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Tech Tip: How to keep heavy loads balanced

Some Thomson smart linear actuators have a position-based synchro-nization option to help manage unbalanced loads when using multiple units. The system adjusts the speed of each actuator to keep them starting, moving, and stopping synchronously, regardless of their respective load distribution. So useful. So smart.
Learn all about this feature.

More precision, less friction: Strain wave gearheads

With the new Strain wave gearheads, maxon expands its portfolio, especially for applications with high demands on precision in torque transmission. The backlash-free design ensures exact motion control in minimal installation space -- ideal for robotic arms, surgical instruments, or optical applications. In combination with maxon drives, this results in a perfectly matched drive system from a single source. Available in diameters of 55 mm and 62 mm. Additional sizes and variants on the way.
Learn more.

Micro-brakes for precise motion control applications

The ultra-compact 112 Model Electro-magnetic Micro-Brakes from Miki Pulley ensure fast response in high-torque, demanding applications. The simple design features a stator with integrated mounting flange, proprietary composite friction liner, and armature complete with ring plate spring and hub. These brakes halt rotation mechanically by utilizing an electromagnetic field to create mechanical friction. With fast response, the brake's armature engages the stator when the coil is energized. A constant-force plate spring transfers torque to the rotating brake body, halting all motion.
Learn more.

BLDC motors: Performance, flexibility, affordability

The ElectroCraft RapidPower Enhanced series (RPE series) is an innovative brushless DC (BLDC) motor design that combines performance, flexibility, and affordability, offering OEMs the perfect platform for a wide range of motion applications. Highly configurable, the RPE series can be quickly acquired and adapted into an application. ElectroCraft's BLDCs integrate rare earth magnets and an eight-pole encapsulated core design to provide high torque density, peak torques up to 300% of continuous ratings, wide speed ranges, low cogging, and excellent thermal characteristics.
Learn more and find out all the options.

What is a low-waving linear motion guide?

If you are having a problem with your linear guides not always staying perfectly straight during use, it may be due to a phenomenon called waving -- a problem that is particularly critical in high-precision markets such as semiconductor and LCD equipment-related applications or machine tools. Thankfully, THK has an answer.
Read the full article.

The future of artificial feel and haptics

From early "artificial feel" technologies to the haptics used in today's augmented reality, learn how precision motion is connecting the future to the past through force control. This informative blog from PI provides a little history and a lot of technical how-to when it comes to motion choices for creating the next generation of more immersive and accurate haptic solutions.
Read the PI blog.

Motion Applications: Max performance for pouch-filling machines

FAULHABER drive technology brings dynamics, precision, and high availability in tight spaces for pouch-filling machines made by Scaldopack. Unlike conventional pneumatic components, these machines can operate continuously for nearly three years without maintenance.
Read the full article.

Bodine Electric gearmotors have higher torque ratings

Bodine Electric Company recently upgraded the design of many of its type WX gearmotors to increase the output torque ratings while maintaining the same long-life rating. Two parts in the gearhead design were changed to accomplish the higher torque ratings: the rotor/armature shaft and the first-stage gear. This design change allowed Bodine to raise the output torque rating for any WX gear ratio where the first stage of the gearing cluster had been the "weak link." This included all of the two-stage ratios used in Bodine stock models and two of the three-stage ratios used in Bodine stock models.
Find out all the new capabilities and models in this Bodine blog.

Pick and Hold solenoid driver module designed for economy, extended life

Magnetic Sensor Systems (MSS) has released the Pick and Hold SDM950 Power Solenoid Driver Module. This "Made in America," compact, PWM driver module measuring just 2.950 x 3.000 in. is designed to consume less energy by first applying the voltage for a pre-determined period of time (pick time) necessary to activate the solenoid and then, when the plunger is seated, drop the voltage (holding voltage) to a level sufficient to hold the solenoid in the seated position. This conserves energy and extends the life of the solenoid.
Learn more.

High-precision micro-positioning actuators

For applications requiring sub-micrometer precision, PI's L-220 series linear actuators provide reliable, high-precision motion in a compact design. Engineered for demanding tasks in optics, photonics, semiconductor testing, metrology, and microscopy, select models are available with short lead times to support fast system integration. Their low backlash and non-rotating, linearly guided tips minimize tilt and eccentricity-caused errors, as is common with low-cost, rotating-tip type actuators.
Learn more and get all the specs.

How to convert from hydraulic cylinders to electric actuators and why

Hydraulic cylinders are traditionally the go-to technology for high-force linear motion. They deliver high force at a low cost-per-unit of force, are rugged, and are simple to deploy. However, electric cylinders with high-force capacities are now available, and they are more flexible, precise, and reliable than their hydraulic counterparts. This is a very detailed article, including lifecycle and power costs, force requirements, and data collection.
Read this informative Tolomatic blog.

Linear actuator from igus handles up to 600 kg

The drylin SLX-8060 from igus is a ready-to-install linear axis equipped with a dryspin lead screw drive. The corrosion-resistant system can handle axial loads up to 600 kg (1,323 lb), making it ideal for logistics, robotics, and manufacturing applications in packaging and automated material handling. Designed to simplify and accelerate assembly, the SLX-8060 can be mounted directly to aluminum construction profiles without pre-drilled holes. igus offers the SLX as a complete system with optional motor and control packages, ensuring fast deployment for automation and motion system developers.
Learn more.

Where do you get drone parts?

Based in Buffalo, NY, Allient is furthering its robust technology foundation to deliver advanced motion and power solutions for unmanned aerial systems, starting with COTS propulsion motors and extending to electronic speed controllers, gimbals, propellers, mission-ready kits, and power/electronic solutions. Across all product categories, the company manufactures more than 5 million motors annually.
Read the full article.

Kollmorgen Essentials™ System: Affordable, precise motion

Introducing Kollmorgen Essentials™ Motion Systems: High-performance, affordable, and precise motion for every industrial axis. These pre-configured systems enable simple sizing and selection, while multiple onboard communication protocols ensure seamless integration. Each system combines an optimally matched servo drive, a servo motor with integrated absolute multi-turn feedback, and a combined power/data cable. With ease of installation and commissioning, Kollmorgen Essentials ensures reliable performance across key industrial applications from packaging and warehouse automation to material handling and forming.
Learn more.

Motion Control Tech Tip: The 6 myths of stage error mapping

According to the experts at Motion Solutions, stage error mapping -- measuring absolute positioning error at a specified set of sampling points -- has gained a reputation for achieving high-accuracy motion control with lower-cost equipment. The theory is sound, but the problem is that there are a lot of misconceptions around stage error mapping that can lead to its use in unsuitable applications and disappointing results. Want to learn how you can use it for its maximum benefit?
Read the Motion Solutions blog.

Working electric motor made with non-metal coils!

KIST has developed a technology for producing high-quality carbon nanotubes (CNTs). This technology dramatically improves the electrical conductivity of CNT coils, allowing them to drive electric motors without the need for copper coils. [Credit: Korea Institute of Science and Technology]

Dr. Dae-Yoon Kim and his team at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Composite Materials Research Institute have succeeded in constructing the coil of an electric motor using only carbon nanotubes (CNTs) without any metals -- and realizing the device to the point where it can actually run.

The team conducted experiments by applying the coil made of CNTs to the motor and found that the revolutions per minute (RPM) of the motor could be stably controlled according to the input voltage. This demonstrates that the basic operation of a motor, which converts electrical energy into mechanical rotational force, can be accomplished without metal windings. Until now, metals such as copper have been used as the main material for coils due to their high electrical conductivity, but it has been consistently pointed out that they have various limitations, such as difficulty in securing resources, price volatility, and weight problems due to high density.

CNTs are one-dimensional, tube-shaped nanomaterials with carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal honeycomb structure. They are known to be much lighter than ordinary metals, while at the same time possessing excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, and thermal conductivity. These properties have long attracted attention as a next-generation material, but CNTs have faced a number of barriers to real-world industrial applications.

One of the technical obstacles with CNTs is the residue of catalyst metals used during the manufacturing process. This residue remains as metallic particles on the surface of CNTs, degrading their electrical properties, which are directly related to motor performance, making it difficult to utilize CNTs in high-performance components.

The KIST team has made a real breakthrough by developing a new CNT purification process that utilizes the alignment principle of liquid crystals, a "fourth state of matter" known as the intermediate state between liquid and solid. The process naturally resolves strong aggregation during the alignment of CNTs, effectively removing metallic particles that remain on the surface.

Most importantly, the new process is able to selectively remove impurities without damaging the nanostructure of the CNTs, making it distinctly different from existing liquid- and gas-phase-based purification methods. The purified CNTs show a significant improvement in conductivity, which can be brought to a level that can be applied to uses such as in electric motors.

The motor's winding "wires" are made of a CNT core wrapped with a polymer insulating sheath. [Credit: Korea Institute of Science and Technology]

The CNT motor made by the researchers was able to run a small toy car. A paper describing the technology was published in Springer Nature. The paper states the rotor was filled with coils wound from nine parallel 30-cm-long core-sheath composite electric cables (CSCECs), with each winding consisting of 10 turns. The rotor was "assembled together with brush, commutator, and stator. This metal-free motor was directly contacted with the digital tachometer under no-load conditions, and the rotational velocity was recorded in revolutions per minute (RPM) by varying the voltage."

The researchers increased the RPM of the metal-free motor from 540 to 3,420 within the range of 2 to 3 V. According to the paper, "The metal-free motor with CSCECs maintained a consistent RPM at least 60 min. of operation, when 2.0 W, 2.5 W, 3.0 W, and 3.5 W of electric power were applied." The researchers said the same size electric motor was tested that used copper windings (3 parallel 30-cm-long copper wires ), and it topped out at 18,120 RPM at 3 V -- much more powerful than the motor that used carbon nanotubes. However, the copper-based motor was also much heavier (about five times as heavy), so you can quickly see the tradeoffs. The electrical conductivity of the copper-based cables was reported as "7.4 times higher than that of CSCECs," with the little test car reaching a speed of 1.35 m s^-1 powered by a 3-V battery. Using the motor with the carbon nanotube windings, the car speed was 0.52 m s^-1 powered at 3 V.

The researchers also tested their CNT motor windings using their new purification process vs. CNT cables made without the process, with the new technology the clear winner. The new process increased the electrical conductivity of CNT wires by 133%.

The electric motor with CNT coils exhibits a specific rotational speed depending on the voltage application. [Credit: Korea Institute of Science and Technology]

The researchers posed an important question in their paper when they asked, "Will CNTs ever be able to compete with metallic materials for next-generation advanced cables?" From a density perspective, they say the use of CNTs has a lot of advantages. The weight of the CNT wires (78.75 mg) was about one-fifth that of the copper wires (379.08 mg). The researchers conclude, "Therefore, the difference in specific rotational velocity is only 1.06-fold, from 43.4 RPM mg^-1 for electric motors made with CNT wires to 47.8 RPM mg^-1 for those made with copper."

So, if the electrical conductivity for the CNT motor can be increased, this type of motor could well have some serious advantages, since a common technical challenge for future transportation is lightweighting, whether that be for electric vehicles, drones, or even spacecraft. Electric motors in particular are an essential component of most electric mobility vehicles, and coils account for a large proportion of the total weight of the motor.

"Based on the innovation of CNT materials, we will take the lead in localizing materials such as conductive materials for batteries, pellicles for semiconductors, and cables for robots," said Dr. Dae-Yoon Kim of KIST.

We encourage you to check out the researchers' paper here to review all of their results.

Source: Korea Institute of Science and Technology

Published June 2025

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