Automation Mag | 07 - June 2023

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IN THIS ISSU e…

1 LeUZe LAUNCHeS THe WORLD’S FIRST SAFeTY BAR CODe POSITIONINg SYSTeM

3 IN THIS ISSUe

4 MOXA JOINS AVNU ALLIANCe AS PROMOTeR MeMBeR TO FUeL THe FUTURe OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION WITH TIMe-SeNSITIVe NeTWORKINg

6 NFC AS CONFIgURATION INTeRFACe INSTeAD OF CABLeS AND ADAPTeR BOXeS - SIMPLe AND SMART

8 eNABLINg LI-ION BATTeRY MANUFACTUReRS TO TURN DATA INTO eFFICIeNCY gAINS

9 SMALL CONTRAST SeNSOR FROM LeUZe

10 CONTINUeD gROWTH FOR INDUSTRIAL eTHeRNeT AND WIReLeSS NeTWORKS - INDUSTRIAL NeTWORK MARKeT SHAReS 2023 ACCORDINg TO HMS NeTWORKS

12 HMS NeTWORKS eXPANDS RANge OF NeXT-geNeRATION gATeWAYS WITH ANYBUS COMMUNICATOR eTHeRCAT MAIN DeVICe

14 LeUZe SeTS A NeW STANDARD FOR COMPACT POSITIONINg SYSTeM

16 HMS NeTWORKS PReSeNTS NeW eWON ReMOTe CONNeCTIVITY SOLUTIONS WHeRe HARDWARe MeeTS SOFTWARe

INNOVATIVe TeCHNOLOgY ReVOLUTIONIZeS 3-D MeASUReMeNT

FUNCTIONAL SAFeTY OVeR eTHeRCAT WITH IXXAT SAFe T100/FSOe

FISCHeR CONNeCTORS PROVIDe ULTRA-RUggeD SOLUTIONS FOR IIOT

SOLVeD IN AUTOMATeD CONTAINeR PORTS

26 CONNeCTINg ROBOT ACCeSSORIeS TO ANY INDUSTRIAL NeTWORK

28 FRee UPDATe MAKeS THIRD DeeP LeARNINg MeTHOD AVAILABLe FOR IDS NXT

30 LeUZe PROMOTeS “INTegRATeD CONNeCTIVITY” CONCePT

33 PRODUCTION AT FULL CAPACITY AND 25 PeRCeNT gROWTH IN SALeS

34 PLANT DOCUMENTATION 4.0 – AN ESSENTIAL ENABLER FOR INDUSTRY 4.0

37 PePPeRL+FUCHS IS eXPANDINg ITS IO-LINK PORTFOLIO WITH A UHF RFID ReADeR

38 VISUALIZATION, MONITORINg AND MANAgeMeNT OF PLANT UTILITIeS ReSULT IN SAVINgS OF NeARLY €70,000 OVeR FIVe YeARS

42 LeUZe IS CO2 NeUTRAL IN geRMANY

44 NeW HARDWARe PLATFORM AND FOCUS ON USABILITY BRINg HIgH ORDeR INTAKe

46 MITSUBISHI eLeCTRIC’S AI SOLUTION UNLeASHeS THe FULL POTeNTIAL OF SHOP FLOORS

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MOXA JOINS AVNU ALLIANCE AS PROMOTER MEMBER TO FUEL THE FUTURE OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION WITH TIME-SENSITIVE NETWORKING

Moxa Inc., a leader in industrial communications and networking, announced that it has joined Avnu Alliance, the industry forum driving deterministic capabilities into open, standards-based networking as a promoter member to advance time-sensitive networking (TSN) ecosystem interoperability.

Moxa’s joining shows great promise, focusing on working on a truly unified and highperformance network infrastructure that permits all types of traffic to coexist for real-time communication, low latency, and high-reliability requirements in diverse applications.

Moxa and Avnu are also members of the TSN Industrial Automation Conformance Collaboration ( TIACC ), the industrial industry initiative to drive TSN interoperability. Avnu and other industry protocol organizations and their members, such as Moxa are working towards a jointly agreed and owned test plan for the industrial automation market.

“As one of the pioneers in developing TSN standards, Moxa has committed to collaborating with key industry players and customers to bridge the gap between standard ethernet and industrial applications and to speed up the crossvendor interoperability of automation components in automation systems,” said Jack Lin, product manager and project lead of Moxa’s g lobal TSN Initiative.

“Membership in Avnu aligns with our global strategies and our vision for TSN as the network for the future of industrial automation. Avnu and Moxa have many synergies with our work in TIACC and our shared goal of interoperability and coexistence in standard open networks.”

Moxa is involved in many TSN standardization projects worldwide, including the IeC/Ieee 60802 TSN profile for industrial automation, Ieee 802.1 TSN Task g roup, etc., and launched the industry’s first TSN-enabled switch with all ports supporting TSN in 2018. On top of which, Moxa has also dedicated significant effort and commitment to the world’s most significant TSN interoperability testbeds to ensure that TSN solutions are stable and reliable before going to market, which includes:

• Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) TSN testbed

• Labs Network Industrie (LNI) 4.0 Testbed for TSN

• edge Computing Consortium (eCC) OPC UA TSN testbed

• Alliance of Industrial Internet (AII) TSN testbed in China

• China e lectronics Standardization Institute (CeSI) TSN testbed

• Taiwan Institute formation Industry (III) TSN Testbed

As a Taiwan-based company and the newest promoter member company of Avnu, Moxa will take the reach of the interoperability ecosystem further to the Asia Pacific region and across multiple industries. Moxa can now collaborate freely with fellow Avnu members to develop interoperable TSN products and further enable an ecosystem where devices from different manufacturers,

which support different automation protocols, will coexist reliably over wired and wireless TSN on a unified network infrastructure for communications at all levels.

“Moxa brings over a half-decade of experience developing TSN infrastructure to the Avnu Alliance, as well as a strong commitment to the APAC region, specifically China and Taiwan, which will help bring Avnu the capacity to expand our reach and community. Moxa also has shown a deep commitment to driving network convergence and interoperability through its work with the TIACC and participation in industry TSN test beds,” said Dave Cavalcanti, President of Avnu Alliance. “We look forward to working together with Moxa to grow the ecosystem of interoperable wired and wireless TSN products that will benefit multiple industries.”

Membership allows Moxa a chance to network and consult with timesensitive application experts and engineers, discussing best practices for implementation and real-time updates on specifications and testing requirements. Avnu members work together to define conformance and interoperability tests as well as certification programs, ensuring that TSN products are easy to implement and enjoy broad global market appeal.

www.moxa.com

SENSING & SEALING SOLUTIONS

For Collaborative Robots Joint Arms

Hutchinson has created new interactions by integrating the world of collaborative robots.

Thanks to its material expertise and a large experience in designing and manufacturing metal-rubber components, Hutchinson develops custom sensing and sealing solutions to meet specific needs:

• Absolute magnet rings for speed and angle detection are designed to be easily integrated into cobots joint arms.

• Sealing solutions protect the joint and improve service life of robots. The low friction torque seals ensure proper operation in rotation or translation with efficiency and robustness for a better integrity of the robots.

Hutchinson is working closely with its customers with an engineer-to engineer approach to better meet their requirements. Its solutions improve efficiency, precision and safety for robots that are performing alongside of human workers.

NFC AS CONFIGURATION INTERFACE INSTEAD OF CABLES AND ADAPTER BOXES - SIMPLE AND SMART

During the development of a machine, there comes a time when the individual sensors need to be fine-tuned. Uncertainty often arises about the number of pulses required for optimum application. Effort and frustration are therefore inevitable. Choosing the right adaptors, tools and parameterization boxes for sensor adjustment usually doesn’t go as smoothly as expected.

The problems continue when the required cable is unavailable. Without the right cable, the set configuration can’t be changed or adapted. To facilitate this development phase, Wachendorff Automation & Co.Kg has developed an intelligent and simple solution. Instead of relying on the usual adapter cables and parameterization boxes, the company decided to use NFC - Near Field Communication - as the configuration interface when developing the new incremental encoder.

Wachendorff is a medium-sized, ownermanaged company with headquarters in geisenheim near Frankfurt am Main, germany. The company, which specializes in the development and production of encoders “Made in g ermany”, has developed the world’s first incremental encoder that can be individually configured using a smartphone. The individual characteristics can be created and saved to a smartphone application. These settings can now be uploaded to the encoder via NFC. NFC is a powerless and contactless transmission technology. The WDgN series has been equipped with an NFC chip to transfer this established communication technology to the encoder.

A reliable and high pulse rate is generated by the specially developed encoder sensor technology. At the same time, it is so flexible that any pulse rate down to one pulse per revolution can be set. The devices are based on patented magnetic sensor technology with high accuracy and resolution. Highly accurate measurements can be realized in a small installation space with up to 16384 pulses per revolution and a compact design starting from 36 mm.

The flexible parameter setting via the app allows the customer to configure the device on site by himself. This provides greater flexibility in machine development and commissioning. Different controllers or frequency converters can be tested variably. The exchange of the devices on the machine is possible in a very flexible way. This reduces storage and transport costs as less stock is required. Incorrect ordering is reduced to a minimum. Different encoder configurations can be stored directly in the application.

The generic software, specially developed by Wachendorff, can be used regardless of the sensor type. Functionality can be adapted to other sensor and actuator systems, such as enabling features or exchanging data.

The Flutter software, which is compatible with both Apple and Android, was used as the basis for the app’s technology.

NFC technology has been successfully adapted for harsh industrial conditions. The encoder series, with typical diameters of 36 mm and 58 mm, consists of shaft encoders and hollow shaft encoders. Depending on the product type, a shaft load of up to 300N is possible. Reverse polarity and short-circuit protection are provided for the full voltage range from DC 4.75V to DC 32V. All common industry mounting options are available. The encoders can be supplied with an M12 connector or cable outlet, in both radial and axial versions. The robust stainless-steel housing provides IP67 and IP69K protection, depending on type, and IP65 or up to IP67 at the shaft

input. High resistance to vibration and shock is available, as well as an operating temperature range of -40°C to 85°C, making them well suited to use in very harsh industrial environments. The new alloy used for the cover provides better shielding against magnetic influences and makes production even more environmentally friendly.

Data transmission security is also guaranteed. Configuration of the encoder is only possible with the correct password. The communication of the encoder is encrypted, and the different levels of access rights are protected by PINs for the end user. There are several memories in the encoder. The current configuration is stored in the microcontroller’s internal memory and in the NFC memory.

If the values are valid, the configuration in the NFC memory can be overwritten with the desired one and will be transferred to the internal memory after a power reset. If the data in the NFC memory is invalid, it is reset to the last valid values in the internal memory. By using the NFC memory, configuration data can be read and sent even when the device is switched off. This is essential for easy and secure deployment. All data is protected and encrypted by the PIN, even when the device is switched off.

Compared to Bluetooth and WLAN, NFC has a shorter range and communicates in the near field. The longer range of WLAN and Bluetooth makes them more susceptible to interference and potentially easier to attack. Both are active radio standards where transmission can only take place when power is applied. With NFC, parameter configuration can be performed directly on the machine, ensuring limited access. As the NFC module communicates passively, there is no interference during operation. NFC allows wireless and voltage-free parameterization directly on the machine, making it safer and less complicated to use.

The antenna design has been tested with several functional prototypes. For further testing and optimization, several antenna designs were created and procured in production quantities. These were tested for reception quality, distance between smartphone and antenna, and robustness of communication. The best possible ratio between range and space requirement of the antenna was identified.

The solution developed provides sufficient memory for current requirements and sufficient reserves for future expansion. The antenna layout has been optimized to fit on a 20mm x 17mm circuit board while still providing reliable transmission over the maximum distance.

This board is connected to the sensor board via a ribbon cable and special locking connectors. This locking is necessary for high mechanical robustness.

The WD g N is an optimal and simple alternative for customers where the otherwise widely used IO-Link communication standard is not suitable.

The newly developed WD g N series is available in two versions. The Basic version has the standard channels of an incremental encoder (A, B, N) and the inverted channels. The Advanced version is more advanced. Here, four channels can be configured independently.

The new technology easily saves costs and time and increases sustainability.

“The aim of our WDgN series is to offer our customers new options for their encoder configuration,” says Robert Wachendorff.

www.wachendorff-automation.com

ENABLING LI-ION BATTERY MANUFACTURERS TO TURN DATA INTO EFFICIENCY GAINS

The demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is continuing to skyrocket, driven by the growing market for more sustainable e-mobility solutions. For LIB cell manufacturers to get the most out of the current opportunities, they need to be able to quickly deliver high volumes of quality products while maintaining a low environmental impact.

Klaus Petersen, Director –Automotive & Lithium Battery Industries, Factory Automation eMeA at Mitsubishi electric europe B.V., explains how digital technologies can help LIB manufacturers in this pursuit in the videocast “Lithium-Ion Batteries: From data to competitive advantage”.

It is a truly exciting time for LIB cell producers, as demand for their products will continue to rise for the foreseeable future and there is considerable room for expansion in the supply chain. To successfully navigate the opportunities that this trend holds, it is important for companies to have an in-depth understanding of what the driving force is and what users are looking for. These can be summarised as the need to support the decarbonisation of the transport sector with reliable innovations. In turn, this means that manufacturers need to be able to consistently deliver LIB cells with optimum capacity, voltage and resistance

while minimising waste, energy usage and resource utilisation.

The most effective and future-proof way to do this is through data-driven process control, according to Klaus Petersen. Thanks to his extensive experience as a quality specialist in the automotive sector, he has an in-depth understanding of how process knowledge can help to simultaneously improve end products and production efficiency. To gain the unique, actionable insight required to realise these benefits, LIB cell manufacturers need to quantitatively monitor what is going on in the shop floor as well as how these activities and their operating conditions influence quality. This type of setup is also key to identifying inefficiencies and tackling them, lowering expenses while supporting the delivery of cost-competitive, reliable LIB cells.

Ultimately, by developing a comprehensive overview of their processes and products, companies can also take key steps to implement automated operations that adjust their parameters in real-time to consistently create quality batteries and improve productivity. even more, they can set up fully integrated production lines as well as connect to partner companies to share data. As a result, value-adding knowledge can be shared to support traceability and create quality-centric supply chains with a limited environmental footprint.

To watch Klaus Petersen’s full interview and learn more about the real-world benefits of digital technologies for competitive process control in LIB cell production visit: https://bit.ly/3BKDN12

https://emea.mitsubishielectric.com/ en/index.html

SMALL CONTRAST SENSOR FROM LEUZE

Many light types and compact housing: The new KRT 3C contrast sensor from Leuze can be flexibly integrated into packaging processes thanks to its multicolour capability and small size.

With the KRT 3C contrast sensor, Leuze is presenting the smallest contrast sensor it has ever made for the packaging industry. Plant operators benefit from a compact device that can be used in many different ways: The KRT 3C detects reliably and position accurately even if there are only small contrast differences and with glossy surfaces or highly reflective materials. This is possible by the multicolor functionality: red, green, and blue light as well as white and laser red light will not allow any object or printed label to pass through unnoticed. This allows users to select the right light source for any material and contrast mark color for their packaging and labeling processes.

Tight space? No problem!

The KRT 3C detects contrasts very precisely and reliably and with a short response time of only 50 μs (laser: 125 μs) and minimal signal jitter. This helps to achieve optimal machine throughput. An advantage in small spaces: With its small dimensions of 11 x 32 x 17 mm, the sensor is designed for tight installation spaces. This means it can be fitted almost anywhere. Users can easily set up the KRT 3C via the integrated IO-Link interface. Changes are also made quickly when changing product formats.

Really resilient

The housing is robust: It meets degrees of protection IP67 and IP69K. The KRT 3C is also eCOLAB-certified. So it can even handle aggressive cleaning agents.

https://www.leuze.com/en-int

CONTINUED GROWTH FOR INDUSTRIAL ETHERNET AND WIRELESS NETWORKS - INDUSTRIAL NETWORK MARKET SHARES 2023 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 7% in 2023. Industrial ethernet still shows the highest growth and now accounts for 68% of all new installed nodes (66% last year). Fieldbuses decline to 24% (27) while wireless grows to 8% market share (7% last year). PROFIN e T and etherNet/IP share first place in the network rankings with 18% market share followed by the strong contender etherCAT now at 12%.

e ach year, HMS Networks presents their 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 2023 study includes estimated market shares and growth rates for fieldbuses, Industrial ethernet and wireless technologies.

In the 2023 study, HMS concludes that the industrial network market continues to grow and that the total market growth in 2023 is expected to be +7%, confirming the continued importance of network connectivity in factories.

Industrial Ethernet is growing steadily g rowing by 10%, Industrial e thernet continues to take market share. Industrial ethernet now makes up for 68% of the global market of new installed nodes in factory automation (compared to 66% last year). The head-to-head battle between PROFINeT and etherNet/IP continues as they lead the 2023 network rankings with 18% market share each, but e therCAT also continues to grow strongly and is now in an unthreatened third place at 12% market share.

Fieldbuses are decreasing again

Last year’s growth for Fieldbuses was temporary as new fieldbus installations decline with -5% in 2023. PROFIBUS leads the fieldbus rankings with 6% market share, but not with much as Modbus-RTU is close behind at 5%.

Together, fieldbuses account for 24% (27) of the market in 2023. Although the number of new fieldbus nodes are declining, a lot of devices, machines and factories will still be relying on the wellfunctioning and proven fieldbuses for many years to come.

Wireless grows fastest

The Wireless growth accelerates to +22% in 2023, as more wireless industrial networking solutions are introduced in factory automation. Typical use cases include cable replacement applications, wireless machine access and connectivity to mobile industrial equipment.

Industrial networking is key for productivity and sustainability in manufacturing

“Solid industrial network connectivity is key to achieve the manufacturing uptime which is needed to reach productivity and sustainability objectives in factory automation,” says Magnus Jansson, Product Marketing Director at HMS Networks, Business Unit Anybus. “Quality, security, safety, and gaining insights through device and machine data, are key drivers we see for the continued expansion of industrial networking.”

Regional network variations

etherNet/IP, PROFIN e T and etherCAT are leading in europe and the Middle east with PROFIBUS and Modbus-TCP as runners up. The U.S. market is dominated by etherNet/IP with etherCAT developing strongly and gaining market share. PROFIN e T leads a fragmented Asian market, followed by e therNet/IP and strong contenders CC-Link/CC-Link I e Field, etherCAT, PROFIBUS, and Modbus (RTU/TCP).

Scope:

The study includes HMS’ estimation for 2023 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.

www.hms-networks.com

HMS NETWORKS EXPANDS RANGE OF NEXT-GENERATION GATEWAYS WITH ANYBUS COMMUNICATOR ETHERCAT MAIN DEVICE

HMS now launches the Anybus® Communicator™ EtherCAT Main Device, a high-performance gateway that provides an easy and reliable way to connect EtherCAT subordinate devices to different industrial networks and control systems.

Rapidly growing EtherCAT market

In recent years, etherCAT has rapidly gained popularity and is now the third most widely installed industrial network in factory automation globally(1), and the preferred choice in the semiconductor industry. As the number of subordinate devices utilizing etherCAT continues to increase, there is a growing demand for high-performance gateways that can seamlessly connect these devices to other major industrial networks. The Anybus Communicator e therCAT Main Device addresses this demand by providing a reliable solution for connecting etherCAT subordinate devices to PROFIBUS, etherNet/IP, PROFINeT, or Modbus-TCP control systems.

Effortless scan for EtherCAT devices

With the Anybus Communicator, users can quickly and effortlessly scan the etherCAT network for devices directly from its web user interface. The Communicator automatically identifies each device and maps its data to the control system, eliminating the need to manually search for and import device description files (eSI).

Next-generation technology

Like all Anybus next-generation gateways, the Anybus Communicator etherCAT Main Device provides reliable, secure, and user-friendly technology:

Proven and fast communication using Anybus NP40 technology

The award-winning Anybus NP40 industrial network processor ensures that the Communicators meet demanding requirements in terms of industrial performance, reliability, and security. Featuring new hardware and software, the gateways enable instant data transfer – up to 10 times faster than their predecessors. Users can also exchange significantly more data between the networks as the gateways transfer up to 1 500 bytes to and from connected PLCs.

Robust and secure communication

Built using carefully selected industrial components and verified against the Ce and UL industry standards, the gateways are designed to handle harsh industrial environments.

To protect users from cyberattacks, the gateways have an onboard physical security switch that prevents unauthorized configuration changes and secure boot functionality to resist attacks and infections from malware.

Fast installation and intuitive configuration

Fast installation and smooth configuration procedures are guaranteed thanks to an optimized housing design, an intuitive User Interface, and easy-to-understand documentation.

Installation is simplified thanks to the compact gateway design with forwardfacing ports and DIN-rail mounting, which allows gateway installation close to connected devices, reducing the amount of required wiring.

Users can configure the gateways using drag-and-drop functionality in the webbased user interface, which is accessible via a dedicated e thernet port on the gateways. In the user interface, users can also monitor network traffic and diagnose issues before they become problems.

Hands-on assistance is also available, as a QR code in the user interface provides a step-by-step installation and configuration guide.

“We are delighted to add the Anybus Communicator e therCAT Main Device gateways to our list of next-generation gateways”, explains Fredrik Brynolf, Product Manager for Anybus gateways at HMS Networks. “With the effortless scanning for e therCAT devices, the intuitive user interface, and the advanced technology, these e therCAT gateways offer the easiest and most reliable way to connect etherCAT subordinate devices to other leading industrial networks and control systems”.

Anybus Communicators are available off the shelf as stand-alone ready-toinstall units. Users can personalize the Communicators to meet OeM and brand labeling requirements. The gateways can also be pre-configured and locked to be used as tightly integrated communication components of an automation device or a machine.

Use Case

The Anybus Communicator e therCAT Main Device is the easiest and most reliable way to connect e therCAT subordinate devices to control systems.

www.anybus.com/landing-pages/ anybus-communicator-campaign

(1) According to the latest edition of HMS Networks annual analysis of the industrial network market.

LEUZE SETS A NEW STANDARD FOR COMPACT POSITIONING SYSTEM

The AMS 100i from Leuze is one of the smallest laser positioning systems available on the market. This makes it the perfect solution for tight installation spaces.

Whether on the stacker crane, automated guided vehicle, or lifting system: In automated intralogistics, the sensors used for positioning applications must be able to operate on a small footprint in many cases. The new AMS 100i from Leuze masters this challenge without sacrificing performance. With its small dimensions of 105 x 68 X 75 mm, it is one of the most compact laser positioning systems on the market. This makes it the perfect solution for use in tight spaces.

The sensor works with very high accuracy: With the AMS 100i, users are able to position with millimeter accuracy for up to 120 meters.

Positioning right up to the sensor

The Sensor People have developed the AMS 100i with a minimum blind zone of only 100 mm. This enables positioning applications right up to the sensor. The available space is used efficiently. Useful: Modular assembly options and easy alignment facilitate a flexible and quick installation.

Reliable in heat and icy cold

The modular laser positioning system is also available in the AMS 300i version. This device model offers an operating range of up to 300 meters. Both variants meet the high requirements of degree of protection IP65. Optionally, the AMS 100i and the AMS 300i are also available with integrated device and window heating. With this variant, the sensors can be used for low-temperature applications down to -30°C (without heating down to -5°C). In hot ambient conditions, the AMS 100i is designed for temperatures of up to +60°C.

www.leuze.com/en-int

Versatile: The AMS 100i is able to determine the position of a stacker crane by detecting the distance between the vehicle and the end of the aisle. The aisle in the high-bay warehouse can be up to 120 meters long.

The AMS 100i can also be used to determine the height of the extendable forks of an automated guided vehicle. Compared to mechanical distance sensors, the optical system does not wear out. The sensor also only measures the actual distance to the relevant target. Another advantage: It does not output any faulty positions for load carriers or packaging materials that protrude into the measurement path.

HMS NETWORKS PRESENTS NEW EWON REMOTE CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS WHERE HARDWARE MEETS SOFTWARE

As of April 17th, HMS Networks reinforces its remote connectivity solutions by presenting the recently acquired software solutions WEBfactory i4connected and i4scada under the Ewon® brand.

The new offering gives machine builders and their customers an end-to-end IIoT solution which gathers data from machines and presents it in an easy-to-use web interface.

The ewon offering from HMS Networks features the world’s most used solutions for remote machine connectivity, enabling secure remote machine access and data collection for proactive and efficient maintenance of machines.

With the new i4 software solutions, machine builders and their customers will be able to visualize data from connected machines in a web interface to help improve decision-making, control and service – minimizing the risk of costly machine and system downtime.

How it works

As soon as an ewon gateway – Flexy or Netbiter – has been installed to a machine, the ewon i4connected software can go to work. i4connected gathers data from ewon gateways and presents it to the user in an easy-to-understand graphical user interface. Complex industrial processes are displayed in a straightforward way, enabling the user to securely connect and get data from plants, buildings, machines, equipment, and sensors. In i4connected, the data can be visualized and analyzed in real-time, helping the user to make datadriven decisions and perform predictive maintenance.

Additionally, with ewon i4scada factory owners and system integrators benefit from a fully web-based SCADA software to help improve the efficiency of complex on-site industrial processes in real-time. i4scada enables data-driven decisions for better productivity and cost optimization.

“This integrated approach combines our successful ewon gateways Flexy and Netbiter with the state-of-the-art i4connected software. Machine builders and their clients will be able to easily unlock and leverage precious data from their machines to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs. HMS stands for ‘Hardware Meets Software’ and this integration is a perfect demonstration of that,” says Alexander Hess, general Manager of HMS Networks’ Business Unit ewon.

www.hms-networks.com

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTIONIZES 3-D MEASUREMENT

Combination of Pulse Ranging Technology (PRT) with MEMS technology enables high-resolution 3-D point clouds.

From industrial automation to autonomous vehicles to care robots, mastering the challenges of the future will require powerful 3-D sensors that capture their surroundings quickly, comprehensively, and with millimeter precision. A technological innovation from Pepperl+Fuchs in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology ISIT enables maximum precision and performance - while remaining highly cost-efficient. For the first time, highperformance distance measurement technology is combined with M e MS technology. This forms the basis for the R3000 3-D LiDAR/MeMS sensor, which will be presented as a product study at the Hannover Messe 2023.

Combining the Benefits of Two Technologies

The 3-D measurement is based on Pulse Ranging Technology (PRT), a distance measurement method developed by Pepperl+Fuchs that can be scaled to meet a wide range of requirements. Based on over 250,000 emitted laser pulses per second, it measures distances from a few centimeters to several hundred meters with millimeter accuracy. Ambient light and other environmental influences are effectively suppressed. As a result, PRT delivers fast, precise, and reliable measurement results.

To reach the third dimension,

Pepperl+Fuchs combines PRT with a micro-electro-mechanical system from Fraunhofer ISIT for the first time as part of the R3000 product study: A small, economical, and mechanically robust M e MS mirror is integrated into the sensor.

Through the motion of the piezoelectrically driven element, the emitted laser beam is deflected in two axes by 40° x 30°. Unlike conventional 3-D sensors, no pixel grid is created during the process of measurement. Instead, the R3000 uses a particularly small light spot and seamless scanning to produce ultra-high resolution 3-D point clouds with exceptional detail.

Intuitive Operation Due to Intelligent User Guidance

To make communication between man and machine as simple as possible, the R3000 is equipped with additional functions. The sensor not only generates a 3-D point cloud, but also a superimposed intensity image that can visualize the scene and therefore facilitate programming and operation. In addition, each measurement point

can be displayed with a visible laser beam. The synchronous laser projector allows the R3000 to be precisely aligned and adjusted without additional tools, ensuring easy commissioning. This function also enables interaction between the user and the service robot, for example.

Powerful 3-D Measurement for the Automation of the Future

With its innovative technology, the R3000 LiDAR/MeMS sensor will herald a revolution for solving complex automation tasks. Precise 3-D images of unknown environments are essential for the next generation of autonomous driving—from driverless transport systems in industry to automated transport of patients in retirement and nursing homes.

The R3000 3-D LiDAR/MEMS Sensor

With the combination of PRT and MeMS, such complex, dynamic scenes can be captured in detail in real time. This creates a comprehensive database for completely new evaluations using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. As a compact and cost-effective sensor, the R3000 will make high-precision 3-D measurements available for a vast range of applications. In combination with advanced algorithms, the sensor will significantly drive development in the field of autonomous vehicles and service robotics - not only in manufacturing plants, hospitals or nursing homes, but in all areas of life.

www.pepperl-fuchs.com

Due to precise scanning, ultra-high resolution 3-D point clouds are created.

With the motion of the integrated MEMS mirror, the laser beam is deflected in two axes.

The compact and cost-effective R3000 enables high-performance 3-D measurement.

FUNCTIONAL SAFETY OVER ETHERCAT WITH IXXAT SAFE T100/FSOE

HMS Industrial Networks has released a new version of the Ixxat SafeT100 module allowing users to implement safe I/Os for FSoE – Functional Safety over EtherCAT.

Ixxat® Safe T100 is an all-in-one safety solution which allows device manufacturers and machine builders to implement configurable, safe inputs and outputs in applications up to SIL 3 and PLe Cat.4.

The Safe T100 is designed to work hand in hand with Anybus® CompactCom, also from HMS Networks. While Anybus CompactCom handles the standard nonsafe communication with the etherCAT network, the Safe T100 handles the safe communication, in this case over FSoe

Thanks to the full implementation of the safe protocol and application layer in Ixxat Safe T100, device manufacturers and machine builders get a fast track to add functional safety capabilities to their equipment. A typical application for Ixxat Safe T100 is a safe emergency stop function for automation equipment such as drives, robots or process controllers.

Pre-certified and conformance tested solution

The Ixxat Safe T100 solution is precertified by TÜV Rheinland, and its conformity to the FSo e standard e Tg 5100 V1.2.0 has been confirmed in the eTg test lab. This enables users to benefit from significantly reduced development time, cost, and risk when realizing safe devices and systems.

Since the Ixxat T100 works together with Anybus CompactCom, the end user will benefit from a device or machine that provides both safe and non-safe functions via just one communication interface. This significantly simplifies configuration and project planning of the overall industrial automation system.

Key technical highlights

The Ixxat Safe T100 module features three two-channel inputs which can detect external wiring errors, and one two-channel output. The inputs and outputs all operate with 24 V signals.

All service and process data interfaces required for FSoe in the etherCAT layer are available in the Anybus CompactCom module, such as control of the network and status LeD, or transmission of the safe configuration data.

As an additional safety feature, the interface between the Anybus CompactCom module and the Ixxat Safe T100/FSoe is galvanically isolated. Other internal safety features include integrated temperature monitoring and shutdown to a safe state as well as channel-granular error signaling and error handling.

A scalable concept for FSoE, PROFIsafe and CIP Safety

The internal communication between the non-safe Anybus CompactCom and the safe Ixxat Safe T100 module is done according to the “black-channel” principle. Thanks to this clean separation between the safe and non-safe communication layers, it is possible for customers to support all the three major safety

protocols – FSo e , PROFIsafe and CIP Safety – with just one hardware design, adding further to the scalability and efficiency of the solution.

Customized implementation or OEM solutions

Thanks to the comprehensive implementation guidelines and user documentation, the Safe T100 module can be implemented by device manufacturers and machine builders themselves. However, HMS also supports customers with implementation services, as well as porting and certification services.

For specific requirements regarding e.g., form factor, plugs or number of I/Os, customer-specific versions of the Ixxat Safe T100 can be developed by HMS.

Ixxat Safe is more…

For applications where it is not possible to integrate the Safe T100 – e.g. due to limited space within safety encoders, or when already existing safety hardware

limits the design flexibility – HMS also offers protocol stacks for Functional Safety over etherCAT (FSoe), CIP Safety over etherNet/IP and CIP Safety over Sercos, all pre-certified by TÜV.

www.ixxat.com/safe

FISCHER CONNECTORS PROVIDE ULTRA-RUGGED SOLUTIONS FOR IIOT CONNECTIVITY

Fischer Connectors releases ultra-robust SPE and USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity solutions to meet the specific requirements of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications in rugged environments.

With the increase in sensor density, actuators and controllers in Industry 4.0 and IIoT operational settings, high power levels and massive amounts of data must be securely and efficiently managed through ultra-fast transmission lines with cables running over long distances. Miniature connectors and cables are needed to interconnect smaller and smaller devices and sensors in areas that are sometimes confined and hard to access. And connectivity must be ruggedized to resist shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, water and corrosion when exposed to demanding environmental and chemical conditions, both indoors and outdoors.

To address these challenges, Fischer Connectors has developed new highspeed data and power connectivity solutions combining Single Pair ethernet and USB 3.2 gen 2 high-speed protocols with the rugged, high-density and miniature features of its flagship product lines. They enable space-saving and cost-efficient integration in industrial automation and robotics, chemical plants, food processing, automotive production lines, outdoor sensing and unmanned systems.

The Single Pair ethernet solutions from the Fischer Core Series and Fischer UltiMate™ Series allow for 1 g bit/s data transfer per I eee 802.3bp1000Base-T1. exceptionally rugged by any market standards, they outperform other suppliers’ SP e solutions in terms of security, durability, as well as environmental and mechanical performance. Fischer SPe is compliant with MIL-STD norms (through Fischer UltiMate™) and offers 10,000 mating cycles, three locking mechanisms (pushpull, screw, quick-release), and hermetic sealing in addition to IP68/IP69 ratings. SPe is also featured in the ultra-miniature Fischer MiniMax™ connector in ‘size 06’ (Ø 10 mm receptacle).

The demand for USB 3.0+ protocol is high in Industry 4.0 operations, as it offers high data transfer rates with low latency for IIoT control applications, nearly twice the power output than USB 2.0 (900 mA vs. 500 mA), better power efficiency due to lower consumption in idle state, and larger bandwidth. Fischer MiniMax™ connectors with USB 3.2 gen 2 allow for 10 gbit/s data transfer, offer additional power contacts up to 8 A, and are half the size of some competitor connectors with similar speed but no power.

To accompany its product release, Fischer Connectors has published a trend paper entitled “The Connectivity Challenge –Connecting Industry 4.0 ”. It describes three challenges facing OeM engineers designing IIoT applications, as well as three innovation practices addressing cybersecurity, global logistics and edge/ Cloud infrastructure.

The innovation-driven IIoT market is growing exponentially. With billions of smart sensors, computers and machines connected and operating across the Internet, experts expect an annual increase of over 20%, reaching 1.5 trillion euros by 2030.

https://fischerconnectors.com/en/

Fischer Connectors’ trend paper entitled “The Connectivity Challenge – Connecting Industry 4.0” describes three challenges facing OEM engineers designing IIoT applications, as well as three innovation practices addressing cybersecurity, global logistics and Edge/ Cloud infrastructure.

Fischer Connectors’ new Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) and USB 3.2 products include (from left to right): Fischer Core Series in size 102 with SPE 1 Gbit/s; Fischer UltiMate™ Series in size 07 with SPE 1 Gbit/s;

MiniMax™ Series in size 08 with USB 3.2 Gen 1 for 5 Gbit/s, Gen 2 for 10 Gbit/s;

MiniMax™ Series in size 10 with power and USB 3.2 Gen 1 for 5 Gbit/s, Gen 2 for 10 Gbit/s.

With billions of smart sensors, computers and machines connected and operating across the Internet.

Fischer

Fischer

NETWORK CONNECTIVITY SOLVED IN AUTOMATED CONTAINER PORTS

When BTG needed their IRM400 range of positioning measurement systems to send real-time data over different industrial networks, they found Anybus from HMS Networks. And that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

The drive to increase the efficiency of international shipping relies on high-performance cranes to transfer containerized cargo quickly and safely from ship to shore. BTg specializes in developing, producing, and installing positioning measurement systems for automated container ports. Much of the company’s work is based on providing sensors to enable cranes to move cargo from ships to automated guided vehicles (AgVs). But the networking is complex and demanding. The cranes and AgVs often use different industrial networks, yet they need to transfer real-time data in harsh environments. That’s where Anybus steps in. Anybus takes care of the networking allowing BTg to focus on the position measurement systems, and together they help to increase the efficiency in automated container ports.

About BTG

BTg is a Dutch company specializing in position measurement systems used in all types of cranes and vehicles in automated container terminals. BTg has over 25 years of experience and has products in all the main automated container ports around the world.

One of BT g ’s key products is the IRM400 range of measurement systems. It is designed to control sway, skew, and inclination and thereby provide accurate position control of the crane’s spreaders and their precious cargo.

Designed as a series of modular elements, the IRM can be configured for many different types and sizes of cranes. The system consists of an infrared transmitter and a high-resolution receiver unit. The transmitter is mounted on the spreader of the crane, and the receiver is mounted perpendicular above the transmitter. The system constantly measures the sway angle of the load in flight in all directions. It also measures the spreader skew angle and optionally the trim and list angle.

To achieve this level of dynamic control of multi-ton loads traveling in three dimensions at high speed, data must be collected from several sources in real-

time and processed instantly so that the exact position and velocity are always known and can be adjusted.

“We have a lot of experience and knowledge with position measurement systems in tough industrial environments, but we are not experts in industrial networks,” explains Daan Potters, chief operating officer at BTg. “That’s why we turned to Anybus.”

Networking Requirements

BTg required a networking technology that could be embedded into the IRM sensor, allowing the sensor to communicate over PROFIBUS, PROFINeT,

and CANopen networks. As BTg is a global company and different networks are dominant in different parts of the world, BTg also needed the possibility to easily cover more networks in the future. The networking solution also needed to be compatible with legacy equipment, tough enough to handle marine environments, and fast enough to process real-time data communication.

Time to meet the Anybus CompactCom!

Anybus CompactCom

Any Network

Anybus from HMS Networks is a product brand specializing in connecting industrial devices to any major industrial network. There’s a CompactCom product for the integration of any major Fieldbus or industrial ethernet network, including PROFIBUS, PROFIN e T, and CANopen networks.

Embedded Design

The CompactCom is embedded into the relevant device, in this example the sensor’s receiver. The embedded design brings several benefits. It’s simple to install and therefore reduces the time to market for new products. It’s possible to reuse legacy equipment, enabling BTg to retrofit new electronic control systems to existing cranes. The CompactCom can be embedded in an IP67-rated enclosure, ensuring that the equipment can handle the harsh conditions found in marine environments.

Real-Time Communication

The Anybus CompactCom provides high-performance data exchange that can handle even the most demanding synchronized motion applications - up to 1448 bytes of process data in each direction.

“We chose the CompactCom B40, and we’re pleased we did”, concludes Daan Potters. “The CompactCom B40 solved all our networking needs, it’s compatible with all the required networks, and it provides real-time communication, which is essential in position measurement systems.

Anybus also provided excellent support to help us to implement the CompactCom B40 as quickly as possible”.

www.anybus.com

www.btg-positioning-systems.com

BTG's IRM Spreader Measurement Sensor consists of a transmitter and a receiver. The Anybus CompactCom B40 was embedded into the receiver.

CONNECTING ROBOT ACCESSORIES TO ANY INDUSTRIAL NETWORK

Robots need accessories to work efficiently. But what’s the easiest way to connect the accessories to factory networks? The easiest way is to use HMS Networks’ ready-made Anybus products, as RSP found out.

The number of industrial robots operating in factories worldwide continues to rise. To use robots efficiently and maximize productivity, companies attach robot accessories to the robots to enable the robots to perform different tasks.

RSP specializes in developing, producing, and installing the required robot accessories. When RSP started to develop a new range of tool changers, they needed to meet their customers’ expectations and provide a tool changer capable of connecting to the factory networks. However, developing the required networking technology is a complicated task outside RSP’s expertise. Happily for everyone, RSP found Anybus solutions from HMS. HMS helped embed an Anybus communication interface into the tool changer enabling connectivity with the factory’s network and allowing RSP to remain focused on making worldleading robot accessories.

Robot System Products

Robot System Products (RSP) specialize in making industrial robot accessories that are used in factories worldwide. “Our strength lies in the specialized knowledge gained from working with industrial robotics for almost 20 years,” explains Henrik Hofström, marketing manager at RSP. “This specialized knowledge enables us to make robust, versatile industrial robot accessories that help our customers improve robot flexibility and increase productivity.”

One of RSP’s main product ranges is its tool changers. A tool changer is attached to a robot and enables the robot to change the tool quickly and safely.

Challenge

The requirements for a smart and connected industry affect every step in the automation process. So, when RSP was developing its Moduflex series, a new line of tool changers specially designed to carry heavy payloads, they needed to move with the times and provide a modern tool changer that could connect to automation networks.

However, developing the required networking technology is neither easy nor what has made RSP a global leader. “We’re experts in robotics, not industrial networking,” explains Mats Thunell, senior engineer at RSP. “We want to remain

focused on robotics, so we didn’t want to invest the time and money to develop an in-house networking solution as that’s outside our area of expertise. Fortunately, we found a good solution with Anybus that allows both companies to focus on what they’re good at, Robotics for us and networking for Anybus.”

But before we describe the networking solution, let’s set out RSP’s requirements.

RSP’s networking requirements

Robots move freely within the factory, so robot accessories must be as compact and cable-free as possible. To maintain the tool changer’s compact form, RSP

preferred to embed the networking technology within the tool changer. RSP also needed a data communication interface that allowed easy and reliable connectivity to any factory system, regardless of the network protocol.

Anybus CompactCom

The Anybus CompactCom matched all the networking requirements.

Embedded design

To maintain the tool changer’s compact size and avoid extra cables, RSP chose the Anybus CompactCom B40. The Anybus CompactCom B40 was attached to the tool changer’s printed circuit board (PCB).

Any network

There’s a CompactCom for any major Fieldbus or industrial e thernet, and it’s easy to swap one CompactCom for another CompactCom, enabling RSP to connect to any factory system, regardless of the network protocol. As Henrik observes, this opens the possibility of expanding into new markets. “We’ve started with PROFIN e T, but we can target new markets as there’s an Anybus CompactCom for all major networks.”

Easy and reliable

Anybus CompactCom is ready-made and easy to install, reducing the time to market for new products. The awardwinning Anybus NP40 industrial network processor ensures that the CompactCom meets demanding performance, reliability, and security requirements.

“We would not have been able to develop the Moduflex series this easily without the Anybus CompactCom,” concludes Henrik. “The Anybus CompactCom is a great product. It provides reliable industrial network communication and is easy to use.”

www.anybus.com www.robotsystemproducts.com

The Moduflex tool changer is attached to the robot enabling the robot to change tools quickly and safely.

Henrik Hofström at RSP and Samuel Alexandersson at HMS.

FREE UPDATE MAKES THIRD DEEP LEARNING METHOD AVAILABLE FOR IDS NXT

The new, free IDS NXT 3.0 software update from IDS Imaging Development Systems makes the method available to all users of the AI vision system with immediate effect.

The AI vision system IDS NXT now also provides anomaly detection.

In quality assurance, it is often necessary to reliably detect deviations from the norm. Industrial cameras have a key role in this, capturing images of products and analysing them for defects. If the error cases are not known in advance or are too diverse, however, rule-based image processing reaches its limits. By contrast, this challenge can be reliably solved with the AI method Anomaly Detection.

The intelligent IDS NXT cameras are now able to detect anomalies independently and thereby optimise quality assurance processes. For this purpose, users train a neural network that is then executed on the programmable cameras. To achieve this, IDS offers the AI Vision Studio IDS NXT lighthouse, which is characterised by easy-to-use workflows and seamless integration into the IDS NXT ecosystem. Customers can even use only “g OOD” images for training. This means that relatively little training data is required compared to the other AI methods Object Detection and Classification. This simplifies the development of an AI vision application and is well suited for evaluating the potential of AI-based image processing for projects in the company.

Another highlight of the release is the code reading function in the block-based editor. This enables IDS NXT cameras to locate, identify and read out different types of code and the required parameters.

Attention maps in IDS NXT lighthouse also provide more transparency in the training process. They illustrate which areas in the image have an impact on classification results. In this way, users can identify and eliminate training errors before a neural network is deployed in the cameras.

IDS NXT is a comprehensive AI-based vision system consisting of intelligent cameras plus software environment that covers the entire process from the creation to the execution of AI vision applications. The software tools make AI-based vision usable for different target groups – even without prior knowledge of artificial intelligence or application programming. In addition, expert tools enable openplatform programming, making IDS NXT cameras highly customisable and suitable for a wide range of applications.

https://youtu.be/2kyIe-8bC3Q www.ids-nxt.com

IDS NXT is a comprehensive system consisting of software and hardware for image evaluation with AI

LEUZE PROMOTES “INTEGRATED CONNECTIVITY” CONCEPT

Increased efficiency, improved commissioning, machine monitoring and process optimisation.

Everything in the sensor

Integrated connectivity means: All relevant industrial ethernet interfaces are integrated into the sensor. It sounds simple but is not standard on the market. Instead, manufacturers often offer devices without an industrial ethernet interface to save development effort. In such cases, the interface is available via a gateway. The following examples show why this is not the optimal solution and why the system operator benefits in multiple ways with integrated connectivity from Leuze. The benefits range from commissioning (device management) to machine monitoring (condition monitoring) to process optimization.

Streamlined system layout

Leuze offers devices with integrated interfaces for PROFIN e T, e thernet/ IP, and e therCAT. The significant advantage that can already be gained during commissioning is demonstrated using design example with and without integrated connectivity. First a look at systems with barcode readers without integrated interfaces: here, each scanner must be connected to a separate gateway - this means an additional gateway with its own power supply for each barcode reader. As a result, the installation effort and the number of cables are twice as much as needed. The parameterization is also considerably more complex.

Don’t forget: Because of the required gateways, there are significantly more devices in the system that can cause a malfunction and must be checked. In comparison, the same system with integrated connectivity: The industrial ethernet interface is already integrated into every bar code reader. This makes separate gateways superfluous. Above all, the system layout is very clean and

The bar code readers from Leuze (here the BCL 300i) are equipped with “integrated connectivity”

requires fewer cables. Last but not least, errors can be eliminated more quickly as fewer devices have to be checked.

Switch included

Leuze sensors with integrated connectivity also have an additional feature that contributes to efficient commissioning: the devices have one switch as standard, i.e. an ethernet input port and output port each. As a result, system operators do not need an external switch. In addition, several devices can be wired more easily, for example in a ring or linear topology. With linear wiring, the system operator connects one sensor to another through integrated switches. Only the last sensor in the chian is connected to the controller. The advantage here is also a simpler system design and fewer cables. Devices without an integrated switch, on the other hand, require an external ethernet switch. Users must also connect each individual sensor to the switch via a star topology and then connect this to the controller

The usual control environment

Integrated connectivity also means that you can work in your usual control environment. This is possible because the entire device parametrization is integrated into the gSDML file (“generic Station Description Markup Language”) of PROFINeT, for example. In contrast, many other e thernet-based devices on the market generally have to be parametrized via a web server. This is complicated

because each manufacturer provides its own web server version with its own user interface. Users have to familiarize themselves with new interfaces every time and find the corresponding functions. In addition: devices without ethernet that are connected via a gateway often require productspecific manufacturer’s software for parametrization. This may result in compatibility issues with the hardware used.

For example, if the manufacturer does not update their software after a few years. Here too, integrated connectivity has multiple advantages:

• Users remain in their usual control environment

• No manufacturer software installation and related training required.

• No need to access a web server

Leuze devices with integrated connectivity are very easy to parametrize. Only the gSDML file has to be downloaded from the Leuze website via the control and copied once into your engineering software. The modules are then available in the hardware catalogue. The function of the device is explained in a clear and concise way. This makes parametrization and sensor usage easy and the manual is not required in most cases.

Support from the sensor

A look at the sensor’s device profile with integrated connectivity further simplifies

programming. As an example: for the AMS and BPS positioning sensors, Leuze not only provides positioning values but also a calculated speed value. Anyone who needs this value in their system saves time as it does not need to be calculated. In addition, if you only want to filter for certain barcodes without integrated connectivity, you have to do this via the controller. Leuze BCL bar code readers can be done more efficiently because here you can prefilter according to specific criteria. Only codes which correspond to the required pattern are transferred to the control. The option to duplicate PROFIN e T devices in the engineering tool saves time. Users only have to specify the parameters once and can then copy the settings as needed. Integrated connectivity even helps when a device is replaced: If a damaged sensor has to be replaced, the system automatically transfers all the parameters stored in the controller to the new device. The sensor is immediately ready for use.

Keeping an eye on quality

Integrated connectivity not only provides support during commissioning but also with machine monitoring, i.e condition monitoring. For efficient operation, system operators need answers to questions such as: is the plant operating correctly? When do I need to schedule maintenance? The answers are provided by the integrated interface. Via industrial e thernet communication, it not only transmits the actual process values but

The implementation of a linear topology for each integrated switch reduces the cabling requirements, saving time and money

also diagnostic data which are available in the controller. As a result, all identifying data can be read out via a barcode reader to manage the device. This includes the serial number or the software/hardware of the sensor. Moreover, there are quite a number of diagnostic parameters, such as the number of OK and NOK readings. In particular, the system with the bar code readers, the system also supplies a quality indicator for each individual code reading. This provides information about the quality of the readings. The value is generally between 90 and 95 percent and can be monitored to detect deviations during operation. For example, caused by contamination or mechanical damage. Remote monitoring can also be implemented as an additional communication channel via OPC UA. The control can be used for this purpose, but Leuze sensors provide a much easier solution, as they can be accessed directly via the OPC UA. As a result, system operators can monitor their devices while the process is running. This gives them real-time information on the performance of the system. If required, the data can also be transferred to a cloud - there are no restrictions whatsoever.

Simple process optimization

How can processes be optimized on the basis of the collected data? This is demonstrated by two representative practical examples using barcode readers. First example: The scanning window of the sensor can become contaminated. In some systems this does not happen for years, in others, it occurs more quickly. In order to determine which sensor is contaminated, data evaluation via OPC UA can be used. Based on the data, a software program records the reading quality of each individual decoding process. This indicates maintenance for bar code readers with impaired reading performance. Second example: The label itself can also cause problemsfor example, if the code is damaged or printed incompletely. In this case, it is not enough to monitor an individual sensor to determine the error. Instead, the faulty label has to be traced along different reading stations to identify it. This makes it possible to detect similar evaluations and use the identification number to determine the label involved.

Summary: More efficient on three levels

Integrated connectivity offers advantages on several levels. It contributes to easier commissioning and provides additional information for machine monitoring. This information is particularly useful for process optimization, resulting in optimal system performance. All sensors developed by Leuze for Fieldbuscontrolled automation, for example in intralogistics, are equipped with integrated connectivity. This allows system operators to save time and money. The Sensor People from Leuze are able to provide you with support to select and implement the optimum solution.

www.leuze.com/en-int

Simple interface management in all control environments with “integrated connectivity” from Leuze.

PRODUCTION AT FULL CAPACITY AND 25 PERCENT GROWTH IN SALES

2022 was again a strong sales year for Leuze. Leuze far exceeded its ambitious growth targets for last year. It has taken a major step towards its goal of doubling its sales from 2020 to 2025.

on the following industries of machine and system construction: intralogistics, packaging industry, machine tools, automotive industry and laboratory automation. In these industries, the Sensor People have decades of experience and in-depth expert knowledge.

Investing in the specialists of tomorrow

Despite difficult political and economic conditions such as the Russia-Ukraine crisis, the Taiwan conflict, Corona, chip shortages as well as allocations and shortages, Leuze can look back on a very successful 2022 financial year. More than that, the company has taken a big step towards the growth target it declared in 2020 of doubling its sales again by 2025.

Sales growth

For the year 2022, Leuze recorded a year-on-year sales growth of 25 percent. Following sales of 258 million euros in 2021, the company achieved sales totaling just under 323 million euros last year. The leader within the Leuze electronic group is Asia, with a growth of almost 30 percent. But in europe too the company recorded the highest growth for years with an increase of around 20 percent.

Full order books with production and logistics running at full capacity

The order backlog is still four to five times higher than usual. even the decline in incoming orders expected for the first half of 2023 An increase in the usual levels is expected in the summer. In the summer of 2022, Leuze opened a new plant in Malaysia.

Listed in the WMF index

According to the world market leader index, Leuze is an internationally active technology and world market leader in the area of optical sensors that stands for innovative sensor solutions in automation technology. Leuze consistently focuses

Leuze is also further expanding its employer brand as an attractive employer and trainer. Leuze currently employs 1,600 people worldwide. 850 of those are at its company headquarters in Owen/ Teck. In 2022, the company hired nearly 200 new Sensor People. 1/3 of those are based in g ermany. Leuze has also significantly increased the number of trainees and students and will continue to do so this year. 220 new employeesaround 60 of them in germany - are to be added in 2023.

CO2-neutral in Germany

The company has already achieved a goal it set itself: In germany, Leuze has been CO2-neutral since 2022 and has been able to significantly reduce its energy consumption, for example through photovoltaics, conversion of its vehicle fleet, installation of charging stations, and use of company bicycles. To offset direct emissions that cannot be avoided, the company supports a forest conservation project in Brazil. In the long term, Leuze also wants to become CO2- neutral on the product side. For this purpose, the “cradle to cradle” approach is already being taken into account in the product development of individual series.

Goals for 2023

Leuze also has ambitious goals for 2023. Among other things, the company will have doubled its production capacity by the end of the year and will continue to be involved in international structures.

www.leuze.com/en-int

PLANT DOCUMENTATION 4.0 – AN ESSENTIAL ENABLER FOR INDUSTRY 4.0

Specialist articles on Industry 4.0 generally emphasize the aspect of technical feasibility of the consistent, intelligent networking of machines, processes and personnel: What gateways, protocols and platforms will be needed to interlink machines from different manufacturers? What legal requirements have to be observed? How can security be designed to avoid hacker attacks?

We are living in a time of perpetual change. This is also reflected in industrial production. Manufacturing processes are continually adapted and optimized; products are increasingly being individually manufactured. This is not new, because in the past, too, production plants were in a state of perpetual change: failed components were replaced, software patches and updates were installed, process optimization programs were developed, and much more. Nevertheless, this trend is gaining speed and processes are becoming more dynamic.

Fig: 3 - LiveDOK makes distributed documentation of large-scale plants digitally available to engineers and plant operators: all relevant documents and drawings are presented in a structured way on one unified, intuitive user interface – regardless of their format and medium. Plant data can be administered, searched and corrected in real time – from planning to operation, anytime, anywhere. (Copyright: Rösberg)

Christian Stolz, Account Manager Plant Solutions at RÖSBERG Engineering: “As well as maintenance, many other areas benefit from digital documentation: troubleshooting, large-scale revisions, project-related documentation, loop checks and the management of assets, the integration of package units, and know-how transfer. And when it comes to audits, it certainly pays off to have up-to-date, legally compliant documentation to hand.” (Copyright: Rösberg)

ProDOK is the I&C-CAE system for the planning and operational support of process control equipment in process plants. ProDOK enables rational, consistent project planning and consistent documentation, ensuring an integrated planning process that follows unified rules. (Copyright: Rösberg)

Reliable documentation of as-built status

As-built documentation – meaning documentation that reflects the actual state of a new plant – has always been required for commissioning, but in fact the time and resources involved in preparing the relevant documents is always immense. And controlling the delivered documents, to make sure they really do tally with plant reality, is always very time-consuming – thus quality control process is generally confined to some random checks. Thus often enough, plant documentation does not even correspond to plant reality at the start – and even if it does correspond initially, the task of keeping the status of this documentation up to date is anything but trivial. The bigger and more complex the plant, the greater this challenge appears. It may even sound a little schizophrenic to be talking about digital twins on the one hand, whereas in many places a daily struggle is still going on to master plant documentation with the aid of paper documents, excel lists and complex file structures. However, this is exactly where Plant Documentation 4.0 can make a vital contribution, especially if a system is also able to simplify the management of changes.

Current status of all built-in components – and much more

In sectors such as petrochemicals, chemicals, logistics, manufacturing, in power plants, plant construction or the pharmaceutical industry, production processes are generally complex, and

plants often assume gigantic proportions. Thus these sectors of industry have had to rely on digital documentation for a long time now to keep track of the asbuilt status of their plants and manage the relevant interrelated processes. So it is not surprising that a company like Rösberg e ngineering from Karlsruhe – already active in these sectors for decades – developed digital solutions many years ago in order to keep an overview of the flood of information in these types of plants. Christian Stolz, Account Manager Plant Solutions at RÖSBeRg engineering comments: “With our I&C-CAe system ProDOK we primarily document the planning and construction of plants. However, it is also important to know the current status and components built in during the operational phase. Our software tool LiveDOK (Fig. 3) helps with the administration and documentation of changes. A main focus of the tool is on simply find documentation updates and enabling the changes to be made available to everyone quickly and easily.”

Various use cases benefit from Plant Documentation 4.0

When envisaging Plant Documentation

4.0 probably the first aspect to be considered is the advantages for maintenance. Here, of course, it is extremely useful to know the current state of the plant and be able to easily document the changes. “To do this, maintenance crews can simply enter the change on a tablet with a stylus (Fig. 4), and it is saved together with the information about who made the change,

when, and explanation if necessary”, says Stolz. “Workflows built into the system then ensure that the original documentation is reviewed regularly and thus stays clear and up-to-date.”

In addition to maintenance, many other areas benefit from digital documentation (Fig. 5). These include e.g., troubleshooting, large-scale revisions, project-related documentation, loop checks and the management of assets, the integration of package units, and know-how transfer. And when it comes to audits, it certainly pays off to have upto-date, legally compliant documentation at hand at all times.

Troubleshooting, large-scale revisions and loop checks

When something goes wrong, every minute counts. In a situation of this kind valuable time is lost if the current documentation status of the plant first has to be assembled – in the worst case, inability to react fast enough may result in damage or danger to people and the environment. In large-scale revisions, too, time is usually tight. Numerous employees need to be coordinated and very many changes made to the documentation simultaneously. This makes it all the more important to ensure that everyone involved in the process has access to the current documentation at all times. Similarly, loop checks also involve the coordination of large numbers of employees and the structured execution of various tasks.

Fig. 4 - Redlining: Changes can be very simply noted, for example by a handwritten notice on a tablet.

(Photo: Rösberg)

Managing assets and package units

Digital documentation is also beneficial for effective asset management –for instance, when a manufacturer discontinues an asset, making it necessary to know how many of the relevant components are built into the plant and where; or when compiling an overview of components that will no longer receive support in the near future. Only a company managing its assets effectively can keep production running reliably. Another aspect that necessitates digital documentation is the trend in the process industry towards integrating Package Units, meaning the distribution of large plants into smaller units. This raises the question of how the documentation that is delivered together with a functional unit can most easily be transferred into the already-existing plant documentation.

Project-related documentation and know-how transfer

When engaging in extensive plant retrofit or extensions, or for inspection purposes, many project-related documents also have to be immediately available as and when required. If these documents only exist in paper form, or are only available from different sources and in

assorted file formats, compiling them is effort-intensive and not overly efficient. Another advantage of consistent digital documentation is that know-how can be preserved, because the knowledge no longer exists solely in the minds of experienced employees. This substantially facilitates knowledge transfer to new employees.

“In all these and many other use cases, LiveDOK has been proving its worth for decades now” Stolz says, and adds: “With digitalization the focus was on the PC, but with Industry 4.0 the focus is on the Internet. This also applies, so to speak, to Plant Documentation 4.0. We have been creating digital documentation for a long time now, but we have consistently developed our concepts further, for instance regarding cloud enablement, in order to stay with the pulse of the times. Thus our customers get a tried and tested product that uses today’s state-of-the-art technologies to fulfill the technical and legal requirements of tomorrow.” In the use cases described above, the documentation tool enables documents to be found fast, provides a realistic overview of the components built into the plant while helping to keep documentation up-to-date, ensures

standardization in documentation in line with current legal requirements, gives all disciplines involved in a project access to the documentation without media discontinuity, and ensures that everyone in the team is working with the same documents.

Getting started is easier than you think Companies who wish to consistently implement Industry 4.0 cannot do so without digital, cloud capable plant documentation, especially where large plants are concerned. Nevertheless, many companies are still put off by the initial effort and expense of digitalizing their documentation at all in the first place. Here the process automation experts can reassure them – numerous projects carried out in the past have shown that getting started is much easier than users generally fear. “And not only that – very often digitalization opens up many optimization opportunities, so the effort pays off much faster than many people think”, says Stolz, speaking from his own experience.

https://livedok.roesberg.com/ https://prodok.roesberg.com/

https://roesberg.com/

Fig: 5

PEPPERL+FUCHS IS EXPANDING ITS IO-LINK PORTFOLIO WITH A UHF RFID READER

With the IUT-F191-IO-V1, Pepperl+Fuchs is filling a gap in its portfolio and enabling customers to easily access UHF RFID.

In recent years, IO-Link has become a well-established interface on the market and its use is increasingly widespread. One reason for its popularity is the standardized interface, which enables customers to integrate a number of different sensors easily and in a uniform way. Additional advantages of IO-Link include quick installation and easy replacement in the field. The existing HF RFID portfolio (13.56 MHz) for IO-Link is now being expanded to include a UHF reader.

The IUT-F191-IO-V1 fills the gap between HF and RFID and the UHF systems already available from Pepperl+Fuchs. The IUT-F191-IO-V1 is used in situations where the detection range of HF systems is no longer sufficient or where customers prefer a UHF solution for other reasons, for example because a UHF solution is already in use and should be used consistently. In many applications, read/write distances of approx. 1 m are completely sufficient. Furthermore, the IO-Link interface enables easy, costeffective integration into any existing IO-Link networks, quick commissioning, and interchangeability. The easy Mode - already familiar from the well-known HF RFID read/write devices with IO-Link - reduces the programming effort for the user and enables easy access to UHF RFID applications. In expert Mode, advanced setting options are also available.

Applications include intralogistics, for example, where materials provided to machines need to be identified before further processing to avoid errors and therefore disruptions to the production process, and products must have continuous traceability throughout the entire manufacturing process.

Potential applications also include on conveyor lines or automated storage systems, where IO-Link is often already used to connect further sensor technology and components.

www.pepperl-fuchs.com

IUT-F191-IO-V1 for container disinfection

VISUALIZATION, MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT OF PLANT UTILITIES RESULT IN SAVINGS OF NEARLY €70,000

OVER FIVE YEARS

Famiel Confectionery Co., Ltd., a confectionery manufacturer in Japan, has implemented energy management and demand monitoring at its main factory after introducing Mitsubishi Electric’s energy saving data collection server “EcoWebServerIII”.

In addition to allowing Famiel to lower the contracted power supply level, the expansion of energy saving activities through real time visualization of electricity, gas, and water consumption led to a significant reduction of the overall utility costs – a total of some 10 million yen (approximately e UR 70,000 with exchange rate at 0.00696) over 5 years.

Key points

• Analyzing peaks in power consumption allowed the factory to optimize energy use throughout the entire manufacturing process.

• Due to the reduction in electricity demand, the factory was able to lower its contract power supply level.

• The total cost for utilities was able to be lowered by visualizing the consumption of all resources: electricity, water and gas.

Founded in 1976 as a commercial frozen cake manufacturer based in Yokohama, Japan, Famiel Confectionery manufactures and sells cakes and other western confectionery. In addition to cakes sold under its own brand, the company makes a variety of frozen cakes at its factory and sells them to hotels and restaurants nationwide in Japan. In 2017, the company moved to Yokosuka, a city within the same Kanagawa Prefecture, where the current headquarters factory

is located and this location became the hub for its business expansion.

Cake manufacturing uses a large amount of electricity for the ovens to bake the cakes. “The three ovens in our factory account for about a quarter of the overall electricity we use. Power consumption reaches its peak when these ovens are all turned on, and our contract power is determined based on this peak,” says Hideyuki Moriya, g eneral Manager of the Production Department. Therefore, since 2015, when the headquarters was located in Yokohama, the company has been working on visualizing power consumption by installing Mitsubishi e lectric’s “ e coMonitor” energy measurement units on ovens and other key equipment.

“When we visualized our energy consumption, I was able to understand many things, not only about how much electricity the ovens were using, but I also learned that the machine we use to wrap the cake in film did not use as much electricity as I originally thought it would.

When such data was made available to the factory floor, it attracted the interest of our workers and made them think about how they could save more energy,” says Hideyuki Moriya. Therefore, when Famiel moved their factory to the current location in 2017, they not only reinstalled the visualization system, but also expanded the number of items for which they measured the energy use. They also utilized “ecoWebServerIII”, an energy saving data collection server, and introduced energy demand monitoring and management throughout the factory.

“I was confident about the ROI” In the new factory, Famiel more than doubled the number of machines they

monitored and decided to additionally measure the electricity used for air conditioning, as well as how much water and gas the factory consumed. explaining this decision, Hideyuki Moriya said, “In addition to the cost needed to reinstall the system from the old factory, we had to invest nearly twice as much to upgrade the system. I was, however, quite confident that we would be able to get a return on investment (ROI) since we had already saved more than we spent for our initial investment.”

The energy demand monitoring system for the new factory visualizes how much energy each item or air conditioner consumes. The key feature of this system is that it issues alerts in three stages according to the level of demand to prevent total consumption from exceeding the contracted power level. If an alert is issued at the third stage, which means demand is nearing the limit, their staff on site will turn off some machines to keep the demand within the limit.

Furthermore, to automatically control the air conditioning system based on the energy demand, Famiel linked the air conditioning system to the energy demand monitoring system via Mitsubishi e lectric’s integrated air conditioning management interface “Ae-200J”.

“I adjust the settings according to the season and the weather. We cannot get the full effect with the same settings all year round. To save energy, it is necessary

Famiel Confectionery sells a variety of cakes to hotels and restaurants nationwide in Japan. The photo shows the process of spreading jam on baked cheesecakes.

Confectionery sold under the Famiel Confectionery brand is available at the “Cake Mania” shop next to the factory.

“I

was confident about the ROI since we had already saved more than we spent for our initial investment,” says Hideyuki Moriya, General Manager, Production Department, Famiel Confectionery.

to make full use of the system we have,” says Hideyuki Moriya.

In addition to efficiently controlling the energy demand at the new factory, Famiel Confectionery is also promoting activities to reduce demand over the long term with their main focus being the ovens. At the factory, electricity demand spikes when the three ovens are turned on at the start of work in the morning. The ovens continue to run after that, but once they are warmed up, they use less power for continuous operation. The key point in lowering the demand was to suppress the peak in demand right after the starting of the ovens.

The contract power level is determined based on the demand measured within each 30-minute period, so if Famiel wanted to lower the contract power, they had to make sure power consumption did not concentrate in one of these periods. Therefore, Famiel Confectionery changed the sequence in which they turn on the three ovens so that, instead of turning them on all at once, they decided to turn on the second oven 30 minutes after the first, and the third oven 30 minutes after that.

“After we start heating the first oven, it takes about 30 minutes to reach the required temperature. The change in the baking process therefore had a great impact on the preceding and succeeding processes, so we had to adjust each process, including how we prepare the cake dough. However, the significant fact was that the total daily working hours did not change.,” explained Hideyuki Moriya.

By optimizing the processes based on data from the demand monitoring system, it was possible to balance the demand and reduce the contract power without affecting work hours or product quality.

Further energy savings achieved by measuring additional data

By deciding to also visualize water and gas consumption data at the new factory, Famiel Confectionery could further reduce costs. Hideyuki Moriya explained, “For example, in a device that sterilizes equipment with boiling water, the water is always kept at boiling point. However, in reality, the time we need it for sterilization is limited, so it is not necessary to keep the water boiling all the time. If we efficiently control the device so that water is boiled in time for the sterilization process, then it will lead to saving energy. By visualizing the real-time consumption of water and

In the cake manufacturing process, ovens that bake cakes consume a large amount of electricity.

gas, we were able to identify where there was room for improvement.”

Monitoring each energy consumption point and its associated demand led to energy saving activities that are certainly producing concrete results. For example, electricity consumption was reduced by 6.3% year on year in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2017 when the company relocated their factory. Along with this, demand decreased by 3.7% and the unit cost of the electricity was reduced due to the reduction of contracted power. In addition, the effects from visualizing gas and water consumption were particularly significant, achieving reductions in volume by 38.4% and 25.1% respectively during the same period. As a result of these

efforts, overall costs reduced by nearly 10 million yen over the five-year period, far exceeding the amount invested in the monitoring system.

Hideyuki Moriya added, “Currently, I am the only one who can set alerts as the administrator, but going forward, if our supervisors can also take on this role, I believe we can get additional energy saving benefits, even when I am away.” Famiel Confectionery also has plans to increase the number of items they monitor, increasing the visualization of detailed data, to get a wider understanding of their energy use.

https://emea.mitsubishielectric.com/fa

About Famiel Confectionery Company

Limited

Founded in 1976, Famiel Confectionery manufactures and sells western confectionery such as cakes.

http://famiel.co.jp/

This screen for monitoring the real-time electricity demand helps to efficiently control power consumption in the factory to avoid exceeding the contract demand level.

“EcoWebServerIII” (top image) and “EcoMonitorPlus” (bottom image) were installed for demand monitoring.

The operation of each machine is controlled based on data from the energy demand monitoring system.

LEUZE IS CO2 NEUTRAL IN GERMANY

Goals 2022 achieved: thanks to improved energy efficiency, Leuze has taken the step to become a CO2-neutral company in Germany. Indirect emissions in the supply chain will also be examined going forward.

Environment Social g overnance

(eSg) is part of the Leuze company strategy. For Leuze, growth means taking responsibility - for the environment and society, too. In this context, The Sensor People have achieved an initial goal that they were aiming for: the company is CO2 neutral in germany since 2022.

Improved energy efficiency

As part of their growth strategy, Leuze had set the target to become CO2 neutral in g ermany by the end of 2022. To do so, the company first examined its direct emissions and on this basis, it optimized the issues that were identified: thanks to comprehensive investment in new buildings and the modernization of existing buildings, it was possible to achieve a substantial reduction in energy consumption. Leuze was also able to significantly improve its energy efficiency in production: this was due to a massive expansion of its own renewable energy generation using photovoltaics, among other measures. As a result, The Sensor People were able to reduce last year the purchase of electricity from external sources by about half. Leuze has been using 100% green electricity by external electricity for years. Some of this is supplied by Leuze’s own, leased hydroelectric power stations. The vehicle fleet has also been optimized: hybrids and fully electric company cars are already in use. And more will follow. In addition, Leuze provides charging stations to its customers and employees. The company also offers its employees “Job-Rad” (bicycle to work), and opportunity to charge e-bike batteries at the company.

Leuze trainees are bee sponsors and built nesting aids for wild bees together with a beekeeper.

Preventing deforestation

In order to avoid direct CO2 emissions, Leuze supports an international forest protection project in northern Brazil on approx. 148,000 hectares. This is not related to reforestation but is a project that supports the preserve the rainforest as a natural CO2 store. The forest protection project saves emissions by avoiding the deforestation of the jungle.

Sustainability remains firmly on the agenda

For Leuze, it is not enough to avoid direct emissions. As an international company, The Sensor People also want to make a contribution to more sustainable management worldwide. Therefore, it also includes checking the indirect mission in the supply chain. With most

companies, these make up a large part and are more difficult to implement. In this context, the question arises: where do the components come from? How and in what conditions are they manufactured? Do these reflect Leuze’s ethical and ecological ideas? What does this mean in terms of competition? In order to get answers and initiate improvements, Leuze carries out regular audits, not only in g ermany but also in manufacturing countries such as Asia.

For a circular economy

Further, Leuze also plans to become CO2 neutral on the product side. For this purpose, individual new sensor series are already being considered in the sense of the “cradle to cradle” approach. In this context, The Sensor People check to what

extent a specific product contributes to CO2 emissions and what this means for system operators with Leuze sensors.

https://www.leuze.com/en-int

Small regional projects can also contribute to climate protection: with the Leuze SenseBees colonies, Leuze supports the local ecosystem at the headquarters of the company in Owen

NEW HARDWARE PLATFORM AND FOCUS ON USABILITY BRING HIGH ORDER INTAKE

Financial year 2023: IDS with solid growth forecasts.

Despite the tense procurement situation, the machine vision company IDS expects a positive turnover development and growth of 15% for the 2023 financial year. One reason for this is a good order situation resulting from the advancing wave of automation. In addition, IDS expects supply chain bottlenecks to improve. “Our big advantage is certainly that we are represented in almost all industries and are thus very broadly positioned,” explains IDS Managing Director Alexander Lewinsky. “The demand for our products has increased particularly in the medical technology sector, which pleases us not only from an economic point of view. More and more IDS cameras are thus making a contribution to health promotion worldwide. In addition to resource conservation and environmental protection, this is an area of application that is close to our hearts.”

Growth driver 3D vision

On the product side, the positive development is based on the continuing strong growth of the 3D segment. Accordingly, the portfolio will be expanded in the current year by a new, cost-optimised series for large-volume applications. “We see this segment as one of the main growth drivers,” underlines Jan Hartmann, IDS Managing Partner. Secondly, in the 2D segment, last year’s launch of the ueye cameras with newly developed USB3 technology platform has more than proven its worth. This means that the camera manufacturer is more supplier-independent and thus better cushions component bottlenecks. More models with this hardware technology will follow in the coming months. In addition, new cameras with high data rates and faster and larger sensors are meeting growing need, as are price-optimised models with reliable basic functions. To meet the increasing demand, IDS has developed the u eye Warp 10, which enables extremely fast clock rates and ensures particularly high

IDS Managing Director Alexander Lewinsky, Managing Partner Jan Hartmann and Jürgen Hartmann (founder and owner) (l.t.r.)

quality requirements. In addition, new product variants are being added to the entry-level range in the product line, which further expands their possible uses in customer applications.

Introducing users to key AI technology

The technology company is also intensively driving forward the topic of artificial intelligence. “IDS wants to make it easier for users to access this key technology and help them initiate urgently needed automation processes with easy-to-use, intelligent image processing components,” emphasises IDS founder and owner Jürgen Hartmann. The opportunities offered by corresponding solutions are enormous and associated with completely new fields of application, such as transport and smart city or environment and smart farming. “With our visionpier marketplace, the first and so far only one of its kind for image processing solutions, we offer direct access to this,” adds Jürgen Hartmann. “Solution providers and users can discuss solutions, develop or enhance them, use, adapt and reuse them.”

Machine vision is considered a growth industry more than ever, demand and supply are increasing - despite the energy crisis and chip shortage. IDS is positioning itself in this promising market not only with innovations, but as an “enabler”. “User-friendliness is above all. We want to support our customers in finding a solution more quickly and easily with the help of the ‘easy to Use’ IDS ecosystem, on which IDS will focus in 2023,” explains Alexander Lewinsky. On the one hand, this refers to the area of industrial cameras, where special attention will be paid to the usability of the in-house software package. On the other hand, the approach includes the intuitively usable IDS NXT cameras with artificial intelligence.

Completely climate-compensated

In view of the current geopolitical and climatic conditions, IDS is also increasingly committed to the topic of sustainability. As a pioneer among the fully climate-compensated companies in the industry, further measures are firmly anchored in the company’s longterm goals in order to steadily reduce CO2 emissions at the Obersulm site. Most recently, the compensation of the first climate-neutral camera family, ueye CP, was updated. “We are not the only ones who feel morally obliged to keep CO2 emissions as low as possible in every area of the company. Such factors also play an increasingly important role in our customers’ purchasing decisions,” Alexander Lewinsky knows. “Ultimately, everyone benefits from this, producers and customers as well as our environment and society. www.ids-imaging.de

Image processing company IDS expects growth of 15% for the 2023 financial year.

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC’S AI SOLUTION UNLEASHES THE FULL POTENTIAL OF SHOP FLOORS

The innovative data science tool, MELSOFT MaiLab (Mitsubishi Electric AI Laboratory) helps companies drive productivity improvements on manufacturing lines.

The new solution offers an intuitive, operator-centric platform that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically optimise operations while maximising equipment monitoring, visibility and diagnostics.

The future of manufacturing lies in highly efficient and responsive facilities. These are driven by next-level data analytics that provide unique actionable insights into the performance and status of machines as well as processes. While the road to realising these smart factories is clear, companies are often missing the resources to get there. These include the budget for skilled data analysts and AI specialists along with the capability to effectively process large volumes of data as well as time available to develop accurate predictive models.

M e LSOFT MaiLab acts as a dedicated virtual AI data scientist, helping companies to overcome these

challenges and empowering them to realise future-oriented manufacturing strategies. Quick to deploy and with minimal training required, the solution bases recommendations and actions on intelligence derived from both live and historic data, without requiring users to have any specialist expertise. In effect, the platform uses machine learning (ML), a subfield of AI, to automate data gathering across a variety of systems, predictive model creation, analysis and the mining of large volumes of data. As a result, the MeLSOFT MaiLab software removes barriers to entry for Industry 4.0 applications driven by advanced data analytics, streamlining the implementation of strategies to

improve production with a quick return on investment (ROI).

An intelligent assistant for qualityoriented manufacturing e ase of use start right from the installation, as the platform is accessed in a browser-based environment that does not require any additional software. It can run on any industrial PC, including Mitsubishi e lectric’s M e LIPC edgecomputing solution.

Once installed, the M e LSOFT MaiLab features an intuitive user interface with clear web-based visualisations. To further assist users without extensive programming skills, step-by-step guidance is provided. Also, the software helps users to understand what the data are suggesting while supporting them throughout all phases of a data analysis project. This is achieved by having the datasets being processed and analysis models created based on end goals selected by operators. In particular, these

activities within the AI data science tool use Mitsubishi electric’s proven Maisart AI (Mitsubishi e lectric’s AI creates the State-of-the-ART in technology).

Connected to the manufacturing system, the M e LSOFT MaiLab was developed to support a wide range of different application scenarios and can also be tailored to each individual setup. More precisely, it can be used in off-line mode to feed existing empirical data to develop or refine suitable predictive models and customised using open Python scripts. The tool can then be used for real-time diagnostics, providing the data generated as the production line operates to the algorithms and returning insights on the status of the line, its performance and how it can be optimised.

The platform can also offer additional information and functions to address the needs and requirements of various departments as well as subject matter experts (SM e s). In addition,

the information being processed and produced is used to continuously increase the accuracy of its algorithms to enhance its outputs and help companies drive productivity over time, in line with futureproof continuous improvement strategies. even more, flexible licensing schemes are also available to address the specific needs of a company. For example, these include yearly subscription models or one-off payment options.

Learn more about the MeLSOFT MaiLab at: https://emea.mitsubishielectric. com/fa/products/edge/edgsw/edgap/ melsoft-mailab

Watch a video introducing Mitsubishi electric’s AI-powered technology here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDywA0HW3A