Servo2Go Expands High Performance Linear Stage Series

Greenville, DE – Servo2Go has just added a new high performance linear stage series to its broad range of positioning systems.

Manufactured by Zaber Technologies Inc., the T-LSM series devices are computer-controlled motorized linear stages with high thrust and speed capabilities and a very compact size. They are stand-alone units requiring only a standard 15V power supply. A potentiometer knob at the end of the unit permits smooth manual control; turn it fully to get maximum speed. These slides connect to the RS-232 port of any computer and can be daisy-chained with up to 254 units per chain. They can also be chained with any other T-Series products. Convenient 6-pin mini din cables on the unit allow for direct interconnection between units in close proximity. For longer distances, a standard cable extension can be used.

Series Overview:

* 25 to 200 mm travel (custom options available)

* Max. centered load 100N

* Built-in controller

* Compact design featuring high speed, high thrust and high accuracy

* Mounts in an XYZ configuration without any additional hardware

* Several units can be daisy-chained to a single serial port

More information on the T-LSM series linear stages can be viewed at – http://www.servo2go.com/product.php?ID=105215

Servo2go
www.servo2go.com

Cable Carrier Competition

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – igus® is running its Vector® competition for a second time to reward challenging applications using cable carrier systems.

The first competition only accepted submissions from European companies, but the contest is open to entrants worldwide this time around. This gives North American cable-carrier users the chance to participate for the first time.

The winners of the Vector awards will be rewarded with cash prizes up to 5,000 Euros at the Hanover Fair from April 19th-23rd 2010, although entrants do not have to be at the awards ceremony to be eligible to win.

Entry forms and additional information can be found at www.vector-award.com. The final date for entries is February 28, 2010.

Cable carriers—also widely known as Energy Chains®, cable tracks, cable chains and drag chains—are the umbilical cord of modern machines and ensure the safe supply of energy, data and other media. Cable carriers are suitable for multi-purpose use in the crane and machine-tool industries, as well as in robotics, cleanrooms, material handling, and more.

igus
www.igus.com

High Speed Piezomotor Rotary Stage from PI

San Francisco, CA — PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. introduces a new ultra-low profile (0.6”), direct-driven, high-speed rotary stage based on its proprietary PILine® piezomotor drive technology at this year’s SPIE Photonics West conference. The new ultra-low profile (0.6”), direct-driven, high-speed rotary stage is based on PI’s proprietary PILine® piezomotor drive technology.

The M-660 stage reaches top speeds of 720 degrees/sec. and resolution to 40 µrad (8 arcsec). Its self-locking ceramic drive holds the position steady at rest, with no energy consumption and heat generation. A directly coupled precision optical encoder provides phase lag-free, backlash-free feedback to the servo controller.

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Hard-Cover, Side-Sealed Linear Stages from Aerotech

Pittsburgh, Pa. – Aerotech’s PRO Series are low cost, side seal, hard cover, ball-screw-driven linear stages available in 68 standard models with travels from 50 to 1500mm.

The PRO Series features a hard-cover design for protection from debris, while side-seals keep dirt and particulates out of the stage and protect the bearing surfaces from contamination. Aerotech’s vertical side-seal design easily deflects debris away from the stage. The tabletop can be outfitted with an optional brush assembly to remove any particles that collect on the hard cover.

Models are available with either a 5mm/rev, 20mm/rev, or25 mm/rev ball screw with a matched brushless rotary servomotor to provide maximum travel speeds up to 1400mm/sec. Specifications include ±6μm accuracy, ±1μm bidirectional repeatability, and 0.5μm resolution, depending on model, ball screw, and encoder.

These modular stages easily can be combined into custom multi-axis solutions (XY, XZ, YZ, XYZ). In addition, Aerotech’s complete line of single- and multi-axis motion controllers and drives are a perfect complement and can be included to provide a turnkey system.

The PRO Series can be outfitted with English or metric bolt-hole pattern tabletops, and a brake option is available to prevent back-driving the screw when power is removed from the servomotor. A fold-back kit is also available to effectively reduce the overall stage length for space-constrained applications.

PRO Series data sheets are available at http://www.aerotech.com/products/stages/Mechanical_bearing_ballscrew_stages.html

www.aerotech.com

SQUIGGLE® RV Micro Motion System

Victor, NY – New Scale Technologies, Inc. announced a breakthrough in piezo motion control system design. The SQUIGGLE RV reduced voltage linear drive system consists of a SQL-RV-1.8-6-12 SQUIGGLE motor and NSD-2101 drive ASIC. It is the industry’s first miniature piezo motor drive solution with a driver chip that is smaller than the motor and driven directly from battery power as low as 2.3 VDC without the need for a voltage boost.

The SQUIGGLE RV motor is New Scale’s next-generation piezo micro motor, using state-of-the-art, multi-layer piezo technology from TDK-EPC (www.epcos.com) to reduce the input voltage requirements of this tiny motor – still the world’s smallest linear motor at 2.8 x 2.8 x 6 mm. The NSD-2101 driver was developed for this new motor in partnership with austriamicrosystems (www.austriamicrosystems.com) using advanced integrated circuit designs and patented control systems. This smart IC measures only 1.8mm x 1.8mm and drives the SQUIGGLE RV motor directly, without the need for an external boost circuit.

The SQUIGGLE RV linear drive system is more than five times smaller and uses 40% less power than comparable electromagnetic linear drive systems.

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Miniature Metric 8×6 Ball Screw from Nook Industries

Cleveland, OH - Nook Industries has recently introduced its miniature metric 8×6 Ball Screw (BS) designed for light load applications that deliver fast speed and close tolerance positioning. The rare size (8mm diameter x 6mm lead) is the only precision-rolled 8×6 on the market and is designed for compact applications that require the dual ability to be fast and precise−ideal for accurate positioning requiring a rapid approach and retraction.

Nook’s Precision Screw Group originally developed the 8×6 BS as part of its Miniature Metric Ball Screw Development Project primarily for medical applications. The combination of small screw and high-precision, however, is also well suited for a myriad of broad-based light load applications requiring close positioning and fast speed including; military, optics, instrumentation, sensors, etc.

Nook’s 8×6 BS is manufactured using precision rolled technology instead of grinding − which significantly lowers cost without compromising precision. Custom ball screw end machining options are also available to accommodate custom motor/bearing combinations.

Nook Industries
www.nookindustries.com/8×6

Moog and Thompson Friction Welding Develop World’s Largest Linear Friction Welding Machine

East Aurora, NY USA – Moog and Thompson Friction Welding have developed the world’s largest linear friction welding machine. It is capable of welding a surface area of 10,000 mm² (15 in²), nearly twice as much as previously achieved, and breaks the record of weld forge load at 100 tons.

Designated the E100, this new machine now extends the use of Linear Friction Welding (LFW) in the automotive and aerospace industries to produce components such as vehicle flooring and secure the blades on jet engines.

The E100 machine and control system represent a major industry-breakthrough as friction welding technology had never been used before over such a wide operating envelope.  Its automatic handling systems and rapid machine open/close features cut production cycle times when compared with traditional manual operations, while recharging of the accumulators takes only around 30 seconds for the largest and longest welds.  The E100 now opens up new possibilities for welded fabrication of parts that previously needed to be machined from solid metal, a process that can result in up to 80% material waste.  It is set to transform how jet engines are manufactured by cutting production cycle-times and dramatically reducing waste of expensive materials such as titanium.
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Design World Recognizes 2009 Leadership in Engineering Winners

Ultra Narrow Precision Linear Stage from Steinmeyer

BURLINGTON, MA — Steinmeyer, Inc. announced a new precision linear stage, the PA 30×40-SM01. This single axis system is ideal wherever there is a need for an extremely narrow positioning table. Typical uses include miniature robotics, pick and place devices, specimen handling for life sciences and scientific applications where precision positioning is required within a very narrow foot print. This compact, fully enclosed stage is only 30 mm wide and 40 mm high. Available travels range from 25 mm to 150 mm. Positioning repeatability is 1 micron, maximum speed is 50 mm/s and load capacity is 100 newton.

Included inside this precision assembly are a precision preloaded 8 mm diameter Steinmeyer ball screw, miniature size 9 linear guideway, non-contact limit switches and a choice of either stepper motor or DC servo motor with encoder. A separate motion controller is available as an option.

The Steinmeyer group is comprised of two manufacturing divisions located in Germany. August Steinmeyer GmbH & Co. KG (located in Albstadt) has been setting standards for high precision ball screws for over 40 years and prides itself on high quality, innovative designs to meet demanding customer requirements. Our Feinmess Dresden (FMD) division has been producing an extensive line of high precision positioning systems for well over 130 years.

Steinmeyer
www.steinmeyer.com

Linear Motor Axes Deliver Cutting-edge Motion

With acceleration values of 140 m/s², Festo linear motor direct drives are the perfect actuators for fast acceleration with high precision, such as is required in photovoltaics production, medical technology, the electronics industry or the assembly of small parts in the clock and watch-making industry.

The electric linear motor drives ELGL-LAS, DNCE-LAS and DFME-LAS accelerate at one and a half to four times the rate of all other electric and pneumatic drives used in automation technology. They are also two to three times faster than electric axes with a spindle or belt drive. And all this to an accuracy of 10 µm. This makes linear motor axes the ideal choice for short assembly times, where not only high speeds but above all high rates of acceleration are required.
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