Motion System Design articles from November 2007

Motion System Design archives from November 2007

Sound check.(BETTER BY Design)(low-noise gear module )(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... A new low-noise gear module replaces standard stages to turn loud gear whines into low, quiet hums. Increasingly required in medical devices, commercial products, and automotive applications, low-noise gear modules fit right into existing...

Friedrich Fischer: this month, we review the life of Friedrich Fischer, father of the rolling bearing industry, for ideas and inspiration.(Did you know)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If ever there was a gene for technological innovation, it was passed from Philipp Moritz Fischer, inventor of the pedal bicycle, to his son, Friedrich Fischer, creator of the ball-grinding machine that spawned the...

2007 Better-than-a-bearing holiday gift Guide.(Buyers guide)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To help move you into the holiday spirit, Motion System Design editors have assembled a few ideas for that special someone on your list. Treat a friend or treat yourself, and use the justifications as needed. Happy...

Automation gives Airbus A380 its wings.(Industry Focus: Aerospace)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Constructing the largest commercial aircraft in the world involves engineering ingenuity in design of the plane, as well as the tools to assemble it. Up to 111 ft long and weighing more than 4 ton, one wing panel of...

PTDA welcomes members.(What's New)(Power Transmission Distributors Association)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Six new members joined the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA), Chicago, during the third quarter of 2007. Three companies joined the association as distributor members: * Global Bear Inc., Dorval, PQ, Canada, a distributor...

Techs promote technology.(What's New)
November 1, 2007... In two separate moves to encourage innovative thinking in science and technology, two of the biggest tech companies are sponsoring contests for big business and students. Google Inc. has teamed with The X Prize Foundation to create the...

Concerning trouble in paradise.(In response)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... I live in Sugarcreek, Ohio, on the border of Holmes County. This was once a tourist destination for the area, a proud Swiss community with a locally run cheese factory, blacksmith shop, steam passenger train, Amish bakery, and crafts stores....

Just around (another) corner.(In response)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... I greatly appreciate your efforts in MSD magazine, which I've read since it was PTD. I find your technical and non-technical commentaries to be unusually pertinent to life in an OEM design office. I write because in the late 1940s, there...

From the MSD Forum.(In response)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... Posted by Tgage: I saw an error in your September-issue MSD 101 article on brake backlash. Actually, a gear unit divides backlash by the reduction ratio, so one degree at the brake becomes 1/10 of a degree at the reducer output. Author's...

Response to motion monitor: good design.(In response)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... Usage mapping and simple ethnography would show that most people only utilize a small number of a given product's features. That's why astute design engineers know how to place primary controls up front, where they are easily understood and...

Who are you calling geek?(In response)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... I almost take offense to the title of your Newsletter editorial, because most people in my life call on me to set up their new gadgets or tweak them--ha. But I can agree with your overall statement. I work as a motion engineer here in Michigan,...

The right light: pick the perfect lighting for fantastic feature detection. Correct lighting can account for up to 80% of a vision application's success. Nowhere is this truer than in the realm of detecting color, shape, surface texture, and translucency.(Lessons in Vision)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At the heart of any vision sensor is an imaging IC. This opto-electronic device can be thought of as an array of tiny light meters arranged in a grid, each one recording the amount of light reflected from a...

The straight story on linear actuators: linear actuators can be powered by pneumatics, hydraulics, or electric motors. Which is best for your job? Let's find out.(Linear Motion)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Linear actuation is employed everywhere, for packaging, life sciences, transportation, and factory automation jobs. Pneumatic and hydraulic linear actuators operate on pressure differentials; electromechanical...

Dc gearmotor.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... MMP TM55-24V GP52-124 reversible gearmotor accepts any 24 Vdc source, including battery power. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Motor measures 2.14-in. in diameter x 7.7-in. long, and has a keyed output shaft of 12-mm...

Motion control system.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... The Rexroth NYCe4000 controls up to 10 stepper and servo motors with integrated drive technology. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Integrates control and drive hardware in one unit with a smaller footprint than an...

VFD motor control.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Dual Input Interface VFD motor control is designed as a plug-and-play, which allows it to be hooked up to a conveyor system, plug in accessories, and turn it on, without wiring. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * 115...

Studded guide wheels.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... DualVee integral guide wheels are available in custom stud lengths. Features & benefits * Available in carbon steel or polymer versions, in one-piece design * Lower profile and larger diameter fasteners provide high rigidity and...

Brushless dc motor.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Compact, high-performance, 8-pole brushless dc motor is capable of 20% more torque than a standard 4-pole servomotor configuration, making it possible to solve demanding applications that may currently require more...

Mechanical vibration switches.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Model 685A07 mechanical vibration switch provides continuous vibration monitoring in applications that require immediate shutdown when increased vibration levels are present. Features & benefits * Come standard with external pushbutton...

Pneumatic assembly tools.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Series of pneumatic tools tackles numerous assembly functions with both bench-mounted and hand-held models. Features & benefits * Operates on 85 to 95 psi * Lightweight tools are easily moved, allowing rapid adjustment of assembly...

Spring-applied brake.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BFK458-L Intorq long-life, spring-applied brake provides 10 million cycles or two years of service life and is released by applying dc voltage to an electromagnetic coil. Features & benefits * Constructed...

Ironless linear positioner.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Trilogy T1D and T1S I-Force positioners feature a 110 series linear motor, linear bearings, linear encoder, and mechanics (base, carriage plates, bumpers, brackets, and cable track). Features & benefits * Selectable single- or...

Step motor drivers.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... R701 and R710 RoHS-compliant, bipolar drivers feature onboard trimpots that can be adjusted to alter the current waveform coming out of the motor and going into the step motor coils to reduce vibration and increase smoothness. ...

Brushless dc motors.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Pittman size 04 slotless brushless dc motors can perform with virtually no noise or vibration at the highest speeds. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Parallex coil-winding geometry generates more power using less...

Digital driver.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Ion digital drive with field-oriented control provides greater motor efficiency and higher top-end rotation speed than alternate methods for brushless dc and step motors. Features & benefits * Fully enclosed, single-axis module...

Feed roller system.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Super Drive feed roller system is a non-marking, high traction, soft feed roller with flush-sided hubs for stacking. Features & benefits [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Set screws, and special mounts, bearings, and bushings available ...

Stainless-steel couplings.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Stainless-steel 17-4PH couplings provide high strength, fatigue resistance, and torsional stiffness. Features & benefits * MC series offers high torque and torsional stiffness with two sets of flexures for increased parallel offset ...

Universal joints.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Corrosion resistant universal joints and drive shaft assemblies are machined from stainless steel to resist sterilizing solutions, nitric acid, inorganic chemicals, foods, and most organic chemicals and dyes. ...

Cable guys: in this forum, Motion System Design editors speak with industry experts about the latest trends in cable design and cable carrier systems for today's motion-centric automation environment.(Productivity forum)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOW DO CABLE AND CARRIERS TRANSLATE TO PRODUCTIVITY? Rick * Lapp: Nobody wants downtime. So performance is extremely important and with ever-evolving automation technology, smaller is usually better. Advancements...

Shaft collars.(Product Spotlight: Locking devices)
November 1, 2007... S25FB9 (brass) and S25FY9 series (303 stainless steel) shaft collars incorporate built-in bearing shim spacer and Fairloc integral hub fastener. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Inch and metric sizes fit shafts from...

Retaining devices.(Product Spotlight: Locking devices)
November 1, 2007... Adjustable Tangent-Lok devices secure power transmission and other mechanical assemblies. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Infinite position lock; ability to properly preload assembly * Eliminate need for keyed...

Corrosion-resistant shaft collars.(Product Spotlight: Locking devices)
November 1, 2007... Smooth-bore shaft collars include corrosion-resistant screws made from 316 stainless steel. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * One and two-piece clamp-style designs with bore sizes from 3/4 to 2-in., 3 to 50-mm in metric...

Speed reducers.(Products Spotlight: Gearing)
November 1, 2007... AD reducers offer backlash as low as 3 arc-min and high shock load capacity in an interchangeable design. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Input speeds to 6,000 rpm; output peak torque from 40 to 384 Nm (one-stage) and...

Worm gears.(Products Spotlight: Gearing)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A double enveloping geometry features more teeth in contact with each other, to provide greater load carrying capacity in similar sizes, improved positional accuracy, longer life, and greater shock load capability....

Anti-backlash gears.(Products Spotlight: Gearing)
November 1, 2007... Series 1158 anti-backlash gears feature Fairloc integral hub fastening system to eliminate marred shafts and help phase adjustment, timing, position adjustment, and frequent removal problems. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits...

Corrosion-resistant gearbox.(Products Spotlight: Gearing)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stainless SG inline planetary gear and ternary intelligent linear actuator combination is comprised of 304 grade stainless steel shafts and housing and a guaranteed watertight motor/ gearbox connection for washdown...

Spiral bevel gears.(Products Spotlight: Gearing)
November 1, 2007... Gears are carburized and hardened and come in matched sets. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Ground tooth sets available; available as Q9 (lapped) and Q11 (ground tooth) * Sizes from 1 to 16 in. * Constructed...

Speed reducers.(Products Spotlight: Gearing)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cyclo Bevel Buddybox 3 speed reducers and gearmotors combine quiet, efficient Cyclo technology input with rugged spiral bevel gearbox output. Features & benefits * 1/8 to 40 hp; ratios from 11:1 to 26,000:1...

Industrial gear units.(Products Spotlight: Gearing)
November 1, 2007... X series industrial gear units offer high capacity and flexibility and come in 23 different sizes--each with a different torque rating--to deliver high torque graduation. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Features & benefits * Helical and...

Spur gears.(Products Spotlight: Gearing)
November 1, 2007... Gears transmit rotary motion into uniform angular velocity and can be mounted on parallel, intersecting, or non-intersecting shafts. Features & benefits * 96 heat-treated gear teeth * 20[degrees] pressure angle; 16.24 in. OD *...

Measuring with light: to monitor an object, laser vibrometers only need a straight shot at it; these sensors don't need to physically contact surfaces. But relative positioning and good beam path are key.(Vibration sensing)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Author/Title Polytec Inc. Tustin, Calif. Laser Doppler vibrometers (LDVs) measure vibrations where other sensors can't. They accurately track up to 30 MHz with linear phase response, as well as...

Technical articles, intelligent discussion.(Web Contents)
November 1, 2007... If you're not already a subscriber, consider signing up for our Motion Monitor e-newsletter to get the latest motion control technical tips and news. There, you can also join the oft-colorful discussion of engineering-related political issues....

Online graphing calculator.(Web Contents)
November 1, 2007... At QuData.com, a free 3D plotter allows you to build plots of any function dependent on two variables. The surface is plotted as a network of square polygons. You can also plot a color map of surface heights. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Learn through osmosis, via a technical Podcast.(Web Contents)
November 1, 2007... Topic: Open-source software How to successfully integrate it into our infrastructure by leveraging benefits and mitigating risks. Where: cgi.com Topic: Up to speed Texas &MM Engineering reviews "whimsical" and little-kknown sides...

Automated pill pusher: relieves pharmacy pain.(World in Motion)
November 1, 2007... A new machine with what looks like a highly complex carousel inside could speed up visits and eliminate mistakes at the pharmacy counter. Much like an ATM (automated teller machine) dispenses cash, the Parata APM (automated product machine)...