The history of automation throught the years
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proud history bright future
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A proud history and a bright future
stablished in 1941, during the rise of automated production in the late 1940s and 1950s, Infranor has specialised in the provision of automation of mechanical processes in industry since 1959.
Versatility has been the key to the company's success – developing high speed and high accuracy systems for the food industry, aerospace, automotive and manufacturing industries.
Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, new automated facilities appeared during the 'boom years' of the industry and production soared to record levels. During this period, Infranor were subsequently founded to develop, produce and market automation solutions from individual components to entire systems which can be adapted in accordance with customer requirements.
The company's advancements in supporting fast and precise individual movements in machinery and overall multi-axes control of an entire application, system and equipment has been utilised across many sectors of industrial manufacturing including the packaging industry, industrial handling, food processes industry, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, plastic and paper processing, medical and nuclear engineering.
The term automation – automatic control – was not widely used before 1947 when General Motors established its Automation Department. However, industry was rapidly developing feedback controllers before this time – another string to Infranor's bow.
As a company, Infranor prides itself on offering specialist robotic, automation and servo solutions to the world's market place utilising ground breaking machinery and equipment for high performance or high endurance applications from a fully equipped workshop and support engineering team based in Suffolk in the UK.
The rise in automation facilities brought about several advantages for the industry, including: • • • •
Increased throughput and productivity Improved quality and robustness Increased consistency of output Reduced direct human labour costs and expenses
Since its inception, Infranor have grown to develop and supply their own servo-motors, servo-drives, electronic systems, controllers and software for a range of industry applications including drive single axes – controlling movements; and coordinate multiple axes – controlling entire machines. Today, Infranor have been manufacturing servorelated control equipment and customer specific machinery automation solutions for over 50 years.
Committed to the continual development of AC brushless servomotors, DC brushlesss servomotors, DC brushed servomotors, feedback devices, motion controllers and gearboxes, the manufacture of Infranor's key servo-motors, servo-drives and controls are housed within ISO 9000 certified factories. With the product, branch and application know-how, the company has grown to hold a presence in several different geographical regions:
INFRANOR
Security Industry emag
Many design engineers working in the fi eld of motion control are familiar with slotless
A slottless motor may also be difficult to manufacture. The motor manufacturer may need to develop
motor designs, but may wonder if these specialised motors signifi cantly improve machine
customer winding equipment because standard equipment does not do the job. If the choice is made
performance. In many cases, they can.
to encapsulate the motor windings in resin to enhance performance and create a more rugged motor,
Slotless motors offer more torque per frame size, produce more power, run smoother and achieve higher speeds than their slotted counter parts. Following is a closer look at the technology, plus realistic tips on evaluating whether or not your application could benefit from slotless motor. Slotted Servomotor Construction A traditional slotted brushless servomotor has a stator made of stamped metal sections called laminations that are stacked to form teeth. Wire is wrapped around these teeth; when current fl ows in the wire, an electric magnet is created in the stator. Permanent magnets are fi xed to the rotor. As in slotted motors the permanent magnets in slotless servomotors are fi xed to the rotor. However a slotless stator is built without teeth. Motor windings are wrapped around a temporary mould and then encapsulated to keep them in place. Eliminating the teeth yields many benefits.
the motor manufacturer must have significant experience with resin materials and the potting process itself. These manufacturing challenges could increase the cost for both manufacturer and end user. Application Benefits for Slotless Motors Higher torque is beneficial for most applications and is often the first thing an engineer seeks when choosing a motor. More torque usually means higher acceleration and greater machine output. Additional torque also means that a smaller motor may be used, which can save money (if the motor is part of a moving component, a smaller motor also weighs less and requires less energy to move.) A motor that can run fast may be the obvious choice for high speed applications such as centrifuges. But faster speeds can also help reduce overall machine cost and help increase machine output. If the machine’s mechanics can handle higher speeds a faster move time is possible. If gear reduction can be selected to optimise torque at higher speed a smaller motor can be used, therefore saving
Application Benefi ts for Slotless Motors
money and weight. Additional power may also eliminate costly secondary mechanics that can
Higher torque is benefi cial for most applications, more torque usually means higher acceleration
shorten machine life and escalate maintenance. Two specific applications illustrate indispensable
and greater machine output. Additional torque also means that a smaller motor may be used,
slottless motor benefits.
which can save money. A motor that can run fast may be the obvious choice for high speed applications such as centrifuges. But faster speeds can also help reduce overall machine cost and help increase machine output. If the machine’s mechanics can handle higher speeds a faster move time is possible. If gear reduction can be selected to optimise torque at higher speed a smaller motor
Grinding: Smooth motor motion (generated by slottless motors) is imperative as the cogging affected, can produce an undesirable finish on final parts. Battery Powered Designs: The higher efficiency and potentially smaller size of slottless motors extends operation.
can be used, therefore saving money and weight. Additional power may also eliminate costly
Our success in precision markets has been strengthened by the successful launch of the Xtrafors
secondary mechanics that can shorten machine life and escalate maintenance.
Prime series of zero cogging servomotors. These motors offer the latest technology in slotless
These motors have been used in Ordinance in feed systems as well as Linear and Rotational positioning systems, giving the product high torque and speed with modular construction and zero cogging all within a compact size. The Xtrafors Prime series is just one of the many exciting ranges of servomotors that are designed and manufactured in Europe and available from any of the global Infranor sales and Engineering teams.
design. These have been used in Ordinance in feed systems as well as Linear and Rotational positioning systems, giving the product high torque and speed with modular construction and zero cogging all within a compact size. The Xtrafors Prime series is just one of the many exciting ranges of servomotors that are designed and manufactured in Europe and available from any of the global Infranor sales and Engineering teams.
Drawbacks of slotless motors
Contact us on info.uk@infranor.com /
Despite their benefits slottless motors have their drawbacks and are therefore not suited to every
0208 144 2152
application. For any given size, slottless motors generally have larger diameter rotors, and because
Building 555
rotor inertia increases with the rotors diameter, inertia can increase significantly. Consider an
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application where load inertia is very low compared to motor inertia and high acceleration is required.
Rendlesham
In this instance, a slotted motor may be able to accelerate faster than a slottless one. If the slottless
Woodbridge
motor’s additional torque cannot compensate for the higher torque required to accelerate the system.
IP12 2TW
2014
Manufacturer of servo drives, systems and bespoke engine The Senior Management team of the Security Industry E Magazine are delighted to announce the deserving recipients of the annually presented, Supplier to Industry Award for 2014 as global company, Infranor. The Award recognises the Infranor’ s dedication to supplying an evolving industry with the latest in cutting edge product solutions within the slotted and slottless motor sector. On receiving the Security E Magazine’s Award, Infranor’s Managing Director, Adrian Hazelwood commented: “It is rewarding for our Company to be recognised by our customers and the market place in general. For us the result of our hard work must always be a happy customer, however it is very special to be recognised by an industry journal as our effort, time and the financial investment we make to improve motor reliability, performance and flexibility that a continuously changing market needs is often unnoticed. This award is a result of pure teamwork, our customers trust us to find a solution and we use our expertise within our Motor and Drive factories
Ruth Nicoll receives a Security industry Award for 2014
to not only meet but in most instances surpass the customers’ needs and desires. For me to receive the award on behalf of a dedicated team that stretches across the globe is very satisfying, it confirms that our business model, work ethic and skill sets are correct.” Many design engineers working in the field of motion control are familiar with slotless motor designs, but may wonder if these specialised motors signifcantly improve machine performance. In many cases, they can. Slotless motors offer more torque per frame size, produce more power, run smoother and achieve higher speeds than their slotted counter parts. Following is a closer look at
servo motors, eering the technology, plus realistic tips on evaluating whether or not your application could benefit from slotless motor. Slotted Servomotor Construction A traditional slotted brushless servomotor has a stator made of stamped metal sections called laminations that are stacked to form teeth. Wire is wrapped around these teeth; when current flows in the wire, an electric magnet is created in the stator. Permanent magnets are fixed to the rotor. As in slotted motors the permanent magnets in slotless servomotors are fixed to the rotor. However a slotless stator is built without teeth. Motor windings are wrapped around a temporary mould and then encapsulated to keep them in place. Eliminating the teeth yields many benefits. Application Benefits for Slotless Motors Higher torque is beneficial for most applications, more torque usually means higher acceleration and greater machine output. Additional torque also
means that a smaller motor may be used, which can save money. A motor that can run fast may be the obvious choice for high speed applications such as centrifuges. But faster speeds can also help reduce overall machine cost and help increase machine output. If the machine’s mechanics can handle higher speeds a faster move time is possible. If gear reduction can be selected to optimise torque at higher speed a smaller motor can be used, therefore saving money and weight. Additional power may also eliminate costly secondary mechanics that can shorten machine life and escalate maintenance. These motors have been used in Ordinance in feed systems as well as Linear and Rotational positioning systems, giving the product high torque and speed with modular construction and zero cogging all within a compact size. The Xtrafors Prime series is just one of the many exciting ranges of servomotors that are designed and manufactured in Europe and available from any of the global Infranor sales and Engineering teams. Drawbacks of slotless motors Despite their benefits slottless motors
have their drawbacks and are therefore not suited to every application. For any given size, slottless motors generally have larger diameter rotors, and because rotor inertia increases with the rotors diameter, inertia can increase significantly. Consider an application where load inertia is very low compared to motor inertia and high acceleration is required. In this instance, a slotted motor may be able to accelerate faster than a slottless one. If the slottless motor’s additional torque cannot compensate for the higher torque required to accelerate the system. A slottless motor may also be difficult to manufacture. The motor manufacturer may need to develop customer winding equipment because standard equipment does not do the job. If the choice is made to encapsulate the
motor windings in resin to enhance performance and create a more rugged motor, the motor manufacturer must have significant experience with resin materials and the potting process
itself. These manufacturing challenges could increase the cost for both manufacturer and end user. Application Benefits for Slotless Motors Higher torque is beneficial for most applications and is often the first thing an engineer seeks when choosing a motor. More torque usually means higher acceleration and greater machine output. Additional torque also means that a smaller motor may be used, which can save money (if the motor is part of a moving component, a smaller motor also weighs less and requires less energy to move.) A motor that can run fast may be the obvious choice for high speed applications such as centrifuges. But faster speeds can also help reduce overall machine cost and help increase machine output. If the machine’s mechanics can handle higher speeds a faster move time is possible. If gear reduction can be selected to optimise torque
For further information about email enquiries to info.uk@infra
at higher speed a smaller motor can be used, therefore saving money and weight. Additional power may also eliminate costly secondary mechanics that can shorten machine life and escalate maintenance. Two specific applications illustrate indispensable slottless motor benefits. Grinding: Smooth motor motion (generated by slottless motors) is imperative as the cogging affected, can produce an undesirable finish on final parts. Battery Powered Designs: The higher efficiency and potentially smaller size of slottless motors extends operation. Our success in precision markets has been strengthened by the successful launch of the Xtrafors Prime series of zero cogging servomotors. These motors offer the latest technology in slotless design. These have been used in Ordinance in feed systems as well as Linear and Rotational positioning systems, giving the product high torque and speed with modular construction and zero cogging all within a compact
size. The Xtrafors Prime series is just one of the many exciting ranges of servomotors that are designed and manufactured in Europe and available from any of the global Infranor sales and Engineering teams. When asked about Infranor’s future developments, Adrian went on to say: “We must be very conscious that the steps we take forwards with technology is also plug and play with our current offering and solutions we provide, or at least be a minimum of application disturbance for our customers. We hate the word obsolescence and work hard to avoid it. We must also be aware of the world’s weakening material resources as we continue to develop, and as such new magnet, housing and winding technologies are at the forefront of our R&D. Ongoing developments are many and also in varying fields which is incredibly exciting as they all have their own exacting demands and challenges. We should remain customer focused and market driven. We can only ask our customers to watch this space as there are new core products close to release. As a manufacturer of bespoke solutions in servo motors and servo drives each day is amazing as another customer product is designed, developed, prototyped or shipped.”
t this award winning company, anor.com or call 0208 144 2152.