News

Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) has announced a collaboration with Jungo  to develop a Time-of-Flight (ToF) and 2D infrared- (IR) based camera solution to enable driver- and in-cabin monitoring in vehicles. The combination of ADI’s ToF technology with Jungo’s Co-driver software is expected to enable the monitoring of vehicle occupants for levels of drowsiness and distraction by observing head and body position as well as eye gaze. The solution is also expected to enable smart vehicle interaction based on face, body, and hand gestures, and offer a facial recognition capability that identifies individuals in the cabin and gives them access to features such as infotainment personalisation, personalised services, and ridesharing payments.

“The collaboration between ADI and Jungo opens the door to new and innovative augmented reality applications beyond today’s gesture control,” said Vlad Bulavsky, product line director, Automotive Connectivity and Sensing, Analog Devices. “We believe our work together can bring cabin sensing with ToF-based driver- and occupant monitoring to the next level and improve vehicle safety.”

3D ToF is a type of scannerless LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) that uses high power optical pulses in durations of nanoseconds to capture depth information (typically over short distances) from a scene of interest. ADI offers products and solutions to directly enhance the capabilities of 3D ToF systems, including processing, laser drivers and power management, along with development boards and software/firmware to aid in quick implementation of 3D ToF solutions. To learn more about ADI’s ToF technology, visit: https://www.analog.com/en/applications/technology/3d-time-of-flight.html

Jungo’s Co-driver software uses state-of-the-art deep learning, machine learning, and computer vision algorithms to detect in real time the driver state using driver facing cameras.  It also supports in-vehicle full detection technology with functions such as counting of the number of occupants, detection of seat belt wearing or detection or observing of critical medical conditions. To learn more about Jungo’s Co-driver software, visit:  https://www.jungo.com/st/codriver-segments/codriver-driver-monitoring.

“Jungo’s Co-driver monitoring algorithms are used by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to keep their drivers and passengers safe and develop innovative use cases that understand an occupant’s state while in the vehicle,” said Ophir Herbst, CEO, Jungo Ltd. “We are delighted to collaborate with Analog Devices to make vehicles smarter and enable OEMs to comply with regulations and innovate in their next-generation vehicles by using our algorithms and ADI’s leading ToF technology.”

Sensirion’s flow sensors have been included in WEINMANN’s MEDUMAT Standard² since 2015. Thanks to their accuracy, fast response time and robustness, the proximal flow sensors offer maximum safety. They ideally complement the intuitive and robust design of the MEDUMAT Standard² ventilator. Therefore, the device is a reliable partner for the emergency and medical services.

With innovative mobile system solutions for emergency, transport and disaster medicine, WEINMANN has been setting the standards for saving human lives for over 100 years. The MEDUMAT Standard² ventilator continues this tradition and features different modes and options for invasive and non-invasive ventilation. A number of features, including Sensirion’s proximal flow sensors, offer maximum safety for patients and medical staff.

Flow measurement is an important part of ventilation treatment. Sensirion provides its customers with the right sensor for inspiratory, expiratory and proximal flow measurements, emphasising its worldwide expertise in the field of medical ventilation. Based on Sensirion’s patented CMOSens Technology, the flow sensors offer advantages such as very precise flow and volume measurement, robust design, and low dead space.

The Head of Systems Engineering at WEINMANN, Andreas Sommer, says that “Sensirion was the ideal flow sensor partner from the very beginning. Their expertise and support accelerated our development phase and the robust design of the flow sensors contributes to the success of the MEDUMAT ventilator.”  Vanessa Kühn, Product Manager at WEINMANN, adds: “And the most important thing is that our customers, who need to rely 100 per cent on their equipment are also very satisfied with the quality and the performance of the sensor.”

Field or panel mounted indicators for use with FOUNDATION fieldbus and Profibus PA systems. FF ITK 6 compliant
Zone 0, 1 and 2 plus Div 1 and 2 certified for gas and dust.

• Bus powered
• ATEX, FM, cFM and IECEx certified
• IP66 enclosures
• 5 digit 20mm high display with bargraph
• Listener and/or addressable node

For further information go to the BEKA associates Fieldbus indicators page, or email sales@beka.co.uk,
or call +44 (0) 1462 438301

Yokogawa has made it onto CDP’s Water Security A List and Supplier Engagement Leader Board. The A listing is for the company’s sustainable water management practices and disclosure of information on these activities, and the selection to the leader board is for the company’s leadership in engaging with its suppliers around the world to reduce carbon emissions and combat global warming.

The CDP is a highly-respected non-profit organisation whose annual environmental disclosure and scoring process is widely recognised as the gold standard of corporate environmental transparency. In 2019, 525+ investors with over US$96 trillion in assets and 125 major purchasers with US$3.6 trillion in procurement spending requested companies to disclose data on environmental impacts, risks and opportunities through CDP’s platform, and over 8,400 responded.

The CDP employs a detailed and independent methodology to assess and rank companies from A to D- based on the comprehensiveness of their disclosure, their awareness and management of environmental risks, and their demonstration of best practices associated with environmental leadership, such as setting ambitious and meaningful targets. Companies that do not disclose information or provide insufficient information receive an F.

For the CDP leader board, over 4,800 companies were assessed and given a Supplier Engagement Rating based on answers to selected questions about scope 3 emissions and the reduction of environmental risk in supply chains in a 2019 climate change questionnaire. Yokogawa is one of almost 160 companies on the leader board this year.

Yokogawa has formulated three goals for sustainability that it will strive to achieve by the year 2050. These call for the achievement of net-zero emissions, ensuring the well-being of all, and the establishment of a circular economy. To make the transition to a circular economy, solutions to water resource issues must be found. To guide its efforts in this area, the company has established the number of water solutions that it provides to its customers and the amount of water used at each of its sites as key performance indicators (KPIs). Recent contributions in this area include the provision of a control system for a seawater desalination project in Peru (2018) and the provision of a digital twin-based plant simulation solution to the operators of a water treatment facility in Singapore (2019).

Regarding climate change Yokogawa provides solutions to its customers and engages in emissions reduction initiatives at its sites with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions, and is using a CO2 reduction KPI to gauge the effectiveness of its efforts.

Also, in 2019 Yokogawa endorsed the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) as part of its commitment to addressing the challenges of climate change, and based on this disclosed information on its climate change risks and opportunities in the 2019 Yokogawa Sustainability Report.

Hitoshi Nara, the Yokogawa president and chief executive officer, comments as follows about these initiatives: “As called for in the Yokogawa corporate philosophy, we aim to make full use of our measurement, control, and information technologies to provide solutions that will help to resolve pressing issues such as climate change and the need for secure access to water resources. We will continue working with our customers all over the world to provide them with solutions that facilitate the use of low-carbon power sources, improve energy efficiency, and enhance water security.”

Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP: “Congratulations to the companies that achieved a position on CDP’s A List this year, for leading in environmental performance and transparency. The scale of the business risks from the climate emergency, deforestation and water insecurity are vast – as are the opportunities from addressing them – and it’s clear the private sector has a vital role to play at this critical time. The A List companies are leading the market in corporate sustainability, tackling environmental risks, and setting themselves up to thrive in tomorrow’s economy.”

A food-processing plant trusts Contrinex’s sensors to help it ensure plastic bottles, filled with liquid food products, are hermetically sealed and its customers kept safe. Prior to the containers being capped, a long-distance inductive sensor, positioned directly over the packaging line confirms the presence of an aluminium-foil seal over the top of every container.

Application

Aluminium-foil closures are commonly utilised as seals for plastic containers filled with ketchup, mustard and other table sauces. At a food-processing plant, closures are applied to filled containers passing along an automated production line, sealing the contents ready for capping and bulk packaging.

From time to time, equipment malfunctions can occur and containers leave the sealing station without closures in place. If unsealed containers are not detected prior to capping, entire batches of product may require manual inspection, resulting in lost production, down-time or potential rejection by customers.

An in-line sensor system inspecting each container could confirm the presence of a foil closure, rejecting any faulty items. Each production line processes containers in batches. The system must accommodate containers whose heights vary by up to 20mm, without adjustment of sensors between batches as successive batches may comprise containers of differing sizes.

Customer Solution

Contrinex Extra Distance inductive sensors are ideal for this application, with the M30-diameter units operating reliably at sensing distances up to 40mm; a single sensor thus accommodates the entire range of container heights. Robust construction with chrome-plated brass bodies and PBTP sensing faces ensures that these devices are suitable for a busy production environment.

A single sensor, located immediately after the sealing station and positioned directly above the production line, provides reliable, repeatable and fast detection of the aluminium-foil closures. With a switching frequency of up to 100Hz, this Extra Distance unit is well suited for fast-moving production where high-speed sensing is required.

This Contrinex inductive sensor has an industry-standard PNP normally-open interface and an integral M12 cable connector, allowing easy removal and replacement of individual sensors for maintenance. Connection to the customer’s test equipment is via a flexible PVC-sheathed cable.

With an unmatched combination of 40mm sensing distance in an M30-diameter device, the customer can now test the entire range of containers without adjusting the sensor height between batches. Contrinex Extra Distance inductive sensors deliver exceptionally reliable test results at production-line speed, without interruption.

Supermarkets all over Australia and New Zealand are benefiting from advanced carbon dioxide monitors as new natural refrigeration systems are installed in the fight against climate change.

The Woolworths Group employs over 205,000 staff and serves 900 million customers each year. As a large and diverse organisation, Woolworths knows that its approach to sustainability has an impact on national economies, communities and environments, and this is reflected in the Group’s Corporate Responsibility Strategy 2020.

The strategy is built around twenty key targets which cover Woolworths’ engagement with customers, communities, supply chain and team members, as well as its responsibility to minimise the environmental impact of its operations. One of the twenty commitments within the strategy is to innovate with natural refrigerants and reduce refrigerant leakage in its stores by 15 per cent (of carbon dioxide equivalent) below 2015 levels.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is commonly regarded as the ideal natural refrigerant. It is a non-toxic, non-flammable, odourless, colourless gas, however, high concentrations can cause unconsciousness and even death, so accurate, reliable monitoring is necessary for safety reasons and for the rapid detection of potential leaks. Woolworths, and its cold chain partner Emerson, therefore needed an accurate, reliable CO2 monitor that could fulfil this vital role as the Group expands the use of natural refrigerants in its stores.

Over the last 8 years, Vaisala carbon dioxide probes have been employed widely across Woolworths Group stores, delivering a range of benefits and helping the group to achieve its strategic goals.

Global move to natural refrigerants

Synthetic refrigerant gases have been utilised in a wide variety of industries for many decades. However, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) caused damage to the ozone layer and were phased out following the Montreal Protocol in 1987. Production of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) then increased globally, because they are less harmful to stratospheric ozone. However, HCFCs are very powerful greenhouse gases so Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) became more popular. Nevertheless, most HCFCs and HFCs have a global warming potential (GWP) that is thousands of times higher than that of carbon dioxide, so many countries have been lowering the use of HFCs, and the Kigali Amendment (2018) to the Montreal Protocol, will bring about a global phasedown of HFCs. Consequently, there is a strong push for the adoption of natural refrigerants such as carbon dioxide.

In Australia and New Zealand, Woolworths Group is leading the way in the move to refrigerants that have a dramatically lower GWP. Luke Breeuwer, Senior Commissioner at Woolworths, says: “I believe that ultimately all supermarket refrigeration, in store and back of house, will move to transcritical CO2, unless a better method emerges.

“CO2 refrigeration technology has improved markedly in recent years, which is enabling us to roll it out in most regions, except for parts of Queensland where humidity levels currently dictate the deployment of hybrid CO2 systems.”

The move to transcritical CO2 refrigeration systems involves a significant capital outlay, which may limit the speed of implementation at other supermarkets. At Woolworths Luke says: “There is pressure from our finance department to push ahead with the new systems; not just to deliver environmental benefits, but also to ensure that at some point in the future, we are not left with refrigeration assets that cannot be maintained. The capital costs of the initiative are being offset by also utilising this technology for in-store heating.”

Monitoring Carbon Dioxide

To protect the health and safety of customers, staff and contractors, around six CO2 sensors would be necessary in a traditional store. However, those with transcritical CO2 refrigeration would typically require twenty four sensors or more.

Many of the Woolworths stores’ refrigeration and HVAC control systems are supplied by Emerson. Looking back, Shannon Lovett, Senior Business Manager Cold Chain ANZ for Emerson, says: “Around 8 years ago we evaluated a locally sourced CO2 sensor, but it suffered from quality issues and failures, so we equipped one store with the Vaisala sensors as a ‘proof of concept’.

“Happily, the Vaisala probes performed extremely well, and have been rolled out in the Woolworths Group stores in Australia and New Zealand. We have also utilised Vaisala humidity and temperature sensors in a variety of similar applications. In comparison with some other CO2 sensors, the Vaisala monitors were more expensive, but they were very popular with our contractors and we found that Vaisala’s product reliability lowered the cost of ownership.”

Luke Breeuwer agrees with Shannon on the longer term benefits of investing in higher quality instruments, adding: “The MODBUS communications capability of the Vaisala Indigo200 Transmitter with the GMP252 probe is also a major advantage for us; it means that the amount of wiring required is substantially reduced, which lowers both complexity and costs.”

Commenting on the reliability of the Vaisala probes, Luke says: “We have large numbers of these sensors in operation but there have been no breakdowns or urgent call-outs, so the ongoing costs have been negligible. We are required to check sensor calibration every two years, but they are so stable that this check always shows the sensors to be within specification, which is great.”

Luke does recall one occasion when the accuracy of a Vaisala CO2 sensor was called into question. An installed probe was providing readings that were abnormally low, so a site visit was necessary. However, such was their faith in the sensors that an alternative explanation was sought, and after a period of speculation a Google search solved the mystery by revealing the propensity of (nearby) curing concrete to absorb CO2 through a process known as carbonation.

Advanced sensor technology

The Vaisala CARBOCAP Carbon Dioxide Probe GMP252 is an intelligent carbon dioxide sensor designed for harsh and humid environments where stable and accurate CO2 measurements are required. Importantly, the probe features second generation CARBOCAP technology. In addition to measuring CO2, an electrically tunable micromechanical filter enables a reference measurement at a wavelength where no absorption occurs. The reference measurement compensates for any potential changes in the light source intensity, as well as for contamination in the optical path, which means that the sensor is extremely stable over time. The probe also automatically compensates for temperature, pressure, oxygen and humidity, and with an operating temperature range from -40 to +60 °C, the sensor is able to measure CO2 accurately from 0 to 10,000 ppm, and up to 30,000 ppm with reduced accuracy.

Benefits of the Vaisala technology

From Woolworths’ perspective Luke says: “The main advantages are reliability, low maintenance and MODBUS communications. However, flexibility is important because we also utilise the Vaisala probes in-store to ensure that CO2 levels do not rise excessively. We achieve this by using monitoring data to automatically control and optimise fresh air intake.”

Emerson integrates the probes within its building management systems and Shannon highlights the facility to utilise a dual relay output for local alarms as a particularly useful feature. “Reliability is of course the main advantage for us,” he adds. “But the negligible maintenance requirement, the two year calibration check and MODBUS comms provide us with competitive advantages.”

Looking forward

By identifying the role of natural refrigerants in its Corporate Responsibility Strategy, Woolworths has made a very clear statement of intent. Two years ago, there were no transcritical CO2 stores in the group, but seven stores have now been converted and up to a dozen largely metropolitan stores will be converted in the coming year.

Summarising Luke says: “By utilising CO2 in our refrigeration systems we are helping to lower greenhouse gas emissions whilst also lowering operational costs. However, reliable CO2 monitoring plays a vitally important role; protecting staff and the public, while helping to identify and reduce leakage – a win win situation!”

Gardner Denver’s smart IoT analytics system, iConn, is now available as a subscription streaming service that enables plant operators and equipment providers to stay fully in control of all their compressed air processes – 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The iConn HD upgrade pushes critical information about the operating parameters of any Gardner Denver compressor, such as temperature, pressure and running time, to a web-based dashboard every minute, allowing for real-time monitoring and predictive analysis on mobile devices.

The ‘plug-and-play’ bespoke solution can be configured to give end users and service providers exactly the information they want, when they want it – ensuring the health and performance of their installation is totally protected.

Gardner Denver’s standard iConn service, which supports ancillary and compressed air products from other brands, delivers data every 12 hours. No additional hardware or platform features are required to upgrade to iConn HD for Gardner Denver machines.

As Industry 4.0 drives the need for users to share and analyse asset data, customers are demanding more intelligent insights into their compressed air performance to remove risks, improve productivity and reduce energy consumption.

iConn and iConn HD have been developed with this in mind, providing a detailed overview of systems, helping users to look at key operating data and, crucially, highlighting any potential issues before they become a real problem.

Alarms and warnings reduce the risk of downtime, while remote sites can be easily monitored and compressor performance optimised, with machine parameters and trend analysis over time made possible thanks to storage of data. All this can provide tangible benefits to a business’ bottom line.

Both iConn and iConn HD only collect machine data and use the 3G/mobile network, meaning there is absolutely no connectivity with an end user or service provider’s wi-fi network or computer system, and commands cannot be transmitted to a machine’s controller.

Marius Breusers, Aftermarket Product Manager EMEA, said: “iConn HD allows plant managers to measure costs and efficiencies utilising the most up-to-date machine information available. By choosing iConn HD, operators can enjoy greater peace of mind, increased control and improved cost-savings over time. Two, three and six-year subscriptions are available.”

Moore Industries‘ UL approved ECT-DIN 2-Wire Isolator has won the Control Engineering 2020 Engineers’ Choice Award in the Network Integration – Signal Conditioning category.

The award will be presented at the 2020 Engineering Awards in Manufacturing dinner on Monday, 27 April 2020, at the Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile hotel.

The narrow 15mm ECT-DIN signal isolator and converter with 4-20mA, 1-5V and 0-10V inputs and 4-20mA output allows more isolators to fit in cabinets and field enclosures where installation space is a premium. The thinner 15mm width has the same General and Hazardous area approvals, RFI/EMI protection and -40°C to 85°C operating temperature range as the rest of the ECT family of isolators, which means it can be installed in hazardous locations and does not require installation in cooled or climate controlled environments, making it perfect for more extreme locations. The complete ECT family delivers extremely reliable signal isolation and conversion solutions for the most demanding ambient and noisy installation conditions as well as providing versatile choices to match the type of AC or DC power available at each location.

RS Components (RS) has announced the creation of a new technology hub on its DesignSpark website. A valuable resource for design engineers and students, it includes free design tools and a breadth of key product and system development information.

Sponsored by Maxim Integrated Products, the DesignSpark Power Technology Hub features learning material, application examples, new products, reference designs and free software tools for use by design engineers working on the next generation of power systems for the diverse requirements across a multitude of applications.

Effective power management –and especially low-power technology–is critical for all electrical and electronic circuits: from battery-management ICs for low-power applications using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communications, for example, to motor-drive ICs and DC/DC converters up to complete power supplies.

In addition to working with Maxim on the new hub, RS recently signed a distribution agreement with Maxim. RS is significantly expanding its Maxim portfolio to include new power components such as DC-DC converters, as well as devices such as sensors and microcontroller development kits for internet of things (IoT), industrial IoT (IIoT) applications and the growing expanse of wearable applications.

“Our new power tech hub is not only an excellent learning resource for design engineers who are new to power design but is also a point of reference for seasoned designers looking to discover the latest power products and technologies,” said Mike Bray, Vice President of DesignSpark at RS. “We continue to prosper in our relationship with Maxim, working in close collaboration to expand the choice of power ICs for our customers, along with many other devices such as sensors, analogue components and products for IoT development.”

A school robotics team sponsored by rugged connector and component manufacturer Bulgin won third place overall in the 2019 MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) International ROV competition, with connectors from Bulgin featured in the design. Among the 24 other schools that qualified in the Explorer age group final, a California-based high school’s robotics team had decided to use Bulgin’s PX0413/03P rear panel mount connectors in their design.

“The MATE competition in 2019 was focused on lakes and rivers… so we were looking at things like dam repair, environmental monitoring and archaeological recovery. We had to add more autonomous features, which required better vision capabilities, so we started implementing these digital vision systems that required a lot of bandwidth, particularly ethernetbandwidth,” explained Michael Equi, Chief Technology Officer of the Jesuit Robotics team. “That’s why we used Bulgin, so that we could keep our connections waterproof and keep our modularity while still having a gigabit connection between the ROV and our topside computers.”

Bulgin offers free engineering support and samples to school students from all over the world taking part in the annual MATE competition. Bulgin also sponsored the international finals, which took place in June in Kingsport, Tennessee. Participants were challenged to show how they apply their STEM skills and had to organise themselves into mock companies to complete simulated missions with their robots in rivers, lakes and waterways.

“The thing we found with Bulgin was the reliability of the connectors; they mounted well, they were waterproof and consistently made a good connection,” said Jay Isaacs, the team’s head coach.

The PX0413/03P, which is from the Bulgin 400 Series of circular power connectors, is a rear panel mount connector that is water and dustproof to IP68 when mated with a compatible connector such as the PX0400, PX0402 or PX0410.

The 400 Series Buccaneer is one of the most compact connectors in the Buccaneer range ideal for designs requiring a small footprint to give designers greater flexibility. With a lightweight and rugged construction, these sealed circular plastic connectors offer highly reliable power or signal connections for use within applications where space is limited; including medical, industrial, infrastructure and automotive.