The proliferation of new applications for power-off brakes demands fresh design approaches leveraging leading brake manufacturers’ accumulated design experience. Key to optimizing designs for life, cost, and performance is early collaboration with the brake manufacturer. By Brian Mather • Ogura Industrial Corp. Machine designers in the motion-control industry recognize power-off brakes by the following terms: […]
Leading motion-control and actuation options for robotics
Advanced robotics for industrial and consumer applications demand sophisticated power-dense motion components for joints and linkages that must run smoothly, often at high torque and relatively low speed. The challenge is compounded when the robotic application must also make precise moves. At the core of most leading robotic-actuator options are electric motors. That’s because motor-driven designs […]
Basics of wave and cycloidal gearing for robotics and servo designs
Many of today’s precision applications necessitate gears capable of dramatic speed reductions, power densities, and transmission accuracies. Leading choices in these designs include trochoidal and cycloidal gearing as well as gearsets relying on wave-inducing subcomponents having an elliptical or Reuleaux or other polygonal shape. Trochoidal and cycloidal gearing includes elements that rotate and trace curves around […]
Mitsubishi Electric Automation at Automate 2022
Mitsubishi Electric Automation will exhibit at Automate 2022 in Detroit to highlight solutions for a wide variety of applications and industries. The theme of the exhibit is “better together”, which shows creative solutions developed by a number of companies based on Mitsubishi Electric automation products. The “better together” approach includes an in-booth experience centered on […]
Part three of three: Example of a rotary axis needing a regenerative resistor
By Hurley Gill • Senior applications and systems engineer | Kollmorgen Please refer to part one and part two of this three-part series for background information on the functions and types of regenerative resistors for servo applications. Let’s now consider the worst-case deceleration of an axis needing to reach a zero velocity for a p-stop […]
Part two of three: Servo-system regenerative resistor types and accessories
In the first installment of this series, we explained the regenerative-power requirements for the controlled motion of servomotor systems. Here we detail common electrical protection circuitry. By Hurley Gill • Senior applications and systems engineer | Kollmorgen Designing a machine with servomotors, drives, and regenerative resistors requires consideration of numerous design factors. These components affect […]
Part one of three: Selecting regenerative resistors to harvest servomotor energy
Here we explain the data required for determining regenerative-power requirements and regen-resistor selection for the controlled motion of servomotor systems. By Hurley Gill • Senior applications and systems engineer | Kollmorgen Electric AC servomotors are either synchronous or asynchronous motors used in a closed-loop (servo) configurations for precise output control. Control over motion outputs — […]
Automated foodservice with EtherCAT to disrupt restaurant industry
Now an industrial-appliance-sized design called the Makeline from food services company Hyphen is leveraging software, rugged automation, and networked controls to help labor-strapped restaurants meet modern business demands. “We founded the business in July 2018 to leverage automation technology in modern restaurants,” says Daniel Fukuba, Co-Founder and CTO of Hyphen. “Shortly thereafter, we built the […]
Part 1 of 2: Electric actuators as an alternative to hydraulic cylinders
Here we compare these two linear-motion technologies — and hint at a common sizing error when converting to electric actuation. By Ryan Klemetson • Business Development Manager | Tolomatic, Inc. Hydraulics offer a long service life, but they’re not as efficient as electric systems. Electric systems also provide precise position, velocity, and speed control with […]
Conveyors support the shift to just-in-case manufacturing
New investments in industrial and manufacturing conveying technologies could reach $65.1B by 2026. That’s according to a new report from researchandmarkets.com. Continued push to automate material handling, assembly, and distribution operations are key drivers. Another is the pressure from regulatory changes forcing adoption of conveyors sporting gearless and other energy-efficient motor designs. Still another is […]
