Allied Electronics & Automation is expanding its warehouse to 520,000 square feet from its current 300,000-square-foot distribution center. The new addition will be built alongside the current warehouse in Fort Worth, Texas. When the addition opens in mid-2020, Allied will have the capacity to house more than 500,000 stocked products, up from 170,000 today. “Allied […]
Industrial Automation
What is meant by the term General Motion Control?
There are numerous interpretations of what the motion control market entails in terms of products included and industries served, but there are some commonalities among the various definitions. First, a motion control system includes at least three basic components — a motor, a drive, and a controller. Second, motion control systems are primarily used in discrete […]
New functions in B&R SafeDESIGNER 3.1 include expanded numeric ranges for functions
The latest version of B&R’s SafeDESIGNER tool now makes it possible to process and compare safe INT and DINT signals in addition to linking them mathematically using basic arithmetic operations. Safety-oriented function blocks are also available for converting INT and DINT values in either direction. This expansion now rounds off the full range of numeric […]
How to specify motion components for cleanroom environments: Part 2
In this two-part article, we cover the products, materials, and features that designers and engineers should specify when choosing motion components for cleanroom environments. In part 1, we looked at how to reduce particle generation due to friction between moving components. In this second part, we’ll look at another source of contamination — outgassing — […]
How to specify motion components for cleanroom environments: Part 1
In this two-part article, we cover the products, materials, and features that designers and engineers should specify when choosing motion components for cleanroom environments. In part 1, we look at how to reduce particle generation due to friction between moving components. Designers of automation systems are tasked with many competing demands, such as balancing cost and performance, […]
WITTENSTEIN alpha CAD POINT smart catalog for gearbox configuration and selection
CAD POINT by WITTENSTEIN alpha helps engineers and motion control specialists access product information, data sheets, and CAD data in just a few clicks. This online smart catalog features the entire product portfolio for WITTENSTEIN gearboxes and actuators in conjunction with a database of more than 16,000 motors. CAD POINT makes it easy for users […]
Elmo Motion Control at IMTS: Making smart machines smarter
At IMTS 2018, Elmo Motion Control will showcase its new Double Gold Twitter ultra-small servo drive and its Platinum Maestro motion controller, which controls up to 256 axes. These motion products suit the most demanding applications in the era of Industry 4.0. The new Double Gold Twitter is among the smallest STO-certified (IEC 61800-5-2, SIL-3) […]
Conveyors with backlighting + robotics automate outlet production
Michigan-based Byrne Electrical Specialists designs and manufactures power and data technologies for office, teaching, and hospitality environments. Recently, the company began using industrial conveyors from QC Conveyors to increase their throughput of electrical outlets. A trio of robotic assembly cells — each with its own threesome of busbar conveyors and solo output conveyor — build […]
Updated Motion Analyzer software from Rockwell cuts system design time
An updated version of the Allen-Bradley Motion Analyzer software tool from Rockwell Automation offers simplified workflows and improves design efficiency. The enhanced software offers an optimized user experience with intuitive navigation and in-workflow product selection. This can help engineers more easily and efficiently develop complete motion control systems for their machines. Using the Motion Analyzer […]
Brushless dc motors for industrial power tools: Comparison of options including slotless motor variations
Industrial power tools have operating profiles that differ from those of most other motor-driven applications. That’s why motors that go into these tools need specialized designs. By Thomas Baile, Business Development Manager | Portescap Most electric-motor-driven designs demand torque for the entirety of their motion. In contrast, power tools for fastening, gripping, and cutting applications […]