Here at the ATX Show, we’ve been fielding a ton of questions about our upcoming products and ways to push the envelope with our current products. So we thought we’d reveal a few things that we have in pre-production or testing.

ServoBelt™ Gets Heavy. A heavy-duty version of our ServoBelt linear axis is coming soon. Called the SB10, it’s capable of handling accelerated loads up to 750 lb, versus 150 lb for the original ServoBelt under typical load conditions. The extra load-bearing capability is evident throughout the SB10’s construction, right down to a beefier belt with a 10-mm tooth pitch–or double that of the original ServoBelt. SB10 opens up a bunch of new application possibilities for ServoBelt technology, including heavy-duty transport systems for SCARA robots and industrial gantries.

Moving In A New Direction. We’ve just completed design work on a new Z-axis drive, the DDZ, which features a unique bearing design. Prototyping of this new axis is just getting under way, so check back for updates and photos.

Running Colder. We routinely cycle test our motion stages in a range of thermal conditions, using our environmental test chamber. And from that testing, we know exactly how well our ServoBelts and other stages perform at temperatures down to a chilly 20 C. Some users, however, are up against much colder temperatures. One asked what happens to ServoBelt at sub-zero temperatures. We’re going to find out more in the coming months with a battery of temperature tests down to -40 C. Stay tuned for the results.