Servo systems aren’t the only solution for precision motion control applications. Other gear products can fit the bill when more traditional drive technology is desired. A Real-World Motion Control Problem We recently had a customer inquire about a solution for a motion control problem he had in his production of precision bellows. The design was a continuous process of feeding a substrate that was systematically folded and then cut off into either standard or custom lengths. His problem was that the material length between folds was inconsistent, which affected the proper compression of the bellow. [...]

With energy efficiency, a hot topic, designing hybrid power plants for vehicles is growing in popularity and cost-effectiveness. But the gearing necessary requires special consideration. We had a customer recently request a right-angle spiral bevel gear design that was to be incorporated into a hybrid diesel/electrical power package to drive a bus. Much like a train power supply, this hybrid diesel bus engine was to drive a generator that supplied energy to electric motors that powered the vehicle. Designing a gear system to achieve this presented several challenges. The first challenge is that diesel engines [...]

Customers often call saying they need a gearbox but tell us the application is secret. It's understandable that privacy can be a concern. But it's equally important that your supplier really knows what is going on. Many customers feel that they can’t disclose the function or parameters of a new machine design. They are worried that competitors may catch wind of a new development and beat them to the punch before they can get it to market. Unfortunately, it's that secrecy that can actually put the new design at the greatest risk. While torque, power, [...]

In many material-handling applications, it is necessary to make adjustments in the load support center distances to accommodate loads of different lengths or widths, especially if these loads have to be captured to avoid shifting. These loads can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and encompass a variety of industries. Similar designs concepts are used in tooling storage, automated inventory systems, and in large product handling systems. In this case, the customer’s design concept included two carriage beds supported on rollers and running on a guided track. These carriages had to either converge [...]