Motion System Design articles from May 2009

Motion System Design archives from May 2009

Taming temperature extremes.(Design by Objective)
May 1, 2009... From the bitter cold of the Arctic tundra to the searing blaze of a welding cell, extreme temperatures call for components built to take the heat. Here we present some of the latest products to consider for your next harsh-duty design.

Product family protects sensors.(Design by Objective)
May 1, 2009... The Weld Select family of Weld Field Immune sensors, SteelFace sensors, SlagMaster slag-resistant laminate coatings, mounting hardware, connectors, and Weld Repel products help protect sensor connector components from damage in welding cells....

Polymer bearings beat the heat.(Design by Objective)
May 1, 2009... Xiros lubrication-free polymer ball bearings stand up to high temperatures, chemicals, and moisture. Bearing races and cages are made from the high-temperature material iglide A500, which also offers strong chemical resistance. Corrosion-free...

Amplifier protects electronics from extreme temps.(Solution snapshot)
May 1, 2009... Electrical engineering researchers at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, have designed and tested an electronic microamplifier that can operate directly in space without protection from a "warm box"--an enclosure used during space...

Rotary stages handle temperature fluctuations.(Solution snapshot)
May 1, 2009... AGR Series motorized rotary stages offer improved speed, load capacity, and long-term positioning performance versus previous generations of worm-gear-drive stages used for positioning in laboratory and industrial applications. The stage base...

Integrated motor and driver offers optional encoder.(Solution snapshot)
May 1, 2009... The MDrive product line, with integrated motor and driver, now offers an optional internal magnetic encoder for reliable position monitoring with differential or single-ended outputs that is less prone to electrical noise interference....

Proximity switches survive washdown.(Solution snapshot)
May 1, 2009... InoxSens inductive proximity switches come in M12, M18, and M30 housings that are hermetically sealed and made of stainless steel type V4A/316L. Switches are resistant to high water pressure and rated to both IP68 and IP69K. Operating...

Encoders engineered for extreme conditions.(Solution snapshot)
May 1, 2009... LM13 linear magnetic encoders consist of just a readhead and self-adhesive scale, providing an ultra-compact package suitable for use in metalworking, paper converting, packaging, and other applications too dusty or destructive for optical...

Engineering optimism.([PROFILES IN Engineering])
May 1, 2009... How long have you been working as a project engineer? I've been doing this since the early 1990s. Ours is a small company, so it gives its employees the opportunity to do as much as they feel capable of doing. How did you end up at...

Boosting durability with housings and carriers: drive designers must make accurate life predictions to ensure reliability. Part of the equation is gear and bearing support flexibility--in the gearbox housing, planet carrier, and ring gear.(Gear drives)
May 1, 2009... Depending on the design and location of a particular gearset and bearing, structural flexing affects both contacting tooth and roller-surface misalignment. Inaccurate calculation of misalignment results in inaccurate calculation of stress...

Set them free.(In the Loop)(Adam Smith writes on United States economies)
May 1, 2009... A few months before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a Scottish economist named Adam Smith published a book that helped birth the free-market system of economics and trade. The title, The Wealth of Nations, must have captured the...

Fall guys: deforming dampers: like an air bag, some single and limited-use shock-absorbing elements transform kinetic energy from impact into deformation work.(Mechanical dampers)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Some designs such as packaging-machinery frames rarely if ever endure internal shock loading or impact. In other cases, often in end-user products, designs are lower in cost. In both instances, deforming damping...

Voice-coil-driven stage.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] High-precision stage is driven by a voice-coil linear motor and weighs just 1 kg. Features & benefits * Measures 80 x 50 x 145 mm and comes in 5 or 7 mm travels * Incorporates a Renishaw linear scale to...

Slotted wire duct.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... T1 Series of slotted wire duct line now comes in black and blue for specialized wiring identification. Features & benefits * Blue wiring duct typically indicates intrinsically safe components in a control panel * Black wire duct...

Compact motion control system.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... SM3416DT-PLS2 series SmartMotor is a complete, programmable motion control system that combines a servomotor, amplifier, encoder, and motion controller in a single package. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * High-speed...

Mini air cylinder.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... Cylinder measures just 0.512 x 0.552 x 0.906 in., and features two 8-mm bore x 2.5-mm stroke cylinders in a common body, back to back. Features & benefits * Anodized-aluminum body contains M3 x 0.5 ports and houses a stainless steel...

Flexible couplings.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... EKH flexible couplings can handle 10,000,000 cycles at rated torque. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Resilient polyurethane insert damps vibration and absorbs slight shaft misalignment in the lateral, axial, and...

Single-piece clutch or brake assembly.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... Bearing-mounted clutch and brake assembly ships as one piece, eliminating the need for assembly or adjustment. Features & benefits * Universal mount types come with a flange for mounting sprocket or pulley * Unit can be designed...

Timing belts.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Synchrochain timing belts, available in more than 55 different sizes, are designed for applications that place extreme demands on belt performance, such as maximum power transmission. Features & benefits *...

Proximity sensors.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ASI high-temperature inductive proximity sensors have stainless steel housings for operation in 284[degrees] to 446[degrees] F applications. Features & benefits * Switching distances of 2 to 50 mm *...

PLC-on-a-card.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... Advanced version of MOVI-PLC offers greater computing power and memory, which can be used to automate an entire machine from a single PLC-on-a-card. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Handles up to 64 axes for complex...

Miniature drive belt system.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Excel-A-Belt features an arched tooth profile and zero backlash to run longer, cleaner, and quieter than other common drive belts in use today. Features & benefits * Tooth profile enables high accuracy...

Proportional control valve.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The LS-V05C proportional pneumatic control valve is a five-port, four-way valve designed for inline or manifold mounting. Features & benefits * A bidirectional, linear force motor and spool-and-sleeve...

Probe connectors.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... PCC-OST and PCC-SMP series circuit board connectors attach thermocouple probes to printed circuit boards. Features & benefits * Available in two sizes; mate either standard or miniaturesize connectors * Each connector comes with a...

Linear actuators.(New Products)
May 1, 2009... With a special overload feature, Roh'lix linear actuators halt motion when an obstruction or pre-set level of travel pressure is reached, making positioning systems safer than those using a ball screw actuator. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Industry in the USA.(A SPECIAL REPORT)
May 1, 2009... As this magazine marks its 50th year in print, we explore how U.S. manufacturing has changed over this last half century. The trends are dramatic and (despite current economic woes) encouraging as well. If someday they say of me that in my...

Bright stars dot manufacturing skies.
May 1, 2009... Yes, we are in a recession. But it's not all doom and gloom for U.S. manufacturers and automation suppliers. A few bright spots exist, and a turnaround is expected by 2011 according to several industry analysts. Following is a snapshot of...

Get the most from your local distributor ... especially during tough economic times.(Dealing with distributors)
May 1, 2009... According to a recent survey of Motion System Design readers, more than 89% rely on distributors for information vital to their designs. However, few design engineers know exactly what services one might expect from a local distributor. To...

One cautionary tale.(Dealing with distributors)
May 1, 2009... I am a mechanical and manufacturing engineer currently at an automated component manufacturer in New Jersey, and originally from Coventry, England, often called the Detroit of Great Britain. Coventry was once home to more than 600 companies...

Educating for the future.(Dealing with distributors)(mechanics employment and wages forecasted)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... As automation increases--and allows companies to produce more with fewer workers--employment in U.S. machinery manufacturing is expected to continue its long-term decline. In contrast, resilient sectors such as food and beverage may go...

Manufacturing + trade today.(Dealing with distributors)
May 1, 2009... According to the Alliance for American Manufacturing, the industry currently accounts for 12% of U.S. gross domestic product, about $1.6 trillion, and 20 million jobs--the single largest contributor to the U.S. economy. The group stresses that...

Think advantages--not protectionism.(Dealing with distributors)
May 1, 2009... Our country has had the advantage of more than a century of industrial production and we've learned a thing or two along the way. We have been through the days of division of labor, where work was divided into the boring repetition that became...

Industrial Ethernet switches.(Product Spotlight: Switches)
May 1, 2009... 852 Series switches range from simple styles to configurable, multifunction Ethernet communication switches, all suitable for rigorous industrial environments. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Rugged housing; handle...

Electromechanical toggle switches.(Product Spotlight: Switches)
May 1, 2009... S Series locking lever, medium capacity electromechanical toggle switches are available in single and double pole models, with two or three maintained positions. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Single throw or double...

SiC power switch.(Product Spotlight: Switches)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A demonstration, dual switch, 1200 V, 100 A, power module featuring all-SiC (silicon carbide) semiconductors is able to operate at temperatures to 200[degrees] C, beyond those achievable with a silicon IGBTbased...

Rugged switches.(Product Spotlight: Switches)
May 1, 2009... A new family of switches is available for severe operating conditions and heavy-duty applications, such as industrial controls, farm machinery, and off-road vehicles. Features & benefits * ESM and DSM Series are single and double...

Save time with gearing components: Each month, this Time Saving Technology department introduces new products and ideas to help you work more efficiently and become a more effective problem solver. This month, we take a look at some of the newest gearing devices.(TIME SAVING TECHNOLOGY)(gear reducers)
May 1, 2009... Locking device quickly fastens rotating components [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The M-Type Shaftloc rotating-component fastening device is a locking mechanism for rigidly mounting hubless gears, sprockets, pulleys, cams, or any thin-walled...

Top 10 tips for working with rack & pinion drives: choosing the right rack and pinion drive depends on three main considerations--application parameters, required accuracy, and budget. Following are some expert tips and tactics to help you get it right the first time.(MSD's Top 10)
May 1, 2009... 1. Take the time to size wisely. Match the quality level of the rack to the application: A soft rack for light loads and medium accuracy; a quenched and tempered rack for medium loads and medium accuracy; an induction-hardened rack for...

Website of free resources.(Web Contents)
May 1, 2009... One updated and expanded motion control website now provides interactive information and tools: The library at www.galilmc.com (of Galil Motion Control) provides free access to piles of educational material, including online tutorials, support...

Technical documents site.(Web Contents)
May 1, 2009... The new site of Ormec Systems Corp. at www.ormec.com was recently named One of the best new sites developed by Machine Design Magazine. Technical documents and software resources are easy to locate; each product page features related...

New site + PDF catalog.(Web Contents)
May 1, 2009... Get literature online now for custom components, groove, step-cone, zinc die-cast, and variable-pitch pulleys, and bronze and UHMWPE sleeve bearings: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New www.congressdrives.com (online home of Congress Drives...

MSD site freshens up.(Web Contents)
May 1, 2009... Have you visited the Motion System Design web site lately? www.motionsystemdesign.com We've added a number of new functions to make the site more useful and interactive than ever before. Go ahead - check it out and add MSD to your Favorites or...

Article commenting.(Web Contents)
May 1, 2009... Have you ever read an article in a technical magazine and thought, "Okay, I get it, but...." If you have one burning question that--if answered--would complete your understanding of a complex topic, then we have good news for you: Many...

One-stop topics and search.(Web Contents)
May 1, 2009... We've also enhanced the search functionality, plus added seven specific one-topic pages for improved site navigation. Type a term into our new and improved Search box and you're likely to call up dozens of relevant, in depth feature articles....

Motor rebate part of senate energy bill.(What's New)
May 1, 2009... The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), Rosslyn, Va., announces that the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has adopted a provision that creates a NEMA Premium energy-efficient motor rebate program, also known...

Hybrid vehicles call for powder-coating solution.
May 1, 2009... As automakers turn their attention to fuel-efficient vehicles, new manufacturing challenges arise. For example, capitalizing on nascent technologies such as regenerative braking is a big step forward, provided one can reduce the higher...

IEEE celebrates 125 years.(American Institute of Electrical Engineers)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Tracing its roots to the founding of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) and the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE), today's IEEE celebrates 125 years in 2009. Through its global membership of more than 375,000 members in 160...

10,000 students, 533 robots compete at FIRST.
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] More than 20,000 spectators, students, mentors, volunteers, and sponsors gathered last month to experience the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship held at the Georgia Dome...