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What are non-captive linear actuators?

According to PBC Linear, their new non-captive linear actuators are different from the more common external versions of lead screw-driven linear actuators because they allow the lead screw to completely pass through the motor. This fundamental difference offers advantages for designs that have limited space available or for engineers looking to shrink the overall size of their design package.
Read the full PBC Linear blog.

Güdel introduces Swiss-quality tracks for cobots

Güdel Inc. is highlighting new technologies at Automate 2025 booth #2418 that demonstrate its unmatched ability to solve automation engineering challenges. One is the Cobomover, a 7th-axis linear track purpose-built for collaborative and lightweight robots. Designed and manufactured in Switzerland, this unit extends the working range of robots up to 5 m, allowing them to operate multiple workstations and perform a variety of tasks without manual repositioning. Compatible with over 60 cobots and small traditional robots.
Learn more and get all the specs.

New open-center XYZ stage

ThruSight-Focus is a high-performance, compact motion platform specifically engineered for applications requiring dual-side access to the sample or workpiece. It pairs ALIO's monolithic open-center XY stage -- known for its nanometer-level precision, crossed roller bearings, and direct linear drives -- with a novel Z-wedge mechanism that converts horizontal drive force into vertical motion via direct drive. This innovative architecture eliminates backlash, enhances servo responsiveness, and delivers fast, stable Z-axis movements -- all within a low-profile footprint.
Learn more.

Eaton unveils differential engineered for EVs

Intelligent power management company Eaton launched a new differential engineered specifically for electric vehicles at Auto Shanghai 2025 in China. The innovative design addresses the unique challenges presented by EV propulsion systems, including shared low-viscosity oil environments, increased sensitivity to noise, and the demands of high and instant torque delivery.
Read the full article.

Top Product: Integrated servo system is 20% smaller than standalone unit

Applied Motion Products has introduced the MDX+ series, a family of low-voltage servo systems that integrate a servo drive, motor, and encoder into one package. This all-in-one drive is an ideal solution for manufacturers in logistics, AGV, medical, semiconductor, the solar industries, and many others.
Read the full article.

What's the latest in automation? Find out at Automate 2025

Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots will debut new and AI-powered automation solutions across integrated industry workflows at Automate 2025 from May 12-15 in Detroit. This joint showcase from Teradyne Robotics companies will feature comprehensive automation solutions across Automotive, Electronics Manufacturing, and Logistics zones, highlighting the power of collaborative and mobile robotics.
Read the full article.

Remote automation monitoring for Android

At Automate 2025, Olis will launch a remote automation monitoring, diagnostic, and error recovery app that turns Android smartphones and tablets into gateways for any automation cell -- without the need for additional hardware. The Olis app synchronizes real-time video with system logs, collecting diagnostic data on robots and PLCs to provide a complete picture when something goes wrong. Full setup takes less than five minutes (including a simple online purchase), making this app an efficient retrofit for legacy automation systems. Many more features, including screen sharing, alert setting, and customizable workflows.
Learn more.

5 mistakes to avoid: Specifying a stepper system

Learn from experts at Kollmorgen the five most common mistakes that engineers make when specifying and working with stepper motors and drives, the problems that can result, and how you can avoid them. Will you get the rated torque, stall torque, and speed that matches the published data? Also learn about undersizing, oversizing, and mismatching. Bonus "5 best practices" also included.
Read the Kollmorgen blog.

Motors: Simplicity and efficiency for air handling

ABB has expanded its HVACR motor product line with the launch of ERH, a highly efficient, compact, and lightweight solution for fan wall applications. This advanced motor technology delivers plug-and-play, variable-speed operation for simplified installation and lower energy consumption. This synchronous brushless EC motor consumes as much as 40% less electricity than standard induction models run across the line. ABB engineered ERH by eliminating belts, couplings, and other wear components to simplify the system. Arrives pre-configured.
Learn more.

Stepper motors made to handle harsh environments

The new, high-torque AW stepper motors from Applied Motion Products are an ideal choice for exposure to splash, moisture, and dust in Food Processing, Medical, and Industrial Manufacturing applications. These NEMA 23/24/34 motors feature IP65-level protection, and their M8 and M12 connectors ensure a secure connection in high-vibration dynamic systems. Variants equipped with brake and 1,000-line optical encoder are available.
Learn more.

Compact gantry system for high dynamics

Rollon's new compact and highly versatile H-Bot gantry system meets the needs of applications requiring a small footprint and a high level of efficiency. It boasts two fixed motors on the X-axis with a single belt, motorized via pulleys and easily tensioned. The option of mounting the motors on either the front or rear heads, upwards or downwards, gives H-Bot extreme versatility. The absence of a motor on the Y-axis significantly reduces moving masses, decreasing vibrations and allowing high dynamics to be achieved. Designed to handle light loads that require a high level of precision.
Learn more.

Cobot 7th axis with collision detection turbocharges multitasking

Do you need to move a cobot assembly from one task location to another? Thomson Industries' new Movotrak CTU 7th axis features collision detection settings for expanded programming and control benefits. Also known as a range extender, the Movotrak CTU 7th axis features a servo motor and linear-unit-driven guide rails that move a cobot assembly. An industrial robot transfer unit has also launched.
Read the full article.

How do you drive multiple motors with a single VFD?

According to KEB Automation, lots of automation systems use multiple motors to distribute loads, execute different tasks, or to optimize overall efficiency. One control strategy is to use a single variable frequency drive (VFD) for each motor, or you can drive several motors with only one VFD. But when do you use which tactic, and what are the pros and cons of each? Matt Sherman from KEB has got you covered with all the details.
Read the full article.

Frameless BLDC motors for maximum system integration

Nanotec introduces the DKA series of high-performance, frameless BLDC motors designed for compact, efficient drive systems. Featuring a modular design with separate stator and rotor, these motors allow for a maximum level of system integration. Motor diameters from 25 to 115 mm are available with up to 7.8 Nm of torque and speeds to 10,000 rpm. By eliminating the need for couplings or additional mounting components, these frameless motors reduce material usage and assembly costs. Ideal for applications with limited space, including robotics, medical technology, and more.
Learn more.

Servo controllers: From basic fans to advanced robots

Implement your most innovative ideas by combining maxon's ESCON2 servo controllers and the user-friendly Motion Studio software. ESCON2 controllers use the latest technology in semiconductor and PCB manufacturing to achieve unprecedented power density and control performance in terms of torque and speed. ESCON2 controllers can be used in a wide variety of applications -- from simple analog/digitally commanded standalone applications such as fans, scanners, and pumps to sophisticated CANopen-based systems in AGVs, hand tools, or logistics and transport applications. Three ESCON2 Modules available.
Learn more.

A spacecraft that sweats? Cool solution could make heat shields obsolete

The technology is a new way to tackle atmospheric reentry.

By Jacob Wologo, Texas A&M University College of Engineering

A car may drive for 15 to 20 years before needing replacement, while a passenger jet may fly for up to 40. A spacecraft, however, may only fly once.

Even the longest-serving spacecraft, the space shuttle Discovery, completed only a few dozen flights, each requiring months of extensive testing and replacement of critical pieces. As space travel becomes more common, the need for fully reusable spacecraft is growing.

One potential solution? A spacecraft that sweats.

The Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University is partnering with Canopy Aerospace to develop and test a 3D-printed material that releases or "sweats" a coolant gas to protect spacecraft. This technology, part of a $1.7 million Air Force Small Business Technology Transfer grant, could enable the design of fully and rapidly reusable spacecraft.

Reentering the atmosphere
The most significant hurdle in making a spacecraft fully reusable is withstanding the intense heat it encounters when reentering the atmosphere at high speeds. Traditional spacecraft rely on heat shields that burn away completely or ceramic tiles that may need replacement between flights. Modern spacecraft like SpaceX's Starship demonstrate a higher degree of reusability by using more advanced heat shields than their predecessors.

A sweaty spacecraft could abandon heat shields altogether and utilize a method called transpiration cooling. This method creates a layer of gas along the vehicle's surface that not only cools the spacecraft but also acts as a barrier preventing direct contact with the hot atmosphere.

"Gas has a very low thermal conductivity," said Dr. Hassan Saad Ifti, assistant professor of aerospace engineering in the department. "This is why a puffer jacket is so effective. It traps air in these pockets, so it is the insulation from the air keeping you warm, not the solid part of the jacket."

The research team stands in front of one of the hypersonics testing tunnels at the National Aerothermochemistry and Hypersonics Laboratory (From left: Dr. Hassan Saad Ifti, Dr. Ivett Leyva, and William Matthews). [Credit: Photo by Emily Oswald/Courtesy of Texas A&M Engineering]

 

 

 

 

Because the sweated gas insulates the vehicle, single-use heat shields are no longer needed. This could reduce the time between flights from months, as seen with the space shuttle, to a matter of hours, closer to the turnover time of a passenger jet.

"Once the mission is complete, the coolant gas tanks can be refueled for the next mission," Ifti told Newsweek. "This would make the rocket more reusable, and perhaps one day, we will have a fully and rapidly reusable rocket, just like the aircraft we fly today."

The idea of using gas as an insulator for spacecraft has existed for decades, but it is not as simple as strapping a puffer jacket to a rocket. Until now, limitations in materials science, computational power, and ground testing abilities have made it challenging to implement.

This project will connect Canopy Aerospace's materials science capabilities with Texas A&M's state-of-the-art testing facilities and the aerospace engineering researchers' hypersonics expertise to overcome those limitations.

"We are in a great position to bring together expertise on aerodynamics and high-speed testing to ensure this project succeeds," said Dr. Ivett Leyva, department head of aerospace engineering.

Testing the material
For transpiration cooling in spaceflight to be successful, the spacecraft's hull material must be strong enough to withstand extreme pressures yet porous enough for the coolant to sweat through. Canopy Aerospace has already developed the material -- a 3D-printed silicon carbide. The first batch of prototypes has been sent to Texas A&M for high-speed testing.

William Matthews, a fourth-year Ph.D. student, is leading the development of testing rigs to evaluate the material's effectiveness -- both in how well it sweats gas and how well that gas insulates a spacecraft.

William Matthews, a fourth-year Ph.D. student who is leading the development of testing rigs, is evaluating the new material's effectiveness -- both in how well it sweats gas and how well that gas insulates a spacecraft. [Credit: Photo by Emily Oswald/Courtesy of Texas A&M Engineering]

 

 

 

 

"We should see that the material's surface is cooler at hypersonic speeds when the coolant flow is introduced than the baseline when no coolant is present," Matthews said. "Depending on how well the gas permeates the material, there are a lot of potential outcomes for this technology, and these tests should help us decide which direction we want to go."

The initial wind tunnel testing at Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station's National Aerothermochemistry and Hypersonics Laboratory will provide basic understanding of the physics behind transpiration cooling in spaceflight. The results will help Texas A&M and Canopy Aerospace determine the requirements for a full-scale mission and build the foundation for commercial use of the technology.

"I am optimistic about this technology," said Ifti. "If all goes well, we could see sweaty spacecraft in the sky by the end of our lifetimes."

Published May 2025

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