Motion Control Resource Center

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Controls engineers need a variety of information on motion control elements that include drives, motors, servos and steppers, motion software, motion controllers, hydraulics, pneumatics, electromechanical, linear actuators, power supplies, valves and cylinders.

Motion control systems are some of the most rapidly evolving elements in modern machine automation. The more traditional motion control solutions that involve a mostly mechanical array of components now makes way for sophistciated combinations of electronic hardware and software that provide levels of performance unheard of a decade ago.

Electronic drives provide the means for enhanced speed, position, and torque control compared with mechanical options.

Both AC motors and DC motors are applicable for motion control, depending on factors such as available power or the specific motion function requirements.

Servo motors and stepper motors and their requisite controllers are responsible for some of the more dramatic changes in motion control capability, most often used for precise rotary positioning applications. Integrated servo motor and drive units combine simplicity and space-savings for small footprint motion control needs.

Linear motion and its control are carried out through the use of electromechanical components such as ballscrews and leadscrews, belt-driven linear slides and guides, pneumatic cylinders, and direct-drive linear motors.

Hydraulic-based power and control are used for many motion control applications with high-power requirements not easily matched by electric motors.

Timely news, back-to-basics primers, feature articles, technical white papers and descriptions of the latest products all provide valuable insights that can be used in designing and building modern motion control systems.

Candymaker Combines, Simplifies Controls
Cama Handles Chocolates With an Integrated Approach That Needs Only One Controller for Three Delta Robots

Software Guy, Know Thy Limits
Jeremy Pollard Talks About Education, Tools and Resources Regarding Servers and Server-Based Functions

Linear Motion Moves Up and Out
Machine Builders Use Variations on Basic Linear Motion Technologies to Bring Precision and Accuracy to Non-Traditional Applications

Robotic Palletizer
A Four-Axis Automatic Robotic Palletizer by Arbot That Can Be Integrated With an Arpac Automatic Pac-Series Stretch Wrapper

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White Papers: In Depth Research

Evolution in Motion
Author: Omron
Posted: 12/02/2011
The Machine Automation Controller (MAC) Meets Market Needs More Effectively than Previous Controller Solutions

To paraphrase Albert Einstein, the opportunity for development is directly related to the potential for value. This is particularly relevant to technological development, where market forces establish need and value, and then science and engineering are applied to meet them.

Case in point: Look at the use of machine control hardware for automation. During the past 50 years there has been a powerful and dramatic development of controllers: Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Industrial PCs (IPC), and Programmable Automation Controllers (PAC).

The explosion of industrial applications continues to challenge the functionality of those controllers, fostering further innovation. The need to combine the capabilities of traditional process/discrete industrial control has led to adaptations or extensions of existing technology. The efforts to evolve resulted in underperforming machine automation due to limitations in architecture and a lack of cross-discipline expertise.

Today we see the emergence of a new controller type: a Machine Automation Controller (MAC). A MAC resolves the integration of control technologies without sacrificing performance. Only after painstaking development from the ground up--specifically for high-speed, multi-axis motion control, vision, and logic--has the MAC emerged. Let's revisit how this point was reached.

Debunking "Conventional Wisdom" in Actuator Selection and Deployment
Author: Bob Kral, Bimba Manufacturing Company
Posted: 11/15/2011
Understanding all the costs in pneumatic and electric actuators -- and recognizing their very different capabilities -- can save tens of thousands of dollars.

It's in the news. Everyone is talking about it. Pneumaitc or electric? Are you considering replacing a compressor and 200 pneumatic cylinders with electric actuators to save compressor costs? Thinking about building a new machine with pneumatics because 30 electric actuators cost a whopping $34,000?

You might be making the wrong decision and as a result wasting tens of thousands of dollars a year. This article provides an analysis of cost components for both estimations. Cost calculations are provided in the appendix for readers who wish to evaluate costs for their machines or facilities.

The Seven Types of Power Problems
Author: Joseph Seymour, Schneider Electric
Posted: 05/16/2011
Many of the mysteries of equipment failure, downtime, software and data corruption, are the results of a problematic supply of power. There is also a common problem with describing power problems in a standard way. This white paper will describe the most common types of power disturbances, what can cause them, what they can do to your critical equipment, and hot to safeguard your equipment, using the IEEE standards for describing power quality problems.

Drive-Based Integrity Safety
Author: John Krasnokutsky, Siemens
Posted: 05/10/2011
While safety functions have been integrated into drives packages for some years now, the current trends are very exciting, from many angles. Today, a full complement of safety functions can be implemented at the front-end of a system design on all types of production machines, including printing, packaging, converting, materials handling and other equipment used throughout American industry. This can be accomplished in full compliance with all the current regulations for machines used worldwide.

Furthermore, machine designers can look to a drive-based safety integrated protocol that has greater flexibility than ever before, both in terms of its mechanical footprint and component savings, owing to the various ancillary devices such as external contactors and redundant electromechanical safety devices, with all their inherent wiring, cabinet space and related cost.

This paper looks ahead to the ways today's advanced drive designs can be used to better implement the mandated safety functions on many types of production machines, including printing, packaging, converting, materials handling and others. Without the need for redundant or hard-wired back-up devices, or for safety functions being incorporated into a PLC or other motion controller, machine designers and end-users alike can benefit from fast, accurate and fully compliant safety features integrated directly into the machine's drives package. The result is more immediate detection and response, plus space-savings, wiring reduction, external component cost elimination and overall improved machine effectiveness in the critical areas of man and machine protection. Some emerging trends in drive-based integrated safety are detailed as well.

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