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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.
Read the full article.

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.
Read the full article.

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.
Learn more.

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.
Learn more.

Novel nuclear rocket fuel coating test could accelerate NASA's Mars mission

From back: Brandon Wilson, Bryan Conry, Pavel Shilenko, and Emily Hutchins gather around the Ohio State University Research Reactor before performing irradiation testing of the coated surrogate particles using the INSET furnace. [Credit: Maria McGraw/Ohio State University]

 

 

 

 

By Liz McCrory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

A team from the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), joined by university students, recently traveled to The Ohio State University Research Reactor to conduct a novel experiment on nuclear thermal rocket fuel coatings -- one that could help propel NASA's astronauts to Mars faster and more efficiently.

"Our experiment aimed to test a fuel coating technique and evaluate if it can withstand the intense environment of a nuclear thermal rocket," said Brandon Wilson, an R&D staff member in ORNL's Nuclear and Extreme Environment Measurement group. "Testing materials at exceptionally high temperatures is a first, and a crucial step, toward helping NASA mature and qualify nuclear fuels for manned space exploration using nuclear thermal propulsion technology."

Nuclear thermal propulsion, or NTP, is a potentially game-changing technology for NASA's crewed missions to Mars in the 2040 timeframe. NTP engines use a nuclear reactor to heat hydrogen to ultra-high temperatures and then expel the heated hydrogen through a nozzle, which generates thrust and moves the rocket through space more efficiently than a traditional chemical rocket. In effect, NTP engines could drastically reduce transit times to Mars while reducing overall mission costs and the effects of radiation and zero gravity on astronauts.

However, developing and testing materials to withstand conditions unlike anything else on Earth has remained a challenge.

ORNL has pioneered a technique to coat fuel and reactor core materials in zirconium carbide, which can protect these critical components from hydrogen infiltration and corrosion without impacting the reactor's neutronics. To test this coating under the combined effects of high temperature and high radiation, researchers in the lab's Nuclear and Extreme Environment Measurement group designed the In-Pile Steady-State Extreme Temperature Testbed, or INSET, which is a specialized, high-temperature furnace designed to operate within a nuclear reactor.

A second iteration of INSET is now the only available technology that can rapidly heat materials from room temperature to 2,200 C in about five minutes while allowing for quick handling after neutron irradiation. Developed at ORNL with significant design contributions from University of Tennessee graduate student Emily Hutchins, INSET 2.0 is a cost-effective option for conducting multiple experiments both inside and outside a reactor. Because of its versatile design, INSET can be used to evaluate any research reactor with a port diameter greater than 8 in., offering unmatched versatility for high-temperature materials testing.

Pavel Shilenko, a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy West Point, prepares an experiment at the Ohio State University Research Reactor. [Credit: Brandon Wilson/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy]

 

 

 

 

Through funding provided by the Nuclear Science User Facilities Super Rapid Turnaround Experiment program, INSET was used to perform irradiation testing of coated surrogate particles at The Ohio State University Research Reactor. There, four different nuclear thermal rocket fuel sample surrogates coated in zirconium carbide were placed in INSET and irradiated for two days under repeated temperature cycling.

The experiment team included Wilson, Hutchins, and Bryan Conry, an ORNL post-doc research associate, as well as Pavel Shilenko, a cadet at West Point. Hutchins and Shilenko were the primary operators of the experiment, setting up the INSET furnace and recording data throughout the two-day test.

In late spring, the team will conduct post-irradiation analysis at ORNL to assess the coatings' performance and its ability to protect the fuel under operational conditions.

"The findings from this experiment will represent a crucial step in advancing nuclear thermal propulsion technology for future human space exploration," said Wilson.

UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the Department of Energy's Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. For more information, go to energy.gov/science.

Published April 2025

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