Mike Santora - Motion Control Tips

Miki Pulley BXR-LE electric brakes for direct drive servo motors

August 10, 2018 By Mike Santora Leave a Comment

Miki Pulley’s BXR-LE electric spring applied brakes are suitable for small and precise servo motor configurations. Their unique compact and lightweight design optimizes servo drive performance and efficiency.

With accompanying voltage controller, the brake’s power consumption is stepped down to 7VDC after a split second of 24VDC for brake actuation. When compared to most other electric brakes, the BXR-LE design provides just one-third power consumption and heat generation in one-half the overall size thickness.

Specifications:

Maximum RPM: 6000
Static friction torque range: 0.044 to 2.36 ft.lb. (0.06 to 3.20 Nm)
Ambient operating temperature 14° – 104°F(-10° to 40°C)

Additional applications:

End effectors.
Ball screw actuators.
XYZ positioning tables.
3D printers

Miki Pulley
www.mikipulley.co

New stepper drives from Applied Motion Products

August 8, 2018 By Mike Santora Leave a Comment

Applied Motion Products has introduced a new series of stepper drives that support a range of industrial Ethernet and Fieldbus network protocols including EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, CANopen, Modbus, Ethernet and RS-485, as well as a proprietary Serial Command Language (SCL) for efficient network communications over Ethernet (UDP or TCP) and RS-485.

By accepting high-level commands via a network connection, STF Stepper Drives provide system designers and machine builders the flexibility to control step motors using the network protocol of their choice. These advanced stepper drives simplify the programming by consolidating motion control functions into the application software of the primary logic or machine controller, rather than in individual axes.

These DC-powered microstepping drives also run stored programs created with Applied Motion Products’ Q Programming language. Q Programming provides a range of motion profiles, multi-tasking, math functions, conditional processing, data register manipulation and more in a robust yet simple, text-based programming language. Operators can configure drives and create Q programs using STF Configurator software available as a free download from Applied Motion’s website.

Designed to work with a range of 2-phase step motors, STF Stepper Drives offer advanced current control with an anti-resonance algorithm that electronically dampens motor and system resonances to improve motor smoothness and maximize torque over a wide speed range. Torque ripple smoothing decreases motor noise and vibrations. With STF Stepper Drives, step motors perform faster, quieter, smoother, and more accurately for today’s high-speed machine and process applications.

Applied Motion Products offers the STF Stepper Drives in three power ratings:
• STF03: 12 to 48 VDC input, up to 3.0 A/phase (peak-of-sine) current output. Lowest power of the series; suitable for smaller motors starting at NEMA 8 frame size.
• STF06: 12 to 48 VDC input, up to a 6.0A/phase (peak-of-sine) current output. Mid-range power within the series.
• STF10: 24 to 70 VDC input power, up to a 10.0 A/phase (peak-of-sine) current output. Highest power for largest step motors including high torque NEMA 34 frame size.

All STF Stepper Drives feature two communication ports (dual-port) for daisy-chain connections of multiple drives to the central processor, HMI or PLC.

Applied Motion Products
www.applied-motion.com

New hoist drive unit GHX125 for industrial cranes going into production

August 7, 2018 By Mike Santora Leave a Comment

The new GHX125 Hoist Drive has completed all necessary durability tests, and are ready for production. Order GHX125 hoist units with 2-speeds or VFD motors for deliveries starting in December 2018. Output shaft & mounting remain unchanged, GHX 125 will be 100% interchangeable with the existing GH 12500. A wider variety of applications are possible due to the extended center distance.

Drum sizes up to 325 mm are standard. Classification of FEM 2m at all drum sizes at reeving 4:1, doubles their service life. Increased speeds up to 200 Hz (motor) in no-load condition for VFD version, reduces cycle time. Enhanced switching behavior in two-speed version, reduces noise.

ABM Drives
www.abm-drives.com

Omron Automation Americas announces award winners

June 12, 2018 By Mike Santora Leave a Comment

Industrial automation solutions provider Omron Automation Americas recently announced the 2017 fiscal year’s winners of the Distributor of the Year award at its FY18 Sales Conference during the week of May 21st. Over 650 persons representing Omron and its channel partners participated in the event, which included new technology presentations, product training, business planning and team building activities.

The Sales Conference was truly an Americas event, with attendees hailing from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and other Latin American countries. The four top-performing channel partners honored at the event represented three different countries and were chosen based on criteria including revenue growth, local engagement, expertise and solution selling.

Mark Sadie, Omron’s vice president of US and Strategic Sales, presented the U.S. awards. “It was great to see two of our larger channel partners embrace the new technologies and channel programs introduced during the past two years and achieve great success in our FY17,” says Sadie. This is why we had co-winners for the US. “It is a standard we believe they will continue to follow and sets a solid example for our other channel partners to follow”.

Winning Distributor: Axis New England (United States)

As a leading automation technology center dating back to 1994, Axis New England provides innovative solutions to manufacturing challenges with a focus on motion control, robotics, and industrial automation. Its staff of over 50 employees are headquartered outside of Boston with an engineering group based in Rochester, New York, and branch locations in both Connecticut and New Hampshire. Axis has been an Omron distributor since 2006.

“Axis is very excited about the success we have experienced with Omron over the past few years,” says Axis New England President Todd Clark. “The partnership is strong, with our teams working well together delivering exceptional value to our automation clients. Omron’s product offering continues to expand and gain further acceptance in the marketplace. Possibly most exciting are the prospects for future growth and success.”

Winning Distributor: Southern Controls (United States)

Southern Controls is a company specializing in automation and control technology that was founded in 1974 in Montgomery, Alabama. “Our partnership with Omron began in 1978, selling basic switches,” says Mark Grooms, the company’s president. “While Omron’s core products are still a big part of our sales success, we have evolved into a total automation solution provider. We have twelve application engineers who support our highly trained outside and inside sales teams, and our success stems from our unique ability to create market share. Omron’s vast product offering, continuous introduction of new innovative products, superior factory support and commitment to the highest quality makes them a perfect partner. We are excited about our future with Omron as we continue to bring the latest in technology and service to our customers, and we are proud and humbled to be named Omron’s U.S. Distributor of the Year for 2017.”

Winning Distributor: Barmex (Mexico)

Barmex provides solutions for power transmission and motion control that allow industrial facilities to function with greater speed and efficiency. It was founded in 1969 as a wholesale company dedicated to importing the best brands and products available on the global market.

In Mexico, Omron has embarked upon an evolution of its sales organization that features its sales partners as a critical and fundamental part of its strategy. According to Mauricio Blanc, Omron’s general manager of Latin America, “partners like Barmex have embraced this evolution by investing in key strategic areas aligned with Omron sales teams while focusing on providing the best automation products and solutions though a value-added service. These partners have seen their efforts pay off immensely, and now Barmex has become the largest distributor in Mexico in 2017. We look forward to continuing this evolution and working with our partners in the coming FY18.”

Winning Distributor: Proax Technologies (Canada)

Proax Technologies is a leading distributor of technical automation products with a focus on providing innovative solutions in the areas of machine automation, motion control and machine safety. It currently has over 100 employees with 11 branch locations across Canada.

“We value our partnership with Omron highly and have invested heavily in supporting their highly advanced technical automation line,” says Stephen Daub, president of Proax Technologies. “We now have proof-of-concept and demo labs in a number of our facilities across Canada along with the technical resources to support them. As Canadian manufacturers continue to evolve to meet global competition, their need to automate is a must. Winning this award substantiates the joint partnership we have with Omron to provide these solutions to our customers. We are excited about the future as Omron continues to bring new and innovative products to the marketplace.”

In Canada, Omron continues to invest significantly in the local market. According to Peter Brouwer, vice president of Omron Canada, “it is because of true business partnerships with distribution partners like Proax Technologies that we are able to provide best-in-class automation products and solutions to our customers. The Omron and Proax teams work closely with each other across the country to make our customers more productive and globally competitive, and to ensure the safety of their employees. The local Omron and Proax teams are closely aligned to provide local technical support to our customers from coast to coast.”

Omron Automation
omron247.com

Balluff’s emergency stop for safety over IO-Link

May 7, 2018 By Mike Santora Leave a Comment

Balluff has added an Emergency Stop device (E-Stop) to widen further the safety product portfolio. Balluff’s E-Stop is easily and inexpensively connected directly to the Balluff “Safety Over IO-Link” module or to any safety controller using standard M12 connectors, eliminating terminations and reducing the incidence of mis-wiring. “These devices are used in a variety of industries from automotive to packaging;” according to Shishir Rege, Safety Marketing Manager at Balluff Inc. “and E-Stops are a core component of almost every machine design and safety risk assessment.”

The E-Stop function is a supplementary protection measure and must always be available for any automated equipment. The E-Stop switch initiates an immediate stop command and can be used for personal protection functions. An available adapter allows this device to easily daisy chain to multiple E-Stop locations on one machine. This connectorized E-Stop switch can “plug & play” with the Balluff “Safety Over IO-Link” hub to create a simple, flexible and modular safety solution. Rege continues, “the total cost of ownership of E-Stop installations is reduced with this new device due to: simplified wiring, lowered assembly labor, and easier troubleshooting.”

About Balluff Inc.: Balluff Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of Balluff GmbH, Neuhausen, Germany. Balluff is a leading supplier of networked IO-Link control system architectures that unlock the potential of the IIoT and Industry 4.0. Balluff offers a wide range of intelligent IO-Link and industrial Ethernet sensors in a variety of technologies including inductive, photoelectric, capacitive, and magnetic as well as magnetostrictive linear position sensors, magnetic tape linear encoders, industrial RFID systems, and industrial vision systems. Balluff provides cost-saving, process-enhancing solutions to machine builders and manufacturers to control, regulate, automate, assemble, position, and monitor manufacturing, assembly, and packaging sequences. Industries served include: automotive, packaging, food processing, beverages, tire, primary metals, conventional and alternative energy, semiconductor, plastics, and fluid power.

Balluff
www.balluff.com

PTDA 2018 Leadership Development Conference

May 7, 2018 By Mike Santora Leave a Comment

Dozens of future leaders in the power transmission/motion control industry engaged in a mix of education and interactive exercises and took home powerful tips and strategies from facilitator Matt Mayberry during the PTDA 2018 Leadership Development Conference.

Held March 21-23 in San Antonio, Texas, participants in “Transformational Leadership: Becoming a World Class Leader” walked through a strategic goal-setting activity to craft a vision that will support their efforts in becoming a transformational leader. Best practices about personal productivity and insight into how others perceive leaders in the workplace were shared as well as how to help teams compete, succeed and communicate across generations.

The Leadership Development Conference was held in conjunction with PTDA’s spring governance meetings for PTDA’s Board of Directors, Foundation Board, committees and Manufacturer Council volunteers, offering a unique opportunity for conference attendees to network with the industry’s top PTDA distributor and manufacturer member companies.

PTDA
ptda.org/LDC

Beckhoff touch panels with 10.1-in. widescreen displays

March 16, 2018 By Mike Santora Leave a Comment

Beckhoff Automation has announced the release of the CP6x00 Control Panels and Panel PCs with 10.1-in. widescreen displays. The expanded line of entry-level panels from Beckhoff, first launched with 7-in. displays, has been expanded by three new cabinet-mounted devices, each with a 10.1-in. widescreen display. PC-based control technology in the cost-sensitive, lower to middle performance range can now be scaled even more precisely in line with individual application requirements.

The new widescreen variants have a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) touch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 WSVGA, which paves the way for comprehensive operator interface and visualization options. Added to this is superior display quality with 16.7 million available colors on the 10.1-inch diagonal screen. The latest additions to the entry-level class from Beckhoff include two fanless Panel PCs and a purely passive Control Panel. These devices permit the cost-effective implementation of control and visualization tasks for small and medium-sized machines, production systems and buildings.

The three new widescreen TFT touch Panel PCs from Beckhoff are:
˗ CP6600 Panel PC with 1 GHz ARM Cortex A8 CPU and 1 GB DDR3 RAM memory
˗ CP6700 Panel PC with Intel Atom processor (up to 1.91 GHz, four cores) and 2 GB DDR3L RAM (optionally extended up to 8 GB)
˗ CP6900 Control Panel with DVI/USB Extended technology for operation at a distance of up to 50 m from the Industrial PC or Embedded PC

Equipped with a robust metal housing consisting of an aluminum front bezel and a sheet steel rear cover, the panels offer higher quality and durability than the plastic panels typically offered in the low-cost, entry-level segment. In addition, the high-quality materials and a rounded front bezel lend a modern and appealing look to the panels, which can be used in the most diverse production and building environments at operating temperatures from 0 to 55 °C.

Beckhoff
www.beckhoff.com

IDEC introduces MicroSmart FC6A Plus PLC

March 13, 2018 By Mike Santora Leave a Comment

IDEC Corporation announces the release of its MicroSmart FC6A Plus, a PLC with up to 2,060 local I/O. With its expanded I/O capacity, the FC6A Plus can control and monitor the largest machines or entire small-scale manufacturing facilities, a capability seldom found in a micro PLC.

To ensure high-level performance with this expanded I/O count, basic instructions can be executed in 21 nanoseconds, and program memory is 800 kB (100K steps). These capabilities are combined with data memory, more than double the capacity of a typical micro PLC. These features allow the FC6A Plus to handle large programs with complex control requirements such as PID, flow totalization and recipes.

Two models are available, each with 24 Vdc input power. The 16 I/O model has 8 inputs, and 8 relay or transistor outputs. The 32 I/O model has 16 inputs, and 16 transistor outputs. Each model also includes an integral 0-10 Vdc analog input with 12-bit resolution. Each model can accommodate up to three plug-in discrete, analog, serial communication or Bluetooth cartridges. Each discrete cartridge has 4 discrete I/O points, either 4 inputs or 4 outputs. Each analog cartridge has 2 analog I/O points, either 2 inputs or 2 outputs.

Up to 63 I/O expansion modules can be added. This gives the FC6A Plus the capability to handle up to 2,060 I/O with a maximum of 511 analog I/O, much more than a typical micro PLC.

The FC6A Plus also includes an optional Bluetooth wireless communication adapter, giving users the power to monitor the PLC and download/upload programs from any PC or laptop with Bluetooth capability. This eliminates the need to stock, locate and connect a cable to the PLC for these tasks, and provides access to the PLC from a distance up to 10 meters. In addition, any device with Bluetooth capability, such as a bar code reader, can also be configured to communicate with the PLC.

FTP communication allows users to configure the FC6A Plus as a FTP Client or Server for transfer of programs and logged data between a server and the PLC, providing a convenient and effective way to remotely communicate with the PLC. Up to 16 users can be managed simultaneously, and access folders can also be managed. Files can be stored at the PLC or logged to the PLC’s SD memory card for transfer to an FTP server.

All models have two built-in RJ45 Ethernet ports. Optional Plug-in communication cartridges can be added to create two additional RS232C/RS485 ports. With the addition of serial communication modules, up to 33 RS232C/RS485 serial ports are supported

The PLC’s Ethernet port supports the Modbus TCP protocol, and the serial port supports the Modbus RTU protocol. Support for the BACnet communication protocol will be available in mid-2018 to provide communications with building automation components and systems. An SD memory port and a mini-B USB port can each be used for data logging, program storage/transfer, firmware updating or recipe storage.

An optional HMI module can be added to the CPU to provide operator interface via its display and control buttons. The HMI module can also accommodate an optional plug-in analog cartridge, and it has an integral Ethernet port. Using the operator interface functionality, any PLC parameter can be updated.

App Access
The FC6A Plus is one of world’s first micro PLCs with full-featured app access from any iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. These WindEDIT Lite apps can be downloaded for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Although browser-based access is also included, many users will prefer the one-touch access and superior speed of the app.

With the WindEDIT Lite app, users can upload and download user programs; monitor and control any parameters in the PLC; monitor and clear PLC error status; start and stop the PLC; send and retrieve program and logged files to a cloud database; and manage the SD memory card. Access control can be configured with different layers of user privilege and password. Connection from a PLC to the WindEDIT Lite app can established using Wi-Fi (internet) or Bluetooth.

IoT Ready
IoT capability is provided by default web pages or by custom web pages, each of which can be configured for remote monitoring and control. Web pages are created within standard IE, Firefox or Chrome web browsers using pre-built objects and symbol factories via simple drag-and-drop functionality. No HTML programming is required, a major advantage over competing products.

Web pages are stored in the PLC’s user web page 5 MB of memory space, or in the optional SD card’s 32 GB of memory space. Using this storage capacity, users can create professional web pages with high levels of graphical content without worrying about memory limitations.

These web pages allow the PLC to function as a web server when one of its two built-in Ethernet ports or the HMI Ethernet port is connected to the Internet. These web pages can be accessed via any web browser running on any Internet-connected device such as a remote PC, a tablet or a smartphone.

Connecting the Ethernet port on the PLC, or on the optional HMI module, to the Internet also provides email and text notification functionality, which can be used with third-party email servers such as Gmail and Yahoo.

Upward Compatibility
The FC6A Plus is programmed with IDEC’s WindLDR PC-based software, which includes no cost updates for the life of the product, and which can be used to program IDEC’s entire line of controllers in a simple and intuitive manner. Software programs from IDEC FT1A, FC4A, FC5A and FC6A PLCs can be automatically converted by the WindLDR programming software for execution on the FC6A Plus.

PLC programming languages include Ladder, Function Block Diagram and Script, the latter similar to the C programming language. The Script language can be used to create more complex programs, particularly those with multiple sub-programs and custom function blocks.

Industries particularly well suited to the FC6A Plus include oil & gas, chemical, solar, marine, packaging, food & beverage, material handling, utility vehicles, and OEM machinery and process skids. Within these industries, a wide variety of applications are a good fit-especially those requiring control of standalone machines, process skids, vehicles and small-scale systems. With its expanded I/O capabilities, the FC6A Plus is also capable of controlling entire small-scale manufacturing and other industrial facilities.

IDEC
www.IDEC.com/usa

True non-contact rotary encoder

March 2, 2018 By Mike Santora Leave a Comment

Joral LLC introduces the PE18 ProxEncoder non-contact rotary encoder product line. Modeled in a threaded proximity switch housing, the 18mm true non-contact encoder is designed to capture rotary motion where conventional sensors fail. Two USPTO patents enable the PE18 ProxEncoder to detect on-axis rotation with up to 0.5-in. (12mm) air gap between the application and sensor.

The PE18 is 100% encapsulated for an IP69k configuration that survives destructive conditions like submersion in hydraulic oil, deep sea salt water, dust control spray, or corrosive wash. Immediately available in common communications including analog, quadrature, and CAN J1939. The PE18 ProxEncoder product line is designed to cater to both mobile hydraulic and industrial installations.

Additional highlights of the Joral PE18 ProxEncoder include:
18mm threaded proximity switch style housing
Patented true non-contact position sensing:
o 0.5-in. (12mm) gap between sensor and application
o 0.10-in. (2.5mm) axial misalignment
o 30° planar tilt
IP69k environmental protection class
Rated MIL-STD 202 for shock and vibration resistance
Available Housings: Anodized aluminum and stainless steel
Available Outputs: Quadrature, CAN J1939, PWM, Analog, and more
Customizable connector options available

Joral
www.joralllc.com

Miniature voice coil motor with high force-to-size ratio

March 1, 2018 By Mike Santora Leave a Comment

Smaller in diameter than a United States quarter, the miniature Linear Voice Coil Motor, LVCM-019-016-02, from Moticont has a high force-to-size ratio. It produces 8.9 oz. (2.5 N) of continuous force and 28.0 oz. (7.8 N) of peak force in a compact 0.750-in. (19.1 mm) diameter x 0.94-in. (23.8 mm) long envelope (at mid-stroke). This high-speed motor has zero cogging and features high accuracy, and high repeatability to less than1 μm (0.00004-in.) when operated in a closed loop as a DC servo motor. This clean, quiet, efficient, low inertia, high acceleration, miniature voice coil motor is suitable for applications such as: Pick-and-place, testing, laser steering, laser speckle reduction, mirror positioning, scanning, oscillation, switching, and handheld medical, dental, or industrial applications.

The miniature LVCM-019-016-02 linear voice coil motor has a stroke length of 0.25-in. (6.4 mm). and is easily added to new or existing applications using the precision drilled and tapped 8-32 UNC-2B mounting holes. Other smaller and larger models, as well as custom designs, are available. The LVCM-019-016-02 linear voice coil motor can be ordered as a complete plug-and-play system including an encoder and controller.

Moticont
www.moticont.com