Solve the Curvilinear Crossword to Win!

Can you solve the crossword in time? This game is based on the article titled “What to Do When Your Motion System Throws You a Curve” which was featured on the front cover of the June 2011 edition of Design World. The first five people to send a completed crossword to betha@bwc.com will win a Bishop-Wisecarver hat!
 
[ click here ] to download the crossword PDF

To complete the crossword, refer to the curvilinear article in Design World on pg. 50 in the magazine or view the digital copy at http://bit.ly/DWpg50 Good luck!

What To Do When Your Motion System Throws You a Curve

Did you see us on the cover of Design World this month? Check us out!

"What to Do When Your Motion System Throws You a Curve" by Mechanical Design Engineer Leslie Lui was a featured story in the popular magazine's June edition.

Read all about ring and track systems on the market, traditional curvilinear solutions available today, and how ring and track systems stack up > "Guide wheel based ring and track systems are more compact and offer better positioning accuracy and more options for cargo carrying positions than alternative conveyor systems for curvilinear applications."

You can read the story on page 50 in the magazine, or you can view the digital copy [ here ]

Discuss this article with other readers on the Engineering Exchange!

Material Handling: Flexible Product Demands Flexible Handling

Challenge: A good deal of ingenuity was needed to design a handling and assembly system for 9.84 foot long washing machine hosing. The system designer and builder had to provide the necessary operational flexibility needed by this application right up to the packaging station, requiring a complete integrated package that was cost effective in design and build time.

Application Description: The plant occupies an area of 1076 square feet and consists of several sections. After being fed into the system and cut to the required length, the hose is sorted into two sizes and transported to an assembly station to be fitted with a threaded tube connector. It then travels into one of four press stations and eight pressure testing stations and finally into packing.

Solution: Installing the HepcoMotion DTS linear track system at the heart of the assembly was the ideal choice for this application. With a profile width of 1.73 inches and 24.1 inches diameter segments, the overall feed length of the DTS is 68.89 ft. It is equipped with a total of 36 fixed center carriages, each having two hose-gripper devices and an oval track with an integral belt drive. Carriages are positioned at equal pitches along the track and can be re-set at irregular intervals to ensure the precise control of the hose feed. Using the HepcoMotion PRT Ring Slides and Track System as its basis, DTS is a complete unit ready to be incorporated into any continuously positioning or dedicated assembly machine.

Products Used: DTS Driven Track System & PRT Ring Slides and Track System

UTCSK Camera Slider Kit, Linear Guide Wheel Technology

Designed for small to medium lightweight digital SLR cameras and lenses, UTCSK comes in two standard lengths of aluminum track (choose either 1000 mm and 1500 mm). For easy tripod mounting to the track, the slider comes with ¼-20” threads located at the center and both ends. The anodized aluminum wheel plate with linear guide wheels includes a ¼-20” camera thumb screw to be used with or without a ball head mount. For camera safety and peace of mind, two adjustable end stop blocks with nylon screws are also included.

Originally created for our very own in-house video production staff, this useful camera slider application is a dynamic tool for other B2B professionals alike.

Brian Burke, Project Engineer for Bishop-Wisecarver: “The UtiliTrak product line has been successful in diverse industrial applications as linear guides due to the smooth, and precise rolling characteristics of the guide wheels. Our creative in-house video production staff requested a camera slider for producing impressive dynamic shots to incorporate into product demonstration videos. We realized that this useful application would be valuable to other B2B professionals as a cost-effective solution to their own in-house video productions.”

Learn more at www.utcsk.com *Leave us your feedback! We'd love to hear what you have to say about the camera slider. More videos to come!

X-Y-Z Linear Guide Gantry System

Check out our latest YouTube upload on PDU2M and PSD80 working together as one. This XYZ linear guide gantry system is a simple, cost-effective solution with minimum engineering.

Imagination, Ingenuity and Innovation -- Oh My!

A couple members of the BWC team attended the 2011 Bay Area Maker Faire on Sunday, May 22nd. Wow! Imagination and ingenuity at its finest! From the Tesla Coil music dance off to a life-size game of Mousetrap, the Maker Faire proved to be one event you just can't miss. Enjoy the photo slide show of our journey through one of the best events of the year!

UtiliTrak® Linear Guide Motion Solution Provides Ergonomic Tool Positioning for Assembly Operator

Challenge: With continuous improvement and lean thinking in mind, this design team needed to develop a lean assembly workstation for installing numerous fasteners on a variety of product and materials. This assembly workstation needed to shorten operation time, as well as, provide ergonomic movement for the operator. It was also important that the motion solution be able to handle dusty conditions, and reliably operate up to four hours a day, five times a week. 

The previous solution required the operator to adjust all tool settings each time in order to accommodate various project sizes. These changes included replacing the tool bit, adjusting the air pressure, and adjusting the tool clutch settings. These setup adjustments were identified as wasteful, as well as ergonomically challenging which caused unnecessary operator fatigue.

Solution: The new lean assembly workstation was designed to hold three pneumatic assembly tools with each tool dedicated to a specific product size eliminating the need to change tool settings. A welded steel frame was fabricated to hold tool balancers and air regulators within the workspace resulting in ergonomic improvements. 

The pneumatic assembly tools are all in-line style with both push-to-start and leaver actuated to reduce the wrist angle during operation. Two types of tool balancers were installed including pneumatically assisted tool arms, and a spring loaded tool balancer. The spring loaded tool balancer can be positioned with ease by the operator because it is mounted to an UtiliTrak size-3 wheel plate running on UtiliTrak steel track. 

Not only did the UtiliTrak linear guide easily follow the operator’s hand movements in sync and extend the reach of the tool balancer in an effort to provide ergonomics of the workstation, but the steel DualVee® guide wheel technology on the carriage provided the application with long life and reliability due to its constant sweeping action against debris. 

Product Used: UtiliTrak size-3 wheel plate with steel wheels and size-3 steel track

Member Profile Q&A on Pamela Kan from AHTD

Check out this member profile on Pamela Kan from Bishop-Wisecarver on the AHTD website (Association for High Technology Distribution) posted by Maggie Skarich. Pamela talks about her team at BWC, favorite techie tools and much more.

She recently spoke at the 2011 AHTD Spring Meeting on social media in the industrial B2B space.

[ click here ] or the image below to read the full profile:

Q&A with Applications Engineer Benjamin Domingo

Get to know Bishop-Wisecarver's Applications Engineer, Benjamin Domingo!

Benjamin joined our company in May 2010, and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from The University of California, Santa Barbara. He is the second bilingual customer service representative who can assist customers with their application requirements in either Spanish or English. Benjamin can be reached via e-mail at BenD@bwc.com

Question: Why did you want to be an engineer?

Answer: I was always curious about how things worked and loved to build stuff as a kid. Naturally, this led me to an interest in engineering.

Question: Who was your biggest influence in becoming an engineer?
Answer: My mathematics teacher in high school was my biggest influence. I never really enjoyed math but she taught it in a way that sparked my interest in solving mathematical/engineering problems.

Question: Where did you go for schooling?
Answer: I attended the University of California, Santa Barbara and obtained a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Question: What kind of job experience did you have before joining the Bishop-Wisecarver team? Any internships?
Answer: I was involved in robotic research at school. I worked with a grad student and a professor on autonomous robotic control. It was a great experience and an enjoyable one that I will never forget.

Question: What do you enjoy most about being an engineer?
Answer: I enjoy helping people.

Question: What's the most rewarding thing about being an engineer?
Answer: The most rewarding thing about being an engineer is seeing all your hard work become a solution to something.

Question:  What is the most creative project you have worked on?
Answer: Building a soccer playing robot where I was primarily focused on designing the kicking and dribbling mechanisms and omni-directional movement.

Question: Any advice to aspiring engineers?
Answer: Keep yourself motivated. Do what you love.

Light Duty Aluminum Rings: Cost Effective Rotary Motion

You read that right! These rings weigh up to 54% less then steel rings of comparable size -- ideal for light duty applications. ALR aluminum rings by HepcoMotion® are well suited for design challenges that require a cost-effective rotary movement system with medium precision. Made from anodized aluminum, ALR rings are corrosion resistant and suitable for non-magnetic environments.

“Economical aluminum ALR rings enable the designer or machine builder to implement rotary motion solutions on cost sensitive projects.” – Brian Burke, Project Engineer

Available in four standard sizes from 148mm to 300mm in diameter, rings are compatible with size-2 DualVee® guide wheels (a polymer outer form molded onto a stainless steel bearing and stud).

“ALR rings provide several benefits including low inertial mass, reduced weight, and inherent corrosion resistance.” – Burke

Need something a little more customized? Other forms of these aluminum rings can be supplied (different diameters and thicknesses, internal vee edge, gearcut rings and timing pulleys). These items can be made upon request. 

[ Download ] the product sheet, or [ view ] out latest press release!

Smooth, Reliable Motion Required in Gritty Environment

Challenge: With metal shavings flying everywhere during production, the problem of clogging wheels and track only intensify with cutting fluids. Shavings stick to all surfaces, making it difficult to smoothly open and close heavy machine tool doors. To solve this problem, this machine tool manufacturer needed a vee shaped wheel design with an unmatched "wiping" action.

Solution: Using DualVee Motion Technology® combined with our ability to offer assorted materials and track plating options, this manufacturer chose to use a size-3 combination of guide wheels and track to handle the rigors of doors opening and closing many times throughout the day in an extremely harsh environment.

With easy adjustment, these off-the-shelf bushings provide proper fit and installation. Fit-up time is minimized as well. The same size-3 wheel and track technologies were also used in the vertical mounting of the tool changer because of the load capabilities and rigidity that DualVee offers.

Reciprocating bearing technology clogs up with the oils and metal debris in machining operations, but not DualVee — ideal for machine doors, tool changers and bar feeders. From light to heavy loads, learn more about what this linear motion technology can do for you on our website.

Products used: Size-3 DualVee wheels, size-3 carbon steel track with black oxide plating, and both concentric and eccentric bushings

Scroll Driven Track System - High Speed

New video post on our YouTube channel... check out a quick clip of the HepcoMotion® DTS2 Driven Track System. The carriages are linked with adjustable spring-loaded belts, and this system can be supplied with motors, drives and bleed lubrication. DTS2 is all about high speed, rapid indexing and high driving forces.

FIRST® LOGO MOTION™ 2011 in San Jose, CA

We had so much fun cheering on the students at the San Jose, CA regional in March! Check out our video coverage of our co-sponsored teams participating in the LOGO MOTION challenge and hear what they had say!

Student Maybeyli Pool from team #3717 said, "All of the teams are so awesome. They are helping us a lot. They have a lot of experience, and it's so good. The competition is a little crazy for us and the robot is struggling a little bit, but I am having fun."

To learn more about FIRST, click here to view their website!

New! Compact Linear Guide Brake System

Check out our latest video update on YouTube -- a video demonstration of our manual UtiliTrak braking system, a recent addition to our popular compact linear guide product line. One my favorite products because it's so fun to see what our customers create using it! Looking forward to new customer application stories!

Defense Research Uses Standard Stainless Steel Motion Technologies

Click on photo to view larger image

In an effort to assist naval architects in designing helicopter friendly ships, the School of Engineering at the University of Liverpool was asked to design a device that would measure the ship airwake that a helicopter pilot would encounter while landing on the rear of a moving model warship.

Contained inside a scale model of a helicopter and designed to measure in real time the forces exerted on the rotors and body, the instrument required linear and rotary motion technologies that could handle high repeatability and accuracy. It was also important that the product be stainless steel in order to withstand the ingress of water.

The combination of three technologies available from Bishop-Wisecarver was chosen for this difficult challenge: PRT Precision Ring and Track, an HD Heavy Duty Linear Slide with beam, and a LoPro Linear Slide.

Get the whole story on how this tough application challenge was solved, including comments from the project engineer. Read article [ here ]

To learn more about the products used in this challenge, visit www.bwc.com