Engineering Notes by Oriental Motor

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

Products and technology are only valuable when coupled with skilled people and services to support them. Since 1978, ORIENTAL MOTOR U.S.A. CORP. has been building a service and support system to better serve customers. It is our goal to provide the best product and service from the design phase, through the sale and beyond.

Our blog will feature:

  • Introduction to new products and technologies
  • Motion control basics and application examples
  • Tips for motor selection, programming, and troubleshooting

 

Improving Stop Accuracy for Start/Stop Conveyors

Posted by Johann Tang on May 7, 2019 1:32:29 PM

Are you using motors for a start/stop conveyor or similar application?  While AC motors are a common choice for conveyors, there is a unique speed control motor solution available that could improve stop accuracy as well as reduce footprint and cost of machine designs.

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Topics: Conveyor, AC Motors, Stepper Motors, Speed Control, VIDEOS, Application Examples

Better Motor Alternatives for Variable Speed Pumps

Posted by Johann Tang on May 6, 2019 8:03:26 PM

What motors do you use for pumps?  For variable speed pump applications that typically use 3-phase AC induction motors with variable frequency drives (VFDs), there is another type of motor that can transfer fluids more consistently and help reduce footprint.

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Topics: AC Motors, Speed Control, VIDEOS, BLDC Motors, Pumps, Application Examples

Right Angle Gearheads: Why are Hypoid Gears Better Than Worm Gears?

Posted by Johann Tang on Apr 17, 2019 10:00:00 AM
As efficiency becomes increasingly important, another type of gear is being adopted for right angle gearheads over the common worm gears.
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Topics: AC Motors, Speed Control, BLDC Motors, Gearheads

Introduction to the MEXE02 Universal Motion Control Support Software

Posted by Johann Tang on Mar 12, 2019 7:30:00 AM

The MEXE02 support software is a universal motion control and monitor software used with multiple products from Oriental Motor, such as the AZ Series, RK2 Series, BLE2 Series, and BX2 Series.  This article is useful for first-time users to gain a quick understanding of the software and what it can do.

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Topics: Stepper Motors, Linear & Rotary Actuators, Speed Control, VIDEOS, BLDC Motors, Software, Servo Motors

Torque Limit Application Example - Bottle Capping with BLDC Motors (VIDEO)

Posted by Johann Tang on Feb 15, 2019 1:00:00 PM

For applications where torque needs to be limited, an external mechanical torque limiter is typically required in addition to the motor system.  When the torque exceeds the limit, the torque limiter will either decouple the load or limit the torque by slipping.  An electric motor system's built-in torque limit function can simplify machine designs by eliminating this extra component.

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Topics: Torque Limit (Push Motion, Tension Control), Speed Control, VIDEOS, Capping, BLDC Motors, Application Examples

Improve Gripping Operation with Multiple Torque Limit Settings

Posted by Johann Tang on Jan 15, 2019 1:00:00 PM

Robotic grippers are typically used to grip parts for transport.  The driving force behind a gripper can be pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric.  Which type is best for gripping?

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Topics: Torque Limit (Push Motion, Tension Control), Robotics, Speed Control, VIDEOS, BLDC Motors, Application Examples

Accelerate Design Cycles for Mobile Robots With Standard Features & Functions

Posted by Johann Tang on Dec 15, 2018 12:00:00 PM

In the market of electric motors, there are products designed for general purpose applications, and there are motors designed for specialized applications, such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) or autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).  While standard, general-purpose motors work for most applications such as factory automation, sometimes, it may help accelerate your design cycle by going with a motor system that already offers the features that you are planning to design into your machine.  In this post, we will summarize some of these features.

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Topics: Robotics, Speed Control, Motor Sizing, BLDC Motors, Gearheads, Application Examples

Easily Synchronize Speeds of Multiple Motors

Posted by Johann Tang on Oct 15, 2018 9:00:00 AM

There are a variety of ways to synchronize the speed of multiple motors.  In this blog post, we will explain another advantage of using brushless motors systems, which is its ability to set speeds accurately and be able to synchronize speeds on multiple axes easily .  Brushless motors utilize built-in hall-effect sensors to regulate speed.  Even if the load, input voltage, or temperature fluctuates, the speed regulation will always be under +/-0.2% or better.

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Topics: Conveyor, AC Motors, Speed Control, VIDEOS, BLDC Motors, Washdown, Application Examples

Designing Smaller and Lighter Equipment by Using Brushless Motors

Posted by Johann Tang on Oct 1, 2018 8:32:18 AM

With the growing popularity of efficient brushless motors, replacing AC motors with these motors brings several advantages.  In this blog post, we will uncover one of the advantages that can benefit lighter and compact equipment designs.  If we just look at the motors, brushless motors are much more power efficient than AC induction motors.  This means a smaller brushless motor can do the work of a bigger AC motor.  With recent trends in efficiency, brushless motors should be considered during the motor selection process for new designs.

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Topics: Conveyor, AC Motors, Speed Control, VIDEOS, BLDC Motors, Washdown, Application Examples

Minimize Machine Footprint with Right Angle Gear Motors

Posted by Johann Tang on Oct 1, 2018 8:31:15 AM

Parallel shaft gear motors are the standard configuration in the industry.  However, right angle gear motors are gaining popularity for its ability to minimize the footprint of a machine, such as a conveyor.  Another factor that should be considered is the type of gears used in the gearhead.  While worm gear technology is popular, its gear efficiency can vary from 50~90% depending on gear ratio.  On the other hand, hypoid gear technology keeps its efficiency at 80~95% regardless of gear ratio.  Higher gear efficiency allows more torque to be transferred from the motor to the load shaft, and sometimes allows even smaller motors to be used.

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Topics: Conveyor, AC Motors, Speed Control, VIDEOS, BLDC Motors, Gearheads, Application Examples