This section provides an overview for robo cylinder as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 10 robo cylinder manufacturers and their company rankings.
Table of Contents
Robo Cylinder is an electrically operated cylinder.
Cylinders include air cylinders that use compressor air (compressed air). There are also hydraulic cylinders that use oil pressure. Air and hydraulic cylinders are driven by fluid supplied from one or both sides of the cylinder. Robo Cylinders, on the other hand, are driven by electricity.
Although electrically driven, they can only move in a linear motion and operate on a single axis. In general, air cylinders can only position two or at most three points, while Robo Cylinders can position freely within their stroke range.
Robo Cylinders are used in a variety of applications, including processing, assembly, conveyance, and packaging equipment. The first advantage of Robo Cylinder over air cylinders is energy savings. The energy efficiency of air cylinders is generally poor due to the resistance of the piping through which the compressed air passes. It is known that the power consumption of Robo Cylinder is about one-tenth of that of air cylinders.
Other advantages include less shock when stopping, shorter tact time, easier design and manufacturing, and the ability to handle a wide variety of products. Robo Cylinder is the trade name for IAI's electric actuators, which are intended as a high-performance replacement for air cylinders.
Recently, a product called the Elecylinder, which specializes in movement between two points, has also been marketed, targeting the air cylinder market.
Robo Cylinder mainly consists of a ball screw, a linear guide, and an AC servo motor. Robo Cylinders are compact and suitable for use in equipment that handles lightweight materials.
Single-axis robots, which are larger and more rigid than Robot Cylinders, are used in equipment that handles heavy objects.
Ball screws are used to convert the rotational motion of a servomotor into linear motion. They are characterized by high power transmission accuracy and high positioning accuracy.
Linear guides are used to support the linear motion of ball screws. Ball screws only perform linear motion and are not very resistant to directions other than the direction of motion. Therefore, linear guides are used as a supplementary role to ensure that the linear motion of the ball screw is not interfered with.
AC servo motors are the power source of Robo Cylinder. The amount of rotation of the motor can be controlled by rotation control using an encoder. The controllable rotation of the motor allows the linear movement distance of the ball screw to be freely controlled. Therefore, the driving distance of Robo Cylinder can be freely adjusted.
Robo Cylinders, like air cylinders, can be roughly divided into two types: rod type and slider type.
The rod type is a type in which the rod extends and retracts. Although it requires a larger installation space, it is suitable for pushing operation. However, in order to receive radial loads, it is necessary to use a linear motion guide or select a guided type.
In the case of the rod type, the guide receives the moment load, so there is no problem if you select a model that can generate thrust in excess of the required thrust.
The slider type is integrated with a linear motion guide. The slider type can be used by attaching the moving object directly to the slider. In the slider type, the model is selected so that it falls within the tolerance range of the integrated linear motion guide.
First, determine the moment load applied to the slider based on the center of gravity position and weight of the moving object attached to the slider, and select a model so that the allowable moment load is not exceeded. Next, check the payload at the operating speed in the speed-carrying weight table in the catalog, and make sure that the weight of the moving object does not exceed the payload. Note that the payload varies greatly between horizontal and vertical mounting.
Robo Cylinder has functions such as position operation, positioning operation, and pushing operation, and Robo Cylinder is much more sophisticated than air cylinders.
Positioning operation is used when transferring multiple positions, and positioning operation is used when a host device sets the moving position by calculation or other means. Pressing operation is useful when clamping a workpiece with constant pressure.
1. Position Operation
To perform position operation, the stop position called "position" and the speed and acceleration at the time of movement must be registered in advance to a host device such as a PLC. In position operation, when a position number is specified by the host device, Robo Cylinder moves to the stop position corresponding to the position number.
2. Positioning Operation
In positioning operation, Robo Cylinder is operated by directly specifying the travel (or stop position), speed and acceleration at the time of movement by a host device such as a PLC.
3. Pushing Operation
In push operation, Robo Cylinder performs a push operation with a set push force. This operation is set by a teaching pendant or PC software and controlled by a host device.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Artisan Technology Group is a supplier of Measuring & Test Equipment based in Illinois. The company provides parts and components for various businesses such as semiconductors for manufacturing sectors, instruments, incubators, microscopes, and more for Lab and Analytic departments, there are also communication products and electrical testers, analyzers, and furthermore there are drives, control systems for PLC and Motors with other products related to ARINC, VME, and VXI. Overall there is a vast inventory of equipment that serves the industrial, commercial, and military systems.
IAI America, Inc., founded in Japan, in 1976 is a manufacturer of motion control systems including Electric Actuator, ROBO Cylinder and Multi-Axes Robot. The company's product portfolio includes servo drives, motors, controllers, and integrated systems. Their products find application in optimizing packaging and printing processes and movements in manufacturing processes, enhancing productivity and product quality. The company serves industries such as Oil and Gas, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Construction, and Power Generation. The company is headquartered in Torrance, CA, in 1989 and provides worldwide distribution and customer support.
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.
DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED was established in 1976 in Aichi, Japan provides industrial solutions through its manufacturing technology by developing and producing automatic identification equipment, industrial robots, controllers, and system solutions. The company is known for creating QR codes and cloud services, which are registered trademarks of DENSO WAVE Inc. These codes and services are used for anti-forgery measures and in business cards or catalogs. Their AUTO-ID products include terminals, scanners, RFIDs, and software that enables various operations. These products are supported by customized system solutions such as QR code solutions and IoT solutions (Internet of Things).
Automation West, established in 1980 and headquartered in Surrey, BC, Canada, is a manufacturer of industrial valve automation and fluid power products. The company manufactures a diverse range of products, including automated valves, actuators, pumps, and hydraulic systems. These products offer significant benefits such as improved process control, enhanced operational efficiency, and reduced maintenance costs. These solutions are specifically applied in industries such as oil and gas, petrochemical, water treatment, and manufacturing, where precise fluid control and optimal valve automation are critical for safety, productivity, and environmental compliance, ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of significant industrial processes.
Sensors Incorporated is a JHFOSTER company founded in 1977 in Kelsey Street, Delano, MN, as a manufacturer and supplier of equipment for industrial sensing, process control, barcode scanning, monitoring, and safety guarding. The company product line has automation sensors, machine systems, safety light curtains, plastic process control instruments, and safety sensors for workspace illumination, status indication, and personnel guidance. The company has products from brands such as Banner, Accurate Thermal Systems, Advanced Illumination, APG, and Baumer.
Ranking as of September 2023 Globally
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. |
100.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the robo cylinder page as of September 2023. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History