www.gearingsolutions.com
Offer Modular Design for Speed, Load Capacity and Accuracy
SKF CASM-100 electromechanical actuators from SKF Motion Technologies, Inc. have been uniquely engineered with a modular design enabling tailored solutions for a wide range of industrial linear movement and positioning applications. Various modules providing choices among motor types, gearboxes, ball screws or roller screws, and accessories allow for custom combinations of components ideally suited for an application. Standardized interfaces connect the different components to each other for ideal operation of actuators in service.
These actuators deliver optimized performance in speed, load capacity, and positioning accuracy, perform virtually maintenance free and, compared with hydraulic or pneumatic systems, serve as more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions. In addition, they use up to 80% less energy than pneumatic cylinders and 50% less energy than hydraulic alternatives and eliminate any need for constantly running compressors, hoses, and other components.
Applications include robotic cells, handling and packaging machines, sorting systems, manufacturing, and cutting and assembly machines, among many others across industries where reliable, accurate, and precise repetitive motion is required.
Featuring a linear design that can withstand even the harshest operating conditions, CASM-100 actuators are manufactured from high-grade materials, boast a long service life, and offer superior precision and repeatability. They can deliver a force range up to 82kN / 18,400 lbf. linear speeds up to 890 mm/s, long stroke lengths (up to 2 m / 6.5 ft.), and will support Industry 4.0 technology objectives.
CASM-100 actuators can fit standard industry footprints and can easily facilitate system retrofits or conversions to meet any space and performance requirements. Flexible mounting options and a variety of accessories are available. The actuators are fully equipped to achieve optimal service life, even at very high forces, and ultimately can deliver a highly favorable cost/performance ratio.
SKF Motion Technologies
Phone: (267) 436-6768
www.skfusa.com
Provides Custom Flexible Shafts for Aerospace Applications
S.S. White Technologies highlights bespoke flexible shaft solutions for aerospace applications. Flexible shafts transmit rotary motion much like a solid shaft, but can be routed over, under and around obstacles where a solid shaft cannot be used. Flexible shafts are used in a variety of applications, including many capacities in aerospace, such as in thrust reverser actuation systems (TRAS), flap and slat systems, variable bleed valves, jet afterburner nozzle control systems, cargo door actuation systems, valve override and many more. S.S. White provides customers with custom flexible shaft solutions designed for specific applications, all backed by S.S. White’s wealth of experience and expertise.
While used in many systems on various aircrafts one significant aerospace application is to manually actuate valves if the automatic system in place were to fail. Any number of valves may be manually actuated using a flexible shaft assembly, including Air Turbine Starter (ATS) and anti-ice valves, as well as those applications mentioned in the paragraph above. The ability to control the valves manually in the event of the automated system’s failure means the aircraft can still be safely “dispatched” on time, avoiding the time and costs associated with having to find a substitute aircraft.
In addition to the ability of flexible shafts to enable manual overrides of aircraft systems that are usually automated, they are also the preferred rotary motion technology in aerospace applications for a number of other reasons including absorbing shock, dampening vibration and eliminating alignment problems.
S.S. White Technologies produced its first flexible shaft in 1874 for a high-speed dental engine used for drilling teeth. Today, their flexible shafts for aerospace applications are used in thrust reverser, flap, slat actuation systems and manual overdrive systems of air and space craft, in the ammunition magazine drive of the AC-130, in many Airbus & Boeing thrust reverser systems, in the Hubble Space Telescope, on the international space station (ISS) and as part of the V-22 Osprey’s rescue hoist system.
S.S. White provides flexible shaft assemblies as part of a custom solution. Every application in which a flexible shaft is used is different, and S.S. White not only manufactures the flexible shafts, but also provides the technical expertise to create solutions to engineering challenges.
S.S. White Technologies
Phone: (732) 474-1700
www.sswhite.net
Linear Motion Drive Provides Flexibility and Precision
The Precision Motion Drive System from Amacoil/Uhing is an Uhing Model RG rolling ring linear drive integrated with a motion controller for precision linear motion applications. The Precision Motion Drive is fully programmable and meets application requirements for precision winding/spooling, pick-and-place machines, X-Y coordinate tool movement, metrology equipment and other machinery providing fast, accurate positioning and reciprocating linear motion. Depending on the size of the RG drive nut in the system, the Precision Motion Drive System provides from 7 to 800 pounds of axial thrust.
The linear movement of the drive head is controlled via software and monitored by sensors feeding back to an electronic control unit. The Precision Motion Drive stores up to 20 programs that may be recalled at the touch of a button. While meeting application requirements for most precision linear movement applications, the system is especially well suited for precision winding of a wide range of round or flat materials including wire/cable, PVC tubing, string, fiber, rope, rubber hose and vinyl strips. The Precision Motion Drive system also handles custom winding patterns and irregularly shaped spools.
The Precision Motion Drive System offers flexibility with regard to customized linear movement of the drive nut. Stop/start, travel direction, linear pitch, travel speed, repetitive processes, ramp up/down and essentially all other variables pertaining to drive nut movement may be programed into the system to meet precision linear motion application requirements. The core PLC/software package may be used to control multiple Uhing Model RG drive stations making it unnecessary to invest in multiple systems in order to help sustain high production rates.
A stepper motor controlled by a Siemens S7 PLC is included in the package. Fast, simple operation is enhanced with intuitive prompts displayed on a touch screen control panel. The shaft on which the Precision Motion Drive runs is smooth case hardened steel. There are no threads which makes the system useful in applications where particulate contaminants could fall into threads causing jams or clogs. The shaft rotates in one direction only making it unnecessary to purchase a reversible motor. Drive nut travel direction, linear pitch and other motion parameters are controlled by the angle of the rolling ring bearings inside the drive unit which in turn is controlled by user programming.
Amacoil (Uhing)
Phone: (610) 485-8300
www.amacoil.com
Releases Zero-Backlash Robotic Gearboxes
GAM announces the release of the new GPL zero-backlash planetary gearboxes. The new gearboxes provide high precision and rigidity for horizontal and vertical robotic and motion control applications.
Featuring a patent-pending design, the backlash will not increase over the lifetime of the gearbox, maintaining high precision and eliminating periodic adjustment. The GPL series is available in seven sizes with ratios from 36:1 to 200:1.
“The GPL expands GAM’s offering into zero-backlash gearboxes,” said Randy Kuper, regional sales manager at GAM, “and with less than 6 arcsecs [0.1 arcmin] backlash, the GPL has the highest accuracy on the market.”
Output options for the GPL series include a solid flanged output (GPL-F) and a hollow shaft flanged output (GPL-H). The GPL series can be used in a variety of applications, from robotics and automation to medical equipment, where zero-backlash, high tilting and torsional rigidity and long life are required.
GAM
Phone: (888) 426-7117
www.gamweb.com
Expands Precision Rotary Index Line
Nexen Group, Inc. introduces the Motor Ready Sealed (MRS) precision rotary indexer. The MRS maintains the benefits of the company’s existing patented precision roller pinion drive design – zero backlash, high precision, high torque, and high acceleration – while delivering significant new benefits. A high roller pinion-to-gear ratio allows users to direct drive the system with the addition of a servo motor – eliminating the cost of a reducer. This also reduces engineering and installatiuon time. For high load applications, the customer can drive the system with a reducer/motor combination. Additionally, the gear-to-pinion reaction loads are fully supported so the servo motor shaft is not subjected to radial loading, which eliminates the need for costly high output capacity reducers in high load applications. All of these features reduce engineering and installation time. The MRS is ideal for precision rotary indexing applications such as machine tool, and semiconductors, robotics, automated welding, medical packaging, assembly, cutting systems.
Nexen Group, Inc.
Phone: (800) 843-7445
www.nexengroup.com
Extends Hybrid Servo Motor Family
QuickSilver Controls has released the X-series 34 Frame SilverMax Integrated Servo Motor Family. This extends the company’s hybrid servo product line.
QCI-X34 series operate from 12.5 v to 72 v (processor section 12 v to 48 v). Mechanical power out levels up to 850 W. X34CK-1 and -2, and X34CT-1 have been added as a lower cost option for the mid power range.The X34HC-x family covers the upper power and torque range. These hybrid servos use advanced techniques to obtain a high efficiency of up to 80 percent over up to a 4:1 speed range (greater than 70 percent over a 10:1 speed range)This is including both the motor and the driver. This is the result of a combination of a very high torque constant motor with a very low winding resistance, and the application of field-weakening techniques. The high torque constant allows this motor to produce full continuous power by 500 rpm for the 48 v drive level, and to continue this same power level through 2,000 rpm.
These hybrid servo motors are designed with an interior permanent magnet rotor, (also called buried magnet), allowing for field weakening. This lets us extend the high efficiency operation over a wide range by effectively turning down the torque constant to enable higher speed operation at a given voltage—keeping the motor back-EMF near the input voltage over a wide range of speeds. In contrast, conventional servo motors use low permeability face mounted magnets in in their rotors which make it much more difficult to use field weakening techniques, thus their region of high efficiency operation is limited to very near their optimal speed where back-EMF nears the input voltage. Operate conventional servos at 20 percent of their optimal speed, and they will have 20 percent of their optimal efficiency at best. Operate conventional servo motors them at peak torque and their heating rapidly increases – to the point that they can only sustain for typically a few seconds – and their efficiency plummets. (Both motors compared at 48 VDC; peak torque for conventional motor equaled the continuous torque rating of the X34HC-1 system.)
This means if you are using most conventional servo motors to direct drive a belt or lead screw applications, then it is likely the motor will not be near their power rating, and the efficiency will be poor. Peak torque for conventional servos will typically be available for only a brief 1 to 5 seconds before the windings are nearing maximum temperature. This is not surprising as conventional servo motors get their peak torque by overdriving the motor by a factor of 3× to 10× the sustainable current – which causes 9× to 100× the resistive heating as compared to their continuous current rating. The hybrid servo, alternatively, produces high torques in direct dive operations while running at their nominal continuous currents.
Quicksilver Controls, Inc.
Phone: (909) 599-6291
www.quicksilvercontrols.com
Offers Left Hand Threaded Shaft Collars
Ruland has expanded its offering of threaded shaft collars by adding inch and metric left hand threaded styles to give designers more flexibility to work with standard off the shelf components. They are available in one- and two-piece clamp styles in steel and stainless steel with bore sizes ranging from 1⁄8 inch to 2¼ inches and 4 mm to 30 mm.
Left hand threaded shafting is commonly used to reduce the risk of components coming loose in rotating applications and as a safety measure to prevent the unintended removal of critical components. Ruland manufactures left hand threaded shaft collars in one- and two-piece styles to meet the needs of equipment manufactures. Threaded shaft collars are designed to provide higher axial holding power than round bore collars of comparable size. They are well suited for guiding, spacing, stopping, mounting, and component alignment in industries such as packaging, printing, semiconductor and solar. Two-piece type allows for simple installation or disassembly without the need to remove adjacent components.
Ruland double taps threads to ensure a precise and burr-free finish allowing for easy installation and removal, proper fit, and extended shaft life. Equipment manufacturers benefit from the tightly controlled face to bore perpendicularity of Ruland shaft collars (TIR ≤ 0.002 inch or 0.05 mm) which is critical when they are used as a load bearing face or for aligning components such as bearings or gears. Forged screws test beyond industry standards to ensure maximum holding power.
Ruland Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Phone: (508)
www.ruland.com
Expands E-Mag Modeling Coverage
Motor Design Ltd (MDL) (located in Wrexham, U.K.) has significantly expanded its Motor-CAD version 11 E-Mag (Electro-Magnetic) motor design simulation program by adding a Switched Reluctance Machine(SRM) E-Mag module to its current BPM (Brushless Permanent Magnet) & Synchronous AC Motor (SYNC) & Induction (IM) E-Mag modules of Motor-CAD v.11 simulation program.
The SRM E-Mag module enables the design & analysis of electronically commutated reluctance motors & generators using motor sizing and performance characteristics generated by Motor-CAD. The magnet less SRM motor possesses a superior environment performance with respect to higher thermos & shock conditions.
The FEA electromagnetic solver and a parameterized controller model, output data such as current, power and torque wave forms are produced quickly and easily, allowing fast design optimization processes.
Motor Design Ltd.
Phone: +44 (0) 1691 623305
www.motor-design.com
