Drives News

Worldwide energy use is on the rise and one of the biggest contributors to power consumption is industrial growth and the use of motor driven systems. Rapid growth in China is being addressed by the China Motor System Energy Conservation Program and jointly with UNIDO, Berkley National Lab, the U.S. DOE, and the Chinese Government. Many other industrial nations may follow the lead of China and the United States in an effort to conserve energy. Will this program help reduce global power consumption and what other measures could be investigated to ensure long term energy sustainability for future generations?

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The 890 is the drive for a wide range of motor types and sizes, through easy-to-use, predefined parameter set-up macros. No matter what your application, the 890 drive is the right solution!

View more products here.

These high-precision, low-cost translation stages allow for easy integration of motion control in any application. The motor is mounted directly to the stage for a complete single-axis package. The two phase micro-stepping motor incorporates an encoder for a 0.1 micron linear resolution. Mechanical limit switches are integrated into the stage for safe operation.

Do you need a flexible servo and stepper motor control solution? An ESB controller packs several features into one standalone unit and is suited for many motion control applications. The device is fully programmable using the MINT language and includes onboard I/O and Fieldbus connectivity or via a host PC through a USB connection.

A new rotary table suitable for industrial use, machine tools, and Class 10 optical and semiconductor clean room operation combines several features into one product with increased performance and reduced size and maintenance. In applications that require a high degree of precision repeatability and high torque, the rotary table eliminates the need for speed reduction gearing.

Motor control equipment exposed to salt water, dirt, oil, or chemical contaminants typically doesn't stay in service very long. New Vacuum Technology minimizes corrosion by placing sensitive electrical devices inside a protective vacuum seal. The technology can improve reliability, prevent downtime, and save money.

AC motor drive heat sinks placed inside the drive cabinet add to internal cabinet temperatures and require space for additional exhaust fans, air conditioners, vortex coolers, and air filters. Better thermal management can be achieved using an open chassis drive controller that places the heat sink outside the NEMA enclosure.

Formerly a G&L motion control product, the Digital MMC Smart Drive is a new move for Danaher Motion. With simple installation and intuitive configurations, the digital network used by the Digital MMC Smart Drive is a centralized control scheme — perfect for offering multi-axis solutions without sacrificing speed or performance.

VariFlex drives can handle most general purpose three-phase motor control applications from 1/3 to 5 Hp and offer features and options typically found on much more sophisticated drives. The ten most commonly used drive parameters are listed right on the front cover, which is sufficient for 90% of the applications.

The days of noisy, long drive shaft marine propulsion systems may be ending. An ACS marine motor drive with fast response Direct Torque Control offers advantages for ships of all sizes. Low and medium voltage systems handle loads up to 26 MW. The drive contributes energy efficiency and produces less vibration and more torque.

National Rail Corporation Ltd. is trying to select between traditional DC locomotive drive systems or new AC drive technology. A seemingly simple question, each drive technology has its advantages and drawbacks. This article on the University of South Australia's Web site describes the differences. It's enough to drive you choo-choo!

Tracking celestial objects involves slow, precision motion control. Methods available include worm gears, chain, belt and cable drives, friction drives, and direct servo motor drives. Dr. Frank Melsheimer of DFM Engineering, Longmont, CO presents information to help you understand and choose from the myriad of telescope drive technologies.

No time to attend a motion control training seminar? Try an online seminar from the cushy comfort of your office chair. Dr. Jacob Tal, co-founder of Galil Motion Control and renowned authority presents a variety of pre-recorded Web based tutorials and seminars. Keep current with methods in the motion control industry as your busy schedule allows.

Resolver feedback on Parker's Aries drive family increases the versatility of these low-cost, all-digital servo drives. Now users can choose the versatile Aries drive for use with resolver feedback in addition to smart encoders, quadrature encoders, and Heidenhain EnDat absolute encoders.

View all of Parker Hannifin / Electromechanical's products here...

Maxon's new DECV 50/5 is a compact, digital, velocity controller designed for controlling brushless motors up to 250 watts equipped with hall sensors. The DECV 50/5 is ideally suited for high-speed applications where four quadrant control is required. Common applications include pumps, blowers, packaging systems, conveyor belts, and semiconductor manufacturing.

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Ready to transition to a senior level position? Rudolph Technologies based in Bloomington, MN is on the lookout for a Senior Software Engineer with five years experience in the motion control programming field. Projects may include product development of visual inspection systems, robotics, and enhancing current products. Limited domestic and international travel may be required.

Looking to advance your motion control career? The International Fluid Power Society provides industry certification, education, and training programs. Certification is available for students and established professionals. Membership includes a price discount on training, the ability to network with industry peers, and a subscription to the Fluid Power Journal. Visit The IFPS Web site.

The library at Alexandria held priceless ancient documents. It was sacked and burned several times, destroying many documents and possibly changing the course of human history. To prevent future knowledge loss, the University of Michigan, Google, and other search engines will archive all we know to prevent ever having to reinvent the wheel.

The age old practice of "Water Wishing', correctly termed "Water Witching", has always attracted skepticism. Can water be located by following a plain old stick? To answer the question we summon the wisdom of Cecil Adams, chief know-it-all from The Straight Dope Web site to offer his tongue in cheek explanation of this so called "mystery".

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