Readers choose best in motion control

Value rises above the rest as readers make known their choices among suppliers of motion control technologies. Check out which companies they recognize for providing the best services and support.

Sept. 27, 2006

4 min read

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By Joe Feeley, Editor in Chief

2006 Readers' Choice Awards

FOR SIX years now we’ve trusted you to tell us—with your votes—which vendors provide the best value for you in the categories of motion control. It’s those evaluations that make some automation suppliers’ products rise above the rest. After the usual careful consideration, Control Design’s readers told us how they rate the technology value of suppliers in these categories.

As they voted for the best technology value providers, we also had them rate the service and support they receive from these companies on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). Our published results include only those companies that received at least a 5% share of the vote in their category.

Here, with products listed alphabetically, is this year’s “all-star team” of winners in motion control categories. As always, we welcome your analysis and thoughts about the outcome.

Sixth Annual Readers' Choice Awards

(*Differences of less than 3% are not statistically significant)

Ball Screw/Lead Screw
1. Danaher – 21%
2. Nook – 15%
*THK America – 13%
4. Bosch Rexroth – 8%
NSK – 8%

Controller, CNC
1. GE Fanuc – 30%
2. Rockwell Automation – 13%
Siemens E&A – 13%
4. Haas Automation – 9%
*Galil Motion Control – 7%

Controller, Motion
1. Rockwell Automation – 41%
2. Galil Motion Control – 9%
*Bosch Rexroth – 7%

Controller, PLC
1. Rockwell Automati on – 62%
2. AutomationDirect – 13%
3. Schneider Electric – 5%
Siemens E&A – 5%

Encoder/Resolver
1. Rockwell Automation – 24%
2. BEI – 17%
3. Danaher – 12%
4. Encoder Products – 7%
*Heidenhain – 5%

Hydraulic System Controls/Components
1. Parker Hannifin – 43%
2. Bosch Rexroth – 18%
3. Eaton/Vickers – 8%
*Enerpac – 6%

Industrial Electric Motor Drive
1. Rockwell Automation – 41%
2. Lenze/AC Tech – 10%
3. Yaskawa – 7%
*Baldor – 6%
*Bosch Rexroth – 5%

Linear Actuator/Slide/Guide
1. PHD – 10%
*Parker Hannifin – 8%
*THK – 8%

Motor, Industrial Electric
1. Baldor – 48%
2. Regal Beloit – 17%
3. Rockwell Automation – 12%
4. General Electric – 5%

Motor, Linear
1. Rockwell Automation – 30%
2. Danaher – 18%
3. Baldor – 7%

Motor, Servo
1. Rockwell Automation – 30%
2. Danaher – 14%
3. Yaskawa – 11%
4. Bosch Rexroth – 8%
*Parker Hannifin – 6%

Motor, Stepper
1. Rockwell Automation – 21%
2. Danaher – 17%
3. Oriental Motor – 14%
*Parker – 14%

Pneumatic System Controls/Components
1. SMC – 27%
2. Numatics – 16%
3. Festo – 12%
*Parker – 12%
5. MAC Valves – 5%

Programmable Safety Controller
1. Rockwell Automation – 40%
2. Pilz Automation Safety – 18%
3. Siemens Automation – 13%

Safety Relay
1. Rockwell Automation – 40%
2. Pilz Automation Safety – 18%
3. STI – 8%
*Banner Engineering – 7%
*Schneider Electric – 6%

Software, CNC
1. GE Fanuc – 18%
2. Rockwell Automation – 10%
Siemens E&A – 10%
4. MasterCam – 6%

Software, Motion Control
1. Rockwell Automation – 50%
2. B&R Industrial Automation – 5%
    Beckhoff – 5%
    Bosch Rexroth – 5%
    National Instruments – 5%
    Schneider Electric – 5%

Software, PC-Based Machine Control
1. Rockwell Automation – 29%
2. National Instruments – 19%
3. Phoenix Contact – 12%
4. Beckhoff – 7%

Software, PLC Programming
1. Rockwell Automation – 67%
2. AutomationDirect – 12%
3. Schneider Electric – 6%
*Siemens E&A – 5%

The 2006 Readers’ Choice
Service and Support Leaders

The readers tell us these companies provide very good (4.0) to excellent (5.0) service in these categories. Only companies that received the minimum 5% vote share were considered.

4.5
Schneider Electric – Programmable Logic Controller

4.4
AutomationDirect – PLC Programming Software
AutomationDirect – Programmable Logic Controller
National Instruments – PC-Based Machine Control Software
Rockwell Automation – Programmable Safety Controller
Schneider Electric – Motion Control Software
Yaskawa – Industrial Electric Motor Drive

4.3
Baldor – Industrial Electric Motor Drive
Beckhoff – Motion Control Software
Beckhoff – PC-Based Machine Control Software
BEI – Encoder/Resolver
Bosch Rexroth – Motion Controller
Bosch Rexroth – Servo Motor
National Instruments – Motion Control Software
Numatics – Pneumatic System Controls/Components
Rockwell Automation – Encoder/Resolver
Rockwell Automation – Industrial Electric Motor
Rockwell Automation – Loop Controller
Rockwell Automation – PLC Programming Software
Rockwell Automation – Programmable Logic Controller
Schneider Electric – PLC Programming Software
Schneider Electric – Safety Relay
Siemens E&A – CNC Software

4.2
B&R Industrial Automation – Motion Control Software
Bosch Rexroth – Industrial Electric Motor Drive
Bosch Rexroth – Motion Control Software
Enerpac – Hydraulic System Controls/Components
Festo – Pneumatic System Controls/Components
Galil Motion Control – Motion Controller
GE Fanuc – CNC Software
Parker Hannifin – Linear Actuator/Slide/Guide
Red Lion – Controls Loop Controller
Rockwell Automation – Industrial Electric Motor Drive
Rockwell Automation – Motion Control Software
Rockwell Automation – Safety Relay
Siemens E&A – CNC Controller
Siemens E&A – Programmable Safety Controller

4.1
Baldor – Industrial Electric Motor
Bosch Rexroth – Ball Screw/Lead Screw
Danaher – Stepper Motor
Eaton/Vickers – Hydraulic System Controls/Components
Rockwell Automation – Motion Controller
Rockwell Automation – PC-Based Machine Control Software
Rockwell Automation – Servo Motor
Siemens E&A – Programmable Logic Controller
STI – Safety Relay

4.0
Danaher – Encoder/Resolver
Heidenhain – Encoder/Resolver
NSK – Ball Screw/Lead Screw
Omron – Loop Controller
Oriental – Motor Stepper Motor
PHD – Linear Actuator/Slide/Guide
Regal Beloit – Industrial Electric Motor
Rockwell Automation – CNC Controller
Rockwell Automation – Stepper Motor
Siemens E&A – Loop Controller
SMC – Pneumatic System Controls/Components
Yaskawa – Servo Motor