Thomson Webinars
Thomson's online webinars are created to provide design engineers with a wealth of information about mechanical motion technologies and their applications. The seminars focus on solid, practical information - not a sales pitch. Learn how to optimize the balance of performance, life and cost in your next application with help from Thomson.
Click webinar course of interest:
- Designing Cost out of Machines with Mechanical Components (09/10/2009)
- Ball Screws 101: Ball Screw Basics for Design Engineers (10/29/2008)
- Ball Screws 201: Troubleshooting for Design Engineers (05/20/2009)
- Ball Screws 301: A Practical Approach to Screw Integration (10/14/2009)
- Clutches & Brakes 101: Basics for Design Engineers (02/26/2009)
- Linear Actuators 101 : Basics for Design Engineers (06/17/2009)
- Linear Bearings and Guides 101: Basics for Design Engineers (11/12/2008)
- Linear Bearings and Guides 201: Troubleshooting for Design Engineers (04/22/2009)
- Linear Systems 101: Technologies, Engineering, & Applications (12/10/2008)
- Linear Units: Basics for Design Engineers (02/25/2009)
- Planetary Gearheads 101: Basics for Design Engineers (03/25/2009)
- Precision Linear Actuators 101: Basics for Design Engineers (11/04/2009)
Tips for Design Engineers
More is being asked of engineers with less resources than ever before. Each component in a design expands or limits future directions that design can go. What can an engineer do to make sure that the final choices are the best to achieve the desired objective? What resources exist to get that information quickly and accurately?
What you will learn:
- Reducing Design Time
- Leveraging Design Resources
- Reducing Implementation/Assembly Time
- Modularizing and Standardizing
- Reducing Material Cost
- Reducing Material Cost
- Quality - Do it Right, Do it Once
- Value Optimization
- Modularizing and Standardizing
- Quantify your choices
Click to view Designing Cost out of Machines with Mechanical Components webinar
Basics for Design Engineers
This training webinar presents an overview of ball screw basics with various technologies, incorporated into Thomson ball screw products with product selection information. It will enable you to quickly design ballscrew actuated linear motion systems, saving you time and optimizing your machine designs. The presentation is available here to download, along with a list of the questions and answers raised during the live presentation.
What you will learn:
- Inch / Metric basics
- Rolled vs. Ground
- Preload and Backlash
- Ball Return types
- Engineering guidelines overview
- Transfer of ball nut
- Alignment, Lubrication
- Cautions at start up
Click to view Ball Screws 101 webinar
Click to view the Q & A document
Troubleshooting for Design Engineers
This training webinar focuses on preventing or recognizing the most common ball screw pitfalls. You will also learn time-saving tips on how to maximize ball screw performance, enabling you to optimize ball screws in your application to fit your exact needs. The presentation is available here to download.
What you will learn:
- Ball Screw basics, Applications
- Inspection, Handling, Storage
- Installation, Accuracy
- Torque, Failure analysis
- Fatigue
- Loading, Misalignment
- Contamination, Lubrication
- Return system, Backlash
- Corrosion, Wear, Brinelling
- Bearing journals, Torsion
Click to view Advanced Ball Screws 201 webinar
Click to view the Q & A document
Screw Integration: A Practical Approach
This webinar is designed for mechanical motion design engineers at all experience levels who are interested in learning more about appropriately integrating ball screws on single or multi-axis machines. The seminar will deliver solid, practical information - not a sales pitch – on how to design and build better machines with ball screw technology. The presentation is available here to download.
What you will learn:
- Why a Ball Screw?
- Typical applications
- Design Calculations
- Linear Rail / Profile Rail Selection
- Design Tree
- Acceleration / Deceleration
- Design Application - XYZ Coordinate Machine
- Additional Support
Click to view Ball Screws 301 webinar
Click to view the Q & A document
Basics for Design Engineers
This training webinar presents an overview of clutches and brakes with various technologies and features incorporated into Thomson clutch and brake products. It will enable you to better understand the difference between wrap spring and friction styles as well as sizing criteria, allowing you to quickly design and specify clutches and brakes for motion systems. This presentation is available here to download as is the list of questions and answers raised during the presentation.
What you will learn:
- Wrap spring clutches/brakes
- Electromagnetic friction clutches/brakes
- Clutches/brakes sizing & selection
- Applications
Click to view Clutches and Brakes 101 webinar
Click to view the Q & A document
Basics for Design Engineers
This training webinar presents an overview of Electro-mechanical Linear Actuators, addressing key application and sizing concerns. It will enable you to minimize associated costs and maximize effectiveness of Linear Actuator technology. The presentation is available here to download.
What you will learn:
- Linear Actuator basics
- Types of Actuators currently in the market
- Application parameters, design considerations
- Sizing and selection procedure
- Catalog platforms
- Features and benefits
- Current, emerging and future applications
- Clean sheet of paper designs
Click to view Electro-mechanical Linear Actuators 101 webinar (North America)
Click to view the Q & A document (North America)
Click to view Electro-mechanical Linear Actuators 101 webinar (Europe - pdf)
Basics for Design Engineers
This training webinar presents an overview of linear bearings and guide basics as well as features incorporated into Thomson products with product selection information. This training will enable you to quickly design and specify linear bearings and guides in your linear motion systems, saving you time and optimizing your machine designs. The presentation is available here to download as is a list of the questions and answers raised during the presentation.
What you will learn:
- Overview, Sliding vs Rolling Contact
- Key Considerations/Parameters
- Linear Bearing features and benefits
- Profile Rail Bearings
- Round Rail Bearings - Bearing and Shaft
- Selection process
- Load - Life calculations
- Select and size an axis for an application
Click to view Linear Bearings and Guides 101 webinar
Troubleshooting for Design Engineers
This training webinar presents information on routine Linear Bearing care and troubleshooting topics. This training will empower you to quickly uncover and diagnose specific linear bearings and guides issues, saving you valuable time and resources. The presentation is available here to download.
What you will learn:
- Handling
- Environment
- Installation
- Maintenance
- Inspection
- Accuracy/Repeatability
- Bearing failure
- Noise/Vibration
- Drag
- Corrosion
Click to view Linear Bearings & Guides 201 webinar
Click to view the Q & A document
Basics for Design Engineers
This training webinar will enable you to better understand structural supports, guidance systems, and drive systems. It also discusses the risks and benefits of designing your own system versus enlisting outside help. The presentation is available here to download as is a list of questions and answers raised during the presentation.
What you will learn:
- Linear System overview
- Structural support system
- Guidance, Drive systems
- Sealing, Lubrication, Accessories
- Technology strengths & weaknesses
- Spider diagrams
- Linear Motioneering (Intro to software tools)
- Design input
- Engineering calculations
- Design output
Click to view Linear Systems 101 webinar
Click to view the Q & A document
Basics for Design Engineers
This training webinar presents the basic architecture of a linear system along with fundamentals of sizing and product selection. It will enable you to better understand structural supports, guidance systems, and drive systems, allowing you to quickly design and specify linear components for linear motion systems. The presentation is available here to download.
What you will learn:
- Features, benefits, trends
- Guidance system (ball, wheel, or slide guide)
- Drive system (ball & lead screws, belt)
- Lifting technology
- Thomson Linear Units
- Choosing a Linear Unit
- Calculations, design, engineering support
- 3D CAD models
- Online support tools
- Application examples
Click to view Linear Units webinar
Basics for Design Engineers
This training webinar will enable you to better understand the different types of planetary gearheads and how to quickly select the right gearhead for your motion control application, saving you time and optimizing your machine designs. It also introduces the new Micron Motioneering sizing and selection tool. The presentation is available here to download as is the list of questions and answers raised during the presentation.
What you will learn:
- Overview of True Planetary technology
- Advantages of Helical Gearing
- Precision & Lost Motion
- Torque, speed and life relationships
- Lower precision Planetary Gearheads
- High precision true Planetary Gearheads
- Micron product overview
- Gearhead Express
- Micron Motioneering: New online sizing tool
- Application examples
Click to view Planetary Gearheads 101 webinar
Click to view the Q & A document
Basics for Design Engineers
This webinar presents an overview of precision linear actuators with various technologies and features incorporated into Thomson precision linear actuator products. Learn how to quickly select the right precision actuator for your application, saving you time and optimizing your machine designs. The presentation is available here to download as is the list of questions and answers raised during the presentation.
What you will learn:
- Precision Linear Actuator basics
- Features, benefits, trends
- Advantages of the technology
- Selecting a precision linear actuator
- Calculations, design, engineering support
- 3D CAD models
- Online support tools
- Application examples