Industry Asia Pacific | 36 - January 2022

36 | J A N UA R Y 2 0 2 2

Industry

Asia Pacific THE INDUSTRY MAGAZINE FOR ASIA

MATCHING DCMICRODRIVES AND MOTION CONTROLLERS

6 USI®-SAFETY ULTRASONIC SYSTEM FOR CATEGORY 3 PL D

34 NEW SIMPLE SERIES GRAPHIC OPERATION TERMINALS FACILITATE REMOTE ACCESS

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MONITORING OF ENERGY NETWORKS – HOW TO MAKE IT EASY AND SECURE

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36 | Industry Asia Pacific | January 2022

THE INDUSTRY MAGAZINE FOR ASIA

FAULHABER

FAULHABER

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6 SOFTING AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS

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9 ARC INFORMATIQUE

WIDIA

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10 ROHDE & SCHWARZ

ROHDE & SCHWARZ

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WIDIA

KENNAMETAL

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22

TELEDYNE GAS & FLAME DETECTION

24 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

WATSON MARLOW

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33 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

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MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

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28 PEPPERL+ FUCHS FACTORY AUTOMATION

34 HMS INDUSTRIAL NETWORKS

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ADVERTISERS: MEPAX 17 • NORD DRIVESYSTEMS 49

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MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

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HMS INDUSTRIAL NETWORKS

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VICIVISION

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MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

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Send your press releases to: editor@ipmediaonline.com To receive the Industry Asia Pacific newsletter, please subscribe online: www.industry-asia-pacific.com Industry Asia Pacific is the magazine for engineers published by INDUPORTALS MEDIA PUBLISHING. It contains the latest product and company news for industrial markets. Industry Asia Pacific edits its articles with the greatest of care, however we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information presented in them. Our teams disclaim all responsibility concerning the content of this media or how it might be used. https://induportals-media-publishing.com

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ELECTRONICS

THE MINI SERIES TAKES A TAXI

The Internet of Things makes it possible to produce individualized products automatically – in batches as small as a single product. The path of the component through the assembly process thereby takes on an entirely new meaning. In the Adaptive Machine Platform Prolynk, manufacturing machinery and assembly stations can be configured and combined with total flexibility. The parts move individually from station to station, in a mini-taxi so to speak. FAULHABER supplies the drive technology for the small AGVs.

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hen Henry Ford installed the first“moving assembly line” in 1913, he increased the production of his cars eightfold – a quantum leap in production efficiency. This allowed him not only to drastically reduce the price of his Model-T but also to increase his workers’ wages.

It’s no surprise that this success was soon copied. Even today, countless products are produced according to the assembly line principle. It is, however, less suited for small series and not at all for individualized, automatic production. But this is one of the goals of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT): individual products should be designed and equipped according to customer requirements – with the highest possible level of automation. This requires flexibility in the processes that is not very compatible with the permanently installed path of a conveyor belt.

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Components take a taxi With the Prolynk technology, the configuration of the “assembly line” can be freely adapted or reconfigured, following changing requirements. The components no longer travel on a predetermined path, but instead take a taxi in the form of a small driverless transport unit (automated guided vehicle, AGV): “The part to be processed is thereby reliably transported to all required stations,” explains Antonio Sanchez, Chief Commercial Officer of Prolynk. “The processing steps, whether performed manually or by robots, can occur completely individually. Yet, the sequence is still automated.” A platform made of standardised tableshaped modules serves as the physical basis of the system. It consists of standardised plates and can be designed freely with respect to size and shape. Simple metal plates form the base unit and serve as movement surface. A variant of the base plate is equipped with fastening indexing units. For production steps that require high precision or for which a larger application of force needs to be compensated, they

hold the vehicle and component in position. Here, the plate element also has an opening in the middle. This can be used to perform processing from below as well, as it corresponds exactly to the shape of the opening in the AGV. Arbitrary sequence of the assembly stations The Prolynk AGV is available in two sizes (325x230 and 450x350 millimeters); the maximum load is between 5 and 35 kilograms depending on the model. The component to be processed is secured for travel to the individual assembly stations via the opening in the middle. These stations can be freely attached, including manual jobs as well as tasks performed automatically by machines or robots, e.g., laser rule to function. The motion controllers of type MC 5004 P and encoders of the IE3-1024 series from FAULHABER play an important role here. They detect the rotation of the brushless motors of the BX4 series, which is used by the Prolynk electronic motherboard to do the odometry, calculate AGV position and manage motion control. The motor’s force is transferred to the drive belts of the wheels by planetary gearheads of the 32/3 design. “If a company decides on the Prolynk solution, the small AGVs become the heart of a production process. They must, thus, function completely reliably and with a very low level of maintenance, over as long a time as possible, securing a low total cost of ownership” says Antonio Sanchez, explaining the priorities for selecting the AGV components. “With the drive unit, the quality of the products had top priority for us.

maximum flexibility in designing their production processes.

They can theoretically get started with a small platform consisting of just a few plates and a single mini-AGV. The system can be freely expanded or reorganised, with high flexibility and machine adaptability. Smart functions are available and the Prolynk technology is easy to integrate into the PLC architecture. New products, new processes and technologies can also be easily integrated; the existing modules can be rearranged depending on circumstances.

“There are no limits to the system’s adaptability,” emphasises Antonio Sanchez. “The production capacity follows directly from the order situation.” https://www.faulhaber.com

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FAULHABER can guarantee us not only the required quality, but the motors also offer additional advantages that are essential for our application. There is very little space in the vehicle. Even so, a great deal of motor power is needed to move what are often heavy parts at the required speed.

With respect to the ratio between volume and torque, the BX4 series is a leader on the global market. This power density is a key factor in allowing us to offer our customers a solution that is as reliable as it is flexible.” The combination of reliability and flexibility gives users of the Prolynk solution 36 | Industry Asia Pacific | January 2022

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ELECTRONICS

MONTH’S PRODUCT

MATCHING DC-MICRODRIVES AND MOTION CONTROLLERS

Perfectly Paired for Size and performance. Small and powerful DC-motors are critical to the development of ever more highly integrated systems. These motors are driving technology in many different sectors, from medical and laboratory technology to aerospace, robotics, optics and photonics, as well as industrial machinery and equipment in general. But the small motors only mature to an application-relevant drive or positioning system when combined with other components, such as gearheads, encoders and motion controllers. Making the right choice is fundamental for reliable operation.

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ll components must be compatible with the motor and meet its requirements. In the worst case, selecting the wrong controller can destroy a motor in no time. When selecting a suitable motion controller for a drive system, it is important to answer a few questions first.

For example, the movements that are to be carried out must be established, and it must be defined what this means in terms of motor control requirements. Is the drive working continuously or in start-stop mode? Is precise positioning required? What type of load will the drive be moving? What are the load cycles? Is a gearhead required? Which motor is best suited for the application? The motion controller is then selected based on the answers. And it may get interesting, because not every motion controller suits every motor. DCmicromotors in particular have unique requirements due to their design.

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Risk of overheating At the heart of the DC miniature and micromotors from FAULHABER is the patented, self-supporting, coreless rotor coil with skew-wound design and brush commutation, which rotates around a fixed magnet. This motor is also often referred to as a bell-type armature motor due to its look. Its design not only has many practical benefits, it also influences the selection of the motion controller.

No cogging torque forms due to the symmetrical air gap, which enables precise positioning and excellent speed control. The ratio of load to speed, current to torque, and voltage to speed is linear. And as almost the entire motor diameter can be used for the winding, the motors achieve higher power and torques for their size and weight compared with conventional designs. The rotor’s low inertia also guarantees an extremely low electrical time constant. The motors can thus be operated very dynamically and heavily overloaded. Triple continuous torque in overload mode is quite common and easily possible for servo applications, as long as the temperature of the motor winding is monitored.

But motors with a diameter of only 22 mm or less don’t have an integrated temperature sensor. There simply isn’t enough space. So if just any controller is connected to a microdrive,

in the worst case the coil may be completely burnt up before any heat is even noticed on the outside.

Problems like these can be avoided with motion controllers from FAULHABER, which were developed for the requirements of mini and micro drives and tested under real operating conditions. They “estimate” the winding temperature for the respective motor type using models of varying complexity. This means that the full dynamic range of the motor can be exploited, for example for fast positioning processes. The current is also limited before the winding overheats. The parameters required are conveniently transmitted to the drive controller with the “Motor selection dialogue” of the FAULHABER Motion Manager.

Due to the low electrical time constant, which benefits dynamic processes, additional losses may occur due to

Powerful and extremely miniaturised The motion controllers of the MC V3.0 family, which have been tried and tested for years, have limited usability for the micromotors from FAULHABER due to their size and the resolution of the integrated motor current measurement.

This is where the new MC 3001 B/P comes in: The first motion controller that is perfectly suited to smaller servo drives, both in terms of its size and the resolution of the current measurement. With a maximum supply voltage of 30 V, the motion controller sized 16 x 27 x 2.6 mm (W x L x H) achieves a continuous current of 1 A and a peak current of 5 A. At lower supply voltages, such as in 12 V systems, continuous currents of up to 2 A can also be easily achieved.

At the same time, they do not compromise on function compared with their large family members. The I/O options and encoder interface are the same as the rest of the product family. USB, RS232, and CANopen are available as communication interfaces. A compact EtherCAT interface can then also be provided via a customer-specific carrier board (motherboard).

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Additional information about thermal integration in the application can be used in the models that are stored in the controllers for further improvement. How well is the motor cooled? Is it necessary to limit power due to high ambient temperatures? Is a gearhead and encoder used? With additional information like this, maximum motor power can also be used with, e.g. a drive that works cyclically in a climatic chamber, in that the motor controller keeps track of the ambient temperature parameters from the climatic chamber control within the models stored. The same applies if the load cycles are known. The motor can then often be smaller in design, which is an advantage especially when used in mobile devices.

the pulse width modulation (PWM) that is common in drive controllers. The typical electrical time constants of FAULHABER cbell-type armature motors are about 10 µs.

For PWM frequencies below 50 kHz, the continuous torque specified in the data sheet is no longer achievable in many cases, or the motor may overheat. That is why it is important that the PWM frequency is sufficiently high when selecting a motor controller. For FAULHABER motion controllers, this is between 78–100 kHz, depending on the type. Due to the type of modulation, up to 200 kHz act on the motor, which suits the requirements of the small motors.

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The controllers are available in two variants: The model with flat board-to-board connectors (MC 3001 B) is ideal when several drive controllers are combined on one carrier card.

The MC 3001 P variant features a plug connector with a 2.54-mm grid over three sides. It is easy to integrate into your own configuration, e.g. for multi-axis applications in laboratory automation. Now, there are finally powerful motion controllers for even the smallest DC drives from FAULHABER, perfectly matched to the motors both in terms of size and function.

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https://www.faulhaber.com

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MEASUREMENT

ROHDE & SCHWARZ AND NOFFZ COLLABORATE TO DEVELOP A COMPACT ANTENNA TEST RANGE PRODUCTION TEST SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOTIVE IMAGING RADARS Rohde & Schwarz and market-leading customized test system supplier NOFFZ Technologies collaborate on the integration of the field-proven R&S Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR) reflector technology and advanced radar echo generator R&S AREG800A into NOFFZ’s versatile End-of-Line (EoL) radar sensor test system, the UTP 5069 CATR. This creates a fast, accurate and efficient test system optimized for production that facilitates the transition from radar sensor development to mass production.

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adar is the key technology for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Automated Driving (AD). For an improved SAE L3 (Society of Automotive Engineers level 3) experience on the way towards autonomous driving, radar sensors have to accommodate much more complex traffic scenarios. Consequently, imaging radar sensors have been developed with significantly finer spatial resolution and this requires much larger antenna apertures. Measuring these radar sensors in the direct farfield (DFF) would be impractically large for production environments. However, the CATR technology from Rohde & Schwarz found in the R&S ATS1500C chamber creates a large quiet zone with high quality far-field conditions in a very compact physical footprint.

The NOFFZ End-of-Line tester UTP 5069 CATR is designed for high-volume production test and calibration. The extremely low-reflection anechoic chamber is one of the key differentiators and one of the results of over 30 years’ experience as a system integrator. It is available with a compact footprint of less than 3.5 sqm (40 sqft). The relative motion of the DUT during calibration, loading and unloading can be realized either by an integrated robot or a goniometer. Both motion options can be selected depending on the requirements for movement flexibility, position accuracy, and cycle time.

Tier1 radar sensor and module suppliers now have a fast, accurate test system optimized for production that saves cost, makes efficient use of space, and is ready for the next generation of radar technology.

The R&S ATS1500C CATR chamber together with the AREG radar moving object simulator family are already adopted globally for radar development. Whereas, the NOFFZ end-of-line radar sensor tester UTP 5069 with its broad coverage of test requirements is well established at radar production facilities around the globe. Furthermore, the performance of this new test system was validated during its development by leading edge radar module developer Uhnder.

There are many challenges on the way towards autonomous driving but the capabilities, performance and measurement accuracy of the test system produced by the collaboration of two automotive radar expert companies NOFFZ and Rohde & Schwarz solves already one of them: Optimizing the transition from development to mass production for imaging radars. https://www.rohde-schwarz.com

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IT

GLOBALMATIX TELEMATICS SOLUTION FOR XTCU TELEMATICS INTERFACE – THE NEW DIMENSION FOR THE FLEET MANAGEMENT OF THE FUTURE

Shared mobility is one of the major trends of future mobility, particularly in urban regions. Large fleet operators, such as rental car and car sharing companies, also see enormous growth potential in this area.

With around 255,000 rental and car sharing vehicles in Germany, “Car to Cloud to Company” will be a critical technology when it comes to efficient and inexpensive fleet deployment. This is why GlobalmatiX AG, a subsidiary of Softing AG, Munich/Haar, has developed an innovative telematics solution, which, with the help of artificial intelligence, offers the greatest amount of available data and transfer security on the market.

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longside standards such as location information and journey approval via app, the outstanding range of services includes continuous technical diagnosis of the entire vehicle, early detection of impending defects, as well as the detection of minor damage and – with the help of artificial intelligence – the reporting thereof in a damage report including a calculation of the cost of the damage.

Thanks to individual data acquisition and reporting tailored to the needs of every particular fleet operator.

Detecting Minor Damage Up to 90% of all minor accidents are not discovered when rental cars are returned as the car bumper has sprung back into its original state and position. This is problematic as this area can be subject to quite considerable damage.

The xTCU interface detects this damage and, using the software developed by GlobalmatiX partner Spearhead AG,

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Zurich, provides an individual damage report based on the vehicle model incl. an estimate of the costs of the damage within seconds. Millions of pieces of historic and recent accident and assessor data from the Stuttgart-based expert organization DEKRA SE provide the basis for this.

Cees van Dijk, CEO of Spearhead AG, Zurich: “GlobalmatiX, with its highly sensitive telematics box, is the first company to be able to deliver the extensive volume of data we need for digital accident analysis to our cloud system in real time.”

The xTCU Gateway is a 4G/LTE/5G CAN data logger and GPS telematics interface specially developed for Car to Cloud to Company use cases. It is smaller than a smartphone and can be installed in any vehicle in just a few minutes, thus enabling the acquisition of OBD data or diagnostic data from the ECUs. The telematics box certified according to CE,

eMark and RED in the EU enables access to a wide range of vehicle data in rich quality – regardless of the vehicle brand.

With it, GlobalmatiX offers a previously unreached level of security against unauthorized access by third parties with its innovative encryption technology and proprietary 4G/ LTE/5G wireless network. In other words, GlobalmatiX xTCU can acquire and analyze virtually all data measured by the vehicle’s ECUs, supplemented by state-of-the-art GPS tracking, and transmit the information to the vehicle operator “over the air” almost in real time. With the help of artificial intelligence in the Big Data Cloud, a qualified analysis of vehicle data, events and changes to the ideal state is now possible for the first time and can be sent to the vehicle management system – in as detailed a form as the fleet operator desires.

The companies see great potential for cost savings in the future, particularly in contactless lessor-lessee management, while at the same time improving customer service. The xTCU telematics interface is the key to achieving these goals.

Successful Premiere with Enterprise/Switzerland: Millions to be Saved Enterprise in Switzerland was the first rental car company to carry out an extensive test run with GlobalmatiX; in June 2021, they concluded a long-term contract on the use of the telematics interface. After an evaluation of the results, the outcome is convincing in several areas: “Our major digital challenge is detecting and settling minor damage,” says Marco Venturini, CEO of Enterprise Switzerland. “Previous solutions based on expert opinions were simply too late, too time-consuming and too expensive. The GlobalmatiX telematics solution, in conjunction with the MSS Holding AG software customised to suit rental car management, is a great help in settling these cases of minor damage and

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The benefits for rental car and car sharing companies are: • digital recording, classification and processing of the damage, • digitalisation of the damage report (previously several days were required, now in real time), • correct assignment of the damage to the party responsible and transparent, fair settlement of recovery costs, • millions of euros saved (depending on the size of the fleet) with clear, unambiguous identification of the party responsible, • savings from assessor costs that are not necessary.

The GlobalmatiX telematics solution thus offers a reliable basis for the stationless and contactless use of rental and car sharing vehicles. The detailed recording of the current condition of a particular vehicle before it is next rented out saves the otherwise necessary inspection at a station, and thus additional personnel costs, without jeopardizing the level of quality that customers expect today. At the same time, this helps reduce the idle time of rental cars.

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at the same time implementing vehicle diagnostics for all our brands.”

If you take a look at the statistics, you will see that a rental car has four incidences of minor damage a year on average, with repairs totaling around EUR 6,000. In comparison, the costs for the xTCU Gateway, the installation and the annual telematics costs constitute only around one tenth of the repair costs not chargeable by the company. In the case of the fleet sizes of rental and car sharing companies, this represents millions in saved costs every year.

To make these services possible, GlobalmatiX has not only engaged in a partnership with Spearhead AG, Zurich, for the diagnosis and assessment of minor damage. A further partner is MSS Holding AG, Zurich, a comprehensive mobility provider, as well as the licensees Enterprise, National and Alamo in Switzerland. This is where an extensive “Digital Connected Car” concept was developed as a management platform for vehicle fleets.

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There are currently four telematics applications in use which are of great significance for lessors and operators of passenger car and van fleets: remote vehicle diagnostics and predictive maintenance, accident detection and automatic claims handling, complete résumé file (CarCV) for vehicles and keyless door opening for rental vehicles.

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Andreas Buhl, President of MSS Holding AG: “The multibrand capability, the modular and tailor-made applications for all vehicles over the xTCU interface, the high data resolution as well as the extent of applications over only one box were decisive in our awarding the contract to GlobalmatiX. By using the GlobalmatiX telematics solution, we have established the basis for digitizing our Connected Car concept. This will enable us to simplify complex return processes in a customer-friendly way and make them more cost-effective. Creating a résumé increases the resale value of our vehicles and facilitates marketing before the vehicle is returned. Furthermore, keyless access to the vehicle allows us to put rental on the road.”

Alois Widmann, CEO GlobalmatiX: “We have developed a smart telematics box to be used for several brands in large fleets. It is not only easy and quick to install, but also records diagnostic signals at extremely high sampling rates and combines them with telematics data. From everywhere in the world, the data acquired is transferred to and analyzed in the Big Data Cloud of our partner Spearhead in real time via mobile radio. The fleet manager can act immediately on the basis of these results. This innovative telematics solution with just one box makes sure that the ongoing total costs for large fleets are significantly reduced.” https://automotive.softing.com

MECHANICS

WIDIA INTRODUCES M8065HD INDEXABLE MILLING PLATFORM FOR HEAVY ROUGHING

The M8065HD indexable mill delivers reliable metal removal rates in heavy duty face milling operations.

New platform offers reduced set up times and inventory costs by utilizing one tool for multiple operations when milling steel and cast iron.

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IDIA™ announced today the release of the M8065HD indexable milling platform for heavyduty milling operations in steel and cast iron materials. Designed with eight cutting edges and extra wide chip gashes, the M8065HD is capable of achieving deep depths of cuts while producing high metal removal rates during face milling applications.

“Face milling is one of the most common machining operations, so we designed a versatile and cost-effective solution that delivers substantial improvements in metal removal rates in steel and cast iron for our customers,” said Christine Schneider, WIDIA Senior Global Portfolio Manager.

“The M8065HD represents a turnkey solution for general engineering, energy and automotive customers who want to reduce their face milling tooling inventory and increase their machining outputs.”

Engineered with a 65-degree approach angle with a 6.35 mm thick insert, the M8065HD has one universal insert geometry in three versatile grades: WP35CM, WK15CM and WU20PM. The WP35CM grade targets all types of steels, while the WK15CM grade is designed for cast iron materials and performs best in dry applications but can also be used in wet conditions. The universal WU20PM grade can be used for the machining of steel, stainless steel and hightemperature alloys in both dry and wet applications.

All inserts are designed with a 2.37 mm wiper facet to provide superior reliability and surface finish. These key design features coupled with eight cutting edge inserts enable customers to reduce overall machine set up times and inventory costs by utilizing one tool for multiple operations.

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M8065HD indexable milling cutters are available in nine metric diameter ranges between 50 mm and 315 mm and one insert geometry. Orders for the M8065HD bodies and inserts as well as other WIDIA metal cutting tooling can be placed through WIDIA authorized distribution partners. https://youtu.be/5l2qNYiaKp0 https://www.widia.com 36 | Industry Asia Pacific | January 2022

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IT

MONITORING THE CHARGING STATIONS OF THE E-BUS FLEET OF THE CITY OF JENA

The charging infrastructure always in view.

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ow Jena’s public transport system monitors its charging columns for the e-bus fleet and uses advanced diagnostic features to increase availability and optimize maintenance activities.

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In the city of Jena, electromobility has been present in the form of a tramway in service for 120 years. Supplemented by a fleet of diesel-powered buses, an efficient public transport system has been created over time. Last year saw the introduction of e-mobility in the operation of city buses as well. Three first vehicles started regular service in 2020 to contribute to CO2 savings (53,000kg per bus and year), but also to reduce particulate matter and noise emissions in the urban area.

The attractiveness of public transport is essentially promoted and maintained by smooth and punctual operation. In this context, operations of tramways in particular require a reliable and uninterrupted power supply, which is the responsibility of the power supply department at Jenaer Nahverkehr, operator of the city’s public transport. Nevertheless, malfunctions of the system technology can occur in rare cases. In order to minimize the effects of malfunctions on the operational process as well as on the passengers, it is necessary to keep downtimes as low as possible. This is supported by a reliable control and telecontrol system implemented on the basis of the PcVue SCADA software.

For many years, Actemium Germany’s Automation Frankfurt business unit has been the partner of Jena’s public transport system for the implementation and further development of the control and telecontrol technology for the power supply, but also for the monitoring of signaling and safety systems.

Maintenance of the newly introduced charging infrastructure for the electric buses fell under the responsibility of the Power Supply department, and the desire arose to integrate

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the chargers into the control system. Actemium Automation Frankfurt was commissioned to do this.

The primary goal of this expansion is remote monitoring of the charging infrastructure by the power supply department so that any faults that occur can be detected and eliminated as quickly as possible. And to do so while reducing travel times for service personnel as much as possible, especially in a city that, due to its topography and its location within the Saale Valley, has a high traffic density on a small number of routes.

With the existing control system, the possibility of processing the data for visualization, archiving and data exchange with external systems via various industrial communication protocols, as well as remote alarming, is already provided as standard.

With its latest PcVue version, the manufacturer ARC Informatique provides a communication driver for the OCPP protocol that supports the current protocol versions 1.6-

Integrated operating functionality A newly added entry point into the user interface that is seamlessly integrated with the existing system, is a map display that shows the charging stations distributed throughout the city area as symbol markers. The newly added part of the visualization benefits from a very short learning curve for users who have been familiar with the existing functions and operating philosophy of the control system for years, and which is also reflected in the charging station monitoring area.

Data analysis and monitoring The central function of the implementation by Actemium is alarm and log data management, which allows precise fault analysis in live operation as well as in the evaluation of historical data. The alarm system enables the on-call service to diagnose the fault in advance via the secure remote access of the public utility company and then to rectify it or initiate appropriate measures.

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OCPP - Driver for communication with charging stations Typically, the open standard protocol OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) is used for monitoring e-charging stations, which ensures the interoperability of products from different manufacturers.

J and 2.0.1 as well as the security profiles 1 and 2. The software also overcomes a typical OCPP problem, which is that a charging station can only communicate with one Charging Station Management System (CSMS). Using a proxy function, the charger’s OCPP messages can also be passed on to third-party systems. This represents a typical feature of the open PcVue system, which inherently has a wide range of data exchange options.

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In addition, the traffic control center benefits from the connection to the charging infrastructure. The dispatcher workstation there shows the whereabouts of a bus at the corresponding charging points in real time and points out faults that affect operation. This means that adjustments can be made quickly in vehicle deployment planning to avoid cancellations or delays in the route schedule. Afterwards, the maintenance personnel can determine the actual cause.

The users of the system can monitor active charging processes via a trend data display, whereby all measured values, such as currents, voltages and power values of a transaction, can be visually compared. Likewise, already completed charging processes can be called up from the transaction history and viewed in retrospect, as well as compared with each other. The respective vehicle is identified and its current state of charge is documented.

Practical benefits proven after just a few weeks Christian Zeh, a testing and maintenance engineer at Jena’s public transportation system, is enthusiastic about the solution: “By integrating the monitoring and control system for e-charging stations, all operating states are now visible in the control system, which opens up immediate intervention options for us. The charging infrastructure is thus fully integrated into the operational workflows of the power supply department. The usefulness of the system was proven after just a few weeks in daily operation, especially with regard to controlling temperature fluctuations in the charging stations.”

The transaction history is exported at the push of a button or automatically and stored as a weekly and monthly report.

Of particular interest is the respective energy consumption per vehicle and charging process, but also the number of incorrect transactions.

With the implementation of the charging infrastructure in its control and telecontrol system, the power supply team is thus well prepared for the already planned increase in the electric bus fleet and the associated expansion of the charging infrastructure.

Alarms of particularly high priority are sent as remote messages to the mobile terminals of the on-call service.

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The implemented user interface of the system further enables: • An access management system for charging stations • Lock or unlock charging stations for use • Remotely activate or cancel charging processes • Store and retrieve charging station-specific documents

www.pcvuesolutions.com 36 | Industry Asia Pacific | January 2022

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OPTIMIZE YOUR INTERNATIONAL PR AND ADVERTISING FOR THE INDUSTRIAL MARKET!

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More than 80 employees in 35 different countries, ensuring a strong relationship with main local media. Mepax distinguishes itself through its extensive media knowledge and ability to select the best international online/print advertising options. PR can be translated into 35 languages.

40,000 published articles in 2020: EMEA: 48% - Asia: 31% - Americas: 21%. Most of the articles are published in the top 1000 media worldwide.

With a proven process set for more than 200 active customers, we can adapt to all specific client needs with the highest reliability.

We have developed in house the most advanced PR dedicated ERP, enabling transparency and real-time full online reporting. International media management is then made easy, fast, and efficient for optimal results.

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MEASUREMENT

FROM THE LAB TO THE PROVING GROUND: ROHDE & SCHWARZ AND AUDI COOPERATE ON CELLULARV2X ROAD TRAFFIC SCENARIO TESTING

Rohde & Schwarz and Audi partner to enable Cellular-V2X (C-V2X) application testing; creating road traffic scenarios in the laboratory and using the same traffic scenarios to conduct end-to-end testing on the Audi proving ground with an R&S CMW500 wideband radio communication tester.

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ellular-V2X (C-V2X) is a key technology which will increase traffic efficiency, improve road safety and enhance autonomous driving in the coming years. Of particular importance is the C-V2X PC5 interface, operating in the 5.9 GHz ITS frequency band. This enables direct, reliable, low latency communication between vehicles (V2V), vehicles and infrastructure (V2I) and vehicles and pedestrians (V2P).

To accelerate the deployment of this technology, cooperation between companies within the industry becomes increasingly important. In a joint project with Audi, Rohde & Schwarz and Vector Informatik have developed a C-V2X test solution that allows traffic scenarios involving multiple simulated vehicles and the communications between them to be tested in the laboratory in a precise and repeatable way. This enables the correct operation of C-V2X applications such as emergency brake warning in realistic and demanding traffic scenarios to be verified in laboratory.

Jointly with Audi, the laboratory solution was extended for use at the proving ground. This enabled the verification of several scenarios with one single physical vehicle and many simulated vehicles emulated by the Rohde & Schwarz test equipment.

The key benefits of this approach are the use of the same test equipment in both locations and reducing the number of vehicles required for the proving ground. This test approach allowed Audi to perform various load tests and corner case scenarios using test vehicles and simulated vehicles together at the proving ground. The excellent cooperation between the teams facilitated co-development of

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NEWS

In a joint project with Audi, Rohde & Schwarz and Vector Informatik have developed a C-V2X test solution that allows traffic scenarios.

this innovative C-V2X test setup, helping to reduce time to market and saving capital expenditure.

The system comprises an R&S CMW500 radio communication tester, R&S SMBV100B vector signal generator (laboratory only), the Vector CANoe Car2x software, an R&S BBA150 amplifier and a R&S HF918 antenna with tripod and adaptor.

This system is easily capable of generating signals with up to 33dBm output power, which is required by emergency vehicles in certain markets. Synchronization of the simulated vehicles and the test vehicle at the proving ground with real GNSS sources allows verification of complex traffic scenarios in real time.

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As C-V2X continues to increase its footprint in the automotive industry, having a test system which scales into different phases of the automotive verification cycle becomes increasing important to reduce time to market and minimise capital expenditure. Rohde & Schwarz is committed to supporting their partners in the automotive industry with innovative C-V2X test solutions in the coming years. www.rohde-schwarz.com/automotive

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MECHANICS

WIDIA INTRODUCES M1600 FACE MILLING PLATFORM SUITABLE FOR VARIETY OF MACHINE CONDITIONS AND SET UPS

M1600 face mill loaded into a holder before performing a test on a DC55 machine in Cast Iron GGG60, Steel 42CrMo4 and Stainless Steel 1.4301.

New face mill designed for rough to semi-finish machining of a variety of steels, stainless steels, cast and nodular irons.

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IDIA™ announced today the release of the M1600 face mill for roughing to semi-finishing operations in steel, stainless steel, cast iron and nodular iron materials. With 16-cutting edges and a smart insert design, the M1600 performs in various machining conditions including low-power machines, unstable, non-rigid set ups, long overhangs, weak machines or weak fixture conditions.

“Face milling is one of the most common machining operations, so we designed a versatile and cost-effective solution that delivers substantial improvements in metal removal rates in steel and cast iron for our customers,” said Anna Kim, WIDIA Indexable Milling Global Portfolio Manager. “The M1600 represents a turnkey solution for general engineering, energy and automotive customers who want to reduce their face milling tooling inventory and increase their machining outputs.”

The 16-edged, precision-ground insert with a positive geometry enables low cutting forces and low power consumption resulting in higher tool life and an excellent cost per edge. The M1600 has one universal insert geometry in three versatile grades: WP35CM, WK15CM and WU20PM.

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The WP35CM grade targets all types of steels, while the WK15CM grade is designed for cast iron materials and performs best in dry applications but can also be used in wet conditions. The universal WU20PM grade can be used for the machining of steel, stainless steel and high-temperature alloys in both dry and wet applications.

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Chips produced from a Steel 42CrMo4 operation using the M1600.

The “smart” insert design features a seating surface below the cutting edge that promotes smooth chip flow and reduces cutting forces on the tool. The insert also has a curved cutting edge and is axially positive resulting in reduced power consumption. These key design features coupled with 16 cutting edges make M1600 an economical face milling option.

M1600 face mills are available in six metric diameter ranges between 50mm and 160mm. Inch diameters will follow in the fall of 2021. Orders for the M1600 bodies and inserts as well as other WIDIA metal cutting tooling can be placed through WIDIA authorized distribution partners. Click here for full details of M1600 including a side milling video. https://youtu.be/b9AJ1NytlC4 https://www.widia.com/in/en/home.html

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MECHANICS

KENNAMETAL INTRODUCES HIPACS FOR AEROSPACE FASTENER HOLE DRILLING AND COUNTERSINKING IN ONE STEP

HiPACS system utilizes standard PCD-tipped or diamond coated solid carbide drills.

High precision tool achieves tight tolerances in one operation and significantly reduces cost per hole in aerospace applications.

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ennametal has introduced the HiPACS drilling and countersinking system for aerospace fastener holes.

Designed to drill and chamfer holes in one operation, the high-precision tool meets the aerospace industry’s stringent accuracy requirements, while delivering increased tool life in machining composite, titanium and aluminum aircraft skins.

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“Most fastener hole tools used today are complex madeto-order tools with long lead-times,” says Georg Roth, Product Manager, Kennametal. “HiPACS uses standard, offthe-shelf components for quick delivery and low cost per hole, by allowing the drill and chamfer insert to be indexed independently from one another. What’s more, it’s the only indexable drilling and countersinking system on the market that can hold the aerospace industry’s required fastener hole chamfer tolerances in just one operation.”

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Kennametal’s HiPACS is a cost effective and easy to assemble system comprised of three components: a reducer sleeve, countersinking insert and solid caribe drill. The system works with any standard hydraulic chuck.

Three simple components eliminate the need for custom tooling Designed to be clamped in a standard hydraulic chuck, the HiPACS modular system consists of three components that are fast and easy to assemble: • A reducer sleeve with a built-in high-precision pocket seat. In conjunction with a standard hydraulic chuck, this component provides ultra-secure clamping and a runout of no more than 3 µm, significantly increasing tool life and hole quality.

• A PCD countersinking insert. This eliminates the need for expensive custom solution step drills, reducing manufacturing costs while meeting the industry’s accuracy requirements.

• The two series of solid carbide drills —both diamond-coated and PCD-tipped—covering all material combinations found in a typical aerospace assembly. In addition, the straight shanked tools allow for length adjustments in increments of 10mm.

NEWS

Kennametal’s HiPACS is a cost effective and easy to assemble system comprised of three components: a reducer sleeve, countersinking insert and solid caribe drill. The system works with any standard hydraulic chuck.

The new HiPACS drilling and countersinking system can be utilized on all machines typically used for aerospace applications. In less stable conditions such as robot end effectors, the diamond coated carbide drills offer excellent tool life and hole quality. PCD-tipped drills, on the other hand, excel in stable conditions such as gantry machines.

With an industry standard interface, HiPACS can be utilized on any CNC machine, and is suitable for a variety of drilling and countersinking applications. https://www.kennametal.com/us/en/home.html

MORE INFORMATION

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SAFETY

NEW FIRMWARE FURTHER DIFFERENTIATES TELEDYNE GD10P IR GAS DETECTOR

The only device on the market that provides IR detection to first-class SIL 2 high demand mode and SIL 3-capable IEC 61508 ed. 2 with a proof test interval of 8760 hours.

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eledyne Gas & Flame Detection has provided its GD10P infrared gas detector with a full firmware revision and upgrade, enhancing the product’s performance in high demand mode SIL2 approved applications. This milestone, as part of the product’s continuous improvement lifecycle, builds on circa 30 years of proven field experience for GD10P in the harshest industry environments and further supports the provision of a far longer warranty than conventional infrared gas detection systems.

Functional safety New firmware within GD10P complies with the highest functional safety standards. The safety function has been assessed in conformity with the IEC 61508 ed. 2 standard according to Route 1S: Requirements for the avoidance (prevention) and requirements for the control of systematic faults, as well as Route 1H, which is based on hardware fault tolerance and safe failure fraction concepts.

High demand mode is where the frequency of demands for operation made on a safety-related system is greater than one per year.

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While most safety-based applications in the process sector require only “low demand mode” solutions, “high demand mode” safety-critical applications are becoming increasingly common. As a result, gas detectors such as the GD10P must demonstrate their suitability and competence in line with the latest SIL2 third-party certification.

Solid-state infrared source In comparison with other infrared (IR) gas detectors, the new firmware adds further to GD10P’s differentiating factors, which include a solid-state infrared source. Here, the optical chamber, featuring two independent IR silicone 36 | Industry Asia Pacific | January 2022

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NEWS

Proven in the field Among countless real-life applications, one worth calling out is the detection of ethylene in recirculating air on board large industrial machines. Most applications of this type now require SIL2 level gas detection in high demand mode, and GD10P offers this feature without hardware redundancies.

This particular application requires high accuracy that would otherwise necessitate specific process monitoring measures beyond safety devices alone. However, the GD10P matches the requested accuracy, allowing the customer to make savings in equipment investment costs as each machine required multiple detection points.

Another common example of the GD10P’s aptitude is evident in the detection of propane at industrial welding stations. After a previously unsatisfactory experience using catalytic detectors, the GD10P is proving ideal in these dusty conditions thanks to “auto-zero” self-adjustment of the detector. Furthermore, the large optical chamber provides the opportunity to send two different warning levels that indicate the requirement for cleaning and avoid the need for “real time” servicing.

(semiconductor) sources, is sufficiently robust and stable to merit a 15-year warranty. This compares favourably with the standard 2-3-year warranty commonly available with conventional IR detectors. The GD10P also features heated optics to prevent condensation, a HART interface, fail-safe operation, extended diagnostics and low maintenance requirements thanks to features such as a scratch-proof sapphire lens/mirror (instead of traditional glass).

Whereas 2-3 measurements per second is the norm with many IR gas detectors, the GD10P can perform 50 measurements per second. More sampling means less false alarms, higher accuracy, faster response time and, in turn, lower operational costs. Further cost reductions arrive as the fit-and-forget GD10P requires no calibration. In contrast, conventional IR gas detectors require calibration twice a year.

Low cost of ownership These and many other case examples build upon a large global installed base of more than 100,000 GD10P IR gas detectors, many of which are operating in harsh conditions.

Lower cost of ownership is a further advantage as only one detector is required per system, instead of several with low demand mode SIL2 approval.

Notably, the firmware upgrade aligns Teledyne’s GD10P with the requirements of the latest third-party certification advancements, increasing confidence in the platform’s traditional feature sets. When coupled with a depth of innovation based on real world data from in-field proven use over several decades, the GD10P knows few limitations, irrespective of the application’s size, environment or location.

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Thanks to its solid-state dual sources, the GD10P, which has origins in the oil and gas industry, is ideal for use in extremely hot, cold or wet environments. Conversely, traditional alternatives suffer negative effects from factors such as vibration, flow rate and environmental influences like heat and dust, which means their plastic filter/sinter can melt or clog. Other noteworthy advantages of the GD10P in comparison with conventional gas detectors include a calculated life of 60 years (versus five years) and a T90 response = 1 second for methane (versus <8 or 9 seconds).

Further exemplifying the benefits of GD10P is its application involving the detection of ethanol when monitoring the storage of perfume essence. The aim was to avoid the loss of expensive perfume essence diluted in ethanol, perhaps due to a tank leak, and avoid the increase of ethanol concentration in a confined area. The GD10P, due to its target gas selectivity (narrow band optical filter) and very low response time, was the optimum solution. The detectors have been in service for four years.

https://www.teledynegasandflamedetection.com

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S M A R T FA C TO R Y

NEW SIMPLE SERIES GRAPHIC OPERATION TERMINALS FROM MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC FACILITATE REMOTE ACCESS

10-inch GS2110-WTBD-N (left) and 7-inch GS2107-WTBD-N (right) widescreen models come as the latest upgrade to Mitsubishi Electric’s GOT SIMPLE Series lineup.

Mitsubishi Electric has launched two new additional Graphic Operation Terminals (GOTs) to its GOT SIMPLE Series lineup. The 10-inch and 7-inch widescreen models, which support virtual network computing (VNC), can be used as VNC servers enabling remote access from offices or other remote locations field engineers may find themselves. This feature will help meet customers’ needs for improved work efficiencies when performing monitoring and maintenance in factories, buildings, utilities and other automation applications.

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nother key feature of the new GOT models is a 1.5-times increase in onboard memory capacity to 15MB, making it easier to save more screen designs.

Furthermore, by using an SDHC memory card, operation logs can be recorded in chronological order to achieve enhanced traceability. This can be useful for validating operations as well as troubleshooting when identifying misoperation or the potential root causes of problems.

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In addition, these latest models in the GOT SIMPLE Series now support outline fonts, offering clearer visibility of text on the screen by smoothing out edges of textual characters.

This increased clarity can help prevent misreading but can also aid reading at a distance.

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Since communication interfaces are also another key factor for users selecting GOTs, Mitsubishi Electric has enhanced the built-in interfaces for these new models. In addition to the standard GOT SIMPLE Series interfaces of Ethernet, RS232 and RS-422 the new units also offer RS-485 support.

This facilitates the connect of a wider variety of devices such as temperature controllers and MODBUS® peripherals, making it easier for users to implement connected-digital manufacturing strategies in their operations.

Learn more about the new GOT products at https://www.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/products/hmi/got/ pmerit/got_simple/index.html Watch a video introducing the concept of the new models at https://www.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/products/hmi/got/ pmerit/got_simple/movie.html

VNC server function helps achieve monitoring and maintenance from the office or other remote locations.

The new widescreen GOTs have an increased memory capacity of 15MB to support the saving of larger volumes of screen designs.

The operation log function helps users store periodic data for enhanced traceability and easier troubleshooting.

Clear text improves the visibility of screens.

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The addition of an RS-485 interface enables the connection of a wider range of devices such as temperature controllers and MODBUS® peripherals.

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S M A R T FA C TO R Y

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC’S LOW-VOLTAGE AIR CIRCUIT BREAKER WINS R&D 100 AWARD - CONTRIBUTES TO IMPROVED MAINTAINABILITY IN BUILDINGS AND FACTORIES

World Super AE V Series C-class low-voltage air circuit breaker.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) announced today that it has received a 2021 R&D 100 Award from the U.S. publication R&D World for its low-voltage air circuit breaker (World Super AE V Series C-class), a switching device that protects low-voltage power-distribution systems in factories and buildings. Including this year’s award, Mitsubishi Electric has now won 27 R&D 100 Awards.

Industry’s first electromagnetic operating mechanism cuts maintenance costs and energy consumption • A new high-power electromagnet uses both tapered* and magnetic latch** structures in its movable iron core, realizing the industry’s first*** electromagnetic operating mechanism, which requires only the same amount of power as a motorized control.

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• Using electromagnetism instead of a spring for the operating mechanism reduces the number of components by 46% and maintenance requirements by 30% compared to conventional operating mechanisms that use a motor and spring, thereby improving maintainability.

• Not having to charge a spring conserves energy by reducing the use of electric power to open/close the circuit breaker by 88%.

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* Movable and fixed iron cores, which face each other, are inclined to improve the initial force ** Movable core is held in place until current in the coil is increased sufficiently, which improves the overall force *** Among low-voltage air circuit breakers (as of December 2, 2021, according to internal research) Low-voltage power input/output facilities in buildings, factories and renewable-energy facilities must be remotely controllable for enhanced maintenance and operational efficiency. Conventionally, a spring mechanism is used to open and close air circuit breakers, which are a key part of low-voltage power-distribution equipment. To control the circuit breaker remotely the spring must be charged by the motor, which requires the motor drive unit to incorporate large numbers of parts, which greatly increases costs and maintenance requirements.

Fig.1 Internal structure of low-voltage air circuit breaker - Fig.2 Magnetic latch-type electromagnetic operating mechanism

Mitsubishi Electric’s new electromagnetically operated air circuit breaker with tapered and magnetic-latch structures in the movable iron core only requires about the same level of operating power as a motor control, but its operation mechanism contains 46% less components and maintenance requirements are reduced by 30%. In addition, operating the circuit breaker directly with an electromagnet eliminates the need to charge a motor spring, thereby slashing electric power needed to open and close the circuit by 88%.

Mitsubishi Electric, having now won another prestigious R&D 100 Award, is committed to driving the development of next-generation power switching devices in order to continue delivering products that customers can use safely and securely in their electrical facilities.

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About R&D 100 Awards R&D World has bestowed its prestigious R&D 100 Awards on 100 world-class technologies every year since 1963.

Professional consultants, university academicians, industry researchers and other experts openly nominate technically important, original and useful technologies. Winners are selected from among those technologies that have been put into practical use in the previous year. https://in.mitsubishielectric.com/en/index.html

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S M A R T FA C TO R Y

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC AND AIST DEVELOP AI TECHNOLOGY FOR REAL-TIME CONTROL OF FA EQUIPMENT

AI technology for real-time control of FA equipment during operation.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO:6503) and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) announced today that they have developed an AI technology that predicts changes during automated manufacturing processes and then makes real-time adjustments in the factory-automation (FA) equipment, such as motion speeds, etc., during operation. In addition to eliminating the need for time-consuming manual adjustments, the AI estimates the confidence level of inferences regarding factors such as machining error and then controls the FA equipment based on suitable levels of confidence. The technology is expected to lead to more stable, reliable and productive operations, particularly in agile manufacturing.

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Fast AI achieves high-speed inferences for dynamic control of FA equipment control In factories that use FA equipment for agile manufacturing, such as computerized numerical controller (CNC) cutting machines and industrial robots, the movements, operating speeds, acceleration, etc. of the equipment vary during the operating processes. In conventional manufacturing, skilled workers must adjust the operating parameters according to various specifications, such as the required level of accuracy. Mitsubishi Electric has now developed an AI technology that simultaneously performs highspeed inferences and equipment control for real-time FA operation. Incorporating Mitsubishi Electric’s expertise as an FA equipment manufacturer, the new low-load AI control technology performs inferences while simultaneously controlling FA equipment. Although the technology minimizes its processing load, it is capable of achieving high-level inference accuracy while simultaneously guiding FA equipment control.

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Adaptable In-process learning to adapt to constantly changing work factors The shapes of workpieces change during manufacturing and this can lengthen manufacturing times or lower processing quality. In addition, changes can vary by workpiece, making it difficult for FA equipment to learn in advance. Mitsubishi Electric’s new technology, however, allows the AI to learn work factors during FA equipment operation and then make real-time adjustments as needed.

In addition, the technology formulates physical phenomena, such as friction, and then incorporates these mathematical expressions to enable learning during operation, making it possible to adapt to constantly changing processing factors.

Reliable AI performs adjustments according to inferenceconfidence levels AI inferences must be reliable to ensure that real-time control of FA equipment leads to stable product quality and efficient processing. Mitsubishi Electric’s new algorithm calculates the confidence level of inferences by learning the machine characteristics of each process and each target device. By using this algorithm to control FA devices, the new AI ensures high reliability.

Collaboration in Developing New AI Technology Name

Contributions

Mitsubishi Electric

Implementation and improvement of AI control technology for CNC systems, servo systems, electric discharge machines, and industrial robots

AIST

Fig. 1-1 Using AI to estimate load and confidence levels

Use of AI for optimization and data analysis

Development Background Operating needs change frequently in agile production, so optimum conditions, such as FA equipment motion speeds, revolutions, etc., must be adjusted individually for each type of product. Performing such adjustments manually, however, requires labor and time, resulting in decreased productivity. Moreover, declining birthrates and aging populations in many developed countries are resulting in a shortage of skilled workers capable of adjusting FA equipment.

In response, Mitsubishi Electric and AIST have developed a technology that uses AI to predict various changes in manufacturing processes, such as changes in shapes as each workpiece is machined, and then automatically adjusts the FA equipment’s operation in real time. In addition, the confidence levels of the AI inferences are indexed and the FA equipment is controlled accordingly, ensuring high reliability and productivity.

This is the latest deployment of an AIST AI technology in Mitsubishi Electric’s FA equipment since the two entities began collaborating on AI development in fiscal 2017.

Going forward, Mitsubishi Electric expects to increasingly incorporate various forms of its Maisart®* AI technology in FA equipment and systems to significantly improve manufacturing productivity.

Fig. 1-2 Faster opertion using load estimation

2. Adaptation to changing conditions As an application example of Mitubishi Electric’s AI control technology that adapts to changing processing conditions, the company developed a solution for automatically adjusting an engraving EDM (electric discharge machine).

The EDM positions an electrode close to the workpiece and generates an electric discharge to perform engraving. Debris produced during machining, however, must be ejected with the electrode (Fig. 2-1), and the amount of debris increases as processing proceeds, so the frequency of debris ejection must be increased. In the new solution, AI learns state of debris ejection that is produced and then automatically adjusts the frequency of ejection Tests have confirmed that machining time is reduced up to 23% compared to processing without AI adjustment (Fig. 2-2).

*Mitsubishi Electric’s AI creates the State-of-the-ART in technology.

Examples of AI Control Technology Application

Fig. 2-1 Machining with an engraving EDM

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1. Fast inferences As an example of the high-speed inference of Mitsubishi Electric’s AI control technology, the company developed a solution to estimate loads on robotic arms. Various load parameters are utilized to calculate acceleration and deceleration speeds, for which the AI function quickly infers load values using information about the robot, such as motor current, joint angle, etc. Simultaneously, the confidence levels of the inferences are calculated. Finally, acceleration and deceleration are adjusted based on estimated values and confidence levels (Fig. 1-1). To evaluate the effectiveness of this technology, a validation test was conducted to compare differences in robot motion when using and not using load inferences. As shown in Fig1-2, robot operation time was confimed to be reduced by 20% when inferences were used. Moreover, more stable operation was achieved by adjusting robot motions only when the confidence level was high.

Fig. 2-2 Processing with & without AI 36 | Industry Asia Pacific | January 2022

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3. Reliability As an example of the reliability of Mitsubishi Electric’s AI control technology, the company developed an AI errorcorrection solution for CNC cutting machines (Fig. 3-1). The AI estimates constantly changing machining error, or the difference between the cutting machine’s current position and the command value, to enable correction even during dynamic machining. Also, the confidence levels of the AI’s error inferences are indexed to ensure that error correction is performed only if the confidence level is suitably high.

Tests confirmed that machining accuracy is improved by 51% compared to using error correction not supported with AI (Fig. 3-2). Furthermore, low confidence levels can be improved through relearning.

Fig. 3-1 AI error correction in CNC cutting machine

Fig. 3-2 Better results with AI-supported CNC cutting machine

About Maisart Maisart encompasses Mitsubishi Electric’s proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including its compact AI, automated-design deep-learning algorithms and extraefficient smart-learning AI. Maisart is an abbreviation for “Mitsubishi Electric’s AI creates the State-of-the-ART in technology.” Under the corporate axiom “Original AI technology makes everything smart,” the company is leveraging original AI technology and edge computing to make devices smarter and life more secure, intuitive and convenient.

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Maisart is a registered trademark of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. https://www.mitsubishielectric.com https://www.airc.aist.go.jp/en/ 36 | Industry Asia Pacific | January 2022

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PROCESS

LEANBIO OPTIMISES BIOLOGICS MANUFACTURING WITH WMFTG PUMP

Leanbio is a contract development and manufacturing organisation based in Barcelona that specialises in the design and optimisation of processes for the development of biological medicines. The company supports the entire development cycle through strain and cell line, process and analytical development, and manufacturing.

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eanbio works with a number of pharmaceutical and biotech organisations to scale up their biologics manufacturing processes. The pilot plant is therefore used for a wide range of different products, requiring versatile equipment which also prevents cross contamination.

Peristaltic pumps from WMFTG offered a versatile solution to reduce cleaning requirements while still preventing product contamination and facilitating equipment reconfiguration between batches.

Promoting sustainability Leanbio prioritises sustainability, promoting “lean bioproduction” in order to maximise project success and minimise time to market, costs and risks. A core part of this

End-to-end supply By choosing a peristaltic pump to minimise contamination and facilitate process validation, Leanbio also required compatible tubing that was easy to install and use.

WMFTG’s expertise covers the entire fluid management pathway, enabling it to provide suitable tubing for use with the 630S/R. The pump also has retractable rollers for easy tube loading, simplifying the changeover process between products.

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Reliable reputation Members of the Leanbio team were familiar with WatsonMarlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) products through the use of 114 pumpheads integrated into their Bionet reactors. As the team had experienced the quality of WMFTG pumps first-hand, it made the company an easy choice to partner with. The 630S/R pump was chosen as it is a manual control pump and offers flow rates of up to 16 L/min at up to 2 bar pressure, satisfying the pilot plant’s requirements.

approach is quality by design, developing the most efficient processes to optimise its customers’ biopharmaceutical production. WMFTG pumps are known for their reliability and long life, reducing the need for replacement during the lifetime of the process and hence minimising down-time, costs and the waste of obsolete machines.

Leanbio is currently trialling the pump in a range of cleanroom filtration and fluid transfer applications.

Following impressive results and further evidence of its ease of use and reliability, the team is excited to expand its use to more processes. https://www.wmftg.com/ 36 | Industry Asia Pacific | January 2022

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S M A R T FA C TO R Y

RUGGED, COMPACT, SAFE

Safe ultrasonic sensor system with distinctly elliptical sound beam for optimal area monitoring.

USi®-safety Ultrasonic System for Category 3 PL d.

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eliable protection is required wherever people and machines interact. The USi®-safety system guarantees protection based on the design-related robustness of the ultrasonic sensors. The separation of the actual sensor component from the control interface allows for an extremely compact design. The devices can be easily installed in very confined spaces.

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In addition to access protection in safety areas, the USi®safety system offers flexible solutions for autonomous units such as robots and self-driving transport systems. It is the only ultrasonic system with safety approval in accordance with EN ISO 13849 Category 3 PL d.

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The ultrasonic transducers of the USi-safety system meet the requirements for the IP69K degree of protection, are suitable for outdoor use, and can withstand high-pressure cleaning. The sound beams of the ultrasonic transducers have an elliptical cross section, allowing for an especially large sensing range. The safety architecture is based on continuous two-channel electronics with fail-safe outputs and two microcontrollers that monitor each other. Two sensor units can be connected to one control interface. https://www.pepperl-fuchs.com

The USi-safety system can be flexibly integrated into AGVs.

The USi-safety system offers two independent channels, each of which complies with ISO 13849 Category 3 PL d MORE INFORMATION

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S M A R T FA C TO R Y

NEW ONLINE VIRTUAL FACTORY AND SHOWROOM TOURS PROVIDE ACCESS TO BEST PRACTICES IN MANUFACTURING AT ANY TIME, FROM ANYWHERE

At Mitsubishi Electric’s Online Mechatronics Solution Center, visitors can learn about Mitsubishi Electric’s range of processing machines, computerized numerical controllers (CNCs) and other machine tools in a virtual showroom.

Mitsubishi Electric is opening up access to its leading factory automation sites and showrooms through virtual tours with the aim of overcoming the recent restrictions on in-person visits caused by the pandemic.

The tours are open to everyone visiting its FA website.

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ndustry 4.0 and digital manufacturing are now popular terms being discussed in the manufacturing industry, but when companies start their journey in digital manufacturing, many of them look for best practices and how they could reference such practices in their factories.

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Mitsubishi Electric has a 100-year history of supporting manufacturers, plus a prolific track record for achieving factory automation at its own and other manufacturers’ facilities. The approach embodies the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen that is now recognized worldwide. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Mitsubishi Electric’s factories in Nagoya and Fukuyama, Japan, attracted thousands of visitors from around the world interested to learn how the factory automation manufacturer leverages digital manufacturing and its e-F@ctory approach to make their own products.

Although it may still be difficult to travel across borders easily, Mitsubishi Electric’s Virtual Factory Tour, now available through online videos, overcomes these restrictions allowing visitors to walk through the various technologies and solutions behind the manufacture of its FA products.

What’s more, the online factory tour can be accessed from a PC or smartphone at any time, from anywhere.

Mitsubishi Electric has also renewed its Online Mechatronics Solution Center, where visitors can learn about Mitsubishi Electric’s range of processing machines, computerized numerical controllers (CNCs) and other machine tools in a virtual showroom.

Virtual Factory Tours available online 1. Programmable Controller (PLC) production The first tour will show how Mitsubishi Electric’s factory automation (FA) controller products are made at its Nagoya Works - a factory that has experience and know-how in manufacturing for nearly 100 years. Programmable controllers (PLCs) are devices that automatically control machines and processes in factories, and the MELSEC brand

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The first tour will show how Mitsubishi Electric’s factory automation (FA) controller products are made at its Nagoya Works.

PLC is so extremely popular that it has become an industry standard in Japan.

The tour will provide examples of some of the actual work processes in the factory, demonstrating how Mitsubishi Electric FA products provide the latest manufacturing technologies.

For more, visit Mitsubishi Electric’s “Virtual Factory Tour” at: https://www.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/cxcenter/factory Learn more about Mitsubishi Electric’s Online Mechatronics Solution Center (English) at: https://www.mitsubishielectric.co.jp/fa/digipark/online_ exhibition/mecha/en/index.html

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2. Production of power monitoring/distribution products The second factory tour will introduce the production lines at Mitsubishi Electric’s Fukuyama Works, which utilize the integrated FA-IT solution “e-F@ctory” to achieve digital manufacturing. Fukuyama Works develops and manufactures a variety of devices surrounding electricity, from power distribution and protection devices to measurement and control devices, which are essential to industries, society and people’s lives.

The tour of Fukuyama Works will walk you through its office building, the circuit breaker line and the printed circuit board line. The tour highlights how processes were improved using artificial intelligence (AI) and other cuttingedge technologies in digital manufacturing.

The second factory tour will introduce the production lines at Mitsubishi Electric’s Fukuyama Works, which utilize the integrated FA-IT solution “e-F@ctory” to achieve digital manufacturing.

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S M A R T FA C TO R Y

PET HEALTH AND WELFARE AIDED BY HI-TECH BUILDING CONTROLS

The UK’s largest pets supplies retailer is enjoying significant energy savings across its entire retail network while ensuring that ideal animal welfare conditions are maintained at all times.

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ets at Home has installed energy efficiency control systems for the air conditioning (AC) in all its 450 stores.

Each system was designed by energy management consultants Ignite Energy of Wantage, Oxon, using a standard template based on Intesis gateway from HMS Networks and installed by integration solutions provider Consyst.

AC’s from different manufacturers combined in one Pets at Home branches use air conditioning equipment from different manufacturers, such as Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba, and others. Consyst has used Intesis gateways to retrieve real-time information from the AC units and control operation, regardless of manufacturer.

Consyst Director, Lior Golani, explains: “The Intesis gateway is powered by the AC unit, allowing straightforward installation. By reading predefined information from the gateways, the integrator can easily duplicate the configuration across different units and sites, which saves a lot of time in commissioning.”

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This simplicity enabled Consyst to install each system quickly and efficiently. Indeed the whole branch network was upgraded in less than 18 months, minimise disruption to Pets at Home’s normal operations.

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system includes multiple temperature sensors and controls which ensures that strict pet welfare conditions can be maintained at all times.

“Monitoring and controlling each store’s temperature has significantly reduced energy consumption and, very importantly, ensures optimal welfare conditions for the pets,” says Lior.

Pets at Home now has an estate of energy-efficient stores and Ignite and Consyst continue to work with them to develop further initiatives and to ensure that energy is managed effectively at every level.

Intesis is scaleable from the simplest domestic requirements to large projects in the commercial, retail, healthcare and education sectors. It shares a pedigree with other HMS technologies used in the control of manufacturing plants, refineries, generating stations, high securities facilities.

As well as DALI HMS makes gateways for all the major building automation protocols, including ASCII, BACnet, KNX, M-bus and Modbus. https://www.hms-networks.com

Intelligent gateways The Intesis gateways solutions from HMS enable existing devices and equipment from virtually all manufacturers to be connected no matter what protocol or network technology is used. This means all elements of even the most complex building automation project can be integrated into a single unified system.

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It can communicate using open standards or proprietary protocols and includes a range of both protocol translators and AC interfaces. The result is simple design, installation and commissioning coupled with robust and reliable operation.

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S M A R T FA C TO R Y

CREATING INTELLIGENT PACKAGING SOLUTIONS FOR A GLOBAL MARKET

With the support of Mitsubishi Electric and Qingdao Keling, Golden Pak developed and upgraded special equipment for horizontal feeding, organizing, packaging, sorting and palletizing for many industries such as food and medicine.

Located in the beautiful coastal city of Qingdao, Golden Packaging (Golden Pak) has many years of rich service experience in the ice cream industry, as well as providing all kinds of packaging equipment for many leading enterprises in the cold beverage industry such as Meiji, Wall’s, Nestle, Yili, Mengniu, Bright Dairy, Hongbaolai, and Baxi. Golden Pak’s equipment is also exported to more than 60 countries and regions including the United States, Germany, Japan and Russia. With the support of Mitsubishi Electric and Qingdao Keling, they not only develop and upgrade special equipment for horizontal feeding, organizing, packaging, sorting and palletizing for many industries such as food and medicine industries, but also create a comprehensive solution for the packaging process by using the e-F@ctory framework.

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n the years following 2000, the packaging industry in China developed very rapidly: on the one hand, packaging equipment could help customers reduce labor costs and improve the level of hygiene with the popularization of automation technology; on the other hand, a group of large enterprises emerged due to strong market demand.

The traditional mode of small workshops could not adapt to large-scale production and standardized operation, and there was an urgent need for automation equipment with higher production efficiency. Golden Pak closely followed the development pace of their customers. With their stable product quality and timely responses, they had caught up with the “fast track” of the packaging industry and quickly opened up new opportunities in food and CPG industries.

After that, with technical support from Mitsubishi Electric

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and Qingdao Keling, they focused on the development of non-standard, customized products to provide more value and services to meet the demand from their customers in the cold beverage and pharmaceutical industries.

In such a highly competitive market, Golden Pak has always maintained their excellent product quality, reasonable prices, stylish design and comprehensive services that already won them the trust and praise of their customers as they have steadily moved forward in both foreign and domestic markets! Nowadays, the export ratio of their products is higher than 50%, mainly to developed countries as far afield as Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Japan, and South Korea as well as sales throughout

Golden Pak’s packaging equipment is exported to more than 60 countries and regions including the United States, Germany, Japan and Russia.

Asia, Africa and South America. To support this Golden Pak has opened a joint venture manufacturing plant in Indonesia to manufacture, sell and provide services locally, stepping towards a global production capability. Often the level of customers represents the strength of a company and this is especially true for Golden Pak: at present, they are working with top companies in the domestic and international food and pharmaceutical industries such as Unilever, Nestle, Wall’s, Yili Group, Mengniu Group, Wandashan, but also not to miss mentioning New Hope, Charoen Pokphan, Hsu Fu Chi, Want Want, Baiyunshan, Nice, Sanjin Pharmaceutical Company Limited, and COFCO.

From packaging equipment and integration with the customer’s production systems, to providing back-end packaging engineering and comprehensive services, Golden Pak helps customers increase production, reduce

The improvement of technical capabilities is not limited to successfully completing the production task of a certain process, but also to optimize the structural design and improve the compatibility of the system. In the words of Jin Weijian, “Achieve optimal quality and price”.

After the new development ideas were determined, Golden Pak fully adopted Mitsubishi Electric products. This seemingly “expensive” strategy was the most “beneficial”.

In recent years, the competition in packaging industry has been particularly fierce. Packaging equipment components have become more and more expensive, but the prices of whole machines are declining.

“Mitsubishi Electric’s products are stable in quality but with high prices, and end users want to buy inexpensive equipment. As a packaging equipment manufacturer, it is extremely hard to balance this contradiction, while obtaining reasonable profits, and ensuring the quality of the equipment. Fortunately, Mitsubishi Electric and Keling help us control costs through reasonable configuration and solve problems using their technology, so we have a strong base for competing,” Jin Weijian explained.

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Jin Weijian, General Manager of Qingdao Golden Packaging Machinery Co.Ltd. said, “About 5% of Chinese private enterprises survive only for 10 years, and the average life span of small and medium-sized enterprises in the United States is less than 7 years, which indicates that it is not easy for private enterprises to do a good job. Golden Pak has been there for eighteen years. Many employees have been with the company through thick and thin. Yet the company has always been energetic, as we take ‘creating value for customers’ as our business tenet, which is consistent with Mitsubishi Electric’s values.”

costs, ensure sanitary conditions, and realize value creation and enhancement. “We want to have a place in China’s packaging machinery industry and make Golden Pak an influential brand in the industry.” Jin Weijian is confident about their corporate goals.

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Automatic Baumkuchen packaging production line project.

The technical support from Keling and Mitsubishi Electric was an important foundation for Golden Pak’s transformation and a critical factor in helping users to upgrade their processes. “Golden Pak design the machines, while Mitsubishi Electric and Keling provide electrical and system design support. This collaboration enhances the cooperation between both the electrical and mechanical areas, with a future focus to add sorting equipment and box filling machines thus providing solutions for the entire back-end packaging.” In this way, Golden Pak has transformed from a single equipment supplier to a packaging engineering provider.

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The installation of an automatic Baumkuchen packaging line at a customer’s site illustrates the effectiveness of these joint solutions by Golden Pak, Mitsubishi Electric and Keling.

The project lasted for two months with Keling’s engineer Mr.Yang being stationed at the site, and Mitsubishi Electric’s technicians and experts on-hand to provide support.

Mr.Yang said, “Sharing success with customers is our philosophy. Mitsubishi Electric has been rolling out many reliable and convenient solution packages in recent years.

They support manufacturers to adopt concepts that can create more value for customers.”

This Baumkuchen packaging production line and the backend project with multi-belt packaging adopted advanced technology and industry leading solutions. The production line has automatic sorting and feeding, automatic deoxidizer and labeling, automatic pillow packing, parallel spider robots, automatic boxing, various testing stations and other packaging elements. The integrated main controller watches over the entire process to maintain stability and to ensure things run smoothly.

Mitsubishi Electric not only has a full factory automation product line (from PLCs to industrial robots and processing machines, etc.), but it also has created the e-F@ctory digital manufacturing concept based on nearly a hundred years of manufacturing experience, built on a system framework and standards for creating intelligent factories.

“I hope that Mitsubishi Electric will strengthen its understanding of the industry and invest in science and technology, at the cutting edge of the packaging process, to support the needs of end users and promote the application and expansion of production lines, production workshops, and even the application of products and solutions for the whole plant.” Jin Weijian has extremely high expectations for Mitsubishi Electric. He said that once all production lines start to use Mitsubishi Electric’s technology, the stability of the packaging equipment will be better guaranteed. https://www.mitsubishielectric.com

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There are a lot of products/brands that are familiar to Chinese people.

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S M A R T FA C TO R Y

MONITORING OF ENERGY NETWORKS – HOW TO MAKE IT EASY AND SECURE

Fig. 1 - By using Smart Grid gateways for monitoring energy networks, existing systems, new devices and control systems can be connected – regardless of the communication technology or the manufacturer brand.

Cloud and cyber security in critical energy applications - Digitalization and IoT (Internet of Things) is a clear trend within power plants and substations, just as it is in industrial automation. The Smart Grid is certainly a driving factor, but there are also other reasons for this change. Operators often find that only having data available in the control room is insufficient. Instead, they want to monitor transformers remotely, implement new maintenance concepts from anywhere, optimize utilization and commissioning, or retrieve environmental data online. This requires a solution with a high level of cybersecurity that guarantee critical control data to be strictly separated from monitoring data. The solution should also be easy to use and have a compact form factor to ensure that it is suitable for retrofitting and that it fits into existing cabinets.

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Cybersecurity of utmost importance Substations which convert high transmission voltage into consumer voltage are an important part of the electrical grid, not only for municipalities but also for the railways and industrial companies to name but a few. They usually consist of power transformers, switchgear and a lot of equipment for measurement and control. Substations are usually managed from a control room, or remotely from control centres. This control path is subject to strict security regulations as a successful hacker attack could have catastrophic consequences. There is also a need for cloudbased monitoring. But how can this be achieved without neglecting the required cybersecurity?

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Two separate data streams In principle, there are two different data streams in substations: the first is the control data with which the control room communicates with the substation or individual devices. Control data means sending commands such as “Turn switch on”, “Measure now” or “Send measured value”.

This critical communication runs in real time according to the protocols used in the energy sector such as IEC61850 or IEC60870-5-104. The security requirements are high and unauthorized data must be excluded.

The second data stream delivers monitoring data from sensors and devices to the control room. Real-time communication is not required here but the data packages are usually more extensive for this IoT data. Of course, the

Fig. 2 - Here is an example to demonstrate how the monitoring works in practice. A gateway collects the data from the various sources via the relevant ports.

data must not be compromised here either, which is why communication is usually handled via TLS or VPN, for example.

There are also event-based alarm notifications that can be transmitted via independent data channels such as MQTT or SMS. Since the data only flows one way towards the control room or the cloud, this data stream and the transmitting device are well protected against attacks.

The data involved can come from various sources. Some data comes directly from the “heart” of the substation – values of the IEDs (Intelligent Electronic Devices), i.e. the control computer for the switchgear or measuring devices in the station. Other data is provided by additional sensors

How to gather and forward the data?

So how is it possible to gather the various data and how is it transmitted to ensure the required level of cybersecurity?

There are readily available gateways for this task (Fig. 1), such as the Ixxat SG gateway from HMS Networks. These gateways combine the functionality of RTUs (Remote Terminal Units), controllers and gateways; opening up possibilities to digitize substations and distribution networks. Existing systems, new devices and control systems can be connected quickly – regardless of the communication technology or manufacturer.

A gateway collects the data from various sources via the relevant ports (Fig. 2). It supports the communication protocols used in the energy sector, including IEC61850 and IEC60870-5-104, and can simultaneously feed in the data from IoT sensors connected via Modbus and analogue interfaces (for example).

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Typical data that is monitored The data typically transmitted along the monitoring path includes, for instance, temperatures of transformers, highvoltage lines and motors, or oil pressure in transformers.

If we take SF6-insulated circuit breakers as an example, it is possible to monitor gas pressure, temperature and gas humidity, and transformers, cables or battery backup systems can provide voltage data. Data from building management can also be made available via the monitoring path. For example, door sensors of the access control system, air conditioning values or even a robot lawn mower can be monitored.

that are commonplace in the industrial environment or in building management.

Monitoring and added value Protocol conversion and, where applicable, media disruption, mean that such a cloud connection is very secure. In addition, the data is only transmitted in one direction; access options are initially not provided but can be defined as exceptions if necessary. Configuration of these 36 | Industry Asia Pacific | January 2022

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Fig. 3 - The control unit of the UPS communicates with the gateway via Modbus and is connected to the control room via an IEC61850based gateway. The status data of the individual battery cells is sent in parallel via MQTT to the manufacturer’s private cloud.

types of gateways is usually graphical and does not require any programming knowledge or additional software.

Author: Freddy Dahlberg, Business Development Manager Ixxat at HMS Networks

There are many use case scenarios. For example, a sensor manufacturer can use a Smart Grid gateway as a platform for communication with its private cloud, for remote monitoring, surveillance and maintenance planning.

Substations can digitize the energy supply in an easy way: The gateway feeds the measured data – either from IEDs or sensors into the control system and can forward it directly to the cloud (MQTT) via an integrated LTE modem where it remains available for continual status monitoring.

https://www.ixxat.com/products/energy/sg-gatewayoverview

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Another example of an application can be found in battery back-up systems for local control networks, for example in converter stations in the railway power supply system (Fig. 3). The control unit of the Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) communicates with the gateway via Modbus and is connected to the control room via IEC61850. The status data of the individual battery cells is sent in parallel via MQTT to the manufacturer’s private cloud. This guarantees functional reliability through continuous monitoring and prompt, plannable maintenance. It can even lead to new business models, e.g. renting a UPS system according to usage. And the best part: thanks to the ability to retrofit, older existing facilities can also benefit from the new possibilities of digitalization.

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“WE MEASURE GEARS DURING BOTH THE PRODUCTIVE AND INCOMING PHASE WITH VICIVISION”

Didimo Zanetti S.p.A.

Quality, flexibility, extreme attention to the client.”

“Before purchasing a VICIVISION, we had to use a variety of different machines.”

Didimo Zanetti, leader in the production of gears, opens the doors of his workshop and tells us how quality control worked before investing in an optical measuring machine.

The metrological room was populated by plenty of instruments, among which were tridimensional machines, profilometers, and roundness testers.

From the post-war period to the present: a history of avant-garde and passion.

Since 1953, Didimo Zanetti (Didimo Zanetti - Since 1953, excellence and innovation in gears manufacturing) has produced bevel and cylindrical gears, crowns, pinions, and various gear components for the most renowned producers of agricultural machineries, earth-moving machines, trucks, sportive and race cars.

It started off as a small company producing gears in the post-war period in Italy, in the area around Bologna, when new sectors were emerging.

We were missing a machine that could provide a rapid response for two important phases. The first, inspecting a finished part, and the second, checking incoming material.”

When quality control passes from tens of minutes to 15 seconds.

“We work much faster now because with a single machine we can see all the dimensions and geometric errors.

Once we have created the program on the gear with the VICIVISION machine, it’s just a matter of seconds and the machine quickly provides all the results necessary. https://youtu.be/S3FqMBqP-qY

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“Today we have three plants, with about 220 people. It has been an interesting journey with two key factors that have enabled the company to achieve such great results.

“Our clients are growing and they require extreme flexibility.”

“With the growth of our clients there has also been a growth in their demands, especially for what concerns flexibility.

They are multinational firms asking for structured suppliers that are also extremely flexible: this means being ready to accept orders in a short time, without ignoring rigorous quality standards.

https://www.vicivision.com/

One is continuous investment in cutting edge technology, the second is the great passion we have for our work.”

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PRESSING NEED FOR “PEAK SHIFT” CUTS DOWN ELECTRICITY BILLS, WITH PAYBACK IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR

Aida Engineering Malaysia manufactures more than 500 press machines annually for markets worldwide.

Aida Engineering Malaysia SDN. BHD., a Malaysian subsidiary of Japan-based Aida Engineering Co., Ltd., develops, manufactures and sells press machines ranging from 80 to 300 tons. They selected Mitsubishi Electric’s energy-saving data collection server “EcoWebServer III” to visualize and manage their electricity consumption, succeeding in cutting down their electricity cost by 15%.

E

stablished in 1995, Aida Engineering Malaysia plays an important role as one of Aida Engineering’s five manufacturing bases outside Japan where it mainly manufactures press machines for markets worldwide with an annual production capacity of more than 500 units.

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Their challenge began when the local power company came to them and pointed out that their six-month energy consumption exceeded 3 million kWh in total. They were obliged to hire a dedicated energy manager who would be responsible for checking monthly electricity consumption and reporting it to local authorities every six months.

The company’s first response was to visualize their power consumption and tried to cut electricity bills by identifying peaks. There are two types of electricity rates in Malaysia depending on the time of day. Therefore, if the peak in the factory’s power consumption comes when the price is high, you may want to shift that demand to the time of day when electricity costs are lower - the so-called “peak shift”, which would then help you lower your electricity bills.

Thinking along similar lines, the energy manager at Aida Engineering Malaysia decided to go around the factory every month to manually check the power meters and write down the figures. But this way of recording the data didn’t help them identify the peak, since they could only see the monthly consumption. To get a clearer understanding of the peak levels they would need to continually measure the electricity consumption, perhaps every 30 minutes for 24 hours/seven days a week.

To visualize their power consumption more effectively they turned to Mitsubishi Electric, who suggested to use an

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Aida Engineering Malaysia needed to measure the electricity consumption every 30 minutes for 24 hours/seven days a week.

energy-saving data collection server called “EcoWebServer III.” The pay-back period was shorter than one year EcoWebServer III can be part of a demand management system, as it collects power consumption data from facilities and equipment via LAN and enables remote monitoring from the operators’ PC. It can also send out an email alert when consumption increases rapidly.

A key feature of EcoWebServer III is the capability to constantly measure real time power consumption data and visualize it as a graph to let you compare it with your target figures. By looking at the graph, it enables you to understand not only when the peak comes, but also helps determine if your improvement measures were effective.

“The EcoWebServer lll was very easy to install,” Hideki Mawatari added. “We considered other choices, but what attracted us about Mitsubishi Electric’s solution was the fact that the EcoWebServer lll can be easily connected with existing equipment. It is also scalable so we can add up as we go along.”

Promoting awareness of energy saving through “energy per unit” management Having succeeded in shifting the peak energy demand, Aida Engineering Malaysia’s next challenge is to reduce the total amount of energy they consume.

Energy saving could be simply executed by turning off all your machines, but then you are unable to produce, leading to reduced income. Air conditioning was initially meant to maintain the quality of the products, so a long downtime could potentially impact production quality.

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When Aida Engineering Malaysia introduced the EcoWebServer III to identify peak power consumption, they also installed Mitsubishi Electric’s “EcoMonitor Series” energy measurement units to measure the energy use of equipment and individual production machines. They compared and analyzed each data sets to promote peak-shift initiatives.

For example, they turned off the air conditioning when using machines that consume a large amount of electricity while also trying to use such machines in evenings when air conditioning demand was low.

“By shifting the peak demand to the time of day when the energy price is low, we were able to reduce our electricity bills by 15%,” explained Hideki Mawatari, Maintenance Manager of Aida Engineering Malaysia. “The effect was immense. We were able to collect the data we needed, and what’s more, the pay-back period was shorter than one year.”

“Our focus now is to maintain product quality and reduce energy consumption at the same time,” said Mitsuru Hirasawa, Managing Director of Aida Engineering Malaysia.

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EcoWebServer III was introduced to visualize electricity consumption in the factories.

Data collected by the EcoWebServer lll was utilized for analysis to promote peak-shift initiatives.

“We were able to reduce our electricity bills by 15%,” explained Hideki Mawatari, Maintenance Manager of Aida Engineering Malaysia.

“We will increase the number of items we collect data from, and will utilize EcoWebServer III to determine the energy per unit produced (EPU). We also have plans to introduce preventive maintenance and integrated management of energy and production data, which we will eventually make accessible from the factory floor.”

EcoWebServer III can be connected to PLCs to collect production data in real time, making it easy to visualize power consumption on a per unit basis. By making the data accessible from the factory floor, it will encourage factory workers to promote energy-saving initiatives. As a result, power consumption should start decreasing on a per-unit basis, which will eventually lead to saving total energy demand.

See details of AIDA ENGINEERING (M) SDN. BHD. at: http://www.aida.com.sg/aida-engineering-malaysia

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Learn more about Mitsubishi Electric’s power monitoring products: https://www.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/products/pmng/ ems/index.html

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“Our focus now is to maintain product quality and reduce energy consumption at the same time,” said Mitsuru Hirasawa, Managing Director of Aida Engineering Malaysia.

NEW: TWO BECOME ONE. Gear unit and motor in one: the new DuoDrive.

Extremely high system efficiency Compact wash-down design Maintenance reduction System solution and simple commissioning via plug-and-play NORD Drivesystems Pvt. Ltd. | Fon +91 (0)20-3980 1200 | india@nord.com | www.nord.com