RS Components now offers everything engineers need to design, develop and deploy world-class motion control solutions. From adding smart capabilities and upgrading systems, to dealing with sustainability challenges and ongoing maintenance, the huge range of products on offer from RS will provide answers to just about every motion control question and application. Technological offerings include products from many of the world’s leading motion control companies, including Festo, Danfoss, Omron, Phoenix Contact, Schneider Electric and ifm electronic.
One application that is gaining from a contemporary motion control approach is conveying. Forming the main arterial link in multiple industries and applications, including production lines, packaging and filling machines, and warehouses and storage solutions, the upgrade of conveying solutions can offer immediate and tangible benefits in terms of throughput, energy usage and service life.
Upgrade options include the addition of newer, more intelligent hardware, such as Quint 4 power supply units from Phoenix Contact. These use near-field communication to allow the upload of user-defined settings from a PC or laptop; plus there is an app for mobile and tablet devices. Users can also configure them to monitor DC current, power, or voltage in real-time via a 4-20 mA analog output. This intelligence can also improve access to the wider connected enterprise, using IIoT-based solutions and capabilities.
Energy efficiency can be tackled through the use of higher efficiency motors, such as the IE3 AC motor range from Teco Westinghouse, or the deployment of variable speed drives to control motor output more intelligently. Products of note include the new VLT FC 280 from Danfoss, which can be easily retrofitted to replace the popular VLT 2800.
RS has also extended its stock from Festo, with the addition of 400 new products. The extended offering comprises Festo’s top selling ranges, plus other innovative products, such as EPCO electric cylinders, which offer various benefits compared to traditional pneumatic equivalents.
New motion platform for tube laser processing
Motion Control & Drives
Aerotech has announced the LaserTurn280, a motion platform for laser machining of cylindrical medical device components, offering calibrated accuracy of plus or minus 1 micrometre and designed for integration into high-volume production lines.
Read more...Functional safety in modern factory automation
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Functional safety in modern factory automation allows machines to operate at controlled speeds or hold axes at standstill rather than shutting down entirely. Kollmorgen’s Safe Motion monitor software now supports additional safety-rated encoder protocols, extending these capabilities to precision and linear motion applications.
Read more...Improving material handling with autonomous mobile robots Rockwell Automation
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Autonomous mobile robots offer flexible, AI-driven material handling that adapts to shifting demand, fills labour gaps, and generates the operational data needed to optimise end-to-end facility performance.
Read more...Sinamics G210 versatile drive for continuous motion applications
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Siemens has expanded its drive portfolio with the Sinamics G210, a versatile converter for continuous motion applications that combines motor openness with modular hardware, software options and flexible communication on a scalable OEM platform.
Read more...Trends and outlook for actuators in humanoid motion
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The humanoid robotics industry is shifting from prototype development to early commercial adoption, with electric actuators dominating current designs and materials innovation set to define next-generation hardware. IDTechEx forecasts a 47% compound annual growth rate for humanoid unit sales over the next decade.
Read more...Specialist girder frame trailer solves challenging transformer delivery
Motion Control & Drives
Mammoet used its high-capacity girder frame trailer to transport an oversized Hitachi Energy transformer 130?km by road from Ludvika to Köping Port in Sweden, then completed a RoRo transfer to a heavy-lift vessel bound for China.
Read more...SEW-EURODRIVE to exhibit energy-efficient automation at Propak Cape SEW-EURODRIVE
Motion Control & Drives
SEW-EURODRIVE will showcase its MOVI-C modular automation portfolio at Propak Cape, demonstrating how integrated drive and automation technologies can help processing and packaging companies reduce energy consumption and improve production consistency.
Read more...RS South Africa announces 2026 Student Project Fund winners RS South Africa
News
RS South Africa has awarded 13 engineering students with R10?000 worth of products each through its 2026 Student Project Fund, supporting projects spanning renewable energy, robotics, warehouse automation and STEM education.
Read more...XPlanar aids innovation in laser processing Beckhoff Automation
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Aalborg University is among the first in the world to test Beckhoff’s XPlanar intelligent transport system in advanced laser processes, achieving micrometer-precise workpiece positioning and dramatically shorter lead times compared with traditional tool-based manufacturing.
Read more...Sinamics G210X for advanced pump, fan and compressor applications Siemens South Africa
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Siemens has introduced the Sinamics G210X, a frequency converter for pump, fan and compressor applications combining easy engineering, IP55 protection and integrated S2 system redundancy for reliable operation in demanding infrastructure environments.
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