Worldwide Engineering Magazine - January Issue by The Little Publishing House

January Issue Selby College and Drax secure funding to support the green workforce of the future

Visualizing Sound with the FLIR Si124: an ultrasonic leak detection camera

Festo automation and support help accelerate the drive to vehicle electrification

Pages 6

Pages 15

Pages 23

worldwide-engineering.com

Contents 5

Michel Carreiro appointed new managing director of Sumitomo

Microchip continues expansion of Gallium Nitride (GaN) RF Power portfolio

Visualizing Sound with the FLIR Si124: an ultrasonic leak detection camera

Specialist project partner enables effecient pharma application delivery

Fluke Networks launches FiberLert, the first live fibre detector

O2 Tidal Turbine sending not only Power, but Data onshore.

Combined companies have more than 100 years’ experience

ViewSonic ColorPro Award 2021 ends with spectacular exhibitions

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GKN Automotive launches advanced research centre to accelerate the UK’s electrified future GKN Automotive, the global leader in drive systems, has announced its new Advanced Research Centre - created to develop next-generation eDrive systems powering future electrified vehicles and increase engineering capability in the UK to meet Net Zero commitment. GKN Automotive is partnering with the University of Nottingham and Newcastle University to push the boundaries of eDrive technology and accelerate modular innovation. The worldclass collaboration will focus on the development of ultra-high efficiency EDUs for future electric vehicles. GKN Automotive’s £3.5 million investment in the Advanced Research Centre, which is colocated across three leading engineering facilities, is being partly supported through the Melrose Skills Fund, to increase the automotive electrification knowledge capability and strengthen research and development in the UK. The project will be virtually shared between the engineering departments at the University of Nottingham and Newcastle University, with research teams

at each university operating collaboratively with engineers at the GKN Automotive Innovation Centre. Gordon Day, Managing Director, GKN Automotive Innovation Centre, said: “GKN Automotive is a pioneer of advanced eDrive development and this new research partnership will play a key role in strengthening the innovation of electrification technologies for future advanced propulsion systems. “We are extremely proud that this research will be in partnership with Newcastle University and the University of Nottingham, two renowned and respected global leaders in automotive electrification engineering research. Both institutions will also play a leading role in helping us develop a supply of highcalibre engineering talent, which is essential to enable us to put the UK at the forefront of global automotive industry innovation.” This collaborative research not only spearheads the development of disruptive technology innovations in eDrive but supports the UK’s technology roadmap set out by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). It also further strengthens GKN Automotive’s collaborative links within the UK Innovation Network.

Both partner universities are part of the Advanced Propulsion Centre’s ‘spoke’ community. The initiative brings together specialist academic, technological, and commercial expertise from across the UK to share best practice for the development of low emission propulsion technologies. The University of Nottingham is the APC’s spoke for power electronics, and home to the Driving the Electric Revolution (DER) Industrialisation Centre – Midlands; while Newcastle University is the spoke for electric motors, and leads the national network of four DER Industrialisation Centres including the Driving the Electric Revolution Industrialisation Centre – North East. The Centres are backed by £33m UK Government funding (UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), providing open access facilities with stateof-the-art equipment. They bring together the UK’s technology and manufacturing expertise in electrification research and development. The network will help propel UK manufacturing to the forefront of global efforts to tackle climate change and ensure the UK can reach net zero emissions by 2050. The Melrose Skills Fund is a £10m fund, allocated over five years across the UK, developing and promoting engineering skills and encouraging the next generation of engineers. The first phase of investment through GKN Automotive saw the launch of the Skills Development Programme at the Abingdon Innovation Centre, supporting the development of engineering skills through STEM engagement, apprenticeships, training opportunities and internal staff upskilling. This next phase now focuses on Research.

Michel Carreiro appointed new managing director of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Brazil Effective 10 September 2021, Michel Carreiro is confirmed as the new Managing Director of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag do Brazil (SDBR). He succeeds Christoph Rieker, who recently departed having led the company for many years. Responsible for the sale of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag machines in Brazil and South America - in particular Argentina, Chile, Peru and Colombia – Carreiro is also charged with managing the region’s entire customer service strategy, including the supply of spare parts. “I will continue to develop our sales and market strategy in this region and motivate our team accordingly in order to achieve the strong synergies and reach our common goals,” stated the 45-year-old. Strengthening the SDBR team, expanding domestic market penetration and growing the company’s share in defined strategic segments are Carreiro’s principal ambitions. The market expert is also focused on strengthening customer service, advancing the consulting practice and promoting the critical role played by the global company’s newest application technology. Welcoming Carreiro into his new management position Liebig comments: “We are delighted to have attracted such a seasoned industry professional who is so widely respected by his injection moulding peers and has such a robust sales track record.”

already look promising. I am really proud to work with such pioneers in energy reducing technology which doesn’t compromise on the high level of precision, quality and productivity.” Committed to maintaining a collaborative and community spirit among the workforce, Carreiro emphasises: “Teamwork underpins our ethos and ultimately we will continue to achieve the company’s vision together through cohesion, empathy and strong communication,” adds the Managing Director. Given the high energy costs in Brazil, Carreiro views the Brazilian subsidiary as being excellently positioned to generate market growth through the implementation of all-electric machines. Highlighting the challenges, he reports that currently there’s a high concentration of simple machines featuring low level technology. Yet, Carreiro expresses confidence that by aligning the company’s strengths to customer needs, electricity consumption can be reduced and production efficiency increased. “The packaging and consumer goods industry has achieved high

sales in Brazil. As demonstrated by the popularity of the El-Exis SP highspeed series, the market potential is excellent with a strong foundation for future growth.” Carreiro has worked in the plastics industry for over 25 years, commencing his professional career in 1995 as a plastics process engineer after graduating from Brazil’s renowned technical school SENAI Mario Amato, São Bernardo do Campo/São Paulo. “After that, I obtained a degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Fundação Santo André,” notes Carreiro. He is currently completing an MBA in Business Managementat Fundação Getulio Vargas.” For 16 years, Carreiro worked as a mechanical sales engineer at a local injection moulding manufacturer and as an application specialist for a global group. Both roles involved closely supporting customers to develop the best technical and commercial solutions for their plant. Since 2013, Carreiro has held a responsible sales position, providing provide a solid foundation and extensive knowledge in automation and application technology.

Citing his appointment as the biggest challenge of his professional career to-date, Carreiro comments: “To lead such a successful company like Sumitomo (SHI) Demag is a great honour. Given our high-end product range – particularly our state-of-theart all-electric machines – future prospects in the Brazil market

Selby College and Drax secure funding to support the green workforce of the future Selby College has secured funding to develop an education programme that will enable the renewable energy company’s employees to develop the skills needed to operate the vital climate saving technologies of the future. The £272,000 grant, from the Department for Education’s Strategic Development Fund, will allow the College to develop a brand-new training course in carbon capture and storage technologies, supporting Drax’s plans to develop the vital negative emission technology BECCS at its power station near Selby. The course will start next year and will equip both current and future Drax employees with the vital skills needed to operate this critical negative emissions technology, ensuring the region is at the forefront of the green industrial revolution. The programme will also be available to other organisations and individuals interested in developing their knowledge and understanding about carbon capture and storage. The course is being designed as an introduction to the subject, with the aim of adding more modules and units over time. Liz Ridley, Deputy Principal of Selby College, said: “Selby College is committed to supporting businesses and industries to develop specific training

programmes that support their current and future workforce development. Our ongoing partnership with Drax has enabled us to secure this funding to create tailored education plans that will equip its workforce and supply chain with the skills needed as we transition into a zero-emission future.” Bruce Heppenstall, Plant Director at Drax, said: “It’s critical businesses like Drax have access to a skilled workforce, with the knowledge and expertise to operate negative emissions technologies that will be vital in enabling the UK to reach its legally binding net zero targets. Through our partnership with Selby College, we are able to futureproof our workforce, ensuring we are at the forefront of the green industrial revolution, creating and protecting thousands of jobs here in the North. “Deploying BECCS at Drax will not only deliver for the environment, but it will also deliver for the economy. It could kickstart a whole new sector of the economy and be the catalyst for a post-covid economic recovery.” Minister for Skills Alex Burghart said: “It is fantastic to see Selby College working with Drax to offer people the skills they need to progress in green careers in their area. “Offering people the chance to upskill in the latest in-demand technologies is vital to plug skills gaps in our economy, and ensure

we have a workforce fit for the future.” Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty, said: “Electricity generated by Drax using sustainable biomass is key to expanding the wider economy of Yorkshire and Humberside. The transition from coal to biomass demonstrated how businesses can transform and thrive as part of our new “net zero” economy. To build on this leadership it is vital that businesses like Drax have the skilled workforce to operate the new green technologies and maintain their leading position. The ongoing partnership between Selby College and Drax will provide the essential facilities and courses for local people to develop their skills, and I look forward to seeing this partnership flourish and feed into the development of clean green industries across our region.”

Through its transition from using coal to sustainable biomass, Drax has safeguarded hundreds of jobs at its power station, as well as more than 6,600 across its supply chain in the North. It aims to go further by building BECCS, with the creation of more than ten thousand jobs at the project’s peak. Its first BECCS unit could be up and running in 2027, delivering the world’s biggest carbon capture project, permanently locking away millions of tonnes of CO2 each year. The new CCS educational programme builds on a fiveyear, £180,000 partnership Drax announced with Selby College in 2020, which enabled the College to invest in ICT equipment to support remote learning, as well as state-of-the-art engineering equipment and a series of events on green energy.

Sprint Power launches space-efficient and lightweight dual voltage power module unit Sprint Power, a leading British technology company specialising in low carbon tech, including electrified propulsion systems, power electronics and battery systems, has launched an innovative Power Module Unit (PMU) that combines a split 48-V and 12-V power system. Its intelligent design, which houses together all key components in one compact package, will enable carmakers to make significant space and weight savings when compared to existing solutions. Originally designed for an upcoming supercar being manufactured by a global OEM, Sprint Power’s PMU has been designed specifically for vehicles that feature both 48-V and 12-V systems. The product can automatically draw energy from both power outputs simultaneously. The PMU has been designed to be incorporated in a range of different applications including mild-hybrid (MHEV) vehicles, while external charging capabilities also allow for future plug-in applications. Space-efficient packaging

are integrated directly within the module, with heating elements placed between each cell along with thermo couples to lock in the temperature across the pack. Cooling plates ensure the system will not overheat and will remain at the optimum operating temperature. Positioned alongside the DC/DC converter is the BMS, the design of which ensures the module’s cells operate safely while communicating directly with the vehicle’s control systems. Software updates and diagnostic checks can be carried out throughout the life of the system.

yet durable materials and components.

Lightweight design

Richie Frost, Founder and CEO at Sprint Power said: “The global need to tackle climate change is leading to the electrification of many forms of mobility, but the size and mass of electrical componentry today can often be a limiting factor. By integrating all of the key components into a single PMU, Sprint Power’s highly experienced team have delivered a product that will further reduce the weight, size and complexity of systems designed for the latest generation of electrified transport.”

Sprint Power’s PMU has been designed from the outset to be as light as possible. While existing solutions require separate units featuring individual harnesses, housings and connectors, significant weight savings have been achieved by combining all components into one PMU. While removing the need for various components has reduced weight, Sprint Power also paid close attention on using lightweight,

Instead of using a conventional wiring harness, Sprint Power’s PMU uses flexible printed circuits for improved packaging benefits and weight savings. Elsewhere, the unit’s case is made using injection moulded carbon composite due to the material’s ability to combine lightness with strength, while aluminium is used instead of copper for the PMU’s bus bar arrangement to save further weight. This attention to detail has resulted in the entire PMU weighing less than 15kg.

Sprint Power’s PMU houses a 48-V and 12-V battery, a DC/DC converter and a Battery Management System (BMS), all of which are efficiently packaged within a compact case featuring shared panelling and integrated heating and cooling systems. By packaging all of these components efficiently together in a single unit, carmakers can free up significant space within the powertrain compartment compared to packaging these components individually. As a result, Sprint Power’s PMU measures just 440 × 320 × 130mm. The L-shaped product houses 110 cells positioned along the bottom of the unit for the integrated 48-V and 12-V battery. Fast-acting heating and cooling systems 7

Rohde & Schwarz and Audi cooperate on Cellular-V2X road traffic scenario testing Rohde & Schwarz and Audi partner to enable Cellular-V2X (C-V2X) application testing; creating road traffic scenarios in the laboratory and using the same traffic scenarios to conduct end-to-end testing on the Audi proving ground with an R&S CMW500 wideband radio communication tester. In a joint project with Audi, Rohde & Schwarz and Vector Informatik have developed a C-V2X test solution that allows traffic scenarios. Cellular-V2X (C-V2X) is a key technology which will increase traffic efficiency, improve road safety and enhance autonomous driving in the coming years. Of particular importance is the C-V2X PC5 interface, operating in the 5.9 GHz ITS frequency band. This enables direct, reliable, low latency communication between vehicles (V2V), vehicles and infrastructure

(V2I) and vehicles and pedestrians (V2P).

vehicles emulated by the Rohde & Schwarz test equipment.

To accelerate the deployment of this technology, cooperation between companies within the industry becomes increasingly important. In a joint project with Audi, Rohde & Schwarz and Vector Informatik have developed a C-V2X test solution that allows traffic scenarios involving multiple simulated vehicles and the communications between them to be tested in the laboratory in a precise and repeatable way. This enables the correct operation of C-V2X applications such as emergency brake warning in realistic and demanding traffic scenarios to be verified in laboratory. Jointly with Audi, the laboratory solution was extended for use at the proving ground. This enabled the verification of several scenarios with one single physical vehicle and many simulated

The key benefits of this approach are the use of the same test equipment in both locations and reducing the number of vehicles required for the proving ground. This test approach allowed Audi to perform various load tests and corner case scenarios using test vehicles and simulated vehicles together at the proving ground. The excellent co-operation between the teams facilitated co-development of this innovative C-V2X test setup, helping to reduce time to market and saving capital expenditure. The system comprises an R&S CMW500 radio communication tester, R&S SMBV100B vector signal generator (laboratory only), the Vector CANoe Car2x software, an R&S BBA150 amplifier and a R&S HF918 antenna with tripod and adaptor. This system is easily capable of generating signals with up to 33dBm output power, which is required by emergency vehicles in certain markets. Synchronization of the simulated vehicles and the test vehicle at the proving ground with real GNSS sources allows verification of complex traffic scenarios in real time. As C-V2X continues to increase its footprint in the automotive industry, having a test system which scales into different phases of the automotive verification cycle becomes increasing important to reduce time to market and minimize capital expenditure. Rohde & Schwarz is committed to supporting their partners in the automotive industry with innovative C-V2X test solutions in the coming years. www.rohde-schwarz.com/ automotive

Microchip continues expansion of Gallium Nitride (GaN) RF Power Portfolio New Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) and discrete devices deliver performance levels required in 5G, satellite communication and defense applications

provides the best combination of high-power density and yield, as well as high-voltage operation and longevity of more than 1 million hours at a 255o C junction temperature.

Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) today announced a significant expansion of its Gallium Nitride (GaN) Radio Frequency (RF) power device portfolio with new MMICs and discrete transistors that cover frequencies up to 20 gigahertz (GHz). The devices combine high power-added efficiency (PAE) and high linearity to deliver new levels of performance in applications ranging from 5G to electronic warfare, satellite communications, commercial and defense radar systems and test equipment.

They include GaN MMICs covering 2 to 18 GHz, 12 to 20 GHz, and 12 to 20 GHz with 3 dB Compression Point (P3dB) RF output power up to 20 W and efficiency up to 25%, as well as bare die and packaged GaN MMIC amplifiers for S- and X-band with up to 60% PAE, and discrete high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) devices covering DC to 14 GHz with P3dB RF output power up to 100W and maximum efficiency of 70%.

Like all Microchip GaN RF power products, the devices are fabricated using GaN-on-silicon carbide technology that

“Microchip continues to invest in our family of GaN RF products to support every application at all frequencies from microwave through millimeter wavelengths, and our product portfolio includes more than 50 devices, from lowpower levels to 2.2 kW,” said Leon

Gross, vice president of Microchip’s discrete products business unit. “Together the products announced today span 2 to 20 GHz and are designed to meet the linearity and efficiency challenges posed by the higher-order modulation techniques employed in 5G and other wireless networks, as well as the unique needs of satellite communications and defense applications.” Microchip’s portfolio of RF semiconductors in addition to GaN devices ranges from gallium arsenide (GaAs) RF amplifiers and modules to low-noise amplifiers, front-end modules (RFFEs), varactor, Schottky, and PIN diodes, RF switches and voltage variable attenuators. In addition, the company provides high-performance surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) oscillators and highly integrated modules that combine microcontrollers (MCUs) with RF transceivers (Wi-Fi® MCUs) that support major short-range wireless communications protocols from Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi to LoRa®. Microchip provides board design support to help with design-ins, as do the company’s distribution partners. The company also provides compact models for the new GaN products that let customers more easily model performance and expedite the design of the power amplifiers in their systems. The power devices announced today, include the ICP0349PP7-1300I and ICP1543-1-110I, as well as other Microchip RF products, and are available in volume production. For additional information, contact a Microchip sales representative or visit Microchip’s website. To purchase Microchip’s GaN products, contact a Microchip authorized distributor.

WITTENSTEIN high integrity systems and Real-Time Innovations (RTI) announce partnership to provide safety-critical software for embedded systems RTI Connext® Cert and SAFERTOS® Provide a Path to Safety Certification for Safety-Critical Applications WITTENSTEIN high integrity systems (WHIS) and Real-Time Innovations (RTI) announce a global technology partnership to enable system developers to expedite the development of embedded applications targeting the safety critical market. Through this collaboration, developers can follow a path to safety certification from prototype to production of safety-critical applications The new partnership will allow developers to take advantage of commercial development paths to safety certification using commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) from prototype to release using FreeRTOS, WHIS SAFERTOS® and RTI Connext®. SAFERTOS® is a pre-emptive, safety critical RTOS that delivers unprecedented levels of determinism and robustness to embedded systems while using

minimal resources. RTI Connext is the leading software framework for autonomous systems, and RTI Connext Cert provides the real-time data connectivity for safety-critical systems such as autonomous vehicles, connected healthcare and avionics. Both WHIS and RTI offer pre-certified software at the ISO 26262 ASIL D levels. WHIS is used internationally across a wide range of safety critical applications and is renowned for its high-software quality. SAFERTOS® is available pre-certified by TÜV SÜD to ISO 26262 ASIL D and IEC 61508 SIL 3. The upgrade path from FreeRTOS to SAFERTOS® offers an advantage to developers, who can prototype using FreeRTOS and convert to SAFERTOS® at the start of formal development. RTI Connext Micro is a lightweight connectivity framework that works with FreeRTOS in early prototype environments of resourceconstrained applications that require real-time performance.

Once the application is ready to move to the commercial stage, developers can migrate to SAFERTOS and Connext Cert, which provide the production-grade technology. When integrated with SAFERTOS, Connext Cert will enable developers to build applications on the latest safety microcontrollers, providing a solid foundation to support their safetycritical applications. Technology partnerships such as this between WHIS and RTI are vital for the industry,” says Andrew Longhurst, Managing Director, WITTENSTEIN high integrity systems. “There is a natural fit between SAFERTOS and RTI Connext Cert that will be of great benefit to automotive developers focusing on safety.” “From unmanned vehicles to defense systems to robotics, systems today are becoming more intelligent, autonomous and interconnected. Before we can reach widespread adoption, we need to eliminate gaps that could lead to safety risks. Built-in safety mechanisms throughout the software stack will deliver the necessary protection to ensure the systems perform without incident,” says Niheer Patel, Director of Product Management, RTI. “Our customers are prioritizing safety, and we are focused on delivering this through our work with WITTENSTEIN in order to deliver pre-certified safety software to run advanced embedded systems.”

Volkswagen enters into strategic partnerships for the industrialisation of battery technology The Volkswagen Group has entered into three more strategic partnerships, further strengthening its position in the field of batteries. The new partners are the leading materials technology group Umicore, the battery specialist 24M Technologies, and cleantech company Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd. Although these three partnerships are independent from each other, they share a common goal: The industrialisation of battery technology and the volume production of even more sustainable, cutting-edge batteries. The Volkswagen Group is consistently implementing its technology roadmap for the inhouse development and production of battery cells, as presented at its Power Day earlier this year. In Europe alone, the Group plans to build six Gigafactories by 2030.

Thomas Schmall, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group for Technology and CEO of Volkswagen Group Components: “Volkswagen is implementing its battery strategy very consistently and at a high pace. Volkswagen’s unified cell must be at the forefront of performance, costs and sustainability right from the start. With our new partners, we are one step closer to reaching this goal. Together, we will focus on key parts of the battery value chain and develop cutting-edge technologies.”

cathode materials. For Volkswagen AG, this is the next logical step towards vertical integration of the supply chain, having already decided to set-up large-scale, inhouse production of the unified cell.

Joint venture with Umicore

The intention is to gradually ramp up the JV’s production capacity, starting in 2025 with initial production of 20 GWh for the Volkswagen gigafactory in Salzgitter, Germany. The ultimate goal is to reach annual production capacity of up to 160 GWh by the end of the decade or, in other words, an annual production capacity to power approximately 2.2 million BEVs.

Volkswagen AG and Umicore, a leader in clean mobility materials, plan to establish a joint venture designed to supply Volkswagen AG’s European cell factories with

One key pillar is establishing a long-term partnership that includes the sharing of investments and having a framework to develop next generation technologies,

among other things. Moreover, the joint venture aims at jointly building up precursor and cathode material production capacities in Europe, and sustainably securing responsibly sourced raw material capacities at competitive prices. Close cooperation to foster cost optimisation activities and increase efficiencies in production processes are also on the agenda. “We are very pleased to become a long-term partner for Volkswagen in achieving its ambitious emobility strategy in Europe and in bringing our long-standing and proven expertise in rechargeable battery materials to this unique joint venture,” said Mathias Miedreich, CEO of Umicore. “The complementarity of our extensive technology, innovation and industrial know-how, will provide a strong framework to develop next generation battery material technologies, giving us a considerable first-mover advantage in this fast-growing market.” All proposed approaches and processes are subject to final agreements and customary conditions, including certain regulatory approvals. At the same time, Volkswagen AG and Umicore N.V. target at potentially including additional elements of recycling and refining into the scope of the joint venture at a later stage. In essence, the JV will support Volkswagen AG in establishing a European battery supply chain and sends a strong signal for the ongoing roll-out of future-oriented battery cell technology in Europe. Investment in 24M Technologies, Inc. In order to develop cutting-edge production technology for its cell plants, Volkswagen AG is investing into Cambridge-based battery start-up 24M, a spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The goal is to industrialise the 24M technology, a semi-solid process that is an improvement over the dry coating process, in the automotive battery area. 13

The target is to generate considerable cost optimisation in future battery production, by reducing material usage and eliminating several steps from the conventional production process. For this purpose, a new Volkswagen-owned subsidiary will further develop and upscale the technology for automotive applications based on 24M IPs. “The 24M mission is to develop a better, cleaner energy future powered by our technology,” said 24M President and CEO, Naoki Ota. “Our relationship with Volkswagen significantly expands the 24M ecosystem. Their investment, collaborative development and ability to scale globally will accelerate our manufacturing platform, thereby replacing the conventional manufacturing process and fast tracking electric vehicle adoption.” Prospective benefits include up to 40 percent less production area,

considerable savings on investment and more efficient product recycling, as well as the reduction of the CO2 footprint of battery production. Implementing the process in large-scale production is targeted for the second half of the decade. Completion of this transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. Long-term agreement with Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd Volkswagen AG and Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd have signed an agreement regarding the supply of CO2-neutral lithium from the Upper Rhine Valley in Germany. The binding contract focuses on providing lithium hydroxide over a period of five years starting 2026. The product will contribute to securing Volkswagen demand for future in-house cell production both in Germany and Europe.

Further aspects of a possible strategic partnership are under negotiation. Managing Director Francis Wedin: “Through this agreement, Vulcan Energy will become a major enabler of Volkswagen’s world-leading target to produce carbon neutral EVs, including all raw materials in the battery supply chain. We look forward to working closely with Volkswagen Group to build sustainable, local lithium supply for the German and European automotive sector.” Vulcan is currently developing a project to produce CO2 free lithium in the Upper Rhine Valley using a local and lithium-rich geothermal brine. Its Zero Carbon Lithium project aims to establish a sustainable and regional source of lithium from Europe’s largest deposit. The production process does not require fossil fuels or evaporation ponds.

Visualizing Sound with the FLIR Si124: an ultrasonic leak detection camera Did you know it’s possible to visualize sound? You don’t have to be an acoustic engineer to make sense of it either: the FLIR Si124 industrial acoustic imaging camera produces a precise acoustic image that is overlaid in real time on top of a digital camera picture. The blended visual and sound image is presented live on screen, visually displaying ultrasonic information and allowing the user to accurately pinpoint the source of the sound. Acoustic imaging is used for two primary purposes: air leak detection, and locating partial discharge from high-voltage systems. Using sound imaging from 124 built-in microphones, the FLIR Si124 can help professionals identify leaks and partial discharge up to 10 times faster than with traditional methods. Compressed air leak detection Compressed air is the single most expensive energy source across

all factory types, yet up to onethird of that compressed air gets lost to leaks and inefficiencies. The human ear can sometimes hear an air leak in a quiet environment, but in a typical industrial environment it’s impossible to hear even bigger leaks due to loud background noise. Fortunately, the Si124 filters out the industrial noise, allowing professionals to “visualize” sound even in noisy environments. Partial discharge in high-voltage systems In electrical systems, partial discharge can lead to equipment failures and unplanned downtime. With the Si124, professionals can safely detect problems from up to 100 meters away and analyze discharge patterns. The camera classifies three partial discharge types, including surface discharge, floating discharge, and discharge into air. Knowing the type and severity of the discharge enables the facility to schedule

maintenance to minimize failures and downtime. What sets the Si124 further apart from other acoustic imaging cameras is the FLIR Acoustic Camera Viewer cloud service. Image captures are quickly uploaded over Wi-Fi to the cloud service and then immediately analyzed, providing the user in-depth information such as the size and energy cost of a compressed air leak, or the partial discharge classification and pattern of an electric fault. In addition, users get 8 GBs of storage and wireless data transfer capabilities, making sharing photos and data simple and efficient. The Si124 requires minimal training and can be used one-handed. Through a regular maintenance routine, professionals can identify issues fast – helping utilities keep the power flowing and manufacturing operations going. To learn more, visit FLIR.com/Si124.

Moxa demonstrates game-changing solution for next-level time-sensitive networking Moxa Inc. today announced a collaboration with Intel Corporation and port industrial automation GmbH to develop a platform that demonstrates the industry’s first ready-to-use, application-to-application solution of time-sensitive networking (TSN). The solution combines Gigabit bandwidth and high performance, as well as enhanced reliability and security. The joint demonstration by an ideal combination of chip maker, device manufacturer, and software stack provider exemplifies the maturity and the potential of TSN capabilities and its readiness for being extended from wired to wireless networks. The wireless TSN will liberate standards- based, scalable, and highly flexible applications that are realizing Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) everywhere. The joint effort shows great promise that focuses on working on a truly unified and high-performance network infrastructure permitting all types of traffic to coexist. The development, one of the most complete applications of CC-Link IE TSN among the CLPA ecosystem, integrates CC-Link IE TSNcertified products, Moxa’s TSN-enabled switches, Intel’s latest generation of processor, 11th Generation Intel® CoreTM i7 processors, and Intel I120 TSN-enabled platforms. In addition, the application is developed by port, who has one of the industry’s first CC-Link IE TSN Class B-certified Master stacks and can demonstrate PROFINET capabilities over TSN through the first PROFINET CC-D remote station. “As one of the pioneers in developing TSN standards, Moxa committed to collaborating with key industry players and customers to accelerate a unified network infrastructure for communications at all levels including all kinds of industrial devices and protocols

running on top of it,” said Zico Lee, deputy general manager of Moxa Networking. “Working closely with Intel and port, we’ve achieved another milestone for advancing the development of TSN to the next stage as burgeoning consensus shows that TSN and wireless capabilities should combine to digest and react to data from multiple systems in real-time.” The unique proposition of the solution is the feasibility for the framework to integrate devices and protocols such as CC-Link IE TSN by CLPA, PROFINET over TSN (PROFINET CC-D), EtherCAT over TSN, and the upcoming OPC UA FX. There is also a neutral middleware developed for all kinds of industrial protocols over TSN to deliver synchronous communications between sensors, PLCs, and actuators, which are used in various industrial applications. “Moxa’s solution using TSN and realtime features on Intel Architecture Processors will enable the level of determinism required by Intelligent Industrial Edge systems where data is extracted, analyzed and actions applied real time. Using standard Ethernet based solutions accelerates digital transformation to Smart Factories, thus lowering total costs of ownership,” said Sunita Shenoy, senior director of Industrial IoT Platforms, Intel. “With TSN, there is finally an Ethernetbased technology available that can connect all kinds of devices on the factory floor using standardized Ethernet TSN infrastructure devices overcoming proprietary systems,” said Marcus Tangermann, chief technology officer, port industrial automation GmbH. “TSN infrastructure components have better knowledge about all data streams within the network, which allows sophisticated planning of network traffic.”

“The industrial Ethernet and networking expertise that Moxa brings to the industry has helped enable higher performance for precise control in manufacturing applications now and in the future, as well as higher bandwidth and real-time communications that empower evolving technologies such as edge computing, industrial AIoT, and machine vision for smart manufacturing,” said Eason Lin, senior director of Advance Product Development, Orisol, which is a world-leading company for manufacturing equipment that produces footwear, as well as an automation solution provider, and a software and smart manufacturing solution service provider. “The collaboration announced today has also got us excited about the possibility of expanding our TSN applications to a wireless horizon.” TSN is a future-proof solution that improves determinism and reliability in industrial Ethernetbased communications across vertical markets. When it creates accurate time synchronization across a network and traffic prioritization, users can combine many types of traffic on a single network with no loss of performance. Moreover, the solution also supports timecritical, control-related tasks and improves the transparency of how information is processed to support quality and output. With the advent of the new paradigm of 5G and Wi-Fi 6/7 connectivity, it is now possible to expand deterministic communications over wireless networks. For more information please visit: www.moxa.com

Specialist project partner enables effecient pharma application delivery When installing a new pharmaceutical manufacturing process, the design and implementation of hygienic fluid control systems is integral to performance. Separate procurement, delivery and commissioning suppliers can lead to a complex approach to project management. Alternatively, a specialist project partner, such as Bürkert Fluid Control Systems, can help resolve inefficiencies and provide the necessary expertise across mechanical, electrical and control automation aspects. Damien Moran, Bürkert’s Field Segment Manager for the hygienic & pharmaceutical sector, discusses the benefits of the combined project management approach.

A pharmaceutical manufacturing system project, typically managed by an engineering design consultant, often has to specify, procure, commission and support automation, valve and instrumentation component packages, as well as systems that span a variety of expertise. This ranges from automation, including control panels and pneumatic valve islands, to electrical and instrumentation, such as flow meters, sensors and electropneumatically actuated valves, to mechanical components, including manually operated valves. The end user might specify from an authorised supplier list, and the system integrator may suggest preferred brands. However, the design consultant has the responsibility to select

fluid control components that integrate effectively, not only to ensure an optimised process but also to maximise efficiency of commissioning and reliability of operation in the field. From fieldbus communications to certification approvals, the design consultant needs to handle the challenges associated with the integration of diverse brands for the automation, electrical and mechanical areas of a pharma project. Reasons for selecting multiple brands could range from cost to individual component preference, however this approach requires greater resources in management and coordination. Alternatively, the design consultant can work with a valve and instrumentation partner that

assures effective integration of components across all areas. Such a partner can also provide project management and support from start to finish, including ongoing field support.

be provided on automation concepts such as centralised and decentralised control through to integration of digital communication protocols and the information/diagnostics which can be communicated.

Fluidic design expertise This starts with a design consultation and is potentially the area of greatest benefit to the overall effectiveness of a project as it provides the opportunity to check and optimise the system design using input from specialists in hygienic fluid control solutions. In Bürkert’s case, typical examples of providing design consultation and designing customised solutions include combining individual valves into a single, multi-port block valve solution to reduce the overall footprint, maintenance requirements and costs. System performance can be improved by minimising areas of dead volume with a manipulated drainable design alternative. In terms of automation, design advice can

Crucial to the design phase is the integration of valve and instrumentation models, into the piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) in order to create a full 3D model of the plant. This requires 3D CAD STEP files of all components that the designer can import into their plant model. A project partner like Bürkert will make these models available for simple and free access, downloadable from a website or provided directly. Useful input to design plans can also include a virtual fluidic simulator model that demonstrates a proof of concept. This can be used to resolve design queries and helps to qualify system performance pre-installation and create a more efficient roll out long term.

Global expertise & collaboration Implementing the design requires careful and effective project management based on technical competence as well as commitment in support throughout, particularly to overcome the challenges presented in the real world. Bürkert’s model includes a local account manager plus the support of a dedicated pharmaceutical sector specialist, with direct access to a central Hygienic Competence team that coordinates global expertise. Many projects are international, based for example around a UK design consultant with various OEM’s and Contractors from around the world. These are supported by Bürkert’s international network of pharmaceutical project managers that enable easy communication for global projects and installations. A key to design and project management includes ensuring that all required documentation, including certificates and

approvals, is available. Due to the critical nature of approvals for the pharmaceutical sector, it’s vital that a project partner has the knowledge and experience to advise on the requirements of individual products, as well as if and how those approvals are met.

manage this process. Deliveries need to include palletising with storage designations for specific areas of an end user’s plant, as well as customised tagging, labelling and packaging for easy identification in a potentially crowded installation environment.

Support in commissioning – and beyond

While the engineering consultant tends to rely on an installer, technical support in set up may also be required, usually for electrical or automated aspects, such as a valve island or control valve commissioning. Providing this assurance alongside the handover of the project to the end user, as well as offering additional field support, is not only of practical value but also provides peace of mind.

During project installation, physical space is typically at a premium. Scheduled delivery of components staggered to match the project timeline is therefore important. While working with several individual suppliers can make this more of a challenge, a single project partner can efficiently

To optimise hygienic pharmaceutical fluid control system design and implementation, the optimal approach is holistic project management, as opposed to treating the separate components as procurement commodities. This is particularly the case for systems that involve higher degrees of electrical and automation complexity. Delivering the successful integration of mechanical, electrical and automation packages is essential, and the support of a pharmaceutical specialist project partner throughout a project will ensure a more efficient process delivery as well as an optimised outcome for the end user.

Cooling EVOlution: Eurochiller introduces its GCevo new, robust, high-performance chiller range Eurochiller, now part of the Atlas Copco group of companies, has announced the introduction of its new GCevo series, an innovative development of its established GC chillers range. GCevo air- or water-cooled process water chillers now offer cooling capacities ranging from 4 to 122 kW and full compliance with the Tier 2 Eco Design Directive − plus an energy saving performance that exceeds the SEPR requirement. Energy efficiency performance Energy efficiency is the major feature of the new range: as from January 1, 2021, every chiller sold within Europe has had to meet the new and stringent minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), established according to the type of unit and cooling capacity, under the EcoDesign Directive. The GCevo-A/C series fully satisfies these requirements, and all models achieve and even exceed the Seasonal Energy Performance Ratio (SEPR)

thereby attaining the maximum level of energy savings. Major features of the GCevo design concern control, monitoring and operational safety characteristics. Specific models in the 12/110 sizes range are equipped with an IQ21 + Icons touch screen IP-54 rated control panel which provides the algorithms to control the chiller parameters constantly and continuously. The user-friendly, interactive interface facilitates remote control of the working parameters for each unit allowing precise regulation of the working conditions, thus benefiting the quality and performance of the process operation. Furthermore, all units are equipped with multiple features to guarantee operational safety. Probes and sensors communicate in real time to control panels for prompt reporting of functional anomalies. All-in-one installation Redesigned to reduce overall dimensions, all the GCevo

components are integrated and harmonised within a sturdy, galvanized steel, epoxy powder coated frame that allows units to be installed outdoors with no additional protection. The tank and pump are fabricated in stainless steel to prevent rust formation from process water, and coated aluminium microchannel condensers with corrosion resistance not only provide assured longevity but reduce the refrigerant charge by 30% compared to standard condenser designs. Other major features include hermetic scroll compressors (Gas R407c / R134a) with phase sequence control systems to protect compressor operation in case of power supply variations and all aircooled units are fitted with axial fans. Models within the new GCevo range can be supplied with different hydraulic and fan configurations to match specific requirements and allow the chiller to be used in a wide variety of applications and environments.

The road to energy efficiency starts here Why power quality makes industry energy efficient Did you know the invention of robots dates back to XVth century? When Leonardo da Vinci explored the idea of the human body as a machine, he came up with a robotic knight - medieval armour designed with gears, wheels, pulleys and cables that allowed it to move its arms and legs. Premature inventions like this one populate the engineering landscape to this day, often when it comes to energy-saving technologies such as regenerative braking. Here, Tony Young, owner director of supply and repair specialist CP Automation, explains how easy it can be to make industrial applications more energy efficient by using regenerative braking and harmonic filters. Pull your energy weight One solution suitable for many industrial applications, particularly in heavy engineering, transport, mining, the elevator market and other applications that involve a lot of braking and restarting is regenerative braking. When braking, an electric motor generates energy that can be used immediately in the local grid and thus reducing the draw from the mains supply. In effect, this means turning your motor into a generator, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, which can be fed back to the local network. The mechanism is extremely common in electric and hybrid vehicles where the energy is stored in the batteries and works particularly well in urban environments, where drivers tend to brake often enough to generate a lot of energy. Lesser known applications of regenerative braking can also be found in industry. By using a regen 22

unit like RevCon in engine test stands, transmission, escalators, power plants and many other applications that use continuous braking, you can regenerate the braking energy of the driven system, and feed it back into the network. Regen power can be sized to the application; for a 90kW drive, for example, a 30kW regen unit could be suitable - because it rarely brakes at full capacity. The capacity range of regen can vary anywhere between 4kW and 300kW – the higher the capacity, the bigger the savings and the faster the payback. A good regen unit should work with any AC drive and should be easy to retrofit to any inverter, irrespective of design or manufacturer, due to its non-software driven installation protocol - plug and play so to speak. RevCon can use a feed-in tariff similar to the ones found on domestic and semi-commercial wind turbines, to allow companies to charge the electricity supplier for the excess returned power, should the building not use the energy locally. It’s about quality A complementary energy-efficient technology to regenerative braking is the harmonic filter, which works by improving the power quality of a system. By increasing the number and diversity of power electronics used in industrial environments, you also increase the number of non-linear loads, in which the current drawn by the load doesn’t have the same wave form as the supply voltage. Some of the most common sources of harmonic currents include industrial equipment like welding machines, arc furnaces or rectifiers, variable speed drives, office equipment like PCs, printers and even household appliances, such as the humble television.

The flow of harmonics reduces power quality and can cause a number of problems including premature ageing of equipment and overloads on the power distribution system, which result in the need to increase the level of subscribed power, thus incurring additional costs. Finally, harmonics can cause irritating and costly tripping and shutdown of production lines and equipment. The bottom line is that when electrical equipment has a poor signal, it uses more energy. The peaks caused by harmonics in electricity can result in energy wastage and the best way to solve the problem is by implementing a harmonic filter. Depending on the application, you might want to use an active or a passive filter, with series or shunt compensation. The first thing to do is survey your system. Or better yet, get a specialist to come in and do that for you. This way, you won’t miss anything and you’ll have a full picture of the different generations of electrical equipment on your shop floor. A survey will also allow you to see your industrial facility as a whole and identify the real root causes for power quality problems. Tightening industry regulations and increasing energy prices mean industrial players of all sizes now have more reasons to make energy efficiency a priority and put continuous energy improvements at the heart of their business model. Part of the reason da Vinci’s robotic knight never caught on was that the mentality of the times simply didn’t fit with the idea of automated machines. Perhaps we shouldn’t make the same mistake when it comes to energy efficiency. The technology is readily available, but we must be wise enough to implement it.

Festo automation and support help accelerate the drive to vehicle electrification Festo continues to broaden its expertise and resources to support the automotive industry’s changing needs as it transforms from the internal combustion engine (ICE) towards electrification. From its comprehensive product portfolio, Festo offers coordinated solutions for the robust, safe and precise gripping and transport of battery cells, along with many years of experience to help optimise machine safety and energy efficiency. Producing battery modules is a complex process that involves assembling costly and potentially dangerous electrochemical elements. Their production poses new challenges to the industry: for example, it is essential to avoid damaging the battery cells during handling. In the last two years, Festo has invested heavily to cover all the requirements for EV production. Festo’s research and participation in joint research projects, which focus on the handling process for producing

solid-state Li-ion battery cells or recycling batteries, also contribute to their development. “We are already engaged with and supporting a range of gigafactory investments and subsequent projects for EV production, battery research and related infrastructure,” says Pete Rogers, National Team Manager for Automotive at Festo GB. “Our specialist industry team is on hand to support the automation needs of this fast-growing sector.” Festo offers many products and solutions for manufacturing machines and systems along the entire production process chain, including copper-, zinc- and nickelfree products and dry- and cleanroom compatible products. Festo’s energy-efficient piezo valves and servo press, for example, are already driving equipment for producing wound battery cells. Using highquality products pays off in this application because the batteries are costly and gigafactories run

at high cycle rates, so maximising uptime isparamount. Production facilities for batteries and EVs are currently being planned and built worldwide at short notice and high speed. The ability to train and on-board large numbers of employees very quickly is crucial. Festo Didactic offers industry-specific training concepts: from the Festo Learning Experience Platform for self-study to hands-on training.

Dr Ansgar Kriwet, Member of the Management Board for Sales: “In 2020, 70% of Festo’s top projects in the automotive industry involved investments for electromobility.” Over the next few years, Festo expects significant double-digit percentage growth in this segment. For more information about Festo products and services for battery cell and EV production, visit: www.festo.co.uk/ electrificationofpowertrain

Fluke Networks launches FiberLert, the first live fibre detector A pocket-sized tool for fast and effective troubleshooting The one-handed tool allows anyone to perform basic tests on fibre and quickly identifies polarity issues and failed transceivers. The presence of near infra-red light is indicated by means of an audible sound and LED. Fluke has today announced the launch of a handheld tool that detects invisible near-infrared (850-1625nm) wavelengths used in fibre-optic communication to troubleshoot cable, port, polarity and transceiver issues.

Easy troubleshooting

Removing the guesswork

Designed for one-handed operation, the FiberLert™ is an easy-to-use troubleshooting tool that allows technicians and engineers to simply test for the presence of near infra-red light without the need for complicated setup or interpretation of the measurement data. When placed in front of an active fibre optic port or patch cord, the tester emits a continuous light and optional tone. The tool is unique in the market for users to resolve the cause of the communications failure in fibreoptic networks.

Fibre networks carry a significant amount of data and issues that arise can impact many users making a quick resolution essential. “There are a lot of network engineers and technicians who need to test and troubleshoot fibre connections on an occasional basis but lack the tools and expertise to do so,” said Robert Luijten, Fluke Networks training manager and test and measurement expert. “So, they are forced to guess as to the cause of a communication issue and replace components such as transceivers and patch cords in the hope of solving the issue.” FiberLert removes the guesswork by clearly indicating where the signal is present and where it is not. This allows users to quickly pinpoint and remedy the cause of the problem, such as a failed transceiver or failed patch cord and replace it. FiberLert supports single-mode, multimode, UPC/APC patch cords and ports and can test without contacting the port or patch cord, reducing the risk of contamination or damage. Keeping it simple FiberLert’s LightBeat™ feature flashes the LED, indicating a powered-on condition and good battery. A timer shuts the tester off after five minutes of inactivity to extend battery life. Rugged design includes a convenient pocket clip and is backed by a two-year warranty. For more information, visit the Fluke Networks website at www.flukenetworks.com

Peak Metrology enters into partnership with IDC MicroInspection Aerotech subsidiary expands partner network with key technologies for digital microscopes Aerotech’s newest subsidiary, Peak Metrology, goes from strength to strength as the surface metrology solutions provider announced a partnership with IDC MicroInspection. The partnership combines Peak Metrology’s instrument and hardware capabilities with IDC MicroInspection’s process knowledge and application software. Digital microscope users will benefit from new capabilities such as larger measurement volumes and increased automation in image acquisition. In addition, reliable positioning machines with scan automation software are now available for seamless integration with Keyence VHX digital microscopes. Led by RJ Hardt, a long-time Aerotech engineer, Peak Metrology draws on Aerotech’s extensive positioning systems expertise, but focuses exclusively on supporting industrial customers with surface metrology solutions through to complete integration. “The market for digital microscopes is booming. However, in areas such as semiconductor manufacturing, precision manufacturing, electronics, aerospace or medical technology, they quickly reach their limits,” emphasises RJ Hardt, President at Peak Metrology. “We want to support our customers in measuring larger parts in the best possible way - that is one of our top company goals. By partnering with IDC, we are able to deliver a fully integrated product. The bundled know-how and the operator software of our partner IDC finally bring our solution over the finish line.”

Strong expertise on both sides

About IDC MicroInspection

Peak Metrology develops and manufactures standard and special equipment for surface and precision measurement processes. For surface metrology applications, Peak Metrology offers a wide range of products up to turnkey machines. The Swiss company IDC specialises in the fields of automated microscopy, optical inspection, software development and precision mechanical engineering. The 25 years of experience in the semiconductor and microelectronics industry, as well as medical technology, that IDC management has is the basis for the successful implementation of all projects.

IDC MicroInspection specialises in automated microscopy, optical inspection and precision engineering. The 25 years of experience, that the IDC Management team has in the semiconductor and microelectronics industry as well as in mechanical engineering is the basis for the realisation of customer projects. The Swiss family business was founded in 2006 on Lake Zurich with the aim of developing sustainable and innovative machines and solutions

“Through our proven software interface, on the one hand we can replicate functions of digital microscopes, but on the other hand we can also add useful functions that did not exist before,” said Thorleif Brandsberg, Managing Director at IDC MicroInspection. “By combining our products with a well-known equipment manufacturer, we will help even more users solve their precision inspection challenges in the future.”

About Aerotech

About Peak Metrology Peak Metrology designs and manufactures standard and custom equipment for surface measurement processes. Working in the semiconductor, electronics, advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defence and medical markets, Peak Metrology engineers solve customers’ complex surface metrology challenges with instrumentation solutions based on more than 50 years of experience. Customers trust Peak Metrology to deliver precision instruments that reduce measurement uncertainty and increase process automation. Further information at www.peakmetrology.com

Further information at www.idc-gmbh.ch

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, USA, Aerotech Inc. is a privately held, family-owned, mid-sized company. Founded in 1970 by Stephen J. Botos, Aerotech designs and manufactures the world’s most powerful motion control and positioning systems for customers in industry, science and research. In the spirit of a family business, the owners continue to attach the utmost importance to open and trusting dealings with customers, business partners and employees. In addition to sales and service activities, the customised assembly of positioning systems for the European market takes place in Fuerth, Germany. The innovative and high-precision motion solutions meet all the critical requirements needed for today’s demanding applications. They are used wherever high throughput is required - including in medical technology and life science applications, semiconductor and flat screen production, photonics, automotive, data storage, laser processing, aerospace, electronics manufacturing, as well as in inspection and testing through to assembly. www.uk.aerotech.com 25

Top tips for solar installation troubleshooting using the Fluke 393 FC CAT III 1500 V Clamp Meter The new-to-market Clamp Meter 393 FC from Fluke is the world’s first handheld tool which enables technicians to safely measure up to 1500 V in DC environments such as industrial solar farms.

troubleshoot PV systems efficiently and effectively. Clamp meters are often used in the installation and commissioning phase as well as when completing maintenance and troubleshooting.

prevent accidental miswiring

Fluke is experiencing increasing demand for high-precision handheld devices which can measure photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United Kingdom. The number of solar installations in the United Kingdom has doubled within the last year and is set to double again before 2030. Solar Energy UK, an established trade organisation, is working with 230 businesses across the solar and energy storage value chain to increase the UK’s solar storage capacity to 40 GW.

The new-to-market Fluke 393 FC Clamp Meter is the world’s only CAT III 1500 V rated true-rms clamp meter which enables technicians to take measurements in DC environments, such as industrial solar farms. The tool was tailormade to test and measure solar PV applications with key functions including:

- Logging and reporting of test results via Fluke Connect software

This dynamic growth is creating an ever-increasing demand for technicians who know how to

- an IP54 rating which is ideal for working outdoors on solar arrays and wind power systems - DC power measurement with readings displayed in kVA - an audio polarity indicator to

- Visual continuity turns provide a bright green light in the display to aid technicians working in dark and noisy environments

Hans-Dieter Schuessele, Application & Technology Expert EMEA of Fluke says: “The transition to using renewable energy is accelerating and it’s critical that installers and maintenance staff have access to the right instruments to not only get solar farms online fast but can keep them working at peak performance. As the world’s first solar clamp meter to offer a CAT III rating at 1500 V, the Fluke 393 FC allows technicians to work safely while ensuring the use of solar energy has a bright future.”

As solar distribution systems and loads become larger and more complex, the implications for the safety of a technician become more important. It is critical for technicians to understand the level of protection built into a tool and how to use it when completing maintenance and troubleshooting. According to Fluke, troubleshooting a PV system typically focuses on four parts of the system: the PV panels, load, inverter and combiner boxes. 1. Troubleshooting PV panels A technician should first check the output of the entire system at the metering system or inverter. Before commencing troubleshooting, also check and record the inverter’s input voltage and current level from the array. The combiner box can be a great place to troubleshoot the system because the individual wires from the modules are brought back to it. Each module may have a fuse that should be checked with the Fluke 393 FC. Wiring problems and loose connections may cause a module to produce a voltage that is too low. These can be traced out using the Fluke 393 FC to check wiring connections at the junction boxes. The Fluke 393 FC provides an audio polarity warning when testing Voc. If the polarity is reversed, it may mean that other circuits in the combiner box are unintentionally connected in series, resulting in voltages over the maximum inverter input voltage.

2. Troubleshooting PV loads Start by checking the load switches, fuses, and breakers with the Fluke 393 FC to see if the correct voltage is present at the load’s connection. Next, check the fuses and circuit breakers. Find and replace blown fuses or tripped breakers. If the load is a motor, an internal thermal breaker might be tripped or there might be an open winding in the motor. For testing purposes, plug in another load and see if it operates properly. As with any electrical system, check for broken wires and any loose connections. Clean all dirty connections and replace all bad wiring. With the power off, check for and repair any ground faults. If any fuses blow or breakers trip again, there will be a short that will need to be located and repaired. If the load still does not operate properly, use the Fluke 393 FC to check the system’s voltage at the load’s connection. The wire size may be too small and need to be increased. This will show up as a low voltage at the load and to resolve either reduce the load on the circuit or run a larger wire. 3. Troubleshooting PV inverters The inverter converts DC from the PV system into AC power for building use. For troubleshooting the AC side, use the Fluke 393 FC to check the inverter’s output voltage and current levels. Many of these systems have a display that indicates current inverter and system performance. As the Fluke 393 FC produces a true-rms

reading, you can use the voltage and current to measure and record the power output in kilowatt (kW). If possible, use the inverter display to show the current total energy in kilowatt hours (kWh) and compare it to the one recorded during the last inspection. When troubleshooting the DC side, use the Fluke 393 FC to check the DC power and save the reading to the Fluke Connect™ app on your phone. If the inverter does not produce the right amount of power, there may be a blown fuse, tripped breaker or broken wires — all of which can easily checked with the Fluke 393 FC. 4. Troubleshooting Combiner Boxes When troubleshooting combiner boxes, amperage measurements and calculations are crucial to establishing whether the PV arrays are operating correctly. Measuring current on individual arrays or combining current measurements will help determine if a module has malfunctioned. The thinner jaw design of the Fluke 393 FC clamp meter ensures several conductors are used in the jaw for combined current measurements, even in tight or crowded spaces like inverter or combiner boxes. For more information, about 393 FC CAT III 1500 V true-rms Clamp Meter with iFlex, please go to: www.fluke.com/en-gb/product/ electrical-testing/clamp-meters/ fluke-393-fc-cat-iii-1500-v-truerms-clamp-meter

New laser distance sensor with integrated heating and cooling element is suitable for permanent outdoor use Precision sensor supplier MicroEpsilon has extended its popular optoNCDT ILR2250-100 range of noncontact laser distance sensors with an integrated heating and cooling version that is suitable for use in ambient temperatures from -40°C up to +65°C, enabling the sensor to be used in permanent outdoor distance measurement applications. The optoNCDT ILR2250-100-H laser distance sensor is the ideal choice for outdoor measurements over long distances. The sensor not only measures distances up to 150m with an accuracy of < ± 1mm, but also measures accurately on difficult surfaces such as dark, structured or weakly reflecting objects. Without any special adaptations to the target, the sensor has an impressive range up to 100m. Adding a reflector to the target extends the range to 150m. The optoNCDT ILR2250-100 range of laser distance sensors now comprises

three models: the ILR2250-100, ILR2250100-IO and the ILR2250-100-H. The ILR2250-100 and ILR2250-100-IO have no integrated heating and cooling element and are suitable for use in ambient temperatures from -10°C to +50°C. The ILR2250-100-IO is a version with IO-Link, a widely used industrial communications networking standard (IEC61131-9) for connecting digital sensors and actuators to industrial fieldbus or Ethernet networks. This enables simple integration and commissioning in industrial automation environments, as well as faster sensor replacement with automated re-parameterisation during operation. All ILR2250-100 sensors are protected by an IP65 die cast aluminium housing and are suitable for a wide range of applications, both indoor and outdoor, from

transport, logistics and conveyor systems, to automation, metal processing, production monitoring and unmanned drones or vehicles. The factory default AUTO measurement mode allows precise and reliable measurements to be made on targets over great distances. Additional modes are also available to tune the sensor to specific application requirements. The sensors have already found uses in monitoring large coil diameters, silo filling levels and gantry cranes. The combined long range and high accuracy of the sensors has also found particular benefits in the measurement and control of diameters for hot ring rolling. In terms of technical performance, the ILR2250-100 is unsurpassed in its field, providing excellent repeatability (<300µm), resolution (0.1mm) and linearity (< ± 1mm), resulting in extremely stable measurements and excellent signal stability. The sensor’s small footprint (102 x 53 x 50mm) and weight (254g) represent a 65% reduction in size and weight compared to its predecessor, allowing it to be easily installed in narrow or restricted spaces in production lines and machines. The optoNCDT ILR2250-100 can provide continuous measurement output via a 16-bit, scalable, 4-20mA analogue output or via RS422 serial communication. Three digital switch outputs are available for simple process monitoring and a trigger input provides opportunities to control when the sensor takes a reading. For more information on the optoNCDT ILR2250-100-H, please visit www.micro-epsilon.co.uk

O2 Tidal Turbine sending not only Power, but Data onshore. Intelligent Plant recently won a project to assist the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in deploying a data acquisition system for the Orbital Marine Power O2 Tidal Turbine. The system, which is linked to Intelligent Plant’s Industrial App Store allows remote access to real time, mission critical data and provides a cloud-based platform for EMEC to carry out power performance assessments for wave and tidal energy developers.

we’ve created for Orbital can be reconfigured to suit other clients’ needs in the future. Until now, technology developers have had to log into the device’s onboard systems to view live or download historical data manually. This new system will act as a web-enabled historian automating the data collection, storage and processing steps and can be built upon to provide a range of automated diagnostic and monitoring facilities.

This will improve accessibility of data for Orbital Marine Power’s operators, technicians and other stakeholders, providing cuttingedge tools to monitor performance and status of the device while in operation.

“For EMEC, this will also enhance our systems to deliver power performance assessments to our clients and is the first step in creating an online performance assessment system for ocean energy devices deployed either at our own test site in Orkney or remotely as per our clients’ requirements.”

The Industrial App Store has been integrated with the systems onboard the Orbital O2 tidal turbine which was deployed at EMEC’s Fall of Warness tidal test site in June this year as part of the Horizon 2020 FloTEC project. The configuration and deployment of the data acquisition system has been supported by the Interreg NWE OceanDEMO project. User-friendly dashboards enable quick and easy access to relevant data streams from anywhere in the world. This will enable Orbital’s Engineers to access data from the O2 turbine in real time without a requirement for manual intervention. The Industrial App Store also provides data to EMEC’s performance test engineers, streamlining the analysis of the tidal turbine’s performance as part of EMEC’s accredited testing services. Scott Crawford, Systems Engineer at EMEC, said: “The architecture

Angel Rua Santaclara, Control and Instrumentation Manager at Orbital Marine Power said: “Data acquisition from such a complex device as the O2 is hugely important for a number of functions. There are hundreds of sensors constantly measuring several variables and these generate a huge amount of information around performance of the turbine. Intelligent Plant’s Industrial App Store provides us with an incredibly useful tool that allows our data to be stored safely and accessed from anywhere, as well as a user friendly interface with pre-made analysis algorithms that make understanding our data very easy.” Steve Aitken from Intelligent Plant said: “Intelligent Plant are delighted to be working with EMEC and Orbital as we see a massive future for renewables. We want to empower renewables with data and analytics to optimise the

delivery of power whilst managing the integrity of the assets and democratising access to the data. This allows everyone who has permission to make a difference.” Who is Intelligent Plant and what does it do? Intelligent Plant is well known for providing the world’s first truly open & secure IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) portal known as the Industrial App Store (IAS). The IAS enables secure, remote, performance monitoring of equipment and processes through storage, analysis, and visualisation of real-time data, and in the management and interpretation of process alarm data. It links access to your data with a SaaS based App Market. What makes the Industrial App Store unique in this space is that your data remains on your network, under your control, you can put it on a physical machine, or an Azure instance / AWS it does not matter. This removes the requirement for cloud-specific data processing fees or architectures - which ultimately saves money and more importantly, allows you to retain full control of your data. It provides the right data to the right people at the right time – centralised and automated data flows, as well as effective visualisations & dashboards, it provides immediate access to current data without any time spent facilitating the request. The App Store is also completely open to all App developers, removing the huge restrictions other vendors put on usage of and access to your data. For more information visit: www.intelligentplant.com

From good wood Fully automatic wood parts inspection You always need and see them everywhere: in metalworking, on the construction site, in almost every toolbox... the good old hand brush. Whether classic all-purpose brushes or brushes for special applications, the German-based company Lessmann GmbH has virtually all of them in its range. The shape is varied, from straight to ergonomic. But they all have one thing in common: The wooden bodies are made exclusively from untreated red beech. Depending on the model, they also have two hanging holes at the end of the handle. Production is fully automatic and highly rational. In order to ensure its own claim to the excellent quality of the hand brush woods, Lessmann has been relying on classic image processing for many years. But now “The German Brush Company” has implemented

an image processing system from the Bavarian system house Simon IBV GmbH that uses robust IDS industrial cameras and SIMAVIS® H image processing software to detect even barely perceptible tolerance deviations particularly reliably. Application The brush woods, which are milled fully automatically at a production rate of 1500 pieces per hour, are removed from the milling machine by a timed circulating chain with quiver-shaped receptacles and pushed onto a longitudinal conveyor belt. A multi-camera system is installed on the conveyor belt, which checks the 2 to 6-row hand-brushed timbers for defects such as cracks, splintering and size. “The testing task is particularly demanding because the untreated copper beech varies greatly in its colour and grain. For example,

cracks cannot always be clearly distinguished from dark grains,” explains Daniel Simon, authorised signatory at SIMON IBV. But the choice of wood type has good reasons: On the one hand, red beech is recommended for the production of hand brushes due to its excellent properties, such as a special degree of hardness. On the other hand, sustainability plays a major role. Lessmann can source the brush wood from the surrounding area and thus both support regional forestry and avoid transport routes. While the timbers pass through production on a conveyor belt, a total of four IDS cameras of the type GigE uEye FA are triggered by a so-called incremental encoder. This sensor reacts to the belt position so that any change in position of the brush body is detected by the belt movement. The image capture is offset by

2.5 mm per camera, so each camera takes a new image every 10 mm. The captured images are discarded until the first camera detects that there is a wooden body in the field of view. From this point on, the other three cameras are activated and up to 35 pictures are taken per camera. The number of images is limited by camera 1, as it outputs as soon as no more brush body is visible.

with differently weighted criteria for each camera. The weighting is done via the test sequence of the evaluation criteria. In a first step, rough geometric factors such as length, width, height, symmetry and shape deviations are evaluated.

The images captured by the IDS cameras are pre-processed and composited simultaneously with the image capture. Thus, during the time of evaluation, the image acquisition as well as the preprocessing of the next brush can already take place. The individual images of the same situation from the four offset cameras are cropped, scaled and merged into one overall image by the software. The brush bodies are evaluated

“First, dark areas are segmented and evaluated according to setpoint specifications,” explains Matthias Eimer, system integrator at Simon IBV. “After that, deviating discolourations are searched for, singled out and evaluated according to setpoint specifications.” Even the tolerances for rough spots can be set in the target values and are subsequently evaluated. Only in the last step of the frame-by-frame evaluation

The holes in the brush body are checked for position and overlap, followed by step-by-step surface inspection.

do the cameras search for cracks. Finally, the overall result is formed and merged from the individual evaluations of the views. The system checks a total of 32 setpoints, 27 of which alone for compliance with precisely defined tolerance specifications.” The uEye cameras used from the FA family are particularly robust and therefore predestined for use in such a harsh environment as the brush factory. Camera housings, lens tubes and the screwable connectors meet the requirements of protection class IP65/67. They are also optimally suited for the multi-camera operation required here due to the integrated image memory, as this decouples the image capture from the image transmission and enables the buffering of images before transmission in this application. The GV-5280FA industrial cameras

with GigE Vision firmware are equipped with Sony’s IMX264 2/3” global shutter CMOS sensor, which also provides excellent image quality, high light sensitivity and an exceptionally high dynamic range. The four CMOS cameras used deliver almost noise-free, very high-contrast 5 MP images. With exactly these features, the camera model recommended itself for use in demanding brush testing. “The camera has the right resolution, the Sony sensor is very good and the protection class is met,” says Daniel Simon, summing up the selection criteria. IDS cameras are easy to integrate, true to the company motto “It’s so easy”, as Daniel Simon knows from his many years of cooperation with IDS. The heart of the solution is the solution provider’s specially developed software. Software SIMAVIS® H is an image processing software with which complete solutions can be quickly assembled. This machine vision software is based on ProVision® (former SIEMENS development) and HALCON, a comprehensive standard software for industrial image processing with integrated development environment. This allows individual adaptation to the requirements of testing the wooden brush bodies: “The check for defects was programmed by us individually by hand, we have a lot of experience in the field of wooden surfaces. The tolerance thresholds can be set by the many setpoints depending on the feature,” Daniel Simon emphasises. SIMAVIS® H offers an intuitive user interface for the operating personnel of the finished system, including manual and automatic operation with type management, setpoint menu, authorisation concept, language switching, statistics module and much more. Outlook “Through the control, automatic further processing is possible. With the new imaging solution, wood

defects can now be detected more reliably. The proportion of defective wood bodies classified as good has fallen from around 2 per cent to less than 1 per cent,” explains Managing Director Jürgen Lessmann. The subsequent filling of the brush bodies with wire is already fully automatic, and the packaging of the finished hand brushes can be carried out in future with the help of robotics. Due to the improved control of the wooden bodies, the previously necessary manual quality control of the finished hand brush can be omitted. Before packing, which is carried out by a SCARA robot, only a brief visual inspection is necessary. This relieves the machine personnel and increases productivity. In this exemplary application, the use of artificial intelligence also offers further potential in the future. “AI will probably further improve the inspection result, which will allow further automation of production, as manual inspection operations can be eliminated,” Jürgen Lessmann predicts. And not only for brushes made of good wood: the multi-camera testing system can be adapted for countless products and materials. Client Lessmann GmbH is one of the leading producers of surface finishing tools in Europe. At its production sites in Oettingen in Bavaria and Solingen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lessmann has been manufacturing surface tools in the form of technical brushes “Made in Germany” since 1948. State-of-the-art production facilities, consistent quality controls and permanent tests ensure the high quality of the brushes. SIMON IBV GmbH is a manufacturer of solutions in the field of industrial image processing. Furthermore, the company is the developer of its own standard software for image evaluation as well as the manufacturer of hardware components specially designed for optical inspection systems. 33

Combined companies have more than 100 years’ experience By Matt Hale, International Sales & Marketing Director, HRS Heat Exchangers The recent acquisition of HRS Heat Exchangers by Canada-based Exchanger Industries Limited (EIL) has created an international group with more than 100 years of combined experience in heat transfer technologies. Exchanger Industries was founded in Calgary, Alberta by Howard Thom in 1961 as Exchanger Sales and Services to manufacture tubular heat exchangers. By 1964 the company was also manufacturing air-cooled heat exchangers, sulphur condensers and waste heat boilers, which still remain core products to the present day. Exchanger Industries specialises in large-scale fabrication and solving complex design problems, as well as offering alternative design solutions which lower the total life-cycle cost of projects. In particular EIL units are found in the petrochemical, industrial and clean power generation sectors. Over the years EIL has introduced a number of new applications and developments including new baffle designs and coatings. On the other side of the Atlantic, Heat Recovery Systems (HRS) was set up in the UK in 1981 by Steven Pither to sell heat exchangers. Within a few years HRS had taken on more design and selection work until eventually it began to manufacture heat exchangers, and the corrugated tubular heat exchangers for which it is best known. Over the years HRS has responded to a number of specific customer requests, which has led to the 34

creating of a number of innovative products and systems including piston pumps, aseptic fillers, pasteurisers, evaporators, CIP skids, and solutions for treating and managing sludges and digestate. HRS clients come from a wide variety of industries, including food production, water and waste management, environmental, AD/ biogas and industrial sectors. Both Exchanger Industries and HRS undertake all aspects of heat exchanger design and construction themselves, from initial project assessment through to final delivery and commissioning. They understand that every job is unique and requires individual calculation of heat transfer and mechanical design. All products, from the smallest HRS pump to the largest EIL waste heat boiler, are manufactured to the strictest standards, such as those set by the Alberta Boilers Safety Association (ABSA), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the European Union. Each company also has proprietary and patented technologies, which have the potential to work together to bring new and improved solutions to market. For example, HRS, which is known for its unique corrugated tube geometry, has its patented Unicus Series of scraped surface heat exchangers and created its own heat exchange design software, while EIL has its EMbaffle® and Helixchangers™ and is well known for its development of a proprietary anti-fouling coating, which was commercialised in 2018. Heat recovery is a priority for both, as is increasing efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of their client’s and customer’s activities.

Both antifouling coating technology and corrugated tubes provide similar benefits to the end user, albeit in different ways. Exchanger Industries’ proprietary antifouling represents a breakthrough in tackling the issue of fouling, which affects heat exchangers used in multiple industries. The technology has taken ten years of R&D and seven years of fieldscale evaluation in the oil and gas industry. HRS was the first company to introduce corrugated tubes to the UK market and over the years has continued to improve their design. Not surprisingly, understanding the science of heat transfer and thermodynamics is key to the success of both businesses. Individually both HRS and Exchanger Industries have made huge developments in the areas in which they operate and are each international companies in their own right. Together they now have a truly global footprint, employing some 420 people around the world, with manufacturing plants in four countries and sales offices in ten. Moving forward under the leadership of Mark el Baroudi as CEO, both Exchanger Industries and HRS will use their collective experience to share best practice and take key learnings from their respective business to see if they can be applied to new areas. Because of the different industry sectors they serve, this really is a case of two complementary companies coming together to further strengthen their differentiated customer offerings, identify opportunities for investment to drive international growth, and enhance their status as a worldwide leader in heat transfer solutions and technology.

ViewSonic ColorPro Award 2021 ends with spectacular exhibitions Mesmerising Photographs of “New Adventure” Thrilled Audiences in the UK and Taiwan ViewSonic, a leading global provider of visual solutions, concluded the ColorPro Award 2021 Global Photography Contest exhibitions in London, UK, and Taipei, Taiwan. The top winning photos selected from 6500 entries, centered on the theme “New Adventure”, were displayed through ViewSonic’s advanced visual solutions. The exhibitions advanced the possibilities of arts through visual technology, giving the visitors a memorable experience of the artistry and stories behind the photos in different forms.

“Inspiring creativity and innovation is the vision of ViewSonic ColorPro. Therefore, we have always been providing intuitive tools with high colour performance to assist the creators to turn their ideas into reality,” said Oscar Lin, General Manager of the Monitor Business Unit at ViewSonic. “Through the ColorPro Award, we work with our partners to form an ecosystem for all creators to exchange their extraordinary ideas and artwork in this global network.” The three-day ColorPro Award exhibitions were opened to the public in the UK and Taiwan, with exclusive workshops and ColorPro Talks to interact with photography

professionals. The events offered an opportunity for people to meet and engage in in-depth conversations with photography masters and creative industry leaders, stimulating more interaction among creators, and literally making art more accessible. Located in the heart of London, UK, the first exhibition illustrated how technology can visualise art with the utmost precision. The exhibition employed 32 displays from the ColorPro VP68a series and VP27564K to showcase the winning photos in digital format. When stepping into the exhibition, visitors met the breathtaking photos presented with vibrant colours on the displays

while surrounded by traditional red brick walls, giving a sense of tradition versus innovation that cemented the exhibition’s theme: “New Adventure”. To provide a platform for all enthusiastic photographers and creators, the workshop in the UK was co-hosted with UK Shooters, a photography community, to give tips and tricks on photography editing. Throughout the session, 36 photographers gathered to edit photos and unleash their creative potential with the VP2756-4K monitors on hand. At the Taiwan exhibition, ViewSonic fused art, technology, and nature seamlessly. The hybrid exhibition displayed the Top 100 photos not only by print, but also through an array of ViewSonic’s visual solutions - projectors, monitors, and ViewBoard interactive displays. At the end of the exhibition journey, visitors were able to participate in a self-exploration quiz to discover their own version of “Adventure” to the corresponding artwork on the ColorPro monitors. In the exhibition, colorful lighting effects were projected onto the surroundings and photo descriptions were casted, which enhanced and complemented the artworks immensely. The ColorPro Talks in Taiwan featured renowned photographers and professional creators to deliver speeches and share in-depth insights on the theme “News Adventure”. Some of the prominent speakers specialize in natural landscapes, while others are experts in film, digital, and aerial photography. The Top 100 photos can be viewed here. For more information on the campaign, please visit www.viewsonic.com.

Wave power – using NSK ball screws Swedish start-up company Ocean Harvesting is harnessing a new inexhaustible source of energy. With a floating buoy it is possible to convert the up-and-down motion of the sea surface into electrical energy, where heavyduty ball screws from NSK have an important role to play. Even if the share of renewable energy generation is constantly increasing; in view of the ambitious goals for reducing CO2 emissions, the world must develop new, sustainable sources of energy generation. Ocean Harvesting has developed a solution that extracts energy from the motion of sea waves. The basic idea of the system, called InfinityWEC (Wave Energy Converter), centres on buoys attached to the seabed. Ocean swells cause the buoys to rise and

fall, with this movement captured by a hydraulic constant-force spring system (a hydraulic cylinder connected to a large gas volume) and two heavy-duty ball screws from NSK. The nuts of ball screws connect directly to the cylinder, thus converting up and down linear movement into a rotary motion (of the ball screw spindle) that acts directly on a generator to produce electrical power. Many detailed solutions had to be developed before this elegant and sustainable concept could be put into practice. For instance, it is essential to guarantee the optimum alignment of the buoy motion for each individual wave, as this is vital for effective energy generation. It is also necessary to guarantee the downward return movement of the ball screw nut, a task performed by the hydraulic cylinder. The cylinder stores part of the energy generated

due to the buoyancy force and releases it to the ball screw when it moves down. Choosing the drive system for these functions also required great diligence - especially as the drive constantly operates under adverse environmental conditions (sealed under water) with limited possibility of performing maintenance. Mikael Sidenmark, CEO of Ocean Harvesting Technologies AB, explains: “Compared with winches and rack and pinion drives we evaluated, we found that ball screws are the best option to provide high force, long stroke, high efficiency and high rotary output to the generator.” The company’s engineers opted for NSK because of the very long service life of the heavy- duty ball screws from NSK’s HTF series. Mikael

Sidenmark states: “The ball screws are expected to perform 100 million load cycles in 20 years - that’s very demanding.” Another reason for collaborating with NSK, says Sidenmark, is the good level of support available.

Ocean Harvesting is currently testing a prototype of the ‘InfinityWEC’ on a scale of 1:10. If satisfactory, testing of a 1:3 scale prototype will take place. In 2024 there will be a first full- size ‘wave energy plant’ to prove its viability. In the meantime, NSK will also

be busy with development work, designing and manufacturing an HTF heavy-duty ball screw in the size required by Ocean Harvesting. For more information plesae visit: www.nskeurope.com

The development of HTF series heavy-duty ball screws was originally to serve heavy-duty machine tool applications, such as presses and other forming machines, as well as injection moulding machines with electric rather than hydraulic drives. Thanks to their ability to withstand very high loads while achieving exceptionally long service life, HTF series ball screws are also suitable for other infrastructure applications, like damping elements in innovative systems that help protect high-rise buildings from earthquakes.