Design World August 2017

www.designworldonline.com August 2017

INSIDE:

MOTION CONTROL: Condition monitoring with PC-based control PAGE 64

LINEAR MOTION Basics of can-stack linear actuators PAGE 70

The Self-taught MECHANICAL: How air bearings improve scanning performance PAGE 82

design system 76

AUGUST DW COVER 2017_fit for gatefold_FINAL.indd 1

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The new BRX controller redefines what it means to be a PLC. Programmable Logic Controller - sure, but for BRX we prefer Performance at a Low Cost. You won’t find a micro PLC with this many features, at this price, and with the Do-more can-do attitude anywhere else!

This under-budget overachiever was designed and is manufactured in the U.S. and comes with built-in data logging, versatile motion control, onboard serial communication with Ethernet option, an additional hot-swappable communications port, and integrated discrete, high-speed, and analog I/O (select models).

Four form factors are available to choose from with various built-in I/O configurations; the BRX PLC units are also expandable with up to 8 additional I/O modules (depending on model).

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I n s i g ht s

The IoT on the job site I occasionally find myself in situations where I have to defend the Internet of Things to a nonbeliever. That person may be a skeptical engineer who sees it all as marketing-speak or an acquaintance who isn’t entrenched into the manufacturing world. I do agree that there’s a degree of the IoT marketing bandwagon—where anything with a sensor attached to it claims to be the end-all. However, my overall argument is that the IoT (and connectivity in general) will continue to change things in the coming decade, and often in ways that we aren’t expecting.

One such case was presented to me at the recent Fluid Power Technology Conference, held on the Milwaukee School of Engineering campus. We’d invited Joe Maher of Danfoss Power Solutions as a keynote speaker. I knew from our phone conversations that Maher would be an engaging, fascinating speaker, but even some of his predictions caught me off guard.

One of his customers had an issue with “leakage” of cement in their cement trucks.

Customers were noticing that the amount of cement that got loaded into the transit mixer at the batch plant was considerably more than what ended up at the job site. Maher explained how (in a fictionalized version, to protect the customer) this can happen. In tracking all of the customer’s equipment, they could see how certain trucks didn’t follow the optimized GPS route from the batch plant to the job site. Instead, they detoured into a residential neighborhood. It looks like the operator was stopping at a buddy’s house first … free driveway, anyone?

An interesting solution—other than disciplining the offenders—can be to put a geofence around a desired area. A tie-in is placed between the control system and the server.

Basically, there’s a flag in the control program that is tied to the geofence. Now if that flag says true, it will allow that machine to discharge material. On the contrary, if that flag is false, for anything outside of the job site, the control program simply won’t let the operator discharge material.

The IoT has other interesting applications on the job site itself. Maher explained how they can monitor the performance and productivity of individual machines on that job site. There are known average efficiencies for a piece of machinery idling a percentage of the time or being used for a percentage of the time. What if a customer could watch that information on a regular basis and managing her work site accordingly?

Manufacturers are betting that the IoT will be able to give feedback on how the interconnections among components affect performance. That, combined with these bigger job site implications, will truly be a game changer in making industries— from construction to ag to mining—as efficient as possible. DW

Pa ul J. He n ey - Edi tor i al D i re ctor phe ney@wtwhme di a.com

On Twitter @ DW—Editor

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DESIGN WORLD

August 2017

8/7/17 3:15 PM

The Secret To Keeping Electronics Cool!

NEMA 12 Cabinet Coolers

The NEMA 12 Cabinet Coolers for large heat loads up to 5,600 Btu/hr. are ideal for PLCs, line control cabinets, CCTV cameras, modular control centers, etc.

A bad choice could cost you thousands!

Look Familiar?

When hot weather causes the electronics inside a control cabinet to fail, there is a panic to get the machinery up and running again. The operator might choose to simply open the panel door and aim a fan at the circuit boards. In reality, the fan ends up blowing a lot of hot, humid, dirty air at the electronics and the cooling effect is minimal.

If the machinery starts functioning again, the likelihood of repeated failure is great since the environment is still hot (and threatens permanent damage to the circuit boards).

Worse yet, that open panel door is an OSHA violation that presents a shock hazard to personnel.

• Measures 8" (203mm) high • Mounts top, side or bottom • Enclosure remains dust-tight and oil-tight

NEMA 4 and 4X Cabinet Coolers

NEMA 4 and 4X Cabinet Coolers for large heat loads up to 5,600 Btu/hr.

They are ideal for PLCs and modular controls.

• Enclosure remains dusttight, oil-tight and splash resistant • Suitable for wet locations where coolant spray or hose down can occur

Type 316 Stainless Steel Cabinet Coolers

Type 316 Stainless Steel Cabinet Coolers for NEMA 4X applications are available for heat loads up to 5,600 Btu/hr.

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The mini NEMA 12, 4 and 4X Cabinet Coolers for small heat loads up to 550 Btu/hr. are ideal for control panels, relay boxes, laser housings, and electronic scales.

High Temperature Cabinet Coolers for NEMA 12, 4 and 4X applications are available for heat loads in many capacities up to 5,600 Btu/hr.

NHP Cabinet Coolers keep a slight positive pressure on the enclosure to keep dirt from entering through small holes or conduits. For use in non-hazardous locations.

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• NEMA 12, 4 and 4X

“It took us three days to get a replacement computer cabinet and we didn’t want to risk another heat failure. Fans weren’t an option since they would just blow around a lot of hot air. Freon-type air conditioners like those on some of our other machines were a constant maintenance project of their own. We purchased EXAIR’s Model 4330 NEMA 12 Jeff Hauck, Lasercraft Inc. Cincinnati OH

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Cabinet Cooler System since it was easy to install and requires no maintenance.”

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8/7/17 10:31 AM

Te s c h l e r o n To p i c

Engineers and the fate of all plastics ever made A research paper made headlines recently when it claimed 79% of all plastics

enormous and sustained global growth in plastics production and use.”

The plastic packaging that authors made since the invention of polymer resins concern themselves with includes now reside in landfills or are scattered around polyethylene (PE), low-density and linear the landscape. All in all, the researchers figure low-density PE, polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylchloride (PVC), that we’ll be sitting on roughly 12,000 metric polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and tons of plastic waste by 2050. polyester, polyamide, and acrylic (PP&A) fibers. They say these seven groups account Engineers, of course, design the products for 92% of all plastics ever made. made from plastics. So it is disconcerting to Approximately 42% of all non-fiber realize that engineers could be put in the role plastics have been used for packaging, which of fall-guys for unleashing a plague of plastics is predominantly composed of PE, PP, and on humankind.

PET. The building and construction sector is To see whether this is a fair criticism, the next-biggest consumer, using 69% of we need to take a closer look at the research all PVC. findings. The paper appeared in the peer One point to note is that the vast review journal Science Advances. Authored majority of plastics in landfills aren’t the by researchers from UC Santa Barbara, the ones most design engineers work with.

University of Georgia, and the Sea Education Engineers are more likely to use engineering Association at Woods Hole, it looks at all plastics that go into products to replace wood mass-produced plastics but focuses primarily or metal. They include Nylon 6, polyamides, on those used as packaging materials. polycarbonates, polyimides, polyphenylene Most analyses of waste are annoying sulfide, and similar compounds. The in that they are generally preachy and researchers note that engineering plastics often have a thinly veiled agenda of nonhave a much longer lifetime than those that materialism. Thankfully, this one is not in go into packaging. Plastics for industrial that camp. The authors don’t judge anyone machinery have an average lifetime of for the mountain of plastics in landfills but about 20 years; plastics for packaging may only point out that we’d best think about be discarded less than a year after they’re “the environmental challenges posed by the made.

Of course, some plastics used in packaging get recycled. Researchers estimate the highest recycling rates in 2014 were in Europe (30%) and China (25%). In the U.S. plastic recycling has remained steady at 9% since 2012.

But researchers point out that plastics recycling delays, rather than avoids, their final disposal. And it is difficult to figure out how much manufacturing of primary plastic we avoid by recycling old stuff.

In a nutshell, the problem these researchers highlight is that there is currently no economical way to break down plastics into something usable that isn’t itself a plastic. However, there is one possibility the authors don’t consider: A review of history shows that for technology, where there is a will, there’s usually a way. So we should never discount the idea that landfills may eventually be viewed as storehouses of useful plastic material rather than as problems to be dealt with. DW

Le la n d Te sc h le r - Exec u t i ve Edi to r ltesc h ler@wtwh m edi a .co m

On Twitter @ DW—LeeTeschler

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August 2017

8/2/17 3:54 PM

Open-Circuit Piston Pumps

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MI32A38 Eaton | August | Design World.indd 1 Eaton 8-17 (Motion Industries).indd 7

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Te c h n o lo gy Fo r wa rd

At your service To prototype a design, or even to handle short-run production, you would probably need: • one or more subtractive machines (such as a mill, lathe, drill press, stamping press, etc.)

• at least one or more injection molding machines • at least one or more additive manufacturing machines (such as stereolithography, extrusion, multi-jetting, various material laser sintering systems, and so on) • materials for all the equipment you have That’s a lot of investment to handle one-offs, or short runs. But you would need all of this capability and flexibility because you don’t design just one type of part.

It would be nice if additivemanufacturing vendors, for example, could invent one additive system that handles three or four of the seven plus additive technologies, similar to machining centers that offer several subtractive processes in one “package.” But such a scenario is probably not going to happen with additive in the near future.

So, for the engineer who needs a prototype or short-run production, the best recourse is the service provider.

Service providers come in all sizes and capabilities. Some focus just on additive technologies. Some offer the three major legs of manufacturing—machining, injection molding, as well as three to seven or more additive technologies. In addition, many additive manufacturing vendors offer prototyping and short-run production services with theirs or others additive technologies—touting an additive agnostic approach.

One service provider is Proto Labs. In the Minneapolis facility, it offers machining and injection molding. In North Carolina, it offers additive manufacturing. I recently had a chance to tour the North Carolina plant.

At this plant, Proto Labs offers five additive technologies: stereolithography from 3D Systems, laser sintering from 3D Systems, direct metal laser sintering from Concept Laser, Polyjet from Stratasys, and HP’s multijet system.

One of the benefits of going with a service provider is that you have a better chance of working in the material your design needs. Even though many additive vendors encourage the use of materials specific to their systems, service providers often offer alternatives.

An interesting development the Proto Labs team is seeing is more requests for elastomeric materials. Notes Eric Utley, applications engineer, material flexibility is a big trend, especially in the medical and consumer products arenas.

But, even with all the benefits of additive manufacturing, drawbacks remain.

The body of knowledge on additive processes and materials is growing, but validation needs inhibit wider adoption of this technology.

Another issue is that additive manufacturing has a perception problem—the perception is that it should be easy to do. The reality is that additive is not as easy as portrayed.

And, the cost per part for additive is still not competitive with the cost per part for subtractive and injection molding—at least not competitive enough for additive to be used for anything more than high value, low-volume, custom, geometrically complex, one-off parts.

The labor cost per part is part of this issue as well.

Progress is being made on these drawbacks, however, with some of the recent additive system introductions. DW

Le sli e La n gn a u - M a n ag i n g Edi to r lla n g n a u @wtwh m edi a .co m

On Twitter @ DW—3Dprinting

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» Gree n E n g i n e e ri n g

Getting your bio-terminology right

n Paul J. Heney • Editorial Director

In the thrust to be more green, many companies may make

Advantages include:

the mistake of mislabeling some key terms, especially when dealing with plastic materials. Bioplastics are often labeled as biobased, biodegradable or compostable—or some combination of these. However, there are some distinct differences between classifications. Furthermore, each has some unique advantages, so it’s key to have your terminology down before delving into your next design project.

• Reduces reliance on non-renewable petroleum based feedstocks • Can help to reduce greenhouse gases by as much as to 35% • Increases the value of agricultural byproducts, helping farmers and rural economies • While traditionally used in single-use products, new technology and designs allow for durable goods

Biobased plastics

Biobased plastics are made from renewable resources, such as corn, potatoes, rice, soy, sugarcane, wheat, and vegetable oil—as opposed to non-renewable petroleum-based resources. Biobased plastics are made by creating plastic polymers from these materials, through either chemical or biological processes. Some examples are polylactic acid (PLA), derived from starch; polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), derived through microbial synthesis; and biobased polyethylene (bioPE), produced from sugar cane.

In the United States, the USDA Biopreferred Program promotes products with renewable content by certifying them as biobased. The program uses ASTM’s D6866 standard for measuring the percentage of biobased content by measuring the presence of Carbon-14 in the material. This test can differentiate between renewably sourced carbon and carbon sourced from non-renewable petroleum.

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While biobased materials can be biodegradable or compostable, not all of them are. And, not all biodegradable plastics are biobased.

Biodegradable plastics Biodegradable plastic degrades through exposure to naturally occurring microorganisms. When classifying a plastic as a biodegradable, the environment and timeframe must be specified—otherwise the claim is rendered pointless due to an array of variations. While all organic matter will eventually biodegrade (including traditional petroleum-based plastics), the rate of biodegradation can vary on an exponential scale.

The plastics we commonly call biodegradable are designed to biodegrade in specific environments—marine environments, sunlight, soil, industrial composting facilities and backyard home compost.

www.designworldonline.com

8/2/17 4:08 PM

» Gre e n Engi neeri ng

In the U.S., plastics labeled compostable are designed to degrade in an industrial composting environment at a similar rate to other known compostable materials without leaving visual or toxic residue. To be classified as compostable, the plastic is tested according to ASTM’s D6400 test protocols. Plastic is placed in a controlled composting test and must disintegrate to no more than 10% of the original dry weight after 84 days; 90% of the organic carbon must convert to carbon dioxide within 180 days, contain less than 50% of the maximum allowable concentrations of certain heavy metals and the compost must be able to support germination of two different plant species at a rate of 90% in a control sample. European agencies have created standards for home composting as well; however, to date these standards have not been adopted by the American Society for Testing and Materials.

It’s important to note that just because a compostable material is used for a product doesn’t mean the product will meet these standards. Rate of degradation will vary depending upon the thickness of the product.

Advantages include: • Suitable for packaging and single-use applications • Increases productivity in horticultural applications • Reduces plastic litter in marine environments • Decreases organic material going to a landfill

Where to use what?

Traditionally, biobased plastics were focused on single-use items, such as plastic bottles or utensils. Recently, companies have developed better performing biobased materials to be used in a wider range of durable applications,

from automotive and furniture to construction and toys.

Compostable plastics have seen the most use in packaging, food serviceware and agricultural mulch films. Plastic utensils, plates and containers using compostable plastics means the food serviceware can be discarded and composted along with the food waste. Agricultural mulch films are used to cover seedlings and decrease water, herbicide and pesticide use. The film doesn’t have to be removed or disposed since it is soil degradable.

While biobased materials and biodegradable plastics have many differences in composition, development and usage, they can offer distinct advantages over traditional petroleum-based plastics. DW USDA’s Biopreferred Program | biopreferred.gov/BioPreferred

1.800.933.4915 www.designworldonline.com

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Co ntent s |

August 2017 • vol 12 no 8

|

designworldonline.com

RoboticsWorld August 2 017

F E AT U R E S

64

70

MOTION CONTROL Condition monitoring with PC-based control With more machine controls being PC-based, integrated condition monitoring is an alternative to stand-alone solutions.

82

LINEAR MOTION Basics of can-stack linear actuators Can-stack linear actuators are one type of stepper-motor design that converts rotary to linear motion with a built-in leadscrew. Here we explore the difference between captive and non-captive can-stack actuators and where each excels.

MECHANICAL How air bearings improve scanning performance Air bearings are common in scanning applications. Scanning involves moving either a workpiece or an optic at a constant velocity, while a reading or writing operation takes place.

Such operations include printing and image-setting (writing) and imaging (reading). While the physical act of writing an image or capturing an image differ by application and industry, all such applications share a common requirement – maintaining a constant velocity.

The Robot Report The Robot Report Cover 8-17_Vs1.indd 48

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48-62

A supplement of Design World August 2017

Automaker improves workflow with 3D Printing

102

96

90 What’s new in the shift

Laser sintered parts

to additive production?

take flight

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August 2017

76

3D CAD The self-taught design system Just where will artificial intelligence fit in with CAD software? Here’s a look at where developments stand now, and a preview of what might be coming.

Aerospace FINAL COVER_Vs2 8-17.indd 106

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106-126 ON THE COVER Photo: istockphoto

ON THE COVER The Drive PX 2 AI supercomputing platform from Nvidia operates this self-driving racecar that will compete in the Roborace Championship. | photo courtesy of Nvidia

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CONTENTS AUGUST 2017_first page_Vs4.LL.indd 12

August 2017

A | S | B | P|E

A | S | B | P|E

American Society of Business Publication Editors

American Society of Business Publication Editors

Fostering B2B editorial excellence

2017 Regional

Fostering B2B editorial excellence

2017 Regional

PR INT

DESIGN

Revenue of over $3 million

Revenue of over $3 million

Award Winner

Award Winner

8/9/17 12:02 PM

170630_Test3_EEW_US.indd 1 Digi-Key 8-17.indd 13

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The best temperature control valve you’ve never heard of

8. 20 17 D E PA R T M E N T S 4 Insights 6 Teschler on Topic 8 Technology Forward 10 Green Engineering

Every valve in our highly versatile product suite uses an innovative phase change paraffin wax that accurately expands and contracts to control temperature and flow.

Self-actuating fluid temperature control technology has its benefits

16 Design For Industry 22 Design Notes 32 Internet of Things 38 CAE Solutions

• Uniform fluid temperature in industrial or commercial applications

47 Sensor Notes

• Protects personnel and valuable equipment from exposure to thermal extremes

128 Product World

• Replaces externally powered valves and actuators

136 Ad Index

• Simplifies and reduces system components • Reduces maintenance and operating costs It’s simple. As the world leader in self-actuated temperature control solutions, we pride ourselves on the high-quality manufacturing process, problem-solving approach and innovative engineering techniques used to produce self-actuated valves and custom products where no effective solution currently exists.

Visit our website for an interactive timeline of ThermOmegaTech’s 30+ years of fluid temperature control innovation at www.ThermOmegaTech.com/solved.

(877) 379-8258 THE WORLD LEADER IN SELF-ACTUATED TEMPERATURE CONTROL SOLUTIONS 14

Contents AUGUST 2017_second page_Vs2.LL.indd 14

DESIGN WORLD

August 2017

8/2/17 4:35 PM

Follow the whole team on twitter @DesignWorld EDITORIAL

DESIGN & PRODUCTION SERVICES

Editorial Director Paul J. Heney pheney@wtwhmedia.com @dw_editor Managing Editor Leslie Langnau llangnau@wtwhmedia.com @dw_3dprinting Executive Editor Leland Teschler lteschler@wtwhmedia.com @dw_leeteschler

Senior Editor Miles Budimir mbudimir@wtwhmedia.com @dw_motion Senior Editor Lisa Eitel leitel@wtwhmedia.com @dw_lisaeitel Senior Editor Mary Gannon mgannon@wtwhmedia.com @dw_marygannon Associate Editor Mike Santora msantora@wtwhmedia.com @dw_mikesantora

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Design for Industry | m e d i c a l

Shifting to threads delivers better performance for ejector When working with a patient, the last thing a dentist or dental hygienist should worry about is the saliva ejector. But if a lever gets bumped, an adapter is dropped, or a straw pops out of place, time and focus are drawn away from the patient to fix the issue.

SecureTip is a manufacturer of disposable, locking saliva ejectors. One of the company’s designs uses a threaded straw that screws into the ejector adapter, rather than using friction for insertion and ejection. This design, however, had inconsistencies in straw fit and the lever to control suction was loose.

To redesign its adapter, SecureTip turned to Specialty Dental, a division of The Specialty Mfg. Co. formerly known as Marr Valve Company, for its expertise in precision-machined valves and components for the dental industry.

The Specialty Dental engineering team chose a design from its adapter line that could be customized to accommodate SecureTip’s unique threaded straw tip. This threading was paramount to a wellfitting and smooth connection of straw and adapter.

The adapter’s threads are perfectly aligned with the straw, so clinicians can easily attach the two in a matter of moments.

The tight tolerance of the valve helps hold the vacuum that’s required for sanitary saliva ejection.

The adapter is built from anodized aluminum to seal pores so the device can stand up to autoclaves while maintaining its lightweight sturdiness. Curving the on/off lever around the adapter body eliminates the chance it can be bumped out of place. The lever controls the suction and flow with an internal spool, while two Viton O-rings offer a tight, no-leak seal. DW The Specialty Mfg. Co. | specialtymfg.com/dental

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8/2/17 4:38 PM

Design for Industry | material handling/conveying

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The Narrow Belt Sorter can be implemented in many configurations to accommodate the specific requirements of an application. It can sort loads to both the left and right sides using the perpendicular transfer at a 90° angle. The pop-up wheel diverter can sort loads to the left or the right at a 30° angle. The Belt Sorter can operate at rates up to 50 cartons per minute with the perpendicular transfer and up to 115 cartons per minute with the pop-up wheel diverter.

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Design for Industry | s a f e t y

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Unlike traditional safety light curtains based on pre-defined transmitter and receiver units, this next-generation light curtain system has a patented transceiver design that uses plug-in modules to establish each unit’s function as a transmitter or receiver. Once powered up, the transceiver learns its functionality from the plug-in module.Â

Five-pin plug-ins are available for basic on/off function, while eight-pin plug-ins provide manual and auto restart with external device monitoring (EDM). To further simplify setup, advanced function settings are configured through dual in-line package (DIP) switches located on the plug-in module.

It is suitable for hand and finger detection, and offered in a range of protective heights. The light curtain system is also equipped with an active protective field that senses the entire length of the transceiver.

This feature reduces the inactive sensing areas that generally appear at the top and bottom of other light curtains.Â

Unlike traditional light curtain systems, the active sensing field and compact design allow customers to install the GuardShield 450L light curtain system inside a machine frame as opposed to outside or on the machine. Additionally, flexible mounting kits and built-in alignment indication allow for quick, trouble-free installation. DW Â Rockwell Automation | Rockwell Automation Inc.

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Design for Industry | o f f - s h o r e

Seal addresses lubrication needs of wind turbine bearings

The wind industry has evolved into a sophisticated, viable resource. With an additional 54 GW (gigawatts) of wind power added in 2016, nearly 500 GW of installed power worldwide and a projected annual growth rate of 11% in coming years, wind plant operators are becoming a leading source of clean, renewable energy for countries throughout the world.

With this growth comes an increase in size and performance demands of wind turbines and related components. Rotors with 180-meter diameters are no longer a rarity. Recently a Danish manufacturer upgraded its largest 8 MW turbine to 9.5 MW. Thus, the industry is constantly entering new territory at the level of components with increasing dimensions and loads.

Real size test stands can ensure reliable data and reduce the time required for certification and validation. There are only a few of them so far, so most testing still takes place directly in the gondola of the turbine.

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8/2/17 4:40 PM

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Design for Industry | o f f - s h o r e

The change to larger diameters is creating a challenge to bearing lubrication. The challenge is caused when the consistency of grease changes during the operation of large bearings. When this grease gets pasty, firmer areas slide below the sealing lip causing the lip to float and the irreversible process of leakage begins. To prevent this, the sealing lip must be pre-tensioned in a defined manner. Paradoxically, even the strongest of the used ring springs typically no longer help.

The radial force component of such springs, which is required for the pre-stressing, goes towards zero as the diameter grows.

The Merkel Seventomatic seal addresses these concerns. It combines the special design of a seal for tunnel boring machines with the advantages of a classic radial shaft seal. Timeintensive tests can be eliminated through the use of innovative tools, robust design and the company’s own validation methods.

The seal allows variant sealing towards the outside, enabling new design options for windpower applications.

As the ever-increasing requirements of the windpower industry continue to evolve, Freudenberg recognizes the importance of optimally sealing grease-lubricated large bearings. Leak-free performance through a uniform pressure force of the sealing lip, with the help of a vulcanized-in meander spring (and the simple cutting and joining of the new seal on site in the event of maintenance), meet the wind industry’s needs for reliability and planning security. DW

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» D e s i g n N o te s

Edited by: Leslie Langnau • Managing Editor

Simulation software and 3D printing optimize agriculture bogey chassis ts an agricultural A bogey chassis connec transport the tool harrows to a truck axle to The original welded from the farm to the field. kg and had a welding construction weighed 245 king it very complex seam length of 16.5 m, ma To reduce costs and and production-intensive. re stable and lighter, make the component mo optimisation software engineers used topology a design that was “Inspire” by Altair to create could also be cast. suitable for the load and

There is unrelenting progress in the evolution of harrows, which farmers drag along the ground with a tractor to break up the soil and prepare it for sowing seeds. Manufacturers are constantly striving to make the equipment more stable, durable and also lighter in order to, for example, adhere to the permitted axle loads when driving on the road. Among them is Amazone, a family business from Hasbergen, near Osnabrück in Germany, which produces the Catros compact disc harrow with a bogey chassis. This is a towed device that is fixed to a tractor and can be used in different configurations. The compact disc harrow is used for shallow and intensive soil cultivation for a working depth of up to 15 centimetres.

The CAD software creates a cast design according to a lightweight construction 22

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The bogey chassis connects the device to the axle to enable the device to be transported from the farm to the field. The original welded construction had a weight of 245 kg and a welding seam length of 16.5 m, making it very complex and production-intensive. In order to reduce costs and make the component more stable and lighter, Amazone decided to replace the bogey chassis with a cast component.

Using the topology optimisation software “Inspire” by Altair, the Amazone development team was able to create a design that was suitable for the load and could also be cast.

www.designworldonline.com

8/3/17 11:42 AM

Due to t he mate rials bein distribu g ted in a m anner su for the a itable mount o f force, th bogey ch e cast assis is o ver 45 kg than the li ghter welded c ompone nt.

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Considerably lighter, more stable and more durable Due to the materials being distributed in a manner suitable for the amount of force, the cast bogey chassis is over 45 kg lighter than the welded component. With this saving in weight, the shape is reminiscent of tree structure or bird bones. At the same time, the new design ensures a 272% longer service life, because the design avoids the variations in rigidity in the cast component compared to the welding component. In order to guarantee the material quality, the experts at Altair have also simulated the flow of metal during the casting process with the Inspire software. In this way, they were able to reduce the risk of internal defects caused by trapped gases before the actual casting process, and therefore optimise the quality of cast parts. Sebastian Kluge from Amazone says: “Thanks to the optimised design of the cast construction which is suitable for the load, for the third evolution stage of the rear swing arm, it was possible to increase the service life by 2.5 times whilst also reducing the weight by approx. 18% compared to the welding component. The creation of the sand-casting mould using 3D printing makes it possible to quickly source prototype components and therefore significantly reduce development times.

For complex structures: Design freedom and 300 dpi resolution with the 3D printer First of all, voxeljet converted the CAD file of the component into a negative CAD file to digitally represent the four-part casting mould. The workers then fed this data into the 3D system. Then the printing began.

Here, a so-called coater spreads the printing material (quartz sand) onto the construction platform. Then the print head moves over the platform and binds the grains of sand together with a binding agent – depending on the geometry of the object in the CAD file. For this, the print head August 2017

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works with a resolution of 300 dpi. While the construction platform itself remains static, the coater and print head move their working height gradually upwards by 300 micrometres until the casting mould is complete.

Once the printing procedure has finished, the workers remove the side walls of the construction platform that were printed with the component and remove any misprinted quartz sand. This leaves the casting mould, which can be used straight away.

The foundry (Pro Cast Guss from Gütersloh) gives the casting mould just one coating – the barrier layer between sand and metal, which protects the casting mould from thermal stress. Despite all of this, the shape is lost after the casting – just as with traditional casting moulds (sand-casting moulds). It is destroyed after the core of the cast bogey chassis is removed. Thanks to the previous Click2Cast computer simulation for casting, the cast material flows perfectly into the original size the first time.

Saving time with 3D printing Manufacturing casting moulds for such a complex component is generally time-consuming – partly because complex specialist tools are required. For this reason, Altair re-thought the 24

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being materials Due to the ner suitable d in a man distribute , the cast unt of force o m a e th r fo kg lighter is is over 45 ss a ch y e g bo onent. elded comp than the w

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August 2017

options and decided to use the VX4000 by voxeljet – a 3D printing system with an installation space of 4000 x 2000 x 1000 millimetres. “This is the largest industrial 3D printer in the world for sand-casting molds,” says Tobias King, Director Marketing & Application at voxeljet. “Because the complexity of the component does not affect the cost of the 3D printing, even difficult geometric shapes can be created at a low cost.” DW Voxeljet | Voxeljet.com Altair | Altair.com

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8/3/17 11:45 AM

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» D e s i g n N o te s

Edited by: Mike Santora • Associate Editor

The sound of light: rotary servo table helps with 3D imaging Optoacoustic tomography (OAT) is a technique for generating high-resolution images of biological tissue that scatters light waves, typically biological tissue.

OAT systems create these images with pulses of dark red light that have a maximum duration of 50 nanoseconds. These pulses heat the tissue and cause it to expand launching ultrasound wave, a phenomenon known scientifically as an optoacoustic effect. This thermo-elastic expansion produces high-

Right: Volum etric image o f the breast ta ken from clinic al breast imagin g system Left: Section of the breast image showin g a tumor and the vasculature be ing recruited by the tumor

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frequency acoustic or ultrasonic waves that the imaging scanner detects and uses to create an image with computational methods such as filtered back-projection. OAT is unaffected by the scattering of photons, allowing it to take highresolution images of deep biological tissue.

Scientists at Tomowave Laboratories use technologies based on light and sound to make imaging systems for the healthcare industry.

These technologies use optoacoustic and laser ultrasonic methods to produce modalities such as laser optoacoustic ultrasonic imaging system, which uses pulses of laser light with a dark red color.

Biological tissue absorbs this light, causing it to heat-up by a fraction of one degree.

The resulting temperature increase causes an increase in pressure, which generates ultrasonic (optoacoustic) waves. The imaging scanner uses arrays of transducers to measure these ultrasound waves at different locations to

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» D e s ig n N o tes

generate images of internal tissue of different human and animal organs, such as breast or prostate. These systems listen to the sound of light, allowing doctors to detect and diagnose cancer and other conditions.

Recently, engineers at Tomowave developed a system that combines light and sound to generate three-dimensional images of tissue submerged in the imaging module, primarily the tissue of small animals used for research purposes and development of new contrast agents or therapeutic methods.

This system’s imaging module uses a 360-degree rotation to generate three-dimensional images.

Preclinical research systems rotate the object of study, while the module itself rotates in systems used in clinical settings such as breast imaging systems.

Noninvasive breast imaging systems apply the same technology to produce three-dimensional volumetric optoacoustic images and stacks of two-dimensional ultrasonic images, allowing for image co-registration.

These systems produce scans at different wavelengths in minutes with minimal patient discomfort. Custom software processes the volumetric data according to the specific items of interest, which may include hemoglobin content, oxygen saturation and vasculature visualization.

The imaging system uses a PSR180UT low profile rotary servo table from IntelLiDrives to rotate the imaging module at precise constant speed, which is programmed in advance.

A real-time servo controls and continuous precision encoder output provide synchronization of the image capture with the motor’s position, which allows Tomowave engineers to reconstruct captured images in three dimensions. DW IntelliDrives | intellidrives.com

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August 2017

Design Notes 8-17_Vs5.MS.LL.indd 29

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» D e s i g n N o te s

Edited by: Mike Santora • Associate Editor

Plastic bearings replace metal in throttle valves

trofit r has been re The iglide ca areas e bearings in lid ig 6 5 h it w ear shift, alternator, g e th g in d u incl vertible ulators, con window reg and more. top, pedals,

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Before sending an orange customized car on a 60,000 mile world tour, igus replaced 56 of the car’s standard parts with iglide plastic bearings, including one bearing in the throttle valve. The throttle takes the place of a carburetor on newer vehicles, and works by directly regulating the amount of air able to enter the engine, indirectly controlling the engine’s charge (the combination of fuel and air).

In the throttle valve, a combination aluminum/plastic bearing from an unknown manufacturer was stripped out, and retrofit with a standard X6 bushing. The X6 material is resistant against high temperatures, and has a lifetime 6 times longer than its predecessor, iglide T500, in high temperature applications.

The X6 bearing is able to withstand the long-term application temperatures that a bearing would experience inside the throttle valve. The material is resistant to temperatures of up to 482ºF, and short term application temperatures of 599º are possible. Extremely low temperature applications are also possible with X6, as low as -148º - much lower than any car would typically encounter. The X6 material also has up to 50% better press-fit with higher temperatures, meaning that it is resistant to relaxation up to 329ºF. At this point, the bearing should be www.designworldonline.com

8/3/17 11:48 AM

SEAL and

DELIVER

Before sending an orange customized car on a 60,000 mile world tour, igus replaced 56 of the car’s standard parts with iglide plastic bearings, including one bearing in the throttle valve.

axially secured, whereas iglide T500 must be secured at 275ºF. All plastics will relax once they reach a certain temperature, meaning they will shrink down to the size of the space they are pressed into.

The X6 material is also resistant against a number of caustic materials, most importantly the gasoline and diesel fuels that the throttle comes into constant contact with, and it also possesses a very low moisture absorption rate to minimize the risk of the bearing swelling and eliminating necessary clearance. The X6 has low wear and friction characteristics, and is self-lubricating and maintenance-free thanks to the materials inclusion of tiny particles of solid lubricant that coat the shaft as friction occurs.

In this particular application, the bearing in the throttle valve moves in an oscillating fashion against the partner pin which is made from steel. The function of the bearing is to provide the rotational movement of the throttle valve mechanism. The X6 material has been extensively tested in a variety of real-life application settings. The results from these tests have been compiled into an extensive database, which was used to create a lifetime prediction calculator.

Last year, 200 million iglide bearings were installed in cars and trucks, and now igus is truly putting them to the test. The iglide car has been retrofit with 56 iglide

bearings in areas including the alternator, gear shift, window regulators, convertible top, pedals, and more.

Starting in India, the car will be shipped across oceans, then drive across countries, stopping along the way at igus customers, subsidiaries, partners, and trade shows, connecting igus worldwide. Starting in Anchorage, Alaska, it will begin its journey from ocean to ocean on a ten-week North American tour before continuing on to Europe. The tour ends in Germany at the Hannover K Trade Fair, where the car will be stripped down to see how the bearings fared their worldwide journey. DW Igus | igus.com

August 2017

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I nter net of Things

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Tips on developing mobile apps in ..... .. hazardous-area applications The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) connects people, machines, plants, logistics, products, processes, and systems.

Mobile devices and smart HMI systems form the cornerstone of this new industrial age. But a lessor known advantage of the IoT emerges with digital and mobile solutions integrated with industrial processes, especially those in hazardous environments.

With its intrinsically safe mobile devices, ecom instruments - a part of the Pepperl+Fuchs Group since 2016 -- helps companies in hazardous-areas take advantage of mobile apps to get the most out of the IIoT.

The advantages include: 1 Better collaborative workWith intrinsically safe 4G/LTE smartphones and tablets, certified up to Division 1 and Zone 1/21, employees can use industry applications in hazardous areas.

One example app is video conferencing on mobile wireless devices.

This use opens up new methods of communication for documentation, remote diagnostics, and maintenance in hazardous areas. During maintenance, a mobile worker can stream video directly from the hazardous area to experts at the control center or anywhere else who provide diagnosis and repair advice.

Further, with Push-to-Talk applications, smartphones or tablets can be interconnected with existing radio infrastructure such as LMR, Tetra, or DMR to share and receive real-time information on assets.

2 Better decisions Getting the most out of the IIoT requires a high level of information density along the entire decision-making chain. An example of this is mobile dashboards. The data on these dashboards help identify trends for better decisions.

Planning apps integrated into ERP systems, for example, can record on the mobile device which process steps and tasks were completed, how much time was needed, and what materials were used. These data are automatically transmitted to the ERP system.

3 Data capture redefined Data are uploaded directly to third party applications, eliminating the need for mobile workers to manually read in results in the field or back at the office. ecom’s CamScan Keyboard application is an example of such an application.

Such an application eliminates inconsistent descriptions which often cause confusion and waste time. Data can also be scanned directly into input fields of various applications, minimizing free-hand text and the potential for error.

The ecom App Library provides more than 200 useful apps tested by application engineers for use in hazardous areas. They let companies take advantage of proven technology in new scenarios to streamline workflows and improve the way assets are operated and managed. DW Pepperl+Fuchs | pepperl-fuchs.com

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8/7/17 10:08 AM

I nte r net o f T hings

HMI touch panels with built-in Ethernet Two C-more Micro touch panels display text, graphics, and bitmaps to effectively communicate critical HMI data to the operator.

The EA3-S3ML C-more 3 in. Micro touch panel has a 3.1-in. STN LCD monochrome display and twelve selectable LED-driven backlight colors.

It features a 128 x 64 pixel display, and five user-defined function keys with red LED indicators. The panel can display up to 10 lines by 32 characters of static text and up to 10 lines by 21 characters of dynamic text with embedded variables and phrases mixed with graphics.

The EA3-T4CL C-more 4 in. Widescreen Micro touch panel has a 4.3-in. TFT LCD 480 x 272 pixel display (WQVGA) and a palette of 32K colors for customizing objects, screen backgrounds and displaying bitmap graphics. This 4-in. widescreen panel has a built-in Alarm Control setup that activates beep, backlight flash, customized alarm banner, and red LED blinking.

Both the 3-in. and 4-in. touch panels have two serial communications ports, one micro-USB programming port and one built-in RJ45 Ethernet port.

These Micro panels are powered from a Class 2, 12-24 Vdc power supply and can also receive power from the serial communications port of most PLCs or through the USB port when connected to a PC for programming. These new panels are programmed using the free downloadable EA-MG-PGMSW programming software.

The panels are NEMA 4/4X and IP65 rated (for indoor use only) and are backed by a full two-year warranty. DW AutomationDirect | automationdirect.com/C-more-micro

August 2017

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I nter net of Things

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Wirelessly connect machinery The NPort IAW5000A-6I/O is an enterprise-scale, out-of-the-box unit that

integrates an RS-232/422/485 serial device server, a Wi-Fi client/bridge, and multiple digital I/Os. It lets users wirelessly connect machinery to an IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n network for the collection, remote monitoring, and analyzing of real-time visual insights on machine performance to ensure optimal manufacturing performance.

Its versatility offers advantages. Any RS-232/422/485 serial or Ethernet device in the field can be linked to a wireless device. In addition, its multiple digital I/Os make it suitable for industrial data acquisition. It supports baud rates between 50 and 921.6 kbps.

With legacy serial CNC machines, the NPort IAW5000A-6I/O can be actively monitored to acquire data with Ethernet and wireless communications. The space-saving 3-in-1 design makes the NPort IAW5000A-6I/O suitable for refurbishment of older machinery, which typically have space limitations, especially when a variety of machines have already been installed.

A major threat thwarted by the NPort IAW5000A-6I/O is damage from power surges. It offers 4 kV surge protection for serial lines to protect electrical devices from voltage spikes and to damp out electrical noise. DW Moxa | moxa.com/nport-io

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2500

APPLICATIONS Pulser circuits Laser and X-ray generators High-voltage power supplies High-voltage test equipment Capacitor discharge circuits AC switches

IC25 TC=25°C (A)

IC110 TC=110°C (A)

VCE(sat) max TJ=25°C (V)

Configuration

Package Style

36 36 40 58 108 120 178 29 29 28 35 70 70 95 95 95

10 10 16 24 30 50 50 8 8 12 16 38 40 25 25 25

3.8 3.8 3.8 4 3.7 3.7 3.7 4 4 4.5 4 4 4 4 4 4

Single Copacked Copacked Single Copacked Copacked Single Single Copacked Copacked Single Copacked Single Single Copacked Copacked

TO-247 TO-247 TO-247 TO-247 PLUS247™ SOT-227 PLUS247™ TO-247 TO-247HV TO-247HV TO-247 ISOPLUS i5-Pak™ TO-247PLUS-HV TO-268HV PLUS247™ TO-247PLUS-HV

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I nte r net o f T hings

..................................... ........................... ................... ..............

EtherNet/IP connectivity to ......... ...... ... . IO-Link devices The CTEU-EP universal interface module makes EtherNet/IP connectivity low cost and plug and play for IO-Link devices and valve terminals. The CTEU-EP is ODVA conformant and a Rockwell Encompass referenced product.

For flexibility, OEMs can integrate IO-Link devices such as pressure and flow sensors, RFID readers, and light stacks along with a valve terminal with up to 64 solenoid coils. With a splitter, two-valve terminals can be served.

Features of the CTEU-EP include: • Simple plug and work commissioning • Flexible configurations of valve terminals with up to 64 solenoid coils • Compatible with five different Festo valve families • Fail safe mode that holds last state in case of network fault • Diagnostics on board • Rated to IP65 and IP67 The CTEU-EP connects to a range of Festo valve terminals, including VTUG, VTUB, MPA-L, VTOC, and CPV. In harsh environment applications, CTEU-EP can interface EtherNet/IP to the MPA-C IP69K rated valve terminal. CTEU-EP is also compatible with other Festo products such as the CTSL input module, SDAT cylinder position transmitter, OVEM vacuum generator, VPPM pressure regulator, CMMO-LK stepper motor controller, and to a number of pressure sensors.

The CTEU family of universal interface modules is compatible with other leading fieldbuses, including DeviceNet, Modbus TCP, EtherCAT, ProfibusDP, Profinet, CANopen, and CC-Link. In addition, CTEU modules can be connected via CANopen to Festo CPX-CEC front end control. DW Festo | festo.us

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

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It offers integrated and diverse connectivity options in a compact Pico-ITX form factor (100 mm x 72 mm) and meets IEC 60068-2-1 standards for industrial operating temperature and rugged shock/vibration performance. It offers integrated wired and wireless connectivity through dual 10/100 Mbit Ethernet networking, pre-certified dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac networking, Bluetooth 4.2 with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) as well as optional cellular capabilities and Digi XBee socket support for a broad line of Digi XBee RF modules for 802.15.4, ZigBee, Thread, DigiMesh, and sub-GHz wireless connectivity. Additional features such as 4 GB of eMMC flash for data logging and storage applications and an array of peripheral/interface options offer more design integration flexibility. DW

The M5 ser ies pressure transducer from Keller offers outstanding perfor mance in a ver y compact package. At only Ø6.2 mm, the M5 provides reliable pressure measurement up to 30 bar at temperatures up to 200°C. Combined with excellent media compatibilit y and dynamic response up to 50 kHz, the Keller M5 is an ideal solution for static and dynamic applications where size and perfor mance matter.

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Bruce Jenkins • Ora Research

Better model-based systems engineering

ModelCenter Plug-In for Maple and MapleSim automates functional verification of a system design against SysML-captured design requirements.

Maplesoft’s just-released MapleMBSE, designed to help engineers create, maintain and validate product requirements efficiently and with fewer errors, is a technological breakthrough that for the first time lets engineering organizations adopt a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach to requirements management without forcing every engineer on the project to be an expert in complex MBSE tools.

Using an Excel-based interface, MapleMBSE makes collaboration on requirements accessible to all project stakeholders, not just the MBSE tool experts, and provides streamlined interfaces for each task in the MBSE project. This enables and fosters system-wide collaboration on the project, while slashing the time and errors almost always associated with conventional, complex MBSE tool usage.

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Key advantages: • Intuitive, Excel-based interface for easily entering system definitions without having to go through a complex MBSE tool.

• Automatic population of information into the MBSE tool, translating the engineer’s inputs into system structures, behaviors, requirements and constraints.

• Integration with standard SysML-based MBSE platforms such as IBM Rational Rhapsody, No Magic MagicDraw and others.

• Rapid impact analysis of design changes to test for conflicting requirements, all within the intuitive MapleMBSE environment.

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MapleMBSE enables and fosters system-wide project collaboration while slashing the time and errors associated with conventional MBSE tool usage.

• Optimized tool views for common MBSE tasks such as requirements, failure mode and effects analysis, tradeoff studies and structure analysis.

• Simple interfaces designed to reduce many common errors that occur when using MBSE tools directly.

• Customized implementations provided by Maplesoft Engineering Solutions experts to ensure that MapleMBSE is tailored to the user organization’s exact MBSE process.

Four-fold speedup, four-fold reduction in errors “There is no doubt MapleMBSE saves valuable time,” said Nissan Motor Company General Manager Masaaki Kubo. “When we compared MapleMBSE with another MBSE tool and measured the time it took to perform common operations, we found MapleMBSE allowed our engineers to complete these tasks four times faster than with the other tool. MapleMBSE has a friendly and effective user interface which enabled Nissan engineers from many different disciplines, including mechanical, electronic and electrical engineers, to quickly learn the tool and perform tasks very easily.”

“MBSE tools offer organizations tremendous value in how they keep a tight connection to requirements in every phase of the project; however, they are notoriously difficult to use,” says Maplesoft COO and Chief Scientist Dr. Laurent Bernardin. “Research published during the development of MapleMBSE shows that the use of MapleMBSE

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New connector MapleMBSE’s launch follows a technologically separate but thematically related development by Maplesoft and Phoenix Integration of a new plugin that lets engineers easily incorporate Maple and MapleSim into Phoenix Integration’s ModelCenter workflow integration and automation platform. The plugin lets engineers take advantage of the reduced risk, improved designs and shorter development times available from using Maplesoft’s engineering tools, along with the inherent efficiencies available from a process integration platform.

MapleSim, an advanced system-level modeling and simulation tool, enables engineers to take advantage of modern techniques in modeling and simulation.

Maple is a powerful math software tool for mathematical computations and explorations.

ModelCenter is a vendor-neutral software framework for creating and automating multitool workflows, optimizing product designs, and sharing engineering data and knowledge.

It is used by leading organizations worldwide to reduce development costs, improve engineering efficiency, stimulate innovation, and design more competitive products. The new connector makes it easy to bring Maple August 2017

CAE Solutions 8-17_Vs6.LL.indd 39

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resulted in a four-fold reduction in errors compared to a standard MBSE tool, and the elimination of complex, difficult-to-correct errors. It’s a practical tool with a quick rampup time that makes system engineering easier.”

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Maple 2017 provides numerous improvements in mathematical power, visualizations and deployment options.

and MapleSim into ModelCenter so they can be seamlessly incorporated into the ModelCenter-based engineering workflow.

A powerful application of this connector is functional verification of a system design by automatically testing MapleSim models against design requirements from MBSE software tools such as IBM Rational Rhapsody, No Magic MagicDraw and others. Engineers can directly connect the parametric design constraints, which are derived by the MBSE tool, to multidisciplinary system simulations in MapleSim. When a change is made to the system parameters, ModelCenter calls MapleSim to run a simulation using the new parameter set.

ModelCenter then checks the simulated results against the design constraints and generates a report of the compliance test

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» CA E S o lu tions

results. Any constraint failures are flagged, allowing the design team to make the necessary design changes very early in development.

Other applications include using MapleSim and Maple for design space explorations, optimization, and development projects based on executable requirements, all inside ModelCenter.

“By incorporating Maple and MapleSim in ModelCenter using this new plugin, our customers will be able to reduce manual effort and increase the efficiency of many aspects of their development workflow,” said Maplesoft vice president of engineering solutions Paul Goossens.

“Maple and MapleSim make great additions to the collection of engineering tools that can be integrated into ModelCenter,” said Phoenix Integration director of technical business development Scott Ragon. “They offer valuable benefits for modeling, simulation, analysis, and calculation management that customers can now take advantage of inside their standard ModelCenter workflow.”

The connector can be freely downloaded from the Maplesoft web site. Maplesoft products can also be integrated with other process integration platforms such as Optimus from Noesis Solutions.

Maple 2017 Finally, Maplesoft unveiled a major new release of its flagship product, Maple, a mathematical software package that makes it easy to analyze, explore, visualize and solve math problems. The result of over 30 years’ development, Maple has long offered comprehensive mathematical coverage and extensive usability features, but through continuous development efforts, the latest release delivers many useful improvements.

As ever, there are constant improvements in the mathematical engine, implementing new algorithms and adding more flexibility and efficiency to existing ones. New abilities include finding exact solutions to more partial differential equations with boundary conditions, finding new limits, solving more integrals, performing new graph theory computations, analyzing data in new ways, and more. DW

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Craig Armenti • PCB marketing engineer • Board Systems Div. • Mentor Graphics

Increasing design reliability with virtual HALT simulation

Virtual HALT simulation.

Highly Accelerated Lifecycle Testing (HALT) is the gold standard for physical testing of a product to determine reliability issues. Deriving the physical constraints and fatigue issues for a design prior to manufacturing is essential to reduce board failure and improve product quality. Reliable products have less risk and less warranty claims, and as such result in higher profitability.

Industry statistics indicate field failure rates of up to 15%-20% in the first year of newly launched electronic products. In harsh environments, fatigue can be responsible for up to 20% of those failures. It is a given that every product is expected to fail at some point, however premature failures can be mitigated through attention to vibration and acceleration.

Physical testing and mechanical simulation Most design teams rely on physical testing to determine reliability issues. Physical vibration and fatigue testing provides a clear mechanism to ensure reliability of a product and identify potential failures due to environmental factors. During physical testing the prototype PCB undergoes a complex fatigue procedure that uses random shock vibration across 6 axes (X, Y, and Z simultaneous 42

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with pitch, roll, and yaw). This testing applies a much higher fatigue than the actual product will undergo, thereby forcing failures and identifying weak spots. The process is however costly and destructive, potentially taking months per design to complete. Furthermore, there are variances in design manufacturing and testing chambers that may conceal accuracy and functional limitations on components that could then fail in the field. With the high cost and increased time-to-market, only a few prototype designs actually go through physical vibration and acceleration testing.

The aforementioned cost and time issues associated with physical testing have resulted in many design teams adding a mechanical analysis step to the product development process to better validate reliability. While this added step improves the process, it still has limitations, including: • Extensive library/model development • Lengthy setup and simulation cycles • Simulation results that are not tuned to the specific printed circuit board All of this means that, even with a specialist, mechanical analysis is still unable to achieve 100% test coverage.

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Âť CAE Solu t i ons

Figure 1: Optimal process where analysis is integrated within the design stage.

Improving reliability with virtual simulation during design To optimize the process and minimize time between finding and correcting issues, virtual simulation of vibration and acceleration needs to be available early in the design process, immediately after component placement (Figure 1). The software that drives the virtual simulation should integrate with the physical layout tool, automatically taking into account the key PCB features such as layer stackup and board thickness.

To be clear, this does not eliminate the need for physical HALT. However, by eliminating early failures through simulation in the layout domain design teams can reduce HALT expenses and ensure that reliability specialists have more time to focus on hidden issues. During

CAE Solutions 8-17_Vs6.LL.indd 43

virtual simulation, meshing should be automatically created and optimized for the electrical domain to drastically reduce simulation setup time (Figure 2). Boundary conditions should be pre-defined using jigs or mounting holes to ensure that the same environment is analyzed as when the product is placed in the field. Users should be able to create “what if� scenarios by defining areas for boundary constraints, allowing for the identification and resolution of high deformation and reliability issues.

To predict which parts will fail through vibration, engineers need to identify the failure frequency or natural modes in the design.

Engineers and designers should also be able to determine the

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Âť CA E Solu t i o n s

Figure 2: Meshing optimized for the electrical domain.

Figure 3: Simulation results should be available in a post-processor for each simulation. safety factor of components due to stress.

During vibration and acceleration simulation, an acceleration load should be applied in all directions, thereby defining where the board will have stress during commercial use. For efficiency, the analysis must be tightly integrated and easy to use for tests to be performed concurrent with component placement. As a best case, two options for quick design simulation should be available: • Vibration that calculates relative stress and deformation values to pinpoint weak links in contact areas of leads and pins of components. The results could later be translated to probability of potential component failure. • Constant acceleration that provides a linear static analysis that allows constant acceleration to be applied to the design to calculate von-Mises stress, deformation, and safety factors, all of which could later be translated to pass/fail values for components.

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Once the failed parts have been identified, a post-processor interface with full animation should be available to help determine the exact variables and factors

Figure 4: Vibration and acceleration simulation.

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Direct drive electronic position

» CAE S olutions

indicators

causing the part failure (Figure 3). A simplified post-processor view should highlight problematic parts allowing users to detect and correct potential component failures. This would allow an engineer or designer with no product reliability expertise to easily decipher fatigue and vibration issues within their design. An advanced view mode should provide the ability to dig deeper and identify the direct cause of the product failure.

The advanced view should plot relative stress intensity distribution in the component pins, balls, or leads, resulting from the simultaneous six axes of random vibration during the analysis. Displaying how the board will flex and bend provides an indication of where stresses are found on the parts.

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• Flexible Display units in mm, inches or degrees; absolute or incremental; right or reverse orientation

Benefits of virtual HALT simulation Physical vibration testing determines reliability and identifies design and process flaws. Virtual vibration simulation is a relatively new approach in design for reliability (Figure 4). With vibration and acceleration simulation included early in the product development process, a design team can identify critical issues before the product goes into production.

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The warranty claims, loss of business and potential loss of market share can devastate even the largest of corporations. The ability to run virtual simulation on every board while in the layout domain enables engineers and designers to detect issues early in the product development process before the board is sent to the manufacturer, thus improving the design quality, decreasing the time-to-market and managing the risk for the product.

With Mentor Graphics Xpedition Design for Reliability (DfR), design teams can virtually simulate vibration and acceleration effects throughout the design creation process. Xpedition DfR provides detailed information down to the pin-level, including relative stress intensity, relative deformation intensity, failure frequencies, and vibration-deformed shapes. The output data are more extensive than those generated in the laboratory, providing additional information and extended insight into PCB design weaknesses. DW

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»» Se n so r N o te s

Edited by: Paul J. Heney • Editorial Director

How do you calculate flow from a pressure measurement?

Upstream pressure tap

Downstream pressure tap P2

P1

ΔP = P1 - P2

Flow direction

A

D1

Flow direction

D2

Density Orifice plate

A variety of techniques are used to measure flow, including: the Coriolis Effect, mass air flow, vortex, magnetic, thermal, ultrasonic, turbine and positive displacement meters as well as pressure sensors. With the high volume, low cost and reliability of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) pressure sensors, these products are a frequent choice for measuring both liquid and gas flow.

In fact, many applications use pressure sensor measurements to calculate other key parameters such as flow, altitude, water column height, fluid depth, weight and more.

For fluid flow measurements, orifice plates, venturi tubes and nozzles simplify the use of differential pressure (ΔP) sensors to determine the flow rate. In these cases, the flow is related to ΔP (P1-P2) by the equation:

q = cD π/4 D22 [2(P1-P2) / ρ(1 – d4) ]1/2

Where: q is the flow in m3/s cD is the discharge coefficient, and is the area ratio = A2/A1 P1 and P2 are in N/m2 ρ is the fluid density in kg/m3 D2 is the orifice, venturi or nozzle inside diameter (in m) D1 is the upstream and downstream pipe diameter (in m) and d = D2/D1 diameter ratio In industrial applications, the most common use of pressure sensors to calculate another parameter is flow. This technique is also used to measure air flow of blowers, air flow through filters, vent hoods, gas boilers, or in heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) variable air volume (VAV) controllers.

In medical applications, drug delivery (liquid flow) uses differential pressure sensors to measure flow rates of 0.5-10.0 microliters/min. Many gas flow measurements are also made with pressure sensors. DW

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RoboticsWorld A u g u st 2 01 7

The Robot Report The Robot Report Cover 8-17_Vs1.indd 48

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The Robot Report Frank Tobe • Founder of The Robot Report

Robotics Industry Growing Faster Than Expected

A

Internet to manufacturing is redefining the whole value chain and consumer and commercial robotics are benefiting.

After having experienced the Automate and Promat shows in Chicago, read reviews of the conferences in Singapore, the Hannover Messe trade shows in Hannover and Shenzhen, and in looking forward to RoboBusiness in Santa Clara, it’s important to reflect on why these various conferences and shows are valuable. Hands-on demos, scientific papers, user experiences, informative classes, and face-toface meetings are all part of the process, but attempting to read what the crowds are finding of interest is also important.

Jack Ma Yun, founder and Chairman of Alibaba, China’s largest online retailer, said that e-commerce is changing into ‘new retail,’ which he defines as an integration of online, offline, logistics and data across a single value chain. The trend is moving from selling on the internet to manufacturing from the internet and all the industries involved will be redefined as they become powered and interconnected by cloud computing, big data, robotics and automation, and the internet of things.

Boston Consulting Group (BCG) suggests that executives be aware of ways robots are changing the global manufacturing landscape and think and act now. They see robotics-fueled changes coming in retail, logistics, transportation, healthcare, food processing, mining, and agriculture, with exceptional growth in consumer products, robots for the home and selfdriving. BCG recently updated and increased their industry forecasts by 30%; Tractica, another research firm, incorporated the robotic and artificial intelligence (AI) elements of the emerging self-driving industry and is forecasting the overall market will reach $237 billion by 2022!

The disparity between the projections of these research reports is wide but the CAGRs are mostly all double digit. It is easy to conclude as BCG did - that the robotics industry is growing faster than expected.

Certainly there are many drivers for this momentum: Private investment in the robotic space has continued to amaze with exponential year-over-year funding curves and sensational billion dollar acquisitions.

Governmental programs and incentives are helping to fuel this momentum, particularly in China, but in Japan, Korea and the EU as well.

In The Robot Report’s monthly fundings posts, robotics-related startup funding for the first six months of 2017 were over $1.6 billion and strategic investments and acquisitions totaled over $10 billion.

Prices continue to fall on robots, sensors, CPUs and communications while capabilities continue to increase. This puts robotics within reach of the consumer market. BCG expects self-driving vehicles and robots for the home to generate explosive growth - 21.9% CAGR over the next 8 years.

Robot programming is being transformed by easier interfaces, GUIs and a common open-source operating system (ROS).

The prospect of a self-driving vehicles industry disrupting transportation is propelling a talent grab and strategic acquisitions by competing international players with deep pockets.

40% of robotic startups have been in the consumer sector and will soon augment humans in high-touch fields such as health and elder care.

Retail, e-commerce, healthcare and consumer products are adopting robots. BCG expects a steady 13.6% CAGR over the next 8 years.

There is steady growth in the industrial sector as the automotive and electronics industries expand and deploy more flexible and collaborative robots, and equally expansive but quiet inroads in heretofore non-robotic sectors such as logistics, healthcare, food processing, agriculture, sales assistance and security services.

Overall, it’s a good time to be in robotics: users are embracing robotics as necessary for safety, competitive reasons and basic economics while makers – and all their ancillary and support businesses – are finding steady and profitable growth as they too use robotics in their manufacturing process. DW

www.designworldonline.com

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The Robot Report

RoboBusiness returns to San Jose Paul J. Heney • Editorial Director

RoboBusiness has finally settled down. The show, which used to cycle between locations such as Boston, Pittsburgh and San Jose, has seemed to find a permanent home at the Santa Clara Convention Center, where it will be held for the third year in a row in 2017.

This year’s conference will be September 27-28 and will include both a conference and an exhibit hall with more than 100 exhibitors.

Conference One of the things that makes the RoboBusiness conference sessions helpful is that they are color coded to different tracks, so you can easily follow the topics of most interest to you. In addition to the keynotes and a Chief Robotics Officer Summit, this year’s event will include the following tracks: • Adopting and implementing robotics • ROI from robotics • Nuts and bolts for your business • What can AI and IoT do for you?

• Market insight The keynotes look to be full of useful information. The first, Transforming Business with Automation, will be presented by Martin Buehler, executive R&D imagineer at Disney. Buehler has worked at Boston Dynamics, iRobot, Vecna, and Medtronic—giving him a view into numerous cutting-edge robots and applications.

Buehler will share the lessons he has learned and look to the future of robotics and business, and explain to attendees what they need to know to use robots for business success. He will also give insight into why true 50

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industry leaders must be able to develop an automation strategy, develop business relationships, and transform their organizations as needed.

The second keynote will be a Panel, discussing the topic Mastering Robotics and AI With Power Users. Executives from global organizations will share their insights and examples of how businesses can successfully develop and deploy robotics and AI. Panelists will be Justin Ha, Justin Ha, Senior Manager, Solutions Design, DHL Supply Chain; Terrence Southern, Lead Global Robotics & Automation Engineer, GE Global Research; Anders Grunnet-Jepsen, CTO, Perceptual Computing Group, Intel; and Terry Fong, Director of Intelligent Robotics Group, NASA Ames Research Center. Moderating will be Tolga Kurtoglu, CEO, PARC, a Xerox company.

The final keynote, to be held the second morning of the conference, will be given

by Eric Bitar, Senior Director–Business Investment, Pittsburgh Regional Alliance.

Bitar will discuss Growing the Robotics Landscape—A Comparison of Regions.

Although Silicon Valley might seem dominant in the industry, other regions around www.designworldonline.com

8/3/17 1:30 PM

EXHIBITOR LIST

the world are trying to develop themselves as hubs of research, development, and commercialization for robotics. Bitar will examine what other regions can they learn from California and one another? Both established enterprises and brand-new startups should understand what the Boston, Pittsburgh, and San Jose metropolitan areas offer, as well as how they differ.

innovators and investors. Startups poised to make big waves in the industry will be featured in the Startup Zone, as well as throughout the show floor.

Features this year include hands-on demonstrations and expert Q&A sessions at the Expo Theater and international pavilions, which will boast products from Canada, Korea, China and Australia.

Exposition

For more information on the event or to register, please visit RoboBusiness.com. DW

The Expo, with more than 100 robotics producers from around the globe, allows the opportunity to network with leading

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ABB Robotics......................................................410 Acorn Product Development............................114 Advanced Motion Controls...............................205 Aethon Inc..........................................................204 Agile Sensor Technologies Inc.........................101 Autonomous Inc................................................610 Autonomous Solutions Inc...............................400 AvatarMind.........................................................516 Carbon Robotics................................................419 Cone Drive..........................................................512 Cubit ................................................................613 EH Publishing....................................................122 Elmo Motion Control..........................................513 ESPROS Photonics Corp....................................401 Fellow Robots....................................................117 Fetch Robotics...................................................405 FOGALE robotics................................................507 GAM Enterprises................................................616 GEMCITY Engineering and Manufacturing.............................................123 General Foundry Service..................................112 Gudel Inc............................................................510 Harmonic Drive LLC..........................................304 Hokuyo Automatic USA.....................................611 IAM Robotics......................................................612 Ingenia Motion Control......................................500 Intel Modular Innovation Group.......................200 JETTA Co. Ltd......................................................210 Kawasaki Robotics (USA) Inc..........................517 Kinova Robotics................................................310 Littler ................................................................416 moBack..............................................................609 Monolithic Power Systems Inc........................411 Nidec-Shimpo....................................................316 PowerbyProxi.....................................................615 Precise Automation Inc....................................320 Renishaw, Inc....................................................105 Rose Batteries...................................................617 R-Storm Technology LLC...................................217 SCHUNK..............................................................211 SICK Sensors–E and M.....................................511 SRI International................................................305 Stanley Robotics Inc.........................................418 Synapticon Inc..................................................317 Tend ................................................................102 Twin Oaks Computing.......................................319 ULC Robotics Inc................................................504 Universal Robots...............................................311 US Digital............................................................221 Vecna Logistics.................................................601

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The Robot Report

YuMi is first robot to be finalist for prestigious design award ABB’s YuMi dual-arm robot has been announced as a finalist for the prestigious INDEX: Award 2017. YuMi, which stands for “You and Me, working together,” has been nominated in the Work category, comprising all designs related to work, such as work tools, manufacturing machines, aids and communications, architecture and interior design, control, and management systems. YuMi can safely work side-by-side with people on shared tasks, without the need for protective cages or barriers. With seven degrees of freedom in each arm, it is able to manipulate and assemble small parts with great accuracy and adapts easily to human work spaces. This versatility, combined with its ease of programming, makes the robot suitable for supporting the smaller batches and higher product variations characteristic of electronics manufacturing. Booth 410 DW ABB | abb.com

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The Robot Report

Robot streamlines assembly line Miami-based Creating Revolutions

makes a Communication Disc customer service paging system for the hospitality industry. Assembling the disc is a complex task requiring great accuracy and repeatability. The company found a solution in the collaborative UR3 robot. The UR3 handles many tasks: first, it checks that the aluminum housing parts are lined correctly on a tray.

The robot then picks up the part, places it into a clamp, picks up a silicone injector and aligns the silicone, then places an acrylic disc on top, before placing the assembled part back on the tray. Next step is drilling and soldering: The robot picks a disc with a copper base out of a dispenser, and places it into an optical laser sensor that aligns the disc, the robot then places the disk into a holder, affixing it by closing two clamps. After that comes a peck drilling process, because the acrylic shatters if you just force it. The robot is sensitive enough to pop it in until it makes a perfect hole. Then, the UR3 grabs a soldering iron, adding three points of pre-soldering. Booth 311 DW

Universal Robots | universalrobots.com

Make end-effectors flexible AGE-W is an angular compensation unit for robots, combining rotational and angular compensation around all three axes. The unit allows fast and precise handling of workpieces despite their positional variance.

The unit gives the necessary flexibility to the end-effector: For bin picking, automated loading and unloading of machine tools, as well as in handling and assembly applications, where inaccuracies in component positioning occurs.

Grippers and other actuators, connected with the AGE-W to the robot, can adapt their position to the orientation of the individual workpiece without having to record the process in detail with a vision

system, and without having to recalculate the gripping strategy each time again. This saves time during programming and during operation.

In X- and Y-direction compensation varies between 0° and +/- 13°, in Z-direction (rotation) it varies between 0° and +/- 19°. If the unit is made rigid by compressed air, the locking ensures a high centering accuracy of +/- 0.09 mm.

The housing is made of anodized aluminum and the compensation elements are made of stainless steel. Booth 211 DW Schunk | Schunk.com

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NAVii autonomous retail robot from Fellow Robots helps Lowe’s improve service Last fall, Fellow Robots’ NAVii autonomous retail service robot debuted in 11 Lowe’s stores in the San Francisco area, marking its entrance into a major retail chain. The national home improvement store rolled out its LoweBot to meet the needs of customers and employees.

LoweBot was developed through a partnership between Lowe’s Innovation Labs and Fellow Robots, a Silicon Valley technology company specializing in the design and development of autonomous service robots that worked on Lowe’s OSHbot pilot. The partnership was initiated through SU Labs, a Singularity University program that connects corporate innovation teams with startups and other organizations to explore exponentially accelerating technologies and create new sustainable business solutions.

“We designed the NAVii robot to make the shopping experience easier for consumers— simplifying the process of finding the product you’re looking for—while also managing the back-end and keeping shelf inventory up-to-date for the retailer,” said Marco Mascorro, chief executive officer of Fellow Robots. “Leaving the data and simple recommendations to NAVii allows Lowe’s employees to devote their attention to the Lowe’s customer, to provide them with thoughtful advice and personalized service.”

LoweBot features an interactive screen that customers can use to enter a request. Or customers can ask the robot simple questions, such as how to find a product on a specific aisle, and in multiple languages. This providees more time for employees

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to focus on delivering project expertise and personalized service. Having the ability to scan inventory and capture real-time data with LoweBot will also help detect patterns or gaps that will ultimately influence business decisions.

Key functions and features of the NAVii platform allow retailers to use the robot to autonomously create a store map and product planogram. The LoweBot scans inventory to determine products that may be out of stock, find price discrepancies, and discover misplaced items by using machine learning and AI. It also features a dashboard to notify employees of these discrepancies, allowing them to make changes in minutes rather than days or weeks. Booth 117 DW Fellow Robots | fellowrobots.com

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The Robot Report

Stain wave gears for industrial robotic Industrial robotics continues to be one of the

An open network interface for servo drives SICK is opening up the HIPERFACE DSL interface, making the tried-and-tested technology available to users of servo drive technology. A key feature of this interface is that it uses One Cable Technology.

One Cable Technology made its debut in servo drive technology in 2011 with the HIPERFACE DSL. This protocol is recognized as an industry standard for digital feedback systems in servo drives. It meets all the requirements for the condition-oriented maintenance of machines in the Industry 4.0 environment.

The protocol complies with the RS485 standard and enables reliable data transfer between drive and motor in servo drive systems through two wires that are directly integrated into motor cables with a length of up to 100 m.

Electric drives featuring motor feedback systems and a HIPERFACE DSL interface have a distinctive outward appearance with just one motor connector. Signals coming from other sensors that are integrated into the digital motor feedback protocol are also transferred.

Special processes and the application of pulse transformers ensure that the encoder signal is decoupled from disturbances created by the motor power cable cores.

HIPERFACE DSL supports electronic automatic drive configuration.

Motor specifications, serial numbers and part numbers, and other data are stored here and used to adjust the drive to the motor parameters automatically and when servicing is required. Booth 511 DW

major application areas for Harmonic Drive strain wave gears.

In one application, the base and shoulder axes of a 6-axis robot for assembly and arc welding applications required zero backlash gears with high torque capacity, high torsional stiffness, and excellent repeatability. This design chosen was a special version of Harmonic Drive SHF 2UH hollow-shaft design (Shown here). Both axes are sup- ported by the stiff output bearing of the unit. The SHF product range features a particularly strong cross-roller bearing, and is therefore suited to applications in the primary axes of robots, where there are significant tilting moments on the output bearing of the gears in each joint.

The design example shows a particularly interesting use of the hollow-shaft. The hollow input shaft is connected to the motor shaft by means of a shaft coupling, which is mounted inside the hollow shaft to reduce the axial length of the motor-gear assembly. This design solution is particularly compact and allows the motor to be readily dis- assembled from the gear for maintenance purposes.

Booth 304 DW Harmonic Drive | harmonicdrive.net

SICK | Sick.com

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The Robot Report

High resolution optical encoder offers 400 and 500 cycles per revolution

US Digital’s E4T line of miniature optical encoders is available with 400 and 500 cycles per revolution (CPR) resolutions. Specifically designed for robotics, medical and other industrial automation applications, the E4Ts deliver position and velocity feedback, while fitting National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) motors as small as size eight.

Using state-of-the art transmissive optical sensing technology, the 400 and 500 CPR resolutions represent up to a 38% increase in available CPR and support applications requiring up to 2,000 pulses per revolution.

This increase in resolution was achieved without any compromise to package form factor, electrical characteristics or output signal robustness.

The E4T line of encoders is available in both single-ended and differential signal outputs for applications where noise immunity is critical. Moreover, the 400 and 500 CPR options retain the E4T’s simple and efficient, push-on hub disk assembly process, helping US Digital customers keep installation time, assembly cost and complexity to a minimum.

Key features include the following: • 10 resolutions up to 360 CPR, plus new 400 and 500 CPR resolution • 288 configurations available, including single and differential output • Compact form factor • 0.866 in. (22.00 mm) package outside diameter • 0.446 in. (11.33 mm) package height • Fits NEMA 8, 11, 14 and 17 motors • Simple and efficient assembly process • Four-piece construction • Push-on hub disk design, patent pending • 100 kilohertz frequency response • Shafted version up to 0.25 in. (6.25 mm) diameter “Industrial automation has become smaller, faster and more prevalent in today’s engineering fields, and with developments in collaborative robotic technology, as well as medical device development, human safety and practical reliability are more important than ever. Simultaneously, system developers have expressed an increasing demand for smaller form factors and more precise motion control,” said Donna Peterson, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at US Digital. “The higher resolution, compact E4Ts directly address these requirements, while broadening US Digital’s extensive line of quality motion control solutions.” Booth 221 DW US Digital | usdigital.com/E4T

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The Robot Report

Precision motion control technology Cone Drive Harmonic Solutions (also known as strain wave gearing) offer precision motion control technology. The product range includes gearheads and component sets designed to exceed the most demanding motion control applications.

Harmonic gearing is low to zero backlash by design. It provides high transmission accuracy and can support a high ratio reduction in a single stage with lower inertia. The highly accurate, torque dense design makes harmonic gearing a good choice for robotic and other positioning control applications.

• Common Sizes: 11-45, Custom • Input Adapters: Servo, Stepper, AC, Air, Hydraulic, Manual • Gear Ratios: 50, 80, 100, 120, 160, Custom • Output Options: Solid, Hollow, or Custom •Zero Backlash • Direct dimensional replacement against industry standards Booth 512 DW Cone Drive | conedrive.com

MANIPULATION IN MOTION Kinova’s robot arms are used for integrating a manipulation dimension to mobile platforms. They assist technicians and professionals for inspections or manipulations in harsh, confined, hazardous or manufacturing environments.

The robots can also be customized to perform a series of automated tasks, augmenting quality, productivity and efficiency in formalized non-regression testing phases. Light and compact, the arm can be integrated with many existing mobile platform models.

Moreover, due to its low power consumption, the robot arm will not significantly reduce the autonomy of the platform.

FEATURES • Plug and Play • Torque, position, current, temperature and acceleration sensors in each actuator • Embedded controller • Torque, position or velocity control • Intuitive Cartesian control solution provided • Unlimited joint rotations • Carbon fiber structure • Two expansion lines at the end-effector • Windows/Linux Kinova SDK and ROS enabled Booth 310 DW Kinova Robotics | kinovarobotics.com

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The Robot Report

Golden opportunity for industrial automation challenges One solution, any application: Elmo’s Gold servo drives are an option for industrial automation challenges. The Gold Line components’ distributed intelligence, synergy, and variety of servo drive features, are easily harnessed to create a motion control system that answers application automation needs and supports any servo motors. The builtin operational simplicity, from each individual component to the entire system, combined with a single software environment that interfaces with all units and servo motors, ensures the highest level of performance.

The servo drives in the Gold Line are motion control solutions designed to handle modern industrial automation applications of ever increasing complexity. Booth 513 DW

Elmo Motion Control | elmomc.com

Intel Modular Innovation Group The Intel Modular Innovation Group (or MIG) is a part of the Intel’s New Technology Group (NTG). The group aims to help customers develop modular solutions to design challenges and to shorten the time from prototype to final product. Booth 200 DW The Intel Modular Innovation Group | www.intel.com

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The Robot Report

High-precision SPH flange gearbox from GAM The SPH Flange (SPH-F) planetary gearbox from GAM is the first high performance inline flange gearbox from GAM. Based around high precision helical gear technology, the helical gears are precision cut and ground for extremely quiet and smooth torque transmission with a standard backlash rating of <3 arcmin for single stage ratios. For applications that require more precision, the gearbox can be assembled for further reduced backlash at <1 arcmin.

The compact SPH-F gearbox can be used when space is limited and the ISO 9409 compatible output flange allows for easy mounting of machine elements such as pinions, pulleys, or other adapters.

To accommodate direct connection to machines, the SPH-F has strong taper roller bearings set at a wide distance and a fully supported planet carrier for high load-carrying capacity. The ring gear is machined directly into a single-piece steel housing for improved torsional rigidity. Currently offered in three frame sizes, the SPH-F is rated for up to 450 Nm nominal and 675 Nm acceleration torque in the largest size. Booth 616 DW GAM Enterprises | www.gamweb.com

PROXI Hand-H3 underactuated Robotic Manipulator SRI Robotics is developing an underactuated robotic hand for dexterous manipulation of a wide variety of objects. Initially designed for use by competing teams in the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC), the PROXI™ Hand-H3 underactuated robotic manipulator provides industry-leading force control and position control with a payload of up to 100 kilograms. SRI is also exploring industrial applications for the robotic hand, such as for advanced manufacturing, manipulation, and dexterous assembly operations. Licensing inquiries are welcome.

Unlike robotic grippers that use mechanical linkages for each joint, SRI’s underactuated robotic manipulator employs a cable-driven tendon system. This provides a robust amount of force that can be applied with very little friction.

Additionally, each finger is powered by one motor, instead of each joint being powered by individual motors.

This reduces complexity by enabling the finger to take various positions with the same cable length. Each joint of the robotic hand includes absolute encoders that provide direct measurement position control, as well as load cell measurement in the tendons for force control.

SRI’s underactuated system is unique in its absolute sensing for joint position: it provides an accurate 3D representation of joint position at all times. For example, if a power supply was lost while the hand was gripping an object, the sensors would not have to recalibrate and go back to an open state—they would sense the correct position as soon as the power comes back online. Booth 305 DW

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SRI International | SRI.com

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The Robot Report

Precise Automation collaborative robots measured and certified by TUV Designed from the ground up with collaborative applications in mind, these robots represent a new generation of automation specifically optimized for safe, desktop use without requiring large expensive safety barriers that impede productivity.

These mechanisms will not injure a user nor damage equipment even if there are accidental full-speed collisions.

All Precise robots feature an embedded motion control and power supplies as well as internally routed service harnesses. Combined with these robots’ ability to collaboratively operate without safety shielding, they reduce the cost and space requirements in automated workcells. Operators can access these cells even while these robots are in motion, greatly increasing productivity. These features permit the development of new cost-saving workcell designs in traditional robot applications as well as the creation of new, never before automated non-traditional robot applications.

Brian Powell, Vice President of Sales and Operations, states, “The TUV certification is further proof of the unique capabilities that our robots have to offer. Unlike many collaborative robots, which are intrinsically dangerous machines operating in a collaborative mode, Precise’s robots were designed with a new type of collaborative user and environment in mind. We have hundreds of collaborative robots working in a variety of different non-traditional automation environments, all of which have been approved by safety professionals and organizations to operate without any type of shielding.” Booth 320 DW Precise Automation | www.preciseautomation.com

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The Robot Report

Autonomous picking robot streamlines logistics operations The Swift, a fully autonomous mobile picking robot from IAM Robotics, is designed for supply chain and warehouse logistics operations. The robot is a key part of a complete order fulfillment solution, which includes IAM Flash, a 3D item scanner, and SwiftLink fleet management software.

“Properly executed robotic picking is a game changing technology for supply chain and warehouse managers. Our Swift piece-picking robot combines perception, manipulation and mobility to deliver a scalable solution and address a critical unmet need for lean warehouse automation,” said IAM Robotics CEO Tom Galluzzo.

Swift easily integrates into warehouse operations without requiring changes to existing infrastructure. Navigating multiple aisles and picking at or above human-level speeds, Swift enables users to cost-effectively streamline operations and handle the increasing pressures of e-commerce.

The robot can navigate by itself, detect and avoid obstacles, stop safely, and maneuver a warehouse with agility. It can work safely in conjunction with human pickers, can travel at up a jogging speed, turn on a dime, and pivot in place to fit between aisles.

It uses the company’s RapidVision technology to see and locate objects in 3D in real time. This is done via depth sensors and computing to gather 3D geometric information.

This data is then matched to data collected with the Flash scanner.

The easily transportable Flash scans products to create a uniform item database, while also teaching Swift how to recognize the products it retrieves. It collects data on SKUs including weight, cube, high resolution 2D images, and 3D geometry models, then stores this information in a database, allowing Swift to recognize and pick the correct item.

SwiftLink provides a simple single point interface to connect, monitor, and coordinate a set of Swift robots with various Warehouse Management Systems (WMSs).

Equipped with one of the fastest industrial arms on the market, Swift can reach from top to bottom shelf, left and right side of the aisle, with 360° rotation capability. The flexible arm can retrieve anything up to 18 in. deep in shelving.

Swift’s carriage is able to carry totes around the warehouse to minimize travel time.

The carriage raises and lowers to enable the arm to reach as high as 85 in. and low as 3 in. and also adjusts to the correct height to interface with a conveyer system. Totes on the carriage can be as heavy as 50 lb.

“Autonomous picking is a transformative, enabling technology that will help managers scale warehouse operations while reducing costs and inconsistent operations,” added Galluzzo. Booth 612 DW

IAM Swift Picking Campbell’s Soup from a shelf

IAM Robotics | iamrobotics.com www.designworldonline.com

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The Robot Report

Off-axis rotary absolute encoder The AksIM is a non-contact high performance off-axis absolute rotary encoder for applications with limited installation space.

The compact, low profile readhead detects and evaluates the magnetic field of a thin, axially magnetized ring.

The 49 mm ring offers 524,288 positions per revolution at a resolution of 19 bits while the larger, 80 mm ring, provides 1,048,576 positions at a resolution of 20 bits.

The accuracy of the AksIM magnetic encoder system is better than ±0.1° and the maximum permissible speed is over 10,000 revolutions per minute.

The low overall system height together with its true absolute function and high speed operation make the single-track absolute encoder suitable for a range of applications including video-surveillance systems measuring the angle of camera rotation, robotic arm joints and motors for detecting position. Booth 105

DW

RLS, a Renishaw Associate Co. | rls.si

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M o t i o n

C o n t r o l

Condition monitoring with PC-based control

With more machine controls being PC-based, integrated condition monitoring is an alternative to stand-alone solutions.

Daymon Thompson Automation Product Specialist | Beckhoff Automation The industrial world has been abuzz with talk of the IIoT/ Industrie 4.0 and what it all means for the future of manufacturing.

Because details and application specifics are always appreciated, much of the conversation is now centered on how to use connectivity and cloudbased tools for concrete tasks such as condition monitoring. However, modern machine control architectures are increasingly PC-based and have been capable of local condition monitoring functions for more than a decade, offering optimized implementation strategies.

After decades of successful use in the field, PC-based controllers have evolved into multitasking automation devices that can ably cover PLC, motion control, HMI and even condition monitoring all on one device. By having the PC-based controller also function as the condition monitoring system, users can eliminate single-purpose, high cost â&#x20AC;&#x153;black boxes.â&#x20AC;? With this approach, sensors and other field devices are 64

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simply connected to local or distributed I/O terminals, which transmit data back to the PC-based controller. Common measurements are covered including power spectrum, envelope, crest factor, average values, kurtosis, as well as RMS calculation and classification. This architecture can be applied equally to conventional machine monitoring, but it's just as well-suited to energy grid analysis, through the calculation of harmonics in electrical grids, for example.

Condition monitoring is just one of the many functions already offered today within the PC-based control platform. Along with condition monitoring, manufacturers, processors and machine builders are increasingly discovering the benefits of Big Data analytics as a means to optimize their operations. Successfully analyzing the ever-growing amounts of actionable data makes it possible to more accurately predict potential machine failures, for example. Also,

the machine controller naturally provides an important source of this data, as this is where all the machine’s functions converge.

Thus, the PC-based controller offers an ideal path to integrate all types of functions into a powerful processing solution.

advanced measurement technology for EtherCAT I/O systems that can deliver up to 50,000 samples per second with 24-bit resolution.

Automation software in condition monitoring Much of the condition monitoring functionality in a PC-based control context comes as part of an automation software platform. For example, in the case of automation software from Beckhoff, the TwinCAT 3 has an available condition monitoring-specific library. Through this set of tools, raw data can be logged with a fast task and processed further with a somewhat slower task. This lets measured data be logged continuously and analyzed with algorithms. Internal to the controller’s PLC program, the user doesn’t have to worry www.designworldonline.com

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PC-based control systems can incorporate condition monitoring with logging and analysis of data in the same software environment that also handles machine control.

about task-spanning communication as this is automatically handled by the TwinCAT Condition Monitoring library. The results from the individual function blocks in the library are stored in a global transfer tray, a kind of memory table. From there the results can be copied to variables or processed further with the aid of other algorithms.

In this way users can configure their own individual measuring and analysis chains.

Online or offline analyses can be made based on the collected data. The PC-based control software can count signals or operating cycles and indicate predictive replacement intervals. It can also assign temperature flows to specific machine conditions or determine the power consumption of individual machine components. This helps the user see how the machine consumes energy without increasing the workload of the controller.

“After decades of successful use in the field, PC-based controllers have evolved into multitasking automation devices that can ably cover PLC, motion control, HMI and even condition monitoring all on one device.” www.designworldonline.com

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C o n t r o l

It’s also possible to use a filter designer to graphically edit filter curves in a chart and to download the determined filter coefficients into measurement I/O modules through drag and drop. Digital filters such as Butterworth or Tschebyscheff can be easily designed as low-pass, band pass or high-pass, and can be used with the freely configurable I/O filters. Alternatively, the coefficients can be downloaded into filter function blocks within the software environment. These tools help eliminate outlying data points and data ‘noise’ at the I/O level, ensuring that the data being processed in the controller is valid.

Industrial Ethernet speeds up measurement and analysis With a priority placed on determinism and speed, the EtherCAT Industrial Ethernet system accommodates condition monitoring technologies by design. The functional principle of EtherCAT delivers usable data rates (bandwidth utilization) far in excess of 90% with full-duplex fast Ethernet and bus cycle times of a few microseconds. Digital EtherCAT terminals are also designed for condition monitoring and can scan signals August 2017

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M o t i o n

with up to 1 million samples/sec while analog signals of ±10 V can be measured with 16-bit resolution and up to 100 kHz. Distributed clocks in EtherCAT slaves ensure time-synchronized data sampling across the network. The jitter is significantly less than 1 microsecond, usually even less than 100 nanoseconds. This makes EtherCAT ideal for condition monitoring applications, such as where oscillations must be sampled via acceleration sensors or microphones.

Piezo sensors with IEPE interface (Integrated Electronics Piezo-Electric) can be connected directly to a two-channel I/O terminal without a pre-amplifier. Due to different hardware filter stages, signal sampling frequencies between 0.05 Hz and 50 kHz are possible.

Newer I/O modules offered by some manufactures can feature up to 50 ksamples/ sec with as much as 24-bit resolution.

These sampled values can be collected by an EtherCAT master with 100 to 500 µsec cycle times using oversampling, including timestamp. Combined with the more powerful microcontrollers inside the I/O modules themselves, these next generation modules can handle advanced functions such as 2-stage filter machines and integrator/differentiators, compensation for non-linear sensors and true RMS calculation, among others.

Adding up all the hardware, software and networking considerations, PC-based control is increasingly seen as a modern alternative to stand-alone condition monitoring solutions. Keeping all machine functionality – including condition monitoring – in the same streamlined, universal platform promotes much better collaboration between different programmers and teams, while lowering the cost of hardware and software. DW Beckhoff Automation www.beckhoff.com/measurement-technology

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Basics of

can-stack linear actuators Can-stack linear actuators are one type of stepper-motor design that converts rotary to linear motion with a built-in leadscrew. Here we explore the difference between captive and non-captive can-stack actuators and where each excels.

PF/PFC series can-stack stepper motors from Nippon Pulse come with optional gearheads for more torque — up to a 2,500 mN•m.

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L i n e a r

M o t i o n

Linear actuators that incorporate can-stack motors — Shown here are Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions can-stack linear actuators available in 36 mm and other sizes.

An optimized stator-tooth geometry, neodymium magnets, oversized output spline, and engineered plastics boost performance. Large ball bearings boost rotor support and axial-load capacity.

The durable can-stack linear actuators are suitable for medical equipment, barcode scanning, and laboratory instrumentation requiring high force.

sometimes called claw-tooth step motors, tin-can stepper motors, or claw-pole motors — leverage low-cost construction with punched sheet-metal parts that form toothed (or clawed) cups surrounding bobbin coils. Common are twinstator assemblies that deliver two phases for indexed output. Here, the two stators’ claws (teeth) are offset by one-half the pole pitch — 360° ÷ number of teeth ÷ 2. The rotor has an array of permanent magnets and the same number of pole pairs as the coils.

In fact, can-stack motors have become quite common over the last 30 years — especially with the proliferation of higher-volume lower-cost applications in consumer-grade designs and small appliances.

As we’ll explore, the linear-actuator variation of can-stack stepper motors are suitable for industrial applications (as in medical diagnostic equipment and

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CAN-STACK MOTOR CONSTRUCTION STATOR CUP B

UNIPOLAR MOTOR +V

OUTPUT SHAFT

BIPOLAR MOTOR

PERMANENT-MAGNET ROTOR

+V

+V

COIL B

CURRENT INDUCES NORTH POLE IN TOOTHED BOBBIN ...

pumps) as well as consumer devices (such as printers and copiers) and military-grade radar and antenna requiring precise linear actuation.

Common ways to drive can-stack motors As with all stepper motors, can-stack motors run off electrical-pulse trains to output mechanical movement. Their output shafts turn in discrete increments fed properly sequenced electrical input. As with other stepper designs, can-stack motors usually run open loop as well.

Consider the common design of two cans (stators). These can induce four discrete positions for every pole pitch. Step angles for can-stack motors are 18° to 3.6° — or 20 to 100 steps per revolution. However, the most common step angles are 7.5° to 15.0° for each energizing pulse. Finer mechanical resolution makes for finer motion output.

Can-stack motors exhibit step error (expresses as plus-minus some angle — for example, ±0.3°) but error never accumulates over steps ... so the motor output is suitable for positioning. Many designs run in full, half, or micro-stepping modes.

N

N

S ... AND SOUTH POLE.

HALF POLE-PITCH OFFSET BETWEEN

Can-stack motors usually have two-phase construction. Two stator cups have claw-shaped poles (sometimes called teeth) formed around their windings.

The rotor is a permanent-magnet design with the same number of pole pairs as each coil. Rotor and stators have an equal number of pole pairs. On a can-stack motor, poles of each stator coil are offset by half the pole pitch.

With two coils, this makes for four discrete positions per pole pitch. Case in point: A twophase motor with 12 pole pairs in each stator coil cup section outputs 7.5° steps and 48 steps per complete revolution.

COIL A STATOR CUP A

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L i n e a r

Consider the common variation with 24 poles in each coil or phase. With 24 poles around 360° the pitch between poles on one stator is 15° — but because half a pole pitch offsets two stators, there are 7.5° between stator poles. That means when the drive energizes stators individually, the motor rotates 7.5° each step. Phase-energization sequence dictates the rotational direction while the pulse frequency dictates rpm. Input pulses dictate rotation length.

What to know about can-stack motor variations Design variations for can-stack motors abound. However, a typical can-stack motor’s bobbin-wound coils are either unipolar or (more common in today’s setups) bipolar to let design engineers pick the most suitable motor for the required electrical input and motor output.

Unipolar motors have two windings for each coil but only use them one at a time.

Once the most common, unipolar setups supply unidirectional current into twophase bifilar windings. Remember here that a bifilar winding is one consisting of two closely spaced parallel windings. Because each motor coil only has one polarity (to act as a north or south electromagnet) they must switch on and off to prompt output motion.

This simplifies drive electronics — and helps unipolar motors excel in high-speed applications, because they don’t rely on full winding-current decay before energizing the opposite polarity.

Contrast this with bipolar motors that only have one winding per coil and switch polarity to prompt output motion. Here, current decay must be complete to let polarity switch and motion output. Drive electronics for bipolar motors are slightly more complicated than those for unipolar motors, but they work better on slower axes and high-torque applications.

the motor turns. Some manufacturers produce can-stack linear actuators with sintered bronze bearings for support. Ball bearings with lubrication containment (for extended operation without service) are another option where needed to extend machine life.

No matter the features or output-shaft format, three common designs exist for canstack linear actuators: 1 Captive linear actuators have screws held by a device (either internal or external to the motor) that prevents rotation. One can recognize a captive linear actuator by how the output shaft extends and retracts into the actuator body. Common applications include those in small dispensing machinery and miniature industrial valves.

M o t i o n

2 Non-captive actuators have screws that rotate with the motor — so rotation is typically prevented by the application’s inherent design. Non-captive linear actuators excel in long-stroke applica- tions. Some applications include position- ing systems for antenna and laboratory dispensing equipment.

3 Traveling-nut actuators include screws that don’t extend and retract. Instead, the nut (external to the motor) travels along the screw as motor and screw turn together. Some applications for travelingnut can-stack actuators include collaborative-robot end-effectors; printers; and automated designs for clinical diagnostics.

Linear actuators based on can-stack motors Manufacturers make linear actuators from can-stack stepper motors by threading the motor rotor and assembling it with a leadscrew so the latter extends and retracts as

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Most can-stack linear actuators also leverage detent torque to hold position even if power is cut. The rotor’s permanent magnets attract to the stator poles (in this case, can-stack claws) even without power to the stator windings. Overcoming detent

torque requires motor power at a level proportional to rpm. A faster-turning motor sees more degradation of torque output by detent torque ... as the latter reduces both ideal power and torque output. On the other hand, detent torque is useful when stopping.

That’s because detent torque (and friction in rotating components) partially counters the moving motor’s momentum. So detent torque (usually about 5 to 20% of holding torque) helps can-stack motors stop more quickly.

Can-stack motors are simple designs leveraging permanent magnets and stepper-motor operation to deliver motion in small applications needing moderate accuracy and torque. Can-stack linear actuators usually incorporate these motors with twin stators (and coils). Motors with radially magnetized permanent magnets (contrasting with other steppers having axially oriented magnetism) have high torque-to-size ratios — which in turns makes for compact designs. Common sizes are in the 8 to 50-mm-diameter range. Shown left to right here are Koco Motion non-captive, captive, and external-nut can-stack linear actuators.

CAN-STACK LINEAR ACTUATOR VARIATIONS

CAPTIVE SCREW

EXTERNAL-NUT SCREW

NON-CAPTIVE SCREW

Captive linear actuators have screws held by a device (either internal or external to the motor) that prevents rotation. Non-captive actuators have screws that rotate with the motor — so rotation is typically prevented by the application’s surrounding installation. Non-captive linear actuators excel in long-stroke applications. In contrast, traveling-nut actuators include screws that don’t extend and retract. Instead, the nut (external to the motor) travels along the screw as motor and screw turn together. Some applications for traveling-nut can-stack actuators include collaborative-robot end-effectors; printers; and automated designs for clinical diagnostics. Example geometries courtesy Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions

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L i n e a r

Practical can-stack actuator considerations While can-stack linear actuators are indispensable for myriad cost-effective motion designs, they do impose some special drive considerations. For example, their main drawback may be inefficiency — down to 25% in some cases. First, the airgap in a can-stack motor is several thousandths of an inch, which makes for slightly less efficient rotor-stator magnetic coupling than competitive technologies. Second, the stator assembly relies on low-carbon steel parts for the clawed cups for operation — again, slightly less efficient than the construction of other motors.

For many designs, can-stack inefficiency isn’t an issue. However, if a design occasionally runs off battery power — not an uncommon occurrence in especially small designs — a better alternative may be linear actuators based on hybrid stepper-motor designs. Consult with manufacturers when making this determination.

In addition, the geometry of the linear actuator is such that load may cantilever on the screw in certain modes of operation. On axes where this is a common occurrence or where the screw must remain in an extended or retracted position, additional design work may be necessary to ensure reliable actuator operation.

All this said, can-stack linear actuators can often meet small application demands for speed, force, and resolution. For the latter design objective, some actuators even include suitably cost-effective feedback in the form of proximitysensor ICs based on Hall-effect operation.

Permanent magnets affix to the internal screw end; as the screw extends and retracts, the magnet advances towards and moves away from the stationary sensor pickup. Such non-contact feedback is also suitably compact for the tight spaces into which can-stack linear actuators are often applied. DW

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M o t i o n

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The self-taught

design system Just where will artificial intelligence fit in with CAD software? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a look at where developments stand now, and a preview of what might be coming.

Jean Thilmany Contributing Editor

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3D CAD

Artificial intelligence has a place in the future of computer-aided design technology, but right now, the role AI will play isn’t clear. That’s the view of Jon Hirschtick, chief executive officer of Onshape, which makes cloud-based CAD software. While some CAD makers are delving into AI functionality, the marriage of AI and design software is in the early stages, he says.

“AI has great potential, but so far no one has illustrated how it will unfold,” Hirschtick says in reference to CAD vendors. “I’m not saying developers are not working on ideas.”

CAD makers would be wise to consider how AI may fit into their software’s growth and expansion. AI should be a $16 billion industry by 2022, according to a projection from research firm Markets and Markets.

Nvidia installed its Drive PX 2 AI supercomputing platform into a signature-green, self-driving racecar that will compete in the Roborace Champsionship, a global autonomous | Image courtesy of Nvidia motorsports competition. www.designworldonline.com

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Earlier this year, Nvidia revealed a self-driving car powered by its new AI supercomputer, Xavier, which learns to drive by observing a human driver.

Nvidia installed the AI in an autonomous Lincoln vehicle to demonstrate its capabilities. Nvidia Drive PX is an open, artificial intelligence-driven, computing system that can be used as the technology platform for automated and autonomous vehicles. Nvidia developed its own self-driving vehicle to | Image courtesy of Nvidia showcase the system.

“AI is a broad field focused AI across industries First, definitions are in order. Many terms have been bandied about of late, particularly in reference to Industry 4.0, which goes by a number of names, including smart factory and connected factory.

Technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, Internet of things (IOT), and deep learning will come together to help realize Industry 4.0.

All these technologies are related in that they build upon each other, says Will Ramsey, director of marketing at Nvidia, which designs graphics processing units. The company developed GPU-based deep learning, which uses artificial intelligence to approach problems like cancer detection, weather prediction, and self-driving vehicles. Here’s how Ramsey defines pertinent terms:

“AI is a broad field focused on using computers to do things that require human-level intelligence.

It’s been around since the 1950s but was little used because it was limited in practical applications.”

“Machine learning enables AI by providing the algorithms that make the machines smarter and thus give AI a way to actually become more intelligent as time goes on.”

Machine learning is what Ramsey calls an approach to AI, meaning a way to use AI for practical applications. The approach uses statistical techniques to construct a model from observed

on using computers to do things that require human-level intelligence. It’s been around since the 1950s but was little used because it was limited in practical applications.”

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data. It relies on inputs, or what Ramsey calls “extractors” set by the humans programming these machines.

“It’s like the bag-of-word analysis that made spam filters possible,” Ramsey says.

The filters could search for certain words (determined by humans) within messages, then flag those messages as unwanted spam.

Machine learning algorithms can sift through and find insights in large data sets.

Combine AI and machine learning and the algorithms become more able to recognize patterns and specific issues, such as—when it comes to something like speech recognition software—accents.

But where does the data used by machinelearning algorithms come from?

“Now with social media, sensors, the internet of things, we have all these data,” Ramsey says. “And we have the challenge of understanding and extracting insights from it.”

His company uses what it calls deep learning, a method that automatically extracts and makes sense of all that information, and continues to learn from it or “learns to think.”

“Using deep learning, the fastest growing segment of AI, computers are now able to learn and recognize patterns from data that were considered too complex for expert written software,” Ramsey says.

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3D CAD What about design?

Hirschtick believes CAD programs will make use of AI, but in a more limited way in the near future, by using information the designer has entered to offer suggestions about design parameters and inputs.

Future programs might offer to the design default values for a shape based on the objects that person has designed in the past. AI would essentially learn what types of products the designer mostly works on and the inputs he or she has regularly used for those products. The suggested values may appear on the user’s screen in a dialog box, Hirschtick says.

“Or AI could offer something like: ‘Gee, I noticed you’ve done pattern of activity several times in a row, do you want that or was that a mistake?’”

And AI could make engineers’ search for needed and necessary parts easier. Hirschtick envisions a program, much like that which appears for Amazon shoppers, in which engineers could type in information about a part they’re searching for “and the program says ‘a lot of times people looking for that part also look at this one,’” he says.

In the future, CAD software users may also ask speech technology software, rather than the CAD-company’s tech-support operators, questions about the software and instantly receive a pertinent, helpful response. The natural-language-processing programs that drive these responses learn how best to answer user questions thanks to machine learning technology.

Such speech technology software could aid fast-growing CAD companies that would otherwise need to train a slew of customersupport employees quickly.

Currently, those AI possibilities remain unrealized, says Hirschtick. “Right now no one has demonstrated any particularly compelling idea with AI.”

Making manufacturing inroads Other CAD vendors may beg to disagree.

Autodesk is already moving to use AI for customer support, teaming with IBM to create Otto, a digital concierge that uses IBM Watson technology to manage customer and partner inquiries, says Gregg Spratto, vice president of operations at Autodesk.

“Watson’s natural-language-processing and deep-learning technologies help Otto understand the intent of customer questions.”

Today’s wind turbines, like this one installed in Traverse City, Mich., can be outfitted with a myriad of sensors and actuators that will return real-time turbine operating information through the Internet of Things.

| Image: bengarrison

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3D CAD

Fusion Connect Internet of Things software from Autodesk can help connect factory applications across a number of industrial machines and make sense of information returned from the | Image courtesy of Autodesk connected machines.

“With the AI engine on board, the IoT platform will be able to predict product failures or design flaws based on how a product or device is presently funtioning in the real world, says Bryan Kester, director of IoT at Autodesk.”

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To offer Otto initial “training,” as it were, the Autodesk team fed historical data from chat logs, use cases, and forum posts into the program to ensure it could understand and respond to a wide range of customer queries.

Then, as the project expands, Otto will use machine learning to handle increasingly complex customer requests and will scale up as call-volume grows.

Also, last October, Autodesk announced plans to embed an AI modeling engine into its IoT cloud platform, Fusion Connect. The Eureqa engine is from Nutonian, recently acquired by DataRobot.

With the AI engine on board, the IoT platform will be able to predict product failures or design flaws based on how a product or device is presently functioning in the real world, says Bryan Kester, director of IoT at Autodesk

The pairing is natural, as IoT offers continual feedback on how products are performing in the field, in real time. IoT makes use of sensors and actuators attached to a product that send back continuous information on how the product is operating, moment-by-moment, in the field.

Fusion Connect helps gather information from that network of sensors and actuators as well as upon RFID, Wi-Fi, and a range of other communications and monitoring technologies, Kester says.

The information is then analyzed and output in a format useful to engineers, who can use it to find where improvements can be made to existing product designs and to determine how new products could be designed better designed. All this based on present, real-world operation, he adds.

Similarly, PTC plans this year to link its Creo computer-aided design system, to the company’s ThingWorx IoT development platform. Developers use the platform to build and deploy enterprise-level IoT applications, says Paul Sagar, vice president of product management at PTC.

Though it’s not an AI application, after the ThingWorx and Creo interface is complete, engineers will be able to instrument their CAD model with virtual sensors that act in the same manner as the real-world counterparts do; that is, they monitor and report back about particular features of part or system operation.

These virtual sensors can offer more insight into model behavior than the what-if questioning and virtual experimentation engineers now use to explore model performance, Sagar says. The sensors can help answer questions like: is the virtual system running hot in a certain area? Is airflow too high or too low?

With those questions answered, designers can redesign and repeat the process until they’ve optimized the model to meet— perhaps even exceed--specifications, Sagar continues.

AI aids 3D lookup Introduced last summer, Autodesk’s Design Graph is another machine learning system that helps users manage 3D content, offering Google search-like functionality for 3D models, says Mike Haley, who leads the machine intelligence group at Autodesk.

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3D CAD

“Machine learning and artificial intelligence are starting to make the first inroads into daily life, but to our knowledge this is its very first application for industrial design and mechanical engineering,” Haley says.

Design Graph algorithms extract large amounts of 3D design data from an engineering company’s designs. It then creates a catalog by categorizing each component and design using a classification and relationship system. Designers and engineers search across all of their files for a part type, such as a bolt or a bike seat, with the tool returning dozens or hundreds of pertinent options.

So how does machine learning come into play?

The system teaches computers to identify and understand designs based on their inherent characteristics--their shape and structure--rather than by tags or metadata, Haley says.

After all, whoever designed the part originally could label it any of dozens of ways, using full words or abbreviations.

Metadata created by people, unless carefully managed, tends to be unreliable, Haley says.

With Design Graph, the computer uses its own observations about the 3D geometry contained in every 3D model.

So while some AI capabilities already exist within CAD systems, look for more to come. After all, product design plays a key role in the connected factory and the IoT systems of the future. Without design, there’d be no need for a factory—no matter how connected--to make the products and nothing for IoT to monitor. DW

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How

air bearings

improve scanning performance Stefan Vorndran • PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P.

Air bearings are common in scanning applications. Scanning involves moving either a work-piece or an optic at a constant velocity, while a reading or writing operation takes place.

Such operations include printing and image-setting (writing) and imaging (reading). While the physical act of writing an image or capturing an image differ by application and industry, all such applications share a common requirement – maintaining a constant velocity.

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M e c h a n i c a l

In most applications, the image capture or creation operation takes place at a constant frequency, such as frames per second in a camera. As the optic and work-piece move relative to each other, the spatial separation between each frame must be constant in order not to distort or blur the image. This means that the relative velocity between the two must remain constant.

We will discuss several aspects of scanning performance – how it is specified and measured, what performance level is achievable, what can impact the performance, and why air bearings provide superior scanning performance.

Defining scanning performance The two most common methods of defining and specifying scanning performance are based on either velocity or position. A velocity-based specification is often defined as a percentage error at a specific velocity. For example: 200 mm/ sec scan speed, 0.01% error.

A position-based specification is described in terms of position error at any point in time, also called following error. It means that the stage position cannot deviate from the planned motion trajectory by more than the error window during the entire scan. For example: 200 mm scan distance, 200 mm/sec scan speed, +\-0.1 micron following error.

Following error is a common term in the servo-controls domain. It is a general term used to define the position error between the commanded trajectory and the actual trajectory. In this article, we use the term in this way, but in the specific case of errors seen during the constant velocity scan move. We ignore the following errors seen during a contoured move, where trajectory changes, and therefore accelerations, are commanded by the controller.

A number of manufacturers prefer to use the position-based specification for scanning performance, as the errors are more directly measured using laser interferometry tools.

Typical scanning configuration.

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Linear CCD Camera

Illumination

Sequence of Line Images

Reconstructed Image Copyright, AutoVision, Inc. 1999

Line scanning.

Air bearings for increased scanning performance Air bearings perform well when compared to other options for one main reason: air bearings have no friction. An air bearing has no physical contact between moving parts and floats on a cushion of air.

Therefore, air bearings do not need to overcome static friction in order to produce motion, and do not need to overcome dynamic friction to maintain motion. With

the minor exception of drag forces created by aerodynamic drag from the surrounding atmosphere and viscous drag created by the shearing of the air bearing film, an air bearing system behaves exactly as Newton’s three laws of motion predict.

Mechanical bearings still have to contend with friction and noise. All mechanical bearings exhibit some level of static and dynamic friction that must be overcome by the drive and control system. Friction levels can change with temperature, lubrication, preload, speed, payload and wear. This makes friction behave in unpredictable and non-linear ways.

Further, the friction levels can vary widely from unit to unit. Mechanical bearings, especially those with reciprocal elements, also suffer from noise. As rolling elements exit the bearing groove, recirculate in their carrier, and then re-enter the bearing groove, audible noise can be heard. This noise varies with speed, and affects the motion profile.

Both friction and noise make it impossible for the servo-controls to maintain ideal scanning performance.

Frictionless motors Air bearing stages designed for scanning can be driven by a direct-drive linear motor.

Linear motors, like air bearings, have no contacting moving parts, and therefore do not suffer from noise and friction issues.

Traditional mechanical drive mechanisms such as screws, worms, belts, and gears, all suffer from the same weaknesses as mechanical bearings: friction and noise. By coupling

PIglide LC linear air bearing stage, model A-110

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M e c h a n i c a l

non-contact air bearings with non-contact linear motors, air bearing stages create friction-free motion perfect for scanning.

Other impacts on scanning performance Not all air bearing motion systems are created equal. Yes, the use of an air bearing and linear motor are necessary to scanning, but other design decisions will impact system performance as well. These factors must be considered and tradeoffs made during system design to determine how to best meet scanning performance specifications. These factors include: payload; system stiffness; motor design; encoder selection, resolution, and signal type; servo-controls and drives selection; cable track design; electrical noise isolation and wiring design; and vibration isolation and control.

Following error data for model A-110 stage.

Scanning performance levels The level of achievable scanning performance will vary from system to system. However, following is performance data captured from PIglide air bearing stages.

This set of data is taken from a model A-110 PIglide LC linear air bearing stage with a 2µm incremental optical sine/ cosine analog encoder with a glass scale. This encoder was chosen for its signal-to-noise quality. The stage is operated with an ACS SPiiPlus EC motion controller. Following errors are below +\-20 nanometers at a scan speed of 2 mm/sec.

Over a small window of 20µm of travel, the following error is below +\-10 nanometers.

This set of data is taken from a model A-322 PIglide HS Planar XY air bearing stage with absolute optical encoder, 1nm BISS out-

PIglide HS Planar XY air bearing stage, model A-322.

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M e c h a n i c a l

put, and steel scale. The stage is operated with an ACS SPiiPlus EC motion controller. Following errors are below +\-25 nanometers at a scan speed of 20 mm/sec, and below +\-100 nanometers at a scan speed of 250 mm/sec.

Following error does increase with scanning speed, but not at the same rate. In the plots (left), the speed is increased 12.5x while the following error only increased 4x. Performance levels, such as this, are simply not possible with mechanical bearing technologies. DW

Following error data for model A-322 stage, X axis

PI | www.pi-usa.us

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Following error data for model A-322 stage, X axis

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A supplement of Design World August 2017

Automaker improves workflow with 3D Printing

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» The Continuous Build 3D Demonstrator from Stratasys Ltd is a modular unit with multiple 3D print cells working simultaneously, driven by a central, cloud-based architecture. It produces parts in a continuous stream with minor operator intervention, automatically ejecting completed parts and begining new ones. Each 3D print cell can produce a different job, which suits mass customization projects.

Additional cells can be added at any time to the scalable platform to increase production capacity as demand requires.

What’s new in the shift to

ADDITIVE PRODUCTION By: Leslie Langnau • Managing Editor

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Investments from 3D printing’s hype years continue to pay off for additive manufacturing. Here’s a look at the latest developments since new product introductions made at the AMUG conference.

www.makepartsfast.com

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A d d i t i v e

At some point over the last decade, users reached a tipping point and saw the potential for 3D printing systems to make parts in quantity, rather than just as a prototyping system. And the race to deliver on this idea began.

So far, this year is witness to a number of innovative approaches to volume production. Are these systems fully ready for volume manufacturing? Depends on how ready users are to do things differently. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, continues to be a disruptor of “the traditional way of doing things.”

More vendors introduce smart, connected 3D printers The Cloud has come to 3D printing and a number of vendors are using this connectivity concept to develop 3D printing type hubs that connect through the internet. Such approaches enable users to build parts from anywhere, as well as monitor and service these systems remotely.

3D Systems Corp., will offer the PTC ThingWorx Platform with its 3D printers to provide connectivity, enabling intelligent monitoring and remote service and maintenance.

This move will maximize 3D Systems printers’ availability and productivity. Customers will be able to

T e c h n o l o g y

create real time dashboards to monitor the printers, which could give valuable insight and actionable intelligence into the printers’ operations and materials status.

The integration will also give 3D Systems visibility into the service requirements of the printers, enabling the company to remotely diagnose and, in some cases, remotely service the printer, speeding repairs for better overall machine productivity.

“We believe the capabilities enabled through ThingWorx technology can help us deliver the machine uptime required in production environments,” said Carol Zampell, vice president, software, 3D Systems. “This will enable customers to improve resource utilization, business insight, and gain greater productivity.”

Automating desktop SL Recently Formlabs entered this arena with its Form Cell system. The Form Cell leverages a group of Form 2 stereolithography 3D printers. These printers are arranged to handle multiple part builds simultaneously. Thus, it is a scalable arrangement of 3D printers that parallelizes and automates repetitive 3D printing processes, enabling a 24hour digital factory.

In addition to the Form 2 3D printers, the Cell includes a post-processing system and an industrial robotic gantry system, plus software to optimize print scheduling and API endpoints for industry standard business systems and homegrown systems alike.

Formlabs engineers believe that more examples of 3D printing for production will emerge if 3D printer manufacturers can push improvements in materials and cost per part. For cost, the Form Cell addresses equipment ownership cost, materials cost, and labor cost, which contribute to the cost of each part.

» The Renishaw RenAM 500 M was designed for serialized production.

The additive system suits industrial production applications, and each system can be dedicated to a single material type for a lights-out manufacturing environment, providing a higher level of automation compared to previous AM250 and AM400 platforms.

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For the labor component of 3D printing, the Form Cell automates repetitive 3D printing processes so that labor can be redirected to other tasks.

Moving into serialized production Designed and engineered for serialized production, the Renishaw RenAM 500M additive manufacturing system builds complex metallic components directly from CAD using metal powder bed fusion technology. The RenAM 500M is first in a family of products based around Renishaw’s optical systems and control technology.

The additive system suits industrial production applications, and each system can be dedicated to a single material type for a lights-out manufacturing environment, providing a higher level of automation compared to previous AM250 and AM400 platforms.

The RenAM 500M manufactures parts within a 250 mm x 250 mm x 350 mm build volume (9.84 x 9.84 x 13.77 in.) and uses a high powered ytterbium fiber laser to fuse fine metallic powders together creating functional 3-dimensional parts.

In-line sieving recycles powder in a single process under an inert atmosphere, reducing user interaction and turnaround time. Metallic powder is loaded into the machine hopper 92

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at the front of the system and sieved ultrasonically. Any unmelted material is returned to the hopper and passes through the ultrasonic sieve before being processed. Sieved powder is pneumatically transferred in a flow of high purity argon gas into the powder delivery silo.

Renishaw recently released an updated version of the QuantAM build file preparation software dedicated to its metal additive manufacturing (AM) systems. Users can position the parts to be built then add, import and edit the required support anchors. Multiple components, each with their own material properties, can be efficiently configured on the build plate and reviewed, in slice by slice detail, prior to sending the build file to the Renishaw metal AM system.

Based on a Windows operating system with a dedicated user interface, large icons show the build set-up workflow for clear and straightforward operation.

The RenAM 500M features a patented high capacity twin SafeChange filter system enabling builds to run for long periods in a stable and controlled atmosphere. Filters capture process emissions safely and efficiently and the machine’s intelligent control system actively senses the filter’s condition and redirects the gas circuit to a clean

August 2017

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» The Form Cell from Formlabs leverages a number of Form 2 stereolithography 3D printers. The printers will handle multiple part builds simultaneously, for a scalable system that enables a 24-hour digital factory.

filter before conditions deteriorate.

Powder sieving and recirculation are automatically carried out within the compact system, reducing the need for manual handling and exposure to materials, which provides increased safety and sustained quality of the metal powders.

Additive manufacturing cells for continuous production Stratasys Ltd announced its Continuous Build 3D Demonstrator, which is a step into low-volume, continuous production using additive technology. Commercial product availability has not yet been announced.

The new platform is a modular unit with multiple 3D print cells working simultaneously and driven by a central, cloud-based architecture.

The Continuous Build 3D Demonstrator produces parts in a continuous stream with minor operator intervention. It automatically ejects completed parts and begins new ones.

Each 3D print cell can produce a different job, which suits mass customization projects. Additional cells can be added at any time to the scalable platform to increase production capacity as demand requires. Features include automatic queue management, load balancing and architecture redundancy, 94

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which accelerate throughput as jobs are automatically routed to available print cells. If a single print cell fails, the job will automatically reroute to the next available cell.

Target applications include education rapid prototyping labs and environments that can benefit from zero tooling production and from a zero inventory supply chain.

“The Stratasys Continuous Build 3D Demonstrator is an important milestone in the company’s long term vision to make additive manufacturing a viable solution for volume production environments,” says Scott Crump, Stratasys Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer. “It combines our FDM print quality, GrabCAD control and monitoring, and a new multicell, scalable architecture to create a breakthrough manufacturing platform.”

When In’Tech Industries, Inc., a supplier of rapid prototyping/ additive manufacturing, engineering services, tooling services and injection molding, wanted to expand its 3D printing offerings to create a bridgeto-production solution for their OEM customers, it choose the Continuous Build 3D Demonstrator. The additive system enabled In’Tech to offer sameday or next-day delivery of quantities of identical or mixed parts that would eventually be injection molded, helping the company improve customer service without adding additional staff. www.makepartsfast.com

Combining additive and subtractive Optomec, a leading global supplier of production grade additive manufacturing systems for 3D printed electronics (using the Aerosol Jet technology) and 3D printed metals (with the LENS technology), unveiled a hybrid controlled atmosphere system based on LENS metal additive manufacturing technology. This new LENS system enables additive and subtractive processing of aluminum, titanium and other reactive metals in one affordable machine tool platform. n MPF

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SINTERED PARTS TAKE FLIGHT Edited by: Leslie Langnau • Managing Editor

» Four ECS ducting parts manufactured for Bell Helicopter.

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A d d i t i v e

M a n u f a c t u r i n g

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. is an engineering-driven company with a rich history of looking forward to advance its aircrafts. Often, such investigation requires manufacturing solutions that fulfill design goals. Bell engineers explored additive manufacturing--a process already known to yield reliable results for prototypes--when it came to create functional hardware for the helicopters. The engineers wanted to see if 3D printing would meet their strict guidelines for functional production parts.

Having worked with Stratasys Direct Manufacturing previously, the engineers reached out to them again – this time for their expertise in 3D printing custom production components.

Bell needed components produced quickly and with a repeatable process at a competitive cost compared to conventional manufacturing. The engineers also wanted to take advantage of part consolidation, eliminating some additional assembly, decreasing or eliminating rework, and reducing component weight.

The parts identified for production were ducting parts for the environmental control systems (ECS) and other components throughout the aircraft. One example is defog duct nozzles, which prevent the front windshield from clouding up and disturbing the pilot’s visibility. These pieces were complex in design, with multiple geometrical intricacies and internal features – a project perfect for additive manufacturing.

From the material used to the finished product’s performance, the parts had to meet aerospace quality standards and Bell’s rigorous testing processes. Plus, because of the helicopter’s weight requirements, the final pieces would have to be lightweight. The engineering team was also looking to maximize any available economic advantage throughout the entire process.

Laser sintering with nylon To fulfill these strict requirements, Stratasys Direct Manufacturing recommended Laser Sintering technology to build components. Laser Sintering (LS) creates tough and geometrically intricate components using a powerful CO₂ laser to melt powdered Nylons.

The lasers work with an optical delivery system that uses mirrors to direct their focus. To ensure repeatability, Stratasys Direct Manufacturing maintains stringent process controls and procedures to maintain the LS machines and reliably deliver reiterative pieces.

www.makepartsfast.com

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The LS process used is a powder bed process. As parts are built layer by layer, they remain encased in the powder, removing the need for support structures. Engineers can design for function, without having to consider breakaway structures or other support configurations. Laser sintering can achieve lower wall thicknesses than injection molding even though the materials have similar specific gravity values.

Additive manufacturing enables engineers to consolidate parts to incorporate multiple components into single structures for one build. Designs that use part consolidation can help lessen the weight of the final build piece by eliminating hardware used to join parts – a significant benefit for an aerospace company like Bell.

Laser sintering can produce complex features, undercuts and internal features.

Leveraging the design freedom of additive manufacturing, including part-consolidation, engineers designed for maximum function as seen in the defog duct nozzle, designed for Bell’s 412 helicopter.

Stratasys Direct Manufacturing executed assessments for Bell to confirm the capability of laser sintering for the project with tests for powder degradation (the analysis of powder chemistry post build), correct heat distribution during the build, dimensional

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g

C

A

B F D

E

» Engineers were able to design the defog duct nozzle for maximum function.

A

Integral vanes improve overall airflow distribution

B

Built-in support reduces part count and improves quality and reproductibility

C

Produced part virtually identical to Engineering (improves Quality)

“LS parts have less post-processing needs due to the lack of break away support structures.

When the build is finished, the pieces are removed from the powder bed; what typically emerges is a functional part ready for cosmetic finishing.”

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D

Integrated part number is positions to be seen even when the part is installed

E

Straight airflow path reduces turbulence

F

Double canted wall end to improve airflow distribution, eliminate clash

accuracy, repeatability, and the overall quality and performance of the parts. Bell confirmed the results, paving the way for production of the needed components.

LS parts have less post-processing needs due to the lack of break away support structures. When the build is finished, the pieces are removed from the powder bed; what typically emerges is a functional part ready for cosmetic finishing.

“In addition to the design advantages, there are manufacturing benefits to LS technology. Tool-less manufacturing means you don’t face certain limitations and upfront costs. And if you need to change something, you can build new revisions simply by changing the CAD file. There is no need to update or produce new molds and very little wasted time or money,” said Greg Reynolds, vice president of additive manufacturing at Stratasys Direct Manufacturing.

The results In addition to verifying Stratasys Direct Manufacturing’s AS9100 and ISO 9001 certifications, Bell also completed manufacturing site and production equipment qualifications per Bell Process Specifications.

Preliminary inspections of the Belton, Texas manufacturing site and its laser sintering machines concluded, and Stratasys Direct

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Additive Manufacturing

Manufacturing proceeded with production of Bell’s aircraft components.

Speaking of the additive manufacturing process, Elliott Schulte, Engineer III at Bell Helicopter, said, “The technology produces a robust and highly repeatable process. We often discovered that the production cost per piece is reduced compared to conventional manufacturing methods when producibility is a factor. As an example, the defog nozzle was able to take advantage of laser sintering as a higher yield process and do so with increased geometric complexity improved performance.”

Stratasys Direct Manufacturing performed inspections, including nitrogen leak rate checks and monitoring mixing of powders, and tracked the thermal process during the build. Build

mechanical properties were inspected to confirm each time LS produced parts adhered to specification and product quality requirements.

“After every build, we test for tensile and flexural properties,” said Grant Shirley, quality manager at Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, “By following these checks, Stratasys Direct Manufacturing executed the process with excellent repeatability and quality.”

By using LS to manufacture the defog duct nozzles for the 429 program, Bell realized a weight savings of 13% and a lead-time compression of 75%. Employing design consolidation reduced the part count by three part

» Defog duct nozzles being excavated

from powder.

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Explore the potential of additive manufacturing Renishaw’s additive manufacturing systems use powder bed fusion technology to produce fully dense complex metal parts direct from 3D CAD. Also known as 3D printing, this technology is not constrained by traditional manufacturing design rules. Create complex geometries such as conformal cooling

channels for tooling inserts, reduce component weight by only placing material where it is needed, and consolidate multiple parts in one assembly. Additive manufacturing is also complementary to conventional machining technologies, and directly contributes to reduced lead times, tooling costs and material waste.

■

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■

Increased design freedom—complex geometries and hidden features.

■

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Additive Manufacturing

numbers. Bell Helicopter estimated a cost avoidance of $120K because of the elimination of conventional tooling and rework.

Overall, for Bell’s 429-helicopter program, there was a 24% part-count reduction when designs were converted to laser sintering, with six materials reduced and rework eliminated.

The most crucial savings for the 429-program was in weight. Bell measured an overall weight reduction of 2/3 lb for every 1 lb of laser-sintered weight.

“3D printing these parts delivered an immediate weight savings benefit,” said Dinesh Sharma, the Sr. Technical Specialist working on the ducting transition. “Additionally, the lower part count translated into cost savings on the administrative side including inspection, purchasing, and product support. Subsequent change incorporation is also faster and cheaper given that there is no permanent tooling to be maintained or modified.”

Bell’s results exemplify an important certainty for the aerospace industry: embracing additive manufacturing for even the smallest components on an aircraft reaps undeniable rewards.

Bell Helicopter is continuing to explore innovative designs for additively manufactured parts throughout its aircrafts’ systems. The engineers who worked with Stratasys Direct Manufacturing for development of environmental control systems are now helping other engineers at Bell understand the function and materials involved in additive manufacturing.

Bell is looking to harness the benefits and technology of 3D printing with its own R&D Rapid Prototyping Lab, which includes laser sintering, Fused Deposition Modeling and stereolithography machines. By seeking to further streamline manufacturing processes, Bell is using additive manufacturing to transform how it designs and manufactures its helicopter components. n MPF

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www.makepartsfast.com

E d i t e d by: L e s l i e L a n g n a u Managing Editor

8/3/17 4:14 PM

A u t o m o t i v e

Every year, Portugal-based Volkswagen Autoeuropa makes more than 100,000 iconic Volkswagen cars including the Scirocco and Sharan models. To improve workflow, engineers and line technicians at the facility 3D print manufacturing aids that are used daily on the assembly line.

No longer having to rely on external suppliers for its tools, jigs, and fixtures, lead time shrank from several weeks to just a few days, reducing tool development time by 95% and saving more than 90% in production costs.

With a set of Ultimaker 3 and Ultimaker 2+ printers, the engineers and line technicians can create highly complex designs and make rapid revisions and amendments, without cost penalties or long lead times. The tools can be tailored to match exact requirements, making function and performance

» A new tool can be printed overnight, and the next morning, operators can test it on the assembly line. Their feedback can be incorporated in consecutive design iterations until the perfect tool is made.

the main drivers of design - not cost or time.

External suppliers Prior to working with Ultimaker, the Volkswagen team relied on external suppliers for its tools, jigs, and fixtures. These third party companies often took several weeks to process the mock-up and manufacture the needed tools.

If design amendments were needed, outsourcing proved to be expensive. When developing new manufacturing aids, the Volkswagen team often needed to adopt a trial-and-error approach, which was not practical when working with other companies.

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Automotive

Saving time and money with 3D printing Says Luis Pascoa, Pilot Plant Manager at Volkswagen Autoeuropa, “Over 2016, the facility saved an estimated €150,000 - a figure that is expected to increase to €250,000 in 2017. The initial investment in the Ultimaker machines was paid back fully in 2 months. On top of these time and cost savings, the 3D printed tools are more ergonomic and yield greater operator engagement as feedback can more easily be incorporated into design iterations - all adding up to much higher efficiency levels. Since we have integrated Ultimaker’s 3D printing technology into our process, 93 percent of what we previously sourced externally is produced in-house.

The 3D printed tools are considered best practice in the Volkswagen group.

•

Unlimited revisions: Making a revision to or enhancing the tool is simply a matter of tweaking the CAD file and re-printing, giving designers and engineers the ability to iterate on-demand.

•

Accelerated delivery and cost savings: Machining a complex tool at a factory can take several weeks, if not longer. Manufacturers have seen a 40-90% reduction in lead time by printing tools on-site.

•

Accessibility across the enterprise: Ultimaker’s technology seamlessly integrates into an organization with low cost of initial investment, no steep learning curve and simple scalability. n MPF

Workflow changes By producing the tools in-house, Volkswagen Autoeuropa can skip the purchasing department and develop ideas for new or improved tools with the operators. That was previously impossible as only a few ideas could actually be implemented in a timely manner.

A new tool can be printed overnight, and the next morning, operators test it on the assembly line. Their feedback can be incorporated in consecutive design iterations until the perfect tool is made.

This tool can then be printed as many times as needed and at low costs.

Advantages of using Ultimaker’s 3D printing technology for VW and other manufacturers include: • Complete customization: With Ultimaker, it is now feasible to produce tools with complex designs and geometries, like cavities, undercuts and overhangs – something that is not a viable option with traditional tool manufacturing.

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Denver-based Boom Supersonic is strengthening its strategic partnership with Rescale to leverage the power of cloud high-performance computing (HPC) for design and optimization of its new supersonic passenger jet.

The world’s first commercial supersonic aircraft, Concorde, was envisioned in the 1960s for next-generation, high-speed intercontinental travel. It was designed with a short wingspan to reduce supersonic drag, but with a long, swept delta to produce lift-inducing vortices at landing and takeoff speeds.

While a technical marvel, the plane wasn’t commercially successful due to high operating costs and the inability to fill 100 seats at the $20,000 round-trip ticket price. It was retired in 2003 after Airbus could no longer source parts, a rare backwards step in technology progress.

Now, 14 years later, Boom is reigniting the dream of supersonic travel and showed off its updated XB-1 supersonic demonstrator at the recent Paris Air Show. The design phase this time looks very different from the 1960s.

Leveraging Rescale’s turnkey cloud HPC platform, Boom uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis running on a massively-powerful compute infrastructure to

run thousands of simulations at each stage of the design. This on-demand, zero-IT footprint has enabled them to run a lean startup operation, while at the same time simulating and optimizing high-fidelity virtual prototype models on the world’s most powerful compute clusters.

Boom’s supersonic airliner will boast a long-range supersonic cruise speed of Mach 2.2 (1,451 mph) and a maximum route of 9,000 nautical miles. A balanced field length of only 8,500 feet is required for takeoff, and the aircraft will hold 55 business-class passengers.

Boom’s product development cycle is almost entirely simulation-driven, employing the Rescale platform from initial high-level concept down to the detailed design of items such as the variable geometry engine intakes. Using flight simulators, pilots are testing various flight conditions and helping to refine requirements in a continuous loop with simulation. The approach is leading to a huge amount of data being generated across several complex simulation tools, but by working

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with the Rescale development team, Boom is helping develop efficient data management workflows. For example, remote desktop post-processing with automatic in-platform visualization of results across multiple tools ensures that all stakeholders stay fully informed at every stage, transferring only the key results they need to move the project forward.

“Rescale’s cloud HPC platform lets us be simulation-driven throughout the product design phase. It lets our team quickly disseminate simulation results to all the stakeholders in the process, so that we can make rapid progress,” said Joshua Krall, cofounder and CTO of Boom. “This is a major benefit for a hard-tech startup like Boom as we work with a complex network of partners to launch an advanced, safety-critical product that needs to work the first time exactly as designed and simulated.”

“Working with Boom has been a great two-way development process,” said Joris Poort, Rescale CEO.

“Boom has been able to leverage the flexibility and scalability of the Rescale platform to gain access to best-inclass software simulation and cloud HPC infrastructure, and Rescale has learned a great deal about the daily workflow requirements of platform users and efficient handling and analysis of bulk simulation data.”

Using their recent $33 millon Series A round of funding, Boom is building their XB-1 demonstrator aircraft now and recently announced a major design update at the Paris Air Show. AD

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to pick the right rubber compound FOR AN AEROSPACE PART?

BY JOHN A. TRANQUILLI MATERIALS MANAGER | APPLE RUBBER PRODUCTS INC.

I have more than 20 years’ experience in the rubber industry with about 15 years of actual rubber formulation experience—and even I find it hard picking the right material for aerospace applications. Our standard database has more than 300 files of different specification relating to just Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS). This does not include the numerous military standards or customer specifications. Many designers want to associate a rubber part they designed to an AMS standard. The problem is that not all rubber polymers fall into a standard … or new polymers have not yet had an AMS standard written for them.

A rubber compound formulation is typically composed of a polymer, filler, processing aid, protectants, and curative. Formulators use variations of these to make sure the part will meet a given set of material properties desired for an application. AMS standards are sometimes written for a specific formulation or standard set of properties. This might not fit the requirements of the designed rubber part. We worked on a project that was low sealing pressure, dynamic application where the customer wanted to have a 40 Shore A EPDM internal lubricated with PTFE to lower friction. The closest standard is AMS 3260, which is a call-out for a standard EPDM 50 Shore A. As compounds are specifically designed for applications, there might not be an aerospace standard to use.

Unfortunately, as new polymers get developed, it takes a very long time for new standards to be created to use these polymers.

Hydrogenated Nitrile Rubber (HNBR) has been around for a long time, but still, there is no AMS standard for these polymers. HNBR rubber compounds have superior properties over Nitrile Rubber (NBR) compounds. Use of HNBR would only make more robust rubber parts for aerospace applications. Limited exposure to 112

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ozone will crack NBR rubber over time. Simply storing assemblies in a warehouse with exposure to the environment can cause cracks and premature failure. Use of HNBR compound would allow for a wider range of storage condition with little to no effect on the rubber part.

Choosing the wrong specification can also lead to higher cost and less availability. Take the example of Fluorocarbon (FKM) compounds.

The standard high-temperature low compression set 75 durometer compound was AMS-R-83248. This

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was canceled in September 2005 and superseded to AMS 7276. The problem with this standard is that it requires the compound to be listed on the Qualified Products List (QPL). This is a very expensive process and limits the number of rubber manufacturers that have it. There is now AMS 3216, which is the same physical requirementsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; but does not require the QPL listing.

This could reduce cost and provide more vendors to quote the project.

It is important that engineers and designers select the correct standard.

Make sure the compound can be

supplied and meets your design requirements. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just thoughtlessly add in a specification, thinking you will end up with a better part. AD

References Apple Rubber Products www.applerubber.com

www.makepartsfast.com

8/3/17 9:25 AM

ISO 9001

ISO 13485

AS 9100

perfection in stainless steel

Laser machining

CNC machining

Eagle has the skills and the technology required to produce

Eagle Stainless is the supplier of choice for close-tolerance, exotic

all of your custom exotic metal parts.

Let us help !

metal parts in bores from 0.032" to 2" .

Come to us !

Cut-to-length Eagle has what it takes to meet your needs for precision cut-to-length parts and fabricated exotic metal parts.

Call us. You won't get voice mail!

Tube bending Eagle has the expertise and the specialized machinery for bending tubing exactly to spec.

Call us for a quote !

Come to us. Let us help!

Eagle Stainless 10 Discovery Way â&#x20AC;˘ Franklin, MA 02038 Phone (800) 528-8650 www.eagletube.com

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Lubricants KEEP AIRLINES IN FLIGHT Using the proper lubricants is essential in any moving system in an industrial setting. But while many designers may immediately think of ball bearings or joints, there are innumerable places where lubricants are used in even the most complicated systems. Here’s a look at some of the places where industrial grade lubricants are needed in a typical passenger aircraft.

Airframe Proper function of landing gear during takeoff and landing is absolutely critical to successful aircraft operation. Primary flight controls need to activate properly as instructed by the pilot when the aircraft is in flight. Additionally, lubricating airframe components with a corrosion-inhibited, synthetic hydrocarbon grease designed for high speed, wide temperature conditions will ensure proper long-term function and maintenance-free operation of these critical flight systems.

Avionics The electronics and avionics systems found in an airplane cockpit rely on lubrication to ensure the communications, navigation, and other crucial flight systems perform properly. In fact, some instrumentation and adjustment controls require lubrication to provide long-term protection from corrosion—not to mention consistent, reliable operation. The proper synthetic lubricant should

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enable mechanisms to slide, push or flip smoothly— while also imparting the optimal feel or control feedback for the pilot’s interface to a wide range of mechanisms and switch designs, including levers, dials, slides, push buttons, and so forth.

Interior Passenger seating and storage systems can benefit from a thin film of lubricant applied to interior component hinges and slides, to reduce noise generated by vibration and friction in the aircraft cabin while engines are running. In most instances, the actuation of these interior components is operated by passengers when pulled into their open positions.

A properly selected lubricant that stays in place will ensure a quality sound and feel of operation.

Passenger electronic interfaces and entertainment systems also rely on lubricants to ensure electrical connections have long-term protection from corrosion and fretting wear. AD

References Nye Lubricants nyelubricants.com

www.designworldonline.com

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â&#x20AC;&#x192;

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ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

h e l p s d ro p p a r t co u n t fro m

100 PARTS t o

just

1

E D I T E D B Y PA U L H E N E Y , E D I T O R I A L D I R E C T O R

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Antennas are critical for conveying information—voice, video and/or data—across long distances. They are widely used in commercial and military aircraft, spacecraft, satellite communications, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and by ground terminals and land-based troops. Yet the complex radio frequency (RF) components that make up an antenna system can be large and heavy—characteristics that can impact mobility and performance.

Optisys redesigned a large, multi-part antenna assembly into a palm-sized, lighter, one-piece, 3D-printed metal antenna. The component was manufactured with a Concept Laser machine to provide optimum radio frequency (RF) performance.

“Companies in the commercial and military space are pressured for shorter lead-times, lighter weight and smaller antennas,” said Clinton Cathey, Optisys CEO. Optisys LLC is a provider of sophisticated, 3D-printed metal micro-antenna products for aerospace and defense applications.

“By combining RF design simulation, mechanical engineering, and system optimization focused on additive manufacturing (AM),” added Cathey, “we provide metal 3D-printed antenna products at greatly reduced size, weight, lead-times, part count and cost—with as-good or better RF performance than conventionally manufactured systems.

We’re creating structures that were simply not possible to produce in the past.”

A test-piece demonstrator project involved a complete redesign of a high-bandwidth, directional tracking antenna array for aircraft (known as a Ka-band 4×4 Monopulse Array).

Optisys performed every aspect of the design work in-house and printed the component in a single piece on their Concept Laser machine.

“Concept Laser’s powder-bed fusion in particular is perfect for this application because of the fine resolution it provides for antennas functioning in the one to one-hundred Gigahertz [GHz] range of RF in which most of our potential customers operate,” said Cathey.

www.designworldonline.com

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Aerospace/Defense Manufacturing antenna systems with conventional methods such as brazing and plunge EDM is a complex, multistage process that can take an average of eight months of development time and three to six more of build time, said Optisys COO Robert Smith, M.E. “Our unique offering is that we redesign everything from an additive manufacturing perspective,” said Smith. “We take into account the entire system function, combine many parts into one, and reduce both development and manufacturing lead times to just a few weeks. The result is radically improved size and weight at lower costs.”

Optisys conducted a profitability analysis on how their redesigned microwave antennae test piece compared to a legacy design that is traditionally manufactured. By optimizing their design for additive manufacturing, Optisys realized the following benefits:

Optisys redesigned a large, multi-part antenna assembly (top) into a palm-sized, lighter, one-piece, 3D-printed metal antenna (bottom). The component was manufactured

•

with a Concept Laser machine

• • • •

to provide optimum radio frequency (RF) performance.

Indexing Plungers

Part count reduction from 100 discrete pieces to a onepiece integrated assembly Weight savings of more than 95% Lead time reduced from 11 months to two months Production costs reduced by 20-25% Non-recurring costs reduced by 75%

Rod Ends and Spherical Bearings designed and manufactured to Aurora’s exacting standards for quality and durability.

Your Partner moving forward!

Registered and Certified to ISO_9001 and AS9100.

From economy commercial to aerospace approved, we’ve got it all!

J.W. Winco’s immense offering of indexing plungers come in a variety of types and sizes, including… · Cam Action · Weldable Mounting Flanges · Lock-out or Non Lock-out · Extended Grip Versions Types · Plate Mounts · Threaded Bodies · Ring or L-handles Explore Winco’s full product line of standard machine components for industry by visiting www.jwwinco.com or by contacting us with your application requirements.

Phone: 800-877-8351 Fax: 800-472-0670 Sales@jwwinco.com

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Aurora Bearing Company 901 Aucutt Road Montgomery IL. 60538

complete library of CAD drawings and 3D models available at:

w w w. a u r o r a b e a r i n g . c o m

August 2017

www.designworldonline.com

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Innovation in Miniature

WHEN IT COMES TO PERFORMANCE,

WE’RE YOUR WINGMAN.

PEACE OF MIND, SINCE 1948.

Count on The Lee Company for relentless support and unsurpassed reliability. That’s been our approach for over 65 years, which has placed our field-proven Microhydraulic fluid control components on board every military and commercial aircraft flying today. So, whether you need a standard or custom-engineered solution, choose The Lee Company and relax.

We’ve got your back.

Your Microhydraulics Flight Manual.

The Lee Technical Hydraulic Handbook has, for decades, served as the industry-standard engineering reference for hydraulic components.

Request your free copy today.

The Lee Company

860-399-6281 • www.TheLeeCo.com

WESTBROOK•LONDON•PARIS•FRANKFURT•MILAN•STOCKHOLM

LEE_Performance_DesignWorld_8-17.indd 1 The Lee Company 8-17_Aerospace Supp.indd 121

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Aerospace/Defense

“In addition to what our test-piece project revealed, 3D printing offers a number of other advantages,” said Smith. “When we design multiple antenna components into a single part, we reduce the overall insertion loss of the combined parts. And because our antennas are so much smaller this also lowers insertion loss dramatically despite the higher surface roughness of AM build, for similar or even better RF performance than conventional assemblies.”

Optisys can print in a variety of metals with its Concept Laser machine, though for antenna products they prefer aluminum because of its surface conductivity, lightweight, corrosion resistance and strength under shock and vibration.

“3D-printed metal will have virtually the same properties as a solid piece of the same material for RF performance,” said Smith. “Structurally, the products have been tested in rigorous vibration environments and they also have the same coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) as wrought metals. This also gives them better stability over temperature than plastic RF components.”

Part consolidation through AM provides a number of downstream benefits as well, Smith said.

“Reducing part count also reduces assembly and rework. It’s easy to add features to an existing AM design, easier to assemble the finished components and, long-term, you have less testing, maintenance and service when you have fewer parts.”

The Optisys team has a combined 60 years of aerospace experience in SATCOM (satellite communications), RF design, LOS (Line-of-Sight) communications and Mechanical Design.

“We’ve spent years on parameter and process development of our antenna-system optimization technology package,” said Cathey. “We validate our designs through simulation, test to all aerospace frequencies, and manufacture militaryruggedized production parts.”

The company has a number of patents pending and is in discussions with leading aerospace companies and academic institutions about expanding its portfolio of product lines. AD

References Optisys www.optisys.tech Concept Laser www.conceptlaserinc.com 122

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Aurora Bearing Company 3 Piece Metric Rod Ends.... ideal for high loads or high vibration levels Metric rod end bearings built to DIN ISO 12240-1 ( formerly DIN 648 ) schedule K typically are made with inner races or inner rings made of brass, bronze or copper. For many low demand applications, these bearings have proven to give satisfactory service. However, in applications with high loads and/or high vibration levels, they can quickly develop excess clearance do to the deformation of the softer race material. They are typically manufactured with low carbon steel bodies, with limited high strength options. For applications with high loads or high frequency reversing loads, parts in this type of configuration can give less than desired performance.

Aurora Bearing Company offers 3 different series of parts to address these shortcomings.

The Aurora MM-M and MW-M series parts are made with a low carbon steel raceway. This construction offers ball/race durability greater than brass race parts, with a load capacity comparable to the more common configurations.

For applications with vibratory loads, where the body strength or load capacity is not an issue, but severe demands are placed on the bearing itself, the Aurora KM-M and KW-M series offer a heat treated alloy steel raceway around the alloy steel ball in a low carbon steel body.

Aurora Bearing Company 901 Aucutt Rd. Montgomery, Il. 60538 www.aurorabearing.com

Concerning the most demanding applications , those that see high loads and vibratory conditions, the AM-M and AW-M series feature the heat treated raceway bearing construction combined with a heat treated alloy steel body. Combining the standard feature of a one piece steel raceway, the MM/MW-M and AM/AW-M series are also offered with Aurora's exclusive AT series PTFE liner for the optimum in self lubricating/ long life service.

Tel: 630-859-2030 Fax: 630-859-0971

Eagle Stainless Tube & Fabrication Inc. Eagle Stainless Tube & Fabrication Inc. is the leading supplier of ultra high precision, cut-to-length, stainless steel tubing, nickel alloys, and alluminum for medical, electronic, semiconductor industrial, and aerospace applications.

ISO 13485, ISO 9001 & AS 9100 certifications have reinforced Eagle’s commitment to each and every customer to provide the ultimate in quality, service and reliability.

• • • • • • •

Tubing - Hypodermic, Fractional, Metric and Pipe Bar Stock Custom Sizes and Shapes Custom Fabrication Precision Cut-to-length Laser Welding & Cutting CNC and more!

At Eagle we welcome the opportunity to share our expertise in developing product concepts and helping you solve your engineering problems.

Eagle Stainless Tube & Fabrication Inc. 10 Discovery Way Franklin, MA 02038 E-mail: info@eagletube.com www.eagletube.com Tel: 1-800-528-8650 Fax: 508-520-1954

www.designworldonline.com

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Equipto Electronics Corporation Equipto is able to manufacture to meet your spec or customize any of our standard products (COTS) to meet your needs (MOTS). Quantities small or large are not a problem. Our products are RoHS compliant. We are ISO 9001:2008 certified.

DESIGN There are times when it is appropriate to modify our standard products to meet your particular needs or develop a new enclosure from scratch. At Equipto Electronics, we make it easier for design engineers to get the enclosures they need for their particular application.

Modified Standards Because of our modular designs, it is often possible to satisfy most electronics packaging requirements with standard parts. However, there may be a time when you need to meet a particular requirement. We’re here to help.

Assistance can be as simple as planning the proper panel space and accessories or as complex as multiple bay custom cabinet configurations. We provide services to modify our parts to meet your special requirements.

Our engineering staff is available to speak directly with you to answer your technical questions.

Equipto Electronics Corporation 351 Woodlawn Avenue Aurora, IL 60506-9988 800.204.RACK (7225) http://www.equiptoelec.com

J.W. Winco, Inc. Edge Protection Seal Profiles from J.W. Winco, which can be used to seal doors, covers and hatches, are pressed by hand onto the front of metal sheets and plates.

These RoHS compliant seal profiles feature an embedded clamp insert that prevents detachment, so glue or other adhesives are not required. When assembled, the profile should deform slightly, which ensures an optimal seal. Adherence to the guideline placement radii is recommended in order to ensure a tight profile seal and to make assembly easier.

Version 2180 is made from ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber in black, with clamping profile hardness of 65 ±5 Shore A and sealing profile hardness of 25 ±5 Shore A. The EPDM profiles, which are temperature resistant from -40 to 100° C (-40 to 212° F), are certified according to UL 50 and UL 94-HB. The profile seal can also come in black acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR). For sizes 20.5 mm and 13 mm, they have a clamping profile hardness of 60 ±5 Shore A and a sealing profile hardness of 25 ±5 Shore A. The NBR profiles, which are recommended for use in cases where contact with fuels, oils, or coolants can occur, are temperature resistant to -30 to100° C (-22 to 212° F).

The clamp insert for both has a steel wire polyester clamping band inside the body of the seal profile.

Version 2182’s clamping profile is Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in black, with a hardness of 70±5 Shore A. The sealing profile is EPDM in black, with hardness of 25 ±5 Shore A. The clamp insert is a steel clamping band, and the profile is temperature resistant from -40 to 90° C (-40 to 194° F). http://www.jwwinco.com/products/section3/gn2182/index.html

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J.W. Winco, Inc. 2815 S. Calhoun Road New Berlin, WI 53151 800-877-8351 www.jwwinco.com sales@jwwinco.com

www.designworldonline.com

8/4/17 11:09 AM

Master Bond Inc. Epoxy Meets Airbus Specifications for Flame Retardancy Master Bond EP93FRHT non-halogenated epoxy was developed for aircraft applications where stringent requirements for flame retardancy, smoke emission, and toxicity levels must be met.

This material has passed rigorous Airbus requirements including the following tests: • vertical ignition • optical density of smoke generated by solid materials • toxic gas analysis All three tests passed with flying colors, well under the permissible acceptable criteria.

Master Bond EP93FRHT is a two component epoxy that can be used as an adhesive, sealant and potting system. It is ideal for use in aircraft interior applications. To learn more about this specialty product, contact us today.

MASTER BOND INC. 154 Hobart Street Hackensack, NJ 07601-3922 main@masterbond.com Tel: +1-201-343-8983 Fax: +1-201-343-2132

Drives for Complex Flight Systems Maxon motor’s quality drives are found in complex flight systems. For example in autopilot systems for controlling flight altitude via mechanical control surfaces, in auto throttle systems as well as in the force feedback joystick of fly-by-wire flight control systems. To meet the requirements of the aviation industry, maxon motor has developed new production methods to electronically record the data of each individual product automatically during the manufacturing. This means even the highest certificate requirements may be met.

Maxon’s brushless ECX series combined with planetary gearheads are ideal for such applications featuring: • High power packed into extremely small space • Precise speed or position control • High output torque • Narrow tolerances in the motor parameters • Easily modified to meet DO-160 ambient condition requirements Learn more about the maxon solutions and visit www.maxonmotorusa.com

maxon precision motors, inc.

101 Waldron Road Fall River, MA 02720 www.maxonmotorusa.com Tel: 508-677-0520

www.designworldonline.com

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Precision Metal Components for Aerospace For over 90 years Atlantic Spring of NJ, a premier US manufacturer of custom springs, wireforms, and assemblies has been specializing in delivering lightweight, heat resistant custom parts for mission critical Aerospace and Defense applications. Their quality systems and CNC equipment are capable of forming products of wire sizes between 0.010” to .625” diameter in a wide variety of material options from 17-7 Stainless, Inconel, Hastelloy, 300 series stainless and Titanium.

AS9100C certified.

The MW Industries Aerospace Solutions companies also include: • Servometer, Cedar Grove, New Jersey, manufactures a high-quality line of miniature bellows, flexible shaft couplings, contact springs and bellows assemblies.

• BellowsTech, Ormond Beach, Florida, markets a premier line of edge-welded bellows and assemblies.

• Helical Products, Santa Maria, California, manufactures tight tolerance custom flexible couplings and machined springs.

Each division’s product technologies complement each other in terms of size, compatibility, material and performance capability.

Atlantic Spring, a MW Industries Company 137 US Highway 202 Ringoes, NJ 08551 http://www.mw-ind.com/brands/atlantic-spring/ Tel: 908.788.5800

The Lee Company The Lee Company’s innovative 250 Series Solenoid Valve sets a new standard in reducing space and weight. Utilizing Lee’s unique and patented MultiSeal technology in a new configuration, the hydraulic interface is reliably sealed both axially and radially while allowing 360-degree access to each port. This increased flexibility allows for optimization of the system layout. Designed for 28 volt systems, this two position, 3-way miniature piloting solenoid valve features Lee’s field proven Piloting Solenoid coil to minimize power consumption.

The 250 Series Solenoid Valve is available in both single and dual coil as well as normally open and normally closed models. The single coil version weighs just 0.14 pounds and consumes only 7.8 Watts at 28 Vdc.

The Lee Company 2 Pettipaug Road P.O. Box 424 Westbrook, CT 06498 inquiry@theleeco.com www.theleeco.com Tel: 860-399-6281 Fax: 860-399-2270

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8/7/17 4:15 PM

50 congratulates

years

www.analogdialogue.com â&#x20AC;˘ www.analog.com

Analog Dialogue 50th anniv ad 8-17_FINAL.indd 127

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Prod uc t World Brushless servo motor Allied Motion alliedmotion.com The HeiMotion Premium (HMP) brushless ac servo motor family is available in five metric frame sizes with rated torque from 0.12 to 14.4 Nm, and continuous shaft power from 50 W to 3.75 kW. It has accurate torque ratings, energy efficiency and extraordinary durability (20,000+ hour life span). The winding technology allows for a compact size, as well as lower production costs compared to competitive motors.

Features:

• Standard flange sizes: 40, 60, 80, 100 and 130 mm

• Top speed ranging from 2,000 up to 9,000 rpm

• Holding torque ranging from 0.18 up to 18.5 Nm

Miniature linear encoder system Heidenhain heidenhain.us The LIP 6000 miniature linear encoder system consists of a scanning unit and glass scale and can measure to 2 nm resolution with a speed of 4m/sec at long lengths of scale. This encoder was developed with large mounting tolerances, small interpolation error and low noise levels, making the encoder useful in machine feedback applications where constant speed control is needed or high position stability at standstill is important.

The LIP 6000 scanning unit contains the HSP (HEIDENHAIN Signal Processor) 1.0 ASIC which overcomes

contamination on the glass without the loss of accuracy by amplifying the LED light source instead of amplifying the electrical signals which leads to noisy outputs. HSP 1.0 gives the ability to have a position stability of +/- 1 nanometer RMS and a very small interpolation error of just +/- 3 nanometers. The encoders system also comes with a homing track and user-mounted optical limits for end of travel markers.

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Coreless, energy efficient motor Portescap portescap.com This new 22 mm diameter motor has been added to the DCT line of Athlonix Brush dc motors.

The 22DCT motor has an energy efficient coreless design with an optimized self-supporting coil and magnetic circuit, the 22DCT delivers higher performance in a compact package.

The 22DCT motor, with a

diameter of 22 mm, is capable of reaching a continuous torque up to 13.29 mNm at a length of only 32mm. Combined with efficiency up to 90%, 22DCT motor is also a suitable motion solution for battery operated tools.

Modular rack PLC EZLogix ezautomation.net The EZLogix automation controller is a programmable logic controller (PLC) that is IIoT and Wifi Ready, has USB data logging up to 64 GB, free program-ming software and a simulator package. It is an American manufactured rugged modular rack

Fast Quotes

din-rail mountable PLC with a CPU as well.

The EZLogix controllers are ready for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

applications. With an integrated message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT)

5-Day Prototypes

protocol, direct connectivity to external devices (such as sensors, analog inputs, etc.), and easy-to-setup

Inventory Programs

secure communication with other networks (such as Modbus RTU & TCP/IP), the EZLogix is designed

& MANIFOLDS

to improve the performance of your devices

SOLENOI D VALV E S

CUSTOM DESIGNED

For further information about products on these pages visit the Design World website @ www.designworldonline.com

not only to be a PLC, but also a low-cost edge-gateway computer/ controller.

August 2017

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SolenoidSolutionsInc.com 888.825.8205

8/7/17 8:41 AM

Prod uc t World Rapid curing two component epoxy

All-in-one ethernet drives Mitsubishi Electric Automation us.MitsubishiElectric.com/fa/en

Master Bond masterbond.com

Mitsubishi Electric Automation now has Ethernet-connected versions of its FR-A800 and FR-F800 Series variable frequency drives (VFDs). The new FR-A800-E and FR-F800-E

EP41S-F is a two-part epoxy for bonding,

VFDs provide Ethernet connectivity as a standard feature, allowing the drives to be

sealing, coating and encapsulation

connected directly to automation equipment and plant information management systems.

applications. It combines fast ambient

The FR-A800-E and FR-F800-E inverters can be easily connected to an MES network and

temperature cure speed with chemical

provide the ability to exchange data in either direction. They can act as an interconnected

resistance and superior electrical insulation properties. This system is easy to handle and has a 100 to 25 mix ratio by weight. After

VFD “team,” without referring to a separate controller, by simply entering PLC programming directly into the drives. They can operate simultaneously within an Ethernet environment and virtually any other automation network, forming a convenient gateway between a

mixing, EP41S-F polymerizes quickly and can usually be removed from a fixture within

plant’s other automation equipment.

20-30 minutes. Full cures are achieved in 24 hours at 75°F or in 45-60 minutes at 200°F.

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For further information about products on these pages visit the Design World website @ www.designworldonline.com

Fully Integrated Display

Magnetic marker types Novotechnik novotechnik.com/rfz This is a selection of four magnetic marker types designed for various mounting applications for the RFC— and RFD— Series of touchless rotary angle sensors that provide absolute, rotary position.

These two sensor families use a magnetic pickup to provide a touchless measurement range of 0 to 360° and makes measurements through air and non-magnetic materials.

The first type of Z-Series of magnetic pickup is incorporated into an

M8 machine bolt and can be directly screwed into a rotating component or secured by mounting nut. The second type is donut shaped and radially mounts to a cylindrical shaft which it slides over using a threaded set screw. An axial mounting magnet is secured in the center of two mounting holes and is mounted on a shaft with seven different

Data Image USA - www.dataimagelcd.com - 407.478.4064 heldred@dataimagelcd.com

size markers available for dimensional flexibility and to optimize detection for different applications.

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Prod uc t World Current transformer and voltage tap WAGO wago.us/news Power Tap allows both current transformation and voltage tapping in one device. The Power Tap is designed to work in conjunction with the 285 Series feed through terminal blocks, adding current and energy measurement to its features.

Equipped with the POWER CAGE CLAMP and Pushin CAGE CLAMP connection technology, wiring the Power Tap is tool-free, quick and reliable. Further specifications include: • Primary to secondary current ratio of 250 A / 1 A • Accuracy class of 0.5 according to EN 61869 • Compact 25 mm width • Color coded terminals to prevent miswiring

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For further information about products on these pages visit the Design World website @ www.designworldonline.com

Motion controller adds larger base modules DELTA deltamotion.com THE new RMC200 motion controller has been designed to serve larger manufacturing processes and multi-function testing equipment. The new B11 and B15 Base Modules support applications from 13 to 32 axes in user defined increments, and the new 56-Watt PS6D power supply will handle any possible configuration. These products supplement the previously-announced B7 base module and 35-

Shaft collars, couplings, and mounts Stafford staffordmfg.com

Watt PS4D power supply, helping make the RMC200 a capable electro-hydraulic motion controller product

A full line of shaft collars, rigid couplings, and mounts for building conveyors with

line.

varying load capacities and environmental considerations are available from Stafford

These RMCs have special capabilities for

Manufacturing Corp..

synchronizing the motion of multiple axes, enabling

These shaft collars, couplings, and mounts are suited for use in virtually all

the construction of machines with scalable

conveyor systems as stops, spacers, and mounting devices for guides, rollers,

performance and quick production changeovers.

sensors, and other structural and mechanical components. Featuring over 4,000

These controllers also provide built-in dual loop

standard parts and extensive custom manufacturing experience, the firm can match

support for controlling pressure/force/torque as well

specific conveyor system requirements.

as position/velocity/acceleration. The controller can transition smoothly between these control modes, enabling smooth, reliable motion.

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Prod uc t World Lateral mounting safety coupling R+W rw-america.com R+W has expanded its line of ST series safety couplings, with a specially designed version for the protection of extruding equipment.

With the ball-detent safety element system, the driving and driven

ends separate within milliseconds of a torque overload, protecting the extruder from damage and reducing expensive repairs and costly downtimes. The driveline is free to coast to a stop after disengagement, and re-engagement simply requires that a force be applied to the back sides of the plunger modules, either with a soft hammer or pry bar. A wide variety of disengagement torque values are available through a selection of adjustment ranges.

Frame grabber Teledyne DALSA teledynedalsa.com/imaging The Xtium-CXP PX8 is fully supported by Sapera LT SDK and Teledyne DALSAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trigger-to-Image-

Special features for linear roller bearings

Reliability platform. Like other models within the

IKO ikont.com

channels (6.25 Gbps per channel). The Xtium-CXP

the PCIe Gen 2.0 platform using PCIe x 8 slots to deliver bandwidth of up to 2.5 GBs from four input PX8 is in full production now.

IKO is building on its standard MX series of linear roller bearings to include special features for environments that are sensitive to metal chips, dust, and other contaminants.

series, the Xtium-CXP PX8 takes full advantage of

Dust protection: A dust protective C-Wiper can be mounted to the

outside of the end seal, ensuring operation in environments where metal chips are spattering.

The Xtium series minimizes CPU usage and

improves processing times for host applications by enabling maximum sustained throughput and readyto-use image data. The Xtium family offers enhanced memory architecture to handle area and line scan, monochrome and color cameras.

Maintenance-free: The MX specification integrates the C-Lube lubrication system. As the cylindrical rollers circulate, lubricant is distributed to the loading area through the rollers along the track rail.

High load capacity. The MX models use rows of cylindrical rollers for a

greater contact area than slides that use steel balls. They also maintain high rigidity in every direction.

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It’s not a web page, it’s an industry information site So much happens between issues of Design World that even another issue would not be enough to keep up. That’s why it makes sense to visit designworldonline.com and stay on Twitter, Google plus, Facebook and Linkedin. It’s updated regularly with relevant technical information and other significant news to the design engineering community.

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SALES

Ad I n dex ACE Controls ...................................... 73 Aignep USA ................................... 23,41 All Motion ........................................... 4 Allied Electronics ................Cover,3,36 Altech Corporation ............................ 1 AnalogDialogue ............................... 127 AutomationDirect ................... Gatefold Bal Seal Engineering, Inc. ................ 81 Bimba Manufacturing Company ..... 2 Bison Gear ........................................ IBC BRECOflex CO., L.L.C. ........................ 17 C-Flex ............................................... 131 Canfield Connector ........................... 29 Caplugs .............................................. 25 Carlyle Johnson Machine Company ....................................... 24 Centritec Seals A Carlyle Johnson Company ..... 31 Cicoil ..................................................66 Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Inc. .......................... BC Data Image Corporation ................. 131 Del-tron Precision, Inc. .................... 69 Design2Part ...................................... 63 Digi-Key Electronics ......................... 13 Dorner ................................................ 75

Elesa USA Corporation ..................... 45 Endress+Hauser .............................. 41 EXAIR Corporation ............................ 5 Fluid Metering, Inc. .......................... 29 igus Inc. ............................................. 68 Interpower ......................................... 39 IXYS .................................................... 34 Keller America Inc ............................ 37 Lauren Manufacturing ..................... 87 MICROMO ........................................... 43 Motion Industries (Eaton) ............... 7 NB Corporation ................................. 18 NBK America LLC ............................ 132 Newark element14 ........................... 85 OKW USA ............................................ 15 PBC Linear ....................................26,27 PHD Inc. ............................................. 21 Proto Labs ......................................... 9 Pyramid Inc. ...................................... 23 Rotor Clip ...........................................46 Solenoid Solutions, Inc. .................129 Therm Omega Tech ........................... 14 Trim Lok ............................................. 11 Visumatics Industrial Products ...... 40 Weintek USA, Inc. .............................. 28 Whittet-Higgins ................................. 19

Mike Caruso mcaruso@wtwhmedia.com 469.855.7344 Garrett Cona gcona@wtwhmedia.com 213.219.5663 @WTWH_gcona Jessica East jeast@wtwhmedia.com 330.319.1253 @wtwh_MsMedia Michael Ference mference@wtwhmedia.com 408.769.1188 @mrference

Tom Lazar tlazar@wtwhmedia.com 408.701.7944 @wtwh_Tom Jim Powers jpowers@wtwhmedia.com 312.925.7793 @jpowers_media Courtney Seel cseel@wtwhmedia.com 440.523.1685 @wtwh_CSeel

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Michelle Flando mflando@wtwhmedia.com 440.670.4772 @mflando

Publisher Mike Emich memich@wtwhmedia.com 508.446.1823 @wtwh_memich

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EVP Marshall Matheson mmatheson@wtwhmedia.com 805.895.3609 @mmatheson

M ake Par ts Fast Su p p lem ent A supplement of Design World August 2017

Automaker improves workflow with 3D Printing

102

90

96

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new in the shift

Laser sintered parts

to additive production?

take flight

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Proto Labs ..................................88 Renishaw ..................................100 Ultimaker North America ..........95

solidThinking ...........................104 Tormach .................................... 101 CS Hyde Company .....................92 DSM Somos ................................99 HP Inc. ........................................93

FOLLOW US ON

Aerospace & Defen se Su p p lem ent August 2017

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maxon precision motors .............110 MW Industries ...............................107 Aurora Bearing Company ............120 Eagle Stainless Tube ....................115 Equipto ..........................................114 J.W. Winco, Inc. .............................120 Master Bond ..................................114

Cadence, Inc. .................................111 New England Wire Technologies/Catheter ...........122 The Lee Co. ....................................121

Follow the whole team on twitter @DesignWorld

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