Industrial Factory Automation

Baldor Electric has launched a range of smart drives, offering economic and space-saving solutions for many common single-axis automation requirements. The drives also feature an Ethernet interface compatible with the deterministic Ethernet-compatible motion-control standard, Powerlink. The Mint Lite programming capability is now being fitted without charge on all of Baldor's Microflex e100 and Motiflex e100 single- and three-phase drive ranges. These drives are available in a choice of power ratings up to 33.5A. The versatile drives may be used to control rotary and linear servo motors, linear motors and closed-loop vector motors, and in V/Hz control modes. The embedded Mint Lite capability supports a range of basic motion-programming requirements, including performing relative and absolute moves, S-ramp profiles, jog and homing movements, changing target positions on the fly, registration moves and reacting to real-time trigger events. The programming facility allows standalo...

Baldor will introduce the Quadguard sealing system and Ultra Kleen mounted ball bearing at the Total exhibition, which will take place at the NEC Birmingham, 25-27 May 2010. Ultra Kleen is a Dodge-brand bearing that features a 100 per cent stainless-steel bearing insert and a new sealing system and ball retainer that retain lubrication and prevent washout in wet operating environments. The new Quadguard sealing system has a triple lip seal and a rubberised flinger. The triple lip seal offers three points of contact to keep lubricant in and contaminants out. The rubberised flinger is a moulded nitrile rubber component that is bonded to the flinger surface and provides an additional barrier to contaminants. A two-piece ball-retaining cage called Maxlife also aids reliability by creating a grease compartment around each of the rolling elements. The compartments provide constant contact between ball and grease so an oil film always exists to prevent wear and minimise friction and heat. T...

Techserv Cutting Systems has delivered four HS 4000 hi-definition precision plasma cutters to the UK's Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA). Each cutter employs an advanced fully-synchronised four-axis motion-control system - based on Baldor digital servomotors and drives - to provide the precision of movement needed for tight-tolerance, large-scale profile cutting. The plasma cutters are being used to help fabricate the steel-plate bow sections of two Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. Techserv's HS 4000 plasma cutters are capable of producing high-quality cut parts from steel-plate sheets up to 5m wide and up to 35mm thick. They employ precision-extruded aluminium for the chassis and main beam to ensure rigidity and low mass and use a machined track - with racks to both rails - which can be mounted on mid-level pedestals or on a customer-supplied beam. Depending on the thickness of steel plate being processed and the type of plasma unit that is fitted, HS 4000 machines off...