Product category:
Electric Linear Actuators
News Release from: Heason Technology | Subject: Heason custom gear actuator
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 07 February 2008
Gear actuator facilities precise vehicle
testing
Heason had to develop a compact, zero backlash, precision gear actuator which would allow ABD to offer higher rotation speeds while providing exceptionally smooth motion.
Anthony Best Dynamics turned to Heason Technology for rotary actuators as its customer base sought greater speed and smoother motion Anthony Best Dynamics supplies testing systems to the global motor industry for research and development and for production quality control
It designs and manufactures specialised systems for kinematics and compliance testing, vehicle dynamics testing on the track and steering system testing.
The moving body suspension parameter measurement machine (SPMM) is a machine for use in kinematics and compliance testing.
ABD's kinematics and compliance measurement machines measure the quasi-static suspension characteristics that are important to handling.
The machines measure the kinematic characteristics due to suspension and steering system geometries and compliances due to suspension springs, anti-roll bars, elastomeric bushes and component deformations.
The SPMM uses precision electric actuators that avoid the problems traditionally associated with hydraulic test equipment.
The first SPMM manufactured by AB Dynamics was installed in 1997 and is still testing vehicles on a daily basis without requiring any major maintenance.
A large number of parameters may be evaluated, the principal ones being suspension rates and hysterisis, bump-steer, roll-steer, roll stiffness distribution, longitudinal and lateral compliance steer and steering system characteristics.
Knowledge of these parameter values and characteristics is an essential aid to the thorough understanding of a vehicle's performance in terms of ride, steering and handling.
It comprises a rigid centre table upon which the vehicle is mounted.
The centre table can be moved with six degrees of freedom for kinematics measurements.
Individual wheel stations have three degrees of freedom (X, Y, Delta) and an integral six-axis load platform.
Wheel positions are measured using an optical encoder system.
The optional MIMS (moment of inertia measurement system) enables the SPMM to quickly measure vehicle centre of gravity and inertias.
The challenge put forward to Heason's design team was to develop a compact, zero backlash, precision gear actuator which would allow ABD to offer higher rotation speeds while providing exceptionally smooth motion.
Coupled with this, Heason's design brief was to package the new actuator to fit within an existing casting of the machine.
Heason's mechanical design team developed a compact, zero-backlash gear actuator based around a custom Spinea TwinSpin bearing reducer with an Emoteq integrated frameless, brushless servomotor and high-resolution feedback device.
The new package did not only achieve the higher rotation speed, but also surpassed the previous 'zero backlash' gear system in terms of smoothness, all in a more compact package.
The actuator provides 495Nm of continuous torque, 1237Nm of repeatable torque, 1,000Nm/arcmin tilting stiffness, 110Nm/arcmin torsional stiffness, less than 1.0arcmin maximum lost motion, 19,200N rated radial force and 27,900N maximum axial force.
The encoder resolution 1,250,000 counts/rev, and the actuator has a maximum diameter of 190mm and maximum length of 164mm.
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