Servo Drives – Facts and Features

Servo drives have revolutionized the way key industrial applications run today. Digital servo has taken the mechanism of motion control to a new height where it amplifies the signals and makes mechanical output faster and more effective.

Benefits of servo drives -

• Higher and more dynamic response
• Reliable
• Cost effective
• Higher productivity and performance
• Accurate output
• Flexibility that can share technologies across diverse types of machines
• Higher safety and hygiene protocols
• User friendly interface that is easily PC adapted for fluid control
• Comprehensive programmed software for easier manipulation
• Higher feedback and report system makes for stronger output functions
• Super speed internal and external communication system enabled across multiple platforms
• Regular and quick updates of speed, position and current status leading to machine precision
• Reduced errors in tracking
• High precision supply of current while saving energy
• Interface for analog reading to use older machines

Digital servo drives function across servomotors like torque, asynchronous and linear motors and the brushless PM AC motors due to high end modular design. Based on 32- bit 400MHz microprocessor, it can used as effectively as a singular product as in a comprehensive system. It can ease the way your machine performs this providing higher output or aid in the machine design. Effective servo drive functions offer complete digital control and manipulation of brushless servo motors, delivers increased current and velocity leading to high precision performance that is the need of the hour across industries. Multi level interfaces, effective feedback system and superior controllers.

Leading vendors design and offer different kinds of servo drives –

• Servo drives that can control low power application for smaller machines requiring less than 1.5 kw. This effectively reduces design time and commission time, as well as provide layouts and CAD drawings.
• Digital servo drives that can handle multiple applications through single-axis motion control. They have inherent dynamic brakes, velocity observer, tuner and suppression algorithms to provide more cost effective motion control output.
• A multi-axis servo drive can helps in decreasing engineering time by helping effectively in networking, programming and operations. Adds greater flexibility and handles global voltage volume needs.
• Some come with high end safety options and flexible designs that can function on multiple levels and interfaces.
• EtherNet Servo Drives standardize the entire communication network leading to faster commissioning and startups, precise and easier configuration. Allows effective control integration with high speed connectivity.
• Some have troubleshooting options built in them, with automatic capacity of motor recognition.

Important Facts behind Servo Motion Controller

Servo drives have been an integral part of efficient output ever since they came into being. The servo motion controller has further enhanced the way industries can work, with precision management of position, velocity and movement and therefore aligning the entire process uniformly. 

The key industries benefiting from servo control system include:

• Assembly line units
• Industrial Machines
• Packaging industries
• Semiconductor production facilities
• Textile mills
• Printing houses
• High end video game industries
• Robot manufacturing
• Medical Equipments

The various servo drive products range from the simple servo motors, DC motors, servo drives, gears, linear motion components and actuators, linear ball and lead screws, linear and rotary brushless servo motors among others. The servo motion controller enhances velocity and position of these machines and their electric motors for effective and efficient output. 

The wires in servo motion control:  The 3 wire connector –

1. One supplies five to six volts of positive charge (DC)
2. The second one serves as voltage ground
3. The third wire acts as the signal wire through which the receiver responds

Servo motion controller not only enhances machine performance but also anticipates mishaps. The in-built mechanism can read slightest of the errors thus acting as a checkpoint for your machine’s efficiency. 

Benefits of servo motion control –

•             Accelerate system development

•             Increase system bandwidth

•             Control velocity, forces and pressures

•             Monitor feedback signals

•             Adjust motion to avoid deviations

•             Managing point-to-point positions

•             Quicker response times leading to higher machine output

•             Electronic gearing

•             Address mechanical needs of improving the transient response timings

•             Reduce steady-state errors

•             Diminish loading parameters sensitivity

•             Decrease voltage fluctuations.

•             True asset utilization

•             Lower total production costs

The most commonly referred role of the servo drive is that of the mediator. The control system sends specific signals to the drive which they amplify from their end. Then they transmit the current to the motor to create and incite a motion and torque that is in sync with the original signal, thereby brining in a balance of power and output in the device. This improves performance by adjusting and anticipating change. 

The key functions of the servo motion controller include command tracking and addressing all disturbance rejection traits that lie in the system. Together they track, mange and streamline processes. It includes the drive or the amplifier, motion controller, sensors for tracking feedback along with a hydraulic pump or air cylinder acting as a linear actuator.