WHAT SHOULD ENGINEERS KNOW ABOUT COMPONENT INTERACTIONS AND THEIR AFFECT

Gingerich: Consider everything. Our application engineers use the acronym LOSTPED to make sure they don't forget anything. LOSTPED stands for Load, Orientation, Speed, Travel, Precision, Environment, and Duty Cycle. Any one of these could create a critical problem if overlooked, or at best, result in wasted time and lost market opportunity.
Rey: If choosing components from different suppliers, make sure the products use open and interoperable systems, which allow them to talk to one another.

ANY TIPS TO HELP ENGINEERS GET THEIR DESIGNS TO MARKET FASTER?

Gingerich: It's important to work closely with the motion component providers throughout the development, test, and debugging processes.
Rey: Keep it simple. On large system installations, use as many common components as you can to minimize the list of different motion control suppliers. And use open bus communication technologies such as Sercos, ProfiBus, Interbus, and DeviceNet.