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

Motors exhibit noise.  The important thing to know is how you distinguish normal noise from abnormal noise, and how to troubleshoot.

Topics: AC Motors, Stepper Motors, Speed Control, BLDC Motors, Gearheads, Troubleshooting

Servo motor systems are expensive but great for demanding applications that require high speed, peak torque, or feedback.  Stepper motors are cost-effective but do not offer the peace of mind of feedback.  For designs that do not need the bells and whistles of servo motor systems, there is another option.

Topics: Stepper Motors, Robotics, Absolute Positioning, Alphastep Hybrid Control, Linear & Rotary Actuators, Servo Motors, Network

Pneumatic linear actuators and electric linear actuators are often compared for linear motion requirements that do not require the high forces of hydraulic linear actuators.  Here are 15 factors that should be considered.

Topics: Stepper Motors, Linear & Rotary Actuators, Servo Motors

In this post, we introduce a real-world SCARA and cartesian/gantry robot example of in-house automation built using our AlphaStep AZ Series family of motors, actuators, drivers, and our 4-axis robot controller.

Topics: Stepper Motors, Robotics, Absolute Positioning, Alphastep Hybrid Control, Linear & Rotary Actuators, Software, Rotary/Index Tables, Case Study

Modular automation is the next phase of factory automation where the same production line is separated into modules and can quickly reconfigure itself to serve different needs.  We're ready for this trend.  Are you?

Topics: Stepper Motors, Robotics, Alphastep Hybrid Control, Linear & Rotary Actuators, Speed Control, VIDEOS, BLDC Motors, Application Examples

The best motor is the one that meets the application requirements.  However, when both servo motors and stepper motors satisfy the basic requirements of a positioning application, it's important to have a deeper understanding of the two technologies to make an informed decision.

In this blog post,  we will summarize the differences between servo motor systems and stepper motor systems.

Topics: Stepper Motors, Absolute Positioning, Alphastep Hybrid Control, Servo Motors, Network, Service Life

Which type of electric motor do you size for your conveyor, XYZ table, or robot?  Before you select one, you must understand the characteristics of each type of motor in the market.

Topics: Conveyor, AC Motors, Stepper Motors, Speed Control, Motor Sizing, BLDC Motors, Washdown, Servo Motors, Motion Control Basics

In this blog post, I will explain how to easily program a timed pressing operation with our MEXE02 universal product support software.  This example works for any products included in the AlphaStep AZ Series family, which also includes other series that use the same technology and software.

Topics: Stepper Motors, Absolute Positioning, Alphastep Hybrid Control, Linear & Rotary Actuators, VIDEOS, Software, Application Examples, Motion Control Basics

CVD stepper motor drivers are the recommended drivers for PKP Series high torque stepper motors for its ability to lower vibration and improve torque performance throughout its entire speed range.  The latest update includes the addition of RS-485 communication and MEXE02 software support.

Topics: Stepper Motors, Smooth Drive, VIDEOS

There are three main types of stepper motors available in the market: PM (permanent magnet) type, VR (variable reluctance) type, and hybrid type.  What are the differences, which one should you use, and how do they work?

Topics: Stepper Motors, Motion Control Basics