The BXT motor family from FAULHABER, comprising brushless dc motors with especially short design, was expanded with the diameter-complaint IEF3-4096 magnetic encoder. With just 6.2 mm of additional length, the motor/encoder units also remain extremely short. In addition, the encoder is fully integrated in the robust motorhousing. In this flat design, the IEF3-4096 offers three […]
ACE Controls dampers improve doors on high-end tractor cabs
Key Dollar Cab manufactures tractor cabs for an array of orchard-farm tractor models. In fact, Key Dollar Cab has been innovating and improving these designs since 1982 — leveraging new technologies to make the cabs ever safer and more comfortable for tractor operators. For their newest orchard tractor cabs, Key Dollar Cab wanted a very […]
Trinamic smart driver IC for battery-powered dc motors
The new TMC7300 drives one or two DC motors from 2.0 to 11 Vdc and employs UART-based control for torque and velocity. TRINAMIC Motion Control GmbH & Co. KG now sells a TMC7300 low-voltage driver for one DC motor (up to 2-A peak) or two DC motors (to 2.4A peak) on a single or dual […]
What is a tuned mass damper and how is it used in motion control?
Vibrations in machinery can lead to a premature wear of components, poor quality machine output (parts out of spec, unacceptable finishes), and even damage to the product or failure of the machine. This is why most industrial equipment employs some method of vibration mitigation to reduce or prevent vibrations that could be detrimental to the […]
Dunkermotoren becomes part of the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance
The digitalization of factories and plants as well as the Internet of Things (IoT) promise ever new possibilities for the automation industry. In this development, a wide variety of technologies from the field level to the cloud and also across different stages of the value chain must be combined across manufacturers to create tangible added […]
Bosch Rexroth SafeMotion achieves CIP Safety over EtherNet/IP certification from ODVA
Bosch Rexroth’s drive-integrated SafeMotion machine safety platform has received the ODVA’s CIP Safety over EtherNet/IP certification, adding to the company’s capabilities to support major safety automation buses, including CIP Safety on Sercos, PROFIsafe on PROFINET and FailSafe over EtherCAT. SafeMotion technology is available on Bosch Rexroth IndraDrive intelligent servo drives. With this latest certification, SafeMotion […]
New digital soft starters and micro VFD drives from AutomationDirect
New compact soft starters and micro VFD drives have been added to the AutomationDirect motor controls lineup which encompasses simple manual controllers, motor contactors and starters, drives and soft starters. WEG SSW05 and SSW07 soft starters are compact, fully digital soft starters with a DSP controller designed to provide great performance on motor starts and […]
What is an arbor and how can it reduce machine tool vibration?
On a typical machine tool, the tool that performs the machining operation (cutting, milling, or boring, for example) is attached to a rotating spindle that drives the tool. But on machines that require long machining lengths, such as milling and boring, the tool is mounted to an arbor. The arbor is driven by the spindle […]
New flat-top chain conveyor system from mk North America
Conveyor system designer and manufacturer mk North America, Inc. has added a new conveyor, VersaFlex, to its product line-up. The new flat-top chain conveyor system is intended to meet complex design needs and will replace the SBF-P 2254 conveyor line. Unveiled in Germany at Motek 2019, by Maschinenbau Kitz GmbH, the headquarters of mk Technology […]
NK Technologies releases tech guide for motor and pump monitoring
NK Technologies’ new Motors and Pumps Tech Guide is now available online. The handbook is great resource for learning the basics about current sensing theory, current transducers and switches, and choosing the right solution for an application. Guide highlights include: Techniques for determining motor/pump conditions Consolidated selection guide for ac and dc sensors Application examples […]
New frame sizes, features for soft starter family from WEG
WEG has extended its SSW900 series of soft starters to include frame size E for the current range of 480 to 670 A. The series previously consisted of four frame sizes A to D, covering output currents from 10 to 412 A in the voltage range of 220 to 575 V 3-phase ac. These compact […]
What are strain energy and resilience in the context of compression (wave) springs?
When a compressive or tensile load is applied to a spring (or any elastic material), the load does work on the spring, causing the spring to undergo a change in shape (extension or compression). This change in shape creates a type of potential energy — referred to as strain energy — in the material. Typical […]
World’s smallest multi-turn absolute kit encoders unveiled
Size matters, and in the world of industrial automation, providing exceptional performance in a highly compact package can be an enormous advantage. With this in mind, encoder manufacturer Posital has unveiled a fully functional prototype of their new miniature multi-turn kit encoder for integrated motor feedback. With a diameter of only 22 mm and a […]
PTDA’s 2020 Leadership Development Conference offers learning for emerging leaders
The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) is now taking registrations for the PTDA 2020 Leadership Development Conference to be held on March 25-27 at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pa. The PTDA 2020 Leadership Development Conference is designed for emerging power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industry leaders who want to build their leadership skills […]
Timing belt conveyors: benefits and uses
Industrial conveyors span a wide range of designs and configurations to suit specific purposes — from positioning delicate optical components for inspection to delivering automotive parts through an assembly line. When designing a conveyor, one of the first considerations is the conveying media to be used, which depends on the size, shape, and weight of the […]
Motion system design: Can a servo-driven machine be too stiff?
When we think of stiffness, we often think of mechanical stiffness — the ability of a part or system to resist deflection. But in servo-driven motion systems, stiffness can also refer to how the system is tuned — that is, how the gains in the servo controller are set and, correspondingly, how the motor responds […]
PTDA welcomes 14 new members
The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA), the leading association for the industrial power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel, welcomed 14 new member companies. New Distributor Members Algoma’s Bearing Supply Inc. (Sault Ste Marie, Ont., Canada) is Algoma’s locally owned and operated distributor for bearings, power transmission and specialty lubricants. Their products help customers with mechanical […]
Motion Control Tips – Top 6 posts of 2019
It’s that time of year again; time to look back, as we humans are prone to do, on the year quickly fading in the rearview mirror. Here at motioncontroltips.com, we like to look back at some of the top posts published in 2019. This represents what you, our readers, clicked on the most throughout the […]
New I/O modules from Rockwell aid smart machines in harsh environments
Manufacturers can now realize the design and productivity benefits of On-Machine I/O modules on smart machines used in harsh applications. The new Allen-Bradley ArmorBlock I/O modules can operate in a wide range of temperatures and offer up to IP69K protection in applications like automotive, material handling, packaging and welding. The new ArmorBlock I/O options can […]
POSITAL prototype of world’s smallest multi-turn absolute kit encoder unveiled
In the world of industrial automation, providing exceptional performance in a highly compact package can be an enormous advantage. So encoder manufacturer POSITAL has unveiled a fully functional prototype of their new miniature multi-turn kit encoder for integrated motor feedback. With a diameter of only 22 mm and a height of 23 mm (0.87 in.) […]
IP65-rated step motors for wet, dusty industrial factory environments
Applied Motion Products offers an extended line of stepper motors with IP65 ratings that are dustproof and resistant to water pressure impact, making them suitable for use in wet and dusty applications. Using advanced seal protection technology, the IP65-rated step motors feature sealed laminations, an oil shaft seal, internal corrosion-resistant film coating, gaskets for mechanical […]
Why eLearning about VFDs (and other technical topics) just may fit the bill
With the current state of the internet and the interconnectivity of devices and equipment, it is in the best interest of any company that wants to optimize the productivity of their associates tasked with technical tasks to take a look at the eLearning available. eLearning offers a wonderful ROI due to its low cost, ease […]
New cloud engineering software from Beckhoff aids in IoT implementation
Beckhoff Automation’s new TwinCAT Cloud Engineering software is designed for IoT and Industry 4.0 applications. With this feature-filled addition to the TwinCAT 3 platform, users can instantiate and use existing TwinCAT engineering and runtime products directly in the cloud. The solution is easy to access from the Beckhoff website with a web browser and requires […]
How to avoid wave spring fatigue in dynamic applications
Wave springs are gaining acceptance in motion applications, thanks to their ability to provide similar force and deflection characteristics to traditional coil springs, but with significantly reduced working height. Although wave springs can be used in static applications — such as preloading a bearing or mechanical seal — many applications require dynamic movement — for example, […]
New gearhead family features high torque, wide range of gear ratios
New pure metal GPT gearheads from FAULHABER MICROMO feature performance values comparable to more expensive technologies on the market like ceramic components. The gearheads are available in diameters of 22, 32 and 42 mm. Compared to predecessor models, the continuous input speed was more than doubled above 10,000 rpm, and can support input speeds up […]