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Issue 91
Simply done. VARIO-X is the decisive step towards the future! Agile manufacturing, sustainability or Industry 4.0 – thanks to 100 percent automation without control cabinets. Modular, flexible and future-proof, Vario-X brings your machines and systems into the future with decentralized installation technology. future. It‘s that simple.
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AUTOMATION UPDATE Publication Director Kane Weller 01843 580 460 Kane@engineering-update.co.uk Editor Leigh Little 01843 267 690 leigh@engineering-update.co.uk Publishing Director Jodie Little jodie@jetdigitalmedia.co.uk 01843 595818 Editorial Assistant Laura Sharpe 01843 448 443 laura@engineering-update.co.uk
Automation Update is an engaging, editorially led publication & directory giving the reader news and updates on new products and services to our ever Progressing industry. Publishing House Jet Digital Media Ltd The Forge, Spratling Court Offices, Manston, Kent CT12 5AN www.jetdigitalmedia.co.uk
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Forerunner Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. The Sensor People have been setting technological standards in industrial automation for more than 50 years. In the field of safety at work, we convince right from the start with trend-setting inventions, such as the development of the first protective sensor ever, to our latest safety innovation, “Smart Process Gating” – the space-saving solution for access guarding on conveyor lines. This is how we ensure the success of our customers in an industry that is ever evolving.
www.leuze.co.uk Automation Update - 3
Caption (from left to right): Shaking hands on the strengthened cooperation: Thomas Hibinger (COO viastore); Ingo Steinkrüger (CEO Interroll), Philipp Hahn-Woernle (CEO viastore) and Jens Strüwing (COO Interroll).
Interroll and viastore to work more closely together in future Interroll and viastore have agreed to work more closely together in the field of conveyor technology in the future. The managing directors sealed the corresponding cooperation with a handshake at LogiMAT, the international trade fair for intralogistics solutions, now underway in Stuttgart, Germany. The aim of this agreement is for viastore to use Interroll's conveyor technology products in its projects in the future. In addition, the two companies aim to use joint technology platforms, exchange know-how and use tools to optimize processes from planning to installation. 4 - Automation Update
"The cooperation with Interroll strengthens our customer focus," says viastore CEO Philipp Hahn-Woernle. "This expands our product and service offering and thus the benefits for our customers," adds Thomas Hibinger, COO of viastore SYSTEMS. "With this agreement, we are underlining our role as a global provider of sustainable material handling solutions that helps system integrators to focus even more on their core competencies," explains Interroll CEO Ingo Steinkrüger. "In this way, we are supporting viastore in being able to offer an extended service package with maximum added value for users." The viastore GROUP, headquartered in Stuttgart and employeeing around 700 people, is one of the leading international suppliers of turnkey intralogistics systems for industry and commerce, as well as warehouse and material flow management software and accompanying services. www.interroll.com
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Lamonde Automation Limited Quality Products: Expert Advice
InfraTec's Launch New Infrared Zoom Camera: Small, Light, Universal ImageIR® 6300 Z – radiometric with a powerful zoom lens and new SWaP detector (Size, Weight and Power)
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maller, lighter and without time consuming lens changes – this is how InfraTec's latest infrared camera comes across: ImageIR® 6300 Z. The compact zoom camera for precise thermographic temperature measurements is suitable for numerous fields of application. Its excellent price performance ratio and its remarkable user friendliness result from the consistent use of innovative technologies in optics, detector and electronics.
dimensions and weight of the ImageIR® 6300 Z and significantly extends its maintenance free service life.
The ImageIR® 6300 Z is equipped with an integrated 7.5x zoom lens as standard and allows, in combination with its motorised focus, fast and stepless adjustment to a wide range of object distances and lens sizes with excellent image quality and high measurement accuracy. Furthermore, the zoom camera is radiometrically calibrated over the entire focal length range, thus enabling extremely flexible use.
By using its powerful image processing electronics, the camera can output the IR image data in real time to several video and data interfaces as well as record and evaluate it independently. Alternatively, large amounts of data can be stored directly on the integrated SSD. Its web interface also enables the camera to be controlled via smartphone or tablet and, due to the battery operation option, it is also suitable for outdoor use.
Innovative XBn detector The heart of the infrared camera is the new SWaP camera core. It consists of a cooled MWIR focal plane array photon detector with innovative XBn (HOT) technology in the format of (640 × 512) IR pixels, designed for demanding requirements and operating in snapshot mode. The XBn detector material with higher operating temperatures (HOT) of 150 K allows the use of a new linear cooler generation, which is characterised in particular by a substantial smaller design, lower power consumption and long service life. This – in combination with a very small pixel pitch of 10 µm – reduces the
6 - Automation Update
The maximum IR frame rate of 180 Hz can be increased up to 600 Hz with the binning function in high speed mode. Switching between the two speed modes is conveniently done via software and allows precise metrological tracking of fast thermal processes.
Wide range of applications The ImageIR® 6300 Z is predestined for demanding applications in research and development as well as for stationary or airborne inspection and monitoring tasks. Further applications can be found in quality assurance, materials testing or in a wide range of OEM integration solutions. Quantum Design represent InfraTec throughout the UK and Ireland. Find out more about us at www.qd-uki.co.uk
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Automation Update - 7
Snap-on’s Level 5™ asset management system is network ready As engineering managers cope with relentless pressure to deliver improved productivity, often with fewer skilled hands and tighter budgets, the benefits of professional tool storage and management become stronger than ever. Snap-on Industrial’s Level 5™ automated total asset management system brings order to any workplace, enabling engineers and technicians to know exactly where to find every tool they need, when they need it, saving time and easing stress.
How useful would it be if all your workshop’s valuable tools could be tracked from one central point? Snapon’s Level 5™ system makes that possible. It provides complete reports on everything managers or supervisors need to keep an eye on. They are even informed when a tool needs to be refilled or ordered. And then there’s FOD. The threat of foreign object damage is a real and present danger in many engineering workplaces. Using Snap-on Level 5™ minimises the risk of human error, as automated tool control constantly tracks every tool and detects which tools have been removed or returned, ensuring greater protection against FOD. Engineered to track individual tools by user, without bar codes, scanners, RFID tags or other add-ons, the system works at the speed its users demand. Other systems require additional steps to scan or log activity. The Snap-on system does this automatically so users save time and don’t have to depend on other steps to ensure accurate results. Snap-on’s Level 5™ ATC boxes are network ready, using either Ethernet or wireless connection. That enables users to review activity at all Level 5 boxes in their location from one central computer, avoiding the time consuming need to inspect each box.
Major benefits of the system include: • No individual tool scanning required; • No RFID tags to install or replace; • No limitations on tool size: from ¼” screwdriver bit to just less than the size of the drawer; • Intuitive interface, with an easy to use touchscreen • Audible voice confirmation of tool removal and replacement • Automatic locking for maximum security • Errors announced and displayed to indicate incorrect tool position or advise when a drawer is not closed. Says Richard Packham, Director UK & Europe for Snap-on Industrial: “Snap-on’s automated system takes asset management to an entirely new level. The ability to monitor several boxes from one central computer offers a huge advantage to engineering managers.”
For technical details visit: www.snapon-industrial.co.uk, call (01536) 413904 or e-mail: ukindustrialmarketing@snapon.com 8 - Automation Update
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10 - Automation Update
Pharmaceutical product storage requires the highest standards and places extreme demands on hygiene and process reliability. Quality assurance plays a central role because every mistake has a direct impact on a consumer’s health. continues page 12....
Logistics costs are increasingly becoming a focus of corporate planning. Added to this are the increasing expectations of customers in regard to the ability to deliver. Automation makes it possible to achieve errorfree workflows and complete traceability back to the origin of every batch. Automated storage and order picking also ensures lower costs, maximum use of space, optimal climatic conditions, and absolute cleanliness. Merck is committed to changing the world through science and technology. They develop and supply specialised products in the healthcare field. Their newly constructed research building required three zones to supply, prepare, manage, and store pharmaceutical research substances under special storage conditions. Laboratory staff required access to the refrigerated warehouse from a room temperature area, and a redundancy system was needed to secure the controlled storage condition and technology.
Kardex implemented a customised solution including three standard Vertical Lift Modules and a Shuttle XP, modified for chilled conditions. Metal sheets on the Kardex Shuttle trays create subdivisions. Laser pointers and position indicators show an item’s exact position and identify the correct product to pick. A refrigeration unit cools the Shuttle and as a back-up, in the event of a fault, a redundant colling unit with redundant sensors takes over. The air is dehumidified by a drying device to prevent humidity from condensing and icing in the Kardex Shuttle. It is now easier to access the stored goods and Shuttle is clad in insulating panels. This allows operators to access the air-conditioned units directly from a room temperature laboratory. Quality control plays a central role in the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical manufacturers must observe specific guidelines during production. Among other things, these aim to ensure compliance with specified hygiene, temperature, and climatic conditions. Kardex offers diverse storage solutions under controlled conditions.
To learn more contact us at www.kardex.com or visit us at Kardex | Intralogistics Solutions for Pharmaceuticals
12 - Automation Update
moneo – simply made for you! Software to assist your industrial evolution - Nothing more. Nothing less. One platform for all digitization requirements Experience the ease of IT-supported process optimization with moneo. moneo is the all-in-one platform for everyone who wants to interact with their system in a predictive manner, evaluate information and adjust parameters. All in one software. Take the next step in digitization. Without detours, without technical hurdles, very simple and straightforward. Are you ready for industrial evolution? It's already happening, with moneo.
moneo|configure SA (SA: Stand-Alone) supports you with the parameterization of your IO-Link devices and ifm IO-Link masters. The visualized representation in the cockpit simplifies setup and error diagnosis. The simple management of parameter data sets accelerates the integration of new sensors and is supplemented by the integrated online connection to the IODD finder. Ready for more? Then start your digital evolution now with moneo, the new, open and industry-independent IIoT platform from ifm.
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Stertil Combilok Ensures Safety for Global Drinks Supplier Following a recommendation from its systems integrator, one of the world’s leading drinks businesses specified the Combilok vehicle restraint system to improve safety and speed up operations within a loading bay at its distribution centre in Scotland.
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upplied and installed by Stertil Dock Products, the Combilok was installed within a loading bay supporting the handling of kegs into and out of the company’s production and distribution facilities. All vehicle loading and unloading operations are undertaken by a fleet of fork trucks fitted with special keg handling clamps. During these operations, the Combilok eliminates the possibility of vehicle movement including ‘creep’ and careless ‘drive offs’ thereby preventing accidents and ensuring total safety Communication between drivers and distribution personnel in loading bays can be poor. The Combilok was developed exclusively to reduce the risk of unintentional vehicle movement on loading bays and offers a ‘safety net’ against poor communication by holding vehicles in one place until loading or unloading is completed. Not only does this improve safety, it also eliminates damage to expensive goods and equipment and helps guard against theft. During operation, the Combilok is fully interlocked: the loading bay door cannot be opened until the Combilok is in position and the Combilok cannot be released until the door is closed again and it is safe to drive away. Totally automatic in operation, the Combilok also overcomes any language difficulties that may arise with drivers delivering from all over the world. Providing unrivalled efficiency and reliability, the Combilok helps companies to fulfil their health and safety obligations in loading bays. The system accommodates most types of commercial vehicles including those with ‘tail lifts’ and its ease of assembly on smooth surfaces like stelcon plates means that it’s ideal for both new and existing sites. Stertil 14 - Automation Update
Dock Products has also designed the Combilok system with a minimal number of moving parts thus making it safe, simple and inexpensive both to install and maintain. Typically, the Scottish goods in/goods out warehouse operates throughout 16 hours a day, five days a week, supported by the Stertil Combilok. “Our Combilok vehicle restraint system has been relied upon in busy loading bays throughout the world for over 25 years,” says Andy Georgiou, General Manager of Stertil Dock Products. “In fact, such has been the success of the original model that we have recently introduced our latest generation, fully-patented Combilok G2 version which will ensure our continued dominance of the global loading bay equipment market by setting new standards of performance, reliability and safety.” www.stertilcombilokg2.com/uk/
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Be Inspired by Innovation at Advanced Engineering Book your stand today to avoid disappointment
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he 13th edition of Advanced Engineering will celebrate innovation, development and growth within the UK’s manufacturing industry. There 18/02/2022 06:30:08 will be seven show zones this year — aerospace, composites, automotive, advanced metals, connected manufacturing, space and satellite and a new product testing and quality control zone. In the space and satellite zone, the ExoMars Rover, Bruno will return following huge interest at the 2021 exhibition. This year, Advanced Engineering will once again be colocated with sister show, Lab Innovations, giving visitors and exhibitors more opportunities to collaborate across sectors. It is also offering more networking opportunities with a new composites networking area and drinks reception, which will be sponsored by PRF Composites. “Over the last two years, our whole industry has learned the value of in-person interaction, both personally and professionally,” explained Alison Willis, Director at Easyfairs, the organiser of Advanced Engineering and Lab Innovations. “At last year’s event, we found that more visitors and exhibitors were attending with a purpose — whether that was to connect with a new supplier or purchase a particular piece of equipment. AE Connect, our digital platform that helps exhibitors and visitors connect and arrange meetings in advance of the show, really helped facilitate this.”
The UK’s largest gathering of OEMs and engineering and manufacturing supply chain professionals, Advanced Engineering, will return to the NEC, Birmingham on November 2 and 3, 2022. The event is shaping up to be a huge success, with 80 per cent of exhibitor space already sold. Last year saw over 7,000 people attend across the two days, including representatives from Airbus, Jaguar Land Rover, Alpine F1, Ford, BAE Systems, RollsRoyce, and the Ministry of Defence. “Our industry is always innovating and releasing new technologies that are even more impressive when you see them in person. Take Advanced Engineering’s Enabling Innovation competition as an example — inperson events give start-ups like those involved in this the chance to showcase their ground-breaking products to the rest of the engineering community.” In 2022, Advanced Engineering’s smart badge system will return, meaning that attendees scan a personalised badge to receive digital literature and exchange virtual business cards with suppliers. As well as reducing the amount of paper being used, the smart badge technology also helps decrease the spread of COVID-19. Over 75 per cent of last year’s exhibitors rebooked for 2022, including Qimtek, a business that helps industry buyers and designers find new subcontract manufacturing partners. At the exhibition, marketing manager, Dean Munkley said, “The show’s been really good — far busier than I expected. We’ve probably taken more leads than we have at any show over the last three years. There was a lovely mix of people and it was great speaking to anyone from students to directors. There’s such a good variety of suppliers here too — we’ll definitely be returning.”
Exhibitor space is selling out fast. To book your stand, visit www.advancedengineeringuk.com and make an enquiry. Alternatively, you can contact our Head of Sales, Ali Farr on +44 (0)20 3196 4244. 16 - Automation Update
2 & 3 November 2022 | NEC Birmingham
The UK’s LEADING annual gathering of OEMs and engineering and manufacturing supply chain professionals An absolutely outstanding event! We’ve met many great people who we will be looking to work with in the future, and overall it has been a very successful couple of days. Matt Travis, Engineering Manager, JCB
Scan the QR code to discover the event
Association partners Composites
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aeuk@easyfairs.com | +44 (0)20 3196 4300 advancedengineeringuk.com
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MRPeasy - A simple but powerful MRP system designed specifically for small manufacturers
MRPeasy is a cloud-based ERP/MRP system designed for manufacturers with up to 200 employees. The software offers SMEs across all industries the same powerful range of functionalities that larger systems do for bigger companies, but at a fraction of the cost. Furthermore, as the platform has been built specifically for businesses with no in-house IT staff, it is intuitive and easy to implement and use. More than 250 companies in the UK have successfully implemented MRPeasy. One of them is Exacta Technologies.
need high-performance computing, employing 36 staff and with a projected turnover of £10m this year.
Bespoke hardware for high performance computing
workstations. Founded in 2001, the company started out by producing tailored platforms for software providers, allowing those companies to offer hardware along with their software that would ensure the best possible user experience.
Exacta Technologies is a computer hardware company, specialising in designing, configuring, and manufacturing bespoke, highperformance computer servers and
Today, Exacta Technologies and its three subsidiaries – Platform, Blackcore, and Proline – produce bespoke hardware platforms, servers, and workstations for clients that
Migrating from Sage to Xero, Exacta realised that despite offering a great improvement in data presentation, Xero lacked the basic functionalities for inventory and manufacturing
18 - Automation Update
Xero lacked the basic functionalities for inventory and manufacturing management
Improved productivity and positive feedback from customers, suppliers and employees According to Landen, MRPeasy has provided Exacta with the tools to analyse and streamline their processes. “Since we started to use worker reports, we have accumulated data from the shop floor that gives us more visibility into production and can process the information much quicker and get insight into the efficiency of our workers” explained Landen. Exacta has also received positive feedback from customers, suppliers, and workers, Landen says.
management, including BOMs, production planning and scheduling, reporting, etc. Luckily, Xero also offered integrations with an array of third-party solution providers. After trialing and testing several manufacturing suites, Exacta chose to implement MRPeasy. “MRPeasy won because of its excellent balance of user-friendliness and the reams of functionality expected from much larger systems,” explains Chris Lander, Operations Manager. “Plus, as we were looking to eliminate spreadsheets, the production scheduling capability of MRPeasy was also a deciding factor.”
to manage even if one finds software that supports it. “But one of the greatest things about this system is the support materials,” Landen says. “Whenever we have an issue, we can be sure that by giving ourselves some time to get accustomed to the software and the instructions, we will find a solution. We still have some aspects to figure out and improve, but the whole process has been remarkably smooth.”
“We are now able to give more accurate information on prices and delivery times to customers, our clients prefer the new, cleaner quoting system,” Landen details. “Account managers have more visibility into the state of customer relationships. Vendor performance is improving as we are able to expedite purchasing processes and plan supplies in a more efficient manner. All these improvements are passed on to the customer and reflected back to us.” As a final comment, Landen had this to say: “We would recommend MRPeasy to anybody. It’s powerful, reasonably priced, easy to learn and use. And I can’t really overstate the helpfulness of the support documents.” For further information on MRPeasy please refer to the MRPeasy website – https://www.mrpeasy.com
The complex nature of the business made moving to a new system a daunting task at first. For example, Exacta handles a vast array of BOMs – including Matrix BOMs – and subcontracting, which can be difficult Automation Update - 19
Fast Tracking Flowmeter Design for the Measurement of Fuel Consumption With increasing fuel prices, all sectors of the transport industry, from small trucks to larger super-tankers, are taking an interest in effective ways of measuring their vehicle’s fuel consumption and hydraulic oil flow. Unfortunately, it’s not a simple task! Engine fuel consumption and efficiency generally goes unmonitored, the performance of a diesel power unit assessed from the manufacturer’s engine test figures and seldom checked again. Whilst vehicle manufacturers do spend a lot of time and effort checking the consumption figures for an engine, this is done on dedicated dynamometers and, later, with very sophisticated mobile set ups. These test systems are very costly and unsuitable for general use; on the other hand, a dashboard fuel gauge simply measures the fuel left in the tank, rather than the fuel consumed by the engine.
Flow Meter Type is Critical Metering fuel consumption can be achieved using positive displacement flow measuring devices such as Oval Gear flowmeters. However, differing results in flow meter accuracy and error rates can be seen depending on a number of factors. For example, an increase in the return fuel temperature will affect the density and viscosity of the diesel and, on a poorly maintained engine, it may even contain combustion gases or air. A small amount of this may make the engine look very efficient, as apparently more of the fuel is being returned to the tank and less used. The density change alone could easily result in a 1% change in volume if the return diesel is around 25°C higher than the supply from the fuel tank. The choice of flow computer is critical; it must have flowmeter linearization on both channels as well as the ability to perform density corrections using pre-determined fuel characteristics, together with fuel flow and return temperature measurements. The flow sensors should, preferably, be positive displacement types and they must be very repeatable; certainly better than ±0.1%. If the flow sensors have ±0.1% repeatability and built-in temperature measurement, density and flowmeter temperature correction are then performed to give a more precise result. 20 - Automation Update
As indicated previously, if the condition of the engine is not in good running order, the return line could contain spurious amounts of gas which would increase the apparent volume of the return flow. An engine flow measurement system installed and correctly monitored could be a useful indicator of engine decline or other anomalies in the fuel system. So, although installing a fuel flow measuring system is not simple, it can be achieved with careful consideration of all flow parameters.
Case Study 1: High Performance Boats In 1986, Titan was approached by the Virgin Atlantic Challenger II team. They were searching for a flowmeter manufacturer who could supply a device to measure their fuel consumption on their Trans-Atlantic Blue Riband attempt. The engine manufacturers had put severe restrictions on the permissible pressure drop in the fuel lines to guarantee the engine performance. Calculations suggested a venturi meter would have a low enough pressure loss but the dynamic flow range would be
insufficient for the overall engine fuel usage. To solve the problem Titan inserted one of its Pelton wheels as a type of undershot water wheel into the throat of the venturi. This proved to have an acceptable overall pressure loss and excellent linearity. Richard Branson completed the crossing in the Virgin Atlantic Challenger II, in three days, eight hours and 31 minutes, beating the 1952 record set by the United States.
Case Study 2: High Performance Vehicles Titan had been supplying flow meters to high performance vehicle and power train manufacturers for a number of years, measuring engine and hydraulic oil both in vehicle and on the test bench. In 2014, Titan was approached by a Formula 1 racing team to design bespoke flowmeters for two very niche applications: direct fuel and engine oil flow measurements were required for the F1 racing cars. For the fuel system, Titan developed an ultra-lightweight oval gear meter capable of being safely housed inside the fuel tank itself and submerged in the fuel.
F1 vehicles typically run without cooling fans so measuring the oil flow on engine test required a flowmeter accurate to 200oC with no undue pressure drop. Using the inherent very low pressure drop of their oval gear flow meter design, Titan produced a 200°C, 50 L/minute flow meter with a pressure drop of less than 100bar utilising specially manufactured oval gears specific to the application. Both modified flow measurement designs provided accurate flow measurement whilst housed directly in or around the noisy electrical environment of the F1 vehicle. For everything from generators, boats, high performance vehicles and trains through to hydraulic packs and even microlights, Titan works with their OEMs to find viable solutions for fuel consumption issues, delivering accurate and reliable results. To discuss an optimised flow measurement device for your OEM application please contact Titan Enterprises on +44 (0)1935 812790 or email sales@flowmeters.co.uk. Automation Update - 21
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