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V Bearing Guide Wheels n' Track: Robotics Application Story

In this video -- Designed for the printing industry, this robotic crane system automates the depalletizing of logs and loading of stream feeders.

Utilizing DualVee's smooth motion, the machinery slides back and forth on v bearing guide wheels covering 24 feet of track. With a minimum of two seams, DualVee track also acts as rebar, assisting in the strengthening of the aluminum beam structure. The wheels and track are constantly exposed to dust, but DualVee's constant sweeping action allows for ZERO maintenance -- speeds up to 5.5 m/s and acceleration up to 5 g's -- high accuracy and repeatability -- low noise.

Learn more about our products online at www.bwc.com

Did you know how DualVee Motion Technology® was invented?

Bishop-Wisecarver is the original inventor of DualVee® guide wheel technology, and no one knows it like we do.

The image on the right compares one of the original machined vee guide wheels created by Bud Wisecarver next to a polished guide wheel of today.

Now pretend to picture some fuzzy, wavy lines. Let’s go back into the past more than 40 years ago.

Bud Wisecarver was running the largest “general jobbing” machine shop in the East County of the San Francisco Bay Area during the 60s when a local packaging company came to him with an application challenge. The company needed Bud to create a machine that would fill bags with fertilizer.

Bud got to work on the new machine but after installing it, discovered that the machinery would clog up with fertilizer spilling off from the plant’s conveyors operating overhead. The problem? Flat rollers running in a trough would clog with the fallen debris. Bud took his design back to the shop for reevaluation.

The machine was redesigned to run on a double vee guide wheel system instead, and voila, success. The machine was able to roll thru the fertilizer bits, sweeping the debris off the track. No matter how much grit fell from above, the guide wheel motion was not interrupted. The dirty challenge was solved, but, machining these guide wheels was no easy task.

After finishing up at the fertilizer plant, Bud got to work on designing a better way to machine these wheels. While watching an Oakland Raiders football game on television one afternoon in 1968, the idea of how to easily machine these double sided guide wheels came clear to Bud. The rest is history!
 

 

DualVee Motion Technology® was later patented in 1972 (patent is no longer active), and to this day, whether it is grease, metal chips, sawdust or weld spatter, DualVee conquers extreme temperatures and rough conditions.

One other part of this story is also worth noting. When Bud created a machine to solve his customers’ packaging challenge, he was there every step of the way. Bishop-Wisecarver continues this same work ethic today, as our engineering team is here for you from concept to completion.

We are a hard thinking, resourceful bunch of individuals who value quality, reliability and imagination. Contact us today!

7 Reasons this Printing Equipment Manufacturer Teamed with Bishop-Wisecarver

1. Excellent products allow us to quickly move from concept to system sale.

2. Reliable, long life; performs well in customers’ harsh printing environment.

3. High speed capability results in very fast production print equipment.

4. Precision motion meets accuracy and tight tolerance requirements.

5. Fantastic, knowledgeable engineering support keeps us coming back.

6. Competitive solutions for every one of our custom designed products.

7. Superior technical documentation.

- Robert Whitman, Engineer, Digital Print Inc.

Robert uses our LoPro® Linear Actuators for his high speed variable print systems. Learn more about our actuators and other linear motion products on our website.

Are You a Welder? 7 Reasons to Team with Bishop-Wisecarver

1. We invented guide wheel technology. Nobody knows it like we do.
• Since the creation of our DualVee® guide wheel technology more than 40 years ago, Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation has pioneered v groove guide wheel based linear actuators and linear motion systems. Whether it is for linear, rotary, or curved track applications, our tough yet cost effective linear actuators and other guided linear motion systems provide performance advantages unmatched by other antifriction guide technologies.

2. Self-cleaning action of vee design is ideal for dirty and high temperature environments.
• Whether it is grease, metal chips or weld spatter, the self cleaning action rolls through and sweeps debris from the track. Designed to excel in dirty and high temperature environments, the wheel’s inner vee diameter travels at a slower rate than the outer vee diameter, resulting in a velocity gradient that rolls through and sweeps aside any debris that has settled on the track.

3. Low friction equals smoother oscillation.
• The guide wheels feature a constant radius ball bearing path, which minimizes vibration and results in smoother oscillation while dragging and pushing the weld puddle. The high surface finish and induction heat treating of the stainless and carbon steel components ensure a long lasting system.

4. Fast delivery – components from stock, complete actuated linear guide systems < 2 weeks.
• It’s just that simple. We are committed to serving your motion needs in a timely manner.

5. Our design support, 3D CAD, and FEA tools save you time and money.
• Our world-class engineering team is made up of resourceful, knowledgeable individuals with cutting edge tools that will best assist them in creating innovative, long-lasting solutions for even your most difficult linear motion challenges.

6. We’re an extension of your team from concept to completion.
• For more than 60 years, we have been problem solving our customers' most demanding application challenges. Starting as a custom machine fabricator and growing into the leading manufacturer that Bishop-Wisecarver is today, we possess the engineering and manufacturing experience to help tackle even the most difficult challenges from start to finish -- we walk every step of the way with you to design a product that meets the exact needs of a specific application.

7. Freedom to realize your engineering potential and design outside-the-box.
• Guided linear and rotary motion systems and linear actuators from Bishop-Wisecarver are limited only by your imagination. With the assistance of our creative, experienced application engineers, the possibilities are endless.

DualVee® & HepcoMotion® GV3 Watch a short welding customer story!

ECRM Moves Toward Smoother Motion with DualVee® Package

Challenge: ECRM Imaging Systems felt they needed to enhance their linear drive package and improve on performance, reliability, and at the same time offer a new solution to an existing design. The application runs in a clean environment. The slide may be exposed to dust, but for the most part it is protected by the machine’s cover.

Application Description: The “News Matic” demands a 35” or 890mm travel length. The carriage is side mounted on 2 parallel Size 3 tracks supported by Size 3 wheels. Speeds are relatively low with 120 cycles per day transporting a 15 lb. load. The main function of this linear assembly is to transport a plate and register it against registration pins accurately in order to transfer a print image directly on the plate. Then it will reposition this plate and address the next.

Solution: To help reduce component cost without jeopardizing the carriage integrity and accuracy DualVee Size 3 wheels are used in this application, 2 concentric on the top rail and 1 eccentric on the bottom rail. The diversity of Bishop-Wisecarver’s component offering allowed for a belt driven arrangement along with ECRM’s own special carriage plate design. A competitor’s shafts and bearings were used in the past, but ECRM chose DualVee for its smoothness, quietness, low friction, number of component reduction, and ease of installation benefits.

Products Used:

- DualVee Track

o T3 x 900 mm

- DualVee Wheels

o W1 wheel assembly

o W1X wheel assembly

Snag a PDF copy of this application, and learn more about Bishop-Wisecarver online at www.bwc.com -- Discover our world-class engineering team. The possibilities are only limited by your own imagination!

Click to Vote!

The 2010 "Leadership in Engineering" from Design World is taking votes! Click the banner to vote for Bishop-Wisecarver, or visit the Leadership page on Design World. Winners will be announced in the December issue this year.

"Leadership in Engineering: 60 Years of Innovation > Bud Wisecarver and the Bishop-Wisecarver engineering team support companies around the world by leveraging state of the art technologies to improve performance and design optimization by incorporating their engineering expertise and patented technologies." Read full article here >

We also have our full video library on Design Word.

Proud to be a Finalist

Bishop-Wisecarver is proud to be named a finalist in Design News' annual Golden Mousetrap Awards for 2010!

Congratulations to all! Click here to view the finalist page on Design News.

Design News' annual Golden Mousetrap Awards recognize engineering innovation and creativity in product design. This year awards were given in five major categories: electronics, materials, motion control/automation, rapid prototyping and design tools, as well as several subcategories.

Fostering the imagination that leads to mechanical solutions since 1950, Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation is a woman owned manufacturing company specializing in linear, rotary, and curved track guided motion technologies. As the original creator of the DualVee® guide wheel, we offer tough yet cost effective solution.

Here a Robot, There a Robot !

04/09/2010: Bishop-Wisecarver attended the 2010 FIRST regionals in Davis, CA on April 1st to cheer on the Bay Area teams we are sponsoring -- Team #1516, Fightin' Grizzlies from San Ramon and Team #2628, Treasure Island Pirates from San Francisco, CA -- Both teams really gave it all they had! Good luck and congratulations to all the FRC teams.

For more about Bishop-Wisecarver, visit www.bwc.com

PSD80 & PDU2M Demonstration -- Together as X-Y-Z

04/09/2010: In this video, PSD80 (a profile screw driven unit) and PDU2M (a belt driven unit) work together as an X-Y-Z application -- PSD80 is an exceptionally versatile linear actuator ideal for lighter load applications. PDU2M offers increased moment load capacity and stiffness suitable for multi-axis systems and demanding single-axis applications.

Being able to combine these unique linear actuators allows the user to configure a simple cost effective x-y-z system with minimal engineering as all the components and connection brackets are standard. See the video demonstration (below, or click here) >

Created by HepcoMotion and exclusively offered by Bishop-Wisecarver.

Get more info online at www.bwc.com -- Motion without limits since 1950.

BWC Awards Two Students at the 2010 Science & Engineering Fair

04/08/2010: Pamela Kan, president of Bishop-Wisecarver, awarded two students in the engineering division at the 2010 Contra Costa County Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburg, CA -- Enjoy this short video of the festivities, and meet the winning students - Caroline Lamoureux From North Creek Academy and Michael Baltz from De La Salle High School. Congratulations on a job well done to all participants.

Bud Wisecarver at Hillview Jr. High Career Fair

04/07/2010: In this video, a short clip of Bud Wisecarver at the Hillview Junior High School career fair in Pittsburg, CA on March 31st, 2010 -- Bud 's life has been ruled by two main themes - motion and innovation. In this spirit, BWC strives to support students and programs related to engineering, education, and manufacturing. Learn more about bwc online at bwc.com

Getting Ergonomic With LoPro® // Automotive Customer Story

Automotive Ergonomics and Efficiency [ View FULL PDF version ]

Challenge: Customer needed to eliminate 30 feet of air hose. This was a dangerous situation with the possibility of tangling and tripping over the hoses. The Assembler has the weight of tools and parts to manage while moving along with the car body.

Application Description: Operator Assist moves along with the car body and carries fasteners, air tools, and fixtures as it tracks along the Skuk line. Spring loaded, the carriage automatically returns to the starting position, eliminating need for operator to handle weight of tools and fixtures.

Solution: LoPro was the ideal system in allowing for a more efficient and ergonomic assembly process. The decision to go with Bishop-Wisecarver’s LoPro was made because not only is it much easier to mount, but it also runs smoother and quieter than other guided motion technologies.

Products Used: LoPro size 4 wheel plate and track

Contact an application engineer today! The possibilities are endless.