motion controller

What makes a bus based Motion Controller deterministic?   What are the three types of Step Motors?   What is the difference between an Absolute Encoder and a Resolver? These questions (and many more) are quickly answered Motion Control Technology Primer...

This 1-axis motion controller features Ethernet/RS232 communication and an optional 800W Servo Drive.

Maxon’s new IDX compact integrated servo gearmotor + drive. A powerful brushless EC-i motor & EPOS4 positioning controller.

Combines a powerful, brushless EC-i motor and an EPOS4 positioning controller.

The DMC-21x5 is the latest addition to the Econo family and is an easy upgrade path from the long running DMC-21x3 series.

Galil Motion Control Inc., the industry leader in motion control technology, has released the Galil Design Kit. This is Galil’s newest software environment, providing easy communication with Galil’s motion controllers and PLCs. Galil recently introduced the new scope and tuner to GDK’s growing list of tools and capabilities. All tools are customizable by editing the XLM, located in the “more options” menu at the top right corner of the software...

Electronic gearing in motion control allows for a slave axis to follow a master axis with a programatically set gear ratio.  There are certain applications that obviously lend to an electronic gearing solution, but there are some challenging applications where the functionality of electronic gearing can greatly simplify a solution in a manner that may not seem obvious at first.  This series of three papers will discuss how electronic gearing can provide simple solutions to different motion control challenges...

A New White Paper from Galil Motion Control

Modern motion controllers can include the ability to run stepper motors with encoder feedback, resulting in true closed-loop motion control. This mode of motor control is very similar to standard three-phase brushless servo motor control, where the three phases are offset 120 electrical degrees. With steppers, the motor has two phases offset by 90 electrical degrees.

The benefits of closed-loop control with stepper motors include greatly improved velocity smoothness and reduced power consumption compared to open-loop steppers and much higher torque at low velocity compared with traditional three-phase brushless servo motors.

Click on the link to download this complete White Paper.

Click on the link below for information...

Achieve precise positioning and high torque at slow speeds without investing in a servo motor, thanks to Galil's integrated high-power (8 Amps continuous), 2-phase drive for closed-loop step motor control. This innovative solution blends the economic advantages of step motors with the accuracy typically associated with servo motors, presenting a viable option for both mechanical and electrical engineers in a range of applications.

Traditionally, automation applications have utilized either step motors, known for open-loop operation, cost-effectiveness, and suitability for high torque, slow-speed applications with moderate positional accuracy, or servo motors, which offer precision control and smooth motion at both high and low speeds through incremental or absolute feedback systems. Servo motors usually require more sophisticated control systems incorporating features like PID filters, making them pricier and more complex to stabilize compared to step motors.

The inherent...

A motion control system is a system that controls the position, velocity, force or pressure of some machine.  As an example, an electromechanical based motion control system consists of a motion controller (the brains of the system), a drive (which takes the low power command signal from the motion controller and converts it into high power current/voltage to the motor), a motor (which converts electrical energy to mechanical energy), a feedback device (which sends signals back to the motion controller to make adjustments until the system produces the desired result), and a mechanical system (including actuators, which physically produce the desired end result).
A motion controller is the primary intelligence, or brain, within a motion control system.  It is responsible for calculating and generating the output commands for a desired motion path or trajectory. Motion controllers vary in complexity; sophisticated motion controllers typically consist of a trajectory generator...