Guides

Technology comparisons

Side-by-side comparisons of competing technologies, with tables, worked examples and clear guidance on when to choose each.

Capsule vs through-bore vs pancake slip ringsPick a capsule slip ring when nothing has to pass through the centre and space is tight; a through-bore ring when a shaft, cable or fluid line must run through the axis; and a pancake (platter) ring when the axial height is very limited but there is room radially.
Contact vs contactless slip ringsChoose a contact slip ring for power, mixed circuits and moderate data at the lowest cost; it is the only practical way to pass kilowatts.

Ball screw vs roller screwA ball screw is the cheaper, slightly more efficient choice for moderate loads and smooth motion.
Rodless actuators: belt drive vs ball screwChoose a belt-driven rodless actuator for long strokes and high speed (Tolomatic quotes up to about 5 m/s and strokes beyond 5 m), and a ball screw for thrust, stiffness and accuracy on strokes up to about 1–3 m and speeds up to about 1.5 m/s; then size the guidance for the cantilevered payload's moments, not just its weight.

Brushed vs brushless motorsChoose a brushed DC motor when running hours are modest (maxon puts typical brush life at 1,000 to 3,000 hours), the electronics must be minimal and cost per unit matters.
Servo vs stepper motorsChoose a stepper for low-to-moderate speeds (roughly under 1,000 rpm), modest inertia and simple point-to-point moves where cost matters; a closed-loop stepper removes the risk of silently lost steps.

Frameless vs housed motorsUse a frameless rotor and stator kit when the motor can become part of your machine's structure, sharing its bearings and housing, and you need the shortest, lightest and stiffest axis with a hollow centre.

Planetary vs worm vs bevel gearboxesUse a planetary gearbox for inline servo axes needing high efficiency, low backlash and high torque density; a worm gearbox for low-cost, quiet right-angle drives at modest duty where low efficiency is acceptable; and a spiral bevel or hypoid stage, usually combined with planetary stages, for right-angle servo axes that need planetary-class efficiency and precision.
Strain-wave vs planetary vs cycloidal gearboxesChoose a strain-wave (harmonic) gear for compact, zero-backlash joints needing 30:1 to 160:1 in one stage; a precision planetary for ratios below about 30:1, high efficiency and lower cost; and a cycloidal reducer when the axis needs high torque, high stiffness and the best tolerance of shock and tilting loads.

Absolute vs incremental encodersUse an absolute encoder when the machine must know its position at power-up without moving, which is most servo axes, robot joints and anything that cannot safely home.
Magnetic vs capacitive vs optical encodersOptical encoders give the highest accuracy and resolution but need a clean optical path and tight mounting.

EtherCAT vs PROFINET vs EtherNet/IP for motion controlAll three can run synchronised multi-axis servo motion.
PLC vs motion controller vs industrial PCUse a PLC when the machine is mostly logic and I/O with a few simple axes; a motion controller (or motion-capable CODESYS PLC) when several axes must move together with gearing, cams or interpolation; and an industrial PC when the same box must also run vision, data handling, HMI or custom code alongside real-time control.

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