Despite its hard-won global status, the heart of HepcoMotion remains very much in the UK and the majority of its product output is manufactured at Tiverton, with critical bearing elements being produced by a subsidiary in Braintree; some ‘local’ manufacturing, serving the Asian market, also takes place in Korea.
Although individual linear motion product remains an important part of its business the growth area for the company in recent years is in specials and assemblies. Indeed, systems building now accounts for between 20 and 25% of HepcoMotion’s total output. Almost one fifth of its shop floor space is devoted to assembly and the company has invested heavily in flexible manufacturing to ensure that even last minute customer-specified changes can be accommodated.
On the product development front, too, things continue to be buoyant and the company took advantage of the recent Machine Building & Automation event in Birmingham to launch some new additions to the linear motion portfolio. Multi-axis and more demanding single axis applications, for example, can now take advantage of a new generation of the company’s Profile Driven Unit 2 (PDU2) technology, a high-performance, standard precision, belt-driven linear motion system for applications in which space is a premium. The PDU2M delivers a 200% increase in moment load capacity and no less than 1,000% uplift in moment load stiffness, compared with a standard PDU2 unit. Direct load capacity is also 50% greater. In practice, this means that designers can use a single PDU2M unit as a horizontal axis in an X-Z system, where previously two PDU2 units working in parallel would have been required to provide the necessary rigidity and strength.
Key to this achievement is the extra ultra-high performance HepcoMotion Herculane wheels that are mounted on adjustable eccentric studs. These wheels run virtually friction-free on the inside of the profile to provide stable support for the carriage plate. The unit is available with a number of carriage designs to allow the quick and easy construction of multi-axis systems with a minimal requirement for brackets and other hardware.
In common with its forerunner, PDU2M comprises a rigid but lightweight aluminium slotted profile in which the toothed belt drive and carriage are located - an arrangement that effectively encloses the unit. It is rated for speeds of up to 6m/s and is available with a choice of motors providing driving forces up to 280N. The PDU2M is fully compatible with HepcoMotion’s MCS aluminium machine construction system and will be an ideal replacement for failing ball-based systems that are unable to match its speed and reliability.
From aluminium to steel
Robust build quality and an ability to withstand hostile environments are standard attributes of HepcoMotion’s GV3 linear motion system, which features an all-steel slide way that is three times stiffer than composite aluminium systems. Benefits of the GV3’s ‘V’ principle include an effective self-cleaning action that eliminates contamination in the slide way, and cap seals that extend the amount of travel achievable between maintenance intervals. Even for harsh applications, GV3 is about as ‘fit-and-forget’ as it is possible to achieve.
Another important feature of GV3 is its inherent low friction, which means that in many cases, the system can run dry - particularly useful in nuclear applications where the ‘V’ guide wheels can be internally lubricated for life. For applications where access is less of a problem, bearings can easily be changed without affecting the slide. Moreover, thanks to its adjustable eccentric bearings, a GV3 installation will continue to work even when worn.