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actuators

Thomson moves Swedish manufacturing operations to larger facility to ‘make room for continued business growth’

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Thomson Industries, a provider of linear motion control solutions, is moving its Kristianstad, Sweden, operations into a larger space to meet what it says is “growing demand” for its motion control technology.

The Kristianstad plant has been a steadily growing supplier of Thomson electric linear actuators and linear motion systems to European customers and is on track for further growth. The new facility is larger, more advanced and will effectively support future business growth.

Peter Swahn, site manager, Thomson Industries, says: “Strict adherence to safety, quality, delivery, inventory management and productivity excellence has fuelled our success, so much so that we have outgrown our facilities. [Read more…] about Thomson moves Swedish manufacturing operations to larger facility to ‘make room for continued business growth’

AutomationWare prepares for future with new robotic joints

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AutomationWare says it is “looking forward” to the rest of 2023 with the new version of its robotic joints (actuators) in J and T versions and UNI EN ISO 9001 certification for the design and production of systems for automation and industrial robotics.

The era of modular and scalable robotics based on AutomationWare’s J&T actuators begins and Robotics becomes Lego
Innovating the world of high-performance actuators.

AutomationWare has chosen a personal approach to the world of robots, producing high-tech actuators, which it uses both to produce robotic solutions itself (especially collaborative arms with special configurations, sizes and payloads) and to meet the demands of customers oriented towards tailor-made, in-house robotic solutions with degrees of freedom necessary for their application. [Read more…] about AutomationWare prepares for future with new robotic joints

UCLA claims its humanoid robot footballer is ‘better than Messi’

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Mechanical engineers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering have developed a full-sized humanoid robot with “first-of-its-kind technology”.

Named Artemis, for Advanced Robotic Technology for Enhanced Mobility and Improved Stability, the robot is scheduled to travel in July to Bordeaux, France, where it will take part in the soccer competition of the 2023 RoboCup, an international scientific meeting where robots demonstrate capabilities across a range of categories.

The robot was designed by researchers at the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory at UCLA, or RoMeLa, as a general-purpose humanoid robot, with a particular focus on bipedal locomotion over uneven terrain. [Read more…] about UCLA claims its humanoid robot footballer is ‘better than Messi’

Smart actuators help robot valets optimize high-volume automobile storage and retrieval

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Before a newly manufactured car is delivered to a dealership, it typically joins thousands of others in a large storage lot where it can sit for days or even months.

Managing these lots requires many manual, time-intensive tasks: attendants must start each car, park it safely in a designated area, keep track of its location and be able to access it easily for distribution when needed.

Vehicle remarketers, airports, auto rental services and many other businesses that require high-volume auto storage and easy retrieval share these same issues. Ultimately, manual auto parking results in inefficient space and labour utilization, risk of accident and injury to attendants, and burning of fuel. [Read more…] about Smart actuators help robot valets optimize high-volume automobile storage and retrieval

Human-like hands for robots move one step closer with Italian scientist’s invention

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An Italian scientist has invented a robotic end effector that could bring the goal of robots having human-like hands one step closer.

Corrado De Pascali and his colleagues on the Italian Institute of Technology have unveiled an end effector which uses tiny, 8-gram actuators to power many different joints in the complex component.

According to report in New Scientist and several other outlets, the actuators – although small – can actually lift “1,000 times their own weight”. [Read more…] about Human-like hands for robots move one step closer with Italian scientist’s invention

Soft assistive robotic wearables get a boost from rapid design tool

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Scientists created a new design and fabrication tool for soft pneumatic actuators with integrated sensing, which can power personalized healthcare, smart homes, and gaming.

Soft, pneumatic actuators might not be a phrase that comes up in daily conversations, but more likely than not you might have benefited from their utility. The devices use compressed air to power motion, and with sensing capabilities, they’ve proven to be a critical backbone in a variety of applications such as assistive wearables, robotics, and rehabilitative technologies.

But there’s a bit of a bottleneck in creating the little dynamic devices that have advantages like high response rates and power to input ratios. They require a manual design and fabrication pipeline, which translates to a lot of trial and error cycles to actually test and see whether the designs will work. [Read more…] about Soft assistive robotic wearables get a boost from rapid design tool

Specifying a Linear Actuator: 3 Key Factors

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By Japh Humphries, UK Sales & Commercial Manager, Matara UK

Linear motion systems are business critical across an extensive range of industries, from food processing plants, to semiconductor manufacturers and packaging producers to name but a few.

In fact, virtually anywhere that requires loads to be cost-effectively moved in a straight line, safely, securely and precisely.

These systems have improved automation whilst simultaneously lowering production costs, making them invaluable. [Read more…] about Specifying a Linear Actuator: 3 Key Factors

Genesis Robotics releases long-awaited LiveDrive direct drive actuators

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Genesis Robotics has finally released its long-awaited and “revolutionary” LiveDrive direct drive actuators. (See video below.)

The relatively new startup company – now renamed as Genesis Robotics & Motion Technologies – says the new LiveDrive LDD 1800 Series Direct Drive Actuators are available in an extensive range of configurations and performance options.

Genesis says the LiveDrive direct-drive actuators “eliminate the need for gearing and are redefining the next generation of parallel robots and precision machinery”, unlocking capabilities beyond the reach of conventional drivetrains, across many applications. [Read more…] about Genesis Robotics releases long-awaited LiveDrive direct drive actuators

IMI Norgren launches online configurator for choosing actuators

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A new online application configuration tool, which allows engineers to specify their required actuator easily and quickly, has been launched by IMI Precision Engineering. 

The traditional manual specification of electric actuators often prove a “time consuming and complex task” for engineers, says IMI.

The new configurator, which compliments the IMI Norgren Elion Electrical Actuation Rodstyle and Rodless range, has become an “essential tool”, simplifying the process and allowing users to benefit from a wealth of knowledge and expertise to ensure they select the most efficient and accurate actuator, says the company. [Read more…] about IMI Norgren launches online configurator for choosing actuators

Subsea valve actuator ‘reduces energy consumption by up to 75 per cent’, says Rexroth

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Launched less than a year ago, Bosch Rexroth’s innovative Subsea Valve Actuator (SVA) – an entirely new concept for underwater actuators which offers SIL3 safety levels and up to 75 per cent lower energy consumption – has been granted a Mechanical Engineering Design Award.

The SVA was developed to help address some of the challenges and shortcomings associated with either purely electromechanical or electrohydraulic actuator technology used on the sea floor for oil and gas exploration and production systems.

Until now, underwater actuators required large, central hydraulic power units above water. Designed to supply the actuators with fluid, the fluid-lines themselves can be miles long. [Read more…] about Subsea valve actuator ‘reduces energy consumption by up to 75 per cent’, says Rexroth