Belt pulleys are built-in to the AZ1040 end caps. T-slots are also designed into the end caps which provide more options for mounting and integration with other assembly components. The load carriage measures 188 mm x 160 mm (7.4″ x 6.3″) and has pre-drilled and tapped payload mounting holes, and also T-slots running parallel to the line of travel. Maximum travel speed is up to 5.0 meters/second (16.4 ft/sec) depending on the weight of the payload which will also affect required drive torque and acceleration capability. The drive has a repeatability of +/- 0.2 mm (0.008″) over travel spans of up to 2,000 mm (6.5 ft).

Amacoil-Uhing AZ1040 timing belts are made of a heavy-duty synthetic rubber with a built-in steel cord strengthener. Multiple profile sections may be joined to accommodate long travel requirements. Five different AZ models are offered all of which are distributed in the USA by Amacoil, Inc. who also handles parts, repairs and technical support for Uhing linear drive products.

Amacoil
www.amacoil.com

PDU2M is comprised of a rigid but lightweight aluminum slotted profile fitted with a toothed belt drive and carriage which effectively encloses the unit. Rated for operating speeds up to 6m/s and loads up to 750N, PDU2M’s 20AT3 belt allows for driving forces up to 280N. Left, right or double drive shafts can be specified together with a range of options such as brakes, positioning encoders and mechanical or inductive limit switches. Internal bumpers provide end of stroke protection at both ends.

Key to this unit is the extra ultra-high performance HepcoMotion Herculane® wheels that are mounted on adjustable eccentric studs. These wheels run virtually friction-free on the inside of the profile providing stable support for the carriage plate; felt wipers sweep debris from their path. Several carriage styles are available to allow for quick and easy construction of multi-axis systems with minimal brackets and hardware.

PDU2 is fully compatible with aluminum profile systems (which Bishop-Wisecarver carries) and is an ideal replacement for failing ball-based systems that are unable to match its speed and reliability.

Bishop-Wisecarver
www.bwc.com

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.

The NSD-2101 accepts direct 2.3 VDC to 5.5 VDC battery power and uses patented full-bridge switching technology to create the ultrasonic motor drive frequency. The IC also has patent-pending smart drive features built in that optimize motor performance while minimizing power consumption over a broad range of operating and environmental conditions. The NSD-2101 requires only DC battery power and digital I2C control commands to achieve unrivaled miniature motion control performance.

The SQL-RV-1.8 motor achieves forces in excess of 50 grams and high resolution to 0.5 micrometer. It can run at speeds greater than 7 mm/sec with power consumption of less than 350 mW when moving under typical loading conditions. This corresponds to a DC current of only 120 mA for a typical 3 VDC battery. Its unique self-locking design means that zero power is needed to hold the motor position, providing additional power savings.

New Scale’s TRACKER™ NSE-5310 linear encoder, the world’s smallest linear position sensor, can be integrated with the SQUIGGLE RV system for high system repeatability with submicron resolution.

The reduced voltage SQUIGGLE RV micro motor is ideal where high precision, miniature size and low power consumption are a must. These include medical, security, optical and imaging systems; consumer electronics; precision biomedical actuators; and miniature actuation for aerospace and industrial applications. Its small size makes it ideal for creating tiny, high resolution integrated closed-loop motion systems.

New Scale’s DK-RV-1.8 series developer kits include all hardware as well as New Scale Pathway™ development software with scripting capabilities in a convenient, plug-and-play reference design for prototype development and integration. Open-loop developer’s kits contain an SQL-RV-1.8 micro motor and NSD-2101 driver; closed-loop kits also include a New Scale TRACKER™ NSE-5310 linear encoder.

A 3D CAD file of the SQL-RV-1.8 motor and additional reference information is available at www.newscaltech.com (registration required.)

New Scale Technologies
www.newscaletech.com

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, is a one hundred-ton piece of equipment that was manufactured at the Thompson facility in the United Kingdom. To develop the E100, Thompson found the perfect partner in Moog with the requisite expertise in hydraulics, servovalve systems, and hydrostatics.

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.

“Thompson is well known for bringing new and innovative friction welding processes to market, mostly rotary friction welding techniques and machines. Rotary techniques however are not suitable for all components, and we saw the opportunity to develop a machine that would not only bring cost saving benefits to both aircraft and automotive manufacturing through improved welding techniques but also position us as the global market leader in linear friction welding for some time to come,” said Thomson managing director Alan Shilton.

Thompson manufactured the E100 at their facility in the United Kingdom and found the perfect development partner in Moog with the requisite expertise in hydraulics, servo system design, control engineering and manufacturing.

“The challenge presented to us was to develop a hydraulic motion control system to drive a new machine which would break industry convention in terms of size, scale and capacity.  This is exactly the kind of challenge we relish at Moog,” said Steve Darnell, Regional Business Manager, for North West Europe. “The machine weighs 100 tonnes, is 2.5 m (100 in) tall, and has a huge capacity of 100 tonnes in terms of the amount of force that it can apply to a welded joint. This demanded a suitably high performance hydraulic servo system to be designed and built by Moog.”

Moog’s hydraulic servo system and support for the Thompson E100 included:

• A closed-loop control system delivering fast response at high amplitude with advanced digital control techniques delivering precise control over the weld process. Normal servo and proportional valves have a limitation of spool speed and acceleration which prevents the simultaneous delivery of high amplitude and frequency. For the E100, Moog valve spools were made to perform 3 or 4 times faster than normal. Special precautions were necessary to ensure valve integrity over a large number of welds.
• Multiple digitally-controlled Servovalves, which together operate at peak flow rates of up to 4,500 lpm (1,200 gpm) and possess a high frequency range of 75 to 100 Hz for large scale welding.  Multiple valves also improve accuracy when the machine is turned down for smaller, lower force welds.
• Hydraulic power plant delivering over 2 MW of instantaneous power needed to drive the system.
• Seven 400 l (105 gal) gas volume accumulators each producing massive accumulation to provide the high peak oil flow rate ((4,500 lpm) (1,200 gpm)) required for the weld.
• Manifold and distribution pipe-work installation, a comprehensive sub-system routing oil to multiple active components.
• Experience and expertise in friction welding and project management, design, development, manufacturing, installation and support services.

“It was clear from the start that Moog and Thompson gelled and we had much in common in terms of our expertise in friction welding and hydraulics as well as our commitment to push boundaries of performance to deliver high performance machines. Now here we are, two and a half years later, with this unique machine.  Throughout the process, Moog has been very responsive in delivering what we requested of them. We had very specific criteria and requirements for the E100 from the onset, and we had all the tooling and special frequencies of amplitude we wanted the machine to perform at.  We depended on Moog to deliver that end result, and they did, demonstrating their expertise in dealing with performance-driven companies.” said Alan Shilton.

This is a significant development in light of the unique aspects of Linear Friction Welding (LFW).  LFW requires more complex machine architecture and control than rotary techniques, but has the advantage that preformed parts of any shape can be joined. Compared to rotary welding a moving chuck oscillates laterally instead of spinning and the two surfaces are in contact at much higher velocity.  This means the two components being welded need to be kept under high pressure at all times.

The benefits of pre-form manufacturing by linear friction welding are numerous. The process, sometimes known as solid-base additive manufacture, allows complex shapes to be manufactured without the wastage of excess material normally associated with machining from solid block, casting or forging, saving both manufacturing time and raw material costs. Manufactured parts are close to the final shape so that very little final machining is required to produce a fully functional component.

Moog
www.moog.com

Thompson Friction Welding
www.thompson-friction-welding.co.uk

Short strokes in less than 20 milliseconds: the linear motor drive DNCE-LAS. (Photo: Festo)

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.

Complete system

All three linear axes are supplied as complete, ready-to-use systems according to the “plug and work” principle. Together with the motor controllers SFC-LACI and CMMP-AS they enable free setting of speed, force and position, and various types of connections, such as an I/O panel or fieldbus node, as well as a measuring system, guide, reference sensor and Festo Configuration Tool (FCT) commissioning software.

DNCE-LAS and DFME-LAS

Maintenance free with a long service life: the electric guided axis DFME-LAS, the guided version of the electric drive DNCE-LAS. (Photo: Festo)

The DNCE-LAS is an electric linear motor drive. It enables positioning operations with short strokes to be carried out in less than 20 milliseconds. The guided version of this is the electric guided axis DFME-LAS. With both variants, the cylinder body houses a guide with an integrated grease reservoir. This means that both cylinders are maintenance-free and have a long service life.

Ready-to-install handling units

DNCE-LAS und DFME-LAS have the same interfaces as their pneumatic equivalents and thus fit seamlessly into the Festo modular mechatronic multi-axis system. This enables hundreds of possible combinations with other electric, pneumatic or servopneumatic drives or components for gripping, joining, turning and positioning, up to and including ready-to-install complete handling systems.

Festo’s system concept even includes a facility for customers to order complete pre-assembled individual handling units with a single part number. These units are pre-tested and supplied with all design data and circuit diagrams, together with a comprehensive functional and fixed-price guarantee, thus shortening the process from concept to machine and reducing the number of interfaces required. This saves time and money.

The flagship among Festo’s linear motor axes: the air bearing ELGL-LAS, which offers highly dynamic positioning, both horizontally and vertically. (Photo: Festo)

Flagship ELGL-LAS

The flagship among the Festo linear motor axes is the air bearing ELGL-LAS. This offers highly dynamic positioning, both horizontally and vertically. The axes can be fitted with several carriages, moving independently of one another.

Air bearings

Complete pre-assembled individual handling units: these shorten the process from concept idea to machine and reduce the number of interfaces required. This saves time and money. (Photo: Festo)

The principle of an air bearing is based on permanent magnets that create a strong attraction between the carriage and the base of the axis. Compressed air is fed between the magnets and the base, thus creating an air cushion as a counterforce to the attraction of the magnets. The carriage lifts and can be moved free of dynamic friction.

The air bearing of the linear motor axis ELGL-LAS with its magnetic bias makes the axis more precise and torsionally rigid and at the same time ensures that it is unaffected by dry dirt particles. The axis is thus resistant to wear and maintenance-free. Once the air bearing is switched off, the magnetic bias acts like a holding brake. It can hold a load mounted on the axis at a standstill. The air bearing does not create any strong external magnetic fields.

Back to the principle of a linear motor drive: the drive of the Transrapid is also a linear motor. This gives a top speed of 501 km/h.

Festo
www.festo.com

Misumi offers the new series of Drive Shafts in a variety of product models, each available in different sizes, dimensions, and configurations to meet the needs of a vast number of applications. The new product configurations include:

* Straight Drive Shafts in 1045 carbon steel with optional black oxide or nickel plating (Types KZAN, KZAC, KZAP) and 1045 induction hardened carbon steel (Type KZAF). Available in various sizes/dimensions and with various machining alterations such as threaded or tapped ends, wrench flat, key groove additions, etc.

* One End Stepped Drive Shafts in 1045 carbon steel with optional black oxide or nickel plating (Types KZBN, KZBC, KZBP) and 1045 induction hardened carbon steel (Type KZBF). Available in various sizes/dimensions and with various machining alterations such as threaded or tapped ends, wrench flat, key groove additions, etc.

* Both Ends Stepped Drive Shafts in 1045 carbon steel with optional black oxide or nickel plating (Types KZCN, KZCC, KZCP) and 1045 induction hardened carbon steel (Type KZCF). Available in various sizes/dimensions and with various machining alterations such as threaded or tapped ends, wrench flat, groove additions, etc.

* One End Stepped, One End Double Stepped Drive Shafts in 1045 carbon steel with optional black oxide or nickel plating (Types KZDN, KZDC, KZDP), 1045 induction hardened carbon steel (Type KZDF), and 304 stainless steel (Type KZDS). Available in various sizes/dimensions and with various machining alterations such as threaded or tapped ends, wrench flat, groove additions, etc.

* Drive Shafts With Flange in 1045 carbon steel with optional black oxide or nickel plating (Types KZEN, KZEC, KZEP), 1045 induction hardened carbon steel (Type KZES), and 304 stainless steel (Type KZEF). Available in various sizes/dimensions and with various machining alterations such as threaded or tapped ends, wrench flat, groove additions, etc.

* One End Stepped Drive Shafts With Flange in 1045 carbon steel with optional black oxide or nickel plating (Types KZFN, KZFC, KZFP), 1045 induction hardened carbon steel (Type KZFS), and 304 stainless steel (Type KZFF). Available in various sizes/dimensions and with various machining alterations such as threaded or tapped ends, wrench flat, groove additions, etc.

* All the shafts listed above are available with h7 tolerance fit. We also offer some of the hardened shaft options with h6 tolerance.

* Please, note that our standard rotary shaft offering is now also available with more tolerance fit options. Besides standard g6 tolerance, many shafts are now offered in h9 and h7 to cover more rotary motion application types.

Manufacturing and delivery time for Misumi’s new line of Driving Shafts ranges from six to ten days, depending on product type selected and machining requirements. Additional information, including complete technical data, pricing, easy product selection and machining alterations, can be found in the Misumi catalog and on the website at www.misumi-ec.com/eusaen/mech/

MISUMI USA, Inc.
www.misumiusa.com

The RPS features an ISO 9409 flange mount pinion and pinion preloader, making it easier for system integration. The system has high precision surfaces and an adjuster that allows the pinion to be easily moved up or down in the rack, while maintaining proper pinion orientation to the rack.

The pinion consists of bearing-supported rollers that engage a unique tooth profile. Two or more rollers connect with the rack teeth in opposition at all times, eliminating backlash. The RPS rollers approach the tooth face in a tangent path and then smoothly roll down the tooth face, greatly reducing noise levels associated with other linear motion systems, such as tooth slap or ball return noise. The low-friction design delivers more than 99% efficiency in converting rotary to linear motion, greatly reducing wear and providing longer service life at high speeds up to 11 m/sec (36.1 ft/sec). The RPS rack is available in standard segmented lengths of one meter and half meter increments and can be custom cut as required, allowing unlimited run lengths and easily accommodating diverse application requirements.

With a new line of integration solutions for ISO 9409 flanged gearheads, the innovative RPS system is now even easier to install in a broad range of linear motion applications. Flange mount pinions can be directly mounted to the gearhead, ensuring the highest degree of stiffness and accuracy, with no shaft or bushing required. Since the direct mount pinions rigidly secure close to the drive bearings, they ensure high performance. Additionally, the pre-loader system includes everything needed to properly integrate the RPS, regardless of the orientation.

For more information, contact Nexen Group, Inc., at 651-484-5900 or via email at info@nexengroup.com

www.nexengroup.com

The key to the new tooth profile, which allows for high accuracy positioning and precise rotation transmission, is that it provides a rolling action between the belt and the specially formed drive sprocket. As the belt tooth enters and leaves the sprocket it does so in a rocking motion which reduces wear and contaminates from belt or sprocket tooth abrasion.

The drive sprockets have bore sizes ranging from 3-25mm and PD’s of 17-54mm and come standard for shaft clamping. Four belt widths of 3, 4, 6, and 9mm are available. Excel-A-Belt miniature drive system is perfectly suited for use with motors of 10-1,000W.

www.tpa-us.com

Plus, properly installed synchronous belts eliminate time spent retensioning, reduce maintenance expenses, and may save your plant thousands of dollars.

The cost-saving benefits of Gates synchronous belt drives make them ideal for a wide variety of markets, including chemical processing, ethanol refining, oil refining, and food and beverage.

Gates has your energy efficient solution.

Download an Energy Efficiency Whitepaper and the Belt Preventative Maintenance Manual here >>>

www.gates.com

PowerGrip belts are used in a diverse range of applications requiring speed, strength and durability – from timing belts for automobiles to heavy-duty belts and sprockets for factory-grade machinery – and in the OEM, and replacement markets.

Just one of the belts in the industrial line is the PowerGrip GT®2 belt, which offers:

•High horsepower and torque-carrying capacity 
•Low noise and vibration with narrower drive designs 
•Accurate registration 
•No maintenance or equipment downtime 
•Excellent abrasion resistance 
•Long life

In fact, it features twice the HP capacity as HTD®, GT and competitive RPP® belts, allowing smaller, more compact drive designs for the lumber/pulp processing, food processing, packaging, aluminum/steel production markets and numerous others.

PowerGrip Twin Power® belts provide double-sided power and synchronization, while TruMotion® belts are clean running, small pitch belts for contaminant-conscious applications.

In addition to the range of high quality products, Gates offers the engineering and design resources to support you from project conception to completion.

www.gates.com