Navigating Clutch/Brake Operation in Harsh Environmental Conditions: Chemicals, saltwater, food particles, heat, dust, and electrical corrosion are just a few of the many issues that can cause clutches and brakes to fail prematurely.

Cement Backer Board Plant Utilizes Oil Shear Clutch Brake

The Latest Clutch & Brake Technology Looks at Reliability, Cost and Design Specifications.

Oil shear brake technology is the key to quick and reliable test stand development.

Medical imaging equipment, water handling systems, conveyors, robotic systems and rotary and linear actuators are among the many devices that may be fitted with electric friction brakes to hold their loads in place when the power is off or disrupted.

This paper presents a joint project conducted by Ashwoods Electric Motors and Oerlikon Fairfield that uses planetary drives with an integrated electric motor. Current solutions used in production of off-highway vehicles rely upon large, heavy and inefficient brushed DC or induction motors, coupled to a planetary gearbox. This presents a number of challenges to the vehicle designers such as: limited vehicle range, limited space around the motor/drivetrain, and motor durability. The proposed integrated system utilizes an Oerlikon Fairfield Torque Hub, widely used in off-highway vehicles, and the Ashwoods first-to-market, interior permanent magnet motor. How these products are integrated, i.e. incorporating a brake solution, represents a market-changing product. Using interior permanent magnet (IPM) technology in the motor design means the motor can be up to 70% lighter, 70% smaller and 20% more efficient than traditional motors used in off-highway traction applications.

The U.S. Space Shuttle fleet was originally intended to have a life of 100 flights for each vehicle, lasting over a 10-year period, with minimal scheduled maintenance or inspection. The first space shuttle flight was that of the Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102), launched April 12, 1981. The disaster that destroyed Columbia occurred on its 28th flight, February 1, 2003, nearly 22 years after its first launch.

Tucked away in the southwest quadrant of the state of Georgia, amid stately pine stands, pecan farms and cotton fields, sits Oak Crest Lumber.

The scene is serene and picturesque. Sunshine reflects off the light chop of the Ohio River, as a barge winds its way into view. While those driving along Louisville’s River Road may be inclined to reach for a camera to capture this idyllic scene, the mood at Nugent Sand Company is anything but tranquil.

In the past decade, electrohydraulic braking systems--including ABS and traction control--have grown increasingly popular, due largely to the vehicle design flexibility and performance advantages they offer. The industry has seen several other instances of intelligent machine controls, unrelated to braking, over the years as well. But what all of these technologies have typically had in common is that they’ve existed as standalone, point-to-point functions that have not been integrated together. The present and future of braking is all about taking the next logical step--getting fully connected and finding ways to embed intelligence throughout a machine.