Nut
Designed for 3/16- and 1/4-inch leadscrews, the XCF-1800 flange-mount plastic nut suits 5-lb-load applications. A thread-mount version is also available.
Ball Screws & Actuators Inc., 3616 Snell Ave., San Jose, CA 95136; FAX (408) 629-2620; www.ballscrews.com .
Actuator
The Duo Linear Actuator series of twin-piston-rod pneumatic actuators comes in 5/8, 1, and 11/4 inch bore sizes. Features include magnet pistons for sensors, impact cushioning to reduce noise, and NPT or G (BSSP) ports. Models are available with twin rods on one end, twin rods on both ends, twin rods on both ends for shuttle-type movement, and twin hollow rods on both ends for vacuum. All models can be mounted from any side.
Mannesman Rexroth Corp., 1953 Mercer Rd., Lexington, KY 40511; FAX (800) 489-4188; www.rexrothmecman.com .
Gearhead
The compact, right-angle design of V-Drive series high-precision gear heads suits them for applications where space is at a premium. Sizes range from 50 to 100 mm; ratios range from 4:1 to 40:1. Six output styles include: flange mount, hollow-shaft smooth, hollow-shaft keyed, shaft-mount smooth, shaft-mount keyed, and spline shaft. All gearhead sides have machined mounting surfaces.
Alpha Gear Drives Inc., 1440 Howard St., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007; FAX (847) 439-0755; www.alphagear.com .
Pulse generator
Packaged in a 100-pin QFP, the PLC-5023 programmable pulse generator can support two-axis motion control on both stepper motors and pulse-input-type servomotors. The chip has a 19.6608-MHz reference clock and an interface compatible with Intel and Motorola CPUs with 8- or 16-bit buses.
Nippon Pulse Motor Co., 1047 Norwood St. Suite B, Radford, VA 24141; FAX (540) 633-1674; www.pulsemotor-usa.com .
Chucks
Fixed-length collet chucks feature a quarter-turn collar system for fast, accurate collet changeover. The chucks are compatible with machine makes using A-4, A-5, A-6, or A-8 spindle noses. The small body diameter and length of the index-style collets helps prevent tool interference problems. Collet sizes are A25, B42, B60, and B90.
Lexair Inc., 2025 Mercer Rd., Lexington, KY 40511; FAX (859) 255-6656; www.lexairinc.com .
Mounting system
Available for most popular model rotary indexers, the Ball Lock(R)Mounting System has a repeat accuracy of plus or minus 0.0005. Because its round subplate mounts to the indexer faceplate, the system significantly decreases fixture changeover time. Indexer mounting plates are also available, which can speed changing the complete device on the machine tool.
Jergens, 15700 S. Waterloo Rd., Cleveland, OH 44110; FAX (216) 481-6193; www.jergensinc.com .
Control module
The 3564 BC integrates a brushless dc motor, amplifier, and motion controller in a 1.5-inch-diameter package. In addition to motion, velocity, and position, the module can control torque and stepping-mode operation. A range of companion planetary and spur gearheads provides output torques up to 15 Nm and 33 gearhead ratios from 3:71 to 1,526:1. Additional features include an RS232 communications interface, low torque variance at low speed, an IP 44 enclosure rating, and 100W motor output.
Micro Mo Electronics, 14881 Evergreen Ave., Clearwater, FL 33762-3008; FAX (727) 573-5918; www.micromo.com .
Brake
Eclipse high-capacity, spring-engaged brakes provide positive stopping torque with sufficient holding force to stall a servo motor. The flange-mounted brake can mount directly between a servo motor and industry-standard NEMA outputs, such as gear boxes. Models are available for servo motor frame sizes of 2, 3, 4, and 5 inches.
Nexen Group Inc., 560 Oak Grove Pkwy., Vadnais Heights, MN 55127; FAX (651) 286-1099; www.nexengroup.com .
Controllers
Econo Series single-axis motion controllers feature an integrated PWM amplifier and an extra encoder input. Modes of motion include point-to-point positioning, jogging, contouring, and electronic gearing. Units include RS232 and Ethernet ports, and support the ModBus protocol for communicating with I/O devices. Both brush and brushless versions are available.
Galil Motion Control, 203 Ravendale Dr., Mountain View, CA 94043; FAX (650) 967-1751; www.galilmc.com .
Ball bearings
A series of 34 extended-inner-ring bearings helps eliminate the use of shims or other spacers to maintain proper spacing of bearings from large-diameter components. Made of 440C stainless steel, A 7Y55 Series bearings come in no-shield and double-shield configurations and are available with grease. The parts fit shafts ranging in diameter from 0.0469 to 0.3125 inch.
Stock Drive Products, Box 5416, New Hyde Park, NY 11042-5416; FAX (516) 326-8827; www.sdp-si.com .
Drives
VLT(R)MICRO Adjustable Frequency Drives provide control of small ac motors. Units for 230V applications offer 1/2 to 2 hp; drives for 460V motors deliver 1 to 3 hp. Features include a digital keypad/display module, built-in software, programmable digital I/O, automatic voltage regulation, S-curve or linear ramp profiles, and panel or optional DIN rail mounting.
Danfoss Drives, 2995 Eastrock Dr., Rockford, IL 61109; FAX (815) 398-7274; www.danfossdrives.com .
Speed controller
The OSC-462 analog speed-control board features a digital oscillator with an output of up to 100 kHz, which varies with the level of the 0 to 5V dc input via a 10 kilohm potentiometer. A 10-command instruction set lets users set up all operational parameters. The board works with the company's IB462H hybrid step motor driver, and a single 12 to 40V dc supply can power both devices.
Intelligent Motion Systems Inc., Box 457, Marlborough, CT 06447; FAX (860) 295-6107; www.imshome.com .
Driver chips
Using a serial interface, users can program full-bridge microstepping PWM motor drivers to operate in slow, fast, and mixed decay modes. The A3972SB combines low-voltage CMOS logic, bipolar control circuits, and power DMOS transistors on a single chip for output currents up to plus or minus 1.5A and voltages to 30V. The A3973 is a pin-for-pin-compatible product for lower-voltage applications.
Allegro Microsystems Inc., Box 15036, Worcester, MA 01615; FAX (508) 853-5049; www.allegromicro.com .
Clamp
The GripFast(TM)self-locking clamping system enables fast, secure attachment and quick release of collars or fasteners on a shaft. Requiring no tools, the clamps can be installed, adjusted, or removed using one hand. A spring-loaded housing evenly distributes pressure, locking an object in place with a force of up to 500 lbs. Models are available in standard sizes for shaft diameters of 1/8 to 3 inches and 4 to 76.0 mm.
Amacoil Inc., 2100 Bridgewater Rd., Aston, PA 19014; FAX (610) 485-2357; www.amacoil.com .
Guides
Dolphin Guide linear slides use FrelonGOLD(R)plane-bearing material to eliminate metal-to-metal contact. Drive choices include ball screw, belt drive, lead screw, and cylinder.
Pacific Bearing, Box 6980, Rockford, IL 61125; FAX (815) 389-5790; www.pacific-bearing.com .
Bearings
Thin-section design of this line of Reali-Slim(R)bearings provides weight and space savings over conventional bearings of similar bore size. Bearings are available in radial contact (Type C), angular contact (Type A), and four-point contact (Type X) configurations, in sizes ranging from 1 to 40 inches.
Kaydon Corp., 2860 McCracken St., Muskegon, MI 49443; www.reali-slim.com .