Manufacturing Update - November 2022

In Weidmüller, you have a trusted and reliable

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Our THM thermal transfer printer integrates cutting and perforation tasks into the printing process; it can divide endless materials into arbitrary lengths. The result is a noticeably simpler production of custom cuts with a respective inscription assignment.

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Optimising pump systems for improved efficiency

Given the global rise in energy costs, there has never been a better time to review and assess the efficiency of your pumping systems – whatever their size, complexity or indeed area of operation.

In this article, Gary Wilde, Technical Services Officer at the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) offers some basic information and guidance on purchasing, maintaining, and designing pump systems for optimum energy efficiency, CO2 reduction and capital expenditure payback time.

Pumpsystems account for 20% of the worlds electrical energy demand and between 25% - 50% of the electrical energy usage in certain applications. Pumps are the single largest user of electricity within industry across the European Union, consuming over 300 TWhpa of electricity, which in turn accounts for over 65 Mton of CO ₂ emissions.

It is also well documented that rotodynamic pumps which account for 80% of the installed base are between 2030% oversized. There is therefore a major potential to save energy if rotodynamic pumps are properly sized and operated.

Where to start - Assess the potential for savings

Understand your pumping system:

To identify if a pumping system is sized correctly make the following checks;

• Are you wasting liquid flow?

• Are you creating additional pressure?

• What is the monitoring & controls philosophy?

• Are there any oversized pumps installed for your required duty?

• Are there any old pumps employed in the system?

• Is there excessive noise in the system?

• Are there any throttling valves installed in the system?

• Have you the correct size of pipework installed?

• Inadequate maintenance lowers pump system efficiency, so what maintenance procedures are in place?

• Are you adopting a proactive equipment replacement programme to current EU legislation

Available Technology - Choosing the right equipment

Understanding Drive Technology:

Use latest EU regulation to achieve best possible drive efficiency;

• Variable speed drive (vsd)

• Integrated control and monitoring

• Permanent magnet technology

Choose your supplierMaking the right choice

This article does not suggest or promote any single supplier or technology. It does however recommend that you choose a supplier that is a member of the BPMA, and as such offers the assurance that it operates within the organisations agreed standards and Code of Practice.

The vast majority of existing pump systems operating today were not originally designed with energy conservation as a major consideration. If pump systems are initially designed on an energy efficient basis and pumps are correctly applied and sized the energy savings will often be in excess of 50%.

To design an energy efficient pump system all the following criteria should be considered:

• Basic plant layout

• Pipe size, configuration, and restrictions to limited pipe work losses

• Information on the liquid, (viscosity, density, aggressiveness, temperature)

• System characteristics and pump selection

• Pump/System control

• Avoid oversizing of the pump units

• Selecting the most energy efficient pumps at the best efficient point

• Fitting VSD’s to match the system design & demand

Reduced energy costs are a direct result of selecting the correct pump and matching it to the system.

When selecting a pump, it is important to determine the required flow and pressure to be generated by the pump. The flow may be determined by a process requirement, by the heating or cooling required in the system or by the peak water demand for utilities. The pressure required may be to elevate the liquid within the system or to overcome the pressure losses in the system created as liquid passes through it.

It is important to know as much about the pump system as possible and to create a pressure/flow profile for the system. The energy required to drive the pump is directly related to the flow and pressure

required. To generate high pressures generally leads to designs which may be inefficient and therefore it is important that neither the flow nor the pressure is over specified.

Variable Speed Drives can save energy

It is estimated that significant energy savings have already been made by using Variable Speed Drive and High Efficiency motors. Generally, Variable Speed Drives are used to continually adjust the speed of the pump to the demand.

The savings can be determined by the affinity laws:

Q= Flow, H= Head, P = Power and n = Rotational Speed

When building a new pumping system, most Pumps are selected with a “safety factor” for potential future uprates or to allow for wear in the pump or fouling of the system. Often there are many different parties involved in specifying and building a system and the safety factor can grow exponentially. This results in the pump delivering much higher flows than required. There may also be the need to vary the flow due to process conditions or varying heating and cooling needs within buildings.

Traditionally, throttling is used to regulate flow in a pumping system. While throttling reduces the flow, the motor is still running at full speed and works even harder as it must work against a restriction. By reducing the speed of the motor, the variable speed drive ensures no more energy than necessary is used to achieve the required flow. A centrifugal pump running at half speed consumes only one-eighth of the energy compared to one running at full speed. Utilising an Electrical Variable Speed Drive is the simplest and most economical way of controlling the pump and matching it to the pump system.

When specifying a new pump, ask for a high efficiency motor to be fitted. If you are replacing or rewinding a motor, then evaluate the cost of fitting a High Efficiency motor remembering to factor in the running savings which will pay back any increase in cost. Invest in carrying out an energy audit. Review your utility bills and understand the energy you are using. Carry out an audit if:

• Your energy bills are high

• You have continuously operating pumps

• You have many pumps in the system

• You have processes with varying flows

• You have throttled pumps

• You have pumps which are on bypass

• You have noisy valves or pipework

• You have critical systems which have been subject to breakdowns

The purpose of an energy audit is to reduce operating costs by reducing energy consumption and the government has estimated that most companies can reduce their energy consumption by 10% to 20%. Energy audits conducted by BPMA members have shown that savings from 30% to 50% are not unusual. When deciding whether or not to carry out an energy audit a good starting point is to assume that you will save at least 10% of your current energy consumption. By reviewing utility bills, you can get an indication of the savings to be made and the investment that you should be prepared to put into the auditing process.

Across most industrial sites, some twothirds of the total energy consumption is used to power electric motors. Furthermore, the overall cost associated with operating these essential pieces of equipment throughout their entire life span can be broken down as follows; 5% accounts for the initial purchase/ installation costs, 10% for ongoing maintenance and a massive 85% for the energy used to run them. Clearly, any reduction in the energy consumed by electric motors is important, and with modern designs that reduction can be as much as 30%. It is also evident that many pumps and motors are constantly operated at full power, irrespective of process needs, and so across the installed base there is the potential for significant energy savings; savings which can in turn drop to the bottom line and increase the profitability of any business.

Optimising energy consumption in pumping systems – Q & A

Questions for Engineers, Project Managers and Buyers to ask:

Has an alternative configuration been considered?

In some cases, moving from an existing pump layout to an alternative can offer energy saving possibilities.

Is the Pump Performance Monitored?

By looking for early signs of pump wear which can include increased noise, vibration or power consumption, major energy and maintenance savings can be achieved.

Has ease of maintenance been allowed for?

When designing or replacing pumps, ease of future maintenance requirements should be considered.

Variable Speed Drive Considerations

When fitting VSD to a pumping system, output and input filters should be considered, along with insulated motor bearings.

Maintenance

When maintaining pumping systems it is recommended to use original manufacturers’ recommendations and parts.

Reliability / Security

Efficient, well-maintained pumps are more likely to be reliable and unlikely to fail prematurely causing loss of production or services.

Valves

Valves are considered to waste energy within a pumping system, however if installed they should be checked for correct operation.

Pumps not in use

Stand by pump units or pumps with no demand should be switched off to save energy.

Is the pump working most of the time close to its best efficiency point?

Rotodynamic pumps operating away from BEP not only waste energy, but also reduce the life expectancy of the pump.

System Alterations

When upgrading, changing, or expanding a pumping system the demand may have changed and existing pumps may not be the most efficient solution.

Purchasing the correct pump set

When purchasing a pump set, price should not be the deciding factor. If a pump is sized correctly the return on investment is shorter, likewise if a pump is oversized and is wasting energy going forward you will have this additional cost for the anticipated life of the pump set.

Has an energy check been undertaken on existing systems?

Under UK ESOS regulation all non-SME organizations are mandated to carry out energy audits, and pumping systems can offer substantial energy savings.

BPMA involvement

Given the amount of energy consumed by pumps through their normal operation, and the potential for energy efficiency gains within pump systems, the BPMA have worked to develop a Certified Pump System Auditor Scheme (CPSA).

Through the CPSA, pump engineers are being trained to correctly assess the efficiency of pump systems, and to provide appropriate recommendations in order to improve the efficiency of those systems. The CPSA accreditation is achieved by successfully completing a four-day residential course, followed by the satisfactory completion of a pump system audit. Only then can ‘Certified Pump System Auditor’ status be achieved.

Within the full ESOS Guidance document, the ISO/14414-Pump System Energy Assessment standard is referenced as an auditing methodology that can be accepted by “Lead Assessors” approved by the Environment Agency. Accordingly, it is hoped that CPSA accredited persons (who are trained according to the IS0 14414 standard) will be recommended by Lead Assessors to undertake the pumping system elements of company-wide energy audits.

The next CPSA Training Course is scheduled for 7th-10th November, but for more information, visit http://www.bpma-cpsa.co.uk.

Batch Scale-Up of Photochemical Processes

Specialists in flow chemistry - Uniqsis has introduced the Photochemistry LED Illuminator – a new tool to accelerate reaction optimization and batch scale-up of photochemical reactions.

The new illumination system incorporates LED arrays operating at 6 different wavelengths from 365 – 525nm. The LEDs are mounted on cassettes for easy interchangeability, in industrystandard 24 or 48 well configurations. The LED Illuminator also has the option of using the 6 multi wavelength screening plate for rapid reaction optimization.

Steve Evans, Chief Commercial Officer at Uniqsis commented "The Photochemistry LED Illuminator was originally developed for a leading pharmaceutical company. The Photochemistry LED Illuminator uses interchangeable arrays of pseudo-monochromatic highpower LEDs in a range of synthetically useful wavelengths, combined with excellent temperature control. This delivers powerful functionality to users to run reaction screening and optimization experiments with the multi wavelength

cassette and the opportunity to run batch scale-up synthesis using the optimum wavelength monochromatic cassette. Furthermore, the Photochemistry LED Illuminator can be fitted with an adapter which supports a flow through glass static mixer chip to allow continuous processing scale up at the designated optimum wavelength”

The Photochemistry LED Illuminator is designed and built to meet BS EN 61010 safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use. The system employs interlocks to ensure that the LEDs are not powered when uncovered, thereby meeting strict eye safety requirements.

For further information please visit the Uniqsis website or contact Uniqsis on +44-845-864-7747 / info@uniqsis.com

Robots Contributing To Our Wellbeing Science fiction becoming a reality

The world of robotics grows ever larger and more diverse as the capability and flexibility of the technology advances, opening up new areas of application. The use of robots within manufacturing industry is well established and very much taken for granted, and it is not uncommon to find robots being used within the medical device and pharmaceutical sectors. However, robotics has now reached the stage where they are not only manufacturing the medicines we rely upon, they are now also now finding their way into the operating theatre, playing a crucial role in assisting surgeons with medical interventions. This article by Stäubli’s Simon Jenkins takes a look at the latest developments and advances in the company’s medical robots.

Stäubli

Robotics has for many years, continued to develop robots for life science applications, and today the company’s robots are recognised as setting the benchmark for hygiene and safety. Whenever accuracy is a requirement, together with factors such as low particle emissions, and easyclean surfaces, Stäubli has long led the way in these areas.

Simon Jenkins explains: “Stäubli has developed a unique solution that meets a number of the constraints present in patient care. Just as in our industrial

focused solutions, the medical range of robots have been specially adapted to make them the perfect partner in patient care, addressing the specific demands within these high compliance and complex applications, whilst ensuring consistent performance, safety, and reliability.

Today, Stäubli robots help to relieve doctors of some of the strain they are under whilst performing operations that demand their full concentration. Our robots are also contributing to the development of innovative surgical techniques.”

For robots to interact with surgeons in the operating theatre, and perform the tasks demanded of them, they need to operate at the highest levels of safety. Robots within an Operating Theatre are effectively working in a collaborative manner alongside the Surgeon and other medical staff.

Stäubli robots use a unique set of modular SIL3-PLe safety functions including safe stop, safe speed, safe zone, etc. The latest TX2/CS9 systems are designed for collaborative applications with the highest levels of safety. In addition, reliable stopping and braking performance is ensured by a system embedded brake test.

Medical and patient care applications also require the highest levels of cleanliness and the company’s TX2 range of robots have a smooth, white, high-quality finish with sector specific surface preparation. This means that they are capable of meeting ISO Class 2 cleanroom standards, which demands fewer than 11 particles greater than 0.3 microns and no particles greater than 1.0 microns per cubic metre. The Stericlean range of H₂O₂ compliant robots also offer protection up to IP67 level.

RoboticScope is an intuitive system which allow the surgeon to control the image field and viewing angle through a head mounted display

Robots at the heart of clinical interventions

Stäubli has been a key player in a series of collaborations and partnerships in recent years which has seen the company’s robots working alongside Doctors and Surgeons in a number of ways.

Based in San Sebastian, Spain, Cyber Surgery has developed a robotic system for spinal procedures. The solution guides the surgeon, making the procedure safer, more accurate and minimally invasive. The three main benefits of this system are: a reduction in reinterventions due to the levels of accuracy provided by the robot, postoperative time in hospital is shortened because the surgery is performed in a minimally invasive way producing less damage to soft tissues and subsequent bleeding, and reduced X-ray exposure thanks to the fact that the robot provides a guide for the surgeon.

The RoboticScope, developed in 2016 by BHS Technologies GmbH in Innsbruck comprises of a high-precision robot, a high-resolution 3D camera, and an innovative head-mounted display.

Using this technology, the surgeon looks directly into the operating field via a Head-Mounted-Display (HMD). The two digital micro-displays integrated within the HMD directly in front of the surgeon’s eyes, show high-resolution, real-time 3D images relayed by the dual camera lenses mounted on the robot head.

The position of the robot determines the visible image, allowing the surgeon to operate in a freely selectable and completely relaxed head position. The surgeon retains control over the exact image field and viewing angle, automatically steering the robot with contact-free head movements. Using this method, the surgeon can select the viewing angle of the 8x zoom lenses and even control a sophisticated menu from a micro-display, allowing the activation and control of further functions. Some 500 surgeons around the world have now used the RoboticScope, and the device is so intuitive that more than 90 percent of users master it after just ten minutes.

The robot technology behind the RoboticScope is a high-precision Stäubli TX2-60L robot which delivers the precise and jerk-free motion

sequences of the RoboticScope. As with the entire range of the latest 6-axis robots, the enclosed structure allows for a protection class of IP65, with the wrist being IP67 compliant. With cleanroom class ISO 5 as a standard, the robot allows BHS to also save on the potential extra costs of upgrading to a cleanroom version.

Simon Jenkins concludes: “Stäubli’s unique robot portfolio, combined with decades of industry experience, and a strong customer focus make it a valued partner for many renowned life science companies around the globe. The examples illustrated in this article are but a few of the areas where our robots are making a valuable contribution to interactive patient care.”

Stäubli (UK) Limited Hadley Park East Hadley Telford TF1 6QJ

Email: robot.uk@staubli.com

Telephone: +44 (0)1952 671917

Web: www.staubli.com

(Stäubli robots help to relieve doctors of some of the strain they are under whilst performing operations that demand their full concentration.)

Fraser Technologies is one-stop-shop for electronics cleaning and soldering

There are ever increasing demands from the consumer to make things smaller and more convenient. As a result, electronic devices are becoming smaller with more densely populated printed circuit board (PCBs) assemblies.

In many cases, traditional cleaning methods are not sufficient to achieve the expected standard of cleanliness on these smaller PCBs, so it is critical that considerations are made to accommodate new structures and designs.

Next generation cleaning products

KlensTek® cleaning products, developed by Fraser Technologies, deliver superior, environmentally friendly electronics cleaning solutions for a wide range of requirements and applications. They offer outstanding cleaning power; are gentle on components; non-flammable in ambient air temperatures and pressure conditions; and are environmentally friendly.

Fraser Technologies also offers the Koki soldering range of products, including PCB assembly materials, leaded and unleaded solder pastes, solder wires, liquid fluxes for both wave and selective soldering, tack fluxes for repair and rework and SMT adhesives.

Best in class cleaning equipment

Fraser Technologies is the UK supplier of the SlimLine PLW 6011 &

PLW 6111 machines from Miele. The single chamber aqueous cleaning systems offer a flexible chamber space, allowing a wide range of components to be cleaned quickly at the same time within a small, 65cmwide footprint.

With a smart load system, flexible and intelligent controls, a highly efficient cleaning process, and a wide range of load carriers and accessories, the machines also allow for visual monitoring of the chamber via a glass window with internal lighting. Especially effective for flux removal from electronic PCB assemblies, they are well-suited for many other specialist cleaning applications as well.

Fraser Technologies has been supplying electronics cleaning solutions for over 50 years and is a trusted partner. The company has achieved such expertise in the field, it developed its own chemistries in order to provide the best possible outcomes for customers.

With an extensive range of products, Fraser Technologies work with their customers to identify the best solution for nearly every cleaning application imaginable.

CLICK HERE for more info.

Measuring Changing Flow Rates the Challenges of Pulsating Flow

Pulsating flow systems can be seen in process applications where the velocity profile of the flow undergoes dramatic cycling changes as compared to normal steady flow conditions. Such conditions are common in blood flow monitoring, medical, and chemical dosing systems where peristaltic or diaphragm pumps are used.

Following Titan Enterprises’ published technical paper that discussed how to mitigate the effects of variation in flow velocity, here we look at the types of flow meter systems that give the best results with pulsing flow rates.

Neil Hannay, Titan’s Senior R&D Engineer, says: “Pulsations in a flow line are commonly caused by the pumping element: diaphragm, peristaltic, solenoid or piston pumps can all induce significant pressure and flow pulses.” Neil continues: “If this pulsation rate is not taken into account, errors in flow measurement will be seen. This can be most erroneous with electronic flowmeters as aliasing can occur.”

Compensating for Pulsating Flow

Few flow meters can measure these fluctuations accurately so removing the pulsations as near to the pump as possible is recommended to achieve the best results. Using advanced electronics, Titan’s Atrato® and Metraflow® ultrasonic flowmeters are able to accurately measure pulsating liquid flow that is

less than 10Hz. To accurately measure pulsating flows above this frequency, inline pulse dampening is required to improve the effectiveness of the flow system. If it is not practical to install a damper, a length of flexible hose may reduce the undesirable effects of pulsations.

How Different Types of Flow Meters Compare when Faced with Pulsating Flow Conditions

See chart above.

Conclusions:

Pulsating flow is always challenging to measure accurately. However, with consideration of the system design and flowmeter performance characteristics, successful flow measurement is possible.

Read the Pulsating Flow technical article in full. Visit Titan Enterprises’ website for further information on the Atrato® and Metraflow® range of ultrasonic flowmeters or contact Titan Enterprises on +44 (0)1935 812790 or sales@flowmeters.co.uk

Automating Production of Compound Libraries

The FlowSyn™ from Uniqsis is a compact integrated continuous flow reactor system designed for easy, safe and efficient operation.

Application

Note 29 describes an efficient continuous flow synthesis protocol to create a new library of pyrazoles developed by chemists at GalChimia (Coruna, Spain) on a FlowSyn™ continuous flow reactor system.

The aim of the described work was to develop a new continuous flow protocol to replace the traditional 2-step synthesis and to examine the scope of the new methodology. The authors of the application note demonstrate how using the FlowSyn system a range of conditions could be quickly evaluated under flow-through conditions thereby facilitating rapid reaction optimisation. In addition, using the FlowSyn system useful quantities of a wide range of pyrazoles could be prepared in less than 1 hour each.

The CEO of GalChimia commented "Taking in account all the data we gathered in the different experiments, we can conclude that the tandem synthesis of pyrazoles using the Uniqsis FlowSyn™ system offers a general, high-yielding method to prepare these compounds, which can be used with many different substrates".

The FlowSyn™ continuous flow reactor range includes models for performing single or multiple homogeneous or heterogeneous reactions, either manually or automatically. The range of chemistries that can be explored with Uniqsis’ integrated and modular flow chemistry systems grows ever wider and is exemplified by the growing number of applications published both in the academic press and in Uniqsis’ own application notes. Typical examples of flow chemistry applications include hydrogenation, nitration, bromination, metalation, molecular rearrangements and synthesis of compounds such as dihyropyridine, indole, pyrazole, quinolinone and benzimidazole.

To download a copy of the GalChimia application note 29 please visit http://www.uniqsis.com/fcApplications.aspx For further information on the FlowSyn™ system please visit https://www.uniqsis.com/paFlowSystem.aspx or contact Uniqsis on +44-845-864-7747 / info@uniqsis.com

For more efficient cleaning and higher system availability

The new compact conductivity sensors LDL100 and LDL200 from ifm impress with their fast and precise media differentiation.

This helps you to control CIP processes efficiently and to increase the availability of your system. The new LDLs are also simple to commission: They are ready for use out-of-the-box and transmit the conductivity and temperature of the medium via a single M12 connection - digitally and loss-free thanks to IO-Link. As there is no additional evaluation unit required, you also save system costs. So easy, so good. ifm – close to you!

Robotics Plus unveils autonomous modular vehicle to alleviate agriculture labour shortages

Multi-use, modular platform Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) automates tree and vine crop tasks, starting with intelligent spraying

RoboticsPlus, a New Zealand-based agritech company, today launched its autonomous multiuse, modular vehicle platform for agriculture designed to carry out a variety of orchard and vineyard machine tasks - to alleviate ongoing labor shortages and transform the industry.

The multi-purpose Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) can be supervised in a fleet of vehicles by a single human operator. The vehicle uses a combination of vision systems and other technologies to sense the environment - to optimize tasks and allow intelligent and targeted application of inputs such as sprays. Growers will be able to rotate multiple tools on the highly adaptable and configurable agriculture platform, depending on the day’s work - for jobs such as spraying, weed control, mulching, mowing and crop analysis.

Robotics Plus, a specialist in the design and build of robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous machines, unveiled its demonstration vehicle at FIRA USA 2022, a California-based event dedicated to autonomous agriculture and agricultural robotics solutions for the North American market.

Steve Saunders, Co-founder and CEO of Robotics Plus, says its world-class team worked alongside growers, researchers and best-inclass technology suppliers to deliver the unique modular architecture for its multi-purpose UGV, which can operate in a range of environments.

“We’ve created a flexible agricultural platform with the power to adapt to different crop types with tools for various applications, providing year-round automation benefits and maximizing machine utilization.

“To adapt and thrive in a changing world and create a sustainable and competitive future in the agricultural and speciality tree crop sector - growers and orchardists need automation that solves real-world problems, reduces reliance on increasingly costly and hard-to-find machine operators and provides data-driven insights for informed decision-making.”

Saunders says that for automation to be adopted, it must also provide a good return on investment.

“Our multi-purpose vehicle replaces tractors and other tools. But, it does much more than just replacing labor –it’s loaded with intelligence to improve efficiencies,” he says.

Robotics Plus’ multi-use, modular platform Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) automates tree and vine crop tasks for orchards and vineyards

Above: Steve Saunders Cofounder and CEO of Robotics Plus

Below: Dr Alistair Scarfe, Cofounder and CTO of Robotics Plus

The first application for the technology is intelligent spraying. The system intelligently varies the flow rate to ensure spray efficacy whilst reducing inputs. Spray rates and airspeed is controlled in zones and responds as the sprayer moves along orchard or vineyard rows.

The highly manoeuvrable UGV has a small footprint and unique steering configuration, incorporating electric steering and independent motors, which increases productivity - allowing significantly more ground to be covered than machines which turn on every second row or greater, depending on row configuration. The UGV can be deployed in a range of applications in various crop types with a minimum row spacing of 1.8M/6ft.

Dr Alistair Scarfe, Co-founder and CTO of Robotics Plus, says its

hybrid electric diesel UGV delivers outstanding performance in the field.

“Electric drive motors give superior torque and control, whilst a Tier 4 diesel generator means the vehicle can operate for extended periods. Fuel consumption is minimized by electrically driving all systems, including tools. Regenerative braking and high-capacity batteries also extend efficiency and range.

“In addition, the vehicle’s lightweight design and intelligent all-wheel-drive system, with independent wheel motors to ensure grip and controlwhile significantly reducing ground compaction to protect the soil,” he says.

The vehicle has been designed from the ground up to be modular and easy to service. With no hydraulic,

gearbox or differential fluids to be managed, operators can easily keep their vehicles running if a part fails by simply swapping out modules when needed. All of this is designed to reduce downtime and complexity for growers.

Robotics Plus has partnered with best-in-class technology suppliers, including Yamaha Motor Company, Autonomous Solutions Inc., and Croplands, to significantly increase the robustness and support for the product in a demanding environment such as agriculture.

Saunders says by taking a partnership approach, Robotics Plus has created a best-in-class platform for the agriculture industry.

“We’ve benefited from our partner’s deep knowledge and access to high-

quality technology components. In addition, growers can deploy Quantum sprayers with configurations adaptable to various crop types, growing formats, and heights.”

Robotics Plus has developed multiple autonomous systems for use in agriculture and automation for intelligent fruit-packing to address significant industry issues, including global labor shortages, rising costs, and yield security. In addition, its robotic automatic log scaling machines are transforming port logistics with improved safety and productivity.

Robotics Plus’ fast-growing team developed the modular platform UGV at its Tauranga base, with extensive testing in New Zealand and the US in various environments and applications. Robotics Plus investors include Yamaha Motor Company and New Zealand’s ACC Impact Fund.

Robotics Plus’ new autonomous modular vehicle is available for pre-order. For more information, see https://www.roboticsplus.co.nz/

Large Format Lenses for High Resolution Camera & Sensors

Resolve Optics is a leading OEM design and development supplier of top quality, high performance large format lenses.

Custom

designed for use with line scan and area scan cameras – these large format lenses provide the very high resolution over a large image format required by demanding scientific and machine vision applications.

As well as providing very high resolution over a large image format – Resolve Optics has also designed diffraction-limited large format lenses with a large depth of field, low distortion edge to edge, applicationspecific F-number, exceptional contrast and a wide field of view for close-up imaging.

Resolve Optics take a customer centric approach to OEM optical design, development and supply. The company prides itself on nearly three decades of quickly translating each customer need into an optimised optical design, running projects successfully, and manufacturing production quantities of lenses or optical products on time, to the specified quality and target price.

For further information, or to discuss an optimised large format lens for your high resolution line scan or area scan camera please visit www.resolveoptics.com or contact Resolve Optics on +44-1494-777100 / sales@resolveoptics.com.