Actuatorics and drive technology

PICKPLACE supports manufacturers in actuation, motion control, and industrial drive technology with the development of electronics, embedded software, and new device platforms. Many products combine power electronics, microcontrollers, sensor technology, control systems, and robust mechanics. It is precisely at this interface that high technical requirements arise – and it is precisely here that we offer our support.

Whether electric actuators, valve drives, motor controllers, pump drives, mobile machinery, or industrial adjustment units: Modern actuators require precise control, reliable communication, robust hardware, and long product lifecycles. At the same time, demands for functional safety, cybersecurity, energy consumption, and diagnostic capability are increasing.

Industrial sensor with round display and cable connections; part of embedded hardware in electronics.
PCB board with capacitors and ICs – electronic components, embedded hardware for embedded systems.

Development services for complex mechatronics

Electronics for Motion

Depending on the application, different objectives are prioritized: high dynamics, precise positioning, controlled force buildup, low noise development, low energy consumption, or safe operation in fault states. This requires a coordinated overall system comprising power electronics, sensors, embedded software, and an understanding of mechanics.

PICKPLACE supports manufacturers in the development of complex mechatronic systems – from compact actuators to complex industrial drive units.

We provide support for:

  • compact electronics for drives
  • Power electronics
  • Power management
  • Real-time control
  • Speed control
  • Position control
  • Torque control
  • Temperature management
  • Diagnose
  • Robust EMV design
  • harsh industrial environments
  • low power consumption
  • Functional safety

Embedded Software and Motion Control

Powerful hardware alone is not enough in actuator technology. Only with suitable embedded software can controlled movements, reproducible control quality, and safe state transitions be achieved. Modern drives therefore contain extensive firmware for control, monitoring, parameterization, and diagnostics.

Software must often operate in tight real-time cycles. Power, speed, or position values are cyclically captured, processed, and immediately converted into new control variables. Simultaneously, communication interfaces, error diagnostics, temperature monitoring, and service functions run in parallel. This demands clean prioritization, stable state machines, and robust error handling.

PICKPLACE develops embedded software for motion control systems, from simple actuators to complex regulated drives.

We entwrapping hardware and software for:

  • PWM control
  • Capture / Compare
  • Encoder Evaluation
  • Hall Sensor Evaluation
  • FOC-related architectures
  • Ramp profiles
  • Softstart / Softstop
  • Current limiting
  • Blocker detection
  • Real-time control loops
  • Error reactions
  • Service and parameterization functions
  • Solve
  • Rotary encoder
  • Absolute encoder
  • Hall effect sensors
  • Current sensors
  • Temperature sensors
  • Pressure sensing in hydraulic systems
  • Distance Measurement for Linear Actuators
  • Vibration monitoring
  • MOSFET and IGBT Driving
  • Half bridges / Full bridges
  • 3-phase power amplifiers
  • Gate Driver Concepts
  • Current measurement via shunt / Hall
  • DC bus monitoring
  • Industrial Communication