Accordingly, it seems easier to go with what you know, as even a good idea can be subject to a type of inertia. Yet the old way meant we had to drive cams and levers to ultimately get the forces we required. You as the designer no longer have to first develop a means of converting rotary motion into linear motion via cranks, levers, or ball screws. You can more quickly prototype your design by incorporating fully programmable linear positioning. Users will be surprised to learn that a competitive advantage exists today for implementing linear power transmission.
Designers can choose among several linear motor manufacturers from which to make a purchase.
Indeed, they're a desirable alternative to hydraulic fluids, pneumatics' lubricated exhaust, and the wear and subsequent backlash associated with traditional electromechanical devices such as ball screws, cams, belts, and pulleys. Two recent factors have caused many motion system engineers to take notice of direct-drive linear motors. The first is that the magnets, which are key to the motors' operation, are now readily available, and at a considerably lower cost than in the past. Secondly, improvements made in digital control technology mean that these high-performance devices can be brought under a level of control that enables them to take full advantage of their speed, accuracy, and sensitivity. Consequently, systems integration has become much easier.