Motors and drives
Built-In Frequency Analyzers
Some frequency analyzers can be built right into controllers. They should be a top consideration when choosing a motion controller for complex system applications — as frequency analyzers can be used to design for servo systems with low mechanical stiffness....
Recent Articles in Motors & Drives
Variable frequency drives: Shaped control + efficiency
Adjustable or variable frequency drives AFDs or VFDs use rectifiers to convert ac powerline electricity into direct current. Then inductor-capacitor filters...
Green gearmotors
means different things to different people. For most, it refers to energy efficiency, and that's probably the easiest way to think about it: Minimize...
Small motor market faces uphill battle
According to new statistics from IMS Research, Austin, the 2009 economic downturn has cut more than $700 million from the small motor market, which had...
Top 10 tips: Specifying stepper drives
Know the four most common microstepping myths. Myth 1: A high microstep count will result in evenly spaced steps at that count. Microstepping is good...
Stepper-based linear actuators
Rotary motor motion is usually converted to linear through rack and pinion sets, belts and pulleys, and other mechanical linkages. These are effective...
Driving for energy savings
Energy is an increasingly scarce and expensive commodity that significantly impacts manufacturing costs. However, modern drive systems can reduce expenditures...
Wind power energizes charity auction
An elaborate playhouse featuring a gearmotor from Bison Gear and Engineering Corp., St. Charles, Ill., sold for $10,000 at auction, with proceeds used...
Mark your calendar: December 19, 2010 draws near
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) was passed by Congress and signed into law December 19, 2007. EISA builds on the previous Energy...
DC MOTOR SELECTION Part 2 of 2
If enough voltage is applied across the terminals of a dc motor, the output shaft will spin at a rate proportional to that applied voltage. This makes...
Think thermal to increase motor efficiency
Basic thermodynamic laws tell us that, no matter what its design, in every electric motor some of the input electrical power is undoubtedly lost (via...
DC Motors Selection Part 1 of 2
A few characteristics of dc motors maintin linear relationships that allow for very predictable operation. First, if enough voltage is applied across...
Smart transporter
Any factory space around a conveyor is premium real estate, because like a highway artery, the component facilitates transport, assembly, sorting, inspection,...
Strain gages for monitoring forces
The engineering measurement called strain is the deformation per unit of length of a material when force is applied to it. In other words, strain is a...
Go green by choosing a clutch motor
Is your company going green? Green has become the latest catchword to include actions such as recycling containers, reducing pollution output, and using...
Design by Objective: Green engineering
When it comes to saving energy and using resources more efficiently and sustainably, today’s engineers and bean counters alike know that green is the new black. This special report on green engineering takes a look at some of the latest tools and tactics for greening up your next design....
