Precise Control in Harsh Conditions: Teknic Washdown Brushless Servo Motors

Servo motors are a great way to add precise motion to your automated application. Servo motors can be used for absolute positioning, torque control, pressing applications, or constant RPM.

 

Teknic Motion Control

Because of the sensitive electrical nature of servo motors, it can be challenging for the medical, food, and bev industries to adopt servo motion technology because they must be capable of regular washing and cleaning, but luckily, Teknic now offers a solution. For nearly forty years, Teknic has been manufacturing and supplying the automation industry with servo motion control components. Located in Victor, New York, Teknic has recently released a brushless servo motor that is washdown-rated.

 

Integrated servo motors from Teknic. Image used courtesy of Teknic

 

ClearPath Motor Series

ClearPath is an economical motor and drive combo designed for the automation industry. The new series of brushless servo motors have combined all the electronics to program and manipulate the servo motor in an automated scenario. Each model includes ClearPath’s auto-tuner which will optimize parameters for virtually any application. The drive system is integrated and commissioned using a free PC application. Each model in the ClearPath series uses advanced algorithms to ensure smooth operation in non-linear or high-inertia loads. All this technology and each model is IP66K or IP67 rated, which makes them a great option when looking for a servo motor with washdown capabilities.

The DC models come in fractional HP sizes from 100-400 RMS watts at 24 to 75 VDC. NEMA sizes of 23 or 24 are supported and the price starts at under $250. The AC models range from 900 watts to 5.8 kilowatts and NEMA sizes of 56, 143, or D100 are supported.

 

ClearPath servo motor family. Image used courtesy of Teknic

 

Motion Control from High-Tech Motors

With a typical servo motor and drive application, a PLC is often required along with industrial communication hardware and extensive wiring. The ClearPath motor and drive are all combined into the motor so you only need to supply power to the unit to get up and running. Positioning, RPM, or torque can all be controlled via digital inputs, and the configuration software is used to set it all up, configure, and commission the motors.

For advanced incremental positioning control, a PLC can still connected to the ClearPath motors via a common industrial protocol.

 

Advanced Servo Motion Positioning

A common use for a servo motor is precise positioning. Typically a servo motor is installed on a linear axis which converts rotary motion into linear motion with the use of toothed belts or leadscrews. Introducing this mechanical technology and dynamic loads can cause erratic performance with some servo motors. The ClearPath series from Teknic incorporates their proprietary algorithm for parameters such as jerk limiting, anti-hunting, and adaptive position error compensation. These parameters and algorithms provide smooth, quiet, and cooler operations, which results in less wear on mechanical components.

Anti-hunting: When a servo is commanded to a position, the external load may cause the motor to drift. The servo will correct and continue to “hunt” for the final position causing small movements. The ClearPath motion control algorithms allow for the servo to have a high stiffness which allows for minimal hunting.

Adaptive position error compensation: A common servo system will use a PID control loop which is based on position error and is independent of system performance. With the ClearPath system, the position error dynamically adjusts with the current performance of the system in real time. This results in a more accurate and faster positioning system.

 

Ruggedized Servos

The right motors must always be chosen for every situation. This is certainly true for applications where washdown solvents and fluids can damage sensitive electronics. New servo motors, like the ClearPath lineup from Teknic, can be a valid solution in many of these cases.