Contingent on the web site you visit, you’ll be shown a variety of explanations why one type of electrics motor is better than the rest. Let us set the facts right for you.
Stepper motors follow a grocery list of axis coordinates provided by the controller. The torch proceeds to each point in the file. Possibly a half a thousandth of an inch apart, both axes working in precise synchronization. The relatively simple circuitry involved provides great reliability, good low speed torque, and easy set-up. Positioning errors don’t occur, since stepper motors know in advance where they are going and when to stop. Stepper motors are inexpensive. If one goes bad, it can often be replaced for under $200.00. Plus it’s a simple machine. No intricate tuning process is needed to keep it functioning accurately.
Servo motors use “closed-loop” circuitry to supply information back to the computer so that positioning errors can be constantly corrected. This feedback is provided by encoders. Encoders are like the bicycle wheels that surveyors use to measure distances. Servo motors are available in larger sizes than stepper motors, and powerful servos are generally used on heavy machines with scaffold carriages in the 500 to 1,000 lb range.
A new type of servo motor called an “intelligent servo motor” has recently appeared on the scene. The motor has some programmable computer circuitry incorporated into it, which lets it independently follow simple instructions. It works well with torch height controls, due to their low torque demand. Intelligent motors are impractical for driving a cnc machine. Since intelligent motors combine mechanical parts with computer circuitry, they are more likely to break down than external electronics with no moving parts.
There is your quick break down of 3 popular types of motion control products. Remember, you can call Electric Enterprise for a solution to any problems you have with a motion control product.
