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This section provides an overview for floating joints as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 11 floating joint manufacturers and their company rankings.
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A floating joint is a joint that permits eccentricity and angular misalignment between members. Eccentricity and angular misalignment can be absorbed by sliding the internal spherical structure and the holder covering the sphere.
It is mainly used to connect cylinders, which are linear actuators, to guide rails and other linear moving parts.
Although the basic structure is the same as that of a ball joint, a floating joint cannot be used to transmit rotational or oscillating motion because it is not a joint for rotation or oscillation.
Floating joints are mainly used to connect linear actuators, such as cylinders driven by compressed air or electric power, to linear moving parts such as guide rails.
However, unless both actuators are assembled with a high level of precision, a large resistance force may be generated due to eccentricity or angular misalignment, or the cylinder may be damaged.
In contrast, the use of floating joints allows eccentricity and misalignment to be tolerated, eliminating the need for parallelism and centering, and making it possible to construct a linear motion system easily.
Floating joints consist of a sphere, a holder to hold the sphere, and screws and nuts to connect the parts. Due to physical constraints, the holder must cover more than half of the sphere's surface to hold the sphere, so there is a limit to the allowable angular deflection.
Typical floating joints are set at an allowable eccentricity of about 5°, and if the eccentricity is greater than this, the resistance will increase or the joint will break. As described above, the eccentricity and angular misalignment allowances are only to simplify the work of aligning parallelism and centering during assembly, and cannot be used for transmission between members with widely different centering directions, such as ball joints and universal joints.
In addition, since failure occurs due to damage to the sphere or holder when a large impact force is applied, it is necessary to use a cylinder with an air cushion or rubber cushion or install an external shock-absorbing mechanism such as a shock absorber.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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BL AUTOTEC, founded in 1987 as a member of the Bando Chemical Co., Ltd. group with headquarters in Japan, is a manufacturer of robotics and automated equipment and components. The company's products include automatic tool changing components for robotics, rotary joints developed for positioners and turntables, couple joints used to connect and disconnect pneumatics and electric signals, and lock-up RCC devices commonly used for mounting tools to robotic arms. BL AUTOTEC also supplies a range of tools that include torque sensors, deburring tools, and finishing tools.
CKD Corporation, established in 1943 under the name of Japan Aircraft Electric Co., Ltd., is a Japanese manufacturer of automation machinery and manufacturing components, headquartered in Komaki, Aichi. Their diverse portfolio includes pneumatic and fluid control components, fine system components, drive components, and labor-saving components. The company has also developed various types of automation machinery, such as transparent object inspection systems, pharmaceutical products packaging machines, and more. These products find applications in various industries, for example their automated food packaging systems are designed for maintaining food quality and hygienic conditions. Their fluid control components are used in the solar cell manufacturing process.
SMC corporation was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. SMC Corporation manufactures and sells automatic control equipment and filtration equipment. SMC has production facilities in 30 countries, technical development centers in Japan, the United States, Europe, and China, and sales offices, globally. SMC product lines divided by them include filter replacements, condensation prevention, heat resistance, thermos-chilling, and others. SMC provides a video library as well as product selection guide to assist customers in finding solutions and optimizing product efficiency.
Ningbo Xinchao Automatization Component Co. Ltd is a manufacturer of pneumatic components established in 1991 and based in Zhejiang, China. XCPC specializes in producing pneumatic cylinders, fluid solenoid valves, air source treatment units, directional valves, and pneumatic accessories. These products find applications in automation, machinery, automotive, electronics, and food processing industries. The company’s manufacturing facility adheres to the ISO 9001:2000 international quality system and is equipped with high-speed automatic lathes, CNC machining, precision EDM, injection molding, and die-casting. It exports products to the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
Fescolo Pneumatic Co., Ltd. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China, as a manufacturer and designer of pneumatic products. The company's product list consists of compact air cylinders, aluminum air cylinder barrels, pressure gauges, and solenoid valves, among others. The products find application in automation and control systems for fluid compression and release, air treatment for indoor air quality, and regulating liquid or gas flow in various applications. The company serves various industries, including automotive, manufacturing, construction, packaging, and food and beverage.
FONTAL has been a manufacturer of pneumatic automotive components since 1956 and is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. The company mainly produces air cylinders, valves, grippers, Hi-rotors, and shock absorbers. It also offers air preparation equipment, vacuum components, servo motors, exhaust cleaners, and floating joints. These products meet ISO-9001 international standards and are used in various automotive applications like brakes, suspension, and engine management systems. The company caters to diverse sectors such as automotive, mining, electronics, and construction. It has a global business network in Asia, America, Europe, Oceania, and Africa.
HINDUSTAN HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS, established in 1997 and headquartered in Chennai, India, is a manufacturer, distributor, and supplier of hydraulic and pneumatic equipment and accessories. The company offers a range of pneumatic hoses, rotary clamp cylinders, air filtration units, pipeline valves, and floating joints. It also provides electric sensors, industrial encoders, fieldbus systems, flow meters, and industrial assemblies. The company is ISO 9001 certified and serves the needs of various sectors, including industrial automation, construction, manufacturing, mining, and agriculture.
SMC Corporation of America, established in 1977 and located in Noblesville, Indiana, is a manufacturer of pneumatic equipment and motion control products used in the automation, controls, and process industries. It is the North American subsidiary of Japan’s SMC Corporation, and it offers a broad range of products, including actuators, directional control valves, and airline equipment. The company is ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certified and has an education division that teaches technical skills and the latest developments in industrial automation. It also runs a sales development program for training outside sales at the company.
Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
4 | 40.0% |
|
China
|
3 | 30.0% |
|
Taiwan
|
1 | 10.0% |
|
India
|
1 | 10.0% |
Denmark
|
1 | 10.0% |
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