Category Archives: Communications

CC Actuators 101

CC Actuators are a combination of an electric motor and an acme screw or a high efficiency ball screw. They are designed to be ready to install directly into any industrial or commercial application. They are ideally suited for any OEM application where linear motion is needed. These high-quality actuators feature:

  • Durable construction
  • Dependable performance
  • Long-life operation
  • High repeatability
  • Operation in either compression or tension loading applications
  • Adjustable limit switches
  • Lifetime lubrication
  • Mechanical overload protection
  • Corrosion resistant exterior surfaces

The most common applications are;

  • Telecommunications
  • Architectural Automation
  • Medical and Hospital Equipment
  • Semiconductor
  • Food Processing
  • Farm Equipment
  • Satellite Dish and Antenna Positioning

These rugged solutions come in standard travels of 4”, 12”, 18”, 24” or 36” with duty cycles typically around 30% max “on-time” of 5 minutes at rated load. Further versatility is provided by temperature ratings ranging from -30 to +160 F. Here’s a brief list of typical components, and what to look for when specifying;

Clutch – Should be heavy duty, in order to properly protect gears and components in the event of overload or overtravel.

Load Sensitive Brake – Should safely maintain the actuator’s position when at rest, without consuming power.

Boot – An optional accessory, but important in applications where you will want to protect the actuator tube from contaminants.

Limit Switch – Screw type limit switches offer precise positioning for travel up to 36”. Their design should allow for easily setting limits at both ends of travel. Optionally, Precision Limit Switches are typically available for shorter travel (under 24”) and will provide higher resolution adjustment.

Ball Screw – Look for precision ball screws made of high grade materials for greater efficiency & longer life

Sensors – There are a wide variety of sensor options for stroke control. Application needs should be the primary consideration when selecting, so look for a provider who offers a range.

Keyed – CC Linear Actuators may be ordered with a feature that allows the actuator tube to extend (retract) without being connected to the load. This key also reduces torque in clevises.

cc actuators

Industry Insights at Arm’s Reach

With so many markets, products and changes happening  within the industry, it can be a challenge for designers to know where to find reliable and helpful information . Luckily, we’ve provided two companies who work hard in delivering topnotch, insightful content to help broaden your knowledge of the industry.

You might know Rockwell Automation as the world’s largest company for industrial automation and information, but did you know the company delivers a wide array of white papers, tools and other industrial automation methods, trends and technologies? The Journal from Rockwell  and Our PartnerNetwork™ recently published “The Basics of Ball Screws,” which teaches the key terms, preloading methods and calculations for understanding ball screws.

Rockwell also provides beneficial tools, such as its “Motion Analyzer,” which offers an inertia calculator and compatibility browser for a variety of different products, including linear motion products & systems.

Design World provides daily news in the industry, videos, tech tutorials, webinars and trending topics.According to its website, “Design World is written for engineers by engineers with an emphasis on applying the engineering fundamentals to real world machine design applications across industries including medical, packaging, semiconductor, material handling, and off-highway.” From pneumatics to robotics, the magazine and its digital brand stand as invaluable resources for designers and engineers who wish to be ahead of the curve in the latest industry happenings.

 

Getting the Most out of Your Linear Bearings (Part 2)

In order to get the best performance and life out of your linear bearings, proper lubrication is key.

A lubricant formulated for rolling friction should be used with linear bearings. In applications where operating speeds are low and loads are light,  linear bearings can be used without lubrication at a greatly reduced life. However, it is never recommended to operate linear bearings without lubrication. To protect the highly polished bearing surfaces from corrosion and wear, a lubricant is required.

Where linear speeds are high, a light oil should be used and provision for re-lubrication should be made to avoid operating the bearings dry. For typical applications, a medium-to- heavy oil has good surface adhesion and affords greater bearing protection. Linear bearings 2 inches in diameter and above may use high pressure lithium grease such as Shell Alvania #2 for moderate speed applications. Lubricants containing additives such as molydisulfide or graphite should not be used.

lubrication

Getting the Best out of Your Linear Round Rail Bearings (Part 1)

In order to get the most life and best applications out of your bearings, it’s important to understand the size of the load, how the load will be applied and the length of the stroke. Applying too much weight to a load can significantly reduce the life and efficiency of your bearings. Also, incorrectly distributing the weight on the load can be harmful. In addition to some helpful design considerations, let’s take a look at the load considerations below.

Load ratings are the required design life, shaft hardness and bearing dynamic that affect the load and can be applied to a linear bearing. Two dynamic load ratings are given for each bearing size based on the rotational orientation of the bearing.

The normal load rating is used in applications where the orientation of the ball tracks relative to the load cannot be controlled. The normal load rating is based on a load imposed directly over a single ball track. The normal load rating shown in the specification tables is slightly greater than would be mathematically calculated based on one track loading, because it assumes that the load is shared to some degree by one or more of the adjacent ball tracks.

The maximum load rating assumes that the load is applied midway between two ball tracks as illustrated below. In this orientation the load is distributed over the maximum number of bearing balls.

The normal and maximum load ratings are based on a Rc 60 shaft hardness and a travel life of two million inches. For linear bearing system operating at less than full rated load, the Load-Life Curve may be used to determine the travel life expectancy.

An equivalent load value can be calculated when sizing linear bearings for applications at conditions other than maximum rating.

linear bearings

Ball Screw Solutions for Long Travel & High Speed

Design World’s always excellent Danielle Collins posted a great article about how Design Engineers can achieve both high speed and long travel with Ball Screws.

Didn’t know you could do that, did you?

Traditional solutions involve Belt Drives, Rack and Pinion Systems or Linear Motors. But each of those come with their own set of drawbacks. Ball Screws are an ideal solution for applications that are sensitive to thrust force or positioning accuracy

Yet Ball Screws are rarely looked at for high speed/long travel applications. Why?

Critical Speed

Any long cylindrical object will naturally sag in the middle. Add rotation, and you will get a whip effect, similar to a jump rope. The speed of rotation where that effect starts is the Critical Speed.

Obviously, one way to limit this effect would be to have a shorter unsupported span. But how do you limit the effect if your application calls for a long travel span?

The Solution – Ball Screw Supports

ball screw supportsSome customers have made their own ball screw supports, usually paired on either side of the ball nut in pairs of 2, 4 or 6, to reduce the unsupported distance, essentially quadrupling the critical speed for each pair used. Depending on the application, they can even allow you to select a smaller diameter ball screw, without compromising performance.

So, have you used this solution? Or do you have an application where it might be a suitable alternative?