KNF NMS020 Micropump

The new KNF NMS020 micropump introduces an efficient and reliable solution to transfer, evacuate, or compress air or gases for analytical, medical, and all portable instruments where space is at a premium. This compact vacuum pump measures 17mm (width) x 31mm (height) x 44m (length), weighs 32g, and can deliver high-performance flow rates up to 1.8 LPM, vacuum up to 15 in. Hg, and pressure up to 7.5 psig. 

The micropump additionally benefits from a unique diaphragm that promotes high efficiency and flow and helps the pumped medium remain pure and contaminant-free. These micropumps enable safe, oil-free operation without maintenance. Corrosion-resistant wetted parts reinforce their ability to withstand especially harsh conditions. The pumps are powered by cost-effective brush DC motors or brushless DC motors where applications demand extended service life and low EMI/RFI.

All NMS020 micropumps can be tailored to meet particular OEM requirements with a wide range of custom materials, finishes, coatings, and value-added options, including shock and vibration isolation components, restart mechanism against vacuum/pressure, and specialized connections, among others. Pumps are supplied ready for installation and can be mounted in any position.

KNF Neuberger, Inc. 
www.knfOEM.com

Proportion-Air’s QL3 Pressure Control Valve

McCordsville, IN – Proportion-Air, Inc. announces the latest addition to the product line, the new QL3 Pressure Control Valve. The QL3 allows high volumes of air to move quickly and precisely at pressures up to 150 psig using proportional solenoid valves with a unique analog PID circuit. Ideal for use with flow meters, it provides high resolution and smooth pressure control at high and low flow rates and avoids the “steps” prevalent in most feed and bleed I/P’s. The output pressure is proportional to the electrical input or command signal. 

The QL3 improves and builds on the proven Proportion-Air QB3 series’ high performance using a current driven variable orifice solenoid valve and the analog PID circuit. The PID circuit integrates error out quickly resulting in superior resolution. This combination of the “stepless” solenoid valve with a high speed analog PID on a high flow volume booster is what allows large volumes of air to be moved with precision at a very high flow rate.

The QL3 is also easily serviced. The volume booster is designed so there are no stamped gaskets or special molded diaphragms or seal parts. All of the parts related to normal maintenance are standard o-rings. Complete repair kits are available, but in case emergency repair is needed parts should be available from any fluid power distributor or even most neighborhood hardware stores.

Proportion-Air 
www.proportionair.com

Sensor Provides Direct Analog Output on Pneumatic Cylinders

WIM45 magnetic field sensor provides a direct analog output for determining the position of a piston magnet on all types of pneumatic cylinders, delivering greater accuracy than indirect analog monitoring with potentiometers or linear position systems.

The WIM45 detects the position of a piston on standard pneumatic cylinders by using a series of Hall elements, which sense the piston magnet and send a signal back to the processor. Users can reverse the sensor’s analog output slope by rotating the sensor 180°. This feature eliminates the need for two separate sensors and helps streamline the production process. The sensor’s immunity to EMC exceeds IEC EN 60947-5-2 and EN 61000-4-6 standards.

The WIM45’s compact housing is 72 mm long and 5 mm wide, and the unit is equipped with a robust mounting system to ensure stability during operation.

Turck, Inc.
www.turck.us

::Design World::

Compact Cylinders Save Space

In packaging equipment, space is always at a premium. A new line of Vickers® and Hydro-Line® L-series light duty pneumatic cylinders include rodless, ISO/VDMA, stainless steel, and non-rotating designs for the packaging, machine tool, material handling and food and beverage markets.

The robust, space-efficient configuration makes installation easy. The L-Series rodless cylinders have an industry standard base with a smooth, compact profile. The stainless steel models feature a captive cushion design for increased safety. The non-rotating cylinders feature a compact, twin-rod design.

L-Series cylinders have pressure ratings from 150 psi (rodless) to 250 psi (all other products) and can be supplied with almost limitless stroke lengths. They are suited for high velocity and compact inch-based or metric environments. Custom versions are available with non-standard larger bore sizes, longer stroke lengths and higher operating pressures.

Eaton Hydraulics Business, a segment of the Eaton Fluid Power Group.

www.eaton.com/hydraulics

::Design World::

Keep an Eye on the Race-not just the Finish Line-with Transparent Pneumatics

Online Editors Note :: “Live for Speed”

Live for Speed is a small development team dedicated to making the best online racing simulator. Their current release is S2 with which they attempt to recreate the thrill and fun of real racing, by simulating all aspects important to racing.

www.LFS.net

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Festo’s “Live for Speed” Race Car Simulator simulates a virtual car race with diagnostics that provide a transparent view of the entire pneumatic system. The control unit determines the driver’s ranking based on lap time, as well as air consumption, and a diagnostic display unit displays the results at the end of the race.

Imagine attending a tradeshow where you’re the virtual driver of a racecar in a simulated race with up to 23 other people. Your ranking is determined not only by the time it takes you to complete the race, but also by the number of objects you hit and the severity of the hits, as well as the number of times you must re-align your car.

The driver views the simulated race on a large screen display.

In a race car simulator designed by Festo Corp. called “Live for Speed,” the driver sits on a moving carbon fiber chair, which connects to a hexapod support structure, comprising six fluidic muscles. With its degree of freedom in six directions – three linear and three rotational, as well as a forced feedback steering wheel, the racer experiences the true-to-life gyrations he would feel on an actual racetrack. What’s more, a digital surround sound system floods the driver with stellar, race-tuned engine and exhaust sounds, and a large monitor visualizes the race. The simulator lets trade show attendees experience how Festo’s components work together and gives them a chance to feel a fluidic muscle in action.

The Race Car Simulator is based on a hexapod support structure that contains six fluidic muscles. Because the actuation and the forced feedback are so fast, the driver feels virtually no time delay between his actions and the response of the unit.

The CPX determines the winner based upon each car’s air consumption. When a driver hits a curb, runs over grass, or corrects the direction of his car, he consumes extra air, which knocks down his score. (Time is also a factor.)

The entire pneumatic system of the simulator is transparent, and diagnosticians can look into each actuator remotely to check its health status and history.

The muscles function as actuators that accelerate the racer without time delay whenever he hits a curb, drives in the lawn, touches a barrier, or has to correct the direction of his car. A PC controls the game, and an algorithm in Festo’s control unit, CPX, controls six proportional pressure regulators. They have embedded sensors that measure the pressure and pressurize the fluidic muscles depending on the situation in the race. According to Christian Boehm, PhD, Manager Technical Engineering Center (TEC) of Festo, Corp., because they had to control six axes simultaneously, the company’s engineers had to incorporate a complex algorithm into the simulator’s control unit to pressurize the fluidic muscles accordingly. Additionally, the unit uses fluidic muscles, so there is almost no time delay between the driver’s actions and the rate at which the driver feels the response. It is a realistic race – the racer feels the track, and he feels the car accelerate and decelerate when he puts on the gas or the brake pedals.

According to Christian Boehm, PhD, Manager Technical Engineering Center (TEC) of Festo, Corp., the biggest design challenge engineers faced was to translate the forced feedback signal from the software into a hexapod structure. “You have to pressurize each actuator as the situation changes during the race. We had to incorporate a very complex algorithm into our control unit because we had to control six axes at the same time.”
Fluidic muscles are actuators that consist of rubber hoses, and when pressurized, they contract. They have no moving parts, so they have extremely long life times. Also, there is only one actuator chamber because they do not have a piston that moves back and forth from one end position to the other end position. So there is no need to pressurize the opposite branch of the actuator to move the piston back. The fluidic muscle generates a much higher force than a normal pneumatic cylinder, so it can operate at a lower pressure, which is very energy efficient.
The pressure regulators in the system regulate the pressure in proportion to an electrical value. They record the pressure at the given working condition. The electronic control compares the pressure value with the nominal value. An electrical signal is then transmitted proportional to the output pressure. If the nominal and actual values differ, the CPX sends a signal to actuate the regulating valve until the output pressure and the nominal value match.
In a multi-player race, the simulator supports 23 players within an intranet, or it can be played over the Internet. In this mode, it ranks the drivers based on lap time and air consumption. The simulated car can consume a considerable amount of air during the race, depending on the driver’s skill. Air consumption rises when the driver hits an object or corrects the direction of his car.
A flow sensor in the main air supply line of the simulator connects to the CPX, which runs an algorithm to determine the air consumption. At the end of the ride, air consumption and lap time appear on an MS-Excel Worksheet.
The Festo Diagnostic Display presents diagnostic data of the system based on CPX. The simulator is virtually transparent. Users can visualize the entire pneumatic system in action. They can view the data through a Web browser, OPC to a SCADA software, or Front End Display (FED). Users can also view the information remotely as numbers, indicators, or graphs, and can log the data to an SQL database. Developers can program the database to record the driver’s name, company, start number, lap time, air consumption, cycle time, air consumption per cycle, average pressure per cycle, extension and retraction time for every stroke of the actuator, every threshold violation that occurred during a cycle, and more.

Six pressure regulators of the type VPPM interact with the CPX in proportion to an electrical value to pressurize the fluidic muscles.

Festo, Corp.
www.festo.com

: Design World :

Pneumatic Cylinders Help Increase Palletizer Speed by 26%

Philip Vivirito is Industrial Distribution Manager for Parker Hannifin Corporation

Speed is critical in material-handling operations. St. Louis-based FKI Logistex, a leading supplier of palletizers and depalletizers to the material handling industry, needed to increase speed rates on the case turner component of some of its palletizer products in response to customer specifications.

These high-speed case palletizers operate in warehouse and distribution, manufacturing, airports, and postal and parcel applications. The A-940 inline palletizer can reach speeds in excess of 200 cases per minute. 

To meet customer demands for faster palletizing speeds, FKI Logistex explored a prototype pneumatic cylinder, the P5L, from Parker Hannifin. Each palletizer has three to four case turners, which are vertically mounted guided cylinders with an attached plate that strokes out and turns oncoming cases for stacking in intricate patterns on the pallets. If one of the cylinders is too slow, it slows the entire stacking operation.

Company engineers contacted Parker Hannifin for a pneumatic answer to the production speed issues identified by customers, which led to the installation of faster operating air cylinders on the A-910, A-920, and A-940 inline palletizers.

The 40-mm bore provided enough force to extend and retract the turner while the reduced volume and full, open porting enabled fast breakaway and stroke speeds.

Each case turner is a high-speed, vertically mounted guided cylinder with an attached plate that strokes out and turns oncoming cases on a high-speed conveyor and then stacks them in an intricate pattern on the pallet.

Each case turner uses one cylinder. There are three to four case turners on the palletizers. The stroke of each cylinder, typically 15 in., engages in a programmed sequence. If one of the cylinders is too slow, it slows the entire stacking operation.

When FKI Logistex contacted Parker, the company was using a guided cylinder that could not stroke out the turner timely enough to achieve speed levels required to meet the intricate stacking configuration. Thus, palletizer-stacking speed was at a maximum of 110 cases per minute – far below the potential of 150 per minute.

Specifications called for the guided cylinder to complete four objectives:
• provide sufficient force to extend and retract the turner, which weighed 20 lbs.
• extend and retract the turner as quickly as possible.
• withstand the kinetic energy produced by cases striking the turner.
• the mounting had to be precisely interchangeable with the company’s current equipment.

Originally, FKI engineers used a 50 mm bore guided cylinder for this application. After analyzing application requirements, Parker engineers specified a prototype, custom-built P5L 40-mm bore cylinder with a special housing normally used for a 50-mm cylinder. Appropriate housing modifications were made to meet dimensional and mounting requirements.
The P5L guided cylinder met all four requirements. The 40-mm bore provided enough force to extend and retract the turner while the reduced volume and full, open porting enabled fast breakaway and stroke speeds.

The redesigned P5L Series handles most extreme applications and particularly suits those with compressed design cycles. The cylinders have two case-hardened support shafts directed by four linear bearings with all components incorporated into a one-piece housing. Bearing options include standard and oversized composite bushings with chrome-plated or stainless steel shafting or self-aligning and standard recirculating ball bearings with carbon or stainless steel shafting. Composite bushings are impregnated with Teflon for self-lubrication.

Features include self-aligning bearings for high load capacities; micro-adjusters for high precision, accurate stroke; direct-mount cylinders to eliminate transition plates; and capacity to control loads of more than 9000 N while 20-100 mm bores sizes handle strokes in excess of 1500 mm.

The cylinder’s special housing used oversized 35-mm guide rods to absorb the kinetic energy of moving cases at higher speeds. The custom housing also provided an interchangeable mounting design that allowed FKI engineers to simply “drop in” the P5L to start running.

FKI engineers tested the new cylinder alongside comparable cylinders, as well as the one used in the application. “The P5L clearly outperformed alternate cylinders at speeds unmatched by the units we had been using,” said Dan Ross, FKI Logistex Mechanical Supervisor. “It wasn’t even close. We were able to increase overall palletizer speed from 110 cases per minute to 150, representing a production increase of 26%.”

Additional savings accrued from the fact that FKI engineers were not required to design and build their own high-speed guided cylinders. “For us to do so,” said Ross, “it would have cost $125.00 per unit over the price of Parker’s P5L cylinders. With an annual average product usage running at 200 units, this alone saves us $25,000.”

FKI Logistex has chosen the cylinder for all case-turner applications. “As an added bonus,” Ross continued, “the P5L’s treated guide rods eliminated rod-pitting problems that can occur from equipment wash-down operations.”

Parker Hannifin Corp.
www.parkerhannifin.com

: Design World :

 

Pureflex™ Series High-Efficiency Filter Cartridges

Sheboygan, WI—Pentair Industrial introduces Pureflex™ Series filter cartridges, offering high-efficiency and chemically compatible products available for a wide range of filtration needs. The Pureflex Series is manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and cartridge diameters, micron ratings and end cap configurations. Pentair Industrial manufactures housings for the complete Pureflex line of cartridges, which provide superior filtration in applications such as chemical, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage manufacturing. To ensure product integrity, all Pureflex Series models undergo rigorous internal and third-party testing, so that all varieties deliver highest-quality results.

With several models available, the Pureflex Series caters to the broadest variety of filtration requirements. The PF-200AB and PFN-200 Absolute and Nominal Pleated Polypropylene Filter Cartridges are a line of high-efficiency chemical- and bacteria-resistant filters. Operating with a 99.98% efficiency at a stated Beta 5000 micron size, these filters come in 2.2-, 2.5-, and 2.75-inch diameters. Manufactured with Silicone, Buna-N®, Neoprene and Viton® gaskets and o-rings, the PF-200AB and PFN-200 operate with high-dirt holding capacity.

The Pureflex Series is also available in larger sizes. The Pureflex Max Series PF-300AB cartridges, available in 3.7-inch diameters, operate at a 99.98% efficiency at stated micron size (Beta 5000). A 100% polypropylene media runs the full length of the cartridge. Designed with nylon end caps, with optional steel end caps and center core available, the PF-300AB has a cartridge life four times longer than 2.5-inch cartridges. The PF-600AB, the largest filter cartridge in the Pureflex Series, has a 6- or 6.5-inch diameter. Like other Pureflex models, the PF-600AB operates at 99.98% efficiency rating (Beta 5000 micron size). A longer cartridge lifespan maximizes service life. On average, the PF-600AB has 20 to 40 times fewer element changeouts than comparable standard diameter models.

www.pentairindustrial.com

::Design World::

New Uni-Grid Support from UAF

SAUGET, Ill. – The new, ultra-thin Uni-grid support from Universal Air Filter® is the perfect solution for design engineers looking for a support grid that will complement any thin, low-profile air filter assembly while maintaining the sleek filter design throughout the entire cross-section.

Other expanded metal grids contain louvers that can get caught on chassis edges during installation and removal, but the Uni-grid support’s smooth surface will slide in and out of equipment easily. Once installed, the Uni-grid will reduce bowing and bulging commonly found in the center of filter assemblies.

The support adds durability and ruggedness to the filter assembly and has been designed to a high open-area percentage in order to maximize the allowable airflow through the filter.

www.uaf.com/unigrid

::Design World::

UAF Debuts New Ultra-Thin Air Filter

SAUGET, Ill. – Universal Air Filter® now offers a 0.125-inch-thick filter design applicable for any industry or market where a filter is required to fit in smaller spaces.

In addition to using the thinnest media available to meet UL flame safety standards, this filter can be applied to unique designs requiring multi-sided, special-shaped frames. Medical, power gen and industrial computer servers are shrinking in size and will benefit from this design. Also, for example, an L-shaped filter may be necessary on the front of a chassis to clear a bezel latch or system light pipes. The assembly can include a flattened, open Uni-grid support or an integrated, open-perf pattern to maximize airflow or match industrial design preferences. Screens also can be added for additional flame arrestance or EMI shielding.

A design engineer looking to evaluate these filters or any other UAF product can access UAF’s complimentary, round-the-clock prototype service available worldwide via www.uaf.com. The prototype service provides design engineers with assistance in meeting critical design, testing and evaluation deadlines for air filter media. To receive a prototype, the engineer can submit a request on the Internet or via telephone, fax or e-mail. Once the prototype is submitted, it is produced and shipped within five working days.

www.uaf.com

::Design World::

PBC Linear Actuator Gives Green Energy a Lift

In an economy that is gearing more towards green energy, PBC Linear is helping lay down the initial framework. Utilizing the high-accuracy PLA linear actuator, a cutting edge US company that manufactures silicon ingots from solar furnaces is able to sustain smooth, quiet and long-lasting operation for the their specially designed furnace damper that controls temperature for the ingots crystals. These ingots, in turn, are used in the production of electricity generating solar panels for cleaner and renewable energy.

To create a solar panel, silicon ore needs to be fused in a furnace similar to how glass is made from sand. These furnaces are immense, and require a multitude of precision components to work in harmony for the succesful creation of silicon ingots. The ingots are then sliced into thin sheets for the fabrication of the solar panels. If this delicate process is upset, production time and cost would exponentially increase as these furnaces are heated to thousands of degrees and take days to cool down for servicing. PBC Linear’s PLA actuator was installed to control the furnace’s heat damper during the process cycle. The damper provides precise temperature control during the process. To control the critical lifting and positioning of the damper, the manufacturer required a linear system that was low cost, precise and reliable in order to compete on an international level.

The PLA ball-screw driven linear actuator was the answer. The PLA stands out from its competition with its SIMO™ (Simultaneous Integral Milling Operation) machined profile that mills out tight, consistent tolerances on all sides of the system to ensure repeatable guidance at no added cost. The PLA is also equipped with Integral V™ Technology (IVT) to provide enhanced precision guidance of the actuator’s V-rollers. When these advantages combine together, they create a superior linear actuator with no additional costs to the end user.

The silicon ingot manufacturer was immediately impressed with the PLA’s performance and reliability. Since implementation, the actuator has been running successfully, aiding in the production of solar panels and helping jumpstart the renewable energy industry.

For additional information on the PLA linear actuator, PBC Linear’s patent pending SIMO™ process, or the cost reducing Integral V™ linear guide system, please visit their dedicated pages: LAT.pbclinear.com, SIMO.pbclinear.com, and IVT.pbclinear.com.

www.pbclinear.com

::Design World::

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