Motion Control/​Automation

The Centennial Challenges are NASA’s prizes for the citizen inventor. Through open competitions, we seek novel solutions from diverse sources in technology challenges of interest to NASA and the nation. Competitions are open to anyone, and teams have included small...

EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) comes in different forms, frequencies, and levels. Electronic equipment has different categories for both emissions and susceptibility. Under normal circumstances, elimination is not possible so reduction to acceptable levels is what can be reasonably...

The benefits of aquatic physical therapy and rehabilitation for those who have difficulty with weightbearing activities due to arthritis or injury, or those who are overweight, have long been known. There is also a significant population of wheelchairbound and disabled persons who use...

The two-axis joint is a mechanical device that provides two-degrees-of-freedom motion between connected components. A compact, moment-resistant, twoaxis joint is used to connect an electromechanical actuator to its driven structural members. Due to the requirements of the overall mechanism,...

A hand controller provides up to three axes of motion, and all required feel characteristics (stiffness and breakout torques) located inside a hollow handle within the grip of the hand. This is achieved using a miniature gimbal mechanism that allows for independent motion about one, two, or...

A magnetostrictive brake has been designed as a more energy-efficient alternative to a magnetic fail-safe brake in a robot. (In the specific application, “fail-safe” signifies that the brake is normally engaged; that is, power must be supplied to allow free rotation.) The magnetic fail-safe brake must be supplied with...

AMETEK Technical & Industrial Products (Harleysville, PA) offers the Pittman® Series 8540 30-mm brush-commutated DC motors that integrate bonded neodymium magnets and 7-slot straight armature to minimize cogging. The motors feature a diamond-turned commutator and copper-graphite brushes for high current capacity. The motors are 1.181"...

Heidenhain Corp. (Schaumburg, IL) offers the 1000 Series rotary encoders with IP 64 protection and absolute position-value formation in a 35-mm-diameter housing size. The encoders are designed as single-encoder measurement feedback systems in safety oriented applications. They provide two independently formed position values via...

ASM Sensors (Elmhurst, IL) has introduced the PTAM20 Series POSITILT® MEMS inclinometer available in single- and dual-axis versions. It is available in a compact, flat housing and features a measurement range for the single-axis version of ±15° to ±180° in increments of 15°. For the dual-axis version, measurement range is...

Midwest Motion Products (Watertown, MN) has released the Model MMP-D22-376H-24V GP52-195 BR-005 DC gearmotor with integral brake. Accepting any 24V DC source, including battery power, the encoder-compatible gearmotor/brake measures 2.25" in diameter and 9" in length. It has a keyed output shaft of 12 mm diameter by 25 mm long....

Nexen (Vadnais Heights, MN) has introduced the Eclipse line of servomotor brakes designed to mount to servomotors up to 20 horsepower. The spring-engaged brakes are equipped with a split-hub, zero-backlash clamp collar for attachment to the servomotor shaft. The flange-mounted brakes can be used with standard servomotors for...

Aerotech (Pittsburgh, PA) has introduced the PRO Series of side-sealed, hard-cover, ball-screw-driven linear stages available in 68 standard models with travels from 50 to 1500 mm. A variety of travels, widths, speeds, and load capabilities is available. The hard-cover design provides protection from debris, and the side seals keep...

Maxon Motor (Fall River, MA) offers the RE 50 mechanically commutated drive that features an ironless rotor for detent-free running, and a combination of a two-pole neodymium permanent magnet with winding technology for high torque and acceleration. The drive measures 50 × 108 mm and is available with four...

Sanyo Denki America (Torrance, CA) offers the SANMOTION R high-speed EtherCAT interface AC servo amplifier that provides 100 Mbps communication. Multi-function software includes a motion simulation function that runs the same codes as the actual amplifier, allowing it to go directly from simulation to live usage without...

Avago Technologies (San Jose, CA) has introduced the AEAT-601B compact, integrated, incremental magnetic encoder for speed detection, knob control, and rotary encoder applications. Housed in a protective plastic housing, it provides a resolution of 256 cycles per revolution and angular detection in a complete rotation of 360...

The M660 high-speed, direct-driven piezomotor rotary stage from PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. (Auburn, MA) is designed using PILine® piezomotor drive technology. The stage reaches top speeds of 720 degrees/sec and resolution to 40 μrad. A self-locking ceramic drive holds the position steady at rest, and a directly coupled precision...

From industrial panel PCs, to open-platform graphic operator interface terminals (OITs), to microOITs, to human-machine interfaces (HMIs), there are many choices of interactive display technologies for manufacturing and process control. It can be a challenge to...

High-Flex
Cables Cicoil Corp.
Valencia, CA 661-295-1295
www.cicoil.com

Cicoil has provided a custom-formed high-flex cable to the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), scheduled to launch in 2011 as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program. The program is...

Modern industrial machines rely on fast, accurate motion control in order to achieve high product quality and productivity, as measurement errors can lead to increased scrap and production downtime. However, these and other costly headaches can be avoided by choosing the proper...

Increasingly competitive markets make efficient and accurate processes more critical than ever before. To meet the demands of manufacturers, machine builders are constantly searching for new methods to design faster, more precise, and longer-lasting systems that...

In 1938, General Electric began producing a two-phase synchronous induction motor which, at 60 Hz, ran at 75 RPM. The low speed resulted from using a different number of rotors to stator poles or teeth, which made the motor a good bi-directional control motor. This motor was used by Superior Electric Company of...

The economic realities of the industrial marketplace are driving machine builders and integrators to get creative and build more intelligence into their machines in order to increase productivity and lower lifecycle cost. This is done by minimizing time to communicate with the motion controller,...

HARTING North America was recently asked to solve some of the problems associated with power distribution and motion control on a vehicle manufacturer’s long conveyor and engine block production line. The line’s system integrator needed to reduce installation costs to be...

The IDEA(TM) Drive stepper motor linear actuator from Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions (Waterbury, CT) integrates a linear actuator, electronic drive, and control unit with a patented GUI (Graphical Unit Interface). The GUI enables the operator to automatically enter motor and drive parameters based on the actuator part number....

The IMA integrated-motor actuator from Tolomatic Inc. (Hamel, MN) combines a servo motor with a rod-style actuator. Compared to rod-style actuators, the integrated design improves dynamic performance by eliminating the need for separate motors, couplers, motor mounts, gearing and belts.

The Hoopster(R) retaining rings from Smalley Steel Ring Company (Lake Zurich, IL) fit into shallower groves than regular snap rings or retaining rings. The rings’ low-profile, precision circularity, and small radial size allow it to be an unobtrusive component in an assembly. They are suited for light to heavy loads and are...

The SM3416DT-PLS2 SmartMotor(TM) from Animatics (Santa Clara, CA) delivers up to 480 oz-in. of peak torque and over 200 oz-in. of continuous torque, at speeds of over 5,000 rpm. It incorporates high-speed position capture, advanced torque overshoot braking, and modetorque-brake. An eight-pole, segmented stator design improves...

The Series 500 programmable linear actuator from Nook Industries (Cleveland, OH) offers an expanded range of performance in generating high loads, longer life, increased duty cycles, higher speed, and programmability. Load capacities range up to 550 lb for in-line configurations, with parallel configurations ranging...

The MDrive(R) linear actuator from Intelligent Motion Systems Inc. (Marlborough, CT) is available in non-captive and external shaft styles with a choice of NEMA 14, 17, or 23 motor sizes. It accepts input voltages from 12 to 75 Vdc, handles loads to 200 lb., and is capable of 256 × 200 microstepping with an operating temperature...

Available in various versions, the LM76 linear motion system from LM76 (East Longmeadow, MA) features high-speed travel to 10 m/sec and acceleration to 50 m/sec2, and load capabilities to 1,259 lb. The low-cost, precision dual rail system can mount vertically or horizontally.