FUYU Technology company News and Trends items

High-precision Z axis A manufacturer of a highly precise SLA style 3D printer needed to hold layer resolutions to an exacting level of 10 µm. The mechanical accuracy of the constant-force anti-backlash nut and leadscrew coupled with the high performance of a smart step-servo motor made for a system well within the specification at lower overall system cost — as this ass...

When evaluating the accuracy of a linear motion system, the area of focus is often the positioning accuracy and repeatability of the drive mechanism. But there are many factors that contribute to the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of a linear system, including linear errors, angular errors, and Abbé errors. Of these three types, Abbé errors are probably the most difficult to m...

Application / Industry: Packaging, production, palletizing, pick and place, automation. The Challenge: The irregular work envelopes of traditional jointed articulating arms may require redesign of existing workspaces. SCARA and articulating arm robots might be the most recognizable form of robot on the market today but look to gantry robots for getting the big jobs do...

Multi-axis linear systems come in a variety of designs, with Cartesian, gantry, and XY tables being some of the most common types. While these designs simplify construction and can provide space savings, they also introduce “stacking” errors — the compounding of errors from each axis, which manifests at the work piece or tool point. Mounting axes to one another also crea...

Robot positioning systems are long tracks in warehouse, aerospace, and automotive facilities to let one robot perform multiple tasks. Also called robot-transfer units or RTUs or 7th-axis systems, these motion designs are increasingly common for assembly, large-scale welding, and warehousing. In contrast with typical setups in which a robot bolts to a floor, RTUs move ro...

The first step in any automation project is to clearly define the objective — what process are you trying to accomplish or what output are you trying to produce? Once the process or output is defined, it’s time to dig into the details of the application so you can choose the right components or systems to achieve the desired result in the most efficient, cost-effective w...

Cartesian coordinate geometry is an excellent method for mapping three-dimensional space in a simple, easy-to-understand numerical system. In the Cartesian system for three-dimensional space, there are three coordinate axes that are perpendicular to each other (orthogonal axes) and meet at the origin. The three axes are generally referred to as the x-axis, y-axis, and z...

Linear actuators are typically characterized by their drive mechanism – belt drive, ball or lead screw drive, pneumatic drive, etc. But it’s not unusual for rod style electric actuators to be classified by the input voltage – commonly 12 or 24 volts – of their integrated motors. These actuators provide thrust force, much like a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder. In fact, r...

Automation in the manufacturing industry is continuing to grow in demand and can be applied to nearly every application from processing, assembly, inspection to packaging. Gantries and 6-axis industrial robots are widely used to achieve automation for applications such as palletizing, sorting, and pick & place to name but a few. When specifying a gantry or robot, conside...

Haven’t most of us, during childhood, once hoped for a robot that could pick up our toys, place them back and organize them so that our parents wouldn’t scold us for making a mess? Today, it has become reality. Although robots are not yet picking and placing items in our homes, they are doing so in our factories. Let us try to expand our horizons, by understanding pick ...

A linear actuator is a device used to move or control the circular motion linear-direction using a centralized control signal. The control signal helps the motor to move forward and backward any mechanism in a straight line. The pull and push motion enables the device to perform multiple functions such as slide, lift and move heavy loads with the click of a single button...

Following a few simple guidelines for designing linear motion systems can improve system performance and actuator life. Many automated machines rely on linear guidance components, such as profiled rail, round rail or other rolling or sliding bearing structures, to guide and support the moving elements of equipment. Additionally, many times these moving elements are driv...

Linear actuators provide important functions to a range of medical devices such as medical beds, operating tables, and dental chairs. A linear actuator is a mechanical device that converts energy to create straight-line motion to either lift, tilt, or move mechanical legs in and out, depending on the application. The basic components of linear actuators consist of a moto...

Moving a patient in a hospital or medical facility doesn’t always involve racing down a hallway with the patient in a wheelchair or on a gurney. Very often, a patient simply needs to be moved from a lying or sitting position to a standing position (or vice-versa). Even for patients who possess some degree of mobility, assistance is often required when making these otherw...

What is a Cartesian Robot? Machines that operate on Cartesian coordinate systems have been staples in factories for decades. 3D printers, laser-cutters, and CNC machines are examples of devices that use the same principle as Cartesian robots. What sets these robots apart from others is their construction. Cartesian robots are boxy, open, and their primary X-Y directional...

Available in a range of performance capabilities and prices, robots are becoming ubiquitous in all types of industrial production operations. Understanding the capabilities of each robot type is key to making the best choice for your business. For a half-century, the image of the large, six-axis articulated robot welding car and truck bodies has become fixed in the popu...

First, a Cartesian system is one that moves in three, orthogonal axes — X, Y, and Z — according to the Cartesian coordinates. (Although it should be noted that a rotary axis — in the form of an end effector or end of arm tooling — is sometimes included on the outermost axis of a Cartesian robot.) What makes a Cartesian robot a robot is that the axes perform coordinated ...

From a mechanical standpoint, one of the more challenging applications in linear motion has traditionally been to move two or more loads independently, as is required in some handling, transport, and inspection applications. While using multiple linear systems, or preassembled actuators, is a simple solution mechanically, this option typically requires a significant amou...

In Part 1 of this post, we looked at various methods of driving the X axes in gantry systems and how the drive method can influence the gantry’s tendency to experience racking. Another factor that can cause racking in gantry systems is lack of mounting accuracy and parallelism between the two X axes. Any time two linear guides are mounted and operated in parallel, they ...

Gantries differ from other types of multi-axis systems (such as Cartesian robots and XY tables) by using two base (X) axes in parallel, with a perpendicular (Y) axis connecting them. While this dual X-axis arrangement provides a wide, stable footprint and allows gantry systems to deliver high load capacity, long travel lengths, and good rigidity, it can also lead to a ph...

Linear motion systems — consisting of a base or housing, a guide system, and a driving mechanism — are available in a wide variety of designs and configurations to suit almost any application. And because their designs are so varied, they’re often categorized according to key construction and operating principles. Case in point: The term “actuator” typically refers to a ...

The challenge for mechanical automation systems in the past has been the successful conversion of rotational motion from electric or mechanical motors into useful forms of linear motion. A breakthrough in this regard, the conveyor belt system represented one of the first useful implementations of rotary to linear motion conversion for use in a production environment. T...

From aerospace to machine tooling, glass cutting, medical and more, manufacturing processes depend on reliable motion control. Delivering the speed and precision required by these applications are various servo-controlled linear drive systems. One common setup combines servo controls with a traditional involute rack and pinion. The latter can require clearance between ra...

When it comes to linear actuators, electromechanical devices are becoming the option of choice over their pneumatic cousins due to their speed, precision, and size. Over recent years, demands have grown louder from factory and company managers to use more electric rod-style actuators and fewer pneumatic actuators in factory automation equipment. Several factors are driv...

Selecting the right linear actuator for your application involves accounting for the necessary speed, load, stroke length, and more. Building a successful linear motion system starts with choosing the appropriate actuator. Between the different sizes, technologies, and qualities, hundreds of options exist. The trick is to winnow down to the actuator that will deliver th...

Customers demand reduced maintenance and equipment size, and faster throughput and machine setup. To meet these requirements, equipment manufacturers are choosing servo-controlled motion over mechanical components. Motion control defines the capabilities and limitations of a machine. Therefore, to maximize its throughput and flexibility, and to reduce maintenance, you o...

As robotic systems become more complex and production rates climb ever higher, system designers must keep up with the latest technologies or risk specifying a less than optimal design. Let’s review some of the latest technologies and components available, plus take a close look at where they find use. Robot arms suit compact designs Industrial robot arms are not usuall...

Engineers walked three distinct applications, each from a different market. They arrived at three very different end results due to the variations in environment and application details. Application 1 – Packaging: A linear unit is needed to vertically position an automatic shrink-wrapping machine. For safety reasons, the vertical orientation drives us toward a ball scre...

The Z axis telescopes, useful when overhead height is limited. Which technology makes sense depends on many factors, including the operating environment, ease of installation, maintenance, and cost. Certain cutting applications, for example, produce debris that can foul up many recirculating-ball systems and cause them to prematurely fail, particularly when they aren’t ...

Gantry Alignment Tools When positioning-system manufacturers build a gantry system, they typically use special alignment tools during the assembly process to ensure they meet force, precision, and life specifications. Laser interferometers are frequently used for alignment of machines to precision on the order of microns and arc seconds. For example, a laser interferom...

Linear motors are very quick and precise for positioning, but are also capable of slow, constant-traverse speed for machine heads and slides, as well as tool and part-handling systems. A variety of applications — laser surgery, vision inspection, and bottle and baggage handling — use linear motors because they are extremely reliable, require little maintenance, and impro...

Designers getting ready to choose a linear actuator for a specific device or machine should have a list of questions ready to ask suppliers and manufacturers of those devices. These lists usually contain FAQs (frequently asked questions), and most firms that sell actuators are prepared for them. But those suppliers, in many instances, expect potential buyers to ask other...

Brushed and brushless dc motors are a good choice in power sensitive or efficiency craving applications. A lot of times, a dc motor or generator data sheet will include the motor constant Km, which is the torque sensitivity divided by the square root of the winding resistance. Most designers view this intrinsic motor property as an esoteric figure of merit useful only t...

Linear motors offer precise positioning and highly dynamic response for many motion-control tasks. For machine tools, these include not only rapid traverse, but slow, constant-speed movement of machine heads, spindle slides, tool-management systems, and part-handling devices. Despite their capabilities, however, linear motors have not played a significant part in the pr...

In the previous article, we focused on the importance of the program design stage and Fuyu's own process specifications for non-standard design. So how do we carry out implementation after the plan is determined? First, let’s imagine a situation, in Fuyu’s production workshop, the internal OA system received three production messages: They are President Zhang of Home Fu...

As the world of robots expands in the industrial space, it’s prudent to get to up to speed on the multiple types available and their capabilities. In today’s industrial automation field, robots handle difficult, dangerous, and repeated tasks. These jobs include the lifting of heavy objects, pick and placing of parts, assembly of components, or assisting manual labor in ...