Industry EMEA | 30 - July 2021

30 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

EMEA

industry THE INDUSTRY MAGAZINE FOR EUROPE • MIDDLE EAST • AFRICA

ROTARY POWER DEVELOPS MOTOR FOR ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE IN BRITISH TRIUMPH

14 UNRIVALLED SPEED, CONSISTENCY AND EASE OF USE FROM NEW KEYENCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

46 DEEP INSIGHT WITH LIGHT REVOLUTION

INNOVATIVE AND SCALABLE MULTICOMPONENT SOFTWARE SMARTCOLLECT® SC²

20

68 MARKET OVERVIEW THE EXOSKELETONS ARE HERE

4

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

THE INDUSTRY MAGAZINE FOR EUROPE • MIDDLE EAST • AFRICA

MARKET OVERVIEW

FISCHER CONNECTORS

4

12 ROTARY POWER

14 DELTA ELECTRONICS

CMP PRODUCTS

16

FAULHABER

18

17 FAULHABER

HARTING

20

23

DUNKER MOTOREN

24 BÜRKERT FLUID CONTROL SYSTEMS

WATLOW

28

26

FISCHER CONNECTORS

29

CIAT

CARRIER

VERLINDE

30

32

34

ADVERTISERS: HUTCHINSON 30 • MEPAX 58

www.industryemea.com

SOFTING INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

VERLINDE

36

INNODISK

40

38 ROHDE & SCHWARZ

REGLOPLAS

41

KEYENCE

46

42

SILINA

SATECO

WIDIA

50

52

53

SOUTHCO

HAINBUCH

KENNAMETAL

54

56

58

KENNAMETAL

NSK

60

61

AUTOMATIONWARE SEEPEX GEOFIRE MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CAMILLE BAUER

63 64 65 66 68

CAMILLE BAUER MOXA MOXA HMS MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

CRC INDUSTRIES

62 70 72 74 75 76

LEUZE NORD IDS BRADY BRADY

79 80 82 84 85

Send your press releases to: editor@ipmediaonline.com To receive the Industry EMEA newsletter, please subscribe online: www.industryemea.com Industry EMEA is the magazine published by INDUPORTALS MEDIA PUBLISHING for engineers.

It presents the latest product and company news for industrial markets. Industry EMEA edits its articles with the greatest of care, however we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information presented in them. Our teams disclaim all responsibility concerning the content of this media or how it might be used. https://induportals-media-publishing.com

INDUPORTALS

MEDIA PUBLISHING

MARKET OVERVIEW English version

THE EXOSKELETONS ARE HERE While the use of exoskeletons in industry is still at the lower end of the spectrum, there is growing awareness about the benefits of exoskeletons in industrial applications.

I

by Milton D'SILVA

n nature, some animals and insects have exoskeletons or external skeletons unlike most other living creatures, including humans, who have internal skeletons or endoskeletons. Crabs, lobsters, cockroaches, grasshoppers and several types of beetles are examples of natural exoskeletons. The early body armour adopted by human beings for combat was inspired by these exoskeletal creatures. The exoskeleton as a wearable device to augment human capabilities is of more recent origin, even as the idea was considered by many early inventors. An early example is a passive spring body brace invented in 1890, which supported the upper body in a stooping position, to relieve fatigue. However, the concept received serious attention only in the 1960s when GE developed the Hardiman in collaboration with the US Army and Navy for military use.

Though the project was not successful, it paved the way for further development of the concept.

Example of a natural exoskeleton – the Japanese Spider Crab.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

4

MARKET OVERVIEW

The highly ergonomic Comau MATE upper body exoskeleton.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

5

MARKET OVERVIEW

The FORTIS from Lockheed Martin is suitable for handling heavy tools.

Exoskeletons thus made for human beings may be described as mechanical or mechatronic devices attached closely to the body, which support the musculoskeletal system using various mechanical principles. These wearable devices mimic the structure of human limbs, joints and muscles and boost the capabilities, enhancing the performance.

Depending on the type, exoskeletons work in different ways, but basically shift the weight from one part of the body to another, reducing continuous strain. Besides augmenting the capacity to carry heavier loads without causing fatigue, exoskeletons also improve the body posture and minimise the risk of injury.

Modern exoskeletons, developed mostly during the last two decades, are of two types – active and passive. Active exoskeletons are equipped with sensors and actuators, and powered by battery operated electric motors, pneumatics, hydraulics, or a combination of these systems. Passive exoskeletons are purely mechanical devices and use the restorative forces of elements like springs and dampers.

There are further divisions in exoskeletons based on form – upper body, lower body or full body exoskeletons. Based on applications, exoskeletons are divided into two broad categories – medical and industrial. Medical exoskeletons 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

6

are used in the rehabilitation of patients post-surgery or to assist in those recuperating from paralysis or muscular dystrophy and other disabilities. Industrial exoskeletons also have military applications – in fact these were initially used in defence services and more recently have been deployed in industry. Exoskeletons are variously called exosuits or wearable robots, but unlike robots, which are autonomous and work independent of human support, the exoskeleton works in tandem with the human body, not as a replacement for any limb.

This article is basically about industrial exoskeletons used by workers engaged in various activities. In spite of mechanisation and automation of workplaces with various handling equipment like trolleys, hoists, pallet trucks and overhead cranes, there are a lot of activities in industry, which are physically demanding yet cannot be automated. These vary from lifting of heavy loads or working in assembly operations that involve working long hours in standing or bending positions. Also many assembly operations in automotive and aerospace industries involve workers engaged in tasks with their arms continuously stretched upwards, carrying heavy tools. These activities cause pressure on the lumbar spine and/or on muscles in

MARKET OVERVIEW

various parts of the body, which in turn result in work related musculoskeletal disorders or WRMSDs. Growing health concerns Across the developed world – the Americas, Europe, Japan and now even China – the population is ageing and so is the working class – people working in factories and utilities – the typical blue collar jobs where manual labour in various forms is routine. These are also the jobs where the risks of workplace injuries, often of serious nature, are high and WRMSDs are common, adding to the overheads in terms of productivity loss due to sickness and absenteeism as well as high insurance costs. Apart from the unfairness of letting ageing employees go, there is that matter of the younger generation not so enthusiastic about jobs in factories and anything that involves physical activity. The situation is ripe for the induction of exoskeletons on the shop floor.

According to a discussion paper published by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, over 40% of workers in Europe suffer from lower back pain or shoulder complaints. Furthermore, 63% of workers perform repetitive tasks or frequently work (46%) in potentially hazardous positions. This not only results in injuries and absenteeism, but also costs about 2% of the gross domestic product

of the European Union. Across the Atlantic in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that back pain is the most prevalent work-related health problem.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates that employers pay nearly $1 billion for direct workers’ compensation. Against this backdrop industrial exoskeletons are becoming popular to address the many concerns of worker safety and productivity.

The potential benefits of industrial exoskeletons are many, as these are designed to ease the load on the spine, decrease muscle activity and improve the posture, reducing the risk of injuries. Upper body exoskeletons reduce shoulder discomfort and increase productivity in assembly operations. While the use of exoskeletons in industry is still at the lower end of the spectrum, there is growing awareness about the benefits of exoskeletons in industrial applications, especially in automotive, construction, manufacturing and logistics sectors.

An expanding market According to a recent analysis by Frost & Sullivan, the global industrial exoskeletons market is expanding rapidly, driven by high injury costs and aging and shrinking skilled workforces across sectors. It is estimated to witness nearly a

The Skelex exoskeleton is powered by FlexFrame Technology.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

7

The Cray

MARKET OVERVIEW

seven-fold growth, reaching US$426.6 million by 2025 from US$62.7 million in 2020, up at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46.7%. (These figures do not include medical or military exoskeletons, only industrial ones.)

“Manufacturers are investing in R&D to develop technologically advanced exoskeletons, which improve performance and productivity,” says Anjan Roy, Chemicals, Materials & Nutrition Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. “To deploy the latest innovations, manufacturers will focus on the robot-as-a-service (RaaS) model to improve affordability for end users and test products for large-scale deployment.”

Among the end-use industries, manufacturing – driven by the automotive sector – held the highest revenue share in 2020 and is projected to top US$271.4 million in 2025. Other manual, labour-intensive industries such as construction and transport will also make extensive deployments of industrial exoskeletons over the next four to five years as companies across these sectors focus on reducing the cost of on-the-job injuries. “From a product segment perspective, active or powered industrial exoskeletons – which are technologically advanced PPE that are powered by batteries or electricity – are expected to have the highest revenue share at 69.9% over the forecast period, whereas passive industrial exoskeletons will constitute 30.1% market share,” adds Roy. Industrial exoskeletons in the market When the Swiss startup noonee launched its prototype Chairless Chair in 2014, German automaker Audi AG was one the first to test the wearable seating passive exoskeleton at its assembly lines at Neckarsulm plant. “With the use of the Chairless Chair, we are continuously improving ergonomics in assembly operations. We also anticipate new applications for colleagues with reduced physical capabilities,” Dr Mathias Keil, Head of Industrial Engineering Methods at AUDI AG, had then stated about the experiment. More automakers have since adopted the ‘Chair-olution’ as noonee called its invention, and it has undergone many refinements since.

“Through active sitting on the Chairless Chair, your back and thigh muscles are strengthened while your spine, intervertebral discs and knees are relieved. The Chairless Chair supports a healthy and upright sitting posture and takes preventive action so that pain does not occur at all,” claims the company in its latest flyer made available during the presentation at the Digital Hannover Messe 2021. The new Chairless Chair 2.0 is a passive exoskeleton that allows workers to change easily between sitting, walking and standing.

Swiss startup noonee’s Chairless Chair tested extensively by Audi AG.

German company Ottoblock designs and manufactures the Paexo range of exoskeletons for the back, shoulder, wrist, neck and even the thumb! Paexo was developed based on Ottobock’s nearly 100 years of expertise in the fields of biomechanics, orthopaedic technology and product ergonomics. The company worked with automaker Volkswagen AG and the Institute for Biomechanics and Orthopaedics at the German Sport University Cologne to develop these products. The close cooperation with Volkswagen led to insights in production, work ergonomics

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

8

The Paexo Thumb exoskeleton protects the tip of the thumb.

y X exoskeleton from German Bionic, at Hannover Messe 2019.

MARKET OVERVIEW

and occupational health and safety. At 1.9 kg, the Paexo is the most lightweight exoskeleton for overhead work.

At Automatica 2018, Comau, the global leader in advanced industrial automation solutions, launched MATE, its first wearable exoskeleton. Designed to improve work quality in an efficient and highly ergonomic manner, MATE works by providing consistent and advanced movement assistance during repetitive as well as daily tasks. It uses an advanced spring-based passive structure and delivers lightweight, breathable and highly effective postural support without the need for batteries, motors or other failure-prone devices.

In December 2020, Comau launched a new version, the MATE-XT, which fully accommodates the specific needs of workers in demanding industrial, non-industrial and open-air environments. Perfect for carpentry, construction, agriculture, assembly, logistics and more, MATE-XT replicates the user’s physiological shoulder movements to provide optimal upper body support and offers 8 different levels of assistance that can be quickly set – or changed – by the worker without interrupting the task at hand.

At the 2019 Hannover Messe, German Bionic, a robotics company, presented the first connected robot exoskeleton compatible with IIoT. The Cray X exoskeleton, having undergone many improvements, is said to be the first cloud connected exoskeleton, enabling complete integration into Smart Factory and Industry 4.0 environments.

Skelex, a Dutch startup, is another company that has successfully introduced an upper body passive skeleton in the market, primarily for the aerospace and automotive industries. Gaurav Genani, an engineer by day is a guitarist after work, performing in a band and nursing a wrist injury, apart from having gait issues not uncommon with guitar players. While doing his master’s thesis on musculoskeletal disorders amongst musicians at TU Delft in Rotterdam, Gaurav had his Eureka moment that led to exoskeletons and the founding of Skelex. What started as an idea in 2013 finally found its way to the market in 2017 as Skelex 360, with Airbus Industrie among its first customers. The Skelex exoskeleton is powered by the proprietary FlexFrame Technology, the device adapting to the user’s body shape, and supporting biological movement of the shoulder joint, transferring the weight to the lower body. Skelex however does not manufacture these exoskeletons, preferring to concentrate on design and innovation, and has outsourced manufacturing to another Dutch company.

Collaboration and outsourced manufacturing is a trend that has caught up in exoskeletons, and even aerospace companies have got into the act. Boeing – one of the largest aerospace manufacturers – has been testing different types of exoskeletons as part of its Working Smart strategy. The company has tested the Ekso Bionics’ EksoVest extensively and found it leads to increased worker strength and speed, as well as reduced fatigue on repetitive tasks, such as overhead drilling. These are now inducted in assembly operations. Lockheed Martin, the well-known global security and aerospace company, manufactures exoskeletons for its own requirements as well as for military

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

9

Ottoblock designs and manufactures the Paexo range of exoskeletons.

Ekso Bionics’ EVO allows full flexibility of the torso and waist.

Hyundai Motor Group’s VEX and CEX exoskeletons.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

10

MARKET OVERVIEW

applications, based on designs of well-known companies like Ekso Bionics and Boston Engineering. While Ekso Bionics has been engaged in developing exoskeleton technology to enhance natural abilities and improve quality of life since 2005, Boston Engineering is a product design company. One of the more interesting exoskeleton products of Lockheed Martin is the FORTIS exoskeleton for handling heavy tools through a spring loaded arm. Held in a gimbal for smooth rotation and flexibility, the FORTIS takes the weight of a heavy tool off the user’s body and directly passes it off into the ground, allowing effortless handling while retaining the controls. Having undergone several revisions since it was first introduced in 2017, the latest version of the FORTIS features a new, redesigned spring arm, which is connected to the exoskeleton at the waist. A set of counterweights at the back keeps the operator steady.

Korean company Hyundai Motor Group is also engaged in research and development of exoskeletons as part of its robotics project. Hyundai’s latest exoskeleton wearable robot, Vest Exoskeleton (VEX), has won the Product Design category (Innovative Product field) at the Red Dot Design Awards, the prestigious international design competition.

VEX was developed in line with Hyundai Motor Group’s commitment to the health and safety of its industrial workers. It is designed to prevent injuries while advancing the field of robotics. The compact design is achieved using the latest technology that eliminates the need for a battery.

VEX, which wears like a backpack, utilises a polycentric axis to provide a maximum force of 5.5 kgf – an astonishing achievement given it weighs only 2.8 kg. In addition to VEX, Hyundai has also designed another lightweight wearable robot, the Chairless Exoskeleton (CEX). With CEX, workers can easily maintain a sitting position without a stool or chair.

While all the examples quoted above are of passive exoskeletons which are more common among industrial versions in general, there are also active exoskeletons available for industrial use. ULS Robotics, a Shanghai based startup designs and develops exoskeletons for industrial applications. The company has already in production three types of industrial exoskeletons for upper body, lower body and the lumbar region respectively. MAPS-U is the upper body exoskeleton with four degrees of freedom that provides 10kg of load assistance to the arms for lifting endurance, also reducing shoulder fatigue while preventing work injuries. HEMS-L is a waist that provides 20kg of load assistance, while HEMS-GS is a lower limb exoskeleton with 12 degrees of freedom and 50kg load bearing capacity. All three models are fully electric with battery power for 5 hours of continuous work and quick and easy replacement facility to continue the job beyond. The company says it has many international clients in the automotive and aviation sectors, as well as logistics.

No article on exoskeletons can ignore the contribution of Dr Homayoon Kazerooni, academician and entrepreneur.

A professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of California, Berkeley, Dr Kazerooni is also the director of Berkeley Robotics and Human Engineering Laboratory. The laboratory’s mission is to develop fundamental scientific and engineering principles on robotics, control sciences, exoskeletons, and bioengineering.

Dr Kazerooni founded Ekso Bionics which became a public

company in 2014, and is the founder and current CEO of US Bionics (DBA suitX), which brings advanced exoskeleton technologies to various markets. Most of the technologies developed in this lab at Berkeley have found their way to market. In fact, suitX offers all three individual exoskeleton modules designed to be able to work in unison to assist the shoulders, back and legs. Each module can be worn individually or in combination to make seven different configurations to cater to customers’ specific needs.

The way ahead The exoskeletons have arrived and are in use across various manufacturing sites and assembly operations globally.

These are getting better and lighter with new materials like ultralight carbon and soft, super strong technical textiles used in their construction. Once prohibitively expensive, exoskeletons are now within the affordable range of large companies, and with growing popularity and mass production, prices are expected to fall further. But it is still early days and the jury is out on the safety and efficacy of the exoskeleton. In the absence of empirical evidence based on detailed studies as well as absence of standards, there are concerns expressed about the health and safety aspects.

For example, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has warned that muscle strain could occur if a powered exoskeleton moves beyond the normal range of motion of a user’s joint. There is also the risk of skin irritation or chemical burns if an exoskeleton battery leaks corrosive materials. A study has pointed out that some upper body exoskeletons do not reduce the total load on the worker, merely shift it from the shoulders to the lower back and legs.

Other risks include pressure wounds or compressed nerves from prolonged use. When such wearable devices are used by multiple users, poor hygiene could spread infectious diseases.

In 2017, ASTM International, the international standards organisation, proposed a guide to provide standardised tools to assess and improve the usability and usefulness of exoskeletons. Accordingly the ASTM Committee F48 was formed to develop voluntary consensus standards for exoskeletons and exosuits. It is currently working on the proposed standard, WK68719, working through six subcommittees that include about 150 members, including startups, government agencies, and enterprises such as Boeing and BMW. The F48 committee has already published the first two standards regarding terminology and Standard Practice for Labelling and Information for Exoskeletons, many others are under development. In February 2021, the committee approved a new standard to help establish ergonomic parameters and test metrics. According to ASTM International board member Christopher Reid, the new standard can be used during the iterative design process of exoskeleton creation as well as for comparisons between commercially off-the-shelf ready systems. It is a work in progress and the standards are still evolving. But the exoskeleton has arrived.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

11

ELECTRONICS

MONTH’S PRODUCT

OUTSTANDING: THE FISCHER LP360™ CONNECTOR WINS IN TWO CATEGORIES OF THE RED DOT AWARD PRODUCT DESIGN 2021

The Red Dot Design Awards stand for outstanding achievements in product design. The jury evaluates thousands of entries each year. For its Fischer LP360™ connectors from the Fischer Freedom™ Series, which have already won numerous industry awards, Fischer Connectors has now been awarded the prestigious Red Dot Award for Product Design in two categories: the “Mobile Phones, Tablets and Wearables” category, and the new “Smart Products” meta-category. The judges praised the connectors’ unique design concept, which makes them both appealing to users and particularly easy to use.

W

hat was rated “smart” in the Fischer LP360TM is the connectivity solution’s multifunctional integration capability and modularity. The new connector is indeed truly multi-talented. It is a miniaturized active device, a fastening mechanism and an electrical signal and power connection all in one.

MORE INFORMATION

The rugged, low-profile connector was expanded in 2019 into a versatile technology platform that serves as an enabler for wearables and connected ecosystems in the Internet of Things and of Humans (IoT/IoH). The breakthrough plugand-use technology benefits both engineers and end-users.

Multiple configuration options facilitate application design.

The panel plug can easily be extended to multifunctional wearables, such as biometric sensors, communication systems, GPS, lighting and bodycams. These can be snapped quickly and easily onto the cabled receptacle, which is integrated into flexible structures like ready-touse smart personal protective equipment (PPE) vests. Since the connector has no key code, it can be plugged in any position, optimizing cable routing and power management.

Contacts are IP68-sealed with a membrane, ensuring that the connector is fully cleanable. The low-profile design enables easy integration into any application, such as smart work vests. Mobile workers thus benefit from lightweight equipment without cable clutter, faster and more intuitive setup, easy handling and cleaning, reliable connectivity, and fast data transmission for enhanced safety and performance.

These features also convinced the Red Dot Award jury. In the citation for the award in the Smart Products category, the jury said: “These connectors impress as a miniaturized

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

12

and, at the same time, versatile technology platform with innovative 360-degree plug-in connectivity.” For the award in the Product Design category, the LP360’s user-friendliness was particularly highlighted: “The LP360 is impressively intuitive to use. It can quickly be inserted into the socket and is integrated into a connected vest, forming a hub.”

The winners of the Red Dot Awards 2021 will be announced during the virtual Red Dot Design Week from June 21-25, 2021. During the entire week, the award winners will be given a digital stage. The event will center on a web special on the Red Dot website. All the award-winning products will be presented there. Moreover, the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany, will display impressions from its two special exhibitions.

• Fischer LP360TM: www.fischerconnectors.com/global/en/ products/lp360tm • Fischer FreedomTM Series: www.fischerconnectors.com/ global/en/fischer-freedom-series • VIDEO Fischer FreedomTM Series: https://youtu.be/hSu_ CxZ-NQw MORE INFORMATION

Jérôme Dabonneville, CTO and R&D Director of the Fischer Connectors Group, explains: “Initially the Fischer LP360TM design had to solve users’ pain points in a way that helped unify the connector’s form and function, transforming“how it works”. On that journey, our teams went beyond our heritage as a connector manufacturer and ended up proposing a connectivity solution platform. The Fischer LP360TM connectors are indeed more than just connectors. They are also smart devices which are opening new doors for designing devices, contributing to the development of the Internet of Things, smart electronic ecosystems, as well as wearable technology and its networking and digitalization.

We are very honored to receive these two Red Dot Awards as a testimonial of the Fischer Connectors Group’s connectivity solution that goes beyond the connector.”

of our achievement in industrial design by renowned experts is also an incentive for us to continue developing our connectivity solutions in such a way that they contribute to a networked industry and to the connected human”.

Jonathan Brossard, CEO of the Fischer Connectors Group: “At Fischer Connectors, we have always seen ourselves as innovation drivers. The development of the Fischer LP360TM is a real milestone in our company history. We’re very proud that our developers’ outstanding performance has now been honored with two Red Dot Awards. This recognition 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

13

AU TO M OT I V E

ROTARY POWER DEVELOPS MOTOR FOR ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE IN BRITISH TRIUMPH

Agile Vehicle Technology’s all-terrain vehicle in West Kalimantan. Agile Vehicle Technology’s all-terrain vehicle in the Scottish Highlands.

Rotary Power has collaborated with Agile Vehicle Technologies to develop a motor for the first of its kind, all-terrain vehicle.

F

ive years ago, Agile spotted a gap in the market for an industrial-grade, hydrostatic vehicle that could operate on any terrain whilst maintaining manoeuvrability, speed, robustness, value for money and a heavy load capacity. Previous multi-terrain vehicles have been notoriously expensive and have issues with durability.

Other vehicles, such as tractors, have a tendency to struggle on more challenging terrains due to their mechanised drive system.

MORE INFORMATION

Keen to work with British suppliers, Agile contacted North East based hydraulic motor manufacturer, Rotary Power.

The challenge was to develop a hydraulic motor that could power each wheel independently, whilst driving additional wheels using an internal chain drive system. This would provide the vehicle with a compact, powerful drive system with an ultra-low centre of gravity.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

14

The solution, a bespoke motor with a unique through shaft that allows the motors to be attached to the vehicle’s chain drive system, as well as the wheel hub. The motor’s twospeed feature allows the vehicle to reach speeds of 40 km/h, whilst providing 4000Nm of torque and an impressive 96% efficiency level.

Stuart Sowray, Chief Designer at Agile, said: “As a start-up, we were working to a really tight budget so it was important to get the design right first time. Laura, one of the Design Engineers at Rotary Power, took a lead on the detailed design work for the motors, which was particularly impressive since this was her first major engineering project. She has been fantastic, she’s really thrown herself into the challenge and it’s been brilliant to watch her develop as an engineer.

“The willingness of Rotary Power to engage with a start-up like us on the technical challenge we presented has been really refreshing. This made a huge difference as made it easier for us to gain funding for our ideas. Their introduction to other manufacturers such as Related Fluid Power, enabled us to access expertise that would have otherwise been difficult to come by. What we’ve achieved collectively is really exciting and it’s been great to bring together

Rotary Power’s motors powering the vehicle’s chain drive system.

innovative engineering companies to develop a groundbreaking product.”

The resulting eight wheeled vehicle provides an unparalleled solution that combines a fully sealed water-tight body with a 1.8 metre wide, three-way tippable load bed and two tonne capacity. The vehicle’s ultra-low ground pressure means it can function on any terrain without causing damage. The underlying hydraulic base can be reconfigured for a variety of applications including firefighting, agriculture, recreation, sport and forestry.

Laura Parnaby, Design Engineer at Rotary Power, said: “It has been a great learning experience collaborating with the customer on this project. I have had the opportunity to visit them at several locations to carryout data acquisition and witness the vehicle successfully operating in extremely challenging conditions. Seeing our motors performing in the field was so rewarding and gathering ‘real life’ application data was invaluable.”

Agile are working on further reconfigurations of the vehicle using the hydraulic drive system developed by Rotary Power. Involving robotics, sensors and autonomous features will allow the vehicle to operate in the most uninhabitable environments. The flexibility of the initial design concept means that the vehicle can be adapted for almost any application.

Neil Brunt summarised: “There’s not a vehicle anywhere in the world that’s got the same performance in such a compact design. There’s nothing like it and that’s down to the collaboration of Rotary Power, ourselves and other associated partners such as Related Fluid Power who, together, have achieved something that no one has ever done before. It’s a real British triumph.”

MORE INFORMATION

Since being manufactured in the UK, the machine has been tested in a number of environments including a fruit farm in West Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. The vehicle is particularly useful for this application as it can manoeuvre through water logged ground during the rainy season, whilst creating minimal damage to the plants’ ground roots.

Other vehicles are unable to access the fruits during the rainy season and so many are left to rot and go to waste.

Neil Brunt, Director of Global Operations at Agile, explained further: “The rainy season currently forces farmers to waste a high percentage of their crop because they can’t access it. Our vehicle solves this problem by allowing farmers to access existing plants all year round, maximising the harvest gained and minimising wastage. This increases both the profitability and sustainability of the farming industry in West Kalimantan.”

https://rotarypower.com/

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

15

CABLES

THOUSANDS OF CLEATS SUPPLIED TO MAJOR NUCLEAR PROJECT

Leading manufacturer of cable glands, cleats and accessories, CMP Products, has supplied thousands of products to the world’s largest experimental nuclear fusion project.

T

he ITER research reactor will mimic the sun’s nuclear processes aiming to produce its first plasma in December 2025, potentially paving the way for fusion power of the future. Approximately 50,000 of CMP’s Patriot trefoil and Falcon single cable cleats installed across 94km distance of cables, are capable of withstanding short circuits of 86 kA – and a dynamic force of 34,000 N/m.

CMP’s dedicated cleat R&D team carried out short circuit calculations and analysis in support of the bid, which drew from a bank of several hundred tests previously conducted in CMP’s research centre. A detailed guide was presented to the nuclear installation teams, advising spacing and fixing requirements, taking into account axial load calculations and maximising the limited physical space.

MORE INFORMATION

Kathleen Kearns, European Manager, said: “We are seeing significant demand for products for the nuclear market and our work with ITER, demonstrates our ability to provide suitably certified and tested products for this complex industry. Our experienced cable cleats development team spent a great deal of time interrogating the project specification, liaising with ITER, to ensure that the product offering suited the application and could be installed with ease.”

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

16

CMP provided a series of installation training sessions, demonstrating best practice methods to installers. The team also visited the site to carry out hands-on product training, drawing from similar project experiences.

Jean-Baptiste Praud, who was pivotal in securing the project for CMP said: “It was a major opportunity for CMP to become involved in this ground breaking project and to work so closely with the client and their subcontractors to ensure we had a complete understanding of the project requirements. “CMP has demonstrated its ‘nuclear safety culture’ through internal training specifically tailored around the nuclear industry and recently achieving ‘Fit4Nuclear’ status developed by the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.”

Since launching the product range in 2015, the business has seen the product line go from strength to strength, exploring new markets and investing in a 50,000sq. ft facility dedicated to the development, design and manufacture of cable cleats. https://www.cmp-products.com

ELECTRONICS

DELTA LAUNCHES M125HV GEN2 SOLAR PV STRING INVERTER FOR LARGE GROUND-MOUNTED SOLAR POWER PLANTS

140 kVA, three-phase string inverter offers 99.1 percent peak efficiency and is now quieter.

D

elta, a global leader in power and thermal management solutions, today announced the launch of its solar string inverter M125HV series Generation 2, an updated version of its its popular 140 kVA inverterfor large ground-mounted photovoltaic arrays.

The M125HV Gen2 offers the same maximum output of its predecessor but now operates at a quieter 71.5 dB(A) level while still offering peak efficiency of 99.1 percent.

Strong performance, lower noise The M125HV Gen2 accommodates input voltages ranging between 860 and 1500 volts DC with a maximum sporadic voltage of 1600 volts. Up to 20 strings can be attached via Amphenol connectors, for instance as part of utility-scale ground-mounted installations. The peak efficiency of 99.1 percent ensures high yields. By accepting high input voltages, the latest Delta inverter can reduce the amount of current cables must transport, which allows installers to use smaller gauge wire and minimize energy loss.

Rugged, safe, durable Intelligent cooling combines natural convection with quieter active ventilation. The M125HV Gen2 is IP65-rated

The M125HV Gen2 at a glance • 99.1 percent peak efficiency • As many as 20 strings via Amphenol connectors • Remote control and monitoring via Fieldbus • Type-2 surge protection preinstalled on the input and output sides • Aluminum housing with IP65 protection • Protection class II terminal box and robust screw terminals on AC side • All-in-one-design with two mechanical DC disconnectors • No electrolytic capacitors • Pro-EL (Electroluminescence) feature • Data point collection for string monitoring and I-V curve creation • Reactive power supplied 24/7 • Anti-PID technology • Sunspec-compatible

MORE INFORMATION

“The M125HV Gen2 includes everything that made the Gen1 so popular with customers but is even quieter now,” said Andreas Hoischen, Senior Director, Business Unit Photovoltaic Inverters for Delta EMEA.

and uses Type-2 surge protection devices on the input and output sides. By avoiding the use of electrolytic capacitors, a longer service life may be possible.

The updated M125HV Gen2 inverter is available from Delta in Q1/2021 in selected European countries. http://www.delta-emea.com

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

17

ELECTRONICS

THERMAL IMAGING TO BREAK THE CHAIN OF INFECTION

The corona pandemic has clearly demonstrated to the whole world just what a highly contagious virus can do. Tourists and travellers have unintentionally contributed to the spread of the disease. Detecting infected persons on arrival at airports is key in breaking a potential chain of infection. Here, thermal imaging cameras can make a decisive contribution. Motors from FAULHABER help these cameras capture precise images and measurement values in a fraction of a second.

T

he idea of mass temperature monitoring is nothing new. Its introduction and increased use was prompted by the localised epidemics caused by the SARS, MERS and Ebola viruses. In view of the acute health risks that these viruses pose, some countries already began using thermal scans at airports and other points of arrival a number of years ago in order to at least hinder the spread of the diseases. As a result of COVID-19, this method is now increasingly being used all over the world.

MORE INFORMATION

Fever is usually a symptom of an infectious disease. Even if the increased temperature is not necessarily caused by the coronavirus, it is an indication that closer examination is required. If a traveller is found to have a high temperature, targeted tests can then be carried out and further immediate measures taken.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

18

Fast and contact-free A major advantage of temperature measurement using thermal imaging cameras is its suitability for mass monitoring. The procedure is contact-free, takes just a few seconds and can be automated. This means it can be used at airports, at border controls or in other “sluice” situations without freedom of movement being significantly restricted or large numbers of people having to undergo cumbersome procedures. For example, South Korea also adopted the method during the parliamentary election on 15th April 2020: The body temperature of every voter was measured before they entered the polling station. This could be the reason why the country has managed to control the coronavirus particularly well compared to the rest of the world.

The inner corner of the eyelid is the most suitable spot on a person’s face for fast and relatively reliable temperature measurement. Unlike the forehead, for example, which can cool down significantly as a result of perspiration, the

A less well known but widespread application for thermography is quality control. Whether metal, plastic or glass – a precisely set temperature during thermal processing steps is often a decisive factor in the quality of a product. This is why processes such as hot-rolling, lamination or glass hardening are frequently monitored using thermal imaging cameras. In the case of solar cells, thermography reveals structural damage by detecting energy-inefficient “hot spots”. Thermography also plays a key role in safety technology. A thermal scan can, for example, make overheated components visible long before they reach a critical condition.

In atmospheric and space research, a completely different method is used: the quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP). It consists of alternate layers of extremely thin semiconductor material and utilises a quantum effect. The layers limit the quantum-mechanical states that a particle can assume there. Incoming infrared waves influence the state and from this it is possible to obtain meaningful images. These images are characterised by extremely highresolution “colours”.

There are also devices that do not use the available thermal radiation, but instead make use of active illumination.

An infrared light source illuminates the observed scene in the same way as a standard photographic lamp – the thermal imaging camera becomes a night-vision device.

This method is used in, for example, anti-terror operations in dark rooms. The infrared light remains invisible to the targeted individuals.

temperature at the corner of the eye is extremely constant.

It can be determined using the infrared radiation emitted by the body’s surface. Most thermal imaging cameras capture this radiation in a similar way to normal digital cameras using an image sensor with up to one million pixels.

Each pixel is a tiny bolometer, a thermal receiver measuring a few square micrometres. It takes less than 10 milliseconds for the thermal radiation to heat the bolometer, which is just 150 nanometres thin, by approximately one fifth of the temperature difference between the object temperature and the bolometer’s own temperature. The sum of these values is used to calculate the temperature profile on the captured surface. Represented visually, this produces a thermal image with the familiar colour shading – the brighter the colour, the higher the temperature.

To enable focusing and zooming, optical devices are often equipped with precious-metal commutated DCmicromotors of the 1524 ... SR series. They achieve extremely high performance values with minimal space requirements.

Motors measuring 8-10mm in diameter are used in cases where drives need to fit inside minute microlenses. For example, stepper motors of type ADM0620 in combination with an integrated lead screw are ideal for moving filters and shutters. FAULHABER also offers an extensive range of motors as well as matching gearheads, encoders and other accessories. They provide the optimum solution for almost every application. The drive components can be found in many conventional optical devices where they have been successfully tried and tested for many years. This also applies to the automatic, motorised alignment of the cameras on pan-tilt mounts. The FAULHABER compact and low-vibration stepper motors in particular are predestined for such applications.

MORE INFORMATION

Thermal pixels and quantum well Apart from the bolometer, there are other methods of measuring temperature contact-free and “optically”. For example, certain sensor types detect the wavelength of the radiation and use it to determine the temperature.

Bolometers and wavelength detection are not only used for clinical temperature measurement in humans. Another familiar application is searching for temperature leaks in the insulation of buildings. The coloured thermal image immediately indicates where heat – or cold in the case of air-conditioned buildings – is being lost.

Optics in motorised motion No matter which method is used, electromagnetic waves must always be “collected”, bundled and guided for measurement and imaging. This is essentially done in the same way as for conventional photography in visible light.

The same optical elements are used: Lenses are moved for focusing and zooming; apertures are adjusted, filters brought into position and shutters operated. In the case of the widely used bolometer, the thermal pixels must additionally be recalibrated at short intervals so that points with the same temperature have the same brightness in the image. For this purpose, most devices have a black shutter which is automatically moved in front of the sensor in order to calibrate all pixels to the same value. The quicker the shutter moves, the shorter the time during which measurement cannot performed.

https://www.faulhaber.com/en/home/ 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

19

ELECTRONICS

DEEP INSIGHT WITH LIGHT REVOLUTION

How do you make a car rim glow without melting the tyre? Patrick Llewelyn-Davies does it with light, and thereby creates an unusually enlightening picture of this everyday object. His Light Revolution System redefines the contrast of light and shadow, as it uniformly irradiates the object from a complete circular path. A precision motor from FAULHABER ensures the uniform movement of the lamps and exact adherence to 360 degrees.

M

ost photographs have the snapshot noise in common: whether a smartphone selfie or an artistic professional photograph – the shutter allows the light to pass through the aperture for just a fraction of a second. Fittingly, the analog shutter noise is even simulated by fully digital cameras to acoustically mark the brief moment in which the image is captured.

But there is also a long tradition of light painting, in which the aperture remains open for an extended period of time and moving lights leave their trace on the negative or image sensor. Fascinating images and views can be created using this technique. A familiar example is the red and white streaks of light from headlights and tail lights that can be seen on long-exposure images of motorways at night. Unlike with “normal” photography, movement is not stopped, but rather captured.

MORE INFORMATION

Plastic glow British photographer Patrick Llewelyn-Davies bridges the gap between “moving” light painting and still life. In his images, the resting object is at the centre, and he uses the moving light like a pen for colouring in. Only that he adds no additional colour to his images. Instead, he causes the objects to glow and illuminate. His use of light also allows for the creation of new and sometimes X-ray-like glimpses into the photographed objects. They take on a quasi three 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

20

dimensional plasticity even though they never optically leave the 2D world.

or less than 360 degrees. And they should accomplish this in precisely the specified amount of time.”

The secret to the light-painted still lives is a seemingly simple apparatus called “Light Revolution System”, which has two meanings. Revolution here means both rotation as well as a fundamental renewal. Two intensely bright LED lights complete a cycle around a round table on which the object of the photographic efforts has been placed. It generally takes six seconds for them to complete their rotation. The time can be varied, however, depending on the desired light effect. The system does not just travel a round path but rather opens completely new possibilities for photographic image composition – there has never before been anything like it on the market.

The inventor/photographer reports of earlier attempts with simpler components that were not able to meet these requirements. The greatest challenge was in moving the central axis of the system both very precisely as well as jerkfree. At the same time, the portable device needed to be as light as possible. When making the selection of the right drive, the experts of the British FAULHABER sales partner EMS provided assistance. “The support from EMS was great,” explains Patrick Llewelyn-Davies. “They provided the necessary technical expertise for the drive and the controller.

It is decisive for the high quality of the product. Moreover, motors from FAULHABER have proven themselves in highly critical areas such as aerospace. That’s how I knew that they would have the accuracy and reliability required by the Light Revolution System.”

The experts from EMS identified the brushless motors of the BX4 series as the optimum solution. They were able to ensure the desired precision and repeatability of the sequence. “Once we selected a motor family, we could try different sizes without intervening in the programming”, explains Dave Walsha, Commercial Development Officer at EMS, with regard to the joint development work. “As a result, we were able to respond very flexibly to changes to the system.” Thanks to the compact and lightweight design of the BX4 motors, the “ideal weight” was also maintained.

MORE INFORMATION

Maximum precision during rotary motion The lights are fastened to two arms and can be adjusted in height to achieve different angles of incidence. The arms are firmly attached to the rotating central axis. At first glance, this arrangement does not call for any spectacular technology, but in detail, maximum precision and extremely smooth operation are decisive. “Any pause or jerk in the rotation, regardless of how short, would result in uneven illumination,” explains Patrick Llewelyn-Davies. “There would be brighter and darker patches that would affect or destroy the intended effect. The same applies for travelling the complete circle. The arms must not move one degree more

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

21

Detailed 3D models of museum objects Of course, the photographer thoroughly tested his Light Revolution System himself. In his online gallery, you can admire examples of the unique light effects that he has achieved with his system. The “glow” that he elicits from unassuming everyday objects like a chicken egg or a fishhook is created by placing the circling LED lamps very low above the table. Because part of the light is laterally reflected by the objects onto the base, a glowing aura is created that appears to emanate from within the objects.

MORE INFORMATION

The system is currently being tested in various application areas. Instead of the lights, a camera can also be attached to one of the arms. If it is attached to an arc-shaped arm, the object can be photographed at a uniform distance from various angles. This method is used, e.g., by museums to calculate high-resolution 3D models of their valuable objects from image data. Researchers can then exchange this data worldwide and use it for their studies. Furthermore, precise replicas can be created using 3D printing. “Up to now, a considerable amount of hand work was associated with the creation of such images,” says Patrick LlewelynDavies. “With the Light Revolution System, the process can be largely automated and greatly accelerated.” https://www.faulhaber.com/en/home/

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

22

ELECTRONICS

COMPONENT CARRIERS REPLACE FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS IN LINEAR MEASURING SYSTEMS

Two sensors for detecting the position of a linear slide // Elimination of flex PCBs to implement a 90° angle between the IC and PCB (A) // Status LEDs integrated on a small component carrier (B) // Simplification of assembly

By harnessing this all new HARTING development, electronic components can be fitted directly onto the component carrier, thereby replacing flexible circuit boards.

HARTING has developed a component carrier that can be used directly with electronic components eliminating manual assembly and replacing flexible PCBs. Increasing precision and reducing assembly costs.

Component carriers are equipped with measuring sensors for detecting position The component carrier serves as a connecting element between a printed circuit board (PCB) and electronic components (such as LEDs, ICs, photo–diodes or sensors).

The component carrier with the assembled electronic components, comes in a blister pack for further processing in SMD assembly facilities, and the soldered components are secured with an adhesive so that they cannot detach from their position while in the reflow oven.

MORE INFORMATION

The measuring sensors of a scanning head for position detection, for example on a linear slide with guide rails, are often mounted onto flex PCBs. As magnetic, optical or inductive systems, they record the exact position of the slide.

To do this the sensors must be positioned exactly at a 90 degree angle. The capability to mount these as precisely as possible improves the accuracy of the measurement results.

A second sensor is often installed in the measuring head for redundancy. In addition, the status of the evaluation electronics is displayed using LEDs; these are mounted onto a flex PCB.

With HARTING’s component carrier the flexible PCB can be replaced completely. The injection-moulded plastic body already provides very precise 90-degree angles for mounting sensors. The component carrier eliminates the need for time-consuming manual assembly of the flex PCB. In addition, the sensors are positioned more precisely.

Another advantage of the component carrier is that the width of the sensor modules can be further reduced to less than 8 mm.

For more info visit: www.3d-mid.ch

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

23

ELECTRONICS

SERIAL PRODUCTION OF HEXADRONE’S TUNDRA MODULAR TOOL-CARRIER DRONE WITH FISCHER CONNECTORS’ RUGGED, MINIATURE CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS

The Tundra in flight.

Hexadrone unveiled its first serial drone, the Tundra, a ruggedized, multi-functional, modular drone that will be industrially manufactured in a factory under construction in France. The Tundra uses ultra-rugged, miniature Fischer UltiMate™ and Fischer MiniMax™ connectivity solutions, able to withstand the harsh environments the drone may need to operate in.

R

esulting from more than three years of development, the Tundra is the first French modular, multi-rotor drone. Designed in Hexadrone’s workshops in the Haute-Loire in an open innovation logic, this collaborative tool carrier, in its beta version, won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award in 2018.

MORE INFORMATION

Unveiled on April 30, 2021 in its serial version, the Tundra is a unique 100% modular, multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), designed and manufactured as a development hub for integrators. The body is equipped with numerous interfaces that allow the integration of accessories, sensors and other modules already available on the market, or the development of new ones. This enables the Tundra to adapt to custom features and rapid changes in the state of the art, which also helps it combat obsolescence.

The drone’s arms are interchangeable and easy to remove.

The user can choose from three different types, depending on the various missions and flight scenarios planned. With the most durable arms, the Tundra can carry a payload 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

24

of up to four kilos for a flight time of 30 minutes – a high performance in the world of multirotor drones.

The serial production of the Tundra, made possible thanks to the construction of an industrial building underway in Saint Ferréol d’Auroure in the Haute-Loire, is the logical next step in this drone’s development that meets the market needs analyzed by Alexandre Labesse, Hexadrone’s Chairman and Founder: “With this multifunctional, modular tool carrier, our customers are opening up the field of possibilities in their collaborative projects and lowering their development costs when they adapt the drone to users’ new needs and new technologies on the market. This is not possible with most of today’s drones, which are designed for a single type of use and quickly become obsolete due to rapid technological advances. In response to obsolescence, we’ve opted for adaptability and durability.”

The Tundra’s durability is ensured through a robust design that allows for intensive use in the field. The drone is waterproof and can cope with harsh conditions. Moreover,

The Fischer UltiMate™ Series interface on the Tundra’s body.

The Tundra with Yellowscan’s Mapper, equipped with three Fischer MiniMaxTM Series connectors.

The standard interface module can be adapted with Fischer MiniMaxTM connections.

transportation and assembly in the field are easy, as the landing gear can be fitted and the arms screwed on in less than a minute.

Two types of robust, miniature connector for intensive, durable use To fulfill the drone’s technical requirements for modularity, reliability, durability, ruggedness and ease of use, Hexadrone chose Fischer Connectors’ high-performance, ultra-robust, push-pull connectivity solutions. The Tundra comes equipped with a rugged Fischer UltiMate™ USB 2.0 connector that is waterproof and reliable in all conditions.

The standard interfaces can accommodate external modules linked, among others, by Fischer MiniMax™ connectors and cabling, which optimize the high-density miniaturization of on-board electronics, such as a companion computer, a storage module, a security key or a lidar that the Tundra can be fitted with for certain aerial remote-sensing missions using lasers.

technical requirements in terms of robustness and reliability, miniaturization, sealing up to IP68, and data transmission”.

• Tundra: www.tundra.hexadrone.fr • Shop for Hexadrone’s drone: https://hexadrone.fr/ • Fischer UltiMate™ Series: www.fischerconnectors.com/ global/en/fischer-ultimatetm-series • Fischer MiniMax™ Series: www.fischerconnectors.com/ global/en/fischer-minimaxtm-series • F ischer Connectors’ solutions for UAVs: www. fischerconnectors.com/global/en/applications/roboticsunmanned-vehicles

MORE INFORMATION

Guy Lacroix, Director of Fischer Connectors France, is very happy with the technological partnership established throughout this rugged drone’s development: “We’ve been supporting the Tundra’s innovations from the outset. Our experts are gratified to have been able to see the project through to serial production with suitable connectivity solutions. Since connectivity lies at the heart of this rugged UAV, our high-performance solutions proposed in this modular offering cover the whole range of integrators’ 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

25

ELECTRONICS

DUNKERMOTOREN IS FIRST DRIVE TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURER TO INTEGRATE CERTIFIED PROFINET WITH PROFIDRIVE IN SERVO MOTOR

Since the end of February 2021, Dunkermotoren’s fully integrated PROFINET solution has been officially certified by the PROFIBUS user organization.

T

his means another important feature is fully integrated into the motor, which is a milestone in terms of cabling, commissioning and IIoT capability.

Dunkermotoren, the world leader in brushless DC motors with integrated electronics from 1 to 4000 watts, is the first drive technology manufacturer to fully integrate its certified PROFINET solution with PROFIdrive into a motor.

The certification assures Dunkermotoren that the high standards of stability, even under extreme bus conditions, are always maintained. Currently the products BG 95 dPro, BG 75 dPro, BG 66 dPro and the BGE 5510 dPro are available with PROFINET interface, covering the output power from 1 to 4000 W.

MORE INFORMATION

https://www.dunkermotoren.com/en/

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

26

ELECTRONICS

DUNKERMOTOREN LAUNCHES ITS ONLINE SHOP 2.0

Dunkermotoren launches its new online shop.

T

he new online shop is based on an online product configurator that the drive manufacturer already integrated into the website in 2018. This enables customers to configure the perfect drive online from 125,000 possible configurations, check availabilities and order directly. The matching drive specifications and 3D models can also be downloaded directly.

The new online shop is available immediately for all European countries under https://shop.dunkermotoren.de.

Variants for the USA and China will follow over the year. https://www.dunkermotoren.com/en/configuration/ shop/#/dashboard

MORE INFORMATION

Not only does the online shop offer new customers a great overview of Dunkermotoren’s product portfolio, but existing customers can also order their products quickly and easily.

Special conditions and agreements are automatically applied in the online shop. Known article numbers can be entered directly in the shop, and customers can also find a history of all previous orders in their dashboard, regardless of whether they were placed via the shop or in the traditional way.

Express production for Dunkermotoren products will be further expanded in the course of this. Currently, more than 2,000 products from the stock program can be configured, ordered and delivered within a few days.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

27

E N E R G Y / P O W E R

REDUCE HEAT EXCHANGER MAINTENANCE INTERVALS WITH WATLOW’S NEW HELIMAX™ ULTRA-EFFICIENT ELECTRIC HEAT EXCHANGER

Watlow®, an industry leader in the design and manufacture of complete thermal systems, introduces its new HELIMAX™ ultra-efficient electric heat exchanger with Continuous Helical Flow Technology™, which helps reduce the coking and fouling typically associated with standard heat exchangers. Diminishing the coking and fouling rates can minimize heat exchanger maintenance intervals ultimately reducing downtime.

S

ome heat exchanger design methods, such as segmental baffles, have known dead zones where hot spots can occur. These fluctuations within the heat exchanger to either the sheath or tube skin temperature or the localized flow rate are common causes of coking and fouling, which can lead to system failures and expensive downtime.

MORE INFORMATION

HELIMAX with Continuous Helical Flow Technology enables ultra-high heat transfer rates that lowers the skin and shell temperature rise above the process fluid and offers the ability to push the limit on high outlet temperature applications. It also minimizes fluid bypass assuring tighter sheath temperature control and provides smaller shell diameters. As a result, high pressures can often be handled with thinner shell walls or without resorting to expensive exotic materials.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

28

“Watlow is excited to now offer the new HELIMAX heat exchanger to our customers,” said Dennis Long, director of strategic marketing. “HELIMAX’s Continuous Helical Flow Technology improves the velocity profile on the heating elements, allowing better heat transfer and flow rates improving overall system performance. This technology also reduces coking and fouling which keeps a system up and running. All of this in a smaller profile … the product is a win for any application requiring a heat exchanger.”

HELIMAX is smaller and lighter weight compared to traditional heat exchangers offering significant benefits to space constraint applications such as offshore platforms or floating production storage and offloading vessels. www.watlow.com

FOOD PROCESS

SAFELY CONTROL FERMENTATION PROCESSES

In fermentation processes, gases and liquids must be metered or controlled as precisely and repeatedly as possible over a broad flow range. Bürkert offers a wide range of products for this purpose and will be giving a live presentation at ACHEMA Pulse to show how intelligent fluidic and sensor solutions contribute to safe results.

O

perating fermenters safely for the production of vaccines, medicines or hormones is demanding.

Precisely regulating gases and liquids over a wide flow range, sometimes for weeks at a time, requires knowhow. In addition, strict hygiene requirements and standards must be met. Bürkert Fluid Control Systems has incorporated this knowledge into the development and production of its intelligent fluidic and sensor solutions and will be providing information on system solutions and components for a safe and reproducible fermentation process in a live presentation as part of the digital ACHEMA Pulse on 15 June at 12:30 pm (CEST).

Live presentation shows innovative fermentation equipment Complex biochemical processes usually require individually adapted solutions and these are usually expensive. Bürkert therefore relies on standard components that are offered both individually and in system solutions with sensors, communication and control.

The first part of the presentation deals with the added values of the low-maintenance mass flow controllers, which supply gases such as air, N2, O2 and CO2 for atmosphere control in the fermentation process. They work particularly precisely and can be used flexibly due to their large control range.

The second part focuses on a closer look at the Robolux system in the context of fermentation processes. With this compact multi-way diaphragm valve system, dead spaces can be minimised as far as possible, parallel processes can be integrated and different media flows can be controlled and monitored.

MORE INFORMATION

With the help of mass flow controllers (MFC), multi-way diaphragm valve systems or FLOWave sensors, gases or liquids can be supplied precisely and with repeatable accuracy. Where necessary, a hygienic, low dead space design allows efficient clean-in-place and accelerated cleaning processes. The conditions for sensitive bacteria, yeasts or cell cultures are guaranteed to be optimal at every stage of production this way. This ensures consistent, safe operation and minimises losses of the usually expensive products that can result from contamination or incorrect dosing. Process control by means of intelligent interfaces takes place via distributed automation. The user thus also receives process and diagnostic data at the same time, which

enables documentation and monitoring of the fermentation process and thus increases safety.

The third part looks at the advantages of modern flow control and flow measurement and shows process monitoring, for example when feeding additives. https://www.burkert.com/en

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

29

H VA C

CIAT LAUNCHES #CIAT4LIFE IN EUROPE TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS IMPROVED INDOOR AIR QUALITY FOR EVERYDAY LIFE

Now more than ever, indoor air quality (IAQ) – and how it influences personal health – is critically important. Indoor environments should be controlled, safe, comfortable, and reliable. Today, CIAT shares its commitment to help preserve the health and well-being of everyone in everyday life with the launch of #CIAT4life, a campaign to spread awareness of CIAT’s advanced IAQ solutions and services to help create healthier indoor environments. CIAT is part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of healthy, safe, and sustainable building and cold chain solutions.

T

MORE INFORMATION

o meet the challenges, of pollution factors and the risk of spreading airborne diseases, CIAT provides a range of air conditioning solutions specially designed to deliver improved IAQ. Recognized for its airside expertise, CIAT provides confidence, tailored solutions, advice and efficiency. CIAT is committed to helping customers transform each of their buildings into a decisive shield against airborne intruders.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

30

Through #CIAT4life, CIAT strives to support customers improve their IAQ with its new BluEdgeTM service platform, CIAT delivers a best-in-class service and aftermarket offering, providing peace of mind to customers with superior service throughout the lifecycle of their HVAC equipment. CIAT offers expert services such as consultation, implementation, and continuous monitoring to advice consumer restart, operate, maintain, and upgrade their buildings safely and efficiently. Through its Indoor Air Quality Assessments, CIAT can test air quality and develop and implement upgrades to help ensure optimal filtration, ventilation, airflow, and controls for their customers. CIAT experts can also develop and implement company wide IAQ engineering standards.

CIAT offers innovative technologies to help address pollution factors and the risk of spreading disease, pathogens, and bacteria. CIAT, offers new equipment and retrofit including innovative filtration technologies with various terminal

NEWS

filters and HEPA filters for particulate matters. CIAT also offers devices using UV-C light, to help remove volatile organic compounds and improve IAQ thanks to UV photocatalytic oxidation.

To help create a safer space, CIAT has developed the CIAT CLEAN LINETM Dual Mode Air Scrubber & Negative Air Machine. As an air scrubber, the unit can improve IAQ by helping to filter the smallest particle sizes that may carry bacteria and pathogens, then discharging cleaner air back in the room. The machine can also create negative pressure to prevent air from spreading to adjacent rooms in the building.

“CIAT is proud to offer solutions and services to improve indoor environments for everyone in everyday life through innovative IAQ technologies,” said Juan Jose Francisco Diez, Marketing Manager, Airside Products, HVAC Europe, CIAT. “Customers can rely on the expertise of our fully dedicated airside Research and Design Centre and laboratory in Culoz, France, to offer the best innovations in airside applications.”

MORE INFORMATION

www.ciat.com

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

31

H VA C

CARRIER LAUNCHES HEALTHY BUILDINGS PROGRAM IN EUROPE TO HELP CUSTOMERS REINVENT THEIR BUILDINGS FOR OCCUPANT HEALTH

Advanced solutions deliver healthy, safe, efficient and productive indoor environments for commercial buildings and more.

A

MORE INFORMATION

s people around the world adjust to a new normal, the health of our buildings – and how they influence personal health – is critically important.

Today, Carrier introduced its Healthy Buildings Program in Europe, an expanded suite of advanced solutions to help deliver healthy, safe, efficient and productive indoor environments across key verticals including commercial buildings, healthcare, hospitality, education and retail. In support of this, Carrier today also launched www.carrier. com/commercial/en/eu/ to help customers consult with Carrier’s experts to take advantage of the broad range of industry-leading healthy building technologies. Carrier is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE:CARR) a leading global provider of healthy, safe and sustainable building and cold chain solutions.

“COVID-19 has reinforced the important role that buildings play in helping to ensure and protect public health,” said Didier Genois, Vice President and General Manager, HVAC Europe Air Conditioning. “As people return to work, hotels greet guests, schools welcome back students and stores reopen, indoor air quality and safe buildings are of paramount importance. For the economy to successfully recover, people need to have trust in the safety of the buildings they are entering. New technologies like microscopic filtration systems have gone from nice-to-have conveniences to must-have protections. The Carrier Healthy Buildings Program can help enable healthier and safer indoor environments as we get back to our new normal.”

As a founding member of the International WELL Building Institute, Carrier has long been an industry leader in enhancing building health to promote personal health.

Now, it’s essential that the world have the solutions and services that enable healthy environments.

“The company that invented modern air conditioning is uniquely positioned to deliver healthy building expertise,” said Rajan Goel, who leads Carrier’s Healthy Buildings Program as the head of Carrier’s Building Solutions Group.

“Through the Healthy Buildings Program, Carrier’s experts will work closely with customers to not only design but

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

32

NEWS

operate, maintain and upgrade buildings that protect what’s most important – the health of those inside.”

Carrier’s Healthy Buildings Program will draw from a comprehensive suite of solutions and services designed to help improve indoor air quality (IAQ), increase outside air ventilation. These include, but are not limited to, the following: Carrier Healthy Building Services Through its new BluEdge service platform, Carrier is able to deliver best-in-class service and aftermarket offering.

Leveraging our unmatched product expertise, the BluEdge service platform provides customers with superior service throughout the lifecycle of their HVAC equipment. Carrier offers expert services such as consultation, implementation and continuous monitoring. These services can enable customers to restart, operate, maintain and upgrade their buildings safely and efficiently. These include: IAQ Assessment to test air quality and develop and implement upgrades to help ensure optimal filtration, ventilation, airflow and controls. Carrier experts can also develop and implement company-wide IAQ engineering standards.

particulate matter. Carrier also offers devices using UVC light and bipolar ionisation, which are intended to target pathogens, and UV photocatalytic oxidation to help remove volatile organic compounds and improve IAQ. OptiCleanTM 39UV Negative Air Machine creates pressure to prevent air from spreading to different sections of a building.

If negative pressure is not required, the machine can be used as an air “scrubber” to pull air in, remove contaminants and discharge cleaner air back into a room. https://www.carrier.com/commercial/de/de/

MORE INFORMATION

Carrier Healthy Building Technologies In addition to Carrier’s comprehensive HVAC, fire, security and controls product offering, Carrier’s Healthy Buildings offering includes: Filtration technologies, available in new equipment and for retrofits, include various terminal filters, HEPA filters for 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

33

I N T R A LO G I S C T I C S

SOMIRAM TESTS EXPERTCARE, VERLINDE’S LIFTING DEVICE MONITORING MODULE AND APPS

Somiram is an industrial company for the maintenance and renovation of handling equipment, is a member of VERLINDE’s after-sales service and of the EUROPONT network. The company specializes in the expertise of overhead handling mechanisms such as bridge cranes, jib cranes, gantries, conveyors or storage and retrieval cranes.

S

MORE INFORMATION

omiram manufactures standard lifting mechanisms but also studies and produces bespoke equipment.

The quality of its services has made it a dependable partner for large industrial groups and SMEs alike. Somiram operates in the automotive, timber and agrifood industries.

Business is concentrated in the east of France. Somiram is currently confirming the advantages of VERLINDE’s EXPERTCARE remote monitoring application for lifting mechanisms, rolled out in the Spring of 2020, with one of its long-standing customers who produces and assembles land-based and marine engines.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

34

Somiram is helping its customer for the load testing of their equipment, in addition to the design, assembly and maintenance of their lifting mechanisms. The production site in Mulhouse manufactures and assembles land-based engines, used as generators and control units for pumps and compressors. It also manufactures marine engines at the site mainly for the propulsion of ships but also as auxiliary power for fishing boats, coastal trade, dredging and unloading equipment, high-speed patrol boats and ferries.

Load tilting, a highly technical solution Two lifting units mounted on a double-girder crane (10 tons SWL), designed, manufactured and installed by Somiram, are used for the assembly of parts and the shifting of finished or half-finished equipment. Some of these operations require load tilting. This manoeuvre is complex and requires two lifting units on the same trolley because the centre of gravity of the load offsets to a single hook. Somiram’s new trolley is fitted with two EUROBLOC VT type hoists (SWL of 5 tons for each) with true vertical lift for a max. load capacity of 10 tons, a height of lift of 9m, lift speeds of 10 and 1.7 m/min,

travel speeds of 20 and 5 m/min and transfer speeds of 32 and 8 m/min.

VERLINDE EUROBLOC VT electric wire rope hoists, designed for loads of from 800 to 80,000 kg, can boast no less than 13 patents for their design. Here they are equipped with load limiters with EXPERTCARE’s MT2 module and apps which calculates the SWP, counts the number of manoeuvres and overloads as well as a load summing unit for the 2 lifting mechanisms in order not to exceed the max. utilized load of the crane, together with VVF drives on the 2 horizontal shafts.

and contactors together with a readout of the load, the internal MT2 temperature and the time of operation. MT2 parameters can be transferred by email.

Somiram systematically carries out a complementary check on EXPERTCARE data by means of an inspection platform.

Somiram’s CEO, Mr Tissot, has seen for himself that there is no discrepancy between data displays and visual checks. https://www.verlinde.com/en/home-2/

Supervized maintenance The EXPERTCARE module is used in the main for the maintenance of heavy-duty mechanisms or for high valueadded cranes. The system consists of a wireless dongle that reads the data of the MT2 installed on a EUROBLOC VT-type hoist mounted on the overhead crane.

MORE INFORMATION

The immediate advantage of the application is the display of information on a smartphone or Android / iOS tablet while the operator remains at ground level. The communication range between the dongle and a reading device is 15m as standard or 50m with an external radio antenna. In our case, it allows a preview of the use of hoists by the customer especially for their compliance with maximum loads. The EXPERTCARE application allows the display of the following: faults, alarms, remaining lifespans of the hoist, brake 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

35

I N T R A LO G I S C T I C S

HOW TO LIFT A HELICOPTER

Helicopters sometimes do not lift themselves. Verlinde hoists installed by Handel Sollevamenti allow carrying out maintenance on the Elifriulia fleet in total safety.

W

e instinctively think of helicopters as being perfectly capable of lifting themselves autonomously even in the most difficult operating conditions. And yet, now, and then they too need a little “help” … while waiting to take flight. Elifrulia, the longest-established operator in the business operating in the Italian helicopter services and flight school market, tells us about it.

“We provide helicopter services for private individuals, large companies and public authorities, operating in an extremely demanding and competitive market that requires vehicles that are always perfectly efficient and maintained according to the strictest international standards,” explains Claudio Girardi, Maintenance Manager at Elifriulia. “We recently turned to Handel Sollevamenti to help us optimise handling procedures related to helicopter maintenance activities, in particular, the replacement of engines, which are located in the upper part of the aircraft below the blades. Specifically, we were interested in creating a structure that would allow us not to be forced to dismantle the engines to carry out some of the more recurrent maintenance activities.

MORE INFORMATION

Federico Alcido, Area Manager of Handel Sollevamenti, continues: "The guiding principle of our company has always been to create solutions with attention to every detail and tailored to the individual needs of each of our customers. In this specific case, after a careful inspection and analysis of the requirements in collaboration with Elifriulia technicians, we opted for a gantry crane on steerable wheels equipped with eight motors: 4 dedicated to rotation/steering and another four dedicated to moving the structure from one hangar to another."

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

36

Handel Sollevamenti’s objective was to design a structure that could comply with the stringent dimensional limits imposed by the configuration of the Elifriulia maintenance site, but at the same time ensure that operators could always work safely, thanks to the possibility of rotating on itself and positioning itself correctly for use according to the activities to be carried out on the helicopters.

The structure was built using a box girder with S355J2 sheet metal and consisting of two fixed upper heads and two lower heads for the motorisation housings, linked together by two diagonal legs and bracing made of tubular.

Since the entrance to the smaller hangar dedicated to helicopter maintenance is only 40 cm wider than the diameter of the blades. At the same time, the height of the door is only slightly higher than the maximum height of the helicopter, absolute precision, and reliability of the movements of the structure and the lifting system were essential prerequisites for the success of the project.

drives and encoders on the motors to guarantee extreme precision in steering movements.

Girardi concludes Girardi: "The facility built by Handel Sollevamenti has met our expectations perfectly, facilitating our maintenance work to offer our customers a fleet of helicopters with the highest levels of efficiency.

We also greatly appreciated Handel’s expertise not only in customising the structure but also in choosing components of proven quality and reliability, of which the Verlinde hoist is an excellent example. Enjoy your flight with Elifriulia." https://www.verlinde.com/en/home-2/

MORE INFORMATION

Alcido explains: "For the lifting unit, we used a EUROBLOC VT model Verlinde electric wire rope hoist with a capacity of 3200 kg. We chose it for its renowned reliability and for the lifting speed, which had to be minimal to avoid any kind of handling error during helicopter maintenance activities."

The entire structure is radio-controlled to make it easier for operators to manoeuvre it, through a series of PLCs that use 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

37

IT

SECURITY FOR INDUSTRIE 4.0

Seamless, secure data exchange for the integration of production and management levels.

MORE INFORMATION

Data exchange in Industrie 4.0 applications Data exchange is an important issue to look at when integrating the production (operational technology, OT) and management (information technology, IT) levels. This is due to the large number of variables and non-standardized interfaces, as well as the need to support access privileges and specific security requirements. Although OPC UA has now established itself as a standard technology for achieving these goals, the devil is in the details when it comes to implementing successful Industrie 4.0 applications.

Interface abstraction, data aggregation and security The dataFEED Secure Integration Server product from Softing Industrial works as an abstract interface between the worlds of OT and IT, offering users a set of key functionalities for efficient data exchange in a single component. In its role as an aggregating server, this middleware makes use of OPC UA’s address space modeling, especially for interface abstraction and data aggregation. In the process, this interface abstraction handles changes or extensions within one domain (OT/IT) without any modifications then being needed in the other. Advantages here include the ease with which new IT applications can be integrated into the overall solution, to exploit short innovation cycles in IT or make targeted changes to the production environment.

With data aggregation, data from multiple sources can be consolidated on a single OPC UA server, so the IT application now only needs to access this one server. This simplification to the communications infrastructure cuts configuration effort for users.

Another key feature of the dataFEED Secure Integration Server is its in-built security model, with filters available to restrict the address space for individual OPC UA client applications plus definable access types. Apart from full implementation of OPC UA security functions, whitelists and

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

38

dataFEED Secure Integration Server works as an abstract interface between the worlds of OT and IT.

blacklists can also be defined to control data access from specific IP addresses, and detection of Denial of Service (DoS) attacks targeting OPC UA authentication is also included.

https://industrial.softing.com/us/index.html

Direct benefits for customers Whether customers are retaining existing setups or are planning a new plant installation, deciding to deploy the dataFEED Secure Integration Server offers a significant set of advantages when running Industrie 4.0 applications. In one recent example, integrating 1.5 million variables into an overall system was the challenge faced by a leading provider of power station process control systems. However, accessing such a large number of variables is a major stumbling-block for many OPC UA clients. Because of this, the power station application instead chose to use the variable filtering option to achieve targeted variable access restrictions for individual OPC UA clients. In addition, only read access is granted to the individually configured variables. This prevents the unauthorized overwriting of assigned data values.

MORE INFORMATION

A major automotive parts supplier likewise chose dataFEED Secure Integration Server specifically to handle variable aggregation and filtering from multiple, heterogeneous OPC UA servers, giving the OPC UA clients a standard, harmonized interface for accessing all variables. In this case, the customer’s need to implement a state-of-the-art security standard was another key reason for choosing this solution.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

39

IT

INNODISK TO RELEASE BLOCKCHAIN SSD SECURING RADICAL EDGE DATA INTEGRITY The increasing ubiquity of AI in everyday applications brings with it concerns regarding data integrity and validation.

I

nnodisk’s new-patented blockchain technology brings to its latest SSD solution “InnoBTSTM SSD” and alleviates these concerns through sophisticated use of digital signature and blockchain that is fully software independent.

MORE INFORMATION

Integrated with Distributed Ledger Technology and Tamper-proof Innodisk announces its new solution combines blockchain technology to secure the valuable data in recent IoT scenarios, such as POS systems at unmanned stores, smart meters, digital ID cards. The important data written to the SSD will create an encrypted hash string that corresponds to the specific data set, and the encrypted hash string is spread on the blockchain network, essentially creating a decentralized ledger that is distributed between numerous unique computers. The process is to make the encrypted hash string to be “chained” on the blockchain network. If tampering happens, the chained data is checked with an encrypted hash string on the network, clearly showing any discrepancies.

Automatic Generate Digital Signature and Easily Verified The InnoBTSTM SSD incorporates a hardware-run digital signature. Through the sophisticated use of private and public keys given to each file that is sent, the receiver can always verify the correct sender. The SSD creates and secures the private key within an internal safety zone, ensuring maximum private key security. Only the public key will be available for anyone to verify the correct sender.

Full Software Independence The new InnoBTSTM SSD series benefits from blockchain technology and data streaming combine to create an industry-leading solution for data integrity at the edge.

Removing the need for software eases system integration as well as strengthening data integrity by moving the functions to the more inaccessible SSD firmware.

Innodisk’s solution allows for easy blockchain setup for edge applications that is not reliant on software, and meanwhile connects numerous devices to the blockchain network.

This makes the InnoBTSTM SSD suitable for cutting-edge AI applications such as smart cities, smart vehicles, smart factories, and intelligent surveillance. www.innodisk.com

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

40

MEASUREMENT

DIGITALISATION IN PROCESS TEMPERATURE CONTROL Remote monitoring, support and digital process-optimisation in the temperature control of food processes.

L

ockdowns and pandemic-related employee absences are making it difficult for many food producers to maintain their usual production capacity. You don’t send a machine or plant operator to work from home lightly.

Production of dairy products, pasta, pastries, confectionery, food additives, even new types of foods such as plant-based meat replacements must continue, even when everything around is at a standstill.

The use of temperature control units from Regloplas AG’s modular toolbox offers a series of additional advantages:

The food industry therefore made advances in digitalisation last year which would otherwise have taken many years. And this development has had a major impact on temperature control. Systems which operate for 24 hours per day must record the core parameters over the entire production process to comply with the regulations of hygiene and traceability e.g.: the temperature of grinders for chocolate production, the bath or screw temperatures of extrusion plants for pasta or confectionery, temperatures in doublewalled vessels (often with agitators) for tempering fluids, temperatures in pipe lines for transporting various semifinished or finished products, and increasingly also large reactors which can be used for everything from sugar production to the production of natural flavourings for foodstuffs.

- Technical improvement and increased reliability due to the use of a temperature control unit by a manufacturer specialising in temperature control

- Cost reductions compared to plant manufacturer’s own solutions (produced in small quantities) - Problem-free continued use of the temperature control unit in a new or upgraded system

With less outlay on the integration of high performance and flexible temperature control solutions, is equally attractive to plant manufacturers and to processing operations.

Regloplas AG is continuously developing its offers and technical expertise for these users. The motivation, in addition to economic considerations is being able to contribute to a healthier, tastier and sustainable food supply. https://www.regloplas.com/en/technologies/digitalisation/ rt200-for-the-smart-factory/

Any deviations from the standard, temperature deviations, alarms etc. must trigger the necessary remedial actions immediately, especially at those times when there is no-one standing by the system. There are also the needs for remote support by the plant manufacturers’ service technicians and the ongoing optimisation of the whole production plant.

To provide even better support to its customers during this development, Regloplas AG offers a range of solutions for its temperature control units and cooling systems (-20 °C to 350 °C and 3 to 80 kW heating capacity) which drive forward the digitalisation of temperature control in the food industry.

Regloplas AG’s new RT200 control system with integrated OPC UA server now offers maximum flexibility for digitalisation within the production process. The central concept of digitalisation is data exchange of all the process and machine data across the network and to higher-level IT systems such as MES, ERP and PPS. All peripheral machines, devices and systems involved in the production process communicate with one another.

This enables real-time process optimisations leading to higher productivity, reduced downtime, optimised machine capacity and improved product quality.

MORE INFORMATION

Feeder-mixer-kneader-conche, throughput 400 kg/h, temperature controlled up to 90 °C. 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

41

MEASUREMENT

ROHDE & SCHWARZ PARTNERS WITH UNH-IOL TO ENHANCE HIGH-SPEED ETHERNET AND INFINIBAND COMPLIANCE TESTING

By combining the UNH-IOL’s expertise in cable assembly and backplane compliance tests with Rohde & Schwarz test solutions, both partners are paving the way for automated compliance tests in line with the latest IEEE 802.3 Ethernet and InfiniBand standards.

T

est and measurement specialist Rohde & Schwarz and the University of New Hampshire Interoperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) extend their ongoing collaboration to expand Ethernet and InfiniBand compliance testing. Both have pooled their expertise to provide methods of implementation (MOI) for precise, fast and error-free compliance testing of high-speed cables and backplanes in line with IEEE 802.3 (up to IEEE 802.3ck) and InfiniBand standards (up to rate designator HDR), using vector network analysis test equipment from Rohde & Schwarz.

Data rates and data traffic grow faster than ever. The high data rates need to be transported between computer modules or high-speed data networks. The latest specifications planned to be published in fall 2021 for Ethernet IEEE 802.3ck will allow data rates up to 800 Gbps.

InfiniBand, a communications standard to address very low latency and very high throughput rates, opts in the extension planned for 2021 even for throughput rates up to 1200 GB/s when combining several links. Long-distance transmission in both standards is handled via optical links.

But to bridge short distances, high-speed copper cables are used. To secure reliable data transmission with these extremely high data rates, cable compliance tests are highly encouraged to provide confidence in the products.

MORE INFORMATION

UNH-IOL is a worldwide reference for cable compliance tests, and cable manufacturers turn to the interoperability laboratory for their testing services. During a period of time in 2020, Rohde & Schwarz, provided UNH-IOL with a stateof-the-art R&S ZNBT40 multiport vector network analyzer with 16 integrated test ports, covering up to 40 GHz, to support efficient testing.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

42

Rohde & Schwarz provided UNH-IOL with a R&S ZNBT40 multiport VNA with 16 integrated test ports.

UNH-IOL has created the methods of implementation (MOI) for IEEE 802.3 Ethernet and InfiniBand based on their superior experience. The MOI describe exactly how to perform compliance test measurements on high-speed cables and backplanes to fulfil the corresponding specifications.

Martin Stumpf, Market Segment Manager High Speed Digital Design Test at Rohde & Schwarz, says: “The MOIs along with the included state files provide excellent guidance for the industry and describe the test steps as well as the calculations of channel operating margin (COM) and effective return loss (ERL). Later this year, we plan to provide automatic scripts based on our R&S ZNrun test sequencer software that will further simplify compliance tests. We are excited to pursue this goal together with the UNH-IOL.” Bob Noseworthy, principal engineer, at UNH-IOL, says: “After a successful collaboration with Rohde & Schwarz to develop this MOI, we look forward to further collaboration to extend UNH-IOL high speed cable conformance testing capabilities in the near future.”

MORE INFORMATION

To access the Methods of Implementation, go to http:// www.rohde-schwarz.com/appnote/GFM356 for IEEE 802.3, and to http://www.rohde-schwarz.com/appnote/GFM357 for InfiniBand.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

43

MEASUREMENT

ROHDE & SCHWARZ DEMONSTRATES ITS TEST SOLUTIONS THAT ENABLE MOBILE CONNECTIVITY, TODAY AND BEYOND, AT MWC21 IN BARCELONA

Mobile World Congress 2021 is set to return to the shores of the Mediterranean in June 2021. Test & measurement specialist Rohde & Schwarz will participate in the mobile industry’s premier event both live in Barcelona and virtually. By presenting its solutions for key applications based on mobile radio technology, Rohde & Schwarz is signaling its continuous commitment to the entire industry.

T

MORE INFORMATION

he GSMA is organizing Mobile World Congress 2021 (MWC21) to take place in Barcelona from June 28 to July 1 as a fully hybrid event, so that participants are able to connect in person or online. Rohde & Schwarz will showcase under the slogan “Enabling mobile connectivity – today & beyond” a wide variety of leading test innovations for 5G mobile devices, infrastructure equipment and mobile networks, plus solutions for private networks, automotive connectivity and early 6G technology in a two-way approach: Live at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, in hall 3, booth 3K30, and with supporting virtual activities on a dedicated webpage called Rohde & Schwarz Signals, which will go online for MWC21.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

44

5G reality & evolution 5G networks are being rolled out worldwide, some networks using an LTE anchor, others fully standalone (SA), some using millimeter-wave bands. Mastering the complexities of the technology is only possible with accurate and reliable test equipment, fully conforming to the current 3GPP specifications, and prepared for future developments of the technology. At MWC21, Rohde & Schwarz is demonstrating its test solutions for 5G for the entire ecosystem, from chipsets and devices to infrastructure and networks, across the complete lifecycle, from development and conformance to production, deployment and operation.

The virtual and tradeshow highlights revolve around the future-proof solution for 5G NR device testing, the R&S CMX500 radio communication tester. At MWC21 it will demonstrate enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) endto-end tests achieving extremely high throughput using eight component carriers in FR1 and FR2 using 256QAM modulation. Another demo will showcase 5G voice over NR (VoNR) voice services. Carrier acceptance tests in the FR2 millimeter frequency bands, using Over-the-air (OTA)

The Rohde & Schwarz experts will be back in Barcelona for MWC21.

R&S 5G STS tool for deployment, troubleshooting and site acceptance. The solutions enable a faster rollout, efficient use of network resources, and awareness of issues before they become critical, at every phase of the 5G private network lifecycle. Having installed a 5G campus network in 2020 at its own plant in Teisnach, Germany, Rohde & Schwarz is able to optimize its own test offerings based on the experience and valuable insights from private network operation.

Automotive The progression of Cellular-V2X communication from LTE to 5G presents the automotive industry with new opportunities for ultra-low latency and highly reliable vehicle connectivity, both key enablers for fully autonomous vehicles. At MWC21, Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing a complete range of C-V2X testing solutions for R&D, both in the laboratory and in the field for reliable real-world data, which ensure the performance and reliability of critical automotive network communications. measurements in the extremely compact CATR antenna test system R&S ATS800R will be on display, as well. For infrastructure tests of advanced wireless components used for instance in 5G NR base stations, Rohde & Schwarz showcases its duo of an R&S SMM100A vector signal generator and R&S FSVA3000 signal and spectrum analyzer, bringing laboratory performance and matching RF characteristics to midrange test instruments, ideal for mass market applications.

Private networks With 5G Release 16, private networks for many industrial applications such as factories, transportation and energy facilities are becoming reality, providing an agile, adaptable and automated environment. At Mobile World Congress, Rohde & Schwarz is exhibiting its test solutions like the

Conference Program In addition to the booth presence, Rohde & Schwarz participates in the conference program of MWC21. Peter Riedel, President and COO of Rohde & Schwarz will share his insights as one of the expert speakers in the session called “Building security & creating trust for the connected device” and Bosco Novak, Executive Vice President Technology Systems at Rohde & Schwarz, will be part of the “5G IoT for industry 4.0” panel discussion.

Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing its comprehensive test & measurement solutions for the mobile industry at Mobile World Congress 2021 at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona in hall 3, booth 3K30 as well as online via the Rohde & Schwarz Signals webpage.

MORE INFORMATION

From its mobile network testing portfolio, Rohde & Schwarz presents solutions for 5G NR site acceptance and site deployment as well as network engineering, optimization and troubleshooting. Visitors can learn about the successful R&S TSMx drive and walk test scanner family offering simultaneous measurements of 3GPP multi-standard networks. The ultracompact scanners already cover FR1 and FR2 frequency ranges and are used by operators of 5G networks worldwide for network optimization applications.

For network benchmarking, the R&S Freerider 4 backpack supporting up to 12 test mobile phones is on display.

The collected data can be analyzed with SmartAnalytics, providing operators with QoE insights into their network’s performance.

6G 5G will dominate the mobile radio market for many years, but what will follow? Fundamental research on what the next generation of wireless communications may look like has already begun. The D-Band from 110 GHz to 170 GHz includes potential 6G candidate frequencies, currently being investigated for short-range communication with ultra-high data rates. For MWC21, Rohde & Schwarz is presenting OTA measurements of antenna characteristics in the sub-THz region up to 170 GHz.

For further information, go to: www.rohde-schwarz.com/mwc

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

45

MEASUREMENT

UNRIVALLED SPEED, CONSISTENCY AND EASE OF USE FROM NEW KEYENCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

Measurement specialist Keyence has further enhanced its market-leading dimension measurement system range which delivers all the benefits of the acclaimed IM-7000 series but with even greater speed, accuracy and ease of use.

B

Able to measure more than 300 dimensions per part, the system starts to measure automatically as soon as the object is placed on the stage, which now moves at up to 80mm/s – twice as fast as the IM-7000 series, which is itself significantly faster than most alternative systems allowing even more rapid results. Highly precise dimensional measurements can be achieved in as little as 1 second.

As well as standard metrics, the IM-8000 can perform a whole range of new measurements including symmetry, plane measurements, flatness, cylindricity, coaxiality and run-out, delivering new data visualisations including roundness graphs. This makes it suitable for parts with even the most complex geometries.

The wide field camera now boasts single field of view accuracy of +/-3.9 µm, compared with +/- 5 µm previously, with this camera and the high precision camera able to be used together in a single program.

MORE INFORMATION

oasting a rotary unit allowing 360-degree multisurface measurement capability for both turned and machined parts, the IM-8000 is fitted with a 20-megapixel CMOS – more than three times that of conventional systems – as well as a new algorithm for stable edge detection. In addition to the new CMOS, the screen is now larger and features enhanced resolution.

No positioning or datum set-up is needed, meaning even inexperienced operators can get the most out of the system.

Measurements can be rapidly set up with just a few clicks, and it is equally simple to set up virtual lines and points. All of the specified dimensions can then be measured at the touch of a button, with focus automatically adjusted.

Measurement points are automatically identified, meaning the same measurement results are obtained each time, while automated focus adjustment prevents inconsistent

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

46

values. Up to 100 parts can be measured simultaneously, drastically reducing measurement time when compared with alternative systems.

A highly intuitive programming procedure enables quick and easy selection of the required measurement. An automated diagnostic function assesses the stability of each measurement point during programming, displaying any variations in measured items clearly and simply, making it easier and faster to create program settings.

therefore anticipate strong demand for the IM-8000 from customers in multiple sectors and applications.”

Available options include an IM-specific calibrated graticule to allow users to perform their own verifications. Keyence customers also benefit from regular software updates and extensive after-sales support wherever they are located. www.keyence.co.uk

Meanwhile, the automated measurement function can automatically detect measurement points on parts up to 300 × 200 mm 11.81” × 7.87", even if these parts have not previously been measured. An integrated light probe can also measure features at specific heights.

Program files can be rapidly located on the system by placing the QR code from the inspection report on the stage.

This ensures correct file selection even in the presence of multiple file types.

MORE INFORMATION

Ailsa Morrison, Applications Engineer for the Metrology Division at Keyence explains: “Speed, accuracy and ease of use are the key attributes being sought from measurement systems by users irrespective of the sector they work in.

We have harnessed our measurement expertise to create a system which delivers unrivalled precision but does not require extensive training to obtain the best results. We 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

47

MEASUREMENT

KEYENCE VHX-7000 4K DIGITAL MICROSCOPE HELPS ARCHAEOLOGISTS IMPROVE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ANCIENT WORLD

ABDUA:21845 - Period: 12th Dynasty, Middle Kingdom. Location: Hu. Presented

by Professor Flinders Petrie in 1898-99.

The VHX-7000 is an invaluable tool to the Archaeology Department.

The Archaeology Department of the University of Liverpool has carried out two ground-breaking projects that have improved our understanding of how human culture developed in ancient times. Playing a key role in that research has been the Keyence VHX-7000 Series Digital Microscope, the world’s first 4K ultrahigh accuracy microscope.

E

lizabeth Thomas, an Archaeology PhD student at the university, had the opportunity to use the Keyence digital microscope when conducting research for her Masters and PhD. This work involved analysing Egyptian mirrors, many of them dating back to the Middle Kingdom era of the 12th Dynasty.

MORE INFORMATION

The VHX-7000 was used to gather information on the different kinds of corrosion found on the mirrors. Elizabeth felt it was important to see the different layers in the mirrors and how they were made, which was not possible using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) where image delivery was in grayscale.

Essential for Elizabeth’s work was the ability to create colour images and show extremely high levels of detail at high magnification settings. Having access to full-colour high magnification images was vital to ascertain how an artifact might have looked in its original state.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

48

Elizabeth found that another benefit of using the Keyence digital microscope was that it could display textiles that had been preserved in corrosion. The VHX-7000 was able to capture images of these textiles for subsequent examination by an expert.

In addition, the digital microscope made stitching images a straightforward process, whereas an SEM would require image stitching to be carried out manually using separate software. The VHX-7000 also eliminated the need for preparing samples – an SEM requiring them to be secured on to a stand – while the measurement capabilities of the Keyence system saved Elizabeth a considerable amount of time.

“There are many advantages to using the VHX-7000,” says Elizabeth, “and it represents a massive jump in functionality from any previous digital microscopes I’ve used. For example, the flexibility of being able to move the unit’s fullyintegrated head around a sample is invaluable. It means that

Comparing a greyscale SEM image with an image using the VHX-7000, Egyptian Mirrors.

TS planes of Amygdalus charcoal fragments (photos by E Asouti)

just by tilting the head, it’s possible to create multiple views of the same sample.”

a non-destructive basis and the Keyence VHX-7000 helped to achieve this.

In a second project involving the University of Liverpool’s Archaeology Department, the VHX-7000 was used to carry out laboratory-based archaeobotanical analysis of delicate and highly valuable charred plant macrofossils.

Some 966 non-wood items and 440 wood charcoals were retrieved from excavations at the Palegawra cave, a Zarzian occupation site in north-eastern Iraq.

Many wood charcoal specimens collected from the caves were photographed using the VHX-7000 at magnifications of between 100x and 1000x. Thanks to the quality of images obtained, botanical identifications were made by comparing the samples with published works and specimens held in Liverpool’s own wood charcoal reference collection.

This culture dates from the late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic eras and it has been possible to discover a great deal of new information about it by studying well-preserved botanical and faunal remains. This research was carried out by the Eastern Fertile Crescent (EFEC) project, a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and the Sulaymaniyah Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage.

Ease of use is another key feature, with the Keyence microscope offering a fully automated system. By simply turning a dial, magnification can be moved from 20x to 6000x and there is no need to replace any lenses.

Keyence is delighted that the VHX-7000 Series Digital Microscope was able to play such a major role in these projects, and in improving archaeologists’ – and humanity’s – understanding of our ancient world.

MORE INFORMATION

What makes the EFEC project stand out from any similar projects is that the team at the university understood early on that the traditional method of using a scanning electron microscope had significant limitations, as Elizabeth had found out in her work. The team realised that relying on this type of equipment could reduce the effectiveness of sample analysis and the quality of data.

Archaeologists have found that the VHX-7000 can help to identify subtle contours and uneven surfaces or stains that would otherwise be impossible to see, thanks to Optical Shadow Effect Mode delivering high-definition capture.

www.keyence.co.uk

Another key reason the team preferred the Keyence microscope was that the wood charcoal specimens would be better protected, and the non-wood charred macrofossils could be retained as completely as possible for future analysis. Wherever possible, all analysis was carried out on 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

49

MEASUREMENT

SILINA CURVE CMOS IMAGING SENSORS AT INDUSTRIAL SCALE

SILINA, a deeptech startup in microelectronics, brings a real paradigm shift to the imaging industry by curving the imaging sensors. Curved sensor technology is being developed for many years but was limited to single-chip manufacturing processes, until now. SILINA has been developing a unique technology which enables to curve hundreds of imaging sensors at the same time, offering new perspectives in the design of cameras, from high volume to niche markets.

I MORE INFORMATION

n nature, most vision systems use curved retinas, like human eyes. Curved retinas enable to use simple optical lens with only one lens, the crystalline, providing a wide field of view for an outstanding image quality, making the eyes very compact. Unfortunately, all electronic imaging systems use flat imaging sensors which require making the lens very complex, using many expensive optical elements.

This degrades the optical performance and capabilities of the camera, and increases the mass/volume budget and overall cost of any camera and optical system.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

50

Curved imaging sensor technology is the next major innovation for the imaging industry. It disrupts the way vision systems are designed. It overcomes hardware limitations that no software can solve and enable a whole new generation of cameras. It provides drastic improvements on four key criteria: increased image quality and detection capability, and reduced cost and bulk of cameras.

An innovative process for scaling Wilfried JAHN, CTO and co-founder of SILINA, has been developing and optimizing a curving process with the objective to scale and reach high volume markets. He explains: “our innovation has been driven to unlock the technological barriers of scalability. Previously, this technology was limited to niche markets since the various solutions were limited to manual single-chip manufacturing processes, delivering a few tens of units during the past 20 years. Thanks to cross-pollination ideation of various professional experiences, we have been able to create a unique process to curve hundreds chips at the same time.

We can control all the parameters which make the process

NEWS

reliable and repeatable, reducing significantly the cost of production. One month after creating SILINA, we have curved 275 units of 1-inch CMOS imaging sensors at the same time, a world first demonstration.”

SILINA’s curving process is the same whatever the sensor format and technology, notably CMOS and CCD. It can be applied to Front-Side Illuminated (FSI), Back-Side Illuminated (BSI) sensors, and on various spectral bandwidths from ultraviolet, visible to infrared. This process enables low volume and high volume manufacturing, curving one sensor, several sensors or a full wafer at a time. Also, various shapes can be obtained: spherical, aspherical, freeform and custom shape on-demand.

This manufacturing process has also been developed to keep the same original packaging used for classic flat sensors, meaning that the mechanical architecture and electronic board remain the same, facilitating the integration of the technology on current production lines.

SILINA’s technology brings a significant benefit for the imaging industries: aerospace, defense, photography, automotive, smartphone and others.

The main value proposition is specific to each market segment and application: e.g. high image quality for smartphones, low mass/volume budget for aerospace and drones, better detection capability for automotive. Michael BAILLY continues: “These needs drive our technological developments in several complementary aspects including yield of production, shape accuracy and resistance to environmental constraints. In the end, each technological development for a specific application benefits the others.”

He concludes: “Microelectronics and photonics projects are defined by the European Commission as Important Projects of Common European Interest. Curved imaging sensor technology complies with this scope. It’s a real asset for European companies, and SILINA will deliver it at large scale.”

MORE INFORMATION

A dual business model Michaël BAILLY, CEO and co-founder of SILINA, detail the startup offers: “our services are offered to optical system designers and manufacturers, camera integrators and sensor manufacturers to support them in the improvement of their imaging system performance while reducing their cost of production. Our offer is made of two propositions, a support in optical system design to integrate the curved

sensor technology in their specific applications, and an ondemand service to curve their imaging sensors. SILINA does not design nor manufactured its own sensors, but curve existing flat sensors. Finally, we plan to reach high volume markets via IP licensing.”

linkedin.com/company/silina/

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

51

MEASUREMENT

CAPACITIVE SILICONE FORCE SENSOR SXTSC

BY SATECO - THE INTELLIGENT ELECTRONIC SKIN

The capacitive silicone force sensors are available in many different sizes, and their dimensions are customizable for specific projects.

Through its subsidiary, Sateco XT AG, Sateco is breaking new ground and adding the capacitive silicone sensor SXTSC to its portfolio of established keypad systems. The elastomer sensor works according to the capacitive operating principle and can continuously measure both touch and compressive force. It is soft and flexible, can be shaped three-dimensionally, and is suitable for various applications such as automotive, VR, AR, gaming, robotics, medical technology and general industry.

MORE INFORMATION

B

oth the sensor’s footprint and dimensions can be freely designed. As a result, it can be customized to curved surfaces and integrated seamlessly between the body structure and surface. This enables an ergonomic design of input devices, prostheses and exoskeletons both on small and large surfaces.

When used as a measuring cell, the sensor can be easily integrated directly in the surface away from a circuit board using electrical connectors. Its elastomer material makes additional damping, preload and tolerance compensation elements unnecessary. This simplifies the design and reduces manufacturing costs.

The sensor combines two measurement functions in one component. It can detect the approximation of a body part at a short distance and precisely measure its exerted force as well. This keeps the combination compact and enables predictive operating and measurement systems.

Thanks to its elastomer material, the SXTSC sensor is robust, shock and impact-resistant, and it also enables high durability, even in rough environments at high (+85°C) and low temperatures (-40 °C).

Silicone is gentle on the skin. Optional texturing of the surface can make it even more comfortable to wear. Silicone is chemical and temperature-resistant with regard to food.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

52

Samples including evaluation electronics are available in a starter kit and enable a quick and uncomplicated start into the new technology. https://www.satecogroup.com/

MECHANICS

WIDIA EXPANDS TOP DRILL™ MODULAR X (TDMX) DRILL PLATFORM TO MACHINE STAINLESS STEEL AND SUPER ALLOYS

The TDMX modular drill features a double angle pocket seat design and a flanged shank that provides outstanding flexibility and stability.

The MS geometry insert for the TDMX modular drill platform provides increased stability when drilling stainless steels and super alloys.

New MS geometry delivers stable modular drilling for general engineering and energy applications.

W

IDIA announced today the release of a new MS geometry insert for the brand’s best-selling TOP DRILL Modular X (TDMX) drill. With the MS geometry expansion, the TDMX platform now offers three material-specific inserts, broadening the platform’s application capabilities to include inclined entry and exit, stacked plates and cross-hole drilling in stainless steel, super alloys, steel and cast iron materials.

The drill’s “X”-shaped pocket, and tapered seat provide stability in challenging applications while making it easy to change out the insert without disassembling the body from the holder. These key design features reduce unstable cutting conditions experienced with other drills commonly available in the market today, while enabling higher penetration rates and reducing overall machine set up times and costs.

“The launch of the MS geometry insert for our TDMX portfolio gives customers a versatile tool for multiple workpiece materials and applications,” said Ashokkumar D., WIDIA Global Portfolio Manager. “This new MS geometry is designed to perform in different types of stainless steels and super alloys making it an ideal choice for customers looking for excellent stability and reliability in general engineering and energy machining operations.”

All three inserts can be reground to extend the life of the tool. TDMX is available in both imperial and metric sizes in 1.5xD, 3xD, 5xD, 8xD, 12xD and diameter ranges 16 to 40 mm. Orders for the TDMX and MS geometry insert as well as other WIDIA metal cutting tooling can be placed through WIDIA authorized distribution partners. https://youtu.be/v_AK6w3OHfE MORE INFORMATION

In a recent customer test, the TDMX body, paired with the new MS geometry insert, achieved a 60 percent increase in tool life versus competing solutions while machining a 13-8 Hyper Chrome 110 KSI workpiece material at 3XD with a cutting speed of 75m/min.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

53

MECHANICS

SOUTHCO’S LOCKING SOLUTIONS DRIVE SUCCESS FOR PAZTIR®

Established in 2017 in the Netherlands, PAZTIR® is a specialist in access management, track and trace and smart locking systems for urban delivery optimsation.

P

AZTIR® provides a competitive solution that can transform any cargo bike or light electric vehicle into an enhanced, smart delivery vehicle, ideal to support the growth in city-based logistics. In an industry where delivery boxes are opened and closed an average of 300 times per day, PAZTIR’s smart access solutions save up to 50 minutes a day for one vehicle.

The Challenge A critical success factor for urban delivery vehicles, where delivery system security and speed of access are paramount, is the cargo box which secures a wide range of products. To realise enhanced security and connectivity for their box solutions, PAZTIR® needed to identify a locking product that would connect seamlessly with the system device, while being lightweight so as not to weigh down the bikes. There were additional challenges around speed and terrain, as the vehicles PAZTIR® equips are driven very fast or from road to pavement. The locking mechanism needed to be able to withstand constant movement and vibration and avoid the locks popping open by themselves.

MORE INFORMATION

The Solution PAZTIR® identified access solutions leader Southco to address the complex mix of features and qualities needed for the cargo box. PAZTIR’s customers can connect up to 6 locks to 1 Paztir IoT device and can select the right fit from Southco’s vast range of locking solutions which are designed for easy integration into the box container.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

54

PAZTIR’s system uses either the Southco R4-EM or EM05, depending on end design requirements. The R4-EM,

NEWS

for example, features a microprocessor controlled gear motor with low power requirements and delivers proven electronic access control in a compact, lightweight package. Because it provides easy push-to-close operation and simple installation, the R4-EM is ideal for transitioning from mechanical to electronic access. Being compact, it integrates easily into existing designs. The lock features an optional micro switch to provide feedback on latch status and multiple mounting configurations. It can also be fitted with an optional sensor to identify when doors are open or closed and has a manual override which can be used as backup for opening.

“The team at Southco is very supportive and informative. It was important to have their insight and advice. They were able to share samples and allow us to start testing as soon as possible,” said Sobotkiewicz. “As innovators in our industry it is important for us to be able to rely on suppliers who have an equally open attitude towards doing things differently without compromising on quality.” https://southco.com/en_us_int/

MORE INFORMATION

The Implementation and Results Southco’s locking solutions have added value to PAZTIR’s system by making it more secure and streamlined. By enabling their system to become more competitive, Southco is helping PAZTIR® to achieve their goal of becoming leaders in their industry and enabling logistics and delivery companies to meet their customers’ needs and maximise the performance of their customers’ fleets.

PAZTIR® is currently fitting 2000 systems across Europe, the UK and the US. “Our goal is to be the “go to” company for access management, track and trace, and smart locking for electric cargo bikes in urban delivery. Southco’s products and customer service are playing a vital role in enabling us to achieve this,” said Andrej Sobotkiewicz, Paztir CEO. 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

55

MECHANICS

WITH THE ACQUISITION OF VISCHER & BOLLI AUTOMATION IN LINDAU, HAINBUCH EXPANDS ITS RANGE OF WORKPIECE CLAMPING DEVICES IN THE STATIONARY FIELD

The zero-point clamping system for a quick change-over with a 5-axis clamp.

By acquiring Vischer & Bolli Automation, the German manufacturer of high-precision workpiece clamping equipment has not only expanded its expertise in the field of automation, but now offers an even wider range of stationary workpiece clamping devices. The zero-point clamping system for a quick change-over with a 5-axis clamping.

H

MORE INFORMATION

ainbuch’s previous product portfolio for turning, milling, EDM and grinding already covered a wide range of workpieces. Now, since the acquisition, the Hainbuch Group is able to offer custom solutions for workpieces of up to 100 tons or 10 to 20 metres in length, large-scale projects like this have already been completed.

Thanks to Vischer & Bolli Automation, the range of stationary devices has been considerably extended. Many stationary clamping devices are available from stock and the modular design of the zero-point clamping system offer a wide range of solutions using standard components, while specific solutions can also be created in accordance with customer requirements.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

56

Total solution: zero-point clamping system serves as the base The zero-point clamping system, which is screwed onto the machine table, serves as a base for fast change-overs.

This is available in pneumatic and hydraulic versions and is used for manual and automated solutions. To clamp the workpiece on the base, a vice [mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic], clamping tower, modular clamping device, modular clamping system, magnetic clamping plate or a special device can be used depending on the customer’s requirements. This means that an optimal and economic overall solution can be offered for every workpiece, regardless of shape or size. The zero-point clamping system has an accurate clamp and thus ensures maximum back force. At the same time, it is absolutely low-wear and maintenance, as it has only three moving parts. Handling and push-off functions are integrated in the system. The modular design ensures maximum flexibility and huge time and cost savings in production. With the universal interface, the setup is done off the machine so no production time is lost.

Zero-point clamping system console with K5000 modular clamping device during the change-over process.

Standardized locking plates and mounting cylinders for the zero-point clamping system The patented collet style lock ensures easy insertion and removal of the workpiece pallets. With an insertion force of up to 30 KN, a vibration-free, positive and non-positive connection between the zero-point clamping system and the workpiece is guaranteed. Tailor-made custom solutions help to make optimum use of machining potential. Direct installation on machine tables, pallets or fixtures is achieved cost-effectively with installation cassettes. The zero-point clamping system can be expanded with optional air blow, support and locking control or external feeds.

MORE INFORMATION

Advantages of the zero-point clamping system: - Setup in parallel with production - reduces machine downtime by up to 90 percent - Work can be interrupted at any time - maximum flexibility for urgent jobs - Zero-point repeatability < 5 µm - Cost-effective clamping bolts - simple retrofitting of existing clamping devices - Better surface quality due to dynamic, vibration-inhibiting as well as positive and non-positive clamping - Suitable for automation - Designed for more than 1 million clamping cycles https://www.hainbuch.com/en

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

57

MECHANICS

KENNAMETAL INTRODUCES THE FBX DRILL FOR FASTER AEROSPACE MACHINING

The FBX drill is part of a tooling concept specifically developed to maximize metal removal rates and decrease cycle times when machining aerospace structural components.

New modular drill delivers maximum metal removal rates for structural components.

K

ennametal has introduced the FBX drill for flat-bottom drilling of structural aerospace parts. The patented FBX drill delivers superior stability and up to 200 percent higher metal removal rates when machining high temperature alloys, stainless steel, and other materials. The new modular drill is the critical first step in a three-part tooling concept—including the HARVI Ultra 8X and the HARVI end mill series—specifically designed by Kennametal to decrease cycle time for these types of applications.

Quickly removing large amounts of material remains a challenge for these types of components. Traditionally, the first process step is to enter the material by using ramping techniques. This is a time-consuming process and low metal removal rates are the norm.

“The FBX drill dramatically speeds up the machining process by combining the advantages of a flat bottom drill and a z-axis plunge mill. The flat bottom design eliminates radial forces while four effective cutting edges provide increased feed and speed rates, leading to up to 200 percent higher metal removal rates than traditional ramping techniques and freeing up capacity for aerospace manufacturers,” says Georg Roth, Product Manager, Kennametal.

MORE INFORMATION

Once the drill has shaped the basic structure of the component, roughing and finishing with indexable and solid end mills are the next process steps.

Unique Design Features Four effective cutting edges provide stability in challenging applications like chain hole drilling, while large chip flutes ensure a hassle-free chip evacuation. Supported by a series of exchangeable coolant nozzles to help eliminate heat 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

58

The unique design of the FBX flat bottom drill directs cutting forces into the machine spindle, minimizing deflection while increasing tool life and metal removal rates.

buildup, the drill point is characterized by a center insert with two effective cutting edges and chip splitters for maximum feed capabilities. The drill bodies are available in diameters 60, 75, and 90mm, and come in a long and short version (150mm and 95mm). This modular drill connects to Kennametal’s bolt taper flange (BTF) mount adapters, available in various spindle connection styles.

Versatility and Performance in One Tool The FBX is ideally suited for drilling into solid, chain hole drilling and plunging in a variety of materials such as high temperature alloys, stainless steel, and steels and cast irons. It is equally as versatile and high performing in similar applications for the general engineering and power generation markets. https://www.kennametal.com

MORE INFORMATION

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

59

MECHANICS

KENNAMETAL INTRODUCES THE HARVI™ I TE BALL NOSE END MILL

The HARVI I TE ball nose end mill is available in two different lengths: regular (inch non-necked, metric with neck) and long.

A new solid carbide end mill for highest productivity and tool life in 3D milling.

K

ennametal has introduced an expansion to the HARVI I TE series, the HARVI I TE four-flute ball nose end mill. Designed for highly productive 3D roughing and finishing operations, it delivers lower machining cost through maximum metal removal in a broad range of materials.

Anatomy of a high performer The HARVI I TE ball nose end mill features an innovative proprietary relief that requires a closer look. In the most critical area - the ball nose section - a wavy contour shapes the rippled relief which provides improved coolant flow into the cutting zone.

MORE INFORMATION

Maximum productivity, maximum tool life in 3D milling operations: The HARVI I TE four-flute ball nose end mill with the rippled relief in the ball nose section.

The rippled relief enables higher feeds and speeds as well as increased depth of cuts by advanced vibration damping and lower cutting forces.

On the outer diameter, the relief changes its shape, and turns into the eccentric faceted relief. The eccentric faceted relief provides exceptional edge strength, geometric accuracy, lower cutting forces and makes this end mill series very versatile.

Other geometry advancements of the square end styles — including a twisted end face, chip gashing, and a variable helix angle—have also been engineered into this new solid carbide end mill.

The offering The HARVI I TE ball nose end mill is available in two different lengths, both with a diameter range from 2 to 20 mm (1/16” to 1”). The regular length is the first choice for 3D copy milling operations, while the long version offers sufficient length-of-cut (up to 4sD) for many applications, including shoulder milling when wall and floor finishing is required. www.kennametal.com

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

60

MECHANICS

ONLINE TRAINING MODULE FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING NOW AVAILABLE AT NSK ACADEMY

The popular NSK academy online platform now features a new training module: continuous casting. Added to the steels & metals section of the portal, the latest module will appeal to anyone involved in specifying bearings to withstand the harsh working environments found in continuous casting applications. As with all training modules available at NSK academy, registered users completing the course will require an 80% pass mark to receive a certificate.

T

he extreme operating conditions of continuous casting machines mean that it is easy to compromise the reliability and service life of bearings without undue care and attention in the selection process.

Challenges include heat, heavy loads, ultra-low speeds and roll deflection, not to mention the application’s most common bearing failure mode: differential sliding/sliding friction.

NSK’s new training module also covers cylindrical roller bearings. The cylindrical roller contact pattern provides the advantage of pure rolling, again preventing any wear induced by sliding friction to ensure reliability and long service life.

At a time when online/remote learning is more relevant than ever due to the ongoing pandemic, the NSK academy can help platform users expand on the knowledge they apply on a daily basis, and utilise the latest NSK bearing solutions to maximise machine life.

The module can be found at www.nskacademy.com (a quick and easy registration process is required for new users).

The new training module provides essential understanding of the fundamental principles behind bearing selection for continuous casting applications

MORE INFORMATION

At the start of the new training module, participants learn more about the continuous casting process and the machinery involved, with a particular focus on twin-strand technology. An in-depth look at the bearings follows, especially spherical roller bearings and their ability to accommodate heavy loads, misalignment and thermal expansion of the shaft - and how these bearing types deal with the fundamental issue of sliding.

Ultimately, the latest training module provides essential understanding of the fundamental principles behind bearing selection for continuous casting applications.

Anyone working in the continuous casting arena, from sales, technical support and R&D, through to maintenance and engineering, is set to benefit.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

61

PROCESS

HALAL CERTIFICATION FOR CRC’S NSF H1 AND M1 PRODUCTS

CRC received halal certification on its complete NSF registered H1 and M1 product range. With this certification, CRC wants to help it customers in the Food & Beverages Industry to comply with the high standards of a fast-growing halal market.

Halal certification for NSF H1 and M1 registered products CRC has chosen to certify its NSF H1 and M1 registered products as they are the products that are allowed to have (incidental) contact with food (H1) or food packaging (M1).

This means that these products have the highest chance of coming into contact with food products which makes them the most important to be halal certified.

MORE INFORMATION

CRC as a partner for the food and beverage industry Food & Beverages companies are requesting halal-certified maintenance products to be able to cater to the fastgrowing halal market. With halal certification of its most critical products, CRC wants to help its customers to comply with the strict halal standards.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

62

Halal certification fits perfectly in CRC’s strategy of being a valued partner for the Food & Beverages industry and facilitating their maintenance work. With its FPS range, it offers its F&B clients a comprehensive range of NSF registered maintenance products with the following features: • All H1 aerosols are equipped with the unique Perma-Lock actuator which prevents plastic contamination of the food production line • My CRC program: automatic technical data sheet updates • Support HACCP program: full documentation and product training http://www.crceurope.com/csp/web/intro.csp

S M A R T FA C TO R Y

INNOVATIVE ITALIAN ROBOTICS: THE MODENAVENICE COLLABORATION, SELECTED AMONG THE PROJECTS OF EXCELLENCE OF THE UE The HyFlexyBot project born from the partnership signed between the Venetian mechatronics company Automationware and the Modenese innovation hub Crit: an integrated solution that will improve and make more efficient the production and logistics of the food industry. The HyFlexyBot project is in the top ten of the Agrobofood-Horizon2020 community program and will be funded with 300 thousand euros.

T

he innovative Italian robotics, developed on the Modena-Venice axis, has been awarded with a new important recognition by the UE.

The union of these elements will result in an innovative model of Autonomous Mobile Manipulation Robot (AMMR - Autonomous and mobile manipulation robot).

The HyFlexyBot project was born from the partnership signed between the Venetian mechatronics company AutomationWare S.r.l. and the Modenese innovation hub CRIT S.r.l. The integrated solution (a modular robotic arm combined with an autonomous mobile robot) will improve and make more efficient the production and logistics of the food industry. For its highly innovative contents, the HyFlexyBot project was included among the best 10 projects of the Agrobofood-Horizon2020 community program, winning a loan of 300 thousand euros.

The HyFlexyBot project grants absolute safety and absence of contamination of products at every stage of work (production, transformation, packaging, storage and transport), a priority that in reference to the Covid-19 pandemic takes on an even more strategic role. The HyFlexyBot project aims to achieve a production and palletization completely free of contaminants: advanced automation can play a fundamental role in guaranteeing the quality and safety of food products, overcoming the problems related to the intervention of human operators in logistics in terms of picking, packaging and palletizing of products. A challenge that also concerns other industrial sectors such as the pharmaceutical one. https://automationware.it/?lang=en https://www.crit-research.it/en/ MORE INFORMATION

The HyFlexyBot project combines three different technological elements: • a modular robotic arm, composed of certified, intrinsically safe, robotic joints and optimized for handling boxes and palletizing with integrated detection of the applied force; • an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), capable of lifting and carrying loads up to 800 kg equipped with an innovative control platform and vision system based on Artificial Intelligence; • a robotic operating system (ROS) that will integrate all the required functionalities (cognition, perception, movement planning, control and management), based on open source tools.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

63

PUMPS

GERMAN INNOVATION AWARD FOR SCT AUTOADJUST

SEEPEX automated pump receives award from German Design Council.

W

orld market leader SEEPEX has only just launched the first automated progressive cavity pump on the market, and already it has won a trophy. The German Design Council distinguished the SCT AutoAdjust with the German Innovation Award. Advanced technology from North Rhine-Westphalia is the 2021 winner in the category “Excellence in Business to Business - Machines & Engineering”, as well as being a win for modern pump technology.

MORE INFORMATION

“It’s all a matter of adjustment”, is how SEEPEX had described its new development last year. The specialist for progressive cavity pumps thus once again demonstrated its expertise in the field of digitalization: “Pumps are the engine of industrial processes, but so far almost none have been digitalized, so a lot of potential remains untapped,” said Dr. Fabian Pöhl, Global Product Manager at SEEPEX. “The SCT AutoAdjust is the world’s first progressive cavity pump that can be automatically monitored and adjusted via a new type of hydraulic adjustment unit with digital monitoring and control technology. This makes it possible to compensate for wear, and the optimum operating point can be set at all times. The operating data is sent to the SEEPEX cloud, where it is analysed using AI. Maintenance can be optimized in terms of plannability, process downtime, and use of personnel and equipment. Pump performance, service life and energy consumption are improved. Thus, the 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

64

SCT AutoAdjust achieves maximum process efficiency at minimum operating costs.”

The German Innovation Award recognizes cross-industry products and solutions that stand out primarily because they are user-centric and offer added value compared to previous approaches.

“Innovations that shape the future and improve lives exist in all branches of industry. Sometimes you can spot them immediately, but often this is not the case.

The German Innovation Award wants to change that. It makes great achievements visible to a wide audience and ensures successful market positioning,” the organization says. Since 1953, the German Design Council has been promoting company competitiveness. Its international competitions award the best achievements in terms of design, brand and innovation. “Because only with a perfect attuned combination of design, brand and innovation can companies be armed for the tough competition of Industry 4.0 and digitalization.” https://www.seepex.com/en/home

SAFETY

53% OF FIRE SAFETY PROFESSIONALS HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN FIRE DOOR WEDGING

Results from a survey conducted by a manufacturer of fire safety technology, Geofire, found that 53% of fire safety professionals have seen an increase in fire doors being wedged open since the start of the pandemic.

T

hesurvey, which was completed to gain an insight into how COVID-19 has impacted the fire safety industry over the last 12 months, highlighted key themes such as the impact of financial pressure following the pandemic.

84% of the respondents identified that financial pressure has made businesses less likely to carry out fire safety maintenance and improvements. One Health and Safety Advisor, said: “Fire will not stop for COVID-19, employers still have an obligation to keep people and premises fire safe”.

Over the last 12 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated the world with the necessary, but disruptive nature of lock-downs and restrictions impacting day to day business across the UK. Despite the turbulent year, the risk a fire poses to life and property remains unchanged.

Geofire warns that businesses must continue to ensure that their fire safety is not only compliant, but adapted to facilitate the added challenge of the on-going pandemic.

The report highlights that fire safety professionals believe there is a lack of awareness in businesses around the importance of fire safety, with 37% stating that infection control measures have had a negative impact.

Andy Collinson, CEO at Geofire, said: “As the manufacturer of fire safety products, including fire door holders and closers, we wanted to conduct this survey to learn from others in the industry and raise awareness of the importance of ensuring fire safety compliance. This is even more important as restrictions ease and businesses and buildings across the UK begin to reopen, some for the first time in over a year”.

MORE INFORMATION

The survey was based on responses from a range of people working within the industry, such as; Fire Risk Assessors, Fire Door Auditors, H&S Advisors and Fire Safety Consultants.

To read the full report, visit www.geofire.co.uk/covid-19and-fire-safety-report/. https://www.geofire.co.uk/ 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

65

S M A R T FA C TO R Y

NEW GRAPHIC OPERATION TERMINALS FROM MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC PROVIDE “WIDER“ CHOICES

Mitsubishi Electric have launched two new Graphic Operation Terminals which come in frame colors of smart silver (GT2512WXTSD) or cool black (GT2512-WXTBD).

Mitsubishi Electric has launched two new Graphic Operation Terminals (GOTs), which come as the latest addition to its GOT2000 Series Wide Model lineup. The 12.1-inch widescreen models, which feature narrow bezels and come in frame colors of smart silver (GT2512-WXTSD) or cool black (GT2512-WXTBD), will help meet customers’ needs for a wider screen to show more information in factory, process, utility and other automation applications.

T

hese new widescreen GOTs are also ready to support remote connection in cases where user access may be restricted. Remote connection functions such as SoftGOT enable remote maintenance via access to the local GOT screen while operators can obtain live data using GOT Mobile.

Learn more about the new GOT products at: https://www.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/products/hmi/got/ pmerit/watch/index.html#vol73

New Antibacterial, Antiviral Protection Sheets Available as Options for Standard GOTs In further enhancements to support safe-working practices, there are also new antibacterial, antiviral protection sheets as options for standard GT27 and GT25 GOTs in 12.1, 10.4 and 8.4 inch sizes. These sheets help reduce disinfection work by adopting “SIAA” certified sheets with anti-virus and anti-bacterial features. The sheets, which use RIKEN TECHNOS’ RIKEGUARD®, are proven to inactivate 99.99% of viruses and reduce bacterial growth to less than 1/100, with 10+ years of performance in typical environments.

MORE INFORMATION

For details of the antibacterial, antiviral protection sheets visit: https://www.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/products/hmi/got/ pmerit/watch/got2000.html#vol_14

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

66

The new models feature two Ethernet ports, facilitating the connection of Ethernet cables.

By using GOT Mobile, operators can monitor the screen from computers and tablets in a remote location.

Notes on antibacterial and antiviral properties: 1) This product uses RIKEGUARD ®, which is registered with SIAA. 2) The SIAA mark is displayed on products that have been evaluated in accordance with ISO 22196 and ISO 21702 standards and for which quality control and information has been disclosed in accordance with the Antimicrobial Product Technology Council guidelines.

Inorganic Antibacterial Agent/Kneading/Surface Layer: JP0122310A0004O

This product uses antibacterial and antiviral materials that meet SIAA safety standards.

This product complies with SIAA safety standards.

This product is not a medicine. Antiviral processing is not intended to treat or prevent disease.

This product does not inhibit the growth of all bacteria. This product does not inactivate all viruses.

MORE INFORMATION

Inorganic Antiviral Agent/Kneading/Surface Layer: JP0612310A0003R

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

67

S M A R T FA C TO R Y

INNOVATIVE AND SCALABLE MULTI-COMPONENT SOFTWARE SMARTCOLLECT® SC² COMBINES DIGITAL MEASUREMENT DATA MANAGEMENT AND SCADA

The topic of measurement, secure access to measurement data, secure storage of measurement data as well as the visualisation and analysis of such data poses ever-increasing challenges. Among other things, this is also driven by increasingly strict IT guidelines, growing complexity of infrastructures and data protection. And all this comes in the context of rapid digital market dynamics.

MORE INFORMATION

The goal: Simplify the world of measurement data Camille Bauer Metrawatt introduces the innovative SmartCollect® SC² HMI/SCADA software for managing data in a user-friendly way. Unlike some other SCADA software tools in this category, SmartCollect® SC² is based on a new state-of-the-art platform with a visually appealing 2D/3D web-based graphical user interface. The simplicity, functionality, flexibility along with the price-performance ratio are convincing.

A look at the system architecture Essentially, it is a web-based HMI that does not require a complicated client-server architecture. The advantage is obvious. The security of the IT infrastructure stays in the hands of the user and is not affected by how a user software accesses the HMI. The user runs the application via WebGUI and the application is monitored using role-based access control (RBAC) and an AuditLog. According to the customerspecific configuration, measurement data is securely stored on a server, locally or in the cloud, and retrieved for visualisation by the web-based HMI at the frontend. In addition, many common communication protocols are available for system integration.

Deliberate simplicity despite high performance is the order of the day Innovative functionalities are at the heart of SmartCollect® SC². For example, infrastructural overviews of measurement data can be displayed in 2D or 3D graphics as well as in single-line diagrams. A dashboard also enables you to evaluate progressions in the relevant measurement

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

68

data, to analyse them with synchronised zoom functions and to derive possible trends from them. In addition to visualising events and alarms, there are export functions for the measurement data. A big plus of the software is the access to individual measuring points from the HMI of the SmartCollect® SC² directly into the respective WebGUI of the measuring devices. Here, necessary settings as well as further measurement data can be viewed and deeper analyses can be made or even individual processes can be represented graphically. Access in the Camille Bauer products is also protected against unintentional manipulation with further integrated protective functions such as RBAC, Client Whitelist, AuditLog, Syslog, Secure Firmware, 16GB SD card and Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (https). The customer can set up all the options described above flexibly.

The user can implement user profiles in order to adapt them later to the corresponding users. A wide range of national languages are supported. The SmartCollect® SC² also offers a user-friendly option to process a wide variety of data including measuring devices and sensors from different manufacturers as well as virtual channels. Modern sharing, snapshot and playlist functions are also included.

Info: Stationary SCADA with SmartCollect® SC² - Power Quality as a Service (pq-as-a-service.com)

MORE INFORMATION

The right version for every use case There are currently 4 editions of SmartCollect® SC² available for the use cases. The Starter Edition is the best choice for smaller installations, while the Standard Edition, which comes in a Professional or an Enterprise Edition, is recommended for more than 10 measuring points. The software is then scaled to the number of measuring points and the required measurement data and optimally designed to fit the existing budget. In addition, the user is guided during the design phase in a way that makes it clear from the beginning what the software will look like and how it will function in the application. This is a big plus for creating

transparency and efficiency during the offer or initialisation phase. At the same time, the software in each edition can be scaled up by taking into account any potential farsighted adaptations and extensions. The software is used in energy distribution applications as well as in industrial and commercial infrastructures. It is therefore a good all-rounder for many areas, especially where a particular measuring unit is taken into account.

It is worth taking a look online at https://scada-smartcollect. com [with access authorisation] Contact at info@scada-smartcollect.com 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

69

S M A R T FA C TO R Y

POWER QUALITY ASSURANCE NOW ALSO AVAILABLE IN SMALL FORMAT: LINAX PQ1000 MEASURES POWER QUALITY FOR INDUSTRIAL REQUIREMENTS ACCORDING TO CLASS S

Good cybersecurity built into each individual measuring device is now indispensable.

Assure power quality! Demands for power quality assurance are growing stronger and louder. We hear this confirmed by utilities, industrial companies, but also by many electricians who are increasingly confronted by this issue when dealing with their customers. Very often questions then arise as to which measuring instrument should be used, the level of skill and the size of the budget required.

P

MORE INFORMATION

ower quality assurance for industrial needs. Power quality assessment according to IEC61000-4-30 class S is now provided by the LINAX PQ1000 power analyser series, whereby the measuring instrument is especially designed for analysing demand side power quality. The power quality assurance process on the demand side (after the PCCas per IEC TR 63191) is described here: “Demand Side Power Quality” (DSPQ)”.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

70

But why class S and not class A? Measuring instruments according to IEC 61000-4-30 Class A, basically provide measured values that are comparable across measuring instruments and manufacturers. In case of legal disputes, class A is mandatory and is especially relevant for distribution system operators.

Power quality analysers according to IEC 61000-4-30 class S are intended for basic/advanced power quality analysis and provide useful monitoring data. Instruments that meet Class S performance requirements are used for statistical power quality surveys and other applications and measurement services. There is no potential for disputes. This also means that no mandatory requirement for comparative measurements. The performance requirements for Class S are less stringent than for Class A. This results among other things, in a lower price. In industrial and utility applications, they are often used in the IPC (according to IEC [TR] 63191, this is the power distribution network after the Point of Common Coupling [PCC]). Even in data centres, they are

LINAX PQ1000 configurations. For front panel or DIN rail mounting. With or without TFT display. Ready for any application. The LINAX PQ1000 is an IEC61000-4-30 Ed. 3 of class S compliant power quality analyser.

strongly recommended within the infrastructure, according to EN50600-2-2:2019-08 [Chapter 6.2.3 Voltage Quality].

Good cybersecurity built into each individual measuring device is now indispensable.

Power quality assurance certification also for class S For accurate and precisely repeatable power quality measurements, it is especially important that the measurements comply with measurement procedure standards. These should not be confused with the standards for power quality compliance. For this reason, class S measuring instruments should also be certified.

For the LINAX PQ1000, this is ensured by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS), based on its big brothers LINAX PQ3000 & PQ5000. With Swiss precision.

LINAX PQ1000 configurations This measuring instrument, also referred to as a PQI or Power Quality Instrument as defined by IEC 62586-1/2 Power Quality Measurement in Power Supply Systems, is available in various options. The commonly used 96 x 96 mm form factor, allows the instrument to be easily fitted anywhere, either with TFT display for panel mounting or for DIN rail mounting with or without TFT display. All variants are possible, for complete flexibility. In addition, operation and communication are ultra-simple, thanks to the integrated web browser. No need for any additional software: operation, parameterization and monitoring are as easy as child’s play.

You can view the related tutorials at https://www.youtube. com/user/CamilleBauerAG/videos https://pq-as-a-ser vice.com/en/24-7-measuringinstruments-pqi-fixed/ MORE INFORMATION

Power quality assurance with the highest cybersecurity standards The issue of cybersecurity is also growing more and more important as devices are increasingly networked. Especially in the energy distribution sector, for both public and private grids. Due to the threat situation, effective cybersecurity is essential. Like its big brothers, the LINAX PQ1000 offers many effective IT security features. These include role-based access rights (RBAC), encrypted transfer of web pages (https), client whitelist to limit access to end devices, audit log for seamless monitoring of changes and operations, certified firmware updates, redundant data logger outside the IT system.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

71

S M A R T FA C TO R Y

MOXA LAUNCHES WIRELESS ADD-ON MODULE FOR MXVIEW TO OVERCOME THE WI-FI NETWORK MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES IN SMART MANUFACTURING

Moxa, a leading provider of network infrastructure solutions, has released the MXview Wireless addon module for our MXview industrial network management software. MXview streamlines network management by visualizing networks, helping non-IT staff simplify operations and improve network uptime.

T

MORE INFORMATION

his software has successfully helped many customers from around the world in different industries, such as in power, intelligent transportation, and manufacturing.

Today, with the rise of smart manufacturing, intelligent and reliable industrial network communication has become the cornerstone for nearly every smart application. In response to the transformation of the industrial environment and increasing number of Wi-Fi applications, the new MXview Wireless add-on module fulfills the different requirements of both static and dynamic wireless applications in smart manufacturing. With reliable network communications as a foundation and real-time network management from a single pane of glass, business owners can focus on improving operational efficiency and achieving maximum system uptime.

Visualize Wi-Fi Networks for Optimal Operational Efficiency Intelligent process control is a typical static wireless application in smart manufacturing where customers use Wi-Fi to establish the communication between the clients installed at production lines and the control center.

However, an unstable wireless connection might lead 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

72

to wrong decision-making due to incomplete on-site information or dropped connections, affecting optimal production processes. It’s often difficult to know the exact status of the Wi-Fi connection and fix issues immediately the moment they occur. The MXview Wireless add-on module simplifies network management by allowing users to get detailed device information and performance indicator charts for individual AP and client devices from the device dashboard. “A major benefit of this module is that users can now view the wireless and wired network status from a single main control dashboard. This feature not only lets you quickly understand the network conditions of the factory, but also makes network management much easier.” says Lyra Li, product manager at Moxa. Furthermore, users can monitor connectivity patterns and customize alert settings to immediately notify you of any problems. In turn, this allows engineers to perform on-site troubleshooting quickly and efficiently, ensuring maximum network availability.

Easy Troubleshooting for Maximum System Uptime In automated material handling (AMH) systems, the WiFi connections must be able to dynamically adapt to the constantly moving vehicles. An unstable wireless signal could easily disrupt the operation of these systems. However,

wireless connections are invisible and affected by a lot of different factors. The MXview Wireless add-on features a dynamic topology view to let users see the status of wireless links and connection changes at a glance. Moreover, since automated vehicles constantly roam between different APs around the facility, users can overlay the network topology on top of a floor map of the facility to easily locate the vehicle by just checking the client’s wireless connection.

This helps save a great deal of time when trying to identify a malfunctioning client device. “The roaming playback function lets users review a client’s roaming history of the past 30 days to repeat an incident. Users can leverage this function to find and address the root cause more efficiently, instead of having to consolidate and examine individual device logs.” says Lyra. Exclusively developed by Moxa, these two functions are specially designed to fulfill the growing requirements of automated factories, smart logistics, and other intelligent applications.

To learn more about our wireless AMH solutions, you can watch our introduction video at https://youtu.be/AX41LeTbZE.

MXview and MXview Wireless Add-on Module Highlights • Automatically discovers and visualizes network devices and physical connections • Instant alerts with customizable trigger thresholds • Easily embedded into OT/IT systems • Single, integrated dashboard for wired and wireless network status overview • Detailed device information and performance indicator charts • Dynamic topology view shows the status of wireless links and connection changes at a glance • Visual, interactive roaming playback function to review the roaming history of clients Learn how MXview was endorsed by our ITS customer by reading our City of Lancaster, USA case study.

MORE INFORMATION

Leveraging our experience in wired network management with MXview, the newly released MXview Wireless addon module was created to get the most out of your Wi-Fi applications. To encourage everyone to experience the power of this industrial network management software, Moxa is also launching a special promotion program. From now until December 31, 2021, users can fully enjoy the

MXview Wireless add-on for free for one year by simply activating the MXview Wireless add-on module for MXview.

For more information about the product and details regarding this ongoing promotion, please visit the product page or the microsite at www.moxa.com/MXview.

https://youtu.be/AX41LeTb-ZE

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

73

S M A R T FA C TO R Y

INDUSTRIAL SMART SWITCH ACHIEVES NETWORK INTEROPERABILITY AND INTEGRATION QUICKER THAN EVER BEFORE

Moxa is pleased to add the SDS-3016 Series to our Red Dot award-winning product family. The new addition includes Gigabit uplink, eight additional ports, and an easy-to-configure Industrial Automation (IA)-profile that allows automation engineers to quickly process the increasing amounts of data within the smart manufacturing industry. Moxa will always strive to ensure you can achieve network interoperability and integration immediately.

A

utomation engineers are increasingly putting more emphasis on the underlying health of their networks to ensure they can maintain reliable plant operations.

This is often achieved by monitoring data and the network status from SCADA/HMIs, allowing automation engineers to prevent network downtime.

MORE INFORMATION

“We decided to develop the SDS-3000 Series industrial smart switches with the 3-2-1 design to simplify industrial communications. There are 3 pre-configured IA protocols, 2 installation methods, and a 1-page dashboard for easy configuration. The new SDS-3016 Series includes an additional rotary-coded DIP-switch, which is located on the bottom of the device, to allow engineers to perform profilebased settings quickly without using a web browser,” noted Elsa Liu, Product Manager at Moxa.

The smart switch was specifically designed for IA engineers and automation machine builders. The switch only includes the functions IA engineers and automation machine builders need, and importantly, does not require them to 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

74

have IT-based network management skills. We believe the smart switch is the ideal product for the manufacturing industry, especially for machine builders who are embracing the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0.

The SDS-3016 Series Smart Switch Features • 14+2G-port Gigabit smart Ethernet switches • 3 industrial protocols including EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, and Modbus/TCP • 2 installation methods with DIN-rail and rack-mounting options • 1-page dashboard GUI for easy device configuration and port diagnostics reports • One-step configuration to enable seamless SCADA/HMI/ NMS integration • Supports RSTP/STP/MRP (Client) network redundancy • Compact size to fit in confined spaces www.moxa.com

S M A R T FA C TO R Y

CONTROL ANY AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FROM MODBUS OR BACNET-BASED AUTOMATION SYSTEMS VIA IR

HMS Networks now launches a new IR-based Intesis® AC interface that enables integration of any Air Conditioning unit, regardless of brand, into Modbus or BACnet Building Automation Systems.

The importance of controlling Air Conditioning systems HVAC systems are usually the largest energy-consumers in a building. Therefore, it is crucial for building owners to monitor and control these systems to save costs and energy. Additionally, the Covid-19 pandemic has made it increasingly important to find new ways of installing and using AC units, as ventilation and “clean air” has become a major concern.

The Air Conditioning market is growing fast with new brands and different types of AC units constantly emerging. This makes it challenging for building owners to integrate ACunits into their specific Building Management System (BMS).

Fast configuration and diagnostic thanks to Intesis MAPS The new AC interface solution is configured using the Intesis MAPS tool, which brings many advantages for the system integrator. With a project-based configuration, all the interfaces installed can be configured in a single MAPS template, making it easy to copy device configurations and set up new projects. Thanks to the diagnostics function, the commissioning process and any post-installation assistance is also simplified.

MORE INFORMATION

A Universal IR interface compatible with more than 100 AC Units The Intesis offering includes the most comprehensive portfolio of AC interfaces on the market, enabling monitoring and control of air conditioning units from any home or building automation system.

The portfolio is now further strengthened as HMS launches a universal IR-based Intesis AC interface for integrating AC units to Modbus or BACnet-based automation systems. The new interface connects to the AC unit via the IR link which is already used by most AC units to communicate with their remote control. The Intesis IR-based AC Interface is already compatible with more than 100 IR remote controllers and their associated AC units.

Learn more at www.intesis.com

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

75

S M A R T FA C TO R Y

ICE CREAM MAKES CHEWY ENCOUNTER WITH DIGITAL MANUFACTURING

Lotte is a leading manufacturer of confectioneries, ice cream, general merchandise, and others. (Image Source: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)

Since its launch in 1981, Lotte’s Yukimi Daifuku has been loved by people of all ages as a popular Japanese household favorite. Many have tried the unforgettable flavor and texture of the vanilla ice cream balls wrapped in soft, chewy mochi rice cake. “Delicious whenever eaten, regardless of the season,” however, to achieve that deceptively simple goal of consistent texture, quality and taste is actually more difficult than most people would have thought. To solve this challenge Lotte has introduced Mitsubishi Electric’s e-F@ctory to the production of Yukimi Daifuku.

MORE INFORMATION

“

Before introducing e-F@ctory, there was an issue of inconsistency of the rice cake quality,” said Hiroshi Sugimoto, Manager of the Facilities Department, Urawa Plant, LOTTE Co., Ltd. “When wrapping the ice cream, the hardness of rice cake used to vary depending on the temperature and water content. Some operations were dependent on people, and losses arose out of the need to finely adjust the machine parameters.”

At each of the Yukimi Daifuku production lines the state of the product and the operating status of the machines is collected by PLCs installed in each process. Vast amounts of data, such as vibration data from the rice cake hopper to data from the conveying inverters is collected. All of the data can be understood in real-time not only through the overall SCADA monitoring system, which is installed in the control room, but also through on-site computer displays.

“The e-F@ctory system allows us to conduct improvement activities such as enhancing the operating rate, stabilizing quality, and optimizing staffing for production activities. The extendibility of the system, depending on what we want to do, was also appealing,” Hiroshi Sugimoto added.

“By introducing this system, data became centralized, making it possible to view and investigate conditions whenever we want,” remarked Hiroshi Akimoto, Section Manager of Facilities Department, Urawa Plant, LOTTE Co., Ltd. “Because the data volume is extremely high, having all the data centralized in one place has a positive effect. One big benefit is that we can now gather and analyze data and conduct data diagnostics using a real-time data analyzer.

This system not only helps us stabilize the state of the rice cakes used for the Yukimi Daifuku, but also promotes improvement activities within the plant.”

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

76

The Real-time Data Analyzer (above) is running in the Mitsubishi Electric “MELIPC” industrial PC (below) where it gathers and analyzes data and conducts diagnostics.

(Image Source: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)

Rice cakes are made by steaming and kneading (left), then combined with cold ice cream (right). The rice cake temperature is key to Yukimi Daifuku’s soft and supple texture, which is the key feature of this popular ice cream. (Image Source: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation).

“Another benefit is the adjustment of the blending ratio of rice cake and ice cream,” Hiroshi Akimoto continued. “This was usually done by experienced operators, who monitored the state of the rice cakes as they come out of the wrapping machine by kneading them with their fingers. We thought it would be great if we could automate this process. By automating such processes, which were conventionally performed based on human senses, and by capturing signs of any poor quality of the wrapped rice cakes beforehand, we can eliminate problems. That was our ultimate goal.”

“The use of IoT has only just been introduced to the production of Yukimi Daifuku, however, the Urawa Plant has many other lines making chocolates and ice creams, so Yukimi Daifuku is not our only challenge,” Takayuki Manako added. “We aim to horizontally deploy this system and construct a smart plant in which ‘symptom management’ and ‘operating rate improvement’ are implemented on numerous lines. Stable plant operation and manpower savings will eventually make a major contribution in terms of costs and so on. If we consider LOTTE as a whole, our goal is to further evolve this technology and extend it to other plants.” https://eu3a.mitsubishielectric.com/ MORE INFORMATION

“As you know, ice cream is a cold material. This cold ice cream is combined with rice cake, which is warm when it is made,” said Takayuki Manako, Executive Director & Plant Manager of Urawa Plant, LOTTE Co., Ltd. “This technical aspect of combining a cold item with a warm one in a good balance is what makes Yukimi Daifuku a complex product. But I think this challenge is something that inspires us to find new ways to overcome it. The temperature in the manufacturing room varies all year round. We strive to maintain consistent conditions, but at the same time, we try to reliably create even better conditions. We introduced the e-F@ctory manufacturing concept with the expectation of realizing this in the future.”

ctory we can visualize the condition of machines and the machines themselves can issue instructions to make adjustments. Another thing is that maintenance and failures are unavoidable with machines. We expect that these can also be better managed by using e-F@ctory’s symptom management features.”

“In the course of daily production, machines do not operate in the same condition every day. Previously experienced staff members checked and adjusted the settings of the machines,” Takayuki Manako continued, “but with e-F@ 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

77

OPTIMIZE YOUR INTERNATIONAL PR AND ADVERTISING FOR THE INDUSTRIAL MARKET!

International capability

Outstanding results

Optimized process

More than 80 employees in 35 different countries, ensuring a strong relationship with main local media. Mepax distinguishes itself through its extensive media knowledge and ability to select the best international online/print advertising options. PR can be translated into 35 languages.

40,000 published articles in 2020: EMEA: 48% - Asia: 31% - Americas: 21%. Most of the articles are published in the top 1000 media worldwide.

With a proven process set for more than 200 active customers, we can adapt to all specific client needs with the highest reliability.

We have developed in house the most advanced PR dedicated ERP, enabling transparency and real-time full online reporting. International media management is then made easy, fast, and efficient for optimal results.

www.mepax.com info@mepax.com

THE MOST INNOVATIVE PR AGENCY

S M A R T FA C TO R Y

CONVEYOR SENSOR SYSTEM READY TO GO

New special mounting brackets for the sensors of the 25C series for pallet detection. Innovative, factory integration of the special mounting bracket with sensor for pallet detection in the inner area of the conveyor.

Leuze is launching an innovative mounting bracket for their 25C sensors that saves conveyor system manufacturers both time and money.

D

esigned for reliable pallet detection, the sensor and bracket are supplied as a pre-assembled set to enable the conveyor system manufacturer to pre-mount to the conveyor in the factory, which is traditionally done onsite during the installation and commissioning phase of the system.

www.leuze.com

MORE INFORMATION

A perfect fit inside the conveyor The innovative new mounting brackets are designed specifically to fit the 25C series sensors. This means that the conveyor system manufacturer can install the sensor and bracket set inside the conveyor thus protecting it from potential damage. The integrated sloping front screen of the bracket deflects any dirt or debris that may fall onto it ensuring that the all-in-one solution requires less cleaning and maintenance than systems that rely on standard retroreflective photoelectric sensors.

In addition, the special ambient light configuration of the 25C sensors ensures that they are insensitive to high-frequency LED illumination used that is often found in production and logistics buildings and can cause unreliable operation of other types of diffuse sensors. Pallets are notoriously difficult to detect with diffuse optical sensors due to the differences in colour and surface. However, thanks to the detection performance and outstanding function reserve of the 25C sensors from Leuze these issues are easily overcome and reliable detection of different pallet types is ensured.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

79

S M A R T FA C TO R Y

The outstanding MAXXDRIVE® industrial gear unit portfolio based on the NORD modular system covers all industrial application fields up to 282 kNm.

MAXXDRIVE® INDUSTRIAL GEAR UNITS – NORD’S TOUGHEST FOR EVERY SITUATION

The overall portfolio of MAXXDRIVE® parallel and right-angle gear units from NORD DRIVESYSTEMS offers high output torques from 15 to 282 kNm across 11 sizes. In addition to this proven standard series, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS offers the new MAXXDRIVE® XT series with right-angle gear units having a thermally optimised design in seven sizes from 15 to 75 kNm. In combination with its comprehensive accessories and options programme, the modular system allows for the planning of perfectly matched drive systems for heavy-duty applications like conveyors or agitators.

M MORE INFORMATION

AXXDRIVE® industrial gear units are used when high output torques and powers are required.

In combination with the suitable accessories, MAXXDRIVE® provides a technically and economically perfect drive solution for each customer project.

MAXXDRIVE® industrial gear units are used when high output torques and powers are required. In combination with the suitable accessories, MAXXDRIVE® provides a technically and economically perfect drive solution for each customer project.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

80

The comprehensive configuration and mounting options of the MAXXDRIVE® industrial gear unit allow for standardised as well as tailor-made drive solutions. The combination of motor, gear unit, coupling and braking system, for example, results in precisely planned complete units that are supplied ready-to-install, mounted on a motor swing base or a base frame. As an alternative, the motor attachment can be realised via an IEC/NEMA adapter.

A large variation of available flange and output shaft versions ensures that the customer’s application is ideally matched.

The mechanical and thermal design of all NORD industrial gear units is always based on the existing operating data of the application and on the ambient conditions at the installation site. Thus, the MAXXDRIVE® portfolio ensures maximum individualisation, creating drive systems that

NEWS

fulfil the highest demands in terms of reliability and long service life.

https://www.nord.com/en/home-uk.jsp

MORE INFORMATION

Variety of options for tailor-made application concepts Typical MAXXDRIVE® applications are drives for conveyor belts, consisting of an electric motor, a coupling solution and an industrial gear unit with axial fan. The primary focus here is on a sufficient heat dissipation to allow for ultimate thermal limit powers. The new MAXXDRIVE® XT industrial gear units with their heavily ribbed housings are ideally suited for this purpose. The power and speed ranges of the application-optimised two-stage right-angle gear units have been specially designed for applications in which low speed ranges are required in combination with high powers.

MAXXDRIVE® XT series output torques range between 15 and 75 kNm with speed ratios of 6.3 to 22.4. MAXXDRIVE® XT industrial gear units are available in seven sizes for powers from 50 to 1,500 kW. Another typical application for this strong range of industrial gear units from NORD includes drives for mixing and agitation processes. By equipping the compact and robust MAXXDRIVE® industrial gear unit with reinforced bearing and flange versions (VL2/KL2 - VL6/KL6), the drive can be optimally adjusted to application loads.

Sealless IEC/NEMA adapters (SAFOMI) and a TRUE DRYWELL sealing at the output shaft allow for highest possible operational reliability. The entire drive system – from NORD electric motors to flange connections – is delivered as a ready-to-install unit, which can easily be mounted vertically on the application.

Networked maintenance concepts NORD also offers innovative predictive maintenance concepts specially designed for MAXXDRIVE® industrial gear units. The NORD frequency inverter is an essential component here. The status data available in the inverter can be communicated to a higher-level control or directly to a safe cloud. The inverter can also directly record external sensor data for vibration monitoring or for measuring the gear unit’s oil sump temperature. Changes to the system condition can be detected at an early stage (condition monitoring) and predictive maintenance can be scheduled in good time.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

81

S M A R T FA C TO R Y

CAP CLOSED

Camera-based cap control with artificial intelligence.

S

MORE INFORMATION

trong price pressure combined with high quality requirements - the beverage and bottle industry faces the classic dilemma of many industries. This is also the case in the quality control department of a French manufacturer of plastic caps. Reliably detecting cracks and micro-cracks on plastic caps in 40 different colours and shades running at high speed on a production line is a real challenge. APREX Solutions from Nancy, France has successfully achieved this goal with the help of image processing technology and artificial intelligence. The basic images are provided by a USB 3 industrial camera from IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH.

SOLOCAP is a subsidiary of La Maison Mélan Moutet, “flavour conditioner since 1880” and manufactures all types of plastic caps for the food sector at its industrial site in Contrexéville.

Among them, a top-class screw cap suitable for any glass or PET bottle. Thanks to a clampable lamella ring arranged around the bottle collar, it enables simple, fast, absolutely tight and secure seal. However, the slats must be reliably and extremely carefully checked for cracks, tears and twists during production. This is the only way to guarantee absolute tightness.

The previous inspection system could not meet these high requirements. APREX Solutions realised the new solution with artificial intelligence individually on the basis of inhouse software algorithms. The necessary specifications were developed in advance in cooperation with the customer. This also included several inspection stages, one of which, for example, was the reject control to avoid false reports. The introduction took place in two phases: First, the specific “SOLOCAP application” was trained with the help of the intelligent APREX Track AI solution.

The software includes various object detector, classifier and standard methods that operate at different levels.

Networked accordingly, they ultimately deliver the desired

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

82

in the production line at high speed and makes the smallest details visible to the software.

40 different colours and shades are reliably detected.

result tailored to the customer. Four control levels with several test points guarantee a reliability rate of over 99.99%.

In the second step, this application was implemented in the production line right after the first assembly run with APREX Track C&M. The latter was specially developed for the diverse image processing requirements in the industrial sector. This includes, among other things, the control and safeguarding of a production line up to the measurement, identification and classification of defects in the production environment.

The software suite delivers the desired results quickly and efficiently, without time-consuming development processes. After a short training of the AI methods, the complete system is ready for use at the customer. In the case of SOLOCAP, it combines an IDS UI-3280CP-C-HQ industrial camera, powerful ring illumination and a programmable logic controller (PLC) to provide comprehensive control over all inspection processes. At the same time, it records all workflows in real time and ensures complete traceability.

Only one camera is needed for this. However, APREX TRACK C&M could handle up to 5 cameras.

Outlook Anthony Vastel - Head of Technology and Industry at SOLOCAP - sees a lot of potential in the new inspection system: “APREX’s AI-based approach has opened new doors for our 100% vision-based quality control. Our requirements for product safety, but also for reject control, especially in the case of false reports, were quickly met. We are convinced that we can go one step further by continuing to increase the efficiency of the system at SOLOCAP and transferring it to other production lines.” AI offers quality assurance, but also all other industries in which image processing technology is used, new, undreamed-of fields of application. It makes it possible to solve tasks in which classic, rule-based image processing reaches its limits. Thus, high-quality results can be achieved with comparatively little effort - quickly, creatively and efficiently.

MORE INFORMATION

“The difficulty of this project consisted mainly in the very subtle expression of the defects we were looking for and in the multitude of colours. With our software suite, it was possible to quickly set up an image processing application.

Despite the complexity,” explains Romain Baude - founder APREX Solutions. The image from the camera provides the basis for the evaluations. It captures every single cap directly

One crucial component: the camera The UI-3280CP-C-HQ industrial camera integrated into the system with the 5 MP IMX264 CMOS sensor from Sony sets new standards in terms of light sensitivity, dynamic range and colour reproduction. The USB 3 industrial camera provides excellent image quality with extraordinarily lownoise performance - at frame rates up to 36 fps. CP stands for “Compact Power”. This is because the tiny powerhouse for industrial applications of all kinds is fast, reliable and enables a high data rate of 420 MByte/s with low CPU load.

Users can choose from a large number of modern CMOS sensors from manufacturers such as Sony, CMOSIS, e2v and ON Semiconductor with a wide range of resolutions.

Its innovative, patented housing design with dimensions of only 29 x 29 x 29 millimetres makes it suitable for tasks in the fields of automation, automotive, medical technology and life sciences, agriculture, logistics as well as traffic and transport, among others. Screwable cables ensure a reliable electrical connection. Thanks to the IDS-characteristic plug & play principle, the cameras are automatically recognised by the system and are immediately ready for use, as Romain Baude confirms: “The excellent colour reproduction of the UI-3280CP-C-HQ and its high resolution of 5 MP were decisive factors for us in choosing the camera. At the same time, the model enabled a quick, uncomplicated integration into our system.”

APREX Solutions and IDS have recognised this and offer solutions with intelligent products that make it easier for customers to enter this new world. Image processing and AI - a real dream team on course for growth… https://en.ids-imaging.com/ 30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

83

TRACEABILIT Y

BRADY FURTHER STRENGTHENS CAPABILITIES AS A FULL-SERVICE PROVIDER OF PRINTER & MATERIAL EXPERTISE WITH THE ACQUISITION OF NORDIC ID

Nordic ID adds strong, software-integrated RFID scanning capabilities and technology to Brady’s reliable, industrial-grade and RFID-enabled identification labels and printers. The acquisition strengthens Brady’s position as a worldwide full service provider for RFID and Industry 4.0 solutions.

MORE INFORMATION

Innovation in labelling Brady continuously innovates label materials and identification solutions, focusing on the evolving identification needs of many customers in diverse industries.

The ability to include compliant, passive RFID chips and sensors in flexible, self-adhesive industrial grade label materials is a development spearheaded by Brady’s RFID competence centre in the EMEA-region. “In the future, all products will need a unique digital identity to enhance their visibility throughout the supply chain, all the way to the end-customer”, said Brett Wilms, Managing Director Identification Solutions for EMEA at Brady Corporation. “This enhanced visibility will help improve efficiency, increase sustainability, and enhance the customer experience.

Our reliable, RFID-enabled label portfolio, know-how and print on-site capabilities are perfectly placed to enable these advantages for many companies, even in conditions considered challenging for most labels. Adding Nordic ID’s technology and solutions further develops and strengthens this offer.”

Complete industry 4.0 solution Combined with Nordic ID’s RFID readers, scanners, software, technology and capabilities, Brady can now offer highly customisable and complete RFID solutions to fully enable the benefits of Industry 4.0. Juuso Lehmuskoski, CEO of Nordic ID stated, “Nordic ID’s technology provides solutions that enable our customers to manage their business processes based on intelligent data that bring transparency to their manufacturing processes, and predictability to their operations. The sale of Nordic ID to such a highlyregarded market leader in identification solutions presents an unparalleled opportunity for future growth in diverse industries worldwide.”

Brady intends to increase R&D efforts at Nordic ID to accelerate new RFID product introductions and to expand its product offering both within and outside of Europe.

Nordic ID’s technology combined with Brady’s leading market position in niche application industrial printers and materials make this an attractive business combination in the fast-growing arena of track and trace applications within the industrial setting. http://www.brady.eu/

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

84

TRACEABILIT Y

SAFETY IS PERSONAL

A Lockout/Tagout padlock is often the last obstacle to prevent a premature machine energisation, and a potential maintenance accident with impact on professionals and on their personal lives. To strongly highlight that Lockout/Tagout padlocks protect people, Brady Corporation now offers PrintFace: a complete padlock personalisation, up to printing coworkers’ pictures directly on their padlocks.

Achieve the highest Lockout/Tagout safety Brady’s SafeKey Lockout Padlocks offer 700% more lock and key combinations than a standard safety padlock. An innovative lock mechanism enables 100,000+ combinations that can optimally support complex key hierarchies including several master and grandmaster keys. All key numbers are charted to ensure no two keys in the same company will open the same lock if so required. This enables a safe, future-proof Lockout/Tagout programme that fully respects the procedure’s one person, one lock, one key principle.

Highly reliable prints Personalisation can be printed in full colour and in high resolution directly on Brady’s nylon SafeKey-padlocks for Lockout/Tagout. The print is abrasion -, chemical -, and UV-resistant and highly reliable in both in- and outdoor lockouts. In addition, padlock engraving is available to achieve an even higher reliability, at the expense of colour and complex shapes. As a third, standard approach to personalise padlocks, it is also possible to write or print basic information on self-adhesive labels supplied with any Brady padlock.

http://www.brady.eu/

MORE INFORMATION

Personal padlocks By printing a face on padlocks, each Lockout/Tagout padlock can clearly show who it is protecting. PrintFace will help deter padlock tampering and will highlight that safety is very personal. Removing padlocks in Lockout/Tagout should only be done by the padlock owner, who is shown on the lock. Team leaders, or a site safety manager, can step in if necessary, by following an agreed on procedure that maintains safety. Next to adding a picture, other personalisation options are available including adding a company logo, serial number, text and more.

30 | Industry EMEA | July 2021

85