Electronics Journal | 05 - July 2022

05 - Electronics Journal - JULY 2022

electronics journal

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EXXELIA EXPANDS ITS RANGE OF LOW PROFILE ALUMINUM ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITORS AND DEFIES HIGH TEMPERATURES UP TO +125°C

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PROTO-ELECTRONICS.COM, THE FAST PROTOTYPING PLATFORM FOR ELECTRONIC BOARDS EXPERIENCES STRONG GROWTH

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VIEWSONIC RELEASES LINE-UP OF ELITE MONITORS WITH MINI-LED BACKLIGHT TECHNOLOGY

KEYENCE WIDE-AREA CMM HELPS MACHINE SHOP DIVERSIFY INTO AEROSPACE MARKET

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IN THIS ISSUE… 4 EXXELIA EXPANDS ITS RANGE OF LOW PROFILE ALUMINUM ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITORS AND DEFIES HIGH TEMPERATURES UP TO +125°C

5 EMERGENCY PULL-WIRE AND BELT ALIGNMENT SWITCHES FOR EXTREME AMBIENT CONDITIONS - PRODUCT RANGE NOW COMPLETED

6 ALLIANCE ELECTRONICS SETS UP IN FRANCE AND ACQUIRES 3 EXPERT ELECTRONIC BOARD MANUFACTURERS

8 ROBUSTEL’S R1510 ADOPTED BY NTT DOCOMO IN JAPAN 10 EDGECONNECTOR PRODUCT FAMILY FROM SOFTING FACILITATES INTEGRATION INTO CONFIGURATION PLATFORMS WITH NEW REST API

11 DIGITALISED MATERIAL FLOW – WITH EKANBAN AND TRACKING OF MOBILE LOAD CARRIERS

12 KEYENCE WIDE-AREA CMM HELPS MACHINE SHOP DIVERSIFY INTO AEROSPACE MARKET

14 SOFTING INTRODUCES A HARDWARE MODULE FOR IMPLEMENTING ETHERNETAPL FIELD DEVICES

15 UNIQUE IN THE WORLD: WACHENDORFF ENCODER CONFIGURABLE VIA NFC 16 INDUSTRIAL NETWORKS KEEP GROWING DESPITE CHALLENGING TIMES -

INDUSTRIAL NETWORK MARKET SHARES 2022 ACCORDING TO HMS NETWORKS

18 INNODISK DDR5 RAISES THE BAR FOR WORKSTATIONS 19 ELECTRO RENT BRINGS ONLINE PURCHASING TO THE CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED (CPO) TEST EQUIPMENT MARKET IN FRANCE AND THE UK

20 INNODISK BRINGS ADVANCEMENTS TO THE OOB SPACE WITH INNOAGENT 22 DFI IN PURSUIT OF QUALITY 23 DFI REVENUE EXCEEDS NTD TEN BILLION THRESHOLD IN 2021 AND EARNS NTD 5.38 PER SHARE

24 THE IDS SOLUTION FOR LARGE LAUNDRY 28 IO-LINK VIA MODULAR PRINCIPLE 30 FIT FOR OFFSHORE RENEWABLES GRANTED STATUS ACHIEVED BY CMP 31 VIEWSONIC EUROPE HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY NAMED ONE OF 250 UK’S BEST WORKPLACES FOR WELLBEING

32 KEYENCE LM SERIES DELIVERS BREAKTHROUGH MEASUREMENT ACCURACY ALONGSIDE UNRIVALLED EASE OF USE

34 WILL HIGH-DENSITY RACKING CHANGE HOW WE COOL FUTURE DATA CENTRES 36 PROTO-ELECTRONICS.COM, THE FAST PROTOTYPING PLATFORM FOR ELECTRONIC BOARDS EXPERIENCES STRONG GROWTH

38 NEW CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS FEATURING HIGH-DENSITY MINIATURIZATION POWER UP DATA TRANSMISSION IN REDUCED-SCALE ELECTRONICS

41 AN EXPERTISE TO PROVIDE A FULL-SERVICE INDUSTRIAL AIOT PACKAGE 42 VIEWSONIC REVEALS STUNNING COLLECTION OF IMAGES FOR “A YEAR OF COLOURS” 2021

44 KONTAKT CHEMIE LAUNCHES NEW LOOK AND FEEL FOR ITS AEROSOL CANS 45 VIEWSONIC VTOUCH BRINGS FULL MACOS MONTEREY MULTI-TOUCH COMPATIBILITY TO TD SERIES MONITORS

46 VIEWSONIC RELEASES LINE-UP OF ELITE MONITORS WITH MINI-LED BACKLIGHT TECHNOLOGY

48 INNODISK ULTRA TEMPERATURE DDR4 DRAM MODULE BEATS THE HEAT UP TO 125ºC

49 INNODISK RELEASES THE WORLD’S FIRST 10GBE LAN MODULE IN M.2 FORM FACTOR

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Send your press releases to: editor@ipmediaonline.com Electronics Journal is a leading engineering media. It features technology trends articles as well as news about the latest innovation in Electronics: IoT, telecommunications, connectors, electronic components, semiconductors and manufacturing.

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EXXELIA

EXXELIA EXPANDS ITS RANGE OF LOW PROFILE ALUMINUM ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITORS AND DEFIES HIGH TEMPERATURES UP TO +125°C Exxelia, a global manufacturer of complex passive components and subsystems for harsh environments, is expanding its CUBISIC capacitor range with a HTLP (High Temperature Low Profile) version. This CUBISIC HTLP offers, in a thin rectangular packaging, the highest energy density of capacitors in its class, combined with a high temperature resistance (-55°-> +125°C).

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he new range of CUBISIC HTLP by Exxelia clearly stands out! Why?

• It offers up to 60% more capacity than any other rectangular electrolytic capacitor on the market, in the same volume, while having a 5,000-hour life span.

• Covering a temperature range of -55° -> +125°C, the CUBISIC HTLP is designed to provide excellent performance in extreme temperatures, compatible with the most severe military and aerospace applications.

Engineers facing complex design requirements and looking for an easily integrated product will gain space and reliability through the use of improved materials, fully REACH compliant.

The CUBISIC HTLP withstands 20g vibrations and is low-pressure qualified, making it compatible to 92,000 feet in altitude. It is ideally suited for integration into cockpits, actuators, and power generation in commercial and military aircraft as well as radar and laser systems. h t t p s : //e x xe l i a . co m /e n /p ro d u c t / detail/807/cubisic-htlp

CUBISIC HTLP, the new rectangular capacitor range that changes the game

Technical specifications • Capacity from 140μF to 58 000μF • Voltage from 7.5V to 350V • Service life of 5,000 hours at 125°C • Operating temperature -55°C to +125°C • 20g vibrations and 92,000 feet altitude • RoHS versions available

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STEUTE

EMERGENCY PULL-WIRE AND BELT ALIGNMENT SWITCHES FOR EXTREME AMBIENT CONDITIONS - PRODUCT RANGE NOW COMPLETED At the Solids 2022, the steute business unit “Extreme” will be presenting an expansion – or rather doubling – of its ZS 92S/SR series. To date, these extremely robust and versatile emergency pull-wire and belt alignment switches have been “packaged” in a die-cast aluminium enclosure ideally suited to unfavourable ambient conditions thanks to multiple coatings (passivation, base coat, powder coat). Users can now alternatively opt for an enclosure which is made out of top-quality duroplastic and is anti-corrosive beyond all reasonable doubt. All screws and connecting elements are stainless steel.

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he entire series features a high degree of flexibility. The ZS 92 S is available with a variety of preinstalled settings for the release lever and the unlocking mechanism. This means that the switch can be installed in nearly every conceivable operating position, including the rear side.

Installation dimensions are compatible with other readily available emergency pull-wire and belt alignment switches, making it easy to retrofit existing (conveyor) plants with the new switches or to exchange them later. In the ZS 92 SR belt alignment switch, the switching points for advance warning and switch off are easily adjustable in 5° steps, considerably increasing its practicality and versatility.

Users also benefit from significantly reduced release forces and paths when actuating the emergency stop function.

They make the safety switch easier to operate and also mean that all the relevant international standards (e.g. regarding emergency stop devices with mechanical latching function) are reliably met.

The latest additions to the ZS 92 series with their robust plastic enclosures – whether as emergency pull-wire or belt alignment switches – are thus ideally suited to bulk conveying and handling applications. https://www.steute.com/en/index.html

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ALLIANCE-ELECTRONICS

ALLIANCE ELECTRONICS SETS UP IN FRANCE AND ACQUIRES 3 EXPERT ELECTRONIC BOARD MANUFACTURERS Alliance Electronics, a technological and industrial group specializing in electronic subcontracting, is setting up in France (Rosheim, Bas-Rhin) and finalizing its first three acquisitions.

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ith its cutting-edge knowhow and recognized expertise, Alliance Electronics wants to become established as a leading player in its sector. Driven by an ambitious strategic project, the goal is to become the European leader in High-Mix Low-Volume (HMLV) electronic product manufacturing.

With manufacturing sites in France, Portugal and Tunisia, totalling more than 850 employees, Alliance, whose turnover exceeds 50 million euros this year, aims to develop a network of pooled expertise with multiple skills that address the needs of its European customers.

To support its development, Alliance has added a partner to its shareholder base, the pan-European investment fund Waterland Private Equity. It contributes its international buy & build expertise to an ambitious strategy of external growth.

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Damien Rossignon, a company director in the electronics subcontracting industry for more than 20 years, has been appointed President of Alliance-Electronics: “We want to surround ourselves with companies who wish to be a part of this growth, and in this way we will form a federation. Each company will keep its DNA and bring with it its energy and its know-how.”

ALLIANCE ELECTRONICS, a name that has both meaning and identity Lead by its desire to federate actors in the electronics sector, the group has chosen a name and visual identity which are both strong and symbolic. Alliance Electronics is thus the affirmation of the ambitions and evolutionary dynamic originating from the directors of the group: the creation of a group of powerful EMS partners, capable of mutually assisting one another to transform their activities.

Alliance provides financial strength, increased investment and production capabilities.

ALLIANCE-ELECTRONICS

“The world of subcontracting is made up of a multitude of small companies, often isolated, and our business is a local, collaborative one; it is therefore essential and urgent to join forces in order to remain solid and face the current shortage with greater resilience” says Damien Rossignon, President of Alliance Electronics.

“We are looking for fully-fledged companies: by taking part in this alliance, each will keep its identity, its values, while benefiting from strong support on the subjects of organization, finance, digitalization.”

ALTRICS and PROTO-ELECTRONICS join ALLIANCE ELECTRONICS Altrics and Proto-Electronics are among the first companies to join Alliance Electronics. These two specialists in electronic boards, one in medium series, the other in prototyping, will bring their expertise to all the companies of the group, which also includes ATEMS.

To date, 10 other European companies (France, Italy, Belgium, Denmark) are in discussions to join the alliance.

“We are committed to working with them to unlock their potential and make a positive impact,” says Damien Rossignon.

The human aspect will be at the heart of this alliance. The objective is to encourage the development of each individual within organizations and the development of talent in diversified and multicultural teams.

With this in mind, the group offers endto-end support with a strategy based on 3 major axes, always with the objective of sustainable performance: • Becoming a true partner for its clients, thanks to a range of value-added services • To combine the strength of a group with the agility and proximity of SMEs close to their customers, throughout Europe

• To make the transition to digitalization • Combine the digital expertise and knowhow of each company Since 2013, Proto-Electronics has been able to demonstrate its know-how in integrating digitalization within its industry, by allowing its customers to order their projects online.

“We are convinced that digital has to benefit all actors in the electronics industry, and we believe that our mission is to support manufacturers of all sizes to become digitalized, and to pool some of the resources which are currently inaccessible to companies by reason of their size” emphasizes Damien Rossignon.

Alliance Electronics plans to acquire 4 more companies in 2022 and reach a turnover of more than €100M. https://alliance-electronics.com/en/

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ROBUSTEL

ROBUSTEL’S R1510 ADOPTED BY NTT DOCOMO IN JAPAN Robustel are glad to announce that our R1510 industrial cellular IoT gateway has been adopted by NTT DOCOMO, INC.. This milestone is major progress for Robustel on its mission to help customer’s businesses in industries across the world to solve their connectivity problems with robust, secure and scalable IoT and M2M solutions.

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TT DOCOMO have developed a IoT service package called “DOCOMO IoT Managed Service”, it is a service bundle combining communication devices, connectivity and maintenance in a complete service offering. This service has wide reaching applications beyond the IoT industry, functioning as an alternative solution for any customer using ISDN/PSTN and 3G networks as they are scheduled to be shut down in the future.

Designed to work hand-in-hand with RobustOS, RCMS unlocks the true potential of Robustel products giving customers the ultimate range of monitoring, management and control functions.

The Robustel R1510 IoT Router is an industrial LTE router offering cost competitive connectivity with various interfaces. With thousands of units regularly being shipped worldwide, the R1510 has been certified by over 20 mobile network operators (MNOs) in Japan, the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, etc. Therefore, the router can be quickly deployed in IoT projects not only in Japan but also globally.

https://www.robustel.com/en/robustelcloud-manager-service/

The R1510 offers an industrial ruggedized housing that can be used in harsh environments with an operating temperature range from -25 to 75°C. In addition to the two Ethernet interfaces it can also support digital input/outputs (DI/ DO) as well as Wi-Fi in client and access point modes.

Strong Local Support Ability Together with our local distribution p a r t n e r P A LT E K C o r p o r a t i o n (Headquarters: Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, CEO: Tadahito Takahashi, hereinafter referred to as PALTEK), we have also established a strong operational support system to match the service of NTT DOCOMO, offering local maintenance, warranty and support systems which have been a critical factor in the adoption of this solution.

https://www.robustel.com/en/product/ r1510-industrial-cellular-vpn-router/

About Robustel Robustel design and manufacture industrial-quality wireless IoT Modems, Routers and Gateways for predominantly focused cellular (3G/4G/LTE/5G), Wi-Fi and LPWAN (Cat-M1/NB-IoT/LoRaWAN/ Bluetooth) networks.

Robustel Cloud Manager Service (RCMS) Value Added Robustel Cloud Manager Service (RCMS) is a modular IoT cloud software platform compatible with all Robustel products.

We also architect EDGE Computing, Cloud Software and end-to-end IoT Solutions to complement our hardware portfolio and provide fully-realised offerings for our customers.

RCMS is designed from the ground-up to empower Robustel customers to build their IoT Solution(s) in a manner that is scalable, cost effective and can evolve quickly with the market.

As a global supplier of wireless IoT solutions, Robustel works with over 70 distribution partners. We service more than 100 countries, and maintain a dedicated local presence in Germany,

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With its modular design RCMS enables new APPs to be added to the platform without interfering with core behavior, to create new functionality and allow for integration with third-party applications.

Australia, Japan, UK, Hong Kong and the Netherlands.

We nurture long-standing relationships with global enterprises and mobile network operators looking to find a competitive edge in the high-growth IoT market.

About PALTEK CORPORATION Since its foundation in 1982, PALTEK has been selling domestic and overseas semiconductor products to Japanese electronics manufacturers, as well as providing contract design services for hardware and software. As a partner in product development, we have been devoted in prototyping from specification studies and support development and mass production. PALTEK will contribute to the customer development by providing optimal solutions based on our corporate philosophy of “coexistence with diverse beings.” From June 2021, PALTEK has become a group company of Restar Holdings Corporation. https://www.paltek.co.jp

ROBUSTEL

DOCOMO IoT Managed Service Lite

Robustel Cloud Manger Service (RCMS)

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SOFTING INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

EDGECONNECTOR PRODUCT FAMILY FROM SOFTING FACILITATES INTEGRATION INTO CONFIGURATION PLATFORMS WITH NEW REST API The edgeConnector products from Softing’s dataFEED family now include a REST API. This makes integration into configuration platforms even easier. In addition, a new licensing model offers more flexibility when deploying the individual products.

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he new REST API in version 3.0 of Softing’s edgeConnector products makes local or remote configuration much easier for users. The product family currently includes edgeConnector S i e m e n s , e d g e Co n n e c t o r 8 4 0 D and edgeConnector Modbus. The software modules are based on Docker technology and provide state-of-theart access to process data in SIMATIC S7, SINUMERIK 840D and Modbus TCP controllers. In the past, a separate login via the local configuration interface was necessary for each product. This is now done by the new edgeConfigurator, which allows all edgeConnectors to be accessed via the REST API. The edgeConfigurator is also based on Docker technology and is used in parallel with the edgeConnectors.

The configurator can be deployed onpremise or additionally in the Microsoft Azure cloud, allowing REST API access from the cloud to the edgeConnectors’ on-premise environment. Using the REST API, edgeConnectors can now be configured even more easily from a thirdparty application.

The new license model of version 3.0 distinguishes between Basic (edgeConnector Modbus), Advanced (edgeConnector Modbus and edgeConnector Siemens) and Premium (all edgeConnector products). The licenses no longer refer to data points, instead they only account for the connected controllers. The user can choose between license options of 1, 5, 10 and 20 connections. This saves him the time-consuming calculations of the required data points. In addition, a 1-year software upgrade is included in the license agreement. With the Softing Floating License Server, the licenses can be flexibly used for the Docker applications currently operated by the user.

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Integration into configuration platforms become easier with new REST API

All edgeConnector products are ready for use very quickly thanks to container technology. They are operated on standard hardware and can be easily administered centrally. The integrated MQTT Publisher/Subscriber functionality allows for flexible setup of Industrial IoT solutions (IIoT). They support state-ofthe-art security standards such as SSL/ TLS, X.509 certificates, authentication, and data encryption. This gives users an easy and secure way to integrate data from production into innovative and flexible IIoT solutions. The individual edgeConnector products can be downloaded from Docker Hub or the Microsoft Azure Marketplace and tested for free. https://industrial.softing.com/

STEUTE

DIGITALISED MATERIAL FLOW – WITH EKANBAN AND TRACKING OF MOBILE LOAD CARRIERS Uninterrupted data and information flow is a key prerequisite for the digitalisation of material flow in production and assembly.

Frequently, however, the information chain breaks down at the “last hurdle”, or its precision leaves a lot to be desired – for example, when staff request replenishments via hand scanners.

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t the LogiMAT, steute will be presenting a system which promotes material flow transparency and thus more precise (requisition) control. A wireless network on the shop floor employs special sensors to detect when a box is removed from an eKanban rack. Other types of sensor detect pallets or individual packages on pallets, while yet others are installed in tugger train and dolly “stations”, recording the path of components and containers within the assembly area.

The BXT motors deliver considerably higher torques than those usual in this drive class.

All signals – resulting in a digital and complete visualisation of the material flow – are transmitted wirelessly to a Sensor Bridge, which in turn communicates via an interface with superordinate IT systems for material flow management (ERP, PPC, WMS…).

This leads to truly uninterrupted information flow, providing transparency from the supply of parts to the materials stations and “supermarkets” to the assembly points. Thus nexy – as this wireless and sensor-based system solution is called – not only represents a requisition system which is tailored to individual needs without bottlenecks or excess stock; it also provides users with a data set allowing them active, improved and continually optimised control over material flow.

Last but not least, nexy is a platform facilitating the control and organisation of additional functions – for example the transfer of containers from stationary conveyors to automated guided vehicles (AGV), the operation of signalling columns or stack lights, as well as the integration of Andon buttons for manual consignment.

For these and other applications, preconfigured software modules are available.

The latest developments within the nexy wireless network will be presented by steute at the LogiMAT, with the focus on eKanban applications and dolly/tugger train monitoring. https://www.steute.com/en/index.html

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KEYENCE

KEYENCE WIDE-AREA CMM HELPS MACHINE SHOP DIVERSIFY INTO AEROSPACE MARKET Coastal Machine & Supply, an experienced US-based manufacturer of precision, custommachined parts for the oil and gas industry, has used its investment in a Keyence WM series wide-area CMM (coordinate measuring machine) to help it diversify into the aerospace market. In particular, the CMM simplifies the extensive GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) requirements associated with the machining of aerospace components.

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ocated in Carencro, Louisiana, the 37,200 ft2 (3,456 m2) facility of Coastal Machine is home to a wide selection of the latest CNC machining centers and lathes. Formed in 2004, the 50-employee company prides itself on the quality of its machined parts, where accuracy and precision are key to business success.

The need to diversify “While we’ve always served the oil and gas industry, over past two years we’ve consciously been diversifying into other markets, including aerospace and defense, largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic and how it affected the oil and gas sector,” explains Operations Manager Kody Guidry.

A traditional part of Coastal Machine’s business is the production of long downhole oil and gas parts, some of which can be up to 240 inch (6 m) long.

“Historically, we measured the overall length of these components using a tape measure or by stacking up scales,” explains Guidry. “However, for one contract we sent some parts to a premium threading shop and they were using a Keyence WM series wide-area CMM, which immediately sparked our interest.”

Coastal Machine duly contacted Keyence for a demonstration at the company’s Carencro headquarters.

“It was an easy decision to invest as we knew immediately that we could easily check our long parts to tight tolerances far more easily than with hand tools,” says Guidry. “Today, we use a macro in the WM for checking overall length, which takes the operator through the measurement process in a simple and user-friendly way.”

Ideal for large parts With its large 10 m (32.8 ft) measuring range, the Keyence WM series widearea CMM is a far better option for large parts than a CMM arm, bridge CMM, laser tracker or hand tools, all of which suffer from restricted measurement area, the requirement for highly trained operators and difficulty in allowing single-person inspection. Maintenance costs can also be high.

The shop-floor-ready, portable WM series performs precision measurement via its triple-camera tracking system that captures near-infrared light emitted by seven probe markers. As a result, users benefit from a high-accuracy of

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KEYENCE

“We’ve had the Keyence WM for just over a year and we work it hard,” says Guidry.

“We are busier than ever and currently in a growth phase. Our processes and systems ensure we get repeat business, and investment in the latest technology is a big part of that.”

Cost savings The wide-area CMM recently saved Coastal Machine the cost and time of remanufacturing parts that one customer claimed were incorrect.

“We sent some long oil industry parts to a client who checked them with scales and tried to refuse them, stating they were out of tolerance,” explains Guidry.

“So we double-checked them with our Keyence WM, which confirmed the parts as correct. The customer conceded to our superior measurement technology and passed them through.”

±28μm (±0.001 inch), even over a large area. The WM Series offers ease-of-use as the wireless probe allows for part measurement without restrictions, while the probe’s touchscreen facilitates the same operations that were previously performed on a separate computer. Low cost of ownership is another advantage as the device performs self-calibration before measurement, so there are no costs for training, support or ongoing maintenance.

Although the checking of long components for the oil and gas sector was Coastal Machine’s original requirement for the Keyence WM, the CMM’s capability and versatility led to the company finding further uses for the device.

GD&T made easy “It helped us to accelerate our diversification into the aerospace market as we didn’t have a CMM previously,” states Guidry. “Today, the primary use for our WM is performing GD&T measurements on aerospace parts. The system is ideal for GD&T inspection, even while the component remains in the machine tool.”

As the aerospace and defense industry grows, Coastal Machine is able to position its expertise and equipment in a way that helps to fulfill the needs of the sector and give value to clients, while simultaneously forming part of the next frontier of design and manufacturing.

Component quality is a primary goal of Coastal Machine, which guarantees defect-free products. The company is certified to ISO9001 and AS9100 Rev D, registered to API Q1 and ITAR, and carries two API threading licenses.

“We have an unwavering commitment to product quality,” concludes Guidry.

“However, our investment in the Keyence WM series wide- area CMM allows us to be even more accurate with our measurements, taking the company’s quality to new levels of excellence.” www.keyence.com/CMS-coastal

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SOFTING INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

SOFTING INTRODUCES A HARDWARE MODULE FOR IMPLEMENTING ETHERNET-APL FIELD DEVICES commModule APL, a new hardware module from Softing Industrial Automation, is designed to support device manufacturers in implementing Ethernet-APL field devices for the process industry quickly and reliably.

Fast and reliable implementation of Ethernet-APL field devices

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thernet Advanced Physical Layer (Ethernet-APL) is the new standard for end-to-end digital communication in the process industry and is also suitable for use in hazardous areas. Device manufacturers will have to prepare themselves for growing demand from end-users for this modern data transmission technology.

They now face the challenge of developing and certifying new EthernetAPL-capable devices within the shortest possible time-to-market - ideally without having to build up extensive specialist knowledge of Ethernet-APL. As a readyto-use and pre-certified hardware for the implementation of Ethernet-APL field devices, commModule APL supports manufacturers in exactly this challenge.

The hardware module provides connectivity to Ethernet-APL as well as an application software that can be easily configured to implement the required behavior of the respective field device. commModule-APL is delivered with a pre-installed PROFINET stack. It provides a configurable application data model and commands mapping to migrate existing HART and Modbus devices to Ethernet-

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APL. This does not require writing a single line of code. The assignment to HART or Modbus commands is done with the accompanying commScripter tool. commModule APL has already passed comprehensive EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) and environmental testing, as well as conformance testing for the Ethernet-APL Physical Layer and for the PROFINET protocol with PA Profile 4.02.

It is also pre-certified in accordance with ATEX and IECEx. These features drastically reduce the effort, risk and time required to develop device hardware. https://industrial.softing.com/

WACHENDORFF

UNIQUE IN THE WORLD: WACHENDORFF ENCODER CONFIGURABLE VIA NFC The new WDGN series of incremental encoders from Wachendorff Automation enables configuration of any pulse count from 1 I/U to 16,384 I/U via NFC.

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epending on the equipment, Basic or Advance, further parameters can be set via APP using NFC.

After downloading the Wachendorff WDGN app to the smartphone, the desired parameters and values can be configured without contact or voltage, if necessary also through the outer packaging.

Encoder configurations created can be saved under different names, reloaded at any time and transferred to another encoder. This means that saved configuration sets can be used for the encoder in different applications. The configuration set of an encoder can be read out, saved, shared and reused for other encoders at any time after entering the PIN. The PIN and PUK principle is used for security.

The advantages for the user include the following: • In the development phase, when there is uncertainty about which number of pulses the encoder needs to run optimally in an application, the WDGN encoder offers the necessary flexibility to test the optimum number of pulses.

As soon as the optimum configuration has been found, the user receives an encoder with the same technological features for use in series production but without an NFC antenna for cost reasons. A second qualification is no longer necessary.

precision measurements can be realised in the smallest installation space. https://www.wachendorff-automation. com/

• Optimum spare parts, logistics and warehouse management becomes possible. Never again will an encoder be sent with an incorrect pulse count.

Because with the free app on the smartphone, communication with the encoder takes place via NFC, completely without an internet connection, and the desired parameter values can be set just-in-time by the recipient.

• In the application, the WDGN encoders offer a very high resolution of up to 16,384 I/U in a very compact design from 36 mm. This means that high-

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HMS INDUSTRIAL NETWORKS

INDUSTRIAL NETWORKS KEEP GROWING DESPITE CHALLENGING TIMES - INDUSTRIAL NETWORK MARKET SHARES 2022 ACCORDING TO HMS NETWORKS Every year, HMS Networks analyzes the industrial network market to estimate the distribution of new connected nodes in factory automation. This year’s study shows that the industrial network market is expected to grow by 8% in 2022. Industrial Ethernet still shows the highest growth and now accounts for 66% of all new installed nodes (65% last year). Fieldbuses are at 27% (28) while wireless remains at 7% market share. PROFINET and EtherNet/IP share first place in the network rankings with 17% market share, but EtherCAT closes in fast, now at 11%.

Market shares 2022 according to HMS Networks – fieldbus, industrial Ethernet and wireless.

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MS Networks now presents their annual analysis of the industrial network market, focusing on new installed nodes within factory automation globally. As an independent supplier of solutions within Industrial ICT (Information and Communication Technology), HMS has a substantial insight into the industrial network market. The 2022 study includes estimated market shares and growth rates for fieldbuses, industrial Ethernet and wireless technologies.

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In the study, HMS concludes that the industrial network market continues to grow and that the total market growth in 2022 is expected to be +8%, confirming the continued importance of network connectivity in factories.

Industrial Ethernet is growing steadily Growing by 10%, Industrial Ethernet continues to take market share. Industrial Ethernet now makes up for 66% of the global market of new installed nodes in

HMS INDUSTRIAL NETWORKS

factory automation (compared to 65% last year). EtherNet/IP and PROFINET share first place at 17% market share, but EtherCAT takes a big leap forward and reaches double digits for the first time at 11% market share. Modbus-TCP is also doing well as it grows to 6% market share.

Fieldbuses are growing again Fieldbuses are at 27% market share compared to 28% last year. However, there is an interesting fact behind these numbers as HMS concludes that despite losing one percent market share, the actual number of installed fieldbus nodes is expected to grow by 4% in 2022 compared to last year, following several years of decline. The underlying reason is believed to be the fact that factories favor established industrial network solutions in uncertain times such as these due to effects from corona and the challenging component situation.

PROFIBUS remains the most installed fieldbus with 7% market share, followed

by Modbus-RTU at 5% and CC-Link at 4%.

Interestingly, the Modbus technologies TCP and RTU continue to be widely used also in modern factories, together accounting for 11% of the market in 2022 compared to last year.

Wireless use cases emerge – Impact of 5G is yet to come Wireless grows with 8% which is on par with the overall growth rate of the network market, thus remaining at 7% market share. Typical use cases include cable replacement applications, wireless machine access and connectivity to mobile industrial equipment. The market still awaits the deployment and impact of 5G in next gen factory automation installations.

Industrial networking is key for productivity and sustainability in manufacturing “Industrial network connectivity is an absolute key to reaching productivity and sustainability objectives in modern manufacturing, and this is the main driver for the growth we see in the industrial networking market,” says Anders Hansson, Chief Marketing Officer at HMS Networks. “Factories are constantly working to optimize not only productivity and sustainability, but also quality, flexibility and cyber security, and we know that solid industrial networking is key to achieving this as well. While we see growth across all network areas, it is particularly interesting to see that the established fieldbus technologies are getting back to growth again.”

Regional network variations EtherNet/IP and PROFINET are leading in Europe and the Middle East with PROFIBUS and EtherCAT as runners up.

Other popular networks are Modbus (RTU/TCP) and Ethernet POWERLINK. The U.S. market is dominated by EtherNet/IP with EtherCAT developing strongly and gaining market share. PROFINET leads a fragmented Asian market, followed

by EtherNet/IP and strong contenders CC-Link/CC-Link IE Field, EtherCAT, PROFIBUS, and Modbus (RTU/TCP).

HMS TechTalk, Anders Hansson provides background to this year’s study and comments on the results. https://youtu.be/VJYV5y0O8lU https://www.hms-networks.com/home Scope: The study includes HMS’ estimation for 2022 based on number of new installed nodes within Factory Automation. A node is defined as a machine or device connected to an industrial field network. The presented figures represent HMS’ consolidated view, considering insights from colleagues in the industry, our own sales statistics and overall perception of the market.

Anders Hansson, Chief Marketing Officer, HMS Networks

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INNODISK

INNODISK DDR5 RAISES THE BAR FOR WORKSTATIONS Innodisk has announced the debut of their new industrialgrade DDR5 memory in workstations, which are powerful computers intended for specialized technical and scientific use cases.

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ringing this new technology to market now gives early adopters the chance to demonstrate the real-world speed, and performance gains that were promised during the hype surrounding the announcement of DDR5 in 2021. Now, as Innodisk begins mass production, the new technologies that DDR5 introduced, such as double bank groups, same bank refresh, on-die ECC, and dual subchannels are being utilized in workstations that push the limits of speed, capacity, and reliability in professional environments.

Innodisk is already leading the industry in the implementation of DDR5 memory in workstation computers. One of their clients, who has already put DDR5 to the test in a meaningful way, is a global company that designs and manufactures workstations for engineering, product design, architecture, data science, and VFX. They decided to use Innodisk’s 4800MT/s 32GB DDR5 UDIMM for their workstation computers. These workstations provide the ideal match for early DDR5 adoption as they offer server-grade performance, with highend processors, and lots of memory, in a standard PC form factor for CPU and RAM-intensive applications like graphics, 3D design, and video editing.

The client, whose end customers cover multiple industries including science and medical, film, mission critical applications, as well as manufacturing and design, was able to benefit from DDR5’s increased bandwidth, better power efficiency, and higher memory efficiency, while also future proofing the workstations they built with the latest and greatest standard in DRAM technology. The aforementioned

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improvements over DDR4 will allow customers to work faster, and more efficiently, while not having to worry about data loss, due to the extra layer of protection through IC level checking that DDR5’s on-die ECC provides.

Innodisk currently offers the most comprehensive range of industrialgrade DDR5 solutions on the market, including UDIMM, SODIMM, RDIMM, ECC UDIMM, and ECC SODIMM. These memory modules also include Innodisk’s other industry-focused features, such as a 30µ” gold finger and anti-sulfuration technology that adds a protective layer to safeguard silver alloys found on DRAM modules. Additionally, Wide Temperature UDIMMand SODIMMDDR5 are now available for sampling. https://www.innodisk.com

ELECTRO RENT

ELECTRO RENT BRINGS ONLINE PURCHASING TO THE CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED (CPO) TEST EQUIPMENT MARKET IN FRANCE AND THE UK Simple, efficient and effective: the easier way to buy CPO test equipment online.

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lectro Rent, a provider of test and technology solutions and services, has introduced a new e-commerce feature to its website in France and the UK. This user-friendly feature provides current and new customers with the ability to purchase certified pre-owned (CPO) test equipment directly online.

Supporting the company’s reputation as an easy trading partner, the customer purchasing experience just became even more efficient and effective.

Providing the customer with added value, Electro Rent’s e-commerce feature brings self-serve functionality and convenience to the CPO test equipment marketplace.

Customers can now take advantage of straightforward, automated purchasing in just four steps. Available 24/7, e-commerce allows test professionals, engineers and project/programme managers to secure equipment in stock with immediate effect.

At the Electro Rent website, simply click on “Buy Used Test Equipment” (under the Services tab) and browse the extensive range of fully calibrated and ready-toship CPO products available. A number of filters are available to refine each search, including manufacturer, product group and sub-product group. Full product details, specification and price are clear to view for each selectable product.

A shopping cart facility and the potential to create an account and track/view all order information makes for an experience that will be familiar to many who benefit from online retail shopping.

Furthermore, secure and verified transactions provide complete peace of mind for finance co-ordinators, with all major credit cards accepted. Every order for CPO test equipment comes with free delivery.

Technology Products. “The retail market has for many years utilised e-commerce, simplifying the entire online purchasing experience. We want to ensure that industry professionals benefit from the same level of convenience for their CPO test equipment needs. More and more companies are turning to CPO test equipment as a cost-effective yet reliable means of meeting the requirements of budget-conscious, lead-time restricted projects. The Electro Rent e-commerce feature simplifies that journey for our customers in France and the UK.” https://www.electrorent.com/uk/ services/buy-used-test-equipment

“Electro Rent is constantly looking for ways to provide market differentiation and deliver genuine added value to customers,” says Gavin Lessing-Caller, the company’s Senior Vice President and General Manager EMEA and 05 - Electronics Journal - JULY 2022

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INNODISK

INNODISK BRINGS ADVANCEMENTS TO THE OOB SPACE WITH INNOAGENT As AIoT systems become increasingly more advanced, and the systems they power become ever more crucial to our daily lives, it is as important as ever to ensure high availability, and have reliable management tools.

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or this reason, Innodisk is proud to announceInnoAgent, an exciting new hardware module that allows out-of-band remote management of systems, even if they have crashed, or are completely offline.

Without an out-of-band solution like InnoAgent, during connection failures, device shut downs, and OS crashes, the device is unable to be monitored remotely through the main device’s LAN port, or Wi-Fi connection.

Out-of-band remote management technology allows system operators to manage and maintain devices even when a device’s hardware, or software is malfunctioning. In InnoAgent’s case, this is possible through an independent UART, RS232 or GPIO connection to the system from the module. Even if the device’s regular network connection is completely unavailable due to a system crash, the device remains accessible through InnoAgent’s separate communications channel.

On devices with an InnoAgent module, even if there is a major issue, whether it be hardware, or software, monitoring applications such as Innodisk’s iCAP can still access the device’s information.

Additionally, remote commands can be sent to the device, like power reset, all via the module’s LAN port. This powerful ability to restart, and send other useful commands to crashed devices eliminates the need to have engineers on site 24/7.

InnoAgent has two main use cases in the field, as a backup to in-band management for increased availability, or as the only form of remote management, for increased security. Both use cases are served well by InnoAgent’s vast feature set, and integration options, which include an API, allowing easy unification with existing systems. In addition, InnoAgent also supports -40° to

INNODISK

85°C wide temperature technology, and complies with the electrostatic protection specification EN61000-4-2 (ESD) Air15kV, and Contact-8kV. InnoAgent is slated for distribution in Q2 2022, and will offer a stable long-term supply. https://www.innodisk.com

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DFI

DFI IN PURSUIT OF QUALITY New DFI Factory in Taoyuan, Taïwan, certified for Highest IPC Class.

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FI’s new production facility in Taoyuan, after strict review by IPC certification experts, was officially certified today according to the latest IPC Qualified Manufacturers Listing (QML) J-STD-001/IPC-A-610 Class 3.

The facility has fulfilled the acceptance criteria of the international standards for the electronics industry IPC J-STD-001 “Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies” and IPC-A-610 “Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies” and has therefore been conferred the corresponding certification. IPC reviewers indicated that the newest version of the certification is more rigorous and difficult to obtain than previous versions.

More thorough documentation and qualification materials must be provided by the manufacturer and stronger professionalism and proactiveness are mandatory in the pursuit of quality to meet the QML review requirements.

The IPC QML manufacturer certification is proof that EMS and OEM suppliers can follow IPC standards in manufacturing, assembly, and supply and provide corporate value and quality to reduce risks. As of March 2022, there are only three suppliers in Taiwan listed on the Qualified Manufacturers List (www. ipcvalidation.org), and one of them is DFI. Chief Operating Officer Gavin Chan stated: “DFI, as an important member within the Qisda Group, focuses primarily on supplying industrial computing technology, PCBA and Systems, which are highly used for factory automation, invehicle and smart healthcare applications.

The latest IPC QML 001/610 certification obtained by the factory in Taoyuan is a significant milestone for DFI as it demonstrates not only our adherence to product quality standards but also our commitment to our customers.”

DFI was the first business in Taiwan to be certified for IPC QML 001/610 Class 3 in 2016. The certification renewal took place upon the original certification’s expiration in 2021 and following factory

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relocation to Taoyuan. IPC certification experts approved the company again and DFI was officially conferred the latest IPC QML 001/610 Class 3 Certificate. This certification serves as proof of the high reliability and consistent quality of DFI’s production technologies and embedded products.

IPC reviewers indicated that, due to the updated IPC J-STD-001/IPC-A-610 version, the requirements of the current QML review were now different due to the variance between the old and new versions. DFI’s team, however, spared no effort to provide the documentation and qualification data that were now required after they became aware of the correlation between the updated standards and quality improvement needed to fulfill QML review requirements. They truly lived up to the professional and proactive attitude of DFI in the pursuit of quality.

As a primary equipment supplier within the Qisda Group, DFI focuses on factory automation, in-vehicle applications and smart healthcare. The Company has been committed to the embedded business for years and manufacturing high-quality products has always been a core belief of DFI. DFI insists that its products must comply with regulatory standards and be internationally certified. As an IPC QML trusted resource library, DFI will continue to provide its customers with trustworthy products and technologies with a long-life cycle well into the future. https://www.dfi.com

DFI

DFI REVENUE EXCEEDS NTD TEN BILLION THRESHOLD IN 2021 AND EARNS NTD 5.38 PER SHARE Promising Quarterly Growth in Operational Performance.

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FI Inc., a leader in industrial computers, announced during its online investor conference on March that revenue in 2021 exceeded the NTD ten billion threshold for the first time, with earnings per share (EPS) reaching NTD 5.38. This year, supported by strong product demand DFI is steadily receiving orders. The impacts on gross profit from factory relocation and the shortage in parts and components reached their most severe level in the fourth quarter of last year. Consequently, both revenue and profitability are looking good this year and quarterly growths are anticipated.

According to Vice Chairman Mr. Michael Lee, with new infrastructures gaining prominence during the trend towards automated production and digital transformation, smart applications became the rigid demand over the long term. DFI has benefited from this development and has received many orders. The book-to-bill ratio (B/B ratio) reached 1.85 in 2021. As the shipping momentum grows, it is estimated that the B/B ratio for the first half of the year will be further normalized and embedded boards, networking, industrial automation and graphics will be the four major fields of application and the next long-term developmental goal.

DFI points out that thanks to the M&A effect brought about by the acquisition of Brainstorm (Skytech Gaming), a US distributor of computers for PC Gamers and Fintech applications and the increased non-operating profits from the sale of the DFI Xizhi plant last year, the net after-tax profits attributable to the parent company throughout the year came to NTD 616 million, reflecting an annual growth of 52% with earnings per share reaching NTD 5.38. The consolidated revenue in the fourth quarter climbed significantly to NTD 4,192 billion and showed a quarterly increase of 12% and an annual growth of 100%.

DFI’s Q4 gross profit margin was affected by the continued material shortages and price increases from upstream suppliers.

In addition increased manufacturing costs were incurred due to factory relocation.

Gross profit was NTD 662 million, and the gross profit margin was 15.8%. The new factory has now officially started operations and the rising cost of raw materials is gradually being reflected in the prices paid by customers. The issue of shortages in materials is expected to improve and the gross profit margin will continue to grow and be reflected in future profitability.

Fa c t o r y a u t o m a t i o n , i n -ve h i c l e applications and smart healthcare are three target vertical markets of DFI. Considering the demand for and diversity of smart applications on the market apart from the current focus on automation, 5G, and AIoT, DFI will extend its market presence to applications such as green energy, information security and Fintech.

DFI will also collaborate with businesses under Qisda BSG in providing a platform that combines software, hardware and

service to help businesses with expedited transformation and deployment and to fulfill the needs of customers with different applications. The throughput will continue to be enhanced in order to take advantage of new business opportunities.

DFI’s aggregated consolidated revenue was NTD 13.21 billion for January through December 2021 reflecting an annual increase of 58.2% from NTD 8.35 billion in 2020. The earnings per share were NTD 5.38 in 2021 with expected dividends at NTD 3.6 per share. When calculated based on the closing price of NTD 60.5 on Friday this represents a dividend yield of 5.95%. The return on equity (ROE) throughout the year was 14.8%. https://www.dfi.com

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IDS IMAGING DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS

THE IDS SOLUTION FOR LARGE LAUNDRY Intelligent robotics for laundries closes automation gap.

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he textile and garment industry is facing major challenges with current supply chain and energy issues. The future recovery is also threatened by factors that hinder production, such as labour and equipment shortages, which put them under additional pressure. The competitiveness of the industry, especially in a global context, depends on how affected companies respond to these framework conditions. One solution is to move the production of clothing back to Europe in an economically viable way. Shorter transport routes and the associated significant savings in transport costs and greenhouse gases speak in favour of this.

On the other hand, the related higher wage costs and the prevailing shortage of skilled workers in this country must be compensated. The latter requires further automation of textile processing.

The German deep-tech start-up sewts GmbH from Munich has focused on the great potential that lies in this task. It develops solutions with the help of which robots – similar to humans – anticipate how a textile will behave and adapt their movement accordingly.

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The German deep-tech start-up sewts GmbH from Munich has focused on the great potential that lies in this task.

It develops solutions with the help of which robots – similar to humans – anticipate how a textile will behave and adapt their movement accordingly. In the first step, sewts has set its sights on an application for large industrial laundries.

With a system that uses both 2D and 3D cameras from IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH, the young entrepreneurs are automating one of the last remaining manual steps in large-scale industrial laundries, the unfolding process. Although 90% of the process steps in industrial washing are already automated, the remaining manual operations account for 30% of labour costs. The potential savings through automation are therefore enormous at this point.

IDS IMAGING DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS

and easy-to-integrate IDS cameras, it is able to analyse dimensionally unstable materials such as textiles. Thanks to the new technology, robots can predict the behaviour of these materials during gripping in real time. It empowers VELUM to feed towels and similar linen made of terry cloth easily and crease-free into existing folding machines, thus closing a cost-sensitive automation gap.

The software suite developed by sewts combines commercially available robots, grippers and cameras into an intelligent system. In the search for the right camera modules, several criteria were decisive for the Munich-based company in addition to uncompromising industrial suitability: “We need a 3D camera that is costeffective because we use two to three 3D cameras depending on the system configuration. In addition, it must above all ensure high accuracy of the depth data,” explains Tim Doerks.

Application It is true that industrial laundries already operate in a highly automated environment to handle the large volumes of laundry. Among other things, the folding of laundry is done by machines.

However, each of these machines usually requires an employee to manually spread out the laundry and feed it without creases. This monotonous and strenuous loading of the folding machines has a disproportionate effect on personnel costs. In addition, qualified workforce is difficult to find, which often has an impact on the capacity utilisation and thus the profitability of industrial laundries. The seasonal nature of the business also requires a high degree of flexibility. sewts makes IDS cameras the image processing components of a new type of intelligent system whose technology can now

be used to automate individual steps, such as sorting dirty textiles or inserting laundry into folding machines.

“The particular challenge here is the malleability of the textiles,” explains Tim Doerks, co-founder and CTO. While the automation of the processing of solid materials, such as metals, is comparatively unproblematic with the help of robotics and AI solutions, available software solutions and conventional image processing often still have their limits when it comes to easily deformable materials. Accordingly, commercially available robots and gripping systems have so far only been able to perform such simple operations as gripping a towel or piece of clothing inadequately.

But the sewts system VELUM can provide this. With the help of intelligent software

“Beyond that, we need 2D cameras that are light sensitive, deliver high dynamic range and are suitable for use in a multicamera system.” The founders found what they were looking for in the IDS portfolio: For the VELUM multi-camera system, the choice fell on the new Ensenso S10 3D camera as well as models from the uEye CP camera series. Their task is to identify, both in 2D and 3D, interesting features and gripping points of the textiles that are fed into the system after washing and drying in an unordered manner in a container or on a conveyor belt. The shape and position of the individual objects cannot be predicted. The cameras capture the different textures of the materials.

They distinguish which hems there are on a towel and where corners are.

We match the images from the 2D and 3D cameras to have a higher 2D resolution together with the 3D data. So we use the respective advantages of the 2D camera, in this case the higher resolution, and the 3D camera, i.e. the precise depth data”, Tim Doerks, co-founder and CTO at sewts mentiones. Equipped with a 1.6 MP Sony sensor, the Ensenso S10 uses 05 - Electronics Journal - JULY 2022

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IDS IMAGING DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS

a 3D process based on structured light: A narrow-band infrared laser projector produces a high-contrast dot pattern even on objects with difficult surfaces or in dimly lit environments. Each image captured by the 1.6 MP Sony sensor provides a complete point cloud with up to 85,000 depth points. Artificial intelligence enables reliable assignment of the laser points found to the hard-coded positions of the projection. This results in the robust 3D data with the necessary depth accuracy, from which VELUM extracts the coordinates for the gripping points.

The complementary GV-5280CP-CHQindustrial camera with GigE Vision firmware is equipped with Sony’s IMX264 2/3” global shutter CMOS sensor. It delivers near-noise-free, high-contrast 5 MP images in 5:4 format at 22 fps at full GigE speed in applications with fluctuating lighting conditions. The uEye CP camera offers maximum functionality with extensive pixel pre-processing and is perfect for multi-camera systems thanks to the internal 120 MB image memory for buffering image sequences. At around 50 g, the small magnesium housing is as light as it is robust and predestines the camera for space-critical applications and for use on robot arms.

Software Depending on customer requirements or configuration, two to three uEye 2D or Ensenso 3D cameras are used - both models can be seamlessly integrated into VELUM. “We are experts in preparing 05 - Electronics Journal - JULY 2022

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the generated data, which is especially important when working with 3D point clouds. This pre-processing is an important component of our systems in order to generate suitable input for our artificial intelligence,” Tim Doerks emphasises. The AI developed by sewts processes the data supplied by the uEye CP or Ensenso S cameras. The intelligent software analyses the topology of the textiles using features such as the course of the seam, local elevations or the relative position of seams, classifies them according to textile type and class using various textures and embroidery patterns and translates these findings into robot commands.

The data is processed via Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and classical image processing. “We useIDS peak, the software development kit from IDS. We connect to our system via Python and the IDS Library,” reveals Till Rickert, cofounder and CPO of sewts. “The added value of the IDS software package for us lies primarily in the ease of calibration and integration into our High Tech Vision System,” he continues.

“AI is at the core of our technology.

Intelligent algorithms are needed to build adaptive systems that can cope with non-deterministic automation processes.

That’s why we use the latest findings from AI research, refine them for our needs and finally put them together into a big whole,” adds Till Rickert. It receives various sensor data (e.g. optical information), draws

conclusions from them on a human-like cognitive level and translates them into robot commands. In this way, systems like VELUM perform tasks that previously required the human mind. This is exactly what sewts’ corporate philosophy is all about: “Our goal is to transform complex manual work into smooth automation”.

Outlook With systems like VELUM, laundries can significantly increase their throughput regardless of the staffing situation and thus increase their profitability. “By closing this significant automation gap, we can almost double the productivity of a textile washing line,” assures CEO Alexander Bley.

IDS cameras can also be used for clothing such as shirts and trousers in the future.

“It is important to understand the properties of these materials in order to implement robust processes. We achieve

IDS IMAGING DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS

Cameras Ensenso S: 3D laser point triangulation with artificial intelligence • Ultra-compact and cost-efficient • High 3D data rate and accuracy through AI support • Robust 3D data even in low ambient lighting • Structured light with AI-based laser dot pattern triangulation • Suitable for applications in logistics automation, robot vision, obstacle detection, monitoring and horticultural automation, etc.

this through sophisticated material simulations. In order to simulate the behaviour of textiles, we create special FE simulations using the finite element method,” explains Alexander Bley. But the Munich-based company has an overarching vision: “We want to make it possible to automate the production of clothing and move it back to the point of use in a cost-efficient way. In this way, we shorten transport distances, create more reliable supply chains, save CO2 emissions and combat the problem of overproduction.” Additionally applications with materials that are not textiles are also planned for the future.

Incredibly fast, incredibly reliable, incredible sensors: The uEye CP • Interface: Ethernet • Model: GV-5280CP-C-HQ • Sensortyp: CMOS • Sensor type: CMOS • Manufacturer: Sony • Frame rate: 24.0 fps • Resolution (h x v): 2448 x 2048 • Shutter: Global Shutter • Resolution: 5.01 MPixel • Dimensions: 29 x 29 x 29 mm • Weight: 52 g • Connector: GigE RJ46, screwable • Applications: e.g. industrial image processing, mechanical engineering, surface inspection, medical technology, traffic & transport, quality assurance, etc.

There are many potential use cases for technologies like these, and image processing will always play a significant role. Artificial intelligence will accelerate this development. https://en.ids-imaging.com/ 05 - Electronics Journal - JULY 2022

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LEUZE

IO-LINK VIA MODULAR PRINCIPLE The new IO-Link function modules from Leuze simplify the integration of device data into PLC programs. This saves the users time and enables error-free installation.

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ith their IO-Link function modules, the Sensor People at Leuze are introducing a powerful tool: it makes the integration of IO-Link device data into PLC programs significantly easier. Users can simply and quickly transfer the function modules to the control program. Common control systems from manufacturers such as Siemens, Beckhoff, and Rockwell Automation are supported. The innovative modular approach makes reading and writing device parameters significantly easier. The function modules can be downloaded free of charge for all IO-Link products from Leuze.

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Fast and reliable integration Each function module is tailored to an IOLink sensor from Leuze. The softwarebased modules save the users time. It is no longer necessary to waste time looking for data types, parameter indexes, and process data structures. It also prevents possible errors in the integration of IOLink device data. Users can even obtain diagnostic data while the process is running and use them for optimizing the set up. Individual components of the process data are easily accessible thanks to the process data parser function.

Format and recipe changeover during operation Another advantage for users is the format and recipe change during operation: Recipes stored in the PLC can be switched

easily in the sensor by the control program while the process in ongoing.

Free download Leuze offers the IO-Link function modules as free downloads. Further information is available at www.leuze.com/io-link-fb.

LEUZE

Leuze tests every function module extensively before release. This facilitates fast and error-free integration of IO-Link device data.

Different recipes can be easily stored in the PLC. Depending on the desired format, the PLC makes the switch in the IO-Link device – even while operation is ongoing.

The process data parser function makes individual components of the process data easily accessible.

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CMP PRODUCTS

FIT FOR OFFSHORE RENEWABLES GRANTED STATUS ACHIEVED BY CMP Leading manufacturer of cable glands, cleats and accessories, CMP Products, has been granted “Fit for Offshore Renewables” (F4OR) status through ORE Catapult and Nuclear AMRC’s program.

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he F4OR program, developed in conjunction with the offshore renewables energy industry, is aimed at gearing up supply chain businesses with the skills required to supply into the sector.

To kick-start the program, CMP was audited against a criteria covering areas such as sector knowledge, QHSE, excellence, readiness for the market and product offering.

An action plan was devised following this to engage all areas of the business in activities relating to the offshore renewables energy sector.

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Following successful completion of the action plan, and engagement in various webinar modules, CMP was re-audited and presented for F4OR granted status on the 18th February 2022.

CMP’s Director of Quality, Health & Safety and Environment, Francisco Dominguez said: “Our F4OR status signifies our commitment to supplying greener sources of energy and demonstrates that we have the skills and capabilities required to supply to the offshore renewables energy sector.

“Not only this, but we are the first company within the North East to achieve F4OR granted status and we are

extremely proud to be flying the flag for the program within the region.”

Shortly, CMP Products will appear in the list of F4OR granted companies on the F4OR website:https://ore.catapult.org. uk/what-we-do/supply-chain-growth/ fit-4-offshore-renewables/grantedcompanies/.

The certificate can be downloaded here or for more information on CMP visit: www. cmp-products.com.

VIEWSONIC

VIEWSONIC EUROPE HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY NAMED ONE OF 250 UK’S BEST WORKPLACES FOR WELLBEING Our employees have spoken! ViewSonic Europe Ltd. has been ranked among the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing (2022)

by Great Place to Work®, the global authority on workplace culture.

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o determine the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing list, Great Place to Work’s culture experts analysed thousands of employee surveys, assessing people’s holistic experiences of wellbeing at work by asking employees to comment on how their company supports their: • Work-life balance • Sense of fulfilment • Job satisfaction • Psychological safety • Financial security

Evaluations also included assessing how well the organisation was able to deliver consistency of their employee experience across all departments and seniority levels.

“When employees feel genuinely cared for, their loyalty, engagement and productivity improve. Happier people also become brand advocates for the business and often go the extra mile to provide a positive experience for their clients and customers. We’re delighted to launch our first-ever UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing list in 2022, shining a light on the 250 companies who have succeeded in ensuring staff experience high levels of wellbeing across the organisation. Hopefully, this recognition and acknowledgement will inspire more workplaces to do the same in years to

come,” says Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK. “It is great to be recognised as one of the Top 250 UK Workplaces™ for Wellbeing since our employees are pivotal to the success of ViewSonic Europe Ltd. as the brand value and reputation is defined by its people. Just as our customer-first approach seeks to empower people and improve lives, so do our employment practices. We are dedicated to recruiting skilled talent and ensuring diversity and inclusion in the workplace, as we recognise that distinct sets of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are crucial to innovation,” says Sherry Peng, HR Manager at ViewSonic Europe Ltd. https://www.viewsonic.com

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KEYENCE

KEYENCE LM SERIES DELIVERS BREAKTHROUGH MEASUREMENT ACCURACY ALONGSIDE UNRIVALLED EASE OF USE Keyence has further extended its portfolio of precision measurement technologies with a new, high-accuracy image dimension measurement system.

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oasting accuracy to ±0.7μm, the LM Series combines the ease of use associated with the Keyence range with the breakthrough precision demanded across an ever broader range of applications.

Consistent sub-micron accuracy and repeatability is guaranteed through automated focusing and part positioning, making it ideal for applications with very tight tolerances in sectors from medical and electronics to high-precision metal manufacturing.

As with other Keyence systems, the LM Series is easy and rapid to program with intuitive on-screen help always available, and it can be operated with just one button. Items do not need to be precisely positioned, while rapid stage movement and a large field of view for a precision measurement system deliver optimum speed as fewer images are needed compared with alternative systems. The auto-focus function ensures accurate focus irrespective of operator experience.

Up to 300 dimensions can be measured at a time, while the LM Series can measure up to 100 individual parts simultaneously.

A convenient integral coaxial light offers a broad variety of lighting options to provide optimised stable edge detection, whatever the material of the item being measured. While more typically used in laboratory environments, the system is sufficiently robust to withstand the rigours of the shopfloor environment with its low-vibration stage.

An integral high-magnification lens with Z-focus positioning allows for highly accurate non-contact height and depth measurement for areas as small as 20 × 20 μm. Additionally, plane elements can be created which are independent

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KEYENCE

from the stage and overall part slope, with flatness and interplane angle measurements easily added to programs.

Suitable applications are plentiful and range from prototype and first-off part inspection, to in-process sample and part inspection; and pre-shipping and incoming goods inspections.

Ailsa Morrison, Applications Engineer for the Metrology Division at Keyence, explained: “Ever tighter tolerances are a defining characteristic of modern manufacturing and through the LM Series, Keyence is offering a rapid and reliable means to verify part dimensions to ever greater levels of accuracy. Alongside that, it really is a system that anyone, anywhere, can use – thanks to a range of automated and intuitive functions.”

For more information visit www.keyence.co.uk

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AGGREKO

WILL HIGH-DENSITY RACKING CHANGE HOW WE COOL FUTURE DATA CENTRES Rising rack densities worldwide means European data centre stakeholders must adapt their approach to testing key cooling infrastructure ahead of facilities coming online, says temporary solutions specialists Aggreko.

A

ccording to a recent market report

by Researchandmarkets.com, rack power density is expected to grow globally from an average of 4-6kW in 2020 to approximately 10-12kW in 2026 because of the deployment of increasingly high-performance infrastructure, but can be as much as 100KW for supercomputer applications. With the CBRE highlighting a quarter-on-quarter decline in vacancies for the FLAP markets due to data demand, facilities are increasingly being housed in highly rack-dense locations with smaller footprints.

will become increasingly commonplace in the facilities of the future.”

The need to prevent servers from overheating in these more cramped environments has led to the growing popularity of more efficient heat removal technologies, such as liquid cooling.

According to Aggreko, this change in approach can present different challenges for loadbank testing that must be addressed in the commissioning phase.

“Overheating servers can present real issues for businesses that rely on these facilities for their everyday operation,” concludes Billy. “This is especially the case for organisations that constantly require large amounts of data very quickly, and this level of demand, combined with rising rack density, requires highly efficient liquid cooling systems to maintain stable conditions.

“Ensuring that data centre halls maintain a controlled environment is a key part of keeping facilities functional and avoiding disruption,” explains Billy Durie, Global Head for Data Centres at Aggreko.

“However, the surge in more compact data centres, often situated in highrise city centre locations in areas such as Frankfurt and London, poses new commissioning challenges that need to be accounted for with innovative testing methods.

“Simply put, traditional air cooling is not possible in data halls with high rack density, and as research shows, this will become a growing concern as more and more IT equipment is fitted into smaller spaces. It is therefore crucial that data centre owners and operators engage with organisations that can effectively load-test the liquid cooling systems that

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With innovative approaches required to adequately test cooling systems in this more challenging environment, electric boilers from suppliers such as Aggreko may offer a potential solution.

Installed with the data hall and connected directly into the cooling circuit during the commissioning phase, these units heat the liquid within the cooling system and measure its response to rising temperatures.

“This specific issue demonstrates a wider one – that the data centre market is continually in flux and subject to emergent trends. With this in mind, site managers must seek out specialist assistance from organisations that can adapt their testing methods to suit new construction demands. Aggreko’s use of electric boilers, combined with the organisation’s expertise to ensure the highly controlled data hall environment remains uncompromised during the testing process, is an excellent example of this approach in action.”

For more information on loadbank testing for your data centre site, visit www.aggreko.com

AGGREKO

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PROTO-ELECTRONICS

PROTO-ELECTRONICS.COM, THE FAST PROTOTYPING PLATFORM FOR ELECTRONIC BOARDS EXPERIENCES STRONG GROWTH Proto-Electronics is a French company founded by Damien Rossignon, specializing in the rapid, high-quality prototyping of assembled printed circuit boards. Previously at Altrics, a contract manufacturer specializing in PCB assembly, he had anticipated the industry demand for rapid prototyping of PCBAs in 2010 and set up a dedicated workshop in his company.

W

ith the creation in 2014 of Proto-Electronics and its online platform www.protoelectronics.com, the goal was to reduce prototype production times which took several weeks and enable companies to accelerate their time-to-market. The company was the first in France at this time to rethink the activity of prototyping assembled PCBs and to offer a fully automated quotation service with a response time of less than ten minutes and a production lead time of 5 days.

Today, the platform is now well-known throughout Europe (with a delivery to over 26 countries), and mobilizes more than 18,000 prototype designers.

The prototyping of assembled PCBs is key part of new product development and in a dynamic and constantly growing electronics market, requirements are constantly increasing (smaller and smaller components, specific soldering techniques, etc.). This is true in all market segments: LED, IoT, embedded systems, automotive.

Digitalization of the prototype design process Boosted by a successful digital transition, Proto-Electronics has shaken up the electronics industry by revolutionizing the prototyping business through the digitalization and dematerialization of the various services: project costing, selection of electronic components, PCB characteristics and modes of communication with the customers. The production times have been reduced dramatically from 4 weeks to 5 working days. The projects (from 1 to 50 pieces) and prices are directly available online.

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In 2016, a new version of the platform was launched in response to the global component shortage crisis faced by the electronics industry. Gateways were created to world-class component suppliers to ensure both competitive pricing and timely availability. All prototypes are assembled in a specialized workshop for PCB assembly prototypes, using a quality machine park equipped with reflow oven (vapour phase soldering), X-Ray Inspection system, SMT Smartline, SMT BGA/QFN station, Automatic Visual Inspection System, etc. The operators work according to the IPC610 standard for electronics subcontractors and the company is certified to the ISO9001: 2015 standard. The workshop benefits from regular further investments and recruitment to cope with the booming activity.

PROTO-ELECTRONICS

A prototyping professional is essential to ensure fast, high quality execution, which is why dedicated and personalized customer support is provided all the way though the project and order processing until it is delivered.

A global development Proto-Electronics has an international customer service department, with 10 employees able to deal with orders in 5 languages, soon to be 6 with the imminent translation of the website into Dutch. The prototyping platform is accessible from anywhere in the world.

Proto-Electronics is expanding its presence in Europe since 2018, particularly in Germany, Italy, and Spain.

The opening of an office in Germany in 2017 paves the way for international

expansion, and the translation of the website into spanish in 2020 has also enabled Latin American countries to be delivered.

hires are planned, both in production and in the sales department. www.proto-electronics.com

Since last year, the platform has been of great interest to Northern Europe: indeed, many companies from Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Latvia, Poland, have come to join the many customers of Proto-Electronics. Also added as regular customers are many groups/SMEs/startups from Switzerland, Austria, Greece, and Portugal.

Damien Rossignon’s stated objective is to achieve 50% of export sales within the next two years. In addition, ProtoElectronics is constantly recruiting: having started with 4 employees in 2014, the company now has 32 employees. New 05 - Electronics Journal - JULY 2022

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FISCHER CONNECTORS

NEW CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS FEATURING HIGH-DENSITY MINIATURIZATION POWER UP DATA TRANSMISSION IN REDUCED-SCALE ELECTRONICS

The Swiss-headquartered Fischer Connectors Group continues to push the boundaries of highdensity miniaturization in connectivity. Its ultra-miniature, rugged series of connectors, cable assemblies and electronic solutions has been extended to help engineers add more functionality and meet high-speed data acquisition and transmission requirements in applications with extreme limitations in space, even in harsh operating environments.

T

he flagship product line Fischer MiniMax™ Series, which already includes one of the smallest and densest connectors in the world, now includes three connectors and their associated cables with new options in pin layout, body size and data speed:

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• New pin-layout configuration: 7 contacts (4x signal, 3x power) in Ø 10 mm receptacle (Fischer Connectors reference ’size 06’) with a configuration offering up to 22 AWG and a choice of three locking mechanisms (quick-release, push-pull, screw), as a perfect alternative for designing even smaller equipment for the Nett Warrior connectivity ecosystem and for other rugged applications • New body size: Ø 14.0 mm (size 10) with 12 signal and power contacts offering USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbit/s, 1 m) and high power up to 8A, suited for high-speed intercom boxes and next-generation hubs • New ultra-high density: 30 contacts (24x signal, 6x power) in Ø 14.0 mm

FISCHER CONNECTORS

(size 10), supporting multi-protocol data transmission (such as HDMI, USB, Ethernet) and extending the popular high-density layout offering for instrumentation applications, unmanned systems, and sensor and IoT interconnections.

Increased density and optimized packaging factors for design flexibility The increased density and optimized packaging factor offered by the MiniMax series apply to a varied array of lightweight and compact solutions, from various connector configurations, through cable assemblies with straight, right-angle or 60° overmolding, to electronic solutions including hubs, flash drives and flex PCB circuits tailored to the size, weight and power (SWaP) requirements of entire electronic systems and ecosystems.

This provides OEM engineers with more flexibility in terms of design when it comes to choosing from different connectivity solutions in line with specific system-level and field-application engineering requirements, harsh

operating environments, as well as costefficiency criteria.

Smaller connectivity yields big advantages in terms of design integration. For example, the 12 mm diameter receptacle (size 08) with up to 24 power and signal contacts represents up to a 45% space saving compared to standard receptacles with a similar number of contacts. The external dimensions of electronic devices are affected by the growing demand for sensors and mobile (or wearable) electronics as well as for autonomous robotics and vehicles. This implies everlighter components. With up to 75% weight saving, the Fischer MiniMax™ Series achieves both size and weight reduction, maximizing performances while minimizing the integration burden.

One of the smallest and densest connectors in the world is a Fischer MiniMax™ connector. The connector in size 06 includes up to 12 power and signal contacts in a footprint of just 10 mm. This represents a density factor of 0.83, a unique technological feature

for a connector with standard 0.5 mm contacts. The density factor is equal to the receptacle diameter divided by the number of contacts available in that receptacle size.

When ruggedized for durable life cycles, lightweight and ultra-miniature solutions further increase flexibility and facilitates design integration for demanding applications. The main reliability features of the Fischer MiniMax™ Series are 5,000 mating cycles, 360° EMC shielding, IP68 sealing -20m/24h, gas tightness to 10-6 mbar l/s, high corrosion resistance, operating temperatures from -40 °C to +135 °C, blind mating, three secure locking mechanisms (quick-release, push-pull, screw), and cable assemblies with straight or angled bend relief overmolding.

Two use cases: Robust, high-density miniaturization applied Lidar (laser imaging detection and ranging) for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

YellowScan, based in southern France, designs lightweight UAV-lidar mapping

YellowScan’s Mapper uses three Fischer Minimax™ connectors: 4 pins for the external power port; 24 pins (RJ45 and Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter, UART) for the LiveStation port; and 19 pins (USB and General Purpose Input/Output, GPIO) for the optional camera port

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FISCHER CONNECTORS

The 6-axis force sensors of ME-Meßsysteme use the powerful, robust MP11 connectors in the Fischer MiniMax™ Series.

solutions for surveying operations such as a survey of ruins, topographic studies of road and rail corridors, and an airborne survey of the Amazon in French Guyana that maps both canopy and terrain to study the impacts of climate change.

The key connectivity requirements for lidar systems such as the YellowScan’s Mapper using three Fischer MiniMax™ connectors are: space and weight, rugged material, vibration resistance, dust and rain proofing with high IP sealing, large pin count and EMI shielding.

Strain gauge sensors. To ensure that machines and systems in robotics, medical technology or the automotive industry are operated safely and precisely, the forces and torques need to be monitored constantly. One proven methodology for obtaining reliable results is strain gauge technology. Since the sensors are very small, connectivity also has to be suitably minimized, and data transmission must remain stable even when there are high vibrations. The engineers of ME-Meßsysteme based in Germany have chosen the compact and robust Fischer MiniMax™ Series to meet these requirements in data transmission and vibration resistance.

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CEO and CTO quotes Jonathan Brossard, Fischer Connectors CEO: “Special know-how, skillsets and miniaturization and ruggedization processes and techniques are required from our R&D and Operations teams to design and manufacture our ultraminiature, high-density and high-speed connectivity solutions. We are very proud we can provide the design engineering community with some of the smallest and densest connectivity solutions in the world, combined with unparalleled ergonomics and robustness.”

Jérôme Dabonneville, Fischer Connectors CTO: “The multiplication of sensors – reflecting a growing need for data acquisition and transmission – as well as the constant scale reduction of electronic components are the two main innovation drivers for ever-smaller, lighter and more capable high-density, ultraminiature connectors, cable assemblies and electronic solutions. Demands for connectivity tailored to electronic devices and systems ensuring signal integrity and maximizing power & data functionality, performance and reliability, while containing or maintaining footprint to a minimum, are on the rise. The new solutions we are now making available to the market completes our Fischer MiniMax™ range in this direction. Tested to IEC, EIA and MIL-SPEC quality and reliability standards, they allow design engineers to accelerate innovative designs

for various challenging applications in defense & security, UAVs and industrial instrumentation, to name just a few of the harsh operating environments for which our ultra-miniature connectivity solutions are particularly well suited.”

More info: • F ischer MiniMax™ Series with full technical specifications • YellowScan’s lidar and Fischer MiniMax™ in Connector Supplier’s article “Lidar Systems Give Vision to Vehicles” • ME-Meßsysteme’s 6-axis force sensors and Fischer MiniMax™ in case study “Smooth data transmission even with vibrations” • Miniaturization technology on Fischer Connectors NEW WEBSITE with new tech insights

INNODISK

AN EXPERTISE TO PROVIDE A FULL-SERVICE INDUSTRIAL AIOT PACKAGE Innodisk AIoT Solutions Target EV and Smart City.

I

nnodisk reflects on its AIoT wins of last year and outlook for 2022. Even now, in 2022, AIoT is still a buzz that’s impossible for business leaders to ignore however many are still not exactly sure how the pieces of the AIoT puzzle fit together or where to start. But the business proposition is clear, with 39.1% annual growth expected over the next five years. To seize the opportunities in the AIoT market, in 2021, Innodisk joined up with its subsidiaries to form an AIoT data-centric ecosystem called the “AIoT All-Round Service” that combines their expertise to provide a full-service industrial AIoT package.

After a year, Innodisk’s recent experience confirms this market trend, with AIoTrelated projects doubling each year. A deeper look reveals the primary focus lies in 5G, networking, infrastructure, and automation fields.

Especially with the high-performance industrial-grade storage, memory, and embedded peripherals, as well as software, Innodisk is now going one step further, integrating these into AIoT technology solutions that withstand heavy vibrations and harsh outdoor environments, such as AI robots and electric vehicles.

AI robots have secured their place as the hands-free delivery method of choice in hotels, hospitals, and airports during the pandemic. These electronic helpers meet contact and social distancing prerogatives while reducing personnel workloads.

Innodisk worked together with a hitechnology venture in the smart services sectors to integrate its customized SSDs into their AI robots, ensuring reliable operation.

Electric vehicles place a large strain on electronics, with vibrations and heat exceeding the thresholds of standard equipment. A multinational technology company used Innodisk’s wide temperature DRAM modules, industrialgrade flash storage, and its subsidiary

Antzer’s GPS Tracker for their EV truck.

As a result, their retail delivery system benefited from the AI technology while reducing pollutant and noise emissions.

Eric Chang, Special Assistant of Innodisk, said, “We’re confident that the increase in AIoT applications will continue thriving through 2022, especially for electric vehicles and smart city applications.”

He further added, “Electric vehicles like buses, trucks, logistics, and fleet management will all see growth. Smart cities are also in focus as more countries invest in technology construction to harness AIoT and smart cities, including intelligent street lamps and surveillance systems.” Innodisk is well-prepared for these technological advancements and has set a goal to “Build an Intelligent World”. https://www.innodisk.com/index

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VIEWSONIC

VIEWSONIC REVEALS STUNNING COLLECTION OF IMAGES FOR “A YEAR OF COLOURS” 2021

January: Ergen from Albania

February: Aaron Walls from Mexico

March: Py Tran from Vietnam

Submission opens for 2022 starting with “Teal”.

V

iewSonic1 concludes the “A Year of Colours” campaign for 2021.

Each month, we encouraged everyone to create artwork based on a pre-selected colour. At the end of each month, submissions were evaluated, and a winner was chosen. Over the last year, participants from all over the globe submitted their artwork to the yearlong campaign, fostering a digital hub of creativity and inspiration. By the end of 2021, a beautiful palette of colours occupied ViewSonic ColorPro’s Instagram account. The “A Year of Colours” campaign will continue into 2022, kicking off with the January colour, Teal.

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“With ‘A Year of Colours’, we wanted to bring a sense of wonder and consistency to our community through vibrant colours,” said Oscar Lin, General Manager of the Monitor Business at ViewSonic.

“Even though we could not meet in person, with the help from creators, we were able to create a digital hub of positivity, energy, and inspiration. We are excited to see more colorful submissions in 2022.”

The latest, December 2021, winning artwork features a person overlooking a frozen lake in Grindelwald, Switzerland.

In this photograph, the person became a speck within the vast snowscape, truly capturing a sense of serene isolation. This submission joins the cast of incredible winners of 2021. The winning entries featured a wide spectrum of subjects – from a cosmic elephant to a flying car, and a quiet lagoon to a chaotic city with “cube virus” – the entries guarantee no shortage of excitement.

For their efforts, each winner was given a ColorPro VP2785-2K professional display. This will assist them in creating more spectacular artworks. In 2022, ViewSonic will continue to give out ColorPro monitors to artists and creators.

Apart from the monthly selections, ViewSonic will also invite renowned influencers to create stunning and coloraccurate images. These influencers will share their insights on the meaning of colors through a series of talks, live interviews, and podcasts.

For more information, please visit the campaign website. To view more of the latest submissions, please visit the official ColorPro Instagram account. https://www.viewsonic.com/global/ 1 The Contest is hosted and sponsored by ViewSonic International Corp., located in New Taipei City, Taiwan. ViewSonic International Corp. is a subsidiary of ViewSonic Corp. located in California, USA.

BRAND

June: Cosmik Madness from Argentina

April: Jordan Singh from India

July: Ozart from Turkey

August: Kuldeep Kumar from India

May: Ersin Acir from Turkey

September: Umut Recber from Turkey

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October: Raiyani Muharramah from Indonesia

November: Gokul Krishna from India

43 December: Robin Denisse from Switzerland

CRC INDUSTRIES

KONTAKT CHEMIE LAUNCHES NEW LOOK AND FEEL FOR ITS AEROSOL CANS KONTAKT CHEMIE will introduce a new design for its products, hitting the market from the beginning of 2022. The brand is proud to present the new look and feel, which comes with a host of novelties. Next to the design, the rebranding also includes a new colour system, which indicates the type of product at hand, helping the user out. KONTAKT CHEMIE takes proud in its regulatory leadership, and is already compliant with all upcoming regulations, such as UFI and UKCA marking.

Colour system as part of a new design The new KONTAKT CHEMIE look comes also with new colours for the aerosol cans. We introduce 8 different colours that indicate the functionality of the product. For example red will represent the “contact cleaners”, Brown will represent the “Air Dusters”, etc. This will be a huge benefit for the users of the brand to immediately identify the type of product they require.

The formulation of the product will remain unchanged, the same high level of performance and quality will be guaranteed for all the products in the KONTAKT CHEMIE range. http://www.crceurope.com/csp/web/ intro.csp

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VIEWSONIC

VIEWSONIC VTOUCH BRINGS FULL MACOS MONTEREY MULTI-TOUCH COMPATIBILITY TO TD SERIES MONITORS ViewSonic launched the vTouch 3.1 driver for its TD Series touchscreen monitors, making the displays compatible with the newly released macOS Monterey.

M

ac users can extend the full functionality of the Mac trackpad to touchscreen monitors, combining dual-screen efficiency with multi-touch gesture capability. The TD Series offers a range of products for a wide variety of needs, from highly portable 16” units to more expansive 24” displays.

“Mac users have long faced the challenge of a lack of OS-based support for external touchscreens. The launch of ourvTouch driversignificantly improved touch support for macOS. This garnered positive feedback from our Mac users,” said Oscar Lin, General Manager of the Monitor Business Unit at ViewSonic. “We have been committed to ensuring that our displays are always equipped with the latest software technology. We are

proud to offer an up-to-date driver that supports multi-touch gesture recognition and provides a solution for Mac users to get more out of their devices and their operating system.”

ViewSonic’s TD Seriestouchscreen monitors are designed to suit a diverse array of visual needs and are ideal for overcoming one-screen limitations. In the past, Mac users could not use external touch monitors due to limitations in macOS. With ViewSonic’s latest vTouch software, Mac users can employ all the features of multi-touch technology such as zoom, pinch, spread, rotate, and stretch, as well as Mac trackpad gestures on the TD Series. This bridges the gap between Mac users and dual-screen touch technology.

vTouch 3.1 works across ViewSonic’s entire TD Series. The vTouch driver is compatible with both Intel and M1 processors. It is available for macOS 10.8 and above. Mac users can install ViewSonic’s vTouch by downloading the driver here.

The TD Series offers options for resistive, infrared (IR), and capacitive touchscreens.

Moreover, the series features sharp, high-resolution displays, with sleek, clean designs. It spans a range of sizes, from the portable 16” TD1655 to the 24” TD2455. The TD Series supports Windows, Android, Chrome, and macOS devices. https://www.viewsonic.com

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VIEWSONIC

VIEWSONIC RELEASES LINE-UP OF ELITE MONITORS WITH MINI-LED BACKLIGHT TECHNOLOGY Leading the Visual Revolution With Ultra-Realistic Colour and Deeper Levels of Contrast.

V

iewSonic announces several ViewSonic ELITE™ professional gaming monitors with leadingedge Mini-LED technology. Ranging from 27” to 34”, the ELITE XG272G-2K, ELITE XG321UG, and ELITE XG341C2K transform gaming with Mini-LED technology for optimised contrasts and greater details even in dimly lit environments.

“In gaming, image quality is king. As gamers demand more advanced ingame details and extreme clarity, our Mini-LED ELITE monitors surpass current gaming landscapes by delivering enhanced gaming features and innovative technology. We hope to push the boundaries of gaming displays to the next level.” said Ricky Kumar, Sales Director at ViewSonic.

All three monitors are fully loaded with Mini-LED backlighting technology. By utilising the highest of 1,152 distinct Mini-LED zones with full-array local dimming tech (FALD), these new models deliver maximum contrast between the

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VIEWSONIC

brightest whites and deepest blacks, allowing gamers to experience peak visual performance, even on the most graphically-demanding games.

The ELITE XG272G-2K and ELITE XG321UG support the NVIDIA Reflex Analyzer which measures the delay between the click of the mouse and expected actions. Using the NVIDIA Reflex Analyzer, competitive gamers can start a match with confidence, knowing their system is operating exactly as it should be.

ELITE XG272G-2K Warp Speed into Extreme Clarity The 27” ELITE XG272G-2K monitor enables fluid gameplay with advanced NVIDIA G-SYNC ULTIMATE capabilities, alongside an exceedingly fast refresh rate of 300Hz. The monitor utilises Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (IGZO) display technology for higher pixel density, and impeccable, consistent colours. Using VESA DisplayHDR™ 1000 capabilities and 95% DCI-P3 colour gamut, players can venture into breathtaking realistic fantasy scapes or explore the chaotic depths of space with a new dimension of colour and clarity.

ELITE XG321UG Achieve Victory in Visual Perfection The 32” ELITE XG321UG comes with the latest-gen NVIDIA G-SYNC ULTIMATE technology, a blistering 3ms (OD) response time, and a smooth refresh rate of 144Hz – dishing out lag-and-stutterfree gameplay and seamless frame transitions. Savor outstanding brightness and superior visual fidelity with quantum dot technology, VESA DisplayHDR™ 1400 capabilities, and 4K UHD resolution.

Armed with 99% Adobe RGB colour gamut and true 10-bit colour depth, gamers can feast upon rich cinema-grade colour. To ensure precise colour reproduction, the monitor is factory pre-calibrated to Delta E<2.

ELITE XG341C-2K Curved for Ultimate Immersion ELITE XG341C-2K is the world’s fastest 34” curved ultra-widescreen MiniLED gaming monitor with a 200Hz (overclocked) refresh rate. Packed with a blazing fast 1ms (MPRT) response time and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, the

WQHD monitor offers smooth, ultra-lowlatency playback. With a peak brightness of 1,400 nits and a 97% DCI-P3 color gamut, this 1500R curvature monitor expands the field of vision to dominate enemy sightlines and enhance depth perception for more realistic action and astonishing colours. It also offers both USB Type-C and HDMI 2.1 ports for effortless multitasking or console gaming.

Key Features of ELITE XG272G-2K • 27” QHD IPS panel with IGZO display technology • Mini-LED technology with 576 zones • VESA DisplayHDR™ 1000 • 95% DCI P3 colour gamut • 300Hz refresh rate • NVIDIA G-SYNC ULTIMATE Certification and NVIDIA Reflex Analyzer • TÜV-Certified Eye Comfort • Available worldwide in Q3, 2022 Key Features of ELITE XG321UG • Ultra-wide 32” 4K UHD IPS panel • Mini-LED technology with 1,152 zones • VESA DisplayHDR™ 1400 • 9 9% Adobe RGB colour gamut and factory pre-calibrated to Delta E< 2 • 1 44Hz refresh rate and 3ms (OD) response time • NVIDIA G-SYNC ULITMATE Certification and NVIDIA Reflex Analyzer • TÜV-Certified Eye Comfort • Supports ELITE Display Controller • Available worldwide in Q1, 2022 Key Features of ELITE XG341C-2K • Ultra-wide 34” WQHD Curved panel • Mini-LED technology with 1,152 zones • VESA DisplayHDR™ 1400 • 97% DCI-P3 colour gamut • 165Hz refresh rate (overclockable to 200Hz) and 1ms (MPRT) response time • AMD FreeSync Premium Pro • Ultimate connectivity from USB Type-C with 90W power delivery • Console gaming compatibility with HDMI 2.1 • Available worldwide in Q1, 2022 https://www.viewsonic.com/

This news release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company’s expectations with regard to future events.

Actual events could differ significantly from those anticipated in this document. Program, pricing, specifications, and availability are subject to change without notice.

ViewSonic and the ViewSonic trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of ViewSonic Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other corporate names and trademarks stated herein are the property of their respective companies. iMade of minute diodes no larger than 0.2 mm, these “mini” lights are arranged in independent zones that can be controlled on a per-square basis. The divided zones allow for unmatched contrast control to expertly adjust the optimal amount of light dependant on the content playing. With an immense number of zones, it diminishes the possibility of blooming and provides uniform lighting across the screen. This then delivers brighter visuals, better contrast control, exceptional black levels, and more realistic colors. ii1. The “fastest” claim is applicable only to 34” curved ultra-widescreen Mini-LED gaming monitor with a 200Hz (overclocked) refresh rate, already commercialized and available for end user purchase worldwide in Q1, 2022.

2. The “fastest” claim means the maximum refresh rate of 200Hz (overclocked). The measurement is only applicable under 3440 x 1440 resolution. *Overclocking ability is dependent on the graphics card.

3. The measurement may vary depending on many factors including the processing speed of the host device, file attributes and other factors related to system configuration and user operating environment.

4. Product specifications may differ from model to model and from country to country.

We recommend that you check with your local dealers for the specifications of the products available in your country.

5. Although we endeavor to present the most accurate and comprehensive information at the time of publication, we reserve the right to make changes without prior notice.

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INNODISK

INNODISK ULTRA TEMPERATURE DDR4 DRAM MODULE BEATS THE HEAT UP TO 125ºC Innodisk released the first-of-its-kind Ultra Temperature DDR4 DRAM module that can operate from a chilling -40ºC to a scorching 125ºC.

T

he Ultra Temperature format extends the standard industrialgrade maximum temperature.

The series brings extra features to the table, opens the doors for new industrial applications, and passes multiple strict tests to prove its resilience.

For example, self-driving vehicles must deal with heat-generating intensive computing and data processing in closed installation spaces, especially in SAE level 2 vehicles (and above) that use data-intensive self-adjusting cruising and lane departure. Fanless embedded systems with increasingly compact mechanical designs face internal space constraints that are a big headache for cooling. Mission-critical applications must be reliable in environments that are often inhospitable to electronics where temperature issues can hinder the effectiveness of detecting and identifying objects.

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The Ultra Temperature series offers 3200Mz/s high speed and is available in SODIMM and ECC SODIMM with 16GB and 32GB capacity. Besides, value-added extras toughen DRAM and give maximum resilience in any industry. Firstly, a robust 45µ” gold finger provides a tougher, more reliable connection than the typical 30µ” gold finger found on most industrialgrade DRAM. There’s also side fill technology that protects and strengthens delicate solder joints against thermal and mechanical stress. Anti-sulfuration is an additional protective layer on vulnerable parts, protecting them against silver alloy corrosion caused by sulfur. Finally, there’s a built-in thermal sensor that accurately measures and tracks component temperature.

With the original IC and components that meet AEC-Q200 automotive qualification, Innodisk Ultra Temperature series is verified by third-party testers who perform a whole battery of rigorous tests, including: • Vibration test (MIL-STD-810G 514.7)

• Thermal shock test (MIL-STD810G 503.6) • Drop test (ISTA-1A) • Bending test (EIAJ-4072) • Gold finger insert and extract tests (100 cycles) U l t r a - re l i a b l e h i g h -t e m p e r a t u re operation in industrial environments is now a reality. Now, manufacturers are free to design their systems as needed and free of the limitations imposed by noisy fans, large cooling fins, and heat spreaders. https://www.innodisk.com/index

INNODISK

INNODISK RELEASES THE WORLD’S FIRST 10GBE LAN MODULE IN M.2 FORM FACTOR Innodisk has announced its all-new EGPL-T101 M.2 2280 10GbE LAN module, the first 10GbE LAN designed in M.2 form factor, features flexible integration and excellent compatibility with existing network infrastructure for crucial backward compatibility.

L

ooking into the booming markets and scenarios ranging from surveillance to gaming, networking, and industrial uses, the growing demand for high-speed LAN solutions is promising.

Additionally, interference issues are also occurring more often as the size of the PCIe form factor cannot fit in the smaller design of IPC platforms nowadays. Being the leading global provider of industrial embedded flash and memory, Innodisk is introducing the first M.2 10GbE LAN module designed to meet the demand for increased speed and reduced size, highspeed LAN solutions.

Innodisk’s EGPL-T101 is the first M.2 2280-to-single 10GbE Base-T Ethernet module which is also the smallest 10GbE expansion solution available today and ten times faster than standard Ethernet. By supporting PCI Express Gen 3x2, the EGPL-T101 module can provide sufficient bandwidth for one 10GbE LAN port suitable for server and industrial applications’ high-speed network demands.

As an Innodisk high-speed LAN solution, EGPL-T101 boasts flexible integration.

Its standard RJ45 LAN port on a tiny daughterboard provides an easy solution for upgrading to a 10GbE network using existing Cat6/6A copper cables.

The EGPL-T101 also features excellent compatibility with its six network standards supported in 10/5/2.5/1Gbps and 100/10Mbps, providing excellent backward compatibility with existing network infrastructure.

Lastly, the EGPL-T101 features highperformance computing (HPC) which is ten times faster than the widely used Gigabit Ethernet with low power consumption. EGPL-T101 is suitable for various high-speed scenarios, including: • Machine vision in industrial applications • H igh throughput network data transmission • High-resolution imaging for surveillance • Low-latency for gaming https://www.innodisk.com

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IDS IMAGING DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS

FROM GOOD WOOD Fully automatic wood parts inspection.

Y

ou always need and see them everywhere: in metalworking, on the construction site, in almost every toolbox … the good old hand brush.

Whether classic all-purpose brushes or brushes for special applications, the German-based company Lessmann GmbH has virtually all of them in its range. The shape is varied, from straight to ergonomic. But they all have one thing in common: The wooden bodies are made exclusively from untreated red beech. Depending on the model, they also have two hanging holes at the end of the handle. Production is fully automatic and highly rational. In order to ensure its own claim to the excellent quality of the hand brush woods, Lessmann has been relying on classic image processing for many years. But now “The German Brush Company” has implemented an image processing system from the Bavarian system house Simon IBV GmbH that uses robust IDS industrial cameras and SIMAVIS® H image processing software to detect even barely perceptible tolerance deviations particularly reliably.

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Application The brush woods, which are milled fully automatically at a production rate of 1500 pieces per hour, are removed from the milling machine by a timed circulating chain with quiver-shaped receptacles and pushed onto a longitudinal conveyor belt. A multi-camera system is installed on the conveyor belt, which checks the 2 to 6-row hand-brushed timbers for defects such as cracks, splintering and size. “The testing task is particularly demanding because the untreated copper beech varies greatly in its colour and grain. For example, cracks cannot always be clearly distinguished from dark grains,” explains Daniel Simon, authorised signatory at SIMON IBV. But the choice of wood type has good reasons: On the one hand, red beech is recommended for the production of hand brushes due

IDS IMAGING DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS

such as length, width, height, symmetry and shape deviations are evaluated.

The holes in the brush body are checked for position and overlap, followed by step-by-step surface inspection.

to its excellent properties, such as a special degree of hardness. On the other hand, sustainability plays a major role.

Lessmann can source the brush wood from the surrounding area and thus both support regional forestry and avoid transport routes.

While the timbers pass through production on a conveyor belt, a total of four IDS cameras of the type GigE uEye FA are triggered by a so-called incremental encoder. This sensor reacts to the belt position so that any change in position of the brush body is detected by the belt movement. The image capture is offset by 2.5 mm per camera, so each camera takes a new image every 10 mm. The captured images are discarded until the first camera detects that there is a wooden body in the field of view. From

this point on, the other three cameras are activated and up to 35 pictures are taken per camera. The number of images is limited by camera 1, as it outputs as soon as no more brush body is visible.

The images captured by the IDS cameras are pre-processed and composited simultaneously with the image capture.

Thus, during the time of evaluation, the image acquisition as well as the preprocessing of the next brush can already take place. The individual images of the same situation from the four offset cameras are cropped, scaled and merged into one overall image by the software.

The brush bodies are evaluated with differently weighted criteria for each camera. The weighting is done via the test sequence of the evaluation criteria.

In a first step, rough geometric factors

“First, dark areas are segmented and evaluated according to setpoint specifications,” explains Matthias Eimer, system integrator at Simon IBV. “After that, deviating discolourations are searched for, singled out and evaluated according to setpoint specifications.”

Even the tolerances for rough spots can be set in the target values and are subsequently evaluated. Only in the last step of the frame-by-frame evaluation do the cameras search for cracks. Finally, the overall result is formed and merged from the individual evaluations of the views.

The system checks a total of 32 setpoints, 27 of which alone for compliance with precisely defined tolerance specifications.

The uEye cameras used from the FA family are particularly robust and therefore predestined for use in such a harsh environment as the brush factory. Camera housings, lens tubes and the screwable connectors meet the requirements of protection class IP65/67. They are also optimally suited for the multi-camera operation required here due to the integrated image memory, as this decouples the image capture from the image transmission and enables the buffering of images before transmission in this application.

The GV-5280FA industrial cameras with GigE Vision firmware are equipped with Sony’s IMX264 2/3” global shutter CMOS sensor, which also provides excellent image quality, high light sensitivity and 05 - Electronics Journal - JULY 2022

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IDS IMAGING DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS

Illustration of shape testing: Are the outer dimensions of the brush body within the tolerance? Is the brush body asymmetrical or deformed? Do the holes have the correct diameter and position?

Surface inspection: Are the dark or coloured areas permissible? Are there any rough spots or cracks?

Dark spots are segmented and evaluated according to setpoint specifications.

an exceptionally high dynamic range. The four CMOS cameras used deliver almost noise-free, very high-contrast 5 MP images. With exactly these features, the camera model recommended itself for use in demanding brush testing.

“The camera has the right resolution, the Sony sensor is very good and the protection class is met,” says Daniel Simon, summing up the selection criteria.

IDS cameras are easy to integrate, true to the company motto “It’s so easy”, as Daniel Simon knows from his many years of cooperation with IDS. The heart of the solution is the solution provider’s specially developed software.

Software SIMAVIS® H is an image processing software with which complete solutions 05 - Electronics Journal - JULY 2022

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IDS IMAGING DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS

Results output

can be quickly assembled. This machine vision software is based on ProVision® (former SIEMENS development) and HALCON, a comprehensive standard software for industrial image processing with integrated development environment. This allows individual adaptation to the requirements of testing the wooden brush bodies: “The check for defects was programmed by us individually by hand, we have a lot of experience in the field of wooden surfaces.

The tolerance thresholds can be set by the many setpoints depending on the feature,” Daniel Simon emphasises. SIMAVIS® H offers an intuitive user interface for the operating personnel of the finished system, including manual and automatic operation with type management, setpoint menu, authorisation concept, language switching, statistics module and much more.

Outlook “Through the control, automatic further processing is possible. With the new imaging solution, wood defects can now be detected more reliably. The proportion of defective wood bodies classified as good has fallen from around 2 per cent to less than 1 per cent,” explains Managing Director Jürgen Lessmann. The

subsequent filling of the brush bodies with wire is already fully automatic, and the packaging of the finished hand brushes can be carried out in future with the help of robotics. Due to the improved control of the wooden bodies, the previously necessary manual quality control of the finished hand brush can be omitted. Before packing, which is carried out by a SCARA robot, only a brief visual inspection is necessary. This relieves the machine personnel and increases productivity.

In this exemplary application, the use of artificial intelligence also offers further potential in the future. “AI will probably further improve the inspection result, which will allow further automation of production, as manual inspection operations can be eliminated,” Jürgen Lessmann predicts. And not only for brushes made of good wood: the multicamera testing system can be adapted for countless products and materials.

the form of technical brushes “Made in Germany” since 1948. State-of-the-art production facilities, consistent quality controls and permanent tests ensure the high quality of the brushes.

SIMON IBV GmbH is a manufacturer of solutions in the field of industrial image processing. Furthermore, the company is the developer of its own standard software for image evaluation as well as the manufacturer of hardware components specially designed for optical inspection systems. https://en.ids-imaging.com

Client Lessmann GmbH is one of the leading producers of surface finishing tools in Europe. At its production sites in Oettingen in Bavaria and Solingen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lessmann has been manufacturing surface tools in 05 - Electronics Journal - JULY 2022

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LEUZE

BAR CODE IDENTIFICATION WITH THE BEST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM AI Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be very worthwhile when it comes to identifying the bar codes on goods. Interfering factors can be identified quickly and easily both during commissioning of a system and during operation.

No need for time-consuming searches Bar code readers are sensors used to identify goods and materials in production or logistics. They do so by detecting bar codes that meet one of a number of standards and then supplying the IDs of the bar codes to a superior system.

When using these devices in automated applications, the main objective is to achieve the highest possible reading quality: Essentially, when bar code readers detect the labels, the quality with which they perform this task varies, and this quality can be indicated as a percentage. The percentage relates to the contrast detected. If the value is below a certain threshold, the label is no longer read. One challenge faced by system operators is to find bar code readers as quickly as possible when they are no longer providing sufficient reading quality, and to determine the reasons for this – without additional data regarding the possible sources of error, this can be a time-consuming task. Particularly in large systems, for example in intralogistics, that have up to 1,000 bar code readers 05 - Electronics Journal - JULY 2022

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and kilometer-long transport routes, the search is like looking for a needle in haystack: If in doubt, a technician must trace the entire route of a transport material in order to identify a poorly aligned sensor or the interfering factors in its direct environment, all while under time pressure. The situation is made worse by borderline cases, such as when the bar code reader is somewhat aligned and reads successfully most of the time, but occasionally does not detect labels.

This may be because the bar code reader is slightly inclined or only reads in the border area, or other factors may play a role, for example labels of insufficient quality.

Factors that influence reading quality However, generating corresponding data to find the causes of errors using the bar code reader itself is only possible under certain circumstances. It is true that the sensors monitor their own status and transfer data to the superior system via OPC UA if required. However, this self-monitoring has only very limited

functionality – a sensor only considers its own view. This means that it sends information such as “I’m currently reading,” “Excellent reading,” or “Very poor reading” – i.e. its calculated percentage reading quality. The reason for the poor reading quality cannot be identified by the individual device. There are three possible influential factors in this case: The device itself, the bar code label and interfering factors in the environment. Possible sources of error relating to the bar code reader itself include poor alignment to the labels to be detected or a technical fault.

In turn, labels can be damaged, soiled or poorly printed, which, depending on the degree of damage or printing quality, may only reduce the reading quality or may prevent identification entirely.

Interfering factors in the environment include vibrations, dust, and glare caused by sunlight or emitters in the background.

Humidity, for example in cold stores, can be an interfering factor if this causes fogging on the scanning window of the bar code reader.

LEUZE

Artificial intelligence provides the context AI can help to distinguish the various causes from one another and in doing so identify the reasons for interferences or poor reading quality. Leuze is working with an automobile manufacturer to develop a solution that enhances sensors with data from the overall context. The advantage of this is that the bar code readers remain operational as usual without additional work being generated for the customer during installation. The data volumes are large: Many labels pass by many bar code readers during the process and are read at various installation locations. This is where the overall context comes from. In mathematical terms, this overall context can be described as an equation with many unknowns – countless bar code readers, labels that crop up even more frequently and the various installation locations of the readers. At every station and for every label there is a different result in terms of reading quality percentage. AI solves this complicated equation system and answers the questions about whether a

poor reading quality occurs always with a particular bar code reader, only with one label or a particular label type or always at a particular installation location.

Machine learning via recommendation algorithms To a c h i e v e t h i s , L e u z e u s e s recommendation algorithms, i.e. AI-based recommendation methods. These are the same methods that are used by streaming services, for example, to evaluate user behavior and recommend corresponding films or series based on this analysis. In this user behavior analogy, the bar codes correspond to the films and the bar code readers to the users of the streaming services. The recommendation algorithm rates a label as more or less “attractive” for different bar code readers. In this way, it is possible to determine which sensor or which label with a certain percentage is “unattractrive”, i.e. borderline or noticeably problematic.

Per edge device or cloud In technical terms, an AI-based solution of this kind can be implemented via edge devices or a cloud, depending on the customer requirements and the respective system. An edge device is a separate device that is located in the vicinity of a sensor group and gathers, analyses and passes on the data of the sensor group. Multiple edge devices can be connected to one another. Since an edge device is capable of two-way communication, not just gathering and evaluating data but also sending the analysis back to the sensors, a bar code reader can also pass on this information and report that there is a problem. The advantage of this is there is no need to make any changes to the IT architecture of the customer. Alternatively, the solution can be operated via a cloud if data from separate locations is to be merged.

Significant potential for savings Leuze’s approach of using AI-based recommendations to identify errors offers huge advantages both during commissioning and during operation of a system. Fast commissioning saves time and money. In this case, it is useful if the causes of poor reading quality are identified immediately. During operation, this method enables predictive maintenance. This means that if a shutdown will soon be required, system operators can take suitable measures in good time and, for example, manufacture and outsource in advance so that they can continue to supply their customers. In some cases, data from multiple years can be used to facilitate this early detection. In addition, the system learns continuously.

Therefore, using AI is always worthwhile when it comes to quickly and reliably identifying factors that interfere with the identification of bar codes on goods. https://www.leuze.com

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SOUTHCO

THE SMART CHOICE: SELECTING HARDWARE TO EMBRACE THE SMART CITY MOVEMENT Our cities have always been places where new technologies are rapidly adopted and deployed to enable new modes of living, working and social interaction. The rise of advanced digital devices and communications tools, growth in electric vehicle (EV) use and ecommerce home delivery – all these factors are driving the creation of the “smart city.”

advanced physical security to protect this infrastructure is crucial.

T

hese growing smart cities need engineered equipment and infrastructure to support the transformation. The arrival of advanced technologies like 5G and the exponential growth predicted for applications such as smart lighting, electric vehicle charging and city bike rental schemes is inviting industrial designers to consider a new mix of design challenges.

As this new technology is deployed, there is a need for well-designed and secure enclosures to protect the equipment.

These enclosures must be effectively and seamlessly integrated into existing urban environments, and they must be regularly accessed by both technical personnel and the general public. Access needs to be highly secure and well managed, yet at the same time easy to use and cleanly integrated into the built environment.

There are a range of best practices that can be followed for adding engineered access hardware to smart city equipment and infrastructure, including the role that usability, security and longevity of this equipment plays in the design process.

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Selecting the right hardware can enhance this equipment, as well as the competitive value of enclosure technologies.

5G drives smart city growth One of the most significant smart city drivers is the rapid deployment of a 5G communications infrastructure. 5G provides data transfer rates many times faster than prior platforms, significant reduction of latency, high bandwidth and greater opportunities for connectivity and reliability.

5G cells are much smaller, with dimensions that make attaching them to walls and streetlamp poles – or even integrating them into the poles themselves – the most common method expected when positioning this equipment. There are even designs that will mount 5G network components on the underside of manhole covers.

With the introduction of 5G, networking e q u i p m e nt a n d ot h e r va l u a b l e infrastructures are now located closer to the end user, so the need for

Nevertheless, industrial designers need to be equally aware of ways to incorporate access systems cleanly into enclosures so that they seamless merge into our built cityscapes, through the use of hidden hinges and elegantly designed latches that complement industrial design.

Environmental hardening is also important; latches designed with compression can ensure that access panels are tightly sealed to protect against weather-related damage.

Electronic access solutions (EAS) also provide enhanced physical security for 5G enclosures. An electronic access solution is composed of three primary components: an access control or input device, an electromechanical lock and a system for monitoring the status of the access point.

EAS platforms offer security with a range of price points and design features.

The most basic form is a simple RFID credential, used by many telecom service providers and contractors.

The most secure access credential – which is gaining widespread use – supplies an electronic, time-based key via a mobile app on a technician’s smartphone. The

SOUTHCO technician actuates the electronic lock via a secure Bluetooth connection. An audit trail is established through cloud-based access controllers so that the network operator knows exactly who accessed the cell site, for how long and what work was completed.

This kind of secure, traceable access is vital for protecting and sustaining the growth of 5G systems. Electronic access control is cost-effective in the long run because it keeps this expensive equipment safe from harm and theft. It also represents one example of how engineered access technology can leverage the expansion of connectivity that is inherent to the vision for smart city design.

Smart lighting transforms the streetlight Connectivity and digital technology, combined with LEDs, are rapidly changing the common streetlight. Municipalities worldwide are replacing traditional lighting fixtures with energy-saving LED fixtures. In the process, forward-looking cities are upgrading those lighting fixtures to provide a broader range of functionality than just shedding light.

Smart LED fixtures could one day be able to find a parking space, monitor air quality, guide people on emergency evacuation routes and capture a wealth of traffic data to manage vehicle flow, reduce traffic jams and help improve the environment.

Lighting manufacturers are seeking to provide more advanced lighting poles and fixtures for these streetlights, incorporating digital controllers so they can be dimmed or brightened to save energy. The systems can also incorporate sensors and even video cameras to begin capturing a wealth of data to augment efforts by municipalities to analyze and better manage traffic and public safety.

These upgraded fixtures will need upgraded access hardware to protect the more valuable equipment that powers them. However, compared to 5G telecom equipment enclosures, there will most likely be no need for regular access to upgrade or maintain smart light fixtures.

In the past, access hardware for lighting fixtures could be simple and relatively low-cost quarter-turn fasteners combined with hidden hinges, mainly for ease of access to replace worn-out bulbs.

The advent of LED lighting means that fixtures may go years without needing to be opened for this purpose. However, since the equipment in smart light fixtures is more advanced than a standard lighting fixture, latches with higher security features may be necessary to protect the investment.

For example, there are new rotary latch models offered by major access hardware manufacturers that combine smaller dimensions with highly secure latching.

These latches can fit easily into smart lamp fixtures, as well as access panels in the base of streetlamps. They are designed to be hidden, so not to attract attention, yet are highly secure and provide the appropriate level of compression to keep out rain, ice and snow. In addition, they can be cost-effectively upgraded to include electronic locking features, if the end-user municipality ultimately wants to enhance the security of the fixture.

EVs and Parcel Lockers: new fixtures for the smart city Two of the most leading-edge new fixtures that are becoming common elements in the emerging cityscape are EV charging stations and Automated Parcel Delivery Terminals for ecommerce delivery and returns.

EV charging stations will eventually become as ubiquitous as the gasoline station, with much of the same requirement: the ability for the EV driver to access the charger, connect it to their vehicle and “pay at the pump”. As well as appearing next to the traditional gas pump at gas stations, EV charging stations will find their way into parking lots, convenience stores and streetscapes.

That creates a security risk: EV charging stations contain expensive electrical equipment and have direct links to communications networks, making them targets for thieves and hackers. Since they are in unsupervised locations, EV charging station designers must carefully consider incorporating the same level of secure access hardware, including top-level electronic access solutions with audit trail capabilities, to provide the same level of protection that 5G enclosures require.

elements and distinctive visual designs so that EV vehicle operators can easily spot them. Electronic access solutions providers can help support this industrial design challenge with concealed locking mechanisms and hardware that help achieve marketing design goals.

The growth of intelligent parcel lockers is the result of many people – in city centers especially, but also other locations – who prefer to have their ecommerce packages left in a secure location rather than an apartment building lobby or the front steps of a town house. They also provide a convenient way to return products through the same logistics path.

This equipment requires a high level of security and audit trail tracking; however, in some cases the designs of these lockers call for very tight dimensions.

Leading access hardware suppliers have been working with locker designers to create cost-effective latching systems that can incorporate electronic latching in limited spaces.

Help selecting the right access hardware The smart city is not going to be built out in an empty field — in almost all cases the technology to make a city “smarter” will need to be retrofitted into our existing cityscapes. This is one of the most critical challenges design engineers face when creating enclosure designs and selecting access hardware to secure them.

A key source of support and creative solutions for these challenges is a proven access hardware supplier with extensive experience addressing both functional and aesthetic challenges. They can often draw on existing portfolios and design concepts to help solve these critical engineering and design challenges.

Choosing a proven supplier can be the “smart” move to ensuring that the technology infrastructure enabling the benefits of the smart city is well protected, easily accessed and intelligently woven into existing urban environments. www.southco.com

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