Aerotech Inc., continues to develop new products and features for the Automation1 precision machine and motion control platform. Recent upgrades affect all parts of the Automation1 technology stack – from servo motor drive improvements to core motion control technology enhancements, new application features and programming API support. “Automation1 is the most exciting product to be…

Motion & Control Enterprises (“MCE”) has acquired RSA and Global Controls (collectively known as “RSA”). Based in St. Charles, Illinois, RSA was founded in 1966 and is a distributor of robotics, motion control, vision systems, PLC/HMI and safety products. Global Controls is a systems integrator that supports automation and motion control projects. The company has…

ACS Motion Control has released its SPiiPlusCMxa, the latest product in its SPiiPlus series of EtherCAT-based master motion controllers. Suitable for applications with micron to nanometer resolutions and demanding velocity control requirements, this device includes up to three integrated motor drives that leverage powerful servo control algorithms to maximize motion system performance. It is also…

The industrial world is facing many technological changes which increased the urgent demand for premium quality products and services that can only be supplied by a high level of productivity for engineering systems, automated manufacturing, and industrial automation. Stock Drive Products/Sterling Instrument (SDP/SI), a leader in providing mechanical and electromechanical based design, engineering, and precision…

Emerson has announced its new PACMotion servo motion control portfolio to offer an integrated automation solution for high-performance industrial applications. The portfolio includes a new motion controller that connects directly into the PACSystems RX3i programmable logic controller backplane for high-speed, high-precision, performance with synchronized motion for up to 40 coordinated axes, enabling end-users to scale…

From packaging to communications, BLDC servomotors are gaining market share in a variety of industries — and for good reason. They deliver high torque and smooth rotation (with minimal torque ripple) and lend themselves well to cost-saving customization. By Ralph Adams • President | Orbex Group Design engineers typically rely on off-the-shelf brushless dc (BLDC) […]

Due to the increasing degree of automation and the ever more dynamic plants and machines, servo motors play an increasingly important role today and in the future. Due to their high performance and compactness, these motors are predestined to meet the requirements for higher dynamics, more efficiency with simultaneously decreasing energy costs and space savings.…

In Part 4 of this series, we detailed edge computing and gateways for industrial machinery. Now consider the various protocols and communications leveraged in IIoT connectivity — for example, the SCADA, MES, and ERP architectures we already covered in Part 1 and 2 of this series. These are the most involved in IT/OT (operational technology) […]

Reconsider the actuators, sensors, and other edge devices covered in Part 1 and Part 2 and Part 3 of this series. Such components are fundamental to edge computing. Supported by gateways and controllers with dedicated connectivity functions, these components use their logic resources to process data before sending it onward to controls, the cloud, or […]

As we explored in Part 1 and Part 2 of this six-part series, machine designs are evolving with wireless connectivity, cloud-based operations, and open programming. In this installment, we explore how Ethernet has continued its expansion in industrial connectivity. We also detail increasingly useful cable types for IO-Link and HIPERFACE … as well as cross-network […]

In this six-part series, we explore how machine designs are evolving with wireless connectivity, Ethernet-based networking protocols, cloud-based operations, open programming, and various forms of edge computing. Links at the conclusion of each part follow in order, and here is a listing of all topics covered: Part 1 ⚙️ Connectivity and IoT in motion and […]

Nippon Pulse now offers new service for the OEM design engineers — the creation of custom-designed motion controller boards that use the Nippon Pulse Commander core for multi-axis applications. The boards can be designed to meet unique specifications, helping streamline the design process to bring a new product to market faster or reduce the manufacture […]

Known for reliability, innovation and focus on miniature pneumatics, Clippard’s new revolutionary micro-controllers use the proven EVP and DVP lines of Clippard proportional valves allowing for steady, repeatable downstream pressure as demand or processes change. The result, a precise linear pressure control within a closed-loop system with ultra high resolution (≤5 mV) and repeatability. With…

Regent Controls, a Carlyle Johnson Company, now sells a SmartSense24 Sensorless Brake or Clutch Status Monitor. The fully-enclosed SmartSense24 controls and monitors spring-applied, electrically-released brakes and clutches while displaying real-time status and wear condition, allowing for proper timing for maintenance or part replacement. The first product of its kind, SmartSense24 controls and monitors spring-applied electrically-released…

This webinar was presented live on Tuesday October 22, 2019. Click below to watch it on demand.     Integrated motors are a great solution for many motion control applications. They offer convenience and cost-savings without sacrificing performance. In this webinar we’ll review the important features, benefits and limitations of integrated motors and consider typical…

Robots for assistive, therapeutic, medical, and surgical use have strict motion control requirements. A panel at the Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum will discuss what designers and users need to know.

Software for motion controllers can mean a few different things, so it helps to clear up exactly what is meant by the phrase. For one thing, it can refer to the programming of motion controllers; that is, telling the controller what exactly to do in a system. It can also refer to other aspects including […]

The XC2 PWM digital drive is a small form-factor, high-performance, single-axis motor drive designed for motion control applications. It’s compatible with the Automation 3200 motion platform using the HyperWire motion bus. The XC2 can control brushless dc, brush dc, voice coil, or stepper motors at up to 100 Vdc operating voltage and 10-A peak current […]

Concepts such as “Industry 4.0”, “Internet of Things” and “Smart Factory” are no longer a vague promise. Companies are already benefitting from the use of intelligent systems and products. At EMO 2019, one of the world’s leading trade fairs scheduled for Sept. 16-21 in Hannover, Germany, igus will demonstrate how machine tool manufacturers and customers…

Conic Systems has developed the new Lifetime (LT) Series, precision, zero backlash harmonic gearboxes designed for high performance direct replacement of traditional high ratio planetary gearheads. The LT Series is available in metric sizes and NEMA 17, 23, 34 and 42 frames. The LT Series is unique in that its zero backlash characteristic is maintained…

The global motion control and motor market saw a 0.2% decline in shipments in the first quarter of 2019 versus the same period last year, down to $952.3 million. However, according to the Motion Control & Motor Association, part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), shipments were up 0.6% ($6 million) compared to the […]

The global motion control and motor market saw a 0.2% decline in shipments in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, down to $952.3 million. However, according to the Motion Control & Motor Association, part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), shipments were up 0.6% ($6 million) compared to…

ITT Inc.’s. Enidine and Aerospace Control brands are showcasing their diverse portfolio of aviation solutions at the 2019 International Paris Air Show, June 17-23, at the Exhibition Center of Le Bourget near Paris, France. ITT Enidine and Aerospace Controls offer the highest quality engineered products for both commercial aviation and critical aerospace applications. ITT’s diversified…

In spintronics, the use of organic materials as a “spin transport material” has recently garnered significant attention as they exhibit long spin-relaxation times and long spin-diffusion lengths owing to the weak spin-orbit interaction (SOI) of light elements. Meanwhile, the weak SOI of organic materials become a drawback when they are used as a “spin filter”.…

Since their invention in the late 1700s when French-born British physicist Denis Papin, the inventor of the pressure cooker, proposed the piston principle, pistons have been used to harness the power of fluids to perform work in numerous machines and devices. Conventional pistons are made of a rigid chamber and a piston inside, which can…