Posted to News on 23rd Jan 2013, 12:30
Cost-effective motion control through optimised motion series
Festo is promoting its compact electric cylinder (EPCO) and controller (CMMO), which form part of the company's optimised motion series (OMS) positioning system. This is claimed to offer all the advantages of servo motion but at a fraction of the cost, enabling machine builders and end users to improve motion control and profit margins, as well as make significant cost savings on integration.
Traditionally, electrically operated actuators in many automation applications provide excellent positioning. However, as they are driven by servo motors, they are typically only commercially viable for the most arduous demands on accuracy and load.
CMMO is a compact controller specially designed for the EPCO actuators, and is based on Festo's popular servo light controller but with improved performance and reduced size, cost and power consumption. It includes features such as safe torque off, integrated inputs for referencing, and Ethernet diagnostics to help integrators and end users save time and money.
Commissioning is said to be easy as there is no need to buy or download specialist software. The CMMO controller carries its own web server, so it can be parameterised via any web browser on any type of computer. The system can also connect to Festo's cloud parameter server automatically to ensure it has the latest parameters for the motor, axis and controller. As a result, the tuning is optimised for the application.
Best of both worlds
Festo's EPCO cylinder combines the advantages of pneumatic drives with those of electric drives: it is as simple as a pneumatic cylinder, but with the precision and speed of an electric drive. The ball screw actuators come in three sizes (16, 25 and 40), a variety of pitches and stroke lengths, and can achieve speeds of up to 500mm/s. The motor is integrated, which not only saves cost, but also reduces the overall length of the assembly, which is useful for applications in which space is restricted.
The electric cylinder benefits from lifetime lubrication, sealing to IP40, and the piston rod is protected against rotating, meaning it is robust and reliable over a long service life. It includes cushioning to absorb energy and noise in the end positions, and smooth external surfaces mean it is easy to clean.
It can also be mounted in various ways to suit user requirements, including ground, flange and trunnion mounting. It can also be assembled directly on to the machine frame or cabinet with flat back or spine mounting, or with DIN rail.
Simple and affordable motion
Speaking at the launch, Nigel Dawson, product manager at Festo, said: "At Festo we are dedicated to making motion simple and affordable. With the new compact electric drive and controller, complex positioning using closed-loop motion is now cost-effective for many automation applications. The system is quick to select and easy to connect and commission."
Follow the link for more information about Festo's compact EPCO electric cylinder, CMMO controller and optimised motion series positioning system.
