Solutions in Motion™

Increasingly, space is a major consideration when designing equipment for industrial applications. Compact air cylinders are becoming more popular than ever, because of their short stroke and low profile which can accommodate tight spaces where traditional cylinders would not fit.

Hydraulic spring applied caliper brakes are an ideal choice for applications that require emergency stopping or static holding. This type of brake is used in industrial machinery as well as heavy off-road vehicles. However, this braking method is not a good choice for continuous slip applications, because friction pad wear results in reduction of spring force and braking torque.

Every design engineer knows that you have to get all of the details right. If not, the device or equipment you’ve designed won’t perform as expected. Or, at least, not as well as expected. That won’t do, especially when you’re designing machinery for industrial applications.

Right angle gearboxes are a good example of this. They're popular because of their versatility and value for a wide range of industries and specific applications. However, that versatility can be your downfall during the design phase.

Right angle gearboxes fit many different situations because they can be configured and installed in multiple ways. It is essential to spec your gearcases correctly in order to avoid unfortunate design errors. So, let's look at four of the most common mistakes.

An actuator is a device that converts energy into movement. A linear actuator moves a load in a straight line. The energy source that operates an actuator can be hydraulic (fluid-based), pneumatic (air pressure-based), or even electric.

Worm gears work like a screw, with “teeth” that form a continuous helix. Worm gears are not necessarily the most efficient choice, but for certain industrial applications, they offer distinct advantages.

For some car wash applications, several different types of door openers will do the trick. This is especially true in “easy” climates, where the weather doesn’t pose the kind of problems that could keep the operation from running smoothly and cost-efficiently. However, if your car wash is located where cold, inclement weather is the winter norm, a pneumatic door operator is definitely your best choice.

The work is often endless. Yet machines can perform all of these steps with little human intervention. Without air cylinders to drive and direct this choreography, industrial laundry systems wouldn’t exist. Air cylinders help control starting, stopping, and speed of moving parts at every step of the process.

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.

It's easy to think of cars, trucks, and off-road heavy equipment when you think of caliper disc brakes. When in fact, this versatile type of braking system works well with something as light as a bicycle or as heavy as shipping dock or mining equipment. Other types of “vehicles” such as elevators also use caliper disc brakes.

Caliper disc brakes have the ability to slow, hold, and stop very heavy and/or fast-moving units, and quickly, if necessary. For this reason, they are well-suited to applications that require high torque, high energy stopping and/or tensioning. They absorb the energy generated by the braking process, then dissipate that energy as heat.

In this video, W.C. Branham’s Chad Randleman demonstrates how to properly proof-load and pre-tension the cables on your pneumatic cable cylinder.