Compact DC Motor Offers 200W Power Output

Maxon Motor has unveiled a compact DC motor with a 200W power output. The RE 50 delivers high levels of nominal torque - up to 0.38Nm - from a drive measuring 50 x 108mm. This is achieved using a two-pole neodymium permanent magnet, combined with four different versions of the company's patented winding technology.

The heart of the RE 50, as with all mechanically communicated Maxon drives, is the ironless rotor, which is claimed to provide smooth running thanks to its minimal inertia. Low nominal voltage (24-70VDC), an operating efficiency of more than 90 per cent and good power density make the RE 50 suitable for advanced battery-powered applications such as electric tools, transport and logistics equipment, mobile systems and robotics.

Thanks to the Maxon modular system, the versatile new drive is compatible with the company's gearhead, encoder and control systems, creating compact, high-performance drives suitable for applications in automation, mechanical engineering or medical technology. The motor, combined with its integral graphite brushes, contains pre-loaded bearings that reduce vibration and offer quieter running for a longer service life. A heavy-duty version of the RE 50 is also scheduled for release. It has been designed for harsh environmental conditions, meeting protection class IP54 (dust and splash water protected), and will come with an additional brake.

Rosa Surface Grinder Has Linear Motor Drives

NL Machine Tool Consulting has announced that Rosa Ermando has introduced the linear motor drive for the table of its grinding machines, series Steel Linear and R46. The linear motor is said to reach high speeds and accelerations, where during grinding a traverse speed of approximately 65m/min and accelerations of 2G are feasible. This increases the output capacity and/or reduction of machining times. It also generates high forces, where the thrust of the motor easily reaches up to 10,000N.

The linear motor has no mechanical components with power transmission components and avoids many disadvantages such as friction, mechanical backlash, and mechanical resonance due to elasticity. It is also said to be precise as it is controlled by a linear optical scale, which means positioning of table within micron precision is possible. The linear motor drive is claimed to be a flexible solution that allows creep-feed grinding, with slow table motion, interpolation between table and vertical axis, high-speed grinding till 65m/m. The machines are controlled through a Siemens Sinumerik 840 DiE CNC control unit and can be supplied with fourth and fifth axis for complicated components.

ABB's MSP Brochure Outlines Motor-Service Offering

ABB's Motor Service Partners (MSP) has released the 2009 edition of its motor service brochure, outlining services and products available to its customers. ABB Motor Service Partners is a network of independent motor-service companies, working together and with ABB to provide full lifecycle care of industrial motors and stocking a largest range of electrical motors to suit virtually all applications.

Many of the products are available at short notice. The ABB MSP network can advise on the best purchase for individual needs, help install, maintain and repair motors, and dispose/recycle them once their useful life is spent. The ABB MSP network exists to provide end users with a supply network of high quality products backed up by comprehensive support.

The network comprises of 12 independent motor specialists, located throughout the UK, who have collaborated to offer customers a full range of services related to low-voltage motors, including sales, application engineering and modifications, overhauls and repairs of standard as well as explosion-proof motors, energy efficiency programmes and stock management.

Compair Compressor Uses Variable-Speed Motor

Airchannel has installed a Compair L132 SR rotary screw compressor at Potters Ballotini to meet new compressed-air requirements. Potters Ballotini recently installed a new bagging line at its Barnsley production facility to handle increased volumes and, as a result, air consumption increased from 400 CFM to 800 CFM. To meet this need, and to maximise efficiency, a new compressed-air solution was required.

As the appointed service provider to Potters Ballotini, a key challenge for Airchannel was to align the fitting of the new compressor in conjunction with the arrival of the bagging equipment from Italy to ensure there was no loss of production. From initial consultation to final installation, the project took less than three months.

The Compair L132 SR recommended by Airchannel uses a variable-speed motor, which allows air supply to match the varying production demands. Additional benefits include more air on demand, reduced noise and a smaller footprint. A Domnick Hunter dryer was included in the package.

Curtis Launches Motor Speed Controllers

Curtis Instruments has introduced Models 1225/1235 programmable, microprocessor-based motor speed controllers housed in a rugged, sealed, aluminium enclosure. They are designed for permanent magnet motors, such as those used in mobility aids, scrubbers, personnel carriers and small walkies.

Four quadrant, full bridge power output stages provide solid state motor reversing and full regenerative braking power. They offer smooth, silent, cost-effective control of motor speed and torque. provides extensive standard features. Provides additional features (euroeuro) for special industrial applications.

Model 1225 features: full-bridge power Mosfet design for infinitely variable forward, reverse, drive and brake control; silent high-frequency and high-efficiency operation; programming through the Curtis PMC 1311 or 1314 handheld programmer, an optional universal unit used for programming, testing and diagnostics; complete diagnostics also available through the PowerOn LED; full compliance with all applicable international standards and TUV requirements; available for wig-wag (centre-off) and single- ended (speed pot and direction switch) throttles for standard full-stroke and restricted-range 5k1 and 2 potentiometers; 0-5V throttle signal acceptance; throttle calibration mode for mechanical centring of the throttle, using the 1311 programmer to enter the mode; horn sound and status LED off, whenever the throttle is outside the neutral band; Multimode input, selecting between two operating modes - Multimode allows changes in speed, acceleration, deceleration, current limit and IR compensation, allowing optimisation of vehicle characteristics in each mode, for example indoor/outdoor; speed limit input, providing additional variable-speed limiting, in both mode ranges, with an external pot; linear acceleration and deceleration with softened response for smooth operation; current limited in both driving and regenerative braking; load compensation stabilises speed on ramps and over obstacles - compensates for battery voltage, voltage drops and motor resistance.

Model 1235 features: high pedal disable (HPD) function, monitoring status of the throttle during turn-on and preventing operation until the throttle has been returned to neutral; power-off deceleration, providing a controlled deceleration if the key switch is turned off while driving; comprehensive fault-detect function, monitoring main contactor, output stage, and throttle demand versus output; throttle fault circuitry that shuts off controller if throttle signal goes out of range; missing brake detector that forces neutral in the event of an open brake circuit (programmable); anti-rollback/roll forward circuitry, setting brake delay according to speed and direction, for improved braking response and minimised rollback on hills; over-current-protected brake driver, protecting the controller from shorts in the brake or its wiring - this low-side output driver can also be programmed for side broom or brush contactor, hourmeter and BDI-enable; brake PWM, allowing the brake driver to be programmed to a reduced holding voltage; reverse output, driving a piezo beeper (customer supplied) in reverse; Push Too Fast feature, allowing motor to coast with controller off and brake released - pushing too fast automatically and safely shorts the motor to limit maximum coasting speed; push input that electrically releases brake for key-on pushing (requires the vehicle to be stopped first); inhibit input that disables the controller and puts the vehicle in a safe state during charging; power saver that deactivates the main relay after 25s and entire controller after 25 minutes of non-operation; under-voltage cutback function, protecting against low battery voltage; thermal protection and compensation, for stable output and over-temperature protection; reverse polarity protection (battery input).

TURCK Unveils Motor Starter Economy Modules

TURCK has developed the BL20 motor starter economy module, which uses Swire technology to provide a daisy-chain connection from a single I/O slice to each motor starter via a ribbon cable. 'Swire technology provides plug-and-play connection, eliminating the labour required to hardwire motor starters to digital output points and auxiliary contacts back to digital inputs. 'By using this connection technology, it is now possible to control up to 48 motor starters on a single fieldbus node,' said Nick Clute, product specialist with TURCK's network and interface division.

TURCK BL20 Motor Starter Module allows three-phase motor control to be connected to the same rack as standard I/O. In addition, with the Swire connection, motor starters can be mounted on separate DIN-rails within the same panel - pairing the flexibility of standard motor starters with the advantages of fieldbus control. 'When motor starters are on a fieldbus, the benefit is that they can be located close to the motor they are controlling,' Clute added.

The BL20 motor starter module is available in sizes ranging from .08 to 20hp, direct and reversing, for use on Devicenet, Profibus, CANopen, Ethernet/IP and Modbus TCP/IP networks with both standard and programmable gateways. Trip indication may also be added to any motor starter. The BL20 motor starter module complies with industrial switchgears standards IEC/EN 60947-4-1 and carries an IP20 environmental protection rating. It consists of a gateway, base modules and electronic modules.

I/O modules are configured independently from the Fieldbus protocol, and up to 72 I/O modules may be connected to a gateway, allowing systems including up to 1,152 digital I/O points or 288 analogue channels. All BL20 gateways are compatible with Turck's I/Oassistant software package, developed to perform initial configuration, parameter setup, documentation, commissioning and diagnostic functions for on/offline usage. I/Oassistant verifies that all power and size restrictions are met.

New BLF Brushless DC Motor System

Oriental Motor USA Corp. introduces the new BLF series brushless DC motor system that adopts a brand new design for its motor, gearhead, and driver. High performance speed control is achieved with an increased speed range of 80 to 4,000 rpm (50:1). In addition, the new BLF series is IP65 rated providing splash and dust protection.

The BLF series driver introduces a detachable digital operator unit that serves both as a data input unit and a digital display that can be used up to 16.4 ft (5m) away from the installed driver. The user can program 8 separate speed levels. Each speed can be set in units of 1 rev. per minute with separate acceleration and deceleration values. Detection of various motor and driver error functions including overload, overvoltage, low-voltage, missing phase, overspeed, overcurrent, etc., will immediately stop the motor and output an alarm signal.

The Oriental BLF series driver utilizes 3 speed display modes to help the user. The display modes include motor speed display in rpm, conveyor speed display in meters per minute, and load factor display in percentage of actual load to rated load. A speed teaching function allows the user to set BLF series speeds by physically operating the motor. Four speed-setting methods available to the user are: digital operator, internal potentiometer, external potentiometer, and external variable DC voltage. The motor and driver can be separated by a distance of 65.6 ft (20m).

The BLF brushless dc motors are available in 30 watt (BLF230A), 60 watt (BL460A), and 120 watt (BLF5120) versions. Two Oriental Motor gearhead families, the parallel shaft gearheads and the hollow shaft flat gearheads, are available for use with the BLF motors depending on your requirements.