30 n SPS REPORT February 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com Sumitomo Drive Technologies has released a new generation of its E Cyclo (ECY) precision cycloidal shaft gears with higher torque densities and modular plug-and-play connectors that fit any motor. It claims that the ECY 203 and ECY 205 gearboxes deliver at least 30% more rated torque, acceleration torque, and emergency stop torque, compared to previous models. The maximum drive speed is up to 8,500 rpm. Internal cylindrical roller bearings result in both high rigidity and high performance in a compact envelope. The cylindrical bearings can transmit the radial force better than ball bearings. Sumitomo says that the ECY gears’torsional stiffness is around double that of other shaft gears of a similar size, and that the gears are ideal for precision applications with maximum repeat accuracy. The modular motor connection system allows the gears to be fitted to any motor, resulting in short delivery times. Sumitomo has also extended this plug-and-play approach to its Fine Cyclo DA and UA gears. Sumitomo has enhanced the internal structure of the sealed ECY gears while maintaining the same gear principle and external dimensions. The gears have hollow shafts with an inside diameter of up to 25.5mm for passing cables or media. The new generation is available in two versions with acceleration torques of up to 107Nm and 84mm outer diameters. https://emeia.sumitomodrive.com New generation of cycloidal gears deliver 30% more torque AI-powered online community supports automation collaboration B&R has launched an AI-enhanced online community where users of its automation technology can collaborate and share knowledge. The B&R Community brings together machinebuilders, systems integrators, end-users and others interested in harnessing the power of collective automation know-how. Users can connect with a global network of experts and peers, forming a “repository of collective wisdom”. A conversational chatbot provides immediate answers to questions. The community also offers AI-powered access to help documents for B&R's Automation Studio engineering environment. Another role is as a hub for collaborative troubleshooting. Through interactive Q&A discussions, users can harness a wealth of technical experience to complete projects faster and with better results. “Today's powerful automation solutions rely on a wide range of expertise spanning multiple teams and disciplines,”says B&R’s chief technology officer, Florian Schneeberger.“At the same time, demands on speed and agility in development continue to grow. Open collaboration in the B&R Community empowers our users get more innovative solutions to market faster.” https://community.br-automation.com Elmo Motion Control, the Israeli controls manufacturer owned by Bosch Rexroth, unveiled several new ranges at SPS including the first AC servodrive in its Platinum family to offer full functional safety. The Platinum Bassoon delivers up to 10A at 230V, and up to 3.25kW of continuous power. It can drive brushless, DC brushed and linear motors, or voice-coil devices. Elmo also demonstrated the third generation of its Titanium motion controller, with advanced real-time capabilities for multi-axis machines. Based on a quad–core CPU and a large memory, the Titanium Maestro achieves cycle times of 100µs per axis. It also offers AI, image processing and Python programming capabilities. In addition, Elmo previewed two dual-axis servodrives with safety capabilities due for release in 2024: the Titanium Solo Castanet, based on GaN switching, for lowvoltage (100V) applications up to 15A and 2.4kW of continuous power; and the Titanium Harmonica 2 Axes with local intelligence for applications up to 10A at 200V and 5.6kW of continuous power per axis. www.elmomc.com B&R’s online community uses chatbots to answer questions On its stand at SPS, the safety specialist Schmersal was demonstrating several of its technologies including a recently launched 3D camera which uses time-of-flight (ToF) technology to measure infrared (850nm) light pulses reflected from objects being monitored. The AM-T100 camera creates a millimetre-accurate 3D image of the scene at high speed that is available as a point cloud. It can be used to determine the position and the dimensions of objects or detect fill levels of containers, for example. In the demo, two of the cameras were installed above a conveyor belt to monitor the contents of containers as they passed below. The cameras, based on Sony DepthSense sensors, were linked to Schmersal’s Protect-PSC1 safety controller and a PLC. The data could be forwarded to an edge gateway via OPC UA or to a cloud infrastructure – for instance, as a starting point for determining production-related performance indicators. The cameras, with image rates of up to 60 frames/s, can be used for tasks such as box filling, stacking, volume detection and labelling in logistics and packaging. They can look into containers or load carriers to detect fill levels, determine dimensions and volumes, check surface quality, and monitor production, assembly, storage and order-picking. With an image resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, the cameras provide a 67 x 51 degree field at a range of 6m. www.schmersal.com 3D cameras monitor the contents of containers Schmersal’s 3D camera can monitor the contents of containers on production lines A cutaway view of Sumitomo’s latest ECY cycloidal gearbox Quartet of motion controls includes 100µs per axis model
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