Worldwide Engineering Magazine - August Issue

August Issue Siemens Targets Gender Parity in Early Careers Recruitment to Increase Women in Engineering

Sensata Technologies’ Power Disconnect Solution Enables Faster, Safer DC Fast Charging for EV Cars

SICK’s sHub Smart Sensor Hub Prevents Machine Downtime

Pages 20-21

Page 32

Pages 42-43

worldwide-engineering.com

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Contents 4

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DFI Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Continuing IoT Innovation

Flow Meter - Wiring Tutorial

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Siemens Targets Gender Parity in Early Careers Recruitment

New BMW X5 & BMW X6 Black Vermilion limited edition

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Test System for Automotive Radar Sensors

New Ethernet PHYs Enable Multidrop Bus Architecture

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DS Expands Ensenso 3D Camera

SICK’s sHub Smart Sensor Hub Prevents Machine Downtime

Worldwide Engineering Magazine Providing timely industry news, exclusive features on advancing technology, equipment, materials, show previews, content marketing services for our valued clients and much more!

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DFI celebrates 40th anniversary with continuing IoT Innovation In the past forty years, technology has greatly changed the way we live and do business. Especially in the latter half of that period, the Internet and the Internet of Smart Things have completely changed the appearance of global industries In 40 years, DFI has undergone a series of growth and evolution, transforming from a purely electronic components supplier to a global leading provider of diverse Industrial PC (IPC) solutions.

Starting with consumer IT products in the 1980s, DFI engaged in a transitional journey into the IT future. Early product lines gave way to the changing market circumstances and led to the innovative and renowned LANParty products of the 1990s, which set the stage for DFI’s shift into more

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sophisticated industrial computing technologies in 2004. This decisive strategy change has led DFI to further rapid growth and significant financial success.

and with a future focus on the Intelligent Edge, DFI will leverage these advantages:

Desire for Innovation

Edge applications in the upcoming IoT era are becoming more common and complex, especially the ones with a smaller size. DFI has developed miniaturizing technology for decades and helped countless manufacturers to make edge applications lighter and smarter with their small computers. The famous case was the popular Raspberry Pi-sized GHF51 that was the first tiny board built with AMD Embedded Ryzen Processor and successfully downsized the facial recognition, traffic surveillance, and cold chain tracking equipment for their clients. In the future, the focus will be on even more innovative computers with smaller footprints to refresh the industry

In today’s world, the boundary between hardware and services is blurred. Both must be combined to create a competitive and meaningful offer. DFI is a provider of industrial solutions that help customers optimize their equipment to ensure maximum productivity, durability, and longevity. DFI also serves a wide range of segments and applications, including factory automation, healthcare, gaming, transportation, smart energy, mission-critical, and intelligent retail.

DFI marked the 40th anniversary with a focus on three main aspects,

Miniaturized Edge AI:

Extended Durability: In addition to making Edge AI devices smarter and smaller, DFI strictly follows the international standards for anti-vibration, temperature endurance, and voltage fluctuation tolerance to maximally ensure the product longevity. In regards to the operating temperature, DFI supports wider-ranges of nonstandard temperatures, from basically -5° to 65° degrees to even -50° to 85° degrees. On the high-performance models whose operating temperature is restricted to 0~60°C by the CPU, proven innovation, like attaching the heater to the motherboard, can also be seen in order to support booting and operating at -30°C. Under a defined ambient temperature, all parts of the computers must pass the testing so as to fully ensure the safety and durability of the product.

Synergy with Qisda/BenQ Group: Since joining the Qisda/BenQ Group in 2017, DFI’s technology, supply chain management, and manufacturing productivity has been enhanced to a new level. By leveraging diversified resources within the Qisda/BenQ Group, DFI’s product portfolio expands to advanced services such as LCD in- house integration, PCB & system assembly, a measurement lab, and enclosure capabilities.

These value-added services enable DFI to provide a range of benefits, from flexible small volume and high variety, to large scale and costefficient production. Moreover, it offers additional comprehensive solutions including factory automation, digital healthcare, smart energy, and IoT-related applications for future business development.

Besides those three main foci, DFI, in order to accommodate the

diversity of IPC requirements, has continuously strengthened and extended its capabilities. In one example of this, DFI set up a dedicated FPGA R&D team to complement the limited and costly IC choices for the special functions required by clients in industrial PCs. Also, on the way to developing 5G end-to-end solutions, DFI obtained 100% support from its sister companies specializing in 5G infrastructure in the Qisda/ BenQ Group to build a solid and comprehensive 5G ecosystem.

Synergies for Growth In July of 2021, DFI will move to the Qisda manufacturing complex in Taoyuan, Taiwan to maximize the advantages of joining the Qisda/BenQ Group.

The integration of the production line with Qisda manufacturing system will not only improve DFI’s manufacturing capacity, but also further its development of digital manufacturing capabilities.

The ‘smartization’ of factories has been the imminent goal following the arrival of Industry 4.0. DFI has been actively building a more robustly informatized framework with enhancements such as barcode management, automated warehouses, part traceability, and big data collection and application.

“After 40 years of continuous development and evolution, DFI is embarking on an exciting new chapter,” said Steven Tsai, President of DFI. “We look forward and with great anticipation to the further expansion and development of DFI as a key player in the IPC sector by leveraging the synergies of being part of the Qisda/BenQ Group. In doing so, we will continue to cultivate key application markets and welcome partners from various

application industries to join us in creating even more new business opportunities together.”

Tsai also mentioned that “At the same time, DFI is dealing effectively with the impact of ongoing trade conflicts, COVID-19, global supply chain restructuring, and other factors. To do that, DFI will continue its technology innovation and expand its presence in the IPC sector.”

Moving Forward In addition to the continuing work in the field of smart factories, DFI is also actively collaborating with world-class medical manufacturers and local smart transportation system integrators as well.

Meanwhile, becoming a member of the Taiwan Electric Vehicle MIH Alliance also helps DFI to provide more complete in-vehicle application solutions.

Additionally, learning from the pandemic, DFI has also adopted a more flexible and decentralized management model in response to the drastic change and uncertainty in the future. This strategy strengthened its digital transformation and core competencies to help global customers meet market demands with innovative IPC solutions.

In the future, DFI’s action plans aim at the twin objectives: collaborating with more partners from diverse backgrounds and serving a larger group of clients.

DFI believes that it succeeds when its partners and clients succeed.

This honor motivates DFI to help more industries with its expertise and experience in progressing automation and reach more peaks together in the next ten years.

Learn more about DFI IoT Innovation, please visit www.dfi.com/anniversary40

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FPT Industrials bourbon-lancy plant receives gold WCM medal FPT Industrial’s engine plant in Bourbon-Lancy, France, is the first of its world major factories to acquire the Gold Level certification in the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) program.

With a production capacity of around 80,000 engines a year, and employing over a 1,200 people, the factory is specialized since 1998 in the production of Cursor C8, C9, C10, C11, C13 and C16 series engines, with 77 technical types and over 5700 options available.

The site represents a top notch center in the world of both Diesel and Natural Gas engines, providing a wide range of customers with the best solutions, tailor made on the specific needs of the various applications from on and off-road vehicles to marine and power generation. The road to the highest honor was built on solid pillars and high knowledge, and key gold points mentioned were: quality, machining maintenance and karakuri system. As an industry 4.0 strongly focused plant, Bourbon-Lancy has applied its built-in innovative and researchoriented approach in a number of sector ground-breaking projects, mainly in the IT and logistic applications, such as the introduction of the Sherpa smart and mobile collaborative robots along the production line. All these activities, projects and team efforts, in addition to internationally recognized by important scientific publications, have been honored by the label Industry of the Future, that acknowledges the most emblematic industrial achievements in France.

The Bourbon-Lancy plant is well known in the Region for its commitment to sustainability, with a number of projects focused on minimizing the impact of industrial activities and on protecting the biodiversity of the surrounding 6

environment, making it the ideal home of the most successful natural gas-powered engines on the market. As a testament of it, in March, the 10,000th Cursor 13 NG engine rolled out from its production lines.

World Class Manufacturing is an international methodology for the organization of the manufacturing process and has been adopted, on a world-wide basis, by the most important companies in every kind of business, from automotive to services, from consumer goods to industrial tools. WCM has the goal of continuously improving production performance and gradually eliminating waste, which helps to ensure product quality and maximum flexibility in responding to customer requests. All this is achieved through a structured and integrated production system that encompasses all the plant’s processes, from safety to the environment, from maintenance to logistics and quality, as well as the involvement and motivation of the personnel working in the factory. WCM activities are formally audited at regular intervals and each production plant is assigned a score and the appropriate prizes and medals (Bronze, Silver, Gold).

Thanks to the application of the WCM methodology, FPT Industrial’s activities have been undergoing a process of continuous improvement and achieving increasingly higher levels of competitiveness, thus contributing to set the company as one of the most important and reliable powertrain developers and producers on a world-wide basis.

Thanks to the WCM approach, also customers can benefit of topquality products.

“After receiving Bronze level certification in 2008 and Silver level in 2010, this incredible achievement rewards the hard work of the whole

plant team of the last years,” says Luc Bernardini, Plant Manager of FPT Industrial’s Bourbon Lancy plant. “Each of us must be more than proud of what we were able to get working together day after day, always believing that we had the will, the capability and the determination to make it to the top.”

“I would like to thank from the bottom of my hearth all the present and past workers of Bourbon- Lancy for this glorious accomplishment,” comments Annalisa Stupenengo, CEO of FPT Industrial. “When you can count on people and teams like those, even the most challenging and apparently impossible gold dream can become true.”

FPT Industrial is a brand of CNH Industrial, dedicated to the design, production and sales of drives systems for On-Road and Off-Road vehicles, as well as marine and Power Generation applications.

The company has more than 8,000 employees around the world, ten production plants and seven R&D centers. The FPT Industrial sales network is made up of 73 dealerships and about 800 service centers in almost 100 countries. The brand boasts an extremely vast range of products that includes six engine families with power that goes from 42 HP to 1,006 HP, transmissions with maximum torque from 200 Nm to 500 Nm and 2 to 32 ton gross axle weight (GAW) front and rear axles. FPT Industrial offers the most complete line-up of natural gas engines on the market for industrial applications, with power that goes from 136 to 460 HP. This vast range of products and the great attention dedicated to R&D make FPT Industrial a global leader in the industrial engines segment.

For more information, go to www.fptindustrial.com.

Delta’s ultra fast EV charger to power electric haulage truck in the UK Delta, a global leader in power and thermal management solutions, today announced its 200kW Ultra Fast EV Charger (UFC200) will charge a electric haulage truck in the UK. The new electric truck, which is operated by a major haulage operator in South Wales, will be used to provide delivery services for British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer. Rapid Charge chose to install Delta’s UFC200 at its South Wales depot to meet the truck’s charging requirements given the UFC200’s AC and DC outputs, multiple CCS connectors, as well as Delta’s long standing reputation for quality and reliability.

Adrian Wright, CEO, of Rapid Charge, said: “We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to support our client with the installation of Delta’s UFC200 to charge the new electric truck. We have made history with this being the first 200kW Ultra Fast EV Charger (UFC) on UK soil to power an electric truck. Given that electric power is the future of global haulage, we are confident that Delta’s reliable and durable UFC is a perfect solution for this application. With this installation, we are playing a role in kick-starting a new era for the haulage industry that will result in a dramatic reduction of its carbon footprint.”

offering haulage companies lower operating costs.”

Rapid Charge chose to install Delta’s UFC200 at the South Wales depot to meet the truck’s charging requirements. Delta’s UFC impressed them with its features - ranging from both AC and DC outputs and its multiple CCS connectors - as well as Delta’s long standing reputation for quality and the reliability of its solutions. Designed to support next generation EVs, e-trucks and e-buses in a broad range of applications such as highways, parking lots, service stations, logistics companies, as well as urban traffic hubs., Delta’s UFC200 provides the convenience of a single station installation combined with the ability to charge up to four vehicles at the same time. This maximises the individual charge rates depending on the vehicle

which reduces vehicle waiting times - while dynamically adjusting to secure grid connection points. For larger DC charging parks, additional variants and configurations are available in order to optimise the operation or to support different traffic/parking schemes.

The installation comes at a time when the haulage industry – and the sectors it serves – looks at ways of reducing its carbon footprint thought the adoption of alternative energy sources, ahead of government mandates banning the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. In line with this, Delta’s UFC can deliver significant fuel and energy savings for the operator and their clients, helping both of them reduce their carbon footprint.

For further information about Delta, please visit: www.delta-emea.com

Vincent Lin, senior director of e-Mobility & Smart Energy Solutions business development, Delta EMEA, said: “We are very excited to work with Rapid Charge in playing a key role in the electric revolution that’s set to sweep across the haulage industry. Providing the power source for the UK’s electric lorry reflects Delta’s status as a provider of leading EV charging solutions.

We are certain that this is the first step in helping the industry migrate to electric powered vehicles, which are better for the environment while 7

Promotions and exam success for trainees and associates at Forresters One of Europe’s leading intellectual property firms is celebrating recent exam success and promotion news.

The news was welcomed by all at Forresters that Emily Brunton, Kate Selwyn and Dr Rosalie Shepherd, who are already UK qualified associates of the firm, passed their European Qualifying Examinations (EQEs) to become fully qualified European patent attorneys. At the same time trainees Beth Campbell and Dr Ryan Mitchell passed their UK finals and EQEs to also become dual UK and European patent attorneys and associates within the firm.

Emily, who is based at the firm’s Liverpool office, said: “I am thrilled to have passed the EQEs this year. After the cancellation of the exams last year, it is a huge relief to have now passed all four exams, and to qualify as a European Patent Attorney.”

Working at the firm’s Munich office is Beth Campbell who said: “After four years of working in the patent profession, I’m very happy to have passed all of my EQE final exams and to now be a fully qualified UK and European patent attorney.”

Ryan, who works in the firm’s London office, said: “After five years of working at Forresters, numerous exams and a global pandemic, I am delighted to have passed all of my EQE final exams. Exam preparation is never easy, but adding a year’s long delay due to Covid-induced cancellation of the 2020 exams and a new online 2021 exam format to the mix made the preparations all the more challenging.

Thus, I am very happy to have come out the other side a qualified UK and European patent attorney.

Congratulations to all my colleagues also celebrating exam passes.”

Also working in the London office are Kate Selwyn and Dr Rosalie 8

Shepherd. Kate said: “I am delighted to have passed all of my EQE exams thereby qualifying as a European Patent Attorney. It has been a difficult 18 months with the cancellation of the exams in 2020 due to Covid-19, having to revise for the exams whilst the UK was in lockdown, and having to adapt to the new online format of the exams. Therefore, I am very pleased to have passed all the exams despite the challenging circumstances.” Rosalie said: “I am thrilled to have passed all of the EQE final exams and to now be a qualified European Patent Attorney. Sitting the exams during lockdown and getting to grips with the technology requirements that came with sitting the exams online added an extra challenge, and needless to say it is such a relief to have passed.”

Four other trainees have also enjoyed success in their recent exams. Alexandra Wood from the London office has successfully passed three of her EQE exams.

Nikita Meek, and Robert Smith also from the London office, as well as Ian Duncan from the Birmingham office, took their European Qualifying Preexaminations (pre-EQEs).

Matt Shaw, managing partner at Forresters, said the firm was delighted with the recent results and promotions. “All our trainees are a credit to the firm and they have worked hard to achieve these passes and promotions,” he said. “As they build on their achievements, they also contribute to the continued success of Forresters as we move into a new post-Brexit, post-Covid era where the service we provide for our clients continues to be world class.

We wish them all every success in their careers as they continue to develop their skills and experience at Forresters.”

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Titan bridges troubled waters for flow meter installation Titan Enterprises have released video tutorials illustrating correct wiring of their pulse precision flow measurement devices to support customers with the installation of flow meters into their applications.

Within the flow metering industry, wiring a flow meter is often second nature to experienced engineers and may seem intuitive for established customers.

However, Titan’s flow meters are used throughout a wide variety of industries, processes and applications. New customers unfamiliar with our flow metering solutions, may find themselves in turbulent water if the meters are wired incorrectly during the installation process.

The majority of Titan’s flow meters use transistors which can be damaged through simple wiring

mistakes, resulting in a defunct meter before the customer has even started! By providing customers with clear visual methods of how to install a flow meter and correct wiring to the power source, we are aiming to save customers time and money in what are essentially preventable errors.

“Although all Titan flow measurement devices are supported with written data and instruction sheets, through our ISO 9001 examination of returns and call logs, we have found that a large percentage of flow meter installation issues result from mis-wiring.” states Jeremy Thorne, Production Manager with Titan Enterprises.

Research shows that a large proportion of people consult a

video when learning something new. Neil Hannay, Senior R&D Engineer at Titan Enterprises, commented: “For customers who are new to our flow meters, visual demonstrations for wiring the flow measurement devices will help to reduce simple errors that cost customers time and money.”

“YouTube is a very accessible platform and is a great delivery method for Titan flow meter instructional videos. As we don’t carry out on-site flow meter installations ourselves, providing visual tutorials are a useful way to illustrate correct wiring methods which we anticipate will reduce the number of unnecessary returns and rebuilds.”

Video tutorials currently available on the Titan website (www.flowmeters.co.uk) include wiring requirements for: • Titan’s beverage flow meter.

• Turbine flow meters within Titan’s 800 series, 900 series and FT2 flow transducers.

• Titan’s OG2 oval gear flow meter.

We will be expanding Titan’s flow metering instruction videos to include our full range of flow meter devices to help customers get the best out of their meters and to ensure that the meters are performing to their most efficient levels within customer applications.

For further information on flow measurement devices to suit specific applications, please contact Titan Enterprises on +44 (0)1935 812790 or sales@flowmeters.co.uk.

For Titan’s video tutorials, visit our website’s Customer Resources at www.flowmeters.co.uk/flow-meterinstallation-tutorials/

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3D Concrete Printing: Korodur and CyBe’s innovative construction methods create impressive projects all over the world Multiple applications: from residential construction to the artificial reef again and again, new application possibilities for specialized building material from Bavaria In Germany, 3D printing applied to houses still only plays a marginal role – worldwide, however, more and more projects are being carried out using this innovative method. Korodur, the specialized building materials manufacturer based at Amberg and the CyBe Construction technology specialists from Oss in the Netherlands are reaping the benefits of it now, not only in residential construction, but by constantly developing new applications for 3D concrete printing – from outdoor furniture to environmental protection projects based on artificial ocean reefs.

Since 2012, this medium-sized Bavarian company and the Dutch civil engineering experts have been running their joint-venture, and have already completed a variety of quite sensational residential buildings.

“We implemented our first joint project, a residential construction in Dubai, in the desert under the most difficult conditions. Since then, even more exciting properties have been added to this, for example in India, Japan, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. After putting in years of lab work on the task of perfecting our 3D printing method, this combination of robotics and intelligent mortar has been refined even further. In the process, we have not only gained new insights into the most efficient methods of construction, but have also explored completely new possibilities for applications”, says Frank Sander, Technical Manager at Korodur International GmbH. Efficient, fast and inexpensive The CyBe MORTAR, a mortar

designed specially for 3D printing, is applied layer by layer in this process by means of robots, in a short time forming a wall or column with a high load-bearing capacity.

CyBe’s 3D printers reach a speed of up to 500 mm/s. Thanks to the CyBe MORTAR building material developed by Korodur, units can be manufactured in one complete piece.

Via the integration of an additive, the concrete can solidify very quickly, thus reducing the printing time significantly.

The particular advantages of this method are, on the one hand, a considerably shortened construction time and the cost savings involved. On the other hand, it offers architects and planners completely new design options that go beyond those of conventional construction. The buildings created in this way can be replicated any number of times with identical floor plans or simply adjusted as appropriate to cater for varying circumstances and requirements.

The 3D printing robots can be used, as required, on the actual construction site or for the prefabrication of components in an arbitrarily located workshop.

In addition, there are mixed forms in which a robot close to the actual construction site produces various tailor-made components.

Sustainable, versatile and variable The possibilities for application are practically endless! Accuratelyfitting service shafts are produced and installed on site in the shortest possible time lags using this innovative technology, for example , allowing damaged conduit access assemblies and connections to be replaced quickly. In addition, we have already created seating areas as well as combinations of tables and benches for outdoor use.

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Their exceptional design plus high degree of durability and stability all carry conviction. In any case, sustainability has always been a labour of love for us. A quite spectacular application in this context is the use of the product for the construction of artificial reefs.

Thus, at critical locations we would like to help to revive the marine environment and assist the animals, plants and, in particular, corals in developing new habitats”, Frank Sander explains.

There are other ways, too, in which the Korodur/CyBe process contributes to climate and environmental protection – namely, in terms of its CO2 footprint: the quantity of carbon dioxide obtained during the production of the solely mineral CyBe MORTAR “made in Germany” is at least 20 per cent lower than that produced by conventional Portland cement.

Nikola Heckmann, Korodur’s CEO, says emphatically: “This is an essential part of our corporate philosophy. We consider the careful use of resources and the reduction of emissions to be fundamental to our future viability.

For the same reason we are committed to the development of new technologies and processes.

This also includes our 3D concrete printing process, with which we have positioned ourselves not only in Europe but throughout the world as an innovative and reliable partner to the construction industry”.

Up-to-date information on CyBe MORTAR procedures and applications is presented for architects, planners, developers and other companies from the real estate sector on the site www.3d-concrete-printing.com.

Further information: www.3d-concrete-printing.com www.korodur.de; www.cybe.eu

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3D Systems introduces first material for long-term use production parts manufactured with stereolithography 3D Systems today announced the availability of a breakthrough production-grade acrylate resin – Accura® AMX™ Rigid Black. Designed for use with the company’s stereolithography (SLA) technology, this tough material is the first to produce largescale additively manufactured parts with exceptional resolution, accuracy, and surface quality capable of withstanding the rigors of long-term mechanical use. As part of a complete 3D Systems additive manufacturing solution – comprising Accura AMX Rigid Black, the company’s SLA 3D printing technology, 3D Sprint®, and application engineering services – customers in markets such as automotive & motorsports, consumer goods, service bureaus, and contract manufacturers are able to rapidly address a broad range of production applications.

3D Systems’ materials scientists engineered Accura AMX Rigid Black for long-lasting mechanical performance and stability in any environment. This material has been tested for up to eight years of indoor and one and a half years of outdoor mechanical performance, enabling significantly improved part performance and stability. The superior surface quality rivals that of 3D Systems Press Release Page 2 injection-molded parts and exhibits similar stress/strain toughness performance of standard thermoplastics. Additionally, Accura AMX Rigid Black’s high isotropic properties enable greater part repeatability and accuracy.

Accura AMX Rigid Black is 3D Systems’ latest customer-centric innovation – inspired in part by the advanced production application requirements of TOYOTA Gazoo

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Racing (TGR). In 2019, 3D Systems entered a partnership with TGR to change automotive engineering.

Since that time, the companies have developed first-to-market manufacturing solutions to revolutionize automotive design and production. TGR has extensive experience with 3D Systems’ Figure 4® materials and was particularly impressed by the mechanical properties of the company’s Figure 4 PRO-BLK 10. However, they had a vision for a CNC fixture that would be larger than the build size of the Figure 4 printers.

“Accura AMX Rigid Black allows us to deliver larger, complex SLA production parts, including fullscale manufacturing aids,” said Alexander Liebold, group leader, production engineering & future technologies, TGR. “We recently used the material to develop 3D printed fixtures for stabilizing larger automotive components for CNC milling. Using Accura AMX Rigid Black we achieved 90% time savings and 60% cost savings in comparison to the previous handwork process for a batch of 40 parts. Unlike other additive production technologies, parts in Accura AMX Rigid Black provide very smooth sidewalls and superior isotropic strength, critical for accurate jigs and fixtures that are in constant use. Now we can turn around any large-scale part and be confident it will perform as required, for as long as we need.

This is a real game-changer for production manufacturing.”

In addition to bringing significant benefits to automotive and motorsports applications, Accura AMX Rigid Black is engineered to enable long-term use production parts for:

- Consumer goods for direct digital production to replace injection molding or soft tooling processes, as well as manufacturing aids and jigs and fixtures - Service bureaus for applications such as large, structural loadbearing functional prototypes and end-use production parts for manufacturers and tier 1 suppliers to a variety of customers in consumer goods, industrial engineering, automotive, and motorsports - Specialty contract manufacturing for custom load-bearing parts such as levers, arms, couplings, cranks, jigs, and fixtures “We’re excited to bring this gamechanging material to market,” said Dr. Edwin Hortelano, senior vice president, materials engineering & development, 3D Systems. “As part of our strategy to invest in and continue to add innovative products to our SLA material portfolio, the introduction of Accura AMX Rigid Black is poised to address a variety of new production applications with additive manufacturing. For example, we are seeing a larger percentage of work that service bureaus are undertaking is focused on the manufacture of end-use parts. Accura AMX Rigid Black in combination with our SLA 3D printing technology will allow service bureaus to more efficiently, and cost-effectively meet their customers’ needs – helping to fuel the growth of their businesses and their customers’ innovation. This is just the first of many planned breakthrough additions to 3D Systems’ portfolio of productiongrade industrial SLA resins.” General availability of Accura AMX Rigid Black is planned for July 20, 2021. For more information on this material, please visit the company’s website.

Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In many cases, forwardlooking statements can be identified by terms such as “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “estimates,” “intends,” “anticipates” or “plans” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forwardlooking statements are based upon management’s beliefs, assumptions, and current expectations and may include comments as to the company’s beliefs and expectations as to future events and trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside the control of the company. The factors described under the headings “ForwardLooking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in the company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other factors, could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected or predicted in forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forwardlooking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results will be achieved. The forward- 3D Systems Press Release Page 4 looking statements included are made only as of the date of the statement. 3D Systems undertakes no obligation to update or review any forward-looking statements made by management or on its behalf, whether as a result of future developments, subsequent events or circumstances or otherwise.

More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com.

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3DPrint UK offers customers “Price Beat Promise” for all parts 3DPRINTUK, the UK’s leading specialists in low volume polymer part production using 3D printing, is introducing its “Price Beat Promise” for customers who have received a cheaper quote for any part within any order. Parts will be reviewed like-for-like and 3DPRINTUK will exhaust all options to beat a competitor’s quote.

It has been an exciting period for 3DPRINTUK with a move to larger bespoke premises, the introduction of new materials, the incorporation of MJF systems within its portfolio, and the purchase of more SLS machines to service the need for prototype and production parts from a rapidly growing base of customers across the UK and internationally. This time of rapid growth has been achieved without compromising any of 3DPRINTUK’s core values, specifically high quality, consistent parts supplied reliably with exceptional customer service and experience. However,

the reality is that customers are not just seeking exceptional quality, but also highly competitive pricing.

This is the reasoning behind 3DPRINTUK introducing its price promise. Nick Allen, Managing Director of 3DPRINTUK explains, “We have put a lot of thought into the introduction of the ‘Price Beat Promise’. For a long time, we have worked hard to keep our prices competitive, and our on-line quotation system makes it extremely fast and easy for customers to get a competitive price. When they place an order, more often than not we cannot be beaten on price. But we know that is not always the case, so when customers can source a better price, we’re offering to review their parts to beat that quote while maintaining the high quality that we are known for. We aim to use this Price Beat Promise to identify areas where we are not immediately competitive, and

to further improve our pricing structure so that we are not only able to supply the best quality, but also the best price. In the past, many of our customers have reported back to us that they have found a cheaper price elsewhere, yet they have stayed with us because our quality and service is better. We’re now really pleased to offer them both, wherever possible.”

The Price Beat Promise is really simple. Upon provision of a copy of a valid and in-date competitor quote which needs to be uploaded as a PDF on the on-line quotation page, 3DPRINTUK will review the quote for like-for-like parts using the same materials, finishes, and quantities. Lead times for completion and delivery will remain fixed at normal standard lead times (postage costs being independent of the beat the price offer).

Allen continues, “We have always been customer focussed even with our pricing strategy so that we can truly offer premium and ‘lowcost’ manufacturing solutions. We already offer price breaks based on x/y/z, offset and volume, so offering the Price Beat Promise on likefor-like parts is an obvious move.

Above all else, we are known for the quality of parts produced, and this will not in any way be compromised as we beat competitor prices. Best price, best quality. It’s a win win.”

The Price Beat Promise is yet another innovative idea that breaks down the barriers to the use of 3D printing as a viable, costeffective, and quality alternative to traditional production processes.

Terms and conditions apply.

International orders may be subject to import duties and taxes that are not included in the price promise criteria. For full T&Cs please refer to the 3DPRINTUK website.

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Siemens targets gender parity in Early Careers recruitment to increase women in engineering Siemens is aiming for gender parity in its Early Careers recruitment to increase the number of women in engineering.

Latest figures from its core businesses show 43% of those enrolled on Siemens’ graduate programmes and 36% on its apprenticeship schemes are female.

The company is now targeting 50/50 gender parity in Early Careers recruitment by 2025 as part of its drive to build an innovative and diverse culture.

Joanne Gogerly, Head of Siemens Professional Education UK and North West Europe, said: “The digital revolution in industry offers an opportunity to build a better gender balance in engineering and technology companies like Siemens.

“We are driving this change by making Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) a core focus to enable women to succeed in every kind of role from management and manufacturing to projects, sales and service.

“The UK still languishes amongst the lowest when it comes to the percentage of female engineering professionals in Europe, yet industry needs the talent, skills and experience of women more than ever.

“By improving the methods, we use to attract more women to Siemens engineering roles such as more inclusive language in recruitment advertising and using more diverse recruitment platforms, and sharing more of the inspirational stories of women in the company to bust a few myths about modern engineering, Siemens can play its part on bridging this gender gap.”

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For Siemens’ current crop of young talent, the challenges caused by the pandemic have only strengthened their resolve and commitment to engineering and becoming STEM role models for the next generation.

Natalie Gristwood joined the graduate programme and is now an Industrial Security Engineer where she supports Siemens’ customers in assessing and improving cybersecurity at their plants.

“I was always good at mathematics and physics, but I didn’t realise until I was in Sixth Form and attended a careers fair that I wanted to pursue engineering, ”Natalie explained.

“Now there’s no looking back. I enjoy my work and I’ve had some interesting experiences, especially as there’s been a thrust in my line of work during the pandemic.

“When the first lockdown was announced and organisations embraced remote working, there was a spike in cyber-attacks by something like 80%. Our department came under the spotlight and despite travel restrictions we conducted security assessments and worked efficiently to resolve any cyber threats.”

variety of hackathons including last year’s record-breaking ventilator challenge, which enabled the Ventilator Challenge UK consortium to achieve its target of producing 13,500 medical devices in just 12 weeks, and, more recently, used technology like Siemens NX and digital twin to design a car manufacturer’s new factory.

Natalie is also a mentor for Sixth Form students.

“These hackathons help reiterate that even though we would think the world is on fire, essentially that we could still do things and even be more creative,” added Olivia. “In addition to our day-to-day tasks we have been working on all these exciting projects that promote sustainability.”

“Being a mentor for the engineering education scheme, we support a student team, so I’ve come full circle,” Natalie added.

Another young woman making her mark and inspiring girls to pursue an engineering career is Olivia Kelly, a Software Engineer at Siemens.

The 26-year-old gaming and anime enthusiast has been involved in a

IT Degree Apprentice Sian Court is making her mark having scooped two awards early in her career with Siemens: RateMyApprenticeship’s 2019 Outstanding Degree 21

Apprentice (Level 6 or 7) and Make UK’s 2020 Business Apprentice of the Year: Rising Star.

“Success hasn’t come so easy,” she said. “Before I joined Siemens I completed a year’s apprenticeship at a doctor’s surgery but couldn’t find a job so had to look for something else. By chance I met a colleague from a work experience at Siemens’ Congleton factory who advised on the new intake for apprenticeships. I applied immediately and here I am and never looking back as I’m doing what I most enjoy.”

At the start of the pandemic Sian’s job was to support Siemens employees to transition to work from home while ensuring that remote connections to the server were highly secure.

“Working from home also opened doors for some unusual new experiences for me,” Sian said. “I joined the Mental Health First Aid team, and our role was to support employees amid the pressures of working remotely whilst looking after their kids and managing home learning.”

During the lockdowns the country has been celebrating and encouraging front-line workers. This included teams of engineers who worked on-site to ensure that the machinery producing our essentials were continuously performing.

It was a challenge Helen Brindley relished.

Inspired to pursue engineering by her brother and godmother, who are both aeronautical and mechanical engineers respectively, Helen completed her apprenticeship degree programme last year and is now a Field Technician at Siemens.

“I like to roll my sleeves and get my hands dirty actually working on machinery and fixing it,” she explained. “The last 18 months have been an eye-opening experience and showed how important engineering is.

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“Plants can lose thousands of pounds an hour in shutdowns. It is a great feeling of satisfaction and purpose getting that call in the middle of the night to fix a machine in a plant and see the impact of your work.”

Siemens is driving change as a member of the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network (ADCN), an initiative by the UK government which promotes apprenticeships and diversity amongst employers and encourages more people from underrepresented groups, including those with disabilities, women and member of the black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities.

As well as encouraging more young women to enter engineering through its Early Career avenues, Siemens is also committed to driving interest in STEM subjects to inspire younger generations.

This year it recently overhauled its work experience programme for young people aged between 14 and 19 by switching to a virtual delivery platform to drive inclusivity towards STEM. Joanne Gogerly, who is also co-chair of the ADCN’s Women into STEM working group, added: “Siemens has a long list of women engineers as role models for young girls that are looking to join the engineering field which has unlimited opportunities across many facets of technology including mechanical, IT, electrical, civil, bio medical, chemical, etc.

“According to figures from Women’s Engineering Society (WES) 12.37% of all engineers are women in the UK and 21.8% women work in the engineering sector*. If we want these numbers to show an upward trend a collective and integrated approach is needed to welcome young girls into STEM careers.” www.siemens.com

ViewSonic launches the ViewBoard 52 Series interactive display with an integrated multimedia sound bar ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solutions, launches its ViewBoard 52 series with advanced audio capabilities

With a user-centric design in mind, the ViewBoard 52 Series improves the classroom and learning experience. A highlight of its exterior design is the unique Multimedia Sound Bar, which delivers superior audio to the classroom. It comes with USB-C front facing inputs for easy connection to BYOD devices, and places functional keys and I/O ports in a direct line of sight.

Along with its new user interface, teachers can access frequently used features within a control area, eliminating the need to move back and forth.

“ViewSonic’s rate of growth in the interactive display market has been astounding and staying ahead of the curve. From 2017 to 2020, ViewSonic’s growth rate was up to 16 times above the industry average,” said Monica Sun, Director of the Presentation Group at ViewSonic.

“The growth reflects ViewSonic’s dedication in meeting the needs of education applications. The ViewBoard 52 series is a new design, incorporating user-friendly functionalities, together with our myViewBoard visual learning platform, aiming to create more engaging learning and meeting spaces.”

New Exterior Design with Innovative Multimedia Sound Bar The ViewBoard 52 series features superior sound integration with a brand-new innovative exterior design with enhanced management tools and control systems. Its front-facing Multimedia Sound Bar not only integrates speakers and microphones, but also features easy-to-access USB-C, HDMI, and USB Touch Ports.

The soundbar features two 15W front-facing speakers and a 15W subwoofer that fills the room with solid, rich, and crisp sound.

The built-in 8 microphone array with audio detection and noise cancellation capabilities ensures in-class or remote lessons are broadcasted with excellent sound fidelity, helping teachers deliver better teaching results.

Combined with its uncluttered layout, the integrated soundbar places everything teachers need right at their fingertips. It is equipped with USB-C one-cable solution, which makes transferring data, video or audio, and powering devices effortless. It includes a selection of shortcut keys that allow teachers to disable touch functions that are not in use and freeze the display screen for independent use on personal devices during presentations.

User-friendly Interface Along with Rich Management Tools The ViewBoard 52 series facilitates an enhanced user interface and offers rich management tools. A control area, designed for a large screen, centralizes all applications and tools within easy reach and allows the teachers to define their frequently used functions. The interface also features well- placed Side Tool Bars on both edges of the screen for easy call-up of shortcut menus. With a long press on the screen, teachers can initiate the On-Screen Display (OSD) menu. This intuitive design places everything users frequently use within easy reach, providing an exceptional user experience.

Along with myViewBoard, a visual learning platform which provides a comprehensive suite of applications, the ViewBoard 52 series delivers advanced communication, collaboration, and engagement. ViewBoard Cast delivers the efficiency and productivity of group collaborations.

Students can easily share screens from their BYOD devices through myViewBoard Display, a browserbased wireless presentation tool, without downloading any Apps.

Another highlight, myViewBoard Manager, offers efficient remote management of multiple displays.

Increased Eye-Comfort with an Enhanced Flicker-Reduction Display The ViewBoard 52 series comes in 65”, 75”, and 86”, delivering unparalleled usability and controllability. It operates on Android 9.0 and is compatible with Windows, Mac, Chrome, and Linux with full-touch input functionality for all connected BYOD devices. What’s more, the series reduces eye strain with an enhanced flicker-reduction display solution, blue light reduction, and anti-glare coating.

To find out more about ViewSonic, please visit: www.viewsonic.com.

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Helping to get a handle on the fight against COVID-19 HandleSmart is an innovative self-cleaning door handle proven to kill 99% of germs.

Originally developed in response to poor hand washing practices, it is now playing an important role in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19 Introduction HandleSmart is an innovative self-cleaning door handle proven to kill 99% of germs. Originally developed in response to poor handwashing practices, it is now playing an important role in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19. HandleSmart features sophisticated rotation technology that enables it to clean itself by rotating antimicrobial gel evenly after every use. It is designed for areas where handles are the most common points of bacterial and viral transmission, such as offices and commercial spaces, public toilets, restaurants and shops, as well as hospitals and medical facilities. Easy to install and with a 1.5L capacity of antimicrobial gel providing 3000 operations between refills, HandleSmart is key to helping reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

The Challenge HandleSmart initially developed their self-cleaning handle in response to the persistently poor standards of post-toilet hand washing habits among the general population. Even in the most prosperous countries, just 50% of people use hand washing facilities after visiting the toilet.

Other research has shown that only 60% of UK office workers wash their hands after using the lavatory.

In response, two innovators developed the concept of a self-cleaning door handle which kills 99% of germs and enhances standards of hygiene.

HandleSmart’s creators recognised the need to act quickly to ensure the product was available 24

to support organisations in responding to changing hygiene requirements. The team secured the patent in January 2019 just as new requirements for public hygiene practices were being implemented in response to COVID-19.

During this period, members of the public were encouraged to use self-service kiosks and interfaces to reduce the risks of viral transmission through face-to-face interactions.

However, the wider issue of poor hand-washing practices makes the terminals themselves a risk for spreading of the virus.

The HandleSmart team had to move quickly to ensure their product was ready to help address this critical challenge. They needed to make the application as secure and intuitive as possible for use in busy environments around the world. HandleSmart’s integral gel dispensing box is key to its performance in reducing the spread of germs. As a vital feature in making the solution practical and effective, it had to be fully secure and reliable, with minimal risk of tampering. To achieve this, HandleSmart required a latch to secure the main access to the dispensing box. It had to be: - Cost effective without compromising on quality and style - Inconspicuous in design to maintain the application’s streamlined look - Durable to a standard to maintain a long life-cycle in busy environments - Intuitive and easy to use for maintenance staff refilling the gel dispenser

The Solution HandleSmart’s creators identified the DZUS® Lion 82 series QuarterTurn Fastener from engineered access hardware leader Southco, as the best choice for their dispenser box latch. They recognised that Southco had the capability and proven track record to solve their design challenges and help them achieve their wish list when other providers could not.

The HandleSmart team also valued the fact that Southco was already helping to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Southco is a recognised producer of components for ventilator and diagnostic OEMs. The company also manufactures products such as antimicrobial latches and IP69krated hinges and hardware for safe high pressure, heated washdowns of medical and clean room equipment.

Southco’s DZUS® Lion 82 series Quarter-Turn Fastener provides a number of key benefits for HandleSmart’s application.

Seamless security The DZUS® 82 series fastener offers a high standard of security to ensure that the enclosure containing the antimicrobial gel remains securely closed, helping the HandleSmart to perform effectively. The latch has a hex recess head style which makes it operable only by tool, significantly reducing the risks and potential costs of tampering. Its low profile and discreet space-saving design further decreases the likelihood of attempted vandalism.

Easy maintenance access

High aesthetic impact

While HandleSmart requires minimal maintenance, the DZUS® 82 series fastener features a quick release function to make servicing even faster and easier. This reduces the need for frequent maintenance checks and enables businesses to maximise their staffing budget at a time when COVID-19 requirements make managing on-premises hygiene more costly and timeintensive.

As an innovative product designed for use in busy areas, every element of HandleSmart had to meet a high aesthetic standard. The sleek look and low profile design of the Southco DZUS® Lion 82 series Quarter-Turn Fastener aligns with the contemporary style of the handle.

Durable performance Because HandleSmart is used in busy areas, a high level of durability is essential. The gel dispenser latch is designed to withstand repeated vibration, ensuring a long life-cycle, and also retains a strong, consistent clamping force with repeated operation. It holds captive to the panel, providing ease of use and removing the risk of lost hardware. Being highly tested and corrosion-resistant the fastener also maintains its integrity and appearance throughout the lifetime of the application.

The Implementation Southco has enhanced HandleSmart’s sales and global reputation by providing a high quality and cost- effective solution which met all of its design team’s requirements in a timely way. The speed of installation of the quarterturn fastener into the application improved the handle’s delivery to market time.

The quality and performance of Southco’s DZUS® 82 series fastener has helped contribute to product orders in India, America, Asia and the UK in environments such as bathrooms, offices, factories, restaurants and hotels, and is

being applied to doors into clean rooms and hospitals as well.

Partnering with Southco enables HandleSmart. to benefit from a global network of manufacturing sites support and distribution. As the orders for HandleSmart begin to ramp up at the company’s Asian production site, the team is able to benefit from local support at Southco’s neighbouring facility.

In assuring the security and performance of HandleSmart’s gel dispenser box, Southco has supported the product’s impact on the fight against COVID-19.

The Results Due to the unique pressures of bringing an innovative product to market, it was important for HandleSmart to find a latching product that combined exceptional security, reliability and durability, from a partner with global design and manufacturing presence and proven industry expertise.

“Southco is a key partner in HandleSmart’s role in reducing the impact of COVID-19 and improving wider public hygiene,” said HandleSmart Designer Martin Wollacott. “We are proud that HandlesSmart is helping to protect people around the world against the spread of the virus and Southco has a key role in supporting this.”

For more information please visit: www.southco.com

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Nightclub and festival decor manufacturer bouncing back better after Made Smarter support Technology adoption programme during the pandemic was ‘rocket fuel’ to its digital transformation, says Visual Architects A manufacturer of creative interiors for nightclubs and festivals is predicting it will bounce back stronger, thanks to the support of a technology adoption programme they undertook during lockdown.

Visual Architects creates extravagant and eye-catching designs for events like Park Life and Creamfields, brand launches for Adidas and The Hut Group, as well as bars, restaurants and hotels.

But with the event industry in disarray from the pandemic and global lockdowns, Visual Architects used the opportunity to regroup, consolidate operations and create a plan for the future, with the support of Made Smarter, the industry-led government-funded programme.

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Using Made Smarter’s Digital Transformation Workshop process, Visual Architects created a digital roadmap, which highlighted opportunities from the adoption of robotics, additive manufacturing and virtual reality technologies to resolve its main business challenges.

With further support it invested in robotics, transforming its design and manufacturing capability and bringing in-house 70% of its production.

The Hyde-based business can now work at much greater speed, reducing what would previously have taken seven days down to one, and has increased production capacity significantly.

The robotics also allow limitless customisation and improved product and design, enabling Visual Architects to reach new export markets and at least double its sales over the next three years.

With most Covid rules in England now lifted, Lefteris Angelidis, Managing Director of Visual Architects, is positive about the business’s recovery and plans for growth.

“Made Smarter has been rocket fuel for our company,” he said “Its support through the pandemic and the devastating year for the events industry has helped us create a roadmap, invest in new technology and embed skills which we have no doubt will enable us to bounce back stronger and go to the next level.”

Lefteris believes that the timely and involved support from Made Smarter has accelerated its digitalisation by three years.

“Working with Made Smarter has been amazing from the start,” he said. “The pandemic has been very difficult, but reflecting on what we have achieved in the last year, it turns out that this has been the pause that we needed to set in motion our plans for the future.

“The impartial mentoring at every stage has been fundamental in developing a plan of where we want to be over the coming years.

“I could have spent years on my own and never got close to what we’ve achieved. Now with the event industry geared to open up again, we are in a really good position to drive forward our ambitions.”

As a first step, Visual Architects invested in a 7-axis Kuka CNC machining robot to bring key elements of the manufacturing process in-house, reducing overheads and increasing profit.

The technology enables greater accuracy and efficiency, reducing wasted materials and energy consumption, and allows faster turnaround times and safer delivery of projects, improving customer satisfaction.

“Advanced robotic sculpting technology turns any idea into a reality,” Lefteris explained.

“Whether a design or new concept, we can now build sculptures, décor, prototypes, models, art or other installations to an unparalleled level of precision.

It has replaced the need for products crafted by human hand.

This means we will be able to create in the digital 3D space and realise our design exactly as intended. This transforms our process from an art into a science, while retaining our company values of creativity.”

Further steps will be investing in Additive Manufacturing technology to rapidly test ideas and concepts at a lower cost. Meanwhile,

VR headsets will allow customers to experience design concepts in first person prior to construction.

Through Made Smarter’s Digital Technology internship programme, which matches students and graduates to businesses deploying technology projects, Visual Architects took on four digital natives, three of whom have now secured permanent jobs, taking the total headcount to 36.

Lefteris said: “Our aim is to become global experiential event creators with a manufacturing base in the UK which is capable of making cutting edge, high end products and new creations and innovations.

“Design and production are changing not only in clubs and festivals but across all sectors of work life and business, and we are in a position to push this even further.

“Working with Made Smarter has empowered a forward-thinking can-do culture in the business.”

Donna Edwards, North West Adoption Programme Director at Made Smarter, said: “We are delighted to have provided such valuable and timely support to Visual Architects during what has been an incredibly difficult period for their business and the wider event industry. “Visual Architects is a superb example of a Made Smarter-supported business which has identified the value technology and digital skills can bring to its operations. It has used the last 18 months to regroup and power forward with its digital transformation.

“They are among hundreds of manufacturers in the region grasping the opportunities offered

by Made Smarter which include expert, impartial technology advice, digital transformation workshops to help take that first step to transform a business, a leadership programme, and funded digital technology internships.”

For more information visit: www.madesmarter.uk

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Bundled know-how for IIoT Applications: Cooperation between Moxa Europe and Robotron Objective: Fast provision of easy-to-use and scalable IIoT solutions – with focus on four application areas.

Moxa Europe GmbH and Robotron Datenbank-Software GmbH announce their collaboration in the configuration and provision of IIoT platforms. The two partners are focusing on the “Industrial Internet of Things” – applications in demanding industries such as process technology, oil & gas and energy technology. The first joint IIoT projects have already been realized for customers in the energy sector.

Most industrial companies have the use of IIoT solutions on their agenda.

Some face the challenge of needing to see the first results quickly and with as few resources of their own as possible in order to determine whether the creation of an IIoT infrastructure is even worthwhile.

Others have already invested time and money and have initial results – but no scalable platform to be able to efficiently undertake the next rollouts and further projects.

Moxa Europe GmbH and Robotron Datenbank-Software GmbH are addressing precisely these challenges. They have combined their activities in the field of Industrial IoT and, effective immediately, are preparing complete solutions that lead to quickly installed, easy-tooperate and broadly scalable IIoT platforms.

Moxa contributes the reliable industrial hardware with which the sensors, machines and other components are integrated. At the heart of this IIoT infrastructure are industrial-grade IIoT gateways and edge computers. For these components, Moxa also makes an operating system available with Moxa Industrial Linux. Major

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releases of this operating system will be provided with security updates over a period of ten years.

This ensures a long service life and stability of the installed hardware – including the ever-increasing cyber- security requirements.

As a specialist for the collection and evaluation of large quantities of data, Robotron offers various software solutions and platforms for high-performance IIoT applications. For the area of industrial production, focus is on current edge and cloud technologies as well as artificial intelligence for intelligent process control and optimization. These solutions can be adapted over a broad spectrum to the individual and widely varying requirements of the industrial users.

Together, Moxa and Robotron are focusing their collaboration on four application cases: 1. General IIoT platforms in demanding industries and applications, for which Moxa provides hardware components: Transportation (especially railway technology), oil & gas industry.

2. IIoT solutions for the energy sector – a particular strength of the partnership. The first projects have already been implemented here: using affordable IIoT hardware and innovative data analysis and visualization, insights into the distribution network can be generated that were previously only possible with considerably more expensive traditional solutions.

3. Energy efficiency and

management in industry. Here, the industrial experience of Moxa and the data analytics expertise from Robotron (based on, among other things, the robotron*IPEA platform) form an ideal combination.

4. Real-time applications based on Robotron’s Realtime Computer Vision platform (RCV). Together with the hardware from Moxa’s appropriately certified edgecomputing technology, this platform is also suitable for use in demanding industrial applications (e.g., in industries such as oil & gas, mining / extraction technology, rail technology, etc.).

With this well-prepared collaboration, both partners see great potential for offering their customers clear additional benefits as well as opportunities for opening new application fields. Hermann Berg, Head of Industrial IoT at Moxa Europe: “The collaboration with Robotron puts us in the position of also being able to very confidently offer complex IIoT projects with high requirements on software and cloud technology.” Those responsible at Moxa are certain they have found the right software partner with just the right solution portfolio. Hermann Berg: “I am impressed how well developed and stable the Robotron platform is and with how much attention to detail the pre-processing of the data on the gateway has been implemented.”

You can learn more about the application cases and joint solutions on a new website created together by Robotron and Moxa: www.moxa-iiot.eu.

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New BMW X5 and BMW X6 Black Vermilion limited edition and BMW X7 edition in Frozen Black metallic.

At the forefront of the BMW X model range, the BMW X5, BMW X6 and BMW X7 offer a high level of comfort and luxury with supreme performance and advanced dynamic handling capabilities. The new BMW X5 and BMW X6 Black Vermilion Editions feature exclusive kidney bars with red signatures, and the BMW X7 M50i Frozen Black Edition combines impressive options into an exclusive package.

In 2020, every eighth new BMW model delivered was a BMW X5, X6 or X7 with 250,000 units sold worldwide.

Particularly striking: The BMW X5 and X6 Black Vermilion edition.

The focus of the Black Vermilion edition is the clever design

integrating red accents onto a Frozen Black exterior body colour; the BMW double kidney grille with model-specific red bars creates an effective contrast to the BMW Individual Frozen Black metallic special paint finish. On the BMW X6 Black Vermilion, this visual highlight is expressed in combination with its Iconic Glow kidney grille.

Elsewhere, the model features Orbit Grey matt, 22” M light-alloy wheels in Double Spoke designed exclusively for this edition, BMW laser lights, M Sport exhaust system (excluding X5 xDrive45e), sun-protection glass, extended high-gloss Shadow-line exterior trim, red high-gloss M Sport brake callipers and model-specific front and rear aprons. An exclusive BMW Individual piano black,

Fineline crafted, Edition logo on the cupholder cover is offered as standard in the interior of the BMW X5 and BMW X6 Black Vermilion Edition. Also included is an M Alcantara Anthracite roof liner, a crystal glass application known as Crafted Clarity, and front Comfort Seats with active seat ventilation offering a multitude of adjustment options and exceptional levels of comfort.

BMW Individual full leather trim in Merino Black is offered as standard, and additionally enhanced by edition-specific red contrast stitching for both the driver and front passenger seats. The edging on both the front and rear floor mats is also finished in red and inside the BMW X5 Black Vermilion, the red accents are also to be found on the rear seats.

On top of the Edition’s standard equipment, customers will have the option to select from a number of optional extras, including Comfort Pack which offers comfort access, front and rear heated seats and heat comfort system and Comfort Plus Pack which additionally offers four-zone automatic air conditioning, soft-close doors and front massage seats.

Entertainment Pack, Technology Pack, which includes Head-up display and gesture control, and Technology Plus Pack, which also offers driving assistant professional, driver recorder and parking assistant plus, are available optionally.

A number of additional single options including acoustic glass, Bowers and Wilkins surround sound system, Skylounge panoramic glass sunroof and a towbar are also available.

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The BMW X5 Vermilion Edition starts production at BMW Plant Spartanburg from August 2021, with 50 units destined for the UK and Ireland markets.

BMW X7 M50i Frozen Black Edition – individual and expressive.

The new BMW X7 M50i Frozen Black Edition includes BMW Individual special paint finish in Frozen Black metallic, Orbit Grey Matt 22” BMW Individual light alloy wheels in Y Spoke and M Sport brake in highgloss black. Also offered as standard are BMW Laser lights, M Sport exhaust system, sun-protection glass, extended high-gloss Shadowline exterior trim and black high-gloss M Sport brake callipers.

The interior of the BMW X7 M50i Frozen Black Edition offers a discreetly elegant atmosphere thanks to the M Alcantara Anthracite roof liner and the crystal glass application Crafted Clarity.

In addition to the Edition’s standard equipment, customers will be able to select from a number of further options including Comfort Plus Pack, which offers five-zone automatic air conditioning, front massage seats, heat comfort system, rear side window blinds and ambient air. Technology Plus Pack, which offers Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround sound audio system and driving assistant professional, Entertainment Pack and Ultimate Pack are also available optionally.

A number of additional single options including Executive drive suspension, Skylounge panoramic glass sunroof, travel and comfort system and a towbar are also available.

The X7 M50i Frozen Black Edition will be limited to just five units across the UK and Ireland markets and the Edition starts production at BMW Plant Spartanburg, from August 2021.

Both the BMW X5 and BMW X6 Black Vermilion and BMW X7 Frozen Black Editions are available to order from BMW Retailers nationwide now, with first deliveries in September 2021.

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Sensata Technologies’ power disconnect solution enables faster, safer DC fast charging for EV cars Sensata Technologies (NYSE: ST), a leading industrial technology company and provider of sensorrich solutions that create insight for customers, today announced its new power disconnect solution has been chosen by several leading charging infrastructure OEMs to enable faster and safer DC fast charging. Sensata’s unique solution combines contactors and GigaFuses from its leading Gigavac product brand to provide customers with a value-added contactor module, simplifying their installations while delivering safer and more effective system protection compared to traditional contactor and thermal fuse pairings.

To compete with traditional internal combustion engines, EVs need faster charging times, so EV Charging Systems are quickly migrating from 400V to 1,000V and from 50kW to up to 350kW to shorten charging times to less than 20 minutes. While higher voltage and current levels reduce charging

times, they increase the safety risks and design challenges for the systems. High voltage contactors provide safe circuit continuity while fuses are required in tandem for circuit-protection in the event of a hazardous short circuit event.

The increases in voltage and current levels not only require contactors with higher breaking capabilities, but also make the contactor and fuse pairings more technically challenging.

To address these challenges, DC fast charging infrastructure OEMs are seeking safer, higher performing and more comprehensive solutions that improve on the traditional contactor and thermal fuse pairing.

- Open a circuit closer to normal operating conditions without nuisance tripping, resulting in less potential risk of damage - Pair more easily with the contactor because of its unique electro-mechanical triggering mechanism - Help prevent overloading, improving the performance of the contactor in the circuit - Reduce thermal resistance; typically, 0.15 mohm - Eliminate thermal aging due to low heat generation

Sensata’s GigaFuse offers several advantages compared to a conventional DC thermal fuse, including the ability to:

Sensata’s packaged power disconnect module includes high voltage contactors and GigaFuses that are harnessed to a mounting plate. The solution delivers overcurrent and short circuit protection and provides the following benefits for the whole charging system:

- Open a circuit within 3 mS; faster than a conventional DC thermal fuse

- Increases safety/reduces risk of damage - Increases thermal performance/ system efficiency - Provides fast and reliable circuit protection Nick Moelders, Vice President, Electrification at Sensata Technologies explains, “Our recent wins with major Charging Infrastructure OEMs demonstrate the additional value we provide to our customers as we move from being a component supplier to a leading electrification solutions provider. Working engineerto-engineer with the most innovative companies allows us to learn and adapt to the needs of the rapidly transforming clean energy market.”

For more information visit: www2.sensata.com/dcfc-solutions

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New Rohde & Schwarz test system for automotive radar sensors electronically simulates even laterally moving objects The new R&S RTS radar test system from Rohde & Schwarz simulates driving scenarios for testing radar based advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and radar sensors used in autonomously driving cars (AD) entirely over the air. The test solution consists of the new R&S AREG800A automotive radar echo generator as a back end and the R&S QAT100 antenna array as a front end. Laterally moving objects, i.e. objects approaching from the side, are currently simulated by mechanically moving antennas. The R&S RTS replaces the mechanical movement by electronically switching individual antennas in the frontend on and off. Even objects moving laterally to the car at very high speed can be simulated reliably and reproducibly. The R&S RTS is able to simulate the radial velocity (Doppler shift) and the size (radar cross section) of objects at user configurable – including very small – ranges. Countless objects can be represented by cascading multiple R&S AREG800A back ends.

The R&S RTS moves tests currently performed on the road to the lab.

This allows early error detection and a significant reduction in costs.

Radar sensors are key components in autonomous driving. The number of radar sensors in vehicles is growing since, in addition to longrange radars required by NCAP (New Car Assessment Program), an increasing number of corner radars are installed that can also monitor objects moving laterally. The latest generation of radar sensors comes with integrated RF antennas

and signal processors for object recognition accommodated on the same chip. That is why the objects to be recognized need to be simulated over the air in radar sensor tests. The new R&S RTS – consisting of the R&S AREG800A back end and the R&S QAT100 antenna array front end – is a target simulator that generates dynamic radar echoes that can be used at all stages of automobile radar sensor testing – from predevelopment through hardware-in -he-loop lab tests to validation of ADAS/AD functions integrated in the vehicle.

The back end can simulate a large number of independent artificial objects and dynamically vary their range, size (radar cross section) and radial velocity. With an instantaneous bandwidth of 4 GHz between 76 GHz and 81 GHz, it covers the typical frequency range of current and future automotive radar sensors. The front end uses up to 192 independently switchable antennas to simulate objects moving laterally to the car’s direction of movement, providing very fine resolution, high switching speed and high repeatability.

Electronic switching of the antennas does not cause any wear to RF cables and other moving parts, as is otherwise encountered with mechanical antenna motion used in traditional test systems.

An optional transmit array makes it possible to simulate two objects very close together and moving laterally to the car. The small patch antennas and the absorber-lined

surface provide a low-reflection RF front end with a very small radar cross section. This reduces the sensor’s noise floor and suppresses close-range targets and potential multipath reflections. The antenna spacing of just 3.7 mm delivers very fine angular resolution. Multiple front ends can be combined to cover larger fields of view of radar sensors. An angular resolution of less than 0.5° is possible.

Starting from simple scenarios such as automatic emergency breaking (AEB), the R&S RTS can be extended to cover very complex scenarios with multiple radar sensors thanks to its modularity and scalability.

Any number of R&S QAT100 front ends and R&S AREG800A back ends can be combined. One of the back ends synchronizes all the components installed in the setup.

A graphical user interface with a touchscreen makes it easy to configure the test setup.

For test automation with industrystandard tools, the R&S RTS comes with a hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) interface conforming to the ASAM Open Simulation Interface specification.

The R&S AREG800A and R&S QAT100 can be ordered from Rohde & Schwarz from June 24, 2021.

Proposal for caption: The R&S RTS replaces the mechanical movement by electronically switching individual antennas in the front end on and off.

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The new Polo GTI: A modern sports car in the best tradition In the automobile world, there are three letters that have had a magic sound to them for approaching five decades now: GTI. Since the original GTI in 1976, Volkswagen has ensured that this code is synonymous with outstanding driving pleasure in the compact segment.

The Polo has borne the acronym GTI since 1998 – the third model to do so, after the Golf and the Scirocco. The latest generation seamlessly continues the illustrious GTI tradition and sets new benchmarks for compact cars. The technical basis for this is provided by Volkswagen’s Modular Transverse Toolkit (MQB). Across all the model lines, MQB stands for technological progress, high body rigidity, an exemplary low weight, and very good crash properties.

IQ.DRIVE Travel Assist, used for the first time in a Polo GTI, enables semi-automated driving. The system can take over the steering, braking and accelerating of the new Polo GTI from 0 km/h to the control limit of Travel Assist (210 km/h). For longitudinal guidance, IQ.DRIVE Travel Assist calls upon familiar systems like Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). Latitudinal guidance is supported by Lane Assist, which comes as standard.

The driver can activate the system via the Travel Assist button in the redesigned, multifunctional, leather sports steering wheel. The driver’s hands must remain on the steering wheel whilst using this system, meaning the driver is always responsible for the car.

Many new infotainment systems (the latest generation of MIB3.1), which are connected to various services online, ensure state-ofthe-art connectivity in the new Polo GTI. An Online Connectivity Unit (OCU) with integrated eSIM makes

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it possible to use online services from We Connect (prepared for a limited time) and We Connect Plus (prepared for free use in Europe for one or three years). Features like natural voice control, access to streaming services and a cloudbased personalisation using “Volkswagen ID” enhance the latest MIB3.1 system, depending on the equipment line. The integration of such apps as App-Connect Wireless for Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ is now wireless. As in the Polo, instruments and the infotainment system are arranged on a visual axis, ensuring they can be viewed and operated easily in any driving situation. The Digital Cockpit Pro impresses with a higher pixel density, an improved contrast ratio and intense colours, as well as it sheer size – the screen measures 10.25 inches or 26 centimetres diagonally.

Sportiness coupled with efficiency and moderate consumption The heart of a GTI is always its engine. Like all its predecessors, the new Polo GTI is also frontwheel drive. The turbo-charged, direct petrol injector changes gear via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DSG), which comes as standard. Among the highlights of the turbo engine in the new Polo GTI, which is installed transversely at the front of the car, are such features as a dual injection system with combined direct and intake-manifold fuel injection, an engine control unit with four core processors, and an electronic valve-lift system on the inlet side. Despite the high output, the engine is impressively efficient with moderate fuel consumption levels.

This is aided by the low weight of the new Polo GTI when empty. As you would expect from a genuine Volkswagen GTI, the new Polo GTI

also comes with a sports chassis, tailored specially to the car, as standard. It lowers the chassis by 15 millimetres and guarantees the typical GTI synthesis of driving dynamics, safe neutrality and a high degree of driving comfort.

The new Polo GTI now comes as standard with the new IQ.Light – LED matrix headlights and an illuminated radiator grille bar as a distinctive enhancement to the daytime running light. This sees the sporty new Polo form a stylistic bridge to Volkswagen’s fullyelectric ID. models and the new generation of successful models like the Golf, Arteon and Tiguan, which also come with this striking LED light strip, which is typical of new Volkswagens, as an option or depending on the equipment line.

The most striking visual change to the rear of the new Polo GTI is the newly-designed LED rear lights with animated brake light and integrated dynamic indicators, which indicate a change in direction with flowing light movements. The new, GTI-specific bumper gives the compact sports car an even more commanding and broader visual presence on the roads. The Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS), which is integrated in the side of the bumper and controlled via the main headlights, has been redesigned and now gives an even more concise lighting effect. In combination with the IQ.Light – LED matrix headlights with red winglets.

LED matrix headlights, it provides a very homogenous illumination of the road and surroundings.

The striking red GTI logo on the radiator grille, the honeycombshaped ventilation grilles, and the continuous red trim strip above the LED daytime running light strip remain the characteristic GTI

insignia at the sharper front of the car. To the right and left, it flows into the IQ.Light – LED matrix headlights with red winglets.

The new Polo GTI is available in five colours: Deep Black Pearl Effect, Smoke Grey Metallic, Kings Red Metallic, Pure White Uni, and Reef Blue Metallic. The latter three chassis colours can be combined with a contrasting black roof as an option (Roof Pack). The car comes with 17-inch alloy wheels as standard. The Polo GTI can also be ordered with optional 18-inch alloys.

On the interior, black, red, grey and chrome are the dominant colours.

The roof pillars and roof liner are always retained in the Titanium Black trim colour, which is typical of the GTI. Red contrast stitching is also always a typical characteristic of a GTI. It adorns the multifunctional, leather sports steering wheel, which comes as standard, the gear lever trim and the seat surfaces. The optional beats sound system, with 300 watts and six speakers, make for a captivating accoustic experience.

The amplifier is located under the floor in the variable cargo area to save space. The luggage capacity of the new Polo GTI is 351 litres.

All equipment details apply to the German market. Homologated consumption values and CO2 emissions are not yet available. The car is not yet for sale.

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New ethernet PHYs enable multidrop bus architecture, enhancing industrial networks’ scalability and functionality Microchip’s LAN867x family of Ethernet PHYs is the first to implement the IEEE® 10BASE-T1S single-pair Ethernet technology standard for connecting devices in industrial networks Smart manufacturing is driving efficiencies in automation as digital networks increasingly connect machines, production line equipment and robotics. Operation Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) networks that are critical to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) rely on Ethernet for interoperability and to speed data transmission and ensure security.

The LAN867x family of 10BASE-T1S PHYs, a new solution available today from Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP), expands Ethernet connectivity to the very edges of industrial networks, simplifying architectures and reducing risk for designers.

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Microchip’s LAN867x Ethernet Physical Layer (PHY) transceivers are high-performance, smallfootprint devices enabling connections to standard system devices including sensors and actuators that previously required their own communication systems.

With the LAN867x devices, allEthernet infrastructures in OT and IT systems can be expanded to the edges of the network.

Microchip’s LAN867x devices eliminate the need for gateways that in the past were needed to interconnect incompatible communication systems. The single pair of wires reduces cost, while the multidrop bus architecture reduces the need for expensive switches and enhances scalability. Several nodes can operate on the same bus line with high data throughput.

Microchip’s LAN8670, LAN8671 and LAN8672 Ethernet PHYs are the industry’s first designed and validated to the new 10BASE-T1S standard for single-pair Ethernet released by IEEE. 10BASE-T1S addresses the challenges of creating all-Ethernet architectures for industrial applications such as process controls, building automation and consolidation of systems with multiple interconnection technologies.

The configuration enables a multidrop (bus line) topology, fewer cables, development on printed circuit boards, with up to at least eight nodes and up to at least a 25-meter range.

Additional advantages of Ethernet include use of the same protocol independent from physical layer speed, and operation within established security infrastructures and ecosystems.

All-Ethernet infrastructures simplify architectures by using well-known communication and security mechanisms. This reduces cost and risk when designing new systems.

“For industrial system architects and designers, interconnection of many different communication devices and technologies often is difficult and error prone,” said

“Microchip’s 10Base-T1S technology provides an advantage for our endpoint-to-cloud integration, connecting products, controls, software and services in a simpler and more cost-effective way,” said Julien Michel, Connected Systems project leader at Schneider Electric. “The technology will help to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all.”

Matthias Kaestner, vice president, Automotive. “Using 10BASET1S Ethernet simplifies these interconnections, enhancing interoperability and speed, which is critical in the industrial environment.”

The LAN867x expands Microchip’s product portfolio and total system solutions for industrial applications that include microcontrollers (MCUs), microprocessors (MPUs) and switches with Ethernet interfaces, as well as development tools, evaluation boards and support.

Development Tools Reference designs, software drivers, system simulator and evaluation boards are available to enable easy design-in of the LAN8670, LAN8671 and LAN8672 Ethernet PHYs.

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Teledyne FLIR releases FLIR MR265 moisture meter and thermal imager with MSX® Designed to visually scan large areas for moisture issues, air leaks, electrical problems, and more, the FLIR MR265 Moisture Meter and Thermal Imager with MSX empowers professionals to quickly identify and locate water leaks and other moisture issues at the source. This dual thermal imager and measurement tool combines a 160 × 120 resolution Lepton® thermal camera, visual camera, laser pointer, and both pin and pinless moisture detection for faster leak identification and measurement, plus offers easy reporting through the FLIR Thermal Studio SuiteTM. Home inspectors, contractors, and other professionals who want to consolidate tools without jeopardizing function will

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appreciate the multiple ways to read and report moisture levels with the MR265, as well as identify temperature anomalies that could denote issues from leaking pipes, to overheating circuits, to inefficient windows and doors.

The Power of MSX: Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging Enhancement When compared to traditional non-thermal imaging moisture meters, inspection time is significantly decreased with the MR265. Its ability to emboss edge detail from a two-megapixel visible camera onto the thermal image, via MSX, provides the user significantly more detail and context on screen and in saved images to identify issues quickly and efficiently.

Pin and Pinless Moisture Measurement The MR265 also offers flexibility in identifying moisture issues— providing both pin and pinless capabilities. The pinless option can provide qualitative measurements through an integrated sensor for situations where a more invasive method either isn’t possible or would cause unwanted damage.

Conversely, pin measurements produce quantifiable measurements using a resistive sensor that can pierce cavities and other suspected moisture spots within walls, ceilings, and floors. When used with the thermal imager, operators can scan an entire interior wall to narrow down the moisture location, use the integrated sensor to pinpoint

the source of water intrusion, and then measure the exact amount of moisture without requiring unnecessary demolition.

Functionality can be further expanded through six compatible accessory probes and sensors available for the MR265, such as the FLIR MR08 hammer and wall cavity probe combo and the FLIR MR05 impact pin moisture probe.

Gain Insight and Peace of Mind with FLIR Thermal Studio Suite Streamlined reporting capabilities available through FLIR Thermal Studio Suite can also decrease diagnostic and reporting time.

Users can directly upload thermal JPEGs with the included USB cable to either FLIR Thermal Studio or to a compatible reporting solution. They can also produce thermal, MSX, visual image reports, or before-and-after reports containing all three types of images through the FLIR software.

This can help users more easily communicate pre- and postrepair activity, ultimately providing peace of mind that issues relating to rot, mold, electrical, or energy inefficiencies have been identified and remedied.

Expert Viewpoint: “Using the MR265 is great because it can read moisture levels in a couple different ways and using the onboard thermal camera with the laser, I can find temperature anomalies in circuit breaker boxes faster than ever. It’s not too big, so it is easy to carry in my satchel.

It’s a tool that has more than one function, so I don’t have to carry as many different tools with me.

This is a great addition to my inspection tools. I like this tool very much.”

- Terry Meyer, Home Inspector, Metro Home Inspections The FLIR MR265 Moisture Meter and Thermal Imager with MSX is now available through Teledyne FLIR and authorized distributors. For more information, please visit: www.flir.com/MR265.

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IDS expands Ensenso 3D camera portfolio in the lower price segment Introducing Ensenso S, camera manufacturer IDS Imaging Development Systems shows that the use of industrial-grade 3D technology does not have to be expensive. The 3D camera is particularly suitable for 3D applications that require budgetfriendly, easy-to-integrate and industrial-grade camera technology. The new Ensenso S10 has an ultra-compact, IP65/67-protected housing and generates 3D data using laser point triangulation, supported by artificial intelligence. This makes the camera suitable for a wide range of applications – and delivers robust 3D information even in low ambient light.

on a laser-based 3D process.

A narrow- band infrared laser projector creates a high-contrast dot pattern – even on objects with difficult surfaces or in low-light environments. The camera’s laser point triangulation is accelerated by a neural network and enables reliable mapping of the captured pattern points to the hard-coded positions of the projection. This results in robust and geometrically precise 3D data with high depth accuracy. At object distances of 50 cm, the maximum deviation is only 0.6 mm. At full projector power, the Ensenso S10 3D system achieves up to 20 point clouds per second with consistently high quality and resolution.

working range of 0.5 to 3 metres, the 3D camera can be used universally and is suitable for industrial applications with high cost efficiency. Combined with the proven flexibility of the Ensenso SDK, it is also quickly and easily integrated into many applications where, for example, variant objects need to be safely gripped in large numbers or obstacles need to be detected for collision-free movements of robots and UAVs. The Ensenso S10 is also at home in logistics automation as well as in robotics or in the agricultural sector. Especially high-volume and price-sensitive projects can now benefit from 3D image processing in industrial quality.

Ensenso S10 is equipped with a 1.6 MP Sony sensor and operates

With a rugged zinc die-cast housing, a 60° field of view and a

For more information visit: www.en.ids-imaging.com

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SICK’s sHub smart sensor hub prevents machine downtime SICK has launched the sHub® sensor hub, a smart add-on to its HIPERFACE® DSL single-cable motor feedback system, which turns servo motors into a source of data for real-time condition monitoring and predictive maintenance of machines.

The compact SICK sHub® sensor hub fits snugly as an extension to SICK EDS/EDM35 motor feedback encoders to send temperature, vibration, position, and speed data via HIPERFACE DSL® to the servo controller. The SICK sHub® can therefore assure early detection of critical mechanical failures, such as ball bearing damage or motor imbalance, to pre-empt machinery downtime.

HIPERFACE® DSL

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SICK’s revolutionary HIPERFACE DSL® (Digital-Servo-Link) One Cable technology has been adopted by more than 60 major motor and drive manufacturers worldwide and is now widely recognised as the industrystandard protocol for digital motor feedback. HIPERFACE DSL® enables reliable data transfer between drive and motor in servo drive systems via two wires which are directly integrated into the motor power cable.

In common with all SICK HIPERFACE DSL® encoders, the EDS/EDM35 incorporate a winding temperature sensor input and have a service-life histogram inside them for condition monitoring. The sHub® sensor hub adds a built-in vibration sensor and enables all data to be routed synchronously to the drive withoutthe need for additional cabling.

Darren Pratt, SICK UK Encoder Product Manager, explains: “Armed with the real-time data collected with the sHub®, machinery maintenance teams can take corrective action ahead of time, for example if the servo motor is imbalanced, and can monitor vibration and temperature trends to detect early signs of component damage.

“The sHub® therefore offers an attractive proposition for machine builders who want to offer smart condition monitoring as a premium service, so that their customers can improve operating efficiency and machine uptime.”

Smart Condition Monitoring The addition of an integral vibration sensor in the SICK sHub®

sensor hub greatly simplifies data analysis, making it much more straightforward to provide relevant information about motor condition, when compared with externallymounted sensors. Because the SICK sHub® sends vibration data synchronised with the position and speed of the motor via HIPERFACE DSL®, a clear insight can be gained from inside the control loop.

The sHub® vibration sensor can measure up to 50g with a 10kHz bandwidth.

The SICK sHub® and EDS/EDM35 smart motor feedback system can also be integrated into drive safety systems, such as safely limited speed (SLS), thanks to the safe communication capability of HIPERFACE DSL®. Since their launch, SICK EDS 35 single turn and

EDM 35 multiturn encoders have achieved a step-change in resolution and dynamic performance. The smart motor sensors use an innovative optical system with dual-channel scanning to achieve 24-bit resolution per single-turn revolution, and a proven 12-bit mechanical gear design enabling up to 4,096 revolutions for the multiturn system.

“The SICK sHub® and EDS/EDM35 combine to make motors smart by adding intelligence for predictive maintenance, and, in turn, this enables the smart machines that are the foundation of Industry 4.0 Smart Factories,” Darren Pratt concludes.

For more information please visit: www.sick.co.uk

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Replace silicon IGBTs with industry’s most rugged silicon carbide power devices now available at 1700V Silicon carbide portfolio with 1700V MOSFET die, discrete and power module devices extend designers’ options for efficiency, power density Today’s energy-efficient electric charging systems powering commercial vehicle propulsion, as well as auxiliary power systems, solar inverters, solidstate transformers and other transportation and industrial applications all rely on highvoltage switching power devices.

To meet these requirements, Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) today announced the expansion of its silicon carbide portfolio with a family of high-efficiency, high-reliability 1700V silicon carbide MOSFET die, discrete and power modules.

“System developers in the transportation segment are continuously asked to fit more people and goods into vehicles that cannot be made larger,” said Leon Gross, vice president of Microchip’s discrete product business unit. “One of the best ways to help achieve this is through the enormous reductions in size, and weight of power conversion equipment that utilizes highvoltage silicon carbide power devices. These same advantages for transportation bring similar benefits to many other industry applications.”

Microchip’s 1700V silicon carbide technology is an alternative to silicon IGBTs. The earlier technology required designers to compromise performance and use complicated topologies due to restrictions on switching frequency by lossy silicon IGBTs. In addition, the size and weight of power electronic systems are bloated by transformers, which can only be reduced in size by increasing switching frequency.

Features include gate oxide stability where Microchip observed no shift in threshold voltage even after an extended 100,000 pulses in repetitive unclamped inductive switching (R-UIS) tests. R-UIS tests also showed excellent avalanche ruggedness and parametric stability and with gate oxide stability, demonstrated reliable operation over the life of the system.

The new silicon carbide product family allows engineers to move beyond IGBTs, instead using twolevel topologies with reduced part count, greater efficiency and simpler control schemes.

Without switching limitations, power conversion units can be significantly reduced in size and weight, freeing up space for more charging stations, additional room for paying passengers and cargo, or extending the range and operating time of heavy vehicles, electric buses and other batterypowered commercial vehicles – all at reduced overall system cost.

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The degradation-free body diode can eliminate the need to use an external diode with the silicon carbide MOSFET. A short-circuit withstand capability comparable to IGBTs survives harmful electrical transients. A flatter RDS(on) curve over junction temperature from 0 to 175 degrees Celsius (C) enables the power system to operate at greater stability than other silicon carbide MOSFETs that exhibit more sensitivity to temperature.

Microchip streamlines the adoption of its technology with a family of AgileSwitch® digital programmable gate drivers and wide range

of discrete and power module packaging, available in standard and customizable formats. These gate drivers help speed silicon carbide development from benchtop to production.

Other Microchip silicon carbide products include families of MOSFETs and Schottky Barrier diodes at 700V and 1200V, available in bare die and a variety of discrete and power module packages. Microchip unifies in-house silicon carbide die production with low-inductance power packaging and digital programmable gate drivers to enable designers to make the most efficient, compact and reliable end products.

The company’s total system solutions also include a portfolio of microcontrollers (MCUs), analog and peripherals, and communication, wireless and security technology.

Development Tools Silicon carbide SPICE simulation models compatible with Microchip’s MPLAB® Mindi™ analog simulator provide system developers with resources to simulate switching characteristics before committing to hardware design.

The Intelligent Configuration Tool (ICT) enables designers to model efficient silicon carbide gate driver settings for Microchip’s AgileSwitch® family of digital programmable gate drivers.

For more information, visit the Microchip website at www.microchip.com.

New from Ixthus Instrumentation: Two digital strain gauge signal conditioning modules from Strainsert Silicon carbide portfolio with 1700V MOSFET die, discrete and power module devices extend designers’ options for efficiency, power density The DSC digital strain gauge module, supplied as a single channel PCB format package or combined in customised enclosures for multiple sensor measurement tasks, provides up to 500 readings per second.

With a user programmable signal filter, the module is suitable for 4-wire bridge measurement with a nominal 5 V excitation voltage, and bridge resistance from 320 to 5000 Ohms (350 Ohms typical) with a typical sensitivity 2.5 mV/V. Standard single and multichannel modules are available for RS232 and RS485 output with ASCII or Modbus protocols, or CAN output using the CAN 2.0B protocol Single modules require an external 12 V DC power source at 450 mW typical for a 350 Ohm bridge.

The USB interfaced version, (DSCUSB) is powered from its

USB port and a simple ‘plug and measure’ feature allows direct connection to a PC, appearing as a virtual COM port. Where multiple USB ports are available, multi-channel use is possible.

At 200 samples per second at 18 bits noise free resolution, the module outputs an ASCII protocol.

In combination with the software toolkit, the module can cater for correction of non-linear sensors.

The compact ABS plastic enclosure (71 x 51 x 20 mm) has an IP50 rating and is also available with a DINrail mounting kit.

Both DSC and DSCUSB digital strain gauge modules share common specifications for temperature stability, linearity and resolution. Detailed specification sheets are available from Ixthus Instrumentation who can assist UK and Ireland customers with

application engineering and customised system integration for multi-channel measurement tasks.

Ixthus represents global sensor technology leaders like Strainsert Inc. for force, torque and vibration measurement. Its knowledgeable technical staff are on hand to assist with measurement solutions, providing a complete sales and support service at component level or for complete instrumentation systems.

For further information please call +44 (0) 1327 353437, email info@ixthus.co.uk or visit: www.ixthus.co.uk.

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