32 n GEARS AND GEARBOXES January 2025 www.drivesncontrols.com Precision rack system helps to halve cycle times Cambridge Dynamics is a machinebuilder based in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, which designs and assembles high-end custom machinery and bespoke automation systems for customers that cannot buy machines offthe-shelf. The company, founded in 1977, is run by father-and-son team André and Andrew Becker, and serves sectors ranging from aerospace and automotive, to food & beverage and general manufacturing. It has a policy of using British components whenever practical. A customer that creates custom parts for distilling and brewing processes contracted the company to design and build a replacement for an ageing machine that had been built decades ago and had reached end of its life. The machine cuts customised profiles into 3mm-thick stainless-steel plates that sit at the bottom of tanks and prevent debris from getting into the finished liquid products. The new machine uses modern technologies and complies with the latest safety certification and standards. It is expected to halve cycle times compared to the previous machine. Each plate is precision engineered and tooled to create hundreds of individual slits. To carry out these processes, the plates are placed on top of a large bed on the machine and then bolted down. A rack on either side of this bed, powered by a servomotor and gearbox, is used to drive the cutting head along the bed. There are eight slitting saws that cut slots into the plate. The bottom of each slot is opened up to create a gap, allowing the plate to act as a filter that prevents solid matter from passing through. When drawing up the specifications for the new machine, Cambridge Dynamics turned to Apex Dynamics for the mechanical components. The two companies have worked together for years. “We use Apex Dynamics almost exclusively for rack-andpinion sets and gearboxes,” says MD André Becker, “so we naturally approached them again when we were drawing up the spec for the new machine”. To provide accurate movement and positioning of the table axis, Apex’s AFR right-angled planetary gearboxes have been combined with its Mod 2 Quality 6 precision helical rack-and-pinion set. Several gearboxes were needed to achieve the required torque. All of the racks were produced to length, and no modifications or customisation were needed. The robust, lightweight gearboxes have a 90° input via helical-bevel gearing and are compatible with standard motor adapters. They deliver high torque, precision and quiet operation, while their precision taper roller bearings can handle high axial and radial loads. The low-noise rack-and-pinion sets used in the Cambridge Dynamics machine are tooled underground to ensure the best possible temperature control and quality. The long-life sets are delivering high speed and low tolerances. Cambridge Dynamics reports that process of implementing the mechanical components for the new machine was “seamless and transparent”. n A Cambridgeshire machine-builder has turned to precision gearboxes and rack-and-pinion systems for a new machine that cuts customised profiles into steel plates for distillery applications. The machine is expected to halve cycle times compared to an older version that it has replaced. Precision planetary gearboxes and rack-and-pinion sets deliver the torque to achieve accurate movement and positioning on the Cambridge Dynamics machine. The machine is used to cut customised profiles into steel plates for use in the distillery industry
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=