Key Technologies of Upgrading Industrial Automation Systems: How Motion Control Solutions Drive Intelligent Manufacturing Transformation?

The productronica China serves as a crucial platform for showcasing and exchanging ideas within the electronic intelligent manufacturing sector. It will be open grandly from March 26 to 28, 2025, at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (Halls E1-E5, W1-W4). productronica China 2025 will cover nearly 100,000 square meters and is expected to draw over 1,000 premium companies from the electronic manufacturing field. These companies will showcase a full range of products and technologies from the electronic manufacturing supply chain, including electronic chemical materials, dispensing and bonding solutions, automated electronic assembly, testing and measurement tools, quality assurance services, electronic manufacturing services, surface mount technology (SMT), cable processing, component manufacturing, motion control and drive technology, sensor technology, robotics, AGVs, intelligent warehousing, and more.

The motion control system is one of the core technologies in modern industry. Its development has witnessed the continuous progress of human industrial civilization. From early simple mechanical transmission control to today's complex systems integrating advanced electronic, computer, and automation technologies, the role of motion control systems in industrial production is increasingly prominent. In the context of the vigorous development of industries such as robotics, precision manufacturing, and medical devices under the vigorous promotion of intelligent manufacturing, motion control systems are integrated into a wide range of new modern intelligent manufacturing scenarios with new services and business formats, showing a trend of continuous growth.

From a basic structural perspective, typical motion control systems mainly include controllers, drivers + motors (actuators), and sensors. Many manufacturers are continuously striving in the field of motion control to meet the precise requirements of different industries.

Innovations in basic transmission components, diverse competition and application expansion of linear modules

A linear module is a motion unit modularizing the linear motion platform. It integrates various components for linear reciprocating motion and can maintain high-precision linear motion under load, with significant advantages in precision control, high-speed response, and high-precision positioning. It is flexible to integrate and customize, suitable for cross-industry applications, and used in various industries for automation production scenarios.

According to relevant agencies' predictions, the market size of linear modules and linear motors is nearly RMB 10 billion, with strong growth expectations, reaching RMB 8.82 billion by 2030, with an average annual CAGR of 6.2%. The emergence of new industries and the upgrading of traditional manufacturing industries have led to the birth of application scenarios, which will effectively broaden the application fields of linear motion modules, accelerate the iteration of products by manufacturers, promote industry development, and increase market space.

HIWIN's single-axis robot KA220 series, using years of manufacturing technology and professional standards, along with self-developed ball screws and linear guide modules, features easy installation, compact size, high precision, and diversified product specifications, applicable to various types of automation equipment. When coupled with HIWIN's self-developed high-speed response servo motors and drivers, it provides a complete modular solution.

PMI's linear module KM series combines PMI linear guides and screw technology and experience, with an integrated design of the nut and slider, along with a highly rigid U-shaped rail with optimized cross-section, achieving excellent space utilization and significantly reducing installation time. It ensures high rigidity and high precision requirements and offers four-directional load capacity with its superior design of steel ball rolling surfaces using two rows of Gothic-type arc and a 45° contact angle.

AirTAC currently has two main product categories: pneumatic and linear guides, with 160 series and over 250,000 product models. It provides intelligent solutions for 40 major industries such as automotive, new energy, smart electronics, photovoltaics, medical, and semiconductors. AirTAC's linear guide products feature a unique golden guide angle and an integrated cage design, providing high-quality linear guide products to customers through original graded testing processes. It also offers customized industry solutions, such as black chrome-plated series products for the lithium battery industry, super high rigidity heavy preloading solutions and P-grade precision high-end grinding series products for the machine tool industry, and high dust-resistant series products for industries with higher dust levels. Currently, AirTAC's linear sliders are widely used in areas such as automotive manufacturing, machine tool equipment, lithium battery equipment, medical devices, linear modules, and automation equipment, serving over 20,000 customers.

CSK offers precision linear guides, linear motors, linear motor modules, precision linear motor positioning platforms (customizable), DD motors, etc. Its standard ball screw series LMG linear guides use four-column steel balls with a 45-degree arc contact angle load-bearing design, providing high rigidity and load-bearing performance. They can also bear loads radially, anti-radially, and in both left and right lateral directions, with automatic self-centering characteristics that absorb assembly errors on mounting surfaces during equipment assembly. The steel ball rolling back and forth provides low-friction resistance characteristics, fully meeting the requirements of high precision, high reliability, and smooth and stable linear motion on precision equipment.


Golytec Automation's magnetic levitation linear drive motor not only transforms the rotational motion of traditional motors into linear motion but also excels with high-speed, high acceleration, and high precision characteristics, surpassing traditional linear motors. The rotor breaks free from cable constraints, allowing for high flexibility and enabling asynchronous or synchronous motion between multiple rotors. Currently, Golytec Automation's product line includes high-precision iTS-L circular lines and iTS-LT connection lines for internal equipment, iWS logistics lines for inter-equipment use, and iHDT heavy-duty logistics lines for super-large loads, covering from medium to small loads to extra-large loads of over 5 tons, with speeds reaching over 6 m/s. The product's repeated positioning accuracy can be customized according to customer requirements, ranging from 0.001 mm to 0.5 mm.


Ticbel not only provides customized direct drive solutions for industries and niche markets but also offers over 200 standardized products. Its main customers are in China's 3C, photovoltaic, lithium battery, and semiconductor equipment sectors. Its products include the LMU coreless linear motor series, the LMT iron-core linear motor series, torque motor series, linear module, etc.


TOYO ROBOT's linear transmission mainly includes slide table modules, electric cylinders, linear motor manipulators, electric grippers, desktop grippers, and unmanned handling vehicles, among other categories. Its air-bearing module LBT has an effective stroke of 50-500 mm, a repeat positioning accuracy of ±0.2 µm/300 mm, straightness/flatness of 0.5 µm/300 mm, zero consumption, no need for lubrication maintenance, suitable for precision positioning, AOI inspection laser applications, and clean room environments.


Suzhou ITG specializes in the research, development, manufacturing, sales, and related technical consultation and after-sales service of direct drive motors such as DDL and DDR, as well as curved motors. Its products have a compact structure with high thrust density, minimal magnetic attraction, and cogging effects, excellent heat dissipation, and driving voltage options ranging from 45 V to three-phase 380 V.

CPC is a professional manufacturer of linear motion components, with the CLS linear motor module series characterized by high compactness and rigidity, providing users with excellent size options for specific thrust requirements. The lightweight, high-speed, and high-acceleration CLS linear motors are iron-coreless linear motors that, when paired with an aluminum slide table, offer lightweight movement of loads and can meet the conditions of high-speed and high-acceleration motion.


Enbi — Cross-roller guide
Product features:
A round pin roller anti-slip system — The NV type effectively prevents roller slippage during high-acceleration motion, ensuring the smooth operation of the mechanism without deviation of the control retainer.
High rigidity and high load-bearing capacity — The NV type increases the contact length between the track and the guide surface by 30-58% compared to the SV type (conventional), reducing roller pitch and increasing the number of rollers, resulting in a load capacity increase of 1.3-2.5 times.
All stainless steel — The components of the corrosion-resistant cross-roller guides SVS type, SVWS type, and NVS-RNS type are made of stainless steel, making them most suitable for environments with high requirements like clean rooms.
Ideal for fine-tuning — Almost no difference between starting friction and dynamic friction, precise adjustments can be made accurately, meeting the high-precision linear motion requirements.


Chuangfeng Seiko is dedicated to the research and development of linear drive products, focusing on the R&D and production of Cartesian robots, linear modules, XY positioning platforms, and linear motors. Chuangfeng's single-axis robot is positioned in the market to provide high-quality, rapid linear drive modules and mechanical parts of Cartesian robots for automation equipment manufacturers, eliminating design and maintenance costs for customers, improving equipment delivery cycles and stability, and enhancing product competitiveness.



Upgrades in control system sensing devices, innovative advancements in drivers and related products

In motion control systems, control and sensing devices are essential elements to ensure the stable operation of the system and achieve precise control. The two are complementary and indispensable. For example, a servo controller receives motion commands from the host computer and, based on position and speed feedback from the encoder, precisely controls the motor. Through complex algorithm calculations, it can quickly and accurately adjust the motor's output torque, speed, and direction, ensuring that mechanical components run along the predetermined trajectory and speed. Meanwhile, the encoder can monitor the motor's rotational angle, position, and speed changes in real-time, accurately providing this data back to the servo controller.

MOONS' MDX+ integrated low-voltage servo motor cleverly integrates multiple units such as servo motor, encoder, servo driver, etc. Its integrated design effectively reduces the space occupied by over 40%, while the number of connections is reduced by over 50%, providing a better solution for miniaturization and integration of equipment development. The MDX+ integrated low-voltage servo motor covers power ranges of 100 W/200 W/400 W/550 W/750 W, catering to diverse needs in various scenarios. Its driver fully supports pulse and various industrial fieldbuses such as RS485, EtherCAT, CANopen, EtherNet/IP, and PROFINET, and comes with models equipped with brakes and STO. Its excellent electromagnetic compatibility makes it perform exceptionally well in complex industrial environments, and with certifications such as UL/CE/REACH, it meets customers' stringent requirements for low voltage, efficiency, and integration.

Leadshine's L8 series high-end AC servo system boasts outstanding performance, powerful features, reliability, and compact size, offering a 5-year comprehensive warranty. The L8 series utilizes optimal PID algorithms for PWM control, with a speed loop bandwidth of 3.5 kHz, a 26-bit multi-turn absolute motor, a maximum speed of 7,000 rpm, and standard dynamic braking and direct drive brakes, support for STO (SIL3 level), and gantry synchronization function, meeting first-class product design standards, suitable for high-end application scenarios. The Leadshine L8 series servo products lead the way in import substitution, designed for high-end intelligent manufacturing.

Beckhoff is a German enterprise specializing in new automation technologies, leveraging PC and EtherCAT control technology to enable innovative electronic manufacturing solutions. Its key showcases include the XPlanar flat magnetic levitation transport system, XTS magnetic flexible transport system, system-integrated machine vision solutions, and real-time machine learning (ML) solutions tailored for electronic manufacturing. Highlights of the real-time solution for the semiconductor industry based on EtherCAT include:

·Realization of a comprehensive network architecture;
·System openness: EtherCAT complies with IEC and SEMI standards;
·The main controller can access data from any node under the EPC in real-time, responsible for data interaction with upper factory ERP;
·Each PM/TM is controlled by a separate EPC for quick processing of data nearby. Support ring network redundancy, hot-swappable, and independent safety logic.

SANYO DENKI's servo system solutions are highly praised for their high performance, precision, stability, compatibility, and customization services in the industrial automation field. Its newly introduced DC servo motor, SANMOTION K, completely replaces the existing SANMOTION T series products, offering a smooth, efficient, low-noise DC servo motor ideal for applications requiring high precision such as precision measuring instruments and medical equipment.

Advantech's IPC-730 stands out among exhibitors with its outstanding performance and customized design. Specifically designed for harsh industrial environments, this product combines unique advantages to meet high-performance computing and real-time data processing needs. The IPC-730 features a high-power ATX 3.1 power supply, supports full-length GPU cards, and excellent cooling systems ensuring stable operation even under heavy loads. Its excellent mechanical design is not only compatible with ATX/mATX motherboards but also offers a variety of I/O connection options, significantly enhancing system integration flexibility in industrial automation and machine vision applications, making it the preferred choice for machine vision, edge AI, and automated optical inspection (AOI) fields.

E·MC specializes in the industrial automation field, offering efficient, intelligent, precise, and low-consumption industrial automation component solutions based on pneumatic components. Its ESV series bus valve islands support Ethernet buses like PROFINET, EtherCAT, and EtherNet/IP, as well as fieldbus communication protocols such as DeviceNet, CC Link, and IO-Link. These valve islands do not require external branch connectors, allowing direct serial communication connections between islands. They feature strong shielding cable anti-interference capabilities, long transmission distances, and stable and reliable communication, with protection levels up to IP40, IP65/67, and a voltage of DC 24 V.

EVOC's main business includes specialty computer system products, industrial intelligent operation system software, and an industrial cloud system platform. Its M60B supports the H610E/Q670E platforms, offering high performance, reliability, stability, and PCI and PCIE expansion support. It has a compact size, full functionality, rich interfaces, strong environmental adaptability, and is suitable for mid-to-high-end customer needs. It can be widely used in various embedded fields such as highway lane control, mechanical testing equipment, smart transportation, industrial automation control, and more.


As technology continues to advance, the depth and breadth of application of motion control systems across industries will continue to expand. The ongoing innovation and development of core components such as linear modules and servo controllers undoubtedly serve as a powerful engine driving intelligent manufacturing to new heights. Major manufacturers will continue to forge ahead in intense market competition, continuously optimizing product performance and enhancing technological levels to meet increasingly diverse industrial demands. The productronica China will take place from March 26-28, 2025, at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (Halls E1-E5 & W1-W4), bringing together motion control enterprises such as HIWIN, AirTAC, igus, PMI, Golytec Automation, item, TPA Motion Control, JWIPC, and RobustMotion, robot and intelligent warehousing enterprises such as OMRON Corporation, SIASUN DUCO, CGXi, Elite Robots, ESTUN CODROID, PASSIONIOT, KinTN Intelligent, Guomai Intelligent, INSPIRE-ROBOTS, and TiS Robot, and industrial sensor enterprises such as Pepperl+Fuchs, ELCO, BANNER, CONTROLWAY, SENPUM, FLEXEM, BOJKE, etc. Register now to experience a more intelligent, efficient, and precise industrial new era on-site.