Pan and tilt positioners.

One of the many capabilities of systems integrator, SystemWare Europe, involves the supply and comprehensive support of line of sight/beyond line of sight secure communications requiring the integration of innovative antenna systems with highly accurate directional azimuth/elevation positioning equipment.

Evolving requirements and a need for newer modular technology, SystemWare Europe turned to motion specialist Heason Technology to design and develop a high-performance custom-designed pan & tilt positioner solution which was optimised for its own use

Following a detailed requirement analysis and prototyping phase, Heason’s motion engineering team presented a new bespoke positioning platform complete with integral motion controls which enabled SystemWare to enhance its product offering with an improved and cost-effective solution.

The Atlas Platform is a durable and high-load capacity pan & tilt positioner housed in a robust IP67- rated cast aluminium environmental enclosure that suits harsh environment fixed or mobile installation. The dual axis drive system features micro-stepped hybrid stepper motors driving single stage, zero backlash gear systems. Its unique high reduction ratio gear configuration and rotary joint allows RF and electrical services to pass through the centre of the continuously rotating azimuth platform transmission to provide power, IO, RF and Ethernet communications for the assembly and its payload sensor. The elevation axis has a travel range +/- 95⁰, and both axes include high resolution absolute encoder technology directly at the output stage to provide highly repeatable angular performance capability with instant power-on awareness without datum routines.

With on-board intelligent micro-stepping drive modules providing full closed-loop position control and high bandwidth communication, the Atlas Platform’s peak torque capacity of over 270 Nm will precisely and rapidly position demanding payloads for a wide range of applications.

Heason Technology will manufacture the Atlas Platform on an exclusive basis for SystemWare Europe. This application demonstrates the West Sussex based motion systems integrator’s expertise in the design and build of mechatronic motion control sub-assemblies as part of the enabling technology for aerospace & defence, security, medical, scientific, and industrial automation markets. In addition to a full motion component supply service, Heason Technology combines motion control components and systems from a select number of globally recognised supplier partnerships with its own in-house design and build service.

With over 30 years of motion control experience and engineer-to-engineer sales & technical support from the first enquiry through the full product or motion system lifecycle, Heason’s product range includes servo and stepper motor drives and motion controls with ceramic, direct drive and traditional motor technologies, precision gear units, precision linear and rotary positioning stages, linear and rotary encoders, rotary actuators and slip ring assemblies.

@heasonmotion #PAuto @Sysware_Europe

Prevent heavy equipment from falling over.

Memsic has launched a new product family, the MTLT series of Inclination and Tilt Sensors. Samples of the first three family members in MTLT series, the MTLT110S-R, MTLT105S-R and MTLT105D-R are currently available for evaluation.

The MTLT family of tilt sensors are appropriate for a wide range of static and dynamic applications in construction and industrial markets such as boom tilt monitoring, bucket loader roll back protection, PV/CSP solar tracking systems and others.

All three products are IP67 rated inclinometers with an integrated RS-232 interface and flying lead cable operating from a 9 V to 32 V single supply. The MTLT105S and MTLT110S are designed for applications needing < 0.5 degree and < 1.0 degree accuracy, respectfully, over the full operating temperature range.

“Vibration and vehicle motion have caused problems for inclinometers for years, forcing customers to either sacrifice response time by heavily filtering the output of a static inclinometer or buy more expensive IMU solutions with more capability than they need,” said James Fennelly, Memsic Product Marketing Manager. “The MTLT105D gives customers a new cost effective choice that does not sacrifice response time.”

The MTLT sensors also include programmable tilt alarms for tilt safety applications. The alarm can be programmed to be triggered to activate when the tilt exceeds a specified threshold. The tilt alarm can also be used to lock out controls or trigger an alarm or warning light. It is an all-in-one tilt safety solution eliminating the need for an external microprocessor to interpret tilt angles.

The MTLT family achieves the best price and performance by utilizing Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors, extensive over temperature calibration, and Memsic’s SmartSensingTM technology that was recently developed and deployed in Memsic’s industry leading Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and Attitude Heading Reference Systems (AHRS) products. SmartSensingTM technology provides users with unmatched sensor fusion and performance in critical motion sensing applications. Each unit is fully calibrated over temperature providing confidence in safety applications.

#PAuto #Memsic 

Tilt sensors

New digital tilt indicators
Converts inclinometer output to display angle, with a resolution as low as to 0.001°

Sherborne Sensors has announced the launch of the DTI series, a family of 5-digit, programmable digital panel meters, offering improved tilt measurement system versatility and performance.

The DTI series is designed to take an output from any of their gravity referenced inclinometer, provide the necessary trigonometric conversions, and display the output as an angle, with a resolution down to 0.001°. For seamless interface with a data acquisition system, two supplementary outputs, an analog voltage output and a RS422/485 serial output, are supplied. The enclosure is manufactured from recyclable and flame retardant (VO) materials, with front panel conformance to IP65: NEMA 4.

Because of its versatility, the DTI Series can be effectively implemented into simple, measurement-only applications, as well as those requiring digital communications, alarms and mathematical functions. The powerful menu-driven software, also supplied, enables fast and flexible set-up from the front panel or via serial communications link. In addition, built-in, comprehensive alarm functions for the DTI Series makes them particularly suitable for monitoring, switching and control functions. The hysteresis facility prevents noisy signals from switching alarms erroneously, with high and low deviations facilitating control around a set point. On and off delay times can be set with individual alarms, configured as latching or non-latching, depending on user requirements.

The DTI Series is suitable for use with most of their gravity-referenced inclinometers, as well as other manufacturers' products. An integral 12 VDC power supply is intended to provide excitation voltage for MEMS- based inclinometers. Bi-polar voltage supplied inclinometers may be also powered via Sherborne Sensors XT-0102 or XT-0103 series power supply modules. For customer convenience, the DTI Series can also be supplied as a completely calibrated tilt monitoring system, including the inclinometer.