Steppers versus servos

The author of this article discusses in detail the benefits and trade-offs of steppers and servos.

Dr. Markus Erich working with Servotronix presents in his article closed-loop controlled stepper motors. They are used for example in an automatic positioning table for a 5-axis CNC machine of wooden window frames. “Closed-loop stepper motors change the performance ratio in motion control for many applications,” summarizes the author. By adopting closed-loop control, stepper motors are able to deliver the combined benefits of servos and steppers.

In particular, they require less current. In the referenced woodcutting machine example, closed-loop controlled steppers substituted the servos without changing the CANopen interface. “After only a few month, and with technical support from us, the machine builder was able to present its stepper-based machine in a tradeshow,” reported the author.

If you want to read the full article with detailed information, you can download the PDF here or the full magazine.