DESIGN WORLD DECEMBER 2020

www.designworldonline.com

December 2020

inside: MOTION CONTROL: Choosing between (or combining) relays and PLCs

p. 66

3D CAD: How to simulate multiple physical forces

p. 78

THE ROBOT REPORT:

Transport systems get serious about hygiene

2020: The robotics year in review

p. 117

page 30

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Air Preparation Made Easy

Prepare your air supply with a convenient, all-in-one unit • Filter • Regulate • Indicate • Shut-off/Dump PLUS: • Soft-Start • Electric Shut-off • Pressure Switch (on electric model)

HALF THE SIZE, HALF THE WEIGHT, HALF THE PRICE!

NEW TAP SERIES TOTAL AIR PREP STARTING AT

$181.00 TAP-3000 electric model

shown priced at $330.00

TAP Series Total Air Prep

Air Preparation

Reduce installation space and cost with TAP series integrated pneumatic air prep units. A single, high-flow unit contains an automatic drain air filter with clogged filter indicator, relieving regulator, lockable shut-off valve, pressure gauge and air dump. Interchangeable inlet and outlet port inserts allow easy mounting to most pipe sizes.

Size (HxWxD)

Both models offer: • 0-120 psi (0-8 bar) operating range • 20 micron air filter with automatic drain (5 micron filter element sold separately) • Mounting hardware included (through-panel mounting brackets sold separately) • Operating temperature range: -10 to 50°C (-14 to 122°F) • IP 65 ingress protection rating & CE approval Electric model (shown) also includes: • Adjustable electric soft start • Electric shut-off valve • Adjustable pressure switch with LED indication

Order Today, Ships Fast! * See our Web site for details and restrictions. © Copyright 2020 AutomationDirect, Cumming, GA USA. All rights reserved.

AutomationDirect 12-20.indd 1

AutomationDirect NITRA

Festo

5.7” x 6.5” x 4.2”

11.7” x 12.2” x 3.9”

Weight

3 lbs.

8 lbs.

All-in-One Unit

Yes

No

Through-Panel Mount

Yes*

No

Flow†

141 SCFM

159 SCFM

$330.00

Price

$769.00

TAP-3000

Multiple part numbers

* Panel Mount Kit sold separately † Flow (SCFM) measured at 87psi with ∆P of 14.5psi All prices are U.S. published prices. Many other part numbers are available from all vendors. AutomationDirect prices as of 4/17/2020.

FESTO prices are from www.radwell.com 4/17/2020. Prices subject to change without notice.

Research, price, buy at:

www.automationdirect.com/total-air-prep

1-800-633-0405

the #1 value in automation

12/1/20 8:05 AM

Altech 12-20.indd 1

12/1/20 8:07 AM

PRECISE. ROBUST. AVAILABLE.

ServoClass® Couplings • Zero-Backlash & High Torsional Stiffness • Engineered Performance for Reliable 24/7 Operation • Servo-Rated for Reversing, Positioning, Precision • Low Inertia / Low Misalignment Reaction Loads • Perfect for High Accuracy Actuator Systems • Engineering Assistance / Fast Delivery

www.zero-max.com 800.533.1731

ServoClass Coupling Design World Feb June2020 2020r7.indd r7.indd 11 Zero-Max 12-20.indd 2

1/20/20 9:26 2:18 AM PM 12/3/20

2020

Leadership in Engineering

Leadership Winners 2020 Advanced Materials Digital Manufacturing

Electrical

Here in our fifteenth annual issue on Leadership in Engineering,

Fastening & Joining

we announce the winners in the Leadership Awards Program that

Fluid Power

we have been promoting throughout the year.

The Design World User

Industrial Automation

Mechanical

Community has cast votes and we are pleased to celebrate the winners in this

Mechatronics Motion

special section of “Leadership in Engineering.�

Networks

Software

Switches & Sensors Test & Measurement DESIGN WORLD

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December 2020

3

12/1/20 8:13 AM

2020

Leadership in Engineering

Advanced Materials

Congratulations!

CS Hyde Company CS Hyde Company supplies high performance materials used in most major industries. The company is a custom converter of: Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tapes, films, Fabrics, Silicone, Rubber, Belting and Threads. Capabilities include: Laminating Adhesives, Die Cutting Parts, Slitting, Sheeting, and Print & Bar-Code Packaging. Plus, the company stocks a variety of different products including: Teflon® Fluoropolymer, Kapton®, UHMW, PEEK™, Mylar®, FEP & PFA, Ultem®, Kevlar®, Silicone products, and more.

CS Hyde is a source for both the small and large customer. The company is always changing and adapting to suit the customer. The engineers there can work on your project along with you, offering suggestions and product knowledge wherever it may be useful.

With an automated control system, the precision slitting machine can cut rolls of material to standard and custom sizes, supporting 1-1/2”, 3, and 6 inch cores, and can cut material as large as 60 inches wide while maintaining tight tolerances. Die-cut pieces of material are available using a variety of different methods.

In addition, CS Hyde can cold laminate an adhesive of your choice to a variety of materials, and use the superior product line that 3M has to offer to

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ensure the best performance out of your CS Hyde order.

Advanced Materials

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DESIGN WORLD

12/7/20 8:15 AM

2020

Leadership in Engineering

Digital Manufacturing

Congratulations!

Congratula Tormach

Tormach represents a new era in making things with a line of compact, fit-anywhere CNC machine tools perfect for prototyping, light industrial, education, and hobbyists. By providing quality machine tools that are approachable and cost-effective, Tormach looks to enable the ideas of everybody om machinists and inventors to makers and educators.

Tormach sells CNC mills (including two new performance-grade mills), CNC lathes, and grinders, and in 2019 launched two CNC routers and an all-new automated bandsaw.

Every Tormach CNC machine runs on PathPilot, the company’s proprietary and exclusive control so ware. PathPilot is designed with the user in mind.

It’s intuitive and feature-rich without the cost. Upgrades are included and no features are hidden behind a paywall. They’re all yours om the get go! Plus, PathPilot plays well with any popular CAD/CAM program.

Tormach is also a partner with the TITANS of CNC: Academy, the largest FREE CNC educational platform, dedicated to training and inspiring students, educators, and shop owners om around the world. It includes educational building blocks geared towards all skill levels, and is perfect for engineers, designers, E AD

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entrepreneurs, and manufacturers.

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machine operators, hobbyists, garage

Digital Manufacturing h ip W in n e r 2 0 2 0 L e a d e rs PR ESENTED BY

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December 2020

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2020

Leadership in Engineering

Electrical & Electronics

Congratulations!

IDEC

With the recent acquisition of APEM, IDEC enhanced its ability to provide the ultimate in humanmachine interface (HMI) solutions. APEM’s specialized offerings for diverse markets including agricultural, medical, aeronautics, defense and transportation, make IDEC’s product portfolio broad and versatile. Together, the two companies create one of the world’s largest manufacturers of high-quality HMI components, panels and systems. Whether you’re looking for an Operator Interface Touchscreen, PLC, safety product, explosion-proof product, relay, pushbutton LED indicator, E-Stop or power supply, IDEC offers featurerich and value-driven products to optimize your applications.

IDEC components work together seamlessly to automate your applications.

MicroSmart FC6A micro PLCs collaborate with IDEC Operator Interface Touchscreens to offer the latest in industry-leading features including the ability to monitor and control om anywhere at any time using a computer, tablet or smartphone. They can control large systems or small-scale manufacturing facilities using expanded I/O, and offer full-featured app access om any Wi-Fi connected device. Trying to reduce costs and enhance performance? We offer the unique FT1A SmartAXIS Touch, combining PLC processing and OI Touchscreen monitoring in one unit, making it faster and easier to build costeffective and reliable machines.

As a member of the UN Global Compact, a movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders taking shared responsibility for achieving a better world,

machine interfaces, advancing the IoT (Internet of Things) and creating a sustainable planet for upcoming generations.

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safer network-compatible human-

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our mission is to continue developing

Electrical & Electronics

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DESIGN WORLD

12/1/20 8:27 AM

2020

Leadership in Engineering

Fastening & Joining

Congratulations!

SPIROL

SPIROL provides high quality components that improve the quality of your assembly, extend the life of your products and reduce your manufacturing costs.

SPIROL’s Application Engineers have 72 years of experience in design, manufacturing, and installation of engineered fasteners. In addition to a comprehensive line of engineered fasteners & shims, SPIROL offers installation equipment to facilitate cost-effective, high quality assembly of your products.

They partner with your team starting in the design stage until the product launches to ensure your quality, performance and assembly objectives are completely satisfied.

In addition, the company offers application engineering support. Through partnering with companies in the design stage, SPIROL not only helps design the engineered component used for fastening and joining, but they also make the critical recommendations for the interface between their product and your assembly.

Plus, there is local design and global supply. SPIROL has Application Engineers throughout the world to assist you in your designs, supported by state-of-the-art manufacturing centers and worldwide stocking facilities to simpli the logistics of

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delivering your product.

Fastening & Joining

h ip W in n e r 2 0 2 0 L e a d e rs PR ESENTED BY

DESIGN WORLD

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www.designworldonline.com

December 2020

7

12/1/20 8:31 AM

2020

Leadership in Engineering

Fluid Power

Congratulations!

Bimba

Bimba is part of IMI Precision Engineering. Bimba is a forward-thinking innovator providing industry-leading pneumatic, hydraulic, electric and vacuum motion solutions that are easy to use, reliable and ready for all engineering solutions. Bimba markets an extensive line of industry-leading products including pneumatic, hydraulic, and electric actuators; valves; fittings; vacuum products; air preparation and a variety of safety and production solutions. In addition to its broad line of standard catalog products, the company’s business develops many custom and semi-custom products designed for specific customers and applications. These products, used in machinery and automation, are sold to original equipment manufacturers and end-users throughout the world in an expanding variety of industries.

Innovation is all about keeping your customers on the cuttingedge. Since introducing the Original Line more than 50 years ago, Bimba has expanded its breadth E AD

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cylinders. Today, Bimba is dedicated to

LE

and depth far beyond these standard moving motion control forward — one application at a time.

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December 2020

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www.designworldonline.com

DESIGN WORLD

12/1/20 8:35 AM

2020

Leadership in Engineering

Industrial Automation

Congratulations! tions!

Maple Systems

Founded in 1983, Maple Systems began as a small manufacturing company that built controller boards and embedded control systems. From that beginning, it has become a global leader in the operator interface industry, providing solutions for industrial, OEM, automation, and municipal applications.

Maple Systems is committed to quality, reliability, and affordability. Its products deliver quality, reliability, with a value that will drive customer growth.

Over the past 35+ years, the company has continued to add new product lines and is proud to offer Basic, Advanced, and Smart HMIs, HMI+PLC models, Industrial Box and Panel PCs, and PLCs. With over three decades in business, and thousands of industrial applications, Maple Systems has the solutions businesses need. Along with FREE technical support for customers, FREE configuration so ware for most product lines, FAST in-house repairs, DEDICATED sales engineers, a 2 YEAR warranty on most of our products, and NO long-term service agreements required.

Maple Systems will continue to offer new HMIs with the latest features (think IIoT, Wi-Fi, MQTT, OPC UA), continue to additional product lines, and offer new ways to serve customers automation needs, including an updated eStore, reorganized support

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center, and online and in-person training.

Industrial Automation h ip W in n e r 2 0 2 0 L e a d e rs PR ESENTED BY

DESIGN WORLD

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December 2020

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2020

Leadership in Engineering

Mechanical

Congratulations!

Aurora Bearing Co. Aurora Bearing Company was founded in 1971 and manufactures a complete range of rod end and spherical bearings.

Configurations range om 2-piece economy commercial and molded race construction through 3-piece precision designs.

For example, the Aurora LCOM Spherical Bearings were designed to offer a higher level of performance with dimensional interchangeability for the “LS” spherical bearing category; a market segment that has remained largely unchanged since the 1950s. “LS” bearings are characterized by being of 3 or 4 piece construction, with an inner ball, an outer ring, and a one or two piece brass, bronze, or copper alloy race between. Since the early 1950’s users of these bearings, which are also marketed with a “FLBG”, “RS”, or “VBC” prefix, have had to accept the low strength and poor vibration resistance of these bearings do to the low strength race material. Aurora’s LCOM bearings incorporate superior materials and manufacturing processes to overcome the performance deficiencies associated with “LS” bearings.

Aurora also produces a full line of military spec rod E AD

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designed rod ends, spherical bearings, and linkages

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ends, spherical bearings, and journal bushings. Custom are a specialty.

Mechanical h ip W in n e r 2 0 2 0 L e a d e rs PR ESENTED BY

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December 2020

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www.designworldonline.com

DESIGN WORLD

12/1/20 8:41 AM

2020

Leadership in Engineering

Mechatronics

Congratulations!

Yaskawa

Yaskawa is the world’s #1 manufacturer of AC servo systems, machine controllers, industrial robots and low and medium voltage AC inverter drives. Every Yaskawa standard product and tailor-made solution shares the same solid reputation among automation professionals.

Yaskawa offers automation users Singular Control: the ability to program any type of motion device... om servo axes to robots...with the familiar function block programming that servos have used successfully for decades.

Generations of customers have learned to trust the consistency of Yaskawa supply and support. Yaskawa works as an extension of your engineering staff to provide the time, resources, and confidence to create elegant, reliable automation.

A broad range of rotary, linear, and direct drive servo motors are matched with digital SERVOPACKS and linked to single or multi-axis machine controllers, yielding a system with the best quality and reliability in the industry. Our low and medium voltage AC drives cover every application in the industrial plant, offering size and performance options om actional HP to 16,000 HP. Plus, with over 375,000 robots installed worldwide, Yaskawa has earned an enviable reputation for robotic solutions that assure customer success. Our line of industrial robots increase efficiency, provide consistent quality, and boost productivity to deliver outstanding ROI. The E AD

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om 4-15 axis industrial robots with load

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Yaskawa Robotic product portfolio ranges capacities of 2 to 800 kg to special machines, devices, and turnkey robotic systems.

Mechatronics h ip W in n e r 2 0 2 0 L e a d e rs PR ESENTED BY

DESIGN WORLD

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www.designworldonline.com

December 2020

11

12/1/20 8:45 AM

2020

Leadership in Engineering

Motion Control

Congratulations!

Congratula

Encoder Products Encoder Products Company (EPC) has been a leader in the motion feedback industry for 50 years. When it comes to motion control in industrial automation, it has your motion feedback solution. EPC manufactures the popular Accu-CoderTM, Accu-CoderProTM and Tru-TracTM encoders, recognized for their exceptional quality.

EPC specializes in encoders – and customer service. Its customers are loyal because they can rely on EPC for expert service, quality products, and fast delivery.

When you contact EPC, you talk to real engineers and encoder experts who can answer your toughest encoder questions. With manufacturing located in the United States, EPC’s standard lead time is just 4 –6 business days, with same-day expedite options on many models. If something does go wrong, the company offers an industry-leading 3-year warranty.

When you call EPC, real people take your call and answer your questions. The engineers and encoder experts understand that each industrial automation application is different, and you need encoders that fit the needs of your applications. The encoders are highly configurable, offering a wide array of sha or bore sizes, output types, connector types, mounting options, and resolutions as high as 65,536 CPR. EPC also offers EtherCAT- and PROFINET-ready absolute encoders, programmable encoder options, and magnetic-based multi-

power loss.

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bore, that retain position information even a er a

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turn absolute encoders, in both sha and blind hollow

Motion Control

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December 2020

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www.designworldonline.com

DESIGN WORLD

12/1/20 8:46 AM

2020

Leadership in Engineering

Networks

Congratulations!

Harting

HARTING is a global choice connectivity solution provider for high demand markets and critical applications. Best known for world-class connector and cabling solutions for getting power, signal, and data quickly and reliably om point A to B. Not at least because HARTING invented the rectangular connector in 1956.

In recent years, HARTING is leading in Industry 4.0/IIoT and is known globally as the expert at the edge. The HARTING MICA® Industrial Edge Gateway won the Hermes Award in 2016. It connects legacy machines and devices to the IIoT and was even acknowledged by President Obama during Hannover Messe, the industry’s largest tradeshow.

According to HARTING engineers, there are six trends in IIoT: Miniaturization: The ix Industrial® requires 70% less installation space and is more robust than the legacy RJ45 with the same functionality.

Modularization: Modularization means offering flexible, reconfigurable production elements that have standardized interfaces for mechanical connections and power, data and signal transmission.

Identification: In 2006, HARTING introduced an industrial RFID solution for reliability even in harsh operating environments.

Integration: In a decentralized IIoT production environment, the HARTING MICA® has been used to monitor the amount of power used at the machine, measure power quality, provide insights into machine health and ensure process quality.

Customization: HARTING customized the hood for its economical Han-Eco® series of thermoplastic connectors to make them

typically do not transmit data or are analog and make them digital so that they can be integrated into larger IIoT systems. The flexible configuration possibilities with MICA® mean shop floor and machine operations can be retrofitted to perform digital, networked applications.

DESIGN WORLD

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Digitalization: Digitalization is taking things that

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suitable for data center applications.

SHIP ER AD

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2020

Leadership in Engineering

Software

Congratulations!

Solidworks

Developing more innovative, better-performing products requires everyone associated with product development to do more—especially designers—by working smarter to support changing product development requirements. Designers can meet the challenge of creating higher-fidelity designs by adding SOLIDWORKS Simulation so ware to their SOLIDWORKS 3D design installation.

With the virtual test bench provided by SOLIDWORKS Simulation so ware, engineers can get fast, accurate answers to important questions about the behavior, performance, and manufacturability of their designs without the expense of physical testing. Instead of wondering how a design will perform or working off a hunch, they will have the ability to learn so much more about design concepts that they’ll be hard-pressed not to improve the fidelity of their designs.

With SOLIDWORKS Simulation solutions, users can get reliable answers to the following performance questions while they design: • Will it break? If so, where?

• Should I add or remove material?

• Does the design have the required factor of safety?

• Can I use a less expensive material or production technique?

• Is my design stiff enough? Is it too stiff?

• Where should I add material to increase or decrease deflection/displacement?

• When will my design wear out?

• How will my assembly move?

• Does my design behave as intended?

With SOLIDWORKS modeling capabilities and integrated, easy-to-use SOLIDWORKS Simulation design analysis tools, users can consistently create higher-fidelity designs.

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• Is there a better form to fit my function?

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• Will dynamic loads cause components to fail? If so, which ones?

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www.designworldonline.com

DESIGN WORLD

12/1/20 8:48 AM

2020

Leadership in Engineering

Switches & Sensors

Congratulations!

SICK, Inc.

For over 70 years, SICK, Inc. has been a pioneer of intelligent sensors and solutions for the industrial automation market. As a world leading manufacturer of sensors, safety systems, machine vision, and automatic identification products for factory, logistics, and process automation.

Regardless of packaging color, shape, or size, companies can count on SICK for innovative products and top-notch expertise to deliver a wide range of product application solutions, systems, and services. SICK sensors initiate, inspect, confirm, monitor, and control the movement of product between automated packaging operations in a variety of packaging industries. In wash-down applications, our tough, IP 69K-rated photoelectric sensors are here to help. For inspection applications, intelligent camera sensors can detect the position of packaging components. And for entry/exit systems, customers gain maximum availability and safety on palletizer and stretch-wrapper machines. Solutions om SICK offer advantages in performance, networkability, and flexibility.

In addition, SICK is a leading provider of Industry 4.0 solutions for the market. As the world leader of intelligent sensing solutions, SICK will continue to innovate new solutions that provide insight and analysis. This will enable customers to proactively solve their complex issues and more efficiently manage production, throughput, quality, and safety.

safe manufacturing environments, or maintain consistent high quality of products – SICK is here to help.

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that is to increase production rates, shorten processing times, provide

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The goal is simple: to help customers achieve their goals! Whether

Switches & Sensors

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December 2020

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12/1/20 9:06 AM

2020

Leadership in Engineering

Test & Measurement

Congratulations! tions!

Cognex Corporation

Cognex Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets a range of products that incorporate sophisticated machine vision technology that gives them the ability to “see.� Cognex products include barcode readers, machine vision sensors, and machine vision systems that are used in factories, warehouses, and distribution centers around E AD

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items during the manufacturing and distribution process.

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the world to guide, gauge, inspect, identi , and assure the quality of

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www.designworldonline.com

DESIGN WORLD

12/1/20 8:49 AM

™

dESIgN

SOLuTIONS

Battery Clips, Contacts & Holders

Designers & Manufacturers of Electronic Components and Hardware • Leading-Edge Battery Clips, Contacts & Holders to accommodate all major manufacturers’ batteries • Products available for Coin/Button cell, Cylindrical batteries, 9 Volt, Alkaline, Lithium, Lithium-Ion and Rechargeables • Manufactured in a variety of materials and mounting styles including On-Board and Off-Board applications • Applications include Surface Mount (SMT), Thru-Hole (THM), Solderless locking PC Connectors and Molded Cavity Contacts • Ideal for all industries and designs It’s what’s on the InsIde that counts ® E L E C T R O N I C S

C O R P.

View our Dynamic Catalog M70 at www.keyelco.com (516) 328-7500

Keystone 12-20.indd 17 DW THiNK Fist+BCCH_12-20.indd 1

(800) 221-5510

12/1/20 11/9/20 9:30 1:17 AM PM

Contents 2020

12 • 2020

•

vol 15 no 12

•

Leadership Winners Pages 3-16

designworldonline.com

A supplement of Design World December 2020

MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS for metal additive manufacturing in high temperature applications

72

| Dreamstime

COVER_MPF 12-20_FINAL3.indd 95

84 _MECHANICAL

Choosing between (or combining) relays and PLCs

Improving downstream supply chain flexibility

72 _LINEAR MOTION

12/4/20 7:43 AM

95-105 I N S I D E : Single-Pair Ethernet addresses industrial priorities

Interconnect

A supplement of Design World • December 2020

66 _MOTION CONTROL

Here we compare where PLCs and relays excel … and where hybrid approaches (combining various technology types to leverage the benefits of today’s controls and relays) are best.

100

For decades, miniature embedment temperature sensors have served an important purpose in many high-risk bearing applications. Integrated directly into the bearing shoes, accurate temperature sensors play a crucial role in the prevention of overheating or irreparable harm to machine operators and missioncritical systems.

Ball-spline and rotary ball-spline applications

2020

Cable & Connector Reference Guide

COVER_Interconnect_2020_Vs1.indd 107

12/3/20 8:42 AM

107-116

A Supplement to Design World - December 2020 www.therobotreport.com

robotics year 2020: The in review page 118

INSIDE:

• Top 10 robotics stories of 2020 ....................120 • 3 robotics applications accelerated by COVID-19 ...........................................................126

88 _TEST & MEASUREMENT

• Top 10 transactions in robotics in 2020 .......132

ROBOT_REPORT_COVER_12-20_FINAL.indd 117

78 _3D CAD

Now to simulate multiple physical forces

Multiphysics simulations are becoming more complex; and take place earlier in the design cycle.

Scanning the scene — for defects

12/2/20 5:38 PM

117-139

Industrial CT scanning combined with analysis and visualization so ware can help improve product quality.

A Z B E E S A S B P E Aw a r d s o f E x c e l l e n c e

A Z B E E S A S B P E Aw a r d s o f E x c e l l e n c e

A Z B E E S A S B P E Aw a r d s o f E x c e l l e n c e

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER The XTS Hygenic is a stainless-steel version of the | courtesy of Beckhoff eXtended Transport System.

18

December 2020

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DESIGN WORLD

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QUICK RELEASE PINS.

12.20

• contents departments

WIDE RANGE OF STYLES & SIZES!

POSITIVE LOCKING BALL LOCK PINS

ONE TOUCH FASTENERS

22

Insights

24

Teschler on Topic

26

Technology Forward

28

Green Engineering

30

Design For Industry

42

Design Notes

54

CAE Solutions

59

Internet of Things

140

Product World

144

Ad Index

NO TOOLS NEEDED!

LOCATE YOUR DEALER ONLINE!

www.fairlaneproducts.com 800.548.2935 CONTENTS.12-20_second.page_Vs2.LL.indd 20

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December 2020

DESIGN WORLD

12/4/20 4:07 PM

Precision Control for Your Operations

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Follow the whole team on twitter @DesignWorld

EDITORIAL

VP, Editorial Director Paul J. Heney pheney@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_paulheney Senior Contributing Editor Leslie Langnau llangnau@wtwhmedia.com @dw_3dprinting Executive Editor Leland Teschler lteschler@wtwhmedia.com @dw_leeteschler Executive Editor Lisa Eitel leitel@wtwhmedia.com @dw_lisaeitel Senior Editor Miles Budimir mbudimir@wtwhmedia.com @dw_motion Senior Editor Mary Gannon mgannon@wtwhmedia.com @dw_marygannon Associate Editor Mike Santora msantora@wtwhmedia.com @dw_mikesantora CREATIVE SERVICES

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WEB DEV / DIGITAL OPERATIONS

Web Development Manager B. David Miyares dmiyares@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_webdave

Video Manager Bradley Voyten bvoyten@wtwhmedia.com @bv10wtwh Videographer Derek Little dlittle@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_derek

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Seismic shi s in manufacturing?

Sometimes, it takes a seismic-level event to change our way of thinking about workplace issues. We’ve had the capability to allow huge swaths of professionals to work remotely for years. Yet, it took the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic — and its forcing so many workforces into working at home — to convince many managers that it could succeed.

Dijam Panigrahi, co-founder and COO of Grid Raster Inc., recently shared some insights as to why he thinks that manufacturing processes will also evolve rapidly.

Panigrahi said that the pandemic has increased organizations’ reliance and appetite for additional automation technologies. Industry analysts say many manufacturers are looking to make these investments to increase efficiencies but also to maintain production cycles because of fears of additional waves of the virus.

Global automotive giants like GM and Toyota have been at the fore ont of automation. Auto assembly plants have been using robots to automate a number of processes throughout the automotive factory and operations for years. Now, combined with technology such as AR and VR, which create virtual environments for design, production and customer service, these solutions are aiding in maintaining industrial efficiencies and supply chain schedules.

Panigrahi noted that the aviation industry has made great strides recently, where it has increasingly leveraged automation to enhance production cycles and drive down production costs. Boeing’s fully automated initiative — known as FAUB, for fuselage automated upright build — has been known for relying on robots working in tandem to drill accurate and precise holes while fastening together metal panels held upright to build the outer ame of its jets.

However, few aviation manufacturers have leveraged a true cloud in astructure for their AR/VR design and engineering teams, instead relying on on-premise data resources that prevent the ability to share knowledge across organizations. Cloud technology for technologies such as AR/VR can enable greater information sharing, Panigrahi said, as designers outside the organization can research critical safety elements in other buildouts.

A big issue here is that enterprise-grade high-quality AR/VR platforms require both performance and scale. Device limitations o en force developers to decimate contents (3D models/scenes) to fit to different mobile devices, spending months in the process and sacrificing on the overall quality of the experience. As virtual environments become richer and larger, the problem will compound. This cycle is repeated for each of the different AR/VR hardware platforms, making it difficult to move om experiments and pilots to full scale deployable solutions — stunting the speed of innovation and effectiveness.

AR/VR platforms powered by distributed cloud architecture and 3D vision-based AI seems an obvious answer here. Panigrahi feels that these AR/VR cloud platforms can provide the desired performance, accuracy and scalability to drive innovation in the industry at speed and scale.

What’s clear — a er witnessing the year 2020 — is that manufacturing is adapting at an ever-increasing speed, meaning that the right answer will likely become clear in months, and not years. DW

Te c h n i c a l S u p p o r t

Paul J. Heney - VP, Editorial Director pheney@wtwhmedia.com

(408) 460-1345

On Twitter @wtwh_paulheney

22

DW.Insights.12-20_Vs1.indd 22

December 2020

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12/1/20 9:20 AM

Teschler on Topic Einstein and the relativity deniers

You can say one thing for groups who believe in theories such as global warming denial or 9-11-01 conspiracies: Scientific experiments and other evidence that disprove their ideas generally don’t slow them down much. They o en beseech non-believers to “keep an open mind” about their claims, but their definition of an open mind seems to entail clinging to ever-more unlikely scenarios in the face of a mountain of evidence proving otherwise.

Surprisingly, climate scientists and NIST investigators on the 9-11 commission aren’t the first researchers to be harassed by inge groups. In 1931, a digest-sized booklet appeared in Germany with a title that translates as Hundred Authors against Einstein. It identifies 121 authors who opposed Einstein’s theory of special relativity and contains contributions om 28 of them.

Apparently the booklet didn’t get much traction even in Germany. One reason: Most of the material was difficult to read even in its native German, according to University of Texas at Arlington professor of physics Man ed Cuntz. Cuntz recently translated some of the text into English. Similarly, he says getting the entire 104page publication into English would be super tough.

Students of scientific history might wonder why the booklet only appeared in 1931, a decade a er Einstein earned the Nobel prize for his work and 25 years a er he proposed special relativity. And by then, experiments well-known among physicists at the time seemed to have confirmed Einstein’s theories.

Cuntz speculates that the motivation for publication was at least in part political. Einstein was Jewish, and the Nazis started controlling the German government and society when it was published. Moreover, Cuntz thinks the publication was assembled om previously presented material. Some contributions, he notes, are only a paragraph long and seem to have been pulled om larger works.

Analyzing the booklet’s content, Cuntz says some of the arguments amount to claims that Einstein was wrong because his work disputed what people believed to know to be valid. “Einstein’s findings about velocities near the speed of light contradict observations you make in daily life,” Cuntz explains. “That might be a fair criticism, but the authors didn’t thoroughly apply the scientific method, so they missed mistakes in their own arguments.”

A few of the authors cited concepts that had been disproven at the time of the booklet’s publication. Among them was the idea that light propagates by means of an ether and that there is an absolute ame of reference for relative motions.

One author also ignored the fact that Einstein’s work explained perturbations in the perihelion of Mercury that previously had been a mystery.

Einstein tended to blow off these sorts of attacks. He’s quoted as saying, “It would not have required one hundred authors to prove me wrong; one would have been enough.” But in this age of social media, we can imagine how a publication like Hundred Authors against Einstein might show up on conspiracy theory websites no matter how many times it was debunked.

In that regard, Einstein was probably lucky the internet didn’t exist in his lifetime. Otherwise, he might have spent his final years engaged in exasperating interactions with relativity deniers rather than looking for a unified field theory. DW

Leland Teschler • Executive Editor lteschler@wtwhmedia.com On Twitter @ DW_LeeTeschler

24

Lee Teschler Column 12-20_V2.LL.indd 24

December 2020

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Technology Forward

A different picture The year 2020 began quietly. It looked to be a year like other years, technology would continue along the predictable path of advancement. New products would emerge that many would attend shows to see. The year was rather uneventful. Until March (some might argue April). Then the Coronavirus hit—hard.

The pandemic has affected everything, om such seemingly unconnected factors as the supply chain to diversity issues. One technology that came to the rescue of the supply chain was additive manufacturing technology.

This technology had the flexibility and capability to make needed parts, medical supplies, and parts that were unavailable due to supply chain disruptions. Thousands of users of desktop 3D printing systems jumped in to help the medical community tackle the pandemic by making personal protection equipment. Then manufacturers of advanced 3D printing and additive systems joined in to make more complicated parts and needed items, like ventilators. There were so many stories. And this development made many CEOs reconsider how they could use this technology within their supply chains.

But that was only the start of 2020.

Among the other issues highlighted by the pandemic was diversity, or the lack of in many industries, including additive manufacturing. Many companies have long made public

claims about the inclusion of women and minorities within their employee pool, but the numbers tell a different story. Design World recently published its third annual Women in Engineering issue, which included an article, “Engineering offers solid salaries for women.â€? The title sounds positive, but look at the numbers: • just 30% of project managers in engineering fields are women • only 15% of so ware engineers are women, • and just 7% of mechanical engineers are women.

Reports over the past five years have showed that diversity pays off. In 2018, a McKinsey report showed that companies that included women and people of color were 33% more likely to outperform their less diverse counterparts financially. One would think that would be a strong selling point.

Because additive manufacturing is a relatively new field, one might think it offers more opportunities for diversity. But a recent report by the Women in 3D printing gives a different picture.

Among the minority groups, Hispanic, Latino, Native American or Alaska Native as well as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander are the less well represented in the 3D Printing industry. Moreover, Asians and Indians would apply the most for a job in the AM industry compared to Black and A ican American applicants.

The report noted that the underlying reasons why diversity and inclusivity have not taken root is that women and minorities cite feelings of isolation, mistreatment by colleagues and management, and lack of opportunities for advancement as the reasons they leave STEM fields.

The report notes that “closing the gender gap in the tech industry has been the Holy Grail for many companies.‌but companies that speak up for diversity tend to overlook part of the iceberg: the realities and barriers faced by minority groups, especially people of color. Indeed, if the fight for equal opportunity and equal treatment is a legitimate struggle for women, that fight can be harder for people of color and minority groups in general.â€?

And the disparity is occurring during record employment levels in this industry. As, Erika Jefferson, founder of Black Women in Science and Engineering (BWISE), noted, you cannot expect women and under-represented minorities to remain in work environments where they cannot grow and thrive. You also cannot expect young women to enter fields where they do not see positive role models. It is imperative that we stop the constant drip om the leaky STEM pipeline by working hard to retain women—and especially under-represented women of color.

There is a problem that needs a solution. We need a different picture.

With everything upended by the pandemic, why not address it now? DW

Leslie Langnau llangnau@wtwhmedia.com On Twitter @ DW_3Dprinting

26

December 2020

Tech.Forward.12-20_Vs2.LL.indd 26

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12/1/20 9:22 AM

Green Engineering Paul J. Heney

• VP, Editorial Director

Bio-inspired adhesion is new

frontier in product handling

With the help of adhesive forces, geckos have been moving easily over smooth surfaces for millions of years. Now, Schunk is using this principle for developing various fields of handling applications with its new gripping technology, Adheso.

With this technology, components can be sensitively gripped, without leaving any residue or requiring additional energy.

The possible solutions include glass fibers as light as feathers, small SMD components, micro-mechanical parts, battery components, plastic films, paper, glass, and automotive or mechanical engineering components weighing 15 kg or more. Automated separation of breathable components is also feasible with this gripping system.

Adheso is based on the principle of adhesion, using the intermolecularly acting Van der Waals forces for handling.

The patented surface architecture is made of special polymers and is optimized by numerical simulation. The result is a structure of extremely finely structured legs, which adhere to different materials and objects. The structure is gently

28

December 2020

Green.Engineering.12-20_Vs3_PH.indd 28

pressed onto the workpiece during the gripping process, thus increasing the contact surface, and the Van der Waals forces can start acting on the workpiece.

This effect can be reversed by applying a slight pressure/rotary movement so that the gripper can be loosened — residue- ee — om the handling object. The alternative use of a wiper ensures that the object is gently put down.

The respective adhesive forces and removal of Adheso depend on the variation of material, topography, and miniaturization, and is customized to the different requirements of the application.

The adhesive structures can be adapted to the required size and the loading condition (horizontal/vertical), and can be designed transparent, translucent or opaque.

Effort and costs for installation and commissioning are minimal, since the

www.designworldonline.com

adhesive technology is gentle on components, low-noise, and doesn’t require compressed air, vacuum or current. An external energy supply is not necessary for gripping or for maintaining the gripping force. In case of a power failure in the handling system, the holding forces of the gripper are reliably maintained. Adheso allows gripping times of <100 ms. It can be used in conventional industrial environments, but also in cleanrooms and vacuum environments. In the field of micro handling, repetitive positioning accuracies of <0.01 mm can be achieved. The Adheso gripper has a bayonet lock, so grippers can be exchanged in just a few simple steps. DW

Schunk | www.schunk.com

DESIGN WORLD

12/1/20 11:44 AM

Grace under pressure

877-2-KELLER kelleramerica.com

Keller 12-20.indd 29

12/3/20 9:28 AM

Design for Industry Food and Beverage

Conveyor boasts hygienic design for

flexible motion control with optimal cleanability

The stainless-steel version of the XTS with IP69K protection rating opens up new application areas with demanding hygienic requirements and associated cleaning processes.

30

December 2020

DFI.12-20_Vs3.LL.indd 30

www.designworldonline.com

DESIGN WORLD

12/4/20 10:54 AM

Differences in Argentine, Australian, and Chinese Plug Patterns Previously available only in Europe, the XTS Hygienic is now available in the U.S. The XTS Hygenic is a stainless-steel version of the eXtended Transport System om Beckhoff.

The IP69K-rated linear transport opens up new applications primarily in food and pharmaceutical industries and for processing and filling liquids. Easy to clean, it resists chemicals and has no hidden corners, edges or undercuts. Even in environments with extreme hygiene requirements, the XTS Hygienic is easier to clean compared to more complex mechanical systems, so routine cleaning tasks and format changeovers can be performed more quickly.

The XTS replaces mechanical components with so ware functions for a higher degree of design eedom in creating new machine concepts. Because it reduces mechanical engineering requirements, its footprint is smaller, its weight is lighter, and there is less wiring. Thus, machine builders can offer smaller, more powerful and more efficient systems. In addition, as with the standard XTS, HepcoMotion provides a sanitary stainlesssteel track, distributed by Bishop-Wisecarver in North America, to support applications with higher weight requirements.

The XTS Hygienic was developed in close cooperation with the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG). It meets all the requirements for system certification according to EL Class I AUX. It meets IP69K protection to ensure protection against ingress of dust and water. The surfaces can stand up to surfactants, acidic and alkaline cleaning agents, different alcohols and disinfectants and even hydrogen peroxide.

The mechanical components used in the XTS are made of V4A stainless steel, while the seals and covers consist of resistant plastic materials. All joints between the individual components are protected against dirt and liquid contamination by a high quality, elastic joint seal. Once installed, the XTS components form an even, smooth surface together with the machine that is easily accessible in all areas so that it remains easy to clean.

These properties also apply to the movers, with the rollers spaced at such a distance so that the gap can be cleaned, including with a finger. The rollers of the mover are specially sealed against the axis to reliably prevent the ingress of dirt and any leakage of bearing grease. DW

The Argentina plug is a Class I, 10A/250VAC which cycles at 50Hz. The standard plug rating in Australia is also 10A/250VAC. China’s main grounded plug is also rated at 10A/250VAC. Are these cord sets compatible?

While the pin patterns for all three countries are similar, the wiring for the line and neutral are reversed in the Argentine plug as compared to the China and Australian plugs. And though the Australian and Chinese plugs appear similar—the Chinese pins are 1 mm longer than the Australian pins—the Australian plug will mate with the Chinese socket. Interpower highly discourages mating an Australian plug with a Chinese socket.

All of these countries have their own testing agencies. All three plugs will terminate with various IEC 60320 connectors.

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Design for Industry Food and Beverage

Easier valve setup

through wireless devices If you have used the ARM clip, Emerson also offers a wireless version, the Wireless Auto Recovery Module (ARM) clip for the AVENTICSTM G3 fieldbus platform. The easyto-use Clip offers diagnostics and allows commissioning to be done, both through a Wi-Fi enabled mobile phone, tablet, or laptop device regardless of where the valve system is mounted. Ethernet/IP DLR and PROFINET protocols are available initially and additional protocols are available upon request.

Both the Wireless ARM and ARM Clip can be applied in the automotive, tire, food and beverage, packaging and metalworking industries. DW

Emerson www.emerson.com

Emerson launched this ARM clip to replace its existing ARM product. The ARM Clip reduces the length of the valve system as well as the customer footprint. It can be installed on existing valve systems without changing the mounting. The ARM Clip protects configuration information om critical failure and provides a cost-effective production line uptime insurance in the event of a fieldbus module failure.

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Power REVIEW THE POWER BRANDS IN POWER TRANSMISSION

Vol. 9 | No. 4 | 2020

Altra Brands Provide IIoT Solutions

www.AltraMotion.com

Follow Altra Motion on:

Industrial Internet of Things

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Altra Brands Marland Clutch, Svendborg Brakes, and Stromag Provide IIoT Solutions Ameridrives Block-Type Universal Joint Rebuild and Repair Service Boston Gear Original “Domed Crown™” Stainless Steel 700 Series Warner Electric Introduces New ERX Brakes Range and the WES Contactless Sensor

For more information contact us at: info@altramotion.com

Scan to download the interactive version of the Power Review

Altra Industrial_#1_12-20.indd 33

12/2/20 3:20 PM

Altra Brands Marland Clutch, Svendborg Brakes, and Stromag Provide IIoT Solutions Smart Marland Monitoring System

Industrial Internet of Things

The Smart Marland Monitoring System provides up to the minute access to critical system operating conditions including Vibration, Temperature and Oil Level. The IIoT solution allows users to remotely monitor the condition of their equipment from anywhere using a computer or cell phone.

Performance Capabilities: • Monitor up to 6 devices from a single gateway • Set desired report intervals • Perform statistical analysis to identify maintenance and repair needs • Alarm notifications

For more information, download P-8666-MC from www.AltraLiterature.com

Simple System Requirements: • Power supply (24VDC, 120/240 VAC, 50/60 Hz) • Less than 200m line of site between gateway and devices • Access to local network or cellular signal

Reporting Capability: • Current measurements • Historic trending • Vibration analysis

Stromag Complete IIoT Braking System The Port of Duisburg, located on the Rhine River in Germany, recently upgraded the entire braking system on one of it’s large, rail-mounted gantry cranes.

The port operators wanted to install a new, state-of-the-art IIoT braking system that would allow a predictive maintenance solution on the older container crane.

Port management selected Stromag to provide a customized IIoT solution based on their superior service support, design flexibility and technologies. The new system included a thruster service brake, an emergency brake, an HPU, a Series 51 geared cam limit switch with a multi-turn absolute encoder, a SIMAN monitoring system, and disc/hub assemblies.

The advanced IIoT braking system utilizes artificial intelligence to provide many convenient and cost-saving advantages, including remote and augmented maintenance, increased crane availability due to planned downtimes and extended system life due to careful maintenance monitoring.

INTELLIGENCE FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE

Application Profile A l t r a

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Stromag Trials Next ’ Generation IIoT ‘Smart Gantry Crane

Bibby Turboflex Boston Gear Delevan Delroyd Worm Gear Formsprag Clutch Guardian Couplings

Product

Application

Huco Jacobs Vehicle Systems Kilian Kollmorgen Lamiflex Couplings Marland Clutch Matrix Nuttall Gear Portescap Stieber Stromag Svendborg Brakes TB Wood’s Thomson

Highlights

• TDXB thruster disc service brake with a max 5,700 Nm braking torque and predictive maintenance option • SHC18 spring-applied, hydraulically-released emergency disc brake with a max 254,000 Nm braking torque • Hydraulic power unit • Series 51 geared cam limit switch combined with bevel gearbox • Disc and hub assembly • SIMAN IIoT monitoring system

INTELLIGENCE FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE

Complete IIoT Braking System Port Container Gantry Crane The Port of Duisburg, located on the Rhine River in Germany, recently upgraded the entire braking system on one of it’s large rail-mounted gantry cranes. Accommodating 20,000 ships and 25,000 trains annually, Duisburg is the largest inland port in the world. The port operators wanted to install a new, state-of-the-art IIoT braking system that would allow a predictive maintenance solution to be established on an older container crane. If successful, the system could eventually be installed on all gantry cranes, with lifting capacities up to 55 tons, in the port.

The executive management of the port met directly with Stromag to determine if an advanced braking system could be developed. Ultimately, Stromag was selected for the high-priority project based on their superior service support and design flexibility and technologies to deliver a customized IIoT solution that interfaced with the customer’s dashboard.

Specialized sensors were installed on a TDXB thruster service disc brake and a SHC18 springapplied, hydraulically-released emergency disc brake. The service brake acts on a disc installed on the high speed shaft of the crane’s winch drive. The emergency brake acts on a disc mounted to the gearbox low speed shaft.

An SHPU hydraulic power unit and disc/hub assemblies were also supplied.

A Series 51 geared cam limit switch, with a multi-turn absolute encoder, guarantees the safe stopping of the crane’s hook. It also provides feedback about the actual positioning, speed and turning direction of the elevated movement.

The brake sensors and limit switch encoder exchange data through a PLC via a cloud connection. The advanced IIoT braking system utilizes artificial intelligence to provide many convenience and cost-saving advantages, including remote and augmented maintenance, increased crane availability due to planned downtimes and extended system life due to careful maintenance monitoring.

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Svendborg IIoT-driven Predictive Maintenance Finds the Needle in the Minestack Bucket wheel excavators (BWEs) need robust and reliable braking systems to withstand the harsh operating and environmental conditions they are exposed to. The right solution helps them handle power cuts while protecting the BWE’s components from shock loads. By offering an innovative braking control setup that features Cloud computing and data analytics, Svendborg Brakes supported a premier lignite mining company in Bílina, Czech Republic, to slashing maintenance costs and downtime.

For the full article, visit the Altra Newsroom at www.AltraMotion.com/Newsroom

Altra Industrial_#2_12-20.indd 34

The innovative IIoT solution installed for the K 2000 BWE has been running smoothly and successfully for over six months. Pleased with the results, the mining company has decided to install the system on every new installation from Svendborg Brakes. www.Svendborg-Brakes.com

12/7/20 11:36 AM

Ameridrives Block-Type Universal Joint Rebuild and Repair Service North American mill operators can significantly reduce downtime and costs with series 7000 Block-type U-joint rebuild and retrofit services by Ameridrives, available in the U.S. Now, mills in North America can save time and money since they no longer need to wait for months while they ship their block-type U-joints to an overseas manufacturer for rebuild and repair services.

The major competitor U-Joint design utilizes bolts to connect the bearing blocks to the shaft. Unfortunately, after only a few years of service, the bolts start to come loose under high mill torque loads causing the U-joints to fail.

North American mill operators, with an eye on increasing output while reducing costs, can now send their damaged competitor block-type U-joints directly to our Ameridrives facility in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Our complete block-type (Series 7000) U-Joint repair and rebuild service options include: • Service sizes 315 mm to 600 mm • Manufacturing and installing completely new blocks on existing customer shafts with no modifications to the existing shaft.

Altra Mo tion

Block-Type Universal Joint Rebuild and Repair Service

• Manufacturing entirely new dimensional drop-in replacement U-Joints, utilizing Ameridrives mill-proven cross and bearing design vs. competitor’s bolt system.

For more information, download P-8858-AC from www.AltraLiterature.com

Boston Gear Original “Domed Crown™” Stainless Steel 700 Series Utilizing the often imitated but never equaled 700 Series worm gearing combined with new exterior designs, the new stainless steel 700 Series performance has been optimized to withstand the harshest washdown conditions!

Laser marked nameplate provides worry-free part identification while maintaining a smooth, unetched surface. Rounded housing prevents foreign matter adherence and fluid accumulation.

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For more information download P-1998-BG & P-7756-BG from www.AltraLiterature.com or visit www.BostonGear.com

Warner Electric Introduces New ERX Brakes Range and the WES Contactless Sensor Warner Electric has released a new range of pre-assembled electromagnetic brakes that offer superior performance for stopping and parking applications. The brakes can be specified in standard, high-torque or high-speed configurations and with a selection of accessories included. Thanks to its modular design and efficient stock holding, Warner Electric is able to offer thousands of variations with a very short lead time. Additionally, the integrality of the brakes range offered

by Warner Electric is now equipped with the latest contactless sensor WES. Warner has developed this innovative technology for monitoring electromagnetic brakes in elevators and stage/theatre applications. Backwards compatible with conventional electromechanical microswitches, but with none of their inherent limitations, the patent-pending WES contactless sensor brings improved reliability to electromagnetic brake monitoring and adds the capability for predictive maintenance, eliminating unscheduled downtime.

For more information, download P-8705-WE and P-8692-WE from www.AltraLiterature.com

Altra Industrial_#3_12-20.indd 35

“WES” for monitoring of brake state

12/2/20 3:21 PM

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Design for Industry Medical

Miniature linear voice coil motor is smaller than a penny

Medical designs o en need a small motor that delivers high force. The LVCM-016-010-01 Linear Voice Coil Actuator is 0.625 in., (15.9 mm) which is smaller in diameter than a penny and the length at mid-stroke is 0.63 in. (15.9 mm) long, which is less than a stack of 12 pennies. This miniature voice coil actuator has a continuous force of 5.9 oz (1.6 N) and a peak force of 18.6 oz (5.2 N), and features a 0.125 in. (3.2 mm) stroke.

The linear actuator is a miniature brushless dc servo actuator with high acceleration/ deceleration and low inertia. Clean with zero cogging, and efficient, it is suitable for: Haptic feedback in medical/surgical instruments, assembly, work holding and clamping, sorting, laser machining and drilling, packaging, sampling, scanning, laser beam steering and filtering, vibration damping, wafer handling, and pharmaceutical applications. When operated as a closed loop, dc servo actuator with a position sensor, the actuator is accurate with repeatable.

Each end of actuator has two 2-56 UNC-2B threaded mounting holes in the housing and two 2-56 UNC-2B threaded mounting holes in the coil end on 0.250 in. (6.35 mm) centers for easy integration. A complete plug-and-play system including an encoder and servo controller is also available. DW

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Design for Industry M a c h i n e To o l

Easier machine programming and setup

As technology advances, vendors are developing new programs for machine OEMS to match the advances. One group of packages fit the Sinumerik One control system.

These so ware packages support machine-oriented programming in the job shop to high-performance machining of CAD-CAMprogrammed workpieces with high surface quality.

The packages come in three variants: ONE Dynamics Operate, ONE Dynamics 3-axis milling and ONE Dynamics 5-axis milling.

The ONE Dynamics Operate package supports the machine tool user in efficient programming in the machine shop with the Sinumerik machining cycles and CNC simulation for milling and

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turning applications. In addition, the user is given a range of options for accessing NC programs and workpiece documentation.

Users have the option of paperless manufacturing and can, for example, visualize 3D CAD data on the shopfloor.

For the execution of CAM-generated CNC programs for ee-form surface machining, ONE Dynamics 3- and 5-axis milling packages offer the Top Surface and Top Speed Plus CNC functions for excellent motion control and perfect workpiece surfaces.

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With Top Surface, the geometric data from the CAM system is checked and optimized during processing on the CNC using an intelligent algorithm.

The algorithm ensures high surface quality when milling complex freeform surfaces, which is advantageous for geometrically complex mold components that place demands on surface quality, mold accuracy and production efficiency â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for example in tool- and mold-making, aircraft construction or medical technology.

Top Speed Plus ensures with new filter technology that increased dynamics are made possible without activating mechanical vibrations of the machine and that the contour accuracy is reliably maintained. Depending upon the specific application, this can reduce machining times by up to 30%. Unit costs for milling with CAM-generated CNC programs can be reduced and production efficiency increased.

With a few exceptions, the functions of Sinumerik ONE Dynamics do not require any commissioning effort by the machine tool builder. Once activated, they are available to the user for immediate use on the CNC machine. Since they are CNC software functions, no intervention at the machine or in the machineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mechanics is required. For users who have challenging requirements when it comes to machining quality and speed, the machine tool builder can add additional optional CNC functions of the Sinumerik control that go beyond the packages. These additional functions must then be activated and parameterized by the machine builder for the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s individual machine and adapted to the machine statics and dynamics. DW

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Design for Industry Semiconductor

Bringing together microelectronics

and fluid handling

X-FAB Silicon Foundries SE offers a series of solutions that support the implementation of microfluidic structures directly onto CMOS dies. Applications include DNA sequencing and synthesis, rare cell sorting, medical implants, pharmaceutical research, drug administering, food safety testing and others.

Customers will have access to the key elements required for developing chip-based microfluidic subsystems – allowing them to move through the prototyping phase of their projects quickly and get to a point where they can start considering full-scale production. By having numerous elements bundled together, it will no longer be necessary for customers to work with many different vendors. This means that the integration issues that generally come with complex multi-vendor projects can be avoided.

Leveraging X-FAB’s XH035 350 nm high-voltage analog/mixed-signal CMOS process for applications requiring high signal-to-noise ratios, the company can carry out many microfluidic post-processing activities. These can be undertaken at its MEMS manufacturing sites in Germany, with use of multi-level mask (MLM) techniques to keep down the overall prototyping costs.

Available process options include: • Initial preparation of the CMOS wafer for microfluidic integration, through planarized passivation along with through passivation vias.

• The attaching of noble metal electrodes (either gold or platinum based) to act as interfaces for the fluidic samples.

• The adding of a dry film resist top layer (into which microfluidic channels can be scored) with an optional glass cap wafer

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“Microfluidics represents a challenging application-specific market, requiring custom solutions and considerable investment,” Oliver Foellmer, Product Marketing Manager at X-FAB explains.

“It is clear om our discussions with customers involved in this sector that they need to be able to get comprehensive prototyping support om a single source.

With our new microfluidics prototyping platform, we are helping to accelerate development cycles and lower the financial thresholds, so that customers can embark on innovative silicon-based microfluidic projects regardless of their size or capabilities,” he concludes. DW

X-FAB www.xfab.com

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Sensor offers fast

inspection speeds

For situations where inspection is tough, such as semiconductor, the Z-Track2 sensors may suit.

The Z-Trak2 3D profile sensors suit 5GigE suit high-speed, in-line 3D applications. Models deliver scan speeds of up to 45,000 profiles per second and feature built-in HDR and reflection compensation algorithms to handle surfaces with varying degrees of reflectivity in a single scan. This delivers inline height measurements for inspection, detection, identification, and guidance in electronics, semiconductor, automotive and factory automation markets segments.

Within the Z-Trak2 family, the S-2K and V-2K series feature scanning speeds of 45,000 profiles/sec and 10,000 profiles/sec respectively. Offering 2,000 points per profile, all Z-Trak2 models are factory calibrated and offered with either blue or red eye safe lasers to suit various surface properties and operating environments.

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Design Notes

Brushless DC motors help launch

new UAV’s

Edited by Mike Santora • Associate Editor

maxon has collaborated with drone startup Flybotix to develop performance-optimized brushless DC motors for a new kind of inspection drone. With the know-how gained om this and other projects, maxon is making inroads into the new UAV market, where the reliability and quality of components are becoming more important.

Two rotors instead of four was the approach used by startup Flybotix to develop the ASIO inspection drone. This indoor drone for industrial facilities is built around a patented drive system powered by brushless DC motors om maxon. maxon worked closely with Flybotix to develop electric motors optimized for weight and performance and specifically adapted to this application. These drives will allow the ASIO to carry out long missions, reach distant locations, and save costs.

“This world-class level of performance could not have been reached without the excellent work of maxon,” said Samir Bouabdallah, CEO of Flybotix.

Flybotix is a Swiss company in the EPFL Innovation Park in Lausanne, which is also home to one of maxon’s innovation labs. The company develops the inspection drone ASIO, which operates inside industrial facilities and will go on the market at the end of 2020. Flybotix’s vision is for drones to navigate, inspect, and interact with their environment autonomously. The company’s 10-person team is in the top 100 of Switzerland’s most important startups. CEO and founder Samir Bouabdallah has 15 years of experience

Flybotix’ inspection drone ASIO.

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developing drone technology at the EPFL and ETH Zurich. The drive system he developed with his team is an algorithm-controlled propulsion and steering mechanism with two degrees of eedom.

“That gives the drones the aerodynamic performance of a helicopter and the mechanical reliability of a quadcopter.” ASIO is surrounded by a protective cage, is collision-proof, and allows access to tight spaces to carry out inspections safely. An onboard camera, combined with a high-quality display on the remote control, allows pilots to fly safely in hazardous areas such as oil storage tanks, underground mines, or power plants.

For drones, it’s not just the motor that matters The market for unmanned autonomous aerial vehicles (UAV) is new, but very dynamic — many startups like Flybotix are involved. There are potential applications in areas like inspection, agriculture, security, and transport. Following the industry’s initial ventures and a few setbacks, the safety requirements placed on unmanned aerial vehicles and their components has increased. maxon has the high-quality drives and the knowledge to develop specialized drone motors that meet these requirements.

In 2019, several initial drives were constructed for special projects, with matching ESCs (Electronic Speed Controllers). In the drone market, the motor is not the only thing that matters. What is far more important is the perfect interplay of BLDC motors, motor controllers, and matching propellers. That is the only way to get the most out of the system regarding thrust and energy efficiency. maxon’s engineers were eager to learn as much as they could om experts like Samir Bouabdallah and to foster information exchange, right om the start.

Incidentally, the most talked-about drone in the world, “Ingenuity,” which will take off om the surface of Mars in 2021, is equipped with six maxon DC motors. DW

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Design Notes

Putting prosthetic hands into motion Edited by Mike Santora â&#x20AC;˘ Associate Editor

A prosthesis or prosthetic implant is an artificial device that replaces a missing part of the body, which might have been lost due to accident, trauma, disease, or congenital disorder. An orthopedic prosthetic is an artificial limb designed to substitute the missing body part of a patient. It is intended to restore a degree of normal function, thus providing precise movements and efficient operation.

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In the past, a hand amputee would have been asked to use a hook prosthesis that had limited functions and carried a significant amount of social stigma.

However, in today’s society, a hand amputee can expect a replacement hand that replicates a whole host of normal hand functions.

Upper limb prostheses can be categorized into three main categories: passive devices, body-powered devices, and externally powered (myoelectric) devices.

A myoelectric prosthesis uses the electrical tension that is being generated every time a muscle contracts. This tension can be captured om the voluntarily contracted muscles through electrodes applied on the skin to control prosthesis movements, such as elbow flexion/extension, wrist supination/ pronation, (rotation) or opening/closing of the fingers. A prosthesis of this type uses the human body’s residual neuromuscular system control the functions of an electric-powered prosthetic hand, wrist, elbow, or foot.

Most prosthesis manufacturers use EMG (electromyography) signals for actuation. In 1919, G. Schlesinger defined six basic ways of grasping as shown in the figure below: Based on these basic prehensions, price, and functionality, manufacturers can choose the appropriate type of mechanism and determine the number of motors nneeded in these actuation mechanisms. It can be a fully articulated arm or a semi-articulated arm. In a fully

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articulated arm, manufacturers use five motors for the actuation of all five fingers to achieve multiple degrees of movement.

This provides better flexibility to the end-user for achieving almost all major configurations of the arm.

In a semi-articulated arm, a single motor is used for the actuation of two or three fingers (the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger). Individual motors are provided for actuation of the index finger and thumb. This helps reduce cost and simpli design. Naturally, there are limitations to the degrees of movement. It is the major movements used equently in day-to-day life that are the focus in these designs.

Requirements for a Good Prosthesis • Functionally efficient • Durable • Comfortable • Lightweight • Low maintenance • Long battery life • Aesthetically pleasing Standard motion solutions for prosthetic hands Coreless brush DC motors, being highly efficient, reliable, and cost-effective, are a common solution for prosthetic arms. A coreless brush DC motor, with its incorporated gearbox, operates at low noise — an understandable requirement for myoelectric prosthetic arm users. For prosthetic hands, the typical requirement for motors is 50 mNm @ 150 rpm to 100 mNm @ 50 rpm. A lighter motor reduces

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Design Notes the overall weight of prosthetic hands and allows users to move each finger independently with minimum effort in single finger actuation designs. The design of the coreless brush DC motor also offers high power density. It suits the compactness and portability requirement of prosthesis applications.

Some of the lower cost myoelectric semi-articulated hand prosthesis manufacturers use one motor for four single-finger actuations. Here, the degree of eedom is two; one for movement of the four fingers and one for the thumb’s manual movement. The typical torque requirement in this design can range between 300 mNm @ 1500 rpm and 400 mNm @ 1000 rpm.

For accurate positioning and motion control, a suitable encoder is recommended for the motor and gearbox.

Motors with integrated gearboxes and

encoders enable the user to move fingers more nimbly to grasp objects.

Magnetic encoders provide a high degree of accuracy necessary for prosthetics applications which require incredibly accurate positioning with closed-loop motion feedback. Precise position is required to grip objects like an egg with the dexterity required to prevent breakage.

Motor and gearbox selection is a direct contributor to the success of the application. The solution chosen should offer sufficient torque and speed (power) to ensure proper holding force and linear speed necessary for grasping. The type of mechanism used for finger actuation should also be a deciding factor in motor selection.

Motor regulation (R/K2) is a critical parameter of the motor which defines speed-torque characteristics. Lower

motor regulation results in a more powerful motor, but it is important to remember — as torque (load) increases, speed decreases. The speed drop rate is less with better motor regulation. Good motor regulation provides high power density, which leads to fewer power losses and better efficiency.

If motor regulation is a critical parameter of the motor, then efficiency is the critical parameter for new-generation prosthetic hands. Here, smaller and lighter weight batteries are considered — high efficiency results in fewer power losses and less current consumption, increasing battery life.

The selection of a motor and gearbox depends heavily on torque/speed requirements and size constraints of the

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application. In the chart above, we’ll use a few Portescap DC motors to compare.

As you can see in the chart, the slope of the 10N motor + R10 gearbox with ratio 64 is nearly the same as the 12G motor + R13 gearbox with ratio 30.2, although the 12G + R13 provides a wider range of torque and speed. This design means that by increasing size, we can increase the power of the motor-gearbox composite. The slope of the 12G motor + R10 gearbox with ratio 64 is lower. Hence, it operates at a higher working torque, though at a lower speed.

Integrated solutions for prosthetic hands Average operational requirements for prosthetic arms can look something like this:

Often, a customized solution is needed to meet specific application requirements. An integrated design can best suit the size and weight constraints of each application. An optimized design can withstand the specific axial forces necessary for the application. An example of an integrated solution prototype is shown below.

In this example prototype, the mechanism consists of a motor that transfers the rotary motion to a lead screw using a spur gear pair. The lead screw is attached to one spur gear and transfers motion to the piston, which has internal threads. The piston moves forward and backward due to the screw and nut mechanism between the lead screw and the piston. This linear motion

of the piston is what creates finger actuation.

Portescap’s prototype with the 12GS+R10 motor-gearbox composite was tested at 1V, and the composite provided a linear speed of 7 mm/s at no load with an electric current consumption of 15 mA. Linear speed can be increased by increasing the voltage. The linear speed of the actuator depends on the weight of the object the user is handling. No-load linear speed of an actuator is associated with the motion of a finger without an object. Higher linear speeds allow the user to grasp objects quickly. Based on the calculations, the designed load for this actuator is 60 N. The force and speed depend on one’s choice of motor, gearbox, and the size of the leadscrew

s

4:26 PM

For 180°transmission with a lead screw mechanism, the torque and speed requirement of motor-gearbox composite depends on the type of lead screw (no. of start, lead, thread type).

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Design Notes

used for the linear actuator. Naturally, the size of the linear actuator varies om application to application. The low current consumption of the linear actuator provides a longer battery life.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also want to consider if your application requires motion-feedback solutions, including linear actuators, that can be customized precisely for the output needed and can fit inside the actuator so that the operation can be controlled accurately. The pistonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s linear motion can be controlled by using a linear potentiometer or a linear magnetic encoder.

A linear potentiometer works on principles based on calculating the variation of the resistance produced by the displacement of the object inside the electric circuit. It consists of a springloaded head, and it produces a sufficient amount of analog output without using the amplifier. The benefit of using a

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potentiometer feedback system in a linear actuator is that the controller does not have to track the position of the piston. It offers the absolute position of the piston at any given moment. It is suitable for low speed requirements and is less costly. As compared with magnetic encoder, it offers 50% of life.

A linear magnetic encoder is a hallsensor-based encoder that detects the magnetic field. There is no iction between any parts in the sensor because the parts are not in contact with one another. In linear actuators, the magnet attaches to the piston, and the two hall sensors are placed near the magnet.

As the magnet (piston) moves, the hall sensor detects the magnetic field. This produces a pulse, which is used by the controller for keeping track of the position. The two hall sensors, which are offset om each other, produce two overlapping pulses. The overlapping

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signals determine the direction of travel.

For encoders, even a slight misalignment of the sha reduces accuracy and increases hysteresis losses.

Linear magnetic encoders have more accurate positional measurement, increasing reliability for high-speed applications and longer life. Magnetic encoders offer a consistent signal throughout the life of the linear actuator.

They provide exact increments of positional data. The controller keeps the track of the position, offering a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;home detectionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; functionality to reset position to a known state. DW

Portescap portescap.com

DESIGN WORLD

12/4/20 11:14 AM

Congratulates Bosch Rexroth’s 225 Years in Business

“Over the past 225 years, Bosch Rexroth has seized the opportunities offered by technological advances, turned them into innovations and adapted its business model to them,” said Rolf Najork, Managing Director of Robert Bosch GmbH with responsibility for the Industrial Technology division, and CEO of Bosch Rexroth AG, summing up the company’s recipe for success. The manufacturer of automation technologies for the factory of the future, plant construction and engineering and mobile applications is well equipped to deal with the challenges of the digital transformation.

225 225 years years https://www.boschrexroth.com/en/xc/225years/ BOSCH REXROTH_225th anniv 12-20_FINAL.indd 49

12/3/20 9:36 AM

Design Notes

Reverse engineering your way

through a crisis

Edited by Mike Santora • Associate Editor

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Associate Erick Oberstar in the University of Wisconsin Mechatronics Laboratory, where a large portion of the PAPR work was done.

In the early Spring of 2020, the phone calls and emails started streaming into the mechanical engineering department of the University of Wisconsin — Madison: “We don’t have enough ventilators. Can you design something else?” Then a couple of weeks later, “Okay, we have enough ventilators; now we need personal protection equipment (PPE), face shields, and N95 masks.” And suddenly another call for help, “We think we’re going to have to put a powered air-puri ing respirator (PAPR) on every person who comes in contact with a Covid-19 patient — we don’t have enough, and the ones we have aren’t getting the job done!” The local hospital needed assistance on a variety of onts.

University of Wisconsin Mechanical Engineering faculty associate Erick Oberstar, and several other instructional staff and tenure-track professors in the U.W. College of Engineering, who were allowed to stay on campus a er all the students le , felt the pressure. “It was an emotional roller coaster,” he recalls. “There were six or seven of us that

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Faculty Associate Joe Krachey (left) and Assistant Professor Josh Roth (right) at work on PAPR components at the University of Wisconsin Mechatronics Laboratory.

dropped everything else, and another dozen or so that were contributing. We were all putting in 120 hours a week for two months, trying to help out every way we could. The situation was dire. Lives were depending on it.”

A biomedical-engineering Ph.D. candidate, Oberstar is trained in electrical engineering and holds an instructional position in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Serendipitously, his current doctoral research in quantitative blood flow analysis provided a critical tool for PAPR equipment modifications for the hospital during the pandemic.

With considerable experience in computed tomography (CT) scanning in a clinical scenario, Oberstar’s department had put him in charge of the Micro-CT machine in its Metrology Lab back in 2014. “That’s when we first found out about Volume Graphics,” he says, but his resources were limited. Later, the department acquired a second, higherpower CT scanner for a sponsored project and a research license for Volume Graphics’ VGSTUDIO MAX. This so ware suite provides digital analysis and visualization of CT scan data, allowing the user to examine a variety of performance characteristics deep inside

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an object, non-destructively. “By the time the COVID-19 crisis arose, I’d gotten pretty good at using the tool and knew what it could do,” says Oberstar.

PAPR problems persist While the first call for ventilators galvanized the engineers into action, as the local hospital’s needs evolved, the biggest challenge turned out to be the PAPRs. The hospital had acquired additional air-puri ing respirators, but they didn’t have sufficient replacement parts to keep the current stock functioning properly within optimum turnaround times for battery recharging.

To complicate matters, their full “fleet” of PAPRs on hand came om four different manufacturers.

A PAPR consists of a fanny pack containing a battery-powered blower that pulls ambient air through a highly efficient filter and sends purified air out a hose that leads up to a helmet.

Encased in a sealed, full-body suit, each healthcare provider working with a contagious patient is safe inside a selfcontained unit that constantly brings clean air in, while keeping viruses out.

PAPRs are highly effective, but the batteries that run their blower fans last as few as four hours (although sometimes

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up to 12 depending on battery model) before requiring a multi-hour recharge — during which time the entire PAPR suit is non-functional. The hospital did not have any replacement batteries to switch out for immediate turnaround. The filters’ service life in their existing blowers was nearing an end with no replacements available in the supply chain.

“So, we had two issues facing us.

One was expired filters, and the other was the battery run-time problem,” says Oberstar. “These PAPR devices had to be available for healthcare workers 24/7, which meant we needed to find alternative power sources to use while the original OEM batteries that came with the suits were recharging. We were looking at complicated geometries om many different PAPR manufacturers and a variety of different battery shapes and filters, and we needed to figure out how to get something to plug into all those existing interfaces. It was like an Apollo 13 moment for us. Square peg, round hole.”

An innovative alternative source: power tools As the engineers began thinking about how to tackle this multifaceted challenge, they realized that an excellent alternative

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Design Notes

(Left) Comparison of relevant mating surfaces and geometries in VGSTUDIO MAX 3.4. The cylindrical seal design was replaced with an O-ring, and the complex geometry of the rectangular seal was replicated using an inset gasket. Redesigned physical prototype (middle) and original part (right).

in astructure for both rechargeable batteries and high-quality air filters could be found in the form of power tool equipment. Yes, those very same batteryoperated drills, shop vacs, etc., along with filters like those used to keep out dust om concrete and other airborne particulates while operating those tools.

First, the filter problem. Industrial filters that the team sourced om local company, Milwaukee Tool, were tested and found to meet National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) regulations for efficiency. The FDA has issued an Emergency Use Authorization allowing the use of PAPRs in healthcare settings that have been approved

by NIOSH as meeting its standards.

Modifications to NIOSH-approved PAPRs would likely take them outside the scope of FDA’s EUA, and the FDA and CDC generally advise that hospitals and health care providers use only NIOSH-approved alternatives to N95 respirators whenever feasible. However, the PAPRs modified to use industrial filters meeting NIOSH

Virtual assembly of designed parts created in VGSTUDIO MAX 3.4 from CT-scanned PAPR-device data (Left), and partial assembly of physical prototype parts with a PAPR-device (Right).

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standards can help fill the gap in health care settings when all other FDA-cleared and NIOSH-approved options have been exhausted.

“An industrial workplace filter uses a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter just like a hospital device would,” says Oberstar. “We realized that if we scaled industrial filters up to have a greater surface area, they might meet the NIOSH requirements for filter efficiency for the viral particle sizes in question with COVID-19.”

A er a series of test-runs and redesigns, the team came up with a three-filter design that would fit into the PAPR blower’s ductwork to provide enough surface area to be a viable filter replacement.

The tricky part was getting precision mating geometry for the seals that integrated the redesigned filters into the ductwork to be airtight. Many parts could easily be 3D printed but achieving the exact dimensions to produce the completely sealed filter component was not easy.

This is where CT-data analysis and visualization support om Volume Graphics came into play. Using the multimaterial capabilities in the so ware, Volume Graphics Customer Support Coordinator Kamil Szepanski used images recreated with data om the University’s CT equipment to segment out the individual geometries of the rubber gaskets, filter material, and plastic resin. By analyzing the different densities of each material, the so ware provided support for the product development process.

The digital tools also helped with the battery challenge. The engineers were able

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Virtual extraction of the snapping mechanism inside the battery package based on segmentation and advanced surface determination using VGSTUDIO MAX 3.4.

to find over-the-counter power-tool batteries that had adaptors that would step them down om 18 volts to the 12 volts the PAPR blower needed. But the adaptors didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t match the existing PAPRsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; geometry. The team CT-scanned each type of adapter, used VGSTUDIO MAX to segment out the geometries of its plastic cover and designed custom connectors that could be integrated into the PAPR assembly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crisis reverse engineeringâ&#x20AC;?

During the pandemic shutdown, Volume Graphicsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Szepanski worked remotely with the University of Wisconsin team for many weeks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were essentially CTscanning all the mating surfaces involved and then we assisted in using the scan data to reverse engineer them,â&#x20AC;? he says.

A standout task Szepanski remembers was that the internal snap-and-lock mechanism on the battery cover needed to be precisely replicated so the adaptor wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fall out. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was challenging because the battery housing had a really complicated structure with so many contact zones,â&#x20AC;? he recalls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were definitely reverse engineering our way through a crisis.

None of what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been able to accomplish wouldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been possible in a vacuum. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be at a point where it would seem that what we were trying to do was impossible â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and then someone else would step up and say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh, I can get that done.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; All that teamwork helped us make a real difference.â&#x20AC;?

The teamwork continues. The hospital uses a face-shield design that has now gone global, created by the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grainger Engineering Design Innovation Laboratory, in the College of Engineering.

Another engineering team is using Volume Graphics so ware to analyze

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Redesigned PAPR with custom-fitted battery and three-filter assembly.

fiber orientation in composite materials. Meanwhile, Oberstar continues to refine his PAPR-filter parameters. And heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now using Volume Graphicsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; so ware in a component reverse-engineering project thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of his Ph.D. work, modi ing the design of a large linear actuator used for truck li gates into equipment that injects iodine contrast into patients to image their blood vessels. DW

Volume Graphics volumegraphics.com

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CAE Solutions

How to make predictions in additive manufacturing with simulation apps

By Brianne Christopher

Engineers at the Industrial Technology Research Institute built a simulation app that can be used to predict the performance of laser powder bed fusion, an additive manufacturing process. The app saves time and money during the additive manufacturing process for a 3D printed injector for hybrid rocket engines at Taiwan Innovative Space.

Figure 1. The 3DP injector component.

The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in Taiwan provides 3D printing original design manufacturing (ODM), redesign, and simulation services to the Taiwan Innovative Space (TiSPACE). At ITRI, the 3D printing process for a fuel injector component used in TiSPACE hybrid rocket engines begins with a note of optimism: The laser melts and fuses the first layer of powder onto the build plate, the recoater spreads the next layer of powder across the first layer, and the laser melts and fuses the layers. The build continues, layer a er layer, without issue.

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Suddenly however, the recoater jams. Heat om the laser caused a temperature gradient in the material, which led to deformation in the layers and, eventually, the jammed recoater.

The entire process terminates.

The engineers try again. This time, the build is completed, but the end result is an injector with deformations that make it unusable. The group tries a third time.

And a fourth.

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The engineers realize that they need to optimize the parameters of the entire process to ensure a successful build, but the trial-and-error approach is leading to wasted time, efforts, and costs.

An intuitive and cost-effective additive manufacturing process Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is an additive manufacturing (AM) process in which a laser melts and fuses powder together. LPBF is also a catch-all term that describes processes like selective laser melting (SLM), selective laser sintering (SLS), and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), to name a few. During LPBF, a thin layer of material, usually about 30–50 µm, is spread over a build platform. A laser fuses the first layer of the model, and then a roller or recoater spreads the next layer of powder across the first layer. More layers of powder are

spread on and fused until the complete part or component has been built. (In a variation of the process, an electron beam is used instead of a laser and the build takes place in vacuum.)

LPBF enables manufacturers to make complex shapes, due in part to the high resolution of the laser. Another benefit of this type of AM is that unused powder om one build can be incorporated back into the machine and used to make something else, which makes AM more cost effective than some other types of manufacturing processes that waste material. Because of these benefits, LPBF is used in various types of manufacturing, including in the aerospace, automotive, and medical industries. It is also common in dental applications and jewelry making.

However, LPBF comes with its own set of challenges. For one, the process involves highly localized laser heating, which results in a large thermal gradient in the material. This gradient can induce residual thermal stress and deformation in the layers as the part is being printed.

If this residual deformation becomes excessive, it can cause the recoater component of the machine to jam, which terminates the entire manufacturing process. If the machinery jams and terminates the build, the process has to be restarted, which wastes money and time. Another risk is that the finished part can also be deformed, sometimes beyond the end user’s acceptability limits.

Using LPBF to manufacture a rocket engine component ITRI studies the LPBF process in an effort to balance its cost and time constraints with well-made finished products. Researchers om the AM System Innovation Department, Laser and Additive Manufacturing Technology Center (LAMC), ITRI, including engineers Wai-Kwuen Choong and Tsung-Wen Tsai, and manager Steven Lin, optimize the LPBF process for manufacturing a 3D-printed (3DP) injector component

Figure 2. Simulation of the 3DP injector’s LPBF manufacturing process.

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for TiSPACE hybrid rocket engines (Figure 1).

The 3DP injector is designed by TiSPACE to enhance the mixing efficiency of the engineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hybrid propellants and use the fluid-dynamicsoptimized design. ITRI further improved the design using design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) techniques. As Wai-Kwuen Choong says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The complex internal flow channel and consolidated component features of this part make it an excellent demonstration for LPBF technology.â&#x20AC;?

The design challenges associated with LPBF are important to consider when manufacturing the injector. In a part of this size, generally about 110 mm x 110 mm x 170 mm, the accumulation of thermal stress is unavoidable and can lead to a large deformation in the z direction, the axial direction of the injector. This deformation can â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and has â&#x20AC;&#x201D; caused the recoater to jam and the system to terminate. By optimizing the LPBF process to avoid deformation, ITRI and TiSPACE can reduce the wasted time and costs that result om terminated builds.

Predicting future outcomes with mechanical modeling Typically, the outcome of the LPBF process is predicted using simplified rules of thumb and trial-and-error methods. One example is the 45° rule, a simple and commonly accepted rule in the field of additive manufacturing in which a design should avoid containing angles over 45° of overhangs, or else it is not a good candidate for 3D printing. This is because the layer to be printed will stick out too much compared to the layer underneath, and the new layer will not have enough structural support om below. This rule does not account for complex and intricate designs like that of the 3DP injector, and so trial and error can quickly eat into the time and costs of a manufacturing project. Instead, ITRI uses simulation to predict the residual stress and deformation of the manufactured part (Figure 2). To do so, they turn to the COMSOL MultiphysicsŽ so ware.

To predict how thermal gradients would cause stress and deformation in the injector design, the team implemented the inherent strain method in their preliminary simulations.

This method was first established to quickly predict residual stresses and deformation in welding problems, but is increasingly being used

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to solve metal additive manufacturing problems as well.

The team used the Solid Mechanics interface in the Structural Mechanics Module to perform a thermomechanical analysis. Doing so, they could estimate the residual stress and deformation in the manufactured part. Specialized for additive manufacturing, the Activation feature in the COMSOL® software was perfect for modeling the repeating, layer-bylayer addition and fusion involved in LPBF. They also used the Optimization Module to optimize the part orientation and support structure of the component during the build.

Introducing the ITRI AMSim app to the manufacturing workflow The ITRI team used simulation to successfully predict stress and deformation outcomes during the LPBF process, but there was still an issue: The AM system manufacturing engineers who deploy the LPBF process are not typically familiar with simulation. Hiring a simulation specialist to do so would only add to the time and cost of the project.

What to do?

The team built a simulation app (Figure 3) with an intuitive user interface and specialized inputs and outputs from their LPBF model, naming it the ITRI AMSim App. Apps can be built from existing models in COMSOL Multiphysics® using the built-in Application Builder. The simulation app enables process engineers to predict and assess the build characteristics for an optimized manufacturing process. It includes inputs for an STL file, an elastic or elastoplastic model (available with the Nonlinear Structural Materials Module), and the choice to enable or disable the cutting process simulation, or base plate removal. It also includes a choice of five different powder materials, including Ti 6Al-4V, a titanium alloy; MP1, a CoCrMo alloy; PH1 and 316L, types of s tainless steel; and AlSi10Mg, an a luminum alloy.

The app’s outputs are the results the

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Figure 3. The ITRI AMSim app. process engineers need on the floor, such as the displacement and residual stress distribution during the building stage and after cutting.

The app’s inputs are based on experimental calibration, which the ITRI team performed via different scanning strategies to extract the correct inherent strain vector. This vector, or the components of this vector, changes depending on the powder material and laser parameters, such as laser power, beam size, scanning speed, hatch size, and more.

The app was compiled to a standalone executable using COMSOL Compiler. The compiled application was distributed to the process engineers and it can be run without a COMSOL Multiphysics® or COMSOL Server license. In fact, the ITRI team licensed the app at their own discretion, offering it to the intended users on a three-month trial basis.

When asked about the benefits of using simulation apps for the combined project between ITRI and TiSPACE, Choong echoed the benefits for saving time and money, adding that it is “all about the cost issue.”

Saving time and costs with apps Before building and deploying AMSim, the build for the 3DP injector at TiSPACE was started and terminated four times using trial-and-error methods. Each time, the process failed when either the recoater jammed or the part itself broke.

After introducing AMSim, the total time spent on testing the process decreased

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by 75%. The simulation app enabled the team to predict a high-risk region of the component and add more support to the design, resulting in a successful build. Running through the physical AM process to test the part build takes about a week, while the app simulation takes under an hour.

Calculating the labor, machine, and material costs of those trials with the cost of running the simulation app further reduced costs, this time by 83.3%.

And finally, the time it takes to obtain the outcome of the AM process for the 3DP injector, when comparing the simulation to the real manufacturing process, is reduced by a whopping 99%.

Future plans for app enhancements The ITRI team plans to improve AMSim, which has already undergone three iterations, with new features for material calibration, as well as functionality to detect recoater interference, simulate support structures, and more. They hope that adding more advanced but userfriendly features to the app will make it even more time and cost effective than it already is, further boosting the return on investments for the entry-level users in the AM industry by shortening the learning curve.

With the ITRI AMSim app, an accurate preview of the 3D printing process, and failure-free production, is getting closer to reality. DW

COMSOL www.comsol.com December 2020

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12/8/20 11:59 AM

Internet of Things

Building Industrial IoT from the Edge to the Cloud: A better approach to automation Cliff Ortmeyer • Global Head of Technical Marketing • Newark

Those working in industrial automation today see the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) as a way to create a cohesive system of devices and applications. IIoT enhances the ability to share data seamlessly across machines and sites, optimize production, and find new cost-saving opportunities.

But many IIoT seekers quickly discover that their traditional operational technology (OT) architectures can’t be scaled, are priced prohibitively, and demand complex configuration and support. To make IIoT work, it should be built om the edge to the cloud, requiring a more distributed architecture that provides field-to-cloud connectivity for sensors and actuators, as well as the input/output (I/O) systems and controllers linked to them.

Traditionally, industrial automation architectures have addressed data processing in a hierarchy, as with the classic Purdue model. This hierarchical approach provides clarity as to where data can originate, be stored, and be processed and delivered. But the problem with this approach is the amount of work it takes to design, physically connect, configure, digitally map, communicate, and then maintain field data points.

Transporting and processing data in this hierarchy is quite difficult because so many layers of equipment are required to connect devices and applications.

Spanning edge, fog, and cloud The hierarchical approach was necessary when computing capability, network bandwidth, and security features were DESIGN WORLD

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much less available. Each step up of the hierarchy om a basic hardwired sensor to the cloud was required to access greater computing and networking resources.

Today, the relationship has changed because sensors and other edge devices are farther along in terms of processing and communication capabilities. The architecture can now become flatter and more distributed, with a low-level device capable of sending data directly to its destination.

This network edge of low-level devices is still a critical source of data, and the cloud is still a valuable resource for heavyweight computing. However, the resources in between are becoming a blend of data-generating devices and data-processing in astructures.

This fuzzy middle ground earns the name fog because it’s like a widespread, pervasive, and middleweight cloud.

The goal is to balance computing and networking demands between the edge and higher-level systems. Edge computing offloads central processing, preserves data fidelity, improves local responsiveness and security, and increases data transfer efficiency to the

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cloud. But this new kind of edge-tocloud architecture requires new options at the edge for acquiring, securing, storing, and processing field data.

It starts with a smarter approach to distributed I/O. Traditional architectures require enormous effort to design, connect, configure, digitally map, communicate, and then maintain I/O points for the field data. Adding even one point at a later date may require revisiting all of these steps.

Instead, industrial automation designers should bypass the layers between the real world and intermediate or top-level analytics systems. With

Modern EPICs, like this one from Opto 22, enable more automation functions than previous generations.

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Internet of Things

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Our machines run on PathPilot control software. It’s easier to learn and use, and it works with your favorite CAD/CAM. And when you buy from Tormach, you get all of PathPilot. Unlike most CNC companies, we don’t charge thousands to unlock function-extending modules.

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enough computing power, all the necessary so ware for enabling communications can be embedded directly in an I/O device.

Instead of requiring a controller to configure, poll, and communicate I/O data to higher levels, I/O devices can now transmit information on their own. This approach is called smart remote I/O or sometimes edge I/O. Edge I/O takes advantage of these technologies and combines them with standard IT protocols like TLS (transport layer security) encryption, VPN (virtual private networking) for secure remote connection, and DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) for automatic addressing.

Rather than requiring layers of supporting middleware, edge I/O devices are first-class participants in distributed systems.

Next come edge controllers to tie it all together. Traditional industrial controllers are limited in scope and require intermediary systems to connect process data to the rest of the organization. Like edge I/O, modern edge programmable industrial controllers (EPICs), first introduced to the industrial automation market by Opto 22, leverage new technologies to assimilate more automation functions than previous generations could.

With industrially hardened components, secure networking, multi-language programming, and multi-core processing, edge controllers, like Opto 22’s groov EPIC, can deliver traditional real-time I/O control while also hosting communications, visualization, and even database servers. In IIoT applications, edge controllers can use this flexibility to communicate with an array of data producers, transform their data in meaningful ways, and deliver it securely to data consumers.

New architecture options So what new architectural possibilities are available to designers using modern edge I/O and edge controllers? With edge devices making local data available to computing resources at the edge and at higher organizational levels, the logical hierarchy can be flattened even as the geographical distribution is expanded.

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Where field signals are distributed over large geographic areas or multiple sites, edge devices can transmit data to networked applications and databases, improving the efficiency and security of local in astructure or replacing high-maintenance middleware such as Windows PCs. The combination of smart hardware and so ware closes the gap between OT and IT systems, creating a unified data network that is scalable and centrally managed.

Edge I/O can also help integrate legacy devices. It can form a basic data processing fabric for existing equipment I/O in brownfield sites, and work in combination with more powerful edge controllers and IoT gateways.

This approach improves security and connectivity without interfering with existing control systems.

Engineers can also design simple, flat, data processing networks using only edge I/O devices (without controllers or gateways), expanding as needed to monitor additional field signals. A distributed I/O system like this can process and report data directly to cloud-based supervisory systems, predictive maintenance databases, or MQTT brokers.

Edge devices with embedded MQTT clients can publish field data directly to a shared MQTT broker/server or redundant MQTT server group located anywhere the network reaches: on premises, in the cloud, or as part of regional fog computing resources. The broker can then manage subscribers to that dataâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; any number of interested network clients across the organization, including control systems, web services, and other edge devices.

This new architecture makes seamless connectivity a reality as well, thanks to technologies that make ubiquitous data exchange possible.

New hardware and so ware products enable interconnectivity among physical locations in the field, at the local control room, in the ont office, across DESIGN WORLD

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geographic regions, and up to global data centers.

Distributed edge I/O, edge controllers, and associated networking technologies support data transfer through the edge, fog, and cloud portions of an industrial architecture. Using this approach, designers can erase the former boundaries between IT and OT domains and get the data you need to optimize operations.

Final thoughts The key challenges automation designers experience with IIOT are complexity, security, and high costs. Getting data om the edge of the networkâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; om the sensors and actuators in factories, commercial buildings, and remote sitesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; to the databases and people who need to use that data can be daunting.

A new generation of distributed I/O technologies and control now gives them new possibilities for a connected IIoTbased in astructure that can share data seamlessly across machines and sites to improve automation capabilities while cutting costs. DW

Newark www.newark.com

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Internet of Things

IIoT remote monitoring and control software

The QCloudServer industrial internet of things (QCS IIoT) system is for remote monitoring and control applications. Traditionally, users have had to experiment with hardware, so ware, and networking technologies for IIoT projects. The QCS IIoT solution does the heavy li ing of assembling these technologies, so end users and systems integrators (SIs) can easily connect to edge-source data, transmit it on-site or to the cloud, aggregate and log the data, perform calculations and analysis as needed, and deliver mobile/web visualization.

Because much valuable data can be trapped at the industrial edge, and wired network connectivity may not be available, cellular data transmission is o en the only option. Developers are responding with an assortment of hardware, so ware, and networking technologies— but researching and applying the right products can be difficult.

The QCS IIoT is a configurable so ware as a service (SaaS). End users can define their needs by filling out a spreadsheet, and can create a complete and economical IIoT installation—either directly or by engaging an SI— with a system which can be up and running in hours.

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IIoT projects typically need some or all the following: • Source data: From traditional or smart instruments and devices • Edge computing: To gather and pre-process the data • Communications: To transmit the data • Cloud computing: For aggregating, logging, and supporting data visualization • Configurable and custom so ware modules: To perform advanced calculations, analytics, and insight generation DESIGN WORLD

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• Mobile/web accessibility: So users can view and interact with the information The QCS IIoT can connect with any usersupplied edge systems supporting MQTT. For new and retrofit projects, users may choose to use the Quantum Automation QRTU as a complete field hardware platform, with many PLC and edge communication device options.

QCS IIoT can be deployed on the user’s onsite servers, but best flexibility and management is provided by cloudhosting on Amazon Web Services (AWS) servers with support for the MQTT protocol. The cloud environment is

configurable for standard computing needs, and custom code can be added if needed. Visualization dashboards can be viewed on any internet-connected web browser device—such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet—for ease of use.

DW

Quantum Automation www.quantumautomation.com

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Internet of Things

IoT platform with one-press activation

The Series 3 wireless sensor system has been re-engineered om the ground up. It incorporates cutting-edge BLE5 technology with the Nordic nRF52840 SoC’s on-chip cryptography, multiprotocol communication and power management features to: • Increase sensor range by three times, up to 300 feet, for use in large facilities.

• Increase the number of sensors to 150 that each gateway can securely support, for broader and more detailed sensor coverage.

• Extend sensor battery life of six to eight years, five times the previous version, to reduce maintenance and sensor downtime.

The first batch of 12 Series 3 sensors includes a predictive vibration sensor that adds peak-to-peak, RMS and crest factor monitoring.

This lowers the entry cost of industrial equipment predictive maintenance (PdM) for customers who want to reduce their downtime and maintenance expenses.

• “Find My Sensor” console button that blinks a green LED on the deployed sensor to identi it.

• An internet status LED that shows if the gateway is connected to the internet, connected locally or not connected.

• Enhanced web app and LED indicators that simpli gateway Wi-Fi setup.

• An optional USB cellular network module for deployments when ethernet and WiFi are not available. DW

Swi Sensors | Swi sensors.com

Other improvements in the Series 3 platform include: • A water-resistant (IP 67) sensor enclosure for extra durability in harsh environments.

• “Instant On” one-touch sensor activation for immediate measurements with zero configuration needed.

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NEWS

Harting increases commitment to ODVA ODVA announced that Harting, a leading supplier of industrial connectivity technology, has become a principal member of ODVA alongside Cisco Systems, Endress+Hauser, Honeywell, Omron, Rockwell Automation, and Schneider Electric. The primary focus of Harting’s activities in ODVA will be through Harting, Inc. of North America.

Harting’s participation in ODVA reflects its growth in expertise and leadership in industrial Ethernet and connectivity throughout the automation industry, as well as the company’s commitment to EtherNet/IPTM products. Harting is working to drive the advancement of industrial Ethernet as a part of IIoT and Industry 4.0, and its increased participation in ODVA will aid efforts to identi and standardize different technologies and devices that will be needed for the automation industry to successfully implement IIoT. Harting supports both EtherNet/IP and DeviceNet technologies with cable and connector solutions. Products include heavy duty

connectors, interface/board connectors, custom cabling, and a wide portfolio of solutions for industrial communications, especially Industrial Ethernet. Key served market segments include machinery/robotics, automation, transportation, wind energy, and power generation and distribution. Harting provides data, signal, and power via complete connector installation concepts for industrial in astructures, setting new standards with connectors such as the Han series.

ODVA will formally introduce Harting as a principal member during the 2020 Q4 media briefing that corresponds with the timing of SPS Connect. The introduction will include an overview of the company and its reasons for joining ODVA as a principal member. DW

About ODVA | www.odva.org

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Choosing between

(or combining)

relays and PLCs

Here we compare where PLCs and relays excel … and where hybrid approaches (combining various technology types to leverage the benefits of today’s controls and relays) are best.

Top design objectives for control installations include capability, reliability, and cost effectiveness. Many new and retrofitted control panels employ components such as PLCs and even industrial PCs (IPCs) and programmable automation controllers (PACs) for advanced connectivity and control. It’s often appropriate to use these more complicated (and capable) options and remove or forgo electromechanical relays in the system. In other cases, machines that have simple architectures, fixed functions, or specialty requirements may derive benefit from connectivity and control primarily based on electromechanical relays and SSRs. In still other cases, hybrid approaches are best — to combine various technology types and leverage the benefits of today’s controls and relays.

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This protection relay — which actually protects motors and other loads against undervoltage, overvoltage, phase sequence problems, and phase failure — is a 600VPR-170/290-CU from SELEC. It has an operating range of 170 to 290 V with an adjustable trip delay time from 0.2 to 10 seconds. The voltage protection relay mounts to DIN rail. | courtesy Automation24 Inc.

Let’s consider the parameters that can factor into this engineering decision.

PLCs can also benefit from the help of relays to convert field devices’ various voltages for signal outputs to one standard (for example, 24 Vdc) if that’s all the PLC accepts.

Certain SSRs can even execute signal conditioning on these inputs if that’s required.

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Where relays are the suitable choice Relays are an enduring technology that is simple and efficient — and relay-based control excels at satisfying very specific design requirements. Oftentimes plant personnel and end users are familiar with or prefer their inclusion, and most industrial technicians can install them without issue. That’s in contrast with other control options, which necessitate preconfiguration and advanced programming for proper commissioning.

Applications needing little troubleshooting of wired logic benefit from the use of traditional relays as a costeffective choice. Simple diagnostics are possible with electromechanical relays sporting indicator LEDs (communicating the coil’s electrical status) and mechanical flags (communicating contact status) for unambiguous information about the device. But elsewhere, advanced relays include diagnostics as well as communications with microprocessing power and the ability to connect to software via comas they’re particularly useful in arrangements where relays interface with motors needing protection against the effects of ground faults, overloads, and other situations that can damage windings.

Further facilitating their application is the increasing convenience of ever-smaller relay footprints for both electromechanical relays and SSRs. Relay-design advances with optimized circuitry, efficiency, and heatsinks mean today’s relays are much smaller than previous generations with the same mA or A switch rating. Even relays having the

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ice-cube format have in recent years seen advancement with embedded processing.

These increasingly compact form factors of smart relays complement their expanded functions. Many such relays are now manufactured in 6-mm slice geometry for DIN-rail mounting, which (besides saving space) also eliminates the need for daisychain wiring schemes. In some instances, power bridges (to power multiple relays) further simplify and ruggedize their installation. Another development for simpler relays are increasingly standardized sockets that accept insertion of relays and timers with various pole counts and voltage requirements.

Relays can unburden safety PLCs of alarm and response tasks, which is helpful where programming even modest design changes is a hassle. In fact, smart relays can be more suitable than certain controls on otherwise simple designs needing safety functions — for example, where safety PLCs are prohibitively expensive. The economy of relays (especially on designs needing only a few safety points) can allow safety functionalities that might otherwise be omitted. Here, single-channel relays and smart alarms are top choices for safety sans overcomplicated implementations.

In fact, where smart relays are configurable and assume safety functions (going beyond redundant electrical connections with processing capabilities) they’ve come to closely resemble small safety PLCs. Such configurable relays can have slightly less logic and configurability than PLCs but require less technician knowhow and software for programming.

Several protective relays on the market today include data-processing power as well as advanced communications.

These and other smart relays can include EtherNet/IP, CANopen, PROFIBUS, and DESIGN WORLD

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ControlWave Micro programmable controllers from Emerson combine the functions of a PLC, remote terminal unit (RTU), and internet server. The hybrid RTU/PLC excels in industrial control applications requiring optimized control performance and low power consumption. ControlWave Micro RTU/PLC units have up to two Ethernet ports, 11 serial communication ports, and numerous I/O slots. Programming is via IEC 61131-3 … as well as open standards for setup, network configuration, and communication.

other protocol communications for the transmission of data about relay-monitored devices.

IO-Link connectivity has had perhaps the most adoption in relays for monitoring functions … especially of single and three-phase voltage sources. IO-Linkready relays impart continual access to variables as well as signal scaling — in the past something only possible with PLCs and higher-level controls. In short, signal scaling allows inbound and outbound relay communications for the output of system values and the input of new setpoints.

Other configurable relays accepting SIM cards are capable of cellular

communications to support M2M functions in remote settings. Such smart relays can transmit instructions and receive alerts even without a wireless network.

Where PLCs are the suitable choice Controls that take the form of PLCs or incorporate PLC functionalities continue to proliferate in operations needing coordinated system automation. PLCs also excel where logic functions must accommodate reconfigurable equipment — as for machinery involved in producing batch sizes down to one. Such controllers

Overtrip Phases reversed Phase loss

Trip time delay

Trip time delay

Trip time delay

Trip time delay

Undertrip

Power-on delay

Output

Monitored three-phase supply

VOLTAGE PROTECTION RELAY TIMING

These are some functions that a relays can execute; adjustments to setpoints are made via rotary DIP switches on the face of the timer relay.

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store in memory instantly accessible alternative routines. Case in point: New models of electric vehicles are released every year — requiring annual production-line retooling. Relay-based logic would necessitate physical rewiring and the addition of relay modules to make such changes. That’s no issue where onsite personnel is familiar with the design (and may be fastest in some instances) but with no such technicians, PLCs and higher controls accept software-based parametric updates for quick turnaround of new automation routines.

Many PLCs can also handle arrays of I/O nodes and the addition of high-density digital I/O to minimize control-rack size. PLCs impart diagnostic functions to identify failed I/O points requiring replacement — impossible with legacy relays. Plus add-on PLC cards can satisfy the need to supplement with devices exceeding the voltage and current ratings of existing I/O … and options abound to address field-device reactivity.

PLCs have also become increasingly costeffective — in some instances becoming costcompetitive with relay-socket-connector setups of comparable capabilities. That’s in large part because the cost of installation for the latter and the efforts of a technician required to hardwire relay-based systems.

Though we’ve touched on how some particularly capable smart relays are practically indistinguishable from simple PLCs, some relay logic is limited to simple Boolean control. So where designs go beyond very specific tasks, traditional relays at least necessitate the addition of counters and timing relays— and may not be able to execute all diagnostics required to keep an installation optimized. In contrast, December 2020

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C o n t r o l

This Siemens LOGO! 12/24 RCE - 6ED1052-1MD08-0BA0 logic module is a micro PLC. It has an information display, IP20 protection rating, and the ability to process 400 function blocks. It accepts 12/24 Vdc input and has eight digital inputs — four of which also work in analog mode at 0 to 10 V. Programmable via an Ethernet interface, this PLC can also communicate with other LOGO! modules and SIMATIC S7 devices. Integral web-server applications allow the use of userdefined web pages (for system visualization) and IIoT connectivity for monitoring system status on smartphones and other mobile devices. This PLC excels in discrete and process control of functions in industrial manufacturing, building management, traffic systems, and pump and filter systems. | courtesy Automation24 Inc.

Murrelektronik optocouplers serve as long-lasting interface relays and multi-mode relay timers. Sold by AutomationDirect, the optocouplers (from $16.50) combine different signal levels or isolate signals. Optocouplers are similar to relay interfaces — providing an optoelectronic signal transfer between input and output … and suitable for applications with high switching frequencies. In contrast, Murrelektronik interface relays (from $9.50) are encased in a selfextinguishing plastic housing for long life … and are great for PLC automation systems, industrial machines, and more. Also shown here is a Murrelektronik multi-mode relay timer ($27.50) for timing tasks (from 0.1 to 300 sec) in industrial installations and automation control systems. The relay mounts to 35-mm DIN rail and has a slim 6.2-mm design as well as an LED status indicator.

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even simple PLCs are capable of counting, timing, and diagnostics — as well as accepting reprogramming for applications that change.

PLCs also facilitate the addition of HMIs for human-readable communication of cycle counts, system status, and faults. With PLCs now allowing technicians more accessibility (with laptops and smartphones) their use has become practical for more applications.

In fact, today’s most advanced controls can collect and analyze production floor data (as well as distilled data from edge devices with built-in processors) for full IIoT connectivity.

Where relays complement other controls We’ve covered the situations where relays excel and those for which PLCs are most suitable. But a vast array of automated installations benefit from hybrid control architectures that integrate a combination of PLCs and relays — electromechanical relays and SSRs. For example, PLCs benefit from the help of relays to switch and control high-current devices. After all, PLCs excel in commanding small electrical loads such as contactors, annunciators, safety indicators, and relay coils of low ampacity. In contrast, advanced relays can switch larger loads of several amps and beyond — associated with electric motors, valves, linear actuators, and other components. Where a particularly inductive field device threatens to damage controls with surge or inrush current (or voltage spikes) interposing relays can (serving as a sacrificial DESIGN WORLD

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component) complement a PLC. SSRs in particular excel at isolating and protecting controls from EMI — especially in designs that drive particularly inductive loads … and relays shield PLCs from high-voltage transients when loads are switched off. Of course, relays and PLCs used together must have electromagnetic compatibility.

Still other designs use SSRs or PLC digital output on points needing highfrequency switching because solid-state devices (with their theoretically infinite number of cycles) extend machine life in these situations. SSRs in particular are indispensable for commanding highspeed components in timing, sensing, and machine-vision functions.

During retrofits, portions of a design may accept a PLC upgrade while the rest of the installation continues to run off a relay panel. After all, replacing legacy relay

systems with improved models can extend control-panel life. That may mean the swapping out of electromechanical relays with SSRs … because with automated diagnostics accessible through today’s through Ethernet-based protocols in particular, SSRs can communicate when failures do occur.

Elsewhere, relays complement various control and I/O combinations. That’s why many high-density I/O components use relays to either convert voltage or amplify current to accessible values. Relays can complement high-density low-power digital I/O on PACs for some tasks run off traditional high-current equipment. Such hybrid installations are more common for retrofits … but no matter the installation phase, PAC communications and logic often work well with relay-based systems.

Elsewhere engineers may pair relays

and PLCs to satisfy the need for specific output signals — typically around the system’s PLC for high-ampacity components that the PLC can’t handle. Some DIN-rail I/O modules are also designed to integrate with relays for safety — and relay on PLCs for the distributed control of field devices imparting IIoT functionality.

Of course, new designs for both electromechanical relays and SSRs have blurred lines between these subtypes — as well as those between SSRs and other controls. As mentioned, the most advanced programmable relays are often indistinguishable from micro PLCs for delivering configurability via ladder logic and other standard programming … so that relay logic and other forms of control logic aren’t mutually exclusive. DW Design World | motioncontroltips.com

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L i n e a r

M o t i o n

Ball-spline

and rotary ball-spline applications Lisa Eitel • Executive Editor Danielle Collins • Senior Editor Ball splines are a type of rolling-bearing linear guide. They’re much like linear bushing (round shaft and bushing) assemblies but with a critical distinction in their operation.

The ball-spline shaft is much like a linear-guide shaft except that the spline shaft has grooves along its length. The spline nut (analogous to the bearing, or bushing, of a traditional rolling bearing guide) contains circuits of recirculating balls. But instead of the spline nut riding freely on the shaft with the ability to rotate during linear travel, the loadcarrying balls ride in the shaft grooves that constrain the spline nut and totally prevent rotation.

Another version of the ball spline is the rotary ball spline, which incorporates a rotating element — such as an angular contact ball bearing, crossed rollers, or gear teeth — on the outer diameter of the nut. This adds the capability of rotary motion to the linear motion provided by the ball spline ... somewhat like a cross between a recirculating linear guide and a ballscrew.

Because the recirculating balls of the spline nut ride in grooves, the contact area is greater than for ball bushings, giving ball splines much higher load capacities than ball bushing assemblies of the same size. But even though higher load capacity is a benefit,

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L i n e a r

M o t i o n A ball spline incorporates grooves along the length of the shaft and on the inner surface of the spline nut to prevent rotation and transmit torque.

The ball-spline shaft is much like a linear shaft-and-bushing assembly except that the spline shaft has grooves along its length.

the primary reason many designers and engineers use ball splines is their ability to prevent rotation or (in the case of rotary ball splines) to provide both linear and rotary motion in one device.

Traditional linear bushings are almost exclusively used in dual-shaft configurations to prevent the bearings from rotating as they ride on the shafts.

But since ball splines are inherently antirotation, they can be used in single-shaft configurations. And replacing two shafts with one also means a smaller footprint, less weight, and easier alignment and assembly.

Linear and rotary motion in one: Rotary ball splines also provide excellent solutions for Z-theta axes on SCARA robots. The spline shaft provides the Z (vertical) movement. The rotary bearing on the spline nut then provides the q rotational movement.

These properties also make rotary ball splines suitable for automatic tool changers in CNC machine tools.

Pick-and-place or assembly applications also make copious use of rotary ball splines. Consider how transferring a workpiece from one station or conveyor to another might involve: • Picking the part from the first station — with vertical motion • Rotating to the position of the second conveyor — with rotary motion • Placing the part on the second conveyor — with vertical motion In this case, a rotary ball spline can be driven by a pneumatic cylinder (for the linear motion) in conjunction with a beltand-pulley system for the rotary motion.

Ball-spline designs fall into two categories — those for torque transfer and those for combined linear and rotary motion.

Ball splines for torque transfer abound in machinery for product assembly,

Linear bushings are often ganged in pairs.

PAIR OF LINEAR BUSHINGS BALL SPLINE

Unlike the straightforward design of a linear system based on a ball spline, other linearbearing types often necessitate twin rails or mechanisms … which in turn increases overall design complexity and size.

SMOOTH ROUND STEEL SHAFT

Use of a single shaft is possible — as is the cantelevering of loads.

SHAFT WITH SPLINES

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In this paper-manufacturing application example, ball splines excel. The spools of paper need the freedom to move horizontally left to right but shouldn’t spin freely. Preventing rotation with traditional linear shafts would necessitate a higher component count … in contrast with a single ball-spline shaft that supports the load to allow horizontal movement while preventing rotation.

welding and plating, wire winding, paper processing, and material handling. In contrast, ball splines for combined linear and rotary motion abound in pick-andplace robotics, water jets, automatic tool changers, laboratory equipment needing quick transfers of pipettes and other test samples, and packaging equipment.

Ball splines for torque transfer: A ball spline is essentially a linear bushing and shaft pairing … except with both the axial shaft and the nut ID sporting axial grooves … hence the term spline. Load-carrying balls recirculate within the nut just as they do in a linear bushing. However, the grooves in the shaft prevent rotation and facilitate the transmission of torque. This allows ball splines to withstand overhung loads and moment loads, unlike linear bushings, which can only support radial loads.

The ball-spline assembly’s part housing the recirculating balls is called a nut — and not usually called a bushing. Even this terminology is somewhat imperfect though … as a ball-spline nut’s functionality is indeed different from that of a ballscrew’s recirculating-ball nut.

Because the design of a ball spline affords much greater contact area between the balls and the grooves than that of standard bushings, ball splines have significantly higher load capacities. Ball splines typically have two, three, or four grooves … although some designs have up to six grooves. Like the raceways of profiled rail bearings, the grooves in a ball spline

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can be designed with either: • Circular arch geometry for two-point contact on each ball or • Gothic-arch geometry for four-point contact on each ball.

Essentially, Gothic arch geometry provides higher rigidity but also contributes to higher

BALL SPINE FOR MODERATE TORQUE

25 TO 100-MM SHAFT BALL SPINE FOR HIGH TORQUE

5 TO 150-MM SHAFT

A rotary ball spline can incorporate angular contact bearings (as shown) or crossed rollers or even gears to produce rotary motion.

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friction. In contrast, circular arch geometry has lower friction and smoother running characteristics. Torque capacity is determined by the number of contact points, so a ball spline with four Gothic arch grooves will have 16 contact points and transmit more torque than an otherwise identical component with two Gothic arch grooves and just eight contact points.

Sizing and selection of ball splines combines technical considerations from both linear recirculating bearings and ballscrews. Life is calculated via the standard bearing life equation, using both radial loads and torque loads. Like profiled rail guides, ball splines can be preloaded to increase rigidity and provide better support for moment loads.

Ball splines are fixed with rotary bearings much like ballscrews, and the end fixity (such as fixed-fixed or fixed-floating and so on) influences critical speed — as do the shaft root diameter and unsupported length. Accuracy grades are also assigned to ball splines in a way that’s similar to those assigned to ballscrews — based on: • Radial runout and perpendicularity of the shaft ends • Radial runout of the nut body • Perpendicularity of the nut flange (where applicable).

Another approach to addressing ball-spline backlash is to employ twin nuts on a single shaft.

However, ball-spline accuracy classes aren’t based on industry standards such as DIN or JIS. That means one manufacturer’s “top-precision” accuracy class may be similar to another manufacturer’s middleof-the-road accuracy class.

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This is a material-profiling machine called RoboWrap.

Built by düspohl Maschinenbau, it digitizes production with CONTACT software to allow batch sizes of one. Notice the array of ball splines down the line of the machine. All the shafts are fixed at both ends and (during adjustment to create a new output-product width) SCARAs push the nuts around to set positions on the shafts. | courtesy düspohl

linear bearings provide linear motion and ballscrews provide rotary motion, rotary ball splines fill the gap between the two — generating both linear and rotary motion.

Rotary ball splines incorporate a rotating element — angular contact ball bearings, crossed rollers, or gears — on the outer diameter of the nut. This provides rotary motion in addition to the linear motion of the ball spline itself.

Both standard and rotary ball splines are offered with a hollow spline shaft, which helps with integration into systems such as SCARA robots … allowing electrical or pneumatic lines to route through the spline shaft. In fact, one of the most common applications for rotary ball splines is the Z-theta axis of SCARA robots.

Notes on ball-spline preload Linear ball-spline rigidity — a characteristic of paramount importance in designs that need a ball spline to execute reciprocating circular or straight strokes or withstand vibration and impacts — is largely dependent on ball-bearing preload. This preload is the removal of all mechanical clearance (radial play) in the ball-spline nut’s rotational direction … and in fact, this value is often called negative clearance.

So how exactly is preload (negative clearance) introduced into a ball-spline assembly? Well in many cases, the manufacturer sets this value at the factory.

But where that’s the case (or the OEM or end user sets the preload) essentially this is set by introducing a slight interference fit between the shaft’s grooves and the nut tracks (and their balls) that ride these

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grooves. In some cases, this preloading is set by the inclusion of balls that are slightly larger than those used in otherwise comparable ball-spline nuts. Elsewhere, the preload is introduced by the slightest of offsets between the nut’s rows of balls and the spline’s groove crests.

To illustrate: A spline shaft having three crests has (within a six-row nut) flanking by twin ball rows for secure bidirectional engagement … and symmetrical application of preload. This and an appropriate shaftto-nut contact angle impart high-torque moment rigidity sans angular clearance … with higher contact angles complementing preload with the most rigidity.

Most ball-spline manufacturers publish guidelines for typical ball-spline applications and their recommended preloading or clearance values. Most ballspline manufacturers also express preload as a negative value in micrometers (mm) ranging from a positive value of say 1 to 7 mm — which in fact indicates a small amount of intentionally included clearance or backlash — to -1 to -20 mm for common levels of preloading or even -25 to -40 mm for rather heavily preloaded assemblies.

One complicating factor in the specification of ball-spline rotational clearance is that of inertia — especially in systems subject to various load and speeds.

Axes with high moments of inertia about the ball-spline assembly will exhibit more backlash and degradation of positioning accuracy. Even so, there are reasons to avoid preload in the rotational direction for some ball-spline applications: Axes involving modest loads and force requirements and

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axes that always turn in a single direction (as on instrumentation that uses spinning or scanning functions) are some examples.

Other examples of applications needing no preload include web-winding equipment and certain axes on automated welding robots.

Light preload (of -10 to -20 mm or so) makes sense on motion axes for positioning precision loads — as in semiconductor applications, die setting (in machinetool presses), or pick-and-place arms tasked with populating a conveyor with delicate workpieces. Lightly preloaded ball splines are also suitable for axes involving oscillating loads and overhung loads (moments) and various guide-shaft applications.

Ball splines with moderate preload (even to -40 mm) make sense where a design requires the maximum possible rigidity for an axis — even when subject to vibration and impact loading. Such applications include axes relying on single ball splines, lathes, welding machines, and off-highway applications. DW

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How to simulate multiple physical forces

Multiphysics simulations are becoming more complex; and take place earlier in the design cycle.

Jean Thilmany • Senior Editor

Using multiphysics simulation software in tandem with design keeps engineers from following hypothesis that lead to dead ends. Of course, that significantly cuts development time, especially for complex products on which many physical forces come together: for instance, solid-state cooking ovens and the sonar on unmanned, undersea drones.

If the examples seem oddly specific, it’s because engineers who develop both types of applications described how their teams use Comsol multiphysics software at the Comsol Conference held online in October. The analysis software simulates how multiple, real-time physical forces would affect design.

Because Lauren Lagua works for a sonar team primarily funded by research and development dollars, “We don’t have a lot of time to spend on design and implementation,” she says.

Lagua is an acoustic engineer with The Northrop Grumman Undersea Systems group. As a mechanical designer and acoustic analyst, she integrates tests equipment for undersea sonar systems and payloads for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).

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3 D

C A D

The U.S. Department of Defense is adapting Unmanned Underwater Vehicles, which function, in some ways, as a submarine without personnel aboard. | Source wikicommons

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Northrop Grumman Corp.’s announced in February it µSAS (pronounced “micro-sas”) will be integrated onto L3Harris Technologies’ Iver4 Unmanned Undersea Vehicle, pictured for a 12-month test period, as part of the Defense Innovation Unit’s Generation Small-Class UUV program.

To make the most of funds, her team created a workflow for quick test and verify design. For transducers, their design method calls upon swift, but multiple rounds of prototyping and verifying. All the while, they must ensure the transducer can be rapidly manufactured. The transducers convert variants in pressure, brightness, or other physical qualities into an electrical signal.

Though Lagua’s team solves for electrical and acoustics tests early in the initial design stage, that doesn’t mean they’ve perfected design right off the bat. The process involves many design changes and modifications—or as Lagua puts it, “around and around we go.”

Of course, the models begin with design and CAD, but using Comsol for analysis in conjunction with design is the secret sauce that speeds the Engineers at Northrup Grumman used acoustics simulation technology to develop the µSAS sonar mounted on the L3Harris Technologies’ UUV.

process, Lagua says. Because they simulate as they design, they get to the end result much faster than if they had to hand off the model to a dedicated analyst and await results.

“It allows us to quickly iterate on a design, to try out designs, to identify issues early on in the design phase and mitigate and fix them before they become bigger issues,” Lagua says.

“Say I’m building a transducer made of some type of material and I bond it to an electric substrate and see a bubble,” she says. “I can make a hypothesis about what failed. I then change the design, and test it with Comsol and compare it to our test events. We find issues with models and correct them quickly.”

“We’re able to design, prototype, test and verify a design sometimes in as little as a week,” she adds.

New materials and tank testing Because it simulates how the material from which the object is made affects performance, the analysis software also

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helps engineers establish the material properties the transducer needs. They also use it to test prospective new materials, Lagua adds.

“We figure out if we have to change the design based on the prototype and maybe changing the materials is part of that,” she adds.

“The challenge is: materials vendors don’t always give you all their materials properties. And you need them,” Lagua says. “So, we use Comsol to model the materials.”

The researchers do this by plugging the materials properties they do have into the simulation and analysis software. They also find the materials they deem most similar to the one they are using and put those material properties in those as well.

“So, if I’m experimenting with a new polyurethane, it comes down to what we know about polyurethane in general. Then we look at the differences in data between the model and the test information and change and tweak the information we do have,” she says.

What is the test information she refers to?

Well, of course the team needs realworld measurements to verify against and plug into the analysis software. These tests are also how they verify material properties against the information they have. They create model prototypes and study them, to study how that prototype would perform in the field.

Acoustical test events, as they’re called, take place at a specialized underseas testing facility that simulate open-water testing. The facility her team uses features a 50-foot-diamter, 300,0000-gallon tank lined with redwood for sound baffling.

Onsite test and measurement equipment are placed on the prototype to gather immediate feedback and readings.

“It’s the closest an engineer gets to measuring how a device will act deep in the ocean—without actually taking the device deep in the ocean,” Lagua says.

“We take the results we get from the facility and bring them back into Comsol,” she says. “Then, with Comsol, you can run the same acoustic testing you do at

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Microwave ovens use radio frequency technologies developed in World War II. ITW Food Technologies is working on solid state ovens that would be an upgrade to the microwave. | Source ITW Food Equipment Group

open-water tank,” she adds. “We have that information in our analysis software.

“Then we can and relate it back to our earlier test data and verify and tweak our model,” she adds. “We figure out if we have to change design or maybe change materials to optimize transducer performance.”

The engineers optimize transducer performance based how that particular transducer’s end use.

“For example, we’ll optimize for acoustical performance: the highest level of sensitivity to capture the lowest amount of sound while having a large, broadband frequency coverage to hear over a very large range of frequencies,” Lagua says. “We’re really optimizing for multiple things in parallel.”

At the conference, Lagua shared one of the systems created through her group’s design iteration process: a µSAS (pronounced “micro-sas”) sonar to be affixed on UUVs. The micro-sas is small in size, weight, and power.

The interferometric synthetic aperture sonar produces high-quality, 3-D images, enables longer sorties, and higher area coverage rates for UUV missions, says Alan Lytle, vice president of undersea systems at Northrop Grumman. The sonar takes 2-D sas and 3-D bathometric images.

The UUV vehicles carry six sonar systems, which can be preprogramming for the needs of the mission, Lagua says.

“We have sonars on both side of the vehicle so you can look at image from two different aspect ratios and interpret them in 3-D just as your eyes would,” she adds.

“Because of its very small scale we were constrained in size, weight and power for our system,” she says. “We wanted the best acoustics possible at the smallest scale

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while conserving as much energy as much as possible.”

The group tested their late prototypes by sending them down to take imagery of a ship that sank on the bay near their Maryland facility.

“In the 3-D image you can see the ship is in a big trough and the front is sticking out of a hole,” Lagua points out. “You wouldn’t be able to see that in 2-D.” While she did not say exactly what sonar technology her team worked on, in February, Northrup Grumman announced that the company’s µSAS interferometric synthetic aperture sonar will be integrated onto L3Harris Technologies’ Iver4 UUVs. The Iver4 UUV weighs 200-pounds, is nine-inches in diameter and 99-inches long.

Integration of synthetic aperture sonar on UUV of this diameter represents a significant step forward for the operational capability of smallclass vehicles, according to Lytle.

The next gen microwave oven Then we veer to quite a different use for simulation in the early (and late) design stages.

Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Food Equipment Group uses Comsol to analyze and simulate new heating methods for their solid-state ovens. The ovens, intended for commercial use, can cook a variety of foods, all at the same time and their different temperatures, says Chris Hopper, radio frequency systems engineer at ITW. He also spoke at the Comsol conference.

Solid stage ovens differ from convention microwaves, which use the same magnetron technology developed for radar in World War II. A “regular” microwave oven uses the open-loop magnetron system to heat foods.

But magnetron-based systems have many limitations, including low power and phase control, short lifetime, and high-voltage power supplies, Hopper says.

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On the other hand, RF solid-state cooking features a closed-loop feedback system that can adapt to various loads and measure the food’s properties at any time during the cooking process, Hopper says.

“With solid state you can vary the power, measure what goes into the cavity and is coming out, and you can teach the oven how to intelligently respond over time to the feedback it gets,” he says.

“A magnetron can last from 12 to 18 months, but with solid-state power, the lifetime can be amplified for many years,” Hopper adds. “And performance doesn’t degrade over time.”

“But before you start building, you want to investigate basic physical phenomena because we’re talking about a metal box with multiple phenomena,” he says.

Hopper’s team uses Comsol to iterate on the design using LiveLink for MatLab. The software allows them to synchronize their model with Comsol Multiphyics and define geometry, run multiphysics simulations, and optimize the model accordingly. For instance, they use simulation to study their model’s heating patterns.

“We look at what the presence of the food changes in terms of interference, hot and cold spots, and other qualities,” he says.

“How does changing the phase affect the food itself?

“We don’t need it to be exact,” Hopper adds. “We’ll look at the accuracy once we’ve established that the simulation represents real life experiments accurately,” he says.

“The culmination of our work is to develop algorithms,” Hopper says. “We can study hundreds of combinations of different phases in different sources. We can look at data behind this and test and train models mainly worthy of further development for an algorithm.

“With simulations, we can phase out what wouldn’t work for outcomes we’re interested in,” Hopper says. “It saves us a lot of time because we don’t go down dead ends for algorithm development that may not work out.”

To study each phase and frequency combination separately would take weeks using testing equipment in a lab, he adds.

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The virtual simulations also cuts labor costs in an unusual way, as the engineers run fewer experiments with actual oven prototypes and the food they cook.

To make those simulations available to product specialists, who don’t need or want to see the fine print, the ITW engineers created an application from the Comsol data. Product specialists download it, view it, and offer feedback based on their own experience, Hopper says.

“We have a chef here who is responsible for bringing value to our customers,” Hopper says. “There are certain questions he wants answered and, through the app, he doesn’t want to try it out in the kitchen many times. “He can look at temperature, air speed, time and determine the parameters of the food he can cook and how the food will change as the result of those things.

In the end, many companies are learning that multiphysics simulation can be as important as model creation itself, says Bjorn Sjodin, Comsol vice president of product marketing. He calls the trend “the democratization of simulation.”

“More engineers are using simulation,” he says. And he expects the trend to continue.

The capability to simplify complex analysis and simulation by making application expands the reach beyond engineers.

Soon, a sales representative may be demonstrating oven phase and frequency to a potential customer. After all, “there’s an app for that.” DW COMSOL www.comsol.com

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TUESDAYS Working remotely is going to get a little less remote.

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Next, Tom Salemi, host of DeviceTalks Weekly, will interview medtech leaders and facilitate discussions or presentations tackling critical areas within medtech.

Attendees will leave with new contacts, fresh perspectives and a critical connection to our dynamic DeviceTalks community.

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Improving

downstream supply chain flexibility For decades, miniature embedment temperature sensors have served an important purpose in many high-risk bearing applications — from motors, to pumps, generators, compressors, and more. Integrated directly into the bearing shoes, accurate temperature sensors play a crucial role in the prevention of overheating — or worse, irreparable harm to machine operators and mission-critical systems.

Darrell Hyde • Minco

Despite the central importance of many of the machines these embedded sensors help protect, hazardous area certifications did not achieve wide usage until ten years ago in the aftermath of the BP oil spill. Although temperature sensors were not identified as a contributing factor in the oil rig’s explosion, the disaster became a catalyst for greater regulatory attention to equipment safety — particularly in hazardous conditions where a single spark could result in catastrophic outcomes.

Since then, certification has become one of the main strategies regulators have used to drive more rigor into part performance under hazardous conditions. As a result, the number of available certifications has grown significantly in the last decade. Different standards for bearing sensors now include regional certification — including CSAc-us (Canada and US), ATEX, (Europe) and IECEx (worldwide) — in addition to many country-specific certifications. While these standards represent a necessary step to preserve the integrity and safety of many mission-critical engines and machines, the proliferation of certifications has also created new challenges for the machine builders who must follow them—especially in an unpredictable post-pandemic world.

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Identifying post-pandemic supply chain vulnerabilities As supply chains worldwide continue to grapple with significant uncertainty created

by COVID-19, expectations across supply chain ecosystems are rapidly evolving.

More than ever, flexibility and versatility are crucial traits that can help a supplier or manufacturer navigate unpredictable external demands while protecting their bottom line.

According to a recent McKinsey report, traditional supply chain performance indicators have suffered dramatically in the months since the pandemic first began to stretch across the globe in March 2020.

Nearly 50 percent of respondents indicated that material shortages had become a common issue in the last year. Another 41 percent of respondents indicated they had experienced steep drops in demand.

For many bearing manufacturers, temperature sensor certifications now represent one of the top potential barriers to downstream supply chain flexibility.

Before the pandemic, it was not uncommon for manufacturers to need to send back certified temperature sensors because they no longer met the requirements for a project as changes were introduced further down the value stream. For many manufacturers, this was accepted as a necessary evil in the production process. But as uncertainty becomes the norm, this has become a costly, time-consuming processâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; damaging a manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bottom-line and jeopardizing their relationships with critical end customers.

An increasingly necessary pursuit: engaging sensor partners who unlock consistent downstream supply chain flexibility.

To keep up with market fluctuation, manufacturers need access to bearing sensors that can do more to keep projects on track. This means integrating DESIGN WORLD

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The S7 and TC7 sensor leads can be configured with either stainless steel feedthrough tubes, or elastomer filled cables to block oil from wicking out of the machine housing along the lead wires.

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Feedthrough sensor with pressure seal fitting.

temperature sensors that can be used in a wider set of applications and regions.

Sensor lines that offer multiple regional certifications can help manufacturers adapt more quickly to market surges and stalls – without the hassle of managing communications across multiple vendors or attempting to begin new vendor relationships during constrained timelines. Yet many thermal sensor suppliers continue to provide only one or two certifications for each sensor— creating significant coverage gaps.

Forward-thinking suppliers predicted this problem, and they have responded by focusing on simplifying the procurement process. For example, Minco recently launched a new line of S7 and TC7 miniature bearing embedment temperature sensors that are tri-certified to multiple standards (CSAc-us, ATEX, and IECEx). This multiple-certification approach to a product line allows bearing manufacturers to build with confidence, knowing they are covered for various use cases. Additional capabilities such as variable case sizes, RTD, and thermocouple element compatibilities, and lead wire and cable options can extend certification versatility to address

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even more applications and introduce additional resilience to the supply chain.

The economic turmoil created

by COVID-19 has exposed new vulnerabilities in global supply chains that will have a lasting impact on the way many do business. Leading manufacturers must continue to find new ways to evolve their supply chain strategies to create new competitive advantages that allow them to capitalize on increased demand for agile production capabilities. In the future, those who prioritize strategies that support diverse, globalized supply chain networks will be the best prepared for the next unexpected disruption. DW Minco minco.com

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5G TECHNOLOGY WORLD Delivers the Latest 5G Technology Trends

5G Technology World is EEWorldOnline’s newest site covering 5G technology, systems, infrastructure, and wireless design and development.

Get caught up on critical 5G information, check out the following articles on 5GTechnologyWorld.com: Massive MIMO performance testing: Emulate the channel Performing MIMO testing using real-world conditions is critical for successful 5G deployments. www.5gtechnologyworld.com/massive-mimoperformance-testing-emulate-the-channel

5G is hot, keep your components and systems cool 5G’s antennas and the devices that drive them generate more heat than their LTE predecessors. That creates new cooling problems for wireless devices and systems. www.5gtechnologyworld.com/5g-is-hot-keep-yourcomponents-and-systems-cool

5G moves into production, causes test issues 5G Technology World talks with Teradyne’s Jeorge Hurtarte, who explains components and over-the-air production test of 5G components. www.5gtechnologyworld.com/5g-moves-intoproduction-causes-test-issues

IEEE 1588 adds timing performance while reducing cost and risk GPS and GNSS have been the standards for network timing, but they have security issues. A Master clock and IEEE 1588 reduces the risk and lowers installation costs. www.5gtechnologyworld.com/ieee-1588-adds-timingperformance-while-reducing-cost-and-risk

For additional content, go to: www.5gtechnologyworld.com

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Scanning

the scene — for defects

Industrial CT scanning combined with analysis and visualization software can help improve product quality.

Whether it’s engine blocks or solder joints on printed circuit

Contributed by Volume Graphics Edited by Miles Budimir

boards, manufacturers know that whatever they produce, they must also inspect. Vision- and laser-based inspection systems, optical comparators, micrometers and various gauges—there’s a broad range of metrology and inspection equipment being used these days. But such tools may not provide a full picture of a product because they can’t always reach, or even see, specific part features, let alone accurately identify defects within the material itself.

Some non-destructive testing (NDT) approaches, such as eddy current and magnetic particle inspection, can detect shallow material flaws. Destructive testing, through cross-sectioning of a workpiece, is both costly and limited.

When the goal is meeting the most exacting specifications for quality control, a better way is needed to peer deep inside of parts and extract detailed, accurate data about every structure inside data that can then be used to asses dimensional conformity, analyze structural integrity, predict performance, and even guide changes to manufacturing methods.

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Volume meshing lets users create accurate and highquality tetrahedral volume meshes from their CT scans for use in mechanical, fluid, thermal, electrical, and other FEM simulations in third-party software.

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potential of CT equipment alone: Automated collection and analysis of scan data, defect detection, measurement functions including GD&T, FEM meshing tools—these are just some of the available CT data-analysis software capabilities.

Working on CT-scan data, manufacturing geometry correction software provides color-coded visualization of any deviations of the manufactured part from the master model. The output CAD elements can then be used to correct tools for injection molding and casting, or geometries for 3D printing.

Industrial CT scanning and its uses Industrial CT scanning, also known as 3D-computed tomography, works by processing multiple X-ray images to gain a dimensionally accurate 3D model of the object being scanned.

The wavelengths used with industrial CT scanning are both shorter and more energetic than those used to X-ray a broken bone, which means they can easily penetrate dense materials such as wood, plastic, composites, and metal. And where X-ray machines take a one-sided image of the target without depth resolution, industrial CT scanners view all sides of an object and use mathematical methods to reconstruct a volume. This resulting 3D volume offers an interior view that no other technology provides.

Yet CT scanning alone doesn’t deliver everything needed to assure and document product quality. The best scans in the world won’t reveal enough without the right software tools for analyzing and visualizing the scan data.

Advanced analysis and visualization software supplies supporting capabilities that far exceed the native image gathering

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How CT scanning and software work together Key to the CT scan and the critical data analysis that follows is the voxel. When an X-ray beam’s high-energy photons pass through their target, some are absorbed and others scattered, but the remainder strike the detector screen opposite the X-ray source. They then energize the twodimensional pixels there in proportion to the density of the material being scanned as well as its thickness and attenuation values, and generate a series of grayscale images.

This is where the computational part of the process comes in. CT-data visualization software reconstructs those millions of pixels into three-dimensional voxels. Then, using advanced mathematical algorithms, the software creates a full threedimensional visualization of the exact object that’s been scanned. Next, a rainbow of tools can be employed to analyze the material density, stress patterns, internal defects, design flaws and a host of other attributes of what’s been scanned— which includes machined metal parts, 3D-printed prototypes, plastic injectionmolded parts, fiber-reinforced plastics, or anything else that’s scannable.

These software-based analyses and visualizations can be highly valuable to manufacturers in almost any industry, allowing designers and engineers to understand failure modes, validate critical part features, predict how products will perform, and both quantify and qualify manufacturing processes.

Justifying CT scanning and analysis – a plastics example As an example, consider a plastic injectionmolded connector, like the ones found in cars, refrigerators, or laptop computers.

Manufacturers produce these detailed and accurate objects via multi-cavity molds, each of which must be validated by

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carefully inspecting the parts that come out of them.

Measuring the products’ visible features is accomplished using one of the metrology tools mentioned earlier. The unseen interiors are a different story, however. To inspect these, manufacturers often have to destroy representative part samples. In this case, a technician must saw the connector into sections, polish the rough edges, and then inspect the nowvisible faces. If a defect is found, the part must be made over again. As the mold cavity wears, the process must be repeated.

After a shift change, or a new batch of resin, or an equipment malfunction, the repetition may continue.

The status-quo methodology of sectioning manufactured parts, whatever they are, is expensive, time-consuming, and error-prone. Consider all those connectors in between, the ones that weren’t destroyed: Unless the manufacturing process is perfectly stable, which is rarely the case, there’s always a question mark left hanging about the parts or part sections left unchecked.

While the question mark can be relatively small in the case of molded components and similar high-volume products, the same can’t be said about mission-critical, costly products such as turbine blades, engine blocks, high-end electromechanical assemblies, and the newest darlings of the manufacturing

A CT-scanned part shows color-coded analysis results indicating some deviations.

The technical details behind industrial CT scanning How does CT scanning actually work?

The process starts by placing the workpiece on a rotating turntable – an X-ray source on one side, a digital detector panel on the other. Larger objects might be scanned by simultaneously rotating the X-ray source and detector, not unlike the CT scanner used by medical facilities.

Whatever the approach, the X-ray device is then energized with anywhere between 40 kilovolts to six megavolts or more, depending on a number of factors. As the object rotates, it weakens X-ray radiation in proportion to its density. The X-rays that aren’t absorbed or scattered pass through to the detector panel, which continuously captures the resulting image. Based on the type of machine, the beam shape, and the size of the workpiece, the turntable (or beam) can also be “translated” (moved vertically) to capture the entire part geometry. The beam itself might be shaped like a pencil, a cone, or a flattened fan, each of which has a direct effect on the speed and quality of the resulting image. Other factors play a role as well, including the target material, the part thickness, production requirements, desired precision, and image resolution.

Perhaps most relevant of these is the material. It might seem obvious that the denser it is, the greater the amount of power needed to penetrate it. This is true, but more is not always better. While higher power usually correlates to improved image contrast due to less noise, higher voltage leads to less noise as well, but may reduce the contrast in some cases if no countermeasure is taken. It’s not possible to simply crank up the volume, so to speak, on very large or very dense parts. It’s for this reason that CT scanning is usually limited to suitcasesized and smaller parts, although there are exceptions.

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industry, 3D-printed parts. In such cases, major manufacturers worldwide have already set up in-house CT scanning facilities while others with more limited financial or bandwidth resources are turning to CT-scanning service providers.

CT analysis – a metals example Another example involves metal casting.

This is a mature and well-understood process, used for automotive powertrain components, pumps and valves, turbine blades, and practically anywhere robust, yet often complex, metal parts are needed.

There’s just one problem. Because the molten material used with casting and molding is made to flow through a series of cavities, the likelihood of air entrapment is high. As a result, voids and porosity are an all-too-common occurrence, and the only way to detect such flaws short of sectioning the part and thus destroying it is with high-end CT scan-data analysis and visualization software.

Here, a CT-scanned object is compared with its respective CAD data set, with the color-coded analysis results and local annotations showing deviations. The software allows for geometric comparison of voxel, mesh, and CAD data.

There’s more to it than finding a bunch of bubbles in a metal part: There’s also the critical aspect of shrinkage and warpage to consider, as well as wall thickness, inclusions (trapped foreign material), draft angles, as-cast to as-designed comparisons—and the need to measure and report dimensional information on hidden part details. These are just a few of the

roles that industrial CT-data analysis and visualization software is now beginning to take on in casting houses everywhere.

Such information gives toolmakers the knowledge to make intelligent decisions about mold design. Since they now have a better handle on the unseen world, they can identify what steps should be taken to accommodate thermal

CT Physics 101 X-rays are generated by applying current to a heated metal filament (the cathode) situated at one end of a tube, not unlike how a light bulb works. Instead of visible light, though, the filament emits free electrons that then are accelerated towards a metal target sitting at the opposite end of the tube (the anode). Electrically charged coils are used to focus the electrons on a small area, the so-called focal spot.

The target is typically made of copper coated with tungsten, although molybdenum and other hard metal coatings might also be used. The electrons penetrate the target material, are decelerated, and emit X-rays. Unfortunately, X-ray generation is not terribly efficient. In fact, only 1% or so of a free electron’s kinetic energy is actually converted into X-rays, with the rest creating waste heat that must be removed lest it destroy the tube producing it.

Due to this heat, the minimum size of the focal spot is limited in order not to melt the target.

Knowing this, one has to consider the spot size’s effect on image quality.

As you can see, lower power is the often way to go with CT scanning, unless of course you want to inspect parts very quickly on a production line. In these instances, you’ll need as much power as you can get; just understand that there might be trade-offs in image quality. Or, you might use a lower power device and simply give the CT scanner more time to complete the imaging process (within reason).

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effects and material flow within their tools.

CT-scan-data analysis and visualization software simplifies this process by generating meaningful views of the workpiece as well as the tool itself.

Manufacturing-geometry-correction tools within the software reduce the number of design iterations needed to obtain an optimized tool, and enable the export of values to the shop’s CAD/CAM software for use in the manufacturing process.

This applies equally to forgings and stamped, bent, or formed metal parts; anywhere a machined tool is used to shape metal, CT-scan-data analysis can be used to make it better and less expensive to produce.

Other industrial applications of CT scanning, analysis, and visualization One of the newest fields in which CT is being applied is additive manufacturing, or 3D printing. An ever-growing number of product designers, MRO suppliers, and entrepreneurs are taking advantage of this relative newcomer to the manufacturing industry for use with prototype and low- to mid-volume production of metal, polymer, and composite parts. But, as with cast and molded parts, concerns continue to exist over material integrity. This is why a large percentage of additively-manufactured parts, especially those made of metal or intended for flight-critical use, are inspected using CT scanning.

CT scanning, analysis and visualization isn’t limited to metals and polymer materials. Composites, used in a wide variety of industries to manufacture parts for wind-turbines, boats, helicopters, cars, other vehicle bodies and more can be analyzed in depth for fiber orientation, part delamination, undulations from process errors, and gluing integrity.

Hundreds of such applications exist, running the gamut from car-key fobs to industrial robots to rotor blades to carbonfiber racing bikes. In each example, after scanning is done, CT-integrated software helps manufacturers analyze, visualize, measure, and document workpieces inside and out. The result is continuous product improvement, reduced engineering time and costs, and fewer failures in the field.

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CT scanning has evolved into a mainstream process. When equipped with capable software, automakers can leverage the largest scanning machines to image complete vehicles for design analyses, while 3D-printing service bureaus and equipment manufacturers can use smaller, less-expensive machines to validate material integrity or measure internal part features. Sitting between these two extremes are those who produce wooden furniture, foam insulation, metal castings, plastic bottle caps, and everything else imaginable— any manufacturer that wants to know what exactly is happening inside their products. DW Volume Graphics www.volumegraphics.com

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PRESENTED BY

JANUARY. 13. 2021 Additive manufacturing within a healthcare organization SPEAKER — MARK WEHDE MS, MBA, CHAIR, MAYO CLINIC ENGINEERING Explore a case study on the development of a now-licensed concept for a novel orthopedic spine implant starting from the initial idea through several computational models and 3D printed models.

FEBRUARY. 10. 2021 Engineering robots for the Future SPEAKER — DEAN KAMEN FOUNDER OF FIRST ROBOTICS AND DEKA ENGINEERING Kamen will talk about where he sees the field of robotics moving in the coming years, where the designs are trending, and how this will affect design engineers’ jobs. He’ll also talk about how FIRST is changing the way that our kids are looking at robotics and engineering careers.

MARCH. 10. 2021 The future of electronics manufacturing is flexible hybrid electronics SPEAKER — MALCOLM THOMPSON, PH.D., EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NEXTFLEX Dr. Thompson will be speaking on behalf of the FHE community and will explain how it will fundamentally shift the way electronics across industries will be manufactured.

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A supplement of Design World December 2020

MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS for metal additive manufacturing in high temperature applications

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How to recycle machined metal additive scrap into manufacturing powder What one company is doing to address the issues of recycling in additive manufacturing.

Leslie Langnau â&#x20AC;˘ Senior Contributing Editor

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A d d i t i v e

M

T e c h n o l o g y

Scrap material from machining and other sources goes through a two-step process to become a

Many users of 3D printing/additive manufacturing technology are

powder. A plasma system creates

concerned with its potential impact on the environment. Often the focus is on resin-based prototypes ending up in landfills and taking years to degrade.

But other materials also end up as scrap, such as that from machining and similar subtractive processes.

exactly the right powder size

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needs something for metal injection molding, a laser powder

One company has made it a mission to turn this scrap into usable metal powder for additive manufacturing (AM). The company is 6K Inc. Recently, I had a chance to interview Aaron Bent, CEO at 6K, about how they turn manufacturing scrap into additive manufacturing “gold.”

According to Bent, one factor impeding greater adoption of additive manufacturing is cost. “I think, in actuality, costs and sustainability are intimately linked. In fact, being sustainable can create a very strong business model. And that’s one of our missions here at 6K.” 6K Inc. uses sustainable sources of metal and turns them into highquality metal powder. These sources include scrap metal, shavings, used parts, and used powder.

While additive manufacturing is typically viewed as being more sustainable than traditional subtractive manufacturing, . . . “If you look at the originating materials, such as a highly engineered alloy ingot, everyone knows that the buy-to-fly ratio is around 10 to one for subtractive manufacturing,” says Bent. “But the dirty little secret of additive manufacturing unfortunately, is that this ratio is not much better.

“There are two important aspects of sustainability in additive manufacturing. One is that the powder production itself is typically only about a 30% yield, with a lot of the rest of the powder going into landfills.

And then the printing process itself has losses that include used powder support structures and nonconforming parts.”

Bent notes that while it is important to address the environmental impact of thermoplastics, it’s also important to focus on the impact of metal powders for two reasons. One, while AM may be relatively small

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distribution, whether a customer

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bed, an E-beam, or a DED system, the powder size is distributed properly. This methodology helps deliver the 100% yield of material, improving the recyclability of material.

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Additive Technology Rocket nozzle printed by Castheon made with 6K powder derived from sustainable sources.

today, it’s going to grow quickly. And by producing powders in a method that offers 100 % yield, versus 30%, means a lot less of those materials find their way into landfills. In addition, it cuts the costs of the energy needed for transportation, mining, and refining of the original ore.

So, the impact of metal materials on the environment can be substantial, which affects overall cost.

6,000 degrees The company name 6K comes from 6,000 degrees, which is the temperature of the surface of the sun rounded up slightly. “Our microwave-based production plasma operates at 6,000 degrees, which, as you can imagine, can melt anything,” says Bent.

6K’s process begins with certified chemistry materials. These are materials manufacturers use in their machining operations. For example, a large airframe manufacturer may create as many as 100,000 pounds of certified chemistry Ti64 scrap that it can’t otherwise use.

6K can take that scrap, along with support structures from 3D printing, used or previously used powders, and out of spec parts and convert them into suitable powder for AM. “Our mission is to use virtually every part of the additive manufacturing process. And in so doing, we actually create a far better business model for the end customer.”

The “scrap” goes through a twostep process to become a powder. It is cleaned and sized to an engineered feed stock. Then, it goes through the plasma system, which creates exactly the right powder size distribution, whether a customer needs something for metal injection molding, a laser powder bed, an E-beam, or a DED system, the

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powder size is distributed properly. This methodology helps deliver the 100% yield.

You will find that Bent and his team refer to the powders they create as “inks.” “It’s still just powder,” says Bent.

“I think we use ink as a common way to speak and differentiate ourselves as a powder supplier from those making printers. And it’s also a common theme because we can recycle ink. For example, we have had a number of programs with large super-users where we take their used powder that they are not be able to continue using in their printers, and recycle it to make powder that actually performs better than virgin powders.

“We also have programs with a large defense customer that provides us with powders that are not of a quality for 3D printing because they don’t flow sufficiently. So, we “6K” the powder, to use it as a verb. And that provides a higher performing powder for the

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printing process. The word ink also is a convenient vernacular when we talk about the ability to provide an infinite palette of colors, in the sense of an infinite variety of different alloys. That’s why we refer to it as ink.

“Virtually anything that is machined can become a feedstock for our powder.

In addition, we can create new alloys that are non-eutectic, so, things that will not alloy together.”

Mechanical performance Delivering mechanical performances involves four levels. First, the source material is from certified chemistry materials, i.e., from high end machine shops that supply parts for airframe manufacturers for example.

“One of the things we’ve been able to demonstrate is to take the oversized gas atomized powder that has almost no value on the marketplace because it doesn’t fit the powder size distribution for any printing process, and use it as a

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feedstock and reduce its size. We have the ability to get access to sources of materials that are already well-qualified as strong, certified chemistry.”

The 6K process is also contaminant free. The process is also qualified on the back end to look at any potential contamination, as is not always possible in a regular powder production facility.

In addition, the powders have superior properties over traditional atomized powders. They have better flowability, higher tap density, no satellites, and better scarcity.

“And one of the things that also distinguishes our powder, is there’s no porosity. Porosity is a natural outcome of an atomization process by virtue of the way they make the powders. And then, what we’re also finding in initial print studies is that the strength, both ultimate and tensile strengths, are superior to gas atomization. And we have some certain metallurgical advantages through the way that we actually produce our powders. We can engineer our feedstock to be any size, creating a targeted, or engineered, or “tuneable” size for powder. We can create powders within virtually any range.”

As with other materials and additive technology, 6K’s powders fit a number of industries, including oil and gas, aerospace, space, medical, and commercial.

“In medical, we are pioneering new types of alloys to use in orthopedic implants. Alloys that cannot otherwise be created in typical atomization processes,” continues Bent.

Costs “This is where I think sustainability and cost are intimately linked. And I think with a better total circular economy approach to both the printing and powder production process, you can have substantial reduction in costs and therefore a faster adoption of AM.” Raw materials are quite low in cost. Because the 6K process offers 100% yield rather than 30% yield, that

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contributes to a lower cost as well. Bent believes he can offer a more interesting value proposition to a typical customer if 6K can take the customers’ waste from their processes, and deliver back high value powders; powders that perhaps they could not otherwise obtain, and create a symbiotic relationship and a true circular economy.

Upcycled 6K has upcycled a million pounds of titanium a year. Much of this material goes into grain refining elements for making aluminum. Thus, that million pounds of titanium upcycling enables a billion pounds of primary aluminum production.

“And that finds its way into things like medical ventilators, Ford F-150s aircraft and medical components as well, says Bent. “We have just commissioned our 40,000 square foot, state of the art production facility in Pittsburgh, where

we will be launching both our Inconel 718 super alloy powders as well as following up with our Ti64 powders.”

Ceramic materials turned into powders is also an available material.

“We have worked in a variety of ceramics over the years for other applications that range all the way from 50 nanometers up to a couple hundred micron. Garnets and thermal barrier coatings, YFC Illumina, a series of different materials. It’s relatively easy for us.” n 6K Inc. www.6kinc.com

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6K’s UniMelt microwave plasma is the first-of-its-kind process with the unique ability to convert recycled feedstocks into premium AM-ready metal powder.

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Material

developments for metal additive manufacturing in high temperature applications Honeywell Aerospace assess the use of a new high temperature alloy (ABD-900AM ) with its in-house laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) metal AM technologies.

Will Dick-Cleland • Process Technology Team • Alloyed

The aerospace sector has long been recognized as an early adopter when it comes to cutting-edge technology inventions, and as such it is unsurprising that the use of additive manufacturing (AM) as a production tool is relatively familiar in many of the leading aerospace OEMS and their supply chains.

The sector is typically not a mass production industry, but is instead characterized by complex low-volume manufacture which plays directly to the strengths of metal AM (and specifically the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) process) when compared with traditional metal manufacturing processes. In an area that is highly competitive, where conventional manufacturing processes are costly — especially for metal

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A d d i t i v e

T e c h n o l o g y

A conundrum facing users of metal AM in the aerospace sector is whether AM compatible alloys can handle high temperatures. The components assembled in hot sections of engines are usually some of the most expensive, and due to the harsh environment in which they work have short life-cycles. Using a laser powder bed fusion process, Alloyed worked with aerospace OEM Honeywell to test a new high temperature nickel alloy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ABD-900AM â&#x20AC;&#x201D;to determine if it could serve as a replacement for existing high temperature casting alloys. The purpose of this effort was to discover at a high level if ABD-900AM showed promise and warranted further development.

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Additive Technology TABLE 1 components produced in relatively low volumes — and with supply chains constantly under pressure to conform to ever more stringent environmental performance restrictions, the aerospace sector needs to become more agile. Metal AM processes, with the ability to manufacture innovative geometrically complex parts in a timely, local, and cost-effective way, have a huge part to play.

Key Material Properties Mechanical (900oC) Yield strength/MPa

574 Z, 568 XY

Ultimate tensile strength/MPa

582 Z, 593 XY

Elongation at failure / %

13 Z, 7 XY

Area reduction at failure / % 12 Z, 7 XY AM in aerospace AM’s disruptive for potential for the aerospace sector Thermo-physical (25-1200 oC) is widely acknowledged, holding out the opportunity Thermal conductivity 11.0 – 30.1 to break the typical compromise between scale and scope in manufacturing first by reducing the capital CTE (Linear)/ x 10-6oC-1 11.4 – 19.2 expenditure required to achieve economies of scale, and second by increasing the variety of designs that Physical a given amount of capital expenditure can produce.

Density / g cm-3 8.395 One AM platform can at the same time build a number of complicated parts with variable designs, Melting range2 / oC 1305-1380 and this means that large centralized factories virtually impossible to control the amount of with assembly lines are not always required, and with AM cracking during the weld process. Therefore, complexity, production change overs, and customization are these alloys have historically been processed cheaper. using casting methods where the cooling rates are As AM technologies continue to develop and secure relatively low. a stronger foothold in production scenarios, there is This is the conundrum facing users of metal simultaneous development ongoing across the sector to AM within the aerospace sector looking to refine associated parts of the AM ecosystem, with a great capitalize on the advantages that the process deal of emphasis being placed on in-process monitoring for has to offer for high temperature applications. traceability and validation purposes, as well as automated It is this that has driven further exploration of post-processing technologies. A further, vital area of alternative materials that could replace traditional development is materials, particularly metal powders for AM that meet — and exceed — the functionality and performance high temperature alloys without compromising structural integrity while at the same time of existing production materials as well as meeting the being compatible with AM. The advantages of requirements of specific applications.

AM-compatible alloys for high temperature applications derive from the fact that the Alloys for high temperature applications components assembled in hot sections of engines It is fair to say that, to date, metal AM processes have not are usually some of the most expensive, and due performed well with the highest temperature materials — that to the harsh environment in which they work is to say, materials for components that operate at the top of have short life-cycles. Using the L-PBF process the temperature range within jet turbines. In the aerospace with high temperature alloys offers manufacturers sector such applications would include, but are not limited to the opportunity to benefit from better inventory the critical areas of a turbine engine such as the back-end of management, reducing late penalties due to the compressor, the combustor, the high-and-low pressure tooling delays, and creating more intricate turbine areas, and the exhaust. All parts in these areas of the shapes, often allowing the integration of several engine are exposed to high temperatures and higher levels of components in a sub-assembly into one. oxidation.

It was to address this requirement that Alloyed For such high temperature applications, the aerospace worked with aerospace OEM Honeywell to test sector typically uses nickel (Ni) alloys such as IN738, IN713 a new high temperature nickel alloy — ABDand MarM247. However, these alloys are incompatible with 900AM — with the L-PBF process, to determine if welding techniques due to their chemistry, as they do not it could serve as a replacement for existing high respond well to rapid thermal gradient changes and it is

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temperature casting alloys. The purpose of this effort was to discover at a high level if ABD-900AM showed promise and warranted further development.

Honeywell and Alloyed collaboration Honeywell Aerospace has a long and rich heritage of innovation that spans more than a century. The company has one of the industry’s broadest and most advanced portfolios including world-class engines, cockpits, cabin design, wireless connectivity and enterprise performance management services.

Honeywell first engaged with metal AM processes in 2007 when the company had several prototype parts manufactured by external vendors. Over the ensuing years, the company has continued to assess and implement the technology for applications where there is a need for rapidly manufactured metal parts, including for test bed components. In 2014, led by the efforts of Engineering Fellow Donald Godfrey, the company opened its first $5 million AM facility in Phoenix, AZ, USA, with a focus on L-PBF and electron beam PBF technologies.

In the same year AM facilities were also opened in Bangalore and the Czech Republic.

Today, the Honeywell AM operations have grown significantly in both size and capacity and incorporate tensile, LCF, and creep testing equipment, powder characterization equipment, and a vacuum furnace for stress relief and heat treatment. In Arizona, more L-PBF machines were added in 2020, and now the lab is fully equipped to manage end-to-end powder and mechanical characterization, pre-production builds, and a full range of R&D activities.

Honeywell is using the pilotproduction facility as a means to either develop parts for production that will be sent to a supplier for manufacturing or working with a supplier to cooperate in the development of components for production.

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collaborates with universities and companies around the world with the intent of developing new technology and exploring new technologies as they emerge.

After an initial introduction to Alloyed by a third party, Honeywell recognized the potential of the Alloys By Design (ABD) system brand developed by metallurgists from Oxford University and this stimulated further interest in the ABD-900AM material and its potential for high temperature aerospace applications as it was not prone to cracking.

The result of this initial collaboration was a dedicated project that would see Honeywell build a limited number of test specimens in its additive manufacturing laboratory located in Bangalore, India.

Honeywell would build and test the material to determine if the results merited continued investment and development.

ABD 900AM ABD-900AM is an age-hardenable, nickelbased superalloy specifically for use as feedstock in the L-PBF process. It is optimized for environmental resistance and high-temperature tensile strength, with a working temperature range up to 900°C (1652°F) in its age-hardened state. ABD900AM not only offers a higher operating temperature but also significant long-term stability.

Exhibiting excellent creep strength, ABD-900AM has also demonstrated superior resistance to cracking during manufacture and heat treatment, enabling complex part design. It is designed to be free of solidification, liquidation and strainage cracks, and showcases exceptional printability for a 40% γ’-phase strengthened alloy. The ABD-900AM alloy also shows high as-printed part density of >99.9%.

Test results The scope of the collaborative project between Alloyed and Honeywell was the assessment/qualification of the ABD-900AM Ni-alloy powder for the next generation of additively manufactured high temperature applications. Honeywell has undertaken a

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ABD-900AM is an age-hardenable, nickel-based superalloy for use as feedstock in the laser powder bed fusion process. It is optimized for environmental resistance and hightemperature tensile strength, with a working temperature range up to 900°C (1652°F) in its age-hardened state. ABD-900AM not only offers a higher operating temperature but also significant long-term stability.

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w/ 3M™ adhesive pre-applied series of tests to confirm and optimise the properties of the alloy with some extremely positive results.

From a broad perspective, the project provided a manufacturing assessment and a mechanical property assessment of the alloy: Manufacturing assessment Additive manufacturability. It was important to assess how the alloy behaved when processed on a L-PBF machine, and whether the welding operation involved — with all this implies in terms of rapid thermal gradients — would deleteriously affect the integrity of the final part. Various test geometries were trialled on an EOS metal system, and component scale testing was undertaken. It was found that there was no part distortion on cracking in the “as-printed” condition, there was good surface finish, and a wide processing window.

Powder recyclability. The ability to be able to re-use unsintered material from build-to-build is obviously an important factor when looking at the economics of using metal AM processes. Because of this, it was decided to manufacture and test parts made with “used” powder, and it was found that there was no significant change of properties in the parts made with used powder compared with virgin ABD-900AM powder.

Post processability. It is often the case that parts must undergo a variety of post-processing activities after the AM build, which can affect the mechanical properties of the material and therefore, the functionality of the part. To assess how ABD-900AM behaved parts were subjected to vacuum heat treatment and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) often used on metal AM parts to eliminate internal voids. There was no “post-weld” cracking detected on parts made from ABD-900AM.

900AM parts measuring tensile strength, breaking strength, maximum elongation and reduction in area between 427 oC and 927oC in both build directions. The test showed good repeatability of test points, with high temperature strength of the ABD-900AM comparable with “legacy” cast Nickel alloys which cannot be manufactured crack free in AM. Low cycle fatigue testing. Low cycle fatigue (LCF) is low-cycle endurance testing, where components are subject to mechanical cyclic plastic strains that cause fatigue failure within a short number of cycles. ABD-900AM was subjected to LCF testing at 650oC, the results showing that Non-HIP-ed ABD900AM had superior performance to HIP-ed alloy 718.

The results of the work between Alloyed and Honeywell show that ABD900AM is an alloy that demonstrates great potential for high temperature applications. The material welds and fuses extremely well, particularly when compared with other high temperature nickel alloys. While ABD-900AM is not a replacement for CM Mar-247 in most cases due to the oxidation capabilities, it does exhibit very good mechanical properties at high temperatures when compared with Mar 247 or IN792 or IN713 or IN738. n

Credits Honeywell would like to credit the work of Rakesh Hota, Manjunatha (Manju) Adiga, and Eswara Naidu Chikkala for their efforts while undertaking the trials of ABD-900AM. Alloyed www.alloyed.com

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I N S I D E : Single-Pair Ethernet addresses industrial priorities

Interconnect

A supplement of Design World â&#x20AC;˘ December 2020

2020

Cable & Connector Reference Guide

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Single - Pair Ethernet addresses industrial priorities For applications driven by sensors more than high-speed data, the IEEE 802.3cg standard offers single-pair Ethernet connectivity with far lower cable costs and bulk.

Bill Schweber • Contributing Editor

Ethernet has come a very long way in adoption and speed from its humble inception driven in the early years by a team led by Robert Metcalfe at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center in the 1970s. Although it originally provided a then-blazing speed of just under 2 megabits/second (Mbps) using coaxial cable or twisted-copper repairs, it has been continuously upgraded. Speeds reached 10 Mbps in the 1980s, 100 Mbps in the 1990s, and have now reached into the gigabit/second range (Gbps, often tagged as GbE) with terabits/second (1Tbps equals 1000 Gbps) and even higher speeds using optical rather than copper links.

At each stage, the connectors have been upgraded, the physical medium has changed, and the protocols have been updated as well.

Further, in addition to being a data link, Ethernet is now a vehicle for power delivery via Power over Ethernet (PoE), now in its third iteration, and capable of delivering close to 100 W to a load.

Looking at this, it’s logical to suppose that Ethernet is all about speed.

It is for many users, but there’s a tradeoff: the added cost of the requisite connectors and cabling with each speed increment, even if the cost of the electronics does not change significantly.

Reality, though, is that not every application needs these >100 Mbps speeds. A large and vibrant applications segment, primarily in industrial data collection and control, can easily live with much lower data rates, especially if the tradeoff is less-costly cabling and connectors, lower power consumption at the remote nodes, and reduced electronic hardware footprint.

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What’s needed is an Ethernet standard variation that is well-suited for the Industrial Internet of Things (often referred to as IIoT), is fast enough for the application, is not burdened with the technical requirements for speed beyond what the system actually required, and fits into a well-defined hierarchy, Figure 1. The result is Single-Pair Ethernet (SPE).

Note that this goes beyond just industrial, as a similar scenario and use case exists for intelligent commercial buildings — which has many IIoT parallels — and even automobiles and aircraft (where bulk and weight are especially critical).

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Figure 1: The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has its own hierarchy, links, and nodes from factory floor to office.

Enter Single-Pair Ethernet Single-Pair Ethernet comes in two major versions, one targeting the IIoT needs and the other for automotive applications where the range is obviously much shorter and more constrained (we’ll look at that briefly later). Unlike four-pair “standard” Ethernet and RJ45 connectors, Figure 2, SPE is just as its name implies: it uses a single pair of wire, which can be shielded or unshielded with conductor size ranging from thicker 18 AWG to thinner 26 AWG. The thicker gauge supports both higher speed and a higher power-delivery rating. Compared to the four-pair Ethernet cabling, SPE cabling is lighter and thinner – up to 75% thinner overall and about half the weight.

The defining standard for industrial and automotive SPE is IEEE 802.3, with

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Analog Devices

the IEEE 802.3cg version designed for industrial situations. This standard, in turn, comes in three versions: • 10BASE-T1L: 10 Mbps up to 1,000 m, over a balanced twisted- pair copper cabling • 100BASE-T1 and 1000BASE-T1: 100 Mbps and 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps), respectively, up to 40 m with shielded cable or 15 m with unshielded cable The standard also has sections related to PoE, including IEEE 802.3bu-2016 for Power over Data Lines (PoDL) with ten power classes from 0.5 W up to 50 W. Finally, a variation called 10BASE-T1S for 15-m links is used for connection between a local node and a nearby cabinet.

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Figure 2: The well-known eightconductor/four-pair RJ45 connector is the most widely used connector for Ethernet access.

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Figure 3: IEEE 802.3cg defines more than the connectors; it also defines the data packet formatting, protocol, and backand-forth sequencing.

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What about automobiles?

While part of IEEE 802.3cg is specially targeted at industrial needs, there’s a corresponding specification for autos, as noted previously. While industrial-class speeds are needed to connect car functions and nodes, distances are obviously far shorter and constrained; also, adding/removing cabling and sensors is necessary as there would be in an industrial setting, as car wiring is a static function installed at vehicle production. IEEE P802.3bw 100BASE-T1 is a single-pair Ethernet standard designed for operation in automotive environments (including issues of electromagnetic compatibility and temperature) over a single balanced twisted pair. The cabling system for 100Base-T1 has up to 15 m of cabling with up to four in-line connectors and two

NASA LOW OUTGASSING APPROVED

mating connectors. It has impedance in the range of 90 Ω to 110 Ω (nominal 100 Ω) to support a data rate of 100 Mbits/sec in each direction simultaneously.

For applications driven by sensors more than high-speed data, the IEEE 802.3cg standard offers single-pair Ethernet connectivity with far lower cable costs and bulk.

Earlier, we looked at the context and standard which defines Single-Pair Ethernet and some of its variations, and how it fits into the IIoT application area. Now we will look at the physical hardware, which is needed to make IEEE 802.3cg happen.

Hardware realization It’s important to note that IEEE 802.3cg defines much more than just new cabling and speeds. It also defines the higher levels of the overall packet formatting, protocol, and timing.

While that aspect of the standard is too complicated and at a higher stack level to explore here, the standard does define a new auto-negotiation sequence, among many other factors.

During the auto-negotiation process, the message “telegrams” consisting of a start delimiter, a 48-bit payload field, a 16-bit cyclic redundancy checksum (CRC), and a single-bit end delimiter are transmitted in half-duplex more (Figure 3).

Connectors The SPE standard uses “common” twisted-pair wiring, and at low speeds, the wires of the pair can be terminated in basic, common spade lugs and screw terminal (barriers strips).

Per ASTM E595 standards Figure 4: The dominant connector pairing called out by

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IEEE 802.3cg supports the high data rate.

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Figure 5: The RJ45-like IEEE 802.3cg connector pair (top) occupies much less space than a pair based on the widely used RJ45 connector (bottom).

However, for achieving the higher speeds and full performance which the standard supports, a connector pairing is needed which terminates the wires while maintaining the specified impedance while minimizing discontinuities, which would affect bit error rate (BER), induce energy reflections, and cause other undesired effects (Figure 4).

The result is a significant reduction in the required PC-board area for the connector pairing — often referred to as real estate or footprint compared to the standard RJ45 Ethernet connector (Figure 5).

Note that vendors can offer other connectors as well. For example, LEMO (Switzerland) has introduced a snapmate connector with a 1-Gbps rating which targets automotive, industrial, and other SPE applications (Figure 6).

The PHY electronics interface A physical link interface (PHY layer) consists of three parts: the cabling, the connector, and the interface electronics.

In the very early days of electronics, this interface function might have simply been an electromagnetic relay (think

Würth Elektronik GmbH & Co

Figure 6: Other connectors, such as this locking circular version, are also available.

LEMO

telegraph), a vacuum-tube circuit (microphone amplifier), or discrete transistors. Today’s PHY interface circuitry requires an IC, of course. These ICs, in turn, connect to the system MAC (media access controller), which is often part of the larger host-processor device. For simpler interfaces, the PHY and MAC may be implemented in one IC, but at present, the PHY and MAC for IEEE 802.3 are separate components (Figure 7).

Recognizing the potential of SPE, IC vendors have developed suitable PHY devices. For example, Figure 7: The physical layer(PHY) of the interface consists of the cabling, connector, and the interface electronics, which in turn connects to a media access controller (MAC).

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g 420 Push-Pull g 720 Snap-in g 770 Bayonet g M16 AISG-Compliant

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Figure 8: The Texas Instruments DP83TD510E SPE PHY transceiver IC provides basic IEEE 802.3cg functionality along with many other needed or useful features for link optimization, diagnostics, and protection.

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the DP83TD510E SPE PHY transceiver IC from Texas Instruments (Figure 8) reaches up to 1,700 m, exceeding the baseline requirements of the IEEE 802.3cg 10Base-T1L sub-specification, which calls for 10 Mbps and up to 1,000 m through a single pair of twisted wire.

In addition to its basic SPE functions, this 5 × 5 mm IC adds important features such as the defined safety and failure modes (important in industrial

settings), EMI/RFI well below regulatory mandates, self-diagnostics, and more.

The transceiver is also compliant with IEC 61000-4-4, the International Electrotechnical Commission’s immunity standard based on electrical fast transient (EFT)/burst transients, CISPR22 radiated-emission class B mandates, and offers ±6-kV HBM ESD protection on its Media Dependent Interface (MDI) pins. Diagnostic

tools include cable open/shortcircuit detection; TDR (time domain reflectometry; ALCD (Active Link Cable Diagnostics); receiver SQI (Signal Quality Indicator) to measure cable degradation; multiple loopbacks; and an integrated PRBS Packet Generator to ease debugging during development and detecting faulty conditions in the field.

Setting up, evaluating, and optimizing

Figure 9: The DP83TD510E-EVM evaluation module (plus a companion DP83822I media converter board) simplify the challenge of getting the Ethernet link operational and ready for evaluation.

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an SPE design, like nearly all complex protocols, is not a trivial task (the IC’s datasheet runs 73 pages). For this reason, TI also offers the associated DP83TD510E-EVM evaluation module plus a companion DP83822I media converter board to provide 10BASE-TX Standard Ethernet support and enable bit-error-rate testing, interoperability testing, and compliance testing (Figure 7a and 7b). The module is powered by a 5-to-36 V power supply or through a microUSB cable and is supported by a 43-page User’s Guide.

Conclusion While it may seem that more and faster are better, the reality is that less is actually more for some applications. A better fit with other application priorities — and in many cases, “good enough” is adequate while “more” is excessive.

Single-Pair Ethernet (SPE), as defined

by IEEE 802.3cg is a lower-cost, lighter, easier-to-deploy version of standard Ethernet with speeds that are sufficient for IIoT and other applications, while its longer reach is also a major advantage.

DW

AUTOMATION

CHEMICAL

MATERIAL HANDLING

EVENT, THEATER & LIGHTING

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

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To see references and resources, find this article in two parts on ConnectorTips.com.

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TRAYCONTROL 550 TPE

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TRAYCONTROL 550 TPE is a flexible, oil-resistant control and power cable. The special combination of TC-ER, PLTC-ER and ITC-ER allows this cable to be used as a connecting cable for AC, DC or control wiring in accordance with NFPA 79. this cable is approved for open, unprotected installation in cable trays to the machine. Its outstanding oil resistance (Oil Res I/II) guarantees a long service life for industrial applications in dry, damp and wet environments.

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How do you specify cord grips?

Remke Industries

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Cord grips are used to pass a cord or cable into an enclosure, through a bulkhead or into a control device like a switch. They are used in industrial and commercial settings to control arc of bend or prevent a cable from being pulled out of a system. They also prevent cable damage and failure by providing strain-relief, vibration protection, and a liquid- and dust-tight seal while also preventing the cable from being pulled out of its installation.

They seal an electrical connection from dirt, oil, moisture, dust and other contaminants and thus can be used in both dry and wet applications. Some common applications include motors, pumps, machine tools, processing and material handling.

Although standard products are available, many cord grip designs are custom. To specify a cord grip, consider the following selection criteria: • Size — including outside diameter of the cable (to ensure a tight fit), whether single or multiple terminations are required, and size of knockout or threaded opening • Thread type — NPT, Pg or ISO Metric • Style and attachments — either straight, 45° or 90 degree style and whether wire mesh is required for attachment to prevent pull-out from the enclosure • Materials of construction — usually driven by the application Standard cord grip materials of construction include: • Aluminum: The most common material of construction, aluminum offers excellent machinability, durability and performance.

• Nickel-Plated Aluminum: Provides a lightweight and lower cost alternative to higher-priced stainless steel. Ideal for applications requiring exceptional corrosion and wear resistance • Nylon: Grips made from nylon are lightweight yet durable for use in marine, high-moisture and corrosive environments.

• Steel: Offering better tensile strength than aluminum, steel grips are usually zinc-chromium plated for enhanced rust-resistance.

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• Valox: This material provides superior corrosionresistance and is suitable for use in FDA washdown environments. However, it is expensive and offered in limited sizes.

• Stainless Steel: These designs feature exceptional tensile strength and durability in severely corrosive environments but can be costly.

• Diecast Zinc: Not commonly used, this is best for residential and commercial applications but not recommended for industrial.

Most cord grips come with the following standard options: • Wire mesh • Multiple hole bushings • Tapered or straight threads • Internal or external conduit threads • VitonR, BunaN, Silicone or and Neoprene grommet materials • Locknuts • O-rings • Slit bushings • Ability to accommodate either round or flat cable Understanding all these options will keep your cord or cable safe and secure within its proper system orientation. DW

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A Supplement to Design World - December 2020 www.therobotreport.com

2020:

The robotics year in review page 118

INSIDE:

• Top 10 robotics stories of 2020 ....................120 • 3 robotics applications accelerated by COVID-19 ...........................................................126 • Top 10 transactions in robotics in 2020 .......132

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The Robot Report

2020 a year of robotics

Editor’s note:

growth but many challenges

Autonomous vehicles and supply chain automation kept advancing.

Eugene Demaitre and Steve Crowe | Editors, The Robot Report

“May you live in interesting times,” goes the old saying. Change has been a constant for robotics developers, but never more so than this past year. From growth in existing sectors to macroeconomic challenges, not to mention a global pandemic and a contentious U.S. election, engineers and businesspeople have been forced to pay attention to the world outside their laboratories and boardrooms.

All of these challenges have also provided opportunities for robotics. In this year’s-end issue of The Robot Report, we’ll look back at robotics trends, triumphs, and failures. What do you care about?

We’ll review some of our most popular articles of the past year.

We’ve been honored to serve at The Robot Report, which is part of WTWH Media’s robotics network. This includes sibling sites Robotics Business Review and Collaborative Robotics Trends, as well as numerous events, webinars, and a weekly podcast to keep you informed. We hope to be able to return to in-person conferences in 2021!

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This past year, manufacturing slowed, but disinfection robots, legged systems, and supply chain automation of all kinds boomed. Factories around the world used a total of 2.7 million robots, an increase of 12%, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). By comparison, service robot sales -- including supply chain and healthcare robots -- are catching up, increasing 32% worldwide, said the IFR.

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Self-driving cars and trucks led in 2020 investments. | Waymo What do shifts in consumer and work habits mean for automation? China was the first country in the world to suffer from the novel coronavirus and one of the first to begin recovering -- how does that affect manufacturing demand and robotics development?

Waymo, Cruise, Tesla, and others have raised billions of dollars in the past year or so -- how come so much money is flowing into autonomous vehicles, when fully self-driving passenger cars are likely still years away? We’ll examine these and other megatrends.

We’ll also peer into our crystal ball and make a few predictions about 2021. We think robotics innovators, investors, suppliers, integrators, and end users will still need to watch out for new regulations, emerging applications, and business pitfalls. Fortunately, there is help in the global community.

ROS 2, BVLOS drone deliveries, workforce retraining, and ongoing efforts to refine and apply machine vision and motion control are just some of the areas to follow in 2021. We look forward to sharing what we learn with you, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us with your own robotics news and insights! RR

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Service robot sales have been growing steadily worldwide. | IFR

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The Robot Report

Top 10 robotics stories of 2020 Steve Crowe | Editor, The Robot Report

2020 has been a year unlike any other. If the COVID-19 pandemic wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough, several other world-shi ing events dominated headlines, including wildfires, an impeachment trial, a racial justice movement, and an unprecedented U.S. election.

While most people are understandably eager to turn the page and hit the ground running in 2021, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to recap the past year in robotics. Of all that happened, much could have been overlooked.

Since we discuss COVID-19 elsewhere in this report, we excluded it as a top story, although it was a factor in several of the following news items. Here are the 10 most popular non-COVID stories covered by The Robot Report in 2020.

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1 Hyundai reportedly in talks to acquire Boston Dynamics 2020 was, perhaps, the most crucial year for Boston Dynamics since it spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1992. It commercialized its first robot in June, selling its Spot quadruped to U.S.-based customers for $74,500. The company has since expanded sales internationally and reportedly sold 400-plus robots and generated more than $30 million in revenue in just five months.

Despite this traction, Bloomberg reported that So Bank Group is in talks to sell Boston Dynamics to automotive giant Hyundai for upwards of $1 billion.

So Bank itself acquired Boston Dynamics in 2017 om Google for an undisclosed price. If the deal were to go through, it would be the third owner for Boston Dynamics in seven years.

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Perseverance, NASA’s fifth robotic rover, is part of the Mars 2020 Mission and is expected to land on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021. | NASA

iRobot had hoped to jumpstart the U.S. robot lawn care market with Terra. However, it shelved the product due to COVID-19 . | iRobot

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Waltham, Mass.-based Boston Dynamics has historically operated as a research and development organization since it was founded. But a new emphasis on commercialization was evident after the SoftBank acquisition.

In April 2019, Boston Dynamics acquired Kinema Systems, a Californiabased startup that used machine vision and deep learning to help robots manipulate boxes.

Naysayers may claim that there is no market for legged robots or that Boston Dynamics has been too slow to commercialize. Others, like myself, argue that commercializing a quadruped of this ability is a major challenge and a milestone. It will take time to make significant market inroads.

SoftBank also shifted its investment strategy recently after being crushed by several poor investments, highlighted by WeWork’s failed initial public offering.

In addition, SoftBank has been going through big changes with new leadership, and sources told The Robot Report that several champions of the Boston Dynamics acquisition are no longer at SoftBank.

Another potential sale shouldn’t reflect poorly on Boston Dynamics.

This is largely being driven by changes at SoftBank. For Boston Dynamics, it’s another case of being owned by the wrong company at the wrong time.

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Bossa Nova’s shelf-scanning robots use multiple 3D cameras to capture the details of a shelf in real time. In January, Walmart planned to expand the use of the robots to 1,000 stores. However, it abruptly ended the contract in November. | Bossa Nova

2 Moxie social robot is designed to help children learn Even before COVID-19 changed learning environments around the world, parents, teachers, and therapists struggled to give enough attention to children with special needs.

In April, Embodied launched Moxie, a social robot designed to help children with cognitive development. Moxie uses machine learning and the SocialX platform to perceive and interact.

Social and therapeutic robotics companies have struggled in recent years, but Embodied has claimed that it is taking a different approach. Led by co-founder and CEO Paolo Pirjanian, former chief technology officer of iRobot, Embodied is hoping to reinvent how interaction with a robot is done beyond simple verbal commands to a more fluid social interaction including natural conversation, body language, emotive voice, and facial expressions.

Moxie provides play-based learning that is paced to weekly themes and missions with content designed to promote social, emotional, and cognitive learning. Moxie launched with special pricing of $1,699. At press time, its website said, “Due to overwhelming demand, we have sold out of reservations for our launch shipment.”

www.therobotreport.com

3 Self-driving truck startup Starsky Robotics shuts down It wasn’t a surprise Starsky Robotics closed its doors in March. What was surprising was how its co-founder and CEO, Stefan Seltz-Axmacher, reacted. He said timing, more than anything, led to the company’s demise.

“Our approach, I still believe, was the right one, but the space was too overwhelmed with the unmet promise of AI to focus on a practical solution,” he said. “As those breakthroughs failed to appear, the downpour of investor interest became a drizzle. It also didn’t help that last year’s tech IPOs took a lot of energy out of the tech industry, and that trucking has been in a recession for 18 or so months.”

As 2020 comes to a close, investments in autonomous vehicles remain strong.

In October alone, autonomous vehicle companies raised more than $364 million.

Nevertheless, Seltz-Axmacher discussed the challenges facing autonomous vehicle companies. He said the biggest challenge is “supervised machine learning doesn’t live up to the hype. It isn’t actual artificial intelligence akin to C-3PO; it’s a sophisticated pattern-matching tool.”

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4 Mars Rover heads to space The launch of the Mars 2020 mission in July not only marked the latest efforts in humanity’s search for extraterrestrial life, it also represented advances in robotics.

The mission includes the Perseverance Rover, the fifth robotic rover the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has sent to Mars. The rover, which features a 7-ft. robotic arm, is designed to take multiple soil samples, seal them in containers, and deposit them on the surface of Mars so that a future mission can return them to Earth.

A drone helicopter called Ingenuity is attached to the rover. The main goal is to test the ability of drones to fly on Mars, which isn’t easy. The atmosphere is extremely thin, roughly comparable to the conditions on Earth at an altitude of 30 km (18.64 mi.). The drone has flown in a simulated test environment, but whether it will lift off on Mars remains to be seen. maxon SpaceLab’s Robin Phillips told The Robot Report that the drone should be viewed “as being the modern equivalent of the Sojourner rover.”

Perseverance is expected to land on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021.

5 Nuro R2 autonomous delivery vehicle sets milestones In February, Nuro became the first autonomous vehicle developer to be given exemptions by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for testing on public roads without the need to have controls for human operators.

In April, Nuro received a second permit, this time granted by the state of California, allowing it to test its second-generation test platform, the Nuro R2, on certain public roads of nine cities within Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

Although more autonomous vehicle companies are now testing robotic delivery of goods instead of people, Nuro was early to this application and is being rewarded for it. In November, Nuro closed a $500 million Series C round, bringing its total funding raised to date to nearly $1.5 billion.

Nuro has partnered with brands such as CVS, Walmart, Domino’s, and Kroger.

The R2 is the first vehicle to operate fully autonomously on public roads in three different states -- California, Texas, and Arizona -- with no drivers, no occupants, and no chase cars.

6 Anki develops security robots before shutdown In a perfect example of how difficult the consumer robotics business is, Anki shut down in 2019 after it raised more than $200 million and had $325 million in revenue since it was founded in 2010.

Edtech startup Digital Dream Labs acquired Anki’s IP in late 2019, and some of Anki’s products could be on shelves again in time for the holiday season.

The Robot Report learned that prior to shutting down, Anki was developing two versions of Bingo, a security robot with a German shepherd-inspired design. There was a small consumer version called Mini Bingo for home-security applications and a more robust, rugged version

Anki was developing Mini Bingo, a home security robot, before it closed its doors. | Digital Dream Labs

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The Robot Report for commercial and military security applications.

The consumer version was designed to roam around the house, go to recharge its battery, and then continue its patrol.

If something was out of place, it would send you an alert. It would even bark like a real dog. Think of the Mini Bingo as a robotic guard dog. The larger model was about four-feet tall and had capabilities including thermal imaging, room scanning, mapping, facial recognition, and more.

Digital Dream Labs told The Robot Report it likely won’t pursue Bingo or Mini Bingo, especially since the larger version seems like “hardcore DARPA stuff.” The products also don’t align with Anki’s original vision, showing how a oncepromising consumer robotics company lost its way.

7 Walmart ends partnership with Bossa Nova Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, in early November abruptly ended its five-year partnership with Bossa Nova Robotics, a developer of autonomous mobile robots for taking shelf inventory.

This was a significant reversal from plans announced in January to expand deployments of the robots from 500 to 1,000 stores.

Walmart “found different, sometimes simpler solutions that proved just as useful, said people familiar with the situation,” according to The Wall Street Journal. With fewer people shopping inside Walmart stores due to COVID-19, these solutions included using more human employees for inventory monitoring.

According to a source, the robots’ performance and changes in Walmart leadership were other factors. Walmart executives were concerned about how the robots affected the customer experience and about the ability to scale the technology to other stores, both in the U.S. and internationally.

Unfortunately, this is a cautionary tale of what can happen when working with major corporations. Bossa Nova put all of its eggs into the Walmart basket and had to lay off about 50% of its staff. The company has pivoted its business twice since being founded; let’s see if it can do it again.

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Walmart continues to explore how robotics can enhance its business.

Its Sam’s Club subsidiary is bringing Tennant’s floor-scrubbing robots to its 599 stores. It is also exploring how these robots could also perform inventory monitoring.

In addition, Walmart recently announced a partnership with Cruise to test autonomous vehicle delivery in Scottsdale, Ariz.

8 Former coal miners become robot techs Robots are mistakenly too often viewed as a threat to the future of human jobs.

But not at the eKentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute (eKAMI), which is using robotics to provide former coal miners with a second chance and a brighter future.

Started in 2017, eKAMI is helping former coal miners switch careers to mobile robot technicians. The program includes instruction in both technical and soft skills Students train on the latest stateof-the-art CNC equipment, learning to program, set up, and operate machines that produce parts for various industries, including military and defense, robotics, aerospace, medical, and electronics.

AutoGuide Mobile Robots, a Massachusetts-based developer of autonomous mobile robots, has hired 25-plus eKAMI graduates.

Later in 2020, eKAMI partnered with READY Robotics to train students how to program multiple types of robotic arms. eKAMI is a great example of the workforce development programs that are desperately needed to prepare U.S. workers for the future.

9 Analyst looks at Chinese robotics China’s industrial automation and robotics market demonstrated significant strengths in 2020, according to international consultant Georg Stieler.

But immature firms and trade conflicts with the U.S. still pose challenges.

Industrial robots were among China’s industries that performed better in the second quarter than in the same period of the previous year. Based on the evaluation of the sales figures of the 20 leading domestic and foreign manufacturers of industrial robots in www.therobotreport.com

China, the market grew by 3.8% from the beginning of April to the end of June.

Other segments with robust growth were automated guided vehicles (AGVs, +17%) and collaborative robots (+9%). They particularly benefited from resuming projects that had been halted during the outbreak.

Sales of traditional multi-axis robots (-10%) and handling technology (-6%) continued to decline in the second quarter, mainly due to the persistently weak demand from the automotive sector.

At the present time, China can be seen as a bright spot in the global robotics market.

10 iRobot pauses lawn mower development iRobot delayed the launch of its longawaited Terra robot lawn mower. It made the announcement in April, putting the blame on COVID-19.

In its Q1 2020 earnings call in April, iRobot said it “suspended our go-to-market plans associated with our Terra robot mower. Although we believe there is substantial long-term opportunity in the robot lawn care market, our decision to take our foot off the gas for Terra was based largely on the likelihood of significant delays to our 2020 commercial plans for Terra caused by COVID-19 combined with the overall intensity of ongoing technology investment that would be required over the coming quarters to continue advancing the product. It is simply the wrong time to launch this product.”

Later in the year, during its Q3 earnings call, iRobot said, “Our go-tomarket plans to enter the robot mower market with Terra will remain on hold for the foreseeable future. To the extent we restart our efforts in this area, we will do so in stealth mode and will not be providing updates on a quarterly basis.”

There has been talk of an iRobot robot lawn mower since at least 2006, but the Roomba-like Terra was officially unveiled in January 2019. The U.S. robot lawn mower market is way behind other countries, including many in Europe, which the Associated Press reports has a $300 million robot lawn mower industry.

RR

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robotics applications accelerated by COVID-19

From healthcare and retail to manufacturing, the world will never be the same.

Eugene Demaitre | Senior Editor, The Robot Report

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has dominated 2020, affecting daily lives and every industry around the world. Early in the year, it aggravated a manufacturing slowdown that was the result of both expected economic cycles and trade tensions between China and the U.S. At the same time, the novel coronavirus has accelerated demand for robotics in supply chain and healthcare applications. Robotics suppliers switched om citing labor shortages to the need for social distancing as a rationale for adopting automation.

Even as governments grapple with subsequent waves of infection, there are early signs of recovery in some regions and in the automotive sector. As of the time of writing this article, a few vaccine trials have

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been promising, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too soon to say when most businesses, schools, and travel venues will reopen. In the meantime, here are the top five ways in which the robotic industry has responded to COVID-19.

Disinfection and cleaning One of the most obvious applications for robotics in response to the pandemic is to disinfect hospital rooms and other spaces with ultraviolet radiation

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The public is increasingly accepting of delivery robots like this one. | Nuro

or chemical sprays. However, both developers and users should be aware of limitations.

UV-C light is effective at killing pathogens in the air or on surfaces, but it can be hazardous to humans and degrade certain plastics. Radiation exposure is one reason why it is better to send in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mobile robot into an area to work.

In the Philippines, Robotic Activations apologized after a demonstration of its Keno robot caused eye irritation among as many as 10 observers. Disinfection robots need to detect when humans are nearby and shut down for safety.

Simply putting UV lights on a mobile robot base is not enough to guarantee effective or safe disinfection, noted Claus Risager, co-founder and CEO of Blue Ocean Robotics, which spun out of UVD Robots.

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“So many people are trying to copy the UVD robots,” he told The Robot Report. “It’s unbelievable how fast that came. There’s more to our product than putting light bulbs on a robot. We’ve done clinical design and long-term testing for all kinds of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, as well as time of exposure, angles, shadowing effects, and reflections.”

It’s also worth noting that the companies that were developing UV-C robots before the COVID-19 crisis -- UVD Robots and Xenex Disinfection Services LLC -- are among the market leaders, despite a host of imitators and research projects. UVD Robots’ system is on its third generation and is available through partners worldwide.

At midyear, new disinfection robots were announced every week. Some came from

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The Robot Report Third-generation UVD disinfection robot in a hospital room. | UVD Robots

established mobile robot providers, such as Lavender from Geekplus Technology Co., the SmartGuardUV from Fetch Robotics Inc., or the LD UVC from Omron Corp. and Techmetics Robotics.

Other systems from cleaning robot providers rely on sprays, mists, or a combination of chemicals and UV-C. These include the CIRQ+CLEAN from CIRQ+, Nimbus from Life Sciences Holdings Inc., and the Large Area Autonomous Disinfecting vehicle from Pratt Miller Mobility.

Both types must address the time needed to properly disinfect a certain space, the “shadowing” effect depending on angles and occlusions, and the endurance needed to treat multiple rooms or large areas like an airport lounge. Like UV, some chemical disinfectants pose a risk to people.

“UV robots are scary,” said Faizan Sheikh, co-founder and CEO of Avidbots.

“We are paying close attention to safety, and we’re active in the IEC [International Electrotechnical Commission] for safety.

Some sprays are safer for humans -sodium- or solvent-based, [and] we need to do analysis of this.”

In addition, some companies, such as Perpetual Motion, are developing drones to disinfect large areas, and Clearpath Robotics is among those working to treat outdoor spaces. Exyn Technologies conducted a study that found that

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unmanned aerial vehicles might not yet be a practical method of disinfection.

“The time and power required to ensure mission completion would not be an efficient solution to sanitize large areas at this time,” said Exyn. “To be an effective solution for large areas, further advancement is needed in the underlying UV-C LED technology so that effective sanitization could be achieved on the order of seconds rather than minutes.”

Stationary systems inside heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) infrastructure are another possible alternative for airborne viruses.

Remote diagnosis and treatment Healthcare workers, from nurses and surgeons to therapists, are already on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. Robots, drones, and artificial intelligence offer some help to providers who were already shorthanded before the pandemic. They can aid with screening entrants to facilities, contact tracing, and telemedicine.

In March, Draganfly Inc. said it was working with Vital Intelligence Inc. and the University of South Australia to develop drone-based detection of health metrics including heart and respiratory rates. The company also worked with the police department in Westport, Conn.

In August, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Massachusetts www.therobotreport.com

Institute of Technology used a Spot quadruped from Boston Dynamics to remotely obtain patients’ vital signs.

In September, Teledyne DALSA announced the Calibir GX thermal cameras to detect elevated skin temperatures.

Food-service organizations are also turning to robots and sensors.

CaliBurger, which has been testing Miso Robotics’ Flippy frying robot, also added facial recognition, thermal sensing, and contactless ordering at a recently renovated restaurant in Florida.

On the treatment side, social robots offer a more constant companion than busy clinical staffers, and telepresence and wearable systems can aid human therapists.

For example, Expper Technologies’ Robin robot is designed to work with children being treated for chronic conditions.

Many millennials would accept emerging technologies including telemedicine, robot-assisted surgery, and autonomous vehicles for the health and well-being of their children, found the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in a study released last month.

Another example is Energid Technologies Corp.’s work on remote diagnosis.

“Energid Technologies worked with THE ROBOT REPORT

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Dr. Jeff Soble and Sarah Doherty, cofounders of startup Telehealth Robotics, to develop a system for medical kiosks, where patients could go to a local kiosk to get a carotid ultrasound performed by a remote technician,â&#x20AC;? said Neil Tardella, CEO of Energid.

The cutting edge of teleoperation, literally, is remote surgery, which organizations such as Corindus Vascular Robotics have been pioneering. This is aided by increasing levels of autonomy, which ees remote surgeons for higherlevel cognitive tasks, as well as 5G bandwidth for fast and accurate imaging and controls.

Social distancing in industry Social robots have also been pressed into duty during the pandemic, as suppliers of such robots look for more commercial viability. Robovie reminds shoppers to maintain social distancing in Japan, while

The Spot quadruped robot at Brigham and Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital. | Boston Dynamics

Agilo Kim talks to restaurant diners in South Korea.

Social distancing is equally important on the factory or warehouse floor, leading to more interest in telepresence and teleoperation.

Vendors of collaborative robot

arms such as Universal Robots A/S and autonomous mobile robots like Mobile Industrial Robots ApS have said that their flexible automation can help businesses remain productive while spacing out staffers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The days where factories are filled with tightly packed workers are likely

Supply chain automation booms during pandemic Several executives have told The Robot Report that the pandemic accelerated an existing shi om brick-and-mortar retail to e-commerce, particularly for consumer packaged goods and groceries. Growth expected over the next three to five years occurred over the past six months, they said.

In the first few months of the year, supply chains were strained by the demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks, and they are now gearing up for the distribution of potential vaccines. Hospital supply chains are subject to shi ing demands like those in retail.

The need to respond to such demands has led to expectations of growth in robotics for pick-and-place, materials handling, and delivery applications. Vendors of mobile robots, automated storage and retrieval systems, and last-mile delivery vehicles in the air and on the ground have been bullish.

For instance, insightSlice predicts that the global market for delivery drones and robots will grow om $10 billion in 2019 to $38 billion by 2030.

In an April survey, Interactions LLC found increasing consumer comfort with robots for healthcare, retail, and delivery. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Online grocery and general merchandise orders need robotics to keep up with demand, velocity, and quality,â&#x20AC;? said Steve Hornyak, chief commercial officer at Fabric Ltd. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Then, to get products closer to customers and get to the one-day norm that Amazon has driven, you need microfulfillment centers rather than big warehouses at the edge of cities.â&#x20AC;?

At the same time, the rapid growth in e-commerce order fulfillment should be kept in perspective. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking at e-commerce numbers picking up to 20% of retail this year,â&#x20AC;? said Guy Courtin, head of global alliances at mobile robot provider 6 River Systems Inc. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we talk to our parent company Shopi , it has

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seen six to seven years of growth in the past several months.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;But we should remember that 75% to 80% of retail is still in store, and as restrictions have loosened, we can see some of that returning,â&#x20AC;? he said.

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The Robot Report coming to an end, and industries must determine how to reduce human density without the commensurate reduction in productivity,” Tardella said. “Advanced software that allows robots to work in close proximity to one another can bring productivity levels back up to human level.”

In September, the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing, or ARM Institute, announced nine projects that will receive a total of about $8 million to help U.S. industry respond to the pandemic. They include an autonomous disinfection robot for warehouses, the use of 3D printing and robotics to make PPE, and swarm robotics for building large structures.

Whenever COVID-19 is finally defeated, people will return to factories, restaurants, hospitals, and schools.

However, increasing autonomy and

Collaborative robots can help manufacturers with social distancing. | Universal Robots

awareness of the potential of robotics will likely mean a continued expansion of adoption for applications involving collaboration, remote monitoring, and rapid response to healthcare or market conditions. RR

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The Robot Report

Top 10 transactions in robotics in 2020 Autonomous vehicles leave other applications in the dust.

Eugene Demaitre | Senior Editor, The Robot Report

Self-driving cars and trucks, as well as sensors, artificial intelligence, and other enabling technologies, rode off with 2020â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest investments in robotics and automation. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic affected automotive demand and manufacturing, vehicle startups continued to draw more funding than industrial automation, aerial drones, or healthcare systems.

The Robot Report has tracked more than 360 transactions worth a total of $19 billion in 2020 to date, compared with 384 worth about $45.8 billion in 2019. The pandemic can be blamed for the decline, but note that only seven companies announced shutdowns this year.

There were 56 robotics mergers and acquisitions in 2020, compared with 86 in 2019. The total number of investments was closer, with 366 fundings as of

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late November, compared with 384 in the prior year.

While subtotals werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t yet available as of press time, other noteworthy areas of automation receiving funding in 2020 included agricultural systems, components such as sensors and grippers, mobile robots for supply chains, and service robots for tasks such as customer service or food preparation.

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Autonomous vehicle developer Waymo raised more than $3 billion in 2020. | Waymo

Nuro is testing mobile robots for transporting goods rather than people. | Nuro

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MicroPort MedBot and Robocath have a joint venture around vascular robots. | Robocath

Here are the top 10 robotics transactions of the past year: 10 FLIR raises funding for defense imaging In July 2020, FLIR Systems Inc. offered $494 million in notes. The Arlington, Va.-based company makes thermal imaging sensors for mobile platforms such as robots and drones, as well as for handheld and stationary use. It serves military and industrial applications.

In 2019, FLIR marked consolidation in the defense systems market with its acquisitions of Aeryon Labs, Endeavor Robotics, and tethered drone maker Aria Insights, formerly known as CyPhy Works.

9 Nuro obtains Series C for delivery robots In November, Nuro raised $500 million in Series C funding, bringing its valuation to $5 billion. What makes Nuro different from other autonomous vehicle companies is that it has developed its R2 purely for transporting goods rather than people.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company has received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to test vehicles without the conventional features of passenger cars, such as side mirrors or a steering wheel.

In April, Nuro was one of the first two companies (along with Waymo) to get permission to conduct driverless testing in California. The company had previously raised $840 million in early 2019.

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8 SoftBank invests in Didi Chuxing driverless unit Chinese ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing’s autonomous driving subsidiary brought in its first external funding in May. SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2 led the $500 million round.

Didi has developed what it claimed is the first electric car designed specifically for ride-hailing services. It is working with AutoX and AutoNavi on robotaxis in Shanghai.

The company hopes to have 1 million vehicles with basic autonomous driving capabilities by 2025, said Cheng Wei, CEO of Didi Chuxing.

7 MicroPort MedBot sews up funding for laparoscopic robot MicroPort MedBot said in September that it would receive $512 million in three tranches led by Hillhouse Capital. It is the surgical robotics unit of Shanghai-based medical device maker MicroPort.

“MedBot has gradually formed a product portfolio of 3D electronic laparoscopy, [a] laparoscopic surgical robot, and [an] orthopedic surgical robot providing intelligent surgical solutions,” stated Martin Sun, chairman of MicroPort MedBot. In October, the company announced a joint venture with France-based Robocath to develop and distribute vascular robotics in China.

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6 Tesla borrows money for Shanghai factory Tesla Inc., whose electric vehicles include the Autopilot driver-assistance software and rely on cameras rather than lidar or a combination of sensors, took out a loan of $565 million in May. Palo Alto, Calif.-based Tesla said it plans to use the funds from Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. to build a production plant in Shanghai, its first outside the U.S. In October, Tesla announced the limited rollout of its “full self-driving beta” release.

5 Pony.ai rides off with $729M Toyota Motor Corp. participated in Pony. ai Inc.’s $462 million round in February.

Fremont, Calif.-based Pony.ai, which is working toward SAE Level 4 autonomy, also raised $267 million in Series C funding in November. The company is now valued at more than $5.3 billion.

“We will give full play to the technical and product advantages in vehicle design and manufacturing, V2X [vehicle-toeverything communications], to mobility as a service,” Pony.ai said. “We will engage in pre-installation mass production and business operations models while strengthening collaboration to accelerate the development and implementation of autonomous driving technology.”

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The Robot Report 4 Amazon buys Zoox for $1.2B Amazon.com Inc. reportedly accelerated its investment in autonomous vehicles by buying Zoox Inc. for $1 billion in June. Amazon had previously funded companies such as Rivian and Aurora Innovation Inc. Foster City, Calif.-based Zoox has been developing an autonomous ridehailing vehicle from the ground up, plus an “end-to-end autonomy software stack.”

3 Alibaba acquires China Smart Logistics Network One of the biggest reported transactions of 2020 was Alibaba Group Holding’s acquisition of Fosun International’s 6.7% stake in China Smart Logistics Network, which does business as Cainiao. The June deal was worth about $1.3 billion, raising Cainiao’s valuation to $20 billion.

Cainiao provides autonomous mobile robots to warehouses to meet spikes in e-commerce demand around holidays such as Singles Day. Alibaba is a rival to Amazon and JD.com.

2 Xpeng Motors has U.S. IPO In August, Xiaopeng Motors Technology Co., also known as Xpeng, announced that it had increased its U.S. initial public offering to $1.5 billion. The Guanghzhou, China-based electric vehicle maker said it plans to use the financing to expand research and development.

In November, Xpeng said it will be introducing autonomous vehicle hardware and software in 2021 production models.

“Introducing lidar technology into production vehicles is a breakthrough in popularizing autonomous driving, and an endorsement of our in-house R&D process,” said He Xiaopeng, chairman and CEO of Xpeng.

1 Waymo picks up $3B in two deals Self-driving car leader Waymo LLC had a good year, raising $2.25 billion in its first external funding round in March 2020. It then raised $750 million in May. After it and other companies paused testing in March, Waymo has expanded its robotaxi service in Phoenix, Ariz., and it is scaling up production.

There is a small herd of so-called unicorns chasing autonomous vehicles. In addition to Waymo and other businesses on this list, Cruise LLC raised $1.15 billion and Uber closed on $1 billion in 2019. Waymo and Nuro were both recognized with 2020 RBR50 innovation awards by Robotics Business Review, a sibiling site to The Robot Report.

Waymo has also partnered with Daimler on Level 4 self-driving trucks, run the Waymo Open Dataset Challenge, and logged 6.1 million miles in Arizona with no accidents that resulted in injuries.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company claimed the lowest rate of disengagements, or safety driver interventions, in 2019. While there is debate over whether that is a good metric for self-driving car progress, that number and Waymo’s funding rounds leave no doubt about its goals.

Several robotics developers have complained that all the funding flowing to driverless vehicle research has stiffened competition for qualified developers for other areas of robotics, but the advancements in perception, navigation, and cognition could help them.

For more ongoing coverage of transactions in robot, autonomous vehicles, and more, follow The Robot Report’s articles, podcast, and print publications. RR

Alibaba’s logistics unit uses Cainiao’s mobile robots. | Alibaba Groups

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Three adjacent technology transactions In addition to the fundings and acquisitions that The Robot Report reported in 2020, there were a number of other noteworthy transactions in technologies closely related to robotics. For instance, NVIDIA Corp. acquired processor maker Arm Ltd. om So Bank Group for $40 billion.

NVIDIA’s graphics processing units (GPUs) already power gaming computers, robots, and self-driving cars. So Bank has been a major technology investor but has had some financial difficulties lately.

Arm will help NVIDIA in its pursuit of artificial intelligence dominance.

Santa Clara, Calif.-based NVIDIA said it plans to build an AI supercomputer and a research and development center near Arm’s headquarters in Cambridge, U.K. “In the years ahead, trillions of computers running AI will create a new Internet of things that is thousands of times larger than today’s Internet of people,” stated Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “Uniting NVIDIA’s AI computing capabilities with the vast ecosystem of Arm’s CPU, we can advance computing om the cloud, smartphones, PCs, self-driving cars, and robotics to edge IoT and expand AI computing to every corner of the globe.”

Medtronic moves to challenge Intuitive Surgical Another big deal of the past year was Medtronic PLC’s $7.3 billion notes offering. The company, which has offices in Minneapolis and Dublin, Ireland, is a major medical device producer, and robot-assisted surgery is only part of its portfolio.

In May, the company announced new CEO Geoff Martha. It has also made several AI-related acquisitions and is working on bringing the Hugo surgical robot to market.

In addition, Medtronic is collaborating with Titan Medical Inc. on development of the Sport single-port surgical robot. Both hope to challenge Intuitive Surgical Inc.’s da Vinci system.

| Source: NVIDIA

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Stryker buys Wright Medical The third multibillion-dollar deal of the past year in robotadjacent technologies was Stryker Corp.’s $2.3 billion offering for Wright Medical Group NV. The acquisition was announced in May and completed in November.

As with Medtronic, Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Stryker makes more than surgical robots, but Wright’s so ware expertise are expected to complement Stryker’s offerings. Wright has offices in Memphis, Tenn., and Stainesupon-Thames, U.K. “This acquisition enhances our global market position in trauma and extremities, providing significant opportunities to advance innovation and reach more patients,” said Kevin Lobo, chairman and CEO of Stryker.

To obtain approval om the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Stryker divested some assets to Colfax. Last year, Stryker also acquired Mobius Imaging and Cardan Robotics for $500 million and Orthospace for $220 million.

These 2019 healthcare deals were surpassed only by Smith & Nephew’s $660 million purchase of Osiris Therapeutics, Siemens’ $1.1 billion acquisition of Corindus Vascular Robotics, and Johnson & Johnson’s $3.4 billion acquisition of Auris Health.

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Single-phase compressor soft starters Carlo Gavazzi GavazziOnline.com The RSBS Series is a compact, single-phase soft-starter.

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Product World Linear position sensors Alliance Sensors Group alliancesensors.com The LV-45 series of inductive, contactless, linear position sensors uses LVIT Technology and are specifically designed for measuring applications requiring rugged devices. Whether measuring the position of steam turbine valves, mounted in a paper mill head box, or a calendar roll stand, the LV-45 series was designed after identifying engineers’ wants and needs in the industrial world. LV-45 Series linear position sensors can withstand the high vibration and severe shock environment found in steel, aluminum, and paper mills, as well as extremes of temperature and humidity found in most outdoor applications.

Features: • Operating temp range -40 to 85C • Ranges from (4 to 18-in.) 100-450 mm with various analog outputs • Double shaft seals to keep dirt and grime out of the bore • ½-20 UNF externally threaded core rod- the core is captivated, so it can’t come out • Axial or radial connector or cable terminations • SenSet range adjustability • 1.75-in. (44.5 mm) outer diameter body with 5 mm wall thickness

Loop panel meters AutomationDirect automationdirect.com The ProSense LPM1 series of loop panel meters offers a simple, low cost, digital display of an analog 4-20mA signal. Models are available for mounting in a standard 1/8 DIN size panel cut-out with minimal installation depth and models provided in an aluminum enclosure for field mounting as a remote display for process instrumentation transmitters. The meter is powered from the mA loop and requires no external power supply.

Three front-panel operating keys scale the 5-digit LCD display into any engineering units from -19999 to 99999 with a selectable decimal point location. A bar graph display indicates the relative position of the input signal within the scaled range of the meter, and the LPM1 can be operated with backlighting to improve readability in dark areas.

All models are cULus listed, and one model additionally is cCSAus certified for hazardous locations. All models are CE marked and feature IP65-rated meter faces. Enclosed LPM1 models have an improved rating of IP66/67 NEMA 4X.

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12V DC 16 I/O CPUs added to PLC

IIoT ready controllers WAGO wago.us

IDEC FC6A.IDEC.com

The 750-8210 PLC expands the WAGO line of PFC200 Generation 2 controllers.

The 750-8210 includes four configurable Ethernet ports, SD card slot and is

Many applications require 12V DC power. Smaller smart relays may support too few I/O points and lack enough

IIoT-ready.

Each of the four 10/100 Ethernet ports can be individually configured

programmability, while more full-featured PLCs are too expensive

with up to four IP addresses with a common MAC address or set up as group

and don’t provide the necessary I/O voltages. The 16 I/O FC6A

combinations. These ports support MODBUS TCP/UDP and Ethernet/IP and other

All-in-One CPUs with 12V DC offer the right balance, enabling

protocols such as EtherCAT and Sparkplug with additional licenses.

these PLCs to handle over 100 I/O points in an economical and expandable form factor.

Features:

Still included are all of the standard FC6A All-in-One

• High-speed Cortex A8 1 GHz processor

features users have come to rely on: Ethernet, USB, and serial

• 512 MB Ram with 4 GB internal flash memory

connectivity; SD memory slot; replaceable battery; HMI module;

• SD card slot extending the memory up to 32 GB or can be used to back up and

up to three I/O expansion modules with removable terminal

restore controller’s applications and firmware

blocks; other digital and analog expansion modules available; and

• Linux-based and can run applications with Docker Containers

easy expansion of communication ports.

• State-of-the-art security and integrated firewall

The rugged form factor can withstand the -25 to 65°C operating temperatures and Class I Div 2 environments found at the types of remote conditions where these PLCs are often installed. Users can configure and monitor the PLC using the WindEdit app for iOS and Android over Bluetooth and Ethernet.

The popular Modbus TCP and RTU industrial protocols are builtin, as are data logging and web server functions.

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Make Parts Fast Supplement

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robotics year 2020: The in review page 118

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