High-voltage motion systems don't need high complexity, Kollmorgen says

The article presents a shift in how industrial motion systems are being designed and specified. Historically, when machine builders operated in high-voltage (400–480V) environments, the assumption was that they needed to adopt the most advanced, highest-performance motion platforms available. However, Kollmorgen challenges this logic by noting that larger machines and higher throughput place greater demands on only certain parts of the system, not all of it. Many axes handle relatively simple tasks like positioning or material handling, which do not warrant premium specifications.

The real cost of over-specifying, according to Kollmorgen, lies not just in upfront expenses but in engineering time, integration complexity, and long-term maintainability. Configuration, commissioning, and troubleshooting become more difficult and time-consuming when systems are more complex than necessary. By contrast, a "right-sized" approach—matching each axis's motion solution to its actual application needs—can reduce project timelines and total cost of ownership while still operating safely and effectively within the existing high-voltage infrastructure. Kollmorgen's expansion of Essentials to include high-voltage options exemplifies this strategy: the platform was originally built for simpler, medium-voltage applications but now brings that simplified, scalable design philosophy directly into the high-voltage domain where most large industrial facilities operate.