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As a critical branch of industrial robotics, collaborative robots have gained rapid global traction in recent years. Boasting advantages like high flexibility, enhanced safety, and user-friendliness, they are widely adopted across industries such as automotive, medical, and manufacturing—emerging as a key driver of industrial automation and intelligent development.
1. What is a Collaborative Robot?
The intelligent upgrade of robots is a defining feature of the new industrial revolution. However, human involvement remains irreplaceable in specific product domains and production lines. For instance, in assembling high-precision components or handling labor-intensive tasks requiring high flexibility, collaborative robots work alongside human operators to maximize robotic efficiency and human intelligence. Compared to traditional industrial robots, they offer better cost-effectiveness, enhanced safety, and greater convenience—significantly advancing the development of manufacturing enterprises.
Key Features of Collaborative Robots:
◾ Lightweight: Enhances controllability and safety.
◾ User-friendly Design: Features smooth surfaces and joints, with no sharp edges or gaps that could harm operators.
◾ Environmental Perception: Capable of sensing surroundings and adjusting actions based on environmental changes.
◾ Human-Robot Collaboration: Equipped with sensitive force feedback; stops instantly when a preset force threshold is reached, enabling safe human-robot cooperation—even without safety barriers in some scenarios.
2. Trends in Power Supply Systems for Collaborative Robot Motor Drives
Robots integrate multiple functional elements—such as connectivity, visual perception, position sensing, and motor control—based on their applications and functions. They also incorporate various power subsystems, including AC-DC conversion, battery management, DC-DC conversion, multiphase converters, sensors, and motor drivers. Among these, the motor drive system is the core of collaborative robots, primarily responsible for precise joint motion control and power supply.
Traditional motor drive systems have long relied on 12V solutions. The rise of 48V systems stems from 48V being the highest universally recognized safe voltage. Compared to devices powered directly by mains electricity, hardware engineers can simplify system protection design, reduce product size, and thereby lower weight, cost, and power loss. Motors directly powered by 48V are generally smaller, enabling more compact and lightweight joints—boosting energy efficiency, dexterity, and reliability while cutting weight and costs. This unlocks new possibilities for robotic applications and accelerates industrial automation.
3. Inductor Selection for 48V Motor Drive Power Supply Systems
Inductors are critical components in 48V motor drive power systems, primarily used in DC-DC converters (e.g., Buck, Boost, and Buck-Boost circuits). Their key functions include energy storage, filtering, interference suppression, and ensuring system stability. Selecting low-loss, high-saturation-current, and high-current inductors can significantly improve system efficiency and stability. Additionally, inductors provide robust EMI suppression, reducing the interference of DC-DC switching noise on other sensitive circuits.
In 48V motor drive power systems, inductor performance directly impacts system stability, efficiency, and reliability. Thus, selecting the right inductor is crucial for hardware engineers. Key parameters must be carefully balanced, including inductance value, saturation current, DC resistance, and operating frequency.
Key Inductor Selection Parameters:
◾ Inductance: Determines ripple current magnitude and energy storage capacity. Proper inductance values smooth current ripple and enhance system stability.
◾ Saturation Current: The DC current at which the magnetic core saturates. Selecting materials with high saturation points and excellent thermal stability ensures stable operation.
◾ DC Resistance (DCR): Lower DCR reduces power loss and improves efficiency. Flat-wire monolithic structures balance low DCR with high power density.
◾ Operating Frequency: With the adoption of wide-bandgap semiconductors (SiC, GaN), switching frequencies have risen to the MHz range. High-frequency, compact, high-current power inductors are essential for efficient and stable system operation.
4. Codaca Inductor Solutions
Through independent R&D and technological innovation, CODACA offers a comprehensive range of inductor solutions for 48V motor drive power systems in collaborative robots, supporting the advancement of industrial automation. The company provides diverse product categories and models, each with unique electrical characteristics to meet the high-performance requirements of these systems.
4.1 High-Current Power Inductors
Utilize magnetic powder cores with flat-wire windings, featuring high saturation current, low loss, high conversion efficiency, and wide operating temperature range. Ideal for 48V DC-DC converters demanding high current, low loss, and high power density.
Molded from low-loss powder core materials with a fully shielded structure, offering strong EMI resistance, low DC resistance, high current capacity, and low core loss. Meet system requirements for compact size, high current, and robust EMI performance.
Incorporate high-frequency, low-loss magnetic cores, resulting in minimal high-frequency losses. Their compact size suits high-density mounting, and the magnetic shielding design provides strong EMI resistance—making them ideal for compact, high-performance power systems.
As collaborative robots expand across industries, the performance and reliability of their 48V motor drive power systems become increasingly critical. Careful inductor selection—considering inductance, saturation current, DC resistance, and operating frequency—ensures stable, efficient, and high-performance operation. With innovative solutions from providers like CODACA, collaborative robots can achieve higher energy efficiency, precision, and reliability, driving the next wave of industrial automation and smart manufacturing.