Feature: Components for motor control
tuning parameters. When connected to a compatible drive, the system can automatically recognise what it is working with. Tat means setup becomes faster, more consistent and less prone to human error. In systems where motors are easy to mix up – say, a high-speed and low-speed variant sharing identical housing – this auto-recognition helps prevent costly mismatches. It also supports smoother global deployment, especially when machines are shipped across regions with different voltage standards. Termal monitoring: Temperature sensors are vital for protecting motors, but traditionally they’ve required their own wiring back to the drive. With smarter feedback systems, temperature data can now be sent over the same digital link used for position data. Tis combination streamlines wiring
even further and makes it easier to monitor winding temperatures in real time. Te result is better protection against overheating, more consistent performance, and fewer points of failure. Functional safety support: In applications where people work close to moving machinery, safety is vital. Some modern feedback devices now support functional safety features directly through the encoder. Tese certified encoders allow safety
systems to reliably monitor motor position and intervene if motion goes outside expected bounds. Integrating safety at the feedback level reduces the need for extra sensors or relays, simplifies system design, and helps meet compliance requirements, without overcomplicating the machine.
The new standard One feature that’s quickly becoming an expectation rather than a simple nice-to- have is multi-turn absolute feedback. Tis allows a system to know not just the shaſt angle within a single revolution, but how many full turns have occurred, even when the system is powered off. Without multi-turn tracking, the system has no idea where it is on that axis aſter a power cycle. Te common workaround is a homing routine: the machine slowly moves to a reference point and resets itself. While this works, it’s inefficient and
Modern servo solutions – like those built around Kollmorgen’s SFD-M – show how far this technology has come
vulnerable to mechanical faults. Multi-turn absolute feedback lets
machines skip the homing process entirely. Power up, and they’re ready to go. Tat means shorter startup times, fewer moving parts (no home switches) and fewer chances for something to go wrong. Tere are several ways to achieve
this. Some devices use small internal gearboxes to track turns, but this adds cost, complexity and physical length to the encoder. Tese gears also limit usable multiturn range, usually to 12 bits. Other feedback devices use battery backups, which are compact and straightforward, but can potentially create maintenance issues down the line and reliability issues with unscheduled battery failures. Energy-harvesting feedback devices
offer a modern alternative to both. Tese generate just enough power from shaſt rotation to store turn counts in non-volatile memory. Te result is a compact, battery- free and maintenance-free solution that fits into the same footprint as a basic encoder.
Choosing the right feedback device So, how to decide what to specify? For most applications, a modern digital
feedback device with multi-turn absolute capability via energy harvesting, single- cable support, provides motor thermal data and has motor catalogue data is a safe and future-ready choice. Devices like Kollmorgen’s SFD-M are designed to meet the demands of general-purpose motion systems, delivering high performance,
low cost and reduced system complexity. And, if you’re building systems at scale,
it’s worth thinking in terms of pre-matched components. Drives, motors and feedback devices that are designed to work together out of the box reduce integration complexity and speed up development. Whether you approach feedback at the
component level or the system level, the key is to pick devices that reduce the number of compromises the machine has to make.
Expect more Feedback devices used to be simple. You picked a motor and got the feedback device it came with. You wired it up and tested it that the included feedback had the resolution and performance you needed. But today’s systems demand more – and deliver more in return. Features like single-cable installation, energy-harvesting multi-turn feedback, plug- and-play configuration and built-in safety and diagnostics are fast becoming standard in well-designed motion platforms. You’re not just choosing a sensor, you’re
choosing a system that needs to work, reliably and efficiently, every day. Tat’s why it’s important to look beyond the component spec sheet and consider how the feedback device supports the system as a whole. Modern servo solutions – like those
built around Kollmorgen’s SFD-M – show how far this technology has come. Tese are complete systems designed to simplify integration, support long-term reliability and give machine builders fewer things to worry about.
www.electronicsworld.co.uk November 2025 37
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