Actuators & motion
Everything that converts electricity or air into controlled movement. This is the densest category in the building and the one with the longest lead times, which is why second-sourcing a drivetrain is the single most common reason an engineer books a visit.
15 shelves
we want filled.
Every line below is a display we would like somebody to own. Several are still completely open.
- 01
Servo motors and drives
AC and DC servos from 50 W to 15 kW with matched drives, absolute encoders and EtherCAT or CANopen interfaces. Show the torque-speed curve at rated duty, the derating with ambient, and how long a replacement takes to arrive.
- 02
Stepper motors and drivers
NEMA 8 through NEMA 42 hybrids, closed-loop steppers, integrated motor-driver units and microstepping controllers. Still the cheapest precise motion available, and still where most low-volume machines start.
- 03
Frameless and direct-drive motors
Frameless torque motors, direct-drive rotary tables and linear motors for designs where the gearbox is the problem. Rotor and stator kits, cogging figures and thermal models all get asked for in the first meeting.
- 04
Strain-wave and cycloidal reducers
The classic schedule killer. Harmonic and cycloidal gearheads with published backlash, torsional stiffness and lifetime curves. If you can second-source a robot joint credibly, this is the most valuable shelf in the building.
- 05
Planetary and worm gearboxes
Precision planetaries for servo mounting, right-angle and worm units for holding torque, and the mounting-flange catalogue that decides whether an engineer can drop yours in without a new adapter plate.
- 06
Ball and lead screws
Rolled and ground ballscrews, lead screws with anti-backlash nuts, and screw-nut assemblies with published lead accuracy grades. Straightness, preload class and end-machining options are the buying criteria.
- 07
Linear guides and rails
Profile rails, miniature guides, crossed-roller and cam-follower systems. Interchangeability with the incumbent brand is worth stating plainly: a dimensional drop-in wins designs that a better load rating alone will not.
- 08
Electric linear actuators
Rod-style and rodless actuators, belt and screw driven, with integrated controllers and IP-rated housings. Stroke, side-load capacity and duty cycle at load are the three numbers buyers write down.
- 09
Pneumatic cylinders and valves
ISO 15552 and compact cylinders, rodless and rotary units, valve manifolds with fieldbus nodes, and the fittings and tubing to go with them. Fast, cheap and still the right answer for a great many motions.
- 10
Vacuum generation
Ejectors, vacuum pumps, blowers, filters, switches and the plumbing between them. Every vacuum gripper on the floor above is only as good as what feeds it.
- 11
Hydraulics and heavy motion
Cylinders, power units, proportional valves and manifolds for the loads that electric actuation still cannot reach. Contamination control and seal life are the conversations worth having.
- 12
Brakes, clutches and dampers
Spring-applied holding brakes, electromagnetic clutches, torque limiters, shock absorbers and gas springs. Small parts, and the reason a vertical axis does or does not drop when power fails.
- 13
Couplings and power transmission
Bellows, jaw, oldham and disc couplings, timing belts and pulleys, chain, rack and pinion. Misalignment tolerance and torsional stiffness, both stated, both tested.
- 14
Positioning stages and slides
Motorised XY and XYZ stages, goniometers, rotary tables and manual slides for optics, metrology and semiconductor work. Sub-micron repeatability sells itself, but only in person.
- 15
Motion controllers and software
Multi-axis controllers, motion cards, EtherCAT masters and the tuning software nobody reads about until commissioning week. Bring a machine that demonstrates a real coordinated path.
How to stand out
in this category.
We want manufacturers, not catalogue resellers, and we want torque-speed curves at rated duty rather than peak. If you hold US stock or can quote a real lead time in weeks, say so on the application: availability is what wins designs here.
Neighbouring
categories.
Most suppliers fit more than one. Apply against the closest and tell us the rest in your company bio.
Own this shelf.
All year, in San Francisco.
A staffed display on the relevant floor, a US address and phone number, and a listing buyers search. Flat annual fee, no commission.