Archive for December, 2009

The SMAC Series Electric Cylinders with Direct Drive Provide Cost Efficiency and Increased Performance for High Precision & Speed Applications.

The CA series is a cost effective alternative to pneumatics and comes in diameters of 8, 12, 16, 24, 35, 36, 50, 75 and 150mm. Available strokes – depending on the model – range from 10 to 50mm with encoder resolutions of 20, 5, 1, 0.5, 0.1 or 0.05 microns.

SMAC electric cylinders have a low moving mass and are equipped with a self-lubricating splined shaft linear guide which significantly decreases friction. This enables the unit to generate a low controlled contact force while using the SMAC patented Soft-Land function. This eliminates any damage to components during handling. Position, force and speed are individually programmed through a standard PC interface. Thus, re-calibration for applications with different sized components can be carried out in a very short period of time.

As costs drop and capabilities increase SMAC moving coil electric cylinders are rapidly replacing older technologies such as pneumatics, moving magnet linear motors, ball screw and belt drive actuators. SMAC electric cylinders provide better force control for glass applications, and better force control and quality feedback for medical product manufacturing and assembly. SMAC electric cylinders are high speed, low cost and have the ability to measure what cameras and lasers cannot during part inspection. They also enable quick adjustment and provide longer life. SMAC electric cylinders are therefore rapidly replacing older linear actuator technology and camera and laser measuring systems.

SMAC Inc. is the world leader in Moving Coil Actuators and associated control systems and delivers high tech solutions to the industry with single and multi axes linear, linear/rotary actuators, integrated XY and XYZ stages, positioning stages and electronic control solutions.

For more information, here is the complete SMAC Catalog (2MB) for Linear and Rotary Actuators and Controllers.

Now Available the New Industrial Laser Scanner DS4800 Subzero Model.

With the DS4800 Subzero, Datalogic Automation extends its product offering completing the 4K family of scanners. The 4K line was designed for the Factory Automation market, including Shop Floor and Automatic Warehousing applications. The DS4800 Subzero can operate in low temperature environments (down to -31 °F).

This new model is equipped with an integrated heating system which constantly monitors and automatically controls the internal temperature, heating only the necessary temperature-sensitive components and thereby keeping them functioning within their designed operating range even though the outside temperature is below normal operation range. This results in very low power consumption.

Features:

• Smart Focus adjustment for flexible reading area selection
• DIGITECH™ technology allows excellent reading performance
• Intuitive X-PRESS™ interface provides easy scanner setup
• ACR4™ reconstruction technology improves reading of damaged barcodes
• Multi-language Genius™ Sw Tool allows rapid scanner configuration
• ID-NET™ embedded interface for high-speed communication network
• Multi-language display improves scanner monitoring and diagnostic
• Total ambient light immunity thanks to the high frequency laser modulation
• IP65 rugged industrial housing

For more information, here is the DS4800 Data Sheet

The FD-H25-L43 & FD-H25-L45 Stably Detect Glass Substrates and are Heat-Resistant up to 250 C!

These Fiber heads are made of heat-resistant ABS and 40% lighter than previous models. With its lightness in weight, installation on a robot hand does not create any burden.

Dual beam-receiving window enable for wide range detection and the wide receiving window corresponds to the inclination of substrate.

The fiber sharply turns OFF beyond far-point. FD-H25-L43 Far-point cutoff distance is 40 mm or more within an inclination of sensing object. FD-H25-L45 Far-point cutoff distance is 60 mm or more within an inclination of sensing object.

Sensing Range (Note: This is specified for the standard sensing object transparent glass, 0.7 mm thick)

• FD-H25-L43 : 5 to 15 mm with inclination of the sensing object.
• FD-H25-L45 : 11 to 25 mm with inclination of the sensing object

Allowable Bending Radius: R25 mm or more

Fiber Cable Length: 3 m (fixed)

Ambient Temperature: 20 to 250 C (Ordinary temperature side: 20 to 70 C)

Applicable Amplifiers: FX-100/FX-300/FX-311/FX-410 series (Note: Each specification value is measured with FX-301/305, response time in STD mode.)

Download the 2009-2010 New Product Brochure (7Mb) for more information on this and other SunX products.

When using inductive proximity sensors for a control application, it is common to choose a 3-wire DC prox that has a dedicated NPN or PNP control output and bring the output into a PLC input.

Choosing between polarities means determining how the common is wired and selecting accordingly. However, if there is an issue with the sensor, and your machines are a mix between NPN and PNP sensors, you’ll need to keep a few of each type on hand as spares to prevent a line-down situation.

A simple alternative to 3-wire models: the 2-wire proximity sensor

Instead of having the control output as a separate circuit then the power circuit, the 2-wire solution puts everything in parallel, which essentially consolidates the circuitry into one loop. Figure 1 below shows a typical 3-wire PNP circuit. As you can see, the output wire is specific in its polarity so that it will only function on with a 0V common. The power to the sensor is separate from the output circuit. In figure 2, we see the circuit diagram for the 2-wire variation. The output operation is along the two power wires in the form of a voltage drop, thus making the sensor free to work with either polarity on the common.

Replace NPN and PNP 3-wire models

Because of this, you can use the 2-wire sensor to replace both the NPN and PNP 3-wire models, depending on the way you wire it up. As you can see in figure 3, replacing a three wire sensor is as simple as following the flow of current. Being that in this example you are replacing a PNP, or current sourcing, sensor, you are connecting to an input that has a 0V common. Connecting the 2-wire sensor can be done by merely connecting the blue wire to the input and the brown wire to the 24V source.

The process is the same for replacing a NPN 3-wire sensor. In this case you would just connect the brown wire to the input and the blue wire to the ground of your power supply.

Not only do you have one less wire to install, you have one solution that will work equally as well as both types of 3-wire sensors. This greatly simplifies the usage and replacement of inductive proximity sensors across all applications.

GX-U/FU Series - DC 2-wire Cylindrical Inductive Proximity Sensor

GL-8/8U Series – Compact Rectangular Proximity Sensors available in 2 and 3-wire configurations

GXL Series – Micro Size Rectangular Proximity Sensors available in 2 and 3-wire configurations

Mitsubishi Electric Automation is proud to introduce an all new multi-drop solution for GOT1000 HMI’s.

At the heart of this new solution is an all new multi-drop master station interface, the GT01-RS4-M. The GT01-RS4-M is the head or master station of the RS485 HMI network used to connect terminals together. Users will connect the master station directly to the communication port of an FXCPU or QCPU using a simple communication cable.

Once connected, users will use simple 2 or 4 wire shielded twisted cable to make the interconnections between the master station and other HMI terminals on the RS485 network. When the network is complete, all the terminals on the network will be able to easily access the connected CPU from up 500m away.

The other major component used in this solution is the conversion adapter, the GT10-9PT5S. This adapter connects to the RS422/485 port of GT1040 and GT1050 displays and converts the existing 9pin DSUB port to RS485-friendly terminal style interface. This simple network can host up to 16 similar and dissimilar terminals and is ideal for configurations that require 3 or more displays.

Mitsubishi is pleased to be able to offer those machine builders who require a combination of displays for their machines (maybe a larger display for a portion of their machine with smaller terminals used as status indicators) a new cost effective solution for our HMI products.

For more information, here is the GT01-RS4-M Data Sheet and GT10-9pt5s Data Sheet