One machine, infinite possibilities

Today's automation technology makes possible that dream of using a machine to produce a wide range of products. Provided that each machine module has an integrated motion control solution. Compact servo drives will therefore become an essential requirement. With the ACOPOS motor, B&R already has the answer.

Today's innovative industrial machines share one common characteristic: flexibility. After all, the success of manufacturing companies will largely depend on how quickly they can respond to changes in the marketplace. So new products will have to be introduced in record time. The perfect machine will have to be able to adapt with the same speed and ease with which Hollywood transforms ordinary cars into futuristic robots. The more adaptive the machine, the shorter the time to market and the more cost-effectively smaller batches and personalized products can be made. To make that possible, machines must be built as a collection of modules, mechatronic units that stand alone and can be connected or removed at any time with minimal impact on the control box.

Quick product changes

"To enable fast changeovers, each machine module must have its own motion control solution. In other words, compact servodrives are an essential requirement for these modular machines," says Wilfried Guerry, B&R product manager for drive technology. The motor with integrated servo drive is mounted directly on the machine frame and does not affect the size of central control cabinet, making it more compact as well as simplifying cabling. "So you get a machine with a much smaller footprint," Guerry emphasizes. 

Compact powerhouse

B&R's ACOPOSmotor is a solution that uses distributed drive technology to make machines more flexible. "With the ACOPOSmotor series of extremely compact new servo drives, we are perfectly equipped to meet machine builders' demands for greater flexibility," Guerry said. With only 60 x 90 mm of space required, the IP65 motor-drive combinations are perfect for installation on the machine frame. Different versions are available up to a power of 350 W. The onboard intelligence of the ACOPOS motor is completely identical to the existing P3 servo drives. This means that they can also be used in complex applications and can also be combined with servo axes controlled by the P3 servo drives.

Quickly ready to use

Even with complete machines, there is an increase in demand for plug-and-play implementations. This is not easy, as machines are often taken apart for transport and reassembled on site. The small ACOPOS motor is equipped with two hybrid connectors, namely IN and OUT connector. From the central cabinet, the first ACOPOS motor is connected with a hybrid cable (power supply and PowerLink) and looped through to the next ACOPOS motor. Big advantage is that only one hybrid cable to the central cabinet is needed for multiple ACOPOS motors, which means simplification of cabling and obviously results in significant cost savings 

Optimizing drive control

To continuously improve machines and production processes, all possible data must first be extracted from the machine. "With the ACOPOS motor, it is possible to collect motor data such as speed, torque and voltage in real-time and potentially send it to the cloud via the central controller," Guerry explains. Once processed, the data can be harnessed to improve product quality or reduce energy consumption. So a relatively small component can mean a world of difference. "The smallest ACOPOS motor is about the same size as a credit card," Guerry says. The devices are perfect for modular designs and allow data acquisition to create more compact and adaptive machines.