Dorner is now offering a Clamping Module on its FlexMove conveyor system that gives users the ability to hold back or pace products for accumulating applications. The Clamping Module is ideal for totes, boxes, bottles and square, round and rectangular containers. As products pass through the Clamping Module, pre-programmed photo sensors trigger a pneumatic-clamping actuator […]
Applications
Hexapods precisely jostle cameras during image-stabilization testing
The six-axis parallel-kinematics systems known as hexapods excel in motion simulation and testing of mechanical and drive systems, multi-dimensional position sensors, and (the focus of this article) image-stabilization designs for cameras and video equipment. By Doris Knauer • Project Manager — Industrial Automation | Physik Instrumente (PI) Modern camera systems are capable of astounding feats, […]
What to consider when specifying a linear slide
Here are some considerations when specifying a linear slide for a new or existing application. By Mike Quinn • LM76 When a design engineer has fully defined a linear-motion application’s requirements regarding travel length, speed, force, and accuracy as well as repeatability, the next question to answer is this: Does an off-the-shelf linear slide (or […]
What are fixed and floating bearings in the context of linear motion?
There are two instances when the terms “fixed bearing” and “floating bearing” are used in linear motion: to describe the support bearings used on ball and lead screws, and to describe linear guides mounted in parallel. And while the meanings of the terms are the same in both situations, their applications are different in each […]
ElectroCraft expands AxialPower family of linear actuators with the APES 17
ElectroCraft has recently expanded the AxialPower enhanced series of linear actuators to include a new high-performance 42mm (NEMA 17) frame size. This new linear actuator is highly configurable and: • Is available with a variety of imperial or metric leadscrew options • Achieves resolutions of 0.006 mm to 0.050 mm per step • Delivers output […]
LinX M-Series electric actuators from ANCA Motion offer direct replacement of pneumatic cylinders
Pneumatics (and compressed air) are indispensable in many industrial applications. They’re cost-effective and easy-to-understand technologies that are rugged enough to run in even very challenging environments. The problem is that some facilities can spend up to 30% of their electricity bill on generating compressed air. Because pneumatic actuators for linear motion (which have been an […]
Three important design considerations for Cartesian robots
If your application calls for a Cartesian robot, you have a wide variety of options, depending on the level of integration you want to undertake. And although pre-engineered Cartesian robots are becoming more widely adopted as manufacturers expand their product ranges to fit a broader scope of performance criteria, some applications still necessitate building your own […]
Linear motion in medical applications: Piezo actuators for non-contact dispensing
In a recent article, we looked at how piezo motors are used in liquid handling robots for contact-based dispensing (also referred to as pipetting) of microliter and nanoliter volumes. But when the required dispense volumes fall in the single-digit nanoliter or picoliter range, the process often requires a non-contact dispensing method to ensure accuracy and […]
Linear motion in medical applications: Piezo motors for liquid handling robots
Piezo motors and actuators are used in a variety of medical applications, including liquid handling robots for laboratory testing and diagnostics, drug discovery, and biotechnology. Liquid handling functions in the medical industry have traditionally been done manually by laboratory personnel. But consistency and accuracy are difficult to ensure with manual methods, since variations between technicians […]
Things to do this summer: Become a citizen scientist
As cities, states, and countries begin to reopen in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us will still face restrictions for some time regarding what businesses and facilities we can access and where we can travel. This “new normal” means that most of us will still spend more time at home, or nearby, […]
