Motion Control & Drives


Electric drives complement to pneumatic components

October 2006 Motion Control & Drives

At Festo, electrical drives do not compete with pneumatic drives, but are instead the perfect complement to their capabilities. The latest example is the electrical cylinder with piston rod DNCE, which offers maximum ease of positioning and conversion in the cylinder housing and is the counterpart to the successful pneumatic ISO standard cylinder DNC with the same basic profile.

The optimum automation solution uses the specific strengths of modern drive technologies. Electrical drives are precise and flexible, making them the ideal solution when forces need to be built up quickly and positions need to be approached accurately. The electrical cylinder DNCE is now ready for use alongside electrical toothed belt, handling and cantilever axes, mini slides, handling modules, servo drives and motors. The type of drive used is determined by the application in this case. A lead-screw spindle drive is used for format adjustments in printing machines, packing machines and in feed technology. A ball-screw spindle drive is used for dynamic push and pull applications such as volumetric filling or CD stacking, for example.

Standardised on the outside, state-of-the-art on the inside - this applies not only to the ISO standard cylinder DNC, but also to its electrical sibling, the DNCE. The DNCE also relies on the sturdy and reliable mechanical system of the DNC. This is evident in the robust and professional design, the long service life, the reliability of all components, as well as in the extensive range of accessories, which includes mounting attachments and sensors. The DNCE is compatible with all DNC mounting attachments, guide units and piston rod accessories, making expensive in-house manufactured parts a thing of the past.

The DNCE is an option wherever freely programmable positions, judder-free movement, gentle acceleration or an application-specific positioning profile is required. Various travel profiles, speeds, travel distances and acceleration can be freely programmed and are set via the FCT software from Festo. This PC software is also used for easy commissioning.

The DNCE is available with the intelligent motor unit MTR-DCI or servo motor as a fully assembled system solution, thus creating the ideal unit. Integrated sensing is provided in the form of proximity sensors that fit flush into the profile slot and are thus protected. There is therefore no need for an additional mounting kit.

For more information contact Joanne Dix, sales and marketing, Festo, +27 (0) 11 971 5560, [email protected]



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