Elmo Motion Control doubles the power for miniature servo drive range: Credit card-sized servo drive for high-power and high-performance distributed motion control

Recently announced by Elmo Motion Control (Elmo), the Double Gold Twitter miniature servo drive delivers up to 160 A continuous current at 80 V DC from an ultra-small PCB mounted package. As a UK distribution partner for the global market leader of advanced motion solutions, Heason Technology can supply the drive as a component with full product support or as part of a comprehensive mechatronic motion control solution using its in-house design and build capability.The new drive, developed from Elmo’s already powerful and highly compact Gold Twitter series, utilises the global market leader’s innovative Fast and Soft Power Switching Technology (FASST) which ensures optimal power-device switching. Almost doubling the power of the well-proven drive range, its 99 percent efficiency and negligible electro-magnetic interference brings industry best advantages for advanced motion control applications where minimal footprint and highly dynamic servo performance is essential. For maximum application flexibility, EtherCAT networking enables microsecond level multi-axis synchronisation or alternatively CANopen may be specified for less exacting axis and I/O coordination. All common types of servo feedback are supported and furthermore, Safe Torque Off (STO) to level SIL-3 can be integrated for industry standard machine safety.

At just 33 grams and measuring less than 50 x 37 x 19 mm (length x width x depth), the Double Gold Twitter has minimal weight effect if integrated on a moving load. This makes the diminutive drive ideal for close-to-motor mounting or integration with the motor housing – and with EtherCAT (or Ethernet) and CANopen fieldbus options it can be part of a distributed networking topology which has the cost benefit of much reduced machine wiring reduced cabinet hardware.

The powerful Double Gold Twitter drive is available in two standard versions capable of producing continuous currents of 160 A at 80 V and 140 A at 100 V. Although its maximum continuous electrical power output is up to 11 kW, it is equally suited to lower power use and benefits from a wide operating range with supply voltages from 11 to 95 VDC for the 100 VDC supply version. Special voltage versions are available with operating ranges from 20 to 195 VDC for a 200 V DC supply. Both brushed and brushless motors can be driven and feedback may be configured for single, dual and gantry loop with absolute or incremental encoders or resolvers. Additional USB and RS232 ports on both network communications options serve as set-up, option programming and motor tuning ports using the Windows® based Elmo Application Studio II (EASII) software.

Heason Technology sees the Double Gold Twitter as an important addition to its servo drive range. Through its in-house systems integration capability, the drive can be specified as an integral part of high precision motion systems comprising custom designed or standard positioning mechanics and motion controls for a wide range of applications across industry, research and defence.

The West Sussex based motion systems integrator represents a select number of leading global manufacturing partners, providing a comprehensive range of first-class motion control components that are supplied with full support or combined with its design and build service for complete motion system solutions.