106 Focus | Servos hardware in different ways, most future innovations that push the capabilities of servos can be expected to come from software developments. For instance, given the increased breadth, quantity and quality of data accessible from servos thanks to the primacy of CAN bus, some servo manufacturers are working on solutions for predictive maintenance. These will enable increasingly accurate projections of remaining lifetimes, calculations for individual failure mode probabilities, and detailed requirements of firmware patches. The potential gold mine of big data in the servo world is likely to drive investments and advances in new types of diagnostic sensors, new ways for AI to help with analyses and predictions, and potentially more SWaP-optimised processors that are able to perform the required predictive computing at the edge. Beyond this, the ongoing search for reduced weight in servos should be expected to continue. Some low-hanging fruit remains in this regard, with possible approaches such as making actuator housings from carbon composite or magnesium representing valuable opportunities. Similarly, electric motors with iron-less stator cores could save weight and enable improvements in energy efficiency. These and other advances can be expected in the years ahead. Acknowledgements The author would like to thank Phillipp Volz, Mark Juhrig and Felix Thun at Volz Servos; Tom Quartararo at Ultra Motion; Thomas Cooke at MKS Servos; David Baillie at HTServo and Shawn Spiker at Hitec Commercial Solutions for their help with researching this article. August/September 2023 | Uncrewed Systems Technology GERMANY Kollmorgen +49 21 029 394 0 www.kollmorgen.com Pegasus Actuators +49 60 349 399 699 www.pegasus-actuators.com Volz Servos +49 69 985 580 0 www.volz-servos.com ISRAEL Bental Motion Systems +972 4 696 0199 www.bental.co.il Elmo Motion Control +972 3 929 2300 www.elmomc.com MTC Industries +972 4 998 7772 www.mtcind.com SOUTH KOREA Contromax +82 42 822 0630 www.contromax.com SWITZERLAND Faulhaber Minimotor +41 91 611 3100 www.faulhaber.com TURKEY Femsan Electric Motors +90 216 378 8888 www.femsan.com Tork +90 216 364 3405 www.smstork.com Volt Electric Motors +90 232 877 1060 www.voltmotor.com.tr UK HTServo +44 19 0382 3014 www.htservo.com OTM Servo +44 17 8443 3155 www.otmservo.co.uk USA Acutronic USA 1 412 926 1200 www.acutronic.com Advanced Motion Controls +1 805 389 1935 www.a-m-c.com Designatronics +1 800 819 8900 www.designatronics.com ESI Motion +1 800 823 3235 www.esimotion.com Fast Optimal Engineering +1 661 257 8481 www.foengineering.com Futaba USA +1 256 461 9399 www.futabausa.com Harmonic Drive +1 978 532 1800 www.harmonicdrive.net Hitec Commercial Solutions +1 858 737 9220 306 www.hiteccs.com Kearfott +1 828 350 5300 www.kearfott.com MKS Servos USA +1 832 287 2371 www.mksservosusa.com MOOG +1 716 652 2000 www.moog.com Ultra Motion +1 631 298 9179 www.ultramotion.com Some key suppliers of servo actuators
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mzk4