New Siemens 1FT7 Servomotors

MOTION CONTROL:  Siemens introduces new flavors to the 1FT7 family, a line of high-performance servomotors for such demanding motion control applications as machine tool CNC interpolation, production machine web handling and more. Their use results in shorter machine cycles due to higher dynamic response, gained through a 30 percent shorter design and 4x overload capacity versus 3x on the predecessor family of servos. Less downtime results from the new rigid vibration-insulated encoder mounting. This design also enables the OEM or end-user to exchange the encoder in the field in less than five minutes, without encoder alignment. High-resolution encoders, currently up to 22-bit, enable these servos to become highly precise motion control system components.

Start-up and commissioning personnel will appreciate DRIVE-CLiQ, the Siemens electronic nameplate and digital encoder interface on this new servomotor. It simplifies start-up or replacement by not requiring manual parameterization of the axis, as the drive reads all that data from the electronic nameplate stored in the encoder system. With this feature, these motors become essentially plug-and-play devices. The drive automatically recognizes the motor and optimizes the parameterization accordingly. This digital encoder interface further allows users to standardize on one signal cable type for all the different feedbacks offered with the 1FT7 motors.

The new flavors added to the family are forced ventilated and water-cooled types, complementing the convection air-cooled 1FT7’s. In addition, a new high dynamic design is now available. This design features very low rotor inertia, thereby making these motors practical in applications where it was previously impossible to drive a servomotor. Such applications include sorters in the printing industry, which previously required mechanical cams, but can now utilize electronic cams for better energy efficiency and less wear.

- Edited by Liz Taurasi