controls | Power Transmission Engineering Magazine

Control System Techniques—Dampers (Part 1)

October 2, 2024

Closed Loop control systems can handle a wide range of motions with a wide range of loads if the control system and mechanics are properly designed for the task. A couple of the more difficult combinations to design for are high inertial mismatches and backlash with hard gearing. The question is not just how to make the system stable, but rather how to also get the desired performance.

Bosch Rexroth Presents Automation Solutions at ATX West

April 7, 2022

Bosch Rexroth (Booth #4400) at ATX West will feature interactive exhibits and several working systems demos, including a Smart Function Kit for Handling 3-axis Cartesian robot, as well as a state-of-the-art linear motor transfer system that moves magnetic pallets with speed and accuracy. There will also be a demo of the ctrlX CORE controller, part of the ctrlX AUTOMATION controls and drive platform that makes automation as easy as using a smartphone.

A Ten-Minute Introduction to Digital Filters

March 1, 2021

Filtering is needed in various control and communication Applications.

Keeping Drives Electrically Quiet: Ferrites, Shielding and Grounding

October 1, 2020

Motion control systems often combine high power drive signals in close proximity (or even within the same cable) with lower level signals, like encoders. You will often see ferrite beads added around cables; their effectiveness in minimizing noise is greatly affected by how they are deployed. This involves which signals are grouped, what are the drive characteristics, and how shielding and grounding are handled in the system.

Centralized vs. Decentralized: Choosing the Right Type of Motor Control System

August 1, 2020

Are you looking for one simple formula to help you choose between centralized and decentralized motor control? Unfortunately, such a formula does not exist. However, evaluating the overall size of the system, comparing labor and material costs, and maintaining flexibility can help guide engineers in the right direction.

The Gizmo Society

June 1, 2018

It is hard these days to find any device that is not IoT-compatible or WiFi-connected. I recently had a new well pump installed that requires an iPhone for setup, which makes it hard for me to check or change the setup since I do not own an iPhone. In Olden Times, you had potentiometers or RS-232 connections - and that was fine.

Modular Control Systems for Wind Energy

August 1, 2016

For a 5-megawatt wind turbine prototype, aerodyn employs the latest control and software technologies, including a comprehensive PC-based control solution and the new modular TwinCAT Wind Framework. The TwinCAT Wind Framework features the latest software engineering and Big Data applications to extend current Industry 4.0 concepts to the wind energy industry. The modular software supports, for example, the direct provision of sensor data to the operator’s database, and in general enables the easy adaption of the wind turbine operation management to future requirements.

Medical Motion Control

August 1, 2013

Controls from Quicksilver help in the design and development of medical rehabilitation equipment originally designed for returning astronauts.

Tuning a PID Controller

April 1, 2011

This paper introduces the basic fundamentals of proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control theory and the characteristics of each of the PID control loops.

Six Keys to Sustainable Manufacturing

February 1, 2009

The federal government estimates that manufacturing uses about one third of the energy consumed in the U.S., so manufacturing companies can play an important role in building a sustainable future.