NTN to Begin Mass-production of Newly Developed Axial Type ¡°Multi Track Magnetic Ring¡±
<p style="text-align:center;">
<img src="http://www.bearing.com.cn/membcentre/editor/attached/image/20180718/20180718093129_50849.bmp" alt="" />
</p>
<p style="text-align:left;">
Thin and lightweight for high-accuracy detection of robot joint angles<br />
NTN Corporation (hereafter, NTN) has added a newly developed ¡°axial type¡± of ¡°Multi Track Magnetic Ring¡±*1 to the ¡°radial type.¡± The developed product makes up thin, lightweight and high-accuracy angle detection sensor systems and its mass-production from July 2018.<br />
<br />
With the remarkable advances made to robotic systems in recent years, position control with a higher level of accuracy will be required. The various components used for robots are becoming more compact and lightweight, and robot joints in particular need to have a hollow shape with thin walls to allow wiring cables to pass through internally, for which small angle sensors with hollow shafts (¦Õ25 mm or less) are generally used. The high-resolution, high-accuracy optical sensors often used in multijoint robots also have issues where they cannot function in environments with dust or oil present.<br />
<br />
To address these issues, NTN has applied the magnetic ring and magnetization technology developed for products such as the Integrated Sensor Bearings and Hub Bearings with ABS Sensor to develop the ¡°Multi Track Magnetic Ring¡± that features a magnetic sensor with the same high-resolution and high-accuracy as optical sensors.<br />
<br />
The ¡°Multi Track Magnetic Ring¡± is a ring-type product developed mainly to detect the angles of robot joints which, when combined with the dedicated magnetic sensor IC*2, outputs data of absolute angles to at 17 to 20 bit (resolution of approx. 0.0027¡ã to 0.00034¡ã) that is adequate for angle detection. Being a magnetic type, it has superior resistance against vibrations, high temperatures, dust, oil mist and similar environments compared to optical types. The newly developed axial type ¡°Multi Track Magnetic Ring¡± is thin with an axial width dimension of 4 mm, which can contribute to more compact devices. It has a hollow shape that is large enough to pass through cables internally (internal diameter ¦Õ41 mm), which means it is easy to apply for robot joints.<br />
<br />
NTN is strengthening its robot-related businesses as a type of new business field in the Medium-term Management Plan ¡°DRIVE NTN100¡± that began in April this year. NTN will begin mass-production of the developed product for robot manufacturers, and continue identifying market requirements to increase size variations as a way of expanding business.<br />
</p>
18 Jul,2018
