Engineering

Rotary System Selection

This section provides useful information for calculating

your applications mechanical requirements, and
selecting the proper motor and drive to meet your
needs. To insure the proper motor/drive system is
selected, follow these steps:
1. Sketch the move profile and calculate acceleration,
deceleration and maximum velocity required to make
the desired move.
2. Select mechanical drive mechanism to be used
and calculate inertia, friction and load torque using
formulas for the mechanical drive mechanism.
3. Determine peak and continuous (RMS) torque
requirements for the application.
4. Select a system choose the appropriate motor and
drive combination that meets all of the application
requirements.

3. Peak Torque and RMS Torque

Requirements

To find the peak and RMS torque required by the motor

to make the move successfully, the Reflected Torque,
TRL, is added to the Torque required to accelerate (or
decelerate) the load, TACC. TRL includes all external
forces, such as gravity, friction, and applied forces. The
equations for acceleration torque and deceleration
torque required are:

[ J e ]
+[ J ]
e

TA = TRL +

TD = TRL

TRMS =

1. Move Profile

4. Selecting a System

Refer to the Move Profile section on page K-8 to

determine your peak velocity and acceleration. Rotary
distance units should be radians. Time units are seconds.
NOTE: 1 rev = 2 radians.

Once the above torque have been calculated, a safety

factor needs to be added. The safety margin varies with
the motor type desired.

Example: We need to move a total distance of 10

revolutions in 1 second using a 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 trapezoidal
move profile. What is the distance (D), peak velocity
(max) and acceleration () required to make the move.
max

Safety =
Margin

(Torque Avail)-(Torque Req.)

(Torque Req.)

) x 100

Stepper Systems

When selecting a step motor system, you should allow a

torque safety margin of 50% above your calculated peak
torque requirements at the peak speed required by your
application.

avg

150
50% Safety
Margin

Torque

Velocity
(in/sec)
ta

tv

td

100

Peak Torque Required

50

T (time in sec)

D = 10 rev 2 rad
rev

= 63 rad

1.563 = 95 rad
max = 1.5D
T = 1
sec
4.563
= 4.5D
T2 = 12

rad
= 284 sec
2

Speed

Servo Systems

For servo systems, a torque safety margin of at least 20%

is recommended. The peak torque required by the
application must fall within the peak torque rating of the
motor at the peak speed. You must also calculate the
RMS torque based on your applications duty cycle. The
RMS torque must fall within the continuous area of the
speed torque curve at the peak speed of the application.

2. Mechanical Drive Mechanisms

The system equations on the following page will help

you calculate the reflected inertia (J), reflected applied
loads (T), motor speed (), and acceleration (), based
on the move requirements that were determined in step
one.

20% Safety Margin

Torque

Engineering

TA 2 tA + TRL2tR + TD2tD
tc

Peak Torque
Required

Peak

RMS Torque
Required
20% Safety
Margin

Continuous

Speed

K-20

Industrial Devices Corporation

415-382-4300 800-747-0064 E-mail: inf o@idcmotion.com

Engineering

Rotary System Selection

Inertia Solid Cylinder

Inertia Hollow Cylinder

Tangential
(Conveyor, Rack and Pinion, etc.)
Ft, VL, a

Tt

Tt

WL
WB

R2
R

R1

L
Ft

L, L, , JL, WL

R2, JG2

Ft

R3, JG3

L, L, , JL, WL
R1, JG1

= L

= L

VL
R1

= L

= L

a
R1

WL = L R2
JT = JL + JMotor
JL = 1 W L R 2
2 g

JT

TRL

WL + W B
R 12
g
JT = JMotor + JRL + JG1 + JG2
JRL =

WL = L [R22 - R12]
JT = JL + JMotor
JL = 1 WL [R22 + R12]
2 g

+ JG3

Ft = FFriction + FApplied + FGravity

Ft = FFriction + FApplied + FGravity

TRL = Ft R + Tt

TRL = Ft R2 + Tt

Leadscrew
FT, VL, a

R1 2
R3

( )

R1 2
R2

( )

Ft = FFriction + FApplied + FGravity

TRL = Ft R1
e

Gear Box
WL

N: 1, J

Tt
D
R

L
JL, VL, L

Js, TPL, p

=2

= 2 pa
JS

(for steel)

JRL =

Ft = FFriction + FApplied + FGravity

Ft
TRL =
+ TPL
2 pe

= L
N

0.0012 LD4

WL
1 2
g
2 p
JT = JRL+ JS+ JMotor

= VNL

pVL

JRL =

JL

N2
JT = JRL+ JReducer + JMotor
Ft = FFriction + FApplied + FGravity
TRL =(Ft R) + Tt
N

Gear Reducers
Follow these guidelines when selecting an
IDC precision gearhead:
1. Be sure your application's peak torque is
less than the maximum momentary torque
rating of the gearhead. Be sure to multiply the
motor's torque by the gearhead efficiency and
gear ratio when determining output torque
from the reducer.
2. Be sure your application's RMS torque is
less than the rated continuous torque of the
gearhead.

Units

D
e
Ft
g
J
JT

acceleration rate (rad/sec2)

rotary acceleration (rad/sec2)
diameter
efficiency of mechanism
total load force including
friction, gravity, or other
external forces (oz)
= gravity = 386 in/sec2
= rotary inertia (oz-in-sec2)
= total inertia seen by motor
(oz-in-sec2)
=
=
=
=
=

JRL = reflected load inertia

(oz-in-sec2)
L = length (in)
= material density (oz/in3)
p = pitch of screw (rev/in)
R = radius (in)
tA = acceleration time (sec)
TA = acceleration torque (oz-in)
tD = deceleration time (sec)
TD = deceleration torque (oz-in)

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415-382-4300 http://www.idcmotion.com 24 hour info by fax 916-431-6548

TPL = preload torque of leadscrew

(oz-in)
tR = running time (sec)
TR = running torque (oz-in)
TRL = reflected load torque due to
friction, gravity, or other
external forces (oz-in)
VL = linear velocity of load (in/sec)
= rotary velocity (rad/sec)
W = weight (oz)

K-21

Engineering

Ft

Engineering

Rotary System Selection

EXAMPLE 1STEPPER: Calculate the motor torque required

to accelerate a solid cylinder of aluminum 5" in radius and
0.40" in length from rest to 10 rev/sec in 0.3 seconds. Assume
no friction is present and there are no applied forces or gravity
forces opposing the motor's rotation.
1
Calculate maximum velocity and acceleration rates.
rev
rad
rad
= 10 sec 2 rev = 63 sec
63 - 0
rad
final initial
=
=
= 210 sec 2
t
0.3
A
2
Mechanical drive mechanism selected as direct drive.
3
Calculate inertia (assume no friction or load torque).
Hint: The density of aluminum can be found on page K-47.
W = L s R2 = 3.14 0.40 1.57 5.0 2 = 49.3 oz
1 w 2 1 49.3
R =
5 2 = 1.6 oz-in sec2
2 g
2 386
Assume motor is S42, rotor
= J Load + J Motor inertia is 0.114 oz-in-sec 2

JL =
J Total

= 1.6 + 0.114 = 1.71 oz-in-sec 2

t A= tD = t R= t/3 = 0.33 sec.

2
Select mechanical drive mechanism as a leadscrew.
3
Calculate inertia, friction and load torque. A B32 motor was
chosen to see if it will meet the requirements of the
application. The friction coefficient of plastic on steel is 0.2.
2

JT
e

= 0+

Torque

= 0.131 oz-in sec2

Ft = WL S +FApplied= 500 lbs

16

oz
lb

0.2 + 125 lbs x 16 oz

lb

+ 2000 = 3600 oz
Ft
3600
+ TPL =
+ 0 = 318 oz-in
TRL =
2 e
2 2 0.9
4
Determine peak and continuous torque requirements.
TA = TRL +

JT
e

= 318 +

TD= TRL -

JT
e

= 318 -

0.176 567
= 429 oz-in
0.9
0.176 567
= 207 oz-in
0.9

If the dwell time between moves is 1.0 second, the total cycle
time becomes 2.0 seconds.

[7.00] 1000

100%

[5.25] 750

75%

TRMS =

TA2 tA + TR2 tR + TD2 tD

tc

[3.50] 500

359.1 oz-in

50%

[1.75] 250
0

(429)2 0.33 + (318)2 0.33 + (207)2 0.33

2.0
= 233 oz-in

25%

0
0
0

10
600

20
1200

30
1800

40
2400

50 RPS
3000 RPM

B32

[N-m] oz-in

Plotting the required torque on the S42 speed torque curve

shows sufficient torque is present with a safety margin of 80%.
EXAMPLE 2SERVO: Select a motor which will move a 500 lb
load 10 inches in 1 second using a 2 pitch leadscrew 24 inches
in length, and 1 inch in diameter. The load is externally
supported by plastic bushings sliding on steel supports. There
is a 125 lb applied force. There will be 1.0 second dwell
between moves. The orientation of the leadscrew is
horizontal.
1
Calculate distance the motor must rotate, acceleration,
deceleration and maximum velocity using a 1/3, 1/3, 1/3
trapezoidal move profile.
rev
2 in
rad
1.5D 1.5 126
=
=
= 189 sec
1.0
T
rad
4.5D 4.5 126
=
=
= 567 sec 2
1.0 2
T

D = 2

p d=2

K-22

rad
rev

10 in = 126 rad

100%

[5.6] 800

Torque

Engineering

2 rev
in

JTotal = JMotor + JRL + JS = 0.016 + 0.131 + 0.029 = 0.176 oz-in sec2

1.71 210
= 359.1 oz-in
1.0

S42

[N-m] oz-in
[8.75] 1250

JS = 0.0012 LS D4 = 0.0012 24 14 = 0.0288 oz-in sec2

4
Determine peak and continuous torque requirements.
TA= TRL +

oz

W
500 lb 16 lb
1
JRL= gL
=
2 p
386 in/sec 2

230 VAC

[4.2] 600
[2.8] 400
[1.4] 200
0

75%

115 VAC

FRMS

0
0

10
600

20
1200

FPEAK

50%

25%

30
1800

40
2400

50
3000

60
3600

70 RPS
4200 RPM

The maximum torque required by the application is 429 oz-in.

This falls within the speed/torque curve of the B32 motor, but
it falls in the peak region. In order to have adequate torque
margin in this application the B8000 Series drive used with the
B32 motor would need to be run off of 230 VAC. Assuming
the B8000 Series drive is run off of 230 VAC, the peak torque
safety margin is 98.1%

Industrial Devices Corporation

415-382-4300 800-747-0064 E-mail: inf o@idcmotion.com