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Simplify pick and place with the THK PPR

THK's Pick-and-Place Robot PPR is a robot that can pick up delicate or minute workpieces such as electronic components and quickly and accurately transfer and assemble them to the base. In addition to the basic movements of raising, lowering, and rotating, various sensors (such as a force sensor), solenoid valves, and controller are all in one unit. The PPR is a process-optimized robot that can improve the production speed of the parts assembly processes and reduce work damage.
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New ROBOMACHINE products and more from FANUC

FANUC America demonstrated the future of manufacturing at IMTS 2026 last week, showcasing how Physical AI-powered automation integrates advanced CNC, machining, and robotics to boost productivity and speed deployment. One highlight was the debut of the ROBODRILL DC Series machining centers -- including the high-speed D54CS and D74CS models -- alongside interactive demonstrations featuring collaborative robots, robotic welding, material joining, painting, and assembly technology.
See all the FANUC new tech featured at IMTS.

What is a stick-slip bi-phase positioning stage?

PI (Physik Instrumente) is expanding its Bi-Phase Inertia Drive (BIX) technology with new motor architectures for compact, high-precision nanopositioning applications. Based on the piezo stick-slip principle, BIX stages replace conventional single actuators with two synchronized multilayer piezo actuators. This compact design delivers precise, repeatable motion while maintaining piezo inertia self-locking.
Learn more about this technology.

Universal Robots unveils Gen 7 robot platform!

Redesigned from controller to tool flange, the new Gen 7 robot platform is out-of-the-box AI-ready, giving companies the modern software tools and next-level connectivity they need to confidently take AI from the lab into industrial operations. Gen 7 represents a unified system upgrade designed to make even the most demanding tasks and setups easier. See all the new features -- they are significant.
Read the full article.

Adaptor mount and hub options provide flexibility

Zero-Max's new CD Power-Series Flexible Shaft Couplings feature ISO Flange Adaptors matching ISO 9409-1 patterns on gear reducers and robotics. Eliminating custom transitions, this direct connection enhances torsional stiffness and positioning accuracy while saving space, weight, and inertia. Offering continuous torque up to 65,000 in.-lb and versatile hub options, these compact couplings deliver high power density.
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Top-shelf motors: Completely revised maxon catalog

maxon has completely overhauled its 2026/2027 catalog, streamlining its portfolio to reduce complexity and improve navigation. The new structure features dedicated sections for business units -- Medical, Aerospace, Industrial Automation, Mobility -- and specialized fields like Robotics and Space. Key product highlights include new ECX PRIME and ECX FLAT motors, GSW planetary gearheads, and ESCON2/EPOS4 controllers.
Learn more and check it out.

Custom stators, rotors, and motor assemblies for low- to mid-volume applications

Arnold's Ramco Electric Motors is your single partner for custom motor components and complete assemblies. Ramco builds solutions for AC induction, switched reluctance, and brushless DC designs up to 200+ HP. Capabilities include custom stators, rotor-shaft assemblies, aluminum and copper casting, induction brazing, permanent magnet assembly, and precision rotor balancing.
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Rotate robot arms more than 600 degrees

The unsupported twisterchain^® from igus eliminates the need for additional trough systems or guide plates in robotic applications, especially in palletizing. This results in a clean, efficient, and space-saving system architecture that delivers both technical and economic advantages. Thanks to its specialized design, it supports rotations of over 600 degrees.
Learn more.

Match the torque of rotary solenoids to your application

Magnetic Sensor Systems has launched the Made in USA R-10-200-CWM Series of clockwise rotary solenoids. Measuring 2.00 in. in diameter and 1.04 in. long with 18 different AWG options and a serrated front shaft end, these compact units optimize torque, current, and duty cycle. When power is removed, an integral return spring automatically returns the shaft to its home position. The shaft is supported by two high-precision radial ball bearings, providing smooth operation with no axial play. Applications include medical, security, and office equipment.
Learn more.

Planetary servo gear unit: New economy series

SEW-EURODRIVE has expanded its PxG planetary servo gear unit portfolio with the new PxG economy series, introducing the P1.G, P2.G, and P3.G performance classes. Designed for standard industrial automation applications like packaging and material handling, these cost-effective units feature peak torque ratings from 11 to 500 Nm and over 20,000 hours of service life, helping machine builders eliminate unnecessary over-specification.
Learn more.

Compact hexapod 6-DOF alignment system has overload protection

PI's compact H-811.I2HS hexapod delivers precise 6-DOF motion with patented overload protection, simplifying setup and operation in OEM applications. This built-in protection safeguards precision mechanics during installation and integration against accidental forces or improper handling. Furthermore, the hexapod mounts in any orientation, granting system designers exceptional flexibility for optical, photonics, microscopy, metrology, and automation systems.
Learn more.

What is STUDROLLER technology? Cross Roller Guides

NB SLIDE WAY cross roller guides use precision rollers to provide stable, non-recirculating linear motions in precision stages, inspection equipment, semiconductor manufacturing, and more. At the heart of all NB cross roller bearings is the STUDROLLER mechanism, which eliminates the cage-creep phenomenon that, over time, can create deviances in cross roller retainer performance. NB cross roller guides equipped with this system are more accurate and better performing than any other comparable products on the market today. High acceleration and faster cycle times are possible in any orientation.
View the video.

Ruggedized Nano servo drives for harsh environs

Copley Controls has released its R47 and R48 NanoPlus Micro Module servo drives. Designed for extreme environments and space-constrained applications, these rugged platforms operate from 9 to 180 VDC, delivering peak power up to 6.3 kW. Offering CANopen (R47) or EtherCAT (R48) communications, both feature STO SIL 3 safety and broad encoder support. Well suited for COTS military, nautical, aviation, oil refining, and vehicle-based systems.
Learn more.

Simplify AC motor control with the new OMRON M1 Inverter

The OMRON M1 Inverter simplifies machine design by unifying motion, safety, networking, and motor control into a single platform. Available in M1-STD, M1-ECT, and M1-EMP models, it controls IM and PM motors with high precision. Featuring SIL3 PLe STO safety and native EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, or RS-485 communications, the M1 accelerates development within the Sysmac environment.
Learn more.

Flexible planetary gearheads: Quiet, extremely robust

FAULHABER GPT gearheads for miniature and micro motors deliver high power density, exceptional flexibility, and excellent cost efficiency. Designed for seamless integration with diverse motors and encoders, these compact planetary drives feature hardened stainless steel components that reliably withstand extreme torques and abrupt load changes. Offered in standard, low-noise, and high-torque variants, they ensure precise, durable performance across wide operating temperature ranges.
Learn more.

All-time record smashed: Volkswagen makes history with the all-electric I.D. R at Pikes Peak

[All images © 2018 Copyright Volkswagen]

 

 

Volkswagen and its special, all-electric I.D. R Pikes Peak racer have made history at the finals of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb held in Colorado this past Sunday, June 24.

Driving the 500-kW racecar, Romain Dumas defeated a field including cars with conventional drivetrain technology. In doing so, Dumas not only broke the previous record for electric vehicles, but also bettered Sébastien Loeb's all-time speed record from 2013 -- by a full 16 seconds. Dumas' new record of 7m 57.148s is now top of the list of Pikes Peak champions, which includes such acclaimed drivers as Loeb, Walter Röhrl, Michèle Mouton, Stig Blomqvist, Nobuhiro Tajima, and Rod Millen and his son Rhys.

"With a combination of outstanding engineering skills, passion, and commitment, the team has managed to create a fantastic racing car in just eight months," said Dr. Frank Welsch, Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand with responsibility for Technical Development. "The Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak has now set the fastest time in the history of this hill climb, which spans more than 100 years. That speaks volumes for electric mobility."

Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak driver Romain Dumas claims victory at the 2018 event.

 

 

Held in a Rocky Mountains area just 16 miles west of Colorado Springs, the race is a climb of 4,720 ft from the start at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway to the finish at 14,110 ft on grades averaging 7.2%. It is 12.42 miles, 156 corners, and just one attempt. Romain Dumas claimed his fourth overall victory at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb this year, which has now been held 96 times since 1916.

VIDEO: VW's record run.

With the I.D. R Pikes Peak, Volkswagen has created an extraordinary racing car, specifically tailored to the demands of the most famous of hill climbs: a combination of minimum weight, as much downforce as possible, and maximum power -- all coalescing to achieve the best possible performance. Including its battery cells, the I.D. R Pikes Peak weighs less than 2,425 lb. When evaluating performance, Volkswagen employed simulation software to calculate exactly how to achieve the optimum in energy demand and performance for the record attempt on the famous racecourse.

"There is one big advantage of having an electric car in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb -- the power remains constant over the entire 20-kilometer route," said Dumas. "By contrast, vehicles fitted with combustion engines lose a significant amount of power in the thin mountain air."

With its two electric motors, which together generate 671 hp, the I.D. R avoids the cooling issues that combustion-engine vehicles face. This made it possible to reduce the size of the intakes in the chassis, which are traditionally aerodynamic drawbacks.

As far as aerodynamics, the key was to compensate for the loss of downforce caused by the thin air on the mountain. The design result could be seen from afar: the flat, streamlined chassis and huge rear wing.

"The altitude on Pikes Peak means that the air we are driving through is on average 35 percent thinner. As a result, we lose 35 percent of our downforce compared to a racetrack at sea level. The huge rear wing allows us to compensate for some of this lost downforce," said Willy Rampf, technical consultant to the project with years of Formula 1 experience. "The imaginative aerodynamic development means that we still achieve maximum downforce greater than the weight of the car during the hill climb."

Volkswagen Motorsport used a half-scale model to test a host of different variants of the Pikes Peak racer in the wind tunnel. The final touches were then put to a full-size chassis on the rolling-road wind tunnel in the Porsche development center in Weissach, Germany.

New components were often produced in quick time on a 3D printer. "We printed about 2,000 parts. In doing so, we saved a lot of time," said Dr. Hervé Dechipre, who, as a CFD engineer at Volkswagen Motorsport, is responsible for the aerodynamics on the I.D. R Pikes Peak.

Inside the driver cockpit.

 

 

Lithium-ion batteries are used as the energy storage system, similar to production EVs, as their power density is the crucial factor for the system when producing high voltage. Roughly 20 percent of the electric energy required is generated during the drive, so the key here is energy recovery. When braking, the electric motors act as generators, converting some of the braking energy into electricity and feeding this into the battery.

Volkswagen also struck out in a new direction when it came to the car's charging technology. The goal was to charge the car as quickly as possible with minimum environmental impact. The time for charging was defined by the regulations: In case of the race being suspended, it must be possible to completely charge the car in under 20 minutes. The electricity required was provided by generators at the foot of Pikes Peak. Glycerol, which in chemical terms is a sugar alcohol, was selected as the generator fuel. A by-product of the manufacture of biodiesel, Glycerol combusts with virtually no harmful exhaust fumes or residues. Glycerol itself is non-toxic and is even permitted as an additive in the food and cosmetics industries.

Volkswagen's latest Pikes Peak project started on Oct. 18, 2017, meaning very little time was allotted for the development of the thoroughbred prototype, including innovative fully electric drive technology, specific demands on the batteries, aerodynamics, and chassis. The effort was centered at the VW Motorsports facility in Hannover, not too far from VW's headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany.

Volkswagen has had some strong partners on its side for the record attempt on Pikes Peak this year, notably Volkswagen R, ANSYS, Michelin, Integral e-drive, and OMP. ANSYS made a vital contribution to the success of the project by providing support with the software simulations.

Volkswagen last entered the Pikes Peak hillclimb in 1987 with a particularly noteworthy dual-engine Golf that generated an impressive 652 hp. However, the Wolfsburg-based manufacturer narrowly missed out on success.

Dumas' last winning Pikes Peak run was in 2016 driving a Honda-powered Norma M20 RD Limited up the course in less than 9 minutes -- at the time, it was only the second ride in the event's history to break that mark.

Source: Volkswagen Motorsport

Published June 2018

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