CONTACT
Austin
Lightweight battery-powered aircraft are ready for take-off.
New Automation Products Emphasize Compact, High-Load Performance
J.J. Moore // Editor
CONTACT
Austin
Lightweight battery-powered aircraft are ready for take-off.
Several new products highlight recent innovations across industrial automation, focusing on compact design and higher load capacity.
Bosch Rexroth’s CKR-280 dual-belt axis combines two independently driven linear carriages in a single frame. The drylin® SLX-8060 linear axis from igus is a ready-to-install lead screw system designed to handle heavy axial loads without external lubrication. Festo’s VTUX consolidates multiple valve terminal platforms into a single, modular system. Meanwhile, Zimmer Group has expanded its gripper series with new sizes and long-stroke variants.
Together, they show how manufacturers are addressing space constraints, productivity demands and system flexibility.
High-Payload Dual-Carriage Linear Motion
The CKR-280 is a heavy-duty linear axis that combines the functions of two axes into one system. It can move loads up to 770 kilograms total, or 385 kilograms per carriage. The dual belt axis supports speeds up to 5 meters per second, accelerations up to 5 g, and drive torques up to 250 newton-meters, with a repeatability of ±0.05 millimeter. It can be utilized as a single axis or combined with other linear axes into a multi-axis system, with the option to also include a drive package.
Bosch Rexroth
Maintenance-Free Lead Screw Linear Axis
The drylin® SLX-8060 is a ready-to-install linear axis equipped with a dryspin® lead screw drive for heavy-duty, self-lubricating applications. The corrosion-resistant system can handle axial loads of up to 600 kilograms and can be mounted directly to aluminum construction profiles without pre-drilled holes. With installation size 16, the SLX-8060 achieves stroke lengths of up to 1,000 millimeters and supports axial loads of up to 1,250 newtons and radial loads of up to 5,000 newtons. In a laboratory setting, it demonstrated a lifespan of over 113,000 cycles across 23,500 operating hours.
Igus
Modular Pneumatic Valve Platform with AP Communication
TThe VTUX consolidates the advantages and functions of three classic valve terminals into one: the CPV, MPA-L/S and VTUG. In addition, the AP-I and AP-A communication system enables open architectures and the integration of electrical and pneumatic automation. The remote I/O system CPX-AP-A with IP65/67 protection enables real-time communication via Ethernet-based fieldbus. The lightweight design of the VTUX allows it to be used on the front-end unit, a gantry or robot arm. This enables short and efficient compressed air lines.
Festo Corp.
Compact Pneumatic Grippers with Extended Stroke Options
Zimmer Group has expanded its GPD5000AL and GPP5000AL gripper series with new sizes. The new GPP5025AL size for two-jaw parallel grippers and the new GPD5016AL three-jaw centric gripper fill existing gaps in the size range. These pneumatic grippers use aluminum profile groove guides to provide precise, stable motion with low wear. Long-stroke variants in the GPP5000AL series deliver up to 60 percent greater stroke at the same size, allowing for larger gripping ranges while reducing overall gripper size and weight.
Zimmer Group
