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Linear Motion Tips

Covering Linear Motion Systems, Components and Linear Motion Resources

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Controls for linear axes

Ride the wave of electrification: Off-highway designs with linear actuators

February 23, 2021 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

The transition of mobile machinery and off-highway equipment away from fossil fuels may be a long-term goal, but electrification is already delivering real benefits in the sector. By Tarek Bugaighis • Ewellix Is the era of the internal combustion engine coming to end? Under pressure to reduce harmful emissions, the automotive industry is already gearing […]

Filed Under: Applications, Controls for linear axes, Featured, Integrated Linear Systems, Linear actuators (all), Linear drives (all) Tagged With: ewellix

What is stepper motor resonance and how can it be avoided?

November 12, 2020 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

stepper motor resonance

The discrete, step-by-step movements that give a stepper motor its accurate positioning capability can also lead to some undesirable performance characteristics — namely, vibration and audible noise due to resonance. Stepper motors naturally exhibit small vibrations with each step, due to the inertia of the moving rotor, which causes the motor to slightly overshoot (or, […]

Filed Under: Controls for linear axes, FAQs + basics, Featured

Nanopositioning controller for piezo stages boasts 270-W peak power, nanometer-level precision

November 5, 2020 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

controller

A high-power version of PI’s (Physik Instrumente) E-727 family of multi-axis piezo nanopositioning controllers provides 270 W of peak power – close to 10X of the standard version. The enhanced performance is useful for dynamic, nanometer-level precision motion and positioning applications, such as FSM (fast steering mirrors) in free space optical communication and laser material […]

Filed Under: Controls for linear axes, Featured, Integrated Linear Systems Tagged With: physikinstrumente

Linear servo brush-type amplifiers for voice-coil actuators

July 7, 2020 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

amplifier

H2W’s new dc linear brush-type servo amplifier, the LCAM 5/15, is suited to drive the company’s line of voice coil linear actuators. Linear amplifiers provide continuous current flow to the motor which prevents any dead-band issues that occur in many PWM type amplifiers. Additionally, linear amplifiers have low EMI, and no audible noise that also […]

Filed Under: Controls for linear axes

Industrial Ethernet basics for mechanical engineers

May 14, 2020 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Industrial Ethernet

Ethernet networks are ubiquitous in our daily lives — allowing computers in office, school, and commercial environments to connect to the internet, share files, and access printers and other hardware connected to the network. And there’s a reason Ethernet is so popular — it’s a simple, flexible network protocol that facilitates high-speed data transmission. But despite […]

Filed Under: Applications, Controls for linear axes, FAQs + basics, Featured

Stepper motor torque and speed characteristics explained

December 18, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

stepper motor torque

Stepper motors have different torque-speed characteristics depending on whether the motor is starting/stopping or already running. These characteristics are depicted in two curves on the motor’s torque-speed chart, and it’s important to understand the differences between these curves and what each one means for the motor’s operation. But a stepper motor can also produce torque […]

Filed Under: Applications, Controls for linear axes, FAQs + basics, Featured

Boosting productivity with the right direct-drive motor and linear-motor feedback

November 27, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

Feedback options for linear motors and direct-drive torque motors abound. The most common employ optical, magnetic, capacitive, or inductive measurement. Here we explain how the key application parameters of precision, cost restrictions, and insensitivity to mechanical characteristics and environment dictate which technology is most suitable. By Steffen Preg | CEO • SIKO Products Inc. Machines […]

Filed Under: Applications, Controls for linear axes, Encoders + sensors (linear) + I/O, Featured

What types of motion can you create with multi-axis linear systems?

October 18, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

For many tasks, multi-axis linear systems — Cartesian robots, X-Y tables, and gantry systems — travel in straight lines to achieve quick point-to-point movements. But some applications, such as dispensing and cutting, require the system to follow a circular path or a complex shape that can’t be created by simple lines and arcs. Fortunately, modern […]

Filed Under: Applications, Controls for linear axes, FAQs + basics, Featured, Integrated Linear Systems

Stepper motor performance: Is it possible to get high torque at high speeds?

September 5, 2019 By Danielle Collins 1 Comment

The most notable stepper motor performance characteristics are precise positioning, good holding torque, and good low-speed torque characteristics. But in some cases, application parameters necessitate high torque production at high speeds, while design or control constraints dictate the use of a stepper motor. Although stepper motors aren’t notable for their ability to produce high torque […]

Filed Under: Applications, Controls for linear axes, FAQs + basics, Featured

Motion controller basics: What are the differences between PLCs, PACs, and IPCs?

August 30, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

motion controllers

As the “brain” of a servo system, a motion controller is responsible for ensuring the motor is following the specified motion profile and correcting any errors between the commanded value (in terms of position, speed, or torque) and the motor’s actual value. The motion controller also handles other supervisory and processing tasks, such as ensuring […]

Filed Under: Controls for linear axes, FAQs + basics, Featured

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