WMH perfects Yorkshire pudding recipe with motion controller

Western Mechanical Handling (WMH) (www.wmh-uk-ltd.com) is pleased to announce the development of a machine that produces perfect Yorkshire puddings every time.

Specializing in automated food handling systems, the Cornish machine builder used controls and drives equipment from automation specialist Mitsubishi Electric (www.mitsubishielectric.com).

The machine deposits the correct amounts of Yorkshire pudding batter to the baking moulds for a frozen foods plant, and solves inconsistency problems by getting away from ordinary motors running for a set time.

WMH has developed a Mitsubishi servo-based system that increases throughput, while ironing out the inaccuracies of batter pumping.

The system consists of 10 axis J3 servo drive arrangement, with every servo connected through high speed SSC net from Mitsubishi Electric. Its nine axes are dedicated to the depositors, with each axis driving 32 pump chambers.

The servo drives are each programmed using a map of known volume to be dispensed, while the required number of pump rotation is calculated depending upon the needed product settings.

The system also has an anti-drip mechanism, which prevents excess product that causes cleaning issues in the production cycle. The servo drives cleverly suck excess batter back to the nozzle at the end of every cycle.

The 10^th axis then operates the depositor heads carriage, which coordinates with the conveyor speed, as detected by an encoder feedback. This helps reduce waste and increase throughput, according to the company.

Mclennan introduces new motion control range

The partnership between Allied Motion Inc. (www.alliedmotion.com) and Mclennan Servo Supplies (www.mclennan.co.uk) has been extended with the Surrey-based mechatronics specialists improving its product line coverage of the prominent European and US control manufacturer’s brushless servo motors, direct-drive torque motors, high-performance servo drives and encoders.

The close relationship between the two companies spans over 30 years with thousands of successful, small and precision, brushed and brushless motor applications for Netherlands’ Premotec B.V., which is now one of the four Allied Motion’s Technology Units. The partnership aims to develop a similar success with Allied Motion Emoteq/COPI Technology Unit and will work across the company’s own products that include X-Drive digital servo amplifiers, housed and frameless torque motors up to 2000Nm, ultra-high resolution incremental encoders and Quantum NEMA frame servo motors.

“We are very excited about working with these new Allied Motion products. We have an excellent reputation with Premotec’s small and precision DC motor range and the Emoteq/COPI products offer similar flexibility with a strong standard range and the ability to custom engineer product – even for small quantities,” said Vic Sayer, managing director of Mclennan.

Highlights of Mclennan’s new products include Megaflux range (large separate and frameless rotor/stator servo motors) up to 790mm in diameter with almost five times the speed ratings of competitive units and two times the power density. The motors are characterized by a high-pole count that maximizes rotational smoothness and torque output. The motors’ housed versions, which come with bearing system, position feedback and commutation device, target direct-drive ultra-high precision motion control in demanding automation applications like robotics, where the large through aperture may be utilized to feed services such as optics, pneumatics or electrics.

ORMEC Systems Corp. Announces Major Boeing Contract Award

Rochester, NY – ORMEC Systems Corp. has announced that it has been awarded a major contract from The Boeing Company for hardware and software retrofits and upgrades of two Wing Join tools and one Major Join tool used in the manufacture of the Boeing C-17 military transport aircraft. This latest contract award, incorporating ORMEC’s SMLC family of motion controllers, SD-Series servo drives and WinCC software, is the second for the company in three years. Previously, ORMEC Systems Corp. was Boeing’s supplier of choice for the control systems on the under-wing maintenance tool for the C-17 Globemaster III, delivered to Robins Air Force Base in Houston County, Georgia, USA.

The airframe manufacturing and assembly process incorporates use of both Wing Join and Major Join tools. The Wing Join tool is used to position the two major sections of the aircraft wing and hold them in place while they are permanently assembled to form one massive wing, which is ultimately assembled onto the aircraft. This tool is controlled by a number of jacks holding the wing in place; the wing sections must be positioned for a seamless fit, and then locked in place so that the mechanical join can be completed. The Major Join tool holds the four major pre-assembled aircraft sections together. The center section of the aircraft fuselage is placed atop of jacks, then positioned and leveled, followed by the aircraft nose, assembled wing and tail section. In order for these airframe components to be properly joined, use of high-precision and high-reliability servo systems and software is essential. Retrofits will improve airframe assembly operations by increasing reliability and will substantially reduce long term maintenance costs. This upgrade will also enhance the user interface which, in turn, will make the tools easier to use and more effective.

More than a dozen SMLC controllers and nearly sixty SD-Series servo drives will be used for communication, motion control and monitoring of each join tool. The systems are controlled through the use of operator interface consoles with touch screens for ease of use and remote pendants for flexibility. Available in 3-, 8- and 16-axis models, the SMLC family offers the benefits of both motion control and PLC functions within a single package. With high-performance computing capability and a true real-time operating system powered by Intel® 32-bit processors, the SMLC is able to provide cost-effective, robust computing power for even the most demanding multi-axis motion and I/O control applications.

ORMEC Systems Corp.
www.ormec.com