Design Engineering May June 2016

14 What’s new in AutoCAD,

Inventor 2017 and Fusion 360

28 B.C. carmaker envisions Solo EV

as VW Beetle of the 21st century

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Contents | Volume 62, No. 3 5

IN THE NEWS

8

PEO installs new President

8

Rockwell Automation changes leadership

8

PyroGenesis to spinoff AM business

8

ULaval retakes Shell Eco-marathon Americas title

10

10

Canada’s engineering tech labor sector shows significant growth GM Canada plans new “Toronto Mobility Campus”

10

GE begins testing the world’s largest jet engine

12

NASA improves solar electric propulsion for space exploration

Features

14

18 CAFE Design Lightweighting automotive components via metal additive manufacturing helps automakers meet U.S. fuel standards

22 OTTO-mated Material Handling Clearpath’s self-driving OTTO vehicle line transforms the way material is transported

22

32 Grip Strength Aerospace manufacturer gets a hand up from Robotiq’s Canadian-made robotic gripper

35 Picking the Right Linear Positioning Device Choosing the proper technology avoids common problems

40 Sourcing the Best Vision System Camera A how-to guide to find the best vision system camera for the price

28

Columns 14 CAD Report AutoCAD, Inventor 2017 and Fusion 360’s latest update add CAD functions as Autodesk evolves business plan

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES 28 Canadian Innovator To subscribe, renew your subscription or to change your address or information contact us at 1-800-387-0273 ext.3552.

Canadian electric carmaker envisions its Solo EV as the VW Beetle of the 21st century

30 Quality Control

Annual Subscription Rate In Canada: $53.95 (1 year), $72.95 (2 year).

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Remove production bottlenecks caused by slow moving coordinate measuring machines

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From real time precision to Industry 4.0 readiness, today’s fluid technology holds its own

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42 Inside Design

Design Engineering, established in 1955, is published by Annex Business Media, 6 times per year.

80 Valleybrook Dr., Toronto, ON M3B 2S9.

Printed in Canada

www.design-engineering.com

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32

38 Fluid Power

Vancouver-based MistyWest is focused on designing products that make the world a better place

44 Idea Generator The latest in industrial products including automation, fluid power and motion control

2 0 1 6

Winnipeg: March 30 Coquitlam: May 3 Mississauga: May 17 Halifax: June 7

May/June | 2016

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6 EditorialViewpoint

The Queen of Hurricanes

www.design-engineering.com Publisher Alan Macpherson (416) 510-6756 amacpherson@design-engineering.com

I

n celebration of International Women’s Day, PM Justin Trudeau announced in March that a new bank note featuring an iconic Canadian woman will be issued in late 2018. A first for Canadian currency, 461 historic figures were submitted to the advisory committee for consideration. By the end of April, that number was pared down to 12.

Among those notable women, all of whom are deserving, one stands out to my mind: Elizabeth MacGill aka the Queen of Hurricanes. Besides having a nickname befitting a Game of Thrones character, MacGill is the only engineer on the list and broke new ground, not only for women engineers who followed but also the profession to which she dedicated most of her life.

Born in Vancouver in 1905, MacGill’s life reads like a near constant succession of firsts. In 1929, she graduated from the University of Toronto and became the first woman in Canada to earn an electrical engineering degree. After graduation, she worked at the Austin Automobile Company in Michigan where she became fascinated by aeronautics when the company started producing aircraft. That passion led to a Master’s degree in aeronautics from the University of Michigan and a position as an assistant aeronautical engineer at Fairchild Aircraft Limited in Longueuil, Québec where she helped design the first all-metal aircraft built in Canada.

Four years later, she was hired as chief aeronautical engineer at the Canadian Car and Foundry Company, where she designed the Maple Leaf II Trainer, officially making MacGill the world’s first woman aircraft designer. However, her fame grew to its pinnacle during World War II when she oversaw all engineering and production work on the Hawker Hurricane. Under her leadership, the company produced nearly 1,500 of the fighter planes that would prove pivotal in the Battle of Britain.

The consummate professional, she even insisted on riding along in test flights of every aircraft she designed to get a hands-on feel.

It’s impossible to encapsulate all of MacGill’s accomplishments in the limited space here but her pioneering spirit remained until her death in 1980. In the latter half of her life, she started an aeronautical engineering consulting firm in Toronto; became the first woman corporate member of the Engineering Institute of Canada; and was the first female technical advisor appointed to the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization, to name only a few. A lifelong proponent of women’s rights, she also served as president of the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs as well as a commissioner on the Royal Commission on the Status of Women.

For her professional achievement, pioneering spirit and rights activism, Dr. MacGill is, in my opinion, a shoe-in for the overdue honor. The only question now is which Canadian bill she should appear on. You could make a case for the $5 or $10 but the ubiquitous $20, which currently displays Queen Elizabeth, is the clear choice. My apologies to any royalists out there, but it’s time our currency replaces the British Queen with a truly Canadian one, the Queen of the Hurricanes.

Mike McLeod

@

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 (905) 713-4362 rsalmon@design-engineering.com Art Director Stewart Thomas (416) 442-5600 ext. 3212 sthomas@annexbizmedia.com 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@annexbizmedia.com President & CEO Mike Fredericks Design Engineering, established in 1955, is published

by Annex Business Media, 6 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which count as two subscription issues.

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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.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

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

May/June | 2016

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Université Laval retakes Eco-marathon Americas title At the 10th Shell Eco-marathon Americas in April, two perennial favorites battled along Detroit’s riverfront and downtown streets to see which custom-built, ultra-energy-efficient vehicle would travel the farthest distance using the least amount of energy.

Rebounding from a crushing 11th-hour defeat last year, the Université Laval team regained the title from rival, University of Toronto. The Alérion Supermileage team’s gasoline-fueled prototype recorded 2,585 miles per gallon, a winning performance but well short of its 3,587 mpg record set in 2013. This year’s win marks the sixth victory for the Quebec team in the past seven years.

The defending champions, the University of Toronto Supermileage Team, finished with a best run of 2,364 mpg. It had hoped to surpass its chief competitor’s mark on its final attempt, but its vehicle failed to start.

The annual competition features two classes of vehicles. The rototype class invites students to enter highly streamlined vehicles, while the UrbanConcept class focuses on “roadworthy” fuel-efficient vehicles aimed at meeting the real-life needs of drivers. Within each of those classes, entries are divided by energy type: Internal combustion engine fuels (e.g. gasoline, diesel, ethanol and liquid natural gas) and electric mobility (hydrogen fuel cells and battery electric).

In addition to the grand prize, Canadian teams took home first place showings in the annual competition’s other categories.

For example, the Beyond team from the Université de Sherbrooke

won first place in the Prototype battery-electric category with a run of 454.5 mi/kWh. Similarly, Queen University’s Fuel Cell team won the prototype hydrogen fuel cell category with their 83.9mi/m3 run.

In the hydrogen fuel cell category of the UrbanConcept class, the University of Alberta EcoCar Team posted a 41 mi/m3 showing with its stylish vehicle named Alice. It’s clean-sheet, one-seat design that is approximately 20 per cent lighter than its predecessor, the team said.

In all, more than 1,000 students from a record 124 teams representing seven countries – Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States – competed over three days. In addition to the Americas competition, Shell Eco-marathon is held annually in Europe and Asia. www.alerionsupermileage.com

UP FRONT PEO installs new President Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) installed George Comrie, MEng, P.Eng., CMC, FEC, as its 97th president during its annual general meeting in April. Comrie is only the fifth engineer to be twice elected president since the inception of PEO in 1922, having served as president in 2004-2005. During his previous term, he championed integrating a government communications program into the association’s ongoing operations to ensure government, PEO licence holders and the public recognize PEO’s regulatory mandate. The general meeting also introduced the agency’s new council members for the 2016-2017. The three women and 22 men on the new council will govern PEO’s 85,000 licence and certificate holders. www.peo.on.ca May/June | 2016

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PyroGenesis to spinoff AM business

Rockwell Automation changes leadership Rockwell Automation’s board of directors announced that it has elected Blake Moret, a 30-year company veteran, as president and chief executive officer, on July 1, 2016.

Moret, who currently serves as senior VP of its Control Products & Solutions division, will replace Keith Nosbusch, 65, who has been president and chief executive officer since 2004, will transition from those roles but continue on as chairman of the board.

Moret has 30 years of experience in sales and business management roles in product, services and solutions businesses across Rockwell Automation. www.rockwellautomation.com

Montreal-based PyroGenesis Canada plans to spin-off 80 per cent of its Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) business into an independent publicly-traded company.

The company will be named at a later date but is referred to as “3DCo”. This new company will produce metal and alloy powders for the 3D Printing industry using PyroGenesis’ patented technology and distribute powder production systems and equipment under an exclusive world-wide license with PyroGenesis. 3DCo will provide high performance, high quality metal powders. The company has the technology to develop new and innovative powders enabling the industry to expand into new and exciting applications. The company boasts that small, spherical, uniform, titanium powders, such as those to be produced by 3DCo, will account for over 30 per cent of this metallic powder demand. www.pyrogenesis.com www.design-engineering.com

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DesignNews

Canada’s engineering tech labor sector shows significant growth According to a new report by the Conference Board of Canada, employment growth for engineering has strongly outpaced that of overall employment growth in Canada over the past 15 years.

According to the report (Assessing the Economic Contribution of Canada’s Engineering and Applied Science Technicians And Technologists), the occupational group grew at an average annual pace of 3.5 per cent between 1997-98 and 2013-14, to reach around 400,000. Furthermore, average wage rate has consistently remained above the national average by more than 20 per cent.

In total, the report says Canada’s engineering and applied science technicians and technologists contribute $54.7 billion to the economy (3.3 per cent of Canadian GDP), according to the most recent data from Statistics Canada.

The report points to a shift in the manufacturing environment and industrial conditions. Technical professionals, such as engineers, will be required to improve and renew their skills to continue contributing to Canada’s productivity growth. Another significant factor that is being felt across all areas of the workforce is the wave of retiring professionals – this will lead to a need for trained individuals to fill both vacancies and future opportunities.

“To sustain economic growth in light of slowing labor force growth, Canadian businesses need to focus on improving productivity and competitiveness. This means demand for this occupational group will continue to grow in coming years,” said Pedro Antunes, Deputy Chief Economist, The Conference Board of Canada. www.conferenceboard.ca

GM Canada plans new “Toronto Mobility Campus” GM Canada has purchased a site for its new “Toronto GM Mobility Campus” located in southeast Toronto. The automaker confirmed that it has completed its purchase of 721 Eastern Avenue, a seven acre site it plans to develop as a multi-use facility comprised of office space, research & development facilities, GM vehicle sales and services including sales of electric vehicles and a public experience center featuring innovations in mobility.

“We are very excited to be bringing GM Canada back into downtown Toronto with a future-oriented approach that will engage the community, universities, our customers and many other partners in the exciting transformations taking place in the automotive industry today,” said Steve Carlisle, president and managing director of General Motors of Canada. www.gm.ca

General Electric Aviation announced that it has begun ground testing of one of the world’s largest commercial aircraft engines at its Peebles Testing Operation in Ohio. Destined to power Boeing’s new 777X aircraft, the engine will be in the 100,000 pound thrust class. It will have the largest front fan at 134 inches in diameter with a composite fan case and 16 fourth generation carbon fiber composite fan blades. Other key features include a next-generation 27:1 pressure-ratio 11-stage high-pressure compressor; a third-generation TAPS III combustor for high efficiency and low emissions; and CMC material in the combustor and turbine. Over the next year, the program start certification testing and flight testing on GE Aviation’s flying test bed with the engine certification anticipated in 2018.

“The entire GE9X team – from engineering to sourcing to supply chain to development assembly – devoted countless hours to enable this achievement to occur,” said Bill Millhaem, general manager of the GE90/GE9X engine programs at GE Aviation.

“The ground testing will generate data on the full engine system and aerodynamic performance, mechanical verification and aero thermal system validation.”

Photo Courtesy of General Electric Aviation

GE begins testing the world’s largest jet engine

www.geaviation.com May/June | 2016

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12 DesignNews NASA improves solar electric propulsion for space exploration Aerojet Rocketdyne announced that it’s set to design and develop an advanced electric propulsion system for NASA. The U.S. space agency selected the company to help advance commercial space capabilities and enable deep space exploration missions, including the robotic portion of NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) and its Journey to Mars.

The Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) contract is a 36-month cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with a performance incentive and total value of $67 million. NASA is hoping that work developed under the contract will increase spaceflight transportation fuel efficiency and enhance thrust capability.

The integrated electric propulsion system will consist of a thruster, power processing unit (PPU), low-pressure xenon flow controller and electrical harness. NASA has developed and tested a prototype thruster and PPU that the Aerojet Rocketdyne can use as a reference design. The company will construct, test and deliver an engineering development unit for testing and evaluation in preparation for producing the follow-on flight units.

Aerojet Rocketdyne also had the option to develop, verify and deliver four integrated flight units—the electric propulsion units that will fly in space. NASA anticipates solar arrays will generate the electrical power to operate the propulsion flight system in space. NASA has increasingly relied on solar electric

propulsion for long-duration, deep-space robotic science and exploration missions to multiple destinations.

The advanced electric propulsion system is the next step in NASA’s Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) project, which is developing critical technologies to extend the range and capabilities of new science and exploration missions. www.nasa.gov

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What’s New in AUTODESK’S 2017 RELEASE AutoCAD, Inventor 2017 and Fusion 360’s latest update add CAD functions as Autodesk evolves business plan.

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ast year, Autodesk began changing its entire business model to fit what it foresees as the future. At the end of January, the company eliminated sales of permanent licenses of standalone software and, in July, will do the same for suites.

Related to this, next March (or March 2018) may well be the last conventional big-R release for much of Autodesk’s software. A “big-R” is a major version of the software with a number (like 2017) that is packed with new functions. As Autodesk moves everything to the cloud, its software will run in Web browsers and so will be updated continuously.

Big-R’s haven’t come to an end yet, so let’s see what Autodesk has in this year’s release for AutoCAD and Inventor, as well as what’s recent in Fusion 360.

AutoCAD 2017 Autodesk is slowly integrating all its software. By slowly, I mean its been working for a decade or so to do things like get AutoCAD to read Inventor files – so that data from its various (incompatible) CAD packages can work with each other. AutoCAD 2017, for example, attaches 3D models from Navisworks and BIM 360 Glue, and then lets us use two objects snaps (endpoint and center) for drawing on top of imported entities.

The biggest new function in AutoCAD 2017 is its ability to import PDF files, instead of just displaying them as underlays. When a PDF files is imported, AutoCAD converts vector data into entities like lines and arcs. (See figure 1.) A nice touch is that all or a part of PDF underlays already in older drawings can also be converted to entities. Autodesk warns that PDF files are by nature not as accurate as AutoCAD www.design-engineering.com

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CADReport 15

Figure 1: Options for deciding which PDF entities to convert to AutoCAD objects.

drawings, and so we should expect some entities to not line up precisely.

In addition, not everything is converted. For example, raster portions of the PDF are brought in as images, even if they look like vector. When text is placed in the PDF files with TrueType fonts, they are imported as text; but if the source fonts are not embedded, then characters might show up as rectangular placeholders.

Oddly, Autodesk’s own SHX fonts are imported as lines and arcs.

The PDF import function is significant, because, I think it marks the end of DWF as Autodesk’s lightweight CAD format.

AutoCAD was never able to import DWF files, even though some CAD programs from competitors could. Now that AutoCAD imports files from the formerly arch-rival PDF format, and because we no longer need to worry about file size on the Internet (as we did in 1998, which is why DWF was introduced), Autodesk has possibly eliminated the need for it.

AutoCAD 2016 improved dimensioning, but in 2017 centerlines and center marks are associative. When we move circles and other curves, the marks move with them; grips allow us to resize the marks and lines interactively. Make sure you use the new CenterMark and CenterLine commands, not the old DimCenter one. Also, be sure to read up on the other ten commands and system variables that control associative marks. www.design-engineering.com

DES_May-June-2016_SJT.indd 15

Autodesk spent a c ouple of releases improving the way drawings look on the screen, such as smoothing the edges of curves and showing previews of editing changes. With AutoCAD 2017, objects look smooth even while we move them. Dots in linetypes look fatter when lineweights are turned on. When we use shaded or realistic visual style with 3D models, they are displayed faster. The enhancements depend, however, on whether the graphics board in your computer supports DirectX 11 and has at least 128MB RAM. AutoCAD 2017 also offers a m inor tweak that makes a big difference in usability: We can (finally!) resize some dialog boxes to make them larger or smaller. These include dialog boxes for editing attributes, managing layer states and inserting blocks.

Here’s looking forward to all dialog boxes becoming resizeable. Other minor tweaks include specifying the layer on which hatches are placed automatically and adding the Multiple option to editing text.

Inventor 2017 As Inventor reaches the age of 17, Autodesk still code-names releases after sports cars.

Inventor 2017 is “Enzo,” the 2002 Ferrari named after the car maker’s founder. Here are some of the things that are new and improved in this year’s release of the MCAD software: Inventor 2017 adds 3D sketching, along

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Figure 2: Selecting a referenced part in Inventor 2017.

with a tri-color triad that shows the position of the x, y, and z planes. To draw on a plane, we just need to click the associated triad. We can sketch on top of 3D geometry and objects can be constrained to planar and curved surfaces.

3D sketching comes in handy with flexible hose routing, and here Inventor 2017 reports more design violations. The diameter of more than one fitting can be changed with a single command.

Similarly, we can now extrude many parts after windowselecting them. When placing patterns (arrays), circular patterns can fix their orientation, and now path patterns can be placed (like path arrays in AutoCAD) along 3D paths.

Shape Generator gets more controls for creating models, such as setting a target for their mass, specifying the minimum thickness and symmetrical parts. Sheet metal design gets new types of corner relieves, and flat pattern updates can be deferred. Punches can be shown as center marks, sketches or the actual holes.

When it comes to referencing 3D models from other CAD systems, Inventor adds STEP and mesh data to its collection of supported formats, as well as doing a better job with CATIA, Solidworks, NX and Creo models. Reference parts can be opened directly. Inventor model can be exported as 3D PDF files.

Autodesk continues to add functions to Inventor, but I wonder for how much longer. For Autodesk, Fusion 360 represents the future of MCAD. To drive the point home, Inventor users 7x2DESIGNENGINEERINGMay 2016.pdf 1 10/05/2016 4:21:12 PM with a subscription get to access Fusion 360 free.

Fusion 360 Fusion 360 is, as Autodesk CEO Carl Bass insists, their cloudbased MCAD system, even though some 2GB of code runs locally on our computers. Being the future of Autodesk software, Fusion receives update continuously, i.e. every 6-8 weeks, instead of one big annual release as with Inventor. Still, I can report to you some of the functions added over the last half-year: • Models can now be tested through linear static stresses, modal frequencies, thermal and thermal stresses.

• GDT symbols for geometric dimensions and tolerances are added • A single command handles all dimension types and some format controls • Shaded and exploded assembly views are available And Beyond Autodesk has stated that its future consists of two stages: Moving all new licenses to subscription-only (accomplished), and then moving all software to the cloud – running on servers, such as those operated by Amazon.

Reworking bedrock programs like Autodesk, Inventor and Revit to run on remote servers (and displaying the results in a Web browser) is not, however, an easy job. The difficulty comes from the fact that Autodesk wrote its desktop programs (almost) exclusively with Microsoft’s programming tools. In turn, those tools were designed to lock software firms and their customers to Windows, as well as Intel-compatible CPUs. When software is written for the cloud instead, customers expect it to run on any operating system and any hardware; this requires a completely different approach to coding, and a huge rewrite of old code as a result.

Autodesk’s two-fold plan is risky. Competitors like Solidworks, Bricsys and Graebert say they are benefiting from customers unhappy with how Autodesk has unilaterally changed their relationship. Revenues of the second-largest CAD vendor are falling after it switched away from the big cash bump it normally gets from selling perpetual licenses, while regulators prevent them from recognizing upfront subscription income for more than one quarter at a time. For an industry that relies on accuracy and certainty, the current spate of uncertainty is unsettling.

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RapidPrototyping As one example of lightweighting vehicles to improve fuel economy, BMW used a combination magnesium and aluminium for its N52 six-cylinder crankcases from 2004 to 2015. (©BMW AG)

CAFE Design Lightweighting automotive components via metal additive manufacturing helps automakers meet U.S. fuel standards.

By Jeff Schipper

S

moggy cities, rollercoaster gas prices, environmental concerns over fracking and offshore drilling – there are many reasons to increase fuel efficiency in both passenger and commercial vehicles. One of the best ways is by reducing vehicle weight.

Lighter cars mean consumers use less fuel, and less fuel means cleaner air and reduced dependence on fossil fuels.

The U.S. government thinks so as well. Since 1975, the U.S. Department of Transportation has imposed strict Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards on automakers, telling them to reduce fuel consumption or face stiff penalties. The next round of efficiency bar-raising is just around the corner; by 2025, cars and light trucks are expected to boast an “average” fuel economy of 54.5 mpg.

The calculations behind those standards are complex, making interpretation somewhat subjective, yet the fact remains that automotive manufacturers and their suppliers will be fighting a continuous uphill battle to design and produce lighter, more efficient automotive components for decades to come.

All these regulatory and market-driven redesign initiatives are creating a perfect storm of product development activity for automotive suppliers. Even in the commercial sector, countless opportunities exist to simplify designs, reduce weight and use less material, all of which benefits consumers and the planet alike. A move to lightweight products and components often begins with prototyping, where material and manufacturing process selection is paramount.

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A Move to Magnesium One thing that should be remembered before embarking on any lightweighting project is to take small bites. Unless you’re creating a fuel-efficient redesign of the transmission housing for an 18-wheeler, you’re not going to remove 50 pounds of weight from any single part. Instead, shaving ounces and even fractions of ounces out of each component that makes up a passenger vehicle is the clear path to CAFE compliance.

The rear view mirror used in passenger cars, for example, was once heavy enough to pound a nail. Today, most rear view mirrors are made of a magnesium frame and a plastic shell, yet retain the same strength and functionality as their corpulent predecessors. The trick is to develop products that fulfill cost and duty requirements but use alternate materials and clever designs to reduce weight.

Fortunately for designers and engineers, today’s array of prototyping materials and advanced manufacturing technologies mean never before possible opportunities for iterative, even parallel-path design testing. For example, suppose you’ve been tasked with lightweighting the headlight bezel for a 2019 model year reintroduction of the four-door Studebaker Lark. When you begin to explore material selection, magnesium might be a good place to start.

With a density of 106 lb. per cubic foot, magnesium is the lightest of all structural metals, and has the highest strength-toweight ratio as well. It carries a proven track record in the automotive, aerospace, medical and electronics industries, and is used in everything from fuel tanks to gearboxes. And because magnesium www.design-engineering.com

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20 RapidPrototyping is one of the most abundant minerals in the human body, it’s not only biocompatible but also biodegradable, so it is a logical choice for self-dissolving screws, pins and other implants requiring greater strength than those made of biodegradable polymers.

Magnesium is routinely milled into a variety of prototype parts. Compared to aluminum, the lightweighting runner-up, it is more expensive per pound, but that cost delta is offset somewhat by magnesium’s 33-percent lighter weight and comparable strength. It’s also easily machined although some care must be taken to control fine chips and metal particles, as these can be flammable in oxygen-rich environments.

For those concerned over fires with magnesium components in the field, don’t be – magnesium is everywhere. The Volkswagen Beetle sported a magnesium alloy engine block for decades, and BMW started using magnesium for its N52 six-cylinder crankcases and cylinder head covers in 2005. The AZ31 and AZ91 grades of magnesium alloy are even weldable, and have melting points of roughly 900° F (482°C). Unless you’re designing a lightweight furnace liner, magnesium is an excellent choice for many different components.

The Big Three are also big on magnesium. In 2006, General Motors began using die cast magnesium for the engine cradle in its Z06 Corvette, shaving 12 pounds off the old design.

Ford Motor Company’s started using magnesium in the liftgate of the 2010 Lincoln MKT, and the third row passenger seats for the 2011 Ford Explorer. In that same year, Chrysler Group introduced a magnesium instrument panel for its Jeep Grand Cherokee, helping the vehicle achieve highway fuel economy of 23 mpg. In summary, domestic and foreign automakers alike are turning to magnesium for its strength, light weight and – because it can be extracted from seawater – its abundant supply.

A growing method to rapidly manufacture magnesium parts is through injection molding (also known as thixomolding). Here, chips of magnesium feedstock are loaded into the hopper of a molding press. Heat and agitation are then applied, thus bringing the magnesium payload to a semisolid state, whereupon it is “shot” under pressure into a mold cavity via a feeder screw. The result is that fully functional magnesium components can be produced in low volumes at a fraction the cost of “production-tooled” parts.

Many manufacturing engineers associate magnesium with die casting, as this has long been the traditional, high-volume method of forming this ubiquitous metal. Yet magnesium injection molding offers a number of distinct advantages over its more mature counterpart. Thixomolding is essentially a “cold” process, operating just short of magnesium’s melting point.

Because of this, there is less shrinkage and warp compared to die-cast parts, and the mechanical properties of thixomolded parts are generally better as well.

The cooler process also requires less sophisticated tooling, as there is little need for cooling channels. And since the magnesium slurry is fed into the mold at very high pressure – in May/June | 2016

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some cases twice that of die casting – very fine part details are produced. All things considered, thixomolding is the clear choice for many prototyped or low-volume magnesium components.

Another increasingly used additive manufacturing process offered is DMLS, or direct metal laser sintering. DMLS melts layers of metal powder, as thin as 0.0008 in. (20 microns), to create complex, 98-percent dense part shapes that are often impossible to manufacture otherwise. It is highly accurate with tolerances of +/- 0.003 in. plus an additional 0.001 in./in. that are typically achieved on well-designed parts.

DMLS works with aluminum and titanium, so is an obvious contender for manufacturing lightweight parts, but is also used with 316L and 17-4PH stainless steel, cobalt chrome alloy and Inconel, super strong metals known for their extreme heat resistance and durability rather than weight reduction. You might be wondering how an additive process that uses metals such as these has made its way into a lightweighting article.

But here’s the thing: DMLS can fabricate metal parts that, until now, were nothing more than a designer’s fantasy. Parts more hollow than a chocolate Easter egg, Escher-like curves and spheres, ultra-thin walls and spider web-like lattices, consolidation of multipart assemblies into a single sintered component – these are a few of the lightweighting possibilities DMLS can offer.

DMLS is slower than other additive processes, and more expensive – if your part design can be efficiently machined or molded, DMLS may not be the right manufacturing method. But for complex assemblies, improbable shapes or parts A metal additive where small amounts of superalloy go a manufacturing long way, DMLS might be just the ticket process, like DMLS, to reduce part weight and cut manufac manufaccan be used to build turing costs. Lastly, DMLS isn’t limited complex aluminum to prototype quantities – given a small, parts that are difficult complex workpiece too difficult or to machine as in expensive to manufacture via conventhis motor mount. tional methods, DMLS is often a viable alternative for low-volume production volumes in the thousands.

There are many good reasons for lightweighting. Designing lighter, stronger and more cost-effective manufactured products is good for everyone, and provides a competitive edge to the companies that produce them. The drive to greater fuel efficiency in cars and trucks will continue to be the Holy Grail of these industries, a goal that rests on a daunting three-legged stool of limited fossil fuels, increasing greenhouse gases, and growing government regulations.

DE www.protolabs.com

Jeff Schipper is the global industry manager at Proto Labs.

This article is an excerpt from his white paper “Reducing Component Weight for Automotive Applications”. www.design-engineering.com

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22 CoverStory

OTTO-MATED Material Handling

Clearpath’s self-driving OTTO vehicle line transforms the way material is transported.

By Lindsay Luminoso

I

n an industrial environment, as material moves throughout a warehouse, it’s generally transformed. After parts come in on skids, they can be unloaded, broken down to smaller sizes, placed into kits, built back up, wrapped, and then shipped back out. Often, these tasks are dull, dirty or dangerous, causing bottlenecks in the material transport process and hindering a company from maintaining an effective workflow.

Enter Clearpath. Best known for its research division of outdoor unmanned vehicles like the Grizzly RUV and Heron USV, the Kitchener, ON-based company has now turned its robotics expertise toward the shop floor with the launch of its newest division, OTTO Motors. The division produces selfdriving vehicles (SDVs) for material transportation. Cleverly named OTTO, the company’s latest SDV is designed to minimize the hazards and productivity issues associated with traditional systems.

“Consumerism is changing the way materials are manufactured and delivered,” said Simon Drexler, director, industrial systems at Clearpath. “Thought leaders in material handling began to approach Clearpath to understand how our technology could be a solution. As we learned more about the industrial landscape, we realized that we needed to start with the pallet.”

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In the U.S. alone, there are over 2 billion pallets in operation; In fact, almost half of U.S. hardware lumber production goes to pallet making. It’s estimated that more than 80% of U.S. commerce is carried on pallets. So it makes sense that Clearpath would design the vehicle with similar specifications and applications.

“Material transport takes shape in many different forms within a manufacturing operation, from heavy-load pallets to light-load pre-packaged kits,” says Drexler. “We recognized the different applications within the material handling process, so we wanted to offer our customers two sizes of self-driving vehicles in order to accommodate their use cases: one is made for large material transport and one is to move smaller parts in bins and kits.”

Following two years of development, the line of industrial self-driving vehicles launched in September 2015 with the OTTO 1500, a vehicle offering an impressive 1500kg payload capacity.

At approximately 47 inches wide and 72 inches long, this OTTO amply accommodates a standard 40 by 48 inch pallet. Yet at 15.7 inches high with only 0.7 inch clearance, the SDV’s wide base and low center of gravity allow for customizations including larger overlaid support structures or additional handling equipment like mechanical lifters.

To support what amounts to the weight of an average mid-sized car, the low-riding SDV features a rugged one-piece all-metal frame bolstered by a passive suspension. In total, the OTTO 1500 sports eight wheels: four caster type (one at each corner); a support wheel at the mid-body on each side and two drive wheels near the center. Powered by two coordinated servomotors, the drive wheels allow the robot to spin with a zero turn radius or differentially www.design-engineering.com

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CoverStory

An inside look at the OTTO 1500. The vehicle features eight wheels in total, with four caster type wheels on each corner, a support wheel at the mid-body on each side and two drive wheels near the centre. The OTTO 1500 is powered by two coordinated servomotors and uses two LIDAR laser scanners to build a global reference map and move throughout the industrial space.

turn in any direction. For customers who don’t require the muscle of the OTTO 1500, Clearpath recently introduced the OTTO 100, a smaller model with a 100kg payload capacity.

Both vehicles are configurable, allowing the system to pass material/pallets back and forth with industrial automation. The OTTO can include a lift configuration, allowing the vehicle to drive underneath an object and pick it up, and a cart configuration, allowing the vehicle to travel under a cart and move it somewhere else.

According to Drexler, development of the OTTO line required an almost perfect intersection of hardware, electrical and software engineering — a truly interconnected system.

“Our design process unfolds in that way: we bring crossfunctional technical experts together to solve complex problem,” Drexler says. “Autonomous operation in an undefined space is a very challenging thing to do robustly and safely, but our team of professionals has risen to the challenge.”

It’s that “undefined space” that separates an SDV like the OTTO from traditional Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGV), Drexler explains. Rather than relying on magnetic tape for navigation, Clearpath says the OTTO line investigates a new space the same

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way a person would. Utilizing two LIDAR laser scanners built into the vehicle, the system progressively builds a global reference map during its first tour of a facility. Along with way, points of interest are highlighted on the map including walls and stationary shelves.

The Clearpath software, which acts as a “tour guide”, can then be used to mark areas on the map such as major intersections, manufacturing cell drop off points or mandatory stop points.

Once this is completed and a global reference map has been created, the vehicle is able to freely navigate within the map for any jobs that it has been tasked with. Built on SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), OTTO’s navigation system also allows the SDV to choose its own optimal path from point A to B and recalculate a new path should the original route become blocked.

Many vehicles can be introduced to the fleet, all working off and dynamically updating the same centralized map through WIFI. “They are interconnected through one centralized controller, that is optimally assigning mission and jobs to the fleet based on key performance indicators,” explains Drexler. “If you are trying to maximize throughput, it will assign missions in a way that will maximize throughput.”

www.design-engineering.com 2015-12-07 1:40 PM

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26 CoverStory OTTO 100

810 x 508 x 206 mm 80 kg 100 kg 16 mm Fixed 2.0 m/s 12 Hrs 5% / 3° ± 25 mm

SPECS

Dimensions (LxWxH) Weight Max. Payload Clearance Suspension Max. Speed Nominal Continuous Runtime Slope Positional Accuracy

The flexibility of this system is a real benefit over traditional material handling solutions. Traditional automation requires customers to build the processes around existing systems with restrictions including quarantined areas where personnel cannot enter. Whereas self-driving vehicles operate in a way similar to how humans would move parts around a facility, which allows the customer to scale the operation at any rate necessary.

The system is also adaptable to fit the needs of the industrial space. For example, if the facility is running two shifts, one with a left-handed worker in the morning and a right-handed worker in the afternoon, traditional automation is unable to adapt to this challenge. Traditional systems will drop the product at the exact same spot every time because it follows a fixed path and a fixed

OTTO 1500

1190 x 1810 x 400 mm 500 kg 1500 kg 16 mm Passive 2.0 m/s 6 Hrs 5% / 3° ± 25 mm

waypoint. The OTTO line, however, can accommodate the line change as it uniquely navigates as an infrastructure-free system.

The vehicle can stop whenever and wherever it wants; it can drop the material off on the left-hand side in the morning and the right-hand side in the afternoon with the click of a button.

One of the driving forces behind the development of the OTTO line is the Industry 4.0 movement.

“If you control the data and material flow in the factory, you have a very significant understanding of how your factory works,” Drexler says. “Industry 4.0 is about interconnected systems in a factory and using data and intelligence for material transport, and if you have the data-driven insight, then you have a better understanding of your daily operations and how to improve them.”

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The OTTO 100 comes in different configurations to allow users to move a wide variety of material sizes and shapes.

The vehicle intelligence offers the ability to optimize material handling. The OTTO self-driving vehicles are always calculating the optimal options for workflow. Clearpath explains the intelligence resides on the actual vehicle to do all the navigation. They are intelligent enough that if a person walks in front of the vehicle, they are able to go around the person. If an aisle is blocked within the facility, they will find a different path by referencing the global map. The vehicle can also identify when its battery is low and drive to a docking station and recharge, enabling 24/7 operation.

The OTTO line allows users to draw zones to impart rules on the vehicles; this point and click style operational method gives users maximum efficiency and control. They can click to see a dashboard status update of key performance indicators and vehicle performance charts.

The automotive industry has been early adopters of this system, explains Drexler. A car plant can change its lines every three or five years depending on the model upgrades. The OTTO line allows for the changes to be made with a simple click. With traditional systems, auto manufacturers would need to move navigation infrastructure, reprogram the system, consider renovating their facility layout, and change the entire process, which is costly and time consuming. The automotive industry has decades of experience working with autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), and the OTTO line is essentially an evolution of this technology, so it’s a natural fit.

Currently, Clearpath’s OTTO line has two major partnerships that they are able to disclose: General Electric and John Deere.

Drexler also notes that they have implementations with OEM automotive manufacturers as well and tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers, some of which are Canadian companies.

At present, the company is focused on introducing the OTTO line to the industrial market in North America to automate material transport in manufacturing centers. The OTTO 1500 and OTTO 100 offer unique appliance interfaces allowing customers to put virtually anything they want on top of the vehicle.

“We can easily expand to distribution centers, warehousing, and many other spheres,” says Drexler. “It is absolutely the tip of the iceberg; this technology is broadly applicable.”

DE www.ottomotors.com May/June | 2016

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28 CanadianInnovator

THE PEOPLE’S EV Canadian electric carmaker envisions its Solo EV as the VW Beetle of the 21st century.

By Mike McLeod

W

hile electric vehicles targeted at the high-end of the market, like the recently unveiled Tesla Model 3, dominate mainstream media coverage, one Canadian automotive company is approaching the EV space from the opposite direction.

Vancouver-based Electra Meccanica envisions that its Solo car – a three-wheeled, single-seat pure electric vehicle – will become the People’s EV, a Tesla for the rest of us.

To achieve this lofty goal, the Solo has been designed from the ground up to drive cost out of the engineering equation, while maintaining the performance and safety factor one would expect from a commuter vehicle. With a projected retail price of just under CAD$20,000 (not including government tax incentives), the compact EV still sports respectable performance stats.

At a minimum, the company says the Solo’s single AC synchronous electric motor delivers up to 82 hp and 140 ft-lbs of instant torque. In normal operation, that translates to 0-100 kph in eight seconds and a top speed of 120 kph. Similarly practical, the EV’s 8.64 kW/h lithium ion battery requires six hours to fully charge and provides a driving range of 160km (100mi).

“Think the VW Beetle for the 21st Century,” says Jerry Kroll, president and CEO of Electra Meccanica. “The mission of this vehicle isn’t to drive the family down to Florida or California.

The mission of this vehicle is based on the fact that 83 percent of people’s daily commute is less than 30 kilometers each way.

For that, the Solo is absolutely spectacular.”

At first glance, it would be easy to compare the Solo with the Corbin Sparrow, a similar three-wheeled EV whose notoriety May/June | 2016

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rose and fell in the 1990s. In fact, Electra Meccanica did purchase the rights and assets of the Sparrow (then known as the Myers Motors NmG) in 2004. However, Kroll says the Solo is a cleansheet design that is not only approximately 400 lbs lighter than the Sparrow, but features modern components in every subsystem, from the chassis and battery system to the regenerative braking and contemporary body styling.

Instead, he says the Solo bears a closer kinship to the Mosler MT900 supercar, a high performance electric race car created by noted automotive designer and Electra Meccanica’s engineering team leader, Rod Trenne. While the two cars have vastly different performance, body styling and intended purpose, they do share Trenne’s innovative use of lightweight carbon fiber composite for the chassis and body shell.

“The chassis of our car, if it were made out of steel, would weigh 300 pounds; out of aluminium, it would weight 200 pounds,” Kroll explains. “But, with the composite we’re using and the way that it’s configured, it weighs 38.5 pounds. That not only makes the overall car much lighter, but allows its center of gravity to be extremely low, down where the batteries are.”

In addition to a low center of gravity, that extreme weight savings has implications that ripple throughout the rest of the car’s design. Weighing a scant 960 pounds total allows the Solo to achieve its performance and efficiency targets with a smaller, less expensive electric motor and a s maller battery. Being extremely light also eliminates the need for complex and costly power steering and power brake systems. In addition, Kroll says choosing composite over aluminium or steel removes the high expense associated with traditional body stamping. www.design-engineering.com

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CanadianInnovator “In the end, the choice to go with composite wasn’t owing to any one thing because there are so many different reasons to go with it,” he says. “It’s lightweight, easy to manufacture, doesn’t rust, it’s super strong and very rigid. The big kicker here is that the cost of these aerospace-grade composites have come down in price so much, I don’t know why there aren’t more vehicles made from them on the road.”

As to the Solo’s wheel configuration, Kroll says dropping the fourth wheel saves on weight and production cost, but also positions Electra Meccanica’s EV in a recent three wheeler trend that includes vehicles like the Polaris Slingshot, the Elio by Elio Motors, the Morgan 3 Wheeler and Quebec’s own Campagna T-Rex. To complicate matters, enclosed three-wheelers fall into a grey area when it comes to Transport Canada and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Although these vehicles classify as motorcycles, many states allow road use with a regular car driver’s license. Other jurisdictions, however, require occupants to wear a helmet even though, like the Solo, they feature seat belts and rear and side impact airbags. In most of Canada (including Ontario as of March 1, 2016, ) drivers can register a three-wheeler like any other car provided, like the Solo, it meets federal safety standards.

The Solo will officially debut on July 20th in Vancouver after which Kroll says the company will begin delivery of Electra Meccanica’s Alpha series. At approximately 10 units per month,

Built largely from carbon fiber composite, the Solo’s chassis weighs just under 40 lbs.

assembly of this initial run will be performed by Electra Meccanica partner, Vancouver-based Intermeccanica, a custom coach builder that has been making reproductions of the Porsche 356 and other classic sports cars since 1959.

While a slow start, Kroll says the company will ramp up production quickly in 2017 to fulfil pre-orders from private and commercial customers. At that point, he says assembly will move to a planned 250,000-sq.-ft. facility in British Columbia followed by similar facilities in Ontario, the U.S., France and Germany.

“Potentially, we could be building 100,000 of our cars next year, or double what Tesla has been able to put out,” Kroll says. “I will caution that by saying that they’ve actually done 55,000 and we plan on producing 100,000. So, we’ll see what happens.”

DE www.electrameccanica.com

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30 QualityControl

FIVE TIPS to unload the CMM

How to remove production bottlenecks caused by slow moving coordinate measuring machines.

By Daniel Brown

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or manufacturing companies, quality control and part inspection are requirements for customer approval. To do this, production managers generally choose coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), which are one of the most common types of metrology equipment used to inspect and ensure quality control of manufactured parts.

However, this detour from the production floor to the metrology lab may often be long and arduous because the CMM, being very popular, is often loaded by all operations. In addition to not being the fastest metrology tool (in terms of programming and operating times), it requires that parts, which often have large dimensions, be moved to the CMM’s location.

These mandatory stops at the CMM—and all the delays they cause—are far from being your favorite moments, as they slow down the execution of your work. Thus, as a production manager, you might be wondering how to solve these CMM bottleneck issues? We analyzed five tactics to enable you to unload the CMM and, therefore, speed up the manufacturing process.

Before diving in, it’s important to know the characteristics specific to CMMs. On the upside, CMMs are automated and very precise measurement instruments. The limitation, however, is that CMMs are fixed laboratory equipment, requiring the measured part be moved to the lab. They also have a defined and non-extendable measurement volume. The solutions to unload CMMs must, therefore, take into account these specificities.

1. Use the CMM only if necessary Due to its characteristics, select the measurements that should always be performed on a CMM and decide which measurements could be allocated to alternative solutions that, although less accurate, will be sufficient for certain applications. Use the CMM for highly accurate measurements, for example to perform final inspections, make final compliance reports or analyze contentious cases.

2. Look for alternative solutions Now that you’ve considerably reduced the inspections done on the CMM, it is judicious to develop a toolbox of alternative metrology solutions for the other stages of the manufacturing process.

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Mass production inspection can help unload the CMM by upwards of 80 percent.

First Article Inspection (FAI): By using an alternative solution, a large number of measurements can be performed on a maximized number of parts without being limited by the capacity of the CMM, which corresponds to the measuring time added to the time it takes to move the parts to the laboratory.

Mass production with systematic control: With an alternative solution, good and bad parts can be sorted rapidly—and cheaply. Dubious parts can still be brought to the CMM to remove any doubt. This tactic alone can help unload the CMM by almost 80 percent of the measured parts.

Mass production with sampling control: An alternative solution offers better monitoring of any possible drift—to anticipate adjustments—and ensures a seamless detection of random faults. CMMs can then be used to analyze only the most complex cases and determine corrective actions.

Portable metrology equipment performed directly on the shop floor.

3. Use metrology equipment that requires less training Because the CMM is a complex metrology instrument, it needs to be handled by highly trained and experienced operators.

When a friendlier tool is used to perform inspection at different stages, the intervention of a CMM operator isn’t required.

In addition, because the measuring tool doesn’t require an advanced technician and is more accessible, more operators can use it, which increases the number of measurements that can be performed. The more measurements carried out by an alternative solution, the more accessible the CMM will be to perform final inspections, make final compliance reports and analyze contentious cases. www.design-engineering.com

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QualityControl 31 4. Prioritize inspection directly on the production floor As previously mentioned, some measurements should always be performed on a CMM. When these measurements are necessary, the CMM must be available. Thus, prioritizing measurements taken directly on the shop floor provides more accessibility to the CMM. If a measured part has large dimensions and can hardly be moved, why lose time and energy bringing it to the lab? In this case, it is preferable to use a portable metrology tool that enables measuring parts directly on the shop floor. The most common portable metrology tools include measuring arms, laser trackers, optical CMMs, 3D scanners and photogrammetry.

5. Make more measurements at intermediate steps Each step of a production process can present various issues (for example: shrinkage, part thickness, distortion and tooling quality). Because of that, the CMM is used abundantly, which provokes a lot of back and forth at the beginning of production, creating a significant bottleneck effect that clogs the manufacturing process.

Performing inspections at intermediate steps avoids workload bottlenecks at the CMM and puts less pressure on the quality control operators. These operators are then able to supply more complete and documented inspection reports that will facilitate and improve the customer’s verification and approbation.

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Inspection can be performed in the production line.

Portable metrology equipment enables them to make more measurements at each stage of the production process and, therefore, is a great alternative solution to unload the CMM and improve quality controls. Portable technology enables more reliable and efficient measurements, directly on the production floor, at every step in the manufacturing process.

DE www.creaform3d.com

Daniel Brown is Senior Product Manager at Creaform.

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Robotics

Grip STRENGTH Aerospace manufacturer adds unattended CNC shifts with a hand up from Robotiq’s Canadian-made robotic gripper.

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hen Whippany Actuation Systems experienced increased demand for specialized parts, they needed to increase productivity quickly. A manufacturer of rotary and linear electro-mechanical actuation systems for the aerospace and defense industries, the company and its 170 employees faced a critical choice: Buy a new CNC machine, outsource the work or introduce automation.

“We were faced with an overloaded condition at certain work centers,” explains Phil DeMauro, manager of manufacturing engineering at Whippany.

“One option would be to outsource some of those products to subcontract manufacturing rather than doing it where we would rather do it, which is in-house.”

With CNC machines costing several hundred thousand dollars, DeMauro and Russell Harter, manufacturing engineer at Whippany, took a trip to the March 2015 Automate trade show in Chicago to explore automation possibilities. That’s when they first encountered Universal Robots (UR).

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“We saw a host of manufacturers and Universal Robots caught our eye as an effective solution that can be implemented very easily and programmed very easily,” says DeMauro. “A collaborative system that doesn’t require a lot of the traditional guarding and safety that other robots require.”

DeMauro and Harter, engineers with more than 40 years of combined experience at Whippany, contacted Eric Cortese, a s ales engineer and robotics product specialist at Axis New Jersey, the local area distributor for Universal Robots and Lévis, Quebec-based Robotiq, to find out more.

Few Whippany employees understand the tasks that were to be automated better than Patrick Cain, gear machinist at Whippany: “My job is to take blanks that come here from other machines and machine gears on them. When I’m done with those blanks, I also deburr them and sometimes use another machine to do the other side of the gears.” www.design-engineering.com

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Robotics 33

Whippany needed a robot that was able to slide open the door of their CNC machine, reach in, take a part out, relocate it safely, pick up another part, put it in the machine, slide the door closed and instruct the CNC machine to begin its work.

If everything went as planned, the company hoped to increase production capacity by having the robot work unattended overnight – all without the major capital expense of a new CNC machine. Additionally, Cain and other employees would be freed up to spend time on other, less tedious tasks.

Quality Reliability Efficiency

In May 2015, after a series of meetings with Cortese during which potential challenges were analyzed and the potential cost-effectiveness and capabilities of the collaborative robot system became clear, Whippany made their decision to purchase a UR robot fitted with a Robotiq gripper.

Whippany wanted to integrate a set of customized adaptive grippers to the UR robot so that it could handle parts of different sizes. Robot and gripper also needed to be able to communicate with the company’s CNC machine. Choosing an

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Robotics

adaptive Robotiq gripper for these tasks was a natural choice, says DeMauro.

“The Robotiq gripper is a fully-developed application,” he says. “Having something like this readily available, off-the-shelf, that can be mounted to a robot and you can easily adapt with custom gripper plates makes it a much quicker implementation.”

Integrating a Robotiq gripper with a UR robot is as easy as plugging in a USB and loading the drivers. The gripper itself is “very, very easy to use,” says gear machinist Cain. “I thought it would be more complicated than it is.”

To enable the robot to handle different parts, Cain swaps out custom gripper fingertips – a simple process that takes just a few minutes. “It’s a very short procedure,” he says. “Two screws on each finger. Pop them in and out. I don’t have to modify the robot programming at all.”

The ability to move the robot from one cell to another quickly was also “a huge consideration,” says DeMauro. “We just pop a couple of locating pins in the floor and get up and running.”

The integration of the robot to the CNC was “straightforward,” says Axis New Jersey’s Cortese. “We had an outside integrator come in and help us wire the discrete I/O to the controller of the gear-shaper and the [UR robot]. Once we had everything plugged in, we were able to label all the I/O points and map everything out.”

The system’s control program allows users to monitor specific I/Os tied to events happening on the machine from doors opening and closing to the unit being loaded. When everything is first turned on, the operator can see an I/O tree lighting up.

This indicates that robot, CNC machine and gripper are communicating with each other.

By September 2015, Whippany’s brand-new, customized, collaborative robot system was ready for its first day at work.

With its CNC machines running two additional, unattended shifts, the company’s goal of increased production capacity has been achieved, says DeMauro, who expects to achieve ROI on the robot in a little under one year.

Collaborative robotics has not just made Whippany more competitive, the company is now considering the possibility of insourcing more work because of its enhanced production capacity.

“Overall, it helps the business, from a cost standpoint, from a productivity standpoint and from a capacity standpoint,” explains DeMauro, who expects company margins to improve as a result of automation.

For gear machinist Cain, automation frees him up to do more interesting work. “The robot helps me out by taking over the tedious stuff so I can go ahead and do setups. I can also deburr and get the other machine running. It frees up a lot of my time.”

“We’ve already targeted two other cells that we’re going to implement robotics in,” DeMauro adds. “It’s going to give us the ability to aid capacity with a workforce that is tasked with more value-added activities.”

DE www.whipactsys.com www.robotiq.com

This article was supplied by Lévis, Quebec-based Robotiq.

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PowerTransmission

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Picking the Right

LINEAR POSITIONING DEVICE Each technology has its benefits but choosing the proper one avoids common problems

By Tony Kliber

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inear drive systems have been used for thousands of years, as far back as the ancient Egyptians who used tree trunks to move heavy blocks of stones, providing the precursor to linear motion solutions such as ball screws and roller pinion systems. Today, linear motion technology is used to support, locate, guide and move machinery components in a wide range of applications in the aerospace, machine tool, medical, factory automation, packaging and other industries. While the basic requirements of linear motion technology are to provide load-bearing capability and accurate motion, other requirements are also important in many cases.

The linear drive technology used in a product plays an important role in providing the functionality, performance, durability, energy consumption and other attributes that enable the product to outperform competition. Engineers can choose from a wide range of linear drive technology choices such as lead screws, ball screws, rack and pinion systems, belt drives, linear motors and roller pinion systems.

It’s critical to carefully consider all of your options to avoid common problems such as low accuracy, backlash/vibrations, high cost, dirty operations, high maintenance, low load capacity, excessive noise, low speed, etc. A s ystematic selection process can ensure that the chosen linear drive technology matches the require-

ments of the application. Selecting the right technology can also reduce design complexity, improve performance and reduce the overall cost of assembly.

Lead screws Lead screws use the helix angle of a thread to convert turning motion into linear motion. The large area of sliding contact between the male and female members of the thread generate relatively high frictional losses. The result is that lead screws are less efficient and not as accurate as ball screws.

Lead screws provide relatively high loadcarrying capacity although typically less than ball screws. A key advantage of lead screws is low cost – they are typically only 1/10 the cost of equivalent ball screws. Lead screws are available in wide range of lead sizes which means the lead can be selected to provide the right balance of positioning accuracy and speed. Lead screws generally produce very little noise as long as sufficient lubrication is maintained. However, they can be difficult to use in long-distance moves as the screw is typically unsupported between the two ends.

Ball screws The ball screw drive consists of a ball screw and ball nut with recirculating bearings that roll in the grooves formed by the screw and nut. The ball screw distributes the load over a large number of rolling elements, resulting a high load carrying capability. The use of a large number of precision rolling elements also provides high levels of accuracy. Ball screws also provide low levels of friction which translates into high mechanical efficiency and reduced power requirements. The duty cycle of ball screws is also quite high because they generate relatively low levels of frictional heat.

However,

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36 PowerTransmission compared to other linear drive technologies, ball screws tend to be expensive and they also require that lubrication be maintained to provide reasonable life. Finally, ball screws are prone to noise, primarily caused by ball recirculation.

Belt drive Systems Belt-drive linear motion systems with ball guides are typically selected when high speeds, high rates of acceleration and long stroke lengths are the most important criteria. Belt-driven, slide guided linear actuators offer somewhat lower speed and acceleration capabilities at a corresponding lower cost. Linear positioning accuracy of belt drives, as might be expected, is not as great as either lead screws or ball screws. The load capacity of both ball-guided and slide-guided belt drives is somewhat lower than ball screws. Belt stretch and stiffness are other drawbacks. Beltdriven linear motion systems are generally capable of high duty cycles since they avoid concerns about frictional heat buildup in the bearing of a lead screw or ball screw. Additional advantages of belt-driven systems include the fact that they generate relatively little noise and require relatively little maintenance.

Chain drives Chain drives convert rotary motion to linear motion through a series of chain links that mesh with a toothed sprocket and

with a linear slide. An advantage of chain drives over belt drives is higher loads because chain drives are metal. Chain drives also take up less space than belt drives and are not prone to damage by oil, grease, sunlight or age. Unlike belt drives, chain drives are also capable of operating in wet conditions. On the other hand, chain drives typically generate more noise and have a greater tendency to vibrate than belt drives. They also provide a lower load capacity and service life than gear drives.

Linear motors Linear motors are based on the concept of unwrapping a conventional rotary servo motor with the stator becoming a forcer and the rotor transforming into a coil or magnet rail. Linear motors make it possible to achieve direct linear motion without any rotary to linear transmission devices.

Brushed linear motors use coils in the linear rail and magnets in the forcer. Brushes in the forcer contact a bar running the length of the motor to provide commutation. Both the windings and forcer are contained within the forcer of a linear step motor. The advantages of linear motors include high

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PowerTransmission

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speeds, high levels of accuracy and fast response. Their limitations include high cost, large package size and generation of considerable amounts of heat. Linear motors also have a low capacity, similar to the comparison of direct drive motors vs. motors with a gearbox – the direct drive motor has to be significantly larger to get the same capacity.

Rack and pinion sets Rack and pinion gear sets consist of a circular gear called a pinion that engages the teeth of a linear gear called a rack to convert rotational motion to linear motion. Rack and pinion gears are commonly used as linear actuators in a wide range of machinery. For example, they are used to move the axes of computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools such as machining centers. Helical racks offer quieter running at high speeds and a higher load carrying capacity due to the higher tooth contact ratio. Lubrication is important to ensure long life for rack and pinion sets. The advantages of rack and pinion sets include relatively few components and high levels of accuracy even over long travel lengths. Their disadvantages include their relative high levels of friction. Plus, rack and pinion drives need to run with clearance, so backlash can be a major disadvantage.

Roller pinion systems While similar to rack and pinion at first glance, roller pinion systems use bearing-supported rollers, instead of spur gear teeth, to engage the rack teeth. Positioning accuracy of roller pinion systems ranges from 30 to 80 microns. For instance, a given size product in a premium model may deliver positional accuracy of ±30 µm, a life expectancy of 30 million cycles/tooth and a m maximum aximum dynamic load (N) of 14,000. For medium loads, a universal model can deliver accuracy of ±50 µm for 5 million cycles/tooth and carry a maximum dynamic load (N) of 750. The RPS system is capable of speeds up to 11 m/s (36.1 ft) making it the second only to linear motors. The pinion consists of 10 or 12 needle-bearing supported rollers that are sealed and lubricated for life. The rack is lubricated with a high performance light grease at installation and then every six months or 2 million pinion revolutions. In special applications the roller pinion system can be run lubrication free as long as the speed is less than 30 m/min. The system produces less than 75 db at full speed.

Linear drive systems, such as lead screws, ball screws, rack and pinion sets, belt drives, chain drives and linear motors and roller pinion systems each offer their own unique mix of advantages and disadvantages. To apply the correct type of linear motion technology in a particular application, the design engineer should carefully consider the specific capabilities of each alternative.

Selecting the right technology can improve performance, ensure long life and reduce the overall cost of the assembly.

DE

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FluidPower

Six Surprising Capabilities of MODERN HYDRAULICS From real time precision to Industry 4.0 readiness, today’s fluid technology holds its own.

The 12-meter-high Great Elephant from Nantes, France’s Machines of the Isle Maker Faire owes its natural 3 km/hr gait to modern electro-hydraulic components.

By Dr. Steffen Haack

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solely depends on the respective utilized measuring system. In tool and plastic machines, hydraulic drives reliably position axes to a precision of a few micrometers.

Micrometer Precision Electro-hydraulic axis controllers close the control loop de-centrally, similar to electrical servo drives, and harmonize the target/ actual position in real time within milliseconds. The precision of the movement

Compact It is often difficult to place electromechanical drives with sufficient performance in tight construction spaces. Unlike hydraulic drives, they also add significant heat. Since power generation is decentralized in the power unit and since it is connected to the actuator via lines or pipes, OEMs can generate high forces even in minimal construction space. The relatively low level of heat created in the work area dissipates optimally through the hydraulic fluid.

or anyone possessing only a superfluous familiarity with fluid power technology, it can be easy to underestimate the performance and intelligence of modern hydraulics. Who would think that this technology is highly precise, energy efficient and ready today for Industry 4.0 applications? Here are six capabilities of a strong drive technology:

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39 Mastering challenges.

Opening communication channels.

Redefining flexibility.

Balanced Drive Physics Fluid technology is not always inherently linear. Drive software for hydraulic actuators takes these particularities into consideration and harmonizes them automatically.

Pre-programmed, typical hydraulic functions (e.g. synchronization or positiondependent braking) merely require the optimization of parameters within the scope of start-up. They are based on a transparent software structure and function equally on all hardware platforms.

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Everything else (for example, the parameterization values determined from simulations) is already stored in the drive software.

Need-Based Energy Efficiency Software combines the best from electrical and hydraulic systems. The decentralized intelligence in the electronic control device adjusts the rotational speed of the pump drive on demand as the consumer requires power, or it lowers that speed to zero. In comparison to common constant drives, this reduces the energy consumption of hydraulic power units by up to 80 percent. Even older facilities and machines can be retrofitted to significantly reduce the energy consumption in production, without requiring major efforts.

Open and Outgoing Modern motion controls for hydraulic drives support all common protocols (e.g. Sercos, EtherCAT, Ethernet IP, PROFINET RT, Powerlink, and Varan). Their software is also based on open standards (e.g. IEC 61131-3 and PLCopen). This makes them an ideal match for the increasingly integrated and technology-overlapping infrastructure of modern production environments – all the way up to Industry 4.0.

DE Dr. Steffen Haack is a member of the Executive Board for Bosch Rexroth AG and is responsible for the industrial applications and sales division. This article originally appeared in The Fluid Power Journal.

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MotionControl

Sourcing the Best VISION SYSTEM CAMERA Follow this how-to guide to find the best vision system camera for the price.

By Glen Ahearn

S

o you’re designing a vision system. You know your applica application, your performance expectations and you have a general idea of how that might translate into camera specifications and cost. But there are a lot of variables and so many ways to solve your vision requirement.

The easiest solution would be complete transparency – show a camera manufacturer your application and ask them what you need. Unfortunately, you can’t always do that due to confidentiality requirements. If this is the case, here’s what you need to tell a camera provider so they can help you get the best possible camera for your application.

Camera Type In machine vision there are two primary types of cameras: Line scan and area cameras. While other types of cameras and sensors exist, most machine vision applications are addressed by one of these two broad categories.

As a good rule of thumb, ask the following question: “Will the camera be looking at a discrete component or a continuous ‘web’?”

If it is a discrete component, an area camera may be a good choice.

If it is a continuous web process, such as paper, aluminum, steel, glass, or fabric, a line scan camera may be the right option.

One exception to this rule, however, is if the discrete component you are looking at has very high-resolution requirements in one or both dimensions. Line scan cameras offer higher resolution than area cameras in one dimension. And by scanning the object at a greater number of lines over the length of the object, you can achieve even higher resolution in the second dimension.

Resolution To choose the right camera for the job, it’s critical to know the resolution requirement (i.e. the number of pixels covering the field of view). Calculating the resolution requires knowing the size of the field of view and knowing the smallest object you wish to resolve.

Since we won’t be covering optics in this discussion, we will assume that the optical magnification is 1 (i.e. no magnification).

This means the field of view can be directly related to the numnum ber of pixels on the camera. For example, if the field of view you want to image is 4˝ x 2˝ and you need 1,000 pixels per inch, you know you need a camera which has a minimum resolution of 4,000 x 2,000 pixels.

How do you decide how many pixels you need? Let’s look at a basic machine vision operation: Defect detection. To find defects as small as 1/100˝ x 1/100˝, most machine vision experts will tell you it is prudent to have more than one pixel cover a defect in order for reliable detection.

A good rule of thumb is to have 3 pixels in the smallest area you want to detect. This means, in our example, you want roughly one pixel for every 3/1,000˝ of area you are cover covering. If we are imaging a 4˝ x 2˝ field of view, and we need a pixel every 3/1,000˝, this means we need 1,200 pixels (4˝ / 3/1,000˝) x 600 pixels (2˝ / 3/1,000˝) at a minimum.

Acquisition Rate How fast does your camera need to go? For area cameras and discrete component inspecinspec tion, this is a very straightforward question. What is the rate at which your “widgets” are going by a

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MotionControl

Fig. 1: Image capture and processing timeline.

single point in space? If the answer is 25 widgets per second, then you need an area camera whose minimum frame rate is at least 25 frames per second (fps). It is always a good idea to leave some tolerance padding on all of these specifications, so let’s say that a camera with a minimum frame rate of 30 frames per second is a good choice.

There is a second dimension to this question that involves exposure time. Not only does the camera’s frame rate need to keep up with the widget rate, but the host computer also needs time to perform image processing and make whatever decisions it needs to make (e.g. reject part). This is part of the overall “cycle time.” If the camera is being triggered at a rate of 25 fps, in the time domain that is 40 milliseconds (ms) per frame, then 40ms is then your cycle time. All the image acquisition, transfer and processing must take place within that 40ms window.

If we know it takes the host computer 20ms to process each image, and we know it takes 5ms to transfer the image from the camera to the host computer, then we know there is only 15ms left for exposure time. Some of these processes, like exposure, are serial processes, while others can be overlapped. (See Fig. 1 timeline for details).

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into computers and are ubiquitous, such as Gigabit Ethernet (GigE), Firewire (IEEE1394) and USB variants.

For camera manufacturers to choose the right interconnect, we need to know bandwidth requirement (which is a product of resolution and frame rate) and distance between the camera and host computer. Since analog-based interfaces are going away in favor of digital interconnections, we can say that GigE offers the greatest transmission distance, while CLHS offers the highest throughput.

Light Wavelength Cameras vary in their sensitivity based on wavelength of light.

Knowing if a particular wavelength of light is going to be used to illuminate the object in question is of critical importance to the camera manufacturer.

With laser illumination, it is easy to find the light wavelength – that will be part of the laser’s specification. It’s a bit more difficult to know the wavelength distribution of a halogen light (more toward the red end of the spectrum) or a fluorescent light (more towards the blue end of the spectrum). You can generally get the component wavelengths from the lighting manufacturer.

Quantity Sometimes an application will require a bit of functionality that is just outside those of a standard product. It may be possible to perform a modification to the camera to make it perfect for a given application. Camera manufacturers who make a high volume of cameras may want to know what the volume potential is for a modified camera.

If the application is a “one-of-a-kind” and only requires one camera, this may limit a manufacturer’s ability to produce a custom modification. On the other hand, an application that, if successful, will require a high volume of cameras on an on-going annual basis, may be a different story.

“I have often heard customers request that a camera run “as fast as possible,” when what they really mean is “as fast as possible within my budget.”

Notice in the timeline that processing can begin on the first frame as soon as it is received, and the second frame exposure and transfer can happen in parallel with the first frame transfer and processing. However, processing cannot begin on the second frame until the processing is completed on the first frame (unless you employ multi-threaded processing with multiple core processors).

For line scan cameras, speeds are specified in lines per second rather than frames per second. To calculate the minimum speed required of the line scan camera, we need to know two things: 1) resolution (which we discussed in the previous section) in the direction of motion; and 2) the speed of the object being imaged. If we need a pixel resolution of 3/1,000˝ and our object is moving at 100˝ per second, we will require a line-scan camera speed of 33,333 lines per second, or 33.3 kHz line rate (100˝ / 0.003˝ = 33,333).

Interconnect There are multiple interconnect standards that connect cameras to host computers. Some require framegrabbers, such as RS-170, NTSC/PAL, CoaXpress, Camera Link and Camera Link HighSpeed (CLHS). Others rely on interfaces that are typically built www.design-engineering.com

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Price This requirement would have been listed first if these items were ranked by importance. It’s not the only concern, however, since a vision system that can’t do the job isn’t worth anything. The reason price enters into the discussion is that some of the above items are nuanced. For example, on the question of acquisition rate, customers often request that a camera run “as fast as possible,” when what they really mean is “as fast as possible within my budget.”

It’s important to be straightforward with your camera provider about your price range. The best providers are more interested in you being a satisfied customer than making an extra 20% by selling you more than you need. The more information you can provide, the happier you will be with your new camera and the price you paid for it.

DE www.teledynedalsa.com

Glen Ahearn is the sales and application support manager at Teledyne DALSA. For more vision system how-to articles, visit the company’s blog at www.possibility.teledynedalsa.com May/June | 2016

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42 InsideDesign

Paying Homage to THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT Vancouver-based engineering design firm MistyWest creates products that make the world a better place.

By Lindsay Luminoso

I

t started with an idea. Straight out of university, Leigh Christie and Josh Usher partnered on a design engineering venture around sports equipment. The duo struggled to gain traction, realizing they needed to learn more about their intended markets.

Christie and Usher explored the electric vehicle market, battery design, and sustainable energy and transportation sectors, eventually launching their own company, MistyWest.

The company began to grow in earnest five years ago with the hire of their first employee, Derek Disanjh. Today, MistyWest has 14 full-time employees, 10 of them engineers. It’s a small company so everyone shares in the responsibilities. And that’s the beauty of it, explains Dylan Groven, business development lead at MistyWest.

“One thing that is strange about our company is that there is no intention to grow this into a 1,000 person company,” explains Groven. “We are seeing growth through increasing our knowledge base and skill set. ” MistyWest’s team is unique because it includes not only electrical and mechanical engineers, but also engineering physics majors, mechatronics engineers, industrial designers and firmware developers, all with varied skill sets.

“We hired engineering physics majors because we wanted people with skill sets grounded in first principles,” says Groven.

“It goes back to the question of whether you can be good at a wide variety of things. The answer is, you can, if you have a team that can work from first principles.”

The goal is to do a lot of unique projects well, not just focusing in on one sector. The social impact of the project is also extremely relevant for the team, whose primary imperative is to do work that makes the world a better place.

One of the early projects MistyWest designed was a pulse oximeter to test for pre-eclampsia in the developing world. Pre-eclampsia is a highly treatable yet potentially lethal condition during pregnancy. In North America, a medical grade pulse oximeter could cost upwards of $1,000. However, the client, LionsGate Technologies, asked the team to shrink the cost to around $10.

“We were able to get the device down to $12 and we did that in 16 weeks – from prototyping, board spin, enclosure design and full production of the first run,” Groven says.

On average, the design firm works on five to 10 large projects and approximately 10 to 20 smaller projects annually.

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The MistyWest team: (top l-r) Angela May, Madison Reid, Tyler Cooper, Dylan Groven, Tero Marin, Div Gill, and Aaron MacDonald; (middle l-r) Derek Disanjh, Oleha Riden, Justin Lam; (bottom l-r) Leigh Christie, Josh Usher, Steve Cooper the Dog, Vlad Lavrovsky and Denis Godin.

Groven explains that the last three projects were extensive and included the development of a high-end, commercial batch coffee brewer, a proprietary 3D display system and daylightvisible LED signage for a large U.S. company.

Just prior to that, the team finished a development prototype of a particle counter for a product called TZOA for Clad Innovations. The device monitors air quality through optical particle counting of airborne particulates and reports values to a smartphone app via Bluetooth.

The company’s design philosophy is based on small teams, Groven explains, composed of three to four.

“At that level, the team is almost telepathic,” he says. “We can do design changes on the fly. When you have a small team, there is much less communication overhead and it decreases our design cycle time.”

A great example of this was the development of the coffee brewer. The customer needed a showable prototype for an upcoming conference. MistyWest was able to do a full product development cycle in two months, which would have normally taken upwards of a year, but the team was able to do it in the timetable needed.

The design team had never worked on a coffee brewer before so they encountered unique challenges, like understanding the varying levels of quality in coffee. In numerous taste tests, some team members couldn’t tell a difference in taste, whereas others who fashioned themselves as amateur baristas could provide better feedback to improve the end product. www.design-engineering.com

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InsideDesign 43 “I guess as engineers, we are used to getting by with pretty crappy coffee,” jokes Groven.

In the past year, MistyWest has taken on projects in a range of industries like biomedical, 3D imaging, IOT, wearable devices, personal transportation and the sustainable energy sector. The company also provides a unique service where large companies with very capable engineering teams will hire MistyWest engineers as their R&D SWAT team to prove out a concept before they internalize it with their own engineering team.

“We are pretty diversified,” says Groven.

“As far as saturation, we’ve been watching the market and we’ve seen an explosion of design related companies, which is a natural extension of the democratization of the means of production.”

The team is adjusting to shift in production through what they call “Agile for hardware,” using the design philosophy of rapid iteration, developing a m inimum viable product, testing it, seeing where the failure points are, and doing a quick turn on the design, accelerating the development cycle. This allows them to meet the everevolving needs of their clients.

The company boasts a wide range of customers, with approximately 60 per cent of the business coming from the U.S., although Groven does note there is a very loyal customer base in Vancouver, largely because MistyWest really wants to grow the local industry.

“Half the reason why Josh Usher and Leigh Christie founded the company was that there is a phenomenal talent pool here,” he explains. “We are working with some very large, well-known companies in the U.S. and our engineers can work and compete with them. We also have a lot of connections with people in the Bay Area and understand the technology culture well. It’s humbling and instructive to know that we can develop at that level.”

MistyWest is showing the world that Canada offers a phenomenal post-secondary system, produces a great deal of talent and is letting the world know as a Canadian engineer you can definitely compete on a global scale and reach out to new markets.

“Canadian engineers kick ass,” boasts Groven.

DE www.mistywest.com May/June | 2016

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IdeaGenerator Product Spotlight ActiveMover Bosch Rexroth unveiled its ActiveMover transfer system that offers a workpiece pallet changeover time of 0.1 second, the company says. The system’s linear motors and integrated measuring system position the workpiece pallets on a closed trackway using a drive that provides a force of up to 160N. The transfer system consists

of straight section and curve units with vertically installed low-wear linear motors that accelerate workpiece pallets with forces of up to 4g. The maximum speed is 150 m/min with a payload capacity of up to ten kilograms. The changeover time for the magnetically coupled workpiece pallets ranges from 0.1 to 0.3 seconds, depending on their size. In addition, the ActiveMover workpiece pallets move into any chosen position with a repeatability of +/- 0.01 mm.

Users can use as many workpiece pallets as they want on the straight section and curve units, and they can control them individually. The travel direction, speed, acceleration, position and process sequence of each workpiece pallet can be programmed as desired. Integrated collision control ensures safe operation.

ActiveMover communicates via ProfiNet or Ethernet I/P with any chosen process control system. The system’s enclosed power electronics achieve a protection category of IP65. www.boschrexroth.com

Automation

TDI line scan series. The company’s XDR models are built around the AIA’s Camera Link HS interface standard. The XDR models are CMOS TDI Camera designed for high-speed applications with throughput of up to 2 Teledyne DALSA added two new 16k models to its Piranha XL CMOS Gbytes per second on a single CX4 cable. A fieldproven industry-standard CLHS interface and builtin Trigger to Image Reliability (T2IR) framework safeguards every bit in the camera’s full 2.0 GB/s data throughput. CLHS inherently provides data resend and immunity from single bit Designed to keep working through errors, while Teledyne DALSA’s T2IR provides wash downs, immersion in water monitoring, diagnostics, track and trace and and in dusty environments, the buffers to prevent data loss.

Vert-X 13 is only 13 mm in www.teledynedalsa.com

diameter. That makes it easy to fit almost any application.

Key specs include: • Linearity ± 0.3 % • Resolution 12 or 14 bits • Sealed to IP 68 • Output options: voltage, PWM, SPI, SSI and Incremental

For complete Vert-X 13 information visit www.novotechik.com/v13 Novotechnik U.S., Inc. • Telephone: 508-485-2244 • Email: info@novotechnik.com

Magnetic Gripper SCHUNK expanded its EGM series with the introduction of grippers with electro-permanent magnets that only require a short current pulse of 300ms for actuation and deactivation. Since no energy supply is required in activated condition, parts remain gripped even in an emergency stop or loss of power. The EGM series has a gripping force of 1.2 to 22.5kN and are designed for parts weighing a maximum of 147kg, with a material thickness starting from 3.5mm. For handling of thin sheets, the gripping force

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IdeaGenerator 45 can be reduced in eight stages with an additional control unit. The EGM-M magnetic gripper can be used in confined spaces due to its compact dimensions, and in a maximum ambient temperature of 40°C the activation or deactivation time amounts to 300ms. www.us.schunk.com

Robot Cable Igus introduced its Chainflex line of intelligent robot cables that warn users before failure occurs. If certain parameters are exceeded during the cable’s operation in dynamic applications, a warning is triggered, indicating that the cable must be replaced within the next four weeks. While standard cables are designed for use while fixed in place, dynamic applications require specially designed cables to prevent failure and downtime. Chainflex cables are specially stranded and shielded to optimize service life, and a range of jacket materials and cable designs stand up to even the most demanding applications. www.igus.com

Cooling Units Rittal Canada unveiled its line of Blue e+ cooling units that use two parallel cooling circuits working together plus an integral heat pipe that dissipates heat from the enclosure as soon as the ambient temperature falls below the set point.

Active climatization is achieved via the compressor’s cooling circuit with speed-controlled components for demand-based cooling. Providing

Cable Connector LEMO launched a Push-Pull metal connector called the Halo LED as part of the company’s IAC (Intelligent Active Connector) line. The connector includes an LED lit flange allowing display of connection status. Available with white, red, green or blue LEDs, equipment

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.

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designers can display two different colors consecutively for diagnostics. As part of the IAC (Intelligent Active Connector) program, additional features, such as unique connector identification, is also available. In this case, the connector pair will use an electronic chip that can offer identification, counting, safety and security options. www.lemo.com

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

May/June | 2016

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46 IdeaGenerator multi-voltage capability, the units’ possible input voltages range from 110V (single phase) to 480V (three-phase) at grid frequencies of 50 or 60Hz. Other features include a front-mounted touch-screen display and password-protected Near-Field Communications (NFC) that provides real-time performance data and quick modification of the unit’s settings. The Blue e+ cooling units offer cooling capacities up to 6,000 watts (previously up to 4,000 watts) and can be used in environments ranging from -30°C to +60°C. www.rittal.com

Alignment Platform Aerotech announced its FiberMax HP, a second-generation 3-6 axis photonics alignment platform built on the company’s ANT nanopositioning product line. Designed for photonics alignment, the platform features non-contact direct-drive technology capable of 2nm linear and 0.05µrad rotary minimum incremental motion, with speeds to 400mm/s. Aerotech’s controllers work with a variety of smart cameras and machine vision systems to help facilitate first light. The companies power servo scanning algorithms can be called to optimize power coupled through the device.

Standard scanning routines include fast align, hill climb, spiral, and raster searches in up to six axes of motion. The platform is available with 3-6 axes of direct-drive alignment. For applications requiring manual adjustment, the platform comes with 1-3 axes of manual angular alignment with ±2° of motion. These manual adjustment axes mount directly to the direct-drive platform. www.aerotech.com

Rolling Ring linear drives

Zero backlash. Jam-proof design.

Limit Alarm Modules

• 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.

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

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Some models feature mechanical control over speed and travel direction.

No programming or electronic controls are needed.

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

AutomationDirect unveiled its FC-series, a line of analog to relay limit alarm modules that are field configurable for a variety of alarm and control applications. Modules are available with two or four SPDT relay outputs, can be powered by 24VAC or 24VDC and accept input signals of 0-15V, 0-30V, or 0-20mA. Configuration and trip/release point programming is accomplished with DIP switches and a single programming pushbutton. LED’s provide indication of operating status and are used during the trip/release point programming. Modules can be 35mm DIN rail or side mounted. www.automationdirect.com

Bulkhead Mounted Housing HARTING launched its Han B b ulkhead mounted housing, equipped with a hinged cover that protects against water spray and dust via a spring. The housing is locked with Han-Easy Lock levers. Unplugged, the housing meets the requirements of IP44; in the plugged condition, such as in combination with a suitable Han B hood, it complies with www.design-engineering.com

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IdeaGenerator 47 the IP65 protection class. The Han Snap Cap Mechanism allows HARTING to expand the options within the Han B range for protecting electrically powered applications against external influences. The application possibilities include wind energy systems, cranes and switchgear to trains and trams.

Users can choose from standard sizes ranging from 6B to 24B. www.harting.ca

Pneumatic Cylinder Camozzi Pneumatics released its Series 6PF Positioning Feedback Cylinder. In compliance with ISO 15552 standards, the series is equipped with a potentiometric transducer of a linear position integrated inside the rod. This type of cylinder, when

Fluid Power Electronic Valves Clippard released a series of direct actuating 7mm 2-Way Normally-Closed electronic valves. According to the company, the line offers fast response time, low moving weights, low noise, low vibration and low energy consumption. In addition, the SV series feature an expected life of more than 1 billion cycles, have an extremely small dead volume and can be fully customized. www.clippard.com

Electronic Valve Driver HydraForce has added its configurable ECDR-0506A electronic valve driver used to enhance the control of hydraulic proportional valves. The controller features a 32-bit processor, six inputs (four analog and two digital) and five outputs (four closed loop and one open loop). Its 8-32VDC voltage rating allows it to handle a range from battery to full voltage. It is also CAN-capable, with a CAN 2.0B communication interface capable of reading CANO CANOpen and SAE J1939 communication protocols. A bicolor LED, red and green, provides a status check for troubleshooting. Designed for use in extreme environments, the driver carries a IP69K environmental rating with an operating temperature range from -40 to 85°C (-40 to 185°F). www.hydraforce.com

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CLIPPARD 7MM SUBMINIATURE ELECTRONIC VALVES These new direct actuating valves offer an extremely fast response time for accurate dosing of minute volumes with the same long life you expect from the original Clippard EV line of electronic valves, now in a 7 mm cartridge package.

Due to very low moving weights, they are extremely quiet and emit very low vibration.

Subminiature size, life cycle, and low energy consumption make them ideal for transportable and mobile systems, among others.

Clippard www.clippard.com Tel: 513.521.4261 • Email: sales@clippard.com

THERMALLY CONDUCTIVE/ELECTRICALLY INSULATIVE, LOW OUTGASSING SILICONE MasterSil 972TC-LO is capable of transferring heat while retaining superior dielectric properties.

It bonds well to a w ide variety of substrates, including metals, composites, glass, ceramics as well as many types of rubber and plastics. The system has very good flexibility and elongation.

It can withstand aggressive thermal cycling as well as thermal and mechanical shock. The system is 100% solid and has a white color.

Master Bond www.masterbond.com Tel: 1.201.343.8983 • Email: info@masterbond.com

DUST COLLECTORS NEW - FULL LINE LITERATURE GUIDE This impressive NEW guide outlines dozens of N.R. Murphy dust collectors, installations, capacities, styles and models. A must for any reference library. N.R. Murphy Limited has been in business over 70 years and has thousands of satisfied customers. “Dust Collectors are all we do; so get it done right the first time. Just Ask the Experts.”

N.R. Murphy Limited www.nrmurphy.com Tel: 1.519.621.6210 • Email: 4nodust@nrmurphyltd.com

To advertise your solution in this section call Alan Macpherson at 416.510.6756 May/June | 2016

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IdeaGenerator

used with the LRXA4 proportional servo valve, makes it possible along the entire stroke to constantly control the position of the rod. The pistons of the Series 6PF are equipped with specific seals for increased accuracy and a permanent magnet in order to use external end-stroke sensors.

The cylinders come with bores from 50mm to 125mm and standard strokes from 50mm to 500mm (50mm intervals). They also feature protection class IP67 and standard ISO accessories. www.camozzi-usa.com

Axial Piston Pump HAWE introduced its V80M-200 axial piston pump, capable of 400 bar nominal pressure, 450 bar peak pressure and displacement of up to 202 cm3/rev. Measuring 344mm long by 292mm wide, the pump transforms a power of up to 325kW and provides displacement up to an engine torque of 2,150 rev/min. The pump is available with a pressure controller, load-sensing controller and power controller, which can be combined. The load-sensing controller allows adjustment of the installed power to the maximum pressure or volume flow requirements within a load cycle while preventing overloading the drive motor. The V80M-200 pump is available with the option of a thrushaft so that it can work in series with other hydraulic pumps. With tandem pumps, the full torque of the second pump remains available. www.hawe.com

Motion Control Electric Cylinder Festo released its ESBF series of heavy-duty electrical cylinders. Featuring a spindle drive, the mechanical linear drives with piston rod are intended for applications needing dynamic forces from 300N to 17,000N. The ESBF is available in six sizes, from 32 to 100mm, and can provide maximum stroke lengths of 800-1,500mm depending on the size selected. The ESBF has 36 standard options as well as optional variants and special strokes. Options include IP65, Corrosion Class 3, bellows protection as well as food grade lubricant (NSF-H1) and sealing and sensors that make ESBF drives suitable for operation in splash zones. www.festo.com

Modular Control and I/O System B&R Automation unveiled its X90 product line, a set of standardized components for implementing flexible automation concepts.

The controller features an ARM processor and 48 multifunction I/O channels. Basic features include interfaces for CAN, USB, Ethernet and the real-time POWERLINK bus system. The cast aluminum housing provides www.design-engineering.com

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IdeaGenerator 49 space for up to four expansion cards. These can add additional I/O channels, interfaces and a safety controller with safe I/O. Additional expansion cards for WLAN, Bluetooth and GPS interfaces are in planning. All products in the X90 family can handle operating temperatures from -40 to 85°C as well as strong vibrations or shocks in addition to being resistant to salt, UV light and oil. www.br-automation.com

Hexapod

Electric Actuators Dyadic Systems introduced its SCN5 series actuators that feature a motor, encoder, drive and actuator in one package. Available in stroke lengths up to 300mm, the actuator line offers maximum thrust of 100N (10.2kgf) and are constructed using an extruded aluminum body with

Aerotech released its HexGen hexapod designed for applications in x-ray diffraction, sensor testing and high-force device manipulation. The HEX500-350HL is actuated via six struts built from preloaded bearings, ball screws and drive components. The hexapod is driven by AC brushless, slotless servomotors that are directly coupled to the actuator ballscrew enabling incremental motion of 20nm in XYZ and 0.2µrad for xyz. The HEX500350HL is designed with a 150mm diameter clear aperture in both the platform and base to allow for workpiece access from the bottom. The base is designed with mounting holes to adapt directly to English or metric optical tables.

The hexapod can also be vacuum prepared for applications in synchrotron sample or optics adjustment, semiconductor manufacturing and inspection or satellite sensor testing. www.aerotech.com

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Linear Stage Griffin Motion unveiled its high-speed LM3 Series 300mm-travel precision linear motion platform. According to the company, the low-profile linear motor stages exhibit 15µm accuracy, 1µm repeatability, 5µm flatness and 5µm straightness with regard to travel. It can also attain linear velocities up to 900mm/s.

Additional features include ironless linear servomotors, recirculating ball linear ways, hard coverings with side seals, a 0.1µm linear SS scale encoder; optical limit switches with home and integrated cable management.

Measuring 530mm x 205.096mm x 62mm, 62mm, the stages have a standard lead-time of five weeks; expedited lead-times are available upon request. www.griffinmotion.com www.design-engineering.com

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50 IdeaGenerator 303 stainless for the shaft and rod tip. The actuators can be operated via 24VDC signals from PLCs or relays and can be connected in networks of up to 16 axes. In addition, the actuator’s moves can be relative, absolute or force controlled. It is programmable via PC interface or hand-held pendant and standard minimum life is 10,000km (400 million inches). www.servo2go.com

Motors Coreless Brush DC Motor Portescap introduced its 24DCT miniature motor, which features a coreless design with a self-supporting coil and magnetic circuit in a 24mm diameter size. With torque carrying capabilities up to 14.96mNm, the 24DCT provides efficiency up to 90 percent and can deliver higher torque per ampere, the company says. The DC motors are available in two variations: Precious metal commutation and graphite commutation with a Neo magnet inside. The

motor’s constant force spring design for carbon brush provides consistent performance. An REE (Restriction of Electro Erosion) coil is an available option, which prolongs the life of the motor. Athlonix motors are compatible with encoders and gearheads of various sizes and ratios. They are manufactured in an ISO certified facility and are RoHS compliant. www.portescap.com

DC Motors Baldor Electric Company introduced its RPM PD series of DC motors in a low profile and power dense design. The series offers an armature design to produce full power, over extended speed ranges with smooth torque transi transitions and minimal cogging, the company says. Longer length standard brushes, with a mechanical monitoring system, offer increased run time between scheduled maintenance shutdowns. The series also includes a “snap point” alignment pin, allowing the brush gear system to be rotated when removing or adding brushes. The motor series includes 125-1200 hp, NEMA Base Speed, a variety of enclosures (drip proof force vent; totally enclosed air/water cooled; totally enclosed air/ air cooled) and shaft grounding brush standard on drive end. www.baldor.com

Advertisers Index

May/June | 2016

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Advertiser

Website

Aerotech, Inc Allied Electronics Amacoil Inc. Automation Direct Baldor Electric Company Beckhoff Automation Bimba Manufacturing Co. Boker’s Inc. BRECOflex Co. LLC Clippard Instruments Laboratory Inc. Columbia Marking Tools Conductix-Wampfler Canada CREAFORM DEX EXPO Designfusion ELESA E-PLAN Canada Festo Canada, Inc. Hammond Manufacturing igus Corporation Industrial Encoder Corp.

LEMO Canada Inc. Novotechnik US Inc. Pepperl & Fuchs North America Pivot-Point Inc. ProtoLabs, Inc. Roto Precision Inc. Rotor Clip Company, Inc. Schaeffler Canada Inc. SCHUNK Intec Corp.

SEW-EURODRIVE Canada SPIROL Industries, Ltd. Tecom Inc. THK Co., Ltd. Tsubaki Canada Turck Chartwell Canada Inc. V.J. Pamensky Canada Inc. Yaskawa Electric Corp.

www.aerotech.com www.alliedelec.com www.amacoil.com www.automationdirect.com www.baldor.com www.beckhoff.ca www.bimba.com www.bokers.com www.brecoflex.com www.clippard.com www.columbiamt.com www.conductix.ca/en www.creaform3d.com www.dexexpo.com www.designfusion.ca www.elesa.com www.eplancanada.com www.festo.ca www.hammondmfg.com www.igus.com www.globalencoder.ca www.lemo.com www.novotechnik.com www.pepperl-fuchs.ca www.pivotpins.com www.protolabs.com www.rotoprecision.ca www.rotorclip.com www.ina.com www.ca.schunk.com/ www.sew-eurodrive.ca www.spirolcanada.com www.tecombearings.com www.thk.com www.tsubaki.ca www.chartwell.ca www.pamensky.com www.yaskawa.com

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DEX ful

dEsiGn soLUtions FoR oEm’s Winnipeg, mB March 30 – Victoria Inn Convention Centre Coquitlam, BC May 3 – Hard Rock Casino mississauga, on May 17 – Mississauga Convention Centre

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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.

Halifax, ns NEW! June 7 – Dartmouth Sportsplex

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

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FREE admission FoR attEndEEs! to discuss exhibit options please contact: Alan Macpherson Show Manager 416-510-6756 dex@design-engineering.com

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Direct Drive The Ultimate Cooling Solution Direct drive cooling tower systems from Baldor eliminate the need for mechanical components such as gearboxes, jack shafts and couplings – greatly reducing cooling tower maintenance and power consumption while increasing system reliability. The field-proven, high torque Baldor AC laminated motor is controlled by a purpose built ABB matched performance adjustable speed drive to provide optimal speed, quieter operation and lower energy use.

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