Mobile Robotics
Precision Digital Servo Drives: Powering Your Autonomous Fleet
No longer just experimental technologies, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) have become critical components for industries facing increasing throughput demands and labor challenges. These systems now deliver unprecedented levels of efficiency and productivity across a wide range of industries, from manufacturing to healthcare.
These advanced autonomous systems navigate complex environments, handle various materials and perform intricate tasks, relying on precise and responsive motion control to operate safely and effectively. At the core of enabling this critical functionality are advanced digital servo drives.
Copley Controls offers a comprehensive portfolio of digital servo drives engineered to provide the high-performance, precision and reliability essential for powering AGV and AMR applications.
Advanced Technology
We’ve engineered servo drive solutions specifically optimized for autonomous applications with features that address the unique demands of AGVs and AMRs:
Field Oriented Control. Our advanced motor control algorithms ensure optimal orientation of the magnetic field, allowing motors to run faster and cooler even under demanding load conditions. This translates to longer battery life and higher overall system performance for your autonomous fleet.
Advanced Servo & PWM Performance. High-bandwidth nested control loops with biquad filters provide exceptional position tracking while eliminating mechanical resonance. Our high-efficiency dynamic PWM technology further optimizes power consumption — a critical factor for battery-operated autonomous vehicles.
Sophisticated Motion Profiles. From point-to-point positioning to complex multi-axis coordinated movements, our drives support PVT (Position-Velocity-Time), camming, electronic gearing and cyclic synchronous position/velocity/torque control modes. This versatility enables AGVs and AMRs to execute sophisticated maneuvers with precision.
Smart Voltage Management. Our firmware continuously monitors bus voltage and triggers a dedicated output when levels exceed a defined threshold. This signal activates an external regenerative circuit, allowing excess energy to be safely dissipated across a resistor or returned to the power source — shielding the drive from over-voltage damage.
Performance Requirements
Autonomous mobility solutions face unique challenges that demand specialized motion control capabilities:
Sub-millimeter Precision: Navigate confined spaces and perform precise docking maneuvers with high-resolution feedback systems executing over 10,000 control cycles per second.
Real-time Response: Process sensor data instantaneously to avoid obstacles and adapt to changing conditions without latency.
Extended Runtime: Maximize battery life with servo drives achieving over 90% efficiency while delivering superior performance.
Compact Integration: Deploy drives in space-constrained designs without compromising capability or thermal management. Integrated servo drives simplify installation and save space.
Functional Safety: Operate confidently alongside human workers with SIL 3-certified Safe Torque Off (STO) capabilities meeting ISO 13849-1 requirements.
Advanced Communication Capabilities
Modern autonomous systems require seamless communication across distributed control networks:
EtherCAT Integration: Achieve deterministic, real-time control with microsecond-level synchronization across multiple axes.
Flexible Feedback Options: Support for incremental encoders, BiSS, SSI, Absolute A, EnDat and Resolver encoders ensures compatibility with your existing sensor ecosystem.
CANopen Support: Deploy robust, field-proven networking in industrial environments with comprehensive device profiles.
Development Acceleration: Our Copley Motion Libraries (CML) for CANopen and EtherCAT eliminate low-level coding requirements, while Copley Motion Objects (CMO) provides seamless .NET integration.
Applications
- Warehouse and Logistics: Enabling precise navigation in high-density storage environments and coordinated fleet operations for order fulfillment.
- Manufacturing: Supporting just-in-time material transport, flexible production lines and collaborative robotic applications.
- Healthcare: Powering autonomous medication delivery systems and sterilization robots with ultra-quiet operation.
- Retail and Hospitality: Driving inventory management robots and customer service applications in public-facing environments.
Products
Ultra-compact, single-axis servo drives with flexible connectivity and integration options
Ultra-compact, high-performance servo drives with exceptional connectivity and flexibility
Ultra-compact, high-performance servo drives with CANopen and EtherCAT connectivity for AGV and robotics applications
Drive Mission Success
Contact our motion control specialists today to discuss your AGV or AMR application requirements.