C h a p t e r 2 | E n e r g y a n d D r i v i n g
Control and Safety for
Motor Systems
The use of AI enables more than simply
the efficient delivery of energy.
The data collected by motor control systems
enable predictive maintenance, adaptive
control strategies, and real-time anomaly
detection. With intelligence integrated at the
edge, systems respond faster.
Smart factories need precision and
flexibility, and variable frequency drives
deliver both. AI controllers enable motors
to run at precise speeds, matching power
consumption to demand and further
improving energy efficiency. Servo
motors add accurate position, velocity,
and torque, which are important for
applications like robotics and computer
numerical control (CNC) machinery.
Once confined to the pages of science
fiction, humanoid robots are entering the
Industry 5.0 workspace, and they offer
Piercarlo Scimonelli
Director of Product Marketing, STMicroelectronics
GaN and SiC are game changers
in power discretes—far more
efficient than silicon under
the right conditions. These
advanced technologies, of
course, require new drivers and
system architectures."
unique capabilities. By replicating the
human form, these robots are equipped
to navigate spaces that are already
designed for human workers.
When working with humans, safety is
the number one requirement of motor
control. Motion systems, and the
controllers that operate them, must
support human collaboration without
creating additional risk. A robotic arm
on the production line must know when
to slow down as its human colleague
steps into its space. So, controllers must
include intelligent sensing alongside
isolation to ensure that machines slow
down, stop, or alter their path to prevent
the risk of accidents for those working
with motor- or servo-operated machinery.
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Autonomy Meets Intelligence: Enabling the Future of Factory Automation
