Intellidrives now offers open-center XY stages with travel of 600 x 600 mm and open center dimensions of 800 x 800 mm. The demand for a high accuracy, robust, open-frame stages is met with Intellidrives dual-axis, large aperture stages, which address the unique needs of scanning microscopy, wafer and printed circuit board inspection, automated assembly, […]
Industrial Ethernet basics for mechanical engineers
Ethernet networks are ubiquitous in our daily lives — allowing computers in office, school, and commercial environments to connect to the internet, share files, and access printers and other hardware connected to the network. And there’s a reason Ethernet is so popular — it’s a simple, flexible network protocol that facilitates high-speed data transmission. But despite […]
How to account for shock and vibration loads in ball screw drives
Calculations of ball screw service life and permissible static load take into account loads and forces that are predictable and quantifiable — thrust loads due to acceleration, process forces, and forces generated when holding a load in place, for example. But some applications are also susceptible to loads caused by shock and vibration — loads […]
When do you need to consider thermal expansion in linear guide systems?
Most materials used in linear systems have a positive coefficient of linear thermal expansion — that is, when their temperature is increased, they expand in length, and when their temperature is decreased, they contract in length. One notable exception is Kevlar, the aramid from DuPont, which is sometimes used for tensile cords in toothed belts. […]
Linear motion in medical applications: Linear actuators in patient lifts, beds, and tables
Moving a patient in a hospital or medical facility doesn’t always involve racing down a hallway with the patient in a wheelchair or on a gurney. Very often, a patient simply needs to be moved from a lying or sitting position to a standing position (or vice-versa). Even for patients who possess some degree of […]
New flanged linear bushings available from Samick
Manufacturers are faced with the enormous challenge of minimizing risks in their manufacturing processes while at the same time lowering costs and improving product quality. Flanged linear bushings from SAMICK can meet these customer requirements. Whereas standard linear bushings must be used in combination with casings, flanged linear bushings are directly mounted onto the housing […]
Linear motion in medical applications: Linear systems in automated RT-PCR testing
With near-constant updates on the number of COVID-19 cases confirmed globally, you’ve probably heard about various methods to screen for the virus that causes the disease. Although several well-proven methods already exist to detect the virus, laboratories around the world are experimenting with new tests and methods to provide faster and even more reliable screening. […]
Linear actuators for medical ventilators and respirators available in OEM quantities
During the COVID-19 pandemic engineers and designers of medical devices are working 24/7 to design and manufacture critically needed life support and testing equipment. Moticont has a proud history of supplying precise, reliable voice coil linear actuators used in medical ventilators and respirators and will be especially quick to respond to the need for actuators […]
Linear motion in medical applications: Lead screw driven syringe pumps
When we think of syringes, we typically think about the single-use type that doctors and nurses use to administer vaccines or individual doses of medication. But some conditions necessitate frequent or constant doses of critical medication, making it undesirable or even unfeasible to administer via single-use syringes. And in other cases, medications that would normally […]
Linear motion in medical applications: Voice coil actuators in ventilators
More and more, medical device manufacturers are replacing traditional components with smaller, lighter-weight options that have sufficient life and reliability for “life-critical” applications. One such example comes from manufacturers of ventilators, who are using voice coil actuators to control the valves that deliver air to a patient who’s unable to breathe on their own. Ventilators are […]
