Latest Motors & Motion Controls Articles

We usually think of joysticks in terms of video game controllers, but they exist in all kinds of industrial systems:…

We usually think of joysticks in terms of video game controllers, but they exist in all kinds of industrial systems: heavy equipment, overhead cranes, and even some robotic controls. But how do they work?

Variable control allows external conditions, like temperature, to be monitored so the controller can activate devices to…

Variable control allows external conditions, like temperature, to be monitored so the controller can activate devices to heat or cool the system as needed. Simulate a temp controller with low-cost components!

Designing, installing, and maintaining control systems involves a lot of wires. Each wire has a purpose, often indicated…

Designing, installing, and maintaining control systems involves a lot of wires. Each wire has a purpose, often indicated by the color of the insulation. But what are the common colors, and what do they mean?

Rubber belts have lived under the hood of nearly every car since they first took to the streets, but they also transmit…

Rubber belts have lived under the hood of nearly every car since they first took to the streets, but they also transmit power through all kinds of industrial machine drives as well.

HIWIN has added to its existing linear motor and cantilever axis product lines, with each model now available with a…

HIWIN has added to its existing linear motor and cantilever axis product lines, with each model now available with a profile width of 100 mm, making for a compact linear motor axis and a larger, higher-performing cantilever axis.

Although electrical systems often receive the highest praise for advancement, precision, and technological innovation,…

Although electrical systems often receive the highest praise for advancement, precision, and technological innovation, the world would be stuck without mechanical power delivery systems like gear drives.

While robotic "mind control" is still very early in development, a fully-integrated brain-machine interface would result…

While robotic "mind control" is still very early in development, a fully-integrated brain-machine interface would result in having a thought acted out in real life just by merely thinking of it.

Seeing use in a variety of industrial applications for position sensing and object detection, inductive sensors are based…

Seeing use in a variety of industrial applications for position sensing and object detection, inductive sensors are based on the phenomenon of magnetism and its resultant magnetic fields.

SMC has added to its CXS product family with the CXS2 series of pneumatic actuators. The new series of dual rod cylinders…

SMC has added to its CXS product family with the CXS2 series of pneumatic actuators. The new series of dual rod cylinders is faster and has a higher kinetic energy capacity than SMC's previous offerings.

Many VFDs use digital inputs to control operation, rather than PLC-driven network communications. Learn about 2-wire and…

Many VFDs use digital inputs to control operation, rather than PLC-driven network communications. Learn about 2-wire and 3-wire digital input control schemes for ABB, Omron, Rockwell, and others.

There are many different kinds of electric motors used for industrial power transfer, but there are also hydraulic and…

There are many different kinds of electric motors used for industrial power transfer, but there are also hydraulic and pneumatic motors that can lend advantages in some situations.

Motor control is accomplished by circuit devices from simple contactors to complex frequency drive systems. Rockwell…

Motor control is accomplished by circuit devices from simple contactors to complex frequency drive systems. Rockwell Automation recently added a host of new features and upgrades to common product lines.

Bosch Rexroth’s new Hägglunds Quantum motors offer high torque at high efficiency—fit for use on mobile machinery,…

Bosch Rexroth’s new Hägglunds Quantum motors offer high torque at high efficiency—fit for use on mobile machinery, such as construction or mining equipment, or in stationary processing facilities.

Field-oriented control (FOC), also called vector control, can control 3-phase alternating current motors and brushless DC…

Field-oriented control (FOC), also called vector control, can control 3-phase alternating current motors and brushless DC motors. Read more to learn its advantages, how it works, and its best applications.

ABB has expanded its line of Baldor-Reliance EC Titanium motors designed for HVAC and pumping systems to include IEC…

ABB has expanded its line of Baldor-Reliance EC Titanium motors designed for HVAC and pumping systems to include IEC frame types, making the award-winning product lineup even more flexible for customer applications.

Motors consume the highest current during startup—this is a well-known fact. But logically, the slowest speed should…

Motors consume the highest current during startup—this is a well-known fact. But logically, the slowest speed should relate to the lowest power consumption. Why, then, is inrush current so high for motors?

EtherCAT is an often preferred competitor in the arena of industrial networking protocols. Learn the reason why many…

EtherCAT is an often preferred competitor in the arena of industrial networking protocols. Learn the reason why many technologies embrace this protocol and what sets it apart from other fieldbus varieties.

The BMW Group announced that it will begin utilizing Realtime Robotics' robotic systems and software for more efficient…

The BMW Group announced that it will begin utilizing Realtime Robotics' robotic systems and software for more efficient motion planning and collision-free tandem operation of their industrial robots.

Analog outputs are a special signal with a wider current or voltage range, in contrast with a limited discrete on/off…

Analog outputs are a special signal with a wider current or voltage range, in contrast with a limited discrete on/off output. These signals are used to control or set parameters for other automation systems.