
Now boarding the flight to the future, flying lower emissions Ampaire hybrid-electric planes
Ampaire is developing hybrid-electric aircraft that will lead the industry to an all-electric future with net-zero emissions and a greener future
Robotics solutions and case studies
Case study: Overhead gantry robot
For many factories specializing in the fabrication of heavy objects like car engines an overhead gantry provides a convenient way of transporting goods between the various process stages. Adding a robot to each gantry allows increased flexibility at each of the workstations. Typically brushes are used to pick up power on overhead gantry systems. This manufacturer wanted to remove this source of unreliability by switching to a contactless induction power system. The key goals were:
The gantry’s inductive pick-up generated a widely varying AC output that was rectified and then regulated by a Vicor DCM DC-DC converter. These converters are able to operate over a very wide input voltage range of up to 9 to 1 (high to low input range). This capability enabled the reliable, regulated supply needed for the gantry robot motor drives, actuators and control system. Key benefits were:
The DCM converter regulated and isolated the widely varying output from the inductive pick-up, providing a stable output. In addition, the converter’s double-sided cooling reduced the operating temperature, providing increased reliability. To analyze this power chain go to the Vicor Whiteboard online tool.
Now boarding the flight to the future, flying lower emissions Ampaire hybrid-electric planes
Ampaire is developing hybrid-electric aircraft that will lead the industry to an all-electric future with net-zero emissions and a greener future
Power modules accelerate the path to long-haul, autonomous trucking
Vicor power modules are used to power Kodiak’s mission critical “seeing” sensors. Learn more about the why Kodiak uses power modules.
Power converters enable innovation in robotics applications
Minimizing size and weight are important in robotics design, but increasing power is essential for supporting new sensors, peripherals and features.
OLogic, Vicor help Dusty Robotics optimize power for construction robots
OLogic, Vicor collaborate to optimize power and systems functionality for Dusty Robotics FieldPrinter