PHD Plus Series ESFX electric linear-actuator slides are made for fast moves under heavy loads and moments. The saddle-type slides (as with other electric and pneumatic setups) combine to create myriad systems, including Cartesian robots. The slides also let design engineers pick their own motors and controls, making this linear slide the optimal solution for demanding automation tasks. Other benefits of the electric […]
New flange couplings more secure than standard press fits
Ringfeder-brand RfN 5571-series flange couplings for heavy industry. The flange couplings (from Ringfeder Power Transmission) are simpler to install and have higher torque capacity than standard press fits. Equipped with Ringfeder shrink discs, the flange couplings in this new series eliminate the need for additional components such as keyways or shims. Installers don’t need to heat and cool […]
New switch mount lets users add sensing to grippers
Now, there’s a new switch mount that lets users easily add position sensors to select jaw grippers. PHD Inc., a manufacturer of industrial automation components, sells the switch-mounting kits for its Series 8400 and Series 190/191 grippers. Here’s a PDF that details the sensor-mounting kit. The mounting kits include a switch plate with slots for either […]
Schaeffler Group North America expansion
A $163.8 million expansion is underway at three Schaeffler Group USA manufacturing facilities in South Carolina. The manufacturer makes precision products for machines, equipment, and vehicles for myriad industries — including direct-drive and linear systems, roller-bearings, plain bearings, and other precision components for gearboxes and automotive applications. The new investment in South Carolina will mean […]
How to prevent false brinelling in rolling-element bearings
This piece comes to us from Charles E. Harris, Partner at Plymouth Machine Integration LLC. False brinelling is a kind of damage from fretting — wavy, chipped, or corroded damage on metal contact surfaces of power-transmission devices subject to wearing from repeated surface motion. It’s a problem in assemblies with mechanical subsections that move slowly but are […]
Interview: Integrator Pete Kepf on machine vision
A couple months ago, my esteemed collegue Mary Gannon forwarded me an issue of a Machine Vision eNewsletter she gets from Pete Kepf, an AIA-Certified Vision Professional and consultant based in Louisville, Tennessee. I highly recommend his stuff: His advice to plant and design engineers on how to apply machine vision to get good results is very […]
Interview: Rockwell and Design World talk IT/OT convergence
Recently, I got the chance to attend the 2014 Automation Fair in Anaheim, California. One of the big topics was the convergence of information technologies and operational technologies – IT and OT. The idea? Integrated platforms that connect enterprises (and their IT and OT) can boost productivity and product quality, especially for manufacturing and industrial […]
Tiny voice-coil actuators stay cool in tight spaces
A compact LAH04-10-000A linear voice-coil actuator (VCA) from BEI Kimco Magnetics uses moving-magnet operation to deliver sort but powerful stroke lengths. With this new model, the line includes actuators from 0.375 to 2.4-in. (outside diameter) in myriad stroke lengths, peak force, and custom features. The 0.375-in.diameter actuators deliver force to 0.5 lb … and with a […]
New Moog slip rings: What they mean for packaging engineers
At the recent PackExpo in Chicago, I saw several dozen new motion-control products of note … including a new slip ring from Moog Components Group, a division of Moog Inc. Moog Inc. is a manufacturer of control systems for military and commercial aircraft, satellites and space vehicles, launch vehicles, missiles, automated industrial machinery, wind energy, […]
Basics of conveyors: Technical summary of industrial material-handling options
Updated August 2019 || Conveyors are automated tracks that move bulk material or discrete products from one area to another. They’re the backbone of myriad material-handling applications to improve efficiency and throughput. Recent advances in materials, controls, and modular subcomponents have spurred new large conveyors for bulk material transport, miniature conveyors for discrete sorting, and […]