Design Engineering by Annex Business Media

14 Dassault descends from the

clouds at SolidWorks World 2011

25 Van der Graaf drum motors

handle baggage traffic at LAX

34 Canadian bioplastic combines

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Contents | Volume 57, No. 1

IN THE NEWS

9 Ann Arnott selected as PTDA Exec VP

9 JMP acquires Automation Applications

9 Rockwell acquires Hiprom

9 Nanotech unveils anti-counterfeiting measure

9 New glass world’s strongest material?

10 RMT Robotics wins warehouse automation project

11 Eurocom launches mobile workstation

12 Hy-Drive partners on “green” generator

12 COM DEV wins satellite contract

Columns

14 CAD Report Dassault, Solidworks descend from the clouds at annual user conference. 18 Sustainable Design Electrovaya’s SuperPolymer rechargeable battery technology takes lead in competitive industry. 25 Motion Control Van der Graaf drum motors boost baggage handling conveyor throughput at LAX.

31 Idea Generator Product news covering automation, linear motion, power transmission and adhesives.

Features 20 Nurturing Innovation Top 5 sources of product development funding and support for Canadian SMEs.

27 Agile Manufacturing Festo’s modular iFactory to boost University of Windsor’s flexible manufacturing research.

READER SERVICES Annual Subscription Rate

34 Canadian Innovator Canadian bioplastic combines high-tensile strength and complete bio-degradability.

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E-Newsletter: Keep up to date on the latest news and products with our weekly e-mail bulletin. Subscriber Services: Request new or renew subscriptions to the magazine and e-Newsletter. www.rogersb2bmedia.com/dsen

Canadian Manufacturing Online: Find comprehensive coverage of Canada’s manufacturing sector at the CMO portal: www.canadianmanufacturing.com Industries covered include engineering, fabrication, metalworking, food, packaging, supply chain, purchasing, plastics and energy. January/February | 2011

6 EditorialViewpoint

Tal’s Tale

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arly this year, a story published in the U.K. magazine, The Engineer, highlighted just how far rapid manufacturing has come in the last 20 years. Tal Golesworthy, a British process engineer, received a dire diagnosis in 2000. He had Marfan Syndrome, a genetic disorder that had damaged his aortic valve. Doctors told him that he if he didn’t have a mechanical replacement implanted and rely on a risky blood thinner for the rest of his life, chances were good that he’d suffer a catastrophic heart attack. Rather than choosing between the two unattractive options, Golesworthy set about doing what engineers do best: finding solutions. Working with Prof Tom Treasure, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Guy’s Hospital, and Prof John Pepper, a Royal Brompton Hospital surgeon, he used a magnetic resonance imaging machine to take a scan of his own heart. The scan was then used to create a properly dimensioned 3D CAD model of his aorta. From there, the team set about testing different rapid prototyping materials and decided on Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). Although the resulting model couldn’t be used “as is,” it did form the basis for a mould. To precisely match Golesworthy’s artery, the mould produced an exact copy of his aorta made out of polyethylene terephthalate, a standard medical polymer, over which a perfectly matching textile mesh was created that the surgeons could stitch into place to reinforce the failing artery. In 2004, Golesworthy underwent surgery and became the first of 23 patients so far to receive the new implant procedure, which may well replace the previous Bentall operation. According to Golesworthy, using his engineering ingenuity to, in effect, save his own life wouldn’t have been possible without modern CAD systems, rapid prototyping techniques and modern medical materials. Although inspiring in itself, what makes this story particularly interesting is that only 10 years ago, cycling from initial concept to finished product in under two years for a ground-breaking medical procedure would have been unthinkable. Normally, years and years development, product testing and animal trials happen long before anything innovative comes to market. Of course, the literal “deadline” in Golesworthy’s case spurred those involved, but his story reveals the opportunities now available to product developers and even the independent inventor. Formerly, if someone had an idea, producing an initial prototype or small product run required a significant financial commitment. But, equipped with an idea, common software and a readily available service, new products can be fabricated quickly and relatively cheaply. If it f lops, not much is lost but a run away hit could rake in a significant windfall. As the cost of rapid manufacturing steadily decreases but the materials and processes available become more durable, precise and sophisticated, fabrication increasingly leaves the sole province of manufacturers. In an age where one engineer can leverage his expertise to design and manufacture his own lifesaving medical product, the possibilities are nearly limitless.

Mike McLeod

I enjoy hearing from you so please contact me at mike.mcleod@de.rogers.com and your letter could be published in an upcoming issue.

January/February | 2011

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Publisher Alan Macpherson (416) 764-1534 alan.macpherson@de.rogers.com Group Editorial Director Lisa Wichmann (416) 764-1491 lisa.wichmann@rci.rogers.com Editor Michael McLeod (416) 764-1555 mike.mcleod@de.rogers.com Technical Field Editor Pat Jones, P. Eng. Directory Editor Jessica Badali jessica.badali@de.rogers.com Art Director Kathy Smith (416) 764-1542 Production Manager Natalie Chyrsky (416) 764-1686 natalie.chyrsky@rci.rogers.com Circulation Manager Celia Ramnarine (416) 764-1451 deokie.ramnarine@rci.rogers.com Junior Web Producer Jessica Mirabelli (416) 764-1316 jessica.mirabelli@rci.rogers.com ROGERS PUBLISHING LIMITED President and Chief Executive Officer, Brian Segal ROGERS BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHING Senior Vice-President, John Milne Vice-President, Financial Publishing, Brand Extensions & Online Services, Paul Williams Director of Audience Development, Keith Fulford (416) 764-3878, keith.fulford@rci.rogers.com Executive Publisher, Industrial Group, Tim Dimopoulos, (416) 764-1499, tim.dimopoulos@rci.rogers.com CORPORATE SALES General Manager, Corporate Sales, Sandra Parente (416) 764-3818, sandra.parente@rci.rogers.com WEB General Manager, Online Operations, David Carmichael (416) 764-3820, david.carmichael@rci.rogers.com RESEARCH Senior Director, Rogers Connect Market Research, Tricia Benn (416) 764-3856, tricia.benn@rci.rogers.com EVENTS General Manager, Conferences & Events, Stephen T. Dempsey (416) 764-1635, steve.dempsey@mtg.rogers.com Publications Mail Agreement #40070230 ISSN number: 0011-9342 Subscriber Services: To subscribe, renew your subscription or to change your address or information, please visit us at www.rogersb2bmedia.com/dsen. Subscription Price: Canada $52.00 per year, Outside Canada $99.00 US per year, Single Copy Canada $8.00. Design Engineering, established in 1955, is published 6 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which count as two subscription issues. Rogers Publishing Ltd., One Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, ON, M4Y 2Y5. Montreal Office: 1200 avenue McGill College, Bureau 800, Montreal, Quebec, H3B 4G7 Return undeliverable items to: Design Engineering, Circulation Dept., 8th Floor-One Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto ON M4Y 2Y5. Cornerstone Publishing Services Customer Service, 220 Yonge St., 8th floor, Toronto, Ontario, M4S 3G3 Mail Preferences: Occasionally we make our subscriber list available to reputable companies whose products or services may be of interest to you. If you do not want your name to be made available, please contact us at rogers@cstonecanada.com or update your profile at www.rogersb2bmedia.com/dsen. 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 (CPF) for our publishing activities. Our environmental policy is available at www.rogerspublishing.ca/environment

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DesignNews Up Front Ann Arnott selected as PTDA Executive Vice President The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) Board of Directors selected Ann Arnott, the PTDA’s vice president of programs and services, to succeed Mary Sue Lyon as the next executive vice president of the PTDA. Arnott joined PTDA in 2006 as director of programs and services and was promoted to her current role in 2008. Prior to working with the association, Arnott spent 16 years with the Institute of Real Estate Management. Mary Sue Lyon will remain as a consultant to the association for the first quarter of 2011. www.ptda.org

JMP acquires U.S.-based Automation Applications London-based JMP Engineering, Inc. announced it has acquired Automation Applications Inc (AAI), an industrial engineering and systems integrator based in Exton, PA. According to JMP vice president Paul Wilson, this latest acquisition is part of a strategic 30-year plan. In June 2010, the company similarly acquired Soft Design Automation of Brampton, Ontario. “Our plan is to continue to expand with one or two additions a year,” he says. www.jmpeng.com www.aai-csi.com

Rockwell acquires Hiprom Rockwell Automation, Inc. announced it has agreed to purchase Hiprom, a process control and automation systems integrator headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. Hiprom customers include the top global mining firms with precious metal and coal operations in the SubSaharan region. Hiprom’s management team and all its 100 employees will join the Rockwell Automation Systems & Solutions business unit. www.rockwell.com www.design-engineering.com

Nanotech Security unveils nanohole anti-counterfeiting measure

ancouver-based Nanotech Security Corp., with the help of engineering researchers at Simon Fraser University, is using a nano-scale milling technique to create an anti-counterfeiting measure for use on banknotes, passports, stock certificates or any item that requires an easily discernable way to verify authenticity. Based on the phenomenon that gives the wings of the Costa Rican Morpho butterfly its iridescent blue coloring, the company’s Nano-Optic Technology for Enhanced Security (NOtES) works by milling a customizable pattern of microscopic holes, each of which measure a 100 nanometres in diameter. Created using an electron microscope and an ion beam as a nanoscale “machine tool,” the nanoholes trap most visible light, but reflect back specific color wavelengths. According to Doug Blakeway, SFU Venture Connection’s entrepreneur in residence and also CEO and chairman of Nanotech, since there are no dyes or inks involved, the highly sophisticated nature of the process makes it incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to replicate. “You can’t copy or scan it in, you can’t inkjet it on paper, you can’t do any of these things,” Blakeway explained. “Anywhere you can think of where a hologram is being used today, our technology can replace it. It’s more secure than a hologram because you can’t lift it off. We can put it onto metal, plastic or paper.” SFU applied sciences grad Clint Landrock started the initial research into nanoholes under the guidance of SFU engineering science professor Bozena Kaminska. Landrock and Kaminska both continue their work as part of Nanotech’s scientific team. www.nanosecurity.ca www.sfu.ca

New glass world’s strongest material? Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology have discovered a new type of metallic glass with a strength and toughness beyond that of any known material. The glass is a microalloy featuring palladium, a metal with a high “bulk-to-shear” stiffness ratio that counteracts the intrinsic brittleness of glassy materials. “Traditionally strength and toughness have been mutually exclusive properties in materials, which makes these new metallic glasses so intellectually January/February | 2011

DesignNews Up Front

RMT Robotics wins warehouse automation project Grimsby-based RMT Robotics has been awarded a contract to supply a largescale robotic case picking solution for a major beer distributor. The system, which has a footprint of less than 40,000 square feet, is designed to pick 300 SKUs at a rate of more than 250,000 cases per day. The project is scheduled to start in late 2011. www.rmtrobotics.com

January/February | 2011

exciting,” said Robert Ritchie, a materials scientist who led the Berkeley contribution to the research. “We’re bucking the trend here and pushing the envelope of the damage tolerance that’s accessible to a structural metal.” According to Ritchie, the new material possesses the inherent pluses of both materials. Glassy materials, for example, have a nonMicrograph of deformed notch crystalline, amorphous structure in palladium-based metallic glass that make them inherently strong but shows extensive plastic shielding invariably brittle. The crystalline structure of an initially sharp crack. Inset is of metals, on the other hand, provide microa magnified view of a shear offset structural obstacles that inhibit cracks from (arrow) developed during plastic propagating. sliding before the crack opened. “Because of the high bulk-to-shear modulus ratio of palladium-containing material, the energy needed to form shear bands is much lower than the energy required to turn these shear bands into cracks,” explains Ritchie. “The result is that glass undergoes extensive plasticity in response to stress, allowing it to bend rather than crack.” Described in the journal Nature Materials, the new metallic glass was

www.design-engineering.com

DesignNews fabricated by co-author Marios Demetriou at Caltech in the laboratory of co-author William Johnson of Caltech, one of the pioneers in the field of metallic glass fabrication. Characterization and testing was done at Berkeley Lab by Ritchie’s group. www.lbl.gov

Ottawa’s Eurocom launches powerful mobile workstation Ottawa-based Eurocom announced the EUROCOM Racer, which the company is billing as the “most powerful 15-inch laptop on the planet.” While the title may be a fleeting one, for the time being, the Racer does include some very desktop-like features in a relatively small package. To start, the mobile workstation sports Intel’s latest high end multi-core processors, from a mid-level i5 up to the i7 Extreme Edition (i7-2920XM), a quad-core, 2.5 GHz mobile processor with 8 Gigs of L3 cache that Intel launched in early 2011. In addition, it also incorporates Intel’s latest Huron River HM 65 chipset, which allows the Racer to handle 100W GPUs, including the NVIDIA Geforce GTX 485M, the AMD Radeon Mobility HD6970M or the NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M. Also uncommon in a laptop, the model supports four memory slots, which

Up Front Hy-Drive to partner on “green” generator equipment Hy-Drive Technologies Ltd. announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with U.S.-based WorldKlass Technologies to jointly deploy equipment designed to cut the fuel consumption and emissions of diesel generators. The Mississauga-based company’s Alternate Energy Combustion Control System is used largely in diesel engines to reduce fuel consumption emissions in automotive diesel engines by injecting hydrogen during the combustion process. Allentown Penn.-based WorldKlass develops Infrared Fuel Ceramics technology that can be applied to all hydrocarbon fueled internal combustion engines. www.hy-drive.com www.worldklass.com

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12 DesignNews Up Front Tetra Tech buys Fransen Engineering Pasadena, Calif-based Tetra Tech, Inc. announced it would acquire Fransen Engineering of Richmond, B.C. Fransen currently employs about 180 people and generated approximately US$27 million in revenue over the past 12 months. www.tetratech.com www.fransenengineering.com

COM DEV wins satellite contract COM DEV International Ltd. announced it has been awarded a contract to provide equipment for a commercial communications satellite. The final contract — in place by the end of March 2011 — is expected to exceed US$11 million. www.comdevintl.com

January/February | 2011

can be configured with up to 32GB of either DDR3-1333 and DDR3-1600 RAM. For storage, it features two HD bays to accommodate solid state, hybrid or mechanical hard drives up to 1.75TB. For all that’s packed into it, the Racer places almost as much emphasis on the “mobile” as it does on the “workstation.” In total, the notebook weighs in at the low-end of the scale (3.1kg/6.8 lbs.) for a workstation grade laptop. At 35-43mm (1.4-1.72 inch), it is on the thick side, but the Racer’s 15-inch High Def, LED-backlit display slims the machine’s overall dimensions. An 8-cell battery or an 180W power supply provide enough juice to run the laptop’s high-end but energy hungry components. The EUROCOM Racer began shipping February 1, 2011. www.eurocom.com

Autodesk releases Inventor Fusion Tech Preview 4 Autodesk pushed the fourth version of its Inventor Fusion tech preview to the Autodesk Labs web site. Fusion is Autodesk’s forth-coming effort to combine direct and parametric modeling modes within one design application. New features include the ability to switch smoothly between solids and surfaces as well as enhanced surface data translators with Parasolid, Rhino, IGES and AliasDesign .wire file import capabilities. In addition, the tech preview includes a new simplification wizard that speeds up mesh and solve times. Available as either a download or a streamed executable, the fourth version of the Fusion technology preview is set to expire on June 1, 2011. http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/fusion/

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14 CADReport

SolidWorks World 2011 Dassault, Solidworks descend from the clouds at annual user conference. By Ralph Grabowski

very year SolidWorks hosts a user group meeting for its customers, but this year was different: it was about big changes. Outgoing SolidWorks CEO Jeff Ray welcomed some five thousand customers, resellers, media and employees to SolidWorks World 2011 in his home town of San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Ray is moving to Dassault head office in France as the new executive vice president of global sales. Replacing him is Bertrand Sicot, who was SolidWorks Europe’s employee #2. Another change was the event’s emphasis on software from parent company Dassault Systems — and less so on SolidWorks itself. Only towards the end of the general session on the last day did SolidWorks 2011 get featured. During the past year, vocal users had expressed their concern over the direction Dassault was hinting it planned to take SolidWorks. The problem began at last year’s SolidWorks World, when then-CEO Ray made vague statements about running SolidWorks in the cloud, saying users would switch away from their desktop computers when the pain became high enough. In the ensuing uproar, further public relations errors were made, such as when Ray said in an interview that SolidWorks would have to be killed. These sentiments infuriated bloggers. In his introductory remarks, new CEO Sicot attempted to calm the anger by stating categorically that there would always be a desktop version of SolidWorks. To further allay fears, no SolidWorks Cloud was shown from the main stage. January/February | 2011

SolidWorks Cloud is a future version of the MCAD software that runs via the Internet on servers maintained by Dassault. User data is continually backed up to the cloud so that a wide variety of hardware can access it, including portable tablets, standard desktops and even smartphones. Users have expressed concern they might be forced onto a system that takes away the independence of owning a perpetual license of a specific version of the software that runs on their own private computers. SolidWorks 2011 The next release of SolidWorks won’t become available until this fall, and so we were shown a very early preview of some of the new features and planned improvements. What we saw was just the desktop version; the cloud version seems to be experiencing a significant delay in rolling out. Improvements to the user interface include easier command search and the ability to span SolidWorks across dual monitors, with new controls to maximize the window to only the right or left monitor. In addition, a new button on the status bar switches drawing units between metric and Imperial; pressing the Tab key hides assembly parts. It will also feature the ability to pin frequentlyused drawing files. As well, a complete uninstall will wipe every trace of SolidWorks from a computer; and an improved design reviewer opens massive files in seconds, even on laptops. For BOMs (bills of material), users will be able to specify which balloon should be first, which will prompt the others to reorder automatically. A new “magnet” line arranges balloons in Visio-like fashion. (I overhead a user saying, “I would www.design-engineering.com

CADReport 15 like a magnetic arc, too!”) A costing tool will be built in, so there will no longer be any need to use Excel for calculating the manufacturing cost of parts being designed; the costs are updated in real time, like when you change materials. SolidWorks 2011 will also see enhancements to sheet metal design, such as the selective unbending of faces and a better way to design angled parts. When you dimension diameters, SolidWorks will automatically place both the inside and outside diameters. Automatic solve order will solve parameters in the correct order. SolidWorks 2011 will also support simulated motion sensors, such as actuators (distance) and bearings (loads); this lets you perform automated optimizations of design variations, to see which parts should be thicker or could be thinner. The SolidWorks demo jocks ran through the new features quickly and didn’t provide many details. The ones that got the largest cheers, however, were those that made geometric construction easier. Direct editing was not shown, since that is scheduled to be part of the new SolidWorks Cloud, which will use the geometry engine from big step-brother, Catia.

tage is ease of use: to share models with other users, you just drag parts or assemblies onto the side panel. Other users can then drag them into the drawing area of their copy of SolidWorks. n!Fuse makes sure all support fi les tag along and provides several levels of rights restrictions. It is due to go into beta testing this spring. Also unveiled at SWW 2011, Post3D uses avatars to help you and coworkers navigate 3D models interactively—inside buildings or around car parts, for example. This Second

Other New Software For a preview of SolidWorks Cloud, the closest the company came was SolidWorks Live Buildings. Despite having “SolidWorks” in its name, this software has nothing to do with SolidWorks, but is based on Dassault’s V6 technology— the same technology that powers all of Dassault’s cloud-based software, including the future SolidWorks Cloud. Live Buildings is Dassault’s first entry into the AEC market, but is intended only for conceptual architecture design; the company emphasized that the software is not suitable for construction documents. The demo jock showed attendees how he could slice open a building to see inside of it, and then interactively add walls, cubicles and then move them around. It also performs energy analysis. Of greater interest to mechanical designers will be the curiously named n!Fuze add-on (previously named “Connect”). This is a product data management system for small shops (three or fewer) that runs in a panel inside SolidWorks. Its primary advanwww.design-engineering.com

January/February | 2011

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DraftSight Going in the opposite direction technology-wise, Dassault’s DWG-based, 2D drafting package, DraftSight, received its share of attention. In fact, it was the only software to rate a mention from the main stage on all three days. Released last fall, DraftSight is free, designed to displace AutoCAD and written to run on the Linux, OS X, iOS, and Windows operating systems. To develop the application, Dassault licensed ARES from Graebert GmbH, and then repackaged it as a free CAD program with community support, but without any APIs (programming interfaces). If you pay Dassault $250 a year, then you get access to the APIs, as well as proper corporate support. At SolidWorks World 2011, Graebert announced that in April it would open an app store for DraftSight. The concept is a bit odd, for it is operated by Graebert, not Dassault Systemes. The idea, Graebert CEO Wilfred Graebert told me, is to make DraftSight look more professional, through the addition of New CEO Bertrand Sicot, takes the third-party add-ons in the areas stage at Solidworks World 2011. of AEC, civil, MCAD, customized toolbars, and more. For developers, the process works like this: Sign up as a developer for $99 per year (currently free), and then write the software using LISP or DRX. Submit the compiled program to Graebert, who adds in a connecting component, and posts the add-on to their online app store. The connector locks the software to each purchaser’s copy of DraftSight. At a press conference, staff emphasized that they plan to extend the capabilities of some of these software packages to run on all kinds of hardware platforms, such as n!Fuse running on iPads. Solidworks World 2011 introduced numerous software initiatives, but very little of it is shipping and some of it may not be available for several more years. That makes the future of SolidWorks and ancillary software seem murky, as Dassault tries to deliver cloud-based versions of software, over which users harbor suspicions. DE www.solidworks.com

Ralph Grabowski is the former senior editor of CADalyst magazine, and has been writing on the CAD industry since 1986. He is currently the editor of the upFront.eZine e-newsletter, WorldCAD Access blog, and the author of over one hundred books about computer-aided design. January/February | 2011

www.design-engineering.com

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SustainableDesign

Charging Up Electrovaya’s SuperPolymer rechargeable battery takes lead in competitive industry. By Mike McLeod

n the design of a battery-powered or hybrid electric vehicle, one of the most important components is the battery itself. In fact, for most BEV and hybrid vehicle manufacturers, the car is the battery. Power output, chemical composition, cycle time, weight and storage safety all play into how well any particular battery, and therefore the vehicle its in, will perform. As with most engineering challenges, these attributes are often at odds with each other. Increasing power output, for example, usually requires that more cells be added to the system. Of course, more cells also means more weight which requires higher output. With the push for electric vehicles growing rapidly, many companies are chasing the optimal combination that will become the standard, and potentially highly-lucrative, technology. In this competitive field, Mississauga-based Electrovaya has taken a leading position in the industry. In March 2010, the company secured a deal with Chrysler to supply its 12 kWh Lithium Ion SuperPolymer Battery System for the automaker’s Ram Truck Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). The truck was showcased at the Washington D.C. Auto Show in late January this year and delivery is expected to begin by mid-year. According to Bruce Coventry, Electrovaya’s vice president of operations, the company has solved a number the problems that have historically limited electric vehicles. What makes Electrovaya’s solution special, he says, is that it has focused more on the structural design of the battery rather than its various components. “One of our big advantages is that we aren't chemistry dependent,” Coventry says. “As lithium ion chemistry improves, we can adapt to that very quickly. The nano-structure material used in the anode, cathode and electrolyte of our battery also gives us a quicker exchange of electrons from one plate to another, due to more surface area being available.”

January/February | 2011

The result is that the SuperPolymer battery has a higher power density (185 Wh/kg) than other competitive battery types, Coventry says. Consequently, the battery requires fewer cells to produce the same output, making the overall system lighter and smaller, important factors for an electric vehicle. In addition to its construction and power density, the SuperPolymer battery’s “packaging” also contributes to its adaptability. “Because the cell is flat and can be easily shaped into various form factors, it gives us a good platform,” Coventry says. “A cylindrical cell, for example, doesn’t have the package efficiency that a flat prismatic has. With cylindrical cells, you end up packaging a lot of dead air.” Often overlooked, the battery management system (IBMS) of Electrovaya’s battery plays as important a role as the chemistry, Coventry says. “In our Chrysler battery, for example, there are 96 individual cells in four individual modules,” he explains. “Balancing the load and the charge/discharge process is very important. The battery management system assures that no one cell gets too far out of balance.” The company’s SuperPolymer system is also notable for its environmentally sensitive manufacturing process. Typically, fabricating lithium ion batteries requires the use of NMP, a toxic solvent suspected of causing birth defects. Electrovaya’s unique process eliminates this costly and potentially dangerous step. “For other manufacturers to use NMP, they need a very capital intensive equipment to handle it,” Coventry says. “Our founders—two Ph.D.s from the University of Toronto— started the company in a very urban area, so they had to develop an inexpensive and safe process that didn't use NMP. Now, we are licensing that technology and we'd like to see the day when all battery manufacturers are able to put NMP behind them.” DE www.electrovaya.com

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Nurturing Innovation Top 5 sources of product development funding and support for Canadian innovators.

By Treena Hein

hile it’s all well and good to say, “Be Innovative”, any company that has traveled down the long, often murky road of new product development knows innovation has a price tag attached. For Canadian SME’s in today’s economy, betting the business on a “maybe” can involve more risk than reward. However, Canadian business don’t have to bear all the risk alone. In fact, it’s safe to say there have never been more resources available to Canadian companies to help them make their innovative ideas a reality. The following is an overview of five options available to help both start-up and established firms secure funding and support services, as well as how best to access each type of assistance.

IRAP The mandate of the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) is helping SMEs with the goal of generating profits through development and commercialization of innovative, technology-driven new or improved products, services or processes. Based on the company’s profile and needs, IRAP can provide advisory services, technological expertise and financial assistance. Instead of an application process, companies contact one of IRAP’s 240 Industrial Technology Advisors as a first step. “These highly skilled individuals assist clients through every aspect of the innovation process, from concept to product, providing technical and business advice, referrals and other innovation services as needed,” says IRAP Director General Tony Rahilly. “They are experienced mentors.” As the process proceeds, IRAP may invite a funding proposal from the company, followed by an assessment of business, financial and management capabilities. Advisors will also assess the project’s technical aspects and potential to achieve the expected results. Based on the findings, an agreement is reached, which details the project objectives and activities being funded, as well as the conditions of contribution, the expected results and conditions for payment. “Money is provided on a costincurred cash flow basis,” Rahilly says. Financial support may also be provided by IRAP’s Youth Employment Program (run in collaboration with Human Resources and Skills and Development Canada). “We also have small funds available for feasibility studies and investigation of markets where companies work in partnership with community agencies,” Rahilly notes. http://irap.pari.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca January/February | 2011

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Business Development Bank of Canada BDC is a Crown corporation that helps SME’s grow by providing financing, venture capital and consulting services. Spokesperson Geoffrey King says there are several reasons why BDC is one of the best choices among lending institutions for companies seeking to develop innovative technologies or processes. “We specialize in commercial financing with highly flexible solutions which are structured to protect cash flow,” he says. “BDC also has expertise in financing for intangible investments, such as innovation, R&D, mergers and acquisitions, and market expansion.” He adds that chartered banks typically ask for tangible collateral before lending large sums of money for developing innovation. However, they may lend a smaller amount in conjunction with BDC. King notes that, through its venture capital division, BDC actively seeks opportunities to invest directly in technology companies, or indirectly in technology-related funds. “We can provide more lending flexibility than other banks, including variable payment structures, the possibility to defer capital payments and mixed or subordinate financing,” King says. “We are also open to examining start-ups and will go the extra kilometre to evaluate intangible assets. We do both seed deals and are present at later stages of development.” www.bdc.ca

Sustainable Development Technology Canada The SD Tech fund is aimed at supporting the late-stage development and pre-commercial demonstration of clean technology solutions focused on the current priority areas: natural resources, clean energy, agriculture, and soil & water. “In addition, SDTC’s SD Business Case’ reports should be used to identify additional priority investment areas,” says SDTC Director of Applications Zoltan Tompa. The application process is “stage-gated” to ensure that applicants are given timely feedback and can invest resources accordingly, notes Tompa. In the first phase, companies submit a Statement of Interest. Those that typically receive strong consideration include a clear description of how the technology is innovative from an environmental, economic and technological perspective. They also include a compelling argument that explains how the proposed technology can augment or replace the competition in the marketplace and a good summary of the anticipated environmental benefits. “Applicants must also have secured strong consortium partners that have demonstrated expertise in commercializing technology,” Tompa says. To help applicants, SDTC has produced a two-part ‘Statement of Interest Webinar’ available of the fund’s web site. A limited set of applicants are invited back to submit a “detailed proposal” for the second phase of deeper evaluation. “The detailed proposal demands an even greater emphasis on path to market and commercial viability,” Tompa notes. “The project, financial and marketing capabilities of the pro- ponent and level of commitment from consortia partners are also evaluated in an onsite due diligence visit.” www.sdtc.ca

Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) Tax Incentive Program One of the largest programs of its kind, SR&ED is a federal tax incentive program that encourages Canadian businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to conduct R&D in Canada. “Because it’s a tax credit claimed after the work is done, it is critically important that companies start an SR&ED file before or shortly after beginning their R&D process,” says Todd Louie, director of taxation at Sheldon Milstein Tax Consultants Ltd. in Toronto. “In this file, keep track of all time spent in the process, details of methodology used, communications within and outside of the company pertaining to R&D, dated drawings, photographs and anything else pertinent.” To receive the tax break, “First of all, the company must demonstrate the attempt to create or even slightly improve upon a technological advancement,” Louie says. “Note that the tax credit is not based on whether it’s been successfully realized or whether commercial success has been achieved at the time of claim. It is about rewarding the attempt. The size of the company and resources available to it are taken into consideration.” Companies seeking the tax credit must also show evidence of the investigation the company undertook in creating or improving the technological advancement – and the investigation must demonstrate technological competency. That is, suitably trained or educated individuals at the company must have taken a systematic and scientific approach to solving the problem. “For example,” says Louie, “this might have involved testing to what extent a certain component or material was found to be superior to another.” Louie stresses that many companies wrongly assume that their R&D efforts won’t qualify for the tax credit. “Keep in mind that SR&ED is the largest single source of federal government support for industrial R&D, and what you are doing may easily qualify,” he says. www.cra-arc.gc.ca/sred

Provincial Programs Ontario - The Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation’s ‘Innovation Demonstration Fund’ accepts proposals for the commercialization and initial technical demonstration of globally competitive and innovative green technologies, processes and products. According to ministry spokesperson Paul Gerard, applicants should attend to certain details to maximize success. For example, a clear understanding of the financial resources available to meet cash-flow needs is required, along with some competitive analysis of the applicants’ technology in relation to potential competitors and alternatives. In addition, applicants should ensure that their applications include a full description of the technical hurdles and risks associated with the pilot-scale technology demonstration. Data on previous testing that validates the technology and provides evidence that pilot-scale work is also warranted. “Some applicants are concerned about confidentiality, and this is often why proposals lack the necessary substance to be www.design-engineering.com

January/February | 2011

22 successful,” notes Gerard. He says that while signed contracts could be made available under a Freedom of Information request, “there is a long process to determine what’s sensitive and what can be released.” Over the next year, Gerard says the ministry would like to see more proposals in the areas of water and wastewater technologies. www.mri.gov.on.ca/english/programs/idf/guidelines.asp

British Columbia - BCIC (British Columbia Innovation Council) develops entrepreneurial talent and commercializes technology through start-up companies and partnerships between industry and academia. These include the BCIC-New Ventures competition ($300,000) and venture capital, among other options. www.bcic.ca/programs www.hitechbc.com/moneylnk.htm

Alberta - Through the Energy and Environment Innovation Program—Alberta Innovates “Energy and Environment Solutions”—the province offers financial support to encourage collaborations within industry consortia and university/ industry partnerships. It also supports individual inventors with smaller grants to help with engineering designs, building prototypes and securing patents. www.albertainnovates.ca

Saskatchewan - Small grants through the SMART Program provide SMEs access to industry specialists who will find and analyze information on the marketplace and emerging technologies in order to help companies make strategic business decisions. www.enterprisesaskatchewan.ca/smart

Manitoba - While not a source of funding, per se, the Industrial Technology Centre in Winnipeg helps organizations apply tools and practices to improve products, increase productivity and boost competitiveness. Among its resources, the centre provides engineering, technical and advisory services in the aerospace, transportation, health, energy, environment and general manufacturing sectors, among others. Services available include load and fatigue testing machines; data acquisition transducers and signal conditioners; environmental exposure and corrosion testing chambers; and a high performance computing cluster. www.itc.mb.ca

New Brunswick - The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation “Venture Capital Fund” offers financial support to high risk, growth-oriented businesses with a proven concept that’s ready to go to market. After passing an initial business plan evaluation, the fund becomes a minority partner in the start-up and stays involved in the growth of the company until it can liquidate its position. The foundation also offers funding for applied research and development, which is defined as the point between proof of concept and commercialization. To qualify for either program, submissions should fall into one of six strategic industries, including advanced manufacturing; energy and environmental technologies; and value-added natural resources. www.nbif.ca

Nova Scotia - Innovacorp's Technology Innovation Centre in Dartmouth is a “business incubation facility” where technology entrepreneurs can access assistance to get their innovations to domestic and world markets more quickly. It offers business advice, referral services and access to other corporate commercialization resources. http://innovacorp.ca

Quebec - Under the Quebec Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation & Export’s “2010-2013 Research and Innovation Strategy,’ the province offers grants to start-ups and established companies for innovation R&D, technological intensification, marketing and more. www.mdeie.gouv.qc.ca/index.php?id=6886 January/February | 2011

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MotionControl

Beat the Drum Van der Graaf drum motor drives boost baggage handling conveyors throughput at LAX.

irports have become the vital crossroads for people and freight moving among the world’s urban centers. As cities continue to grow, existing airports have to adapt to the increased traffic as well as meet recently imposed requirements to inspect all checked baggage in commercial airport terminals. As a result, increasing demand is put on baggage handling conveyors. To cope, many major airports turn to Siemens Logistics & Airport Solutions, a leader in baggage and cargo handling solutions and systems integrator. In particular, the company’s High-Speed Diverter (HSD II) helps automatically guide checked baggage through the terminal. Some of the larger airports using HSD II include Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Dallas, Atlanta, Lisbon (Portugal), Mexico City, Portland, San Jose and Pensacola. Most recently, the company completed a contract from Clark/McCarthy for the baggage handling system with integrated explosive detection screening as part of the renovation of the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The $575.6 million TBIT renovation encompassed major interior renovations of the one-million-square-foot terminal; a 45,000 square foot expansion to accommodate the installation of a new in-line, checked-baggage security system; and a new boarding gate for large aircraft, such as the Airbus 380 and the Boeing 787. “Siemens provided 14,596 feet of conveyor, six claim units and 57 high-speed diverters as well as overall project management, system integration and installation,” said Lee Seward, head of Siemens Logistics & Airport Solutions US Business Segment. “Additionally, Siemens integrated 13 Explosive Detection Systems (EDS) into the in-line security system. The new baggage handling system makes it easier for passengers to check their bags because the security screening machines are no longer located in the lobby.” HSD in Action In a typical baggage handling system, a bag is checked at the ticket counter or curbside check-in where a destination bar code tag is attached. The bag is placed onto a conveyor line that reads the tag with a laser scanner so that it can be tracked through the system. The bag then goes to a security scan matrix where it is scanned for explosives with an x-ray type scan. If the bag is declared suspect after going through the scan machine, it is diverted to a manual inspection area. If the bag is cleared, it proceeds to the sort matrix. The bag is tracked to its intended destination on the main conveyor, and then an HSD II is utilized to divert the bag to its dedicated collection area. The baggage handlers then transfer the bag from the collection area to the airplane cargo hold. The HSD II features a simple two link positioning mechanism, configured to eliminate the need for maintenance under the unit and reducing overall installation height. Building on the success of previous Siemens’ diverter models, the HSD www.design-engineering.com

January/February | 2011

26 MotionControl II has been designed as the only sortation device required throughout any bag or parcel system, new or existing. It is ideally suited as a pusher replacement device or as a direct bolt-in replacement for older model HSDs.

The company’s goal when first designing its drum motor line was to eliminate all external components to improve performance and minimize maintenance costs. In the resulting drum motor, the electric motor and the gear drive are enclosed within the outer shell, requiring no external components. For the HSD II Drum Motors In-Action application, however, the drum motor needed to be mounted In large part, says Seward, the improved performance of Siemens vertically, an orientation it hadn’t been tested in previously. HSD II is due to the switch to internally-powered drum motors, “Our engineering team tested several variations of drum supplied by Van der Graaf Inc. of Brampton, Ontario. motors, using different size shells, internal gearing and oils to “Our original design used several shafts, chains, belts, bear- ensure the most efficient drive for this application,” Zander ings and a clutch to distribute power from a single drive motor said. “Siemens installed several units in their original HSD at to the paddle belts,” he said. “The new design uses one position- beta sites to verify the drives ability to perform ‘in-action’. The ing motor and two Van der Graaf drum motors to simplify final result was our Model TM127 used in the new HSD II.” design, improve reliability and boost performance. It also allows For the HSD II application, the Model TM127 is mounted easy paddle belt speed adjustability, is smoother and quieter and, vertically to provide the power needed to “push” bags through with separate motors, allows higher throughput.” the system. The motor rotates two-stage gearing that transmits Van der Graaf’s success in the baggage handling industry power to the outer shell through a final gear ring that is fixed originated with their patented clutch brake models for inter- to the rotating shell. nally powered drum motor drives. Van der Graaf drum motors ensure all the moving parts are “We have worked with Siemens in the past, providing enclosed within the motor drum, which eliminates the need baggage handling conveyor drives for more than 20 years,” for continual adjustment and yearly maintenance. The motor explains Rick Zander, marketing manager for Van der Graaf. and gears run in a completely sealed-in oil bath that ensures “When Siemens came to us with this unique drive challenge, that all moving parts are properly lubricated and cooled. One our engineering staff worked directly with Siemens engineers oil change is recommended every 50,000 hours of operation, to develop the drive in use today. which can be done without removing the drum motor from the conveyor. The TM127 has a 0.5 hp motor with a factory set maximum belt speed of 517 fpm. The motor is 4.98 inches (127mm) in diameter and the face width is 13.33 inches (340mm). Van der Graaf’s drum motor product line is available in a wide range of sizes, standard ratings and Novotechnik’s TX2 Series’ pivot-head mounting can handle up to ±12.5° of speeds, including diameters from 3.9 to offset from misalignment without affecting performance. The TX2 is 19.69 inches, and face widths from 10 to designed for mobile and other tough environments with 63 inches. Drive motors are rated from 0.11 hp to 40 hp. Belt speeds range from heavy-duty construction featuring a stainless 23 to 1369 feet per minute. steel rod and metal housing. It is The motor’s compact, low-profile sealed against ingress of design eliminates all external parts, such dust and liquids. as motors, gearboxes, chains or belts, pillow block bearings and associated guards. Other applications include manufacturing Specifications and assembly lines, package handling and • Stroke lengths from 25 to 300 mm palletizing and packaging operations. • Very long life to 50 million movements A major cost savings when using efficient and reliable drum motors versus • Resolution better than 0.01 mm conventional drives is energy consumption. • Repeatability to 0.01 mm Several factors must be considered when • Linearity up to ±0.05% comparing each drive method, but a recent independent study showed the internallyFor complete TX2 information, visit www.novotechnik.com/tx2 powered drum motors run at 96 percent Novotechnik U.S., Inc. efficiency and use as much as 34 percent 155 Northboro Road • Southborough, MA 01772 less energy than conventional drives. DE

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FluidPower

Agile Manufacturing Festo’s modular iFactory to boost University of Windsor’s flexible manufacturing research.

Festo Didactic’s modular iFactory system automatically reprograms itself as individual production units are added, removed or repurposed.

or Dr. Hoda ElMaraghy, professor of Industrial & Manufacturing Systems at the University of Windsor and the Canada Research Chair in Manufacturing Systems, modern production lines are too static. Over the course of her 20 years of engineering research, she’s become an internationally recognized expert in manufacturing systems with particular focus on the concept of flexible or reconfigurable production systems. Under this concept, manufacturing lines are assembled from a series modular machine cells and material handing units. As need arises, the modules that can be added, removed or repurposed to accommodate different fabrication and assembly operations in a matter of hours. “North American manufacturers need to be able to adapt to market forces more quickly and more cost effectively,” Dr. ElMaraghy says. “This new paradigm we work on is more flexible than the flexible manufacturing implemented in the last five years. It doesn’t limit

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28 FluidPower ica, the systems will be housed in the university’s $112 million Centre for Engineering Innovation, scheduled to open for classes in the fall of 2012. The funding will be used to purchase state-of-the-art equipment including the iFactory, a modular production line system developed in a partnership between the Institute for Industrial Manufacturing and Management in Stuttgart, Germany and Festo Didactic, the education division of international automation component supplier, Festo International. In line with Dr. ElMaraghy’s research, Festo’s iFactory is customizable, assembled from a wide range of individual production and material handling cells such as conveyors and deflectors as well as assembly and quality inspection cells including robots and image processing systems. According to Ali Khoshamouz, didactic instructor and mechatronics expert with Festo Canada, the attraction for industrial research facilities like the Centre for Engineering Innovation is that the iFactory is self-configuring, eliminating the need for controls engineering specialists. “The cells used in the iFactory are designed in such a way that as soon as one is connected to the line, it will recognize its neighbour cells and reprogram itself to do what it is supposed to do in that context or position,” he says. “So industrial planners and researcher don’t have to re-program the line. The system takes care of that for them.” Each cell, Khoshamouz adds, is controlled locally by a Siemens PLC, which in turn is coordinated by a SCADA network, which automatically generates the system’s settings and configurations. With a configured line, researchers can test their theoretical simulations of how to improve production line efficiency and adaptability. “With the iDesign Studio, students will get to see all the stages of design and prototyping and then also all the software tools and enablers for process and production planning,” she says. “This is all connected directly to the iFactory so orders can go from the design stations or customer to the production line to be executed.” DE www.schunk.com

flexibility to a family of products where the variations are minor; it actually extends beyond that to where the variations are major.” To assist her research, the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation recently awarded the University of Windsor matching grants each worth $398,811 to support development of the university’s Innovation Design Studio and Transformable Manufacturing System. The first of its kind in North Amer-

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IdeaGenerator 31 Automation Soft Starters AutomationDirect announced that its line of Stellar soft starters now includes the SR44 series of solid-state soft starters to control three-phase AC induction motors. The fully digital soft starters use thyristors in all three motor phases to provide controlled, reduced-voltage motor control for smooth acceleration/ deceleration and reduced mechanical shock and starting stress. The SR44 series features 115 or 230 VAC selectable control voltage, as well as separately adjustable motor start and stop times. The energy-saving Optimizing Mode improves motor efficiency and power while delivering the demanded torque at low rpm. The programmable units are equipped with six-button keypads with two-line, 32-character displays. The programmable I/O for remote control applications includes a single digital input and two relay outputs. An optional Modbus communication card and remote keypad are also available. www.automationdirect.com

EtherNet/IP Bus Coupler To ensure the widest selection of EtherNet/IP I/O devices possible, Beckhoff Automation has announced the new BK9055 Compact Bus Coupler, which joins EtherNet/IP with the com-

pany’s I/O system and its more than 400 different signal types. When used alone, the coupler is suitable for star wiring topologies. However, the BK9055 is software-compatible with the BK9105 EtherNet/IP Bus Coupler, which has a second RJ 45 port (2-channel switch). Therefore, the I/O stations can also be configured with a line topology. www.beckhoff.com

HMI B&R Industrial Automation introduced its Panel PC 725, an HMI solution featuring IP65 protection from all sides for installation in harsh environments. With an integrated 15-in. touch screen display and an Intel Atom N270 processor, the Panel PC 725 is designed for all standard PC applications and allows for a smooth housing that is easy to clean. When using CompactFlash cards, the Panel PC 725 does not have any rotating parts. It also features two Ethernet interfaces, two USB 2.0 ports and one serial interface. Instead of IP65 connectors, the cabling on the Panel PC 725 is handled via the flange, allowing standard cables to be used. www.br-automation.com

High-speed camera Baumer introduced its HXC40, a high-speed camera with global shutter that is equipped with comprehensive functions like sequencer, trigger delay and user sets. The camera’s 4 megapixel sensor fits within a compact housing design measuring 52 x 52 x 38 mm. In full image resolution mode, the CMOS sensor pro-

DesignSolutions XL Graphical OCS Low Cost Compact “All-In-One” Controller Model— HE-XE102, 103, 104 All-in-one controller with a best-of-class graphics display for better process visualization and machine control. At 3.75“ square, it fits in the palm of your hand and is more compact and affordable than separate PLC and operator interfaces. Features include built-in I/O with removable terminal blocks for easy wiring, a daylight readable touch screen, and two serial ports with downloadable protocol. It’s the first industrial product to include support for MicroSDTM memory modules, the latest standard in removable mass storage. Contact: info@omega.ca Visit us at: www.www.omega.ca

Clippard Quality Stainless Steel Cylinders Pneumatic cylinders feature polished I.D 304 stainless steel tubes for low friction. Available in 12 bore sizes with strokes to 40”. Precision-rolled construction, clear anodized machined aluminum heads, and rods ensure long life and performance. Roller-burnished rods • Interchangeable design • Long lasting seals • Replaceable rod seals • Long cycle life • 100% testing • Made in the USA with pride Clippard—The Preferred Cylinder! Contact: sales@clippard.com Visit us at: www.clippard.com/cylinders

To advertise your solution in this section call Alan Macpherson at 416.764.1534 www.design-engineering.com

January/February | 2011

IdeaGenerator vides 180 fps. For situations with high dynamics, the included HDR mode captures images with up to 90 dB. Internal memory enables storage of a set of images allowing delayed data transfer. www.baumer.com.

Integrated Servo Animatics introduced its latest Class 5 SmartMotor featuring the company’s patent-pending Combitronic technology. The optional feature allows more than 100 SmartMotor servos to be linked over a CAN network to create one giant multi-axis controller, the company says. Combitronic allows any SmartMotor to read from, write to and control any other SmartMotor. For the control programmer, one program can be written in one motor to control all, or each motor can have its own program. Without the Combitronic option, the integrated servo features communication speeds up to 115.2k Baud in both the RS-232 and RS-485 ports. In addition, the SmartMotor integrates isolated, 24V I/O as well as Gearing, Camming and Contouring functions. www.animatics.com

Linear Motion Position Sensors Novotechnik introduced the TX2 Series, a family of rod-style,

linear position sensors rated at IP 67. The TX2 Series are available from stock in eight stroke lengths from 25 to 300 mm and mechanical lengths from 88 to 374 mm, measured on center of pivot heads and a housing diameter of 18 mm. The sensors feature backlash-free pivot heads that provide up to 12.5-degrees of free movement. Repeatability of the TX2 Series is 0.01mm of full scale regardless of stroke length and resolution is better than 0.01 mm. Linearity is up to ±0.05 percent. Electrical connections are made by either plug connector or cable. Nominal resistance is from 1 kΩ to 12 kΩ depending on stroke length. www.novotechnik.com

Linear Actuator Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions introduced its programmable motorized SplineRail linear actuator, which combines mechanical drive, guidance and control in a single component. The system uses a size 17, single stack or double stack stepper motor with the integrated Haydon IDEA Drive, which incorporates a graphic interface for programming through the use of on-screen buttons. The SplineRail utilizes a Kerk precision rolled lead screw, supported by bearings and contained within a concentric aluminum spline, driving an integrated Kerkite composite polymer nut/bushing. Screw leads are available from 0.05-in. to 1.2-in. per revolution. www.haydonkerk.com

DesignSolutions Industrial Exhaust Fans, immediate delivery N.R. Murphy carries a large inventory of industrial Exhaust Fans in a vast range of sizes. The most popular designs, arrangements and sizes are fully built and ready to ship. When an unusual requirement turns up, they have the experience and manufacturing capacity to quickly modify or build a new fan. Free catalogue, includes N.R. Murphy’s line of fans, specifications and guidelines. Contact: 4nodust@nrmurphyltd.com Visit us at: www. nrmurphy.com

New ags gas Springs readily available ACE Controls new line of AGS Gas Springs provide controlled motion for lids, hoods, hatches and more. Fixed force and adjustable models. Push and pull type designs. Variety of end fittings and mounting brackets. Priced right with QUICK DELIVERY. Made in USA. Contact: shocks@acecontrols.com Visit us at: www.acecontrols.com

To advertise your solution in this section call Alan Macpherson at 416.764.1534 January/February | 2011

www.design-engineering.com

IdeaGenerator 33 Mini-slide Bosch Rexroth introduced its MSC-EL mini-slide with integrated electrical drive which is designed for applications requiring multi-point positioning control in the same size package as the pneumatic MSC version. Available initially in two sizes, the MSC-EL-12 and MSCEL-16 can be ordered in standard lengths and are capable of travel to any position from 50 mm to 150 mm. Powered by a brushless, 24V DC motor, the MSC-EL features a belt drive gear as well as a ball screw assembly and ball rail system. The maximum load for size 12 is 4 kg for horizontal motion and 2.0 kg for vertical. For size 16, maximum load is 5 kg for horizontal motion and 2.5 kg for vertical. With its precision ball screw drive, the mini-slide is able to achieve repeatable positioning of 0.01 mm and can be integrated into many automated structures with its digital I/Os. The drive controller features a CANopen interface. www.boschrexroth.ca

Power Transmission Right-angle Gearbox Wittenstein introduced the alpha LPBK+ right-angle gearbox suited for low-cost belt drive applications. According to the company, the gearbox offers up to a 40 percent space envelope savings as compared to conventional drive technology for linear applications. In addition, the LPBK+ combines the flexible design of the company’s inline alpha LPB+ with the compactness of the right angle alpha LK+. The right-angle spiral bevel belt drive works in a variety of applications, including for flanged output for rotary turntables and for a timing belt pulley for compact linear drives. www.wittenstein-us.com

Shaft Mounts Stafford Manufacturing Corp. introduced a line of shaft mounts. The mounts feature a variety of collar and flange configurations, including short and long length collar sections with set-screw or single and multiple clamp-screw options and mounting flanges in several shapes with various drilled hole patterns. Available from stock in weldable 1117 steel, Stafford Shaft Mounts come in ¼-in. to 2-in. I.D. sizes, with and without keyways, and proportionally sized mounting flanges supplied with drilled holes. www.staffordmfg.com www.design-engineering.com

Adhesives and Fasteners Structural Adhesive Master Bond introduced Supreme 33, a two-component epoxy formulated for structural applications in extreme environments with temperatures from -80°F to +425°F. With resistance to thermal cycling, thermal shock and impact toughened, the epoxy bonds to a wide variety of substrates including metals, glass, ceramics, wood, vulcanized rubbers and many plastics. Supreme 33 also resists chemicals including water, oil and many organic solvents. The epoxy has a mix ratio of 100 to 70 by weight or 1 to 1 by volume and cures at room temperature in 48 to 72 hours. Once cured, it produces bonds with a shear strength over 2,500 psi, a tensile shear strength greater than 7,500 psi and a T-peel strength exceeding 15 pli. Bonds also exhibit volume resistivity of 1014 ohm-cm, a dielectric strength over 400 volts/mil and a dielectric constant of 3.8 at 75°F. www.masterbond.com

Advertisers Index Advertiser

Website

Asco Valve Canada

www.ascovalve.ca

Page 13

Aurora Bearing Co.

www.aurorabearing.com

Autodesk Canada Inc.

www.autodesk.ca

Automation Direct

www.automationdirect.com

17 36

Baldor Electric Co.

www.baldor.com

Baumer Inc.

www.baumer.ca

Canadian Standards Association

www.csa.ca

Clippard Instrument Laboratory Inc.

www.clippard.com

Daemer Inc.

www.daemarinc.com

Digi-Key Corporation

www.digi-key.com

Encoder Products Co.

www.encoder.com

Festo Inc.

www.festo.ca

Maclean’s

www.macleans.ca

Master Bond Inc.

www.masterbond.com

Myostat Motion Control Inc.

www.coolmuscle.com

12 26

11 10. 18 8 24

Novotechnik

www.novotechnik.com

Omega Engineering Inc.

www.omega.ca

Parker Hannifin Corp.

www.parker.com

Proto Labs Inc.

www.protolabs.com

Reid Tool Supply Company

www.reidsupply.com

Rotoprecision Inc.

www.rotoprecision.com

Schaeffler Canada Inc.

www.ina.com

Schunk Intec Corp.

www.schunk.com

4 28

SME Society of Manufacturing Engineers www.sme.org

Springs & Things

www.springsandthings.com

Tsubaki of Canada Ltd.

www.tsubaki.ca

January/February | 2011

CanadianInnovator

Impact Resistant

Canadian bioplastic combines high-tensile strength and complete bio-degradability. By David Kosub

s there any better validation than the kudos you get from those who originally bankrolled your idea? Toby Reid doesn’t think so. In 2006, the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) thought so highly of the Vancouver entrepreneur’s idea for a 100 percent natural, non-toxic, high-performance biodegradable plastic they Polysole, developed by Vancouver-based Solegear Bioplastics, is a 100 percent gave him $15,000 to see where the idea would take him. biodegradable bioplastic that breaks down completely within 12 months. Five years later, CYBF presented Reid’s company, Solegear Bioplastics, with its Best Green Business Award for 2010 – the 5th award for Solegear since August 2010 – in a field hungry The best was yet to come, though, says Reid. “What we for practical applications and recognition. were seeing in the market is that people were taking bioplas“We’re excited by what we do here because we see an oppor- tics and adding in synthetic chemicals to increase the perfortunity for North Americans and people around the world to mance.” Where those companies “zigged”, says Reid, Solegear evolve in how we use and dispose of products made from plastic," “zagged.” The company built its bioplastic out of ingredients says Reid. “We’re in a really important time in our history.” that were not only wholly biodegradable, but which retained Reid’s entrepreneurial success began where most great the high performance characteristics that products like potato ventures begin: with a problem. Reid had been working for chip and shopping bags demand. five years as web merchandise manager for Mountain Equip“What those ingredients are doing at a microscopic level is ment Co-op when he noticed the amount of plastic the com- binding into the plastic molecules at various places and what pany’s products consumed - from bottles and buckles to they do from an application perspective is make the bioplastic durable dishware, sunglasses and ski poles. stronger; they make it more impact resistant, more bendable.” “I saw into their supply chain, how plastics were being Product in hand, Solegear looked to the next phase: findmade and the huge amount of energy and chemicals required,” ing manufacturers to produce the material in sufficient he says. “I also saw the huge price that we were paying to use quantities to meet the needs of potential customers. The these materials.” customers weren’t long in coming, with initial orders from That price – the enormous damage plastics can do to the Fisher Price, Petstages and Avery Dennison. Meantime, a environment – fired Reid’s instinct for fi xing problems. Work- company in Oregon, Entek Extruders, agreed to manufacture ing with chemical engineers at UBC, he formed Solegear the product. The company boasts a million square feet of Bioplastics to develop something other bioplastics companies plant space and 300 extrusion machines. hadn’t – a corn-based bioplastic that is fully biodegradable “The scale they’re able to achieve is up into the hundreds and compostable. of millions of pounds of plastic,” says Reid, “They’ll be a The result: Polysole, a bioplastic created using a suite of phenomenal partner for us to work with because they can do natural additives from plant extracts and other natural mate- those big volumes.” rials. Mixed with corn starch, Solegear’s product meets the With nine customers now lined up and a host of potential international ASTNB 6400 standard for industrial compo- applications from electronics, kids toys and steering wheels to car stability, breaking down completely in 12 months and disap- door panels and re-useable drinking cups, Reid says there’s no pearing from residential backyard composters in 18-24 months. limit to what his company can achieve. Even Mountain Equipment For both industrial and residential users, the implications Co-op, where it all started, could be a potential customer. were self-evident, says Reid. “Yeah, absolutely,” Reid says. “For instance, there’s the buckle “There’s a lot of stuff that goes into plastics that ends up application. We’ve been developing that along with a company in our bodies that we don’t really know about,” he says. “Some out of Chicago and that’s something that they’ve expressed are carcinogenic, some mimic estrogen. They’re really disrup- some interest incorporating into their products, too.” DE tive to our health. So that biodegradability is a real driver.” www.solegear.ca January/February | 2011

www.design-engineering.com

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