As a new era is coming, a robotic arm is an indispensable element in many applications. Most of the robotic arms have up to six joints, one of them is linear motor in vertical which provides the power to drive the arms up and down.

There are many attractive reasons to use linear motor. However, the challenge for the linear motors in vertical applications is when the power goes off or an error of the servo driver, the carriage will fall like a rock. Sometimes it will cause damages.

As an innovative application, a high life cycle mechanical cable reel can be applied here. It drives by a power spring. When the pull force of the cable reel is as same as the weight of the carriage, the mechanism reaches the balance and sustains the carriage from fallen.

Applying the cable reel, the advantages are as follows:

• When the power goes off, it is going to hold it from dropping like a rock.

Compared to other common solution, like magnetic load compensation, cable reel can offer a longer stroke in a small volume.

Compared to pneumatic or electromechanical brake, no other power supply is needed for cable reel.

Compared to pneumatic load compensation, cable reel is easier to reach the balance, the force is constant.

• The pull force can share responsibility with the motor for rising the vertical slide.

As a result, the size of the motor can be smaller resulted in volume of the arm reduced, noise reduced and cost decreased.

Ming Tai launch the first prototype of cable reel for Linear motors in vertical applications. It provides 6 Kgf pull force with 190mm stroke within the size 65(L) x 60(W) x 60(H)mm. The life cycle could reach 500,000 times. We offer customized specification of the mechanism and according to customer’s requirement, provide the simplest way for connecting the bottom plate and the hook.

If you are looking for an interesting and alternative solution to solve the falling problem of linear motors in vertical applications, please feel free to contact us, we are expected to develop and open up new application potential in fields of Linear motors in vertical applications together with you.