Worldwide Engineering Magazine - July Issue

July Issue Correct bearing mounting tools and training bring savings to glass recycling plant

Variohm’s SMO31H2 sensor now available in PL:d compliant version

Microchip simplifies deployment of Wi-Fi 6 access points

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worldwide-engineering.com

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Read All About the Latest Advances in Imaging Cameras

Helping Public Transport on the Road Towards a Low-Carbon Future

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Fluoramics LOX-8® Grease Extends Operating Life of Toggle Valve

“Lights on me” new “Black and Steel” Version for the Diavel 1260 S

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International Women in Engineering Day an Annual Celebration of Female Engineers

Teledyne FLIR Launches A500fA700f Cameras for Fire Detection

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At the Beginning of a New Era KUKA at Automatica Sprint 2021

Short-Wave Thermal Imaging Camera is Ideal for Laser Welding Applications

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!

Adam Ling - Advertising Enquiries: adam@worldwide-engineering.com Marc Hebden Sales Coordinator: marc@worldwide-engineering.com Jonathan Adams Editorial Assistant: jonathan@worldwide-engineering.com

ITAC expand their testing capacity to include flammability testing ITAC employ a variety of testing methods to develop adhesive coating products that align with their customer’s application requirements. This area of work ensures reliability and uniformity in the bonding process within parameters that may also influence performance including consistency of raw materials, application substrates, environmental conditions, and joint design. The results of these tests support the customer to choose the best adhesive coating system for a specific application and helps optimise the formulation process to ensure product specifications are achieved.

The business has expanded its testing capacity to include flammability testing which is an essential part of ensuring the fire safety of the public at large and end-product users. Flammability testing can also limit the risk to manufacturers from action being taken against them by regulatory authorities due to failure to comply with relevant standards. Although figures have come down in recent years, the UK Home Office still reported 316 fire-related deaths resulting from 36,283 dwelling fires in 2019. This, together with the Grenfell tower fire tragedy in 2017, has placed a razor-sharp focus on the requirements for establishing minimum flammability requirements for various materials and finished products.

Much of the material making up our physical surroundings, and the everyday products we use, consist of polymers that are organic and hydrocarbon in their molecular nature. This renders them a good fuel for fire so makes them naturally flammable. In fact, as polymer structures increase in complexity, so does their reaction to combustion. For example, polyurethanes which are used 4

in an array of products across multiple industries, suffer serious flammability issues, and experience rapid decomposition which releases large amounts of heat during combustion.

With the UK producing 1.8 million tonnes of plastic materials alone per year, we are posed with the major challenge of rendering these materials less flammable. Fire retardant additives are commonly added to polymer materials to improve their flammability properties.

These work to interrupt the cycle of combustion by altering the combustible substrate or fuel source, by lowering the heat of combustion to unsustainable levels, or by altering the oxidizing gas. Another chemical mechanism used is the formation of a physical barrier to protect the polymeric substrate when it is exposed to a source of ignition. The solid layer formed is carbonaceous and acts to push the flames away from direct contact with the substrate, whilst also helping to trap volatile gases that would otherwise serve as a fuel source. It is important to remember at this point that flame retardants do not necessarily prevent fires; instead, they are designed to slow down the rate of flame spread.

The flammability of a material can be described as how easily it will burn or ignite to cause fire or combustion. These characteristics are measured through flammability testing and several protocols are used to quantify a material or product’s susceptibility to ignition, tendency to combust, and the rate of flame spread once it is ignited.

ITAC are well equipped to develop and test a range of fire retardant coating formulations designed to reduce the flammability of a range of substrates. The resulting fire safety characteristics of substrates tested depends significantly on the coating formulation.

With their flammability chamber, ITAC use Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) testing methods. These are intended to determine the resistance of material to flame over varying periods of time and across several different test geometries.

They include vertical, horizontal and 45° flammability testing which provide information on different parameters such as flame time, drip time, burn length, burn rate, glow rate and flame penetration.

Further information on ITAC’s flammability testing capabilities can be found by calling Tyler Coleman, Technical Manager, on 01204 573736 or by email at TColeman@itac.uk.com

Arm powers fortress food inspection By adopting the type of microprocessing power present in today’s smartphones, Fortress Technology continues to deliver the ultimate in product inspection integrity and machine optimisation.

The company’s latest generation of digital food metal detectors – including the Interceptor and Interceptor DF – feature the very latest ARM microprocessors.

Used in a range of devices, from smartphones to tablets and multimedia players, for Fortress engineers the real benefit of ARM Processing comes from being able to run multiple inspection processes simultaneously with the highest precision, while also capturing and storing valuable processing data for traceability.

With the Interceptor metal detector, ARM Processing enables a machine to run real-time analysis of a lowfrequency and a high-frequency signal in parallel. This allows food producers to inspect

wet or conductive products and identify the product effect – most noticeable at lower frequencies and at the same time eliminate it from the higher frequency signal where the potential effect of metal is likely to be more prominent.

rejecting products containing non-spherical metals by over 100 percent.

Most recently, Fortress is utilising the microchip power to revolutionise the detection of thin flat metal flakes in high value, low profile foods. Using multiple coil sets to instantaneously drive the electromagnetic fields in different directions, the Interceptor DF scans and looks for signals over a broad spectrum, from multiple angles. The stronger disturbance from one field compensates for the weaker signal from another. This increases the probability of identifying and

PROFINET explained – A complete overview A short but highly informative introduction to PROFINET. Do you want to learn what PROFINET is and how it works? This short video covers a complete overview of PROFINET. It includes details on the protocol mechanisms, installation, configuration, network components, and more.

Click here to view the video.

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The Lidar guidance scanner by Datalogic Datalogic has launched their new Lidar guidance scanner designed to navigate automated guided vehicles (AGV), Laser guided Vehicles (LGV) and Automated Guided Forklifts (AGF). Packed with infrared laser technology, this is their newest and most compact scanner on the market.

This global technology leader specialises in the automatic data capture and factory automation field, providing bar code readers, mobile computers, sensors for detection, safety light curtains and scanners, vision and laser marking systems, to name just a few.

Where you might use a Lidar Guidance Scanner LIDAR (light detection and ranging) can be used for indoor industrial environments with temperatures ranging from -20 degrees to +50 degrees. So, you may typically

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see the Lidar guidance scanner in a delivery warehouse on an Automated Guided Forklift or Automated Guided Vehicle. You will also see these on Automated Mobile Robots too.

The new Lidar guidance scanner can be used in the intralogistics, material handling, and manufacturing industries to speed up efficiency and measuring.

LGS-N50 and the features The LGS-N50, an extra-rugged measuring sensor, can be mounted on vehicles using laser navigation.

One of its most significant advantages is that it is super easy to integrate and configure into vehicles; it is the most user-friendly Lidar on the market!

The 360 degree and 50-meter visibility, the laser-based time-offlight technology, helps

transmit distance and intensity measurements that differentiate between natural objects or artificial landmarks.

Additionally, it has a broad temperature range – giving it maximum reliability. This, coupled with a sturdy, compact structure and the benefit of IP66 rated protection against dust and water ingress, ensures the LGS-N50 is well suited to indoor industrial environments!

The Lidar can also achieve Navigation of AGV’s moving up to 2 m/s and a scan rate of up to 25 Hz and 60,000 measurements per second.

All the features of the LGS-N50 measurement scanner, when combined with the Datalogic Sentinel Safety laser scanner, offer a complete solution for the AGV market.

Please visit our page to contact us and find out more: www.oem.co.uk

Electromagnetic bolts what are they, and why use them?

Electromagnetic bolts (or electrical locking bolts) are essentially solenoids, with the plunger engineered to support external radial forces. This allows them to be used as locking devices, whether working simply as a traditional push to lock or power on to engage the lock.

The application possibilities are numerous, with passive or active security options. Passive devices ensure ‘locking’ in the application without any voltage applied, and due to the plunger design, it is kept locked until a voltage is applied.

The active electromagnetic bolt is functionally like a regular solenoid – it is closed and only active in the locked position when a voltage is applied.

Both passive and active have many options for force provided, duty cycle and plunger styles.

What are typical applications of solenoids and electromagnets?

- Door locking and access control – electromagnet to hold a door open or closed - Food and medical machinery –

solenoids as locking pins once a section is in place - Factory automation – machine part holding electromagnets - Vending machines – solenoids to open or lock access points, move vending flaps and guides - Lifts and elevators – locking bolts as security and safety features - Agricultural machinery – solenoid to open/close dispensing valves on casting machinery - Automotive industry – multiple options for solenoid locks, holding magnets to lock doors

- European reliability Who are NAFSA? NAFSA, based in Guernica, Spain, have been designing and manufacturing electromagnetic products since 1996.

With their specialist knowledge in the electromagnet field, they lead the way in this industry. NAFSA manufacture the following items which can be bought from OEM Automatic: - Industrial electromagnets - Holding electromagnets

Advantages of electromagnetic bolts

- Solenoids

- Efficient and compact

- Latching electromagnets

- Overall cost saving over manually operated labour intensive locks

- Two-way linear electromagnets

- Output options for the position of the plunger - Traceability of the signal as part of a full system Why choose Nafsa products?

- Large range of products - Personalisation and customisation for volume enquiries (typically 1000+)

- Electromagnetic bolts Do you have an application for an electromagnetic product? The specialists in our motor products team are on hand to help. E-mail them at motors@oem.co.uk or call 0116 284 9900.

Please visit our page to contact us and find out more: www.oem.co.uk

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Read all about the latest advances in Imaging Cameras Quantum Design launch a new Imaging magazine jam packed with application notes, articles and case studies from their partners plus a free to enter Competition!

Quantum Design UK and Ireland have recently launched their first bumper issue of their new Imaging Cameras magazine, drawing on case studies, articles and applications notes from some of the leading manufacturers that they represent.

With a foreword by their new Camera Sales Engineer, Luke Nicholls, other highlights of the magazine include: - Advancing Geology with Hyperspectral Imaging Hyperspectral imagery is a powerful technology to locate minerals that are exposed or weathered in areas of residual soil.

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The foremost airborne application of hyperspectral imagery provides mineral mapping for exploration clients in the mining, oil, gas, and geothermal sectors over large and often remote and inaccessible areas.

- Avoiding Contamination in the Food Industry Strelen Control Systems GmbH uses a hyperspectral camera from the Finnish manufacturer Specim to check nuts before processed in the food industry. Hyperspectral cameras work on a different principle and analyse a recording spectrum of up to 250 spectral bands in the wavelength range from the visible to the near

-infrared range. This allows individual spectra of the light to be recognised. On this basis, a hyperspectral system can distinguish whether the same shade of brown is created from one or more super imposed wavelength.

- Infrared Cameras for Temperature Scanning in the Fight Against Covid-19 InfraTec infrared cameras can be used for a corresponding elevated body temperature scanning of passengers, employee scanning and workplace entrance screening. Certainly, thermographic cameras can neither detect the virus itself nor a person carrying the virus!

However, these cameras enable the precise non-reactive, contactless and planar recording of surface temperatures while using the technical temperature measurement technology known as thermography.

It makes use of the fact that the heat transfer resistance of the boundary layer is significantly lower in turbulent flow than in laminar flow.

- SWIR Cameras for Telecommunications Applications

Raptor Photonics has recently published an Application Note showing how reflectance spectroscopy methods using drone based remote sensing systems are now being used to derive well-established vegetation indices (VIs) more efficiently than biomass sampling.

Photonics engineers at Chromosol were able to use Raptor Photonics’ Owl 640 N low noise SWIR camera to successfully assess their photonic waveguide structures - Streak Cameras in Action (videos) A streak image is like a graph of one dimension of space over time. A streak camera captures a thin line of image information continuously at very fast rates. Cordin offers streak cameras using rotating mirror and image converter technologies - Thermography for Optimisation of Installed Wind Turbines For several years now, thermography has been a valuable tool for investigating the boundary layer behaviour on air foils in order to aerodynamically optimise it.

- Remote sensing of Vegetation using SWIR cameras on a UAV

- Aerial Thermography Fire mapping from a helicopter offers a unique elevated perspective on remote fires to those who have to organise firefighting ground activities.

For this, Highland Helicopters uses the LWIR thermal imaging camera VarioCAM® HD head from InfraTec, integrated into a GIMBAL system outside the helicopter.

And much, much more….

Email info@qd-uki.co.uk or visit www.qd-uki.co.uk to download the magazine & see our full product range.

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Helping public transport on the road towards a low-carbon future

By Bernard Magee, Director Electrical Vehicle Charging, Siemens.

Road transport, which includes buses, is a significant contributor to air pollution, resulting in poor air quality. Public Health England (PHE) says air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to health with between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths a year attributed to long-term exposure.

Concerns surrounding climate change and air pollution have long prompted the passenger transport industry to transition towards a low carbon future. The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), an organisation that represents more than 95 per cent of the UK’s bus industry, had already pledged

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toonly invest in low-emission vehicles from 2025.

Developing sustainable clean transport in the UK has been a complex undertaking and has required the integration of new technologies and solutions into existing infrastructures. And while much has been learned about (electric bus) installations so far, charging practicalities, grid demands and funding difficulties continue to throw up challenges for the industry.

Charging Practicalities The predictability of schedules and recharging times has made overnight plug-in charging (depot charging) the preferred method for re-energising electric buses (e-buses) here. Slower low-power AC charging is commonplace but where vehicles are needed back on

the road in 2-3 hours, high-power DC charging has provided a faster turnaround. On longer city routes, fast-charging high-power choices such as pantographs have been applied, although this has mainly happened across the US and Europe.

These systems take some of the charging burden away from the depot by using a retractable apparatus, mounted on top of a bus, to ‘flash’ charge whenever there is a stop for an extended period. While there seems to be limitless possibilities to charging, technological and economic factors are determining how power is managed efficiently.

The complexities surrounding the infrastructure required to deliver the electrical energy for charging the vehicles can sometimes be underestimated - it’s rarely a simple case of installing multiple chargers at the depot. Considerable thought

should be given to how the various pieces of the charging system are constructed and integrated to ensure seamless and efficient fleet operation. These components typically consist of the electrical power grid connection, power distribution infrastructure, charging points & software management systems, service agreements and the vehicles. Charging technology OEMs with vehicle OEMs are often best placed to take the lead once a need has been established.

Grid Demands While some installations can be straightforward, others end up being more complicated. Much is dependent on the location of the site and its access to the grid which affects the kind of infrastructure that can be delivered. Reliable and resilient power with 100% uptime is a given but sites may require power distribution systems in the depot to be upgraded or consultations with Distribution Network Operators to increase the capacity on the power grid external to the depot.

Supplying an electric fleet of buses with energy creates significant pressures, particularly during periods of high demand. Solutions and smart charging management software can shift charging loads to specific times and energy storage systems and off-grid green energy options can compensate for the rise and fall of demand.

Siemens is already involved in a number of pilots that are showcasing the potential of vehicle technologies, energy storage and charging systems. While these are providing important insights into the electrification of the transport sector and modern energy systems, most operators are only concentrating on the business of ‘getting us from A-B’ and delivering cleaner greener journeys.

Finance The move to an electric future offers many benefits but has required substantial financial investments. Even with the cost of batteries and chargers gradually

falling alongside technological advancements, the upfront costs for the vehicles can be a challenge. However, Energy and maintenance costs will be lower in comparison with equivalents.

While this disparity is reversed after acquisition, the financial barriers go beyond acquiring a new bus fleet. At present only 1,600 technicians nationwide are qualified in electric vehicle and hybrid maintenance, and they are almost exclusively employed within manufacturers’ franchised dealer networks which has a knock-on effect for the cost and convenience of repairs The difficulties associated with investing in charging infrastructure have also seen a surge in innovative financial collaborations between energy companies, operators, manufacturers, and cities and councils to help minimise risks and spread costs along the supply chain. Working with public and private fleet managers to build depots - capable of delivering megawatts of energy that are scalable and financed with no upfront capital outlay requires specialist financing and knowledge.

Travelling in the right direction There have been calls for more help.

Darren Shirley, Chief Executive of the Campaign for Better Transport said: “The Government should put in place deadlines for all new buses to be electric or hydrogen-powered by 2025, and all buses on the road to be zero-emission by 2035. This means we need to rapidly deploy zero emission technology and tackle any barriers to uptake. This can be supported through the Government introducing a ‘fleet and depot transition fund’ to get infrastructure in place, and a ‘bus manufacturing fund’ to help the UK bus industry scale up to build more zeroemission buses. With this support in place, all bus operators can and must make cleaning up their fleets a priority.

The government’s new bus strategy, backed by £3 billion of investment, will make buses across the country cheaper and easier to use. Hundreds of miles of new bus lanes and price caps on tickets are being planned as part of ambitious reforms within the sector. The tenpoint plan will deliver 4,000 new British-built zero emission buses to accelerate the transition to greener and more sustainable transport.

Consultation will also begin to decide the date to end the sale of diesel buses. The plan will mark a new era for buses.

And working with the right partner is a prerequisite. There are only a handful of world-class vendors proficient at the planning, implementation and operation of eMobility charging infrastructure strategies. Extensive power and grid technical knowledge have to be balanced with the experience of delivering reliable scalable highperformance solutions on time with limited disruptions.

We have travelled far but there is still an enormous amount of work to do. It will need the coordination of multiple agencies, Government policies, industry bodies, energy and transport planning, technologists, operators and financiers. But once all the correct infrastructure is in place then the prize on offer is a sustainable clean transport future.

The electric bus revolution continues to travel in the right direction.

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Labfacility, UK’s leading manufacturer of Temperature Sensors Labfacility are the UK’s leading manufacturer of Temperature Sensors, Thermocouple Connectors and associated Temperature Instrumentation and stockists of Thermocouple Cables.

Thermocouple Connectors We are Europe’s largest manufacturer of thermocouple connectors and accessories in IEC, ANSI and JIS Colour codes. The full range of connectors are available from stock for immediate despatch.

The Thermocouple Welder, manufactured by Labfacility, is a compact, simple-to-use instrument designed for thermocouple and fine wire welding.

Click here for the full range.

Click here to see more.

Handheld Temperature Sensors

Thermocouple Cable / Wire

A selection of IEC, ANSI & JIS Hand Held Temperature Sensors to suit your specific application. Includes the Ergonomic Style range with IP67 rated ‘shark tail style’ handle which contains an antimicrobial substance to kill microorganisms, making it ideal for the food industry or applications where cleanliness is paramount.

We offer a wide range of thermocouple, PRT and extension cable / wire in stock for immediate despatch. Thermocouple cables are available in IEC or ANSI Colour codes. Insulation types include PFA, PTFE, PVC & Fiberglass.

Click here for the full range.

Labfacility 50th Anniversary Celebration

Exposed Junction Thermocouples An exposed junction thermocouple is the simplest form of thermocouple. It consists of two pieces of thermocouple wire joined together with a welded bead. Since they can be made very small, an exposed junction thermocouple can provide a very fast response time. Labfacility offer PFA, PTFE and glass fibre cables with various terminations such as a moulded on miniature plug or bare wire tails.

Click here for the full range.

Thermocouples for Surface Temperature Measurement Locating a thermocouple on a surface can be achieved in various ways including the use of an adhesive patch, a washer and stud, a magnet for ferrous metals and pipe clips.

Click here for the full range.

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L60 Thermocouple & Fine Wire Welder

Click here to see the full range.

Labfacility are proud to announce that in 2021 we are celebrating our 50th birthday.

We want to say a big thank you to everyone who has made this 50th year anniversary possible.

Click here to see our 50th year celebration video.

The Company has been trading since 1971 and is ISO 9001 accredited.

Quality and Service are key elements in the continued growth of Labfacility; technical support for both sensing and instrumentation is always freely available from our experienced technical sales teams.

For all sales enquiries please contact us as follows: Email: sales@labfacility.com Tel: +44 (0) 1243 871280 Web: www.labfacility.com

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Lapping is a surface finishing process where there is a requirement for accuracy, tight tolerances and a specified finish.

AB Lapping (Alan Browne Lapping Services Ltd) are precision flat lapping specialists and provide a service on components that require flatness, parallelism and a specific finish. Due to our history and experience of manufacturing and calibrating gauge blocks we have the capability of working to 0.0001mm.

Our team of highly experienced & skilled technical engineers can offer the best practical advice, solutions and support on specific finishes with different types of

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materials to obtain the required results and are always happy to discuss how our services can best suit your needs to achieve the desired outcome.

AB Lapping have provided expertise for a diverse range of institutions, including universities, research institutes and manufacturers.

Development is at the centre of our approach, helping to grow an idea from any stage – drawing board, prototype – through to its completion. We can also manage the manufacturing process for you,

drawing on decades of specialized knowledge and access to a network of quality partners.

AB Lapping provide a complete engineering manufacturing service and can supply the relevant documentation to accompany your finished components where and if required.

AB LAPPING (Alan Browne Lapping Services Ltd) registered as a new company in April 2019 following on from the closure of Alan Browne Gauges Ltd that had been trading

since 1962. The unfortunate closure was due to the decline in calibration and manufacturing requirements and the increasing costs in providing those said services, which were no longer financially viable in this ever changing world.

A decision was made to form the new company, AB Lapping so we could continue to provide the same exemplary Precision Flat Lapping Service that we had been previously providing since 1999. We just no longer provide onsite gauge block manufacturing or onsite UKAS calibration services. However we can source gauge blocks and UKAS certificates off site. Please contact us for more information with regards to offsite services.

With over 50 years of experience, manufacturing and calibrating gauge blocks, we are in a unique position of being able to work in submicron tolerances, where a tolerance of 0.0001mm and less than a light band would not discourage us.

OUR TRUSTED TEAM IS DEDICATED TO MANAGING ALL OF YOUR PRECISION LAPPING REQUIREMENTS WITH PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS The flat lapping process is used on a wide range of materials and components, across a vast range of industry sectors, where there is a need to achieve a flat, parallel, certain size and specialised type of precise surface finish, that only the lapping method can provide.

Here at AB Lapping we are dedicated to accuracy and precision and we pride ourselves upon that statement and also on our highly experienced, enthusiastic team that provide the services to the sub-micron tolerance of 0.0001mm. www.ablapping.co.uk 15

Correct bearing mounting tools and training bring savings to glass recycling plant A short training session and the use of professional tools from NSK: with these two simple measures, a company in the glass recycling industry was able to reduce the manpower costs required for bearing replacement by a factor of four and increase the service life of mounted bearings.

Nowadays, the circular economy is the objective for many types of material, but in the case of glass it has been standard practice for decades. The established glass recycling chain makes a considerable contribution to conserving resources.

Specialist companies play a major role in this conservation effort by collecting and processing used glass, and supplying it to glassworks as a valuable (secondary) raw material. One of these companies, which operates several sites in Germany, employs its own maintenance teams at each plant.

The maintenance technicians are constantly busy because the abrasive glass dust affects the bearings in the processing and conveyor systems. This extremely fine dust is able to penetrate the bearings and significantly shorten their service life.

As a consequence, the maintenance operatives were having to replace the bearings again and again, prompting a number of pertinent questions: was the team proceeding with sufficient professionalism, and was it using the optimum tools?

Furthermore, were improvement options available that could extend bearing life, regardless of the environmental conditions?

With these questions, the glass recycling company requested support from NSK’s bearing experts, who could see the potential for improvement. In the first instance, an NSK training course for maintenance personnel helped to unlock this potential. Specialist trainers from NSK provided operators with information on how to proceed when mounting and dismounting bearings, supported by the adoption of professional, dedicated tools.

Maintenance operators are now very careful to uphold extreme cleanliness when replacing bearings, using two dedicated tool sets from NSK for mounting and dismounting. The mounting tool set ensures, through the optimal combination of impact ring and impact sleeve, that the mounting forces never transmit across the rolling elements of the bearing. As a result, no mechanical damage occurs to the rolling bearing during cold assembly.

Ultimately, the user saves time and gains from the fact that correct mounting extends bearing service life. The extractor tool applies the forces exerted during bearing dismounting evenly to the surrounding structure, allowing removal without incurring damage or taking off the shaft.

As a result of these initiatives, the labour costs amounting from the time required for dismounting and mounting failed bearings has reduced by a factor of four.

Furthermore, the service life of the newly installed bearings has seen a significant increase.

The company recouped the cost of the two NSK tool sets, which was manageable in itself, in less than three months thanks to the savings accrued, not counting the increase in bearing service life.

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Award winning gasket manufacture Since 1989 Direct Gaskets Limited have been established in Hull, manufacturing gaskets with an unrivalled turnaround time and unbeatable service – earning them a loyal customer base.

Supplying to the pharmaceutical, petrochemical, chemical, marine & shipping, food and leisure industries – to name a few – Direct Gaskets supply countrywide to all industries and are skilled at assessing customers’ needs and working alongside them to come to a sealing solution.

Boasting a wide range of materials such as: Non-Asbestos Fibres, PTFE, Cork, Plastic Shim, Oil Paper, SemiMetallic Graphite, Felt and Rubbers including Nitrile, Neoprene, EPDM, Silicone and Viton – Direct Gaskets

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are fully equipped to manufacture to most gasket needs. They also stock over half a million ‘O’ Rings, standard and imperial in 70 Shore Nitrile, Graphite Spirals in standard Carbon outer/Stainless inner and Graphite filled construction and 5 standard styles of Gland Packing – available off the shelf. Other materials are available on request.

Being in business over 30 years, they have a catalogue of suppliers who help ensure they can provide quality service and unbeatable turnaround times by keeping them stocked up of everything they need as well as being able to manufacture in materials such as Copper – that Direct Gaskets do not offer on site.

All members of staff are extremely knowledgeable when it comes to

the material they stock, easily being able to tell customer the limitations of the materials and suitability for individual applications.

On site they have a CNC knife machine which can create bespoke gaskets to order – no matter the quantity. They also have standard flange gasket tooling such as, ASA 150, PN16 and BS Table ‘E’ from ½” up to 42” series A & B in full face and IBC construction.

Direct Gaskets hold an ISO 9001 : 2015 accreditation and is also a proud member of Team Humber Marine Alliance and the UK Gasket and Sealing association. In 2017 they were awarded with a platinum customer survey award and have 3 consecutive awards in 2018, 2019 & 2020 for ‘Best Gasket Supplier and Manufacturer’.

Fluoramics LOX-8® Grease extends operating life of toggle valve Instron, a worldwide leader in the materials testing industry, manufactures and services sophisticated machines that test the mechanical properties of a wide range of materials, components, and structures.

Steve McMahon has been a Mechanical Engineer at Instron for 36 years. Recently, he needed a better lubricant for sliding components inside a tensile testing grip, and he immediately thought to use LOX-8 Grease.

“Instron is best known for our tensile testers – machines that sit on tables and pulls things apart to determine tensile properties,” says McMahon. “As a member of our Sustaining Engineering Group, my job is to solve problems that our customers might be having in the field. We received a call from a customer regarding the handactuated toggle valve that opens and closes the pneumatic side action grips on their tensile tester.

The customer said that the valve leaked air for a few days and then stopped working altogether after about 30,000 or so tests.”

that would simultaneously exercise six pneumatic toggle valves. He knew that typically a customer might flip this toggle every two minutes while doing their tensile testing, but with this cycler, he was able to achieve three testing cycles per second – a rate that would quickly give them a clear picture of the performance of LOX-8 Grease.

“We were able to reach one million cycles on our cycler in just four days!” says McMahon. “We quickly found that the LOX-8 Grease could give the valve a lifetime of 800,000 cycles compared with the 30,000 from the silicone-based lubricant. That’s 26 times the lubrication life of the old lubricant. We even added iron oxide debris into the toggle valve and the LOX-8 still performed very well up to this 800,000 threshold.

“We asked our valve supplier to use LOX-8 Grease according to our drawing that showed the grease

points. All of our toggle valves now use LOX-8 Grease on the sliding parts.”

LOX-8 Grease is a PTFE lubricant and NLGI 1 grease. Use LOX-8 Grease in environments where extended service life is important: medical, nuclear and other high-tech fields including chemical processing, industrial gases and other aggressive applications. Use when greasing oxygen service bearings, valves, O- rings, pumps and regulators. Approved for use in food processing facilities. Fire resistant.

Fluoramics, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of sealants, greases, lubricants and rust inhibitors, all of which are engineered PTFE solutions.

Founded in 1967, the company is based in Winona, Minnesota, and proudly manufactures all of its products in the United States.

To learn more about Fluoramics’ products, please visit the company’s website at www.fluoramics.com.

McMahon said, “The valve, manufactured by a third party, used a silicone-based lubricant between two sliding parts (nickelplated brass against stainless steel). We suspected that silicone might not be the right lubricant.”

McMahon explained, “I had a tub of LOX-8 Grease in our supply cabinet that worked great when I used it on some pivoting arms on another Instron product. Since then, it has always been my go-to lubricant.

I was very confident the LOX-8 Grease would work well in this application as well.”

McMahon and his team decided to do their own lubrication study of LOX-8 Grease by building a cycler 19

Sticking together Worldwide Engineering Magazine interviewed Bondloc Managing Directors, Warren Wilkinson and Mark Adams about their campaign to promote unity and support for UK manufacturers, suppliers and distributors

Bondloc UK, based in Worcestershire, has manufactured and supplied adhesives and sealants to the industrial, engineering and automotive sectors for over 28 years. With an international distribution network and product approvals within major OEMs like JCB, Black & Decker, Honda, Bosch, Bombardier, Trex, Sulzer Pumps, BAE and Princess Yachts - they have over 150 adhesive formulations and over 300 active SKU’s sold across 32 countries.

WEM: Where did the Bondloc story start?

Mark Adams, Managing Director of Bondloc: Bondloc Adhesives started in 1993, as a sales operation based at home with a car and just an outbuilding. I met Warren in 1994, we were both working in the welding industry selling to end-users. At this time, there were 2 dominant companies selling anaerobic adhesives to market, offering engineers the first viable alternative to traditional mechanical fasteners. With a surge in demand for these products,many couldn’t obtain them and there were clear opportunities for more competitors to enter the UK

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adhesive market. I could see the transition from welding to adhesives was straight forward but with less competition than welding.

WEM: What happened next?

Warren Wilkinson, Managing Director of Bondloc: By 1995, the Bondloc brand was registered and went Limited with Mark and me as joint owners. With continued growth and new premises, it became evident that products needed to be manufactured inhouse and in 2000 we invested in mixing equipment and a team of specialist chemists to help develop formulations and broaden the range of chemistries on offer. We continued to target both OEMs and specialist distribution networks, but we needed large end-users to adopt the brand to give Bondloc more credibility within the industry.

After 3 years of continued persistence, we finally obtained recognised product approvals within several blue-chip companies - JCB, Black & Decker and Honda.

This helped elevate the Bondloc brand to be recognised by many engineering and distribution

outlets as a quality but a competitive alternative supplier to the market leader.

WEM: Could you provide a summary of your organisations offering to the market?

MA: We offer a wide range of adhesive chemistries and sealants.

From anaerobic threadlockers, thread sealants, retainers, gasketing to cyanoacrylate instant adhesives (superglue) and a structural range of epoxies, PU’s and MMA’s. Having in-house production and laboratory means we have the flexibility to bespoke manufacture products to the customer’s exact requirements.

This is how our core product range has evolved.

WEM: Who in the main are the companies you engage with and in what way?

WW: We have distributors across the UK and internationally and we work with many OEM’s direct.

Our focus continues to be within the engineering market, with our metal bonding anaerobic products used extensively in this sector.

and composites coming onto the market is also spurring additional technical challenges.

We have an established network of distributors with core competencies within pneumatics, seals, bearings, transmission, pumps and gearboxes.

WEM: What are your key successes?

WW: We offer high quality adhesive equivalents to the global market leader with a lower price point and manufactured in the UK. This means our distributors can obtain products quickly, make better margins and offer OEMs and end-users cost savings on like for like products.

Where specific adhesive brands are already defined on production drawings, our technical team fully supports the switching process. Our chemists work closely with the project teams on sampling and testing to ensure a smooth production transition. ISO 9001:2015 underpins our customers’ confidence in our quality systems to aid this process.

The pandemic hasn’t stopped us manufacturing or the support we’ve given to our customers to deliver projects to fruition.

MA: Improved productivity and financial benefits after reviewing and switching products outweigh the time and costs involved.

Bondloc has developed and modified more adhesives in the past 24 months than in the previous 25 years. With the onset of Brexit and various supply issues with imported goods, more and more OEMs are looking to switch their adhesive products for UK made, high-quality but lower-cost local alternatives.

WEM: What’s the process?

MA: Our exact involvement depends on the customer. Whether it’s just supplying a sample to be validated to those that require our expertise to help define solutions depending on the materials and processes that are used. In many instances we have a product already manufactured that will do the job, but we can tweak our formulations to a specific technical requirement.

WEM: What are your reflections for 2020?

WW: 2020 is a year that not many of us are going to forget for many reasons. When the impact of COVID-19 started to materialise on the business, we made an early decision to convert part of our mixing and filling lines over to hand sanitiser production. We have always had a small range of personal care products, so it felt like a logical move and one that proved very positive for our business, employees and our customers. The take-up from our customers was extraordinary. Almost all (94%) of the hand sanitisers we produced were sold to our existing customer base. Although demand has slowed down, these products will stay in the range longer term.

Traditionally, we’ve supplied structural adhesives for carbon fibre bonding to F1 motorsports, but it now has wider applications across the automotive, construction, aerospace, wind turbine, marine and military sectors. Distributors and OEM’s need to be able to work closely with their suppliers to tackle production challenges surrounding new complex substrates and increasing processing costs.

WEM: What are your objectives looking ahead to 2021 and beyond?

WW: We continue to invest in our production capabilities with several exciting projects underway for this year. Environmental contribution is also key to the ethos of the business. Recycling programmes, plastic packaging reduction initiatives, reduction in the use of hazardous chemicals and plans to extend the Safer Product range of non-hazardous anaerobic products across the next 12 months are key initiatives.

The 5-year growth plan for Bondloc is ambitious but without compromise on quality or service built over the last 30 years.

“Let’s Stick Together” launched on 1st April 2020. Industrial adhesive users can try and test Bondloc adhesive products by requesting a project review using the free sampling service.

Visit www.bondloc.co.uk or call 01299 269269 for more information.

WEM: What do you see as the key trends in the sector?

MA: With continued pressure around sustainability and manufacturers investing in greener and more fuel-efficient solutions, the overall demand for highperformance adhesives to bond synthetic materials is increasing.

The evolution of new substrates

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Delta presents high power density 48V / 12V bi-directional DC-DC converter Perfect Power Solution for High Efficiency Data Centers Delta, a global provider of power and thermal management solutions, recently unveiled its High Power Density Bi-Directional DC-DC Converter U50SU4P162 for data centers, super computers, and other high- tech systems.

Emphasizing the requirement of high-efficiency, high-density data centers, the U50SU4P162 provides 48V / 12V bi-directional conversion, and features high power density of up to 3,000 W/inch3 with a small footprint (23*17.4*10 mm) and up to 98% conversion efficiency.

Dr. Wei Tang, the R&D Director of the DC-DC Converter Business Unit (DCBU), pointed out that the rapid pace of technology and internet development has dramatically changed our daily lives. According to a forecast in the CISCO 2020 Annual Internet Report*1, the development of 5G technology and onboard AI for e-vehicles is estimated to add 20% ~ 30% to the annual growth rate of data centers during 2020 to 2025.

In addition, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has boosted on-line activities for recreation, commerce, technology, and many industries in the global market.

The resulting trends for social media platforms, online games,

and remote working / studying have greatly raised the need for highly efficient, reliable 24/7 operating data centers. Building more data centers means more power consumption, leading to higher demands for the power usage effectiveness (PUE) of facilities and devices.

“We are using innovative technology to comprehensively develop new products (power modules) with strong capabilities and high scalability for new data centers. The U50SU4P162 is the key to bringing highly efficient, user-friendly, value- added power solutions to customers.”

Many suppliers are looking for high efficiency, high power density solutions to facilitate equipment upgrades. For instance, data centers and high-voltage AI computing cards usually adopt 12V bus power output; however, the high DC power consumption and voltage drop effect the systems in a negative way. Manufacturers then turned to the use of 48V to solve the issues while most server PCBs remained 12V, making the power conversion and power supply even more complicated and difficult.

The U50SU4P162 DC-DC Converter provides 48V / 12V bi-directional conversion, 800 W output power, and 1 MHz switching frequency.

The ultra-high power density (up to 3,000 W/inch3) allows the U50SU4P162 to achieve 98% power conversion efficiency in a compact size of 23*17.4*10 mm. The ability of handling large load capacitance (up to 10,000 μF) and double-sided heat sink with low thermal resistance also help to ensure high-performance computing for high-density data centers.

“We are seeing a significant increase in the requirement for 48V / 12V bi-directional DC converters, especially the AI computing cards.

The U50SU4P162 converts 48V into the intermediate bus voltage required by the downstream voltage regulator. It can also convert 12V into 48V to power the downstream system so as to satisfy the needs of different power systems,” said Dr. Tang.

Another highlighted feature of the U50SU4P162 is the PMBus (power management bus) protocol. It allows the converter to transmit power data to system controllers for efficient monitoring and management.

Delta is also outpacing others by offering customization services for power configuration and optional heat sinks to help customers build advanced systems.

With advanced functions, high power density, small footprint, and customizability, the U50SU4P162 ensures the high efficiency of data centers, super computers, and other high-tech systems. So when you release social media posts to share your life’s precious moments with your family and friends, enjoy online games, or work/study from home due to the pandemic, Delta is supporting data centers to ensure smooth, reliable 365 operation for a smarter, better future for you! visit www.deltaww.com/dcdc to learn more about Delta’s DC-DC converters.

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“Lights on me”: new “Black and Steel” version for the Diavel 1260 S - Inspired by the concept of the Diavel “Materico”, the new livery of the bike is characterized by asymmetrical and refined graphics that combine glossy grey, matt black and sporty details in yellow - The new Diavel 1260 S “Black and Steel” will be available in Ducati dealerships starting from July 2021 - From 10 to 13 June it will be possible to admire the new Diavel 1260 S on display in Piazza Duomo in Milan for the MIMO Motor Show Borgo Panigale, Bologna, 9 June 2021 - Ducati enriches the Diavel 1260 family for the 2022 Model Year with the presentation of the new Diavel 1260 S “Black and Steel”, which will be available in dealerships starting from July 2021.

After launching the special Diavel 1260 Lamborghini version

in November 2020, created in collaboration with the Sant’Agata Bolognese car manufacturer, Ducati is further expanding the Diavel 1260 family with the arrival of this new motorcycle, which is inspired by the concept of the Diavel “Materico” presented in 2019 on the occasion of the “Beautiful Boldness / Visionary Design” event during the Milan Design Week and subsequently put on display at MOARD (Motorcycle Art & Design), an exhibition dedicated to twowheel design.

The livery of the Diavel 1260 S “Black and Steel” is characterized by the choice of asymmetrical and refined graphics that combine glossy grey and matt black as the main colours, to which are added sporty touches in yellow, including the frame, the lower part of the tail, the dedicated seat badge and some details of the bike.

From 10 to 13 June the new Diavel 1260 S “Black and Steel” will be exhibited in a world premiere at the 2021 edition of the MIMO Motor Show. Enthusiasts will be able to admire it inserted in the prestigious setting of Piazza Duomo in Milan and join the presentation parade of the motorcycle, which will be attended by the Director of the Centro Stile Ducati Andrea Ferraresi.

“The Ducati Diavel 1260 family, synonymous with style, innovation and performance, has won prestigious international design awards such as the “Red Dot Award” and the “Good Design Award”.

We are really pleased to present this new version in Milan, a city that has always represented a world benchmark in this sector.” declared Andrea Ferraresi.

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The Diavel 1260 S “Black and Steel” is a bike that does not go unnoticed. Its asymmetrical graphics, the contrast between matt black, grey and touches of yellow have been designed to enhance the power, design and sportiness of this bike.”

Unconventional and unmistakable, the Diavel 1260 combines the performance of a maxi-naked with the ergonomics and comfort of a muscle cruiser. The beating heart of the bike is the 1262 cc Testastretta DVT engine that delivers 162 hp at 9,500 rpm with a flat and fullbodied torque curve, which allows scorching acceleration and at the same time offers regularity at low revs ideal for everyday use or touring. The chassis, characterized by the distinctive 240 mm rear tyre, guarantees surprising levels of handling and lean angles for the rider, combined with a good level of comfort.

The Diavel 1260 S “Black and Steel” joins the S version in Thrilling Black & Dark Stealth colour with red frame and black wheels. The standard version is available in Dark Stealth colour with black frame and black wheels.

On the Ducati.com website there is the “Configurator” section which allows you to view the Diavel equipped with your favourite Ducati Performance accessories on the screen of your PC, tablet or smartphone and to share the customized version with the nearest dealer to book a test ride.

The presentation video of the Diavel 1260 S “Black and Steel” can be viewed at this link. Further pictures of the bike are available on Ducati Media House.

For more information please visit: www.ducati.com/gb/en/home

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Now your car can let you know if it’s being broken into – via your smartphone Despite many people across Europe staying at home amid the pandemic, vehicle crime remains a problem, and is even on the increase in some countries. 1 Car alarms can help to deter thieves.

However, in cities where vehicles may be parked on the street overnight, owners may ignore the alarm, not realising it is from their car, or fail to hear it altogether. 2 Now Ford has made its smartphone-connected heightened security system, SecuriAlert (formerly known as Guard Mode), available to car owners for the first time.

Once activated, SecuriAlert sends a notification to the vehicle owner’s smartphone if it identifies any vehicle activity, including attempts to open doors or gain access with a key, providing peace of mind to

customers when their cars are out of sight – or out of earshot.

How SecuriAlert works Owners activate SecuriAlert when they are away from their vehicle.

The feature is quickly and easily switched on or off – “armed” or “disarmed” – using the FordPass smartphone app. 3 Once active, it makes use of the vehicle’s existing sensors to identify if an attempt is being made to enter the vehicle. Using the onboard modem, FordPass Connect, the car will immediately send a push notification to the owner’s smartphone if it detects any activity involving their vehicle.

The FordPass app reveals the time and reason for any SecuriAlert alarms – via the smartphone – as well as the vehicle’s last known location.

If an attempt is made to open a door using a key – an action that would not trigger a conventional vehicle alarm – SecuriAlert will still send an alert. This can be particularly useful in identifying attempts to access to a car using a cloned or stolen key.

When the owner returns to their vehicle – to drive to work in the morning, for example – they simply disarm SecuriAlert via the FordPass app and continue on their journey.

Connected features First introduced for commercial vehicles earlier this year, SecuriAlert is one of a suite of connected features now available to Ford customers.

In 2020, Ford made its connected vehicle services complimentary to customers across Europe, and recently announced a crossmanufacturer connected-vehicle partnership to warn drivers of hazards on the road ahead.

Over 100,000 Ford vehicles in the UK already have access to the SecuriAlert feature.

Quotes “Whether left on the street overnight or in a car park on a shopping trip, we know our customers care about the security of their car and its contents.

SecuriAlert builds on Ford’s growing connectivity ecosystem to empower owners with the knowledge that if something happens with their vehicle when they aren’t driving it, they will be the first to know.”

Richard Bunn, director of retail connectivity solutions, Ford Mobility, Ford of Europe

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International Women in Engineering day International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) is an annual celebration of female engineers and their accomplishments. With the focus of the world directed on sustainability and electrification, we spoke to our team of female engineers in the Advanced Battery area at Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE).

• With women currently making up less than 10% of the engineering sector in the UK, INWED provides an opportunity to raise the profile of female engineers, demonstrating a commitment to diversity and inspiring future generations. INWED takes place on 23 June.

• We celebrate INWED by speaking to our amazing team of female engineers from the Advanced Battery Team - Dr. Nasrin Shahed Khah, Melissa He and Rachel Lear to learn more about what they do and what inspired them to pursue a career in engineering.

• Dr. Nasrin Shahed Khah is Senior Battery Systems Engineer, Melissa He and Rachel Lear are Battery 28

Systems Engineers and all three work in the company’s Advanced Battery Team.

battery development activities; but primarily with cell testing requirements.

NS = Dr. Nasrin Shahed Khah MH = Melissa He RL = Rachel Lear

What made you choose WAE as the next step in your career?

Give us an insight into what you do at WAE? NS: I’m a Senior Engineer in the Advanced Programmes team.

Our team develops WAE’s battery capability, which includes everything from cell selection to testing and optimisation; ensuring we’re meeting the client’s requirements with our battery systems.

MH: I currently work for WAE as a Battery Systems Engineer in the Advanced Battery Concepts group where our role is to expand the limits of battery technology through the development of smarter battery architectures and control systems.

RL: I’ve been at WAE for approximately a month now, working as a Battery Systems Engineer. I spend a lot of my time focusing on different aspects of

NS: My background is Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College.

I had always held aspirations to become a Mechanical Engineer whilst growing up as I was good at physics and maths. My thirdyear project at Imperial College was based on fuel cells and that introduced me to battery technologies. At the time, in 2012, people were only just beginning to talk about electric vehicles with the introduction of the Nissan Leaf and Tesla vehicles. However, I found the challenges presented by electrification fascinating and enjoyed using new technologies to drive change. When it came to seeking employment, WAE was top of my list due to the advanced projects that the company were involved with. I wanted to be a part of a team at the forefront of battery technology within an exciting and knowledgeable group.

RL: I have previous experience in electrochemistry and cell development from my Chemistry degree at the University of Southampton as well as in my previous role. Moving to WAE as the next step in my career allowed me to stay in battery development; a sector I find very exciting and relevant, and at the same time broaden my knowledge and skills of this industry by working more closely with commercial projects.

MH: There were a few things that got me into the company but mostly, it was my desire to work on progressive and cutting-edge projects, especially in motorsport.

Before coming to the UK, I remember going on the WAE website and seeing the Gen1 Formula E battery and thinking, maybe I could get a job working for WAE. I feel fortunate to be in a position now where I’m now working in a company where I can combine my background in chemistry with mechanical and motorsport engineering.

Prior to your career in engineering, as a female, what was your perception of the industry compared to what it is now?

RL: I come from a scientific background and during my degree there was a relatively good ratio of male-to-female students. I had female friends who were engineers, but most were in a minority on their courses which is why engineering is probably still perceived as a very male dominated career choice.

Despite the headline statistics, I would say, don’t let that put you off pursuing engineering as a career.

I work in a team where we have a 50/50 split of male-to-female, which is great and regardless of gender, the important thing is the way in which you work together to deliver successful projects. If you have the required skills, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be applying for any job. Personally, I’ve always been welcomed into teams and whilst women might be a minority now, as more of us study engineering, so more women will become engineers!

What advice would you give to any prospective female students

looking to enter the industry or a similar role to you at WAE? RL: I would say don’t worry if you don’t have a fixed career in mind.

Be guided by the things you enjoy and by doing so, you’ll find it will lead you to the right career path.

Electrification is a hot topic at the moment so there are lots of opportunities for careers in battery development.

NS: I think what got me here was determination and knowing what I wanted to achieve. Determination is key to being successful and achieving your goals. But I agree with Rachel, the most important thing is finding what you love, the thing you enjoy doing. Follow your passion, chase your dreams and it will happen. Never be afraid to ask questions. If you want to be an engineer, I’d say do it – all of our team love what we do.

What’s the most exciting part of your job?

RL: Being at the cutting edge and forefront of so many new and emerging technologies. You get exposure to new ideas and solutions before anyone else and in doing so, get a vision for what the future might hold.

MH: I absolutely love problem solving and putting ideas into action. For example, if I have an idea, the business encourages me to discuss it and there’s never any judgement. Within the Battery Concepts Group, the philosophy is, let’s try it and see what happens!

What’s a typical day in your job?

NS: Every day is different which I love. I could be doing anything from cell selection at early stages of battery programmes to overseeing module and battery pack activities from concept design to production refinement. I also support the safety elements of our current and upcoming battery projects at WAE. I really enjoy the variety of the work, whether I’m at my desk managing project delivery, or in the battery build facility overseeing practical work.

MH: My typical day is not really typical! Within such a small team, we cover a wide range of work and that’s one of the things that drew me to WAE; working on a number of different projects – from e-bikes and racing scooters to race cars and mining trucks!

What was your inspiration for going into the industry in the first place?

RL: The battery industry has had a lot of media attention recently, so I think this made batteries an interesting area for me to explore.

While I largely “fell” into the battery industry, the excitement of new electric vehicles and technologies makes me want to stay.

MH: For me, it was the technology.

During my undergraduate studies , I participated in a competition to hybridise a Camaro and was hooked. Following experience in the automotive industry with electric vehicles and leading the work on an electric Formula Student car, I knew there were so many interesting problems left to solve.

NS: I have always grown up with a passion for cars and problem solving and so I wanted a career where I could combine both. I believe we’re now at the cusp of a technology revolution with engineering at the forefront, which has allowed me follow my dream and do what I love.

For more information see www.wae.com,

Variohm’s SMO31H2 sensor now available in PL:d compliant version Variohm EuroSensor’s recently launched SMO31H2 series pressure sensors, designed for critical measurement and monitoring tasks in hydrogen processing and logistics, are now available with a variant with Performance Level ‘d’ certification. For pressures to 1000 bar and with EC79 (up to 700 bar) and EC406 type approvals for hydrogen generation, storage and transportation systems, the new SMO31H2-PL:d sensor offers ECU and other safety-controlled applications compliance with the DIN EN ISO 13849-1 machinery safety and IEC 61508 functional safety standards in addition to many other recognised safety accreditations.

The SMO31H2-PL:d features stainless steel construction with IP67 protection class as standard or optional IP69K. Its high resistance to shock and vibration and a temperature range spanning -40 to +125°C contribute, along with

additional EMI/RFI protection, low static and thermal errors, to exceptional endurance and longlife against harsh environment use.

The PL:d variant is available in 20 range options from 1.0 bar up to 1000 bar with a choice of M16 or 1⁄4 NPT pressure port configurations (NPT limited to 500 bar). Its 4...20 mA output from a 10 to 32 V DC supply has defined safety limits which can be read into the safety system or ECU to detect faults and there is also internal failure detection within the sensor’s signal conditioner for broken bond wires, internal EEPROM errors and Watchdog etc., that cause an output signal outside ofthe safety limits.

Electrical interfacing is a 600 mm cable with free ends, or optionally with a Metri-Pack connector or M12x1 round connector.

The complete specification for the SMO31H2-PL:d version is available in a datasheet downloadable from

the Variohm website. The SMO31H2 series also includes a variant with European E1 automotive typeapproval making conformance straightforward for pressure monitoring on mobile applications for cars, buses and trucks etc.

Variohm’s SMO series pressure sensors have been developed over several years and like their range counterparts, the EPT series, continue to provide high accuracy and reliable pressure measurement across demanding applications ranging from motorsports to medical equipment and from harsh industrial use to mobile agricultural and construction machinery. SMO and EPT series pressure sensors are based upon well-proven piezo-resistive measurement technology with ASIC circuitry that is fully protected in hermetically sealed stainless-steel housings. The silicon-free design has no internal O-rings and generous burst and overpressure specifications mean maximum reliability is assured.

Pressure measurement range availability is up to 5000 bar with an abundance of pressure port and output options for utmost installation flexibility. The SMO and EPT series pressure sensors offer many other specialist variants such as a CANopen/SAE-J1939 output, titanium construction, aggressive gas/liquid compatibility, and more.

Variohm EuroSensor is a manufacturer, distributor and supply chain partner offering an extensive range of position, force, pressure, load, and temperature sensor technologies - for cost effective solutions to demanding measurement applications across industry, construction, agriculture, motorsports, research and more.

For further information on the new SMO13H2-PL:d pressure sensors and the full range of SMO and EPT sensors from Variohm, please visit www.variohm.com.

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SICK’s miniature safety inductive is a snug fit SICK has launched the IQB2S family of inductive safety switches to provide designers and opera-tors with a unique, cuboid-shaped non-contact device - as small as a matchbox - that can be fit-ted easily into the smallest machine spaces.

The SICK IQB2S inductive safety switch uses non-contact activation by metallic machine parts to achieve reliable, safe position, presence and area monitoring in common production and logis-tics safety applications.

The SICK IQB2S is therefore ideal for many applications including, for example, checking the safe position of the axes of rotating tables to ensure safe conveying of the goods, or for the safe presence monitoring of a load on an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV).

SICK has developed the IQB2S to

measure just 12mm x 26mm x 40mm, with a sensing range of 4mm. Easy to align, it can be screwed directly into place, and does not need a separate actua-tor. With twin selfmonitoring OSSD outputs, the SICK IQB 2S enables direct connection to safe control systems including SICK Flexi Soft and the SICK Flexi Loop cable-saving connection sys-tem, allowing for applications up to PLd / SIL2 (BS EN ISO 13849).

Says Dr Martin Kidman, safety specialist at SICK UK: “By using the inductive sensing principle to detect metal parts, the SICK IQB2S offers an opportunity to provide safe proximity or position sensing to a high safety rating where space is tight in either new or existing machines.

“The non-contact principle also means the sensors are not subject to wear and need little maintenance over a long service

life, ensuring high reliability and machine availability, even in environments subject to high levels of dust or moisture.”

Setting up the SICK IQB 2S is quick and straightforward. Its precise switching point means there is no blind zone, allowing for rapid alignment and adjustment. The onboard 270° LED enables operators to monitor the sensor status and a display of diagnostic messages minimises unfore-seen machine stoppages.

With a IP67-rated enclosure, and a wide temperature range from -25°C to 70°C, the SICK IQB2S ensures high machine availability in the toughest of industrial conditions.

For more information on the SICK range of products, please contact Andrea Hornby on 01727 831121 or email andrea.hornby@sick.co.uk.

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More safety in harsh environments 3D safety systems are a good option for reliably monitoring danger zones. They present a safe alternative, even in harsh environments where e.g. sparks, dirt and dust occur. They are therefore also a solution for applications where previously optical sensors were unable to provide a reliable answer The LBK safety radar system enables reliable 3D area monitoring in hash environments.

3D system with radar technology For over 50 years, Leuze as a high tech company and pioneer in the field of optical sensors has repeatedly set new technological milestones and standards on the market. Particularly in the area of safety technology, Leuze’s optical safety components, services and solutions can be used for a wide variety of different applications.

With the LBK safety radar system, Leuze has now added a new, innovative sensor system to its product range. This system implements an operating principle new to safety technology. As a result, it is also able to provide a solution for applications that previously could not be solved reliably using optical sensors.

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Even in harsh environments where e.g. sparks, dirt and dust occur. The LBK safeguards danger zones close to machinery and systems using radar technology.

Detection of objects using radar waves The LBK system operates in a frequency range of 24 GHz. This means that the electromagnetic waves are much shorter than sound or light waves. Unlike light, the radar waves can penetrate non metallic objects. The compact sensors with their integrated antennas emit electromagnetic waves. These waves are reflected off objects. The sensors receive these reflections and then evaluate them. The electromagnetic waves of the LBK radar system are completely harmless to personnel.

New applications solved using LBK Utilizing the properties of the radar frequency electromagnetic waves in sensors provides a solution for applications where optical sensors have so far proven unreliable.

Even non metallic objects such as dust, welding sparks or chips are penetrated without the sensor being influenced. As a result,

the LBK system is particularly suitable for applications in harsh environments. For example in wood or plastic processing. Such applications typically produce a large quantity of particles that are then suspended in the air. However, these particles do not prevent the LBK from performing its task of reliably detecting and protecting persons. Even if radar waves penetrate the particles, the latter still reflect a small proportion of the waves.

As the quantity of radar waves reflected by a person is significantly different to that reflected by wood chips or moisture, the LBK can detect whether the reflection comes from a person or from non metallic particles. In other words, particles in the air are not detected whereas a person is. The LBK therefore switches off reliably when a person is located in the danger zone. The LBK sensor emits its radar waves in three dimensional space so that not only the surface area but also the volume of this space is monitored. This allows the LBK to detect persons who enter a hazardous area or who are located in this area, regardless of whether they are standing, kneeling or lying.

Detecting human movements The LBK 3D radar system not only operates in a wavelength range new to safety technology.

It also uses FMCW, an operating principle which is also new to safety technology. FMCW stands for Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave. Here, the transmission frequency changes within a defined bandwidth. Starting at a fundamental frequency, it increases continuously up to a maximum frequency and then returns to the fundamental frequency again. If a person reflects this signal, it reaches the receiver with a time delay.

Subtraction of the reception signal from the transmission signal produces a difference frequency.

If the distance between the LBK sensor and the person remains constant, the difference frequency also retains its value. However, if the person moves, the time delay between the transmitted and received signal changes, and therefore also the difference frequency. The faster the person moves, the greater the change in difference frequency will be. In this way, the LBK sensor is able to determine the speed at which the person is moving.

Precise determination of movements This method is also referred to as radar Doppler. It allows movements to be determined with a very high degree of accuracy. The LBK sensor therefore detects not only a moving person, but also a person who is currently standing still, even if the movement is extremely slight. Even if a person is standing still, they are never absolutely motionless – there is always some movement, e.g. from their pulse or heartbeat, etc.

The LBK sensor utilizes this to reliably distinguish a person in a danger zone from a static object, e.g. a pallet or material container.

The slight movements of a person are sufficient to generate a reliable switch off signal for the machine. As a result, the LBK system interrupts the operating process only if somebody is actually located inside the danger zone.

For example, completely static, motionless material containers can be left inside the protected area without them leading to interruption of the operating process.

In this way, the LBK system prevents unnecessary downtimes and thereby increases the availability and cost effectiveness of the system.

On the other hand, it ensures that the machine only starts to run again when all persons have left the danger zone, and therefore contributes to reliable personnel protection.

Flexible in use, easy to install In addition to use in harsh environments, the LBK safety radar system is used primarily for preventing unwanted restarts and for monitoring hidden areas. Users can adapt it to their individual requirements. system consists of a controller to which up to 6 radar sensors can be connected. The positioning of the sensors, the adjustable operating range and the selectable opening angle allow flexible adaptation of the monitored area to the danger zone. This also allows areas on steps or pedestals to be monitored reliably. The user can define the system parameters using the easy to operate configuration software. Certified safety experts from Leuze are available to assist with configuration and commissioning if required.

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Component carriers replace flexible printed circuit boards in linear measuring systems HARTING has developed a component carrier that can be used directly with electronic components eliminating manual assembly and replacing flexible PCBs. Increasing precision and reducing assembly costs By harnessing this all new HARTING development, electronic components can be fitted directly onto the component carrier, thereby replacing flexible circuit boards.

Component carriers are equipped with measuring sensors for detecting position The component carrier serves as a connecting element between a printed circuit board (PCB) and electronic components (such as LEDs, ICs, photo–diodes or sensors).

The measuring sensors of a

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scanning head for position detection, for example on a linear slide with guide rails, are often mounted onto flex PCBs. As magnetic, optical or inductive systems, they record the exact position of the slide. To do this the sensors must be positioned exactly at a 90 degree angle. The capability to mount these as precisely as possible improves the accuracy of the measurement results. A second sensor is often installed in the measuring head for redundancy. In addition, the status of the evaluation electronics is displayed using LEDs; these are mounted onto a flex PCB. With HARTING’s component carrier the flexible PCB can be replaced completely. The injection-moulded plastic body already provides very precise 90-degree angles for

mounting sensors. The component carrier eliminates the need for time-consuming manual assembly of the flex PCB. In addition, the sensors are positioned more precisely. Another advantage of the component carrier is that the width of the sensor modules can be further reduced to less than 8 mm.

The component carrier with the assembled electronic components, comes in a blister pack for further processing in SMD assembly facilities, and the soldered components are secured with an adhesive so that they cannot detach from their position while in the reflow oven.

For more info visit: www.3d-mid.ch

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Teledyne FLIR launches A500f/A700f cameras for fire detection and condition monitoring The FLIR A500f and A700f Advanced Smart Sensor ruggedized thermal cameras feature high-temperature detection for extreme environments paired with on-camera analytics and alarm capabilities – ideal for industrial early fire detection or outdoor condition monitoring applications. Along with enhanced spot, area, line, polygon, and polyline analytic functions that improve the definition of areas of interest and object curvatures, the A500f/A700f can help commercial and industrial organizations protect assets, improve safety, maximize uptime, and minimize maintenance costs.

Fire Detection and Condition Monitoring for Industrial Facilities For early fire detection, the A500f and A700f thermal cameras can quickly identify increased temperatures related to potentially dangerous conditions.

If smoke is present, the cameras can help provide increased awareness for decision makers to properly assess and address incidents. Both cameras feature Flexible Scene Enhancement (FSX) technology, found on Teledyne FLIR K-Series handheld firefighting devices. The result is an ultra-sharp, finer-textured image that shows subtler edge details supplied by the embedded visible camera onto the thermal image, enabling operators to recognize objects and people more easily.

The A500f/A700f are also effective tools for pile-burn monitoring, providing automated early warnings for potential issues in waste management facilities or coal collection areas that operate around the clock.

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Manufacturing facilities, chemical processing locations, or power substations that use common communications and control language can also benefit from the A500f and A700f beyond fire detection. These cameras empower those organizations to reduce maintenance costs by identifying heat anomalies from mechanical problems early, thereby extending the life of plant components while maximizing uptime Effective Ruggedness and Thermal Range for Outdoor Applications Featuring a protective IP67-rated housing designed to withstand temperatures between -30° to 50°C (-22° to 112° F), the A500f/A700f cameras are designed for harsh environments and discreet enough to deter from theft. In addition, the cameras use a single power-overEthernet (PoE) cable for both power and communication, helping to further minimize points of potential failure.

The A500f/A700f offers superior thermal imaging capability with a resolution of 464 x 348 (161,472) for the A500f and 640 x 480 (307,200) thermal pixel resolution for the A700f. Users can expect a ±2° C (± 3.6° F) temperature measurement accuracy.

The A500f has a temperature detection range between -20° to 1500°C (-4° to 2732° F), while the A700f offers a temperature range of between 20° to 2000°C (68° to 3632°F) for detecting chemical fires and other extreme industrial fire conditions.

Along with thermal lens options ranging from 14° to 42° and an

embedded HD visible camera, these devices fulfill the needs of most outdoor condition monitoring and fire detection applications.

Seamless Integration and Set Up Installing the FLIR A500f/A700f cameras is seamless. Both cameras are ONVIF compliant and integrate easily into standard security VMS and NVR solutions including control of pan/tilts.

For VMS integrations, thermal and visible streams can be viewed independently or simultaneously.

The cameras are easy to add, set up, and operate in HMI (Human Machine Interface) SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems, offering automation system solution providers a running start. Both the A500f and A700f fully support IIoT protocols such as MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) and RESTful API with a system unique token key for extra security.

The FLIR A500f and the A700f are available now through Teledyne FLIR distributors. For more information, please visit www.teledyneflir.com

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Microchip simplifies deployment of Wi-Fi 6 access points and small cell nodes with first multiport, multigigabit PoE injector Wi-Fi 6 and small cell devices can now be installed more easily and cost-effectively, wherever they are needed Organizations can only deploy today’s Wi-Fi® 6 access points (APs) and 5G small cell access nodes where AC power is available or if their switch can deliver both power and data to them as required.

Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) has created a more flexible and cost-effective alternative with the first multiport Power over Ethernet (PoE) power sourcing equipment (PSE) injector, also known as a midspan, that enables any multigigabit switch to support these devices’ high powering needs and data rates, with no network configuration or downtime necessary.

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“Our new family of multiport, multigigabit PoE PSE injectors offers the easiest and most cost-effective way to install Wi-Fi 6 devices and small cell equipment,” said Iris Shuker, director of Microchip’s PoE business unit. “Patented technology from Microchip solves the challenge of powering these devices while also supporting their 10 gigabit-per-second data rates.

This greatly simplifies deployment of Wi-Fi 6 APs while enabling service providers, for the first time, to quickly and inexpensively install 5G picocells and femtocells wherever they are needed, which is rarely near an AC outlet.”

Multigigabit PoE-enabled switches with sufficient power for Wi-Fi 6 devices and small cell equipment are expensive and not widely adopted. A more cost-effective way to inject power into the network for these high-speed devices is to

install one of Microchip’s new multiport, multigigabit midspans between them and any standard multigigabit switch. Available in 6-, 12- and 24-port configurations, each midspan supports Wi-Fi 6 devices’ high IEEE 802.11ax data rates and delivers up to 60 watts (W) of output power per port in compliance with the IEEE’s 802.3bt PoE and 10GBASE-T specifications.

The midspans can be securely monitored and controlled remotely using Microchip’s web-based PowerView Pro platform.

Availability Microchip’s PD-9506-10GC, PD9512-10GC and PD-9524-10GC midspans are available now. For additional information, contact a Microchip sales representative or authorized worldwide distributor, or visit Microchip’s website or purchasing portal.

Rohde & Schwarz and VIAVI demonstrate 5G NR high-speed downlink IP data throughput using 8x FR1 and FR2 component carriers Enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) is the use case of 5G NR which supports the ever-increasing end user data rate and system capacity, as mobile devices integrate more and more internet-based services and applications. At MWC21, T&M specialists Rohde & Schwarz and VIAVI Solutions will demonstrate a 5G NR eMBB end-to-end test scenario in 5G SA mode (standalone 5G) exceeding for the first time a high-speed data throughput of 7.5 Gbps. The demonstration paves the way for upcoming data rates up to 10 Gbps. This high throughput rate means mobile subscribers will soon benefit from 4K video streams or augmented reality.

Leveraging their close cooperation on 5G NR implementation in their wireless test solutions, the T&M specialists Rohde & Schwarz and VIAVI Solutions have successfully accomplished high-speed data

throughput end-to-end test of 5G NR eMBB. By achieving 7.5 Gbps, the two companies herald the new age of high data throughput, showing that it is possible to validate very high data rate applications over a 5G network without performance compromises.

The setup is based on the R&S CMX500 wideband radio communication tester by Rohde & Schwarz and the TM500 network tester for user equipment (UE) emulation by VIAVI. In the demo, the instruments simulate a standalone 5G cellular network with 8x downlink carrier aggregation in NR dual connectivity (NR-DC) using 1xCC in FR1 and 7xCC in FR2 with a modulation scheme of 256QAM on all carriers. Two remote radio heads in the setup are used to upconvert the signals to 5G FR2 frequencies.

End-to-end testing evaluates the data throughput speed from the

built-in simulated server and base station to the device under test in a well-defined network environment. The application test enabler of the R&S CMX500 comes with ready-to-use servers for testing web, FTP, DNS or IMS services allowing easy setup. In this scenario, the R&S CMX500 enables upload and download throughput tests for the File Transfer Protocol.

Rohde & Schwarz and VIAVI have been working together to implement and test new 3GPP 5G NR features at the same time in order to further expedite the release of software features with quality to customers. Using the R&S CMX500 as network infrastructure emulator alongside the TM500 UE emulator is a versatile alternative to a real device. The cooperation ranges from RF performance testing, protocol stack verification of 3GPP Rel.16 features and to maximum IP data throughput tests. This enables both companies to provide their customers with a stable, mature and comprehensive 5G 3GPP feature coverage at an accelerated rate Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing eMBB end-to-end tests with VIAVI at Mobile World Congress 2021 from June 28 to July 1 at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona in hall 3, booth 3K30. Additional activities around 5G NR device testing can be found online on the Rohde & Schwarz Signals webpage.

For further information, go to: www.rohde-schwarz.com/mwc

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‘Make your lighting fit your mood’ says Gira Gira, one of the world’s leading full-range suppliers for intelligent build environments share its knowledge on how interior lighting can support your lifestyle with the latest wired and wireless smart home solutions.

“Interior lighting can emulate your mood in the home and we are proud to offer the latest smart home systems and controls, so your lights are able to react to your needs without having to touch a button. Leading the field in smart lighting and home technology, Gira is here to make your life easier and enable your lighting to reflect your lifestyle 24/7” says Jacob de Muijnck, Director, Gira UK. Smart lighting controls enable you to create, save, recall and even automate mood lighting settings known as scenes – so you no longer have to adjust them from dawn to dusk, it’s all done for you. You can save different scenes under a unique name and the smart home technology will take care of the rest. Having the freedom to customise your mood lighting scenes means you can make sure that your lighting will always complement your life whether you want a romantic night in, are working or studying from home or entertaining your friends and family.

Once your scenes are on your system you can have complete automated or manual control, so that you can schedule supportive lighting scenes around the clock or call them up as and when required.

And you can keep creating new scenes manually, whenever you wish. For example, a ‘waking up’ scene for mornings could turn on lights to a gentle, dimmed setting every weekday at 7am and then increase the brightness every minute to ensure gentle waking.

Another scene could be ‘going to bed’, and can be set to make all lights switch off automatically at a defined time, except the night lights in your bathroom.

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With the help of the latest advanced smart home solutions from premium manufacturers, you now can set as many mood lighting scenes as you want with either a wired (KNX) or wireless Smart Home system.

If you want a KNX system, you’ll need a reliable, high-performance server which manage even the most complicated tasks and then ensure everything runs smoothly without you giving it even a second thought. Your server will need to be connected to an electrical KNX installation, which is wired into your home, as well as the internet and your computer network so that you can easily connect different technology and functions, to create the mood lighting scenes (or scenes with other functions such as heating, entertainment and blind control) of your choice.

You will also need a smart control unit for creating, saving and activating your desired lighting settings – this can be via a smartphone app or a control panel.

If you want to go to the next level, you can also control premium servers with your voice. You’ll need a secure encrypted connection for remote access, and a language assistant, such as the Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, so that you can use voice commands.

Another benefit of having a KNX system is that you can create If This, Then That (IFTTT) connections to make your lighting completely automated.

IFTTT is a popular cloud service, which integrates devices and apps so that they can all ‘talk’ to each other even when they are made by different brands. So if your smart alarm clock goes off in the morning, then your ‘morning’ lighting scene will switch on automatically in your bedroom.

This works because you have defined certain sequences, known as ‘applets’.

They will assign each ‘if this’ (trigger) to one or more ‘then that’s’ (actions) in the system as a whole. You can match each to a trigger of your choice – so if you want to turn off the TV and lights at the same time, you can set the trigger ‘switch off the TV’ and the action ‘going to bed’ lighting scene for easy living and convenience.

A wireless system is a good choice if you want to upgrade your house into a smart home without wires and cabling in the walls. Instead, you can send commands to your smart lighting devices via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi from a dedicated wireless home server. Wireless set-ups are more flexible in comparison to a KNX smart home, and are designed for any small to moderate living space, making them ideal for upgrading any property of any age with the latest home automation systems and technology. “It’s simple to create and trigger lighting scenes with a wireless system, by using an app on your smart device or manual control via the top unit. You can also use a console unit and voice control too. So, instead of reaching for your smartphone to turn on the light, you can simply say, ‘Alexa, good morning” to activate the pre-set ‘morning’ lighting scene’.

“In response to rising demand for smart home technology and increased connectivity in the UK home, Gira is very pleased to offer a great range of user-friendly KNX and wireless products and systems such as the Gira HomeServer and the Gira X1 mini server for KNX and the wireless Gira eNet SMART HOME. In partnership with our dedicated Gira smart home apps and state-of-theart security and data protection, our devices will anticipate your lighting needs, ensuring that it will enhance your wellbeing all around the clock.”

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At the beginning of a new era KUKA at automatica sprint 2021 It is not only automatica sprint that is breaking new ground with its digital platform this year. KUKA is also at the beginning of a new era. The next milestone: intelligent automation solutions for everyone, easily accessible and intuitive to operate. From June 22 to 24, KUKA, as an au- tomation expert and innovator, will be looking into the future, for example at trends in the consumer goods industry and e-mobility - and supplying intelli- gent, simple and sustainable solutions right along with it.

“At KUKA, our goal is to enable robot-based automation for all players in the in- dustry,” says Klaus König, CEO KUKA Robotics. “To this end, we are expanding our portfolio to provide the best possible support for our customers

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in fast- growing industries such as electronics, pharmaceuticals or consumer goods. The ease of use of our products is one of our most important strategic goals in this regard.“ New markets, new Opportunities KUKA impressively demonstrates the new simplicity, among other things, with iiQKA – the robot operating system as well as the digital ecosystem. “With the right partner network, we are fast – an important aspect in today’s world,” Kö- nig continues. Developments such as the new KUKA operating system and the KUKA.Sim simulation software are helping to make the user experience as intu- itive, powerful and fast as possible. As a result, more people, companies and markets than ever before are

able to take advantage of and drive the enor- mous benefits of robotic automation.

One of these markets: the consumer goods industry. In a panel, KUKA industry experts talk about important trends and discuss how the industry can benefit from holistic automation. In this context, KUKA is now adding the final pieces of the puzzle with new robot types such as the KR DELTA hygienic robot in order to be able to automate the entire pro- cess chain – from receiving to delivery.

Megatrend Automation: the Future of Production One of the most important megatrends of our time is electromobility. At automatica sprint KUKA experts will discuss how it is changing everyday life, the

economy and our so- ciety. “KUKA is well equipped for the current changes in the automotive industry.

The ability to plan has become much more complex for the automotive industry and requires both the car manufacturer and the supplier to be extremely flexible and quick to react.

KUKA already offers key technologies for almost all tasks: from battery production to the assembly of electric drives and electric axle components to complete body construction for electric vehicles,” says Gerald Mies, CEO KUKA Systems.

The portfolio is comple- mented by KUKA’s visionary production concept, matrix production: an extremely versa- tile manufacturing process for individualized production. In another panel, KUKA experts will also discuss how automotive suppliers in particular can achieve climate targets with the help of robotics and sustainable, regional production.

Virtual Trade Fair Booth and Digital Event Platform With the digital event platform KUKA iimotion, KUKA is expanding the virtual trade fair booth around automatica sprint with further presentations, discussions and webinars. For example, visitors will gain insight into the smart simulation software KUKA. Sim 4.0. The modular software also makes its contribution to greater simplicity. Details and sequences of robot applications can be simulated even before commissioning and then transferred 100 percent to the real controller: for maximum planning reliability and cost efficiency.

All information on the virtual KUKA booth at automatica sprint, individual access to con- tent and events, and personal online advice are available to interested parties after free registration at www.kuka.com or kuka-iimotion.com.

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Innodisk releases industrial-grade DDR5 DRAM modules The new standard touts a host of crucial performance improvements and power savings over its predecessor, and anticipation has been high since the official announcement of its release Innodisk has officially announced the release of its industrial-grade DDR5 DRAM modules. The new standard touts a host of crucial performance improvements and power savings over its predecessor, and anticipation has been high since the official announcement of its release. Boasting a bucketload of benefits, including the obligatory speed and storage increases, DDR5 will eventually take its place as the memory option of choice. One question remains: Can DDR5 prove itself reliable enough to meet the stringent demands of reliabilityconscious and risk-averse industries?

The JESD79-5 DDR5 SDRAM specification signaled the transition to DDR5, with significant improvements in capacity, speed, voltage, and ECC functions. The DDR5 specification details up to four times as much capacity per IC, raising the maximum achievable per die capacity to 64Gb and bringing the maximum potential capacity for a single DDR5 DIMM to 128GB.

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DDR5 also has a theoretical maximum transfer speed of 6400MT/s, doubling the rate of DDR4. Meanwhile, the voltage has been dropped from 1.2V to 1.1V, reducing overall power consumption. A further major structural change is power management is moved onto the DIMM, reducing redundant power management circuitry on the motherboard for unused DIMM slots.

Another significant structural change is dual-channel DIMM architecture. For DDR5, each DIMM has two 40- bit channels (32 data bits, eight ECC bits each) for the same data total with more ECC bits.

Two smaller independent channels improve memory access efficiency, leading to greater speeds with higher efficiency. Innodisk currently offers DDR5 up to 32GB and 4800MT/s.

Less than a year since the DDR5 specification release, early adoption should happen by Q4.

“Our customers are excited

about the potential DDR5 has to invigorate their application developments,” said Samson Chang, Corporate VP & GM of global embedded and server DRAM business unit, at Innodisk.

He added that “Innodisk brings quality products to the industry by introducing new DDR5 DIMMs with original ICs, anti- sulfuration, heat spreader, and conformal coating technologies with industrial-grade reliability they’ve come to expect from us.”

Hyperscalers are the likely early adopters, but in the long term, most industries should feel the benefits of DDR5 in 5G, deep learning, AI, edge computing, smart medical, supercomputing, and missioncritical applications.

With satisfied customers across a range of demanding industries, we have set ourselves apart with a commitment to exceptional products and service.

For more information about Innodisk, please visit: www.innodisk.com

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LINAX PQ1000 measures power quality for industrial requirements according to class S Assure power quality! Demands for power quality assurance are growing stronger and louder. We hear this confirmed by utilities, industrial companies, but also by many electricians who are increasingly confronted by this issue when dealing with their customers. Very often questions then arise as to which measuring instrument should be used, the level of skill and the size of the budget required.

Power quality assurance for industrial needs. Power quality assessment according to IEC610004-30 class S is now provided by the LINAX PQ1000 power analyser series, whereby the measuring instrument is especially designed for analysing demand side power quality. The power quality assurance process

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on the demand side (after the PCC as per IEC TR 63191) is described here: “Demand Side Power Quality” (DSPQ)”.

But why class S and not class A? Measuring instruments according to IEC 61000-4-30 Class A, basically provide measured values that are comparable across measuring instruments and manufacturers.

In case of legal disputes, class A is mandatory and is especially relevant for distribution system operators.

Power quality analysers according to IEC 61000-4-30 class S are intended for basic/advanced power quality analysis and provide useful monitoring data. Instruments that meet Class S

performance requirements are used for statistical power quality surveys and other applications and measurement services. There is no potential for disputes. This also means that no mandatory requirement for comparative measurements.

The performance requirements for Class S are less stringent than for Class A. This results among other things, in a lower price. In industrial and utility applications, they are often used in the IPC (according to IEC [TR] 63191, this is the power distribution network after the Point of Common Coupling (PCC)).

Even in data centres, they are strongly recommended within the infrastructure, according to EN50600-2-2:2019-08 [Chapter 6.2.3 Voltage Quality].

Power quality assurance certification also for class S For accurate and precisely repeatable power quality measurements, it is especially important that the measurements comply with measurement procedure standards. These should not be confused with the standards for power quality compliance. For this reason, class S measuring instruments should also be certified. For the LINAX PQ1000, this is ensured by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS), based on its big brothers LINAX PQ3000 & PQ5000. With Swiss precision.

Power quality assurance with the highest cybersecurity standards The issue of cybersecurity is also

growing more and more important as devices are increasingly networked. Especially in the energy distribution sector, for both public and private grids. Due to the threat situation, effective cybersecurity is essential. Like its big brothers, the LINAX PQ1000 offers many effective IT security features. These include role-based access rights (RBAC), encrypted transfer of web pages (https), client whitelist to limit access to end devices, audit log for seamless monitoring of changes and operations, certified firmware updates, redundant data logger outside the IT system.

by IEC 62586-1/2 Power Quality Measurement in Power Supply Systems, is available in various options. The commonly used 96 x 96 mm form factor, allows the instrument to be easily fitted anywhere, either with TFT display for panel mounting or for DIN rail mounting with or without TFT display. All variants are possible, for complete flexibility. In addition, operation and communication are ultra-simple, thanks to the integrated web browser.

LINAX PQ1000 configurations

No need for any additional software: operation, parameterization and monitoring are as easy as child’s play.

This measuring instrument, also referred to as a PQI or Power Quality Instrument as defined

You can view the related tutorials at www.youtube.com/user/ CamilleBauerAG/videos

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New short-wave thermal imaging camera is ideal for laser welding applications Precision sensor manufacturer Micro-Epsilon has extended its thermoIMAGER TIM series of shortwave thermal imaging cameras with a new version that is suitable for almost all near infrared (NIR) and CO2-based laser processing applications, including laser welding, cutting and 3D metal additive processing.

Operating on a narrow-band spectral wavelength of 780820 nm, the thermoIMAGER TIM M-08 thermal imaging camera is specifically designed for non-contact temperature measurements on metal surfaces during laser processing. The camera uses a special filter that makes it ideal for use with NIR lasers such as neodymium-YAG lasers that operate outside of this range. This means the laser light does not pass through the filter, making the TIM-M08 particularly suitable for monitoring temperatures during laser welding and laser additive machining processes.

In addition to the well-known advantages of thermoIMAGER infrared cameras such as their compact size, robustness (protected to IP67), USB interface and TIMCONNECT licence-free software, the TIM M-08 is able to measure temperatures in a range from 575°C to 1,900°C without the need to swap or change settings.

The lower starting temperature and special filter combined means that the TIM M-08 is perfect for capturing the heat dissipation through the metal as well as the weld temperature itself.

Glenn Wedgbrow, Business Development Manager at Micro-Epsilon UK comments: “The control of part temperature when laser welding within the additive manufacturing process is important for the strength and 48

resilience of the build. The challenge for thermal imaging cameras has always been that the lasers operate in the same wavelengths as the camera needs for measuring the required temperature which can damage the camera detectors.

The TIM M-08 avoids this problem by using a different spectral wavelength and does not require additional filters to operate.”

Short wavelength cameras for metal processing applications Infrared thermal imaging cameras are normally grouped and differentiated according to their purpose or the material to be measured. For example, for the metal processing industry, MicroEpsilon now offers three special short-wave thermal imagers: the TIM M-1, TIM M-05 and TIM M-08. These cameras cover many different metal temperature measurement tasks, from furnace melting through to secondary metal processing applications.

The thermoIMAGER TIM M-1 is a compact, robust (IP67) short wavelength infrared thermal imaging camera, which is specifically designed to measure the surface temperature of hot and glowing metal surfaces (as wellas ceramics and graphite) in the range from 450°C to 1,800°C.

The thermoIMAGER TIM M-05 is a compact, robust (IP67) short wavelength infrared thermal imaging camera specifically designed to measure the temperature of molten metal or glowing metal surfaces in the range from 900°C to 2,450°C. Licence-free analysis software All thermoIMAGER cameras are set up using the TIMConnect software, which is available as a free download from the Micro-Epsilon website. TIMConnect includes a variety of process control and analysis features such as hot spot tracking, advanced peak hold for signal stability, as well as linescan modes for capturing up to 1,000 frames per second. Communication with the camera is made by USB connection. This licence-free software includes a full SDK and command library to allow custom software visualisations to be created.

A range of accessories are also available for the thermoIMAGER TIM range, including air purge collars, high temperature cables, protective windows and cooling housings, which enable the cameras to be operated in environments up to 315°C and can therefore be installed in a wide range of industrial metal processing environments. www.micro-epsilon.co.uk

Control any air conditioning unit from Modbus or BACnet-based automation systems via IR HMS Networks now launches a new IR-based Intesis® AC interface that enables integration of any Air Conditioning unit, regardless of brand, into Modbus or BACnet Building Automation Systems.

The importance of controlling Air Conditioning systems HVAC systems are usually the largest energy-consumers in a building. Therefore, it is crucial for building owners to monitor and control these systems to save costs and energy. Additionally, the Covid-19 pandemic has made it increasingly important to find new ways of installing and using AC units, as ventilation and “clean air” has become a major concern.

The Air Conditioning market is growing fast with new brands and different types of AC units constantly emerging. This makes it challenging for building owners to integrate AC-units into their specific Building Management System (BMS).

A Universal IR interface compatible with more than 100 AC Units The Intesis offering includes the most comprehensive portfolio of AC interfaces on the market, enabling monitoring and control of air

conditioning units from any home or building automation system.

The portfolio is now further strengthened as HMS launches a universal IR-based Intesis AC interface for integrating AC units to Modbus or BACnet-based automation systems. The new interface connects to the AC unit via the IR link which is already used by most AC units to communicate with their remote control. The Intesis IR-based AC Interface is already compatible with more than 100 IR remote controllers and their associated AC units.

Fast configuration and diagnostic thanks to Intesis MAPS The new AC interface solution is configured using the Intesis MAPS tool, which brings many advantages for the system integrator. With a project-based configuration, all the interfaces installed can be configured in a single MAPS template, making it easy to copy device configurations and set up new projects. Thanks to the diagnostics function, the commissioning process and any post-installation assistance is also simplified.

Learn more at www.intesis.com

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