This section provides an overview for servo amplifiers as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 13 servo amplifier manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked servo amplifier companies as of November, 2024: 1.ModuSystems, Inc., 2.Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, 3.Renishaw plc.
Table of Contents
A Servo Drive is a amplifier device that controls a servo motor. A servo motor is a motor with a built-in encoder that detects the angle of rotation. The encoder feeds back displacement to the servo drive.
The control by the servo drive and the high-accuracy rotational movement of the servo motor enable the FA equipment of various manufacturers to achieve advanced drive control.
Servo drives are also called servo amplifiers, depending on the manufacturer.
Servo Drives are widely used in FA equipment to drive servo motors. They are widely used in a wide range of manufacturing processes for transportation equipment, industrial equipment, electronic components, plastic parts, etc.
The following are examples of industrial applications:
As for home appliances, they may be used in robot vacuum cleaners, etc.
The basic principle of Servo Drives is similar to that of an inverter. First, the AC power received is converted to DC. PWM control is often used.
The biggest difference from an inverter is that it receives the displacement of a paired servo motor. Most servomotors, except for large-capacity ones, are permanent magnet synchronous motors. The current flowing in the stator coil is transformed into a magnetic field, which rotates a rotor with permanent magnets.
Servo motors are equipped with an encoder that feeds back the angle and speed of rotation of the motor to the servo drive. Upon receiving the motor position information, the servo drive controls the motor in real time and stops it at a predetermined position. Control methods are broadly classified into two types: "open-loop control" and "closed-loop control". The servo drive is a device that uses closed-loop control.
Open-loop control refers to control in which there is no feedback loop and the control is open to the response of the command value. As a typical example, a stepping motor is a motor that can be controlled without feedback of the actual rotation angle and speed signal of the rotor.
Closed loop is a type of control method with feedback. The output signal from the control unit feeds back data such as the travel of the machine to be controlled to the control unit, which constantly compares the input and output values and adjusts the overall operating volume to match the two.
Since there are a variety of servo drives available from different manufacturers, it is necessary to select the right type of servo drive and servo motor as a set according to the operating environment and equipment specification requirements.
Servo Drives have a concept of origin. The origin is the displacement point at which the rotation angle of the servo motor becomes zero. Based on the origin, the servo motor's displacement distance and rotation angle are calculated and output. Servo Drives may set the origin as an absolute position or may determine the origin on a case-by-case basis.
In the case of the absolute position, the servo drive remembers the origin position of the servo motor internally even when the power is turned off. The servo drive will operate as before when the power is turned back on, thus saving the time and effort of re-setting the origin. However, if the load slips against the motor shaft or if the motor is replaced, the origin will be out of alignment, so it is necessary to set the origin again.
If the origin is re-set each time, the origin must always be found and set before the machine is operated. While a preliminary operation is required before operation, the origin can be easily set when replacing parts.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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ModuSystems, Inc. is a manufacturer of linear and rotary motion control solutions for clients in the robotics, medical and semiconductor industries. The company was founded in 2014, and is currently based in San Jose, California. The company produces various motion control components including motors and gearboxes, automation systems such as cobots and robots, and engineered solutions tailored to individual customer specifications. ModuSystems, Inc. also provides clients with a range of services, including preassembly, testing and implementation of custom equipment.
H2W Technologies, Inc. is based in Santa Clarita, California. H2W serves aerospace, amusement rides, medical, meteorology, photonics, and other industries as a distributor of motion control products. H2W has 3 product segments: linear motors, rotary motors, and linear stages. Linear motors includes voice coil actuators, brushless linear motors, brush linear motors, single axis linear stepper motors, dual axis linear stepper motors, linear induction motors, and polynoids. Rotary motors include rotary voice coil actuators, limited angle torque motors, and brushless rotary motors. Linear stages include voice coil stages, linear stepper stages, single rail stages, dual rail stages, crossed roller stages, air bearing stages, belt stages, and lead screw/ball screw stages.
Industrial Robot Supply, Inc., founded in 2004 and located in Greenville, Pennsylvania, is a developer and supplier of robotic solutions that specializes in process automation for small-batch production companies. The company provides a range of custom and pre-engineered robotic MIG welding, material handling, and palletizing systems, backed with engineering services, including robotic system integration, robot refurbishing, part repairs, machine assembly and tending, servicing, programming, and operator training. The company stocks top brands, including Fanuc, Motoman, Fanuc Robotics, and AXIS. Industrial Robot Supply, Inc. also received an award for Best Growth in Small Manufacturing in 2017 at the Phoenix Awards.
Pilz is headquartered in Ostfildern, Germany. Pilz designs components, systems, and services to assist industrial plant and machinery customers globally. Customers include many industries such as metals, pharmaceutical, food, presses, and robotics. Pilz serves customers through 4 venues: products and industries, services, support, and training. Products and services include everything from sensor technology and small controllers to robotics to software and operation monitoring. Services include machinery and workplace safety and international compliance. Support is offered 24/7. Training is available through courses and qualification programs.
TOYO DENKI SEIZO K.K. founded in 1918 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer that is engaged in three main areas of business that includes transportation systems, industrial systems, and information systems. They provide electrical equipment such as motors, generators, transformers, and control systems. These products cater to various industries including manufacturing, energy, and transportation. Their products are utilized in applications such as industrial machinery, power generation, and transportation systems. The company also answers customer inquiries through postal, mail, and telephone contact.
SINFONIA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., established in 1917 in Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer specializing in motion equipment, driven by advanced electromagnetic control technology. The company offers a comprehensive range of products and solutions, including clean transport devices, vital electrical components for space rocket systems, cutting-edge testing systems, advanced vibrating equipment, and electromagnetic clutch systems, among others. These diverse products serve critical functions in sectors such as Aerospace, Industrial Transportation, and Liquid-Crystal manufacturing equipment.
SIEB & MEYER AG is a Lüneburg, Germany-based developer and manufacturer of electronics and software. Founded in 1962, the company specializes in custom drive and control solutions for use in high-speed applications like gas expansion turbines and dental CAD/CAM, as well as machine construction and automation technology. The company's product lineup is centered around CNC motion controllers for optimizing mechanical precision, servo amplifiers for software applications, and frequency converters that provide rotary field frequencies for high-speed motors. SIEB & MEYER AG's client corporations include Welle Technology (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd. and European Security Technology GmbH.
Renishaw is a British manufacturer and supplier of engineering technology products and solutions established in 1973 and based in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. The company primarily produces equipment for metrology, spectroscopy, and healthcare, including coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), dental scanners, and Raman spectrometers. They also offer long-term support services, such as calibration, refurbishment, repair, and upgrades. Renishaw has more than 5,000 employees across its network of subsidiaries and sales offices in over 36 countries.
FANUC Corporation, established in 1972 and headquartered in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, is a manufacturer of factory automation, robomachine, IoT, and robotics. The company offers an extensive and diversified product portfolio including, servomotor, robodrill small cutting machine, roboshot electric injection molding machine, robocut wire electrical discharge machine, and lasers. These cutting-edge products cater to a wide range of industries, spanning from automotive, health care, and aerospace to electronics. The aim of the company is to provide efficient and low-cost products to customers.
Founded in New York in 1916, Kollmorgen designs and manufactures motion system, drives, motors, actuators, gear heads, automated guided vehicle (AVG) systems, and accessories across a number of implementations and industries. These include aerospace, AGV, food&beverage, machine tools, metal forming, medical automation and imaging, energy, packaging, pharmaceutical, postal sorting, printing, robotics, smart warehouses, and tire and rubber production. Kollmorgen assists customers both in custom designs and in allowing customers to design their own devices based on individual needs.
Motion X Corporation was established in 2002 by a group of industry professionals with extensive applied experience in designing, manufacturing, and supporting turnkey motion control systems and subsystems. The company is headquartered in Goleta, California near the University of California, Santa Barbara. The company is a designer and manufacturer of motional control systems and provider of motion control services for customers worldwide, serving industries including semiconductor, data storage, aerospace, microscopy, and photonics. The company also performs contract manufacturing services, fulfilling outsourcing manufacturing requests.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Mitsubishi EC) is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of electrical as well as electronic products and systems originally established in 1921 by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., now known as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Based in Tokyo, Japan, the company produces home appliances, HVAC products, and automotive equipment, as well as factory automation and communication systems. These supply consumers and clients internationally throughout the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Mitsubishi EC has several subsidiaries operating globally; some as distributors of its products. Some of its notable subsidiaries are Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. and Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc.
Yaskawa America Inc., started in 1967 and based in Waukegan, Illinois, is a manufacturer of machine controllers, industrial robots, and variable frequency drives and is part of Yaskawa Electric Corporation. Some of its products include industrial AC drives, machine controllers, and IEC programmable robots. The company incorporates the Kaizen method of continuous incremental improvements and Total Quality Management processes to prevent manufacturing defects, and its distributors must be certified and re-certified every two years. It is ISO 9001 certified and is the only industrial drives and motion control manufacturer to win the Deming Medal.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | ModuSystems, Inc. |
12.0%
|
2 | Mitsubishi Electric Corporation |
12.0%
|
3 | Renishaw plc |
12.0%
|
4 | SIEB & MEYER AG |
8.0%
|
5 | Industrial Robot Supply, Inc. |
8.0%
|
6 | H2W Technologies |
8.0%
|
7 | Motion X Corporation |
8.0%
|
8 | Pilz GmbH & Co. KG |
8.0%
|
9 | Kollmorgen Corporation |
8.0%
|
10 | Yaskawa America, Inc. |
4.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the servo amplifier page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
Japan | 4 | 40.0% |
United States of America | 3 | 30.0% |
Germany | 2 | 20.0% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 10.0% |
4 products are listed.
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■ Servo amplifier equipped with abundant functions ・ Rated output 125W ~ 2,500W ・ Easy to attach to rail in the equipment ・ Compact design: Up to 3...