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Various types of metal forming machines are used in manufacturing. They range in speed and power, which is usually measured in Tons of force. There are hydraulic, crank style flywheel and servo presses. We are not here to discuss which press is used for what process and material, but more so for the controls involved. As you can imagine, this is a dangerous machine if the control system is not up to specification. These machines are usually built very well and most outlast the control system. The operation requires an operator to reach into the machine and place a piece

Last week I had the pleasure of completing Universal Robots’ (UR) Advanced and Industrial Communications Training Classes. The Advanced training teaches you how to utilize all the commands under the Polyscope software – including, but not limited to, utilizing URScript. Being able to use URScript allows access to functions and commands not available through the Polyscope User Interface. The Industrial Communications training teaches you how to be able to communicate, receive and send data to 3rd party devices such as PLCs, HMI and Vision systems. With this knowledge, you can enable applications that account for even more environmental variables through

Something I often see in smaller control panels is a transformer converting high-voltage down to 120V, which is then fed into a 24VDC power supply. My first question is always this: “Why do you have that transformer, and what is it needed for?” Frequently, it is simply to power the 24VDC supply for control voltage, and nothing else. This is the ideal situation for one of my favorite power supplies – the PSU200M from Siemens. The PSU200M allows for an input range of 120-230V on single phase and 230-500V on two phase power. It is a single stabilized power supply

Power-Flo Technologies has acquired the assets of Nassor Electrical Supply Co., Inc. MOONACHIE, New Jersey – December 23, 2019 Nassor Electrical Supply Co. Inc. has signed an agreement to sell its assets Nassor Acquisition, LLC, a Power-Flo Technologies company (PFT). The transaction closed on December 23, 2019. This decision was made to strengthen the business and provide continuity for the Nassor Electrical Supply employee base and customers in the New Jersey and NYC markets. Power-Flo Technologies is well-positioned to give these employees and customers opportunities to grow and thrive. Most of the Nassor Electrical Supply employees have been invited to

Many manufacturers in our area are faced with efficiency challenges for low-volume, high-mix production schedules. One solution they’ve turned to is collaborative robots that can be readily re-deployed for multiple applications – moving away from “fixed automation” to “automation pods”. However, these manufacturers still face constraints with implementing vision and inspection systems for their flexible automation. Not only are there a large number of similar-yet-different product versions, (i.e., many SKUs), but also there are often many changeovers in their system being used in different locations within the plant. Traditional 2D scanning requires consistent and well-placed lighting. In addition, the 2D

SCHUNK has just announced a new end-of-arm tool: the Co-act gripper EGH! This is the latest in technology from SCHUNK, a cutting-edge market leader in clamping technologies and gripping systems. The company has been around for more than 50 years, producing superb quality products and continuing to innovate reliable automation solutions. Designed for the moving of small to medium-sized workpieces and flexible grasping, the Co-act gripper EGH is an ideal solution for the assembly, handling and electronics industries. Due to its long and variable stroke, the EGH can cover various ranges of workpieces. Some of its technical highlights include: a