The 'Acopos 6D' transport system is based on the principle of magnetic levitation technology: shuttles with integrated permanent magnets move contactlessly on a surface of motor segments. The electromagnetic motor segments are 240 mm x 240 mm in size and can be assembled into any shape.

Depending on their size, the shuttles weigh between 0.6 and 14 kg and move at a speed of up to 2 m/s. They can move in two dimensions and change their hovering height. They can move in two dimensions as well as change their hovering height and can be rotated or tilted along three axes. The system therefore has six degrees of freedom.

Less space required

"The B&R solution enables up to four times the shuttle density of other systems on the market," says Markus Sandhöfner, Head of Germany. The reason for this is that several shuttles can run simultaneously on one motor segment.
However, the shuttles can also be used as axes in processing stations. For example, a shuttle with a workpiece can travel along CNC paths while the machining tool is rigidly attached. Weighing stations in the transport path are even completely eliminated, as each shuttle is also a high-precision scale.

As the shuttles are free-floating, the transport system causes no friction. There is therefore no abrasion and no wearing parts that require maintenance. If the motor segments are fitted with a stainless steel cover, the system complies with protection class IP69K - the system is therefore suitable for use in clean rooms and in food production.

Fully integrated

© B&R

Acopos 6D is fully integrated into the B&R system. The shuttles can therefore be synchronized with any axes, robots, track systems or vision cameras with microsecond precision. The path planning of the shuttles themselves takes place in a dedicated controller, which is integrated into the machine network via Powerlink. Path planning therefore does not affect the performance of the network or the machine controller. For systems with more than 200 segments or 50 shuttles, several controllers can be used and synchronized with each other.

Intelligent shuttles

In contrast to comparable systems, each shuttle in the Acopos 6D is equipped with a globally unique ID. The controller therefore immediately knows exactly where each shuttle is located on the motor segments during start-up. Time-consuming homing sequences or manual input after start-up are not necessary. Production can begin immediately. The position repeatability of the shuttles is ±5 µm, which means that the system is also fully suitable for applications where maximum precision is required, for example in the electronics industry and in the assembly of mechanical and electronic components.

At the same time, the system is very easy to set up. Sandhöfner explains: "Sophisticated algorithms ensure that the shuttles follow optimal paths, do not collide and consume as little energy as possible. This allows the application manufacturer to concentrate fully on their main task: developing an optimum machine process with maximum productivity."

Acopos 6D was developed in collaboration with Planar Motors, a company that has been researching and developing magnetic levitation technology for industrial production for more than 15 years. B&R is a partner of Planar Motors.