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Flexible planetary gearheads: Quiet, extremely robust

FAULHABER GPT gearheads for miniature and micro motors deliver high power density, exceptional flexibility, and excellent cost efficiency. Designed for seamless integration with diverse motors and encoders, these compact planetary drives feature hardened stainless steel components that reliably withstand extreme torques and abrupt load changes. Offered in standard, low-noise, and high-torque variants, they ensure precise, durable performance across wide operating temperature ranges.
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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.

NORD serves up sweet energy and cost savings for industrial bakeries

NORD DRIVE-SYSTEMS offers robust, highly configurable drive solutions designed to optimize efficiency, ensure hygiene, and reduce the TCO for automated bakery systems. From industrial-scale mixing and portioning to baking, cooling, and packaging, NORD's modular product portfolio delivers precise, reliable performance across every stage of production.
Read the full article. You may learn something even if you are not in the baking industry.

Key considerations for battery-powered motors

Battery-powered motor applications require careful design considerations to pair motor performance and power consumption profiles in concert with the correct battery type. This Power Electric article covers power requirements, performance considerations, and battery choices to assist you in selecting an efficient motor and a battery with the appropriate capacity. Good technical info.
Read the Power Electric technical article.

Driving next-gen pump and fan applications: Sinamics G210X

The Sinamics G210X is a new frequency converter for advanced pump, fan, and compressor applications, combining easy engineering with robust design. Integrated functions, seamless TIA Portal integration, and a web server reduce PLC effort to speed up commissioning, operation, and diagnostics. IP55 protection, 3C3 coating, and S2 system redundancy ensure reliable operation in demanding environments.
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New Exlar food-grade actuator

Curtiss-Wright's Actuation Division has expanded its Exlar line with hygienic electric actuators using FDA-approved materials and finishes. Designed for food, beverage, packaging, and pharmaceutical automation, the new GTF unit enables economical USDA, 3-A, BISSC, and EHEDG certification. Its IP69K washdown option, inverted roller screw, and compact servo-driven design deliver reliable, high-performance motion for hygienic machinery.
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New Texas conveyor system is 42 miles long!

SEW-EURODRIVE is helping power one of the most ambitious bulk material handling projects in North America through its contribution to the Dune Express conveyor system, a record-setting 42-mile single-flight conveyor across the Permian Basin.
Read the full article.

Compact servo drives for harsh environs

Built on Copley's proven NanoPlus platform, the compact, 1.2-oz R-Series Nano servo drives withstand extreme temperatures, vibration, shock, and humidity. Available in R47 (CANopen) and R48 (EtherCAT) models, they suit space-constrained, harsh environments such as mil/aero robotics and gimbals. This commercial off-the-shelf series provides a hardened option without defense-specific development lead times.
Learn more from Copley Controls.

Hybrid actuator with force up to 14,726 lb

Kyntronics' new all-electric HyCore hybrid actuator is a compact, low-cost alternative to traditional hydraulic, pneumatic, and electro-mechanical systems. Engineered for OEMs, it delivers up to 14,726 lb of force. The self-contained design eliminates leaks and wear, providing precise control, shock-load tolerance, and high efficiency. It simplifies integration and lowers operating costs for mobile equipment, packaging, assembly automation, and more.
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SDP/SI motion products: Best sellers

SDP/SI's best sellers aren't just popular -- they're proven. These are the motion components their customers return to time and again for precision, reliability, and unbeatable value. From belts and pulleys to gears, bearings, and couplings, each product has earned its place through consistent performance in real-world applications.
Learn more and see the full products list.

Automated part grinding and finishing in one unit!

Grinding large fabrications is a classic dull, dirty, and dangerous task perfectly suited for automation, yet traditional setups require multiple costly robots. At Automate 2026, Güdel debuted a single-robot solution that utilizes two extra degrees of freedom to finish massive surfaces without complex part repositioning.
Read the full article.

Rockford RBS ball screws and nuts now available

Automation-Direct now offers US-manufactured RBS ball screws and nuts for precise linear motion in OEM and maintenance applications. Achieving over 90% efficiency, they feature low friction, high accuracy, and minimal wear. Available in various diameters, lengths, and leads, these precision-matched components handle axial loads with minimal backlash, providing a dependable solution that reduces maintenance and extends operational life. Great prices too.
Learn more.

Next-gen conveyor transports 3,000-kg payloads

Building on its established portfolio of twin-strand conveyors that are currently used in a variety of industry verticals, Bosch Rexroth is introducing the TS 7plus transfer system, which is the world's first freely configurable, fully electric conveyance solution to workpieces weighing up to 3,000 kg. TS 7plus transports material via conveyor rollers on freely configurable modular sections with lift/transverse, rotary, and positioning units, as well as stop gates. Great for automotive, battery, aerospace/defense, and more.
Learn more.

Next-generation air bearing linear slide

The A-123 noncontact nanoposi-tioning stage integrates a brushless motor, air bearings, and a 1-nm encoder, supporting 40-kg payloads over 750-mm travel. Its pressurized air film eliminates the friction, wear, and vibration of mechanical stages, ensuring zero particle generation. Customizable with options such as granite bases and isolation systems, it is ideal for semiconductor metrology, inspection, photonics, and more.
Learn more.

How to implement redundancy in stepper motors

Some of the recent research activities in the area of electric motor drives for safety-critical applications (such as aerospace and nuclear power plants) are focused on looking at various fault-tolerant motor and drive topologies. After discussing different solutions, this article focuses on a miniature permanent magnet (PM) stepper motor design that provides increased redundancy.
Read this informative FAULHABER article.

World's largest known flywheel test cell being built

U.S.-based Qnetic, a developer of kinetic energy battery solutions, has reached two significant progress milestones in the commercialization of its long-duration flywheel energy storage technology. Construction has begun on what the company believes is the world's largest dedicated flywheel test cell, while assembly of its first full-scale Pulsar prototype, a 200-kWh flywheel energy storage system, is underway.

Flagship flywheel testing facility
The purpose-built test facility, located at Qnetic's Technology Center in Shanghai, represents a million-dollar-plus investment that will serve as the company's primary site for validating the performance, safety, and reliability of its next-generation flywheel systems. Significant excavation and foundation work are taking place, with installation of the Pulsar prototype planned as the facility is completed, followed by technical validation testing.

These milestones mark a major step toward the commercial deployment of Qnetic's proprietary flywheel technology, which is designed to provide long-duration energy storage without the degradation, fire risk, or dependence on critical minerals associated with conventional lithium-ion batteries.

VIDEO The genius bearings behind Qnetic's energy storage revolution. [Credit: Qnetic]

The company's expert partner -- a world-leading firm specializing in spin-test technologies -- was instrumental in guiding the specification of the test cell. They said, "In terms of scale, Qnetic's flywheel system involves significantly more stored energy than what we typically handle in spin testing. The scale and scope of the containment challenges are therefore quite unique and in a class of their own."

"These milestones represent a pivotal moment in Qnetic's journey from technology development to commercialization," said Michael Pratt, CEO of Qnetic. "Building the world's largest flywheel test cell while bringing our first Pulsar system into validation demonstrates both the maturity of our technology and our confidence in its commercial potential. We're creating the infrastructure needed to prove performance at scale and accelerate deployment for customers."

Designed for long life, high cycling, and grid reliability
Unlike batteries, which store energy chemically, flywheels store energy kinetically by spinning a rotor at extremely high speed inside a vacuum enclosure. When electricity is needed, the rotating mass drives a generator to return energy to the grid. Because the process involves no electrochemical reactions, flywheel systems can deliver decades of high-performance operation while offering rapid response times, high cycling capability, and no fire risks.

VIDEO: Watch PULSAR come to life: Next-gen energy storage system. [Credit: Qnetic]

Qnetic's 200-kWh Pulsar system is being developed for applications including data centers, renewable energy time-shifting, grid balancing, microgrids, and industrial power resilience. The technology offers grid and commercial operators a durable, lower-lifetime-cost alternative for multi-hour energy storage. Qnetic flywheel systems can complement or replace lithium-ion batteries in applications where long asset life, unlimited cycling, sustainability, and predictable lifetime economics are critical.

VIDEO: Cycle more, earn more: How Qnetic boosts storage revenue. [Credit: Qnetic]

Source: Qnetic

Published July 2026

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