Meridian is an integrated motion controller and digital servo drive that is capable of controlling servos, linear motors, and steppers. Benefits include:
Reduce machine vibration and increase throughput with g-Stop™ anti-resonance
Use the Accelerated Prototyping System™ to diagnose machine performance, reduce development time, and get your machine to market faster
Improve stepper motor smoothness and increase power output with Meridian's vector sinewave commutation
Meridian's "sFoundation" is a source code library that provides the majority of the motion functions you'll need to get your system up and running quickly
Spring applied power-off (or fail-safe) brakes are used in applications that require the axis to stay in position, even if the machine loses power or is turned off (this is common for vertical applications or when additional safety measures are required).
Front mount compatible with any NEMA 23 or NEMA 34 motor frames
24VDC input for easy actuation
NEMA 23 pricing starting at $219 and NEMA 34 at $296
The Amazon™ Intelligent Power Center (IPC) is designed and built specifically for motion control applications.
High output capacitance and built-in regen control system prevents over-voltage shutdowns and the need for external regeneration control and load resistor
High peak power drastically reduces power supply droop during motor acceleration
Teknic continues to advance the state-of-the-art in servo motion control. As a result, new products are engineered to provide greater performance, reliability, and value. Products that are eventually displaced by the introduction of new technology are not simply discontinued—the components continue to be manufactured and supported for as long as parts are reasonably available.
When products are forced into end of life, Teknic's factory engineers work with customers who desire to extend the life of their legacy machines with newer servo components. Some of Teknic's legacy products were available for nearly 30 years before they moved to end of life status.
Automatic tuning optimizes the servo for each application
Integrated system—no more motor cable wiring
Whisper quiet operation—no stepper whine
Closed-loop positioning—no worries about lost steps
Series-wound stators available for high torque applications
IP67 sealing option protects against extreme environments
Starting at $257
Models from 1/8 to 7.7 Peak hp
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All-in-One Systems
ClearPath-SD combines a step & direction vector servo drive, brushless servo motor, and high-resolution encoder into one compact package.
Two models are available: the SDSK model, which has 2-3 times the power of similar size stepper systems; and the SDHP model, which has 8-15 times the power of similar size steppers.
Replace your stepper motor or your digital input servo with ClearPath-SDHP and get state-of-the-art, brushless servo performance in a clean, integrated package. Accelerate harder, move faster, and improve your machine throughput.
SDSK
Looking to replace steppers with servos?
Simply plug your ClearPath-SDSK into your stepper's motion controller/indexer and immediately get servo performance: quiet and smooth motion, higher throughput, and closed-loop positioning.
ClearPath-SD
VS. STEPPERS AND OTHER DIGITAL SERVOS
Power
ClearPath-SDSK
3 ClearPath-SDSK servo systems have 2-3 times the power of similar sized steppers and cost less.
Stepper Motors
1 High inductance and high pole count causes torque to drop off rapidly with speed, leading to lower power output.
ClearPath-SDHP
5 ClearPath-SDHP servo systems have 8-15 times the power of similar sized steppers, and more power than many similar sized servos due to the vector sinewave torque control and high energy rare-earth magnetics.
Other Servos
5 Most brushless servo systems have constant torque out to relatively high speed, which means lots of power.
Accuracy & Repeatability
ClearPath-SDSK
5 Very good, and ClearPath's proprietary anti-hunt feature eliminates most hunting. Encoder disk runout is minimized by using a precision machined shaft, a zero runout disk mount design, and a fixed rear bearing.
Stepper Motors
3 Generally pretty good, but degraded by a variety of factors: friction, inertia, static forces, temperature, detent torque, etc.
ClearPath-SDHP
5 Very good, and ClearPath's proprietary anti-hunt feature eliminates most hunting. Encoder disk runout is minimized by using a precision machined shaft, a zero runout disk mount design, and a fixed rear bearing.
Other Servos
4 Very good, although some servos hunt (dither) if they use high resolution encoders. Also encoder disk runout affects accuracy.
No Lost Steps
ClearPath-SDSK
5 Servo systems can not lose steps or stall like stepper motor systems.
Stepper Motors
1 Stepper motor systems can lose position or stall if not designed with a large safety margin.
ClearPath-SDHP
5 Servo systems can not lose steps or stall like stepper motor systems.
Other Servos
5 Servo systems can not lose steps or stall like stepper motor systems.
Smoothness
ClearPath-SDSK
3 Servos have no resonant zones like steppers, and ClearPath-SDSK will apply a small amount of jerk-limiting (and jerk-derivative limiting) to help smooth out any imperfections in the motion profile output.
Stepper Motors
1 Steppers need to jump through speeds where they naturally resonate, which causes jerk on start and stop of motion.
ClearPath-SDHP
5 Servos have no resonant zones like steppers, and ClearPath-SDHP will apply as much jerk-limiting (and jerk-derivative limiting) as required to reduce machine vibration and improve settling time.
Other Servos
3 Servos have no resonant zones like steppers. Smoothness of motion depends on the quality of the motion profile and tracking accuracy of the servo.
Quietness
ClearPath-SDSK
5 Brushless servo systems are generally much quieter than stepper systems, and ClearPath uses special techniques to further reduce noise: vector AC commutation, skewed stator laminations, exterior rotor magnet design, oversized precision bearings, and others.
Stepper Motors
1 The large detent torque of steppers, and the way they operate, causes them to run noisy.
ClearPath-SDHP
5 Brushless servo systems are generally much quieter than stepper systems, and ClearPath uses special techniques to further reduce noise: vector AC commutation, skewed stator laminations, exterior rotor magnet design, oversized precision bearings, and others.
Other Servos
5 Brushless servo systems are generally much quieter than stepper systems.
Load Handling
ClearPath-SDSK
5 ClearPath automatically optimizes itself for whatever load is connected. Numerous servo control innovations allow ClearPath to easily handle load-to-motor inertia mismatches of more than 100:1.
Stepper Motors
1 Steppers must be mechanically "tuned" to the load friction and inertia in order to work properly. Stepper performance can not be optimized with software.
ClearPath-SDHP
5 ClearPath automatically optimizes itself for whatever load is connected. Numerous servo control innovations allow ClearPath to easily handle load-to-motor inertia mismatches of more than 100:1.
Other Servos
3 Servos can be tuned to be a wide range of loads, but most servo manufacturers recommend staying within a 10:1 load-to-motor inertia ratio for acceptable performance.
Vibration
ClearPath-SDSK
4 Brushless servos systems general have much less vibration than stepper systems, and ClearPath further reduces vibration due to the vector chatter common to many servo systems that use acceleration feedforward and/or aggressive torque loop gains.
Stepper Motors
1 For the same reasons that steppers are noisy, they also create a substantial amount of high frequency vibration.
ClearPath-SDHP
5 Brushless servos systems general have much less vibration than stepper systems, and ClearPath further reduces vibration due to the vector chatter common to many servo systems that use acceleration feedforward and/or aggressive torque loop gains.
Other Servos
4 Brushless servo systems generally have much less vibration than stepper systems.
Efficiency
ClearPath-SDSK
5 Servos are energy efficient because (in theory) they only use current in proportion to the amount of torque needed. ClearPath uses resistance feedforward, back-EMF compensation, and inductance cross-coupling to come very close to theoretical maximum efficiency. This means that very little energy is consumed when the motor is running at constant speed or at rest.
Stepper Motors
1 Steppers typically run with at least 50% of full current at all times even when running at constant velocity or standing still. This wastes a large amount of energy and causes steppers to run hot even with low loads.
ClearPath-SDHP
5 Servos are energy efficient because (in theory) they only use current in proportion to the amount of torque needed. ClearPath uses resistance feedforward, back-EMF compensation, and inductance cross-coupling to come very close to theoretical maximum efficiency. This means that very little energy is consumed when the motor is running at constant speed or at rest.
Other Servos
4 Servos are energy efficient because (in theory) they only use current in proportion to the amount of torque needed. Motor resistance, speed and inductance effects degrade theoretical efficiency.
Integrated
ClearPath-SDSK
5 The ClearPath-SD models priced below combine a brushless, permanent magnet servo motor, encoder, and vector sinewave drive with a step and direction interface, all in one compact package.
Stepper Motors
1 Expect to pay at least a $150 premium over the prices shown above to get an integrated stepper system (more with an encoder).
ClearPath-SDHP
5 The ClearPath-SD models priced below combine a brushless, permanent magnet servo motor, encoder, and vector sinewave drive with a step and direction interface, all in one compact package.
Other Servos
2 Expect to pay at least a $200 premium over the prices shown below to get an integrated servo system (other than ClearPath).
ClearPath-SD
VS. STEPPERS AND OTHER DIGITAL SERVOS
ClearPath-SDSK
Stepper Motors
ClearPath-SDHP
Other Digital Servos
3 ClearPath-SDSK servo systems have 2-3 times the power of similar sized steppers and cost less.
1 High inductance and high pole count causes torque to drop off rapidly with speed, leading to lower power output.
5 ClearPath-SDHP servo systems have 8-15 times the power of similar sized steppers, and more power than many similar sized servos due to the vector sinewave torque control and high energy rare-earth magnetics.
5 Most brushless servo systems have constant torque out to relatively high speed, which means lots of power.
5 Very good, and ClearPath's proprietary anti-hunt feature eliminates most hunting. Encoder disk runout is minimized by using a precision machined shaft, a zero runout disk mount design, and a fixed rear bearing.
3 Generally pretty good, but degraded by a variety of factors: friction, inertia, static forces, temperature, detent torque, etc.
5 Very good, and ClearPath's proprietary anti-hunt feature eliminates most hunting. Encoder disk runout is minimized by using a precision machined shaft, a zero runout disk mount design, and a fixed rear bearing.
4 Very good, although some servos hunt (dither) if they use high resolution encoders. Also encoder disk runout affects accuracy.
5 Servo systems can not lose steps or stall like stepper motor systems.
1 Stepper motor systems can lose position or stall if not designed with a large safety margin.
5 Servo systems can not lose steps or stall like stepper motor systems.
5 Servo systems can not lose steps or stall like stepper motor systems.
3 Servos have no resonant zones like steppers, and ClearPath-SDSK will apply a small amount of jerk-limiting (and jerk-derivative limiting) to help smooth out any imperfections in the motion profile output.
1 Steppers need to jump through speeds where they naturally resonate, which causes jerk on start and stop of motion.
5 Servos have no resonant zones like steppers, and ClearPath-SDHP will apply as much jerk-limiting (and jerk-derivative limiting) as required to reduce machine vibration and improve settling time.
3 Servos have no resonant zones like steppers. Smoothness of motion depends on the quality of the motion profile and tracking accuracy of the servo.
5 Brushless servo systems are generally much quieter than stepper systems, and ClearPath uses special techniques to further reduce noise: vector AC commutation, skewed stator laminations, exterior rotor magnet design, oversized precision bearings, and others.
1 The large detent torque of steppers, and the way they operate, causes them to run noisy.
5 Brushless servo systems are generally much quieter than stepper systems, and ClearPath uses special techniques to further reduce noise: vector AC commutation, skewed stator laminations, exterior rotor magnet design, oversized precision bearings, and others.
5 Brushless servo systems are generally much quieter than stepper systems.
5 ClearPath automatically optimizes itself for whatever load is connected. Numerous servo control innovations allow ClearPath to easily handle load-to-motor inertia mismatches of more than 100:1.
1 Steppers must be mechanically "tuned" to the load friction and inertia in order to work properly. Stepper performance can not be optimized with software.
5 ClearPath automatically optimizes itself for whatever load is connected. Numerous servo control innovations allow ClearPath to easily handle load-to-motor inertia mismatches of more than 100:1.
3 Servos can be tuned to be a wide range of loads, but most servo manufacturers recommend staying within a 10:1 load-to-motor inertia ratio for acceptable performance.
4 Brushless servos systems generally have much less vibration than stepper systems, and ClearPath further reduces vibration due to the vector chatter common to many servo systems that use acceleration feedforward and/or aggressive torque loop gains.
1 For the same reasons that steppers are noisy, they also create a substantial amount of high frequency vibration.
5 Brushless servos systems general have much less vibration than stepper systems, and ClearPath further reduces vibration due to the vector chatter common to many servo systems that use acceleration feedforward and/or aggressive torque loop gains.
4 Brushless servo systems generally have much less vibration than stepper systems.
5 Servos are energy efficient because (in theory) they only use current in proportion to the amount of torque needed. ClearPath uses resistance feedforward, back-EMF compensation, and inductance cross-coupling to come very close to theoretical maximum efficiency. This means that very little energy is consumed when the motor is running at constant speed or at rest.
1 Steppers typically run with at least 50% of full current at all times even when running at constant velocity or standing still. This wastes a large amount of energy and causes steppers to run hot even with low loads.
5 Servos are energy efficient because (in theory) they only use current in proportion to the amount of torque needed. ClearPath uses resistance feedforward, back-EMF compensation, and inductance cross-coupling to come very close to theoretical maximum efficiency. This means that very little energy is consumed when the motor is running at constant speed or at rest.
4 Servos are energy efficient because (in theory) they only use current in proportion to the amount of torque needed. Motor resistance, speed and inductance effects degrade theoretical efficiency.
5 The ClearPath-SD models priced below combine a brushless, permanent magnet servo motor, encoder, and vector sinewave drive with a step and direction interface, all in one compact package.
1 Expect to pay at least a $150 premium over the prices shown above to get an integrated stepper system (more with an encoder).
5 The ClearPath-SD models priced below combine a brushless, permanent magnet servo motor, encoder, and vector sinewave drive with a step and direction interface, all in one compact package.
2 Expect to pay at least a $200 premium over the prices shown below to get an integrated servo system (other than ClearPath).
ClearPath Servos vs.Stepper Motors
Do you ever get frustrated with your stepper motor losing steps, but hesitate to buy a servo motor because you think they are too expensive or complicated? With this video, learn the differences between ClearPath-SD servo motors and stepper motors as we take an objective look at power, price, performance, and simplicity.
Learn How to ImplementClearPath-SD
In this video, we'll demonstrate key features of ClearPath-SD, including Teknic's proprietary "RAS"; technology, which improves motion profiles by converting them on the fly to ultra-smooth, jerk-limited and jerk-derivative-limited profiles. We'll also learn more about the differences between SDSK models and SDHP models.
Choose a ClearPath-SD Model
Both models share the same state-of-the-art servo performance.Choose based on power and price.
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