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Grounding and Shielding Existing Equipment (Expanded Version)
How to effectively minimize EMI issues when best practices are not available
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Build Better Machines Faster by Simplifying the Creation of High-Performance Motion
Explanation on how to create a high-performance motion algorithm that is tightly integrated to the PLC program with a library of graphical function blocks.
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Differentiate Your Machine to Save Development Time, Improve Performance and Generate Higher Profits
Is your machine automation solution just a basic convenience? Or does it offer quantifiable performance improvements that generate real profits? Kollmorgen Automation Suite is helping OEMs speed development of differentiated machines that deliver higher performance and, as a direct result, higher profits. |
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Grounding and Shielding Existing Equipment
When building electronic equipment, it is imperative to understand the coupling mechanisms of electrical noise that creates Electro-Magnetic Interference(EMI). It is also much easier to preplan a method of abatement during the build of a machine rather than try to initiate a resolution once the equipment is built. |
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Feedback Choices for Servo Applications
Servomotor-powered motion control systems are expected to be fast and accurate, and when correctly specified, they are. However there are numerous factors that can cause them to miss the target. Fundamentally a servo system can perform no more accurately than the accuracy of the feedback device controlling it. |
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High-Performance in a Small Package
Machine builders need to increase productivity and are looking for more reliable and powerful systems with greater throughput and flexibility. At the same time, they are faced with increasing competition to implement these demands with smaller, more compact machines. Compact, high-performance servo systems meet these demands by providing high torque with minimum energy consumption, in a smaller footprint. |
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Achieve Superior Servo Performance, Quickly, with Auto-tuning
Servo systems are well-known for their superior performance in demanding motion applications. When system designers want to wrap candy, polish semiconductor wafers, form an aspirin tablet, or lay thin coatings on a roll of plastic, servos do it faster, smoother, and more accurately than just about any other technology. Unfortunately, getting the superior performance of servos isn’t always easy. |
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When Motion Matters, Choose the Right Network for Optimum Performance
Today’s high-performance machines depend on networked automation products. Ethernet has become the clear choice for simple, robust and flexible networks. But not all Ethernet networks are created equal. |
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Model Based Design
Mechatronics is the marriage of the mechanical, electrical, software and systems engineering disciplines into one complete system solution. Modeling is a fundamental component of mechatronics. The purpose of model-based simulation is to evaluate a design quickly and cost effectively, so to be effective, useful and not a waste of time, the model must accurately represent the actual system. |
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Reduce Costs and Improve Performance with Digital Buses
What are some of the advantages of using a digital bus for motion control in machine and robot builder applications? Machine design using a digital network has several advantages over discrete connections where +/-10V servo signals and individual digital and analog I/Os signals are wired to a central controller. |
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Integrating Motion & Logic Control
What’s new in integrated motion and logic control? A key element that has changed is the advent of high speed deterministic networks for supporting both the soft PLC (integrated logic via IEC61131-3) and motion. With Ethernet solutions like EtherCAT®, it is no longer necessary to have separate networks for the PLC machine control and the motion control. More importantly, new generation solutions like Kollmorgen Automation Suite truly integrate the PLC and motion engines to provide one programming environment, with tight coupling between the motion and process control for higher performance. |
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New Graphical Tools Significantly Simplify Servo Drive Setup and Optimization
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) face continual demands to bring new products to market with higher levels of performance in time to meet shrinking market windows. In many cases, motion is the key to differentiating the machine and delivering a marketplace advantage. Perfectly deployed machine motion provides endless opportunities for innovation and can make machine more reliable and efficient, while enhancing accuracy and improving operator safety. |
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Automation and Control Trends Impact Food Processing and Packaging Machine Integration
Food processing and packaging machines have similar automation and motion control needs such as material conveying and positioning, heating, drying, and cooling. There are a couple of emerging trends as factories move toward integrating their food processing and packaging machinery more closely for continuous flow production. |
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Closed Loop Control Matches Imaging Improvements in CT Scan Technology
Significant advancements in imaging capabilities have occurred recently in CT (Computed Tomography) scan technology. Improved image resolution, larger image process receivers, along with the data capability of computers and control systems, enables CT scans to be more detailed and thus more useful for accurate diagnosis. But capitalizing on these improvements also demands more precise control of the imaging process.
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How to Improve a Servo Machine
Today’s servo-controlled machines are faster, smaller, and smarter than ever. As a result, machine users demand more and more performance, and this forces designers to keep improving their machines.
Improving the servo performance of a machine can be challenging because so many factors come into play including the servomotors, the feedback sensor, the servo drives, and the mechanical transmission. This white paper is for designers who want to improve servo performance. It will walk you through the decisions you’ll need to make, starting with understanding how the servos affects the machine, which components have the dominant effects, and what changes are likely to make substantial improvements. |
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Make Machine Building Faster and Easier with Kollmorgen Automation Suite™
Do you have to open multiple programs to develop, debug and deploy your automation application? Does the need to learn different programs and manage different data sets slow down your time to market? Does the need to find key information stored in multiple programs complicate troubleshooting and upgrades?
If you answered "yes," discover how easy it is to get to "no problem." Kollmorgen Automation Suite™ eliminates all these challenges, so you can focus on delivering differentiated solutions to your customers faster. |
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When Motion Matters - Kollmorgen Automation Suite™ makes the difference
Machine builders have numerous choices when it comes to automation system solutions. Many of these solutions take advantage of standard specifications, such as IEC61131-e, to simplify the PLC programming required for machine control. Many automation system providers are also making an effort to expand their product lines to handle motion control.
But making an effort isn't the same as making a difference. When motion is the defining element that differentiates the machine, the smart choice is to rely on a supplier with true motion expertise - and a solution that has motion at its core.
Machine builders who choose Kollmorgen Automation Suite™ have realized substantial benefits using Kollmorgen's exclusive Pipe Network™ motion programming platform, built on Kollmorgen's expertise and powerful tools for tuning complex servo systems. |
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Test the Motion without Touching the Machine
Designing and implementing a differentiated machine can be challenging, especially the motion portion.
OEMs want optimum performance, but don't want to spend a lot of time with trial-and-error testing. High-performance motion means tight tolerances and high speeds; errors in the motion application can result in machine or product damage. Ideally machine designers want to have the motion perfected before implementing it on the machine. One solution is a set-up of the actual hardware in a test environment, but this can be time consuming and adds costs to the development work. What if there is a better way? |
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Direct Drive Technology Improves Flexo Printing Quality and Throughput
July 15, 2010 - Flexographic printing technology has become increasingly popular because it more easily maintains printing quality and reduces startup time and waste. But flexo printing quality is dependent upon maintaining extremely accurate synchronization of the anilox roller and plate cylinder used in each print deck module... |
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Considerations for Using a 61131 Compliant Language
July 13, 2010 - What are the advantages of using a 61131-compliant language?
IEC61131-3 is an international standard for programming soft PLC code that will be recognizable to a programmer regardless of the product on which they learned the language. The code will also be largely transferrable between products - even among different manufacturers. And with five different languages that have varying pros and cons, it is possible to code different sections of a program to take advantage of the language that best suits that program section... |
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Selecting the Proper Cables for Your Stepper
Engineers devote a lot of time and effort designing highly efficient, reliable, and economical stepper or servomotor positioning systems. They select a motor, a controller, appropriate feedback circuits, and an amplifier to satisfy the specific motion system’s needs. Unfortunately, however, the signal and power cables connecting the components are often neglected until the project is nearing its end or worse yet, handed off to an electrician who lacks the proper training. Overlooking critical cable selection factors can deliver a system with lower than expected accuracy, frequent failures, low immunity from electromagnetic interference, and adverse affects on neighboring equipment. |
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Stepper Drive Q&A
What are the most common mistakes that engineers make when specifying and working with stepper drives?
What are some of the problems that can occur when engineers choose the wrong stepper for the job? Describe the nature of the mismatch as well as the resulting problems.
What’s your best advice on how to use stepper drives successfully? |
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Is Reducing Time to Market Important to Your Machine Design?
September 10, 2010 - End users are taking longer in deciding to add or upgrade a machine and when the decision is made they want the machine delivered quickly. In such a highly competitive market, being able to deliver a machine in short order can be the difference between winning the customer's business and seeing it go to a competitor... |
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Industry Leading Precision Velocity Control in Coating and Laminating Applications
Web handling applications demand perfect velocity control - and rightly so, as anything less will result in unevenly applied coating across the substrate and an inferior, or even scrappable, product. What's at the heart of most velocity control problems? ... |
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The Significance of Load to Motor Inertia Mismatch
August 13, 2010- A servo system’s inertia ratio is a commonly misunderstood parameter. When dealing with stepper motors, articles and tutorials often instruct the control engineer to select a motor that will match the ratio as close to 1:1 as possible. The reason is that stepper motors are prone to de-synchronization issues and torque losses, and need to be sized to match the load to overcome these challenges... |
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Integrated Model-Based Machine Design with Motion
March 19, 2010 - Motion control applications are becoming increasingly challenging with higher performance, lower weight requirements, and increased functionality. Meeting these challenges often requires complex control algorithms, which call for more expertise and longer development time. In addition, the software is usually not tested until hardware prototypes are available which leads to many errors that require extensive re-coding. This design challenge is increased by the fact that manpower reductions are frequently forcing mechanical engineers to take over control system software development and testing functions that were previously handled by specialists. |
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Servo Controls Deliver Performance Benefits for Medical Imaging Systems
March 17, 2010 - Medical imaging technology has rapidly advanced in recent years, increasing the speed and resolution of the images it produces. These advances have shifted the limiting factor on the time required to complete a scan and the quality of the resulting image from the imaging technology to the motion control system. As a result, medical imaging original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have begun looking for alternatives to the AC induction motors traditionally used to position imaging gantries... |
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How Today's Flexible Digital Servo Drives Help OEMs Build a Better Machine, Faster
February 17, 2010 - Advances in digital hardware technology and software innovations now allow for a single digital servo drive to be configured to work in a variety of machine control architectures. So what, you say? The advantage to the machine builder is that he/she only needs to work with one drive from a single vendor to fulfill a variety of applications... |
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Electro-Magnetic Interference Reduction Techniques
February 17, 2010 - EMI (Electro-Magnetic Interference) comes in different forms, frequencies, and levels. Electronic equipment has different categories for both emissions and susceptibility. Under normal circumstances elimination is not possible so reduction to acceptable levels is what can be reasonably achieved. Coupling factors, rise time, emissions and susceptibility are phrases that must be understood with confidence. It is less "Black Art" than the urban legends lead... |
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