Software simplifies drive design and commissioning
1st Quarter 2009Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Designing a positioning drive system from scratch and successfully commissioning it is an involved and time-consuming process which poses challenges for many engineers.
Industrial applications increasingly require drive solutions offering high speed and accuracy
Appropriate drive technologies and components must be selected from toothed belt drives, spindle drives, servo motors, stepper motors, ball bearing guides and plain-bearing guides. Components need to be sized correctly and their mechanical interfaces need to be compatible.
Once the system has been successfully assembled it must be programmed or configured, documented, and safely and speedily commissioned.
Positioning Drives software
To simplify the selection of the best possible solution and associated components, mechatronics specialist, Festo, has developed the Positioning Drives software program that reliably and conveniently calculates the optimum electric drive system for an application.
The program quickly and accurately calculates the characteristic load values for the selected drive in just four work steps. Users input the application parameters such as mass, stroke, precision and required cycle times, edit the positioning cycles and select the required solution package. The software then outputs the detailed results such as motion profiles, characteristic load values, system and product data and a parts list. Users can use these details for their orders and machine documentation.
Commissioning software
Once the design has been completed and the components are mounted – both in the field and in the selected test arrangement – the commissioning work step is carried out. This can be a real problem in many automation units, particularly with a mixture of components. For Festo electric drives, however, there is the user-friendly Festo Configuration Tool (FCT) software solution. This provides a simple, integrated solution for commissioning electric drives, including documentation and archiving. As the drive functionality is implemented through the function chain from the controller to the motor to the axis, this software systematically synchronises these components, including automatic transfer of all physical characteristics of the electric drive.
Precise detection of complex rotational movements Beckhoff Automation
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
The EP3751-0260 EtherCAT Box module by Beckhoff connects an acceleration sensor with an inertial measurement unit - a gyroscope. This provides accurate detection of acceleration and rotational motion in addition to shock, vibration and tilt measurement, both as preprocessed values and as raw sensor data.
Read more...Energy management system for electrohydrostatic actuation systems
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
In the machine manufacturing industry, more drive systems are being converted from servo-hydraulic throttle to electrohydrostatic actuation systems. The four-quadrant capability of the electrohydrostatic pump unit and servo drive used in this technology, in combination with the new Moog energy management system, allows regenerative power flows generated during braking or pressure relief to be stored and reused.
Read more...Drive solution for stacker reclaimer
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Hägglunds Drives South Africa recently completed a retrofit project on the bucket wheel of a stacker reclaimer at Richards Bay Coal Terminal. The project entailed replacing a gearbox drive solution with a direct drive solution from Hägglunds Drives SA.
Read more...Kamoa-Kakula power pack order for SEW-EURODRIVE SEW-EURODRIVE
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
With well over 100 units already delivered, SEW-EURODRIVE is set to continue supplying Ivanhoe Mines’ prestigious Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Read more...Seven ways to reduce production downtime on the plant
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Production downtime is one of the biggest risks in the manufacturing industry. Follow these seven tips to reduce machine downtime in your production line.
Read more...The time is now to implement a motor management strategy Schneider Electric South Africa
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Motor management plays an all-important role in controlling motor energy costs in various industries, segments and applications. Research and practical experience have consistently shown that effective motor management practices can result in significant energy savings, reduced operational costs, and improved overall system reliability.
Read more...Rapid overhaul of compressor motors ACTOM
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Marthinusen & Coutts Zambia was requested by a smelter based in the Copperbelt to provide an in-country repair solution for its two critical 4,5 MW compressor motors. The company was given only three weeks in which to overhaul and commission the motors.
Read more...PC-based motion control on a labelling machine Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
For 50 years, Bausch+Ströbel in Germany has been developing packaging and production systems for the pharmaceutical industries. The company’s goal is to offer the best technical and economical solutions for the challenges of modern industry. Its new ESA1025 labelling machine shows how this is achieved with PC-based control from Beckhoff as the central motion controller.
Read more...Thrust for hybrid electric flying
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Several leading academic institutes in Germany are collaborating on the future of hybrid electric flying. The partners are researching an entirely new propulsion system for medium-range aircraft with up to 35 passengers.
Read more...Precise knowledge for precise applications
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Aerotech has been supplying standard product solutions such as motors, drives, controls and positioning tables since 1970. Customised motion subsystems include positioning systems on granite structures with undercarriage and vibration isolation, and also external measurement systems.
printer friendly version