NORD Drivesystems recently added two new sizes to the MAXXDRIVE line. The new 133,000 & 177,000 in-lb nominal torque units are a well-received addition to the now 11-member family, complementing the larger units and promising even greater flexibility to system designers. The entire MAXXDRIVE line is modular, and can be configured with a wide array […]
Brother Gearmotors to showcase new right-angle hypoid gearing brushless dc gearmotors at Process Expo
Brother Gearmotors, a division of Brother International Corporation, will showcase its new line of brushless dc electric gearmotors (BLDC) at Process Expo, September 19-22 in Chicago. Brother Gearmotors will be located at Booth #4302. Also known as electronically commutated motors, Brother’s portfolio of brushless dc gearmotors are suitable for environments requiring virtually maintenance-free operation and […]
Why are servo drives also called servo inverters, amplifiers, and controllers?
Let’s start with the term servo drive. Here’s what a drive does in a servo system: It basically takes an input signal from a controller and amplifies that signal which is then sent to the motor. And in that description is the key. A drive serves to amplify a signal. Amplification is needed because control […]
Lubrication for industrial design: A tutorial
In any system with moving parts, lubrication is essential. Lubrication functions to reduce friction, which dissipates heat and protects components from corrosion and wear. Lubricants are typically classified as either one of two kinds; oils or greases. Oil-based lubricants can be made from petroleum sources or newer synthetic oils. Greases have an oil base to […]
POWERLINK family of servo amplifiers feature output to 27.4 kW
The Ethernet POWERLINK family of DigiFlex Performance (DP) digital servo drives from Advanced Motion Controls provide a wide range of options for servo system solutions. DPP/DZP drives deliver peak power output from 1.5 to 27.4 kW, and support an array of feedback and motor options, offering a versatile blend of cutting edge technology and proven […]
BLDC motor: Marketing jargon or more?
The term brushless dc motor (or BLDC motor) is common lingo in the industrial world. The question is, does it make any sense? Perhaps a little history can help here. The first brushless dc motors were marketed as such because they functioned as drop-in replacements for brush dc motors. There were a number of technological […]
Mitsubishi Electric, Bimba collaborate on turnkey motion solutions
Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. and Bimba Manufacturing Co. have announced a collaboration that will combine Mitsubishi Electric’s industrial automation technology with Bimba’s motion control solutions. This arrangement brings together Mitsubishi Electric’s servomotors and control products with Bimba’s electric mechanical actuators. The relationship will allow both companies to benefit from each other’s strong presence in the […]
New electro-hydraulic motion controllers with quadrature encoder capability from Delta Computer Systems
Delta Computer Systems has introduced a new quadrature encoder input module (Q4) for the RMC200 motion controller. The RMC200, which handles up to 32 axes, is the newest and most capable member of Delta’s RMC family of closed-loop electro-hydraulic motion controllers. Each Q4 module has four incremental quadrature encoder input channels (A, B and Z) […]
What’s the difference between a machine automation controller (MAC) and a PAC?
Machine automation controllers (MAC) are relatively new to the industrial market. The new category of controller was introduced by Omron Industrial Automation as an expansion of the industrial controller concept, along a continuum from PLCs and PACs (programmable automation controllers) to new MACs. The main differentiating feature of a MAC versus a PAC is that […]
New power ranges and motor control capabilities for PowerFlex 6000 Drives
Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 6000 medium-voltage AC drives from Rockwell Automation offer expanded, user-friendly control for variable and constant torque applications. The latest release delivers a wider voltage range (2.4 to 11 kV) and provides 100 percent starting torque, leveraging sensorless vector control. The PowerFlex 6000 drive is easy to commission, use and maintain, with standard faceplates […]
