Elliptical Vibration Linear Feeder “Crossdrive Linear Feeder” realizing high speed transportation
NTN Technical Service Corp., an affiliated company of NTN Corporation, has received the Encouragement Award at the ‘CHO’ MONODZUKURI Innovative Parts and Components Awards 2024 hosted by the MONODZUKURI Nippon Conference and Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Ltd.

Award name
Encouragement Award of
‘CHO’ MONODZUKURI Innovative Parts and Components Awards 2024


Awarded product
NTN Technical Service Corporation
Elliptical Vibration Linear Feeder “Crossdrive Linear Feeder”

Product overview
This is a vibrating parts feeder that transports workpieces to the next process, while maintaining the posture of the arranged workpieces. It generates elliptical vibrations by simultaneously vibrating the leaf springs for horizontal-vibration and vertical-vibration by the attractive force of the electromagnet. This linear feeder realizes smooth and high speed transportation without relying on air from compressors by controlling the proper elliptical vibration for each workpiece with a controller.

Features
Creativity
Unique mechanism that cancels pitting generated in the upper vibrator by the lower vibrator realizes smooth and high speed transportation.
High speed transportation
The maximum transportation speed is 18 m/min, the industry’s highest level as a linear feeder, (approximately three times compared to the conventional product), contributing to improved productivity.
Economic and environmental performance
It contributes to the reduction of air consumption from compressors.
Reasons for receiving the award
Toward sustainable economic growth and realization of the carbon neutrality, automation and streamlining are underway at manufacturing sites with the aim of improving productivity and saving energy. Parts feeder, a key facility that affects productivity, are required to have higher transportation speed. Additionally, as linear feeders for high speed transportation require supplementary air by compressors, there has been a growing need to reduce the electricity consumed by the compressors, which is the top source of electricity consumed in plants.

This product has a unique structure in which the vibration-generating leaf springs are independently placed in horizontal and vertical directions. This structure achievies both high speed transportation and reduction in air consumption. In addition to improving productivity and contributing to carbon neutrality, we received this award for the ripple effect of application in a wide range of fields, including metal products, resin products, foods, and pharmaceuticals.