What is a Servo Motor: Characteristics and Capabilities

Category: Education

If you are not aware about what is a servo motor, this is your chance to learn. A rotary or linear actuator, also known as a servomotor, is a device that can control the velocity, acceleration, and position of objects in a given direction. It can be equipped with a sensor to provide feedback. A relatively sophisticated controller is required for use with these types of motors. If you are not familiar with these kinds of motors, this is your chance to learn what is a servo motor. what is a Servo Motor = DC Motor + Servo Mechanism - Guruface Blog Table of Contents Closed loop system Internal view of servo motor PWM Control Applications of servo motor Takeaway Closed loop system: A closed-loop control system is a mechanical or electronic device that automatically regulates a system to maintain the desired state or set point without human interaction. It uses a feedback system or sensor. How does a servo motor work? Servo motors are closed-loop systems. As you now have a basic understanding of what is a servo motor, let’s see how they work. Similarly in servo motors, the encoders communicate with the controller about the needed adjustments to ensure the target position is reached. This is why it is a closed-loop system. It contains a small DC motor connected to the output shaft through the gears. The output shaft drives a servo arm and is also connected to a potentiometer (pot). The Potentiometer Provides Position Feedback To The Servo Control Unit Where The Current Position Of The Motor Is Compared To The Target Position. The functioning of these motors are easy to understand. You can plan an online robotics course for your kid, if you wish to make him/her aware about these innovative technologies right from their early ages. Internal view of servo motor They are comprised of several parts namely a control circuit, servo motor, shaft, potentiometer, drive gears, amplifier, and either an encoder or resolver. PWM Control Servo Motor Can Be Rotated From 0 to 180 Degrees. This Degree of Rotation Can Be Controlled By Applying the Electrical Pulse of Proper Width, To Its Control Pin. Servo motor control - Guruface Blog Applications of servo motor Servo motor is widely used in Robotics, where precise movements like arms need to be moved to the exact angle. Servo motors can be used in Solar Tracking panels, where the panels need to be moved to set the angle of the solar panel so that panel stays facing the sun. Servo Motors are extensively used in the automatic opening and closing of the door in Hotels, supermarkets, shopping malls, etc. Servo Motors are also used in packaging machines and textile processing industries. Learning what is a servo motor gives you the opportunity to exploit all of the above applications. As online robotics courses are easy to access and learn today, you can easily get a deep insight into these technological innovations anytime. Arduino is the platform you should learn about if you are fascinated by the applications listed above. You now know what is a servo motor, servo mechanism, and what are its applications. There are great opportunities for starting a career in robotics out there. Let’s give you a guidance on what you should do next! Takeaway One of the main advantages of using a servo is that it provides a constant amount of angular precision. This is unlike an electric motor, which starts turning when it receives power, and this continues until it stops. Although we can’t control the rotation of an electrical motor, we can still turn it on and off. These types of motors are commonly used in small electronics projects. Beginners can easily use these types of motors with the help of a few basic starter kits. Guruface is offering a free webinar on the topic ‘Robotics for Kids’ every week. Register now and get to know more about the Guruface Academy Robotics Courses Online. Want to learn about more interesting topics? Check out our Raspberry PI blog series now! Have a good day!