Gantry offers impressive design flexibility

Citation

(2005), "Gantry offers impressive design flexibility", Assembly Automation, Vol. 25 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2005.03325dad.004

Gantry offers impressive design flexibility

Gantry offers impressive design flexibility

Keywords: Linear motion

Anorad, the precision motion division of Rockwell Automation, has introduced the Herculese Series Gantry to the UK. The Hercules Series Gantry is ideally suited for applications requiring high throughput micron-level precision motion. This type of motion is common in electronics assembly, pick and place, and many types of precision automation (Plate 4).

Plate 4 Anarod's new Hercules Series Gantry is ideally suited for applications requiring high throughput micron-level precision motion, such as pick and electronics assembly

The multiple motor options enable designers to satisfy a broad range of precision gantry applications. Each axis of the Anorad Hercules Gantry can be ordered with either iron core or ironless (zero-cogging) linear servo motors. Furthermore, both motor types are available in three coil lengths to best suit an application's power requirements. The Y-axis can be specified with either single or dual-motor actuation to optimise throughput. It is the first gantry of its type to offer an exclusive four-piece construction base plate as a standard.

For step-and-scan applications, the gantry's scanning axis (usually the X-axis) can be specified with Anorad's new zero-cogging LEB ironless linear servo motor, and the Y-axis with the LC-50 iron core motors for cost- effective “stepping” motion. For applications where smooth dual-axis contouring motion is required, both axes can be configured with ironless LEB-motors for the tightest velocity control and highest levels of precision.

The Hercules Series is available in a variety of travels and resolutions. Standard X-axis travels are available from 250 to 1,000 mm and Y-axis travels range from 250 to 1,000 mm. These travels can be mixed and matched to best meet your specific requirements. For example, an application requiring high-speed point- to-point motion can have both the X and Y-axes built with Anorad's LC-50 iron-core motors, in either 200 or 300 mm coil lengths.

Rugged high-resolution optical encoder options (0.1-5.0 μm per count) are standard along with high- flex strain relieved cables neatly bundled in modular cable carriers. The Hercules Gantry comes standard with a single encoder per axis configuration as standard – this does not only bring down the total system part count as well as minimising programming and operational complexity, it also reduces implementation costs.

The Hercules Series gantries are available with added options including Z and T-axis modules, servo drive and control packages, machine frames, enclosures and the complete product range from Rockwell Automation.