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Robotics can complete high-intensity, high-repetitive, and high-risk tasks, they make great contributions to improving work efficiency and product quality and reducing labor costs. In a word, Robotics can finish these tasks, it has been changed industrial production methods, however industrial servo motors,  AC servo motors, and CNC servo motor (also called robot servo motor) play an important role in industrial Robotics.

In this article, we will discuss why servomotors cannot be instead of stepper motors in industrial robotics. It needs to combine with robotics feature to discuss: 

1. Robotics need to finish tasks with high precision

Servo motor: Servo motors can control position with very high precision, Normally it should be within microns or less. Servo motors can achieve this precision through their feedback systems, the system can constantly monitor and adjust the motor’s position. This highly precise control makes servo electric motor very important in robotic applications that require accurate positioning. Such as robotic arms or grippers.

Stepper motor:  The stepper motor is suitable for simple applications, but it can not have good performance in high-precision applications. it lacks the feedback mechanisms that servo motors have, which means their positioning accuracy is lower and less reliable for tasks requiring fine control.

2. Robotics need work with high accuracy

Servo motor: servomotor can use feedback system encoders, allowing the controller to accurately determine the motor's position, to ensure the servo motor’s high accuracy. This feedback loop enables the controller to make adjustments and correct at any time to maintain the ideal position, improving the overall accuracy of the robot's movements. 

Servo motor with encoder is vital for tasks like assembling tiny parts or performing very accurate operations. The ability to make real-time corrections significantly enhances the overall accuracy of robotic movements, the servo motor for the robotic arm with the feedback loop is super important significance.

Stepper motor: It moves in fixed steps without a feedback system, sometimes, it may lose steps or inaccurate positioning. it decided that the stepper motor has lower reliability when needs real-time adjustments. The lack of feedback means that stepper motors can’t correct themselves if they are far away from the desired position.

3. Robotics need to move heavy loads or move swiftly

Servo motors can convert voltage signals into torque and speed to drive the controlled object. it can provide high torque servo motor with relatively low speeds, making rotary servo motor have good performance in moving heavy loads or overcoming resistance, such as lifting objects or moving robot joints. Their ability to maintain torque at varying speeds ensures smooth and efficient operation. such as lifting objects or moving robot joints.

Meanwhile, a stepper motor also can provide high torque at low speeds, the torque can decrease along with the speed increases. It is not suitable for high-speed movement or excellent torque performance at various speeds.

4. Robotics need a faster speed

Servo motor: electric servo motor has higher speeds with stability torque and high working efficiency. here robotics need high speed servo motor.

Stepper motors has lower maximum speeds compared to servo motors, (if faster speed, they can lose steps), so the speed cannot be too fast. 

5.   Robotics need smaller, more compact, and flexible motor sizes

Servo motors: Servo motors are often compact and compared with the same power they can deliver. from mini servo motor, and small servo motors to large servo motor, compact and efficient designs are accepted by the robot industry, and they are suitable for use in robotics where space is limited.

Stepper motors are normally produced to NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) standards, stepper motor size is fixed. This limits their adaptability in applications requiring customized or compact motor sizes.

6. Robotics need to Energy Efficiency

Servo motors save more energy, as they only consume power in proportion to the load they are driving. This makes them more efficient and cost-effective in the long work, especially in applications that require all-keeping operation.

Stepper motors can consume energy due to heat generation, especially when the load changes and at high speeds. It is suitable for simple and low-load applications that do not require high efficiency.

In summary, your robotic demands high-speed operation, high torque, and precise motion control, saving energy, compact size, and servo motor is your priority. Servomotors make them well-suited for a wide range of robotic applications.

However, motors can be used in industrial but are not limited to Robotics, also can be used in CNC routers, CNC machining, etc. People can choose the suitable motor based on their real needs, as electric servo motor can be used in high torque, high speed, high accuracy, and save energy but also high cost; the steeper motor can used in speed limited, easy control, low-cost maintain, low cost. Each product is playing its maximum value in its field. the most important key is decided by your needs. RicoCNC can help you resolve various brands industrial servo motors and steeper motor, if you are searching for them, do not hesitate to contact us.