Industrial control is a highly developed field that advances year on year as the underlying technology advances. But will it and all its specialist sub-sets continue to thrive? Gerard Bush, a motion specialist with INMOCO, offers his opinion.
Downtime can be a manufacturer's worst nightmare, especially if a line cannot be returned to operation within a short period of time. When Dutch machine builder Smart Automation was commissioned by one of the world's leading printer cartridge manufacturers to develop a machine that fully automates the packaging of a wide variety of cartridges, it was essential to build a robust and durable cell.
When manufacturing processes require high precision, high-speed repeatability and flexibility for applications such as CNC, robotics and material handling, production engineers often specify linear motion technologies.
The need to increase productivity and reduce downtime is a key focus for manufacturers. However, when it comes to selecting linear actuators for motion applications, some confusion remains on whether an electric or pneumatic solution is most suitable.
In early 2015 an East German StartUp, AIM3D set out to revolutionise the 3D printing world by creating a 3D printing machine that would offer the potential to eventually become a standard tool on every workbench. One unexpected challenge in this quest was finding a suitable provider of a high-quality linear guidance system that would fit their needs.