XS Brakes Offer Quiet, Powerful
Braking Performance in a Compact,
Lightweight Package
The XS-Series of spring-actuated, electrically released
brakes from Warner Electric — part of the Altra Industrial
Motion Corporation — has been developed specifically to
meet stringent space and weight requirements, providing
reliable braking performance in a package weighing as little
as 27g. Designed as statically engaged holding brakes, the
XS units can also be used to stop a moving load in
exceptional situations.
The latest innovation from Warner Electric is designed to
operate with actuators that spend most of their time stationary.
The actuator is designed to move a load into the desired
position, and then hold it there while the product or machine
performs its role. Typical applications for this type of motion
control include the position adjustment systems used in seats
or medical equipment.
In systems like these, it is essential that the actuator
can maintain its fixed position, regardless of changes in the
applied load or interruptions to the power supply. That calls
for a mechanical brake. Since these applications often have
extremely stringent weight, space and cost constraints, that
brake needs to be a highly specialized design.
The most powerful XS brake in the series delivers
a holding torque of 0.5Nm in a package weighing
only 100g.
Where minimum size and weight is a priority, equipment
manufacturers need a brake that precisely matches the
requirements of their applications, and which can be easily
integrated into their overall design. To facilitate this, XS
brakes are available in six sizes with overall diameters of
22mm, 29mm and 33mm. Each diameter includes a variant
optimized for the shortest overall length and minimum weight,
together with a slightly longer version optimized for greater
torque. The most powerful unit in the series delivers a holding
torque of 0.5Nm in a package weighing only 100g. The three
brake diameters are designed to accommodate maximum shaft
diameters of 3.5mm, 4.5mm and 6mm respectively.
To maximize mounting flexibility, XS brakes are
supplied with a custom-designed mounting plate tailored to
the needs of the end-user’s application. The actuating coil is
designed to operate via a 24V DC power supply as standard,
with other voltage options available to suit end application
requirements. Operation of the brakes requires as little as
3W of power for the smallest units and only 7W for the
largest. Thanks to Warner’s investment in highly flexible,
lean manufacturing operations, custom brakes can be
manufactured with short lead times in volumes that suit
customer requirements.
XS Series brakes are available in six sizes with
overall diameters of 22mm, 29mm and 33mm.
One of the first customer applications for the new XS
Series brakes was in the actuators used on a range of first- and
business-class seats for a major global aerospace OEM. In
addition to extremely stringent space and weight requirements,
the customer also wanted exceptionally quiet operation. Its
seat specification called for a brake whose characteristics were
perfectly aligned with the model XSB29 brake.
Working closely with the customer during its seat
development and test program, Warner Electric’s engineering
team was able to provide an XS brake that met or exceeded
all the application requirements. Moreover, the design was
more cost-effective than competing permanent magnet
brake designs.