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Selecting the Proper Cables for Your Servo or Stepper System

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This paper shows how cables for steppers and servomotor systems must be compatible with specific electrical, mechanical, and environmental operating conditions of the system to ensure that it will operate reliably, safely, and efficiently.

By Lee Stephens, System Engineer, Danaher Motion

Engineers devote a lot of time and effort designing highly efficient, reliable, and economical stepper or servomotor positioning systems. They select a motor, a controller, appropriate feedback circuits, and an amplifier to satisfy the specific motion system’s needs. Unfortunately, however, the signal and power cables connecting the components are often neglected until the project is nearing its end or worse yet, handed off to an electrician who lacks the proper training. Overlooking critical cable selection factors can deliver a system with lower than expected accuracy, frequent failures, low immunity from electromagnetic interference, and adverse affects on neighboring equipment.

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