We proudly specialize in support for legacy Indramat products, but we’re also excited about Rexroth’s newer motion control projects. One that falls into the “extreme” category is Pieter Schelte, a new Allseas vessel. This behemoth may be put into service by the end of this year. The vessel is basically a giant catamaran designed to… Read more »
If you went to the same kind of school we went to, you learned about one Industrial Revolution. It took place in the 18th century, involved steam engines and servomotors, and resulted in higher standards of living for some and some pretty grim workweeks for others. It was a time of great excitement and ideas… Read more »
Bosch Rexroth servos and motion control were recently involved in a project that provides an excellent example of how one apparently minor change can lead to major changes. The change was a fairly simple one: a pharmaceuticals package changed from a polystyrene outer packaging layer to a cardboard one. The product was destined for Walmart,… Read more »
Industrial motion control is typically about causing motors, especially servomotors, to move machines in specific ways. Often, we want the machines to move in ways that humans do — but faster, more precisely, or in circumstances that are not safe for humans. An alternative that might be part of the future of robotics is automating… Read more »
One of the trends in industrial motion control right now is a move away from the need for a cabinet. Those air conditioned boxes your servos live in take up space, and space can be costly. Reducing the footprint of your motion control system can be desirable. Doing away with air conditioning can be a… Read more »
By its nature, the Census gives us information that is a little bit out of date. The most recent publications from the U.S. Census Bureau, including the upcoming special every-five-years Economic Census, use data from 2012 at the latest. But that doesn’t mean that we should look elsewhere for data. When it comes to thoroughness… Read more »
Human safety in factories is a central goal for all manufacturers, but factories can be dangerous places by their nature. Automation helps. Automated process can free human beings from performing repetitive motions that can damage fragile human muscle and joint systems, from working in areas that might create exposure to toxins, or from interacting with… Read more »
Steve Brambley, deputy director of Gambica, wrote an interesting column at Drives & Controls. Natural selection, he said, was fine until we began changing our environment too fast for biology to keep up. Now, natural selection and evolution are simply too slow and random. In the business environment in particular, Brambley suggests, nobody should be… Read more »
Walmart announced their latest Made in the USA initiative last year, and they’ve made good use of their purchasing power to increase manufacturing in the states ever since. Walmart is in a position to assure manufacturers that their investment in American factories will pay off, and their logistics and supply chain expertise allows them to… Read more »
One of the special features of Indramat servomotors is the “Personality Module,” known in Europe as a programming module. The Personality Module is programmed with the settings that ensure compatibility between the servo amplifier and the motor. These Personality Modules make configuration easy. When you replace an Indramat drive, you can just pull the Personality… Read more »
