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THE SMART FACTORY: AN OVERVIEW Author: Milton D’SILVA
The smart factory is still a work in progress, but the building blocks are already in place. A report.
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couple of years ago, a technocrat from a leading automation vendor, chatting on the side-lines of an industry event made an interesting observation. “A factory manufactures products, but that is not the purpose of the factory,” he said. “The purpose of a factory is to make profits.” Implicit in this assertion is the role technology plays in making those profits. It started with the very first Industrial Revolution in the mid-18th century powered by steam, and continues with the Industry 4.0, the fourth version – unleashed by the Internet and facilitated by cyber physical systems in the new millennium.
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Each of these revolutions brought in tremendous advantages in terms of transportation, telecommunications, access to raw materials, exploration of resources, etc., and led to large scale manufacturing of industrial and consumer goods, gadgets and appliances for everyday use. However, by now, most of these advantages have been exploited to the hilt, and production efficiency in some sectors has reached in the higher 90s in terms of percentage. Yet today, more than at any other time in human history, manufacturers are under constant pressure to produce higher quality products in lesser time at lower prices, and to suit individual requirements as well. With margins shrinking, the only way to squeeze profits is to further increase efficiencies, reduce errors, anticipate failure of equipment and eliminate breakdown altogether. Welcome to the Smart Factory era, made possible by the bouquet of emerging technologies now available to the industry in quest of still higher efficiencies.
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5G plays a central role in the Bosch vision for the factory of the future. Picture: Bosch
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ABB’s smart factory module demonstrated at Hannover Messe 2019. Picture: Hannover Messe
What exactly is a Smart Factory? In simple terms it is a place for smart manufacturing where machines, already automated to a great extent – and increasingly intelligent robots – are linked together by smart devices through the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). This in turn facilitates self-learning and adaption, improving the processes through advanced automation and selfoptimisation, with seamless end-to-end connectivity and data analytics. The resultant benefits are not just in terms of efficient production, but also the streamlining of all related functions like supply chain logistics and pre- and postproduction processes, to make it sustainable. The secret to unlocking this potential is hidden in the data generated by these processes. According to an IBM report, an average factory generates 1TB of production data each day, of which over 99% is not analysed. The information hidden in this data, the analysis of which is beyond human capabilities and needs technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, holds the key to greater operational efficiencies.
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The smart factory does not necessarily have to be built from scratch. Existing facilities can be transformed into smart factories, provided there are investments made to put a few things in place. These include a proper network infrastructure, smart controllers, analytics software with integrated information systems including IoT, cloud computing, Big Data and technology using artificial intelligence. Above all, this needs skilled manpower and the preparedness to adapt to new technologies.
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The smart factory is still a work in progress, but the building blocks are already in place. However, there are gaps to be filled – while Artificial Intelligence plays a key role in data analytics, 5G is the go to technology for connectivity – and a lot remains to be done in both these areas. So what is the status of the smart factory and its implementation from the perspective of the leading vendors of technologies for the smart factory? Presented here is a snapshot of 5 leading vendors and their technologies. ABB and its Ability A custom-made wristwatch assembled within three minutes. That is what ABB demonstrated at Hannover Messe 2019 at the smart factory module on display at its booth, using three of its key technologies – the YuMi collaborative robot performing precision assembly operations; the SuperTrak flexible transport system ensuring timely movement of parts; and the ABB Ability Connected Services monitoring health and performance. ABB launched the Ability™ technology platform in 2017, bringing together a number of its digital products, solutions and services under one umbrella. The ABB Ability platform today offers more than 220 digital solutions, which enable enterprises to increase productivity and improve safety at lower costs. The ABB factory at Heidelberg in Germany is a classic example of a smart factory, a showcase of ABB’s cutting edge technology as well as manufacturing prowess. One of the oldest plants of the ABB group, it manufactures miniature circuit breakers (MCBs), a common but critical safety device used in electrical installations, available in many different variants. The MCB effectively breaks the circuit in case of overload and other faults, protecting the installation from fire and damage. The Heidelberg plant is a demonstrator for smart manufacturing – of how the
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factory of tomorrow looks like. It is equipped with seven types of ABB robots, all interconnected on the ABB Ability platform, the digitalisation increasing their productivity. The transformation has increased the plant efficiency to handle 3 times as many product variants as before, adding to a whopping 6000 variants now, also improving quality of the products. Predictive maintenance practices have led to accurate delivery schedules and better in-plant material handling. The Ability platform leverages intelligence gathered from ABB’s vast global installed base of over 70 million connected devices and 70,000 control systems. This not only helps customers optimise operations, but ABB also uses the insights to develop new business models. Bosch goes beyond Mobility Bosch, the renowned provider of vehicle technologies and mobility solutions, now offers Industry 4.0 technologies for smart factories. With the focus on automation, digitalisation,
Bosch’s Blaichach plant in Germany, specialised in manufacturing ABS and ESP systems for automobiles, is a smart factory working on the Nexeed platform. This brings all the benefits of the connected plant for both new and existing machinery, as Nexeed is an open system, where it is easy to retrofit IoT devices on legacy production lines. The Blaichach plant employs 3000 associates as Bosch calls them, and produce 6.7 million ABS/ESP safety systems. The transformation has made it possible for Bosch to increase productivity at its ABS/ESP manufacturing facilities worldwide by almost 24 per cent.
Bosch smart factory working on the Nexeed platform. Picture: Bosch
For Bosch, these initiatives of integrating Industry 4.0 technologies in the smart factory is paying off with the company having earned more than Euro 1.5 billion with Industry 4.0 applications in the last 5 years. By 2022, Bosch has ambitious plans to generate annual sales of over a billion euros with Industry 4.0.
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AI and IoT, the idea is to boost productivity, quality and safety. As a leading user and provider of Industry 4.0 solutions, Bosch follows the ’3S’ strategy – using sensors, software and services. These are channelised through its software platform Nexeed, on which reside a variety of ’Source-Make-Deliver’ solutions for continuous optimisation – from procurement (source) through production (make) to the end customer (deliver). Nexeed includes tools like predictive maintenance, cockpit charts, traceability and tracking solutions, manufacturing execution, maintenance support, autonomous transport systems, intralogistics – all connected. Nexeed is ideal for larger enterprises that have
deployed Industry 4.0 solutions, companies that have global production network and plants at multiple locations. But Bosch also offers solutions to SMEs in smaller packages, introducing to them the benefits of Industry 4.0, especially when they do not have in-house digital expertise.
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Rockwell Automation and The Connected Enterprise Rockwell Automation believes the world needs to become a smarter place and offers solutions to that end through The Connected Enterprise, where products become smarter, people become smarter, and their decisions become smarter. The 117-year-old company is a major provider of industrial automation and information technology products with global sales of USD 6.69 bn for 2019. The company conducts signature events like the annual Automation Fair in the US and the region specific TechED events at other global locations to connect with and educate customers about the latest developments in the field. The hardware offering of Rockwell Automation comprises thousands of Allen-Bradley products, the software comprises numerous software suites under the FactoryTalk banner. The Connected Enterprise is a platform that brings these smart solutions together for the benefit of discrete manufacturing as well as process industries, bringing them tangible benefits like faster time to market for manufactured products, improved asset utilisation, lower total cost of ownership, and more effective enterprise risk management. That these are all tried and tested solutions is borne out by the fact that Rockwell Automation uses them in its own manufacturing facilities as part of its digitalisation transformation journey. The Connected Enterprise, according to the company, is a five-step journey: identify a desired business outcome; get an outside perspective; assemble the team; implement a pilot program; and scale for expansion. For companies who adopt the platform for their digital transformation, the outcome, based on use cases, leads to: productivity increases of 4–5% per year; waste reductions that result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings; faster time to market, which includes plants that become operational in weeks instead of months; quality improvements that result in defects being cut in half; and up to 98% on-time delivery.
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In 2017, Rockwell Automation opened its EMEA Customer Center for The Connected Enterprise in Karlsruhe, Germany, offering customers and visitors the opportunity to receive tailored advice on smart factory subjects combined with a 360-degree view of The Connected Enterprise.
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The Rockwell Automation EMEA Customer Center at Karlsruhe, Germany. Picture: Rockwell Automation
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Schneider Electric builds the EcoStruxure Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, traces its origins to 1836. It is a European multinational company with operations in over 100 countries and 2019 revenue of Euro 27 billion. Since 1980, the company has grown phenomenally through a series of acquisitions, shedding its traditional steel business in favour of electricity and related technologies. Having reinvented itself for the digital era in the new millennium, the company launched its IoT enabled EcoStruxure platform for digital transformation, with sector specific suites covering not just industries, but also homes, buildings, data centres, energy and infrastructure. EcoStruxure for Industry is the Schneider Electric IIoT platform that is open, interoperable, and ready for smart manufacturing, at every level from Connected Products to Edge Control and Apps, Analytics and Services. It is the digital backbone connecting best-in-class operational technology (OT) solutions with the latest in IT technology to unlock trapped value in operations and leverage the true potential of the Internet of Things. With integrated software, it improves productivity, efficiency, sustainability, and cybersecurity for plants and machine builders. Benefits include up to 80% reduction in engineering costs and time; up to 75% savings in maintenance cost; and up to 50% reduction in carbon footprint. Schneider Electric executives often say ’we eat our own food’, which means the smart technologies the company offers to the industry are implemented in its own plants first. The company has launched several Smart Factories around the globe in countries like France, USA, Mexico, China, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. These are central to its Tailored Sustainable Connected 4.0 supply chain digital transformation where it leverages digitisation across its supply chain operations to deliver end-to-end integration and visibility to enhance its performance. The World Economic Forum has designated the Schneider Electric facilities in Le Vaudreuil in France, and Batam in Indonesia, as Advanced 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) Lighthouses. The company has set for itself a target of 100 smart factories for 2020, and the same technologies are available for any company looking for similar transformation.
The Schneider Electric smart factory at Le Vaudreuil in France. Picture: Schneider Electric
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Siemens and its MindSphere Established in 1847, Siemens is the German multinational corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe with a global footprint, with 2019 revenue of around Euro 87 billion. With its main business verticals of Industry, Energy, Healthcare and Infrastructure, Siemens today has the domain expertise and digital knowhow to generate performance improvements across the entire value chain through digital transformation. This is achieved with its two main solutions: MindSphere – a cloud-based, open IoT operating system; and Digital Twin – the virtual representation of products and production. Launched in 2016, MindSphere today connects an estimated 1.3 million devices and more than 1,000 customers. Global automobile
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The Siemens Smart Factory at Amberg, Bavaria. Picture: Siemens
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giant Volkswagen uses MindSphere in its cloud network, connecting machinery and equipment at more than 120 of its plants. This data is used to improve productivity and efficiency across plants and production lines. What MindSphere does essentially are 4 things: connect assets and upload data to the cloud; collect, monitor, and analyse data in real-time; gain insights that improve efficiency and profitability; and take advantage of apps and solutions that solve real problems. Like other major vendors, Siemens too has an excellent example of the Smart Factory in its Amberg plant in Bavaria, which has deployed the MindSphere system as well as executed the digital twin. Spread over 100,000 sq.ft, the Amberg plant manufactures a mix of 1200 products, which means on an average there are 350 production changeovers per day! The plant produces 17 million Simatic components per year, and about 50 million items of process and product data are evaluated and used for optimisation! In the process of the smooth running of the plant, Siemens uses other ground-breaking technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and Industrial Edge computing. The results of the transformation are evident in the figures – a 13-fold rise in production since the plant started operations in 1989, without any additional manpower or expansion. Summing up According to a market research report on global smart factory industry posted by Reportlinker recently, the global market for Smart Factory is estimated at US$136.4 billion in the year 2020. This is projected to reach a revised size of US$218.4 billion by 2027. The expected additional value for manufacturing industry due to productivity gains in smart factories by 2023 is expected to be between US$1.5 to 2.2 trillion, according to the Capgemini Research Institute’s estimates, published in its report ’Smart factories @ scale’. This indicates the potential gains of smart factory for the manufacturing world. An important question that rises from these developments is the human role in the factory of the future with the spectre of massive unemployment caused by digitalisation. But Prof Martin Ruskowski, Chairman of the Executive Board at SmartFactory-KL, the manufacturer-independent demonstrator and research platform based in Germany, does not agree. According to him, “Humans will and must be able to change every decision made by a machine. We will retain responsibility for what happens in the production processes. Machines and artificial intelligence cannot and should not take this away!”
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MONTH’S PRODUCT
RUTRONIK DEVELOPS FIRST DEVELOPMENT KIT FOR AI BASED APPLICATIONS TO IMPLEMENT EDGE INTELLIGENCE
The first development kit developed by Rutronik, the RUTDevKit-STM32L5, is a complete solution for AIbased applications running on an MCU platform.
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he kit enables hardware and firmware developers to deliver proof-of-concepts within a short space of time. The focus here is firmly on security and data protection, short latency periods, low energy consumption and adequate storage resources.
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Data generated by (I)IoT ((Industrial) Internet of Things) devices are increasingly evaluated on MCU platforms within the application or close to the MCU-based embedded system. This is particularly the case in industrial environments, whether for security reasons or because of the required latency periods. When it comes to implementing this Edge AI or Edge Intelligence (EI), Rutronik now offers a unique development kit that contains all the necessary components. Every single module is from the Rutronik product portfolio, while the complete BOM is available at www.rutronik.com/development-kit
The RUTDevKit-STM32L5 is based on the ultra-low-power high-performance microcontroller STM32L562ZET6Q, which operates at 110MHz. Its 32bit RISC-Core Arm Cortex-M33 with Arm TrustZone offers hardware based security features that ensure data security of the EI application during the inference phase. Thanks to Arm TrustZone, one core provides two independent processing environments: A protected one for cyber protection and sensitive code, and an unprotected one for the execution of untrusted code. Further, Arm TrustZone also supports Secure Boot, thereby enabling secure read and write protection for the integrated memory (64Mbit PSRAM and 128Mbit NOR flash) and cryptography acceleration. Arm TrustZone can also include I/O ports, a peripheral function and flash or SRAM regions. The Octo SPI interface to PSRAM and the Quad SPI interface to the NOR flash memory along with the fast A/D converter of the microcontroller support short latency periods. In addition to the microcontroller memory, the RUTDevKitSTM32L5 facilitates use of an SD card with several GB as well as a protected area to securely store both raw data and inference data of the AI model.
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Equipped with CAN FD and RS485 interface, the kit enables fast transmission of large amounts of data. The USB-C power supply features Protection IC, and low power functions can be tested with a battery. Additionally, there is the on-board ST-LINK V2 debugger / programmer as well as Arduino interfaces for supplementary boards, such as an Anybus communication module that enables products to communicate via all common field buses and on Industrial Ethernet networks, e.g. EtherCat. The kit also includes software and sample firmware, including a TrustZone demo, a test mode demo for CAN FD, an RS485 Modbus demo, a USB power supply and tamper detection demo, and a dual bank flash bootloader demo. The RUTDevKit-STM32L5 is available from Rutronik at www. rutronik.com/development-kit
Overview of the RUTDevKit-STM32L5 components: Hardware: • STM32L562ZET6Q Cortex®-M33 512KB Flash • APS6408L 64Mbit Octo-SPI PS- RAM • EN25QH128A 128Mbit Quad-SPI NOR Flash • CAN FD with TLE9251VLE driver • USB-C Power Supply with TCPP01-M12 Protection IC • RS485 Interface with ST3485EDBRdriver • Slot for Micro-SD card • On-Board ST-LINK V2 debugger/programmer • Arduino extension connector • 4-layer design Software / Firmware: • CAN-FD test mode demo • RS485 Modbus demo • USB power supply demo • Dual bank flash bootloader demo • TrustZone® demo • Tamper detection demo MORE INFORMATION
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KEEPING AN EYE ON ELECTRONICS
Wherever there is electrical current, there are always electromagnetic pulses. They can have an extremely disruptive effect, e.g. on the ubiquitous electronic devices that surround us.This is why vehicle manufacturers, among other things, need to verify the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of their products.
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hat’s more, the vehicles themselves are packed full of sensitive electronics and are tested in specialised EMC labs. The conditions there are unpleasant for humans. Camera systems are used in order to keep an eye on everything during the tests. mk-messtechnik specialises in such systems. Motors from FAULHABER used in the swivel heads ensure exact positioning of the remotecontrolled modules.
“It all started when a car radio was no longer the only device installed in the vehicle,” recalls Dr. Martin Kull, founder and managing director of mk-messtechnik. “The number of electronic devices steadily increased over time – from ABS and airbags to mobile telephony and navigation.” The individual systems must not disturb each other, nor must they impair other systems outside of the vehicle. In addition, they must be as insensitive as possible to pulses from outside. The electrical engineer began carrying out measurements at Daimler’s test lab back when he was a student at the University of Stuttgart. Some of the electromagnetic waves generated in such labs are extremely strong and well over the applicable limit values. For this reason, the lab chambers are hermetically sealed during the tests. What goes on inside can only be observed using cameras. “This is when the first enquiries came with regard to building monitoring devices intended for this purpose. However, demand was for fewer than 100 cameras per year, which meant that larger companies withdrew from this niche market.” Dr. Kull saw an opportunity and in 2006, together with his wife, founded his own company. The couple initially made everything single handedly, for examplein 2008, when a
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the mechanical aspects.” mk-messtechnik profits from this double talent with respect to product development too: “From 2008, we increasingly began to receive requests for wall-mounted cameras with remote control. This is when the basis for the optimum solution with respect to size, weight and control emerged.” Dr. Kull strives for maximum functionality with the minimum of hardware and software as well as outlay for development. For example, he relies on commonly available standard parts like the anodised aluminium tubes that mk-messtechnik uses as housings. What seems simple is in fact a custommade solution resulting from a finely balanced interaction between various components: “When designing the PCB, for example, it is also important to bear the housing in mind so as to avoid the need for adjustments at a later stage.” Programs, remote control and infrared The company in Notzingen does not shy away from complex assembly work and attaches the necessary components to the PCBs itself. “We sometimes assemble more than a hundred different PCBs per week,” explains Dr. Kull. “This makes lead and retooling time a crucial factor. With the commonly available software, it was impossible to achieve an acceptable speed. We therefore wrote our own data processing program for the automatic placement machines. As a result, we were able to reduce the lead time for each PCB from several minutes to around five seconds.”
vehicle manufacturer in the USA ordered a system with 20 cameras. “We soldered and assembled every component ourselves and were very proud to be supplying a global corporation,” recalls the founder. Demand grew and with it the company. The year 2010 saw the recruitment of the first additional employee; today there are more than 60 because the camera systems made by mk-messtechnik from Notzingen near Stuttgart are used by almost every vehicle manufacturers for EMC testing.
Dr. Kull comes from a family with Swabian inventor tradition. “My hobby is model-building, so for as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by anything that moves on land, sea or in the air. Although my specialist area is electrical engineering, I’ve always also been extremely interested in
Cameras from mk-messtechnik monitor not only the vehicle electronics, but also thermal characteristics. The opto-LWIR infrared camera has been developed for this purpose. The electromagnetic fields that are generated during the tests pose a certain fire hazard. Extremely strong fields can cause the test objects or parts of the system to overheat. A further heat source arises when electric vehicles are tested, as Dr. Kull explains: “On the test rig, electric vehicles recharge their batteries by means of recuperation. If the batteries are fully charged, the vehicle brakes are activated. The brakes can overheat and, at worst, can even start to burn. Installing a test rig runs into the double-digit million range. The prototypes that are tested have an inestimable value. Monitoring using infrared cameras allows these investments to be protected through timely intervention.” For its development of the camera, mk-messtechnik was nominated for the Esslingen district Innovation Award 2019.
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Seatbox or wall mounting The cameras can be permanently mounted to a wall or secured on various tripods. mk-messtechnik also offers a so-called seatbox that is placed on the driver’s seat and can accommodate up to six cameras. It allows the entire dashboard, all displays and control elements of the vehicle inside the chamber to be monitored. The trend towards electromobility is a positive development for mkmesstechnik because electromagnetic compatibility in the case of electric vehicles plays an even more important role than it does for vehicles with combustion engines. Furthermore, the electronics used in trains, aircraft and ships must also undergo EMC tests.
To simplify the processes during the EMC test, swivelmounted cameras with remote control were added to the product range. They were originally intended for wall mounting only. However, demand for the adjustable variant soon also grew for the mobile systems. “We therefore had to deal with the issue of mechanical stability from a completely different perspective. Our systems are extremely robust, but if a stand with an 800 gram camera adapter falls over or this adapter is rotated too roughly, the material can suffer. We have solved this problem with a kind of friction coupling.”
Micromotors for precise alignment To ensure precise positioning of the cameras, mkmesstechnik uses drives from FAULHABER. “We have experimented with servomotors and motors used in model29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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building, but they were not precise or robust enough. At FAULHABER we found the right motors.”
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In the swivel/tilt head that positions the camera, two DCmicromotors of the 1516 … SR series with precious metal commutation are used in combination with a spur gearhead of the 15/8 series and the 900:1 transmission. “At first we tried a 500:1 transmission, but that was too fast; although the swivel head turns more slowly with the 900:1 transmission, it can move greater weights and also has optimum electrical shielding.” The high level of efficiency was another reason for choosing the drive because the power required for swivelling is supplied by the batteries of the cameras. With the exception of the actual camera module and the drives, which were outsourced, mk-messtechnik develops and manufactures the entire system itself for the benefit of its customers, as Dr. Kull stresses: “When tasks become complex or individual modifications are necessary, developing and manufacturing products ourselves allows us to react extremely flexibly. For us, there is no such thing as impossible – at least not within the boundaries of physics.” www.faulhaber.com/fr
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S M A R T FA C TO R Y
ADVANTECH LAUNCHES SLIM AND POWERFUL DS-082 4K DIGITAL SIGNAGE PLAYER Advantech a global leader in providing embedded platforms across vertical markets, is excited to announce the launch of DS-082, the powerful yet slim 4K digital signage solution for four displays.
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his powerful 4K signage system delivers a high-impact visual experience across multiple displays powered by AMD Ryzen V1000/R1000 processors and integrated with AMD VEGA Graphics. DS-082 comes in an ultra slim profile of just 19mm with fanless and cable-free design that allows for easy installation behind the displays while saving on space. It can simultaneously drive four/three UHD (4K)/ FHD (1080P) displays via HDMI; delivering seamless and smooth content flows across digital menu boards, selfordering systems, retail applications, queuing systems, and multi-media kiosks.
Remote Digital Signage Network Management Advantech DS-082 is integrated with both WISE-PaaS/ SignageCMS multimedia content management software and WISE-PaaS/DeviceOn remote device management software for easy signage network management. WISEPaaS/SignageCMS allows users to easily edit content layout, schedule, and dispatch programs. An up-to-date scheduling function is also available to allow real-time information and advertising campaign management. DS-082 incorporates WISE-PaaS/DeviceOn IoT device management software to monitor signage devices in real-time, make maintenance easier, and reduce the need for costly on-site support. Moreover, WISE-PaaS/DeviceOn provides a McAfee whitelist security function to ensure on-screen content is secured while Acronis tools recover essential data and make backups. As a result, DS-082 helps simplify digital signage network management while reducing total cost of ownership and time-to-market. MORE INFORMATION
High-Impact Visual Experience Across Multiple Displays Measuring only 19 mm in profile with a small 18 x 19 cm footprint, DS-082 is the world’s slimmest digital signage player powered by the latest AMD Ryzen V1000/R1000 processors supporting four display outputs in UHD/FHD resolutions. This thin and powerful signage player is sleek enough to fit in just about anywhere with the performance features necessary to deliver compelling dynamic graphics and video advertising in 4K resolution. DS-082 is designed to be fanless and cableless to ensure solid system reliability and easy maintenance. For secure installation mounting, DS-082 offers a bracket that supports wall mount, VESA, and DIN-rail mounting. In terms of cost/performance ratio, functionality, and connectivity, DS-082 provides an economical, super-
compact, and powerful computing platform that empowers all kinds of digital signage projects.
http://www.advantech.com/applied-computing-systems/ digital_signage/
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ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLIES WITHOUT PCBS
Laser direct structuring (LDS) is a special success story. For almost 20 years, it has been possible to apply electronic conductor paths directly onto plastic parts during series production.
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DS enables the production of electronic assemblies with flexible geometric shapes. This process enables electronic products (such as smart phones, sensors or medical devices) to become even smaller and more powerful. Automated manufacturing processes also make this process more economically attractive.
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There is less and less space available for electronic assemblies, so solutions are needed which replace conventional printed circuit boards. LDS enables further miniaturisation and makes increasingly complex geometric designs possible. This is a stable and reliable process that has established itself in quality-critical sectors such as medical technology or safety-relevant components for the automotive industry.
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The LDS process enables three-dimensional assemblies Direct laser structuring enables 3D-MID (Mechatronic Integrated Devices) assemblies to be produced. When using 3D-MID, electronic components can be fitted directly onto a three-dimensional base body, without circuit boards or connecting cables. The base body is manufactured using an injection moulding process, whereby the thermoplastic material has a non-conductive, inorganic additive. The additives in the material are “activated� by direct laser structuring so that the plastic material can accommodate the electrical conductor paths. The laser beam writes the areas intended for the conductor paths and creates a microrough structure. The released metal particles form the nuclei for the subsequent chemical metallisation. In this way, the electrical conductor paths are applied to the areas marked by the laser. The other areas of the three-dimensional base body remain unchanged. The plastic component can then be assembled in standard SMD processes similar to a conventional PCB. It is also suitable for soldering in a reflow oven.
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Laser Direct Structuring (LDS) - The structure of the conductor path is applied using the LDS process. LDS enables electronic assemblies to be made in flexible geometric shapes. Smart phones, hearing aids and smart watches are becoming smaller and more powerful thanks to this process.
Dirk Rettschlag HARTING AG - Project Manager & IE MID
Versatile application of laser technology HARTING 3D-MID AG is the largest supplier of 3D-MID components outside of Asia. HARTING uses highperformance laser systems for the LDS process, with three lasers working in parallel, each offset by 45 degrees. Thanks to an additional axis of rotation, components can be processed by the laser simultaneously from all sides (360 degrees). This technology enables flexible geometric shapes, such as reflector shells or LED lights, to be made. Despite the minimal conductor path thickness of 16 to 20 μm, the conductor paths are still suitable for demanding automotive components or for applications with currents up to 10 A – for example for heating coils in cameras which are used to prevent the optics from fogging up.
The production of prototypes using LDS is also easier compared to conventional processes. HARTING can produce the plastic base body using LDS-compatible material and 3D printing. Injection moulding can also be used with inexpensive prototype tools.
• The working area of the laser has been enlarged from 160 x 160 x 80 mm to 200 mm x 200 mm x 80 mm, thus enabling a higher packing density and the processing of even larger components. • The working speed of the laser can be doubled to 4 m/s by optimising the servo units and mirrors which guide the laser beam, thereby significantly reducing the processing time. • The improvement of the optics enables the use of a laser with a diameter of 100 μm and a laser with a fine focus of 50 μm for processing even smaller structures. HARTING is the only 3D-MID manufacturer in the world that has a laser system with three fine focus optics of 50 μm. Even smaller conductor path gaps can be achieved thanks to this fine focus laser. Thus, many conductor paths can be created on the same component and a higher packing density can be implemented. This is used for safety technology, among other things, because the closely spaced and intertwined conductors are capable of triggering safety alarms from even the smallest physical interference.
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Frequent changes during the electronics development phase or new components with modified dimensions can lead to costly adjustments during conventional PCB production. The laser layout, in contrast, can be adapted very flexibly by using the parameters of the laser’s control software. No changes in the injection moulding are required for this.
New trends in the LDS process Several aspects of LDS technology have been improved and further developed over the past few years.
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NEWS Dimensioning and positioning - Minimum distances between the conductor paths (a): 50 – 150 μm. Minimum width of the conductor paths (b): 50 – 150 μm. Radius (r): 0.2 mm
Advances in materials and economics Only specially selected thermoplastics are certified for the LDS process; these are available from stock. The process can be further improved with customer-specific adjustments to the plastic material: • HARTING uses a process which adds LDS additives to noncertified materials to make them MID-compatible. • Specific RAL or Pantone colours can be achieved with MID plastics by using colour pigments and special LDS additives. • By selecting suitable additives, special RF characteristics can also be implemented, depending on the frequency range.
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To further improve the cost-effectiveness of the manufacturing process, HARTING relies on automated robotic systems. The LDS laser system is equipped with a rotary indexing table so that a component can be inserted or removed while another component is still being processed. The in-feed and unloading procedures are automated by HARTING using robotics. This increases throughput and autonomy, while also enabling integration into automated production processes. An additional automation step is provided during the injection moulding process. Here, too, a robot takes over the removal of the injection moulded parts. 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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The use of robotics also improves the precise reproducibility of the processes and, thus, overall product quality. More growth for 3D-MID HARTING reports increased demand for MID projects and has further expanded the 3D-MID division by investing in machinery and by acquiring a competitor’s business. Innovative in-house products are also contributing to further growth. HARTING has developed a solution based on 3D-MID technology which replaces flexible PCBs with a component carrier. Instead of using a flex-PCB, the component carrier can be fitted directly with electronic components, thus saving up to two thirds of the cost. About HARTING 3D-MID www.harting.com/3D-MID
NEWS Component carrier - Electronic components – such as LEDs, ICs, photodiodes and sensors – can be attached directly onto the component carrier. The assembled component carriers can then be processed as standard SMD components.
Security caps for payment terminals - The 3D-MID caps protect the electronics from unauthorized access both mechanically and electronically. A highly precise meandering structure detects every access, no matter how small, and consequently prevents theft.
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ELECTRONICS
CONTACTLESS HANDLING OF SMALL PARTS IN THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY (CHIPS & DIES)
Levitating substrate.
Gentle, maintenance-free, and clean room compatible handling with ultrasound. Challenges in processing dies Technical progress and the demand for ever smaller and more powerful processors always lead to demanding requirements. New techniques, such as stacking very thin chips, are needed to enable the manufacture of innovative products. Especially the properties of these thin wafers and chips pose an additional challenge in handling. The materials are flexible, fragile, and wavy, and often also have specially treated surfaces (e.g. with adhesive).
Conventional handling systems often have problems, for example particle contamination in air bearings caused by the air turbulence of compressed air (e.g. Bernoulli grippers). Other systems without air supply, e.g. vacuum grippers, can leave traces such as marks or scratches on the substrate during handling. With the help of the patented ultrasonic bearing from ZS-Handling, substrates can float evenly on an air film generated by vibrations and therefore be held without contact during handling. Through a combination of negative pressure and ultrasound, attracting and repulsive forces act simultaneously on the workpiece, thus keeping it at a distance even when gripping from above.
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How does the ultrasonic technology work? The ultrasonic movement of the so-called sonotrode creates a supporting gas film (air or process gas) between the sonotrode surface and the substrate. The substrate floats on the resulting gas film at distances of 10 - 150 Îźm, depending on the application. In special cases, higher hovering heights can also be achieved. By using buoyancy forces due to vacuum, handling from above is also possible. In this way, any mechanical surface contact is avoided.
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and no particles can penetrate through external air or via pipes. Also, in new production lines the costs for the compressed air supply can be saved. By avoiding surface contact and without dynamic turbulence in the ambient gas, no damage, micro-scratches, micro-cracks, or contamination can damage the substrate. Handling on machined or coated surfaces is possible without contact, allowing more degrees of freedom in process and machine design. During handling, a high level of flatness of the substrate is achieved as well. The systems can be used in all atmospheric processes and in up to 20% partial vacuum processes. This requires fewer resources, such as energy or compressed air, than a standard air bearing. This has a positive effect on the energy and cost balance for the handling systems of ZS-Handling. Exemplary requirements of a use case: In a clean room environment of ISO 6, dies of different sizes (10x10 mm, 5x5 mm and 5x12 mm) are to be separated from a cut wafer (ø 300 mm) attached to a sawing foil with a contactless gripper. After that, the dies should be placed for the subsequent bonding process.
The gripper.
The physics of the ultrasonic bearing results from the flow dynamics and not from acoustic principles. The gas pressure in the gap between the workpiece and the vibrating surface increases due to the cyclic compression and decompression of the thin gas film. It is therefore necessary to realize a uniform oscillation pattern in order to generate constant floating forces over the entire sonotrode. The vibrations are not transmitted into the substrates and do not lead to any impairment of the substrate material. Advantages With the repulsive forces of the ultrasonic bearing, the substrate can be moved without any friction even at very high speeds. In combination with vacuum, attractive forces can be applied simultaneously, which allows handling from above. In addition, flexible materials can be “smoothed” without contact by this technique, i.e. they can be kept in an even, centered position.
The force profile of ZS-Handling handling systems is similar to that of a conventional air bearing, but no compressed air supply is required. This means, for example, that in a clean room environment the laminar air flow - unlike with Bernoulli grippers - is not disturbed by high flow velocities
In the application described here, the dies to be separated are pushed upwards by pins under the wafer to reduce the adhesive force on the adhesive film and to facilitate contact-free separation. The die lifted in this way is picked up by the gripper tip without contact and moved to the next process step at high speed, where it can be placed easily and precisely by switching off the vacuum. Summary The entire process flow when handling dies takes place fully automatically. With the help of the ultrasonic oscillations, the die is kept in a centered position on the evenly generated air film, so that scratches or any other contact are avoided. In addition, the laminar air flow in the clean room is not impaired by turbulence, thus preventing the transfer of particles.
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For very small components (up to approx. 12x12 mm), the self-centering effect is effective when the gripper tip is precisely adjusted, which means that no side stops are required even for very precise positioning.
The solution of ZS-Handling ZS-Handling’s solution includes the MicroLevi Gripper with different gripper tips for the different sizes, which can be easily exchanged using a collet chuck. With ultrasound and vacuum at the same time, the die can be gripped from above and held and swiveled without contact. Due to the selfcentering effect at the gripper tip, the die can be gripped and placed down precisely even at rapid accelerations of over 2g. In order to achieve an optimal centering effect, the gripper tip must be adapted exactly to the format of the die, therefore three different gripper tips are necessary for this application. The gripper can be connected to any robot or axis system by an adaptable flange. Gripper and housing are made of anodized aluminum, the tip of the gripper is made of titanium.
www.zs-handling.com
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I N T R A LO G I S T I C S
NEW “INTELLIGENT GUIDED VEHICLE” (IGV): AUTONOMOUS COUNTERBALANCED FORKLIFT IS GUIDED BY SWARM INTELLIGENCE
After the “ONE” comes the “OCF”: AGILOX expands their line of intelligent guided vehicles by introducing a new autonomous omnidirectional counterbalanced forklift, operating with swarm intelligence. In doing so, AGILOX has entered a new area of application: classic intralogistics in inbound/outbound warehousing and storage.
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ith the ONE, AGILOX’s ultralight, high-efficiency forklift product line, the company has reshaped the concept of AGVs. The fleets operate without a central control system, meaning the vehicles navigate the production facility or warehouse in a truly autonomous fashion. The exceptionally compact AGILOX IGVs organize their routes according to the decentralized principles of swarm intelligence, making them much more flexible than traditional AGVs. Additionally, programming or “teaching” the vehicles becomes significantly easier, while central software programs including maintenance, updates, etc. are rendered obsolete—an innovation that lowers operating costs.
AGILOX is now expanding its range of IGVs to include the OCF—an abbreviation for “Omnidirectional Counterbalanced Forklift”. While the ONE is equipped with a scissor lift to function as a load handling device (and thus transports the load within the vehicle contour), the OCF is designed according to the principles of the counterbalanced forklift. Hence, it can pick up pallets, lattice boxes, and other load carriers with a maximum weight of 1500 kg (3300 lbs), transport them to the destination, and set them down at a height of up to 1600 mm (63 in). AGILOX’s intelligent and cost-saving IGV concept opens up new application areas. While the ONE vehicles are mainly used for material supply in production, the OCF enables classic intralogistics tasks in incoming and outgoing goods, order picking and storage, as well as in production— provided that the transport is pallet-bound. Just like the ONE, the OCF uses an omnidirectional drive concept. It can therefore also drive sideways through narrow aisles, turn on the spot, and maneuver in the tightest of
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NEWS
spaces. The same lithium-ion (LiFePO4) battery technology ensures short charging and long operating times - just three minutes of charging allows for up to one hour of operating time.
the first OCFs set to be delivered to customers in the first quarter of 2021. https://agilox.net/en
The IGV fleets can be connected to customer software systems (LVR, ERP, WMS, MES, etc.) via an open API interface. An optional IO box enables the integration of external infrastructure, such as rolling gates and stationary conveyor systems, in the intelligent control system. An analytics module provides the user with all relevant operating data and KPIs. Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Franz Humer, M.A. Co-Founder and CEO of AGILOX, notes “The OCF is a logical addition to round out our product portfolio. With it, we open up opportunities in storage and order picking technology, and thus, a large market in which the IGVs can showcase their advantages over both AGVs and man-operated forklifts.”
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The combined operation of the ONE and OCF in a “swarm” also provides a great advantage. For instance, while the smaller vehicles carry out delivery services to assembly workstations or tend to e-Kanban shelves, the OCF can, using the same control system and WiFi infrastructure, take over pallet transport. The OCF pilot series has already been successfully tested in Vorchdorf, Austria. Series production will begin shortly, with 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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DATAPROPHET ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HELPS ENABLE NEXTEER AUTOMOTIVE TO DRIVE ADVANCED DATA DECISIONS
Machine Learning Solution Implementation Aims to Reduce Scrap and Improve Quality in Mature Data Environment.
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ataProphet, a global leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for manufacturing, is working with Nexteer Automotive, a global leader in intuitive motion control, to implement artificial intelligence (AI) to drive innovation in one of its Saginaw plants. Through machine learning, DataProphet has been tasked with reducing quality variation and the resulting scrap and rework. DataProphet consolidated several thousand process parameters that have an impact on overall quality, upon which the controllable prescriptions will be delivered in-line.
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“We wanted to take a deeper look at our data to see if we could improve plant productivity,” said Jeff Sutter, Global Director of Innovation & Continuous Improvement, Nexteer Automotive. “With DataProphet’s advanced deep learning capabilities, we are exploring factors that will allow us to not only reduce scrap but improve the entire manufacturing process. Deep learning allows us to further build on our investments inDigital Trace Manufacturing.”
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DataProphet’s AI for dynamic process control is built specifically to learn complexities and provide operators on the line with the optimal plan to reduce scrap. By learning from historic production and quality data, DataProphet PRESCRIBE is able to prompt the operator with the best next action - preserving the institutional knowledge otherwise hidden in the data. DataProphet’s solutions are proven to frequently deliver over 50 percent reduction in scrap for manufacturing customers around the world. “Nexteer is already working in one of the more advanced data analytics environments and understands the value that AI can unlock in its production process,” said Frans Cronje, CEO, DataProphet. “Our team of data scientists and computer engineers are inspired to be working with such a sophisticated global automotive supplier. We’re looking forward to seeing the results of the Saginaw plant operating in advance of real time using DataProphet’s AI prescriptions.” https://dataprophet.com/prescribe
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MANUFACTURERS URGED TO CONSIDER BEST PRACTICES FOR OPTIMIZING CONTROL PLANS WITH AI
While every factory process is unique, a number of best practices will generally apply when implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for process control, according to DataProphet, a global leader in AI for manufacturing.
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elow, Joris Stork, one of DataProphet’s senior Data Scientists, has identified three key principles that will help manufacturers to maximize the success of their process optimization projects with AI. As part of a digital transformation strategy, they will help manufacturers to navigate the complexity of their Industry 4.0 investments. 1. Select a proactive and holistic AI solution Holistic process models capture the complexities of a system, including interactions between process parameters, higherorder effects, interdependencies along a chain of processes, and the physical constraints within which processes must operate. Crucially, a holistic digital twin of the process can proactively avoid non-quality before it happens. This type of end-toend process model is able to guide the production line along a viable path of improvement towards an optimal operating region. Where traditional solutions typically alert manufacturers to known bad process conditions, a proactive model will predict and avoid defects before they even arise.
DataProphet’s PRESCRIBE is an Expert Execution System (EES) designed with this reality in mind. Through its intelligent web interface, technicians can view up-to-date optimization reports that are relevant to their particular process at any time. PRESCRIBE works to achieve zero defects in the production process, using advanced predictive and prescriptive machine learning capabilities to predict defects, faults, and quality errors, and then to prescribe optimum control parameters that improve production. Every manufacturing process is different, but by following these best practices, businesses across a range of industries can realize significant savings in production costs and reduce waste when they optimize their processes with AI. https://dataprophet.com/prescribe
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2. Augment human expertise with machine learning Traditional process optimization technologies extract narrow insights for analysis by specialised process engineers. These engineers in turn produce control plans, which guide operators’ adjustments to process parameters. A well-designed factory AI captures the history of these adjustment choices as well as their effects. In doing so it captures and stores the past and present experience and expertise of factory specialists . Incorporating the AI into machine operators’ workflows, in what is known as a “human in the loop” design, empowers those operators to make optimal process adjustments without the need for extensive analysis. In addition to augmenting the human operator with a well of accumulated experience and expertise, this approach adds a layer of human validation and cultivates greater trust in the AI system.
3. Optimize continuously Factory processes are not stationary. The design of an AI optimization system needs to reflect this reality. The system must continuously optimize as conditions change, due, for example, to upstream changes on the line, or due to machine wear.
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INDUSTRIAL AI SOLUTION AIMS TO ERADICATE DEFECTS FOR US MANUFACTURERS
A unique deep learning solution for the manufacturing industry can help US firms eradicate defective parts from their production operations.
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ataprophet PRESCRIBE uses advanced predictive and prescriptive machine learning capabilities to predict defects, faults and quality errors, and prescribe optimum control parameters to improve production. The solution, which is already in use in multiple Tier 1 US automotive suppliers, can be integrated into a manufacturer’s existing data environment in as little as four to eight weeks.
PRESCRIBE ingests and analyses process and quality control information from databases, spreadsheets, streaming sensors and PLC sources, and can record up to a thousand data points a second. State-of-the-art machine learning models are able to learn from this data to identify optimal control bounds. To enable process change, PRESCRIBE provides operators with an easy-to-use web-interface. It helps operators to identify when operational parameters have exceeded the target control bounds and prioritises the changes required to optimize production and reduce scrap.
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Access to the web-interface can be strictly controlled, limiting features, reports, and parameter access accordingly; while client manufacturing and application data is housed in a fully isolated database for maximum security. Additional features allow users to compare reports across different time periods to ascertain if process changes are being actioned correctly, as well as explore reports across different steps
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in the manufacturing process. Users are also able to filter uncontrollable and optimized parameters to focus on critical changes that need to be made and search for parameters crucial to a particular piece of equipment or process change. Frans Cronje, CEO at Dataprophet, comments: “Traditionally, process control changes are reactive and rely on coordination across a changing team of process engineers, operators, plant managers and support staff. Involving so many stakeholders means this process can take weeks or months. “However, real impact is only achieved with pre-emptive action because real-time is often too late. Our state-ofthe-art machine learning models combine process data and quality control measurements from across many data sources to identify optimal control bounds which guide teams through every step of the process required to improve efficiency and cut defects. Using
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DataProphet PRESCRIBE, teams work faster, operationalizing processes changes, and diagnosing new ones.” https://dataprophet.com/prescribe
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AWARD WINNING AI FOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY DATAPROPHET RAISES $6M FUNDING ROUND FOR INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
Founded in Cape Town in 2014, DataProphet is a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) that enables manufacturers to step towards autonomous manufacturing. Their AI-as-a-service, DataProphet PRESCRIBE, proactively prescribes changes to plant control plans to continuously optimize production without the expert human analysis that is typically required. DataProphet has been recognised by numerous forums including the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer in 2019, and CBInsights as 1 of the Top 100 AI Startups globally.
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wo years ago, DataProphet received venture capital funding from Knife Capital to boost its innovation capabilities. The company has now raised a $6M Series-A funding round with Knife Capital following on, joined by the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC) and Norican Group, a leading foundry engineering and equipment company.
The funding will be used to strengthen the operational footprint of DataProphet internationally and fast-track the strategy of growing through and with their strategic partners across geographies and industry verticals. Earlier this year a partnership between Norican and DataProphet was announced to accelerate the adoption of AI in the foundry industry. The partnership followed a number of joint innovation projects carried out with Norican brand DISA, one of the leading suppliers of green sand foundry technology. Anders Wilhjelm, CEO of Norican Group, says: “Applying AI to the foundry industry will reduce energy consumption, increase yield and reduce waste. What started as a commercial cooperation with DataProphet, developed into a partnership, and now we will also become a shareholder. We know foundries and how they work, DataProphet really knows AI, so we are truly excited about what DataProphet
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and we can achieve together.” He noted that Norican is in the process of rolling out the DataProphet applications to their full brand portfolio. DataProphet is transforming from a South African startup to a global player. “South Africa will remain our engineering and operational hub as we have access to great talent. DataProphet however, is an international business, with hubs located around the world. This funding round will enable DataProphet to develop locally located sales and support for customers and partners across the world,” says Frans Cronje, CEO and Co-Founder of DataProphet.
Christo Fourie, Head of New Industries at the IDC, says: “At the core of the future state of Industry 4.0 is the capacity to collect, process and use data to improve the speed and quality of operational decision-making. Combining the AI capabilities of DataProphet with the vast number of manufacturers the IDC has funded and have access to, could fast-track the company’s growth while also extracting efficiencies from within our current investment portfolio.” “We are excited to continue to support DataProphet in this funding round. Since our initial investment in 2018, DataProphet has emerged as a global thought leader in its field and as such is a prime example of the kind of cutting edge technologies South African entrepreneurs are capable of developing with global relevance in a fast-growing market. The expansion capital allows DataProphet to prove out their offering on a global stage,” says Andrea Böhmert, Managing Partner at Knife Capital. MORE INFORMATION
As manufacturers become more familiar with the value AI can create for them - they are realising that they must be careful to ensure they are not simply using AI for analytics, substituting scarce Process Engineers with even scarcer Data Scientists. Rather, to realise the full value of AI, they need to consider how AI can play into their smart factory plans. These technologies are key to achieving the goals of Industry 4.0 and allowing manufacturing plants to be far more responsive to the market demands without incurring additional costs. “Supporting Manufacturers on their journey to augment the plant operators with clear holistic instruction from their data without building increased dependence on limited experts is a strategic rationale that has been reinforced by the effects of COVID-19. Through the application of our technology, each and every one of
our clients has reduced non-quality products by more than 50%,” adds Cronje.
https://dataprophet.com
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VOLKSWAGEN INTEGRATES NEWEST EPLAN AND RITTAL SOLUTIONS
Andreas Bamberg: “The additional 3D functionality from Eplan Pro Panel makes it possible to directly derive manufacturing information for automated control cabinet and switchgear system engineering,” says Eplan Strategic Account Manager Andreas Bamberg.
Markus Hülsmann: Global Key Account Manager Automotive Markus Hülsmann at Rittal says: “The current release of the VASS V6 library delivers fully integrated reference control cabinets in 3D based on the new Rittal VX25 control cabinet system.”
VASS Standard: now expanded with 3D functionality and state-of-the-art control cabinet technology.
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olkswagen has recently released the sixth generation of its VASS (Volkswagen Audi Seat Skoda) Standard, which includes an update to Eplan Version 2.9. The standard – used in production plants for models on the MEB platform – has also been expanded with 3D functionality in switchgear system engineering and with data for bidirectional exchange with PLC project planning tools. The new VX25 control cabinet system from Rittal has additionally been integrated into the standard.
Volkswagen’s decision to start providing its suppliers with 3D data based on Eplan Pro Panel in the VASS standard libraries means that the complete digital twins of control cabinets and the installed components can be depicted. Previously, only 2D representations from Eplan Electric P8 were included in the standard. For suppliers, this creates the foundation for entering into and expanding automated manufacturing steps in control cabinet and switchgear system engineering: from mechanical NC machining to automated terminal assembly to wire processing and wiring support. Companies benefit from the fully developed design templates provided by Volkswagen that can be used as a basis for faster and higher-quality system engineering, manufacturing and commissioning.
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Uniform plant system documentation Eplan Strategic Account Manager Andreas Bamberg explains: “The additional 3D functionality from Eplan Pro Panel makes it possible to directly derive manufacturing information for automated control cabinet and switchgear system engineering. Engineering offices further benefit from the integrated collision check and thermal power dissipation considerations for components, enabling 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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Daniel Gräser: “This expansion of the VASS Standard with the newest aspects of Eplan’s engineering software and Rittal’s state-of-the-art system technology means we’re ideally supporting our suppliers in realising digital and automated manufacturing processes,” says Daniel Gräser in the Division for Manufacturing Automation and Digital Production at Volkswagen.
optimised component placement in the cabinet and a more energy-efficient design for Rittal climate control systems.” An extra benefit: the addition of key control technology information to the device and project data enables completely bi-directional data exchange between Eplan (hardware engineering) and the Siemens TIA Portal (software project planning) using the AML interface. “This considerably reduces the efforts required in engineering and for system planning since the PLC hardware structures, pre-defined inputs and outputs and bus topologies can be imported directly from Eplan, not to mention the exact port wiring,” Bamberg says. During plant system operations and for later modifications or expansions, the information from TIA Portal can be fed back into the Eplan Project. This ensures uniform, error-free plant system documentation “as built” and shorter entry processes for integration into digital production management.
and Rittal’s state-of-the-art system technology means we’re ideally supporting our suppliers in realising digital and automated manufacturing processes. At the same time, we are also adding an important component along the path we’ve started towards the digital factory.” After all, the digital twin of the control cabinet as part of the production process is an essential foundation for fully digital operating and maintenance processes of the future. International service support Since 2018, Eplan has been offering a three-day VASS V6 Training for suppliers in English and German. It lays the international foundation for successful project planning according to this standard. Along with regular dates in Germany, initial trainings have also been conducted in the US and in China. www.eplan-software.com
State-of-the-art control cabinet technology Rittal, with its large control cabinets and small enclosures, has been a part of Volkswagen’s corporate standard for years, just like Eplan. As Global Key Account Manager Automotive Markus Hülsmann at Rittal says: “The current release of the VASS V6 library delivers fully integrated reference control cabinets in 3D based on the new Rittal VX25 control cabinet system.”It also includes fully integrated enclosure accessories and ten variants of the AirSTREAM mounting frame from the company Friedrich Lütze, which can be selected directly from a list of accessories and placed as a complete macro. Hülsmann continues, “This considerably reduces the work required in engineering since the components can start being placed directly in the cabinet after just a few clicks.” Future VASS releases will include libraries expansions with the Rittal AX and KS enclosures and the respective sample assemblies. Associated enclosure macros in 3D are already available in Eplan Data Portal and can be used when designing with Pro Panel.
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The goal: digital manufacturing Automobile production is becoming increasingly challenging, including ever shorter start-up times, individualised design efforts, new control technologies and high demands on maintenance and repair to name just a few. Volkswagen is diligently working on further developing automation standards, which are then passed down to the company’s suppliers. Daniel Gräser in the Division for Manufacturing Automation and Digital Production at Volkswagen says, “This expansion of the VASS Standard with the newest aspects of Eplan’s engineering software 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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SOFTING ENHANCES EDGECONNECTOR SIEMENS
edgeConnector Siemens supports innovative industrial edge solutions.
Softing Industrial releases version v1.20 of edgeConnector Siemens. The software module is based on container technology and connects Siemens controllers with industrial IoT applications. In addition to SIMATIC S7-1200 and S7-1500, the new version also supports SIMATIC S7-300/400 controllers.
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dgeConnector Siemens enables access to SIMATIC S71200 and S7-1500 data including optimized data blocks. Version v1.20 additionally supports SIMATIC S7300/400 controllers. Client applications have access to data via the interoperability standard OPC UA. The product can be configured locally via a built-in web interface, or remotely via a REST interface. It seamlessly integrates with Azure IoT Edge and AWS IoT Greengrass and is made available via online repositories such as Docker Hub.
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Users benefit from flexible deployment and ease of use which comes with virtualization and container technology. Valuable process and machine data are made available for innovative IoT applications without any changes to controller or automation network configuration. Advanced security features such as the management of access right for individual client applications increase the security of the entire solution.
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“edgeConnector Siemens is the first strategic expansion of our dataFEED product family to include virtualization and container technology”, says Wolfgang Wende, Senior VP Sales at Softing Industrial. It leverages Softing’s extensive experience with brownfield connectivity and OPC UA technology and makes it available for new and highly efficient IoT solution architectures.” edgeConnector Siemens can be tested for free. It is currently evaluated by customers in the automotive, aerospace and food & beverage industry. Further information can be found on the product website. https://data-intelligence.softing.com/products/edgeconnector-docker/datafeed-edgeconnector-siemens/
MEASUREMENT
INRAD OPTICS RECEIVES SBIR PHASE I FUNDING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO DEVELOP SCINTINEL™ STILBENE ARRAYS FOR PORTABLE NEUTRON IMAGING
Inrad Optics, a leading US-based manufacturer of crystalline materials, optical components and photonic devices, received a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to support development of neutron imaging technology.
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he detection and imaging of neutrons is a critical capability for nuclear nonproliferation applications that require identification of plutonium and uranium. There is growing interest in fieldable, pixelated fast neutron detectors which permit gamma discrimination. Additional applications exist in research, nuclear power, and nuclear security. Scintinel stilbene, an organic scintillator produced by Inrad Optics, exhibits superior performance for neutron detection and has been used successfully by researchers in academia, industry, and national laboratories. SBIR funding from DOE will facilitate new applications in neutron imaging through the development of pixelated stilbene arrays coupled to silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs).
This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, National Nuclear Security Administration, under award number DE-SC0020743. This support does not constitute an express or implied endorsement on the part of the Government. www.inradoptics.com
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“We are continually inspired by innovations our customers have demonstrated using stilbene,” said Dr. Candace Lynch, Director of Crystal Growth. “We are grateful for this support from DOE and are excited to develop pixelated stilbene arrays to meet the needs of our customers investigating neutron imaging technologies.” Candace Lynch, Director of Crystal Growth 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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MEASUREMENT
R&S CABLE RIDER ZPH PAIRED WITH SKYBRIDGE TOOLS REDUCES BASE-STATION TESTING TIME AND COSTS SIGNIFICANTLY
The SkyBridge Tools test manager system now supports the R&S Cable Rider ZPH for on-site basestation testing and RF network analysis. Technicians using the low-cost analyzer from Rohde & Schwarz in combination with SkyBridge Tools can reduce the time associated with testing and verifying distributed antenna systems (DAS) by as much as 90%.
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ohde & Schwarz USA, Inc. has engaged with SkyBridge Services in the United States to simplify distributed antenna system (DAS) installation and maintenance. Supported by the SkyBridge cloud-based test management tools, the R&S Cable Rider ZPH is factory calibrated to provide fast, efficient and accurate cable and antenna measurements up to 4 GHz. Operated via a userfriendly touch-screen interface, the R&S Cable Rider ZPH has all the essential measurement capabilities required for installing and maintaining cable and antenna systems in the field, including DTF, return loss, VSWR and cable loss measurements, S21 measurements, spectrum and interference analysis, and AM/FM/ASK/FSK demodulation.
With a simple connection over a third-party wireless router, on-site base station and RF network testing data is sent to the SkyBridge cloud to further simplify testing procedures. The rugged, small form factor R&S Cable Rider ZPH has a lightweight design that makes the analyzer easy to carry, even in harsh and difficult-to-reach environments. Combining the fastest boot and sweep times on the market with the SkyBridge Tool, the R&S Cable Rider ZPH offers the fastest measurement time in the industry. SkyBridge is a patented, site-centric, cloud-based enterprise application that enables the uploading of radio frequency tests conducted by the R&S Cable Rider ZPH within seconds. This enables online viewing of any site tests and the qualified passing/failing of results, as well as automated markups and the placement of limit lines and markers. Users can also upload critical documentation pertaining to the site in question, enabling online viewing by all qualified agents. In addition, the SkyBridge Photos application enables site technicians to shoot images and immediately send them
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to the cloud, integrating them into the system, and custom reports, tailored toward client specifications. The SkyBridge technology used with the R&S Cable Rider ZPH offers a centralized location for collecting and sharing critical wireless installation data. The system also features an on-demand, one-click closeout package application in PDF format, bringing all testing data, documentation, reports and photos together into a single, transportable file. Pete Alexander, Manager of Mobile Network Test North America at Rohde & Schwarz, said: “When it comes to reducing time and overall costs in a network testing environment, the R&S Cable Rider ZPH used with the SkyBridge Tools is the ideal solution for collecting critical site test data and then aggregating that data with other data sources for easy and time saving analysis and reporting.”
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Two different R&S Cable Rider ZPH models are available to suit different needs: a pure one-port cable and antenna analyzer and a two-port model with additional spectrum analysis and tracking generator features. The free R&S®MobileView app and R&S®InstrumentView software allow for flexible remote controlling of the device. For additional information on the R&S Cable Rider ZPH, go to: https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/product/zphproductstartpage_63493-363457.html 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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MEASUREMENT
ON THE TRACK OF OLD MASTERS Painting analysis with IDS uEye SE cameras.
The M6 JETSTREAM analyses the colour composition with the help of IDS cameras.
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he “Virgin of the Rocks” is a famous artwork by Leonardo da Vinci. The painting exists in two versions. One of them is displayed in the National Gallery in London. It owes its current radiance to an elaborate restoration in which the latest examination methods including image processing technology were used. An M6 JETSTREAM spatially resolving micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometer from Bruker Nano GmbH Berlin played a decisive role in this. It enabled investigations of the smallest paint particles and delved into the depth of the paint layers. Two USB cameras from IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH provided the necessary optical information of the sample surface and ensured the exact positioning of the spectrometer over the measuring area.
The “Virgin of the Rocks” is a famous work by Leonardo da Vinci and shows the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, the boy St. John and the angel Uriel in a rock cave. The painting is one of three panels, all from an elaborate and partially sculpted altarpiece made for the Church of San Francesco Grande in Milan. One of actually two versions is displayed in the National Gallery in London. The painting owes its current radiance to an elaborate restoration in which the latest examination methods including image processing technology were used. An M6 JETSTREAM spatially resolving micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometer from Bruker Nano GmbH Berlin played a decisive role in this. It enabled investigations of the smallest paint particles and delved into the depth of the paint layers. Two USB cameras from IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH provided the necessary optical information of the sample surface and ensured the exact positioning of the spectrometer over the measuring area.
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Even great masterpieces can suffer from ageing. Colour changes such as yellowing or small amounts of damage cloud the brilliance of the colours and must be repaired from time to time. Extreme caution is required with a picture like the “Virgin of the Rocks”. The restorer must study painting techniques and know exactly the chemical composition pf the colours that were used in order not to destroy the uniqueness of the painting. After several years of research 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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Micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometer with 2 uEye USB cameras allows the examination of smallest colour particles and deep colour layers.
into the feasibility and safety of a possible conservation treatment, da Vinci’s London “Virgin of the Rocks” was finally cleaned and restored. The treatment was carried out primarily for aesthetic reasons, since the picture had become increasingly darker and less “recognizable” due to the strong degradation of an oil and mastic varnish applied in 1949. The analytical examinations of the painting were carried out not only before starting the treatment, but also during the cleaning. This allowed valuable information to be gathered on the condition of the surface layers as well as the layer structure and the materials used. The examination of the elemental composition simultaneously provides information about the authenticity of the colours.
“The M6 JETSTREAM X-ray fluorescence spectrometer provides us with a large amount of elemental information that allows us to draw conclusions about the pigments and their position in the paint layer structure,” explains Michele Gironda, Market Segment Manager Art & Conservation at Bruker Nano GmbH. “It can, for example, also reveal later changes and additions to the picture and, if necessary, show differences in pigment consumption and layer structure between different artists”.
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For example, great artists may have bought some paints “on the open market”, but mixed the typical colours themselves. Thus the colours used can give an indication of the authenticity of a painting. If, on the other hand, the painter is not known exactly or if several contemporary artists worked on the same painting, the type of brushstrokes and the choice of colours can reveal which part of the picture belongs to whom. Thus the second version of the “Virgin of the Rocks” was probably begun by Leonardo da Vinci and continued by his pupil Ambrogio de Predis. The knowledge about Leonardo da Vinci’s painting practice could be greatly expanded and also documented through the analyses.
Non-destructive image analysis thanks to image processing State-of-the-art image processing supports today’s restorers in this work. In the case of da Vinci’s work, the M6 JETSTREAM spectrometer from Bruker Nano GmbH was used. Equipped with IDS cameras, the system reveals the composition of colours in a non-invasive and non-destructive way. It performs X-ray fluorescence measurements on single points (100 micrometres and smaller) of large areas. This precise X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (micro-XRF) makes it possible to determine the elemental composition of a sample, i.e. to register exactly which elements (heavy metals, blood pigment, carbon, etc.) are present in the colours. The measuring points can be recorded ’on the fly’, i.e. while the measuring head is moving. This enables a fast surface analysis known as mapping.
The painting is scanned point by point and line by line with a focused X-ray beam. The elements assigned to the 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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The “Virgin of the Rocks” by Leonardo da Vinci in the process of analysis National Gallery London. The zinc map on the right shows a zinc-containing under-drawing of a first, abandoned composition
pigments in each area each emit their own characteristic X-ray fluorescence radiation, which is registered by the detectors in the spectrometer. In this way, chemical information about the entire painting is collected in a series of contrasting images. If, for example, copper (Cu) was discovered in the white of a painting, this indicates the use of azurite, a copper-based blue in the white colour. Based on the elements detected, most pigments can be identified with this technology. In addition, the analysis can provide information about the history of an object and reveal some of its secrets. Again and again, works hidden behind the paint on the surface can be found in the background and often a lost work of art unexpectedly comes to light painted over, perhaps, because the artist did not like it or simply needed the canvas.
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Detailed findings The most important new information from the X-ray fluorescence analysis of the “Virgin of the Rocks” was the discovery of a zinc-containing under-drawing in the first image composition. The existence of this drawing was known in advance, but could be made much more clearly visible by X-ray fluorescence analysis - especially in combination with hyperspectral imaging. Particularly interesting changes can be seen, for example, in the drapery of the Virgin’s robe (painted with an underlayer of coppercontaining azurite) and in the position of the face of the Christ Child. The original three-quarter view was changed to the now painted profile (seen in the Pb-Lα map). 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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Cameras in use Bruker Nano GmbH integrates IDS cameras into its M4 TORNADO/TORNADOPLUS and M6 JETSTREAM X-ray fluorescence spectrometers. The M4 TORNADO spectrometer is the market leader in the field of surface analysis using micro-XRF. It offers a spot size of 20 µm and the possibility to analyse all elements in the periodic table from carbon (optional) to uranium. It is used, among other things, for the examination of mineral samples and for layer thickness analysis. With its measuring range of 800 mm x 600 mm and its variable installation options, the M6 JETSTREAM mobile spectrometer is ideal for examining larger artworks. In each of them, two USB 2 uEye SE industrial cameras with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels are used to display the sample surface in the Bruker software. Prior to the X-ray fluorescence measurement, a camera is used to generate an image of the sample surface in order to subsequently combine the element composition and the optical information. An overlapping image is created from the camera image and elemental distribution. “The video image can be superimposed on the elemental distribution image to make connections optically visible. The speed, size and interface of the USB 2 uEye SE cameras were a perfect match,” explains Michele Gironda. The cameras are also used in live image mode to approach the desired measuring points or areas on the sample and to adjust the working distance by focusing the camera image.
The uEye SE camera family from IDS
The Cu-Kα, Pb-Lα and Pb-Mα maps show some of the changes in the drapery of the Virgin’s cloak and the position of the Christ Child’s face.
The measuring head of the M6 JETSTREAM spectrometer contains a micro focus X-ray tube and capillary optics with stepwise adjustable spot sizes. Measuring speeds of up to 100 mm/s are possible. The fluorescence spectrum is measured with silicon drift detectors (SDD). Small, compact and robust - these are the main features of the IDS uEye SE product family. The versatile camera is also characterized by a large selection of housing and board-level models and a broad sensor portfolio. System integration is simple and fast, thanks to plug & play through the IDS Software Suite. The range of applications in the industrial and non-industrial sector is thus diverse. Besides the USB 2.0 version used by Bruker Nano GmbH, models with USB 3.1 Gen 1 or GigE interface - also with GigE Vision® interface - are available.
Bruker Nano GmbH is a member of the Bruker Group, a worldwide leading supplier of analytical instruments and solutions in the fields of life and material sciences and industrial process control. Bruker Nano GmbH develops, produces and distributes X-ray analysis systems and components for element and structure analysis in the micro and nano range, especially energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers for electron microscopes as well as mobile X-ray fluorescence spectrometers for spatially resolved and trace element analysis. www.bruker.com/m6jetstream
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Outlook By cleaning and removing the distorting varnish, the “Virgin of the Rocks” can once again reveal its full power, beauty and magical impact - also thanks to the M6 JETSTREAM micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometer from Bruker Nano GmbH. These are unique on the art market. With the help of image processing, they open up completely new perspectives for the analysis of paintings and other works of art. Bruker therefore expects continued good growth of the micro-XRF market and an increasing demand for even higher resolution images and element distributions. Whether in terms of colour composition, painting technique, authenticity or
historical background, whether in a museum in front of an audience or in a laboratory - with this application, art historians, restorers and researchers can discover undreamtof secrets of old masterpieces.
Author: Sabine Terrasi www.ids-imaging.com
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MECHANICS
KENNAMETAL INTRODUCES THE HPX SOLID CARBIDE DRILL
“The HPX drill can run very high cutting parameters,” says Product Manager Frank Martin. “It lasts longer, generates lower forces, and makes better quality holes. What more can you ask for in a drill?”
From its unique point design to its proprietary, multiphase coating, the HPX drill’s innovative design helps manufacturers master holemaking operations in steel.
Next generation high-performance drill for steel applications sets bar for tool life, productivity.
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ennametal has introduced an expansion to its solid carbide drilling portfolio, the HPX drill for high performance, large volume drilling in steel. Designed to quickly and efficiently punch holes up to 8 x D in any ISO-P steel material, the HPX drill provides up to twice the tool life and three times the productivity compared to competing products, even in dry or minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) applications.
Key differentiators What makes the HPX drill the superior choice for Steel applications? The difference is in the design. Steels are used for a wide variety of automotive, commercial, and industrial applications, often in production volumes where maximum tool life and throughput is critical. Yet steel creates a high degree of mechanical loading during drilling operations resulting in forces that lead to rapid tool wear and chipping of the tool’s more vulnerable corners. Kennametal has eliminated this failure point by applying a small corner chamfer and straightening the HPX drill’s cutting edges. Together with the rounded margin lands running down the length of the flutes, this serves to stabilize the drill while reducing friction.
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Built-up edge is another common problem when drilling alloy steels. The HPX drill’s straight cutting edge helps eliminate some of this, but the real clincher is the drill’s optimized edge preparation. This gentle hone further reduces the friction that leads to built-up edge, as do the tool’s highly polished flutes. Couple that with a carbide grade designed specifically for steel—KCP15B—and a proprietary multilayer AlTiN coating, and the HPX drill sets a new standard for tool life in high-volume ISO-P drilling. 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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The HPX drill produces consistently higher tool life in steel than competitive tools, even when feeds and speeds are significantly increased.
Lower forces, even better reliability Special gashing on the HPX drill improves the chip formation and curls a smaller chip. The material specific HPX point geometry creates significantly lower cutting forces, which works great for machines with lower spindle capabilities, unstable cutting conditions, or unstable workpiece clamping. A continuous cross section makes the HPX drill more resistant against tool breakage, and the ultrahigh polished chip flutes ensure superior chip evacuation. Manufacturers wishing to turn off their high-pressure coolant pumps in favor of dry cutting or MQL systems, efficient chip evacuation along with low-friction cutting is a must, and the HPX drill delivers on both counts. In fact, the drill comes equipped with a leakproof MQL interface that meets DIN 6535 and 69090-03 standards—no more special orders or in-house modifications. www.kennametal.com MORE INFORMATION
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PLANT SAFETY
TECHNOLOGY REPORT
Efficient material flow with complete safety.
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he increasing automation of processes places growing demands on safety concepts. Classic concepts such as muting, for example, are often pushed to their limits. The intelligent safety solutions from Leuze enable complete safety, efficient material flow, and high system availability.
Individually tailored system solutions The innovative safety concepts are at the heart of every Leuze safety solution. They primarily address safeguarding tasks where safety-related processes are part of the solution. The safety concepts are individually adapted to the respective system layout, or even expanded or newly designed where needed. During each project, certified Leuze safety consultants assess the customer’s requirements and subsequently accompany them through to the on-site safety acceptance. In addition to providing the necessary hardware and software components, Leuze safety solutions include the configuration and parameterization of the system as well as start-up support. Leuze can draw from an extensive range of in-house safety products for the implementation of safety solutions.
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Dynamic safeguarding of AGV/robot transfer stations In flexible production processes, AGVs are often loaded and unloaded by robots. This means that the safety concepts for the AGV/robot transfer stations must be designed for automated movements. Leuze’s safety solution dynamically safeguards the area of the transfer station. The area is monitored by two safety laser scanners. When the vehicle enters the monitored area, the monitoring dynamically 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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Gapless safeguarding of a AGV/robot transfer station.
adapts to the vehicle position and blanks out the AGV footprint from the monitored area. The advantage of this solution is that the presence of people or their entry is continuously monitored. The vehicle can move through the monitored area during the loading cycle while the surroundings of the vehicle are fully guarded at all times. This means that it is possible to reliably detect whether a person is walking next to the vehicle. The safety solution also allows vehicle loads with different widths and the transport of parts that protrude at the front. The system works autonomously and can be easily integrated into the safety circuit of the system via the 2-channel safety output.
Summary The safety solutions from Leuze are based on innovative safety concepts that are individually tailored to the customer’s system layout as part of the project. They ensure smooth-running processes with gapless safety and high system availability. www.leuze.com
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Access guarding on multi-track transport systems Multi-track transport systems often require a safety concept that ensures smooth processes and complete safety at the same time. The suitable Leuze safety solution is shown at the example of a pallet discharge via gravity conveyors, which is fed by a cross conveyor. Access guarding takes place via two vertically oriented safety laser scanners. These monitor the entire transfer area of the cross conveyor. By switching the protective fields, the protective function is only released for the conveyor on which a pallet is discharged. The safety system receives information about which conveyor is used from system control.
Complete access guarding also during pallet discharge The advantage of this solution is that the entire access area is completely monitored at all times. It is also easy to set up and install, as it takes only two safety laser scanners to safeguard the entire transfer area. No additional trigger sensors are required. With conveyors in close proximity, only this solution enables a conveyor-specific safety concept.
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PLANT SAFETY
TWO IN ONE: LEUZE PRESENTS THE GSX, THE WORLD’S FIRST COMBINED FORK SENSOR
The extensive fork sensor product range with the new GSX14E combined fork sensor.
With the new GSX combined fork sensor, Leuze is once again introducing a worldwide innovation. This product combines the advantages light and ultrasonic sensors. The GSX sensor is exceptionally suitable for labeling machines used in the packaging industry.
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ith the introduction of the GSX, the world’s first combined fork sensor, Leuze is continuing its decades-long tradition as an innovator. Leuze invented not only the first label fork sensor with the GS05, but also developed the first ultrasonic fork sensor with the GSU14. With the company’s latest innovation, the GSX (various models available), Leuze has expanded its fork sensor product range by adding a combined model that can do both: light and ultrasonic. It combines the advantages of the optical variants with those of the ultrasonic solutions, and it is best suited for labeling machines used in the packaging industry. With this innovation, Leuze is once again demonstrating their many years of expertise and the application know-how of the Sensor People in this field.
Leuze expands its fork sensor product range Affixing labels of various shapes, sizes, and materials on products and packaging by means of a labeling machine is one of the fundamental tasks carried out in the packaging industry. For its precise positioning, the label must be safely and reliably detected – even at high conveyor speeds. This task is performed by fork sensors, which house the transmitter and receiver in a single device and ensure high operational safety. These devices are not only very sensitive, they are also easy to mount and do not require any alignment. Until now, Leuze offered two fork sensor models for this purpose: light and ultrasonic. A new version that combines light and ultrasonic is now available.
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Two in one: world’s first GSX14E The GSX fork sensor is the world’s first sensor of its kind and combines the two detection methods of ultrasonic and light in a single housing. It brings together the advantages of both principles and can be used very flexibly. It reliably, quickly, and precisely detects a wide range of labels, regardless of their material and surface characteristics. This increases the machine throughput and avoids downtime. Even labels made of inhomogeneous cavitated BOPP material can be 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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NEWS
Detection of transparent or semi-transparent labels on label-carrier combinations of labeling machines.
Detection of nontransparent labels on label-carrier combinations of labeling machines.
reliably detected through the optical operating principle. The fork sensor is especially well suited for applications in which various types of labels need to be detected. Until now, this often required several different fork sensors. The user saves not only space, but also additional time and costs of installation. The new fork sensor can be quickly and easily set up via the teach button to teach the label-carrier combination. Only one universal mounting position is required for all objects.
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IO-Link for easy configuration and recipe management The new GSX fork sensor features an IO-Link interface. This serves to configure the sensor easily, quickly, and economically. The interface can be used to enable remote teaching, or to lock the buttons, among other things. In addition, recipe management facilitates easy format changeovers when replacing rolls. This means that reteaching is not necessary when changing rolls to a different label format. The format is changed quickly by selecting the appropriate parameter set for the corresponding label format. This parameter selection is directly carried out on the labeling machine via the HMI. It saves not only setup time, but it also increases the production volume and makes the system more economical. www.leuze.com/en/gsx
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MECHANICS
NEW IKO CAM FOLLOWER PREVENTS METAL-TO-METAL WEAR WHEN HANDLING HIGH LOADS
IKO International has introduced a cam follower designed to handle heavy loads and their associated thrust loads. The CR…VBS Series features a proprietary sealing technology called ThrustDisk™ along with a radial gap to alleviate impact loading.
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n heavy-duty cam-driven machines, improper mounting often causes misalignment that produces thrust forces and metal contact between the bearing’s outer ring and side plate. Heavy loading also creates deflections and uneven loading at the stud. Heat resulting from metal-tometal contact can further reduce the cam follower’s life.
The CR...VBS’ ThrustDisk seal is made from a synthetic resin with a very low wear rate. Along with its built-in thrust washer, ThrustDisk goes into sliding contact areas of the unit’s outer ring, stud head and slide plate to handle axial loads, preventing wear and friction caused by mounting errors. It also resists heat and contamination to improve the bearing’s lifetime. Other features include a low coefficient of friction, good rotational performance and a hex head stud for easy mounting.
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CR...VBS cam followers with ThrustDisk technology are part of IKO’s Inch series family, which are designed for a broad range of applications such as machine tools, industrial robots, packaging and handling and food processing equipment. www.ikont.com
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S M A R T FA C TO R Y
RED LION INTRODUCES SECURE INDUSTRIAL REMOTE ACCESS PLATFORM Easily Access, Monitor and Manage Remote Equipment.
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ed Lion, the exclusive North American partner for MB connect line GmbH, announces the launch of its Secure Remote Access Platform. This next-generation remote access solution meets the most demanding security requirements of modern industrial applications. Red Lion’s Secure Remote Access Platform centralizes the management of routers, allowing customers to quickly respond to and act on their most crucial assets from anywhere, at any time. The ability to remotely access, monitor and manage diverse equipment helps to lower operational costs and downtime by reducing site visits and dramatically improving response times. To simplify deployment, Red Lion’s remote access routers offer Simply.Connect technology. This enables the setup of routers in under two minutes, facilitating small or large deployments using only a smartphone. Once configured, routers can be deployed anywhere, providing real-time, secure, and seamless connectivity to remote assets or sites.
“As the industrial world rapidly shifted to the new normal of remote production operations due to the pandemic, demand for platforms that securely enables these remote production operation capabilities has never been stronger and more critical”, according to Craig Resnick, Vice President, ARC Advisory Group. “Red Lion’s Secure Industrial Remote Access Platform was designed to enable secure access in real-time from any location. ARC expects that this new normal of remote production operations will remain even after the pandemic, as the industry has recognized its benefits to maximizing productivity, key performance indicators, profitability, and most importantly, sustainability to overcome any future pandemic-like challenges.”
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The foundation of Red Lion’s remote access platform is RLConnect24, a remote service portal that provides a simple centralized site to monitor and manage deployed assets and users. RLConnect24 provides data visualization, geographic mapping, data logging, and alarms based on operational or system-generated data. The RLDialUp client software enables operators to securely connect their PC to remote assets for maintenance and configuration, just as if they were plugged into it locally.
Red Lion’s Secure Remote Access Routers are industrialgrade gateways that offer optional LAN, WAN, serial, USB, Wi-Fi or 4G LTE connectivity to ensure seamless integration with any industrial application. Red Lion also launched the RA10 compact industrial firewall, which provides OTcybersecurity. This intelligent firewall can learn and selfconfigure to help secure older assets, avoid address conflicts, and/or logically isolate machines or groups of machines.
www.redlion.net
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S M A R T FA C TO R Y
NORD OFFERS NEW TECHNICAL INNOVATION FOR MIXING AND AGITATING PROCESSES
MAXXDRIVE® industrial gear units provide an ideal solution for specialized applications.
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AXXDRIVE industrial gear units are an excellent choice for use in large mixers and NORD has continued innovating in this field with its new SAFOMI (Seal-less Adapter for Mixers) adapter. This adapter features a flange with an integrated oil expansion tank, increasing operational reliability and requiring less routine maintenance over the lifecycle of the gear unit. MAXXDRIVE units have been part of the NORD product range for more than ten years and have proven themselves in countless applications throughout the world. They offer high output torques from 132,000 – 2,250,000 lb-in. and operate reliably under demanding conditions.
NORD MAXXDRIVE® industrial gear units are FEM-optimized and have a compact design that enables efficient operation under very high external loads. Like NORD’s other gear unit offerings, MAXXDRIVE units have extensive modularity, providing many options for tailored solutions without the need for costly custom component design. When equipped with a SAFOMI-IEC/NEMA adapter, MAXXDRIVE® industrial gear units combine the functions of standard IEC/NEMA adapters with an oil expansion tank in a single, integrated component. SAFOMI is available for parallel gear units in sizes 7 to 11, covering speed ratios from 5.54:1 – 400:1. The combination of a MAXXDRIVE® industrial gear unit, SAFOMIIEC/NEMA adapter, and drive motor is an ideal choice for mixer and agitator applications to reduce wear on internal gearing, parts, and attached components.
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Greater Operational Reliability with Less Effort In agitating applications, oil tanks, hoses, and radial shaft seals are subject to leakage and wear between the gear unit and IEC/NEMA cylinder. With the SAFOMI adapter, these possible failure points are eliminated. SAFOMI-IEC/ NEMA adapters on parallel gear units are only installed in mounting position M5, i.e. with the output shaft pointing downwards. When a MAXXDRIVE unit utilizes this new 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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With the SAFOMI-IEC/NEMA adapter for MAXXDRIVE® industrial gear units from NORD DRIVESYSTEMS, the number of components required for mixer applications can be reduced, while operational reliability can be increased.
adapter, oil levels and the required oil volume is lower and the installation space is also reduced. NORD manufactures a wide selection of gearboxes, electric motors, and drive electronics in various sizes and configurations for companies in intralogistics, food and beverage, airport baggage handling, grain and bulk material handling, and other demanding markets. The modular design offers unlimited versatility with more than 20,000,000 combinations of custom gear motors and speed reducers – inline or right-angle, mounted by foot or flange, featuring solid or hollow shafts – to give customers complete freedom to specify a drive solution that’s perfect for the job. www.nord.com
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S M A R T FA C TO R Y
NORD DRIVESYSTEMS EXPANDS SURFACE PROTECTION OFFERING
Gearbox with NORD Severe Food Duty 3+ (NSDF3+) surface coating.
Company announces new, high-quality coating options for customized drive solutions.
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ORD DRIVESYSTEMS, a world leader in drive technology, has launched a new surface protection program to streamline existing options and add additional selections to accommodate a wide range of demanding applications. This new format has a simplified naming convention and descriptions that outline the best use for each coating type. The expanded solutions include a new epoxy primer offering as well as options for multiple primer and/or topcoat configurations based on environmental demands.
Basic - Indoor installation • NORD Severe Duty 2 (NSD2) - Indoor installation and protected outdoor installation • NORD Severe Duty 3 (NSD3) - Outdoor installation, city, and industrial atmosphere with low contamination • NORD Severe Chem Duty 3 (NSDC3) - Installations with normal chemical contamination • NORD Severe Food Duty 3 (NSDF3) - Food packaging areas • NORD Severe Duty 4 (NSD4) - Outdoor installation, city, and industrial atmosphere with moderate contamination • NORD Severe Duty 5 (NSD5) - Outdoor installation, city, and industrial atmosphere with high contamination
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Detailed paint specifications can be viewed at: https://www. nord.com/cms/us/documentation/flyers_and_brochures/ details_1143/detail_64133.jsp Paints from NORD can be ordered in over 100 standard colors or can be custom matched to your specifications. In addition to the primary paint options, NORD offers a clear, antimicrobial topcoat that can be added to most finishes for even greater protection against damaging contamination and corrosion (excludes NORD Severe Chem Duty 3). 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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Expanded surface protection offerings from NORD include a new epoxy primer and multiple primer and/or topcoat configurations based on environmental demands.
handling, and other demanding markets. The modular design offers unlimited versatility with more than 20,000,000 combinations of custom gear motors and speed reducers – in-line or right-angle, mounted by foot or flange, featuring solid or hollow shafts – to give customers complete freedom to specify a drive solution that’s perfect for the job.
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NORD also continues to offer it’s nsd tupH surface conversion product that can stand up to extreme environments with surface-converted housing components, DIN and stainless steel components, wash-down housing for the gear unit and motor, stainless steel shafts, and special shaft sealing rings. There is also an anti-static powder coating for drive electronics, making them incredibly resistant to impacts, scratches, harsh weather, and chemicals.
www.nord.com
NORD manufactures a wide selection of gearboxes, electric motors, and drive electronics in various sizes and configurations for companies in intralogistics, food and beverage, airport baggage handling, grain and bulk material 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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S M A R T FA C TO R Y
2020 ROBOT WORLD THE EXHIBITION IN LINE WITH THE ’UNTACT’ ERA— INTRODUCES THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE ROBOT INDUSTRY
Held at KINTEX for 4 days from October 28 to 31.
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oing beyond the boundary of innovation in the manufacturing field and now leading changes in daily life, the robot industry has expanded its applications to the extent never expected in the past through collaboration with various areas including AI in recent years. 2020 Robot World, which will be held at Halls 1 and 2 of KINTEX, Ilsan, for 4 days from October 28 to 31, is expected to present visitors, participant companies, and buyers with the latest trends in the robot industry in association with relevant industry sectors.
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2020 Robot World has been held since 2006, sponsored by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and co-hosted by Korea Association of Robot Industry, Korea Institute for Robot Industry, and Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems. A variety of enterprises and institutions related to the robot industry have participated in this event.
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This year, 150 enterprises from 20 countries will participate in this event, using 400 booths in total. During the period of this exhibition, about 50,000 observers and 35,000 buyers are expected to visit this venue. Robot World 2020 plans to present various robots including manufacturing robots, robot parts, distribution robots, personal service robots, and professional service robots, smart manufacturing solutions, smart applications and SW, and drones as well as their collaborations with AI, smart cities, smart farms, etc. In addition, items of the manufacturing area and service area will be separately presented in their respective halls: one for the manufacturing area including cooperative robots, smart factories, AGVs, and machine visions & smart sensors; and the other for the service area including medical robots, educational robots, drones, and personal mobility units. During the exhibition period, a special hall for the robot industry will be operated. The ’Robot Start-up’ special hall will promote start-ups in the robot area and provide new business opportunities for such small and medium sized start-ups. The ’Hall for Men of Talent’ is to provide men of talent with opportunities to show their creativity and ability related to robots to the full and to find job offers in
association with robotics enterprises. To attract visitors, this special hall will include experiencing booths for university departments and clubs during the exhibition period .
28, expecting that it can go beyond the boundary of the robot industry and present a new hope for various industry sectors.
As many programs of the industry exhibition, which was scheduled to be held this year, have been canceled or delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic, Robot World 2020 has established its thorough quarantine system for secure operation. In addition, the online exhibition also will be presented in line with the ’Untact’ Era, which has become a mainstream due to COVID-19 pandemic.
http://eng.robotworld.or.kr www.korearobot.or.kr
As part of the quarantine system, the access control system will cover the entire building of the venue and the separate reception desk also will be operated. Just in case, everyone entering the exhibition venue will be asked to apply the 4 basic steps including the two temperature checking steps, wearing a mask and plastic gloves, and distancing during the tour.
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The online exhibition will utilize 3D items to maximize the sense for the real as well as various systems that will help visitors experience the exhibition as if they visit the venue in person. Against the background that industry exhibitions are delayed and canceled one after another lately, industry professionals and exhibition industry sectors pay attention to this 2020 Robot World to be held on upcoming October 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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EWON DATAMAILBOX – REMOTE ACCESS TO MACHINE DATA JUST GOT A LOT EASIER!
HMS Networks now launches Ewon® DataMailbox, a secure freemium cloud-based solution allowing machine builders and factory owners to easily access data from their machines anywhere in the world. What is Ewon DataMailbox? DataMailbox is an online data buffer that enables easy retrieval of data from machines. It is a part of the Ewon Talk2M cloud service.
How it works The Ewon routers Cosy and Flexy connect to a remote machine and send data via Ethernet or cellular connection to the Talk2M cloud. The DataMailbox is a part of Talk2M allowing application developers to easily retrieve historical data from multiple Ewon gateways using a simple API call. The results Customers can collect data from multiple machines anywhere in the world in a highly secure process in order to analyze this data at their convenience. This allows for big data analytics and dashboards for predictive maintenance and operational intelligence.
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A fast and secure way to enable access to machine data It is possible to set up a data connection in a couple of hours, no matter how complex the IT environment is, and also scale up when necessary. Users can add machines to the process in a couple of clicks. With the DataMailbox as a data buffer, users will avoid losing data, no matter how many sites they are collecting from as 29 | Industry USA | November 2020
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data is automatically stored and forwarded if the internet connection is down. Users also always have access to a clean historical dataset for analytics applications. Freemium The DataMailbox is a freemium service within the Ewon Talk2M cloud, meaning that customers can utilize it for free for an unlimited time. By moving to the Pro version, customers get covered by a unique Service Level Agreement and can process even more data. The Freemium approach and ease of access in no way compromises the security as Ewon solutions are trendsetters in cybersecurity.
Available now via a network of partners To help customers maximize the power of their data, Ewon has established a robust ecosystem of 2000 experienced partners, ready to quickly create efficient and integrated solutions based upon customer needs. For more information, visit www.ewon.biz and the knowledge base articles at www.ewon.biz/support
By adding this innovative service to its range of hardware, Ewon proposes an easy and scalable integrated solution to collect and process data from an unlimited number of sites, allowing customers to increase their efficiency.
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“In a time when it is risky and expensive to allow people into factories, it is our duty to provide customers with an easy, secure and scalable solution to collect data from several sites, allowing users to improve their efficiency”, says Francis Vander Ghinst, General Manager of HMS’s Business Unit Ewon.
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MENNEKES CDS SERIES IS THE INDUSTRY’S FIRST NONMETALLIC, CURVED-TOP MOTOR DISCONNECT SWITCH
MENNEKES, a global provider of electrical products and services, has recently released its new CDS Series of non-metallic, curved-top motor disconnect switches. The clean, innovative design features a curved profile to eliminate standing water and minimize contaminant buildup in food processing and other cleanroom operating environments.
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n addition to its curved profile, the CDS Series features a chemically resistant thermoplastic enclosure with UL Type 4X and IP69K ratings, making it resistant to frequent highpressure washdown. Its highly visible handle is lockouttagout (LO/TO) compliant, while its 30A 25HP rating can satisfy most line disconnect requirements. The CDS Series is NSF-certified for food processing areas.
For applications not requiring a curved design, MENNEKES’ new DS Series incorporates many of the same features as the CDS Series, but its flat roof allows for top and bottom conduit. Both series feature two mounting systems: internal sealed caps to the current MENNEKES footprint, as well as external feet that are compatible with HBLDS3 and HBLDS3AC.
Other notable features and benefits include:
The new CDS and DS Series are part of MENNEKES’ larger offering of motor disconnect switches, which provide plant personnel with a reliable and safe means to service power in a harsh operating environment.
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• Laser marking for permanent identification—no labels • Captive stainless- steel cover screws • Poured-in-place seamless gasket • Standard early-break auxiliary contacts—1 N/O, 1 N/C • “Suitable as Motor Disconnect” per NEC 430-109(a)(6) • 65,000 SCCR rating with Class J Fuse • Impact modified and UV stabilized materials
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www.mennekes.com
S M A R T FA C TO R Y
NEW ISO STANDARD OFFERS INTEGRATED MODEL FOR MANUFACTURING QUALITY INFORMATION The DMSC (Digital Metrology Standards Consortium), recently had their ANSI/DMSC QIF 3.0 metrology standard harvested, approved, and published by ISO as the new ISO Standard ISO 23952:2020 .
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MSC is the developer and maintainer of QIF (Quality Information Framework), and other metrology standards. These standards are intended to help advanced manufacturers reduce costs, offer a common format for product measurement results, and is a critical enabler for digital transformation via MBE (Model Based Enterprise). ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is an international standard-setting body comprised of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded in 1947 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the organization promotes worldwide industrial and commercial standards with over 164 countries participating.
Curtis Brown, President of DMSC, commented “we are extremely pleased to have attained a DMSC goal – of having the ANSI/DMSC QIF v3.0 standard become recognized and published as an ISO standard. Navigating the ISO approval process has been insightful and challenging, with the reward that the ISO community is now able to offer ISO 23952 as an integrated model for manufacturing quality information.” DMSC will continue to improve and enhance digital information standards such as the QIF, and the organization’s membership is in the process of refreshing their roadmap to broaden their development focus on technologies that will further support digitization, connecting the digital thread, and supporting model-based enterprise. Interested parties may enquire about DMSC membership and development participation at: https://qifstandards.org/about-dmsc
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The new standard, known as ISO 23952:2020, is available directly from ISO, and officially titled “Automation systems and integration — Quality information framework (QIF) — An integrated model for manufacturing quality information”. This 498-page document describes the general content and structure of the entire QIF information model. It documents the highest level data structures of QIF using data dictionaries and XML schema files. The standard seamlessly defines, organizes, and associates quality information including: measurement plans, resources, part geometry with product and manufacturing information (PMI), rule templates for measurement , results, and statistical analysis.
QIF 3.0 was accepted as an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard in 2018, then submitted for ISO “harvesting” by technical committee ISO/TC 184/SC 4 in early 2019, becoming approved, and officially published by ISO in July, 2020.
https://qifstandards.org
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LSDTECH RELEASES MONSTER GPU SERVER
LSDTech has released a GPU server called “Monster L2212s-2G” that can support up to four NVDIA GPUs.
LSDTech, a South Korean company specializing in high-performance servers, has launched a GPU server based on the PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) standard that raises processing speed up to 20% compared to other current products through the company’s own architecture. It also lowers costs and allows the CPU, GPU, memory, and disk to perform at their highest levels.
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ith this new GPU server, customers from the public sector as well as manufacturing and financial industries do not have to rely on products that use a wire-based network protocol anymore and use LSDTech’s GPU server that provides the same performance at a lower cost.
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LSDTech’s GPU server “Monster L2212s-2G” is designed through HVbus (Hyper Virtualization BUS) architecture and it allows the CPU, GPU, memory, and disk to perform at their highest levels.
Most companies that manufacture GPU servers design architectures of their products so that only 60 to 80% of their products’ maximum performance is used to stabilize the CPU. Commonly, the performance does not go over 80% even if the acceleration feature is used. Also, architectures are designed so that only a few CPU cores are used in a limited time. On the other hand, LSDTech’s research institute for technology designed its architecture so that entire threads on the GPU server operate at a full-time acceleration mode and raise CPU performance to its maximum. The 2U-based GPU server applies same the architecture design to the GPU, memory, and disk so that their performance is increased drastically. LSDTech’s GPU server’s processing speed is up to 10 to 20% faster than other GPU servers based “NVLink”. This result is more meaningful because its GPU server is applied with the PCI interface that is the industry standard.
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Performance data reference: NVIDIA Data Center Deep Learning Product Performance <PCIe vs NVLink GPU Server Test Result: Benchmark Setting: Data set: ImageNet2012(Container: mxnet:20.06-py3); Deep learning Model: ResNet50, Total number of iterations: 4, Batch Size: 256>
“Our latest server which exceeds other GPU servers in performance and costs less at the same time, will display its best performance in the AI deep learning field,” said President Kim Seung-wook of LSDTech. “We are going to become a leader in the industry by helping the server industry that will play a key role in the New Deal policy to reduce costs and improve performance at the same time. LSDTech is planning to introduce test results related to its latest server on its homepage soon. By upgrading the version of “MAC-T”, which improves disk performance, it has raised disk I/O performance to 2 million IOPS. www.monstertech.co.kr
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SEEQ CLOSES SERIES B FUNDING AND ADDS CISCO INVESTMENTS AS NEW INVESTOR AS GROWTH ACCELERATES
Cisco Investments joins Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures, Altira Group, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Next47 to fund Seeq product and market expansion.
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eeq Corporation, a leader in manufacturing and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) advanced analytics software, announced today that is has closed its Series B expansion with an investment from Cisco Investments, as well as existing investors. Renewed participation comes from Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures, Altira Group, Chevron Technology Ventures, Second Avenue Partners, Next47, the venture group for Siemens Inc, and other existing investors. This round of investment will enable Seeq to further the growth of its business which was recently recognized by Inc Magazine as #261 on their 2020 list of the Fastest Growing Companies, an improvement from 2019 when Seeq was ranked #369.
Seeq enables engineers and scientists in process manufacturing organizations to rapidly analyze, predict, collaborate, and share insights to improve production outcomes. Seeq customers include companies in the oil and gas, pharmaceutical, chemical, energy, mining, food and beverage, and other process industries. This funding will accelerate Seeq’s expansion of development, sales and marketing resources, and help increase the company’s presence in international markets. “We are pleased to close our Series B funding efforts with the support of Cisco to enable manufacturing organizations to make data-driven decisions,” says Steve Sliwa, CEO and co-founder of Seeq. “With Seeq, ’data rich but information poor’ is in the past as customers can spend 80 or 90 percent of their time delivering business value instead of in data access, preparation, and calculations.” “Cisco Investments is excited to support Seeq in their journey to bring advanced data science capabilities to customers to accelerate operational and business outcomes,” said Amit Chaturvedy, senior director, Corporate Development and Cisco Investments. “Seeq’s strong value proposition for the
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industrial market aligns well with Cisco’s focus on IoT and digital transformation of businesses.” Upon closing, the Series B expansion for Seeq will increase capitalization by approximately $30 million, which is in addition to previous Series B funding led by Altira Group and Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures, bringing the total investment in Seeq since its inception to approximately $65 million. Seeq’s comprehensive set of applications for analyzing and sharing insights on process manufacturing data includes Workbench for easy to use advanced analytics, Organizer for publishing reports and dashboards, and Data Lab for accessing Python libraries.
On Azure, Seeq has been available in the Azure Marketplace since 2018 and was recently recognized as a 2020 Microsoft Energy Partner of the Year Finalist. Support for Azure services includes Azure Synapse, Azure Data Lake, Azure Data Explorer, Azure Time Series Insights, Azure Notebooks for machine learning integration, and Power Automate. In addition to cloud partnerships, Seeq connects to an extensive set of automation vendor data storage platforms for on premise engagements including OSIsoft, Siemens, GE, Honeywell, Emerson Automation Solutions, Inductive Automation, AVEVA, AspenTech, Yokogawa, and others. www.seeq.com
Seeq is available worldwide through a global partner network of system integrators, which provides training and resale support for Seeq in over 40 countries, in addition to its direct sales organization in North America and Europe. MORE INFORMATION
Seeq’s rapid growth is being fueled in part by its partnerships and commitment to cloud-based computing. Seeq is available in the AWS marketplace, is an AWS Industrial Competency Partner, and supports many data storage services, including Amazon Redshift, S3, plus machine learning in SageMaker, and other services.
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