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Motion Control NewsSerapid Mechanical Linear Actuators Installed at Sears Tower Sterling Heights, MI - SERAPID, Inc is part of the Sears Tower renovation project opening to the public Thursday, July 2. The new "Sears Tower Ledge" allows visitors to step out over the edge of the building (some 103 stories) above the busy streets of Chicago. The four observation ledges are pushed out approximately 4 feet with SERAPID LinearBeam mechanical linear actuator systems. The systems operate with SERAPID's patented Rigid Chain Technology. The Rigid Chain is a mechanical actuator that is flexible in one direction and forms a steel beam in the other direction ...More >> 46th Design Automation Conference Management Day Provides Timely Insights and Valuable Interaction with Industry Peers Louisville, CO - The Design Automation Conference (DAC) will once again offer a special Management Day Tuesday, July 28 to provide managers with timely information to help them make decisions where business and technology intersect. Management Day, which this year is sponsored by Cadence Design Systems, Inc., will be organized into three sessions focused on the business and technology criteria managers need to consider as they deal with the development of today's complex SoCs. Two sessions will feature managers from leading independent device manufacturers (IDMs), fab-light ASIC providers and fabless companies, while the final session will be an interactive panel discussion and brainstorming session about the emerging solutions discussed and their economic impact. A cocktail reception will end the day. The 46th DAC will be held July 26 - 31 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. ...More >> 3M Offers Wide Range of Power over Camera Link Cabling Solutions for Machine Vision Applications Austin, TX - 3M Electronic Solutions Division now offers new cabling solutions for users of high-performance digital camera applications. The High Speed 0.8 mm Cable Assemblies for Power over Camera Link (PoCL) from 3M is based on the PoCL base configuration for machine vision applications. The 3M family of 0.8 mm cable assemblies provides a broad range of interface solutions for Camera Link applications. PoCL cables mate to industry standard Shrunk Delta Ribbon (SDR) 26-position PoCL camera connections. They enable machine vision cameras to be powered through the data cable rather than a separate power cable, which potentially eliminates the need for a power connector, saving board space and panel real estate, and allowing the design of smaller cameras. PoCL cable assemblies from 3M are designed to offer high performance and reliability even in the toughest industrial settings. These assemblies are built to rigorous standards of workmanship with premium, quality materials. PoCL cable assemblies from 3M provide excellent signal integrity and low skew, helping customers attain low bit-error rates. ...More >> KLD Energy Technologies Announces New Scooter Powered by High-Performance Motor System Austin, TX - Austin-based KLD Energy Technologies, Inc. is making its high-performance, transmissionless electric motor system available in the United States through a new, sleek electric scooter. The road-ready E165 scooter, powered by KLD Technologies' patented NeueTM drive simpleTM motor, can now be preordered. KLD's E165 scooter features the NeueTM technology, a breakthrough transmissionless electric motor system that reaches speeds of up to 65 miles per hour and possesses a range of over 100 miles on a standard lithium battery. "We have received worldwide interest in our motor system and are excited to be offering it to consumers in the U.S.," said Christian Okonsky, founder and CEO of KLD Energy Technologies. "We have worked to develop a scooter with a leading manufacturer that highlights our motor systems' transmissionless design and provides an exhilarating and comfortable experience for both scooter aficionados and those interested in emission-free, high-performance vehicles." ...More >>Volvo: Heavy trucks of the future will be super-light Stockholm, Sweden - Regulatory News: The Volvo Group's engineers have created a method for constructing trucks that weigh less while carrying the same loads. Lighter vehicles would entail a significant reduction in fuel consumption and thus carbon dioxide emissions. To date, lightweight technology has mainly been used in Volvo Aero's aircraft engine components, but engineers at AB Volvo's research company, Volvo Technology, foresee favorable opportunities in using similar technology to reduce the weight of the cab and chassis in heavy trucks by at least 20% within ten years. ...More >>Tesla Gets Loan Approval from US Department of Energy San Carlos, CA - Tesla Motors has received approval for about $465 million in low-interest loans from the US Department of Energy to accelerate the production of affordable, fuel-efficient electric vehicles. Tesla will use $365 million for production engineering and assembly of the Model S, an all-electric family sedan that carries seven people and travels up to 300 miles per charge. Two-Time America’s Cup Winner Chooses ANSYS Engineering Simulation Solutions to Drive Title Defense Southpointe, PA - ANSYS, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANSS), a global innovator of simulation software and technologies designed to optimize product development processes, announced an agreement to serve as an Official Supplier to Alinghi, the Swiss sailing team that is preparing its defense of the America's Cup race. Alinghi will leverage the integrated simulation solutions from ANSYS as a key strategy in winning the 33rd America's Cup, sport's oldest trophy and the most prestigious and elite competition on the yachting calendar. Pursuing its vision of innovative yacht design, Alinghi is relying on both structural mechanics and fluid dynamics simulation technologies from ANSYS to perform system-level vessel design and analysis. Even small improvements may prove crucial: During the 32nd America's Cup, the yachts were separated in many races by less than 30 seconds. ...More >>Power Efficiency Corporation Develops and Commercializes E-Save Technology Based on NASA Efficiency Technology Las Vegas - Power Efficiency Corporation (OTCBB: PEFF), a clean tech company focused on energy efficiency technologies for electric motors, announced that the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) has created a video about the development of Power Efficiency's energy saving technology, its roots in NASA research, and its importance for the nation's climate and energy challenges. The video is a NASA Innovative Partnership Program (IPP) Hallmark of Success story. These videos feature companies and the successful technologies developed through NASA's partnerships with outside entities. The video will be viewable from multiple websites, including NASA's IPP website and Power Efficiency's home page. The video covers many topics related to the development of the energy saving technology, including a background on the NASA engineer that developed the initial technology, Power Efficiency's additional patented and patent-pending inventions to create E-Save Technology®, an interview with Power Efficiency's CEO, and a demonstration of the product's motor control and energy saving features. ...More >> The Market for Personal Robots Will Reach $5.26 Billion by 2015, According to NextGen Research Oyster Bay, NY - The prevailing wisdom is that the personal robotics market resembles the personal computer market of the mid-1970s; many small companies with greater expertise in R&D than in marketing are trying to create a product for which others will develop applications. Proprietary specifications are giving way to standardized solutions, especially on the high end where the robot will have a full computer on board (or off-board, connected via Wi-Fi or 3G to a PC or the network cloud). ...More >> Smart Factories: Best Way To Create Jobs In U.S. Manufacturing Rockwell Automation CEO Proposes New U.S. Industrial Policy that Focuses on Innovation, Investment and Education to Support Smart Factories Detroit, MI - Rockwell Automation Chairman and CEO Keith Nosbusch called for business and government to invest in smart factories that are flexible, efficient and sustainable as the best way to create higher-paying, long-term manufacturing jobs in the United States. "The public and private sectors need to invest in advanced technology that will lower costs, increase productivity, and make U.S. manufacturing competitive globally," said Nosbusch. "This investment is the best way to create enduring, higher-wage manufacturing jobs that can compete against other economies with lower costs of doing business." ...More >>KUKA Robotics Corporation Names President of Newly Formed Canadian Subsidiary Toronto, Canada - The Executive Board of KUKA Robotics Canada Ltd. names Chris Claringbold President of the newly formed Canadian subsidiary effective February 1, 2009. Mr. Claringbold will lead the Canadian subsidiary in the support and expansion of the Canadian customer base. Mr. Claringbold brings over 28 years of robotic automation experience to KUKA Robotics Canada Ltd. Prior to joining KUKA Robotics Canada, Mr. Claringbold was President and COO at one of the largest system integrators and automation companies in Canada. Key to Mr. Claringbold's success will include past achievements working with robotic integrators while following the KUKA Robotics philosophy of strong working relationships with System Partners and integrators to provide the highest quality, innovative turnkey systems. ...More >>ON Semiconductor Launches High-Resolution I2C- and SPI-Compatible Digital Potentiometers Phoenix, AZ - ON Semiconductor (Nasdaq: ONNN), a leading global supplier of high performance, energy efficient, silicon solutions, has further expanded its family of Digitally Programmable Potentiometer (DPPTM) ICs with new high-resolution devices incorporating I2C and Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) Bus connectivity. The new DPPs offer a low-noise, reliable and space-saving alternative to mechanical potentiometers in applications ranging from instrumentation and industrial automation to ...More >> FANUC Robotics Introduces M-1iA Intelligent, High-Speed Assembly Robot at 2009 Robots & Vision Show Rochester Hills, MI - FANUC Robotics America Inc. introduced the new M-1iA intelligent assembly robot at the 2009 International Robots & Vision Motion Control Show held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont (Chicago), IL June 9-11. The M-1iA is a lightweight and compact six-axis, parallel-link robot designed for small part handling, high-speed picking and assembly applications. The unique parallel-link structure provides higher speeds and accuracy compared to traditional assembly robots. The robot can be installed in a variety of orientations, and has a three-axis wrist, making it extremely flexible. The M-1iA also offers a four-axis model for simple assembly operations such as part picking for kitting. A single-axis wrist offers speeds up to 3000 degrees per second. ...More >> Bison Gear Launches New Web Site With Expanded Functionality and Content St. Charles, IL - The new Bison Gear & Engineering Corp. web site offers immediate home page visibility of Bison's extensive line of fractional horsepower AC and DC gearmotors, electric motors, gear reducers, drives and accessories. Bison Gear's expanding video library has been added to the new site, along with white papers, featured new products and an ever-changing special "closeouts" section. "In response to our web customers and channel partners, we've made it much easier to quickly find Bison products through linked summaries of our entire product range on the new home page, as well as our parametric search tools that enable visitors to find products based on type, voltage, speed, power, torque or gear ratio in any combination," said Brenda Thiessen, Bison Gear marketing supervisor. "In addition, we have included global web ordering capability for over 550 standard Bison products which are supported with same day order fulfillment through our In-Stock, Instant-Ship (ISIS) program." ...More >> Landmark MIT Program Gets New Name for New Economic Times Cambridge, MA - Two decades after its creation as a landmark initiative at the intersection of engineering and management, the MIT Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program has a new name and a broadened approach for preparing industry leaders to meet new challenges of the global economy. Formerly known as MIT Leaders for Manufacturing, the new title reflects "how our understanding of manufacturing has broadened to include all aspects of operations across the entire supply chain," said David Simchi-Levi, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Systems and LGO's faculty co-director from MIT's School of Engineering "We believe that this focus on operations is critical to helping struggling companies in this tough economy." LGO defines operations as the delivery of goods and services, from concept through development, production, distribution and recycling. ...More >> New 3M EM Eye Meter Series Offers Versatile Solution for EMI, RF and ESD Detection 3M has released a new, universal test and measurement platform that offers a highly expandable, cost-reducing solution to manufacturers looking for accurate electrical event detection. The new 3M EM Eye Meter from the 3M Electronic Solutions Division provides three devices in one unit. The meter consists of a base unit and three separate sensors for electromagnetic interference (EMI), radio frequency (RF) and electrostatic discharge (ESD) detection. The modular design can save manufacturers money by allowing them to purchase the functionality they need, when they need it. ...More >>3M Introduces Wrist Strap and Ground Monitor 773 for Electronics Assembly Austin, TX -The new 3M Wrist Strap and Ground Monitor 773 from the 3M Electronic Solutions Division provides effective workstation monitoring in applications with two metal ground requirements. The 773 monitor grounds and monitors two operators and monitors two metal grounds. The 773 monitor is the latest addition to the 3M Down to Earth family of monitors, which offers practical and cost effective solutions for electrostatic discharge (ESD) in electronics assembly. It is designed to meet the needs of manufacturers of hard disk drives, printed circuit boards, defense and ...More >>SensorDynamics Launches Innovative Fail-safe Combisensor, Configurable for Industrial Applications with 4DoF-IMU Functionality GRAZ, Austria - SensorDynamics launched two new micromechanical combisensors, the SD777 and SD788. Both sensors provide single axis angular rate and three axes acceleration measurement-data including concurrent fail-safe status information. This makes the sensors ideally suited for safety critical applications like vehicle dynamics control and roll-over where angular rate in one axis and acceleration in at least two axes has to be measured. Due to the third axis which is sensitive to acceleration and two calibrated measurement ranges for angular rate, the two sensors provide high flexibility in terms of mounting position and application area. ...More >> URS Joint Venture Awarded U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Contract San Francisco, CA - URS Corporation (NYSE: URS) announced that a joint venture between URS and Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. has been awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to provide general design support and construction management services to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New Orleans Hurricane Protection Office. URS has an 85% share in the joint venture. The contract consists of a one-year base period, followed by four one-year options, during which the joint venture would compete for task orders with a maximum contract value of $90 million over five years, if all priced options are exercised. ...More >> Parker is Named Rolls-Royce Supplier of the Year Parker Hannifin Corporation (NYSE: PH), the world leader in motion and control technologies, announced that its Parker Aerospace business group has received the Rolls-Royce Supplier of the Year award for gas turbine engines. "Parker is delighted to have been given this honor by Rolls-Royce," said Parker Aerospace Vice President of Operations Joel Benkie. "Parker has been supporting Rolls-Royce for over three decades, and we will continue to focus on providing premier customer service, participating in key initiatives, and building on our partnership." Parker received this inaugural supplier of the year award at the recent Rolls-Royce global supplier forum. Rolls-Royce considered such factors as Parker's consistent quality and delivery performance, proactive focus on root causes and improvement opportunities, and joint work with Rolls-Royce in key initiatives. Parker supports Rolls-Royce sites around the world in the energy, defense, and civil business sector. Most recently, Parker has entered into a partnership deal to work with Rolls-Royce on the new Trent XWB engine, providing the pneumatics suite, hydraulic EBU system, and lubrication and oil scavenge pump. ...More >> Raser Technologies to Demonstrate 100 mpg Hummer Extended-Range Electric Vehicle to Members of U.S. Congress Washington, DC - Raser Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: RZ), a leading energy technology company, announced that its 100 mpg Electric Hummer H3 will be demonstrated at the United States Capitol, Wednesday, May 20, 2009, at 2 p.m. EDT. Members of Congress are invited test drive the vehicle. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) will introduce the vehicle and comment on the role new technology can play in an American automotive recovery at the event to be held on Capitol Hill at the Upper Senate Park. Kraig Higginson, chairman of Raser Technologies, and Gary Rogers, president of FEV, Inc., will answer questions and tell members of Congress about the vehicle. Pacamor Kubar Bearings (PKB) Maintains ISO9001/AS9100 Certifications Troy, NY - Pacamor Kubar Bearings (PKB) is pleased to announce that they have successfully passed their ISO 9001:2000 and AS9100:2004 audit. The quality system assessment was completed at PKB's Troy, New York facility on May 8, 2009, including a review of all special capabilities necessary to develop and/or manufacture miniature and instrument ball bearings for the aerospace industry. SICK, Inc. Receives Multi-million Dollar Contract from Lockheed Martin for USPS Project Minneapolis, Minn. - May 12, 2009 - SICK (www.sickusa.com), a manufacturer of sensors, safety systems, machine vision, and automatic identification products for factory and logistics automation, announced it was awarded a multi-million dollar order from Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego to provide its Ruler E 3D Cameras as part of continuing improvements to the United States Postal Service's Automated Package Processing System (APPS). Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego, a provider of advanced-technology products, services and systems integration solutions to defense, civil and commercial customers worldwide, will install the solution at APPS sites across the country in 2009. The innovative Ruler E 3D Camera, along with SICK's software program, will be used to enhance the sorting accuracy of the APPS. The 3D camera determines double packages, package position, and package dimensions / orientation. This innovation enables the APPS Sorter to more accurately process the diverse mailstream of the USPS, improving quality of service. ...More >> Boston Logan International Airport Saves Energy on Moving Walks in Project with KONE Inc. and Power Efficiency Corporation Las Vegas, NV - Power Efficiency Corporation (OTCBB:PEFF.OB), a clean tech company focused on efficiency technologies for electric motors, announced that KONE Inc. (OMX: KNEBV), one of the world's leading elevator and escalator companies, installed the KONE EcoStart® on twenty moving walks at Boston Logan International Airport. In 2008, Logan Airport served 26.1 million passengers. The KONE EcoStart is a unique motor efficiency controller that soft starts an electric motor, bringing it from rest to full speed. Once it is at full speed, the EcoStart monitors the motor and improves its efficiency when operating. By conserving energy, the EcoStart supports the building's sustainability programs and contributes to environmental protection efforts. EcoStart is manufactured by Power Efficiency Corporation exclusively for KONE under private label. ...More >> Advanced 3D CNC simulator boosts machine productivity with combined collision detection and workpiece simulation Naperville, IL - The CNC controls vendor NUM launches a 3D simulation package that combines workpiece simulation with collision monitoring and other powerful features. The computer-aided engineering software allows machine builders to offer new generations of optimization tools with their machines - to help users to maximize manufacturing throughput and productivity. Designated True 3D, the software tool is a general-purpose version of NUM's well-known 3D simulator for multi-axis grinding applications. NUM's True 3D is one of the first commercial CNC software simulation tools to combine both workpiece simulation and collision monitoring facilities. It allows machinery users to virtually prototype and optimize the entire machine production process, to yield significant gains including improved machine productivity, reduced tool wear, and faster project completion. ...More >>Teleflex Aerospace’s Actuation Division Announces Contract Award from The Boeing Company for Production of Electromechanical Actuators Simi Valley, CA - Teleflex Aerospace's Actuation division ("Teleflex Actuation") is pleased to announce the contract award from The Boeing Company for production of electromechanical actuators for the U.S. Air Force A-10 Wing Replacement Program. The two versions of the actuators that will be provided by Teleflex Actuation are Roll Trim and Pitch Trim & Roll Tab Shift actuators. The first releases of A-10 actuators are for 2010 deliveries. Yearly actuator deliveries will continue thereafter through 2016. During the life of the contract, if all A-10 aircraft are upgraded, Teleflex Actuation will provide 242 sets of actuators. ...More >> Gates Corporation Launches New Website Showing Potential for Energy Savings Denver, CO - Gates Corporation has launched PT Savings Center, an educational website offering resources on energy savings for manufacturing companies, hospitals and other facilities with motor-driven systems. On the site, users register for a white paper, entitled "Energy Savings from Synchronous Belt Drives," download a motor tip sheet from the U.S. Department of Energy and access the Energy Savings Calculator, which computes estimated annual savings from converting from a V-belt drive to a Gates synchronous drive. Visitors also find needed parts in the online catalog PartViewTM, complete with CAD models and 2D specification sheets. ...More >>austriamicrosystems Introduces AS5311 the First Integrated Linear Hall Encoder to Break into the Submicron Resolution Range AS5311 is Ideal for Position Feedback of Micro-Actuators and an Alternative to Incremental Optical Encoders in Harsh Environments Unterpremstaetten, Austria - austriamicrosystems (SIX:AMS), a leading global designer and manufacturer of high performance analog ICs for communications, industrial, medical and automotive applications, introduced AS5311, the first Hall-effect sensor based linear magnetic encoder to offer submicron resolution. This integrated linear Hall encoder can be used as an alternative to optical encoders. For linear motion sensing, a multi-pole magnetic strip is used and for rotary motion sensing the magnetic strip is replaced by a multi-pole magnetic ring. ...More >> SensorDynamics Launches Low-Cost 6DoF-IMU With Continuous Self Diagnosis Graz, Austria - SensorDynamics launched a new 6DoF-IMU based on MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) sensors. The compact unit with outer dimensions of only one cubic inch is considerably less expensive than other IMUs with similar specifications. Unlike other products, SensorDynamics' 6DoF-IMU comes with continuous self diagnosis functions for a drastic increase of reliability of the application system. Typical application areas are substitution of several single inertial sensors in vehicles, back-up in heading systems, automotive black boxes and motion control for robots. ...More >> OMRON Releases CP1E Micro Programmable Controllers Kyoto, Japan - OMRON Corporation announced the release of additions to the CP Series, the CP1E CPU Units, which embody three concepts: Economy, Easy, and Efficient. Sales will begin on April. (Please contact your local representative for availability.) In recent years, there has been greater demand for more advanced functionality, even in micro PLCs with approximately 10 to 200 I/O points for use in small-scale control applications. Since 2006, CPU Units for advanced micro PLCs, the CP1H CPU Units and CP1L CPU Units, have been added to the CP Series. « More News |
