Drives & Controls July / August 2022

NSK HAS DEVELOPED a ballscrew technology that, it claims, can double service lives compared to standard ballscrews in some applications. The new ballscrews are aimed, in particular, at high- load applications such as injection moulding machines and servo presses which are switching from hydraulic to electric drive operation using servomotors and ballscrews to save energy. The new technology balances load distribution in the ballscrews more evenly. As the load on a ballscrew increases, the load on different parts of the ball circuit becomes uneven, concentrating on a small subset of balls. This shortens the screw’s life. The new technology combines precision machining, digital-twin simulations and accurate measurements to balance the load distribution. It also allows smaller shaft diameters to be used, cutting costs and machine sizes. NSK says that the move to electric injection-moulding technologies – driven partly by the need for large, lightweight parts with complex shapes for use in electric vehicles – is, in turn, driving the need for long-life ballscrews. To boost the productivity of electric injection-moulding machines, machine- builders are looking for“high-cycle”designs with high feed rates. This increases the distance that ballscrews need to travel in a given time, thus increasing wear. The first high-speed, high-load ballscrews to offer the new technology are NSK’s HTF- SRC series, which have outer diameters from 100-200mm. They are interchangeable with NSK’s current equivalent models. NSK hopes the new screws will generate sales worth 1.2 billion yen (£7.3m) by 2024. www.nskeurope.com TECHNOLOGY n Ballscrew technology could double service lives NSK’s ballscrews balance load distribution more evenly, extending their lives and allowing smaller shaft diameters c THE GERMAN machine vision specialist IDS (Imaging Development Systems) has announced an autofocus camera that, it claims, closes the gap between consumer Webcams and industrial vision systems. The 13 Megapixel uEye XC camera can be used in both industrial and non- industrial settings. A quick-change macro attachment lens allows users to shorten the minimum object distance, and makes the camera suitable for close-up uses, such as diagnostics. The sensor delivers 20 fps at full resolution and ensures high image quality even in changing light conditions thanks to its use of BSI (back side illumination) technology. It offers a 24x digital zoom, automatic white balance and colour correction. The integrated autofocus module means that the Vision standard- compliant USB3 camera can handle changing object distances. https://en.ids-imaging.com/ ueye-xc-autofocus-camera.html Camera closes gap between industrial vision and webcams