Welcome to Oriental Motor's "Engineering Notes" Blog:

Actuators are devices that convert energy into controlled mechanical motion. Some examples of actuator applications include opening valves, moving robot arms, and operating lifting mechanisms.  Proper actuator selection affects machine accuracy, throughput, flexibility, maintenance requirements, and overall system cost.

Automating screw tightening is no longer just about speeding up assembly; it’s also about ensuring consistent quality, reducing defects, and enabling scalable production. For automation engineers, one of the most effective architectures for achieving this is a multi-axis Cartesian system that combines precise positioning, controlled pressing, and accurate torque delivery.

In this article, we’ll walk you through how a 4-axis automated screw tightening machine can be built using electric linear actuators, and how Oriental Motor’s integrated motor and actuator solutions can simplify designs while improving performance.

Modern automation increasingly demands higher reliability,  faster time-to-build, and easier scalability in a smaller package. If you’ve ever wished you had an easy button for motion control, Oriental Motor’s αSTEP Hybrid Step-Servo AZ Series product family lets you build your own compact, modular motion control solution by choosing off-the-shelf products.

In high-volume manufacturing, every second matters.  Although traditional SCARA robots have been a staple in assembly and material handling, their limited rotational range can often cause delays that can keep them from maximizing throughput.

In the factories of the future, wireless motion control will offer unprecedented flexibility for mobile machines and space-constrained applications. This comprehensive guide walks engineers through implementing wireless motion control using Oriental Motor's AZ Series Ethernet Type mini Driver, eliminating cables while maintaining precise motion control.

Interested in compact industrial robots to transfer small parts but not sure where to start?  Learn how Oriental Motor's compact and easy-to-use small industrial robots, robot controllers, and software can help simplify robotic automation.

Selecting a gearhead for a stepper motor is like picking out the right shoes for the occasion. Sure, you can wear Air Jordans on a football field, but they're not better than a pair of regular cleats. Similarly, you can use a harmonic gearhead to drive a unidirectional conveyor, but you may be overpaying for its zero-backlash capability when you don't have to.  Picking the right gearhead can ensure the best balance between performance and budget.

By adding a gearhead to a motor, a motor becomes a gear motor, and its torque is multiplied by its gear ratio and gear efficiency.  However, beyond increasing torque, there are many other advantages to using gear motors.