Rounded at the top

If components need to be positioned flexibly and precisely in a rotary manner, NC rotary tables are often used in industrial automation. IEF-Werner offers a wide portfolio of solutions that differ in size and load capacity, among other things. The specialist has now expanded the DT series, which is equipped with high-quality, grease-lubricated worm gears, with the DT 160/200 rotary table.

"NC rotary tables are ideal for handling and assembly applications that require flexible positioning," explains product manager Thomas Hettich from IEF-Werner. The rotary movement on the 360-degree circle is not only freely programmable, but also fast and repeatable.

The right table for every situation

IEF-Werner has NC rotary tables for various tasks in its range. These differ in terms of their size, axial load capacity and precision, among other things. The rotary table of the TP 004 series, for example, is a simply designed unit that consists of a high-quality planetary gear and a drive motor as the main components. The TP 004 is available with various gear ratios. The special thing about this solution: The rotary table can be adapted to the required torques or rotational speeds by designers as part of the design. The robust system can be loaded with up to 1,200 Newtons in the axial direction. Different motors can be adapted to the rotary table.

In order to position small parts quickly and precisely, for example in micro-assembly, the semiconductor industry or in measurement technology, IEF-Werner offers the compact and lightweight rotary units of the miniTURN series. They are also freely programmable and powerful. Depending on the version, the axial load capacity is 200, 300 or 500 Newtons, the torque 2, 4.2 or 6.8 Newton meters. The output speed for all versions is a maximum of 117 revolutions per minute.

Precision in the foreground

With the DT series, IEF-Werner has rotary tables with a high-quality worm gear in its range. The typical design of this type of gear allows the backlash to be adjusted. All rotary tables in the DT series have a generously dimensioned hollow shaft. The design therefore has enough space to run hoses and cables centrally. The power is generated with servo or stepper motors. Free positioning at any angle of the circular movement is carried out by an NC or PLC control.

This series is available in three different versions. The smallest version, the DT 80/100, can be axially loaded with up to 1,000 Newtons. The maximum output speed is 70 revolutions per minute and achieves output torques of up to 20 Newton meters. The low weight of less than 1.5 kilograms is particularly advantageous in dynamic handling systems. The DT 100/140 can already absorb axial loads of up to 5,000 Newtons and achieves output torques of up to 40 Newton meters at an output speed of a maximum of 60 revolutions per minute.

Various motor mounting variants enable individual adaptation to the space available in the system. "With our DT series, operators benefit from rotary tables with which they can move to any angle and are not tied to a fixed pitch - as is the case with many solutions from competitors," compares IEF expert Hettich. They can adapt these at any time, for example if other pitches or new positions are required.

Expanded upwards

"We have now expanded this series with the DT 160/200 version and thus rounded it off upwards," reports Hettich. "With a weight of 9.8 kilograms, this version can now absorb significantly higher forces." The maximum output speed is 60 revolutions per minute, the axial load capacity is up to 14,000 Newtons, and the maximum output torque is 80 Newton meters. "We regularly received inquiries from our customers for applications in which the two smaller versions reached their load limit - for example, because the structure for the workpiece holder was too large and too heavy for the rotary table," says the IEF expert. In order to be able to better meet customer requirements, IEF-Werner decided to optimize or expand the DT series. Among other things, the center bore was made larger and the bearing optimized in order to be able to absorb higher loads and moments.

Flexible installation

IEF-Werner has equipped the rotary tables of the DT series with long-term lubrication. "In comparison to competitors, we lubricate with grease and not with oil," explains Thomas Hettich. This is not only cheaper for the operator, but also safer. This minimizes the requirements for sealing. This makes the turntables particularly suitable for sensitive industries, such as the food or pharmaceutical industries. Since the installation position of the rotary tables is arbitrary, they can be used flexibly thanks to their design. This is not always the case with oil lubrication. The low-maintenance rotary table can be easily relubricated using a grease nipple.

Another advantage of the DT series is that the gearboxes can be combined with different motors, regardless of the manufacturer. Appropriate motor flanges including plug-in coupling systems are available for this purpose. The DT160/200, like all rotary tables in the DT series, can optionally be equipped with a reference point switch. The new development is used wherever components have to be positioned flexibly and precisely in rotation within an industrial automation system.