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