Because the sun gear in a hybrid unit is pre-aligned within the gearhead rather than affixed to the electric motor shaft, these gearheads can be utilized in contouring applications like a glue-dispensing nozzle for affixing a windshield to an automobile. Movement of the nozzle as it comes after the seam between a windshield and its window frame must be perfectly smooth; or else a ripple in velocity alters the bead diameter and causes messy glue application.

Smooth motion, which means the absence of torque and velocity variations (ripple), is important in contouring applications. But, it is difficult to consistently achieve smooth movement where the sun equipment is mounted on the engine shaft. Even a slight misalignment in sunlight gear (motor shaft runout or coupling inaccuracies) could cause rough operation and noise.

Many servo controllers use software compensation, and their success depends upon knowing the lost motion of the entire system. This information is usually offered from the gearhead manufacturer.
Contouring applications usually involve end-effectors or tool-points that adhere to mathematically defined paths. Sealant and bonding machines, drinking water and flame cutters, laser beam welders and cutters, movement managed cameras, and CNC machine equipment are good examples.

Software compensation is achieved by commanding the engine to move servo motor gear reducers beyond the apparently desired position by a quantity equal to the system’s lost motion, thereby bringing the load to the truly desired position. For instance, look at a servomotor, gearhead, and leadscrew mixture in a pick-andplace robot. If 100,000 encoder counts equals 1.0 in. of linear motion and the machine has 0.1-in. dropped motion, then the controller tells the motor to move 110,000 encoder counts to obtain 1.0 in. of motion, therefore compensating for the 0.1-in. lost motion.

Backlash is the excess space between two adjacent gear teeth and its engaging tooth; lost movement may be the total looseness or movement at a reducer’s result shaft when the insight shaft is fixed. Dropped motion includes backlash, plus losses from bearing looseness, tolerances and fits, and shaft and gear tooth compliance.
Servo controllers can be programmed to pay for backlash and dropped movement in planetary gearheads. This technique compensates for backlash even where an application requires accuracy better than the minimal backlash of the gearhead.