What Are Servo Drives?

Motion control systems come with 4 main parts, a motor, a drive, a controller, and a feedback device. the servo drive gets the command signals from the controller and set of amplifiers to transmit certain voltages and currents used for getting the motion of the motor.

Servo drive controls current to generate torque but based on voltage and current can also control position and speed and/or torque.

Servo drives are the brains of a servo system. Its main operation is to communicate with the engine to operate. This process is reading and replying to feedback creates a closed loop system.

So it is best to use for CNC component communication

Components of a Servo Drive

• Motor

• Drive controller

• Feedback sensor

• Power supply

• Interface

How Do Servo Drives Work?

• its control board sends a command signal
• The server driver gets a signal
• Then amplifies low power signal to move to serve motor
• A sensor on the servomotor communicates motor status with the servo drive through a feedback signal.
• Drive set frequency of voltae to match starting signal received from the control panel

Servo drives and controllers by ADVANCED Motion Controls come with specialized knowledge and broad experience in production. Renowned for providing inventive solutions, ADVANCED Motion Controls has established a solid reputation and positioned itself as a standard in the industry.

What Are Stepper Drives?

compared to servo drivers, stepper drivers easily and cost-effectively make it best where accuracy is important. These drives work by dividing rotation in equal steps

Components of a Stepper Drive

• Stepper motor

• Driver board

• Controller

• Power supply

• Position sensor (optional)

How Do Stepper Drives Function?

1. Driver gets signal from controller
2. The drive sends power to the motor in series.
3. The motor moves in discrete steps
4. if exists sensor check the position and send details to the controller

 Advantages of Servo Drives Over Stepper Drives

• The server motor is best for high speed, and high torque uses, and the steeper motor is best for low acceleration uses, and high torque sues.

Advantages of Stepper Drives Over Servo Drives

• The Stepper motor does not need feedback, uses low-cost magnets, and less incorporated gearboxes.
• Due to the high pole count and features to produce holding torque, uses less power for zero speed. In result stepper motor is a low-cost comparable servo motor.

How to Choose Between a Servo and a Stepper Drive?

 

For high speed and torque with accurate position and continuous feedback, servo motor is best to use. But if there is a need of low speed and torque levels, and high-resolution open loop control use a stepper motor

Difference between Servo Motor and Stepper Motor

Features	Servo Motor	Stepper Motor
Definition	Its working is controlled with the use of a servo mechanism	It is a brushless dc motor that divides the complete rotation of shat in some equal discrete steps
Operation	Continuous	divided into discrete steps.
Control system	closed-loop control system.	open loop control system
Feedback	it has a feedback mechanism	no feedback mechanism
Torque speed characteristics	It has high torque for high speeds.	Stepper motors generated high torque at low speeds.
fluctuating loads	Not work for fluctuating loads.	It is used for fluctuating loads l.
Suitability for low rigidity mechanism	Not good for low-rigidity mechanisms	Good for low rigidity mechanisms.
Hunting	Hunting exists at the time of stop position.	No hunting
Design	complex design.	simpler in design.
Power USe	less power.	uses comparatively more power.
Efficiency	high.	less efficient.
Noise	less.	high noise.
Operating speed	high operating speed.	low.
Reliability was	less reliable.	more reliable than servo motors.
Tolerance for a moment of inertia	low tolerance the moment of inertia.	high tolerance towards moments of inertia.
Life span	short life span.	longer.
P damages due to overload	Can damage due to overload.	less prone to damage due to overload.
Responsiveness	low responsiveness.	high.
Synchronous operation is	difficult for servo motors.	easy for stepper motors.
Need of tuning and gain adjustment	It needed tuning and gain adjustment.	not needed tuning and gain adjustment.
Cost	high.	comparatively less.
Applications	remote-controlled equipment, industrial automation, cameras, etc.	welding machines, textile machines, 3D printers,  medical equipment, etc.