Lubrication-free and durable bearing and drive technology in acoustic measuring systems from Klippel

Profile

What was needed: The reliable and maintenance-free movement of the measuring robot along the x,- y- and z-axis

Requirements: Lubrication-free and maintenance-free as well as easy-to-install components for long-lasting and failure-free use.

Industry: Stage technology

Success for the customer: The installed drylin linear axes and PRT slewing ring bearings enable the end customer to use the product without maintenance schedules. They prevent downtime and save maintenance costs.

Measuring audio quality professionally can be very time-consuming, as all sound sources always interact with their surroundings. To reduce this interaction, acoustic measurements are traditionally carried out in anechoic chambers. However, these are complex to design and very cost-intensive. For this reason, Klippel GmbH has developed the near-field scanner (NFS).

The measuring robot scans the sound pressure at numerous points around a sound source in a controlled near-field environment. A microphone is guided around the acoustic source in three axes.

To ensure reliable movement of the microphone along the axes, the manufacturer looked for suitable bearing technology. When selecting the components, the focus was on both the structure and the handling of the measuring robot after installation. Maintenance work and downtimes of the solution were to be reduced in order to enable flawless and continuous utilisation. At the same time, the audio measurement system needed to be lubrication-free in order to avoid contamination of measuring devices or test objects. This is the only way to ensure that the complex measuring equipment can be quickly and easily transferred to the customer's own responsibility.

Finally, the systems should work flawlessly in fluctuating temperatures and high humidity, which can occur when the product is stored and at the customer's various facilities and production sites.

When developing the near-field scanner, Klippel opted for a PRT slewing ring bearing in the rotary table, which supports and rotates the entire superstructure and is moved by a drylin E stepper motor with motorised gearbox. The slewing ring bearings are completely lubrication-free and low-wear, even at high loads.

To move the microphone horizontally and vertically around the sound source, drylin ZLW toothed belt axes are used. Among others, a drylin ZLW-1040-S double axis with stepper motor is used. Also completely without external lubrication and maintenance, the axes save the end customer the preparation of maintenance schedules as well as regular lubrication and lubricant costs. Downtimes are avoided and project plans do not have to take additional reserve times for maintenance into account. The good price-performance ratio and the broad product portfolio of the drylin linear axes were also decisive factors in Klippel's decision. In order to keep the vertically installed linear axis in balance, it was also supplemented with a drylin N flat profile with carriage.

Overall, the bearing technology on the three axes enables the microphone to be moved to any point within a cylindrical space.

It is also supplemented by several energy chains, which ensure fast and reliable cable guide on all three axes.