Industry 4.0 for automated electronics manufacturing

KENT, OHIO – Bison®, an AMETEK business, is expanding its global reach and offering by adding MAE® technologies as a dedicated product line. The move gives its customer base access to a broader portfolio of motors, blowers, and pumps through a single commercial organization. Bison’s combined portfolio now provides customers worldwide with a one stop shop for: • Brushless AC and DC blowers  • Brushless DC motors • Gearmotors, reducers, and washdown products • PMDC and field wound motors • Regenerative blowers • Sealless pumps • Stepper motors • Universal motors Previously offered in select regions, these products are now available worldwide through Bison’s global operations and delivered under established product brands, including Bison® Gearmotors, Lamb® Vacuum Motors,  MAE® Motors & Blowers, Nautilair® Combustion Blowers, Prestolite Brushed DC Motors, ROTRON® Regenerative Blowers, ROTRON® Pumps & Motors, and Windjammer® Brushless Blowers. “This product line integration is about simplifying how customers engage with us,” said Matt Fuss, Business Unit Manager at Bison. “By bringing these offerings together within the Bison organization, we’re making it easier for customers worldwide to access the motors, blowers, and pumps they need—backed by the same robust quality, engineering expertise, and superior service support they trust.” Customers can expect continuity in product quality, engineering support, and service as MAE technologies become part of Bison’s broader global portfolio. To talk to a Bison® engineer regarding your project, schedule a consultation here.   ABOUT Bison® For more than 100 years, Bison® has helped customers differentiate their products by developing robust, flexible and durable motors, blowers, and pumps under the brand names – Bison® Gearmotors, Lamb® Vacuum Motors,  MAE® Motors & Blowers, Nautilair® Combustion Blowers, Prestolite Brushed DC Motors, ROTRON® Regenerative Blowers, ROTRON® Pumps & Motors, and Windjammer® Brushless Blowers. Bison® engineers thrive on technical challenges and provide customers with collaborative, customizable and optimized fluid-moving, fractional and integral horsepower solutions. Bison® has worldwide sales representative support, research facilities and manufacturing plants in North America, Europe and Asia. The company is headquartered in Kent, Ohio. Bison® is a business of AMETEK, a leading global provider of industrial technology solutions serving a diverse set of attractive niche markets with annual sales over $7.5 billion.  

In 2018, Dunkermotoren, a brand of AMETEK, introduced its own platform for controlling its smart BG motors. Since then, the so-called Motor Control Platform (MCP) has proven itself and has been rolled out across the various motor sizes step by step. After updating the BG 95, BG 65/66, and BG 75 motors as well as the BGE 5510 external controller, the BG 45 was finally upgraded with the new control technology as well. This means that the BG 45 has now become the smallest BLDC motor also available in a dPro version – compatible with the Dunkermotoren programming platform MCP. The BG 45 dPro features a compact motor housing of just 46 mm and is thus the smallest member of the dPro family. As with all BG dPro motors, its strength is the integration of the complete motor electronics into the motor housing, and despite its size, the BG 45 dPro can easily keep up with its big brothers: With a continuous output power of up to 110 W and rated speeds of up to 4,720 rpm, the motor is more powerful than its predecessors at the same rated voltage. In combination with a gearbox, encoder, and/or brake from Dunkermotoren’s modular system, you can easily configure the perfect drive for any application - whether in the intralogistics, medical technology, packaging, semiconductor, or electronics industry. Thanks to its IP protection up to IP 65, the BG 45 dPro is suitable for use in harsh environments. In terms of functions & features, the BG 45 dPro offers programmable digital inputs and outputs, an analog input, and a 4096 cpr high-resolution encoder. Various current, speed, and position modes can also be programmed very easily thanks to the MCP. Connection interfaces are available with CANopen or Industrial Ethernet including PROFINET, EtherCAT, or EtherNet/IP. A 15-pin hybrid connector and the "Drive Assistant 5" configuration tool allow smooth commissioning. In addition, functions such as condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, or alarming & messaging can be implemented via the new nexofox MotionCode. With the BG 45 dPro, the step towards IIoT and your own Smart Factory is very easy. The safety function STO (Safe Torque Off) is integrated standard in all BG 45 dPro motors with Industrial Ethernet. For CANopen versions, the function is available as an option also. With STO, your motor can be reliably set torque-free without interrupting the logic voltage, saving time consuming re-referencing during restart. With the BG 45 dPro, Dunkermotoren has used its 20 years of experience in the field to take another step towards expanding its offering with the smallest BLDC motor package with integrated electronics ever. Downloads Press release (PDF)

SPS Italia in Parma stands as a pinnacle for Italy's smart, digital, and sustainable industry. From May 28 to 30, 2024, Dunkermotoren and MAE, both AMETEK brands, will grace Hall 5, Stand L005, as steadfast partners of the Italian industry, impressing with their renowned quality and adaptability. Among their offerings, Dunkermotoren will unveil the PLG 75 ServoLine gearbox, boasting a service life exceeding 20,000 hours, ideal for long-lasting DC motors. This comprehensive motor-gearbox solution thrives in applications with high cycle rates, distinguished by reliability, robust torque, and remarkable efficiency. Nexofox, the Dunkermotoren IIoT brand, will also take center stage, showcasing its latest breakthrough. Explore the foundation for your smart factory with NexoLink, a novel module facilitating seamless integration of all smart Dunkermotoren motors. NexoLink's modular extensions, such as Smart Diagnostics and Predictive Maintenance, enable sensor-free monitoring of gearbox wear, serving as a vital indicator of overall service life. Nexofox is rapidly advancing in the hardware sector. In addition to the existing BGE 5510 dPro external controller, the BGE 8060 dPro now joins the controller family as a formidable addition." At SPS Italia, Dunkermotoren emphasizes its smart BLDC motor series dPro, ranging from 20 to 5000 W, featuring bus and Ethernet interfaces such as CANopen, PROFINET, EtherCAT, and Ethernet/IP. A notable highlight is the PROFINET Showcase, demonstrating the synchronous operation of four axes powered by BG dPro PN motors. Since mid-2023, Dunkermotoren's product lineup includes the NG 1000 WO hub gearbox, providing further development possibilities for driverless transport systems (AGVs and AMRs). When paired with the BG 95 dPro, this solution stands at a mere 95 mm in height and, thanks to axle offset, enables vehicles with a minimum width of only 600 mm and a potential total weight of four tons. Versions with reduced gear backlash allow exceptionally precise vehicle positioning. Moreover, the availability of low-noise gearbox versions extends the applicability of mobile and self-propelled equipment, catering the requirements in the medical sector, such as mobile MRI or X-ray machines. Dunkermotoren's solutions are particularly suitable for omni- or multidirectional vehicles. A compact and intriguing solution from TEKNO M.P., ideal for 360° continuous rotation, is showcased at the booth. Dunkermotoren´s sister company, MAE, focuses on another critical trend: local sourcing. MAE fully embraces this trend, manufacturing its products exclusively in Europe. Thanks to the option to add brakes, encoders, gearboxes, and electronics, MAE's stepper motor portfolio offers flexible integration into diverse applications. The newly integrated sGo electronics provide a cost-optimized control solution for Nema 17 and Nema 23 sizes. Downloads:  The next generation of intelligent motors (PDF)

Dunkermotoren and MAE are exhibiting at Agrishow Brazil The Agrishow in Brazil is the place to be for all agriculture technology manufacturers around the world. Especially for the Brazilian and South American market the show is the number one meeting point when it comes to industry trends and technology. From April 29th to May 3rd, 2024 Dunkermotoren and MAE, both brands of AMETEK, will be exhibiting in the Arena de Soluções Agro in Rua 5 at booth 72. Dunkermotoren and MAE are well-known in the agricultural business for motor and blower solutions. With the slogan „Agri goes electromechanical“, both companies want to push the switch from pneumatic to electric motor solutions. The electrification of agro machines is one of the industry´s megatrends, allowing processes to become more efficient, thus, increasing the overall productivity while reducing its costs. The blower and motor solutions from MAE and Dunkermotoren impress with maintenance-free lifetime, high energy efficiency and a robust design with protection class up to IP69K. For those who are not familiar with Dunkermotoren – the outstanding advantage of Dunkermotoren´s smart brushless motors is their integrated intelligence into the housing and the possibilities within Smart Farming with nexofox, the company´s own IIoT brand. The communication interfaces CANopen or other Ethernet interfaces are belonging to the standard portfolio of smart motors (Series BG dPro) at Dunkermotoren. Integration of multiple devices, predictive maintenance and condition monitoring are simple to implement. In addition to their brushless motors, Dunkermotoren will also present their linear systems at the show. An innovation – designed for the harsh environments agricultural machines are operating in - is the electric actuator CAHB. Combined with a brushless or brushed DC motor it can e.g., adjust the crop ejector on forage harvesters, and offers completely new possibilities as an alternative to pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders. The CAHB is very powerful and is available with strokes up to 700 mm and forces up to 10,000 N. This electric solution is much more energy efficient compared to pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders. Expensive air pressure or oil supply are eliminated. Additionally, features such as positioning, speed ramps, force measurement, and the creation of individual motion profiles can be realized based on customer requirements. MAE is presenting its latest highlights of stepper motors and blowers. Stepper motors are used in electromechanical systems that demand precision and movement control in agricultural machines such as planters, sprayers, and mechanism drives such as valve controls. The MAE stepper motors are available in the three common NEMA sizes: 17, 23 and 34. They can be configured with gearboxes, brakes, encoders, and integrated electronics. High IP standards are available on request. MAE’s electric blowers have an extensive pressure and flow range offering flow control, efficiency with low energy consumption and a compact size compared to hydraulic blowers. Blowers can be applied to different products that require positive pressure or vacuum, such as transporting materials, transporting seeds and inputs, storage and cleaning systems. The products of both companies are used in seeding, fertilizing and milking applications as well as for farming robots. Downloads Press release (PDF)