Solutions in Motion™

Only weeks after concluding its 2018 Hyperloop Pod Competition, where WARR Hyperloop of Munich, Germany, hit a record 290 miles per hour with its pod, SpaceX released the rules for its next competition. SpaceX's 2019 Hyperloop Pod Competition is set to be even bigger and better than the three previous challenges, and we can't wait to see what these students create.

Teams will not only aim to beat that 290 mpg record and successfully stop their pod for the new competition, but they'll have to do it with a few extra rules.

Scale matters in industrial design. When it comes to braking, you don’t necessarily need enough torque to stop a freight train. A gentle touch will do fine for subtle movements. A larger brake may work OK if it fits the space available, but it will probably cost more and not operate as efficiently.

We, at W.C. Branham, are excited to announce our new pneumatic spring applied brake, which will be available in October 2018. The PFS38 is the smallest member of our pneumatic spring applied caliper disc brakes family, providing half the torque of our next-smallest model, the very popular PFS47.

The PNEUSA® is a unique cylinder design using an internally enclosed cable cylinder based on our original cable cylinder sealing technology. This provides complete protection of the internal sealing components from harsh environments, which means you can use the PNEUSA® in all types of applications!

But finding the perfect fit for your application isn’t always the easiest job. Our VP of Engineering and General Manager, Chad Randleman, breaks down how to size a PNEUSA® rodless cylinder for your rodless cylinder application:

You’ve decided a rod-style actuator is the answer for your industrial equipment design. That’s great! But, do you want a hydraulic rod cylinder or a pneumatic rod cylinder? Either style can deliver excellent, reliable performance in the right circumstances, so what’s the difference?

When your industrial design calls for linear movement, you might want to use hydraulic actuators. There are definite advantages to using a fluid-powered actuator, but that doesn’t mean they are right for every purpose. It all comes down to the requirements of your specific application. So, when should you choose hydraulic linear actuators?

Without actuators, everything would come to a standstill. That’s because actuators make things happen, literally keeping automated production plants moving, industrial doors operating, and so on. But they come in several styles, so how do you know which type to use?

Here are some tips to help choose between linear and rotary actuators.

"Persistence is very important. You should not give up unless you are forced to give up.” — Elon Musk, SpaceX Founder

Persistence is exactly what 60 University of Michigan students are practicing after an unexpected turn of events at SpaceX's 2018 Hyperloop Pod Competition.

When looking for a cost-effective and efficient solution for your rod cylinder application, you may be looking at many different options. The trick is to fit your rod cylinder to the requirements of your application, and with our OVLPRO options, we can help. Here’s how to properly size and select the right OVLPRO rod cylinder, from our VP of Engineering & General Manager, Chad Randleman.

No matter what your industry, the equipment in your production facilities has certain requirements in common. It has to provide:

• Durability and reliability that ensure maximum uptime
• Benefits that ensure a strong return on investment

And it has to be a perfect fit for your operating environment. But not all environments are equal. Some, such as automated assembly in the medical and semiconductor industries, are far more demanding. Here, positioning equipment must perform with ultra-high precision and stability, often at very high speeds and in limited space. And components have to be appropriate for clean environments. Without all that, you cannot maintain the integrity of products coming off the line.

A low profile oval bore cylinder may be the perfect product for your application. Here's why.

For approximately 60 University of Michigan students, this summer is unlike any other. As participants in Elon Musk's Hyperloop Pod Competition, the students worked tirelessly adjusting their team's pod design, testing controls and functions, and completing documentation after classes ended in the spring. Even full-time jobs and long distances couldn't stop them from fulfilling this project, goal, and dream.

As they approached the July 22nd competition, we caught up with Stephanie Shantz, Michigan Hyperloop member, to learn what the team worked on this summer and how they're feeling about the big day. Here's what we learned.