Engineering Update - September 2023

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ENGINEERING PDATE WWW.ENGINEERING-UPDATE.CO.UK

SEPTEMBER 2023

Accu sponsors Formula Student racing teams with engineering components [click here]

Introducing AAEON’s RTC-1020: A Rugged Tablet Redefining Durability and Performance AAEON’s latest innovation, the RTC1020 rugged tablet, is now proudly offered through Display Technology.

Designed to provide unparalleled utility and performance, the RTC1020 sets new standards in rugged computing, boasting exceptional certifications and key features that make it the ultimate choice for professionals across industries.

The RTC-1020 stands as a testament to reliability, achieving MIL-STD-810H certifications that exemplify its ability to withstand the harshest conditions. Its MIL-STD810H certification ensures resilience to intense vibrations, making it a reliable companion for deployment in industrial and field operations where ruggedness is crucial.

Faster, Smarter, and More Efficient.

Enhanced Connectivity and Unrivalled Versatility

Beyond its rugged build, the RTC1020 impresses with an array of features that deliver exceptional performance. Powered by 11th Gen Intel® Core™ Processors, the tablet offers high-speed computing with 4 cores and 8 threads through Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology. This immense computing power makes the RTC-1020 the ideal companion for handling complex applications like mechanical maintenance devices with ease and efficiency.

Setting itself apart, the RTC-1020 offers a diverse range of connectivity options.

Equipped with a pre-installed LTE module, the tablet provides immediate wireless connectivity in the field, reducing lead time and maximizing productivity.

Additionally, the RTC-1020 supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.1, ensuring seamless data transfer and communication in any setting.

The RTC-1020 also boasts a sunlight-readable 800 nit TFT LCD screen, ensuring crystal-clear visibility in outdoor environments regardless of lighting conditions.

With 8GB of onboard LPDDR4X system memory, data transmission rates for peripheral devices connected to the tablet via LAN, USB 3.2, and display interfaces are expedited, further enhancing overall efficiency and productivity.

With a 5MP front camera and an 8MP rear camera, the RTC-1020 empowers users with the ability to capture UHD images, catering to applications such as field inspection and comprehensive data capture.

Ready to Empower Diverse Industries The RTC-1020’s versatility extends its utility across various industries. Its ergonomic design, featuring six configurable physical keys, makes it the ideal choice for professionals working in construction sites and demanding environments.

Additionally, the tablet’s ruggedness and high-performance capabilities render it well-suited for applications in aerospace, logistics, and field service, where reliability and efficiency are paramount.

With the RTC-1020 now available through Display Technology, professionals can unlock new possibilities in rugged computing, confident in the tablet’s exceptional durability, cutting-edge features, and unparalleled performance.

To learn more about the RTC-1020 and explore its diverse applications, contact Display Technology info@displaytechnology.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2023

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10

15

SEEPEX Innovative Pump Solutions Power Sustainable Sludge Treatment at Thames Water

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Cooling methods for electronic equipment

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Accu sponsors Formula Student racing teams with engineering components

2/3-inch zoom lens for high radiation environments

The UK’s biggest celebration of electronics, mechanical and embedded design

To speak to a member of the team please call 020 805 09659 or email hello@engineering-update.co.uk

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September 2023 ENGINEERING

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Introducing AAEON’s RTC-1020: A Rugged Tablet Redefining Durability and Performance AAEON’s latest innovation, the RTC-1020 rugged tablet, is now proudly offered through Display Technology. Designed to provide unparalleled utility and performance, the RTC-1020 sets new standards in rugged computing, boasting exceptional certifications and key features that make it the ultimate choice for professionals across industries.

The RTC-1020 stands as a testament to reliability, achieving MIL-STD-810H certifications that exemplify its ability to withstand the harshest conditions. Its MILSTD-810H certification ensures resilience to intense vibrations, making it a reliable companion for deployment in industrial and field operations where ruggedness is crucial.

Faster, Smarter, and More Efficient Beyond its rugged build, the RTC1020 impresses with an array of features that deliver exceptional performance. Powered by 11th Gen Intel® Core™ Processors, Enhanced Connectivity and Unrivalled Versatility the tablet offers high-speed computing with 4 cores and 8 Setting itself apart, the RTC-1020 offers a diverse range of connectivity threads through Intel® Hyperoptions. Equipped with a pre-installed LTE module, the tablet provides Threading Technology. This immediate wireless connectivity in the field, reducing lead time and immense computing power maximizing productivity. Additionally, the RTC-1020 supports Wi-Fi 802.11 makes the RTC-1020 the ideal a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.1, ensuring seamless data transfer and companion for handling complex communication in any setting. applications like mechanical maintenance devices with ease With a 5MP front camera and an 8MP rear camera, the RTC-1020 empowers users with the ability to capture UHD images, catering to and efficiency. applications such as field inspection and comprehensive data capture.

The RTC-1020 also boasts a Ready to Empower Diverse Industries sunlight-readable 800 nit TFT LCD screen, ensuring crystalThe RTC-1020's versatility extends its utility across various industries. clear visibility in outdoor Its ergonomic design, featuring six configurable physical keys, makes environments regardless of it the ideal choice for professionals working in construction sites and lighting conditions. With 8GB demanding environments. Additionally, the tablet's ruggedness and of onboard LPDDR4X system high-performance capabilities render it well-suited for applications in memory, data transmission aerospace, logistics, and field service, where reliability and efficiency are rates for peripheral devices paramount. connected to the tablet via With the RTC-1020 now available through Display Technology, LAN, USB 3.2, and display interfaces are expedited, further professionals can unlock new possibilities in rugged computing, enhancing overall efficiency and confident in the tablet's exceptional durability, cutting-edge features, and unparalleled performance. productivity.

To learn more about the RTC-1020 and explore its diverse applications, contact Display Technology info@displaytechnology.co.uk Click here to view the data sheet.

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+44 (0) 1480 411600 www.displaytechnology.co.uk

ENGINEERING PDATE September 2023

Innovative Liquid Flow Measurement Solutions Ultrasonic Flowmeters

Turbine Flowmeters

Titan Enterprises is a leading design and manufacturer of innovative end user and OEM high-performance flowmeters and flow measurement instrumentation, used within a wide range of processes, environments and applications.

• Compact, robust, reliable • Excellent accuracy and repeatability • Measure low to high flow ranges • High chemical resistance • NSF-Approved mini turbine flowmeters Titan’s liquid flowmeters are designed and manufactured to ISO 9001 with traceable calibrations.

Oval Gear Flowmeters

Instrumentation

+44 (0)1935 812790 sales@flowmeters.co.uk www.flowmeters.co.uk

REQUEST A FREE QUOTE TODAY

Breakthrough Flowmeter Technology

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SPACE

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ENERGY

DEFENCE

For further information about GTMA, and how we can assist with supply chain requirements, please contact david@gtma.co.uk A wealth of precision engineering supply chain partners www.gtma.co.uk

ENGINEERING PDATE September 2023

SICK’s MPB10 Sensor Bolts-on for Continuous Condition Monitoring SICK has announced the launch of its MPB10 Multi-Physics Box condition monitoring sensor, a pioneering and rugged bolt-on device designed to deliver real-time, continuous service data from industrial machines, including electric motors, pumps, fans and conveyor systems, even in the harshest industry environments.

SICK’s first dedicated condition monitoring sensor, the MPB10 is an all-in-one device designed to make it easy to monitor and interpret vibration, shock and temperature measurement data delivered right from the heart of machines. The MPB10 provides service data to enable more cost-efficient predictive maintenance practices that can improve plant availability, maximise operating life, and protect product and process quality.

Detecting Signs of Failure The SICK MPB10 measures vibration, shocks and temperature that can be the tell-tale signs of approaching machine failure. Users are provided with pre-processed, concise and easy to interpret information that can be customised for the machine and process.

A stand-alone SICK MPB10 can transmit data over IO-Link to a machine control or output a simple alarm-based switching signal. With wide-ranging measurement parameters, the MPB10 can be set up according to the type of machine to alert, for example, when values exceed pre-configured thresholds.

Dashboard Visualisation Users also have the option to visualise real-time and historic data from the SICK MPB10 on easy-to-interpret, customisable dashboards using the SICK Monitoring Box digital service. Via the Monitoring Box, operators can also receive notifications via email, or provide data for integration into cloud-based applications.

The SICK MPB10 detects vibrations (± 8 g) and shocks up to 200g in all 3 axes via the sensor’s MEMS elements. Multistage alerts can be set up to monitor vibration thresholds according to the requirements of DIN ISO 10816-3 in rotating machines such as electric motors, fans, turbines and generators. The indicative vibration values in the time and frequency range are significantly easier to interpret than raw data, helping to detect, for example, insufficient lubrication, bearing damage or motor imbalances.

Protected by a rugged IP68 stainless-steel housing, the MPB10 delivers consistent contact temperature data between −40 °C and +80 °C, even in dusty or wet environments. Ideally fixed close to the bearings, the MPB10 can be mounted securely using a single M3 screw or fixed onto curved surfaces using the mounting plate supplied. Alternatively, it can be secured with epoxy glue or welded.

Cost-Saving Benefits David Hannaby, SICK’s Market Manager for Presence Detection, said: “The SICK MPB10 is a rugged little instrument with the potential to add huge value to industrial machines and processes. By bolting on an MPB10 to their machine, plant operators and managers can upgrade simply to predictive maintenance practices and identify problems early before any significant decrease in performance or failure.

“By avoiding damaging temperatures, shocks or vibrations, the availability of the machine can be increased, product and process quality can be protected, and operators have more potential to extend the life of their machines.

Maintenance effort and costs are reduced because reactive interventions can be avoided, and time-consuming routine preventive inspections can become less frequent.”

For more information, please contact Andrea Hornby on 01727 831121 or email andrea.hornby@sick.co.uk.

www.sick.co.uk

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September 2023 ENGINEERING

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2/3-inch zoom lens for high radiation environments Resolve Optics has launched a new 2/3-inch format motorised version of its popular Model 357 radiation tolerant zoom lens.

Purpose designed for use with colour 2/3 inch tube and CMOS cameras in high radiation environments, the Model 357-004 provides true HD quality images over an unrivalled 10x (12-120mm) zoom range.

Rob Watkinson, customer support manager at Resolve Optics commented “The

strong yellow tint that has traditionally been a limiting issue when

Model 357-004 was

using radiation tolerant lenses on colour sensors. The glass used

developed to provide better

in these lenses can withstand long-term exposure to radiation

HD colour images for the

up to an accumulative dose of one hundred million RAD and

nuclear industry. Offering full temperatures up to 85°C without loss of transmission”. motorised control of zoom, iris and focusing this robust

Operating at f/3.6, the Model 357-004 zoom lens provides high

lens is easily integrated with

image resolution and minimum geometric distortion from 400 to

most nuclear cameras and

770nm and can image objects from 1300mm to infinity. The 357-

sensors”.

004 is a tracking zoom lens, meaning that once it has been set up, it will maintain focus throughout the entire zoom range.

He added “The Model 357-004 zoom lens uses

For further information on the Model 357-004 motorised zoom

specialised non browning

lens please visit www.resolveoptics.com/radiation-resistant-

glasses to produce clear

lenses-2/ or contact Resolve Optics Ltd on

sharp images free of the

+44-1494-777100 / sales@resolveoptics.com

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ENGINEERING PDATE September 2023

Materials, Product Life, Performance

What Essential Parameters Drive Your Flow Meter Choice?

Titan Enterprises, a leading UK design and manufacturer of liquid flow measurement sensors, presents a comparison of their flowmeter types that will influence the suitability for your process application.

Doing things differently, better, and more cost-effectively for our customers, has been our design philosophy since Titan Enterprises launched its first flowmeter sensor in 1981. With market-leading innovation, Titan’s liquid flow measuring products and technology are industry proven on a global scale for use within a wide range of process and industrial applications.

With both standard flow measurement devices and OEM modifications or unique designs to accommodate customer specific applications, Titan’s flexibility and close, longterm customer partnerships have resulted in many OEM manufacturers specifying our products in equipment that will remain in production for many years.

To facilitate a customer’s decision-making process to determine the most suitable flowmeter for their application, Titan’s comparison table highlights the key features of Titan Enterprises’ Turbine, Oval Gear and Ultrasonic flow meters.

The more detailed technical specifications of these flow measuring devices can be found on Titan’s website, where a comparison chart of each flowmeter type can also be viewed.

The basic physical techniques that flowmeters work to are well established; it’s the latest technology and materials that are applied which give the wide variety of choices in the market. Titan Enterprises are specialist design and manufacturers of turbine, oval gear and ultrasonic flow measuring devices with over 70,000 flowmeters sold each year to an international market. Additional broad groups of flowmeters can be explored further in our technical paper which discusses the suitability of a broader range of flow sensors for a variety of applications.

For further information on Titan Enterprises’ flowmeter and instrument range, please visit flowmeters.co.uk/.

To discuss an optimised flow measurement device for your OEM application please contact Titan Enterprises on +44 (0)1935 812790 or email sales@flowmeters.co.uk. |9

September 2023 ENGINEERING

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The UK’s biggest celebration of electronics, mechanical and embedded design The Engineering Design Show (EDS) returns to The Coventry Building Society Arena on the 11th – 12th of October 2023, bringing together thousands of design engineers to source, learn and network.

Expect to discover 200+ exhibitors, thousands of the latest innovations and products and 30+ hours of freeto-attend conference sessions and workshops. Plus, don’t miss the dedicated robotics zone, an interactive VR display with Nottingham Trent University, ‘The EDS Race to Place’ games area (and a chance to win some fantastic prizes) and the end of day-one party, where all visitors, exhibitors and speakers are invited for free food, refreshments and live music!

There are so many huge names attending, with confirmed headline sponsors, Powell Electronics, Würth Electronics and Solid State Supplies. Dassault Systèmes are also sponsoring a new lounge area, creating a relaxing, networking space for visitors. Plus, we are pleased to welcome Mouser Electronics, Silicon Motion, Arrival Electronics and AWE, all sponsors for this year’s show.

CONFERENCE & WORKSHOPS – LEARNING, BENCHMARKING AND DEVELOPMENT EDS has three conference streams that will run in parallel across the two days. Curated by the editors of the industryleading titles The Engineer, New Electronics and Eureka!, and drawing on a combined 340+ years of engineering journalism and insight, the three streams will deliver multiple case studies and practical sessions that address the key opportunities and challenges facing UK design engineers.

EDS is the only show in the UK that caters specifically and entirely for the modern design engineer from all market sectors, making it the ‘must attend’ event for the UK design engineering community.

THE EXHIBITION – WORLD-CLASS SOLUTION PROVIDERS Meet with over 200 world class suppliers, representing the very best of engineering design. The packed exhibition hall will feature the latest technologies, materials, tools, software and services enabling visitors Topics that will be covered include, AI for Design; Robotics; Sustainability in Design; Standards and Compliance; to source products and review supply chains.

Advanced Materials; PCB Design, IoT Cybersecurity and much more! The 30+ sessions will provide a perfect setting for Thousands of new products and innovations will be on display across the full mechanical, embedded and inspiration, learning and debate. electronics landscape, including 3D printing, fasteners Visitors can also join practical, exhibitor-led, workshop & adhesives, design software, drives and controls, sessions that will be taking place across two separate theatres. embedded systems, labelling, laser making, motion control, PCB manufacture & assembly and many more. The workshops are a brilliant opportunity to see the latest design innovation in action and put your questions to the EDS provides a dynamic environment in which to interact with these suppliers, all under one roof at one experts. time.

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To find out more and to register your free place, please visit www.engineeringdesignshow.co.uk

JOIN THOUSANDS OF DESIGN ENGINEERS THIS OCTOBER! Source the latest products, services and innovations available to the sector.

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11-12 October 2023

Coventry Building Society Arena

THE UK’S BIGGEST EVENT DEDICATED ENTIRELY TO ENGINEERING, ELECTRONICS AND EMBEDDED DESIGN HEADLINE SPONSORS

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ENGINEERING PDATE September 2023

Solving DCOM security patch issues with tunnel/mirroring Microsoft took an important step this spring towards keeping industrial systems secure. They made their KB5004442 security patch for DCOM mandatory. This affects all systems that network OPC DA, one of the most widely used industrial protocols in the world. Now all OPC DA systems that use DCOM across a network must use the highest security settings. Any networked connections with lower security settings will fail.

Thankfully, there is a solution to this problem: tunnel/mirroring. Tunnel/mirror software is designed to make local connections to OPC DA servers and clients. The tunnel completely eliminates DCOM by passing the data across the network over TCP, using SSL if required. The data is mirrored between the server and client, so both sides maintain a full, up-to date data set. If the network goes down for some reason, both the OPC DA server and client stay connected to the tunnel/mirror software, and the client is informed of the break. Once the network comes back, the connection is automatically re-established.

For moving data beyond the plant network, tunnel/mirror technology offers a more secure connection than DCOM. You can secure it with SSL, and configure it to make only outbound connections from the OPC server side. This keeps all inbound firewall ports closed, while still allowing the data to flow one way or both ways.

As an additional benefit, a tunnel/mirror connection can be configured to connect OPC DA servers and clients across isolated networks. The recent NIS 2 Directive and an ISA-95 standard for industrial cybersecurity practice require completely isolating OT (Operations Technology) data from IT networks using DMZs. A well-designed tunnel/mirror application can sustain connections between isolated networks through a DMZ. By installing the software on the DMZ itself, each side can make outbound connections through firewalls, and still maintain one-way or two-way data flow.

Whatever your application, there’s no need to view Microsoft’s move to secure DCOM as a problem.

Switching to a well-designed tunnel/mirror technology can enhance your system, providing connectivity options that are actually more flexible and more secure than DCOM.

www.skkynet.com 14|

ENGINEERING PDATE September 2023

SEEPEX Innovative Pump Solutions Power Sustainable Sludge Treatment at Thames Water Thames Water owns and operates Basingstoke Sewage Treatment Works. This regional sludge treatment centre processes sludge from various locations in either liquid or cake form. The Basingstoke Sludge Treatment Centre (STC) houses advanced facilities, including thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion plants, capable of processing 53tDS/day of sludge from Basingstoke, Farnham, Fleet, Guilford, and Newbury. The site now generates enough energy from waste to power itself and export to the national grid.

Problematic Pulper Feed Pumps The pulper feed pumps from another supplier were experiencing stator failures every four months, which caused breaks in the processing of the sludge, leading to reduced energy production and time-consuming, costly repairs. Thames Water approached SEEPEX with the task to offer a more reliable pump, capable of efficiently transferring up to 30 m3/hr of 6-10%DS high-temperature sludge.

Following detailed discussions with the on-site process engineers and maintenance manager, SEEPEX selected its BNM pump – fitted with smart maintenance solutions, and also incorporated its advanced digital monitoring package.

Up to 80% Faster Maintenance with SEEPEX BNM technology: Simplifying Maintenance for Large Pumps.

This proactive approach highlighted fluctuations in the sludge temperature and the time of day these fluctuations occurred.

Analysis of the data by SEEPEX enabled the correct rotor/ stator combination to be selected which will again reduce the downtime of this asset even more.

Simple Maintenance for Big Pumps Adapting Innovation Empowers Efficiency The SEEPEX BNM maintain-in-place pump range is designed to make maintenance for large and challengingto-maintain pumps simple. By leveraging innovative design features, maintenance time is significantly reduced, up to 80%. Fast and straightforward maintenance of pump components ensures streamlined preventative inspections and improves operational reliability and service life, effectively eliminating unscheduled downtime.

The incorporation of SEEPEX innovative pump solution with monitoring capabilities has enabled Thames Water’s Basingstoke to benefit from reduced downtime and cost savings. The elimination of frequent stator failures and prompt detection of potential issues drastically increased uptime, maximising operational efficiency while the streamlined maintenance process has reduced spend on costly spares, ensuring cost-effectiveness and improved overall financial performance.

As the Basingstoke Sewage Treatment Works continues to set new benchmarks in sustainability and efficiency, the collaboration between Thames Water and SEEPEX serves as a glowing example of how cutting-edge technology and expertise can drive positive change in the wastewater industry.

Improve your efficiency like Thames Water’s success story.

Contact SEEPEX today to unlock innovative pump solutions designed for the water and wastewater industry to solve your unique pumping challenges.

24/7 Performance Monitoring: Real-time Insights from SEEPEX Integrated Pump Monitoring.

Invaluable Insights with Digital Solutions Since its installation, the BNM pump with integrated pump monitoring, has been operating 24/7 without requiring any service intervention. Real-time data collected through the monitoring sensors has allowed SEEPEX to provide the site with invaluable, real-time information on the pumps performance. Any deviation from the pumps design parameters triggered an investigation.

SEEPEX BNM pump incorporating advanced digital monitoring at Thames Water’s Basingstoke STW.

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September 2023 ENGINEERING

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Han® Push-In reduces field assembly times by up to 30% HARTING solutions are characterised by an efficient plug & play system, which eliminates errors by ensuring plug-in security with the help of coding. They offer the largest variety of termination technologies on the market and have now expanded this portfolio with the new Han® Push-In range.

The connection technology behind the Han® Push-In represents a refinement of the cage connection method, which is particularly well suited to field termination thanks to its speed and ease of use. It also expands the flexibility of Han® industrial connectors by providing an additional field connection method, allowing fast and uncomplicated assembly of connectors whilst ensuring consistent quality and robustness. As a result, assembly times in the field are reduced by up to 30%.

With Push-In technology, the stranded wire for the connection can be inserted directly into the contact chambers. An internal clamp spring ensures a highstrength contact. If ferrules are used, the connection can be established without tools. In the case of stripped stranded wires, all you need for installation is a screwdriver.

Han® Push-In allows you to assemble several conductor variations, ranging from stranded conductors to conductors with ferrules (insulated and uninsulated) and solid conductors. Combined with a wide selection of inserts from the Han® portfolio, this new range offers customers a range of connectivity solutions.

The connection technology behind the Han® Push-In is particularly well suited to field termination thanks to its

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speed and ease of use. As part of the Han-Modular® range, it allows users to configure customised connectors which are exactly tailored to their design requirements. Power, signal, data or compressed air can now be combined in one module, reducing the total number of interfaces required.

Users can now fit more modules and module types than before into one connector. As a result, assembly areas which are difficult to reach can be equipped more efficiently or even opened up for assembly in the first place. There are now over 250 modules to choose from and many thousands of potential combinations available, increasing design flexibility.

The new technology simplifies the handling of components during maintenance work in environments with limited room for manoeuvre, such as in wind turbines or interior fittings in trains. It is particularly well suited to applications where a high degree of flexibility is required, such as when changing tools on machines.

Discover more about Han® Push-In: www.harting.com/UK/en-gb/push-in-terminationtechnology

Up to 30% less assembly time during onsite installation enables efficient equipment changes.

Han® Push-In expands the largest variety of termination technologies for industrial connectors.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Up to 30% less assembly time with direct insertion of the conductor into the contact chamber Easy handling due to toolless termination Cost savings compared to alternative termination technologies Maximum flexibility - suitable for ferrules, stranded wires and solid conductors Compatible with identical products with other termination technologies

One Range. No Limits: www.HARTING.com/push-in

September 2023 ENGINEERING

Best practice for evaporation processes

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By Arnold Kleijn, Product Development Manager, HRS Heat Exchangers

Evaporation is an important industrial process, used for concentrating solutions in a range of sectors including water and waste treatment, manufacturing and even the food and pharmaceutical sectors.

WHAT IS EVAPORATION? Evaporation is a process where a material moves from its liquid state to a vapour (or gas). The most common example of evaporation seen in everyday life is the transfer of water from the earth’s surface to the atmosphere as part of the water cycle. When liquids evaporate, and materials which they contain in solution or suspension are left behind, this becomes a useful process to concentrate solutions or to help separate materials.

Evaporation is different from dehydration or drying because the product is a concentrated liquid, rather than a dry solid. However, evaporation and drying processes can be combined: an evaporation process first removes the bulk of the water, and a final dryer eliminates the last bit, to obtain the final dried product. As evaporation plants are usually more energy efficient than dryers, it makes sense to combine the two technologies.

Evaporation is different from distillation: a distillation process separates two or more liquids that have different boiling points (and which normally contain no solids).

In contrast, evaporation eliminates water from a solution that contains dissolved and/or suspended solids, thus obtaining a more concentrated solution.

In general terms, the rate of evaporation depends on the temperature (the warmer it is, the faster the rate of evaporation), but the boiling point of a material varies with pressure (water boils at a lower temperature as pressure reduces), and so industrial processes often use a reduction in pressure to speed up the evaporation process.

Evaporation is used for different purposes in multiple industries and sectors. In the food industry, some products are concentrated to increase shelf life, reduce volume or weight, or reduce storage and transport costs. In contrast, in the pharmaceutical sector, evaporation is often used to create concentrated solutions which can then be dried to create powdered products. In each sector, although the basic principles

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of evaporation remain the same – the removal of water (or another solvent) from a solution by converting that water or solvent into its vapour phase.

Different techniques (using different temperature and pressure conditions) can be applied in different situations. The type of evaporation which is most suitable for a particular purpose depends on a large number of factors, including the nature of the solvent and the solution, the required end products, and the energy available for the process.

TYPES OF EVAPORATION EQUIPMENT Evaporation may be carried out in batches or as a continuous process. Evaporation actually consists of two elements: a heating phase (bringing the product to a boil) followed by an evaporation phase (where molecules leave the liquid phase and become gaseous). There are several types of equipment for performing these processes, including: Jacketed Tank Evaporators (JTE) These are among the simplest evaporators and are ideally suited to applications of small capacity and where capex is limited.

The product is fed into a tank which has an external heating jacket in which the heating media flows. The product is raised to its boiling point and steam evaporates and exits from the top. For good heat transfer or if product fouling is likely, an agitator or scraper is installed to increase product turbulence and heat transfer rates. Jacketed tanks have less heat transfer area per unit of product volume compared to tubular or plate evaporators making them only suitable for relatively small evaporation tasks. However, there is no need for a recirculation pump, making them simple and easy to install.

Forced Recirculation Evaporators (FRE) This type of evaporator was one of the first systems developed industrially and refined by HRS using our proven corrugated tube heat exchanger technology. In a FRE system the product

is super-heated to a temperature above its boiling point. Upon exiting the evaporator, the product is introduced in a flash separation vessel where the pressure is lowered. Due to the reduction in pressure part of the product will flash off, and the concentration of the fluid in recirculation is increased. The flashed steam is then recovered by condensing it back to water in a condenser. Depending on the product, FRE can use plate, corrugated tubes or scraped surface heat exchangers.

The evaporated steam is condensed and collected in a condensate tank. A vacuum pump can be connected to the condensate tank to control the evaporation pressure.

The evaporated-condensed steam can be used to preheat the incoming product, allowing for significantly increased levels of thermal efficiency.

Falling Film Evaporators (FFE) In falling film evaporators, the product is introduced at the top of a vertical tube bundle, where it is evenly distributed and falls downwards as a thin film against the tube walls. On the outside of the tube a heating medium, normally steam, is applied to raise the temperature of the product and evaporation takes place at the liquid film surface. The vapour generated as the product is evaporated, travels down with the liquid film and the steam velocity helps to move the film along the surface of the tube wall.

This method offers several advantages: Falling Film evaporation generally leads to very high levels of heat transfer, while the product recirculation flow rate required is far less than for FRE evaporators, resulting in lower power consumption for pumps.

Finally, as evaporation takes place inside the evaporator tubes themselves, no temperature gradient is applied to the recirculating product.

The characteristics of falling film evaporators make them particularly suited for applications where the service fluid temperature is close to the evaporation temperature, such as with thermal vapour recompression (TVR) or mechanical

ENGINEERING PDATE September 2023 vapour recompression (MVR) evaporators (see below for more details). Furthermore, residence times in FFEs are short, making them particularly suitable for heat-sensitive foods such as fruit juices and milk.

IMPROVING EVAPORATION EFFICIENCY Evaporation processes can be optimised in terms of energy use, by reusing the energy (latent heat) contained in the water that is evaporated from the product, or the use of steam compression devices. We will explain three possible methods: Multiple-Effect Evaporators In a multi-effect evaporator, the evaporated steam generated in the first stage of evaporation is used as the thermal energy source for the next stage. This can be repeated several times over where the same quantity of steam is reused to evaporate multiple volumes of water. In such systems, the pressure of each consecutive stage is lower than the previous one, which also lowers the boiling point. For example, in a three-effect system, each evaporation stage takes care of one third of the total evaporation duty, and the three condensate streams (100 °C, 75 °C and 50 °C) can be combined and used to preheat the raw incoming product prior to evaporation in the first effect.

A vacuum/pressure control system is required for precisely adjusting the evaporation pressure in each stage, making sure there is an optimal driving force between each effect. Multi effect evaporation is used to significantly increase the thermal efficiency of the process. For example, going from one stage to two stages reduces the thermal energy consumption by half.

Adding a third stage reduces energy consumption by two thirds compared to a one stage process.

Thermal Vapour Recompression (TVR) In a TVR compressor, part of the evaporated steam is mixed with ‘fresh’ steam from the boiler and this combined steam flow is then used as the thermal energy for that evaporation stage. The reuse of evaporated steam increases the energy efficiency of the plant. For example, if a TVR compressor is applied to a one stage evaporation plant, reusing 50% of the evaporated steam, this will then double the energy efficiency, compared to the system without the TVR compressor. TVR compressor can be combined within multi-effect evaporation plants further optimizing the energy consumption.

with TVR systems, MVR compressor systems are less suitable for products with high boiling point elevations or products with increased viscosities Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) Perhaps the ultimate use of evaporation technology is for zero liquid discharge systems, which combine evaporation systems with solids precipitation or crystallisation to achieve a net-zero liquid output from a process. The evaporator section concentrates the product as much as possible, typically to the point of saturation, before it is sent to the crystallisation section where the solids are suspended and separated from the saturated solution. This saturated solution (supernatant) is recycled back into the evaporator and the process is repeated or continued.

For products with a steep solubility curve (high concentration at high temperature and low at low temperature) additional cooling to the solid’s precipitation tank will help the solids to precipitate quicker and settle out. ZLD systems are complex processes which are specifically designed for each application. In most cases product trials are required to establish the correct process parameters.

HRS Heat Exchanger is in a unique position to offer very efficient evaporation processes: Solutions can be offered for high viscous or high fouling application thanks to our scraped surface evaporators. Corrugated tube evaporators offer high heat transfer solutions for low to medium viscosity fluids. Plate and falling film evaporators can be applied for low viscosity fluids that are easier to concentrate.

Our evaporator solutions can incorporate all or some of the energy optimisation methods discussed above in combination with one or more of our evaporator types within the same system HRS has comprehensive experience in delivering evaporation solutions across multiple industries around the world, and each project is specifically tailored to offer the best solution for each individual application. To discuss the best evaporation solution for your particular application, please contact us.

Mixing evaporated steam and boiler steam in a TVR device usually gives a net steam which is much closer the boiling point then pure boiler steam. This makes TVR processes difficult to apply for liquids with high boiling point elevation, and unsuitable for products with high viscosities and lower rates of heat transfer.

Mechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR) Where thermal energy (steam or hot water) is not available but electrical power is, a lobe, or fan compressor can be used to recompress the steam which has been generated. By compressing the evaporated steam, the temperature and pressure is increased to a point where it can provide useful energy for evaporation. This way, the same kg of steam which is evaporated from the product is reused as the thermal energy source for the same evaporation stage.

The use of MVR compressors is one of the most economical evaporation techniques, with one of the lowest operational costs per ton of water evaporated. A final condenser is not required as the evaporated steam is condensed on the service side of the evaporator itself, also eliminating the cost of a cooling tower and corresponding cost of water for condensation. However, MVR systems often have higher capital costs due to the need for a larger evaporator due to the lower supply temperature. As

www.hrs-heatexchangers.com

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September 2023 ENGINEERING

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Quite fast.

Active Explosion isolation with Q-Bic Explosion isolation is essential for comprehensive explosion protection. Without isolation, an explosion safety concept is not only incomplete, but is also a waste of money for operators as.

Isolation systems prevent an explosion from propagating, thereby reducing the effects of the explosion to a minimum. Adjacent system components are optimally protected.

Explosion Isolation System Q-Bic The explosion isolation system Q-Bic registers the emerging explosion and extinguishes the developing explosion flames within milliseconds by applying the extinguishing powder. The extinguishing powder is optimally distributed in the pipeline via a nozzle system and guarantees reliable isolation. The chemical barrier is particularly well-suited to applications in elevators and spray dryers.

About REMBE – the REMBE Alliance introduces itself Most people associate REMBE with REMBE GmbH Safety+Control, the specialist for explosion safety and explosion venting worldwide. The company offers customers cross-industry safety concepts for plants and equipment. All products are manufactured in Germany and meet the requirements of national and international regulations. REMBE customers include market leaders in various industries, including the food, timber, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The company’s engineering expertise is based on 50 years of application and project experience. As an independent, owner-managed family business, REMBE combines expertise with the highest quality standards and is involved in various specialist committees worldwide.

Short coordination paths allow for quick reactions and customer-specific solutions for all applications, from standard products to high-tech special designs.

In addition to REMBE GmbH Safety+Control (www.rembe.de) with approx. 340 employees worldwide, headquartered in Brilon (Hochsauerland, Germany), and numerous subsidiaries worldwide (Italy, Finland, Brazil, USA, China, Dubai, Singapore, South Africa, Japan), four other companies operate under the REMBE umbrella brand:

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Explosion isolation System Q-Bic

REMBE Research+Technology Center GmbH (www.rembe-rtc.de) REMBE Advanced Services+Solutions GmbH (www.rembe-services.de) REMBE Kersting GmbH (www.rembe-kersting.de) REMBE FibreForce GmbH (www.argusline.de)

ENGINEERING PDATE September 2023

REMBE® Pressure Relief and Explosion Safety.

© REMBE® | All rights reserved

rembe.com

hello@rembe.com

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June 2023

ENGINEERING PDATE

The electric car giving driving lessons to children under 10 A real electric car in miniature is giving children as young as four the opportunity to start their driving career early. With lessons from £20, the aim is to set children on course for excellent road safety and driving skills before these young drivers pass their test for real.

Young Driver Motor Cars is providing this realistic driving experience using maxon motors.

A

ccording to the Department for Transport, young drivers, including those between 17 and 24 years old, are more likely to be involved in an accident compared to other age groups. Young drivers also have relatively higher injury rates in road collisions. The need to make driving a safer experience for the young was the motivator for Ian Mulingani in his leadership of Young Driver.

The Young Driver scheme provides driving lessons to children throughout the UK in safe areas, off the public highway. Through government-approved instructors, the aim is to give young learners a head start and enable them to become safer drivers. Originally, the scheme provided lessons to children aged between 10 and 17, but following demand from parents, 10 years old wasn’t young enough.

Firefly Mk I “Parents would bring along younger brothers and sisters who wanted to try our driving lessons, but children

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of this age were too small to drive the standard, road-going cars we use for 10- to 17-year-olds,” says Ian. “I tasked our team to buy some small electric cars, but they couldn’t find anything suitable. They were either unrealistic toys, not durable enough for our needs, or collectors’ items costing £30,000-plus. I realised we needed to make our own.”

In 2016, Ian worked with a team including external partners to develop an initial model. The first version of the Firefly, with 12 cars produced, delivered around 12,000 lessons to drivers as young as four.

“After four years using the cars, we’d replaced the batteries a few times, and the motors were still running perfectly.

ENGINEERING PDATE September 2023 We were using motors from Parvalux by maxon, which came recommended from our engineering partner at the time,” says Ian. “The car bodies were however in need of attention - as you would expect at the hands of such youngsters behind the wheel – so instead of refurbishing the cars, we took the opportunity to develop a new, improved model.”

Thanks to Ian’s automotive background, he was able to call in engineering expertise, including fellow former Jaguar-Land Rover colleague, Dr Ian Pogson, who began working on the design of the electric powertrain for the Firefly Sport.

“This time, we ran the car development project just like we had done at JLR,” says Dr. Pogson.

while offering sufficient torque in a lightweight package to minimise overall power requirements.

with maxon’s engineer, hands-on with the car, was all it took to resolve our challenge.”

Firefly Sport

“Removing and replacing the battery during a Young Driver session isn’t a practical solution,” says Ian, where the Young Driver team provides 15-minute lessons from morning to late afternoon. “Instead, we needed a lightweight, efficient motor, combined with the right battery technology, that can run all day.”

Increasing young driver safety

The new car includes an upgraded aluminium chassis with independent suspension designed by former Aston Martin prototype guru, Steve Rawson, as well as rack and pinion steering. The body design was even derived from market research among the car’s user group: a survey among drivers under 10 years old.

To power the Firefly Sport, the Young Driver team immediately returned to Parvalux motors on the basis that they had already proved themselves.

“The motors provided the speed and power we needed, and they just kept going with no maintenance required, so we knew they would give us the right performance,” says Dr. Pogson.

Just like modern road going electric sports cars, the Firefly Sport is powered by twin electric motors. Rear mounted right angle gear motors, one per rear wheel, are installed on a pair of swing arms with a spring and damper. Maxon specified the Parvalux PMDC right angle motor for its high starting torque and smooth, controlled speed delivery. The motors are combined with a Parvalux GB9 right angle, worm wheel gearbox to optimise torque control.

Running time for the Firefly Sport is also key. This means the motors needed to provide high efficiency,

The Firefly Sport, weighing just under 200kg, can operate for up to eight hours on a single charge, driving at speeds around 5mph. The car can travel significantly faster in return for a shorter battery life, but the limited speed is optimal for the young driver experience. After use, the specialist high-cell batteries are recharged using a solar power system, minimising running costs, and ensuring a zero-emissions operation.

Practical engineering support from maxon also helped optimise safety, with advice on how to lock the motor to prevent the car moving when the accelerator pedal is disengaged, like when the car’s stationary on a slope, or if the young driver has brought the car to a stop.

“We had already adjusted the motor on the workbench without success, so maxon came to see the car and showed us that after the turnbuckle adjustment, the motor required a load and resistance for the brake to function,” says Dr. Pogson. “Just 15 minutes

With six cars completed and a further six in progress, Young Driver Motor Cars is looking to expand production.

150 enquiries have already been received from around the world, and the Firefly Sport is set to retail for around £11,000. Young Driver’s main intention for the new car though is to expand the potential reach of driving lessons for the young, which now offers driving lessons from four years old and up.

“The national average rate for young drivers suffering an accident in the first six months after passing their driving test is 20%, but for Young Driver pupils, it’s just 3.8%, a safety improvement of over 80%” says Ian. “Young Driver lessons normalise driving as an experience,” says Ian. “If you’ve been driving since you were younger than 10, there isn’t the same pressure to drive beyond your capabilities when you eventually pass your test. Secondly, the younger you are when you start to learn, the more opportunity your neural networks have to build, improving your driving capabilities and safety. If you’re four years old today, you'll probably only ever drive an electric car, so Firefly Sport becomes a realistic starting point for your safe driving future.” www.maxongroup.co.uk

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September 2023 ENGINEERING

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Cooling methods for electronic equipment

Fans, heat sinks, Peltier cells and other solutions.

Effective cooling of electronic equipment requires selecting suitable solutions, but also making necessary adjustments in terms of efficiency and technical parameters. Manufacturers offer solutions that are tailored to specific needs and extremely stringent requirements. This article discusses the solutions available on the market and their key advantages.

•

Why is cooling important?

•

Electronic equipment cooling methods

•

Choosing the most suitable cooling solutions for electronic equipment

Cutting-edge electronic systems and related challenges As a result of technology development, computers must process more and more data. They are required to perform complex tasks, while at the same time manufacturers strive to miniaturise electronic equipment, ideally to a pocket size. Computers that once took up entire rooms were only tasked with simple calculations. Modern computers fit in the palm of your hand and their capabilities seem almost infinite. However, the issues connected with heat generation by electronic circuitry remain unchanged.

Moreover, the increasing amount of computing power brings with it a proportional increase in heat to be dissipated. It won’t come as a surprise to anybody that excess heat is one of the greatest enemies of electronic systems. It greatly accelerates the wearing of such electronic components as transistors, resistors or relays. In special cases, high temperatures can even damage control systems irreparably. A device repair cost may then exceed the profitability threshold. While comparing computers designed a few decades ago to those of today, we need to remember that the 20th century devices equipped with extensive cooling systems in fact operated under much more favourable conditions.

Nowadays, electronic systems set the pace for human life, help provide safety and streamline further technology advancements. To ensure their faultless

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operation at the maximum efficiency, adequate cooling and protection against overheating must be provided. The challenges faced by consumer mobile devices or advanced industrial systems force manufacturers to go to great lengths to find the best way to maintain the most sensitive components at safe temperatures.

Tailor-made cooling systems There are several common cooling and heat-dissipation systems for electronic circuits. They differ primarily in size, which is one of the main criteria for selecting a cooling system for a specific application; other differences include a coolant selected or heat dissipation efficiency offered. Therefore, in order to decide which one is the most suitable solution, it is necessary to learn a bit about their characteristics and most important advantages.

When it comes to selecting a cooling system, the following are the most popular solutions: 1. Fans A fan is a basic cooling device present in each household or industrial facility. The first and most common application of fans in electronic devices is to dissipate heat. They are installed both in desktop computers and in laptops. We usually become aware of their presence when we run some demanding software or game.

Then, our computer operates at its maximum capacity, which results in higher heat energy generation. When this happens, a fan automatically extracts heat from the device enclosure to allow the process to continue uninterrupted and protect all heatsensitive electronics.

Fans are equipped with motors driving the impeller blades.

Convection air movements forced by impeller rotations dissipate and remove the heat generated in an electronic device. The heat energy is extracted through the grilles located in the computer enclosure. The fan movement is triggered by a temperature sensor. After a certain setpoint is exceeded, the fan impeller starts rotating to facilitate device circuitry cooling. The mass of air flowing through a fan is specified in square metres per hour.

A fan also plays another important role, i.e. acts as a “dust cleaner” inside a computer unit. To ensure its trouble-free operation, dust must be removed from the impeller blades on a regular basis.

It is also worth noting that fans currently offered by the leading

ENGINEERING PDATE September 2023 manufacturers undergo rigorous noise level tests. Therefore, their operation does not cause computer users’ fatigue. However, the noise level increases in proportion to the size of a fan and the amount of air it has to push.

These cells are a perfect solution for harsh environmental conditions, e.g. locations where large amounts of dust are present. Examples of everyday applications for Peltier modules include portable car refrigerators or much more sophisticated equipment systems requiring precise temperature control, for example, high-power generators.

Using the active cooling feature causes a risk of damaging certain components, e.g. the drive system or the driven impeller itself. This risk is eliminated when using the passive cooling feature mentioned below.

4. Liquid cooling

2. Heat sinks A heat sink is another element that is often encountered in cooling systems. It is a finned metal element most often used in conjunction with the fans described above to increase heat dissipation efficiency. It is usually made of aluminium.

Now, a question arises: how can such a component influence the process of extracting heat from electronic parts? As per the heat exchange process principles, the greater the surface area absorbing thermal radiation, the higher the cooling capacity. In a heat sink design, properly shaped fins maximise the heat exchange surface area. It is obvious that the larger the heat sink, the more intensive the cooling process is. Still, the size of the device for which the component is to be used is the biggest limitation for its performance. The distance between the heat sink and the heated component is another very important aspect.

The smaller the distance, the more efficient the heat dissipation is. In order to maximally intensify the temperature transfer process, thermally conductive tapes are placed in the contact area between both surfaces.

Effective heat dissipation in state-of-the-art high-power electronic systems requires high cooling capacity. Note that the thermal capacity of air, i.e. the amount of energy that air is capable of storing is approx. 1 , whereas the thermal capacity of water is 4000 . Therefore, demanding electronic systems benefit from liquid cooling systems. “Water blocks” are based on water (or another cooling liquid) flowing around the heat sink in a sealed enclosure. A pump system ensures liquid circulation.

Liquid cooling systems require a high degree of manufacturing precision. This results from the necessity to avoid contact of electrically powered systems with water. Even if a system is filled with an nonconductive substance and simple contact with this substance will not destroy the device, the coolant loss will disrupt the cooling process.

Such solutions are implemented, for example, in computers designed to perform complex calculations or simulations for the research and engineering industry.

5. Heat tubes A heat tube is a simple device transferring heat in line with the convection principle.

Despite the fact that this technology was known already in the 1940s, it was not commonly used in industry until approximately 20 years later.

Currently, heat tubes are used in numerous fields of application, from cooling and heating solutions, through cutting-edge computers, to the space industry.

A heat tube is divided into three zones: • • •

In a fan/heat sink assembly, the latter accepts hot air masses pushed by fan impeller blades, and dissipates the heat into the surroundings.

3. Peltier cells Peltier modules provide an interesting solution for electronic circuit cooling. They are made of parallel ceramic plates, between which type N and type P semiconductors are alternately placed. Direct contact between these plates is ensured by using copper sheets to transfer electrons. A current flow forces temperature changes in the places of contact between dissimilar semiconductors. Fault-free operation, a relatively small and compact design and no need to use a coolant are the main advantages of this cooling system. Another important aspect is the possibility of expanding and increasing the capacity of a Peltier cell by adding additional modules. Then, the “hot” side of the first module is connected with the “cold” side of another one.

Therefore, the heat collection capability depends on the available space and current intensity.

evaporation zone (evaporator); intermediate zone – heat transfer without exchange with the surroundings (adiabatic); condensation zone (condenser).

Heat is absorbed in the evaporator in which the liquid medium is evaporated. The pressure in the evaporator space is higher than the pressure in the condenser space. This pressure difference forces the movement of vapour to the condensing space where it is condensed and transfers heat to the upper source.

The heat tube technology is applied in space vessels and chemical or power engineering industry.

The importance of cooling for electronic system operation Excessive heat in equipment reduces its service life, adversely impacts its performance and often results in inevitable electronic system failures. Proper selection of cooling elements helps avoid all of these negative effects. It is a considerable challenge for designers, as numerous factors, such as key technical parameters and dimensions of devices, have to be taken into account. Correct calculations are also necessary. Note, however, that despite installing high-end heat dissipation systems, it is still the users who have great impact on equipment life time by providing adequate space for air circulation and using it only in line with its intended purpose.

Text prepared by Transfer Multisort Elektronik Sp. z o.o.

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September 2023 ENGINEERING

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Accu sponsors Formula Student racing teams with engineering components Engineering students competing in Europe’s biggest educational motorsport event have benefitted from sponsorship by Huddersfield based precision component supplier, Accu.

The company – which employs over 90 people and supplies over 50% of the world’s top 100 manufacturers – gifted precision engineering components totalling £6,000 to 11 university racing teams designing and building cars to race in the 2023 Formula Student competition by The Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

Tessa Waldron, team lead from Oxford Brookes Racing, said: “We love that Accu are supporting the future generation of engineers. Their support keeps the team going and we’re so grateful for the free access to both their precision components and CAD models. This has been invaluable in helping us to design and build our race cars.”

Alastair Morris, UK managing director at Accu, said: “The Formula Student project is viewed by the motorsport industry as the standard for engineering graduates to meet and is a kite-mark for real-world engineering experience, and it has been our pleasure to support eleven of this year’s competing student teams with total credits worth £6,000 to purchase Accu components online to build their racing cars.”

“As a business that will ultimately supply the next generation of engineers with their components, we are hugely passionate about supporting them to be successful during their time at university as they forge their path to a career in engineering.

“The enthusiasm and dedication from all the students taking part in this The 11 teams competing in this year’s event using components supplied by year’s event was inspiring, and Accu Accu were: components were used to design • Oxford Brookes Racing and build a whole plethora of racing • UGRacing (University of Glasgow) cars including combustion engine, allUniversity of Strathclyde Motorsport electric, and AI autonomous vehicles.” • • Formula Trinity (Trinity College Dublin) He added: “We’re also delighted that • Staffordshire University Racing the University of Edinburgh, sponsored • Brunel Racing (University of Brunel)

by Accu, was the overall winner in the AI autonomous vehicle category, and • SHU Racing (Sheffield Hallam University) that Oxford Brookes University and • HW Racing (Heriot Watt University) University of Glasgow came second Southampton University Formula Student Team and third respectively in this category – • UH Racing (University of Hertfordshire) one which saw a record 20 entries this • year and where some real innovation • Edinburgh University Formula Student in design and engineering was The competition is the fifth time Accu has sponsored teams taking part in displayed.”

Formula Student, donating components totalling £9,000 in the last five years.

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ENGINEERING PDATE September 2023

3D joystick now with CANopen SpaceMouse® module gives users even more options The SpaceMouse® module from MEGATRON enables complex 3D movements with just one hand. The 3D joystick has been available with USB and serial interfaces for several years. MEGATRON is now launching a version with CANopen interface.

The innovative 3D joystick SpaceMouse® module is specifically developed for human-machine interaction in industrial environments and enables intuitive control of complex motion sequences.

The patented optoelectronic sensor measures user input in all three spatial directions - both for linear movements of the knob and for its rotation around all three spatial axes. As a result, a 3D movement of the joystick is directly transferred to the object being moved.

This makes the SpaceMouse® module ideal for controlling cameras and microscopes, X/Y/Z precision and special-purpose machines, and robotics applications. The joystick is ideal for any application where 3D movement needs to be controlled manually.

The SpaceMouse® module is now available with CANopen interface.

CANopen is widely used in many areas of automation, plant engineering and mobile machinery. This protocol provides different modes for intelligent signal transmission. In event-driven mode, the joystick’s input values are only transmitted over the bus when an internal event occurs - for example, when the knob position changes. In asynchronous mode, data is transmitted after an internal timer has expired. In synchronous mode, measurements are regularly transmitted to other bus nodes as part of an externally sent SYNC command.

In addition, the customer can choose between 8-bit and 16-bit resolutions for the transmission of data packets. DIP switches are located on the underside of the joystick for easy selection of these and other operating parameters such as baud rate and node ID. Parameters can also be configured via bus.

• • • •

Multidimensional joystick for 3D movements (6 DOF, degrees of freedom) Optimized industrial version Optoelectronic sensor: contact-less and linear CANopen, UART (serial) or USB interface

Size

Finger Joystick

Technology

Opto-electronic

Axes

6

Return Mechanism

Spring Return

Output interface

UART (serial), USB or CANopen

Housing depth under panel

≤ 15 mm (USB, UART), ≤ 18.5 mm (CANopen)

Sealing above panel

IP54

Limiter plate

Deflection 1.5 mm vertical and horizontal

Supply voltage

UART: +3.3 to +5.5 VDC | USB: 5 VDC ±10 % | CANopen: 4.75 to 28 VDC

Data sheet

www.megatron.de/en |29

September 2023 ENGINEERING

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BARTON: BENEFITS OF COLD-FORMING Optimas’ UK manufacturing division, Barton Cold-Form, holds a rich 90-year legacy of cold-form fastener manufacturing.

Established in 1932 at the Barton Arms public house in Birmingham, Barton Cold-Form has seen incredible technological advancements across industry since its inception. However, although cold-forming is recorded to have been in use as early as the 19th century, the team at Barton have proved its suitability to many modern engineering requirements.

Cold-forming's production of durable and consistent fasteners on a large-scale allows it to lend itself to many manufacturing applications of today. Cold-form manufacturing is typically used to make fasteners with complex shapes and screw heads, and produces parts by forming metal into different shapes through force, and without heat. This process maximises a part’s metallurgical properties, prioritising strength and durability by ensuring its structural integrity. Working with partners from the EV, defense, power generation, automotive and off-highway industries, amongst many others, Barton’s cold-form process has catered to a range of durable, bespoke fastening solutions.

onshoring and nearshoring, but its manufacturing process itself is highly reproducible.

Prioritising sustainability from the very beginning of the manufacturing process, Barton sources green steel, which is then formed in its nearnet state, ensuring very minimal waste of raw materials. Alongside running on 100% renewable energy, Barton also recycles 89% of its cold-forming waste, with 0% of it sent to landfill.

Across its time, Barton has partnered with manufacturers with an incredibly high product output, but with 29 Nedschroef, Sacma and Nakashimada cold-heading machines running 24 hours a day, Barton is more than wellsuited to large-scale production. A single cold-forming machine can produce hundreds of thousands of pieces a day, which is much higher than other forms of manufacturing, like hot forging or bar turning.

However, Barton’s capability for largescale production hasn’t detracted from its environmental consciousness. The plant has recently attracted a wave of new customers with a heightened focus on sustainability. Not only does Barton’s central location in the UK allow for a lowered carbon footprint through

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With sustainability and localisation now key elements in the decisionmaking process for most manufacturers, Barton has only become a more attractive supply partner. In the face of increasingly advanced manufacturing technologies across industries, Barton is well-suited to cater to even the most complex of fastening requirements.

For further details on Optimas visit: international.optimas.com

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