• Engineered Performance for Reliable 24/7 Operation
• Servo-Rated for Reversing, Positioning & Precision
LS Electric XMC Motion Controller
Starting at: $779.00 (XMC-E08A)
XMC for Xact motion control - XMC controllers utilize the EtherCAT high-performance protocol which is specifically designed for real-time communication and deterministic data exchange, making it ideal for precise motion control applications.
XMC for Xtensive automation - Not only can XMC controllers handle numerous EtherCAT devices, they also support G-code, M-code, and programming specific to robot control including Delta3, Delta3R, Linear Delta, and more.
The LS Electric XMC motion controller has numerous state-of-the-art features built into its compact brickstyle design. These controllers are optimized for advanced motion control, are available in 8- or 16-axis models, and offer a variety of high-tech capabilities for a price that can’t be beat! Research, price, buy at: www.automationdirect.com/motion-control
XMC for EtherCAT Xpansion - XMC controllers feature full EtherCAT Master capabilities, meaning they can communicate with and/or control any EtherCAT device including EtherCAT I/O, encoders, AC drives, etc.
XMC for blazing fast Xecution - The XMC controllers offer extremely fast processing capabilities, with a scan time of 6.25 ns for basic commands, 5ns for motion commands, and 30ns for arithmetic commands. EtherCAT-based highspeed communication cycle times are 0.5/1/2/4ms.
XMC for Xtreme value - The XMC controller provides both highly advanced motion control with EtherCAT communication and built-in PLC functionality for a price well below the competition. By using the powerful XMC controller for your next motion control application, you could save thousands on hardware costs alone, not to mention the FREE software and support!
4 AXIS SERVO
What will manufacturing look like this year?
Although it may seem to some that manufacturing rarely changes these days, being a relatively mature fixture of American life, there are definite fits and starts. Over the past few decades, we’ve seen globalization, trade deals like NAFTA, offshoring, reshoring, supply chain crunches, local-for-local manufacturing, and other political and demographic shifts change the way manufacturing has operated in the United States.
With the incoming administration’s penchant for tariffs, are we poised to see another evolution of manufacturing in America? I posted this question recently, and the responses were interesting. Some of the insights included:
• The ability to respond to supply chain issues will be a key differentiator between manufacturers. Will individual companies be able to apply what they learned from tariffs in 2018 or from the pandemic in 2020?
• Some industries may be hit differently by new tariffs. For example, companies that work in medical devices or aerospace aren’t able to pivot quickly to new suppliers, due to the intense regulations that govern those industries.
• Will upper management at manufacturing companies continue to be reactive and not proactive? Corporate plans sometimes incentivize management bonuses and overall profits in a way that doesn’t jive well with smarter, long-term (yearslong) solutions.
• How will the phase-out of ICE vehicles be handled or extended? Current U.S. government plans are for government vehicles
to move toward greener options, with “100% zero-emission vehicle acquisitions by 2035, including 100% zero-emission light-duty vehicle acquisitions by 2027” under Executive Order 14057. It wouldn’t be surprising for the new administration to change this policy, but will it be simply thrown out, extended further into the future, or revised?
• AI will likely not replace multitudes of industrial jobs, but it will play more of a role in increasing automation. That said, humans are still needed to be in the loop. Adoption of more AI will likely be a gradual thing.
It will also be interesting to watch how the new tariffs actually are implemented. No matter where you are on the political spectrum, it’s important to remember that few things politicians promise ever become reality in that exact same way. Tariffs may be implemented in a phased way, on specific products first, and to a lesser degree than initially promised. Plus, other factors, such as tax incentives and reforms, may affect domestic manufacturers in ways that we can’t quite predict yet.
For anyone who thinks of manufacturing as a tired, unchanging industry, 2025 may have other ideas up its sleeve. DW
The TRUTH About COMPRESSED AIR!
Compare These Blowoffs
There are a variety of ways to dry, clean or cool products and surfaces, but which method is best? To decide, we ran a comparison test on the same application using four different blowoff methods: drilled pipe, flat air nozzles, Super Air Knife (each using compressed air as a power source), and a blower supplied air knife (using an electric motor as a power source). Each system consisted of two twelve inch long blowoff options.
The following comparison proves that the EXAIR Super Air Knife is the best choice for your blowoff, cooling or drying application.
The goal for each of the blowoff choices was to use the least amount of air possible to get the job done (lowest energy and noise level). The compressed air pressure required was 60 PSIG. The blower used had a ten horsepower motor and was a centrifugal type blower at 18,000 RPM. The table below summarizes the overall performance.
Facts about Blowers
Energy conscious plants might think a blower to be a better choice due to its slightly lower electrical consumption compared to a compressor. In reality, a blower is an expensive capital expenditure that requires frequent downtime and costly maintenance of filters, belts and bearings.
If you think compressed air is too expensive and noisy - read this. The facts will surprise you!
Drilled Pipe This common blowoff is very inexpensive and easy to make. For this test, we used (2) drilled pipes, each with (25) 1/16" diameter holes on 1/2" centers. The drilled pipe performed poorly. The initial cost of the drilled pipe is overshadowed by its high energy use. The holes are easily blocked and the noise level is excessive. Velocity across the entire length was very inconsistent with spikes of air and numerous dead spots.
Flat Air Nozzles This inexpensive air nozzle was the worst performer. It is available in plastic, aluminum and stainless steel from several manufacturers. The flat air nozzle provides some entrainment, but suffers from many of the same problems as the drilled pipe. Operating cost and noise level are high. For some flat air nozzles the holes can be blocked - an OSHA violation. Velocity was inconsistent with spikes of air.
Blower Air Knife The blower proved to be an expensive, noisy option. As noted below, the purchase price is high. Operating cost was considerably lower than the drilled pipe and flat air nozzle, but was comparable to EXAIR’s Super Air Knife. The large blower with its two 3" (8cm) diameter hoses requires significant mounting space. Noise level was high at 90 dBA. There was no option for cycling it on and off to conserve energy. Costly bearing and filter maintenance along with downtime were also negative factors.
EXAIR Super Air Knife The Super Air Knife did an exceptional job of removing moisture on one pass due to the uniformity of the laminar airflow. The sound level was very low. For this application, energy use was slightly higher than the blower but can be less than the blower if cycling on and off is possible. Safe operation is not an issue since the Super Air Knife can not be dead-ended. Maintenance costs are low with no moving parts to wear out.
Here are some important facts:
Filters must be replaced every one to three months. Belts must be replaced every three to six months.
Typical bearing replacement is at least once a year at a cost near $1000.
• Blower bearings wear out quickly due to the high speeds (17-20,000 RPM) required to generate effective airflows.
• Poorly designed seals that allow dirt and moisture infiltration and environments above 125°F decrease the one year bearing life.
• Many bearings can not be replaced in the field, resulting in downtime to send the assembly back to the manufacturer.
Blowers take up a lot of space and often produce sound levels that exceed OSHA noise level exposure requirements. Air volume and velocity are often difficult to control since mechanical adjustments are required.
Blowoff Comparison
The Super Air Knife is the low cost way to blowoff, dry, clean and cool.
RECOGNIZING FIRMS THAT ARE DRIVING INNOVATION AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Realtime communications hit the big time
Smart manufacturing, battery production, and the packaging industry all benefit from realtime and deterministic communications.
Electroadhesive brakes provide stopping power for linear motion systems
How paper-thin electroadhesive linear brakes can unlock significant power and weight savings in new and legacy linear motion systems.
Let’s dig into these fundamental components and survey the many available types, including recent advances.
igus Inc. exhibited at MINExpo this past September for the first time, using the event to promote its newer lines of heavy-duty bearings for use in heavy equipment like excavators, cranes, and other machinery used in rugged environments.
the basics of capacitors are evolving Go big with heavy-duty bearings, zero lubrication for large machinery The benefits of unitized sealing products in hydraulic cylinders
Unitized sealing solutions feature over-molding and precision machining to eliminate challenges inherent in standard piston and gland designs.
EDITORIAL
VP, Editorial Director Paul J. Heney pheney@wtwhmedia.com
Digital Production Specialist Elise Ondak eondak@wtwhmedia.com
WEB DEVELOPMENT
Web Development Manager B. David Miyares dmiyares@wtwhmedia.com
GEARBOXES
Articulated Robot
Joints and 7th Axis
Zero-Backlash Robotic Flange Gearboxes and Helical Rack and Pinion Systems, customized to your application
AMR/AGV
Wheel Drive
Standard or Custom gearboxes for precise positioning
GML-F Coaxial Wheel Drive
Planetary gearing inline design. Includes mount designed for your motor
Cartesian System
GSL Strain Wave
Zero-blacklash gearbox with a compact design
Build your own with Linear Mount Products designed to simplify the process of designing and building a Cartesian system. Everything Between the Motor and the Actuator
Hollow Output Gearboxes
Inline or Right Angle, include custom adapter to mount to any linear actuator
7th Axis/Robot Transfer: Dyna Series + Helical Rack & Pinion Designed for
Distance Coupling Connect actuators without additional external bearings
GAM offers a full range of robotic and servo gearboxes, along with rack & pinion, couplings, and linear mount products for motion control and robotic applications. With our broad product offerings in the gearbox market, as well as the in-house engineering design experts and manufacturing capabilities to develop customized solutions, we can help with your application. GAM Can.
FROM RULAND
LARGE BORE DISC COUPLINGS
• Bore sizes up to 1-3/4” and 45mm
• Torque up to 1150 in-lbs (130 Nm)
• Reduced vibration due to a balanced design
• Double disc for increased misalignment
LARGE BORE BELLOWS COUPLINGS
• Bore sizes up to 1-3/4” and 45mm
• Torque up to 1300 in-lbs (152 Nm)
• Reduced vibration due to a balanced design
• Highest torsional stiffness
SHAFT COLLARS WITH FACE HOLES
• Maximum mounting flexibility with drilled holes
• Most secure mounting connection with thread- ed holes
• Bore sizes from 3/8”-2” and 10-50mm
• Carefully made by Ruland in aluminum, steel, and stainless steel
WHAT’S
INCH-METRIC RIGID COUPLINGS
• Widest selection of standard inch-tometric bores with or without keyways
• Supplied with proprietary Nypatch® anti-vibration hardware
• One-piece style for easy installation
• Two-piece style with a balanced design
Making connections in tough environments
Connectors must meet diverse requirements, ensuring stable and reliable connections in extreme conditions, such as freezing temperatures and exposure to dirt and dust. They must combine high electrical performance with durability and resilience to address these challenges.
binder recently introduced a new generation of molded M16 connectors for harsh conditions and demanding environments. The circular connectors are designed for applications ranging from heavy-duty machinery, such as construction cranes and excavators, to precision-driven laboratory equipment. The previous M16 included many existing parts from field-wireable connectors, not all of which were ideal for the molded version. The company redesigned the product to use a modular system, enabling many common parts between the unshielded
and shielded variants. The design team paid particular attention to applications in industrial machinery, camera systems, and pressure sensors. These areas require maximum electrical reliability and a robust connector system that functions under difficult operating conditions. For example, crane and excavator applications require fixed plug connections. Particularly in critical moments, such as lifting heavy loads, the connectors must fit securely and quickly.
The new connectors' triangular design makes them easy to handle, even in sub-zero temperatures or when wearing gloves. They also minimize dirt-prone areas and undercuts. The connectors can be mated, unmated, and locked at any time, and they meet special requirements for shock resistance, vibration tolerance, and tightness.
Developing the new molded M16 connectors was particularly challenging, as they had to comply with both the M16 standard (DIN EN 61076-2-106) and the stringent AISG standard (for the 8-pin shielded variant) regarding IP68 sealing and compatibility between different manufacturers. By optimizing the sealing system, the new M16 system resolves compatibility issues that have previously led to insufficient sealing. Additionally, the latest generation of M16 connectors is lead-free, meeting the EU RoHS2 directive 2011/65/EU, including 2015/863/EU. DW
binder • binderusa.com
Design For Industry
POWER TRANSMISSION RETAINING DEVICES & maintenance & assembly tools
Decrease errors with less leads
When selecting motors for food processing applications, machine builders must consider non-corrosive materials, ingress protection, surface smoothness, sealing, temperature resistance, and compliance with food safety standards.
ABB’s Baldor-Reliance Food Safe stainless steel motor product portfolio has a new three-lead electrical connection design for food and beverage processing operations. This new solution integrates with existing 460-V systems and aims to reduce installation time and simplify the setup process. Minimizing the number of leads decreases the risk of connection errors, improving reliability with fewer interruptions. This, in turn, may boost productivity while lowering maintenance costs and reducing downtime. The nine-lead configuration is still available for variable speed drive operation and more complex electrical systems.
This stainless steel product lineup includes 1 to 5 hp, three-phase motors and smooth, crevice-free enclosures with a self-draining design, which prevents food particle buildup and minimizes contamination risks. They include welded feet, a 360° rotatable conduit box, and smooth external drains. All Baldor-Reliance Food Safe motors are built with corrosionresistant stainless steel, providing IP69 ingress protection and withstanding high-pressure, high-temperature washdowns while exceeding rigorous sanitary standards. The design eliminates the need for motor shrouds, offering full 360° access for inspection and cleaning. DW
ABB • www.abb.com
WHITTET-HIGGINS manufactures quality oriented, stocks abundantly and delivers quickly the best quality and largest array of adjustable, heavy thrust bearing, and torque load carrying retaining devices for bearing, power transmission and other industrial assemblies; and specialized tools for their careful assembly.
Visit our website–whittet-higgins.com–to peruse the many possibilities to improve your assemblies. Much technical detail delineated as well as 2D and 3D CAD models for engineering assistance. Call your local or a good distributor.
WHITTET-HIGGINS
BEARLOK SHOELOK BEARLOK Shrink Disc
BEARHUG CLAMPNUT TANGENTLOK
PRECISION NUTS & WASHERS
INCH and METRIC THREADS LEFT HANDED as well as RIGHT -HANDED
Design For Industry
CONNECT TECHNOLOGY WITH CONFIDENCE
New space traffic control will prevent satellite collisions
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Space Commerce (OSC) is developing a Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS) to serve civil, commercial, academic, and national security satellite operators worldwide. Slingshot Aerospace will leverage its space traffic coordination software, Slingshot Beacon, to develop the TraCSS Presentation Layer.
With 86 countries operating over 10,000 active satellites in orbit today and up to 100,000 active satellites expected to be in orbit by 2030, the risk of collisions is growing exponentially. Slingshot data shows that satellite operators experienced a 17% year-over-year rise in conjunctions — close approaches between satellites — in the past year alone. These trends highlight the urgent need for an advanced space traffic coordination system to improve safety and ensure the sustainable use of space.
Harwin’s connector products are proven to perform in extreme conditions, with shock, vibration and temperature range rigorously tested.
WITH OUR QUALITY, SERVICE, SUPPORT, AND HIGHLY RELIABLE PRODUCTS, YOU CAN DEPEND ON HARWIN.
TraCSS is a modern, cloud-based IT system that will provide essential space situational awareness and space traffic coordination services to active satellites in orbit. The Presentation Layer will be the primary interface for surfacing conjunction data messages — warnings of upcoming conjunctions — sometimes requiring satellite operators to coordinate and proactively maneuver their satellites to avoid a potential collision.
OSC was directed to take over traffic coordination responsibilities from the Department of Defense following the issuance of Space Policy Directive 3 (SPD-3) in 2018. TraCSS. gov is expected to be online and ready to support the transition of all commercial users from space-track. org in late 2025. DW
Slingshot Aerospace www.slingshot.space
Material selection drives design
Drive systems for wearable and automatic drug delivery devices are central to patient outcomes, and material specifications are key to delivery precision, device reliability, and comfortable use. Material selection also significantly impacts the industrialization of the drive system. This means turning a concept — a CAD drawing and prototype — into an industrialized product that can be manufactured at scale.
Though each drive and delivery system has specific requirements, all wearable and auto-injectors must be compact and low-weight. Many dc micro motors optimize these characteristics with diameters down to 10 mm. However, the gearbox is often larger, especially when the design is integrated with an output drive mechanism, such as a lead screw or a pump. As a result, the gear system and drive mechanism present the typical opportunity for customization, including material selection.
The drive system must also ensure drug delivery, which depends on the delivery cycle volume and lifetime. For example, plastic such as Ryton polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) or polyamide may be suitable for up to 100 hours, while applications with higher physical demands and lifecycles up to 3,000 hours need more durability. Metal, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or brass, is typically used in these instances. The delivery system must also withstand accidental drops and impacts during day-to-day use. Additionally, treatment efficacy and safety depend on delivery accuracy. For continual frequency, 24/7 pump administration, molded plastic components might be sufficient, whereas for infrequent, low-volume
dosing, metal machined drive components might be necessary to achieve an accuracy of ± 0.5%.
Another critical consideration is minimizing energy use, which requires smaller, lighter battery systems. Devices should also minimize audible noise, especially for longer lifecycles. While metal gears are typically more efficient and achieve lower friction losses, plastic gears are usually quieter, with reduced audible output during meshing.
Material demands can also impact conformance requirements, such as RoHS, REACh, and Conflict Minerals, and meeting manufacturing regulations, such as ISO 13485 (Quality Management System for Medical Devices) and IEC 60601 (Medical Electrical Equipment Safety Standards). Though simulation and prototyping help guide the design, the only way to fully validate material selection for a given design is by testing products from the manufacturing run. Therefore, to reduce costs and time to market, communication among designers, developers, and suppliers is essential throughout the entire design and development process to choose the right materials earlier in the project. DW Portescap www.portescap.com
MEDICAL
• EDITED BY MIKE SANTORA
AI goes deep
AI startup PhysicsX’s release of its latest pre-trained deep physics model is built on high-fidelity data generated with Siemens’ Simcenter simulation software.
Siemens Digital Industries Software recently announced its ongoing collaboration with PhysicsX, a startup leveraging generative AI to enable engineering in advanced industries. PhysicsX is building its latest pre-trained deep physics model for aerodynamics on high-fidelity simulation data generated with the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio.
“AI represents a truly transformative opportunity for the simulation community, and we are exploring its potential at an accelerated rate,” said Jean-Claude Ercolanelli, senior vice president of Simulation and Test Solutions, Siemens Digital Industries Software.
“We are delighted to take our collaboration with Siemens to the next level,” said Robin Tuluie, founder and chairman of PhysicsX. The two companies are working together on fundamental technology to improve the way engineering is practiced.
“The basis for successful AI deployment into engineering hinges on the highest-quality synthetic data, robust integrations between Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) and AI, and building on the trust customers have in our respective technologies.”
Tuluie also said PhysicsX is excited to be building into the opportunity space with Siemens through the release of the company’s latest Large Geometry Model (LGM) for aerodynamics, LGMAero. The LGM is trained on highfidelity data generated with Siemens Xcelerator portfolio tools. PhysicsX is also releasing Ai.rplane, an open-access reference application featuring the LGM-Aero for designing aero solutions.
Large Geometry Model (LGM) release
Much of the promise of AI in industrial applications starts with the dramatic
acceleration that AI can bring to simulation. PhysicsX’s LGM-Aero is trained on a corpus of more than 25 million geometries and associated physics simulation. The training data contains tens of billions of mesh elements and tens of thousands of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations using high-quality Simcenter STAR-CCM+ software and Simcenter Nastran software. It allows users to fine-tune deep learning models for their own applications with as little as a few tens of simulations.
Technology demonstrator goes live PhysicsX has also released Ai.rplane, a free-to-use public-access reference application offering a set of exploratory tools focused on aerodynamics and aircraft structures with unique AI-shape generation. Powered by LGM-Aero, PhysicsX is building its latest pretrained Large Physics Model (LPM) for aerodynamics on high-fidelity simulation data generated with Siemens’ Simcenter simulation software. PhysicsX
PhysicsX has released Ai.rplane, a free-to-use public-access technology demonstrator offering a set of exploratory tools focused on aerodynamics and aircraft structures with unique AI-shape generation – built on training data created using Siemens’ Simcenter Nastran and STAR-CCM+ software. PhysicsX
PhysicsX’s Ai.rplane is the world’s first Large Physics Model (LPM) for flight, a fully trained model that generalizes to a broad set of aeroelastic applications.
PhysicsX
Ai.rplane uses a fully trained model that generalizes to a broad set of aeroelastic applications. LGM-Aero is used as a zero-shot model to infer aero performance, flight stability, and structural stress for any flying shape generated. The application demonstrates the creation of geometry and the assessment of physics performance in less than a second, compared to the several hours required for traditional numerical simulations.
Starting with a basic set of instructions, users can explore the entire generative design space offered by Ai.rplane and then modify or optimize for a desired performance characteristic in seconds. Over time, PhysicsX aims to add new features, including cargo packaging, selection of commercial powertrains, and controls.
Ai.rplane was developed using an extensive set of simulation technologies from Siemens to automate the generation of highquality training data. Both LGM-Aero and Ai.rplane are available on the PhysicsX AI engineering platform.
Siemens Digital Industries Software helps organizations of all sizes digitally transform using software, hardware, and services from the Siemens Xcelerator business platform. Siemens' software and the comprehensive digital twin enable companies to optimize their design, engineering, and manufacturing processes to turn today's ideas into the sustainable products of the future. DW
Siemens • sw.siemens.com/en-US
After passing UL’s Solid Particle Protection and Liquid Ingress Protection Tests per IEC Standard 60529 (Sec. 4.2, 13.4, and 14.2.4), Interpower’s C14 inlet Face Seal Kit as well as its Plug Seal Kit was given an Ingress Protection rating of IP54 per UL’s test report. The IP “4” rating (liquid ingress level) prevents liquids from “splashing” into the terminals causing possible arcing, which could lead to short-circuiting which may damage equipment, or possibly create fires or even electrocution. The plug seal kit offers both front and back side moisture protection.
Toll-Free Phone: (800) 662-2290
E-mail: info@interpower.com
Business Hours:
• BY RACHAEL PASINI
Control the flow without the hassle
Pneumatic angle seat valves control fluid flow in pipelines, such as steam, compressed air systems, water treatment, chemical processing, and food and beverage applications. Compressed air enters the device and moves a piston, which opens or closes the valve. The term “angle seat” refers to the design of the valve’s seat, which is positioned at an angle relative to the flow path. Our sibling publication, Fluid Power World, recently sat down with Dave Harvey, an electrical engineer at Proportion-Air, to learn about the company’s electro-pneumatic angle seat valve. Its Flow Control Valve (FCV) has four distinct sections: the valve, actuator, position sensor, and electronic control. The valve section
Compressed air actuates
Proportion-Air’s FCV to control fluid flow in pipelines. This angle seat valve has a built-in position sensor that sends continuous feedback to the control module.
Proportion-Air
has a replaceable seat and a doubleradial lip seal instead of standard packing. A 1-in. NPT-threaded weep hole above the valve indicates leakage when the seal needs replacement. The actuator includes a piston and spring and needs about 90 lb to overcome the spring force. A linearly variable differential transformer (LVDT) senses the position and provides continuous feedback to the control module.
“It has closed-loop position control and a special geometry on the seat so that as you open at zero to one inch, the flow area, or the Cv rating, changes linearly,” said Harvey. “Since the Cv changes linearly with position, and since we know the Cv, we can calculate flow by measuring the differential pressure
across the valve. Using that with the Cv and the fluid properties, the density, and whatnot of the fluid, you could come up with a fluid flow with a little calculation.”
The valve opens in response to either a 0 to 10 Vdc or 4 to 20 mA fieldselectable command signal originating from the LVDT, proportionally controlling the seat position and, therefore, the size of the opening. It compares the command signal input from a computer or PLC with feedback from the LVDT. The output is linear and directly proportional based on the command signal input. For example, if the valve position is 50% of the full stroke, then the Cv is 50% of the maximum rating.
The FCV has a max Cv of 19, handles pressures up to 250 psi, and provides
In this example, a Proportion-Air FCV controls the deceleration of two cylinders in a press machine force control application. Proportion-Air
a resolution of ±0.3% of a full stroke (where a full stroke equals 1 in.). It is made of 316 stainless steel and offers ±5% linearity. The device features status-indicating LEDs for power and a TTL signal as a conditional on-off signal for diagnostic purposes. When the valve is in position, the TTL is active low (0 Vdc), and the green LED is ON.
To clarify, the FCV is designed as a throttle valve that controls fluid flow by partially opening or closing, not a shutoff valve that stops flow completely when fully closed. Given that it’s a throttle valve, the seat can wear gradually as it contacts the fluid. Engineers should select a seat material compatible with the fluid it is regulating.
“Fluorine-based elastomers have a lot of chemical compatibility. They're pretty resilient against oils and lubricants and different things. We have nitrile elastomers as well,” said Harvey. “We can match the [seat] material to whatever media running through the valve.”
The parabolic seat and radial lip seal can be replaced without disassembling the entire device. Workers can open the valve section with only a wrench to access the components within a few minutes.
“As far as maintenance, it can be serviced in line. You can remove the whole top section to expose the internal
seat, the parabola, and the seat on the stem. All of that is accessible without removing the body from the piping system. It’s definitely an advantage that you don't have to take a whole lot apart to service it,” said Harvey.
Harvey recommends installing a 40-micron filter on the upstream air supply that provides the pneumatic actuation to prevent debris from interfering with the valve seat. Debris can cause a leak, which can cause the valve to work extra hard. It may also affect the valve’s response and decrease its lifetime.
Since the FCV can handle compressed gas or liquid applications, it’s suitable for controlling water for cooling or heating loops, steam for heating, or air for cooling applications. The rugged device can replace traditional process control valves for more precise Cv control.
“Some of those process valves can be very large, very tall, with big domes, even for a 1-in. size. This is a smaller solution to replace something like that, and probably less expensive because you usually have to buy a positioner to work with it to make it functional. Ours has the positioner built in,” said Harvey. DW
No Seriously,
After passing UL’s Solid Particle Protection and Liquid Ingress Protection Tests per IEC Standard 60529 (Sec. 4.2, 13.4, and 14.2.4), Interpower’s C14 inlet Face Seal Kit as well as its Plug Seal Kit was given an Ingress Protection rating of IP54 per UL’s test report. The IP “5” rating (solid particle ingress level), prevents corrosive dust and solid particles from reaching the terminals, which could create loss of electrical continuity and disable machinery. Why not prevent an electrical arc from igniting any number of combustible dusts: metallic, chemical, plastic, carbonaceous, and others?
Visit one of four US locations:
Yates Cylinders, Inc.
Corporate O ce
23050 Industrial Dr. E. St. Clair Shores, MI 48080
Phone: 586.778.7680
sales@yatesind.com
Yates Cylinders Ohio
550 Bellbrook Ave. Xenia, OH 45385
Phone: 513.217.6777
ohsales@yatesind.com
Yates Cylinders Alabama
55 Refreshment Place
Decatur, AL 35601
Phone: 256.351.8081
alsales@yatesind.com
Yates Cylinders Georgia
7750 The Blu s Austell, GA 30168
Phone: 678.355.2240
gasales@yatesind.com
• Hydraulic and Pneumatic
• 1.5” up to 50” bore, with strokes exceeding 300”
• Hydraulic and Pneumatic
• 1.5” up to 50” bore, with strokes exceeding 300”
From Downtime to Uptime in No Time.
Every minute of downtime costs you money. Whether your failed cylinder is U.S. or Metric, we can repair it to original specs (or better) faster than anyone else—guaranteed. With full-service locations in Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio, we couple 50+ years experience with the most complete cylinder repair facilities in North America. In addition to a deep inventory of repair parts and o -the-shelf components, each plant also manufactures new and custom cylinders to your exact specs We are at your service 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. Emergency Cylinder Repair Hotline: (800) 340-6024.
Leadership in Engineering
RECOGNIZING FIRMS THAT ARE DRIVING INNOVATION AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE
When component manufacturers listens to customers’ needs, the resulting designs are often the kind of products that help to accelerate innovation. Engineers want to solve problems, whether with custom or offthe-shelf solutions — but they also want their products to be reliable. After all, no one would build themself an “almost good enough” product ... so why should an average product ever be acceptable for a customer?
Each year, Design World and our sister publications celebrate those outstanding manufacturers that were voted the best in their category by engineers in the field, as well as by industry peers. These companies take great pride in their products and provide stellar customer service.
Once again, this year we’re hosting our Leadership profiles online in digital form, for your convenience. You can find the profiles here: leadership. designworldonline.com. The
products described in these profiles were designed and manufactured for use in many categories, which include advanced materials, digital manufacturing, electrical, fastening and joining, fluid power, mechanical, mechatronics, motion control, networks, software, switches, and test and measurement.
The last handful of years have proven to be a fascinating time for all businesses, including manufacturers. We’ve seen supply chain issues brought on by the worldwide pandemic, along with a shortage of qualified workers and the strong reshoring trends in many industries. And technology like artificial intelligence and 3D printing continue to allow the manufacturing world to continue to innovate and reinvent itself. Engineers always prove to be a resilient bunch!
These companies represent the best and brightest, and they reflect the continued vision, integrity, and creativity
of their design (and manufacturing) engineers. I think the most noteworthy aspect of this recognition is that you, our readers, are able to select the winning engineers and companies with the votes you cast throughout the year. I urge you to go to leadership.designworldonline. com and vote for the outstanding leaders in our industry during 2025. DW
PAUL J. HENEY • VP, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
SCAN THE QR CODE TO VOTE FOR THE OUTSTANDING LEADERS IN OUR INDUSTRY IN 2025
Rotor Clip Wave Springs are engineered to save space and weight by reducing spring heights up to 50%. Our experienced engineering team is ready to assist you in specifying a standard spring or developing a custom design in the material and size you require. From prototype to production, we'll provide you with the perfect spring solution for your application.
Coil Spring
Rotor Clip Wave Spring
Realtime and deterministic communications based on Ethernet have become essential to modernday discrete automation. Now, all major industrial network protocols either have intrinsic realtime determinism or have incorporated time-sensitive networking or TSN.
In short, TSN prioritizes and schedules data to arrive precisely sans delay — a core capability for the proper operation of precision robotics and the motion-control systems of automated
equipment. TSN renders standard Ethernet deterministic at the so-called Layer 2 Open Systems Interconnection Data Link reference model. That in turn lets multiple traffic types share a given network — a key trait of equipment and operations to satisfy digital transformation (DX) objectives.
Putting CC-Link in context
The open protocol known as Control and Communication Link — CC-Link — is a leading global standard to connect
Smart manufacturing, battery production, and the packaging industry all benefit from realtime and deterministic communications.
devices in manufacturing settings. It’s designed to enable deterministic communication between industrial controllers, robots, and multi-axis machinery.
CC-Link IE TSN combines CC-Link’s reliability with the realtime features of TSN to handle standard Ethernet traffic and realtime control data on one network. With TSN, the exact time data needs to travel the network as well as any delays (latency) and traveltime variations (jitter) are fully defined,
managed, and minimized. This allows use of CC-Link IE TSN in even the most sophisticated machine applications.
Time-sensitive networking in smart manufacturing
Digital manufacturing, also called smart manufacturing, has spurred the convergence of software and cloud computing for traditional machining, additive manufacturing, and injection molding. The use of digital twins has become an integral part of new product design, manufacturing process planning and improvement, predictive maintenance, RFQ/RFP, and capacityutilization analysis.
Digital twins often simulate physical processes. When engineers make changes on these digital twins before implementing changes on physical processes, they can identify potential bottlenecks or limitations that may be encountered — in turn reducing production losses and the degradation of quality.
Digital twins rely on extensive real-world machine data to create machine models. Choosing more capable industrial communications — for example, those based on Gigabit Ethernet with TSN — essentially boosts the collection of data. That in turn leads to more accurate and complete simulations.
Time-sensitive networking in battery production
North American EV battery production has benefitted from governmental efforts to increase U.S and Canadian competitiveness. Now automation systems are being used in new ways for this specialized market.
Especially for the U.S. automotive industry, batteries are an important part of the overall EV value chain. The closer these batteries can be created to the end use (automotive manufacturing) the better for supply chain management and productquality risk management.
While the machines used for actual production are typically supplied by international sources, their purchase and integration into American manufacturing operations must be fast and simple. Challenging is how these machines are very complex in design and operation and include a significant focus on motion control — especially for winding tasks. Such tasks require high-performance motion coordination.
Leading technology in this area is one automation-component supplier’s CC-Link IE TSN protocol that connects controllers and servo amplifiers with nsec responsiveness. The result is an advanced lithium-ion battery (LiB) production machine that can deliver high performance, flexibility, and sensor and camera connectivity to improve overall throughput.
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Palletizers in the packaging industry can leverage TSN to adapt to changing conditions in realtime.
Time-sensitive networking in the packaging industry
The packaging industry has undergone a slow revolution in recent decades, and has been influenced by the machine designs of certain OEM vendors. Today, molding workcells, printing machines, cartoning equipment, case-packers, and palletizers have become smart machines. Here, Ethernet with TSN has enabled the coexistence of OT and IT communications on the same backbone, simplifying architectures and reducing costs. In this context, smart means these machines are capable of data collection, machine diagnostics, high-quality performance monitoring, and precision control. Of course, all these capabilities necessitate increased data access, improved sensors, and more flexible technologies capable of prompting operation step-changes. Ethernet with TSN as a machinery communications backbone and TSN-supporting vendors have made scheduled and prioritized communications on Gigabit Ethernet possible to support these smart functions. DW
The ability to address the effects of electrical noise with TSN simplifies certain aspects of control-panel design. Canva
Specify a Bodine Gearmotor in your Design
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As a design engineer you have a lot on your to-do list. With more than 1500 stock models to choose from, and an infinite number of custom modifications possible, the engineers at Bodine Electric can help you select a gearmotor that checks all your boxes. Which might just give you that extra time you need to get back to the gym.
How paper-thin electroadhesive linear brakes can unlock significant power and weight savings in new and legacy linear motion systems.
Linear motion systems must pack all the right features and components in increasingly compact designs. Brake technologies are a critical part of this puzzle, providing load holding, emergency stopping and other safety capabilities in the event of power failures. But traditional brake technologies like friction, electromagnetic and spring brakes are far too bulky and power-hungry to support the latest advancements in compact linear motion systems.
Tackling these challenges head-on is electroadhesive brake technology, which uses static voltage fields to keep components stationary. Using a design consisting of electrostatic “webs,” these innovative, 0.015-in. thick components deliver compact, lightweight braking with minimal power requirements, unlocking many benefits in both new and legacy machine designs.
Electrostatic adhesion 101
The static voltage fields in electroadhesive technology are
generated by proprietary electrostatic webs, which are layered devices consisting of a carrier structure, electrode and dielectric friction surface material. These webs of paper-thin ceramic composite materials feature extremely high capacitance, enabling them to take advantage of electrostatic forces.
Pairs of these electrostatic webs can function as brakes, clutches and torque limiters in motion applications when one web is installed on the moving components and the other is installed on the stationary components. Without an applied voltage, the two webs can freely move past each other. But when voltage is applied, the two webs adhere via electrostatic forces. Essentially, this process “glues” the two surfaces together with the toggle of a switch. Removing the voltage allows the two surfaces to move freely past each other once again.
Brakes designed with electroadhesive technology are suitable for a wide range of linear motion applications. Keep
Kirby Witte VP of Engineering ESTAT Actuation
in mind, however, that due to their extremely thin dimensions, these brakes don’t have much mass to dissipate heat, lowering the brake’s lifespan if used in dissipative brake applications.
The benefits of ultra-slim linear brakes
For linear motion systems that require extremely compact and efficient components, ESTAT’s UltraSlim Linear brakes are a good fit. One of the brake’s most prominent features is its 0.015in. thickness, supporting installation in the most cramped environments and unlocking new machine designs. At the same time, the brake easily integrates into existing machines, avoiding costly redesign.
These paper-thin electroadhesive brakes have a number of advantages: Simple installation: A pressuresensitive adhesive on the back side of both the mover and stator facilitates installation. To install each brake half, simply peel the wax paper covering the adhesive and stick the brake to the
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The benefits of the MONORAIL AMS System
The MONORAIL AMS offers precision and accuracy across various applications. Designed for space efficiency, it integrates the measuring system into the carriage and guideway, simplifying the installation process while saving time and labor costs.
For flexibility and compatibility, MONORAIL AMS is compatible with all control interfaces. And, the system is available in absolute signal and both analog and digital incremental output versions.
While a single rail piece has a maximum length of six meters, multiple rails can be combined to meet large-scale applications. The AMS Long was specifically developed for these applications by reading position over butt-joined rails.
SCHNEEBERGER profile guideways offer enhanced durability because both the ball monorail and roller monorail feature larger contact area — increasing load capacity and life while reducing wear and friction.
Because SCHNEEBERGER’s AMS system magnetic encoder is sensitive to EMI from brakes nearby, ESTAT’s brakes are a perfect match. The magnetic transparency of ESTAT brakes eliminates the risk of signal interference and allows them to be mounted adjacent to the rail and carriage-mounted encoder.
And while ESTAT’s brakes are easy to install, it is still essential to manage the gap between the brake’s stationary and moving element.
SCHNEEBERGER machines its rail systems to micron-level precision and ensures accurate gap management to eliminate tolerance concerns.
A cross section of a linear brake shows the layered structure of the electrostatic web.
surface of the actuator. Although the brake is flexible enough for peel-andstick installation, it’s also extremely hard and durable to provide excellent brake performance.
Lightweight designs: Compared to electroadhesive brakes, traditional brake technologies are much heavier and introduce a lot of inertia that must be overcome. To achieve the required motion profiles, many linear motion systems will incorporate larger motors to accommodate the brake’s weight. Because the electroadhesive brake is so light, its weight is insignificant and does not require bigger motor specification.
Low power and zero magnetic interference: By relying on electrostatic adhesion, the brake consumes a negligible amount of power and supports highly energy-efficient machine designs. Additionally, the electroadhesive brakes are magnetically transparent. They will not electromagnetically interfere with sensors or actuators and are unaffected by the electromagnetic interference (EMI) of other devices. Magnetic transparency allows these brakes to be installed directly next to magnetic sensors. This feature also makes electroadhesive brakes uniquely suited for medical applications — even allowing their use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines.
Single driver for multiple brakes: All electroadhesive brakes require a brake driver to operate, and a single brake driver can run several brakes simultaneously. Depending on the design, the brake requires 300 to 500 V provided through ESTAT’s brake driver. The driver can receive 4.5 to 24.5 V per power input. At maximum, a driver consumes 3.4 W and will consume less than 0.05 W most of the time.
Fast response and silent operation: These brakes are also silent during operation and offer extremely fast response times under 30 msec.
Fine-tuned performance: Electroadhesive technology is highly tunable. By raising or lowering the input voltage to the brake, one can easily increase or decrease the braking force. This capability is especially useful in applications in which the brake may be used as a mechanical fuse to decouple the drive if shock loads exceed acceptable limits. This protects expensive harmonic drives and other components from damage.
Flexible configurations: Electroadhesive linear brakes are available in multiple configurations to meet installation weight and scale requirements. The first configuration is the least costly and features a single brake with a wire that runs to the mover. Applications that need minimal
moving weight may require the next configuration consisting of a single brake and wireless mover. Additional configurations consist of multiple brakes running off of one brake driver.
Specifying an electroadhesive brake
The process of designing a motion system with an electroadhesive brake is fairly similar to working with conventional technologies. First and foremost, reserve brake selection until after the motion profiles have been specified as well as the rails, carriages, motors and control systems. Because an electroadhesive brake has negligible power requirements and such low weight, implementing this technology rarely leads to iterative design.
Electroadhesive brakes provide a braking force of 1 N/cm2 of unit area of overlap between the static
and dynamic layer. Some key considerations for specifying these brakes include:
• Mounting space
• How to extend the brake area, if necessary
• Number of required voltage drivers
• Power requirements
• Control requirements
After specifying the brake, draft the wiring diagram that depicts how to ground the system and incorporate limit switches and emergency stops. Then, install the motion system.
Easy system integration
To demonstrate how easy electroadhesive brakes integrate with common linear motion systems, ESTAT partnered with SCHNEEBERGER to design a demonstration system. This
UltraSlim Linear brakes support multiple configurations.
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This diagram shows the demonstration system built by ESTAT. It features a central controller from Copley Controls, the XEC servo drive, a MONORAIL AMS on a linear rail system from SCHNEEBERGER, and a Tecnotion ironless linear motor. An electroadhesive brake with driver from ESTAT is also shown as well as limit switches.
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motion system consisted of two SCHNEEBERGER linear rails, four carriages and the integrated Absolute Measuring System (AMS) for distance measurement. Tecnotion provided an ironless linear motor, and Copley Controls provided a XEC-23015 servo drive.
The XEC drive was a good choice for the demonstration because it meets modern standards for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and safe torque off (STO). It also has expanded network and feedback capabilities. In new machine designs especially, selecting drives with these safety features goes a long way toward reducing costs and requirements for additional components in order to meet evolving safety standards.
This demonstration system shows the ease with which ESTAT’s electroadhesive brake technology integrates with standard linear motion components like guide rails, stages, motors and controllers.
“The UltraSlim Linear brake is extremely easy to install,” adds Dean Crumlish, Product Manager and Senior Applications Engineer at Copley Controls. “From a controls perspective, we treat it like we would any other brake. It’s very useful for direct drive motor applications that require tunable friction control and don’t feature a shaft.”
While UltraSlim linear brakes are applicable to any linear motion system, they are especially a natural fit for vertical linear motors. Even if a motor has an integrated brake, it may not meet the requirements of an emergency stopping brake and disengage during power failure. External brakes are installed in these applications to provide safety, but traditional brake technologies introduce vibrations and add weight to the entire system. The UltraSlim Linear offers an alternative solution that doesn’t contribute to bulk or weight challenges and enables features like STO in vertical applications. DW
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Ceramic capacitors are becoming increasingly popular in consumer electronics, automotive, and 5G wireless devices.
Let’s dig into these fundamental components and survey the many available types, including recent advances.
Eduardo
Drehmer Film Capacitor Director of Marketing TDK Electronics
Electronics
advantage of this phenomenon by using a capacitor as an insulator. A capacitor in an ac circuit does not experience this phenomenon; it does not block any current but can play an important role when combined with an inductor.
This is how filtering is accomplished, as impedance is a function of frequency. Combining a capacitor with an inductor creates the ability to offer different impedances through different frequencies. Common examples are low pass filters (LPF), which pass low-frequency but not high-frequency signals, and high pass filters (HPF), which do the opposite.
Every IC needs a capacitor at ground to shield it from noise. Another prominent example of how capacitors are used at the micro level is the dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). DRAMs incorporate vast arrays
Multi-layer ceramic capacitors are small, surfacemounted, and reliable, offering a wide range of capacitance and voltage for diverse applications. TDK
of capacitors, each of which, at any given moment, might hold a charge or not. The system interprets the presence or lack of a charge as a 1 or 0. In this manner, each capacitor represents one bit of data.
Capacitors from the inside out
Manufacturers of capacitors can use different materials and different constructions in various combinations to produce capacitors that vary in capacitance, voltage and temperature range, reliability, dissipation loss, and cost.
Capacitors are characterized in multiple ways, making part selection complicated, if not confusing. They can be sorted by the materials used to build them, their construction, or whether they are electrolytic or nonelectrolytic.
When it comes to materials, some capacitors are defined by their dielectrics, such as ceramic and paper, while others are defined by the materials used as electrodes, such as aluminum, tantalum, and niobium.
Capacitors can be formulated into almost any shape when necessary. Standard parts tend to be either round
capacitors or, increasingly, multi-layer chip capacitors (MLCCs). MLCCs are generally smaller than disk capacitors that have similar performance characteristics.
Non-electrolytic device types tend to be bigger but have lower losses and generally exhibit greater parameter stability (non-electrolytic capacitors are also described as electrostatic). Electrolytic capacitors tend to have high capacitance per unit volume; they are usually less expensive, but their performance characteristics can be unstable. They can have relatively high losses vis-a-vis non-electrolytic capacitors, but both types — nonelectrolytic and electrolytic — will have relatively low losses compared to other components, such as inductors. These categories and categorizations are not mutually exclusive. For example, MLCCs can be made of a variety of different ceramic dielectrics with different electrical and thermal characteristics.
MLCCs
An MLCC is essentially a stack of capacitors encapsulated in a single package. Because of this construction
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and the lack of external leads, they are generally smaller, surface-mounted devices.
MLCCs come in a range of standard sizes, and their capacitance depends on the choice of dielectric, overall device size, and the rated voltage. These components can be manufactured across particularly wide ranges of
capacitance and voltage, wider than most other types of capacitors. Capacitance, for example, can range from a few picofarads to over 100 µF. These ranges cover a wide variety of applications.
MLCCs, in particular, can be manufactured relatively easily and inexpensively. They tend to be durable
WHEN PRECISION MATTERS.
As shown in this table, each capacitor type is suitable for different applications, yet there is overlap despite characteristic differences.
TDK
and reliable. All these factors contribute to the increasing popularity of this category of capacitors.
Class I and Class II MLCCs
There is a further distinction among MLCCs. MLCCs are categorized as either Class I or Class II. Class I capacitors are constructed with ceramics largely insensitive to temperature changes and dc bias. This class of MLCCs is also referred to as temperature compensating.
The ceramics used in Class I MLCCs tend to lead to low capacitance values but more than make up for that with nearly perfect capacitance stability. This makes them highly suitable for applications in which frequency control is critical; examples include radio and television tuners.
The ceramics used in Class II capacitors include a family of materials based on barium titanate. On the one hand, these ceramics are sensitive to temperature and dc bias, but on the other, they allow for larger capacitance values in the small surface mount packages.
High-resonant MLCCs
A newer version of the MLCC is the high-power resonance capacitor. These provide magnetic resonance critical in wireless power transfer. A high-accuracy resonance circuit with high withstand voltage is required for a quick and efficient wireless transfer of a large
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amount of power. EV charging systems are examples of an application where this is required.
A 1,000-V high-power resonance MLCC will have an ESR half of a 630-V MLCC. This allows a designer to use many fewer resonance capacitors necessary in circuit design.
Aluminum electrolytic capacitors
Aluminum electrolytic capacitors tend to offer relatively high capacitance per volume and are relatively inexpensive, which makes them attractive. However, they are perceived as having relatively high losses and poor stability.
These capacitors have aluminum electrodes subjected to an electrochemical process that increases surface roughness and creates an oxidized layer that functions as a dielectric. The two aluminum electrodes (electrode and anode) are separated by paper soaked with an electrolyte.
Electrolytes containing ethylene glycol or boric acid are one option. Others include organics such as dimethylformamide (DMF), γ-butyrolactone (GBL), and dimethylacetamide (DMA). The different electrolytes perform better across different temperature ranges. Solutions with this set of electrolytes usually have low water content.
Then there are aqueous electrolytes that can be up to 70% water. These capacitors have excellent conductivity and a low equivalent series resistance (ESR). When first introduced a couple of decades ago, some manufacturers needed to perfect their manufacturing processes, but today this class of capacitors is as reliable as any other.
Film capacitors
Film capacitors have the largest size (low capacitance density) of the previously mentioned technologies. However, because they offer very stable characteristics and a higher degree of safety, they are frequently chosen for applications characterized by higher power (high voltage and high capacitance) levels.
These capacitors use polypropylene, polyester, or other polymers as dielectrics. The plastic films are coated by a conductive layer (metals such as aluminum and zinc are used) and offer singular characteristics such as self-healing after exposure to surge voltages. This is the main reason why this technology is used on “safety capacitors.”
Comparing capacitor types
Different types of capacitors have several characteristics that set them apart. In terms of capacitance and voltage, MLCCs can go up to only about 100 µF but can go up to 10 kV. Aluminum electrolytic capacitors can go up to several farads but are good up to only about 650 V. Film caps feature
voltages up to 3 kV (or more in case of special series connected assemblies) but normally are very bulky when compared to other technologies.
These different sets of materials, constructions, and performance characteristics make different capacitors suitable for different applications (or functions). However, with so many options within each category, there will inevitably be some overlap. Aluminum electrolytics, for example, are useful for smoothing, buffering, and dc links. MLCCs are good for EMI suppression, buffering, and coupling.
Sales in the trillions
Trillions of capacitors are sold every year. The sales of ceramic versions, particularly MLCCs, are accelerating. This
is partly because manufacturers have been gradually improving the efficiency of these components.
As a result, they are becoming increasingly popular in several major markets, including consumer electronics, automotive, and 5G wireless. A significant emerging market opportunity is artificial intelligence (AI) because of the much higher power demand for such servers. With their dynamic use cases and types, the global need for capacitors isn’t slowing down anytime soon. DW
TDK • tdk.com
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The igutex series plain bearings offer a robust and wear-resistant alternative that is corrosion-free and resistant to dirt.
Gobig with heavy-duty bearings, zero lubrication for large machinery
Among the robust new offerings igus featured at the show was its iglide TX1 heavy-duty bearing rated for up to 29,008 psi static and 20,305 psi dynamic. This bearing, for pivoting applications under extreme loads, offers high rigidity and durability, especially under high radial loads during pivoting operations. Its closed-loop wound
igus Inc. exhibited at MINExpo this past September for the first time, using the event to promote its newer lines of heavy-duty bearings for use in heavy equipment like excavators, cranes, and other machinery used in rugged environments.
structure, provides dimensional stability even when there are major jolts and impacts.
For example, Sebastien Bloechl, head of product management, dry-tech bearing technology, said that these durable bearings can take up to 2 million lb of load. “If you talk about the bucket of the big excavators, that's a huge load.
They ram it in the ground, and that's a big shock load,” he said. “Anywhere there’s a hinge point, these can be used.”
Earlier this year, igus launched its fiber composite bearings from the igutex series. Designed for onshore cranes, they offer a robust and wearresistant alternative that is corrosion-free
Mary C. Gannon • Senior Editor
K- and L-Coding
Voltage & Power supply
Compact design
Currents up to 16 A
igus
and resistant to dirt. Key here is that these plain bearings, made of highperformance plastic, eliminate the need for lubrication, resulting in significant cost savings. With the annual cost of lubrication alone across all industries reaching $240 billion and associated maintenance costs exceeding $200 billion, the benefits of this technology are clear. Self-lubricating plain bearing technology not only reduces maintenance costs but also conserves personnel resources amidst a shortage of skilled labor, and enhances the service life of cranes, thereby increasing port productivity.
To demonstrate this, igus also exhibited its lubrication-free technology, showing how lubrication can cause serious contamination and messes.
“This is one of the biggest highlights this year. We worked with a university to
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“When you apply the grease, you use a grease gun to push the grease in and it’s a huge mess. Every eight hours, somebody’s coming in to grease it, so another $200 billion in the world is being spent on just applying the grease,” Bloechl said.
better understand lubrication and what the costs mean in the world. Everybody is used to lubrication,” Bloechl said.
When you apply the grease, you use a grease gun to push the grease in and it’s a huge mess. “Every eight hours, somebody's coming in to grease it, so another $200 billion in the world is being spent on just applying the grease. Then a huge amount, like $750 billion, is being spent on insufficient application,” Bloechl said. “If you miss a greasing cycle, the bearing is not protected by the grease anymore, so the metal bearing would eat into the shaft, which leads to downtime.”
The lubricant also attracts dirt and dust, which also can damage the bearing shaft. “Zero-lubrication just makes sense in these dirty environments,” Bloechl said.
The igutex composite plain bearings are produced using a two-stage winding process. Initially, an inner layer of filament fabric with integrated solid lubricants is created. These microscopic lubricant particles are gradually released during movement, enabling dry operation with low friction coefficients. The second winding process creates a protective outer shell from a resin-impregnated and highly durable fiberglass fabric. Thanks to this two-stage winding process, the polymer bearings in the igutex series achieve a maximum permissible surface pressure of up to 29,000 Psi.
Finally, Bloechl highlighted a section of a bearing that he said builds up the world's largest bearing. “It starts with 30-in., that’s the smallest one, and it can be manufactured to unlimited sizes,” he said. DW
igus Inc. • igus.com
The benefits of unitized sealing products in hydraulic cylinders
Contributed by Andrew Iddeson • Product Technology Director • Advanced Sealing Technologies and Chuck White • Global Product Development Manager
Hydraulic cylinders are a key component in efficiently harnessing the power created by a fluid power system into usable linear motion. This motion is used in many applications, enabling various modes of operation. From excavation to lifting operations, hydraulic cylinders play a key role in a wide range of equipment found in the market today.
The recent drive for more sustainable solutions means that demand for cylinders to perform in harsher conditions is growing, challenging cylinder manufacturers to rethink common designs. The sealing system is a critical element of a hydraulic cylinder. Although seals usually make up less than 5% of the cost to manufacture the cylinder, they are essential.
Hydraulic cylinder seals are typically manufactured in high-grade thermoplastic polyurethane and other thermoplastic elastomers, which range in shore hardness between 90A and 72D.
The seals must be flexible enough to respond to changing pressure, maintaining seal function, which results in movement of the cylinder, and yet durable enough to minimize wear and creep over long periods of time. Several challenges can threaten the system’s performance. Let’s explore three of the most common challenges in more detail.
Common performance challenges
Extrusion gap: Extrusion is one of the leading causes of reduced seal performance or failure. Extrusion occurs when the system pressure forces the seal material into the gap that exists between the dynamic surface being sealed and the clearance diameter of the gland or
Unitized sealing solutions feature over-molding and precision machining to eliminate challenges inherent in standard piston and gland designs.
ilyaplatonov
Fluid Power
piston. The extrusion gap is created due to the machine tolerances of the various components, resulting in a “least material condition” (LMC) and a “maximum material condition” (MMC). If the LMC is too large, this could result in an unacceptable extrusion gap, allowing the seal material to deform into the area when under pressure. If the MMC is too small, this could potentially result in metal-to-metal contact between the dynamic and static components of the cylinder.
Coaxial Alignment: All sealing systems require some level of guidance to ensure the seals are not biased to one side or crushed under heavy side load conditions. This is typically achieved using wear bands that are installed near the seal in a machined groove. To accommodate these grooves, the hardware (e.g., piston or gland) requires sufficient length to accommodate these wear bands, resulting in heavy components and a high cost of raw
materials. Also, the wear bands and the grooves have tolerances, which add to the LMC and MMC stacks that we described earlier on. Also, consideration must be given to the compressibility of the material being used for the wear bands to ensure that metal-to-metal contact does not occur. The compressing strain is also to be considered in the LMC and MMC calculations making it even more challenging.
Side loading: As mentioned, the hydraulic cylinder industry is seeing an increased demand for harder-working cylinders in certain applications, such as excavation. When the system works, any side load created in the cylinder begins to challenge the wear bands due to the loss of straight-line operation. Extreme side loading may result in failure of the wear bands, allowing metal-to-metal contact to occur. Operating seals with a lateral bias can cause uneven seal wear, resulting in premature failure over time.
Highly engineered wear band materials may mitigate some of the effects of side loading but tend to be expensive and are not always 100% effective.
An innovative complete solution
The unitized piston and gland solution addresses all the challenges discussed. It offers an innovative approach of over-molding the product and then, by precision machining the wear material, eliminates the sealing challenges inherent in standard piston and gland designs.
To address the extrusion gap, a unitized sealing solution is over-molded and then precision machined to the desired OD (piston) or ID (gland). By doing this, the LMC and MMC are minimized as the tolerances of the wear band grooves are no longer a factor. The precision of the machined
A comparison between traditional gland seals and unitized sealing designs.
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Traditional Wiper T-520
Bearing Land = 0.87-in. / 22.23 mm -3.05 lb / 1.38 KG
bearing results in up to 70% reduction in the extrusion gap compared to typical configurations with separate bearings. This results in longer seal life and the ability of the seal to resist higher operating pressures. Since the unitized products’ introduction, many customers have benefited. Here are two cases.
Case A: A customer faced challenges in high-pressure environments, struggling to reduce the extrusion gap sufficiently for the seals to function effectively. The extrusion gap was narrowed to a mere 0.004-in. at the “least material condition” (LMC), enabling the seals to withstand pressures exceeding 10,000 psi. This significant improvement not only eradicated seal-related warranty claims but also substantially prolonged the operational lifespan of the cylinders in their demanding applications.
Case B: Due to an excessive extrusion gap in the design, a customer was using a high-cost, four-piece piston seal with anti-extrusion rings. The unitized sealing
Traditional Wiper T-520
Bearing Land = 2.158-in. / 54.81 mm -3.10 lb / 1.41 KG
Plug and play to Original Design
solution provided the advantage of a compact two-piece piston seal, reducing the cost while also reducing the length of the piston, resulting in less material and increasing the stroke length of the cylinder by 1.5-in. These changes culminated in improved performance and longer cylinder life in the application. With a smaller extrusion gap, there is also an improvement in coaxial alignment. The standard piston could see upwards of 0.010-in. movement side to side from the center line of the rod or piston, while the unitized product will see a maximum of 0.003-in. side-toside movement. This keeps the wear on the seal package equal by not allowing the piston or the rod to continually bias one side which is especially important in horizontal operating applications. The following user cases put this in perspective.
Case C: A cylinder operating in a horizontal plane was experiencing seal failures due to uneven wear on the rod seal, resulting in premature leakage. The
Traditional Wiper T-520
Bearing Land = 1.278-in. / 32.46 mm
46% more bearing surface 29% less weight
Increased stroke length
Reduced cost
customer was using ductile iron for the gland, but it could not achieve a tight enough tolerance to counter the leak. The unitized gland corrected the issue by improving the alignment of the rod, which prevented uneven wear on the rod seal and improved its life.
Case D: A high level of dirt ingression was getting past a customer’s rod wiper. The cylinder operated in an environment with high levels of airborne dirt and sand, which, once inside the cylinder, would embed in the rod and piston seals. A review of the cylinder and application revealed that a lack of coaxial alignment allowed the rod to bias to one side, reducing the preload of the rod wiper to less than 1%. The unitized piston and gland combination corrected the coaxial alignment. Also, it provided a barrier with over-molded wear surfaces that trap any contamination before infiltrating the seal package.
Finally, with the unitized sealing design, it is possible to increase the bearing surface of the wear band as
Due to tight bearing tolerance buffer seal can be eliminated
A comparison of traditional piston sealing and unitized sealing designs. Hallite
it covers a much larger part area. In the case described below, overmolding the surface versus using wear bands increases the overall bearing surface by 72%, whereas over-molding a gland would increase the bearing surface by 147%. Because of the significant increase in bearing surface and the fact that metal is no longer exposed, it is now possible to evaluate shortening both the piston and gland while still having more bearing surface. The customer case illustrates how the piston can be shortened by 0.500-in. and still have a bearing surface that is 22% greater than the original piston. The rod gland can be shortened by 0.880-in. and maintain a bearing surface that is 46% greater than the original gland.
Case E: A customer using cylinders in a loader application reported seal failures and metal-to-metal contact. Improper use of the equipment meant that instead of using the loader to lift and dump media, the customer was inverting the bucket down and using it as a scraper to level hard surfaces, resulting in high-frequency shock on the seal package and excessive side loading to the rod and piston. In some cases, this load was so high that metal-to-metal contact began to damage the cylinder. The unitized piston and gland eliminated the metalto-metal contact, protecting all metal surfaces. Also, the reduced extrusion gap protected the seals from the high-frequency shock load, delivering improved cylinder performance and longevity of the seal package.
Additional benefits underscored by sustainability
Using the unitized sealing solution in a cylinder system can reduce the piston and rod gland lengths, reducing the material required to produce them and the cost.
With shorter pistons and glands, the same stroke length may be achieved with a shorter tube rod combination, resulting in less material
and reduced cost. The reduction in length can also be used to maximize the stroke length of the hydraulic cylinder, which may improve performance in the application.
Another advantage is that the unitized solution is delivered to the customer fully assembled, with the seal package ready to assemble to the cylinder. This speeds up the assembly and production process and reduces inventory space.
Finally, the unitized solution contributes to a more sustainable hydraulic cylinder system. By reducing the weight of these components, less energy is required from the fluid power system, and less weight is carried on mobile hydraulic equipment. They also solve the challenges presented by extrusion gap, coaxial alignment, and side loading, protecting the sealing system and significantly increasing its longevity. Metal and some bearing materials utilize recycled products and can also be recycled at the end of their lives.
In summary, unitized pistons and glands benefit hydraulic cylinders by increasing their longevity while protecting the seal package. These products represent a sustainable solution due to their impact on the longevity of the overall cylinder and the ability to address more aggressive operating conditions. They require less energy to operate because they are lighter in weight than a standard solution, which means they require less power from the fluid power system. Lastly, there are clear cost savings to the customer due to the requirement of less steel and a significant impact on reducing the cylinder production process time by installing a fully machined and assembled part. DW Hallite • hallite.com
In the category of Test & Measurement, this year’s LEAP Award winners are…
ITECH ELECTRONICS
itechate.com
Product: IT6600C Bidirectional DC Power Supply
The IT6600C series Bidirectional Programmable DC Power Supply is a new generation of graphical bidirectional dc power supply. It adopts a touch-screen design and intuitive GUI, making parameter setting and waveform editing simpler and more efficient. It features advanced third generation SiC technology and provides up to 42kW of power supply and loading power in a 3U chassis.
The IT6600C series is not only a power supply, but also an excellent electronic load. It absorbs power and feeds clean power back to the grid to realize energy recycling.
Advanced Energy Test & Measurement
advancedenergy.com/en-us
Product: 4100T Optical Fiber Thermometer
Advanced Energy’s 4100T pyrometer offers high accuracy, reliability, and efficiency for advanced industrial applications. As a multi-channel, non-contact optical fiber temperature pyrometer, it provides precise temperature control.
Additionally, the 4100T measures emitted infrared radiation and converts it into accurate temperature data with in-situ precision of ±1.5° C. This accuracy is critical in semiconductor wafer processing, where minor temperature deviations can impact product quality and yield.
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Switches & Sensors
In the category of Switches & Sensors, this year’s LEAP Award winners are…
Mobix Labs
mobixlabs.com
Product: SP10T RF Switch
Mobix Labs has created the industry’s first high-power single-pole/ten-throw (SP10T) RF switch for the land mobile radio (LMR) market. The new CMOSbased MBX3110 SP10T RF switch is engineered to meet the demanding requirements of LMR applications, including critical communications equipment for first responders, firefighters, law enforcement, and military personnel.
The MBX3110 RF switch provides robust support for LMR applications and is versatile enough to serve several sectors including defense systems and advanced wireless infrastructure. Optimized for highreliability switching, the MBX3110 also can replace pin diodes in sophisticated test equipment, underscoring its broad utility and impact across multiple industries. Solid-state RF switches like the MBX3110 outperform equivalent electromechanical switches in most applications, offering greater reliability, faster switching speeds, and longer lifetimes.
The MBX3110 offers excellent performance at a low cost, featuring wider frequency range, lower insertion loss, and faster switching times compared to existing market offerings. These benefits enable developers to extend the frequency range beyond the current spectrum without the need for external matching.
The experts at design consulting
TE Connectivity
te.com.com/en/home
Product: High Resolution Wheel Speed Sensor
The High-Resolution Wheel Speed Sensor (HRWSS) marks a significant advance in automotive sensing technology for the autonomous vehicle market. Developed through a strategic partnership between TE Connectivity and Allegro Microsystems, this sensor integrates advanced digital processing algorithms, giant magnetoresistance technology, and custom packaging, all backed by state-of-the-art manufacturing.
With the capability to deliver a 4x higher resolution than traditional wheel speed sensors, the HRWSS provides improved wheel speed, position, and direction information (5 mm within a 2-meter tire circumference). This precision is crucial for enhanced autonomous functionalities such as motion path planning, auto valet and parallel parking, autonomous emergency braking, enhanced hill assist, and many more.
SILVER
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Power Electronics
In the category of Power Electronics, this year’s LEAP Award winners are…
Power Integrations
power.com
Product: InnoSwitch 3-EP PSU IC with 1250 V GaN switch
This product has the highest voltage specification (1250 V) of any gallium-nitride (GaN) switch available on the market. This makes the InnoSwitch 3-EP 1250 V the world’s highest-voltage, singleswitch, gallium-nitride (GaN) power supply IC. This introduction extends the high efficiency/high power density benefits of GaN to an even wider range of applications, including many currently served by the costliest silicon-carbide technology. Currently, most companies can only offer GaN devices up to 750 V.
InnoSwitch 3-EP 1250 V ICs are the newest members of Power Integrations’ InnoSwitch family of off-line CV/CC QR flyback switcher ICs. The devices have a 1250 V PowiGaN GaN switch, positioning them as the world’s highest-voltage, single-switch gallium-nitride (GaN) power supply ICs.
Empower Semiconductor
empowersemi.com
Product: EC1005P
The new EC1005P is a single 16.6-microfarad (μF) silicon capacitor device suitable for the most demanding power integrity targets as often found in power-intensive high-performance systemson-chips (SoCs). It has ultra-low impedance up to 1GHz, suitable to enhance the power delivery network. With its low profile, the EC1005P easily embeds into the substrate or interposer of any SoC, making it optimal for high-performance computing and artificial intelligence applications.
GOLD
SILVER
2024 WINNERS
Eggtronic Engineering Spa
eggtronic.com
Product: SmartEgg — Single-Stage Zero Voltage Switching PFC and Regulator
SmartEgg is the EcoVoltas ac/dc architecture for mediumpower applications that require Power Factor Correction (PFC). SmartEgg is perfect for ac/dc power converters ranging from 120 to 500 W where it achieves an extremely cost-effective Bill of Materials, high efficiency, and high power density.
SmartEgg offers a ZVS single-stage converter able to act both as PFC and isolated regulator, cutting by half the bill of materials, increasing power density dramatically, and improving efficiency in comparison with traditional boost PFC + LLC resonant or AHB converters. SmartEgg is based on a proprietary magnetic component driven by a GaN half bridge on the primary side.
One axis or fifty. Servo hydraulic or servo electric. Position, velocity, or force control. Direct connection or through EtherCAT.
Motion Control
In the category of Motion Control, this year’s LEAP Award winners are…
ADVANCED Motion Controls
a-m-c.com
Product: FM060-100-CM
The mini-sized FM060-100-CM FlexPro drive with IMPACT architecture is an all-purpose digital servo drive for centralized or distributed control systems with CANopen communication. Its compact size makes it suitable for any application where space is a limiting factor. Boasting a 100-amp continuous and 200-amp peak current rating, this servo drive is a power-density marvel.
Delta Motion
deltamotion.com
CUI Devices sameskydevices
.com
Product: AMT12 Incremental Encoder Series
CUI Devices’ AMT12 series is a rugged, high-accuracy incremental encoder offering 16 programmable resolutions from 96 to 4096 PPR. Thanks to its capacitive platform, the series is not susceptible to contaminants such as dirt, dust, and oil that typically plague encoders in industrial environments. The AMT12’s design also simplifies the assembly process, reducing the time-consuming tasks of mounting and alignment to mere seconds. Combined with an operating temperature range of -40° to 125° C, high accuracy, a compact 22 mm package, and low current draw, the AMT12 provides a compelling solution for various industrial, automation, robotics, and renewable energy applications.
Product: EtherCAT MainDevice with Redundancy Port
The ECAT module provides EtherCAT MainDevice functionality, allowing control of electric motor drives and communication with other EtherCAT subordinate devices, such as sensors and actuators. With two RJ-45 ports, the ECAT module supports cable redundancy.
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Mechanical
In the category of Mechanical, this year’s LEAP Award winners are…
Ogura Industrial Corp
ogura-clutch.com
Product: Power-Off Micro Clutch
The Power-Off Micro Clutch is an electromagnetic power-off clutch intended for low power consumption, small envelope size, light weight, and high torque — all while being extremely costeffective.
Ogura has previously manufactured a power-on clutch of this nature and currently provides millions of units annually. The MPNC3.5 clutch offers significant size, torque, and power consumption advantages over competing products. The product can also be used as a power-off brake when the output is locked to a rigid frame. The output of the clutch can be a universal type dog bone style for easy design compatibility, or it can be a custom extruded gear to match a user’s specific needs; the basic assembly stays the same.
Bodine Electric Company
bodine-electric.com
Product: Type 42R Motor Redesigned for Wet Environments
In 2023, the design engineers at Bodine Electric reimagined the mechanical construction of their classic type 42R AC Fan-Cooled induction motor while developing a new gearmotor product line. The 4.5-in. diameter type 42R has been a popular mainstay in the motor industry for many years, but Bodine’s engineers wanted to go beyond merely attaching the existing motor to a new gearbox. To meet the anticipated needs of future customers, they created a TENV (Totally Enclosed, Non-Ventilated) version of the original 42R motor by redesigning the exterior center ring while retaining the reliable rotor and stator. The new center ring features a smooth exterior surface without fins, which prevents build-up in dirty applications and environments.
WE HAVEN’T SWITCHED A THING.
We make more products than ever, including transducers, cylinders and switches of all types. But our reliable temperature switches are still the perfect fit for all kinds of industrial applications. Our TT, TW, TD, TF and TS switches are available in a wide range of configurations, and are all 100% tested for accuracy.
T: Bi-metal immersion switch for low voltage/low current applications. Compact in size with a variety of probe lengths. Electrical and threaded media connections. Tight temperature differential. IP67 rated. mA-6 amp contacts available.
• TW: Bi-metal snap action immersion switch for higher temperatures. Compact in size with a variety of probe lengths. Electrical and threaded media connections. Wide temperature differential (30%). IP67 rated. 10 amp.
• TD: Snap disc design for high reliability with shock and vibration. A variety of electrical options are available. mA-10 amp contacts available.
• TF: Snap action thermostat switch for lower temperatures up to 100,000 cycles. mA-15 amp switch with a variety of electrical options. IP67 rated.
• TS: NEW temperature sender (NTC and RTD resistance). Resistance range -40 to 302 degrees F. Compact in size with a variety of probe lengths. Electrical and threaded media connections. Quick response time. IP67 rated.
Get your switch on at nasonptc.com/switches
Industrial Automation
In the category of Industrial Automation, this year’s LEAP Award winners are…
Product: ReBeL EduMove
Based on open-source software and equipped with a gripper, the ReBeL EduMove serves as an autonomous learning platform for educational institutions. It has a modular design so that other functions can be added, such as lidar, camera technology, or a slam algorithm.
Rockwell Automation
rockwellautomation.com
Product: FactoryTalk Optix portfolio
The FactoryTalk Optix portfolio combines cloud-based software and hardware to enable industrial organizations to build versatile human machine interface (HMI) solutions that meet diverse requirements.
The new portfolio provides an open architecture with options for design, deployment, connectivity, and extensibility that empower users to create innovative, easy-to-use HMI applications. The portfolio includes Rockwell’s HMI platform, remote access software, compute modules, and a range of deployment options.
Product: HP Jet Fusion 5600 Series Industrial 3D Printing Solution
HP’s 5600 Series is an upgrade to the HP 5200 Series introduced in 2019. Through improvements in hardware and firmware, the 5600 offers greater repeatability, reliability, and customization to help reduce operational costs. These features are critical as customers scale to production across verticals, including automotive, consumer, healthcare, and industrial.
Fluid Power
In the category of Fluid Power, this year’s LEAP Award winners are…
DGD Fluid Power
dgdfluidpower.com
Product: CFT-MAX
DGD Fluid Power has developed a J1939 version of its Cartridge Flow Transducer. This newest development allows system designers and mobile equipment manufacturers to add flow measurement to the integrated valve manifolds which before now was not available. The advantages of cartridge valving are widely recognized for much of the evolution and advances made in equipment due to reduction in plumbing and space requirements.
Festo
festo.com
Product: VTEP
The world’s first proportional valve terminal, the Festo VTEP, is the company’s latest controlled pneumatics solution — all feature integrated digitally controlled piezoelectric cartridges for air flow, sensors for feedback, and control algorithms. Controlled pneumatics delivers improved solutions to complex applications by reducing the number of components for simpler implementation, boosting productivity, ensuring quality, reducing waste, and conserving energy.
AM Series / Control Series
Allied Moulded enclosures house and protect electrical controls and components even in the most corrosive environments.
Our special Ultraguard® fiberglass formulation defends against prolonged UV exposure and the harshest elements.
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STAUFF
stauffusa.com
Product: Noise and Vibration Reducing STAUFF NRC Clamps
STAUFF NRC-type clamps were designed for the noise and vibration reducing installation of pipes, tubes, and hoses with outside diameters between 6 and 42 mm (for tubes) and between 38 and 55.7 mm (for hoses). The working principle is based on clamp bodies made from Polypropylene following the Standard and Heavy Series according to DIN 3015 with a specially shaped, two-part elastomer insert, which mechanically absorbs vibrations in the pipe, tube or hose and as a result reduces noises arising to a minimum. The insert is distinguished by how little of its surface is in contact with the pipe, tube, or hose and clamp body, making it far more effective than the previously known solutions.
CARLO GAVAZZI has the solution for your application needs, whether it’s our industry leading solid state relays & contactors, energy meters, monitoring relays, soft starters or sensors, available with or without IO-Link.
CONTROLS: AC and DC Energy Meters and Transducers • Universal Web Platform • CurrentVoltage- and 3-Phase Monitoring Relays • Current Transformers • Timers • Panel Meters
Contact us today, and one of our field sales representatives will show you why we are one of the fastest growing automation companies worldwide. We’ll even provide a free evaluation sample to qualified OEMs.
Embedded Computing
In the category of Embedded Computing, this year’s LEAP Award winners are…
Ambarella
ambarella.com
Product: N1 SoC Series GOLD
Ambarella is bringing generative AI capabilities to edge-endpoint devices with its powerful new N1 system-on-chip (SoC) series. This series is optimized for running multimodal large language models (LLMs) with up to 34 billion parameters in a low-power footprint — without the need for an internet connection. Multimodal LLMs run on the N1 at a fraction of the power-per-inference of leading GPUs and other AI accelerators. Specifically, the N1 is up to 3x more power-efficient per generated token.
Silicon Labs
silabs.com
Product: MG26 SILVER
The EFR32MG26 Multiprotocol Wireless
SoCs are future-proof wireless SoCs suitable for mesh IoT wireless connectivity using Matter, OpenThread, and Zigbee protocols for smart home, lighting, and building automation products. MG26 is part of a SoC family that includes features like high-performance 2.4 GHz RF, low current consumption, and an AI/ML hardware accelerator. The state-of-the-art Secure Vault security features also allow IoT device makers to create smart, robust, and energy-efficient products that are secure from remote and local cyber-attacks.
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BRONZE
Synaptics
synaptics.com
Product: Astra AI Native Edge IoT Platform
The Synaptics Astra platform is an AI-native solution that addresses the needs of a new generation of smart IoT Edge devices at a time when local, intelligent, private, and secure computation on data-gathering devices is increasingly critical. It combines the hardware, software, development tools, ecosystem support, and wireless connectivity to enable rapid development of AI-enabled Edge devices across various applications with optimum power, performance, and cost.
2024 WINNERS
Connectivity
In the category of Connectivity, this year’s LEAP Award winners are…
TE Connectivity
te.com
Product: EEPROM Smart Connector GOLD
The EEPROM Smart Connector integrates an EEPROM chip into a small, two-position connector, simplifying PCB identification and personality assignment. Manufacturers can produce identical control boards for an entire product family, then operators need only plug in the pre-programmed smart connector in the factory to define the model, prompting the associated software for that control board to run.
Using this EEPROM connector, users can reduce costs in various phases of the product lifecycle. In design, they can save valuable board real estate with its compact footprint. Leveraging volume production and simplifying inventory management greatly reduces manufacturing costs. Finally, this product eliminates the need to order and stock different models of control boards, streamlining service efforts.
These companies represent the best and brightest, and they reflect the continued vision, integrity, and creativity of their design (and manufacturing) engineers.
We think they deserve recognition from you, too. Vote online for one or more of the companies listed through October.
Astera Labs
asteralabs.com
Product: Aries PCIe/CXL Smart Cable Modules
Astera Labs’ Aries Smart Cable Modules are a first-of-itskind, connectivity solution that extends high-bandwidth PCI Express and Compute Express Link data protocols from within the server — where the standards are traditionally used — to the outside of the server, enabling GPU clusters and lowlatency memory fabrics applications within and across data center racks.
Cinch Connectivity
cinch.com
Product: H28-100G-SR4 Transceiver
Cinch’s H28-100G-SR4 Transceiver is a product that exemplifies engineering excellence in high-performance connectivity solutions. This transceiver is specifically designed to meet the demanding requirements of aerospace, defense, industrial, and other harsh environment applications.
Molex
molex.com
Product: MX-DaSH
MX-DaSH, which stands for “Molex Data-Signal Hybrid,” is a family of data-signal hybrid connectors that unify power, signal, and high-speed data connectivity in a single connector system. These wire-to-wire and wire-to-board connectors support users’ transitions to zonal architecture and address emerging applications requiring reliable data transmission.
ORDER A TEST PUMP: knf.com/shop
THE POWER OF SMOOTH FLOW
KNF further expands its Smooth Flow series, with the introduction of FP 7 and FP 25. These new liquid pumps deliver adjustable flow rates from 15 – 70 ml/min and 50 – 250 ml/min, respectively. Both pumps produce up to 1 bar (14.5 psi). High pressure versions achieve up to 6 bar (87 psi). All versions feature:
• Very low pulsation for efficient flow, reduced noise/vibration, and reduced system stress
• Self-priming, even at low motor speeds
• Options including materials, connections, mounts, motors, and boxer configurations. Ideal applications include medical equipment, inkjet printing, 3D printing, fuel cells, and solvent handling.
Learn more at knf.com/en/us/stories-events/news/article/fp7-fp25
Advanced Materials
In the category of Advanced Materials, this year’s LEAP Award winners are…
SiTime
sitime.com
Product: MEMS based precision timing technology GOLD
SiTime is revolutionizing the $10B timing market by replacing traditional quartz material technology with resonators constructed using advanced microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. While crystal oscillators have provided standard clock sources for the past 100 years, their technological advances have plateaued, offering only incremental improvements. In contrast, SiTime’s silicon MEMS-based resonators and oscillators are 50x more reliable than quartz alternatives, providing a superior choice for demanding applications ranging from AI data centers to 5G infrastructure to automotive systems.
SILVER
HP Inc.
hp.com
Product: HP 3D HR PA12 S
Developed by Arkema, PA12S is a polyamide material engineered to enhance the look and feel properties of manufactured parts while optimizing cost. The unique chemical synthetization process gives PA12S a very high sphericity and narrow particular size distribution, which enables a new standard in additive manufacturing to be set with its exceptional surface finish straight from the printer.
The production of best-in-class smooth parts directly from raw output significantly reduces the need for extensive post-processing steps traditionally required to achieve a final, polished appearance for applications ranging from dental molds, jigs and fixtures, and merchandising, to aesthetic covers for industrial or consumer goods.
BRONZE
igus
igus.com
Product: PRT-02-30-WPC
The PRT-02-30 slewing ring bearing consists of WPC, a mixture of wood fibers, and iglide high-performance plastics. The materials incorporate solid lubricants, making the slewing ring bearing smooth-running, lubrication-free, and maintenance-free. Both the housing and the component are made of the WPC material. The wood content gives the bearing a natural look, and it only takes four screws to connect the two parts. By incorporating 50% wood and 50% high-performance plastics, igus customers receive a cost-effective and lubrication-free slewing ring bearing. It balances strength, durability, and environmental friendliness with a proven low CO2 footprint.
2024 WINNERS
SUMMIT & EXPO
Ryan Ashdown rashdown@wtwhmedia.com 216.316.6691
Jami Brownlee jbrownlee@wtwhmedia.com 224.760.1055
Mary Ann Cooke mcooke@wtwhmedia.com 781.710.4659
Jim Dempsey jdempsey@wtwhmedia.com 216.387.1916
Mike Francesconi mfrancesconi@wtwhmedia.com 630.488.9029
Jim Powers jpowers@wtwhmedia.com 312.925.7793
Publisher Courtney Nagle cseel@wtwhmedia.com 440.523.1685
CEO
Scott McCafferty smccafferty@wtwhmedia.com 310.279.3844
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POSTMASTER:
By Mark Jones
Let me have that — with a side of noise and fumes
I was bored as I waited for my “torch” — something that this food truck called its sandwiches — and so random thoughts came and went. This torch name seemed to be an unnecessary gimmick. Fumes directed my next thoughts: fumes from portable generators. Each food truck at the farmer’s market was running a generator. The small engine fumes and the noise from the generators ultimately galvanized my thoughts. There must be a better way!
I am a food truck fan. But one universal truth about them is noise and exhaust from small, portable generators. Small generators are a poor way to make electricity. The food truck generators are nominally 2000 W units. Five gallons per kilowatt-hour, about 15% efficiency, represents a pretty good upper bound for performance. $0.41/kWh is about what electricity is costing the food trucks at $3.20/gallon gasoline. That is four times the quoted cost of electricity and more than double the delivered residential cost in my area. It is expensive electricity. Make that expensive and dirty electricity. Municipalities are clamping down on small engines over CO, NOx, hydrocarbons, and particulates. None of the pollution controls on cars appear on small engines. Small engine exhaust, while a fraction of what a car produces, stinks. Those emissions are in addition to the CO2 emissions. Cleaner burning natural gas on the grid is more than 50% efficient even after the 5-7% distribution loss. Small generators produce around 3.9 lb of CO2/kWh, more than four times the Michigan grid emission factor.
Batteries seem to offer a better solution. Charge the batteries from the grid and use batteries to make
the food truck experience quiet and fumeless. Flooded lead acid batteries remain the lowest-cost rechargeable batteries. The cost for deep discharge batteries is more than 3.5X the cost of the generator. Throw in the inverter/ charger needed, and you are looking at about $1,200 for a DIY system, six times the generator cost. It would weigh nearly 400 lb, versus less than 70 for the generator and fuel. Rather than sit on the back bumper, as generators often do, the battery system would have to be built into the truck. Lithiumion batteries are lighter, but more costly. I estimate around $1450 for a DIY system based on deep discharge LFP batteries. Lithium-ion power stations, sometimes called battery generators, offer a nicely packaged but more expensive option. A black Friday deal puts a comparable unit at $2,799, roughly 14 times the gasoline generator. For the added investment, you get a
unit that is about the same weight and size as the gasoline generator. Based on a 5-day week and 6 hours per day, a DIY battery system would have about a one-year simple payback. It would be closer to three years for the battery generator. Not a great investment, but not crazy either.
What ultimately keeps batteries out of food trucks is something laptop users have experienced. When the battery is dead, there is no recourse to keep working. It doesn’t matter how many customers are in line — the kitchen will close when the battery dies. Splash a bit more fuel in the generator and all the customers get served. The more flexible solution is the cheaper solution.
For the foreseeable future, food truck fare will come with a side of noise and fumes. Batteries, while they continue to get better, sadly still aren’t good enough to replace inefficient gasoline generators. DW
Precision Control Solutions
Designing efficient systems involves much more than simply understanding a few basic principles. There is a true art to balancing the specific requirements of an application in order to achieve the desired goals in the best possible way. Help us understand the unique needs of your application and together, we’ll develop something that surpasses what any of us could have done alone.
Contact your distributor to learn more, or visit clippard.com to request a free catalog and capabilities brochure.
