igus - Motion Control Tips

New hybrid cable from igus handles both power and feedback signals

December 20, 2018 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

The new CF280.UL.H cable from igus is a hybrid servo cable offered as an expansion to the chainflex line of cables for moving applications. The flexible cable can deliver motor power and feedback functions through a single cable.

Hybrid cable technology was introduced by drive manufacturers to streamline their cable connections to eliminate the encoder cable. By using bus cable technology for their encoder feedback, they’ve designed the system to work with one cable combining power and feedback functions.

igus’ new cable is specifically designed for use in the energy chain. It’s suitable for applications up to a bending radius of 10 x D across all industries, including machine tool, automotive and Intralogistics. igus has tested the CF280.UL.H inside an energy chain with a 7x bend radius for up to 8 million cycles without mechanical failure or degradation of signal. The company performs tests on all chainflex cables under real conditions at the industry’s largest test lab, which spreads out over 29,600 square feet.

The cable works reliably, even in temperatures of -13 degrees to +176 degrees Fahrenheit. A braided shield with a high covering ensures EMI protection over the life of the cable. Depending on the manufacturer’s specification, the new hybrid line has a black or orange oil-resistant polyurethane outer jacket, and is coolant-resistant and flame-retardant.

At the customer’s request, igus Readycable assembles cables in accordance to the drive manufacturers’ specifications. igus offers over 4,200 drive cables that comply to 24 manufacturer standards. All connectorized cables are electrically inspected after assembly to ensure proper function. The cable includes a 36-month service life guarantee and can be ordered in raw cable lengths or as a connectorized Readycable. The CF280.UL cable is compatible with motors and drives from over 39 manufacturers, including Siemens and Allen Bradley.

For more information, visit www.igus.com.

New igus robolink Apiro is modular kinematics system for automation

May 9, 2018 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

igus now sells components as part of a modular motion system called robolink Apiro. The systems could soon make designing and using individual automation setups more cost effective and much easier.

With robolink Apiro, design engineers can choose from three lubrication-free worm gears for standard, inverted and linear movement. For users, the device offers setups ranging from the simple linear robot to complex humanoid and animatronic robots. The manufacturer introduced the robolink concept at Hannover Messe in Germany in April.

New igus robolink Apiro is modular kinematics system for automation of robotic design

The Apiro system allows for motion designs capable of movements like those of a spider … with only three new worm gears for standard, linear and inverted motion. Image courtesy igus GmbH

Apiro, which derives from the Greek word unlimited, was developed with a focus on decoupling the motor and gearbox while also introducing new kinds of worm gears that can be installed in up to six axes, such as an articulated robot. A gearbox with linear motion, inverted and conventional robolink worm gears in four sizes come in Apiro. They can also be combined.

The new modular system will allow even complicated movements to be implemented. For example, designers needing parts for individual SCARA robots and linear robots as well as sprue pickers used in removing products from injection molding machines will see benefit in Apiro. Designers of transport and handling systems, as well as humanoid and animatronic robots which can perform movements like those of a spider, will also recognize the benefits of the new modular motion system.

The new robolink series is also suitable for training, development and research as different kinematics can be set easily and quickly.

Modular motion system leads to flexible kinematics design

The multi-functional profile enables users to connect the different gearboxes of the robolink Apiro series. Placing several Apiro joints side by side also allows for the possibility of parallel joint connections, which creates endless possibilities for many different automation applications.

High-quality tribo-polymers are used in the worm gears of the new Apiro series. The corrosion-free and chemical-resistant high-performance plastics ensure a high degree of stability, low weight, long service life and maintenance freedom.

The joints are combined by a multi-functional profile made of aluminum that makes it possible to insert drive shafts through a hollow space in the middle of the unit. The inverted worm gear makes use of that hollow space.

The gearbox allows the aluminum piece to rotate, which makes it applicable for use in robotics and rotating applications. In the case of the new worm gear with linear movement, the aluminum profile can travel linearly through the worm gear, and vice versa. Worm gears also have very little clearance.

Belt drive axes can reduce automation costs

October 26, 2017 By Paul Heney Leave a Comment

Cost-effective alternative for mechanical engineering: The self-lubricating and maintenance-free toothed belt axis, drylin ZLW eco from igus, executes simple positioning and adjustment tasks.

Mechanical engineers often need a basic, space-saving linear guide when designing technology that performs simple tasks, such as vending machines. Since such technology does not handle high loads, high speeds or high positioning accuracy, intricate linear guides are not necessary. However, most solutions on the market are very advanced, leaving manufacturers forced to either pay for features they do not need or develop their own linear guide.

Solution from igus: Toothed belt drive axis starting at $150
igus is now offering the drylin ZLW eco, a ready-to-install entry-level series that is making simple positioning and adjustment tasks extremely efficient and, above all, cost-effective. “A toothed belt axis of this entry-level series with a stroke length of 100 millimeters starts as low as 150 dollars,” said Stefan Niermann, head of igus’ drylin linear and drive technology division. “In comparison, a toothed belt axis from the standard series, which has high-performance features and is therefore unnecessary to use for simple operations, costs almost three times more.” The carriage and shaft end supports are produced by injection molding, which is more cost-effective than mechanical filling used for metal component production. “This also reduces the number of components and thus the installation efforts for every eco linear axis, which in the end is reflected in the low prices of this entry-level series,” explained Niermann. A further cost-saving element of the drylin ZLW eco is the plain bearings used in the sliding carriage, which are made of iglide high-performance plastics. “iglide bearings are forty percent more cost-effective than conventional rolling bearings and 100 percent maintenance-free in operation,” Niermann said. Without compromising the smooth-running operation and durability of the standard series, users can simply install the eco axes and save time and money with the maintenance-free, dry-running triboplastic bearings.

Entry-level series in two sizes
The entry-level drylin ZLW eco has two installation sizes: 0630 and 1040. The base is an anodized drylin W profile made of clear anodized aluminum. At the ends of the profile are plastic shaft end supports for drive technology. A neoprene toothed belt is tensioned between the shaft end supports, which pushes and pulls a solid plastic carriage with a positioning accuracy of 0.3 millimeters. The stroke lengths can be individually adjusted by the user. Due to its lightweight construction, the toothed belt axes weigh only 0.3 kg and 0.7 kg, and can move loads up to 3 kg or 10 kg respectively. Matching motor kits also are available.

igus Inc.
www.igus.com

Four lessons learned from igus CEO Frank Blase

October 17, 2017 By Paul Heney Leave a Comment

On a recent press tour of igus’ Cologne, Germany headquarters, I had the pleasure of chatting with Frank Blase, the company’s CEO—and one of the most approachable and down-to-earth manufacturing leaders you are apt to find.

Blase shared some of what has helped him grow his father’s small German company—over several decades—into the global manufacturer with hundreds of millions of dollars in sales that it is today. Here are four important takeaways:

Don’t have a big ego. Blase said the company’s original formulas for success were “very, very superficial.” He explained that it took them eight or nine years to understand how much research they had to do to get the business really going. They’ve been doing fundamental research since about 1990. “In 1983, I could only say, ‘My father thinks it’s a good product. Test it,’” Blase said. Today, the company realizes they have to prove that their products will work in an application before getting the sale. In fact, there is a huge R&D area set aside in their manufacturing facility, with everything from cable carriers to bearings being tested continuously—under some pretty extreme circumstances.

Make it easy for the customer. igus has built a large IT platform around online configuration tools to simplify design, specification and ordering. It’s also been working on product lifecycle management tools for its site, as well as building up product information and educational resources online. And it now allows customers the flexibility of 3D printing—a part can be printed there in Cologne, or if the customer wishes to print it themselves, igus will sell them a reel of the material, used to make the part

Bigger isn’t always better. Although the company has grown to thousands of employees, Blase attributes some of their success to keeping smaller pods of people together—like business units that function separately. This company-within-a-company mentality helps to keep employees working toward specific goals, and allows for individuals to feel like they are an integral part of everything that’s happening. Plus, Blase has found that smaller teams are more nimble and agile—they can quickly bring about change.

Don’t be afraid to try something totally new. One small business unit that has been growing within the company is the Robolink system. The idea grew out of the fact that they wanted to get the word out that plastic components, such as gearing, could work in industrial robots. But as they designed different parts, they realized that they could actually offer a low-cost industrial robot based on their engineering accomplishments. Today, customers can design, piece by piece, what they want on the company’s online robot configurator. And that business segment is poised to expand rapidly, meaning a whole new revenue area that wasn’t in anyone’s business plans, even a few years ago.

igus motion plastics car ends 20,000 mile tour across North America

June 23, 2016 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

For nearly a year, the igus motion plastics tour has traveled across North America, visiting with more than 4,000 current and potential customers in all industries at more than 160 companies from Mexico City to Toronto. It has now returned to its home base in Rhode Island.

igus staff members show off a robotic retraction system at the last visit on the motion plastics tour.

After completing a worldwide tour in 2014, the car, retrofit with 56 igus plastic bearings, was deconstructed at HMI 2015 (Hannover Messe), and put back on the road for a second tour, this time with a focus on North America. Thousands of visitors stopped to see the car and chat with igus team members about their applications, and how plastic technology and components can increase the service life and reduce the cost of applications ranging from automotive design to medical components, and everything in between.

The car’s last day of visits took place in Connecticut, the 42nd US state visited on this leg of the tour alone. More than 80 engineers, purchasing staff, and other visitors stopped by the last day of visits to see the car and learn about igus motion plastic products.

The orange igus car, which has driven 34,281 miles around the world, will be based at igus’ North American headquarters in Rhode Island, making smaller trips throughout the New England area.

The igus car made a visit to our offices here at Design World back in 2014, where our editorial staff got a chance to learn more about the company’s plastic bearing offerings.

For more about the use of igus’ plastic bearings in automotive applications, check out editor Mike Santora’s piece here.

Heavy duty oil rig robot takes top prize

June 8, 2016 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

The project from Norwegian company Robotic Drilling Systems has been awarded the most creative Energy Chain application system in biennial awards.

Every two years, igus presents its “vector awards,” celebrating unique and creative uses of Energy Chain cable carrier systems. This year, the gold vector was awarded to Norwegian company Robotic Drilling Systems, for their “Drill-floor Robot DFR1500,” a central robot for a fully automated oil drilling system. While in typical oil drilling operations work requires the carrying of individual drilling elements and the manual fixing of bolts, the company is working to develop the oil platform of the future, where drilling and preparation are carried out entirely by robots.

The DFR-1500 uses individual drilling elements, moving them into the correct position for drilling operation using a reverse-bend-radius (RBR) Energy Chain cable carrier in the articulated joints of the system. This sophisticated and unique design won over the vector jury, consisting of representatives of business, research, and specialized media platforms. The award, including a $5690.75 prize, was accepted by Robotic Drilling Systems’ CEO, Jimmy Bostrøm at Hannover Messe 2016.

Fast rotational movements take the silver

The silver vector was awarded to Italian company Fidia, which utilized a pre-harnessed multi-rotational module (MRM), which allows for rotational movements up to 720º atop one of the company’s machine tools. The MRM Energy Chain offers high speeds and accelerations or extremely fast changes in direction and rotation in the machine tool’s Z-axis.

Production plant for concrete elements wins bronze

German company Ebawe Anlagentechnik GmbH’s project took home third prize in the 2016 awards. A concrete distributor, which is used for the industrial production of a large variety of concrete elements, must be moved to a cleaning area multiple times each day to maintain smooth production. To compensate, two Energy Chains in a trough are used, one longer, and one shorter. In regular production travels, the chain is locked, and moves together with the trough on wheels until fully extended. When moving to the cleaning area, the remaining distance is covered by the longer chain in a fully automated process.

Special award for truly unique yacht concept

The large width of catamaran boats typically required two berths in port to handle their large width, which is expensive and often not available in busy harbors. Craning of these boats can also be problematic, as few facilities offer the width required. To resolve these problems, Futura Yachtsystems Entwicklungs GmbH developed the first width variable catamaran, which took home a special vector award. The variable width application enables the hulls to extend and retract, reducing the width using seawater resistant Energy Chains, along with DryLin self-lubricating linear sliders, both from igus.

igus
http://www.igus.com

Construction machines use world’s largest Energy Chain cable carrier

May 13, 2016 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

Edited by Ken Korane • At the recent Bauma construction-equipment exhibition, the world’s largest trade fair, igus fittingly showcased the world’s largest all-plastic hose and cable carrier. The E4.350 energy chain features a durable construction and is designed to carry thick, heavy and stiff cables and hoses. It is especially built for use on rugged-duty machinery operating in harsh environments.

“It’s used on construction equipment, large mining machines, in the offshore oil industry, everywhere you have larges hoses and high loads,” explained Harry Suckau, industry manager for construction machinery at igus headquarters in Cologne, Germany.

Cable carrier for unsupported weights to 21 feet long

The E4.350 has a 13.78 in. (350 mm) inner height and interior width ranging from 7.87 to 39.37 in. (200 to 1,000 mm). It is made of polyamide-based material with excellent rigidity and a high load capacity—it handles fill weights exceeding 67.20 lb/ft (100 kg/m). Lab test show that the E4.350 withstands tensile loads exceeding 175,000 N without damage. And it is suitable for applications with unsupported carrier lengths of up to 21.3 ft (6.5 m). Thus, it has strength needed to safely guide large cables and hoses on cranes, coal conveyors and material-handling booms, Suckau noted.

Building the E4.350 of plastic, rather than of steel or aluminum, offers numerous advantages.

“One main benefit is you reduce weight by almost half by using plastic chains,” said Suckau.

That’s an important reason why energy chains made of high-performance plastics are replacing metallic options in more and more industrial applications, he explained. Plastic energy chains also better absorb vibration and run quieter, versus metal-on-metal constructions, and they are electrically insulating.

The E4.350 energy chain from igus is the world’s largest plastic cable and hose carrier.

“Another benefit is you don’t have corrosion,” he noted. The high-performance material stands up to most chemicals, petroleum products and saltwater, and resists attack from UV radiation. It is also wear-resistant, self-lubricating and requires no grease or oil on joints throughout its service life, even in extremely dirty environments. This reduces the need for routine maintenance and enables a more accurate prediction of service life of the energy chain.

And compared to metal carriers, plastic versions can cost 25% to 50% less, added Suckau.

The E4.350 also has a modular structure, letting engineers customize the unit—for instance, it can be shortened or lengthened, as required. Interior separator fixtures and mounting brackets let users efficiently fill the space as needed, such as spacing small-diameter hoses away from large ones.

The E4.350 is also available in a rolling version for long travels. In a dredging operation in Antwerp, for instance, traverse length is 150 meters. Rollers made of proprietary self-lubricating plastic ensure nearly maintenance-free operation, significantly reducing wear and tear on the chain and increasing the service life, according to the company. The unit’s coefficient of rolling friction is around 75% less than the coefficient of gliding friction, so 57% less energy is needed to drive the chain. The E4.350 is available as a single component and as a fully-assembled system, and on request can be installed directly on site anywhere in the world.

Catching up with Frank Blase, CEO of igus

May 10, 2016 By Paul Heney Leave a Comment

I had the opportunity to chat with the worldwide CEO of igus, Frank Blase, while at the Hannover Fair in Germany last month, and as usual, Blase was direct and willing to discuss anything and everything.

Blase has previously told me about his company’s “contact to claim,” program when I’d last seen him in 2015. The program was a corporate plan to connect all its data from the first point of contact with a customer all the way through to the end. I asked him how the plan was proceeding.

“The costs have grown exponentially,” he said, but indicated that igus was still pursuing the goal at full speed. “We say [in] the future, an igus product is only an igus product when it can be configured online, have its lifetime calculated, and after that, processed automatically or digitally supported through the whole chain, through the whole steps, from order-taking to production, assembly, and then shipping and claim. Contact to claim.”

Blase said they have perfected the blueprint for the product in the past year and have achieved some successes. “We’ve had some failures in what we’ve tried, but then we know what will not work.” He explained that while the company goal is to have the whole program completed and designed in three years, his hope was that it might be sooner. In fact, he said that in 18 months, he felt it would be 80% complete.

Blase went on to talk about igus’ plans in the Americas vs Europe vs Asia Pacific. The company, he said, has similar goals in these different markets. He stressed that if they don’t invest in each area of the world, they they will not be competitive.

“It may be investments in different things at different times,” he said. “In one country, it may be a large logistics investment, production logistics, and the sales force has already been expanded. In others, it may be the other way around—but we still see a huge future for motion plastics [everywhere] if we do that.”

Predictive maintenance is another area where igus is moving quickly. The company has a comprehensive R&D center at its Cologne headquarters location, and Blase said the enormous amount of data that they’ve collected allows them to estimate lifecycles of various products. Embedded chips in the plastic materials make the process even easier.

“Our idea is to give customers information that will tell them exactly how long [the products] are going to live … it’s very easy to link those smart products to the customer. We can monitor and we can automate the retrofit processes for the customer. I think that this, in combination with all the products we’re developing, in two or three years time, it could be a very powerful tool in the eyes of the customer.”

Blase feels this is key, because in the minds of some customers, plastics are still an unreliable entity, and igus is all about proving that idea wrong.

In the last fiscal year, igus increased sales by 18% to about $630 million. The company sells more than 100,000 motion plastics products, including individual parts such as bearings. However, the great majority of orders are for individually configured modules—such as an assembled energy chain with 500 individual components. Every day, around 20,000 different product versions and configurations are dispatched to customers. The company has considerably expanded its worldwide production and storage capacity in North America, Asia and Europe; there are now 14 storage and assembly/installation centers worldwide.

Industry 4.0 gets trouble-free motion with smart plastics

May 4, 2016 By Paul Heney Leave a Comment

Motion plastics, high-performance plastics for motion, defy rain, salt, extreme temperatures, are resistant to oil or chemicals, are lighter, more dynamic, more energy efficient and yet cost effective. At the recent Hannover Messe, igus introduced the next step—intelligent “smart plastics” for Industry 4.0. The company’s goal: to make predictive maintenance even easier and thus reduce costs in the factory of the future.

Today they are used worldwide, high-performance plastics for moving applications. In everyday life, in kitchen machines, bicycles or shower cubicles as well as in industrial environments, such as machine tools or in crane facilities. igus is able to make accurate statements about the service life of motion plastics, thanks to the extensive tests in the 2,750 m² testing lab, The test results are incorporated into the online tools which are also available as a mobile app.

Smart plastics detect conditions in operation
The networked smart plastics expand the possibilities for so-called predictive maintenance and increase the plant availability for the customer. Intelligent drylin linear guides as well as the intelligent energy chains and the intelligent cables constantly monitor themselves and provide early warning of failure. The range named isense consists of different sensors and monitoring modules. By networking with the igus communication module (ICOM), a direct integration with the customer’s infrastructure takes place.

Automated maintenance saves time and money
isense is capable of monitoring the service life of the e-chain, cable or linear guide. Through continuous distance measurements and the calculations using the parameters of the system as well as the thousands of test data from the test laboratory, it is possible to also reliably predict the smooth functioning in real operation. If measured values are exceeded, the intelligent products indicate the remaining term of use early, which enables a timely maintenance and replacement. Optionally isense can be connected to the igus data centre, thereby opening up more digital options: customised service life calculation and optimisation of business processes. These include maintenance commissioning or spare parts ordering. In this way, the electronic intelligence lowers maintenance costs even further and increases plant availability. The products will be available to customers for testing after the Hannover Messe.

How the smart plastics enable predictive maintenance can be viewed in the video at: www.igus.eu/smartplastics

Motion systems application examples: Cables

November 24, 2015 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

By Mary Gannon • More than any other component, cables come in customized versions to satisfy specific application requirements. The number of conductors and strands to transmit power to motors and feedback to and from sensors and controllers are just a couple cable features designers match to designs. More after the jump.

Cables are tested for abrasion resistance ... a critical feature required of any industrial motion cable. Photo courtesy of igus.

Cables must withstand abrasion … especially those for industrial motion designs. Photo courtesy of igus.

Usually requiring UL listing, cables in motion-control applications must be able to handle tight bending radii, abrasion, flexing and possibly even torsional movements. Some must also isolate the effects of strands conducting power. In VFD cables, for instance, a symmetrical ground design with three grounds and three power conductors offers a small outer diameter and less EMI. However, a four-conductor design with three power conductors and one ground is better for continuous flex applications. The latter are common in machine tools, assembly lines and industrial-production applications.

Cables on robotic arms must have high tensile strength, abrasion and flammability resistance. Photo courtesy igus.

Jacket material must also be compatible with the application. The cable jacket protects conductors and insulation and may also provide a level of shielding. For example, cables used in harsh environments, such as on mobile machinery and machine tools, require special jacketing to withstand chemicals such as cutting fluids and oils and abrasion. Cables used in these tough environments or in welding applications may also require a flame-retardant jacket or low-smoke, zero-Halogen design.

Cables used in flexing and rotating applications, such as those on robots, must have high tensile strength and abrasion and flammability resistance. These are most often manufactured of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), polyurethane (PUR) and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

Cables used in medical applications must be biocompatible

The most common material used in cables for medical equipment is silicone, as it is durable and can be easily sterilized, disinfected and cleaned without disintegrating. Other medical-grade materials include thermoplastic elastomers, thermoplastic polyurethanes and PVC. Still other cables are manufactured with anti-microbial jacket materials to prevent bacterial growth.

Shielding and insulation are also application-specific

Shielding protects the cables from outside electromagnetic interference, but also protects users and machines from voltage spikes and other internal interferences. For cables that will be inside cabinets or machines, or those with light to medium loads, unshielded designs may be used, as they usually are smaller and offer a tighter bend radius. But cables installed on machines that are in motion require shielding, especially when they connect to a motor or drive enclosure.