Category: Automation

Design News Staff -- Design News, September 22, 2008

Golden Mousetrap Finalists

Rockwell Automation

Allen-Bradley SensaGuard

The Allen-Bradley SensaGuard family of non-contact, RFID-coded safety switches offer a Category 4/SIL 3 safety rating. With an operating field up to 25-mm, the switches feature a high tolerance to misalignment, which reduces nuisance tripping. SensaGuard switches do not require a dedicated controller, allowing the system designer to use one safety controller for the entire safety system. The switches offer connectivity to a variety of safety relays. And they have built-in diagnostic functions.

Flex-Line Automation

Veyors

Veyors from Flex-Line Automation are a new line of simplified conveyors that have a modular design, angled presentation of products for improved ergonomics and centering of different product sizes without adjustable guiderails. And the open design of Veyor sections allows four-sided printing on products.

Aerotech Inc.

Nmark SSaM

The Nmark SSaM from Aerotech Inc. combines an X-Y Galvo scanner with a servo motion controller for laser marking, welding and cutting applications that need coordinated motion between the scanner mirrors and servo base actuators. Previously, the scanner and servo controllers had been separate entities — in part because of the large differences between scanner field-of-view and servo base actuator travel. The Nmark supports a variety of scanners through the high-speed XY2-100 serial communication interface. Supported servo axes include brush, brushless and stepper motors in both linear and rotary configurations.

Eagle Precision Technologies

HVAC Assembly Machine

Eagle Precision Technologies has created a new machine that speeds the normally time-consuming process of assembling heat exchangers for HVAC systems. Instead of the usual manual assembly work, this machine completely automates the process of mechanically locking together heat-exchanger tubes, panels and secondary coils. And it does so while maintaining airtight joints needed to prevent the escape of combustible gases from the finished heat exhchangers. The assembly machine can be user programmed to accomodate different heat exchanger design on the fly, eliminating change-over time. It also offers an integrated leak-testing cycle to complete the assembly process.

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