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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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What is a low-waving linear motion guide?

If you are having a problem with your linear guides not always staying perfectly straight during use, it may be due to a phenomenon called waving -- a problem that is particularly critical in high-precision markets such as semiconductor and LCD equipment-related applications or machine tools. Thankfully, THK has an answer.
Read the full article.

NORD serves up sweet energy and cost savings for industrial bakeries

NORD DRIVE-SYSTEMS offers robust, highly configurable drive solutions designed to optimize efficiency, ensure hygiene, and reduce the TCO for automated bakery systems. From industrial-scale mixing and portioning to baking, cooling, and packaging, NORD's modular product portfolio delivers precise, reliable performance across every stage of production.
Read the full article. You may learn something even if you are not in the baking industry.

Key considerations for battery-powered motors

Battery-powered motor applications require careful design considerations to pair motor performance and power consumption profiles in concert with the correct battery type. This Power Electric article covers power requirements, performance considerations, and battery choices to assist you in selecting an efficient motor and a battery with the appropriate capacity. Good technical info.
Read the Power Electric technical article.

Driving next-gen pump and fan applications: Sinamics G210X

The Sinamics G210X is a new frequency converter for advanced pump, fan, and compressor applications, combining easy engineering with robust design. Integrated functions, seamless TIA Portal integration, and a web server reduce PLC effort to speed up commissioning, operation, and diagnostics. IP55 protection, 3C3 coating, and S2 system redundancy ensure reliable operation in demanding environments.
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New Exlar food-grade actuator

Curtiss-Wright's Actuation Division has expanded its Exlar line with hygienic electric actuators using FDA-approved materials and finishes. Designed for food, beverage, packaging, and pharmaceutical automation, the new GTF unit enables economical USDA, 3-A, BISSC, and EHEDG certification. Its IP69K washdown option, inverted roller screw, and compact servo-driven design deliver reliable, high-performance motion for hygienic machinery.
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New Texas conveyor system is 42 miles long!

SEW-EURODRIVE is helping power one of the most ambitious bulk material handling projects in North America through its contribution to the Dune Express conveyor system, a record-setting 42-mile single-flight conveyor across the Permian Basin.
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NASA's Mars Helicopter completes 50th flight

Functional testing of NASA's Mars Helicopter and its cruise stage occurred in the airlock inside Kennedy Space Center's Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility on March 10, 2020. (This is a great photo, because you really get a sense of the size of the copter. Much bigger than you probably thought!) [Photo: JPL]

 

 

 

 

By DC Agle, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, and Karen Fox and Alana Johnson, NASA Headquarters, Washington

Originally planned for a maximum of five flights, the history-making, 4-lb rotorcraft has recently been negotiating some of the most hazardous terrain it's encountered on the Red Planet.

NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has completed its 50th flight on Mars. The first aircraft on another world reached the half-century mark on April 13, traveling over 1,057.09 ft (322.2 m) in 145.7 sec. The helicopter also achieved a new altitude record of 59 ft (18 m) before alighting near the half-mile-wide (800-m-wide) "Belva Crater."

With Flight 50 in the mission logbook, the helicopter team plans to perform another repositioning flight before exploring the "Fall River Pass" region of Jezero Crater.

"Just as the Wright brothers continued their experiments well after that momentous day at Kitty Hawk in 1903, the Ingenuity team continues to pursue and learn from the flight operations of the first aircraft on another world," said Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

This image of NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was taken at "Airfield D" by the Mastcam-Z instrument on the Perseverance rover on June 15, 2021, the 114th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The rotorcraft completed its 50th flight on April 13, 2023. [Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS]

 

 

 

 

Ingenuity landed on the Red Planet in February 2021 attached to the belly of NASA's Mars Perseverance rover and will soon mark the two-year anniversary of its first flight, which took place on April 19, 2021.

The flight model of NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter. Ingenuity uses two 4-ft-wide carbon fiber counter-rotating blades for flight. [Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech]

 

 

 

 

Designed as a technology demonstration that would fly no more than five times, the helicopter was intended to prove powered, controlled flight on another planet was possible. But Ingenuity exceeded expectations and transitioned into being an operations demonstration.

VIDEO: NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter made history when it achieved the first powered, controlled flight on another planet on April 19, 2021. A little less than two years later, on April 13, 2023, it completed its 50th flight. Here are some highlights from the rotorcraft's journeys on the Red Planet. [Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS]

Every time Ingenuity goes airborne, it covers new ground and offers a perspective no previous planetary mission could achieve. Imagery from the helicopter has not only demonstrated how aircraft could serve as forward scouts for future planetary expeditions, but it has even come in handy for the Perseverance rover team.

VIDEO: Teddy Tzanetos at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory provides an update on the agency's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter and discusses how it's inspiring future aerial exploration of the Red Planet. [Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech]

By testing the helicopter's limits, engineers are gathering flight data that can be used by engineers working on designs for possible future Mars helicopters. That includes the people designing the Mars Sample Return campaign's proposed Sample Recovery Helicopters.

Riskier terrain
Since leaving the relatively flat confines of Jezero Crater's floor on Jan. 19, 2023, Ingenuity has flown 11 times, setting new speed and altitude records of 14.5 mph (6.5 m/sec) and 59 ft (18 m) along the way.

Although the deep chill of winter and regional dust events (which can block the Sun's rays from reaching the helicopter's solar panel) have abated, Ingenuity continues to brown out at night. As a result, the Helicopter Base Station on the rover needs to search for the rotorcraft's signal each morning at the time Ingenuity is predicted to wake up. And when the helicopter does fly, it now must navigate rugged and relatively uncharted terrain, landing in spots that can be surrounded by hazards.

VIDEO: NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is seen here at the starting point of its 47th flight on Mars. The video was captured by the Mastcam-Z imager aboard NASA's Perseverance rover on March 9, 2023. [Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS]

"We are not in Martian Kansas anymore," said Josh Anderson, Ingenuity operations lead at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. "We're flying over the dried-up remnants of an ancient river that is filled with sand dunes, boulders, and rocks, and surrounded by hills that could have us for lunch. And while we recently upgraded the navigation software onboard to help determine safe airfields, every flight is still a white-knuckler."

Frequent flyer
Beyond facing more challenging terrain, Ingenuity will also fly at a greater frequency in the coming days because the helicopter needs to remain within electronic earshot of the rover. With its AutoNav capability, Perseverance can travel hundreds of meters each day.

"Ingenuity relies on Perseverance to act as a communications relay between it and mission controllers here at JPL," said Anderson. "If the rover gets too far ahead or disappears behind a hill, we could lose communications. The rover team has a job to do and a schedule to keep. So it's imperative Ingenuity keeps up and is in the lead whenever possible."

Perseverance recently completed exploring "Foel Drygarn," a scientific target that may contain hydrated silica (which is of strong astrobiological interest). It is currently headed to "Mount Julian," which will provide a panoramic view into nearby Belva Crater.

Feats of Ingenuity
Built with many off-the-shelf components, such as smartphone processors and cameras, Ingenuity is now 23 Earth months and 45 flights beyond its expected lifetime. The rotorcraft has flown for over 89 minutes and more than 7.1 miles (11.6 km).

"When we first flew, we thought we would be incredibly lucky to eke out five flights," said Teddy Tzanetos, Ingenuity team lead at JPL. "We have exceeded our expected cumulative flight time since our technology demonstration wrapped by 1,250% and expected distance flown by 2,214%."

Surpassing expectations like this comes at a cost, however. With some helicopter components showing signs of wear and the terrain becoming more challenging, the Ingenuity team recognizes that every great mission must eventually come to an end. "We have come so far, and we want to go farther," said Tzanetos. "But we have known since the very beginning our time at Mars was limited, and every operational day is a blessing. Whether Ingenuity's mission ends tomorrow, next week, or months from now is something no one can predict at present. What I can predict is that when it does, we'll have one heck of a party."

Recommended: What motors drive the Mars Ingenuity helicopter? Find out in Designfax here.

More about Ingenuity
The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was built by JPL, which also manages the project for NASA Headquarters. It is supported by NASA's Science Mission Directorate. NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley and NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA, provided significant flight performance analysis and technical assistance during Ingenuity's development. AeroVironment Inc., Qualcomm, and SolAero also provided design assistance and major vehicle components. Lockheed Space designed and manufactured the Mars Helicopter Delivery System. At NASA Headquarters, Dave Lavery is the program executive for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter.

Read more NASA Mars updates about Ingenuity at pl.nasa.gov/missions/ingenuity.

Published April 2023

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