January 2021

47 www.drivesncontrols.com January 2021 NEW PRODUCTS n Sick has extended the range of its deTem 4 A/P multi-beam safety light curtains to 8m – claimed to be the longest available for an active/passive safety device for applications up to SIL3 / PLe. The rugged, compact Type 4 system provides safe access protection with entry/exit monitoring (muting) in production and logistics environments. There is a choice of two or four beams, and separations of 300 or 500mm. With sender and receiver integrated into the active device, it minimises wiring and helps achieve compact machine designs. There is no need for external modules or additional wiring. Real-time diagnostics is available via IO-Link or on smartphones via NFC. www.sick.co.uk Oriental Motor has expanded the communications options for its AZ closed-loop stepper motors by adding EtherCat and Ethernet IP-compatible drivers to the existing CANopen, Modbus RTU and Mechatrolink options. The EtherCat drivers for up to four axes are particularly suitable for machines where several axes interact, and require linear interpolation. The Ethernet IP drivers support battery-free, absolute mechanical sensor motor-and-driver combinations. www.oriental-motor.co.uk igus has developed a ready-to-fit linear seventh axis that allows Universal Robots (UR) and igus robolink robots to travel several metres vertically, horizontally, or overhead in a controlled manner. The system includes a maintenance-free, drylin ZLW toothed-belt axis, adapter plate, switch cabinet, cables and software. The lightweight, lubrication-free flat system has a stroke of up to 6m and a positional accuracy of 0.5mm. The seventh axis is supplied as a complete, ready-to-connect system. www.igus.co.uk/info/7th-axis- for-universal-robots RARUK Automation is offering a sensor-based technology for MiR autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that eliminates the usual reliance on Wi-Fi to transfer goods between conveyors and AMRs. The ROEQ GuardCom system connects to any ROEQ top roller module and to a stationary conveyor station. It enables safe, fast, reliable and cost-effective handling and transfer of goods without needing complicated, expensive implementation procedures or third-party systems. www.rarukautomation.com Wago is offering a range of “lean-managed” Ethernet switches to help implement secure, robust networks with high availability. The switches are available with 8 or 16 copper ports capable of baud rates up to 1,000Mbit/s. Devices are available with two optional 100/1000 Mbit/s SFP slots for fibre optic cables. A Power-over- Ethernet version provides devices with up to 30W at 24V DC per PoE port. AWeb-based management system allows the switches to be installed, commissioned and diagnosed without extensive IT knowledge. Users enter the switch’s IP address into a browser and can then access a diagnostic dashboard or network view. The connection status is indicated by a colour-coded system. A special function records transmission errors for each port to locate any bad connections resulting from defective connectors. The DIN- rail-mounting switches have redundant power supplies. Wago 01788 568 008 www.wago.com/gb THK has announced a full-ball type ballscrew with high load ratings and feed rates. The BSM ballscrew has a new ball circulation system with a DN value of 170,000. In conjunction with the large leads available, high-speed operation is possible, which THK says “represents a new dimension compared to existing full-ball ballscrews”. The ballscrews are available with diameters of 40–63mm, leads of 16–30mm, and an axial clearance of 0 or less. The groove profile of the threaded spindle has been revised, allowing higher load ratings to be achieved. Slimmer, longer nuts result in compact adjacent parts, and offer greater rigidity because more ball circuits are integrated. The nuts can be provided with a choice of seals and contact wipers to protect the ballscrew against contamination in rough operating conditions. Lubrication intervals can be extended using THK’s QZ lubrication system. THK 01384 471550 www.thk.com Ethernet switches help to implement secure networks Micro-Epsilon has released a laser triangulation sensor that, it says, offers a unique combination of size, speed and accuracy, for a wide range of control and automation tasks. The optoNCDT 1900 sensor is suitable for both dynamic and high-resolution tasks, performing fast distance, displacement and position measurements. Its range is 10– 50mm (with a 100–500mm version planned), and its claimed linearity is better than ±2.0μm. The 70 x 31 x 45mm sensor weighs 185g. Its measuring rate is adjustable up to 10kHz and can be adapted to suit a task. High-performance optics create a small spot on the target, allowing tiny objects and surface details to be measured. A large receiver aperture ensures high accuracy and repeatability compared to other sensors with similar measurement ranges. The sensor can withstand shock and vibrations. For the first time, a two-stage measurement average is available to optimise signals. This enables the sensor to provide a clean signal output at edges and steps. A new housing has mounting sleeves that align the sensor automatically, ensuring repeatable positioning and alignment to the target. Micro-Epsilon 0151 355 6070 www.micro-epsilon.co.uk Laser triangulation sensor combines speed and accuracy High-speed ballscrew ‘represents a new dimension’