Gantry Routers for Wood and Aluminium

The most common use case: on the X, Y and Z axes of a gantry router, closed-loop stepper motors of the NEMA23 and NEMA24 class (2–3.5 Nm) provide precise, step-loss-free motion at a very good price-performance ratio. On wide gantries with two driven Y sides, both sides can be controlled synchronously. For the Z axis the version with holding brake (-SC) is recommended so that the milling unit does not drop on power failure. Anyone wanting high rapid traverses on long axes combines the router with servo motors for shorter travel times.

Recommendation: closed-loop NEMA23/24 (2–3.5 Nm) on X/Y/Z, Z axis with brake (-SC); servo for high rapid traverse.

Large and Heavy Machines, Steel Machining

Heavy machines with high feed forces – such as rigid steel or aluminium gantry routers – require more torque. Here the NEMA34 closed-loop motors with 4.5 to 12.2 Nm come into play, which also move sluggish, massive axes safely. The high input voltage (up to 100 VDC) maintains the torque even at higher speeds.

Recommendation: closed-loop NEMA34 (4.5–12.2 Nm), for dynamic requirements servo NEMA34 (440–660 W).

Laser and Plasma Cutting Systems

Cutting systems require constant path speed and fast, clean direction changes. The high dynamics and the step-loss-free encoder control of the integrated servo motors deliver precise, even contours here. On smaller laser and engraving machines, closed-loop motors of the NEMA17/23 class are often sufficient.

Recommendation: servo (dynamics, large systems); closed-loop NEMA17/23 for small lasers/engravers.

Lathes, Feed and Rotary Axes

On lathe conversions and feed axes, servo or closed-loop motors of the NEMA24/34 class are used depending on the required speed. The high holding torque of the large iHSS motors (up to 12.2 Nm) handles even heavy carriage, spindle and indexing-head drives with high positioning accuracy.

Recommendation: closed-loop NEMA34 for torque; servo NEMA24/34 for speed-critical spindles.

Automation, Handling & Pick-and-Place

In assembly, dosing and handling systems, the high acceleration and maximum speed of the servo motors (up to 5200 rpm) noticeably shorten cycle times. The compact form factor and the simple step/dir connection ease integration. For purely positioning axes without high speed, closed-loop motors are the more economical solution.

Recommendation: servo for fast cycling; closed-loop for simple positioning axes.

Retrofit: Modernising Old Machines

When converting older machines, JMC motors with integrated driver replace whole cabinets full of separate power stages and servo amplifiers. Because driver and motor form a single unit, the wiring effort drops drastically – ideal for lifting an aging control system to modern, closed-loop drive technology. Control via step/dir is compatible with almost any modern CNC controller.

Recommendation: depending on axis character, closed-loop (force/price) or servo (dynamics).

Special-Purpose Machines & Test Rigs

In special-purpose machines, test rigs and experimental setups, the compact dimensions, the easy commissioning without elaborate tuning and the rugged NEMA34 models score points. The optional holding brake and the reverse-polarity protection of the iHSSC models increase operational reliability in harsh environments.

Recommendation: iHSSC (reverse-polarity protection) for rugged setups, -SC with brake for suspended loads.