Articles
Electronic control boxes and enclosures for solar and win power installations are often sited in remote spots. So The enclosure has to withstand the environment yet still open and close for inspections and maintenance. Here are the details on the five factors engineers should consider when specifying hardware for outdoor control cabinets: durability, ability to withstand vibration, corrosion resistance, ease of use, and ease of installation.
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 NEW VIDEO! Cost Effective Light Duty Aluminum Rings
The HepcoMotion® ALR Aluminum Rings from Bishop-Wisecarver are ideal for light load applications, weighing up to 54% less than steel rings of comparable size. Anodized for corrosion resistance, these rings are available in four sizes, from 148mm to 300mm in diameter. Compatible with DualVee® guide wheels! Custom ring options include gearcut, internal vee and timing pulley. Suitable for non-magnetic, semi-conductor and aerospace type applications. www.bwc.com
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A company now makes a tracer sticker that lets civilians see exactly where that last bullet they fired went.
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 Optimal Linear Systems - RP+ and RPM+
The High Performance Linear System from WITTENSTEIN offers a new dimension in performance for the traditional rack and pinion system. This new system concept maximizes all components for optimized overall system impact. Two solutions are offered within the High Performance Linear System depending on what your application may require: the RP+ (Gearbox+Pinion+Rack) and the RPM+ (Actuator+Pinion+Rack). www.wittenstein-us.com
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Hard-chrome plating for cylinder rods has fallen out of favor as manufacturers have developed alternatives, including ceramic, nitrided, and nickel coatings. But be careful, these coatings affect seal friction, wear, and leaks in different ways.
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 Guide to Intelligent Servo Motors
So many functions can be incorporated into servo drives today that servo motor manufacturers are tempted to pack them all into one "full-featured" product. However, does the cost-conscious OEM need a product designed to satisfy the widest possible audience when the downside is a significantly higher price compared to the servo drive they may actually need. A new Dunkermotor white paper, "Why pay for more than you need?", offers the answers design engineers are seeking. www.dunkermotor.com
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See how a company combined FEA and engineering with an intimate knowledge of skiing to come up with a better ski binding, as well as some safety gear.
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New Products
Users of Excel-Lent software navigate through input screens to edit, analyze, and produce reports on optimum gear and gearbox designs.
The software contains three sections — design, analysis, and gear dimensions. Each section can be used individually to run calculations. With the software’s dimensioning program, nonstandard center distance or matching a new gear to an existing gear is done by clicking the indicated option. Material tables have all the commercially available materials listed, with heat treat and mechanical properties.
Excel Gear Inc.
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 New Tech Brief on High Precision Linear Stages
High precision linear stages used for applications such as surface measurement or precise optical positioning often require two distinctly different modes of motion: A rapid mode combined with a high accuracy mode. Until recently, equipment engineers seeking to incorporate dual speed motion had only one option – stack one stage atop another. However, now there’s a promising new development that controls dual speed motion with a single stage configuration. This paper describes both types of positioning system configurations and compares them according to the extent to which they satisfy design requirements for velocity, range of motion, and compactness.
To learn more, download this tech brief now.
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A traversing-drive assembly allows for automatic increases or decreases in travel distance without requiring programming or electronic controls. As the drive nut traverses back and forth, a cam attached to the drive actuates a ratchet mechanism, which is linked to the end stops. When the ratchet is actuated, the stops move farther apart or closer together in specific increments, which users set using a numbered dial. As the end stops move, the stroke length changes accordingly.
The assembly can also gradually increase or decrease drive-nut travel distance without having to integrate complex, costly controls. The drive's linear pitch is adjustable without gear changes or adjustment to motor speed. The unit's pitch control lever allows for variable pitch with a 10:1 turndown range. Traverse-shaft rotational speed must be at least 10 rpm.
Amacoil Inc.
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A high-speed reversing drive (HSRvD) uses dual clutches to provide rapid reversing without straining the motor or drive system. The dual-clutch Posidyne eliminates stopping, starting, and accelerating the motor.
The drive’s inputs to the two clutches rotate in opposite directions. The HSRvD is suitable for applications up to 75 hp which require frequent reversing. Several versions are available: Type II HSRvD has one motor rotating in the forward direction, connected through a primary clutch, and a second motor running in a reverse direction, connected through the secondary clutch. Actuating the proper clutch and brake, the reversing is handled within the Posidyne while the motor runs continuously.
The Type I HSRvD has only one input motor. The input to the two clutches rotates in opposite directions by means of a jack shaft through a reversing gear set.
Force Control Industries Inc.
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News from MD
New white papers from HP and Intel:
Realistic User Productivity Comparisons for Upgrade Decision Making
 AutoCAD® users can appreciate the rock-solid dependable performance they demand from HP and Intel® processor-based workstations. The Intel® Core™ and Xeon® processor-based workstation portfolio includes a wide range of machines that fit multiple user segments, from entry, mobile, essential, and digital workbench users.
Return on Innovation: Making Individuals More Productive
The value proposition for equipping technical and creative professionals has drastically changed. The unprecedented combination of economic pressure and technological advancement has rewritten the rules of how to do more with less. Teams may forego new hires or do the same work with fewer staff, yet they can avail themselves to new tools and techniques. The challenge then becomes how to equip these valuable and fewer number of professionals to be more productive and innovative.
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Altech Corp.
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