LinMot industrial linear motors

LinMot Linear Motors

LinMot P is a family of linear direct drives for highly dynamic motions. The motor is made up of just two parts: the slider and the stator. The two parts are not connected by brushes or cables.
The linear motion is generated directly by electromagnetic forces, without the wear associated with mechanical gearboxes, belts, or levers.
Extremely dynamic motion sequences can be obtained with a long lifespan.
Cylindrical design and integrated bearings and position sensing make LinMot linear motors a compact design element.
Typical applications range from rapid positioning, lifting, and pushing motions, to synchronous pick and place applications, to complex palletizing gantry robots.


Design

The windings, position sensors, temperature monitoring, and bearings are all located in the stator.
It consists of a solid metal cylinder in which the motor components are cast, so that they are optimally protected from damage and contamination (IP67).
The stators are available in two versions, with direct cable exit or a rotating angle connector.
The slider consists of a stainless steel tube in which the drive magnets are mounted.
During operation, the slider is guided by the plain bearing integrated in the stator. There is no electrical or mechanical connection between the slider and the stator.

Mode of operation

LinMot linear motors are permanently actuated synchronous servo motors, with integrated position measurement and overload protection.
Permanent magnets in the slider (like a rotor) and windings in the stator are used to generate forces, like in a brushless rotary motor.
The configuration and different arrangement of the magnets generate the linear motion directly, using electromagnetic force, without mechanical elements that are subject to wear.

Dynamik

Acceleration values of well over 300 m/s2 and travel speeds over 5.5 m/s allow cyclical motion sequences of several Hertz.
For handling applications with sensitive products, such as transporting wafers in semiconductor production, very gentle, smooth motions with suitable accelerations can be obtained.

Environmental Conditions

LinMot linear motors are cast under vacuum, are splash-proof, and have protection class IP67.

The Fraunhofer Institute has confirmed clean room compatibility (Certification FM9805-3475 per US Fed. Standard 209E). The magnetic measurement system and cast body style allow secure operation even in damp or dirty environments.



Integrated Position Measurement

LinMot linear motors and LinMot servo controllers form a closed-loop drive system.
The position is detected in the motor by non-contact magnetic field sensors.
These provide the servo controller with a sine/cosine signal, so that the current position is always available to the controller with no lag. In contrast to incremental position measurement, steps cannot be lost.
Since position detection is done purely magnetically, with no optical sensors, and with the magnetic sensors being cast into the stator, LinMot linear motors can be used even in damp or dirty environments.
Freely Positionable

LinMot linear motors can be freely positioned. With absolute or relative movement commands, they can move to any desired position in the stroke range.
Since the LinMot linear drive is a closed-loop system, not only the end positions are monitored, but also deviations in position during travel.
This allows, among other things, precise specification of travel speeds, acceleration and braking ramps, and travel through curved paths. For synchronous machines, the linear motor can be synchronized to the main shaft. By replacing mechanical cam discs with LinMot linear motors, for example, great variations can be achieved, with format changeovers at the push of a button.

Overload Protection

There are no mechanical components for force transfer that could be damaged in a crash or stall condition in a linear motor. Complex, expensive designs to protect gearboxes, gears, and shafts are thus eliminated. If the linear motor stalls, it acts like a pneumatic cylinder and tries to reach the target position with maximum force.
The following error monitor in the controller can, however, immediately recognize a stall condition. Temperature sensors integrated in the stator prevent the drive from overloading in any case.

Long Lifespan

Since the linear motion is generated purely magnetically, and no mechanical force transmission takes place, even extremely dynamic applications can be implemented with a long lifespan.





 
Reliability

Since forces are generated purely magnetically, no mechanical components, such as gearboxes, belts, or spindles, can be damaged in case of a crash.

Since LinMot linear motors have no wear parts and a long lifespan, due to their operating principle, a high level of reliability is guaranteed, even in fast-moving machines.

Process Stability

Since not only the end positions, but also speed and acceleration are controlled and monitored, motions that are programmed once are carried out the same way over the entire life of the machine.

For more information about LinMot Industrial Linear Motors, see "General Data Book V15.pdf",
here.