Solutions in Motion™

What does a custom design project look like at W.C. Branham? Here’s an inside look.

Stainless Systems has been a Branham customer since May of 2016, primarily purchasing stainless steel cylinders. Stainless is a necessity in their line of work because many of their industrial equipment customers are in the food processing industry. Everything has to meet stringent cleanliness standards and withstand harsh wash-down environments.  

W.C. Branham President and CEO Troy Branham introduces our pneumatic actuator line, specifically our new DURATRK™ slot tube style rodless cylinders in this edition of Solutions in Motion.

Simple gears are used to transfer power from one shaft to another, but when the shafts intersect at odd angles, they don’t intersect at all, or you need to change rotational direction of a shaft, things become complicated. It takes a bevel gear to keep things moving. Bevel gear design is commonly used in many industrial applications as well as in all types of vehicles.

When choosing actuators for industrial applications, you have to know the amount of force that will be required to perform the job at hand. Cylinders can move, slow, or hold a load -- rapidly and repeatedly, if needed. The force required depends on the load itself – its weight and movement angle, among other factors. An air cylinder force calculator can help you spec exactly the right actuator for the job.

What is a right angle gearbox?

A right-angle gearbox is one in which the driveshaft and the output shaft meet at a 90^o angle, using rotation to transfer power.

If you need power, there’s nothing like a hydraulic cylinder to deliver a big punch. It’s the workhorse of the industrial world for the heaviest lifters and movers, including bulldozers and dump trucks. Hydraulic cylinders are commonly used in mobile applications. Hydraulic cylinder bore sizes can range from a few inches to several feet in diameter.

The nature of automation and the facts of physics dictate that all moving parts wear out over time, and your right angle gearbox is no exception. Industrial settings are demanding and unforgiving. High speeds, high temperatures, wash down requirements, and other factors take their toll.

Space is often a major consideration when designing equipment for industrial applications. While compact air cylinders have been used for decades, their popularity continues to increase because their short stroke and low profile can accommodate tight spaces where traditional cylinders would not fit.

Small but mighty

Compact air cylinders may be smaller, but they can be just as powerful as their larger cousins. They can be used for linear actuation and control in a wide variety of applications, including:

At W.C. Branham, we take great pride in the quality of our products, which are built to last. Nonetheless, wear and tear is inevitable. Pneumatic cylinders used in industrial applications or in heavy machinery, for instance, often face extremely demanding working conditions. They are constantly moving, often fast and under tremendous force.

Most Common Pneumatic Cylinder Issues

Problems can vary according to the type of pneumatic cylinder and application, but there are some common signs you may see that indicate the need for air cylinder repair:

You know that linear actuators move loads in a straight line, forward and/or backward. You know they can be powered by hydraulic fluid, compressed air, or electricity. Each type of actuator has its own pros and cons. So, when should you use electric linear actuators? They are not appropriate for every application, but they can be quite versatile. Here are some examples.