Oriental Motor USA Corp. last month launched its AZ Series Compact DC Input Driver and two new AZ Series motor frame sizes. The new driver is designed to be mounted close to the motor, making it ideal for robotics applications, said the Torrance, Calif.-based company.

Since its founding in Japan in 1885, Oriental Motor said it has concentrated on technological advancement and product design improvement of motion control systems. The company added support for Ethernet/IP communications protocols to the AZ Series AC input drivers in August 2019, and it released the DR Series compact motion controllers in March 2020.

AZ Series DC Input motors support robotics

To support robotics applications, Oriental Motor said it has released two new AZ Series DC Input motors, both with gears from Harmonic Drive LLC. They are available in 30 mm (1.18 in.) and 42 mm (1.65 in.) frame sizes. The 42 mm motor is available with an optional electromagnetic brake. The company added that both motors connect directly to the driver.

All other DC input motors in this series will require an adaptor cable — sold separately — for connection, according to the Oriental Motor.

The new driver has a built-in controller and is controlled via RS-485 communication, said Oriental Motor. It has an onboard USB connector for use with the MEXE02 support software along with inputs to control the motor, AZ Series absolute encoder, and the electromagnetic brake.

In addition, the driver can be controlled via a programmable logic controller (PLC), touchscreens (human-machine interface or HMI), or a computer, said the company.

Oriental Motor added that the compact design, built-in controller, support software, and direct connections help make the Compact DC Input Driver suitable for robotics developers. To learn more about Oriental Motor’s new driver, contact the Technical Support group at 800-468-3982, e-mail techsupport@orientalmotor.com, or visit the company’s Web catalog.