating thousands of valuable leads as business leaders learned how the various innovations can help their companies thrive in today’s highly competitive global environment. We can’t wait to do it all again in 2021, this time in Detroit.”

Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) is one exhibitor planning a return to Automate in 2021. According to Ed Mullen, MiR’s vice president of sales for the Americas, the company received more than 1600 leads over the week, the most the Danish manufacturer of autonomous mobile robots has received at any trade show to date.

“Automate attracts thousands of companies from across the United States, which makes it an suitable venue for us,” Mullen said. “The massive amount of highly qualified leads we received at Automate this year compared to when we first launched in North America in 2017 completely validates the decision to exhibit at the show. We’re looking forward to 2021.”

Another company at Automate was Innovative Mechatronic Systems B.V., which was the 2019 winner of the $10,000 Launch Pad Startup competition for its Archimedes Drive. This toothless gearbox with speed reducer technology brings groundbreaking improvements in performance compared to current drive solutions. Founder Thibaud Verschoor and six other finalists had five minutes to present their innovations before the judges chose the winner. Judge Oliver Mitchell of Autonomy Ventures wrote that IM Systems universally stood out for its important contribution … with potential to generate a billion-dollar valuation with its promise of bringing down the cost of adoption and quickening the speed of deployment.

At Automate, A3 also announced the date and location for Automate 2021. It takes place May 17-20 at Detroit’s Cobo Center. Exhibitors, participants and attendees can find more information about Automate 2021 at www.automateshow.com.

Available May 2019: Trinamic six-channel stepper-motor controller module for improved performance

April 29, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

TRINAMIC Motion Control GmbH & Co. KG now sells the TMCM-6214, a highly integrated module capable of driving up to six two-phase stepper motors, drawing up to 1.9A RMS each at supply voltages of up to +24 V. Thanks to its three integrated encoder inputs for incremental A/B/N encoders, it can support high-precision position feedback for three of its six motors, making it suitable for multi-axis applications in laboratory and factory automation, life science, robotics, test and measurement, and applications handling precious goods and liquids.

This is Trinamic’s TMCM-6214. Featuring SixPoint ramping profiles and multiple encoder inputs, the TMCM-6214 6-axis motor controller/driver board for two-phase stepper motors simplifies the design of robots, industrial automation, and other advanced multi-axis motion control systems.

“By monitoring the motor and relaying feedback back to the operator, the customers can closely track performance of their applications. Making it easy for customers to use these features allows them to implement a wide variety of applications. The controller’s position feedback capabilities, for example, can be used to implement predictive maintenance functions, which can dramatically reduce equipment downtime while increasing its overall lifespan,” states Michael Rand, Founder and CEO of Trinamic.

The TMCM-6214’s advanced features allow engineers to add an extra layer of reliability to their applications, while ensuring the best performance possible throughout its extended life span. The controller also incorporates Trinamic’s industry-exclusive DcStep function that enables the stepper motor to mimic the characteristics of a dc motor by delivering higher torque at lower speeds. Similarly, Trinamic’s unique SixPoint ramping profiles allow developers to create complex acceleration/deceleration profiles that are precisely tailored to their application’s requirements.

To increase ease of integration, the TMCM-6214 is available in two versions. The first version supports Trinamic’s TMCL motion control command language.

Note that TMCL (the Trinamic Motion Control Language) is a programming language dedicated to motion control applications. TMCL includes commands for moving one or more motor axes at certain velocities or to certain positions, and for setting all relevant motion controller parameters. TMCL also provides access to additional general-purpose digital and analog inputs and outputs. TMCL is available on most Trinamic modules with an integrated motion controller.

Full remote control of the device with feedback is possible and the module’s TMCL firmware can be updated via any of the serial interfaces. As an alternative to the TMCL version, the TMCM-6214 also comes with firmware that supports the industry standard CANopen communication protocol.

Recall that CANopen is a communication protocol and device profile specification for embedded systems used in automation. regarding the OSI model, CANopen implements the layers above and including the network layer. The CANopen standard consists of an addressing scheme, several small communication protocols, and an application layer defined by a device profile.

The module supports CAN, RS485, RS232 and USB interfaces for communications. Both versions of the controller module come with six general purpose digital inputs and two analog inputs. The modules also have eight protected general purpose outputs that can be used for diagnostics. An integrated power supply switch is available together along with two hardware torque off inputs. The controllers’ powerful, integrated processor helps minimize communication traffic by performing all time-critical operations, such as ramp calculation, on-board without the assistance of an external host.

Both versions of the TMCM-6214 will be available through Trinamic’s normal distribution channels at the end of May.

Features and benefits:

Six-axis controller/driver for two-phase bipolar stepper motors
Linear and SixPoint ramps
+9V to 30V DC supply voltage
Up to 1.9A RMS motor current
RS485, CAN, RS232 & USB interfaces
3x A/B/N encoder inputs
Multi-purpose inputs and outputs (protected)
Hardware torque off with integrated power switch for the driver supply
On-board voltage regulators (+5V and +3V3) for supply of all on-board digital circuits.

TRINAMIC Motion Control develops the world’s most sophisticated technology for motion and motor control applications, making it as easy as 1-2-3. the state-of-the-art ICs, modules, and mechatronic systems enable today’s software engineers to quickly and reliably develop highly precise drives that work efficiently, smoothly, and quietly. Trinamic is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany with a research center in Tallinn, Estonia, and Sales Engineers in both Chicago, IL, USA and Suzhou, China.

For more information, visit this TMCM-6214 product page on trinamic.com. Also download the data sheet (as a PDF) listing the specifications of the motor controller/driver board.

Forest City Gear launches advanced facility for gear-blank production

April 29, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

Forest City Gear has expanded its turning and milling operations with a state-of-the-art facility designed to greatly improve lead times and quality for the production of precision gear blanks.

This highly productive 8,500 sq. ft. facility is in close proximity to Forest City Gear’s main facility in Roscoe, IL, and now dedicated almost solely to the precision turning and milling operations needed to produce precision gear blanks. That’s very good news for Forest City Gear customers, says Forest City Gear Turning and Milling Supervisor Mike Miller.

“This gives us complete control over the quality and delivery of the blanks (and slugs) that are the ‘near net shape’ starting point for many of the gears we produce,” Miller says. “The types of projects we take on here at Forest City Gear for customers around the world have never been more demanding from a quality and delivery standpoint.”

He continues: “If we start off a project with turned blanks out of tolerance, or waiting for blanks from a supplier, this can ultimately create a devastating production bottleneck when operations upstream are sitting idle waiting for product to arrive.”

According to Miller, the facility (with its four late-model CNC lathes, three CNC machining centers, and dedicated Zeiss CMM) easily meets current capacity requirements, and gives the company much additional room to grow. Two Mazak Quick Turn 250 Turning Centers will arrive later this year to expand capacity, and future plans call for the addition of a 5-axis machining capability for the production of small planetary housings and carriers.

Since 1955, Roscoe, Ill. based, family-owned Forest City Gear has been one of the gear industry’s leading sources for the development, manufacture and inspection of the highest quality gears, for use in applications that range from medical devices to motorcycles, airplanes to automation, even including the Mars Curiosity Rover.

For more information, visit www.forestcitygear.com.