Machine designers are increasingly asked to build systems that take up less space, operate on less power, and run with higher performance. Thankfully motion controls are answering the call with new motors, new sensors, and new architectures. Read on to learn about the latest developments as motion control goes small.
Tuning a servo motor manually can be a daunting exercise, so in this paper we provide an overview of PID (proportional, integral, derivative) based servo tuning, and introduce two manual tuning methods that work well for a large variety of systems. We also show that ‘optimal’ parameters vary by application and performance goals, even for the exact same motor and amplifier setup.
PMD is delighted to announce the availability of our products through Mouser Electronics. With this agreement Mouser now distributes PMD’s Magellan, Juno, ION, Atlas, and Prodigy families of motion control products – giving customers the world over even more convenient access to PMD's wide range of world class motion control solutions.
At some point in their career, engineers are likely to run into a machine design challenge where the resonance response of a system is causing motion problems and/or an audible annoyance. This resonance, or vibration, is undesirable and can lead to significant performance degradation. This paper will explore why resonances are present, what tools can be used to analyze them, and what control techniques can be applied to get your machine design project back on track.
This deep dive examines the popular motion control technique known as field-oriented control (FOC). Used for multi-phase motors such as Brushless DC motors and step motors, this important algorithmic method for phasing these motors increases top speed, improves torque output, and reduces heat generation in the motor. Read on to learn how this important technique works and when to apply it.
MCMA TechCon 2020 Presented by MCMA (motioncontrolonline.org) and Sponsored by PMD. Prabh Gowrisankaran, VP of Engineering & Strategy at PMD, spoke on two motion control education tracks:
Precision Fluid Handling, Part II: Optimizing Lab Automation Mechanics
Many motion control systems are dedicated to the precise movement of liquids. While pumps and compressors have been around for a long time, two applications have become powerful drivers of this technology – laboratory automation and patient fluid processing. This paper looks at optimizing the motion control of the mechanical elements used in this equipment to receive, process, and analyze liquids.
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New Motion Control Board Integrates Amplifiers and Synchronized Contouring The Prodigy®/CME Machine-Controller with pre-installed UDPM is a newly released motion control board that provides high-performance control of DC Brush, Brushless DC, and step motors. Ideal for high precision, high speed positioning motion control, these devices are ideally suited for applications in life sciences, laboratory equipment, semiconductor equipment, mobile robotics, and general automation. This product feature details the key features, applications, and configurations of this powerful ready-to-use motion control board.
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Portable Automation Demands Light, Efficient, and Cool Motor Operation In mobile and portable applications battery operation drives the need for efficiency and the need for less weight since a heavier mechanism requires more energy to move. This paper presents problems that occur in mobile robotics and portable motion applications. It will show you how to lower the heat, weight, and power consumption of your mobile motion controls and will discuss advances in the motors themselves.
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Precision Fluid Handling, Part I: It's All In The Pump Pumps that move liquid precisely are at the heart of a broad array of patient treatment devices and laboratory automation. This paper will outline what type of fluid pumps will work best in your application, and what type of motion control techniques will give you the fluid pumping accuracy that you need.
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Connected Health: The Miniaturization of Medical - Part 2
In this webinar, experts from PMD, Maxon Motors, and Accumold examined the phenomenon of medical miniaturization and looked at the components and methodologies that enable a new breed of products for use in everything from autonomous home monitoring systems to minimally invasive surgery.
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