How Servo Drives Are Used In Today’s Farming

As we will soon gather to celebrate Thanksgiving to give thanks for family, friends, and the bounty on the table, we should also be giving thanks to the farmers that help put that food on the table. Historically, farming has been a labor-intensive industry where tasks such as seeding, weeding, fertilizing, irrigating, and harvesting have all been done by hand. But now, farming is undergoing an agricultural transformation. There will always be a human element to agriculture, but farming automation technology is changing the American farm. With automation, farmers are better equipped to meet the food needs of an increasing global population, deal with labor shortages, and deliver on consumers’ ever-changing preferences.

ESI Motion knows that farmers need the right products to automate the many tasks involved in farming. Our engineers have designed servo drive modules that are considered to be the most powerful in the industry. They are dependable, rugged, and highly accurate.

The Power of Servo Drives to Help Farmers

A servo motor and a servo drive work in tandem.. A servo motor is the driver behind the gears, while the servo drive is the brain that tells the motor what to do at lightning speed. Servo drives are responsible for motion control by precisely calculating the trajectory, velocity, position, and torque needed to perform specific farming tasks, and then it sends those command signals to the motor. ESI Motion’s servo drivers can take farming to the next level.

Transforming Unmanned Systems for the Farm

Unmanned systems can do many farming operations, but you need the right components for a consistent and dependable operation that can operate for prolonged periods in various weather conditions. ESI Motion’s servo drives and motor control systems have the rugged power to support:

• Driverless tractors that can be controlled remotely to increase efficiency, increase crop yield, and reduce labor costs.
• Robotics for seeding and weeding to provide farmers incredible accuracy of where and how seed is placed and precisely targeting where and how much pesticide is needed for weed control significantly reduce pesticide usage.
• Harvesting robots that can gently pick fruits and vegetables while increasing crop yield and decreasing labor costs on more labor-intensive crops
• Drones that remotely monitor conditions to help farmers identify potential problems and apply fertilizer and pesticides.

All of this is possible with a servo driver that can fit in your pocket. ESI Motion has engineered servo drive systems for specialized industrial applications such as farming. Two such servo drives are the Atom and Mite series. ESI Motion’s Atom is an ultra-lightweight, compact-sized servo drive system that incorporates a proven rugged controller and high-efficiency wide-bandgap semiconductor-based power drive modules. The user interface system provides the most flexible and precise system integration and control. There are multiple configurations that can be added, including selecting input voltages, output current amplitudes, and feedback devices.

The ESI Motion Mite is available in single axis, single parallel, and dual axis. The dual axis Mite is one of the most unique extreme-duty servo modules on the market. It is a combination of both durable control and power drive modules that offer an extremely rugged solution at a fraction of the size and weight of units with similar capabilities.

The single axis Mite is ideal for specialized applications that control one motor. The module controls the speed, position, and precision, regardless of the load. And, since it is designed for single motor control, there is a significant reduction in development time and costs.

By automating farming practices, ESI Motion servo drives can help make the farm more profitable while reducing its ecological footprint and even reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

ESI Motion Separates the Wheat from the Chaff

ESI Motion is known for its ruggedized servo controllers, but we are about a lot more than just hardware. The entire ESI team is committed to delivering unmatched service and support to our clients. We collaborate closely with suppliers, partners, and clients to create open communication and foster mutually beneficial relationships. Our quality assurance program is rooted in the Six Sigma and Total Quality Management philosophies to deliver zero defects, quality design, and driving continuous improvement for our clients.

Let ESI Motion Help You Deliver Powerful Farming Solutions

The servo driver that supports military defense, energy applications, and aerospace are ready for the farm. To learn more about the modules, products, and engineering services we provide, please contact ESI Motion today by calling 800.823.3235 or email sales@esimotion.com. You can also reach out to us on our contact page. Our team of engineers is ready to assist you with innovative solutions in motion control to aid in farming operations. Let us help you bring the bounty to the table. Contact us today!