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You need motion control components? HIWIN has them in stock

Many models of ballsplines, rolled ballscrews PLUS supports, linear guideways, crossed roller bearings and stages are in stock at our Chicago factory, where HIWIN can cut and machine to our spec or yours. Fast shipment to meet applications in machine tool, medical, lab, packaging, metal fab, semicon and advanced high-precision automation equipment.
Learn more.

Application: Cylinders for hydraulic presses

According to Parker Hannifin, "The cylinders in your hydraulic press not only control the force being produced but also the speed at which the press can move and the overall efficiency of the machine." Explore the application of cylinders for hydraulic presses in this insightful blog post, and learn about cylinder types, installation considerations, interfaces, and materials.
Read this informative Parker blog.

FANUC America demonstrates automated welding

FANUC's easy-to-use CRX-25iA welding cobot, which now offers a 30-kg payload and 1,889-mm reach, will demonstrate welding joints on a mower deck at FABTECH this week. Attendees can teach the system using hand guidance or the Tablet TP interface with drag-and-drop icons. See FANUC at Booth B-27015. Automated coating solutions will also be on display.
Learn more -- especially if you cannot attend FABTECH.

Robotics brings peak precision to metal fabrication

Stäubli Robotics designs solutions for real-world pain points, and metal fabrication shops and manufacturers have their share: labor shortages, higher material costs due to supply chain issues, and the need for higher output and shorter cycle times. Learn about Stäubli Robotics' latest offerings at FABTECH in booth B15021, including meticulous 3D laser cutting using the TX2-160L HDP (high dynamic precision) robot, a gamechanger in automotive, metal, and other manufacturing plants tasked with laser cutting of complex parts.
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UR20 cobot makes its welding debut at FABTECH -- plasma cutting and weld grinding demos too

Universal Robots' larger, much-anticipated new UR20 cobot is ready to generate sparks at FABTECH this week, North America's biggest metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing event, taking place Sept. 11-14 in Chicago. UR and its partners will demonstrate the UR20 Cobot Welder along with a rotary welding positioner, AI that recommends welding and cutting parameters, CNC parts feeders, and more.
Read the full article.

200,000 roboticists trained and counting: Universal Robots Academy

Universal Robots, the leading collaborative robot (cobot) company, has offered robotics training to customers and others with an interest in collaborative robots. After having grown increasingly popular in the past years and with 119 onsite training centers across the globe, more than 200,000 robotics enthusiasts have joined the Universal Robots Academy.
Read the full article.

Replace hydraulics with heavy-duty electric actuators

Thomson has introduced a high-capacity, high-performance electric linear actuator that gives motion system designers more cost-effective options to replace hydraulic cylinders. Among the many new features of the Thomson Electrak XD linear actuator is load handling up to 25,000 N (5,000 lb), depending on configuration, for a combined power output of more than 450 W. The Electrak XD can also achieve operating speeds up to 75 mm/sec (3 in./sec) and duty cycles up to 100%.
Learn more.

See NORD's innovative and reliable packaging solutions at PACK EXPO 2023

NORD provides complete drive solutions for the entire packaging process from filling and sealing machines to palletizing and wrapping systems in end-of-the-line packaging. See what NORD has to offer at PACK EXPO in Las Vegas Sept. 11-13, 2023, including: IE5+ Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors, DuoDrive Integrated Gear Unit and Motor, NORDAC ON/ON+ Variable Frequency Drives, Condition Monitoring for Predictive Maintenance, a Sealed Surface Conversion System, and much more.
Learn more.

Mini motors and drive systems on-demand webinars: Chock full of informative details

Faulhaber has made available a comprehensive library of on-demand webinars all about its miniature motors and drive systems. Each presentation is full of product details, technology overviews, selection help, design tips and tricks, and application examples. Topics include: stepper motors, brushless motors, DC motors, linear motors, encoders, gearheads, motion controllers, and more. Filled with useful information.
View the Faulhaber webinar library page.

Clutches and brakes for electric outdoor mobile equipment

As OEMs and drive train manufacturers work to bring emerging technology to life, they are partnering with Warner Electric engineers and electrification specialists on electromagnetic braking solutions for electric riding mowers, UTVs, ZTRs, and more. Lots of options, including enclosed and low-profile Spring Applied Emergency and Parking Brakes -- some even feature regenerative braking.
Learn more.

Ball screws or belt-driven actuators? How to choose

Two of the most common components for a linear actuator are ball screw systems and belt and pulley assemblies. There are benefits and limitations to these components, so choosing the right component comes down to the specifications needed for the application. Carlicia Layosa, Marketing Automation Manager at MISUMI, runs through some benefits and drawbacks of each technology.
Read this informative MISUMI blog.

Telescoping linear actuators for space-constrained applications

Rollon's new TLS Series of telescoping linear actuators enable long stroke lengths with minimal closed lengths, which is especially good for applications with minimal vertical clearance, such as between the machine and ceiling or horizontally between machines. These actuators integrate seamlessly into multi-axis systems and are available in two- or three-stage versions. Equipped with a built-in automated lubrication system, the TLS Series features a synchronized drive system, requiring only a single motor to achieve motion. Four sizes (100, 230, 280, and 360) with up to 3,000-mm stroke length.
Learn more.

New machine tending tech launched by Mitsubishi Electric Automation

Designed for easy setup and use, Mitsubishi Electric's LoadMate Plus machine tending solutions provide manufacturers with an answer to labor shortage challenges while improving productivity and lowering operating costs.
Read the full article.

Potentiometer with extremely low torque requirement

Novotechnik, U.S. has just announced the P2200 potentiometer that operates with an extremely low torque requirement of 0.003 Ncm. This rotary position sensor is well suited for applications where the system to be measured can be affected by the torque requirements of the sensor. It offers a precision conductive plastic potentiometer in a servo size 11 housing with stainless steel bearing and a life of 100 million movements.
Learn more.

Mitsubishi to debut new 3D bin-picking robots

Join Mitsubishi Electric Automation at PACK EXPO 2023 in the Las Vegas Convention Center Sept. 11-13 for a first look at a new 3D Bin-Picking robot demo, perfect for automating packaging processes. Also learn how the combination of 3D vision for robotic guidance, dynamic path planning, and collision avoidance can work together to increase throughput and reduce the footprint needed to deploy Mitsubishi Electric robots. Lots more to see and discover.
Learn more.

World's most powerful jet engine is being turned into 65-MW power plant

The GE90 is the most powerful jet engine in the world. This engine, attached to a GE Aviation's Boeing 747 flying test bed, makes the rocks beyond the runway fly as the plane is revving up to take off from GE's Flight Test Operations Center in Victorville, CA, located in the Mojave Desert. [GIF credit: GE Aviation].

 

 

 

 

By Tomas Kellner, GE Reports

GE is taking the world's largest jet engine and turning it into a power plant. The machine's beating heart comes from the GE90-115B, which is the largest and most powerful jet engine, capable of producing 127,900 lb of thrust, according to Guinness World Records. The electricity generator, which GE calls LM9000, will be able to generate a whopping 65 megawatts (MW) -- enough to supply 6,500 homes -- and reach full power in 10 minutes. "We picked the best technology across GE and built the biggest and most powerful aeroderivative engine ever made," says GE Oil & Gas' Maurizio Ciofini, the engineering director of the project.

The LM9000 shares the GE90-115B engine's core technology, but also includes 3D-printed parts. [Image credit: GE Oil & Gas]

 

 

The idea of using jet engines to produce electricity has been around for a while. The word "aeroderivative" is a nod to the machine's heritage, meaning that the designers borrowed technology originally developed by their aerospace colleagues at GE Aviation.

The technology is also a good example of what GE calls the GE Store -- the system of sharing technology, research, and expertise among its many businesses. Today, aeroderivatives power towns and factories but also oil platforms and ships.

Engineers built the first generation of GE aeroderivatives, called LM100, from a helicopter engine in the late 1950s. The next machine, the LM1500, had inside components from GE's first supersonic engine -- the J79 -- and generated more than 10,000 kilowatts. GE Power kept improving on the design, building aeroderivatives from the CF6 engine, which powers Air Force One and many other Boeing 747s, as well the F404 engine used by F/A-18 Hornet and F-117 Nighthawk military jets. Aeroderivatives based on these engines generate electricity in remote corners of the world and also power the world's fastest passenger ferry.

But the LM9000 takes the technology to a new level. GE's Oil & Gas business developed the machine for powering massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants. "An LNG plant is like a giant refrigerator, but instead of making ice and keeping your food cool, it turns natural gas into liquid by bringing the temperature down to minus 160 degrees Celsius," says Tayo Montgomery, customer applications engineer at GE Oil & Gas.

He says the LM9000 is so powerful it enables LNG plant operators to restart production without first draining the refrigerant from the entire plant. "It has enough power and starting torque than you can just get up and go," Montgomery says.

The LM9000 can generate 65 MW. [Image credit: GE Oil & Gas]

 

 

The GE90 engines have clocked 41 million flight hours since they first entered service in the mid-1990s and have departure reliability of 99.98 percent, according to GE. They are also very light and relatively easy to maintain. "It can take as long as 24 days to do a major maintenance of gas turbines typically installed in older LNG plants," Montgomery says. "But we can replace the entire LM9000 turbine in 24 hours."

The team made other adaptations to optimize the LM9000 for industrial applications. They switched the machine's combustion system from jet fuel to natural gas. The machine also will have a 3D-printed combustor. Its innovative design will enable the machine to meet low-emission requirements around the world.

Under the hood, engineering geeks will search in vain for a gear box. That's because the design utilizes a "free power" turbine architecture that enables the machine to operate efficiently over a wide range of power and speed conditions.

As a result, "the LM9000 will provide the highest availability with the lowest cost of ownership for LNG applications," says Preetham Balasubramanyam, the product manager for the new machine at GE Oil & Gas. He says the LM9000 generates 20 percent more power, can go 50 percent longer without service, and emits 40 percent less NOx emissions than existing models in the class. He says that the combination could help LNG plants lower production costs by 20 percent.

The first turbine is slated to enter service in the first half of 2019.

Read more GE Reports at www.gereports.com.

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