Solutions in Motion™

Magnetic couplers convey force without any actual physical contact. Because magnetic forces attract and repel, they can perform this action in a linear or rotary fashion. But how does magnetic coupling work, and why is it so useful? 

The Magic of Magnets

Magnetic coupled cylinders have a carrier that moves from end to end in both directions on a tube.

End caps with pneumatic fittings allow the user to shuttle the carrier from one position to another using air as power in conjunction with a pneumatic control box. It could shuttle a few inches on an industrial machine or move 10 feet on a car wash door (like the DoorTec pictured here on a car wash door).

When Bob Vogler moved to River Falls, Wisconsin back in 2006, he'd never even heard of W.C. Branham. But less than two weeks later, he was already working here, and now he can't really envision leaving. It's an unlikely story that dates all the way back to a "help wanted" ad we posted 13 years ago.

When you’re trying to decide which type of brake is best for your particular application (such as mechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic brakes), it’s important to understand both the reasons for braking and the differences in the types of caliper disc brakes available for industrial equipment and on- and off-road braking applications.

Pneumatic linear actuators offer numerous advantages across a wide variety of applications. However, they must be spec’d properly. Otherwise, the result could be less-than-desired productivity and greater-than-expected problems, downtime, and costs. There are several factors that affect sizing.

There are always numerous factors that go into choosing the right linear actuator for an application. One consideration that is often overlooked is moment loading. Moment load comes into play when the cylinder is located some distance away from the actual load that it's lifting. That distance may be very short, but you have to account for it along with the weight of the load in order to spec the proper cylinder.

At W.C. Branham, we love working in River Falls, WI, because we get to have it all. We get the small town feeling and affordability, with easy access to all the Twin Cities’ urban amenities. Drive five minutes in one direction, and you're out in the country. Drive 45 minutes in the other, and you can take in a Twins game. It's the best of both worlds, and it's our world!

Right angle gearboxes are used throughout dozens of industries in hundreds of applications that require a reliable transfer of speed or power.

Years ago, it was expensive and very difficult to make spiral bevel gearboxes. And while the precision necessary to craft such beautiful and intricate pieces is still tricky, with the right attention to design and fabrication, it's much more doable.

When we hear the familiar phrases “small but mighty” and “oldie but goodie” referring to fluid power, what comes to mind? Compact air cylinders, of course! Although they've been around since the 1950s, compact air cylinders have certainly stood the test of time. They have proven so versatile, they’re still the right solution for a wide range of industrial applications.

If you ever wonder about the future of engineering, just visit a high school robotics competition. Thousands of teams from around the world plan, build and compete with the remote-controlled robots that they have strategically designed to excel in that season's team challenges. The designs are complex, the competitions are intense, and we had the pleasure this season to help and watch the team from Plano, Texas in action.