Design Engineering January/February 2017

14 Cloud-based OnShape shows how rapidly its maturing

18 How Toronto’s Cervélo designed the ultimate triathlon bike

28 PEO’s PEAK program helps

Ontario engineers enhance professional credentials

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

SALARY GUIDE 2017 Randstad Engineering labour market analysis reveals competitive engineering salary ranges across Canada.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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Contents | Volume 63, No. 1 5

IN THE NEWS

8 CME hires new

President and CEO

8 Mitutoyo Canada appoints new leadership

8 ABB to establish North American R&D facility in Montréal

8 MIT researchers

develop strong, lightweight material configuration

10 FCA Foundation boosts

Columns 8 Design News

14

MIT researchers develop strong, lightweight material configuration and other news

14 CAD Report Cloud-based MCAD design upstart, OnShape, shows how rapidly its maturing

18 Canadian Innovator Toronto-based Cervélo invests three years into design of the ultimate triathlon bike

18

Ontario robotics teams

10 GE integrates ceramic matrix composites in LEAP engine

12 BlackBerry creates

Innovation Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles

12 Lockheed Martin

to design and build NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft

22 Engineering Education Future engineering careers will depend on present education in cyber-physical systems and IoT integration

30 Inside Design Coquitlam engineering design firm moves from art to part at all stages of the development cycle

36 Idea Generator The latest in industrial products including machine vision, automation and motors

28

Features 24 2017 Mechanical Engineering Salary Guide SUBSCRIBER SERVICES To subscribe, renew your subscription or to change your address or information contact us at 1-800-387-0273 ext.3552.

Randstad Engineering labour market analysis reveals competitive engineering salary ranges across Canada

28 Shop Talk PEO’s PEAK program helps Ontario engineers enhance professional credentials

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32 A Lack of Support

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How to design unsupported vs. gliding cable carrier applications

Test stand builder exploits variable speed drives and motors for testing Apache, Blackhawk helicopter powertrains

2 0 1 7

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www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2017

6 EditorialViewpoint

Force Powers

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S

hown a picture of the Death Star from the Star Wars series, could you say with certainty where on its surface the trench is located? If your first thought was, “what trench?” then you’re clearly not a mechanical engineer.

However, if you thought, “Of course, it runs around the middle of the Death Star like an equator,” then one: You’re wrong and two: You were most likely a kid in 1977 when you were entranced by the original Star Wars movie for the first time. You probably also geeked out about the movie, the background characters, the vaguely alluded to cultures and planets, and so on.

And, like many Star Wars fans, you may have puzzled over how the Death Star’s designers could overlook such a fatal flaw in their schematics. As anyone who has seen the recent Star Wars prequel, Rogue One, knows, the answer (spoiler alert) is that it wasn’t a flaw at all but rather done intentionally.

However, for nearly 40 years, prior to Rogue One’s release, people have consciously or unconsciously assumed some team of fictional imperial engineers made a mistake (or that George Lucas simply couldn’t think of a better plot device). Whatever the reason, it seemed a big enough issue to the people who make such decisions that the plot of another movie should revolve around clearing that point up.

While Rogue One portrays the Death Star’s flaw as subversively intentional, a more realistic scenario would have been that one or more imperial engineers spotted the problem, called it to management’s attention and then were either ignored or pressured to doctor their results. After all, who wants to be the whistle blower when commanders are getting Force choked? It would be easy to understand their reluctance to make a stink.

In the real world, barring any serious quality assurance oversight, too many seeming engineering failures are due to ethical compromises rather than technical incompetence. Under pressure to meet deadlines or budget constraints, engineers may be tempted to think more like accountants, or simply let an issue go rather than risk the wrath of their bosses and the subsequent career consequences of being labelled “the stickler.”

Those outside the profession may not appreciate the considerable creativity, technical knowledge, attention to detail and, often, moral courage it takes to be an engineer. In the end, the general public counts on engineers to use their Force powers for good and protect them from what they don’t understand. After all, stormtrooper TK 421 probably didn’t understand the potential danger posed by a thermal exhaust port leading directly to the Death Star’s main reactor; he simply trusted that whoever designed the Death Star did.

By the way, if you answered the question about the trench, “Weren’t you listening during General Dodonna’s pre-mission briefing? The trench runs longitudinally from just above that massive dish-like weapons array to up towards the Death Star’s ‘northern’ pole, sheesh,” then you’re definitely a fan, probably an engineer and it may be time to move out of your parents’ basement.

Mike McLeod

@

I enjoy hearing from you so please contact me at MMcLeod@design-engineering.com and your letter could be published in an upcoming issue.

January/February | 2017

Publisher Alan Macpherson (416) 510-6756 amacpherson@design-engineering.com Editor Michael McLeod (416) 442-5600 ext. 3231 mmcleod@design-engineering.com Associate Editor Lindsay Luminoso (416) 510-5233 lluminoso@design-engineering.com Account Manager Ron Salmon (416) (905) 713-4362 rsalmon@design-engineering.com Art Director Mark Ryan (416) 442-5600 ext. 3541 Account Coordinator Cheryl Fisher (416) 510-5194 cfisher@annexbizmedia.com Circulation Manager Beata Olechnowicz (416) 442-5600 ext. 3543 bolechnowicz@annexbizmedia.com Vice President Tim Dimopoulos (416) 510-5100 tdimopoulos@canadianmanufacturing.com COO, Ted Markle tmarkle@annexweb.com President & CEO Mike Fredericks Design Engineering, established in 1955, is published

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Annex Privacy Officer: privacy@annexbizmedia.com Tel: 800-668-2374 No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2016 Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. All rights reserved. DE receives unsolicited features and materials (including letters to the editor) from time to time. DE, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort. DE accepts no responsibility or liability for claims made for any product or service reported or advertised in this issue. DE is indexed in the Canadian Business Index by Micromedia Ltd., Toronto, and is available on-line in the Canadian Business & Current Affairs Database.

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8 DesignNews

MIT RESEARCHERS DEVELOP STRONG, LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIAL CONFIGURATION

A

team of MIT researchers have designed a new 3D configuration of graphene they say has 5 percent the density of steel but 10 times its strength. The geometrical structure could find applications in everything from large structural supports to water filtration or chemical processing.

In its 2D form, graphene is one of the strongest materials known but has been difficult to form into functional 3D structures. To create their configuration, the MIT team compressed and heated flakes of graphene together. The resulting structure was then examined at the atomic level.

What they discovered was a complex sponge-like geometry, called a gyroid, that resists deformation but requires a minimum of material. In fact, the team found that the material’s strength and light weight have more to do with this geometry than the material itself.

“You could either use the real graphene material or use the geometry we

discovered with other materials, like polymers or metals,” says Markus Buehler, the head of MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE). The resulting material gains similar advantages of strength, he says, “You can replace the material itself with anything. The geometry is the dominant factor. It’s something that has the potential to transfer to many things.”

For actual synthesis, the researchers say, one possibility is to use the polymer or metal particles as templates, coat them with graphene by chemical vapor deposit before heat and pressure treatments, and then chemically or physically remove the polymer or metal phases to leave 3-D graphene in the gyroid form.

The same geometry could even be applied to large-scale structural materials, they suggest. And, because the shape is riddled with very tiny pore spaces, the material might also find application in some filtration systems,

3D-printed gyroid models such as this one were used to test the strength and mechanical properties of a new lightweight material configuration. (Photo courtesy of Melanie Gonick/MIT)

for either water or chemical processing.

The mathematical descriptions derived by this group could facilitate the development of a variety of applications, the researchers say. www.mit.edu

UP FRONT CME appoints new CEO Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) announced the appointment of Dennis Darby as President and CEO effective January 30, 2017.

Before joining the CME, Darby served as CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA) where he developed member support programs and advocated for public policy improvements. He also has experience in manufacturing through a 24-year career with Procter & Gamble that began as a product engineer and reached the position of Director of North American External Relations.

Darby graduated from McMaster University in 1984 with a degree in Chemical Engineering and Management. He is also a registered professional engineer in Ontario. www.cme-mec.ca January/February | 2017

Mitutoyo Canada appoints new leadership In January, Mitutoyo announced the appointment of Peter Detmers to the position of President of Mitutoyo Canada. As president, the company says Detmers will continue to focus on expanding the business and increasing market share. The new Canadian leadership is part of a larger global management shake-up for the international measurement and inspection solutions company. For example, Matt Dye has been appointed as President of Mitutoyo America Corporation. Similarly, former Mitutoyo America President, Shigeyuki Sasaki, will support the company’s operations at Mitutoyo Europe, following 40 years with the company. www.mitutoyo.ca

ABB to establish North American R&D facility in Montréal Swiss engineering firm ABB announced it will spend $90 million establishing a new headquarters and research and development centre in Montréal. The new Montréal headquarters, set to open in 2017, will maintain 700 jobs and consolidate ABB’s research and development, manufacturing, assembly and testing facilities under one roof. The new facility will also house the company’s North American Centre for Excellence in e-Mobility, which will focus on developing energy-management solutions for electric buses and trains. www.abb.com

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10 DesignNews

GE integrates ceramic matrix composites in LEAP engine

The materials used for aircraft components have experienced a significant shift in the last 20 years. With the push to become more energy efficient, manufacturers have been forced to rethink design and material choice.

One of those choices is Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC), materials first developed through a program at the U.S. Department of Energy, led by DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

CMCs are made of coated ceramic fibers surrounded by a ceramic matrix resulting in a tough, lightweight material capable of withstanding extreme temperatures (300-400°F hotter than metal alloys), and therefore preferable for use in turbine engine components.

And that’s exactly what CFM International, a 50/50 joint venture of Safran and GE, has done with its LEAP aircraft engine. Making the engine’s turbine shroud lining from CMC allows it to operate at up to 2400°F. Furthermore, CMC needs less cooling air than nickel-based super-alloys and is part of a suite of technologies that contribute to 15 percent fuel savings for LEAP over its predecessor, the CFM 56 engine.

“The materials developed in the DOE program became the foundation for the material now going into aircraft engines,” explains Krishan Luthra, who led GE Global Research’s development of CMCs for 25 years. In August 2016, the first LEAP engine started flying commercially on Airbus A320neo. Other LEAP engines will fly on the Boeing 737 MAX in 2017.

GE’s CMC is made of silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic fibres coated with a proprietary material containing boron nitride.

The coated fibers are shaped into a “preform” that is embedded in SiC containing 10-15 percent silicon.

Typically, combining two brittle materials yields a brittle material, Luthra explains. But altering the bond between fiber and matrix allows the material to act more like a piece of wood.

Cracks don’t propagate into the fibers from the matrix around them. The fibers hold the material together and carry the load while slowly pulling from the matrix, adding toughness.

January/February | 2017

Currently, ORNL is working to further develop CMC materials with different fibres, interfacial coatings and matrices.

And as researchers develop these materials to better suit industrial market demands, CMC materials will be integrated more and more into aerospace component design.

“We were working toward a common goal of getting ceramic matrix composites into industrial applications including highpressure heat exchangers, land-based turbines, carburizing furnaces and radiant burners,” ORNL’s Rick Lowden adds.

Currently, Luthra hopes GE will integrate components using CMCs everywhere the engine gets hot – blades, nozzles, liners.

One of the challenges will be to develop a manufacturing processes that, unlike melt infiltration, don’t produce excess silicon that can volatilize and form cracks in the matrix.

“Every decade we have increased [the heat metals can take] by about 50 degrees,” Luthra noted. Today CMC material can take up to 2400°F, but Luthra would like the next generation to reach 2700°F. “This is going to be as challenging as the development of the first ceramic composite,” he said. www.geaviation.com www.ornl.gov

FCA Foundation boosts Ontario robotics teams

The FCA Foundation, the charitable arm of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), announced a major boost to Ontario’s robotics education sector by awarding more than US$65,000 in grants to 13 Ontario high school robotics teams and programs. The grants, US$5,000 per team, will help teams offset the costs associated with competing in FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), such as registration fees, parts and materials and team apparel.

“The long-standing commitment and engagement FCA has with FIRST is embodied by the dedication of our employees who give generously of their time and skills to help mentor students and serve as competition coordinators,” said Lesley Slavitt, Head of Civic Engagement, FCA US LLC and CEO of the FCA Foundation. “It is a continuing privilege to ensure their hard work and steadfast contributions support and further positive outcomes for youth in our communities.”

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources and a six-week time limit, FRC teams (25+ members, grades 9-12) are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, build and program industrial-size robots to play a game against like-minded competitors. The 2017 FRC season challenge, FIRST Steamworks, launched on January 7, 2017, which also kicked off the official start of the design and build season. www.firstinspires.org www.fcanorthamerica.com

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12 DesignNews BlackBerry creates Innovation Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles

In December, BlackBerry announced the creation of the QNX Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Centre (AVIC) in Ottawa. Housed within the company’s current QNX facility, the centre will be tasked with developing production-ready software to accelerate the development of connected and self-driving vehicles.

“Autonomous vehicles require software that is extremely sophisticated and highly secure,” said John Chen, BlackBerry Executive Chairman and CEO. “Our innovation track record in mobile security and our demonstrated leadership in automotive software make us ideally suited to dominate the market for embedded intelligence in the cars of the future.”

According to BlackBerry QNX, its embedded software runs infotainment, acoustics, telematics and digital instrument clusters systems in more than 60 million vehicles. The company says the centre will help BlackBerry extend that platform into ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist Systems), CVAV (Connected Vehicle and Autonomous Vehicle) systems and secure Over the Air Software Update services. Experts predict that 50 percent of all cars will connect to the cloud by 2020. Anticipating this shift, BlackBerry is investing in key technologies and building a product portfolio that will provide the embedded

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The BlackBerry QNX Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Centre (AVIC) inside the QNX headquarters in Ottawa. (Photo Credit: Morguard)

intelligence that powers the core electronics of connected and autonomous cars.

As part of this initiative, BlackBerry QNX plans to recruit and hire local software engineers to work on ongoing and emerging engineering projects for connected and autonomous cars. In 2016, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario approved BlackBerry QNX to test autonomous vehicles on Ontario roads as part of a pilot program. One of the centre’s first projects will be supporting the pilot as well as BlackBerry QNX’s work with the University of Waterloo, PolySync and Renesas Electronics to build an autonomous concept vehicle. www.qnx.com

Lockheed Martin to design and build NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft

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Lockheed Martin has been selected to design, build and operate the spacecraft for one of NASA’s latest mission. The space agency said it will add the Lucy mission to the Discovery Program and intends to launch a robotic spacecraft to explore Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids orbiting the sun in tandem with gas giant.

“This is a thrilling mission as the Jupiter Trojan asteroids have never been studied up close,” said Guy Beutelschies, director of Interplanetary Systems at Lockheed Martin Space Systems. The Lucy spacecraft will launch in 2021 and is slated to arrive at its first destination in 2025. From 2027 to 2033, it will explore six Trojan asteroids.

“This is a unique opportunity,” said Principal Investigator Dr. Harold Levison of the Southwest Research Institute. “Because the Trojans are remnants of the primordial material that formed the outer planets, they hold vital clues to deciphering the history of the solar system.” www.lockheedmartin.com www.nasa.gov

January/February | 2017 DES_Brecoflex_JanFeb.indd 1

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14 CADReport

ONSHAPE Nearing its second birthday, the cloud-based MCAD design upstart shows how rapidly it’s maturing.

By Ralph Grabowski

O

Teamcenter is the world’s most widely used PLM system. With Teamcenter companies achieve: A single source for product knowledge.

nshape is currently the golden boy of the CAD world. Other CAD vendors are finding ways to reflect some of the glow onto themselves, or else see the upstart as a clear and present danger to their future existence. On one side, there are organizations like Graebert and Open Design Alliance who are working with Onshape directly. On the other side, Autodesk CEO Carl Bass, on Autodesk’s official blog, welcomed the new competitor on the day Onshape launched out of beta by blasting Onshape executives’ assessment of the MCAD market as “hyperbolic and misleading.”

The reason for the joy and the trembling is due to the US$169-million war chest Onshape has accumulated from investors.

That, and the fact that, in a mere two years, Onshape has successfully produced a working MCAD program that actually doesn’t care about the desktop. They weren’t the first; Alibre did the same back in 2000, but the Internet infrastructure of the day couldn’t support something as graphicsheavy as MCAD. It was gaming that pushed Web standards committees to add interactivity between servers and browsers to make something like Onshape work well.

How Onshape Works To run the Onshape MCAD system for the first time, I opened a Web browser to www.onshape.com and then clicked Register. I signed up and then waited a few moments as the MCAD system loaded and then it waited for me to do something, (See Figure 1). Now that I am registered, I can use my sign-in to run Onshape on any other computer with a Web browser and an Internet connection – whether a Chromebook, Linux box, MacOS laptop or Windows machine.

Streamlined operations .

Reduced time to market.

Canada’s source for Teamcenter sales and support. www.designfusion.ca info@designfusion.com 1-888-567-3933 January/February | 2017

Figure 1: The start screen of Onshape offering an assembly and a parts tab. www.design-engineering.com

CADReport 15

UPDATE It is truly independent of the operating system. The only catches are that the Web browser has to be supported by Onshape (as most modern ones are) and that the Internet connection speed has to be reasonable. Onshape needs a modern browser because it runs the HTML5 and WebGL code needed to display, interact with and refresh CAD models – older browsers can’t do this. While I can run Onshape in a browser on Android or iOS devices, the company has written apps specific to these two operating systems (See Figure 2).

Onshape doesn’t work with “drawings” or “models,” but uses the more general term “documents.” It does this to emphasize that a drawing isn’t limited to 2D or 3D views, such as in AutoCAD’s Layout and Model modes (tabs). Documents have as many tabs as I need, each storing any kind information: Individual parts, each in their own tabs; different versions of assemblies; drawing layouts (generated drawings); renderings; raster images; PDFs and other kinds of docu-

ments useful for a design job. With some exceptions, different kinds of data have to be in their own tab.

“If you like your software, you can’t keep your software,” to misquote a former U.S. president. A drawback to cloud software is that the company that made it can add, change and/or remove functions at will, and I have no say in the matter. I can’t freeze the release, as I can with desktop software. While continual updates are marketed as a good thing (when it involves new and improved functions), it can also involve deprecation.

For example, when Onshape first launched in 2015, I could work on up to five drawings privately for free. For a while, Onshape increased the number to six; now it’s zero. What this means is that anything I draw with Onshape is seen by all other registered users. This limitation goes away when I pay $125 monthly or $1,200 annually. This negative change lessens the program’s utility for documenting patents undertaken by hobbyists, for instance.

Fast and accurate decision-making.

One solution for concept through manufacturing.

Effective collaboration with partners and suppliers.

Canada’s source for NX sales and support. www.designfusion.ca info@designfusion.com 1-888-567-3933 Figure 2: Onshape app running on an Android tablet. www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2017

16 CADReport

selected Add Application and then chose the name of the add-on. It opened in its own tab, but then Onshape asked in a Google-like fashion if I wanted to let the add-on access my account.

With the paperwork out of the way, the renderer took longer than I expected to render a simple 3D part, partly because I had to wait for the remote renderer to wake up. After I chose a 3D model and checked off some options, Onshape shipped the model to the renderer. A few moments later, the image appeared in my browser.

That’s not a knock on Onshape, as I’ve found other online rendering systems can also be a lengthy, cumbersome process.

Figure 3: Onshape’s online store of add-ons.

As is pretty much standard now in the CAD industry, the full software is free to students and teachers – documents are tagged with an EDU label.

Third-party Add-ons The two big additions since I last wrote about Onshape are add-ons and programming. Onshape hosts an online app store at appstore.onshape.com (See Figure 3).

Add-ons include exporter-importers, 3D printing assistance, renderers, analyzers and BOMs. I counted 41 add-ons in total.

Some are free; the others are free to try.

Onshape handles the billing, making it part of your monthly invoice. Add-ons

are either integrated, connected or desktop. “Integrated” means the add-on runs inside Onshape; “connected” means the add-on runs externally and communicates via file data; “desktop” means the add-on links Onshape with a desktop program.

I found installing an add-on as easy as using Apple’s app store, initially: Choose an app and then click Free or Buy. I chose a rendering add-on that is still in beta, so it was free. But then I found it got more complicated. Just like the Apple store, Onshape asked for my password, even for free stuff (grrr). To use the new add-on, I clicked Onshape’s + menu,

Figure 4: Onshape’s FeatureScript editor showing code for applying Boolean operations to geometry.

January/February | 2017

FeatureScript Last June, the programmers at Onshape made public their FeatureScript programming language. I would use it if I wanted to macro-ize repetitive actions or write functions that manipulate geometry that Onshape hasn’t implemented, kind of like what AutoLISP is good at.

As it turns out, all of Onshape’s geometric functions are built with FeatureScript. The company released the code library at www.onshape.com/featurescript.

Like my drawings, the code I write can be shared with other Onshape users, and I can see what they’ve written, in case they’ve done something I find useful.

To use FeatureScript, I click the Add Custom Features icon on Onshape’s toolbar, and then choose a program to run or start writing a new one. The programing editor opens in a new browser window (See Figure 4.).

Onshape’s Corporate Tactics At a conference in Berlin, Bob Miner of Onshape R&D described the company’s tactic to move from a startup to a mature MCAD package: By being agile and releasing new code every 3-4 weeks – 18 updates a year. Being cloud-based means I never download and install any updates; they are just there the next time I start the program in my browser. (The Android and iOS apps still need to be updated with downloads and installs.) I found, however, that Onshape doesn’t highlight changes, so I don’t know what’s new until I visit the company’s blog. www.design-engineering.com

CADReport 17

At the time of this writing, Onshape has released a new function that edits parts in the context of the assembly. This is not new for old-timer MCAD systems, but shows why Onshape needs to release new functions often and quickly.

In a twist from traditional CAD systems, however, Onshape baked in collaboration and version control from the beginning, even before the first beta was released. Collaborating is as easy as with Goggle Docs: I send a link to the document to other engineers and specify the level of access, such as view-only or full editing rights. When I branch off changes to parts and assemblies, Onshape tracks the divergent paths with version control in the global document. Desktop MCAD systems usually charge extra for add-ons that do this work.

As it is a very privately-held company, we don’t know how well Onshape is doing – how many users it has or how quickly it is burning through investment funds.

The company speaks of tens of thousands of users. That $169 million in funding generates more than $4 million a year in interest for the company, so it could coast for quite some time. In a way, these metrics don’t matter, for it already has cemented its place in history as redefining what is possible with cloud-based MCAD. I can’t tell you if browser-based Onshape is a better way to draw and edit models. All its functions are free to try, and there is no typical 30-day limit. As for me, I prefer the instant response of desktop CAD systems where I pay once, get to determine the update schedule and where all my drawings are private.

Onshape, however, may well have functions compelling enough for you that put it ahead of traditional MCAD, such as its FeatureScript programming language and version control system. www.onshape.com

Ralph Grabowski writes on the business of CAD in his weekly upFront.eZine newsletter. He is the author of many articles and books about AutoCAD, BricsCAD, Visio and other graphics software. He also maintains the WorldCAD Access blog at www.worldcadaccess.com. www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2017 DES_MarApr_RotoPrecision.indd 1

2016-03-16 10:08 AM

18 CanadianInnovator

IN THE

PURSUIT OF VICTORY

Toronto-based Cervélo invests three years designing the ultimate triathlon bike

By Lindsay Luminoso

F

or the past two decades, Cervélo engineers have been designing the world’s fastest bikes. It’s no surprise then that the sport’s top athletes consistently choose the Toronto-based company’s high-end endurance, track and time trial equipment. At the Beijing Olympics, for example, more than 40 riders opted for Cervélo bikes, 10 of whom won Olympic medals.

In triathlete circles, the company’s triathlon/time-trial P-Series has become the standard. According to Lava Magazine, an online publication dedicated to elite triathletes, 577 of the sport’s top competitors rode Cervélo’s P-Series at the 2016 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii last year, more than twice as many as the second most common bike brand.

January/February | 2017

In fact, the Canadian bike maker has topped the magazine’s prestigious Kona Bike Count for the past 12 years running.

Yet, despite its clear dominance in the field, Cervélo’s design team decided in 2013 that they needed to kick it up a notch. They wanted to move beyond the traditional engineering options and design the ultimate bike for triathletes. This is where the idea for the P5X bike was born.

“We don’t design a bike to look nice necessarily; we design them to be the best technically that they can,” explains David Killing, senior designer at Cervélo. “We are definitely engineering design focused, trying to make the bikes perform the best in whatever sense they need to perform, whether that is aerodynamics, stiffness, weight or even human interface. That really drives our design quite a bit.”

With an engineering department of 12 people, the team decided that they needed to throw out the rules they had applied to previous bike designs.

The P5X project began with an extensive research phase so the designers could better understand the unique challenges triathletes encounter. They traveled around the world to various triathlon events, took thousands of photos of riders and interviewed countless pro-triathletes, bike fitters and coaches. This field research helped provide an understanding of how the bikes were being used, what people were carrying on their bikes and what positions were ideal for riders.

“Whenever an issue came up through the development of the project, we had this really strong base of knowledge to go back to and understand how the bikes were really being used and not have to speculate,” says Killing. This research stage of the project gave the team a set of priorities and goals to design towards.

One thing the team discovered early on is the stress associated with participating in a triathlon. For example, athletes have to disassemble their high-end bikes for shipping to the event and then reassemble and fine-tune them before the race. And when they’re riding 180 kilometers on a bike, considerations like where food and water will be stored become an issue.

“That was something we learned from the research we did,” explains Richard Matthews, senior composites engineer at Cervélo. “We could see from all the pictures that people were buying high-end triathlon bikes, worth tens of thousands of dollars, but sticking gels and water bottles and spare tires all over the bike with duct tape and electrical tape and the like. The research showed us that this was a requirement – riders need to carry their stuff – so we designed it into the bike.”

In P5X’s design, Cervélo’s designers realized they needed to solve these challenges by making the bike pack down as small as possible and therefore extremely easy to travel with. They also needed to allow riders the ability to fine-tune the bike’s configuration after initial setup.

Most importantly, the design needed to include storage solutions for the various fuel, hydration and tools needed, without changing the aerodynamics and functionality of the bike.

“We wanted everything integrated and included in the bike solution,” says Killing. www.design-engineering.com

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CanadianInnovator

In the initial design phase, Cervélo’s engineers looked closely at the shape of the bike. Killing explains that one of the main challenges they faced had to do with the placement of a water bottle on the frame. Early on, the design team decided they wanted to work with standard round water bottles, to make it easier for riders to refill or grab new ones during the race.

“One of the big questions for the team was: Where do we put this round bottle on the frame so it doesn’t interfere with the rider’s legs, is easy to access and aerodynamic?” Killing says. “A big part of the shape of the frame was based on where to put the bottles and storage. Without the seat tube, we can fit the bottle in there and have the storage box. You can see that in the shape we have.”

The layout of the frame was a challenge the engineers faced throughout the design process. Not only did the team want to incorporate large openings in the frame to increase aerodynamics and storage space but they also wanted it to be manufactured as a monocoque. The reason for this was two-fold: It would cut down significantly January/February | 2017

the cost of the tooling and would also make the frame much stiffer.

The P5X is made from carbon fibre but designing the layout of the carbon fibre of a monocoque frame presented its own unique challenges.

“We have rules we use for our regular bikes and a lot of those rules didn’t really transfer over to this bike,” explains Matthews. “Because the design was so different, we had to start over from scratch to determine how we would lay out the carbon fibre on the frame to make it work effectively. It took us longer than we had hoped to do that. In the end, it worked out well, and we learned a lot from those challenges.”

Another unique feature they decided to include was disc brake. Matthews explains that this was one of the first bikes designed solely for triathlons to include this type of brake. Primarily triathlon bikes used rim brakes. However, the team opted for disc brakes because they increase the quality of braking in different weather conditions and provide nicer modulation and finer control. The removal of the rim brakes

also opened up some design freedom for the team as they were able to adjust the placement of the disc brakes to suit specific design functions.

“When you move from a rim brake to a disc brake, the area where the rim brake used to be – on the top of the fork at the front of the bike – is now much more unconstrained and we could design that to be more structurally and aerodynamically influenced,” explains Killing.

Disc brakes also provide an advantage when it comes to tire size. There is a push in the industry to use larger tires, as they tend to offer more comfort for the rider.

However, rim brakes limit tire size; tires too wide can create braking interference.

In addition, using disc brakes enabled designers to reconfigure the frame to make it more aerodynamic while also meeting riders’ accessory needs.

Another big design win for the team, Matthews explains, was the high level of adjustability they achieved. The P5X only comes in four different sizing options, while other bikes in the company’s P-Series have seven different sizes to fit a wide range of riders. However, this www.design-engineering.com

particular model is designed for micro and macro adjustability and therefore covers a wider range of sizing options with fewer models.

From start to launch, the P5X took approximately three and a half years to develop and manufacture and includes a wide range of features that culminate to what the company calls “the ultimate triathlon bike.” Cervélo also boasts that the P5X underwent more than 180 hours of wind-tunnel testing, along with extensive CFD analysis of 150-plus frame iterations. On average, the P5X is 30 grams faster than the P5 at +15 to -15 yaw angles in a full Ironman setup.

“We were able to provide all the features that we wanted to get to the user into a final product,” Killings says. “We didn’t have to resort to making it a concept bike. One of the features that really set it apart is the ability for the bike to pack down very easily. We’ve also included an intended bag that has everything thought out and can easily transport the bike. It takes all the stress out of the packing process.”

“We were also able to get in a wide

CanadianInnovator 21

These early sketches reveal the evolution of the P5X’s frame and signature storage compartment.

range of adjustment into the front end of the bike and make adjustment available to the user to tweak and play with throughout the lifespan of the bike,” he adds. “And then having the different places to store fuel, hydration and tools

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2017-01-09 11:09 AM

22 EngineeringEducation

TOMORROW’S ENGINEERS NEED TO LEARN IoT Future engineering careers will depend on present education in cyber-physical systems and IoT integration.

By Ishwar Puri

T

he Internet of Things (IoT) is changing the jobs landscape.

The interconnection of physical “things” is due to the increasing integration of “cyber” with hard technology. More and more sensors and intelligent controllers are being embedded into objects that are being increasingly integrated with our clothing or worn on our bodies. They gather data and communicate with artificial intelligence.

Far from being novelties, IoT applications involving cars, fitness wearables, appliances and industrial machines are now mainstream. The Internet is ubiquitous and we treat it just as we treat electricity. Agnostic to the energy source that created it, we expect immediate access to electricity. We plug our devices into sockets and assume that they will function instantaneously.

Our activity and heartbeat are monitored using sensors and apps. We don’t often get directions from static paper maps.

Instead, we use GPS apps, which also provide real time traffic and congestion information. As news is freshly unveiled, we access it on the web and then connect immediately with others over social media to discuss its significance.

In the workplace, we collaborate over the “cloud” to generate and share documents. Our work and careers advance as we find internships, jobs and other opportunities online.

We submit our resumes electronically through email or cloudbased drop boxes.

To do all this, we use our interconnected wearables, smartphones, tablets and computers. Estimates suggest that there will be more than twenty billion IoT connected devices by 2020 and at least triple that number by 2025. These interconnected devices will bring jobs in telecommunications, networking, industrial machines, infrastructure, enterprise system, cloud computing, fintech, urban planning, therapeutics, health services and much more.

The changes that are being induced in the global economy require that organizations of all kinds improve digital access, connectivity and productivity. This digital focus will reduce technological and economic barriers, promote innovation, increase prosperity and, ultimately, enhance the quality of life for all of us.

The worldwide IoT market is predicted to be $14.4 trillion by 2022. The Canadian IoT market alone is expected to be worth more than $6.5 billion by the end of next year. Hence, to meet this significant demand, there is an urgent need for the problem-solving expertise of smart systems engineers who have the sophisticated and up-to-date training, skills and knowledge that are immediately required.

January/February | 2017

A sampling of IoT jobs posted by Honeywell, Rogers, Microsoft, Siemens, ecobee (co-op), Huawei and Schneider Electric reveal the market’s need for these skills. Similarly, civil engineering jobs now involve mobile applications for smart structures, IoT in construction and corrosion detection in concrete structures and real-time wireless sensing of the properties of concrete.

The lucrative jobs of the future demand that all engineers know about cyber-physical technologies. However, many students graduate without touching IoT teaching and learning tools like the Arduino and Raspberry Pi. A Raspberry Pi is a credit card-sized computer that can not only be used in electronics projects, but used for managing spreadsheets, word processing, browsing the internet and playing games. Likewise, an Arduino board reads inputs – light on a sensor, finger on a button, or Twitter message – and turns these into outputs – activating a motor, turning on an LED, publishing something online.

Integrating these nifty IoT tools into a project-based engineering curriculum is much simpler than rocket science. There are free teaching and learning resources available for both Arduino and Raspberry Pi. On Amazon.ca, a Raspberry Pi Kit for Dummies costs about $120, which is roughly the same price as for an Arduino Starter Kit. For those wishing to begin early, there’s Carrie Anne Philbin’s book for children, Adventures in Raspberry Pi. Engineering students in Canada are likely learning about IoT both within the classroom or outside of it. Graduate engineering student are learning about information security and privacy for smart systems. They may have discussed IoT with their professors who are building a smart home to enable the elderly to live longer with independence and dignity.

My advice to all students, at McMaster and beyond: If you don’t learn about cyber-physical and IoT integration in the classroom make sure that you get it outside the curriculum.

Your future career could depend upon this. www.eng.mcmaster.ca

Ishwar Puri is the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University. www.design-engineering.com

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CoverStory

Mechanical Engineering

SALARY GUIDE 2017 Randstad Engineering labour market analysis reveals competitive engineering salary ranges across Canada.

Infographic by Lindsay Luminoso

A

s we enter the latter end of the decade, it’s a good time to be an experienced engineer with industry specific knowledge in Canada. Those with 5-10+ years on the job are in high demand, so much so that employers routinely decry the lack of optimal job candidates. As a result, well-healed P.Engs have found their job security strengthen in recent years, a condition that will only grow stronger in the coming decade.

According to a study conducted by Engineers Canada, the market for mechanical engineers will hold at approximately 2,100 job openings per year until 2020. More than half (about 60 percent) of those jobs will become available as older Canadian engineers retire or otherwise leave the market. Past 2020, however, the number of new mechanical engineering jobs is expected to fall off considerably (1,400 annually) until 2025 due to a decrease in industry expansion.

The following salary ranges, job market analysis and other labour statistics are limited to the mechanical engineering discipline in major cities across Canada. This data is a small subset adapted from Randstad Engineering’s comprehensive

January/February | 2017

Randstad Canada 2017 Engineering Salary Guide, which includes competitive salary ranges for most engineering disciplines and engineering related fields.

For example, in the mechanical section alone, the full report includes salary data for HVAC engineers, mechanical designers, mechanical drafters and mechanical engineering technicians in addition to mechanical engineers. Those interested can download the full analysis from Randstad’s web site below.

Salary information is based on research from ERI (Economic Research Institute) with further validation by Randstad Canada’s industry experts. For each position, salary ranges correspond to the 25th and 75th percentiles for entry, mid and senior levels (Entry: 1-3 years’ experience; Mid-level: 4-7 years; Senior-level: 8 - 12 years). These numbers represent annual base salaries before benefits, expressed in thousands of dollars.

In addition to pure salary, Randstad’s report also breaks down the labor market by province and in Canada’s largest engineering markets. But no matter what the discipline or the location its practiced, one thing is clear the report says: “Continuous learning, development of soft skills, embracing new technologies and managing expectations are critical to engineers determined to stay employed and to their organizations needing to remain competitive, profitable and growing.” www.randstad.ca/salary-guides

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28 ShopTalk

PEAK PERFORMANCE PEO’s PEAK continuing development program designed to help Ontario engineers maintain and enhance their professional credentials.

By Mike McLeod

S

tarting March 31, all 80,000 of Ontario’s licence-holding engineers will be asked to participate in Professional Engineers Ontario’s (PEO) new Practice Evaluation and Knowledge (PEAK) program when their licences come up for annual renewal. The provincial self-regulatory agency says the voluntary program will help PEO create a snapshot of each of its members and gauge their ongoing professional development activities.

Under the program, practising licence holders will have the option of completing a practice evaluation questionnaire and an online ethics module prior to their licence renewal date.

Based on the questionnaire’s results, PEO will then recommend the number of hours of professional knowledge per year for practicing engineers to pursue to maintain a level of knowledge commensurate with safeguarding the public interest.

In subsequent years, engineers will be asked to report their continuing development activities to PEO prior to their renewal date. Self-identified, non-practising licence holders will only be asked to complete an online ethics module prior to licence renewal.

While the PEAK program isn’t mandatory, PEO says engineers who do participate will have the completion status for each program element publicly noted on PEO’s online directory of practitioners. The online module is intended to serve as a refresher on professionalism and ethics.

According to PEO Registrar Gerard McDonald, Ontario’s engineering regulatory body is unlike nearly all other provincial agencies like the PEO in that it doesn’t require its members to participate in a continuing professional development (CPD) program. In the formulation of PEAK, McDonald says the PEO was wary of mandatory CPD programs, as has been tried by PEO unsuccessfully in the past.

For one, he says, PEO was loathe to foist on its members a one-size-fits-all, “window dressing” solution – one that would January/February | 2017

require all Ontario engineers, regardless of discipline or specialty, to attend generic classes or PEO constructed “seminars.”

Instead, the agency says engineers can design their own CPD plan by choosing activities (e.g. university/college courses, technical journals, technical seminars, etc.) specific their area of practice.

“We’re not going to tell engineers what to take,” McDonald says. “You take what is best for your practice because what I do and the what the engineer sitting next to me does as a practitioner could be very different. So these programs have to be self-designed. We want the practitioner, at least once a year, to sit down and think about their practice and what they might need to keep themselves current.”

Being optional, PEAK is similar to the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia’s CPD program. However, it does go one step further in that, instead of simply check-marking whether members engaged in any professional development, PEO’s online registry of practicing engineers will explicitly list the activities its engineers participated in during the year…or lack thereof.

“Instead of saying to our members, ‘You have to do this,’ PEAK game-ifies the process,” McDonald says. “If someone looks up your competitor on our system and it says he’s done all his CPD and your listing says you haven’t, which engineer do you think he wants to hire?”

“I think what we’re most proud of is the uniqueness of our program,” he adds. “Our program collects data on the profession, which helps us as a regulator, but also gives the practitioner as much flexibility as possible. We do believe that the greater majority of our members, given the jobs they’re in, are probably doing professional development anyway. They’re going to tradeshows, reading technical journals, mentoring or presenting at conferences. Our program gives those members an opportunity to show the public and the community that work and dedication.” www.peopeak.ca

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30 InsideDesign

CREATIVE ENGINEERING

Coquitlam-based design firm moves from art to part by offering solutions at all stages of the development cycle.

An engineered ride vehicle concept, Igloo Innovations’ STRATOS demonstrates the company’s ability to combine cosmetic design with the mechanical engineering behind the amusement ride’s structural components including chassis and bogie design.

By Lindsay Luminoso

T

ucked away in an industrial hub in Coquitlam, B.C., Igloo Innovations prides itself on offering clients complete design engineering services. However, this wasn’t always the focus for the design firm.

Previously known as Digital Igloo, the company then focused solely on product visualization. Its key artists, Jason Clark (now Igloo Innovations President) and Scott Ewen, spent 2012 developing product launch videos for DELL and its Inspiron and Alienware brands.

However, in the background, Clark had been engineering subsea solutions with colleague, Steven Peddlesden (who now serves as Igloo’s Technical Director).

Over the years, the duo say they had many conversations about the ideals of quality product development, but it wasn’t until 2013 that an opportunity presented itself to merge their synergy and ideals.

January/February | 2017

When that opportunity came, Clark and Peddlesden say they dropped everything. Within a week, they had rented an office and began working on the evolution, which finalized as Igloo Innovations Inc. In the years that followed, Igloo has undergone a significant paradigm shift.

In addition to the its existing Creative brand, which offers visualization, styling, theming, concept modeling, CGI animation, simulation, lighting and post production, Clark and Peddlesden’s background in mechanical engineering informed Igloo’s Ingenious brand. This “branch” of the company specializes in mechanical and electrical design for aggressive, demanding environments delivering on everything from component design to complete, integrated systems.

Currently, the company has six fulltime employees, including Scott Ewen who remains with Igloo to satisfy the strong demand for creative and help

developed key branding work for clients.

While a relatively small team, the staff can fluctuate to upwards of 10 employees and multiple specialty contractors depending on the project workload.

“We’ve got a bunch of guys that have come together with a wide and diverse set of experiences and skills, largely dominated by marine, offshore and subsea work,” says Igloo COO Joe Vosburgh, who rounds off the team with a background in electrical and power engineering. He notes that it’s Clark’s background in strong creative and product development that really drives the company’s vision.

“We solve customers problems in all stages of the development cycle from concept all the way to commercialization,” Vosburgh adds. “We tend to be pretty good at solving problems that other small focus firms don’t want to touch.”

For Igloo Innovations, their design philosophy is all about rigour. Dealing with some projects for fairly harsh conditions, like offshore and subsea, it was important for the team to meet a wide range of requirements and challenges.

Everyone at Igloo Innovations is expected to work together and collaborate on all projects that come through the door.

The workspace was set up to maximize interaction and problem solving. Everyone is located in what Vosburgh calls the “design quad,” where whiteboards cover the walls and all members of the team have a chance to see and assist on every project.

“There are no islands,” he says. “The open environment makes us much more efficient and fast to solve problems than having everyone off in offices. Everything is done in the view and participation of the whole group, which is pretty kickass.”

For the most part, the company takes on four to six projects over the course of www.design-engineering.com

InsideDesign the year. However, many of these large projects often spawn smaller, more complex sub-initiatives.

“Every project often ends up drumming up two or three sub-projects that will take us into vastly different directions,” Vosburgh says.

As an example, the company began working with Dynamic Structures and its sister company Dynamic Attractions on a rides and attraction project. The team was tasked with developing creative designs for the project in a push to increase the aesthetic appeal of a new ride vehicle development.

However, after returning to the clients, Igloo Innovation then began working on the mechanical structures and support system for the ride. Once this was completed, the team expanded the project further by developing the restraint system and safety critical components.

“We started with one thing that ended up mushrooming into much larger projects,” Clark explains.

This is a fairly common occurrence for the engineers at Igloo Innovations, who got involved with a West Vancouver company who was designing an observing submersible. Over the span of three years, the company developed and produced a working prototype for their first product.

“They came to us to perform design analysis on the lift structure to ensure it would meet certification,” Clark says. “We started off doing the analysis, and once the company understood what our capabilities were, we began helping them with improving their marketing imagery also.”

Igloo was able to provide the support to validate the engineering that the company had done and the project expanded well beyond that initial investment.

Clark explains the company has been very fortunate to have a wide range of clients in various industries. Igloo has historically focused on projects for offshore, subsea, renewables and rides and attractions. For the most part, the rides and attractions sector is dominated by a couple of strong local customers, which enabled Igloo Innovations to familiarize themselves with this market.

A typical day at Igloo Innovation begins with a “sitrep” where everyone has the opportunity to hear what’s going on and the status of ongoing projects. The idea behind this is that where one solution is working

31

on one project, it can be borrowed and used to solve a problem on an unrelated project.

“We definitely have a process and keep things somewhat fluid in order to keep the creativity as high as possible,” Clark says.

“That’s where we like to set ourselves apart, we try to find the right or best solution given the parameters involved rather than say just trying to find the quickest and easiest option.”

And it is because of this attitude that the company has been able to maintain a steady stream of product opportunities and ideas.

The employees at Igloo Innovation regularly bring their ideas to the group for product sessions. Vosburgh notes that he expects the ideas to be fairly well thought out with drawings and a business case behind it. The team will then assess and evaluate the idea. If it is worthwhile, the employee will take the lead and further develop the project.

One of the biggest objectives for Igloo Innovations going forward is developing their own product.

“That involves a synergy with a passion project to ensure its success,” says Clark.

“That’s definitely a longer-term goal for the company, while still providing the engineering services to develop great products. You need to have a lot of great experience. You never know what you’ll be exposed to or learn.”

Recently Igloo Innovations unveiled its engineered ride vehicle concept, STRATOS. Combining all elements Igloo showcases its creative, styling and engineering within the STRATOS concept.

“We looked for an avenue to showcase what we do without the constraints of nondisclosure. At the same time, we wanted to be aggressive with our concept so what better than a ride vehicle that can continuously rotated on multiple axes to give riders a wild experience,” Clark says.

Today, Igloo Innovations provides clients with concept designs, engineering services, full analysis, creative services from renderings, brochures, animations, ranking from technical illustrations all the way up to realistic portrayals.

For Clark and Vosburgh, Igloo Innovations is more than just an engineering company or design firm; it’s really all about the innovation and dynamism that takes place among all members of the team. www.iglooinnovates.com

www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2017 DES_IndustrialEncoder_MayJune.indd 1

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PowerTransmission

A LACK OF

SUPPORT

How to design unsupported vs. gliding cable carrier applications.

T

he cable carrier is an integral part of any machine design and should be considered early-on in the design process.

It can be implemented in a variety of ways, depending on the motion of the machine, but the most common is a horizontal, unsupported, short-travel installation. In this type of application, the upper run of the carrier operates without touching the lower run throughout the entire length of travel.

If the length of travel is too long for an unsupported installation, it is considered a gliding, long-travel application in which the cable carrier glides on itself. A guide trough and glide bar must be used to support the carrier.

This quick guide shows how to implement cable carriers and critical rules to follow during the design and installation process.

Designing Unsupported Applications If the upper run of an Energy Chain cable carrier operates without touching the lower run over the entire travel, it is classified as an unsupported application.

The maximum service life of a cable carrier in an unsupported application is dependent on the type of cable carrier selected, as well as the fill-weight of the carrier. The fill-weight creates three subsets of unsupported cable carrier applications:

1. Unsupported / “straight” run (FLG) This type of application is always preferred, as the cable carrier is able to run quietly and smoothly, without any exposure to additional vibration due to sag in January/February | 2017

the upper run of the carrier. In an FLG application, the upper run either has camber (curve along the upper run), is straight, or has a small amount of sag, between 0.39 and 1.97 in., or 10-50 mm, depending on the size of the cable carrier.

2. Unsupported / permitted sag (FLB) An FLB cable carrier installation has sag in the unsupported run that amounts to more than .39-1.97 inches, but less than the carrier’s maximum sag allowance, which is dependent on the type of carrier being used.

FLB applications are permissible in most cases, but can become problematic if the travel frequency or acceleration of the cable carrier is high.

3. “Critical Sag” If the cable carrier’s upper run has sag greater than permissible for an FLB application, it is referred to as having “critical sag.” These types of installations must be avoided or reserved for extreme circumstances. While a cable carrier should never be installed with critical sag, some applications may reach the stage of critical sag after a long period of use. The cable carrier should be replaced at that time.

Designing Gliding Applications For long travels, the upper run of a cable carrier rests on the lower run, gliding partially on the lower run of the carrier, and partially at the same height on a glide bar. For lateral guidance in a gliding application, a guide trough is required.

Guide troughs allow for cable carriers to operate smoothly and securely in long-

travel applications. The height of a guide trough must be at least twice the height of the cable carrier links, and the sides must provide a chamfered opening, with slightly wider inner width than the outer width of the carrier.

When the upper run cannot glide along the lower run, glide bars must be installed along the sides of the trough.

Important notes for installation of troughs and glide bars: • Properly align all parts upon installation • All screw heads should be flush with the trough • Ensure a smooth, level transition between the end of the chain and the glide bars • Ensure a solid connection with the glide surface Differences in Speed, Acceleration and Service Life For unsupported and gliding applications, the acceleration of the cable carrier is a critical parameter to consider. High accelerations can cause the carrier to vibrate, reducing the service life. In an unsupported application, where sag is greater than the FLG (unsupported, straight) value mentioned above, this can become particularly dangerous.

Maximum levels of acceleration and speed in an unsupported application can only be achieved with carriers in an FLG design. Energy Chain cable carriers used in this type of design can sustain very high loads, speeds and accelerations in unsupported applications. In the igus test lab, peak accelerations of 2,572 ft2 (784 m2) have been achieved during continuous use in specialized applications. www.igus.com

This article was provided by igus. www.design-engineering.com

MotionControl

TESTING THE LIMITS

Test stand builder exploits variable speed drives and motors to affect green, lean solutions for testing Apache, Blackhawk helicopter powertrains.

L

ocated in Plymouth, Michigan, RedViking made its mark in automotive power transmission test stands, beginning in 1981 as Superior Controls. Today, the company is providing multi-disciplinary engineering and equipment construction services to major corporations such as Caterpillar, GE, Boeing, General Motors and others. Spun off in 2010, RedViking designs and builds a variety of powertrain test equipment, metrology and production solutions for government and commercial OEMs alike.

For a recent Department of Defense (DoD) customer, RedViking was presented with a challenge that involved an existing bank of more than 20 individual test stands, used for dynamic testing of performance factors on helicopter transmissions, primarily in the Apache and Blackhawk classes. The existing test stands ranged from 20-50 years in age and had been built with single-purpose functionality. This scenario resulted in constantly increasing maintenance requirements for the customer, plus excessive power consumption and plant floor space capacity overload. The test stands suffered from a lack of readily available spare parts, required unique training to operate each stand and did not produce the desired level of data for analysis.

When a unit test was required, the test article would be built up and dressed within the envelope of the test stand, fully connected, then tested, disconnected and removed from the work cell. This procedure resulted in an extremely long downtime impact on the customer’s equipment utilization, with various corresponding logistic challenges. Coupled with the age of the equipment and the excess power used by the older equipment, this situation presented the RedViking engineers with a series of hurdles to overcome.

New testing system requirements included better compilation of test data, automatic closed-loop operation of the machinery, true speed and torque measurement with a local Test Executive as the main operator interface to the test machine.

Finally, a standardized control platform was needed to allow easier operator cross-training on the equipment.

The customer targeted a goal of three to four tests per working shift versus the current one test per shift being achieved with their multiple machines. RedViking performed its onsite assessment and subsequent situation analysis, and then devised a solution that utilized common components and an entirely new material handling strategy. A series of five flexible test stand designs was determined to be sufficient for the replacement of all existing machines.

To accomplish greater efficiency in the utilization of these test stands, a series of workpiece carriages was designed, allowing the Units Under Test (UUT) to be mounted and staged

RedViking Controls and Software Manager Jason Stefanski at the main transmission flexible test module.

outside the envelope of the test stand and then brought into the work cell for faster connection, test, disconnect and exit.

RedViking terms these devices Transportable Test Fixtures (TTFs), which automate shaft connections, clamping and positioning, as well as providing 360° access to the UUT. This design provides significantly greater efficiency as well as a safe and ergonomic operator environment. As RedViking explained, hours of test setup time are reduced to minutes.

RedViking Controls and Software Manager, Jason Stefanski, and his team devised an entirely new, modular software system and common Human Machine Interface (HMI) platform for all five test stands, with a common user interface and plug-in architecture, comprising common function blocks, I/O coding and CAT 4 safety functions. This design approach allows the software to be easily configured to accommodate the various transmission models being tested.

Once the test article in the TTF is automatically positioned and attached, RFID tags on the TTF identify both the article and its test profile configuration and communicate them to the test executive.

All test profiles are generated and stored offline, with modifications made by the customer’s engineering staff outside of the test cells. Test profiles are then linked to the UUT type

www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2017

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34

MotionControl

SINAMICS “Drive Alley” houses the main drives for the RedViking test stand.

and model data for further system integrity.

The main software feature of the test machines is the ability to execute a fully automated, repeatable and traceable test. To provide this functionality, RedViking has developed a Test Sequence Set (TSS) editor, allowing all parameters to be set by the customer, downloaded to a Test Executive from a localized laptop, thus eliminating the need to modify validated machine code. The TSS editor provides the customer with adaptability to easily modify future or existing test profiles.

After a thorough review of the potential suppliers for the power components and controls on these new test stands, Siemens Industry’s Drive Technologies Division was chosen to provide the motors and AC flux vector drives packages with

regenerative braking for increased energy efficiency. RedViking worked closely with Siemens to devise an AC system, utilizing the regenerative technology found in Sinamics drives with 480V and 690V standards. Jason Stefanski recounted a number of field trips to Siemens customers to investigate the performance and application specifics of regen drives used with 3000 hp motors.

The use of Siemens regenerative braking technology allows a system to recover power, minus the parasitic losses. Conventional dynamic load testing requires loading to occur via an eddy current or fluid brake system, which requires additional energy, maintenance and up front capital investment. In more innovative industrial environments, according to Siemens, Sinamics regenerative drive technology can enable energy savings of 40 percent or more.

With a common DC bus architecture, this allows for only one AC to DC conversion in the motoring direction and the regenerative braking power goes straight to another inverter, which is motoring via the common DC bus link. This method eliminates two conversion points where energy would be lost which increases the overall efficiency.

In addition, the common bus solution paired with the active front end (AFE) has the ability for power factor correction, which will further increase the overall savings of a

METROLOGY SOLUTIONS

TAKE CONTROL OVER QUALITY. SOLU TION S FOR DIME N SIONAL IN SPEC TION ON SHOP FLOORS.

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www.design-engineering.com 2017-01-18 2:58 PM

MotionControl

common bus system. All AFE drives allow for unity power factor and low total harmonic distortion (THD) that meets IEEE 519 harmonic standards. This means these drive systems can improve the present power factor displacement in a customer’s facility.

RedViking estimates that a test on its Main Transmission Flexible Test System, while running at full capacity, will cost approximately $400 less per hour to operate than current comparable systems. With improvements over the conventional non-regen testing process, the RedViking Main Transmission Test System could generate approximately $500,000 in annual power savings.

For this project, Siemens Industry, Inc. supplied its asynchronous Simotics 1PL6 and 1RN4 motors, the largest being 3000 hp, to power the various mechanisms on the RedViking test stands.

When in operation, these motors simulate the power generated by the helicopter’s jet engines, in addition to simulating the loading of the main rotor and tail output blades. This allows RedViking to test the helicopter transmission components to the full speed and torque requirements as specified by the military with very precise closed-loop control.

On the Tail and Intermediate Gearbox Flexible Test Module, it was determined that the use of two more Siemens Simotics motors was less expensive and more efficient than the previous

test stand’s gearbox design. This solution involves multiple motor connections to an output variable frequency drive (VFD) with auxiliary connections, thereby eliminating the need for additional VFDs. Stefanski noted that one of the reasons that Siemens was selected for this project is their global support structure combined with a U.S. base of manufacturing. RedViking prides itself on designing and building systems in the U.S. and seeks out vendors who build their products in the U.S. as well. “We knew we were building these test stands to validate the performance of military helicopters that see wartime action,” commented Joshua Gibbs, RedViking Manufacturing Coordinator. “We take it very personally at RedViking to ensure these systems protect man and machine alike, as well as provide the ultimate in test validation.”

RedViking further noted the substantial energy savings and operational efficiencies realized by RedViking’s customer, which gave their entire team considerable pride of accomplishment on this project. RedViking currently performs both DO and DX contracts for the military and its subcontractors. www.redviking.com www.usa.siemens.com

This article was contributed by Siemens.

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35

36 IdeaGenerator Machine Vision GigE Vision Cameras Teledyne DALSA has added four models to its Genie Nano GigE Vision camera series.

Built around the Sony Pregius’ IMX 267 and 304 LL and LQ image sensors, the 12 bit, 8.9 and 12 Megapixel cameras (M4030, M4020, C4030 and C4020) feature a global shutter and a 3.45 µm pixel. The line is backed by the company’s throughput-enhancing TurboDrive technology. The Genie Nano series also takes advantage of the company’s Sapera LT Software Development Kit (SDK) and Trigger-to-Image-Reliability framework for system-level monitoring, control and diagnostics from image capture through transfer to host memory. The small (44mm x 29mm x 21mm) cameras weigh 46 grams and tolerate a temperature range of -20 to 60°C. www.teledynedalsa.com

Vision System Keyence released its CV-X Series vision system, which offers menu-guided setup that allows any user to set

up and operate the vision system. The camera lineup includes color and monochrome area cameras with up to 21-megapixel resolution. The company’s LJ-V laser profiler can also be connected for 3D measurement. The system comes with appearance inspection algorithms, enabling detection defects or features. According to the company, the CV-X Series’ LumiTrax function eliminates the trial and error associated with finding the right lighting solution for an application. www.keyence.ca

Cameras Camera manufacturer Basler launched a new line of ace model cameras featuring resolutions of 3.2 to 5 megapixels. The twelve new cameras deliver up to 120 frames per second, are available with the GigE or USB 3.0 interface and conform to the GigE Vision 2.0 or the USB3 Vision standard. The color models also include the PGI feature set, which consists of a combination of 5x5 debayering, color-anti-aliasing, denoising and improved sharpness. Equipped with IMX250, IMX252, IMX264 and IMX265 sensors from Sony’s Pregius line, these models feature standard interfaces and use of 2/3” lenses. www.baslerweb.com

Wear-Free Angle Measurement

Automation

Ultra compact IPC

RFC 4800 Series of touchless sensors use a magnet attached to your application’s rotating shaft. Now with IO-Link output option, these sensors can be easily connected with a 3-wire version. Voltage, current and other digital output options provide design flexibility. They keep measuring even during a loss of power, reporting the correct position when it is restored.

Key specifications: • Repeatability to 0.1° • Measures 0 to 360°

• Resolution to 14-bit • Linearity ≤ ±0.5% of F.S.

• 2-ch. version option • Speed output option

Free touchless angle sensors primer: www.novotechnik.com/rfc48 Novotechnik U.S., Inc. Telephone: 508-485-2244 Email: info@novotechnik.com

Beckhoff introduced its C6015 Industrial PC. Suited to industrial applications, the multi-core industrial PC measures 82 x 82 x 40 mm, one third the size of the company’s C6905, previously the smallest Beckhoff IPC. Inside, the IPC features an Intel Atom CPU with up to four processor cores and is passively cooled in an aluminium/die-cast zinc housing. The device also offers a full range of standard features for industrial environments such as an extended operating temperature range up to +55 °C and high resistance to vibration and shock. www.beckhoff.ca

January/February | 2017 DES_Novotechnik_JanFeb.indd 1

www.design-engineering.com 2017-01-16 1:37 PM

DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR OEM’S Winnipeg, MB April 18 – Victoria Inn Hotel Coquitlam, BC May 2 – Hard Rock Casino Moncton, NB June 21 – Moncton Coliseum Kitchener, ON October 11 – Bingemans Centre

2 0 1 7

Mark your calendars!

A series of one day tabletop shows highlighting the latest design and manufacturing technologies for the OEM market An effective forum for face-to-face interactions where engineers, product developers, machine builders and systems integrators can discuss, network, solicit advice and ‘kick the tires’ on the latest technologies and applications that drive your business.

Featured technologies include: • CAD/CAE • additive manufacturing • reverse engineering • motors • drives • motion control • automation • fluid power • power transmission • adhesives & fasteners … and much more

Registration is required:

www.DEXEXPO.com

FREE ADMISSION FOR ATTENDEES! To discuss exhibit options please contact: Alan MacPherson Show Manager 416-510-6756 AMacPherson@design-engineering.com

Ron Salmon Account Manager 905-713-4362 RSalmon@design-engineering.com

38

IdeaGenerator

Planar Surface Gantry

forces and torques, even at high speed, the company says. The EXCM-30’s Y-axis cover provides basic protection against the ingress and discharge of particles, which is valuable in cases of upside-down installation. The gantry also has a flexible energy supply concept with a 3D chain and a universal flange adapter. The Y-stroke can be expanded to 410, 460 and 510mm. www.festo.ca

Festo expanded its EXCM gantry line with a new size for larger workspaces and higher loads. The EXCM-30 version is designed for compact machines as it can be installed directly on a worktable without an external control cabinet. The gantry features a recirculating ball bearing guide that is able to absorb large

Anti-Static Air Cannon

High-Performance Energy and Data Transmission Systems Conductix-Wampfler’s mission: To keep your operations running 24/7/365 with rugged, reliable energy and data transmission systems. Our conductor bar, cable reels, festoon systems and crane controls are time-tested in the most demanding environments and backed by a worldwide sales and service network unmatched in our industry. We have over 60 years of experience applying our complete line of mobile electrification and ergonomic products to real-world industrial applications.

If you need solid solutions, look no further than Conductix-Wampfler.

Now serving you from our new, modern distribution facility in Mirabel, Quebec

CANADA 18450 J.A. Bombardier Mirabel, QC J7J 0H5 Phone +1-800-667-2487 Fax +1-800-442-9817

EXAIR unveiled its Ion Air Cannon, which eliminates static electricity and cleans at distances up to 15 feet, with no moving parts. The product meets the safety, health and environmental standards of the USA, European Union and Canada that are required to attain the CE and UL marks. It is also RoHS compliant. New design features include a metal armored high voltage cable to protect against abrasion and cuts, a replaceable emitter point, integrated ground connection and electromagnetic shielding. The Ion Air Cannon incorporates EXAIR’s patented Super Air Amplifier that minimizes compressed air use by inducing surrounding airflow at a ratio of 22:1. Its amplified airflow carries the ions to the target, making it possible for the Ion Air Cannon to eliminate static charges in less than a half second. www.exair.com

Safety

Configurable Control System Pilz unveiled its PNOZmulti 2 configurable control system for safety and automation.

January/February | 2017 DPN-PIQ_DEC2014(ENG).indd 1 Conductix_DPN_Feb.indd 1

www.design-engineering.com 12/30/2014 10:31:14 2015-01-21 9:39 AM AM

IdeaGenerator

The two communication modules connect to Ethernet-based systems, allowing the base unit to expand on the left-hand side and can be connected to PROFINET or Ethernet/IP networks. As an open, configurable control system, PNOZmulti 2 can be used independent of the higher-level operational control system. The system can be used to monitor safety functions and to perform standard control functions. www.pilz.com

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feature a narrow external geometry overall, terminating in the cable holding area. In the plastic version, the hood is available with a bigger M25 connection, which makes additional types of mounting feasible. For metal, coupling hoods are available in M25 along with the existing housings. Other versions, such as EMC (electrically conductive) and M (stricter corrosion requirements), also are available. The HARTING M25 screwed cable glands for both the plastic and metal 3A size hoods cover a clamping range of 9-18mm. www.harting.ca

Festo proudly presents:

The stars of automation.

Safety Switch AutomationDirect has extended their offering of safety products to include the LPF and SPF-series RFID non-contact RFID coded safety switches. When used in combination with a dual-channel safety relay, the noncontact safety switches can be used to provide protection up to Category 4 and PLe to ISO13849-1. The IP69K-rated LPF and SPF-series operate with most safety relays and feature plastic housings, sensing distances greater than 10mm and a high tolerance to misalignment after sensing. With switching capability up to 0.2A, models are available in unique-coded and master-coded styles with 2m, 5m or 10m pigtail cables or a 250mm quick-disconnect cable. Female quick disconnect cables, in 5m and 10m lengths. Replacement master-coded actuators are also available. www.automationdirect.com

Pneumatic

Electric

Connectors Process

Cable Connector HARTING has expanded the choice of cables customers can use in its Han 3 A size connectors.

The Han 3 A now can be assembled with cable diameters as large as M25 instead of the previous limit of M20. The hoods also meet the requirements of protection classes IP 65/67. The Han 3 A hood components

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40 IdeaGenerator

Connectors

sizes (0B, 1B and 2B) and with 2 to 32 electrical contacts. LEMO’s push-pull connectors are found in a variety of application environments including medical, industrial control, test and measurement, audio-video and telecommunications. www.lemo.com

LEMO announced the launch of Anglissimo, an elbow plug connector that allows users to orientate the connector in one of the eight possible positions during assembly.

The solution is ideal in designs where many cables need to be positioned in a precise way to prevent cable clutter or a jungle of cables. The product is available in three

Motors & Drives

Rolling Ring linear drives

Zero backlash. Jam-proof design.

• For applications in positioning & reciprocating motion • Zero play – even during reversal Uhing® Rolling Ring linear drives run on a smooth, threadless shaft that won't clog or jam. If the system is overloaded, the shaft simply slips instead of churning and grinding.

The drive bearings are in constant contact with the shaft, even during reversal, thereby preventing backlash.

Example applications: metrology machines, material handling systems, spooling equipment, packaging & converting equipment.

Many different sizes meet varying requirements for axial thrust & linear speed.

EtherCAT Servo Drives Advanced Motion Controls released its line of EtherCAT Servo Amplifiers. The company’s panel mount DPE drives serve as nodes in single or multi-axis EtherCAT networks, while plug-in DZE/DZS drives utilize AMC’s proprietary high speed multiaxis communication interface and I/O expansion capabilities (‘DxM’ and ‘DxI/O’ Technologies). Each type can accommodate a combination of up to 4 axes of motion with 32 digital inputs, 32 digital outputs, 4 analog inputs and 2 analog outputs each.

In addition, the drives feature four quadrant regenerative operation; space vector modulation (svm) technology; programmable gain settings; and configurable current, voltage, velocity and position limits. The drives also offers PIDF velocity loop and PID + FF position loop; 12-bit analog to digital hardware; and on-the-fly mode switching and gain set switching. www.electromate.com

Some models feature mechanical control over speed and travel direction.

No programming or electronic controls are needed.

Brushless DC Motor For more information call 1-800-252-2645 Email: amacoil@amacoil.com www.amacoil.com

January/February | 2017

Distributed by Amacoil, Inc. PO Box 2228 2100 Bridgewater Rd. Aston, PA 19014 Phone: 610-485-8300

Oriental Motor has expanded its BMU Series to include a 120W (1/6 HP) brushless motor combined with a hollow shaft right angle hypoid JH type gear head and a stainless steel shaft. The hypoid gear achieves IP66 www.design-engineering.com

IdeaGenerator

41

class protection through the use of a stainless steel shaft, oil ring, oil seal and new motor connector type. The BMU series brushless DC motor speed control system offers a maximum speed of up to 3,600 r/min (80 to 3,600 r/min) and a speed ratio of 1:45. This allows for a wider speed range, wider selection of gear ratios and torque ranges. In addition to the 120W brushless motor & driver, the company says it plans to release 200W (1/4 hp) and 400W (1/2 hp) motor models in the future. www.orientalmotor.com

Toggle clamps MTC

• Stable – lever is controlled during clamping to prevent impact due to side thrust • Secure – for applications with strong vibration stresses

MVA

• Heavy Series for high clamping load capacity • Durable – Long Life series tested to over one million cycles

Drive System

• Versatile – build your own tool by welding

Siemens announced that its Sinamics S120 drive system has been expanded to include Profinet, Ethernet TCP/IP and EtherNet/IP connectivity, in addition to Profibus DP and Profinet. Sinamics S120 drives are designed to handle virtually any drive requirement and facilitate vector, servo and variable-frequency drive (V/Hz) applications with the choice of single- or multi-axis offerings. The drives feature a power range of 0.25-1,600 hp and integrate safety functionality and automatic configuration via the company’s Drive-CLiQ interface. www.usa.siemens.com

• Functional – suitable for high temperatures, on molds for plastic materials and rotational molding

Elesa. Always more...

Operating elements

Clamping knobs

Lift & Pull handles

Control elements

Rotary controls

Output Filter Schaffner introduced its FN510 dv/dt filter, which eliminates premature motor damage caused by high dv/dt, overvoltages on motor cables and motor overheating. Suitable for motors from 1.5 to 30kW with frequencies up to 400Hz (4 to 24A) or to 200Hz (33 to 66A), the filter includes an IP20 housing and touch-safe terminal blocks. Temperature monitoring and an internal cooling fan protect the filter from thermal overload. The FN510 eliminates the interference propagation towards components or conductors in the vicinity. Models are available to accommodate switching frequencies of 2 to 16 kHz. It meets UL 1283, CSA 22.2 No. 8 1986, IEC/EN 60939. www.schaffner.com

Indexing and positioning elements

Leveling elements and supports

Hinges and connections

Accessories for hydraulic systems

Request Catalog 062AM + New Supplement 0.62.2AM

Elesa USA Corporation www.elesausa.com Toll-Free 800-374-7686

Elesa. More than 30,000 SKUs. A unique partner.

Since 1941

www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2017 DES_ElsaUSA_JanFeb.indd 1

2016-12-23 9:47 AM

42 IdeaGenerator Hydraulic Gearbox

Magnetic Encoder Module

Stiebel Drive Technology introduced its singlestage type 4382 transfer gearbox from the company’s P2000 series.

Following a modular design principle, the torsionally stiff gearbox offers a range of different mounting variants.

Connection is possible via a cardan flange or SAE case. On the take-off side, there are three pump connections with selectable SAE connectors. Weighing 200kg and featuring a block casing, the gearbox’s lubrication system features internal ribbing and oil grooves. The pump drive’s technical specs include a maximum torque per drive of 1500Nm with maximum rotational speed up to 3000 min-1 at a motor power of 530kW and a transmission ratio of i = 0.6572 to 1.5217. www.stiebel.de/en

Encoder Products Company (EPC) introduced the its Model 30MT, a low-profile 30mm diameter magnetic encoder module.

Designed for industrial environments, the Model 30MT offers sealing up to IP69K and is virtually impervious to dust, dirt, and moisture. The encoder features a chemically inert high-temperature nylon composite housing and non-contact magnetic sensing. The Model 30MT is capable of operating in temperatures from -40ºC to 120ºC and features a threaded housing for easy installation. With a generous sensor-to-magnet air gap of 0.022”, the Model 30MT holds ratings of 100g at 11ms for shock and 20g at 10 to 3000 Hz for vibration. www.encoder.com

Advertisers Index Advertiser Website Page Aerotech, Inc

www.aerotech.com

Allied Electronics

www.alliedelec.com

21 11

Amacoil Inc.

www.amacoil.com

40

Aurora Bearing Company

www.aurorabearing.com

42

Automation Direct

www.automationdirect.com

13

Baldor Electric Company

www.baldor.com

44

Beckhoff Automation

www.beckhoff.ca

7

Bimba Manufacturing Co.

www.bimba.com

BRECOflex Co. LLC

www.brecoflex.com

2 12

Clippard Instruments Laboratory Inc. www.clippard.com www.conductix.ca/en

CREAFORM

www.creaform3d.com 34

Designfusion

www.designfusion.ca 14-15

ELESA

www.elesa.com 41

Encoder Products Corp.

www.encoder.com

27

Festo Canada, Inc.

www.festo.ca

39

Great West Life Assurance Co.

www.engineerscanadafsp.grsaccess.com/

engineers-canada/home.aspx

38

25

igus Corporation

www.igus.com

IKO Nippon Thompson Co. Ltd.

www.ikont.co.jp/eg/

Industrial Encoder Corp.

www.globalencoder.ca

31

International Fluid Power Expo

www.ifpe.com

43

KHK-USA Inc.

www.khkgears.us/

29

Novotechnik US Inc.

www.novotechnik.com

36

RotoPrecision Inc.

www.rotoprecision.ca

17

Schaeffler Canada Inc.

www.ina.com

4

THK Co., Ltd.

www.thk.com

19

Tolomatic, Inc.

www.tolomatic.com

36

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U F A R E P OW I D E If you’re seeking new methods and solutions to increase efficiency, contain costs, and improve the overall performance of your hydraulic and pneumatic systems, then the forward-looking educational program at IFPE 2017 will bring you up to speed. Gain the latest technical knowledge and insights into engineering advances at a powerful array of half-day college-level courses and the co-located Energy Efficient Hydraulics & Pneumatics Conference.

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The NEW patented Baldor•Dodge® Raptor takes coupling innovation to greater heights. Utilizing a patented winged element design for higher bond strength and improved fatigue resistance, the Raptor delivers:

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©2017 Baldor Electric Company

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