Motion Control

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BERLIN—Bosch Rexroth plans to sell its global pneumatics business to the German-Scandinavian investor Triton.

In a competitive marketplace, details help differentiate one product from another. A thoughtful feature or a more rugged design can make all the difference. Consumers who buy based solely on price often end up disappointed.

There are three reasons to attend trade shows: to learn about industry trends and new ways of doing things; to network with industry peers; and to see new technologies. This month’s Assembly Show will not disappoint on any of those fronts.

Fortune 500 manufacturers in the high-tech, electronics and communications industries have a no-nonsense approach to their equipment.

DALLAS—The global market for presence-sensing sensors, emergency stop controls, interlocks, relays, and other machine safety products is expected to reach nearly $4.2 billion by 2018, growing at a annual rate of 9 percent.

SOUTHPORT, NC—Lee Controls, a manufacturer of linear motion components, will spend $2.46 million to locate its manufacturing and headquarters operations here, bringing 77 new jobs to the area.

ASSEMBLY magazine has been around since 1958. In that time, we’ve had lean years and great years. We’ve changed our name three times, and we’ve been bought and sold at least five times. We’ve survived tidal shifts in both U.S. manufacturing and publishing. (If you had told me 26 years ago that I would be spending 30 minutes a day on something called Twitter…)

U.S. manufacturers that source low-cost components offshore often face several challenges. Among the most common are language barriers, lack of timely responses, long lead times and problems with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Another problem is receiving a perfect prototype initially—followed by subsequent shipments of poor-quality parts.

Semiconductor processing equipment is a notoriously demanding application for motion control engineers. Extreme precision, reliability and smoothness are absolute requirements. At the same time, space is at a premium.

When specifying a motion control system for, say, a pick-and-place application on an automated assembly line, engineers have two choices.