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Being able to predict and plan maintenance is the goal pursued by igus with its smart plastics solutions. Intelligent sensors, for example, measure the wear of energy chains, chainflex cables, slewing rings and linear guides. With the new icom.plus communication module, the customer can now decide in which form they would like to incorporate the acquired data from the sensors. From an offline version for restricted security environments up to a data connection to the igus server for automatic spare parts ordering, the user is free to integrate and access their data.

Under the name isense, igus offers a wide range of sensors that detect the condition of igus components, such as cables or energy chains. They measure wear and tear during operation, among other things, and alert the used as soon as a repair or exchange is required. By networking with the icom communication module, the data is transmitted to an intelligent system.

This module can be connected to all igus sensors. For example, with sensors for the measurement of abrasion, or the wear measurement of the pin-bore connection of the energy chain, as well as sensors for the detection of break and push-pull forces and for cable monitoring. Once the measured values from a sensor have been transferred to the icom module, they have to be “interpreted”, i.e. understood so that an action command can be generated. So far, this has been possible via connection to the igus cloud. However, due to the increasing importance of IT security, many companies are increasingly relying on the development of their own SCADA systems, which is why igus has now advanced its data collector into icom.plus. With the new module, the customer can integrate the data in the way that best suits their systems.

The icom.plus is programmed via igus online configurators with initial service life algorithms. The special feature is that the new communication module can be operated offline upon customer request, after online installation without update function. In this ‘semi-offline‘ case, during an initial ’learning phase‘, the device requires a temporary, short-term secured IoT access to the igus server to match the calculation algorithms to the actual motion and environmental profile of the customer application. In very security restricted areas, the update can also be performed from the beginning via a storage medium completely offline. In this way, the user can flexibly design the connection of the module and their data and establish a balance between maximising the runtime and IT security.

The motion profile required for the calculation of the maintenance recommendation is read directly from the control system via the bus system of the machine. In the same way, the information about the number of days until the next recommended maintenance and freely definable warning messages about unusual changes in the sensor data are transferred to the PLC control. The user information is provided directly via the system monitor or via customer-specific SCADA systems.

With the online connection of the icom.plus, a continuous matching of the service life statement with the igus cloud takes place to enable maximum system runtimes with minimal failure risk. The data in the cloud draws on the 10 billion test cycles of energy chains and cables performed in the company’s own 2,750 square metre test laboratory, and thanks to machine learning and AI, igus can provide precise information on the durability of the solutions used and inform the user about a necessary replacement in advance.

Precision turned parts manufacturer AES Precision has invested in a Trimos V5 height gauge from Bowers Group to ensure quality of components used in the medical, defence, aerospace, automotive and electronics industries. Based in Ashford, Kent, AES Precision produce complex, high precision components used by some of the largest manufacturing and technology companies in the world.

Mark Wilson, Director at AES Precision Engineering, said: “We have strict quality control procedures, and must meet tight tolerances, so accuracy is incredibly important to us. The Trimos height gauge is a great solution for our general inspection requirements.” AES Precision typically uses a CMM for the measurement of complex components. For basic parts requiring quick and accurate measurements, however, a simple solution was needed that would be fast and easy to use. The business previously used a basic digital height gauge, but decided it was time to upgrade to a more sophisticated model with a few more features.

The Trimos V5 height can either be manually operated or motor driven, and has a clear display and user-friendly functions.  It offers exceptional ease of use; so easy in fact that all shop floor operatives and inspectors at AES Precision use the height gauge on a daily basis. Mark continues; “We find the height gauge very accurate, and it has a great range of functions to suit our needs. Training was very straightforward and everyone here was confidently using the height gauge very quickly!”

Having the option of both manual and motor-driven operation means the height gauge can accommodate multiple users and achieve consistently accurate measurements regardless of which mode is used. The side probe holders enable measuring with long, robust probes, which guarantee excellent repeatability. AES Precision calibrates the height gauge in house at recommended intervals to ensure consistently accurate measurements.

As AES Precision serves industries renowned for their precision component parts, quality is extremely important. The business also offers First Article Inspection Reports (F.A.I.R), including tailored reporting and data collection to suit the individual requirements of clients. This, along with a fully traceable QMS system, means that AES Precision’s quality system meets or exceeds the requirements of most clients manufacturing needs.

Based in Ashford, Kent, AES Precision Engineering offers a variety of services including CNC milling and turning, and new product development services including full mechanical design. Family run since 1987, AES Precision has two generations invested in the company who have built a team of hardworking, enthusiastic people to drive the business forward.

AES Precision has recently expanded its facility, including a full refurbishment, as well as investing in new machinery and processes to improve its services and strive for continual improvement in all areas of the business. Services include traditional 3 axis CNC milling and high speed 5 axis simultaneous milling, allowing AES Precision to produce complex, high precision components. The business also offers 24/7 lights out production with its fully automated process, offering customers great value and rapid production times.

Thomas Burke, Global Strategic Advisor at CLPA, will host the webinar “Time Sensitive Networking (TSN): A Game Changing Technology Transforming the Smart Factory” on May 28, 2020 at 11:00 AM EDT. The live presentation is the first event of the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA)’s new webinar series on the latest innovations and trends in network technologies for factory automation. The virtual meetings will help manufacturers navigate the landscape of industrial communications solutions to implement the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and create interconnected factories.

The CLPA will kick off its webinars with Thomas Burke’s expert insight into the potential of TSN to create futureproof connectivity. The key feature of this technology is its ability to offer low-latency and high reliability communications, even when merging control data and other types of traffic onto the same network.

The presenters, Thomas Burke and Mariana Alvarado, Marketing Specialist at CLPA, will also showcase how the integration of TSN with open Gigabit Ethernet can be highly beneficial. Businesses relying on this combination can set up high-speed communications between multi-vendor devices and systems for real-time data sharing across different levels. Finally, participants will be able to learn about the first open industrial Ethernet combining 1Gbit bandwidth and TSN functionalities, CC-Link IE TSN, and its capabilities when applied to manufacturing operations.

As the need for productive, fully automated factory floors continues to grow steadily, effective connectivity technologies become increasingly crucial, as they are key to sharing information between machines, systems and operators. With a plethora of solutions available, it is important for manufacturers to select the ones that are most reliable and suitable for their intended applications.

The new webinar series from the CLPA aims at supporting businesses in these decisions by sharing its experience in industrial communications and network technologies. In this way, participants can get an insight into the most promising innovations and what to look for when implementing IIoT.

Thomas Burke comments: “TSN is a truly revolutionary network technology and the CLPA feels it is important for manufacturers to know what it’s all about and how it can benefit them. Therefore, we hope that this first webinar, as well as the subsequent virtual meetings, will help to inform the industry and prepare businesses for the future of manufacturing. By sharing our 20-year long experience in the sector, we are giving them the tools to select the technologies and solutions that are best suited to futureproof their specific applications. We invite anyone interested in implementing IIoT and smart manufacturing to register for our webinars.”

Participation in the webinars is free of charge and open to all following registration. Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and join in during interactive sessions within the webinars.

Manufacturers whose visual inspection misses too many faults, creating a backbreaking Total Cost of Defect (TCoD), will be able to find out how Autonomous Machine Vision (AMV) can solve their problems, during a webinar organised by Inspekto, the company that founded the AMV category.

Following the success of its first webinar on Autonomous Machine Vision, held on May 19, Inspekto will repeat the event. The next webinar will be on May 26, at 2.00pm BST (3.00pm CET, 9.00am EDT) and will be held on Zoom. Interested parties can register for tickets here, via Eventbrite. Registered participants will find the Zoom link and the password at the bottom of their registration ticket.

The webinar will first explain the concept of AMV, which has revolutionised parts inspection since its launch at VISION 2018 in Stuttgart. Next, the session will move on to demonstrate real life use cases, across multiple sectors — from aerospace and industrial parts to packaging and home appliances.

The presenter, Daniel Atherton-Moore, one of Inspekto’s key technical experts from its Detroit branch, will tell AMV’s story from its roots in the DACH region’s automotive sector, with early adopters such as MAHLE, to its current position in dozens of global blue chip manufacturers, including Bosch, BMW, Schneider Electric and PepsiCo.

The Inspekto S70 is the world’s first AMV device and the world’s first self-contained machine vision product that can be delivered to a plant and fitted by the plant’s own staff, without the help of a vision systems integrator (SI).

It can inspect any part, at any plant, in any industry after being presented with just 10-20 good examples. It does not need to learn from bad parts, instead recognising faults that don’t appear on the original template components.

The S70 will automatically adapt to any light conditions, any conveyor speed and any new fault, without the need for human intervention. It can be moved around a production line or deployed permanently with ease, thanks to its easy fit Bosch profile connector.

“Imagine ordering a new cell phone and being sent a circuit board, an antenna, an LCD, a microphone, a speaker and a battery as well as an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor and so on,” explained Atherton-Moore. “You would call the phone company in a pretty foul mood, right?

“That’s how quality assurance managers feel when they are faced with a conventional vision solution. Which lens do they need? What lighting settings are required? Which PLC? Which camera? It’s no wonder that an entire industry of vision systems integrators exists to answer these questions, sell the parts and install everything on site.

“During the webinar, I’ll be explaining why manufacturers can now put quality control in their own hands. No need for an SI, no need for a bill, price-tag circa hundreds of thousands of dollars, and no need for a TCoD that makes your manufacturing director explode with fury!

“Instead, we have a single product, that you can use out of the box, which will detect one hundred per cent of faults and costs, at most, a quarter of the price of a single point of vision installed by an integrator in the old fashioned way,” concluded Atherton-Moore.

The webinar is a free event and interested parties can sign up on Eventbrite here.

A pressure scanner manufacturer has announced their partnership deal in the EU’s Clean Sky 2 Project.

UK based, Evolution Measurement, will supply its EvoScann P-Series pressure scanners to assist in the testing phase of Clean Sky 2, the largest European research programme developing innovative, cutting-edge technology aimed at reducing CO2, gas emissions and noise levels produced by aircraft.

Clean Sky 2 technologies will enable future aircraft to cut fuel burn and related CO2 emissions by 20-30 per cent whilst cutting noise levels (compared to 2014) by a similar amount. EvoScann P-Series pressure scanner will be used in aerodynamic testing phases to increase fuel efficiency.

“We are really excited to be part of Clean Sky 2,” said Managing Director, Paul Crowhurst. “The P-Series pressure scanner will support the aerodynamic testing programme which aims to improve wing design efficiency, and subsequently help to reduce CO2 emissions.”

Clean Sky’s projects are helping to dramatically slash the air industry’s CO2, other gases and noise footprints by developing new engine architectures, improved wing aerodynamics, lighter composite structures, smarter trajectories, and more electrical on-board energy. Funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, Clean Sky contributes to strengthening European aero-industry collaboration, global leadership and competitiveness.

Arrow Electronics, Panasonic Industry, and STMicroelectronics (ST) have introduced a low-power wireless multi-sensor edge-intelligence solution for smart factory, smart home and smart life applications.

The IoT Solution Module combines Arrow’s engineering and global distribution capabilities with Panasonic Industry’s IoT modules based on the ST BlueTile (STEVAL-BCN002V1B) multi-sensor development kit. This combination enables customers to test their ideas easily and bring new IoT products to the market faster.

The IoT Solution Module features ST’s latest BlueNRG Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 system-on-chip paired with numerous inertial, environmental, and audio sensors. The onboard sensors enable the cost-effective delivery of a broad range of compact and valuable IoT applications for smart factory, smart home and smart life scenarios.

Comprehensive services and validation processes enable a reduced BOM that combines an accelerometer and gyroscope with Time-of-Flight, pressure, and humidity sensors in an efficient low-power design with Bluetooth communications. This combination enables OEM customers to dramatically slash time-to-market and reduce design expense and complexity using certified modules.

“Building on the outstanding features and design of the ST BlueTile sensor-node development kit, the modules now available from Panasonic Industry through Arrow Electronics are ideal for speeding creation of a wide range of edge-node sensors for all kinds of Internet-of-Things applications,” said Philip Lolies, EMEA Vice President, Marketing & Application, STMicroelectronics.

”Panasonic’s IoT Solution Modules inspired by ST BlueTile support customers by cutting down their time to market in this fast paced era,” said Dr. Sara Ghaemi, team leader, IoT, Panasonic Industry Europe. “Panasonic Industry is able to offer an unrivaled customer service throughout all stages of the product lifecycle ranging from design, development and validation to aftermarket. The modules support customers in reducing their development efforts and overall product costs while guaranteeing the highest quality and required certifications. This new solution will serve the customer’s needs in smart factory, smart home and smart life applications.”

“The modern embedded design requires sensors and wireless connectivity. This is accelerating based on the breadth of wireless standards being integrated into products”, said Matthias Hutter, vice president of product management and supplier marketing at Arrow Electronics in EMEA. “However, using sensors and designing the supporting circuitry for the task would take a lot of time and resources to develop. Additional certification time is needed on top. Using pre-qualified wireless sensor modules in the system design is saving development time and budget which speeds up time to market for our customers. By working with ST and Panasonic we are bringing the fundamental sensor and wireless building blocks in a great package for accelerated design.”

ProGlove is responding to customers’ needs in manufacturing, distribution and logistics for a smart solution to help workers maintain proper social distance. Leveraging its MARK family of wearable barcode scanners and ProGlove Connect app for Android, ProGlove announces today a product upgrade that activates proximity sensing for frontline workers. With production lines resuming operations, safety and efficiency are top of mind.

“Our key customers are sharing with us the challenges they’re facing as they rethink and retool to restart operations,” says Andreas Koenig, CEO of ProGlove. “We faced similar challenges as we reviewed our own processes for safety and efficiency. It is our natural tendency, as humans, to want to go back to doing things the way we did them before, however, it’s not possible. Proper social distancing is now key to a successful return to work.”

To help workers — on the assembly line or in the distribution centre — maintain proper distance from each other, the new ProGlove Connect Proximity app provides an additional layer of feedback on an Android device alone or when paired with a ProGlove MARK barcode scanner which rests on the employee’s hand.

When personally equipped with the MARK wearable scanner and paired Android device, workers coming within close proximity of each other are alerted. The alerts come to the workers via a full array of options on the wearable scanner including audio sound, optic LED light, and haptic vibration signals. This is important in a busy or noisy shop floor environment where an Android alert in a pocket could be easily overlooked.

“We tested the MARK upgrade in-house and it works beautifully. We’re now rolling it out on our own assembly line,” notes Konstantin Brunnbauer, VP of Production for ProGlove. “For my team it is easy to want to fall back into old patterns of working together but with this extra reminder we can maintain safe distance.”

ProGlove Connect Proximity is in beta and is phase one of the company’s software initiative to help its customers manage safe social distancing in the workplace. In phase two, device-level proximity data will be made available in ProGlove’s software application. Managers can then easily identify bottlenecks in the warehouse with this information and plan for modifications to layouts, schedules or workflows.

The app upgrade is available for free to current ProGlove customers. For new customers, starting in June, the app is a valuable feature on top of the advantages of a rugged lightweight wearable barcode scanner for safety and efficiency.

Highly reliable automation and machine-control systems are used to eliminate assembly faults and improve efficiency in an assembly operation. Whilst the repetitive assembly tasks are well-suited to being done by robots, these robots can be too slow at picking and placing the assembled parts and therefore a rotary indexing table is used to move the assemblies between the robots.

The rotary indexing table speeds up the transfer of PCBs between assembly robots and also on and off conveyors, increasing the production throughput and reducing the number of assembly robots required – Sensors are used to automate these processes and these sensors must be able to operate continuously at high speed, performing tasks including: presence detection to initiate the cassette-change cycle in a stack feeder; position control for a rotary indexing table; pick-and-place gripper control; and presence monitoring on a conveyor system.

Stack-feeders deliver base plates, electrical printed circuit boards and other planar components to the assembly lines. In each stack-feeder, a vertical cassette holds as many as 50 individual parts and a single inductive sensor monitors the status of each cassette. Once the final part is discharged from the stack, the cassette moves to its end position, triggering the sensor and initiating the cassette-change cycle.

Contrinex C23 embeddable inductive sensors, featuring a one-piece stainless-steel housing, are both robust and highly reliable. A 7mm sensing distance allows ample operating clearance, minimising the risk of mechanical collision. Their implementation into the assembly equipment is made easier by the choice of industry-standard PNP or NPN outputs with either a PUR cable or an M8 pigtail connector. Additionally, IO-Link, a standardised point-to-point serial connection protocol for sensors and actuators, is provided at no additional cost, offering the advantages of digital communication without the need for special cabling, making them ideal for Industry 4 applications.

Designed for demanding applications, Contrinex’s rugged C23 inductive sensors offer best-in-class switching frequency of 180Hz and exceptional robustness including impact and abrasion resistance, making them a versatile, cost-effective and highly reliable solution. These uniquely robust sensors are typically demonstrated by Contrinex as being able to repeatedly being used to hammer in nails. Even when their front face is dented, the sensor continues to operate correctly.

Conveyors deliver a continuous stream of parts to the rotary indexing table, which transports them in sequence to each assembly station. As the table rotates, sensors located at precise intervals around its periphery detect its exact angular position, bringing it to a halt once parts are correctly positioned for the next operation.

At each assembly station, automated pick-and-place equipment add components to the assembly. Dedicated transport mechanisms – including vacuum lifters, electromagnetic clamps and mechanical grippers – insert items swiftly and accurately in their designated positions. Embeddable inductive sensors play a key role in confirming the secure closure of custom-designed grippers before fragile, high-value parts are lifted.

Manufactured in V4A/ AISI 316L stainless steel and rated to IP68/ IP69K, these small inductive sensors can be fully embedded into a steel surface such as part of the rotary table or an assembly jig or bench, further reducing the potential for mechanical damage.

On completion of the final assembly stage, finished PCBs are discharged to a linear conveyor system. They travel to subsequent processing stages, including testing and packing. C23 Full Inox sensors mounted directly above these conveyors, detect each unit as it passes below. This check not only confirms the presence of the assembled item at the expected height above the conveyor but also measures throughput by activating a counting circuit in the customer’s control system.

Continuous operation is the norm in automated assembly plants. However, minor adjustments or tool changes may be required from time to time. In non-safety-critical areas, access hatches allow maintenance technicians to carry out these tasks without needing to interrupt production across an entire plant. Multiple sensors, mounted at intervals around the periphery of a hatch, ensure that appropriate warning signals are activated whenever the opening is not fully secured.

The Contrinex C23 series of Full Inox inductive sensors have the capability of communicating remotely with a plant-wide control system, thanks to the implementation of the IO-Link protocol. In a typical automated plant, each assembly line runs continuously throughout the day, with remote diagnostics eliminating the need for manual intervention in almost every situation.

Designed to simplify integration, IO-Link sensors are compatible with all IO-Link master versions, allowing set-up and diagnostics to be conducted centrally. Interrogating a device returns its manufacturer ID and product ID, allowing systems integrators to determine remotely that the right sensor is in the correct location. Contrinex C23 inductive sensors additionally feature an on-demand self-test function that confirms full capability at all times.

For the C23 inductive series, alternating between normally open and normally closed functionality via remote output-mode configuration is a standard feature of the IO-Link protocol. Systems designers also can modify the output signal. Delaying the switching pulse accommodates any travel time between a sensor and its corresponding actuation point, while stretching the pulse ensures that slave devices with lengthy response times trigger reliably, even at high throughput rates.

Finally, each sensor provides an output-status check derived from its factory calibration data. If the output signal from a sensor falls outside a range that corresponds to a sensing distance between 80% and 100% of its nominal value, an alarm flag is triggered, highlighting the need for investigation. For plant managers under pressure, peace-of-mind is a valuable benefit.

The no-cost option of the industry-standard IO-Link protocol ensures that best-in-class performance is coupled with ultimate ease of use in even the most demanding circumstances.

Contrinex sensors and more information are available from PLUS Automation.

FLIR Systems announce the FLIR C5 Compact Thermal Camera with new built-in FLIR Ignitecloud connectivity and Wi-Fi features for professionals in the building maintenance, manufacturing, and utility industries. The FLIR C5 is designed as a pocket-portable thermal camera, providing easy sharing tools and reduced diagnostic time for commercial electrical testing, mechanical engineering, home and building inspection, energy auditing, and general contracting.

The C5 is the first FLIR Cx-Series thermal camera to offer the FLIR Ignite cloud-based solution. When connected to Wi-Fi, professionals can directly upload, store, and back up images and videos to FLIR Ignite. Professionals can also manage and share the data via email from any mobile device or desktop computer. With all images and videos in one place, sharing data with team members and creating reports for customers is convenient and simple.

Featuring FLIR Lepton thermal imaging sensor and FLIR-patented MSX (Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging) technology, which embosses visible scene details onto thermal images to create a crisp image, inspectors can pinpoint hidden problems instantly.

“The FLIR C5 helps professionals troubleshoot faster and more safely by guiding them to the source of problems including electrical faults, hot fuses, air leaks, plumbing issues, and moisture,” said Rickard Lindvall, General Manager, Solutions Line of Business at FLIR. “The compact C5 is an ideal size to carry in a pocket or tool bag, enabling faster inspections.”

The FLIR C5 is available for purchase today for £588.72 (Ex. VAT) on FLIR.co.uk and through FLIR authorized distributors. To learn more, please visit www.flir.co.uk/products/C5.

AMADA WELD TECH has announced increased strategical partnerships with manufacturers of battery modules, used in vital life support systems, as part of the effort to meet the increased demand for ventilators and their component parts during the current global health crisis. AMADA WELD TECH is a key supplier to both the medical and battery industries and has been additionally listed with the UK government as a supporting manufacturer for the production of ventilators and medical systems. As a result, the company has increased production in recent weeks, all whilst maintaining the safety and health of employees and customers.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold and governments work to contain the spread of the virus, hospital electrical power failure represents a more significant challenge than ever before. While backup generators offer the first line of defence, in the case of total or extended power failure, battery technology is critically important to life-sustaining care. Life-support equipment, such as the ventilators in such high demand during this crisis, must have a reliable battery back-up solution to ensure continued patient care in the event of a total power failure. Battery technology is also necessary to ensuring continued operation of vital equipment between a power failure and the switchover to backup generators. In addition, battery power ensures that essential support and monitoring can be maintained safely as patients are moved between wards and departments.

AMADA WELD TECH has provided technology such as its High Duty DC Resistance Welding Power Supply DC2013‑T and parallel gap weld heads to battery pack manufacturers who are rushing to increase production at this critical time. AMADA WELD TECH has also increased its own production in line with industry requirements in order to continue providing the most advanced welding solutions for the production of battery modules.

In the meantime, AMADA WELD TECH has taken measures to ensure that as many members of staff whom are able to work from home do so. Most of the company’s regional sales and service offices are now closed, with staff members available remotely to assist and support its customers with minimal disruption. In the production facilities that are manufacturing the equipment and systems crucial for continued production of ventilators and other critical technology, the company has introduced many measures to protect both its valued workforce and customers who receive their products.