Servo systems are made up of four key parts: a motor, a feedback device, a servo drive, and a motion controller. The servo drive and motion controller work together (supported by information from the feedback device) to provide the correct power to the motor so that it executes the intended movement or produces the desired […]

Servo motors are typically used for dynamic applications, where quick acceleration rates necessitate high torque production. In fact, one of the defining characteristics of a servo system is its ability to precisely control torque across a wide speed range, and the various speeds and torques required during the application’s move profile are a key parameter […]

Stepper motor operation is relatively straightforward. The drive sends pulses of current to the motor, and each pulse advances the motor by one step, or fraction of a revolution. The amount of movement per current pulse depends on the design of the stator and rotor. For permanent magnet stepper motors, a full step angle of […]

Unlike stepper motors, which rely on even pulses of current to turn the motor in discreet steps, servo motors operate with continuous current to reach a specified position, velocity, or torque. The precise amount of current to be delivered to the motor is determined by the servo controller, based on information supplied by an encoder […]

Stepper motors are inherently open-loop devices. They don’t require feedback because each pulse of current delivered by the drive equals one step of the motor (or a fraction of a step, in the case of microstepping). And with small step sizes, or step angles, the motor’s position can be determined very precisely without the need […]