Servo Use To Grow In Packaging Machines

Wes Iverson, Contributing Editor -- Design News, January 13, 2003

Packaging machinery still accounts for a relatively small portion of the market for servo technology, both in the U.S. and in Europe. But in both regions, the packaging industry's use of servos is expected to grow more rapidly than servo use in factory automation.

According to estimates by Motion Tech Trends (MTT, Inglewood, CA, the U.S. market for brushless servo axes consumed by packaging OEMs totaled $75 million in 2002. That was part of a $950 million market for servo consumption by all U.S. factory automation equipment suppliers. In Europe, packaging OEMs accounted for $85 million of a $790 million total factory automation market for brushless servo axes last year. These estimates include only sales of brushless electric motors and drives used in closed-loop applications.

The potential for growth is greatest in the U.S., where only about 20% of packaging machine axes today are equipped with servos, compared to a 40% penetration level in Europe, MTT estimates.

MTT projects 8% annual growth in brushless servo consumption by U.S. packaging OEMs over the next three to five years.

related stories
resource center
by this author

Technology Marketplace

Article tools sponsored by

Talkback

We would love your feedback!

» View All Talkback Threads

» Submit talk back

DN's Resource Center Get Free Information, Made Easy

Friction, Wear and Lubrication Info from Society
Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers | Design Guide
Request Item
Best Practices for Green, Energy, and Supplier Challenges
Dell Computer Corp. | Web Event
Request Item

View all DN resources >>

Design News Partner Zones

CAD/CAE Model Clean-Up: Reduce Iterative Cycles
This webinar featured research and survey results related to problems associated with preparing CAD geometry for CAE applications. We discussed how Recipe-Based Automation can help create "just-in-time" CAE-ready geometry each time a cad model is updated. Watch the Presentation

Light Matters: Systems Level Approach to HBLED illumination applications
Its good practice to apply a systems-level approach to high-brightness LED (HBLED) illumination applications. Minimally, the system includes the optical, thermal and electrical characteristics of the of the HBLED, the lens (if any) which is built-in to its package, secondary optics such as external plastic lenses/reflectors to direct the light as your application requires and power driver electronics. Read More

Design Engineers' Portal for Sensing and Machine Safety
Whatever industry you're in, or whatever product you manufacture, the right sensors to automate your plant, and to improve your overall efficiency, quality and safety are a must. You'll find Banner Engineering to be an amazing resource of products, training and people with expertise.