Electromagnetic Micro Brakes from Miki Pulley are a compact, high performance braking solution for small, precise motion control applications. Miki Pulley’s ultra-compact brake design ensures fast response in high torque demanding applications. The simple yet effective design features a stator with integrated mounting flange, proprietary composite friction liner and armature complete with ring plate spring […]
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EtherCAT Technology Group now offers vendor-independent diagnosis interface
The EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) has specified a new vendor-independent diagnosis interface, which allows third-party tools to access diagnostic information from EtherCAT networks. The software-based interface can be implemented in controllers offered by any device manufacturer, which makes it an interesting feature to vendors of both master devices and diagnostic tools. Diagnosis is one of […]
EtherCAT Technology Group welcomes WITRON as 5,000th member
At the SPS IPC Drives 2018 exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany, the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) achieved two remarkable milestones: It celebrated exactly 15 years since ETG was established with 33 founding members, and with the addition of WITRON Logistics + Informatics GmbH, ETG welcomed its 5,000th member. The intralogistics system provider WITRON Logistics + Informatics […]
Q&A on sensors for food and beverage washdown (and other harsh settings)
Sensors are machine edge devices, so are on the front lines — often completely exposed to the worst of what automated assemblies endure. In a recent Design World interview, Banner Engineering global business development manager for sensors Dana Holmes answered several questions about sensor survival in these harsh environments. Here’s what she had to say. […]
When do you need a linear amplifier versus a PWM drive?
Servo drives — also referred to as servo amplifiers — can be classified by the type of output stage they use: • Pulse-width-modulated (PWM) amplifier output stage or • Linear amplifier output stage. Of the two types, PWM drives are more common in general motion control applications because they provide more power to the motor, […]
When do you need a soft starter for an AC motor?
The traditional method of starting an AC induction motor “across the line” results in full voltage, current, and torque being applied immediately when the motor is started, and likewise, being removed immediately when the motor is stopped. While this is the most simple starting method, the high inrush current (often 6 to 7 times the […]
What is DC injection braking and how does it compare with other methods?
AC induction motors excel at driving high-inertia loads at high speeds — in fans, saws, conveyors, and mills, for example — and variable frequency drives make it possible to match the motor speed to the application requirements by varying the frequency of the supplied voltage. But when quick stops are needed — whether for safety reasons or […]
Geared stepper motors drive movements of Breakfast Brixel moving architectural wall
A new architectural wall called the Breakfast Brixel is making some installations more dynamic. The system is built from dozens of digitally controlled rotating bricks that act as pixels to create waves, stripes, and undulating shapes on the moving walls. Brixel installations can even run customizable artwork and facades to evolve in response to real-time […]
Strain-wave gearing core to one exoskeleton for logistics-plant work
Consider a specific example of how strain-wave gearing gets used — in the German Bionic Systems Cray X exoskeleton. This 7.9-kg design assists plant personnel with manual handling of tools and heavy goods while reducing lower-back compression pressure. The exoskeleton joints use strain-wave gearing to reduce their brushless motors’ high rpm for an output of […]
HMI simplifies setup of robot-assisted automation for one integrator
Integrator Inovatech Automation recently decided they were spending too much time programming expensive HMI and PLC platforms, so contacted Pro-Face America for help. The integrator needed an HMI capable of universal robot and I/O-Link integration, legal for Inovatech Automation branding, and easy to program. “I was apprehensive at first because we have a lot of […]