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Actuator Basics: Five Different Technologies Integrated into One Package
Motive power source, means of transmission, bearing or guidance, frame or support structure, position feedback (in most cases). Another area of Mechatronics that is very confusing is the area of actuators. The problem is that you can buy actuators that are assemblies of several components, or yo...Read more -
What are some considerations for linear actuators in contaminated environments?
A typical contaminated environment is shown here. Reliable motion is often difficult to obtain when the operating environment is heavily contaminated with debris, or contains extreme conditions such as a wide temperature range or other environmental factors.The use of machinery for operations su...Read more -
High speed linear actuators: What qualifies them as high speed?
Screw diameter, length, or end bearing arrangement. Like many terms used in the linear motion industry – “heavy duty,” “miniature,” and “corrosion-resistant,” to name a few – there is no industry standard that specifies what constitutes a “high speed” linear actuator. Nevertheless, there are som...Read more -
Can a Linear Actuator Provide the Rigidity and Accuracy of a Linear Stage?
U-shaped linear actuators are constructed with an extruded steel base. Although there are no industry standards that define linear actuators and linear stages, generally accepted terminology indicates that a linear actuator is typically constructed with an aluminum extrusion or base, whil...Read more -
What is ratcheting in synchronous belt drives?
Proper tension of synchronous belts is the tension at which the belt will transmit the required power without ratcheting when the drive system experiences full load. Synchronous belts (also referred to as toothed, cogged, timing, or high torque belts) use profiled teeth that mesh with a pulley o...Read more -
5 Keys to “Mechatronics Made Easy”
Structure, Components, Electronics Wiring, Maintainability. Bringing together mechanical, electrical, programming, and control engineering is not effortless. But integrating technology advances, and focusing on these five areas, can simplify the process and ensure that mechatronics is made easy....Read more -
What You Need to Know About Corrosion-resistant Linear Guides
Especially for applications that require FDA or USDA compliance Recirculating ball and roller guides are the backbone of many automation processes and machines, thanks to their high running accuracy, good rigidity, and excellent load capacities — characteristics made possible by the use of high-...Read more -
Five Steps to Linear Motor Integration
Typical Configuration of Motion System Design Linear motion is central to many moving machines, and the direct-drive nature of linear motors can simplify overall machine design in these applications. Other benefits include improved stiffness, because linear motors are fixed directly to the load....Read more -
Automated linear-transfer tool trays
Getting high precision and repeatability from production lines Until recently, getting high precision and repeatability from production lines was difficult. But now new systems for automation are eliminating barriers associated with manual handling and assembly of high-quality product. Here we r...Read more -
What is racking in gantry systems?
And how can it be avoided… Gantries differ from other types of multi-axis systems (such as Cartesian robots and XY tables) by using two base (X) axes in parallel, with a perpendicular (Y) axis connecting them. While this dual X-axis arrangement provides a wide, stable footprint and allows ...Read more -
What causes synchronous belt noise and how can it be reduced?
Slience means faster and longer lifetime. Synchronous belts are common in motion systems, providing smoother operation and better high-speed performance than chains and lacking the problems of slipping and stretching that can plague V-belts in precision applications. But one downfall of synchron...Read more -
Take the burden out of managing misalignment in linear motion systems
Guard against causes of bearing failure. No one wants a linear bearing to fail prematurely. While many factors can threaten a bearing’s expected life, designers of industrial machines must especially guard against alignment errors between the bearing rails and moving elements. Not only is misali...Read more
