Hagglunds' Atom motor brings power to small machines

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—While "tiny and light," one of Hagglund's latest hydraulic motors contains "magnified power" and extends the company's range of capability in the rubber industry.

Hagglunds, a Bosch Rexroth Corp. subsidiary, showcased its latest direct drive hydraulic motors at the recent International Elastomer Conference in Knoxville, including a compact and power-packed addition to its lineup, rightfully named the Atom.

The powerful motor comes in four sizes—the Atom 10, 20, 30 and 40—with an outer diameter of 300-355 millimeters (about 12-14 inches) and total length of 225-357 millimeters (about 9-14 inches), making it a good fit for smaller injection molding machines and mill drives.

"We could only go down to a certain size with our existing range," Brian Howell, sales and site manager of sugar, rubber and plastics at Hagglunds, told Rubber News. "(The Atom) extended that down to significantly smaller machine sizes."

The Atom runs up to 400 rpm and can produce almost 151-529 hp, or a maximum of 394 kW, "that outstrips others in its class," according to the motor's specifications.

Manufactured with Hagglund's direct drive technology, Howell said the Atom gives its customers a leg up in the industry compared to its competitors' motors.

Hagglunds' hydraulic motors all have a balanced design, which makes for smoother production.

The company's direct drive systems feature shaft-mounted hydraulic motors, modular and freely placed drive units, and intelligent control, according to the company.

"The motor's completely hydraulicly balanced, so it runs very smoothly," Howell said, noting the machine's opposing pistons maintain smooth operation with full torque "all the way down to zero speed."

The Atom is a high-torque and low-rotation radial piston type hydraulic motor with a rotating cylinder block/hollow shaft and a stationary housing, according to the product specifications.

Within the mounted cylinder block are an even number of pistons radially located in bores. A distributor directs the incoming and outgoing oil to and from the pistons, which each work against a cam roller.

"When the hydraulic pressure is acting on the pistons, the cam rollers are pushed against the slope on the cam ring that is rigidly connected to the housing, thereby producing a torque," according to the specs. "The cam rollers transfer the reaction force to the pistons, which are guided in the cylinder block. Rotation therefore occurs, and the torque available is proportional to the pressure in the system."

Competitors, Howell said, often have a "crank-shaft" design that may lead to "clunking" while rotating, which can induce vibrations into customers' machines, resulting in more maintenance and reduced efficiency.

Another advantage to the Atom is its ability to withstand harsh environments, Howell said, noting the motors can work with machines that mix products containing harsh gases or explosive elements without any special electrical requirements.

And with a peak pressure of 420 bar (nearly 6,100 psi), the Atom can withstand shock loads, "making it a match for shredders and other tough and unpredictable applications," the company said.

And with these benefits come costs savings and higher efficiency, Howell added.

For the Atom's explosion-proof design, Howell said by removing the need for electrical certification, a customer can save anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000.

"If you can get that (certification) cost out of the equation, that can provide significant savings to the customer," he said.

And when it comes to efficiency, Hagglunds motors run at an average of 97-percent efficiency depending on the operating point.

"The total system, with the hydraulic unit as well, were right in line with any electromechanical drive with the gearbox," he said, which is the mid-80-percent range.

And like all its other motors, Hagglunds also offers preventative maintenance for the Atom.

"That's something that we're really pushing with our customers, is to let us do your preventative maintenance on your equipment," he said.

The company offers several "affordable" maintenance plans depending on its customers' needs, he said, noting it would cost more for a company to maintain the machinery in-house.

The Atom is a product that was three years in the making. Hagglunds released the product in 2021, Howell said, but began showcasing it throughout 2022.

The company saw the need for a smaller version of the motors it already offered without sacrificing power.

"We basically took the bigger technology and said, 'OK, let's scale it down for something that will fit some of the smaller machines,' " he said.

"Now that we have it, it's really taken off. And the customers have really latched onto it."

Based on the Atom's size and capabilities, Howell said there isn't anything else like it.

"This is probably the most power-dense motor you will find in the market today," he said.

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