Industrial Machinery Digest - October 2022

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MANUFActUrING SHOWcASe

Q&A with Andrew Dierks, Director of Product Management and Marketing at conductixWampfler

28 INDUStrIAL AUtOMAtION & FAbrIcAtION

AbcO Automation Inc. Uses 3,000 MISUMI Automation components to engineer a HighSpeed Packaging Machine

32 WOrKFOrce DeVeLOPMeNt

How compatible Is the 4-Day Workweek Model and Manufacturing?

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38 INDUS trY INSIGHtS

6 Steps to Setting Up An efficient Predictive Maintenance Plan

14 bUSINeSS 4.0 the Future of Additive manufacturing: Advantages and Strategic Implications

By Dr. oec. HSG Dr. phil. Jörn Lengsfeld

18 tALKING SHOP

3M — Mike Vale President of 3M’s Safety & Industrial Business Group

Y & MAINteNANce Optimizing Forging Machine Productivity and Longevity

By Del Williams

Happy October! Just like that, summer is gone and fall is in full swing. the air is crisper, the leaves are beginning to change, and industries across the country are wrapping up their calendar year’s efforts before entering 2023.

this issue of Industrial Machinery Digest focuses on strategies to improve safety and reliability of plant equipment through predictive and periodically scheduled maintenance that extends the life of valuable equipment.

In a similar effort, we are also focusing on familiar core topics like robotic automation, 3D printing and additive manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and data analytics.

Within these pages, you’ll find a Q&A conversation with Andrew Dierks, the director of product management and marketing at conductix-Wampfler, a leader in the industrial electrification industry, where we discuss how to leverage data and analytics as a predictive maintenance strategy to increase the reliability of your equipment and reduce downtime; cybersecurity best practices; the crucial role rOI plays in rebuilding, retrofitting, or replacing outdated machinery; and much more.

You’ll also find a compelling conversation with Dr. Nabil Nasr, the ceO of reMADe Institute and Associate Provost and Director for the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at rochester Institute of technology, where we discuss the concept and application of sustainable manufacturing. As Dr. Nasr says in this article, “Automation, Industry 4.0, IIOt, and other cutting-edge technologies contribute to higher efficiency and lower waste and emissions. So, a sustainable manufacturing system does not have to be automated; however, if automation is applicable, it will definitely help achieve higher efficiency.”

Additionally, you’ll find more articles discussing topics including: what it takes to make hydraulic fluid environmentally friendly, a dive into the idea of a 4-day workweek for the manufacturing industry, a closer look at predictive maintenance best practices, a case study with Misumi that shows how working with configurable components transformed the thinking behind designing and building custom machines at AbcO Automation, and more.

As always, happy reading, my friends! I hope you enjoy this issue of Industrial Machinery Digest and learn something new about these exciting topics. And please do not hesitate to reach out with any comments, questions, or article ideas. I’d love to hear from you.

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Crestview-Backed Convergix Automation Solutions

Acquires AGR Automation

convergix Automation Solutions (“convergix”), an automation solutions company backed by leading private equity firm crestview Partners ("crestview”), has completed the acquisition of AGr Automation (“AGr”), a UK-based provider of custom, high-performance automation design and systems integration primarily to the life sciences industry. Following convergix’s acquisitions of JMP Solutions in August 2021 and classic Design in February 2022, AGr marks the third investment in crestview’s strategy to build convergix into a diversified automation solutions provider targeting the global $500+ billion market, with a particular focus on the $70 billion global systems integration and connectivity segments. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“the acquisition of AGr and its subsidiary company Aylesbury Automation accelerates convergix’s planned global expansion and marks our first foray into europe,” said Mike Dubose, executive chairman of convergix. “AGr brings market-leading technical capabilities and exposure to strategic end markets such as life sciences and consumer goods, while expanding convergix’s capacity for growth. We are excited to partner with the AGr team to continue building a world-class provider of custom automation solutions to global customers. AGr’s focus on engineering quality and commitment to customer satisfaction are well aligned with convergix’s culture and strategy. We look forward to leveraging our existing operations across North America and India to create more opportunities for AGr to deliver exceptional customer solutions.”

HERMA US Names New Regional Sales Manager

HerMA US Inc., the subsidiary of HerMA GmbH – a Germanybased manufacturer of labeling machinery, self-adhesive labels and materials to the global packaging marketplace – has

named equipment sales specialist Michael Harrop as its newest regional Sales Manager. In this role, Michael will develop and oversee sales efforts predominately within the Midwest, but also to support continued growth of HerMA”s many key accounts.

With over 20 years of technical sales experience, Michael most recently held a technical sales position with canada-based Aesus Packaging Systems, where he oversaw sales initiatives and ensured equipment suitability and compatibility for a wide range of customer projects. before that, he held several senior positions at result Group in Australia, which among other solutions provides labeling and sleeving equipment.

NAVAC Hires Carlos Castro as Western Region Sales Manager

NAVAc , the world’s largest supplier of HVAc vacuum pumps in addition to a wide array of tools, gauges, recovery units and industry-specific items, has hired HVAc sector professional carlos castro as its newest Sales Manager for the Western region, which includes california, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Idaho. the Western region is NAVAc’s fastest growing, and Mr. castro will oversee several important sales partner companies, includes Wright Sales and cascade Products. Mr. castro also will have key roles in expanding market share in Latin America, due to his strong contacts, market knowledge and fluentness in both english and Spanish.

before joining NAVAc, Mr. castro served as an area sales manager for Nu-calgon, where he oversaw the Florida and caribbean markets. Prior to this, he managed territory as an independent representative of Hamilton & Associates, whose lines included Friedrich, Linesets Inc (a Mueller company), and blue Diamond (Mitsubishi’s preferred condensate pump). During his career he was received a variety of sales awards and honors.

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Optimas Enhances Its Business Intelligence Team to Better Serve Customers, Partners as Part of Its Forward Faster Transformation Strategy

Optimas Solutions, a tech-enabled manufacturer/ distributor of fasteners, inventory management services and supply chain solutions, recently reached a vital milestone in its Forward Faster transformation strategy. the benchmark includes onboarding key business Intelligence (bI) personnel, implementing new analytics tools, and publishing custom certified reporting to provide predictive, personalized forecasts for customers.

" the goal of the bI team is to develop forecasting data analytics that helps customers make more informed decisions," according to Daniel Harms, President of the Americas for Optimas. "Particularly with industrial-tier manufacturing clients and mid-tier supply chain suppliers. In the past year, the bI team has increased from two to 11 teammates, creating and filling many vital business analytics roles that serve Optimas’ audiences.”

the bI team focuses on supply chain digitization initiatives, such as upgrading software tools with NetSuite, toolsGroup and tableau. And, within the first several months of the strategy, the bI team has greatly impacted our customers' and suppliers' businesses using data and analytics from a single source of truth.

For example, the bI team has developed a library of 120 reports that employees can customize to analyze inventory management, inflation, sales and customer relationships, sourcing and demand planning. these newly created reports provide users with self-service tools to actively manage each portion of the business.

" this is a critical next step as we move Forward Faster toward transformation," said Mark Korba, Vice President, business Intelligence, Americas. "We've already received solid customer feedback on our ability to provide better insight into purchasing, inventory management and optimization of the fastener supply chain. In short, these tools are helping customers with visibility and assurance by enabling them to know how the fasteners affect their overall manufacturing operations."

the same can be said about suppliers to Optimas. the bI team is working more closely with this integral group to use data and analytics to manage inventory, improve the supply chain, and reduce costs.

"When we set out to break down our plan into well-defined areas of improvement, it was important that all of them track back to or support our overall goals," Harms said. "We did an excellent job of defining those workstreams and are tackling each with integrity and great specificity to improve every aspect of the business. t he b usiness Intelligence team has been a big part of making this happen as we strive to be a technology and data-driven organization."

Reshoring Initiative® 1H 2022 Data Report: Multiple Supply Chain Risks Accelerate Reshoring

In 2021, the private and federal push for domestic supply of essential goods propelled reshoring and foreign direct investment (FDI) job announcements to a record high. Projections from reshoring Initiative 1H 2022 data show reshoring and FDI continuing these gains. the current 2022 projection of jobs announced is around 350,000 - another record and up from 260,000 in 2021. If the projection is achieved, 2022 will bring the total jobs announced since 2010 to over 1.6 million.

Supply chain gaps and the need for greater self-sufficiency continue as major factors driving reshoring. the possibility of a taiwan-china conflict and the threat of china decoupling are focusing those concerns.

Destabilizing geo-political and climate forces have brought to light our vulnerabilities and the need to address them. Subsequently, great opportunities have arisen for a meaningful rebound of U.S. manufacturing. If the current trajectory continues, it will reduce the trade and budget deficits, add jobs, and make the U.S. safer, more self-reliant and resilient.

More takeaways from the report

» the continuing upward trend is due almost exclusively to companies filling supply chain gaps of essential products, including electric batteries, semiconductors, PPe, pharmaceuticals, rare earths and renewable energy.

» Shifting geopolitical forces are keeping supply chain risks in focus, resulting in increases in public awareness, government interventions and actions by individual companies.

» the electrical equipment industry has taken the lead with a significant increase in jobs announced, due to large eV battery investments.

» So far, the top three states by jobs announced are Kentucky, North carolina and Georgia.

» Preliminary data indicates a continuing surge of reshoring and FDI in 2H 2022.

Job Announcements per Year, Reshoring + FDI, 2010 thru 2022-projected.

Source: Reshoring Initiative Reshoring Database

Drones are Benefitting Earthmoving Operations

Drones – the aerial eye of the jobsite – have become a very versatile tool for earthmoving operations. Among the benefits, increasing efficiency, productivity, and accuracy on jobsites. In addition, drones help reduce unplanned costs and rework throughout a project by providing a steady stream of jobsite progress data.

As drone technology evolves, the greater the return of investment in employing them, points out Zach Pieper, Director of Operations and co-Owner of Quantum Land Design, an industry leader in managing and preparing 3D data required for construction projects of any scale. “ that is why is it important for those in the construction industry, especially in earthmoving, to learn about using drones.”

“Drones are another tool contractors can put in their toolbox to make more efficient and better decisions,” Pieper says. “ there are many situations where a contractor might need to keep track of how much earth is being moved, compare the current site to the planned site, and figure out how many yards of earth still to be moved and where that dirt must go. Drones can be a very cost-effective way to do that.

“Drones can also provide a very rich layer of data that can be added to your knowledge of a project and your ability to manage it properly.”

When it comes to drones, Pieper says there are two types of contractors.

“One group I call drone curious. they think drones are interesting and they need to be learning about them,” Pieper explains. “ the second group are those contractors that already have drones and feel they are not utilizing them as well as they could be. Or they bought a drone for a single purpose, which it is serving well, and they want to get more use out of the information collected. Or they want to get ideas on how to better use their drones on jobsites.”

the How to Utilize Drones in Your earthmoving business education session at cONe XPO-cON/AGG will cover the high-level basics of drones, including types of drones, applications, the kind of data you can get out of drones, and basic data collection procedures.

“ the session applies to nearly any size contractor,” points out Pieper. “It will be an information-dense way to learn how you can use drones to make better decisions with your contracting company and on each jobsite.

“It will be focused on applied technology. everything in the education session will be information that any contractor can take back to their company or their jobsite and put it to work.”

Dallas Industries Delivers Feed Line to ITW Drawform.

Dallas Industries (www.dallasindustries.com), a leading manufacturer of coil handling, press feeding equipment and controls for the stamping industry has announced that It W Drawform, Zeeland, MI has taken delivery of a new Dallas Industries conventional feed line. It W Drawform is a leading contract manufacturer of deep drawn metal stampings.

the conventional line is for lighter gauge material. It also has provisions for not marking cosmetic materials. It handles coil width to 30 in. wide by up to 0.050 at full width and is rated for handling coil weights up to 20,000 lb.

It include a coil reel with load car that includes a coil restrictor (hold down) and automated coil guide rolls that automatically cent the coil on the reel. Additionally, the reel has a dual brake system, including and eaton AirFlex brake that is ideal for use with thin, sensitive materials. the brake is controlled via an automatically adjusting proportional valve that adjusts brake pressure based on coil OD. the line also includes a DPS-2.25-7-30 powered straightener with non-marking provisions for soft and/or cosmetic material and a DrFP-330 servo roll feed mounted on an adjustable height cabinet.

It is fitted with Dallas’ SyncLoop technology, wherein the the slack loop depths are monitored and payout speeds adjusted based on the line speed average (from the feeder). the feed also has triple-roll (per side) hand-crank adjusted edge guides with self-centering and independent adjustments for squaring soft and light gage maerials.

Caplugs Acquires Safeplast to Expand Solutions for Hose Protection

caplugs has recently completed the acquisition of Safeplast as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to expand its capabilities in hose protection.

this transition will offer customers a broader selection of standard products, a full range of specialty wrap products and an array of complementary products, available from a single source for all their hose protection needs. In addition, as part of the acquisition, manufacturing of Safeplast products has been moved from South carolina to the caplugs headquarters in buffalo, N.Y.

“Safeplast’s offerings are a great complement to caplugs’ line of Pig’s tail products, allowing us to best serve our customers,” said David Williams, President and ceO of caplugs. “ this acquisition allows us to provide a comprehensive range of the highest quality parts on the market, as well as expert solutions.”

Safeplast has an established reputation as an industry leader in hose protection manufacturing. Specializing in developing and manufacturing high-quality hose protection spirals, sleeves and bundling straps that are rugged and durable, the company’s products can be used in environments ranging from construction to forestry –anywhere there are hydraulic or pneumatic hoses.

In addition, Safeplast parts can be used to protect both hoses and operators. Paired with caplugs’ existing Pig’s tail hose guard solutions, customers are given access to a breadth of styles and sizes, as well as options like custom printing and cut-to-order lengths to meet a diverse array of user needs.

customers will have access to Safeplast’s complete line of durable hose protection along with caplugs’ full catalog line of product protection with more than 40,000 parts and comprehensive custom molding capabilities. terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Dr. oec. HSG Dr. phil. Jörn Lengsfeld

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. oec. HSG Dr. phil. Jörn Lengsfeld is a German economist, management expert and communication scientist. He holds research doctorates from the University of St. Gallen (doctor oeconomiae) and the Philosophical Faculty of the University of erfurt (doctor philosophiae). Learn more about him and his work on his website, joernlengsfeld.com, or contact him at mail@joernlengsfeld.com.

Predictive Maintenance: The Business Rationale

Predictive maintenance is the new solution to an old problem – what I call the “Maintenance tradeoff.” For many companies in manufacturing and machinery it is a first step towards a smart factory in their journey of digital transformation. to understand the business rationale, three questions need to be answered — what is predictive maintenance, what are the advantages, and what needs to be considered when it comes to its implementation?

The Maintenance Tradeoff

Maintenance has always been a tradeoff. Overdoing it results in unnecessary maintenance, too long production downtime and in the end avoidable costs. Underdoing it leads to premature machine damage, high error rates, quality variations, reduced machine lifetime and in the end avoidable costs. Whatever path is chosen, chances are good that it results in significant

avoidable expenses. No wonder, maintenance is a classical starting point for efficiency initiatives. typically, they go something like this: Some board member pops the question. t hen the board summons the chief management accountant, aka “the controlling guy”. b ut in this very mission, the only thing the poor bloke could do is to confirm what everyone around the table already knows. t he two truths of maintenance: Yes, between overdoing it and underdoing it there is theoretically an optimum. And no, controlling cannot predict it precisely. Not even close. Not enough data. No method to do it. And this is where such well-intended initiatives have traditionally ended quickly in severe board frustration. b ut then, digital transformation kicks in. It comes with the most unexpected of developments. controlling guy made himself some new friends. And he brings them

along when the board checks in about “that maintenance thing” again. t hey listen to the names of Data Scientist and Sensor technology e xpert. t hey bring along good news. t here is a new solution to the old problem. Works like a charm. And they know how to do the magic. What’s their spell? Predictive maintenance!

What is Predictive Maintenance?

Predictive maintenance is an approach for optimizing maintenance operations according to condition forecasts which are based on advanced analytics of process data employing digital technologies and data science. In fact, it is an umbrella term used to describe a whole variety of methods. What they all have in common is that they are aimed at the prevention of malfunction, defect and failure while minimizing the maintenance effort. to achieve this, a combination of different technologies is used, which have emerged in the course of the digital transformation. Sensory technology helps with the gathering of real time data on machine function, production quality and surrounding conditions. b ig data and cloud computing provide for the handling of the huge volumes of data collected by the sensors. Data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence enable the analysis of those enormous datasets and the discovery of suspicious patterns that are indicative of imminent malfunction. Decision support systems help managers to make the

necessary decisions and dispositions to put information into action. combined, all those technologies are set up to uncover early signals allowing to predict the risk of malfunction and thus assessing the need for maintenance. Predictive maintenance is primarily used for manufacturing machinery but could also be applied to other technical apparatus, buildings or human made artifacts.

What is Condition Monitoring?

c ondition Monitoring is the systematic collection, aggregation, augmentation and descriptive analysis of data on the state of a machine or technical apparatus. It can be used to detect current malfunction or as a basis for the prognosis of future defects. c ondition Monitoring is therefore a necessary first step of predictive maintenance. However, both have to be differentiated, as c ondition Monitoring can also be applied in r eactive and Preventive Maintenance. c ore element of c ondition Monitoring is the data gathering. Sensors and other interfaces transfer information from the physical e ntisphere into the Digital Infosphere. t his is where the informational intertwining takes place, which is essential to turn machinery into cyberPhysical Systems. As the step is crucial for the built of a smart factory its design should be aligned with other applications that can be based on the data.

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The Advantages

Predictive maintenance is the solution to the Maintenance tradeoff. based on prospective analysis, it allows for a rational approach to determine timing, scope and organization of maintenance. Getting this right helps with minimizing downtime, increasing reliability, machine lifetime, productivity, production quality, worker safety and energy efficiency. Ultimately, it is an approach to reduce cost.

In principle, these advantages can materialize in comparison to all other approaches: r eactive Maintenance is performed only after malfunction has occurred. b asically being a euphemism for “repair”, it maximizes the risks of undergoing upkeep. Preventive Maintenance, on the other hand, aims to avoid the occurrence of malfunction. to achieve this maintenance is triggered based on schedule, utilization or condition. t ime-based Maintenance is conducted strictly according to schedule, whether necessary or not. t his bears the risk of overdoing upkeep with negative effects on cost and downtime. Usage-based Maintenance tries to handle the tradeoff assuming that malfunction is associated to the extent of machine utilization and triggers keep up accordingly. Utilization being only an indirect indicator, it can be inferior to actual condition monitoring employed in Predictive maintenance.

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HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS… The Hydraulic line consists of three series. The MH and HH models feature interchangeable dimensions with ANSI, NFPA, and JIC. MH: Medi um-Duty, Bores to 8’’, 800 to 2,000 PSI, 20 standard mountings. HH: Heavy-Duty, Bores to 24’’, 3,000 working PSI, 22 standard mountings. UH: Ultra High Pressure, Bores to 14’’, 5,000 PSI, 8 standard mountings.

The Challenges

Implementation is the acid test for any idea. conceptually, predictive maintenance is highly promising. but, unsurprisingly, implementation entertains entrepreneurs with all kinds of challenges and pitfalls. So, there are quite a few decisions to be made before one casts the spell. Let’s go over some of the managerial aspects.

Made to Measure every factory is different. Different products. Different workflows. Different machinery. Predictive maintenance needs to adapt to that. Hardly surprising, it is not a one-sizefits-all approach. It needs to be made-to-measure (pun not intended). this has implications for costs, design, planability and complexity of the implementation project. but luckily not everything has to be developed from scratch. there are solutions to build upon. However, it is not unlikely that external competences have to be brought on board to do that.

Optimizing Optimization

trade in one tradeoff for another. that is a common nightmare for every decision maker. At a first glance, this seems to be an issue with predictive maintenance. It solves the maintenance tradeoff but it comes with another, the one of predictive optimization. Generally, the more data and the more sophisticated the analytics, the better the predictions. but that comes at a cost. However, the whole approach is about reducing cost in the first place. So, there is some balancing to be done. Optimizing the process of optimization. Luckily, there are multiple ways to handle this: Avoiding over-analysis, focusing on relevant decisions and increasing analytics efficiency.

Avoiding Over-Analysis

everybody can tell when it is time to replace a toothbrush. t hat’s the definition of obvious. One might want to reserve the advanced analytics for the not-so-obvious. Or for decisions with a looming risk of intimidating magnitude. t hat's generally good advice. And it applies to predictive maintenance for sure. t herefore, select potential use cases wisely. However, in a smart factory, where all the necessary data is available digitally anyway, this constraint dissolves.

Impact on Decision Making

PNEUMATIC CYLINDERS…

The Pneumatic line consists of four series. The MA and A models feature interchangeable dimensions with ANSI, NFPA, and JIC. MA: Medium-Duty, Bores to 8’’, 200 PSI, 14 standard mountings. A: Heavy-Duty, Bores to 14’’, 250 PSI, 20 standard mountings. AA: Light-Duty Aluminum, Bores to 2.5’’, 200 PSI, universal mount, kits available. C20: Cast Iron, Bores to 10’’, 200 PSI, 5 standard mountings.

Without impact on decision making, analytics are doomed to be irrelevant. For example, sometimes it is better to be absolutely safe than sorry. If a small machine is critical to a whole production line, one might be well advised to keep it in the very best of conditions. the potential for marginal savings will not shake this truth. No analytics needed, one could argue. that has been a classical counter-argument to predictive maintenance. However, it can be turned around. When one needs to be absolutely safe, the most advanced monitoring can be very valuable. Predictive maintenance may be of help.

Internal versus External business is about comparative competitive advantage. this should never be forgotten. Never ever. efficiency is a key driver of comparative competitive advantage in the manufacturing industry. As machinery is a major cost factor and source of productivity, maintenance can have a significant impact on efficiency. Innovations like predictive maintenance are therefore of competitive importance. but, it is not about efficiency per se. It is about efficiency to attain comparative competitive advantage. Why emphasize this so much? because there is a certain dilemma associated with this in predictive maintenance. A rule of thumb in machine learning says “more training data, better predictions”. that’s why machine builders and service providers might consider it a good idea to pool the data of various manufacturers to obtain better predictions for all. One can benefit from this. but the competitor can as well. Is that a good idea? Should it be done internally or externally? that's a question one wants to ponder more than once. Sometimes, doing it in-house is beneficial. Sometimes, the answer might be: external cooperation is fine, because in some situations it is not about gaining comparative competitive advantage. It is about avoiding comparative competitive disadvantage. And rather often this very argument also applies to the whole endeavor of predictive maintenance per se. If others do it and one does not, then that’s often a straight shortcut towards comparative

competitive disadvantage. Sounds like the fear of missing out? It is. And one should have it, at least when it comes to this type of innovation in business.

A Comprehensive Approach: Make it Part of the digital transformation

Predictive maintenance has been an early developer among the kids of digital transformation. t he reason being simple: it is a self-contained use case for digital innovations. It can be implemented independently from other players in the value chain. And it does not challenge the established conditions, practices and workflows, let alone the logic of value creation. It’s the kind of change causing low resistance from employees, if any. b ut, as with all early developers, their lead diminishes as the other kids grow up too. today and even more so in the future, a more comprehensive approach to digital transformation is necessary. Predictive maintenance needs to be thought of as one function of a fully digitalized smart factory besides many others. Going digital is envisaged to leverage manifold operational advantages. b ut its main benefits are of strategic nature. t heir attainment should determine the overall concept. t herefore, go for a comprehensive approach to digital transformation. b e very much aware of its strategic significance. consider the larger scheme of things first, and then make predictive maintenance a part of it.

What is sustainable manufacturing?

Sustainable manufacturing is about cleaner and more efficient manufacturing with less resource consumption, less waste and emissions. It’s a way to minimize negative impacts on the environment while meeting demand in a much more efficient way.

For example, an automaker using sustainable manufacturing at a factory might be able to cut its emissions by as much as 90 percent using advanced cleaner processing technologies. It could also reduce its production waste to near-zero by switching supplied parts from single-use to reusable ones, accepting more recycled materials in production, and applying innovation to make vehicles more efficient and longer lasting.

What does sustainable manufacturing look like today?

Sustainable manufacturing has gained a lot of attention for many years; however, implementations and adoption have been uneven in industry. Some sectors are advanced in their implementations while others are beginning the journey. there are many great examples of companies who have a long history of successful implementations, such as caterpillar, Unilever, Nike, and many others.

What are some typical roadblocks organizations face when trying to sell the idea of sustainable manufacturing to higher ups in an organization? companies are interested in efficiency, doing more with less. Sometimes there’s a perception that “sustainability” is separate from that principle, but it’s not. Advocates

for sustainable manufacturing need to be able to communicate its value in light of the real pressures manufacturers face, such as the cost of materials, consumer demand, and return on investment. In most cases, investing in sustainable manufacturing can result in lower material costs because all the value that typically goes to waste is retained. It also helps to meet growing consumer demand for more sustainable products. Most importantly, sustainable manufacturing drives economic growth; it’s a pathway for implementing new technologies and processes that are much more cost-effective and productive than legacy systems.

What role does automation play in sustainability, particularly in sustainable manufacturing?

Automation, Industry 4.0, IIot, and other cutting-edge technologies contribute to higher efficiency and lower waste and emissions. So, a sustainable manufacturing system does not have to be automated; however, if automation is applicable, it will definitely help achieve higher efficiency.

How realistic is it that manufacturers today would steer away from their current manufacturing operations and begin to embrace ones that are more sustainable?

Switching to sustainable manufacturing does not mean that a company suddenly or immediately abandons their current manufacturing operations. rather, it’s a process that evolves over time; incremental changes are implemented and integrated into an operation once they

TALKING SHOP WITH: Dr. Nabil Nasr — CEO of REMADE Institute and Associate Provost and Director for the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology

Sustainable manufacturing is about understanding environmental impacts and making sure we’re not causing negative impacts unnecessarily.

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have been fully tested and validated. typically, this kind of evolutionary approach to change helps to reduce risk and disruption. However, there are cases where you have

a clean slate to work off of — like building a new factory — that present a good opportunity to deploy a series of process and technology changes all at once.

What did we as an industry learn from the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of manufacturing, meeting demand, facing supply chain shortages, and in terms of supporting more sustainable manufacturing practices?

We learned a lot from the cOVID crisis. When the risk became known, even though not all agreed, people around the globe took significant measures and actions to address the challenge. We accepted changes to the way we live and interact. We marshaled all of our resources to develop vaccines and address the medical supply shortages. the bottom line is that we rose to the occasion and we, for the most part, took actions to deal with the risk in a significant way.

the environmental challenges we face today, like climate change, are serious global challenges as well. However, they have been occurring over a long time and, unfortunately, mostly have not been taken as seriously as they should have been. We certainly have learned that when we have the will to address serious challenges, we can meet them.

Please tell me about your role and your work with the United Nations Environment Program’s International Resource Panel.

I serve on the United Nations environment Programme’s International resource Panel (UNeP IrP). One of the panel’s roles is to inform policy through validated independent scientific studies, such as the 2019 Global

resources Outlook. t he panel consists of 40 prominent experts from around the globe and is supported by a steering committee from different countries as well as a secretariat. t he panel work is focused on issues of concern globally and seeks to provide balanced and unbiased recommendations to address them.

I led a study for the panel focused on circular economy implementations a few years ago and I am currently leading another study focused on advancing the circular economy in the consumer electronics sector.

How would you explain sustainable manufacturing?

early on at the beginning of the Industrial revolution, emissions, waste, and the consumption of natural resources were low. A lot of the manufacturing impacts on the environment were not taken into account because the volumes that we were generating were much, much lower than we have today. the methods and approaches in manufacturing we use today are really built on a lot of those approaches that we developed back then.

the reality is that the situation today has drastically changed, but our approaches have not. there is plenty of industrialization going on around the globe, which is leading to plenty of pollution and waste generated. In addition, a lot of materials we use in manufacturing are nonrenewable resources.

Sustainability is about the proper balance in a system. Applied to manufacturing, it means we are taking into account the impact of what we do and also making sure we understand the impact on the supply side of natural resources that we use. Sustainable manufacturing is about understanding environmental impacts and making sure we’re not causing negative impacts unnecessarily. It’s being able to ensure that we are able to satisfy our demands now and in the future without facing any environmental challenges.

What do see on the horizon for sustainable manufacturing?

this is an important question that we are working to answer at the reMADe Institute, where I serve as the founding ceO. reMADe spans the public-private divide, with 153 members that include manufacturers, academic institutions, trade associations, and national laboratories. the technologies developed by reMADe partners are capable of reducing the annual emissions of the U.S. manufacturing sectors that process energy-intensive metals, polymers, fibers, and electronic waste (e-waste) by 11.5 percent, the energy equivalent of 216 million barrels of oil or 50 million metric tons of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere, once deployed. Projects to date can generate, once implemented, up to $50 billion in new revenue for U.S. companies.

Multiple Machining

Suhner

What Makes a Hydraulic Fluid Environmentally Friendly?

while biodegradable hydraulic fluids are safer for the environment, they do require special considerations.

Ever since companies began developing alternatives to traditional lubricants and greases, there has been some confusion surrounding the terms “environmentally friendly” and “food grade.” Just because a formulation meets the criteria for one doesn’t mean that it hits all the notes for the other, and vice versa. t he environmental Protection Agency (ePA) defines environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (e AL) based on three criteria: biodegradability, toxicity to marine and aquatic life, and bioaccumulation. We’ll look at each of these in turn, as we dig deeper into finding the “secret sauce” that makes renewable Lubricants’ bio-Food Grade™ Hydraulic Fluids both environmentally friendly and food grade.

What Makes It Food Grade?

According to the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), to be registered as a lubricant that allows for incidental food contact, the product must be odorless, colorless, and tasteless; must not contain more than 10 parts per million (ppm) of lubrication base oils (for example mineral oil), and it must be registered as H1 or certified to ISO 21469. Additionally, it must be manufactured from ingredients, chemical compounds, or additives allowed by the US FDA’s code of Federal regulations t itle 21, Section 178.3570, or from ingredients which are “Generally regarded as Safe (G r AS).

bio-Food Grade™ Hydraulic Fluids are multifunctional, biosynthetic lubricants that contain ingredients which are classified as G r AS so they meet the criteria for food grade. t hey are safe for applications with incidental food contact in and around food processing equipment areas, including use on food processing equipment as a protective anti-rust film, as a release agent on gaskets or seals of tank closures, and as a lubricant for machine parts and equipment in locations in which there is a potential exposure of the lubricated part to food.

Feedstocks — The First Step

Feedstock plays a big part in determining whether a hydraulic fluid meets the e AL standard. bio-based products, especially those made from vegetable oils, are inherently safer for the environment than petroleum-based products, which is just one reason for their increasing popularity. Formulations which use food grade edible oils along with vegetable-based oils that are further processed into a bio-synthetic to enhance their lubricity and protective properties are not only safer for the environment than petroleum-based products, but they are also safer for employees. Petroleum based products can

be caustic and harmful if contacted on the skin, whereas bio-based products generally pose no problems with incidental skin contact.

renewable Lubricants has developed a proprietary and patented technology using High Oleic base Stocks (HObS) which are agricultural biobased oils. Incorporating the super high viscosity index of the Stabilized™ HObS into the formula increases the viscosity past synthetic levels (energy conserving Formulas). t he super high viscosity index of the HObS naturally improves the thermal shear stability of the formula and increases load capacity. t he HObS has an extremely low volatility that increases the flash and fires safety feature of the formular, making it safer for employees.

t hese patented biobased hydraulic fluids are formulated to perform in high- and low-pressure hydraulic systems that require Anti-Wear (AW), anti-rust, anti-oxidation, anti-foam, and demulsibility properties. t hey provide improved performance in oxidation stability over standard plant/vegetable/HetG and unsaturated Hee S type fluids. Formulated to provide a longer seal life with reduced oil leakage, bio-Food Grade™ Hydraulic Fluids meets or exceeds high-pressure pump requirements.

t hey are highly inhibited against moisture and rusting in both fresh and sea water, and pass A and b sequences of the AS tM D-665 turbine Oil rust test. Formulated to provide a longer seal life with reduced oil leakage, this environmentally friendly, zinc-free product is ideal for vane, piston, and gear-type pumps and has shown excellent anti-wear performance in AS tM D-4172 Four ball Wear test. t he anti-wear performance meets and exceeds requirements for Vickers M-2950-S (35VQ-25) and I-286-S (V-104c), rexroth, US Steel 126, 136, and 127, and DIN51524 Part 2. t hey also meet the requirements for ashless GL-1 an GL-2 gear oils in reduction units and gear sets where eP gear oils are not recommended (use viscosity sufficient for OeM application).

to ensure performance and long life, renewable Lubricants developed the stringent IsoGreen filtration standard which meets or exceeds the rexroth pump guidelines for hydraulic fluids.

Biodegradable

biodegradability is broken down into two classes – readily biodegradable and inherently biodegradable, based on how much of their product breaks down within a set timeframe. readily biodegradable products break down by 60 percent or more within a 28-day period. If they do not meet this criterion, if for example they fall between 20 and 59 percent within the 28 days, then it

is classified as inherently biodegradable. Most industrial applications strive for readily biodegradable products, but the classifications are not well understood or explained. Some products that are inherently biodegradable are merely marked “biodegradable” without explanation. When in doubt, ask for the details from the manufacturer or distribution channel partner before specifying a product based on its biodegradability. bio-Food Grade™ Hydraulic Fluids are readily biodegradable.

Toxicity

t he ePA and the US Fish and Wildlife Service base toxicity on how much of a chemical (with concentrations measured in parts per million) is present before it becomes harmful to plants (algae) and fish. t here are different values for each. For acute toxicity for algae, ec 50 in the concentration of test substance which results in a 50 percent reduction in either growth or growth rate relative to the control within 72 hours of exposure. t he acute toxicity of fish is expressed as the median lethal concentration (Lc 50) is the concentration in water that kills 50 percent of a test batch of fish within 96 hours of continuous exposure. bio-Food Grade™ Hydraulic Fluids exceed the acute toxicity levels (Lc 50/ec 50 > 1000 ppm) adopted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service and the ePA. With oxidation performance (biodegradability and toxicity) comparable to full synthetics, this is one of

the safest hydraulic fluids for the environment and the only one that is food grade. In addition to use on food processing equipment, bio-Food Grade™ hydraulic fluids are ideal for use in environmentally sensitive areas such as agriculture (especially in harvesting of grains destined for food products like tortillas, as well as working in and round fruit farms and processing facilities), marine environments, aboard fishing vessels, and more.

Bioaccumulation

bioaccumulation is the buildup of foreign chemicals within the tissues of living organisms over time. Heavy metals like zinc, cadmium, and others either do not break down or do so very slowly. When they enter a water source, they are ingested by smaller fish. t hese are food sources for larger fish, which are food sources for larger fish, until the fish become food sources for humans.

renewable Lubricants products are formulated with no zinc or other heavy metals, so there are no bioaccumulation worries. they are also free of VOcs, so they are safe for workers and the environment. Made from renewable agricultural biobased resources, they are not only safe for the environment and for use within food plants, but they are sustainable as well.

For more information on renewable Lubricants, Inc., contact benjamin Garmier at (330) 877-9982 and info@renewableLube. com, or visit www.renewableLube.com.

IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

Q&A with Andrew Dierks, Director of Product Management and Marketing at ConductixWampfler

Tell us about yourself, Andrew.

I am the Director of Product Management and Marketing at conductix-Wampfler, a leader in the industrial electrification industry. With a bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of NebraskaLincoln, I have dedicated the majority of my career to product innovation throughout the entire lifecycle from concept through fruition.

Could you give us some background information on Conductix-Wampfler? What makes it a leader in mobile electrification and data transfer systems for industrial machinery?

What sets conductix apart in the industry and makes us a leader in mobile electrification and data transmission is our breadth of products, expertise, and 35-plus years of experience in the field. Data is not a new thing for us. We have a long history of innovating with data in industrial environments, evidenced by generations of products, including Powertrans, ProfiDAt and Nexus bb

We design, manufacture, and install/service a wide range of other solutions like conductor bar systems, transit conductor rails, slip ring assemblies and industrial power transfer systems, as well as cable festoons, spring-driven cable reels, and motor-driven cable reels. In addition, we offer an array of crane controls, including push button pendants, radio remote controls, and bumpers. For assembly areas, we engineer compressed air and electric delivery systems and offer workstations, spring balancers, and air balancers.

by offering premiere and custom-tailored solutions to meet clients’ needs for mobile electrification, data transfer, and other areas of their facilities, conductix has distinguished itself as a leading provider of versatile and reliable systems. Our field-proven products safely and reliably operate in the most demanding industrial applications of various types.

What types of products and services does Conductix offer?

Safety and reliability are critically important when it comes to industrial machinery. You need clear lines of communication to gather data properly and make informed maintenance decisions, but we often hear that the biggest challenges in the industry are related to system infrastructure. Plant managers can add various sensors to equipment, but if they can’t get the data back to a central serve, the insight is limited. Without the foundational infrastructure to enable data transmission and collection, there’s untapped potential for predictive, prescriptive and periodically scheduled maintenance. And, of course, that untapped potential comes with consequences like decreased reliability, unplanned downtime, and possible safety concerns.

At conductix, the biggest value we can offer is helping the industry’s businesses gather the available and necessary information. We do this by providing a data network that feeds from mobile equipment to a central server. When you have data like this readily available, you can better execute condition monitoring, assess maintenance needs and optimize equipment care – effectively extending the life of valuable equipment.

Our products and services span a variety of applications and markets, but we can look at the rail industry as one

example. Our Power rail Intelligence System (PrIAS) is a comprehensive technology that evaluates the health of rail systems. PrIAS, alongside our team of engineers, can find and diagnose power rail problems before they adversely impact operations. this is one specific example of how our tech can be leveraged to pinpoint and prioritize areas that need maintenance.

For those outside the rail industry, we have other data transfer solutions. We provide customers with the ability to move information to a customized endpoint. b ecause of the breadth and depth of our products, we’re able to tailor solutions around each customer’s goals. From there, we offer installation and ongoing inspection services. Our team of professional inspectors is available to confirm that systems are running properly, suggest predictive maintenance, or recommend equipment optimizations.

What advice would you give someone or a company looking to determine when it is best to rebuild, retrofit with new technology, or replace outdated machinery?

When considering if it’s best to rebuild, retrofit, or replace outdated machinery, it all boils down to return on investment (rOI). I would keep my advice simple, with two steps. First, inspect your system to see how capable it is of measuring and reporting information. that assessment

2022

allows you to develop an informed plan that works best for you, considering your current and future operational needs.

Once you’ve assessed your current system’s capabilities compared to your current and future operational needs, you can decide whether it makes sense to add on to existing equipment or update the infrastructure. For instance, some data-over-power solutions can be used on new and existing systems to add a secure data communication layer without requiring any networking expertise.

As it pertains to the implication of Industry 4.0 and automation, what data are plant teams gathering from their equipment, and how can you leverage that data into predictive maintenance and a full picture of operations?

When it comes to predictive maintenance, plant teams are likely looking at all the data that impacts wear and tear on equipment. this includes cycles and speeds of equipment, environmental conditions of the facility and electrical characteristics. Monitoring the electrical characteristics might not seem like an obvious recommendation, but it’s important because the power you’re transmitting directly impacts your equipment’s life. clean power leads to equipment that runs smoothly. Sparks, brownouts, and other power challenges shorten the life of your electrification equipment.

From an overarching operations perspective, plant teams should look at sensor data. Sensors can be added to anything you want to measure or run – like smart assembly devices, mobile test fixtures, cranes and more. Sensors aid in quality control checks and provide invaluable operational data. Plant teams can take sensor data one step further by leveraging video. In the past, plant teams have encountered bandwidth limitations in using video sensors and have only used them in fixed positions, which isn’t the most helpful from a data perspective.

As plant teams look ahead to 2023 and determine the data they need to capture, many are considering how their operations can leverage video, whether product, personnel or task-related. We’ve had customers come to us for solutions to feed video back to central servers for quality assurance and control. this can be done with data-overpower solutions like Nexus bb, which create a secure signal and eliminate the need for Wi-Fi – boosting security and reliability. tying it back to Industry 4.0 and automation, video sensors open up a whole world of possibilities with what can transmit data and the visibility available to plant teams to inform maintenance decisions.

What is the importance of taking stock of current equipment and calculating the cost to you and your business if it breaks?

It’s essential to take stock of current equipment and calculate the cost to you and your business if it breaks. It’s especially important to go through this exercise proactively. b eing able to plan for equipment issues is more valuable than addressing them retroactively.

While my expertise aligns with the technical side of industrial machinery, I can’t dictate the rOI calculation process – only the facility owners and operators can calculate that and understand the business implications of possible downtime.

What improvements need to be made for the sake of cybersecurity?

When it comes to improving the cybersecurity of industrial machinery, the first step is choosing the right technology for your infrastructure. Assess your current It infrastructure and network options, and ensure that your equipment works well with that setup. Ask yourself if Wi-Fi is the ideal solution for your equipment – if it’s not, consider creating a subnetwork completely separate from Wi-Fi for security and performance. think about wireless vs. hardwired networks and which is most advantageous based on safety or channel traffic.

What are the benefits of standardizing a facility with automated operations, and what role does this play in safety and reliability of new or established plant equipment?

there are several benefits to standardizing a facility with automated operations. From a reliability perspective, standardized operations are more scalable, familiar to plant teams, and easier to maintain. there’s less of a learning curve because it’s more practical and efficient to learn the intricacies of one standard system. Standardized operations are also more cost-effective when it comes to spare equipment. With fewer variations in equipment, there are fewer spare parts needed.

Additionally, automation and standardization create more opportunities for data-driven decision making. When equipment is standardized, more data can be collected and analyzed. this allows plant teams to form a better view of the holistic operations picture and manage maintenance needs more efficiently and proactively.

Is there anything else that you’d like to include? As plant teams think about overall efficiency and optimizations, there’s one last thing with interesting potential to leverage: modular and flexible workstations. For example, if you have a bus that powers a line, you can consistently rebalance your production line or move around modular systems to change your workflow regularly. this tends to work well in low-volume, high-mix facilities that frequently need to rebalance or change over product lines. these types of facilities can leverage equipment, in addition to automation, to be modular, boost efficiency, and gain flexibility.

ABCO Automation Inc. Uses 3,000 MISUMI Automation Components to Engineer a High-Speed Packaging Machine

To sustain growth and profitability in a competitive market, a company must be receptive to innovation in all forms. In recent years, the volatility of the custom machine building market has proven to challenge many growing companies. However, one custom machine builder has learned how to thrive in such an environment.

AbcO Automation Inc. in Greensboro, North carolina, has consistently decreased costs and increased profits by constantly looking for new opportunities to source custom components used in machine builds.

AbcO Automation, Inc. is not a typical custom machine builder because the company builds machines for a vast number of industries as opposed to a single focus on a few select industries. “We have an extremely diversified customer base, which is crucial to our success,” explains brad Kemmerer, the President of AbcO Automation. Kemmerer noted that by servicing customers from a variety of industries, AbcO is less susceptible to economic fluctuations that may impact any single industry. “If an industry goes into an economic slump this does not affect AbcO because we have a diversified customer portfolio covering many industries,” noted Kemmerer. AbcO is well positioned to face competition within industries with this diversified business model.

As Kemmerer further elaborates, “ the other side to a diversified customer portfolio is that you face a lot of competition, which puts a lot of cost, time, and performance pressures on us.” this creates an environment where AbcO must rely heavily on continual innovation if it is to remain competitive in the extremely dynamic custom machine building market.

competition and sustainable growth in such a market requires that AbcO develop long term, mutually beneficial relationships with customers. to this end, AbcO is committed to providing customers with a single source for innovative solutions, automation services, and manufacturing support. AbcO has found these to be key contributors to programmatic success; the company prides itself on exceeding expectations for quality, execution, and service in all customer interactions. Kemmerer explains, “In this business we see competitors come and go all the time so it’s either you dedicate yourself to your customers and put them first or you simply disappear.”

The search for a cost-effective component solution

AbcO is constantly searching for new sourcing methods for the custom components it uses in projects with the goal of reducing the total quantity of custom components

that are employed in machine builds — including a more cost-effective source for machined linear shafts.

the procurement process for usable machined shafts entailed first purchasing blank linear shafts from a distributor and then machining the shafts using the internal machine shop resources at AbcO. this process was quite costly for AbcO, and in looking for ways to save resources, the company reached out to MISUMI and discovered configurable linear shafts with the ability to specify length, diameter, shaft end style, material and surface treatment.

Furthermore, drawings are not required because AbcO engineers can use the MISUMI online cAD configurator to design shafts to their specifications and then download the corresponding native cAD files directly from the MISUMI website. this revelation made AbcO quickly realize that it would be far more cost and time effective to procure MISUMI linear shafts instead of blank linear shafts, requiring secondary machining operations, which had been AbcO’s previous workflow.

From this realization, AbcO began investigating other custom components they could replace with MISUMI configurable components. “We found that by reducing the number of custom components per machine we are

The MISUMI component list for this machine includes: linear shafts, flanged linear bushings, strut clamps, locating pins, locating bushings, belts, bearings, plates, bolts, and rollers.

able to not only save time and money but are also able to produce machines that are more modular and offer better performance,” explained Senior Mechanical engineer, Dan Pescariu.

ABCO Chooses MISUMI’s Configurable Component Solution

As AbcO increased its use of configurable components within designs, the benefits associated with decreasing the use of custom components was soon realized on a larger scale across a number of diverse projects. “When we first started doing business with MISUMI, I was immediately impressed with the precision that goes into every component and the fact that what you configure is what you get,” said Pescariu.

AbcO had experienced problems with custom components mostly due to the fact that no two components were exactly the same. As Pescariu explains, it’s common to occasionally come across a “one of a kind” component that can’t be copied exactly.

However, it’s easy to design a configurable component to the required specifications and then simply reorder that particular component whenever it is needed by procuring the part using the component's part number. to this end, the machine component modularity increases as the configurable components are introduced in an increasing number of machine designs. In total each packaging machine contained approximately 10,000 components. Out of the approximate 10,000 components, around 3,000 were MISUMI components.

At AbcO, this turned out to be the deciding factor when choosing MISUMI as a supplier for the design and build of several high-speed, high-performance packaging machines. “As is typical in this business we were under an extremely tight deadline and also knew that we would have to duplicate this machine and build the exact machine several times for this customer,” explained Pescariu. AbcO Sales engineer Paul Mellander further explained that in the custom machine design industry, duplicating machines can be a significant challenge to overcome, especially when dealing with custom components.

this is why Pescariu began studying the MISUMI catalog to better understand how many configurable components AbcO could use on these machines. “Unlike custom components, MISUMI configurable components offer native cAD files that can be downloaded from their website as well as short lead times, published prices and part numbers for every configured component, which can easily be added to the bill of material,” noted Pescariu. Mellander adds that these features take the guesswork out of the design process, and the available native cAD files save large quantities of engineering time.

this, coupled with the fact that MISUMI does not have a minimum order quantity or set-up charges and boasts a 99.95% on-time delivery rating for all its products, shows that MISUMI brings a significant amount of value to its customers. “ the deadline for the design and build of these

packaging machines was just a couple months, but once I knew that we were using MISUMI as a supplier I felt more comfortable committing to such a tight deadline with the customer,” explained Mellander.

Reducing the total of components needed for machinery

With the speed and performance that was needed for these packaging machines, the design and build process must be flawlessly executed. As Pescariu explained, when dealing with multi-axis machines with high speed and high-performance requirements, the company cannot afford design compromises because the design inherently requires high precision components. As mentioned earlier, Pescariu was extremely impressed with the quality and precision of MISUMI configurable components, which made him comfortable using MISUMI to source components for this particular project. the MISUMI component list

“For a project of this size if we would have needed to draw and machine all the mechanical components, it could have increased the tooling costs by 5 times,” estimated Senior Mechanical Engineer, Dan Pescariu.

“Unlike custom components, MISUMI configurable components offer: native CAD files that can be downloaded from their web portal, short lead-times, published prices, and part numbers that can easily be added to the bill of material,” noted Senior Mechanical Engineer, Dan Pescariu.

for this machine included linear shafts, flanged linear bushings, strut clamps, locating pins, locating bushings, belts, bearings, plates, bolts and rollers.

by using configurable components instead of custom components, Pescariu found that he was able to significantly reduce the total component count of the machine. According to Pescariu, this accelerated the machine design and build process because the machine components fit together so well. this also led to a shortening of the machine testing phase as well; taken together, both of these factors contributed to the massive success of the machine design and build. Additionally, the machine was easier to duplicate which should lead to long-term benefits including lower maintenance and less machine downtime.

Reducing component count equals cost savings

AbcO President brad Kemmerer expects his engineers to meet their design and build budgets and encourages them to beat the budget consistently. “We were able to come in under budget for the design and build of these packaging machines and I can honestly say this is due to using as many MISUMI components as we could on the machine,” stated Pescariu. In total, each packaging machine contained approximately 10,000 components. Of these, approximately 3,000 were MISUMI components.

“Making one-third of the machine from MISUMI played a huge role in the success of this project,” stated Pescariu. He then further explained previously AbcO would have had to draw and machine many of these components. “For a project of this size if we would have needed to draw and machine all the mechanical components, it could have increased the tooling costs by 5 times,” estimated Pescariu.

Sales engineer Paul Mellander further explained that before the company discovered MISUMI, on a project of this size, it was easy for AbcO to max-out the capacity of all the local machine shops as they attempted to fabricate all the custom components required for the project. However, by replacing the custom components with configurable components this is no longer a problem. “coming in under budget for a project of this size is huge for us and our customer and makes us understand the importance of the configurable component,” noted Mellander.

The long-term benefits of MISUMI’s configurable solution

Working with configurable components has really changed the thinking behind designing and building custom

machines at AbcO Automation. Pescariu explained that previously the idea was to first design the machine then spec as many standard components as possible, backfilling the rest with custom designed components. However, now the thinking is: first specify the standard components, then specify as many configurable components as possible.

In turn, this decreases the number of custom components and AbcO directly reaps the benefits. AbcO believes that using MISUMI as a supplier of configurable and standard components has greatly benefited the business as it directly benefits AbcO customers as well. “I’ve never seen a company that announces yearly price reductions on its most popular products, but as MISUMI reaches higher sales volumes on these products the production costs decrease and MISUMI passes these savings on to AbcO,” stated Pescariu.

Along with competitive pricing, MISUMI never requires a minimum order quantity or set up charge on a product portfolio of 280,000 metric and inch components. Additionally, MISUMI has a 99.97% on-time delivery rating on all its products and a web portal that allows engineers to download native cAD files and place orders on its entire product catalog.

This case study was also published in the Quarterly edition of Industrial Machinery Digest. To explore MISUMI components for your machine designs, visit misumiusa.com.

According to ABCO President Brad Kemmerer expects his engineers to meet their design and build budgets and encourages them to beat their budgets on a consistent basis.

How Compatible Is the 4-Day Workweek Model and Manufacturing?

initially, the idea of a 4-day workweek seems too fanciful for as demanding of an industry as manufacturing, particularly niche manufacturing like metalworking. but could it actually be a solution to the global staffing shortage many companies are battling?

Throughout the last decade or more, the idea of a 4-day workweek has transformed from sheer wishful thinking to a proven practice put into place at many organizations across the globe. Particularly since the onset of the cOVID-19 pandemic, traditional work has evolved to include hybrid and remote work models as well as shortened workweeks and longer weekends. but how feasible is this concept really for small-, medium-, and large-scale manufacturers, especially today when there is a shortage of both skills and labor?

According to the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA), a Japanese branch of Microsoft saw a 40% increase in productivity wherein employees worked fewer hours, but still accomplished more than they typically would in 40 hours per week. Additionally, Atom bank saw a 500% rise in job applicants when it changed its normal workweek schedule to 32 hours instead of 40 — all without changing any other parameters of the jobs or work.

When it comes to reducing the amount of days worked per week, but still clocking in enough hours to meet or exceed productivity expectations, companies across the globe have tried a variety of different strategies, including four 12-hour shifts, four 10-hour shifts, four 80-hour shifts,

no-work Fridays or “summer” Fridays in June and July where employees only need to work half a day and can even work the first half from home, etc. All that matters is that there is a 3-day weekend and their wages and salaries are unaffected. this is where statistics show happier staff, increased productivity, and less turnover.

but how does a 4-day workweek translate into manufacturing or machining? the truth is that the original 5-day workweek only came about from an outdated need to have people working long hours in factories with minimum days off. In fact, in today’s world of modern manufacturing with the Industrial Internet of things (IIot ), additive manufacturing, and AI-powered technology, a 4-day workweek may be more tangible than you might think.

Automation is a big factor in shifting the idea of a 4-day workweek in manufacturing from concept to reality. It often eliminates the need for human input on time-consuming, repetitive tasks and instead accomplishes this work precisely, reliably, and in much faster time. According to AGMA, this can reduce the need for unskilled labor and injuries on the job, but simultaneously requires the training or hiring of a highly skilled employee to operate or oversee said machine or the implementation of AI.

Photo courtesy of CMG Technologies

“If you can eliminate the need to pay multiple workers salaries and lower the danger of said job, the savings could potentially offset the cost of a skilled employee or AI implementation. Skilled employees are in demand, though, which is where a hitherto undiscussed benefit of the 4-day workweek becomes an excellent bargaining chip: schedule flexibility,” according to the AGMA article.

According to the bureau of Labor Statistics (bLS), the median average manufacturing worker age is 44 years. And given that Millennials now make up the bulk of the modern workforce while boomers’ presence is fading, Gen X has reached peak employment status with Gen Z not far behind. this means there are entire generations of laborers who are technologically savvy — much more so than their aging predecessors — entering and maintaining the manufacturing workforce on multiple levels, from plant floor operators and machinists to higher-level corporate officers.

Moreover, even with a generous base pay and benefits package, the manufacturing sector is struggling to close the gap between workers coming in and workers leaving. More flexible workweek hours could be a way for companies to attract and keep staff in this demanding field.

even with its high rate of base pay, manufacturing can’t get enough workers to replace those that are leaving. One of the biggest reasons why, as reported by Millennials, is job inflexibility. While working from home is (probably)

out of the question for manufacturing, schedule flexibility doesn’t have to be.

While there are little to no examples of 4-day workweeks within manufacturing here in the U.S., one manufacturing firm in rendlesham, england (Suffolk) has been running on a 4-day workweek since 2017, allowing staff to strike a better work-life balance while boosting productivity.

cMG technologies is an internationally renowned specialist in 3D metal printing and metal injection molding (MIM), providing injection molded components to the medical, aerospace, automotive, and industrial sectors. It supplies components of unrivaled quality and maintains full accreditation to ISO9001-2015.

cMG also won the Wellbeing Award for the east of england at the Federation of Small business Awards in 2015 for treating its staff ethically and introducing a 4-day work week in 2015.

this UK-based manufacturer is certainly an example of proven success with the 4-day workweek that the U.S. manufacturing sector could learn a thing or two from.

References

https://www.agma.org/resources/gears-matter-blog/are-the-fourday-workweek-and-manufacturing-sector-incompatible/ https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18b.htm https://cmgtechnologies.co.uk/

Drill. Tap. Assemble.

• Chipless process

• Innovative technology suitable for steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, and aluminum

Contain the Mess for Cleaner, More Precise Grinding Operations

advanced precision rotary units are designed to minimize surface grinding mess and completely contain any debris

By Del Williams

“You can’t stop him, you can only hope to contain him,” is a favorite catchphrase of sportscaster Dan Patrick, used to describe the challenge of playing against elite athletes. With surface grinding, it can similarly be said that you can’t stop the cloudy haze of dust, swarf, and debris generated during the grinding process – you can only hope to contain it. that is just what today’s advanced surface grinders aim to do, by minimizing the amount of material that must be removed to achieve very precise tolerances, and incorporating shrouds, air misting, and cooling filtration systems that contain the mess almost entirely.

“Many people know they are in a shop with a conventional surface grinder as soon as they walk in the door because there is a unique smell due to the breakdown of the abrasive, combined with burning of the material. It is also not uncommon to see a cloud of dust over the grinding area,” says erik Lawson, engineering Manager at Winona, Minnesota-based DcM tech, a designer and builder of industrial rotary surface grinders.

In precision metalworking shops, grinding the surface of parts is often required to achieve certain specifications for size, tolerance, flatness, or surface condition. regardless of the reason, traditional surface grinders are notoriously messy – producing dust, debris, and swarf, which is a combination of the material removed and the consumed abrasive.

However, in precision machine shops today there is increasingly less tolerance for excessive grinding mess. Machine shops prefer tidy operations and so are increasingly searching for more modern, automated surface grinders that are easier to operate, provide much more precise grinding, and do so while containing the debris.

Times Have Changed

A decade or two ago, a messy, dusty shop floor may have been acceptable, but not today. Precision machine shops have evolved and now both customers and operators have much higher expectations for tidiness, according to Lawson.

“For customers, a messy shop floor can indicate a lack of attention to detail and raise questions about the ability to be precise. Shop operators do not want to work in a cloud of dust and swarf all day, go home dirty, and have their family smell it on their clothes,” says Lawson. He notes that in the past, machine shops may have swept their floors once a week or, at best, once a day.

today, many machine shops take pride in presenting an extremely clean work environment. Since the grinding process is inherently messy, however, the first key to achieving a clean shop while meeting all quality criteria is grinding to spec without overgrinding.

“Automated, precision grinders minimize mess because the machine only removes the minimal amount of material and so prevents overgrinding, which generates excess dust and debris for no real purpose,” says Lawson. “On top of that, some material is quite valuable, so overgrinding can be costly.”

Machine shops primarily utilize surface grinders with a reciprocating table and a horizontal spindle that turns the grinding wheel. reciprocating table grinders are precise but have a slow material removal rate and require multiple passes. traditional rotary surface grinders are a faster option but can be problematic in the hands of less experienced operators. With limited control of spindle speeds as well as manual controls, the equipment requires sophisticated operators that can factor in complex calculations, and considerable expertise and experience are required.

Although both types of conventional surface grinders can be found in many shops, they typically have an open configuration, which allows dust and debris to escape the machine and become airborne.

In contrast, modern vertical spindle, rotary table surface grinders have a table that rotates with the workpiece held firmly in place underneath a vertical spindle. the grinding is not performed by the peripheral edge of the wheel, but by the entire diameter of the abrasive surface, which facilitates grinding performance and consistency.

“ the less material that is removed while meeting all specs, the less debris that goes into the air or gets into the coolant,” says Lawson.

today, surface grinders like DcM tech’s IG 282 SD are also designed with much more advanced sensors and controls that automatically maintain very tight tolerances, removing material down to within one ten-thousandth of an inch of the final thickness. this can prevent overgrinding and enable operators to be much more intentional about how much material they would like to remove from each part.

When it is essential to contain debris to avoid a mess, selecting such an advanced rotary unit with an integrated shroud is also important. “ the shroud, which is a sliding door with a built-in window for viewing the process, encloses the grinding area,” says Lawson. He adds that a fully enclosed shroud also reduces the noise produced by the machine.

In addition to a shroud, grinders like the IG series provide an integral air mist collection system that draws particulate from the air and moves it away from the operator to enhance the cleanliness and safety of the work environment.

because of the importance of clean coolant when grinding, IG grinders provide through-spindle and external coolant flow, as well as a self-contained recirculating filtration system with a 3 micron roll style paper pre-filter and 5 micron in-line canister filter.

the most advanced units even offer programmed features that allow the machine to automatically rinse parts when grinding is complete, which is what a good operator would do.

“ the rinse clears the debris from the tooling mating surfaces, so there is no problem loading the next part. this is very advantageous, particularly in automated settings where there is no operator on the machine,” says Lawson.

Although “messy” and “grinders” have been synonymous for decades, modern design improvements provide machine shops with much cleaner, high-performance options. today, modern rotary surface grinders can be configured with sophisticated, automated features that make the messiest grinding operations a thing of the past.

For more information, visit www.dcm-tech.com.

An Alarming Trend in Process Control Systems

The processing industry is increasingly adopting a standards-based approach to alarm management to increase focus on actionable items and avoid alarm flooding that can lead to lost production and serious accidents

By: Del Williams

In process automation, an alarm is defined as an audible and/or visible means of indicating to the operator an equipment malfunction, process deviation, or abnormal condition requiring an operator response. but how many of today’s current alarms meet this definition? Not many, according to robert M. Ard , Director, Applications engineering at Owings Mills, Maryland- based Novatech Automation, Process Division, a company with extensive expertise in batch process automation.

“Is the alarm system a useful tool, or a nuisance and a distraction?” asks Ard. “When there are too many alarms, too many notifications, operators begin to tune them out.”

Unfortunately, poorly performing alarm systems remain contributing factors in major accidents. Poorly designed and maintained alarm management systems can overwhelm operators with chattering and nuisance alarms under normal conditions, and debilitating alarm floods when abnormal states emerge. When this occurs, it can be difficult for operators to ascertain and act on the most critical alarms, contributing to abnormal situations, lost production, and even serious accidents.

“If you read reports about industrial accidents that were blamed on alarm systems, quite often it is described as the operator had [many] alarms coming in every minute and the

one [critical] alarm that really required attention was buried under all the others,” says Ard.

Part of the challenge has been establishing standardized good alarm management practices throughout the industry. However, with organizations like the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Society of Automation (ISA) releasing updated guidelines in recent years, along with leading process automation companies incorporating more of a standards-based approach to application development, the focus is increasingly on differentiating alarms that require immediate attention from less urgent notifications, alerts, and messaging.

ANSI/ISA 18.2 Standards – Definition of Alarm the ANSI/ISA 18.2 Standard addresses the entire life cycle of alarm management from design and configuration through performance monitoring, auditing, and enforcing for the life of the control application.

According to the standard, alarms should be reserved for those events that require an operator response. In other words, if the event does not require that an operator act, it should not trigger an alarm. Alarms should not be used to inform the production staff of normal events.

“When ISA 18.2 came out, one of the key features that had the biggest impact was their definition of ‘what is an alarm?’” explains Ard. “basically, what the ISA committee determined was that an alarm should only be used if it requires an operator’s response. And that is probably the number one thing that most processing plants violate. they use alarms for all kinds of notifications, alerts, and reminders.”

In fact, many engineers essentially design their control system around response to alarms, instead of letting the control system function as it should.

“My question is, why is the control system relying on the operator to [function]? the control system should be handling that,” says Ard. “rather than create an alarm and rely on the operator to make an adjustment, if it is possible for the control system to make that adjustment, we automate that procedure. that eliminates the generation of the alarm, and the operator doesn’t have to do anything.”

Prioritizing Alarms

According to Ard, Novatech’s D/3 Distributed control System (DcS) is designed to meet or exceed the requirements outlined in the ISA-18.2, albeit with slightly different terminology.

In Novatech’s D/3 System, alarms are limited to loop tags, or external Point Name (ePN) events. ePN alarms set on-screen indicators to flash and sound an audible indicator. A “silence” key is available to silence the audible indication without acknowledging the alarm.

the S18.2 standard also outlines “alarm priority” based on the severity of the alarm. the D/3 System supports two alarm priorities, critical and non-critical. However, Novatech goes a step further by assigning a priority number from 0 to 99 to further sort alarms in the alarm summary display.

the S18.2 standard also allows for the prioritization of alarms based on classification, which is a grouping of alarms associated with specific equipment, locations, or alarm purpose. the D/3 System assigns “categories” to each ePN, which meets the intent of alarm classification. the wording of the S18.2 standard suggests that individual alarms can be assigned more than one classification, if appropriate.

Dynamic Alarming

On the D/3 System, the alarm priority and alarm category (classification) can also be dynamically changed to meet specific process conditions. Dynamic alarming is defined as the automated altering of alarm setpoints, priorities, and suppression based on the current process state.

Without dynamic alarming, for example, an alarm flood can occur during normal equipment shut down. However, most of those alarms are irrelevant to the operator in that situation and obscure more important alarms from the rest of the process.

Ard gives the example of a low-pressure indication alarm in a batch reactor. If there is no current reaction running the reactor, a low-pressure alarm may not mean much. However, if there is activity in the reactor, then a

low-pressure alarm is very significant. With dynamic alarm management, the low-pressure alarm can be disabled if nothing is happening in the reactor.

Novatech approaches dynamic alarming based on the current “state” of the equipment.

When brewing beer, for example, the first steps occur in a mash mixer, where various types of milled grains are soaked in warm water. the empty vessel begins in an “empty and ready” state. As the water, enzymes, and other ingredients are loaded, the state changes to “foundation water.” Once the water reaches a precise temperature, various milled grains are added and sparged with some additional water, in the “grain and sparge” state.

“As we transition from each ‘state’ to the next, we can enable and disable alarms, change alarm limits, and even assign new alarm categories and prioritization based on the current process conditions,” says Ard.

Non-Alarm Messages

For all other notifications such as alerts, prompts, and notices that do not meet the definition of an alarm, Novatech utilizes its proprietary Sequential and batch Language (SAbL) program to post messages to the operator console, HMI, and/or the alarm history file.

there are five types of messages generated by the D/3 System: system messages generated by various tasks that identify the health and status of various components and their subsystems; operator logger messages to record process changes made by operators, including changes to setpoints, outputs, tuning parameters and alarm acknowledgement; process alarm messages when an ePN exceeds a predefined alarm limit; SAbL programs can print batch and debug information into the Alarm History Files and batch History Files; and SAbL programs can query operators at their consoles to request information or confirmation.

“Some people refer to messages sent by a SAbL program as an ‘alarm,’ but they do not meet the definition of the ISA 18.2 standard for alarms, we do not assign priorities to them, and they are not acknowledgeable,” says Ard.

Keeping the Process Under Control

Of course, alarm management is just one aspect of a larger overall process control philosophy that begins with robust, predictable control under all process conditions. Properly conceived and executed, alarm management contributes to operator effectiveness and performance, and is essential to efficient operations.

“If you keep the process under control [with a properly designed DcS], you really don’t generate that many alarms,” says Ard. “ the goal is to focus on actual operator actionable alarms, per the definition outlined in the ISA 18.2 Standard, and leave the rest to the control system to handle on its own.”

For more information, visit the Novatech Automation website, www.novatechautomation.com or call (844) 668-2832.

6 Steps to Setting Up An EfficientPredictive Maintenance Plan

Managers and engineers are no fans of downtime, to say the least. If they had one wish, they would choose to keep their assets in working condition 24/7, every single day of the year. t he way maintenance is done has to be changed to get closer to this goal.

classic maintenance scheduling is based on the suggested maintenance routines and on-floor experiences. t his keeps machines and electronics systems running but remains inefficient and increases risks of wear, breakages, and downtime since it doesn’t use real-time data. Unplanned downtime alone is estimated to cost industrial manufacturers about $50 billion a year. With the adoption of Industry 4.0 tech, industries can achieve near-zero downtime using predictive maintenance.

What is Predictive Maintenance?

Predictive maintenance has been around since the 90s but it has come a long way since then. t he aim of predictive maintenance is to schedule maintenance based on the real-time data collected using embedded sensors from across the factory. t he data used by such systems

may include temperature, power consumption, the performance of subsystems, and other important metrics that help ascertain the health of plant operations.

t his data has huge importance in the fourth industrial revolution. cloud computing and big data analytics can generate valuable information about equipment performance, including valuable information about predictive maintenance. A maintenance system equipped with AI and ML can use the data to predict which parts of the system may require maintenance soon.

Predictive maintenance can improve productivity, reduce downtime, and save assets from failure, all of which directly help the bottom line. Here are six steps you can follow to set up an efficient predictive maintenance plan for your factory.

Analyze the Needs and Inventory the Assets

t he first step towards a predictive maintenance plan is doing an inventory of the assets and assessing the system. Analyzing processes brings the need for predictive maintenance, and inventory makes it easy to find assets that require predictive maintenance the most.

choosing assets for a pilot predictive maintenance plan is simple – the assets that affect operations significantly, have high repair/replacement costs, and ones that require expensive specialist attention which may take a while. t his will help get the highest return on investment by cutting maintenance costs of the most critical assets.

Collect Equipment Data

Once you know which assets will be part of the predictive maintenance plan, you need all the available data about them. t he data helps in creating a primary predictive maintenance model. t he cMMS then uses the model to predict maintenance requirements. Using such data also saves time and gives a head start to the model which can learn from the history of the assets.

Modern systems usually have a large amount of data about assets and their performance history. Apart from the digital data, you can collect historical manually recorded data, information from manufacturers, and experience-based information from workers.

t he data you collect at this stage also provides more information on which assets deserve predictive maintenance. If a particular asset’s maintenance costs were not accurate before, now you’ll get a better idea. For example, if a component in your system causes breakdowns at many locations, it should be on the predictive maintenance plan.

Conduct Failure Analysis

After you have enough data about the assets, you can run a failure analysis to identify different modes of failure – how an asset can break down. t he analysis includes finding out the extent, effect, frequency, and difficulty in identification of failure. Failure Mode and effect Analysis (FM e A) is a popular and effective method to achieve these goals.

FM e A is a step-by-step process of identifying different failure modes and their effects on any product to assign priorities. FM e A is a complex process and takes into account the severity, frequency, and detection variables as discussed. t he final result is the prioritized list which you can use to create the prediction models for high-risk assets first. After completion, the primary model is prepared for the cMMS to implement.

Modern cMMS platforms can also provide the data visibility needed to identify which issues are causing the most disruption, and therefore costing the company the most. these can then be prioritized, and a good system will enable you to manage the resolution of issues at their root cause.

Upgrade Data Collection Sensors and Equipment

At the center of any predictive maintenance plan is the data collected by sensors. If the data is inaccurate or incomplete, even the best theoretical model might become inefficient. to ensure accurate and complete data collection you may need extra sensors or equipment.

Your existing cMMS might have sensors and equipment which can be upgraded to meet the requirements. Different sensors like current and voltage sensors, thermometers, and cameras are common in electronics systems. t he cMMS uses the real-time data from these sensors to function effectively and predict maintenance requirements.

Algorithm Development with AI and ML

Like data, algorithms are also central to predictive maintenance. Algorithms utilize the collected data to provide the alerts you need. Predictive maintenance uses system monitoring and predictive algorithms as part of data analysis.

In system monitoring, cMMS uses real-time data from sensors to point out any changes that may be due to asset wear. t his is done using multiple variables and previously recorded parameters for failure conditions. Predictive algorithms provide the estimated remaining time to failure for the asset based on a comparison of its recent and historic data. t hese algorithms may be created using modeling with artificial intelligence and machine learning.

t he predictive modeling is prepared by an expert data scientist. t he model is then combined with a machine learning platform that makes changes to the algorithm with each failure. t he results provide improved predicting capabilities and near-zero unplanned downtimes.

Deployment

Now that the sensors and predictive algorithms are ready, you can integrate the technology with chosen assets. When beginning with limited assets, you can run the algorithms on embedded devices mounted near the asset since the amount of data isn’t large. As you integrate more assets with the plan, you might have to move towards cloud computing to collect and analyze data at faster speeds. Once the plan is deployed, cMMS will provide notifications for maintenance predictions.

An efficient predictive maintenance plan is a necessity for modern systems in any industry. While setting up a predictive maintenance plan is a complex task, it is typically worth the returns. According to a McKinsey report, predictive maintenance can help bring down maintenance costs by 10 to 40 percent and cut downtime by 50 percent. t he steps listed here can simplify the task of laying down a predictive maintenance plan with help of skilled engineers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

eric Whitley has 30 years of experience in manufacturing, holding positions such as total Productive Maintenance champion for Autoliv ASP, an automotive safety system supplier that specializes in airbags and restraint systems. He is also an expert in lean and smart manufacturing practices and technologies. Over the years, eric has worked with all sectors of industry including Food, timber, construction, chemica,l and Automotive to name a few. currently, he’s a part of the L2L team.

ON EXHIBIT

ANCA launches its premium, next generation machine range to produce the highest accuracy and quality cutting tools in the world - the MX7 ULTRA

Introducing one nanometre axis resolution, the new MX7 ULTRA machine’s performance can maintain less than +/- 0.002mm line form accuracy of any profile which includes ballnose and corner radius endmills. See the ultraperformance machine at IMTS – Booth #237 406.

the new MX7 ULtr A can manufacture large volumes of endmills and other cutting tools of the highest accuracy and quality. the minute size of a micron is beyond the human eye, but in becoming even more precise and moving from micrometres to nanometres, ANcA will offer the highest accuracy and quality in a cutting tool in the market. New software, hardware and design features are combined to make significant advances in surface finish, accuracy, and controlled runout, to deliver batch consistency from the first ground tool to the thousandth.

The MX7 ULTRA includes:

» nanometre control system,

» new servo control algorithm for smooth motion,

» system and mechanical upgrades enhance stiffness and rigidity,

» in-process measuring, balancing and runout compensation for consistent accuracy,

» Motor temperature control (Mtc) – compensation for thermal expansion on the grinding spindle, and

» specialist training support in how to grind industry leading cutting tools.

Pat boland, ANcA co-founder says: “ the MX7 ULtr A is a significant development in precision machine design and will change the industry expectations for accuracy and tool life. Achieving these outstanding results has only been possible because of our extensive experience working with customers to manufacture the highest quality cutting tools over many years. At ANcA we are always designing and innovating to find better customer solutions and I am very proud of the ANcA team that have developed the MX7 ULtr A.”

“ the ULtr A machine is truly market changing. It is the culmination of ANcA’s elite technology, deep industry knowledge, and customer experience in grinding,” says thomson Mathew, ANcA product manager for the MX series and software products.

Unlike its competitors, ANcA is vertically integrated. this provides a significant advantage as it means ANcA teams can develop and manufactures their own machines from base to canopy - including controls and drive systems, design and simulation software and even machine monitoring software. Owning all the technology means engineers and designers can consider the entire machine as a single system when developing new solutions.

CERATIZIT Dragonskin Multi-Layer Tool Coating Debuts at IMTS

For optimum protection against wear for long tool life, temperature resistance and process reliability, cer AtIZIt USA Inc presented its Dragonskin multi-layer tool coating at IMtS. the high-performance coating is based on nanolayers, consisting of the appropriate combination of different coating systems and coating technologies,

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resulting in maximum protection against external influences and effectively reducing premature tool wear. because of they use nanometer-thin layers, certAtIZIt combines different properties of different chemical compositions to achieve desired results. For example, the company’s cVD cutting material grade ctcM245, which was specially developed for machining high-alloy steels incorporates a very tough substrate, an Al2O3 layer, a compound layer and a ticN layer to ensure the best performance. the combination provides temperature resistance to reduce thermal shocks, which allows for higher cutting speeds along with reduced flank and scour wear during the machining of high-alloy steels.

to quickly and efficiently move chips away from the tool as quickly as possible, the after-treatment of Dragonskin produces extremely smooth surfaces which have a positive effect on the contact friction between chip and rake face. this further reduces wear for even longer tool life and up to 80 percent increased overall performance.

Boost Machining and Programming Efficiency with New Digitalization Suite

NC Reflection Studio provides full machining simulation for verification and optimization of the G-code program, job setup and part production.

FANUc America, a leading supplier of cNcs, robotics and rObOMAcHINeS, introduces the next step in end-to-end digitalization tools for machine shops with the new Nc reflection Studio. the advanced software allows for complex program creation, troubleshooting and editing while simulating the cutting process.

Nc reflection Studio uses machine models from the machine tool builder or select cAM systems with a virtualized FANUc cNc creating a digital twin to provide powerful G-code and cutting simulation, in addition to backplotting, program editing as well as full-featured job setup. this unique aspect provides the ultimate simulation accuracy by using the real cNc parameters, machine layout and kinematics. Additionally, users can easily upload or

IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

download part programs to the cNc over an ethernet connection for seamless program management.

“ t his is a tool that helps ensure programs are correct for the exact machine setup, ultimately making parts more efficiently with less risk, which is what all manufacturers want,” says Paul Webster, Director of Factory Automation engineering for FANU c America. “As a global leader in providing cN c s, we are the best source to provide real Industry 4.0 insight into the cN c . With this high-fidelity simulation suite, you’ll be able to spend less time testing posted programs at the machine and more time cutting.”

Nc reflection Studio allows robust part program editing and complete job setup of tooling, fixtures, offset and part blanks. Importing posted programs from cAM and testing using the machine models and cNc setup enables the ability to see how the machine will process the program

C-FRAME PRESSES

• Heavy Gauge Steel Design

• Press Bed bolted on, not welded, to prevent distortion.

• Large press bed to accommodate a variety of tooling other than just punching.

• Pump, motor, valve and reservoir are all easily accessible for maintenance.

•

Large rectangular tubes used at base of machine to give safe, instant portability.

in the real world. traditional G-code simulation, while fast, lacks data about the setup of the real machine. Adding online simulation unlocks the ability to test programs utilizing the actual machine parameter settings. With this flexibility of editing programs between the backplot, cutting and online simulation environments, users can quickly test programs while editing as well as verify detailed programs before releasing them to production.

Mazak Spotlights HCN-5000 NEO at IMTS 2022

Next-generation Horizontal Machining Center boosts efficiency and productivity

Mazak highlighted the versatile benefits of its next-generation HcN-5000 NeO Horizontal Machining center at IMtS 2022 in booth 338300. the machine combines advanced technology and outstanding value with high-performance productivity to produce large, heavy parts from virtually any type of material. Its highly rigid construction and compensation ensure extended periods of precise machining.

redesigned for greater efficiency, productivity and sustainable performance, the HcN-5000 NeO features a standard Nc rotary table for reduced non-cut time, while an optional direct-drive motor rotary table with scale increases high-speed operation efficiency. A wide variety of additional options includes high-rigidity spindles for heavy-duty machining, multiple tool magazine sizes for greater capacity and automation systems to increase convenience. the machine helps shops boost output and precision while its enhanced energy efficiency improves environmental performance and a three-point leveling bed simplifies machine installation.

the HcN-5000 NeO excels with parts up to 31.5" x

39.37" (800 mm x 1000 mm) thanks to its spacious work envelope and 19.69" (500 mm) standard pallet size, as well as a fast rapid traverse speed and rigid, reliable spindles. Low ground-to-pallet-surface setup provides enhanced accessibility for easy setup, with 90° setup station indexing for easy workpiece loading and unloading.

A wide variety of high-speed and high-torque integral motor/spindle types ensures that shops can match spindle performance to specific materials, including everything from steels to nonferrous metals. the machine’s ample axis travels measure 28.74" (730 mm) in both X and Y and 31.5" (800 mm) in Z.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Industrial Machinery Digest's Monthly Product Showcase features the latest from some of the manufacturing industry's top suppliers.

Dual Station Variable Speed Belt Grinder from Palmgren

the 2” x 72” Dual Station Variable Speed belt Grinder from Palmgren delivers enhanced grinding and finishing productivity, all in one machine. the belt grinder features two belt heads ensuring the ultimate flexibility to handle platen grinding, contact wheel grinding and even slack back grinding. Its design enables roughing to intermediate grinding to blending as well as final finishing and polishing. It offers the convenience of grinding belts can be easily changed in seconds without tools thanks to Palmgren’s single handle quick release system. For optimum use, the belt arms can tilt from 0-90° to quickly change between grinding applications. the variable speed drive system allows precise belt speed for any grinding or finishing application. the 100-year-old Palmgren is a c .H. Hanson® brand.

Learn more at www.khkgears.us.

Guardair Introduces PulseAir™ Vacuum/ Dust Extractors

Guardair announces the latest innovation to its flagship GUA r DAI r brand – the PulseAir Vacuum/Dust e xtractor Line.

Guardair corporation, a leading manufacturer of pneumatic tools and accessories for industrial cleaning and maintenance announces the latest innovation to its flagship GUA r DAI r brand — the PulseAir Vacuum/Dust e xtractor Line.

Powered by compressed air, PulseAir Vacuums/Dust e xtractors are powerful industrial vacuums incorporating a proprietary, button-activated system engineered to clean the vacuum filter without opening the unit. On demand, a burst of compressed air is injected into the interior of the filter mounted underneath the vacuum lid. Dust particles clogging the outer filter surface are dislodged and settle within the closed container.

“clogged filters dramatically lower vacuum performance” explained Nick Gorra, Guardair Product Marketing Manager. “PulseAir technology also extends filter lifespan, allows un-interrupted vacuum operation, and minimizes operator exposure to dusty filters. coupled with H ePA filtration, PulseAir enables end-users to meet OSHA Silica Dust regulation 29 cFr 1926.1153.”

The #9681104 high-quality 2” x 72” Dual Station Variable Speed Belt Grinder from Palmgren is built and equipped with the operational features that stand up to production output and accuracy.

Dependable and trouble-free with no motor to spark or burn out, PulseAir units generate exceptional vacuum lift and flow while operating quietly and efficiently.

PulseAir Vacuums are ideal for general industrial

housekeeping applications with high dust content, while PulseAir Dust e xtractors are designed for source capture power tools.

PulseAir Vacuums are available with 55, 30 and 20-gallon containers; PulseAir Dust e xtractors with 30 and 20-gallon containers. All models feature H ePA cartridge filters and static conductive components to eliminate nuisance shocks.

Learn more at www.guardair.com

Pleora Technologies Expands AI Manufacturing Solutions with New Apps and Integrations

Performance advances for manual and automated inspection solutions help manufacturers reduce errors that result in poor product quality, damage brand, and increase costs

Pleora technologies today introduced new productionready and customizable performance advances for its AI solutions to help manufacturers improve frontline processes and collect inspection data for analytics. the company is demonstrating its AI solutions at the upcoming Future of Automation technology Forum, Vision Stuttgart, the Vision Show, and the Assembly Show.

“As we have introduced our AI solutions, our applications team is partnering with manufacturers across a broad range of sectors to better understand their daily challenges and long-term objectives,” said John butler, Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Pleora. “expanding the off-the-shelf and customizable capabilities of our AI solutions, we’re helping manufacturers address immediate concerns related to quality, labor shortages, and increasing costs while they accelerate their focus on collecting and analyzing inspection data to drive process improvements.”

Pleora’s AI manufacturing solutions include a Visual Inspection System that makes human decision-making consistent and traceable, and an edge processing and algorithm design platform to add advanced defect detection capabilities alongside automated computer vision processes. the company’s solutions are now deployed in consumer goods, manufactured parts, print and packaging, and food and beverage inspection.

For visual inspection applications, Pleora is introducing a suite of production-ready Inspection and tracking & reporting apps that don’t require coding or design. Inspection apps for in-coming, in-process, and final manufacturing steps make product errors obvious for a human operator. Inspection can start with just one good product image. As the operator accepts or rejects initial errors, the AI model is transparently trained and will begin detecting issues and suggesting decisions for the human inspector.

to further improve frontline operations, Pleora’s growing library of manufacturing apps are available as production-ready tools that can be customized for unique requirements with the company’s ebUS AI Studio

development platform. Off-the-shelf apps include tools for barcode scanning, inventory tracking, raw material management, component count, and more.

the company has expanded the capabilities of its tracking & reporting apps, which collect actionable insight from manual processes including suspected and confirmed defects and user notes. Manufacturers can now store manual inspection data to local or cloud-based production databases for traceability, shipment management, and batch tracking. New integrated two-way read and write communication with manufacturing enterprise resource planning systems helps end-users monitor, track, and analyze manual inspection data to speed issue resolution and improvement initiatives.

For automated inspection applications, off-theshelf AI and machine vision plug-ins for common quality inspection tasks can be easily modified as-required in Pleora’s “no code” ebUS AI Studio and deployed in production without requiring specialized development skills.

to ease the deployment of AI alongside proven machine vision processes, Pleora’s standards-based approach ensures full compatibility with third-party cameras, sensors, processing, and libraries. Manufacturers can add AI inspection without disrupting proven computer vision applications, existing infrastructure, or end-user

operations. New standard and customizable two-way communication between the AI Gateway edge processor and programmable logic converters (PLcs) enables control of other vision system components over a range of networking protocols, including ethernet/IP, Modbus rtU, Profinet, Profibus, and Modbus tcP.

Learn more at www.pleora.com

AccUDYNe Products — www.accudyneproducts.com 11

Actek Manufacturing and engineering Inc. — www.actekmfg.com 45

AttcO, Inc. DbA Syclone AttcO Service — www.skyhookmfr.com 19

Attica Hydraulic exchange — www.hydraulex.com 17

betenbender Manufacturing, Inc — www.betenbender.com 5

burr King Mfg co. — www.burrking.com Fc

carell corporation — www.carellcorp.com 25 clamprite — www.clamprite.com 43

cOLe tUVe Inc. — www.coletuve.com 49

cosen Saws, USA — www.cosensaws.com 15

cOXreeLS — www.cOXreeLS.com 20

Denver breaker & Supply — www.denverbreaker.com 47

Design-2-Part Shows — www.d2p.com 48

Dynabrade, Inc. — www.dynabrade.com 9

eagle bending Machines — www.eaglebendingmachines.com 25 essex Structural Steel co. — www.essexstructuralsteel.com 48

FAbtecH — www.fabtechexpo.com Ibc

Formdrill USA Inc. — www.formdrill-usa.com 33

Fortville Feeders, Inc. — www.fortvillefeeders.com 42

H&K equipment, Inc. — www.hkequipment.com 48

HMI div of betenbender Manufacturing — www.betenbender.com 42

HYPNeUMAt Inc — www.hypneumat.com 13

IMDauctions.com — www.imdauctions.com 49

Industrial Magnetics, Inc. — www.magnetics.com 35

Kanetec USA corp — www.kanetec.com 47

KHK Gears — www.khkgears.us 41

Lenzkes clamping tools, Inc. — www.lenzkesusa.com IFc

L&L Special Furnace co., Inc. — www.llfurnace.com 49

MacMillin Hydraulic engineering corporation — www.macmhydraulic.com 16

Morgan Manufacturing, Inc. — www.MorganMfg.com 49

Pro-Line — www.1proline.com 49

radwell International, Inc. — www.radwell.com 3

royal Products — www.mistcollectors.com 49

Schweiss Doors — www.schweissdoors.com 49

SIKIcH — SIKIcH.com 29

Standard Direct — www.Standard-Direct.com 47

Stor-Loc — www.storloc.com 27, bc

Suhner Industrial Products — www.suhner-machining.com 21

the caldwell Group, Inc — www.caldwellinc.com 7

tormach — www.tormach.com 23

trim-Lok — www.trimlok.com 46

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