P
USH
C
ORP,
I
NC.
AFD92
Manual
4
2.0 General Overview
The
PushCorp 90
Series
Passive AFD was designed as a lower cost alternative to the
1200 Series
Active Force Device. As such the
90
Series
is a very basic unit that still
provides outstanding performance. To increase force accuracy the
90
Series
uses low
friction glass pneumatic cylinders with graphite pistons and linear ball bearings. The
90
Series
may be supplied to apply only a positive force, the AFD91, or both positive and
negative forces, the AFD92. It is offered in either robotic or table top mounting
configurations.
The
90
Series
requires the user to supply at least one pressure regulator to control
the force output. If an AFD92 is specified then two pressure regulators are required.
The device’s low friction components mean that the force output resolution and
repeatability is highly dependent on the pressure regulator accuracy. The pressure
regulator can be manual or electrically adjustable based on the user’s application
requirements. If only one force level is required and the AFD orientation does not
change, a manual pressure regulator is sufficient. If the force and/or AFD orientation
changes during the process, then an electrically controlled proportional pressure
regulator is required. In some cases the process equipment weight must be taken into
account so that a constant force can be applied regardless of the AFD orientation. This
situation requires calculation of the regulator pressure based on the process equipment
weight and AFD orientation. The Carriage position of the
AFD92
can be monitored by
connecting to a DC power source and an analog input device using a PushCorp high-
flex cable.
All these features combine to make the
PushCorp 90
Series
Adjustable Force Devices
rugged, reliable, and capable of delivering consistent results in any number of industrial
applications.
3.0 Installation
3.1 Mounting Process Equipment
The
AFD92
Adjustable Force Device can accommodate many different types of process
equipment. PushCorp provides a variety of standard process equipment such as weld
shavers, high speed motors, belt sanders, and other specialized tooling. Users may
also develop process equipment for their own proprietary applications. The AFD can be
oriented parallel or perpendicular to the manipulator mounting flange, although it is
important to note that the AFD can apply force only in the direction of Carriage
translation.
When mounting process equipment to the Carriage extreme care should be taken while
designing and installing the brackets. Correctly designed brackets will increase the
stiffness of the Carriage by becoming an external superstructure for the Carriage. The
Carriage can gain a tremendous amount of rigidity if this approach is executed correctly.
Incorrectly designed bracketry will deform the Carriage causing internal Linear Rail
misalignment. A symptom of Carriage deformation is “slop” or “binding” of the Carriage.
A deformed or loose Carriage will damage the Linear Rails and degrade the consistency
of your process. The Carriage preload is correctly set at the factory and should not
Copyright
PushCorp, Inc.
2006. All rights reserved