Worldwide Engineering Magazine - March Issue by The Little Publishing House

March Issue Theia x-ray combi a titan in the food inspection world

NSK Shows its competency in ultrafine positioning

Container and tray identification made easy

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worldwide-engineering.com

Worldwide Engineering Magazine

Contents

Providing timely industry news, exclusive features on advancing technology, equipment, materials, show previews, content marketing services for our valued clients and much more!

Anritsu launches new 5G RF regulatory test system ME7803NR Solution

Protecting the KBB industry with free employability advice

Britain’s greenest year yet but new technologies still need to hit climate targets

Microchip unveils first fully Integrated solution for vehicle ethernet audio video

NSK Shows Its Competency In Ultra-Fine Positioning

SICK’s flexi compact, neat and compact mid-range safety controller

Compact thickness measurement gauge closes the gap

Leuze - Container and tray identification made easy

Anritsu launches new 5G RF regulatory test system ME7803NR solution Anritsu Corporation is pleased to announce the availability of its new RF Regulatory Test System ME7803NR solution for regulatory compliance testing of 5G communications systems. The newly developed RF Regulatory Test System ME7803NR uses the Radio Communication Test Station MT8000A as a simulated 5G NR base station in combination with a spectrum analyzer and signal generator to implement ARIB/ ETSI/FCC-compliant FR1 RF tests. In addition, the measurement efficiency and quality of 5G terminals are assured by the easy-to-operate GUI and built-in calibration function for improved reliability. It is a platform that can perform spurious tests and interference tests, which are difficult for customers to build their own test environment. The ME7803NR makes it easy to evaluate whether the RF performance of 5G terminals meets regulatory requirements as well as simplifies evaluation of

whether radio-waves are being used efficiently or not, helping 5G market penetration. Anritsu expects its new ME7803NR to play an important role in deploying commercial 5G mobile network services by facilitating the spread of 5G terminals. Product Outline The RF Regulatory Test System ME7803NR supports FR1 RF regulatory compliance tests of 5G NR terminals. It is used with the Radio Communication Test Station MT8000A simulating a 5G NR base station, the Radio Communication Analyzer MT8821C operating as an LTE Anchor, and with various other test equipment and dedicated software to implement required 5G RF Regulatory (ARIB/ETSI/FCC) Conducted tests using 5G NR Non-Standalone (NSA) mode call connections. Key Features - Supports World Regional Frequency Bands. Certified North-American, European, and Asian bands as well as

other future regional bands to be deployed (5G NR Bands and 5G NSA mode LTE Bands for LTE Anchor) are supported. - Maximizes Value of Customers’ Prior Equipment Investment. Customers can configure the ME7803NR test system by adding their own Anritsu standalone test equipment, such as the MT8000A, MT8821C, MS2840A/ MS2850A, MG3710E, MG3694C, etc., to minimize additional required hardware purchases. - Common Regulatory Tests. The MT8000A and MT8821C used by the ME7803NR can share SAR/OTA/ EMC tests. - Calibration Function for Better Reliability. The built-in calibration function for use when changing the connection configuration improves measurement stability and measured value reliability.

Fox Thermal reclaims identity with new brand vision and logo This week Fox Thermal, a global thermal mass flow meter manufacturer located in Marina, California, is excited to introduce a new brand vision, values, and a logo that reclaims Fox’s brand identity as a dominant player in the flow meter market. For over 25 years Fox has been a leader in providing customers with innovative and reliable flow meter solutions. And through their unique service capabilities and ability to adapt to economic drivers, they continue to clearly differentiate their offering. Their bold new brand vision, Make Downtime a Thing of the Past, is a modern spin on the original vision pioneered by Fox Thermal’s founder, Brad Lesko, in 1994. Lesko knew that there was a way to make flow meters that offered customers reduced production downtime in the field and a greatly improved user experience. He and his team achieved this by handcrafting a more robust sensor in-house and uniting it with an advanced microprocessor for a superior, all-in-one product.

“Make Downtime a Thing of the Past clearly communicates to customers how we approach product design, manufacturing, and service goals. We are committed to making our meters completely ‘field servicable’, so throughput is never compromised”, says Erica Giannini, Director of Marketing. “Always Responsive, Curious, Engaging, Resourceful, and Adaptable—our amazing team at Fox Thermal generously demonstrates these core values when tackling a new challenge, communicating with customers, or collaborating with partners. Just like the fox that is pictured in abstract in our new logo, the Fox Thermal team is clever and resourceful. They get the job done by overcoming obstacles, quickly and skillfully,” Erica added.

- Flow Meter Configurator to quickly specify the right product - New about us page to highlight Fox’s vision and brand journey - Redesigned datasheets with modern look and feel for easier readability - Updated product labeling to roll out this year Today, Fox Thermal’s new vision, values, and logo represent its continuing legacy of innovation, efficiency, and effective marketing penetration of flow markets.

Fox’s Branding update includes: - New logo that reclaims Fox brand identity with sleek, abstract Fox imagery - Refreshed website with simplified navigation to search by application or product

Manufacturers to share inspirational stories of digital technology adoption at Made Smarter virtual summit SME manufacturers using digital tools and technology to transform their businesses will share their inspiring stories at a free-toaccess online summit. The virtual conference, Made Smarter: The journey to digital manufacturing, on Wednesday, March 10, will show manufacturers how to leverage and fast-track digital technology and tools for a year of recovery, growth and resilience. World leading puppet-makers MacKinnon and Saunders, behind TV characters including Bob the Builder and Postman Pat, and currently collaborating with Hollywood director Guillermo Del Toro on the forthcoming Pinocchio animation, will talk about how 3D printing is driving efficiencies,

increasing productivity and giving it a technological lead over its international rivals. Clothing manufacturer Creative Apparel will discuss its journey to build a state of the art, smart factory while becoming a leader for change in the sector by putting sustainability at the heart of its production processes. Meanwhile, Nutree Life, which makes plant-based and vegan nutrition products, will share its success story where adopting automation and control technologies enabled it to cope with unprecedented demand during the pandemic. Other, SME manufacturers sharing real-life stories of their experience of Made Smarter’s North West

Adoption programme include: Fabricon Design, Arden Dies, Bindatex, Crystal Doors, Starlight Bedrooms, Beverston Engineering, and DA Techs, alongside Envirosystems, Bloom-in-Box, Brainboxes, Parity Medical, Twin Fix, Plastic Card Services, Storth, Contactless Check Solutions, and The Cumbria Clock Company. Curated by manufacturers for manufacturers, the conference also features an impressive line-up of industry heavyweights such as Juergen Maier, Chair of the Digital Catapult and co-Chair of the Made Smarter Commission; and Stephen Phipson, The Chief Executive of Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation; Andrea Hough, Managing Director of ATEC Engineering Solutions; and Glyn Jones, Service Delivery

Director at BAE Systems and Chair of the Made Smarter Pilot Steering Group, who will showcase the ‘why?’, ‘what?’ and ‘how?’ of digital manufacturing.

“For manufacturers by manufacturers, this summit is a mustattend event for anyone working in the sector to learn how to make their product or process smarter.

The packed one-day programme, running from 9.00am-5.00pm, will be hosted virtually using an interactive online platform and include insightful panel discussions and roundtable debates, interactive workshops; demonstrations of the latest digital manufacturing technologies; and one-to-one advice sessions, giving businesses the vital intelligence needed to start their digital journey or take the next step.

“In these tumultuous times COVID-19 has, without doubt, demonstrated that digital tools can enable and accelerate innovation, and create resilience.

To ensure the Made Smarter message reaches as many people the conference is free to access for anyone from the spectrum of UK manufacturing and engineering, including aerospace, automotive, chemical and pharmaceutical, construction, defence, electronics, energy, food and drink, nuclear, plastics, security, steel, space and textiles. Juergen Maier said: “I am delighted to be participating in the Made Smarter: The journey to digital manufacturing conference to share my passion for the benefits of digital technology and celebrate the positive impact that Made Smarter’s adoption pilot is having on individuals, businesses, the environment, and the UK economy.

A rich blend of sessions will cover themes including: the Made Smarter vision, achievements and future; building resilience through digital tools, and how technology can help manufacturers enhance and improve sustainability, exports, new product development, and the supply chain.

“Grasping the digital opportunities has never been more important for businesses to recover and return stronger.” To register your interest, visit https:// www.madesmarter.uk/conference

Manufacturers will be able to access practical, actionable advice through workshops including: how to get started on a digital journey, led by Made Smarter’s technology advisers; and how to lead the digital transformation in your manufacturing business, led by Lancaster University Management School;

Technology Demonstrators Alley will showcase the latest solutions available to manufacturers which enable them to integrate systems, capture and analyse data, create simulations of their plants and processes, as well as how 3D-printing, automation, and robotics can solve business challenges. There will also be the opportunity to speak one on one with a variety of business advisers to explore the advice, support and funding available to manufacturers. Made Smarter: The journey to digital manufacturing will be hosted by the Made Smarter North West Adoption pilot, which has been driving technology adoption in the region for two years. The pilot has worked with 1,200 makers in every corner of Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Liverpool, providing advice, expertise and financial support to help them grow their business, increase competitiveness and reduce inefficiencies through digital tools. 550 businesses have received intensive support including expert, impartial technology advice, digital transformation workshops to help manufacturers take their first steps to transform their business, a leadership programme, and funded digital technology internships. Donna Edwards, North West Pilot Programme Director at Made Smarter, said: “This conference is a unique opportunity to showcase to UK manufacturers the tremendous achievements of the pilot, the value technology can bring to the sector, and give real-life examples of makers who have started their digital journey, reporting growth, productivity and efficiency gains, and job creation. “Whatever you make from wherever you are in the UK the journey to digital manufacturing event offers you the chance to learn from the experiences from industry leaders, gain the know-how you need from experts, and hear from peers who have been through the journey.” For more information visit https:// www.madesmarter.uk 7

Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2021 Open for Entries Winners announced at Plastics Recycling Show Europe in November The Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2021 are now open for entries in seven categories. Product designers, design engineers, raw material producers, plastics manufacturers, brand owners, retailers, plastics recycling machine producers and suppliers of recycled plastic products from across the whole value chain are invited to enter the fourth edition of the prestigious awards, which are open to organisations and individuals throughout Europe: https://prseventeurope.com

Product: SENSEO® Eco Coffee Maker by Philips Building & Construction Product: GreenMatter by GreenMatter Household & Leisure Product: S’cure ECO Post Consumer Edition by Samsonite Europe NV Plastic Packaging Product: evian® (re)new in-home water appliance by Danone Recycled Product Technology Innovation: SealPPeel by Verstraete in mould labels, a Multi-Color Company

The seven award categories are: Automotive, Electrical or Electronic Product; Building & Construction Product; Household & Leisure Product; Plastic Packaging Product; Product Technology Innovation; Recycling Machinery Innovation and Plastics Recycling Ambassador.

Recycling Machinery Innovation: Gelless film recycling with Mas Technology by Caroda BV and MAS Maschinenund Anlagenbau Schulz GmbH

“The Plastics Recycling Awards Europe recognise and celebrate the innovation driving the circular and sustainable use of plastics,” said Ton Emans, PRE President. “In spite of the tough year that was 2020, we know that individuals, companies and organisations up and down the supply chain are more determined than ever to dramatically increase the recycling and sustainable use of plastics. We are expecting the contenders for the Plastics Recycling Awards 2021 from major brands to innovative start-ups to raise the bar of innovation and achievement even higher!”

The Plastics Recycling Awards Europe are organised jointly by Plastics Recyclers Europe and Crain Communications, organisers of PRSE. EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen GmbH is platinum sponsor of the 2021 Awards. The Plastics Recycling Show is a pan-European, free-to-attend exhibition and a conference designed specifically for plastics recycling professionals. It brings together key players from the plastics and recycling sectors to showcase innovative technology, share best practice, network and do business. A broad cross-section of the industry is represented at the event including plastics recycling machinery and equipment suppliers, plastic material suppliers and compounders, pre-processors, plastics recyclers, waste management specialists and industry associations.

Entries for the awards will close on Friday 16 April 2021. Shortlisted finalists will be announced at a live online ceremony on 16 June. Winners will be presented with their awards at the Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRSE) taking place at the RAI, Amsterdam 4-5 November 2021. All finalists will also be showcased at PRSE. 8

The Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2020 winners, announced in December, were: Automotive, Electrical or Electronic

Plastics Recycling Ambassador: Professor Kim Ragaert of Ghent University

For more information and online entry to the Plastics Recycling Awards 2021 visit: www.prseventeurope.com

High Pressure Flowmeter for Offshore Oil and Gas Industry Titan Enterprises reports that its High Pressure Oval Gear (OG4) flowmeters provide an ideal solution for applications, within the oil and gas industry, that require a highly accurate and chemically resistant flow measurement device, such as metering high pressure additive injection. Benefiting from a compact, rugged design, Titan’s OG4 flowmeters are proven to operate reliably even at high pressures, providing long-term performance with minimal maintenance. Furthermore, Titan’s OG4 flowmeters are able to operate at temperatures up to 150°C and are fully IP67/NEMA 4 compliant. Each OG4 flowmeter

comes with a pressure test certificate that verifies the device’s ability to handle pressures up to 700 bar and up to 950 bar for custom-designed models. With a standard flow range of 0.25 to 50 litre / min on 30cSt oil, OG4 flowmeters are able to regularly achieve outstanding repeatability (0.1%) and accuracy (0.75%). For oil and gas applications where the presence of strongly acidic or basic chemicals has to be considered, Titan Enterprises is also able to offer a choice of construction materials for the OG4 flowmeter (as well as across its oval gear model range). Totally non-

metallic components and a choice of elastomer seals are options for the standard OG4 flowmeter which aid chemical compatibility. A choice of 316 stainless steel or Hastelloy C is available for the high-pressure range. For further information on the OG4 flowmeter (and Titan’s full range of oval gear flowmeters) please visit www.flowmeters.co.uk or contact Titan Enterprises on +44 1935 812790 or sales@flowmeter.com.

Protecting the KBB industry with free employability advice, career coaching and job seeking inspiration… Executive search and talent attraction service providers for the KBB, Builders Merchant & Construction Sales Industries, Foyne Jones, is excited to reveal the impact it’s making within the KBB industry following the creation and continued efforts of its complementary Redundancy Support: in partnership with Quooker. Launched to industry acclaim during the first-ever national lockdown back in June 2020 and running up to March 2021, Foyne Jones and Quooker have worked together to provide invaluable support to the KBB-masses who have been directly or indirectly affected by the health crisis. Joining forces to support industry workers that have been hit by redundancy and help minimise the

extraordinary pressure being put on the KBB sector, this Redundancy Support has become a motivating force for anyone needing to make a change, regain their career focus and empowerment in life, at home and in the workplace. Ongoing efforts have successfully led to hundreds of individuals benefittng from CV makeovers, delivery of virtual career coaching and mentoring, mental health and building resilience workshops, along with a host of digital solutions. These include its series of podcasts involving leading industry players and more recently, a weekly online job seekers club that is inspiring free discussion in a peer-to-peer open format and bringing the signature Foyne Jones approach, mind-set and techniques to enhancing overall employability.

In only 6 months, Foyne Jones Redundancy Support has helped: 188 job seekers - newly registered 152 makeovers - comprehensive CV makeovers 122 evaluations - personal online profile review & update via LinkedIn 43 episodes – podcast Series including Season 3, Survival Specials & Season 4, It’s a New Game 1K+ regular listeners – across The Foyne Jones Show podcast 17 countries – charted by The Foyne Jones Show podcast 139 job seekers – attended Weekly Job Seekers Club in first 5 weeks - 100% resourceful – providing inspiration, hope & positivity during extremely challenging times & because of this continued level of support, it can advise: 18% of individuals under the free Redundancy Support have moved on to new employment 11 new appointments are directly linked to the efforts of this free support program Peter Jones, Managing Director at Foyne Jones, says “We are delighted that we have been able to partner with Quooker UK, a guiding light in our industry and with that, assist so many people and businesses by providing free industry support, digital storytelling and strategic content for the job seeker. Embracing new technology and methods to connect people is a big part of who I am and the beauty of the KBB industry is its ability to create new opportunities for multi-skilled staff where up-skilling and retraining inside and outside your field of expertise is par for the course. Together we can do so much to

influence recruitment and personal development in this vibrant industry and we have to ensure we retain safeguard the industry and retain our current level of talent by attracting the next generation of talent and stars of the future.” Stephen Johnson, Managing Director at Quooker UK, says “I’ve grown up in this industry and passionately believe we have a wider responsibility of support wherever possible. The Covid crisis has undoubtedly shaken the kitchen industry with considerable and persistent financial pressures and staff welfare strains placed on retailers, manufacturers and businesses across the country. At Quooker, we too have felt the strain the crisis has placed on the industry. We’ve seen firsthand how its affected smaller, independent retailers and how changing consumer habits have dramatically impacted sales.” He continues “However, during these difficult times, brands are faced with two choices. To shrivel up and remain inward-focused or to work together sharing expertise and resources, to help the industry rebuild, recover and thrive. That is why over the past year we have invested heavily in support of the wider kitchen industry and a key ingredient to this was to make sure that we could find a way to support those that have lost jobs during the crisis. It therefore made perfect sense that we should partner with Foyne Jones in offering this super initiative.” CASE STUDY – “I connected with Peter when looking for a new job during the first lockdown. Peter believes in you and actually puts his money where his mouth is... if I could give any advice in Lockdown 3 it would be to connect with them” says Bernadette Rogers, newly appointed Project Manager at Tensar. 11

Britain’s greenest year yet but new technologies still needed to hit climate targets - 2020 was a record year for renewables with biomass, hydro, solar and wind power generating more power than fossil fuels for the first time - Carbon emissions from electricity generation fell by 16% as gas and coal power stations were turned off or down due to reduced demand during Covid lockdowns - Experts warn UK must embrace new but proven technologies like bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) to meet climate targets in years ahead. NEW green technologies must be deployed for the UK to meet its climate targets despite renewables generating more power than fossil fuels for the first time, a new report has warned. Independent analysis conducted by academics from Imperial College London for Drax Electric Insights, via Imperial Consultants, shows the UK will require a range of new green technologies, which complement renewables like wind and solar, as part of its efforts to meet its national climate goals. Whilst power from renewables overtook fossil fuels for the first time in 2020 – and carbon emissions fell by 16% year-on-year, this was in a large part due to reduced demand caused by Covid lockdowns, when gas and coal power stations were turned down. Wind and solar generated 30% of Britain’s electricity in 2020 – around half the share required by 2025 for the UK to reach its climate targets according to the Climate Change Committee (CCC).

The Electric Insights report shows that achieving the CCC’s targets will also require a range of other technologies, such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), hydrogen and nuclear. Dr Iain Staffell of Imperial College London, and lead author of the quarterly Electric Insights report, said: “2020 saw Britain edge closer to the power system of the future with renewables generating more power than fossil fuels. Flexible technologies like pumped hydro storage kept the system stable as supply from renewables increased and demand for power fell. “The next steps we must take towards a net zero power system will be more challenging – driving out the last sources of fossil carbon will require us to go beyond just having more wind and solar power. New business models, backed by policy and investment, will be needed to bring advancedbut-proven technologies into the mainstream. “This means that the electricity used in homes, hospitals, offices and factories could even be

carbon negative – sourced from a range of low, zero carbon and negative emissions technologies.” Last year, a report by Vivid Economics found that deploying cutting edge green technologies like BECCS and hydrogen could create and support around 200,000 jobs across the UK to support a postcovid, green economic recovery. Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO, said: “Drax is Europe’s largest decarbonisation project having transformed Britain’s biggest power station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal, creating the country’s largest single-site renewable electricity generator whilst supporting thousands of jobs. “Biomass is unique amongst renewable technologies due to its versatility, from being used in power generation to hydrogen production – and even new forms of plastics. Add to this its ability to deliver negative emissions with BECCS – biomass is one of our most valuable tools for reaching net zero emissions – a technology Drax is ready to invest in.”

Remote sensing of Vegetation using SWIR cameras on a UAV From Quantum Design UK and Ireland, distributor for Raptor Photonics in the UK and Ireland Forage Mass Monitoring (FFM) analysis has been traditionally done using biomass sampling to calculate biomass yield per hectare (t ha-1). Current research projects are now looking at reflectance spectroscopy methods using remote sensing systems based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Promising results in recent years prove the principal suitability of such systems for airborne monitoring of small to medium sized farmland in agricultural applications for precision agriculture, such as biomass for crops and grasslands. An imaging system in the form of a multispectral multicamera system is often used to derive well-established vegetation indices (VIS) efficiently. However, due to the use of silicon-based sensors, the spectral application range of such multi-camera systems is limited to the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) wavelength range (4001000nm). Therefore, more robust indicators linked to biomass in the

short-wave infrared (like cellulose or moisture content) cannot be considered as estimators. In a joint research project, a team from the University of Applied Science Koblenz and the Remote Sensing and GIS group at the University of Cologne developed a UAV-based multi-camera system to collect NIR/ SWIR data, to prove more robust and better-performing estimators of biomass monitoring. The system displayed in Figure 1 shows a spectral camera unit (SCU) and a sensor management unit (SMU), both mounted onto a drone solution. The SCU deploys two Raptor Owl 640 M Vis-SWIR cameras enabling the coverage from 600 to 1700 nm of the electromagnetic spectrum. These camera modules were chosen because of their optimised “Size, Weight and Power” parameters. Thanks to the small form factor, the energy-efficient uncooled (TEC-less) design and the high sensitivity, these modules are ideal for integrating multiple camera modules into a lightweight, UAV-based remote sensing system for daylight operations. Another advantage is the interchangeable lens mount used for a custom filter flange solution to adapt application-specific narrow bandpass filters in the optical path.

The study aimed to validate the spectral performance and investigate spectral image data of a newly developed VNIR/SWIR multi-camera prototype for forage mass monitoring. For this purpose, aerial image data were acquired by the system on a permanent experimental grassland site near Cologne (chessboard trial), Germany, under clear sky conditions in July 2019. Spectral ground truth data were acquired with an ASD Fieldspec3 (FS3) spectroradiometer in twelve selected plots. Forage mass expressed in dry matter yield (DMY) was obtained by destructive biomass sampling 14 days after the flight date from all 156 trial plots. To evaluate the VNIR/SWIR camera system’s spectral properties, the reflectance values of the individual spectral bands, and the two derived VIs, NRI (Koppe et al. 2010)3 and GnyLi (Gnyp et al. 2014)4 , were directly compared with the corresponding FS3 values. Moreover, the camera- and FS3-based VIs were further analysed in simple linear regression models as estimators for DMY. The camerabased SLR resulted in an R2 of 0.71 to 0.75. These are promising results for a single flight date data set. However, further multi-temporal studies with advanced evaluation methods have to be carried out to confirm these results. Moreover, further estimation models for nitrogen concentration and crude protein content have to be evaluated. Evaluations for cereal crops are currently under investigation. Ultimately, these first promising evaluation results demonstrate these novel InGaAs sensors’ suitability for use in multi-camera systems for UAV-based vegetation monitoring. They provide easy-to-use data with excellent spatial resolution in the selected wavelength bands over the entire spectral range from 600 – 1700nm. Read the full application note here For more information please visit www.qd-uki.co.uk/imaging-cameras/

Altair enlighten award expanded to honor advancements in sustainability Now accepting submissions for 9th annual international award showcasing innovation in automotive lightweighting and sustainability – Altair, (Nasdaq: ALTR) a global technology company providing software and cloud solutions in the areas of simulation, highperformance computing (HPC), and artificial intelligence (AI), is pleased to announce the 2021 Altair Enlighten Award is open for submissions. Presented annually with the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), the Enlighten Award has expanded beyond lightweighting to celebrate the greatest sustainability initiatives, which help reduce carbon footprint, mitigate water and energy consumption, and engage in material reuse and recycling.

“Year after year, the Altair Enlighten Award sparks growing interest from policymakers, educators, and engineers to industry leaders from all around the world, and we are proud to use this platform to showcase the most impactful innovations in lightweighting and sustainability,” said James Scapa, founder and chief executive officer, Altair. “The convergence of simulation, highperformance computing, and AI solutions is empowering the automotive sector to produce smarter, more connected, sustainable vehicles, and we are proud to lead this evolution.” Independent analysis conducted by academics from Imperial College London for Drax Electric Insights, via Imperial Consultants, shows the UK will require a range of new green technologies, which complement renewables like wind and solar, as part of its efforts to meet its national climate goals.

Whilst power from renewables overtook fossil fuels for the first time in 2020 – and carbon emissions fell by 16% year-on-year, this was in a large part due to reduced demand caused by Covid lockdowns, when gas and coal power stations were turned down. Wind and solar generated 30% of Britain’s electricity in 2020 – around half the share required by 2025 for the UK to reach its climate targets according to the Climate Change Committee (CCC). The Enlighten Award judging categories are: Sustainable Product – Emissions, lightweighting, and safety advances in a production vehicle or major system module Sustainable Process – Material reuse / recycling and water conservation advances in manufacturing Module Lightweighting – Mass reduction of a vehicle module, subsystem, or component Lightweighting Enabling Technology – Technology advancement that enables vehicle lightweighting, including a material, production process, design method, or joining technology Future of Lightweighting – Process, material, or technology not in production, but has significant potential to advance vehicle lightweighting “Collaborating with Altair on the Enlighten Award is always an honor, and we are excited to see it evolve to acknowledge innovations in sustainability,” said Carla Bailo, president and chief executive officer, Center for Automotive Research. “As the industry moves forward with electrification, the drive for increased lightweighting and sustainability is critical. This award cosponsored with Altair demonstrates the breakthroughs needed to propel our industry forward.” To learn more, please visit www.altair.com.

A titan in the food inspection world Designed for inspecting product formats such as bread loaves and meat joints weighing up to 6 kilograms, the Theia from Sparc Systems may look like a beast of a system, but capable of inspecting over 250 packs per minute it can certainly shift. Under its robust framework, the Theia remains one of the most sensitive, precise and dynamic x-ray and checkweighing combination systems on the market today. Created for bakery, dairy, produce, protein and non-food manufacturers seeking to comply with regulatory codes of practice while improving line efficiency, the Theia delivers dynamic weight monitoring to reduce product giveaway. Simultaneously, the electric drive x-ray accurately looks for and rejects products with contaminated foreign bodies, including metal, glass and bone. Enhancing quality control and providing QA managers with cohesive real-time reporting. The high resolution of the metal ceramic x-ray tubes enables the Theia to detect foreign materials with sensitivity levels that outperform any current x-ray technology. Driving increased product quality and security, while reducing the risk of costly product recalls. Inspecting up to 250 product packs per minute (sometimes more if needed), if a contaminant is detected, the product is sent to a

dedicated lockable reject station. An in-line, servo driven reject system removes the need for compressed air, offering potential savings of up to £4,000 a year on running costs. Aside from energy savings, one of the key advantages of the electric drive is being able to locate the two reject units beneath the Theia conveyor. Reducing the width of the system. After checking for contaminants, each product passes seamlessly onto the dynamic high-spec checkweigher conveyor. By digitising the checkweighing process to achieve 0.25 gram weight accuracy, manufacturers can rapidly achieve productivity gains and save thousands of pounds a week in product giveaway. “In some cases, our customers have reported a 55% reduction in product giveaway,” highlights Sparc’s European Sales Manager Charlie Graham. Resulting in a very fast machine payback. Rugged and durable, the Theia uses stable digital processing and dynamic load cell software to

adjust to and filter out mechanical vibrations commonplace in food production environments. Optimising the load cell and micro-resistors, the weight sensors reset rapidly, allowing for rapid and precise weight checks on individual packs. Trend feedback is instantly fed upstream to filling, portioning and packing automation equipment. Signalling when to increase or decrease fill quantity. Rather than burying statistical and operational data deep in complex HMI menus, a single, clear, touch-screen control panel offers constant feedback on operational elements including volume, weight and speed. Utilising the principles of Industry 4.0, integrated data collection software provides instant live OEE data, reporting directly to production and Quality Assurance (QA) personnel. Charlie concludes: “With many combi systems there are varying degrees of integration on the market. Ranging from complete mechanical and electronic integration - as Sparc does - to connected machines from two different suppliers which typically still operate independently with no cohesive reporting.” The Theia can be supplied with up to 500 pro-programmed weight and product categories as well as an unlimited number of retailer Code of Practice test parameters.

Articulated jib crane for leading International parcel delivery service provider Hoist UK designed and manufactured the jib crane and our engineers installed & commissioned this on the customer’s site. The Requirements

The Solution

Our customer needed a solution to aid their operatives in transferring maintenance plant/tooling from the basement level to the ground floor of which the only access prior to installation of the jib crane was from stairs.

Our sales engineers worked with the customer to specify one of our articulated jib cranes EUROSTYLE Templier that with the unique two arm “knuckle” arrangement allows for a much bigger working area coverage over conventional underbraced & overbraced jib cranes.

The Challenge The customer was trying to lift maintenance equipment from the basement to the ground floor through a roller shutter door, therefore any solution would need to extend/ transfer in and out of the building. The suitability of building structure limited the options of mounting and as the customer was using this for infrequent maintenance operations they did not want anything that would obstruct the floor space so a freestanding crane was not preferred.

The articulated jib crane was supplied with a mounting bracket that allowed it to be mounted onto the customer’s existing vertical column in the corner of the room, which was verified to take the imposed loadings from the jib crane. The mounting location of the jib was ideal as it did not affect the customer’s floor space and when not in use can easily be folded up against the wall. The jib crane was supplied with a 3 m overall jib arm radius, which consists of two 1.5 m length arm sections. The first arm of the jib crane

allows for a 180 degree manual slew and the “forearm” allows for an additional 300 degree slew, which in this case was utilised to extend out of the building. The jib was accompanied with an electric chain hoist EUROCHAIN VX2 180 kg with dual lifting speeds for increase control when transferring the plant/ equipment out of the basement. These new hoists, marketed in spring 2020, benefit from the latest advances in Verlinde technology: an innovative design, improved robustness and power that guarantee reliability. They include numerous equipment as standard including Safety limit switch for upper and lower position, IP55 hoisting & travelling motor protection, and a new suspension bracket, compatible with existing trolleys and designed to facilitate the installation of the hoist. For more information, visit: verlinde.com

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Cutting We can cut and shape perforated sheet to meet the needs of your final application. Levelling For some applications a high degree of flatness is required, we have processes in place to ensure our perforated coils and sheets meet with your most demanding requirements. Rolling and forming We can roll, bend and form perforated sheets to match your design. Aesthetic finishes and protective coating We can offer powder coating and hot dip galvanizing solutions to meet your specifications.

For more information please contact us tel: 01925 839610 | email: info.uk@rmig.com | www.rmig.com

Emerson’s new ultrasonic metal spot welder delivers repeatable, high-quality welds Emerson announces its new BransonTM GMX-20MA ultrasonic metal spot welder, an advanced spot welder that bonds nonferrous metals, including bus bars, foils, switches, and wire terminations in automotive electrical systems, electric vehicles, batteries and battery packs, power storage systems and related applications. The GMX-20MA metal spot welder is built around an all-new, rigid pneumatic actuator with dual linear bearings and a digital load cell to ensure smoother vertical motion and more precise downforce control for maximum weld quality and repeatability. Actuator travel and tool positioning relative to the welded parts are tracked and measured using a linear encoder. Once tooling/part contact is made, a digital load cell

measures and maintains a precise level of actuator downforce on the parts, ensuring that weld energy is accurately delivered and consistent weld quality is assured from one weld to the next. “The unique dual linear bearing design used in the Branson GMX20MA actuator makes it the strongest, and most rigid and precise actuator available in the ultrasonic metal welding market,” said Alex Yeung, global business development manager, metal welding for Emerson. “For our customers, that means the GMX-20MA welder will deliver the highest repeatability and stability for metal spot welding in many different conditions.” The programmable controls of the GMX-20MA enable operators to manage the welding process in multiple modes: time, energy, peak power and distance.

These versatile weld modes, together with the welder’s advanced digital controls, ensure the added precision required to maintain tight weld process control despite occasional variations in part surface quality or cleanliness. In most cases, the high-frequency, lateral scrubbing action of the ultrasonic tooling eliminates the need to pre-clean parts. The GMX-20MA is programmed through a user-friendly, touchscreen human-machine interface (HMI) housed in the unit’s Branson 2000Xd power supply/controller. The touchscreen makes creating, editing and recalling stored production recipes fast and simple. The touchscreen HMI also opens up access to the unit’s multiple welding control modes and enables users to configure production- and qualitymonitoring solutions. www.emerson.com

Getting back on your feet with metrology According to Make UK’s September 2020 Manufacturing Monitor, only 46 per cent of manufacturers achieved 75 to 100 per cent of their pre-Covid-19 operating levels in August 2020. 54 per cent now expect it will take less than twelve months to return to normal trading conditions. Here Mike John, managing director at industrial metrology provider The Sempre Group, emphasises why British manufacturing needs a cultural shift to get back on its feet. When investing in equipment to drive productivity, we typically think about investing in big machine tools or robots. We rarely think about measurement equipment, usually dismissing it as just a way to police part quality, but there are many ways that metrology can drive real value.

create bottlenecks in the process. Every part is manually loaded, and the data copied from the machine to an Excel spreadsheet. Manually entering the data is time consuming for staff, is prone to human error and is difficult to access retrospectively.

Metrology for a productive process

The Sempre Group has a range of advanced measurement systems that offer efficient, accurate and appropriate types of measurement for your components, such as optical CMMs, optical shaft measurement systems and 2D scanning systems. The vast range of options available allow The Sempre Group to tailor you the right solution for your metrology challenges.

There are clear benefits of embracing digital Industry 4.0 technologies, such as increasing throughput, reducing bottlenecks and increasing precision. Metrology ties in closely — its Quality 4.0 equivalent offers manufacturers a path to full control over their measurement data, and a way to use it as a vehicle for improvement. Consider this example. A machinery manufacturer is checking that parts are within specification on a co-ordinate measurement machine (CMM). The CMM, although thorough, can be expensive, slow to take measurements and often

Combining these fast advanced technology systems with an electronic quality management system (QMS), gives a much more efficient solution, collecting and storing data at every point, from drawing to final product. They eradicate the need for time

consuming paperwork and filing, which means manufacturers can easily communicate important quality information across the supply chain and can remove the headache of compliance reporting. Manufacturers can also introduce automation, such as collaborative robots, to load and unload components for part validation, further increasing productivity and accuracy. The level of traceability afforded by a Quality 4.0 approach also brings reporting and compliance benefits, which is particularly appealing in industries like medical and aerospace where expectations are high. This brings confidence in the product and process, something it is difficult to put a price on. If we stop seeing technology as a way to keep up and start seeing it as a way to take the lead, we can empower our workforces, manufacture better products and drive productivity and value. We need to encourage collaboration between production engineers and quality managers, identify areas of improvement and use data as our guiding light. Just think, if we could get businesses operating at a productivity level far beyond their pre-Covid levels, wouldn’t that make for a great industry report? Find out more about The Sempre Group’s range of metrology, automation and software solutions here www.TheSempreGroup.com.

Microchip unveils first fully integrated solution for vehicle ethernet audio video bridging (AVB) LAN9360 AVB audio endpoint helps to reduce development time, eliminating the need for stack integration and additional software and firmware development As connected vehicles increasingly rely on Ethernet for network connectivity, smart technology is helping developers to streamline infotainment system development and quickly adapt to manufacturers’ evolving requirements. Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) today announced the first hardware-based audio endpoint solution for AVB – the LAN9360, a single chip Ethernet controller with embedded protocols. Microchip’s LAN9360 audio endpoint controller interconnects vehicles’ infotainment devices including speakers, amplifiers, microphones, navigation systems, radio tuners and smart headrests with Ethernet AVB. The LAN9360 bridges audio between Ethernet AVB and Inter-IC Sound (I2S™), Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) and Pulse Density Modulation (PDM) local audio interfaces. It completely supports audio transmission over Ethernet AVB, including generalized Precision Time Protocol gPTP, timestamping, transport protocols and content protection with High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP). It also supports secure boot and secure remote updates over Ethernet. Unlike other Ethernet bridging networking solutions requiring System-onChip (SoC) microcontrollers (MCUs) plus third-party software stacks, the LAN9360 endpoint device requires no software integration, enabling designers to configure the device simply and quickly to manufacturers’ unique audio and networking requirements. Microchip’s LAN9360 audio endpoint controller has been validated to industry standards for Ethernet interoperability for

AVB protocols. The device is validated to the IEEE® 802.1BA-2011, IEEE 802.1AS, IEEE1722 and IEEE1733 specifications for Ethernet networks and is certified to the standards for AVB interoperability and reliability established by the Avnu Alliance consortium. “In looking for an AVB solution for our Automotive Remote Tuners products, the LAN9360 allowed us to develop on a trusted platform quickly, without changing our current software,” said Pierrick Labeau, Research & Development Manager, FIAMM Horn & Antennas - Elettra 1938 Group. “This endpoint controller is a single smart chip for Ethernet interoperability in infotainment systems,” said Matthias Kaestner, vice president, Automotive. “In today’s rapid-pace design environment, this out-of-the-box device gives engineers a quick start to development and allows them to avoid months of engineering work and technical risks involved in coding or engaging third-party integrators.” The LAN9360 expands Microchip’s comprehensive Ethernet product portfolio and total system solution for automotive developers. Other Microchip Ethernet devices for automotive applications include the LAN8770 100BASE-T1 PHY, a costeffective, single-port physical layer transceiver compliant with the IEEE 802.3bw-2015 specification.

The device provides 100 Mbps transmit and receive capability over a single Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cable. In addition, the Trust Anchor (TA100), a secure element from Microchip’s portfolio of CryptoAutomotive™ security ICs for automotive security applications, provides support for code authentication, secure boot and audio content protection with High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP). Development Tools A development board and Microchip’s MPLAB Network Creator are available for configuring the LAN9360 using an intuitive graphical user interface. MPLAB Network Creator, a free graphical configuration environment, allows developers to generate configuration files quickly and intuitively for the LAN9360 AVB audio endpoint and perform full firmware or configuration updates to the LAN9360 devices remotely over Ethernet. Pricing and Availability Microchip’s LAN9360 endpoint device is available for volume orders in a 100-Thin Profile Fine Pitch Ball (TFBGA) package option. For pricing and additional information, contact a Microchip sales representative, authorized worldwide distributor, or visit Microchip’s website.

Stay in sync with Minimotor DBSE Gearboxes in packaging, food & beverage, labelling and pharmaceutical machinery are subject to sudden speed changes and format changeovers are often required – which take time and cost money.

Advantages of the DBSE motors - Machine downtime is reduced to the bare minimum - Efficient and compact - Fewer individual cable runs - Allow highly precise operations - Up to 36.5Nm - Open bus protocols - Reduce machine build components

The DBSE motors Mini Motor’s DBSE brushless servomotors with integrated drive and planetary reduction gear are very well suited to these sectors, and can reduce machine downtime to a minimum. With CSP (Cyclic Synchronous Positioning), they are able to move independently or in a synchronised manner, depending on what the process requires. All models are implemented with the new ‘open’ platform which permits configuration with these primary protocols: CANopen, EtherCAT, Modbus, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Powerlink.

Mini motor’s DBSE motors used by Emmegi Based in Italy, Emmegi are a leader in the design, production and sale of aluminium, light alloy, PVC and steel profile machining systems. They use Mini Motor’s series of DBSE brushless motors to drive vice clamps in their top-class Satellite XTE and Comet R6 I 5-axis CNC machining centres. This means that the machining centres can be used in a dynamic twin operation, with the clamps being automatically positioned at the same time as the machining

processes in the opposite working field. This has the enormous advantage of minimising timeconsuming machine stops for set up and clamp positioning. OEM Automatic can supply a wide variety of DSB Servomotors from Mini Motor. For more information get in touch with our Motors team : motors@oem.co.uk For further information on OEM Automatic please visit: www.oem.co.uk/

FULLY WIRELESS NETWORKED SMART MOTORS ARE COMING...

Contact the Motors Team at OEM Automatic to find out more motors@oem.co.uk +44 (0) 0116 284 9900 www.oem.co.uk

Aston Martin Lagonda achieves significant reductions in time and cost of development programs using VI-grade compact simulator Iconic British sports car manufacturer utilizes revolutionary driving simulator technology by VI-grade to accelerate and optimize vehicle development.

VI-grade today announced that luxury British sports car manufacturer Aston Martin Lagonda has adopted the COMPACT Simulator designed by VI-grade to meet increasingly complex vehicle targets. The Driving Simulator is also a decisive tool allowing Aston Martin Lagonda to move away from the common traditional engineering approach used in the automotive industry to a more virtual environment, thus saving cost and resources in the development of new vehicles. Today’s vehicle development programs are increasingly demanding, simultaneously requiring cost and time reductions while also improving quality. Traditional engineering approaches are hard-pressed to successfully address these requirements, as these two targets

are hardly compatible. As a result, Aston Martin Lagonda is steadily moving towards a more virtual environment, employing vehicle models and simulation tools to embed traditional development steps into a virtual model that would usually be carried out on a physical proving ground. This is achieved by creating a digital twin of the vehicle. This innovative form of development is not only more resource-efficient but also enables the sports car manufacturer to significantly increase the quality of its end products. By using the COMPACT Simulator by VI-grade, Aston Martin Lagonda is now able to conduct numerous tests on the virtual vehicle model at an early stage, well before building a first prototype. The Driving Simulator application allows various elements of the vehicle’s

behavior to be tested and potential error sources to be identified and eliminated much earlier in the development process. This leads to higher reliability and confidence in the prototypes and more effective testing, which in the end results in a higher quality of the final vehicle. “We have identified that by the use of virtual tools and simulation, the expenditure profile of a project is smoother and is reduced throughout the life of the product development process, and that’s because any error states that you find, you find them at the very beginning of the program, before you committed to any tooling, or you’re committed to any production parts,” said Jose Barcelo, Chassis/Vehicle Dynamics CAE Manager at Aston Martin Lagonda. “In our development activities, we are always trying to

be as cost effective as possible, trying to reduce the time of the programs, and by doing so we are also reducing the cost of the programs.” “We are delighted to report that the iconic British sports car manufacturer Aston Martin Lagonda utilizes our revolutionary driving simulation solution, thus embarking on a new innovative development path”, said Alessio Lombardi, Sales Director, South Europe and UK at VI-grade. “First results of the application of our COMPACT Simulator are already visible on the new DBX model, Aston Martin’s first luxury SUV. By integrating our Driving Simulator technology into the development program, the Aston Martin Lagonda engineering team was able to eliminate possible error sources of the vehicle much earlier, build more reliable prototypes and finally

come up with a high-performance car that pushes the boundaries of what is possible for an SUV. Please also see a video of the new COMPACT Simulator installation at Aston Martin Lagonda including the full interview to Jose Barcelo at this link: https://youtu.be/MP0MJLpGlbw

NSK shows its competency in ultra-fine positioning As an expert in motion control, NSK frequently supplies customers with manipulators and positioners that meet micrometre and even nanometre accuracy requirements. Such solutions perform fine positioning operations under a microscope field of view, demanding the application of skilled engineering and know-how. A case in point is NSK’s nanopositioner, which exemplifies the company’s expertise in integrated mechatronics and precision positioning drive technology. This knowledge is the result of many decades spent pioneering the development of related technologies such as bearings, linear-motion products and image-processing solutions. The market demand for positioning mechanisms with nanometre accuracy continues to expand across sectors that include semiconductor manufacturing equipment, biotechnology, optical communications devices and micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS), to list but a few. Fine positioning stages intended to meet these requirements have been available for some time, typically comprising a ball screw, stepper motor and piezoelectric element. However, these solutions generally lack stiffness and fall short of the ultra-high resolution needed at high speeds. NSK’s nanopositioner overcomes these challenges. Featuring a proprietary ball-screw fixed-end bearing unit with piezoelectric element, the device provides fine positioning at nanometre

accuracy and high speeds without compromising mechanical rigidity. Maximum speed is 72 mm/s, while resolution is 5 nm and positioning accuracy is ±15 nm. Among the major differentiating features of the nanopositioner is its configuration and system structure. Conventional fine positioning stages use a stacked piezoelectric element as a form of piezoelectric actuator, but this design is vulnerable to tension, moment and radial forces. The deployment of compression springs can counter this effect, but they lack adequate rigidity and can hamper highspeed operation. Instead, the NSK nanopositioner incorporates a piezoelectric element in a ball screw fixedend bearing unit. Mounting the piezoelectric element on the same

shaft as the preloaded bearings means unwanted moment or radial forces do not occur. In addition, the provision of bearing preload as compression force on the piezoelectric element avoids tension, while rigidity is uncompromised. The nanopositioner offers easy application in XYZ positioning stages. By way of example, the device is at the heart of a proven NSK micro-manipulation system for fine positioning. With the ability to manipulate items as small as a single cell, the system is ideal for a variety of medical science and biotechnology applications, while nanotechnologists find the system useful in assembling microscopic tools. Driven by a rotary motor, the nanopositioner provides the required fine-motion positioning control of various set-ups and micro-manipulators, ensuring ease of operation and the highly accurate movement of various stage attachments. Two types of NSK nanopositioner are available: the M series featuring a compact single- axis stage; and the CD series with dualaxis XY table. For more information on NSK please visit: www.nsk.com

Factory and Process Automation Training Courses “Gain from over 30 years of practical experience in the factory and process automation industries.” Training courses are easy to find, good quality training courses delivered by instructors with ongoing practical experience in a wide range of industries, less so. Control Specialists Ltd have over 30 years of experience of working in the factory and process automation industries and have used this experience to development of a number of training courses. The courses are delivered in a relaxed manner with plenty of opportunity to ask questions off-topic and for your practical skills to be enhanced. Whilst they are usually delivered in a face-to-face format, several are now available in an online instructor-led format where delegates can interact with our live networks from their own home / office whist having an instructor to hand to guide them. We have already delivered these to UK and international audiences.

Industrial communication network training We have several courses available covering the likes of PROFIBUS, PROFINET, ETHERNET I/P, CANBUS and AS-I. From a PROFIBUS and PROFINET point of view, we have international accreditation by being accredited as a PROFIBUS and PROFINET International Competency Centre (PICC) as well as a PROFIBUS and PROFINET International Training Centre (PITC). We have delivered the courses around the UK, to CERN in Switzerland and several cities in Australia. We have many examples of excellent feedback in terms of the quality and relevance of the training, the technical expertise of the instructor and the willingness of the instructor to answer questions. PROFIBUS training courses Delegates will learn and practice on a live network consisting of equipment from the likes of Siemens, WAGO, MURR, Helmholz, Phoenix Contact and Endress+Hauser . It has a PROFIBUS DP Master, 4 Diagnostic Hubs (Copper and Fibre), up to 22 PROFIBUS DP Slaves and 3 PROFIBUS PA Slaves.

The network also includes a Procentec Combicks PROFIBUS Monitor and an Endress+Hauser Fieldgate to allow acyclic access to PROFIBUS PA parameters. Each delegate has their own kit to work on and, where applicable, a laptop on which a Procentec Profitrace has been installed. Certified PROFIBUS Installer – This is a one-day course that teaches the layout, installation and testing of complete PROFIBUS networks. The course is accredited by PROFIBUS and PROFINET International and is recognised across the world as the best introductory course in PROFIBUS technology. Certified PROFIBUS Engineer – This 3½ day hands-on course covers the detailed theory of PROFIBUS DP and PA network operation. On the course you will learn first-hand how to properly design, install, commission and troubleshoot PROFIBUS networks. You will learn how to use modern diagnostic tools to detect faults and identify their causes. The first day of this course is also available as a one-day uncertified PROFIBUS Commissioning and Maintenance Course. Certified PROFIBUS System Designer – This 2½ day course is aimed at anyone who is dealing with the design, specification or procurement of modern automation and control systems at the engineering or technical level. The course is also suitable for device manufacturers, system integrators and technical sales/marketing people who want to know the best way to put systems together PROFINET training courses Delegates will learn and practice on a live network consisting of equipment from the likes of Siemens, WAGO, Helmholz. Phoenix Contact, Softing, Murr Elektronic, Procentec, Indu-Sol and Softing.

It is made up of 2 PROFINET IO Controllers (PLC’s), 8 PROFINET Conformance Class B Switches (Copper and Fibre), up to 20 PROFINET IO Devices. It also includes 6 PROFINET Gateways to allow the network to interface with networks based on PROFIBUS DP, PROFIBUS PA, PROFINET, CANBUS, AS-I and IOLINK. A Procentec ATLAS Permanent PROFINET Monitor permanently monitors the networks to allow the principles of commissioning and fault finding to be taught.. Each delegate has their own kit to work on and, where applicable, a laptop on which several PROFINET-related applications have been installed. Certified PROFINET Installer – This is a one-day course that teaches the layout, installation and testing of complete PROFINET networks. The course is accredited by PROFIBUS and PROFINET International and is recognised across the world as the best introductory course in PROFINET technology. Certified PROFINET Engineer – The Certified PROFINET Engineer course is an in-depth three-day course that is suitable for a wide range of engineers working in a wide variety of industries. The course is suitable for anyone who is working at a technical level in automation and control systems. The first day of this course is also available as a one-day uncertified PROFINET Commissioning and Maintenance Course. EMC awareness training course This one-day course is particularly targeted to those people / organisations that are involved in industrial automation and who need to conform to the IEE Wiring Regulations (BS 7671). It covers a topic that continues to bring many misconceptions and challenges for both experienced technicians and engineers alike. The EMC Awareness training course, which includes practical exercises and demonstrations, aims to provide key players with the knowledge to make informed decisions during the design, installation and commissioning phases and ensure reliability of associated industrial networks and control systems.

“A must for anyone involved in the design, installation or support of systems involving Variable Speed Drives.” Process control loop optimisation training This training is aimed at technicians and engineers who are involved in the operation, implementation and tuning of feedback controllers in a wide variety of applications and industries. Many different aspects of feedback control systems are covered so that the training will benefit a wide range of needs. For example, if you need to: - Apply quantitative feedback control to real processes and machinery; - Improve the performance or tune controllers in your plant; - Identify loop-related problems and the causes of poor control performance. - Understand how software-based plant optimisation applications work and the benefits they can bring. We have delivered Process Control Training courses in the UK, U.S, Australia and Europe. “We’ve engaged Control Specialists Ltd for the last 18 months to provide Certified PROFIBUS courses and EMC training for our Design Engineers and Technical Project Managers. The feedback from the team has been excellent, with the practical exercises really helping our engineers understand the theory. Recently, I attended a designer course with Peter and it exceeded my expectations – Peter’s knowledge and passion makes the course engaging and enjoyable. For any future internal or supplychain training on process control and/or PROFIBUS/PROFINET, I would not hesitate in recommending and engaging Peter. James Williams, Automation & Control Capital Delivery Manager, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water” For more information regarding Control Specialists please visit: www.controlspecialists.co.uk or call +44(0)1925 824003 29

Heavy-duty AC motor drive performance at a normal-duty price point Selecting an AC motor drive that will be able to supply all the power and flexibility required without over- or underdimensioning can be a challenge. A careful choice ensures the efficiency and reliability of equipment, systems, and production facilities. The new C2000 Plus Series of vector control motor drives from Delta offers improved overload capacity, making these drives an outstanding choice for more applications than ever before. There are AC motor drives that perform well in general-purpose applications and others for more specific scenarios such as positioning or winding and unwinding. When evaluating AC drives, the first thing to consider is the type of power, single phase or three-phase. Next, input voltage and frequency must match the facility where the drive will operate. The new C2000 Plus is a three-phase motor drive that accepts voltages of 230V and 460V and performs well across a wide range of applications including positioning, cranes, extruders, and sectional mixers. Servo-like operation Traditional servo systems for positioning often include a permanent magnet motor and the corresponding motor drive. A separate PLC controller regulates the speed, direction, and more. Motor speed feedback to the controller is accomplished using a tachometer generator. An encoder provides position data. The advantages of permanent magnet motors are their relative light weight and precision for applications requiring lower horsepower. The disadvantage is cost. The new C2000 Plus AC motor drive can be used with asynchronous AC induction motors as well as

permanent magnet motors for precise control of position, speed, and torque. With an integrated encoder, programmable logic controller, and pulse generator, the C2000 Plus is suitable for both sensor and sensorless motors and applications that would traditionally have called for a servo system. The C2000 Plus also supports multiple position control functions, including homing, multi-step positioning and single positioning. These functionalities are widely used in position control applications such as smart warehouses and automatic conveyor systems. Enhanced overload capacity The overload capacity of the C2000 Plus has been increased to 560 kW. This is a critical advantage because it makes the drive suitable for applications in which a higher degree of overload can be expected for a short duration such as when a longer conveyor system must overcome inertia to get up to speed. The 60s overload capacity has been increased from 120% in the previous model to 150% in the C2000 Plus. This makes the new drive superior to a great number of options in the normalduty segment and competitive with drives in the heavy-duty segment.

Built-in PLC with 10k steps program capacity The C2000 Plus offers built-in data storage that allows users to read the PLC register of their drives using Fieldbus communications. The external PLC reads PLC data from the drive using various communication protocols and monitors the data collected from the drive. It triggers alarms if necessary. Built-in time unit auto-conversion also allows the PLC to enable 33 kHz high-speed pulse count input. Users can calculate speed by using high-speed count input through the drive’s internal conversion without purchasing any additional hardware. The built-in PLC determines drive status automatically. Its virtual terminal simulates a hardware interface through communications or PLC control to trigger hardware. For example, when using the built-in PLC to determine the drive status, if the drive is not in AUTO mode, the virtual terminal function can switch the drive to AUTO mode. Users can edit PLC programming via the Ethernet interface. Instead of going on-site, users can download, upload, or monitor PLC programs at the central control. Outstanding resistance to environmental contaminants Environmental adaptability is more important than ever across a range of industries. The C2000 Plus now

comes with improvements in many areas for significantly enhanced environmental endurance. In the textiles industry, for instance, high temperatures and poor ventilation are common. This can make it difficult for drives to dissipate heat. Fiber can also accumulate in the heat sink, leading to overheating and faults. The heatsinks in the C2000 Plus Series have been specially designed with larger gaps between the individual blades and a polished extruded aluminum finish to prevent fiber from clogging them. Heat dissipation is in fact important for compact drives across every industry. Beyond the heat sink, the unit’s fan plays an important role here. That’s why it must be protected accordingly. The C2000 Plus fan now offers IP55 protection (previously IP51) to maximize performance in environments where dust, oil mist, and salt mist may be present. The PCB coating in the C2000 Plus has also been enhanced with wider spray coverage for anti-sulfur and anti-corrosion protection to comply with the IEC 60721-3-3: 3C3 standard. This standard protects the electronic components from corrosive gases (salt mist, SO2, O3, and H2S) and assures it can be operated in harsh environments such as sewage treatment facilities.

An easier, faster, and more intuitive LCD keypad interface The new user-friendly IP66 keypad can mount directly to the control box. It provides a start wizard and lets users select applications and the display language. The keypad also offers powerful storage for historical data and fast parameter setting. Users can quickly locate and modify existing parameters (up to 98 sets) instead of looking for them in the parameter group. Up to 30 historical error records can also be accessed to check voltage, current, frequency, DC bus voltage, or date and time. User-defined parameters are available at the press of a button. Just enter F4 in the parameters settings page to save a maximum of 32 parameters. The Copy function saves parameters and PLC programs to the keypad memory for later transfer to another drive. Delta provides two types of software for connecting the keypad to the PC, TPEditor and VFDSoft. The TPEditor can edit up to 256 HMI (HumanMachine Interface) pages, making the keypad a small HMI. It also lets users edit their own start-up pages and add equipment names or company logos as desired. Motor control The C2000 Plus supports multiple motor drives including SynRM, PMSM and IM motors. With builtin motor- related parameter functions, users can use FOC to obtain stable speed output and optimal dynamic response. Closedloop control (FOC PG) allows speed ratios of up to 1:1000. Open-loop control (FOC sensorless) can provide speed ratios of up to 1:100. Motor-related parameters vary with temperature and current. The C2000 Plus performs online tuning for motor parameters based on these physical characteristics to enhance the motor’s control performance. For further information about Delta, please visit www.delta-emea.com.

Locating obsolete industrial automation spares NRwell Ltd specialises in supplying obsolete spares to industries such as Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Transport, Food & Beverage and Plastics & Packaging. But just how important are the obsolete spares in the industrial automation market? What makes a product obsolete? Product obsolescence occurs when a company no longer produces, markets or supports a sold or developed product. Most products have a limited life cycle and at some point, will no longer be available for sale. Obsolete does not necessarily mean that the part is underperforming. Technology and product design are always evolving, and new products supersede the existing based on purpose, technology requirements and costs. This increasing speed of technological change also means that equipment components are prone to quicker obsolescence. When a product reaches the end of a life cycle, it is often replaced by an updated version or even a totally different product. The items no longer up to date result in faster landfill contribution, damaging our environment if not disposed of correctly, unless the plastic

and metal components can be recycled. According to HSE, every year an estimated 2 million tonnes of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment recycling (WEEE) items are discarded by companies in the UK. Technology advancements have changed manufacturing and systems, with ever-changing product lifespans. “By diverting and making good use of many spares that would result in early waste, we can help the environment and encourage companies to use the parts readily available, which is also a faster solution in the event of a breakdown” Nawfal El Idrissi – International Business Manager at NRwell. Saving Time & Money A large-scale machinery system update would contribute to many more parts resulting in large waste, realms of paperwork, added costs and can be time consuming. Making a straightforward replacement the easiest choice.

Company cost analyses can help decide whether installing new equipment or keeping the old one is more effective. By replacing an individual faulty spare, it can lead to an increased lifespan on the whole machinery line – helping our environment and helping the companies expenses too! By investing in obsolete spares, the product’s lifespan also is not reduced and will be used for the full intended life span. Obsolete vs Successor In the event of machinery breakdowns occurring due to a faulty part, a replacement is quickly required. However, this can be a challenge if the part needed is obsolete. Why? Many companies will turn to the OEM for the product, which may no longer offer that model and offer an alternative successor. While successors bring enhanced features for components, modules, software, and subsystems, new technology creates compatibility issues with older software and hardware. Subsequently, in some cases other supporting software or products must be purchased too and can be costly. This means that when these components break or experience a malfunction, direct replacements can be hard to find. Avoid Unexpected Downtime Sourcing the exact obsolete part needed can be a cheaper alternative to upgrading to new systems. Since a failure of components would impact the functionality of the overall system, a faster solution to get back up and running would also help avoid unexpected downtime.

Broken machines and faulty parts affect businesses productivity. According to a Oneserve research study, in the UK alone, £31,000 and 49 hours of work is lost annually per British manufacturing company. That is three per cent of all working days a year lost, due to faulty machinery. But downtime also leads to lost business opportunities, maintenance/repair costs and urgent replacement parts! By companies investing in back-up machinery spares and obsolete spares, the business can keep moving, without delays. How do companies locate an obsolete product in such a large market? Is it really like looking for a needle in a haystack? Obsolete parts do not have to be difficult to source. With the stresses of downtime, a constant pressure on maintenance teams, sourcing a like-for-like replacement can be quick and easy with the help of a specialised supplier. NRwell Ltd supplies new, refurbished and obsolete parts to customers worldwide with international branches located in the UK, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, USA, Mexico, Chile and Peru.

gets back up and running in no time. Having a global network of partner suppliers and holding thousands of spares in stock, NRwell can dispatch spares the same day, with express delivery to customers worldwide. Being specialised in the obsolete market, NRwell strives to make it easier for companies and locate the hard-to-find spares. There are many obsolete products at the reach of your fingertips within the Industrial Automation market that NRwell supplies and holds stock of, such as Soft-starters, Inverters, Drives, Sensors, Motors and Accessories. Many of which are from legacy brands, such as Telemecanique, Square D and Merlin Gerin - once part of Schneider Electric. In addition, obsolete components produced by GE Fanuc, Siemens, Control Techniques, Eurotherm, Fanuc and Omron. There are hundreds of

manufacturers now with obsolete products, NRwell’s team is here to help you find your required part. NRwell also supplies a wide range of new and refurbished PLC’s, HMI’s, Motors, Drives, Safety Automation, CNC Systems and General Automation from worldleading manufacturers ABB, Sick, Eaton, Schneider Electric, Mitsubishi, Danfoss, Phoenix Contact and many more- at competitive prices and with 12 months warranty! Looking to repair your part instead? Component repairs could also be a cost effective alternative. NRwell offers free evaluations for repairs of PLC’s, Servo Motors, Inverters, Drives, Robotics, CNC’s, PCB’s and HMI’s, with a No fix - No Fee policy, 12 months warranty and with express options available. Visit www.nrwell.com for more information or contact sales@ nrwell.com to find your spares today!

NRwell’s international teams of dedicated account managers offer high quality service, fast quotes and emergency replacement spares, ensuring client’s machinery

Principles of bulk solids handling technology for the process engineer On-line short courses concentrating on the principles of bulk materials handling in 2 important areas: 1) Storage and Discharge and 2) Pneumatic Conveying. These two popular courses cover a variety of essential topics, giving a good base knowledge to the new recruit, or a valuable learning experience to the more experienced engineer. Delivered on-line over a series of short sessions, the courses give delegates the opportunity to ask the experts questions relating to everyday problems faced in the plant and to network with engineers from similar industries. Reliable discharge is key to successful operation Storage and Discharge of Powders and Bulk Materials; an introduction to the operation, design and specifications of hoppers and silos for reliable discharge

Subjects covered include: characterisation of powders and bulk materials / basic flow properties and equipment types / feeders and feeding / hopper discharge aids / segregation of materials / caking in storage vessels / determination of vessel design / the effects of changes in materials properties / predicting discharge rates / practical session of worked examples Keep the pipelines running freely Pneumatic Conveying of Bulk Materials; components of pneumatic conveying systems, selection and design techniques Subjects covered include: dilute and dense phase conveying / selecting the correct hardware

for your application / matching appropriate feeders to pneumatic systems / dust control methodology / practical design considerations / elimination of explosion hazards / positive and negative pressure systems During each course common operational problems encountered will be discussed, with possible solutions explored. Full course details and on-line registration is available here Advanced and specialised courses are also available for those with more experience or those who may wish to delve deeper into the subject area. Please contact the Wolfson Centre for details. Discounts are available for multiple bookings and returning delegates Bespoke In-house courses can also be delivered at a time to suit operational needs. Contact the Centre on 020 8331 8646 or wolfson-enquiries@gre.ac.uk www.bulksolids.com

Expanded resources and new national focus of the business enable improved customer experience In order to create more personalized and agile support for its customers in the EMEAI markets, Kollmorgen will be relying on a new business concept from 2021. Existing and new customers in the EMEAI will be served by their own local sales, support and service teams. In the past, the European markets and India were served from the German office in Ratingen, while Italy and Turkey were already organized locally. This approach is now to be extended to all EMEAI markets. To accomplish this, the company is making significant investments in new capabilities for key countries including UK, France, Spain, as well as India. In Germany, Kollmorgen is also expanding its sales, application and service capacities with the aim of supplying its German customers even faster and more directly and further strengthening its market presence. With the reorganization, Kollmorgen is creating a structure that enables more rapid and personalized response to customers and their constantly changing needs across all key regions and market segments. The changes augment focus on another strategic change implemented in 2019, shifting the company’s offerings from that

of a component supplier to a supplier of complete systems consisting of motor, drive, cabling and control. The transformations will be completed in early 2021. From now on, Kollmorgen’s sales, service and support teams will be based nationally and managed at the country level. This will enable employees to focus more intensively on the local requirements of their customers. The focus also supports a new level of customization and personalization within national markets such as Germany, UK, France, Spain, and India. In the future, each national team will focus more on new technologies and industries such as medical, and robotics.

Stronger customer focus in India

Kollmorgen expands into the French market

“The Indian market has established itself as a strong driver of growth in recent years. To support and enable this growth, an understanding of our customers’ requirements as well as personal and trusting contact is essential. With a local organization, we are meeting this need,” explains Alberto Favalessa, Vice President EMEA & India at Kollmorgen. He adds: “The expansion of our capabilities in Europe and India is a response to our customers’ growing need for fast service. In the future, this should no longer be held back by national borders.”

A central focus of the European strategy is the further development of the French and Spanish markets. Targeted investments are intended to ensure sustainable growth through partnerships with OEMs. For this purpose, Kollmorgen will establish its own sales, application and service team with on-site customer service in France in the first half of 2021. The first steps in this direction will be taken in February.

Business localization in India will also enable greater agility and flexibility and a better customer experience. Growth in the Indian market is one of Kollmorgen’s key strategic initiatives in 2021. From now on the organization will be able to serve the entire market with all customer needs from the company’s location in Mumbai. In addition to sales, this also includes technical support, repairs, logistics and a new customer service, which was formed on January 1. Customers and partners can now direct all inquiries to their local contacts. As part of the localization, the number of employees in India was doubled.

SICK’s Flexi Compact, neat and compact mid-range safety controller SICK has added the Flexi Compact to its portfolio of industry-leading safety controllers, featuring a modular, compact and scalable design that focuses on space saving, responsive performance and ease of use. The SICK Flexi Compact safety controller has been conceived with simplicity in mind, while enabling exceptionally-responsive machine operation and realtime diagnostics, suitable for most common machine safety applications. With rapid response cycle times of up to 4 ms, the SICK Flexi Compact can help to ensure space-saving machine designs with shortest-possible safety distances. “The Flexi Compact has a pleasing, easy-to-handle streamlined feel that helps save space in the control cabinet,” says Dr Martin Kidman, SICK’s UK Machine Safety Product Manager. “The CPU has a 46mmwide slimline design that takes up much less space than many common controller configurations. It’s also really easy to achieve neat and efficient wiring with the easy push-in front connectors.”

The SICK Flexi Compact is based on a versatile and expandable concept with each slim module having a one-click, fit-andrelease mechanism for easy handling and exchange. There is a choice of two CPUs, each with a generous bank of 32 I/O’s, and one with an additional EtherNet connection. To this can be added 16-connector, 14mm-wide XTDI and XTDO I/O cards and up to further 12 expansion modules, ensuring future-proof scalability for when the demands on the safety controller increase. The Flexi Compact’s EtherCAT or PROFINET gateways enable wide integration flexibility to higher-level PLCs and Industry 4.0 applications. Each gateway has a thin-film display window and push button controls for quick commissioning and easyto-use, real-time diagnostics. Rapid troubleshooting is also assured thanks to easy HMI integration via the CPU Ethernet port option, which supports both Modbus and SLMP protocols over TCP/IP. Planning and commissioning a machine safety configuration is

fast and efficient with the Flexi Compact using SICK’s free-to-use Safety Designer engineering tool, providing access to 256 certified function blocks and safety logic documentation via an intuitive drag and drop graphical user interface. An integrated, removable SmartPlug with USB port enables rapid data transfer and configuration exchange for efficient set up and commissioning.A safety-certified high-speed EtherCAT backplane bus enables efficient data communication and rapid response times. As a result, safety distances to the machine can be optimised, and shorter cycle times achieved in highly-dynamic processes. The new SICK Flexi Compact is a mid-range safety controller for average to complex safety logic, sitting between SICK’s existing Flexi Classic and Flexi Soft safety controllers. The ease of handling, responsiveness and diagnostics combine to ensure high machine availability and productivity for many common industrial machinery applications. For more information, please visit: www.sick.co.uk

New miniature stepper-gearmotors and uncomplicated user-configured drive available from Mclennan A new range of miniature stepper-gearmotors and a simple dipswitch-configured single-axis stepper drive are the latest new products from Mclennan’s Italian distribution partner Micro Motors s.r.l. The four stepper gearmotors each offer a wide choice of spurgear reduction ratios for maximum application flexibility and combine with the user programmable drive to provide a competitively priced and compelling solution for basic motion control tasks. The easyto-use drive features a choice step and direction input control or various emulated ‘brushless’ speed modes and will particularly suit OEMs and end-users that need uncomplicated and affordable position- or speed-based miniature power transmission control. The innovative MM003AT/21-22 stepper motor drive requires an external 12 to 30 V DC or 12 to 24 V AC power supply and has dipswitch selectable current output of 160 mA or 330 mA. The corresponding motor torque and speed varies according to supply voltage and current settings. The PCB mounted drive features screw terminal strip connections for power and control signal inputs that include a 5 to 30V square wave signal for step/direction control as well as a clockwise/anticlockwise direction input - used in conjunction with a choice of 5V, 10V or 4...20 mA input levels for proportional speed control. An onboard trimmer is also available for acceleration/deceleration control in all modes. The dipswitch is used to select the various control modes as well as a select a fixed direction for the emulated ‘brushless’ speed modes. There is provision on the drive board for two sizes of motor connection. With dimensions of 33 x 33 x 14 mm and weight of 10 grams, the tiny drive is easily installed on the customers equipment with a single hole mounting.

Through the four steppergearmotor models, that cover a wide choice of gear reduction ratios, typical maximum holdingtorque and speed specifications are up to 1500 mNm at 2 RPM and 220 mNm at 150 rpm. Variation in these specifications would be anticipated when used with the MM003AT/21-22 stepper drive and Mclennan are on hand to discuss specific applications and help with selection or other stepper drive solutions that may be more suitable for the customer’s application. The four gearmotor models are extremely durable with the gear unit components well proven in Micro Motors’ range of DC brushed and brushless gearmotors. All have metal housings and provision for simple face mounting and torquematched output shafts. They are also compact - the maximum overall length of the 40 mm diameter gear unit is just 52 mm.

The gearmotors and drive specifications are comprehensively covered in a 12-page brochure available for download. Mclennan works closely with Micro Motors and other selected global motion control component manufacturers, and with its own in-house design and manufacturing capability, offers complete integrated mechatronics assemblies with, linear and rotary positioning tables, customised mechanics, gearheads and other power train components. Motor technologies include brushed and brushless servo motors, stepper motors, small AC motors and complementary gear unit drive technologies together with motion controls and software for competitively priced multi-axis motion sub-systems for use throughout industrial and OEM automated machine control applications.

Fanuc launches its strongest scara robot yet FANUC has expanded its SCARA robot line-up with the introduction of the newest model: the SR-20iA. Able to carry payloads of up to 20kg, it is the company’s strongest SCARA to date. The increased payload capacity of SR-20iA, alongside its small, lightweight design, opens up new operational possibilities in assembly, handling, picking and packaging applications. Its footprint of 280 x 364mm, weight of 64kg and 1100mm reach allows the SR-20iA to operate at maximum efficiency, even in compact spaces. Small but mighty, it fulfils the requirements of highspeed assembly, ensuring a high total part throughput. Internally routed services give the robot a clean and clear look, minimising the interference area and making it simple to be installed into any assembly line. A water proof, white epoxy paint IP65-rated 38

variant is also available to meet clean room environment demands. Oliver Selby, Robotics Business Development Manager at FANUC UK, said: “We are excited to launch the SR-20iA, which has been specifically designed to simplify integration for our customers. It represents a highly efficient and cost-effective solution for a broad range of packaging and assembly applications.” Powered by the R-30iB Compact Plus Controller, it supports a range of software options including FANUC’s image processing tool iRVision and logistics software iRPickTool. FANUC also offers the software iRProgrammer for easy robot set-up and programming, which can be accessed through web browsers on both tablets and computers. The SR-20iA’s 20kg payload and high speed make it a suitable alternative

for traditional packaging applications. It also supports larger grippers and therefore the assembly of bigger parts. The SR-20iA offers FANUC quality and functionality to businesses with varied packaging needs, representing a practical and economical solution. Oliver concludes: “We always strive to ensure the best performance from the smallest possible footprint, and this exactly what we achieved with the SR20iA. The compact design and functional capabilities allow the robot to be suitable for a variety of manufacturer requirements. Complete with FANUC’s state-ofthe-art software and support, it is the perfect addition to any production line.” To view the new SR-20iA and rest of FANUC UK’s range of robots, please visit: www.fanuc.eu

FLIR systems expands quasar visible security camera offering with premium mini-dome and bullet series FLIR Systems today announced the availability of two premium visible-camera options as part of its full lineup of QuasarTM security cameras. Designed for use in demanding indoor and outdoor environments, the new FLIR Quasar Premium Mini-Dome and Quasar Premium Bullet deliver the forensic image quality, tight integration, and advanced cybersecurity features required for critical infrastructure sites, remote facilities, or large areas requiring close monitoring. The new Quasar Premium lineup offers the highest quality video surveillance in the product family, delivering optimal performance for forensic review. The FLIR Quasar Premium Mini-Dome is available with 5MP HD or 4K Ultra-HD resolutions and the FLIR Quasar Premium Bullet series is available with 4MP Quad HD and 4K Ultra-HD resolutions, coupled with a variety

of lens options for extended range performance for perimeter security. Both cameras have an SD-card for on-edge recording and redundancy, while also meeting the H.265 video compression standard to minimize network bandwidth and storage space. Discreet Monitoring with FLIR Quasar Premium Mini-Dome Series The versatile FLIR Quasar Premium Mini-Dome series is IP66 rated for dust and waterproof protection and can be ceiling- or wallmounted in minutes. In no-light conditions, the unit can provide up to 40 meters of visibility via onboard near-infrared illumination. Improved three-shutter wide dynamic range (WDR) (130db) offers optimal light balance in scenarios with both light and dark spots. The camera has an IK10 vandal-proof rating and is available with an optional smoke bubble accessory used to obscure camera position.

FLIR Quasar Premium Bullet Series Provides Longer Range in Rugged Conditions The FLIR QuasarTM Premium Bullet series is also IK10 vandal-proof and designed to be permanently installed, typically pole-mounted, for video surveillance. It covers up to 60 meters of visibility via on-board near-infrared Illumination and also features threeshutter WDR (130db). The camera is IP67 rated for dustproof and waterproof protection, while offering extended operating temperature range from -40 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit) for use in extreme conditions. Improved Security Without Sacrificing Flexibility Similar to other Quasar products, the Quasar Premium Bullet and Premium Dome editions are National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)-compliant and include industry standard security protocols and additional cybersecurity enhancements. These features include unique protection from log-in attacks, hardware and software authentication, and encrypted communication to help keep facilities safe from cyber threats. They maintain open platform compatibility and can be used with a large variety of third-party VMS solutions or FLIR United VMS. They also include bi-directional audio and operator control of input/output devices for remote monitoring and responding to events. To further lower the cost of ownership and ease of installation, the cameras include the FLIR accessory and mounting ecosystem. The cameras support the 1G network for better streaming and reduced bandwidth issues. Both cameras also include customized video flow options for live and recorded video, including framesper-second output adjustment and encoding for extra streams.

Microchip delivers accuracy and energyefficiency of current monitoring in hightemperature automotive applications With the proliferation of automation and connectivity throughout the automotive and industrial markets, the need to accurately measure a dynamic current in the presence of high frequency noise often plagues modern vehicle and factory applications. In order to combat electrically noisy environments and address the need for higher accuracy current measurement, Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) today introduced its highside current sense amplifiers — featuring the industry’s lowest offset for AEC-Q100 Grade 0 qualified high-side current sense amplifier devices. AEC-Q100 qualified, the MCP6C02 amplifier is offered in both a Grade 1 6-pin SOT-23 package and a Grade 0 8-pin 3x3 VDFN package. Delivering a maximum offset error of only 12 µV, the VDFN package offers the lowest offset voltage for any Grade 0 highside current sense amplifier. Specified over a temperature range of -40°C to +150°C, its market-leading offset error allows the use of smaller value shunt resistors while also maintaining a high measurement resolution. This enables a more accurate and energy efficient current measurement solution for those applications exposed to extreme temperatures, like the motor within a vehicle’s water pump. In addition, the VDFN package is processed with wettable flank plating, allowing for visual inspection of the solder joints and removing the need for x-ray scanning as required for traditional DFN packages.

architecture brings increased accuracy to current measurement. Together these features enable developers to create higher performance solutions in a wide variety of applications, such as creating a current controlled feedback loop for a power supply or motor, monitoring and charging batteries, or monitoring current levels for safety reasons. “The addition of high-side current sense amplifiers to Microchip’s portfolio augments our total system solution for critical functions such as motor control, power supplies and battery management,” said Bryan Liddiard, vice president of Microchip Technology’s mixed signal linear business unit. “Combined with our mixed signal solutions, microcontrollers, power management and communication offerings, Microchip enables our clients to move quickly from concept to production by utilizing a low-risk, proven supply partner.” Development Tools Microchip’s new ADM01104 evaluation board supports both the MCP6C02 and MCP6C04 high-side

current sense amplifiers, and each device is pin, package and function compatible. To avoid subjection to high voltages and currents, the evaluation board ships prepopulated, providing proper filtering and protection of the input pins. Offering multiple reference voltage options, it enables a quick evaluation of the device for unidirectional and bidirectional modes of operation. Pricing and Availability The MCP6C02 6-pin SOT-23 package option is available for $1.22, while the MCP6C02 8-pin 3x3 VDFN package option is available for $1.41, each in 10,000-unit quantities. The MCP6C04 6-pin SOT-23 package is available for $0.98, also in 10,000unit quantities. For additional information, contact a Microchip sales representative, authorized worldwide distributor or visit Microchip’s website. To purchase products mentioned here, click to order now or contact a Microchip authorized distributor. For more information, visit the Microchip website at www.microchip.com.

Microchip’s MCP6C02 and MCP6C04 devices also feature an on-chip electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter and a zero-drift architecture. The EMI filter helps provide added protection against high-frequency electrical interference, such as wireless hotspots and radio frequencies, while the self-correcting 41

Siemens UK is awarded cyber essentials plus (CE+) certification in recognition of high cyber security standards The government-backed accreditation is a prerequisite for any company dealing with Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) or defence projects in the UK Siemens UK has been awarded the Cyber Essentials Plus (CE+) certification, a prerequisite for organisations applying for critical national infrastructure (CNI) and defence projects in the United Kingdom. The certification was awarded by ECSC, an independent certifying body for the Cyber Essentials programme, which conducts assessments and reports the outcome to the scheme administrators - the Information Assurance for Small and Medium Enterprises (IASME) consortium.

Cyber Essentials is a cyber security standard introduced by the UK government that aims to provide organisations with pragmatic protection against the most common cyber security threats. CE+ is a step ahead of the standard Cyber Essentials (CE) assessment, which requires organisations to undertake a series of onsite technical assessments that include internal vulnerability tests against servers and sample workstations. Siemens was awarded the CE+ following a stringent threemonth process conducted at its Manchester and Newcastle premises. The evaluation, which was carried out remotely in view of COVID restrictions, looked at:

- Boundary Firewalls & Internet Gateways - Secure Configuration - Patch Management - Access Gateway (User accounts) - Malware Protection The certification is renewable every 12 months and Siemens received its CE certificate in November 2020 followed by its CE+ accreditation in Jan 2021. Paul Hingley, Business Unit Manager, Industrial Security Services at Siemens said, “The CE+ badge significantly endorses Siemens’ stature as a company that takes cyber security very seriously. It demonstrates our commitment to the UK Government Cyber Security initiatives while also

demonstrating to our customers that we are a company they can trust. Siemens has also invested heavily in our global internal policies and procedures where we can demonstrate compliance against the IEC62443 standard. Our product development and services all comply to this global standard allowing us to supply solutions and service provisions our customers can rely on. We are the first global company in the Industrial Control Systems (ICS) space to achieve this certification which is a massive achievement for a company with such a complex IT structure that operates on a global platform. This provides Siemens with the ability to demonstrate our competence and credibility in Cyber Security when we compete for major CNI and Defence projects.” “The CE+ certification together with our internal IEC62443 compliance and governance procedures implies to our clients they are dealing with a company whose products can be validated and verified into security architectures, solutions, processes and systems. It allows our customers to promote best practices, to enhance and promote cyber security requirements into their own supply chain. At Siemens we are committed to ensuring our stakeholders can rely on the highest standards of cyber security, compliance, and privacy while maintaining the very highest standards of engineering.” Siemens has over 900 assets at both of the sites that went through the rigorous process and nearly 300 machines connected remotely throughout the UK. Other sites in the UK are following the same route and will all be CE+ certified before the end of 2021. Sean Fahey, CE Specialist, ECSC said, “Whilst this wasn’t my first experience with a manufacturing company, it was one of the largest tasks we had undertaken. It was very much an adapted team effort from both parties.

New compact thickness measurement gauge closes the gap between simple thickness sensor solutions and high cost dedicated systems for strip, plate and sheet materials Precision sensor supplier MicroEpsilon has introduced a gauge for precise thickness measurements of strip materials, plate and sheet, up to 25mm thick. A complete ‘outof-the-box’ solution for thickness gauging and quality control, the system offers precise measurement from ± 0.25µm and fills the gap that currently exists in the market between basic thickness sensors and higher cost, dedicated inline thickness measurement systems. The new thicknessGAUGE measurement system from MicroEpsilon is suitable for both offline and inline thickness gauging and is available in several versions that use one of three different sensor types – laser triangulation, laser profile or confocal chromatic

sensors. The flexibility of technology selection from Micro-Epsilon’s own portfolio of sensors ensures optimum results are achieved based on the surface type, material to be measured and the performance requirements of each customer. The system also offers different measuring ranges and measuring widths to suit a wide range of applications. The fully assembled thicknessGAUGE system comprises a stable frame on which two optical distance sensors are fixed, which measure the thickness of the target material using the ‘difference’ principle. Before being shipped to the customer, the sensors are perfectly aligned to each other on the

frame and factory-calibrated for the application. The specific linearisation of the sensors in the frame means that the complete system accuracy is better than the individual sensors combined. The entire system is powered via a 24V power source, which makes the installation and integration work as simple as possible. The thicknessGAUGE is mounted on a linear axis with electromechanical drive that moves the sensor system from the ‘home/park’ position to the required measuring position. Depending on the application requirements the system can be operated in traversing mode, scanning back and forth continuously, or in fixed track mode where a specific point,

used in the high end measurement systems and provides convenient touch gesture control similar to that of modern smart phones. The measured process values can be displayed in multiple ways, including simple large values of thickness, cross profiles and length trends or combinations of each. The different measurement modes such as fixed track thickness measurement at any position, traversing measurement of the thickness cross profile, and 3 or 5 track measurement of longitudinal thickness trends can be selected. Full SPC data of the measurements is available and an automated verification of the system’s capability can be completed by the customer themselves.

often the centreline, is taken for gauge control. The system can also be set to edge mode for control of the material edge thickness. thicknessGAUGE is equipped with an automatic calibration unit, consisting of a certified gauge block that is measured periodically as part of the traversing process. The use of a gauge block as part of the system ensures optimum accuracy is maintained and accounts for the effects of fluctuating temperatures and changes in the distance of the measurement gap. The calibration cycles are individually adjustable to the customers’ needs, take just seconds to complete and being part of the gauge means the process never has to stop. Powerful analysis and control software All thicknessGAUGE systems are supplied with a multi-touch panel industrial PC that is pre-installed with the thicknessCONTROL software package from MicroEpsilon. This is the same software

Other features for documentation and process control include an article database, production archive, statistical evaluations, as well as limit value monitoring with ‘return back to production’ using (optional) digital fieldbus interfaces. Glenn Wedgbrow, Business Development Manager at MicroEpsilon comments: “It is often the case that customers will attempt to create simple thickness measurement solutions using individual sensors, without paying attention to the issues of mechanical setup changes, calibration and usability. Whilst the costs at first glance may seem low, this solution typically ends up with an unsatisfactory measurement performance and much more money wasted in attempting to rectify the issues. The thicknessGAUGE system removes those concerns as it is delivered complete and is ideal for inline thickness measurements of any plate production and strip processes to measure the thickness of the materials on a continuous basis.” “The systems are also designed in such a way that they can be used as both initial equipment and for retrofitting to existing facilities. The compact nature of the thicknessGAUGE makes it ideal for fitting into restricted spaces. Potential applications include the measurement of plastic film, woven materials, wood and ceramics, as well as metal film, strip and plate

materials. In particular, the new fields of battery production with its combination of materials for fuel cells and battery film, coated or uncoated, are perfect examples of applications for this type of system.” Laser triangulation for common surface types The thicknessGAUGE.laser systems use laser triangulation sensors for thickness measurements. These laser sensors enable high measuring rates (up to 4 kHz) at high speeds and measurement accuracies to ±4 / ± 20µm. The lower cost system is ideal for measuring the thickness of common standard surface types such as plastics, wood and metals, including strip, sheet and plate materials. The linear unit allows thickness measurements up to 400mm strip/plate width. Confocal sensors for outstanding accuracy The thicknessGAUGE.confocal sensor systems use confocal chromatic displacement sensors for thickness measurements. The sensors allow for measurements to be performed with outstanding accuracy (±0.25µm, 2 sigma) and high measuring rates (up to 5 kHz). In addition, this innovative measurement technique enables measurements of complex materials such as reflective and shiny surfaces, as well as transparent and semi-transparent materials, in continuous strip or sheet form, up to 400mm widths. Laser profile sensors for structured materials The thicknessGAUGE.laser profile sensor systems use laser profile scanners for thickness measurements. The laser profile scanners project a laser line onto the surface to be measured, which compensates for any strip tilting and enables profile averaging. The laser line measurement technique enables measurement of structured materials and materials with geometric patterns including embossed surfaces or perforated plate. The system measures to an accuracy of ±0.5µm at measuring rates up to 100Hz.

New owner for the FAIST Anlagenbau Group – the sound insulation expert The FAIST Anlagenbau Group has a global reputation as a leading expert in industrial sound insulation. The company has two primary business units, Power Systems and Acoustic Systems. The Power Systems division designs, manufactures and installs equipment in two primary areas including providing power stations and their components with sound insulation solutions. In addition, the Power Systems group provides Air Intake Systems, for the lownoise delivery of conditioned intake air for gas turbines and their soundproof housings. The “Acoustic Systems” business unit supplies industrial sound insulation systems, acoustic measuring and testing facilities, and aeroacoustic wind tunnels for a wide variety of industries. All the systems are primarily designed and built at the Company’s plants in Krumbach and Bremen, Germany and installed worldwide. Some elements of the systems and some specific functions may be supplied by the Company’s foreign subsidiaries. Faist operates in several market segments which are currently affected by the automotive and aviation industry slow downs, as well as by trade wars in some important target industries and regions. As a result of these difficulties, the family owned enterprise, headed by Michael Faist, has decided to sell the company. The Faist family has owned and managed the business in Krumbach for almost 120 years and Michael Faist is now stepping down., after many years as a successful entrepreneur. His objectives in the transaction are to enable the FAIST Anlagenbau Group to achieve continued growth and securing the plants and the jobs that depend on them. Michael Faist: “We are delighted to have

found a buyer in Paguasca Holding AG, whose aim is to promote the successful further development of the FAIST Anlagenbau Group.” The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. Under its umbrella, Paguasca Holding AG combines a group of companies in the energy sector. Daniel Guggenheim, Group CEO of Paguasca Holding AG: “FAIST is a highly specialised, market-leading provider of industrial equipment with an excellent reputation and the competence to implement complex projects worldwide. We are convinced that we will be able to exploit synergies between the FAIST Group and the companies that make up the portfolio.” As a result of the challenging market conditions, it has been necessary to make some work force reductions, primarily at

the Company’s headquarters in Krumbach, Germany. CEO Roger Schmidt: “Unfortunately we had no other choice. 165 jobs will be retained at the German plants in Krumbach and Bremen. We will carry out the personnel adjustments as fairly as possible and we are in the process of finalizing transition plans and severance packages for the effected employees. The two managing directors, Wilfried Thies and Roger Schmidt, foresee great opportunities for the future development of the business: “The contribution of Paguasca Holding AG will enable the strategic realignment of the Company and speed the opening of new markets in a focused and purposeful manner. There is worldwide demand for sophisticated sound insulation solutions and we have the competence and the capacity to construct such systems and to install them on site worldwide.”

Container and Tray Identification Made Easy New stationary bar code reader is ideal for container and tray identification and especially suited to conveyor systems with limited installation space. Leuze is expanding its portfolio of stationary bar code readers with the introduction of the BCL 200i. Designed specifically for conveyor systems, the new BCL 200i is a 1D bar code reader with integrated industrial interfaces and simple PROFINET configuration. The device can be configured directly in the control via the GSDML file. The compact design of the BCL 200i makes it particularly suitable for applications with limited installation space such as on or between conveyor lines. In addition to the small dimensions, the location of the cable outlet on the side of the device and its dovetail mounting system make it even easier to install in space constrained applications. Ideal for container and tray identification This latest addition to Leuze’s BCL range of bar code readers is particularly suited to the detection of 1D codes on trays and containers regardless of whether the bar code

is printed vertically or horizontally. The device features integrated Ethernet TCP/IP and PROFINET interfaces and a web-based configuration tool enables remote diagnostics from anywhere in the world. Additionally, the inclusion of integrated code reconstruction technology (CRT) enables the BCL 200i to read bar codes with small line heights as well as damaged or smudged labels. With the aid of the CRT decoder, bar codes can also be read at a large twist angle. The resulting decrease in no-reads significantly increases system availability and decreases down-time. Activation without additional sensor system The new device also incorporates automatic reflector activation (autoReflAct), enabling activation without an additional trigger sensor system. This is achieved by directing the scanner with reduced scanning beam towards a reflector mounted across the conveyor. If the reflector is covered by an object such as a container with a bar code label, the scanner activates the read procedure. The read procedure is completed as soon as the scanner can see the reflector again.

Project Haystack With buildings accounting for an estimated 40% of global energy use* better energy efficiency and reduced maintenance costs have been major drivers behind the design of smart buildings. The Internet of Things (IoT) and the associated digital ecosystems are paving the way for a new world of interconnected intelligent buildings that are optimizing energy efficiency and occupant comfort. With building systems becoming increasingly complex, solving the conundrum of seamless communication between disparate systems continues to be an important challenge. There are numerous standards in use today; BACnet for HVAC, DALI and KNX for lighting, Modbus for electrical metering and power management, M-Bus for heat metering. IoT data has added additional complexity to proceedings with vendors handling data in various ways. The use of standard protocols helps with integration but is not enough to solve the problem of systems easily sharing and exchanging data. Lack of a common single standard for data management, to enable data to be properly understood by any supervisory or analytics software, adds significant engineering costs and time when integrating applications and systems. Project Haystack,

the open-source initiative led by some of the world’s leading engineering companies, is a solution gaining traction to standardize how metadata is defined for smart buildings, smart equipment and the IoT. Haystack has been set up to provide context to data which is being communicated between systems - commonly known as semantic tagging. By tagging the data within a system it becomes possible to fully automate the generation of plant schematics, floorplans, dashboards, alarms and energy reports, as well as deliver real-time fault and performance analytics. Haystack is not a replacement for any of the aforementioned standard protocols used for lowerlevel automation but acts as a complement, working at system and enterprise-level abstraction, integrating with non-automation data (e.g. from IT systems) and connecting operational technology and IT through a richer more ITfriendly data set and APIs. The adoption of open frameworks that support tagging simplifies systems integration. Until now, BMS, lighting and other manufacturers of control and monitoring equipment for buildings generally have not natively supported tagging so have not been able to automate the

management of data from multiple system sources. Open framework software can read data from multiple systems but need also to be able to support tagging to fully address the data management issue. In order to “future-proof” projects, it is wise to specify an open framework which can natively support tagging, since it is much easier to design in this standard approach to handling data than to go back later to add tagging. Project Haystack encompasses the entire value chain of building systems and related intelligent devices. Founding member companies include Siemens, ConserveIT, J2 Innovations, SkyFoundry, Legrand, and Lynxspring. Associate members include many other building-related suppliers and service providers of all types, and as the Project Haystack community grows, so too have the range of applications. New and innovative ways to apply Haystack are constantly evolving. J2 Innovations’ HaySON is a proposal for a new JSON encoding format for Haystack. It aims to improve upon the existing JSON encoding by making Haystack data more accessible for developers. Building contractors and Facility Management companies have also been looking to ‘standardize’ on tagging solutions to enable their clients to derive more real benefits from their building data. As Project Haystack is an open standard there is no cost for using the tagging libraries and open source reference implementations. There are already tens of thousands of buildings that already have their data haystack tagged but this is just the beginning of this highly significant shift in how building operators handle the many sources of data flowing daily from their building portfolios. Registration: https://www.ashrae.org/conferences/ topical-conferences/2021-virtualdesign-and-construction-conference

Why systems accessories for cabling are indispensable Switch and control panels protect electrical devices in a ‘hostile environment’. They prevent damage from moisture, dust or contact. But that is not enough. Accessories are often used for ease of use and to make the assembly of panels simpler and clearer. These usually originated from the user. It is important that these accessories meet the same requirements as those that apply to building the panel.

cabinet frame of the VX25, the door profile in the AX, as well as the mounting rail and system chassis, they can be mounted there easily and quickly. The plastic cable hose makes it easy to establish a reliable connection with flexible current conductors. This also fulfills the requirement that “sufficient mechanical strength must be provided, without compromising proper functioning.“

Accessories for VX25 and AX

Cable entry and protection class

Various materials are available for the VX25 add-on unit series to keep electrical and pneumatic components separate from each other. Think of rail systems, mounting profiles, system chassis and mounting rails.

In addition to cable routing, the cable entry into a switch and control panel is also im-portant. Maintaining the IP protection class is paramount. The IP value says something about how well a cabinet can keep out threats such as dust and water. The latest standard does not allow openings in the enclosure (such as those for the passage of cables) to impair the degree of protection.

Non-electrical parts and appliances that do not belong directly to the electrical equipment cannot simply be placed within the housing containing the switchgear. Solenoid valves must therefore be kept separate from other electrical components by placing them in a separate compartment made with rail systems. System chassis, which are used in the door of the VX25 to make optimal use of cabinet space, can sometimes also be used for the AX wall and floor cabinet series. The same applies to different mounting profiles. Cable routing at moving parts The IEC standard states that: “connections to appliances mounted on doors or other moving parts are made using flexible current conductors (…), allowing regular movement of the part”. Pipes must be secured to the fixed and moving part. Because cable hose holders have the same hole pattern as the

At the same time, openings for on-site cable entry must be easy to open again. The VX25 wall cabinet has sliding metal bottom plates, which create an opening for cables. Additional provisions are therefore required for correct and safe cable entry. An elastic clamping profile seals the opening. This creates a flexible cable entry that guarantees that the issued protec-tion class remains intact. Variants that can be made on this: a profile for cable entry between bottom plates (symmetrical) or between enclosure frame and bottom plates (rear). Cable glands, modular cable glands or connector glands are also used for the AX wall and floor cabinets. The basic requirement is the same: maintaining the protection class. For machines with cable tray systems it is advisable to apply additional edge protection

over the parts where cables are pulled with a plastic protective edge, grommet or rounding. Simply deburring sheet metal edges is often not sufficient to prevent damage to the sheaths of lead-through cables. The bottom plates of the VX25 are double-folded and have a rounded edge. This prevents a cable from being damaged when being fedin from below. In addition, these plates are extra sturdy and resistant to bending, making a substantial contribution to the protection class. Cable support and rails Finally, attention must be made to the connections of cables. They must be sufficiently supported to prevent mechanical stress on the connections of current conductors. A frequently used method is to fix the cables with cable clamps. These are available in different designs and sizes, which allows the use of a universal profile. Also consider the slide rail for the mounting plate with the VX25 extension unit. When the plate is in its final position, these rails are - in principle - unnecessary. Nevertheless, due to the C-shape of the system chassis, they can be used for cable fixation with clamps for C-rails. These cable clamps are of course provided with a plastic part, to protect the cables from damage. Cable fixings can also be placed in mounting rails. Cable ties are very useful for quickly securing cables to system chassis, mounting rails and profiles to the cabinet frame of the VX25. These cable ties are easy to press into the round system bore, after which it is a matter of bending and securing the cable. The cable tie is also suitable for securing cables in the cable hose holder. Further information at www.rittal.co.uk and www.friedhelm-loh-group.com