Worldwide Engineering Magazine - April Issue

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Fluke celebrates engineering innovation on World Engineering Day

Anders – How will Edge AI change the world of industrial computing?

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Ahead of the Curve: Titan Enterprises Celebrates Over 40 Years of Innovation

Introducing the new V12 Vantage: A spectacular finale for an iconic bloodline

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NSK Silver-Lube® bearings withstand wash-down fluids on bottling line conveyor

Broanmain wastes no time on DOWNTIME

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PFE Ltd. Relies on FLIR Thermal Studio to accelerate asset inspections, reporting

Ryder asks – Is it time for a rethink on China Manufacturing and its ESG?

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

Adam Ling Advertising Enquiries: adam@worldwide-engineering.com Jonathan Adams Editorial Assistant: jonathan@worldwide-engineering.com Kyle Adams Sales Coordinator: kyle@worldwide-engineering.com

Fluke celebrates engineering innovation on World Engineering Day Fluke’s new video series showcases innovation in engineering by sharing the views of industrial and electrical test engineers on sustainability, the future of engineering and more.

Fluke, a global technology leader in the manufacture of compact, professional electronic test and measurement tools and software, has today announced the launch of an exclusive video series to celebrate engineering innovation in recognition of World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development.

Listen to real engineers The new online video series showcases the views of Fluke’s industrial and electrical test engineers on the role engineers play in ensuring sustainability, the importance and impact of

engineering on the modern world and the future of the industry.

Personal stories outlining what inspired each engineer to get into the industry are also featured in the series, with the goal to inspire future generations to consider a career in engineering.

Paul Feenstra, Vice President EMEA at Fluke said: “We are very proud to acknowledge the invaluable contribution engineers make in changing our world for the better. As part of World Engineering Day, we wanted to celebrate engineering innovation by sharing the voices of Fluke’s own dedicated team of engineers. Every day, engineers continue the great work of their predecessors, finding new solutions to overcome critical challenges and safeguard our future. Engineers deserve more credit than the single day that is dedicated to them.”

Building a sustainable future Rick Rodriguez, Mechanical Hardware Engineer at Fluke recently comforted his young son after he expressed concerns about the future of the world, stating: “There are a lot of very creative and passionate people right now, out there addressing the issues – and the one that plays centre stage is the engineer.”

Han Tran, an Electrical Engineer and Industrial Application Specialist at Fluke, agreed with this sentiment.

For Han, the goal of celebrating World Engineering Day is “to make sure that younger engineers see that it is possible for people who are not always seen in engineering to be part of engineering”.

A global celebration of engineers and engineering World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development presents an opportunity to highlight the achievements of engineers and engineering in the modern world and improve public understanding of how engineering and technology are central to sustainable development.

March 4 is the founding day of the World Federation of Engineering Organisation (WFEO), an international association dedicated to representing the engineering society of the world.

Fluke offers special thanks to Marcella Bennet, David Gibson, Han Tran, Levi and Zoe Cline, Jennifer Bronson, Rick Rodriguez, Jessica Woods, Naveena Vemulapalli, Mark Bakker, Dileepa Prabhakar and Alexander Bardakov for dedicating their time and sharing their knowledge as part of World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development.

For more information and to watch the videos online, go to: www.fluke.com/en-us/learn/blog/ electrical/world-engineering-day

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Plastics Live — The forum to assess manufacturing alternatives for plastics manufacturing As additive manufacturing (AM) / 3D printing continues to evolve, many of the pre-conceptions concerning its usefulness as a production technology for plastic parts and components need to be revisited.

Now an established technology set, with a 30-year plus pedigree in industry, 3D printing is no longer just a solution for rapid prototyping applications. Today, many 3D printing processes coexist alongside traditional plastic manufacturing processes as a viable alternative, where it can rival them in terms of cost and lead times. For a growing number of applications, 3D printing for batch production offers clear economic and added-value advantages—

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acting as a spur to innovation and enabling the production of end-use products impossible or uneconomical to produce with the use of alternative methods.

At Plastics Live (incorporating AMPLAS), attendees will be able to see an array of traditional and additive manufacturing (AM) production processes, accessible through technology or service suppliers. Today, there is a very real place for AM to reside in a modern production facility as a complementary technology alongside legacy technologies.

John Jones, Event Manager says, “Broadly speaking, when manufacturers look to produce in plastic, there are a range of

alternatives to consider. Traditional routes to manufacture typically include injection moulding, CNC machining and/or vacuum casting.

Manufacturers that do not bring the SLS3D printing process into the frame at this point are potentially doing themselves (and their bottom lines) a great disservice. From the get go, let’s be clear, if you are looking to mass manufacture plastic parts and components, then there really is only one viable option, and that is injection moulding. Injection moulding is precise and extremely repeatable and can process a huge range of plastics, as well as being fast at the actual production stage, and when the volumes are high enough, it is characterised by extremely low cost per part. Injection moulding’s

Achilles Heel, however, is its high set up costs and the lengthy lead times to get to the production stage due to the necessity for steel tooling, which is often intricate in nature.”

When looking at lower volume runs, traditionally manufactures have looked at CNC machining and/or vacuum casting. As a way of avoiding the need to produce costly and time-consuming tools for injection moulding, when the required run is low enough, these methods can offer an economical option but come with limitations of their own. Machining is a process that is restricted to relatively rigid materials; soft and flexible plastics do not machine well and produce inferior results. Vacuum casting works well with elastomer materials, however the process is not conducive to producing parts with complex geometries or with fine details. Because of these limitations, increasingly, manufacturers are assessing the use of 3D printing for lower volume runs as an alternative to CNC machining and vacuum casting, and the reasons for this are

based around the increasing sophistication of SLS 3D printing machines for industrial applications (greater accuracy and repeatability), the increasing palette of polymer materials that can be processed, and once again the ability to manufacture without the need for expensive mould tools.”

If manufacturers do not realistically assess the possibility of using 3D printing as an alternative production technology, manufacturers are genuinely missing an opportunity to make parts and components quickly, cost-effectively and accurately.

And you don’t have to invest in the capital equipment in-house to make this move, as there are agencies that exist that have invested in numerous 3D printing machines so that you can subcontract your manufacturing to real experts in the technology.

In this way, you also eliminate the necessity to learn a whole new set of manufacturing protocols.

Jones continues, “It needs to be appreciated from the start, that

additive manufacturing is by no means suited to every application.

To assess where the best fit is, you need to factor in all the benefits and the constraints. First and foremost, consider how big the proposed part is. Pricing is effectively based on size, and as a rule of thumb, the larger the part, the less viable 3D printing is for production. Small components like jigs, fixtures, housings and fittings, however, are perfectly suited to the process. Next you need to assess the complexity of the proposed design. AM is agnostic to part complexity, where traditional production technologies are not. Again, as a general rule, the more complex the part, the higher the associated tooling or machining costs, and therefore the more viable additive manufacturing becomes. Finally, what sort of run volume do you have in mind? If you are looking for hundreds of thousands or millions, then injection moulding is your only option. If, however, you want hundreds or multiple thousands of small parts, then you are in the sweet spot for 3D printing as a production process.”

“Understandably today you may be confused, and in some instances disillusioned, about the role that 3D printing can really take on when looking at production scenarios. There is a lot of work to be done to illustrate that 3D printing is really now established as a viable and robust production technology when used for the correct applications and the sweet spot volumes where alternative processes struggle due to cost, timeliness, and versatility in terms of part complexity. At Plastics Live and AMPLAS, you will see what is available and you can learn how AM can be best included in your manufacturing regime.” www.plasticslive.co.uk

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A Pumping station powered by Delta CP2000 frequency drives is delivering efficient irrigation in South Africa Agriculture is the largest branch of the economy and an important source of income in many parts of Africa. As a result of climate change, however, many regions are experiencing more irregular and ever decreasing rainfall.

One dairy farm in South Africa needed a pump system to access ground water from wells and ensure a reliable and cost effective water supply.

The farm’s owner commissioned the implementation of a suitable system from a family firm of electrical installation planners, Pienaar Elektries, which specialises in agricultural operations, for example in areas such as irrigation, refrigeration, feed processing and solar power generation.

Low-resource irrigation system using gravity The planned irrigation system was to comprise two reservoirs at different heights, which would be filled with water by a total of six underground well pumps overnight, when the energy costs were low. A transport pump is used to transfer water from the lower reservoir to the higher one.

The height difference allows the sprinkler system to be operated using gravity alone during the day, making it particularly efficient. The farm animals and the dairy can also take their water supply from this irrigation

system. The key requirements of the project were cost efficiency and low energy consumption, and it also needed to be very reliable and easy to maintain.

Following an in-depth planning and consultation process, Pienaar Elektries opted for a number of automation products from Delta, attracted by the diverse portfolio of powerful yet economic solutions.

User-friendly thanks to automation Five low-energy Delta CP2000 frequency drives drive the six underground well pumps and ensure that the water brought to the surface is transferred on to the higher tank. The CP models feature a PID controller with feedback that allows the water level in the tanks and boreholes to be monitored and corrected. This is done by alternating between the different pumps and continually monitoring the flow: If the borehole level falls below a minimum predetermined by the user, the PLC control switches to the next the borehole and prevents the pumps from being damaged. The system has various Delta DVP series programmable logic controllers (PLCs): three DVP04AD PLCs monitor the sensors in boreholes and keep the water level above the predetermined value. Five DVP16SP

PLCs regulate the motors. One DVP12SE PLC monitors the water level in the top reservoir and the animal watering stations, while a further DVP controller manages the sprinkler installation. Two human-machine interfaces (HMI) from the DOP-100 series are used to display all of the processes in the system and show system information and warning indicators on a 7 or 15-inch touch screen. A multilingual input function means that Delta’s HMIs are the best solution for any location. Inhouse software also allows the time configuration and energy costs to be monitored remotely. Users can also monitor the entire process via the DOP-100 VNC server.

Precisely tailored pump action for efficient energy and water usage The team from Pienaar Elektries values Delta as a flexible partner that offers good service and a range of powerful automation solutions that are easy to integrate. “In this project it was important to tailor the action of the individual pumps to each other, to optimise the available water, and avoid damaging the pumps,” explained Martien Heesterbeek, Delta Product Manager. “Our DVP series PLCs are ideal for this since they ensure very fast communication with the CP motor drives and allow the irrigation system to be controlled reliably.”

The system is working without any issues and supplies both livestock and crops with sufficient water, even during periods of low rainfall. “We are very happy with the efficient energy consumption of the low-cost pump and water storage solution,” said Paul Pienaar, owner of Pienaar Elektries.

“The HMI allows us to configure the system to only pump water up at night, keeping the energy costs low.

Simple maintenance, monitoring and remote troubleshooting save us lots of time and effort.”

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Anders – How will Edge AI change the world of industrial computing?

By Rhett Evans, Business Manager, Embedded AI has become part of daily life in cloud services such as social media, call centres, and chatbots, and is accelerating applications like genome sequencing, retail data analytics, and financial trading.

AI is now coming out of the cloud and into the edge. Frameworks like TensorFlow Lite that support development on embedded computing platforms enable building lightweight inference engines to handle tasks like object recognition, activity detection, gesture detection, and people counting, at the point of presence. Edge AI can deliver performance advantages such as lower latency, lower power consumption, and greater privacy, by eliminating data-intensive interactions with AI applications in the cloud.

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But that’s not all. These edge platforms will outperform, outclass, and replace conventional applications currently performed using scalar processors - like machine vision, for example. It’s a tremendous opportunity for startups founded on skills in AI and machine learning to disrupt the old order and deliver new solutions that are faster, more flexible, more sustainable, and more affordable.

Equally, established players need to modernise using this new technology or risk being left behind.

To get an idea of the shakeup that’s coming, just consider the dramatic changes in our expectations of mobile phones over the last few years. People were once content with getting their emails, doing some web browsing, basic photography, video, the odd fuzzy selfie. Today, it’s hard to

survive without a smartphone for banking, shopping, home automation, navigation, medical care, streaming entertainment, to name just a few.

Any handset entering the market now must be able to handle these tasks, and more, to be accepted.

In the world of tomorrow, even the tiniest chips will come with a kick of AI. Just look at the latest MEMS inertial sensors with their own integrated machine-learning core. We will soon expect to find intelligence embedded in every “thing” we use, look at, touch, wear – at work, at home, when travelling, shopping, in entertainment venues. And we will feel disappointed in those that don’t deliver.

What are the Top Applications for Edge AI? Recognising that many smart devices already rely on capabilities

like voice recognition, facial recognition, motion detection, edge AI will enable them to become more responsive, more adaptive, more accurate, more richly featured, more easily portable (or wearable), more affordable, and use less power. Some exciting possibilities include: Smart Industry AI embedded in mobile edge equipment (drones, AGVs) enhances situational awareness to improve safety and reduce transit times for parts and materials within the factory. On production lines, lowcost, high-speed/high-accuracy image comparison and anomaly detection enable 100% visual inspection of manufactured items at line-speed. Intelligent condition monitoring systems inside factory equipment detect and diagnose

problems accurately and early, minimising false alarms, allowing repairs to be scheduled for minimum impact on productivity.

Industrial wearables and protective gear improve safety, productivity, and traceability.

Power tools and hand tools detect sub-optimal use and give corrective tips to improve longevity and accelerate employee training.

Smart Health Smart wearable medical devices deliver fast and accurate early detection of medical emergencies (such as stroke or cardiac problems) or onset of conditions needing treatment. In consumer wearables, activity recognition enhanced with AI improves performance measurement, fitness advice, therapeutic monitoring, and elderly care (e.g., fall detection).

Smart Security

Smart Retail Digital signage and smart shelves use skills such as pose estimation, facial recognition, natural language understanding to assess shoppers’ moods and responses, enhance the customer experience, reduce queues, and maximise the value of each visit.

Cost-effective and accurate facial recognition eases access to buildings and secure areas for recognised users, enhances prevention of unauthorised access.

Human presence and activity detection, with pose estimation, provides advance warning of malicious intent (carrying weapons, use of tools to gain entry).

Smart Home AI enables affordable smart appliances to use naturallanguage skills for richer interactions with users and analyse sensor data to provide extra services: automatically order consumables, schedule predictive maintenance, suggest new recipes, identify/remedy incorrect use of the equipment.

How is AI Implemented on Edge Platforms?

Edge applications usually face tight constraints including size, weight, and power (SWaP), thermal dissipation, and cost. Processor cycles and memory are often strictly limited. An efficient and lightweight solution is needed, both from the hardware and software perspective. To add to the challenge, we are often looking for responses to be deterministic and real-time.

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Hence lightweight AI frameworks are needed for building inference engines that are suitable to deploy on mobile and edge devices.

TensorFlow Lite is one example. In addition, embedded processors are becoming available that are architected for running AI applications within a limited power budget. NXP is at the head of the trend with the latest i.MX 8M Plus application processor, which is supported by the eIQ software development environment for machine learning at the edge.

The i.MX 8 family is aimed squarely at edge applications, in terms of power consumption, size, processing performance, and peripheral integration. The i.MX 8M Plus now adds an integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that facilitates accelerating machine-learning inference. The NPU can run neural network algorithms for various tasks such as human pose and emotion detection, multiobject surveillance, word/speech recognition, and many more.

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So, the i.MX 8M Plus is AI-ready. Equally exciting is that the NPU comes at a minimal cost premium. It’s not prohibitive to start designing with the i.MX 8M Plus now, to lay the foundation for your company’s next generation of AI-enhanced edge products.

beginning. We expect more and more neural network models to become available – which will simplify application development - while software platforms like eIQ will become increasingly powerful, richly featured, and efficient.

When will Software be Ready for Developing Edge-AI Applications?

This technology can endow your products with features and performance that conventional approaches cannot match. People will soon come to expect these enhanced experiences everywhere, all the time. The market potential is explosive. So, if you haven’t begun to get to grips with embedded AI already, it’s time to make a start.

Now. NXP’s eIQ machine learning environment integrates neural network compilers, software libraries, and inference engines such as TensorFlow Lite, Arm NN, DeepViewRT, and ONNX. It’s perfect for working with the i.MX 8M Plus and can target the NPU as well as the GPU and DSP that are on-board. eIQ also supports TensorFlow Lite Micro for machine-learning on microcontrollers like NXP’s Arm® Cortex®-M MCUs that are suited to use in endpoint devices: aka TinyML. The arrival of the i.MX 8M Plus, with its integrated NPU, is just the

Our extensive experience of all i.MX 8 processors and the associated ecosystem has helped our customers create solutions for a wide range of industrial applications like those mentioned above. Let us help you discover what the next generation has to offer. www.andersdx.com

A new data platform increasing accuracy launches this month at the British Board of Agrément.

Xerini, a specialist software company, have designed and implemented a new centralised data platform for the British Board of Agrément (BBA). The platform hosts the database of certificates for the BBA, a UK construction certification body. This information is core to the BBA and its accuracy and reliability benefits the whole UK construction industry, so its importance could not be overstated. This platform is being launched this month.

The BBA has embarked upon a programme of business transformation and technology improvements to realise its potential in a period of significant change across the wider construction industry. Managing its certificate data in a secure and powerful system, with bestin-class connectivity between platforms, has become a goal of the highest importance. Xerini, in partnership with the BBA, have created a new centralised system hosting all certificate data. The result is a new platform which provides data assurance and the ability to analyse and report on data which was not possible on previous systems. Transparency for both staff, customers and other stakeholders is greatly improved.

Xerini have enabled the BBA to deliver on high-level business objectives through the delivery of this platform and has positioned them for further digital growth.

expensive and time-consuming software from scratch, resulting in a significant cost saving for the BBA. The new system is fully integrated with existing BBA systems, such as the Client Portal and Public Search. This means members of the construction industry can fully benefit from the new system.

The project took four months to complete.

Jonathan Williams, CEO at Xerini: “It has been a real privilege to work with the BBA, listening to and understanding their challenges.

Xerini prides itself on its pragmatic approach to solving problems and we have leveraged our innovative platform, Fabrik, to create a cost-efficient, specialist piece of software. With a legacy of trust, confidence and nurturing long-term partnerships in the construction industry, the BBA has established the highest of standards for everything that they do. With this high bar, we are proud to have created a platform that will empower the BBA now and in the future.”

Martin Norfolk, CIO at BBA: “The BBA engaged Xerini’s services based on their expertise, experience, and ability to connect with us at all levels across our business. Their real value was the intelligence applied to the technology solution which supports both our project objectives and our broader business transformation initiatives.

Xerini took an approach which combined rapid application development with agile techniques to meet our aggressive timeline for this challenging project – they have met all the milestones and delivered on time. Xerini is a now a trusted partner with whom we shall continue to work.”

Xerini is a software consultancy who create specialist software specific to business needs. The company specialises in machine learning and data integration and is the creator of Fabrik, an extensible data integration and visualisation platform. Read details of how Xerini used artificial intelligence to help the BBA.

Xerini leveraged Fabrik, their flexible, extensible data platform, as a practical and cost-efficient way to meet the complex requirements within the short timeframe. Fabrik offers organisations a solid and resilient base on which bespoke elements can easily be incorporated.

This approach has avoided creating

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Laser Trader Since its inception in the early 2000s, Laser Trader has continued growing and adapting to the everchanging laser market. Originally set up by John Cocker, a wellknown Laser expert in the UK, to supply Laser parts for CO2 lasers in the UK. Laser Trader is now the largest independent supplier of consumables in the UK. A brief history.

Established in 2000, Laser Trader supplied many Laser parts to the UK market. John always had a passion for lasers, originally working in a Laser job shop in Sheffield.

During the early 2000’s John approached Precitec after finding out they were looking for a new UK partner. After a visit to Gaggenau, it was agreed that Laser Trader would be the new UK and Irelands supplier for Precitec products. Renowned for their laser cutting heads, welding heads and measuring technology Precitec was a perfect fit for Laser Trader.

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Precitec laser cutting systems range from Flatbed 2D systems, pipe cutting, robot cutting and micromachining.

The powerful ProCutter 2.0 can be operated with up to 30 kW laser power and offers its usual extensive functionality and flexibility. It ensures high dynamics with thin material thicknesses and the best quality with thick materials. Especially for flatbed, tube cutting, and laser blanking systems, the potential of the cutting head can be optimally converted into productivity.

The LightCutter is an ideal solution for efficient and economical laser cutting. They are suited to a medium power range up to 6 kW. The cutting optics are characterised by high quality for all metals up to 16 mm sheet thickness - especially mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminium.

For clients looking for a complete solution to laser cutting technology, the All-In-Light offers the best

complete optical solution for flatbed or tube cutting systems based on disk or fibre laser technology. The All-in-light is a total package, from the laser source - to the fibre optic cable – to the cutting head. Meaning that you have only one supplier for the entire optical chain, as well as a fast response time worldwide regarding commissioning and service support.

Laser welding solutions: With the automation of industrial production processes, the demand for innovative and efficient laser welding solutions is also increasing.

Precitec’s modular welding heads and various high-precision process monitoring systems, have proven themselves in various industrial sectors worldwide. They contribute to the quality optimisation of tight and solid weld seams - whether in remote laser welding in lightweight construction, laser welding of components for the automotive industry, or coaxial welding for additive or cladding manufacturing.

Whether you need a simple or very complex design of the welding optics – we adapt to your machine design and your requirements. The modular construction kit allows flexible configuration options and easy integration into your system.

From “low-power” to “high-power” laser applications, you will always achieve high economic efficiency with our welding optics.

Ranging from the Modular laser welding optics YW30 / YW52, these laser welding optics can be combined with various process monitoring systems, thus enabling a high degree of automation of the laser welding process. In addition, this allows you to identify and document information relevant to quality and productivity in series production.

The YC30 and YC52 processing heads developed for additive manufacturing offer the same flexibility for your machine concept as the modular processing optics YW30/ YW52. In laser cladding, these welding optics with powder nozzle allow you

a wide range of applications.

Almost pore-free layers with a long service life can be produced completely independent of direction. Typical application areas are the generation of corrosion and wear protection layers, repairs, and the generation of 3D structures.

The CoaxPrinter offers you a wide range of applications in additive manufacturing - from filigree structures to complex large-volume 3D shapes. It is used for 3D printing, prototype construction and wears protection. Non-porous layers can be applied in any direction.

This is a mere snapshot of the Precitec offering; a full range can be found on the Precitec website.

Laser Trader’s relationship with Primes started in 2002, much like Precitec. A solution was needed, which requires beam diagnostics and analysis to be run when utilising a Laser. Primes had the solution.

Laser beams in industrial applications, whether they be CO2, Nd: YAG- diode or fibre lasers, work with invisible beams in the infra-red or near infra-red spectral range (NIR). Hence changes in beam quality or power cannot be detected visually and only become evident from the outcome of their application. Under some circumstances, this results in very expensive rejects being produced.

Suppose the deterioration in quality is not recognised in the manufacturing process. This usually results in subsequent failure of the product in use, with consequences for the manufacturer of rectification, replacement and loss of image.

This is where PRIMES beam diagnostics devices for measuring beam quality, focusability and laser power come in. Process monitoring in production with laser beam diagnostics devices

by PRIMES enables consistent quality assurance and allows the timely detection and elimination of malfunctions of laser beams.

PRIMES measuring devices allow the reliable recording of current beam parameters and enable ongoing documentation of beam properties for quality assurance purposes. This requirement should not be underestimated in many industrial areas, such as automotive or medical technology.

Primes devices cover a wide range of industries. Their latest development in laser beam diagnostics is the FocusMonitor FM+ for use with multi-kilowatt lasers in the green and blue spectral range. As a result, for the first time, laser users can efficiently measure and monitor their laserbased machining processes, laser systems and production tasks from the far-infrared to the blue spectral range.

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Multi-kilowatt lasers in the green and blue spectral range are particularly suitable for laser processing of copper materials used, for example, in batteries or electric motors for e-mobility. The absorption of copper is higher in the spectral range mentioned above than in the spectral range around 1 µm used so far.

This saves laser power with the same productivity or enables correspondingly higher productivity with the same power.

For the Automotive sector, Primes have developed the PowerMeasuringModule (PMM), which is a robust laser power measurement system that determines optical power directly in the production zone. The PMM can be easily integrated into equipment controllers thanks to the Fieldbus interface – various systems are available. Fully automated measurements can be carried out and documented due to the direct coupling to the machinery controller. This creates the basis for beam monitoring during processing – an essential quality assurance component in manufacturing with lasers.

The PowerMeasuringModule is suited to users who have specialised in manufacturing

with lasers. The system is used frequently in automotive manufacturing. Car bodies are frequently welded with robotcontrolled solid-state lasers (Nd: YAG-, fibre, disk or diode lasers).

Popular solutions such as the Cube or PocketMonitor are perfect for use in small areas with a smaller interface.

Regular measurement of the laser power makes a decisive contribution to the quality assurance of the processing results.

The internal power display of a laser beam source can only detect the changes at the laser source.

However, the entire beam path up to the workpiece is relevant, so it makes sense to measure the power as close as possible to theprocessing head, directly in or near the processing zone.

However, the accessibility of the processing zone for conventional power sensors is not always given.

To achieve higher flexibility here, PRIMES has developed the Cube power meter.

The PocketMonitor (PMT) is a portable, easy-to-use power meter that has been developed specifically for use in everyday production environments. Key features are its compact

and robust design and quick, straightforward use.

Thanks to the solid aluminium housing, the electronics are protected from knocks and dampness. Moreover, the absorber shields the operating controls from damage in its folded-up state.

The microprocessor-based electronics measure the temperature of the absorber and calculate the power of the laser beam with a resolution of one watt. Thanks to the high resolution, measurements can be taken in a very wide power range with uniform accuracy.

These are but a few Primes’ solutions in beam diagnostics; the full range can be found on the Laser Trader website.

Finally is Laser Trader’s recent collaboration with II-VI to provide the UK with II-VI optics. II-VI GmbH is world-renowned for providing highquality optics worldwide.

II-VI GmbH optics withstand highenergy lasers and achieve the desired spectral characteristics across the electromagnetic spectrum from the ultraviolet to the far-infrared. These innovations complement our advances in high-durability dielectric coatings on copper, aluminum, and nickel-plated mirrors and both rigid and deformable brass-plated mirrors.

Laser Trader stock holding has expanded tenfold so that the majority of all optics for the laser are available for next day delivery. This, coupled with a partnership with Centricut to supply nozzles, ceramics adapters, and other consumables for all laser manufacturers, has created the ultimate in house laser solution business for the UK. For consumables contact the team on sales@lasertrader.co.uk for Precitec and Primes please contact service@lasertrader.co.uk 0330 330 1026

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Ahead of the Curve: Titan Enterprises Celebrates Over 40 Years of Innovation In a constantly fluid economy, continuous innovation is a primary focus for the manufacturing industry in order to maintain its footing.

Titan Enterprises has been manufacturing optimised liquid flow metering solutions for more than 40 years. Supplying a diverse range of industries, Titan’s design and engineering expertise is fundamental to the company’s success.

Trevor Forster, Managing Director of Titan Enterprises, founded the company in 1981 with the aim of producing modestly priced, high-quality, low flow measuring devices for OEM customers. Trevor recognised from the outset that improvisation and creativity were the key to securing their footing in the market, delivering affordable and lasting flow meter solutions that resolved issues for their customers.

Titan’s R&D is primarily driven by customers looking for solutions that will support their specific applications and deliver more efficient, reliable and accurate results. “More than once we’ve been told ‘You can’t do that’, but we’ve just done it anyway!” Trevor recalls.

“The way we work with customers from research, development, through to production has enabled us to solve a lot of OEM flow application issues,” Trevor adds.

“Through that process, we’ve helped customers decrease their assembly times, improve efficiency, and provide extra functionality.”

our OEM customers, pushing the boundaries of both the physical properties and performance of the flow meter products.

the game and taking advantage of the latest technologies. Our R&D spend is 20% of our turnover where the norm is 8-10%,” Trevor says.

Some of Titan’s most popular flow meters have been born out of collaborations. “We have a proud history of working with some of industry’s key players, such as Coca Cola Enterprises Ltd, RS Components and Vianet, to industry specialists like Formula 1, the Virgin Atlantic Challenger II team, Paxman Coolers, Stored Crop Conservation and Green Fuels,” Trevor says. “Our USP is our flexibility, adaptability and ability to work with customers to understand their applications and find workable solutions.”

The focus technology for Titan at present is our ultrasonic liquid flow measurement devices. Taking our Atrato® ultrasonic flowmeter product design understanding, we have pushed both electronics and physical design to improve the overall performance window.

From our extensive pioneering work with a USA medical company to produce a disposable ultrasonic flowmeter that measures the volume of liquid manually injected into a patient, to recently launching our new software interface for the Atrato.

Work on developing a viable, accurate ultrasonic flow meter began in 2001 with a collaboration between Titan’s R&D team and The Cranfield Institute of Technology.

The resulting patented ultrasonic technology led to an expanding line of Atrato® ultrasonic flowmeters.

Trevor concludes, “When you are confident in your own capabilities, willing to take a few risks, invest resources into R&D and know what your customers and market want, taking on challenges can be very fruitful.”

“We do not shy away from spending on Research and Development. Industry doesn’t stand still and investing in R&D is paramount to us staying ahead of

To discuss an optimised flow measurement device for your OEM application please contact Titan Enterprises on +44 (0)1935 812790 or email sales@flowmeters.co.uk.

R&D projects could be anything from testing new materials for longer life, chemical inertness, robustness, testing under high pressure or temperature or software development. Design improvements and technological advancements are focused around finding innovative solutions for

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BTRC to assess and benchmark the quality of Bangladesh’s mobile networks using Rohde & Schwarz test equipment The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has selected Rohde & Schwarz mobile network testing solutions to assess and benchmark the performance, coverage and capacity of the country’s mobile network operators. With the goal of improving the quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE) for end users, the test equipment allows BTRC officials to follow an internationally standardized and fully transparent process based on the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

A huge increase in network traffic and demand has impacted the QoS and QoE of certain service providers in Bangladesh. To keep subscribers satisfied and

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encourage network operators to invest in their infrastructure, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has initiated a campaign to transparently benchmark and assess operator performance.

BTRC has selected Rohde & Schwarz for the installation, commissioning and supply of the mobile network benchmarking system. The contract includes modular Benchmarker II systems to be set up in vehicles and R&S Freerider 4 backpacks for infield data collection. In addition, the SmartMonitor solution supports remote data collection management and visualization, and SmartAnalytics provides deep data analytics and reporting based on the QoE centric network performance score (NPS). Rohde &

Schwarz, with its portfolio of leading-edge network benchmarking solutions, coined the NPS, a methodology ratified

by ETSI and documented in ETSI TR 103 559 to characterize the overall network performance for a defined key performance indicator (KPI).

Dr. Shamsuzzoha, Deputy Director of BTRC, says, “We are confident that the Rohde & Schwarz products, solutions and services will give us valuable insights into the performance of each mobile network operator and increase the overall mobile network quality in Bangladesh.”

For more information on Rohde & Schwarz mobile network testing solutions, visit: www.rohde-schwarz.com/mnt

Moxa Unveils Its Next-generation Industrial Networking Solutions to Help Futureproof Industrial Automation Moxa Inc., a leader in industrial communications and networking, announced the launch of its nextgeneration industrial Ethernet switches, the EDS-4000/G4000 Series.

The EDS-4000/G4000 Series includes 68 models that will help Moxa’s customers build futureproof industrial networks to strengthen operational resilience in industrial spaces such as power, transportation, maritime, and factory automation.

According to IDC’s Worldwide IT/ OT Convergence 2022 Predictions , by 2024, 75% of new operational applications deployed at the edge will leverage containerization to enable a more open and composable architecture that is necessary for resilient operations. As industrial automation applications continue to evolve, OT architectures require enhanced networking capabilities and network security.

‘Recently, we have observed that our customers find it more challenging to connect their devices while fulfilling a variety of requirements for critical infrastructure,’ said Gary Chang, Product Manager at Moxa Networking Co. Ltd. ‘Critical infrastructure requires advanced networking solutions that strengthen operational resilience and futureproof networks. Our EDS-4000/ G4000 Series portfolio of switches transforms the networking-evolved concept into tangible networking capabilities in order to empower our customers to build secure, reliable, and high-bandwidth industrial networks with ease.’

Evolved Networking Solutions That Strengthen Operational Resilience While OT/IT convergence is accelerating, enhanced network security, high performance, strong reliability, and advanced usability become paramount to building next-

generation industrial networks that strengthen operational resilience.

- Industry-leading Network Security: The EDS-4000/G4000 Series was the world’s first IEC 62443-4-2 certified Ethernet switches to be certified by IECEE due to the built-in hardened security that was developed by following the stringent software development lifecycle described in the standard. Along with Moxa’s extensive network security portfolio, Moxa helps create a secure network foundation to safeguard and futureproof industrial operations.

- Unprecedented Performance for Mass Deployments: As the number of connected devices in industrial operations grows exponentially, the EDS-4000/G4000 Series provides multiple interface combinations with up to 14 ports and a range of options including fast Ethernet, Gigabit, 2.5GbE uplinks, SFP, and IEEE 802.3bt PoE connectivity. This enables customers to connect more devices especially in applications such as intelligent transportation systems that require high-power and highbandwidth networking.

- Multiple Industrial Certifications: The EDS-4000/G4000 Series is certified for NEMA TS2, EN 50121-4, IEC 2233 61850-3/IEEE 1613 , DNV , ATEX Zone 2 , Class I Division 2 , to fulfill the needs of a wide variety of industrial applications. The EDS-4000/G4000 Series also features Turbo Ring and Turbo Chain fast network recovery to ensure smooth operations.

- Advanced Usability: The improved web GUI provides a more intuitive way for users to perform configurations and network management. The rotatable power module offers flexibility to field engineers when they are installing devices and maintaining the network. In addition, the LED

indicators on two sides of the device help engineers easily identify the status of networking devices, making their job easier.

Customer Testimonial ‘We particularly appreciated the intuitive user interface, the innovative mechanical design with the rotatable power supply module, and the robust DIN-rail mounting kit. The EDS-4000/G4000 Series gives us more confidence to provide futureproof, robust, and secure industrial automation and navigation solutions to our customers on their digital transformation journeys,’ said Christian M. Skytte, Head of Product Management, Automation, at Wärtsilä Lyngsø Marine A/S. EDS-4000/G4000 Series Industrial Ethernet Switch Highlights • Comprehensive portfolio with 68 models, ranging from 8 ports to 14 ports • Multiple interface combinations including fast Ethernet, Gigabit, 2.5GbE, SFP, and IEEE 802.3bt PoE • Developed according to the IEC 62443-4-1 and compliant with the IEC 62443-4-2 industrial cybersecurity standards • Turbo Ring and Turbo Chain (recovery time < 20 ms @ 250 switches4), and RSTP/STP for network redundancy • Rotatable power module to simplify installation and maintenance • Wide range of power input options for flexible deployment • Compact and flexible housing that fits into confined spaces • Supports MXstudio for easy installation, operation, maintenance, and diagnostics 19

Microchip Introduces Industry’s HighestPerformance 16-Channel PCIe® Gen 5 Enterprise NVMe® SSD Controller The Flashtec® NVMe 4016 controller enables unparalleled performance and a rich ‘cloud-ready’ feature set including industry-leading security features

Management technology, this nextgeneration controller offers the stringent Quality of Service (QoS) required by today’s cloud-focused data center applications.

As data processing requirements continue to evolve, cloud-scale infrastructure requires solutions that maximize bandwidth, minimize latency, and are optimized for efficient resource utilization.

Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) today announced the newest member of the Flashtec® controller family, the NVMe® 4016 SSD controller. As the industry’s highest-performing PCIe® Gen 5 NVMe SSD controller, the Flashtec NVMe 4016 addresses the market demand for high-reliability, highperformance solid-state drives (SSDs) delivering greater than 14 GB per second throughput and over 3 million IOPS. With advanced Credit

“Microchip is proud to announce the next generation of our Flashtec NVMe controller product line. Its market-leading performance, coupled with our proven and flexible architecture, means the NVMe 4016 can provide our cloud and OEM customers with a cuttingedge platform for their PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD solutions,” said Pete Hazen, vice president of Microchip’s data center solutions business unit.

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With 16 high-speed programmable NAND Flash channels capable of up to 2400 MT/s, this fourth generation Flashtec controller can utilize full PCIe Gen 5 x 4 speed bandwidth. The NVMe 4016 allows

current customers to leverage their existing firmware investment in previous generations and gives new clients the confidence and flexibility to adopt this proven platform for their toughest cloud and enterprise applications.

“Microchip’s controller solutions are a strong match for our wide array of TLC and QLC SSDs and future NAND technologies,” said Greg Matson, vice president of strategic planning and marketing, Data Center Group, Solidigm™. “They offer a compelling combination of features, scalability and security for next-generation cloud and enterprise architectures.”

“How we rapidly promote cuttingedge technology to our clients is crucial for us,” said Mr. Zhong Ji, deputy general manager, Storage R&D, Inspur. “Maximizing the benefits

of reusing known generational architectures reduces development risk and effort. Having a fully mature reference solution such as the Flashtec controller PCIe Gen 5 design will definitely accelerate the efficiency and quality with which we provide leading technology to the market.”

As an NVMe 2.0 compliant controller, the NVMe 4016 not only supports all the latest storage and performance compute applications, including Zoned Name Spaces (ZNS) and cloud Open Compute Platform (OCP), its flexible architecture also enables customers to future proof for continually evolving NVMe specifications.

“Meeting the challenging demands of hyperscale data center environments for scalable efficiency in terms of manageability, power, performance and thermals has been the focus of industry standards such as the OCP data center NVMe SSD Specification and EDSFF E1.S as a form factor,” said Ross Stenfort, hardware system engineer, Storage at Meta. “The Flashtec NVMe 4016 controller supports these requirements to enable SSD makers to meet hyperscale needs.”

“The Flashtec NVMe 4016 Gen 5 SSD controller provides the needed performance and architecture for next-generation NAND,” said Dr. Taile Zhang, chief executive officer of Memblaze. “Memblaze and Microchip have developed a great partnership to advance data center efficiency and bring the flexibility needed to address the cloud storage requirements of today and tomorrow.”

The NVMe 4016 is also the first PCIe Gen 5 controller to introduce PCIe link encryption support as one of the many feature enhancements in this new generation of Flashtec controllers. With dual signature authentication and Trusted Platform support, the NVMe 4016 controller meets all critical storage and enterprise application security needs. The NVMe 4016’s advanced

virtualization capabilities enable the large-scale deployment of Virtual Machines (VMs) as well as Physical Functions (PF) per port for the most efficient utilization of the PCIe resources in ever-growing data center and cloud computing infrastructures.

“Intel’s upcoming Next Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, code named Sapphire Rapids, will implement PCI Express 5.0 running at up to 32.0 GT/s to deliver the low-latency and high-bandwidth I/O solutions our customers need to deploy,” said Dr. Debendra Das Sharma, senior fellow and chief architect, I/O Technologies and Standards, Intel. “We are pleased to see Microchip’s PCIe 5.0 Flashtec drive controller investment strengthen the ecosystem and drive broader deployment of PCIe 5.0 solutions.”

“Supporting ecosystem growth with the industry’s latest standards is key for enabling modern data centers,” said Raghu Nambiar, corporate vice president, Data Center Ecosystems and Solutions, AMD. “Our next-generation technologies are well positioned to take advantage of new standards like PCIe Gen 5, enabling nextgeneration applications in the data center. We are pleased to collaborate with key industry leaders such as Microchip to enable the performance and scalability our customers need for their demanding workloads.”

The advanced ECC features armed with stronger bit error correction capabilities continue to pave the way for utilization of denser NAND Flash technologies like Qual-LevelCell (QLC) Flash into the mainstream and storage space.

The Flashtec controller’s innovation continues with the addition of a new, programmable Machine Learning (ML) engine in the NVMe 4016 controller, capable of a variety of pattern recognition and classification functions that are employed in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ML applications. The NVMe

4016 controller’s new ML technology presents endless opportunities for SSD builders and suppliers to manage SSDs for maximum performance and cost benefits.

“We are pleased to work with enablers like Microchip that continue to advance the PCIe SSD ecosystem,” said Scott Beekman, vice president of memory products for KIOXIA America, Inc. “We congratulate Microchip on their newest addition, which features a flexible architecture to enable compatibility with the latestgeneration Flash, including TLC, QLC and potentially future PLC, and new machine learning technology.”

“Supporting a wide variety of form factors allows growth and new development in the SSD ecosystem,” said Jin Lim, vice president of NAND Technology SK hynix America. “Flashtec’s PCIe Gen 5 provides endless opportunities for our partners to optimize the management of NAND Flash while enjoying maximum performance.”

Flashtec controller flexibility supports a wide variety of form factors, including EDSFF. Supported by a comprehensive development platform, debugging tools and dedicated, best-in-class, applications team, the Flashtec NVMe 4016 controller serves all the requirements for the latest SSD solution needs: high capacity, high performance, security, power optimization, and computationalstorage ready.

Development Tools Microchip’s Flashtec NVMe 4016 SSD controller offers several options for software and hardware support. A complete software development kit includes Microchip’s reference firmware with optional hardened firmware modules, simulation tools, debug tools including Microchip’s Chiplink diagnostic tools, evaluation boards and reference designs, global support and a full suite of collateral. www.microchip.com.

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ViewSonic Showcases its latest AI Solution at BETT to Elevate Students’ Engagement and Wellness in Classrooms “Open Learning Format” will accelerate the global digital education transformation – ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solutions, showcases its latest education technologies at the BETT show from March 23rd to March 25th. myViewBoard Sens is embedded with AI technology that increases students’ engagement and facilitates wellness compliance in the classroom.

Moreover, ViewSonic introduces an open standard file format “Open Learning Format (.olf )”. This file format is a revolution in the global educational technology (EdTech) industry, overcoming many digital whiteboarding barriers. Furthermore, “ViewSonic Universe”, an interactive 3D world for education, is unveiled, leading further EdTech developments. ”ViewSonic is fundamentally committed to transforming global digital education and leading

educational innovations. We have developed a total EdTech solution by integrating hardware and software. We created the myViewBoard education ecosystem, which currently has more than 5 million global users,” said Bonny Cheng, COO of ViewSonic. “Our innovation didn’t stop there.

ViewSonic embraces emerging technologies and implements them into our education solutions.

We observed the issues our users faced with open formats for digital teaching and learning, and from there, we created .olf in hopes that it will be available to all and beneficial to the education industry.”

Better Engagement and Wellness with AI Technology myViewBoard Sens can help schools gain insights into student engagement and foster an active learning environment. It detects students’ attentiveness by analyzing

human pose and environmental factors that may affect students’ focus. These data help teachers make adjustments to their lessons.

As the pandemic continued, student wellness became an increased area of focus. Schools faced challenges with ensuring health and safety in classrooms. With myViewBoard Sens, schools can accurately measure wellness compliance. The data includes temperature, humidity, occupancy rate, audience masking, and close contact index.

To help schools monitor and manage classrooms easily, a dashboard shows these indexes and calculates the engagement and compliance levels in all rooms. If the ratings are not as expected, measures can be taken using the tailored suggestions on the dashboard, such as adjusting lesson plans or teaching environment.

Open Learning Format: Driving Openness in EdTech The company’s myViewBoard platform is cloud-based and operable across multiple operating systems, which includes Windows, Android, and, in the latest update, iOS. ViewSonic’s development of .olf is an extension of the company’s openecosystem approach. It is an open standard file format that works on any device or digital whiteboarding software. It provides a common and extendable file format that is simple to open, edit, and save. By solving fileconversion and compatibility issues, .olf represents a major breakthrough in the digital learning industry.

Universe: Forging the Future of Learning Universe By ViewSonic, an interactive 3D world for education, is ViewSonic’s latest innovation

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in education technology. The development started in the first quarter of 2021 when the world was largely impacted by Covid-19, to address the challenges of using incumbent remote learning tools and applications.

Universe is a fit-to-purpose metalearning space that provides transformative education technology to forge the future of learning.

ViewSonic is exploring ways of cocreating with schools across the US, Europe and Greater Asia, such as the School of Education, University of Wolverhampton in the UK to bring this vision to life.

Comprehensive Digital Education Experiences ViewSonic’s products range across the EdTech spectrum, suitable for all kinds of learning setups, whether it is in-class or outside the confines of a traditional classroom.

For in-class engagement, ViewSonic’s ViewBoard series of interactive display panels offer an incredible degree of flexibility, ranging in sizes from 24” to 100”. Besides the 100” ViewBoard interactive displays, which are usually used for larger venues, ViewSonic’s All-in-One Direct View LED Displays range from 108” to 216”, and are designed to deliver amazing visual performance. Going even larger, the company’s projectors can display images at a scale of up to 300” in a single projection. For remote and hybrid learning setups, ViewSonic offers portable devices such as pen displays and the 16” TD1655 touch monitor, which can be connected both to laptops and mobile devices.

To help assist school administrators in managing digital learning setups, ViewSonic has developed myViewBoard Manager, which allows IT departments to oversee and control their institutions’ devices remotely. Using this software, schools can effectively manage their digital learning setup, including remote broadcasting of tailored messages, scheduling device operations, and gathering insights. www.universe.viewsonic.io 23

New R&S LCX strengthens Rohde & Schwarz portfolio for high performance impedance measurements With a completely new family of high performance LCR meters, the frequency range of impedance measurements provided by Rohde & Schwarz test equipment is dramatically extended to cover AC components operating from 4 Hz to 10 MHz, supporting all practical applications.

The R&S LCX family of LCR meters serves all established impedance measurements plus specialized measurements for selected component types and provides both, the high accuracy required in R&D, and the high speed needed in production test and quality assurance.

Rohde & Schwarz launches its new LCR meter family of high performance general purpose impedance testers covering a wide range of applications. With its supported frequency range from 4 Hz to 10 MHz, the R&S LCX is suitable not only for the vast majority of devices operating at conventional 50 or 60 Hz domestic power frequencies or 400 Hz for aircraft, but also for everything from low frequency seismic sensors to high power communication circuits operating at several Megahertz.

For engineers selecting suitable capacitors, inductances, resistors, and analog filters to match the device application, the R&S LCX

models provide high precision impedance values with marketleading accuracy. Equally, higher speed measurements at productionuse accuracy for quality control and monitoring are also supported. All the essential software and hardware required for production environments is available, including remote control and result logging, as well as rack mounting for the instrument, and a full range of test fixtures for handling components.

The auto-balancing bridge technology used by the R&S LCX supports conventional impedance measurements by measuring the AC voltage and current for the device under test, including the phase shift. This is then used to calculate complex impedance at any given operational point. As a general purpose LCR meter, the R&S LCX covers many applications, such as the measurement of equivalent series resistance (ESR) and equivalent series inductance (ESL) of electrolytic capacitors and DC-link capacitors. Furthermore, users can test transformers and measure DC resistance in addition to the full range of impedance measurements. To investigate components with impedance values varying at different frequencies and levels, option R&S LCX-K106 supports dynamic impedance measurements with the frequency, voltage or current as the swept parameter.

The R&S LCX family is launched with two models; the R&S LCX100 covers a frequency range from 4 Hz to 300 kHz, the R&S LCX200 a basic frequency range from 4 Hz to 500 kHz with options to cover all frequencies up to 10 MHz. Both models feature a large capacitive touchscreen and virtual keyboard to support tap-and-test for all main measurements. Alternatively, voltage, current, and frequency values can be set using the rotary knob. Less frequently used functions are menu-operated. Settings, results, and statistics can be displayed on the screen or output for automated post-processing.

Up to four measurements can be selected and plotted versus time, with minimum and maximum values included in the display for at-aglance pass/fail analysis.

For investigating impedance in a wider range of materials, the MFIA impedance analyzer from Zurich Instruments AG, a subsidiary of Rohde & Schwarz, complements the R&S LCX perfectly. With the MFIA researchers can characterize semiconductors or undertake material research into materials including dielectrics, piezoelectrics, ceramics and composites, as well as tissue impedance analysis, cell growth, food research, microfluidics, and wearable sensors.

The R&S LCX family of LCR meters is part of the R&S Essentials portfolio and is now available from Rohde & Schwarz and selected distribution partners. For further information on the R&S LCX visit https://www.rohdeschwarz.com/product/lcx. For more information the LCR meter portfolio from Rohde & Schwarz, including the MFIA from Zurich Instruments AG, visit www.rohde-schwarz.com/lcrmeters.

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Introducing the new V12 Vantage: A spectacular finale for an iconic bloodline For fifteen years the V12 Vantage has boldly represented Aston Martin’s passion for performance.

Fast and fierce in equal measure, successive iterations of these great cars have formed an iconic bloodline. One built around the premise of fitting the most compact and driver-focussed model with the largest and most potent series production engine.

With this unique lineage nearing its end, Aston Martin is proud to introduce the fastest, fiercest and most dynamically accomplished of them all; the new V12 Vantage.

extreme performance and driverfocussed thrills, this remarkable machine mixes blistering straightline speed and scintillating handling with spectacular looks and enviable exclusivity: An extremely enticing proposition.

With production of the V12 Vantage strictly limited to 333 examples globally, this final edition celebrates the end of an epic era in fitting style. The ultimate expression of

Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Tobias Moers, said of the V12 Vantage: “Every great sportscar brand has a hero car. For Aston Martin in more recent years that

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So enticing, that since V12 Vantage was confirmed in December last year, Aston Martin have seen unprecedented demand for this future icon with all examples sold ahead of release and an oversubscribed register of interest eagerly waiting in the wings.

car has been the V12 Vantage.

Right from the moment the first V12 Vantage RS Concept was shown back in 2007 our customers and fans around the world fell in love with the idea of fitting our biggest engine into our smallest and most sporting model. The recipe has been refined over the years with great success, but the essence has remained the same. Now it is time to bring this bloodline to a close, fittingly with the most spectacular example yet – the fastest, most powerful and most dynamically capable V12 Vantage ever. A celebration of its forebears and an embodiment of Aston Martin’s intensifying focus on driving dynamics, it ensures the V12 Vantage goes out on the highest of highs”.

The engine is the heart of every Aston Martin, but never more so than in this, the fastest and most powerful Vantage ever built.

Developing 700PS at 6500 rpm and 753Nm of torque from just 1800rpm to 6000rpm, the quad-cam 60-deg 5.2-litre V12 offers an intoxicating combination of magnificent low and mid-range muscularity with searing top-end power. With a top speed of 200mph, V12 Vantage reaches to 0-60 in just 3.4 seconds.

Thanks to the propulsive efforts of this magnificent powerplant – and extensive use of weightsaving materials throughout the car – the V12 Vantage has a power-to-weight ratio of 390PSper-ton; an increase of more than 20% compared to the V8 powered Vantage.

These weight saving measures include carbon fibre front bumper, clamshell bonnet, front fenders and side sills, composite rear bumper and deck lid, lightweight battery and a special centre-mounted twin-exit exhaust system. Tuned to ensure the V12 Vantage has a voice to match its looks and performance, this new exhaust system is made from lightweight 1mm stainless-steel, saving some 7.2kg compared with the system fitted to the Vantage.

The power is fed through a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission and mechanical Limited-Slip Differential (LSD) mounted at the rear of the car. The V12 Vantage receives a unique transmission calibration to enhance shift speeds and driver interaction, with learnings taken from the V12 Speedster and Vantage F1® Edition models. This specially calibrated software delivers a level of shift refinement and usability which is beyond that seen on dual clutch gearboxes. The transmission’s adaptive software is designed

to gauge the conditions the car is operating in, along with the demands the driver is making, to ensure the car is in exactly the right gear at the right time providing a truly connected driving experience.

Like its celebrated forebears the new V12 Vantage is focused on delivering a dynamic driving experience that compliments its unmistakable engine performance and character, while ensuring the driver truly remains at the centre of the driving experience. To achieve this, the car is equipped with a new adaptive damping suspension system including new anti-roll bars, bushes, and spring and damper assemblies.

Suspension spring rates have been increased by 50% at the front and 40% at the rear, combined with top mount stiffness increasing by 13% and new antiroll bars are 5% stiffer at the front and 41% softer at the rear. To maintain comfort for the driver, a secondary tender spring has been introduced to the rear. The tender spring provides a lower spring rate than the main spring providing enhanced ride comfort without affecting dynamic performance.

Body stiffness is increased with additional front and rear sheer panels, a rear suspension tower strut brace and fuel tank bracing, increasing body stiffness (kNm/Deg) by 8% and lateral stiffness (kNm/mm) by 6.7%, giving the optimum platform stiffness for driving dynamics.

These changes are also supported by a new steering calibration, improving steering feel and delivering a sharper response and in turn, an enhanced driver experience.

For stopping power that’s more than a match for its performance,

the V12 Vantage features a Carbon Ceramic Braking (CCB) system as standard – At the front 410mm x 38mm discs with 6-piston calipers, while at the rear 360mm x 32mm discs are paired with 4-piston calipers.

Offering increased braking performance and significant reduction in un-sprung mass, these CCB discs maintain consistent braking performance at high temperatures and have been engineered to resist brake fade at temperatures up to 800 degrees, helping the V12 Vantage unleash its full performance potential while giving the driver maximum confidence and precise control.

This CCB technology also saves 23kg of weight when compared to steel brakes. Moreover, as this mass is unsprung, the weight savings further contribute to the V12 Vantage’s ride quality and dynamic handling character.

Completing the V12 Vantage dynamic package are a choice of two new designs of 21in alloy wheels offered in satin black or satin black diamond turned, plus an optional lightweight option available in Satin Black, which saves a further 8kg. Further scope to complement or match the colour of the diamond turned highlights to that of the body or graphics package is available via the Q by Aston Martin bespoke service. Michelin Pilot 4S high performance tyres – 275/35 R21 front and 315/30 R21 at the rear – are standard fitment on all rims.

Such an uncompromising pursuit of performance and driving pleasure demands an equally uncompromising aesthetic. To this end the V12 Vantage boasts a jaw-dropping physique thanks to a bodywork widened by some 40mm new to accommodate a wide track chassis optimised for

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cornering performance and stability. Employing extensive use of carbon fibre, this new widebody design also features a dramatic aerodynamic package.

While spectacular from any angle, it is when viewed from the front that the V12 Vantage is at its most dramatic. Perfectly complimenting a new front bumper design, a full width front splitter generates additional downforce and aerodynamic balance as well as perfecting the ground-skimming stance.

To provide increased air flow through the engine cooling radiators the front grille is 25% larger. In addition, a distinct ‘horse shoe’ design engine vent has been integrated into the bonnet, enhancing cooling and echoing the design character of the magnificent Vantage GT12, Aston Martin’s road-going tribute to the legendary V12 Vantage GT3 racer. The assertive design continues along the side profile with a new sculpted single-piece sill also inspired by motorsport and reminiscent of previous V12 Vantage models.

At the rear a new and unique bumper with integrated diffuser maintains aerodynamic balance from front to rear. The centre piece of this new design is the lightweight centre mounted, twin tailpipe, exhaust system. Completing this nose-to-tail transformation is a dramatic rear wing which contributes to a maximum downforce of 204kg at top speed and further enhances the V12 Vantage’s unmistakable visual impact. For a more subtle styling with a sleeker silhouette, the option to delete the rear wing is available.

Yet in either configuration, extensive work to the underbody ensures aerodynamic balance is maintained, delivering high speed stability and ultimate performance.

Maximising the driving experience with the iconic V12 soundtrack, V12 Vantage comes with an open rear load space also placing the new rear suspension strut brace on display.

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Moving to the interior, the V12 Vantage retains the instantly recognisable layout of the current Vantage, whilst signifying its halo positioning with a Sports Plus Seat trimmed in full semi-aniline leather featuring ‘Wings’ quilt and perforation pattern as standard.

There is also a new carbon fibre performance seat with exposed twill carbon fibre shell and manual 6-way adjustment available as an option, offering a supportive seat design for those enhanced driving dynamics and a distinct design character. This is an Aston Martin patented design inspired by motorsport, optimised to save 7.3kg without compromising comfort.

Further enhancing the dramatic styling both outside and inside, every V12 Vantage can be individually tailored through the marque’s bespoke personalisation service, Q by Aston Martin. Offering a variety of unique options, customers can create a true oneof-a-kind specification.

Striking exterior graphics and liveries are available to select in a range of colourways, as well as a selection of coloured brake callipers and painted wheel finishes. In a way to make the exposed Carbon Fibre elements even more unique, the Q by Aston Martin: Commission service also offers a range of tinted lacquers, helping accentuate the craftsmanship behind the handlaid carbon fibre panels.

The tints change appearance under different lighting conditions; parked in a dark street or under faded light, they appear subtle and understated, but placed under a brighter light, the tint transforms the car with a jewel-like glisten.

Options are equally distinctive inside the car. Woven leather or Alcantara seat inserts, trim inlays and the anodised rotary dials found in the centre console can coloured in a way to match or contrast with the exterior body or graphic colour, providing a more subtle injection of colour inside the cabin. With so many design combinations available, it would not be a surprise to see no two cars the same.

Marco Mattiacci, Aston Martin Global Chief Brand and Commercial Officer, adds: “At Aston Martin we build cars, but we sell dreams. That is the magic of this brand. Only a select number of customers around the world can buy the V12 Vantage, yet like all our iconic models, its significance extends far beyond its exclusivity. What’s more, such is the level of bespoke personalisation available via Q by Aston Martin even a car as rare as the V12 Vantage can be made to a specification completely unique to its owner”.

Production of the V12 Vantage – the order book for which is already closed due to unprecedented demand - is due to commence in Q1 of 2022, with first deliveries scheduled to begin during Q2 2022.

NSK Silver-Lube® bearings withstand wash-down fluids on bottling line conveyor In operations where contact with process fluid is unavoidable, poorly specified bearings that fail prematurely can prove costly in maintenance labour and production downtime. For this reason, increasing numbers of food and beverage plants are turning to the beneficial attributes of NSK’s Silver-Lube® bearing units. SilverLube® provides optimal protection against the ingress of washdown water and detergent while simultaneously ensuring corrosion resistance.

Among those testifying to the advantages of Silver-Lube® is a market-leading milk processing and bottling plant. The facility was experiencing repeated bearing failures on five conveyor lines, where the company was changing bearings approximately every 16 weeks. With every replacement taking approximately one hour to complete, the plant invited NSK’s team of experts to recommend a solution.

As part of its AIP Added Value Programme, NSK’s specialist

engineers analysed the failed bearings, concluding that the ingress of water during the washdown process was causing internal corrosion and premature failures.

Further review of the application and operating conditions led the NSK team to recommend its proven Silver-Lube® housed bearing units.

and set screws. Furthermore, the bearing insert sits within a highstrength PBT thermoplastic housing featuring a stainless steel grease nipple.

The plant commenced a trial of Silver-Lube® bearings featuring food-grade grease on one of its bottling line conveyors, a solution that resulted in an immediate improvement and significant lifetime extension.

After the initial trial, the plant implemented Silver-Lube® housed bearing units on all five of its milk bottle conveyor systems. The result: a reduction in machine downtime, maintenance labour and replacement bearings costs, leading to annual savings of €7,625.

Indeed, no failures of Silver-Lube bearings occurred for more than five years.

Silver-Lube® features durable and heat-resistant silicon rubber seals that protect against fluid penetration and prevent washout of the lubricating grease. Complementing the seal is a stainless steel flinger, which prevents the ingress of bacteria and helps the seal to resist impact damage. Silver-Lube® bearings also comprise numerous corrosionresistant components, including inserts with high-grade stainless steel rings and balls, cage, flingers,

Importantly, Silver-Lube® bearings units can accommodate initial misalignment from mounting errors, making them ideal for bottling machines and conveyors used by the food and beverage industry.

Additional attributes include: a paint-free resin housing to eliminate any risk of chipping or flaking; a cavity-free design to avoid ‘bug traps’ that might harbour bacteria or mould; a smooth finish to prevent dirt adhesion; and suitability for working temperatures from -20 to +90°C.

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Fuzzy Logic makes robotics agile at MBDA MBDA is a leading European manufacturer in the aerospace and armaments sector, specializing in the design of missiles and missile systems for the operational needs of the three branches of the military (army, navy and air force). MBDA France’s Bourges site specializes in the manufacture of tactical missile equipment utilising several key technologies: mechanical manufacturing (metal and composite materials) and electromechanical assembly.

The company wanted to robotise certain processes in small series or even single unit production, by allowing an operator with no programming skills to teach the robotic system, in just a few seconds, the process to be carried out, and then to execute the cycle with complete confidence without human supervision. Fuzzy Logic’s RepplixTM application software module addresses all aspects of

this requirement in a cost-effective manner. The first use case selected was the tedious, manual cleaning of the moulds used to manufacture composites.

MBDA France’s Bourges site produces numerous small series of composite parts that have to be moulded. Each mould is manually stripped clean before being used in production. This operation is complex: the parts to be treated are diverse and numerous and in each series, the level of residue to be stripped off, and its location may vary. This method of operation is tedious, and it also requires protecting the operator from exposure to toxic substances.

Vincent RAFIN, Head of the Factory of the Future Project at MBDA explains: “At MBDA we look for agility when it comes to robotisation. We want to robotise tasks which cause muscolo-skeletal disorders in our

operators, and which occur in certain cases in the production of very small series or even single parts, so we need to keep the nonrecurring costs of programming as low as possible. Programming a robot to define the trajectories of a laser is not the right approach for small series production, it is timeconsuming and costly and has to be done by a roboticist.”

For advice, MBDA turned to Meliad, a recognized expert in the aerospace industry for surface preparation and laser stripping, and to Staubli. The latter recommended Fuzzy Logic for its universal, visual programming solutions.

Programming a laser stripper on the fly, with a non-roboticist operator Fuzzy Logic developed RepplixTM, an extension of its Fuzzy StudioTM software, in cooperation with MBDA. A portable learning device, controlled by the operator using his knowledge of the application task, teaches the RepplixTM software the first laser alignment.

A monitoring function, performed via a real-time digital twin of the robotic installation created in Fuzzy StudioTM, takes into account collision monitoring and trajectory feasibility in the robot ́s environment. Alert parameters are set up. Trajectory capture combines several process parameters such as laser triggering and power. The operator, who is not a roboticist, is also able to modify the trajectory and process parameters via the graphical interface, even after the learning phase.

Then, from this digital twin, the cycle is launched and the robot moves with the laser, guided by the accurate capture of the trajectory learned from the operator. The speed at which the robot operates

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is set directly in the software, it can differ from the speed in the learning phase. The cycle is performed autonomously by the robot, without the need for operator supervision.

The same process, which takes only a few minutes, is done for each new series of moulds.

RepplixTM is a different software solution, uniquely suited to robotising industrial processes like these The solution developed in this way, is executed with millimetre precision, and is capable of extension to even more demanding applications in the future. The manual operation can be reproduced with ease because the learning device is the representation of the real tool and is not directly linked to the robot. The operator manages the execution and planning of the movement himself using the software and the parametrized alerts.

is duplicable, it will become available for this first use case in the first quarter of 2022. As well as this, MBDA are already working on extending it to cover new applications. For example, sandblasting, painting, welding or waterjet cutting. These applications all have complex trajectories that need to be programmed. With conventional tools, we would need highly qualified personnel and a great deal of time and so programming them would be very costly. Fuzzy Logic, with RepplixTM has now removed this barrier, which prevented the cost-effective automation of such applications.”

Jean-Michel DUCHAZEAUBENEIX, CEO of Meliad, details how RepplixTM opens up new perspectives for laser stripping applications: “we offer robotic laser stripping solutions, but this robotisation remains complicated because it has to be done by specialists. Programming a trajectory for a small series,

as is the case at MBDA, generates prohibitively high non-recurring costs that directly kill the project. RepplixTM offers us the possibility of rapidly and easily deploying our laser solutions across a wide range of repair or maintenance applications which have been difficult to implement until now, whether they be the aeronautics industry or nuclear or defense. “ As Denis GARDIN, MBDA’s Director of Innovation and Future Technologies concludes, “This innovation is the achievement the vision of MBDA engineers and operators who, working in close collaboration with innovative SMEs, have succeeded in taking the first step towards implementing a robotic solution which breaks the cost barrier for a wide range of use cases thanks to programming by non-invasive capture of the operators’ know-how.» www.flr.io

The time needed to programme the mould cleaning operation is slashed from several hours to only a few minutes. Productivity is increased by automating the cleaning operation and the risks for the operator are reduced. This makes robotising this operation profitable, both in terms of HSE and economics.

Ryan LOBER, CEO of Fuzzy Logic adds: “With RepplixTM, the robot becomes a precision tool in the hands of the operator. Our solution allows him to automate his task in complete autonomy, without any intervention from a specialist. Another advantage is that RepplixTM is designed to start being used immediately, with no real training required. Our solution allows the robotisation of processes where this has previously been impossible.

What ś more, we have barely finished the initial application, and already, RepplixTM is being deployed by other users in Europe.”

Nicolas GAUTIER, Robotics Technical Lead at MBDA, explains: this technological building block

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Broanmain wastes no time on DOWNTIME Lean identifies eight wastes commonly known by the acronym “DOWNTIME”: defects, overproduction, waiting, nonutilisation of talent, transportation, inventory, motion and extra processing. With an unwavering focus on customer value and as a waste and sustainable-conscious manufacturer, technical moulder Broanmain Plastics adopts a First Time True quality culture. Headed up by Quality Engineer Sanka Ranasinghe.

Ensuring that quality champions infiltrate every production process, the team is addressing the challenging supply, demand, materials and logistics hurdles and striving towards the company’s ambitious ‘zero defect’ target. Raw material verification, master sample approval, first off approval, patrolling inspections, SOP updates and daily operational meetings are just

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some of the recently refreshed routines introduced by Sanka in collaboration with the firm’s People, Culture & Strategy Manager Eve Clennell .

Sanka explains: “By spotlighting the upstream process-centred phases while simultaneously creating a quality engagement culture, Broanmain manages quality issues at the outset to avoid producing non-conforming products. It’s a blended and systematic approach that detects quality areas for improvement at the beginning of the manufacturing process to improve quality outcomes for customers first time, every time.”

Reviewing the moulder and tool maker’s success in the context of DOWNTIME, Eve Clennell corroborates how the power of lean when aligned to a cultural-led ethos towards quality is delivering

rapid and positive results for Broanmain customers: Defects: Completely eradicating all production waste might seem impossible. Yet, defects can certainly be limited through more stringent quality control and better communication and management of expectations.

Although it may appear time consuming to validate every quality procedure before production of each component enters production, with First Time True and daily meetings the Broanmain team reports a significant drop in reject rates and post-production quality issues. Internal rejection and rework costs have fallen by over 10 percent in 12 months.

Overproduction: In fast moving environments, predictability can be hard to master. This is especially true in plastic

processing. Kanban and Just-InTime production used by over 50 percent of Broanmain customers, combined with an efficient MRP system, makes production forecasting more reliable. In reducing customers’ costly stock holdings, significant working capital is not tied up.

Waiting: Bottlenecks and long set up times can be a huge drain on resources. By operating a ‘pull’ manufacturing system, delays to production, assembly and despatch flows are minimised.

Capacity, resourcing and machine availability is updated daily.

Consequently, complaints have fallen by 10 percent year on year.

When customers report a concern, Broanmain acknowledges these within 24-hours. The team then conducts a thorough investigation using the 8D methodology. Once all corrective actions have been addressed, the case is not fully closed until three subsequent shipments have left the Broanmain facility.

Non-utilised talent: Lack of engagement can hamstring productivity in every organisation. As an inclusive, multi-generational and equal opportunities employer, Broanmain actively supports multiskilling and offers a wide range of resource support mechanisms, wellbeing and progression maps to facilitate cross-team communication, aid development and address unconscious biases. Preventing good talent being wasted.

Transportation: To complement our Kanban ordering systems, Broanmain is trialling a more responsive ‘direct to customer’ delivery and box collection service. This includes recycling container packaging and cutting out the middle logistics to save customers money and reduce the number of transport deliveries.

Inventory: The cost of inventory excess can be huge. It’s why many British OEMs, are turning away from minimum orders set by overseas exporters of components and switching back to domestic sourcing. Proximity to a component supplier not only assist with inventory and shorter lead times, it can also help equipment manufacturers to monitor and resolve quality and precision challenges and circumvent import red tape.

Motion: Any service must add value to the production process and address manufacturing headaches. Being a natural extension of a customer’s engineering team gives Broanmain greater design freedom and input.

This trusted collaboration helps to keep projects moving forward.

And with quality champions now infiltrating every production process, from toolmaking to assembly and post moulding machinery, QM isn’t an isolated function.

Extra-Processing: Going above and beyond is an important service trait. Yet, unnecessary actions does add to cost, time and resourcing. Automation provides a number of ways to refine workflows and eliminate human error. The company’s most recent investments in advanced metrology, CMM and shadowgraph machines are efficient and deliver marked quality improvements facilitating speedier order fulfilment.

“Addressing each of these wastes concurrently through a robust quality management framework means that we are constantly making improvements and improving the quality and uptime outcomes for our customers,” emphasises Eve. For more information visit: www.broanmainplastics.co.uk

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Fluke Networks announces expanded network connectivity testing for LinkIQ™ Cable+Network Tester Upgrade helps users verify and troubleshoot IP connectivity issues Fluke Networks announces an upgrade to its LinkIQ™ Cable+Network Tester that expands the tester’s ability to test and troubleshoot IP networks, and support users in 12 languages.

This new software is shipping in all new LinkIQ units and is available as a free upgrade to existing customers.

“While systems integrators and network administrators need to verify cabling performance to ensure network performance, they also need to ensure that the user’s traffic can reach its destination,” stated Robert Luijten, Field Marketing Director, Fluke Networks.

“Our network test features give these professionals visibility into

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network connectivity and response time of key resources, allowing them to verify and troubleshoot end-to-end network issues.”

- Two-pair cable tests – Cable performance tests up to 100 Mb/s can be specified for two-pair cables, widely used in industrial environments.

The new release includes: - Expanded network testing – With version 1.1, customers can now verify connectivity and response time to key network devices with one touch of the screen. LinkIQ can now be configured to perform IPv4 or v6 ping tests and will display the response time for four pings to a target device of the user’s choosing. The test results display the DNS and DHCP servers and the gateway router. LinkIQ also displays the IP address of the nearest switch. The new version of LinkWare PC includes this information in its test reporting.

- Language support – The LinkIQ user interface now supports 12 languages.

- Reporting – A new version of the LinkWare™ PC software, the industry’s de facto reporting solution, is also available. This new version provides reports including the expanded network testing, allowing users to document their work.

The 1.1 software release is available in the LinkIQ Cable+Network Tester, which can be purchased from Fluke Networks resellers worldwide or at www.flukenetworks.com/LinkIQ.

PFE Ltd. Relies on FLIR Thermal Studio to accelerate asset inspections, reporting British inspection specialist PFE Limited uses FLIR Thermal Studio software to accelerate site inspections and reporting, and to deliver consistent reporting quality to its demanding customer base. Based in Wallasey, North-West England, PFE Limited is a family-owned business, specializing in a wide range of inspection and reliability services for industrial customers. To provide trustworthy and repeatable reporting quality, PFE engineers make use of the latest technology on the market for vibration analysis, dynamic balancing and thermography, among other things.

The company has been using thermal imaging for more than 15 years for mechanical, electrical, and process-related inspections.

One of the more specialized types of inspections that PFE Limited offers are furnace inspections, for which the company is using a FLIR Exx-Series pistol-grip camera.

Practical, all-in-one inspection tool

Pre-planned routes

The most tangible output that the company is offering to its customers are reports, so it speaks for itself these need to be of consistently high quality. PFE Limited therefore relies on FLIR Thermal Studio software with routing functionality from the FLIR Route Creator plugin.

“We used to go on site for our inspections, combining the use of a thermal imaging camera with some kind of clipboard or electronic tablet,” says Jake Ford, Reliability & Mechanical Engineer at PFE Limited.

“For every asset and every image taken with our thermal camera, we used to jot down numbers and comments on a separate device.

This was not only unpractical, but it also took twice the time we spend on inspections today. Thanks to the introduction of the FLIR Thermal Studio software, we were able to cut our inspection time in half.”

The PFE Limited team especially values the FLIR Route Creator plugin, which allows users to create preplanned routes in FLIR Thermal Studio for their inspections. Routes can be downloaded to any FLIR thermal camera that has FLIR Inspection Route on-board software, and then run from the camera itself. This means inspectors no longer need to carry two separate items—which is much more practical—helps them stay organized when surveying large or multiple locations, and above all, ensures they don’t miss any assets or inspection areas.

Also, inspection routes are not always linear: PFE Limited engineers do not always follow the same order. They often skip certain assets and need to go back and forth on different moments in time. With a simple clipboard or tablet, the risk of missing assets from inspections is much higher. When Inspection Route is active on the camera, the progress in the pre-planned route is always clearly visible and the software tells the user exactly which assets are left to do. “A typical furnace inspection used to take us about four hours.

Now, we can easily complete it in two hours,” says Ford.

Reduced Desk time The time at the desk which is needed to compile the report is also significantly reduced. Thanks to FLIR Thermal Studio, users just need to open the file that is generated by Route Creator, and the images are already assigned to an asset. This makes the analysis and reporting much faster and easier.

“Desk time often used to involve working with spreadsheets or comparing thermal images with other files. This was a cumbersome and slow process, and prone to errors.

With Thermal Studio, the reporting

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part has become a much cleaner, smoother and more consistent process,” says Ford. FLIR Thermal Studio enables users to post-process images in batch. This accelerates the entire process and reduces desk time significantly. “Especially, with furnace inspections, there is often some postprocessing involved,” Ford explains.

“Obviously, hot spots are part of a furnace, so not every hot spot is problematic. This means that we often have to manipulate the image and demarcate or annotate the area of interest. We can now choose to present the images in FLIR’s UltraMax® mode, rotate them and draw a square around them, all in one single batch process. Before using FLIR Thermal Studio, we needed to do this on each individual image, now we can do this in batch. This makes FLIR Thermal Studio a huge time-saver.”

FLIR Thermal Studio also makes it easier for the PFE Limited team to compile the detailed and vast reports which are required by some of the company’s insurance customers.

These annual insurance reports often include hundreds of images, each of which needs to be represented on a single page. Without FLIR Thermal Studio, creating one page used to take a few minutes. With the batch process in FLIR Thermal Studio, the entire report can be set up in a matter of minutes.

Competitive advantage “As a small business, it’s super important to be conscious of our time,” says Ford. “We want to efficiently squeeze our time to keep all our customers happy, because customer satisfaction is our prime focus. FLIR Thermal Studio allows us to be faster on site. In terms of health and safety, that’s already a plus, because the less time our inspectors need to spend near hot furnaces, the better. More generally speaking, it also means that we can do our job in less time and be more cost-efficient compared to our competitors.”

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Ryder asks – Is it time for a rethink on China Manufacturing and its ESG? Not all electronic manufacturers are created equal.

By Eric Winkler, Chairman, Ryder Industries There are some distinct advantages to outsourcing product manufacturing offshore to China.

Some of the most advanced manufacturing facilities on the planet are located there, ensuring that even the most difficult designs can be manufactured efficiently. The global supply chain is centred on the country because of its position as the world’s manufacturing hub, with engineers, managers and the workforce constantly improving their knowhow. Manufacturing in China can also be quicker, cheaper and more astute than in the west. Of course, there may also be downsides in some cases. For example, Chinese manufacturing has the reputation of being environmentally unfriendly, and of staff being treated poorly.

As in all generalisations, there will be some truth in the accusations.

But Chinese manufacturing is as

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diverse as manufacturing in any other country: there are good as well as bad employers everywhere in the world.

The same is true for environmental issues. There are companies that do not care if they damage the environment in the west, and there are companies that do their best not to harm it. China is no different.

A realignment process is running, and its government is preparing the tools to align with world standards.

Like many other companies across the globe, Ryder Industries is certified to ISO 14001 for its environmental management systems. Some manufacturers look to ISO 14001 as the end of the journey to being environmentally friendly, but others see it as a foundation to build upon. Ryder has used the environmental management systems that it put in place to meet ISO 14001 to further identify ways it can reduce waste and improve resource efficiency.

Many Chinese manufacturers are very conscious of environmental issues. Some of these companies see that meeting environmental standards, such as ISO 14001, is attractive to their western customers who want their full supply chain to be sustainable. Other Chinese companies value sustainability as a good business practice that is profitable over the longer term.

One of the most prominent of the latter type of company is Ryder Industries, a China company that is run to western values, much like its founder, Eric Winkler, a Swiss national who was born in Hong Kong.

The initiatives that have come from that analysis include underground reservoirs to collect rainwater for processing and use, a ground source climate control system that cools the company’s inland plants in summer and heats them in winter, two arrays of solar-electric panels a solar thermal array to heat water, and an energy recovery system from pneumatic compressors. A dual plumbing system separates grey water for potential future use.

All plants also use LED lighting to save energy (2 ½ times more efficient than fluorescent lamps) and eliminate contamination from their bulbs.

The solar power installation is a jewel in Ryder’s environmental programme. It was installed in two phases – the first completed in 2013, and the second went live at the end of last year (2021). The second phase was built as the roof to the company’s 180 space car parking area. It keeps vehicles shaded from the sun and reduces the need for them to use air conditioning when they leave the plant, improving their mileage while reducing their emissions. Together, each year these solar panels generate over 750,000 kWh of electric energy and cost savings, plus saving over 650 tons of power station carbon dioxide emissions. Ryder Industries will make direct savings of US$ 1.6 million over their 20 year life, and plans to add another 1,200 kW of solar power capacity in a third phase.

Seventy kilometres (forty miles) of underground piping provide the muscle-power to Ryder’s climate control system in its inland campus.

How it works: it uses the planet earth as a massive heat sink in the summer, burying the heat via pipes that go down 100 meters; in winter it reverses and hauls the heat back out of the ground. This elegant solution provides yearround pleasant temperatures at a fraction of the running cost of older technologies.

that its own suppliers comply with ROHS, WEEE, PFOS and REACH requirements and can provide proof of conformity along with compliance with all of the latest environmental regulations.

Like other companies that are truly invested in sustainability, Ryder looks at the subject not only from an environmental perspective but includes the well-being of its workforce and its neighbours, the people who live in the communities in which it operates. It is dedicated to the nurturing of its team through training, development internal promotions and attentive governance.

This commitment to the workforce has been rewarded by loyalty and productivity: the majority of its workforce have been with the company for over five years, constantly extending its base of knowhow, and over the years their productivity has tripled. In the community, Ryder’s involvement includes partnering with local schools, and other initiatives that make those communities better places to live. The company has formed a link with two schools in poorer areas close to where the company operates. It supports them practically and financially, including through the sponsorship of pupils and purchase of learning infrastructure, including

computers and books. Ryder also has created an ‘English corner’ in both schools. As well as supporting the children, the ‘English Corner’ supports Ryder employees in their learning of English language skills.

The tie-ins with the schools are also used to enhance local communities.

For example, Ryder employees and the schoolchildren have taken part in civic activities, such as leading a successful community clean-up of a local reservoir.

Over the last few years, there has been a vigorous discussion on the value and ethics of the outsourcing of manufacturing to China. While there may be truths in some allegations, these do not apply to every manufacturer in China.

Companies like Ryder are as ethically and environmentally conscious as any manufacturer that can found in the west. Like all other partnerships, in the west and further afield, it is down to the outsourcing company to vet potential partners to see if they are compatible with their own values.

Manufacturing in China still offers a lot of advantages, especially on cost and access to strong supply chains in today’s market.

Companies like Ryder ensure that those benefits can still be gained, but not at the expense of sustainability.

The results from these initiatives have saved Ryder the expense of large amounts of water and energy, and put it well along the road to a circular economy that would be the envy of many western companies that lead in sustainability.

As a manufacturer, Ryder’s main purpose is to work with other companies to make products. To support its customers’ drive to excel in ESG, Ryder complies with all applicable environmental laws and regulations, and has implemented programs and procedures to ensure full compliance. Ryder can supply independent proof of compliance, including raw materials vendor self–declarations of conformity for each component type. The company also ensures 39