Modern stagecraft and large-scale commercial displays increasingly rely on complex mechanics (winches, lifts, rotating screens) to create immersive, dynamic visual effects. The demands on drive systems are unique and extremely harsh: 1) Absolute Silence: In a performance (like a play or concert) or a quiet exhibit (like a museum), motor noise is a critical limiting factor. Any slight electromagnetic hum or gear noise is unacceptable. 2) Perfect Smoothness: Start, stop, and runtime must be perfectly smooth, without any “jitter” or “jerk,” to ensure a good audience experience and flawless camera work. 3) High-Precision Synchronization: Multiple lift points (winches) or drive units (opening screens) must be perfectly synchronized for smooth, safe operation of large structures. 4) Absolute Reliability: Any failure during a live event is a major disaster, requiring extreme system reliability and safety redundancy.
AKT Product Solution
AKT provides professional-grade motion control products for the stage and display industry, centered on high-performance Brushless DC (BLDC) Servo Systems and Silent Stepper Motors.
- Ultra-Quiet & Smooth Solution:
This is the industry’s biggest pain point. Our high-performance BLDC servo systems, featuring FOC (Field-Oriented Control) drivers with sinusoidal currents, are the premium choice for high-end stages. FOC control fundamentally eliminates torque ripple and electromagnetic noise, enabling “silky smooth” starts/stops and near-silent operation.
For low-speed applications like rotating displays, our hybrid stepper motors (especially 0.9° high-resolution models) paired with silent stepper drivers (using advanced current control) also achieve noise and smoothness levels far superior to traditional drives. - High-Precision Multi-Axis Sync Solution:
Multi-axis synchronization is the core technology for large-scale LED screens or multi-point winch systems. Our intelligent BLDC servo drivers and stepper drivers can support high-speed industrial buses like EtherCAT or CANopen. Via EtherCAT, a master controller can send commands to dozens of drives with nanosecond clock synchronization. This ensures all motor units operate with micron-level synchronous precision, enabling complex and fluid dynamic choreography. - High-Safety Redundancy & Transmission Solution:
Safety is paramount in stage equipment, especially for winches or lifts carrying performers. Our motors offer redundant options, such as integrated dual electromagnetic brakes and dual-channel absolute encoders. The brakes ensure the load is instantly locked in a power-loss scenario. Our high-strength planetary gearboxes (frames 42mm to 130mm) provide the high gear ratios, high torque, and high reliability needed for winches, and their high radial load capacity ensures long-term hoisting safety.
Engineering & Customization Capabilities:
We offer special customizations for the stage & exhibit industry, including: special flanges for truss mounting, integrated motors with pre-installed brakes and absolute encoders, and miniaturized drivers and motor modules that can be easily hidden within props.
Typical Application Equipment Examples
- Automated Winches / Hoists:
Used to fly performers or heavy scenery, demanding silence, smoothness, and safety. Our BLDC servo motor + planetary gearbox + dual brakes + absolute encoder, paired with an EtherCAT bus driver, is the standard professional-grade configuration. It allows for high-speed lifting, “soft” landings, and perfect synchronization for multi-point lifts, with absolute position feedback for safety. - Rotating Stages / Turntables:
Requires shock-free starts/stops and smooth rotation. For large stages, our high-torque BLDC servo motors (e.g., 110mm, 130mm series) with planetary gearboxes provide the massive driving force. For small- to medium-sized displays, our 0.9° high-resolution stepper motors with silent drivers offer a cost-effective solution for precise angular positioning and smooth rotation. - Dynamic LED Screens (Opening/Moving):
Multiple LED panels opening, lifting, and rotating create complex backdrops. Each moving panel requires a drive point. Our small BLDC servo systems or closed-loop stepper systems, networked via EtherCAT bus, can be choreographed by a single master computer to create complex, fluid, and perfectly synchronized dynamic effects for a stunning visual impact.
Summary
AKT is dedicated to providing the engineering solutions for stage and display creativity. We understand the industry’s extreme demands for safety and performance, offering not just products, but field-proven, reliable solutions. We are eager to collaborate with designers and integrators to tackle complex dynamic control challenges, providing the critical execution components based on our BLDC servo systems, silent stepper systems, and precision planetary gearboxes.