Latest Motor Control Circuits Technical Articles

Learn about precharge circuits, inrush current, and understand why VFD and servo drives may trip during power-up.

Learn about precharge circuits, inrush current, and understand why VFD and servo drives may trip during power-up.

Coordinating motion in three or more axes is a difficult manual process. For more advanced gantry or articulated robots,…

Coordinating motion in three or more axes is a difficult manual process. For more advanced gantry or articulated robots, this motion type solves the complex calculation of a set of related joints.

Conveyor technology is rapidly advancing thanks to the close integration of mechanical machines and electrical controls,…

Conveyor technology is rapidly advancing thanks to the close integration of mechanical machines and electrical controls, but it’s important to understand how feedback improves that relationship.

Welcome to the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026! We’re excited to see where the industrial automation world takes…

Welcome to the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026! We’re excited to see where the industrial automation world takes us in this new year.

Synchronized motion has become an industry standard with robots, gantries, and pick and place automation. Follow along…

Synchronized motion has become an industry standard with robots, gantries, and pick and place automation. Follow along this three-part series as we discuss methods of synchronizing servo motors.

Managing the climate inside a building is critical for both people and infrastructure. Managing the climate is the job of…

Managing the climate inside a building is critical for both people and infrastructure. Managing the climate is the job of HVAC control systems, but what’s inside an HVAC system, and how do they work?

What is the purpose of a variable frequency drive? How do they work? And why would we prefer using VFDs over basic motor…

What is the purpose of a variable frequency drive? How do they work? And why would we prefer using VFDs over basic motor starters for heavy loads?

Take a step back and check out a bit of the history of motors in the mining industry, from driving compressed air to…

Take a step back and check out a bit of the history of motors in the mining industry, from driving compressed air to generating various DC and AC voltages for mineral transportation.

H-bridge circuits are commonly used to provide current switching capabilities to different electrical components in…

H-bridge circuits are commonly used to provide current switching capabilities to different electrical components in automated systems like motor control circuits, VFDs, and DC/AC current conversions.

We know that PID stands for proportional, integral, and derivative, but have you ever seen exactly how the derivative…

We know that PID stands for proportional, integral, and derivative, but have you ever seen exactly how the derivative term affects the final output signal in a motion control system?

Dynamic braking resistors stop motors more quickly by converting the rotational energy, but how do we select the correct…

Dynamic braking resistors stop motors more quickly by converting the rotational energy, but how do we select the correct one and configure a PowerFlex drive to utilize the resistor effectively?

Filters and reactors can protect your electrical devices, but what is the difference between these two kinds of devices,…

Filters and reactors can protect your electrical devices, but what is the difference between these two kinds of devices, and are they supposed to be installed before or after a VFD?

Conveyor systems come in all shapes and sizes, with factors like the drive motor and conveyor style influencing the…

Conveyor systems come in all shapes and sizes, with factors like the drive motor and conveyor style influencing the control method. Join us as we dive into the world of automated conveyance.

Electrical grounding is used to accomplish several different tasks, but none more important than for the safety of users…

Electrical grounding is used to accomplish several different tasks, but none more important than for the safety of users and equipment while maintaining strict adherence to regulations.

Many online sources explain how to reverse a 3-phase motor; this article will discuss the electrical principles that…

Many online sources explain how to reverse a 3-phase motor; this article will discuss the electrical principles that define why it works and how the phase relationships determine the rotation direction.

Nidec’s Control Techniques has launched the SI-BACnet IP add-on module for new and existing HVAC drives to help…

Nidec’s Control Techniques has launched the SI-BACnet IP add-on module for new and existing HVAC drives to help communicate between devices and create a connected automated building.

Although DC motor technology has a strong legacy, control strategies vary from simple to complex. Designs must consider…

Although DC motor technology has a strong legacy, control strategies vary from simple to complex. Designs must consider not just the motor, but also the electrical supply and the environment.

Learn how to control servo motors from a PLC using Allen-Bradley servos and Rockwell Automation’s Studio 5000 using a…

Learn how to control servo motors from a PLC using Allen-Bradley servos and Rockwell Automation’s Studio 5000 using a simple-to-understand method.

We know what a circuit breaker is meant to do: stop the flow of electricity in case of a fault or failure. But just like…

We know what a circuit breaker is meant to do: stop the flow of electricity in case of a fault or failure. But just like fuses, breakers and overloads respond differently depending on the load.