The global site of the UK's leading magazine for automation, motion engineering and power transmission
29 March, 2024

LinkedIn
Twitter
Twitter link

All-in-one servo drive saves space and wiring

01 August, 2002

All-in-one servo saves space and wiring

A Danish company has developed "a completely new concept in motor control" which integrates an AC servo motor with its controls in a sealed housing. JVL Industri Elektonik says that its low-cost MAC motor, which can be speed- or torque-controlled using a ±10V signal, can directly replace for any stepper or servo system based on pulse and direction signals, without modifying the PLC or PC control software.

A Hall sensor, encoder, position controller and AC servo motor are integrated in a single housing (above). Although other suppliers have integrated controls with motors before, JVL claims it is the first manufacturer to offer such a compact system offering true servo performance.

Among the benefits that it claims for the motor are simplified installation with much less wiring, better protection against interference, and the elimination of control cabinets. The drives have built-in electronic gearing, allowing them to deliver any required step resolution. The motor can be reset either using sensors, or mechanically by torque limiting.

The drive can commissioned using a single parameter called the "load factor" which depends on the system inertia. The larger the inertia, the larger the load factor. The controller uses a "fourth-order regulator" said to deliver several benefits including a stiff system with short positioning times, and freedom from oscillations caused by non-linear mechanical systems. Expert users can access more parameters to tune the motor for complex and undamped systems.

There is a choice of interfaces including: RS-232/RS-485 links to PCs or PLCs; pulse and direction, or incremental inputs and outputs; and fieldbus modules supporting Profibus, DeviceNet, Ethernet and other networks. Another optional module acts as a small PLC with eight inputs and four outputs.

The MAC motor is available in 50W, 95W and 140W ratings, operating from 24-48V DC supplies.




Magazine
  • To view a digital copy of the latest issue of Drives & Controls, click here.

    To visit the digital library of past issues, click here

    To subscribe to the magazine, click here

     

Poll

"Do you think that robots create or destroy jobs?"

Newsletter
Newsletter

Events

Most Read Articles