#Product Trends
Harmonic Rotary Actuator: Built-In Driver vs. External Driver — Which Is Right for Your Application?
A built-in or external driver should be selected based on the actuator’s space, wiring, thermal, control, and maintenance requirements.
Harmonic Rotary Actuators can use either built-in or external drivers, with each configuration suited to different machine architectures. Built-in drivers are useful for compact robotic joints, humanoid robots, collaborative robots, and applications where space and wiring are major constraints, while external drivers offer greater flexibility for CNC systems, semiconductor equipment, and multi-axis automation with centralized control. The article explains how factors such as torque, speed, load inertia, encoder configuration, duty cycle, thermal conditions, installation space, and control architecture should be considered when selecting the right actuator and driver configuration.
