Motor Selection and Sizing

Engineering Reference
Motor Selection
With each application, the drive system requirements
greatly vary. In order to accommodate this variety of needs,
Aerotech offers five types of motors.
Motor Sizing Process
The following sections describe how to choose a motor
using speed, torque, and inertia selection criteria. The basic
procedure for sizing a motor is:

Motor Sizing and Selection

Linear Motors 1. Determine move parameters
Advantages 2. Calculate load inertia (or mass)
Highest acceleration, highest speed 3. Calculate peak and rms torque (or force) requirements
No backlash, windup or wear
Brushless no maintenance While the steps for motor sizing remain constant, different
mechanical systems require different formulas to calculate
Slotless Motors the first three steps. The selection of the motor is
Advantages determined by the general characteristics of the motor
Ultra-smooth operation desired and the ability of the motor to meet the calculated
Zero cogging requirements.
Brushless no maintenance
Motor Sizing Software
Disadvantages Aerotech produces a Motor Sizing Workbook that is
Complex amplifier design available on Aerotechs web site. This file can be
downloaded HERE. The free-of-charge motor sizing
Brushless Motors sheet features the following application support:
Advantages
High acceleration Linear Motor
High torque Direct Drive
Brushless no maintenance Leadscrew
Beltdrive
Disadvantages Rack and Pinion
More complex amplifier design

DC Servomotors
Advantages
Smooth operation, low-velocity ripple
High torque

Disadvantages
Brushes limit ability to continuously start and stop
Brushes require maintenance

Microstepping Motors
Advantages
Simple operation
High torque at low speeds

Disadvantages
Open loop
Low acceleration capability
More heat generation than servomotors

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Engineering Reference

Motion Velocity Profile Rotary Linear

The most common and efficient velocity profile for point-
to-point moves is the 1/3-1/3-1/3 trapezoid. This profile
breaks the time of the acceleration, traverse, and Note: The inertia of a rotary system (Jsystem) is dependent
deceleration into three equal segments. The end result is on the mechanics of the system. The load in a linear motor
that the profile provides the optimal move by minimizing system (mLoad) is the sum of all weights (kg used as a
the power required to complete the move.
force) directly connected to the moving forcer coil.
Motor Sizing and Selection

Peak Torque and Peak Force

The total torque that a motor must produce to move itself
and the load is:

Rotary Linear
If you know the move distance and time, you can quickly
calculate the acceleration and velocity as follows:
where:
Rotary Linear Tt = total peak torque Ft = total peak force in N
in N-m Fa = acceleration force N
Ta = acceleration Ff = friction force in N
torque in N-m Fg = gravity force in N
Tf = friction torque in
N-m
Tw = viscous torque in
N-m
Tg = gravity torque in
where: N-m
= acceleration in a = acceleration in
rad/s2 m/s2
= distance in x = distance in meters A simplified expression for acceleration torque and force
radians t = total move time that provides a reasonable estimation value is:
t = total move time in seconds
in seconds v = peak velocity in Rotary Linear
= peak velocity in m/s
rad/s
Inertia and Mass
where:
In a rotary motor system, the best load-to-motor inertia
T = acceleration Fa = acceleration force
match is 1:1 because it minimizes power consumption and
torque mt = total mass in kg
increases system stability. Typically, systems will not
Jt = total inertia in a = acceleration in m/s2
achieve a 1:1 ratio; ratios as high as 10:1 can exist without
adversely affecting system stability. For low bandwidth kg-m2 e = transmission
systems, higher ratios are acceptable but should be avoided = acceleration in efficiency
due to the effect of decreased system stability. rad/s2
e = transmission
In a linear motor system, the mass is direct-coupled to efficiency
the moving coil (forcer). System stability is directly
dependent on the stiffness of the mechanics and bandwidth
of the servo controller.

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Engineering Reference
A simplified expression for gravity torque and force that Rotary Motor/Ball Screw Example
provides a reasonable estimation value is: The specifications of the system are:
Ball-Screw Data
Rotary Linear Diameter: 13 mm
Length: 500 mm
Pitch: 0.5 rev/mm
where: Efficiency: 90% (ball screw)
40% (lead screw)

Motor Sizing and Selection

Tg = gravity torque in Fg = total force in N
N-m mt = total mass in kg Mechanical Data
W = weight of load in Friction coefficient (): 0.05
g = acceleration from
kg Load: 4.5 kg
gravity
P = pitch of Orientation: horizontal
transmission Move Profile
(rev/mm) Type: 1/3-1/3-1/3 trapezoid
e = transmission Distance: 8 mm
efficiency Move time: 0.1 s
Dwell time: 0.1 s
Motor
rms Torque Brushless: BM75E
Obtaining the root-mean-square (rms) value of the required
torque in an application is important because the heating of STEP 1. Determine move parameters
the motor is related to the square of the rms torque output The peak speed () and acceleration () of the motor
of the motor. required can be determined using the formulas:

Rotary Linear

where:
Trms = rms torque in oz-in Frms = rms force in N
(using 1/3-1/3-1/3
profile)
Ta = acceleration torque
in N-n
Tf = friction torque in
N-m
Tw = viscous torque in
N-m
Tg = gravity torque in
N-m
ton = total move time in
seconds
toff = dwell time
between moves
(using 1/3-1/3-1/3
profile) Note: Verify that both values are within the specifications
Fa = acceleration force of the motor.
in N
STEP 2. Determine motor shaft load inertia
Ff = friction force in N
The calculation of the inertia is dependent on the mechanics
Fg = gravity force in N of the system. For the ball screw the inertia can be
ton = total move time in calculated by:
seconds
toff = dwell time
between moves in
seconds
where:
Jscrew = screw inertia in kg-m2
D = screw diameter in mm
L = screw length in mm

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 Motor Selection and Sizing CONTINUED
Engineering Reference

The inertia of the load using a ballscrew mechanism can be The BM75E can provide 0.53 N-m of continuous torque
calculated using: and 1.41 N-m peak torque, which is much greater than the
system requires. The element of friction torque, Tf , can
now be derived using the friction coefficient ():
Motor Sizing and Selection

where: Total peak torque required of the motor is estimated by:

Jload = payload inertia (reflected) in kg-m2
mload = payload in kg
P = screw pitch in rev/mm

Knowing the total torque, the formula for rms torque is

From the results above, the inertia at the motor shaft is:
applied and determined to be:

A motor that gives a good inertia match and meets the This is well within the motors rating of 0.53 N-m.
required motor speed of 3600 rpm is the BM75E, with an
inertia of:

Checking the inertia ratio (Jsystem/Jmotor) = 2.2:1. The total

inertia of the complete system is given by:

Step 3. Calculate peak and rms torque

The acceleration (peak) torque, T , and friction torque, Tf ,
are now calculated using the system inertia values. The
acceleration torque required can be estimated at:

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Engineering Reference
Linear Motor Sizing Example Where:
The following specifications summarize the system. Fa = force to accelerate the load
Ftrav = force during traverse motion
Machine Details Fd = force required to decelerate the load
Friction coefficient (): 0.002 Ff = force due to friction
Load: 10 kg ma = mass x acceleration
Orientation: horizontal
Air cooling: 1.36 bar (20 psi)

Motor Sizing and Selection

Carriage/motor mass: 5 kg
Move Profile
Type: 1/3-1/3-1/3 trapezoid The friction force is determined by:
Distance: 350 mm
Move time: 250 ms
Dwell time: 275 ms

STEP 1. Determine move parameters

Using the 1/3-1/3-1/3 model:
To compute rms or continuous force, dwell time must be
known.

Applying the rms force equation from the previous

example, Frms is:

Note: Most systems utilize a sinusoidal acceleration profile

instead of the more easily modeled trapezoidal for system
considerations. Sinusoidal acceleration is modeled as:

Note: Verify that all values are within the specifications of

the system. The rms force of 142.4 N is used to select a linear motor. In
this case, a BLM-203-A can provide up to 232 N of
STEP 2. Determine moving mass continuous force and 902 N peak force with 1.36 bar (20
STEP 3. Calculate peak and rms force psi) forced air cooling.

Breaking up the move profile into four segments, the

fundamental equations for calculating forces during a
trapezoidal move are:

1. Fa = ma + Ff
2. Ftrav = Ff
3. Fd = ma Ff
4. Cycle dwell time in seconds

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