Feature

Starting early: The advantage of involving miniature motion design at the outset of OEM projects

Miniature electric motors, their transmissions, feedback and control devices are crucial to equipment that depends on motion control. This means that OEMs starting a new product development project should involve a motion specialist at the earliest opportunity. The motor and its output have a broad impact on the overall design, so early-stage inclusion will not only optimise the performance of the host equipment, but it will also streamline project development.

08/01/2024 10:43:34

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Dave Beckstoffer, Business Development Manager at Portescap, explains.

By controlling the torque, speed, acceleration and position of its shaft, the electric motor is the fundamental tool that brings life to devices used in everyday
settings, as well as equipment deployed in many surgical and industrial environments. For many of these applications, power higher than 1kW isn’t necessary, and the size of the host equipment might need a small and
lightweight motion system.

Precision control
Even when a compact motion system is required, typically generating below 1kW in power and measuring around 90mm or less in diameter, the demands placed on it can be high. Motors,
transmissions, and controls that power the joints of a surgical robot, for example, need to provide pinpoint precision, as do those that guide satellite communications devices.

If the motors are controlling medical equipment, such as
patient infusion systems, they must also ensure absolute reliability, also a typical requirement for military applications.

Whatever equipment the motion system is driving, its performance capability and design attributes need careful consideration.

Read the full article in DPA's January 2024 issue

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.