Sealed belt drive cleans up
Dean Palmer reports on a new sealed belt linear drive that is ideal for high duty and clean room applications
A linear belt drive, designed to perform under high load and in demanding duty cycles, benefits from a brand new method of sealing.
HepcoMotion's SBD Sealed Belt Drive provides a compact and 'clean' linear solution. A flush, metal cover strip runs the entire length of the aluminium beam that houses the linear guide and belt. This prevents dirt and debris entering the system.
According to HepcoMotion, many competing products simply recess the belt into a groove within the body of the system, which does not provide the same calibre of enclosure. It says the SBD is immune to the dirty environments, and is suited to clean room conditions.
SBD comes in two versions: a standard one for general engineering use, and a clean room alternative that is certified by the Fraunhofer Institute to confirm its compatibility.
The clean room version differs only slightly in its sealing method. It contains a greater proportion of stainless steel components and has extraction ports in the beam. This enables the customer to add a partial vacuum system to remove any debris from inside the unit before it becomes airborne.
The SBD is a development of HepcoMotion's 'DLS Driven Linear System'. While some degree of crossover is accepted, the SBD is a more robust product so is targeted at tough applications where long life and minimal maintenance are required.
Beam widths are 80mm and 100mm and single beam lengths up to 6m. Longer units can be easily constructed by joining. The mounting carriage plate is removable for customising. It also incorporates an integral switch cam that can be mounted for left- or right-hand activation.
The units are suitable for high-speed operation, generally up to 4m/s and are driven by a polyurethane, steel-reinforced toothed belt. Depending on the width of the beam, the belt is 32mm or 50mm wide. Its tension is factory-set but adjustments can easily be made via tensioning screws, which are located externally on the idle end box. The drive end box is available with either an output shaft or a bored drive pulley for applications that require more compact mounting.
