High-torque rotating units ST 140.

High-torque rotating unit: compact and fast
Compact design with direct drive. The ST 140 rotating unit is ideally suited for the precise multilayer technology of PCBs.

Challenge
LHMT is an equipment specialist for the PCB industry. The cam-driven tables previously used were unsuitable for the new multi-layer trimming machine as they were too large and got in the way when processing small PCBs.

Solution
Thanks to its slimline design, the ST 140 rotary module from WEISS met both the geometric and mechanical requirements. Equipped with direct drive and absolute rotary encoder for free positioning, the unit was able to achieve faster swivelling movements at only marginally higher costs. In addition, thanks to the W.A.S. (WEISS Application Software) it was possible to quickly and easily set up the positioning programs and connect the unit to the master CNC control system.

Large axes, small springs
Spring fitting system for the automotive industry: eight processing stations, 24 axes over six square metres

Challenge
MAFU Automation is a specialist in spring disentangling and feeding. For a highly sophisticated spring fitting system within motor vehicle assistance systems, some 600 springs per minute needed to be positioned in the boreholes of workpiece holders while ensuring extremely high availability. The high performance requirements as well as the small amount of space available presented further challenges.

SOLUTION
The backbone of the system is a powerful, 2.8 metre-long customer-specific linear motor axis, which was produced specifically for this application. It requires just one second to move its carriage to each user-programmable position. With a cycle time of just 4.5 seconds, the workpiece holders are distributed over eight parallel processing stations. The HN200 linear motor axes used here with attached ST140 rotating unit facilitate the requisite placement frequency of 600 springs per minute. Alongside the cycle speed, the high service life requirement of 30 million cycles was the key factor. To simplify installation, all assemblies (including the power supply and lubrication system) were delivered fully pre-assembled as system components.