Engineering TV : Mechanical

Harmonic Drive Servo Actuators

Terry Knight — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Bob Mullins from Harmonic Drive gives a run-down of some of their featured offerings, including hollow shaft actuators and custom servo actuators. Servo actuators are an assembly of a brush or brushless servo motor, zero backlash Harmonic Drive precision strain wave gearing, and a high capacity output bearing. They are compatible with most industry-standard controllers and amplifiers. Also watch this episode: Harmonic Drive Total Motion Control. For more information, visit Harmonic Drive.

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Soft Servo Motion Control and Robotic Hand

CurtisEllzey — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:00:00 GMT
Harmonic Drive demonstrates semiconductor equipment using their drives and actuators, a MECHATROLINK II servo network, and Soft Servo Systems' SMP controller. The SMP series is a line of general motion controller with up to 32 axes (soon to be 64) of high-end general motion control, an industry standard soft PLC and a Windows-based GUI application in a single package. Also on display is a new robotic hand (finger module) developed for high-speed dynamic grasping. The Harmonic Drive actuator is lightweight, high-speed and backlash is small enough for high-gain feedback control. Also watch this episode: Harmonic Drive Servo Actuators. For more information, visit Harmonic Drive.

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Harmonic Drive Operating Principles

CurtisEllzey — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:00:00 GMT
Bob Mullins explains the operating principles behind the Harmonic Drive strain wave gearing. The mechanism is comprised of three components: Wave Generator, Flexspline, and Circular Spline. The high performance attributes of this gearing technology including zero backlash, high torque, compact size, and excellent positional accuracy are a direct result of the unique operating principles. Also watch this episode: Soft Servo Motion Control and Robotic Hand. For more information, visit Harmonic Drive.

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Harmonic Drive Total Motion Control

CurtisEllzey — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:00:00 GMT
Harmonic Drive offers precision gears, gear heads, servo actuators and motion control systems. Harmonic Drives come in many variations and are used in such applications as multi-axis articulated robots, industrial robots, medical equipment, and optical measuring equipment, and even orbital satellites. Robert Mullins tells us more about Harmonic Drive and their capabilities for Total Motion Control. Also watch this episode: Harmonic Drive Operating Principles. For more information, visit Harmonic Drive.

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Busch Claw Vacuum Pumps

Terry Knight — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:00:00 GMT
The Busch Mink is a rotary claw-type, positive displacement, dry pump designed for either pressure or vacuum applications. Vacuum or pressure is produced by two non-contacting rotors in an oil-free pumping chamber. The dry, non-contacting design, along with quality construction, results in a system that offers extremely high reliability and a long pump life with low maintenance. The Mink is available as a single-stage or two-stage vacuum pump. For more information, go to: Busch.

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Festo Airmotion Ride Simulator

CurtisEllzey — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:00:00 GMT
The interplay of fluidic muscles and mechatronic systems in the Airmotion_ride makes it possible to generate an extraordinary range of driving and flight simulations. A hexapod structure using parallel kinematics, with six Festo fluidic muscles, creates a realistic driving and flying sensation. In this project, leading pneumatics supplier Festo demonstrates an exciting, cost-effective alternative to complicated hydraulic constructions. Also watch this episode: Festo CMXR Robotic Control. For more information, go to: Festo.

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Festo Air Bearing ATBT

Terry Knight — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:00:00 GMT
The air bearing ATBT from Festo is a new way of transporting flat-panel displays and photovoltaic substrates. The air bearing works with a porous, air-permeable material with a micro porous structure which guarantees an even air flow. The key to the system is that the air bearing functions contactlessly via an air cushion, whilst still hardly using any compressed air. The air bearing ATBT is ideally suited for loading and unloading, as intermediate buffer, for lifting and centering, holding and clamping items using a vacuum or for use in inspection and test equipment, precise X-Y-movement systems or photolithography equipment. Also watch this episode: Festo Airmotion Ride Simulator. For more information, go to: Festo.

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Festo EXPT Electric Tripod

Terry Knight — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Festo's version of the delta robot, the EXPT Electric Tripod system, is designed for high-speed-handling of small loads in space. Up to three times quicker than Cartesian systems and requiring less space, it uses Festo's actuator technology instead of elbow joints, enabling a higher dynamic response with larger effective loads. Multi-axis functionality is provided by Festo's CMXR robotic control system. Also watch this episode: Festo Air Bearing ATBT. For more information, go to: Festo.

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Festo CMXR Robotic Control

Terry Knight — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:00:00 GMT
The CMXR is the core of a complete kinematic system solution: The multi-axis control combines the mechanical system, electrical drive technology and control technology to form a complete motion control product with integrated and standardized interfaces to all relevant system components. All programming, operational and diagnostic functions are carried out via a control module in FTL macro language text. Simple teach-in programming allows positions to be changed quickly. Because of the system’s robotic functions it is ideally suited for handling technology. Also watch this episode: Festo EXPT Electric Tripod. For more information, go to: Festo.

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Lightning Hybrids Design Process

CurtisEllzey — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMT
Jude Hueber reveals the process at Lightning Hybrids for designing and fabricating their LH4 and LH3 vehicles in-house, from the drivetrain and the body panels, to their own custom designed circuitry. Lightning Hybrids is an automotive research and manufacturing company that has designed a hydraulic hybrid retrofit system and two 100 MPG hydraulic-biodiesel hybrid cars. Also watch these episodes on Lightning Hybrids: Lightning Hybrids on Engineering TV. For more information, go to: Lightning Hybrids.

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Lightning Hybrids Automotive X PRIZE Design

CurtisEllzey — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMT
Dan Johnson from Lightning Hybrids discusses their original design for the international Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE competition. They have an aggressive plan to win with their unique patent-pending biodiesel-hydraulic hybrid vehicle that emphasizes thermodynamic and hydraulic system efficiencies, lightweight mechanical and composite structures, and sports car appeal. Also watch these episodes on Lightning Hybrids: Lightning Hybrids on Engineering TV. For more information, go to: Lightning Hybrids.

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Lightning Hybrids Hydraulic Drivetrain - Part 3

CurtisEllzey — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Engineering TV continues its in-depth coverage of Lightning Hybrids as Dan Johnson digs deeper into their hydraulic drivetrain design. He also addresses some questions about safety as well as how the weight of the system compares to an electric-hybrid design and incorporates into their retrofit plans. Also watch these episodes on Lightning Hybrids: Lightning Hybrids on Engineering TV. For more information, go to: Lightning Hybrids.

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Hydraulic Drivetrain Design

CurtisEllzey — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Jude Hueber, Lightning Hybrids Senior Engineer - Powertrain, Controls and Chassis - describes why they chose a parallel hydraulic system in their design. Depending on how the electrical controls are arranged, a parallel system can serve to lessen the load on a conventional internal combustion engine at all times. This flexibility allows tuning to increase performance and drivability of the vehicle and eliminate many failure modes that would render the vehicle unable to drive. Also watch these episodes on Lightning Hybrids: Lightning Hybrids on Engineering TV. For more information, go to: Lightning Hybrids.

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Lightning Hybrids Hydraulic Drivetrain - Part 2

CurtisEllzey — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Dan Johnson continues his detailing of the hydraulic drivetrain used in the Lightning Hybrids vehicles. The 2010 and 2011 versions of the LH3 and LH4 will showcase a 90 HP Diesel/BioDiesel engine currently rated at 90 MPG in Europe, mated in parallel to a 150 HP Hydraulic motor/pump and accumulator system. The parallel system will provide 0-60 MPH in less than 6 seconds, and full highway cruising speeds, with an estimated top speed of 110 MPH. Also watch these episodes on Lightning Hybrids: Lightning Hybrids on Engineering TV. For more information, go to: Lightning Hybrids.

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Lightning Hybrids Hydraulic Drivetrain - Part 1

CurtisEllzey — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Dan Johnson, Lightning Hybrids CEO and Co-Founder, walks us through the hydraulic drivetrain used in their LH4 and LH3 models. Their parallel hydraulic hybrid system is similar to many of the electric hybrid vehicles on the market today wherein a conventional internal combustion engine can drive the vehicle by itself, or be assisted by another power system which can be mechanically coupled or decoupled from the main conventional driveline. Also watch these episodes on Lightning Hybrids: Lightning Hybrids on Engineering TV. For more information, go to: Lightning Hybrids.

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