NSK Ltd.
Corporate Communications Department
Launch of EtherCAT® Compatible Driver for Megatorque Motor™
Achieving Integrated Control and High-Speed Synchronous Operation of Multiple Motors, Contributing to Improved Production Efficiency in a Wide Range of Applications Including Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment
- This Driver supports EtherCAT*1, the industrial Ethernet standard with superior real-time performance. EtherCAT has expanded its market share in recent years, this Driver achieves integrated control and high-speed synchronous operation of multiple motors.
- Improves the angular resolution*2 of Megatorque Motor*3 by 1.6 times (to 4.19 million divisions per revolution) compared to current products, enabling finer rotational positioning.
- Scheduled for sequential sales starting in April 2025, supporting a wide range of applications including semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
NSK Ltd. (NSK; Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President and CEO: Akitoshi Ichii) will launch the “EtherCAT Compatible Driver” (“Driver Model EGC” and “Converter Model ECC”, hereinafter “this product”) as a device to drive and control NSK’s high-precision positioning and transport device “Megatorque Motor”. The introduction of this product maintains the high environmental resistance capability of the Megatorque Motor while achieving integrated control of multiple motors, high-speed synchronous operation, and finer rotational positioning. This contributes to improved production efficiency and high-precision positioning in various applications, including semiconductor manufacturing equipment. NSK will exhibit this product at “SEMICON Japan 2024” held at Tokyo Big Sight (Tokyo International Exhibition Center) from December 11 (Wed) to 13 (Fri), 2024. Based on customer feedback at the exhibition, NSK will start selling this product for two Megatorque Motor models (PS3015, PN4135) in April 2025. Subsequently, NSK plans to line up this product to support a total of 11 Megatorque Motor models by March 2026, aiming for sales of 1.5 billion yen in 2026.
*1 EtherCAT : A registered trademark and patented technology, licensed by Beckhoff Automation GmbH, Germany.
*2 Angular Resolution: Refers to the smallest rotational angle that can be controlled within one full rotation (360 degrees) of the motor.
*3 Megatorque Motor: NSK’s direct drive motor (a high-precision positioning and transport device that does not use a gear reducer).
For more information：Product information Megatorque Motor™
1. Background of Development
1.1 Features of Megatorque Motor
The Megatorque Motor is NSK’s direct drive motor (a high-precision positioning and transport device that does not use a gear reducer). It has an integrated structure of bearings, motor, and angular sensor, producing precise rotational motion, allowing the transport target to move quickly and stop accurately at the desired position. It features high environmental resistance capability and adopts a highly reliable dedicated resolver*4 as an angular sensor, ensuring stable performance even in harsh environments. It is widely used in various applications, including semiconductor manufacturing equipment and industrial machinery.
*4 Resolver: An angular sensor composed of coils and an iron core that outputs an AC signal corresponding to the rotational angle.
Example of servo motor use with reduction gear (left) and Megatorque Motor (right)
1.2 Market Demands for Megatorque Motor
In recent years, industrial automation in factories has seen the spread of industrial Ethernet with high speed and real-time capabilities as a field network connecting devices, driven by trends like Industry 4.0 and IoT. In the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry, the share of EtherCAT, which has superior real-time performance among industrial Ethernet standards, is expanding, leading to increased demand for Megatorque Motor to support EtherCAT. Additionally, the demand for EtherCAT support is growing in applications such as electronic component inspection equipment and image processing equipment. Meanwhile, with the increasing precision of semiconductor products, there is a demand for further precision improvement in Megatorque Motor.
2. Product Features
2.1 Achieving Integrated Control of Multiple Motors and High-Speed Synchronous Operation with EtherCAT Support
By enabling Megatorque Motor to support EtherCAT through this product, integrated control of multiple motors and high-speed synchronous operation, including devices other than Megatorque Motor, can be achieved. This contributes to improving production efficiency by shortening the startup time of equipment and the operation time in each process.
Current （Left） and this product（Right）
2.2 Improving Angular Resolution of Megatorque Motor by 1.6 Times (to 4.19 million divisions per revolution) Compared to Current Dedicated Driver Unit, Enabling More Precise Rotational Positioning
The analogue/digital processing of the signals from the dedicated resolver built into the Megatorque motor with the converter of this product improves the angular resolution by 1.6 times (angular resolution: 4.19 million divisions per revolution) compared to the current product (angular resolution: 2.62 million divisions per revolution). This enables more precise rotational positioning of the Megatorque Motor, contributing to high-precision positioning of the equipment.
2.3 Supporting 11 Current Megatorque Motor Models
This product lineup supports 11 models of Megatorque Motor, making it usable in a wide range of applications, including semiconductor manufacturing equipment, electronic component inspection equipment, and image processing equipment. Additionally, even in facilities that have already adopted Megatorque Motor, EtherCAT support can be achieved by introducing this product.
Megatorque Motor Models to be supported
3. Product Benefits
The introduction of this product maintains the Megatorque Motor’s traditional high environmental resistance capability while achieving integrated control of multiple motors, high-speed synchronous operation, and finer rotational positioning of the Megatorque Motor. This contributes to improved production efficiency and high-precision positioning in a wide range of applications, including semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
About NSK
NSK produced the first bearings in Japan in 1916 and over the past 100 years, it has supported the development of industries worldwide by creating various innovative products and technologies in bearings, automotive parts, and precision machinery. Since the early 1960s, the company has expanded overseas and now has operations in about 30 countries. It ranks third in the world in the field of bearings and leads the world in ball screws, electric power steering, and other products.