A servo motor driver ensures that a servo motor does what it needs to do, when it needs to do it. It is a part of a motion control system along with a controller, feedback element, and motor. 

A servo drive sees to it that the correct voltage and current are fed to the servo motor. They are able to do this by analysing the command signal to determine the position, velocity, or current. Depending on these readings the servo drive will adjust the voltage and current. The servo drive makes use of closed-loop feedback to achieve this. 

Analogue or Digital?

Depending on the industry and specific application one can make use of an analogue or digital servo drive. Each has its pros and cons; however, deciding between the two depends on the requirements of the user. The first step to making your choice is to understand the difference between the two types of servo drives.

Analogue Servo Drive

These drives are typically the cheaper option and aren’t as technologically advanced as their counterpart; however, they are extremely reliable. Analogue servo drives don’t make use of any processing time and are composed manually. When used in multi-axis applications they make use of a centralised controller. 

Digital Servo Drive

Even though they are more expensive, digital servo drives are the more popular option these days. This is because they easily outperform analogue servo drives due to their elevated configuration. Some of the features one can expect in a digital servo drive include:

• Advanced diagnostic capabilities
• Storage capacity for motion indexes
• Storage of motion sequences
• Independent operation via input/output logic

Servo Drive Uses 

Servo drives are used in a wide variety of industries due to their ability to be so precise. Some of these industries and applications include:

• Robotics: Within robotics, servo drives are used to ensure the movement of a robot. For example, a robotic arm is able to move in such a precise manner due to the servo drives present at every joint. 
• Metalwork: The metal industry makes use of servo drives in machinery responsible for forming and cutting metal. This allows for precise mass fabrication such as metal jar lids etc. 
• Woodworking: In the past tables, chairs, and other wood products were carved by hand; however, today, the woodworking industry makes use of machines to shape the individual components and assembly. These machines require servo drives in order to ensure that this is possible. 
• Automation: Our world is filled with automated machines. A simple example is an automated door (often found at convenience stores or malls). Servo drives control the door openers, making it possible for the door to open when it receives the signal. 

Servo Drive Suppliers in South Africa 

At EP Normand we stock a variety of servo motor drives and can assist you in choosing the correct option for your specific application. Contact us to find out more about our range of servo drives.