Digital Driver Integrates Field-Oriented Control

For greater efficiency and higher top-end rotation speed than alternate methods for brushless dc and step motors, the ION digital drive now includes field-oriented control, a method that promises a significant improvement over standard Hall-based and sinusoidal approaches and standard variable-speed drive techniques. Delivering efficiencies up to 95%, the drive is a fully enclosed, single-axis module that provides motion control, network connectivity, and amplification for dc brush, brushless dc, or step motors. In addition, it employs the company's Magellan motion processor. The ION is programmable via Pro-Motion, a Windows-based exerciser, or C-Motion and VB-Motion software libraries, which allows users to develop applications in C/C++ or Visual Basic. Prices for the drive start at $199 each in OEM quantities. PERFORMANCE MOTION DEVICES INC., Lincoln, MA. (781) 674-9860.