Motion Control Components and System Architecture

Performance Motion Devices

Tuesday, September 16 2008

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how OEM machine designers can benefit from the different types of motion control components available today.

This paper compares how motion control solutions based on chips, cards, and drives fit into different ma-chine requirements, and how they affect the outcome of a machine design. This paper also examines mo-tion system architectures to illustrate the design trade-offs. Examples discussed include medical/biotech equipment, a 3D printer, and an industrial paper-cutting machine.

Topics include:

• the importance of early-identification of machine requirements
• motion component definitions
• motion component selection
• motion system architecture design
• the effects that the choices of motion component and the resulting architecture have on cost, relia-bility, maintenance, and time-to-market requirements.