"It's not exactly brand new, but we're seeing a continued interest in getting the control for servos and the control for machine logic combined in one convenient platform. What this has brought about is that makers of servo motors now deliver functionality that governs the logic of the machine. And, vice versa, the makers of PLCs are delivering motion control functionality. This is beneficial to us and the customers who buy our machines because it streamlines troubleshooting by bringing added simplicity and transparency.
"The other thing we're seeing is a push toward distributed systems and more modularity in machine design. For example, you can place the controller out on the machine frame somewhere as opposed to having it confined in some sort of controls cabinet. Helping to drive this trend is the fact that, increasingly, we're seeing the drive and the servo motor in one unit as opposed to having them separate."
Hartness is a manufacturer of packaging equipment and conveyors for bottling and material handling.
