RADFORD, VA – May 10, 2011 – With the AKM™ washdown, Kollmorgen presents a food-grade version of its highly flexible AKM servomotor series – the global market leader in many industries. This servomotor solution for processing and packing foods and pharmaceuticals clearly provides more robust benefits for both handling and maintenance than comparable products. At the same time, it provides considerably better performance and is three times as durable. Thanks to its innovative coating and clever design, it helps to maintain the highest standards of hygiene during cleaning. All in all, the AKM washdown makes it possible to develop machines which are particularly compact, light, high-performance and well priced and thus provides considerable competitive advantages.
The new AKM washdown introduction from Kollmorgen represents a credible alternative over special solutions which include a high proportion of stainless steel and over the standard solutions which are typically equipped with additional enclosures. Compared to corresponding, conventional standard motors with the same output, AKM servomotors are 30% to 50% more compact and 10% to 30% lighter, while their commissioning and maintenance costs are also around 20% lower. Furthermore, by comparison with servomotors containing a large proportion of stainless steel, the weight advantage is even greater and the material costs are about 30% lower.
Besides the cost savings, the AKM washdown also leads when cleaning. The protective coating consisting of two components is certified by the renowned EcoLab laboratory. The surface coating along with compliance to protection class IP 67 permit "wet cleaning" using all commercially available cleansing agents in the range from pH2 to pH12. Cleaning and germicide are further simplified through the omission of an enclosure with hollow sections, as well as by having rounded corners and edges. Thus, liquids can run off unimpeded and no pockets of contamination can become established.
The advantages of AKM washdown have already convinced a well-known manufacturer of packaging machines. Kollmorgen developed a motor-transmission unit together with a transmission manufacturer and the machine manufacturer for a feed unit on a food packaging film thermoforming machine. The new drive solution is over 22% more compact than the previous solution and thus allows 19% greater cycle performance with the same energy consumption. Thanks to its performance spectrum, the new drive solution can also be used for two additional applications, for which different drive solutions were previously required. Thus Kollmorgen was able to provide the customer with an even better cost to performance ratio. Standardization provided further total cost of ownership advantages by lowering logistics and storage costs.
Standard solution with unique design
The advantages of AKM servomotors are based on their unique power density design, and the fact that it is a standard solution allowing for many variants and making expensive, special solutions superfluous—over 500,000 configurations available in less than two weeks lead time. The Kollmorgen solution’s relatively low weight, excellent heat dissipation and component design, optimized for quantity and quality, result in comparatively low costs for commissioning, service and maintenance, and a particularly long lifespan.
The AKM washdown motor is available in various sizes. Thanks to diverse design options – with different lengths, winding versions, regenerative systems and connection types available – it can be adapted to individual customer requirements both quickly and affordably. Its compact, lightweight, powerful construction, as well as its numerous models and equipment versions allow entirely new complete solutions to be created. The fact that the AKM washdown does not require foot mounting, but can rather be attached freely to the machine, is another key advantage when designing machines.
The AKM washdown solution two-component protective coating and compliance with IP 67 protection permit "wet cleaning" using cleaning agents and similar chemicals - pH values from 2 to 12 are possible. Cleaning and disinfecting are also simplified due to the unit's smooth, rounded surface that does not offer any corners or areas for contaminants to accumulate. The coating is available in white and in a stainless steel finish.
The Kollmorgen AKM washdown servomotors are based on the AKM sizes 2 to 6 and have related performance data, including static torques from 1 to 25 Nm and supply voltages from 75 to 480 V. The hygienic models comply with the international standards UL and CE. Certification with USDA and FDA standards are in currently in process.
ABOUT KOLLMORGEN
Kollmorgen is a leading provider of motion systems and components for machine builders around the globe, with over 70 years of motion control design and application expertise.
Through world-class knowledge in motion, industry-leading quality and deep expertise in linking and integrating standard and custom products, Kollmorgen delivers breakthrough solutions unmatched in performance, reliability and ease-of-use, giving machine builders an irrefutable marketplace advantage.