More than 70 percent of the freight tonnage moved throughout the United States goes on trucks. Without these vehicles and others that rely on fifth-wheel couplings, the economy would come to a standstill. As the trucking industry grows by 3.4 percent annually through 2023, steel investment casting will remain a vital manufacturing process that keeps tractor units safely linked to semi-trailers. What are Fifth-Wheel Couplings? Made using investment casting techniques, fifth-wheel couplings serve as the link between semi-trailers and tractor units, leading trailers, dollies or tow trucks. They join two pieces of rotating equipment while allowing some degree of end…
BLDC Motors take LiDar Drones to New Heights
The face of modern surveying is changing. In addition to using satellites and traditional surveying equipment such as retroreflectors and optical levels, specialists use remote sensing and UAV technologies to scan the Earth’s surface. One of these technologies is Light Detection and Ranging, or LiDar. Specialists perform the sensing method remotely to examine the planet’s surface using light pulses. The instrument contains a scanner, laser and a special GPS receiver. Rather than use an airplane or helicopter, scientists are taking advantage of drone technologies imbedded with BLDC motors to keep the aircraft aloft and powered to keep costs significantly lower….
Investment Casting & Heavy-Duty Truck Parts: What Should You Know?
Each year, heavy-duty commercial vehicles move more than 9.2 billion tons of goods across the nation. The irreplaceable trucking industry is vital to the economy, and custom investment castings keep it moving. By understanding investment casting for truck parts, you’ll gain a better understanding of how not all aftermarket parts are created equally and what to look for in an investment casting manufacturer. What is Investment Casting? Investment casting is a time-proven metal-forming technique used for more than 5,000 years. The technique involves making a wax pattern to create a three-dimensional mold, or investment. Specialists then melt the wax and…
Specifying & Ordering Custom Metal Investment Castings: A Guide
Investment casting is a great way to create affordable, high-quality parts for sensitive applications. When determining the need for custom investment casting or before requesting a quote, it is paramount to take into account the details a manufacturer needs to know and factors that affect costs and turnaround times. By being aware of these details in advance, you’ll be better equipped to set your project up for success. Considerations When Ordering Custom Investment Castings Preliminary Design Take advantage of the full casting process and minimize costs by including details such as: Minimum section thickness: The desired rigidity and strength for…
Surge in Truck Demand Requires Expert Investment Castings
After a slump, orders for semi-trucks in the U.S. are rebounding. The increase in sales is a good indicator of the American economy gaining strength. With truck utilization hovering at around 99 percent, transportation companies are purchasing new vehicles to maintain delivery rates. Many companies that make engines and parts are also experiencing a boost in demand. Custom investment casting will be critical to help keep up with this demand and remain competitive. Factors Driving Growth After the 2007 to 2010 economic crisis, the global truck market stabilized in 2013. Forecasters expect growth between 2014 and 2020 to average at…
Brushless DC Motor (BLDC) Industry Continues Growth Through 2020
The brushless DC motor industry is hot and expected to get hotter into 2020. Many manufacturers prefer BLDC motors for a variety of applications because of their greater efficiency, lower maintenance and high torque. Since their inception, the motors have experienced remarkable growth. Brushless DC motor manufacturers can look forward to a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of nearly 13 percent, which will bring the industry $49.28 billion (USD) by 2021. Top Revenue-Generating End-User Segments in the Global Brushless DC Motor Market Automotive Driving the growth of custom BLDC motors is the evolving electric vehicle industry, which has been…
BLDC Motors & Humanoid Robotic Applications
Despite the amount of work still necessary to create the kinds of robots seen in movies, humanoid robotics has significantly advanced over the centuries and in recent decades. Thanks to their smaller size, ability to run off batteries, and the efficiencies they offer, custom BLDC motors have contributed to the cutting-edge industry. The more life-like a humanoid robotic application is, the more sophisticated engineering is required of brushless DC motor manufacturers. BLDC Motor Overview A BLDC, or brushless DC, motor uses a stator with windings connected to control electronics, as well as a rotor with permanent magnets. It does not…
3 Benefits of Brushless DC Motors to the Industrial Engineering Industry
Brushless DC motors, or BLDC motors, continue to increase in popularity in industrial applications because of the numerous advantages they offer over their brushed DC motor counterparts. BLDC motor manufacturers commonly build motors for electronics, medical applications, computers, HVAC equipment, and automotive applications. In the industrial engineering industry, brushless DC motors are frequently used for automation and manufacturing engineering applications that improve overall productivity and quality. Brushed and Brushless DC Motor Differences Brushed DC motors use an iron core, commutator, and wire coils mounted to the same shaft. These elements are made of metal, which makes them heavy and likely…
Custom Motor Laminations: Nickel & Cobalt Alloys
The core material used in custom motor laminations is one of the most important aspects of its design. A couple of popular materials used include nickel and cobalt alloys.
BLDC Motors Suited for Manufacturing Applications
BLDC motor suppliers take advantage of the fact that BLDC motors use electronic commutation instead of brushes for commutation, making them ideally suited for manufacturing applications. The motors work well for actuation or positioning systems, as well as motion control, because of the benefits offered, such as wide speed ranges and high efficiencies.
