motion THE MAGAZINE WITH DRIVE

Get a grip on precision Electronic small parts grippers that grasp quickly and powerfully A E R O S PA C E How to catch a comet? Compact drive systems on an adventurous journey MODELLING The world in miniature FAULHABER in the Miniatur Wunderland OPTICS AND PHOTONICS Bright power pack Actuators for the precise alignment of pulsed-laser beams TOP 100 Innovation – a process requiring as many good minds as possible Interview with Reiner Bessey, Head of Technology Portfolio and Platforms Development MEDICAL AND Natural feeling FAULHABER drives in prosthetics NEWS The flyweight that packs a heavyweight...

Dear readers, In this issue of our FAULHABER motion magazine we illustrate in no uncertain terms the variety of applications our products nd a home in. Applications of FAULHABER products from deep space to industrial automation to model train Publisher/Editor: DR. FRITZ FAULHABER GMBH & CO. KG Schönaich · Germany Phone: +49(0)7031/638-0 Fax: +49(0)7031/638-100 Email: [email protected] www.faulhaber.com sets to precision laser optics are featured in this issue. It is the challenge and the joy of our employees to be of service to the thousands of customers worldwide, none of whom do exactly the...

New small parts gripper from SCHUNK functions without compressed air A small gripping system that is both quick and powerful – up to now, that was often only possible with pneumatics. Because with compressed air, large amounts of pressure can be conveyed virtually without any time lag. A compressed air supply requires a complex infrastructure, however, and having to provide it for every production step is difcult and expensive. Fortunately, this is no longer necessary – thanks to the mechatronics-based EGP 40 from SCHUNK. The new gripper from the leading expert for workholding technology and...

Pneumatics require their own infrastructure Proactive motor power Fundamentally, pneumatic actuators only have two states though: open or closed, full-power or no force at all. An incremental control is only possible with substantial control-technology-related effort and expense. Along with the electrical contacts for the control unit, a pneumatic gripper additionally requires connections for the compressed air lines. Under cramped conditions, which are not uncommon in the processing of small parts, this can certainly present a problem. The greatest disadvantage, though, is the compressed air...

Picking up small parts and putting them elsewhere in the proper place is a standard task that occurs in many handling and assembly processes. "The cooperative efforts were exceedingly constructive and always solution-oriented – we got outstanding support here." Today, with the EGP 40, SCHUNK can offer the most powerful mechatronic small parts grippers with integrated electronics available in the global market. Its housing design and electrical power connections correspond to those of the equivalent pneumatic product MPG-plus 40. The sensor system and control signals are also identical. This way...

Harpoon unit for secure anchoring on the surface of the comet Compact drive systems on an adventurous journey At the end of May 2014, the Rosetta space probe will swing into an orbit around the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in order to, after more closely approaching it in August, map its surface and thus prepare for the landing of Philae. This ballistic lander, weighing 100 kg, is supposed to land on the comet in November and – thanks to FAULHABER drives – securely position itself. After an adventurous journey of over 10 years through outer space, this is a rst in the history of space travel....

As is the case with asteroids, comets (or shooting stars) are considered to be the remnants of the genesis of our solar system. They are formed in the cold outer reaches. In proximity to the sun, the comet nuclei – which are usually just a few kilometres in diameter – are surrounded by a nebulous shroud, the so-called coma; this is what gives them their typical appearance. Comets have always fascinated mankind. In the antiquity, ancient Greeks and Romans thought them to be divine omens; in the Middle Ages, they were considered to be harbingers of fate. And now, European scientists are close to...

BRUSHLE S S D C - S E RV O M OT OR Ø 16 mm, length 28 mm Torque 3.3 mNm The lander's legs are connected with the top part by way of a cardan joint in which three motors are integrated: two for both of the tilting axes and one for adjusting the brake force of the multi-plate clutches. Outer space and its demands The demands that outer space place on these drives are high: every kilo of mass that is shot into space costs energy, i.e. fuel – hence money too. Therefore, small, light solutions are sought. At the same time, however, they must also be able to withstand the enormous vibration and acceleration...

WORLD in MINIATURE FAULHABER in the Miniatur Wunderland Visit the most diverse regions of the world in just a single day: explore Las Vegas, the Alps or the Norwegian fjords in only a few hours − it is possible in the Miniatur Wunderland. Located directly along the Elbe river in Hamburg's Speicherstadt (traditional warehouse district), it features the largest model railway in the world and is one of the most exciting tourist attractions in Germany. Far more than ten million visitors have marvelled at this wonderland in the meantime, which – in an area that is some 1,300 m² large – replicates...

Life in all its facets. The reason being that Miniatur Wunderland offers much more than 'just' a huge model railway. In addition to the 930 trains, which travel several hundred kilometres each day, visitors of all generations can observe the 8,850 automobiles and ships and even more than 200,000 tiny residents. They visit big festivals or memorial ceremonies, police set up radar traps and chase after criminals, the fire brigade is constantly responding to calls − life in all its varied facets can be seen in Wunderland. Among the most recently completed sections is the Knuffingen Airport. From...