Ewellix Launches New Smart Actuator with Extended Features and Robot Compatibility

Ewellix

Ewellix has spent the past 50 years as a global company specializing in linear motion and actuation systems. Their linear actuators have made inroads into many industries, including, but not limited to, materials forming (metals and plastics), medical imaging and equipment, semiconductor manufacturing, construction, and agricultural equipment. Originally part of the SFK Group, it is now fully owned by Triton.

The company recently launched a new series of actuators to promote longevity and flexibility in manufacturing. The new CAHB-2xS series can be used to design new equipment or retrofit established equipment with little redesign, unlike what might be encountered with a hydraulic system. 

 

Video used courtesy of Ewellix

 

The series comes in a variety of sizes, with the largest of the series capable of pushing or pulling 10,000 N (2248 lbs force). François Ducourant, Business Development Manager at Ewellix, mentioned, “The CAHB-2xS series adds smart control functions, sensors, and communication to equipment and machinery. It’s the first in a family of new products that are part of the Ewellix SmartX digital platform to help customers in their journey towards digitalisation.”
 

CAHB-2xS Improvements

The newest line of linear actuators offers several improvements over the previous models. The CAHB-2xS is fitted with contactless position sensors that are designed not to wear or need calibration. They can be synced to other sensors, providing even, steady motion, even at full-speed. 

For example, suppose an AMR is going to lift a platform so that a heavy part can be used or stored. The platform will require more than one linear actuator, but all of the actuators used must lift at the same rate to keep from dumping the part. 

With the CAHB-2xS series, these can all be linked together, and with true position sensing, they are more likely to lift to the right level. This is a significant improvement over counting revolutions of each screw and hoping that the calibration is correct.

 

Ewellix CAHB-2xS linear actuator. Image used courtesy of Ewellix

 

The CAHB-2xS can be wired directly to existing Controller Area Network (CAN) bus hardware. This means that the actuator can retrofit existing equipment. Due to the true position sensing, the user can specify a position accurately with CAN bus commands. A firmware update uploaded to the actuator can specify new control positions for the actuator motion without recalibrating.

It can also be wired to a simple switch, such as a limit switch or an electronic control unit (ECU) for additional control, particularly in new equipment design. 

They can self-diagnose some issues and throw an error code, saving technician and engineer work hours and headaches during troubleshooting. Any time an actuator operates outside of its specifications, this error code is sent.

 

Built With New ISO Standards

Aside from all of these added features, the CAHB-2xS series are potentially capable of living long, healthy lives. The longevity standard, EN ISO 13849, shows these actuators have a mean time to failure of 75 years when powered for 8 hours a day, 240 days a year. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) put forth this standard to promote the safety of machinery, specifically to identify devices that will last when placed in harsh industrial environments. 

 

The new smart actuator. Screenshot used courtesy of Ewellix

 

The Ewellix CAHB-2xS series smart linear actuators could be the first step into the digital world for large-scale farms, heavy construction equipment, and new manufacturing centers.