DESIGN WORLD MARCH 2022

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inside: MOTION CONTROL: Selecting the right motor

for battery-powered commercial equipment

p. 60

ELECTRONICS:

The physics of failure p. 66

TEST & MEASUREMENT:

What’s new in data logging p. 76

Augmented Reality Gets Real page 50

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In January, as part of our Engineering Week virtual event, our motion control editors (Lisa Eitel, Miles Budimir, and Danielle Collins) discussed with me some of the more interesting trends they are seeing, along with guest panelists Dan Zachacki of Mitsubishi Electric Automation and Nik Brightwell of Akribis Systems. I thought some of the conversation’s main points were worth repeating as we get into the groove of 2022. Here were some of the most interesting insights: • At the OEM level, there’s demand for more sensor integration into products. Some customers want more sensing technology via analyzed performance during operation; there are some sensing technologies in the market that allow for that, but some manufacturers are having to develop their own sensing technologies. For some “dumb” components such as motors, bearings, and metal, these sensors are being integrated to make them a smarter solution — in the next two to three years we will see a much higher level of adoption.

• Engineers are discovering what features are beneficial to them in the industry 4.0 / IIoT environment, everything om tuning to predictive maintenance. Component manufacturers are incorporating these features directly into their products to make the IIoT easier to use, more user iendly, and reduce the amount of effort that’s required to implement solutions into individual machines. That’s going to help with the overall adoption of these concepts.

• On the purely mechanical and motion side, there’s a lot of opportunity especially for predictive maintenance to read or sense, for example, the condition of a bearing or a ball screw. But manufacturers are really struggling with how to integrate those capabilities into their products without increasing size, increasing cost, and increasing the effort for the end user or the integrator. Customers may like the idea of some of these benefits but may not be willing to pay for it — this is definitely a cost/benefit type balance.

• Manufacturers are doing more and more integration of both mechanical and electrical components — integrating the motor with the drive, the ball screw, the rack-and-pinion system, etc. There’s also a lot of customization that manufacturers are more willing to do now than in previous years — om the technical specifications and dimensional specifications to things like noise and footprint. These are things that make it easier for them to integrate that motion component into the end product. Manufacturers have opened up and become more willing to go that extra mile in terms of integration and customization. (continued on page 4)

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I n s i g ht s (continued om page 2)

• We’re seeing a general trend in motion control capabilities being added to auxiliary devices like HMIs or industrial PCs. For the most part, om the HMI perspective, they’re capable of issuing basic control commands.

For more sophisticated controls like synchronized motion, these are more limited to either motion controllers or PC-based control systems that can coordinate multiple individual servo axes. We’ll start to see more of these devices integrated with motion control capabilities, but for now it mostly varies by individual manufacturers, in terms of what is possible.

• The pandemic’s supply chain issues have resulted in a shi in flexibility. A lot of engineers previously were very brand focused for some electronic components that would be integrated as part of a system. They’ve now become more flexible in looking at alternative paths — whether for encoders, sensors, or controllers. Due to these demands, people have become more able to evaluate alternative technologies. DW

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Teschler on Topic

The perils of dodgy engineering research Engineers looking for information about how heat treating affects the tensile strength of hardened steels may stumble onto a journal called Multidscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures. It published a paper in 2010 by researcher Ali Nazari that analyzes failures of high-strength boron steel (adding a little boron hardens the steel) and chromium‐ molybdenum (chrome moly) steel, widely used for its corrosion resistance and strength at high temperatures.

One little problem: That 2010 paper has been retracted because some of the images it contained seemed to be either manipulated or falsified. Lead author Nazari has now had 85 papers retracted. As reported by Retraction Watch, which maintains a database of retracted papers, those retractions came after a whistleblower flagged problems in Nazari’s work.

Worse, Nazari’s retracted hardened steel paper can be found online sometimes with no mention of its retraction. For example, it’s abstract is still available with no caveats at ResearchGate.net, a site that claims to have a community of 20 million researchers hailing from over 190 countries. The online database emerald insight (emerald.com) does mention the retraction, but only for viewers who scroll down well past

the abstract. Another database, ScienceGate (sciencegate.app), doesn’t mention the retraction at all.

Retracted papers aren’t usually a worry for mechanical and electrical engineers. Journalists at Science. org report that only about four of every 10,000 papers are now retracted. A significant number of those retractions are in social and biomedical sciences. One wellpublicized reason for many of those retractions is a misinterpretation of statistics. More specifically, there are many examples of academic studies that misuse statistical significance to prove scientific validity. The underlying reason isn’t dishonesty, just researchers who aren’t very good at statistics.

Erroneous results in social and biomedical papers generally also have only a limited impact on society.

Usually the worst that can happen is a certain amount of wheel spinning on the part of other researchers trying in vain to verify the claims.

That’s not the case, however, with retracted papers in engineering fields.

Here erroneous published data can potentially have consequences that can be catastrophic. Consider Nazari’s 85 retracted papers as a case in point. In addition to steel hardness, they cover compressive strength and abrasion resistance in concrete, blast-furnace slag used as a concrete

binder, computer prediction of concrete strength, impact resistance of aluminum-epoxy laminated composites, compressive strength of geopolymers, and similar areas. We can only hope that nothing ever gets built that depends on the data any of these papers contain.

Perhaps the only good news about Nazari’s 85 retractions is that, according to the Retraction Watch database, many of them seem to have been withdrawn because they were basically a duplication of an earlier work but with a new title. Retitling earlier work is a dodgy practice but not the same as manipulating images. Still, one must also wonder if Nazari’s coauthors will suffer guiltby-association because they worked with him.

With that guilt-by-association in mind, consider a paper published in December by scientists at a biotech firm that described a miniaturized, robotic clinical laboratory. It lists 45 authors, the last of whom is Elizabeth Holmes. Holmes was recently found guilty of defrauding investors in Theranos, the failed blood-testing start-up she founded.

No one has raised questions about the recent paper’s findings, but you have to think the other 44 authors are not particularly happy to share authorship with someone convicted of fraud. DW

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

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Technology Forward Keeping up with developments in additive manufacturing

The additive manufacturing industry is a constantly changing industry.

There’s no better way to stay informed of all the developments than to attend one or more of the upcoming conferences. Taking into account that the ongoing pandemic could alter plans at short notice, various shows are offering a range of options for attendees including hybrid events and generous cancelation policies.

But if you can attend in person, one of the more educationally focused conferences is the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) conference to be held in Chicago this year from April 3 through April 7.

The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) is a global community focused on accelerating the education and advancement of additive manufacturing and 3D printing. I have been fortunate enough to attend this event many times. It truly is unique, unlike any conference, tradeshow, or exposition I have ever attended. The AMUG association that develops the conference is a member-run, notfor-profit enterprise. More than 100 companies participate as sponsors and exhibitors at this event. Plus, the conference is structured to give you plenty of opportunities to connect.

Networking is a key element of this conference and is always encouraged.

The unique immersive interaction available at the conference is about

creating a community that helps each other and that expands the use of this technology.

As in years’ past, this year’s conference boasts a number of educational opportunities. For example, attendees arriving early can take advantage of either a 2-day course or a facility tour. This year’s tour will be at DMG MORI to explore its AM process chain. The two-day course is on establishing an additive manufacturing facility for critical part production.

Of course, throughout the conference attendees will meet fellow users of this technology and have ample opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas, as well as make new contacts.

A highlight of the conference is the technical competition. Attendees can show their unique AM projects and see other amazing applications of this technology. It’s a great way to learn new techniques, some of which can help you advance your career.

New this year will be a Members Choice Award, where attendees select their favorite entry. A panel of DINO judges will select Advanced Finishing and Advanced Concepts winners.

And don’t miss the speakers and the AMUG Innovators Award.

The keynote speakers this year will be Kevin Czinger, founder, lead

inventor, and CEO of Divergent 3D and Czinger Vehicles; and Ellen Lee, technical leader additive manufacturing research at Ford Motor Company. These two will cover the present and future of manufacturing in the automotive industry.

An always popular presentation is the Innovators Award, where the winner is interviewed on stage and you have a chance to ask questions.

Andy Christensen is this year’s recipient of the esteemed award.

He was founder and president of Medical Modeling Inc. and is currently an adjunct professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of Cincinnati. AMUG bestows this award on those who have cultivated innovative ideas that have advanced the additive manufacturing industry.

You will also have a chance to meet with vendors at the AM Expo.

Check out their products and learn more about AM can fit your needs.

And, of course, there will be a number of interesting presentations, panel discussions, and workshops on making the most out of additive technology, whether for individual use or as part of a manufacturing operation. Check out the AMUG site to see more conference details and to register. It’s a worthwhile experience. DW

Leslie Langnau llangnau@wtwhmedia.com On Twitter @ DW_3Dprinting

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Green Engineering

ABB taking action to fight climate change Paul J. Heney

• VP, Editorial Director

As concern continues to grow with the advancing effects of climate change, ABB is championing a proactive energy efficiency movement to educate U.S. industrial leaders about the challenges that contribute to energy wastage and environmental sustainability.

By joining ABB in this endeavor, U.S. businesses have an opportunity to collectively reduce energy consumption, slow the rate at which they are contributing to climate change, and mitigate the risk of overregulation.

These goals can be achieved by upgrading outdated industrial in astructure with new generation energy-efficient technologies such as high-efficiency motors and variable speed drives. The potential impact of this solution is illustrated in a recent report entitled “U.S. Industrial and Commercial Motor System Market Assessment Report,” co-authored by research scientist Dr. Prakash Rao, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which highlights where some of the most prominent sources of energy wastage exist in our industrial and commercial in astructure.

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In most cases, according to ABB’s NEMA Motor Div. President Jesse Henson, the savings om a company’s increased energy efficiency can achieve a full return on the cost to install new generation technology within approximately two years of the original investment.

“While the adverse effects of climate change persist, ABB is investing in technologies which can help us all reduce our impact on the environment,” Henson said. “We now offer the most energyefficient motors and drives in the industry, so we are choosing to actively lead that discussion and educate our industrial partners on how they can reduce their electricity consumption and effectively slow the rate of climate change in the process.”

In December, ABB hosted a virtual roundtable discussion to explore the high-efficiency solutions currently available on the market today and explain the proper course for affordable integration.

The event explored the practical benefits and data of integrating high-efficiency solutions into existing industrial and commercial in astructure to affordably and immediately reduce the impact of climate change. Attendees participating in the roundtable heard om featured guests including Dr. Rao, Henson, and ABB Motion President Morton Wierod.

“Now every commercial building and industrial process can be a part of a change in our climate and a solution.

Motors and drives together just make the world a better place. By choosing to invest in these technologies and reducing the amount of electricity we consume, we can make a difference,” Henson said. “ABB is a part of the solution for a better planet. I believe it is our duty to make a difference for a better tomorrow. But we need your help to get the message out about this invisible climate solution.” DW ABB www.abb.com

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Contents 3 • 2022

•

vol 17 no 3

•

designworldonline.com

60 50 _LINEAR MOTION

72 _SENSORS

Five ways to drive ROI from personnel and cobot investments

The fundamentals of electromechanical on/off switches

60 _MOTION CONTROL

76 _TEST & MEASUREMENT

Assembly, packaging, and machine-tool OEMs can keep senior plant personnel in charge of the most demanding and intricate tasks — and relegate everything else to pre-programmed work routines and automated workcells.

Selecting the right motor for battery-powered commercial equipment

Battery-powered motor applications need careful design work to match motor performance and powerconsumption profiles to the battery type.

Despite the wide use of “soft” on/off switching, the traditional electromechanical switch is still often required or preferred and is available in countless versions. Here’s a look at various physical implementations of these hardwired EM switches and their unique functions and features.

What’s new in data logging

As data takes center stage, smarter and more versatile data loggers are more important than ever.

GOLD REGIONAL AWARD

asbpe.org

66 _ELECTRONICS The physics of failure

Failure models and estimates of useful product life have grown increasingly more accurate thanks to a better understanding of how devices and materials degrade under stress.

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ON THE COVER

Pragmatic automation solutions leveraging pre-programmed work routines, cobots, and augmented reality (AR) can help boost manufacturing productivity and output-workpiece | Kirk Wescom • PBC Linear quality.

www.designworldonline.com

DESIGN WORLD

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3. 22 • contents departments 02

Insights

06

Teschler on Topic

08

Technology Forward

10

Green Engineering

16

Design For Industry

32

Design Notes

44

Internet of Things

48

Coupling Notes

80

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March 2022

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DESIGN WORLD

Follow the whole team on twitter @DesignWorld

EDITORIAL

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

VP, Creative Services Mark Rook mrook@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_graphics Art Director Matthew Claney mclaney@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_designer Senior Graphic Designer Allison Washko awashko@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_allison Graphic Designer Mariel Evans mevans@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_mariel

VIDEO SERVICES

WEB DEV / DIGITAL OPERATIONS

Web Development Manager B. David Miyares dmiyares@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_webdave Senior Digital Media Manager Patrick Curran pcurran@wtwhmedia.com @wtwhseopatrick Front End Developer Melissa Annand mannand@wtwhmedia.com Software Engineer David Bozentka dbozentka@wtwhmedia.com DIGITAL MARKETING

VP, Digital Marketing Virginia Goulding vgoulding@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_virginia Digital Marketing Manager Taylor Meade tmeade@wtwhmedia.com @WTWH_Taylor Digital Marketing Coordinator Jill Bresnahan jbresnahan@wtwhmedia.com @WTWH_Jill Webinar Coordinator Halle Kirsh hkirsh@wtwhmedia.com Webinar Coordinator Kim Dorsey kdorsey@wtwhmedia.com

EVENTS

Events Manager Jen Osborne jkolasky@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_jen Event Marketing Specialist Olivia Zemanek ozemanek@wtwhmedia.com

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WTWH Media, LLC 1111 Superior Ave. 26th Floor Cleveland, OH 44114 Ph: 888.543.2447

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Design for Industry Food and Beverage

Automate food processing with robots

With cleanliness and safety at the fore ont of meat, poultry, egg, and other fast moving consumer goods processing, one automation solution is robots. KUKA robots, for example, include Hygienic Machine (HM) and Hygienic Oil (HO) versions along with completely hygienic, all-stainless steel KR3 Delta and food processing versions of its other robot models. Through this array of products, food processing companies can now apply robots to tasks considered difficult, if not impossible, to automate.

Robots, such as the AGILUS HM, feature corrosion resistant surfaces like stainless steel flanges and other key components. Robot arms use food-compatible lubricants in all axes and feature smooth surfaces for easy cleaning.

Four versions of the AGILUS HM are available, and each offers the same payloads and reaches as standard AGILUS models. They are also equipped with a special cable outlet located under the robot that allows them to be washed down with high-pressure cleaners.

All the HO robots use NSF H1 lubricant that is completely nontoxic and compatible with food products. Well-suited for use in secondary food processing applications where product is dry or packed, HO robots fulfill all safety and hygienic requirements.

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Any contact between HO robots and food products is harmless to humans, and their light gray surface color easily reveals any contamination.

Also for the food sector, including fish processing, is the KR3 DELTA which ensures complete sanitation thanks to its all-stainless design. The robot is ISO3 cleanroom rated and all its seals are FDA compliant. Its design withstands alkaline or acidic high-pressure cleaning and disinfection up to 100 kPa for simplified upkeep and shorter downtimes. Food-sector certified for material safety according to international guidelines, the entire robot carries IP 67 high-protection certification, with IP 69K for axis 4 that is also ISO 3 rated for cleanroom applications.

With a standard payload of 3 kg, up to 6 kg possible depending on application, the KR 3 DELTA suits pick-and-place applications.

In addition to its stainless-steel body, the robot’s parallel kinematic system and small footprint offer precise grasping, temperature and corrosion resistance, and minimal maintenance for sensitive high-speed production applications.

This ceiling-mounting parallel-arm robot offers a reach of 1200 mm and cycle times as low as 0.5 seconds. Encapsulated life-time lubricated gears and self-lubricating ball joints further increase the KR3 DELTA’s reliability and reduced maintenance.

With an installation area only 350 mm in diameter, the KR 3 DELTA carries a small footprint and operates reliably in a cylindrical workspace that measures 250 mm high.

The KR 3 DELTA with a KR C5 Micro Controller uses nearly 35% less energy than preceding designs. The scalable, easy-toinstall controller requires less space, offers increased safety, and integrates seamlessly into existing production environments.

The KR QUANTEC nano Foundry Exclusive robot is also well suited for specific slaughter house warm applications and is available with HO, making it food safe. The heavy-payload robots require no covers and are resistant to typically used meat processing cleaning solutions and high-pressure cleaning.

Covers for motors, flanges, screws and other components are thoroughly protected, and gearboxes are coated to resist rust. The KR QUANTEC nano Foundry Exclusive robot and its in-line wrist comply with ratings IP65, IP67, and IP69. DW

KUKA www.kuka.com

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online

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Design for Industry Food and Beverage

Safety devices deliver torque limiting and coupling functions Overload Safety Devices protect motor and drive systems om overload while offering options to withstand corrosive environments and necessary washdowns. These options provide protection om direct water spray, washdown chemicals, detergents, chemical exposure, and debris.

Providing both torque limiting and coupling functions in a compact design, these Overload Safety Devices can operate as a coupling and an overload safety device connecting two inline sha s in a power transmission system. Power Take-Off models are also available for chain or belt drives. These devices also offer easy re-engagement, allowing the system to be running again as quickly as possible.

Standard Torq-Tender Overload Safety Devices have precision machined steel bodies with standard black oxide exteriors. Enhancement options for washdown and corrosion protection include: • Nickel plated exterior with stainless steel hardware for a moderate level of protection.

High-Phosphorous Nickel Plating can withstand washdown chemical exposure without staining or discoloration.

• Stainless steel exterior and stainless-steel hardware components for a higher level of protection. The grade of stainless can be selected based on the protection level needed.

Stainless-steel springs can be substituted internally where needed.

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DESIGN WORLD

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• O-ring seals added to seal between the driver and driven halves of the Torq-Tender provide added protection om exposure to water, chemicals, or debris.

• Lubrication options include food grade grease and/or dry lube coating where needed. Special greases are available for specific application requirements.

Standard H-TLC Overload Safety Devices have a robust composite body with plated hardware components that provide satisfactory protection for most applications. Enhancement options for washdown and corrosion protection include: • Stainless-steel exterior hardware components for a higher level of protection.

• Stainless-steel springs can be substituted internally where needed.

• Food Grade Grease available where needed. The H-TLC can also operate without grease in certain applications due to its robust composite construction.

Additional overload safety device options:

• Both Torq-Tender and H-TLC models are available several mounting configurations including use as a coupling model, or as a power take-off model for use with chain or belt drives.

• Actuating Pin or Actuating Disc options are available for interfacing with a limit switch, proximity switch, or other sensing device to signal that an overload is occurring, or to shut down the drive motor when an overload occurs. This automated shut-down prevents excess wear on the machine’s driveline components. DW

Zero-Max www.zero-max.com

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online

DESIGN WORLD

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Design for Industry Food and Beverage

Brakes keep cheese production moving

For one independent cheese packager in central Wisconsin, production line speed is critical to productivity and profitability. Though the plant manager was not unhappy with the 45 cycles per minute that they were achieving, the equent adjustments and maintenance required to attain that speed was onerous. His search for alternatives led to Posidyne Oil Shear Clutch Brakes.

Replacing the dry clutch brakes with these brakes increased in-line speed to 70 cycles per minute — a figure that is limited by the other production line equipment rather than the clutch brake itself. That increase in speed, coupled with the eliminated downtime for maintenance and adjustment formerly required, and the significantly extended service life ( om 6-8 months to a multi-year life) has virtually doubled the company’s production capability.

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DESIGN WORLD

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Normal dry clutch brakes and brakes use a sacrificial surface — the brake disc or pad — to engage the load. Having no good way to remove the heat caused om engagement between the disk and plate, this material must absorb the heat.

These high temperatures will eventually degrade the iction material. As the iction surface wears away and begins to glaze, the ensuing torque fade causes positioning errors which require adjustment or replacement of the iction surface.

Oil-shear technology plays a major role in ensuring that the cheese slicer at this independent cheese packager operates at peak efficiency — even at a much higher cycle rate. Since a fluid film flows between the iction surfaces as the brake is engaged, the fluid is compressed. The automatic transmission fluid particles in shear transmit torque to the other side. This torque transmission causes the stationary surface to turn, bringing it up to the same relative speed

as the moving surface. Since most of the work is done by the fluid particles in shear, by the time the surfaces actually meet or “lock up” wear is virtually eliminated.

In addition to transmitting torque, the ATF also helps to dissipate heat, due to a patented fluid recirculation system.

Along with torque transmission and heat removal, the fluid serves to continually lubricate all components — extending their service life. Oil Shear Technology also provides a “cushioned” stop that reduces shock to the drive system — further extending service life. Unlike dry clutch brakes, the totally enclosed oil shear system is impervious to external elements such as wet, dusty, or dirty environments, as are found in virtually all shingle manufacturing plants. Since the layer of oil eliminates wear, the clutch brake provides a long service life. With elimination of wear comes elimination of adjustment — and increased “uptime” for this cheese processor.

E

G

C

TRIMS AND TRIMS AND SEALS B R AT I LE N

The reliability and durability of oil shear technology helps plants with a critical pathway to maintain high production. Oil shear technology has helped this particular plant increase cycle time by at least 10% — and maybe up to 70 cycles per minute (up om 45-47 cpm). DW

Force Control Industries Forcecontrol.com

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online

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DESIGN WORLD

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Design for Industry Aerospace

Step motor meets high

performance needs

With its size, speed, and torque capabilities, the AM3248 stepper motor suits a range of applications in aerospace and other industries. It offers up to 10,000 rpm and can achieve five times the speed of comparable stepper motors. Combined with a gearhead reduction of 100:1, it supplies a torque of 5 Nm. In addition, the motor has a diameter of 32 mm.

The multi-pole, two-phase AM3248 stepper motor performs 48 steps per revolution and offers a high holding torque of 85 mNm. The motor starts with a high speed om the very first step; thanks to its low inertia, it can be used in applications that require fast acceleration and fast changes of direction.

Newly developed large ball bearings further extend the long service life of this motor type. For its size class, it achieves excellent performance in combination with a 32 GPT gearhead.

The motor can also be combined with an IE3 magnetic encoder.

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In addition to working precisely and reliably over many years, the motors can also withstand the extreme temperatures in outer space. In the semiconductor industry, high dynamics and speed are required when positioning the wafers in confined installation conditions in the machines. This is another application in which the highest level of precision and reliability are essential. DW

FAULHABER MICROMO LLC www.faulhaber.com

DESIGN WORLD

3/4/22 10:23 AM

Power REVIEW THE POWER BRANDS IN POWER TRANSMISSION

Vol. 11 | No. 1 | 2022

www.AltraMotion.com

Follow Altra Motion on:

Industrial Internet of Things

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Altra Brands Provide IIoT Solutions

Altra Brands Marland, Svendborg, Stromag, & Warner Provide IIoT Solutions

Altra Certified Rebuild & Repair Services: Ameridrives, Formsprag, Marland, Nuttall & Delroyd

Kilian CB-14 Series Conveyor Bearings

Scan to download the interactive version of the Power Review

Altra Industrial_#1_3-22.indd 23

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Altra Brands Marland Clutch, Svendborg Brakes, Stromag, & Warner Electric Provide IIoT Solutions Marland CECON®+ Clutch and Smart Marland Monitoring System Industrial Internet of Things

Altra Motion

I N T R O D U C I N G

Industrial Internet of Things

The Marland CECON + Clutch ®

Featuring next generation technologies combined with improved performance capabilities Customer input together with more than yielded 60 years of application experience has Marland’s most versatile clutches yet.

Enclosed for CONtinous operation) The family of Marland CECON (Completely CECON®+ models including: foot mount clutches has evolved into new - Popular CEUS (Standard configuration) - More versatile CEUSD (Standard Disconnect) Lube) - Recently developed CEUF (Standard Force - New CEULD (Force Lube Disconnect) Marland Monitoring System.

All CECON+ units support the on-board Smart sensors are designed into individual Ports for temperature, vibration, and oil level the clutches from anywhere*. components to allow remote monitoring of for existing CEUS and CEUSD CECON upgrade drop-in a is design + The CECON current models. The new design clutches. Unit dimensions are identical to and output shafts for greater torque incorporates double keyways on the input capacity and higher operating speeds**.

Features include: for details) • Increased torque ratings (see reverse side for details) • Increased maximum RPM (see reverse side • Watertight construction • Integrated cooling features • Automatic oil management system system (CEUSD and CEUFD only) • Rack and pinion engagement/disengagement System* • Designed for Smart Marland Monitoring shift levers • High-performance coatings on shaft & applications • Dedicated oil heater locations for cold weather • Standard and metric versions available • Modular design facilitates faster delivery for information *Optional add-on equipment, refer to P-8666-MC Smart Marland Monitoring System. **Does not apply to high-speed CECONs.

The CECON+ design is a drop-in upgrade for existing CEUS and CEUSD CECON clutches. Unit dimensions are identical to current models. The new design incorporates double keyways on the input and output shafts for greater torque capacity and higher operating speeds.

All CECON+ units support the on-board Smart Marland Monitoring System.

Ports for temperature, vibration, and oil level sensors are designed into individual components to allow remote monitoring of the clutches from anywhere.

For more information, download P-8666-MC and P-8833-MC from www.AltraLiterature.com

on the

Stromag Monitoring and Control Systems Stromag is able to provide customized IIoT solutions based on their superior service support, design flexibility and technologies to meet customer requirements.

Advanced SIoT braking systems utilize artificial intelligence to provide many convenience and cost-saving advantages, including real-time comprehensive diagnostic information and extended system life due to careful maintenance monitoring.

INTELLIGENCE FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE

n Altra Motio

A L T R A

M O T I O N

Stromag Safety Systems the benefits of our Our SiOT service leverages solutions by adding smart monitoring field benefit through predictive additional customer to the right information features and providing the right moment. the right person at

S INCLUDE

OUR SIOT BENEFIT

For more information on Stromag’s product solutions, download P-8910-SG & P-8923-SG from www.AltraLiterature.com

FOR INTELLIGENCE YOUR PERFORMANCE

The SIoT System and enables monitoring our data analytics for Brake Solutions

status availability of health through constant information in case • Reduce downtimes comprehensive diagnostic of components and of faults routing of messages overload by smart • Avoiding of information and recipient according to priority for minimum or SMS based notifications • Usage of e-mail system benefits and to directly utilize integration effort health and usage to track equipment • Monthly reporting data and to real time and history view to • Customized dashboard documentation access equipment already carry out the diagnosis developments to • Basis for further preventively in • No Integration

existing IT-Infrastructure

necessary

Svendborg Smart Monitoring and IIoT Technologies Improve Onshore Wind Turbine Uptime

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

To help operators of onshore wind turbines, Altra Renewables provides 24/7 smart monitoring solutions that combine IIoT and data mining technologies to improve turbine uptime.

The IIoT solution can be installed on any existing or new Svendborg Brakes system for permanent condition monitoring. The hardware required consists of either the in-house developed Svendborg Brakes Gateway or the SOBO iQ® (Soft Braking Option) braking system.

If a non-permanent condition monitoring solution is needed, such as for commissioning or troubleshooting, the Universal Control (UC) Case provides this functionality for wind turbine brakes. www.Svendborg-Brakes.com

Warner Electric Innovative PTO Clutch Technology Electrically-operated PTO bell housing clutches provide safer and easier remote operation for industrial applications, including agriculture, marine, oil & gas, forestry, mining, construction and rail.

Based on a growing industry need for a more advanced clutching solution, Warner Electric engineers have recently developed a line of IIoT-capable electric PTO clutches that can be conveniently operated from a remote control panel, tablet or cell phone. The electrically-powered clutches require no hydraulic pumps, cylinders and hoses and no air compressors to operate.

This is a significant factor in isolated locations.

For more information, download P-7565-WE from www.AltraLiterature.com

Altra Industrial_#2_3-22.indd 24

Industrial Internet of Things ATION INNOV SPOTLIG

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from the brands

of Altra Industrial

Motion Corp.

4.7

of the global to be the size through 2026* Dollars projected system market center pivot irrigation

Billion

HOUSING CLUTCHES TED PTO BELL OPERATION ELECTRICALLY-OPERA AND EASIER REMOTE L APPLICATIONS PROVIDE SAFER FOR INDUSTRIA

markets, of industrial and in a wide range are utilized mining, construction, PTO clutches gas, forestry, diesel- or gasBell housing marine, oil & and disengage blowers, including agriculture, are needed to engage pumps, augers, winches. and rail. The clutches driven equipment, including transfer cases, from compressors, overpowered engines mechanical disengage feature lever-activated engage and housing clutches to manually climb or reach Typically, bell an operator a worker must a very timethat require problems if This is center designs can present clutch lever. on applications the clutch, which to access the equipment process, especially systems onto operating often dangerous large agricultural irrigation jacks. costly and, pump such as consuming, and oil field isolated areas located in harsh,

INNOVATIVE

PTO CLUTCH

TECHNOLOGY

RESPONDS WITH advanced clutching WARNER ELECTRIC need for a more developed a line of growing industry a have recently Based on a operated from Electric engineers conveniently solution, Warner clutches that can be wered clutches to The electrically-po electric PTO IoT-capable or cell phone**. hoses and no air compressors panel, tablet locations. and remote control factor in isolated pumps, cylinders require no hydraulic operate. This is a significant

lectric.com www.warnere

3/3/22 12:47 PM

Altra Certified Rebuild & Repair Services – Ameridrives, Formsprag, Marland, Nuttall & Delroyd MARLAND: Your old, worn Marland clutches can be refurbished for substantially less than the cost of a new replacement clutch. Our economical rebuild service applies to all Marland Clutch BCMA, CECON and CEBMAG models. The local Marland Rebuild Service team will perform the following to restore your clutch to like-new condition: Inspect and replace seals, energizing springs, alloy steel rollers, aluminum cages, bearings and fasteners as required, inspect and precision grind the outer race and cam if required, assemble and test to meet Marland original design and performance specifications, paint and prepare for shipment. For more details on our cost saving certified Marland Rebuild Program, call 1-888-216-3515 or download P-8117-MC from www.AltraLiterature.com. dustri Altra In

Look New Warrantied like

tic.

is Not Just Cosme

designed This feature is with into the products of g the manufacturin and oversized sprags, reduce will significantly term the user’s long operating costs.

AFTER BEFORE

springs, retainer, sprags, energized or replaced to ished All internal components– are refurbished and hardware bearings, seal standards. noted new performance ground to specifications outer races are The inner and remain. no wear patterns below so that 58-62 Rc is hardened to • Sprag Surface microinches finish is 15-25 inch per inch • Sprag Surface taper limit is 0.0002 • Sprag Surface System is certified Management Formsprag’s Quality ISO 9001: 2015 D and AS 9100 Rev.

list Advantages: (compared to savings of 30% • Price A guaranteed unit). and rebuilt in price for a new are received, inspected • Speed Clutches time frame. all the shortest possible LLH has a 3 year warranty, same as The Model • Warranty labor and materials, are 1 year on other models All products that new clutches.

Breakdown Program Clutch plant are • Emergency into the Formsprag cases, are able to are air freighted and, in most processed immediately period.

24-hour a be rebuilt within

Consider These

to

om www.formsprag.c Road 23601 Hoover - USA Warren, MI 48089

Marland remanufactured clutches look like new, perform like new and are backed by the same 3 year warranty as our new units.

Marland Clutch, part of Altra Industrial Motion, has appointed S & S Equipment & Supply, LTD to be our Master Stocking Warehouse and only Authorized Marland Rebuild and Service Center for North America.

S&S Equipment & Supply, LTD is the headquarters and administrative branch of the service. Its subsidiary company, Paducah Gear & Machine, LLC (PGM) located in Calvert City, Kentucky, performs all repair and rebuilding for all Marland products including BC-MA, CECON and CEBMAG clutches to "like new" condition with a new product warranty. In most instances, your Marland products can be refurbished for substantially less than the cost of a new replacement clutch.

As the Marland products are received at the repair facility, they are inspected, tested, quoted for rebuild, and if authorized, repaired to complete and exact standards in which the original Marland products are manufactured. The process in which this is accomplished is:

PGM facilities in Calvert City, KY

• Inspect and replace bearings, seals, springs, gaskets, stop-lugs, alloy steel rollers, aluminum cages, and fasteners as required.

• Inspect and precision grind the outer race and cam if required.

• Assemble and test to meet Marland original design and performance specifications.

• Paint, crate, and prepare for shipment.

n al Motio

tured Remanufac Clutchlikees New, The Difference

Altra Industrial M otion

Marland Clutch Certified Rebuild Center in North America

local Formsprag Contact your NOW! Clutch distributor

P-1060-FC

8/18

586-758-5000

FORMSPRAG: Send Formsprag your old clutches to make them like new again. The difference is not just cosmetic. Consider these advantages: Price – A guaranteed savings of at least 30% or more versus new product, Speed – Clutches are received, inspected and rebuilt in the shortest possible time frame, Warranty – 1 year on labor and materials, same as new clutches, and Emergency Breakdown Program – All products that are air freighted into the Warren plant are processed immediately and, in most cases, are able to be rebuilt within a 24-hour period. For more information, call 1-800-927-3262 or download P-1060-FC from www.AltraLiterature.com.

AMERIDRIVES: Ameridrives Rebuild Service can refurbish your old, worn couplings for substantially less than the cost of a new replacement coupling. The economical rebuild service applies to all Ameridrives couplings including Ameridisc®, Ameriflex® and Amerigear® high performance, high speed couplings used primarily on turbomachinery, compressor and pump applications in the power generation, oil & gas and marine industries. Other coupling brands are accepted on a case-by-case basis. For details on the rebuild program, call 1-814-480-5095, download P-7948-AC from www.AltraLiterature.com.

n Altra Industrial Motio

I N T R O D U C I N G

Ameridrives Rebuild Service

Ameridrives remanufactured couplings look like new, perform like new and are warrantied like new For more information call (814) 480-5095 or visit www.Ameridrives.com.

The Ameridrives Rebuild Service Team will conduct a comprehensive Tea inspection of your coupling and perform the following to restore your coupling to its original specifications with a new coupling warranty: • All potential wear components – metallic and gear flex elements, shims, and fasteners are refurbished or replaced to new performance standards.

• Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) on all torque transmitting

your old, worn couplings for Ameridrives Rebuild Service can refurbish replacement coupling. The economical ® substantially less than the cost of a new , Ameridrives couplings including Ameridisc rebuild service applies to all ® high speed couplings used primarily Ameriflex® and Amerigear high performance, applications in the power generation, on turbomachinery, compressor and pump brands are accepted on a case-byoil & gas and marine industries. Other coupling case basis.

Ameridrives has the team, facilities, As a leading global coupling manufacturer, experience to rebuild and replace and nearly 100 years of inspection and repair are completed to meet the exacting all coupling components as required. Repairs standards of the original coupling.

components.

• Removal and repair of surface defects on a lathe and glass bead blasting as appropriate while maintaining original coupling integrity.

• Precision dimensional and Total Indicator Run-out (TIR) measurement • Rebalancing to original API 671 certification if applicable. This recertification requires the return of the entire coupling structure.

in the shortest possible time frame.

Couplings are received, inspected and rebuilt down schedule.

We will work to accommodate your shut call (814) 480-5095 or visit For details on our cost-saving program www.Ameridrives.com. www.ameridrives.com 1802 Pittsburgh Avenue Erie, PA 16502 - USA 814-480-5000 Fax: 814-453-5891

P-7948-AC

10/15

Printed in USA

NUTTALL & DELROYD have extensive experience in gear drive applications, combined with the total manufacturing and design capabilities that enable them to provide a single, comprehensive source for improving productivity, and offers a cost-effective repair solution for any manufacturer’s gear drive.

All complete rebuilds include new factory warranty.

• • • • •

Repair and Rebuild Redesign and Rerate System Analysis Quality Assurance Load Testing

strial Altra Indu

Motion

Repair and Rebuild Services

• Field Service - 24-Hour Emergency Service - Mill Outage Support Services - Predictive Maintenance Services - Repairs - Torque Measurements - Training Seminars

For more information, download P-7010-ND from www.AltraLiterature.com

Kilian CB-14 Series Conveyor Bearings Kilian’s unique and cost-effective CB-14 Series Conveyor Bearings are designed to operate quietly and dependably in the most demanding material handling applications.

CB-14 bearings combine two major features that act together to reduce the metal-to-metal contact that is a common source of noise throughout the conveyor system. The entire CB-14 series has a one-piece, precision machined outer ring to prevent any spreading or splitting under load.

These bearings accommodate standard 7/16-inch hex shafting and dampen noise which is normally transmitted to the conveyor frame. Both inner and outer rings are precision machined from bar stock for maximum concentricity and true running performance. The solid, one-piece rings prevent spreading or splitting problems.

Benefits Include: • Noise Reduction

• A dependable, low-cost

• Easy Replacement

• Features for retrofit applications or new designs

• High-Speed Operation • One-Piece Outer Ring

Scan to watch Kilian CB-14 Bearings Video

For more information, download P-8455-KM from www.AltraLiterature.com

Altra Industrial_#3_3-22.indd 25

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BOSTON & BAUER

WASHDOWN GEAR DRIVES & GEAR MOTORS FOR THE FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY The Best Choice for Food & Beverage Safety As the leading innovators in gearing and gear motor technology, Boston Gear and Bauer Gear Motor present a full line of Stainless Steel and Aseptic products that provide sanitary protection and optimal performance in the toughest caustic environments.

The original Domed Crown™ Design

Distinct Advantages of the Boston Gear and Bauer Gear Motor offering: 1. Wide Breadth of Products • Worm / Helical-Worm / Helical-Bevel or Helical / Parallel Shaft • Gear Drives (Speed Reducers) / Gear Motors / Shaft Accessories • Reductions of 3:1 thru 10,000:1 • Output Torque from 100 lbf-in thru 7,500 lbf-in 2. Critical Product Features for Washdown Suitability & Sustainability • NSF International Certified (Worm Gear Drives) • UL/ULc Certified (Gear Motors) • IP67 / IP69K Compliance • The Original Domed CrownTM Technology • 316SS Cast Housings 3. Performance Competitive Advantages • Proven: Longer Product Life • Proven: Higher Motor Efficiency • Proven: Higher Gearing Operating Efficiency • Proven: Lower Gearing Operating Temperature • Proven: Reduced Installation Time & Maintenance Cost

For more information, visit www.BauerGears.com and www.BostonGear.com

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Design for Industry Aerospace

Making it easier to connect and

disconnect in space

The DBAS 9 connector offers a solution for engineers looking for a connector that is easy to install and uninstall, while providing high performance that can withstand extreme shock, vibration, and high temperatures up to 200° C. Its increased configuration options suit various applications, including the harsh environments of military and space applications, such as umbilical connectors for missiles and rockets where lanyard quick release or rack and panel mating is used.

This push-pull connector combines the reliability of the DBAS 7 connector with the flexibility of standard D38999 inserts. DBAS 9 connector is also compatible with AS39029 signal and power contacts.

The connector is engineered for harsh environments with such features as: • Visual and sensitive push-pull locking system for blind mating applications • Leading clip to help prevent accidental unmating on demand • Easy locking/unlocking (in heavy duty lanyard configuration) • Scoop-proof • Wide range of arrangement configurations of D38999 inserts: high density, hybrid signal and power layout, and high-speed • Rack and panel feature • Large range of backshells and accessories DESIGN WORLD

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www.designworldonline.com

The range of inserts and large range of shell types and accessories with multiple surfacefinishing options makes integrated solutions for custom designs possible, such as integrated backshells, fiber optic, and high-speed solutions. Finally, if requested DBAS-9 connectors can also be manufactured according to European Space Agency (ESA) procedures to improve traceability and quality insurance requested for critical space applications. DW

TE Connectivity Te.com

March 2022

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OVER 25 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE WITH MANUFACTURING AND SOURCING OF MATERIAL, SUB-ASSEMBLIES AND FULL TURNKEY PRODUCTS. •

PRODUCTS: We offer component manufacturing, engineering, sourcing, custom component manufacturing.

Kingway offers components and subassemblies all the way to full box builds.

•

LOGISTICS: Kingway can help develop a custom Logistics plan to meet your needs including Expedited Air Freight, Sea Freight and Domestic Warehousing.

•

VISION STATEMENT: Kingway Electronics offers Direct Sourcing and Customized Logistics Management by utilizing our 25 plus years of relationships and experience to deliver better Pricing, Shorter Lead Times with the Goal of Maximizing our customers profitability.

STANDARD TO FULLY CUSTOM OEM SOLUTIONS Kingway 4-21.indd 28

kingway-usa.com (330) 205-4904

3/3/22 12:50 PM

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

POWER TRANSMISSION

RETAINING DEVICES & maintenance & assembly tools BEARLOK

SHOELOK

BEARLOK Shrink Disc

BEARHUG

CLAMPNUT

TANGENTLOK

Closed loop servostepper motors fit tight spaces

PRECISION NUTS & WASHERS

INCH and METRIC THREADS LEFT HANDED as well as RIGHT -HANDED

ADAPTER SLEEVE ASSEMBLIES

Materials of: CARBON, ALLOY and HARDENED ALLOY STEELS Materials of: ALLUMINUM and CORROSION RESISTANT STEEL NUTS & WASHERS

HARDENED TONGUE WASHERS

SPLIT COLLAR

RETHREADING DIES

ADJUSTABLE SPANNER WRENCH

BEARING ASSEMBLY SOCKET

The stepIM NEMA 17 EtherCAT model, the newest addition to a family of integrated closed-loop servo stepper motors, is IP65-rated and delivers an efficient and economical solution for applications requiring the performance of a servo.

It particularly suits applications where space is limited, allowing users to forego the cabinet and gain design flexibility in decentralized motion architecture applications.

The stepIM closed-loop servo stepper is available in three sizes: short (97.4 mm motor length), medium (105.9 mm motor length), and long (120.4 mm motor length).

The integrated electronics control the stepper motor as a two-phase BLDC motor, implementing position servo loop, velocity loop, DQ current control, and additional algorithms. Closed-loop commutation, by means of an absolute singe-turn encoder, ensures optimal torque at any speed.

The integrated design also minimizes component and wiring requirements. Further, the stepIM can function as distributed I/O points, reducing machine complexity. DW

STXI Motion www.stxim.com

W

HI

TT

ET

-H

IG

GI

NS US

A

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.

33 Higginson Avenue, Central Falls, Rhode Island 02863 Telephone: (401) 728-0700 • FAX: (401) 728-0703 E-mail: info@whittet-higgins.com Web: www.whittet-higgins.com

DESIGN WORLD

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3/4/22 10:23 AM

Design for Industry Packaging

How 3D printing can help eliminate single-use PET packaging In its continuing efforts to drive environmental sustainability, HP Inc. announced the acquisition of Choose Packaging, a packaging development company and inventor of the zero-plastic paper bottle.

Choose’s patented technology provides an alternative to plastic bottles and can hold a variety of liquid products. Its novel, paper-based bottles are made with naturally occurring and non-toxic materials and pave the way for a new standard for bottling solutions globally.

With this acquisition, HP plans to use its 3D printing-enabled Molded Fiber Tooling Solution, designed to bring customizable, fiber-based products to market faster and more affordably. Recently, HP won the Gold Award in WTWH Media’s LEAP Awards for technical innovation for its Molded Fiber Tooling Solution.

With the integration of Choose into its Personalization & 3D Printing business, HP will focus on scaling its technology and customer footprint to expand the addressable market.

There are more than 150 million tons of single-use plastics produced each year and HP intends to disrupt this market with fiber-based, 100% plastic- ee packaging.

The fiber based sustainable packaging market is valued at $10 billion.

“As a plastic- ee packaging development company, we’ve successfully created technology that can provide a viable alternative to plastic bottles to help eliminate single-use PET packaging,” said James Longcro , founder and managing director,

30

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Choose Packaging. “HP’s world-class capabilities and expertise can help scale our impact at a global level. We are thrilled to join the HP team and couldn’t have chosen a better match in terms of our shared goals for business, technology, sustainability, and a values-oriented culture.”

Choose works with many large global companies including Accolade Wines, one of the biggest wine companies in the world with over 50 brands including Hardys, Banrock Station, and Grant Burge available in more than 130 countries; Henkel, one of the world’s largest consumer and industrial goods companies; Malibu Rum, one of the strategic international brands in Pernod Ricard’s global portfolio; and many more. DW

HP Inc. | www.hp.com DESIGN WORLD

3/4/22 10:24 AM

Packaging

Low-load polymer bearings expand machine tool designer options

This polymer bushing provides users a new option that helps them avoid overdesigning for low-load applications.

These polymer bushing bearings provide a reliable solution for machines where moment load is non-critical (30-40% of linear applications) or contamination and temperature are concerns. These bearings are also useful for applications that require sha ing that is not compatible with traditional ball bushings such as 316 stainless steel.

Polymer bushing bearings can handle loads of up to 2,023 lbf (9 kN) and provide a corrosion-resistant alternative for low-load, low-speed applications in markets such as factory automation, robotics, health and fitness, medical automation, woodworking, packaging, food and beverage, and vending.

Available in sizes of 6 to 50 mm (closed) and 10 to 50 mm (open), these polymer bushing bearings resist dust and dirt, and operate maintenance- ee with reduced noise in temperatures om -58˚ to 194˚F (-50˚ to 90˚C). They feature an anodized aluminum adapter and are available with aluminum pillow blocks. DW

Thomson Industries, Inc. www.thomsonlinear.com

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Design Notes

Upgrading a dairy company’s production safety

Fortress Technology installed this twin aperture Stealth metal detector and dual-lane Raptor 200 checkweigher to integrate with a dual-head VFFS bagging system for a leading dairy producer.

Edited by Mike Santora • Managing Editor

When a leading North American dairy plant needed significant space and cost savings for packaging its shredded cheese, they worked with Fortress Technology to find a solution. The Fortress Technology team custom-engineered the twin aperture Stealth metal detector and dual lane Raptor 200 checkweigher.

The twin lane conveyor configuration consolidates a single metal detector divided into two apertures and two independent, weightverification Raptor checkweighers for optimized quality control. Each technology and lane have their own air-blast reject mechanism to isolate metal contaminants and weight rejects, helping to reduce product waste by over 50%. Measuring 10- in length, Fortress also integrated a radius conveyor into the metal detector infeed.

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For the producer of some of the world’s most iconic cheese brands, compromising on metal detection sensitivity was not an option. Explaining the benefits of the multi-aperture metal detector concept, Fortress Technology spokesperson Eric Garr explained, “Compared to the alternative multi-lane contaminant detection and combination systems on the market, the high-spec Fortress multi-aperture system was engineered specifically to ensure that that there was no trade-off in performance and metal detection sensitivity. One of the key benefits of a twin aperture system is the halving of waste caused by rejects.”

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The special dual-lane version of Fortress Technology’s multi-aperture metal detector comprises a single unit split into two smaller dedicated apertures for each lane that act as independent metal detectors. Optimal metal detection sensitivity of the two compact apertures — measuring 4-in. by 10-in. — means that the packs pass individually through the center point of the metal detector.

Fully integrated with the dairy plants’ upstream and downstream equipment and matching the 120-140 ppm output speed of the dual-head VFFS bagging system, the compact geometry of the customized radius conveyor facilitates the positioning and orientation of product packs as they round the corner towards the metal detector. Providing optimal spacing between product packs as they are presented to each metal detector aperture helps to avoid congestion, bottlenecks, and flexible packaging formats overlapping — leading to distorted weight verification checks.

Each lane is programmed to run independently; the bespoke design helps minimize interruption to the packing process during product switchovers.

Additionally, the design gives the plant increased inspection and weight

verification capacity, as two different product lines, pack sizes, or SKUs can be run simultaneously adjacent to each other.

Air blast nozzles between the two outfeed conveyors efficiently and independently remove contaminated product into lockable reject bins equipped with reject confirmation and bin full sensors. “For lighter weight packaged applications like shredded cheese, an air blast reject is the most efficient and has fewer moving parts.

Contaminated products are instantly removed off the conveyor belt without disrupting production,” stated Garr.

Fortress would typically suggest using a pusher or retracting belt mechanism with heavier products.

Delivering dynamic weight monitoring with minimal customizations to existing product feed and packing lines, the hygienic dual-lane design also targets operational inefficiencies, notably upstream product giveaway, nonconforming food packs, and packaging waste.

A single metal detector is split into two individual apertures for each lane to ensure metal detection sensitivity isn’t compromised.

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Design Notes Two packs can pass over two Raptor load cells to weigh, analyze, capture, and report data in milliseconds. For ease of integration, air blast nozzles reject outof-weight specification products with minimal operative intervention.

To ensure absolute traceability and compliance with retailer Codes of Practice and QA protocols, both the metal detector and Raptor checkweigher capture live OEE data. “By gathering live production information om each lane independently, the dairy group can establish the operational parameters and extract statistics most valuable to their business, for instance, volume, weight, inspection speed, rejects, or downtime,” added Garr.

Equipped with Contact Reporter so ware, the dairy plant can export and convert time-stamped production data om their dual-aperture metal detector and integrate into readable formats with their existing quality control reporting system. Also available is the option to connect the checkweigher to the Contact 4.0 connectivity so ware.

Auditor- iendly data reports are exported as either PDF or Excel files covering a specific production line or

The rising cost of real estate in North American production facilities is pushing demand for spaceoptimized machinery.

time interval. “Rather than monitoring machine performance manually, this level of cohesive reporting on a multilane system provides valuable upstream trend feedback to boost operational efficiencies,” said Garr.

Constructed to the highest food grade standards, the modular 200mm wide conveyor assembly, conveyor decks, and belts are all designed to be easily removed om the machine for deep sanitation and maintenance. In seconds, the conveyor belt can be removed and the belt tension and tracking are restored.

With rent per square foot in North American industrial manufacturing plants

currently averaging $6.36, this latest multi-lane combination metal detection and checkweighing solution shows the space-saving possibilities. DW

Fortress Technology www.fortresstechnology.com

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Design Notes

Pictured (L to R): Matt Sagaser, director of Innovation for Doosan Bobcat; Joe Alfieri; Nicole WodkaCook, business director for Moog Construction; Joel Honeyman, VP of Innovation for Doosan Bobcat; and Dave Grabau, business development manager for Moog Construction.

Engineering the first all-electric compact track loader Edited by Mike Santora Managing Editor

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Doosan Bobcat had a vision for designing and building an all-electric machine. Its team was looking for an allelectric actuator for its compact track loaders.

The search led them to Moog, which has a history of converting hydraulic systems to electric ones. The result was the awardwinning Bobcat T7X, which does not use hydraulic parts or oil. The T7X is a zeroemissions and all-electric machine with the power and performance of a diesel-hydraulic machine but without the noise, emissions, and hydraulic leaks. Here’s how they did it.

The intelligent machine electrification system consists of an integrated so ware amework, a sophisticated electric machine

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controller, li and tilt electric cylinders, electric traction motors, and power electronics. With the help of this new system, the T7X is a major step forward for the productivity, safety, and sustainability of construction machinery.

“Bobcat had a vision for an all-electric machine,” said Joe Baldi, director of strategy & partnerships for Moog. “Our conversation began with Moog’s all-electric actuators, but ultimately our talks led to the intelligent machine electrification system. Working together with Bobcat, we were able to bring that all-electric vision to life in six months.”

The new intelligent machine electrification system helped the T7X control

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the motion of the tracks and li and tilt functions with efficiency, enabling a powerful zero-emission machine with increased run time and reduced maintenance costs.

“To describe our contribution to the T7X in anatomical terms,” added Baldi, “we supplied the brain’s ontal lobe (the part that controls motion); the nervous system helping to intelligently coordinate actions, power, and sensor information to and om different parts of the machine; and the muscles, which are the allelectric actuators and motors.”

On January 4, 2022, in Las Vegas at CES 2022, Doosan Bobcat announced that Sunbelt Rentals would invest in a fleet of the all-electric T7X compact track loaders. The all-electric machines will be co-branded by Bobcat and Sunbelt and made available this year.

So, what makes Moog’s solution an “automation-ready integrated system” versus a set of components for motion control and energy management?

The digital so ware amework makes this solution automation-ready, enabling Bobcat to build digital and so ware-configurable machines for users. Each axis on the machine can be independently and precisely controlled, but they’re tied together with other sub-systems, making it easy for Bobcat to develop valuable functionality for their customers. Think of how Tesla and Apple introduce new features through so ware updates; Moog enables this with its system.

What’s unique (or first of its kind) about the offering for the Bobcat T7X is that it’s all-electric — no hydraulic parts, no oil, and fewer parts than a diesel-electric machine; it produces zero-emissions and is quiet enough that construction crews can communicate without shouting or hand signals. The energy management so ware also gives the machine increased battery life because the machine supplies energy only to the parts of the machine when

needed. This extends battery life and makes zero-emission construction machines possible because they can do more work for longer before needing a charge.

Moog has experts in motion control, automation, simulation, and modeling for whole systems and across markets ranging om aerospace to renewable energy. Today, most centralized systems on a construction vehicle have one motor and pump distributing hydraulic fluid; the pump is always running. With a traditional loader, the machine would waste energy on every axis for li ing, tilting, moving — even when the machine is stationary. Moog designed a more efficient system using distributed control to send power only when and where the T7X needs it, such as li ing dirt or moving side to side. The T7X wastes little to no energy.

T7X on display at CES 2022 in Las Vegas features Moog electric cylinders and the Moog traction motor located at the uppermost point under the triangle forming the vehicle’s tracks.

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Design Notes Additionally, the Moog team efficiently manages motion and thermodynamics for the T7X’s system, which keeps each component operating at the proper temperature range, reduces energy use, and extends run time.

Lastly, the new intelligent so ware optimizes the T7X’s motion as it carries out tasks by learning to smooth out the machine’s movements and operation, which boosts run time by more than 25%. The machine gets the same output and work done with less energy by smoothing out the peak moments of energy usage.

What is the “modular, scalable, platform approach?”

This means solutions like this one used for the Bobcat application are scalable across multiple types of machines with few modifications — it saves Bobcat time and money in developing its next all-electric product. Because the solution was built om modular hardware and so ware building blocks, the engineers on this project collaborated quickly to apply the blocks to different machines.

The result? Zero-emission machines getting to market faster and at a reduced cost.

How much time passed om the initial discussion to producing a working, all-electric loader?

Approximately six months.

How does Moog’s approach ensure electric vehicles have comparable force and torque to hydraulic systems?

The initial, all-electric solution for the T7X was thought to be too robust versus its hydraulic predecessor, but the intelligence of the machine systems allowed for different work modes to control the output when needed. There’s a misconception across many industries, not just construction, that hydraulic systems are stronger than electric ones.

It takes the right experience to best apply the advantages of these different technologies to a machine. DW

Moog www.moog.com/construction

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Design Notes

Getting the drop on precision fluid dispensing in auto assembly Edited by Mike Santora • Managing Editor

When coupled with CCD cameras and confocal lasers, Nordson EFD vision-guided automation platforms provide optical assurance of fluid deposit volume and placement accuracy, ensuring a conforming deposit.

Automotive component manufacturers face several production challenges. The most vital is maintaining product quality supported by consistent production throughput with systems that ensure profitability. A key function in this process is assembly; the need to manufacture more complex assemblies poses challenges for process engineers in their manufacturing and assembly functions.

Fluid dispensing Critical to meeting strict requirements is the need to deposit small and precise amounts of fluid — such as adhesives, greases, silicones, and lubricants — to parts during the assembly process. The minimal amounts of adhesive, silicone, and other fluids must be dispensed reliably and

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accurately. The precise positioning and quantity of these fluids deposited on the parts are critical to these products’ viability.

This technique of depositing tiny volumes of liquid media dosages spans several assembly applications in automotive component manufacturing that require the precision dispensing of oils, grease, lacquers, and other media.

Depositing small and precise amounts of fluid is an ever-increasing challenge for automotive manufacturers of tiny micro-electronics and other minuscule parts. Substrates are becoming more

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Design Notes This jetting system prevents short-cuts in EV battery cells by applying precise, consistent amounts of UV-cure adhesives.

crowded and uneven in nature. Such is the case with printed circuit board (PCB) assembly and other applications.

Dispensing fluids onto hard-to-access areas or on delicate substrates are vital factors that must be assessed. These directly affect the Z-axis movement of a dispensing system, influencing its ability to move over uneven surfaces and dispense the correct volume of fluids. Cycle times for fluid dot deposition and throughput rates are regulated to some extent by the substrate surface topography.

The variety of fluids and fluid viscosities that can be dispensed in automotive assembly can be substantial — encompassing epoxies, adhesives, silicones, greases, oils, flux, lacquers, solder paste, and solvents. The fluid to be dispensed must readily flow through the dispensing heads. In some instances, once the fluid reaches the part, it must restructure and recover to keep it om spreading and contaminating other components.

Other properties of the fluid that must be considered include its density and weight, the presence of abrasive fillers, and whether it’s safe to dispense or if it’s combustible. The fluid properties can also be modified by the dispensing process

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being used. Temperature variation within the dispensing system can change the viscosity of the fluid, affecting the fluid pressure and line speed.

Whether applying UV cure glue to a sensor PCB, grease, or lubricant into automotive switches, anaerobic glues into connectors, or high-viscosity grease into multiple surfaces of an automotive part, characterizing different fluids and determining the best dispensing parameters are important factors for creating a successful dispensing process.

Parameters for precision fluid dispensing in automotive parts assembly Fluid dispensing in the assembly of automotive components encompasses a range of methods that can accommodate specific fluid application processes. The latest benchtop and robotic dispensers provide a high degree of process control, capable of dispensing adhesives, solder pastes, lubricants, and other assembly fluids with high consistency.

Handling fluid dispensing of dots, beads, and fills under a broad range of conditions, these units are equipped with multiple capabilities to refine the dispensing process. From precision benchtop fluid dispensers, pneumatic www.designworldonline.com

valve systems, piezoelectric jetting valve systems, and in-line robotic dispensing systems, many factors would support adopting a more efficient and controlled dispensing method in the assembly of automotive components:

•

Shot-to-shot repeatability and accuracy are improved as a more automated and controlled dispensing approach is employed.

•

Increased productivity comes with increased automation.

•

Part quality improves when switching om manual squeeze bottle dispensing to air-powered dispensing and further along to in-line automated dispensing, because operator-to-operator variance is reduced. The ability to set the time, pressure, and other dispensing parameters for an application improves process control and ensures the right amount of fluid is placed on each part.

•

Rework and reject rates lessen when upgrading to more automated dispensing solutions, thus improving the yield of the manufacturing lines and greater profitability to the manufacturer.

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•

The amount of assembly fluid used decreases significantly when using a more controlled method of dispensing.

It is important to consider each of these five points, as they represent the actual cost-to-benefit factors influencing fluid dispensing processes in automotive parts assembly.

Shot-to-Shot Repeatability & Accuracy Shot-to-shot repeatability and accuracy are critical in fluid dispensing.

Depositing the right amount of fluid has a compounding effect of not only maintaining product integrity but also keeping downstream production moving.

For example, in a bonding application, if too much fluid is applied, it can take longer to cure, which will delay production downstream. Conversely, if too little fluid is applied, the part will not properly bond, interrupting downstream assembly or causing product failure.

Precision dispensing systems apply shot-by-shot repeatable amounts of virtually any manufacturing fluid by using digital timers and precision air regulators to determine the amount of material applied.

The latest generation of fluid dispensers can distribute practically all assembly fluids — om thin solvents to thick silicones and brazing pastes — with greater accuracy. They deliver exceptional throughput and process control, with consistent deposits om the beginning to the end of the fluid reservoir.

For the precise application of adhesives, lubricants, paints, solder pastes, two-part epoxies, UV-cure adhesives, and other assembly fluids, precision dispensing systems enable optimal results.

The consistency and repeatability performance of precision dispensing systems goes beyond the actual dispensing equipment itself and also depends on the quality and proper usage of the system components. These consumable plastic components — syringe barrels, adapter assemblies, DESIGN WORLD

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Design Notes

Another feature supporting precision dispensing, particularly applicable for automotive component manufacturers, is Automated Optical Inspection (AOI).

pistons, caps, and dispense tips — are designed to meet the requirements of different types of fluids and applications and to dispense the most precise fluid deposit possible.

Consumable plastic components working together as part of an integrated system are designed to reduce fluid waste and air entrapment.

For the highest level of performance om these dispensing systems, several requirements necessary:

•

Each of the consumable plastic components should be designed as part of a complete, integrated system.

This will improve yields and reduce costs by producing the most accurate, repeatable fluid deposits possible.

Mixing and matching components om different systems or suppliers is a recipe for diminishing performance.

•

Maintaining precision shot-to-shot repeatability in dispensing starts with quality manufacturing of the components. For best performance, all components should be certified that no silicone mold-release agents are used in the precision molding process or at any

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other time during the production of the dispensing components.

•

The dispensing components should always be used as singleuse consumables. In high-precision dispensing systems, barrel internal diameters (IDs), piston diameters, and dispensing tips, are manufactured with tolerances that make any residue om prior dispensing residing in the barrel, piston, or tip degrade dispensing repeatability performance. Once the piston reaches the bottom of the barrel; the barrel, piston, and tip should be discarded.

Process Control The ability to set the time, pressure, and other dispensing parameters for an application improves process control and ensures the right amount of fluid is placed on each part.

The latest generation of fluid dispensers provides a high degree of process control for dispensing applications in the assembly of automotive components, are capable of dispensing adhesives, solder pastes, lubricants, and all other assembly fluids with high consistency. www.designworldonline.com

Fluid dispensing of dots, beads, and fills can be achieved with dispensing equipment features such as a 1-100 psi air pressure regulator, timed-shots, vacuum control to keep thin fluids om dripping, digital time/pressure displays, and electric foot pedals. Time adjustments can be as fine as 0.0001 seconds, and constantbleed air pressure regulation will provide reliable control when dispensing any type of fluid.

Some of the latest fluid dispensers allow programmable sequencing to automatically adjust dispensing parameters, making them suitable for applications that involve two-part epoxies and other fluids that thicken over time or get thinner as ambient temperatures rise.

Another feature supporting precision dispensing, particularly applicable for automotive component manufacturers, is Automated Optical Inspection (AOI).

When coupled with CCD cameras and confocal lasers, Nordson EFD vision-guided automation platforms provide optical assurance of fluid deposit volume and placement accuracy, ensuring a conforming deposit.

With robotics, using a robot’s existing vision systems, the AOI so ware verifies fluid deposit widths and diameters.

With the AOI confocal laser, the system measures the height of a fluid deposit in addition to the width and diameter, providing 3D deposit verification and determining if dispense requirements have been met. The confocal laser detects deposit height measurements regardless of the transparency of the fluid, which can sometimes distort quality data. Constant closed-loop feedback delivers automated quality control data, saving automotive component manufacturers time and costs.

DW

Nordson EFD www.nordsonefd.com

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Internet of Things

Leveraging wireless power for medical application Brig General (ret) Craig Baker • Acting COO & Cherif Chibane • CTO at WiGL Wearable medical devices play a vital role in healthcare for the military and civilians. Small, portable, and easy to wear, these devices assist first responders, war-fighters and patients with services ranging om physiological diseases like muscle disorders to neurocognitive disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. In recent years, technological advances have succeeded in making these medical devices even more compact, efficient, and accurate. However, there is still the problem that many of these devices require equent recharging, necessitating the need for downtime. Their charging efficiency can also deplete over time, leading to sudden power failures and the need for replacing.

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Fortunately, this is a limitation that may soon be a thing of the past. Another exciting technology that has seen huge leaps in development over the last few years could provide the answer—wireless charging.

The advent of touchless wireless power Wireless charging is something that’s been around for quite a while as a concept. But it’s only in recent years that the technology has advanced enough to become commercially viable. You may have already come across some of the “wireless” charging pads that have been flooding the market recently.

These “touch” pads rely on using electromagnetic

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induction to wirelessly transmit power from the charger to the device. It’s a technology with a lot of practical applications, especially with electric vehicle development. However, to work, the charging pad must be conventionally plugged into an electrical outlet and your device must touch the charging pad — meaning it isn’t truly wireless.

But there’s another technology in the industry that promises true touchless wireless capability. This one relies on transmitting power much like a WiFi signal. Just connect your device to a touchless power network, exactly as you would with a hotspot, and watch as your device charges continuously and seamlessly. No need to set the device down or stop using it for periods of time.

For wearable military or medical devices that must be always kept on, this is a game-changer.

Benefits of wireless power Compared to traditional cable-powered devices, wireless power promises to overcome many of the challenges associated with portable military or medical devices. This includes:

1

Low-power and high-power applications At present, wireless charging can easily power a range of devices below 10 watts.

This includes a range of portable devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and wearable medical devices. But it’s also slowly becoming more applicable for larger devices of up to 300 watts. Each passing year sees more advances in the technology, expanding its power output, range, and charging speed. Given another ten years, we may see most of our electrical devices being powered this way.

2

No downtime or need for replacing The rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that currently power most of our electrical devices, while certainly more

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efficient than previous battery types, still have a lot of room for improvement. Over time, their charging capacity begins to degrade, leading to the need for more frequent recharging. Eventually, they must be replaced, necessitating the need for downtime. Battery-free power at a distance solves this issue, creating devices with an unlimited lifespan and no need for replacing.

While this may seem like a mere convenience, it has huge ramifications for devices such as biosensors, continuous glucose monitoring, and untethered insulin delivery systems. People’s lives are at stake with these devices. By providing an uninterrupted source of power, touchless wireless charging (and one day touchless powering) promises a dramatic improvement in patients’ and service members’ lifestyles. WiGL’s founder Ahmad Glover has termed this… touchless Wireless Power Transfer (tWPT).

3

Reduced environmental impact The need to regularly replace lithium-ion batteries that have outlived their life cycle leads to another problem.

It is estimated that less than 5% of lithium batteries get recycled, the vast majority end up in landfills where they continue to degrade and leak chemicals into the soil and groundwater. This is a serious environmental issue, one that may not be solvable by simply stepping up our recycling efforts. The problem is that the recycling process is very inefficient and consumes a lot of materials. Only 38%-60% of a lithium battery can be recycled (mostly the metal components). By contrast, up to 95% of a traditional lead-acid battery can be recycled.

Adding to this, you have the environmental damage that comes from mining the materials needed for their construction in the first place. There are only a few lithium mines in the world and the extraction process causes significant water pollution and wastage.

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Internet of Things

Cobalt, another vital material used in the construction of lithium batteries, is also a rare material. Up to two-thirds of it comes om mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where child labor and unsafe conditions are rife. Battery ee wirelessly charged devices leave almost no footprint on the environment.

4

Greater device durability Having to equently recharge a device by plugging a cable into its charging port tends to cause a lot of wear and tear. This can reduce the lifespan of a device, necessitating further repair or replacement. tWPT charging eliminates this issue. Additionally, since there will one day be no need for a charging port,

S U M M I T

&

manufacturers can design devices that are fully waterproof and dust resistant.

Considering that some portable military and/or medical devices must be always kept on, this can make a big difference to user adherence.

Expanded capabilities through the Internet-of-Things (IoT) IoT networks allow for systems to easily communicate and exchange data.

In the medical field, this has enormous applications, especially for home-based patients. Health professionals can now more easily monitor a wearer’s vitals and set up alerts for when sensor readings become dangerous or out of the norm.

Expanding our view further, these

5

smart wearables can be connected to a centralized or home health monitoring system where all data is collected, processed, and remotely monitored.

Powered through tWPT charging, smart wearables will allow doctors and battlefield medics to easily keep tabs on their patients as they go about their daily lives. This will lead to greater convenience, faster reaction times, and more effective health management.

What medical device makers need to know about leveraging tWPT Wireless charging isn’t without a few problems of its own. It’s an emerging technology and still has a way to go before it becomes efficient enough to

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Graphite Filled One Part Epoxy EP5G-80

NOT PREMIXED AND FROZEN be as ubiquitous as, say, WiFi or Bluetooth. One of the largest reported issues with it is that charging speeds can be noticeably slower than with traditional cable charging. Range is another issue, though some providers market their devices as being workable at distances of up to 15- . Progress is being made on overcoming both these issues and it remains to be seen what their full capabilities could be in the future.

WiGL’s tWPT meshed networking for instance will one day soon make distance an obsolete issue.

There are also compatibility issues as different manufacturers have different charging standards.

The most widely used WPT is Qi (pronounced “chee”), which has been developed by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). Qi looks set to become the world standard but others are jockeying for that position.

Until a WPT universal standard can be reached there may be compatibility issues between some wearable medical devices and the wireless power provider chosen. Here too, WiGL is helping lead the charge to set the standard for tWPT of tomorrow.

Military and medical technologies are currently going through something of a revolution. The switch to a more tech-heavy system that integrates the latest technology promises better use of healthcare data and a more personalized and efficient healthcare system. Medical technology developers that can react the fastest by providing efficient, easy to operate, and cost-effective wearables stand to gain the most. Already, mobile technology is enabling greater communication between providers and patients.

By finding new innovations in sensor technologies, touchless wireless power, and IoT, exponential growth could be soured in the wearables market.

Final thoughts While the day we can all enjoy WiGL enabled tWPT products is still some time away om where wirelessly powered wearables become the industry norm, the pace of development suggests that it may be closer than many think. Promising military contracts for WiGL enabled tWPT and advances in AI technology are another area developers will want to keep an eye on as it may drive further innovations in the medical technology markets. Likewise, as more clinicians convince patients of the value and benefits of wirelessly powered wearables, the pace and scale of the civilian market’s growth can only be expected to go up. DW

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Coupling Notes Shredders fall under the category of implements and are attached to tractors. These machines shred plants, bushes, or residues after the harvest.

Locking assemblies optimize sustainable farming efforts Edited by Mike Santora • Managing Editor

Farmers in countries around the world equently use shredding machines. Many farmers burn the crop residues in their fields a er the harvesting season, which greatly contributes to environmental pollution. While demands on pollution control and sustainable farming are growing, shredders are also in high demand within the farming community. Shredders fall under the category of implements and are attached to tractors. These machines shred plants, bushes, or residues a er the harvest.

Shredders are constructed with multiple blades that shred the residual crops. In principle, they have a motor that rotates the motor sha , which is fixed with a pulley, and the sha with blades is fixed with a reducer pulley; the result is that the sha speed is doubled. When the sha rotates at high speed, the blades also rotate at the same speed. The blades shred the material into very fine particles. These shredders are available in various manual, electric, or tractor application models.

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Requirements As the sha blades of shredders operate at high speeds, it is imperative that the sha with blades attached do not slip.

For this reason, a perfect torque-transmitting connection om sha to pulley plays a vital role in the functional efficiency of these shredders. The following case history is an example of this key requirement. One of the leading manufacturers of shredding machines had been repeatedly con onted with claims om customers who criticized that the shredding results were not as expected and that several passes were necessary to cut unpredictably strong residues.

Upon investigation of the problem, the technical team of the shredder manufacturer determined that the sha to pulley connection slipped so that the required torque could not be transmitted. Ringfeder Power Transmission was then contacted to find a solution.

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Hydraulic Live Swivels Inline & 90°

An absolute backlash- ee connection is a primary requirement in this application. Ringfeder locking assemblies are iction-locked sha hub connections suitable for the precise fastening of pulleys that hold the rotor sha with minimal clearance. Locking Assemblies are installed between the pulleys and the motor/blade sha s. By tightening the clamping screws, the inner and outer rings press themselves onto the contact surfaces of the components to be connected, thus creating a ictionfit press connection. This not only allows for the highest torques to be reliably transmitted without slip, but also for axial, radial, and bending loads.

With the benefits of the locking assemblies om Ringfeder, the shredder manufacturer not only has optimized the operational reliability of the shredding machines but has also fully satisfied its clients.

Locking Assemblies with high reliability Keyed connections have been the traditional method to fix rotating sha s to power transmission components, but demands for reliability and transmission of high torques due to tough and difficult-to-remove farm residues are increasing. Locking assemblies like these have usurped the place of a keyed connection in the most demanding applications. Locking assemblies take a very different approach to torque transmission. They feature a pair of double-tapered thrust rings that, when tightened, expand radially to create a compression fit between a sha and its mating component, locking them together.

Unlike keyways, which concentrate stresses along a single line of contact, locking assemblies distribute torquetransmission stresses evenly over 360° of contact. This uniform stress distribution eliminates the wear and maintenance costs associated with keyways and delivers a highly reliable connection.

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Other application areas Simple and quick assembly and disassembly, complete eedom om maintenance and wear, and backlash ee power transmission — these locking assemblies are iction-locked sha hub connections that are suitable for the precise fastening of all types of hubs, including toothed gears, running wheels and chain sprockets, levers, cam discs, belt and brake discs, slip-on gears, couplings, flanges, or on sha s and axles.

Compared to external clamping connections, e.g., shrink discs, locking assemblies are installed between a sha and a hub. By tightening the clamping screws, inner and outer rings press themselves onto the contact surfaces of the components to be connected, thus creating a iction-fit press connection.

This allows for the highest torques and axial and radial and bending loads to be transmitted reliably. Keyless locking assemblies are the superior alternative to conventional shrink-fits, wedge, keyway, or polygonal connections and offer good concentricity and resistance to alternating torsion. DW

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L i n e a r

PBC Linear leverages Taqtile Manifest AR tools to efficiently share institutional knowledge — and let plant managers successfully setup a cobot installation in mere hours in some instances. The AR hardware interface can take the form of a HoloLens headset, Magic Leap goggles (as shown here), or a standard iPad.

M o t i o n

| Kirk Wescom • PBC Linear

Five ways

to drive ROI

from personnel and cobot investments In this article, we detail how assembly, packaging, and machine-tool OEMs can keep senior plant personnel in charge of the most demanding and intricate tasks — and relegate everything else to pre-programmed work routines and automated workcells. Such approaches make copious use of cobots and augmented reality (AR) tools.

Tim LeCrone | Director of Research, Development, and Customer Outreach | PBC Linear | Applied Cobotics Elisabeth Eitel | Executive Editor | Design World

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T

he ultimate question for today’s plant managers is this: How should an organization protect the valuable time of its most seasoned machine operators and engineers by keeping them on sophisticated tasks — and leverage complementary tools such as collaborative robots (cobots) and augmented reality (AR) to delegate everything else?

Both cobotics and AR tools help manufacturers match employees with tasks that best fit individual skillsets — to leverage the full promise of the Factory of the Future.

To illustrate, cobots can act as a support for seasoned employees — freeing them to simultaneously tend multiple machines. AR tools can guide new hires through complicated but well-defined routines for autonomy and efficient on-thejob learning.

Following are five ways to identify application tasks where cobotics and AR tools make the most sense — and maximize returns on investment (ROI) for new purchases of these technologies.

1 Run employee productivity calculations All business operations should have in place some way of quantifying employee productivity. In industrial and manufacturing settings, this typically takes the form of simply tracking revenue or (especially in larger companies) counting the routines or workpieces output (sans flaws) completed per day or hour.

Software tools abound to compare these outputs to a moving baseline over time. Where appropriate, this information might even display on visual management displays such as bulletin boards or overhead flatscreens exhibiting key performance indicators or KPIs for all

employees to note and stay well informed.

The most useful measures of productivity account for the time and effort each subtask requires for a given operator execute a complete process. Such measures along with employee feedback can help identify complicated, fatiguing, mundane, and otherwise subtly demoralizing tasks that may in fact be better run by a cobot or enhanced with AR tools.

Once all the areas of rote-tasks slowdowns are identified, manufacturersupplied and industry-association online calculators abound to calculate the ROI on a given cobot or AR-tool installation — and identify where blended operations (including both automated and manually executed tasks) make the most sense.

Case in point: As we’ll detail, faster cobot ROI is possible if a given robotic workcell runs more than one shift per day and where labor and labor-turnover costs are high. The use of automated storage and retrieval (ASRS) trayhandling machines to complement the work of a cobot also shortens the ROI timeline. On the other hand, high electrical-utility costs can yield a slightly longer ROI timeline.

PBC Linear’s Applied Cobotics solutions incorporate Applied Cobotics ASRSs (in turn comprised of PBC Linear components) and workpiece trays to serve Elfin cobots fitted with Schunk grippers. In fact, grippers along with part trays account for about 20% of a typical cobot investment.

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2 Determine where cobot ROI won’t and will be impressive Cobots have become exceptionally practical over the last few years. However, there’s a big difference between purchasing a cobot arm and fully integrating that arm into factory operations. What workcells should get cobot arms first? What functions should they assume? As with any technology for captive plant use, cobots yield the highest ROI when they’re targeted to the most appropriate applications … and complemented by automated modules and software-driven tools.

Consider how there are numerous ways to automate robotic workcells for machine tending, but hardest to automate are processes involving the picking and placing of workpieces. Machine vision is sometimes employed as a solution here. However, machine vision isn’t always successful in dealing with jumbled workpiece orientations for secure grasping — much less accurate placement into the equipment set to machine or otherwise process said workpieces. Despite the sensor and software developments of recent years, there aren’t yet affordable vision systems on the market that can reliably assist robot arms in picking parts out of a heap in a bin.

The vision-based solutions that prove most successful necessitate copious upfront programming by either an integrator or vision specialist — so make the most sense for high-volume operations.

In contrast, workcells that take a more pragmatic tack and present the robotic arm with workpieces in a more organized way provide quite speedy and dramatic ROI, even for more modest operations. That’s in large part because the technologies involved in this design are presently affordable and easy to configure and commission. Workcells built this way use a small amount of manual labor complemented by trays of workpieces and in some cases XYZ linear-actuated tray-handling machines along with collaborative robot arms to get the job done.

First, workpieces are manually loaded into thermoformed, injection molded, or 3D-printed trays called dunnage trays with cavities that are specifically designed to cradle and orient the workpieces in a prearranged way — an orientation that the cobot software expects. Then these trays are either: • Manually placed (one at a time) at a preset cobotreachable location by a machine operator or • Manually loaded into a rack that accommodates a whole stack of workpiece-laden trays — which in turn is accessed by a standalone XYZ linear-motion ASRS module that presents trays one at a time to the cobot.

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Applied Cobotics is a total machine-tending solution from PBC Linear. The solution integrates Elfin collaborative robot (cobot) arms, Schunk grippers, a linear-actuated tray-lift module called the Applied Cobotics ASRS, and custom-thermoformed (or 3D printed) trays.

Complemented by workpiece-identification software and programming, this robotic workcell solution returns a quick ROI to let plant managers harness the benefits of cobots.

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From here, the cobot (fitted with an appropriate gripper) nimbly and reliably plucks unfinished pieces one at a time from the current tray to allow the execution of some machining or assembly task — and then (usually) replaces that finished part back in the tray. Then the cobot repeats this cycle until all the workpieces in the tray have been processed and it’s time for a fresh tray.

Workcells incorporating an ASRS tray module rely on linear motion actuation to regularly present the cobot with fresh trays. In most cases, the cobot picks workpieces to feed them into (and then remove them from) a machine it’s tending. Programming containing net profiles helps the robotic arm recognize the workpieces as they lay in the dunnage trays and as they appear when secured in the tended machine.

A cobot-based automated workcell of this type run just one shift per day can pay for itself in about three months.

Don’t underestimate the importance of gripper design: One component that is key to maximizing the ROI on such cobot installations is the end effectors known as grippers — both standard and customized. Though two-finger (also called parallel) grippers are by far the most common robotic end-effector solution, three-finger grippers are also common — and somewhat more reliable for grasping workpieces with unique geometries.

No wonder three-finger pneumatic grippers on cobot arms are so often found servicing workpieces loaded into dunnage trays (just described) for part orientation. Otherwise, particularly challenging workpiece shapes are best handled by cobot arms sporting grippers having custom 3D-printed fingers to mate with or otherwise positively engage workpiece geometries. Once such gripper fingers are designed, myriad copies can be 3D printed to support expanded operations in cloned workcells.

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A linear-actuated tray-lift module from PBC Linear called the Applied Cobotics ASRS lets robotic workcells run for many hours (or even days) unattended, because the module can feed tray after part-laden tray to a cobot before needing plant-personnel intervention. The Applied Robotics ASRS is designed and manufactured by PBC Linear and leverages the supplier’s extensive knowledge of Cartesian linear-motion systems. A pendant on the cobot (whether Elfin, Universal Robots, or Fanuc) communicates with a PLC in the tray lift to command tray changes and more.

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Turbo speed ROI with ASRS modules: The cobot installations most capable of addressing serious labor issues are those that can run unattended the longest — as in setups that regularly present the cobot with 30, 40, or 50-part trays. Especially in machine shops and assembly operations, tray-lift ASRS modules that can automatically present trays to a cobot (as described above) can extend the time for which a workcell can operate unattended to eight hours and beyond.

3 Boost ROI with AR for installation, training, and onboarding Augmented reality or AR is another tool to complement collaborative personneltechnology settings — namely by: • Helping plant managers leverage the knowledge of suppliers to install and configure a new cobot installation in mere hours • Training longtime personnel as well as new hires on how to work alongside automated cobot-based designs • Helping plant operations avoid the wastefulness of duplicating efforts — especially in adjusting workcell settings and training new hires.

Without leveraging supplier knowledge (via AR or other means) properly configuring a cobot installation can take weeks of trial and error, debugging, and programming.

In contrast, AR-based directions streamline all these steps. In short, a technician wielding an iPad or wearing an AR headset or goggles follows directions communicated through the tablet or goggles and superimposed upon his or her own incomplete cobot setup. These directions are written by the cobot-solution supplier to indicate key points for initial cobot configuration.

In addition, AR tools can help address any trepidation or reluctance of machine operators to accept new cobot cells in their work environment. Once machine operators and other factory

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workers are familiarized (via AR) with how to command cobot operations, the latter can free them from having to manually execute dirty, dull, and dangerous tasks. Without the burden of monotonous jobs, operators are freed to spend more time on higherlevel tasks (such as checking parts and getting material ready for the next batch of processing). Throughput is higher — and job satisfaction with it. That’s especially true where cobot installations are left to run overnight to tackle a few hours of extra rote work … and give workers in the morning a head start on the day.

As mentioned, employing AR-based training tools can help attract, onboard, and retain new hires even fresh out of high school. That’s especially important for the machine-tool industry and related fields that currently face shortages of vocationally trained talent … and cannot spare the time of more seasoned personnel to onboard all new hires — especially if there is any amount

Manifest software guides new hires through a series of clearly defined tasks. This lets manufacturing companies onboard new hires into productive work in just a few hours — and lets these new employees gain immediate on-the-job learning experiences.

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Cobot installations can help address the challenges of labor shortages by executing the tasks associated with hard-to-fill employee positions.

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of significant turnover in the positions.

Such AR-based training can also appeal to new collar workers — contemporary technology workers who eschew traditional four-year degrees for less formalized educational paths.

Consider how even before COVID, some manufacturing industries (including the machine tool and packaging industries) faced low workforce applicant and entry numbers.

Traditionally, new hires in these industries would be paired with an experienced person to shadow for six or more months — just to learn all the functions and proper settings of all a job’s involved machines. Now, today’s labor shortage has necessitated faster upskilling — beyond anything that traditional one-on-one workforce mentoring can achieve. No wonder AR tools such as Manifest software from Taqtile have seen increased use over the last couple years especially.

Such AR software lets plant managers coauthor (with experienced machine operators) very specific machineoperator instructions for very specific jobs to be run on a given machine. Then new hires can don AR goggles to follow along and execute these specific tasks — in some cases, becoming productive

Some AR software can be programmed to display simple instructions for a new operator to follow along. Over time, new hires learn from these instructions and gain on-the-job training.

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plant-for employees in just a few hours.

In other instances, AR tools might allow operators to scan QR codes on the machine to get instruction sets.

Such AR training also makes sophisticated machine-tool and other manufacturing operations less intimidating and more approachable and enjoyable for new hires — especially those who have come from warehouse-fulfillment jobs. That in turn supports more local manufacturing to curb transport-related supply-chain issues.

Of course, ideally such fast-track training tools should complement longer-term mentorships catered to those in the workforce who remain with a company and find inspiration for a sustained career in the industry.

Onboarding new hires with ARguided tasks can also help plant operators avoid losses associated with intensively training new personnel in positions subject to high turnover.

That’s especially true where new hires might (with just a few months’ shadowing a seasoned journeyman CNC machinist, for example) be able to interview with a competitor company and demonstrate enough machineoperator proficiency to get hired.

AR can also help orient mechanicalengineering interns to execute office work — such as CAD of workpieces, for example. Where manufacturers connect with and hire local engineering students, they can often help their local community instead of losing them to other states or regions. It frees staff engineers and managers to run higherlevel business projects.

4 Quantify the total price of cobot and AR adoption Calculating ROI for any workcell enhancement (including that with robotic operation or AR guidance) should also consider estimated costs relating to: • Engineering and plant-floor reconfiguration efforts

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• Workcell downtime and integration • Safety-certification costs • Programming and personnel training costs.

After all, the longer a plant-floor reconfiguration takes, the more disruptive it can be — especially where affected workcells are central hubs in the flow of materials through a plant … and where they involve several operational systems and plant teams.

That’s why workcell re-integration should be executed by experienced integrators or leverage technologies designed for straightforward installation and commissioning.

In fact, AR and cobot technologies leverage software to minimize the burden of all these factors. Consider one last feature of cobots that renders them particularly suitable for addressing labor-force pressures with minimal disruption for commissioning. Cobots from Elfin, Universal Robots, Fanuc, and other suppliers can all operate blindly — a mode in which the cobot does everything a human operator would do. For example, in cobot tending of a CNC machine, blind operation includes picking up parts; opening machine doors; loading parts into a machine; closing machine doors; and even depress machine Cycle Start buttons.

The conversational programming of these cobots makes setups of these functions relatively easy.

AR and cobot technologies are also inherently safety-focused — with software to minimize complex programming and training requirements as well.

programming and hardware for these tasks remains prohibitively expensive for many operations.

Fortunately, both cobotics and AR tools can help manufacturers consistently produce the highestquality product by speeding manual inspection tasks — and yielding ROI even for these tasks. For example, a manufacturer might photograph a perfect part and provide that image to machine operators via an iPad running an AR app. These machine operators can then reference the perfect part image while unloading trays of the same part — to check for the presence and consistency of specific holes, bolts, or other subelements. Or the machine operator might just do a spot check on the last part in the tray to ensure it has all the features pictured on the iPad reference image … for speedier execution of a process that must be done very carefully but quickly. DW PBC Linear | Applied Cobotics | appliedcobotics.com

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5 Leverage AR-assisted quality control Many tasks (especially those associated with quality control) are still most efficiently and reliably done manually.

That could change over the next few years — though not anytime in the immediate future for small and midsize companies. As mentioned earlier in this article, the cost of machine-vision

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Selecting

the right motor for battery-powered

commercial equipment Battery-powered motor applications must match motor performance and powerconsumption profiles to the battery type.

An efficient motor is essential — as is a battery with the appropriate capacity, cost, size, maintainability, and discharge duration and curve.

Scott McMillan • Senior Applications Engineer | Power Electric Travis Lake • VP of Sales and Marketing | Power Electric

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Battery-powered AGVs for automated warehousing require brushless dc motors engineered for top efficiency.

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ew commercial equipment continues to drive smaller,

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lighter, and more mobile solutions. This has spurred an accelerating transition from traditional wired designs to battery-powered machines. Proper motor selection is key to optimizing the performance of any such design. However, battery-powered applications demand consideration of an additional factor — that of motor and battery interactions.

This article reviews the process for selecting motorbattery combinations that are suitable for commercial equipment.

Batteries and electric-motor power requirements In any electric motor application, the target equipment performance dictates the required motor power. The rated power of the motor is calculated from the combination of speed, torque, and duty cycle of the application that in turn establishes the critical voltage, current, and capacity requirements of the battery.

The supply voltage and current directly correlate to the speed and torque that a motor will produce.

In addition to voltage and current, capacity is the third critical factor in selecting the proper battery for a specific application. Battery capacity is based

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Shown here is a Kärcher FC 5 Cordless Premium electric mop — one of an array of motorreliant consumer and commercial solutions from Kärcher.

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on the desired operational run time of the equipment between recharging cycles and is simply the amount of charge a battery can hold.

The standard measure for battery capacity is milliamperehours (mAh) or amp-hours (Ah), which indicates how long the battery will last based on the current it outputs. The calculation of the battery life at a certain current draw is the battery capacity (Ah) divided by output current (A) = Battery life (hours). For example, an AA battery with a rating of 2,500 mAh outputting 100 mAh will last approximately 25 hours.

Battery performance considerations One motor parameter that affects the performance of battery-powered applications is efficiency. Maximizing motor efficiency helps minimize required power capacity — in turn allowing for a smaller and less costly battery. For this reason, brushless dc (BLDC) motors are preferred over brushed DC motors despite their higher upfront price. Brushed dc motors have

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Lithium-Ion (Li-ion)

Small and thin Very high power density Shorter charging cycles Efficient • Environmentally friendly

Requires protection circuit to prevent overheating Overall capacity degrades over time Charger matched to battery

Nickel Cadmium (NiCd)

Inexpensive Runs at full capacity until almost fully discharged

Reduced shelf life • Uses toxic metals Full discharge required before recharging Charger matched to battery

Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

High energy-to-volume ratio Environmentally friendly Runs at full capacity until almost fully discharged

Requires full charge before use Over charging diminishes battery life Discharges at high rate

Lead acid

Tolerates wider temperature range Low self-discharge rate High tolerance to overcharge Wide availability • low cost

Bulky • low power density Long charge times Very toxic

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lower upfront costs and are simpler to integrate. However, their relatively low efficiency may necessitate a highercost battery solution — or a reduction in the operating time between battery recharging cycles.

Typical battery-discharging processes require consideration of several performance considerations — including that of motor speed. With most battery types, terminal voltage decreases as the battery discharges.

Motor speed is directly proportional to the battery voltage, so the motor speed will in fact decrease with dwindling terminal voltage. In addition, batteries exhibit decreasing terminal voltage as the output current (load) increases, which degrades motor speeds at higher torque loads.

These factors don’t consider the characteristics of the motor winding itself, for which output speed decreases as load on the motor increases — even with constant battery voltage.

One method to address this potential speed-fluctuation problem is to incorporate speed control electronics into the system. Such controls can help the motor maintains the target speed as the battery discharges over time … or as the load on the motor changes.

RECHARGEABLE BATTERY TYPES

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Motor output torque must also be considered, as the discharge current of a battery is limited. Because motor output torque is directly proportional to the current supplied, the maximum output torque of the motor could be limited by the battery discharge current rating. A properly sized battery should have a discharge current rating that meets or exceeds motor current-input requirements.

Battery considerations for motordriven applications One essential criterion in battery selection is ensuring the battery will satisfy the motor’s voltage and current requirements when fully charged as well as continue to meet those requirements as the battery approaches full discharge. Weighing the tradeoffs between battery type, size, and cost while still meeting the critical performance requirements is the next step in the process.

All rechargeable and nonrechargeable battery designs rely on the conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy. Today, most small and rechargeable batteries are made using Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) technology due to its high energy density. These rechargeable and low-maintenance batteries are more expensive than traditional technologies such as Nickel-Cadmium based cells. Larger batteries have traditionally been lead-acid designs, although Li-ion has become increasingly popular due to longer life, smaller size and weight, and overall ease of maintenance and rechargeability compared to lead-acid batteries.

Battery size directly correlates to the energy storage capacity of a given battery. For product designs with minimal space available for batteries, like medical hand tools, utilization of a high energy density battery is beneficial despite the potential cost and capacity disadvantages.

The differing ways in which batteries discharge over time is another

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This is a brush dc motor example from Power Electric.

important factor in proper selection.

While many of today’s energy-dense battery technologies maintain a relatively stable output voltage until they approach full discharge, traditional battery technologies offer a gradually decreasing voltage versus time curve until they reach full discharge.

As mentioned, the batterydischarge curve is important because output voltage directly affects the output speed of the motor … and understanding how close a battery is to full discharge can prevent damaging the battery and potentially the whole system.

Shown here are some typical dc motor performance curves.

Allowing a battery to fully discharge during operation may ultimately damage the battery, rendering it no longer rechargeable. To prevent this, a preset cutoff voltage can disengage the motor once the battery voltage dips below the preset threshold. Determining and implementing the proper cutoff voltage is typically easier with a battery that has a gradual discharge curve than a battery with a flat curve.

Additional battery selection considerations include the number of recharging cycles the battery can endure, availability, and environmental factors. DW Power Electric www.powerelectric.com

Different battery types have different discharge curves.

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The physics of

failure Leland Teschler • Executive Editor

| Adobe Stock

Failure models and estimates of useful product life have grown increasingly more accurate thanks to a better understanding of how devices and materials degrade under stress.

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Back in the early 1970s, a college classmate of mine told an interesting story about his summer job running production-line tests for a manufacturer of military communication gear. Initially the equipment he tested wouldn’t work at temperature extremes, so it went back for a quick redesign. Eventually my classmate started getting units that met spec when tested at high and low temperatures.

But the temperature fiasco put the company way behind in delivering units. So there was only time to check operation at a few data points.

In the waning days of summer, shipments finally caught up, and the pace slowed enough to make possible a more thorough test regime. It was at that point that my classmate made a discovery: Many of the units he checked would work fine at temperature extremes but went out of spec at temperatures in between. And, of course, his employer had been unknowingly shipping units that behaved this way for months.

Today we might say the this incident had a variety of causes, but prominent among them would be a lack of appreciation for what’s now called the Physics of Failure (also known as the Reliability Physics). PoF focuses on understanding the physical processes and mechanisms that cause degradation and failure of materials and components.

It has long been used in the analysis of loads and stresses in civil and mechanical engineering from the point of view of strength and mechanics of materials.

Unfortunately it was rare to find PoF used during the early development of the electronics industry in the 1960s. One reason was that electrical engineers generally weren’t trained in structural analysis techniques. Another reason was cultural: Mechanical engineers just didn’t have as much clout as EEs in the electronics companies of the era.

Moreover, as with any new technology, the reasons for some kinds of circuit failures were not initially well understood. And often failures couldn’t be discerned by inspection. Unlike many mechanical and structural problems, most electronics failures are not obvious; it may take something along the lines of a scanning electron microscope to ferret out the difficulties. Consequently, EE failure analysis for many years depended on empirical rules of thumb and probabilistic reliability methods.

But a great deal of progress has been made in PoF modeling and the characterization of EE material properties. These advances are now used to make reliability tests more reflective of the actual stresses encountered during product use. And it is increasingly possible to run computerized durability simulations before products reach the hardware stage.

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In one product reliability analysis using the Ansys Sherlock VQ program, the software generated a representative board that included all components and mounting conditions with their exact locations and material qualities.

Sherlock modeled individual components including each solder ball on a BGA package to ensure that even small solder fatigue failures would be captured.

PoF has evolved to the point where methods are organized around three generic root-cause failure categories: errors and excessive variation, wear-out mechanisms, and over-stress mechanisms.

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PoF basics PoF has evolved to the point where methods are organized around three generic root-cause failure categories: errors and excessive variation, wearout mechanisms, and over-stress mechanisms. As you might suspect, over stress failures arise when the stresses of the application rapidly or greatly exceed the strength or capabilities of a device’s materials.

In mechanical products, over stress is basically a structural load issue.

But over stress in EE products more generally includes overvoltage and over-current conditions. In welldesigned EE products, over-stress failures are rare. They happen only when conditions are beyond the design intent of the device.

Frequent over-stress failures in EE products generally imply either the device was ill suited for the application or the designers underestimated the range of application stresses. PoF loadstress analysis serves to determine the strength limits of a design for stresses like shock and electrical transients and to assess whether the preventive measures are adequate.

Wear out in PoF is defined as stress-driven damage accumulation in materials. It covers failure mechanisms like fatigue and corrosion. Of course, mechanical engineers have developed

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numerous methods for structural stress analysis. These same techniques work on the microstructures of electronic components once their material properties have been characterized.

Wear out analysis does more than just estimate the mean time for parts to wear out. It also identifies the components or features most likely to wear out and the order in which they are likely to fail. It additionally estimates the time to first failure and the associated ensuing fall-out rates for various wear out mechanisms.

It’s often said that the most diverse and challenging category of PoF is that of infant mortality. The problem is that diverse, random, time-varying events are involved. So a cause-and-effect approach may work well to isolate specific failure modes but often doesn’t provide much insight generally. Thus the usual way of modeling these types of failures is mainly statistical.

Finesse The basic aspects of PoF are straightforward, but it turns out there can be some finesse involved in devising a test plan able to expose failure mechanisms. In a nutshell, testing must be stressful enough to find problems but also correlate to the environment the product is likely to encounter during its use.

The approach often taken is to start with standard industry specifications and then modify or exceed them depending on circumstances.

Third-party testing firms say it is particularly important to use industry standard tests only as starting points for discerning failures in specific components. A frequently cited example is that of JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council, now known as the Joint Solid State Technology Association) standards in the semiconductor industry.

JEDEC standards typically outline accelerated stress test methods for estimating failure rates and confidence limits. The problem, say testing firms, is that the data JEDEC procedures provide can be quite limited: Stress testing typically takes place over relatively DESIGN WORLD

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short time frames, so it can miss wear out behavior that isn’t caused by the extremes used in the stress test.

Additionally, JEDEC stress tests typically look for failure mechanisms that are activated by heat—but not all of them are. The result can be an overestimation of the failures-in-time (FIT) rate, the number of failures that can be expected in one billion device-hours of operation.

In real life, failures can be caused by a combination of conditions. Materials can see both gradual and rapid degradation because of various stress conditions such as heat, chemicals, moisture, vibration, shock, and electrical loads. With these factors in mind, test labs suggest creating PoF test regimes that address two metrics, the desired lifetime and how well the product should perform in terms of factors such as survivability over its lifetime and during its warranty period.

A lot of PoF testing aims at duplicating conditions during shipping.

Perhaps the simplest way of addressing shipping conditions is to make sure products can pass environmental tests spelled out in industry or military standards. Tests outlined in standards work well when all product environments are about the same. And standards might be the only source for test conditions when there’s no way to measure actual conditions that products see during their use.

But there are problems with depending on standards for PoF tests. Many such standards are at least 20 years old, so it’s fair to ask whether they reflect what products experience today. In addition, thirdparty test firms say manufacturers often are just guessing about the kinds of environmental conditions their products see before they wind up on customer delivery docks. So the environmental stresses detailed in standards could be far more or less harsh than those that products see in real life.

The better approach is to base tests on actual measurements of similar products in similar environments. The idea is to determine the average and DESIGN WORLD

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realistic worst-case conditions arising during manufacture, in the field, as well as during storage and transport.

Basing test regimes on actual measurements is particularly important if the product will see conditions during use that are unique. Electrical products headed to China, for example, must work even when electrical ground isn’t reliable. It is common to see electrical systems grounded to rebar there rather than to a conventional ground rod.

Similarly, products going to India must be able to function despite brownouts which can happen several times daily.

And the electrical system in Mexico is known for experiencing temporary surges in line voltage.

VQ modeling It’s a lot easier to compensate for failure mechanisms when designs are still on paper and haven’t yet reached the hardware stage. That is the idea behind virtual qualification, VQ, which uses PoF-based degradation models to predict time of failure. VQ typically incorporates models such as those for interconnect fatigue in solder joints, capacitor failure, and integrated circuit wear out. The point of the VQ process

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is to determine if a proposed product can survive its anticipated life cycle. VQ (also called simulation-assisted reliability assessment) can be applied at the design stages and allows the design team to fold VQ concerns into decisions about suppliers and functional definitions of product features.

A VQ analysis assesses designs for reliability in the environments present in what’s called a life-cycle profile using a database of validated PoF models.

The life-cycle profile basically contains models of environmental and operational stresses. The inputs are fed into a PoF model and simulation software that performs stress analysis, reliability assessment, and an analysis of sensitivity to stresses. The outputs of VQ are predictions of times-to-failure (TTFs) based on the most dominant failure mechanisms, stress margin conditions, and screening and accelerated testing conditions. VQ also evaluates the effects of different manufacturing processes on reliability as a function of typical manufacturing tolerances and defects. Finally, VQ can also help select test parameters for physical tests used to verify reliability.

VQ combined with advanced optimization techniques can help examine

The importance of actually measuring environmental conditions rather than using educated guesses becomes evident in this graph compiled by DfR Solutions, now part of Ansys Inc. Measured data showed that the temperature inside a trucking container used to haul an electronic product could vary by about 40˚C while the outside temperature varied by only 10˚C. The data went into a PoF analysis associated with shipping environments. www.designworldonline.com

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Output from the CALCE VQ software can include an isotime to failure assessment. These take the form of plots used to examine the effect of changes in loading conditions versus design parameters. In this example, a reduction in plating thickness by 0.01 mm reduced expected life by 44%.

trade-offs in design criteria for cost, electrical performance, thermal management, physical attributes, and reliability. Of course, the VQ process depends on accurate inputs for material properties, design configurations, dimensions, and operational and environmental conditions. In a nutshell, VQ is only as good as the accuracy of the failure mechanism models it uses.

Examples of commercially available VQ software include the CALCE (Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering at the University of Maryland) Simulation Assisted Reliability Assessment (SARA) software suite. The software provides design capture facilities to import design data as well as interfaces to define operational and environmental loads. The software works with what’s called the CALCE Design for Reliability (DfRTM) assessment process, which allows design engineers to interactively figure out what design changes do to product reliability.

CALCE software can be used to determine the life expectancy of electronic hardware under both anticipated life cycle loading and elevated stress tests. This information in turn can serve to help determine acceleration factors that make sense for elevated stress testing.

Another product in the VQ space is the Sherlock Automated Design

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Analysis software tool developed

by DfR Solutions, now part of Ansys Inc. Designed specifically for PCBs, Sherlock predicts failure mechanismspecific failure rates over time using a combination of finite-element analysis and material properties to capture stress values and first-order analytical equations to evaluate damage evolution.

Sherlock’s physics-based prediction algorithms cover various kinds of stresses including elevated temperature, thermal cycling, vibrations (random and harmonic), mechanical shock and electrical stresses (voltage, current, power). To use Sherlock, users upload either a complete PCB design or individual data packets such as Gerber files, a bill of materials, or pickand-pace files. Sherlock then performs several different types of reliability analysis and provides the constant failure rate and wear out (increasing failure rate) portions of the life curve for each combination of failure mechanism and component.

The software evaluates and predicts numerous specific failure mechanisms. Examples include lowcycle solder fatigue from thermal cycling, solder fatigue from vibration, solder cracking/component cracking/ pad cratering from mechanical shock, electromigration, time-dependent

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dielectric breakdown, and several others.

Individual component and feature life curves are then summed to provide a physics-based reliability curve for the overall product. Sherlock also provides an overall reliability score. The reliability scoring, as well as individual scores and commentary for each area of analysis, is used when it’s not possible to make physics-based quantitative predictions.

DW

References Ansys Inc. Sherlock program, https://www. ansys.com/products/structures/ansyssherlock CALCE software, https://calce.umd.edu/ calce-simulation-assisted-reliabilityassessment-sara-software

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The fundamentals of electromechanical on/off switches Edited by Mike Santora

Despite the wide use of “soft” on/off switching, the traditional electromechanical switch is still often required or preferred and is available in countless versions. Here’s a look at various physical implementations of these hardwired EM switches and their unique functions and features.

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Function

Switches are an integral, essential part of most electronic products. They have two broad roles: As power switches which, as their name indicates, cut the flow of power from the source, thus turning the unit or a load on and off; and as signal switches, which allows the user to indicate to the system what action is desired, such as activating a function or connecting it into a system.

Increasingly, the design tendency is to prefer soft switching over hardwired physical switches. In this approach, a small, temporary contact closure is sensed by the system processor and software, or an image or button on a touch screen is sensed to indicate the desired action to the system.

Soft switching is not really providing “off ” in the formal sense of having zero current flow and no physical (ohmic) path from source to load. For soft power switching, the current flow is reduced to a quiescent value as the system goes into a deep sleep. At the same time, the device uses some power as it must retain enough “awareness” to sense when that soft on/off button is pressed again, to wake up the device, and turn it fully DESIGN WORLD

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on. For non-power soft-signal switches, the system processor and software must recognize the switch closure or finger on the panel in the right place and respond appropriately.

Why use soft switches? There are many reasons: • They can reduce user-panel space.

• They enable a more compact and “slick” overall product package.

• They can save on bill of material (BOM) and component cost — the cost of a physical soft switch is near zero since it is often just one of many such switches in an array. The cost of adding a button symbol on a touch screen is zero.

• They offer design flexibility, as the system software can respond differently at different points in the product’s function. (This can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on the design and implementation.)

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Figure 1

• They offer visible indicators, even at Single Pole Single Throw Switch

Input Terminal

Output Terminal On-Off Switch

Despite these features, there are applications where users prefer, demand, or mandate tangible, hardwired, electromechanical (EM) on/off switches. This may be due to comfort factors, convenience, circuit complexity for controlled high current/voltage level, or safety assurance. Hardwired EM switches offer these attributes: • They are unambiguous in performance: when they are in the “off” state, the current flow path is complete; when they are “on,” current flows through a resistance of a milliohm or less.

• An EM switch is the only way to completely shut off the flow of current resulting in zero battery drain or to ensure user safety.

• They are reliable, as actual switch failure is very rare; in contrast, soft switching can fail temporarily due to a software flaw (have you ever had to unplug a system physically or remove its battery to force a reboot, since the purported “on/ off” button was not being sensed by the system due to a bug or crash?).

Figure 2

Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT) Switch Output Terminal

Input Terminal Figure 3

Double Pole Single Throw (DPST) Switch Input Terminals

Output Terminals

Figure 4 Double Pole Double Throw (DPDT) Switch

Input Terminals

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a distance: with nearly all hardwired EM switches, you can glance at them and see if they are on or off.

• For some products and some users, there is something satisfying, on a visceral level, about an EM switch.

Symbols Switches are represented by their schematic diagram symbols, which correspond to the number and arrangement of their contacts.

Schematic symbols tell part of the story In an electromechanical hardwired on/off switch, the current flow is interrupted by the mechanical movement of conducting elements. The schematic symbols for such switches are simple, widely used, and well-known (note that there are several styles in common use), beginning with the basic single-pole, single-throw (SPST) switch, with one conducting path (called the pole) and a single on/off position (the throw), Figure 1.

There are many variations on this basic symbol covering specialized versions of switches used in diverse applications. There are at least 100 schematic symbols for different types of “simple” SPST variations, such as a symbol for the old-fashioned on/off telegraph key or one used as a limit switch.

Hardwired EM switches are also widely available with multiple poles and throws beyond SPST, such as the singlepole, double-throw (SPDT), Figure 2, the double-pole single-throw (DPST), Figure 3, and the double-pole, double-throw (DPDT), Figure 4. The DPDT is often chosen even if all the throws and poles are not needed, as it gives the engineer a “just in case” set of extra contacts.

These switches are latching devices that stay at one position until moved to the alternate on/off position by the user. There are also electrically identical switches which are momentary contact devices where the action does not latch but returns to its resting position when the pressure (usually but not always from a finger) is removed. These two broad DESIGN WORLD

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It doesn’t get simpler than the knife switch, the first and simplest switch. This style is now only used in specialized industrial applications due to its open and exposed contacts.

classes have many similarities but also some differences.

These non-momentary switches are sometimes referred to generically as“toggle” switches since their action latches. However, this introduces some ambiguity because “toggle” also refers to a specific type of latching switch.

Parameters As with all components, there are some top-tier parameters and many secondary ones; some of those secondary parameters may be important in a specific application.

As expected, the two obvious switch specifications are about voltage and current. The critical value for voltage is the maximum voltage value the switch can “hold off” when it is open, before it arcs, flashes over, or otherwise fails.

Even a small, inexpensive basic switch can usually handle tens of volts. For current, it is the maximum amount of current that the switch can handle when the contacts are closed and current flows.

EM switches used for signaling are generally need only modest voltage and current. In contrast, switches for power must have ratings commensurate with the

application plus a safety factor.

Another performance metric for some situations is the switch bandwidth. This is not a concern for on/off switches handling AC line or DC power. However, many switches must handle audio signals with little or no attenuation or frequency rolloff, while some handle RF. Some switches have genuinely innovative and unique designs and can handle frequencies into the GHz range (admittedly, these are relatively costly, but the fact that they can even be done is impressive). Many of these higherfrequency switches are shielded, so they do radiate RF. Contacts and materials Another factor that affects switch performance is the materials used for the switch contacts. Switch ratings and performance are also determined, to some extent, by the switch use of AC or DC, which have different effects on contact ratings and wear, micro-arcing, tarnish, and other less-obvious characteristics.

Some switches are designed to provide a self-wiping action at the contact surface, to dislodge and breakthrough any tarnish that may have formed. This is especially a problem if the switch is not used for a long time. Some switches use a special plating of the contacts to minimize contact wear or prevent tarnish buildup.

Some of these special finishes are standard catalog items, others are available only by special order. DW

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What's new in data logging As data takes center stage, smarter and more versatile data loggers are more important than ever.

Edited by Miles Budimir • Senior Editor With the rise of Big Data, IoT, IIoT, and Industry 4.0, data has taken center

stage. As a result, it’s more important than ever to be able to generate, transmit, and log data for further analysis and insights into processes across a range of industries.

Generally speaking, data loggers are electronic devices that record data over time. They can vary from general purpose units accepting a broad range of inputs, to highly specific and targeted types tailored for specific environmental conditions or data types. Improvements to data loggers are plentiful, from the physical units themselves to new software that expands connectivity.

Software streams data to the cloud Not all the latest developments are necessarily hardware related, as new software tools expand the capabilities of data loggers, connecting data to the

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| istockphoto.com

cloud. Case in point; the PicoLog Cloud data logging software lets any Pico data logger or real-time oscilloscope save data to a local disk or stream the capture directly to a secure online cloud store.

Users can set up and control captures on a source PC and then remotely view them on any number of client Pico devices running the software. Users can also view, via a standard browser, live or previously saved captures on any PC or tablet device connected to the internet.

What’s more, a simple server-side API lets PicoLog Cloud transfer live capture data from a data logger or oscilloscope to a third-party application while the capture is running. With the PicoLog data residing on a server, this API lets programmers request the data in batches. This is particularly useful to users

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who want to add extra functionality such as emailing alarms or captures, plotting data in a different way (fill tanks, throttle needle, large numerical displays, for instance), adding logger data to existing databases and more.

Access to cloud data is managed through single sign on (SSO) protocol. PicoLog Cloud uses the latest security techniques and processes to ensure that online data and user credentials stay safe. PicoLog Cloud device support includes the ADC20/24 high-resolution, high-accuracy voltage loggers, TC-08 & PT-104 temperature loggers and the CM3 AC RMS current logger. All current real-time PicoScope models are also supported. The PicoLog Cloud client is available for Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 (32 and 64-bit), macOS, Linux (64-bit) and Raspberry Pi OS (32-bit) for Raspberry Pi 4.

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Energy monitoring units have been added to Opto 22’s groov RIO series.

With the rise of Big Data, IoT, IIoT, and Industry 4.0, data has taken center stage. As a result, it’s more important than ever to be able to generate, transmit, and log data for further analysis and insights into processes across a range of industries.

PicoLog Cloud lets users view live as well as captured data from PicoLog data loggers.

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Distributed energy monitoring With energy prices in flux, it pays for factories and other industrial facilities to be keenly aware of their facility’s energy usage and pricing. In such cases, data logging can be a good way to monitor energy usage.

To that end, Opto 22 has expanded its groov RIO edge I/O series with a new energy monitoring unit (EMU) designed to help plant managers, machine operators, and financial analysts understand electrical costs and track changes in load that might give early warning of equipment faults. Using 0.33- V, 1-V, or 5-A current transformers (CTs), groov RIO EMU measures live ac power and energy consumption from any three-, twin-, or single-phase load up to 600 V and provides 64 simultaneous field measurements and calculated values directly to analytics software, databases, and other connected systems.

For many industrial rate-payers, a lack of visibility into energy consumption means that operational costs may be higher than necessary.

Relatively simple changes and operational improvements can often reduce peak power usage, resulting in significant savings. But without strategic data collection, these improvements can be difficult to identify.

Plus, measuring power draw at the machine level is an effective way to assess machine health, detect impending problems, and make timely adjustments to equipment such as motors, bearings, filter pressures, and lubrication, without instrumenting each component.

The groov RIO EMU module measures ac RMS voltage and current for up to three phases (Wye or Delta) and is rated to UL 61010-3 measurement category III. From the measured field inputs, additional values are calculated for each phase including true, reactive, and apparent power; power factor; frequency; and net energy; as well as combined totals for all phases. The small form factor allows for installation at the point of use, permitting granular

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measurement of electrical loads: pumps, heating/cooling systems, solar power generation, and many others.

The groov RIO EMU is built on Opto 22’s proven edge I/O platform.

It includes Power over Ethernet (PoE) and a wide operating temperature range for easy installation. Module operation and data distribution are protected with cybersecurity features including mandatory user authentication, a configurable firewall, and SSL/TLS encryption. Both OT and IT communication options are supported, including a full REST API, VPN client, and MQTT/Sparkplug client. groov RIO EMU is compatible with traditional control programming and SCADA systems. Data can also be accessed through the embedded Node-RED IoT programming environment and IT programming languages like C++, Python, and Java.

Data loggers for extreme temperatures Recall that data loggers can be generalpurpose devices for accepting a broad range of input types, or they can be highly application-specific measurement instruments. Such is the case with a new data logger optimized to monitor temperatures during shipment of perishable goods.

The MSR86 from MSR Electronics is a compact, reusable temperature data logger that’s equipped with

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an external sensor for covering the range of -100 to +150°C for continuous monitoring of storage and shipping temperatures for perishable goods. A built-in multifunction LCD display shows the current temperature reading as well as minimum, maximum, and average values, the status of the logger and the alarm condition, as well as the battery charge level. The MSR86 logger is tamper-proof and records encrypted, password-protected measurements for compliance with 21 CFR Part 11 guidelines. The logger’s accuracy is documented by a traceable calibration certificate available in its internal memory. The MSR86 is DIN12830 and 21 CFR Part 11 compliant and meets US FDA regulations for the storage and transport of chilled and frozen foods, as well as those of the EU. There are many situations where it’s important to maintain ambient conditions below a specified temperature to avoid spoilage or damage. The MSR86 is specifically designed to monitor the extremely low temperatures required during the transportation and storage of perishable products such as pharmaceuticals, enzymes, tissues, organs, vaccines, biological products, specimens, clinical materials and other sensitive products that require dry ice shipping. With its upper range of 150°C, the MSR86 can also measure and record continuous high temperature profiles, such as

This MSR data logger from MSR Electronics measures and logs temperatures from -100 to +150˚C for continuous monitoring of storage and shipping temperatures of perishable goods.

those found in ovens, autoclaves, and sterilizers.

Using the USB interface, the recorded measurement data can be easily transferred to a PC. After halting the data recording, a PDF report of the recorded measured values can be generated, which can be saved for documentation purposes. The report includes a graphical view of the temperature curve, a table of the measured values, and a statistical view of minimum, maximum, and average values.

Automotive data logger with multiple interfaces The automotive industry relies on data loggers during vehicle design, development, and testing. With the increasing complexity of automotive systems, including engine control, safety systems, and in-vehicle entertainment, obtaining data from these various systems under test can be a daunting challenge. Fortunately, there are data loggers that can accommodate multiple data streams from different sources.

The Xoraya ML-N4000 automotive data logger from x2e comes with six slots to accommodate a variety of interfaces.

For instance, the new Xoraya ML-N4000 from x2e is a powerful compact datalogger intended for automotive applications that’s able to record data from multiple bus systems simultaneously at data rates of up to 4 Gbit/sec. The data logger has six slots for individual interface configuration of the device. This allows logging from LS-CAN, HS-CAN, CAN FD, FlexRay, RS-232, LIN, Ethernet, 100/1000Base-T1 (OABR), PSI5 and analog signals, with support for other bus systems possible. The unit provides flexible configuration choices, letting it be assembled or retrofitted according to varying customer requirements. Modular construction allows the Xoraya ML-N4000 data logger to be quickly and efficiently adapted to varying test conditions, and can be adapted to ever-changing project needs.

All data is logged with a precise, central timestamp offering 100-nsec resolution and saved either on the internal SSD or transferred via Ethernet to an external computer system or Xoraya External Storage Unit. A built-in supercapacitor unit bridges any power fluctuations and provides the ability to safely shut the logger down during power failures. The data logger supports x2e’s own Distributed Logging Network (DLN) as well as the Probe Logger Protocol (PLP) to adapt different probes to the logger.

For even better performance, the built-in Xilinx FPGA and RAM can be exchanged for a more powerful FPGA module. The internal SSD memory can be expanded from the standard 120 GB to as large as 1 TB. Additional customer-specific solutions can be obtained, from unique cable sets to corresponding custom installation racks for test vehicles. Software provided includes the Logger OS (Embedded Linux) with XorayaSuite and XorayaSDK for Microsoft Windows. DW Pico | www.picotech.com Opto 22 | www.opto22.com MSR Electronics | https://www.msr.ch/en/ x2e | https://x2e.de/en

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