AutomationSolutions Expands into the Southeast
We are very excited to announce AutomationSolutions's expansion into the Southeastern United States. In January 2008, we acquired Integrated Motion, a premiere machine and motion control distributor with operations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.
The merger will allow AutomationSolutions to provide you with a wider and deeper pool of application expertise. We now have 30 degreed engineers covering the east coast from South Carolina to Maine, all ready to deliver the most compelling motion and machine control solutions to our customers.
We will continue to use the Integrated Motion brand in the Southeast. The combined company will draw on senior management talent from both organizations, so there will be management continuity in key roles:
- Wayne Ferrari will be Chief Executive Officer
- Richard Manders will be President of Northeast Operations
- Charles Williams will be President of Southeast Operations
We are most of the way through bringing Integrated Motion into the AutomationSolutions family. Our customers in the Northeast will continue to deal with the same engineers. Orders will continue to be processed in our customer service center in Hartford, CT. The integration process has been very easy because Integrated Motion lives and breathes the same values of teamwork, customer focus, and innovation that we treasure at AutomationSolutions.
RIO-471x0: Compact and Powerful Galil I/O
Galil's new RIO-471x0 series are intelligent input and output controllers designed for Ethernet. The controllers take advantage of the industry standard Modbus protocol to communicate with multiple devices including PLCs and Galil's Ethernet motion controllers. Its fast RISC processor allows programming with Galil's easy-to-use, two-letter command language or Galil's ladder language software.
Each compact RIO-471x0 is self contained with numerous analog and digital I/O points. Multiple RIO-471x0 units can be distributed on an Ethernet network, allowing I/O expansion.
The RIO-471x0 is fully programmable, making it much more than a remote I/O slave. With concurrent execution of up to four application programs, closed-loop PID control of analog process control loops, and the capability to control other devices as a Modbus master, the RIO-471x0 series brings Galil's expertise in rapid and cost-effective development of motion control systems to the machine control world.
Standard features include:- 10/100 Base-T Ethernet port
- RS232 port configurable for 115 or 19.2 kbaud
- 8 analog inputs and 8 analog outputs
- 16 optically isolated inputs
- 8 high-power, isolated outputs rated at 500 mA per output
- 8 isolated outputs rated at 25 mA max per output
- 2 analog process control loops controlled by Galil PID filter
- Concurrent execution of up to four application programs
- LED indicators for all digital I/O points
- Easy-to-use, 2-letter Galil programming language
New Low Cost Planetary Gearbox from Apex
Apex Dynamics has released the new Precision Planetary PE series, bringing their patented one-piece shaft carrier to the low cost end of the gearbox market. The PE series is a direct replacement for cylindrical style gearheads in the market today such as the Alpha LP Series. The Apex PE achieves increased radial and axial loading capacity through its oversized ball bearing straddle mount. The PE's coated steel output housing along with 100% guaranteed delivery creates a perfect low cost servo grade gearbox for every application.
The PE series uses fully supported planet gearing and thicker planet gears to increase the tooth-to-tooth contact ratio, resulting in torque capacities over 30% higher than other standard spur gearing geometry. The gearing is optimized and produces smooth and quiet operation at extreme speeds. At up to 8000 RPM input speed, noise is held under 68 dB while backlash is less than 6 arc-min.
The product is offered in 5 sizes from 50 mm to 155 mm and is equipped with single stage ratios of 3,4,5,7, and 10:1 along with 9 more double stage ratios of from 15:1 to 100:1. Other options in the PE series are Square Metric (PB) and English Nema (PN), all of which are available from stock.
The PE series gearboxes are covered by Apex's industry leading 2-year tip to toe warranty. Delivery is guaranteed within two weeks or the gearboxes are free.
Linear Motioneering Speeds Sizing and Selection
Danaher Motion has introduced Linear Motioneering, a web-based linear motion system sizing and selection tool that enables OEMs and factory automation users to optimize machine design and operation in five simple steps. Linear Motioneering walks users through a thorough process for a slide table application to deliver all the data necessary to make a quick system selection. The system can provide immediate 3D CAD models in multiple formats, motor requirements, life and safety factor calculations, lead time and pricing information, and a single part number to order from that includes all specified options. Linear Motioneering is available for free at www.linearmotioneering.com.
Linear Motioneering users enter application parameters including mounting configuration, environmental conditions, positioning, loading and move requirements. With that information, the system recommends a choice of specific systems optimized to meet the demands of the particular application. The recommended product solution, including any accessories and motor mounts, is assigned a Smart Part Number that the machine builder can use to order the linear motion system with all accessories pre-mounted and ready for integration into the machine.
A motor interface selector allows users to enter motor dimensions, or any major manufacturer's motor model number, and the system automatically configures the mating flange and coupling. Linear Motioneering also provides safety factors for critical system components that allows users to make a decision based not just on price, but on the safety margin of his or her selection. Users can change the move profile and calculate the resulting loads and safety factors on the fly. An environmental screen guides the user not only to the base system selection, but also displays appropriate options such as material and coatings that are suitable for that environment.
Linear Motioneering also includes a Configure Your Solution mode which provides all of the same deliverables as the Sizing and Selection mode, but is intended for those who are familiar with Danaher Motion products and want to quickly configure a part number. The Lookup by Part Number module is a way for repeat customers to confirm current pricing and part number configuration.
Upcoming Trade Shows
AutomationSolutions will be exhibiting at the following trade shows this Spring:
NEPCON
Dates: Wednesday April 30 to Thursday May 1
Location: Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Boston, MA
Register: Click here to register for free tickets
Automation Technology Expo
Dates: Tuesday June 3 to Thursday June 5
Location: Javits Convention Center, New York, NY
Register: Click here to register for free tickets
