HepcoMotion in the frame at Samsung innovation museum

SamsungÂ’s impressive innovation museum opened in April 2014 in Seoul South Korea and boasts the development of the companyÂ’s products from conception to the current day.

Walk into reception and the first display on view is a 12m high x 6m wide array of LCD panels showing a cross section of Samsung customers. This impressive structure has been designed so that the panels can be raised, lowered, moved sideways and tilted, all movements guided by Hepco Heavy Duty V Guide and Ring systems.

Being involved in such a prestigious project was made possible by machine construction company Shang Wha who recognised that to fit a linear guidance system to a building would require a rethink as to whether conventional mounting methods would be suitable.

A linear guidance system and structure complete would be the answer but most systems on the market would require the customer to fit the linear guidance to the structure and locate the drive separately. In a building where the accuracy of the walls is not generally up to precision engineering standards there would be a number of challenges to overcome.

HepcoMotion had long recognised the importance of supplying beams that could be used, not only as a means to fit linear systems to, but also as stand alone structural members to save customers having to design their own solution. This, though, does require beams that are inherently rigid and have high levels of straightness.

The vertical Z motion to move the panels up and down used 4 x 10 m long beams two on each side separated by the distance of the Y axis supporting the panels, 6m. The strong aluminium beams 300mm x 200mm (ref HB33) were locally attached to the walls of the building. The V rails were supplied accurately fitted to the beams with an integral rack cut into one of the V rails to provide the means of driving through a standard rack driven carriage.

The cross Y axis used smaller beams (ref HB25) again with rack driven carriages to perform the sideways movement of the panels. With the 12 panels shared equally between the two vertical beams the motion to tilt each panel was provided by HepcoMotion PRT2 standard rings 612mm diameter. Through a gear cut into the ring the necessary motion was achieved through a motor driven pinion.

This complete solution required only Shang Wha to fit the beams against the walls, locate the panels to the rings and fit the necessary motors. Helical bevel gearboxes were provided on all rack driven carriages.

So that the beams could be assembled simply without having to make adjustments for any out of straightness each of the beams for Z and Y, were carefully selected for flatness and straightness with the V rail mounting surfaces machined. Because of the difficulties in assembling a 10m length the Z axis beams were supplied in two pieces 6m and 4m with precision joining plates. Engineers from Shang Wha could then simply bolt the two pieces together safe in the knowledge that the V rails and rack rails would line up.