Nidec-Shimpo Corporation has added adopter-combined gear-head types to its FLEXWAVE series of precision control reducers currently on sale. Conventional FLEXWAVE reducers, which are intended to be installed in robots, have frequently been sold as individual or assembly components, and installing a FLEXWAVE reducer in a commercially available servo motor would require the user to prepare […]
Gears + Gearing
How to get zero backlash out of gearing?
Gearmotors use gears to reduce speed, which makes more torque available. The kind of gears used in gearmotors have an impact on the available torque, but also on things like noise levels and accuracy. In fact, one of the more common sources of inaccuracy in gearmotors is due to gear backlash. So reducing the amount […]
New mini planetary gearmotors for small stepper motors
Applied Motion Products’ new PH Series mini planetary gearmotors are used with small step motors in NEMA 8, 11, and 14 frame sizes. The small design of the gearheads allows them to be paired with small motors and doesn’t adversely affect the outside dimensions of the combined gearmotor. These gearmotors are used in applications where […]
New gearboxes for electric motors in mobile machines
As part of its new, extensive eLION platform for the electrification of mobile working machines, Bosch Rexroth has developed spur gearboxes which vehicle manufacturers can use to unlock the full potential of new electric motors. The 1-speed spur gearbox (eGFZ 9100) and the 2-speed shift gearbox (eGFZ 9200) are installed in the central section of […]
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 […]
New plastic bevel gears from igus offer lubrication-free motion
igus has expanded its gear offering with bevel gears made of its iguform S270 and igutek P360 high-performance plastics. These abrasion-resistant, self-lubricating gears are a lightweight and maintenance-free alternative to traditional metallic gears. Gears are widely used as drive elements in a range of applications, from e-bikes to locking systems to actuators. However, when forces […]
Motion system design: How to manage inertia mismatch
One of the most important parameters when sizing a motion system is the inertia of the load being moved. Regardless of the type of motor being used — AC induction, stepper, brushless DC, or AC servo — the ratio of the load inertia to the motor inertia has an important influence on system performance. If the […]
What determines worm gear efficiency, and is it really that low?
Worm gears are often used for their ability to provide very high reduction ratios (and high torque multiplication) in a compact, single-stage design. But traditional thinking says that these benefits come at the expense of efficiency. Here, we’ll look at the factors that determine worm gear efficiency and how to get the benefits they provide […]
New robotic cycloidal gearbox from GAM
GAM’s newest GCL cycloidal gearboxes provide high precision and rigidity for horizontal and vertical robotic and motion control applications. The GCL is designed to withstand the frequent start-stop impact loads of industrial robots and other motion control applications with impact resistance five times nominal torque. The GCL series is available in a wide range of […]