Accuracy up
March 1st 2005

By equipping a high speed, cut-tolength machine with an advanced digital servo drive, Baldor has doubled its accuracy.

The machine is designed to cut plastic tube extrusion into 2in lengths at a rate of more than 300ft/min. It is produced by GF Goodman & Son. Accuracy of the cut depends primarily on the response of the drive. To maximise accuracy, the drive needs to move the knife at a consistent rate, and stop as repeatedly as possible with no overshoot.

Goodman achieved 200µs with its old servo systems, but this was time consuming because the drive used analogue potentiometers for tuning purpose. These provided only limited resolution and no confirmation of performance.

The Baldor FlexDrive offers faster I/O and servo loop update response times and more control over operating parameters.

Software features auto-tuning wizards and a Windows-based graphical user interface to help minimise set-up times. The entire servo drive and motor system was quickly optimised and halved response time from 200 to 100µs.

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