ORCA Series Smart Linear Motors convert electrical power into mechanical forces that can be used to position, oscillate, or interact with components. This electrical power is then converted to thermal energy in the stator, consequently heating the motor. ORCA motors have integrated cooling features to wick this heat to the ambient environment, however some applications may benefit from additional cooling measures. The stator’s cooling fins have integrated slots for mounting standard fans, which can directly improve the continuous performance of the stators.
If your application forces the average power consumption of your ORCA motors to exceed its ambient cooling limit, it's important to cool the active motor to prevent overheating. This technical note will outline different cooling methods to help prolong your motor’s lifespan.
The ORCA Series Smart Linear Motor datasheet outlines the cooling data for each motor. The table below shows the data for the ORCA-6-48V model:
The addition of one single fan increases the cooling rate from 34 W to 106 W. This table specifies the 100% duty cycle of the motors.
| High Load Cycling | Cobots | Aggressive Oscillations in Testing | |
| Application | Automated presses and assembly machines. | Cobots used in assembly lines for tasks requiring repetitive high-force actions. | Testing rigs for product endurance and stress testing. |
| Benefit | Fans increase the cooling rate allowing these machines to operate under high loads continuously without overheating, thus improving efficiency and reducing downtime. | Enhanced cooling from fans allows cobots to handle higher loads continuously, increasing their productivity and operational lifespan. | Fans enable motors to manage feat more effectively during aggressive oscillation tests, preventing overheating and ensuring accurate and reliable test results. |
Mounting fans onto the stator is simple, the components required are:
See below a diagram for this mounting:
The required power can be estimated by understanding the motion profiles and loads, although the best method to determine average power is real world testing.
For estimation purposes, utilize the following process to determine a power function for the actuator:
The external load,
Simplifying feasibility to a constant force makes for simplified math, however, in real-world applications the power input to the motor fluctuates as it adapts to the task at hand.
Duty Cycle: The percentage of time an ORCA motor will run a known motion. If a motor starts a 5s cycle every 20s, this would correspond to a duty cycle of 25%. Duty cycle is helpful for estimated thermal performance, though it loses many nuances.
Motion Power Consumption: A motion will consume a certain amount of energy that is dependent on the accelerations, external loads, and the inertia of the system. Studying a motion profile by its maximum force is not useful when discussing the thermal performance of the motor. The formula for the average power consumed during a motion is:
Where P(t) is the power for the motion with respect to time, and tmax is the time to operate the motion.
Average Power Consumption: A motor may complete many different motion profiles over its operating life. Average power consumption takes into account the individual motions and the overall duty cycle to determine the average power consumption. This is equivalent to the average power usage throughout a day of motor operation.