Controls & Instrumentation

Testing an electrohydraulic motion control system

Wed, 15 May 2013 23:49:00 +0000

To demonstrate the characteristics of a motion control system, we will examine test results of a valve-controlled cylinder in a closed-loop, positional servomechanism, represented below. Otherwise known as a torque cell, the mechanism was designed for special electrohydraulic motion-control training programs.

Balluff breaks ground on new facility

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:47:00 +0000

Balluff breaks ground on new sales, customer support, and training center in Kentucky

Balluff Inc. broke ground on its new building in Florence, Ky. on Thursday, April 11.

“Balluff has found a successful home in Northern Kentucky, with steady growth here over the past 30 years,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “We’re proud to have the company’s U.S. headquarters in Kentucky, and especially happy to see the company continue to expand, adding 24 new jobs and investing $6 million in the Commonwealth.”

Sensors Expo introduces Intelligent Systems Conference & Pavilion

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:41:00 +0000

A new pavilion and conference track will be featured at this year's Sensors Expo in Chicago, June 5-6. Intelligent Systems Source (ISS), will host three conference tracks and a pavilion, as it aims to educate the more than 4000 expected attendees on intelligent sensing technology, embedded computing, and intelligent systems.

Inclinometers

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:01:00 +0000

BSI inclination (tilt) sensors feature a non-contact absolute measuring principle, offering high repeat accuracy, precision and low temperature drift. They provide continuous positioning of rotational movements, measuring the deviation on a horizontal axis up to 360°.

Linear displacement transducer isn’t limited by stroke

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 20:06:00 +0000

One of the challenges with most linear displacement transducers (LDTs) for measuring hydraulic cylinder position is that the stroke must be known when the sensor is ordered. Furthermore, in-cylinder mounting generally requires gun-drilling the cylinder’s piston rod and mounting a magnet to the piston, both of which add to the final cost of the cylinder.

The Old Timer Part 12: Sometimes, Instruments can be Too Sensitive

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 23:17:00 +0000

The Old Timer of Royal Oak, Mich., was a regular contributor to H&P years before we ever even heard of the internet. But most of his advice is just as ueful — and interesting — today.

So rather than leave his wisdom printed on pages archived in our storage room, I pulled out issues from the late 1980s and early 1990s and have been reproducing relevant entries in this blog. Here is my twelvth entry, which was originally published in the December 1988 issue:

Sometimes, instruments can be too sensitive

The Hitch Post

Miniature encoders

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:33:00 +0000

TRD-MX Series of Koyo miniature encoders provides a cost-effective solution for size-limited applications. Light-duty encoders feature a small body with 25-mm diameter and 29-mm depth. Constructed with a 4-mm diameter solid shaft, they offer resolutions from 100 to 1024 pulses/rev.

LDT lets RoGator adapt to the task at hand

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 16:34:00 +0000

When it comes to versatility, machines don’t get much better than the RoGator, manufactured by AGCO Corp., Duluth, Ga., at it’s facility in Jackson, Minn. Three sizes of RoGators all come with a 4-wheel hydrostatic drive system and closed-loop electrohydraulic steering that provides 2-wheel steer, all-wheel steer, auto steer (which provides 2-wheel steer until the front wheels pivot 6° or more, at which time 4-wheel steer automatically kicks in), and crab steer.

Hall-effect joystick

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:43:00 +0000

PRO-6H joystick has the long life cycle of a non-contacting Hall-effect proportional output device in a sturdy mechanical design. Single-axis joystick is highly resistant to EMI and has standard proportional 0.5- to 4.5-Vdc output with optional custom-engineered PWM circuits. Its 10-mm handle shaft fits a variety of handle configurations, including triggers, rocker switches, pushbuttons and thumb wheels.

Filter noise to improve machine productivity

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:04:00 +0000

Two key considerations in machine design and integration are productivity improvement and cost control — how to increase plant output while reducing the amount of maintenance required.

To improve the productivity of machines, designers and integrators look for ways to make them run smoother. But often real-world conditions pose problems along the way. For example, sensor feedback signals can be noisy, or the valves that are selected could pose a problem, making precise hydraulic control difficult. When the real world doesn’t “behave” smoothly, what do you do?