Servomotor

A servomotor is a closed-loop servomechanism that uses position feedback to control its motion and
final position. The input to its control is a signal (either analogue or digital) representing the position
commanded for the output shaft.A servo motor is a rotary actuator that allows for precise control of
angular position. It consists of a motor coupled to a sensor for position feedback. It also requires
a servo drive to complete the system. The drive uses the feedback sensor to precisely control the
rotary position of the motor. This is called closed-loop operation. By running the system closed-loop,
servo motors provide a high performance.

To fully understand how the servo works, you need to take a look under the hood. Inside there is a
pretty simple set-up: a small DC motor, potentiometer, and a control circuit. The motor is attached
by gears to the control wheel. As the motor rotates, the potentiometer's resistance changes, so the
control circuit can precisely regulate how much movement there is and in which direction it is.

Types of motor used in servomotor

The type of motor is not critical to a servomotor and different types may be used. At the simplest,
brushed permanent magnet DC motors are used, owing to their simplicity and low cost. Small
industrial servomotors are typically electronically commutated brushless motors. For large industrial
servomotors, AC induction motors are typically used, often with variable frequency drives to allow
control of their speed. For ultimate performance in a compact package, brushless AC motors with
permanent magnet fields are used.

SERVOMECHANISM& ITS IMPORTANCE

Definition

Servomechanism is an automatic control system in which the output is constantly compared with
the input through feedback so that the error or difference between the two quantities can be used
to bring about the desired amount of control. The servo consists of some control circuitry mounted
on the circuit board, a motor which provides movement, a gear train which multiplies the torque
of the motor, an output shaft which is the output of the servo, and a feedback potentiometer.
Servos are commonly electrical or partially electronic in nature, using an electric motor as the
primary means of creating mechanical force. Other types of servos use hydraulics, pneumatics, or
magnetic principles.

Usually, servos operate on the principle of negative feedback, where the control input is compared
to the actual position of the mechanical system as measured by some sort of transducer at the
output. Any difference between the actual and wanted values (an "error signal") is amplified and
used to drive the system in the direction necessary to reduce or eliminate the error.

Servomechanisms were first used in military fire-control and marine navigation equipment. Today
servomechanisms are used in automatic machine tools, satellite-tracking antennas and remote
control airplanes, automatic navigation systems on boats and planes, and antiaircraft-gun control.
The car's cruise control uses closed loop feedback, which classifies it as a servomechanism. A
servomechanism is unique from other control systems because it controls a parameter by
commanding the time-based derivative of that parameter.

Purpose of Servomechanism
Automatic Control

Accurate control of motion without the need for human attendants

Regulation and Self-calibration

Maintenance of accuracy with mechanical load variations, changes in theenvironment, power supply
fluctuations, and aging and deterioration of components.

Power Amplification

Control of a high-power load from a low-power command signal

Remote Control/Shaft Repeater

Control of an output from a remotely located input, without the use of mechanical linkages

Basic components of Servomechanism

All servomechanisms have at least these basic components: a commanddevice, an error detector, an
error-signal amplifier, a feedback elementand a device to perform any necessary error corrections
(theservomotor). The command device receives information, usually fromoutside the system that
represents the desired position of the controlleddevice. This information is converted to a form
usable by the system (suchas a voltage) and is fed to the same error detector as is the signal fromthe
controlled device. The error detector compares the feedback signal (representing actual position)
with the command signal (representingdesired position). Any discrepancy results in an error signal
thatrepresents the correction necessary to bring the controlled device to itsdesired position. The
error-correction signal is sent to an amplifier, and theamplified voltage is used to drive the
servomotor, which repositions thecontrolled device.
Servomechanism in Automobiles
A servo is used in automobiles to amplify the steering or braking forceapplied by the driver.
However, these devices are not true servos, butrather mechanical amplifiers. Now a day’s
electromechanical system areused in vehicles to improve the performance and safety

Importance in automobile
Hydraulic-vacuum servoBraking system:

Servo (brake booster)

 Connected with master cylinder

 Consists of 2 chambers separated by diaphragm
 Vacuum and Air

When pedal is pressed hydraulic from mastercylinderenters into servo and opens the air control
valve. The result is additional force pushing thepistonof main brake cylinder,slight press
uponpedalwill be amplified through servo.

You can check importance of servomechanism by yourself. Stop the engine and press the brakepedal
you will feel difficulty in it.

Position sensors in Automobile

Explaining this principle; we frequently use the steering of an automobileas an active servo system. I
don't mean the proportional hydraulic controlof the power steering system. The person behind the
wheel does not calculate how many degrees of rotation the steering wheel must be turnedfor taking
that five degree right hand banked turn that I'm approaching. All of the parameters of how quickly
to turn, how far to turn and when to turn are done by feedback through the grey matter processor
of the driver monitoring if the car stays in lane. Some systems in a car now have silicon processors
doing some feedback control.
 Conclusion
Servo is a mechanical or electromechanical system for control of theposition or speed of an output.
Negative feedback is incorporated tominimize discrepancies between the output state and the input
controlsetting An Automatic device used to correct the performance of amechanism by means of an
error-sensing feedback. The termservomechanism properly applies only to systems in which the
feedbackand error-correction signals control mechanical position or one of itsderivatives such as
velocity or acceleration’s a type of control system thatautomatically corrects errors in the position,
velocity, or acceleration of anobject. Industry uses servomechanisms to control automatic
machinessuch as robots.