8 Reasons to Upgrade to the AZ Series Connector Type Motors

With fewer engineers available and rising costs, machine designers are looking for ways to build equipment faster while utilizing fewer resources. In response to this challenge, Oriental Motor has introduced innovative features in our new connector type motor for the popular AZ Series. These improvements aim to simplify installation and maintenance processes, making them more efficient for machine builders.

 

 

Background

Oriental Motor's customer service team regularly seeks feedback to enhance our products. In this instance, several customers provided valuable insights regarding our AZ Series cable type motors, which are widely used closed-loop motors featuring AlphaStep hybrid open/closed-loop control technology and a patented built-in mechanical absolute encoder.

• One customer was using an AZ Series cable type motor in a testing procedure to address homing accuracy problems caused by thermal expansion of an external photo sensor. They suggested simplifying cable management by combining the motor and driver cables.
• Another customer was using a 20 mm frame size AZ Series cable type motor to position a stage within a confined space. They were using joining cables to extend the cable from the motor to the driver but found the connectors too large to fit properly. Additionally, they encountered electrical noise and washdown concerns due to exposed connectors on the joining cables. A suggestion was made to eliminate the middle extension cable.
• A third customer was using an AZ Series cable type motor for an LED application and required flexible cables for routing around internal components. Since the current cable type motor has sections that are not flexible, they requested a fully flexible cable solution.

In response to this feedback, Oriental Motor launched a new line of AZ Series connector type motors. These motors utilize a novel flat connector from Hirose Electric to improve usability and a single consolidated cable to facilitate easier connections to the drivers.

In the standard cable type motor, multiple pigtail cables are typically used, including motor cables, encoder cables, protective earth ground cables, and electromagnetic brake cables (for brake motor types). An additional middle extension cable is often required for connection to the driver.

In the new connector type motor, we've enhanced the design of the connector and combined all the cables into one to make these motors more user-friendly, easier to maintain, and better suited for compact spaces.

Let’s delve deeper into the advantages that the new connector type motors offer.

 

Advantages of One Cable Technology

Unified Cables

• Reduces routing work and downsizes cable holders

By consolidating all the cables into one, only one cable is required per motor. For example, in a Cartesian system, five cables for the Y and Z axes can be reduced to just two cables. This results in a smaller cable holder.

 

 

Direct Connection

• No more middle joining cables.

For the cable type motor, a connecting cable is necessary to extend the cable beyond the standard pigtail length of 300 mm. Exposed connectors in between the cables can sometimes emit electrical noise that affects other machine components. The new connector type motor uses one cable technology and minimizes electrical noise interference (EMI).

 

Cable Type
Connector Type

 

Three Cable Outlet Directions for Flexibility

• Select from three cable outlet directions

The connector and cable come in three configurations: shaft direction, vertical direction, or opposite to the output shaft direction. You must order the connection cable this way (use "F" = front, "B" = back, "V" = vertical in the cable part number). This increases the degree of freedom for cable outlet placement around the motor.

 

 

Faster Maintenance

• Direct connection leads to quicker replacement of motors and cables

Perform speedy motor maintenance by dealing with fewer cables (and downsizing your cable tracks). Here's an example of the difference.

 

 

Reduced Material

• By consolidating the cable, the materials used to manufacture the cables are reduced.

Electrical cables are composed of a conductive metal wire core, such as copper or aluminum, surrounded by various layers of materials, such as insulation, tapes, screens, armor for mechanical protection, and sheathing. By consolidating three cables into one, we reduced the cross-sectional area by 44.3% and mass by 55.5%.

 

 

Easy Installation

• Lock lever connector for simple connection

Connecting the cable is straightforward thanks to the lock lever, which doesn’t require screws. Simply insert the connector and lock the lever.

 

 

Low Profile, Flat Connector

• A motor with a flat connector can fit into tighter spaces

The new low-profile flat connector is 49 mm shorter in height compared to the cable type.

 

 

Maintains High Ingress Protection

• The new connector and cable maintain an IP66 ingress protection rating for dusty or washdown environments

Like the cable type motor, the connector type motors maintain the IP66 rating, meaning they can handle a sprayed water jet of 100 kPa at a rate of 100 l/min for 3 minutes from all directions at a distance of 3 meters.

 

 

⚡ One Cable Challenge: Addressing Electrical Noise

Stepper motors are driven by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control, generating radiated noise as the motor signals switch phases during rotation. To address this issue, conventional cables separate the low signal encoder cable and the electromagnetic brake cable from the motor cable.

 

To combine all signals into one cable and prevent issues from electrical noise or magnetic interference inside the motor, we redesigned the motor internally and rerouted the motor and electromagnetic brake wires inside the motor.

 

 

The built-in mechanical absolute encoder has a steel shield cup covering it since it's a type of magnetic sensor that uses a series of permanent magnets to track absolute position coordinates like clocks. To prevent the effects of external magnetic fields, the magnetic sensor is housed inside a steel shield cup. To protect against electrical noise interference, the shield cup and motor casing are now electrically grounded using a metal spring. The magnetic sensor opening has also been sealed.

 

 

By forcing an electrical ground using a metal spring, noise propagation to the ABZO sensor is eliminated by setting the shield cup and motor housing to the same potential and providing a way to absorb radiation noise.

 

 

Product Lineup

The AlphaStep AZ Series connector type motors are available in two frame sizes: 42 mm and 60 mm. More frame sizes will become available as we expand this series over time. The specifications and flange size are the same as the traditional cable type, making it easy to upgrade AZ Series cable type motors to connector type motors without any hassle.

The connector type motor can be ordered with various pre-assembled gearhead options, such as the TS spur gear, right-angle FC "face" gear, PS planetary gear, or harmonic gear. In the future, we also plan to expand the connector type motor to linear and rotary actuators.

The connector type motor is compatible with all drivers from the AZ Series: AC input, DC input, and mini drivers. Common industrial communication protocols include EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, Profinet, and other popular networks.

Cable lengths for the connector type motors range from 1 to 10 meters for AC input drivers; 0.5 to 10 meters for DC input; and 0.2 to 10 meters for mini drivers.

 

 

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The new AZ Series connector type motors are also compatible with our mini drivers. These are our smallest closed-loop drivers.

 

 

Choose the right connection cable or flexible connection cable for your AC input, DC input, or mini driver. One cable locking connector allows for a maximum of 10 meters (32.8 feet) between the motor and driver, with the same motor performance specifications as our standard cable-type AZ Series. Current motor cable connections are not compatible with multi-axis drivers.

 

 

Summary

In summary, a single cable provides these eight benefits:

• Fewer cables to manage
• Direct connection from motor to driver without middle extension cables
• Three cable outlet directions to choose from
• Reduced maintenance with fewer cables to route
• A single cable helps reduce material usage
• Simplified installation and faster setup
• A low-profile, flat connector for a smaller motor footprint
• Maintains IP66 ingress protection rating

Until wireless motion control becomes practical, cables will remain essential to any motion control system, whether it uses motors, linear actuators, or rotary actuators. By consolidating the motor cables for the AZ Series connector type, Oriental Motor aims to make motor installation and maintenance easier and faster for all engineers involved.

 

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The AZ Series connector type motors are part of the AlphaStep AZ Series product family, which also includes dedicated smart drivers, linear actuators, and rotary actuators.

Is there a product feature that you would like to see in our products? Please let us know!

Update: March 18th, 2024 There’s one more reason to upgrade to the AZ Series connector type motors. Released in 2024, these “integrated motor” style driver mounting brackets can be used to mount a AZ Series mini driver to a connector type motor to save space and reduce cabling. These mounting brackets are currently available for 42 mm and 60 mm frame size connector type motors.