The Danish integrated motor specialist JVL has launched an integrated stepper motor which, it claims, is the world’s shortest motor with a built-in controller. A 3Nm version of motor is just 95mm long, yet incorporates all of the stepper control electronics, including IP67-protected RS-485 and CANopen interfaces and a programmable motion controller.

The motors (above) offer a resolution of 819,200 steps per revolution, for smooth, quiet operation. They contain everything needed for stand-alone operation or control from a PLC or PC. There are eight I/O points that can be configured individually as digital inputs or outputs, or analogue inputs. As well as the 95mm-long version, there is a 126mm version that delivers 6.1Nm, and a 156mm version that delivers 9Nm.

The motors are said to offer a velocity precision of 0.01 rpm and an acceleration precision of 1 rpm/s. They operate from 12–80V DC supplies and are said to deliver high torque at high speeds.

An ActiveX/OCX driver is available to simplify interfacing with LabView, Excel, VB or other Windows-based programs. Use of JVL’s MAC protocol allows MAC and QuickStep motors and SMC85 controllers to be connected on the same RS-485 bus, supporting point-to-point or multiaxis operation of up to 254 axes.

Options include: RS-422 and RS-485 interfaces for encoder I/O and connection to external HMIs or PLCs; planetary gears; a pulse/direction mode for electronic gearing; and double-shaft and single- or multi-turn encoders. The motor can be supplied with wireless Bluetooth, ZigBee or WLAN functions, and is ready for future options such as Profibus, industrial Ethernet, and absolute multi-turn encoders without external batteries.