So, you’re going to use an AC drive and you know what horsepower and voltage you need, now what? There are numerous issues to consider when applying an AC drive. Take a look some of the most common topics we get asked about. Control Modes There are three different motor…
Technical Bulletins and Guides
Browse our latest technical bulletins and guides by subject!
Automation
Technical Guide: Gantry System vs 6-Axis Robot Solution Cross Company sells both Gantry and 6-Axis robotic solutions. Our goal is for our customers and readers to make the smartest choice for their situation and application. In the world of motion control, the industry has reached the point where the initial…
How to Use Proportional Technology to Control Pressure in High Flow Applications We run across a lot of applications in our industry, and one of our customers had a very specific need. They asked, “How can I automatically control the pressure in my air receiver?” This is not an unusual…
Coval LEMAX: Improving Efficiency for Packaging Applications Vacuum applications can be prone to inefficiencies and, therefore, waste a lot of energy. If you have a “dumb” or under-sensored process, you may as well count the dollars as the air blows through the exhaust of a venturi! Inefficiencies are a fact of life with…
Normal Duty vs. Heavy Duty: Specifying a Yaskawa AC Drive Questions to Consider for Your Yaskawa Application When you are thinking about purchasing a Yaskawa AC Drive, you have to decide whether a Normal Duty or Heavy Duty drive is required for the application. This applies to the J1000, V1000…
Faster CoBot Deployment with Universal Robot’s Application Builder Collaborative robots (CoBots) are already making significant inroads in the US and global manufacturing industry with Universal Robots (UR) staking a majority market share. With more and more first-timers looking at ways to automate using CoBots, it becomes important to make the process easier for…
Hose and Fittings
Guide to Hose Compounds, Properties, and Their Applications When choosing the right hose for your application, it is helpful to understand the benefits of different hose materials. Before we get into the various types of rubber compounds, let’s begin with a primer into the origin of natural rubber. The para’…
Hydraulic Hose Pressure Ratings: Working Pressure vs Burst Pressure When designing a hydraulic system or replacing a hose assembly, it’s important to know the conditions of its application. specifically, the working pressure for the application and whether the pressure is dynamic or static. The working pressure is the highest amount…
Technical Guide: Industrial Hose Secure Clamp Styles When it comes to industrial hose assemblies, there are multiple ways to attach fittings to a length of hose. A few of those methods include pre-formed band clamps, double bolt clamps, gear or worm drive clamps, crimpable ferrules, and crimpable sleeves. Depending on…
Hose Fitting Conversion Adapter Guide When working with equipment manufactured in different parts of the world, one of the most important factors to take into consideration is the system measurement in the place of origin. With items equipped for hydraulics or pneumatics, hose and fitting connectors can come in a…
Technical Guide: How to Identify Flange Fittings One of the challenges for a hose user is how to identify the fitting on the end of your hydraulic hose. This particular style of fitting is referred to as a Flange Head Style Fitting. The most common sizes range from 1/2 inch…
Technical Guide: Proper Hydraulic Hose Routing Proper Hydraulic Hose Routing Simplifies Maintenance and Reduces Failure When high-pressure hydraulic hoses fail, they can be responsible for lost productivity, equipment failure, and personal injury – all coming at a steep cost to the machine or company owner. In hydraulically controlled equipment, some component…
Mobile Systems Integration
How to Prevent Hydraulic Pump Cavitation by Supercharging the Pump Inlet One of the most common forms of pump failure experienced in the hydraulic industry is pump cavitation. Pump cavitation occurs when the pressure in the pump inlet drops below the vapor pressure of the liquid. Vapor bubbles form at…
A Guide to Selecting the Right Hydraulic Filter Filtration, whether prioritized or not, is one of the most important components in a hydraulic system and can be the difference in a machine running for 10 years or having expensive component damage within a matter of seconds. Here, we’ll lay out…
A Guide to Selecting the Right Hydraulic Motor Selecting the right hydraulic motor for your application may not be as straightforward as you wish it were, but getting it right is critical to the overall performance of your machine. While it is likely that more than one design will work,…
Technical Guide: Hydraulic Steering 101 for Off-Road Vehicles Lynn Charlson, self-taught inventor, designer, and mechanical genius, was a pioneer in the field of hydraulic power, and founder of the Char-Lynn Company in 1942. Back in the 60’s and 70’s, low-speed high-torque motors and steering valves were referred to simply as…
Technical Guide: Definitions of Acronyms and Terms Used in Mobile Electronic Controls PLC – Programmable Logic Controller. This is a “computer” that accepts various inputs and makes a decision as to what action to various outputs need to occur. The decision is based on a program that is loaded into the…
Technical Guide: How to Implement or Convert a Control System The following guide was put together as step by step approach to implementing (or converting to) a control system. Our engineers work on a variety of projects and have focused on the top 10 things to consider in the process.…
Precision Measurement
As a Cross calibration customer, you have free access to GageSuite, our comprehensive, user-friendly calibration management system. Beyond giving you instant access to the complete calibration and repair history for each piece of equipment, GageSuite now gives you drift charts for each piece of equipment. GageSuite uses real data from…
Wondering how big (or small) a micron actually is? Check out the following infographic. The answer may surprise you.
Measurement of small radius and radius with short arc length or included angle present a challenge to metrologist regardless of the device used to gather data points. The following data illustrates the effects of form error and/or measurement error and reduction of arc length. 1. Points A1 (X0,Y0.5), B1 (X0.01913,Y0.04619) and…
Below are methods used to calibrate gage blocks within all J.A. King network locations offering gage block calibration services. Primary Method Per national standards, the length of the gauge block is defined as the distance between a flat surface wrung to one end of the block, and a gauging point…
Process Solutions
Achieving High Availability with Redundant Rockwell ControlLogix Systems Rockwell’s Allen Bradley ControlLogix line supports enhanced redundancy with processors, communications, and power supplies to achieve high availability of your control system. Here are some of our recommendations, plus some pitfalls to avoid when implementing such a system. 1. Make sure you…
Advanced Methods for Tuning a PID Loop A PID loop adjusts its OP to maintain its PV at its SP. Some PID loops cannot be satisfactorily tuned by adjusting the three primary constants. When combined with good basic tuning, advanced methods can improve stability, responsiveness, and limit overshooting. See The…
How to Tune a PID Loop The art of tuning a PID loop is to have it adjust its output (OP) to move the process variable (PV) as quickly as possible to the set point (responsive), minimize overshoot, and then hold the variable steady at the set point without excessive…
Hazardous Area Classification Guide The National Electrical Code (NEC) defines hazardous locations as those areas “where fire or explosion hazards may exist due to flammable gases or vapors, flammable liquids, combustible dust, or ignitable fibers or flyings.” Hazardous locations are classified in three ways by the NEC: type, condition, and…
Oval Gear Flow Meter Installation & Troubleshooting Knowing the do’s and don’ts of oval gear flow meter installations is just as important to the life of your meter as was the selection criteria for choosing an oval gear flow meter. To avoid any unintentional damage to your new oval gear…
Draeger Tube Accuro Pump Best Practices & Maintenance Guide What is the Draeger-Tube System? In order to optimize your gas detection results, you need a clear understanding of the Draeger Tube System. So, exactly what is a Draeger Tube System? The system contains two key parts that work in tandem.…
