15 Servo Driver Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for servo drivers as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 15 servo driver manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked servo driver companies as of April, 2024: 1.ADVANCED Motion Controls, 2.Ingenia Cat S.L., 3.Panasonic Industry Europe GmbH.
Table of Contents
What Is a Servo Drive?
A servo drive is a device that controls a servo motor based on the values set by the controller in a servo system.
A servo system is a system of motor drives indispensable to industrial equipment for high-speed and precision control, and it is no exaggeration to say that servo drives make this possible. The main role of servo drives is to supply power to the servo motor, so it can do its job according to the load torque of the motor.
The servo drive can be divided into two parts: the part that performs power conversion and the part that detects the motor status and performs control operations.
Uses of Servo Drives
Servo drives are used in conjunction with motors in servo systems. They have a wide range of applications, from industrial equipment to machine tools.
The industrial robots used in automobile manufacturing plants, for example, are required to accurately repeat predetermined movements. To achieve this, it is necessary to accurately supply power commensurate with the load on the motor required for the operation to be performed. Servo drives monitor the condition of the motor while supplying the precise power needed to achieve this movement and torque to the determined position.
Other suitable applications where precision movement is required include semiconductor manufacturing equipment and medical equipment.
Principle of Servo Drives
The principle function of servo drives is amplification. They provide electrical feedback while closely monitoring the motor status — including rotation angle, speed, and current — with sensors, to facilitate precise motor control. A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) or similar device is generally used as the controller for the amplification, setting the set values, and transmitting the information.
The servo drive supplies the necessary power to control the target set values, but for more accurate control, it is necessary to monitor whether the servo motor operation has reached the set values and to provide appropriate feedback. For this purpose, servo drives usually have a built-in sensor called an encoder.
The encoder comprises a disk with a slit and a built-in photodiode to detect the angular velocity and speed of the motor. Since the disk rotates in conjunction with the motor rotor, the speed and number of rotations can be monitored by detecting optical signals passing through the slits.
The photodiode detects these optical signals, converts them to an electrical current, and feeds it back to the amplifier. The amplifier generally uses the Pulse-width modulation (PWM) method to drive the motor by converting alternating current to direct current and then to an arbitrary frequency. This block consists of a converter section, a smoothing circuit section, and an inverter section. Encoder information is usually fed back to the inverter section.
Additional Information on Servo Drives
1. The Difference Between Inverters and Servos
In terms of motor control, inverters and servos are the same, but they have very different characteristics, and their applications can be broadly classified into two categories.
Inverters
Inverters have a wide range of applications, ranging from social infrastructure equipment such as air conditioners, elevators, and escalators, to industrial equipment and home appliances. Inverters are characterized by their ability to control the speed of motors and provide smooth and stable operation, especially when continuous operation with low power consumption is required.
Servo
Servos are valued for their high precision, facilitated by their ability to precisely adjust and control speed. Servos are preferable when high-speed, high-precision control of machine motion position is required.
2. Feedback Control of Servo Drives
Closed-loop control is normally used for servo drives based on sensor information from the encoder. However, in practice, due to workpiece shrinkage and misalignment between axes, deviation from the desired motion may occur even with feedback control. For this reason, there are servo drives that provide various phase compensation functions.
Additionally, depending on control timing, there are situations where fine adjustments to angular velocity are crucial.
For example:
- Shortening the time it takes to reach the required rotational speed and phase angle during start-up and shut-down.
- Ensuring a consistent rotational speed during normal operation.
List of 15 Servo Driver Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- Germany
- Japan
- Spain
- United Kingdom
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Manufacturer Overview
Moog Inc. was incorporated in 1951 and is headquartered in East Aurora, New York. The company designs manufactures and integrates precision motion and fluid controls and control systems for customers including OEMS in industries such as aerospace, defense, industrial machinery, motorsports, and construction. The company’s product offerings include both systems and components. Examples of systems include actuation systems, naval systems, turreted weapon systems, and space vehicles. Examples of components include manifolds, slip rings, actuators, and servo actuators.
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ADVANCED Motion Controls
Servo Drivers
Company Overview
ADVANCED Motion Controls, founded in 1987 and based in Camarillo, California, is a manufacturer and supplier of servo drives and motor controllers. Its product offerings include servo drives, the AxCent Drive Family for servo motor control, FlexPro and DigiFlex Performance Digital Drives for precise motor control, mounting cards for secure drive installation, and power supplies to provide necessary electrical power. Its 20-90 VDC Micro-Sized FlexPro servo drives received 3rd place in the Motion Control category at the 2023 Leap Awards, benefiting the engineering design industry.
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Nidec Motors
Servo Drives
Company Overview
Nidec Corporation traces its roots all the way back to 1908. The company has established itself as an international conglomerate that handles virtually everything that spins and moves. Through its over 300 subsidiaries across the globe, the company manufactures motors that run the spectrum from tiny precision motors in cell phones to motors powering heavy commercial and industrial equipment. The company and its subsidiary's power devices and machines are used in many industrial and personal sectors including agriculture, exercise equipment, HVAC, and refrigeration. Products and services include many varieties of motors, drives, and generators.
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Motion Control Products Ltd.
Servo Drivers
Manufacturer Overview
Motion Control Products Ltd., established in 1994 and based in the United Kingdom, is a manufacturer of advanced motion control and automation products. The company produces products such as actuators, drives, motors, multi-axis controllers, and mechanical components and supplies them to the original equipment manufacturers' applications. With the ISO 9001: 2015 accreditation, the company maintains quality in every product manufactured at its manufacturing facility. The company operates in different locations in the USA, Hong Kong, and Mainland China.
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Panasonic Industry Europe GmbH
Servo Drivers
Manufacturer Overview
Panasonic Industry Europe is the European branch of Panasonic, a global manufacturer of electronics and houseware, originally founded in 1918. Panasonic Industry Europe manufactures in 4 categories: components, devices, energy & building, and automation devices & solutions. Components include relays, capacitors, resistors, sensors, switches, connectors, couplers. Devices include wireless connectivity, e-bike systems, motors, compressors, thermal solutions, GPS antennas, as well as electronic materials. Energy & building includes batteries, fuel cells, solar sells, power tools, and home IoT. Automation devices & solutions include sensors for factory automation, industrial motors, laser welding, and more.
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Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Servo driver
Manufacturer Overview
Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (SHI) was established in 1888. SHI offers complete solutions for industrial machinery production and operations, heavy machinery for infrastructure, logistics, and construction, power generation systems as well as systems to reduce pollution, water purification, and ship construction. In addition, SHI also offers various software services including IT solutions.
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Bosch Rexroth
Servo Drivers
Manufacturer Overview
Bosch Rexroth’s origins date back to 1795 and is now based in Lohr am Main, Germany. Bosh Rexroth is a manufacturer of industrial and mobile equipment control and motion products and systems. Bosch Rexroth’s products are divided into 10 technology segments. First is assembly technology which includes modular components. Next are electronic drives and controls which include CNC and motion control. Industrial hydraulics and linear motion technology follow. Mobile hydraulics, electronics, and IoT include solutions for mobile machines. Gear technology includes planetary gearboxes. The final four segments are molding and casting technology, tightening technology, resistance welding, and mobile robotics.
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Kollmorgen Corporation
Servo Drives
Manufacturer Overview
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.
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Manufacturer Overview
Omron Corporation, started in 1933 and headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, is a manufacturer of automation components, equipment, and systems, and it developed the first contactless proximity switch in 1960. It has four domains, including industrial automation, electronic components, healthcare, and social systems, and it provides products and services in around 120 countries and regions. Some of its products include microsensing devices, access control systems, industrial robots, surveillance cameras, and blood pressure monitors. In 1971, it developed the first online cash machine, and in 1972, it established Japan’s first welfare factory.
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Rockwell Automation
Servo Drivers
Company Overview
Rockwell Automation, Inc. was founded in 1903 and is headquartered in Milwakee, WI. Rockwell Automation provides industrial automation and digital transformation solutions around the world. Rockwell Automation operates through their intelligent devices, software & control, and lifecycle services segments with both hardware and software products and services. The Intelligent Devices segment offers drives, motion, safety, sensing, industrial components, and configured-to-order products. The Software & Control segment provides control and visualization software and hardware, information software, and network and security infrastructure solutions. The Lifecycle Services segment provides consulting, professional services and solutions, and connected and maintenance services through independent distributors.
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Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG
Servo Drivers
Company Overview
Beckhoff Automation LLC is the American branch of Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. founded in Verl, Germany. The United States headquarters is based in Savage, Minnesota. The company serves industries such as automotive, marine, semiconductors, and alternative energy with hardware and software-based solutions. The company’s five hardware product segments are industrial PCs, fieldbus components for I/O, motion drive systems, MX systems, and system-integrated machine vision products. The company also produces software for automation-related tasks.
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PARKER HANNIFIN JAPAN LTD
Servo Drivers
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Elmo Motion Control Ltd.
SERVO DRIVES
Company Overview
Elmo Motion Control is headquartered in Israel and has offices globally. As per its namesake, Elmo motion control servos, drives, controllers, software and more for customers across a wide array of industries. These include medical, packaging, robotics, laboratory automation, semiconductors, laser processing, and aerospace. Elmo also offers products designed for underwater systems, harsh environments, and warehouse management.
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Servo Driver Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of April 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ADVANCED Motion Controls |
14.2%
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| 2 | Ingenia Cat S.L. |
10.0%
|
| 3 | Panasonic Industry Europe GmbH |
8.3%
|
| 4 | MOOG |
8.3%
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| 5 | CKD Nisshin Electrical Corporation Co., Ltd. |
7.5%
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| 6 | Kollmorgen Corporation |
7.5%
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| 7 | Elmo Motion Control Ltd. |
7.5%
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| 8 | Motion Control Products Ltd. |
6.7%
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| 9 | Bosch Rexroth |
6.7%
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| 10 | Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. |
5.8%
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Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the servo driver page as of April 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
- Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.: 24,584
- Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG: 5,680
- CKD Nisshin Electrical Corporation Co., Ltd.: 230
Newly Established Company
- Motion Control Products Ltd.: 1994 (30 years ago)
- ADVANCED Motion Controls: 1987 (37 years ago)
- Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG: 1980 (44 years ago)
Company with a History
- CKD Nisshin Electrical Corporation Co., Ltd.: 1967 (57 years ago)
- Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG: 1980 (44 years ago)
- ADVANCED Motion Controls: 1987 (37 years ago)
Servo Driver Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
Global Distribution of Servo Driver Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
United States of America
|
3 | 33.3% |
Japan
|
2 | 22.2% |
Germany
|
2 | 22.2% |
United Kingdom
|
1 | 11.1% |
Spain
|
1 | 11.1% |
List of Servo Driver Products
32 products are listed.
CKD Nisshin Electrical Corporation Co., Ltd.
High -performance servo driver/controller VCⅡ series
10+ people viewing
■ Supported servo driver ・ AC100V NA80 Series 50W ~ 200W ・ AC200V NA80 Series 100W ~ 750W, NA800 Series 1.6kW ~ 15kW ・ AC400V NA800 Series 2.6kW...
CKD Nisshin Electrical Corporation Co., Ltd.
Energy-saving power-oriented power latterer/controller VCⅡ-R/S type
■ Characteristics ・ Servo driver during driving, energy -saving -oriented servo driver that functions as a power regenerative device when regenera...
CKD Nisshin Electrical Corporation Co., Ltd.
Development servo driver VPH Series for direct drive
Features ■ Excellent speed stable performance Speed stability performance has been further improved by suppressing the tor clip of the tor clip. ...
NPM High Technologies Co., Ltd.
High -speed, multifunctional, and flexible latest generation high -performance servo motor driver AKD series
■ Overview ・ Manufacturer: KOLLMORGEN ・ Application: General industry, medical care ■ Features This is Colgen's servo motor driver standard seri...
