DESIGN WORLD NOVEMBER 2019

www.designworldonline.com

November 2019

inside: Motion Control: The steady march of

motion integration

p. 52

Sensors: When precision

sensing solutions are critical

p. 66

Mechanical: How ball screws can

help with cobot motion efficiency

p. 78

Linear Motion Systems:

only as strong as weakest link page 58

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Designing around gendered data This month, our magazine is producing its second annual Women in Engineering special edition. This endeavor has been a labor of love for our staff, and we’re proud of how the issue turned out. (If you haven’t received a copy yourself, visit designworldonline.com and check out the digital editions, where you can see the electronic version.)

Ironically, I’ve been in the midst of reading Caroline Criado Perez’s fascinating book, Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. Her work should be required reading for anyone who works in a design-related field, whether consumer or industrial facing.

Throughout history, men have been the default model for how a product should be designed or how systems should work — and given that women comprise about 51% of the Earth’s population, that can be a serious problem.

Perez gives some insightful examples of this, in data-driven stories on topics as far-flung as heart attack prevention and city snow clearing programs.

I found her examination of the automobile industry particularly fascinating.

For decades, government-mandated crash tests used a single type of crash test dummy: one modeled after a 50th percentile male. In the 1980s, researchers argued for including a 50th percentile female, but were ignored. Not until years later did many countries begin to use female crash test dummies, but even then, there were flaws. Some tests only use female dummies in passenger seats.

Sometimes, the female dummies are simply scaled down versions of the male dummies.

Simply scaling down the male body is problematic. Women tend to sit further forward then men when driving, due to their on average shorter heights. They also tend to sit more upright, to better see over the dash. There are structural dissimilarities between the sexes; for example, women have less muscle on their upper torsos and necks, which makes them up to three times more vulnerable to whiplash than men. And try asking a selection of your female friends and relatives how well seat belts fit them.

The resulting data is very concerning. Perez notes that while men are more likely to be involved in crashes, women are 47% more likely to be seriously injured than men, 71% more likely to be moderately injured, and 17% more likely to die — even when these crashes are controlled for height, weight, seat belt usage and crash intensity.

One way to close this gender gap in design is to ensure there’s less of a gender gap in critical design fields such as engineering. And that’s another strong reason why we should all be encouraging the young women in our lives to consider STEM programs, as they ponder their future careers. DW

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Paul J. Heney - VP, Editorial Director pheney@wtwhmedia.com On Twitter @ DW—Editor

4 November 2019 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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Teschler on Topic Learning about learning: Just

about everything you thought you knew about education is wrong You might think educators would know a lot about what works when it comes to teaching. But recent events seem to show that educators’ confident pronouncements about teaching methods are largely baseless. That’s a distressing development for engineers who have children in school and for professionals who spend generous amounts of their own time learning new skills to advance their careers.

The first misconception about learning pertains to the supposed benefits of using technology in the classroom. A warning comes from Dr. Devra Davis who shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize and has been a holder of various academic positions for 40 years. Davis points out that for younger students, there’s no evidence that tech devices such as laptops and VR headsets lead to better education.

When kindergarteners are given iPads, she says, measurements show they simply do not absorb the information as well as students educated with traditional methods.

And achievement test scores in schools that rely heavily on digital learning systems are substantially lower than those of other schools. Even worse,

student vision also suffers from focusing on screens. Growing numbers of children end up needing eyeglasses at younger ages.

Davis also says fast-changing vivid images flashing before young eyes from small screens can elicit states of hyperarousal. She posits that too much screen time might explain why more and more middle school children are being treated for attention deficit disorder, depression, headaches, eye strain, and hearing problems.

The evidence of damaging effects has led to a growing backlash against using tech in the lower grades. But educators have other misconceptions that lead to daffy pronouncements about learning. So says a report called Neuromyths and Evidence-based practices in higher education, authored by an organization called the Online Learning Consortium. The report says a growing body of research indicates that many of the underlying beliefs educators hold about learning are based on myth and misunderstanding – particularly in regard to the brain.

Researchers found that educators they queried, most of whom reside in the U.S., held a number of false notions, including that listening to classical music increases reasoning ability (There’s no evidence of this.), that we only use 10% of our brain (No.),

and that individuals learn better when they receive information in their preferred learning style (auditory, visual, kinesthetic).

The latter delusion is particularly interesting. Several studies have debunked the idea of tailoring teaching methods to learning styles.

Perhaps most recently, an investigation described in the journal Anatomical Sciences Education surveyed hundreds of students about their learning style using a standard questionnaire developed to discern how people crack the books. The survey then gave them study strategies designed to correlate with the learning style revealed by the questionnaire. Researchers found that students did not study in ways that seemed to reflect their learning style, and that those who did tailor their studying to suit their style didn’t do any better on their tests.

The moral of this story might be that educators are just as prone to believing in myths as the rest of the population. When it comes to new teaching methods, it pays to be skeptical. DW

Leland Teschler • Executive Editor lteschler@wtwhmedia.com On Twitter @ DW_LeeTeschler

6

November 2019 www.designworldonline.com

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Technology Forward

What do you think?

What do engineers think about regarding their jobs? A recent survey from IEEE GlobalSpec, a company that provides marketing solutions to help other companies promote their products and grow their businesses, claims to give insight into this to help marketers figure out how to sell more products to you.

In my more than 25 years as an engineer and an editor, I find the focus on selling to be the wrong approach to reaching the engineer.

It’s not about selling.

It’s about informing.

When it comes to selecting a component for a design, an engineer doesn’t buy because a marketer convinced the engineer with a sales pitch. One could argue that you can’t really sell to an engineer. But what you can do is inform the engineer about the product’s capabilities.

Because engineers trust one thing— the math.

If a product meets a design’s need for such functions as speed, torque, load handling, accuracy, cycle time, and so on, then the engineer will consider it further. If a product doesn’t meet the needed design requirements, then no sales pitch will persuade the engineer to buy. It’s a black and white decision— the math works or it doesn’t. If it works, then an engineer will consider other parameters like cost, delivery,

support, and then maybe a company’s reputation. But math comes first.

So what does this survey—the fifth annual Pulse of Engineering Survey*— tell marketers about what engineers think? The focus is on the pace of engineering, available resources, challenges, competition, their career path, and so on.

I don’t see how a marketing campaign based on these issues is going to convince an engineer to buy a specific motor, but maybe I’m being too linear in my thinking.

The survey finds that: • 71% of engineers say that constraints on people and/or resources are jeopardizing their company’s productivity, innovation, and product quality; 70% say a shortage of talent/ specialized knowledge is doing the same. 63% report their company’s engineering workforce has stayed the same or decreased over the past two years, and half of engineers say they are required to do more with less. (These are important managerial issues. But something for a marketing pitch?)

• Engineers seek out content and information to help them perform better at their jobs. Their leading preferences for content are: technical documentation, product specification data, and datasheets. (Now that’s good info.)

• 61% of engineers stated that knowledge and information losses as employees left the company were extremely important. Yet less than half of companies have formal practices in place to identify seniorlevel and specialized experts to train, transfer, mentor, manage or retain their knowledge among others in the organization. 40% of companies are experiencing an increase in the loss of senior employees to retirement, and engineers are on average only moderately likely to be employed at the same company five years from now. (Again, important managerial issues. So, who are marketers trying to sell?)

Interesting survey, but what would you, as an engineer, rather have—a sales pitch or information?

DW

*The 2,180 survey respondents were taken from a pool of registered users and IEEE Spectrum subscribers, work for companies large and small, and across the entire engineering sector. 44% work at companies that employ ten or fewer engineers, 35% for companies employing 11–250 engineers, and 21% for companies with more than 250 engineers. Respondents are most commonly design engineers (23%), followed by those who work in engineering consulting, research and development, and process/production.

Leslie Langnau • Managing Editor llangnau@wtwhmedia.com On Twitter @ DW_3Dprinting

8

November 2019 www.designworldonline.com

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Green Engineering

Fuel cells help with long-distance bus transport Paul J. Heney

• VP, Editorial Director

FlixBus and Freudenberg Sealing Technologies are collaborating on a future-oriented project for sustainable, CO2-free mobility. Together, Europe’s largest operator of long-distance bus travel, the FlixBus brand, and Freudenberg are working to put fuel cell-powered coaches on the road. The two companies will further extend their partnership in the near future through participation from a bus vehicle manufacturer. The companies are holding talks to finalize project parameters.

DESIGN WORLD

Green.Engineering.11-19_Vs2.LL.indd 11

During the past few years, the bright green FlixBus buses have grown to become an indispensable part of Europe’s long-distance transportation network. They connect destinations across Europe and carry passengers to roughly 30 countries. The modern longdistance buses of the FlixBus fleet are one of the most environmentally friendly means of transport. The same applies to FlixTrains, which operate on 100% green electricity.

Collaboration between FlixBus and Freudenberg will take these even further, said Fabian Stenger, Managing Director of FlixBus DACH. “We want to help shape the future of mobility,” Stenger said. “The modern FlixBus and FlixTrain fleet is already extremely environmentally friendly. Nevertheless, we are constantly asking ourselves how we can make travel even more sustainable and further reduce CO2

www.designworldonline.com

November 2019

11

10/30/19 2:49 PM

Machine Tool Components

Green Engineering emissions per capita. Following the successful launch of three electric longdistance buses, we now want to develop the first long-distance bus with fuel cell drive together with Freudenberg and set another milestone in the history of mobility.”

In early 2018, Freudenberg further strengthened its fuel cell expertise by acquiring a fuel cell manufacturer. During the same period, the company also expanded its technological expertise in battery technology by acquiring a minority interest in U.S. battery manufacturer, XALT Energy. Freudenberg now holds a majority stake in the company.

These strategic acquisitions have solidified the company’s position as a provider of fuel cell and electric battery powertrain solutions. The company is pursuing integrated battery-fuel cell systems that will address power, base load and unique operating cycles in a range of heavy-duty applications that include truck, bus, commercial marine and rail transportation. Through unique vertical integration, Freudenberg will become a single source supplier of complete battery, fuel cell and hybrid energy systems that include all of the components, modules and subsystems necessary for their operation.

“The technical requirements for performance and long-term reliability are particularly high in heavy-duty businesses. This is in line with our technological and innovation expertise,” said Claus Möhlenkamp, CEO of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. “We see the fuel cell in combination with electric batteries as an integral part of the mobility of the future. With FlixBus, we have found a partner for this zeroemission application and are looking forward to working together on this groundbreaking project.”

FlixBus has clearly defined the requirement profile for its vehicles.

Performance characteristics such as acceleration should correspond to those of today’s diesel-powered, long-distance buses that are compliant to the Euro IV standard. These fuel cell vehicles should cover at least 500 km of continuous use without refueling. Hydrogen refueling,

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November 2019

itself, should be possible in 20 minutes or less — a time similar to what is required to refill a diesel fuel tank.

The hybrid system, which intelligently combines battery and fuel cells, can be used in long-distance bus transportation and heavy commercial vehicle applications. Initially, a representative bus fleet of 30 vehicles will be equipped with a hybrid powertrain to validate system performance. The two companies are also aiming for public funding within the framework of the German “National Innovation Program Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology” (NIP). The aim is to ensure that this technology quickly reaches market maturity and thus makes a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions in the atmosphere. DW

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies fst.com

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online

www.designworldonline.com

DESIGN WORLD

11/5/19 7:58 AM

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Contents 11 • 2019

•

vol 14 no 11

•

designworldonline.com

Medical www.designworldonline.com

52 _MOTION CONTROL

72 _INTERNET OF THINGS

The steady march of motion integration

How Open Source technologies benefit IIoT design

A survey of integrated motion offerings reveals a steady evolution in functionality, helping to further simplify complex motion system design and implementation.

58 _LINEAR MOTION Linear Motion Systems: Only as strong as weakest link

Demands placed on linear systems in today’s automation are greater than ever — and continue to increase.

Here we review five links in the chain of design elements critical to precision operation.

66 _SENSORS When precision sensing solutions are critical

Basic position sensing concepts take on added importance for precision applications as new issues must be considered.

| courtesy of Siemens

52

A Supplement to Design World - November 2019

A medtech expert | AdobeStock

survives head tumor

Medical Tips cover 11-19_Vs1.indd 91

11/4/19 12:37 PM

91-103

Open source technologies powered by global tech communities are liberating engineering creativity for industrial automation and IIoT applications worldwide.

78 _MECHANICAL How ball screws help with cobot motion efficiency

Collaboration robots (cobots) provide the strength, consistency, and reliability of industrial robots with the judgment and flexibility of human operators.

82 _ELECTRONICS The basics of automotive radar

The radar sitting in your car’s bumper isn’t the same as the units vectoring planes in for a landing. Here are the most important differences.

ON THE COVER

Linear-motion performance depends on leadscrew geometry, nut precision, coupling mode, motor type, and controls. | Kirk Wescom/ PBC Linear

A Z B E E S A S B P E Aw a r d s o f E x c e l l e n c e

2019

BRONZE REGIONAL AWARD asbpe.org

14

November 2019 www.designworldonline.com

CONTENTS.11-19_Vs2.LL.indd 14

DESIGN WORLD

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190927_AutoM_DW_US.indd Digi-Key 11-19_DW.indd 15 1

9/25/19 10/30/19 11:22 2:47 AM PM

11.19

• contents departments 04 Insights 06 Teschler on Topic 08 Technology Forward 11 Green Engineering 18 Design For Industry 28 Design Notes 38 Internet of Things 44 CAE Solutions 50 Connector Notes 104 Product World

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CONTENTS 11-19_second page_Vs1.indd 16

November 2019

DESIGN WORLD

11/4/19 8:18 AM

DESIGN WORLD

Follow the whole team on twitter @DesignWorld

EDITORIAL

VP, Editorial Director Paul J. Heney pheney@wtwhmedia.com @dw_editor Senior Contributing Editor Leslie Langnau llangnau@wtwhmedia.com @dw_3dprinting Executive Editor Leland Teschler lteschler@wtwhmedia.com @dw_leeteschler Executive Editor Lisa Eitel leitel@wtwhmedia.com @dw_lisaeitel Senior Editor Miles Budimir mbudimir@wtwhmedia.com @dw_motion Senior Editor Mary Gannon mgannon@wtwhmedia.com @dw_marygannon Associate Editor Mike Santora msantora@wtwhmedia.com @dw_mikesantora CREATIVE SERVICES

VP, Creative Services Mark Rook mrook@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_graphics Art Director Matthew Claney mclaney@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_designer Graphic Designer Allison Washko awashko@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_allison Graphic Designer Mariel Evans mevans@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_mariel

WEB DEV / DIGITAL OPERATIONS

Web Development Manager B. David Miyares dmiyares@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_webdave Senior Digital Media Manager Patrick Curran pcurran@wtwhmedia.com @wtwhseopatrick Front End Developer Melissa Annand mannand@wtwhmedia.com Software Engineer David Bozentka dbozentka@wtwhmedia.com DIGITAL MARKETING

VP, Digital Marketing Virginia Goulding vgoulding@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_virginia Senior Digital Marketing Strategist Mike Ulanski mulanski@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_mike Digital Marketing Specialist Sean Kwiatkowski skwiatkowski@wtwhmedia.com Webinar Coordinator Halle Kirsh hkirsh@wtwhmedia.com Webinar Coordinator Kim Dorsey kdorsey@wtwhmedia.com

VIDEO SERVICES

Video Manager Bradley Voyten bvoyten@wtwhmedia.com @bv10wtwh Videographer Derek Little dlittle@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_derek Videographer Graham Smith gsmith@wtwhmedia.com PRODUCTION SERVICES

Customer Service Manager Stephanie Hulett shulett@wtwhmedia.com Customer Service Representative Tracy Powers tpowers@wtwhmedia.com Customer Service Representative JoAnn Martin jmartin@wtwhmedia.com Customer Service Representative Julie Ritchie jritchie@wtwhmedia.com Digital Production Manager Reggie Hall rhall@wtwhmedia.com Digital Production Marketing Designer Samantha King sking@wtwhmedia.com

EVENTS

FINANCE

Events Manager Jen Osborne jkolasky@wtwhmedia.com @wtwh_jen

Controller Brian Korsberg bkorsberg@wtwhmedia.com

Event Exhibitor & Speaker Manager Michelle Flando mflando@wtwhmedia.com

Accounts Receivable Specialist Jamila Milton jmilton@wtwhmedia.com

Director, Audience Development Bruce Sprague bsprague@wtwhmedia.com

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WTWH Media, LLC 1111 Superior Ave., 26th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114 Ph: 888.543.2447

Medical Design & OUTSOURCING DESIGN WORLD

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Non-Invasive

Flow, Bubble, Level Sensors Self-adjusting sensor for consistent sensitivity Clamp-on level switch for use on metal pipes Flow sensors for use on any non-metallic tubing Level switches for Piston Accumulators Bubble size output

Software for easy parameterization Flow down to 1ml/min Accuracy down to 1% Built-in electronics, no external electronic board

sales@sonotecusa.com www.sonotecusa.com (631) 415-4758

Design for Industry Aerospace/Military

I/O interface networks to eight expansion modules

W

With more OS options, the Ai-RIO remote I/O interface unit makes it easier to take advantage of technology to ensure systems are developed on-time and on-budget, while incorporating the needed processing speeds and real-time functionality of critical embedded systems.

Thus, the Ai-RIO remote I/O interface unit (RIU) now works with the open source Linux operating system through an external link. This modular small form factor (SFF) RIU internally networks up to eight expansion modules – or ‘slices’ – for high density and low power in a compact physical space.

The Linux-based software development kit (SDK) for the Ai-RIO facilitates easy development of applications. With the combination of the new SDK and the SFF’s modular expansion design, the Ai-RIO lets designers create custom-tailored embedded systems that offer high performance, design flexibility and low-cost development. It is available in both ruggedized military or space-qualified versions.

The Linux BSP is delivered as a Virtual Machine (VM) with the complete source code and build environment. The VM has a pre-configured TFTP server to boot the kernel and an NFS server to be used for storage and file sharing during the development.

All Ai-RIO units are tested and characterized for radiation effects over 25 krads (Si) TID. The dual-core, high performance, low power NXP P1020 processor was selected, since it is immune to latch-up, with other components chosen to meet the heavy ion Linear Energy Transfer threshold (LETth) of at least 37 MeV-cm2/mg for latch-up.

The addition of the Linux SDK complements the existing VxWorks SDK, giving system designers additional development opportunities, based on application needs.

The Linux-based RIU platform also provides a low-cost path to leverage the flight-proven NASA Core Flight System (cFS) when implementing new mission critical systems.

Using the RIO-NET client/server software, the unit can also serve as a standalone command and data handling (C&DH) platform or media converter, or as a networked remote command/response I/O data concentrator.

The modular subsystem features onboard temperature sensors as well as A/D voltage and current monitoring with built-in test (BIT) for high reliability and a base configuration weight of only 3.75 lb with a power dissipation of less than 12 W. DW

Aitech Defense Systems, Inc., www.militaryaerospace.com

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www.designworldonline.com

DESIGN WORLD

11/1/19 8:18 AM

High frequency couplers feature

low insertion loss and low return loss

T

These high frequency RF directional couplers meet

designers needs for initial proof-of-concept testing and prototype builds. The line of high frequency couplers suit point-to-point radios, 5G telecommunications, satellite communication, automotive radars and aerospace applications.

This series of high frequency RF directional couplers is comprised of 24 new models that deliver excellent isolation, low insertion loss, and good return loss. These couplers have a high maximum operating frequency range from 26.5 GHz to 67 GHz and are offered with 6dB, 10dB, 15dB, 20dB and 30dB coupling levels. Plus, they have power handling capabilities up to 30 W(CW) and feature a coaxial design available with SMA, 2.92 mm, 2.4 mm and 1.85 mm connectors. These couplers fulfill engineers’ immediate needs for a small quantity of components, while also satisfying the demand for high quality, high frequency products.

The couplers are in-stock and available for immediate shipment. DW

Fairview Microwave | www.fairviewmicrowave.com

DESIGN WORLD

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

Data processing engines for the

digitization of the oil and gas industry

T

This rugged class of embedded edge server technologies is for the digitization of the upstream and midstream oil and gas industry. Both sectors are characterized by distributed assets and infrastructures in harsh environments and therefore require ultra-robust embedded platforms for the digital transformation challenge that offers a huge potential for cost savings.

“The International Energy Agency estimates that digitization can reduce production costs in the oil and gas sector by up to 20%. According to auditing and consulting firm PWC, there is great potential for savings through more efficient maintenance and better operation of assets. There is also further potential for savings in the supply chain, through the use of artificial intelligence and integrated platforms that connect organizations with external partners,” explains Dan Demers, Director Sales & Marketing at congatec Americas.

By digitizing these processes, companies in the upstream and midstream sector can potentially save up to $1 trillion in capital and operating costs. Realizing this potential requires robust embedded edge server technologies.

To meet the requirements of the upstream and midstream oil and gas industry, the embedded edge computing platforms handle extended temperature ranges, with optional conformal coating to protect against the effects of salt water or condensation caused by large temperature fluctuations. In addition, they offer comprehensive server class RAS (reliability, availability, serviceability) features that enable OEMs to reliably manage

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thousands of devices remotely. As multicore designs with currently up to 6 cores and a particularly low 25W TDP, they are suitable for completely fanless and therefore maintenancefree 24/7 operation in hermetically sealed housings with the highest IP protection classes.

Virtual machines based on RTS hypervisor technologies allow optimal use of existing computing resources by partitioning the various tasks – including local real-time control requirements as well as over Tactile Internet.

These platforms are tailored to build cost efficient universal Customer Premises Equipment (uCPE). Such open standard hardware equipment is characterized by hosting telecom network functions at the customers edge IT including Software Defined Networks (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV). DW

Congatec | www.congatec.com DESIGN WORLD

11/1/19 8:19 AM

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

Increase maritime safety for sea vessels

T

The SCT7033 is an AIS Class B processor that includes the full protocol stack already embedded within the device. This feature removes the OEM’s burden of sourcing or developing a protocol stack, making it easier to develop an AIS Class B transponder and enabling faster time to market.

AIS, or Automatic Identification System, is used universally by the maritime industry to provide safety at sea and aids to navigation. Class B devices are to be used by non-SOLAS (Safety to Life at Sea) vessels, to provide identification and location data to vessels in the receiving area.

Class B devices implement the CSTDMA, or Carrier Sense Time-Division-Multiple-Access modulation scheme, which involves ‘listening’ for an available time slot before transmitting.

The AIS Class B CSTDMA protocol is complex, forming a major part of the device’s design and its ability to conform to the applicable EN/IEC standards. Most notably, all Class B transponders must meet the requirements of the IEC 62287-1 standard, which governs Spectrum Usage and Access to Emergency Services. The SCT7033 is IEC 62287-1 compatible

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and ITU-R M.1371-5 compliant, which covers the technical characteristics for an AIS system using TDMA in the VHF maritime mobile frequency band.

By embedding the protocol stack alongside the processor, engineers have instant access to a fully compliant platform for AIS Class B transponder development. Using the SCT7033 as the basis for new product development enables significantly easier design and certification processes.

The SCT7033 is compatible with the CML DE70322TC AIS Class B Reference Design. A GUI is provided to enable production line configuration, such as parameter set-up and adjustment, the Mobile Maritime Service Indicator (MMSI) of other parameters specific to the device or its vessel. DW

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online

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Design for Industry Packaging

Digital twin software

reduces commissioning times

P

PickMaster Twin is the third generation of PickMaster, a robotic

software for vision-guided random flow picking and packing applications. PickMaster Twin software is equipped with digital twin technology to shorten commissioning times from days to hours and cut changeover periods from hours to minutes.

Digital twin technology allows customers to test out robotic configurations on virtual production lines before physical lines are built. When using digital twin technology, the simulated twin can be directly connected to production operations, which allows the picking process to be optimized virtually at the same time as the process is implemented. For customers, PickMaster Twin offers flexibility and visualization of all complicated robotic maneuvers designed for flow-wrapping, tray loading, case and carton packing and handling applications.

Enabling offline programming of picking and packing tasks means users can create, simulate and test a complete robot installation in a virtual environment without having to disturb their production line.

This not only helps customers mitigate costly and time-consuming risks, but also shortens the time to market for new products, as product lines can be installed faster, ramped up to full speed without surprises during commissioning and continuously used in concurrent optimization.

PickMaster Twin also condenses and enhances the advanced application experience with new intuitive interfaces built on ABB’s Ability Zenon Operations Data Management, for vibrant and colorful dashboards for easy data visualization. In addition, PickMaster

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Twin complies with the OMAC PackML (packaging machine language) standard.

The latest PickMaster software also features online visual tuning of the workspace in both X and Y directions to maximize output and increase OEE (overall equipment effectiveness).

PickMaster Twin is available in many configurations and can work seamlessly with all ABB robots, and a range of virtual and physical machines. Coupled with the user-friendly software, the PickMaster Twin is suited for factories and production lines where higher output, faster response times and quick changeovers are vital. DW

ABB | www.abb.com

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online

DESIGN WORLD

11/1/19 8:21 AM

Vacuum grippers support flexible manufacturing

T

This autonomous mobile manipulation solution supports flexible manufacturing and improves operational efficiency by integrating selfnavigating LD mobile robots with collaborative robot arm.

When SWaP matters most Connect with Confidence Mixed Layout Miniature Connectors with 10A per Contact

For data and samples go to: www.harwin.com/gecko-mt

Robotiq’s AirPick and EPick vacuum grippers are now compatible with Omron collaborative robots. These fully customizable vacuum grippers help automate applications such as machine tending, pick-and-place, packaging and assembly.

These solutions deliver improvements in safety, speed and efficiency driven by AI programs that learn from processes on a daily basis. Humans can safely interact with the collaborative and mobile robots, which adapt to workers’ needs. DW

Omron Automation | automation.omron.com

DESIGN WORLD

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November 2019

25 Harwin Gecko MT Design World Nov 19.indd 1

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Design for Industry Safety

Virtual sensor reads safe speed

T

The Safe Speed Observer is a virtual sensor for the ACOPOS P3 servo drive. It determines speed in accordance with SIL 2 / PL d / CAT 3 requirements, reducing the cost of implementing the Safely Limited Speed safety function by eliminating the need for a safe encoder.

From the electrical variables of a permanent magnet synchronous motor, the Safe Speed Observer calculates two redundant models of the motor – achieving a high safety level for the calculated speed. The virtual sensor can be used for both linear and rotary synchronous motors.

The sensor is easy to configure in the Automation Studio engineering environment through the respective encoder interface. The user can implement the safety functions available for the safe axis from the safety library. DW

B&R | www.br-automation.com/en

THIS IS P2M Ethernet

Simple diagnostics Easy installation Safe power capable

FLEXIBILITY

Parker introduces the P2M Ethernet network node on the H Series ISO valve family.

This allows easy connection to the Ethernet network thereby reducing installation costs and time. Productivity and safety are enhanced with diagnostic data and the ability to connect with safe power reducing downtime and enhancing safety on machine. www.parker.com/pdn/P2M_IE

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Parker Pneumatic Division

11/1/19 8:26 AM

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11/5/19 8:53 AM

Design Notes

Locking assembly in ball mill helps

in cement production Edited by Mike Santora • Associate Editor

After mill operators in a cement plant had experienced repeated failures with their equipment, they chose to work with Ringfeder Power Transmission to solve the issue.

After mill operators in a cement plant experienced repeated failures with their equipment, maintenance engineers examined the ball mill unit thoroughly. The cause of the problem seemed to be the shaft-pinion connection, or to be more exact, the locking assembly that connected the solid shaft with the pinion locking assembly. Measurements showed the assembly to be out of tolerance by a whopping 300 to 400 Âľm.

To identify the reason for this abnormally high run-out value, engineers decided to remove the locking device and to re-install and tighten it again. However, the removal turned out to be impossible and neither the manufacturer of the ball mill nor the local supplier of the locking assembly were able to support the maintenance engineers in this task.

The purpose of a locking assembly is to lock a connection. It is not sufficient to simply use any material and to comply with the dimensional drawing.

The selection of the right material and the right manufacturing processes, along with application and installation procedure knowledge are the essential prerequisites for providing a locking assembly that will reliably deliver its desired performance throughout its life cycle.

As the supplier of the installed locking device was not able to provide a solution and as production downtimes of the plant caused substantial losses to the mill’s

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operator, an engineer from Ringfeder visited the plant to find out the reason for the problems.

Not only did the first analysis reveal that the customer had spent a substantial amount of money for maintenance operations that were in no relation to the minuscule savings by using another locking assembly, but it also showed that they had a locking assembly that could not be unlocked when needed.

It took five to six maintenance engineers a full day to remove the damaged component.

It turned out that the faulty product that had been installed was a replica of Ringfeder’s 5-part locking assembly RfN 7015.0-340 x 425. This replica had broken into several pieces.

After the shaft and the pinion had been thoroughly cleaned, they were mounted again and connected with a genuine RINGFEDER locking assembly. The measurements carried out after the start-up of the plant were more than satisfactory: in addition to reducing the run-out to a value as little as 80 µm, the vibration level had also significantly decreased.

The cement plant staff ordered further locking assemblies to replace the ones in four other ball mills. This ongoing project with the Ball Mill OEM now involves supplying and replacing locking assemblies in mills in various locations. DW

HELUKABEL offers a wide assortment of cable accessories that comply with the latest international standards

Ringfeder | info.ringfeder.com

An engineer from Ringfeder visited the plant and found that the customer had spent a substantial amount of money for maintenance operations that were in no relation to the minuscule savings by using the other locking assembly. It was also noticed that they had a locking assembly that could not be unlocked when needed.

DESIGN WORLD

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November 2019

FACT: Whether connecting, fastening or protecting, HELUKABEL offers an assortment of cable accessories to ensure our cables and wires perform at optimum levels, and comply with the latest international standards.

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Design Notes

Engineers added a small, thin metal washer to the face of the inner ring on each side of the bearing for this application. The arrangement served as a barrier to prevent fibers from entering and accumulating through the shield gap while maintaining the low torque characteristics of shielded bearings.

Bearings for harsh conditions in textile manufacturing

Edited by Mike Santora • Associate Editor

When a manufacturer of spinning equipment used in textile production came to AST Bearings with a recurring equipment disruption issue, AST engineers found a solution that protected the bearings from contamination.

This manufacturer of roller assemblies for use in machines that spin yarn had a specific problem.

Their end users — those who used the roller assemblies in their yarn spinning machines — were facing disruptions. Small fibers were contaminating the standard catalog bearings used in the roller assemblies (those produced by AST’s customer), which were then failing, costing the end-user both time and money.

As the manufacturer provided a two-year warranty on their roller assemblies, many of the bearing failures were occurring well before the warranty period had lapsed.

A typical roller has urethane over-molded on an aluminum sleeve with a bearing pocket on each end, or side. The bearings are typically mounted using a light press fit. These rollers guide and move strands of yarn as they are twisted together and spooled. While the loads are extremely light, the

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Higher Bulk Storage.

Without the Bulk.

Ultra-low profile 2mm and 3mm thin

Near hermetic seal No dry-out

Replaces banks of solid tantalum capacitors

3,000 Hr. life at 85 °C without voltage derating

Introducing the latest in ultra-low profile capacitance.

What do you get when you take the energy density of an aluminum electrolytic and engineer it to fit a rectangular case that is 2mm or 3mm thin? The ULP. A capacitor that takes up to 70% less board space when compared to solid tantalum capacitors. For hold-up applications the size and cost savings are extraordinary.

For technical information and samples visit cde.com/ulp

Cornell Dubilier Electronics 11-19.indd 31

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Design Notes surface speed of the fiber-like strands of material passing over the urethane generates fine particulate debris that gets airborne and settles on machine surfaces. Most large plants operate dozens of machines and operate 24/7.

Eventually, dried debris and tiny fibers find their way into the bearing resulting in premature failure.

When the failed bearing seizes, the roller abruptly stops spinning, the yarn snaps, and the whole machine must be shut down until the roller is replaced.

One spinning machine can contain as many as 600 roller assemblies (or 1200 bearings), and failure of a single unit could take the entire machine off-line.

The customer could not tolerate any significant cost increases so making major design changes was not an option.

Engineers had to address the bearings specifically.

TL Design World V1.pdf

1

6/17/19

Contamination is a common failure mode in bearings. In the environment described above, the normal approach would be to switch to a sealed bearing.

However, with such a light, sensitive load running continuously across their surface, the roller assembly needed to be “free” spinning. As such, the engineering team couldn’t add a contact style seal as it would add too much torque to the roller. Also, with as many as 600 rollers in a machine, system torque and power became an issue.

After significant trial-and-error, engineers arrived at a solution; they added a small, thin metal washer to the face of the inner ring on each side of the bearing. The arrangement served as a barrier to prevent fibers from entering and accumulating through the shield gap while maintaining the low torque characteristics of a shielded bearing.

The customer tested the modification for an entire year, eventually approving the new setup. It has proved durable while still reducing disruptions for the end user’s spinning machines (running at 90% to 95% uptime), allowing the customer to meet the two-year product warranty.

The end-user was able to achieve these performance gains at minimal supplemental cost, as the metal shield was relatively inexpensive. The engineers developed a unique and proprietary process and were able to do all of the requisite work in-house, leveraging build and test capabilities. DW

AST | www.astbearings.com

4:34 PM

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Quality – The standard of something as measured against other things of similar kind, the degree of excellence of something.

At Fabco, our machine centers makes Quality parts for pneumatic cylinders.

Every item Fabco manufactures reflects the highest standards of quality. Working in unison, our team takes every measure necessary to assure our parts adhere to these standards. Only after they have passed our critical quality checks at every step of their production will they be deemed ready for our customers.

If quality and reliably high performance in your pneumatic automation applications matter to you as much as they do to us, then Fabco’s pneumatic cylinders are your only choice.

Technical support Ph: (352) 373-3578 Fx: (352) 375-8024 service@fabco-air.com Fabco-Air, Inc. 3716 N.E. 49th Avenue Gainesville, FL 32609-1699 www.fabco-air.com

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Design Notes

How to design for laser cutting Edited by Mike Santora • Associate Editor Most laser cutting is done using metals, including aluminum, brass, or cold-rolled steel like in this custom battery case application.

Whether you are an engineer, an entrepreneur, or just a frequent user of prototypes, laser cutting allows the design and manufacture of products with speed and precision — at a low cost.

Even though laser cutting requires a piece to be cut on a flat material such as a sheet of metal, it doesn’t mean users can’t create 3D objects with their design. A range of equipment and other tools have been designed with laser cutters. Manufacturing 3D parts and products is possible with laser cutting with creative thinking, a bit of assembly, and most importantly, some smart design work.

Laser cutting machines have specific design guidelines that must be followed to meet the precision and quality requirements.

1 Design using software that creates vector files

All laser cutters require vector files such as those that are created with Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape. Common files include .ai, .dxf, .eps, .step, and other vector filetypes. Ask the laser cutting company which formats they support. In most cases, they will be able to support files from the software you use to design your creation.

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POWER TRANSMISSION

RETAINING DEVICES & maintenance & assembly tools BEARLOK

SHOELOK

BEARLOK Shrink Disc

BEARHUG

CLAMPNUT

TANGENTLOK

Scale the design to the finished size. Before sending artwork to be laser cut, check to ensure the design is to scale. Otherwise, the scale or proportions may not be right.

2 Scale the design to the finished size

Before sending artwork to be laser cut, check to ensure the design is to scale. If a piece is meant to be 12-in. squared, then design it to be 12-in. squared. Otherwise, the scale or proportions may not be right.

PRECISION NUTS & WASHERS

ADAPTER SLEEVE ASSEMBLIES

Materials of: CARBON, ALLOY and HARDENED ALLOY STEELS

3 Only submit the design to the cutter

Any notes, comments, gridlines, borders, etc. need to be removed from design files before submitting them to the laser cutter. These extra notes and markings are not supposed to be a part of the finished product, so remove them beforehand.

4 Don’t add multiples

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RETHREADING DIES

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BEARING ASSEMBLY SOCKET

Planning on having two or more pieces cut from the same material? Send only one of each piece and let the laser cutting company know how many multiples are needed. The laser cutter will plan out how the shapes should be arranged on the cuts and keep material to a minimum. If you crowd your design with multiple copies of the same image, it will complicate the cutting process and potentially increase costs.

5 Connect your design A common mistake many new creators make is failing to “bridge� their design and any text in their file. Except for holes, shapes will be lost if they are not connected to the primary material in the design.

Adding bridges enables the laser to cut cleanly and keep the entire design together without losing pieces.

6 Convert your text into shapes or “outlines�

Another common mistake is to keep the text in a design active instead of converting it into a shape. Laser cutters cannot process active text boxes. If you hover your cursor over the text in your design and it shows an editing bar, it is an active text box. Turning this text box into shapes will allow the laser cutter to process it properly.

7 Make sure any cutouts or designs are large enough

Ensure any cutouts or designs are larger than 1x the thickness of the material you are using. Any cutouts smaller than that size will not be accurate and the laser cutter might not be able to cut them at all.

Thin and small features are more delicate and more apt to break than larger designs, consider this when designing your piece of work.

DESIGN WORLD

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November 2019

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Design Notes

8 Determine which material is best for

your design Choosing the right material for a design is critical. Discuss your project goals with your laser cutter to determine the strongest performance material for the application.

Most laser cutting is done using metals, including aluminum, brass, cold-rolled carbon steel, hot-rolled carbon steel, copper, Cor-Ten, and stainless steel.

9 Remove all intersecting lines

Your design may be complex and have overlapping artwork, but the overlapping lines need to be eliminated. In this scenario, the laser cutter will cut on any lines in your design, causing cuts you never intended and ruining the piece.

For each laser punch and cut required, manufacturing costs will rise. Complex designs also tend to have multiple smaller pieces

10 Eliminate open shapes

Shapes that are open and unfinished will not work with a laser cutter. Ensure all designs are complete and self-contained, or the cut will not function as you expect and the end product will look quite different from your vision.

or delicate details which make the design less robust and more susceptible to breaking.

11 Reduce the complexity of your design

where possible For each laser punch and cut required, manufacturing costs will rise. Complex designs also tend to have multiple smaller pieces or delicate details which make the design less robust and more susceptible to breaking.

When in doubt, make the design as simple as possible to reduce your costs and create a more stable object. Laser cutting can create impressive art, equipment, and prototypes easily, as long as you follow some basic parameters during the design process. DW

SendCutSend | sendcutsend.com

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online

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Internet of Things

Connector module for Ignition 8

E

Every manufacturer and asset owner can benefit from gathering more information from their

devices and this solution allows manufactures to pull data from their inhouse machines as well as systems they ship to their end customers. The Ignition 8 connector module allows Ignition users to integrate PLC data from any PLC based machine into Ignition. The modules leverage Ewon’s Talk2M platform to create a secure link between the Ignition server and the target machine allowing machines to be located anywhere world-wide. The system supports both read and write access and sample rates as fast as 1 sample per second.

The module can be enabled by simply connecting the Flexy gateway to a PLC, configuring a few parameters with the Flexy GUI and installing and configuring the Ignition module. No software development is required.

To enable fast adoption and evaluation is the Ignition demo, which exercises the full functionality of the connector. The module and the Ignition demo are available at no cost.

The HMS Ewon product line offers a broad set of edge gateway solutions for remote access and remote data solutions. Ewon gateways can be deployed on premises, at remote facilities or directly connect to the public internet. Each gateway creates a secure connection to the Ewon Talk2M cloud platform, all communications between the gateway and the Ignition server are full encrypted.

The Talk2M cloud platform is a device management platform. Remote software updates are easy to implement for both the edge gateway and other device/ PLCs in the system. User administration functions allow OEMs to create accounts for internal service people as well as external end customers creating a tighter relationship with the end customer. Advance user management and user access security features are available on the platform including two factor authentication, user access rules and detailed user access logs. DWÂ

HMS Networks | www.hms-networks.com

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Internet of Things

AccurET controls compatible with EtherCAT

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The demand for EtherCAT communications from “mid-end” automation to more high-

end machine control applications is increasing. Thus, this version of the ETEL-brand AccurET controls with EtherCAT compatibility lets users take full advantage while still being able to use this familiar fieldbus system.

Using the standard CoE (CANopen over EtherCAT) protocol, any computer or PLC can be used as a “master. Here one central computer controls all of the factory machinery by supporting a high number of nodes and a large variety of devices. It also does not require any product specific development which allows it to quickly integrate extra drives without developing new software, granting a type of “plug and play”. With these new capabilities added to AccurET (compatible with AccurET48, AccurET300, AccurET400, and AccurET600), it is able to provide advantages from its many features to high-end automation where complicated movements with high-performance trajectories are needed. DW

ETEL S.A., HEIDENHAIN CORPORATION www.heidenhain.us

Linear and bearingless rotary encoders for motor feedback

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Internet of Things

PID control function added to CLICK Ethernet PLCs

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PID loop control capability (up to 8 loops

R

simultaneously) has been added to the CLICK Series of stackable, Ethernet-capable micro brick PLCs.

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CLICK PID control is streamlined with only the features that most users need, including direct or reverse acting control, pulse width modulated control outputs, bumpless transfer, anti-windup, auto-tuning, process variable alarms, process variable limits, control output limits and error deadband.

The CLICK PID monitor gives access to and charts all PID parameters needed to test and tune the PID loops. An autotune interface sets up and initiates the auto-tuning feature.

CLICK PID control is simple. With the ability to configure up to 8 PID control loops updating at 100ms. DW

AutomationDirect www.automationdirect.com/CLICK-PLC

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IoT software accesses AI to drive real time decisionmaking at the edge

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The ADLINK Edge IoT software can quickly and securely connect, stream and control operational data - whatever industrial equipment, systems, databases or cloud platforms are already used. Using that data in an end-to-end industrial IoT solution enables rapid, real-time intelligent decision-making empowered by AI, analytics tools and machine learning.

The software’s capability has been developed and deployed in a variety of diverse use cases delivering ROI including: • Automating warehouse logistics with smart scanning of pallets • Enabling predictive maintenance and a new business model for a gas turbine manufacturer • Optimizing efficiency for a race car engine performance with machine condition monitoring, machine vision and machine learning • Enabling automation and reducing time to market for a new product with barcode smart scanning for a meat supplier • Reducing downtime and optimizing efficiency in a defense-industry materials-testing facility • Enabling smart remote monitoring of mobile generators providing continuous power during recovery from a natural disaster

With no programming necessary, ADLINK can quickly connect previously unconnected operational equipment, sensors and devices. Then, by tapping into native communication protocols, data can be captured and streamed at the edge. From the edge, these data can be streamed securely between devices - databases and to the cloud, enabling analysis and easy visualization to inform decisions and optimize operations in real time.

ADLINK Edge is deployed through the Digital Experiments methodology which can include hardware, software and support elements for easy integration with any existing IT and OT system.

ADLINK Edge is built upon the ADLINK Data River, which simplifies complex data network programming and enables data to flow freely but securely northbound or southbound, to any cloud analytic platform database and even east to west between devices, databases and the cloud. The ADLINK Data River is heavily used and trusted within the military and aerospace industries to deliver mission critical data securely in real time.

The ADLINK Profile Builder in ADLINK Edge that helps users configure and deploy all the apps to communicate with end-points, devices or applications into the platform deployed across a customer’s ecosystem. DW

ADLINK | www.adlinktech.com

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Internet of Things Industrial PCs for edge computing

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These IoT-enabled industrial computers are for data computing, edge computing,

remote monitoring, and the integration of hardware and software technologies. The MELIPC Series is targeted towards OEMs and end users running general manufacturing applications, and especially those who require a computing and data monitoring solution that takes up a limited amount of space. MELIPC is designed to enable Internet of Things (IoT) on factory floors that have not been introduced to it yet, or improve it where it is already enabled.

MELIPC releases with four initial models: MI1000, MI2000, MI3000, and MI5000. MI5000. The flagship product combines real-time equipment control and information processing in one solution. MI3000 contains a touch screen LCD panel and pre-installed software that allows users to run it as if it were an HMI. The midrange MI2000 is designed for wide-ranged system expansion, and the compact, low-cost MI1000 enables companies to begin introducing IoT on their factory floors. All four models can be purchased standalone with Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2016 installed, or can be purchased together with software as a comprehensive MELIPC data solution.

MI5000 includes two operating systems, VxWorks and Windows. It is compatible with the CC-Link IE Field industrial network, enabling high-speed data exchange at speeds of up to 1 ms for real-time equipment control. It also uses Edgecross, an open software platform, to process and distribute data. All models in the MELIPC Series are have Windows preinstalled and various software that allows for edge computing and high speed data transmission. DW

Mitsubishi Electric Automation Inc. us.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/en

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NEWS Adesto and Microsoft collaboration ensures IoT verified products IoT projects are complex and take a long time to implement. Designers find that choosing and connecting the right set of devices, assets or sensors to the cloud can be time-consuming.

To jumpstart IoT projects, users are looking for certified devices and platforms that are tested for readiness, compatibility and usability with the Microsoft Azure IoT Suite. By choosing a partner from the Microsoft Azure Certified for IoT program, users can save time and effort on project specs and RFP processes by knowing in advance what devices and offerings will work with the Azure IoT Suite.

The SmartServer IoT is a multi-protocol industrial edge server with an open, extensible interface that simplifies connections between new and legacy systems and the cloud. It lets customers seamlessly connect their industrial data to Microsoft Azure IoT to perform analytics.

SmartServer IoT enables customers to overcome the challenge of integrating their existing functional control and management systems with new sensing, analytics and predictive AI services, despite the multitude of non-interoperable communications protocols that are often involved.

SmartServer IoT enables system integrators, application developers and OEMs to maximize legacy infrastructure investments while accelerating toward Industry 4.0. Microsoft Azure Certified for IoT with pre-tested device and operating system combinations. DW

Adesto Technologies Corp. www.adestotech.com/smart-server-iot

Simplify. Reduce. Save.

MDX Integrated Servo Motors Simplify Component Selection • Reduce Wiring • Shrink Control Panels Reduce Costs • Save Space • Design Faster • Make It Move

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CAE Solutions

Multi-physics technology enables electrical-thermal co-simulation system analysis

I

IC and electronic systems companies, particularly those incorporating 3D-IC packaging, face tremendous thermal challenges that can cause late-stage design modifications and iterations and derail project schedules. As the electronics industry moves toward smaller, faster, smarter and more complex products with greater power density, time-consuming thermal transient analysis techniques must be deployed together with traditional steadystate analysis to address multiple power profiles and increased heat dissipation. Further complicating the process, traditional simulators require the electronics and enclosures being modeled to be substantially simplified, resulting in reduced accuracy.

The Cadence Celsius Thermal Solver is an electrical-thermal cosimulation system for the full hierarchy of electronic systems from ICs to physical enclosures. Based on a production-proven, massively parallel architecture that delivers up to 10X faster performance than legacy solutions without sacrificing accuracy, the Celsius Thermal Solver seamlessly integrates with Cadence IC, package and PCB implementation platforms. This approach enables new system analysis and design insights and empowers electrical design teams to detect and mitigate thermal issues early in the design process— reducing electronic system development iterations.

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The Celsius Thermal Solver uses multiphysics technology to address thermal challenges. By combining finite element analysis (FEA) for solid structures with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for fluids, the Celsius Thermal Solver combines complete system analysis in one tool. When using the Celsius Thermal Solver in conjunction with the Clarity 3D Solver, Voltus IC Power Integrity and Sigrity technology for PCB and IC packaging, engineering teams can combine electrical and thermal analysis and simulate the flow of both electricity and heat for a more accurate systemlevel thermal simulation than legacy tools. In addition, the Celsius Thermal Solver performs static (steady-state) and dynamic (transient) electrical-thermal co-simulations based on the actual flow of electrical power in advanced 3D structures, providing visibility into realworld system behavior.

By empowering electronics design teams to analyze thermal issues early and share ownership of thermal analysis, the Celsius Thermal Solver reduces design re-spins and enables new analysis and design insights not possible with legacy solutions. In addition, the Celsius Thermal Solver accurately simulates large systems with detailed granularity for any object of interest and is the first solution capable of modeling structures as small as the IC and its power distribution together with structures as large as the chassis.

The Celsius Thermal Solver supports Cadence’s Intelligent System Design strategy, enabling system innovation. It is built on matrix solver technology that is production proven in the recently announced Clarity 3D Solver and the Voltus IC Power Integrity Solution.

Optimized for cloud environments, the Celsius Thermal Solver’s massively parallel architecture delivers up to 10X cycle time improvements compared to legacy solutions with high accuracy and unlimited scalability. DW

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CAE Solutions

Latest MapleMBSE release democratizes systems engineering process

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MapleMBSE lets engineers use a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) process within their design projects without requiring every stakeholder on the project to be an expert in complex MBSE tools. The latest release, MapleMBSE 2019.1, offers enhanced modeling support, making it easier to build and investigate model structures, as well as new integration options with model management systems.

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MapleMBSE provides a streamlined, Excel-based interface to the systems model with task-specific views for editing the model directly, thereby ensuring consistent information and knowledge sharing across the design group. The Excel interface enables subject matter experts to obtain and analyze the information they need to make decisions, and to feed the results back into the model. By eliminating the need to funnel everything through a small number of systems engineering tool experts, MapleMBSE reduces the overhead, time, and errors that typically come with using a standard systems engineering tools.

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The release provides more tools for building, modifying, and investigating models, including support for new datatypes that make it easier to work with requirements, parametric diagrams, and internal blocks. New search tools also allow engineers to retrieve a list of all the requirements defined in the model, regardless of where they are found in the model structure, making it easier to obtain a global view of the system. In addition, new example models are available that illustrate best practices. These models can also be used as templates for building new models, reducing development time.

The new release also expands connectivity options, with the ability to integrate MapleMBSE with the latest release of the model management software from No Magic, Teamwork Cloud 19.

By connecting MapleMBSE to Teamwork Cloud, customers seamlessly access models created in a number of different tools, including MapleMBSE, MagicDraw, and Cameo Systems Modeler.

MapleMBSE can also be integrated directly with other SysML-based tools, such as IBM Rational Rhapsody. DW

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CAE Solutions

Wind River offers new release of VxWorks

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The real-time operating system (RTOS) VxWorks has ensured the security, safety, and deterministic performance of embedded applications for more than 30 years. The latest release offers new capabilities to drive innovation and productivity.

As the industry rapidly transforms with systems moving from automated to autonomous, there’s a demand for a new approach that lets engineers use mainstream tools and programming languages. VxWorks empowers developers of all backgrounds with popular programming languages and libraries, along with cloud-based development tools and infrastructures to create mission-critical applications that require the highest levels of security and safety.

The latest release of VxWorks includes:

• Support for C++17, Boost 1.70.0, Python 3.8, and Rust • LLVM-based infrastructure which enables support for a broad set of modern and productive tools and frameworks

• Open source board support packages (BSPs) such as Raspberry Pi and TI Sitara AM65x for quick prototyping and flexibility of choice

• OpenSSL 1.1.1 for the most up-to-date cryptography libraries Complementing VxWorks is Wind River Labs, which offers access to VxWorks–compatible new technologies and collaborative software projects, proof-of-concepts, open source integrations, pre-release and experimental software, including ROS 2, OpenCV, and IoT SDKs for public cloud providers to name a few. DW

Wind River | www.windriver.com

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Connector Notes

Taking on the challenge of

managing power

Contributed by Ken Stead • Director, Power Products • Molex

While requirements for power supplies have been steadily increasing, the need to address space and heat limitations is taking on greater importance.

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Today, across the world, there are nearly 90 million internet transactions conducted per minute, or 1.5 million occurrences each second. All of these emails, app downloads, video streams, social media interactions, retail purchases and more are processed through a network of worldwide data centers. These data centers contain upwards of 10,000 servers supported by a network on switches, routers and cooling equipment—all of which rely on an increasing amount of electricity.

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With power consumption projected to double at data centers every five years in the U.S., the rate of electric consumption is getting more and more attention from data center owners footing the bill, electrical utilities that must provide the power on demand, and government officials concerned with the wide-ranging effects of the massive power generation required.

Power is delivered to data centers via the same grid that provides power to homes and businesses; however, while U.S. homes generally receive power at 220 V, data centers must receive thousands of volts to accommodate the massive amount of power needed to run the processors that are at the very heart of the computing power driving the internet.

and switches, such as motherboards with processors, adapters and video cards, PCIe and memory.

In addition, racks contain large numbers of fans required to provide cooling airflow. Much of the energy that is delivered to the server is converted into heat. This heat loss occurs as a natural part of the conversion process as power is converted from ac to dc and dc to dc.

Conversion and distribution

The challenge of space

Datacenters use a measure called Power Unit Effectiveness, or PUE, to evaluate the efficiency of the power architecture. PUE is the total power delivered to the data center divided by the power delivered to the critical load (servers), and ideal PUE is 1.0. For example, a PUE of 1.7 means that for every watt delivered to the load, 0.7 is lost in power distribution and cooling. In 2018, reported PUE levels for data centers measured around 1.6.

One of the most critical conversions occurs at the rack itself. There are thousands of servers required for the compute power. In addition to servers, there are switches that manage the communication both between the servers and from the servers to the outside world.

Bulk power is delivered to racks containing 30 to 35 1U servers that are increasingly being powered by 3 kW power supply units (PSUs). These PSUs, typically located at the bottom of the rack, convert power to rails of various voltage levels. Power that enters the PSU at 208 Vdc is converted to 3.3-, 5and 12-V rails to meet the needs of different components inside the servers

Managing this increasing amount of power has resulted in significant challenges when it comes to packaging space and thermal management. While requirements for power supplies have been steadily increasing, the space allotted for both the power supply and the critical connector in back has not changed. Going back to the early days of server development, server system infrastructure (SSI) requirements called for 400 to 600 W power supplies and the power I/O would use four to six power blades rated at 30 A per blade to deliver the required power out to servers.

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NAS_36

Today, connector companies are being asked for power I/Os to carry triple the current in the same space.

A benchmark specification might call for six to eight power blades capable of handling 70 to 80 A per blade generating no more than a 30 temperature rise (or T-rise). When rating these power connectors, measuring the current is straightforward. However, measuring T-rise gets complicated. Issues such as location of thermocouples within the connector can impact temperature measurement. Consideration in the design of the PSU PCB with copper layers, layer thicknesses and footprint design can contribute to temperature rise. Often during thermal evaluations, heat can be seen transferring from the PCB to the connector, leading to a discussion of proper balancing as the connector supplier would rather not have the connector as a heat sink.

Gaining density Connector designers are now being forced to come up with creative solutions to manage heat and current. While airflow cannot be factored in to the rating of a connector, venting is now often being designed into the housings to allow heat to escape and prevent overheating.

Basic physics tells us that to carry more current, you simply need more copper. Advances are being made in copper alloys to allow increased conductivity, but these advances will not keep up with the demand for higher current densities. Likewise, improvements in contact design can improve the typical power loss found in the interface between the PSU and the connection point, whether it is the mating half of the interconnect or sometimes a PCB card edge, but these improvements cannot be relied upon to provide significant gains in current density.

Customers are now asking connector designers to decrease the centerline spacing between the power contacts; but that can cause mutual heating issues both at the PCB footprint and within the connector itself.

For the past 40 years, connector development has centered around higher densities. However, the industry is approaching the point at which it must consider adding more space for more power or examining the conventions used to evaluate and rate connector performance. A 1% improvement in data center electrical efficiency could save millions of dollars. With such potential savings, discussions will surely continue between data center owners, electrical utility providers and government officials.

DW

Molex Inc. | molex.com

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M o t i o n

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The steady march

of motion integration A survey of integrated motion offerings reveals a steady

evolution in functionality, helping to further simplify complex motion system design and implementation.

Edited by: Miles Budimir • Senior Editor

What exactly does integration mean? As it applies to motion control, it can mean a number of things. For one, there is the well-known usage referencing integrated motors – that is, motors combined with other components such as encoders, drives, and controllers. These have been around for a long time and are found in applications throughout industry. They have a distinct advantage in being useful for distributed control applications and pushing control functions down to the machine level, as opposed to having them reside on a central controller far from the machine or controlled system or process.

The other sense of integrated motion is a broader, closely knit system of motion design and implementation. This moves beyond the piecemeal approach of putting together individual components and hoping that they all fit and work together, to a more comprehensive, systems approach where components may be integrated together (physically) to the design and writing software and control code for the system all under the auspices of one platform from a particular manufacturer, or even “open source” tools that allow interoperability between components from different sources.

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Ultimately, motion systems engineers are looking to simplify the design process. It’s about time-saving and costsaving design processes, which is an old story of course, but one that continues to be important and relevant as motion integration continues apace.

High levels of integration offer competitive edge

One recent model for integrated motion comes from Siemens. The company touts a highly integrated approach to all aspects of the motion design process. Recently, the company introduced its version of an integrated motion

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platform, calling it a new way of motion, offering a high level of integration for a competitive advantage in designing motion control systems.

The method involves thinking about motion control in a series of steps: Graphically configuring the drive, selecting the motion functions using technology objects and programming with PLC open and proven machine libraries. The technology objects handle motion control as well as the closed-loop control and diagnosis of the axes.

www.designworldonline.com

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PLC and motion control functions can be integrated directly into control modules of drive systems. This can result in drive systems needing 50% less space than conventional PLCs with a separate drive control.

This makes it suitable for distributed automation, especially for machines requiring complex axis synchronization. | courtesy of Siemens

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Ready-to-apply function blocks can be downloaded from the company’s online library. Common motion control functions include: camming, cross-cutter, gearing, flying saw, jog path, load sharing, positioning, rotary knife, splice control, and synchronism among others.

Another aspect of integrated motion in the Siemens system is simulation, with builtin tools to simplify the process. Detecting and eliminating programming errors early in the design cycle accelerates commissioning time and increases program quality.

Simulation is integrated into the single engineering framework. It allows for test, validation and optimization of application code independent of physical hardware. This lets designers simulate and troubleshoot controllers, drive axes, HMI applications and complex motion functions in a software environment. An integrated trace function allows for precise diagnosis. When satisfied with the code, the next step is seamless integration into real hardware.

Integration is extended to safety as well.

Specifically, one system, programming tool and network for standard and fail-safe programming. Integrating safety technology into standard automation reduces hardware and simplifies engineering to improve plant safety and increase productivity. It allows for safety and standard control over one network, including a safety PLC library with certified blocks, drive-based safety including motion functions and a safety acceptance test integrated in the engineering tool.

On the diagnostics side, uniform system diagnostics are automatically generated during device configuration. The benefits here include faster troubleshooting, streamlined maintenance for less downtime and reduced engineering time, with no additional programming required for diagnostic information.

From the user interface point-of-view, easy-to-understand faults and drive messages are automatically displayed in the TIA Portal, HMI, web server and controller system without any added engineering effort.

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Kinetix servo drives family for quite some time. These drives seamlessly integrate with the company’s Logix controllers and other devices via an EtherNet/IP link. The drives combine high-performance integrated motion with an open EtherNet/IP network.

They can be part of a solution integrating high-performance servo and ac drives, I/O, smart actuators, and any other EtherNet/IPconnected device.

On the software end, the company’s Motion Analyzer software is a motionapplication sizing tool used for analysis, optimization, selection and validation of Kinetix motion control systems. The software facilitates the machine design process, letting engineers quickly design and validate new machine concepts without purchasing or installing physical equipment.

An updated version of the software offers simplified workflows and improves design efficiency. The enhanced software offers an optimized user interface with intuitive navigation and in-workflow product selection. Engineers can determine a system’s specifications, evaluate multiple products to find the best fit, finalize the design and create a bill of materials. All of which helps reduce motion-system design time from a multi-day process to a few hours.

Other key improvements include faster axis definition and sizing, redesigned solution search and configure components features, additional application template profile support, and the ability to import from a legacy motion profile with support of more advanced motion segments.

Software tools like Rockwell Automation’s Motion Analyzer help engineers determine system specifications, evaluate multiple products to find the best fit, finalize the design and create a bill of materials. It can help reduce design time from days to a few hours.

The company recently introduced some new products and features for assembly applications. The Smart Function Kit is a modular mechatronics package consisting of mechanical and electrical components and software that is immediately ready for use across a wide range of standardized pressing and joining applications. It helps simplify product selection and configuration as well as commissioning. The other is GoSelect, an online ordering tool designed to streamline product selection and make cost quoting a breeze. The user-friendly interface offers pricing and availability on hundreds of products. Users can instantly download CAD drawings that are available in a variety of formats, including PDF3D, STEP, IGES and DXF.

Integration at the motor level

Perhaps the most common usage of “integrated” that most engineers are familiar with is integrated motors. Most manufacturers offer at least some kind of motor with varying degrees of integration.

In fact, integrated motor designs continue to evolve, incorporating more features and making it easier to seamlessly connect to other motion components and systems, making interoperability a reality.

Case in point: a range of servo drives, stepper drives and integrated motors from Applied Motion Products now conform to the ODVA specification for EtherNet/IP communications. The ODVA Conformance Program mandates that

Designing for the factory of the future

Increasing integration dovetails well with the latest generation of factory automation, particularly the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), also known as Industry 4.0. As part of what it calls the Factory of the Future, Bosch Rexroth offers a similar concept of integrated motion. For instance, cabinet-free drive technology lets machine manufacturers integrate electric drive components directly into the machine, reducing machine footprint while maximizing flexibility.

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A range of integrated motors and drives from Applied Motion Products are ODVA-conformant, meaning that they can do positioning, velocity and other control tasks while simultaneously exchanging control, I/O and diagnostic data with controllers over an EtherNet/IP link.

www.designworldonline.com

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common network interface to ensure interoperability with products from other vendors. Products must pass rigorous testing by an authorized Test Service Provider before being declared ODVA conformant.

Drives and integrated motors that are ODVAconformant can execute positioning, velocity and other motion control tasks while simultaneously exchanging control, I/O and diagnostic data with controllers on an EtherNet/IP network. This setup can speed time-to-market for machines and end products by specifying ODVA-conformant devices. Plus, there is the freedom to choose products from an international vendor pool with guaranteed interoperability.

Applied Motion Products also offers a set of free tools for programmers using the Python programming language. It can be used with the company’s stepper and servo motors to integrate motor control into applications. The programming tools include an application note and sample code for using the company’s Serial Command Language (SCL) to send motion commands to stepper or servo motor axes.

SCL commands are text-based, so they’re easy to read and understand. Programmers can stream SCL commands to one or more motor axes at a time, creating sequences of motion profiles on multiple axes. SCL provides commands for motion control including homing, absolute, relative and jog move types as well as input-output control, drive status, alarm status, and much more. SCL commands can be sent over Ethernet TCP or UDP, RS-485, and RS-232 connections. DW Siemens www.siemens.com Rockwell Automation www.rockwellautomation.com Bosch Rexroth www.boschrexroth.com Applied Motion Products www.applied-motion.com

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Linear motion systems:

only as strong as weakest link Demands placed on linear systems in today’s automation are greater than ever — and continue to increase. Here we review five links in the chain of design elements so critical to precision operation.

Mark Huebner • Mechatronics global product manager | PBC Linear Kevin Bischel • Principal engineer | PBC Linear

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A linear motion system is only as strong as the most compromising links in its chain of mechanical and electromechanical elements. Understanding each component and feature (and its impact on design output) improves decisions and the odds the final design fully meets application demands. After all, system backlash, accuracy, and other performance aspects can be traced back to elements in the design and manufacture of the leadscrew, anti-backlash nut, couplings, motor, and control strategy.

Working with linear-motion suppliers having expertise in all a design’s links is the best way to get top design performance. Ultimately, optimized motion control systems are like a highperformance sports car will all its elements well balanced … for which the right size motor + the right transmission + the right tires + great control features (such as antilock brakes and traction control) = great performance.

Consider some examples of designs requiring top performance. In some types of 3D printing, layer resolutions are being pushed as low as 10 µm per layer. In medical devices, dispensing units must output lifesaving medications and control doses down to microliters.

The same type of tight accuracies can be seen in optical and scanning equipment, chip

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| Kirk Wescom/ PBC Linear

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and wafer processing equipment in the semiconductor industry, and the labautomation space.

Only linear motion designs built with a holistic approach to component selection and integration can satisfy these ever-higher performance requirements. Often the most suitable solution for these builds is a motordriven screw and nut with appropriate control architecture. So let’s consider key considerations and performance characteristics for each link in this type of linear assembly.

Top are two images of screws manufactured with conventional approaches. Bottom is a leadscrew manufactured with world-class automated processes.

Link one: Quality of leadscrew and nut Leadscrews have been around for decades in various forms with an array of nut designs and materials. For much of that time, the machines used to manufacture leadscrews were manually adjusted — limiting quality to the capability of the machine and the skill level of the operator. Most manufacturers today still use this type of equipment, but modern automated processes are taking leadscrew quality to the next level.

For example, such operations use a CNC-controlled infeed, skew adjustment, and pressure controls for roll-threading process to yield the most consistent leadscrew thread forms. The surface finish of these leadscrews is consistently smooth and free of surface abrasions that can tear at polymer nuts … for unprecedented system accuracy and life.

At the same time, advanced metrology and inspection techniques that trace the form and shape of leadscrew threads show results in point-to-point lead accuracies that are up to three times better than those of traditional manual methods. That consistently holds lead accuracies down to 0.003 in./ft over the length of a screw.

For transport-type applications moving some object point to point along an axis, the traditional method of checking lead accuracy every 300 mm or six inches is adequate. But for the highest precision applications, the accuracy of each shaft thread is relevant. Deviation from the suitable thread geometry is known as the drunkenness of the thread.

New automated CNC manufacturing equipment, processes, and detailed inspection methods produce tighter control and quality so that the high and low point within an individual thread show greatly improved sub-rotation accuracy — in other words, less drunkenness. This in turn helps leadscrews hold positioning repeatability over a single rotation to 1 µm. This is an especially critical performance metric in applications such as processing expensive wafers and chips for the semiconductor industry and accurately dispensing medications in a syringe pump.

After thread rolling, advanced screw suppliers straighten screw shafts with an automated to minimize errors and runout that can cause vibration, noise, and

Specialized equipment can inspect 100% of the screw length or up to 20,000 points over 72 in. compared to traditionally checking a single data point every 6 in. over the same length.

Deviation from ideal dimensions within a single thread rotation is known as the drunkenness of the thread as described in ISO Standard 3408-3.

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Automated straightening of leadscrews yields screws with higher accuracy than those from manual straightening operations.

Bison November Print Ad Design World.pdf 1 10/7/2019 1:47:43 PM

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PERMANENT MAGNET AC MOTOR

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Shown here are leadscrew PTFE surface coatings (unacceptable and acceptable) under microscope.

Link two: Interaction of the nut and screw Traditional anti-backlash nuts use a multi-piece design that requires a coil spring to move a collet linearly along the nut to close the fingers and control the fit between screw and nut.

Problems that contribute to failure in these designs are the sporadic and variable force of the spring, stick-slip of the collet on the nut, and fluctuating pressure as the nut material wears. In contrast, one alternative nut designed to deliver constant force includes a simplified two-piece design that applies pressure to 62

the nut fingers in a radial fashion which is the direction needed to control clearance or play between the nut and screw.

Consider the conventional coil spring and collet design for an anti-backlash

Shown here are a conventional coil spring and collet anti-backlash nut Design and a Constant Force Technology (CFT) anti-backlash design patented

by PBC Linear.

The latter is tested in excess of 2,500 miles travel without failure … for forty times the L10 lifefor the axis.

CFT screw and nut life Travel in kilometers

premature wear. Screw-shaft straightness is critical because any error is accentuated when it is assembled with the motor. In contrast, traditional (manual) methods of screw straightening can produce a snowcone effect in the screw-shaft geometry — in the form of a single arch or multiple arches that corkscrew around the long shaft axis. Again, automated straightening and inspection eliminate these errors resulting in stable screw performance.

The final step in the production of leadscrews is application of a PTFE coating. Only a consistent smooth finish provides long life and system performance.

Inconsistent application of the PTFE (resulting from a suboptimal coating environment or equipment) can spur pitting, fissures, bubbles, flaking, or surface roughness that cause premature wear in the nut and shortened assembly life.

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leadscrew nut. Here, a variable force coil spring generates axial force which is converted to radial force through mechanical interference. The design relies upon injection molded components to apply force equally to the fingers. Benchmark testing confirms that preload changes dramatically in the first 1,000 cycles.

In contrast, certain constant-force antibacklash leadscrew nuts provide backlash performance that’s two to four times better than conventional designs as validated by lab automation customer’s FDA testing.

A constant force spring design ensures consistent pre-load over the life of the axis.

Self-lubricating nut material with PTFE for lubricity and enhanced efficiency.

One of the biggest advantages of constant-force anti-backlash leadscrew nuts is their capability to be tuned to an application with adjustments to the spring

L10 bearing life

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Here is a design that includes a coupling between the leadscrew and motor as well as an integrated hybrid linear actuator alignment.

System testing utilizing laser interferometers validate accuracies and can provide screw mapping capabilities to aid in the final system integration.

amplifies inaccuracies over the length of the screw. In addition, this snow-cone wobble in the screw creates wear points that can spur the need for maintenance and premature system failure.

The third method is a direct fit of the screw to a hollow shaft within the motor and affixing the screw with a laser weld on the back of the motor. This method ensures the maximum engagement in the fit of the screw with the motor resulting in the highest accuracy alignment possible. In some cases, the weld may be replaced with

difficult to keep everything on centerline. If one or more of the components are out of round or alignment, the result can be a cam type effect that greatly affects performance and the life of the system.

The second method inserts the screw into a tapered bore to mechanically secure it in place (from the back) with a bolt. Such assembly is common on motors that will require frequent maintenance — and a quick method for disassembly and reassembly.

The drawback is that alignment is difficult to hold and can spur a snow-cone effect that

and other parameters. This tuning allows for the optimization of preload, backlash, drag force and running clearance to meet the specs required. Each screw and nut combination, along with each full up motor and screw assembly, can be tested for each of these performance characteristics during validation and final inspection.

Link three: Coupled or direct connection to drive The next link in the chain is how the screw attaches to the motor. There are three basic ways this can be accomplished.

The first is the most traditional method where a coupler is introduced into the assembly as the component between the screw and a motor built with an extending stud shaft This design requires more space for the length of the coupler and any associated attachment housing, and it also can create alignment issues. Due to the increased number of components, it is more

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Laser welding securely locks the screw to the motor for the highest levels of accuracy. www.designworldonline.com

From left to right are common motor choices for linear-motion axes — BLDC, industrially enclosed smart stepper, stepper with IP20 rating and mounted control, and open-loop stepper motor.

an industrial adhesive that creates a permanent bond between the screw and motor. This assembly method also provides the highest level of accuracy by providing the least amount of runout in the screw resulting in extended life and minimizing the need for maintenance.

Optimizing leadscrew, nut, and coupling alignment extend the life of the entire system.

As a baseline for comparison with other elements in the system, testing in a variety of orientations with various leads, and with a range of loads and speeds. The results have shown travel life exceeding the standard L10 bearing life by 40 times.

In other words, traditional motor-andleadscrew setups include multiple components that require assembly and are difficult to align.

They introduce play and tolerance stackup that degrade accuracy and increase the potential for failure. High component count also makes for higher overall assembly cost. But integrated hybrid linear actuator setups include a leadscrew aligned and fixed directly with the motor — for fewer components. That makes for November 2019

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Integrated control options for stepper motors abound. Left is an industrialized smart stepper. Right is a commercial IP20-rated motor with a control board mounted on the motor end.

greater rigidity, accuracy, and reliability ‌ as well as overall design value.

Link four: Selection of motor type and design Linear actuators come with a choice of motor options with the most common motor choices being an open loop stepper, a closed loop version using either a board mounted control or an industrially encased smart stepper, and lastly a brushless dc (bldc) motor. Each has its own performance proposition or speeds and load capabilities, and each also comes with their own set of pros and cons around cost, integration, control, and more that we cover later.

The biggest impact on the linear motion performance of a motor requires a look under the hood at the internal design of the motor. Typical general-purpose motors use a wavy washer to hold bearings and the assembly in place. This is usually adequate for rotary applications and often can be applied to linear as well. However, wavy washers do provide for an amount of compliance within the motor that can spur small amounts of axial or linear play that translate into inaccuracies of linear position.

To alleviate this, one or both of two elements can be modified in the design.

Larger bearings can be inserted to increase the thrust load capability of the

Two common elements in motor assemblies include bearings and adjustable spanner nuts.

Today’s leadscrew-based actuators support integration into traditional and distributed control architectures.

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assembly, and a spanner nut can be added and adjusted to a predetermined torque specification to take the play out of the system.

Link five: Choice of control options The final link that pulls all the elements together is how the physical linear motion is to be directed and controlled. Traditionally this would need multiple separate pieces including an amplifier and controller. Each would need a cabinet and the associated hardware, wiring, encoder, and sensors for feedback. These setups can become complicated and cumbersome to install, troubleshoot, and operate.

The emergence of off-the-shelf smart motor solutions has served to simplify the wiring and reduce the number of connectors and sensors associated with gaining step-servo type performance and control. This provides cost savings thanks

to a lower component count as well as less time and labor associated with the install.

These motors also come in preassembled industrialized packages that seal and protect the board and control from abuse or contamination with ratings to IP65 or IP67.

When an application requires specific customized features, has minimized space and size considerations, or low cost is a critical driver, a custom unencapsulated IP20 motor-mounted board control is a useful option. This is especially true for large-volume applications placed in stylized housings or equipment. Such actuators impart the advantages of smart motors (typically at substantial cost savings) and control is right at the motor for easier and faster communication with the master or PLC. DW PBC Linear | pbclinear.com

Small Wonder

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online

Novotechnik has them. Utilizing a vertical Hall sensor with a unique cross-structure affixed to a silicon chip, Vert-X 1300 sensors measure changes in the magnetic field as the shaft is turned to provide a 360º measurement range with 12-bit resolution. Designed for robotics, medical devices and scientific instrumentation where small size has to be combined with high precision, Vert-X 1300 sensors are available with a wide range of options including: analog, incremental, SPI, SSI, and PWM outputs; custom shaft designs; and customer specific cabling.

Key specifications include:

Imagine Non-Contact Rotary Sensors Measuring Just 13 x 20 mm

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Novotechnik U.S., Inc. 155 Northboro Road • Southborough, MA 01772 Telephone: 508-485-2244 Fax: 508-485-2430

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For complete information, visit www.novotechnik.com/vx13

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S e n s o r s

When precision

sensing solutions

are critical

Basic position sensing concepts take on added importance for precision applications as new issues must be considered.

Andrew Waugh | AutomationDirect

Industrial automation solutions commonly rely on position sensing to confirm that parts and equipment are in the proper place. Standard applications can include sensing if a box is present on a conveyor or if a door is closed. The most basic products for this purpose are limit switches and proximity switches respectively, and both are excellent options in many cases.

For many industries, though, standard isn’t nearly good enough. In certain machining applications, it may be necessary to achieve repeatable position sensing accuracy measured in hundredths of a millimeter or better. This is because high-tech manufacturing often calls for high precision position sensing.

Designers tasked with selecting high precision sensors will use many of the same concepts applicable to standard sensors, although taken to a much more rigorous level. Also, high precision sensors introduce some additional considerations which must be addressed. This article examines some of the available high precision sensing solutions, and then shows how designers can successfully apply these solutions to meet the requirements of demanding applications.

How good is good?

Whether sensing a linear or angular position, repeatability is the name of the game in determining position switch accuracy. A small repeatability tolerance means the switch will respond the same every time when it is triggered at a given position within the stated repeatability range.

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Figure 1: Standard mechanical NEMA limit switches, like this Eaton version, offer good repeatability for their size.

Figures, all courtesy of AutomationDirect.

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Figure 2: Precision limit switches can be accurate enough to evaluate the wear on cutting tools with a 0.5 micron (0.00005 mm) repeat accuracy and are available in various configurations such as these Metrol designs.

Users looking for precision limit sensing often require a repeat accuracy of 0.0005 mm, which is 100 times better than standard switches may offer.

Standard limit switches, such as mechanical NEMA styles, may offer a repeat accuracy of 0.05mm or better, quite good for a larger switch, Figure 1. Typical non-contact proximity switches, on the other hand, have many benefits, but repeatable accuracy is not usually considered one of them.

Users looking for precision limit sensing often require a repeat accuracy of 0.0005 mm, which is 100 times better than standard switches may offer. Some precision limit switches have such good repeatability that they may be used to calibrate other machines.

This exceptional accuracy may be needed at just one sensing location. Even more critical is if there are a series of related sensing locations where insufficient repeat accuracy can have a compounding effect, resulting in an unacceptably poor tolerance. Choosing precision sensors ensures the best possible signal is being provided and can help prevent potential tolerance issues.

Precision sensing situations By their very nature, precision sensing applications tend to be on the specialized end of the spectrum. Sometimes designers are using precision sensors to replace manual testing or calibration steps that are costly or time consuming.

Consider any type of machining or milling equipment where the cutting tool is subject to wear. One way to detect this is to program the equipment to accurately position the cutting tool at a test position before or after it performs its typical task.

The test location is often near the home position of such

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equipment to make this step quick, and the location is equipped with a carefully mounted precision position switch. As the cutting tool starts to wear over time, eventually this test step will not trigger the switch, and the operators will be alerted to inspect or replace the cutting tool.

Another situation demanding high precision switches is for parts assembly equipment. These machines sequentially step through operations of placing and fastening components, so it is necessary to detect that components have been seated properly in position before the machine proceeds to the next step. For delicate assemblies with fine components, the small distances involved require precision sensing to properly detect position.

Making the right touch Physical limit switches, whether standard or precision type, are often the best solution for obtaining tight and repeatable accuracy at a relatively low cost, Figure 2. However, their main disadvantage is that they are 100% dependent on physically touching the object through motion. The motion may be as a part is moved into position where a sensor is mounted in a fixture, or the sensor could be on the end of a movable element like a robot arm. Over time, this can cause issues.

Mechanical wear after many operations is a concern, whether on the contact portion of the sensor or the internal mechanism, especially because precision sensors are often designed with somewhat smaller and less robust housings than standard sensors. Since motion is involved, impact or overtravel damage is a risk. Basically, physical limit switches are a part that will inevitably need to be adjusted, and eventually replaced.

Another concern for some applications is that physically touching a part may not be acceptable due to safety, temperature, or sanitary reasons. In this case, a non-contact solution must be explored.

Non-contact precision sensing Numerous non-contact sensing technologies, such as opto-electric photoeyes or ultrasonic sensors, excel DESIGN WORLD

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at simply detecting the presence of something without actually touching it. However, these common sensing types have nowhere near the repeatable accuracy of the previously discussed physical limit switches.

For high precision non-contact sensing, laser light sensors provide the best possible performance. These devices can be mounted some distance away from the sensed part, avoiding contact with the part and also the environmental conditions. The major characteristics for any laser sensor are sensing range, resolution, and cost. Not all laser sensors are equal, and many of their specifications including repeatable accuracy can vary substantially from one model and style to another.

Some styles of laser sensors just monitor the amount of light reflection, while other more advanced versions use triangulation or time-of-flight calculations for determining position. Regardless of the technology, performance is often quantified in the cost.

Basic laser sensors that cost about $300 provide 1-mm resolution with a detection range of 0 m to 3 m. For double that price, a sensor can deliver resolution better than 0.05 mm, although at a reduced range of 50 mm to 350 mm. For the same cost of $600, a sensor can offer an even better resolution of 0.008 mm, as long as a reduced range of 30 mm to 80 mm is acceptable.

This is not the end of the line for laser sensor performance. For thousands of dollars, a laser sensor can have a resolution of 0.00122 mm throughout a range of 200 mm to 1000 mm, or even 0.00006 mm with a small sensing window of 20 mm to 24mm.

In addition to the cost, these more advanced units require special programming and communication interfaces to fully capture the available data. However, for the most demanding applications, the technology is available.

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Figure 3: Laser sensors are a suitable high precision non-contact measuring method for many applications, and devices like this Wenglor sensor, which can resolve to 0.008 mm.

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•• •• All in the details For precision sensing, there are four major areas of specifications to be considered:

• Performance • Target • Environment, and • Interface Regarding performance, this article has already discussed resolution, repeatability, and minimum/maximum range. Another detail is response speed, or how quickly the sensor transmits the value to a supervisory control system. Because the positions are usually sensed as the target or the sensor is in motion, the speed at which the sensor is providing the distance information must be known.

Target conditions play a role because the angle, reflectivity, and color of the target may affect the measurement, especially when a laser sensor is used.

Environmental conditions can include temperatures, contaminants, and even vibrations. When such sensitive measurements are undertaken, it is crucial to protect the sensing device to the greatest extent possible as it could be susceptible to temperature drift. A robust mounting scheme is necessary because in some cases equipment vibration can exceed the resolution of the sensor.

A final matter regarding the interface: Sensors might only provide a switching on/off contact, or they may output a measuring 4-20 mA analog signal, whether they are standard precision or high precision. More advanced sensors, especially laser sensors, may have a comprehensive local user interface for configuring and monitoring the device, and also take advantage of industrial communication protocols to transmit data.

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Combining multiple sensors Because laser sensors provide such good non-contact resolution, they are also an excellent choice for performing more advanced measurements. Several sensors can be used in conjunction to measure the length and height of a box, for instance, which can be used to determine the box size, or help the automation system position the box on a conveyor. Some models can coordinate with an encoder input to provide a z-dimension element, enabling a full three-dimensional sizing information to be calculated.

There are many industries and applications demanding better than standard sensing elements.

Several styles of precision sensing devices are available to meet these needs. Selecting the right precision sensing solution involves the same general considerations as for standard devices, but due to the delicate nature of the measurements involved, it is necessary to delve more deeply into the details. DW

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I n t e r n e t

o f

T h i n g s

How

Open Source technologies

benefit IIoT design

Open source technologies powered by global tech communities are liberating engineering creativity for industrial automation and IIoT applications worldwide.

For many, open source software has a certain “Wild West� image associated with it. In contrast to proprietary software, which can be viewed as stodgy, expensive, and confining, open source software seems to let you do whatever you want at little or no cost, providing the ultimate in technological freedom. Both of these viewpoints are gross oversimplifications. Nevertheless, the idea of open source as an unconventional solution persists.

Josh Eastburn Opto 22

72

The reality, on the other hand, is that open source is all around us and is currently used in many popular and well-known software applications that are either fully open source or built on open source components.

Open source technologies are also making their way into industrial automation and IIoT applications, not just to replace existing methods like-for-like, but to enable new options for creative engineering.

These industrial use cases are in a conservative technical sector, which has long been based on proprietary hardware and software products. For many years, that was really the only option to deliver the necessary real-time deterministic performance and reliability. What does this shift toward open source mean for industry, then, and what design possibilities does it create?

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Figure 1: The first EPIC industrial controller was built by Opto 22 using a custom Linux OS created through the Yocto project.

Open source software does not have the same forprofit motive, and is instead guided by the needs of a community of users and developers in a collaborative way, often with oversight by professional organizations.

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Defining open source Many industries and creators go to great lengths to protect the work products they create, whether intellectual or tangible.

Copyrights, patents, trademarks, custom parts, and encryption technologies might all be employed to provide either legal or physical/electronic protection from reuse or redistribution of a given work without permission.

Open source software, on the other hand, intentionally grants users rights to use, inspect, modify, and distribute that software freely. Typically, the only major restrictions are that attribution be given to the originators and that any derivative works also be freely distributable or open source.

Proprietary software is arguably benefitted by the vendor’s relationship with the market. In theory, they can only gain and maintain paying customers if the product performs well. However, the proprietary model can be expensive for end users because of licensing costs, and the fact that they may be wholly reliant on the vendor to provide related products and services—a concept known as vendor lock-in.

Open source software does not have the same for-profit motive, and is instead guided by the needs of a community of users and developers in a collaborative way, often with oversight by professional organizations.

New features and bug fixes may also include contributions from commercial vendors who incorporate these open source libraries into their products. Vendors then take responsibility for post-sales support related to the open source components they use.

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Open source in the real world Most people have encountered open source software, often unawares. Here are just a few examples:

• Android mobile operating system • Apache web server • Mozilla Firefox web browser • Linux operating system • MySQL and PostgreSQL database

management systems • Eclipse interactive development environment

These technologies power much of the internet, the mobile devices we are familiar with such as smartphones and tablets, and even more far-flung systems like the Large Hadron Collider and the International Space Station.

In addition, there are other open source technologies particularly wellsuited to industrial and IoT projects: For communications, the ISOstandard message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) protocol, along with its Sparkplug data payload specification, are open source solutions for efficient communications, commonly used in IoT. Node-RED is an open source visual programming tool for defining data connectivity flows and is often used with IoT devices like Raspberry Pi. Secure Shell (SSH) is an open source method for operating network services in a secure manner, even over unsecured networks.

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STANDARD AND CUSTOM MOTION CONTROL PRODUCTS FOR DRUG DELIVERY & LIQUID HANDLING As industry and IoT merge, these technologies are appearing in a greater array of industrial products, like smart sensors and edge gateways.

IIoT-specific open source advantages The exciting part of open source is the new avenues it opens, possible because of the lower barrier to entry, the ease of interoperability, and the broad talent pool of programmers creating these tools.

Familiar industrial applications, such as human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, like Ignition by Inductive Automation, have been built on open source code. This allows them to offer a wide array of reliable functionality without needing to build and maintain the codebase themselves.

Open source technologies also allowed for the creation of the latest class of industrial controllers, called edge programmable industrial controllers (EPICs) (Figure 1). EPICs can perform the same tasks as traditional and proprietary programmable logic controllers (PLCs), while offering additional functionality that bridges the gap between IT (information technology) and OT (operational technology) (Figure 2).

They also enable users to further customize and expand functionality as needed.

This kind of customization is a major attraction for many industrial original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). OEMs often want to consolidate many forms of functionality within their product, such as incorporating advanced cloud network connectivity, or they may want to adjust it to the particular needs of their users. Rather than assembling many proprietary hardware and software components, OEMs can experiment with, customize, and embed existing open source libraries to give them the same features without incurring the overhead of longterm maintenance.

For end users and system integrators, industrial automation systems have traditionally operated as isolated islands, but incorporating IT-friendly open source elements makes it easier to connect these applications to on-site networks, the internet, and cloud resources, as well as finding engineers able to support these systems. They also benefit from the lower cost of ownership because many of the tools required for interoperability with open source systems are freely distributable. Just like technology vendors, end users and SIs have the flexibility to choose the best tools for their projects, similar to what industry has seen with the proliferation of products based on open industrial communications protocols like Modbus/TCP. Is open source ready for mission-critical applications?

Some concerns are rightfully raised about the use of open source technology, whether in a consumer setting or a far more critical industrial application. Open source is not invulnerable from a security standpoint, as proven by the Heartbleed security bug affecting OpenSSL in recent years.

Proprietary systems can, of course, also be vulnerable. In the summer of 2019, Armis Security released the URGENT/11 announcement identifying 11 zero-day vulnerabilities in a mature realtime operating system used in networking equipment, medical devices, industrial systems and other devices requiring real-time performance.

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The trade-offs between open and closed source in this respect are still open to debate. What the best open source projects do offer is a large community working to ensure the quality and reliability of the software. Careful developers will include only the components necessary for operation, as any extra code potentially creates more targets for attackers.

Figure 2: The problem of excessive middleware layers requiring proprietary hardware and software can be solved with an open source EPIC device.

The exciting part of open source is the new avenues it opens, possible because of the lower barrier to entry, the ease of interoperability, and the broad talent pool of programmers creating these tools.

Industrial open source in action If open source was simply an alternate way of handling industrial applications, there would be far less reason to move away from traditional proprietary products.

However, the extra capabilities and ITfriendly features of open source components makes them a powerful option in many applications (Figure 3). Following are actual examples of how users have created advanced applications for themselves using open source tools: Cloud integration: One user with a fleet of forklifts integrated their battery monitoring sensors via NodeRED and delivered that data to an Azure cloud database for further analysis.

Advanced sensing: A commercial developer embedded their own code into an off-the-shelf controller via SSH to integrate a 3D imaging sensor with automated equipment, providing visualization and unmanned operation of material stockpiling and reclaiming systems.

Figure 3: Open source EPIC devices offer IT-friendly capabilities like Node-RED, MQTT, and easy mobile access so users can create advanced applications for themselves.

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Custom visualization: Another user with specific data logging and graphing requirements was able to enhance these functions in their HMI, using Python to read data from their controller and generate a custom trend.

Cost-efficient logging: A user streamlined their datalogging by processing I/O signals into their SCADA via Node-RED and a MySQL server, all without requiring additional licenses.

Communications: Using available networking systems, one system integrator developed their own peer-to-peer communication solution in the field among remote pump skids through the use of Node-RED and MQTT. GPS integration: Avoiding the use of additional PCs, a user integrated GPS and proximity sensors directly into EPICs running .NET Core to create mobile location and position sensing for a fleet of cargo trucks.

Using traditional methods, these industrial automation and IIoT applications would have been difficult, impractical, or even impossible to achieve. Open source is a key part of the success for each application.

An industrial open source future Open source software already plays a large role in the everyday lives of anyone who uses PCs, mobile devices, or the internet. Within the enterprise IT world, open source is seen as the future.

Even for specialized industrial automation and IIoT applications, many innovative products are available to not just replace existing options for PLCs, HMIs, and SCADA, but to actively empower end users to create new and previously unachievable solutions.

Given these trends and the evidence of what people can do with open source today, there is a strong reason for end users to expect open source to play a growing role, even in the most critical industrial applications. DW Opto 22 | www.opto22.com

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How ball screws help with cobot motion efficiency

Collaboration robots (cobots) provide the strength, consistency, and reliability of industrial robots with the judgment and flexibility of human operators.

Cobots are increasingly used in large-scale production applications that involve continuous lifting operations but still require a human touch.

While cobots have been in use for at least a decade, applications have been limited by the gearing systems that control motion.

Recently, a French cobot maker developed a solution that uses ball screw and cable actuators instead of gears, increasing cobot efficiency and safety. “While researching applications for collaborative robots, I saw automation, in general, was making great strides, but many manual jobs — like sanding — had not evolved for thirty years or so. This got me interested in developing technology that would assist in, but not replace, functions that benefitted from human participation,” said Yvan M. Measson, CEO of cobots producer, ISYBOT. ISYBOT cobots target applications that are difficult to automate. Cobots augment human performance in many ways, such as eliminating fatigue, adding lifting strength, increasing accuracy, or improving product quality. Furthermore, using the cobot restores manual attractiveness, making the worker a “cobot pilot.” For example, the final production steps for manufacturing a passenger train might require an operator to move a rotary sander around the hull’s surface until it feels finished to the touch. With cobot assistance, the operator still guides the sanding tool around the hull surface, but it is the cobot arm that does the heavy lifting. (Figure 1) The cobot can also learn the path the operator follows, repeating it as many times as the operator deems necessary.

Edited by Mike Santora Other ways cobots improve productivity and ergonomics might include assisting in picking and placing parts on an assembly line, assisting with simple batch operations, or any heavy lifting. Cobots can work with humans and also function autonomously, improving productivity. (Figure 2). Having the cobot

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do the most tedious part of the job reduces strain on the operator’s musculoskeletal system while freeing them to focus on quality control.

This elevates the role of the operator and helps reduce turnover.

Cobots are often used in industries where workers are regularly required to manually handle loads of up to 77 lbs or more. These include aeronautics, automotive, agriculture, naval, railway, defense, or manufacturing facilities. Cobots are also valuable where workers might be exposed to hazardous conditions, such as nuclear plants or environmentally compromised areas where the cobot can help with the most hazardous parts of the job.

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Cobots are increasingly used in largescale production applications providing the strength, consistency, and reliability of industrial robots with the flexibility of the human touch.

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| ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/L. Calçada (ESO)/H. Heyer (ESO)/H. Zodet (ESO

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Figure 1: Yvan M. Measson, CEO of ISYBOT, demonstrates how a Cobot can help sand the hull of an aircraft cabin.

As he studied the market, M. Measson discovered that several other companies were entering, but with solutions he felt were inefficient and potentially dangerous. The problem, he concluded, was in the gearing assemblies used to translate electrical energy into controllable motion.

“Gears have high friction ratios and add kinetic energy that, when released, can be dangerous. They also tend to be quite inefficient in the case of interactive use,” said M. Measson. “By replacing gears with more efficient ball screws, we drastically augment human strength and motion safely, consistently, and efficiently.”

M. Measson explains that ball screws deliver high strength with minimal friction. His cobots translate 94% of the motor torque into motion. With just electric current, they can control force for sanding operations or handle loads that would otherwise require complex gear assemblies and sensors. In addition to being more space and energyefficient, the low-friction characteristic makes ball screws almost maintenance-free and much easier to control.

He says that ball screws have much lower inertia than gears, which, when combined with the controllability mentioned above, has tremendous safety implications.

Unlike robots, which are usually caged off, cobots work

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Cobots are often used in industries where workers are regularly required to manually handle loads of up to 77 lbs or more. hand-in-hand with humans; they must be able to stop instantly on any incidental contact with humans. Because gears have kinetic energy pent up in their complex assemblies, stopping abruptly on simple contact is difficult.

Having concluded that using ball screws would enable a highly efficient and competitive cobot, M. Measson and his team researched vendors and found that Thomson Industries could provide a solution for his applications.

“Load capacity is a key differentiator for cobots. Ball screws enable handling of higher loads than gears, and these ball screws had the highest load capacity of those we evaluated. We also liked the fact that they get there with two leads,” said M. Measson.

The Thomson team supplied three 12 x 10 rolled ball screws with a standard nut. (Figure 3). The higher capacity comes from a nut design based on two leads and four loaded turns, which enables a high load ratio in a very compact component.

Moreover, engineers designed the ball screws to leverage the low friction capabilities of balls screws in at least two ways.

First, where ball screw manufacturers might typically preload the nut and screw to minimize play, the play was reduced without preloading, thus reducing friction that preloading otherwise introduces. And

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Figure 2: In addition to working with humans side by side, Cobots can also work autonomously, improving productivity and ergonomics.

to reduce friction further, where ball screw manufacturers might add wipers to protect barriers free of contamination, this new design resisted contamination without wipers. With no preloading or wipers, the new ball screws provided the smooth motion the cobot arms required.

Also, with inertial ratios of 10802.63 lbf/in2, 10458.42 lbf/in2, and 6724.79 lbf/ in2 for each of the specified ball screws respectively, the new ball screws have among the lowest inertial ratios in the industry and provide a fraction of what a geared system would generate in handling a comparable load.

M. Measson is moving forward with many cobots on the production line, all of which are using the new technology to deliver the low-inertia, low-friction, and high-capacity motion. Most important to him is the fact that he is not only keeping the person in the process, but he is also making their work easier.

“When workers first saw the cobots, they were wondering how their jobs would evolve. But after using them for a short time, they became fans. That is very gratifying.” DW Thomson | www.thomsonlinear.com

Figure 3. Thomson rolled ball screw with a KGF-D standard nut.

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The basics of

automotive radar The radar sitting in your car’s bumper isn’t the same as the units vectoring planes in for a landing. Here are the most important differences.

The last time you found yourself on an airplane, it’s likely that air

Leland Teschler | Executive Editor

traffic controllers kept track of you via radar sets operating at about 2 GHz. In contrast, the radar that helps park your car and keeps you from hitting vehicles braking hard in front of you pumps out signals at 77 GHz. (Older systems used 24 GHz, to be phased out by 2022.)

There are several kinds of radar in wide use today. The type employed in vehicles is called frequency modulated continuous wave, FMCW. (There is academic work on OFDM and random radar, but these types need more processing power than is practical today.) Rather than send out a simple pulse that reflects back from targets, FMCW sends out a chirp, a pulse whose frequency rises during its transmission. The difference between the frequency of the chirp coming out of the transmitter and the frequency of the received reflection (at any one time) is linearly related to the distance from the transmitter to the object.

Today, the typical radar-equipped vehicle has one front radar for adaptive cruise control with about a 150-m range. There is often a second front radar with a wider field of view (FOV) for emergency brake assist. In the rear, there are two radars with up to an 80-m range for detecting vehicles behind the car.

Industry analysts expect the range of all these radars to rise in the future, especially for rear radar which is forecast to reach 160 m. The overall effect will be that of a 360° cocoon around the car.

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Automotive radar today often takes the form of a module containing an RF board and a signal processing board.

An example is the RDK-S32R274 module from NXP. It typically serves as a radar development platform but can also be used as-is for such tasks as collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, and occupancy detection. Visible here is the TEF8102 RFCMOS transceiver and antenna arrays. An S32R27 microcontroller and FS8410 Power Management IC sit on the board mounted behind the RF section.

Maximum range is said to be 180 m with a range accuracy of 0.175 m. Angular resolution is said to be 4.25° ±0.25°.

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Building blocks The typical vehicular radar module today contains five major functional building blocks: The antenna, the RF section, a highspeed digital interface, a signal processor, and a power section.

Automotive systems have two types of antennas, vertical and horizontal polarization, or just V and H. V is the traditional type. Vertical polarization has the benefit of less clutter but a limited azimuth (angle of horizontal deviation) FOV because the single-element patch V radiator has a narrow radiation pattern.

Similarly, horizontal polarization entails a wider azimuth FOV but more ripples in the resulting pattern of targets.

Most radar front-end components employ RF CMOS. The usual configuration is to put RF components on one PCB, signal processing on another. (It’s possible to find single-chip radar units, but because both the processor and RF components run hot, there can be thermal challenges with the single-chip version.)

In a typical automotive FMCW module, a local oscillator (LO) generates a linear

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frequency-modulated continuous wave signal, the chirp, which is amplified by a power amp and transmitted from the antenna. The receive antenna intercepts the reflected signal which is then amplified and mixed with the LO signal. This mixing produces the sum of the LO and echo frequencies and their difference. The sum is filtered out and the difference (the beatfrequency or intermediate-frequency, IF) output is digitized. The digitized output of the ADC goes to a signal processor that analyzes the resulting signals for targets.

The signal processor typically incorporates between two and six cores and includes dedicated hardware for FFTs. A point to note is that the interface to other automotive subsystems tends to be a serious limiting factor for radar systems.

To see why, consider that one radar sensor samples at an effective rate of 20 MS/sec over a 10 msec measurement time with a 50-msec cycle time. If the ADC is at 12 bits/ sample, a quick calculation gives 1.2 MB per measurement and a 24 MB/sec data rate for four receive channels. The problem is that fastest pipe today is high speed Ethernet.

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A block diagram of an MR3003 transceiver chip from NXP illustrates the typical makeup of an automotive FMCW module.

A local oscillator (LO) generates a linear frequency-modulated continuous wave signal, the chirp, which is amplified by a power amp and transmitted from the antenna. The receive antenna intercepts the reflected signal which is then amplified and mixed with the LO signal. This mixing produces the sum of the LO and echo frequencies and their difference. The sum is filtered out and the difference (the beat-frequency or intermediatefrequency, IF) output is then sent to a processing module where it is digitized.

Its bit rate is 100 Mbit/sec or only 11.75 MB/sec. Thus, if used with a radar sensor, a high-speed Ethernet connection would have sensor data backing up at the rate of 12.25 MB/sec.

Auto radar today typically uses a chirp waveform with frequency increasing from 77 to 77.8 GHz. The instantaneous difference in frequency between the transmitted and echoed signals is directly proportional to the time delay, and time delay is directly proportional to the range.

Thus, a measurement of the IF signal gives range information. A digitized version of it is the basis for calculating range and identifying targets.

A complication arises when the targets are moving. There is a shift in the frequency of the reflected wave because of the Doppler effect, so the IF frequency depends not only on range but also on the relative velocity of the target. To resolve the ambiguity, auto radars typically use their signal processor to separate the Doppler frequencies from the range frequencies.

The usual technique is to emit several fast chirps, i.e. a chirp sequence. The DESIGN WORLD

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Signal Analysis—Range FFT resulting data gets put in a data matrix that is often represented as a two-dimensional array, with the detected frequencies of each collected chirp shown in a single column.

The contents of the columns are generally dubbed “fast time” whereas the contents of the rows are called “slow time.”

Chirp-sequence signal processing starts with an FFT performed on the fast-time entries followed by an FFT on the slowtime data. An FFT along the fast time axis effectively provides what’s called a range compression because it compresses all the reflected energy into a range. Similarly, the second FFT along the slow-time axis provides a speed compression. In the simple case where there is a single target, get a single peak at the target’s range and velocity.

The two-dimensional FFTs give a speed and a range for one or more targets. The targets are basically peaks above some noise threshold. (The setting of this threshold is a

Auto radars typically use their signal processor to separate the Doppler frequencies from the range frequencies. The usual technique is to emit several fast chirps, then put the resulting echo data in a matrix that is often represented as a two-dimensional array, with the detected frequencies of each collected chirp shown in a single column. The contents of the columns are generally dubbed “fast time” whereas the contents of the rows are called “slow time.” An FFT performed on the fast-time entries followed by an FFT on the slow-time data gives a speed and a range for one or more targets. Automotive applications also need to resolve targets in terms of their angular position from the radar sensor. To do so, radars generally employ between four and 16 antennas. A fast and slow-time FFT takes place on each antenna output.

The resulting data is often visualized as a cube with X and Y axes composed of the fast and slow-time data and a Z axis representing the data for each of the antennas. Effectively, this cube represents a 3D map with axes of speed, distance, and azimuth.

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processing problem in and of itself.) But automotive applications also need to resolve targets in terms of their angular position from the radar sensor.

To measure this angular position, radars employ multiple antennas, generally between four and 16. A fast and slow-time FFT takes place on each antenna output. The resulting data is often visualized as a cube with X and Y axes composed of the fast and slow-time data and a Z axis representing the data for each of the antennas. Effectively, this cube represents a 3D map with axes of speed, distance, and azimuth.

The angular position of the target is determined by the amplitude ratio of the received signals in adjacent radar beams, typically referred to as a monopulse technique. Monopulse techniques send out radar signals in slightly different directions (and perhaps slightly different phases). The reflected signals are amplified separately and compared to each other, indicating which direction has a stronger return, and thus the general direction of a target relative to the radar’s main axis. This comparison takes place during one pulse, hence the monopulse moniker.

The typical vehicular radar module today contains five major functional building blocks: The antenna, the RF section, a high-speed digital interface, a signal processor, and a power section.

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The benefit of the monopulse method is that it is computationally cheap -- it can easily track 100 targets in each measurement cycle. One drawback is a relatively rough angular resolution. So, radar system signal processors typically apply a quick test to each echo they discern to decide whether it is from a single target or from several that must be separated. The separation process entails use of more sophisticated algorithms such as Bartlett or MVDR (minimum variance distortionless response) beamforming.

The bigger the effective receiving cross section (aperture) of the antenna, the greater the ability to resolve the angle of targets. That is why there is great interest in fielding MIMO (multiple in/multiple out) antenna arrays for automotive radar.

A MIMO array having just four receive channels and three transmit channels can RHAM-MKT QRAM PRINT Ad #1 2018-11-21 v1-0.pdf

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synthesize an array of 12 virtual receive antennas with a commensurate rise in antenna aperture.

All in all, chirp-sequence FMCW radar in automotive applications typically can resolve the range of targets to between 7 and 36 in over a typical range of from 20 to 200 m. Range resolution is inversely dependent on chirp bandwidth; bandwidth can be 800 MHz, 1 GHz, or 1.6 GHz. Auto radars can typically resolve velocities to within the range of 0.14 to 1.14 m/sec.

A final point to note is that situational factors can greatly impact radar performance. A classic example is the metallic paint applied to bumpers. The paint covers not only the bumper but also the radar antennas used for parking.

Experts say this metallic paint degrades the detection range of the radar by a factor of 1.5 to 1.7. DW

References NXP S32R Radar Software Development Kit (SDK), https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/ fact-sheet/RDK-S32R274_FS.pdf

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A d v e r t o r i a l

AC/DC Converters in the Modern HVAC Controller The ubiquity of Internet of Things (loT) devices will only increase as the future unfolds and a major component of these devices is sensors. An example of such a device is an HVAC controller.

Many of today's HVAC controllers are capable of internet connectivity via WiFi networks within a home or building.

This enables the controller to monitor the temperature in real-time and make adjustments as needed. It is also able to connect to a phone, tablet, or computer via WiFi to be operated remotely. This connectivity can also allow HVAC issues and services to be monitored or repaired remotely.

For broad implementation, this type of device can be developed with a universal mains input and often requires operation in standby mode for much of the time, which demands a power supply that is efficient at both heavy loads and light or no-load conditions. Additionally, for the controller to be a viable product in a global market, international safety certifications must be met - not a trivial task.

Another key factor to consider is size. HVAC controller units are relatively small, typically just a few inches top to side and an inch or so in width. Any components within the device need to occupy as little of the valuable PCB area as possible. Lastly, an important consideration is EMC compliance. Eleventh hour failures at the compliance lab may cause delivery delays and ultimately jeopardize the profitability of the product launch. While discrete power solutions are normally regarded as the most economical option, today, there is an increasing trend with engineers utilizing modular solutions that are compact, efficient and optimized for EMC compliance.

RECOM, was acutely aware of the possibilities of loT, began development on a series of low-power AC/DC modules specifically geared towards the growing demands that internetenabled devices would require. Therefore, a few years

RECOM-ADVERTORIAL 11-19_Vs2.indd 90

ago, they created the RACxx-K series for both loT and Industrial loT (lloT) devices and systems. This family of modules cover power requirements from 3.5W to 20W. To address the size issue, all of the converters in this series have compact footprints ranging from 1"x1" to 1"x2". Since an HVAC control system requires optimum energy efficiency, the RACxx-K series has minimal light-load and no-load power consumption, as well as efficiency ratings ranging between 80% -90%.

They are EMC compliant and have short circuit, overload, and overvoltage protections. All are internationally certified.

While HVAC controllers are only one example of an loT device, RECOM's low power, cost-effective AC/DC converters are ideal for many loT applications. Some models within the RACxx-K series have 277VAC and 480VAC capabilities, making them ideal for lloT, as well.

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10/31/19 8:23 AM

Medical www.designworldonline.com

A Supplement to Design World - November 2019

A medtech expert | AdobeStock

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I’m a medtech expert who survived a tumor in my head More than five months into a successful recovery from surgery to remove a golfball-sized meningioma, medtech industry veteran Bill Betten reflects on lessons learned.

Bill Betton Betten Systems Solutions

A neurosurgeon walks into the room and says, “So you’re the interesting case.” Not exactly words one wants to hear, but the scientist and engineer inside me waited to hear the punch line. I had recently been informed that I had a brain tumor a bit larger than a golf ball in my head, and I was here to discuss options.

Fast forward to today, and I’m months into a mostly successful recovery from surgery that removed what turned out to be a benign tumor. I have a very interesting scar slowly healing on my head. I’m still waiting for my new superpower to show up now that I’ve got the extra room in my brain, but perhaps my personal journey will be the reward in itself.

While my observations certainly aren’t going to reform health care, the process certainly gave me a different view than my usual product development or technology role, and I hope you gain a new perspective as well.

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Just to tell you more about myself, I’m a physicist and an electrical engineer who’s had the great pleasure of working for decades on product development for some of the world’s largest companies as well as startups. While much of my career was spent in and out of hospitals working for medical device development companies, that experience did little to prepare me to be a patient or user of many of the products and services on which I’d worked over the years.

The discovery My earliest medical experiences went back to my time at 3M in the late 1980s. I worked on hearing aids, blood perfusion systems, and surgical systems among other things, and in the 90’s I was an interface program manager figuring out the early days of connected medical devices, teleradiology, and the DICOM interface that was supposed to ensure that expensive imaging systems play together. Our work included collaborating with imaging modality partners to send digital X-ray images from the USS George Washington aircraft carrier to Bethesda Naval Hospital and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

I ultimately migrated to the world of much smaller monitoring devices, but MRI has always fascinated me. I’ve been honored over the years to speak with leaders in the field including Dr. Raymond Vahan Damadian, the inventor of the first MRI and founder/CEO of Fonar, and Doug Dietz, innovation architect at GE Healthcare. I also recently worked for a company that provides much of the internal precision cabling and connectivity within MRI systems for major manufacturers.

Little did I anticipate, however, that I would one day land myself inside the confining tube of an MRI — the result of finally checking up on a left leg that would “go to sleep”

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for minutes with a pins and needles sensation. My general physician in February had forwarded me to a neurologist who was heading toward the same diagnosis: pinched nerve.

I thought the steroids I was already taking were causing some low-grade headaches, but I mentioned the headaches anyway. The neurologist listened and told me that headaches in someone over age 40 with vision issues typically suggested an MRI. I asked when, was told that there had been a cancellation, and 10 minutes later was having my first MRI ever.

The MRI whirred, banged and clicked its way through the 45-minute process of flipping my molecules with a magnetic field and then reading the results for a look inside my head.

I knew that the inside of an MRI was truly confining and full of strange noises, but it’s another thing to actually experience. All my memories about MRI flashed through my head as I lay in the tube, staring up, listing to late ‘70s rock music as I wondered what was going to happen with me.

I got dressed and saw the neurologist coming in right away to speak with me — not a normal situation. She said it was a “probably” non-malignant type of tumor called a meningioma that forms on membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord just inside the skull. Technically it isn’t a brain tumor as it doesn’t usually engage the brain directly; it is just a tumor that is in the head. At that particular point in time, however, that wasn’t much of a distinction. The words “head” and “tumor” are still pretty scary when used together. You go, “Wow, what does this all mean?”

“It’s been there a decade at least — growing,” the neurologist said.

Finding the right surgeon The diagnosis immediately sent me into an information-gathering mode, looking up the details of meningiomas and starting down the path of figuring out what to do next. Fortunately,

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health insurance was not an issue as one of the benefits of being married to a retired teacher is the ability to continue benefits, albeit at a rather stiff price. I needed to ensure at a minimum that both the surgeon and facility were covered, but our premium coverage made it likely they would be.

My immediate focus was on contacting neurosurgeons. Living in Minnesota certainly facilitates — or perhaps confuses — the process since we have excellent internationally recognized facilities. After compiling a list of about 10 surgeons I decided that I wanted to get at least two opinions.

Arranging the appointments included the frustrating experience of just how much the healthcare system still lacks interoperability. I’ve been promoting the virtues of telemedicine for over 25 years, but here I was filling out transfer forms, listing FAX numbers because email was unacceptable, and even picking up a disk of images from the exam myself as a backup.

The first surgeon with whom I met made the interesting comment that started this article. Upon my inquiry (and a good laugh), he pointed out that my symptoms were a bit atypical for this size of the tumor as I did not show any expected signs of “left-side weakness” that would have been expected based on the size and location of the tumor. We discussed the MRI, medical technology, and some common people we knew at the Mayo Clinic where he had trained years before. He generally walked me through the options. It’s one thing to have a dispassionate conversation about medical technology as a developer, but a very different process when you’re the subject of the conversation. We discussed some timing concerns, but his recommendation was certainly surgery, and he recommended getting it relatively soon. He was calm, collected, and very engaging in the conversation. When we walked out my wife commented that “he really thought of you as a person.” He further demonstrated this when I got a call from him after hours the next night

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as I had left a message with a few questions for his nurse. He knew that I was getting another opinion, but his message was that getting treatment at all was more important than whether he did the surgery. Spending an extra 20 minutes of his “off-time” answering my questions was greatly appreciated.

Two days later I met with surgeon No. 2, a very experienced surgeon who had probably done 10 times the procedures of the first and was undoubtedly qualified. The visit was professional, factual and addressed my questions. When I inquired about going down the road to the Mayo Clinic, where I have been doing collaborative work for decades, or the University of Minnesota hospital where I’m engaged on a pediatric board, he noted that my case simply wasn’t that interesting nor was it necessary. He’d trained in a research institution and pointed out that this was relatively straightforward and would likely go as a training case for a resident. He saw no need to go to those lengths as this just wasn’t that challenging. His words were reassuring in their own way, but on the other hand, I’m not sure there is such a thing as “minor” brain surgery unless perhaps it is being done on someone else.

So, which of these two qualified surgeons did I choose? When it came down to it, we decided to go with the first surgeon, the one who viewed me as a “person, not just a patient.”

The surgery The timeline associated with tumor discovery, identification of surgeon and location, a pre-op physical, and scheduling of surgery was basically a 3-week exercise in controlled chaos, coordination, canceled plans, and new ones coming into being. With surgery scheduled, it was now time to begin the pre-medications and particularly the three days of antibacterial showers, clean towels, and clean linens in an attempt to limit any 94

infection sources at home, leaving me to only be concerned about the opportunity for hospital-acquired infections — a major concern in the industry.

On the day of surgery, I arrived for a pre-operative MRI at 5 a.m. in order to prepare for surgery tentatively scheduled for 7:30 a.m. This MRI was a bit different from my diagnostic scan as this involved the placement of interesting little targets all over my head in strategic locations, providing a “GPS” system for precise mapping of the tumor location. At this point I was marked up with a pen, shaved, then adhesive waypoints fastened to my head making me look a bit like Frankenstein’s monster. Another 45-minute MRI and a trip back to my pre-op site later, and I’ve got the surgical team walking in to say hello and introduce themselves. I took particular care to make sure that they knew who I was, even mentioning the somewhat macabre experience of doing some final device development work at a Mayo Clinic cadaver lab the day before surgery and pointing out that I was very eager to come out of this surgery in a positive fashion.

The anesthesiologist must have done a great job of prep as the last thing I remember was being wheeled around the corner following the team and that was it. I woke up 8 hours later. I came out of anesthesia “hangover” free and relatively coherent, certainly much different than my only previous surgical procedure more than 20 years ago.

To make a long story short, the surgery went well, taking a long time due to tumor consistency being that of an eraser and a bit challenging to remove. The good news was that they removed almost 98% of the tumor, with some need to only heat treat the remainder due to its proximity to a large vein in the brain.

ICU and recovery

The protocol for brain surgery patients is to begin monitoring in

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the ICU, so I found myself wheeled in there. The care staff came in, introduced themselves, and started hooking up the various connections.

First the ever-present pulse oximeter finger clip. I was quite familiar with these instruments having served as head of product development for a leading manufacturer of the devices, but no, it wasn’t the Nonin Medical brand. Then the blood pressure cuff, heart monitoring, and the leg massagers to prevent blood clots were attached. I was now prepared to be a very monitored patient. Finally, the IV connections were re-done, with at least two ports designed to provide access for either testing (glucose, various other blood levels) or input in case of infection or need to treat something.

The ICU is definitely not designed for ease of recovery. The staff poked, prodded and tested me every hour during the night. In addition, since I used to be a fairly consistent runner, my natural resting heart rate tends to be in the 50’s, sometimes dropping into the high 40’s when asleep, so the alert went off every time that happened. The only saving grace was that being fully hooked up meant I was connected via a catheter, so at least I didn’t have to worry about going to the bathroom. I thought back to all of the meetings I had over the years with remote monitoring companies discussing all kinds of devices for monitoring and how it would revolutionize health care.

Years later, we’re still being poked and prodded, including the thermometer under the tongue and a blood pressure cuff blowing up every hour for measurements. After a night of this, I resolved to do everything I can to facilitate the evolution to wireless wearables and more friendly sensors.

After that “interesting” night in ICU, the discussion focused on whether I could transfer to the med/ surgical unit, where I’d likely only need to be monitored every 2 hours.

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They’d let me eat some real food, too.

In order for that move to happen, I had to go through both a cognitive assessment and a physical evaluation.

Less than 24 hours after surgery, I was nervously going through an evaluation of my mental capabilities — a scary proposition because who knows what transpired while I was operated on.

Was I the same person coming out as the one going in? But I passed the test and got a larger room with a great view and even a bathroom.

Prior to surgery I was told to expect to stay in the hospital for a total of four to five days, depending upon any complications, infections, mobility issues, etc. However, my surgeon called me Saturday morning after the second night in the hospital, asked how I was feeling, and mentioned that the initial assessments

seemed to be very positive. He asked if I would be interested in departing the hospital that day, less than 48 hours after surgery. While a bit concerned about the rapid exit, I recognized that recovery at home is less costly and more conducive to rest — as long as there’s an appropriate support system and precautions. Healthcare experts, in fact, know that a more relaxing home treatment and recovery has substantial benefits, providing both a decrease in cost and an increase in quality of life. My wife, and my “alpha” sister who had come to town, were a bit panicked at the news because they had expected a bit more time to set up the new “recovery” room in our first floor sunroom so I wouldn’t have to climb stairs. But 48 hours after surgery I on my way home to my personal recovery room.

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Reflections While the journey through the system was complex, arduous, and a bit scary as a participant rather than an observer, I was impressed by the people in the system. I am a technology person and have been involved in many of the technological improvements that proved to be valuable in my care. However, I was reminded at every step — from help identifying potential surgeons, the interviews, and the care in ICU and the med/surgical floor — that it is still about the people, not just the technology.

While I’m not naming the individuals involved, I have the utmost of respect and thanks to the doctors, staff, and facilities at Regions Hospital in St. Paul. They uniformly made me feel like a person not an object.

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Perhaps I went out of my way to connect with them as well given my background, but it made me miss that care environment just a bit, particularly when I got the follow-up welcome home card signed by them.

People do make a difference.

As for me, I’m going back to work on medical technology, working with partners to develop tools to ease pain and suffering. Technology is the great enabler, and I believe it will continue to ease care for chronic illnesses, elder care and assisted living, and perhaps even one day the various maladies afflicting us. My trip through the health care system certainly gave me a much better appreciation of the medical system not just as a developer but as a person.

Bill Betten is the president of Betten Systems Solutions, a product development realization consulting organization based in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Betten utilizes his years of experience in the medical industry to advance device product developments into the medical and life sciences industries, helping clients to develop innovative medical devices and adapt to a changing environment.

Betten most recently served as director o business solutions for Devicix/Nortech Systems, a contract design and manufacturing firm. Bill has also served as VP of business solutions at Logic PD, medical technology director at TechInsights, VP of engineering at Nonin Medical, and in a variety of technology and

product development roles at various high-tech firms, including Honeywell and 3M. M

www.designworldonline.com October 2019

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These tiny 'mirrors' could make tracking catheters easier Fraunhofer MEVIS researchers think they’ve developed a cost-effective way to reduce the need for X-rays during catheter procedures.

Nancy Crotti Senior Editor

Clinicians around the world perform millions of endovascular procedures per year, using catheters and guided by X-rays to place stents or remove blood clots. That’s a lot of radiation for patients and physicians to endure, and the X-rays don’t even provide the most precise images, according to Torben Pätz, a mathematician at the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine (MEVIS) in Bremen, Germany.

Researchers Torben Pätz (left) and Jan Strehlow (right) demonstrate the intelligent catheter on a 3D model.

Image from Fraunhofer MEVIS

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Fraunhofer MEVIS is developing a system to remedy these problems.

The “intelligent catheter navigation” or Intellicath method uses a catheter equipped with a special optical fiber containing tiny “mirrors.” When light passes through the fiber, the mirrors reflect a portion of the light. Whenever the fiber bends, the reflected light changes color. Sensors can then measure the change in color.

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“The signal from the sensors gives us information about the intensity and direction of the curvature,” Pätz said in a news release. “To some extent, the fiber knows how it is formed.”

An additional element is needed, however, for precise navigation through the vascular system. Before the procedure, physicians obtain CT or MR images of a patient. Based on this image data, IntelliCath software creates a 3D model of the vessel system and displays it on a monitor. During the endovascular procedure, live data from the fiber navigation is fed into the model. The doctor views the monitor to see how the device moves through the vascular labyrinth live and in 3D.

MEVIS experts have already been able to test the method’s feasibility using a prototype, according to Pätz.

“We connected several silicone hoses into a curved labyrinth,” he said.

“Then, we inserted our device containing an optical fiber into the labyrinth.” On the monitor, they were able to locate the catheter’s position in real-time with precision approaching 5mm. The researchers have already applied for two patents.

Although several medical device companies have similar projects, “they expend a great deal of technical effort into trying to reconstruct the shape of the entire catheter, which can be up to 2m long,” Pätz said. “Our algorithm, however, only needs a fraction of the data to localize the catheter in a known vascular system.”

As a result, the MEVIS approach promises cost-effective technology without special fibers and measurement systems and is less sensitive to measurement errors than previous approaches, according to the institute.

The researchers will next test the IntelliCath system on both a fullbody phantom of the human vascular system and on a pig lung. Toward the end of the current project phase in 2020, a prototype will be ready to serve as the foundation for a clinical trial.

Pätz and his team are also developing acoustic feedback to relieve doctors of the constant need to look at the monitor. The idea is to employ various indication sounds to signal how far the next vessel junction is and in which direction the catheter should be inserted.

“It is similar to a car’s parking assistance system, where you also receive acoustic indications about the distance to the next obstacle,” Pätz said. M

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Neurovascular device delivery: A big challenge on a small scale

A neurovascular stent delivery system Image courtesy of Integer Holdings

First-generation devices used in the neurovasculature mimicked those designed for the coronary or peripheral vasculature. They proved that not all vessels are alike, and device design shouldn’t be either.

Emily Wozniak Integer Holdings

The vasculature in the brain presents a unique problem for interventionalists: Bulky, complex devices must wind through small, tortuous vessels to reach their target with minimal trauma. Since medtech companies first designed devices for this part of the anatomy, they have learned to scale them down from those made for coronary or peripheral vasculature.

Researchers Torben Pätz (left) and Jan Strehlow (right) demonstrate the intelligent catheter on a 3D model.

Image from Fraunhofer MEVIS

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Wire-based delivery systems Self-expanding stents designed for peripheral vascular applications are often delivered using a 6 or 8 Fr catheter and a pusher for deployment, which is too large for the narrow anatomy of the neurovasculature. Engineers minimized device profile by downsizing to wire-based delivery systems that deliver stents and flow diverters through microcatheters as small as 2 Fr. These wire-based systems achieve the ultralow profile and flexibility needed for navigating the vasculature of the brain. www.designworldonline.com

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The stent delivery wires are specially designed, polymer-jacketed or nitinol guidewires with intricate bumper protrusions that push or pull the implant to deploy or re-deploy through a microcatheter. These wires must perfectly balance pushability to reach increasingly distal regions with the flexibility to navigate tortuous anatomy. Vessels in the brain are narrower and more sensitive than the periphery, so it is also critical to ensure these delivery systems have soft, atraumatic tips.

Complex devices require complex manufacturing Achieving the right design is only part of the challenge. The other critical piece is developing the right manufacturing technologies that consistently and efficiently produce the intricate geometries required of wire-based delivery systems at commercial scale.

Case in point, the distal tip of the stent delivery wire is typically modified by grinding, coiling, soldering and laser welding to achieve the precise features that engage the stent to move it through the microcatheter.

These processes can be difficult to develop, automate and scale, so considering the right manufacturing strategy and engaging with experts is critical early in the product design.

Achieving the right design is only part of the challenge. The other critical piece is developing the right manufacturing technologies that consistently and efficiently produce the intricate geometries required of wire-based delivery systems at commercial scale.

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Micro-grinding: Think small A corewire grinding process is often employed for two critical design features of the stent delivery wire: the taper of the distal tip and the creation of the protrusions that engage the implant. The distal tip taper determines the stiffness profile while maintaining flexibility without compromising navigation through tortuous vasculature. The design of the stent’s push/pull feature is usually simple: the distal end of the core wire is ground down to create two or more protruding “bumps” with 90-degree angles that catch on the implant to push or pull it through the microcatheter.

The difficulty is in the miniaturized scale. The wire’s distal tip may need grinding to diameters as small as 0.007 in., with the protrusions ranging from 0.010 in. to 0.025 in. It may also be necessary to use complementary processes such as micro-deburring methods alongside micro-grinding to round out the corners of the protrusions and ensure the device design is atraumatic. The development of micro-grinding processes with tolerances tight enough to reliably achieve complex geometry requires significant engineering expertise.

Another common challenge is that standard, automated equipment that can achieve these complex grind geometries doesn’t exist. To solve this problem, manufacturers have had to build their own custom equipment to automate precision micro-grinding.

Micro-coiling: Precision matters Some stent-delivery wire designs incorporate small coils on the distal tip to minimize trauma during deployment. The efficient and cost-effective coiling of wires around tips as small as 0.007 in. is a manufacturing challenge that takes specialized skill and insight.

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Like precision micro-grinding, coiling on this scale requires specialized equipment capable of achieving extremely tight tolerances. Coils must be wound around the ground distal tip and seamlessly integrated with the surrounding geometry.

Laser welding or soldering are used when attaching the coils to the wire in order to achieve seamless integration. This not only poses a challenge because of the small scale, but also because it often involves joining two different types of metals. Specialized lasers with small spot sizes and precision fixtures are critical to join the coils to the wire.

Finishing touches Corewire design is not the only design and manufacturability consideration for neurovascular stent delivery wires. Many systems may also include a tapered polymer jacket to improve lubricity and ease movement in the microcatheter. Radiopaque micro-coils or marker bands are sometimes added near the protrusions, allowing physicians to visualize the location of the implant while still positioned on the wire. Other complex design features may be added to the delivery wire to allow for re-capture and re-deployment of a partially deployed stent if a physician wants to adjust the stent position. These design decisions must be made with the end goal of commercial-scale manufacturing strategy in mind.

Find experts you can trust Companies that design neurovascular interventional devices focus on perfecting the product design from a clinical perspective. However, the challenges of manufacturing wire-based delivery systems make it necessary to factor in commercial manufacturing strategies early. Contract manufacturers have the specialized expertise and equipment needed to help ensure the manufacturing strategy for neurovascular product commercialization is efficient and reliable, ultimately maximizing speed to market and costeffective commercial production. M

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MEDICAL

BAYCABLE

MEDICAL

Cadence, Inc.

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BAYCABLE is vertically integrated and can offer a wide range of manufacturing capabilities including custom cable constructions, full turnkey cable assembly and molding services, component customization, specialized testing, and in house mold tool manufacturing.

BAYCABLE delivers unparalleled engineering expertise “an integrated solutions partner” that can help skillfully create the optimal interconnect system for your application.

Early design collaboration with our Silicon Valley based engineering group takes you from concept through pre-production into the initial production runs quickly, and we provide medium to higher volume production by transferring production to our plant in Sonora, Mexico. Both manufacturing locations are ISO Registered.

BAYCABLE has a long legacy of delivering high performance reliable interconnect solutions to our customers.

Bay Associates Wire Technologies 46840 Lakeview Blvd Fremont, CA 94538 Tel: 510-933-3800 Email: bayinfo@baycable.com www.baycable.com

Innovative Incision Technologies: Custom Blade Assemblies and Specialty Needles Enabling better patient outcomes through innovative incision technologies has always been one of Cadence’s main objectives. As a leading manufacturer of custom sharps for medical device OEMs, we provide our customers with expert solutions for surgical cutting, piercing, and delivery.

Cadence’s flexible manufacturing processes allows OEMs the ability to fully leverage all of their possible design ideas. We also offer a variety of custom sharps combined with multiple material and coating choices. When superior cutting or piercing performance is required for a device to be a functional success, Cadence is the partner of choice for custom surgical or medical sharps.

November 2019 www.designworldonline.com

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Cadence, Inc. 9 Technology Drive Staunton, VA sales@cadenceinc.com www.cadenceinc.com Tel: 540.248.2200 Fax: 540.248.4400

DESIGN WORLD

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MEDICAL MEDICAL

DESIGN WORLD

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Master Bond Inc. Ultra Low Viscosity Biocompatible Epoxy for Medical Electronic Applications Formulated for medical electronic applications, Master Bond EP621LPSPMed is a biocompatible two part epoxy that has a mixed viscosity of 150300 cps. Its ultra low viscosity makes it ideal for use in underfill, impregnation and porosity sealing applications, while it also performs well in bonding, coating or encapsulation. This product exhibits excellent wetting properties and can readily flow by capillary action in tight clearances or beneath devices. It adheres well to metals, plastics, composites, polyimides, glass and ceramic substrates.

EP62-1LPSPMed has an advantageously long working life of 12-24 hours for a 100 gram mass and requires moderate heat for curing. Cure schedule is overnight at room temperature followed by 60-90 minutes at 80-100°C. The higher the temperature the faster the cure. Post curing at 100-150°C for 3-4 hours will optimize its properties.

Master Bond EP62-1LPSPMed passes USP Class VI and ISO 10993-5 cytotoxicity requirements. It also has been tested for 1,000 hours at 85°C/85% RH. It has excellent toughness, tensile strength of 11,000-12,000 psi and resists repeated cycles of ethylene oxide, radiation, and chemical sterilization. This compound has volume resistivity of more than 1014 ohm-cm, withstands mechanical shock/vibration and is serviceable from 4K to +400°F. In very thin sections it will transmit light, but in

thicker sections it is opaque. Shore D hardness is 75-85 and its glass transition temperature is 125-130°C. EP62-1LPSPMed has a 100 to 25 mix ratio by weight and can be supplied in standard sized units: ½ pint, pint, quart, gallon, 5 gallon kits. It can also be packaged in premixed and frozen syringes, as well as in cartridges for gun dispensers. Shelf life in original unopened containers is 6 months.

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

DC Motor-Driven Pumps Nitto Kohki’s DC motor-driven air compressors and vacuum pumps are ideal for applications requiring exceptionally reliable air flow, pressure or vacuum performance.

Featuring oil-free operation, a single moving part, low noise, and low vibration, this line of linear air compressors comes in 12V and 24V models. Other benefits include: • • • •

Very low power consumption Self-cooling design Exceptional service life (rated at 10,000 hours) Easy maintenance

Ideal for demanding applications in the medical device and laboratory equipment industry, including dialysis machines, blood separators, blood analyzers, incubators, heart assist devices and more.

NITTO KOHKI U.S.A., INC. 46 Chancellor Drive Roselle, IL 60172 Toll Free: (800) 843 6336 Phone: (630) 924 8811 Fax: (630) 924 0808 E-mail: info-pumps@nittokohki.com www.nittokohki.com

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Product World

Dynamometer line for testing electric motor efficiency Sakor sakor.com This series of dynamometer systems is suitable for customers required to test and verify the level of efficiency of electric motors in accordance with a variety of

Hose-based conveyor option

national and international standards,

EXAIR exair.com/303htlv.htm

These units can be used test from two

These new 2.5-in. and 3-in. hightemperature line Vac tube conveyors convert hose, tube, or pipe into a powerful in-line conveying system for high-temperature materials up to 900° F (482° C). These air-operated conveyors are available with

including IEC 60034-2-1; IEEE 112B; and Canadian standard C390-93. to eight pole motors ranging from 10 watts to more than 3 megawatts.

The line of motor testing dynamometers offers high-accuracy testing for designers

and manufacturers of electric motors of any size, for use in applications ranging from large industrial equipment to consumer appliances, including fans, refrigerators, and washing machines. They have been optimized so that individual machines can test the widest possible range of motor sizes and still maintain necessary accuracy tolerances.

These systems meet the standards’ tight tolerances and exacting requirements regarding data precision and accuracy.

smooth ends, to fit into hose or tube and secured with a simple hose clamp or they are available with NPT threaded ends, to mount onto threaded pipe. They feature large throat diameters for maximum throughput capability.

Subsea position sensing solutions Alliance Sensors Group alliancesensors.com

The high-temperature line vac

conveyors eject a small amount of

The SSx-7 series of LVIT subsea position sensors are available in full scale ranges from

compressed air to produce a vacuum on

as short as 1-in. (25 mm) up to 36-in. (0.9 m), these devices are constructed of AISI 316

one end, resulting in high output flows on

stainless steel to operate at depths of 10,000-ft (3,000 meters). The SSx-7 body style

the other. The response is instantaneous.

easily fits into an SAE O-ring port in the end of a hydraulic cylinder and is terminated

Regulating the compressed air pressure

with the popular micro-circular subsea connector. Offered with common analog voltage

provides infinite control of the conveying

or current loop outputs, standard SSx-7 series position sensors are suitable solutions for

rate.

many subsea applications like:

High Temperature Line Vacs are CE

compliant and available in seven sizes

• Choke actuators in a PBOF environment

from 3/4 to 3-in. Construction is durable

• BOP sealing or shearing ram positions

Type 303 or Type 316 stainless steel to

• Annular BOP seal compression pistons

resist high temperature, corrosion, and

• ROV electric and hydraulic actuators

contamination. Applications include sampling

• Hydraulic cylinder position sensing

hot flue gases, exhausting fumes, conveying soot, ashes, salts and other hot debris.

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DESIGN WORLD

11/1/19 11:30 AM

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

Compact step motors with high torque Applied Motion Products applied-motion.com

These lightweight and low-cost motors offer high torque up to 22 oz-in at low speed. While sized smaller, the compact step motors operate with high step accuracy and resolution as well as low vibration and noise — important factors in machinery lines and medical equipment. The compact step motor line includes: • NEMA size 8 in two lengths (1.24 and 1.85-in.) and holding

These hybrid-type small motors offer the highest torque density in

torque up to 4.53 oz-in.

their frame size. With a 1.8° step angle and RoHS compliant, units are

• NEMA size 11 in two lengths (1.22 and 2.05-in.) and holding

available in both single and double-shaft versions. To address users

torque up to 14.16 oz-in.

requirements for specific connectors and couplings, these compact

• NEMA size 14 in two lengths (1.02 and 1.57-in.) and holding torques

motors have customized cable and connector assemblies and a variety

up to 25.53 oz-in.

of options including flats, thru-holes, custom lengths, and more.

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11/1/19 12:01 PM

Product World Vibration fork liquid level switches AutomationDirect automationdirect.com ProSense VFL Series Vibration Fork Level Switches are designed using tuning fork technology for liquid point level detection for monitoring, alarming, and control applications. The switch tuning forks vibrate at their natural frequency. When the forks contact a liquid, the fork vibration frequency changes and triggers the switch output.

Suitable for use in tanks, vessels, and pipes, the VFL series is a suitable alternative for applications where other liquid point level

technologies such as float switches or conductive, optical, and capacitance sensors are not suitable due to conductivity, turbulence, buildup, air bubbles, foam, pressure, temperature, and viscosity changes.

ProSense VFL series switches are offered in two process connection sizes with short and extended insertion lengths, standard

and high-temperature constructions, and a 3-wire DC switch output for connection to controller inputs or a 2-wire AC/DC switch for control of valves and pumps.

Rotary latch with paddle actuator Southco southco.com

www.icot

ek-usa.com

The R4-82 Rotary Latch with Paddle Actuator is the newest addition to the R4 Rotary Latch series. It combines a compact rotary latch with a heavy-duty, square paddle actuator, enabling direct actuation without the need for a connected cable.

Available in steel with corrosion-resistant zinc plating or black

powder coat finishes, the R4-82 offers versatile key locking security. !

E 4 FREE GET ON ek-usa.com info@icot 2315 312-643-

Adapter Grommet for Keystone couplers

Keystone Couplers Easily Integrated By utilizing the AT-KS grommet, connectors can now be integrated directly into the icotek cable entry frame

■

Run all your cables, hoses, tubing and NOW your connectors through a single knock-out Space-saving solution Grommet is suitable for all Keystone Couplers

■

Snap in assembly

■ ■

Visit icotek @ Rockwell Automation Fair

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By combining both rotary latch and actuator into one solution, the R482 simplifies installation without sacrificing strength or performance.

With high ultimate load for heavy-duty applications and options

for thru-hole or stud mounting, the R4-82 is a suitable solution for exterior applications that require robust performance. The R4-82 Rotary Latch includes an integrated bumper for reduced vibration and is available with single or two-stage latching for

IP54

enhanced safety and security.

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DESIGN WORLD

11/1/19 11:32 AM

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

Affordable, compact line of pinch valves Bimba bimba.com The BPVA is an affordable, compact,

COMPACT CNC MILLS

pneumatic pinch valve. The BPVA expands the company’s existing pinch valve portfolio with a more cost-effective solution for industrial and medical applications. As with its other pinch

WITH MORE OOMPH!

valves, the BPVA is designed as an alternative to traditional wetted valves by opening and closing flexible tubing to control the flow of media so it never makes contact with the valve.

The BPVA: • Requires less maintenance and reduces the risk of contamination • Offers a high-performance life expectancy of 3 million cycles • Has a compact design that enables operations in confined spaces • Is available at a cost-effective price point • With a completely stainless-steel, corrosion-resistant option, the BPVA is suitable for wash down and sanitary environments. Additional options such as mounting brackets, various seal materials, and magnetic position sensing accommodate a broad range of applications.

More Speed. More Brains.

All the Mores You’ve Been Asking For. We took our popular 1100M and 770M CNC Mills, added servo motors, an encoder for rigid tapping, and a BT30 spindle.

Faster rapids allow shorter cycle times, higher spindle speeds (10,000 RPM on both) and a beefier BT30 spindle chews through aluminum, titanium, hardened steels, and alloys.

Customize your 1100MX or 770MX package at tormach.com.

TORMACH.COM

DESIGN WORLD

November 2019

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Product World Brushless slotted motors for surgical applications Portescap portescap.com These 15 motors represent the new SM series of surgical motors designed for surgical devices at a more cost-effective price point. These motors leverage a sterilizable design approach and surgical application expertise to provide a more affordable and consistently reliable solution for surgical device makers.

These motors have been optimized for Powered Staplers, Large and Small Bone Orthopedic Tools, Arthroscopic Shavers, ENT Microdebriders, and high-speed Neuro Drill applications. They are also well-suited for traditional surgical tools, as well as for robotically assisted surgical devices and can be paired with a sterilizable controller for battery-powered applications.

These SM motors have been designed and tested to withstand 500+ sterilization cycles. These small

motors range in diameter from 0.5 to 1.23-in., speeds up to 97K RPM, and torques up to 17.5 oz-in. They are lightweight with low noise and vibration to maximize tactile response and surgeon control in the most delicate of surgeries.

Tablet PC commissions maintenance staff Endress+Hauser us.endress.com/SMT77 The company has expanded its product portfolio for device configuration by introducing the Field Xpert SMT77, a rugged tablet PC tool for commissioning and maintenance staff to manage field instruments and document the work progress. The SMT77 comes pre-installed with device configuration software and device library. The device enables plant asset management in Class 1 Div 1 hazardous areas.

Like the Field Xpert SMT70 (Class 1 Div 2 rated), the Field Xpert SMT77 supports

HART, PROFIBUS DP/PA, Foundation Fieldbus, Modbus, CDI, and Endress+Hauser service interfaces.

The Field Xpert device library has more than 2,700 pre-installed device and

communication drivers, allowing it to work with many different instruments from a variety of vendors. It can connect to field instrumentation devices directly via a USB or Bluetooth wireless modem, or via a gateway, remote I/O or multiplexer to a bus system.

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DESIGN WORLD

11/1/19 11:33 AM

S U M M I T

&

E X P O

The International Design and Development Event for Robotics and Intelligent Systems

The International Design and Development Event for Robotics and Intelligent Systems The Robotics Summit & Expo emphasizes the design and development of commercially viable robotics and intelligent systems products – wholly new products and services that are to be used outside of laboratory environments and sold at a profit.

Dedicated tracks provide professionals with the information they need to develop the next generation of commercial class robotics and intelligent systems products and services.

Robotics Summit Tracks • Technologies, Tools and Platforms • • Design and Development • • Manufacturability, Business Models and Business Development •

SEPTEMBER 24-25, 2020 BOSTON HYNES CONVENTION CENTER B OS TO N , M A

ro b o t i c s s u m m i t . co m EXHIBIT AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES For more information, contact Mike Emich 508.446.1823, memich@wtwhmedia.com, P RESE NT E D BY:

ROBOTICS SUMMIT EXPO 11-19_DW.indd 109 RSE20_10-19_Vs2.indd 510

ST R AT EGI C PAR NER :

P ROD U CED BY:

10/31/19 10:18 8:24 AM 10/28/19 AM

Product World Kit angle encoder for motion feedback Heidenhain heidenhain.us RSF Elektronik is now offering a nextgeneration kit angle encoder for motion feedback best-suited for applications in robotics, semiconductor, medical, and machine tool. Offered through parent company HEIDENHAIN CORPORATION in North America, this new encoder is available in both absolute (MCR 15) and incremental (MSR 15) versions. Both models consist of an optical scanning unit and a separate full circle drum with the graduation on the outer diameter.

The new absolute MCR 15 and incremental MSR 15 encoders are available in several sizes of drums, from an inside

diameter of 40 up to 330mm. The drums come with accuracies starting at 20 arc seconds with up to 10 arc second, depending upon diameter. Resolutions are also diameter-based and range from 22 to 25 bits for the absolute versions.

The resolutions of the incremental versions start at 4,740 lines per 360° up to 27,540 for the largest diameter.

KCS vacuum gripper Piab piab.com The Kenos KCS gripper enables a collaborative robot (cobot) for a variety of applications. It is a suitable “co-working” tool for small businesses where flexibility is essential. Originally developed together with a cobot manufacturer as a tailor-made automation tool for one customer, the resulting vacuum gripper cobot proved so successful that Piab decided to offer it more widely.

Combining air-driven COAX technology for highly efficient vacuum ejection

with an easily replaceable technical foam that molds itself around any surface or shape, the Kenos KCS gripper can be used to safely grip, lift, and handle any object. Standard interface (ISO) adapters enable the whole unit to be attached to any cobot type on the market and, with a body made in a lightweight 3D printed material, it can be easily moved to perform different jobs in different parts of a production site, warehouse or, other setting.

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It’s not a web page, it’s an industry information site Stay current with the latest motion control tips, resources, and news, visit motioncontroltips.com and stay on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin. The site is updated regularly with relevant technical information and other significant news to the motion control design community.

motioncontroltips.com

MOTION CONTROL

A Design World Resource

MotionControlTips house ad 2019.Vers1.indd 111

10/31/19 8:44 AM

SALES

Ad Index

Jami Brownlee jbrownlee@wtwhmedia.com 224-760-1055

ABB Motors & Mechanical ..................... 9 Allied Electronics ....................................... Cover,2,3 AllMotion ....................................................... 4 Altech Corp. ................................................. Cover,17,19 AMETEK Haydon Kerk Pittman ............ 45 Applied Motion Products, Inc. .............. 43 Aurora Bearing Company ...................... 40 Automation24, Inc. .................................... 7 AutomationDirect ...................................... 1 Bison Gear and Engineering ................. 61 Boker’s Inc. ................................................... 47 Canfield Connector .................................. 47 Cornell Dubilier Electronics, Inc. ........... 31 Del-tron ......................................................... 54 Digi-key ......................................................... 15 EXAIR Corporation .................................... 5 Fabco-Air, Inc. ............................................. 33 FAULHABER MICROMO ........................... IBC Fixtureworks ................................................ 12 Harwin ........................................................... 25 HELUKABEL USA ...................................... 29 icotek Corp ................................................... 106 IDEC Corporation ....................................... 89 J.W. Winco, Inc. ........................................... 69 Keller America ............................................. 48 Master Bond ............................................... 69 METCASE ..................................................... 49 Miki Pulley US ............................................. 16 Misumi USA Inc .......................................... 13 MW Industries - Tri-Star Industries ..... 56 Nason ........................................................... 51 NB Corporation .......................................... 21 NBK America LLC ....................................... 57 Nippon Pulse Americas, Inc. .................. 75 Novotechnik ................................................ 65 Opto 22 ......................................................... 27 Oriental Motor ............................................ 86 Parker Hannifin Pneumatic Division .............................. 26,85 PBC Linear ................................................... 22,23 Phoenix Contact ........................................ 73 PolySource .................................................. 105 RECOM Power GmBH .............................. 40,90 ROLEC ........................................................... 41 Ryco ............................................................... 88 Schneider Electric Motion USA ............ 71 SEW Eurodrive ........................................... BC SIKO Products ............................................. 39 Smalley Steel Ring .................................... 10 SONOTEC US Inc ...................................... 18 Tech-Etch, Inc. ............................................ 87 The Arthur G. Russell Co., Inc. .............. 80 The Lee Company .................................... 70 THK America, Inc ........................................ IFC Tompkins Industries, Inc. ........................ 37 Tormach ........................................................ 107 Trim Lok ......................................................... 32 US Tsubaki ................................................... 77 Whittet-Higgins .......................................... 35 Medical

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Design World 4. Issue Frequency

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Design World

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Nonrequested Distributed Outside the on MailPS (Include Pickup Stands, Outside CountyCopies Nonrequested Copies Stated Form 3541 (include (4) Shows, Showrooms and Other Sources) Sample copies, Requests Over 3 years old, Requests induced by a (1) Trade Premium, Bulk Sales and Requests including Association Requests, Names obtained from Business Directories, Lists, and other sources) Total Nonrequested Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3) and (4))

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In-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541 (include Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and e) quested (2) Sample copies, Requests Over 3 years old, Requests induced by a Distribution Premium, Bulk Sales and Requests including Association Requests, g. (By Copies (See Instructions to Publishers #4, (page #3))and other sources) Mail not Distributed Names obtained from Business Directories, Lists, and Outside h. the Total (Sum of 15f and g) Mail) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of (3) Mail (e.g. First-Class Mail, Nonrequestor Copies mailed in excess of 10% Requested Limit mailed atCirculation Standard Mail® or Package Services Rates) i. Percent Paid and/or (15c divided by f times 100) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail (Include Pickup Stands, (4) Trade Shows, Showrooms and Other Sources) Electronic Copy Circulation 16. Publication 16. of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the issue of this publication. e. a.

Total Nonrequested Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3) and (4)) Requested and Paid Electronic Copies 17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner f.

33,999

0

Average No. Copies Each No. Copies of Single Issue Published Issue During Preceding Nearest to Filing Date 12 Months

Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541. c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation of 15b (2), (3),telemarketing and (4)) (Include direct written (Sum request from(1), recipient, and Internet re(1) quest s from recipient, paid subscriptions including nominal rate subscriptions, employer requests, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies.)

Outside County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541 (include b. Legitimate Sample copies, Requests Over 3 years old, Requests induced by a Paid and/or (1) In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541.

Premium, Bulk Sales and Requests including Association Requests, Requested (Include direct written recipient,Lists, telemarketing Internet reNames obtained from request Businessfrom Directories, and otherand sources) Distribution (2) quests from recipient, paid subscriptions including nominal rate subscriptions, (By Mail employer requests, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies.) and d. NonreIn-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541 (include Outside quested Sample copies, Requests Over 3 years old, Requests induced by a Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter (2) the Mail) Distribution (3) Premium, Sales Requests including Association Requests, Sales, andBulk Other Paidand or Requested Distribution Outside USPS® (By Mail Names obtained from Business Directories, Lists, and other sources) and (4) Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes Through the USPS Outside (e.g. First-Class Mail®) the Mail) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of (3) Mail (e.g. First-Class Mail, Nonrequestor Copies mailed in excess of 10% c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3), and (4)) Limit mailed at Standard Mail® or Package Services Rates)

e.

37,397

34,248

14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below

a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run) (4) Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes Through the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail®)

LEADERSHIP TEAM

36,920

Total Distribution (Sum 15cPrint and e) b.

Total Requested andofPaid Copies (15c) + Requested/Paid Electronic copies (16a)

0

0

0

0

34,248

33,999

1,875

2,708

0

0

0

0

427

485

2,302

3,193

36,550

37,192

370

205

36,920

37,397

93.7%

91.4%

5,750 39,998

Date

6,000 39,999

42,300

43,192

94.6%

92.6%

Total Requested Copy distribution (15f) + Requested/Paid Electronic copies (16a) g. c.

Copies not Distributed (See Instructions to Publishers #4, (page #3)) I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form d. or Percent who omits material information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil Paid and/ororRequested Circulation h. Total (Sum of & 15f and g) copies (16b divided By 16c x 100) sanctions (including civil penalties).

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November 2019 Date

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A medtech expert

survives head tumor

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Medical Tips Supplement Bay Associates Wire Technologies, Inc. .............95 Cadence Inc. .................................................................98 Master Bond .................................................................101 Nitto Kohki USA ...........................................................101 Medical Tips cover

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