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Tech Tip: How to keep heavy loads balanced

Some Thomson smart linear actuators have a position-based synchro-nization option to help manage unbalanced loads when using multiple units. The system adjusts the speed of each actuator to keep them starting, moving, and stopping synchronously, regardless of their respective load distribution. So useful. So smart.
Learn all about this feature.

More precision, less friction: Strain wave gearheads

With the new Strain wave gearheads, maxon expands its portfolio, especially for applications with high demands on precision in torque transmission. The backlash-free design ensures exact motion control in minimal installation space -- ideal for robotic arms, surgical instruments, or optical applications. In combination with maxon drives, this results in a perfectly matched drive system from a single source. Available in diameters of 55 mm and 62 mm. Additional sizes and variants on the way.
Learn more.

Micro-brakes for precise motion control applications

The ultra-compact 112 Model Electro-magnetic Micro-Brakes from Miki Pulley ensure fast response in high-torque, demanding applications. The simple design features a stator with integrated mounting flange, proprietary composite friction liner, and armature complete with ring plate spring and hub. These brakes halt rotation mechanically by utilizing an electromagnetic field to create mechanical friction. With fast response, the brake's armature engages the stator when the coil is energized. A constant-force plate spring transfers torque to the rotating brake body, halting all motion.
Learn more.

BLDC motors: Performance, flexibility, affordability

The ElectroCraft RapidPower Enhanced series (RPE series) is an innovative brushless DC (BLDC) motor design that combines performance, flexibility, and affordability, offering OEMs the perfect platform for a wide range of motion applications. Highly configurable, the RPE series can be quickly acquired and adapted into an application. ElectroCraft's BLDCs integrate rare earth magnets and an eight-pole encapsulated core design to provide high torque density, peak torques up to 300% of continuous ratings, wide speed ranges, low cogging, and excellent thermal characteristics.
Learn more and find out all the options.

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.

The future of artificial feel and haptics

From early "artificial feel" technologies to the haptics used in today's augmented reality, learn how precision motion is connecting the future to the past through force control. This informative blog from PI provides a little history and a lot of technical how-to when it comes to motion choices for creating the next generation of more immersive and accurate haptic solutions.
Read the PI blog.

Motion Applications: Max performance for pouch-filling machines

FAULHABER drive technology brings dynamics, precision, and high availability in tight spaces for pouch-filling machines made by Scaldopack. Unlike conventional pneumatic components, these machines can operate continuously for nearly three years without maintenance.
Read the full article.

Bodine Electric gearmotors have higher torque ratings

Bodine Electric Company recently upgraded the design of many of its type WX gearmotors to increase the output torque ratings while maintaining the same long-life rating. Two parts in the gearhead design were changed to accomplish the higher torque ratings: the rotor/armature shaft and the first-stage gear. This design change allowed Bodine to raise the output torque rating for any WX gear ratio where the first stage of the gearing cluster had been the "weak link." This included all of the two-stage ratios used in Bodine stock models and two of the three-stage ratios used in Bodine stock models.
Find out all the new capabilities and models in this Bodine blog.

Pick and Hold solenoid driver module designed for economy, extended life

Magnetic Sensor Systems (MSS) has released the Pick and Hold SDM950 Power Solenoid Driver Module. This "Made in America," compact, PWM driver module measuring just 2.950 x 3.000 in. is designed to consume less energy by first applying the voltage for a pre-determined period of time (pick time) necessary to activate the solenoid and then, when the plunger is seated, drop the voltage (holding voltage) to a level sufficient to hold the solenoid in the seated position. This conserves energy and extends the life of the solenoid.
Learn more.

High-precision micro-positioning actuators

For applications requiring sub-micrometer precision, PI's L-220 series linear actuators provide reliable, high-precision motion in a compact design. Engineered for demanding tasks in optics, photonics, semiconductor testing, metrology, and microscopy, select models are available with short lead times to support fast system integration. Their low backlash and non-rotating, linearly guided tips minimize tilt and eccentricity-caused errors, as is common with low-cost, rotating-tip type actuators.
Learn more and get all the specs.

How to convert from hydraulic cylinders to electric actuators and why

Hydraulic cylinders are traditionally the go-to technology for high-force linear motion. They deliver high force at a low cost-per-unit of force, are rugged, and are simple to deploy. However, electric cylinders with high-force capacities are now available, and they are more flexible, precise, and reliable than their hydraulic counterparts. This is a very detailed article, including lifecycle and power costs, force requirements, and data collection.
Read this informative Tolomatic blog.

Linear actuator from igus handles up to 600 kg

The drylin SLX-8060 from igus is a ready-to-install linear axis equipped with a dryspin lead screw drive. The corrosion-resistant system can handle axial loads up to 600 kg (1,323 lb), making it ideal for logistics, robotics, and manufacturing applications in packaging and automated material handling. Designed to simplify and accelerate assembly, the SLX-8060 can be mounted directly to aluminum construction profiles without pre-drilled holes. igus offers the SLX as a complete system with optional motor and control packages, ensuring fast deployment for automation and motion system developers.
Learn more.

Where do you get drone parts?

Based in Buffalo, NY, Allient is furthering its robust technology foundation to deliver advanced motion and power solutions for unmanned aerial systems, starting with COTS propulsion motors and extending to electronic speed controllers, gimbals, propellers, mission-ready kits, and power/electronic solutions. Across all product categories, the company manufactures more than 5 million motors annually.
Read the full article.

Kollmorgen Essentials™ System: Affordable, precise motion

Introducing Kollmorgen Essentials™ Motion Systems: High-performance, affordable, and precise motion for every industrial axis. These pre-configured systems enable simple sizing and selection, while multiple onboard communication protocols ensure seamless integration. Each system combines an optimally matched servo drive, a servo motor with integrated absolute multi-turn feedback, and a combined power/data cable. With ease of installation and commissioning, Kollmorgen Essentials ensures reliable performance across key industrial applications from packaging and warehouse automation to material handling and forming.
Learn more.

Motion Control Tech Tip: The 6 myths of stage error mapping

According to the experts at Motion Solutions, stage error mapping -- measuring absolute positioning error at a specified set of sampling points -- has gained a reputation for achieving high-accuracy motion control with lower-cost equipment. The theory is sound, but the problem is that there are a lot of misconceptions around stage error mapping that can lead to its use in unsuitable applications and disappointing results. Want to learn how you can use it for its maximum benefit?
Read the Motion Solutions blog.

U.S. Navy perfecting quantum inertial navigation to use when GPS is unavailable

By Nicholas E. M. Pasquini, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) researchers have developed a patent-pending Continuous 3D-Cooled Atom Beam Interferometer derived from a patented cold and continuous beam of atoms to explore atom-interferometry-based inertial measurement systems as a path to reduce drift in Naval navigation systems.

Inertial navigation is a self-contained navigation technique in which measurements provided by accelerometers and gyroscopes are used to track the position and orientation of an object relative to a known starting point, orientation, and velocity. Quantum inertial navigation is a new field of research and development that can increase inertial measurement accuracy by orders of magnitude.

"Our interferometer operates in a different regime than most other modern implementations of an atom interferometer," said Jonathan Kwolek, Ph.D., a research physicist from the NRL Quantum Optics Section within the Optical Sciences Division. "By operating with cold, continuous atoms, we have opened the door to a number of advantages as well as novel measurement techniques. Ultimately, we would like to use this technology to improve inertial navigation systems, thus reducing our reliance on GPS."

Jonathan Kwolek, Ph.D., a research physicist from the NRL Quantum Optics Section, attaches fiber-optic cables to deliver light into the compact laser-delivery system, which is carefully aligned around a custom vacuum cell in the NRL Atom Interferometry Lab. The apparatus will generate a cold, continuous atomic beam for a larger vacuum chamber to address Navy craft inertial navigation challenges. [Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Jonathan Steffen]

 

 

 

 

Enabled by the unique properties of the atom source, the Continuous 3D-Cooled Atom Beam Interferometer exhibits promising measurement characteristics like high measurement contrast, low noise, and improved handling of variations in the sensor's environment. This technology wields the potential to provide the Navy with the ability to operate in GPS-denied environments and overcome limitations to the accuracy of GPS.

Depending on the measurement platform, errors in the location estimation will accumulate and result in loss of accurate position information. Current commercially available inertial navigation systems, for example, can navigate with an error accumulation of roughly one nautical mile over 360 hours. NRL intends to develop new technologies to extend that time such that navigational drift does not limit mission duration.

"The field of inertial navigation aims to provide navigation information anywhere GPS is unavailable," said NRL Associate Director of Research for Systems Dr. Gerald Borsuk. "The advent of atom interferometry allows for a novel approach in inertial sensing, which has the potential to address some of the deficiencies in current state-of-the-art technologies."

GPS has become a backbone to the functionality of both our civilian and military world, providing high-accuracy distributed position and timing information anywhere in the world. However, there are certain battlespace environments in which GPS cannot function, such as under water or in space, as well as an increasing threat to GPS availability in the form of jamming, spoofing, or anti-satellite warfare.

"In an ideal world, we hedge against loss of conventional navigation by making the best inertial navigators we can," Kwolek said. "This is to ensure that a loss of GPS doesn't allow our ships to become lost in the middle of enemy territory."

Why use atom interferometers?
Interferometers are devices that extract information from interference using coherent waves. This class of device is widely used for the precise measurements of displacements, refractive index changes, and surface topologies. Inertial navigation is used in a wide range of applications including the navigation of aircraft, tactical and strategic missiles, spacecraft, submarines, and ships.

Atomic physics offers a unique toolkit for measuring with extreme precision. Atom interferometry is a method within atomic physics in which quantum interference of atomic matter waves is used to measure extremely precise changes in environmental conditions, such as fields or inertial forces.

"Performing atomic inertial measurements as opposed to a classical measurement gives different error dependencies," Kwolek said. "We predict that, if done carefully, atomic interferometers will exhibit better long-term noise behavior and accuracy than current leading technologies. Translated to the world of inertial navigation, this means keeping your location fix for longer, providing more operational flexibility."

Atom interferometers can also be used to discipline another sensor, much like how clocks are disciplined to GPS. This combination of an interferometer with a co-sensor can enable interferometers to realize a benefit in a real-world measurement scenario.

"This is by no means a complete solution," Kwolek said. "There are tradeoffs to operating an atomic interferometer, for example, the enhanced sensitivity correlates to worse dynamic range. We are exploring multiple avenues to solving this problem including co-sensor implementation or alternative cold-atom techniques."

This quantum optics research is sponsored by the NRL Base Program and the Office of Naval Research.

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 states that quantum technology is approaching a tipping point that will determine how quickly it can make an impact. If the United States can stay on pace, many important outcomes for the Department of Defense (DOD) can be realized including robust position, navigation, and timing for DOD freedom of operations with precision strike even with contests in spectrum, space, or cyber operations.

A Navy less reliant on GPS
NRL has delivered navigation solutions to the fleet since its inception, but a breakthrough occurred in the 1960s with the invention of GPS.

NRL launched TIMATION I on May 31, 1967, and TIMATION II on August 30, 1969. TIMATION I demonstrated that a surface vessel could be positioned to within two-tenths of a nautical mile and an aircraft to within three-tenths of a nautical mile using range measurements from a time-synchronized satellite.

While initially designed for use by the military, GPS has been adapted for civilian navigation needs ranging from commercial aviation to portable handheld and wristwatch-type devices. Today, GPS is a constellation of 32 Earth-orbiting satellites providing precise navigation and timing data to military and civilian end-users around the globe. Despite decades of development of GPS, optimized inertial navigation systems afford the Navy the ability to mitigate risk against becoming completely reliant on GPS.

"In the modern era, NRL is one of several research organizations addressing naval inertial navigation challenges," said Adam Black, Ph.D., NRL Quantum Optics Section Head. "The lab is taking advantage of advanced atomic and optical techniques to invent new architectures for inertial measurement that promise accurate navigation of dynamic Navy platforms."

Published August 2024

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