September inside:www.designworldonline.com2022 LINEAR MOTION : Why brushless servomotors are the motor of choice for so many applications p. INTERNET52 OF THINGS : Here’s the secret of superior service in a changing market p. 66 page 46 Regenerativesystemselevateservodesigns ROBOT REPORT: AMRs and the Cloud: brains & brawn powering warehousesdemand-driven p. 107
The developer of the original world-class linear motion systems, THK continues to redefine industry standards and to meet an ever-growing range of needs. From aerospace and machine tool to packaging and medical, THK products play a vital role in the advancement of technology and capability. To learn more, call us at 1-800-763-5459 or visit www.thk.com. Exceptional designs deserve superior components. THINK INSIDE THE BOX See us at: IMTS 2022 • September 12-17 • Booths #134802, #134803 The Assembly Show • October 25-27 • Booth #1818 ATX Montréal • November 9-10 • Booth #1315
the #1 value in automation Order Today, Ships Fast! * See our Web site for details and restrictions. © Copyright 2022 AutomationDirect, Cumming, GA USA. All rights reserved. 1-800-633-0405 AutomationDirect carries a full line of almost 4,000 sensors from photoelectric to limit switches, proximity, and ultrasonic. Featured below are just some of the brands and styles we offer. Our sensors have the best pricing available with fast FREE shipping on orders over $49*. When it comes to buying sensors, it makes sense to choose AutomationDirect. Also Available UltrasonicSensorsIP69K PhotoelectricRatedSensorsTransducersLinear NEW! Eaton Photoelectric Sensors E58 Series Harsh Duty, 30mm Stainless Steel Starting at $355.00 (E58-30RS18-GLP) • Diffuse reflective with background suppression, retroreflective, polarized reflective, and through-beam styles • Sensing distances up to 800 feet • NPN/PNP 100mA or solid-state 300mA relay outputs • Complete overload protection • AC micro ½”-20 UNF thread or M12 quick-disconnect models (purchase cable separately) • IP69 protection rating • 1-year warranty Quality Sensors at Sensible Prices Proximity Sensors Starting at $15.50 (DW-AS-614-M12) • Available in 8, 12, 18 and 30mm diameter housings • Standard and extended sensing distances • Flush and non-flush mounting versions • IO-Link available on PNP models • Lifetime warranty Research, price, buy www.automationdirect.com/sensorsat: ProSense PB Series Inductive Proximity Sensors Starting at $22.00 (PBM6-AP-1A) • Available in 8, 12, 18 and 30mm diameter housings • Up to 15mm sensing distance • Flush and non-flush mounting versions • Lifetime warranty Schmersal IEC Limit Switches Starting at $14.00 (ZS-236-02Z) • Available in 30mm and 40mm body widths • Zinc alloy, aluminum or glass-fiber thermoplastic bodies • 90-degree adjustable head, with levers adjustable to any angle • Snap-action contacts in a variety of NO/NC configurations Wenglor OPT Series Photoelectric Sensors Starting at $63.00 (OPT2130) • Diffuse with background suppression, retroreflective, retroreflective for transparent objects, and through-beam models • LO/DO, NO/NC outputs • IO-Link compatibility • Visible light spot allows easy target set-up • IP67/IP68 rated
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2. Try to discover the challenges and don’t worry about solutions up ont. Human nature forces us to want to provide input and give value. However, o en times the initial issue raised isn’t necessarily the only (or even the main) problem. Be the manager who helps the employee articulate the critical issue and allows them to be part of finding the solutions over time.
DW Paul J. Heney - VP, Editorial Director pheney@wtwhmedia.com On Twitter @wtwh_paulheney
1. Avoid so-called fake questions when an employee reaches out to you for help. So many of these queries, which lead with “Did you consider …” or “Have you thought about trying …” are simply advice masquerading as questions. Our impetus to quickly give advice o en gets in the way of truly listening. And it’s listening that so o en helps us dig deeper into what the real issue is. Your questions should be “What …” questions instead. These types of queries are rooted in curiosity and help to get the coworker to open up further about what prompted them to come to you.
Leading and not giving advice Insights 4 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD - brushed or bldc motors - 5 amps per axis - 16 analog inputs - 16 on/off drivers - home and limit in - live tech support - made in the USA WWW.ALLMOTION.COM (510) 471-4000 30097 Ahern Avenue Union City, CA 94587 Technical Support (408) 460-1345 See the EZQUAD SERVO in action! 2.25” 4 AXIS SERVO from NEW!
Engineers who move up the so-called corporate ladder and become team leaders sometimes struggle with managing other employees. That can be because it was simply not part of their educational experience — or because their organizations are lacking in meaningful internal leadership development programs. One habit that new leaders can fall into is becoming advice givers to their coworkers. It’s an easy thing to do, for sure. Employees are coming to you with issues, looking for solutions to thorny problems, to vent about something, and so forth. But as Michael Bungay Stanier explores in his book, The Advice Trap, becoming an advice-giver is surprisingly the wrong way to lead. Here are four great takeways om the book, which I’d recommend to any engineering leader, whether new or seasoned.
3. Don’t let “ghosts” get in the way of figuring out the issue. It’s easy to get sucked into workplace drama, where your employee talks endlessly about someone who ustrates them. As a manager, it’s critical in these situations to not contribute to the dysfunction. Your role is to acknowledge what’s going on is ustrating, and then asking directly, “What’s the real challenge here for you?”
4. Remember that it’s really about them. The true goal is helping your employee figure out their challenge in a given situation, not simply doing it for them. Aiding them in doing this will result in a team member who’s smarter, more confident, and (selfishly for you) more autonomous. That person will be a happier and more productive member of the team, and they’ll respect you, the leader who helped them grow.
When all materials are sustainable
• Executive lteschler@wtwhmedia.comEditor
A 60-gm milk jug is a little over a tenth of a pound, so the going rate for a recycled one-gallon milk jug works out to a little over six cents. But not so fast. One development arising from the Chinese recycling ban is that that now most recycling programs require “clean” plastic containing no food residue. So if you simply chuck your milk jug into the recycling bin without rinsing it, chances are it will be culled out at the processing center and sent to a land fill.
More and more manufacturers are making an effort to use sustainable materials. With that trend in mind, consider what happened about five years ago when China, which once imported a lot of U.S. refuse for recycling, stopped accepting 24 different recyclables. Paper and plastics were on the list. The price of recycled paper collapsed, and prices for discarded cardboard boxes dropped precipitously. Bales of mixed plastic lost 75% of their value. Consequently, a few municipalities canceled their recycling programs. Since then, the market for recycled material has recovered somewhat. North America has begun using more recycled paper, ditto for recycled plastic. Much of this is “mechanical” recycling where sorted plastic is milled and washed, passes a flotation separation, and is dried. The resulting plastic flakes are then either used in new plastic materials or processed intoThesegranulates.developments might lead you to wonder what the stuff in your recyclables container is actually worth these days. You can figure out the value of individual plastic containers using data from RecyclingMarkets. net, a site that lists prices for postconsumer recovered materials. As an example, consider the one-gallon plastic milk jug. Most plastic milk containers are made from highdensity polyethylene, also known 2022
To actually get your milk jug into the recycling stream, you are obliged to spend some amount of energy cleaning it. And that cleaning cost must be subtracted from its recycled value to yield the overall advantage gained from recycling. Suppose you use eight ounces of water to do the rinsing. There may be some soap and water heating involved, but we’ll ignore those to make things manageable. In my municipality, the water and sewer charge for eight ounces of water is a little less than two cents (mainly because sewer charges here are expensive). Thus for me, there might be a net gain of about four centsworth of resources every time a clean milk jug hits my recycle bin. And of course, the economics are worse for smaller or less valuable plastic containers. The economic realities illustrate why some households see no point in recycling. But note: There are now about seven facilities that use heat and chemical reactions, rather than mechanical means, to break down plastics into raw materials. Indications are more such facilities are on the drawing board. Chemical recycling could drastically simplify the process of reusing materials— when only heat and chemicals are involved in breaking down plastics, there’s less need to worry about contaminants.Thusifchemical reprocessing lives up to its promise, we may see the day when nearly everything in the trash gets reused with no extra hassle on the part of consumers. DW
6 September
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Teschler as HDPE or No. 2 plastic. Traditional one-gallon HDPE dairy jugs weigh about 60 gm, though special versions can get that down to 52 gm. Prices for post-consumer HDPE fluctuate, but a recent price for natural HDPE is 48 cents/lb in bales. Colored HDPE goes for much less, about 15 cents/lb, and rigid HDPE as used in butter tubs is only 10 cents/lb. Milk jugs are made from the natural stuff.
On Twitter @ DW_LeeTeschler
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8 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD Green Engineering
SolarEdge’s primary markets comprise the residential, commercial, industrial, and utility sectors. The result is a steady stream of different products for residential and commercial customers, not to mention continuous product modifications to meet emerging regulations om around the world.
Jabil is teaming up with SolarEdge, a global leader in smart energy technology, to help change how power is harvested and managed in photovoltaic (PV) systems. A shared focus on manufacturing excellence and automation has led to the installation of more than 2.5 million intelligent power inverters — and more than 60 million power optimizers in more than 130 countries across five continents.“Weproduce tens of millions of products every year, so high-volume, highquality manufacturing is our lifeline to meeting aggressive growth demands and unrelenting product quality expectations,” said Zvi Lando, CEO of SolarEdge Technologies. “That is not an easy challenge for any manufacturer, but Jabil has delivered on our expectations during the ups and downs, and most challenging times. Because we are similar in attitude and company culture, we focus on execution and accomplish what we set out to do.”
Overall, SolarEdge’s products are quite complex to build, especially in such large volumes — some of which are made in quantities more commonly associated
Jabil Teams with SolarEdge to advance smart energy technology
Paul J. Heney • VP, Editorial Director with consumer electronics or cellphone production.Rigorous quality requirements demand fastidious tracking of every production step to identi any potential reliability issues or possible product defects, which are critical factors when building products with extended warranties. “We’ve done tremendous things together to create an optimum manufacturing environment,” said Scott Gebicke, SVP, Industrial Division, Jabil. “We deployed an automated solution that enables Jabil to operate in the leanest and most e cient way possible, while decreasing manufacturing time by almost 50%. This makes a big difference when you’re making tens of thousands
Options include: • Many styles: single and dual bearing block, rodless and more • Anodized aluminum toolbars and bearing blocks • Stainless steel bearing materials • Various mounting configurations • Many accessories and sensing options
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of products each week, if not millions in aJabilmonth.”and SolarEdge collaborate on all aspects of production, encompassing design for manufacturing, supply chain management, as well as manufacturing automation and scalability. To keep pace with SolarEdge’s aggressive market ramps, Jabil devised a dual-site strategy, mirroring its massive China production facility with a secondary site in Vietnam. In addition, the development of a multi-level vertical testing facility reduces the resources and floor space needed for product curing and testing while complete product traceability is aligned with stringent quality demands. Jabil also provides global supply chain assistance in every region supported by SolarEdge, with attention paid to each material and component needed for manufacturing. During the pandemic-related disruptions, Jabil leveraged its digital supply chain intelligence to forecast long-lead items, submit pre-orders, and identi alternate suppliers when faced with component shortages. As raw material shortages, logistical challenges, and factory closures intensified, Jabil qualified new components, modified product designs, and moved production into different locations to mitigate the impact. Together, the two companies continue to combat the global climate crisis through the delivery of solutions that maximize power generation while lowering energy costs. As SolarEdge evolves its product roadmap, Jabil keeps stride to support the introduction of new product offerings, om energy storage and backup to battery systems and uninterrupted power supply solutions. DW www.jabil.comJabil
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DESIGN WORLD September 2022 9 A member of Festo Group FABCO-AIR www.fabco-air.com
Choose from a wide range of standard units, which guarantee precise, repeatable operation and excellent load-handling capabilities. We can also modify units to deliver higher forces, faster speeds and longer strokes.
Contents 9 • 2022 • vol 17 no 9 • designworldonline.com 46 MOTION Servo-systemCONTROLregenerative resistor types and accessories In the first installment of this series, we explained the regenerative-power requirements for the controlled motion of servomotor systems. Here, we detail common electrical protection circuitry. 52 asbpe.org SILVER REGIONAL AWARD 2022 52 LINEAR MOTION Where brushless servo motors have the edge While there are many motor types to choose from, brushless servo motors have some advantages that make them the motor of choice in many applications. 60 SignalELECTRONICSprocessingsifts clear audio from background noise Powerful statistical techniques can discern a desired audio signal from a jumble of inputs. 79-106 asbpe.org GOLD REGIONAL AWARD 2022 asbpe.org BRONZE REGIONAL AWARD 2022 10 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD asbpe rg BRONZE NATIONAL AWARD 2022 asbpe.org GOLD NATIONAL AWARD 2022 A supplement of Design WorldSeptember 2022 Engineering TheInside:mostcommon mechanical tests for fasteners 86 Profiles: The nuts & bolts behind the business 90-103 How to fastener problemsloosening best solve Page 82 ON THE COVER Servo designs incorporating regenerative-power systems can boost the efficiency and safety of vertical axes — including those in the form of elevators. AdobeStock.com 107-128 www.therobotreport.com AMRs and the Cloud: Cloud robotics platforms give warehouse teams the tools, intelligence and strategies needed to enable faster, more accurate and less stressful order fulfillment. page 108 INSIDE: brains & brawn poweringdemand-driven warehouses IKEA deploys MiR robots to help clean up warehouse 114 66 INTERNET OF THINGS Launching a nationwide equipment network What’s the secret to providing superior service and staying competitive in a changing market? The recent experience of ALTA Refrigeration with groov EPIC and MQTT o ers insights. 74 PACK EXPO Pack Expo heads back to the midwest The event is slated for McCormick Place Chicago, October 23-26. 131-142 Medical www.designworldonline.com A Supplement to Design World September 2022 Dexcom CEO expects ‘science boom’ with CGM, automated insulin delivery
departments 04 Insights 06 Teschler on Topic 08 Green Engineering 14 Design For Industry 28 Design Notes 36 Internet of Things 40 Coupling Notes 42 CAE Solutions 143 Product World 144 Ad Index 9.22 • contents 12 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD THIN ENOUGH? BXR Brakes · Up to 480 in-lbs static · Up to a 1.125'' bore · 19 watts or less · Produced for over 10 years Our Innovative design features a very thin profile, reducing weight and space. For more information: Call: www.mikipulley-us.com800.533.1731
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Packaging
Sensitive Cobotics may be the next thing in automation. These LBR iisy cobots are a form of ready-to-use automation. They quickly and easily integrate into many manufacturing applications.Withsixaxes, a 3-kg payload, 600-mm maximum reach, and 18.8-kg overall weight, the LBR iisy is well suited for overcoming the challenges posed by confined workspaces. Whether loading/unloading machines, assembling components or packaging, the cobot provides increased versatility and can be operated by anyone om an automation expert to a cobotics newcomer. Featuring various operator levels, the user- iendly system adapts to the corresponding level of userTheknowledge.LBRiisyis embedded into the KUKA Industry 4.0 ecosystem. In addition to the availability of downloadable so ware apps, KUKA Connect cloud solution allows users to 14 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com
DESIGN WORLD access and analyze the cobot’s data at any time.Despite its low procurement costs, the LBR iisy is equipped with high-grade joint torque sensors integrated in all its axes. These sensors respond to the slightest of external forces and provide certified collision protection.ForEVbattery tray production, KUKA cell4_FSW modules provide up to 95% more process e ciency and maximize the available configuration options for manufacturers. Used for both 2D and 3D welding tasks, the modules are scalable and accommodate either one or two 6-axis robots. Shops can arrange several workpiece clamping tools in the working area of the cell so that robots can work simultaneously on larger components if needed. DW www.kuka.comKUKA
Automate the packaging of sensitive parts
Design for Industry
The IRB 365 is the newest member of the FlexPicker Delta robot portfolio. With five axis and 1.5kg payload, it is both flexible and the fastest in its class for reorienting packaged lightweight products such as cookies, chocolates, peppers, candies, small bottles, and parcels.Responding to the rise in e-commerce and growing demand for shelf ready packaged goods, the IRB 365 was developed for applications including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods, where production line speed and adaptability are essential.Itcanpick, reorient, and place 1 kg products at 120 picks per minute. By handling more products per minute, it increases productivity, while saving time and energy to make production more e Fromcient. product reorienting, top-loading, and secondary packaging, to bottle handling, unscrambling, 3D picking, feeding, and parcel sorting, the IRB 365 is suitable for several applications.
5-axis robot for handling light products
Packaging DESIGN WORLD September 2022 15
Powered by the OmniCoreTM C30 controller — the smallest Delta robot controller on the market — the system offers best-in-class motion control, built-in digital connectivity, and 1000+ additional so ware hardware functions ready to meet future demands. With the PickMaster Twin so ware, the IRB 365 can be integrated into packaging lines in a matter of hours, using digital twin technology, which also reduces changeover times om hours to just minutes. The robot can be paired with other robots including the IRB 390 to pick, handle and pack payloads weighing om a few grams up to 15 kg. DW ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation go.abb/robotics
help verify and initiate tasks These wireless pushbutton devices can be used in serveral material handling applications in warehouses, manufacturing Packaging Design for Industry
Pushbuttons
Food & Beverage
Rod ends are an indispensable part of machine and plant engineering for the food industry. However, the heads must continually be relubricated to guarantee low- iction movement between the slide ring and the spherical ball. Relubrication increases the risk of contamination as dirt and dust easily form sticky coatings and solid lumps.
Self-lubricating rod ends for higher loads 18 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
Constant relubrication of metallic bearing points in the food industry costs time and money and increases the risk of contamination. Maintenance- ee igubal spherical bearings are an economical and safe alternative. A new model for higher loads is equipped with a stainless-steel housing, a self-lubricating polymer inner ring, and a stainless-steel spherical ball. This allows for higher-load applications to be converted to future-proof tribo-technology. The plastic-metal hybrid consists of a steel housing and spherical ball, and an inner ring made of iglide A160, which meets the requirements of both the FDA and EU 10/2011.
Design for Industry
The solid lubricant in iglide A160 is released in microscopic amounts over time. It ensures a low- iction dry operation between the inner ring and the stainless-steel spherical ball. The absence of lubrication also significantly speeds up cleaning the rod ends. Without grease, dirt and dust have little chance of settling.Theiglide A160 is designed in blue to further increase food safety. This is a color on which food residues and mold spores can be quickly detected during cleaning inspections. Moreover, the color is optically detectable.
Food & Beverage Design for Industry
The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated the rise of new digital technologies, and as companies and countries emerge om the more challenging stages of the pandemic, the world has learned to rely more on automation.Inthemiddle of the pandemic, companies had to devise ways of coping with staff shortages and unstable work conditions, with safety regulations also affecting the amount of personnel that were able to be in a facility at any given time.Relying on manual labor has become increasingly di cult, forcing food
Improving product quality should therefore be a main point of focus for manufacturers, and a significant contributing factor to food safety and compliance is cleaning practices.
Automatedessential.procedures can significantly reduce the risk of foodsafety hazards, putting consumers’ minds at ease. Even so, food hygiene concerns are unlikely to disappear any time soon.
20 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
Considering food safety: The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly changed the way individuals think about hygiene, prompting them to consider how and where their food is produced and packaged.
AI holds the key to the future of automation in the food industry
This wave of concern regarding food hygiene was rising regardless of the lack of evidence that the virus could be transmitted through food, rendering new solutions capable of catering to these needs
manufacturers to find modern solutions, which automation technology and AI canByoffer.investing in systems capable of carrying out tasks and processes in a consistent and e cient way, manufacturers can rely on processes that are more risk- ee while also complying with new, fast-changing regulations and addressing Covid-related concerns such as sanitation.
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
Seeking out automation techniques to keep up with demand and changing habits is increasingly more relevant in an era where improving food reliability is essential.
Traditional cleaning procedures cannot compete with intelligent systems capable of detecting even the smallest of toxins or contaminants, which can improve product quality.
DESIGN WORLD September 2022 21
Producing plant-based foods requires different procedures to be implemented, particularly when they are produced in the same factory as meat products. By offering efficient and quick quality assurance procedures, automation can cut down on the time that is spent ensuring there is no cross-contamination.
The process of cleaning equipment can be optimized by using AI, which can be programmed to detect even the smallest of substances that could potentially be harmful to food production lines.Adapting to key trends within the food industry: While the increase in production of plant-based food is not a new trend, it is one that is nonetheless on the rise, with demand having more than doubled in value since 2016.
In addition, consumers’ commitment to sustainability remains strong in spite of the spike in popularity of packaged food throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, with environment-conscious shoppers now returning to their pre-pandemic habits. Thus, concerns are rising about food wastage. AI may hold a key to developing stable processes to contribute to sustainability cause.
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.
POWER TRANSMISSION RETAINING DEVICES & maintenance & assembly tools WHITTET-HIGGINS USA BEARLOK SHOELOK BEARLOK Shrink Disc BEARHUG CLAMPNUT TANGENTLOK PRECISION NUTS & WASHERS ADAPTER SLEEVE ASSEMBLIES NUTS & WASHERS HARDENED TONGUE WASHERS SPLIT COLLAR RETHREADING DIES ADJUSTABLE SPANNER WRENCH BEARING ASSEMBLY SOCKET INCH and METRIC THREADS LEFT HANDED as well as RIGHTMaterials-HANDEDof: CARBON, ALLOY and HARDENEDSTEELSALLOY Materials of: ALLUMINUM and CORROSIONSTEELRESISTANT
Changing habits on such short notice requires adaptable solutions, and AI can be programmed to quickly change the way activities or tasks are performed, ultimately providing a better return on investment by allowing manufacturers to adapt more quickly. DW adi www.adiltd.co.ukGroup
While AI can be programmed to reduce waste and therefore prevent edible food from being disposed of by accident, it can be employed to collect useful data and in turn develop algorithms that can consistently prevent waste within a supply chain.
Additionally, AI can operate in environments that could be unfit for humans, such as extremely hot or cold environments, and even contribute to producing food of higher quality by identifying ideal growing conditions for fresh produce, resulting in better flavor, and thus better products.
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.
Automation technology can improve the efficiency of overall manufacturing projects in a variety of ways, and open a world of previously inaccessible solutions. Automated software can provide traceability within the supply chain by collecting and storing data that can be accessed later on by manufacturers to find faults in a system or procedure or identify the source of issues or time delays.
Aerospace/military (Design for
Design for Industry 22 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
continued
The XMC-7A50-AP323 module provides a user-customizable Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA with 48 TTL I/O channels plus a 16-bit ADC for 20 differential or 40 single-ended analog inputs. Other custom I/O interfaces with an FPGA on one XMC module are available by request. These modules are for embedded applications running on Linux, Windows, or VxWorks operating systems. These modules offer a wide operating range of -40 to 70°C and conduction cooling options. The FPGA digital I/O offers 32Mb quad serial flash memory with 52,160 logic cells. Reconfiguration of the FPGA is possible via a direct download into the Flash configuration memory over the PCIe bus. The high-density GPIO initially supports TTL but can also accommodate LVDS and RS422/485 signals. Flexible A/D conversion allows configuration of analog input voltage ranges, scanning modes, and interrupts.Designed for COTS applications these XMC modules are RoHS compliant and suit applications in scientific development labs, military and aerospace, the defense industry, and automation. DW www.acromag.comAcromag Industry on page 27)
Modules mix I/O with an FPGA to deliver flexible signal processing
THE POWER BRANDS IN POWER TRANSMISSION Power REVIEW Vol. 11 | No. 3 | 2022 Follow Altra Motion on:www.AltraMotion.com Scan to download the interactive version of the Power Review Altra Launches Enhanced Brand Sites for Ameridrives, Bibby Turboflex and Kilian Altra’s Application Profile Videos on YouTube Formsprag Custom EBR Brake for the International Space Station Telescope Ameridrives F315 Universal Joints for FracturingHydraulicApplications Twiflex Turning & Locking System (TL) for Auto Shredders INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Warner Electric Brake Solutions for ApplicationsEquipmentElectric
Warner Electric offers innovative braking solutions designed to reduce power consumption on a wide variety of motions for battery-powered construction equipment, including electric swing drives and electric track drives for loaders, dozers, and excavators, traction wheel motors on compact skid steers, wheeled excavators, dump vehicles and mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs). Warner braking technologies are also ideal for many agriculture applications, including autonomous machines and small electrically driven equipment.
ApplicationsEquipmentElectricforSolutionsBrakeElectric
KILIANBEARINGSBIBBYTURBOFLEXAMERIDRIVES.com.com.com SITES
Highly experienced Warner Electric application engineers routinely work with OEM engineering teams to develop compact, energy efficient braking solutions to meet the requirements for specific equipment, whether it’s for a completely new equipment design or the electric conversion of existing equipment.
AT:
to visit the SolutionProblemPlaylistonYouTube Warner Electric Brake Solutions for Electric Equipment Applications Altra’s Application Profile Videos on YouTube
Launches Enhanced Brand Sites for Ameridrives, Bibby Turboflex and Kilian
The rapidly growing demand for compact, battery-powered construction and agriculture equipment has created a highly competitive market environment for OEMs. Warner Electric, a global leader in electromagnetic brake technologies, is uniquely positioned to support equipment design engineers as they meet these application challenges.
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Altra
Visit Altra Motion on YouTube to see over 50 Application Profile Videos featuring success stories from a variety of industrial applications. New videos are uploaded routinely, so check back often!
The re-designed sites include streamlined, easy-to-use navigation that allows visitors to quickly find the information they need. Cell phone and tablet users will appreciate the enhanced mobile responsiveness and speed of the new site.
Warner Electric Brake Solutions Provide Reliable Performance on Battery-Powered Equipment
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New Features are Designed to Improve the User Experience
Share your favorite videos via email or various other social media sites. Videos can also be added to custom playlists or saved to a “Watch Later” list. Visit Altra on YouTube today! For more information, visit Altra’s YouTube channel at www.YouTube.com/AltraIndMotion
An improved Key Markets section quickly guides visitors to solutions ideally suited for their respective industry and application. A convenient Contact Form is included for fast response to inquiries regarding standard and custom engineered solutions to meet specific application requirements. The Ameridrives site also includes quick and easy access to repair and rebuild service information. For more downloadinformation,P-8949-WE www.AltraLiterature.comfrom
These micro videos comprise the Problem | Solution Playlist and are ideal for sharing with others. They are included in the Brand Playlists as well.
NASA engineers collaborated with Formsprag Clutch to develop a custom brake to meet the 3 ft.lb. minimum holding torque and <10W power draw requirements of this challenging zero-gravity application. Millisecond reaction time angular alignment capability (IAAC) more information, download P-8960-FC from www.AltraLiterature.com
CustomCapabilityAngularbraketorqureactionWatt formsprag.com P-8960-FC International (ISS). The millisecond bobbinless extended dia. can handle environmentally-friendly, horsepowerengine turbine drives being newer trailer-mounted torquepackages.ratings modelsswing diameter comparable SeriesConventional closed design315/350mmOne-piece style flanges dynamically balancedManufactured the Gas Country.Marcos, Texas located to serveFaster response off-shoreOptional companion flanges The Ameridrives team highly application andJoint always available modifiedmeet customer requirements.
A major U.S. scrap metal recycler needed a replacement shaft turning and locking system for a large auto shredder at one of its facilities in central Florida. The turning/locking device is needed when power to the shredder is shut off so crews can replace damaged hammers on the large mill rotor.
•
• Faster
• Infinite
Formsprag Custom EBR Brake for the International Space Station Telescope
Images courtesy of NASA Application Profile
• Custom gear turning and locking system • Multi-function,
interface • Continuous
•
A reliable braking solution was required for the new Coronal Diagnostic Experiment (CODEX) telescope installed on the International Space Station (ISS). The solar coronagraph telescope will measure electron density, velocity and temperature of the solar wind. The brakes are used to hold the 556 lb. telescope in place when power is turned off to prevent damage caused by any uncontrolled motion.
INTRODUCING economical to meet demandsgreener, next generation fracking processes
locking
Custom EBR Brake International Space Station Telescope solution was new Coronal Experiment coronagraphtelescope velocity The mission increase the models which important also space forecasting which satellites affected by are used Az and long, unit motionless turned damage that by any engineers Formsprag custom meet minimum holding power of this zero-gravity new Formsprag “Power holding brake advanced material (Coefficient milliseconddia. brake has Alignment and ft.lbs. torque planetary set. The rated only and releases watts.
flanges available • All shafts dynamically balanced •
• One-piece
An economical solution to meet the demands of greener, next generation fracking processes
Ameridrives F315 Universal Joints for High-Horsepower Hydraulic Fracturing Applications
• Advanced friction disc material For
Auto Shredder shredder central turning/locking when shredder shut replace hammers This causes creating condition winch that time-consuming rotor drive maintenance previously installed Working facility engineers stationary drive significantly cost-effective than design. Twiflex Turning/Locking (TL) installed drive 3000 drive continuous turning workers access to damaged The remotely locking the rotor preventing unwanted The includes engaged and gear drive 1.1 produce 21.7 acting dia. radially-split nominal turning rpm. device engaged/disengaged teeth) automatically the gearwheel kNm torque. slow single bi-directional gear comprising gearwheel, motor and gearbox with fully monitored, remotely operated tooth device
Twiflex engineers designed a stationary drive that was significantly more cost-effective than a competitive design. The new Twiflex custom Turning/Locking (TL) System was installed on the hammer drum drive shaft near the 3000 HP drive motor. It allows continuous bi-directional turning at slow speed so workers have easier access to damaged hammers. Features:
turning and Multi-function,systemslowcomprisingspeed gearwheel,monitored, remotely operated
• Optional add-on companion flanges
Universal For more information, download P-8969-AC from www.AltraLiterature.com
Twiflex Turning & Locking System (TL) for Auto Shredders
For more information download P-8972-TF from www.AltraLiterature.com
UniversalF315 Joints Designed for high-horsepowerhydraulic fracturing applications
• Conventional
• 315/350mm
turning at slow speed • Turning
Ameridrives engineers have developed a new U-joint based on the proven design of the popular Ameridrives U3315 model. The economical shaft, with a peak torque rating of 1,100,000 lb.in., can handle the environmentally-friendly, higher horsepower diesel engine and gas turbine drives being utilized on newer trailer-mounted pump packages. Increased torque ratings vs. J Series models Smaller swing diameter vs. comparable J Series models closed eye design yokes DIN style Manufactured in the heart of Oil & Gas Country. Our facility in San Marcos, Texas is ideally located to serve the industry response compared to off-shore competitors
Ameridrives have developed U-joint based onthe proven the popular Ameridrives U3315 model.economical peak torque 1,100,000 lb.in.,
• 50
RediMount™ Motor Mounting System The unique Micron RediMount design allows our complete line of gearheads to be easily mounted to any motor. Its easy-to-use system features a specially designed input housing and sleeve to accommodate all motor mounting dimensions. The Micron RediMount design provides: • Self-aligning hub to maintain concentricity between motor shaft and gearhead • Pre-installed pinion to eliminate setting procedure • Modular design for separate stocking of gearhead and input housing • Flexibility in changing to alternate motors in the field • Interchangeability–the same RediMount system is used across all Micron product lines Why waste time with other mounting options? The RediMount system offers an easy, error free, three-step mounting procedure: 1. Slide the supplied bushing into the gearhead hub 2. Slide your motor into the gearhead 3. Bolt together MICRON GEARHEADS MOUNT EASILY TO ANY MOTOR 1.800.816.5608 For more information call: or visit www.bostongear.com
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 27 3D printing enables developer to bring antenna production in-house Aerospace/military BUENA6855INFO@TRIMLOK.COMWWW.TRIMLOK.COMHERMOSACIRCLEPARK,CA90620 SEALSTRIMS AND 800-933-4915 CELE B R ATING YEARS CELE B R ATING 50 YE ARS AND STILL GROWING!50 YE ARS AND STILL GROWING!YEARS
A collaboration between 3D Systems and Fleet Space Technologies affects the production of RF patch antennas for use on the Alpha satellite constellation. The combination of Fleet Space Technologies’ design along with the 3D Systems’ Application Innovation Group (AIG) has resulted in an additive manufacturing solution that includes process development and bridge production on the DMP Flex 350 — enabling the companies to move om Fleet Space’s existing RF patch design to small batch production in just threeFleetweeks.Space Technologies is bringing a DMP Flex 350 printer into service at their headquarters in Beverley, Adelaide to bring production of its patch antennas in-house. The printer will be used to create RF patch antennas for each of the Alpha satellites operating in a constellation in low earth orbit as part of Fleet Space Technologies’ ExoSphere initiative for mining exploration with minimal environmental impact. Fleet Space Technologies’ engineering team designed the antenna to meet size, weight, and performance requirements while minimizing the need for postprocessing. The team knew that the only way the geometry of this patch antenna design could be realized is through additive manufacturing. 3D Systems’ AIG developed print processes to produce the antenna on its DMP Flex 350 printer in two different materials — LaserForm AlSi10Mg and Al6061-RAM2. The vacuum chamber architecture of the DMP Flex 350, which maintains a low oxygen environment (<25 ppm), was critical. Not only is argon gas consumption heavily reduced, but the vacuum chamber architecture also produces a good surface finish with fine feature detail which minimizes signal losses. Additionally, the DMP Flex 350 also includes 3DXpert so ware which supports every step of the additive manufacturing workflow om design to postprocessing, to quickly and e ciently transition om a 3D model to successfully printed parts.
(Design for Industry continued om page 22)
NEW FACILITY COMING FALL 2022 ELKHART, INDIANA
The team is able to achieve fast and costeffective production of 55 RF patch antennas per build on the DMP Flex 350. Having the DMP Flex 350 solution on-site will also provide Fleet Space Technologies with the ability to additively manufacture structural components that were not previously available. DW 3D Systems | www.3dsystems
ABB Robotics has collaborated with two world-renowned artists, eight-yearold Indian child prodigy Advait Kolarkar and Dubai-based digital design collective Illusorr, to create the world’s first robot-painted art car. ABB’s PixelPaint technology has, without human intervention, perfectly recreated Advait’s swirling, monochromatic design, and Illusorr’s tri-color geometrical patterns. Equipped with 1,000 nozzles in the printer head, ABB’s IRB 5500 paint robots completed the highly complex artworks in less than 30 minutes. The PixelPaint
The technologyPixelPaintdemonstratesprecisionandspeed,capturingintricate,elaboratedetailthatwouldbeimpossibletoachievebyhand.
Edited by Mike Santora • Managing Editor
Design Notes 28 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
Robot recreates artwork in automotive application
technology demonstrates precision and speed, capturing intricate, elaborate detail that would be impossible to achieve by hand.Sami Atiya, President of ABB’s Robotics & Discrete Automation business area, commented, “Our RobotStudio so ware can not only pave the way for more sustainable manufacturing but can also perfectly replicate delicate pieces of art that celebrate the originality and beauty of the human spirit.”
ABB Robotics has collaborated with two world-renowned artists, eight-year-old Indian child prodigy Advait Kolarkar and Dubai-based digital design collective Illusorr, to create the world’s first robotpainted art car.
PixelPaint technology reimagines the paint application process and reflects the growing demand for sustainable personalization in the automotive industry, particularly in exterior paint. Multi-colored car painting has traditionally been a laborious and costly process involving multiple stages of masking and unmasking, but this technology allows for a detailed, colorful, and exact replication of any design. Carefully controlled, the paint can be quickly applied in a single application. This development in the automation of the painting process opens the door to specialized and personalized designs for the automotive market.
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 29
Automotive designer Ian Callum, responsible for designing the Aston Martin Vanquish and, more recently, the Jaguar I-Pace said, “There’s something very special about a car. People get emotionally attached to them, and the importance of personalization is becoming stronger and stronger. In fact, I’m working with customers who actually want the whole car designed in a bespoke way. So, this paint offering — with all sorts of new levels of individual design for a motor car — is incredible.”PixelPaint technology also enhances manufacturing sustainability, removing the need for masking materials and extra ventilation, which lowers emissions while saving water and energy. Coordinated by the firm’s RobotStudio so ware, the paint head tracks very closely to the vehicle body to ensure 100% of the paint is applied to the car with no airborne misting. Different paint colors are applied quickly, with the product only running through the paint shop once. For car manufacturers, this can halve the production time and reduce costs by up to 60%.
Sami Atiya added, “We are in the midst of a significant decade in the history of the automotive industry and the start of a new era. Automakers need to consider new ways of working towards the transition to electric vehicles. We are working to support the industry in this transition, and I’m confident that with flexible automation, sustainable transportation will fast become a reality.” DW ABB www.abb.com/roboticsRobotics
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Design Notes
To create the art car, ABB refurbished a Volkswagen SUV damaged by the floods in Germany in the summer of 2021. Its recycling confirms ABB’s commitment to sustainability wherever possible.
ABB is at the fore ont of developing smart manufacturing principles and technology to support the global automotive industry as it undergoes one of the most significant periods of transformation in recent history. The transition will lead to the use of more robots in combination with other technologies, including Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). This will enable ABB’s automotive customers to optimize the delivery of components across their facilities and connect integrated, scalable, modular production cells, such as PixelPaint, ensuring the necessary flexibility to meet varying levels of demand.
Equipped with 1,000 nozzles in the printer head, ABB’s IRB 5500 paint robots completed the highly complex artworks in less than 30 minutes.
Touchless Switches
IDEC as a world's leading manufacturer of human machine interfaces created a new range of touchless switches to minimize unnecessary touching of objects and help the users to solve hygienic concerns and guarding against COVID-19 and other viruses.
IDEC Corporation • 800-262-4332 KEY FEATURES · Sleek and nearly flush! · IP65/67 and UL Type 4X for outdoor applications · Two-color LED ring for feedback · Adjustable detection distance (70 - 270mm) · No moving parts makes the switch durable For more information visit: www.IDEC.com/usa
COVID-19 has been the largest worldwide event and challenge of our lifetimes.There's no doubt that it impacted our behaviors, and many of us acquired a variety of social habits to help prevent the virus's transmission.
Edited by Mike Santora • Managing Editor with the Collier Aerospace team on future structural projects.”
Sizing optimization for a sea rocket
“The SP80 team was impressed with the new HyperX so ware and the engineering expertise that we received om Collier Aerospace,” said Xavier Lepercq, SP80 co-founder and technical manager. “The HyperX so ware was able to size an extremely complex structure and evaluate several different load cases very quickly. We relied on Collier Aerospace’s engineering judgment and experience to help us make smart decisions. We look forward to collaborating
Collier
Using HyperX so ware, Collier Aerospace provided composite optimization for most of the primary rigid structures on the cra , including the main hull, the power module, and the back floats. Sizing involved determining the thinnest, lightest laminates and sandwich core material that met the mechanical requirements in each section of the boat while maintaining positive safety margins.
usedoptimizationCorporation’sAerospacenewHyperXanalysisandsizingsoftwarewassuccessfullytodesignauniquecompositeracingsailboat,calledtheSeaRocket,fortheSP80team.
The innovative kite-powered trimaran, called the Sea Rocket, was constructed by a Swiss team of young engineers and sailing enthusiasts, aided by students at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). In 2023, this crew, known as the SP80 team, will attempt to break the world sailing speed record by reaching 80 knots off the coast of France. To make this a reality, the SP80 team contacted Collier Aerospace Corp. The company used its new HyperX analysis and sizing optimization so ware to help the team design the unique composite racing sailboat they’ll need to make history next year.
32 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD Design Notes
How to design a composite racing sailboat
American-made Accessory Power Strips —Why Wait?
Additionally, HyperX so ware was used for various other purposes on the SP80 team’s boat. These included trade studies for numerous laminate and sandwich panel combinations and structural optimization for manufacturability by defining fabrication and laydown sequences using the thinply carbon fiber-reinforced laminates. The assessment of different structural design concepts was followed by rapid sizing of the newly generated structures, including static stress and buckling analyses — o en as parts were being fabricated. The model generated in HyperX so ware contains 300,000 elements and over 500 unique design properties.“Acomplex project like this composite sailboat is where HyperX so ware really shines,” said Mischa Pollack, Director of Innovation for Collier Aerospace. “It can size a structure much faster than other tools. This speed allowed us to evaluate many different design concepts for the various chassis components, particularly the power module. This type of project is one of my favorite things about Collier Aerospace — working with great teams like the SP80 group while helping HyperX become a better tool for the future.”
Toll-Free Phone: (800) 662-2290 E-mail: info@interpower.com Business Hours: 7 a.m.–6 p.m. CST Order Online! www.interpower.com ® ® Interpower® accessory power strips (APS) ship the same day when in stock. Our APS incorporates at least one AC power inlet with multiple AC power outlets. Common APS outlet choices are 10 or 12 Sheet F outlets or an 8 Sheet F and 4 Sheet J outlet combination. Other options include power on/off switches, circuit breakers, overcurrent protectors, fuse holders and fuses. An APS allows for only one cord set to connect to the mains power at the wall socket. The other end of the cord (an IEC 60320 connector) plugs into the APS allowing multiple devices to stay integrated.
DW Collier collieraerospace.comAerospace
Unique structure Competitors attempting to break the World Sailing Speed Record had substantial latitude when designing their cra , which led and inspired the SP80 team to use a trimaran architecture comprised of four key elements. Three carbon fiber-reinforced composite hulls (the main hull/passenger compartment, which protects the pilot and copilot, and two side floats, which provide stability at both low and high speeds) are designed to always stay in contact with the water. Super-ventilated hydrofoils reduce cavitation and drag, thus helping the pilot use all available power to propel the boat forward. A kite (sail) is then tethered to the main hydrofoil and transforms wind power into a propulsive force to move the Severalboat.different kites with surface areas ranging om 25 to 40 square meters can be used to adjust to wind conditions. The patented and allimportant composite power module is a mechanical system that constantly aligns the kite’s ascending force with the hydrofoils’ descending force, e ciently transmitting wind forces om the kite to the hydrofoils and the boat itself while maintaining high-speed stability. Together, these four elements were designed to increase speed and minimize drag in both air and water to aid the team in succeeding with its recordbreaking attempt.
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 33
How motor brakes can help alleviate worker shortage issues
The oil shear technology also provides a smooth “cushioned” stop which reduces shock to the drive system, further extending service life of downstream components.
The MagnaShear motor brake employs oil shear technology, providing longer service life in applications like the frequent start/ stop cycles seen on cranes, hoists, winches, conveyors, palletizers, and equipment.other
Design Notes 34 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
Unlike dry brakes, oil shear technology includes a layer of automatic transmission fluid between the brake disc and the drive plate. As the fluid is compressed, the fluid molecules shear — imparting torque to the other side. This torque transmission causes the rotating discs to decelerate against the stationary plates, bringing them down to stop. As most of the work is done by the fluid particles in shear, wear is virtually eliminated. Elimination of wear also eliminates the need for adjustments common for dry braking systems. Edited by Mike Santora • Managing Editor the dust common in concrete block plants, asphalt shingle manufacturing, coal, bulk
The totally enclosed MagnaShear brakes are impervious to moisture, dirt, and the dust common in concrete block plants, asphalt shingle manufacturing, coal, bulk materials handling, forest products manufacturing, and more.
Force Control Industries’ MagnaShear maintenance- ee, noadjustment motor brakes eliminate motor brake downtime. And because the best kind of maintenance is no maintenance, they can also help to alleviate problems associated with worker shortages. With no adjustment or maintenance required, save for an annual oil change, these dependable motor brakes allow maintenance personnel to be tasked with other projects, thus accomplishing more work with fewerTheemployees.MagnaShear motor brake employs oil shear technology, providing longer service life in applications like the equent start/stop cycles seen on cranes, hoists, winches, conveyors, palletizers, and other equipment. Proven oil shear technology transmits torque between lubricated surfaces — eliminating wear on iction surfaces. A patented fluid recirculation system dissipates heat — eliminating heat build-up, which is the most common problem in dry braking systems. Elimination of the wear significantly increases service life and eliminates adjustment, which also elongates maintenance intervals. They are suitable for applications where the motor is reversed each cycle, such as rail car spotters and dumpers, ship and rail car loading conveyors, trippers, and pallet return conveyors.
In addition to transmitting torque, a patented fluid recirculation system helps to dissipate heat which is the major problem with traditional dry brakes. Along with heat removal and torque transmission, the fluid serves to continually lubricate all components of the oil shear brake, elongating their service life. Suitable for a range of motor sizes These proven motor brakes are available to accommodate myriad applications. Spring set torque ratings om 3 to 1250 foot-pounds are available. MagnaShear motor brakes are available in multiple torques for the same motor ame. MagnaShear motor brakes feature “quick mount” features for quick and easy mounting to drive motors in NEMA ame sizes 56 to 449. They are shipped ready to install, with no assembly or adjustments required. They are also available premounted on a motor for severe duty applications. MagnaShear motor brakes can be furnished to fit a NEMA or IEC ame motor, as a complete motor and brake assembly, or to mount on a machine ame or other special mounting configuration. These proven motor brakes are fully enclosed om outside contaminants, with seal integrity for harsh and washdown environments. A modular design /assembly allows for ease of servicing and maintenance. DW Force Control Industries | www. forcecontrol.com MagnaShear motor brakes can be furnished to fit a NEMA or IEC frame motor, as a complete motor and brake assembly, or to mount on a machine frame or other special mounting configuration.
DESIGN WORLD September 2022 35 Cleanroom Ready Conveyors The ERT platform is the only pallet conveyor of its kind available with an ISO Standard Class 4 rating for cleanroom applications. See our conveyors in action: www.dornerconveyors.com Call us: 800-397-8664 NEW BELTLESS CONVEYOR FOR SMALL AND LIGHT-LOAD ASSEMBLY AUTOMATION Edge Roller Technology ERT ® Dorner_DesignWorld_Island_122.indd 1 1/5/22 3:00 PM
Internet of Things 36 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is transforming traditional, linear manufacturing into dynamic, interconnected systems, helping factories unleash their potential to run more e ciently, productively, and proactively. By interconnecting legacy machines, sensors, and edge devices, and deploying those technologies directly on the manufacturing floor, the IIoT is able to stream lucrative data, driving operational intelligence, situational awareness, and predictive analytics. As a result, ont-line managers are empowered to take informed action, whether it is predictive maintenance of plant equipment or identi ing supply chain problems before they occur.Although it is o en thought that the IIoT is an offshoot of consumer connectivity, like home automation and wireless communications, the industrial space embraced this technology first. Today, IIoT is growing faster than the consumer segment, with the global market for IIoT products and services estimated at $263 billion (USD) in 2021. The market is expected to continue in this trajectory in the coming years, reaching $1.1 trillion (USD) by 2028.¹ Before we begin to cover the trends, we want to stress that the right path in every manufacturer’s IIoT journey is to start with the business problem and understand
Eight trends for industrial IoT
Henry Martel • Field Application Engineer • Antaira Technologies
• Fog Computing: Considering the massive amounts of data captured by IIoT networks, cloud computing is now considered invaluable in that it allows companies to exceed normally available storage without hosting extra servers on-site. However, the large distance between the cloud and IIoT devices can cause propagation and transmission delays. Large computation loads on a single cloud server can also bring about processing and queuing delays. In addition, relying solely on the cloud for the enormous and growing number of smart devices involved in the IIoT can be hindered by limited bandwidth, as well as problematic scalability, speed, and computation issues. In contrast, fog decentralized computing pushes both data and intelligence to analytic platforms that are situated either on (or close to) where the data originated. A form of edge computing, fog pushes intelligence to the edge of the network for real-time device control, security, and management. It is part of an overall shi away om a centralized approach to IIoT networks and toward a decentralized, edge-driven yet centrally manageable •design.
Big Data Analytics: As the volume of IIoT-generated data gathered by devices continues to grow at an exponentially high rate, big data storage and analytics are helping make sense of it and providing invaluable insights. Big Data Analytics (BDA) takes vast unstructured data and organizes it into smaller data sets for improved decision-making. BDA will provide different types of IIOT insights, namely, descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics. Recent BDA innovations and new machine learning algorithms are making real-time analysis solutions possible to compare historical trends with forward-looking projections so ont-line managers can more accurately predict future performance.
• Digital Twins: Applied to the IIoT, the digital twin concept refers to the digital replication or representation of physical machines and processes in cyberspace. By acting as a proxy to the physical system, the digital twin gives users access to the structure, context, and behavior of machinery and processes, therefore providing a window into the past, present, and potential future states and conditions. For example, Chevron expects to save millions of dollars using digital twins to predict maintenance problems more quickly.³ According to Gartner, 75% of organizations implementing loT technology already use digital twins as part of their system, or are planning to do so within a year.⁴
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI is the simulation of human intelligence processes by computers to analyze data for correlations and patterns, and use these patterns to make accurate predictions about future states. Companies are increasingly deploying AI to analyze IIoT data to track equipment usage, improve workflows, streamline logistics, increase safety, and achieve higher overall e ciency across every aspect of operations. In particular, preventive maintenance systems using IIoT data plus AI to predict and prevent equipment problems before they happen are saving millions of dollars in unplanned downtime costs. The global AI in the IoT market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 27% om today through 2026.²
• Network Connectivity: Without reliable connectivity, the IIoT becomes unproductive, and your supply chain is negatively impacted. Problems may be isolated to a specific sensor or machine. However, if the same error is widespread in the same factory, then a network connectivity issue is likely the cause. For example, Antaira has a diagnostic feature named “VeriPHy” on its industrial switches that can help locate possible faults in cabling. These types of diagnostic tools help troubleshoot
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 37 what data you need for strategic decision-making. Once you know what problem you are solving and how you will measure the benefits, the next step is to make a comprehensive plan with clearly defined goals and objectives that will allow you to track progress and resolutions to your business objectives. From there, the next step would be the investment in sensors, connectivity, applications, and people. Top trends in IIoT Many developments are shaping the IIoT in 2022, ranging om innovations in connectivity, so ware, and hardware to enhancing human sensory capabilities, all of which have the potential to influence production systems and processes with improved data-driven intelligence. While this list is not exhaustive, it does reveal the key enablers advancing the IIoT across industries and functional areas.
• Human Augmentation and Extended Reality: These technologies are used in the IIoT to enhance the environment by superimposing a computer-generated image onto the user’s view in the real world. By blending the two worlds, they provide more information about the actual environment either by enhancing the senses or to create completely artificial experiences. Use case adoption is found in three primary capabilities: 1. Visual/interactive for product design, space management, and employee training2.Diagnosis of equipment and inspections3.Actionfor product line optimization and order picking
connectivity problems customers may be experiencing. A webbased network management suite, such as Antaira NMS, gives administrators the ability to remotely monitor and manage connected devices on the LAN, including lists with logs and topology images. Network management will locate device connectivity issues and troubleshoot each in real-time to reduce unplanned network downtime.
Antaira Resources:antaira.comTechnologies
• Device Cybersecurity: Increased wireless connectivity in industrial facilities has expanded the attack surface for cyber threats. In addition, IIoT components and devices, such as industrial routers and industrial Ethernet switches, are not usually safeguarded for cybersecurity like other network tools, leaving them open to attack. Another ongoing concern is the convergence of IT and OT environments that may allow an attacker to enter through IT in astructure into the OT. While “industrial-grade” network devices are designed to withstand moisture, vibration, shock, corrosion, and high EMI, they o en don’t feature built-in security. Antaira’s ruggedized devices are strengthened to endure both industrial environments and cyber threats. For instance, the Antaira ARS-7235-AC WAP/router offers advanced encryption, temporal key integrity protocol, multiple wireless security options, network authentication, passphrase, and more. DW
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Use.
• Industrial Internet of Everything: Industrial Internet of Everything (IIoT) is a conceptualized, broader, more holistic Internet of Things (IoT). It’s defined as a “networked connection of people, process, data, and things” in one vastly distributed ecosystem, whereas the IoT only refers to physical objects or devices on a more centralized platform. For example, the IoT includes Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication. The IIoT takes this further by encompassing M2M as well as People-toMachine (P2M) and People-to-People (P2P). Still, in its infancy to its application in the industrial sector, the IIoT will require a high level of standardization and interoperability to move forward.
1. Industrial IoT - market size worldwide 2020-2028, Statista, March 2.2022AIin IoT Market, Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact and Forecasts, Mordor Intelligence, 2022 3. Why Accenture lists ‘digital twins’ as a top-five technology trend, VentureBeat, March 2021 4. Gartner Survey Reveals Digital Twins Are Mainstream February 2019 38
Entering
The AIG-300’s DIN-rail enclosure is made om SECC steel, creating a strong outer shell to protect the sensitive internal components. The gateways meet Class I, Division 2, and ATEX hazardous location standards, the IP30 environment rating, IEC 600068-2 shock and vibration requirements, and an operating temperature range of -40° to 70° C (-40° to 185° F).
IIoT Gateways integrate with the Azure IoT Edge computing platform
According to IDC’s 2021 Future of Operations Survey1, 34% of organizations are now monitoring and diagnosing almost all of their devices, equipment, assets, facilities, and processes remotely with limited onsite staff. The gateways are a resilient, cost-effective approach for this application, offering faster, more secure sensor-to-cloud connections in remote field locations. The gateways deliver the connectivity needed to share edge data with the cloud for analytic processing and insights, along with simplified device management. As edge computing use cases continue to evolve, the AIG-300 gateways enable flexible and secure cloud connectivity by leveraging: Arm Cortex A7 dual-core 1 GHz processors, pre-loaded Azure IoT Edge and Moxa ThingsPro Edge so ware, and versatile I/O options for Ethernet, CAN, RS-232/422/485, USB, and four digital (DI/DO) interfaces. For system integrators with wireless communication needs, the AIG-300 comes with LTE cellular, GPS and Wi-Fi antenna connectors.
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 39
Even when located in harsh remote sites, the gateways can be maintained to ensure continuous availability through Resume File Transmission, OverThe-Air OTA so ware upgrading, and Secure Boot for prevention of malicious so ware-injection attacks. To avoid disconnection during a device crash or sudden shutdown, the gateways are equipped with built-in recovery functions that automatically rollback to the previous stable version of the firmware to achieve uninterrupted network connectivity. And in the event a so ware upgrade fails, AIG gateways will automatically revert to the so ware version in the backup, ensuring system stability. DW www.moxa.comMoxa
Internet of Things
The AIG-300 Series of IIoT gateways is for seamless integration with the Microso Azure IoT Edge computing platform. These gateways provide the stable connectivity needed in distributed and unmanned sites to collect, store, process, and analyze operational data om sensors and other IIoT devices.
• Zero-backlash for precise motion control
Edited by Mike Santora • Managing Editor
Servo motor coupled to a lead screw with a couplingzero-backlashforprecisemotioncontrol.
The multiple-beam couplings are manufactured with a balanced design for reduced vibration at speeds up to 6,000 rpm. Clamp-style F-series couplings are supplied with Ruland’s proprietary Nypatch anti-vibration coating. Nypatch ensures that the hardware stays in place through intense vibration and movements over time, whereas untreated hardware may back out om harsh vibrations.
Coupling Notes 40 September
• Balanced design for reduced vibration at up to 6,000 rpm
Medical and surgical robots o en combine a stepper or servo motor to a lead screw or encoder, requiring a zero-backlash coupling for precise motion control. These systems have limited torque requirements; however, they may need high responsiveness and flexibility, making a beam coupling a suitable choice. These four-beam style couplings (P- and MW-series) have a more compact design that is paired best with light-duty applications such as servo motor to encoder connections. The six-beam style coupling (F-series) has increased torque capacity and is well suited for light-duty power transmission applications such as connecting a motor to a lead screw.
The beam couplings are offered in clamp and set screw styles with inch, metric, and inch to metric bore combinations ranging om 3/32-in. (3 mm) to ¾-in. (20 mm). They are available in 7075 aluminum for lightweight and 2022 www.designworldonline.com WORLD
low inertia or 303 stainless steel for higher torque and torsional stiffness. Special designs such as anodizing, non-standard bore sizes, and special tolerances are available upon request.
Summary: • Higher torque and torsional rigidity than single beam couplings
Ruland beam couplings are machined om a single piece of aluminum or stainless steel with several spiral cuts for higher torsional stiffness and torque capabilities than single beam couplings. The multiple-beam pattern allows these couplings to accommodate higher amounts of parallel misalignment than single beam couplings while also allowing for high angular misalignment and axial motion.
Beam couplings for robotics
DESIGN
All Ruland zero-backlash beam couplings are manufactured om select North American bar stock in the company’s factory in Marlborough, Massachusetts, under strict controls using proprietary processes.
• Accommodates parallel misalignment, angular misalignment, and axial motion
• RoHS3 and REACH compliant DW ruland.comRuland
kingway-usa.com (330) 205-4904 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
Cutaway of Ewan’s aerospike rocket engine showing complex inner walls and passageways that could only be achieved through advanced additive manufacturing.
42 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD CAD and 3D printing help teen design and print a “unmanufacturable”one-pieceaerospike
With shortened classroom time due to the country’s Covid lockdown, U.K. high-school student Ewan Craig finished required studies early and turned his attention to an old pastime: understanding rockets. Using ee a ernoons and evenings, Ewan, then 16, dove into the mysteries of propulsion and all things aerospace. He signed onto a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) offered by MIT, a ee graduate-level introductory program on aerospace. There, Ewan had access to textbooks for older and more formally educated students than himself. The reading was an eye-opener: What grabbed him was research om the 1950-60s on a rocket system called the aerospike, first undertaken by Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power, a unit of The Boeing Company of California.
rocket
CAE Solutions
Technical challenges persist in creating an economical and manufacturable aerospike that can overcome the cooling issues inherent in its high-performance design. As a result, the proven, multi-stage Bell thruster remains the engine-of-choice for most launch vehicles. Ewan felt compelled to try and change this narrative.
When math answers the questions “I’ve always been fascinated by mathematics, om primary school onward,” said Ewan. “It’s such a logical, wonderful space that exists in a context beyond everything else that we do in our lives. To do something that’s real, and always get it right, is absolute. You’re not going to be halfway right, or right in one point of view but wrong in another. It helps solve problems. It underpins so much of what physicists do and what engineers do and what architects do. I just love it. I think it’s kind of a building block of everything that we do as scientifically-minded people.”
DESIGN WORLD September 2022 43 ofMillionsSprings 1-800-424-0500 One Part Supreme 10HT for STRUCTURAL TOUGHENED EPOXY BONDING Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA • +1.201.343.8983 • main@masterbond.com www.masterbond.com HIGH BOND STRENGTH Lap shear strength | 3,600-3,800 psi Tensile modulus | 450,000-500,000 psi NASA LOW OUTGASSING APPROVED Per ASTM E595 standards WIDE SERVICE TEMPERATURE RANGE From 4K to +400°F
Ewan had a physics teacher in high school “who really put me on to math. He would say, ’There are real-world things you can do and here are equations that are going to predict what happens.’ My gosh. It’s worked. When you see the possible applications. When you can predict something, and see it happen in real life exactly as you anticipated. That’s always quite impressive.”
Partners in the love of math
As Ewan explored his own versions of an aerospike design through computer-aided-design (CAD) programs available at school, his work snowballed om rough sketches into a genuine idea. But he found he needed more range and complexity om his CAD system to move his designs forward. They contained a maze of channels and fluid boundaries that demanded enterprise-grade so ware beyond the school’s basic offerings.
A rocket engine no one can make
“A er I’d been doing loads of design work, and trying to calculate how I could keep the engine cold and whether it would actually produce any thrust, and how the fluid dynamics inside would work, I realized that I couldn’t do that by pen and paper alone,” says Ewan. “You have to model it computationally using
The aerospike was conceived as a one-stage engine that could maintain aerodynamic e ciency throughout its flight by adapting to the changing altitudes of the cra as it thrusted into space. A vehicle with an aerospike engine uses 25–30% less fuel at low altitudes, where most missions have the greatest need for thrust; as a result, it can launch without boosters — a key time and costsaver.Aerospike engines have been studied for decades, are the baseline engines for many single-stage-to-orbit designs, and were also a strong contender for the Space Shuttle main engine. No such engine is in commercial production, although some large-scale aerospikes are currently in testing phases.
The fact that the engine had never been commercially developed, despite others having a go at it, intrigued Ewan — and his journey to understand why began.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) so ware from Ansys was used to optimize cooling and help configure wall and passageway geometry for Ewan’s aerospike rocket engine.
CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) so ware. But the issue for me was that all the ee, open-source so ware is for handling simple components and behaviors. By this point, my model had already reached six or seven million DOF (Degrees of Freedom).” He formed his own company, CEA Space (Connect Everything Aerospace), and kept going. Enter Ansys. Ewan reached out to the so ware provider through their contact page, hoping to unlock a few extra features or get a ee-trial tool to meet his needs. Instead, Ansys got back to him directly via their partner EDRMedeso in the Advanced Manufacturing Park Technology Centre in South Yorkshire. Ansys has a Startup Program suited exactly to Ewan and other engineer’s needs. The EDRMedesco rep told Ewan they thought they could do one better than just upgrading his so ware. So began a helping-hand relationship that introduced Ewan to high-end modeling and simulation — plus more.
Time to print With Ewan’s aerospike design now on the fast track, it was time to look toward manufacturing the engine. But, similar to the results with Ewan’s initial outreach to CAD vendors before the Ansys offer, the manufacturing companies he contacted all wanted significant money for their services. Serious costs were not in the cards for this high-school student, however.“Ireached out to several 3D metal print manufacturers in order to understand what was possible,” said Ewan. “There was not much assistance CFD analysis was conducted iteratively with the development of wall structures and cooling passageways critical to the success of the aerospike rocket engine concept. given of any type. People quoted me 30, 40-thousand pounds sterling for a single print. The other issue was their saying that they couldn’t do the aerospike print at all. That it was a nightmare.” Ansys then told him they had another company for him to consider. “They sent me a link to the Velo3D website, saying, ‘Do you think these guys’ capabilities would work?’ Ewan recalls. “I trawled through their website, did all the research I could, and concluded they looked absolutely ideal.” Ewan contacted Velo3D online. The result was just as quick and unequivocal as with Ansys. Soon therea er, Velo3D engineers were helping the UK student with design suggestions and the offer of a ee test print. “They proposed ways that I could manage and optimize the model,” said Ewan. “I’ve been able to go into my CAD program and modi , and make those changes, and return the design back for feedback. And they would then say, ‘Yeah.
CAE Solutions 44 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
That’s perfect,’ or, ‘Well, maybe try this instead.’ Every step of the way, they’ve been thinking about how we can get the aerospike to work properly, the way I envision — which, as a technical partner with a company, is exactly what you want.”From Velo3D’s perspective, working with Ewan was just as smooth and collaborative. “He was open to suggestions om the beginning,” said Ben Wilson, Applications Development Engineer for Velo3D. “With the capabilities of our AM system, we didn’t need to make overly invasive modifications to the original part in order to make it printable. Ewan would provide a model, then we would make minor suggestions to improve the printability and reduce the amount of postprocessing needed. A er a few iterations, we had a rocket that could be printed successfully without any manual support removalAccordingneeded.”toWilson, Ewan’s aerospike design was well suited to Velo3D’s automated print so ware, Flow, which can address challenging geometries and features up- ont, without multiple test iterations and adjustments. “The manifold ring, where all of the passages converge, is a mid-sized circular passage that is routed in a complete circle around the part,” says Wilson. “This passage alone would be di cult to print on another system without supports or significant modifications. The closures at the tops of passages would likely be very rough on other systems and may have some partially melted particles that are prone to falling off as FOD (Foreign Object Debris) in operation.”
Doing away with DfAM Ewan’s aerospike design is faithful to the original 1960s vision of a one-piece rocket engine. “An aerospike needs to be created om the ground up as a single part or the physics of the rocket thruster are undermined,” Ewan said. “Here is where my design differs om other earlier and even current efforts. It’s built as one-piece, taking all the multi-part complexity out, making it as simple as possible so it will be viable.”
Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online WHAT DO THINK?YOU
“If you can provide an affordable solution to propulsion for launch vehicles, which I believe AM can, then there is a greater opportunity for smaller businesses to make breakthroughs in space travel and commercial aerospace. I’m very hopeful about the changes ahead — and for engineers like myself to be invited to make a potential impact.” DW Velo3d | www.velo3d.com Ansys | www.ansys.com
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 45
In avoiding Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) rules that compromise other advanced designs trying to meet conventional AM manufacturing limitations, Ewan hopes to have reached a solution to the highheat problems that have grounded aerospikes to date.
“The fact that this project is printed out of one piece means that to cool the walls of the combustion chamber and central aerospike, fluid needs to be flowing through the walls themselves,” he says. “This requires channels, and a channel inside of a channel—basically an unsupported wall within an unsupported wall. Well, that was deemed impossible by quite a few people I had gotten in touch“Mywith.aerospike design also has large overhangs and really narrow wall geometry. Low-angle walls are critical to maintaining constant cooling pressure within those channels — so necessary for performance and survivability.” Hopeful for the changes ahead With his design optimized and printed, Ewan’s aerospike engine will soon be test-fired at an American university that contributes to progress in science and aerospace. As he awaits that next step, Ewan reflects on the future.
The above rendering from the Ansys platform shows the aerospike’s internal regenerative cooling channels that both cool the engine and preheat the fuel for optimal combustion.
“Advanced 3D metal printing will open a new age in economical, scalable manufacturing for space,” he sais. “Rockets can be built quickly. Programs can accelerate. More payloads can be delivered such as nano stats, CubeSats, and the like. Costs will fall.”
By Hurley Gill | Senior applications and systems engineer | Kollmorgen
Motion Control In the first installment of this series, we explained the regenerative-power requirements for the controlled motion of servomotor systems. Here we detail common electrical protection circuitry. types and accessories 46 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD PartServo-system2of3:regenerativeresistor
Designing a machine with servomotors, drives, and regenerative resistors requires consideration of numerous design factors. These components a ect the overall performance of all the design’s axes during normal operation — and during both predicted as well as unforeseen events requiring engagement of stopMotionfunctions.profiles in graphical form are useful visual references of axes’ controlled motion to execute machine tasks. These profiles can also be used to determine the energy management and regenerative requirements for a given machine axis or multiple axes. Of course, regenerative resistors aren’t always indicated by initial specifications and calculations, proof-of-concept builds, or prototypes. Even so, it’s often advisable to utilize regen resistors on final designs — if only to take measurements of the controlled process and identify machine limits.It’s wise to err on the side of caution, as regeneration circuits undersized for a given application function can degrade personnel safety, output product quality, and machine throughput. In addition, for new designs up and running for the first time, it’s rarely long before someone says, “How fast can we make it go?”
| AdobeStock.com DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 47
Without regeneration capabilities beyond the axis drive’s bus capacitance, a DCbus overvoltage fault will likely be the first problem to arise. That in turn can present significant time lost if it’s the proverbial Friday before an end customer’s Tuesday visit.For most electronically servocontrolled motion designs, the safest stops are those that bring all controlled motions to a halt in the shortest time — for example, before removal of mains power for an emergency stop (e-stop) … i.e., the powered servo drive is utilized to stop the axis motion under its control before its DC-bus power source is removed.
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Heavy-load design example: Adobe Stock that all servo-controlled motion must stop before removal of power. A word of caution regarding redhot regen resistors: Many regen resistors are mounted atop control cabinets — and glowing red resistors atop cabinets are generally unwanted by end users. Yet pushing the rated wattage of a wound-caged regen resistor (as for speeding up production) can make it glow red. Selecting a regen resistor with 25% more capability than required lets the selected resistor use
Stops ensure safety (but require energy management)
example:applicationVertical Adobe Stock
Best practices for machine design utilizing controlled motion dictate that the safest stop is a controlled stop during an event — to bring motion to a stop in the shortest possible time for a controlled stop of the controlled motion.With few exceptions, that’s a requirement whether the stop involves removing mains power afterwards (as for e-stops) or not (as for priority stops or p-stops). Hence documents such as the NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC) and NFPA 79 — Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery are “meant to work together to meet the desired end results” and help save lives as well as prevent property loss. After all, protecting people and property from mechanical and electrical hazards is a complex issue for which no single code or standard can accomplish. Closed-loop (servo) controlled motion adds a level of complexity beyond that of open-loop axis or machine control. So how to quantify the energy associated with such stops? Quantifying stored kinetic energy within each servomotor-controlled mechanism is key to proper regenerative system design and reliable machine operation. For servo-controlled motion, the selected regen resistor is often determined by the stop function requirements. Usually, that demands
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1. A slow-blow fuse in series with the regen resistor selected to handle application’s RMS current up to the regen resistor’s ultimate current limited by its wattage. This fuse should be able to handle the application’s peak requirements without causing nuisance trips — as in systems with frequently blown fuses.
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3. A single motor-overload NC relay in series with the regen resistor — often with a fast-blow fuse. Such relays provide an NC contact signal to DESIGN Accuracy ranging from 0.0005”/” to 0.0000040”/” of travel.
ball
• Low friction straight-line design reduces the coefficient of friction to 0.003.
• Available
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Servo drive regen protection circuity Selecting the best protection for regen circuit can seem challenging — especially because of peak currents during normal operation and stops that can be so much higher than the circuit’s RMS current required by a given application.Thecompactness of today’s power devices means that most servo drives have internal short-circuit protection. Upon detection of a short, these trigger a drive fault and an axis shutdown Additionally, many drives can also limit regen Irms and Ipeak regen-circuit current to satisfy connected component and application parameters. External regen resistors manufactured to limit this current should have their own internal overload device such as a series-wired NC thermostat. For many applications, such a thermostat is enough. Elsewhere though, it may be better to use fuses or some other device to warn the machine controller when the system is nearing the maximum regen capacity. These other devices may include:
2. A fast-blow fuse in series with the regen resistor selected to handle application’s peak current requirement.
• Factory preload adjustment prevents side-play and backlash.
Energy lost to friction E(f) = (Tf x Δωm/2) t_dec — often ignored in hand calculations if Tf is relatively small. Er = ½(J_load + J_motor) ωm2 - 3(I2_dec x Rm/2) t_dec ± (T_ext x Δωm/2) t_dec)(Tf x Δωm/2) t_dec. E(caps) = Energy (additional capacity) = ½ C (VDC2 _max(fault) – VDC2 _bus) E(int-reg) = Energy (internal regen resistance) = R_watts x time E(ext-reg) = Energy (external regen resistance) = R_watts x time
Kinetic energy E(k) = ½(J_load + J_motor) ωm2 [units in joules]
The resulting energy needing to be absorbed or dissipated over the total cycle time (t_total) can be calculated from the summed energy Er(n) by subtracting the energy capacity E(caps) of the DC-bus capacitance of the proposed or selected servo drive.
Determining the type of regen resistor needed If Er(total) - E(caps) > 0, an internal (int-reg) or external (-reg) regen resistor or equivalent is required. If Er(total) - E(caps) - E(int-reg) > 0, then an external regen resistor or other energy-absorption feature is required. In this case, the total energyabsorption capacity must be greater than Er — where Er is the Er(n), Er(total), Er(wc), or Er(sf) recovered energy under consideration.Inaddition, the application of an external regen resistor typically removes any internal regen resistance from the drive’s regen circuit. That means for situations necessitating an external regen resistor, all power requirements must be calculated without assuming any internal regen resistor capability of the drive.
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Once the kinetic energy E(k) value is known, at the very least we must subtract the motor’s electrical losses E(el) while in regenerative mode. We must also add 50 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD or subtract any applied external forces ±E(ext-f) such as gravity that work for [-] or against [+] the axis’s change in velocity. Ideally, these calculations also account for losses due to frictional energy E(f).
Image of regenerative drive with servomotor courtesy Kollmorgen
The heater in this setup can be sized to trip the NC thermal-relay circuit quite close to application requirements (or regen current limit) and still handle peak conditions without issue.
Motion Control the servo drive and/or machine controller during normal operation. Then when the NC contacts open, they communicate to the servo drive or higher-level controller that an overheating-regen condition exists. This prompts the controller to follow a preprogrammed slowdown process
Properly determining regen resistor requirements requires the following information and the calculation of Er(n) = E(k) - E(el) ± E(ext-f) - E(f) — where recovered energy Er is calculated with the motion-profile’s n-segment information for a specific Er(n). For clearer understanding of the energy variables a ecting Er(n), consider them grouped by whether they’re kinetic, electrical, frictional, or external in nature.
Electrical energy losses E(el) = 3(I2_dec x Rm/2) t_dec External energy forces E(ext-f) = (T_ext x Δωm/2) t_dec)
Regen resistor calculations
1. J_load (kg·m2) = Total reflected and directly coupled inertia as seen by the motor.
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com 2022 51 Application information required to design for a rotary axis
7. I_dec (Arms/Ø) = T_dec (Nm) ÷ Kt (Nm/Arms) = Application’s required deceleration current. We assume this is constant (for linear deceleration); if it’s nonlinear, refer to the note for T_dec on how to account for that fact. Note that I_dec must be less than or equal to the drive capability for t_dec. Otherwise, the selected drive might limit current I_dec = I_peak available for t_dec. Then T_dec for t_dec will need re-evaluation. If limited, t_dec(new) = ((J_load + J_motor) × ΔRPM / 9.55) ÷ (Kt x I_peak + Tf ± T_ext).
There are three di erent motor variables needing definition to select and size a regen resistor for a rotary servo application.
1. J_motor (kg·m2) = J_motor (kg·cm2) ¸ 10,000 — the motor’s published rotor inertia.
2. Kt (Nm/Arms) = Motor torque constant (listed in the manufacturer’s published data)
4. Vo = Turn-o voltage (VDC_o ) of relaxation oscillator Regen circuit [or eq.] or the minimum turn-on voltage for otherwise controlled regen circuit.
There are 12 axis variables needed to select and size a regen resistor for a rotary servo application.
Drive (proposed or otherwise) information required to design for a rotary axis 1. C (farads) = DC-bus capacitance of the selected drive (manufacturer’s published data).
September
2. N (RPM)= Motor speed as revolutions per minute just prior to the start of subject deceleration. 3. ωm (rad/sec) = N ÷ 9.55 — subject to motor velocity N. 4. Tf (Nm) = friction torque and assisting deceleration during t_dec. Here linear deceleration is assumed. 5. t_dec (seconds) = Subject deceleration time. 6. T_dec (Nm) = Required constant torque assuming linear deceleration. For nonlinear deceleration, use the RMS torque required over t_dec.
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7. Ppk(regen)_DriveCapability = Regen peak power output drive capability for one second 8. I_shunt(drive max) = Maximum (1_second) regen current capability of the drive: DW Scan this QR code to view Part 3 of 3 in this series — detailing an example of how to specify a system for a rotary servo axis needing a regenerative resistor.
9. t_on (seconds) = Energy recovery ON time = t_dec. 10. t_total = Total cycle time (start to repeat) of repeating decelerations. 11. V_terminal = Motor’s developed Bemf less voltage IR drop just prior to starting deceleration at N velocity, with V_terminal = √3 (KB x N ÷ 1,000 ÷ √3 - I_dec × (Rm/2). 12. I_shunt(Rmax) = Maximum possible regen-resistor shunt current from the DC-bus. Capacitance is based on the selected resistor’s peak wattage Ppk_resistor.
5. VDC-bus = Nominal DC bus voltage » crest of sinewave » Vac(source) x Ö2. 6. I_pk(drive) = Available Peak RMS phase (Ø) current of the proposed Drive amplifier over t_dec time.
8. T_ext (Nm) = ± External torque — here assumed constant. Gravity on a vertical axis extends deceleration time, so this makes for a positive T_ext value.
2. VDC_max(fault) = DC-bus voltage limit, triggering an overvoltage fault by the drive. 3. VDC_max = VDC_max(fault)-1; for maximum normal operation.
Motor (proposed or otherwise) information required to design for a rotary axis
VDC_max(fault) > Vo > VDC-bus.
3. KB (Vrms/kRPM) = motor’s Bemf constant for sinewave commutation (published data) 4. Rm (ohms) = line-to-line motor resistance at manufacturer’s published ambient (typical: 25°C); ambient value presents desirable worst-case condition for these calculations.
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When deciding if a brushless servo could be the best solution for an application, asking a few basic questions can help. For instance, does the application require:
• Fast
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There are many motor types out there for engineers to choose from, and which is the best selection depends on each individual application.
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• Predictable characteristics (torque constant (Kt), voltage constant (Ke), synchronous speed)?
servobrushlessmotors
Bob Merrill • Product Manager Servo motors • ABB
While there are many motor types to choose from, brushless servo motors have some advantages that make them the motor of choice in many applications. the edge
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 53 Wherehave
• Small size and weight (torque density)? High e ciency? High reliability? cycle time? Precise control of position, direction and/or speed?
If the requirements listed above are desirable — or essential -— for the particular application, then brushless servo motors could be the answer. The reason a brushless servo motor can achieve these characteristics is because of its design.
Small size and weight In most cases, brushless servo motors will be smaller in size and weigh less than similarly powered motors. This reduction in size is possible due to the design of the rotor and stator. A brushless servo motor uses permanent magnets (neodymium for the highest performance) attached to the rotor to create the rotor’s high-intensity magnetic field. Motor manufacturers typically use one of two methods to insulate and protect the stator assembly windings; varnishing and encapsulating.
While varnishing o ers adequate protection for the stator windings, a better insulation method uses an insulating resin to fully encapsulate the windings. A motor that has its winding structure completely coated with an insulating resin can handle exposure to more severe atmospheric conditions than the normal varnished winding. This method not only protects the winding from contaminants, but also helps to
Linear Motion 54 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD ••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••• If a motor is properly sized for an application, it should provide many years of service with no maintenance.required
This exploded view of a brushless servo motor shows how the internal components of the motor fits together. conduct heat away from the windings better than air alone. Because of this, the motor can withstand more current without overheating — and more current translates to more torque. The ability of the stator windings to withstand more current without overheating, along with the strong magnetic field produced by the rotor magnets, allows the brushless design to provide small package sizes that can produce torque comparable to other motor types that are as much as twice the size. High efficiency The primary reason for the servo motor’s high e ciency can be attributed to the rotor design. As mentioned previously, the rotor’s magnetic field is generated by permanent magnets. The magnets can be part of an interior design (magnets are inserted into slots in the rotor lamination) or an exterior design (magnets are a xed to the outer surface of the rotor). Other technologies such as field assisted synchronous reluctance (FASR) which boast IE5 (greater than NEMA Super Premium) e ciency also benefit from permanent magnet style rotors. From an e ciency standpoint, the magnetic rotor design is superior to a typical induction motor because the induction motor must induce the rotor’s magnetic field, and there are losses involved with that technique. Those losses are eliminated with the permanent magnet rotor design. Also, brushless servo motors use power only when needed. Unlike some other technologies that waste power, servo motors use just enough power to satisfy the load requirements, and when they are not doing work, they don’t consume energy. Because the brushless servo requires a servo drive
Varnishing is the simplest of the two methods and uses an epoxy coating to protect the windings from contamination and electrical shorts.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••• to operate, it can vary the speed when necessary. This helps the overall system e ciency because it can slow down the motor.For example, in a pumping application, the flow can be controlled by varying the speed of the motor and the pump as opposed to turning a valve to throttle the pump. In this type of application, the a nity laws can be used to realize the energy savings. Flow is proportional to speed and power is proportional to the cube of speed. In a typical example, a reduction of 20% in speed can result in an almost 50% reduction in energy consumed. High reliability and fast cycle times High reliability Reliability is built into the design of the motor. As mentioned previously, the stator can be encapsulated in an epoxy resin, which protects the windings from contaminants and holds the winding firmly in place. It also eliminates the unwanted e ects of corona (electrical discharge caused by the ionization of air in the winding gaps) by eliminating the air that the corona e ect requires. Bearings tend to be the weakest link when it comes to reliability, but in most cases, high-quality ball bearings that never require re-greasing (greased for life) are used. If a motor is properly sized for an application, it should provide many years of service with no required maintenance.
Although there are some instances where the application can’t withstand faster cycles without e ecting the quality of the product being produced, that’s certainly not always the case. The fact is, in most cases, if the task can be performed quicker, then throughput can be increased and the cost lowered to produce that item. Brushless servo motors are specifically designed with this kind of performance in mind.
Diameter Brushless servo motors are intentionally designed with as small a diameter as possible and will typically o er several di erent lengths (stacks) in each frame
DESIGN WORLD September 2022 55
Fast cycle times
J = ½
Looking at the formula for acceleration torque below, it’s easy to see why. We’ll ignore the friction torque (Tf) for now. Tacc = (Jt) (accel rate) + Tf Because acceleration torque is limited to a given amount of torque dictated by the lesser of the drive or motor peak capability, if the inertia (Jt) goes up, then the acceleration rate goes down. Therefore, the inertia should be as low as possible.
R = Lookingradiusat the formula for inertia (J) the length a ects the weight (W), but the diameter has a greater impact as the resulting radius value is squared (R²). Precise control of position, direction or speed Electronics have gotten better and faster, and servo motors and drives have benefited from this. Encoders can now provide millions of counts per revolution, and drives’ current, velocity and position loops have gotten fast enough to use all those counts. Because there is so much resolution, the motor can oscillate plus or minus 100 counts around the desired position; however, this deviation will result in almost no deflection from the desired position. For instance, an encoder with 23-bit resolution can provide more than eight million counts per revolution. If the motor oscillates +/100 counts, then what that means in 56 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com
Pump speed (% design speed)
Energy consumption versus speed for a pump application. Unlike some other technologies that waste power, servo motors use just enough power to satisfy the requirements,loadand when they are not doing work, they don’t energy.consume
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10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
size. When more power is required, a motor will be built longer rather than with an increased diameter. The reason for keeping the diameter as small as possible is to keep the inertia low. The lower the inertia, the faster the rotor can be accelerated and decelerated.
gWJWhere:W/g(R²)=inertia=weight=gravitational constant (386 in./sec² or 9.81 m/sec²)
DESIGN WORLD mechanical deflection is +/- 0.004°. If the motor were connected to a belt and pulley, ball screw, or gearhead, there would be even less impact on the actual load. All this resolution results in tighter control of speed and position. Drive commissioning is easier, and inertia mismatches between the motor and load can be greater. All of these benefits are the result of improvements in the electronics used by the drive and encoder. Predictable characteristics Brushless servo motors have predictable characteristics that can be useful to some applications. Servo drives can measure the amount of current being used by the motor. Application engineers can use this information to their advantage. For instance, if they wanted to know how much torque was being applied, they could look at the current being used by the motor. Since Kt is rated in Nm/A, if the amps are known then the torque can be calculated. For example, let’s assume a particular motor has a Kt = 1 Nm/A, d)loafull(%onsumptionEnergyc Energy consumption vs. speed 1009080706050403020100
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Ke = 100 Vac (rms) = (100V / (1,000 / (60 / (2 * pi)))) = 0.9549 V/rad/sec Then multiply V/rad/sec by 3, (0.9549 * 3) = 1.654 Nm/A = Kt
The last predictable characteristic to discuss is the synchronous speed. Unlike other technologies that can vary on speed (slip) as the load increases and decreases, a brushless servo motor runs at synchronous speed (no slip). Because the rotor’s magnetic field comes from magnets and is not induced from the stator, it will always rotate in sync with the stator’s magnetic field. For example, if you command 1,800 rpm the motor will rotate at 1,800 rpm, not 1,750 rpm, etc. Although not all applications require brushless servo technology, it’s easy to see why this technology is the clear choice of many demanding applications. With increased demand for things such as electric cars, AGVs, robotics, and drones, the future demand for brushless servo motors looks better than ever. DW global.abb/group/enABB
Linear Motion ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online WHAT DO THINK?YOU sitionPo Time (msec) 25 10 4550 75 100100 125 150 175 200200 225 2502500 Brushless servo (low iner tia) Brushless servo (std inertia) DC ser vo Vector Inverter
The graph shows the different times for various motor types to complete a particular move, with fastestshowingservobrushlessmotorsthetimes. and the current flowing through the windings of that motor measures 2 A. Since 1 Nm of torque is generated for every amp of current, then 2 A would result in 2 Nm of torque. (2A x 1 Nm/A = 2 TorqueNm).constants vary some with temperature, so as the current increases, the Kt value will change. In many applications, this method of measuring torque provides adequate results. For critical applications, a torque transducer should be considered.Anotherpredictable characteristic is the voltage constant (Ke). Like a dc motor, if you back drive a brushless servo motor by using an external source to spin the motor shaft, a voltage will be generated (BEMF) across the motor windings. Typically, the Ke is rated in volts/1,000 rpm or (V/ krpm). If you were to back drive the motor shaft at 1,000 rpm and measure 100 Vac (BEMF) between the motor leads, then the Ke measured would be 100 Vac. With the Ke of the motor known, if you were to back drive this motor at 2,000 rpm, you would expect to measure 200 Vac. The ac voltage can be measured across any two of the three motor leads with an ac voltmeter. For a Y-connected motor (three lead), this would be line-tolineIt’svoltage.much easier to back drive the motor and measure the Ke than it is to measure the Kt. For that reason, typically Ke is measured, and Kt is calculated fromForKe.example, if Ke = 100 Vac (rms), first convert Ke from V/krpm to volts/ radian/second (V/rad/sec).
58 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
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Electronic devices have the same issue — the audio signals picked up by their microphones are often contaminated with interference, noise and reverberation. The quality and intelligibility of the speech which the devices are designed to capture can be badly a ected.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••• Electronics sifts clear audio Powerful techniquesstatisticalcandiscern a desired audio signal from a jumble of inputs. Dave Betts • AudioTelligence Signal 60 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD Most of us live and work in the midst of noise. We have become used to contending with the sounds of other people talking, music playing, the TV blaring, tra c roaring… Our brains are pretty amazing at picking out the voice we want to hear amid the cacophony. But, for anyone with mild to moderate hearing loss, it can be very di cult to hear one voice clearly against all the background noise. It is a problem that a ects an estimated 80% of us as we reach middle age.
processing background noise
from
Signal processing techniques, such as beamforming and blind source separation (BSS), can come to the rescue. But which should you choose for which audio application – and why? Beamforming Audio beamforming is one of the most versatile multi-microphone methods for emphasising a particular source in an acoustic scene. In its simplest form — called a delay-and-sum beamformer — the microphone signals are delayed (usually digitally) to compensate for the di erent path lengths between a target source and the di erent microphones. The beamformer reinforces the sound signals coming from a particular direction.
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However, sound does not move in straight lines: A given source has multiple di erent paths to the microphones, each with di ering amounts of reflection and di raction. So a simple delay-and-sum beamformer is not very e ective at extracting a source of interest from an acoustic scene. But it is very easy to implement and does give a small amount of benefit, so it was often used in older devices. Many more advanced beamforming techniques are now available. However, to extract the source of interest, they all require information about the direction of the sources and the locations of the microphones. In more detail the input signals are usually split into frequency bands and each frequency band is treated independently, and then the results at di erent frequencies are recombined. Some such techniques also can be sensitive to the accuracy of microphone and source location and may reject the target source because it does not actually come from the indicated direction.Moremodern devices often use adaptive sidelobe cancellation, which tries to cancel out the sources that are not from the direction of interest. These are state-of-the-art in modern hearing aids, for example, and allow the user to concentrate on sources directly in front of them. But the significant drawback is that you have to be looking at whatever you are listening to, and that may be awkward if your visual attention is needed elsewhere — for example, when you are grabbing a cup of co ee while talking to someone. So beamforming is helpful if you need a method of enhancing audio which is low cost and reliable, provided your use case only requires a small amount of improvement — say, around 2dB. It can also work well in large, fixed microphone arrays for meeting rooms and conference centres, where the microphones together focus a narrow beam on a small area — for example, on the speaker at a podium. Blind source separation BSS is a family of powerful techniques that separate the acoustic scene into its constituent parts by making use of statistical models of how sources generally behave. BSS extracts all the sources, not just one, and does so without any prior knowledge of the sources, the microphone array or the acoustic scene. BSS works from the audio data rather than the
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 61 shutterstock.com
A typical acoustic scene that BSS addresses — four sources sending audio to an array of eight microphones. The aim of BSS is to de-mix the microphone signals to estimate the audio from the original sources with minimal information about the sources and locations of the microphones.
Generally speaking, BSS separates acoustic sources by first taking snapshots of acoustic data in a timefrequency domain. A multichannel filter operates on these data frames to separate signals from acoustic sources. Moreover, the filter is reconfigured on the fly. The procedure involves determining a set of what are called demixing matrices that are applied to each data frame to determine changes in the separated outputs. Each de-mixing matrix is modified for each detected frequency depending on trends in the acoustic data.
TYPICAL MULTIPLE-SOURCE ACOUSTIC ENVIRONMENT
62 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD Electronics microphone geometry. This makes it insensitive to calibration issues and generally able to achieve much higher separation of sources in real-world situations than any beamformer. And, because it separates all the sources irrespective of direction, it can follow a multi-way conversation automatically. This is particularly helpful for hearing assistance applications, where the user wishes to follow a conversation without having to interact with the device manually. BSS can also be effective when used in home smart devices and in-car infotainment applications.
In a typical implementation the multichannel filter is constructed at intervals from the incoming data and is used until a new filter is constructed, the assumption being that the acoustic environment changes relatively slowly. The filter is applied to the timefrequency snapshots to determine demixed time-frequency data representing the separate sources. De-mixed timedomain data representing audio sources may then be recovered from the demixedHowever,data. BSS is not without its own problems. For most BSS algorithms, the number of sources that can be separated depends upon the number of microphones in the array. And, because it works from the data, it needs a consistent frame of reference, which currently limits the technique to devices which have a stationary microphone RECEIVER
A typical scenario employing BSS to improve audibility of a source. A microphone array output is digitized by an analog/ digital converter which provides multi-channel digitized audio to a spatial filter and to a filter coefficient determiner. The filter coefficient determiner calculates coefficients of a de-mixing filter which are applied by the spatial filter to extract audio from one or more of the microphones. The determiner optionally accepts user input to, for example, select one of the sources. De-mixed audio then goes to a digital/analog converter and then to loudspeakers. BSS SETUP
EXAMPLE
ARRAYMICROPHONE USER
DETERMINERFILTERINPUTSPATIAL FILTER DACADC OUTPUT
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A more detailed view of BSS conversion between time-frequency and vice versa as happens in the frequency domain filter coefficient determiner. Each audio channel has a short time Fourier transform (STFT) module configured to perform a succession of overlapping discrete Fourier transforms (DFTs) on an audio channel, generating a time sequence of spectra. Transformation of filter coefficients back into the time domain happen via inverse DFTs.
(continued on page 65)
Electronic devices have the same issue — the audio signals picked up by their microphones are often contaminated with interference, noise, and reverberation.
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array — for example, a table-top hearing device or a microphone array for fixed conferencing systems. When there is background babble, BSS will generally separate the most dominant sources in the mix, which may include the annoyingly loud person on the next table. So, to work e ectively, BSS needs to be combined with an ancillary algorithm for determining It can be difficult to hear one voice clearly against all the background noise.
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Electronics Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online WHAT DO THINK?YOU INPUT AUDIO DATA CONVERT TO TIME-FREQUENCY DOMAIN (STFT); OPTIONAL DIMENSION REDUCTION REPEAT UNTIL CONVERGENCE STOCHASTIC GRADIENT ICA PROCEDURE RESOLVEFREQUENCYSCALING/PERMUTATIONAMBIGUITYDOMAINFILTERCOEFFICIENTSAND/ORDEMIXEDOUTPUTSOPTIONALCONVERSIONTOTIME-DOMAIN
TYPICAL BSS FLOW DIAGRAM
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 65 (continued from page 63)
SELECTIONSOURCE
A typical flow diagram for BSS. Audio data is converted to the timefrequency domain, optionally reducing the number of audio channels. Then an importance weighting/ trend timeconvertedfiltersignal,ambiguitiesresolvesThisuntilproceduredetectionrepeatsitconverges.hopefullyscalingandintheatwhichpointcoefficientsgetbacktothedomain.
which of the sources are the sources of interest – but dynamically following those sources in a conversation is very easy. There is also the issue of latency if BSS is used for hearing devices. These need ultra-low latency to keep lip sync, which is a difficult problem to solve. BSS algorithms with only 5 msec latency have only recently been developed — after years of research. Whether you choose BSS or beamforming to enhance audio depends on your needs. If you can accept a limited improvement in the sound, and cost is a major consideration, beamforming is relatively cheap and easy to implement. But if your use case requires the separation of different signals and a large improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio — or ultra-low latency for hearing solutions — BSS may be the answer DW References AudioTelligence Ltd., www.audiotelligence.com
changing
Each EXPERT follows a standard, reliable design that can be mounted on the roof above the area it serves.
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Over ten years, ALTA Refrigeration transformed itself from a custom engineering services company into a scalable industrial equipment manufacturer using an edgeoriented control architecture to e ciently manage a growing installed base.
and
Originally started in 1975 as Industrial Refrigeration Services, ALTA has been designing and installing refrigeration systems across the United States for more than 45 years. And for a long time, they were large, custom-designed systems that used a central machine room to deliver refrigerant to various facility areas through long, overhead piping runs.“Our customers’ biggest concern is their power bill,” said Peter Santoro, controls engineer at ALTA. So ALTA’s systems stood out for the level of control they o ered, including multiple operating modes that allowed the equipment to be tuned for optimal e ciency.
Launching a networkequipmentnationwide
66 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD Internet of Things
What’s the secret to providing superior service staying competitive in a market? The recent experience of ALTA Refrigeration with groov EPIC and MQTT offers insights.
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ALTA knew it couldn’t compete by reducing its product quality, so the company looked for a way to standardize its o ering without sacrificing features. Modular refrigeration control In 2013, the company introduced its EXPERT series of modular refrigeration control units. Each unit used a standard, more reliable design, and could be mounted on the roof above the area it served, simplifying installation. According to Peter, “A single EXPERT has almost as much I/O as an entire centralized system, and because the units are smaller, the wiring and conduit runs are short, allowing us to cram in a ton of sensors. The units themselves are also highly e cient. We analyze both the external ambient conditions and refrigerated space and do real-time
Since all EXPERT systems are essentially the same, Peter and his colleague, Todd Hedenstrom, could put a higher degree of focused engineering into creating a robust and complete solution that works with many di erent applications. A good problem to have While a handful of EXPERTS can replace one of the older, custom systems, ALTA averages eight units per site. Service contracts drive ALTA’s revenue. With only a small controls-engineering team, servicing the growing installed base became time-consuming.
However, it required significant time to design and program each unique system, and competitors were able to steal some of their market share with cheaper, simpler o erings.
“Competitors could use 20-30 cheaper units with control limited to a dumb thermostat to compete against one of our large systems,” Peter added.
Each EXPERT provides a local unit interface through an embedded web server that runs on the unit’s EPIC. Hailed as one of the most anticipatedtwintechnologiesdisruptiveofthedecade,thedigitalindustry,whichistocross$50billionby2027basedonGlobalMarketInsightsInc.reports,willlikelybeamajordriverforthedigitalrevolutionworldwide.
Internet of Things• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 68 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD thermodynamic calculations. This lets us do variable capacity refrigeration, and only run exactly the amount of refrigeration as needed.”
“All motors are on variable speed drives. We also design many of the sensors we use on the system, allowing us to get precise valve positioning and to monitor refrigerant levels throughout the system. We make good use of Hall e ect sensors in various configurations to monitor refrigerant levels and motor positions. There is also a dedicated energy monitor on each unit so we can monitor voltages and power usage.”
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On top of that, there were aspects of their previous designs related to system maintenance that got in the way. Their control system required many steps to properly update control strategies in the field, including exchanging files between the control engine and the web server they used for remote connectivity. It was a sometimes fragile process that made it di cult to train technicians.
The program controls the installed I/O modules — voltage and current sensing inputs and discrete AC outputs — using Opto 22’s C++ OptoMMP SDK, or software development kit. The application also includes its own Modbus server that creates and manages connections to variable frequency drives, the local energy monitoring unit, and other remote devices.
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“We [also] have our own REST API and webserver running on the C++ application,” Peter added, “allowing us to create our own web page interfaces in HTML and Javascript… It’s a lot
Previously, ALTA left the details of remote connectivity to each customer. This increased the team’s workload, since they usually checked in on each site every day and had to use a di erent method to connect to each one (VPN, Citrix, LogMeIn, TeamViewer, etc.).
While this approach was an improvement it didn’t go as far as they needed. It still required a multi-step update process and didn’t give them as much data access as they wanted. So they began exploring Opto 22’s groov EPIC system.
ALTA’s centralized control system design was built around an industrial PC (IPC) running custom C++ code on top of a distributed I/O system from Opto 22. “We’ve been Opto people for something like 37 years,” Todd added, so when he and Peter designed the original EXPERT, they simplified the system by replacing the IPC with an Opto 22 PAC controller.
EPICs, or edge programmable industrial controllers, provide an option for industrial control systems that combines the best features of PLCs and IPCs. PLCs o er a rugged, purpose-built design with many, typically expandable, options for I/O and device communication. IPCs o er general-purpose processing power, storage, and networking options to support more demanding applications and broader functionality like cybersecurity, database management, and highlevel programming languages. EPICs support all of these functions on a single backplane but typically without the complexity of maintaining a full Windows OS environment.
Peter and Todd dove seriously into using groov EPIC’s operating system shell to port their PAC Control application to C++, passing over other control engine options to leverage the language they were most familiar with. “We tried CODESYS on the EPIC,” said Peter, “but the freedom and flexibility of going with C++ was too good to pass on.” groov EPIC uses a custom Debian Linux distribution that has been stripped down to the essential components, reducing its memory footprint and potential cyber-attack vectors. Additionally, it has been cryptographically signed with Opto 22’s private key to prevent installation of any unapproved software. However, Opto 22 also exposes access to the EPIC’s Linux command-line using the secure shell protocol (SSH) and a free Shell Access license (GROOVLIC-SHELL).“Alldevelopment is done remotely through the SSH connection in [Microsoft] Visual Studio,” Peter explained. This approach allowed him to develop programs in VS and compile them directly on his EPIC. Once Todd figured out this basic process, he and Peter consolidated most of the control program into their C++ application along with many new features.
If they were going to keep up with the pace of growth, Peter and Todd needed a way to remove these bottlenecks in service delivery. Where to start?
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ALTA’s andthroughitseachnetworknationwideconnectsEXPERTtocentralserveralocalHMIMQTTgateway. their customers to access this remote server. The server has its own database that records temperatures and energy usage for each EXPERT in 10-minute intervals. Customers can log into a private web portal to generate reports directly from the data. Since groov EPIC provides an embedded MQTT client and network firewall, “we also tried doing unit-level MQTT [communications] to the broker,” Peter clarified. “But with some of our units running on customer networks, it was impossible to guarantee they would allow a direct internet connection to the [EPICs]. That is why we shifted focus to only have our local site server be the device connected to the broker.” The coolest service around ALTA has built a nationwide HMI that aggregates data from its network of EXPERT units and highlights any issues the team needs to act on. Instead of
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 71 easier to build HTML stuff in familiar tools than with an HMI package… You can do anything.” That includes things like using Google’s Chart API to display energy metrics in the HMI. Each EXPERT’s web interface is served up from its EPIC controller. It includes prebuilt templates for different unit configurations and verifies system settings to help technicians identify configuration values that are out of range or not recommended. It also generates alarms as needed. Alternatively, customers can access unit data through the EXPERT’s Modbus server or REST API. For managing groups of EXPERTs, ALTA uses a separate HMI server to read data from each unit and present a unified view of the entire system. “All of our sites are required to have a local interface for operators to see a global view of their refrigeration units, instead of having to manage network connections to hundreds of individual units,” Peter explained. To create this site-level HMI, each EXPERT stores transient data in the shared memory “scratchpad” area of its groov EPIC. ALTA’s HMI server runs on Windows and uses Opto 22’s .NET OptoMMP SDK to retrieve this data from all units in 1-second increments. Data are stored in cyclical files that maintain a 1-week buffer, and the HMI server uses the data to generate trends, charts, and email notifications.ALTAcan also access the data remotely for troubleshooting recent events. By default, groov EPIC does not route traffic between its Ethernet ports, so engineers can use the controller to create a security zone for each EXPERT. One port on each EPIC connects to a private network exclusively for the controller and its remote devices. The other port is connected to a common network between all the units at a given site, as well as the local HMIThisserver.server is connected to the internet and uses MQTT to send and receive data, acting as a middleman for each individual EXPERT to the MQTT broker at ALTA headquarters. When a remote HMI requires new data, it sends a request to the local server over MQTT. The data is queried and sent back. External connections to local HMI servers are restricted so that the only traffic allowed through is from outbound MQTT TLS connections. Recently, ALTA also made it possible for ALTA’s central HMI aggregates data from across its installed base of EXPERT systems.
ALTA’s nationwide network serves up performance data on every unit and allows the team to track and manage necessary work orders. the EPIC’s native HMI server, groov View, ALTA also provides technicians with local control options and basic information about the Linux program’s status.With EPICs as a foundation for their control platform, Peter and Todd continue to dream up even more service offerings. They are working on the ability to remotely update both the local servers and each individual EXPERT unit from their central webserver. The server will soon have its own REST API as well. With the correct key, a customer could grab the information from ALTA’s nationwide system without needing to interface with their local hardware at all. Additionally, ALTA is considering using the larger storage capacity of the groov EPIC PR2 processor (GRV-EPIC-PR2) to store the EXPERT’s process history buffer directly on the EPIC, rather than its local Windows servers.Peter summed it up by saying, “It’s nice to have the EPIC as the IPC with I/O. It’s just simpler… We can do a lot with a little.” As of writing this case study, ALTA has deployed 200 EPICs in the field. EXPERT sales are booked solid through the coming year. DW Opto 22 | Opto22.com
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 73 spending hours every day to check on each site, they can monitor their entire installed base in minutes. They know when there is a problem, can input and track necessary work orders, track technicians’ locations, and monitor energy usage per unit. When an alarm occurs, the system creates an interactive timeline of events before and after. “When we used to do centralized systems, a lot of IoT stuff was near impossible with how the old systems were structured,” said Peter. Because all the central systems could be drastically different, it was difficult to even consider a ‘dashboard’ to display them. Having a central web server or database was not even considered until we made the full transition to our EXPERT product line.”
“This solution was mostly developed to make our lives easier to support the systems. Having customers on here is just a big bonus now that everything is externallyServicingvisible.”thesystems has also become simpler now that Peter and Todd can manage the entire platform — I/O configuration, control strategy, communications, and networking — through a single device. “One of the best features we introduced was the ability to update the programs through our web interface… Now a batch program packages up all the program files into a .gz (compressed) file. Technicians can upload the file and restart the system… We send the tarball, they click update, and the system takes care of the rest. Much easier,” Peter“Wesaid.have a lot of experience with C++ here, so applying that to the EPIC controllers using Shell Access has allowed us to rapidly develop these custom solutions with a very small team… The lead engineer loves to make changes so we’ve gone through hundreds of revisions.”
ALTA also uses the groov EPIC’s touchscreen as a maintenance interface inside the control cabinet. The native groov Manage application allows them to view and modify I/O and network settings directly on the controller without using a separate computer interface. Using ALTA’s central HMI continuously monitors its entire installed base, providing intuitive representation of system health across the country.
Paul J. Heney • VP, Editorial Director The event is slated for McCormick Place OctoberChicago 23-26. heads back to the Midwest PackExpo 74 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD ••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••••••
PMMI explained that it is vital for the packaging and processing industries to come together and share innovations, connect with colleagues, hear from experts, and see machinery-in-action. The trade show and convention is certainly the most e cient and e ective way to do all of this, with solutions for more than 40 vertical markets. PMMI said that no other event this year will showcase entire production line solutions and o er attendees everything needed to compete in a changing marketplace.
Show features The interactive “Pack to the Future” exhibit celebrates the role of packaging and processing through history and the impact it is poised to have on our future. Accompanied by an educational component, the Pack to the Future Stage will provide free industry-expert presentations on cutting-edge industry advancements.
The Emerging Brands Summit will launch at Pack Expo International 2022 and will be a one-day event featuring educational content, tabletop exhibits and expert advisors. This new program is aimed at founders and leaders of startup manufacturing companies looking to scale their brand to larger production through either in-house facility build out or outsourced relationships with contract manufacturers and packagers. Exhibitors will include packaging machinery, packaging materials, processing equipment and contract manufacturing and packaging. in www.designworldonline.com September 2022
Pack Match at Pack Expo International also debuts this year, providing attendees complimentary personalized, one-on-one guidance with Pack Match Advisors to connect attendees with the right suppliers.
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“There has been so much innovation in our industry since this show’s last in-person installment in 2018 that end users can’t a ord to miss this opportunity to see the latest breakthroughs live, in-action,” said Jim Pittas, president and CEO, PMMI. “No other show in the world this year will o er what Pack Expo International o ers. We can’t wait to return to Chicago to debut our brand-new show features, reinstate show favorites, and continue to drive the industry forward.”
PACK EXPO PREVIEW Pack Expo International, the annual Fall tradeshow and conference dedicated to packaging machinery and related technology, always features a broad variety of motion control, automation, and pneumatic components and applications. The show, which alternates each year between locations in Las Vegas and Chicago, is back in the Windy City for 2022, and is scheduled to run from October 23-26 at McCormick Place Convention Center. Pack Expo, which is run by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, bills itself as “the most comprehensive packaging and processing show in the world.” In response to the unprecedented demands on the industry, this year’s version of Pack Expo will o er more features than ever before, according to show management.
•efficiency.TheEducation and Workforce Development Pavilion is Pack Expo International’s one-stop-shop for resources to strengthen and grow the current workforce.
• The Confectionery Pavilion, sponsored by the National Confectioner’s Association, highlights candy trends and technologies, and also offers The Candy Bar Lounge for casual networking and idea-sharing.
The new Industry Speaks Stage features expert sessions from the Pack Expo Partner Program, addressing the latest hot button topics and industry trends across multiple industry verticals.
• The Association Partner Pavilion houses leading associations dedicated to advancing the packaging and processing industry, offering significant resources, insights, and expertise all in one central location. Programs and activities In addition to Pack Challenge, Pack Expo International offers additional programs and activities aimed at getting students excited about careers in packaging and processing. The Future Innovators Robotics Showcase is where high school robotics teams from across the country showcase their design, engineering and troubleshooting skills. The Amazing Packaging Race is a fun, educational event where teams from colleges and universities in North America race around the Pack Expo International show floor to complete tasks at the booths of participating exhibitors. CareerLink @ Pack Expo is an opportunity for PMMI members and consumer packaged goods companies to meet with students and veterans pursuing careers in packaging and processing during one-on-one informational interviews to take place at the show. PMMI will also be offering popular training workshops in Chicago to coincide with Pack Expo International.Theevent also offers high quality connections through specialized networking events such as the Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network Event, which tackles timely issues facing women in the industry. Pack gives Back is Pack Expo’s annual benefit concert and returns to Chicago in 2022. And immediately following Pack gives Back, the Emerging Leaders Network will host an evening event for young professionals at an exciting venue in downtownFinally, TheChicago.Technology Excellence Awards will recognize the most innovative technologies not yet shown at a previous Pack Expo. Attendees will be able to vote onsite, on the app, or online for their favorite finalists selected in specific market segments. To learn more and to untilRegistrationvisit packexpointernational.com.register,fortheshowis$30September30th,afterwhich it increases to $130. DW
DESIGN WORLD Returning favorites include unmatched show floor education on three Innovation Stages and at The Forum. The Forum will feature interactive sessions, including small group discussions and Q&A sessions.
Brand new pavilions at Pack Expo International are:
• The Logistics Pavilion — A crucial part of the product journey is from manufacturer to consumer. With the boom in e-commerce, The Logistics Pavilion in the North Building will be the place to find targeted solutions related to the supply chain, including warehousing, fulfillment, distribution logistics services, and transportation providers.
Pack Challenge is a brand-new packaging competition that brings high school teams together for a head-tohead machine-building competition. The winning school will be awarded $5,000 with an additional $2,000 split between individual team members. Afterward, the teams will take the machines back to their school, providing future students the opportunity for hands-on experience.TheProcessing Zone returns in 2022 along with the Processing Innovation Stage — focusing on the latest breakthroughs in processing. In today’s manufacturing environment, processing and packaging are integrated systems, making it critical to bring both solutions under one roof.
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The Innovation Stages on the show floor provide quick presentations on breakthrough technologies and techniques focused on a wide range of industry-specific solutions. These returning pavilions will include:
• The Healthcare Packaging Pavilion — The name is the only thing that’s changed about this gathering ground for life science industries. Innovations for biopharmaceuticals,pharmaceuticals,nutraceuticals, and medical devices will be front and center in this targeted show floor destination.
• The Package Printing Pavilion features digital printing and converting, labeling, coding, and marking technologies.
• The Containers and Materials Pavilion is the prime destination for companies looking for innovative containers and materials to meet sustainability goals, refresh a brand or launch new products, it also houses award-nominated packaging solutions in The Showcase of Packaging Innovations, sponsored by WestRock.
• The Reusable Packaging Pavilion, sponsored by the Reusable Packaging Association, showcases reusable packaging solutions to help reduce waste, cut costs, and gain supply chain
Congratulates www.festo.us • 1.800.99.FESTO With 50 years of innovation in the United States and over 80 years globally, Festo has continuously elevated the state of manufacturing with innovations and optimized motion control solutions that deliver higher performing, more profitable automated manufacturing and processing equipment. Our dedication to the advancement of automation extends beyond technology to the education of current and future automation and robotic designers with simulation tools, teaching programs, and on-site services.
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The editors of Design World produce key technology content compiled in individual pdfs available for download. Check out our Design Guide Digital Library for additional topics, bookmark this site as guides are added on regular basis! designworldonline.com/design-guide-library
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Core to myriad automated machines and installations are linear motion systems. This exclusive Design Guide presents information on ballscrewbased linear-motion drive types. Determining the most suitable rotaryto-linear screw drive for a given machine axis depends on the loads it will move, travel speeds, duty cycles, cost constraints, and the environment in which the machine will run.
In this Design Guide, the editors of Design World detail the linear rails, guide rails, linear slides and linear ways used to facilitate single and multi-axis linear motion — and the disparate ways these components support and guide load with minimal friction along the way.
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In this Design Guide, the editors of Design World detail the special case of track-roller linear guides and how they compare to other linear rails, slides, and ways to facilitate single and multi-axis linear motion — and the disparate ways these linear components integrate into machinery for top performance.
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A supplement of Design WorldSeptember 2022 Engineering TheInside:mostcommon mechanical tests for fasteners.............................. 86 Profiles: The nuts & bolts behind the business .............................. 90-103 How to fastener problemsloosening best solve Page 82
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EDITORIAL Mark your calendars
Impressively, IFE was and still is the largest fastener event in North America. What started as a bi-annual show in Columbus, Ohio, has turned into an annual exposition in Las Vegas, typically attracting more than 650 exhibiting companies and 5,000 attendees from more than 30 countries. Of course, the only exception was in 2020, when the event o ered a unique online “Meet & Match” alternative, given the pandemic.
Two years later, IFE is expected to regain many of its participants and attendees, so mark your calendars for October 17th to 19th at Mandalay Bay on the Vegas Strip. Nearly 80% of attendees have agreed that the International Fastener Expo is a “must-attend” event, according to the show organizers, because it’s so comprehensive — and an excellent excuse to network and connect with those in the industry.
The Fastener Training Institute is also o ering a full-day, in-person class on day one of the event, entitled: “How Fasteners are Made and What Drives the Cost of a Fastener.” Register to attend, and you’ll be taken into the fastener manufacturing world to explore why these under-appreciated components are complex engineering marvels. (Early bird pricing is available until October 3rd.)
“We’re also excited to unveil a new AI-powered match-making solution, allowing the audience to schedule meetings before or during the event, view attendees and exhibitors, and send messages — ultimately, making the most of their time at IFE,” share the show organizers. Everything you need to know, including registration, is available at fastenershows.com. We hope to see you at IFE! FE AdobeStock.com |
AdobeStock.com
Dirk Beveridge is the founder of UnleahWD, which is redefining wholesale distribution. Beveridge is considered one of the top speakers for forwardthinking businesses and associations committed to creating new value in this changing marketplace. His discussion topic: “Innovate! How to Create Relevancy in the Age of Disruption.”
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For the first time in IFE history, there will be a keynote speaker.
When the International Fastener Expo (IFE) launched more than 40 years ago, the aim was to bring manufacturers and distributors of industrial fasteners, precision-formed parts, and machinery tooling together. That goal is still the same.
The Hall of Fame and Young Fastener Professional Awards Ceremony takes place in the afternoon of day two. These awards recognize professionals who’ve made significant contributions to the fastener industry on a national or global scale. Additionally, you can expect a reception party, conference sessions, and the traditional IFE golf tourney.
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Michael Eusanio Application Engineer Optimas Solutions
The goal should be to increase and maintain the proper clamping. A torque versus tension evaluation should be conducted to verify how a specialty product measures up to this goal. This test determines how well a fastener achieves a 82
Specialty locknuts or washers are often used to solve fastened joint loosening problems. Before deciding on a solution, however, it’s important to understand why fastener loosening occurs in the first place. In general, selecting and correctly installing the ideal fastener for an application is the joint design method of choice to alleviate loosening — but there can be more to fastener loosening problems than this simple fix.
When loosening occurs, designers often use specialty products as a remedial solution. Although they sometimes work in specific applications, such components are typically costly and can cover up the root cause of fastener failure. They can also cause new issues if not used properly.
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How to best solve fastener loosening problems
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DESIGN WORLD www.fastenerengineering.com September 2022 83 consistent clamping force to best ensure reliability during subsequent service loads. Understanding joint loosening A properly designed joint with su cient clamping load must be maintained to overcome external transverse and axial loading (service loads) by resisting relative movement through friction. To maintain this load over time, all joint components must withstand the clamping load from the fastener without letting the clamping force relax over time.If the proper clamping load is not maintained, the joint components “slip” relative to each other, and the fastener loosens. Since most specialty products depend on mating components, it’s di cult to compare how well they’ll workStandarduniversally.fasteners are typically marked with a Strength Grade or Property Class, which indicates the yield and tensile strength of the fastener. The nut and bolt should be matched to Fastener parts going down a rail after the washer has been put on for the roll-threading process at Optimas Solutions’ manufacturing facility in Wood Dale, IL.
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The results reflected that almost all tested specialty locking fasteners resulted in more than twice the variation in torque required to achieve the desired clamp load relative to a standard bolt and non-locking nut. The only exception was the AERO-TRALOK.
Fastening + Joining the same strength as the fastener. For example, if a Grade 5 bolt strength is used, a mating Grade 5 nut should also be used. If there’s only a mating taped hole instead of the nut, the strength of those mating threads should be at least as strong as the bolt. Generally, it’s recommended to use Bolt Strength Grades or Property Classes at 75% of their rated Yield Strength to avoid potential overloading of the bolt during installation and subsequent service loads. These values are published by industry standards. Inch series bolts are usually made according to SAE J429. Grades 1, 2, 5, and 8 are most common, with a few others for specialty uses. The SAE J429 provides the information needed to determine the clamp load associated with 75% of the Yield Strength. The metric fastener strength is specified as a Property Class. The more torque variation a locking fastener has relative to a non-locking fastener, the more chance of achieving too much or little clamp load. This is the recommended manner to ensure the joint is Althoughtight. locking fasteners offer benefits, one potential negative feature is too little clamp load, which increases the chance of loosening. Too much clamp load can also occur, which A comparison of fastener loosening. increases the chance of overstressing the bolt. Since there are many products on the market, the results of an evaluation of a cross-section of the most common types — including specialty washer systems, nut thread modifications, and products that lock because of clamping force — are shown in the diagram, A comparison of fastener loosening A case study M16-2 Property Class 10.9 fasteners were used for this evaluation of torque (washers were not used unless the locking product was a washer or included one). The bolt was tightened to 75% of the bolt’s Proof Load, which was 21,900 lb. (97.5 kN). Thirty tests of each product were conducted in an RS Technologies testing machine with an electronic torque transducer and electronic load cell. The torque required to reach the 21,900 lb. clamp load was measured and recorded. The standard deviation was calculated for each product type.
A cold-header operator reviews the technical data required for the production of fasteners.
This specialty locking nut showed a lower variation. Conclusion Although there are many specialty locking fasteners on the market with unique abilities to prevent some form of loosening, many are limited in this respect. For example, a twopiece washer with wedge ramps is effective when the mating components are significantly lower in hardness compared to the washers. But when used against high hardness mating components, they lose their ability to preventWhileloosening.standardprevailing torque locknuts help prevent loosening through vibration — which could have significant consequences — they Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online WHAT DO THINK?YOU provide little resistance to the loss of a bolt’s clamp load. Care should be taken when solving a fastener loosening problem with specialty products that might add cost and production time, only masking the root cause of the loosening. Using suitable fasteners to do the job in the first place is the preferred method of joint design to avoid unnecessary loosening problems. FE
630.800.6377 / Sales@SetkoFas teners.com DESIGN WORLD www.fastenerengineering.com September 2022 85
commonmostThe mechanical tests for fasteners
Rob LaPointe | President & CEO AIM Testing Laboratory
Fastening + Joining
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Laboratory analysis for fasteners includes a variety of tests that can be grouped into four broad areas: mechanical, metallographic, chemical, and nondestructive. Nearly all fastener testing required by drawings and manufacturing specifications can be categorized into one of these four major areas. Unless dealing directly with procurement or quality at your company, you might not clearly understand the common fastener tests that qualify your products to be sold in the marketplace. Of these four areas, mechanical is the most fundamental and will be the focus of this article. Mechanical properties of a fastener include hardness, ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, torsional strength, and structural performance. The most fundamental property of a fastener is hardness. The hardness of the metal used to make a fastener influences nearly all the mechanical performance characteristics of that fastener.
Material hardness
More deformation means the metal has less resistance to changing shape and lowerLesshardness.deformation means the metal has more resistance to changing shape and higher hardness.
The most common scale used to measure hardness in metals is the Rockwell C scale. Typical HRC (Hardness Rockwell C) values range from 20 HRC for soft metal, such as lowcarbon steel, to 60 HRC for high-carbon or tool steel.
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Rockwell C hardness test with a diamond indenter.
Hardness is a material’s ability to resist being scratched by another object. It’s a measure of the sti ness of the structures (molecules, crystals, and grains) that make up the metal used to manufacture screws and bolts. Generally, smaller grain means harder metal. Hardness is measured by pushing a very hard object, typically a diamond, into the metal under controlled conditions and seeing how much the metal being tested deforms.
Torsional strength is the fastener’s ability to withstand being twisted. Most fasteners are tightened by twisting them. The thread on a fastener is like an inclined plane or ramp, wrapped around a solid bar. By twisting a threaded fastener into a corresponding threaded hole, the fastener becomes tensioned by running the ramp of one thread up the ramp of the other thread.
Think of stretching a piece of taffy. The taffy will become thinner and thinner as the pulling force is applied until it has reached its thinnest possible state, then it will separate into two pieces for you to share with a friend — it’s much the same as a bolt, but tastier.
A fastener’s ability to gain increased tension is related, in part, to its torsional strength and tensile strength. Torsional strength is measured by holding the fastener firmly, preventing it from rotating and applying a torque (force to rotate an object) until the fastener eventually yields and breaks by twisting it inThetwo.torsional strength of a fastener is most critical at the head-body junction and in the portion of the fastener between the head and the A tensile frame. An illustration of torque when applied to a bolt.
If the load on the fastener is allowed to increase continually, the bonds between the molecules will continue to break and rearrange as the material gets thinner. Eventually, it will reach its ultimate thinness and new bonds will not be able to form, resulting in complete separation of the material.
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At a certain load, depending on the type and hardness of the metal, the material deforms permanently. In other words, if the tensile force is released after this critical load, the metal will no longer return to its original shape.
Measuring strength
Tensile strength and yield strength are intimately related. They’re both measured when a fastener is pulled along its length, reproducing what happens to it when tightened into an assembly. The fastener is gripped by its head and thread and pulled in a tensile frameThemachine.tensileframe measures the amount of force applied to the fastener and the amount of stretch the metal experiences as a result of the tensile (pulling) force. As the metal is pulled, it stretches like a rubber band. If the tensile force is released, the metal relaxes and returns to its original shape. This is known as elastic or nonpermanent stretch.
The force at which this happens is known as ultimate tensile strength.
The load value that causes the metal to stretch permanently is known as the yield strength. Yield is achieved because at the yield strength, molecular bonds in the metal begin to rip apart and relocate, forming new bonds to other adjacent molecules.
FE
first engaged thread. These are the two areas that fasteners would typically fail due to insufficient torsional strength. Torsional strength is measured in units of torque such as the pound-inch (lb-in) or Newton-meter (Nm). Testing performance Structural performance is the least common mechanical test for fasteners. It could include head ductility and recess torque. Head ductility tests the ability of the head-body junction to withstand bending without failure. Typically, a fastener should be able to withstand a 10-degree bend between the body and the under-head surface without cracking or failure.Recess torque is the limiting torque that can be applied to the drive recess of a screw. Common drive recesses are sockets (hex), six-lobe (Torx), and cruciform (Philips). In this test, the screw is prevented from turning and a measured torque is applied with an end-load pushing the drive bit into the drive recess. The drive recess must handle a minimum torque value without stripping or deforming to satisfy the requirement of the standard. The mechanical tests outlined here are the most common tests for fasteners. There are many more tests that analyze other mechanical performance features, but most fastener drawings or manufacturing standards require, at least, hardness and tensile verification.
DESIGN WORLD September 2022 89 Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online WHAT DO THINK?YOU
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six generations of The history behind ARaymond fastening innovations
Long before the invention of the automobile, assembly lines, and modern manufacturing, a young man with an entrepreneurial mind decided to start a company.
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“Albert-Pierre was my great-great-grandfather, and he was the founder of ARaymond, which today — five, going on six generations later — is still a 100% family-owned business,” shares Antoine Raymond, the company’s CEO. “He was a mechanic and quite innovative, developing a hook fastener for shoes. His initial inventions began in 1865.”
Albert-Pierre Raymond was indeed innovative and wise, immediately seeking a patent for his concept — which he got seven years later. His shoe hook design used a “helix” fastening concept that was riveted in a single component (typically, in a leather shoe), ensuring that the hook or eye was watertight. This proved useful and popular at the time because it meant lacing boots was possible without the need for additional sewn-on buttons or buttonholes.
Michelle Froese • Editor
Albert-Pierre Raymond grew up in Grenoble, France, when horses were the modern form of transportation and the world of textiles was big business.
“Another popular invention followed in 1886. It was the first snap closure, originally for the glove industry,” says Antoine Raymond. “Back then, women wore long gloves that reached almost up to their shoulders and the snap concept let them easily fasten the gloves at the top, replacing more cumbersome buttons.”Atthe time, France was well-known for textile manufacturing and the capital of the glove industry. AlbertPierre supplied the snaps (also known as press-studs, which he patented in several countries, including in the U.S. and Japan), as well as hooks and eyelets that he developed for them. He slowly added to his inventions, which he shipped worldwide. Then, he expanded into Germany. WORLD www.fastenerengineering.com
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Even before this, he had invented a spring based on the mechanical push-button principle. With the right amount of pressure, the spring would release. These early closures led to clip fasteners, thousands of patents, and a global, multi-generational family company. And it all began with easyto-use fasteners for the textile industry 156-plus years ago.
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Antoine Raymond, CEO of ARaymond and the great-great-grandson of the company’s founder, Albert-Pierre Raymond.
Antoine Raymond
In 1955, the company also began a plastic-molding process, o ering the automotive sector options for the widely used clip. Plastic was not subject to rust, like metal, and provided a lighter choice with greater flexibility. Plastic materials can be more easily molded into di erent shapes.“What’s interesting is that since 1865, ARaymond has essentially been doing the same job of designing, developing, and successfully selling some form of the clip fastener — whether it is hooks, snaps, or clips,” he says. “With the growing auto industry, the company continued to expand worldwide. Over time, we established manufacturing hubs in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK, and the Czech Republic. Then, in 1987, we launched the first American subsidiary in Rochester Hills, Michigan.” At first, this was a joint venture with a company named, Mernick Raymond, which lasted about five years before ARaymond became the sole owner and investor.In1989, the company designed its first generation of quick connectors for automotive fuel systems, becoming a world leader in production for the sector — which it maintains to this day.
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“As these vehicles became increasingly made out of steel, the ARaymond metallic clip continued to serve as fasteners for these parts.”
“What’s interesting is that since 1865, ARaymond has essentially been doing the same job of designing, developing, and successfully selling some form of the clip fastener — whether it is hooks, snaps, or —clips.”
“Granted, Europe as we know it today did not exist at the time. Germany was not yet known as ‘Germany,’ and there was still a Duke…the Duke of Baden in the Southwest of the country. But my greatgreat-grandfather became very much a part of this early industrial period of the late 19th century, opening his first subsidiary in 1898,” he says. “It was only 400 kilometers away in Lörrach, but this took him nearly four days to travel there. Today, it takes me fourEventually,hours.” the patent for AlbertPierre’s snap fastener expired and others developed similar concepts. But not before he built up international connections throughout the world, including in the United States. This also meant that he lived through two world wars. “It was enough for him to get through the first war,” says Raymond. “But the business was heavily a ected by the Second World War. At the time, it fell under the Nazi regime who overtook enemy enterprises and, afterward, my great-greatgrandfather had to majorly rebuild — which he did with determination.”
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“Of course, today, we are challenged by the advancing developments of the electric vehicle. But initially, this creation accelerated the global reach of Workers at ARaymond’s original Grenoble, France factory in 1910.
One favorable development after the war was the advancement of the automotive industry. Just before WWII, ARaymond had created the first spring steel clip for the emerging auto industry. After the war, the fastener grew in demand.“Thetextile market was still predominant, and the first automobiles had a lot of it, including leather for their roofs and seats. It made a lot of sense to supply to this sector,” he explains.
The company has also begun supplying to the healthcare sector, manufacturing vaccine caps made of plastic rather than aluminum, and other types of snap caps for medication vials.
These are advancements Raymond’s great-great-grandfather would undoubtedly be proud of, along with the long lineage of his family who’ve been part of the company. Every generation has worked at the company since AlbertPierre founded it.
“She represents the sixth generation at the moment although many of her cousins are also interested in a future role, so we’ll see how it all comes together.”So,what has Raymond learned throughout his 35 years with the company?
A few of ARaymond’s first metallic clips, which served the early automotive industry. Today, the company still serves as an expert in fastening and assembly solutions for the automotive market — including for electric vehicles.
“We are currently working hard to support and find success within the new mobility sector, including for electric and autonomous-driving vehicles, car sharing, and so on,” says Raymond. “Mobility is a necessity of human beings. It started with horses, then automobiles, and now it’s gradually changing to become much more respectful of the environment. We want to be part of this change and even a champion of this change.”Inlate 2020, ARaymond launched advanced VDA quick connectors, as one example, which are ideal for the thermal regulation of battery packs in electric and hybrid vehicles.
Just one latestARaymond’sofinventions: a forfasteningbiodegradablesolutionagriculture.
“It’scrops.important to us to support innovations that fit within advancing industries and lifestyles,” he says.
“We have several ongoing projects. This includes solutions for not just the development and assembly of fasteners but also methods for their disassembly,
with options for recyclability. This is so important for the environment and the climate challenges we are now facing.”
The next generation and Raymond’s daughter, Audrey Raymond, is already working at ARaymond as an initiative change management coordinator.
the business, and we became a major player for the quick connectors and the clips,” he says. In the ’90s, ARaymond set up manufacturing hubs in Japan and eventually in India, China, Brazil. Then, it slowly moved into Russia and Turkey, offering employment opportunities and furthering its growth. Today, the company is present in 25 countries with 27 production plants, employing about 7,500 people worldwide. Despite an ongoing global pandemic and push toward sustainability, ARaymond shows zero signs of slowing down. Rather, the company is evolving with the times.
“My great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were all very involved in the business. In fact, my father worked for more than 40 years, retiring in 1998,” shares Raymond. “I have since been primarily in charge of this enterprise, but I am far from alone. Its accomplishments and success would be impossible without my colleagues and family, of course.”
Additionally, the company recently developed solar-panel clips that simplify photovoltaic-module assembly, resulting in a significant labor cost reduction compared to the typical use of nuts and bolts. ARaymond also created a range of biodegradable and compostable greenhouse clips designed to support and protect delicate plant stems and heavy
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EPOXYHARDENEREPOXYRESIN EPOXY-LOCK®PRE-APPLIEDTHREADLOCKER Fastener engagement causes epoxy components to mix over 360°, which activates a robust lock and seal. Why choose Epoxy-Lock for nuts? Epoxy-Lock nuts provide two to four times greater breakaway torque than conventional nylon fastener locking devices, along with exhibiting a high chemical resistance and providing a lock on nearly any fastener or plating. CERTIFICATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS AS9100D • QPL-18240F • QSLM • ITAR • ISO-9001:2015 ISO/IEC 17025:2017 • CE Directive 2006/42/EC • ISO-14121 ISO-12110-1/12110-2 • IEC-EN 60204-1 Learn more at www.epoxylock.com Contact us at www.ndindustries.cominfo@ndindustries.com Epoxy-Lock® is a trademark of ND Industires, Inc. • Epoxy formulation is compatible with most platings and substrates including metal, plastic, wood, and ceramic • One Epoxy-Lock nut will work with multiple length bolts, cutting down on inventory • Soft material exhibits anti-galling properties during installation and requires no lead threads • High-strength lock and seal • Dry-to-the-touch • Automotive approved • Exceeds Industrial Standards IFI-160, IFI-560 • Made in the USA
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“When I first started working, I thought my most important personal challenge was to motivate people. After some experience, my understanding grew and I realized that it’s far more important to provide security, safety, and trust to our employees,” he says.
“It is a bit of a paradox, finding collaboration within autonomy. But the two are a fantastic engine,” says Raymond. “We provide trust and support at the same time.” He adds that there has been usefulness in viewing the business as an adventure. “You have to be willing to take risks while finding acceptance in the outcomes — some will be better than others. But you cannot run a successful business without some risks and a good sense of “Ultimately,”adventure.”headds,
“I’ve learned that the life of an enterprise is not the machines, processes, or buildings that keep it together. It is always the people that, together, build success. It is their ideas, engagement, commitment, collaboration, and level of trust that make the difference.” Given five, going on six, generations of family success, this statement from the CEO of ARaymond makes sense. FE DESIGN WORLD 95 Learn more about the five generations of ARaymond entrepreneurs at ARaymondLineage.tinyurl.com/
After the uncertainty of the last couple of years, Raymond’s lesson has proved particularly useful. “During times of challenge or turmoil, the solidity of strong values, especially trust, are extremely significant,” he says.
It also helps that the business runs as a connected yet autonomous structure, rather than as one centralized authority. This allows each subsidiary to maintain its own integrity and self-sufficiency — important given the various travel restrictions and supply-chain challenges related to the pandemic — while still provided with a support system.
“Todd and I both worked for another metric fastener importer, Lindstrom Metric, when we eventually decided to leave and start our own company,” says Penland. “We opened the doors to what we called, Supply Line Fasteners, in the summer of 2000…and from the basement of my house in South Carolina.”
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“The good news is that we’ve learned a lot along the way. Eurolink turned 21 last summer and had one of its best years in 2021, which tells me that the idea behind the company — its uniqueness — was something the industry needed and still does today,” he shares.
The idea was to develop a company with a special focus on those rare and hard-to-find metric fasteners manufactured to DIN and ISO standards. This idea was a good one in America because the majority of master importers stock the conventional, standard parts with limited access to the less common metric fasteners. This makes sense from a demand perspective — stock what’s popular and leave the less-accessible parts alone.
“To be honest, I could write a New York Times’ best-seller on how not to run a company,” he laughs. “Because if it was possible to get wrong, we’ve probably done so at some point.”
The rock stars of those hard-to-find metric fasteners Meet Eurolink: 96 September 2022 www.fastenerengineering.com DESIGN WORLD
In fact, this was the business model Penland and his brother, Todd, initially followed when they first opened the company in 2000.
Michelle Froese • Editor
What he fails to mention, however, is everything he has done successfully as the co-founder and current president and CEO of Eurolink, a premier U.S. distributor of metric fasteners.
Fastening
If there’s one thing Craig Penland has learned as a business owner with more than a couple of decades of experience in the fastener industry, it’s how to persevere.
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Craig Penland, the co-founder, president, and CEO of Eurolink.
Eventually, the brothers lucked out and found a freight forwarder from Atlanta that was willing to work and grow with them. “There was no guaranteed or immediate success,” admits Penland. “Some weeks, we lost money on the shipment. Other weeks, we’d earn money on the shipment. But Hard at work! Eurolink is headquartered in South Carolina and has plans to break ground and build a new, larger facility in the near future.
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“We realized how important it was to focus on the service aspect of what we were o ering rather than the stocking part. We no longer wanted to be known as a stocking fastener house,” he explains. “Instead, we wanted to be known as the go-to company for those hard-to-find metric fasteners that o ers quality service and e cient delivery.”
It paid o . Those weekly air-freight shipments slowly turned into multiple air freights per week, which turned into monthly consolidated sea-freight shipments, and then multiple monthly consolidated sea freight shipments.
Fastening + Joining
we never gave up because we knew we were fulfilling a need and gap in the market.”InApril 2007, the brothers o cially changed their company name and logo to Eurolink Fastener Supply Service.
“We’ve grown and developed so much over the years, thanks to our partnerships and memberships at various fastener associations in the country. We’ve been able to build our name and reputation to truly be the go-to company for hard-to-find metric fasteners,” says Penland. 98 2022
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The brothers decided to go after OEM sales much like every other local distributor and it proved tough. Trying to stock enough inventory in a basement to ensure quick and e cient delivery was a “Unfortunately,challenge. neither one of us had $10 million or so sitting around to properly build and house inventory, but we persevered for a number of years and did relocate to a small warehouse,” he says. “But we finally decided that serving as another fastener stocking house was not going to cut it. There were too many hiccups.” Before closing shop, however, Penland noticed a pattern. Often enough, a request for quote (RFQ) for certain items would come back as “no stock, no quote” from the master importers.“Atone point, we lost an OEM account because we couldn’t find anybody in the United States to supply a specific type of metric fasteners, even though we knew we could easily get them from Europe. They’re just sitting on the shelves there,” he shares. “But, at the time, no one here was o ering a weekly or routine overseas freight program, so that request — and quite a few others — went unfilled.”
Although metric fasteners are not considered an “A,” “B,” or high-demand product in the U.S., they are far more commonly used and readily available in Europe. Penland and his brother decided to do something about this and began making trips overseas to build vendor relationships. But re-focusing the company’s direction and purpose also came with challenges. Finding reliable vendors was simple enough (even if most European distributors were shocked to learn of an American company looking for items absolutely no one else was quoting), but figuring out how to ship the items to the U.S. in a cost-e ective and timely manner was another.
“When we originally started a company, I don’t think my brother or I took a salary for the first year-and-a-half or so, and then it was just our mortgage payments for about three years,” he says. “I actually worked as a bartender at night and delivered newspapers in the morning just to make ends meet. I barely slept as my time in-between was spent working at the business. So, it’s great to see what we’ve built up today.”
Ever since a client complimented the Eurolink team, referring to them as “rock stars,” the company developed its own rock-star logo, which it includes on a newly designed concert t-shirt every year. This is the 2020 tee, celebrating 20 years in business. Eurolink turned 22 this past July.
“For today, I’m blessed,” he says. “I get routine compliments about my sales reps…things like, ‘No one takes care of us like they do.’ It’s so nice to hear. And my employees are some of the best people I’ve ever worked with. I have little to worry about because my team has things down. They’re rock stars.” FE
“We have such a dedicated, hardworking team here. I feel so fortunate. Even when the pandemic hit, no one wanted to work remotely. We purchased laptops and made that possible, but everyone kept coming in. I’m not sure if we’re all old-school or what,” he laughs.
Currently, it’s just Penland who continues to work as president and CEO. Unfortunately, his brother passed away in 2013. Penland didn’t let that stop him from persevering, however.
It certainly has to be a nice change of pace from Penland’s early years running the business. O M E TO U R EURO
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Penland credits a lot of success to his faith, determination, and patience.
“But we do range in age from 20 to 60-something.”Eurolinkwas deemed an essential business as an importer that supplies parts through distributors to the medical industry, so it remained open. Although its sales were down by about 20% in 2020, as could be expected, it hit a milestone midway through 2021. The company achieved record sales last year, with similar expectations for 2022.
“No matter how much education you have in business or marketing, or what have you, you’re simply not going to find every answer on how to run a company from a textbook. There are too many variables,” he says. “So, you have to follow your instincts and be willing to make mistakes, admit to them, and then learn from them. You simply cannot grow without mistakes. It’s not possible.”
Penland and his wife, Kim, at a fastener event. Eurolink is unique, o ering U.S. distribution of rare and hard-to-find metric fasteners manufactured to DIN and ISO standards.
In terms of growth, Penland’s in the process of closing on land to build the future home of Eurolink in upstate South Carolina. He hopes to begin construction this year. He’s also contemplating expansion out west and, potentially, into Canada.
This is impressive considering Eurolink only has a sta of 10 employees, along with eight manufacturer reps, and ships throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. In 2012, it moved from the small warehouse and quadrupled in size to a facility of roughly 12,500 square feet.
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“It’s been interesting because we’ve seen an increase in new item requests. Typically, we wouldn’t see RFQs for those A or B-type of fasteners because they’re commonly sitting on the shelves of master importers here,” explains Penland. “But due to inventory shortages and shipment delays, we’re being asked to quickly fill these orders.”
In S Of?STAY @ H O M E TO U R EURO LINK ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO #eurolinkis20in20 STAY @ H
Not every day, a young Latina working mother is approached by two financiers and asked if she’d like to start her own business — particularly in the early ’90s. But that’s exactly what happened to Louise McKinnis when she worked at a bearings company in Fullerton, California.“Mymom was a bit of an adventurer and knew a good opportunity when she saw one,” shares Suzanne Burks about her late mother.
Michelle Froese • Editor
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The legacy of ESP Aerospace Fasteners
Sadly, McKinnis passed about five years ago. Burks had the opportunity to work alongside her mom as she built the company — ESP Aerospace Fasteners, a distributor of fastening hardware for commercial and military aerospace applications — and has since continued the family legacy as company president. “It’s an interesting story,” Burks explains. “Two gentlemen, nearing retirement and about to shut down their sta ng company, essentially headhunted my mom to see if she wanted to start her own company of choice. They o ered to back her financially.”
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Suzanne Burks, president of ESP Aerospace Fasteners, with her sons (from left to right): Cristofer, Daniel, and Matthew. All three have experience working in the family business.
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“The company was a start-up with my mom serving as president and maintaining 51% ownership,” she adds. “Within five years, she bought out the two gentlemen and became the owner.”
“The company was a start-up with my mom serving as president and maintaining 51% ownership. Within five years, she bought out the two gentlemen and became the owner.”
At 23 years of age, Burks joined her mom at ESP and has worked there ever since, earning her role as its current president. Last November, the company celebrated 30 years in business.
“Initially, it was pretty much just the two of us in a small o ce with two desks, a couple of computers, and a fax machine,” she says. And not everyone at the time believed the business was female-owned. “I remember customers asking to speak to my mom’s husband, assuming she couldn’t possibly be the owner. It infuriated me then, but my mom took it in stride and would simply share that she was divorced and the company president.” Burks used to call her mom “the General” as a joke. “She was all of fivefoot-three, always wore heels, and knew how to make an entrance. Everyone would sti en up when she walked into a room. She was also a lot of fun and extremely kind and giving. But when she meant business, she meant it.”
Burks remembers traveling long distances to pick up parts, inspecting them in her vehicle, and driving them out to an airport base some 160 miles away ESP Aerospace Fasteners relocated to Montclair, CA, in April 2021.
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And that’s how ESP Aerospace Fasteners was founded. McKinnis was a smart, feisty woman, according to her daughter. She had worked in upper management, had fastener industry knowledge, as well as plenty of contacts on the manufacturing and customer side of the industry, so this decision made sense.
— Suzanne Burks
It’s of little surprise that ESP Aerospace Fasteners has earned and maintained its top-tier supplier status with industry leaders, such as L-3 Communications, L3 Harris, Honeywell FM&T, Lockheed Martin, and Kaman Aerospace.“I’mreally proud of what we’ve built and how we do business,” says Burks. “Take our Honeywell account, for example, one of our largest ones. We went from an approved supplier 30 years ago to an approved ‘dock-to-stock’ supplier — which means we’re also receiving inspection and parts because of the quality we o er. And there’s L3 Harris, which has needed parts no one else can find. But I will. I’ll find the needle in theBurkshaystack.”attributes this dedication and success to the fact that ESP was built on her family’s values. “My grandfather used to share stories about starting a union for workers as a mining engineer in Mexico. We come from entrepreneurs who truly cared about those they worked with,” she says. “It might be old school, but in some ways, I feel like we’ve lost a lot of the eye contact and face-to-face relationships in business. Now, so much is done through a quick email. But we truly value customer connections here, and I love that part of the job.”
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In fact, Burks has plans to give back, primarily to the Hispanic community in her region, via ROP, a regional occupation program. ROP students typically gain a better understanding of how academics relate to careers and can acquire practical experience in a field of interest.
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The result: Burks is continuing the legacy her mom started. Two of her three sons are now also working at the company. One is in accounting and one in sales. The eldest initially worked in shipping and receiving but is currently in college out of state. Burks is also continuing her education. She has an associate degree from Fullerton College and is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in business.“When she was first diagnosed with an illness, my mom told me I could sell the company,” she shares. “I think she wanted to give me permission to move on or do something else I might enjoy. But I love this. And I love working with my sons now. It’s the right fit for me.”
“I want to share what’s possible with high-school students…some of the kids don’t even know what the aerospace industry is or entails, even though it’s Louise McKinnis, the late founder of ESP Aerospace Fasteners. A peek inside the warehouse at ESP Aerospace Fasteners. big in Southern California,” she says. “We have contacts with NASA and JLP, which have programs that could o er scholarships, and I would love to partner or match some of those opportunities and provide for the future.” Like mother, like daughter, in so many ways. Burks’ mother also paved the way for future generations. “I feel like my mom led as an example. ESP Aerospace qualified as a minority, female-owned business back in the ’90s, which opened the door for other women and women minorities… showcasing what was possible 30 years ago,” says Burks. “I’m proud of that and of her. I hope to continue to do the same for minorities today.”
Selecting the Optimal Washer
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IIoT-enabled Branson GSX Platform o ers precise control for faster, repeatable, high-quality welding of intricate components Branson GSX Ultrasonic welders that support the growing demand for the assembly of smaller and more intricate plastic components such as those used within medical devices and consumer electronics. The Branson GSX Ultrasonic Welding Platform is an advanced and intuitive flexible joining solution, designed to optimize and ensure quality welds, while helping manufacturers meet project timelines and deliver expected return on investments.
Boker’s Inc. 3104 Snelling Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55406-1937
104 September 2022 www.fastenerengineering.com DESIGN WORLD Flat: Generally used for load disbursement Tab/Lock: Designed to e ectively lock an assembly into place Finishing: Often found on consumer products Wave: For obtaining loads when the load is static or the working range is small Belleville: Delivers the highest load capacity of all the spring washers Fender: Distributes a load evenly across a large surface area Shim Stacks: Ideal for simple AND complex applications
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ND Industries, Inc. info@ndindustries.comwww.ndindustries.com
A family-owned business since 1955, ND Industries specializes in the development of innovative materials and processes which increase the safety and reliability of fastener assemblies. Headquartered outside Detroit, Michigan, ND serves a global market with divisions across the continental US, facilities in Taiwan, and licensees around the world. ND’s core business revolves around the application of a wide variety of custom formulated materials onto fasteners and assemblies to aid in functions such as locking, sealing, masking, lubricating, and noise and vibration damping. ND also manufactures a line of bottled adhesive and sealant products under the Vibra-Tite brand name for MRO and retail use.
NBK manufactures not only plastic screws but also low profile (low head), miniature size(less than M3), vacuum application, anti-galling, chemical resistance, non-magnetic, and more. Flexible customization is available.
NBK Acquired Solid Spot’s Plastic Fastener Business and Expanded Lineup
DESIGN WORLD www.fastenerengineering.com September 2022 105
NBK America LLC 307 East Church Road, Suite 7 King of Prussia, PA 19406 Phone: https://www.nbk1560.com/en-US/484-685-7500
NBK is a manufacturer of Specialty Screws including Plastic Fasteners. In this April, NBK acquired Solid Spot LLC’s plastic fastener business and then, more various product lineup are available such as PEEK, RENY, PC, PVDF, PTFE, POM, etc.
106 September 2022 www.fastenerengineering.com DESIGN WORLD Fastener Engineering A supplement of Design WorldSeptember 2019 covering nuts, bolts, rivets, screws, u-clips, eye bolts, washers and more. EngineeringThis area has long been one of the most read and sought after by our engineering audience! From screws to bolts and adhesives to springs, these critical but often overlooked components are the key to every successful design. FastenerEngineering.com will serve readers in the mechanical design engineering space, providing news, product developments, application stories, technical how-to articles, and analysis of engineering trends. This site will focus on key issues facing the engineering markets around fastener technology, along with technical background on selected components. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: • Special print section in select issues of Design World • Fastener Engineering monthly newsletter LEARN MORE AT: FASTENERENGINEERING.COM Setko Fasteners & Distribution 300 N. Klick St. Unit A • Hampshire, IL 60140 (630)setkofasteners.comSales@SetkoFasteners.com800-6377 SET SCREWS • HEX KEYS • SHOULDER BOLTS • NYLON TIP • SOCKET CAP SCREWS • STAINLESS • METRIC / INCH • ZINC PLATED SOCKETS • SHORT ARM HEX KEYS • 6-LOBE SOCKETS • BUTTON HEAD CAP SCREW • DOWEL PINS • IMPORT / USA • BRASS TIP • STANDARDS / SEMI-STANDARDS • SQUARE HEAD SET SCREWS • HEX JAM SCREWS • LONG ARM HEX KEYS • NYLON PATCH • LOW HEADS 6-LOBE (TORX) KEYS • BUTTON FLANGE CAP SCREWS Please visit us at www.SetkoFasteners.com
www.therobotreport.com A Supplement to Design World - SEPTEMBER 2022 AMRs and the Cloud: Cloud robotics platforms give warehouse teams the tools, intelligence and strategies needed to enable faster, more accurate and less stressful order fulfillment. page 108 INSIDE: brains & brawn poweringdemand-driven warehouses • IKEA deploys MiR robots to help clean up warehouse 114 • How 5G can enhance AMRs .................................................. 118
108 September 2022 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT The Robot Report brains & brawn demand-drivenpoweringwarehouses and the Cloud: AMRs
Jim Lawton | VP and GM, Robotics Automation | Zebra Technologies
Cloud robotics platforms give warehouse teams the tools, intelligence and strategies needed to enable faster, more accurate and less stressful order fulfillment. Automation has evolved. Robots have evolved – om fixed-arm industrial robots isolated to a work cell and able to perform a single task to automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that require a fixed path to navigate environments to today’s autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).One critical reason robots have evolved is that computing has evolved. The early days of main ame computers are a distant memory for most in the industry today. Now cloud computing is replacing tethered workstations and making critical data available on the floor and in the back o ce for near real-time intelligence on all aspects of an operation. The combination of hardware – the AMR, equipped with sensors and cameras – and so ware – machine learning, cloud-based so ware and workflow execution – is a game changer for warehouse operations. As mobile, sensor-rich systems with broad visibility, AMRs collect visual imagery and data for safety/hazards, compliance, tra c and material flow, and throughput to gain real operational insights for companies to take action on meaningful improvements.
THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com September 2022 109 | Adobestock.com
Harnessing brawn and brains for warehouse optimization Today, AMRs are deployed in warehouses and distribution centers to reduce travel time, lower physical risk, improve accuracy and productivity and lower costs. These so ware-driven machines are versatile, safe enough to work in concert with people and cost-accessible for even the smallest operations. AMRs can be used to optimize order, batch, case or pallet picking operations and can automate virtually any other manual material movement including dunnage removal, put away, returns, etc. Having demonstrated the value they can deliver in terms of reducing the physical workload on people, AMRs are evolving again. Cloud robotics is a game changer for AMRs in industrial environments, facilitating: • faster deployments • flexibility and responsiveness • easy integration with a wide variety of applications • protection of mission-critical data with advanced security•higher adoption rates with a simple and intuitive user interface This innovation is essential in demanddriven fulfillment operations – especially those that support e-commerce channels. As consumers expect to purchase everything om clothing and daily living supplies to electronics online – and get them fast – the warehouse has become a critical link in the customer experience. Speed, accuracy and volume are the metrics that matter most in warehouse operations. Today, as an autonomous payload transport and data capture platform, these devices make it easy to measure comparative analytics and understand at a glance how the operation is performing: • total units picked by day • out-of-stock events • tote full events • average unload time by day • average load time by day • average tour time by day
• automatic
The Robot Report Safety, first Safety has to come first in any operation where machines and people need to work together in close proximity. AMRs navigate dynamically using a map to plan paths and travel quickly and e ciently. AMRs can safely perform tasks no matter how busy the surrounding environment is by using a combination of cameras, sensors and machine learning that allows the machine to: • compare the obstacle to an image om the point cloud • use that information to recognize and react to people, forkli s, obstacles and really anything that may get in its way • autonomously navigate complicated and dynamic environments. Gold mine of intelligence driving action to improve The cloud robotics platform is a powerful solution for capturing and sharing a wide range of information. Some applications include:•
Zebra Technologies acquired Fetch Robotics, a San Jose, Calif.-based developer of autonomous mobile robots for logistics in July 2021 for $290 million. Before the acquisition, Zebra already owned 5% of Fetch Robotics through an earlier investment. Fetch Robotics was founded in 2014 by robotics industry veteran Melonee Wise. Now Zebra’s vice president of robotics automation, Wise received the 2022 Engelberger Award for her contributions to robotics technology. Hazard detection: collecting visual documentation of safety/hazard compliance• RFID analytics: locating and tracking movement patterns to optimize inventory• Data visualization: providing a single source of truth for warehouse data, e.g. areas of heavy congestion adjustments and unexpected
for WMS reslotting•resource imbalances • missing
inventory • forkli near misses • disinfection testing and duration • cleaning performance • blocked fire doors and fire extinguishers•chainofcustody tracing
THE ROBOT REPORT
Zebra Technologies acquired Fetch Robotics
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Lane adherence and robot velocity: collecting statistics on tra c flow, analytics to gain real insight, take action to improve 110 September 2022 www.therobotreport.com
An autonomous mobile robot from Fetch Robotics navigating around a warehouse. | Fetch Robotics
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HPG Gearheads Low Backlash for Life
includes a
Harmonic Drive®, Harmonic Planetary®, Harmonic Gearhead® and Quick Connect® are registered trademarks of Harmonic Drive LLC. Harmonic Drive LLC | 42 Dunham Ridge | Beverly, MA 01915 | 800.921.3332 | www.HarmonicDrive.net Servo Gearheads for AMR/AGV Propulsion
Quick Connect ® motor
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for convenient, stable wheel mounting. The Harmonic Gearhead® gearbox design allows for backdrivability while ensuring
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servo coupling and piloted adapter flange.
Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online DO THINK?YOU
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This information is uploaded to the cloud, where it can be accessed through data services APIs, e.g. barcode generator barcode intelligence print from cloud for RFID Theblockchaininformation is then shared with the back office. The data-driven insight gives warehouse operations teams visibility into what is working and what needs improvement in real-time, so that action can be taken to resolve issues quickly.
The vision for the cloud in the warehouse is simple: Connect workers and workflows everywhere and all the time Gain visibility into assets, people and processes Augment workers with technology to streamline tasks and refine workflows Automate and optimize the workflows of both humans and robots
• device health •
WHAT
Changing the way warehouses work
• cloud connect
•
His experience in developing and delivering leading-edge innovation – including early days in e-commerce, supply chain optimization, and collaborative robotics – has shaped his passion for helping manufacturing, supply chain and logistics organizations capitalize on the intersection of technology and business performance.
For warehouse robotics, the cloud is the change agent required to meet the needs of the demand-driven operation. Cloud robotics platforms give warehouse teams the tools, intelligence and strategies needed to enable faster, more accurate and less stressful order fulfillment. RR About the Author Jim Lawton is vice president and general manager of robotics automation at Zebra Technologies. He is focused on helping customers harness intelligent automation and advanced robotics to transform their operations with greater efficiency, higher productivity, and lower costs.
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112 September 2022 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT The Robot Report How it works On the operations side, the AMR collects two categories of data: Robot Tasked Data Collection Robot On-Board Sensor Data • Cycle Counting • Position • Physical Inventory Check • Proximity • Find / Locate Inventory • Velocity • Asset Tag Tracking • Motion • Completed Deliveries • Dwell • Machine Vision • Laser Scan • Distance Traveled • Robot Utilization
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Jim holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Tufts University, an MS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, and an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management, where he was a Fellow in the inaugural MIT Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program.
The
Robot Report deploys MiR robots to help clean up warehouse Mike Oitzman | Editor, The Robot Report IKEA MiR500 autonomous mobile robot works with warehouse employees to transport pallets and other loads that weigh up to 500 kg.
114 September 2022 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT
Solution
As part of a joint investment with its client, IKEA, the wellknown furniture maker, FM Logistics deployed a MiR500 autonomous mobile robot (AMR) om Denmark-based Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) that will improve logistics processes in a warehouse in Jarosty, Poland. IKEA wanted innovative and flexible technology that could be eely configured and used in everyday warehouse operations.
The MiR500 is equipped with laser-scanning technology that delivers a 360-degree visual for optimal safety. 3D cameras have a range of 30-2,000 mm above floor level to detect pallets. | Mobile Industrial Robots
THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com September 2022 115
Labor shortages o en force companies to operate with fewer people. In a response to labor shortages, many manufacturers are embracing the values of lean manufacturing, including removing non-value-added activities.Thehandling of materials le over in the manufacturing process is one of these non-value-added activities. Extraneous material can be acquired om product returns, packing processes, and especially manufacturing processes. This material is o en handled manually by dedicated employees who remove recycling and trash to the waste collection areas. In a market constrained by labor, this is one process that can be automated so that workers can be redeployed to higher-value tasks.
FM Logistic Central Europe is part of FM Group, a global third-party logistics provider (3PL) in Roissy-enFrance. FM Group has a presence in 14 countries on three continents.
The MiR500 robot will cooperate with warehouse employees to transport pallets and other loads that weigh up to 500 kg. The main concept is to relieve employees of unproductive activities, improve worker safety and optimize warehouse costs.
“This implementation for our client requires transport of significant amounts of empty wooden pallet columns due to their use in storage in automatic warehouses,” said Śmiechowicz. “It is an ideal process for automation.”
| Mobile Industrial Robots
THE ROBOT REPORT The
“During tests, the robot traveled over 60 km (37.2 mi.), successfully completed 180 missions, and transported over 1,500 empty pallets,” said Edyta Smiechowicz, Jarosty Site Manager of FM Logistic CE. “Thanks to this, it was possible to optimize the movements while maintaining the full safety of employees and guaranteeing the profitability of this investment.”
The machine will work independently at the IKEA distribution center in Jarosty. Warehouse employees and those who will supervise the robot were trained, and the MiR500 robot began working fully autonomously 24 hours a day, seven days a week within a few weeks.
Results
MiR was founded in 2013. It said its sales rose by 1,246% from 2015 to 2020. The company was acquired by Teradyne in 2018 for $272 million. Teradyne also owns AutoGuide Mobile Robots, Energid and Universal Robots. MiR has a distribution network in more than 60 countries, with regional offices in New York, San Diego, Singapore, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Tokyo, and Shanghai.“Inorder to build a competitive advantage for the company and our clients, we invest in innovative solutions that are flexible, easy to use and, therefore, cost-effective,” said Alexander Damie, innovation and process manager, FM Logistic Central Europe. “Mobile Industrial Robots’ technology is much cheaper to use than the competing concept of AGV trucks. In this particular case, it is a solution more than two times cheaper than an AGV.”
Report
Furniture maker IKEA is using MiR500 robots to transport pallets and other payloads up to 500 kg around a warehouse in Jarosty, Poland.
“The implementation of the MiR robot at the IKEA distribution center in Jarosty is another step in optimizing processes, as well as implementing innovative solutions to our warehouse operations,” said Sebastian Kaczmarski, central fulfillment operations manager for Poland at IKEA. “It is an example of using the synergy between our companies and joint learning to improve and adapt warehouse processes to the new reality –a hybrid between manual and automatic processes.” RR 116 September 2022 www.therobotreport.com Robot
When looking for solutions to automate material transportation tasks, IKEA wanted innovative and flexible technology that could be freely configured and used in everyday warehouse operations.
| Mobile Industrial Robots
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ADAPT DEPLOY DELIVER
Robotics can create more productive, competitive and profitable distribution centers. The smart flexible depalletizer adapts to pallet configurations without pre-programming or human intervention. © 2022 Honeywell Intelligrated. All rights reserved.
By: Kyle Hable • Omron, and Guilherme Pizzato • Nokia
118 September 2022 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT The Robot Report AMRs How 5G can enhance 5G private wireless networks can deliver the high bandwidth, reliable, low-latency connectivity and IoT capabilities to meet the needs of current and future AMR deployments.
While there is significant consumer interest in 5G for improved mobile device performance, there is also a great need among industrial companies to implement the technology within their facilities. This is because the demand for innovation and digitalization of factories has never been greater. When it comes to improving material flow, which in turn reduces machine idle time and other disruptions, the use of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in conjunction with other computing and connectivity technologies is o en the best solution. Indeed, the increasing size of AMR fleets and the expanding use of Industry 4.0 and industrial internet of things (IIoT) technologies on the shop floor are driving the need to adopt industrial-grade 5G private wireless communications. This upgrade to a more capable communications technology is needed to handle the increased networking loads with reliable, low-latency connectivity.
THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com September 2022 119
Figure 1: AMRs like the OMRON model shown need reliable wireless communications so they can safely and e ciently navigate and coordinate with people, equipment, and other industrial vehicles. | OMRON
• Limited/spotty coverage
• Unpredictable latency
While a small AMR fleet may work fine with Wi-Fi, any increase in size, functionality, and loading typically requires a dedicated network solution for these mission-critical applications. Successful and scalable AMR deployments need predictable network performance to enable improved OEE and deliver a faster ROI.
• High-mix, low-volume material
Figure 2: Nokia is an industry leader in developing 5G technologies that outperform Wi-Fi in all aspects. | OMRON Figure 3: 5G technologies are developed to address the needs of consumers, commercial users, and industrial applications in terms of bandwidth, latency, reliability, and massive IoT connectivity. | OMRON
AstraceabilityWi-Finetworks become loaded — and overloaded — when used for too many purposes, they may remain adequate for non-critical applications, but real-time functionality will suffer. Some users bump into Wi-Fi challenges like:
Today’s AMRs work well with Wi-Fi, but there are many compelling reasons why local on-site 5G connectivity improves AMR performance. In some cases, AMRs are implemented over existing Wi-Fi systems already used for business and other IIoT purposes, limiting network performance.Othernewer AMR capabilities are compounding the need for increased bandwidth and better response times:
Although AMRs do operate independently to an extent, they must also safely work in close proximity to people, equipment, and other industrial vehicles, which requires them to navigate and coordinate intelligently (Figure 1).
• Insufficient cybersecurity
AMRs in action Material transport within facilities was often a manual or semi-automated process, with limited flexibility. For many years, AMRs have been applied to improve this situation by delivering reliable material transport in facilities while improving worker safety. AMRs directly improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) by reducing machine idle time waiting for materials. They also minimize the need for people to perform mundane, repetitive, and unwieldy tasks.
120 September 2022 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT
On-board sensors do part of the work, but much of the interaction is through wireless communications to a fleet management system. To fully unlock operational value, an efficient and well-planned AMR fleet also needs to be extremely flexible to meet varying demands. Used correctly, the typical AMR ROI is less than 24 months.
The Robot Report For efficient processes and operations, it is crucial that AMRs get the right job assignment at the right time, can perform the task when it is expected, and coordinate well with other AMRs and site conditions. High-speed and reliable connectivity are required to perform these and other tasks. For these reasons, industry leaders in the fields of AMRs and 5G wireless are teaming up to roll out the coordinated use of these technologies in the field.
• Undependable handoffs between access
• Addition deeper application automation, progressing from semi- to fully•automatedMulti-sensor fusion frameworks, such as inspection cameras on and off board
•pointsDeclining bandwidth
CGI Motion standard products are designed with customization in mind. Our team of experts will work with you on selecting the optimal base product and craft a unique solution to help di erentiate your product or application. So when you think customization, think standard CGI assemblies. Connect with us today to explore what CGI Motion can do for you. copyright©2021 cgi inc. all rights reserved. YOUR CUSTOM SOLUTIONS ARE CGI STANDARD PRODUCTS Advanced Products for Robotics and Automation 800.568.GEAR (4327) • www.cgimotion.com
•spectrumNetwork slicing: For segregating traffic
• Quality of Service (QoS): Traffic management with prioritization
• Geo-positioning: Targeting up to 20 cm
• Bandwidth • Latency and reliability • Massive IoT connectivity One example of industrial engagement is 5G support for crucial aspects such as time-sensitive networking (TSN), which ensures critical communications are transacted in under 1 ms. Other top 5G performance features applicable to industrial applications include:
to address
• Indoor coverage: typically a 2060 meter access point radius able to penetrate multiple building walls
• Security: Zero-trust design with military-grade security through authentication and end-to-end
control With
Powerfully positioned for innovative motion control. www.renishaw.com/encoders usa@renishaw.comRenishaw Inc., West Dundee, IL 60118 © 2022 Renishaw Inc. All rights reserved. #135509 – Industrial metrology solutions See us at: IMTS 2022 Your partner for manufacturinginnovative
The Robot Report 5G advantages Wi-Fi is very IT-centric and was not conceived to operate in the most challenging environments. Nokia has been providing 2G (GSM), 3G (UMTS), 4G (LTE), and 5G cellular networks to both communication service providers and enterprises and is the global leader in private wireless networks. While the requirements of the first generations of mobile communication were mainly driven by service providers focused on consumer needs, the story has changed withIndustrial5G. automation companies have contributed to defining the requirements for the 5G standards, based on the needs of OT. Furthermore, companies like OMRON and Nokia have entered into strategic partnerships to accelerate the use of 5G solutions in the industrial sector, helping the move to Industry 4.0. 5G technology improves on many areas where Wi-Fi can falter, and it is estimated to deliver a 25% performance improvement in terms of availability and optimization for real-time manufacturing environments (Figure 2). 5G is rolling out in phases, and the cornerstones are based on optimizing the following aspects in all environments, including industrial (Figure 3):
• Interference: Ability to use dedicated
Superior
•encryptionServices:One network handles all voice, broadband, video, IoT, and TSN traffic
• Latency: 1-10 ms, remaining stable even with more connections supporting TSN
• Performance: Predictable data rates, with six-9’s reliability • Mobility: Devices can move at speeds up to 500 km/hr
your
encoders achieve the highest
WhileaccuracyWi-Fi operates on an open spectrum susceptible to interference, 5G is a frequency-licensed technology. Users can either deploy their own scaledencoders for position and motion a comprehensive line up of solutions, Renishaw brings the expertise needed your manufacturing challenges. Whether application calls for optical, magnetic or laser technology, our levels of accuracy, durability and reliability.
• Capacity: can handle 1 million connected devices per square kilometer
encoder
GAM Mechanical Drive Solutions for Robotic & Motion Control Applications From zero-backlash gearboxes to rack & pinion, GAM has the flexibility and broad product range for all your motion control and robotic applications. GAM’s broad product offerings in the gearbox industry, as well as the in-house engineering design experts and manufacturing capabilities to develop customized solutions, we can help with your application. GAM Can. 7th Axis/Robot Transfer: Dyna Series + Helical Rack & Pinion Designed for optimal system performance GCL Cycloidal Withstands shock loads of 5x nominal torque. Available with integrated pre-stage GSL Strain Wave with harmonic gearing for precise motion and high ratios GPL Planetary Zero-backlash, vibration-free, continuous coordinated motion www.gamweb.com | info@gamweb.com | 888.GAM.7117
The Robot Report
OMRON down 5G network localized on a site, or they can work with a communication service provider who dedicates slices of the public network for a specified end user. For most industrial applications, the private wireless network approach would be preferred for security, performance, andOnreliability.5Gnetworks, the handoff of a device from one access point to another is very smooth because 5G devices are constantly communicating with multiple access points and the handoff decision is centrally controlled. This results in an improved performance compared to WiFi, especially when it comes to packet losses and interruptions in the communication when the device is moving. Wi-Fi often has problems with certain physical signal barriers, whereas 5G benefits from reflections caused by the large quantity of metal typically found in industrial environments (Figure 4). For all these and other reasons, there is significant industry interest in applying 5G to many types of industrial applications. At many locations, existing Wi-Fi infrastructure is proving insufficient, so the build-out using new technology may already be under way or imminent.
Deployments of 5G for connecting AMRs have been evaluated and are in production at the OMRON Kusatsu factory and the Nokia Oulu factory.
For industrial operations, 5G private wireless networks deliver the high bandwidth, reliable low-latency connectivity, and massive IoT capabilities to meet the needs of current and future AMR deployments. 5G is becoming mainstream for commercial use, and there are many options for integrating it into industrial environments. OMRON and Nokia are leaders in AMR and 5G technology, and the two companies are working together to deliver field-proven solutions. RR 2022
AMRs and 5G — better together AMRs generally demand better than 100 ms of latency between the AMR and the fleet manager. While some existing technologies can do this, none can do so with all the other benefits provided by 5G. AMRs communicate with supervisory systems to send (upload) and receive (download) data and information like: • Download configuration/map changes • Upload activity data • Upload image/camera information • Upload/download navigation/ coordination information
Some of these activities are case,slowdownbestlessappropriatesharedcanbetoostreamingthesetechnologies,whereotherslow-latency/low-bandwidth,constantwhileareintermittenthigh-bandwidthlatencyislesscritical.Withcurrentusersmustbeawareofneedsandbalanceactivitytoavoidtoomuchdataorperformingmanychangesatonce,sotherewillnomomentaryoverloads.HighlatencyleadtotrajectoryinformationbeingtoolatefortheAMRtomakeansteeringdecision,causingthanintelligentbehavior.Inthecase,userswouldonlyexperienceaincycletimes,butintheworstacollisioncouldoccur.
AMRs using 5G will accelerate applications AMRs are helping companies everywhere work more efficiently and safely. As digital transformation and IoT initiatives progress, it is natural for users to incorporate advanced data gathering, visualization, and fleet management tasks into their AMRs. In many cases, however, the existing WiFi infrastructure constrains this growth.
124 September
Figure 4: This heat map showing AMRs with respect to Wi-Fi signal strength is representative of the analysis tools developed because coverage is so important for deployments. Private 5G overcomes a variety of problems so AMR fleets run more effectively.
|
One rollout is for a large industrial manufacturer, which wants to deploy 5G technology at 250 manufacturing plants worldwide. They are becoming acquainted with the technology and training their IT team because they want to operate and manage their 5G private network themselves.
End users of any size can benefit from 5G private wireless because it’s possible to install and run small-scale plugand-play solutions, along with larger and more robust platform options. It is also possible for independent systems integrators (SIs) to deploy, operate, and maintain on-site 5G networks for their clients. Another option is for a large telecom operator to offer 5G services to localized end users as a slice of the public network or as a private wireless network, leveraging their own frequency spectrum.
To overcome these challenges, OMRON and Nokia are working globally to install 5G in both development and production facilities to capture detailed data for future product development.
www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT
IncIntec,SCHUNK2021© Everything for your Articulating Arm Robot More than 3,000 components for handling and assembly. schunk.com/equipped-by NEW:GripperUniversalPGN-plus-PforcehigherUpCompensationTCUdeflectionmaximumUpSystemQuick-changeSWSgripperfaster90%changeto3°ToleranceUnitto50%gripping
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Advanced Products for Robotics and Automation
At CGI we serve a wide array of industries including medical, robotics, aerospace, defense, semiconductor, industrial automation, motion control, and many others. Our core business is manufacturing precision motion control solutions.
126 September 2022 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT Robotics
CGI’s diverse customer base and wide range of applications have earned us a reputation for quality, reliability, and flexibility. One of the distinct competitive advantages we are able to provide our customers is an engineering team that is knowledgeable and easy to work with. CGI is certified to ISO9001 and ISO13485 quality management systems. In addition, we are FDA and AS9100 compliant. Our unique quality control environment is weaved into the fabric of our manufacturing facility. We work daily with customers who demand both precision and rapid turnarounds. CGI Inc. CGI Inc. 3400 Arrowhead Drive Carson City, NV 89706 Toll Free: 1.800.568.4327 Ph: 1.775.882.3422 Fx: 1.775.882.9599 ISO 9001• ISO 13485 AS9100 ITAR GPL Series Robotic Planetary Gearbox combines the lowest backlash and high tilting rigidity with vibration-free operation for smooth, controlled
motion in robotics and motion control. • Backlash ≤ 0.6 arcsec (≤ 0.1 arcmin) is 10x better than cycloidal gearboxes • Backlash does not increase over the 20,000 hours of service live – no adjustment necessary • Precise, smooth path control and positioning allows for vibration-free continuous coordinated motion • Lower cost replacement for direct drive motors with equal or better performance • 7 sizes, up to 7000 Nm torque • Configurations including solid or hollow flange output, component or fully enclosed with motor mount. The GAM GPL series robotic planetary gearbox o ers a unique level of precision and performance unseen in other gearboxes on the market today! GAM 801 E Business Center Drive Mount Prospect, IL 60056 888.GAM.7117 | 847.649.2500 info@gamweb.comwww.gamweb.com GAM GPL: The New Standard in Zero-Backlash Gearboxes
SIX SIGMA AND LEAN PRACTICES ARE EMBRACED DAILY WITHIN THE CULTURE Robotics GAM’s
•
•
2. Focus on ease of use – select a plug-and-play solution.
Motorizing an AGV maxon precision motors, inc. 125 Dever Drive Taunton, MA 02780 Phone: info.us@maxongroup.comwww.maxongroup.us508.677.0520
3. Opt for fast delivery of your motor solution
4. Base the design on modularity - Not all AGVs do the same job and therefore having the flexibility to select a solution to match needed specifications is essential.
5. Prioritize safety – select motor options with integrated sensors. maxon’s IDX motor has a diameter of only 56 mm, its performance is equivalent to that of a motor with a footprint 25% larger. The IDX motorization thus combines performance in a compact size and ideal for AGVs. Go to Drive.tech for more details. Visit www.maxongroup.us for more maxon solutions.
Harmonic Drive Servo Grade AMR Propulsion Drive Trains
Robotics
1. Choose compact motorization where possible - Drives must fit into restricted spaces, as they are sometimes integrated into existing trucks. A small footprint is critical for applications in logistics.
Harmonic Drive is a registered trademark of Harmonic Drive Systems
THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com September 2022 127 Robotics
The drive wheels on Autonomous Mobile Robot platforms benefit from the inherent characteristics of harmonic planetary technology; primarily, smoothness of travel, backdrivability, and an e ciency curve that does not degrade over time.
The integral cross roller bearing construction contributes to an excellent balance of torque density, sti ness, and radial load support in a compact and reliable package. Available in dozens of standard reduction ratios, these low backlash drive trains include motor adaptation as required. 42 Dunham Ridge Beverly, MA 01915 United States www.harmonicdrive.net
Today’s AGVs must be compact and functional robots which are able to move vertically and carry heavy loads. These AGVs cannot fail, and so the choice of their motorization is crucial. There are 5 key points to consider when motorizing an AGV.
Robotics
An encoder series designed for use in harsh environments
Automating multiple tasks – Use the robot to accomplish a secondary task. Instead of remaining idle during machining, the robot can automatically deburr workpieces.
Maximize Robot ROI with E cient Re-Deployment
Adjustable custom tooling – Use dove tails and adjustable mountings in EOATs to expand tools for changing conditions or reach requirements. Many standard solutions are available - make the most of your investment with automation expert support today! SCHUNK: 211 Kitty Hawk Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560 info@us.schunk.com919-572-2705
Flexible machine table fixtures – Robots are widely identified for their ability to handle workpieces. They also excel at automatically replacing fixtures and other peripheral tooling.
Robots are flexible and adaptable. Quickly re-tasking robots for job variety can be challenging. Some common solutions: Changing workpieces – Quick-change gripper fingers and gripper changeouts are easily automated for workpiece variety or changing workpiece characteristics during manufacturing.
Renishaw, Inc. 1001 Wesemann Dr. West Dundee, IL, 60118 Phone: 847-286-9953 email: usa@renishaw.com website: www.renishaw.com
Robotics
128 September 2022 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT
Renishaw’s FORTiS™ delivers superior repeatability, reduced hysteresis, and improved measurement performance due to an innovative non-contact mechanical design that does not require a mechanical guidance carriage. It provides high resistance to the ingress of liquids and solid debris contaminants. It features an extruded enclosure with longitudinally attached interlocking lip seals and sealed end caps. The readhead body is joined to a sealed optical unit by a blade, which travels through the lip seals along the length of the encoder. Linear axis movement causes the readhead and optics to traverse the encoder’s absolute scale (which is fixed to the inside of the enclosure), without mechanical contact.
SEARCH MILLIONS OF PARTS FROM OFTHOUSANDSSUPPLIERS PRICING & AVAILABILITY Get real-time pricing and stock info from authorized distributors and manufacturers. DATA SHEETS & SPECS View and download product data sheets and technical speci cations. SOURCE & PURCHASE Compare options from suppliers and buy direct from distributors manufacturers.and ABOUT DESIGNFAST HOW DOES IT WORK? DesignFast is a search engine for nding engineering components and products. With DesignFast, engineers and sourcing professionals can quickly search for products, compare prices, check stock, view data sheets and go direct to the supplier for purchase. DesignFast aggregates product data from thousands of suppliers and distributors and makes it available for searching. DesignFast provides pricing, availability and product data sheets for free download. designfast.com
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Part of the Farapulse pulsed-field ablation system, the Farawave single-shot catheter is designed to create durable and circumferential lesions. Image courtesy of Boston Scientific September 2022 www.designworldonline.com
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“The key is that myocardial tissue is uniquely susceptible to this pulse-field energy source. And as a result, you can irreversibly damage myocardial tissue without irreversibly damaging surrounding tissues.
• Dr. Kenneth Stein is SVP and CMO of CRM at Boston Scientific, which acquired Farapulse in 2021. The Farapulse PFA treated nearly 2,000 patients in nine European countries last year. It has a CE mark, and Boston Scientific is seeking FDA clearance.
Here are some key takeaways from the panel, lightly edited for length and clarity: 1. PFA could be safer, faster and more Stein:effective.
• Dr. Steven Mickelsen founded Farapulse and is presently the chief translational science officer at Acutus Medical. The Acutus PFA system is under investigation in CE mark countries.
PFA’s roots go back to the dc ablation tech of the 1980s. These days, PFA generally involves high-voltage electric pulses from a catheter-delivered electrode or electrodes, each delivered at a tiny fraction of a second. Its potential advantages versus radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation include the characteristic that heart muscle tissue can be especially susceptible to it, while other types of surrounding tissue are injury resistant.
It’s hard these days to find a cardiac device company that is not doing something related to PFA. At our DeviceTalks Boston conference and expo in May 2022, we were lucky enough to have a panel of executives from three of the leaders in the space:
ulsed-field ablation is a nonthermal method for cardiac ablation that has the potential to positively disrupt the way atrial fibrillation (AFib) is treated.
TUBING TALKS
What is pulsedfield ablation? Here's what you need to know
• Dr. Khaldoun Tarakji is the CMO of the Cardiac Ablation Solutions operating unit at Medtronic. The medtech giant is in the process of completing a global clinical trial of its PulseSelect PFA system. It’s conducting the study in the U.S. under an FDA investigational device exemption. Medtronic also announced in January that it plans to acquire cardiac mapping and ablation technology developer Affera for nearly $1 billion. The plan is for the deal to close in the coming months.
DESIGN WORLD
Top experts at Boston Scientific, Medtronic and Acutus Medical shared insights about pulsed-field ablation’s potential at DeviceTalks Boston.
3. There are different approaches. Mickelsen: “What Acutus is looking at is that we need a flexible format that really highlights our ability to see and map AFib in real-time and choose targets based on that. And so one-size-fits-all didn’t necessarily meet the strategy of the company. That’s why we went with a point-by-point version of PFA. But I think every single company that’s in the space is going to have at least some offering that is a single shot, very simple, that doesn’t require the technical skills of moving around a deflectable catheter and the atrium for the purposes of a [pulmonary vein antrum isolation] tool. And then I think every one of the players in the field is also going to have a point-by-point offering because even if you do all your AFib ablation, you still have 50% of all ablations done on Earth that are not AFib.”
SVP and CMO of CRM at Boston Scientific Dr. Kenneth Stein CMO of the Cardiac Ablation Solutions operating unit at Medtronic Dr. Khaldoun Tarakji
Stein: “Every RF lesion in any catheter — if it’s the same sized catheter tip and the same back patch, it’s the same lesion. PFA is very much dependent on the particular waveform, the particular energy source and the particular workflow. And one of the things to watch out if you’re trying to create your own PFA startup is to remember the biophysics. The irreversible field of injury — that is always surrounded by a large field of reversible electroporation. One of the things you learn really fast when you start doing this is you’ve got to try really hard to get bad acute results with PFA. It always looks great acute, because even if you haven’t been irreversible, "There's a promise that ablation for atrial fibrillation is safer because you can avoid collateral damage. Because of that, you can ablate in areas a little more thermalthanaggressivelyyoucanwithtechniques."
you’ve got a reversible field. And so the proof of the pudding isn’t until you do three-month remaps, or you wait and look at your one-year chronic results. >> It’s very easy to fool yourself early. That’s part of why the development path for the Iowa Approach, which became Farapulse, took too long. And then the second thing I’d say, which was one of the things that I think Farapulse did really well, is not just taking an RF catheter and trying to push PFA through it. Actually design a catheter from the ground up to use this energy source. You can put wings on a boat and tell people to fly it, but you don’t want to be a passenger in that airplane.”
Dr. Steven Mickelsen
2. There are a lot of variables around PFA, and it’s going to take time to prove Mickelsen:results.“The field right now is very full with a lot of different strategies or recipes for pulse field. With RF — an oscillating wave where you get heating and it’s predictable — there’s a pretty narrow kind of bandwidth used universally throughout the field. But with PFA, there are a lot of options. That recipe can be a whole bunch of different engineering ways of playing with the knobs. And what I’m hoping to see is over the next five to 10 years is a convergence on what recipe works best for the heart.”
Tarakji: “I think the combination of durable lesions, effective therapy — at the same time achieving safety — that’s probably the main driver for the excitement in the EP [electrophysiology] community for pulsed-field ablation.”
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 133
Farapulse founder and ChiefScienceTranslationalOfficeratAcutusMedical
So there’s a promise that ablation for atrial fibrillation is safer because you can avoid collateral damage. Because of that, you can ablate in areas a little more aggressively than you can with thermal techniques. And therefore, there’s a promise that it may be more effective than conventional thermal techniques. And then depending on the format of the catheters, the generator and the workflow, it clearly can be much faster than conventional energy sources. There are very few times in medicine, engineering or life where you ever get that trifecta of safer, more effective and faster. As long as we can prove out in clinical trials that it lives up to that promise, it will revolutionize ablation therapy.”
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5G Technology World talks with Teradyne’s Jeorge Hurtarte, who explains components and over-the-air production test of 5G components.
5G moves into production, causes test issues
Massive MIMO performance testing: Emulate the channel Performing MIMO testing using real-world conditions is critical for successful 5G deployments.
5G is hot, keep your components and systems cool 5G’s antennas and the devices that drive them generate more heat than their LTE predecessors. That creates new cooling problems for wireless devices and systems.
IEEE 1588 adds timing performance while reducing cost and risk GPS and GNSS have been the standards for network timing, but they have security issues. A Master clock and IEEE 1588 reduces the risk and lowers installation costs.
5G Technology World is EEWorldOnline’s newest site covering 5G technology, systems, infrastructure, and wireless design and development. Get caught up on critical 5G information, check out the following articles on 5GTechnologyWorld.com: For additional content, go to: www.5gtechnologyworld.com WORLD Delivers the Latest Technology Trends
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4. There’s still a need for innovation. Stein: “If someone had a way of knowing they can interrogate and tell whether tissue is reversibly versus irreversibly electroporated, that would advance the field substantially.”
Tarakji: “You can achieve electrical silence, but that doesn’t give you the confidence of whether it’s going to be reversible or not. … Defining electrical silence, that’s easy. You put your catheter in, you can see that. But what’s reversible, what’s not? I agree, there’s still a lack of ability to do this.”
Image courtesy of Boston Scientific
Stein: “No one goes out to play golf with just a single club in their bag, unless it’s me playing miniature golf. Ablation takes a lot more than just that. There is a question of integration with 3D. We have anatomic mapping systems, there’s the issue of transeptal access. We’re really excited about the technology that Baylis Medical [acquired by Boston Scientific for $1.75 billion] brought to us in terms of transeptal crossing. It can also come to what other things does a patient need? Do they need left atrial appendage closure with something like the Watchman device? We as a company try to look at ourselves as not just providing widgets for people who need widgets to treat their patients, but to really provide a comprehensive toolset for the overall management for patients with atrial fibrillation.”
TUBING TALKS
DESIGN WORLD September 2022 135
(continued on page 138) The Dexcom G6 CGM product family Photo courtesy of Dexcom 2022
SEAN ASSOCIATEWHOOLEYEDITOR
In the '90s, MiniMed ran trials with a fully implantable system before Medtronic bought the company. Sayer admits the system with an implantable pump and sensor wasn't particularly practical, but it planted the seeds for what could grow.
K evin Sayer began thinking about automated insulin delivery all the way back in 1994 when he was working at MiniMed.
With the G7 nearing FDA clearance, Dexcom leadership foresees major innovations for integrated automated insulin delivery down the line.
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136 Medical Design & Outsourcing 7 • 2022 www.medicaldesignandoutsourcing.com
"I've often asked myself the question, 'How big does this get?' The feedback I'm hearing from users of both Tandem's system and [Insulet's] Omnipod 5 is incredibly positive.
136 September
Nearly 30 years later, as CEO of Dexcom, that space continues to pique his interest.
Now with Dexcom, the maker of the leading G6 continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system — and the next-generation G7, which is expected to receive FDA clearance soon — Sayer has seen the integration of CGM with automated insulin delivery through partnerships with Insulet and Tandem Diabetes Care. He believes room for growth remains, with pump penetration not yet passing 50% of intensive insulin users.
"I've been around the fringes of this for a very long time," Sayer told Drug Delivery Business News during the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions in June.
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 137
The Dexcom G7 continuous glucose monitor Photo courtesy of Dexcom The Dexcom One Photo courtesy of Dexcom 138 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
I think this is going to be a very important part of our business going forward." Sayer said G7 offers an even better opportunity over time because it is 60% smaller than the G6, which "decreases the amount of real estate on the body."
Once it garners FDA clearance, the integration into Tandem's and Insulet's systems will further highlight the benefits of the next-generation CGM. Dexcom owns the algorithm that represents the basis of Tandem's t:slim X2 insulin pump. Sayer said he sees the analytics angle as a "bright" future component of what the company does.
Dexcom has to incorporate artificial intelligence algorithms with data collected from its technology to find new and improved ways to help people manage their diabetes, he said.
Recent rumors put Dexcom in the mix to enter the automated insulin delivery space itself, with Bloomberg reporting that the company was in talks to acquire Insulet.
DEXCOM ‘SCIENCE BOOM’
"So, then, how does Dexcom play into this? The most important element is giving somebody an accurate glucose reading that is communicated on a timely basis. The second-most-important element is an algorithm that can drive that outcome, and we've got access to both, and we've got partners who can use it. We're very excited about the future here."
"I think you'll see a science boom over the next 10 years with this stuff," Sayer said. "It can give people opportunities to pretty much get out of their diabetes care and let systems do it. Right now, we're not there, and there'll be a lot of trials and a lot of pain.
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Suggestions of a merger between the two diabetes tech giants were quickly put to rest when Dexcom issued a statement saying it is not in active discussions regarding any such transaction. The company said it did not intend to comment further on the matter, and Sayer declined to offer a comment a week after.
"Our focus will be on supporting our partners and helping the technologies that can best serve that space," he said.
FIND OUT WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW NITTO:
DEXCOM ‘SCIENCE BOOM’
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The platform features a nearly two-thirds size reduction, a 30-minute warmup period (down from waiting two hours for glucose readings to begin in the past) that offers reliable data after just that half-hour period, more information in one place with personalized insights, extended-wear design and more. Over Zoom, Sayer demonstrated the simplicity of the G7 experience, with the process containing very few steps. He opened a box, unscrewed a cap and showed that all the user has to do is place The Dexcom G6 (left) compared to the G7 (right) Photo courtesy of Dexcom 139
MEASUREDBECAUSENITTOKOHKI.COM/PUMPSLIFEISN’TINMINUTES.
"It's a give and take, back and forth, and the FDA has been very involved with us in discussions," Sayer said as ADA came to a close last month. "Would we like to be in all these discussions? No. Would we like to be done? Absolutely. But, we understand that, if they're going to grant us all-iCGM status where we're integrated with insulin delivery systems, they're entitled to ask a bunch of questions, because people's lives depend on this."
The heartbeat of any component supplier is performance; and perhaps nowhere is this truer than for those that supply the medical device industry. Performance, then, is our heartbeat; and for over 60 years we have been providing vacuum and pressure pumps that support the life of our customers’ products and the lives of those who use those products. Nitto Kohki’s linear-piston design means quieter operation, lower vibration, ease of maintenance, exceptional energy efficiency, and long, consistent product performance. Find out why this beat goes on and on. 800.843.6336
G7 excitement Plenty of focus remains on Dexcom's next-generation G7, which could be picking up FDA clearance any day now. Sayer earlier this year said clearance may come after ADA.
140 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD FREE CATALOG Small Mechanical Components Stock and Custom • One Single Source Precision Gears and Gearboxes Timing Belts & Pulleys MotorGearheadsBearingsCouplingss Call Us at 516-328-3300 or Shop SDP/SI at www.sdp-si.com We have the expertise, state-of-the-art CNC machinery and world-class manufacturing facility you need. Check out our Engineering Resources DEXCOM ‘SCIENCE BOOM’ the apparatus on their body and push a button to apply the sensor."Everybody who's on it, they're never going back to what they had before," Sayer said. "Nobody's going back to G6. Nobody's going back to wearing no sensor. They absolutely love it. I think it'll be a wonderful product for us."
Dexcom's expanded portfolio G7 isn't the only exciting technology at Dexcom, as Jake Leach, the company's chief technology officer, told Drug Delivery Business News in April. “We are producing a portfolio of products,” Leach said. “We’re differentiating our portfolio."
walk [at ADA] and everybody I talk to, Dexcom has become part of their company, part of their lives," Sayer said. "We really are dialed in here and have made a lot of progress. I think the future looks amazing."
“Underlying business indicators are stable,” Thibault said. “We remain bullish on long-term, broad-based growth for CGM adoption.”Sayeragrees."EverywhereI
And while clearance for G7 looms, G6 is still performing at a high level, with one study presented at ADA highlighting users in Belgium who switched from Abbott's FreeStyle Libre to Dexcom's G6 and experienced marked improvement over three years, Sayer Analystsnoted.areoptimistic about Dexcom and its upcoming offerings. BTIG’s Marie Thiabult wrote that the company is experiencing strong adoption trends as the introduction of G7 in the U.K. is “going well.”
Sayer echoed Leach's sentiment, pointing to the launch of Dexcom One — an easy-to-use, real-time CGM (rt-CGM) that it aims to make more affordable and accessible with a wearable sensor and transmitter to continuously monitor glucose levels and send real-time values wirelessly to a compatible smart device via the Dexcom One mobile app. Dexcom One was recently launched in the United Kingdom, and Sayer said there's a coming launch in Spain, too. The company also received FDA breakthrough device designation for the use of CGMs in hospitals. Sayer said they've assembled a team that features hospital device experience so Dexcom will be ready for full approval.
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 141 MEDICAL Eagle Stainless Tube & Fabrication Inc. Franklin, www.eagletube.comMassachusetts800-528-8650 Stainless steel is a commonly used material in applications ranging from medical instruments or chemical storage because of its high corrosion resistance, hygiene and strength. • Tubing- Hypodermic, fractional, metric, and pipe • Cut-to-length tubing • Bending • CNC Machining • End forming • Assemblies and more Eagle Stainless is a tubing supplier with knowledge and experience that can help you maximize the value, reliability, and performance of your design with highquality tubing tailored for your project. ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 High Quality Designs Need High Quality Components MEDICAL DC Motor-Driven Pumps NITTO KOHKI U.S.A., INC. 46 Chancellor Drive Roselle, IL 60172 Toll Free: (800) 843 6336 Phone: (630) 924 8811 Fax: (630) 924 0808 E-mail: www.nittokohki.cominfo-pumps@nittokohki.com Nitto Kohki’s DC motor-driven air compressors and vacuum pumps are ideal for applications requiring exceptionally reliable air flow, pressure or vacuum performance. Featuring oil-free operation, a single moving part, low noise, and low vibration, this line of linear air compressors comes in 12V and 24V models. Other benefits include: • Very low power consumption • Self-cooling design • Exceptional service life (rated at 10,000 hours) • Easy maintenance Ideal for demanding applications in the medical device and laboratory equipment industry, including dialysis machines, blood separators, blood analyzers, incubators, heart assist devices and more.
142 September 2022 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD Santa Clara Convention Center CO-LOCATED2022EVENT robobusiness.com Sponsorship opportunities are available for future ROBOBusinessDirect programs. For more information, contact COURTNEY NAGLE cseel@wtwhmedia.com | 440.523.1685 MEDICAL SDP/SI – One Single Source SDP/SI creates precision gears, superior mechanical components, and customized motion control solutions for medical device OEMs. With over 70 years of experience and proven performance SDP/SI provides the reliability that the medical industry requires. Partnering with companies that include Abbott Laboratories, Intuitive Surgical, Siemens Healthcare, Medtronic, and many more, we provide support from the early design stage through delivery. • Precision CNC Manufacturing • Engineering Development – with years of experience we know how to make systems smaller, lighter, and faster. • ISO 7 Class 1000 Cleanroom for Assembly • Gear Cutting / Bevel Gear Cutting • Custom Drive Systems / Gearboxes Send an RFQ online, discuss your project with our engineers, visit our facility. We look forward to working with you! Stock Drive Products/Sterling Instrument (SDP/SI) 250 Du y Avenue, Hicksville, NY 11801 (516)sdp-sisupport@sdp-si.comhttps://www.sdp-si.com328-3300
The P4HD.56.R is a heavy-duty energy chain cable carrier for long travels, high speeds, heavy cable loads, and Industry 4.0.
An important operating feature: when compared to most other electric brakes, the unique Miki Pulley brake design is one-half the overall size thickness. Specifications are:
A special fork-tab principle ensures greater stability at higher additional loads, while a pin/bore connection made of tribologically optimized plastic minimizes wear. Furthermore, rollers are mounted in the inner radius of the chain links. As
The brake opens and allows for free rotation during robot arm movements and snaps closed when power is disengaged — halting position of the arm. When the robot arm is in position for long periods of time, the brake consumes no voltage.
These Miki Pulley brakes are a cost-e ective safety device for all robot holding arms and joints including cobot systems. They are a positive “halt and hold” device to mitigate potential mechanical damage to an automated system.
• Static friction torque range: 0.044 to 2.36 ft-lb. (0.06 to 3.20 Nm)
• Maximum RPM: 6000
BXR Brakes apply holding torque after the motor joint stops and provides dynamic braking in the event of an emergency such as a power interruption.
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• Ambient operating temperature 14° – 104° F (-10° to 40° C) the e-chain travels, the upper run rolls on the lower run instead of sliding. Thanks to the low coe cient of friction, payload, and acceleration can be increased without changing the push/ pull force. Long-term tests in igus’s in-house laboratory prove that P4HD.56.R, the heavy-duty design, achieves a 50% longer service life than the standard P41.56R variant.
The heavy-duty e-chain can run trouble-free for up to 15 years. The engineers have developed special design features to achieve a long service life in STS cranes under high loads.
The brake’s internal compression springs mechanically hold the armature plate against the rotor disc, ensuring no movement. When voltage is re-applied, the brake opens and allows for free movement.
The recent development of ultra-large container vessels (ULCV) is changing the industry and putting new pressure on terminals to provide deeper drafts and taller ship-to-shore (STS) cranes to service these mammoth containers e ciently. This enlargement also a ects the cable carriers that guide the energy and data cables for the crane trolley. They must withstand unprecedented loads: travels of over 130 m, cable weights of up to 10 kg/m (over 20 kg/m for motor-driven trolleys), and accelerations of more than 1 m/sec2 are standard for Triple E-class STS cranes. In other applications, travel distances of several hundred meters, cable loads of up to 50 kg/m, and accelerations of 8 m/sec2 and more are possible.
Miki Pulley mikipulley-us.com
Product World DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com September 2022 143
Brakes for robotic arm applications
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permco.com
Permco tests and certifies every pump prior to shipment. Building a high-quality pump is meticulous work, Permco’s prep work is very similar to what you would see in a good engine rebuild shop. Tests confirm leak-free and quiet operation and that flow meets design specs. And any problem gets flagged immediately, not at the customer’s site. It’s a significant undertaking, which is why most manufacturers only test 1 in 10 units. Finally, the approved product is assigned a serial number that includes the initials of the assembler - a further sign of the workmanship and personal attention that stands behind a high-quality pump. Contact us now for a Permco distributor near you. | (800) 626-2801
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misumi.info/packaging Learn more about MISUMI’s offerings for packaging machinery. SupportsGuidesLinearRotaryShafts ShaftsLinearMetal Washers & Metal Collars The Right Components for your Packaging Automation Needs Shop MISUMI’s large selection of linear and rotary motion components for packaging automation. Use our easy online configurator to customize our standard motion components to fit your requirements.
