• INA Bearings India

Emergency Braking System For Linear Motors

Linear motors are being increasingly used in machine tools with continuous path control. One of the major disadvantages of this type of drive until recently was that the only braking mechanism available was by means of the motor itself. But what happens if the power fails or the final stage burns out? With this consideration in mind, the engineers of INA Lineartechnik oHG, Germany, developed an emergency brakino, system for linear motors. The braking element can be fitted in the existing space between two carriages on the same guideway. The braking system must fulfil the following requirements: rapid reaction time of less than 40 ms; adequate deceleration capability even at high speed; activation when the power feed is interrupted or a power failure occurs; freedom from maintenance; and locking function active even over longer periods, eg, vertical axes held securely. A continuous pressure of about 50 bar separates the brake plates from the guideway, during which time the element can be easily moved. If the power is interrupted, the pressure falls abruptly to zero and the brake plates clamp against the guideway with a pressure of 10,000 N (in size 35). Even as the brake plates undergo wear, the reaction time is not increased. The emergency braking system RUES is designed primarily to give a rapid reaction time. It can be fitted in the INA monorail guidance systems RUE, KUSE and KUVE.