Automation & Controls

The fast controllers allow highly precise triggering with 0.01% time tolerance between signals. Trigger signals can be derived off absolute encoders or analog signals (sin/cos encoder), enabling higher precision, safer, and simplified solutions as compared to outdated digital encoder-only triggers.

The control enhances the user-friendliness of the Quick Load Servo S3+, a bar feeder that is well suited for unattended and lights-out production thanks to its proven robustness and reliability. Accommodating spindle length bars with diameters from ¼" to 4 – ¾", the bar feeder enables partial changeovers in 15 seconds or less and complete changeovers in 1 minute or less.

The M-1000iA's serial-link construction gives the robot a wider range of motion in every direction. It can extend its arm upright or rotate it backwards, which is not possible for typical heavy-payload robots with a parallel-link mechanism.

The integrated mechanism – composed of precise roller bearings, ball screw and guide – provides backlash-free, purely translatory motion. Furthermore, this results in very compact dimensions. The shaft end of the spindle features an external thread to mount conventional adapters, such as ball heads or clamping hooks typically used with pneumatic/hydraulic devices.

Staying up to date with advancing technology in manufacturing can be intimidating, but refusing to do so can be detrimental to your business.

This multipallet loader from Fastems handles payloads up to 1,000 kg, can load machine tools directly and act as an APC.

Marzel Neckien, president of W Machine Works, San Fernando, California, invested in smart machine monitoring from FactoryWiz that enabled the shop to collect raw machine data and better understand what was happening on their shop floor.

Through the device passthrough feature of TwinCAT/BSD Hypervisor, hardware resources such as the GPU, USB ports and/or network interfaces can be explicitly assigned to a virtual machine. In this way, access to the TwinCAT/BSD system by user and/or network interfaces can be limited, creating opportunities to boost control system security.

Kirk Stewart, general manager of sales and life services for SW North America Inc., shows off the company's BA 322i machining center — a fully automated, independent manufacturing cell from the floor of EASTEC 2021 in Springfield, Massachussetts. SW North America demonstrates a cut on a slide (a firearm component) to highlight the machine's capabilities, its architecture and integrated loading solution.

Hetec GmbH, a machining technology specialist and supplier for tool, mold, and machine construction, has automated its production using the pallet handling system PHS 1500 Allround that helped tie together 5-axis machining centers into one high-production system.

There has been a prevailing myth that manufacturers need to purchase brand new machine tools to incorporate flexible manufacturing systems (FMS). That is not true. Automating existing machine tools is possible and common.

How robots help to qualify for the workplace of the future.