Festo's new HME axis is a fully integrated linear positioning system comprising two elements: a linear guide/linear motor assembly with encoder, and a programmable positioning controller incorporating all the power electronics. It is a 'ready-to-run' system that is especially suited to dynamic applications such as high-speed pick-and-place and assembly operations.unlike other linear motor based actuators, the HME has an integral precision heavy-duty guide that ensure consistency of performance throughout the strike length without need for any other mechanical components. The largest model, for example, can accommodate up to 50Nm of torque and up to 500N of cantilever force on its yoke plate, with no effect on performance. Festo believes this is well beyond the performance of conventional linear motor axes, which require integration with external guidance systems to approach this level of load tolerance.HME axes offer a choice of two thrust ranges (40N nominal/160 peak and 85N nominal/220N peak) and stroke lengths of 100, 200, 320 or 400mm. All can be used in thrust, speed or position control modes where they achieve a repeatable positioning accuracy of+/-0.03mm.The motor itself is an interesting unit. Designed and manufactured by Festo, it is compact and, unlike a lot of linear motors, is claimed to maintain uniform performance throughout its travel. It has no external magnets, so the HME can be used in areas where there is metallic swarf present, such as machine shops. The encoder measurement band is attached directly to the moving guide rod and is sealed to IP40.All the motor drive electronics are housed in a separate IP54 protected controller module that is supplied as part of the package, and which can be located either close to the axis or in a control cabinet. The controller can store up to 31 travel profiles in non-volatile memory and can operate in response to external signals fed to it via the I/O interface or a fieldbus network.