High performance in a small format

Application-oriented automation technology is a prerequisite for competitive and high-quality production in the food and beverage industry. This is inconceivable without a large number of powerful microdrives. The small motors often have to release considerable forces in very cramped conditions, work reliably even in continuous or start-and-stop operation and often position with high precision. Drive systems from Faulhaber have proven their performance here in many applications, not only in production plants, but also in filling, transport or quality control.

Brushless motor becomes a "sensor" for viscosity

With doughs, sauces or dairy products, viscosity is an important quality feature or at least decisive for their processability. Today, an innovative rotational viscometer allows viscosity measurement that - depending on the sample material - takes only about ten minutes. A DC servo motor of the 4490...BS series plays a key role here. It sits under the measuring pot with the sample and drives a so-called paddle. If the viscosity of the sample changes, the torque of the drive also changes at the same speed. For example, if starch gelatinises and offers more resistance to the paddle, the torque increases. To determine these changes, the torque is measured at the second shaft end of the drive. This turns the motor into a sensor, so to speak. Depending on the analysis task, the motor speeds are between 0 and 500 revolutions per minute.

Optical quality control during filling

Another interesting area of application for microdrives is in modern bottling plants that operate at high speed. In order for a camera to keep everything in focus during optical quality control, its lens must focus quickly and reliably. This is a typical application for DC geared motors of the 1512...SR series with precious metal commutation. The motors with a diameter of only 15 mm are suitable for fast start-and-stop applications, operate without cogging, have very low power consumption and are also extremely light.

Smooth-running sinusoidal motor tares weighing system

Microdrives are also in demand for weighing. If, for example, you want to detect outliers in the weight of small baked goods or cups, the smallest deviations must be reliably detected. This requires high precision in synchronisation for the infeed and outfeed of the objects to be measured. The requirements are even higher for the load cell itself, where the weighed conveyor belt and drive must not cause any disturbing vibrations. A dynamic, easily controllable and very smooth-running DC drive has proven to be the optimal drive for this task. The special sinus commutation of the motor reduces commutation losses and further increases the running smoothness. The integrated motion controller handles many drive tasks without external computing power, for example speed control, speed profiles, positioning mode, stepper motor operation or electronic gearing.

Conveyor technology for small parts

When smaller products are to be transported in large quantities, the conveyor belts must be adapted to the special requirements. Robust materials and durable, maintenance-free miniature drives guarantee high availability over long periods of time. Depending on the belt design, compact precious metal commutated DC drives with a diameter of 8 mm or electronically commutated DC drives with diameters of 16, 22 or 32 mm and integrated speed controllers have proven themselves. The speed of the motors can be finely adjusted for different belt speeds. In agriculture and in the processing and inspection of animal products, such drives also ensure reliability, speed and quality, for example in the inspection and packaging of chicken eggs.