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Conveying: Drive system enables two synchronous movements with max performance

The new FAULHABER DualGear drive system optimizes automated warehouse logistics, enabling two synchronous, powerful movements in one compact unit. Combining a BX4 motor with two GPT planetary gearheads, it is ideal for storage/retrieval machines and autonomous logistics. Hall sensors ensure exact positioning for compact, efficient, and reliable performance in demanding, small-space environments.
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Decentralized drives offer seamless integration

NORD DRIVE-SYSTEMS' NORDAC LINK motor starters, plus NORDAC LINK and NORDAC FLEX variable frequency drives, feature a plug-and-play design for rapid commissioning and high system availability. With onboard AS-Interface (ASi) functionality, these modular products integrate seamlessly into existing or new systems, supporting ASi standards V2.0 and V3.0 with integrated follower profiles for connectivity.
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Non-Magnetic ball slides made in the USA

Del-Tron's USA-made, non-magnetic ball slides prevent magnetic interference in medical, semiconductor, military, and laser applications. Featuring silicon nitride ceramic bearings, titanium shafts, aluminum components, and brass fasteners, these lightweight slides come in seven sizes with travels from .5 to 12 in., providing an ideal solution for sensitive environments.
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What's new in robotic efficiency and advanced gauging systems?

Renishaw will highlight its latest solutions for maximizing robot performance and manufacturing efficiency at Automate 2026, taking place June 22-25 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Highlights will be demonstrations of its Robot Calibration System for cell recovery and in-field robot calibration, the Equator-X dual-method gauging system for high-throughput production environments, and position and motion control encoders.
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New Titanium servo-drive line for harsh environs

The Elmo advanced Titanium line of harsh-environment servo drives offers optimal performance with advanced power density, providing exceptional intelligent and compact servo drives that are operational within minutes. These single-axis and multi-axis servo drives, featuring top-performance multi-core processors, deliver superior productivity, Functional Safety, advanced networking, and local intelligence in a compact package for operation in extreme conditions.
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Top Tech Tip: Automating winding, unwinding applications

From paper mills and textiles to sheet metal and plastics manufacturing, winding and unwinding mechanisms play critical parts in many industries. Jonathan Bullick from KEB America examines the automation architecture behind industrial winding applications, with particular emphasis on motor selection, variable frequency drive (VFD) configuration, and control system design. Tension, winding loads, torque speed, regen energy, bus load sharing, and more are all addressed in this excellent technical overview.
Read the KEB America article.

3D printing and 5-axis milling get highly portable

Powered by Siemens' SINUMERIK ONE CNC platform and Ingersoll's MasterPrint^® industrial 3D printer, a new generation of deployable machines is bringing additive and subtractive manufacturing directly to the point of use for defense, disaster relief, and infrastructure and industry.
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Double the force capacity: New RSX50 linear actuators

Tolomatic's RSX50 is the newest, most powerful addition to the RSX Extreme Force electric actuator family. Delivering 50 tons of force within the compact footprint of its 25-ton predecessor, it offers industry-leading power density. Built with high-precision planetary roller screws, the RSX50 provides high-force reliability and environmental compliance, eliminating the mess and maintenance complexity of traditional hydraulic systems.
Get all the specs from Tolomatic.

Integrated drive system for next-gen robotics and human-like motions

Engineered for modern robotics, the BXI is FAULHABER's most powerful integrated drive. Delivering up to 20 Nm of torque, it ensures dynamic, precise control. This compact unit combines a motor, stepped planetary gearhead, and high-res encoder into one functional system. Its strength lies in systematic integration, offering maximum performance in minimal space -- ideal for humanoid robot joints and demanding applications.
Get all the specs from FAULHABER.

Important Qs about linear motor actuators that design engineers should ask

Many design engineers overestimate how accurate traditional motors and actuators stay over long travel runs, mistakenly believing that if the solution works well for short runs, it will work equally well on long ones. Do you know what type of actuator you should use for your application? Patrick Lehr, Product Manager, Precision Mechanics at Parker Hannifin, has some really good tips for you.
Read the full article.

Cobots get 4 m tall with the 8th-Axis Vertical Robot Transfer Unit

Designed to optimize industrial processes across various sectors, the 8th-Axis Vertical Robot Transfer Unit (RTU-V) from Bishop-Wisecarver features a vertical travel length of up to 4 m, enabling a single small robot or cobot to cover large areas traditionally requiring multiple robots. This innovation not only boosts productivity but also offers considerable cost savings, making it an ideal solution for industries such as logistics, manufacturing, agriculture, packaging, and more. Extended reach allows robots to perform tasks on oversized workpieces, such as rocket tubes, boat hulls, and aerospace structures, with ease.
View the video.

UR AI Trainer for robotics: First lab-to-factory AI model trainer

Universal Robots unveiled the UR AI Trainer last week. Developed in collaboration with Scale AI, the AI Trainer marks a tectonic shift as robots move from pre-programmed applications to fully AI-driven tasks. These systems are powered by robust data generated in AI training cells where robots imitate humans.
Read the full article.

BLDC motors with advanced safety features built in

Dunker-motoren has built advanced safety functions directly into its BG75 and BG95 BLDC motors, so you no longer need a separate safety controller or complex wiring. This means faster installation, lower costs, and simpler designs. With features such as safe stop and speed control, plus secure digital communication, dSafe motors are ready for automation, robotics, and mobile systems worldwide. It's safety that scales with your future.
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Mobile robotic platform with contactless charging

MAXOLU-TION, an SEW-EURODRIVE company, has introduced the modular Mobile Robot Platform 1600 (MR P1600). It is designed to move heavy loads such as pallets through factories and warehouses, with less manual handling and more consistent material flow. The platform supports configurable load-handling options, including conveyor transfer, lift, drive-under, and precise docking, using standardized material transfer attachments or custom-engineered load handling. Max load is 1,600 kg.
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Configurable modular precision linear stages

PI's Modular Precision Linear (MPL) stage family is a configurable platform that simplifies specifying and integrating high-precision linear positioning systems. Engineers can select mechanical, drive, and feedback options online, creating application-specific stages without the cost of fixed designs. The MPL series offers 50- to 300-mm travel ranges and servo or stepper motor options -- with linear motors planned for future release -- while maintaining high precision, stiffness, and reliability.
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NASA says its all-electric airplane rides on the wings of U.S. small businesses

This artist's concept shows NASA's first all-electric X-plane, the X-57 Maxwell, in its final configuration. In Mod IV test flights, X-57's high-lift motors will deactivate during cruise mode, and the propeller blades will fold into the nacelles to reduce drag. The motors will reactivate and use centrifugal force to spin the blades back out to provide necessary lift for landing. [Credits: NASA Langley/Advanced Concepts Lab, AMA, Inc.]

 

 

 

 

About the X-57 "Maxwell" program: X-57 is a highly modified Tecnam P2006T aircraft that features the replacement of traditional combustion engines and wing with an experimental distributed electric propulsion system.

NASA will install 12 electric high-lift motors and propellers into the final configuration of X-57, called Modification IV, or Mod IV.

Positioned along the leading edge of X-57's cruise-efficient wing, these motors and propellers will be utilized first during takeoff, providing lift augmentation to the X-Plane at low aircraft speeds. Once X-57 goes into cruise mode, the motors will deactivate, and the propeller blades will fold inward to prevent creating additional drag while two larger electric cruise motors remain active on the wing tips. Then, when it's time to land, the smaller high-lift motors will reactivate, unfolding the propeller blades to create the appropriate lift for landing at approach speed.
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By Bailey Light, Outreach & Engagement Specialist, NASA SBIR/STTR Program

NASA's X-57 "Maxwell," the agency's experimental all-electric aircraft, is working to provide industry and regulators with knowledge that will revolutionize sustainable aviation. Developing that knowledge involved more than a decade of close alignment between NASA and its private sector partners -- and that started with support for a small business.

Creating this novel aircraft required intense research and development, and to produce that, NASA has worked with Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero), a small business based in San Luis Obispo, CA. ESAero, the prime contractor for the X-57 project, provided support for air vehicle and all-electric propulsion design, analysis, manufacturing, integration, ground testing, diagnostic tools, and software modeling for the aircraft.

ESAero's early efforts in electric aircraft research were supported by NASA through its Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program. In 2009, the company received its first NASA SBIR award to design and analyze the efficiency of novel all- and hybrid-electric aircraft concepts. Stemming from this and later SBIR awards came the experimental Scalable Convergent Electric Propulsion Technology Operations Research (SCEPTOR) aircraft, later designated as the X-57 Maxwell.

As part of the verification and validation process, the all-electric cruise motors to be used on NASA's X-57 Maxwell have begun several rounds of high-power and endurance tests at ESAero. The lessons learned from the cruise motor tests will help in the effort to set airworthiness standards for electric aircraft. [Credits: Empirical Systems Aerospace]

 

 

 

 

Starr Ginn was an early supporter of NASA's electric aircraft research. During ESAero's early days developing SCEPTOR, Ginn served as deputy aeronautics research director at Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, CA. In this role, she issued the NASA SBIR/STTR program's call for proposals related to flight testing, including hybrid electric aircraft. She also assisted ESAero as the company's SBIR work evolved to larger scales. A Phase III NASA SBIR award allowed ESAero to transition into the X-57 project's prime contractor.

During her time on the project, Ginn said she saw the X-57 aircraft serve as an important partnership between the private and public sectors.

"This industry of building electric airplanes is very competitive," said Ginn, who now serves as NASA's Advanced Air Mobility lead strategist. "Having a NASA-sponsored project, where we get to share all our lessons learned with the public, allows the industry to grow. The X-57 project has been a wealth of knowledge so people don't have to reinvent the wheel."

The X-57 project is a team effort. It has involved collaboration among NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, its Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA, and its Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. ESAero has also added multiple small business subcontractors to the team of industry innovators supporting research and development of the electric aircraft:

• Urban Air Mobility industry innovator Joby Aviation of Santa Cruz, CA, supplied the JMX57 air-cooled electric cruise motors and controllers
• Battery innovator Electric Power Systems EPS of Logan, UT, is responsible for development of the aircraft's battery system
• Sierra Technical Services of Tehachapi, CA, supported design, packaging, and cooling improvements on the cruise nacelle and the manufacturing of composite parts
• TMC Technologies of Fairmont, WV, supported the validation and verification of all the software systems

The X-57 aircraft plans to make its inaugural test flight in 2023 and continues to be a pathfinder for a new generation of electric aircraft. Its success thus far serves as a testament to the importance of NASA's investments in American small businesses and the sharing of knowledge.

"NASA's work with the private sector on this project has brought a lot of transparency to the industry, and the companies have been able to grow themselves," said Ginn. "That's a big part of SBIRs. The government takes on the high-risk ideas and helps mature them to where they become a viable product for industry."

The NASA SBIR/STTR program is part of NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) and is managed by NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. The X-57 project was also bolstered by STMD's Center Innovation Fund, which supported research into electric systems that was used to develop technology for the advanced aircraft.

To learn more about NASA's SBIR/STTR program and apply to future opportunities, go to https://sbir.nasa.gov/.

Published December 2022

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