Camco Index Drive Applications
Made in the USA
Builders use Camco index drives at the center of multi-station machines with a fixed sequence of operations. The strongest application is the large-load dial: a substantial dial carrying heavy fixtures, several parts per station or sizable tooling that still has to position accurately every cycle for years. The key design decisions are dial or inline, and cam or servo.
Dial or inline?
Rotary dial
Compact, cost-effective and very fast. Stations share the dial's perimeter, so access and station count are the constraints.
Inline link conveyor
Costs more, but opens one side of the machine and removes the circumference limit. See Camco link conveyors.
Cam or servo indexing?
Cam index drive
Fixed index and dwell, very high cycle rates, no programming and exceptionally long life. Best when stations and cycle are fixed.
Servo positioner
Changeable index angles, variable station counts and recipe changes. Best when the machine runs several products.
Where drive selection gets critical
Heavy, large dials
Dial inertia grows with the square of radius. A large dial with heavy fixtures sets the drive size more than the part does.
Press and insertion forces
Forces applied during dwell load the dial off-center. The overturning moment has to be checked against the drive's rating.
Utilities through the center
Air, vacuum and wiring to a stationary center plate call for a ring drive with a through-hole.
Typical machines
Medical device assembly
Dial machines assembling, welding and testing disposables.
Automotive & electrical
Press-fit, fastening and test stations on heavy fixtures.
Consumer & packaging
High-rate assembly, filling and capping.
Military & munitions
Heavy-duty indexing for component assembly and inspection.