Hawaii telescope gets motor upgrade

The University of Hawaii’s 2.2 m telescope had been feeling its age, the result of an underperforming 45 year old drive system. Fortunately, PMW Dynamics has been able to provide a direct replacement for its main motor and gear unit dating from the 1960s

The motor supplied has a 16 cm diameter armature and is part of PMW’s highly accurate, ultra smooth running GM motor range. It was supplied with two new high precision gearbox, brake and encoder units

The low profile brushed motor range is suitable for high-end servo applications requiring a compact motor with precise control. As in this case, the GM series is often used as a straight drop-in replacement for older U-series, S-series and Platinum series servo disc motors from PMI/Kollmorgen

“Printed Motor Works were the only people that could come up with a package that would fit,” said Colin Aspin of the University of Hawaii. “The new drive is working extremely well.”

The motor drives the telescope’s right ascension motion axis which counters the effect of the Earth’s rotation on the night sky. PMW has also supplied the University with a further motor and gear unit to drive the telescope’s declination motion axis.

PMW Dynamics has provided a direct replacement motor and gear unit for the University of Hawaii’s 2.2 m telescope.

About University of Hawaii’s 2.2m optical telescope

The University of Hawaii’s 2.2 m (88”) optical telescope has a focal length of 22.6 m and was the first large telescope to be constructed on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Its most important discovery was the existence of the Kuiper Belt in the remote reaches of the solar system in 1990.