WAGO Eco2 Series DC Power Supplies starting at $68.00 (2687-2142)
RACPRO1 Series
RECOM RACPRO1 Series DC Power Supplies starting at $140.00 (RACPRO1-T240/24)
The highly reliable slim RACPRO1 3-phase power supplies are a low-cost solution for demanding industrial automation and renewable energy applications.
• Three 24 VDC models with adjustable outputs up to 40A/960W
• T960 model also provides 48 @ 20A/960W
• T480/T960 models include selectable power boost settings and a load LED display
• Polycarbonate/aluminum housing
NEW! RECOM RACPRO1 Series Electronic Circuit Protectors starting at $103.00 (RACPRO1-4SP/24V/5A)
The RACPRO1 electronic circuit protectors are slim 4-channel electronic fuse (E-Fuse) load switches with independent overcurrent limit control and real-time output current indication.
• Start-up delay adjustable by switch
• Adjustable power limit and colorcoded LED load indication
• Individual ON/OFF and OCP limit for each channel
• Short circuit protection and power boost 150%/5s
These economical power supplies offer performance, value, reliability, long service life, and feature high efficiency and a compact design ideal for a variety of applications, such as industrial automation, machine control, and robotics.
• Universal 90-264 VAC input voltage
• 24 VDC adjustable output
• Models with outputs up to 40A/960W
• 120, 220, 240, or 480 VAC input voltage options
• 12, 24, and 48 VDC output options
• 30, 60, 120, and 240 Watt models
• UL approved for Class 1, Div 2 hazardous locations
• Universal 85-264 VAC/120-375 VDC input voltage
• 12, 24, or 48 VDC adjustable output options
WAGO Pro2 Series DC Power Supplies starting at $210.00 (2787-2144)
Pro2 power supplies combine a compact design with intelligent load management to deliver reliable, fail-safe DC power, reducing energy losses, saving cabinet space, and maximizing energy efficiency.
• Single- and threephase models
• Free configuration and monitoring software
AchieVe PSA Series DC Power Supplies starting at $25.50 (PSA-24-75)
PSA series power supplies offer prices well below the competition and are ideal for price-sensitive users who require basic yet reliable power output for general industrial applications. Their overcurrent protection operates in constant current mode, making them suitable for inductive and capacitive loads.
• 75, 120, 240, and 480 Watt models
• Rugged plastic or aluminum housings
Insights
Is manufacturing poised for growth in 2026?
“We’re crawling and walking into the recovery phase right now,” said Connor Lokar of ITR Economics at the National Fluid Power Association’s recent annual International Economic Outlook Conference in Chicago. Lokar noted that 2023 and 2024 were poor years for the fluid power industry, but ITR is expecting the overall economy to grow in 2025 and 2026 and for the fluid power sector to see modest gains.
Lokar noted that manufacturing volumes are rising/accelerating and they’re cautiously optimistic for the rest of 2025 and 2026.
“We are seeing that the core economy is growing today, and it wasn’t last year ... we are seeing growth in the parts of the economy that you care about,” he said. “Most of the growth over the last two to three years from your markets have been down again. [The economic heat] was data centers, it was EV grid fortification, it was green energy, that high tech chip side of the economy — that's what's been on fire, not necessarily of our core legacy fluid power environment.”
But Lokar said ITR sees that manufacturing capacity utilization is recovering, and people are starting to get busier.
“They’re starting to refortify and use existing machines. We are seeing that wholesale channels are starting to clear.”
Lokar feels that “recovery is close. Cap ex is rising. We’re seeing acceleration. With capital expenditures, we caught some bad numbers in the spring because of the tariff uncertainty, but that’s starting to fade away, and people are going to start holding cash a little less tightly and start getting on with their lives. And we're seeing that again, generally capex is up. That's going to bode well for the industry.”
Now, to be fair, Lokar did caution that inflation isn’t going
away anytime soon — and anything you don’t buy today is going to cost you more tomorrow, next week, next month, next quarter, or next year.
“You can’t pre buy two years’ worth of groceries, unfortunately, but if you need durable goods, you are not doing yourselves any favors by waiting. And again, tariffs are compounding that. This is a direct byproduct of reckless government spending. The inflation cake for 2025 and 2026 was fully formed and baked prior to tariffs,” Lokar said. “View tariffs as additive sprinkles on top of what was already going to be an upside inflation environment over the next two years. Now, unfortunately for the administration, the entirety of any and all inflation outcomes going forward will be blamed on tariffs, which is not going to be totally fair, but somewhat self-inflicted.”
Lokar said there are structural concerns here in the U.S., from interest expense on the debt to healthcare and Social Security spending, which aren’t going away anytime soon.
“If we think that somehow our bills are going to look like they did five years ago, you’re going to turn to dust while you wait,” he said. “If your kid has been waiting to buy a house and they think, ‘I missed it in 2020 but someday, surely soon, somehow, I’m going to get mortgage rates back to 3% — but also home prices aren’t going to go up, and I’m going to be able to get in again,’ they’re going to turn to dust slowly, as well.” DW
Paul J. Heney • VP, Editorial Director pheney@wtwhmedia.com
Connect with me: linkedin.com/in/paulheney
Prevent Shocks, Jamming, Tearing and Static Cling! As humidity decreases, static electricity problems will increase. Improved Performance and Greater Durability!
• Materials tear, jam or curl
• Webs and films cling to themselves
• Electronic sensors fail, making false readings
a laminar sheet of airflow that floods an area or surface with static eliminating ions.
• Hazardous sparks or shocks occur
• Product clings to itself, rollers and machine beds
• Dust attraction ruins surface finishes
Ethics move to center stage
I have been teaching engineering ethics to university engineering students for nearly two decades, and I don’t think that I’ve seen the kind of increased focus on the subject as I have over the last year or two.
What accounts for this seemingly sudden surge of interest? A few things. For one, the general public is more aware of technological or engineering failures — airplane crashes, data breaches, and other big-story type news items. Another is the rise of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and the promises and perils they bring with them. Such stories give rise to the realization that much of our lives are enmeshed in technological networks of varied kinds, most notably and on a daily basis, the digital. And that there are moral questions and issues that arise from the design and implementation of technology, with real-world implications for human lives.
At the design level, this manifests in the call for more eco-friendly materials and practices, the drive to reduce waste, and designs that are more energy efficient.
In other words, engineering ethics is about thinking through the moral dimensions of engineering work and making the most informed decisions possible at the end of the day. And this matters because those decisions made by design engineers have far-reaching consequences for everybody, perhaps most notably in terms of human health and safety.
Even a recent article from Automate, the Association for Advancing Automation, listed ethical value-based engineering as one of the top trends shaping engineering in 2025, alongside AI and machine learning, sustainability, and smart manufacturing, among others.
This is an acknowledgement that ethical considerations in the design process have moved to center stage, and are no longer tangential concerns as they once were. That is why I started a new Ethical Engineering monthly column on designworldonline.com. In the broadest sense, this new column will cover topics relating to engineering and technology ethics, which itself is concerned with the moral issues arising from engineering practice in all the many ways that they present themselves.
For instance, common topics may include issues surrounding risk and safety of any engineered product, component, or system. So, everything from transportation (planes, trains, and automobiles, you might say) and medical devices to bridges and buildings and beyond. And of course, the moral dimensions of our mobile phones, social media, AI, robotics and more.
Alongside such product-specific issues like those above, there are other common issues in the engineering profession. These involve what you might call day-to-day issues in practice such as conflicts of interest, bribery or accepting of gifts and the related issue of undue influence, honesty and data integrity, proper relations between colleagues, as well as relations with suppliers and business partners and customers.
Then there are others: environmental, regulatory, and intellectual property (IP) issues, as well as not only the moral but legal implications of these.
And we’re not done yet!
In addition to these topics, there are questions about the broader societal impacts and implications of new technologies and whether or not these technologies truly serve the public good in some general sense or if they are in fact detrimental to that good. Think of the impact of social media on our culture, both politically and in other senses, the Internet itself, or the opaqueness of algorithms running so much of our activities online. Or the inherently nontransparent (and in fact anti-democratic) proclivities of these algorithms and the companies that deploy them — sometimes for their own self-interest and not necessarily in the best interests of their users.
Lastly (but in no way least), we are excited to be able to present to our readers a panel of engineering and ethics experts from across the spectrum of experience and engineering disciplines who will occasionally weigh in on realworld dilemmas and challenges. These will be drawn from our own readership, and we encourage you to contact us with ethical dilemmas you have faced (or are facing) in the engineering workplace.
This participatory forum will be, we hope, a vital addition to the engineering communities we serve.
We hope you’ll all join us on this new adventure. DW
Miles Budimir mbudimir@wtwhmedia.com www.linkedin.com/in/milenko-budimir-3364a32/
Trends in INTELLIGENT INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION
FEATURES
Advanced feedforward and trajectory control
Using a trajectory-following controller provides several significant benefits, especially in systems requiring smooth, precise, and reliable movements.
Trends in smart industrial automation
Recent years have seen significant growth in industrial automation. Demand for high productivity and uptime means machines must turn on more quickly and stay on for longer.
Precise sensing with ultrasonic sensors
When it comes to monitoring distance on a conveyor belt or gauging the liquid level in a tank, having the right sensing technology is essential.
Small parts, big data: Smart bearings for AI-driven manufacturing
AI is no longer a futuristic concept for manufacturing — it’s already at work on factory floors. A survey by the National Association of Manufacturers found that 72% of manufacturers have seen AI cut costs and boost efficiency.
Can lasers cool integrated circuits?
Photonic cold plates that use laser light could replace liquid-based cold plates for localized cooling in certain applications.
Solving modern engineering challenges with high-performance plastics
Though these materials require complex processes to manufacture, they have unique properties and a transformative impact on modern engineering and design.
EDITORIAL
VP, Editorial Director Paul J. Heney pheney@wtwhmedia.com
Digital Production Specialist Elise Ondak eondak@wtwhmedia.com
WEB DEVELOPMENT
Web Development Manager B. David Miyares dmiyares@wtwhmedia.com
Redi-Rail ®
Practical Precision in Linear Motion
Precision aluminum rails with hardened steel races ensure a lightweight design without sacrificing strength. Gothic arch rollers with sealed double-row ball bearings provide high load capacity and reliable operation in contaminated environments. The carriages come standard with 3-rollers or can be upgraded to a 4-roller or 5-roller carriage. Patented preload adjustment allows for adjustments without the need for disassembly.
Hevi-Rail ®
The Apex Weightlifter in Linear Motion
Built for extreme high-load capacities and industrial strength handling, the Hevi-Rail system is easy to mount, align and use. High radial and axial load capacities ensure a long and productive life under continuous use. Available in a range of sizes from the smallest 52.5 mm diameter HVB-053 bearing to the largest 149 mm diameter HVB-063 bearing making the Hevi-Rail a perfect solution for heavy load and lift applications.
• MACHINE TOOL
Rolling bearings and linear technology for the megatrends
Automation and multiprocess machining are two megatrends in the machine tool industry that directly impact the development of new machine axes and, therefore, the rolling bearings and drive systems.
Christian Straub, manager of Sector Development Industrial Automation at Schaeffler, explained that the company is “developing a dedicated class of rotary table bearings — streamlined to the essentials, with low-maintenance operation, tailored stiffness, and designed for lower speeds.” However, for spindle bearings and rotary tables in multiprocess machines, the requirements are quite the opposite. Straub said that “higher speeds and stiffness are required, which [the company] achieves with high-end components such as spindle bearings made of the high-performance rolling bearing steel Vacrodur, and YRTS series bearings for turn-milling tables.”
Schaeffler recently showcased new precision angular contact ball bearings for driven tools at EMO in Hannover. It developed the PTB (Precision Tool Bearings) series as a cost-efficient solution for both original equipment and the reconditioning of driven tools.
In addition to the doublerow screw drive bearings ZKLN-HC and ZKLF-HC (with flange mounting), the portfolio now also includes three-row DKLFA screw drive bearings with ceramic rolling elements. These hybrid bearings prevent false brinelling on the raceways,
which typically occurs in short-stroke applications, where small oscillating movements displace the lubricant from the rolling contact.
The company is also expanding its range of monorail guidance systems to include the newly developed KLLT series of four-row linear recirculating ball bearing and guideway assemblies. These are designed specifically for applications in production machinery peripherals and, in particular, for lighter handling systems. The defining feature of this series is its X-arrangement, which allows the assemblies to mate more effectively with substructures that have minor shape errors, without generating significant constraining forces.
For axes outside the machining area, such as pallet changers, the company showcased the new YRTA rotary table bearing series at EMO. Bearings in this
series have been designed specifically for the requirements of highly rigid “automation axes.” A particularly innovative option is the YRTAG design, in which a customer-specific gear toothing integrates into the inner ring of the bearing.
Last but not least, lubricants are frequently overlooked in both the development and operation of production machinery. Yet the quality differences between lubricants are considerable, and using the proper lubricant can significantly increase the service life of both rotary and linear rolling bearings. DW
Schaeffler schaeffler.com
The new PTB (Precision Tool Bearings) series for driven tools. Schaeffler
Design For Industry
Clean power, small form factor
Military ground vehicles operate in rigorous conditions, which can create voltage spikes and surges. Engineers designing such vehicles, as well as low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), industrial automation, robotics, and AI-driven distributed systems, seek uninterrupted power delivery and seamless integration of sensitive electronics.
The new Molex AirBorn 3U VPX Power Supply aims to provide efficient, rugged power with advanced EMI filtering for aerospace, defense, and advanced technology applications requiring high performance in a compact form. It supports 28-V vehicle power environments as defined by MIL-STD-1275 and complies with MIL-STD-461 CE101/CE102 conducted emissions test requirements.
AirBorn’s patent-pending VPX Power Supply family aims to optimize size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) while meeting VPX and VITA 62 open architecture and performance requirements. Approximately one-third the size and weight of the 6U VPX Power Supply, the new SOSA-compliant 3U power system has been designed to achieve a maximum output of 1,000 W.
Additionally, the 3U VPX Power Supply incorporates AirBorn’s internal filtering to meet stringent EMI/ RF requirements. Molex designed the integrated EMI suppression to meet MIL-STD-461-conducted EMI emission requirements without external filtering. DW
POWER TRANSMISSION RETAINING DEVICES & maintenance & assembly tools
WHITTET-HIGGINS manufactures quality oriented, stocks abundantly and delivers quickly the best quality and largest array of adjustable, heavy thrust bearing, and torque load carrying retaining devices for bearing, power transmission and other industrial assemblies; and specialized tools for their careful assembly.
Visit our website–whittet-higgins.com–to peruse the many possibilities to improve your assemblies. Much technical detail delineated as well as 2D and 3D CAD models for engineering assistance. Call your local or a good distributor.
Molex • molex.com
VFD ubiquity with motor-plusdrive technologies
ROBERT CHIN • GLOBAL R&D MANAGER • ABB IEC LV MOTORS
In 2025, the Swiss-based Energy Efficiency Movement Association published a report called Efficiency Now. It concludes that enhancing efficiency in energy use is an essential strategy for sustainable development. Unlike alternative energy sources that need investment in new infrastructure, energy efficiency relies on optimizing existing systems and partially changing equipment in favor of electrification. That makes efficiency efforts a pragmatic and immediate solution to energy and environmental challenges. It plays a pivotal role in mitigating climate change, enhancing the
security of energy supply and reducing economic burdens associated with excessive energy consumption.
At the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) — the first COP to call for a transition away from fossil fuels — the Global Pledge on Energy Efficiency and Renewables was endorsed by 132 countries that account for more than 40% of carbon dioxide emissions, 37% of energy demand, and 56% of gross domestic product globally. They agreed to double the annual rate of energy efficiency improvements every year to 2030 and to triple global renewable
power capacity by the end of this decade.
Without action on energy efficiency, the climate related benefits of this pledge can’t be achieved.
One key area for action is industrial electric motors. The reason is that, for an industrial enterprise, around twothirds of its electricity consumption, and consequent electricity-related CO2 emissions, is most likely related to powering motors in pumps, fans, compressors and other equipment. If the 300M-plus industrial electric motor-driven systems operating today were replaced with high-efficiency versions, worldwide electricity consumption could be cut reduced by up to 10%.
While upgrading a motor yields significant efficiency gains, still greater savings are possible when a high-efficiency motor is used in combination with a variable speed drive or VSD. Fixed-speed direct-online (DOL) motors run at full speed with process flow typically regulated by mechanical means such as valves. Using the latter for a control method is akin to driving a car with one foot fully on the gas and the other pumping the brake to adjust speed.
ABB’s new variable-speed motor (VSM) is an IE5 Ultra-Premium efficiency motor and variable speed drive (VSD) in a single plug-and-play package. Robust construction with sturdy cast-iron frames and high tensile steel shafts means the motor can handle tough conditions.
Shown here is ABB’s LV Titanium motorplus-drive product. The streamlined design is housed in a robust cast-iron frame with the drive mounted axially on the motor end. This saves space and makes the VSM platform suitable for use on vertical and horizontal pumps, compressors, and fans.
In contrast, adding a VSD to a motor-driven design lets output speed precisely match the needed output. This typically reduces power consumption by 25% … and in some applications the savings can be much larger.
Simple install could spur VFD adoption
The business and environmental benefits of VSDs are tangible … yet industry adoption has advanced slowly since they were first introduced 50 years ago. Some technology suppliers estimate that roughly 50% of industrial motors would benefit from being paired with a drive. But currently just 26% of the world’s industrial motors come with one.
So, in collaboration with plant engineers, one supplier investigated how technology suppliers could improve this situation and a clear message emerged. A key step in boosting the industrial adoption of speed-controlled technology is to simplify installation and operation where using a separate drive might be challenging.
Recently one technology supplier leveraged its application expertise in both motors and drives to develop a variable speed motor (VSM) to offer a straightforward option for IE5 Ultra-Premium efficiency in industrial applications. Such technology can serve as a drop-in replacement for existing DOL induction motors and upgrade for VSD-driven motors with
Variable-speed motors have a competitive initial cost and total cost of ownership. The motors consume far less electricity and generate far less CO2 emissions than conventional fixed-speed motors.
a fast ROI. More than a drive bolted onto a motor, the VSM includes a drive module optimized for integration into a permanent magnet (PM) motor. Benefits are high power density and better efficiency than induction motors over entire speed ranges.
The compact size and light weight also makes it easy for one person to handle and install without special training. Plug-and-play functionality means VSMs need no commissioning, as their fully integrated motors and drives are commissioned and optimized to work together before leaving the factory. So, installation fast and clean sans cabinets, electrical rooms, or special drive cabling. VSM connect just like standalone DOL motors.
The permanent magnets and tight integration of VSMs make them at least two frame sizes smaller than comparable induction motors so they work where space is at a premium … when replacing older inefficient motors. There are also advantages of IE5 Ultra-Premium efficiency. Many governments have responded to the urgent need to reduce global emissions by introducing efficiency regulations for motors. The EU has taken a leading role with the Ecodesign Directive, which since July 2023 has needed IE4 Superpremium energy efficiency for many common types of motor in the range of 75 to 200 kW. Other countries and regions are following the EU’s lead.
The VSM already goes beyond current legislation by offering IE5
Design For Industry
Ultra-Premium efficiency that offers a significant improvement over IE4. Furthermore, an IE5 motor will have 40% lower losses than the IE3 products that are in common use, which means they use much less energy. Investing in IE5 rather than IE3 motors can have a very short payback time due to the energy savings. The highest system efficiency of IES5 is achieved according to IEC 61800-9-2 for the combined motor and drive package.
This is why it’s vital to look beyond the upfront investment and to consider the motor’s TCO. Over a long lifetime — typically 25 years — the cost of the motor is far outweighed by the cost of the electricity to power it. For a VSM, the upfront cost will be around 2% of its TCO, maintenance accounts for 1% and the remaining 97% is spent on electricity.
Instead of a separate motor and drive, the ABB VSM offers a 2-in-1 integrated solution that is poised to transform industrial operations.
Currently ABB VSMs are available in sizes to 7.5kW and speed to 4,500 rpm. Future offerings will satisfy applications to 30 kW for a wide range of industrial sectors — from water treatment and chemical processing to oil and gas operations.
Other features for heavy-duty uses
The bearings are high quality Series 62 or 63 products. Axial locking at the drive end prevents axial play, which reduces the risk of wear on the driven machine. Bearing clearances are engineered to absorb temperature variations, which effectively lowers vibration.
The VSM also has IP55 protection as standard. IP56 and IP65 are optionally available, with IP56 protection enabling operation in environments with humidity levels up to 95%. In addition, CE-marked VSMs can be used in ambient temperatures from -20 to 40° C as standard, while special versions can be used at up to 50° C.
The VSM has an intuitive control panel with customer friendly analogue and digital inputs and outputs (I/O), while its connectivity features include the Modbus RTU communications protocol for easy integration with PLCs and other control devices. The VSM is capable of feedback control for process applications such as flow and pressure, where the sensor feedback can be used to control the speed of the pump, compressor according to the feedback received. What’s more, it’s possible to run simple repetitive process routines without an additional PLC. With their built-in drive, VSMs can be controlled to provide the most favorable operational profile for the equipment and process. In pump applications, for example, the speed can be ramped up and down steadily to reduce starting currents and avoid mechanical stresses on the equipment and sudden pressure changes in pipework that will help extend equipment lifespan. Furthermore, depending on the application and operation profile, the VSM can be set to either variable or constant torque mode. This feature ensures that equipment isn’t subject to sudden over-speeding or over loading, thus protecting the equipment from damage.
Besides efficient operation, the VSMs include a forced-air cooling fan to operate over a wide range of speed and torque requirements, with the capability to deliver high torque at low speeds. Discrete and process-automation applications could see immediate benefit. For example, in material handling, low-speed high-torque operation is possible for flexibility in operation of conveyors. In data centers, the product serves as a highefficiency replacement of electrically commutated (EC) fans. Other pump and compressor applications also benefit.
Quick swap from fixed to variable speed
VSMs let plant engineers easily upgrade from fixed to variable speed operation. All the operator needs to do is uninstall the existing motor and replace it with a VSM. There’s no need to source a separate drive, and existing DOL wiring can be reused. Because VSMs are commissioned at the factory, the new motor can be up and running with minimum downtime. Several key safety features such as safety torque off, overtemperature, overload, and earth fault protection are preintegrated into the motors. DW
Design For Industry
Cooling off the Airbus ZEROe
The Airbus ZEROe project intends to deliver a fully electric, hydrogenpowered commercial aircraft into service. One of the many challenges is that hydrogen fuel cells generate significant heat, requiring compact, efficient thermal management solutions.
Conflux Technology announced its role in supporting Airbus’ ZEROe project by developing an advanced heat exchanger using additive manufacturing, designed for hydrogenelectric propulsion systems. The heat exchanger, currently undergoing a technology readiness maturity assessment, plays a critical role in thermal regulation within megawattclass fuel cell systems. Developed through rigorous computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and validated in lab-scale testing, the heat exchanger offers a lightweight, high-performance approach tailored to the demanding conditions of aerospace integration.
Conflux uses laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) as its primary manufacturing technology and maintains AS9100D aerospace quality certification covering design,
manufacturing, and post-delivery customer support processes.
While serving Airbus, the company also partners with AMSL Aero to incorporate its technology into a hydrogen fuel cell cooling system for AMSL Aero’s Vertiia VTOL aircraft.
Conflux developed three heat exchanger concepts to minimize weight and volume while managing continuous heat loads and reducing drag, to enable flight distances of up to 1,000 km.
The company also joined the Honeywell-led TheMa4HERA consortium (Thermal Management for Hybrid Electric Regional Aircraft), a Clean Aviation project aimed at developing advanced thermal management systems and architectures for next-generation hybrid-electric regional aircraft, with scaling activities for short- to medium-range aircraft. Conflux aims to apply its thermal management expertise to multiple projects, including an air-to-air heat exchanger for Air Cycle Systems (ACS) and air-to-liquid heat exchangers for Vapour Cycle Systems (VCS) evaporators and condensers. DW
and modifiedstandard brakes
Versatile hub for industrial IoT connectivity
Remote sites need modern solutions that connect easily to the cloud or SCADA systems and bring together wired and wireless signals into one secure, flexible, and scalable hub. SignalFire Wireless Telemetry recently announced the launch of the PATRIoT Gateway, a multi-protocol hub that integrates both wireless and wired devices into SCADA, cloud, and monitoring systems. The intention is to simplify and modernize industrial IoT deployments by providing flexibility, scalability, and reliability for industries such as oil and gas, water and wastewater, manufacturing, and environmental monitoring.
The PATRIoT Gateway aggregates data across Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP, and MQTT/SparkPlug, allowing users to connect SignalFire’s 900 MHz wireless nodes alongside Modbus devices and field I/O modules into one unified platform. Additionally, the plug-and-play SignalFire Cloud allows for quick deployment of monitoring and control solutions, aiming to eliminate the cost and complexity associated with traditional integration.
Key features of the PATRIoT Gateway include:
• Connects wireless and wired signals into SCADA, cloud, or remote monitoring systems.
• Publishes to MQTT/SparkPlug with no licensing required; supports SignalFire Cloud for streamlined monitoring and alarming.
• Consumes less than 50 mA, making it suitable for solar-powered and remote installations.
• Supports up to 30,000 Modbus tags,1000 MQTT Tags, and large-scale deployments.
• Includes 128 configurable rules for remote shutdown logic, reducing downtime and improving safety.
• Modules for analog and relay outputs are available to expand system capabilities.
• Housed in powder-coated steel with Class 1, Division 2 hazardous location approvals (pending).
The new solution also has a three-mile wireless communication range, advanced security (including AES encryption, TLS 1.2, and replay prevention), and selfhealing mesh networking to enable reliable and secure data collection in remote or challenging environments. DW
New safety controller streamlines integration
As project automation becomes more sophisticated and data-driven, OEMs and systems integrators need hardware and software products to ensure compliance with standards and regulations for protecting workers, whether onboard a single piece of equipment or distributed throughout a much larger process.
Emerson’s new PACSystems RX3i CPS400 Safety Controller is designed to enable Safety Integrity Level 2 (SIL2) strategies for infrastructure, fire and gas, burner management systems, and other emergency shutdown systems. The PACSystems Safety Controller is compact with security measures and a scalable architecture with 2,000 available I/O points.
With a 64-MB memory capacity and a scalable digital architecture, it supports a diverse range of mission-critical applications. Using built-in industrial communications protocols, including OPC UA, Ethernet Global Data (EGD), and Modbus TCP, the controller is ready to connect peer-to-peer and with higherlevel hosts for complete operational visibility.
As a secure-by-design solution incorporating Secure Boot and the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) standard, Emerson claims the new controller delivers data integrity and protection against potential threats. Safety-certified function blocks and pre-configured templates simplify overall system certification in accordance with the IEC 61511 standard.
Available in simplex or redundant controller configurations, the RX3i CPS400 controller can perform all safety data messaging with duplex communications using the black channel principle over EGD, allowing standardized and reliable connectivity with Emerson’s PACSystems VersaMax SafetyNet I/O system. The platform is IEC 61508 safety-certified, providing a capable SIL2 simplified solution to help designers build appropriate protection schemes.
Developers can configure the new controller using familiar software tools employed for programmable logic controllers (PLC), operator interfaces, and other automation elements, namely Emerson’s PAC Machine Edition development environment. As a unified tool chain with a user-friendly interface, the PAC Machine Edition suite streamlines development efforts so users can create complete and integrated automation, visualization, and safety solutions for rapid startups and maximum operating efficiency. DW
Emerson • emerson.com
INTRODUCING THE NEW
NESTAWAVE
COMPACT POWER, PRECISION PERFORMANCE
ᘩ High-force with significant travel
ᘩ Offers spring rate flexibility
ᘩ Produced from one piece of wire for consistent load properties
ᘩ Ideal for replacing stacks of Belleville washers
• Elimination of improper installation
• Saves on manual labor
• Reduces inventory needs
Nestawave Replaces Belleville Stack
Technical Specifications
ᘩ 6.5 mm to 510 mm diameter
ᘩ Custom-made for your specific needs
ᘩ Available in standard and exotic materials
ᘩ Shim ends available
ᘩ Actuators
ᘩ Bearing Preloads
ᘩ Compressors
ᘩ Clamping Tools
ᘩ Valves
ᘩ Vibration Dampeners Applications
• EDITED BY MIKE SANTORA
How to lower your conveyor systems’ cost
Conveyor systems are the backbone of heavy industries, enabling the movement of materials and keeping operations running smoothly. Yet, beneath their reliability, lies a significant challenge: high total cost of ownership (TCO), driven by energy consumption, maintenance, and unplanned downtime. With rising operational demands and growing pressure to meet sustainability goals, reducing these costs is more crucial than ever. Here, David Strain, technical director at systems integrator, Technidrive, shares three actionable strategies to help industries lower TCO of conveyor systems while boosting efficiency and reliability.
Prioritize energy efficient components
Energy consumption represents a major share of operational expenses in heavy industries. In fact, energy costs can account for up to 60% of mining equipment total operating costs, according to the Mining Energy Consumption report. For industries looking to improve profitability while reducing emissions, adopting energy-efficient components is key.
Drive systems, which power conveyor belts, are an excellent place to start. Conventional bevel helical gearboxes, for example, often
feature multiple components that add weight, and require regular maintenance. Technidrive’s Drum Drive gearbox offers a compact and energy-efficient alternative. Integrated directly into the conveyor head drum, the Drum Drive eliminates the need for external mounting and complex assemblies, which reduces weight and maintenance.
The Drum Drive also supports high-efficiency motor technologies, such as permanent magnet (PM) and synchronous reluctance (SynRM) motors. These motors achieve the highest energy classifications
under Ecodesign standards, significantly reducing energy consumption and CO₂ emissions.
Consider the operating environment
Considering the environment in which a conveyor system operates is critical to ensuring its reliability, efficiency and lifespan. Factors like dust, humidity, temperature extremes and exposure to corrosive elements can impact the performance of motors, gearboxes and other components. For example, insufficient ingress protection (IP) ratings may lead to premature
LEFT: Considering the environment in which a conveyor system operates is critical to ensuring its reliability, efficiency and lifespan. Factors like dust, humidity, temperature extremes and exposure to corrosive elements can impact the performance of motors, gearboxes and other components.
failures in dusty or wet conditions, causing unplanned downtime and increased maintenance costs.
Systems integrators play a crucial role in considering these challenges. When Technidrive worked with Telestack, a manufacturer of mobile bulk handling systems, to produce two high-throughput ship loading conveyors for a major port in the Middle East, the challenge was creating a system capable of handling 1,200 tons per hour of aggregates like sand and gravel.
These loaders needed to be mobile, compact, and robust enough to withstand harsh environmental conditions. Durability was critical, with components rated to IP66 to resist dust, seawater, and extreme humidity. Without these considerations at the design stage, the system would be unable to withstand the environment it needed to work in. Its streamlined design and reduced number of components further boost reliability, ensuring conveyors can withstand even the harshest environments.
Prioritize maintenance
Proactive maintenance is essential for maximizing the lifespan of conveyor systems while reducing long-term costs. Traditional gearbox systems often include external bearings, shafts and seals that require frequent lubrication and servicing. In contrast, Technidrive’s Drum Drive simplifies maintenance by eliminating many of these components.
Fully enclosed oil seals reduce the need for regular inspections, while fewer moving parts translate to lower maintenance costs and reduced risk of failure. Operators can further improve reliability by implementing predictive maintenance tools, such as vibration or temperature sensors, to monitor component health in real time and address issues before they cause breakdowns. Additionally, periodic system inspections conducted by systems integrators ensure optimal performance and adapt conveyors to evolving operational requirements. Reducing the total cost of ownership in conveyor systems requires a comprehensive approach that focuses on energy efficiency, environmental suitability, and streamlined maintenance. By adopting compact, energyefficient solutions like Technidrive’s Drum Drive, operators in heavy industries can achieve significant cost savings while improving reliability and reducing emissions. As industries like quarrying and recycling strive to meet economic and environmental targets, advances in drive systems will play a pivotal role. With fewer components, enhanced durability and energyoptimized performance, Technidrive’s solutions are helping businesses stay competitive and sustainable in an increasingly demanding landscape RR.
Integrated directly into the conveyor head drum, the Drum Drive eliminates the need for external mounting and complex assemblies, which reduces weight and maintenance.
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• EDITED BY MIKE SANTORA
Seeing is believing: Generative AI for robotic vision
ABB has made a strategic investment to integrate LandingAI’s advanced vision AI technologies, including the LandingLens platform, into its robot AI vision applications. By leveraging pre-trained models, intelligent data workflows, and no-code development tools, ABB can reduce training time by up to 80%, accelerating deployment across fast-paced industries such as logistics, healthcare, and food and beverage. This first-of-its-kind collaboration represents a significant milestone in ABB Robotics’ journey toward realizing its vision for Autonomous Versatile Robotics (AVR).
The California-based LandingAI is expected to accelerate the transformation of vision AI, making it faster, more intuitive, and accessible to a broader range of users. This first of its kind collaboration will integrate LandingAI’s vision AI capabilities, like LandingLens, into ABB Robotics’ own software suite, marking another milestone in ABB’s journey towards truly autonomous and versatile robots.
“This announcement is the latest in our decade-long journey to innovate and commercialize AI, benefitting our customers by enhancing robot versatility and
autonomy to expand the use of robots beyond traditional manufacturing,” said Sami Atiya, President of ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation.
“The demand for AI in robotics is driven by the need for greater flexibility, faster commissioning cycles, and a shortage of the specialist skills needed to program and operate robots. Our collaboration with LandingAI will mean installation and deployment time is done in hours instead of weeks, allowing more businesses to automate smarter, faster, and more efficiently.”
As part of the collaboration ABB has made a venture capital investment
LandingAI’s LandingLens is a vision AI platform that enables the rapid training of vision AI systems to recognize and respond to objects, patterns or defects with no complex programming or AI expertise required.
through ABB Robotics Ventures, the strategic venture capital unit of ABB Robotics, driving collaboration and investment in innovative early-stage companies that are shaping the future of robotics and automation. Financial details of the investment were not disclosed.
LandingAI’s LandingLens is a vision AI platform that enables the rapid training of vision AI systems to recognize and respond to objects, patterns or defects with no complex programming or AI expertise required.
Through this collaboration, ABB Robotics will reduce robot vision AI training & deployment time by up to 80%. Once deployed, system integrators and end users can retrain the AI for new scenarios on their own, unlocking a new level of versatility. This is a critical step in scaling robot adoption in dynamic environments, beyond traditional manufacturing, especially in fast-moving sectors such as logistics, healthcare and food and beverage. ABB is already piloting LandingAI’s technology and actively working to integrate it
into existing vision AI applications, including item-picking, sorting, depalletizing and quality inspection.
“AI is advancing quickly, creating many opportunities, but also requiring us to keep learning and adapting new skills,” said Dan Maloney, Chief Executive Officer of LandingAI. “By combining LandingAI’s vision AI capabilities with ABB’s robots and software, we can make automation more accessible. This makes it easier for businesses to deploy and scale intelligent robotic systems that are practical and useful.
ABB Robotics is the only robotics company offering a fully integrated AI training tool within its software suite. It will be available alongside ABB’s powerful simulation and programming tool RobotStudio, which features digital twin capabilities to further simplify commissioning. DW
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ABB is already piloting LandingAI’s technology and actively working to integrate it into existing vision AI applications
• PETER CARR • AUTHOR AND INSTRUCTOR • UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO’S
WATSPEED DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
This low-tech tool sharpens your digital transformation strategy
It's ironic that the Engineering Services DX Assessment Tool, a simple instrument developed at the University of Waterloo, is low-tech as it gets.
Charlie Patel’s family had been providing engineering services to manufacturing companies in Ontario for the past 75 years. Over that period, technological advance had taken place and resulted in improvements in many aspects of their clients’ activities. These technology changes had occurred at a pace that Charlie’s company had been able to adapt to without too much difficulty – today was different.
Charlie is considering what his company’s response should be to today’s rapid technological change,
including what they should do about artificial intelligence. He was hearing about the revolutionary impact AI would have on what seemed a daily basis. He knew that new companies were becoming established that provided new technology-based manufacturing engineering services and he wanted to ensure that this did not result in a reduction in the work done by his company. Charlie needed to understand the impact that these new technologies would have on his business and what his strategy should be to deal with it.
Digital transformation is the response that organizations are making to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (the world created by the rapid technological advance that is taking place today). This can mean changes in products, services and processes throughout the organizations. It can be small or large scale, radically changing business models and it means new technologies are being introduced throughout organizations with significant implications for engineering services organizations.
Engineering services are impacted by the new environment they need to support and the new tools that are available to them to do this. A wide range of technologies may be adopted in the organisation in areas that are within the scope of the work normally done by engineering services. These might include the development, implementation and support for new technology enabled processes, new automation and new decision-making systems that may or may not utilize artificial intelligence.
At the same time, technology is changing the support engineering services provide. More data is being collected and better tools exist that can be used in predictive maintenance services. New design tools enable faster, better design, some aspects of service delivery can be automated, artificial intelligence can be used for analytics, digital twins and simulation support analytics, design and management and big data can provide valuable insights.
These developments in the environment engineers support and in the tools available to them are the main factors influencing the digital transformation of engineering services. They make it essential that engineering services organizations carefully review their current situation and develop their own strategy for dealing with it. Otherwise they will be vulnerable to other providers who emerge, better prepared for the new environment.
The Engineering Services DX Assessment Tool is a simple instrument that we have developed at the University of Waterloo to help engineering services organizations consider and plan their own digital transformation. It is intended to be facilitative – prepared on a white board or flip chart by a group of engineers.
The tool is suitable for engineering services companies and engineering services within an existing organisation. It asks you to consider the following elements:
or
Client/Dept: The
provided to. For an engineering services company this may be their main clients or client types if they are larger. For internal engineering services this would be the units they provide services to.
Change Elements: The changes in the Client/Dept that are or will be impacted by new technology. This may be specific performance improvements, equipment changes, process changes etc.
Main Tech: The main technologies being used in the change elements. This may include internet of things, artificial intelligence, digital twins, automation etc.
Implement Support: The support needed to implement the change described in the Change Elements column, such as design work, project management, impact assessment, etc.
Operate Support: The support needed to operate the change described in the Change Elements column, such as maintenance, education and training, and performance improvement.
Impact Services Now: Can your existing services provide the
Implement and Operate Support that the Change Elements need now or are changes required to do this? Include here any areas of your services that may have been used by the client in the past but are not now needed due to the Change Element.
Action Needed: Review the information you have entered in this row of the chart and determine the actions that you need to take to deliver the support that your Client/Dept will require.
Charlie has completed the tool for his company, in the example below.
The Engineering Services DX Assessment Tool allows you to consider the actions you might wish to take to ensure your organization is able to continue to effectively provide engineering support. Once the chart is completed you can then consider the areas that will be your priority and become the main elements in your digital transformation strategy. This strategy must include the impact that the Client/Dept changes
will have on the skills of the members of your engineering team, along with any personnel changes you may need to make. The Client/Dept changes will require engagement and collaboration with stakeholders by engineers, utilising social skills more frequently than in the past due to the more rapid pace of change. It should also include consideration of the technology-based tools that your team uses today (for example data analytics, simulation etc.) and investments in any new tools that may be appropriate here.
Developing and implementing your digital transformation strategy for Engineering Services is essential today. As Client/Dept organizations plan and implement their own digital transformation strategies they will consider the role existing engineering services providers can play. Be prepared with your own digital transformation strategy. DW
THE ENGINEERING SERVICES DX ASSESSMENT TOOL
Advanced feedforward and trajectory control
Using a trajectory-following controller provides several significant benefits, especially in systems requiring smooth, precise, and reliable movements.
Neyram Hemati, Ph.D. • Department of Mechanical Engineering • San Jose State University
Don Macleod, Ph.D. CEO • Applied Motion Products
Model-based feedforward control is a predictive control strategy using a mathematical model of the system to predict the control input needed for a desired trajectory. Unlike feedback control, which reacts to errors, feedforward control anticipates disturbances or system dynamics and applies control actions so that unwanted effects are cancelled [1].
Trajectory control is typically composed of two parts: planning and tracking [1][2]. During the planning phase, the geometry of motion in terms of displacement, velocity, and acceleration as functions of time is formulated. During the tracking phase, advanced control schemes involving feedback and feedforward laws are used to keep the error between the reference trajectory and the actual trajectory as small as possible.
Here, we consider these techniques in motion control and robotics where the goal is to precisely guide a system (e.g., a robot arm, drone, vehicle) along a desired path or trajectory, often at high speed and with minimal error [1] [2]. Some commercially available servo drives, such as the MDX+ integrated series from Applied Motion Products (AMP), include configurable velocity and acceleration feedforward parameters.
These features allow for precise control in high-performance, dynamic environments by improving trajectory tracking, minimizing response lag, and enhancing overall system performance. This level of control is essential in high-speed, high-precision applications like robotics, CNC machining, semiconductor processing, autonomous systems, and advanced manufacturing.
Here, the focus is single-axis systems where the problem corresponding to the coordinated motion among multiple joints and links, e.g. multi degree-offreedom robots, is not of concern. The trajectory control impact is in terms of improved tracking performance,
response time, and reduced overshoot in high-speed applications like pick-andplace systems or laser cutting.
Feedforward control
Feedforward control is particularly useful in systems with nonlinear dynamics (e.g., robots, drones) where it’s used to effectively linearize the dynamics of the system. As special cases of feedforward control, there are model-based approaches where the control input is computed by inverting the dynamic model of the plant (e.g., torque required to follow a certain acceleration). For example, as a model-based approach, feedforward control strategies can
FIGURE 1A: An example of a trapezoidal acceleration trajectory.
1B: An example of a trapezoidal velocity trajectory.
help in terms of following time-varying trajectories, e.g. trapezoidal acceleration, as well as rejecting time-varying disturbances [3]. Feedforward control can also be adaptive in nature where the controller adapts to system changes over time, such as load variations. Most systems that use feedforward control also use feedback control laws for stability purposes and robustness.
As an example, feedforward control in robotics uses the dynamic model of the robot in conjunction with the desired trajectory to compute the control effort which would nominally cancel the targeted effects. To help achieve smooth motion, the desired reference acceleration is usually used as a feedforward term [3]. Also, for example, based on the desired state of the system, e.g. position, an attempt can be made to cancel the gravitational effects [1][2][3]. On the other hand, measured states can be used to provide feedback cancellation for gravity as well as velocity-dependent effects. However, cancelling the effect of gravity and velocity-dependent terms alone does not guarantee adequate performance of the system because of disturbances and model uncertainties. As a result, it’s desired if not necessary to provide feedback control. A PID feedback control law can be used to help meet the performance criteria [3][4].
Trajectory planning
For a motion control system to achieve smooth motion between the start and the end points, it’s necessary to have a position profile as function of time that is smooth. In addition, having a smooth velocity as well as acceleration further provide for smooth motion. The smoother the motion, the less the possibility for exciting vibration modes and the less cause for wear and damage to the mechanical components.
The task of trajectory planning is to formulate the desired time histories of position, velocity, and acceleration corresponding to a given move or task by the motion control system. For
instance, a trajectory may be defined in terms of a cubic or a quintic polynomial describing position as a function of time [1][2]. More common are the so-called trapezoidal velocity and trapezoidal acceleration trajectories [3]. Examples of the trapezoidal acceleration and trapezoidal velocity trajectories are shown in Figure 1.
Trajectory control
In trajectory control, the reference trajectory—defined in terms of position, velocity, and acceleration over time—is provided to the control system. The system then uses feedback control laws to ensure that actual outputs, such as position and velocity, closely follow the reference trajectory with minimal tracking error. This is typically achieved using a cascade or nested-loop control structure [3], where PID controllers are commonly employed for both the inner and outer position loop.
Feedforward trajectory control sample results
Applied Motion Products’ MDX+ series servo drives offer advanced support for feedforward control and trajectory tracking, making them well-suited for applications requiring high dynamic performance and accuracy [4]. Using Applied Motion Products’ Luna software [3], we defined a reference trapezoidal velocity trajectory for an Applied
Trajectory control based on cascade nested-loop topology with inner velocity PID control loop and outer position PID control loop.
FIGURE
Trapezoidal velocity profile defined in Luna and used for controlling a 1 revolution move of the rotor.
Motion Products MDX+ servo drive and executed the move with and without the reference velocity, and reference acceleration, as inputs to the nestedloop PID controller. Luna also provides a “Gravity Compensation” option [3].
The figure to the right shows a comparison of tracking error results with and without the use of reference velocity and acceleration as feedforward signals. The results demonstrate that including these feedforward terms significantly reduces the maximum tracking error. Additionally, the figure illustrates that by properly tuning the gains associated with the feedforward velocity and acceleration, the tracking error can be reduced to nearly zero.
Summary
As a model-based approach, feedforward control strategies can help in terms of following timevarying trajectories, e.g. trapezoidal acceleration, as well as rejecting time-varying disturbances. Using a trajectory tracking controller provides several significant benefits, especially in
Feedforward trajectory control results from an Applied Motion Products MDX+ servo drive.
REFERENCES:
systems requiring smooth, precise, and reliable movements. This also results in improved mechanical longevity and reduced wear as well as enhanced tracking accuracy. Plus, using a smooth reference trajectory would help achieve a system with reduced noise and vibration issues. DW Applied Motion Products applied-motion.com
[1] J. J. Craig, Introduction to Robotics: Mechanics and Control, 3rd ed. Pearson-Prentice Hall, 2005.
[2] M. W. Spong, S. Hutchinson, and M. Vidyasagar, Robot Modeling and Control. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2005.
[3] Luna Software User Manual, Applied Motion Products, Morgan Hill, CA, 2025.
[4] MDX+RC Series Hardware Manual, Applied Motion Products, Morgan Hill, CA, 2025.
smart industrial automation Trends in
CONNOR DOHERTY DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION • DIGIKEY
New forms of industrial automation need cloud connectivity, unfettered data access, and the ability to remotely manage factories. Suppliers are helping machine builders include these features with cutting-edge robotics, sensors, edge computing, and other technologies with IoT capabilities.
In an automation environment, robots improve repetitive tasks, precision, consistency and uptime across processes. They remove inconsistent movements
and improve safety in hazardous environments. Robots and cobots also elevate workforces to assume roles to help managers scale and adjust outputs.
Solutions for robotic workcells
Whether in maintenance and repairing or programming and configuring machines, automation also plays an important role in supporting labor shortages. As demand
grows faster than the workforce, automation enables manufacturers to scale without solely relying on labor availability. That doesn’t mean manufacturers rely completely on robots without skilled labor because robotic systems still need maintenance. Nothing is completely autonomous. Manufacturers still need people working alongside machines, but in a re-envisioned way that supports consistent output and reduced training overhead.
Recent years have seen significant growth in industrial automation. Demand for high productivity and uptime means machines must be turn on more quickly and stay on for longer. Scaling operations must be faster than ever, too. All of this requires smart forms of industrial automation.
The future of industrial automation is smart as well as agile and safe.
DigiKey is committed to bridging the gap between innovation and execution to make it easier for design engineers to automate smarter, faster, and safer.
The enclosed workstations that combine robots and other tools known as robotic workcells let manufacturers build safer and more efficient systems — plus (whether it’s assembly, welding, inspection or material handling) precision execution of repetitive tasks.
Such workcells also improve manufacturing consistency. For example, if a process error occurs and a batch is incorrect, reviewing the data and tracing it back to a specific lot, robot
Automation
or time of day can pinpoint what changed in the environment. Tracing back errors, identifying what changed in the data, and preventing its recurrence allows for added efficiencies and visibility.
In some cases, complementary technologies impart workcells with useful capabilities. For example, suppliers such as Eaton are helping advance robotic cells with intelligent power management and circuit protection for safe and reliable automation. Eaton distributed controls and smart circuit breakers let manufacturers perform predictive maintenance and realtime diagnostics to reduce unplanned downtime and improve plant safety.
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Advanced sensing for traceability
Advanced sensor technologies, data acquisition systems, and communication protocols are also shaping the future of smart automation. Optical, infrared, inductive, LiDAR, and ultrasonic technologies are all helping manufacturers better understand factory-floor environments in realtime. Manufacturers are mixing solutions that measure and monitor performance, accuracy, and range to instantaneously capture everything happening. For example, SICK smart sensors and vision systems are flexible and traceable, especially in high-speed and collaborative environments. Safety-sensing technologies such as light curtains, emergency stops, and safe motion control allow protected harm-free interactions with equipment and the surrounding environment. For example, these technologies might enable the setting of a warning zone to alert workers approaching a hazardous area before they get too close. That way, workers won’t accidentally enter hazardous areas, trip safety devices, and cause machine shutdowns.
Coming trends in industrial automation
The future of smarter industrial automation will build on some exciting trends.
Edge computing: AI will continue to move closer to the source, working even nearer to sensors and other machines. Especially for vision systems, the closeness between AI and the source improves the ability to detect what is actually happening and act at the source, essentially eliminating the current delays of data going to a control unit for processing and then sending analysis back to the source.
Wireless connectivity: Advances in IIoT will let manufacturers identify and correct problems and inefficiencies sooner to save time and money. The improvements in connections between sensor data, machine-to-machine communication, and automation technologies provide machine learning technologies
with more accurate data to optimize and streamline industrial processes. Coming years could bring significantly more physical protocols from leaders in industrial Ethernet standards for automation technology such as PROFINET and Modbus along with open scalable Ethernet-based solutions such as single-pair ethernet (SPE). Advances in protocols will continue to reduce complexity and cost, enabling these sensors and communication devices to go beyond existing borders.
Safety-integrated automation: It’s easy to quickly scale operations when the return on investment justifies new machines. However, the gains made by rapidly scaling can disappear if there are any safety issues. The practice of integrating safety automation equipment alongside the rest of the automation in realtime (not after the fact) is increasingly common.
High-mix low-volume (HMLV) manufacturing: The industry seems poised to have a full-circle moment with trend-flexible modular systems.
Recent advances in industrial automation can offer quality customization and numerous configurations more efficiently and effectively without the strain of a specialized and dedicated labor force.
The growing demand for smart automation isn’t slowing down. Across the industry, there’s heightened interest in e-commerce distribution partners. Engineers, designers and manufacturers are increasingly opting to shop for automation products and cutting-edge technologies from website that offer everything needed often with delivery in as little as 24 hours.
The system that fell out of favor when Henry Ford was trying to balance his automobile assembly lines is now supported by adopting increased amounts of automation. Recent advances in industrial automation can offer quality customization and numerous configurations more efficiently and effectively without the strain of a specialized and dedicated labor force.
Digital twins: The integration of simulation-driven design with machine learning and data analytics allows engineers to test, refine, and suitable designs before they are physically realized or when they are in operation
and positioned to benefit from continuous optimization. Digital twins can significantly improve design quality, cost and even safety and cybersecurity. Some suppliers themselves use digital twins to constantly monitor the flow in their product-distribution centers. Simulated design around packaging, orders and distribution gives the team insight into where hiccups might be occurring so we can reduce bottlenecks and boost performance in realtime. DW
DigiKey digikey.com/automation
Edited by: Mike Santora
Precise sensing with ultrasonic sensors
When it comes to monitoring distance on a conveyor belt or gauging the liquid level in a tank, having the right sensing technology is essential whenever an engineer needs non-contact measurement that ignores color and resists external disturbances.
If an engineer’s work is being done in an environment that is filled with dust or other ignition risks, sensors that are intrinsically safe are an absolute must. Aware of this, Migatron Corporation offers its product line of ultrasonic sensors to its customers, including ultrasonic sensors that are intrinsically safe, to
help engineers and OEMs achieve the precise measurements they need for their specific applications, including hazardous areas.
Ultrasonic fundamentals
Migatron’s ultrasonic sensors have piezoelectric crystals that resonate at a specific frequency and convert electric
energy into acoustic energy. By emitting short bursts of ultrasonic sound waves and measuring the time it takes for the sound waves to travel to and from an object, the sensor can then determine the distance to the object by using the time-of-flight and speed of sound. Many Migatron sensors also include temperature compensation to adjust
for speed of sound changes with air temperature changes.
When used for sensing applications, the ultrasonic method provides multiple unique advantages: they aren’t affected by color, can detect transparent objects, and discrete distances to moving objects can be detected and measured. There are two different types of ultrasonic sensors: proximity sensors and ranging sensors. Proximity ultrasonic sensors detect an object within the preset range. Ranging ultrasonic sensors measure precise distances to an object.
Intrinsically safe
Within the process industry, there are many applications that push its equipment to the extremes, especially sensing technology. In some respects, tanks that need proper level measurements require the sensor to not come in contact with the specific fluid. In other scenarios, a sensor might be needed within a hazardous area, where dust and other ignition risks are found in the work area. As part of their product line, Migatron has designed intrinsically safe ultrasonic sensors, providing their customers with accurate sensing solutions needed in hazardous areas. These ultrasonic sensors are thoroughly tested and approved to meet global standards for intrinsic safety in these locations, and they are built to last. Migatron’s intrinsically safe ultrasonic sensors offer the highest level of intrinsic safety protection — with equipment protection levels Ma, Ga, and Da.
Migatron’s intrinsically safe ultrasonic sensors are approved for use in Australia and New Zealand (ANZEx), Europe (ATEX), and Internationally (IECEx) in environments classified as Zone 0, 1, 2, 20, 21, or 22; and in North America (C-UL-US) in areas classified as Class I Division I Group A-D, Class II Division I Group E-G, or Class III Division I. These intrinsically safe units can provide accurate measurements needed from
engineers and OEMs, avoiding process contact in explosive environments, while eliminating fouling and preventing interruptions during operations.
With a robust design, these intrinsically safe ultrasonic sensors are built with IP66/IP67 rated enclosures, engineered for reliability and durability in sensing applications within the process industry; something that engineers greatly appreciate. With analog voltage or analog current output versions, these sensors easily interface with panel meters, PLC, and SCADA. Also, these intrinsically safe ultrasonic sensors ensure a safe, non-contact operation, reducing corrosion and costly downtime, while providing precise measurements. In applications involving fluid level measurement or detecting misalignments on a conveyor belt, engineers don’t have to worry about any contact between the sensor itself and any volatile substance.
Custom designs
In addition to their standard products, Migatron also offers ultrasonic sensors with custom and unique designs for OEMs, depending on the user’s sensing application. “Our custom engineer team can quickly modify one of our products to fit each unique application,” said Bill
Wroga, CEO of Migatron Corporation. Migatron also has the advantage of designing and building their own ultrasonic transducers, which further increase its customization capabilities.
As the demand for reliable and accurate sensing technology increases, Migatron continues to offer their ultrasonic sensing solutions to engineers tasked with factory automation, giving them the confidence they need to execute their tasks efficiently, including hazardous areas with Migatron’s intrinsically safe ultrasonic sensors. The company works to provide ultrasonic sensing solutions tailored to its user’s applications, working closely with them to better understand the application, solve complex sensing challenges, and offer custom ultrasonic solutions that perform reliably in harsh environments. Whether the application involves object detection or measuring a designated distance, Migatron will continue to ensure that users get the precise sensing they need with their ultrasonic sensors. DW
These intrinsically safe ultrasonic sensors are designed to operate in hazardous areas. They are approved for intrinsic safety use in Australia & New Zealand (ANZEx), Europe (ATEX), Internationally (IECEx), and in North America (C-UL-US).
LEFT: These ultrasonic sensors are built to provide precise, non-contact measurements for specific sensing applications, with emphasis on durability and reliability.
EDITED BY: MIKE SANTORA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept for manufacturing — it’s already at work on factory floors. A survey by the National Association of Manufacturers found that 72% of manufacturers have seen AI cut costs and boost efficiency. But while attention often centers on software and data platforms, it’s important to remember that AI is only as powerful as the machines it monitors. Here, Chris Johnson of SMB Bearings, argues that the road to the smart factory doesn’t run solely through algorithms. It also depends on the bearings that keep production moving and supply AI with the data it needs to perform.
Conversations around AI in manufacturing often focus on data leaks, cloud platforms, or software that tracks production trends. But software and algorithms can’t deliver results on their own — they depend on machines that run smoothly, efficiently, and reliably. When equipment fails or generates poor-quality data, the advantages of AI quickly disappear. Research from Deloitte reinforces this, highlighting that three quarters of manufacturers have increased investment in data lifecycle management to support AI adoption. Yet nearly 70% still cite poor data quality and validation as their biggest challenge.
Manufacturers are also taking a more measured approach, prioritizing high ROI use cases that can only succeed if they’re built on solid operational foundations. In other words, for AI to deliver on its promise, the focus needs to extend beyond algorithms to the performance of the machines feeding them data.
It’s here, but it needs reliable machinery
Because of this, machinery components play a critical role. Bearings may be among the smallest components in production systems, but they are also some of the most important. Without
them, motors, conveyors, robots, and pumps would quickly fail. Increasingly, they are not just mechanical parts, but intelligent components providing the very data that fuels AI systems.
The essential function of a bearing isto support moving parts and reduce friction. In simple terms, they keep the machine turning. However, in the context of AI-driven factories, their role is much broader. Bearings are often the first components to show signs of wear, making them natural indicators of a machine’s overall condition.
Even small changes in a bearing, like a rise in temperature, a shift in vibration pattern, or a slight increase in noise, can reveal that equipment is under stress. If these changes are ignored, they can quickly escalate into overheating, shaft misalignment, or total machine failure. This is why bearings are among the first elements targeted in predictive maintenance programs.
Instead of waiting for a breakdown or replacing parts on a rigid schedule, manufacturers can monitor bearings to detect early warning signs. That means repairs and replacements happen when they’re needed — not too late, not too soon.
In fact, the National Association of Manufacturers report also highlights predictive maintenance as one of
the leading applications of AI in manufacturing, with more than half of manufacturers surveyed calling it a primary use case in their operations.
From mechanical part to intelligent sensor
Until recently, monitoring bearing health required external tools like handheld vibration sensors or scheduled inspections. While these tools are still widely used, many modern bearings are being designed with sensors integrated into them. These intelligent bearings can measure vibration, temperature, load and lubrication in real time.
This turns the bearing into a valuable data source. Instead of acting as a silent component, it becomes a communicator, sharing its condition and helping the
wider system understand how a machine is performing.
For example, if a sensor inside a bearing detects a gradual increase in heat, this information can trigger an AI system to flag the likelihood of future failure. Engineers can then investigate and act long before production is disrupted.
The integration of sensors in bearings is part of a wider trend in manufacturing where physical components are becoming digital assets. They contribute to the “digital twin” of a production system, a virtual model that mirrors the real machine’s condition. Bearings, with their constant movement and critical role, provide some of the most useful data to feed these digital twins.
Turning data into uptime
The difference intelligent bearings make is not just technical but also financial. Unplanned downtime is one of the biggest costs in manufacturing. A single hour of lost production in a high-volume plant can run into tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds. Traditional maintenance approaches — either waiting for breakdowns or replacing parts on fixed schedules — rarely provide the balance between reliability and costeffectiveness. By using data from intelligent bearings, manufacturers can move to predictive and even prescriptive maintenance. Predictive maintenance warns that a problem is coming, while prescriptive maintenance goes
further by recommending the best course of action.
For instance, if a bearing is showing unusual vibration, the AI system might suggest slowing down the machine temporarily to prevent further damage until a planned replacement can be made.
This targeted approach means fewer unnecessary part changes, better use of maintenance resources and fewer interruptions to production. In effect, the bearing becomes a key player in maximizing uptime across the factory.
Efficiency, reliability and sustainability gains
The benefits extend beyond maintenance. Bearings are central to machine efficiency. By reducing friction, they allow motors to consume less energy and prevent systems from
overheating. When bearings operate smoothly, they directly support lower power use and more consistent performance.
When this performance data is collected and analyzed by AI, manufacturers can gain a clear picture of where energy is being used efficiently and where improvements are possible. For example, if a production line is consuming more electricity than expected, bearing data has the potential to help pinpoint whether the issue lies in misalignment, lubrication problems, or overloading.
This insight is particularly important as manufacturers face pressure to meet sustainability targets. As both regulators and customers expect greener manufacturing, the role of these small components becomes more strategic than ever.
Bearings and the path to adaptive factories
Looking forward, intelligent bearings will continue to play a key role as factories evolve beyond today’s automation. The next step for manufacturing is greater adaptability — systems that can adjust to changes in demand, material supply or environmental conditions with minimal human intervention.
For this to happen, machines must be able to sense their own condition and act on that information. Intelligent bearings already provide an example of this. By alerting systems to problems and suggesting actions, they contribute to machines that are not just automated but increasingly self-correcting. DW
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS? CAN LASERS COOL
Photonic cold plates that use laser light could replace liquid-based cold plates for localized cooling in certain applications.
JEFF SHEPARD • CONTRIBUTOR
Lasers are often used for heating materials, but they can also be harnessed for localized cooling of integrated circuits (ICs). Laser cooling works by using the momentum of photons to slow down atoms. It’s used in cryogenic coolers for applications such as quantum computing, and this principle is being adapted for cooling ICs.
Laser cooling is a two-step process. A laser is used to excite atoms within a material, which then emits photons in random directions, carrying away energy and cooling the material.
The laser directly interacts with the atoms to excite them away from their ground state and increases their motion in the direction of the photon’s momentum. Spontaneous emission of a photon occurs due to the interaction of atoms with the vacuum and takes place in approximately 30 ns (Figure 1).
The expelled photon travels away in a random direction and pushes the atom in the opposite direction. The conservation of momentum dictates that the atom’s motion is slowed and the atom is slightly
cooled. When many of these absorption and emission events occur, the atoms, and therefore the material, can be significantly cooled, even down to cryogenic temperatures.
Doppler and Zeeman must be considered
For laser cooling to be effective, the frequency of the laser wavelength must be precisely matched to the energy differences between atomic states. That requires consideration of the Doppler effect.
The atoms are in motion relative to the laser light source, and the differences in the speed and direction of the motion of individual atoms result in slightly different wavelengths due to the Doppler effect.
The Zeeman effect refers to the splitting of a beam of light into multiple spectral components of slightly different wavelengths when the light is placed in a magnetic field. It can be used to create a Zeeman slower to take maximum advantage of the Doppler effect in laser cooling.
Sadhvikas Addamane, a materials scientist at Sandia, gazes into a viewport of a molecular beam epitaxy reactor, highly specialized equipment Sandia will use to build experimental photonic cooling plates designed at startup Maxwell Labs for testing.
Craig Fritz
A basic Zeeman slower design uses a tapered solenoid that generates a large magnetic field at one end and a smaller field at the opposite end. Uncooled (hot) atoms enter the large field and are hit with a laser beam coming at them from the opposite end.
Traveling into the cooler, the atoms experience the Doppler frequency shift. The atoms absorb photons and are cooled by spontaneous emissions. As they move through the cooler, into increasingly lower field regions, the Zeeman effect is reduced, and so is the Doppler shift. The cooler is constructed so the atoms will remain in resonance as they move from one end to the other, greatly increasing the number of photons absorbed and the cooling effect.
Zeeman coolers form the basis for dilution refrigerators, which are used to create cryogenic environments. But there are other ways to harness laser cooling for ICs, potentially.
a) absorption
y p ,
b) spontaneous emission
the atom is excited, and recoils with one recoil velocity
light is emitted in a random direction; on average, the atom’s momentum/speed is reduced in half
Photonic cold plates for cooling ICs
Instead of moving the atoms to be cooled through a Zeeman cooler, photonic cold plates bring the cooling laser light to precise heat sources like the semiconductor junctions on an IC. Called a photonic cold plate, this approach could replace liquid-based cold plates in some applications.
Photonic cold plates are designed with microscopic features measuring approximately 100 nm or smaller, which can channel and direct the cooling laser light. They are expected to provide higher performance cooling compared with water-cooled cold plates.
The photonic cold plate is fabricated using a gallium arsenide (GaAs) epitaxial layer less than a micron thick. A significant challenge is to produce an exceptionally pure GaAs layer. Any impurities would absorb the laser light and generate heat, thereby counteracting the cooling effect.
Factication and patterning of ultra-pure GaAs epaxial structures are expected to be a key development for localized cooling of ICs (Figure 2).
Summary
Laser cooling is a well-established technique for creating cryogenic environments, which are essential for applications such as quantum computers. New techniques are being developed to enable the fabrication of tiny photonic cold plates that can be used for localized cooling of hot spots in high-performance ICs. DW
SCAN THE QR CODE FOR A LIST OF REFERENCES
FIGURE 1. Laser cooling is a two-step process where an atom absorbs a photon and then spontaneously emits a second photon. University of Alberta
FIGURE 2. Example of a micron-thick GaAs film for a photonic cold plate. Sandia National Labs
EDITED BY RACHAEL PASINI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SOLVING MODERN ENGINEERING CHALLENGES HIGH-PERFORMANCE PLASTICS with
THOUGH THESE MATERIALS REQUIRE COMPLEX PROCESSES TO MANUFACTURE, THEY HAVE UNIQUE PROPERTIES AND A TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON MODERN ENGINEERING AND DESIGN. THIS ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS HOW HIGHPERFORMANCE PLASTICS SOLVE CRITICAL CHALLENGES, THE BENEFITS THEY PROVIDE OVER ALTERNATIVES SUCH AS METAL, AND THE SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE NEEDED TO UNLOCK THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
In the quest for materials that withstand extreme conditions, high-performance plastics (HPPs) excel where traditional materials fall short. These advanced polymers offer superior performance in high-temperature, high-pressure, and chemically aggressive environments. From lightweighting vehicles in the automotive sector to ensuring purity in semiconductor manufacturing, HPPs are powering innovation across industries.
What are HPPs?
HPPs are a category of polymers known for their exceptional ability to maintain their mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties when subjected to harsh operating conditions. The term can refer to specific polymer families, such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polyamide-imide (PAI), or to standard polymers that have been engineered with additives to boost their capabilities.
For instance, adding carbon fiber to polyphthalamide (PPA) significantly increases its strength, while incorporating polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) into PEEK reduces friction and improves wear resistance. The key is achieving the perfect balance between the base resin and the right fillers to create a material tailored for a specific application’s demands. This customization allows HPPs to deliver targeted solutions where off-the-shelf materials fall short.
Advantages of HPPs over other materials
The shift from traditional materials, particularly metal, to HPPs is driven by their functional benefits. These plastics are not just substitutes; they are upgrades that enhance performance, efficiency, and longevity.
Lighter weight and improved efficiency
A primary advantage of HPPs is their lower density compared to metals. Replacing a steel component, such as a washer or bearing, with a polymer alternative can reduce the overall weight of a system. In applications such as automotive or aerospace, this weight reduction directly translates to improved fuel efficiency, as less mechanical energy is needed to power the application.
PEEK is part of the PAEK family of thermoplastics, known for their high-temperature, corrosion, and wear resistance. Adobe Stock
Durability and corrosion resistance
Metal components are often susceptible to corrosion, especially when exposed to water or harsh chemicals. HPPs are resistant to corrosion, eliminating a common failure point and extending the service life of components, thereby reducing maintenance costs and downtime. Furthermore, their flexibility allows them to conform to mating hardware, absorbing tolerances and reducing wear on adjacent parts.
Noise, vibration, and harshness reduction
Unlike metals, which readily transmit noise and vibration, HPPs have natural damping properties. By using HPP components, engineers can create quieter and smoother-operating machinery. This is a significant benefit in automotive drivetrains and industrial automation, where reducing operational noise and vibration improves the user experience and can extend the life of the entire assembly.
Excelling in extreme temperatures
HPPs truly shine in demanding conditions. Their unique molecular structures enable them to perform reliably where many other materials would fail. Many industrial and automotive processes operate at
elevated temperatures that can compromise the structural integrity of standard plastics and even some metals. HPPs such as PEEK, polyphenylene sulfide, and PAI are specifically formulated to withstand these harsh thermal environments. They retain their strength and dimensional stability at continuous service temperatures that can exceed 400° F (200° C), making them ideal for components near engines, in downhole drilling, or in hightemperature processing equipment.
Handling high pressurevelocity applications
Pressure-velocity (PV) represents the combined load and speed a component can handle, a critical metric for bearings, seals, and thrust washers. HPPs are exceptionally wellsuited for high-PV applications. Their performance is optimized by carefully selecting materials and integrating fillers that manage friction and wear. The design process for these components requires a holistic evaluation of the operating environment, including temperature, chemical exposure, and thermal management, to ensure the material’s PV limit is not exceeded.
Manufacturing challenges and HPPs
Creating parts from HPPs, especially when enhanced with additives, means overcoming several technical hurdles related to tooling, temperature control, and managing shrinkage. For instance, HPPs can be extremely abrasive to machinery, so specialized screw and barrel systems are often required to protect equipment and prolong its service life. The unique molecular
Seal rings made of HPPs improve durability and can withstand vibration and hightemperatures in harsh environments. Trelleborg
structure of HPPs can make achieving optimal material flow difficult in multicavity molds, necessitating precise temperature management throughout the molding process.
Unlike standard polymers, which melt between 392 and 527° F (200 and 275° C), HPPs demonstrate much higher melt temperatures, sometimes reaching up to 797° F (425° C). Keeping all mold components at consistent temperatures is challenging; programmable thermal control systems using treated soft water can maintain water temperatures as high as 440° F (227° C) for reliable operation.
Thermal management in HPP molding is intricate — careful control of tool temperatures is key to ensuring proper mechanical properties, cycle efficiency, and part crystallinity. Flat, high-precision parts are especially susceptible to warping; robust cooling strategies are essential to minimize this issue. Additionally, as molded parts cool to room temperature, they shrink in volume. Designing molds that factor in shrinkage while optimizing cooling requires substantial expertise and hands-on experience.
Formulating HPPs is also more involved than working with typical plastics. The pool of suitable additives and fillers is limited, as they must withstand high temperatures and blend well with the HPP matrix. This complexity calls for advanced technical know-how and close collaboration with suppliers to develop custom blends tailored to specific requirements.
Real-world applications and solutions
The versatility of HPPs allows them to solve problems in a wide array of industries, from automotive and aerospace to medical and semiconductor.
• Guide rings and bearings: In hydraulic cylinders for excavators and other heavy machinery, plastic guide rings absorb sideload forces, preventing metal-to-metal contact.
Case Study
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions’ team at its River Falls, Wisconsin, facility successfully developed an HPP component for a turborelated application using polyetherketoneetherketoneketone (PEKEKK).
Previously, the customer faced significant supplier quality and processing issues, including dimensional capability problems and equipment failures due to the material's tendency to cross-link if not processed correctly. Trelleborg experts overcame PEKEKK processing issues by ensuring the equipment was properly balanced for shot size and by keeping material moving to avoid crosslinking and equipment failures. They also responded quickly to any cycle interruptions to prevent the material from sitting too long in the barrel, which can result in stalled equipment and broken screws.
Therefore, producing quality HPP components requires more than just the right equipment. It also demands deep expertise in tooling design, process simulation, and advanced material formulation.
Trelleborg has invested in these capabilities at River Falls with industry-leading infrastructure, including all-electric machines with AI-driven controls, advanced process monitoring with cavity pressure sensing, and sophisticated material conditioning systems. This blend of specialized equipment and engineering knowledge enables the team to deliver high-volume, tight-tolerance HPP components that meet demanding industry standards, especially in challenging or regulated applications.
Shown here is a part made of PEKEKK. Trelleborg
This reduces friction, lowers wear rates, and extends the service life of the system.
• Thrust washers: Automotive transmissions and torque converters are demanding, high-PV environments. HPP thrust washers made from materials such as polyaryleetherketone (PAEK) can handle these conditions, providing reliable performance where traditional materials may fail.
• Semiconductor manufacturing: The ultraclean environments required for semiconductor production demand materials that do not contaminate the process. HPPs offer the required purity and chemical resistance for components used in this industry.
• Aerospace components: The push for lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft makes HPPs an ideal choice for a variety of nonstructural
and structural components, offering weight savings without compromising on strength or thermal stability.
As regulations evolve, HPPs also provide forward-looking solutions. With growing concerns over per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), component manufacturers are collaborating with material suppliers to develop and test PFAS-free wear additives and base polymers, offering customers a path to compliance without sacrificing performance.
Materials for the future of engineering
HPPs represent a significant leap forward in material science. Their ability to reduce weight, resist corrosion, and withstand extreme temperatures and pressures allows engineers to design
more efficient, reliable, and durable systems. While the challenges of manufacturing these components are substantial, they can be overcome with specialized expertise, advanced technology, and a collaborative partnership approach. As industries continue to push the boundaries of performance, HPPs will be an essential tool for turning ambitious designs into reality. DW
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions trelleborg.com
Thrust washers made with PAEK or other HPPs can handle high-PV applications. Trelleborg
With Medtronic’s next-gen RDN devices and procedures advancing, Project Galileo is next
Medtronic Renal Denervation GM Jason Fontana offers an update on new Symplicity Spyral devices, procedures and a feature they’re investigating.
Medtronic’s Symplicity Spyral renal denervation catheter uses nitinol to expand inside a patient’s kidney arteries.
Medtronic is studying multiorgan denervation and developing a longer catheter for access via the wrist instead of the femoral artery.
Photo courtesy of Medtronic
Medtronic’s renal denervation (RDN) business is in the early stages of a new project to add a key feature to its minimally invasive hypertension technology as it makes progress on a new catheter design and treats its first patients in a study of multiorgan denervation.
“We’re advancing our catheter and advancing our procedural approach at the same time,” Medtronic RDN GM Jason Fontana said in a Medical Design interview.
Medtronic’s FDA-approved Symplicity Spyral RDN system delivers radiofrequency energy to a patient’s renal (kidney) arteries using a selfexpanding nitinol catheter.
Through what the team calls Project Pulsar, Medtronic has developed a next-generation catheter with a longer length for transradial wrist access instead of femoral access. Radial access is gaining traction for catheter procedures like percutaneous coronary interventions thanks to better outcomes than femoral access.
“We’re trying to head down the pathway of a wrist-based approach to doing renal denervation, because we
know from the coronary perspective it’s safer with less adverse events for patients. They’re able to go home sooner. You don’t have that potential for femoral bruising or leg bruising,” Fontana said.
“Renal denervation is an incredibly safe procedure,” he later continued. “In all our clinical trials and clinical studies, there’s been very few adverse events. The general risks of the procedure, I would put into the same categories as any interventional procedure. The risks are more related to the procedure access than anything else. In an anything-thatcould-happen world, the fear going into this was whether there would be any stenosis of the renal artery or impact to the renal artery. We’ve seen pristine safety from a restenosis perspective.”
Feedback has been positive from physicians using the Symplicity Spyral catheter for RDN and in the multi-organ study, Fontana said. The catheter can expand enough to treat both the renal and hepatic arteries, so there won’t be significant changes to the therapeutic end of the catheter.
“The performance of the catheter has been really fantastic across the board: utilization, deliverability,
Medtronic’s Symplicity
Spyral renal denervation (RDN) ablation catheter expands inside the renal arteries to apply energy that calms overactive nerves that help regulate blood pressure. Illustration courtesy of Medtronic
it’s been great,” he said. “[At Medtronic, that’s] been something that we’ve been proud of forever with our stents, balloons and guides.”
Medtronic’s Project Gemini
Medtronic’s Spyral GEMINI pilot program (an abbreviation for Global pilot study of rEnal and hepatic coMbINed denervatIon) is comparing RDN against denervation of the arteries in both the kidneys and the liver.
trial and we have an on-med trial, and we’re basically using the datasets we’ve created as our backdrop to compare this approach to.”
Medtronic has tweaked its RDN generator’s energy delivery algorithm for the multi-organ denervation procedure.
it’s right there, and you realize there’s so much sympathetic activity in the liver that maybe we weren’t thinking about. Then you understand it, you learn more about it and realize you can take that opportunity. We learned there was sympathetic nerve activity there — it’s
“This is kind of a pilot design because it’s never been done before. It’s the first time we’re putting our catheter into the hepatic artery in a human.”
“We’re trying to take more variability out of the conversation,” Fontana said. “There’s always variability with the patient, and we’re trying to get bigger drops in blood pressure and/or more response. Our approach to doing that is to lower the sympathetic nerve activity in the kidney, and then the next big area is the liver. … We did the preclinical work and we presented at ACC that [exactly] that happened: If you add hepatic to renal, you get bigger drops and tighter drops in norepinephrine, the signal from the kidney. We had all this preclinical work, we knew we could do it safely, we knew our algorithm was designed for the hepatic artery, and now we’ve had our first patients.”
“This is kind of a pilot design because it’s never been done before,” he continued. “It’s the first time we’re putting our catheter into the hepatic artery in a human. We have an off-med
“What we’ve learned preclinically is that the common hepatic artery is made up a little bit differently than your renal artery for appropriate reasons — it’s a different organ,” Fontana said. “We adjusted the algorithm for the tissue we’re going to be delivering energy to in the liver. It’s a little bit thicker of a vessel wall, it’s got a little bit different adventitia.”
Medtronic is using two separate generators in the multi-organ study, but they’re working to offer both energy algorithms in a single generator, Fontana said.
The multi-organ approach offers a lesson for other device developers.
“At a macro level, if you’re an engineer, you tend to get focused on your one area,” Fontana said. “We were focused on the kidney and sympathetic activity in the kidney, and literally the liver has been staring at us the entire time. Every patient we’ve ever treated,
obviously there for a reason — and we’re able to take advantage of it. So if you’re an engineer, you may be focused on that one thing, but every once in a while, pull back a little bit and just see what you’re doing and where else it could be done or where else it could be applicable.”
Medtronic’s Project Galileo
As Medtronic moves forward on Project Pulsar and Project Gemini, there’s a new space-themed program in the works in Ireland. Project Galileo will try to find a signal of intraprocedural efficacy so the physician knows the job is done, Fontana said.
“That’s looking at changes in constriction of the vessels, both preand post-renal denervation,” he said. “… Think of it like mapping for atrial fibrillation. … With renal denervation, we treat and then we look to the blood pressure. If there was a way that we could do our treatment and then
Medtronic Coronary and Renal Denervation Operating Unit Global Marketing VP and Renal Denervation GM
Jason Fontana
check and say, ‘OK, we got all the nerves, we’re done,’ that’s what we’re at the beginnings of right now with Galileo. … You’d want to use the same catheter, but use a different energy level and then measure an impact.”
While the Medtronic RDN team’s focus is on hypertension for now, there’s potential for multi-organ denervation to treat other conditions like diabetes.
“There’s some interesting cardiometabolic options that potentially down the road could be addressed,” Fontana said. “… We’re focused on making sure we can do a safe and effective procedure, and then the next steps will follow.”
We asked whether RDN can help Medtronic remain the world’s largest device company after separating from its diabetes business.
“Unfortunately, hypertension is a really big problem around the world,” he said. “… Our diabetes separation is about focus in both areas. We know diabetic patients need focus, and our team has done a great job there. The partnership with Abbott, everything we’re doing, that’s going to really drive focus there. And then on our side and on the Medtronic side, RDN, pulsedfield ablation, tricuspid, mitral, even in the cardiovascular space, there are these big areas of opportunity that now we can heavily focus on. And then if you think about Hugo and surgical and [neuromod], Medtronic’s been able to now really double down on some of these big areas. RDN for patients with hypertension has that opportunity to be one of these growth drivers going forward.”
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
EQ&A with Darshin Patel, who led the Edwards Lifesciences Sapien M3 TMVR system’s development
Edwards Lifesciences VP of Engineering Darshin Patel discusses the first-of-its-kind Sapien M3 TMVR system’s design, development and lessons for other medical device developers.
dwards Lifesciences VP of Engineering Darshin Patel led the development of the new Sapien M3 transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) system from the
This transfemoral TMVR system recently won the world’s first-of-its-kind approval with a CE mark for treating symptomatic (moderate-to-severe or severe) mitral regurgitation in patients who are deemed unsuitable for surgery or transcatheter edge-to-edge (TEER) therapy. (This minimally invasive system has not yet been approved by the FDA
The Sapien M3 system uses nitinol, but not in the catheter-delivered replacement heart valve’s frame. Instead, the dual-implant system uses nitinol’s shape memory properties for the dock implanted inside the heart to anchor the replacement valve.
replacing the Sapien 3 paravalvular leak (PVL) skirt with a full-frame outer skirt and frame apex covers to respect the native mitral anatomy.”
How is nitinol used in the Sapien M3 dock and did your team learn any lessons about nitinol that might be helpful for other device designers and engineers?
(ABOVE) The Edwards Lifesciences
Sapien M3 transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) system uses a nitinol dock to anchor the replacement valve, with both implants delivered via a minimally invasive catheter.
Image courtesy of Edwards Lifesciences
In an interview with Medical Design & Outsourcing, Patel discussed the M3 Sapien system’s design, development and lessons for other medical device developers. The responses below have been lightly edited for clarity and space.
MDO: Are there modifications to the valve or is it essentially a Sapien 3? Patel: “The Sapien M3 valve was modified to be compatible with the dock and mitral valve anatomy by
Patel: “The Sapien M3 dock is made from a nitinol wire that is shape-set to obtain the intended configuration. In the early days, a laser-cut nitinol tube was also explored. However, the team chose to utilize a wire to simplify the manufacturing process. One of the key learnings was to continually look for opportunities to reduce the complexity of the design and find ways to borrow design elements from other Edwards devices that have already been proven. For materialspecific learnings, understanding the repositionability of the implant is key in making sure the design and raw material specifications are robust to the intended number of reposition cycles.”
What was the biggest technical/ engineering challenge with this new system and how did the team solve it?
Patel: “The biggest technical challenge was designing a dock and valve that were able to anchor to the mitral valve apparatus without damaging the native anatomy. >>
“If you are afraid to fail, you will never learn. As the saying goes, fail often and fail quickly, especially in the early days of product design.”
This was achieved through numerous iterations varying different parameters of the dock and valve (i.e., dock wire diameter, dock shape set diameter, dock cover materials, valve cover materials) and evaluating them in various models through trial and error. Resilience in the early stages is critical.”
Were there other anchor approaches that didn’t pan out, and can you share any lessons learned from those attempts?
Patel: “While other anchoring approaches exist, the team focused on developing a method to anchor the Sapien 3 valve in the mitral position where an anchor did not already exist, leveraging the extensive experience of the Sapien valve in the mitral position.”
How did Edwards design the Sapien M3 system to minimize the risk of physician error during implantation?
Patel: “Edwards partnered with numerous key opinion leaders (KOLs) prior to human experience to provide feedback on the device and procedure and apply learnings from previous therapies in addition to extensive usability studies with the appropriate user groups. Once in the clinic, when new learnings arose, the team diligently investigated the findings to understand the root cause. The team then shared with the physicians and incorporated those learnings into procedure or patient screening updates.”
Were there other materials/ manufacturing processes that unlocked this solution for TMVR, and was there anything the team learned that could be helpful for others in medtech?
Patel: “The innovation was really in the application of existing materials and manufacturing processes, leveraging
ideas and processes from other Edwards products versus reinventing the wheel.”
Is it too soon to talk about the next generation of this system?
Patel: “The team continues to iterate the Sapien M3 system to further enhance patient outcomes and procedural ease of use, as well as expand the treatable population.”
What advice or guidance would you offer to device designers/engineers and other technical roles at device developers and manufacturers?
Patel: “If you are afraid to fail, you will never learn. As the saying goes, fail often and fail quickly, especially in the early days of product design. And engineers cannot fall in love with their designs. They need to look for continual improvement, even if they made the original design.”
“Finally, it’s critical for the engineers that designed the product to participate in the early human experience with their clinical counterparts so they can understand how the device is being used and what opportunities there may be to design out any potential problems. Many times, we wait for aggregate data to tell us what the areas of improvement may be, however, to innovate quickly, we need to almost predict the problem and start developing solutions in parallel to gaining clinical experience. This expedites the development pathway by running innovation and evidence generation in parallel, rather than in series, preventing a start and stop of clinical experience. Engineers working side-by-side with clinicians prior to human use can accelerate development.”
Edwards Lifesciences VP of Engineering Darshin Patel
mitral valve replacement (TMVR) system, including the dock and valve Image courtesy of Edwards Lifesciences
GE HealthCare says this cost-saving sustainability initiative is a hit with hospitals
“When you do well on sustainability, it does help your bottom line,” said GE HealthCare Monitoring Solutions CTO Oliver Astley.
HealthCare‘s patient monitoring business is leaning into a new way to cut product packaging and installation costs while also reducing environmental impacts and offering several benefits for customers.
That’s according to GE HealthCare Monitoring Solutions Chief Technology Officer Oliver Astley and GE HealthCare Monitoring Solutions VP Manny Santana, who recently discussed the initiative in a Medical Design & Outsourcing webinar.
“GE HealthCare is extremely committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050,” Astley said. “… You have to have the culture, plus you have to operationalize that within what you do day to day. That means we are implementing environmentally conscious design into the products that we build from the time we kick off a design all the way through until it hits product.”
On that webinar — which is now available for free on-demand replay — we discussed sustainable product design and initiatives at GE HealthCare, challenges they’re trying to solve for hospitals and other customers, and building a culture where ideas can come from anyone across the organization, just like this one did.
“One of the things that came out of our teams was looking at how we do packaging,” Astley said. “Our patient monitor is not so different, at least from a form factor, from a television. You buy a television from your electronics store, and it comes in a box, and that box has packaging in it and things to keep it from breaking while in transit. We looked at that as, well, we build our product in factories, and it goes to different distribution sites all over the world. Our engineers and some of the people who are literally working with that packaging every day said,
SUSTAINABILITY
‘This is crazy, all this packaging.’”
Their idea, he said, was to start using reusable transit carts with reusable packaging to move the products from one place to another as they’re built, shipped and stored.
The initiative reduced packaging volume by 53% and packaging weight by 48%, Astley said, while reducing plastic and cardboard waste by an estimated 22,000 pounds.
“It’s awesome from a sustainability perspective, but frankly, it also saved us money,” Astley continued. “When you do well on sustainability, it does help your bottom line, too. It seems quite rare that the two are not in sync, which has been a real good lesson to learn for us.”
GE HealthCare took the concept beyond the factory and warehouses, Santana said, with a customer-facing program the company calls Install Carts.
“It’s really simple,” Santana said. “In the past, we boxed up 1,500 pounds of cardboard boxes to ship 100 monitors out to a customer. Now, we package them in reusable containers, do all of the configuration at the factory, put the accessories and mounts on, basically the monitor’s ready to bust right out of that box
and be put it on the wall for the customer.”
GE HealthCare is expanding the program to meet customer demand, Santana said.
“This has been a huge customer delighter for a lot of different reasons,” he said. “They have ESG initiatives to reduce waste and reduce cardboard — we’re not bringing any in, so that helps. We’re saving them a ton of space in their loading docks as we bring these massive projects to bear at a hospital. And we’re way more efficient getting them up and running when we’re doing a big monitoring conversion. Then for us, like Oliver said, there’s a huge advantage from a cost perspective, a productivity perspective. It’s really incredible. It’s win, win, win, from every angle. The customer is winning. We’re winning. The supply chain is winning. It’s been super exciting to see, and there’s a huge environmental impact alongside it.”
Watch the free webinar replay for more sustainability advice from Astley and Santana, including how other medtech developers can find, vet and work with suppliers and other external partners on cost-saving sustainability projects like this one.
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.
A WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SUPPORTS A SURGE IN ONLINE SHOPPING FOR PET AND GARDEN SUPPLIES WHILE IMPROVING INVENTORY ACCURACY, TRACEABILITY, AND WORKFLOW.
AFCO DISTRIBUTION GROWS BUSINESS BY AUTOMATING AND DIGITIZING PROCESSES
STEPHANIE NEIL • EXECUTIVE EDITOR
In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced many employers to shift to remote work, households across the country welcomed pets into their homes and turned to their backyards to work on their gardens.
For AFCO Distribution, an agricultural cooperative known as the “go-to grocery store for animals,” this resulted in a significant uptick in business.
“Our business increased by double digits, and this growth hasn’t stopped since,” said Lloyd Campbell, AFCO’s distribution director of wholesale. “Everybody was at home; everybody
needed a companion. More people were buying dog and pet food…and they had time to work in their gardens. Our business was ripe for pet owners and hobby farmers.”
AFCO, owned by Skagit Farmers Supply, distributes animal feeds, wildlife products, pet food, and supplies along with fencing and livestock equipment. Founded in 1992, the company serves hundreds of retailers across several states from its warehouses in Spokane Valley and Burlington, Wash.
In 2019, before the pandemic, the AFCO team began its search for
LEFT: AFCO Distribution needed a WMS to keep up with post-pandemic growth. AFCO Distribution
a warehouse management system (WMS) to offset manual processes. It initially wanted more visibility into warehouse inventory and to have better traceability for lot-coding issues. Ultimately, however, the decision to adopt a WMS became a critical component in the company’s ability to scale during the COVID crisis while boosting operational efficiency and accuracy.
AFCO finds the right path
In its search for a WMS, the AFCO team’s first priority was compatibility with its existing ERP software. This led to PathGuide Technologies’ Latitude WMS, which offered easy integration and agility.
“There were very limited WMS offerings available that could do what we needed it to do while integrating with our ERP system,” Campbell explained. “AFCO distributes products to our stores while also selling to customers directly out of our distribution warehouses. Without drastically changing our ERP system, not many warehouse management systems would allow us to do the high level of lot traceability and true RF picking that Latitude enables.”
Latitude also allowed AFCO to meet strict FDA regulations when tracing lots from suppliers to customers. It even enabled the distributor to stay on top of product freshness and shelflife compliance to meet legal and customer requirements.
“Additionally, Latitude helped us increase our inventory accuracy by giving us more control over physical stock counts and product quantities on hand. This improved our overall order fulfillment accuracy through the automation it provides, which also enhanced overall customer satisfaction,” Campbell said. “In fact, Latitude’s automation allowed us to fill orders faster and reduce the
number of errors that occurred prior to implementation.”
While the bolt-on solution took about nine months to deploy, the months following implementation went smoothly as operators trained on the system. That was until March 2020, when COVID drastically changed the business.
Pandemic surge raised WMS doubts
When the pandemic hit — and consumer shopping habits changed — AFCO found itself experiencing doubledigit growth almost overnight.
Amid this spike in business, some warehouse employees talked about pausing the use of the WMS and reverting back to using paper and manual methods for their operations because they were more familiar with these practices. However, these methods couldn’t support the increased demand AFCO was experiencing. So, its team embraced the new technology.
In fact, the pandemic forced the AFCO team to maximize its use of Latitude quickly and completely
PathGuide’s handheld terminal running Latitude WMS.
PathGuide Technologies
abandon its reliance on spreadsheets for inventory and route sheets that would’ve slowed its operations.
“During the pandemic, we learned so much more about what PathGuide could offer us and how to use the software to increase operational efficiencies in ways that we hadn’t been using,” said Brad Servatius, AFCO’s warehouse and transportation manager.
AFCO’s digital transformation
Helping AFCO maintain business continuity while meeting rapid growth is an example of the key benefit that Latitude delivered for the company. But that’s not all.
Over the past five years, the Latitude WMS has transformed AFCO’s warehouse operation by empowering the team, improving efficiency and picking accuracy, and supporting an expanding business without increasing employee headcount.
“When it comes to picking, we pick the correct item every time because the Latitude system won’t allow us to mispick,” Campbell said.
AFCO Distribution is a wholesale distribution company serving over 400 feed and pet supply retailers in the Pacific Northwest. AFCO Distribution
In addition, inventory is managed much differently. “Previously, we would print out inventory sheets, go out and physically count, then come in and key in the numbers. We did not have our warehouse set up on RF,” said Campbell.
He explained that Latitude supports radio-frequency (RF) barcode scanning, which makes it easier for workers to find and pick items. Its automated verification also reduces errors by ensuring that the correct items are picked by cross-referencing them with order data.
“Now, being able to do everything on the fly creates significant efficiencies compared to how we used to operate,” Campbell said.
These newly found efficiencies have also enhanced customer relationships through higher levels of trust and confidence in order fulfillment.
“We have our largest accounts doing blind receiving because our accuracy is so good,” said Campbell. “They don’t need to check our goods; they just
receive them into their systems.”
Internally, Latitude provides insight into metrics around picking rates, error rates, and inventory turns, which can be used to track worker performance and adjust workflow processes, or provide training as needed.
The smart warehouse of the future AFCO continues to explore new ways to leverage Latitude WMS, specifically with measuring employee performance and considering more advanced capabilities like voice picking and wearable technology in place of handheld scanning devices.
“For voice picking, you can free up your workers’ hands and also give instructions in their language of choice,” noted Campbell. “With wearable technology, it’s not hard to envision a future where workers use devices like smartwatches or wrist scanners that automatically identify when items are pulled. These devices could sync with the warehouse management system for
live updates on inventory counts and item locations.”
While these are features to explore in the future, the good news is that AFCO has already seen a return on investment (ROI) from the Latitude system.
Campbell said he expected that it would take approximately three years for Latitude WMS to pay for itself and for long-term benefits to be realized. He and the rest of the executive team were pleasantly surprised to see a more expedited ROI.
“We were able to pay for Latitude after the first year,” Campbell said. “We were fortunate to have Latitude already implemented when COVID hit. There is no question in our minds about how much Latitude helped support our business growth during the pandemic, which was a very trying time for a lot of people. Without this technology, I don’t know how our business would’ve kept going. After that first year, it was a nobrainer that implementing Latitude was the right move.” AW
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Making a splash
The Royal Society’s motto, ‘Nullius in verba,’ translates literally to ‘no one’s words.’ It is taken to mean ‘take nobody’s word for it,” interpreted as verify all statements by experiment. The Society has published many impactful scientific advances over the course of its near 400-year history. It is some serious stuff. Newton’s theory of light and color, Watson and Crick’s structure of DNA, Hawking and Penrose’s work on black holes, and more were all published by the Royal Society. It was not a Society noted for frivolity. “Mastering the Manu — how humans create large splashes” is the rare Royal Society publication that brought a smile. While not likely to win a Nobel Prize, it is fun. Making a splash is what the sport of manu jumping is about. Olympic diving competitions focus on the splash too, with the goal being no splash. Manu is the opposite. The biggest splash wins. Olympic diving is subjective. Manu is far less subjective. MANUTECH determines the score using video to measure splash height. Jumps are captured and a freeze frame used to measure the height. Only in the finals is any subjective scoring added. Noise matters too. Sound is measured by an underwater microphone. The louder the better.
Manu jumping is a New Zealand sport, developed in Māori and Pasifika communities. It dates back only to the 1990s but now is a national pastime with international reach (thanks to the internet). It was posted videos that prompted the researchers to investigate.
Manu jumpers can thank the Worthington jet, the name for a
Technical Thinking
By Mark Jones
phenomenon we’ve likely all seen but didn’t know it had a name. An object falling into a liquid carries with it a pocket of air. When the inflow of water as the pocket collapses creates a column of liquid that is propelled upward. That is the Worthington jet. It is much larger than the crown splash, the initial splash outward when the object first contacts the liquid. Thanks to the Worthington jet, jumpers from 5 meters can make splashes more than 10 meters high.
Researchers made robots that simulated the motions of manu jumpers. Their research determined that the motion of the jumpers in the air to position the body and movements under water both contribute to maximizing the splash. (In addition to the size and weight of the jumper.)
The researchers found that hitting the water butt-first in a V-position at an angle of about 45° was important. Even more important was the timing and execution of stretching out under water. Stretching out makes a larger air cavity. A larger air cavity makes a bigger Worthington jet. Stretching out too early releases the air cavity before it completely develops.
Straightening out too late, and the cavity has already started to collapse, weakening the splash. Milliseconds matter.
Thanks to the research, there is now a blueprint for maximizing splash height. The trial and error of the early contests, with a variety of approaches, are now well behind us. There is now a correct way. It also shows that mastery of form and action are still required. I liken it to many other sports that have been put under the proverbial microscope, like golf. Knowing the right way to manu jump is no guarantee of success any more than knowing what a perfect golf swing looks like. Execution is still required. I hope manu jumping spreads; only through wide adoption will it ever make it to the Olympics. Looking at the videos, it is a far more fun event than competitive diving. Pool weather is gone here in Michigan. I’ll have to wait until next summer for my testing of the results. DW
