Humanoid robots are moving from research environments toward industrial deployment. This changes the main challenge from developing working prototypes to achieving reliable series production, while maintaining quality standards and controlling maintenance costs. The partnership addresses this challenge at the actuation level, which affects precision, safety, and scalability in humanoid joints.

The partners bring complementary capabilities. Synapticon provides actuator software, functional safety, electronics, sensor design, and drive technology. Stabilus contributes mechanical design, sourcing, industrialization, manufacturing, assembly, and logistics. Stabilus has delivered millions of electromechanical actuators to the automotive industry. Combining these capabilities supports the development of a production-ready, scalable product.

The joint product line will cover humanoid joints across multiple size classes, from head and wrist joints to hips and knees. Manufacturing is being designed from the outset for high-volume production, using automotive manufacturing and quality standards as a reference.

For more information, visit group.stabilus.com.

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To address aerospace application requirements, NewTek displacement sensors can be customized with rugged and lightweight designs, low-outgassing materials and other application-specific features. This allows the sensors to be configured for aerospace specifications while providing position measurement over long operating periods.

LVDT space applications

In space vehicles, NewTek LVDTs are used to monitor the position and movement of components such as thrust vector control systems, engine actuators, control surfaces, environmental control system valves, landing gear mechanisms and elevated-temperature test stands. The sensors are designed to operate under vibration, shock, temperature extremes and long duty cycles in launch vehicles, satellites and spacecraft.

NewTek linear displacement sensors are also used in ground-based testing and qualification facilities. Engineers use them to measure displacement, deflection, vibration and structural movement during component testing, engine development, environmental simulation and materials evaluation. Their accuracy and repeatability support design validation and pre-deployment system testing.

LVDT configurations for space conditions

Space applications can expose sensors to demanding operating conditions. NewTek says its LVDTs can be engineered for cryogenic operation in vacuum conditions or near propellants such as liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. They can also be designed to withstand launch-related shock and vibration while maintaining position feedback.

Other design options include low-mass cores to reduce payload weight, low-outgassing construction to help limit contamination of spacecraft components and radiation-resistant construction for harsh environments. In aerospace applications, these features can support safety and long-term operation where failure risk must be reduced.

With customizable housings, stroke length, materials and performance characteristics, NewTek says it can configure an LVDT for specific aerospace requirements. The company says sensors can also be designed for extreme environments, including temperatures up to 1000°F, for use in spaceflight hardware, propulsion systems and ground-based testing.

For more information, visit newteksensors.com.

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The booth will include two operating gantry robots. One is a ServoBelt dual-bridge gantry with an XXYYZZ axis configuration, and the other is a 12-foot beam dual pick-and-place gantry with an XZZ configuration. Both systems will be demonstrated in operation during the event.

Bell-Everman develops multi-axis Cartesian and gantry systems using its ServoBelt linear drive technology. The company designs these systems for applications that require extended travel lengths in automated environments.

Attendees can observe the systems in operation and discuss gantry robot configurations and application requirements with Bell-Everman engineers.

For more information, visit bell-everman.com.

The post Bell-Everman to demonstrate gantry robots at Automate 2026 appeared first on Linear Motion Tips.

Güdel extends collaborative robot reach with CoboMover
Güdel forms Güdel Americas for customer support
Güdel gantry robots add gentle touch to bakery automation
Güdel advances linear motion expertise

This year at the Automate Show, Güdel will showcase integrated vertical and horizontal motion for grinding.

In fact, the grinding and surface finishing of fabricated parts is a classic dull, dirty, and dangerous (3D) application primed for robotic automation. Until now, automating large-fabrication grinding necessitated many robots and complex part repositioning — costly and time-consuming and risking variations in the process.

At Güdel’s Booth #1806, the company will demonstrate how it’s overcoming these issues by adding two additional degrees of freedom to heavy-duty grinding applications. By integrating its TrackMotion Vertical TMV and TrackMotion Floor TMF systems, Güdel lets a single robot maintain consistent contact pressure and path speed across massive surfaces that would otherwise require multiple robots or complex part repositioning.

Unlike standard stationary setups, Güdel’s multi-axis motion systems provide three key strategic advantages for the shop floor.

A single robot can service an entire large work envelope, eliminating the need for multiple fixed units and simplifying cell design, safety, and controls.

By keeping the robot in a favorable working posture, the system minimizes joint extremes and wear, ensuring repeatability during long, high-force grinding cycles.

Designed specifically for abrasive environments, the track systems protect critical components and position the robot away from aggressive debris zones typical of grinding operations.

“Expanding the robot’s workspace isn’t just a helpful addition; it’s the factor that finally makes automation feasible for large, difficult-to-reach parts,” said Brenda Courim, Director of Sales and Marketing at Güdel US. “The combination of vertical lift and long horizontal travel provides a practical production solution that can be updated through software as part designs evolve, rather than requiring expensive mechanical rework.”

The primary demonstration at the Automate Show features a FANUC R-1000 robot equipped with a grinding end-of-arm tool. The robot is mounted on a TMV system, which is itself integrated into a TMF track. This specific application was developed by systems integrator Titan Robotics to solve the challenges of grinding large weldments for a major off-road equipment manufacturer.

“Applications like this show how manufacturers can overcome the challenges of traditional robotic grinding,” said FANUC America V.P. Lou Finazzo. “By combining FANUC’s robot performance with Güdel’s vertical and floor-mounted motion, customers gain the reach, stability, and process consistency needed to automate large, demanding grinding applications.”

Learn more at gudel.com.

The post Güdel previews linear-motion systems ahead of Automate Show appeared first on Linear Motion Tips.

The U.S.-manufactured ball screws convert rotational motion into linear movement and are designed for positioning accuracy, low friction and long service life. Using recirculating ball bearings that roll instead of slide, they provide efficiency above 90% while reducing heat generation and wear. Available diameters range from 3/8 in. to 1 in., lengths from 24 in. to 72 in., and multiple lead options are offered for applications including CNC machinery, robotics, packaging equipment and material handling systems.

RBS ball nuts are matched to corresponding screws to support consistent load distribution and repeatable performance. They are designed to handle axial loads with low backlash and maintain accuracy over extended operating cycles, including in high-speed and high-load applications. Select models include safety springs and compatibility with wiper kit accessories for harsher operating environments. Together, the ball screws and nuts are intended for motion control applications where accuracy, lower maintenance and longer service life are required.

For more information, visit automationdirect.com.

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Integration features

The DMA is intended to help OEMs move from prototype to production with fewer integration steps than more complex focus stages.

• Plug-and-play architecture: Integrated controllers and a two-cable setup allow the stage to be connected and operated quickly.
• No-code optimization: The Zaber Launcher application includes Oscilloscope and Servo Tuning tools for throughput tuning and performance verification without custom code.
• Easy synchronization: Integrated I/O and encoder outputs allow connection with third-party hardware and sensors.
• Developer-friendly API: The stage supports an open-source API with sample code in Python, C#, C++, and other languages.
• Simplified topology: The system can be daisy-chained with XY stages and other modules using a single data and power cable to reduce cabling.

Applications

The DMA is intended for imaging and inspection environments that require accurate positioning and frequent movement.

• Spatial biology: Supports rapid Z-stacking for spatial workflows.
• Digital pathology and cell morphology: Supports tile scanning with fast objective focusing.
• Drug discovery: Designed for continuous operation in high-content screening systems.
• Optical metrology and semiconductor inspection: Supports precision positioning with 1 nm resolution optical encoders.

Availability and support

The DMA Objective Focus Stage is available for purchase now. Pricing is posted online, CAD files are available for download and units ship within one business week. The system includes a 30-day money-back guarantee and technical support with a stated one-business-day response time.

For more information, visit zaber.com.

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Elara Aerospace is an academically led initiative founded at the Technical University of Munich in Germany. Its team is working to become the first student group worldwide to develop a liquid-propelled rocket exceeding 100 km in altitude while being fully reusable with up to 100 kg of scientific experiments.

As part of a joint partnership with sister brands Boston Gear and Kollmorgen, Thomson is providing two Thomson PC Series precision linear actuators integrated with Kollmorgen AKM13D servomotors and dual-axis drive systems — along with Boston Gear Micron NemaTRUE planetary gearheads. Together, the components form a coordinated motion solution tailored to the application’s performance requirements.

More specifically, in the Elara rocket, the actuators allow engine gimbaling for controlled movement within a narrow ±5° operating range. The PC Series actuators were selected for their compact design, ballscrew-based construction, and accurate and repeatable motion in space-constrained applications.

“Every commanded movement [in rocket-control applications] must be predictable, measurable and easy to verify,” said Regal Rexnord’s Linear Motion Division business development manager Anders Karlsson. “For us, the value of this partnership is supplying components and helping Elara build confidence in the actuation approach before the system moves into flight use. Working closely with the team helped us ensure the motion package fits cleanly within the overall engine control architecture.”

The actuators were supplied as individual components so the Elara Aerospace team had flexibility in system design and testing. The motion system is currently being validated on development platforms for use in the rocket’s engine control system.

“For an academically led team working on active engine control, it was important for us to use components that were technically capable and practical,” said Elara Aerospace founder and CEO Tom Luca Reinhardt. “Thomson’s guidance gave us a clear path for the thrust vector control design without adding unnecessary complexity.”

Thomson | thomsonlinear.com

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Part 1 of 3: Heavy-duty electric actuation — in presses
Part 2 of 3: Heavy-duty electric actuation — to replace hydraulics
Part 3 of 3: Heavy-duty electric actuation — on large-scale gantries

Off-highway equipment is also making copious use of screw-based electric actuation. In fact, electric actuators have sometimes replaced fluid power-based actuators on off-highway or other equipment where the axes are linear. This is because electromechanical systems consume energy only when moving an axis, resulting in an average efficiency of 82% in converting input power into output work. In contrast, hydraulics typically have an end-to-end efficiency of only 45% or so. Plus, utility electricity is generally cheaper than fossil fuels.

Related: Linear actuators power mobile machinery

As evidenced by exhibits at this year’s ConExpo, there’s an increasingly wide array of stock ballscrew and roller-screw electromechanical actuators for heavy lifting applications. Certain actuators capable of multiple tons of force are targeted to heavy lifting applications. Developed for construction, agricultural machinery, and automation applications, those with a modular design let design engineers select base components — screw drive, gearbox, motor, and mounting — to accommodate preferred motor types or connect to existing controls for reduced design and programming costs.

Some ballscrew-based electric actuators enable energy recovery during braking or lowering. Complementing this capability are ballscrews (along with spur gears and seals) that are friction-optimized. Such components can yield top efficiency — especially when they’re paired with a synchronous servomotor of efficiency class IE4 or higher.

Related: Update on electrification

With some actuator series, design engineers can specify a speed limit with a centrifugal brake so there’s safe load lowering without power.

Multiple mounting options simplify integration into different applications. For example, some push tubes are available with a T-Bar, threaded male-connection pin, internal threads, or a screwed-on rod end. Motor-side mounting options can include trunnion mounts on the bearing housing or two rear attachments on the gearbox.

Very large ballscrew actuators capable of many tons of output force often feature vents to maintain IP66 while in motion.

Actuator product series that come in ballscrew and roller-screw versions are often offered to replace hydraulic cylinders on mini excavators and mini wheel loaders. These actuators feature a compact design and various mounting options. High positioning accuracy and controllability via bus system lets several drives operate synchronously for more combined power. Typical speeds reach 750 mm/sec and strokes 2 m.

Linear Motion Tips | linearmotiontips.com

The post Bonus: Heavy-duty electric actuation in off-highway applications appeared first on Linear Motion Tips.

Lisa Eitel · Executive editor

Heavy-duty machine tools create uniquely challenging conditions for screw-based electric actuation — and yet the benefits of such actuation often justify the extra engineering to migrate from traditional fluid-power solutions.

As we’ve covered, an increasing number of industrial machine tools use screw-type electric actuators rather than hydraulics to apply controlled force over a set distance. These actuators usually combine a rotary electric motor (such as an ac servomotor) and a ballscrew or roller screw to precisely move critical axes.

Related — Part 1 of 3: Heavy-duty electric actuation — in presses
Related — Part 2 of 3: Heavy-duty electric actuation — to replace hydraulics

But what about machine tools involving extremely large workpieces or workcells? Here, rack-and-pinion drives are standard on many long X and Y axes of large installations, because rack sections can be joined for travel over many meters sans the critical-speed constraints of screw-based solutions.

Various linear-drive types on large-scale gantries

Consider large-scale straddle gantries that traverse many meters (and even dozens of meters) to assist in the demolding, processing, or other finishing of cast architectural, aerospace, and energy workpieces. These have a bridge-type arrangement to allow especially sizable workpieces through their portal. Large linear-motion systems in the form of rack-and-pinion drives carry workpieces over the long travel lengths while maintaining high stiffness and precision.

Rack-pinion drives deliver especially high thrust at high traverse speeds when used in tandem for a dual-drive format. These setups command two pinioned motors along parallel racks.

Milling machines beyond a certain size feature rack-pinion drives. Preloading the minimize backlash can impart the stiffness and reversal behavior needed for milling. For example, portal milling machines from Germany-based Zimmermann (with U.S. offices in Michigan) employ rack-and-pinion drives in X and Y complemented by linear guides for precise and dynamic motion. More specifically, the machine builder uses Wittenstein HPLS rack-pinion drives on certain FZ-series portal milling machines.

All this use of rack-and-pinion solutions doesn’t completely preclude the use of screw-based actuation on large-scale gantries, though. Ballscrews are limited by available screw length, critical speed, and support complexity so they’re more prevalent on moderate-travel portal axes and Z-W rams — where gantry strokes are shorter than about 6 m or so. That’s especially true for Z axes and to a lesser extent Y axes.

As mentioned in previous installments of this series, ballscrews offer high axial stiffness and linear thrust along with predictable behavior that simplifies the control of axes in which they operate. No wonder some gantry-type five-axis machining centers employ ballscrews on all axes.

Where needed on heavy axes, dual ballscrews (like rack-and-pinion sets) can be operated in tandem in dual-drive setups. Besides increasing thrust, certain variations can also prevent racking — the issue of skewing. This occurs when one of the two linear axes mounted and connected in parallel lags behind the other, and the leading drive pulls the laggard along.

Where linear motors are suitable

The most common motors on the linear axes of machine-tool gantries and related heavy equipment are overwhelmingly brushless (permanent-magnet synchronous) ac servomotors paired with gearing of some type. That’s true whether the motor pairs with a screw drive or sports a pinion to ride a toothed linear rack. In contrast, for the rotary axes on five-axis milling machines (whetherwhether swivel-head designs that pivot the tool or trunnion designs that pivot the workpiece) direct-drive torque motors (sans gearing) can be more common than gearmotors. For example, certain gantry milling machines from Megatel CNC Solutions Inc. feature direct-drive motors on these milling axes.

But direct drives can be suitable for the linear axes of these machines, too. Linear motors (typically iron-core linear synchronous) offer efficient direct-drive operation with essentially zero backlash, high acceleration, and top reliability. Linear motors here are most common on high-speed vertical machining centers or VMCs — especially those having shorter travels than say, aerospace-size portals. Linear motors of course are costlier than alternatives and (due to their heat generation) require careful thermal monitoring and management.

Linear guides in large-scale automation

For load bearing, rack-pinion linear axes are complemented by:

Profile-rail linear guides with recirculating cylindrical rollers or (less common in these applications) balls. Roller-type profile rails (cylindrical rollers in the carriage) are favored as machine axes get larger because they offer high stiffness and load capacity though at the expense of slightly higher friction and more need for lubrication.

Track-roller (steel wheel on mating track) linear guides. These totally contain the load-bearing arrays (whether balls or cylindrical rollers) within the wheel assembly, so they never directly contact the track … and all the debris that might be on it. Another benefit that track-roller linear guides offer to machine-tool equipment is a geometry that’s forgiving of misalignments that might be present between dual drives operated in tandem on a given axis.

Linear splines or round rail paired with bushings — often integrated in foursomes around the axis. These excel on vertical axes needing to maintain alignment.

Linear slides with boxway or dovetail geometries. In fact, these linear ways handle immense loads and vibrations with large areas of contact for applicability that differs from the other linear bearings mentioned here. No wonder they persist in the largest, heaviest, and highest-force axes.

Hydrostatic (oil-film) linear guides — especially on axes needing vibration damping. Hydrostatic linear guides have carriages featuring an internal circuit of pressurized oil that’s regulated by an external system. The carriage rides the linear guideways upon its circuit’s hydrostatic pockets of oil. Bridge-mill OEMs especially employ hydrostatic guideways to avoid stick-slip and wear.

The feedback and controls of large-scale machine tools

No matter the actuation type, electromechanical drives are complemented by motor encoders and in some cases linear encoders (scales). The latter appear on precision axes as well as extra-long axes (of many meters) as those on large gantries needing accuracy over the full stroke. That way, position is maintained though closed-loop control to mitigate any effects of rack or screw pitch error, thermal growth, or various forms of mechanical compliance. For example, W Industries’ massive CyberMill gantries use Heidenhain LB 382C sealed linear encoders on all three critical axes.

Industrial controls of all types trace their roots to CNC, and so it follows that IIoT technologies lead in the machine-tool industry. Consider the EMCO Mecof Powermill G3 HPC3 that allows milling of large workpieces with strokes of 18 m in X, 4.5 m in Y, and 1.75 m in Z. A DIN 876 class-II workspace of 18 m x 3 m and load capacity to 15,000 kg/m² accommodates a 6,000-rpm dual-rotating head. Equipped with Heidenhain TNC 640 HSCI numerical control, EMCO also includes a Heidenhain TNC Remo for remote loading of instructions and programs. A Heidenhain DNC connects the machine to the company’s logistics systems. Endusers can control and manage the Powermill G3 HPC3 via a Heidenhain HR 550 FS wireless keypad and integrated video surveillance with Bosch cameras and 19-in. touchscreen monitors for realtime monitoring of the work area.

In contrast, the Zimmermann FZU32 five-axis gantry milling machine is controlled with a Heidenhain TNC7 or Siemens SINUMERIK ONE. But maintaining optimized milling over the long term also requires maintenance of the tooling and cooling. So, a BLUM measuring unit monitors tool cutting complemented by a pair of 36-tool changers. For machining challenging materials such as carbon fiber reinforced polymers or CFRP workpieces, flood systems do double duty to both cool and clear away shavings.

Check out Bonus: Heavy-duty electric actuation in off-highway applications.

The post Part 3 of 3: Heavy-duty electric actuation — on large-scale gantries appeared first on Linear Motion Tips.

Lisa Eitel · Executive editor

Consider how some industrial forming machines use screw-type electric actuators rather than hydraulics to apply controlled force over a set distance. These actuators usually combine a rotary electric motor (such as an ac servomotor) and a ballscrew or planetary roller screw to precisely advance a ram, platen, or slide. Complementing the motion system are thrust bearings for end support and axial load handling, linear guides flanking the screw, and force and position sensors for feedback.

Related: Fluid Power World article library on presses

Ballscrews have lower load capacity than fluid-power solutions yet are extremely precise. Planetary roller screws, which use threaded rollers rather than balls for more contact (and therefore transmit more power) can output axial forces approaching those of some hydraulic cylinders … though the peak force density of all but the largest roller screws is still lower than that of hydraulics.

That said, many applications’ requirements are within the ranges of stock electric cylinders based on planetary roller screws. A representative actuator with a 75-mm cylinder screw size might deliver peak forces to 500 kN — previously possible only with hydraulics. What’s more, the precision recirculating roller screws and short screw leads (1 mm) deliver this force with high positioning accuracy for positioning adjustments controllable down to micrometers.

Both screw-based types of actuation offer the efficiency and programmability of motor-based systems as well as relatively easy integration into networks for advanced digital configuration and monitoring. These benefits make electromechanical linear actuation worthwhile in a wide variety of machine-tool and other applications … justifying the extra engineering and maintenance required to establish and sustain their reliability and performance in heavy-duty applications.

Thermal effects and the importance of lubrication

In heavy-duty machines, a major threat to ballscrew and planetary roller-screw performance is heat. High RMS torque from frequent speed changes can make the nut and support bearings especially hot even if the axis is operating slowly. In fact, all the contacting elements inside the nut often means it runs hotter than the screw and frame, so there’s uneven expansion and load distribution. Unfortunately, if the screw overheats (through thermal conduction via contact with internal nut elements) it can lengthen and clearances increase … and machine performance falls. So, specifying screw-based actuation for heavy-duty axes requires careful quantification of how hot the screw will get during normal operation. Then if needed to address axial growth, a rotary bearing at one screw end can be left free or complemented with an expansion compensator or other sensor-based solution.

Absolutely central to keeping operating temperatures in range is the oil or grease within the assembly. This is why regular relubrication is critical — especially for roller screws.

“In high-duty-cycle applications, thermal buildup can lower lubricant effectiveness, reduce fatigue life, and cause thermal expansion that can degrade backlash and precision,” said engineer John Fenske of Tolomatic. “To mitigate these effects, it’s always wise to have scheduled maintenance with relubrication” — especially when using screw-based actuation in heavy-duty machinery, noted Fenske.

“Other options are high-temperature greases or selecting an actuator that is oil-cooled.”

The maximum allowable nut temperature dictates which materials, coatings, cages, seals, and to some extent preloading are most suitable. In oil-cooled actuators, the screw is usually in a sealed compartment filled with oil that acts as both lubricant and coolant. Viscosity is carefully selected (along with additives) to prevent film breakdown or (the opposite issue) thickness that exhibits churning.

“The stroke length of the actuator should also be considered,” added Fenske. “In applications with short strokes needing a single rotation of the screw or less, lubricant distribution can be affected, causing thermal buildup and premature failure. A well-planned relubrication schedule is critical in these cases,” concluded Fenske.

Of course, machine-tool settings often include shavings, abrasive particulates, and detrimental fluids that (unless the ballscrew or roller screw is fully sealed and ruggedized against ingress) could contaminate the lubricant within.

Shock loading on heavy-duty axes

One key advantage of hydraulic cylinders is how their fluid-based physical linkage to axes’ end effecting protects the rest of a machine assembly against shock loading. Such shock is common in machine tools that output high forces that are sudden (or suddenly reversed) or subjects to repeated impacts. On screw-based assemblies, such loading can induce plastic deformation (including Brinelling) on the linear drive as well as guide assemblies, even if peak load stays within rated limits.

“Shock loads are a concern due to the heavy tooling and the general inertia that is typical in these systems,” said Fenske. “A roller screw will mitigate shock loads due to its structural stiffness and larger contact area, but if the risk of shock loading is high, designers should consider selecting higher-capacity roller screws and possibly shorter screws to reduce backdriving tendencies during shock events,” he said.

Any applications involving especially challenging loading should be outfitted with mechanical drives that won’t exhibit torsional screw windup, nut-roller skew, or cage instability. Though service life for screw drives depends on duty cycle and the motion profiles of the axis’ functions, machine tools that could damage assemblies with sudden loading should be specified with a generous static safety factor.

The importance of bearings (both radial and linear)

Any screw-based electric actuation of heavy-duty machine-tool axes requires radial bearings (at the motor and screw ends) as well as linear bearings engineered, specified, and installed to prevent misalignment and side loading — especially on axes involved in pressing or stamping. In addition, the machine frames to which bearing and guide elements are assembled must be rigid … or else edge loading and localized Hertz stresses can occur. That’s because ballscrews and roller screws don’t tolerate radial and moment loads or lacking parallelism.

Radial and linear bearings together must also accommodate the excitation of critical speeds as well as torsional and axial resonance modes — and minimize any skidding, fretting, and noise (and worse yet, plastic deformation) that can accompany vibration. Stability in the face of rapid accelerations and reversals for a given characteristic speed DN is especially important on machine-tool axes. Read more about screw critical speed vs. characteristic speed DN at linearmotiontips.com.

Whether hydraulic cylinder or servomotor-screw driven, the most demanding machine tool axes — the ramming axes of a sheetmetal stamping presses, for example — often use gibbed boxways, round-rail linear bushings or splines, or rugged hydrostatic linear guides designed to maintain parallelism even under high dynamic loads.

Hydrostatic linear guides have carriages featuring an internal circuit of pressurized oil that’s regulated by an external system. The carriage rides the linear guideways upon its circuit’s hydrostatic pockets of oil.

Any linear load bearing with profile-rail guides (containing relatively delicate rolling bearing elements) must be very carefully engineered.

No matter the type used, the linear guides on these demanding axes need to maintain parallelism and axiality with the mechanical drive. When paired with a screw-based drive, they must also keep the radial load on the drive nut within allowable values — or integrate with complementary brackets, mounts, and supports to prevent drive-assembly reactions to nonideal loading.

Feedback with hybrid actuation

Digital-transformation (DX) efforts are increasing the need for connected manufacturing. Press equipment now requires actuation with integrated force and position feedback, realtime monitoring, and cycle-level data collection. This is critical where traceable process data is needed for quality checks and predictive maintenance.

What’s more, manufacturing is moving to more product variety and faster changeovers. Presses must adapt quickly to changing process parameters.

Electric actuation is easier than hydraulic actuation to integrate into software systems for DX and IIoT functions.

For example, programmable hybrid electric-hydraulic actuation fits the bill for such flexible production lines with modifiable force, position, speed, and dwell profiles. Output from some of these hybrid actuators is 100 to 150,000 lb precisely controlled to deliver specific positions, forces, speeds, and dwell times set by servolevel programming. Such actuators can even include force and position sensors for realtime cycle traceability, process validation, and automated pass-fail quality checks. Such connectivity also lets operations synchronize multiple hybrid electric-hydraulic actuators on especially high-force applications or machines that need to distribute force across large tooling structures.

Check out Part 3 of 3: Heavy-duty electric actuation — on large-scale gantries.

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