PI’s ultra-precise linear motor stages are well-suited for industry and research. Applications include metrology, testing, positioning, scanning, precision automation, micro-assembly, biotechnology, delay-lines, laser beam control, optics, lens testing, and photonics alignment. Motion and nanopositioning industry leader PI further expands its PIMag® series of high dynamics linear motor stages with a family of 18, the V-508 […]
Synchronous belt failures: Six ways they can occur
Synchronous belts can transmit high torque without the potential for slip, due to positive engagement between the teeth of the belt and the grooves of the pulley. But the performance of synchronous belt drive systems can be affected by installation errors, unexpected application conditions, or the use of components that aren’t suitable for the operating […]
Bishop-Wisecarver Group sponsors Bay Area STEP Forward event
Free October 24th event focused on attracting & retaining next generation of manufacturing talent Bishop-Wisecarver Group (BWG), a family of WBENC-certified companies that works with manufacturers to engineer, produce, and build custom complex assemblies, linear motion solutions and optimal embedded intelligence systems, is helping to sponsor the Science, Technology, Engineering, & Production (STEP) Forward: Bay Area Women […]
Pulley balancing for belt drive systems: Is it always necessary?
As a pulley rotates, centrifugal forces act on the pulley, and if its mass is not evenly distributed around the axis of rotation – that is, if it is unbalanced – these centrifugal forces will also be unbalanced and cause the pulley to vibrate. (Uneven mass distribution can be due to imperfections in machining or […]
What’s the difference between a piezo actuator and a piezo motor?
In the context of motion control, the term “motor” generally refers to a single electromechanical device that produces rotary or linear motion to drive a system, while the term “actuator” typically refers to an integrated mechanical system that is driven by a motor. But in the context of piezo drives, the term “actuator” refers to […]
What is ratcheting in synchronous belt drives?
Synchronous belts (also referred to as toothed, cogged, timing, or high torque belts) use profiled teeth that mesh with a pulley or sprocket to deliver power transmission – most notably for applications that require high torque. Where V-belts rely on friction between the sidewalls of the belt and the sides of the pulley to transmit […]
High-speed linear actuators: What qualifies them as high speed?
Like many terms used in the linear motion industry, such as “heavy duty,” “miniature,” and “corrosion-resistant,” to name a few, there is no industry standard that specifies what constitutes a “high-speed” linear actuator. Nevertheless, there are some general guidelines that manufacturers follow when classifying and marketing their actuators as high speed. These guidelines are typically […]
Common applications for linear rails
Linear rails are linear assemblies that have twin parallel tracks containing load-supporting balls or rollers. The backbone of many industrial applications, they provide low-friction guidance and high stiffness for loads that can range from just a few grams to thousands of kilograms. Their variety of sizes, accuracy classes, and preloads make linear rails suitable for […]
What are monolithic XY tables?
XY tables are constructed from two linear axes – typically driven by linear motors, ball screws, or lead screws – that are mounted perpendicular to each other in either a stacked or a monolithic design. Stacked XY tables consist of two complete, separate axes mounted together, much the same way they are configured in a […]
Linear motion for robotic handling in automated warehouses
When designing and configuring an automated warehouse, one design goal is to keep the system as light and compact as possible. Depending on the size of the load being moved, there are two common types of automated warehouses. In lighter applications, aluminum structures can handle loads up to 100 kilograms, while steel structures are good […]