Electric monorail system
By Control Engineering Staff -- Control Engineering, 4/1/2008
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| For more about SEW-Eurodrive EMS, see "Wireless Control Sets Automated Vehicles Free" on p.54 |
SEW-Eurodrive announces North American availability of an intelligent Electric Monorail System (EMS) for overhead trolley systems. The flexible transport system saves expensive floor space. Load capacity can exceed 4 tons per car, depending on application requirements. Single and multi-axis vehicles are available.
The system uses Movitrans contactless (inductive) energy transfer and wireless Ethernet for communications. Power, data, control, visualization and diagnostics signals are transported over an air gap. Absolute positioning is controlled by bar codes along the rails and bar code readers on the trolleys.
Decentralized control enables individual trolley speeds to vary and be easily adjusted for changes in production requirements or process variables. Controls are governed by parametrics rather than programming, simplifying installation and startup. The system incorporates decentralized power supply, operator panel; vehicles; switch; continuous diagnostics; in sequence, just in time material flow; an absolute encoder system; and decentralized segment controller. Configuration and diagnostics are accessible via client window on a PC or in the operator panel.
Contactless energy transfer uses a fixed conductor and one or more mobile carriers to transfer the power. U-shaped or flat pickups around the line cable induce electrical energy into mobile converters. Air gap transfer makes Movitrans energy transfer maintenance free. It doesn’t cause wear and is resistant to external pollution. Leaky wave antennae cables enable close-range wireless communication, preventing noise and interference.
SEW-Eurodrive
Honorable Mentions
02/01/2009Wireless power, power harvesting
02/09/2010
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