Festo releases electromechanical axes
A
Festo product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Sep 18, 2008
Festo has launched the ECG family of electromechanical axes for the motion control industry.
ECG axes offer high feed force, speed, acceleration and torque resistance characteristics.
They are suitable for use in gantry-type materials handling, supplying and transporting systems, and for high-performance single- and multi-axis motion control.
In many cases, it is possible to use a smaller axis and motor than was previously necessary, because the performance is higher.
The main body of every EGC axis is constructed from extruded aluminium; this has a computer-optimised cross-sectional shape, featuring an internal arch-shaped structure which provides rigidity and load-bearing capabilities, combined with very low mass.
The axes' stainless steel guide rail is mounted externally, allowing the moving carriage to accommodate large cantilever and offset loads that apply very high moments of torque to the carriage.
The EGC family includes both toothed belt and ballscrew versions that can accommodate carriage twisting moments of up to 185Nm.
The moving carriage is fitted with high-performance caged ball bearings for a long service life, and the fully sealed bearing cassette features grease pockets throughout its length.
Festo also offers a number of optional guide scrapers and grease feed adapters for use with centralised lubrication systems.
The top face of the aluminium carriage is fitted with helicoils and centre holes to facilitate fast and accurate load mounting.
The toothed belt version of the EGC axis is available with a choice of 50, 70, 80, 120 and 185mm-wide profiles, and the three largest models can be supplied with standard stroke lengths of up to 8.5m.
Models in the range are capable of generating feed forces as high as 2,500N, of handling speeds up to 5 m/s and acceleration rates up to 50 m/s2.
The external guide arrangement also brings another major advantage to the toothed belt versions of EGC axes - it results in the use of smaller belt pulleys, often avoiding the need for a gearbox.
A cover opening and securing mechanism allows the belt to be replaced without dismantling the axis, which helps speed maintenance and lowers service costs.
The ballscrew versions are especially suitable for short cycle time applications that demand very high feed forces and extremely accurate and repeatable positioning.
These axes are available with 70, 80, 120 or 185mm-wide profiles and standard stroke lengths of up to 3m, and several models offer a choice of spindle pitches.
The spindle itself features a noise-optimised design, and the body of the axis is fitted with a non-metallic, clip-in cover band to guard against the ingress of contaminants.
Models in this range are capable of generating feed forces as high as 3,000N, and can provide positioning accuracies to within +/-20 microns.
Festo has also launched a series of inductive position sensors for use with the EGC axes.
Together with their cables, these fit flush within the body of the axis, and they look 'out' from the body to detect the presence of a flag plate on the moving carriage, instead of looking 'into' the actuator to detect embedded magnets.
This makes installation and commissioning easy, since both sensor and target are clearly visible at all times, and the sensors are equipped with LED indicators which can be seen from the top and side of the unit.
A hollow drive pinion, combined with an elastomer motor coupling featuring an expanding shaft, provides a simple, backlash-free connection.
The flexibility of this arrangement is especially apparent on the toothed belt version - the motor can be mounted at either end and on either side of the axis, which means that users do not have to specify motor placement at the time of ordering, but can leave this decision until installation.
EGC electromechanical axes are available as standalone products or as part of complete motion control products - they are fully compatible with Festo's range of stepper and servo motors, as well as the company's modular multi-axis system.
The axes can also be used with any third-party motors; Festo can provide flange designs for these motors and even manufacture them if required.
Festo also offers a wide range of accessories for use with EGC axes, including extra guide units, axial motor mounting kits, footmounts, adapter plates and a new drag chain connector.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Contact Festo
Tel +44 1252 775000
Other Festo stories
-
Festo unveils EGC electromechanical axes
Festo is set to unveil its EGC electromechanical axes for the first time in the UK, along with a new integrated multi-axis motion controller. -
Festo cylinders employ linear-motor technology
Festo has launched two series of high-performance electric cylinders employing the company's tubular linear-motor technology. -
Festo cushioning offered on DSNU actuator
Festo has developed a self-adjusting pneumatic cushioning system, available as a build-to-order option for the company's DSNU series round-cylinder pneumatic actuators. -
Festo unveils linear motor based actuators
Festo has developed a class of electric actuators based on very high-performance linear motors. -
Festo solutions aid Guernsey water treatment plant
Guernsey Water has adopted various valve solutions recommended by Festo at one of the island's water treatment plants to improve the supply of drinking water to about 24,000 households and businesses.
Browse by category
-
Capital Equipment (3,488)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (531)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,123)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (474)
- Production line blowers and fans (73)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (963)
- Consultancy and Services (917)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,105)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (813)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (188)
- Control and Instrumentation (2)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (296)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (203)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,197)
- Plantwide control (1,347)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (573)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (390)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,421)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (2)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,289)
- Industrial Motors (501)
- Linear Drives and Motors (119)
- Precision Motors and Gears (425)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,083)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,276)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (575)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (709)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (647)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (3)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (374)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (719)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (428)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (821)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,319)
- 2D CAD software (202)
- 3D CAD software (1,177)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (576)
- Data, document management software (320)
- Electrical design software (165)
- Engineering Design Software (17)
- FEA and structural analysis software (376)
- File conversion software, data capture (358)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (338)
- Materials design and moulding design software (152)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (324)
- PLM and collaboration software (658)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (269)
- Publishing and documentation software (234)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (206)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (947)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,198)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Conferences (435)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (849)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (575)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (365)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (636)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Seminars (414)
- Engineering Training Courses (456)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (180)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (284)
- Health and Safety Legislation (403)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (115)
- Machine Building (4,608)
-
Materials and Processing (3,020)
- Materials and components (2,258)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials processing and testing (291)
- Rapid Prototyping (466)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,620)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (485)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (505)
- Data loggers (425)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (641)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (757)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (448)
- Materials testing equipment (429)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (158)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (518)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,253)
-
Powertrain Design (3,691)
- Bearings (973)
- Chains and belts (333)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,469)
- Hydraulic Components (473)
- Lubricants (439)
- Powertrain Design (3)
-
Sensors (7,237)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (446)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (637)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (289)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (157)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (534)
- Linear Position Sensors (412)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (724)
- Pressure sensors (634)
- Proximity Sensors (710)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (559)
- Sensors (10)
- Temperature sensors (620)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,402)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (2,021)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,708)
