Medical mobility and more: Warner Electric servo motors, brakes shine at Automate 2022

Earlier this month, Warner Electric was one of several Altra Motion brands present at Automate 2022 – the largest automation and robotics trade show in North America.

Representing Warner Electric were Altra National Account Manager Mark Falcone and Electric Clutches and Brakes Product Manager Jonathan Dagorne.

During the show, Mark and Jonathan explained Warner Electric’s role in the automation market.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: What Warner Electric products did you bring to Automate?

MF: We have a number of different brakes. We also have the SL and SO (electromagnetic clutch) line, which are in-line or parallel.
And of course we have some smaller versions of clutches and brakes for the servo marketplace, as well as other medical mobility type products … static spring, wrap spring, and applied brakes.
And if you look down at the bottom, you can also see some of our mini brakes. And those mini brakes go onto a number of different applications. Primarily, with Portescap’s motors, from different types of medical and servo types of applications as well.

Q: How would Warner’s brakes fit into a robotic application?

MF: What we utilize those brakes for is, basically, holding brakes. They would go onto a robotic arm, on the back of the motor. And if that motor stops, that brake will hold the shaft and the position of where that motor (stops).

Q: Does Warner often customize brakes and other products for customers?

MF: Of course. We've been striving for years to be the number one supplier that can go into an application, find out the data we require to understand the application fully, and recommend a product that can get the job done for them – both short and long term.

Q: Tell me what makes the SMB servo motor brake special.

JD: These brakes are dedicated and designed for servo motor applications and factory applications. They’re very precise brakes. High temperature performance. … We start from the frame 60 up to the frame 180s and supply all the big servo motor industries … medical devices, for example. It can be surgical, robotics, CT scan, X-ray.

Q: So when someone’s having a surgical procedure, the motors would be guiding that machine in and out of the body?

JD: Yeah, the motors would be guiding the motion of that. Our brakes, when the position needs to be held, maintain the position.

Q: Have you had a lot of interest in this at Automate?

JD: Yeah. A good customer stopped by and was interested in our brakes and our products. It’s great to see the other products, the other brands, and how integrated we can be. … And it's very good to be to be out after three years of being working at home, to see all the people and all the industries coming back to reality.