Improvements in lead screw designs have meant screws that are increasingly competitive with other types of drive screws, including ball screws. For instance, lead screws can offer shorter lead times and better performance, all at a lower cost than other screw technologies. Quite a few lead screw manufacturers offer a range of anti-backlash options, superior […]
Motion Trends: Ball screws pack more load capacity
Continued developments in manufacturing and materials have improved ball screw performance, with the most recent generation of ball screws having greater load densities than ever before, leading to higher load capacities. High-load ball screws are being integrated into electromechanical linear actuator systems for use in applications with higher loads and more demanding environmental conditions. In […]
New linear rotary actuator features 35-mm stroke with 5-micron encoder
The LCR16 from SMAC Moving Coil Actuators provides precision Z-theta motion within one small actuator, which is suitable for pick, orient and place applications. A wide variety of LCR16 linear rotary actuators are available with either direct drive or gearbox equipped rotary units. The vacuum-built-in shaft through the rotary motor is available for some models […]
One-piece ETX linear bearing/pillow blocks suitable for use in radioactive environments
LM76 now offers one piece ETX Linear Bearing/Pillow Blocks that will not degrade in a radioactive environment. Machined from a solid block of self-lubricating ETX, linear bearing blocks have high strength, excellent wear resistance, low coefficient of friction, and excellent dimensional stability at higher temperatures. Custom designed for use in a nuclear power plant these […]
New piezo driver with 1,200 W of power for fast switching applications
PI (Physik Instrumente) has released the new model E-619, a high-power piezo amplifier designed to drive high-capacitance multilayer piezo actuators with rapid rise times or high frequencies. As a special form of electro-ceramics, piezo materials are the gold standard when it comes to speed, force, and precision in a small package. Providing sink/source currents up […]
HEIDENHAIN’s new LC 201 single-section linear encoder for absolute applications
Long machine tool axes are increasingly being equipped with linear drives, and HEIDENHAIN’s new LC 201 absolute linear scale was introduced to specifically meet those drive position feedback needs. This new scale is a single-section METALLUR tape encoder that’s ideal for use in linear motor applications that may be required to reach high acceleration levels […]
Dunkermotoren launches compact linear motor with double peak force
With the SA/SC 38 series, Dunkermotoren presents a new modular concept for tubular linear direct drives. The highly dynamic three-phase linear motors deliver up to 3,690 N and accelerate at over 200 m/sec2. The modular design is currently available as actuator version SA (with maintenance-free plain bearing system) and component version SC (for modules). If […]
What are some considerations for linear actuators in contaminated environments?
Reliable motion is often difficult to obtain when the operating environment is heavily contaminated with debris, or contains extreme conditions such as a wide temperature range or other environmental factors.The use of machinery for operations such as cutting, welding, and material processing often generates a substantial amount of debris contamination. Equipment that is not designed […]
The top 5 articles on Linear Motion Tips for 2018
It’s the end of another calendar year here at linearmotiontips.com and what better time than now to do a bit of reflection. It’s an opportunity to do a reckoning of sorts and find out what you, our readers, liked most. So here is a short list of the top 5 most viewed posts published in […]
Low-profile XY open-aperture stage features 1 micron resolution, 2 micron repeatability
OES (Optimal-Engineering Systems, Inc.) has added a new, high-precision open aperture stage to its expanding line of precision XY stages. The AU200-100×100 stage is a low profile stage measuring just 80 mm (3.150 in.) high with a compact footprint (including the motors) of 348 mm x 348 mm (13.701 in. x 13.701 in.) The linear […]