Three (3) Automation Libraries are now available to simplify interfacing Lexium MDrive integrated motors with commonly available PACs and PLCs from Siemens, Rockwell, and Schneider Electric. The library add-on instructions (AOI) for motion control are available to download for free here. AOIs reduce the work of writing software programs to execute move profiles such as: […]
What does integrated safety in motion control mean?
Safety is a critical machine design criteria. For example, the most common functional safety standards for machines in automation are EN/IEC 62061 and EN/ISO 13849-1. Both deal with safety via electronic solutions. This is in contrast to traditional safety systems that used electromechanical components for safety functions. Functional safety is generally understood to apply to […]
Servo amplifier with multi-network interface from Mitsubishi Electric
The MR-J4 servo amplifier series from Mitsubishi Electric incorporates a multi-network interface called “Servo Open Network”. It enables the user-friendly drive to be compatible with all relevant motion control systems worldwide. Machine manufacturers who offer their solutions globally will benefit from the open network connection feature of the MELSERVO MR-J4 amplifier series. Communications is simplified […]
Allen-Bradley motor controller adds integrated safety
Manufacturers can now install more of their control hardware on machines instead of in cabinets to simplify their production environments. The new Allen-Bradley ArmorStart ST distributed motor controllers with integrated safety can be mounted directly on a machine, allowing users to implement functional safety with fewer components. The ArmorStart ST with integrated safety is the […]
Next generation of I/O fieldbus couplers from WAGO
WAGO’s 750-363 EtherNet/IP Fieldbus Coupler is the latest Ethernet/IP Adapter coupler to join their I/O System. Its fast boot-up time lets systems get online quicker and firmware updates can be accessed using the Couplers’ onboard web-based management system. This new coupler can be paired with WAGO’s 500+ I/O modules to meet the needs of any […]
Motion controllers: Design from scratch or buy ready-made?
Motion control is similar to chess in that it takes minutes to learn the rules (allowing the creation of very basic indexing systems) but years to master the ability to perform advanced motion control. This article will review the different types of motion controllers currently on the market, and the pros and cons of each […]
How are industrial shock absorbers different from other damping systems?
Shock loads are common in industrial equipment — both as a normal result of the application and as unforeseen loads that occur when there’s a variance in the operation or process. Whether incorporated into the initial design or added after implementation, industrial shock absorbers are often the best choice for mitigating the forces that result […]
AC drives for motor and motion control
Today’s VFDs perform far more than just traditional motor controls. Some include computing, I/O handling, and even motion-control capabilities. Such intelligent drives excel in smaller and localized systems. Case in point from material handling: Some VFDs with onboard PLCs work for motion control on infeed conveyors. In one specific case, a photoeye and tower light […]
POSITAL-FRABA multi-turn hollow shaft kit encoders — Rockwell Encompass Complementary Products
POSTIAL-FRABA’s new hollow-shaft kit encoders are now a complementary product in Rockwell Automation’s PartnerNetwork Encompass program. These new products mark a significant innovation for industrial motion control. Until now, almost all through or hollow-shaft encoders have been limited to a single-turn measurement range, largely because fully satisfactory multi-turn technology has been not been available. POSITAL […]
Finalists announced for Motion Control category of LEAP Awards
Finalists were announced on November 5th for the second annual LEAP Awards Motion Control Category. The competition was scored by a panel of independent engineering judges. Below are descriptions of these worthy Motion Control finalists. The overall winner will be recognized at a ceremony in Santa Clara, Calif. in conjunction with the Healthcare Robotics Engineering […]
Efficient integrated gearmotors power intralogistics application
The intralogistics industry is a fastest-growing market — and one motion-component supplier aims to address the industry’s unique needs. “Three of the world’s top five material-handling suppliers use NORD drive technology, and we have long-term supply agreements with two of the suppliers,” says NORD Gear Corp. president and CEO Torsten Schultz One solution for intralogistics […]
White vinegar lines employ dry-lubrication and other conveyors
Rising demand for white vinegar recently prompted French condiment and seasoning company Charbonneaux-Brabant to install a Sidel PET line in their new Vauvert production plant. There the company bottles white vinegar in 1 and 1.5-l formats in a flexible operation that continuously changes to satisfy supply chain and distribution demands. In fact, growing use of […]
Sandy Sullivan receives PTDA Foundation’s 2019 Wendy B. McDonald Award
Wendy B. McDonald was one of the power transmission/motion control industry’s true pioneers. To honor her memory, the PTDA Foundation established the Wendy B. McDonald Award in 2014. The award is given to a woman who has established herself as a critical contributor to her company’s success and has affected positive change within the power […]
ACE Controls adds e-commerce function to website
ACE Controls presents an all new e-commerce web store, making AceControls.com a true one-stop shop for sizing, configuring, and now purchasing shock absorbers or gas springs. All the previously offered tools and resources are still available on the website, including product sizing tools, accessory configurators, tutorials, and a full CAD library with part drawings. Being […]
Commander drives from Control Techniques now with free five-year warranty
Purchasers of Commander drives will now be able to register to extend the products’ warranty from two years to five, at no extra cost. The new offer relates to the Commander C200 and C300 – general purpose drives designed for ease of setup and installation. The firm states the move to extend the warranty from […]
What really limits gains in a servo system?
Understanding the real factors limiting servo gains, and system performance, makes it easier to devise counteracting strategies. Curt Wilson • Vice President of Engineering • Omron Delta Tau Here’s a piece of conventional controls wisdom – if you want to increase system performance, raise the gains. For non-specialists in industry who are trying to optimize […]
Cube encoders from POSITAL revive an old industry favorite
Cube encoders – incremental rotary encoders with a cube-shaped housing – have been popular with machine builders since the 1960s, largely because these devices are easy to install without special mounts or brackets. Now POSITAL has updated this old favorite with new features and capabilities that will keep this design relevant for years to come. […]
Parker launches new family of integrated controllers
Parker’s Electromechanical & Drives Division North America has released the ACR7000 series controllers. The new ACR7000 series combines performance, value and scalability that exceeds OEM expectations. Built on the well-known ACR9000 platform, the new family uses re-imagined hardware designs, ideal for tabletop and laboratory style instruments. With the power and flexibility of the AcroBasic language, […]
Bosch Rexroth launches GoSelect online ordering tool
Bosch Rexroth now offers design engineers GoSelect — a new online ordering tool designed to streamline product selection and simplify cost quoting. The user-friendly interface offers pricing and availability on hundreds of products. Users can instantly download CAD drawings which come in a variety of formats, including PDF3D, STEP, IGES and DXF. An intuitive filter […]
New control functions for model-based control servo drive from B&R
B&R has extended its model-based control for the ACOPOS P3 servo drive to include three new control functions. The functions are integrated into B&R’s Automation Studio engineering environment and allow the controller to be adjusted more precisely. This way, machine productivity and speed can be increased. Vibrations and oscillations decrease, so that machine components are […]
Electronic proportional pressure controls from Clippard offer high resolution and repeatability
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…
Orbex slip rings offer IP65 protection for demanding environments
The Orbex Group now offers IP65-rated slip rings for reliable use in demanding industrial or outdoor environments. Units include the 200 series of harsh environment slip rings, as well as the 500 and 300 series (with the -F option) of through-bore slip rings and miniature slip rings, respectively. Constructed from stainless steel, the rugged 200 […]
What’s the difference between ring, star, and bus network configurations?
Industrial networks are many and varied. They can be distinguished from one another in a variety of ways, one of which is the topology of the network; in other words, how the devices on the network are connected together and how they exchange information and communicate with one another. There’s also a distinction between two […]
New SmartSense24 sensorless brake and clutch monitoring from Regent Controls Inc.
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…
New SmartSense24 sensorless brake and clutch monitoring from Regent Controls Inc.
Regent Controls, a Carlyle Johnson Company, now sells a SmartSense24 Sensorless Brake or Clutch Status Monitor. The first product of its kind, SmartSense24 controls and monitors spring-applied electrically-released brakes and clutches — increasing the life of these motion components. The controller provides real-time status and wear condition on an LED display by electronically sensing armature […]