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Case Study: Electric Drives & Controls
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[05.10.10] |
Case Study: Hard Disk Transport Speed Gets a Big Boost from Rexroth Linear Motion System |
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After working with Bosch Rexroth to design a unique linear motion system (LMS) with NYCe 4000 motion control, Intevac’s 200 Lean Gen II boosts system throughput by 25 percent over their first generation 200 Lean. Moreover, the system is much easier to maintain, thereby increasing availability for production.
Today's growth in digital data has created a huge demand for hard disk storage media. At the same time, hard disk manufacturers are facing strong price and competitive pressures. That makes it critical for hard disk manufacturers to maximize throughput. The more hard disks produced by a single hard disk manufacturing tool, the greater the return on investment.
Intevac, Inc. (www.intevac.com), of Santa Clara, CA, produces one of the leading perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) hard disk manufacturing tools: the 200 Lean® system. One of Intevac’s main goals for their second generation 200 Lean system was to develop an improved transport system that would enable significantly faster throughput. To accomplish this, Intevac engineers teamed up with Bosch Rexroth engineers (Hoffman Estates, IL, www.boschrexroth-us.com) to integrate the innovative Linear Motion System (LMS) on Intevac’s 200 Lean Gen II system.
Intevac was one of the first companies to successfully bring PMR deposition technology to the hard-disk-manufacturing market. The 200 Lean Gen II system demonstrates Intevac's ongoing leadership in vacuum deposition sputtering technology with a method of depositing thin films of a recording medium onto a glass or metal substrate.
The 200 Lean hard disk sputtering tool is used to produce 3.5- and 2.5-inch hard disks used for desktop and laptop computers, digital video recorders, and other consumer electronics. Throughput with Intevac’s first generation 200 Lean is approximately 800 disks per hour. For the 200 Lean Gen II, the Intevac engineering team wanted to see if the Rexroth linear motion system with NYCe 4000 motion control technology could be configured to increase throughput to the level they required for their second generation system.
Intevac worked closely with Rexroth to define the project and develop the initial control technology and the hardware to create the Gen II transport mechanism. In the Gen II design, Rexroth was able to move the disk carriers independently from one process to another at high speed and with high precision using a patented, non-contact linear motor drive system.
To create the Gen II transport mechanism, the Bosch Rexroth Tech Center West in Pleasanton, CA, worked with the Intevac team through all phases of the project from defining requests to developing initial control technology and hardware, and finally, implementing the testing and system optimization. The dedicated high-tech applications group provided face-to-face support at critical phases of the project, with Rexroth application engineers writing control code and tuning motors.
When the first 200 Lean Gen II system shipped in 2008, Tech Center West provided a custom control enclosure to meet SEMI standards.
Today, Bosch Rexroth expedites production of 200 Lean Gen II systems by delivering the LMS assembly fully wired and tested. After Intevac sells a system, a Rexroth support team is available as needed to support Intevac's customers.
Download the complete case study from the Bosch Rexroth Case Studies & Technical Papers web page.
Bosch Rexroth AG is one of the world’s leading specialists in the field of drive and control technologies. Under the brand name of Rexroth the company supplies more than 500,000 customers with tailored solutions for driving, controlling and moving. Bosch Rexroth is a partner for industrial applications and factory automation, mobile applications and renewable energy.
As The Drive & Control Company, Bosch Rexroth develops, produces and sells components and systems in more than 80 countries. In 2009 Bosch Rexroth, part of the Bosch Group, achieved sales of around $5.7 billion
(4.1 billion Euro) with 34,200 employees.
Visit www.boschrexroth-us.com for more information.
For more information, please contact
Bosch Rexroth Corporation
Kevin Gingerich
14001 South Lakes Drive
Charlotte, NC 28273
Telephone 1 (800) 322-6724
Fax (704) 583-7294
kevin.gingerich@boschrexroth-us.com
Godfrey Public Relations
Todd Walter
40 North Christian Street
Lancaster, PA 17602
Telephone (717) 393-3831 ext. 133
Fax (717) 393-1403
twalter@godfrey.com
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