Kollmorgen Unveils Essentials Motion System to Streamline Automation

Kollmorgen has launched the Kollmorgen Essentials motion system, a new line of servo motion systems aimed at simplifying high-performance motion control for various industrial applications. This innovative offering promises to reduce engineering time and overall system costs, making it more accessible for manufacturers across multiple sectors.

The Essentials family of motion systems is pre-configured, allowing for straightforward sizing and selection. With integrated communication protocols, these systems can easily connect to common controller environments. Kollmorgen emphasizes that the Essentials line is designed for ease of installation and commissioning, making it suitable for key industrial applications such as packaging, warehouse automation, material handling, and forming processes.

Chris Cooper, global director of product management at Kollmorgen, remarked, “Kollmorgen has always been the motion leader for torque density, responsiveness, and control in compact systems that offer the flexibility and features to suit practically any application.” He further expressed confidence that the Essentials systems will enable design engineers to integrate high-performance motion solutions more easily and affordably across all axes of their machines.

Key Features of the Kollmorgen Essentials Motion System

Each Essentials motion system integrates a servo drive, a servo motor with built-in absolute multi-turn feedback, and a combined power/data cable. The servo drive supports multiple protocol options, including EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, and PROFINET, allowing users to choose the most suitable fieldbus type during installation. This flexibility enhances the control over multi-axis systems, making advanced motion control more accessible at a lower cost.

Kollmorgen’s technology also optimizes the ordering process and inventory management for machine builders, accommodating a diverse global customer base. The systems include integrated dual-channel safety features, ensuring compliance with industry safety standards.

The Essentials servo drive is available for supply voltages of 120–240 VAC or 240–480 VAC and delivers continuous power up to 4,000 watts at varying amperages. The accompanying servo motors are designed to meet power requirements ranging from 200 to 4,000 watts, achieving rated speeds of 3,000 rpm and peak speeds of up to 6,000 rpm.

Additionally, each servo motor features the SFD-M multi-turn absolute encoder, which provides high-resolution feedback without the need for battery maintenance, ensuring reliable operation even during power outages. This technology delivers positioning performance comparable to Hiperface or EnDat feedback, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the motion system.

Enhanced Installation and Industry Engagement

Kollmorgen’s single-cable technology, combining both power and data, is a standard feature of the Essentials motion system. This innovation simplifies installation by requiring only one cable for routing, which can significantly reduce connectivity errors and improve reliability. The system supports various cable lengths, with options available up to 25 meters (82 feet).

In addition, Kollmorgen will showcase its products at RoboBusiness 2025 on October 15 and 16 in Santa Clara, California. During the event, James Davison, vice president of engineering, and Yoshi Umeno, global medical and robotics industry manager, will lead a session titled “A Comprehensive Tour of the Modern Surgical Robot Suite.” Attendees will learn about optimizing motion system design for surgical robotics, focusing on precision and performance.

The RoboBusiness conference is a significant event for developers and suppliers in the commercial robotics sector, featuring over 60 speakers and more than 100 exhibitors. Registrations for the event are currently open, providing an opportunity for industry professionals to explore the latest advancements and solutions in robotics development.

By introducing the Essentials motion system, Kollmorgen aims to reinforce its position as a leader in motion control technology, offering solutions that cater to the evolving needs of machine builders and industries worldwide.