In this video, we're going to take a few minutes and talk about the differences between open-loop stepper motors and closed-loop Smart Step Servos when used with Compact Series, SIMO Series, and other linear motion systems from PBC Linear.
The first area of difference we want to talk about is speed.
I have here a demo where I have an open-loop stepper set up side by side with a closed-loop Step Servo system, and they're set to run the same cycle. So we'll flip the switch here and see who finishes first.
So clearly, this is your open-loop stepper here. What allows that closed-loop Step Servo to finish first is the 85% greater torque generated. This will allow a linear motion application to cut cycle times by 2X, and achieve quality beyond that of a standard stepper.
The second area we want to talk about is quality.
Here again, I have a demo that has an open-loop stepper side by side with a closed-loop Step Servo system. I want you to notice here that they're both in the home position — the red line pointing straight up. But if I take hold of the open-loop stepper and begin to torque this, I can actually make it lose position by putting torque on it and making the motor lose steps.
But here with the closed-loop system, it has a 20,000-count encoder built into it. So when I try to over-torque the system or try to move it off of that position, it's actually fighting me and sending a signal back to "No, hold that position." So I cannot make this lose steps.
The result for linear motion applications is that you're going to have more repeatable positioning and more accurate performance with the closed-loop Step Servo.
The third area we want to talk about is reliability.
In a traditional system, the electronics and controls would be housed away from the motor and require cables and wiring to be run to the motor and back to the electronics. But with the closed-loop Step Servo, the electronics are onboard with the motor, eliminating a lot of cabling and wiring, simplifying the system. It pulls the electronics out of the enclosure to where they're out in the open air, and they can run much cooler.
The Step Servo also uses 67% less energy and runs 50% cooler, resulting in more reliable performance of the motor.
Both the SIMO Series and the Compact Series work very well with standard open-loop stepper motors. Or, if you want to upgrade to the Step Servo for greater performance, greater speeds, better quality, and more reliability, they're very easily integrated with both SIMO and Compact Series using this motor-mount system right here.
It very simply bolts onto an end plate, and then you use a coupler to attach the actuator to the motor. It can very easily be utilized to upgrade your performance to the Step Servo.
You can extend even further beyond the high-performance motor capability we've discussed in this video to things like adding distributed control or networking with industry-standard protocols.
Call today if you're interested in these kinds of smart connections, and make PBC Linear your one-stop shop for mechatronics made easy.
