Motion and Controls Reference Materials

Description: Today's CPG manufacturer is faced with a number of difficult challenges. The manufacturer's ability to drive the cost per packaged unit down while maintaining the flexibility to innovate and integrate ...

Description: All-Fill's servo-driven auger fillers continue to evolve with a more inclusive control platform. ...

Description: Machines now use less wiring and easier motion control programming with code that can be reused. What's not to like? Automated Industrial Machinery (AIM Inc.) is a leading producer of automated CNC ...

Description: Learning objectives Understand fan arrays. Learn how VFDs can operate fan arrays. Understand how to best maintain controlled airflow in a critical operation incorporating VFDs and fan arrays. ...

Description: Although VFD manufacturers have made many advances in terms of ease of use, some users still find programming and monitoring with a 2-inch display tedious. This is where VFD programming and monitoring ...

Description: Advanced VFD technology delivers cost and space savings by providing protective features and minimal programming. ...

Description: Flow control enhances efficiency and energy savings. ...

Description: There is always a need to increase production in automation applications. Sometimes achieving improvements requires breaking the process down to its fundamental basics. The science behind the ...

Description: The article "Matrix drives reduce energy consumption for transporter system" by Mike Grant, an engineer at Yaskawa, appeared on Control Engineering's website. The article goes into how Yaskawa ...

Description: Providing cost, space, and energy efficiency for VFD applications. ...

Description: Before you rip that variable frequency drive (VFD) off the wall and send it in for a rebuild, stop. Some simple checks diagnose a VFD in moments. Here's how to make the necessary inspections with a ...

Description: A permanent magnet motor is an ac motor that uses magnets imbedded into or attached to the surface of the motor's rotor. This article provides understanding behind the terminology, concepts, theory, ...

Description: This paper discusses the stress distribution, modeled in a dynamic simulation environment, on the rotating parts of Cycloidal reducer. A three dimensional finite element model is developed using Algor ...

Description: One of the most cricical aspects to consider when sizing and selecting a gearbox is the required service factor. Learn how to determine the proper service factor for overhead crane applications. ...

Description: Sound can be a very subjective thing. What may sound "unusual" to one individual may very well sound "normal" to another. As a method of diagnosing a potential problem with a gearbox or gearmotor, the ...

Description: It's pretty obvious that there are a great many more electric motors in use. They are used in many industries - from airports to office buildings to production lines. Many important applications use ...

Description: Bruce McArdle shares with us how he designed and built his own automatic secret bookcase doors. ...

Description: With our FLT-02 Table Lift Set you can turn your desk into a height adjustable standing desk with easy up/down motion control. Today we are going to show just how simple it is to install and build a ...

Description: Solar power is one of the most accessible types of renewable energy and is rapidly increasing in efficiency and affordability. In this project, we will show you how we used our PA-14 Mini Linear ...

Description: There are two methods of multiple actuator control - parallel and synchronous. Parallel control outputs a constant voltage to each actuator, while synchronous control outputs variable voltage to each ...

Description: Linear actuators discretely assist us in our daily lives, they can be found on vehicles, in homes, and in the work place. The majority of them remain behind the scenes ensuring we are able to pull, ...

Description: Although the contactor is probably one of the most common components in an industrial / motor control application, selecting one correctly requires detailed application information to be provided. ...

Description: The International Space Station (ISS) is a masterpiece of technology. The world's highest research laboratory also has drive systems from maxon motor on board - for example in experimental robots. ...

Description: The kilometer thick ice of the Antarctic holds many secrets. For decades, scientists have researched the history of global climate by ice-core drilling. Such a team is the Research Organisation ...

Description: What do wasps have to do with brain surgery? At first glance, not a whole lot. However, one species serves as the model for an innovative brain surgery needle that is being developed by a team of ...

Description: Without the Sun, there would be no Earth and no life. However, our knowledge about our home star is still very limited. This is about to change. In 2018, ESA will send its Solar Orbiter into space, ...

Description: Model railroading is fascinating: The miniature trains do not only look like the originals. They are also strong and can handle continuous operation. However, weeks of hard work have to pass before ...

Description: The robot looks like a giant stick insect: Inspired by the insect, Hector (HExapod Cognitive auTonomously Operating Robot) has elastic joints and an extremely lightweight exoskeleton. In the six legs, ...

Description: To learn about Earth's past, scientists are turning their gaze to Mars. They send a robotic probe to take the Red Planet's pulse and temperature. ...

Description: Every surgical operation has inherent risks. New technologies help to minimize these risks, for example with high-precision 3D navigation for computer tomography. ...

Description: maxon motor is renowned for its high-quality precision drive components, but customers sometimes want more. A look at Germany, where maxon engineers work on complex complete solutions for gigantic ...

Description: A dinosaur on a treadmill isn't something you see every day - unless you happen to be at the Korean KAIST Institute Laboratory. Researchers there have developed a robot that can run at speeds of up to ...

Description: For decades, it seemed like the world had lost interest in Earth's smaller companion. Now, the science and business communities have rediscovered the Moon. Several landing missions are planned for the ...

Description: When surgeons perform operations in the operating room, they reach for battery-powered tools. These tools must be precise and reliable and withstand over a thousand autoclave cycles. This places tough ...

Description: They are used in communications, weather forecasting, or research: Satellites improve our quality of life. However, there will soon be too many of them, and disposal is difficult. In the future they ...

Description: While robotic assistance systems are available for most types of surgery today, eye surgery used to be an exception. A Dutch company has changed that. A world first in eye surgery. ...

Description: From 0 to 100 km/h in 1.513 seconds - that's a new world record for electrically powered vehicles, set by AMZ's "grimsel" race car in June 2016. Their latest vehicle is named "gotthard." ...

Description: The prototype kilogram - the standard for today's kilogram - is getting a little long in the tooth. There are plans to redefine the unit on the basis of a natural constant. At the Swiss Federal Office ...

Description: List of common reasons why your ball screw assembly isn't working and how to solve the issue. ...

Description: What to do to prepare to receive your ball screw as well tips on storage, handling and lubrication. ...

Description: Acme Lead Screw: Acme lead screws have a 29 degree thread angle. An Acme lead screw is less efficient than a square thread, but is easier to machine. ...

Description: At the dawn of the industrial age, the predominant machine was the AC induction motor, which is basically a constant speed device. Thus when applications required different speeds, the pulley would be ...

Description: Step by step guide to checking the ball screw assembly while it is still in the machine. ...

Description: Information on what backlash is and how to measure it. ...

Description: Spur gear type gearheads are probably the best possible choice for relatively low torque applications. They tend to be quieter in operation and have a relatively low amount of internal friction as ...

Description: Flat motors are undeniably useful in applications with limited space and odd orientations. However, beyond the size issue, many other DC, AC, Brushless, and Universal motor types can be customized to ...

Description: When searching to buy an electric motor or gear motor for your application, it is important to consider requirements beyond speed, torque, power and voltage. In this article, we will discuss 20 ...

Description: Considerations for aerator applications in the wastewater treatment industry. ...

Description: Selecting the right gearbox for your mixer application is important - especially when it is also the key support between the impeller shaft and the motor. ...

Description: From the Gears and Motion Control experts, we present an article detailing the benefits of doing a feasibility study for your aerospace gearbox. ...

Description: Get a head start into designing low rated power applications under 150W like fans and compressors. ...

Description: Cascade H Bridge (CHB) topologies have increased in popularity in recent years. This article will explain the basic operating principles of the CHB drive and showcase some new power modules matched to ...

Description: Before learning how to use a VFD, one must first understand what it is and what purpose the control serves within an application. ...

Description: Elephants, lions or entire herds of antelopes - with a digital camera specially designed for documentaries, wild animals can be captured quickly. Motors made by maxon ensure that there are no ...

Description: Students at ETH Zurich have developed a wheelchair that can climb stairs. Is this the future for people with walking disabilities? ...

Description: Selecting the right motor can be a challenging task, and finding a motor that matches your speed, torque and power requirements is not enough. There are many factors that need to be taken into ...

Description: Load capacity, usable life, envelope size, and cost: all are very important considerations when designing a gearbox. However, accurately accounting for efficiency losses is a frequently forgotten ...

Description: When buying a standard, off the shelf motor, it can be difficult to find the correct motor size and performance for a given application. The natural reaction is to err on side of "bigger is better" so ...

Description: This article describes easy entry for designers into the complex world of sophisticated motor control systems through either of two flexible, scalable, easy-to-use and affordable platforms from ...

Description: What is all the hype about the Hyperloop? How does it move? What is the technology that makes it possible? The answer: linear induction motors. ...

Description: "Motor shafts and driven shafts are never perfectly aligned." That may be a pretty strong statement, but unless you have a deep budget and your equipment is destined for a space telescope or a ...

Description: A number of medical applications need high-speed actuation in the lower load band. Many OEMs use pneumatic actuators or electric solenoids for this purpose; however, these options do not provide ...

Description: Slow speed plays a big role for workers and machinery during startup. Alignment of moving machinery at a slow speed helps reduce the number of trials to see whether adjustments are correct without ...

Description: Focusing on how to choose the right motor/gearbox combination for your OEM application; Engineering Manager, Seth Hulst and Design Engineer, Loren Kamstra explain cost optimization, performance and ...

Description: A thorough comprehension of the of the task requirements in a motion application is vital to the successful launching of a product to market. When one element is overlooked it causes delays and added ...

Description: Use this design checklist, along with the Ingress Protection (IP) and Temperature Class charts to gather data about your application. The speed vs. torque comparison graph is helpful in selecting the ...

Description: It is important to understand your application and duty cycle requirements because applications running intermittently can fit into smaller motor packages than those running continuously at the same ...

Description: The oil versus grease debate is much more complicated than simply thick or thin, long lifespan versus short, easy maintenance procedures versus harder ones. There's a good possibility that you might ...

Description: Size matters in miniaturization and automation - smaller is usually better. Traditional electromagnetic motors have limitations when it comes to shrinking dimensions while maintaining high efficiency ...

Description: Brushed and Brushless DC motors have two traits that make them easy to control for several applications. The first is the relationship between voltage and speed, and the second is the relationship ...

Description: As temperatures drop well below freezing in many parts of the country and snow continues to fall, winter equipment gets more and more use. For salt spreaders, pumps and other applications using ...

Description: Induction and synchronous motors, while both classified as AC, have some rather diverse constructional and operational characteristics, with the presence of slip being the most prominent factor. ...

Description: The golf course, the cheese factory, the printmaking shop and the carnival-these are all places (plus many more) where universal motors will be found. Similarly, just as the location of these ...

Description: Due to the nature and physical properties of anodic coatings, anodized aluminum products and components are used in thousands of commercial and consumer food processing applications. ...

Description: Efficiency in Fractional HP Motors & Gearmotors" provides overview of efficiency as it relates to other design considerations such as power source, operating cost, temperature, purchase cost and size. ...

Description: The Basics of Motor Selection? whitepaper is written to assist readers in the motor selection and customization process. Focusing on four electric motor types (AC Induction, PMDC, Universal and ...

Description: Walk through any plant that uses linear motion systems, and you can often see maintenance workers, grease gun in hand, applying lubrication to linear guides. And why shouldn't they. Under-lubricated ...

Description: In the productivity-driven packaging industry, there are many possible sources of downtime. You can eliminate many of them by selecting failure-resistant linear motion components. These robust guides ...

Description: A brushed DC motor is one of the simplest types of motors. It consists of a few main components which in conjunction with a DC power supply create a rotating motor ...

Description: In today's guide we will be going over how to find out how much force a linear actuator is applying by monitoring the amount of current it is using. This will be one of our more advanced guides and ...

Description: Welcome to Part 2 of our guide on how to monitor the load feedback of a linear actuator. In Part 1 we went over the wiring process and the basic coding needed for the example. In today's guide we will ...

Description: We've been expanding our line of control systems with the addition of microcontrollers, shields and other hardware, including becoming an official distributor of Arduino products. Arduino is one of ...

Description: Welcome to Part 2 of our Intro to Arduino Microcontrollers. Last time we went over the basics of Arduino and some of the different board models that we carry in stock. Today we'll be going over a ...

Description: This article is the first part of our "Linear Actuator Control" series. We will be discussing everything from the most basic control methods that utilize limit switches to accomplishing sequential ...

Description: Learn how to determine the appropriate actuator for your application with some advice from one of our engineers. ...

Description: We wanted to share a very cool project that we sponsored recently. Nice Box is a company that creates special customized storage boxes, specifically custom sneaker boxes, for customers. The company ...

Description: In this post we will show you how to use the PA-35 Wi-Fi Control Box to control actuators that demand a large amount of current. Below is a video demonstration of the PA-17 Industrial Linear Actuator ...

Description: The motor diameter (sometimes referred to as frame size) is the diameter to the nearest mm of the motor casing. Matching the motor diameter to the available space in the application is typically the ...

Description: Many processes in advanced research and industrial manufacturing can only be performed in a vacuum, such as thin-film sputtering and ion milling, and technologies formerly reserved for exotic ...

Description: Vacuum applications are of growing importance due to technologies that can only be applied in vacuum or cryogenic environments. ...

Description: Many applications require synchronous or ratio speed control - this article explains a simple drive accessory that does the trick. ...

Description: Screw jacks that are properly selected and maintained will reliably lift, position, support or hold industrial loads for years. Incorporating them into mechanized applications is a fairly simple ...

Description: ISSI revolutionizes the bagged ice palletizing process with EVOLUTION - designed from the ground up using CCâ€'Link communication protocol and all Mitsubishi Electric components. BACKGROUND Founded in ...

Description: From the standalone sprinklers in our backyards, to sophisticated watering systems operating on farms, golf courses, corporate campuses, municipal parks, residential developments, shopping centers, ...

Description: Model based electronic control allows the reduction of aerodynamic instability, which leads to increased flight performance and maneuverability. ...

Description: Upgrade your next machine design with servo motors to decrease downtime, decrease footprint, increase throughput, make equipment last longer, and provide better diagnostics. ...

Description: Servo system selection criteria involves more than just wattage and price. Other important servo criteria to consider include rated torque, rated speed, overload time, torque-to-inertia ratio, ...

Description: A prepackaged chiller retrofit cuts energy costs by 30%, reduces required maintenance, and extends operating life at Duke Realty Corp.'s 19-story office building in Clayton, Mo. ...

Description: Machine designers strive to increase throughput, decrease machine costs, and reduce maintenance costs. The migration from traditional analog motion networks to digital motion networks accomplishes ...

Description: There are many things to consider when selecting the right servo system for a particular application. Look at these nine areas for the best results. ...