Products

Ball Screws with Ceramic Balls
Another option in Steinmeyer’s line of precision ball screws, the hybrid ball screws with ceramic rolling elements, are manufactured from silicon nitride instead of tool or stainless steel, eliminating micro-welding in the ball nut, and resulting in longer life, lower friction, and less lubricant.

Steinmeyer Inc.
Burlington, Mass.
www.steinmeyer.com

Resulting Tool Path, Graphically
CADFusion bridges the gap between part drawings and motion control, with users only needing to import a vector-based DXF drawing into this environment to see the resulting tool path graphically on CADFusion’s canvas. Part optimization is easy and intuitive with shape re-ordering, feature scaling, and rotational/translational features at quick command. Overall process management, including local and global feedrate control and lead in/out moves, can be automatically configured in advance so that every import file produces a consistent motion control program.

Upon import, CADFusion automatically parses the incoming pattern into well-defined shapes and entities, and the user can manipulate it easily to adjust size, rotation, and position on the canvas. Import settings are simple to configure and allow broad flexibility. Upon drawing export, CADFusion compiles a full motion control program, automatically inserting user-defined initialization and process trigger events.

Aerotech Inc.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
www.aerotech.com

Line of Brushless DC Motor Drives
Based on advanced control technology featuring excellent performance and ease of use, the BD5 brushless DC motor drive delivers results for OEM applications that require high-performance, high-speed stability, basic speed control, and low cost. Control of its velocity modes are by way of analog or multispeed digital inputs. The supply voltage for the drive is 12VDC to 48VDC with an operating current of 5A RMS continuous and a peak current of 10A RMS.

Complementing the BD5 drives are three performance-matched 42mm brushless DC motors, with a maximum speed of 4,500rpm and maximum continuous torque of 0.225Nm (32oz/"). The BL series brushless motors offer long life and low maintenance.

They come in metric frame sizes and are available with optional gearheads for applications demanding high torque.

Get more details at http://bit.ly/UaZo7k.

Applied Motion Products
Greenville, Del.
www.servo2go.com

SIMO Series, On Budget and On Time
Designed for versatility, flexibility, and affordability, the SIMO series linear motion platform allows engineers to test multiple configurations, adapt to changing requirements, and specify a linear motion system on budget and on time.

Options for the SIMO Series include a low profile rail for tight spaces or a tall version for greater structural integrity, with each aluminum base rail uniquely qualified with the SIMO process for six times less bow, two times less twist, and two times better flatness.

Three bearing tribologies are also available: self-lubricating FrelonGold for contaminated environments, V-wheel roller bearing for high-speed applications, and profile rail linear guideways for rigidity and precision.

The three drive types available are the lead screw with machined nut or anti-backlash nut, ball screw, or two versions of belt drives.

PBC Linear, a Pacific Bearing Co.
Roscoe, Ill.
www.pbclinear.com

Slashing Machine Building Costs
Two new brushless servomotor ranges for CNC machinery applications provide major savings by eliminating the need for a separate encoder cable. Machine builders can now use a single drive-to-motor cable for each motion axis, thereby reducing cabling, speeding installation/commissioning, and improving system performance.

A typical high-end CNC machine installation involves 20m cable lengths, and according to estimates from NUM engineers, the new technology can reduce total motor cabling costs by as much as 20% per axis.

Available in 75mm, 95mm, 126mm, and 155mm frame sizes, and three different lengths, the SHX and SPX brushless servomotors offer machine builders a wide choice of output power and speed ratings to match different machinery applications. Both motor ranges feature high mass moments of rotor inertia, optimized for machine tool feed axes, and combine dynamic performance with very smooth running, even at low speeds. The SHX range is mainly for cost-sensitive applications and includes models with continuous torque outputs from 1.2Nm to 20Nm. For applications demanding motors with maximum power-to-volume ratios and a high degree of protection (IP67), such as high-end machine tools, grinding machines and robotics, the SPX range offers units with continuous torque ratings from 1.4Nm to 23Nm.

NUM Corp.
Naperville, Ill.
www.num.com

Ultra-Compact Mini-MAG Stages
Mini-MAG (MMG) precision linear positioning stages are available with a complete and optimized controls package. Users can combine a MMG linear motor stage with a compact Dover board-level single-axis servo drive for easy integration into a control cabinet, or a Kollmorgen AKD servo drive for single or multi-axis applications with a graphical user interface (GUI) for easy set-up and programming, and real time performance feedback.

Four options, with 25mm, 50mm, 100mm, or 150mm travel, are currently available. The MMG provides uncompensated accuracy ranging from 3µm to 6µm, and analog or digital encoder resolution options ranging from 1.0µ, down to 1nm. Each model is capable of repeatability to ±0.4µm (with 0.1µm or better encoder) and rated for 10kg load capacity.

One of the MMG’s most significant features is an Integral anti-creep linear guideway. This can increase uptime by as much as 15% in high-duty cycle applications by eliminating the need for homing moves typically required to reset standard crossed roller bearing retainer cages. These linear stages also feature adjustable limits to reduce the time needed to make changes to stage travel, therefore reducing prototype development time and system startup costs by up to 10%.

Downloadable CAD files are available from www.miniature-linear-stage.com.

Dover
Salem, N.H.
www.dovermotion.com

Flexibility Without Diminished Performance
Design of the R525 stepper motor drive is to help reduce overall design time and system cost for a wide array of step motor applications needing high torque, power, and smooth motion. Measuring 3.3" in length and 1.3" in height, the R525 easily accommodates into most systems. It provides up to 5A peak of current, handles up to 75VDC, and is capable of up to 256x micro-stepping with a standard 1.8° motor, equal to more than 50,000 revolution.

Configuring the R525 unit is simple with the built-in RS485 communication, enabling easy connection to a computer and configured via Lin Engineering’s graphical user interface (GUI), LinDriver. Configurable settings include, but are not limited to:

• Step resolution
• Run current
• Hold current
• Damping modes for smoother motion
• Selection of sensing the step pulses on the rising edge or falling edge

Lin Engineering
Morgan Hills, Calif.
www.linengineering.com