NEW PRODUCTS

High Payload Industrial Robot

Comau, comau.com

The N-220 from Comau is a 220kg payload robot featuring a modular set up, direct kinematics, absolute calibration, and enhanced algorithms. According to the company, these characteristics deliver significant ease of use, straightforward integration, and faster post-installation maintenance while ensuring precision, flexibility, repeatability, and minimum backlash. Manufactured via a fully automated production line in Comau’s Turin Innovation Center of Advanced Robotics in Italy, the robot features an innovative architectural approach based on progressive modularity, component reduction, advanced motors, and APC drivers. With its wide working area and Performance Level D cartesian safety features, the N-220 robot is well-suited for a range of industries including automotive, food and beverage, fulfillment, and logistics.

Field-Wireable M12 Connectors

Binder USA, binder-usa.com

Binder USA now offers its field-wireable M12 connectors (series 713, 715, and 825) with cage clamp quick connections. Cage clamp technology is an alternative to screw termination, offering simpler installation that reduces the exposure of cable assemblies. Cage clamp termination is recommended for applications that are subject to mechanical loads, including machines exposed to vibrations caused by motors or manufacturing processes. While the standard screw termination is cost effective and user friendly, it is also relatively time consuming. For example, installers must loosen each respective screw, insert the wire, and retighten the screw for each contact pin individually in order to clamp the wire. With the cage calmp, installers insert the opening tool into the hole provided to release the spring, guide the wire into the contact hole, and remove the opening tool, causing the spring to clamp the wire. The constant spring force permanently acting on the wire establishes contact, ensuring a vibration-proof connection that withstands shock loads. Most connector components, such as the sleeve or pressure screw, are identical to products with screw termination, making them interchangeable.

High Payload Mobile Robots

Locus Robotics, locusrobotics.com

An expanded line of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from Locus Robotics includes the Locus Vector and Locus Max. These new robots join the Locus Origin robot to create a family of AMRs for a range of warehouse and manufacturing uses. The new line addresses applications from ecommerce, case-picking, and pallet-picking to scenarios requiring larger, heavier payloads to support the full range of product movement needs in fulfillment and distribution warehouses, the company says. The Locus Vector is an industrial-strength AMR features omnidirectional mobility, compact design, and robust payload capacity for use in any environment. Locus Vector will ship to customers starting this summer. The Locus Max has a heavyweight payload capacity and flexibility to transport a variety of heavy materials, cartons, or pallets across a facility. Currently deployed at several sites, Locus Max will have limited availability in 2022 and expanded availability in 2023.

Paper Cushioning Conveyance System

Pregis, pregis.com

The EasyPack Packmaster conveyance system allows items to be conveyed via air blowers and aluminum air ducts to overhead delivery hoppers. According to the company, the new delivery system significantly improves worker ergonomics and packing speed, as well as reducing equipment capital expenditures. Proprietary engineering has gone into the design of the air duct conveyance system to enable efficient operation. Unlike other delivery systems which use conveyor belts and/or structural poles, the Pregis conveyor-less approach is more cost effective, uses less energy, frees up floor space, and is low maintenance. The air ducts move fan-folded paper created from a roll with nearly 5 km (3.1 miles) of paper (depending on paper weight). This significantly reduces roll changes per shift, adding significantly to efficiency.

Thermal Interface Material

Henkel, henkel.com

Henkel has announced the commercialization of its latest gel thermal interface material, Bergquist Liqui Form TLF 10000. The one-part, high thermal conductivity dispensable gel is designed to provide robust heat transfer for high-power electronic components, improving operational efficiency and extending lifetime system reliability. Larger, higher-power devices such as ASICs and FPGAs are the norm in industrial automation electronics. As component density and complexity increase in response to faster data processing and digitalization requirements, higher wattage thermal output must be controlled to deliver dependable performance. Bergquist Liqui Form TLF 10000 provides 10.0 W/m-K thermal conductivity and is well-suited for applications where environments can be extreme or unpredictable, making reliability a critical factor.

Wireless Switchgear

Steute, steute.com

Wireless switches and sensors from Steute guarantee safe, reliable, and cable-free signal transmission in a range of applications. According to Steute, one potential area for these devices is plastic injection molding, especially multi-component processes which often involve machines with rotary plates. These plates enable the main part of the construction element to be molded first and then—after rotating the plate by 90 or 180°—injection of the second part. This prevents distortion and accelerates the production process. However, one challenge here is monitoring the slide positions and the correct closing of the injection molding tool. If the slides are not in the correct position and the tool closes, this can lead to costly repairs. To prevent this and eliminate the effort of installing cables, which are then also susceptible to wear and tear, users can opt for a wireless position switch or wireless inductive sensor from Steute.

Safety Switches

Norstat, norstat.com

The NS Series safety switch is designed for use on machines where hazard conditions remain even after the machine has been powered down. The NS Series features RFID technology to detect the actuator which has a maximum holding force of 2100 N. This system provides a different code to each actuator making it virtually tamper proof. The design uses a through hole for the actuator and includes plug-in protection caps for the fixing screws, thereby eliminating the possibility of any dust or dirt build up in the switch. The head of the switch can also be moved in 90° increments, allowing for multiple set up combinations. Housing on the switch is a glass fiber reinforced technopolymer that is shock proof and self-extinguishing. NS Series switches are available in a variety of configurations, have a mechanical endurance of one million operating cycles, and carry a protection rating of IP 67/IP 69K.

AC-DC Power Modules

TDK Corporation, tdk.com

TDK Corporation has announced the introduction of 12V and 48V output models to the conduction cooled TDK-Lambda brand PFH500F series of AC-DC power modules. The power supplies are rated at 504W and feature a compact 4-in. x 2.4-in. footprint with programming and communication through a PMBus interface. The PFH500F series utilizes GaN semiconductors, bridgeless power factor correction, synchronous rectification and digital control, enabling efficiencies of up to 92%. Opto-couplers have been replaced by digital isolators for long term reliability and stability. Accepting an 85 to 265V AC input, the modules deliver 12V at 42A or 48V at 10.5A and can be adjusted from 9.6 to 14.4V or 38.4 to 52.8V using the trim pin or PMBus interface. The droop mode current share option enables modules to be connected in parallel for additional power. Baseplate cooling allows operation at temperatures ranging from -40 to +100°C. The metal enclosure measures 4 x 2.4 x 0.53-in. (101.6 x 61.0 x 13.3mm) and is encapsulated for MIL-STD-810G shock and vibration.

BNC Connectors

Belden, belden.com

BNC Connectors from Belden are designed to maximize broadcast signal integrity, quality, performance and durability, the company says. Rated for 6 GHz and 12 GHz applications, one-piece and three-piece connector types are available. The connectors exceed SMPTE return loss standards, providing high headroom and 75 Ohm performance. Long-term durability is ensured through brass construction and patented compression rings with pullout forces that exceed 100 lbs. Other features include: A 360-degree, floating-pin basket at the back of the connector; internal 360-degree compression rings to eliminate ingress and egress from the back of the connector; and a 51% smaller footprint than standard BNCs.

Mounting System

Rockwell Automation, rockwellautomation.com

The CrossBoard platform provides flexibility in motor control and protection devices. The out-of-the-box system is provided as one complete base unit, a bus structure with IP20 touch-safe plastic housing, which can be directly assembled and fitted with components after unpacking. Components snap onto the CrossBoard without tools, meaning the connection is automatic. Components can be removed and snapped back on to another section of the CrossBoard. For safety reasons, the lock mechanism must be released with a screwdriver. This prevents accidental removal of any components. According to Rockwell Automation, the fast exchange of modules allows the timesaving and economical adaptation of the system to extensions and update.

Linear Motor Modules

Faulhaber, faulhaber.com

The LM2070 linear motors are available with stroke lengths from 40 to 220mm. Despite the compact stator dimensions of 20 x 20 x 70mm (WxHxL), the small linear DC servomotor has high mechanical performance indicators. The continuous force is 9.2 N, and up to 28 N of peak force is available. The plain bearing of the forcer rod can handle speeds of up to 3 m/s. At the same time, it can maintain precise control; with the integrated Hall sensors, the absolute positioning accuracy is +/- 0.1 mm and the repeatability is +/- 50 μm. With an optional external sensor, these figures can be improved to +/- 0.01 mm and a repeatability of +/- 1 μm. On top of this comes practically maintenance-free operation as the motor has no moving parts. Moreover, the linear drive operates nearly noise-free.

Infrared Temperature Sensors

Optis, optis.com

Optis has released a new line of infrared pyrometers. These pyrometers use non-contact sensing to determine the surface temperature of an object based on its emitted infrared radiation. They can read the temperature of inaccessible or moving objects without difficulty. The Optris CS LT series infrared pyrometers are ideally suited for temperature measurement in small and narrow environments. They feature rugged stainless steel construction, a broad measuring range (-50°C to 1030°C [-58°F to 1886°F]), and a rating for use in ambient temperatures up to 80°C (176°F) without the need for additional cooling. Optris CSmicro series miniature infrared pyrometers can be used in ambient temperatures up to 120°C (248°F); their small size allows them to be installed in tight spaces.

Compact Solenoid Valve

Burkert Fluid Control Systems, burkert.com

The 2/2-way Type 7011 with an orifice diameter up to 2.4 mm, and 3/2way Type 7012 with an orifice diameter up to 1.6 mm are both available in normally open and normally closed configurations. The new valves achieve a compact design thanks to AC08 coil technology that optimises the ratio between the iron circuit and the solenoid coil winding. As a result, the standard version valve featuring a 24.5mm solenoid coil with encapsulation is among the smallest explosion-proof variations available, enabling the design of more compact control cabinets. In addition, the Type 7011 solenoid design is also one of the smallest gas valves on the market. Within fuel gas applications, the valves can be used to regulate industrial burners, such as ignition gas valves, as well as moveable and stationary automatic heaters for both industrial and commercial use. The valves can be fitted to flanges or manifolds, and push-in fittings can be selected for a flexible hose connection.

Robot Development Kit

Flexiv, flexiv.com

The Robotic Development Kit (RDK) from Flexiv aims to provide users with a toolkit that can allow them to enhance how their robots work, the company says. The RDK utilizes customizable APIs so users can completely control an adaptive robot and make instant program modifications or integrate external hardware and software. Featuring the ability to issue multiple commands, execute high-level tasks, and invoke various skills, developers can rapidly create custom apps like teleoperation, dual-arm tasks, or autonomous mobile work. According to Flexiv, with the development kit’s technical documentation and on-demand assistance from Flexiv’s team of experts, beginners can delve into programming and learn on the fly to transform their skillset.

Discrete Valve Controller

Emerson, emerson.com

The TopWorxTM DX PST with Hart 7 from Emerson provides valve data and diagnostic information, enabling the digital transformation of process applications. The new DX PST integrates with existing valves and control systems, giving operators access to critical valve data, trends, and diagnostics that can be used to predict and schedule maintenance. The DX PST’s partial stroke test ensures the system’s reliable function without shutting down the process. A safety feature that confirms the valve will fully close and stop the process if an emergency is detected, and the test is activated by simply pressing the local PST button. No additional equipment is required. To prevent critical failure in upset conditions, the unit will override testing to perform an emergency shutdown.

Hazardous and Washdown Bench Scales

Hardy Process Solutions, hardysolutions.com

The HIBSX series of stainless steel bench scales are designed to be low-profile and easy to clean. To ensure durability in industrial applications, Hardy has performed corner, overload and cycle testing to more than eight million cycles. The HISBX series is ideal for manual check weighing, piece portioning, counting, and adding minor ingredients to a process or a batch. With an optimized internal ‘X’ design, the scales reduce the time required to sanitize them while offering one of the lowest profiles in the industry at 2.02 to 2.95 inches (51.3 to 75 mm adjustable). Hardy HIBSX Bench Scales come with RoHS compliant 304 stainless steel hardware, frames, and platters. Users may choose between stainless steel hermetically sealed IP68/69K, C2 load cells or aluminum, environmentally sealed IP67 C2 load cells, depending on their application.