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THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES TO SHAPE TRENDS IN MOTION CONTROL
IN
the first months of the new year, our motion control team takes stock of the current climate in the industry and looks ahead to what’s in store for the coming year. To that
end, we ask leading suppliers of motion control components to give our readers insights into what they see as some of the top trends impacting their and their customers’ businesses.
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WWW.ALLMOTION.COM
(510) 471-4000 30097 Ahern Avenue Union City, CA 94587 Te c h n i c a l S u p p o r t
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See the
LES
3 • 2022
DI
- brushed or bldc motors - 5 amps per axis - 16 analog inputs - 16 on/off drivers - home and limit in - live tech support - made in the USA
While some familiar technological trends continue to shape product offerings, it comes as no surprise that one of the biggest factors impacting businesses of all kinds has been and continues to be the coronavirus pandemic. As consumers have seen throughout the pandemic, supply chain issues caused by labor and transportation disruptions has meant barren store shelves and heightened uncertainty over how to procure needed supplies; whether that be staple food items or toilet paper or disinfecting wipes. These shortages had their origin in manufacturing issues including labor and transportation snags which led to low supplies of raw materials combined with surges in demand that overwhelmed production facilities. However, the pandemic accelerated certain technological shifts already under way. Perhaps chief among these is the boom in robotics and automation; two sweet spots for motion control technology that now look poised to grow even more this year and into the future. Across the board, most if not all motion control suppliers report increased demand in automation and robotic-centric applications such as in medical laboratories with the automation of sample handling and testing. Such uses call for faster throughput rates for processing test samples, which in turn call for improvements in automation technology. Likewise for packaging applications where there is increased demand for robots to help automate tasks and boost production. As automation increases, so too does the need to extend uptime and prevent costly down time. Hence, the continued growth in predictive maintenance. Monitoring critical equipment and components gives insights into overall operation and performance, leading to fewer component failures and less downtime. Data is central to predictive maintenance. Collecting and analyzing data is important across the entire range of industrial uses; from the factory floor to field operations to remote wind farms. Making it all possible are smart components of various kinds (sensors and encoders, for instance) that gather critical data and can either analyze it on the spot or transmit it further down the line for further analysis. All this and more is trending in motion control and what you’ll read about here in our special issue on Motion Control Trends. Also, remember that you can always find all of the latest news and information about the motion control industry at our motionspecific sites motioncontroltips.com and linearmotiontips.com, as well as bearingtips.com and couplingtips.com, and of course our flagship Design World web site designworldonline.com.
BUDIMIR • SENIO
RE
Meeting Customer Needs with Diverse Product Categories and Customized Products
Linear Piezo Motor
DC Brushless Servo Motor
Canon Precision proprietary technology and internal production systems provide our partners with micro-motor design flexibility, quality control and rapid delivery. Canon Precision motors can also be equipped with optional gear units and encoders and can be optimized to meet your size, speed, gear ratio and reliability requirements. CANON U.S.A., INC. Motion Control Products 3300 North 1st Street • San Jose, CA 95134 TEL: 1-408-468-2320 • Email: motors@cusa.canon.com www.usa.canon.com/ Canon is registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States, and may also be registered trademarks or trademarks in other countries. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners. Specifications and availability subject to change. Not responsible for typographical errors. ©2021 Canon U.S.A., Inc. All rights reserved.
CONTENTS VOLUME 8 NUMBER 1
4 8 11 17 22 25 31 32 37 40 42 44 52 58 62 64
EDITORIAL STAFF ACTUATORS MOTORS — AC & DC BALL • LEAD • ROLLER SCREWS LINEAR GUIDES • SLIDES & WAYS CABLES & CONNECTIVITY • NETWORKING HEXAPODS & MINIATURE STAGES DRIVES & CONTROLLERS CONVEYORS COUPLINGS ENCODERS GEARING & GEARMOTORS BEARINGS SHOCKS & DAMPING AD INDEX ON THE COVER: HERE, A ROBOTIC ARM AFFIXES LABELING TO A PALLET OF BEVERAGES. COURTESY DREAMSTIME
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Goodbye complex automation. Hello MOVI-C . ®
The MOVI-C modular automation system from SEW-EURODRIVE is a onesoftware, one-hardware automation platform that combines fully integrated drive components, control electronics and automation software – all from one source. The key to the MOVI-C platform is that each of those components is designed to work together perfectly. More control. Less programming. MOVI-C works with decentralized control architectures as well as centralized approaches, from the controller and inverter all the way to the gearbox. MOVI-C components can be fully integrated into all network standards and fieldbus topologies such as Ethernet IP, PROFINET®, PROFIBus®, Modbus®, and EtherCAT®. This is automation made simple.
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E Z I M I OPT N G I S E D R U O Y
DESIGN WORLD FOLLOW THE WHOLE TEAM ON TWITTER @DESIGNWORLD
EDITORIAL VP, Editorial Director Paul J. Heney pheney@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_paulheney Senior Contributing Editor Leslie Langnau llangnau@wtwhmedia.com @dw_3Dprinting Executive Editor Leland Teschler lteschler@wtwhmedia.com @dw_LeeTeschler Executive Editor Lisa Eitel leitel@wtwhmedia.com @dw_LisaEitel Senior Editor Miles Budimir mbudimir@wtwhmedia.com @dw_Motion
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ACTUATORS
NEW APPLICATIONS GROW FOR ELECTRIC LINEAR ACTUATORS AS
the demand for more automation in manufacturing increases, electric
linear actuators are finding their way into more applications. The demand is driven by many factors including impacts of
level i.e. force. If the force required to operate the mechanism increases, that is sent back to the control system so that preventive maintenance can be scheduled at a convenient time. We have used this feature on SMAC actuators for 20+ years in the electronic assembly industry.
the coronavirus pandemic as well as the trend towards more onshoring. Designers are choosing linear actuators in part because there are more varied options to meet specific application challenges, making them easier to specify and install. Here’s what some of the leading actuator companies told us about trends in the industry and what they see ahead for 2022 and beyond: AN ACTUATOR SETUP FROM LINMOT FOR A PICK-AND-PLACE APPLICATION.
WHAT NEW LINEAR ELECTRIC ACTUATOR APPLICATIONS HAVE YOU SEEN RECENTLY? EDWARD NEFF, PRESIDENT OF SMAC MOVING COIL ACTUATORS Primarily, new applications and the integration of feedback, with many in packaging to replace air cylinders, with conveyor box sorting as an example. Here, air cylinders are used at relatively high speed to operate the sorting mechanism. Because of the high speed expected, life of the cylinder is around one year. In large warehouses there are thousands of these stations, so there are daily failures, and the conveyors are usually near the ceiling. SMAC’s new LDL series is costcompetitive with air cylinders, has greater than 10x the cycle life (it’s a linear servo), is 2x faster, and can alert the warehouse control system when a problem is developing at the sort station. An added advantage is the LDL can sense current
motioncontroltips.com | designworldonline.com
3 • 2022
LINMOT USA, MIKE KORKOWSKI, LINMOT USA OPERATIONS, APPLICATIONS ENGINEER There are two trends currently. First, applications requiring stainless steel SM Guides for food applications. These applications require IP69 in a demanding washdown environment. The other trend is capping applications that require torque and force sensors. The solution for these applications is our PR02 Linear Rotary motor.
NIPPON PULSE The number of new actuator applications seems to be growing every year. Although we may see magnet pricing increase slightly in the next year, brushless dc (BLDC) motors are achieving higher torque, and we’re seeing the impact of highvolume applications shifting from brushed dc motors to BLDC, in both the consumer and commercial markets. There has also been a shift away from hydraulics and pneumatic actuators, as they can be less predictable – and require additional monitoring equipment – than electric motors. With electric actuators, performance can be monitored via the drive controllers. The biggest advantage of applications making the switch to electronic drive/controllers is real-time monitoring of not only the motion profile, but also the motor’s current, torque and positioning, which can help engineers detect potential system failures with ample time to prevent system-wide downtime.
IGUS – MATT MOWRY, IGUS DRYLIN PRODUCT MANAGER Over the past few years, customers are wanting to purchase fully assembled, motorized actuators instead of assembling their own and DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
IGUS – MATT MOWRY, IGUS DRYLIN PRODUCT MANAGER
IC APPL ACE . L P AND R UNIT ICKO R A P ACTUAT O F N M A R A O IC ONT BOT A RO EGRATED T IS IN
Engineers are looking for lighter weight linear guides and actuators to reduce the moment of inertia on moving parts. Those that use aluminum instead of steel or stainless guide rails and other lightweight components, like plastics, are ideal for these applications.
N ATIO
ANDY ZASKE, VICE PRESIDENT, SALES AND MARKETING, TOLOMATIC For electric actuation, we’ve seen an increased use of roller screws to enable higher forces as well as higher forces in smaller packages. the integrated controllers on these to talk all of the industrial protocols, which can be a major feat.
being responsible for the assembly. They prefer to purchase on part, QC checked, from one supplier and focus their efforts on the value that their equipment has to their customer base.
ARE YOU SEEING AN INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR MINIATURIZATION OR INTEGRATION OF FEEDBACK DEVICES IN LINEAR COMPONENTS?
IGUS – MATT MOWRY, IGUS DRYLIN PRODUCT MANAGER Definitely. As many different platforms as we use to construct our product, we still see that customers need smaller and smaller parts to work in their designs.
ARE THERE ANY TRENDS YOU ARE SEEING IN TERMS OF NEW MATERIALS, LUBRICANTS, AND SIZES TO GIVE ENGINEERS MORE DESIGN OPTIONS?
LINMOT USA, MIKE KORKOWSKI, LINMOT USA OPERATIONS, APPLICATIONS ENGINEER
LINMOT USA, MIKE KORKOWSKI, LINMOT USA OPERATIONS, APPLICATIONS ENGINEER
Yes, and that is what makes the PR02 Linear Rotary motor popular. This product has a smaller form factor than our other linear rotary motors and offers integrated torque sensors and force sensors in certain models. Also, our DM Guide product now has a force sensor available.
Customers are demanding products that can withstand washdowns and simple flexible automation for pick and place.
EDWARD NEFF, PRESIDENT OF SMAC MOVING COIL ACTUATORS The biggest trend is the use of laser manufacturing and printed coil technology. These allow for the rapid development of new actuators with customer desired size, shape, and forces. Note that the tooling cost to do this is practically nothing.
NIPPON PULSE The new trend is to combine the drive and motor controller into one unit, or combine them as part of the actuator assembly itself. The challenge has been for each of
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NIPPON PULSE Lubricants, including new synthetics, will have a big impact on the bearing market. Of course, applications where motor components do not have to touch at all, with a non-wearing motor fully operated by magnets, is another option. One such example of this is the new higher-powered Nippon Pulse Linear Shaft Motor actuator. With the over 40 percent increase of 360-degree magnetic field usage in linear shaft motor forcers and new refined magnet technology, these higher-powered motors will have a major impact replacing older mechanical actuators, as they boast higher reliability and a smaller size at a lower operating cost, as well as their increase in data collection and predictive analytics. 3 • 2022
WHAT ROLE DOES DATA PLAY IN YOUR PRODUCT DESIGNS? SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO BIG DATA, IOT, INDUSTRY 4.0 AND BEYOND, ETC. LINMOT USA, MIKE KORKOWSKI, LINMOT USA OPERATIONS, APPLICATIONS ENGINEER Our drive/motor combinations have had the ability to communicate within a fieldbus for a long time and many offer the flexibility of external network communications. These features allow processes to be flexible and to be implemented dynamically.
NIPPON PULSE There are a few areas in which Nippon Pulse is impacting edge data analytics, which allows for increased play in the Industry 4.0 market. 1. The design of ASIC high-speed multiaxis controller chips, placed at the very core of the motion control processors, which processes fast enough to run their major functions while collecting data. 2. The ability to store and send that data within on-premises servers or true edge to cloud off-premises servers for high-level factory monitoring. 3. Building real-time software algorithms that are running on the edge of the motion function, within the chip-level controllers. The demand and growth curve for edge detection using simple mathematics up to machine learning algorithms has been slow. The software algorithm world is a whole new concept most of the mechanical engineering world is not used to understanding. It all is thrown under the Industry 4.0 label, which includes intelligence from edge to cloud and simple to complex algorithm analysis. Of
motioncontroltips.com
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designworldonline.com
MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
course, the real trend is to push intelligence to the edge right at the motor driving the actuator, which is the fastest response to real-time detection and actions needed.
IGUS – MATT MOWRY, IGUS DRYLIN PRODUCT MANAGER Specifically, with regard to big data, IoT, Industry 4.0 and beyond we are constantly developing our iSense product range to offer companies our dry-tech bearings as well as our Energy Chain cable carrier systems.
HAS YOUR COMPANY SEEN INCREASED ACTIVITY OR DEMAND FROM CUSTOMERS IN ANY SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES OR APPLICATION AREAS (ROBOTICS, FACTORY AUTOMATION, OFF-HIGHWAY APPLICATIONS, MEDICAL, OTHERS, ETC.)? LINMOT USA, MIKE KORKOWSKI, LINMOT USA OPERATIONS, APPLICATIONS ENGINEER There has been an increased demand for factory automation, packaging, robotics and medical applications. Customers want to do more with less employees. This is really a global trend. Robotic manufacturers are using our products in gantry applications and as additions to their end effectors. Medical applications are primarily with our PR02 Linear Rotary motors. These customers want validations of torque and force, and we are able to do that with our calibrated torque sensors, force sensors and drives.
NIPPON PULSE We have seen increased interest from the semiconductor market. The largest trend we’ve seen related to semiconductor manufacturing is the increase in planned growth in semiconductor fabs, both in Asia and the US. This trend is likely to continue due to the continual growth in demand of consumer electronics, which affects chip demand and also backs up into commercial automation demand. We also continue to see growth in robotics, particularly in the 4-to-7-axis areas. These projects tend to require longer lead times, but are growing at a steady pace, and we expect will continue to grow. Alternatively, in the area of simple 2-3-axis (X-Y-Z) cartesian robotics and stages, expansion in lab automation, optical stages/ photonics, and semiconductors are outgrowing the rest of the markets.
IGUS – MATT MOWRY, IGUS DRYLIN PRODUCT MANAGER We have seen many surges in applications in many industries. These include automated kiosks, lab equipment and automation, as well as factory logistics automation.
ANDY ZASKE, VICE PRESIDENT, SALES LINMOT USA, MIKE KORKOWSKI, LINMOT USA OPERATIONS, AND MARKETING, TOLOMATIC APPLICATIONS ENGINEER We are seeing increased interest in larger material handling applications with gantry systems, using our industrial rodless linear actuators, as well as interest in mounting robots on rodless linear actuators to give another axis of motion, extending robotic reach. We also saw an increase in orders for food processing after significant pause in investment, as well as continued investment in electric vehicles for automotive continuing into 2022.
WITH THE PROSPECT OF SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES STAYING WITH US WELL INTO 2022, WE’VE SEEN SEVERAL MOTION CONTROL SUPPLIERS GIVING THEIR CUSTOMERS A HEADSUP TO PLAN FOR LONG LEAD TIMES (UP TO 6 TO 12 MONTHS FOR SOME PRODUCTS!). HOW DO YOU SEE CUSTOMERS — ESPECIALLY END USERS AND INTEGRATORS, WHO WORK ON MORE OF A PROJECT-BYPROJECT BASIS — DEALING WITH THE LONGER LEAD TIMES AND UNCERTAINTY IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN?
AN SMAC MOVING COIL ACTUATOR IS PICTURED HERE SHOWING THE INNER CONTROL CIRCUITRY.
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There are certainly global supply chain issues and we and our customers are dealing with this as best we can. We are working diligently with our suppliers for options as required to keep delivery times as short as possible. We have recommended that our customers order their parts as early in the process as possible. This is the proper action now and the foreseeable future with the current global supply chain. Our quotation process and order confirmation gives the customer the information they need to properly plan their projects. We have seen our customer’s plan ahead a lot more than in the past and are taking our advice to order early.
EDWARD NEFF, PRESIDENT OF SMAC MOVING COIL ACTUATORS Supply problems, for now, are mostly in electronic components. The flip side is order for actuators used in this industry are sky rocketing and we supply a lot of pick and place robots. However, problems provide the chance for solutions that are overall improvements. For example, controller chip shortages led to a switch to a chip used in highvolume consumer electronic toys. This resulted in a 50% cost decrease and the supply at distributors is 25X our expected usage. Other problems were resolved by quickly switching to older, larger chips that cost less than the newest, smallest ones we used. Since we make most of the encoders and controllers we use, the ability to react and change in weeks means that we have had no change in our 2 to 3 week delivery of product. Of course, going after air cylinders requires a drop to 1 week or less.
MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
MOT, OM LIN . ERIES FR PPLICATIONS S M S AS THIS INDUSTRY A H C U S , IDES OOD EAR GU AL OR F STEEL LIN HARMACEUTIC S S E L STAIN ABLE FOR P ARE SUIT
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Machine builders are no doubt going to be hit the hardest. The perfect financial model for these companies is to buy fast and build fast. Longer-term purchasing strategies are not the norm for these companies. Going into the next year there will have to be a focus on reviewing one’s vendors, and an honest discussion about actual delivery times. “Trust your vendor” has never been more important than now. Vendors must take a partner mentality in building a business together. Companies will need to predict purchases, and if possible stock commonly used products and lower-cost items that can be held in inventory.
IGUS – MATT MOWRY, IGUS DRYLIN PRODUCT MANAGER They will want to know that the products they are specifying are in stock. One benefit is working with a company like igus is that we have a large product range with many interchangeable parts.
ANDY ZASKE, VICE PRESIDENT, SALES AND MARKETING, TOLOMATIC One thing we’ve seen is that customers are anticipating longer lead times and are ordering sooner. In fact, we’ve seen our lead times double or triple. At the same time we’re hopeful to get them back to more normal levels in mid 2022.
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DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
3 • 2022
MOTORS — AC & DC
AUTOMATION, ROBOTICS SPUR MOTOR DEMAND ELECTRIC
motors are at the heart of motion. Across the board, motor manufacturers
are seeing increased demand for their products. Hastened by the pandemic, demand in areas such as robotics, autonomous vehicles and automated production and manufacturing lines across a wide swath of industries has risen, spurring new business as well as innovation. Some top motor suppliers shared with us their insights into the top tech trends driving the motor market, what has shaped their business, and what to expect for 2022 and beyond:
ARE THERE ANY NEW APPLICATIONS OR MARKETS THAT HAVE BEGUN EMPLOYING BRUSHLESS MOTORS OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS? AMETEK (DUNKERMOTOREN) We see a rising demand from the AGV market, the applications are in the wheel and product lift drives. The emerging market of agricultural robots have similar requirements as AGVs of longer life and high torque density in a small package. The future is drives with Ethernet connectivity, cloud connection, and IIoT applications.
ANY NEW TRENDS IN STEPPER MOTORS OR STEPPER-BASED ACTUATION SYSTEMS? BRUSH MOTORS? SERVO MOTORS? AMETEK (DUNKERMOTOREN) For stepper motors our new portfolio includes gear boxes, encoders, brakes and integrated controllers. For servo and brushless motors, new integrated control functionality such as Ethernet connectivity, STO (Safe Torque Off), SSI-Interface, and Vector Control. Controllers for our brushed dc drives can also deliver all functionality that we offer for our brushless portfolio.
ORIENTAL MOTOR Stepper motors have steadily increased their torque output and efficiency over the years and have helped stepper-based actuation systems become smaller, lighter, more powerful, more efficient, and more cost-effective. All of these improvements feed the growing interest for carbon-neutral products that contribute to higher throughput with a smaller footprint.
ARE THERE ANY TRENDS YOU ARE SEEING IN TERMS OF NEW MATERIALS OR SIZES TO GIVE ENGINEERS MORE DESIGN OPTIONS?
ORIENTAL MOTOR
AMETEK (DUNKERMOTOREN)
We’ve seen a rise in brushless motor interest as customers are becoming more aware of the energy efficiency and heat reduction benefits of brushless motors versus ac motors for speed control applications. Some of the new applications we’re seeing increased demand from are modular type conveyors, plant tumblers, and peristaltic pumps. We found that compact motor size, closed-loop speed regulation, quick-connect cabling, and built-in alarms are favorable features for these particular applications.
Integral controllers along with our unique firmware and software packages allows for flexibility in designs such as independent motors or master-satellite control styles. Design flexibility is enhanced through our modular platforms, which allows for a wide array of options for design engineers. Our speed to market allows customers to go from a custom design to a market ready production product in a short timeframe.
THE WIDE RANGE OF MOTOR OFFERINGS FROM MAXON MOTOR INCLUDES SMALL GEARED MOTORS AND MOTORS WITH DIAMETERS DOWN TO 4 MM.
motioncontroltips.com | designworldonline.com
3 • 2022
DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS THE MODEL BG 75 SERIES OF BRU SHLESS DC MOTORS FROM DUN KERMOTOREN FEATURE AN INTEGRATED MOTION CONTRO LLER FOR 4-QUADRANT DRIVE WITH DYNAMIC POSITIONING.
MAXON Engineers have the constant need to go smaller while maintaining the same power density. With the technological investments maxon has made in magnet and winding technology we are able to offer high power density products packed full of functionalities while maintaining the smallest footprint possible. Aside from a constant ask for low footprint high power density there has been a trend in most industries to ask component providers if they can do more. Whether it be to add specific connectors and cable lengths to design and assembly complete mechanical subsystems. With more than 80% of our business being modification or custom work, we are positioned well to assist our customers in designing or building sub-assemblies within their own system. By combining our vast modification/customization experience along with our supply chain optimization we can ensure that we are offering our customers various design options that will meet their needs while keeping costs low and power densities high.
ORIENTAL MOTOR The need for IP-rated products continues to grow as more of our customers are considering our motors for washdown applications. Size reduction also seems to be a continuing trend for motors and drives especially when designers have to work around limited space. We continuously perform research and development on various materials and sizes to expand our product breadth. An example is our flat stepper motors, which can fit into thin space.
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WHAT ROLE DOES DATA PLAY IN YOUR PRODUCT DESIGNS? SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO BIG DATA, IOT, INDUSTRY 4.0 AND BEYOND. MAXON There is an increased interest for leveraging IoT technologies like networking, cloud computing, signal processing, and data analytics that allows device builders from various industries to broaden their services offering, increase the uptime of their systems and lowering the maintenance cost. The push for more IoT capabilities in system has played a role in our product designs by adding feedback devices such as hall sensors and thermal sensors to our motors offering. There is no doubt that as technology moves forward and IoT becomes more standardized we will have to move towards creating “smart” motors for users to access maintenance data such as wear and tear or configuration data. When it comes to mission critical devices it is important to evaluate these technologies with a strong focus on security and data protection. There is no doubt that we will see an increasing number of features and capabilities that would qualify as IoT capabilities built into new and upcoming devices. But the industry is very aware that any development needs to take security and data protection into consideration. Depending on the type of device, the adoption of IoT capabilities will vary greatly.
ORIENTAL MOTOR We’ve noticed a trend of inquiries about data monitoring from motor drives in the past, and
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we regularly communicate our market needs to the factory. As a result, we have expanded the product breadth of our AlphaStep AZ Series family to include more built-in industrial communication protocols on drives such as EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, and Profinet. We also increased the data that these drives can collect, so more data can be output to support our customers’ big data operations.
AMETEK (DUNKERMOTOREN) We launched a new brand for serving the demand of IIoT applications to the market in 2021 - Nexofox. There is a future in IoT and Nexofox will help us stay in the forefront of industrial digitization.
HAS YOUR COMPANY SEEN INCREASED ACTIVITY OR DEMAND FROM CUSTOMERS IN ANY SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES OR APPLICATION AREAS (ROBOTICS, FACTORY AUTOMATION, OFF-HIGHWAY APPLICATIONS, MEDICAL, OTHERS)? AMETEK (DUNKERMOTOREN) With current labor shortages we are seeing an upward trend in the adoption of selfnavigating automation technologies. The applications require long life and high torque from their motors. Medical devices are becoming smaller every day requiring smaller footprint motors with the same torque output. Agricultural automation is becoming a leading market with the need for robust solutions for harsh outdoor environments.
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
MAXON
A MAXON MOTOR IS SHOWN HERE WITH INTERNAL GEARING.
With the uptick in customization requests designated for various niche industries, maxon has continuously analyzed the markets for motion control components and system needs. When a market sector is identified that cannot be covered by our current product offering, we will create targeted solutions that will meet and can be easily malleable to any customer’s needs. Some of these examples include the UAV propulsion system, exoskeleton joints, drive wheel assemblies for AGV and even compact drives with integrated electronics designated for the industrial market. It is these targeted solutions that allows the customer to efficiently leverage our engineering resources to get a design idea from the rapid prototyping stage to large scale manufacturing as easily as possible and with minimal customization required.
ORIENTAL MOTOR We’ve seen more demand from robotics, automated vehicles, and factory automation applications. Our customers seem to favor our new compact drives, new industrial communication protocols, and design updates. Also, the semiconductor industry has been booming, and the trend will probably continue for another few years.
WITH THE PROSPECT OF SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES STAYING WITH US WELL INTO 2022, WE’VE SEEN SEVERAL MOTION CONTROL SUPPLIERS GIVING THEIR CUSTOMERS A HEADS-UP TO PLAN FOR LONG LEAD TIMES (UP TO 6 TO 12 MONTHS FOR SOME PRODUCTS!). HOW DO YOU SEE CUSTOMERS — ESPECIALLY END USERS AND INTEGRATORS, WHO WORK ON MORE OF A PROJECT-BYPROJECT BASIS — DEALING WITH THE LONGER LEAD TIMES AND UNCERTAINTY IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN? MAXON It is true that the current global situation has affected electronic products in an unanticipated way resulting in a dwindling supply of the electronic components needed. It should also be noted that while the biggest impact has been felt in the motion controllers, the motor assemblies themselves along with sub-system components have also been
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impacted in one way or another. This has led maxon to establish local suppliers and acquire the knowledge needed to build up an efficient manufacturing process in the US. As of late we are seeing a growing number of our customers use our contract manufacturing service to leverage our design expertise, project management resources and established supply lines to supplement a lack of resources or to reduce their system complexity. It is this contract manufacturing process that our customers leverage to overcome the long lead times seen by many in the industry.
ORIENTAL MOTOR Lead time is one of the first questions our customers ask and one of their top filters in vendor selection. To help reduce time-to-market, many of our customers are developing their own automation to complement off-the-shelf automation, and demand for standard products has increased. Standard products offer the shortest lead times as well as guaranteed specifications that complement today’s supply chain environment.
AMETEK (DUNKERMOTOREN) We try to support our customers in finding alternative materials in our products as well as in finding different design options like replacing sensor-controlled products by sensor-less designs.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER TRENDS THAT HAVEN’T BEEN ADDRESSED? ORIENTAL MOTOR We’ve been noticing that more traditional fixed production lines are being converted to “modular” designs, and this trend is accelerating with mobile robots along with Industry 4.0. “Modular automation” promotes flexibility in factory automation where a production line is made up of mobile sections or robots so that the entire line can be rearranged, reassembled, and retooled quicker to support smaller lot runs. Some manufacturers have started to offer “modular automation compatible products” in order to support this trend.
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“That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
SCREW DRIVES SEE NEW USES IN ROBOTICS,OTHER APPLICATIONS SOME
Recently screw drive developments have included advances in materials as well as manufacturing methods leading to enhanced performance in actuation are screw drives. Whether lead- or ballterms of greater load densities and higher load capacities. This, coupled or roller screws, screw actuation remains a large part of the linear with more integrated design offerings has meant that screw drives are actuation equation, thanks to their reliability, accuracy, and relative finding their way into newer applications in a diverse array of settings. simplicity of operation. Screw manufacturers are seeing marked upticks in business in certain industries such as robotics and 3D printing among others, as some of the top screw manufacturers told us. AN UPTICK IN AUTOMATION APPLICATIONS HAS MEANT AN INCREASED DEMAND As far as screw technology goes, FOR SCREW DRIVES, SUCH AS THESE METRIC-SIZED BALL SCREWS FROM THOMSON. there is an ongoing shift in preferences regarding ball-screw standards. “The traditional ‘Saginaw’ style ball screws that we are all familiar with are still popular in the U.S., but the trend over the past several years has been toward the ISO standard metric ball nut body styles,” notes Ron Giovannone, Director for Application Engineering & Sales Support with Nook Industries. “I expect this trend to continue over the coming decade,” adds Giovannone. When it comes to applications for screws, manufacturers have seen increased activity in some industries. For instance, Jeremy Gong, Area Sales Director for Thomson Industries, Inc., says that throughout 2021 Thomson saw increased interest and demand “predominantly driven by shortages and lengthening lead times across the board. This was a mix of customers trying to meet existing demand as well as the pursuit of safety stock at all levels.” As for industries and applications that saw growth, Gong adds that “there has been increased interest in automation, likely driven by shortages in labor throughout the U.S. Specifically,
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of the surest, time-tested methods of linear
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BALL • LEAD • ROLLER SCREWS
SCREW PROTECTION FOR ROBOTIC 3D PRINTERS SOME
applications can not only call for new screw designs
sewn to dip-molded to vulcanized, Dynatect can offer the best bellows construction method to optimize retracted/expanded ratio for full but also redesigns of support structures and other motion, durability, and price. This construction is matched with MILancillary screw components such as bellows covers and cable carriers. For SPEC materials specifically for harsh outdoor environments including UV instance, take robotic 3D printing systems. exposure, outdoor weather, and process generated debris. Robotic 3D printing systems are fed by a collection of moving The motion and protection company Dynatect has seen a surge in power and control conductors, pneumatic or hydraulic hoses, and tubing demand for dynamic protection components used on 3D printers large with deposition material like cement or paint. Cable and hose wear can enough to create full-scale cars or even homes. There are many new be one of the first things to cause downtime on a robotic application. manufacturers in this space, with mechanical structures at unprecedented To protect these cables and hoses, Dynatect has engineered a family scale. Specifically in printing homes, these large-scale printers are of cable carriers that are optimized for outdoor dynamic industrial referred to as “factory in the field”, given their portability from location applications. In 3D printing applications where speed or weight is an to location. Beyond printing in concrete these “factories in the field” offsetting factor, Dynatect also provides plastic cable carrier in a wide include cutting out of windows and doors, painting, and scanning for variety of cavity sizes and mounting configurations. These are also quality verification. To accomplish this, large-scale 3D printers merge the available with a wide variety of long-travel support options including a best features of printing, robotics, and machine tooling – combined with hybrid cable carrier combining the best attributes of metal and plastic. being used outdoors like construction equipment. For large-format 3D printers used for generating full size structures These robotic 3D printing systems often use large (2 ft x 15 ft) spirallike cars and other intricate models, they are even more dependent on column lifting mechanism to change the height of the printing assembly. keeping dust out of the printing area along with maintaining a stable These lifting columns have multiple bands of intertwining stainless steel temperature to maximize uniform cooling/contraction of the deposition threads which are exposed to process generated debris like cement grit, medium for optimal results. The challenge is that these machines also have window cutting dust, and paint splatter. Protecting these precision lifting printing heads that move in 3 dimensions over a large space where covers columns is critical for repeated performance and typically are covered for smaller printers do not scale up to this size. by bellows. With ten different bellows manufacturing capabilities from Dynatect has provided machine roof covers for large 3D CNC milling machines for a decade. Traditionally these machine roof covers keep process generated debris contained in the enclosure, but for 3D printers they keep debris out with the added benefit of enclosing the space for easier air temperature management. The machine roof covers are well suited for large format 3D printers with optimized retracted/expanded ratio for full motion, rollers to accommodate high speeds, and translucent material so light still enters the work area. For in-field robotic home printing, these are disruptive technologies that claim to offset more than 50% of the manual labor of conventional home construction. As a result, the variety and diversity of large-format 3D printing machines has significantly increased. Scalable industry growth is tied closely to repeatable performance and system durability. There are already proven solutions in adjacent industries like construction, machine tooling, and robotics that can be applied to this evolving field to maximize repeatability and BELLOWS PROTECTING SENSITIVE MACHINE COMPONENTS AND CABLE durability. Those solutions will need some adaptation to be CARRIERS FOR PROTECTING CABLES AND HOSES (SHOWN CIRCLED IN re-applied, and application-specific custom engineering is YELLOW) FROM DYNATECT ARE USED IN THIS LARGE 3D ROBOTIC PRINTER. key success in new implementations.
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
A MEDICAL APPLICATION USING STEPPER MOTOR LINEAR ACTUATORS FROM THOMSON.
factory automation has played a large part in our precision ball screw products. The medical space also saw increased interest in our miniature guide offerings as well as our stepper motor linear actuators to be used in desktop analysis applications.” It's no secret that the coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on virtually every industry in some way. Perhaps most notable are supply chain issues across the industrial sector. “In the initial stages of these challenging market dynamics, end users and integrators adapted by placing a heavier burden on their own inventories,” notes Saurabh Khetan, Product Line Manager for Lead Screws with Thomson Industries. “This was coupled with attempts to stay ahead of shortages by placing POs with higherthan-normal volumes to ‘get it into the system’ or POs with releases far into the future. They did so in an attempt to stave off negatively impacting their own customers” adds Khetan. However, Khetan notes that as supply chain disruptions persisted, “there has been increased acceptance by end users and integrators as well as their own customers of these challenges being here to stay for at least the foreseeable future. We have also seen evidence of end users shopping around to other suppliers and delaying new generation launches of existing programs.”
SMOOTH. PRECISE. ULTRAHIGH SPEED. HIGH-LOAD BALL SCREWS. High-accuracy, high-capacity, long-life linear positioning solutions. For high-load industrial applications, NSK is recognized as the leading manufacturer of precision ball screws. With markedly superior accuracy and lower cost than systems such as pneumatic, hydraulic or linear motors, these high-capacity, ultra-high speed ball screws are engineered for extreme durability and long-life linear motion in the toughest environments. Enabling Automation in Motion & Control.
WWW.NSKAUTOMATION.COM
LINEAR GUIDES • SLIDES & WAYS
PANDEMIC IMPACTS LINEAR MOTION COMPONENT MANUFACTURING, APPLICATIONS LINEAR
motion components include everything from various types of linear actuators to
linear guides, slides and ways, and a host of components in between. One thing they all have in common is that their development and production are influenced by both technological trends as well as broader market forces. One of those forces has been the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has impacted every aspect of life, including many segments of manufacturing.
Not surprisingly, one area that has seen growth during the pandemic is laboratory automation. As Darren O’Driscoll, Product Market Manager for Pneumatic Motion Products at Festo, explains, “for the past two years, Festo has been working with laboratory equipment OEMs in the fight against COVID. We’ve been developing precision sample handling and vial capping/decapping solutions based on multi-axis motion systems. We’ve also devoted significant resources to the development of precision liquid handling systems.” Precision liquid handling in automated laboratory devices involves rapid, precise aspiration and dispensing of fluids into
LABORATORY AUTOMATION APPLICATIONS HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK AS A RESULT OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. COMPANIES LIKE FESTO HAVE WORKED TO DEVELOP INTELLIGENT, TESTED SUBSYSTEMS FOR THE AUTOMATION OF LIQUID MEDIA AND SAMPLE HANDLING APPLICATIONS.
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
SHOWN HERE IS AN EXRAIL LINEAR GUIDE FROM NB CORP.
and out of vials and microwell plates. New products developed by Festo include openand closed-loop pipettes and pipette heads, new valves and valve controllers, and compact all-in-one compressed air and vacuum generators for onboard air. The partnership between the automation supplier and OEM allows the equipment manufacturer to focus
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on the science of the test or assay while the automation supplier innovates the motion of handling and liquid dispensing. Another company seeing increased activity in laboratory automation is igus. Matt Mowry, igus drylin Product Manager, says that “this is one of our major industries, with customers always looking for low-cost,
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lightweight and self-lubricating bearing systems in these environments.” Aside from laboratory automation, other growth areas in automation include battery production as well as food and beverage manufacturing. As Festo’s O’Driscoll explains, “automation in battery production drives down cost through higher productivity and is in
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LINEAR GUIDES • SLIDES & WAYS Empowering Automation
response to the transition to electric vehicles. Food and beverage automation is driven by a desire to lower worker density on the processing and packaging floor for a safer environment and to compensate for labor shortages. Food handling is stimulating development of new gripping solutions both in soft grippers and adaptable grippers. Research continues on the application of agricultural automation in terms of self-guided mobile robotic picking systems for delicate fruits and vegetables.” Also, as automation technology has become more affordable and increasingly easy to use, smaller manufacturers have embraced automation as a response to the pandemic, especially given labor shortages. The pandemic has also caused many supply chain issues. In fact, the prospect for further supply chain disruptions into 2022 is all but given. As Festo’s O’Driscoll remarks, “supply issues top nearly everyone’s list of concerns. You can deal with pricing fluctuations. If you do not receive product, you’re in deep trouble.” As a result, people are becoming more resourceful and are doing their best to cope with the uncertainty. O’Driscoll continues: “Many end users and suppliers build up inventories of crucial components. Companies focus on their approved components books by identifying slides, actuators, and other components that are readily available. Their suppliers must demonstrate to these companies that they have the ability to maintain supply. Years ago, Festo identified the 20% percent of its product catalog that satisfies 80% of application needs and created the Stars of Automation core products initiative. Starred core products are globally forward deployed and always in stock. This has been a lifeline for many customers during the current disruption.” On the flip side, a key trend that has emerged from the pandemic is the automation of design and ordering through free online tools. Many companies offer these online tools as a way to engage customers and expand their reach. Companies like Festo recognize that with such online tools available, the faster a company can design and place an order for a gantry system, for CROSSED-ROLLER SLIDES HELP BOOST THE PERFORMANCE OF GENERAL AUTOMATION, MICROPROCESSOR MANUFACTURING, AND LINEAR AXES ON DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT. IN FACT, CROSSED-ROLLER GUIDES IMPART HIGH LOAD CAPACITY AS WELL AS HIGH STIFFNESS AND TRAVEL ACCURACY. COURTESY NB CORP.
A gripper inspired by the motion of a human finger ADAPTIVE DESIGN Finger modules flex multiple joints to conform and adapt to various workpieces, offering an unmatched level of versatility and application potential.
CONFIGURABLE SYSTEM Modules can be assembled in radial or parallel hub arrays with one to five fingers in each position.
WIDE RANGE OF USE Suitable for both industrial and collaborative robots.
DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
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Visit phdinc.com/flexion to see FLEXION in action.
MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
example, the quicker it can place into the order queue. The same goes for transparent online ordering that provides near instantaneous answers to questions such as: Is the component in stock? When will it ship? What does it cost? When can I receive technical drawings? Overall, some familiar trends continue for linear motion components such as linear guides, slides, and ways. For instance, it’s still the case that designers want more compact components in order to build smaller machines. Shrinking the size of guides and slides increases component density, while expanding machine production capability. Even though components are smaller, guide and slide performance have to be equal to or better as compared to larger units.
DESIGN WORLD ONLINE EVENTS AND WEBINARS
Festo’s O’Driscoll adds that Festo “has introduced a compact slide for precision handling, press fitting, pick and place, and light assembly applications. This slide and yoke plate were machined from a single piece of aluminum, which ensured stiffness and accurate alignment. Backlash free piston rod/yoke connection contributed to the slide’s precision and extended service life.” Matt Mowry from igus sees a related trend towards lighter components in linear motion applications. “The trends are towards light-weight components, especially those that do not require maintenance,” says Mowry. “Also, customers are asking for linear components that are quieter, especially if they are being used in commercial or laboratory environments.” Darren O’Driscoll from Festo agrees. “The trend to small, lighter in weight components has caused other shifts in materials. For example, air preparation units have traditionally been constructed of cast aluminum. Today, there is a transition to high strength polymers.”
Check out the DESIGN WORLD WEBINAR SERIES where manufacturers share atheir experiences and expertise to help design engineers better understand technology, product related issues and challenges.
WEBINAR SERIES
THOUGH THE EXCEPTION, THERE EXIST CROSSEDROLLER SLIDES (AS WELL AS CONTAINED CARRIAGES THAT MATE TO ESSENTIALLY STANDARD GUIDEWAYS) WITH RECIRCULATING ROLLER CIRCUITS. THOUGH LESS COMMON THAN THE TRADITIONAL (NONRECIRCULATING) CROSSED-ROLLER TYPES, THESE RECIRCULATING SLIDES EXCEL IN APPLICATIONS THAT MUST BEAR HIGH LOADS AND BENEFIT FROM THE RIGIDITY OF CROSSED-ROLLER ARRANGEMENTS. COURTESY NB CORP.
FOR UPCOMING AND ON-DEMAND WEBINARS, GO TO: www.designworldonline.com/design-world-online-events-and-webinars 28
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Twice As Precise For The Same Price The Miniature Linear Guide Advantage
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CABLES • CONNECTIVITY • NETWORKING HARTING’S ix INDUSTRIAL CONNECTOR IS AVAILABLE IN STRAIGHT OR ANGLED CABLE OUTLETS FOR TIGHT SPACES. IT OFFERS 5,000 MATING CYCLES AND TRANSMISSION UP TO 10 GBPS.
ix INDUSTRIAL PAVES THE WAY FOR MINIATURIZATION IN INDUSTRIAL ETHERNET THE
ix Industrial interface provides a more compact, secure design that
can easily replace the popular RJ45 connector. Compact mating surface, high mechanical robustness. Two sturdy locking mechanisms with metal hooks to ensure resistance to vibrations, and contact durability, allow circuit board size to decrease even further, which is key to device miniaturization. At the same time, efficiency and sustainability also improve, as smaller housings require fewer raw materials. As Horst Messerer, Product Manager, Helukabel, pointed out in a recent article, “Hardly any other connector is as widely used as the RJ45 (also known as the western plug). It has been around since the 1970s, and in the decades that followed, technologically superior variations were developed for use in industrial applications. However, this could change as the ix Industrial interface has recently emerged as a promising alternative with a significantly smaller design and more robust construction. It is opening up new opportunities in device manufacturing and offers benefits to end users.” With new guidelines out last year, several manufacturers are standardizing ix industrial connector designs. The most recent PROFINET Cabling and Interconnection Technology Guideline has recently designated the ix Industrial mating interface as a new standard for Ethernet applications. Published in June 2021, Version 5.0 of the PROFINET Guideline offers updated standards for PROFINET-compliant motioncontroltips.com | designworldonline.com
cabling use in industrial environments. The ix Industrial interface is a vital component in the SPC (Specific Passive Components) section for Ethernet transmission. Using the ix Industrial connector, manufacturers of PROFINETcompliant devices can create smaller, more compact devices to save valuable installation space in the control cabinet. “PROFINET is the leading communications standard based on industrial Ethernet. The PROFINET guideline provides users with definitive universal regulations for industrial cabling in industrial equipment, systems and plants. In the SPC section, the ix Industrial is indicated as a new key connector,” said Jeremiah Stanek, Technical Marketing Specialist, Industrial Segment at Hirose Electric USA. “The rugged ix Industrial Series combines high-speed performance and a compact design with high reliability and design flexibility. With a design that is ideal for daisy-chaining applications, the space-saving ix series connector can facilitate a significant size reduction of industrial machine vision modules.” More manufacturers of PROFINETcompliant devices, like Harting, are now able to develop more compact devices on a secure and reliable basis and thereby save valuable installation space in the control cabinet. Given the 70% smaller ix Industrial device socket compared to RJ45 connections, the number of ports can be doubled for the same device size or, conversely, a device can be designed that is significantly more compact. In addition to the miniaturization and 3 • 2022
space savings that will become increasingly vital in the future, the HARTING ix Industrial interface offers device manufacturers and users one thing in particular: A high-performance, reliable, and industrial-grade connector paving the way to the future. Depending on the application, Harting’s ix industrial users can choose between a straight or angled cable outlet. This means that even tight spaces in control cabinets will not present problems. Catering to demanding environments, the ix Industrial interface will also be available in IP65/67 protected PushPull housings as from the autumn. HIROSE’S IX INDUSTRIAL SERIES REDUCES FUNCTIONAL SPACE BY UP TO 75% AND FOOTPRINT BY TWO-THIRDS COMPARED TO RJ45 SOLUTIONS. SUPPORTING CAT5E (1 GBPS) AND CAT6A (10 GBPS) CABLING, THE IX INDUSTRIAL SERIES I/O CONNECTOR FEATURES AN OPTIMIZED EMI/ ESD SHIELDING DESIGN FOR SAFE AND SECURE DATA TRANSMISSION UP TO 10 GBPS.
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NEW APPLICATIONS FOR HEXAPODS AND MINIATURE STAGES RECENT
years’ advances in actuation, motion
controls, and feedback have boosted the capabilities of metrology, semiconductor manufacture, laser cutting, genomics, and other research equipment — especially those based on ultra-high-precision stages. Linear motor and piezomotor stages as well as hexapod-based actuation reign supreme here. Long-travel piezomotor stages capable of slow strokes over many millimeters (while maintaining nanoscale positioning accuracy) are especially important in medical research equipment. In addition, performance optical encoders now abound to let motion stages get nanometer-scale repeatability and
resolution. Motion-control algorithms today let these stages dependably move to within nanometers of target positions — even when bearing relatively high loads.
KINEMATICS ARE KING IN PRECISION MOTION SYSTEMS Consider the challenging applications of semiconductor manufacturing — including backend wafer inspection. Some operations require motion stages capable of strokes of a few hundred millimeters even while maintaining X and Y-direction accuracy of 1 µm. The extra wrinkle is that some such operations (because of the need for high throughput) must process wafers quite quickly — demanding stage speeds of a couple m/sec along with accelerations to 2 g sans significant vibration in the focal Z axis.
No wonder the stage kinematics and heat dissipation capabilities as well as its motioncontroller sophistication are all so critical. In fact, the manufacture of microelectronics and silicon photonics (ICs employing light along nano-optical structures for driving and fast and efficient data transmission) has grown thanks in part to the kinematics and controls advances for ultrahigh-precision motion stages. Most of these ultra-high-precision motion stages are pre-integrated, as such systems do two things: They free researchers and manufacturers in demanding fields to focus on core competencies, and they outperform serial-kinematic Cartesian-type robots (often built by end users’ stacking linear stages into XYZ systems). Such Cartesian-type stages typically require
SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER PROBE TESTING NECESSITATES EXACTING PRECISION. COURTESY DREAMSTIME
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HEXAPODS & MINIATURE STAGES
additional degrees of freedom — which are often had through still more (bulky and error accumulating) addition of goniometers and rotational yaw, pitch, and roll stages. In contrast, Stewart (hexapod) platforms deliver motion dictated by the controller and not the mechanical bearings and power-transmission linkages. A user-definable rotational center along with lower inertia and higher stiffness are just a few benefits. Another option in some instances are ultraprecision motion stages with clever kinematics for well-placed centers of gravity and optimized system dynamics. To address the issue of outer axes causing a moment load on the inner axes, certain gantry systems use two X axes or (in some cases) two Y and two Z axes. Gantries almost always have three axes … X, Y, and Z. The load on a gantry system is located within the gantry’s footprint and the gantry is mounted over the working area. However, for parts that cannot be handled from above, gantries can be configured to work from below. Gantry systems are suitable in applications with long strokes (greater than one meter) and can transport very heavy payloads that are not suitable for a cantilevered design. One of the most common uses for gantry systems is overhead transport, such as moving large automotive components from one station to another in an assembly operation. XY tables are like XY Cartesian systems in that they have two axes (X and Y, as their name implies) mounted on top of each other — and typically have strokes of one meter or less. But the key difference between XY Cartesian systems and XY tables lies in how the load is positioned. Instead of being cantilevered, as in a Cartesian system, the load on an XY table is almost always centered on the Y axis sans any load-induced moment on the Y axis. This is where the end use helps distinguish between the various types of multiaxis systems. XY tables generally work only within their own footprint, meaning the load does not extend beyond the Y axis. This makes them best suited for applications where a load needs to be positioned in the horizontal XY plane. A typical example is a semiconductor wafer being positioned for inspection or a part being positioned for a machining operation to take place.
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
Consider another challenging application that requires careful selection of machine kinematics — that of laser-based cutting and welding. The increased affordability of lasers (even ultrashort-pulse lasers) has spurred a rise in laser-based equipment for new applications. The caveat here is how tightly the motion design’s controls (and networking) much coordinate and synchronize multi-axis linear, rotary, and nonlinear movements with what the machine’s laser end effector is doing. Get more information on the ultra-precision motion solutions for laser-based material processing from the recent Physik Instrumente (PI) white paper: Simple, fast, accurate, and flexible control in laser materials processing.
SHIFTING FOCUS ... TO LINEAR ULTRASONIC PIEZOMOTORS Now consider another option for high-precision motion … ultrasonic piezomotors. The most common application for ultrasonic piezomotors is in the autofocus mechanism found in cameras, but high-precision imaging and scanning equipment of all kinds, including surveying and metrology devices, benefit from their speed and resolution. Other applications include military and aerospace equipment — especially the positioning of antennae or fine control of guidance systems. In the medical industry, ultrasonic piezomotors are used in life sciences
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equipment for nanoliter pumps, dispensing, and dosing, and in medical devices for control and positioning of imaging equipment. Ultrasonic piezomotors create useful rotary or linear motion by exciting a piezo element to produce high-frequency oscillations. In linear ultrasonic piezomotors, the piezo element is a piezoelectric plate. Applying voltage excites the plate at its resonance frequency and creates eigenmode oscillations – meaning all parts of the plate move sinusoidally at the same frequency. The piezoelectric plate is preloaded against a runner (also called a slider) via a coupling, or pusher. Oscillations in the plate cause it to expand and contract, moving the coupling along an inclined patch. The coupling in turn contacts the runner and causes it to linearly move. Ultrasonic piezomotors are sometimes called standing wave piezomotors due to the type of wave generated when the piezoelectric material is excited. A standing wave is formed when an incident (original) wave and a reflected wave interfere in such a way that there are points along the medium that appear to be standing still … hence the name standing wave. Although linear ultrasonic piezomotors are capable of unlimited travel, the length of the runner determines the actual stroke, with maximum travel capabilities of 100 to 150 mm. Linear ultrasonic
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HEXAPODS & MINIATURE STAGES
THE FMPA FAST MULTICHANNEL PHOTONICS ALIGNMENT ENGINE FROM PHYSIK INSTRUMENTE (PI) IS AN ADVANCED ALIGNMENT SYSTEM BASED ON A HIGHLY SPECIALIZED DIGITAL MOTION CONTROLLER WITH EMBEDDED ADVANCED ALIGNMENT AND TRACKING FUNCTIONALITY AND A HYBRID PRECISION SCANNING AND TRACKING MECHANISM ... COMBINING THE ADVANTAGES OF CLOSED-LOOP SERVO-MOTORS AND CLOSED LOOP PIEZO SCANNERS. IT DELIVERS THE PARALLEL NANOSCALE-ACCURATE, MULTI-DEGREE-OF-FREEDOM GLOBAL OPTICAL ALIGNMENT OPTIMIZATION REQUIRED IN LENS ALIGNMENT AND SILICON PHOTONICS PRODUCTION.
designs have low inertia with fast response times and can achieve velocities up to 1 m/sec and accelerations of 10 to 20 g. On the other hand, they’re also capable of ultra-slow motion, down to just a few nanometers per second. Because they rely on friction between the coupling and the runner, resolution is somewhat limited (relative to other piezomotor designs) to between 50 and 80 nm. But this friction allows ultrasonic piezomotors to be selfclamping in a power-off condition … capable of producing 2 to 3 N of holding force sans heat generation. Linear ultrasonic piezomotors are most common in metrology and scanning equipment. Because they’re vacuumcompatible and contain no magnetic components, they’re well-suited for use in military and aerospace applications, such as guidance systems and antenna positioning. Medical imaging devices often incorporate linear ultrasonic piezomotors for fine positioning of imaging equipment. Ultrasonic piezomotor performance characteristics: Ultrasonic piezomotors are direct-drive mechanisms, meaning they have no mechanical couplings or gears to induce backlash. However, their reliance on friction between the stator and the rotor (or between the pusher and the slider, in the case of a linear motor), limits their resolution to 50 to 80 nm. This friction does offer an advantage, though — in the form of a holding force when no power is applied. The working principle of ultrasonic piezomotors, coupled with their low inertia, give them very fast response times, with maximum velocities up to 500 mm/sec (600 to 800°/sec for rotary motion) and accelerations of 10 to 20 g. Ultrasonic piezomotors are inherently vacuum compatible … and because there are no magnetic components, they can be used in environments with strong magnetic fields.
motioncontroltips.com | designworldonline.com
HEXAPOD PLATFORMS PROVIDE PRECISION MOTION BUT NECESSITATE ADVANCED CONTROLS, AS ENCODER DATA ISN’T DIRECTLY CORRELATED TO ONE PARALLEL DIRECTION’S OUTPUT — SO COMMANDING AN END EFFECTOR THROUGH SPACE MAY REQUIRE CONCURRENT CALCULATION OF MULTIPLE MACHINE AXES’ DATA.
3 • 2022
DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
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ISO 9001 + AS9100 CERTIFIED SDP/SI offers the industry’s most comprehensive selection of precision gears, timing belt & pulley drives, mechanical components, motors, gearheads, and motion control products. Facing a design challenge? SDP/SI engineers provide problem solving, customized solutions. With over 70 years of engineering development and precision manufacturing experience, SDP/SI is a proven partner to the most recognized names in medical, aerospace, defense, and robotics industries. From prototype to high-volume production, SDP/SI high-quality components and subassemblies provide the reliable performance your application requires. Our products are found worldwide in surgical gear drivers, pharmaceutical processing & packaging, robotic surgery, patient positioning, drug delivery, pumps, and aerospace & defense applications including actuation/positioning systems, instrumentation, door releases, stabilization systems, camera positioning, weapons targeting, and cargo movers. • 88,000 Stock Components • Custom Gears and Gearboxes • Custom Timing Belt & Pulley Drive Systems • Couplings • Bearings & Linear Motion Products • Brushless DC Motors • Integrated Motor Drive Controllers • Frameless Motors • Miniature Gearheads • Planetary Gearheads
Call Us at 516-328-3300 or Shop SDP/SI at www.sdp-si.com We have the expertise, state-of-the-art CNC machinery and world-class manufacturing facility you need.
DRIVES & CONTROLLERS
CONTROLLERS, DRIVES KEEP PACE WITH AUTOMATION DEMANDS WITH
the advent of the coronavirus pandemic,
there has been a surge in interest in automation across many industries. As demand for automation has increased, suppliers of automation components such as motors, drives, and controllers are seeing increased demand as well. Controllers and drives on offer today are more powerful and offer better performance than ever before, with more built-in functions adaptable to a range of diverse applications. Performance improvements for controllers and drives rely in large part on advances in electronic circuitry; specifically, microchips. These devices are at the heart of automation and motion control and as the world has seen in 2021 with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, shortages of microchips have impacted many industries and products. And with the prospect of continued supply chain issues into 2022, some motion control suppliers are giving their customers a headsup to plan for long lead times, up to 6 to 12 months in some cases. Precision motion control supplier Nippon Pulse sees an unpredictability as to where the chip market inventory and pricing is headed. The company reports that with the continual expansion and demand of cloud services (not only Microsoft AZURE, Amazon Web Services and Google, but also IBM and Apple), this will put a huge demand on higherperformance and high-volume CPU fabs. As for Texas Instruments (TI), they say they are heavily invested into new capacity to meet the market demands – with higher throughput already planned for this year. The focus for Advanced Motion Controls is on identifying and integrating replacement components that are unavailable or in short supply. With 2021 going down in history as the year of the chip shortage, those motioncontroltips.com | designworldonline.com
in the industry expect to still be dealing with the effects well into 2022. High demand for controllers and drives continues in a number of application areas, including most notably robotics. For example, TI is seeing a high demand for drives, PLCs and control solutions with the rapid growth of logistics robots, warehouse automation and transportation. The personalization of endproducts requires flexible manufacturing, which results in complex motion controllers. The boom in logistics and automation during the coronavirus pandemic has increased demand in robotics and motor drives. In factory automation, cobots and automated guided vehicles are becoming smarter and used more widely – increasing efficiency on the factory floor. Likewise, Advanced Motion Controls sees mobile robotics and electric mobility leading the charge when it comes to pushing the envelope for new innovation in servo drives. This includes warehouse and factory automation as well as automation in peoplecentric industries like grocery stores, shopping malls and hospitals.
3 • 2022
A parallel driver across much of industry is data; specifically, big data and its relation to the IoT and Industry 4.0. From TI’s perspective, Industry 4.0 is driving products to become smarter, making connectivity especially important. Data is crucial to the successful operation of smart factories, machine health, monitoring and more, which requires high data throughput – both wired and wireless – while maintaining and optimizing size and efficiency. It is also crucial that the embedded processors in these systems can process data at high speeds and low power for overall system efficiency. Given the demand for more data with the IoT and Industry 4.0, functions and features that enhance data transmission are crucial. For instance, TI is seeing a higher demand for functional safety and secure ADVANCED MOTION CONTROLS’ NEW FE100-50-RM SERVO DRIVE IS CAPABLE OF OUTPUTTING 50 A CONTINUOUS CURRENT RMS AND 100 A PEAK CURRENT, PROVIDING THE TORQUE NECESSARY TO DRIVE MOTORS IN LARGER MOBILE ROBOTS.
DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
Magswitch end of arm tools THE DRV8X SERIES OF MOTOR DRIVERS FROM TEXAS INSTRUMENTS ARE INTENDED TO DRIVE AN ELECTROMAGNETIC MACHINE, SUCH AS A BRUSHED OR BRUSHLESS MOTOR, STEPPER MOTOR, OR OTHER ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTUATOR. THEY’RE CAPABLE OF 5-A PEAK CURRENT WITH 45-V SUPPLY RAILS AND FEATURE INTEGRATED CONTROL LOGIC FOR CURRENT REGULATION, PWM GENERATION, AND A MICROSTEPPING INDEXER.
E-Series
J-Series
T-Series
AR-Series
PLAY-Series
D85
Sheet Fanner
Magswitch Automation Technology features the latest and greatest in Automation and Robotic End of Arm tools that are engineered to increase productivity and speed. From the brand new electrically actuated tools to innovative smart technology, Magswitch Automation products are being applied in Assembly, Body-In-White, Bin Picking, Fixturing, Pressure Vessel Fabrication, Ergo-Lift Assist, Pick and Place, Stamping, I Beam Handling, De-stacking and more.
communications, with real-time functionality and quick response time becoming more critical. Data rates are increasing as the demand for data grows. In most industrial applications, Ethernet and industrial protocols are used. The company is working to define and standardize industrial, realtime communication to achieve the best interoperability – aiming for more data throughput while also maintaining low and deterministic latency. At Advanced Motion Controls, the company is working on its Dual Universal Feedback concept. This is the combination of Dual Feedback with Universal Feedback; in simple terms, it provides the ability to process data from two encoders of any type. Dual Feedback means the servo drive can accept two encoders. This is used in dual-loop control configurations to increase the accuracy on machines that have backlash. One encoder is placed on the motor to ensure smooth, controlled velocity even when the load changes due to backlash. The other encoder is placed on the load to ensure precise positioning at the load regardless of backlash or when there are non-rigid transmission components. The main advantage is that Dual Universal Feedback gives engineers and system designers more flexibility with how they set up the feedback in their system.
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DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
DON’T LET VIBRATION BLUR YOUR PRODUCTIVITY.
Leverage Inventive Features like Vibration Suppression to Improve Machine Uptime and Performance Mitsubishi Electric’s MELSERVO-J5 Series empowers users with cutting-edge technology, industry-leading performance, and advanced servo features. MELSERVO-J5 supports high-speed, high-accuracy motion control via CC-Link IE TSN®. Enhance machine performance by leveraging the benefits of a total drive solution: • Advanced vibration suppression algorithm • AI-based predictive maintenance • New Quick Tune capabilities • Industry-leading servo performance in a compact footprint • Flexible drive capacity • Reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over the lifetime of a product
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
CONVEYORS SUPPORT THE SHIFT TO “JUST IN CASE” MANUFACTURING NEW
investments in industrial and manufacturing
conveying technologies could reach $65.1B by 2026. That’s according to a new report from researchandmarkets.com. Continued push to automate material handling, assembly, and distribution operations are key drivers. Another is the pressure from regulatory changes forcing adoption of conveyors sporting gearless and other energy-efficient motor designs. Still another is end-user interest in leveraging smart conveyor capabilities for product tracing.
ABOVE: THIS IS A PRODUCT-METERING (GATE) DEVICE ON A FLATTOP CHAIN CONVEYOR. COURTESY MK NORTH AMERICA BELOW: ABB’S FLEXLOADER M MACHINE-TENDING WORKCELL FAMILY OFFERS VARIOUS WAYS OF LOADING AND UNLOADING MACHINES BASED ON THE SIZE, SHAPES, AND AMOUNT OF THE WORKPIECES BEING HANDLED — SUITABLE FOR FOUNDRIES AND DIE CASTING OPERATIONS PRODUCING MULTIPLE TYPES OF PRODUCTS IN VARYING QUANTITIES.
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Conveyors based on belt and roller designs (with the latter some 20% of new conveyor installations) lead the pack. Next-most common are pallet (unit load) conveyors, which currently account for about 16% of all new conveyors installed … and are especially important for cleanroom, ESDcompatible, and washdown settings.
3 • 2022
The supply-chain challenges associated with the COVID pandemic have forced many manufacturers and OEMs to shift from just-in-time operations to so-called just-in-case operations — the preemptive stockpiling of threatened raw goods and subcomponents subject to price volatility or scarcity. Here, conveyors have already provided essential materialhandling services to new inventorywarehousing locations established after 2020 — especially for local manufacturing and construction industries. That and the growth of third-party logistics operators for fulfillment and transportation are two major areas of new conveyor application. Another trend is conveyor unburdening by unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and conveyor tending by collaborative robots (cobots) for efficiency gains in the face of personnel shortages. As covered in a recent Design World article, cobots are suitable for machine tending as well as conveyor tending — especially where conveyors move parts from one machine to another or a given machine is conveyor fed. Read more about this at motioncontroltips.com. AGV and cobot conveyor tending are also suitable for applications within centralized warehouses at which pallets broken
motioncontroltips.com
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designworldonline.com
CONVEYORS
better products. better solutions.
down for single-piece shipments … especial to support retailers. In fact, the explosion of custom options and products having unique stock-keeping units (SKUs) concurrent with shrinking brick-and-mortar retail space could render such automated operations key to timely stock replenishment. Conveyor predictive maintenance using digital twins, artificial intelligence (AI), and more focused machine learning (ML) is one last growing trend — though currently more applicable to bulk process-related conveyors located outdoors (and not the world of discrete industrial automation). That said, ML is making inroads where through-feed conveyors carry workpieces through equipment having adjustable (and ML-optimizable) wrap, bake, wash, or punch settings. Here, ML could soon leverage past operations data to inform the timing of conveyor starts as well as speeds — in turn minimizing workpieces scrapped due to imperfect processing.
Modular Conveyors Piece and Product Handling Conveyors Pallet-Handling Conveyor Systems Since 1988 we’ve been providing not only a better product, but also a better solution for all types of design applications.
(860) 769-5500 | info@mknorthamerica.com DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
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www.mknorthamerica.com
MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
COUPLING TRENDS 2022 THIS
year, we asked coupling industry experts for their take
on what we might expect within the industry as we move through 2022. Unpredictability remains high as pandemic-related instability is still causing problems for manufacturers globally. However, certain coupling trends seem more than likely regardless. New applications, distribution increases, and more, are all expected to drive the industry going foward.
COULD YOU TALK ABOUT ANY NEW MECHANICAL COUPLINGS IN THE MARKETPLACE? WHAT NEW APPLICATIONS HAVE YOU SUPPORTED WITH YOUR COUPLINGS OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS? ALTRA: JOHN SMIHAL, TB WOOD’S PRODUCT MANAGER – ELASTOMER COUPLINGS — Stromag has introduced a new Steel Spring Coupling (SSC) for agriculture and construction vehicles. The coupling has the highest allowable temperature range and the smallest mounting space. By dampening torsional vibrations and reducing drivetrain shock load, the SSC increases driveline component service life and improves engine reliability.
RULAND MANUFACTURING: CHRIS GUMAS, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING — We have made incremental improvements to our product line by adding slit couplings and longer bellows couplings. While these may not be glamour projects like IIOT/Industry 4.0 couplings,
they serve functional needs within our customer base. Slit couplings have bore sizes starting at 1.5 mm and RPM capabilities up to 70,000 RPM. Small analytical devices and scientific instruments have these requirements, and the standards market did not have anything readily available. Additionally, longer bellows couplings give designers the torque of a standard size bellows coupling with the misalignment of a beam coupling. This opens bellows couplings to applications where it was not feasible to use one before. We have not seen new applications yet. We are seeing growth in coupling applications for factory automation and robotics. This is expected given the immediate labor shortage combined with peaks in demand. As we come out of the current boom time, it will be interesting to see how much this market segment grows.
HAS YOUR COMPANY SEEN INCREASED ACTIVITY OR DEMAND FROM CUSTOMERS IN SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES OR APPLICATION AREAS (ROBOTICS, FACTORY AUTOMATION, OFF-HIGHWAY APPLICATIONS, MEDICAL, OTHERS)? RULAND — I touched on this a bit in the first question about the growth in factory automation and robotics. This is a major growth sector already, and it is potentially poised to explode coming out of the pandemic. The major unknown is how companies and governments will react to the supply troubles that have plagued the industry since mid-2021. For instance, if companies endeavor or are incentivized to move all or part
AMERIDRIVES CO UPLINGS PROVID E COMPREHENS TECHNICAL SUPP IVE ORT, INCLUDING TVA ANALYSIS, FO ALL STANDARD, MO R DIFIED, AND MADE DIAPHRAGM, DISC -TO-ORDER , AND GEAR COUP LINGS.
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of their operations back to North America and Europe, they will be using significantly more automation than they would in foreign markets where labor is cheaper and more readily available. This would almost certainly cause massive growth for any company positioned to service these industries.
ALTRA — Various Altra coupling brands have seen increased demand in several sectors, including mining, oil and gas, domestic steel, material handling (especially rental fleet mobile equipment), and renewable energy applications. Some demand has been driven by a shift from engine to electric drives in natural gas, compression, and a significant shift in fracking from diesel engines to dualfuel, gas turbine, and electric drives.
DESCRIBE ANY RECENT CHANGES IN YOUR DISTRIBUTION, SALES, OR STOCKING PROGRAMS AND HOW THAT IMPACTS YOUR CUSTOMERS (OEMS OR END-USERS). ALTRA — Stromag and Guardian are increasing their distributor networks to shorten delivery times and get closer to our customers. Stromag is localizing its product in the US to better support its North American customers, while Guardian is localizing its product via Huco (another sister Altra coupling brand) to support the European market. We also work to support and augment our distributor’s efforts in the marketplace. Altra coupling brands have strategically positioned themselves by maintaining strong technical support capabilities in our plants and having transitioned to more expert market-focused OEM selling teams. We’ve even deployed market specialists in key industries to support distribution and end-users. motioncontroltips.com
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COUPLINGS STROMAG’S NEW STEEL SPRING COUPLING (SSC) FEATURES THE HIGHEST ALLOWABLE TEMPERATURE RANGE AND SMALLEST MOUNTING SPACE. BY DAMPENING TORSIONAL VIBRATIONS AND REDUCING DRIVETRAIN SHOCK LOAD, THE SSC INCREASES DRIVELINE COMPONENT SERVICE LIFE AND IMPROVES ENGINE RELIABILITY ON AGRICULTURAL AND CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES.
We also see a trend toward increased direct online shopping and buying of various types of couplings.
RULAND — We have not had any strategic changes though there have been changes within the channels themselves. There was a major transaction with GPC (Motion Industries) buying Kaman. A purchase of this size will undoubtedly impact our customers, though it is too early to tell what that will look like. More consolidation in distribution is expected, especially to build automation competency and value-added services. Additionally, we are starting to see large electronics distributors become more interested in selling mechanical. Couplings are a natural extension of their product lines which already include motors, encoders, and switches that typically require a coupling to operate. This expansion by electronics distributors into the mechanical market should increase competition which typically benefits end-users.
WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU AND YOUR COMPANY SEEING THAT MAYBE THESE QUESTIONS HAVE NOT ADDRESSED? ANY SURPRISES YOU CARE TO SHARE WITH US AND OUR READERS?
tell ourselves otherwise. There will also not be a date when we can all collectively say, “pandemic over.” Our new version of normal will be a gradual progression that has already started, but we are not there yet. Second, what decisions do manufacturers make coming out of the pandemic regarding offshoring versus onshoring? We have all seen the fragility in the supply chain and just-in-time manufacturing. How manufacturers adjust production capabilities to compensate for this remains to be seen. There has been a lot of media coverage and political rhetoric about reshoring. At a minimum, manufacturers are having to consider a wider diversity of locations to offset local material and labor supply shocks that may cripple their capacity to manufacture product. These decisions are capital intensive and require years — possibly a decade — to come to fruition. We do not yet know what decisions large manufacturers will make. Everyone is so busy right now that much of the focus is on ways to find and deliver product in the short run. Long run decision-making will come once we are through the worst of the supply chain crisis. Decisions to reshore in North America and Europe have significant consequences on the growth of automation and companies that supply automation products. Significant reshoring investments will require automation at scale that we have not seen. New product and factory innovation would be needed to accommodate these large-scale plant builds. For suppliers of automation components, such as Ruland, additional investment in equipment, engineering, and R&D would be required to meet the demands of reshoring efforts.
Two unresolved questions will dictate innovation going forward. First, when will we be in a state of normal — whatever that becomes? At the time of this writing, it is challenging to travel internationally, large conferences outside the United States are still being canceled or postponed, companies are unsettled on what their long-term physical office needs are, and the labor shortage (or labor participation shortage) in the United States is omnipresent. These are large strategic problems that consume management’s time and attention. We are still in the throes of this pandemic, no matter how much we want to 3 • 2022
We see increased demand for more online product information and online selection tools. We also see an increase in distributor consolidations, and more customers are beginning to shop and buy directly online. At Guardian, the most significant trend we see is the conversion of former diesel drives to hybrid applications and electrification. Over the past several years, Guardian has provided transitional products to our customers. We have also partnered with Warner Electric, another Altra company, to provide innovative solutions to our customers. We expect this trend to continue and challenge many of our customers. DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
• Enhance operator and machine control through the entire range of motion without excess strength • Perfect support of muscle power with forces from 2 to 2,923 lbs.
ALTRA —
RULAND —
INDUSTRIAL GAS SPRINGS ARE THE SMART WAY TO LIFT AND LOWER
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• Stainless steel options for wash down and sterile environments • A variety of accessories allows for universal application
ACE Controls · Farmington Hills, Michigan www.acecontrols.com
MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
THESE ABSOLUTE ROTARY ENCODERS FROM HEIDENHAIN ARE AVAILABLE WITH FUNCTIONAL SAFETY AND A FUNCTIONALLY SAFE MECHANICAL CONNECTION, ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOR SAFE OPERATION IN MACHINES AND AUTOMATED SYSTEMS.
AUTOMATION DRIVES ENCODER DEVELOPMENT ENCODER
manufacturers are making sure that their offerings keep pace with broader technological changes and the demands of the market. For example, more powerful motion controllers
and drives have spurred a rise in more sophisticated automation systems across a range of industries and applications. Robotics in particular is one area that continues to see growth, with a corresponding increase in demand for all sorts of motion-related components, including encoders. When asked about the trends they’re seeing in encoders both from a technological point of view as well as broader market and industry trends, here’s what some leading encoder manufacturers told us:
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Your Responsive Experts IN MOTION CONTROL
USA–BASED
W E’R E H E R E TO H E L P
In our corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in Idaho, our Accu-CoderTM, Accu-CoderProTM, and Tru-TracTM encoders are designed, assembled, and tested to our exacting standards. All right here in the USA.
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1-800-366-5412 · encoder.com
2/17/2022 11:35:00 AM
MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
ABSOLUTE ENCODERS WITH IO-LINK
ARE YOU SEEING ANY ACTIVITY WITH INCREASING ENCODER CAPABILITIES THAT ARE SPURRING DEMAND FOR HIGHERPERFORMANCE NETWORKING AND CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS? KEVIN TAYLOR, ENGINEERING MANAGER, DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT GROUP, ENCODER PRODUCTS COMPANY
Smart Encoder Ready for Industry 4.0
Simplify Your Communications System Magnetic Multiturn Sensing Without Gears or Batteries Perfect for Factory and Process Automation Applications
Yes. Absolute feedback, increasing resolution, lower latency, and reducing wires and associated costs are all driving advancements in communication protocols and signaling technology. For example, BiSS C and BiSS Line have implemented these performance improvements to help close the feedback loop in motor control applications. Even with these advancements, traditional incremental encoders are still a preferred solution for many applications because of their realtime capability, wide acceptance, ease of implementation, and low cost.
JONATHAN DOUGHERTY, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER – AUTOMATION, HEIDENHAIN We are seeing more demand for the ability to network other sensor information into the encoder feedback communication. This allows for a more streamlined channel for many base sensors in a given machine and limits the number of wires and connections needed back to a control.
IS THERE ANYTHING NOTEWORTHY IN MOTION CONTROL NETWORKS THAT YOU ARE SEEING, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE DEMAND FOR MORE DATA AND IOT AND INDUSTRY 4.0, ETC.? DO YOU FIND CUSTOMERS ASKING FOR ANY PARTICULAR NETWORK? OR IS IT STILL A KIND OF WILD WEST OF NETWORKING OUT THERE WITH MANY DIFFERENT NETWORKS OPTIMIZED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS AND USES? KEVIN TAYLOR, ENGINEERING MANAGER, DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT GROUP, ENCODER PRODUCTS COMPANY In many cases the network or serial bus is driven more by the industry segment and the features they need. For example, BiSS C and BiSS Line are well suited for servo motor feedback loops. EtherCat is a common choice for networking between motor controllers. The AGV market is more inclined to use CANopen. For larger scale installations, the choice is influenced by the selection of the overall control system. THE NEXT GENERATION OF ADVANCED DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM IS THE ADS UPTIME FROM LEINE LINDE. ADS UPTIME IS AVAILABLE FOR WIRELESS SERVICE CHECK-UP VIA BLUETOOTH, AS WELL AS FOR SYSTEM INTEGRATION VIA OPC-UA, OR BOTH.
Condition Monitoring via Vibration and Temperature Sensor
The Versatility Champs
www.posital.com 46
3 • 2022
Encode
ENCODERS
JONATHAN DOUGHERTY, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER – AUTOMATION, HEIDENHAIN The types of interfaces out there can be quite extensive and each version does have its own advantages and disadvantages. A lot of the reasoning for choosing one interface or another is influenced by the application specifications and the specific tasks you want the interface to perform. There is certainly a plethora to choose from at this time but I believe that as these industries mature with this technology, we will start to see a concertation to a core set.
WHAT ROLE DOES DATA PLAY IN YOUR PRODUCT DESIGNS, SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO BIG DATA, IOT, INDUSTRY 4.0 AND BEYOND? JONATHAN DOUGHERTY, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER – AUTOMATION, HEIDENHAIN THE TR1 FROM ENCODER PRODUCTS, SEEN HERE IN A PC-BOARD MANUFACTURING APPLICATION, IS AN INTEGRATED ENCODER, MEASURING WHEEL, AND SPRING-LOADED TORSION ARM IN ONE, COMPACT UNIT.
We are cognizant of the fact that current and future applications will require the ability to handle large amounts of data and communicate this back to the controllers. In preparation for this, we’ve engineered
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Encoder General Half PageDesignWorldWTWHApril2022.indd 1
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ENCODERS
and released unique solutions to better prepare ourselves and our customers for this reality. One example is our new encoder interface EnDat 3. This next generation of EnDat is specifically designed to accommodate significantly more external sensor information within the pre-established encoder communication stream. With this you can connect up to 15 additional sensors to monitor environmental conditions like temperature, vibration, humidity, and others. This lets users have access to more detailed information about the health of their machine and monitor critical aspects in real time.
Another offering of this type is available in our Leine Linde brand encoders which can come with our Advanced Diagnostic System called ADS Uptime. This system monitors the key functions and conditions which affect the health of the encoder and provide this information through an existing hardline connection or over Bluetooth directly to a phone or tablet. This Bluetooth feature allows maintenance personnel to have easy access to view the condition of the encoder and even provides an easy-to-read overview of encoder health like a decreasing battery charge as you see on your phone. Once the encoder health reaches a certain threshold (say
20%), you’re provided a warning stating it may be time to do maintenance for this part allowing users to move towards a more predictive maintenance cycle.
HAS YOUR COMPANY SEEN INCREASED ACTIVITY OR DEMAND FROM CUSTOMERS IN ANY SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES OR APPLICATION AREAS?
KEVIN TAYLOR, ENGINEERING MANAGER, DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT GROUP, ENCODER PRODUCTS COMPANY
KEVIN TAYLOR, ENGINEERING MANAGER, DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT GROUP, ENCODER PRODUCTS COMPANY
So far, it’s small at the encoder level but gradually increasing. Delivering these features is challenging since many customers don’t want to absorb the additional cost. The demand is also limited by the rate at which companies can invest in updating factories with new technology.
Encoder demand is increasing across a broad range of industries and market segments. The common factor is automation – any application where there are opportunities to reduce manual labor, improve quality, minimize dangerous or repetitive work, increase throughput, and reduce overall costs.
A MODEL 25H ENCODER FROM ENCODER PRODUCTS IS USED IN A PACKAGING CONVEYING APPLICATION. THE THRU-BORE CONSTRUCTION MEANS IT CAN MOUNT DIRECTLY ONTO MOTOR OR DRIVE SHAFTS.
motioncontroltips.com | designworldonline.com
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
JONATHAN DOUGHERTY, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER – AUTOMATION, HEIDENHAIN We have certainly seen an increase in the robotics and medical spaces over the last couple of years. Within the robotics market, you are starting to see more companies releasing collaborative robot options, or Cobots as they’re called, into the market. These are robots specifically designed to operate alongside of a person fulfilling a task. This provides a level of automation but also keeps a human worker involved for tasks that are complex enough to require in-person collaboration. Beyond that we are also seeing safer industrial robots that operate without the restriction of a cage. This allows for more floor space in a factory but does require a high level of safety to make sure the risk of a failure is as reduced as possible. In both these situations making sure you have the right position and speed feedback is important as this directly contributes to the safety rating of the robot. HEIDENHAIN offers pre-certified Functional Safety encoder options specifically for these applications to ease the certification burden on the OEM. In the medical market, we are seeing an explosion of various medical devices and surgical robotics as well. Perhaps even more than in the industrial space, the safety levels and redundancy are paramount for these
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products as they can be involved in very sensitive and precise surgical and medical procedures. Advancing automation further in this industry allows for newer and less invasive surgical methods and access to high-end medical procedures in remote areas.
WITH THE PROSPECT OF SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES STAYING WITH US WELL INTO 2022, WE’VE SEEN SEVERAL MOTION CONTROL SUPPLIERS GIVING THEIR CUSTOMERS A HEADS-UP TO PLAN FOR LONG LEAD TIMES (UP TO 6 TO 12 MONTHS FOR SOME PRODUCTS!). HOW DO YOU SEE CUSTOMERS — ESPECIALLY END USERS AND INTEGRATORS, WHO WORK ON MORE OF A PROJECT-BY-PROJECT BASIS — DEALING WITH THE LONGER LEAD TIMES AND UNCERTAINTY IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN?
JONATHAN DOUGHERTY, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER – AUTOMATION, HEIDENHAIN Lead-time challenges have definitely been an obstacle for everyone during the recent year. Of course, proper planning and communication with your supply chain is the most important aspect of managing these increases. Having a supplier you can trust and have an open conversation with about what to expect goes a long way in this regard.
KEVIN TAYLOR, ENGINEERING MANAGER, DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT GROUP, ENCODER PRODUCTS COMPANY Customers that are coping well are broadening their vendor portfolio, securing more inventory, and maintaining a strong internal work force. EPC’s motto is “Your Responsive Experts in Motion Control” and customer care is one of our key differentiators. Many customers are reaching out to us to help address gaps in their supply chains.
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
GEARING AND GEARMOTOR TRENDS IN USES AND QUALITY THE
top trends in gears and gearmotors over the last year include:
important factor. As an application example, the CSFULW series is suited for robot end effectors where weight reduction can empower increased payload • The use of new materials and lubricants capacities as well as robot speeds,” adds Mullins. • More efficient approaches to gearAnother example of material advancements for manufacturing quality control precision strain-wave gears comes from NASA spinoff • The proliferation of gearing options suitable Amorphology Inc. Offering a commercialized product for robotic joints. based on technology developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the new company has partnered with “Our company continues to be a leader in terms of Additive Technologies (AddiTec) for 3D printing of the product design and performance,” says Bob Mullins, flexsplines for large steel strain-wave gearsets. Harmonic Drive VP of Sales. “One recent technology Here’s a description for the uninitiated: Straininnovation utilizes a hybrid materials design which wave gearsets are zero-backlash and compact maximizes our gear unit’s torque-to-weight ratio in gearsets indispensable for robotic arms and precision a very compact (and lightweight) form factor.” This motion systems. They transmit torque via a geared hybrid material design was recently introduced in the thin-walled belt called a flexspline. The latter sports CSF-ULW (ultra lightweight) gear unit product line — precise gear teeth and a flexible wall — two design which also incorporates a lightweight output bearing features that render the flexspline the priciest strainconfiguration. It represents the latest innovation wave subcomponent. That affects the cost of OEM leveraging conventional materials combined in an builds: Because of their complexity, strain-wave gears optimized manner without any sacrifice in torque can account for a substantial portion of a six-degreetransmission ratings. of-freedom robot’s pricetag. “The CSF-ULW product can be an enabler for What’s more, there’s a lot of waste associated all types of equipment where weight reduction is an with traditional flexspline manufacture. Machining flexsplines can involve large steel feedstock that’s reduced to as little as 10% of its original volume. “This is a detriment from both cost and sustainability standpoints, as energy and material are wasted to produce a part that’s a shell of the original stock,” explains Amorphology CTO Dr. Glenn Garrett. “In contrast, additive manufacturing is a promising alternative — because the machining costs can be dramatically reduced while allowing for the costeffective use of high-performance steels.” In one build, Amorphology & AddiTec additive manufactured a 6-in. diameter flexspline out of high-performance 17-4 precipitation-hardened steel. Fabrication is performed on a Haas CNC hybrid machine running the Meltio Engine. After printing, the flexspline is removed from its build tray and machined with traditional CNC methods. Such manufacturing supports flexible and timely production of a various large flexsplines sans the need to stock lots of diameters. THE FHA FROM HARMONIC DRIVE IS AN EXTREMELY COMPACT ACTUATOR “We’re thrilled to work with THAT DELIVERS HIGH TORQUE WITH POSITIONAL ACCURACY AND REPEATABILITY. AN INTEGRATED SERVO DRIVE VERSION ELIMINATES THE Amorphology and fabricate their NEED FOR AN EXTERNAL DRIVE — AND GREATLY IMPROVES WIRING WHILE parts,” says Dr. Yash Bandari of AddiTec. RETAINING TORSIONAL STIFFNESS IN A COMPACT HOUSING. Adds AddiTec CEO Brian Matthews:
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THIS STRAIN-WAVE GEAR FLEXSPLINE IS 6 IN. IN DIAMETER. IT WAS ADDITIVE MANUFACTURED FROM 17-4 PH STEEL USING DIRECTED ENERGY DEPOSITION AND THEN PRECISION MACHINED INTO ITS FINAL SHAPE. ESPECIALLY FOR LARGER FLEXSPLINES, ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING CAN SIGNIFICANTLY TRIM COST AND ENABLE THE CUSTOMIZATION OF SPECIFIC MATERIAL PROPERTIES. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF STRAINWAVE GEARING IMAGES COURTESY AMORPHOLOGY
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YOUR CUSTOM SOLUTIONS ARE
CGI STANDARD PRODUCTS
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800.568.GEAR (4327) • www.cgimotion.com
MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
EVER-TINIER GEARS FOR MEDICAL DEVICES AND MORE THE
market for small gears could reach $684M by
2025 thanks to mobile, medical, and miniature designs requiring precision and efficiency. So-called microgears (for everything from wearables to white goods) account for most of this growth.
COURTESY MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS AND PRECISION MECHANICS INSTRUMENTS | METRIOS
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Supporting quality control in manufacturing such gears are new optical measurement tools from Italian measurement-equipment maker Metrios. Optical metrology machines can compare real and theoretical gear-tooth profiles with exacting resolution … in many cases, replacing traditional equipment such as profile projectors, micrometers, and plug gauges. Optical metrology machines also speed testing routines so instead of measuring just a few gear teeth or tooth-surface traces (which is typical of traditional testing operations) whole gears and all their teeth dimensions and profiles can be verified — including internal and external diameters, roll dimensions, circular thicknesses, and the Wildhaber dimension. The noncontact nature of optical metrology is core to this fast processing. Besides better quality-control throughput, such measuring machines allow control of multiple production processes through objective measuring tests that are fast enough to let production operators intervene in realtime if a manufacturing issue becomes apparent in output gears. Matrios’ metrology machines even allow quick and casual (imprecise) positioning of gears (and even multiple gear samples) on their stages — so even nonspecialized personnel can make quick use of their functions.
3 • 2022
“AddiTec uses Meltio’s Laser Metal Deposition with wire or powder (LMD-WP) technology — a form of directed energy deposition or DED.” (Read more about DED at Design World’s own makepartsfast.com.) “In the LMD-WP process, lasers create a melt pool into which wire and powder is fed to create weld beads. These beads in turn are then precisely layered to fabricate near-net shaped metal components.” This technology can create components from a CAD design or for part repair. Plus the ability to integrate with a CNC machine makes it a hybrid system. “Hybrid manufacturing is a one-stop solution for seamless metal component production because it combines both additive and subtractive operations on one common platform, thereby reducing the overall cost and time for fabricating components,” explains Matthews. Amorphology and AddiTec plan to further develop this strain-wave gearmaking technology and expand their partnership to multi-material and functionally graded material flexsplines (which are impossible to manufacture using conventional production approaches). This is just one example of how strain-wave gear options have proliferated over the last couple years especially — along with the other gearing types most often applied in selective compliance assembly robot arms (SCARAs), collaborative robots (cobots), and six-axis robots. These gearing options include planetary, cycloidal, and proprietary gearset options such as thrusted-tooth gearing and cammed-pad gearing (sold solely under trademarked names.)
MODULARITY IS ANOTHER GEAR TREND The last year has also seen new modes of specification, modular offerings, and preintegration of gear offerings. “We are already known for offering compact high precision servo actuators that incorporate Harmonic Drive gearing. These products traditionally integrate our gearing with a servomotor, encoder, and output bearing — and may include options such as brakes,” explains Mullins. This is just one example of the trend to integrate drive electronics and to offer more encoder options within a given motionpackage size. Through integration of the drive, the actuator cables and the number of conductors can be reduced to simplifying the cable arrangement which can increase reliability motioncontroltips.com
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Servo Gearheads for AMR/AGV Propulsion
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS while reducing cost. According to Mullins, more encoder options offer numerous possibilities for customers … such as sans-battery absolute positioning, redundancy, and more choices from various industry established protocols. “In short, more functionality and options for the North American market continue to be integrated into our compact precision servo actuators,” concludes Mullins. In cases involving OEMs designing proprietary machines, some gear makers can even accept basic motor parameters (say, its general volume, configuration of the required mechanical connections as well as torque and speed output) to recommend specific stock or custom gearsets. Where integrated gearmotors are preferred (which is common for mobile motion designs such as AGVs and industrial cobots) gear suppliers have also begun offering more design support — in some cases, even becoming involved in the overall motion system beyond power transmission and including electromechanical considerations.
PARTNERSHIPS FOR DESIGNOPTIMIZED GEARMOTOR QUALITY Product quality is paramount in the design and build of electric gearmotors. According to Bison Gear & Engineering director of quality Lindsey Padilla, a gearmotor supplier’s quality program should be holistic and comprehensive. “International Standards Organization certifications impose a degree of discipline to ensure systematic approaches to quality, and ISO 9001:2015 audits and recertifications ensure a consistently implemented quality program … but Bison’s quality program far exceeds ISO 9001 requirements,” Padilla explains. To this end, the gear supplier makes use of advanced product quality planning (APQP) procedures originally developed
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by the automotive industry. It also subscribes to the concept that realtime data drives action — and employing web-based quality management or QMS software for better internal company, external supplier, and customer communications. “The QMS software lets us capture and analyze data grouped by product, feature, or process to identify problems and drive improvements. Rather than solving issues in isolation, we can apply lessons across customers, products, and processes,” says Padilla. That way resources are far more effectively applied to prevent problems before they occur or reoccur. “At Bison, we’ve been able to reduce defective parts per million or DPM in our dc motors by 68% through analysis of data across multiple products. Manufacturing these motors requires precise pressing of laminations and wire winding so that the armatures exactly fit. By analyzing data across varied motor shafts and different lengths of swages, we improved the quality for the entire product category — and standardize the lengths and sizing of the shaft swages to reduce tooling changeovers as well,” Padilla adds. Another approach the gearmotor supplier employs is cross-functional teamwork to pair application engineers with customers. Design engineers and manufacturing engineers support the development and review process to evaluate design performance as well as manufacturability. Collaboration continues through prototyping, manufacturing, and end support with quality engineers. “In one case, a Bison quality engineer helped a commercial icedispenser manufacturer machines identify and correct a problem causing in-the-field failures — though ultimately the root cause wasn’t in the gearmotor design or
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QUALITY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE (SUCH AS THIS SOFTWARE FROM BISON GEAR) CAN ALLOW FOR CONVENIENT TRACKING OF ORDERS AND COMPONENT DATA.
manufacture,” notes Padilla. Padilla goes on to explain how suppliers are also included in quality initiatives. Bison’s supplier performance improvement process (SPIP) recently triggered troubleshooting after an incomingparts inspection process identified problematic bar stock from one supplier — bar stock used in their gearmotor’s output shafts. “Its material hardness must be within specified limits to ensure the shafts withstand torque output by the motor over its expected life … but excessive heat treatment caused areas of overly hard bar stock. So we visited the supplier and saw their inspection process was too cumbersome … so they’d continue running products while inspections were happening, or they’d skip inspection altogether. We identified an easier and quicker method of inspecting with cylindrical ring gauges (that slip on to the bars) which we purchased for the supplier,” says Padilla. The ring gauges are an easy-to-use and effective quality-assurance tool because oversized diameters are a byproduct of overheating.
THE CURRENT STATUS OF AGMA AND ISO GEAR QUALITY STANDARDS Gear quality standards developed and published by the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) have dominated gear manufacturing in the U.S. market
since the 1960s. But in the 1990s, AGMA began working with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to update and harmonize gear quality standards, with several versions of both AGMA and ISO standards published from the mid-1990s until now. Here’s a brief recap of their evolution and the current status of both AGMA and ISO standards. The American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) is the body accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to write all U.S. standards for gearing. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) develops international standards based on input from the standards bodies in member countries, such as ANSI (U.S.), JISC (Japan), and DIN (Germany). Since 1993, AGMA has served as the Secretary for the ISO Technical Committee 60 (TC 60), which is responsible for developing international gearing standards. Introduced in 1988, the AGMA standard ANSI/AGMA 2000-A88, Gear Classification and Inspection Handbook – Tolerances and Measuring Methods for Unassembled Spur and Helical Gears, was the dominant standard in the U.S. market for many years. In fact, this standard is still used or referenced by many manufacturers today. The ANSI/AGMA 2000-A88
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GEARS & GEARMOTORS standard defined 13 quality classes, ranging from Q3 to Q15. In this standard, lower quality numbers indicated lower precision. In other words, the lowest quality gear would be designated as Q3 and the highest quality gear would be designated as Q15. Cylindrical gears are those with teeth arranged on a cylindrical surface, with the teeth being either parallel or at an angle to the gear axis. The most common cylindrical gears are spur and helical types. Gear racks are also a type of cylindrical gear but have an infinite pitch cylinder radius. In 1995, ANSI/AGMA ISO 1328-1:1995 was published. This standard was jointly developed by ISO Technical Committee TC 60 with ANSI/AGMA participation and was adopted by AGMA and approved by ANSI in 1999. The 1328 standard introduced significant changes to measuring and classification methods and provided 10 accuracy grades (notice the use of the word accuracy rather than quality) ranging from A2 to A11. In this standard, lower numbers indicated higher precision (smaller tolerances). In the early 2000s, both the ANSI/AGMA 2000-A88 and the ANSI/AGMA ISO 1328-1:1995 standards were replaced by ANSI AGMA 2015-1A01, which combined the grading system of ISO 1328-1 with measurement and evaluation methods of ANSI/AGMA 2000-A88. The new standard also added a new accuracy grade grouping system, which included low (A10 and A11), medium (A6 to A9), and high (A2 to A5) accuracy designations. Each accuracy grouping includes a specific set of measurement criteria which must be met. For low accuracy gears, only cumulative pitch and single pitch deviation are required, while medium accuracy gears require the same criteria as low accuracy gears, along with total profile and lead. High accuracy gears require the criteria of medium accuracy gears, in addition to slope and form. In 2013, the most current quality standard for cylindrical gears, ISO 1328-1:2013 Cylindrical Gears — ISO System of Flank Tolerance Classification — Part 1: Definitions and Allowable Values of Deviations Relevant to Flanks of Gear Teeth, was introduced. This standard was developed by ISO Technical Committee 60 and approved by AGMA in 2014. The basis of ISO 1328-1:2013 was ANSI/AGMA 2015-1 A01, although this revision to 1328-1 includes significant technical updates to formulae and to methods for measurement and evaluation. ISO 1328-1:2013 is published by ANSI as ASNI/AGMA 1328-1-B14, and although the names are slightly different, the ISO and ANSI standards are identical.
DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
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From Concept
To Creation
Bison Gear & Engineering is an industry leader in designing and manufacturing custom gearmotors for the fractional horsepower market. Our engineering team will work with you to find the perfect solution for your power transmission needs. Challenge us today with your custom project
www.bisongear.com
MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
BEARING TRENDS 2022 — NEW APPLICATIONS, NEW MATERIALS EXPECTATIONS
within the bearing industry
were cautious but optimistic as we entered 2021. An early spring vaccine rollout offered hope that in-person interactions would return to normal — off the screens and off to a real meeting! Economic predictions were also indicating that a picture of renewed stability might finally be coming into focus. Now in early 2022, the overall landscape does look better, if not exactly as we expected.
For this year’s trends issue, we have again asked a panel of bearing industry experts for their take on what to expect throughout 2022. Predictability has been in short supply since the pandemic, yet there were some common themes regarding what we might see in the coming months. New materials and new applications are back. Not just what we’re using to build bearings, but where we plan to use them. And additionally, some old standbys still showed up as well. IoT and predictive maintenance are still as important as ever and look to remain so. Below are questions and answers our experts felt were most relevant to the state of the industry.
PLEASE DISCUSS ANY NEW APPLICATIONS FOR BEARINGS. WHAT ARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS ON IOT CONNECTIVITY AND CONDITION MONITORING FOR BEARINGS? REGAL REXNORD: DAN PHILLIPS, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, MONITORING AND DIAGNOSTICS — Internet of things (IoT) connectivity and condition monitoring of the powertrain are essential to ensure uptime of critical assets. Connected bearings play a major role in the entire powertrain system where driving and driven parts have sensors. When these sensors communicate, valuable data is captured to predict life, provide early failure warnings, and avoid unplanned system downtime.
SKF: LAKSHMI YALAMANCHILI, DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT, NORTH AMERICA — A clear trend in compressor and pump applications is to raise the power density by increasing the rotational speed. The goals have been threefold: to increase the limiting speed by 40%, to reduce the noise levels, and to increase the robustness of the bearing in unfavorable operating conditions (shock loads, shaft misalignment, etc.). Very few bearings get to operate under perfect conditions. In heavy industries such as mining and minerals processing, large-size spherical roller bearings are the workhorses of many types of rotating equipment. However, operating conditions in these industries are often harsh, and harsh conditions can shorten bearing life considerably, particularly in the case of open bearings, which are normally used. SKF has responded to the needs of its customers in heavy industries by not only extending its range of sealed spherical roller bearings (SSRBs) to larger bearing sizes – 800 mm (2.6-ft) up to 2,500 FERSA PRESET BEARINGS OFFER SOLUTIONS FOR TRUCK, BUS, AND TRAILER AXLES. THEY INCLUDE BOTH THE BEARINGS AND THE CASTING IN A SINGLE SET AND GUARANTEE MAXIMUM QUALITY AND SAFETY.
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BEARINGS mm (8.2-ft) outer diameters – but also by making SSRBs part of its standard range for many common bearing series used in these industries. With the widest range of SSRBs on the market, SKF is able to offer the advantages of sealed solutions that include reduced total cost of ownership, longer maintenance intervals and reduced grease consumption. Getting the most from your rotating equipment is about more than just monitoring and planning. It’s about gaining new insights by deploying connected technologies that enable delivery of the right services and MRO spares at exactly the right time. Gearboxes and main bearings are critical components in wind turbines. Failure of these components can lead to lost revenue, high emergency repair
costs and, ultimately, higher energy production costs. SKF and gearbox manufacturers joined forces to take predictive maintenance of wind turbine gearboxes to the next level to support wind farm owners, reduce their levelized cost of energy and make renewable energy a more profitable business.
CCTY: EVAN POULAKIDAS, NORTH AMERICAN DIRECTOR — One of the benefits of the pandemic is the increased opportunity for family time. And since many families are forgoing vacations, they are choosing closeto-home activities that provide similar memories and experiences. This has led to an increase in off-road equipment sales. CCTY Bearing is a heavy supplier to the ATV/SSV/UTV market, so we are
with bearings that allow us to be a strategic supplier for our customers.
manufacturing more rod ends, spherical plain bearings, ball joints and linkages. We are also adding 400,000 square feet to our plant in China to accommodate more automated production lines to help meet the demand. This will bring the total square footage to more than 1.1M square feet of production.
DISCUSS THE APPLICATION OF NEW MATERIALS IN BEARING DESIGNS. WHAT KINDS OF NEWER SEALS AND SHIELDS (RUBBER, METAL, OR POLYMER) DOES YOUR COMPANY OFFER AND WHY?
FERSA BEARINGS: JOSÉ RAMÓN BLASCO, GLOBAL SALES DIVISION MANAGER —
FERSA BEARINGS: SERGIO SANTO DOMINGO, R&D AND INNOVATION —
The general demand of the industrial world of the bearing continues to be very high, because consumption and new technologies are showing very important growth, we are seeing it more directly in the renewable energy businesses such as wind. Our goal is to be present in the new technologies associated
Single bearings are reaching their limits in terms of material, heat treatment or geometry performance. To go beyond those physical limitations, bearing makers are working on the development of add-ons such as coatings and thermochemical processes. Coatings such as
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3 • 2022
DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
SKF’S SENSOR ROLLER SYSTEM USES ROLLERS EMBEDDED WITH MEASUREMENT SENSORS TO GATHER DATA.
DLC or Zirconium Carbonitride are aimed to enlarge wear resistance, fatigue durability or reduce friction during the bearing motion. Finally, new mechanical processes such as surface texturing could make the bearing work under very aggressive environments and dry lubrication conditions. Components’ materials are also affected by the introduction of electric motors, which implies new requirements. Since they can rotate at a higher speed than a combustion engine and any electrical leakage can lead to bearing failure, it is necessary to design new bearings that can withstand these conditions comfortably. At Fersa, we are working on the Hybrid Bearings range, which incorporates ceramic components that adapt to the special needs of this type of vehicle, such as electrical insulation, rotation at higher speeds, and reduction of vibrations.
REGAL REXNORD: Regal Rexnord continues to research new economically viable coatings or materials to improve performance in harsh washdown environments. We recently developed the first out-of-the-box washdown mounted spherical
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roller bearing using phosphorus nickel plating on the rings, which is an extension of our PN Gold mounted ball bearing suite of products.
CCTY: Automotive bushings have always required high performance over long durations, however OEMs are increasing performance metrics. CCTY has developed bushings specific to the following applications: • • •
Seat Bushings: Rear and Front Recliners, and Cross Suspension Shock Absorber: Guide and Slide Bushings Belt Tensioner Bushings: Timing, Hydraulic, Accessories and Hybrid DAT
CCTY’s materials are meeting heightened test requirements for seat applications and samples have been sent to three major OEMs for further testing. Hydraulic and accessory belt tensioners, along with shock absorber bushings, are in production. Customers are currently testing timing and hybrid DAT (double arm tensioner) bushings.
3 • 2022
WHAT ROLE DOES DATA PLAY IN YOUR PRODUCT DESIGNS? SPECIFICALLY, W/ REGARD TO BIG DATA, IOT, INDUSTRY 4.0 AND BEYOND? SKF: Information is everything in modern engineering and collecting and analyzing “big data” is practiced from the factory floor all the way to remote wind farms. Increasingly this is being accomplished by smart components that gather, analyze and transmit the data. For bearings, critical data such as load, roller rotation speed and temperature can be used to develop real-time bearing-life models, which helps to improve the performance and lengthen the life of key assets. SKF’s Sensor roller system is one system that can collect load, roller rotation speed and temperature from inside the bearing is SKF’s Sensor roller system, which is typically used in large bearings. It uses bearing rollers embedded with sensors to gather data, which can then be transmitted wirelessly to operations and maintenance staff, allowing them to determine instantly the state and performance of a piece of machinery.
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BEARINGS
REGAL REXNORD: Through our asset management, monitoring and diagnostic services, we are aggregating information to better understand application problems across multiple industries. This visibility sparks more thoughtful questions about user and equipment needs, and in turn, helps us design solutions to deliver better user outcomes. We are seeing a market hungry for holistic solutions versus just individual components. Specifically, there is a need for industrial end-to-end, optimized, electromechanical powertrains comprised of products engineered to work seamlessly together that are also enhanced with monitoring and diagnostic services for improved application performance. To address this demand, Regal Rexnord recently launched its industrial powertrain solution with IoT monitoring via our Perceptiv intelligence platform.
REGAL REXNORD RECENTLY LAUNCHED ITS INDUSTRIAL POWERTRAIN SOLUTION WITH IOT MONITORING VIA OUR PERCEPTIV INTELLIGENCE PLATFORM.
FERSA BEARINGS: SERGIO SANTO DOMINGO, R&D AND INNOVATION Industry 4.0 has been a part of Fersa since 2017. Enablers such as system integration, IoT, autonomous robots, AR or cybersecurity have been thoroughly implemented into our production processes. Furthermore, our products
benefit from this approach, since most of the manufacturing parameters are individually tracked for every single bearing and the accuracy and capability of our production output have drastically enhanced.
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MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS
THIS IS A DIRECTED ENERGY MANEUVER-SHORT RANGE AIR DEFENSE (DE M-SHORAD) VEHICLE BEING EVALUATED AT FORT SILL, OKLA. NOTICE THE WIRE-ROPE ISOLATORS PROTECTING THE EQUIPMENT POSITIONED ON THE RAISED TOWER. COURTESY JIM KENDALL • U.S. ARMY
SHOCKS AND DAMPING — KEY TO OFF-HIGHWAY DESIGNS THE
main factor driving new adoption of dampers, gas
springs, kinematic holding, and industrial shock absorbers are OEM machine designs that must run faster than ever to satisfy throughput demands while maintaining workpiece quality. The motions of such automated machinery have dynamics capable of generating significant shock loading and vibration — so need controls along with mechanical means to gently and precisely control, steady, and decelerate workpieces and machine subsections. Case in point: The automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRSs) of some newer automated warehouses might execute hundreds of lines per hour to handle thousands of individual items.
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DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
Of course, machines with high throughput must also be protected from shock and vibration to ensure longevity and reliability. The vibration and shock attenuation components most applied in industrial applications are shock absorbers, linear dampers, wire rope and spring isolators, elastomeric isolators, air springs, and structural damping treatments. Most shock absorbers achieve damping using hydraulic fluids. The fluid is pushed by a piston and rod through small orifice holes to create damping, and this action compresses some type of gas. This in turn creates a spring force to return the rod back to its starting position upon load removal. Vibration isolation products generally rely on mechanical designs to achieve their isolation characteristics. A spring function provides support for the mounted equipment, while decoupling it from the vibration source. Friction and elastomeric 3 • 2022
material properties give the isolators their damping characteristics. Wire rope and spring isolators can be made from carbon steel, stainless steel, or aluminum. In contrast, elastomeric isolators generally have metallic components (serving as mounting brackets) separated by an elastomeric material that provides stiffness and damping. Common elastomeric compounds include natural rubber, neoprene, and silicone … though myriad compounds and compound blends achieve different characteristics. Air springs are comprised of metallic end fittings coupled by a composite elastomeric-based bladder that contains the compressed air used to provide isolation. These single-acting designs include a pressurized bladder and two end plates. As air travels into the air bladders, they are linearly expanded.
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SHOCKS & VIBRATION MITIGATION
Trending features include: • •
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Shock absorbers having tamperproof designs Wire-rope isolators having RoHScompliant retaining bars made of aluminum for resistance against the detrimental effects of oil, chemicals, corrosive moisture, abrasives, ozone, and extreme temperatures Wireless industrial internet of things (IIoT) functionalities
For the latter, shock absorbers with IIoT functionality (thanks to onboard microelectronics) might operate in a lights-out automated setting to protect machine axes from excessive shock and vibration. Upon detection of shocks or impacts that exceed a set threshold, wireless communications can (via some HMI or mobile device serving as a machine HMI) inform plant managers of the issue … and populate enterprise-networked PLCs with data to inform future predictivemaintenance routines. Such “smart” shock absorbers can usually be specified sans any modifications to existing equipment.
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PROVEN SHOCK, VIBRATION & NOISE REDUCING SOLUTIONS
CRITICAL SHOCK DAMPING — ON MILITARY OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES Another trend spurring increased adoption of vibration and shock attenuation components is the electrification of off-highway vehicles and the inclusion of increasingly sophisticated (read: delicate) electronics on such vehicles. Military combat vehicles with sophisticated communications and weaponry are one example. Consider the directed energy maneuvershort range air defense (DE M-SHORAD) vehicle in development by the U.S. Army, which foregoes kinetic weapons systems that fire solid (and heavy) expendable ammunition or ordnance projectiles for laser-based weapons instead. The DE M-SHORAD includes a 50-kW laser to protect divisions as well as brigade combat teams from rotarywing aircraft, drones, artillery, rockets, and mortars. On such vehicles, elastomer-encased wire-rope isolators are capable of protecting the laser weaponry while bare wire-rope isolators can protect sensitive communication, navigation, and weaponry electronics from damage by shock loading. DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
MATE
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REDUCES VIBRATION & NOISE IN COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS 800.838.3906
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SORBOTHANE® MADE IN THE U.S.A.
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AD INDEX MOTION SYSTEM TRENDS 2022
Ace Controls................................................................ 43 Aerotech ...................................................................... 33 AllMotion....................................................................... 4 Automation Direct ......................................................... 1 Beckhoff Automation .................................................... 9 Bison Gear ................................................................... 57 Canon U.S.A., Inc. ......................................................... 5 CGI Inc. ....................................................................... 53 Chieftek Precision ....................................................... 26 CMT ............................................................................IFC Del-tron ..................................................................... IBC Diequa ......................................................................... 10 Digi-Key Electronics ...................................................... 3 Encoder Products Company ....................................... 45 FAULHABER MICROMO ............................................. 21 FESTO ......................................................................... 38 GAM ........................................................................... BC Harmonic Drive ........................................................... 55 igus .............................................................................. 13
Kuebler ........................................................................ 48 maxon .......................................................................... 19 Mitsubishi Electric Automation ................................... 39 mk North America, Inc. ............................................... 41 NB Corporation ........................................................... 29 NSK ............................................................................. 24 PBC Linear ................................................................... 15 Phd Inc......................................................................... 27 PI (Physik Instrumente) LP ........................................... 34 PM B.V. ........................................................................ 59 POSITAL FRABA .......................................................... 46 Pyramid Inc .................................................................. 16 Renishaw ..................................................................... 47 SEW-Eurodrive .............................................................. 7 Smalley Steel Ring ......................................................... 8 Sorbothane .................................................................. 63 Stock Drive Products/Sterling Instrument ................... 36 WAGO Corporation .................................................... 30 Zero-Max, Inc. ............................................................... 2
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3 • 2022
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