Gearmotors: The Art of Precision and Reliability

High performance, high precision and component compatibility top the list of gearmotor trends in our product-roundup for 2022. These products can be found in everything from AGV and mobile robotics to solar power, aerospace and large optical systems. Additionally, Automate 2022 will feature several gearmotor providers in Detroit later this year. Be sure to check back frequently to the PTE website for the latest product, industry and technical content in these areas.

Faulhaber Focuses on High Speed and Dynamics

With its speed and torque, the new AM3248 stepper motor from Faulhaber raises the bar in terms of performance and dimensions. Offering up to 10,000 rpm, it can achieve five times the speed of comparable stepper motors. Combined with a gearhead reduction of 100:1, it supplies a torque of 5 Nm. The motor delivers these values with a diameter of just 32 mm. This makes it ideally suited for a wide range of applications in areas such as aerospace, laboratory automation, large optical systems, the semiconductor industry, robotics and 3D printing.

The multi-pole, two-phase AM3248 stepper motor performs 48 steps per revolution and offers a very high holding torque of 85 mNm. The motor starts with a high speed from the very first step; thanks to its low inertia, it can be used in applications that require very fast acceleration and fast changes of direction. Newly developed large ball bearings further extend the already long service life of this motor type.

The motor is ideally suited for a variety of demanding applications. This includes aligning the solar panels of satellites, for example. The motors move the booms so that the panels are always directly facing the sun. In addition to working precisely and reliably over many years, the motors must also be able to withstand the extreme temperatures in outer space. In the semiconductor industry, very high dynamics and speed are required when positioning the wafers in very confined installation conditions in the machines. This is another application in which the highest level of precision and reliability are essential.

"Our new AM3248 model meets all requirements and is ideally suited for high-performance applications of this kind," explains Thomas Würgler of Faulhaber Precistep. The corporate unit specializing in stepper motors is located in the Swiss city of La Chaux-de-Fonds, known for its watchmaking. "We are able to adapt the product to the requirements of the respective application, even in small production runs. We provide our customers with the entire drive package, including technical advice and support from a single source.” Learn more here: www.faulhaber.com

Motor Constants with Bodine Electric Company

Motor constants are needed to calculate permanent magnet DC (PMDC) or brushless DC (BLDC or EC) motor specifications and ratings, or to match the motor properly to an amplifier. The motor constants are required in order to predict the PMDC or BLDC motor’s performance with changing variables, such as different input voltages or different loads.

Common Motor Constants:

The most commonly used motor constants are Torque Constant (Kt), Voltage Constant (Ke), Electrical Time Constant (Te), Mechanical Time Constant (Tm), and Thermal Resistance (Rth). Typical values for these constants are derived by using measured values of No Load Speed, No Load Current, Stall Torque, Circuit Resistance, Circuit Inductance, and Armature Inertia with the following equations:

Torque Constant (Kt) — describes the proportional relationship between torque and current. Kt is usually expressed in the units Oz-in./Amp. Learn more here:

https://www.bodine-electric.com/blog/bodine-gearmotor-constants/

AutomationDirect SureStep Motors Extend Torque Range

AutomationDirect SureStep motors are available in NEMA 42 frame sizes. Six motor sizes are available with single or dual shafts. These twelve models extend the torque range of the SureStep line up to 4532 oz-in. The mating extension cables are available in 6, 10, and 20-foot lengths, and an encoder adapter plate option allows the attachment of CUI Devices AMT132/AMT332 encoders and US Digital E6 encoders. The online Stepper System selector, available on AutomationDirect’s website, has been updated to include these new NEMA 42 models and will guide you through the selection of a stepper motor and all the compatible system components. Learn more here:

https://library.automationdirect.com/larger-stepper-motors-now-available-at-automationdirect/

Brother’s DC Gearmotors Suitable for Robotic Applications

Brother's Brushless DC Gearmotors can be utilized with Automated Guide Vehicle (AGV) and Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) applications. Brushless DC motors are cost-effective, compact and long lasting, and offer several advantages over brushed DC motors, including: higher efficiency and a lower susceptibility to mechanical wear, high torque to weight ratio (increased efficiency), increased reliability, reduced noise, longer lifetime, the inside of motor is entirely enclosed and protected from dirt or other foreign matter, precise control of torque and speed and better control of acceleration and deceleration. Brother Gearmotors parts are distributed and serviced from its centrally-located plant in Bartlett, TN. The state-of-the-art facility features on-site technology that not only provides expedited shipping, but also offers accessorizing and customizing for gearmotors such as sprockets, pulleys, connectors, extension cables and custom labeling. Learn more here:

https://www.brother-usa.com/business/gearmotors-and-reducers/brushless-dc-gearmotors

Automate 2022

Many gearmotor providers will be displaying their latest and greatest products and technologies at Automate 2022. Produced by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the first in-person Automate since 2019 will be held June 6-9, 2022, in Detroit after 23 years in Chicago. The event, which hosts many of the industry’s leading manufacturers and system integrators in robotics, machine vision, motion control, artificial intelligence and smart automation, is on pace to be the largest ever, with vendor space nearing capacity at close to 300,000 square feet of exhibits.

“Interest in robotics and automation overall is clearly at an all-time high, with robot orders breaking records,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. “Companies from nearly every industry, from automotive manufacturers to aerospace, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, medical device, warehousing, metals, electronics, food and consumer goods, know they need to automate to succeed, even more so as they struggle with labor shortages and supply chain issues. With more than 350 exhibitors already signed up, Automate is the place to be for individuals and enterprises wanting to learn about the latest technologies and strategies that will help them reach their goals.”

Register for Automate 2022 here: https://www.automateshow.com.