Brother Gearmotors of Brother International Corp. (which sells sub-fractional AC gearmotors and reducers for the food & beverage, packaging and material handling industries) is now partnered with Applied Mechatronics (a California-based manufacturers’ representative). Applied Mechatronics now services much of Brother Gearmotors’ customer base in California. As part of the agreement, Applied Mechatronics will serve as a liaison between Brother Gearmotors and […]
Motors
TI’s new DesignDRIVE; industrial drive, motor control evaluation platform
Texas Instruments (TI) recently launched DesignDRIVE, a single hardware and software platform that makes it easier for engineers to develop and evaluate solutions for many industrial drive and servo topologies. The DesignDRIVE kit and example software offer an easy path to begin exploring a wide variety of motor types, sensing technologies, encoder standards and communications […]
FAQ: Where do brush dc motors still make sense?
Brush dc motors are a mature technology that’s been around for more than a century. So with brushless motors and an ever-increasing array of controls for all motor types, why do engineers still use brush motors? After all, it’s common knowledge that brush motors exhibit wear at their brush-and-commutator interface. The truth is that brush […]
Custom direct-drive motor systems from Applimotion
Applimotion’s custom direct-drive motor assemblies use its UTS frameless motor kits and MicroE encoders. For years OEM customers have routinely designed Applimotion motor kits into direct drive systems unique to their process. MicroE has a long history of supplying precision encoders to the same customer set offering both high accuracy and high resolution in one […]
Market Trend: Packaging leads automation charge
Packaging machinery uses cutting-edge automation, and it’s no wonder. Facilities that parcel products need to deliver high throughput, but modern consumers demand smart packaging in the form of no-fuss containers that protect everything from M&Ms to patio furniture. What’s more, there’s a continuous drive to customize packages and let consumer-facing companies wrap products for bulk […]
What are rack-and-pinion sets? Technical summary
Updated May 2016 || Options for linear motion abound, but today’s rack-and-pinion sets are precision mechanical devices that in some cases deliver performance rivaling that of electromechanical alternatives. First modernized 150 years ago to drive railway trains up steep passages, rack-and-pinion sets today are useful in everything from small consumer devices that move a few […]
For motion in medical, it’s price, performance and reliability
by Leslie Langnau, Managing Editor for Design World— “The driving forces in medical applications today can be reduced to three words: price, performance and reliability, with each being equally critical to the success of modern medical devices requiring any level of motion control,” said Chris Blake, president of maxon precision motors, inc. The move to […]
What is a gearmotor? Technical summary for engineers
Updated May 2016 || By Miles Budimir • Senior Editor Gearmotors are a fairly well-established technology. And recently, there is renewed interest in gearmotors, following a trend in integrated systems in general. More specifically, rising energy costs are driving demand for improved process efficiencies. This presents an opening for gearmotors that can be used in […]
New technologies lead to more efficient aircraft
In a time of increased costs and environmental awareness, fuel efficiency is a primary driver of trends in the aerospace industry. One way engineers are achieving greater fuel efficiency is by reducing the weight of the components that go into an aircraft. Lighter components make for a lighter aircraft, which makes it more fuel efficient […]
Brushless DC HPHT motor rugged enough for oil drilling
BEI Kimco Magnetics now sells a rugged brushless DC (BLDC) motor to withstand harsh oil-exploration applications … as well as other severe-environment applications that can’t have failures. Called the DII15-60-200A High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) brushless dc motor, it’s tested to operate under continuous duty in temperatures up to 205º C and pressures to 30,000 psi. As oil extraction reaches greater depths, […]