With the range of linear actuators on the market, it’s becoming easier for machine builders and end users to find a standard or “customized standard” product that meets even the most unique application requirements. But there are still times when it makes sense, from a financial or technical standpoint, to design and build an actuator […]
What is a PV rating?
When discussing bearing life, what comes to mind for most engineers is the standard L10 bearing life equation. But this equation was developed for bearings with rolling balls. (A similar equation exists for bearings that use rollers rather than balls.) For plain bearings, which have no rolling elements, determining the suitability of the bearing for a […]
Guide systems that turn corners
The shortest distance between two points may be a straight line, but some applications dictate moving in curved sections and around corners. When two or more axes are combined, as in a Cartesian or gantry system, a method of control called contouring can be used to create radii and round the corners of traditional rectilinear coordinates. […]
How to shrink the size of a linear actuator
Linear actuators come in a wide range of sizes, and over the past several yeas, manufacturers have been emphasizing more and more compact footprints. But no matter how small the actuator, the addition of a motor can make the overall size of the complete system too large for space-constrained applications. Some manufacturers are addressing this issue […]
New Air Spring product line for demanding industrial applications
ITT Inc. announced today that it is introducing a new Compact Automation and Turn-Act Air Springs product line that provides air actuation for linear motion control. These highly durable, air-tight pneumatic actuators are the ideal solution for demanding industrial applications, including the pulp and paper, lumber mill and automotive assembly industries. With products designed for fast and affordable ease of repair, […]
Can stack linear actuator provides exceptional performance
Portescap introduces the next generation of high power density Can Stack Linear Actuators, the 20DBM. These 20 mm linear stepper motors offer an optimized design ideal for applications demanding high linear force. The new 20DBM features an optimized magnetic circuit which provides improved performance over existing designs The 7.5 degree step angle provides finer incremental […]
Linear systems for nanopositioning
When we talk about linear motion, we typically discuss applications where the travel distance is at least a few hundred millimeters, and the required positioning is in the range of a few tenths of a millimeter. And for these requirements, guides and drives with recirculating bearings are a good fit. Case in point: the lead […]
The world’s largest gantry robots
Gantry robots, by design, tend to be large systems, capable of moving hundreds or thousands of pounds over long distances. Characterized by having two base axes for extremely high load capacity and rigidity, the most common drive mechanisms for gantry systems are belts, rack and pinion systems, and chains, with linear motors being used in special cases where […]
High-speed NanoCube 3-axis piezo motion stage
The new P-616 NanoCube® XYZ piezo scanner is a redesign of PI’s successful P-611, 3D positioning stage. Now based on a parallel-kinematic design, with only one lightweight moving platform for all 3 axes, higher precision and dynamics are available in a more compact package. As the newest miniature multi-axis stage from PI, the P-616 NanoCube […]
Variable frequency drives for linear motion applications
Although many of us focus on either the mechanical or the electrical aspects of a motion system, it’s important to have a basic understanding of both. Case in point: engineers, designers, and users who are involved with linear drives and actuators typically have some familiarity with servo and stepper technology. Similarly, for those involved in […]