This section provides an overview for cam positioners as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 9 cam positioner manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked cam positioner companies as of November, 2024: 1.esitron-electronic GmbH, 2.ZITOLK ELECTRONICS LIMITED, 3.FPE Automation.
Table of Contents
A cam positioner is a device used in the fields of mechanical engineering and automatic control.
They are intended to replace mechanical cams and simplify their structure. A mechanical cam is a mechanism that rotates a circular or elliptical cam shaft to operate a part that performs a specific action based on its shape.
Cam positioners typically use a sensor or encoder to detect the angle of rotation or position of the shaft and feed it back to a control system. The control system controls the shaft based on a pre-set cam profile.
In other words, the cam profile can be set as a profile in the cam positioner to replace a conventional mechanical cam. This avoids the complex mechanisms of mechanical cams and simplifies the structure.
The are used in engine valve control, offering precise timing and valve opening/closing control for engines, thereby improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.
They are used in machining equipment, such as machine tools like lathes and milling machines to control accurate positioning and cutting movements of tools.
Used in product packaging and assembly lines. Accurate position control allows product packaging and assembly operations to be performed quickly and accurately.
Used in robotics and automation systems. Cam positioners may be used in motion control and positioning of robotic arms.
Cam positioners are also used in the printing process. They are used to control the position of the print head and ink supply.
A cam positioner consists of elements such as measurement by a sensor, information processing by a control system, and position control by an actuator. This enables precise control of the position and speed of the axis to achieve the desired motion.
Cam positioners use sensors or encoders to measure the angle of rotation and position of the axis. This detects the current state of the axis and provides feedback to the control system.
Cam positioners work in conjunction with a control system. The control system receives feedback information from the sensors and encoders and calculates the difference from the target axis rotational position and speed.
The control system sends commands to actuators to control the position of the axis. The actuator may take the form of an electric motor, hydraulic cylinder, or pneumatic cylinder. The actuator moves the axis to a precise position based on commands from the control system.
Feed-forward control may also be used with cam positioners. Feed-forward control uses position and velocity information predicted in advance based on a profile to control the actuator. This minimizes the effects of delay and response time and allows for more accurate control.
The main types of cam positioners are as follows:
An optical sensor is used to detect the convex position of the cam. The optical sensor detects the reflection or transmission of light between the cam and the convexity of the cam to obtain position information.
Uses a laser sensor to detect the position of the cam's convexity in a non-contact manner. The position information is obtained by analyzing the reflection or scattering pattern of laser light.
Uses a device called an encoder to detect the angle of cam rotation. The encoder generates a pulse signal in response to cam rotation to acquire position information.
A variable resistor called a potentiometer is used to detect the position of the cam. The resistance value of the variable resistor changes with cam rotation to acquire position information.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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esitron-electronic GmbH was established in 1989, in Germany as a manufacturer of controls. The company deals in products that are used to control the positioning of devices in the industry of automation technology such as they have Motion Controllers, Cam Controllers, and Digital Panels that enable the display of numbers, symbols, graphics, and text for displaying variables and data such as weight, pressure, speed, and temperature. There are also Signal converters that have applications where level conditioning and conversion of encoder signals is required.
Omron Automation, situated in Hoffman Estate, IL established in 1933 is a manufacturer and supplier of fully integrated automation solutions to various industries. The complete portfolio of the company provides safety services, training, and automation services to keep people safe, protect their capital investment and increase their overall equipment effectiveness. The company has 80+ years of industry experience to benefit its clients. Whether a client is looking to protect their people, understand their functional safety risks, train their team, or refurbish a robot, the company can provide customized services to meet their client's needs.
Omron Corporation, started in 1933 and headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, is a manufacturer of automation components, equipment, and systems, and it developed the first contactless proximity switch in 1960. It has four domains, including industrial automation, electronic components, healthcare, and social systems, and it provides products and services in around 120 countries and regions. Some of its products include microsensing devices, access control systems, industrial robots, surveillance cameras, and blood pressure monitors. In 1971, it developed the first online cash machine, and in 1972, it established Japan’s first welfare factory.
ABB is a manufacturer and supplier of robotics and process automation products that was established in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1988 following the merger of BBC of Switzerland and ASEA of Sweden. The company specializes in products for electrification and motion control applications. These products include sensors, motors, and drives for in-facility delivery rovers. It also offers transformers, circuit breakers, and inverters for maintaining operational efficiency in automated lines. The company chiefly serves clients in the mining, oil and gas, and food and beverage industries.
OMRON Industrial Automation is the UK branch of OMRON, originally founded in Japan in 1933. OMRON Industrial Automation serves food and beverage industry, panel board design, automotive manufacturing industries among others. OMRON Industrial Automation products categories include automation systems such as industrial PCs and human machine interfaces (HMI), safety such as safety switches and safety logic control systems, switching components such as solid state relays, motion & drives such as motion controllers, sensing such as photoelectric sensors, software, robotics, quality control & inspection systems, as well as control components including power supplies and digital panel indicators.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | esitron-electronic GmbH |
50.0%
|
2 | ZITOLK ELECTRONICS LIMITED |
16.7%
|
3 | FPE Automation |
8.3%
|
4 | OMRON Industrial Automation |
8.3%
|
5 | Omron Automation |
8.3%
|
6 | ABB |
8.3%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the cam positioner page as of November 2024. 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
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
Germany | 1 | 100.0% |