maxon releases ESCON2 servo controllers

Maxon has launched the ESCON2 series of servo controllers, designed to deliver enhanced smoothness, dynamics, and precision in various machines and devices. This new line leverages an innovative Hall sensor-based speed control method combined with field-oriented control (FOC) commutation to improve performance, even for BLDC motors without encoders. The ESCON2 controllers range from the compact ESCON2 Nano 24/2 to the more powerful ESCON2 Compact 60/30, supporting voltages up to 60V and currents up to 30A. These controllers are suitable for a wide array of applications including industrial, robotics, medical, and analytical fields, and offer flexible integration options such as plug-in modules, ready-to-connect compact designs, or housed units. The ESCON2 series is notable for its high control rates—10 kHz for speed and 50 kHz for current—and its ability to maintain precise motor currents, torques, and speeds with high energy efficiency, even under continuous operation. The controllers use advanced algorithms and overload-resistant power stages to enable rapid accelerations and accurate motion profiles, resulting in faster machine cycles and improved product quality. A key innovation is the patent-pending method that analyzes Hall sensor switching edges to create virtual sensor information, allowing smooth and stable speed control comparable to encoder-based systems, but without the added cost and wiring complexity of encoders. Additionally, the ESCON2 offers versatile command and monitoring interfaces, including analog/digital I/Os, USB, RS232, and CAN with CANopen CiA402 protocol support. It supports multiple control modes such as Profile Velocity Mode, Cyclic Synchronous Velocity, and Torque modes, alongside maxon-specific modes that combine analog and digital input control. These features enable precise commanding, process monitoring, IoT integration, and predictive maintenance, making ESCON2 a highly adaptable and efficient solution for modern servo control needs.