Design Engineering January February 2024

CAD REPORT

AI integration with CAD is more miss than hit p.10

SHOP TALK

How IO-Link simplifies installation, maintenance of field devices p.18

MOTION CONTROL

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INSIDE

14 Automation Predictions for 2024

Cover photo:kulykt /iStock / Getty Images

AI is set to supercharge robotics, and other automation trends taking shape

Columns 6 Design News

Xaba.ai to open Toronto robotics lab and other engineering news

18 Making the Link

How IO-Link simplifies the installation, configuration and maintenance of field devices

10 CAD Report

AI integration with CAD software is more miss than hit

20 Engineering Salary Guide

Randstad report reveals engineering wage and labour trends in Canada for 2024

23 Terminal Velocity

14

26 Idea Generator

The latest in automation, fluid power and sensor products

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FROM THE EDITOR

UPFRONT

The Electric Crucible In late January, the Ontario government announced it will support Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) plan to refurbish four units at its Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. As an initial stage, OPG says it will spend $2 billion on engineering, design and component procurement, in preparation for the retrofit projected to complete by the mid-2030s.

Previously scheduled for a full shut down, Canada’s oldest nuclear plant is only approved to continue commercially operating until the end of year but is currently seeking to extend that out to 2026. Combined, Pickering B’s four units produce 2GW annually, which will be maintained following the project’s end. As yet, OPG says its too early to say how much the project will cost but the current refurbishment of its Darlington Nuclear Station is on track to meet its $12 billion target.

It’s not hard to see why Ontario and OPG went this route. For one, despite its age, the Pickering station already has all the necessary ancillary infrastructure, like transmission lines, in place. For another, finding a location for new power plants, even renewables like wind and solar, is a challenge. Last year, Ontario’s electricity system operator, the IESO, announced plans to add 2GW of non-emitting generation (e.g. wind and solar) but noted “a growing incidence of unwilling hosts” for such facilities. Its not hard to image that Ontario communities would find a new nuclear plant harder to accept.

Even so, the need for new electric generation remains high. According to a 2023 IESO report, Ontario may need to double its power capacity – from its present 42,000 MW to 88,000 MW – by 2050 to meet the report’s high growth scenario.

Keep in mind, the Pickering refurb is only an extension of existing base load supply.

Canada, and Ontario in particular, are caught in the same electric crucible as other post-industrial economies. The prevailing sentiment is to rapidly expand electric power generation to meet zero emission targets while supporting mandated ZEV transition and immigration led population growth. But, at the same time, don’t burn fossil fuels to do it and don’t build facilities near anyone.

Ontario’s power generation is one of the cleanest in the world; between its nuclear, hydro, wind and solar facilities, roughly 90 percent is CO2 non-emitting. To keep it that way, however, we’ll need to accept one or more unpopular measures: Construct new generating facilities, including nuclear, scale back immigration targets or revise overly optimistic zero emission mandates. Most likely, it’ll be a combination of all three.

MIKE MCLEOD Editor mmcleod@design-engineering.com Editorial Board DR. ALAIN AUBERTIN President & CEO, Canada Consortium for Aerospace Research and Innovation in Canada (CARIC) DR. MARY WELLS, P.ENG Dean, Faculty of Engineering / Professor, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering; University of Waterloo 4 DESIGN ENGINEERING January/February 2024

AJAY BAJAJ, P.ENG President and CEO, Rotator Products Limited; Past President and Board Member, Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA)

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 Volume 69, No.1 design-engineering.com READER SERVICE Print and digital subsciption inquiries or changes, please contact Angelita Potal Tel: (416) 510-5113 Fax: (416) 510-6875 Email: apotal@annexbusinessmedia.com Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto ON M2H 3R1 SENIOR PUBLISHER Paul Burton (416) 510-6756 • pburton@annexbusinessmedia.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Kathryn Swan (416) 510-6757 • kswan@annexbusinessmedia.com EDITOR Michael McLeod (416) 442-5600 ext. 3231 mmcleod@design-engineering.com NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Ilana Fawcett (416) 829-1221 • ifawcett@annexbusinessmedia.com ACCOUNT COORDINATOR Cheryl Fisher (416) 510-5194 • cfisher@annexbusinessmedia.com AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Beata Olechnowicz (416) 510-5182 • bolechnowicz@annexbusinessmedia.com PRESIDENT/COO Scott Jamieson sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com Design Engineering, established in 1955, is published by Annex Business Media, 5 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which count as two subscription issues.

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DESIGN NEWS

UPFRONT

ENGINEERING

NASA and Lockheed Martin’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft at its unveiling ceremony in Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California.

6 DESIGN ENGINEERING January/February 2024

programming talent.

In 2023, the company partnered with Lockheed Martin and Rolleri Robotic to verify xCognition’s performance. Test results demonstrated a 10 times performance improvements in absolute positioning, and five times improvements in relative positioning and trajectory accuracy for cobots using Xaba’s xCognition system.

“With the integration of AI-powered cognition and awareness, robots become easy to adopt and profitable for businesses across various tasks and sizes,” said Xaba CEO, Massimiliano Moruzzi. “With this funding in place, we can now establish our Xaba manufacturing platforms as the go-to solutions for implementing new intelligent robotics, creating automated factories and developing disruptive new processes and materials.”

The funding round was led

by BDC Capital’s Deep Tech Venture Fund with participation from Hitachi Ventures and existing investor Hazelview Ventures. www.xaba.ai

NASA, LOCKHEED UNVEIL X-59 QUIET SUPERSONIC AIRCRAFT

NASA and Lockheed Martin recently debuted the agency’s X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. The partners say their aim is to usher in a new generation of supersonic commercial aircraft.

The X-59 is at the center of NASA’s Quesst mission, which focuses on providing data to help regulators reconsider rules that prohibit commercial supersonic flight over land. Supersonic jets have been considered too loud for over-land flight for 50 years.

However, the X-59 is designed to reach upwards of 925 mph while producing a quieter flight.

According to NASA, the aircraft’s shape and the technological advancements will make that possible. At 99.7 feet long and 29.5 feet wide, the X-59’s tapered nose accounts for almost a third of its length and will break up the shock waves that would ordinarily result in a supersonic

Image Credit: NASA/Steve Freeman

Toronto-based developer of AIbased robotics software, Xaba, announced it has raised US$2 million in a seed extension round of funding to establish and staff a robotics lab. In addition, the company says the funding will help accelerate delivery of Xaba’s manufacturing platforms: xCognition and xTrude.

According to Xaba, xCognition leverages AI to create a digital twin that accurately models the physics of an industrial robotic or cobot system, including its elastic, dynamic and mechanical behavior, as well as the location and shape variances of the workpiece. This is achieved through a combination of user input, machine vision and other sensor input.

With the virtual environment in place, and a target task assigned, the system’s machine learning is free to explore various approaches to the problem, until it arrives at a solution optimized for speed, accuracy and consistency. The system then translates that optimized solution into whatever programming code is needed (e.g. C++, Python or a proprietary language like ABB, Kuka, Fanuc, etc.) to execute the assigned task, be it drilling, welding, riveting, etc. xTrude is similar to xCognition except tailored to the FDM-based additive manufacturing process.

Most recently, xTrude was used to 3D-print the chassis of the APMA’s Project Arrow concept EV from carbon reinforced polymer.

Whatever the application, Xaba says the end result of its hardware-agnostic, AI-powered robotics algorithms is greater consistency, throughput and accuracy in any robotic or cobot system, while eliminating the need for specialized robotics

Image credit: metamorworks / iStock / Getty Images

TORONTO’S XABA.AI TO OPEN ROBOTICS LAB WITH $2M IN SEED FUNDING

DESIGN-ENGINEERING.com

ABB ACQUIRES SEVENSENSE

Photo credit: Alberta Innovates

aircraft causing a sonic boom.

Due to this configuration, the cockpit is located almost halfway down the length of the aircraft – and does not have a forward-facing window. Instead, the Quesst team developed the eXternal Vision System, a series of high-resolution cameras feeding a 4K monitor in the cockpit. The aircraft also features a top-mounted engine and a smooth underside to help keep shockwaves from merging behind the aircraft and causing a sonic boom.

The Quesst team says the next step will be to conduct several of the aircraft’s flight tests at Skunk Works before transferring it to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, which will serve as its base of operations. The aircraft’s first flight is scheduled for later this year, followed by its first quiet supersonic flight.

Once NASA completes flight tests, the agency will fly the aircraft over several to-be-selected cities across the U.S., collecting input about the sound the X-59 generates and how people perceive it. NASA will provide that data to the Federal Aviation Administration and international regulators. www.nasa.gov

Ameca, the humanoid robot, will appear at Inventures 2024, May 29 -31, 2024, in Calgary.

The organizers of Inventures 2024 announced that the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, Ameca, will be a speaker at the Calgary innovation event on May 29 – 31. Ameca will engage Laura Kilcrease, CEO of Alberta Innovates, in a fireside chat from the main stage.

Developed and designed by Engineered Arts, the humanoid robot was created as a platform for development of future robotics technologies and to perfect human-robot interaction.

“We are thrilled that Ameca will join us as a feature speaker at Inventures,” says Alberta @design_eng_mag

Image credit: ABB

HUMANOID ROBOT, AMECA, TO SPEAK AT INVENTURES 2024

Innovates’ Kilcrease. “Artificial intelligence and human intelligence are making robotics incredibly realistic. It is that intersection between artificial intelligence and an artificial body that allows us to consider the possibilities of the future.”

Launched in 2018, Inventures is a global innovation event hosted by Alberta Innovates that features the latest technologies, talent, capital, customers and markets. https://inventurescanada.com

Swiss company’s AI-enabled 3D vision navigation technology to enhance ABB’s logistics AMR robots.

ABB announced it has acquired Swiss start-up Sevensense, a provider of AI-enabled 3D vision navigation technology for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).

Sevensense was founded in 2018 as a spin-off from Swiss technical University, ETH Zurich.

Sevensense’s navigation technology combines AI and 3D vision, enabling AMRs to make intelligent decisions, differentiating between fixed and mobile objects in dynamic environments.

Once manually guided, mobile robots with Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (Visual SLAM) technology create a map that is used to operate independently.

Maps are constantly updated and shared across the fleet, offering scalability without interrupting operations and greater flexibility compared to other navigation technologies.

The acquisition follows ABB’s minority investment in Sevensense after it joined the company’s innovation ecosystem in 2021, the same year ABB acquired ASTI Mobile Robotics.

Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Following pilot customer projects in the automotive and logistics industries, ABB will integrate Sevensense’s technology into the company’s AMR portfolio.

“This marks a significant step towards our vision of a workplace where AI-enabled robots assist people, addressing our customers’ needs for greater flexibility and intelligence amidst critical skilled labor shortages,” said Sami Atiya, President of ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation.

“Each mobile robot, equipped with vision and AI, scans a unique part of the building; collectively these robots complement each other’s view to form a complete map, enabling them to work autonomously in a rapidly changing environment.” www.abb.com

January/February 2024 DESIGN ENGINEERING 7

DESIGN NEWS

UPFRONT

BALLARD TO SUPPLY BUS FUEL CELL ENGINES TO NFI

New Flyer’s Xcelsior CHARGE FC hydrogen fuel cell bus

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Winnipeg’s Ballard Power Systems announced it signed a longterm supply agreement with bus and coach manufacturer, NFI Group Inc. According to the companies, the agreement will focus on deployment-level volumes of fuel cell powered buses across all of NFI’s major brands including New Flyer, Alexander Dennis and MCI. As part of the deal, NFI has placed its first purchase order for a minimum of 100 Ballard FCmove-HD+ modules for planned delivery in 2024. The modules will primarily be produced in Ballard’s Bend, Oregon facility with Buy America compliance, and will power New Flyer’s Xcelsior CHARGE FC hydrogen fuel cell

buses for deployment across the U.S. and Canada, including California, Manitoba, Nevada, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“This agreement is the next step in our multi-decade partnership with Ballard and a key component in advancing our leading fuel cell bus offerings,” said NFI’s Executive VP, Supply Management, David White.

“By working with Ballard across numerous bus products in multiple jurisdictions, we have been able to leverage best practices and generate design, engineering and sourcing synergies.

With growing demand for fuel cell buses, we are excited to continue this partnership as we drive the transition to zero-emission transportation.” www.ballard.com www.nfigroup.com

Photo credit: NFI Group Inc.

At CES 2024 in January, Siemens announced it will integrate Amazon Web Services (AWS) Bedrock into its Mendix low-code platform – part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio. AWS Bedrock offers access to a number of foundation AI models (e.g. AI21 Labs, Amazon, Anthropic, Cohere, Meta and Stability AI) via a single API, along with security, privacy and responsible AI capabilities, the company says.

“By integrating Amazon Bedrock into our low-code platform, we are democratizing generative AI technology and empowering everyone to create the applications customers need to become more competitive, resilient and sustainable,” said Siemens CEO, Roland Busch during his CES keynote. “Making smarter applications without programming expertise accelerates innovation and helps companies to tackle skilled labor shortages.”

With Bedrock, Siemens says Mendex users won’t have to obtain access credentials or write specialized function code. Instead they will be able to integrate AI into their applications by selecting the most suitable generative AI model and integrating it “with a few clicks.”

The resulting applications would then have the ability to, for example, find, summarize and analyze lengthy technical documents, translate content into different languages or recognizing images, the company says.

In other examples, Siemens says production engineers could use generative AI to suggest machine adjustments to improve yield, and get suggestions on equipment adjustments, maintenance or spare parts to maximize a factory’s productivity. www.siemens.com https://aws.amazon.com

Photo credit: Siemens AG

SIEMENS, AWS PARTNER TO SIMPLIFY USE OF AI IN SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

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CAD REPORT

FEATURE

The Future of AI Ain’t What It Used To Be Artificial intelligence is 65 years old. It began as a 1950s computer programming exercise, resulting in the LISP programming language, among others.

Since then, AI endured decades-long cycles of summers and winters.

Back in 1970, for instance, AI pioneer Marvin Minsky proclaimed, “From three to eight years, we will have a machine with the general intelligence of an average human being.”

We didn’t.

With AI’s 2023 resurgence through ChatGPT, the tech industry hopes AI will give it the sales boost denied by earlier debacles like gorilla-themed NFTs, crypto exchange failures and the lackluster adoption of augmented reality goggles.

The CAD business is mature, and so it is always looking for the fresh hit “thing” to escalate revenues. The thing that was supposed to carry it into the future (i.e. cloud-based CAD) and on which many executives pinned their hopes and millions of R&D dollars, ended up being largely uninteresting to users. So, CAD vendors are tip-toeing into AI.

Where AI Already is in CAD

AI is found in limited areas of CAD, and then sometimes might not even be AI. For instance, Bricsys, in 2016, was the first to employ the term “AI”, applying it to BIM entity detection, and a command that found and replaced structural junctions with connectors. In

Photo credit: PTC

Despite its present hype, artificial intelligence integration with CAD software is more miss than hit. BY RALPH GRABOWSKI

PTC employs AI in augmented reality software to pinpoint possible trouble spots.

my opinion, this isn’t AI; it’s find-andreplace applied to groups of entities.

Today, the company says it uses AI for SmartCell copying in tables; for copying 3D solids and faces; in converting AutoCAD’s dynamic blocks to BricsCAD’s parametric blocks; and for drawing health management.

Siemens Software was next in 2019, with an AI in NX’s interface, predicting command(s) we were likely to use next. In my opinion, this isn’t AI either; it’s the MRU (most-recently-used) function, as found in other software.

More recently, the company says it added AI to NX Sketch for inferring relationships between entities, as well as to Solid Edge for suggesting assembly relationships.

PTC reassures customers upfront, saying it employs artificial narrow-intelligence: “It is not a matter

The CAD business is mature, and so it is always looking for the fresh hit “thing” to escalate revenues.

10 DESIGN ENGINEERING January/February 2024

of machines thinking like people, but rather sophisticated algorithms designed for a pre-defined task with a well-understood set of inputs,” writes PTC market analyst, Colin McMahon.

So far, the company has applied AI to IoT (Internet of Things) software in predicting downtimes in machines and customer service chatbots.

Dassault Systemes says it employs AI in data analytics and suggests that, in the future, it might use AI to enhance digital twin simulations and to generate 3D interactive environments.

Solidworks says its Design Assistant uses AI.

A New Generation of AI

With firms like OpenAI making access to AI easy, several design software firms launched last year. CadAiCo, for example, says its AI-based CAD system combines machine learning with blockchains and enables payments between users and third-parties through $CAD tokens. It is apparently trained on millions of CAD models, but is not yet shipping; $CAD doesn’t seem to be listed yet.

DESIGN-ENGINEERING.com

Image credit: Leo AI, Ltd.

Another newcomer is Leo, which says it uses generative AI to design parts and full assemblies “with 3D CAD models you can edit anywhere.” I asked it to design a box to store an automobile, and it returned images

of standard shipping containers.

When I added a sketch in the shape of a car, it updated the images to looked like container-styled vehicles. I couldn’t obtain an editable 3D model, perhaps because Leo is in still in

Leo.ai says its design copilot creates 3D models from sketches, specs and CAD constraints.

alpha testing.

In both cases, I was unable to determine the source of the AI or the training data sets.

Among existing CAD vendors, Nemetschek Group’s Graphisoft released an Archicad 27 add-on

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FEATURE

Stable Diffusion’s AI-based Visualizer renders images based on a 3D conceptual model in ArchiCAD.

single database called Autodesk Data Model. An Autodesk vice president then explained that the 15 billion customer files, hosted by the company, contain data like “existing conditions, past and current projects, GIS, IoT sensors, workplace management systems, stakeholder sentiments, geotechnical, pollution, etc.”

For MCAD users, AI will be added to Fusion 360, first with one-click fully-dimensioned drawings of 3D models, and automated toolpaths later. Autodesk is, however, held back by its end-user license preventing it from using AI on our data. I assume it might rewrite the EULA, presenting it to customers as a fait accompli.

Where AI Stumbles Today

As the hype over AI wears down, drawbacks are emerging. AI has different implementations

AI in Autodesk’s Fusion 360 automatically generating machine tool paths.

Image credit: Autodesk

that uses AI from Stable Diffusion to generate 3D visualizations during early design stages.

However, Stable Diffusion is facing funding problems and is being sued by Getty Images over the alleged misuse of twelve million copyrighted images.

Graphisoft told me that the ethical use of technology is its highest priority, and that AI Visualizer is still in the exploration phase. ArchiCAD’s Adaptative Hybrid Framework lets the company extend AI Visualizers’ options, letting customers use other AI providers, should it be necessary.

During last fall’s Autodesk University 2023, Autodesk’s CTO revealed the company has stored 40 petabytes of customers’ data.

“There is no AI without actionable data,” she said, so the company plans to merge it all into a

12 DESIGN ENGINEERING January/February 2024

Image credit: Graphisoft

CAD REPORT

but they have similar names, which can confuse laypeople. ChatGPT (generative pre-trained transformer), for instance, is an LLM that runs a GAI, while aiming for AGI. That’s a large language model running generative-artificial intelligence (answers returned from large data sets), with the goal of artificial general-intelligence (equivalent to a human’s work of median intelligence).

Amazon uses retrieval-augmented generation.

AI needs huge amounts of data. AI firms scrape databases from which to generate answers.

Some databases were created for AI research, such as Books3 which provides ASCII text of 187,000 books and github.tar with 100GB of programming code. The data must be tagged by humans, who don’t get paid much.

AI data scraping triggers lawsuits. Not all data is clean data. Through class action law suits, authors are suing AI firms over copyright violations.

In another law suit, OpenAI is accused of using personal data that must be kept private under government law, such as scraping MyChart for medical data and private conversions from Slack and Teams.

Another law suit accuses OpenAI of reproducing programming code without credit.

“Legal experts have cautioned generative AI tools could put companies at risk, if they were to unwittingly incorporate copyrighted content generated by the tools into any of products they sell,” reports TechCrunch.

DESIGN-ENGINEERING.com

AI compresses data, which leads to inaccuracies, kind of like in artifacts in JPEG images.

AI compresses data, which leads to inaccuracies, kind of like artifacts in JPEG images. For instance, asked to give references, ChatGPT can list articles and books that do not exist or don’t discuss the topic. These malformed answers pollute older data sources with misinformation. For instance, ChatGPT told a CAD journalist this factoid about me: “In 2013, he was appointed as Director of the Open Design Alliance’s (ODA) Moscow office.”

I was never an employee of the ODA, and never worked in Moscow.

AI is expensive to run. nVidia sells the hottest AI processor, the H100 GPU costing $30,000 to $40,000 each.

Every AI firm needs thousands. Storing mammoth data sets on the cloud is also expensive. For OpenAI, the costs an estimated $20 million a month.

AI is bad at math. CAD is all about math, but AI does not work well with it.

When I asked ChatGPT for the last ten digits of pi, it replied with three wrong answers. (The correct answer: “As pi is irrational, I don’t know.”)

AI generates poor C++ code. CAD software is mostly programmed with C++, but when contract programming group LEDAS tested ChatGPT, it found the C++ code was output badly, if at all. It also failed working with OpenCascade’s geometric kernel, making calls to non-existent methods and misusing existing ones. Python code was, however, acceptable.

Meanwhile, competitors are looking for ways to work with less data, reduce the compute cost and come up with better answers. Even so, a civil war within the AI community asks whether software should be open- or closedsource; should output from AI have no moral restrictions or have answers censored? Within AI, this is known as “alignment,” but no one knows who decides on the answers.

Half-a-decade ago, it was sufficient for CAD vendors to assert their software uses AI. However, as the limitations of AI become better understood, customers ought to know what’s operating under

the hood. CAD users face an accuracy and legality conundrum: Does AI serve up fiction or non-fiction; is the response even legal? Even when responses look factual, we humans still need to confirm

the output – like the last ten digits of pi.

For conceptual design and for design suggestions, AI is useful; for designs where safety and accuracy matter, it is not. |DE www.cadai.co www.getleo.ai Ralph Grabowski writes on the CAD industry on his WorldCAD Access blog (www. worldcadaccess. com) and has authored numerous articles and books on CAD and other design software.

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LOOKING AHEAD

FEATURE

UR’s VP of Innovation predicts AI will supercharge robotics in the coming years. BY ANDERS BILLESØ BECK It’s that point in the year when it’s time to reflect upon the trends from the past 12 months, while looking ahead at what 2024 has in store for the world of robotics and automation.

2023 was an exciting year for innovation. The emergence of artificial intelligence technologies, such as generative AI, captured global attention and dominated headlines. However, the adoption of generative AI for businesses is still very much in its early stages and questions around how best

to harness this technology remain at the forefront of many minds.

Digital transformation is an ongoing process so we can expect to see this year’s breakthrough trends continuing to shape society into next year. But how will these trends impact robotics and automation and what can the manufacturing industry expect to see next year?

AI will set a new pace of development in robotics and automation

AI is transforming the world of software development, making it cheaper, faster

14 DESIGN ENGINEERING January/February 2024

and more effective. Software is a key component of automation, and with AI, software developers will be able to create more customized and optimized solutions for various tasks and challenges.

If software development has sometimes felt like digging with a shovel, the introduction of AI is like bringing two horses and a plough to the process.

However, automation expertise will remain a scarce and valuable resource in the process of AI revolutionizing manufacturing.

It has been interesting, and perhaps surprising, to

see AI changing the lives of office workers before it touches working practices in most factories. I look forward to seeing the benefits of machine learning reach more manufacturers in 2024. After all, the technology is already there – we have many partners developing applications using AI to allow our robots to perform more complex and diverse functions.

For example, AI allows robots to have human-like perception, handle variation, move parts precisely, adapt to changing environments and learn from their own experience. With time, these capabilities will lead to unprecedented flexibility, quality and reliability in manufacturing.

DESIGN-ENGINEERING.com

Image credit: Universal Robotics

AUTOMATION PREDICTIONS FOR 2024

Developments in robotics software will enable more sharing and reuse

Image credit: Universal Robotics

Robotics software is the glue that binds users to their mechanical counterparts – a digital connectivity that transcends physical interaction.

Software developments are enabling a new dimension of collaboration – connecting the people that use robots.

2024 will see software developments leading to new levels of sharing and reusability.

Imagine a world where, instead of reinventing the wheel, we leverage existing software assets – components, interfaces, algorithms – across multiple applications. It’s a principle that already underpins our UR+ partner ecosystem, streamlining innovation and reducing time-to-market. I can’t wait to see this evolve next year.

@design_eng_mag

Logistics will be a focus area for robotics Go Fast Campers’ engineering team paired the UR cobot’s scripting capabilities with Autodesk’s UR+ enabled Fusion 360 application to develop a programming approach that allows any cell to make any part within a maximum cell volume using any standard stock size.

software services connect humans and machines and thus help manufacturers simplify complex processes and make smarter decisions.

The benefits of this digital evolution are significant.

Remote access to manufacturing data enables quick responses to issues and continuous automation improvement. With dynamic systems now essential, trusted cloud technologies offer

the latest in security and state-of-the-art services.

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) companies highlight this progression, promising improved efficiency and reduced downtime through Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) visualization and predictive maintenance.

As we approach 2024, manufacturers stand to gain from these advancements,

Earlier this year, Interact Analysis looked at projected growth rates in robot shipments across industries. The stand-out projected growth area? Logistics, where Interact Analysis put the projected CAGR for collaborative robot (cobot) shipments at 46% for 2023-2027. I’m not surprised as the market for non-industrial applications is growing fast.

Like manufacturing , many logistics companies face serious labor shortages while pressure is increasing as a result of globalization, e-commerce and complex multichannel supply chains.

More logistics, warehouse

Image credit: Universal Robotics

Companies will fuse IT and OT and use data to improve operations

The future of manufacturing is intricately linked to IT/ OT integration as data will underpin innovation and efficiency. Research shows that the manufacturing industry has been at the forefront of adopting cloud-based software services and we are already seeing some customers use these to enhance quality, cost efficiency and predictability. That makes me confident that 2024 will see the growth of data-driven logistics and manufacturing systems.

Many still have an outdated view of the cloud merely being a data collector and backup function, as we know if from our private lives. But the real potential and power doesn’t lie in storing data or even in linking machines.

The real transformative leap comes when cloud-based

achieving higher quality, reduced downtime, better predictability and cost optimization. This transition is a strategic necessity, supporting the shift towards high-volume, high-mix production, resilient supply chains, competitive data utilization and sustainability goals.

DeAngelo Marine Exhaust in Florida uses UR+ partner Hirebotics’ Beacon app to monitor their welding cobot’s production to see how long the arc was on, how much gas and wire is used, etc.

January/February 2024 DESIGN ENGINEERING 15

LOOKING AHEAD

FEATURE

and distribution centers will turn to automation next year to provide services faster and with greater accuracy.

Anders Billesø Beck is the vice president of innovation and strategy at Universal Robots.

Image credit: Universal Robotics

Logistics is one of industries expected to see a 46% growth in cobot shipments for 2023-2027.

fulfillment center with collaborative robots, resulting in a 500% surge in efficiency and order accuracy. The automation system, adept at processing thousands of orders daily, particularly excelled during peak periods, like Black Friday, where a robot managed up to 4,400 orders in one day with just a small crew for replenishment.

Robots – and the smart use of data – are poised to revolutionize logistics businesses across the whole value chain from incoming packages to outbound logistics.

The pace of development in robotics remains impressive – I look forward with great anticipation to another exciting year of progress. | DE www.universal-robots.com

To take an example – facing the challenge of surging e-commerce demands, one logistics company we worked with revolutionized its

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FEATURE

MAKING THE LINK

How IO-Link simplifies the installation, configuration and maintenance of field devices.

The following is adapted from an interview with Omron Automation Product Specialist, Franz Ferre. An engineer by training, Ferre joined Omron in 2020 and did field sales before joining the product management group in the company’s headquarters in Kyoto, Japan.

In that role, he works with Omron’s development team and his North American colleagues to aligned the company’s products to the U.S. market, primarily remote I/O products for the automotive sector.

Can you give an overview of IO-Link?

IO-Link has been around for a few years, but it’s just starting to

be adopted by a lot more users in the automation field. As an overview, IO-Link is a standard communication protocol for field devices, such as sensors and actuators, that allows for additional data transfer between the device and the controller than was normally possible before.

In addition, IO-Link uses the same wiring as a typical sensor, so cables with M12 connectors and four or five wires. This really simplifies the wiring, because you don’t need to use anything special.

Also, more manufacturers are making devices that are IO link.

The advantages of implementing IO link are really just going up. Nowadays, many devices that were typically analog before are available in a lower cost IO-Link

18 DESIGN ENGINEERING January/February 2024

version. This greatly reduces system costs and lowers the chance for signal errors when connecting longer cables.

And now we’re starting to see manufacturers make things like IO-Link robot grippers, as well as stock lights, motors, encoders, pneumatics, and you name it.

Think of a field device for automation and there’s probably an IO-Link version of that now.

How do IO-Link sensors differ from common ones?

The typical sensor is digital, 3- or 2-wire and non-smart. That is, there’s no data communication from the PLC or the controller to the sensor. The issue is if there’s any problem with that sensor, the controller doesn’t know; the sensor either gives the output correctly, or it doesn’t. The only way to know there’s an issue with a sensor is if the machine crashes or product gets missed.

For 3- or 4-wire analog sensors, it’s the same thing. Either the signal drops or it doesn’t, but there’s DESIGN-ENGINEERING.com

Image credit: Omron Automation

SHOP TALK

no communication back and forth.

What IO-Link does is it allows the controller to talk to the device and get additional data transfer back and forth.

You can also access different data points from the sensor.

For example, you can get not only the temperature from a sensor, but also the intensity of the signal, to see if it is weakening.You can write settings to the device as well.

Say you have a complicated device that takes maybe three or four different settings on the device to get it dialed in for your application. Typically, you’d have to either set all those with a potentiometer directly on the device, or you’d have to click on a menu.

With IO-Link, you can program directly from the controller. So you can send a message to it, say, I want these settings, and you can write to it. This saves a lot of time, because it might a maintenance user’s first day on the job or it might be their first time replacing this type of sensor and they don’t know how to configure it.

Is the IO-Link protocol hardware agnostic?

IO-Link is a standard protocol. Field devices connect to an IO-Link master, which connects to the system fieldbus. The master converts from IO-Link to whatever protocol you’re using for your application, whether it’s Ethernet IP, EtherCAT, Profinet, Modbus, etc. So you would purchase an IO-Link master that can talk to your fieldbus.

And it will work with any IO-Link device by any manufacturer, which can

connect to any master by any manufacturer. If you look across all the manufacturers making IO-Link masters and devices, pretty much all major protocols are covered.

What is the best way to use IO-Link?

I’d say the first thing I would look at is any expensive device, particularly if they’re analog, and getting that analog signal via IO link instead. Digital is typically less expensive than analog.

Then, I would look at any problem area devices. If you have certain parts of your line, or a machine, that has issues, you can utilize IO-Link to get that data and get an idea of what’s going wrong.

Maybe the sensor is getting dirty, or maybe the end user is bumping into it, that kind of thing.

And lastly, for any device that has multiple parameters that need to be set, consider using IO-Link to help the user replace that easily. In IOLink, there’s a thing called backup and restore. So you can set up the device, and then back those setting up inside the master.

If you’re the OEM, you know exactly what you want to set this device to. You can back those settings up into the master, and then all the end user has to do is replace the sensor or field device and the IO-Link master automatically restores those saved parameters to the replacement.

That’s particularly good for devices that have multiple set points and multiple different settings, like distance laser sensors. They’re very good for complicated applications,

but there are a number of different settings that need to get dialed in just right.

To have an end user do that correctly, when they replace it, is probably pretty difficult.

So having backup and restore is going to be very critical for those kinds of devices.

The cost saving enabled by being able to diagnose problem areas quickly and performing preventative maintenance, plus the time saving afforded by IO-Link’s automatic backup and restore function are the main benefits of IO-Link. Even so, we have yet to see full extent of what manufacturers, OEMs and machine builders will come up with using IO-Link..

What are the downsides of IO-Link?

For a lot of people I’ve talked to, it still takes some configuration time for the programmer to set up.They’re already used to setting up a digital device so, for them, it’s a lot easier to use a digital device.

It can also be less expensive than an IO-Link one. So they think, I don’t need to go through the extra hassle of IO-Link when my customers aren’t asking for it.

What customers are asking for, however, is less downtime, more reliability and easier maintenance. So end user may not be asking to use IO-Link, but they are asking for those keywords. Those are all clues that maybe you should consider IO-Link, because it’s a small investment upfront, once you learn how to use it.

I’d heard of a situation recently, where the end user wanted the OEM to stand by

We have yet to see full extent of what manufacturers, OEMs and machine builders will come up with using IO-Link. @design_eng_mag

the output and productivity of the machine and offer maintenance as a package.

IO-Link allows that OEM, or the system integrator, to guarantee a certain output, because they’re able to remotely understand what’s going on with the system. I think IO-Link opens additional business opportunities, in that an OEM can offer maintenance as a service or rent the machine as opposed to selling it.

Besides sensors, what other devices are available with IO-Link?

What I’m seeing is customers considering IO-Link to use with robot grippers.

Typically a gripper would be a serial communication, like RS-485.But on a robot cell, there’s remote IO and remote IO is IO-Link.

That allows you to mount one master on the robot and have all your sensors going to it, as well as the robot gripper.

You don’t have to worry about RS-485 anymore, which simplifies a lot of things.

Currently, a lot of manufacturers are making anything that can be communicated with as a candidate for an IO-link option. For example, pneumatic companies are making IO -Link devices, like valves and valve banks. Stack lights are another, which you can trigger to be different colors.

Also, Omron makes a safety light curtain, from which you can get the beam data to see if its getting dirty. There are also IO-Link encoders,VFDs and motors. The doors have really been open now that more and more customers are using IO-Link. |DE www.omron.ca This interview was adapted from an episode of the Design Engineering podcast.

January/February 2024 DESIGN ENGINEERING 19

FEATURE

ENGINEERING LABOUR TRENDS 2024

Engineers in Canada will be in ample supply in the near future but are still one of the most sought after professionals presently, says recruitment firm, Randstad.

The company’s Canadian labour research predicts Canada will see an increase of 11,300 mechanical engineering jobs between 2018 and 2028 but with 13,200 mechanical engineers chasing those positions. Similarly, the need for civil engineers will grow by 18,900 positions by 2028, but with 26,500 job seekers in the market.

Even so, in the here and now, the employment firm says these two engineering disciplines remain in the top 10 of the most in-demand engineering jobs in Canada.

Mechanical engineering held it number one ranking as the most sought after in 2024 followed by civil in the number five spot, the company says.

This might seem a contradiction but it can be partially unraveled by the difference between newly minted engineers fresh out of college and battle hardened professionals.

Like in any other highly technical profession, industry experience is king. The difference in employment market value is reflected in the average salaries Randstad publishes yearly in their salary guide (see opposite page).

The company’s survey finds that the lowest-paid entry-level engineering positions in Canada average $69,700 per year. Just a few years later, the salaries of those with four to seven years experience jump to $104,600 on average. At eight years plus, the range tops out at a more modest $119,500.

To bridge that gap between what’s available and what’s desired in the labour market, the Canadian government and Professional Engineers Ontario are aggressively looking to coax seasoned engineers, and other technical professionals, to Canada and make their transition here as smooth as possible.

In July 2023, Canada launched a pilot program, under the IRCC’s Tech Talent Strategy, that encouraged up to 10,000 H-1B Specialty Occupations holders (foreign-trained engineers among

20 DESIGN ENGINEERING January/February 2024

them) apply for a three-year open work permit. The U.S. currently has a massive backlog of H-1B and green card applicants, many of whom are facing a life-time waiting period. Canada’s program, which reached capacity on its first day, aimed to give experienced professionals a more immediate path toward residency and citizenship.

For foreign-trained engineers already in Canada, Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) announced in May 2023 that it would become the first provincial engineering regulatory association to drop the Canadian work experience requirement to become a licensed engineer.

Most likely, the regulatory bodies in other provinces, especially Quebec and B.C., will monitor the results of the PEO’s move and follow suit.

Top Engineering Skills

While industry experience is key, it’s not the only factor.

Skills and credentials also play a role. According to Randstad, despite 20+ years of highly sophisticated 3D CAD applications in the market, mastery of AutoCAD

is the top requested engineer skill among employers. Conceivably, companies have backlogs of legacy 2D drawings to maintain and update plus older engineers who feel at home in the venerated design application. Younger engineers will no doubt be more adept with mid-range 3D CAD applications like Solidworks.

A close second to CAD proficiency is project management skills, Randstad says.

Especially prized are those engineers with experience in leadership positions, overseeing projects, managing budgets and supervising workers.

According the recruitment firm, engineering skills seeing a rise in desirability are automation and procurement.

Given the labour shortage seen in many industries, companies are increasingly integrating robotics and other automation technologies to reduce labour costs and increase efficiency, the company says.

In the same cost saving while improving quality vein, engineers with experience in procurement are valued especially following the supply chain nightmare of the pandemic.

Lastly, sought after engineering credentials in the Canadian market have remain unchanged year after year. Professional Engineer is a given for each province.

However, Randstad’s research finds that the P.Eng/ ing. designation has decreased among engineering graduates, who may be delaying becoming certified as licensed engineers.

According to the company, graduates may see the process as limiting, since each province has its own licensing process, which could make relocating more difficult. |DE www.randstad.ca DESIGN-ENGINEERING.com

metamorworks /iStock / Getty Images

COVER STORY

Engineering Salary Guide 2024 3 2

1

4 9

5 8 The following salary data is adapted from Randstad’s 2024 Salary Guide, based on data generated by the Economic Research Institute (ERI) with validation by Randstad experts. All salaries are for manufacturing mechanical and automation engineers only. Amounts are expressed in thousands of dollars and represent annual base salaries (before benefits). Salary ranges quoted below correspond to the 25th and 75th percentiles for Entry (1–3 years), Mid (4–7 years) and Senior (8–12 years) levels.

Randstad’s complete 2024 Salary Guide includes data for all engineering disciplines and related job titles, as well as data for 55+ municipal regions across Canada.

1 GREATER VANCOUVER Mechanical

Mechanical

For Randstad’s full report, including data for all engineering specialties and related professions, visit www.randstad.ca/salary-guides

7 GREATER TORONTO Mechanical

Automation

Automation

Entry:

$67.5 - 95.0

$69.1 - 91.9

Entry:

$64.6 - 92.0

$66.2 - 89.0

Entry:

$66.6 - 93.9

$68.2 - 90.9

Mid:

$83.8 - 119.0

$79.4 - 107.7

Mid:

$80.9 - 115.6

$76.5 - 104.5

Mid:

$82.9 - 117.7

$78.4 - 106.5

Senior:

$102.4 - 139.0

$91.9 - 123.3

Senior:

$99.3 - 135.4

$88.9 - 119.88

Senior:

$101.3 - 137.8

$90.8 - 122.0

2 CALGARY METRO Image: © Olli Turho / iStock / Getty Images Plus

4 SASKATOON METRO

Automation

6 7

Mechanical

5 WINNIPEG METRO Mechanical

Automation

8 MONTRÉAL

Automation

Mechanical

Automation

Entry:

$70.2 - 99.2

$71.8 - 96.0

Entry:

$61.2 - 86.9

$62.6 - 84.0

Entry:

$73.0 - 96.2

$65.0 - 88.0

Mid:

$87.4 - 124.2

$82.8 - 112.4

Mid:

$76.4 - 109.4

$72.3 - 98.8

Mid:

$83.0 - 112.2

$78.0 - 101.2

Senior:

$106.9 - 145.1

$95.9 - 128.7

Senior:

$93.8 - 128.5

$84.0 - 113.5

Senior:

$96.1 - 131.8

$87.0 - 116.4

3 EDMONTON METRO Entry:

Mechanical

Automation

$67.9 - 95.5

$69.5 - 92.4

6 GREATER HAMILTON Entry:

Mechanical

Automation

$63.4-89.3

$64.8 - 86.4

9 CAPITALE-NATIONALE Entry:

Mechanical

Automation

$59.8 - 84.7

$66.2 - 84.8

Mid:

$84.3 - 119.3

$79.9 - 108.1

Mid:

$78.7-112.2

$74.6 - 101.4

Mid:

$74.5 - 106.8

$72.9 - 98.7

Senior:

$102.9 - 139.3

$92.3 - 123.6

Senior:

$96.4-131.5

$86.3 - 116.3

Senior:

$91.5 - 125.6

$83.8 - 113.8

@design_eng_mag

January/February 2024 DESIGN ENGINEERING 21

Multicode reader over IO-Link Optical identification of 1D/2D codes and text

ifm.com/ca

ifm.com/ca

MOTION CONTROL

FEATURE

TERMINAL VELOCITY

In the fall of 2021, Beckhoff began to completely rethink the way it carried out final inspections of its I/O components.

Its aim was to significantly increase testing capacity and throughput, even though the German automation company produces many different types of terminals.

To address this challenge, Beckhoff’s own equipment manufacturing department developed a system capable of programming, adjusting and testing approximately 10,000 terminals per shift fully automatically. The system’s high speed and flexibility are the result of not only a sophisticated system concept, but also the automation company’s XPlanar transport system, PC-based control and the wide range of EtherCAT terminals.

Keeping pace with Beckhoff’s growth remains a challenge for Michael Golz, the head of the company’s demo systems department, and his approximately 40 employees, who are responsible for building the operating equipment.

They have taken a completely new approach to the system for final inspection of I/O terminals – with the XPlanar as a transport system, specially developed firmware programmers, and test stations with universal test cabinets.

“On average, a fully tested I/O terminal, that is programmed with the appropriate firmware, leaves the system every 3 seconds,” Golz explains, “regardless of the type of terminal and the order in which they are delivered.”

Currently, more than 200 different types of terminal can be programmed and tested on the system. The number of different types present also has no impact @design_eng_mag

Image credit: Beckhoff Automation

Smart conveyor system increases testing capacity and throughput of I/O terminal production.

on the output rate of 10,000 terminals per shift.

It seems like Beckhoff is trying to square the circle, particularly as, depending on the type of terminal – with/without FPGA, a controller or with analog channels – programming and the subsequent function test take different amounts of time.

“It can take up to 30 seconds for the firmware to be installed and all analog channels to be adjusted,” explains Stefan Engelke, who developed and programmed the test cabinets together with his team.

The solution to this time issue lies in the parallelization and separation of the firmware installation on the one hand and the function tests on the other. This is not a groundbreaking idea in itself; the pioneering element is the systematic use of the XPlanar’s degrees

Optimized for maximum throughput, Beckhoff’s I/O production system performs programming, adjustment, calibration, and function testing.

of freedom for the entire internal logistics and infeed of the terminals to the workstations.

Due to the free 2D movement of the products, it is irrelevant whether a single bus terminal needs to spend 10 seconds or one minute in a tester. The remaining movers simply go past the occupied stations to the next free station. The overall output of the system is therefore unaffected by individual delays.

Transparent Handling

“The process is nevertheless very simple,” Golz says. “The operator doesn’t have to set up anything; all they have to do is place a stack of trays with terminals at the infeed station and press a button.”

The stack then enters the picking station, where a delta robot picks up the modules from the January/February 2024 DESIGN ENGINEERING 23

FEATURE

Image credit: Beckhoff Automation

MOTION CONTROL

trays and places them individually on the waiting XPlanar movers.

The system has two main paths, almost like highways, leading left and right to the programming and testing stations. The stations are located at exits, or parking bays, on the side of both lanes. Between the lanes, there is a third path where all movers return to the picker. This symmetrical set-up has the advantage that even if an entire half of the system fails, the other side can continue to operate.

The movers then pass the terminals under a reading station through to the lateral programming stations. The reading station captures the individual Beckhoff Identification Code (BIC) of each terminal by means of multiple cameras and Beckhoff Vision.

“After that, the system knows the terminal type and does everything completely autonomously – programming, adjusting the analog channels if necessary and function testing,” adds Ulrich Brockhaus, who is responsible for system programming. At the same time, the BIC is “married” to the mover via its ID. This means that the mover ID can be used to track the location of each individual mover or terminal, even after a power failure.

When the mover has reached a free programming station, it

The vision systems captures the DataMatrix code of each terminal as it passes through, which is then “married” to the ID of the XPlanar mover.

24 DESIGN ENGINEERING January/February 2024

positions the terminal precisely under its contact pins. Then, depending on the BIC, the corresponding firmware is loaded onto the terminal.

It then moves on to one of the universal testing stations, which in turn calls up the device-specific test sequence based on the BIC. If the software has been loaded correctly and the function test reports no issues, the mover transports the terminal to the picking station’s second delta robot, which places the terminal on another tray, via the middle track. The mover passes through the reading station a second time, only this time in the opposite direction.

“The terminal is booked out via the renewed capture of the BIC on the return track, and the installation of the firmware and the function test of each individual terminal are documented in the central database, including all adjustment values in the case of analog terminals,” Engelke says.

Degrees of Freedom

The basis for this flexible yet fast process is an XPlanar system consisting of 100 tiles.

“We built the two main paths with two outbound lanes and the return track in the middle from six XPlanar base sets, each containing 3 x 4 tiles,” Golz explains.

For the add-ons (programmer and tester), the remaining 28 tiles are screwed onto the side of the basic system. Each mounting position has a standardized interface with power supply (400 VAC), safety, Ethernet, as well as EtherCAT. “The interface and the system layout enable future expansions without major conversion work,” emphasizes Golz, who is responsible for the mechanical design of the system and the specific details for terminal contacting.

XPlanar makes machinery modular while also simplifying mechanics in many sectors. For example, the programming stations use XPlanar’s XY precision positioning. Therefore, immediately after reaching the exact position, programmers can lower their pins onto the terminal contacts and start loading the firmware.

At the test stations, XPlanar’s variable flight height feature reduces the design work.When it arrives at the test station, the mover first lifts so that the slide-in unit of the test station can move under the terminal. Then, the mover lowers its hovering level again, and the terminal then rests on the slide-in unit and is drawn into the tester.

The benefit is that all contacts are freely accessible and can be contacted. After the test, the terminal is then placed back on the mover in reverse order.

The option to rotate the movers comes into play again during insertion and removal. It is used to rotate the movers by 180°, depending on the side of the system used.

“This feature has also significantly reduced the mechanical complexity and has made space-saving configuration of the tester and programmer on both sides possible in the first place,” Golz points out.

Electrical and optical functions

The testing stations don’t just check the electrical properties and functions of a terminal. “For DESIGN-ENGINEERING.com

Image credit: Beckhoff Automation

The positions of the 33 movers hovering over a total of 100 XPlanar tiles are displayed in real time in this TwinCAT HMI-created visualization.

Image credit: Beckhoff Automation

terminals with analog signals, the corresponding test sequences and calibrations are included too,” Engelke says. An integrated vision system also checks that the prism is present and in the correct position and measures the colors and intensity of the LED. A very wide range of EtherCAT Terminals, with their diverse functions and measuring ranges, can be tested automatically on the system, and this is all thanks to the universal test cabinet. Its measurement and testing capabilities are based on Beckhoff technology, with a focus on the precise measurement terminals from the ELM series.

AA3000 electric cylinders are used to insert the terminal carrier; AA1000 linear actuators are used to lower the contact pins. @design_eng_mag

Mounted in mobile cabinets and coupled to the system by means of a plug connector, the test cabinets can be replaced quickly, without shutting down the entire system. This needs to be performed regularly, since the ELM terminals are measurement devices which must be re-calibrated and certified in specific cycles.

The strengths of PC-based control are also evident in the overall coordination and evaluation. If a tester detects a discrepancy on a terminal, this is registered via the BIC while the tester sends the terminal back to the programming stations for reconfiguration. However, if error messages accumulate on a programmer or tester, this indicates a malfunction.

“In this case, the tester is reported to the system as unavailable and this position is no longer approached by the movers until the tester has been examined and, if necessary, replaced,” says Brockhaus. Although the system will then run with one station less for a short time, it is still up and running and not significantly slower. “An I/O terminal that could cause any problems for a customer would not leave our system,” adds Golz.

The system is a prime example of how PC-based control can be

used to perform a wide variety of tasks and functions. In addition to a C6670 control cabinet industrial server, which coordinates the 33 movers on the 100 tiles, a total of ten compact C6032 Industrial PCs control the other system components. The delta robots are automated with the AX8000 multi-axis servo system and AM8000 servomotors.

“We use the AMI8100 integrated servo drives to infeed and eject the trays because they are extremely compact and only require EtherCAT and 48V voltage to operate,” says Brockhaus.

AA1000 linear actuators are used by the programmers to contact the terminals; AA3000 electric cylinders are also used by the testers to feed in the terminal carriers.The entire safety technology is implemented with TwinSAFE. TwinCAT Vision captures the DataMatrix codes.

Around 40 EtherCAT measurement terminals from the ELM series are installed in each of the four test cabinets. In addition, a wide range of EtherCAT terminals from the EL series are also used. “PC-based control has made a lot of things easier for us in this project and leaves us the option for further expansions,” Golz says.

“Our I/O terminal portfolio comprises a wealth of products, from 2-channel digital input terminals to compact drive technology, with differing levels of complexity, which are produced in annual quantities ranging from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of units,” Michael Klasmeier, Beckhoff’s head of I/O production. “All of our products are produced locally in Verl, East Westphalia. Our objective is increase production output with our current employee numbers and in the space available, which is impossible without automated testing.” |DE www.beckhoff.com This article was submitted by Beckhoff Automation.

January/February 2024 DESIGN ENGINEERING 25

IDEA GENERATOR

NEW PRODUCTS an integrated battery monitor.

The CP150’s design protects against dust, moisture and extreme temperatures, as well as vibration. The controller has IP69K protection and can therefore be washed down with high pressure together with the rest of the machine. Optionally, the CP150 can use POWERLINK to connect via daisy chaining to other components. www.br-automation.com

AUTOMATION PARALLEL GRIPPER

Festo has launched its HPPF diminutive flat parallel gripper which ranges from 19 to 41mm among its four sizes: 8, 12, 16, and 20. The gripper’s stroke ranges from 8 to 80mm, with gripping forces from 60 to 377N. Designed for space-constrained applications, it contains less than 1% copper/zinc/nickel, making it suited for battery manufacturing. It features twin piston rack and pinion motion and ball bearing guides that give it an accuracy of ≤0.03 to ≤0.06mm. Units are symmetrical for flexibility in mounting and both sides feature a C-slot for sensors. Machine builders can adjust the stroke and there is an elastic cushioning option. The line’s small footprint also adds to its lightweight – 68g for the smallest unit and up to 1,326g for the largest. www.festo.com

MACHINE CONTROLLER

WAGO announced it has added the 750-9401 controller to its Compact Controller 100 family.

The model features a dual core processor with a mix of 18 digital and analog onboard I/O channels. It also comes with an RS-485 serial port, dual Ethernet ports, a USB-C port and a CANopen communication port.

The CANopen port simplifies the addition of digital I/O or connecting to sensors or J1939 enabled devices. Like other models in the series, this unit runs a real-time embedded Linux OS and is programmed with CODESYS 3.5 software or can be used with Docker containers for running opensource applications. www.wago.com

COMPACT CONTROLLER

B&R CP150 introduced its X90 CP150 compact controller, which features a standby mode

that provides the option of restarting a machine or vehicle immediately. When a machine is in standby, the application remains active and monitors the machine to immediately switch back to operating mode after a wake-up event triggered by engine ignition, CAN or I/O. If the machine is in standby mode for a longer period of time, the controller prevents the vehicle battery from discharging using

26 DESIGN ENGINEERING January/February 2024

RASPBERRY PI ADAPTER BOARD

HMS Networks has launched the Raspberry Pi adapter board, providing a simplified method to test and evaluate the Anybus CompactCom, a communication interface that connects devices to any industrial network.

Specifically tailored for use with

the Raspberry Pi, the CompactCom module is compatible with HMS’ free-to-download Anybus Host Application Example Code (HAEC). This code includes a reference port designed for the Raspberry Pi, which customers can use with the adapter board and an Anybus CompactCom module to start their embedded development project. www.anybus.com

ELEVATOR STAGE

Optimal Engineering Systems, Inc. (OES) has unveiled its DAG40-200 series that includes four motorized elevator stages.

Featuring a 200mm x 200mm

table, the stages feature 40mm of vertical travel with a 30kg load capacity. The DAG40-20001 and the DAG40-200-04 stages are driven by two-phase stepper motors featuring 2 micron positional accuracy, and a resolution of 0.042 microns (with a 10 micro-steps per step motor driver in use), and 5mm per second travel speed. The DAG20-120-04 (pictured) features a quadrature incremental optical encoder for position verification. The DAG40-200-02 stage is driven by a three-phase brushless servo motor while the DAG40-200-03 stage by a DC brushed servo motor. Both stages have a quadrature incremental encoder. www.oesincorp.com

WASHDOWN SERVO MOTORS

Teknic introduced its ClearPath servo motor line rated for washdown applications. The motors can withstand high-pressure sprays (IP66K) and short periods of submersion up to 1 meter (IP67). The line features a brushless design, oversized and permanently lubricated bearings, Class H high-temperature winding (180ºC), a

fault-tolerant encoder design and fully sintered rare-earth magnets. The line also features adaptive compensation for high inertial loads, velocity accuracy of 0.001%, patented vibration damping algorithms and auto-tune. Control options include step and direction, as well as digital I/O triggered motion. The models come with code with Teknic’s C++ or C# library and support Modbus DESIGN-ENGINEERING.com

(with ClearCore) EtherNet/IP (with ClearLink) and EtherCAT. www.teknic.com

wetted areas are PTFE and PEEK, making it suited for use with corrosive media. www.clippard.com

POE INJECTOR

SOLENOID VALVE

Antaira introduced its INJ-C200G-PASS-T, an industrial-rated Power over Ethernet (PoE) injector that can supply up to 90 watts to passive PoE devices through its 10/100/1000Tx port. Capable of either DIN-rail or wall mounting, the injector features an IP30-rated metal enclosure, with support for a temperature range of -40°C to 75°C (-40°F to 167°F) and protection from overload current and reverse polarity. The INJ-C200GPASS-T features a power input range of 12 to 55VDC and power output range between 12 to 55VDC Passive PoE. It has a 4-pin removable terminal block for 12VDC to 55VDC power input, permitting dual redundant power supply connections. www.antaira.com

FLUID POWER MEDIA ISOLATION VALVES

Clippard unveiled its AIV series of air-piloted media isolation valves. The series features Clippard’s multi-functional valve stem design for longer life and minimal dead volume. In addition, it also provides air operation, which is – by definition – intrinsically-safe. The valve has a flow range of 10 to 180 l/min at 100 psig (6,9 Bar) and functions as 2-way normally-closed or normally-open or 3-way selector/diverter. It has a maximum pilot pressure of 72 psig (5 Bar) and a response time of 50 ms typical. Since valves in the line don’t have a solenoid means there

Emerson introduced its ASCO Series 327C solenoid valve, which features a two-layer dynamic seal design that provides low friction and stiction resistance to enable valve operation in temperatures ranging from -60 to 90°C. In addition, the valve also features a balanced poppet construction and is SIL (Safety Integrity Level) 3 capable, demonstrating a high level of performance integrity and a low risk of failure over the valve’s projected lifecycle. The valve also offers an electrical test connection to minimize field commissioning time and prevent moisture ingress in storage. www.emerson.com

PNEUMATIC GRIPPER

Festo introduced its DHPL, a series of long-stroke grippers that offer ≤0.03mm repetition accuracy due to its three guide rods and a rack-and-pinion design. The line’s force ratings range from 40N to 750N. Jaw stroke ranges from 20mm to 200mm.

Positioning pin holes ensure DHPL mounts in the precise position of the gripper it replaces. Jaw interfaces allow for fingers and brackets to be added, which assure the perfect gripping of the part.

Pneumatic end-position cushioning is standard and can be adjusted for optimal performance according to the moving mass and speed. www.festo.com

TRACTOR VALVE MODULES

Danfoss Power Solutions announced it has added additional sizes of zero-leak electrohydraulic modules to its platform, which

Precision Control with the Push of a Button

is no heat build-up from a coil, making the AIV series appropriate for applications that utilize temperature-sensitive media. All January/February 2024 DESIGN ENGINEERING 27

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IDEA GENERATOR

NEW PRODUCTS enable the valve to cover flow rates of up to 170 liters per minute (44.9 gallons per minute). The new sizes (PVBZ 16, 40, and 48) enable customers to tailor the flow rate for each service more accurately. All PVBZ modules are based on the PVG 32 platform, eliminating the need for interface plates and allowing them to be combined in numerous configurations to match customer needs.

The new modules are compatible with PVE

electrohydraulic actuators. For tractors with mechanical implement actuation requirements, Danfoss has also added zero-leak mechanical MVBZ modules that can be combined with the electrohydraulic PVBZ modules, enabling the use of mechanical modules for auxiliary function control and electrohydraulic modules for hitch control. www.danfoss.com

VALVE POSITION INDICATOR

Emerson unveiled its TopWorx DVR Switchbox, a DV series valve position indicator that combines a resin enclosure and a patented cam design to provide easy-to-read valve position feedback.

Engineered for harsh environments, the IP66/67-rated unit features stainless-steel components and an enclosure that is ultraviolet (UV) F1 rated. Its cam design enables swift position configuration for faster installation and maintenance, the company says. https://emerson.com

HYDRAULIC TESTER

Webtec has added the RFIK270 mechanical hydraulic tester to its RFIK series. The model displays an increased flow capacity of 270 l/min (70 USg/min). In addition, the RFIK270 features a modified load valve that reduces pressure drop across the unit.

According to tests completed using ISO32 mineral oil at 40°C (32cSt viscosity), the tester reduces pressure drop by approximately 12 bar (174 psi) at maximum flow (270 l/min), equating to a reduction of circa 35%. Like other models in the series, the RFIK270 comprises a direct-acting reverse flow indicator (RFI), built-in thermometer and a loading valve with pressure gauge.

The system features two internal safety discs that relieve at 420 bar (6000 psi) without external spillage. www.webtec.com 28 DESIGN ENGINEERING January/February 2024 DES_RotoPrecision_MayJune23.indd 1

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ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLIES

AutomationDirect has added RHINO BASIC PSR series power supplies that feature high power density, high efficiency, and overcurrent protection in constant current mode. PSR series power supplies offer adjustable output voltage and a slim design in a aluminum housing. They are available in 120/240 VAC single-phase input models, with 24-28 VDC outputs at up to 480W and 480 VAC three-phase input models, with 24-28 VDC outputs at up to

960W. The RHINO PSR series power supplies are UL Listed, CSA approved, CE marked and RoHS compliant. www.automationdirect.com

PCB TERMINAL BLOCKS

Weidmuller USA introduced its OMNIMATE 4.0 PCB terminal blocks that feature the company’s SNAP IN technology. With it, a wide variety of conductors can be connected without the need for tools and wire-end ferrules.

The terminal blocks have a 5.00mm pitch, with vertical and horizontal orientations in 2 through 12 positions. It also includes an optical and acoustic safety indicator to show when wiring is complete.

The line includes options for

screw, push-In and Snap-in connectivity. www.weidmuller.com

HMI ENCLOSURES

AutomationDirect has added Saginaw carbon steel and stainless steel HMI enclosures

available in various sizes with NEMA 3R/4/12/13 ratings (stainless steel units are also rated NEMA 4X). They include a removable front cover for ease when making HMI cutouts and a rear cover with a quick opening latch for access to components when needed. In addition, HMI enclosure suspension arm systems are available, designed to allow operators to adjust the HMI enclosure’s position. These suspension arm systems consist of modular components including tubes and couplings.

HMI enclosure accessories are also available such as handles and keyboard trays. www.automationdirect.com

feature an integrated abrasion sensor, thin circuit board and cableless battery supply. Wear interrupts the board’s conductor paths, causing the electronics lose the signal. The sensor then transmits a long-range network signal to an igus i.Cee switch cabinet module for analysis, including the percentage of abrasion. Over time, the sensor wears away layer by layer – parallel to the bearing’s running surface – and will continue to transmit signals on the bearing’s condition. Users can see the remaining service life and maintenance requirements via a web-based dashboard, which they can access from a PC, tablet or smartphone. www.igus.com

80 GHz radar sensors. Comprised of the Micropilot FMR60B, FMR62B, FMR63B, FMR66B and FMR67B, the line includes versions suited to challenging process conditions such as aggressive media or extreme process temperatures.

The sensor features a new radar chip combined with Heartbeat Technology monitoring function to increase productivity and avoid downtime. It also includes integrated digital assistants

RADAR SENSOR

Endress+Hauser debuted its latest generation of Micropilot

Many Sizes and Styles in Stock for Metric, SAE, BSP, JIC, NPT Threads & Fittings

SENSORS FIXED FLANGE BEARINGS

Motion plastics company, igus, has developed two- and four-hole fixed flange bearings with wireless sensing capabilities for wear detection, enabling condition monitoring.

Constructed from self-lubricating, high-performance plastic, the bearings

Caps • Plugs • Grips for

Protection • Finishing • Masking

1-800-633-6775

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IDEA GENERATOR

NEW PRODUCTS

operated via Bluetooth and the company’s SmartBlue app. In addition to HART or Profibus, the Mircopilot also supports the Ethernet-APL protocol. It has been developed in accordance with IEC 61508 and can therefore be used in SIL2 or SIL3 applications. www.ca.endress.com

SAFETY SWITCH SYSTEM

AutomationDirect has added IDEM’s modular Z-Range safety switch system components to its portfolio of safety products. The system allows up to 30 Z-Range safety devices to be connected

to one safety relay while maintaining a PLe performance rating. The devices are rated for SIL3 as well as PLe and feature built-in local diagnostics.

Available devices include non-contact safety switches, solenoid locking RFID tongue interlock safety switches, tongue interlock safety switches, hinge interlock safety switches, cable-pull safety switches, emergency stop control stations and Z-Range safety switch system accessories. Wiring is simplified with premade wires, T-cables and junction blocks. www.automationdirect.com

CMOS IMAGE SENSOR Teledyne e2v announced its Gen2 Emerald CMOS image sensor, available in 8.9-Megapixels (4,096 x 2,160) or 12-Megapixels (4,096 x 3,072), in monochrome or color,

and in two-speed grades, standard and high. The sensor has a 2.8µm global shutter pixel, designed with Teledyne e2v’s light pipe technology, which provides up to 67 dB dynamic range in 10-bit and 12-bit ADC mode. Compared to the original Emerald family, the Gen2’s matrix is centered in a 21 x 20 mm² Ceramic Land Grid Array (CLGA) package, which fits 1-inch optical formats. It has two types of output, LVDS and MIPI CSI 2 and offers low-noise performance with < 3e- readout noise and increased sensitivity and angular response with dual-light pipe technology.

imaging.teledyne-e2v.com

and supports up to 32 cameras in a variety of different linkspeeds and scanning configurations. Available in a four or two port SFP+ configuration, the Xtium2-XGV PX8 can sustain aggregate input bandwidth of 4 GByte/s (4×10 Gb/s) and up to 6.8 GBytes/sec output bandwidth to the host memory. It can also perform on-board format conversions including Bayer to RGB, Bi-color to RGB, etc. The Xtium2-XGV supports hardware assisted packet resend and action command for external event synchronization. It is also capable of transmitting/ re-transmitting IEEE-1588 messages without requiring an external switch. www.teledynedalsa.com

PRESSURE TRANSMITTERS

AutomationDirect has added Endress+Hauser’s Cerabar series pressure transmitters, offered in both ceramic and stainless-steel measuring cells. Capacitive ceramic have membranes up to 30 times thicker than conventional cells. Even the tiniest of deflections result in measuring signals with the highest accuracy. The pure ceramic (99.9%) measuring cells offer high resistance to corrosion, minimal temperature hysteresis and the best overload resistance, the company says.

FRAME GRABBER

Waterloo-based Teledyne DALSA has released its Xtium2XGV PX8, a GigE Vision compatible image acquisition board that features a real-time depacketization engine to convert GigE Vision image packets into ready-to-use images. The board targets image acquisition from single or multiple independent 10, 5, 2.5, or 1GigE Vision area scan cameras, line scan cameras and 3D profile sensors. The half-length multi-port 10GigE frame grabber is designed for PCI Express Gen 3.0 x8 platforms 30 DESIGN ENGINEERING January/February 2024 ad-de-qtr-cmpl-feb2024.indd 1 DES_Spirol_janFeb24_CSA.indd 1

Designed to withstand the harsh conditions, the metallic cell transmitters feature a piezo-resistive sensor and offer measuring ranges up to a maximum of 400 bar (6,000 psi) with a 4 - 20mA output. www.automationdirect.com DESIGN-ENGINEERING.com

1/23/2024 2:18:41 PM 2024-01-23 2:38 PM

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We pioneer motion

How I teach my machines to speak to me

OPTIME™ enables me to keep an eye on hundreds of machines in just a few hours – which makes OPTIME a quick, easy and economical condition monitoring solution. www.schaeffler.ca/optime