Mechanical Components

At this year’s Machine Building, Drives & Automation exhibition at the NEC (25-26 March 2009), Schaeffler (UK) Ltd (stand 808) will showcase a number of innovative linear motion products, including linear actuators, miniature linear guidance sets and a unique lubricant metering valve that cuts lubricant consumption by up to 25 per cent on linear guides.

Serapid’s Rigid Push-Pull Chain Technology is perfect for applications where repeatable positioning and the ability to maintain position with no drift are of the highest importance. The interlocking links of Serapid’s system have a simple configuration, and are custom-designed.

Baldor has announced that its Munich facility is now carrying extensive stocks of component parts for Dodge HFO oil-lubricated spherical roller bearings, backed by a fast-turnaround housing assembly service. These bearings, usually paired with split plummer block housings, are one of the mainstays of the air handling industry. Designed specifically for applications where reliability and long inter-maintenance intervals are key criteria – such as industrial fans and blowers – the bearings and housings are also ideal for critical machinery such as emergency generators.

Standard components from the Rexroth mechanical elements and linear motion ranges have provided a convenient, versatile and cost effective solution to the challenge of mounting and controlling a half-tonne lamp array at the heart of a new state-of-the-art solar simulator facility. This simulator developed by the Centre of Sustainable Technologies (CST) at the University of Ulster will be used to evaluate the performance of photovoltaic (PV) panels, solar water heaters, evacuated glazing and similar products.

Robin Kyte, Sales Manager at The Barden Corporation (UK) Ltd, explains why bearing obsolescence is so important when it comes to safety-critical applications such as aircraft systems and nuclear power plant applications.

The new Southco® R4-EM Electronic Rotary Latch combines robust rotary latch security and electronic access convenience in a single integrated solution. Unlike a standard mechanical latch linked with a separate solenoid actuator, the gear-motor drive in the R4-EM delivers a better feel to latch actuation and is more efficient in terms of lower power requirements and higher load capability. This provides versatility for performance across a wide range of applications from storage compartments on truck, bus, off-highway, construction, and agricultural vehicles, to RV baggage doors, to storage compartments or access doors on medical, electronics, self-service, and industrial equipment.

Research at the University of Manchester has demonstrated servo systems with vastly improved dynamics with the most challenging of loads. The key to the increased performance is a torque transducer from Sensor Technology employing Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) techniques to deliver high-bandwidth, non-contact solution.

SKF has launched a new family of energy efficient performance class bearings. The innovative SKF E2 bearings have been specifically engineered and manufactured to reduce frictional moment by 30% or more beyond the already efficient SKF standard bearings.

Parker Hannifin has launched a new range of innovative air filters that incorporate aerospace technology for optimised air flow and more efficient filtration. As a result, the high quality Moduflex Extras filters can reduce energy costs considerably and help organisations minimise the environmental impact of their pneumatic applications.

On any dockside where container cargo is loaded on and off ships, large rail mounted Gantries are used to lift and move the heavy cargo containers. These cranes (some in excess of 200 feet high) move along the dockside on rails and can have up to 8 large steel wheels – 4 on either side. Each wheel is driven individually by shaft mounted gearboxes.