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News Release from: Agile Systems | Subject: Motion control
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 09 February 2007
Motion control improves stepper motor
performance
Agile Systems has received a patent for hybrid stepper motor control that, it says, promises to improve stepper motor performance.
Agile Systems, provider of design, development and manufacturing of advanced motion control technology, received a patent that promises to improve stepper motor performance The technology will help companies turn simple low cost 2 phase stepper motors into sophisticated servo motors, without the use of external sensors, with the benefits of improved productivity, increased safety and lower energy usage
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 7 Mar 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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The patented technique transitions from open loop micro-stepping methodology at low speed control after gathering enough information from the motor.
"The transition from open loop to close loop was the hardest part of the design, therefore we had to make sure the transition was seamless and robust" says Dan Rose, Application Engineering Manager of Agile Systems.
The algorithm calculates the position of a rotor from the sensing circuitry in the amplifier, and when the motor reaches 30 - 60 RPM depending on the motor design, it switches to servo control.
When servo techniques are applied to the stepper motor, the results are higher acceleration/deceleration, greater efficiency, stall detection and prevention, and higher potential motor speeds.
Agile's newly launched product, SilentstepTM, incorporates this patented technique to control a 2 phase stepper motor, and boosts the performance of the motors used in many applications such as in printers, photocopiers, and packaging and lab automation equipment - into the range of more precise, and costlier servo-motors.
Stepper motors produce high torque at low speeds and attempts to increase their speeds often result in the motor stalling out.
However, SilentstepTM software algorithms eliminate this potential for stalling.
"SilentstepTM technology will allow customers to specify motors at their full torque limits.
This means electrical engineers no longer have to over-size the motor for any given application.
Smaller-sized stepper motors can do the job of larger ones," said Tom Geiger, VP Sales and Marketing of Agile Systems.
"Prospective customers have been looking for an alternative motor-control solution to get high performance out of their low-cost traditional stepper motor for some time", added Geiger.
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