New applications include HVAC systems that adjust air temperature slowly with a variable-speed motor. Operating a refrigerator fan motor at variable speed saves energy and allows more flexibility. Another trend sparked partially by the new processors is open architecture. Open architecture enables a user to choose components from the manufacturer whose product best fits the application, and competition has driven costs down. In the smart motor produced by Animatics Corp. in Santa Clara, Calif., the encoder, amplifier, power supplies, 32-bit programmable controller, PLC, and network manager are all built right into the back of the motor.
Users can program the device to control position, velocity, and acceleration.
This eliminates 70 percent of the components of a conventional system, driving cost down significantly and offering reliability benefits. On the horizon are controllers that are on multichip modules or even single chips. These will lower costs and expand flexibility even further. The above was adapted from an article by Greg Paula, Associate Editor. The full text may be found in the April 1997 issue of Mechanical Engineering magazine.