Design Engineering January/February 2016

18 Bricsys sets lofty target with latest release of BricsCAD

20 Dyson Award-winning Canadian 3D printer creates circuit boards

28 Canadian furniture maker gets

a lift from PC-based automation

$10.00 | January/February 2016

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Median salaries and other key labour statistics forecast the shifting mechanical engineering employment landscape for the coming decade.

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Contents | Volume 62, No. 1 5

IN THE NEWS

8 Engineering

professor Hoda ElMaraghy awarded Ontario’s highest honor

8 Bombardier

appoints new president of transportation

8 UBC, Canadian

aviation industry to collaborate on making biofuel from forest-industry waste

8 Magna backs-up

CES 2016 Innovation Award honoree

10 Non-contact device detects patient blood flow at a distance

10 Half of Canadians

eager for driverless cars

12 Engineers propose metal powder as fossil fuel alternative

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Columns 8 Design News Canadian aviation industry to collaborate on making biofuel from forest-industry waste and other news 14 CAD Report Belgian CAD company sets lofty target with latest release of 3D modeler, BricsCAD

Printed in Canada

18

18 CAD Beat Engineer workflows to manage the product lifecycle 31 CFPA Corner Canadian Fluid Power Association celebrates breakthrough year despite adversity 33 Idea Generator The latest in industrial products including sensors, fluid power and power transmission

20

Features 20 Circuits on Demand Dyson Award-winning Canadian 3D printer instantly prints circuit boards 24 Mechanical Engineering Labour Forecast Median salaries and other key employment statistics forecast the shifting mechanical engineering employment landscape for the coming decade 28 Material Handler PC-Based Control provides a lift for Canadian furniture manufacturer’s automated warehousing systems

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6

EditorialViewpoint

A Rosie Picture

www.design-engineering.com

A

n on-going concern for the engineering profession globally has been the chronically low levels of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields – a reality no less felt in Canada. In fact, according to labour data, approximately 90 percent of people working as engineers in Canada have historically been men.

However, there are encouraging signs that the balance is beginning to shift, at least as far as choice of university degree is concerned. According to data from Statistics Canada’s 2013 National Household Survey, for example, a rising percentage of younger women hold STEM degrees than their older counterparts. Overall, women represented approximately one-third of 25-to-64-year-olds with a STEM degree, but young women aged 25 to 34 represented 39.1 percent in that age group. That’s compared to 22.6 percent for women in the 55-to-64 age group.

Drilling down further, the NHS survey revealed the largest shift in those numbers came from women pursuing engineering and engineering technologist degrees. The share of younger women holding this degree, the data showed, was 23.1 percent in 2011. That’s in contrast with a relatively small 8.5 percent share of women in the older age group.

In the years since the NHS survey, those numbers have been steadily growing. In November 2014, the University of Waterloo announced that young women made up 27 percent of the first-year class studying engineering – the largest number the university had ever seen. It’s also a sizable increase from a decade ago when only about 15 percent of first-year engineering students were women. Similarly, in early 2015, the University of Toronto announced that, for the first time its history, young women made up 30 percent of its first-year engineering students. Both universities attribute the rise to outreach programs encouraging girls and young women toward STEM degrees.

To be sure, the trend is encouraging. However, receiving a degree in engineering and ultimately working in the field are two different things, as most engineering grads are aware. According to a 2015 Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) study, Crisis in Ontario’s Engineering Labour Market, approximately two-thirds of all Canadian engineering degree holders aren’t working in engineering and 33 percent hold jobs that don’t necessarily require a university degree. The employment rates for female engineering grads, however, are even lower. The study reports that only 20 percent of the women who hold an engineering degree are working in the field.

So while the stats show that efforts encouraging young women to pursue engineering careers are having an impact, the vast majority of female engineering grads aren’t working as engineers. Like their male counterparts, many female engineering degree-holders, the OSPE report’s numbers suggest, may be choosing other career options after graduation or running into the same career barriers. However, there is still a significant number who aren’t working as or leave the engineering profession for other reasons.

At the end of the day, educational programs can only do so much. In such a historically male-dominated field, industry leaders need to go the extra mile to change the culture of their organizations such that both male and female engineers candidates are welcomed and have the same opportunity to flourish. There are many reasons why this is important but, as the Engineers Canada labour forecast details in this issue’s cover story, retirement of Baby Boomer engineers is going to ramp up significantly over the next decade. As a result, Canada is going to need every young engineer it can get.

Mike McLeod

@

I enjoy hearing from you so please contact me at MMcLeod@design-engineering.com and your letter could be published in an upcoming issue.

January/February | 2016

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Editor Michael McLeod (416) 442-5600 ext. 3231 mmcleod@design-engineering.com Publisher Alan Macpherson (416) 510-6756 AMacPherson@design-engineering.com Account Manager Ron Salmon (416) (905) 713-4362 rsalmon@design-engineering.com Technical Field Editor Pat Jones, P. Eng. Art Director Kathy Smith (416) 442-5600 ext. 3215 KSmith@plant.ca Account Coordinator Cheryl Fisher (416) 510-5194 CFisher@annexnewcom.ca Circulation Manager Beata Olechnowicz (416) 442-5600 ext. 3543 bolechnowicz@annexnewcom.ca Vice President Tim Dimopoulos (416) 510-5100 tdimopoulos@canadianmanufacturing.com President & CEO Mike Fredericks Design Engineering, established in 1955, is published

by Annex Business Media, 6 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which count as two subscription issues.

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Annex Privacy Officer: privacy@annexbizmedia.com Tel: 800-668-2374 No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2016 Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. All rights reserved. DE receives unsolicited features and materials (including letters to the editor) from time to time. DE, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort. DE accepts no responsibility or liability for claims made for any product or service reported or advertised in this issue. DE is indexed in the Canadian Business Index by Micromedia Ltd., Toronto, and is available on-line in the Canadian Business & Current Affairs Database.

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8 DesignNews UP FRONT Engineering professor Hoda ElMaraghy awarded Ontario’s highest honor The first Canadian woman to earn a doctorate in mechanical engineering, University of Windsor professor Hoda ElMaraghy, was conducted as a member of the Order of Ontario in January. Dr. ElMaraghy was also the first female dean of engineering in Canada when Hoda ElMaraghy UWindsor appointed her in 1994 and currently serves as the Canada Research Chair in Manufacturing Systems.

During her UWindsor career, ElMaraghy founded and is currently director of the Intelligent Manufacturing7 Systems Centre. Her research on flexible manufacturing has helped manufacturers around the world adapt and respond to market changes.

She is also a fellow of the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the International Academy for Production Engineering, as well as a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. www.uwindsor.ca

Bombardier appoints new president of transportation Bombardier Inc. announced the appointment of Laurent Troger as President, Bombardier Transportation, succeeding Lutz Bertling. A 25-year rail industry veteran, Troger joined Bombardier Transportation in 2004 as VP, Services for Europe and rose to President, Services Laurent Troger four years later.

In 2013, his role was expanded to include the rolling stock businesses in the United Kingdom, France and Benelux, and he later became President, Division Western Europe, Middle East and Africa. In 2015, he was appointed CTO and COO of Bombardier Transportation. Previously, Troger worked for 15 years at Alstom Transport and spent two years working for Sagem as a telecoms engineer. He holds a degree in engineering from École nationale supérieure de techniques avancées (ENSTA) in France and spent two years in the French Navy, specializing in system engineering of embedded weapon systems. www.bombardier.com January/February | 2016

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UBC, Canadian aviation industry to collaborate on making biofuel from forest-industry waste

C

I

n December, a consortium of Canadian aerospace companies and university researchers announced a pilot project to turn leftover branches, sawdust and other forest-industry waste into sustainable aviation biofuel. Initially announced in June, during the 2015 Canadian Bioeconomy Conference in Vancouver, the project was recently awarded funding by the Green Aviation Research and Development Network (GARDN) of Canada as part of its efforts to reduce the aviation industry’s carbon emissions.

The project stems from findings of a 2015 Boeing-sponsored study, conducted by the University of British Columbia, that showed aviation biofuel made from forest waste could meet 10 percent – about 46 million gallons – of BC’s annual jet fuel demand. These efforts could also supply biofuel to ground and marine vehicles, saving about 1 million tons of CO2 emissions per year on a life cycle basis across the transportation sector, the study found. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using sustainable biofuel reduces lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions by 50 to 80 percent compared to conventional petroleum fuel.

The consortium, led by UBC and Vancouver-based NORAM Engineering and Constructors, Ltd., includes Boeing, Air Canada, WestJet and Bombardier as well as SkyNRG, a Netherlands-based supplier of sustainable jet fuel that supplies biofuel to carriers worldwide. www.gardn.org

Magna backs-up CES 2016 Innovation Award honoree Aurora, ON-based Magna International Inc. revealed that its rear view camera and image processing technologies were an integral part of the 2016 Ford F-150 Pro Trailer Backup Assist system, which took the top CES 2016 Innovation Award honoree in the Vehicle Intelligence category.

Ford’s system helps driver safely back-up a trailer with automated assistance in which the driver steers the trailer using a control knob, while the truck steers its own wheels. Ford’s system is enabled

by Magna’s rear view camera, which measures the angle between www.design-engineering.com

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DesignNews

truck and trailer, as well as Magna’s image processing algorithm, which calculates trailer angle by detecting target decals on the trailer. www.magna.com

Non-contact device detects patient blood flow at a distance

loo and recipient of the prestigious Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. “By way of comparison, think of measuring the traffic flow across an entire city rather than through one intersection.”

A paper recently published in Nature’s Scientific Reports describes how the system works. Light from a high-powered LED is reflected off the patient’s skin and captured by a 100 fps camera. A microcontroller coordinates frame captures between the camera and light source to introduce temporally coded illumination (TCI) data, which is then used to remove ambient lighting artifacts from the frames. The system then uses signal processing software to remove camera sensor and process noise. The result is a stable PPGI signal. Tests run on the researchers’ prototype accurately measured heart rate with the camera set up to 1.5 meters from the test subjects.

With further refinement, the researchers say the system could be used to monitor multiple patients for whom skin contact pose challenges, such as in an infant nursery or burn victim ward. www.uwaterloo.ca

Half of Canadians eager for driverless cars

Professor Alexander Wong and Robert Amelard at the SchlegelUniversity of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging analyzing blood-flow data extracted with their new touchless device, pictured right.

(Credit: UWaterloo/Fred Hunsberger)

For nearly 90 years, doctors have used a simple combination of light and a photo sensor to monitor vitals like blood oxygen saturation and heart rate. Measuring fluctuations in local blood volume over time, this technique, called Photoplethysmography (PPG), is still used today in devices ranging from clip-on finger sensors to fitness trackers. But while PPG devices are simple and accurate, they’re also limited to one point of contact on a single patient and therefore can miss problems in other parts of the body.

To overcome these limitations, researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a portable system, called Coded Hemodynamic Imaging, that can monitor the blood flow of patients at multiple arterial points simultaneously and without direct contact with the skin (i.e. at a distance).

“Traditional systems in wide use now take one blood-pulse reading at one spot on the body. This device acts like many virtual sensors that measure blood-flow behavior on various parts of the body. The device relays measurements from all of these pulse points to a computer for continuous monitoring,” said Robert Amelard, a PhD candidate in systems design engineering at WaterJanuary/February | 2016

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At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, online insurance marketplace firm, Kanetix.ca, released the findings of a survey on Canadians’ attitudes towards driverless cars. According to the survey, Canadians are evenly split with 52 percent expressing some reluctance (i.e. adopting the technology would depend on how well it works). At the extremes, one in four said they couldn’t wait for driverless cars while almost as many said they love driving too much.

“With companies like Google and major auto manufacturers obtaining permits to test autonomous technologies, these vehicles could be a reality in the next few years,” said Andrew Lo, chief marketing officer and tech expert at Kanetix.ca. “While it is fun to imagine the possibilities these innovations present, we wanted to find out from Canadian consumers how they truly felt about the possibility of sharing the road with self-driving cars.”

Geographically, Quebec and Ontario are the most enthusiastic while Western Canadians were the least likely to want the driverless car. With some of the busiest and longest commuting times in the country, Ontarians felt a less stressful commute was one of the top benefits of a driverless car. In addition, almost twice as many men as women are eager for driverless cars, and the younger demographic, age 18 to 34, are the most excited.

Overall, the majority of Canadians surveyed said driverless cars will be safer. Fifty-one percent believe there will be fewer accidents, and 61 percent think the elimination of risks like speeding and drunk driving will be the among the best outcomes of driverless vehicles. Other benefits include a more enjoyable and relaxing drive (39 percent), less stress (35 percent) and not worrying about parking (22 percent). Nineteen percent think a driverless car is just “plain cool.”

The Kanetix.ca survey was conducted online in December 2015 with a nationally representative sample of 1,095 Canadians. www.kanetix.ca www.design-engineering.com

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12 DesignNews Mechanical engineering researchers propose metal powder as fossil fuel alternative Researchers at McGill University have proposed a new technique for using metal powders as fuel to power an external-combustion engine. If their preliminary findings hold, the research team says fine powders of iron or other common recyclable metals could be a better alternative to fossil fuels than hydrogen, biofuels or even rechargable batteries.

“Technologies to generate clean electricity – primarily solar and wind power – are being developed rapidly; but we can’t use

that electricity for many of the things that oil and gas are used for today, such as transportation and global energy trade,” says the study’s lead author, McGill University mechanical engineering professor Jeffrey Bergthorson.

“Biofuels can be part of the solution, but won’t be able to satisfy all the demand; hydrogen requires big, heavy fuel tanks and is explosive, and batteries are too bulky and don’t store enough energy for many applications,” adds Bergthorson, who serves as the Associate Director of the Trottier Institute for Sustainability in Engineering and Design at McGill.

“Using metal powders as recyclable fuels that store clean primary energy for later use is a very promising alternative solution.”

To demonstrate the concept, the research team used a custom-built burner to stabilize a flame in a flow of tiny metal particles suspended in air. According to the study, the flames from metal powders and those from hydrocarbon fuels “appear quite similar”.

“The energy and power densities of the proposed metal-fueled heat engines are predicted to be close to current fossil-fueled internal combustion engines, making them an attractive technology for a future low-carbon society,” the report says.

If those predictions are correct, metal powders, produced from clean energy sources, Conductix-Wampfler’s mission: To keep your operations running 24/7/365 with could power an external-combustion engine rugged, reliable energy and data transmission systems. Our conductor bar, cable to generate electricity. Unlike fossil fuels, the reels, festoon systems and crane controls are time-tested in the most demanding metal fuel produces nontoxic solid-oxide as environments and backed by a worldwide sales and service network unmatched a by-product when burned that can then be in our industry. We have over 60 years of experience applying our complete collected and recycled. line of mobile electrification and ergonomic products to real-world industrial While technically feasible, using metal applications. powder to fuel a heat engine has so far not been attempted. The McGill research team says the If you need solid solutions, look no further than Conductix-Wampfler. next step is to build a prototype heat engine.

According to David Jarvis, the head of strategic Now serving you from our new, modern distribution facility in Mirabel, Quebec and emerging technologies at the European Space Agency and a co-author of the study, metal powder fuel could have applications beyond power generation.

“We are very interested in this technology because it opens the door to new propulsion systems that can be used in space and on CANADA earth,” he says. “The shift away from fossil 18450 J.A. Bombardier fuels for vehicle propulsion is a clear trend Mirabel, QC J7J 0H5 for the future.”

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CADReport

BRICSYS Wants to be Your

3D MODELER Small Belgian CAD company sets lofty target with latest release of its 3D modeler, BricsCAD.

By Ralph Grabowski

“I

plan to make BricsCAD #1 in 3D by 2020.” That’s the gist of an outrageoussounding claim made by the CEO of Bricsys, a small CAD software company headquartered in Belgium. Erik de Keyser’s goal might make you reflexively choke on your morning coffee, given the long-established lead corporate giants like Dassault Systemes and Autodesk have in the development of 3D and associated technology – like PLM systems, point cloud manipulation or database storage of model parts – along with the necessarily incessant marketing.

But Bricsys is no new company. It was founded in 1986 as Bricsworks, which developed and then sold Bentley Systems their 3D architectural design package now known as MicroStation TriForma. Since 2002, Bricsys has been working on the AutoCAD-compatible BricsCAD, initially based on IntelliCAD, but now completely rewritten with its own code. In this article, I analyze the technology Bricsys is developing in its attempt to make BricsCAD software significant in the 3D market.

DWG as Foundation Every CAD vendor finds a niche and then builds its strength within that confine.

Dassault has its Enovia database; Autodesk is pivoting to subscription-based cloud applications; Bentley Systems is all about infrastructure; and Intergraph focuses on plant design.

The niche that de Keyser decided on is DWG. Now, this may not seem like a niche, as most CAD software reads and maybe writes drawings in DWG, a format that’s been called January/February | 2016

14-17-DES.indd 14

“universal.” The Bricsys twist is that it stores all model data in DWG files – whether 2D CAD, BIM, 3D MCAD or geospatial. There are external support files, but all 2D and 3D model data can be kept in that ubiquitous DWG format, thanks to internal extensions designed by Autodesk to store any kind of data (extended entity data).

Therefore, it is a niche because few other CAD vendors rely on just DWG for storing models from vertical applications. (PTC and Bentley Systems take a similar approach, but use their own formats, not DWG.) Not even Autodesk does this. It has a different file format for each of its MCAD programs, Inventor and Fusion; another format for its Revit BIM software; and so on. The result is that Autodesk’s vertical software is file-incompatible with DWG, and Autodesk went through years of incrementally improving its translators just to allow users to exchange data among its stable of CAD programs.

By employing the universal DWG file format, BricsCAD is accessible to existing DWG users, and the company doesn’t spend energy writing translators between its vertical apps.

Extension by Translation Not that Bricsys doesn’t have a translation problem. But the problem is external and distributed. To be #1 in 3D, BricsCAD needs to read models from other MCAD systems, and so Bricsys licenses software from translation companies, which allows BricsCAD to imports assemblies, models and drawings from Catia, Solidworks, Inventor and so on.

BricsCAD Platinum, with the extra-cost Communicator translation add-on, handles www.design-engineering.com

16-01-29 1:24 PM

CADReport 15 assemblies (product structures), stitches non-watertight models, repairs broken models and optionally simplifies incoming models. (AutoCAD cannot work with assemblies, because it lacks 3D constraints; however, it includes the MCAD translators for free.) For AEC and BIM users, BricsCAD imports and export models in IFC format at no extra cost. With the IFC and MCAD translators, BricsCAD becomes like SpaceClaim, in that it imports 3D models and then uses its direct editing functions to modify them.

Embracing With APIs A way to measure the strength of a CAD program is the size of its third-party ecosystem. The size is based partly on the quality of the APIs [application programming interfaces] offered by the CAD vendor.

Autodesk pioneered open APIs in the 1980s in an era when established companies like Computervision and Intergraph customized CAD software on behalf of customers – an expensive extra. AutoCAD’s quick dominance of the market was due to its (then) low price, but also due to architects and engineers buying AutoCAD so that they could customize it themselves, and in some cases even sell the customizations as a new type of business.

To tap into the huge number of AutoCAD users and third-party developers, smaller CAD vendors like Bricsys, Graebert and IntelliCAD replicate many of AutoCAD’s APIs. These include AutoLISP, ARx, DCL and Diesel. The firms also replicate

most of the support files needed by drawings, such as hatch patterns and linetypes.

In the case of Bricsys, the company says it now has 1,200 third-party developers and 1,500 third-party applications, 400 of which are listed at the Bricsys website. The remainder were developed privately by firms for internal use. Bricsys easily attained these big numbers because joining their developer program is free. (Autodesk’s fee begins at $1,400 a year.)

Large numbers of third-party developers and add-ons attract more customers, who look for add-ons that solve their specific design problems.

Market Domination through Direct Modeling With a three-legged foundation in place – DWG, translation and APIs – Bricsys added one more necessary ingredient: Direct modeling and editing with 3D parametrics and design history. The company even bought the Russian development firm that had written a constraint system. (Benefit: No royalties to pay to D-Cubed!) With the basic functions in place, de Keyser sees BricsCAD becoming the center of a multiCAD development system, a kind of universal 3D modeler.

To prove that BricsCAD is capable, de Keyser had his staff develop two verticals that take advantage of its APIs and direct modeling: Sheet metal design (figure 1) and BIM (figure 2). These showcase apps are meant to encourage third-party developers and impress potential customers.

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Figure 1: BricsCAD V16 modeling an assembly of sheet metal parts www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2016

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16 CADReport Bricsys felt the sheet metal add-on was so sufficiently developed that they could afford to spin it off as an optional extra-cost add-on for US$300; I expect they will do the same with the BIM add-on after it matures some more.

Whereas most CAD vendors spend between 5 and 25 percent of revenues on R&D, Bricsys spends just over 40 percent. The result is a torrid pace of updates that appear every 2-4 weeks.

Bricsys now has a 3D direct modeler to which third-party developers can attach custom info (xdata), use workspaces to customize generic commands and program with AutoCAD-similar APIs to end up with another vertical for sale or in-house use.

Spreading by OS and Cloud Another tactic to beat big CAD vendors might be to support operating systems besides Windows. Bricsys offers BricsCAD for Windows, Linux and Mac. In this area, Graebert Gmbh of Germany is the clear winner as they ported their ARES AutoCADcompatible software to six operating systems: Android, iOS and

server-browser (cloud), as well as Windows, Linux and Mac. However, I get the impression that Mac sales are not significant for new entrants like AutoCAD or BricsCAD. What numbers I’ve seen indicate that when a Linux version exists, it outsells the equivalent Mac version, perhaps because there are few mainstream CAD programs for Linux.

When it comes to server-based CAD, Autodesk and Dassault Systemes are so far ahead of all competitors to the point that Bricsys isn’t even trying. A portable version of BricsCAD hinted at a few years ago does not exist. The company does offer Chapoo.com as their cloud-based site for sharing files, communicating and tracking projects. I wouldn’t call it PLM, however, as it doesn’t track the lifecycle of products.

It might be missing out on a future “all the Web, only the Web” environment for CAD, but as there is no proven, profitable market for CAD on portable devices. For now, Bricsys concentrates its resources on the desktop, where users do design work.

Returning to the claim that Bricsys aims to be #1 in 3D by

The AutoCAD Workalike Universe Ever since a tiny software company out of Bellingham, Washington named Softsource first launched VDraft in 1996, a universe of software companies have latched onto the Dream. The Dream is that, among AutoCAD’s millions of users, there must be a few thousand or even hundreds of thousands who want software that works a lot like AutoCAD, but costs much less.

I estimate that, today, there are about thirty AutoCAD workalikes on the market. “Workalike” is the polite term for clone, although there are no actual clones of AutoCAD around, legally speaking. That’s because whenever Autodesk comes across a suspected clone, it launches a legal armada to shut it down.

As the companies I mention here are unsued by Autodesk, their software is safe to use. Workalikes are, by now, well-versed in the legal steps they need to take to avoid stepping on Autodesk’s toes.

To be considered an AutoCAD workalike, programs have to offer the following functions: • Read and write DWG files natively • Use the same command names as AutoCAD, either natively or through aliases • Perform many of AutoCAD’s 2D drawing, editing and plotting functions • Include some 3D functionality • Provide some customization and programming similar to AutoCAD’s The workalike market began its boom in the years following 1998 when diagramming leader Visio launched IntelliCAD – a big company offering an AutoCAD workalike at 10 percent of the price.

Visio made such a big marketing splash that Autodesk felt compelled to react, thereby legitimizing the new competitor. Visio executives, however, didn’t understand the CAD market well enough and so

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failed to make a dent.

To get out of it, Visio licensed the IntelliCAD source code to an independent organization, IntelliCAD Technical Consortium and the MCAD universe exploded.

Anyone could become an ITC member, license the IntelliCAD code, customize it a bit and then resell it. Dozens of companies did so, with names like 4M (Greece), Autodesys (USA), CADian (Korea) and progeCAD (Italy).

A second group of software firms, which started out by making their AutoCAD workalike software based on ITC, ended up completely rewriting their programs to differentiate themselves from other ITC members. They also developed their software at a pace faster than what the ITC was capable of. Some of these firms include Bricsys (Belgium) and GStarsoft (China).

The third group of workalikes began right from the start to independently write AutoCAD-compatible code. The companies include IMSI/Design (USA) and Graebert (Germany). In fact, Graebert has itself become a kind of ITC, customizing its ARES CAD system (pictured above) for companies such as Corel (Canada), Dassault Systemes (France), and SKA (Brazil).

The foundation for all of these workalikes is another organization, Open Design Alliance. Each year, it does the grunt work of decoding the latest changes made by Autodesk to the DWG format, and then providing its 1,200 members with programming libraries that read, write and edit AutoCAD drawing files. The APIs are available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS. (Autodesk provides a similar service through its RealDWG API, but is limited to Windows.) www.opendesign.com

www.design-engineering.com

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CADReport 17 Mastering challenges.

Opening communication channels.

Redefining flexibility.

Figure 2: BricsCAD V16’s BIM add-on for architecture.

2020: It’s great for motivating employees and enthusing customers, but could the company reach that point? In my opinion, it is building the necessary technology, but lacks the crucial marketing. The company is essentially unknown in the world’s largest economy, the USA; people don’t buy what they don’t know about. I get the feeling Bricsys doesn’t understand that it needs more than just technology, no matter how good it may be. It needs to redirect some of its R&D budget to an intensive, long-term marketing campaign.

Meanwhile, de Keyser is building what SpaceClaim already did: A universal 3D CAD editor.

The difference is that BricsCAD is based on the “universal” DWG format and that it employs “universal” APIs that are compatible with AutoCAD. In both cases, SpaceClaim doesn’t, but its secret was brilliant marketing. The company made itself seem pervasive. However, until it was snapped up by ANSYS, we never knew that it had only ever sold 35,000 licenses. For comparison, BricsCAD has 250,000 users, AutoCAD several million (Autodesk no longer provides seat counts), and Dassault Systems says it has an even ten million on-premise customers.

Should you pick BricsCAD over AutoCAD? Not necessarily, but you should try out the demo version to see if it can replace AutoCAD for basic drafting tasks or as a primary direct modeler.

BricsCAD starts at US$550 and then goes up from there. The full package – consisting of BricsCAD Platinum, Communicator translation module and the Sheet Metal module – is US$1,660.

Thirty-day demo versions of all of them are available from the company’s web site.

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Ralph Grabowski writes on the business of CAD in his weekly upFront.eZine newsletter. He is the author of many articles and books about AutoCAD, BricsCAD, Visio and other graphics software. He maintains the WorldCAD Access blog at www.worldcadaccess.com.

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18

CADBeat

Engineer Workflows to Manage the

PRODUCT LIFECYCLE

By Caleb Funk

D

o your design engineers spend time waiting for replies from other departments? Do they create the bill of materials (BOM) manually? Do they track change requests using a spreadsheet?

Manufacturers answering “yes” to any of the above questions could save time and money by integrating a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system with sales, design and ERP systems.

PLM streamlines operations by linking people, processes, data and products together to realize substantial efficiencies and improve product quality. Moreover, with PLM costs coming down significantly, it is no longer only within the financial reach of large companies.

To get started with implementing an effective PLM solution, manufacturers should not begin with a software search. It makes more sense to look at processes first. Find out where bottlenecks exist in workflows. Determine at what points in the process communications break down, then look at where and how information is being stored and shared.

Start at the front end with sales, following the entire workflow through design, purchasing and production – tracking the flow of data along the way. This method will quickly identify process gaps and data flow problems. Once the gaps and bottlenecks are identified, take steps to address them by engineering a new workflow.

Ideally, all processes and systems flow seamlessly from one step to the next. Anyone from sales to shop floor should have access to the current state of the project lifecycle and any changes to that lifecycle. With a cloud-based PLM system, global access to product information becomes possible. Companies can even extend product information to smartphones or tablets for true anytime, anywhere access.

Behlen Building Systems provides a case in point. This building system manufacturer stored important engineering information in multiple locations and multiple formats. Team members struggled to locate and access information both for themselves and for customers. The sales and engineering teams kept documents and checklists in paper project folders. DigiJanuary/February | 2016

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tal files were not any easier to locate, since some were stored in a document management system while others were uploaded to a network drive. Poor customer service and declining productivity compelled the company to try PLM. Behlen’s customer service team had difficulty tracking the status of customer orders and dealing with warranty issues.

Customer service representatives couldn’t tell if a customer inquiry had received attention, nor how close it was to resolution. Now, with a centralized PLM system, Behlen is in control of their customer service workflows.

Employees across all departments can easily access and validate where customer service issues are occurring and what steps have been taken to resolve them. Having everyone on the same page has resulted in greater efficiencies in the company’s customer service processes as well as happier customers.

In this example, a product lifecycle management solution allowed the staff to respond rapidly and accurately to each and every customer request, no matter how urgent. By providing excellent customer service in terms of re-orders, replacement parts and further product customization, manufacturers stand a better chance of keeping existing business.

Originally, feature-laden PLM applications created for big, complicated manufacturers were extremely costly. Now there are affordable PLM applications for everyone. Autodesk PLM 360 is a complete PLM solution that can scale to meet the needs of small to mid-size manufacturing organizations – and, it won’t break the bank to get up and running in any organization.

DE www.imaginit.com

Caleb Funk is the manufacturing solutions team manager at IMAGINiT Technologies with a focus on data management and product lifecycle management solutions. www.design-engineering.com

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20 CanadianInnovator

Circuits on

DEMAND

Dyson Award-winning Canadian 3D printer rapidly creates circuit boards.

By Treena Hein

N

ecessity strikes again. It was 2012 when it became the mother of the Voltera V-One circuit board printer. At that point in time, University of Waterloo Mechatronics and Nanotechnology grads Alroy Almeida, Katarina Ilic, James Pickard and Jesus Zozaya were continually butting up against a problem, both in their working lives and with their own hobby projects.

“We were excited to see all the attention 3D printing and other rapid prototyping techniques were getting,” says Almeida, “but noticed a distinct lack of tools for electronics development, for anything from smart phones to biomedical devices. That’s when we set out to create one ourselves, just as a fun project.

But it quickly grew into a business as we got interest from our peers and others in the field.” By 2013, they had founded Voltera, which now has bases in Kitchener, Ontario and Shenzhen, China.

The laptop-sized Voltera V-One uses different inks, conductive and insulating, to rapidly create two-layer circuit boards.

It also dispenses solder paste so that components can be added to the board. Users simply import 2D Gerber format files into Voltera’s software, place a blank FR4 board on the print bed and press print.

The V-One’s software automatically converts vias in the design to bridges and sandwiches a layer of insulating ink between layers of conductive inks to create two-layer boards. To make a small production run, no stencil is needed. Users only need swap in the solder paste print head, place components and let the soldering begin. But getting to this commercialized finished product was far from easy.

“When we first began the company, we spoke to experts in the conductive ink industry and they informed us that what we January/February | 2016

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Winner of the 2015 Dyson award, the Voltera V-One circuit board printer (top) produces two-layer circuit boards, using a combination of conductive and insulating inks. By swapping out print heads, the V-One can also dispenses solder (above) to connect components.

were trying to build was impossible,” Almeida says. “Instead of backing down, we rose to meet the challenge and put all our effort into the chemical formulation of the inks.”

They tried several different styles of print heads as they came to better understand the trade-offs between power requirements, control circuitry and software and fluid mechanics of the inks.

During this early phase, the electro-mechanical design changed frequently. In those early days, Almeida, Ilic, Pickard and Zozaya had a very limited budget. They built one experimental set-up after another by hand for a fraction of the cost of purchasing proper equipment.

“Thankfully, we were supported by grants from the Canadian government and avoided the need for outside investment,” Almeida explains. “Once we reached a point where we were confident in our ability to get the chemistry to reach the benchmarks we had set for ourselves, we began to focus more on the product design. We knew we wanted to build machinery that people would be proud to have on their workbench. This was in stark contrast to the majority of equipment we’ve used in the past, which only left us frustrated and longing for intuitive user www.design-engineering.com

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22 CanadianInnovator interfaces and simple workflows.”

The team chose a local industrial design firm to help evaluate a few design directions. Almeida says that, during that process, driving factors included expected costs of materials and assembly, simplicity for the user, robustness for regular use, critical materials and manufacturing processes.

“Several interesting but complex design features were eliminated,” he adds, “including a transparent heat shield and automated print head switching.” Once the team had a design nailed down, they began extensive prototyping. They moved things to China to continue prototyping and also to begin building a supply chain. In 2015, they returned to Canada with a functional unit that they were able to take to trade shows and officially launch.

Product refinements continued in 2015. The V-One has been tweaked on many fronts, to improve safety and user experience and to reduce cost and assembly time. These changes, Almeida says, were a result of usability tests with other product designers and prospective customers. Factory feedback was also important.

“The initial control software and path planning algorithms had been a patched-together system that allowed us to experiment rapidly,” he notes. “After the design was finalized, the software was rebuilt from scratch. It followed the same design principles as the product itself. We focused on guided walk-

throughs and a clean interface that only presented options when they were truly required. Once again, usability tests proved or disproved a lot of our assumptions and led to a tool that was more usable by a varied audience.”

The Voltera staff now stands at eleven. “We still maintain a fairly flat organization with each person filling multiple roles and often bringing multi-disciplinary skills to the table,” says Almeida. “Voltera has over 300 units ordered right now from about 40 countries, and its customers span all walks of life, from businesses of all sizes and academic institutions to hobbyists as well. The primary market is North America, but we see demand from Europe, Australia and a few Asian countries as well.”

The four Voltera founders are the proud winner of the 2015 Dyson award (and their Kickstarter campaign has topped the $500,000 mark). “We really admire the quality and aesthetic that the Dyson engineers imbue into their products,” Almeida says. “In many ways, we’ve always aimed to do the same, and that’s a big reason why this award means so much to us. James Dyson is a fantastic engineer and a big reason behind why Dyson does build their products the amazing way they do. His support brings a lot of validation to Voltera and reminded us that we are truly solving a big problem that hardware developers face on a regular basis.”

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24

CoverStory

Mechanical Engineering

LABOUR FORECAST

Median salaries and other key employment statistics forecast the shifting mechanical engineering employment landscape for the coming decade.

A

ccording to Engineers Canada’s 2015 Labour Market Report – a biannual forecast characterizing supply and demand in engineering labour market – two major factors will dominate the employment landscape over the next 10 years. The first is the need to fill positions vacated by Baby Boomer engineers as they retire in the coming decade. The second is the progressive shift westward of economic activity, even given recent decline in oil prices.

These trends will have particular influence on mechanical engineers, the report says, driving up demand for new entrants and particularly internationally trained engineers seasoned enough to fill more senior rolls. In addition, the report foresees

increased migration westward given projected rebounds in oil and other resource markets.

Compiled in partnership with the Centre for Spatial Economics, the report is based on occupation data collected from StatsCan’s National Household Survey (NHS) and the Labour Force Survey (LFS) combined with economic projections and historic graduation/ immigration rates. Although the full Engineers Canada’s report provides in-depth analysis of 14 engineering disciplines, data shown below pertains exclusively to mechanical engineering. The comprehensive report is freely available on the Engineers Canada website. www.engineerscanada.ca/labour-market-report

Projected Median Salary British Columbia $81.0 $95.1 $111.9

Alberta $109.5 $123.7 $143.6 Saskatchewan $91.8 $100.8 $109.7

Median Annual Wage $(000s) 2016-2025 2016 2020 2025

Compensation for mechanical engineers across Canada will rise steadily over the next decade, the report forecasts, with no major year-to-year ups or down anticipated. However, it does reveal that certain provinces presently pay, and will continue to pay, significantly more than others. Albertan mechanical engineers, for example, made nearly $20,000 more in 2015 than their colleagues in next highest paid provinces: Saskatchewan, Newfoundland & Labrador and Ontario.

Even with the sudden decrease in oil prices last year, the report predicts a resource rebound in the coming years, based on U.S. January/February | 2016

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Newfoundland & Labrador $88.8 $100.9 $117.1

Manitoba $69.0 $77.1 $84.0

Ontario $86.3 $96.6 $109.7

Quebec $77.4 $88.3 $100.0

New Brunswick $70.3 $80.7 $95.2

Prince Edward Island $41.1 $43.5 $45.7 Nova Scotia $79.5 $92.0 $108.9

Energy Information Agency expectations, and therefore a steady demand for mechanical engineers in the western and resource dominant provinces. As a result, by 2025, the wage disparity will see the median annual pay of Alberta mechanical engineers grow to approximately $30,000 more than those in most other provinces.

That projected Alberta wage gap expands to $40,000 more than the median wage in Quebec and $60,000 more than Manitoban mechanical engineers. (The low median salary reported for Prince Edward Island is based on nearly zero employment of mechanical engineers there, the report says, and is therefore deemed not reliable.) www.design-engineering.com

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Sources of demand

NL

CoverStory 25

Sources of Demand

PEI NS

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NB QC ON MB SK AB

Expansion Replacement

BC -100

0

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Rather than predict how many mechanical engineers will enter the labour market over the next 10 years, the 2015 Labour Market Report estimates how many engineering graduates, foreign trained engineers entering Canada and job changers will be needed to meet expected market demand.

According to the report, more than 3,000 graduates receive a mechanical engineering degree from Canadian universities annually. Of those who choose a mechanical engineering career, about 1,200 will be needed, per year, to fill available positions to 2019. Over that five-year time frame, another 680 mechanical engineers in-migrating to Canada will be needed to keep the labour market in equilibrium.

From 2020 to 2025, the labour forecast projects that in-migration for mechanical engineers will fall off to 175 annually. Broken down, Ontario, Alberta and B.C. will see the largest number of new entrants to the profession as well asAverage the largest age number of mechanical engineers from in-migration.

{

In terms of the labour report, sources of demand for mechanical engineers is a combination of expansion (increases in overall staff) and replacement (positions left vacant by retiring or deceased engineers). Nationally, the study projects approximately 2,100 job openings for mechanical engineers per year until 2019. Of those openings, about 825 a year will come from expansion demand while the majority of openings (1,270 or about 60 percent) will need filling due to replacement. From 2020 to 2025, the average number of total job opening is forecasted to fall to about 1,400, largely due to decreased expansion demand.

Provincially, Ontario will lead the nation in job openings, with replacement labour contributing approximately 70 percent of overall demand over the next five years. That percentage is expected to climb to 90 percent of job openings during the latter five years of the forecast, as high expansion demand begins to fall.

Sources of supply

Sources of Supply

NL PEI NS NB QC ON MB SK

New entrants Net in-migration Net other mobility

AB BC -100

0

100

200

Average Age

50

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NL

300

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900

The average age for mechanical engineers across Canada is the mid-40s and is expected to stay that way for the next 10 years, the report forecasts. The one exception is Newfoundland & Labrador, where the average age is currently 37 but will increase to 40 by 2025.

Similarly, the average mechanical engineer will get older in Quebec, and less so in Saskatchewan and Alberta. British Columbia currently has the highest average age at 46 but that number is expected to fall to 43 as Boomer engineers retire.

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26 CoverStory

New website to provide up-to-date Engineering labour stats

W

hile Engineers Canada’s biannual Labour Market Report will continue to be a useful resource for large employers, government policy makers, provincial regulatory bodies and educational institutions to plan the engineering profession’s future in Canada, it can be a bit too large in scope and long between releases for the individual engineer.

To fill this gap, Engineers Canada has partnered with the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) to create an interactive website called EngScape to help working engineers, students, foreign trained professionals and others tailor vast amounts of labour data to their specific needs.

Scheduled for launch early in 2016, the site will feature a comprehensive profile of the 14 engineering disciplines featured in the report. In addition, it will provide up-to-date labour market statistics for that field on a national, regional and local level, including top jobs in-demand, median wages, education requirements, demographics and talent clusters.

For example, a civil engineering graduate might look up the cities and/or provinces where her particular discipline is in

highest demand currently while an experienced mechanical engineer could compare the median salaries of British Columbia vs. Alberta or Ontario. Further, a software engineer planning a move to Canada could learn what education and accreditations are expected in various provinces.

“Another exciting feature on the site will be a populated list of engineering jobs open across Canada,” says Jamie Ricci, Practice Lead, Research at Engineers Canada. “This pulls from multiple employment sites but will also allow people to filter results by job title, city, province and other parameters. Hopefully, this will make it easier for job seekers to find what they are looking for.”

According to Engineers Canada, the new website is slated to go live by the end of the 1st quarter of 2016 and will feature statistical labour data updated on a continual basis. www.engineerscanada.ca

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This is where DIVEL, a provider of lifting and positioning equipment based in Louiseville, Québec, steps in to provide engineered solutions for operations seeking material handling and production modernizations.

Founded over a decade ago, the company designs, fabricates and installs industrial positioning and lifting systems, as well as test benches for a wide range of industries. To control the process from design to commissioning, each machine is specified, assembled and programmed in-house.

“DIVEL is fully committed to our customers, and our goal is to provide a seamless, turnkey industrial solution for any positioning and lifting need,” says Louis Lupien, president of DIVEL. “Features such as automated operation, user-friendly interfaces and a high degree of machine safety are just a few of the ways we separate ourselves from our competition.”

The DIVEL Automated Fabric Storage System provides a fast, accurate solution for storage and utilization of fabric for Quebec-based furniture maker, Canadel.

Automatic storage and transport True to the company’s roots in furniture applications, one of its most impressive positioning and lifting applica- A linear conveyor system transports fabric rolls from the racks to an automated cutter. tions is an automatic fabric storage system created for Louiseville, Quebec-based furniture manufacturer, Canadel.

The DIVEL system takes full advantage of the company’s extenFamily-owned and operated since 1982, Canadel manufactures sive experience in lifting and positioning systems, integrating a each piece of hand-assembled and finished solid birch furniture complex network of motors, cables, chains and metal arms, all in North America and in an environmentally-friendly manner. fitted together to create an easy-to-use method of fabric roll conIn contrast to this traditional process, DIVEL’s advanced material veyance. After the system removes the rolls of up to 100 pounds handling system zips between the fabric storage racks interspersed from large metal racks, it moves them back between the shelves throughout its modern warehouse. and places them on the automated cutter. Without any intervention “High storage density, automated operation and minimal plant by the operator, the automated cutter removes the necessary length floor footprint were all key goals of Canadel for the new fabric of fabric for the particular project and a precision cutting machine storage system,” Lupien says. “Through integration of leading-edge finalizes the shape of the material by trimming the fabric to the control technologies and leveraging our years of manufacturing correct size for the application. experience, we struck a perfect balance in terms of performance The DIVEL machine then returns the roll of unused fabric and form factor.” back into storage – again, an automated process needing little or January/February | 2016

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no operator intervention. The entire procedure is documented by an inventory management system and tracked in a table for operator review.

In addition, the DIVEL system can autonomously add or remove fabric rolls from inventory, as dictated by production needs.

“Practical and efficient industrial solutions are at the core of the DIVEL value proposition,” says Jean-Sebastien Descôteaux, DIVEL operations director. “By ensuring exceptional user-friendliness on the machines and dramatically boosting throughput, we help customers streamline operations and increase production.”

overall control system. For example, the CP62xx with TwinCAT PLC control software automates the roll storage sequences. The TwinCAT PLC HMI library permits the design of graphical elements, such as onscreen push buttons, pilot lights, actual values monitoring, bar graphs and trends, among others. TwinCAT Modbus TCP Server is used to configure a communication path with the cutter for roll number orders and alarm advising.

“The ability to use different programming languages, whether A Beckhoff CP6202 Panel PC and HMI provides overall Function Block Diagram, Continucontrol and tracking for Canadel’s autonomous systems. ous Flow Chart, Structured Text, Sequential Flow Chart or others, PC Control represents a powerful advantage over other software options,” When exploring options for controls components, DIVEL had a Descôteaux says. “All programming challenges can be easily myriad of requirements to check off before choosing a suitable solved using the appropriate language for the task at hand, thus vendor. Among these requirements was reduced assembly and reducing engineering and commissioning time. Built-in instrucprogramming time, integration of advanced programming meth- tions and data conversion facilitate significant flexibility for odologies, a variety of I/O signal types and reduced cabling require- data handling and management.” ments. PC-based control hardware and software, along with the AM3033 synchronous servomotors from Beckhoff are used EtherCAT industrial Ethernet system, ultimately formed the ideal in the motion system, providing accurate axis positioning and solution. In 2009, Beckhoff Automation became the standard high torque. Powering these motors are AX52xx series 2-chanautomation and controls provider for DIVEL storage systems. nel EtherCAT servo drives. These dual-axis drives enable To handle the HMI and controls processing, DIVEL integrated operation of two motors with identical or different power ratings, a Beckhoff CP6202 Panel PC, which combines a 15-inch touch up to a total current of 12A (2 x 6A) and a wide global voltage screen with an Intel Celeron M 1.5 GHz processor. In each con- range of 100VAC -10% to 480VAC +10%. In addition, EtherCAT figuration, the Panel PCs of this series are approved for ambient as the communication system enables interfacing with devices temperatures between 0 and 55 °C, designed for installation in throughout the PC-based control system. the front of a control cabinet. Functions handled by the process“In the fabric roll storage project, two axes of motion had to ing system include full automation of the storage systems, data be used in master-slave mode, in order to create a linear moveentry for manual roll storage feed and withdrawal, alarm annun- ment with a rotary axis and another linear axis, due to tightness ciation, sequence display, interface for manual operation and axis of space,” Descôteaux explains. “The compact form factor of displacement, as well as inventory display and control. the Beckhoff components was a welcome addition to combat DIVEL also leverages a variety of TwinCAT functions in the the space-constrained nature of the project.”

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30 MotionControl Time and cost savings Over the past five years of implementing Beckhoff technologies across their product lines, DIVEL has driven significant benefits.

“Since EtherCAT utilizes standard Ethernet cables, we were able to cut the number and cost of necessary cables along with the size of the cabling track, providing increased reliability,” Lupien says. “The ability of EtherCAT to pass the data from I/Os, the safety components and the motion system through

one network, all without compromising response times, provides incredible advantages in our systems.”

Through the speed of EtherCAT, DIVEL realized significant cabling cost reductions, as well as reductions in commissioning time.

“On projects where the I/Os are installed a good distance away from the PC-based controller, EtherCAT saves us around 10 percent in time and material, when compared with traditional fieldbus cabling.”

He also notes that DIVEL was able to generate additional savings through a reduced machine footprint. “The compact size of PC-based control architectures helped us reduce the panel height by an impressive six inches, generating instant savings on each machine,” he adds.

Descôteaux also highlighted the significant value found within EtherCAT connectivity and the TwinCAT development environment.

“The openness of the EtherCAT platform enables streamlined connectivity with the vast majority of popular fieldbuses as well as simple data collection for analysis of power quality and energy consumption, making it a powerful tool and welcome addition to our operations,” he said.

Data exchange with external databases is easy with the appropriate TwinCAT libraries, reducing programming time and effort, Descôteaux notes. “We’ve seen significant reductions in programming time using TwinCAT,” he says. “The broad range of software tools helps reduce programming time by approximately 15 percent over code developed on previous platforms. And, when coupled with the built-in remote access capabilities that come standard with PC-based systems, we can provide customers a robust product to meet all of their needs.”

After the success of the first system at Canadel, DIVEL plans to make this new Some models automated storage system a standard prodfeature mechanical uct offering. As part of these plans, the control over speed company says it will continue implementing and travel direction.

Beckhoff PC-based control systems into No programming their standard product lines. or electronic “We have had an excellent experience controls are with Beckhoff as a whole,” Lupien says. needed.

“DIVEL continues to generate considerable results with each new machine – whether Distributed by Amacoil, Inc. with furniture, metalworking or any of the PO Box 2228 numerous industries served by our innova2100 Bridgewater Rd. Aston, PA 19014 tive product lines.”

DE Phone: 610-485-8300

Rolling Ring linear drives

Zero backlash. Jam-proof design.

• For applications in positioning & reciprocating motion • Zero play – even during reversal Uhing® Rolling Ring linear drives run on a smooth, threadless shaft that won't clog or jam. If the system is overloaded, the shaft simply slips instead of churning and grinding.

The drive bearings are in constant contact with the shaft, even during reversal, thereby preventing backlash.

Example applications: metrology machines, material handling systems, spooling equipment, packaging & converting equipment.

Many different sizes meet varying requirements for axial thrust & linear speed.

For more information call 1-800-252-2645 Email: amacoil@amacoil.com www.amacoil.com

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CFPA Corner 31

Breakout

FORCE

Canadian Fluid Power Association celebrates breakthrough year despite adversity.

By Alan Wheatley, CFPA Communications Chair

power engineers put on quite a show.

Our annual golf tournament was held at Crosswinds in Burlington in June and was again a fabulous event. The weather did not fully cooperate but that didn’t dampen spirits. The highly attended event made for a great networking day and an opportunity to get outside and partake in friendly competition amongst peers. Hockey hall of famer Marcel Dionne served as the guest of honour and brought with him old time hockey stories and good laughs.

October brought our first Annual General Meeting to Chateau Vaudreuil on the outskirts of Montreal. Our decision to have our first AGM outside of Ontario turned out to be a positive decision. Our exceptional line up of speakers over two days, along with collaborative meetings with our members, really provided exceptional value. Some of the highlights were: • Famed Canadiens hockey great Chris “Knuckles” Nilan shared

2

015 should be considered a breakthrough year for the Canadian Fluid Power Association (CFPA). For the first time in its history, industry events were held in western, central and eastern Canada. Becoming a national association requires regional representation and acceptance from the membership. The work of the board has paid dividends this year in the form of many new members.

Early in 2015, the CFPA Board of Directors needed to outline its events calendar for the coming year. As a national association, the economic difficulties of the industry in Canada needed to be taken into consideration. The drop in oil prices in Alberta, combined with the volatile nature of manufacturing in the other regions, meant that members needed to see value in their membership. We needed to be sure any event promoted would be well attended. Our decision was to hold a regional event in western Canada, a golf tournament in Ontario and our AGM in Quebec.

Our western Canada event last April in Calgary was a reception with a keynote address from Paul Tsounis, an expert in WIth a 7 mm profile and 22 mm diameter, the WAL energy economics. He provided insight on 200 Series is designed to even fit in applications with very limited space. Very cost effective. the fundamental shifts that have occurred in North American energy markets and how WAL 200 Series are absolute sensors, so these shifts are impacting Alberta. The prethey continue measuring even if power is sentation was informative and, in retrospect, removed. After power is restored they provided some forewarning of things to come provide the correct angle. for the balance of 2015.

Additional events in western Canada included a revised version of the Strathcona ACTUAL SIZE Fluid Power Challenge and the golf tournament in June. Continued efforts from our western directors to keep our fluid power Key specifications include: members involved in the CFPA under difficult • Repeatability ≤ 0.3° • Measurement range 0 to 340° economic circumstances are appreciated.

• Connector & cable options • Mechanical: 0 to 360° continuous The Fluid Power Challenge returned to Ontario in May last year, with 19 schools For more information visit www.novotechnik.com/wal200 participating in this technical challenge to design, build and test a fluid power device.

Novotechnik U.S., Inc. Telephone: 508-485-2244 The enthusiasm showed by the students, Email: info@novotechnik.com teachers and faculty during the four hour competition was infectious. Our future fluid

Ultra-Compact

Hollow Shaft Angle Sensors

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CFPA Corner his hardships about making it to the NHL, his fall from grace and his recent redemption during his 13 year professional career. Lesson learned: Whatever happens, never back down, never stay down!

• Gary Gzik of BizExcel showed attendees how to take actions to transform their organizations into places where employees willingly sacrifice not only their time, but their talents, creativity and passion, and even their blood, sweat and tears. Gary’s presentation was enthusiastic, interesting and interactive • Jason Myers, President and CEO of CME, discussed short

term problems and long term strategies for the Canadian manufacturing sector • Marti Wendel, IFPS President and 25-year career fluid power engineer, highlighted issues that currently prevent more women from obtaining successful careers in the fluid power industry.

• Louis Dicaire, President of REAI, presented an interesting overview of this industrial automation association in Quebec. Can automation companies who are both competitors and partners work together to promote their technology? In Quebec they can!

• Donna Pollander, IFPS Executive Director, explained the process, requirements and advantages to achieve certification in fluid power specialty.

Overall, the 2-day event was well organized and well received; the positive comments from the attendees tells us we are on the right track.

What’s in store for 2016? The CFPA Board of Directors continues to look to our members for direction and focus in the coming year.

Education and Market Insight are the two topics our members say are of utmost importance. Education is always a challenge and promoting fluid power as a viable and exciting career path has always been and will continue to be the foundation of the CFPA. Access to market statistics in this unpredictable economy will enable our members to understand possible trends nationally, regionally and locally. Our other committees have equally important tasks on hand this year, such as a social media strategy, increasing awareness of changing standards for fluid power in Canada and globally and increased participation in regional events.

2016 looks to be an exciting and dynamic year for the CFPA, its members and the fluid power industry. Our regional events calendar will be finalized in the next month with events in all regions being planned and our exciting announcement that our AGM will be at Chateau Montebello this year from May 4-6. Keep up to date for all things fluid power and be part of a vibrant association.

DE www.cfpa.ca

Alan Wheatley is Communications Chair for the Canadian Fluid Power Association, a non-profit association of companies committed to the development of fluid power technology in Canada.

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IdeaGenerator 33 Product Spotlight

LeddarTech optical sensors designed for UAV collision avoidance and navigation At CES 2016, LeddarTech introduced a line of customizable Leddar optical sensors aimed at improving the spatial awareness, navigation and collision avoidance capabilities of UAVs. The company’s single channel module, for example, provides distance-above-groundlevel (AGL) measurements beyond 30 meters in drone altimeter applications. According to the company, the sensors’ Leddar-based vertical distance measurements allow UAVs to perform smooth take-offs and landings anywhere as well as maintain a constant inflight altitude from ground level.

Similarly, LeddarTech’s multi-segment optical sensing technology provides narrow to wide fields-of-view with lateral discrimination,

enabling multiple object detection and distance measurements up to 30 meters.

Designed with no moving parts, the sensors are based on the company’s LeddarCore LC16il chipset to provide a smaller and lighter design for UAV applications, such as structural inspection, indoor navigation, advanced

Features • Enables 360° object detection • Sensor FoV of 9 to 95° • Accuracy < 5cm • Typical range of 10-30m • Operating temperature of -45° C to + 85° C • Rapid data acquisition time up to 50 Hz

Sensors Encoders Leine & Linde announced that its assortment of encoders now support the open EtherNet/IP industrial network protocol. For example, the company’s 1000 series now supports EtherNet/IP and provides a wide range of encoder configurations including incremental, absolute and combinations of these. Similarly, its 900 series encoders with EtherNet/IP provide incremental outputs while its 58mm 600 series with EtherNet/IP are designed for demanding environments where space is an issue. The addition of a gateway, which enables connection via EtherNet/IP for EnDat encoders, allows the integrator to use encoders capable of withstanding ambient temperature up to 100°C, while the connections to EtherNet/IP can be physically located hundreds of feet away. Moreover, encoders can be replaced without interrupting communications since network contact is still maintained via the gateway function. www.heidenhain.com

landing assistance or collision avoidance.

Leddar optical detection and ranging technology works by converting returned light waveforms into a digital signal, which is processed by patented algorithms to deliver the sensors’ detection capabilities.

According to the company, this approach provides a superior range-to-power ratio that allows it to see farther and better than other optical sensing devices. In addition, the sensor is immune to ambient lighting conditions; performs reliably in bright sunlight and poorly lit environments; and has no issues detecting uniform, non-textured surfaces, the company says. www.leddartech.com

Rotary Sensors POSITAL announced that its IXARC rotary sensors are now available with V4A-rated stainless steel housings and IP69K-level environmental seals for the food and beverage industries. The stainless steel housings are also available in an explosion-proof (ATEX-rated) version. The company’s encoders come in a variety of output interfaces, ranging from analog to industrial Ethernet. The analog-output devices (also known as programmable potentiometers) are designed to function as a ‘drop-in’ replacement for conventional multi-turn potentiometers in simple control systems. Industrial Ethernet connectivity includes EtherNet/IP. POSITAL EtherNet/IP connected rotary sensors are ODVA-approved and are available in single or multi-turn versions with 16-bit resolution (65,536 steps/turn). www.posital.com

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IdeaGenerator Safety Relay Omron Automation and Safety introduced its G9SE Safety Relay, a slimsize unit that features a screw-less push-in terminal and one of the slimmest profiles on the market, the company says. The G9SE has five diagnostic indicators that show the status of the inputs, outputs and power (along with the ability to show setting errors with the off-time delay models). The unit’s key features include 17.5mm or 22.5mm modules with two or four safety contacts. In addition, the units also feature a 15ms max response time and a safe OFF delay function up to PLe. The units are certified for lift standards EN 81-1, EN 81-2 and up to PLe according to EN ISO13849-1 and SIL 3 according to EN 61508 www.omron247.com

Automation Angular Gripper SCHUNK introduced its PWG-plus, a 2-finger gripper that features an oval piston drive, aluminum housing and T-bar drive. Depending on the application, it can also be equipped with an ID/OD spring

Quality Reliability Efficiency

safety device or other accessories, including inductive proximity and magnetic sensors. The PWGplus gripper jaws and gripper mounting holes are capable of mounting directly to certain SCHUNK compensation units, attachment valves and quickchange jaw systems. The PWG-plus gripper’s advantages include the design of outrigger workpiece supports due to threaded connections and centering sleeve options. The gripper is available in a variety of sizes and gripping torques. www.schunk.com

EtherCAT Slave I/O Controller Galil Motion Control released the RIO-574×0, an EtherCAT slave I/O controller. All RIO-574×0 have 16 opto-isolated digital inputs and 16 high-power (500mA sourcing) optoisolated digital outputs. The RIO57420 also includes eight analog inputs (4-20mA option available) and eight analog outputs, both configurable in the ranges of 0-5V, 0-10V, ±5V or ±10V (12-bit standard, 16-bit option available). All I/O are accessible via screw terminals. LED indicators are provided for all digital I/O points.

BRECOflex CO., L.L.C. is the pioneer and world leader in the polyurethane timing belt industry. We offer our customers the widest range of timing belts, drive components, metal pulleys and accessories designed and manufactured with the highest priority given to quality and precision.

Whether you are looking for a standard product from our inventory or a custom design tailored to your requirements, your application will benefit from our perfectly matched timing belts and pulleys. We take pride in our rapid customer response time and industryleading product delivery and quality.

For additional information regarding our products and technical support services, visit our website at: www.brecoflex.com or call 732-460-9500.

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IdeaGenerator 35 Designed to be a compact solution, the controller’s dimensions are 4.24 x 4.81 x 2.35 inches. It can be configured over USB using Galil’s software with English-like two-letter commands. www.galil.com

Three-lobe knobs

PROFINET Master Balluff introduced an extra-long PROFINET based IO-Link master block with 16 IO-Link ports. If sensor/ actuator hubs are connected to this IO-Link master, up to 256 I/O signals can be processed. When combined with Balluff expansion I/O hubs, up to 480 I/O signals can be processed. Each IO-Link port can transmit up to 32 bytes of process data in cyclical form, as well as parameter or diagnostic data acyclically at each port. Total capacity of this module is 1024 bytes of process data. Like all Balluff PROFINET modules, the 16 port master has an integrated display, integrated switch and built-in web server. www.balluff.us

• Safe – ample lobes provide an effective and safe grip even when wearing gloves.

Proportional Controllers CARLO GAVAZZI launched its line of Single Phase RGx1P Proportional Output Controllers that calculates and delivers the necessary output power from analogue signal input without the need for an additional interface device. The RG Series is equipped with three full cycle switching modes as well as advanced full cycle control, phase angle switching mode and soft starting for heating elements with low cold state resistance. RGC1P Contactors offer an integrated heat sink, while RGS1P Relays require a proper external heat sink. Typical applications include proportional control of resistive heating elements, speed control of AC motors in HVAC application, control of short wave infrared heaters in semiconductor equipment or intensity of incandescent lighting in an agricultural application. www.carlogavazzi.com

Ethernet PLC AutomationDirect has added Ethernet basic and standard PLCs to the company’s CLICK line that are 3-10 times faster, as well as 100% upward compatible. With 8 input and 6 output points built in, the units are available with 24VDC or 120VAC inputs and DC or relay outputs and can be used as a complete PLC system. Both unit types feature one built-in 10/100 Mbps Ethernet communications port for both programming and Modbus TCP networking, plus one standard RS-232 serial communications port; Ethernet Standard PLC units add an RS-485 port. The PLCs include a calendar/real time clock and an optional battery backup for the internal SRAM. The units’ Ethernet capabilities allow for run time edits, which means edits to the ladder project can be downloaded while the CLICK PLC keeps running. www.automationdirect.com

• Easy to Keep Clean absence of recesses ensures easy cleaning and prevents accumulation of unhealthy residues and dust.

• Corrosion Resistant – AISI 304 stainless steel inserts are suitable for equipment which requires frequent cleaning.

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36 IdeaGenerator AC Motor Oriental Motor USA introduced its 200watt (1/4 HP) KIIS Series three-phase standard AC motor with hypoid gear and terminal box. The series is high efficiency (77.8% vs.

70.3% BH Series) and optimized for inverter combination (VFDs). The new standard hypoid right angle gearhead is capable of producing up to 1680 lb-in (190 Nâ&#x2C6;&#x2122;m) of permissible torque and, along with the new terminal box, provides IP66 protection. The motor series is available with the SOT7A torque arm, an optional accessory that can aid with assembly and improve the life of the gearhead, the company says. www.orientalmotor.com

Fluid Power Miniature Pinch Valves Clippard announced its NPV Series Miniature Pinch Valve, a solenoidoperated device designed to open and close tubes for controlling flow of liquids and gases. Other valve types have internal passages that may cause small amounts of fluid to remain in the valve. Pinch valves have no areas or dead volume where fluid can become trapped. Only the inside of the tubing contacts the fluid. Energizing the solenoid retracts or attracts the plunger, which opens or closes the tube. De-energizing the solenoid will allow the plunger to return to its original state. The compact, hygienic valves feature high cycle life and come in four sizes with multiple pressure range options up to 30 psig. Each valve comes with 12 inches of medical/ laboratory grade silicone tubing, pre-installed. www.clippard.com

Valve Terminal Festo introduced its Clean Design MPA-C valve terminal for the food and beverage sector. Made of FDA-compliant materials and boasting a redundant seal system, the MPA-C meets the requirements for protection class IP69K and CRC4 for highest corrosion resistance. For OEMs, the MPA-C can be located virtually anywhere on the machine, January/February | 2016 www.design-engineering.com

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even close to the application, reducing the amount of tubing required and speeding up cycle rates. The modular and expandable MPA-C can incorporate an electrical interface, front or back side, with multi-pin, fieldbus or Ethernet connectivity. It can be configured for 1-32 pressure zones. www.festo.com

Rotary Actuator Parker Hannifin introduced its Hydraulic Unibody (HUB) Series Rotary Actuator with output torques of 1,800in-lb to 10,000 in-lb at its maximum operating pressure: 3000 psi (207 Bar). Built with an anodized housing and high-strength alloy steel pinion and racks, the HUB Series rotary actuator is designed for applications exposed to weather extremes: -40° to 180°F (-40° to 82°C) with nitrile seals. The rack-and-pinion gear provides 90-95 percent efficiency. The internally plumbed design features two connection ports, a one-piece housing and allows for mounting directly on numerous process valves. www.parker.com

Power Transmission Toothed Belt Axis Festo introduced its ELGA-TB-G, an electric toothed belt axis with plainbearing guide designed for applications involving simple positioning and handling tasks where loads need to be fed externally. According to the company, any application where work pieces are guided externally, the ELGA-TB-G is more cost-effective than employing an electric axis with recirculating ball bearing guide. The axis is compatible with all common stepper and servo motors, which can be mounted on any of four sides. The axis delivers speeds of up to 5m/s as well as acceleration of up to 50m/s². It comes in three sizes and offers a maximum working stroke of 8,500mm. www.festo.com

Integrated Screw/Slide Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions recently added its WGS Wide Guide Screw to its linear slide product line. Made from the same components as in the RGS Linear Rail Series, the slide has stroke options of 6, 12 and 18 inches in three different leads (0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 inch), and ships with a size 17 and a size 23 motor mount. Other available imperial and metric leads include short leads, as well as longer leads capable of speeds of more than 1.5 meters per second. An integral mounting base can provide support over the entire length that can extend up to 8 feet (2.4 meters). All moving surfaces include Kerkite high-performance polymers running on a Kerkote TFE coating. www.haydonkerk.com www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2016

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NEW MINIATURE PINCH VALVES ARE AN EXCELLENT CHOICE! Pinch valves are an excellent alternative to traditional mechanical valves when media contamination is a concern, as they interact with medical grade tubing, and never touch the material being dispensed.

Clippard’s new compact 2-way NPV series offers four styles with multiple size, tubing and pressure options making them ideal for pharmaceutical, laboratory, wastewater, medical, and chemical industries, among others. Features include low power consumption, high cycle life, quick response and more. Proudly made in the USA. Clippard www.clippard.com Tel: 513.521.4261 • Email: sales@clippard.com

NASA LOW OUTGASSING, ONE PART EPOXY Cryogenically serviceable Master Bond Supreme 12AOHT-LO combines superior thermal conductivity with reliable electrical insulation properties. This dimensionally stable epoxy has formidable bond strength, particularly in the shear mode, exceeding 3,500 psi. Its service temperature range extends from 4K to +500°F. Supreme 12AOHT-LO is a toughened system with superior resistance to aggressive thermal cycling and shock.

Master Bond www.masterbond.com Tel: 1.201.343.8983 • Email: info@masterbond.com

DUST COLLECTORS NEW - FULL LINE LITERATURE GUIDE This impressive NEW guide outlines dozens of N.R. Murphy dust collectors, installations, capacities, styles and models. A must for any reference library. N.R. Murphy Limited has been in business over 70 years and has thousands of satisfied customers. “Dust Collectors are all we do; so get it done right the first time. Just Ask the Experts.”

N.R. Murphy Limited www.nrmurphy.com Tel: 1.519.621.6210 • Email: 4nodust@nrmurphyltd.com

To advertise your solution in this section call Alan Macpherson at 416.510.6756

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IdeaGenerator Zero-Backlash Gear Harmonic Drive LLC added its CSF-2UP, an ultra-flat, zero-backlash gear unit to the company’s CSF mini-series product line. The high-torque units feature a large cross-roller bearing with high-moment stiffness and are ideally suited for robots or manipulators requiring an ultra-compact solution. Gear Ratios of 30:1, 50:1, and 100:1 are available in each size. Motor mounting adapters are also available to match the designer’s choice of motor. www.electromate.com

Rigid Shaft Couplings Stafford Manufacturing released a line of rigid shaft couplings and shaft adapters designed to join shafts of different sizes and configurations, extend shafts and provide different mating options.

Allowing drive system modifications without the need for major redesigns and replacement shafts, they are available in a variety of configurations made from steel, stainless steel, aluminum and brass. Suitable for use with pumps, mixers, packaging machinAurora-Where_the_Action_Is:Aurora 11/5/10 2:27 PM Page 1

ery, conveyors and related equipment, Stafford Rigid Shaft Couplings are available in one-, two- and three-piece designs with or without keyways. The adapters are offered in step-up and -down configurations with or without keyways and shaft extensions can be round, square, hex, D, threaded, keyed and tapered. www.staffordmfg.com

Pilot Devices AutomationDirect has added Fuji Electric’s 22mm pilot devices to the company’s line-up, including AR22series pushbuttons, selector switches and joysticks and DR22-series pilot lights and buzzers. The compact design occupies less space than traditional 22mm devices and is adjustable to any panel thickness up to 6mm. Devices are mountable in panel cutouts of up to 25.5mm diameter and can be wired in horizontal and vertical directions making wiring in narrow spaces easier. Fuji AR22 pilot devices have a snap-on mounting that makes replacing or adding a contact block or transformer unit easier. UL listed, CSA and CE/RoHS2approved devices include a terminal cover for added safety; available oil and dust-proof operator modules are IP65-rated. www.automationdirect.com

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33-40-DES.indd 38

Aerotech, Inc.

www.aerotech.com

Allied Electronics

www.alliedelec.com

11

Amacoil Inc.

www.amacoil.com

30

Aurora Bearing Company

www.aurorabearing.com

38

Automation Direct

www.automationdirect.com

Baldor Electric Company

www.baldor.com

40

Beckhoff Automation LLC

www.beckhoff.ca

3

Bimba Manufacturing Co.

www.bimba.com

BRECOflex Co. LLC

www.brecoflex.com

Clippard Instruments Laboratory Inc. www.clippard.com

22

7

2 34 9

Conductix-Wampfler Canada

www.conductix.ca/en

12

Designfusion

www.designfusion.ca 14,15

ELESA

www.elesa.com 35

EPSON Canada Ltd.

www.epson.ca

13

Festo Canada, Inc.

www.festo.ca

32

Great West Life Assurance Co.

www.infosite.grs.grsaccess.com/

engineers-canada 39

Novotechnik US Inc.

www.novotechnik.com

Pepperl & Fuchs North America

www.pepperl-fuchs.ca

17

Pivot-Point Inc.

www.pivotpins.com

26

Protolabs, Inc.

www.protolabs.com

19

Roto Precision Inc.

www.rotoprecision.ca

36

Schaeffler Canada Inc.

www.ina.com

SCHUNK Intec Corp.

www.ca.schunk.com/

SKF

www.skf.com 21

31

4 23

Tecom Inc.

www.crbearing.com

THK Co., Ltd.

www.thk.com

34 27

VJ Pamensky Canada Inc.

www.pamensky.com

29

www.design-engineering.com

16-02-02 11:01 AM

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