MOTORS
BEYOND
INDUSTRY 4.0
WWW.MADEIN.IE « SEPTEMBER 2020 « 15
eleventh series of Apple’s iPhone. To keep
producing electronic products, it’s
important that manufacturers can turn
around new designs quickly and in their
masses.
Printed circuit boards are prevalent in
everyday electrical and electronic
products, such as phones, computers,
digital clocks and microwaves. Most
mass-market electronics are manufactured
using printed circuit board (PCB)
assembly machines.
Small conducting components are
collected from the supply module by the
placement head, which transports them to
the assembly position where they are
attached to the PCB. The speed at which
this can be done determines how quickly
the products can be produced.
It’s therefore important that the
assembly machines are powered by high
torque motors that can speed up the
picking and placing process. The ability to
T he saturated retail market
means competition
is high and retailers
must meet a variety of
customer demands to
stay ahead. Consumers
have become accustomed to frequent
product launches and rapid turnover
of complex products, driving the need
for manufacturing speed and agility.
A culture of click and collect and next
day delivery means retailers must be
able to get high volumes of products
from factory to customer — and fast.
A study by WEF found that over 70 per
cent of businesses investing in
technologies associated with Industry 4.0
are not able to take projects beyond the
pilot phase. However, taking the
necessary steps towards automation
doesn’t have to involve hefty investment
and colossal upfront costs. Upgrading
automated equipment with precise and
high torque motors provides an efficient
way to enhance production lines and
warehouse operations.
The consumer electronics industry is
driven by new releases — take the
superfans who queued overnight for the
Stewart Goulding, managing director at precision drive system
supplier, Electro Mechanical Systems, explores how powerful and
high precision micromotors can advance automated equipment.
finely control the speed of the motors is
also important, as accurate movement of
the placement head is crucial to achieving
a high-quality product with precisely
placed PCB components.
The textiles industry is also home to
rapid pace and quick turnaround.
Originating in Ireland, Primark’s stock
flies off the shelves, with one warehouse
covering 1.1 million square feet and
holding 13 miles of clothing aisles. To keep
up with demand, many clothing retailers
must follow a constant stream of design,
produce and deliver processes.
For the clothes to quickly be produced,
manufacturers must be supplied with the
relevant material in time. The textile
industry winds millions of miles of yarns
to produce enough material to meet
clothing demand. Textile winding
machines will wind and unwind yarns
multiple times during processing.
Motors are responsible for the guide
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