Smart Machines & Factories

Smart Machines & Factories spoke to Nikhil Dixit* to explore the potential benefits of using super-duplex stainless steel in additive manufacturing (AM).

Comau has announced it will be exhibiting a vast portfolio of smart manufacturing solutions at the Automatica Sprint digital trade event, held online from June 22nd to 24th.

In the lead up to UN climate summit COP26, The Royal Society is partnering with not-for-profit organisation Primary Engineer- and their new project STATWARS - to help primary and secondary pupils across the UK develop their data skills and investigate climate change.

For manufacturing companies looking to revolutionise their responsiveness to customer spare parts demand, 3D printing opens up compelling opportunities.

BCA reports it is harnessing the power of robotic process automation (RPA) to streamline back office activity, drive quality and improve customer service.

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

The FLIR A500f and A700f Advanced Smart Sensor ruggedised thermal cameras feature high-temperature detection for extreme environments paired with on-camera analytics and alarm capabilities – said to be ideal for industrial early fire detection or outdoor condition monitoring applications.

Replique, a Mannheim based venture of the BASF business incubator Chemovator, announces a partnership with Miele, a German premium home appliance manufacturer. Under the terms of the partnership, Replique receives the exclusive right to produce and ship high-quality 3D printed accessories from Miele using its decentralized production network. Miele can now launch new products with Replique's 3D printing platform. Thanks to the capability for digital storage and on-demand production, Miele is granted the flexibility to provide customers new accessories quickly and cost-efficiently from a batch size of just one. With Replique’s end-to-end solution, Miele benefits from an easy process integration that connects existing ordering and e-commerce solutions, automatic order processing and expert knowledge in industrial grade 3D printing.

HMS Networks has announced it has launched a new IR-based Intesis AC interface that enables integration of any Air Conditioning unit, regardless of brand, into Modbus or BACnet Building Automation Systems.

Made Smarter has surpassed a major milestone of funding 200 technology projects to help manufacturers boost productivity and growth using digital tools.

Using robots to make offshore infrastructure inspection and repair safer is moving a step closer following the injection of £2.5 million of further funding from UK Research & Innovation (UKRI).

Comau partnerss with Heidelberg University to study new application areas for wearable robotics within industrial environmemnts.

The energy markets are now much more than an obscure and speculative playground for a few specialised traders. The European legal framework is developing towards more free trade and the attitude of professionals and consumers towards markets is also changing.

Stratus Technologies, a leader in simplified, protected, autonomous Edge Computing platforms, has announced that Schneider Electric has released EcoStruxure Micro Data Centre architectures standardised on Stratus Edge Computing platforms to accelerate the move of traditional data centre capabilities to the factory floor.

Leading machine builders estimate that 20% of their revenue will come from digital services in 5 years. What’s your vision and plan?

The 2021 “Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Robotics & Automation” (IERA) has been awrded to PixelPaint technology of ABB. Two high-precision robots make car painting faster, more sustainable and flexible – helping manufacturers to efficiently respond to individual demands. Two-tone and customised designs are applied in one pass. The technology eliminates overspray benefitting the environment.

Moxa has announced it has added the SDS-3016 Series to its Red Dot award-winning product family. The new addition includes Gigabit uplink, eight additional ports, and an easy-to-configure Industrial Automation (IA)-profile that allows automation engineers to quickly process the increasing amounts of data within the smart manufacturing industry.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has set up the Global Lighthouse Network — a group of 69 factories that form a shining example of superior technology integration and optimised processes.  With the fourth industrial revolution well underway, facilities other than Lighthouse factories must also invest in equipment that can bring them up to speed. Here, Stewart Goulding, managing director at precision drive system supplier, Electro Mechanical Systems Ltd, explores how powerful and high precision micromotors can advance automated equipment.

Christian Bergdahl, product marketing manager at HMS Industrial Networks, a member of the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA), explains why the technology is a gamechanger and how the company is getting ready to launch its first TSN compatible products.

Neil Bellinger, head of EMEA at automation parts supplier EU Automation explains how to achieve intelligent automation by combining process automation with artificial intelligence.

The Scalance MUM856-1 – the first industrial 5G router from Siemens – is available now. The device connects local industrial applications to public 5G, 4G (LTE), and 3G (UMTS) mobile wireless networks. The router can be used to remotely monitor and service plants, machines, control elements, and other industrial devices via a public 5G network – flexibly and with high data rates. Demand for this type of solution is growing in industry. In addition, the device can be integrated into private 5G networks. The Scalance MUM856-1 therefore supports future-oriented applications such as mobile robots in manufacturing, autonomous vehicles in logistics or augmented reality applications for service technicians. Thanks to a robust IP65 housing, the router can also be used outside the control cabinet, for example under harsh conditions in production or in outdoor facilities in the water industry.

Whenever "Big Data" is mentioned, most people think of social media or the analysis of customer behaviour in online commerce. However, strategic data analysis is also gaining momentum in the production environment.

 In a new report on the warehouse automation service market, research company Interact Analysis has revealed that soaring growth in the warehouse automation equipment market is causing parallel growth in the market for service contracts – worth $4.3bn in 2020 and projected to grow to $8.7bn by 2025.

Big data is transforming a variety of sectors, ushering them into the era of Industry 4.0. However, having access to raw data and knowing what to do with it are at completely different ends of the digitalisation spectrum.

Companies who have had the ability to diversify their product offerings over the last twelve months have reaped the benefits by having a serious competiive advantage, but why are so many manufacturers struggling to adapt? Martyn Williams explains.

Greg Wainhouse, field segment manager for Water at Bürkert explains how to optimise process control integration.

Barry Weller, Solutions Marketing Manager – OEM at Mitsubishi Electric, looks at how to identify what type of robot best suits your application and how to integrate it.

Jon Divers, customer service director, Jungheinrich UK considers the creation of a smart workforce and the evolving skillset for the material handling and logistics engineers of tomorrow.

Optima Automation has announcd it has recently completed a comprehensive system to assemble blood collection tubes, including the dosing of additives.

ABB has announced it has launched a new condition monitoring digital service and says it is tailor-made for predictive maintenance of conveyor belts

As the economies reopen from the pandemic, Asia, Europe and America adjust their robotics research funding programs (R&D). What are the targets of the officially driven government programs today? This has been researched by the International Federations of Robotics and published in the 2021 update paper of “World Robotics R&D Programs”.

Paessler AG, an IT monitoring specialist, has announced a partnership with Rhebo to provide joint customers with all-round monitoring of their IT and OT environments.

SME manufacturers, supported by Made Smarter in their drive to digitalise, are up-skilling over 1800 workers to create the teams of tomorrow.Smart Machines & Factories reports.

Innovative automation projects for manufacturers 

Robot Shuttles are not Robotaxis, Explains IDTechEx

The time to market for automation system design and development has reportedly decreased by up to 80% for a control technology specialist following the introduction of a comprehensive electrical system design package.

Tork, an Essity brand, is launching a new guide to “kaizen” that aims to help businesses implement a culture of continuous improvement. Kaizen is the Japanese management theory which advocates that all employees be engaged in the improvement of a business. It offers important learnings for industries looking to increase productivity and is further supported by a new study among machine operators.

Everyone’s talking about Industry 4.0 nowadays. It’s a hot topic for society, politics and the economy. But what about digitisation in metal-working companies? What does it mean for joining technology with its various welding processes? What is the impact of digital networking on systems and components and how do companies stand to benefit? The focus here is on cost effectiveness and competitiveness.

New servo drive technology completes Beckhoff portfolio supporting smaller, modular plant designs 

The UK’s leading manufacturing and engineering event returns for its 12th year, reuniting the supply chain to learn, network, discover and innovate, forging the future across multiple sectors.

Supporting safe and sustainable energy operations through increasing predictability in safety, production time and quality, are at the forefront of a new collaborative agreement, announced recently by global engineering and technology consultancy, Vysus Group.

Some of the world’s biggest companies are coming up with cutting-edge technology such as automated warehousing solutions to streamline all sorts of tasks, from picking and packing to greeting visitors. In this article, Neil Balligner, head of EMEA at automation parts supplier EU Automation, showcases three examples of futuristic, highly automated projects that could inspire the manufacturers of today.

Automation specialist calls on UK manufacturers to strengthen efficiency in their operations 

Arrow’s new services accelerate time-to-production for complex designs with large software element

Vaisala, a  leader in weather, environmental, and industrial measurements, has announced it has introduced an easy-to-install wireless carbon dioxide measurement solution to simplify incubator monitoring and enable cost savings for customers.

Half of manufacturers now have their sights set on digital transformation initiatives to enhance their operational performance as business begin to rebound from COVID-19, according to research from InfinityQS.

IQ Motion Control designs and delivers high performance motor modules for robotic and industrial applications. The company says its proprietary technology was born out of the University of Pennsylvania’s robotics lab and combines unique hardware designs with innovative calibration and control software to achieve high end motor performance at an affordable cost.

CEVA, Inc. (NASDAQ: CEVA), a leading licensor of wireless connectivity and smart sensing technologies, has announced that Sequans Communications, a leading provider of 5G/4G chips and modules for IoT, has licensed the PentaG 5G New Radio (NR) IP to power its upcoming 5G platform.

Sony Europe has announced its IMX500 image sensors with AI processing functionality are at the core of three smart city trials being run by Envision in the municipality of Rome. These are intended to cut the city’s transport-related pollution and accidents at pedestrian crossings.

The need to keep automotive production lines running at their optimum performance requires that the machinery and equipment used in those lines should be doing the same. Smart Machines & Factories looks at at how condition-based maintenance can help make sure that those robots most in need of attention on a factory floor receive the care they need to keep them in good working order.

Unlike many of our European counterparts, the UK has been slow to automate. But a perfect storm of Brexit and Covid-19 is set to fast-track our robotics revolution. Here, David Jahn, director of Brillopak, explains how 2021 is poised to become the year that robotic arms finally replace human hands at food manufacturing sites’ end of line packing operations…

David Bean looks at the fundamental aspects that need to be considered, including suitable system level design, risk management, system intrusion detection and automation platform vulnerability management.

The EPSRC UK Robotics & Autonomous Systems (UK-RAS Network) has announced the inaugural programme for the UK Festival of Robotics – a brand new 7-day celebration set to boost public engagement in robotics and intelligent systems.

Industrial metrology supplier The Sempre Group has partnered with advanced metrology solutions provider DWFritz Automation.

Senseye, a leading industry AI driven asset health management company, has announced the availability of Senseye PdM in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, an online store providing applications and services for use on Azure. Senseye customers can now take advantage of the trusted Azure cloud platform, with streamlined deployment and management.

Wireless strain bridge measurement doesn’t have to be an expensive undertaking 

The new moneo starter kit from ifm electronic reportedly provides everything needed for users to start exploring and enjoying the benefits of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

As the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape for the industrial robot market is undergoing significant change. Automotive is a key sector for the industrial robotics industry due to its size and the high level of automation in the industry.

A pilot project that will enable a digital transformation of monitoring of critical electrical systems at the Gina Krog platform in the North Sea, has begun through the collaboration between ABB and Equinor.

In the words of American author and motivational speaker, Tony Robbins, “complexity is the enemy of execution”.

The future potential of process control systems - By Matt Hale, international sales & marketing director, HRS Heat Exchangers

As the digital transformation of industry continues to advance, Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) could become a must-have for the factories of the future. While this technology offers advanced capabilities able to enhance production, it is not a standalone solution. In fact, TSN is part of the Ethernet standards and still needs upper-level protocols to support industrial automation applications effectively. So what will be the future relationship between TSN and these higher level protocols?

Asite, a leading digital transformation platform, has launched a new report examining the foundations required to build and implement a valuable digital twin.

The companies will manufacture a new and advanced welding robot vehicle for shipyards

Knowing the health of your important assets is critical to achieving production and business goals. Gary Ingram, sales manager for reliability solutions at Emerson, explains how edge analytics devices are helping to simplify the implementation of online monitoring systems.

 Lubrication-free tribo-polymer iglidur I8-ESD enables the cost-effective manufacture of durable special parts with no minimum order quantity