Energy-saving designs have been a key factor in industrial motion control for several years now. We also believe that keeping your legacy components running as long as possible — instead of sending them to a landfill — is an environmentally-responsible choice.
But there’s another environment question to consider: what kind of environment will your machines operate in?
Rexroth motion control often has to operate in extreme environments, whether a washdown environment with corrosive liquids in a food processing plant or extreme temperatures. A recent example is an underwater environment in the UK. Some 25 years ago, Rexroth built a river management system using ceramic-coated cylinders. Heavy impact between then and now created a point of damage. Brackish water, debris in the river, and rough weather had all contributed to the damage over the years. By the time the engineers came back to Rexroth with concerns, the damage was in a position to threaten the integrity of the system if measures weren’t taken.
Rexroth ran a complete analysis of the system and determined that replacing the cylinder was a must. While the ceramic coating was state of the art in the 1990s, a new coating, the Enduroq 2200 dual layer coating, has since been developed, and Rexroth went with the new coating for the replacement cylinder. This coating is specifically designed for underwater uses, and it can withstand high impact better than ceramic.
In other words, if it’s rammed by a boat, it will be less likely to crack. That extra layer of protection means that there is less chance for corrosion. The coating is also completely poreless and impermeable.
The replacement of the old cylinder with the new cylinder took place in less than a week, keeping the intrusion into the workflow to a minimum.
Certainly, it’s essential to take the work environment into account in planning your motion control systems. It’s also essential to be aware of the challenges in your particular work environment in considering maintenance. If you need support for your electric Rexroth drive, control, or servo motor units, from design to reman, we can help.