Mechatronics
Self-assembling robots from MIT have simple design
Resolves problem for modular-robotics community: Small cubes with no exterior moving parts can propel themselves forward, jump on top of each other, and snap together to form arbitrary shapes. Link to video of the robots.
Safe motion modules, hygienic servos, fighting robots
Kollmorgen Safety Modules (KSM) help original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) deliver higher productivity by combining machine safety logic and safe motion. Servo drive advancements, stainless steel motors, and fighting robots were also shown.
Integrated-motor market to expand by more than 40 percent in five years
Integrated-motor market sales are projected to reach $553 million by 2017 due to a larger global market size and additional market revenues from ac brushless servo and dc brushless integrated motors.
Latin American low-voltage motor drive market takes uphill path to $600 million in sales in 2017
The low-voltage ac and dc motor drive market is expand to grow to $600 million by 2017 thanks to lower commodity prices and concerns about potential mining and hydroelectric projects.
Foundation offering grant for electrical motor power density tests
EMERF is offering a $15,000 grant to a university or research facility to develop research concepts on improving power density and efficiency in small electric motors.
North American machine vision sales rise for second straight quarter
The AIA reports North American machine vision sales rose 6% for the second quarter of 2013 with machine vision systems having the highest growth of any category.
Top Control Engineering articles, July 2013
The most-visited articles at www.controleng.com during July 2013 included: System Integrator Giants of 2013, temperature sensor selection, future human-machine interfaces, Invensys sales talks, programming methods, top articles in June, when to automate advice, and industrial network selection, among others.
Linear positioning drives deliver 40 N force
Nanotec Electronic's Nema 8 and Nema 14 hybrid linear positioning drives deliver a force of up to 140 N and a resolution of up to 0.01 mm.
Direct drive motor assemblies
Applimotion's customized direct drive motor assemblies include precision bearings, encoders, and cabling for a low-profile direct drive solution.
Of PLCs, control panels, and VFDs
PLCs have come a long way since the late 1960s and their applications in engineering are both innovative and seemingly endless.
