Motion control is transforming through unified architectures, artificial intelligence, edge computing and cabinet-free designs to make industrial systems faster, smaller and smarter. Building upon those foundational advancements, let’s explores the next frontier of automation, focusing on flexible mechanical layouts through independent cart technology (ICT), advanced predictive analytics and smart sensor integration to maximize equipment reliability and performance.

Independent cart technology can be found in greater use these days. Many machine builders are introducing this technology into their machine designs. These systems use magnetic fields to move carts along a track without physical contact, introducing high-speed movement without mechanical wear. Zero contact means zero friction and speeds that may not be achieved by a conventional fixed-path axis.

ICT offers the possibility of configurable layouts instead of a fixed mechanical path, suggesting the ultimate in flexibility during the design phase and for the end-user version of the machine. Changeovers are often the primary hurdle when deciding which products to run for the end user. Rapid recipe and SKU changeovers, where lines can change product types instantly, create a huge advantage, providing an opportunity for high-mix, low-volume production. Profitability is often a deciding factor; when low-volume SKUs are requested by customers, it’s hard to justify a wholesale changeover that might take a day to achieve for just four to six hours of runtime to fill an order. The technologies discussed thus far all combine to make the inclusion of motion in a machine design an economical solution.

Any discussion of smart machine design should include the consideration of predictive analytics. Machines rarely draw attention when they are running, but they come under immediate and intense scrutiny the moment they stop. The thought of having a crystal ball that one can gaze into to see future machine performance has long been the desire of engineers and maintenance personnel.

We tend to depend on our primary senses of sight and sound to alert us to the immediate needs of a machine in service. Unusual wear on a conveyor or drive belt are clear indications of abnormal behavior and pending failure, just like a squeaky bearing or a wobbling drive shaft. A motion that starts to jerk is another way we can anticipate pending failure. While these are physical indicators, there are more tools available that give a deeper understanding of issues lying under the surface. An image of a doctor with a stethoscope listening to a heartbeat is a fair comparison; indeed, a former associate would literally use a stethoscope against bearing housings or gearboxes to instantly pinpoint disturbances in the system.

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The sophistication of electronic devices has grown exponentially over the years. Most of us are familiar with basic status information from variable-frequency drives (VFDs), such as single-word real-time data (drive ready, drive active, jogging, faulted, alarm, at reference). However, a deeper dive into informational exchange reveals much more than old status, command, reference and feedback registers. Boolean bits for current limits, slip compensation, control modes (velocity, position, torque), positioning flags (home complete, at position, position error, zero speed), bus voltage and internal drive temperature are all available to help programmers dynamically interact with the drive.

Smart sensors add another level of available information that can be used to fine-tune motion projects by tracking wear and tear over time and alerting operators before unexpected failures occur. While traditional sensors provide simple digital or analog signals, modern sensors deliver base data alongside added functionality through cyclic and acyclic data. Device identification, configuration parameters and diagnostic events allow us to watch device performance in real time and identify behaviors that could lead to unexpected breakdowns.

The smarts of electronic devices are only useful if we take the time to collect the data and display it in a format that is useful to the operator. I can recall an employer’s voice in my head questioning extra screen-building efforts for machine functions. While some viewed it as unrequested work, providing operators and maintenance teams with proper diagnostic tools keeps equipment running, prevents revenue loss through scheduled downtime and builds lasting customer loyalty. Ultimately, the technology behind motion makes designs more efficient, and advanced functionality delivers a more useful product to our customers.