Of the three primary stepper motor designs — permanent magnet, variable reluctance, and hybrid — hybrid stepper motors are arguably the most popular in industrial applications, combining the best performance characteristics of permanent magnet and variable reluctance types. Hybrid stepper motors are constructed with a rotor made of two sections, or cups, with a permanent […]
Industry News
New distributed drive system designed for conveyor applications
The Sinamics G115D from Siemens is a new compact and powerful drive system specifically designed for horizontal conveyor applications. The drive system comprises the motor, drive and gearbox in one unit and is offered in two versions — wall-mounted and motor-mounted. The Sinamics G115D drive system features a robust design with a high IP protection […]
New ultra-compact motion controller from Performance Motion Devices
Performance Motion Devices, Inc. (PMD) debuts their new ION/CME N-Series Digital Drives, new members of the ION Digital Drive family that provide high-performance motion control, network connectivity and amplification. N-Series ION digital drives feature a patented, ultra-rugged PCB-mountable package with three power output levels – 75, 300, and 1,000 W. All ION/CME N-Series Digital Drives […]
Magnetic ring encoder features functional safety for machine tool applications
HEIDENHAIN’s new absolute modular magnetic angle encoder is for applications needing contamination-resistant encoders with functional safety (FS) for machine feedback. This new ECM 2400 encoder supplements HEIDENHAIN’s portfolio of absolute angle encoders and is designed for machine tool applications that require a sturdy encoder with medium accuracy. The ECM 2400 is suitable for applications with […]
IoT connectivity enhances controller performance
The controllers available today to design engineers have more built-in functions, are more powerful, and are being used in a wide array of diverse applications. We asked some of the top controls manufacturers what trends they’re seeing in the industry. Here’s what they told us. Do you see automation controllers in any new uses? Where […]
Motors – the heart of motion control systems
Electric motors are the engines of motion control and automation. A vast range of motion applications makes use of all kinds of motors, from stepper and servo motors to traditional brushed dc motors. Manufacturers are seeing a number of trends in motor design, based on changing industry demands. Below you’ll find what some of the […]
New spring-loaded pivot arm for wheel-encoder assemblies
POSITAL has introduced a new spring-loaded pivot arm mounting system for wheel-encoder assemblies. Like earlier spring-loaded mounting brackets, this device is designed to minimize slippage by maintaining a steady contact pressure between the wheel and the moving surface. However, the pivot arm can accommodate larger lateral movements of the moving surface. Spring tension can be […]
Safety, increased connectivity top drive trends
Drives continue to evolve, responding to broader industry trends in automation with new features. Some of those drivers include rising interest in IoT functionality, the integration of safety features into drives, as well as some newer application areas that are seeing drive manufacturers respond in new and innovative ways. Some advancements are clearly visible in […]
Programmability is a key encoder design trend
Encoders are central to motion control applications, providing feedback in order to increase system accuracy and reliability. As other components in motion systems evolve, encoder manufacturers are making sure that their offerings keep pace with these broader technological changes. For instance, the rise in high-performance networks for motion control is in part driven by the […]
Gears and gearmotor trends — more customized designs
Gearing and mechanical power transmission, in its fundamentals, remains virtually unchanged. However, innovative variations are becoming increasingly common and include more custom gearing, compact designs, and better gearboxes and servo-gear sets. Manufacturers are offering designers more customized solutions via more in-house engineering resources, simplifying the design process. More custom solutions also means greater integration with […]
