Servo motors can be used in a range of applications, and like any component, will wear over time. Understanding how to test and repair them can ensure longevity of the servo motors themselves as well as reduce downtime for the machines into which they are integrated.

I spoke with Stuart Mitchell, Vice President of Mitchell Electronics Inc., about testing and repair of servo motors. Mitchell Electronics develops test products for encoders and servo motors, serving industries in which brushless servo motors often fail or require more regular maintenance and troubleshooting due to heavy use or extreme environmental conditions. This includes manufacturing industries such as automotive, aerospace, food services, consumer packaged goods, and robotics.

Mitchell offers his insight into common causes of servo motor malfunctions as well as how best to test and repair motors to help maintain productivity.

In this digital world, it may be hard for some to believe that there’s still a place for anything manual or physical – especially in the engineering realm. And, while it’s true that today’s technologies have cut into the dependence on physical testing, real-world data remains the lifeblood of the product lifecycle.

From product design to troubleshooting in-service equipment, next generation product planning, and all phases in between, testing remains critical to the design, manufacture, quality, performance, and evolution of virtually all products.

New Product Development

For centuries the process to create or enhance a product consisted of building and testing a long series of prototypes. This build it/test it/break it approach was generally repeated until a satisfactory design was identified. While effective, the process was both costly and time consuming — with these factors often limiting innovation.

Since the late 1960s technologies such as Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE), and simulation, have continually evolved to lessen the dependence on physical prototype testing and thus shorten development cycles. These tools allow 3D representative digital models to be created and analyzed for manufacturability, performance, durability, and reliability at component, sub-assembly, assembly, and product levels.

Read the article here in Power & Motion Magazine.