In the field of modern industrial automation, servo technology plays a crucial role. It is not only the core of precision motion control but also the key to enhancing equipment performance and optimizing production efficiency. With the continuous advancement of Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing, the demand for servo systems with high performance and high dynamic capabilities has become increasingly urgent.
Traditional servo systems often struggle to balance high performance and high dynamics simultaneously. High performance typically refers to a system's precision, rigidity, and stability during steady-state operation, while high dynamics emphasizes its ability to respond quickly to commands, accelerate/decelerate, and track complex motion trajectories. However, in many application scenarios—such as:
• Robotics: High-speed, high-precision robots require rapid response to control commands and flexible execution of complex movements, placing extremely high demands on servo system dynamics.
• Precision Machining: High-precision machine tools require servo systems with exceptional rigidity and stability to ensure machining quality while enabling rapid fine-tuning to improve efficiency.
• Semiconductor Manufacturing: Equipment such as lithography machines and wafer inspection imposes extremely stringent requirements on servo system precision, speed, and dynamics.
• Electronics Manufacturing: Devices like SMT pick-and-place machines and high-speed dispensing systems must complete numerous repetitive actions in short timeframes, challenging servo systems in terms of response speed and stability.
Thus, developing servo technology that meets both high performance and high dynamic requirements has become an inevitable industry trend. Only by overcoming this bottleneck can we better address growing application demands and enhance overall equipment performance and competitiveness.
Achieving high-performance and high-dynamic servo systems is no easy task, requiring the overcoming of multiple technical challenges, including:
• Limitations of Control Algorithms: Traditional PID control struggles with complex systems and nonlinear factors. Advanced control strategies—such as model predictive control (MPC), adaptive control, and fuzzy control—are needed to improve response speed, anti-interference capability, and robustness.
• Performance Bottlenecks in Motors & Drives: As the core actuator, motor performance directly impacts system performance. High-performance motors like permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) or torque motors must be adopted, with optimized designs to reduce inertia and increase torque density. Drives must feature higher switching frequencies, current accuracy, and lower latency to ensure precise, rapid response.
• Sensor Accuracy & Speed Limits: Encoders, gratings, and other sensors are critical for position/velocity feedback. Their accuracy and speed directly affect control precision and dynamic performance. Higher-resolution, faster-sampling sensors with effective noise filtering are essential.
• Insufficient Mechanical Rigidity & Damping: Mechanical structures—including transmission and support mechanisms—affect system performance. Low rigidity leads to vibration and resonance, harming stability and precision, while insufficient damping slows response and reduces dynamic performance. Structural optimization, rigidity enhancement, and active damping control (e.g., damping materials) are necessary.
• Real-Time Performance & Reliability: Servo systems must complete data acquisition, processing, control, and execution within extremely short timeframes, demanding ultra-high real-time performance. Additionally, reliability is critical in harsh industrial environments. High-performance processors, real-time operating systems (RTOS), redundancy, fault diagnosis, and fault-tolerant control are vital solutions.
To address these challenges, the following key strategies must be adopted to unlock advanced servo technology and seize industry opportunities:
• Develop Advanced Control Algorithms: Explore and apply cutting-edge algorithms like MPC, adaptive control, fuzzy control, and neural network control. Machine learning can further optimize parameters for adaptive tuning.
• Adopt High-Performance Motors & Drives: Utilize PMSMs or torque motors with optimized designs for lower inertia and higher torque density. Select drives with higher switching frequencies, current precision, and lower latency. Implement advanced control strategies like FOC and DTC.
• Use High-Precision, High-Speed Sensors: Employ high-resolution, fast-sampling encoders/grating rulers with noise filtering. Multi-sensor fusion can enhance measurement accuracy and reliability.
• Optimize Mechanical Design: Improve rigidity and damping through finite element analysis (FEA), structural optimization, and active damping techniques.
• Enhance Real-Time Performance & Reliability: Utilize high-performance processors, RTOS, redundancy, and fault-tolerant designs. Real-time communication protocols (e.g., EtherCAT, PROFINET) ensure synchronization.
• Prioritize Simulation & Testing: Leverage software simulation and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing for comprehensive performance evaluation and optimization.
• Strengthen Industry-Academia Collaboration: Partner with universities and research institutes to accelerate innovation and talent development.
In a competitive market, only continuous innovation can secure industry leadership. Key recommendations include:
Increase R&D Investment: Dedicate resources to develop proprietary servo technologies and products.
Focus on Market Needs: Understand user pain points and customize solutions accordingly.
Build Brand Value: Enhance brand recognition and reputation to establish a strong market presence.
Expand Applications: Explore new industries and emerging fields for servo technology.
Develop an Ecosystem: Collaborate with partners to drive servo technology advancement.
Unlocking servo technology that meets ultra-high performance and dynamic requirements is pivotal for modern industrial automation. By embracing innovation and overcoming challenges, businesses can lead the industry and shape the future.
