Industrial Automation - Motion Control Tips

ISL customizable stepper motors for industrial automation applications

January 18, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

ISL Products Intl. Ltd., leader in value-added manufacturing and engineering services for electronic/electromechanical components, now sells value-added hybrid, permanent magnet (PM) and variable-reluctance stepper motors which meet the exact positioning, holding torque, and repeatability specifications of the broadest array of automation designs. As stepper motors employ the theory of operation for magnets to make the motor shaft turn a precise distance when a pulse of electricity is supplied, they are appropriate in a broad range of high-precision motion control designs. ISL’s brushless stepper motors provide either rotary or linear motion and are controlled by an open-loop system (non-feedback system) to facilitate robust, economical, repeatable, and low-maintenance operation.

ISL’s stepper motors are delivered in frame sizes ranging from NEMA 8 to NEMA 52 (20 mm – 130 mm) and feature a 1.8° (two-phase) step angle. Additionally, 0.9° (two-phase) and 1.2° (three-phase) step angle configurations are available. To ensure OEM’s unique requirements are met, ISL engineers help identify the optimal stepper motor solutions for each application. Included among ISL’s stepper motor customization capabilities are those pertaining to brake, gearhead, torque density, voltage, output speed, encoder/driver, power, current, lead screw/ball screw (linear stepper), all-in-one driver/controller, step angle, phase and pole count, lead wire/connector, shaft configuration and material.

These customizable, value-added stepper motors are commonly used in industrial automation, retail and vending machines, robotics, dispensing machines, 3D printers, machine tools, manufacturing equipment, conveyor and fluid control systems, automated guided vehicles (AGV), packaging, and food processing equipment. They are also specified for ticketing, gambling, labelling, textile, and carving machinery, as well as CNC (Computer Numeric Control) machines and medical devices.

Pricing for ISL’s value-added hybrid, permanent magnetic (PM) and variable reluctance stepper motors is determined based on customer specifications. Samples are available upon request. For more information, visit islproducts.com.

ISL Products Limited offers a comprehensive portfolio of supply chain and logistics management services. For more than 40 years, design engineers and OEMs have relied on ISL’s world-wide engineering sales and support network to deliver innovative and cost-effective solutions to help accelerate time-to-market. Products include audio components, motor and mechanical components, ballasts and power supplies, potentiometers-transformers, cable assemblies, and connectors. The company maintains a network of US sales representatives and is headquartered in Syosset, N.Y.

RHINO PSV dc power supplies from AutomationDirect

January 18, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

AutomationDirect now sells economical PSV series power supplies and universal battery control modules as part of the RHINO DC power supplies lineup. RHINO PSV Value series DIN rail power supplies come in a wide selection of voltage and wattage ranges. 5-V RHINO DC supplies come in 15 and 25-watt ratings with 12-V supplies at 48 W. 24-V DC supplies come in 30, 50, 100, 120, 240 and 480W; and 48-V supplies are rated up to 120 W.

15 to 100-W models (in ultra-compact plastic housings) have efficiency ratings to 89.0% … full power operating temperature ranges from −10°C to +55°C … and are NEC Class 2 / Limited Power Source (LPS) certified.

120 to 480-W RHINO power supplies have a metal housing; provide full power from −10°C to +50°C; and maintain efficiencies to 88.0%. Plus these models have a built-in constant current circuit for reactive loads.

Starting at $32.00, RHINO PSV series DC power supplies are UL/cUL saw, CE approved and have a three-year warranty.

Also added are universal battery control modules (starting at $30.00) that provide uninterruptible 24VDC bus voltage and offer battery protection for over voltage, deep discharge, short circuit and reverse connection. Alarm outputs indicate input, output and battery conditions. For more information, visit automationdirect.com/dc-power-supplies.

In business since 1994, AutomationDirect is a distributor offering thousands of industrial automation products for electrical control systems, including PLCs, operator interfaces, AC drives, motors, stepper systems, sensors, motor controls, enclosures and more. Their prices are typically well below the list price of more traditional automation companies because of their business model and focus on efficiency and the majority of their products are stocked for same-day shipping. Plus, get free two-day delivery on orders over $49; some limitations apply.

Can mechatronics engineering help alleviate the shortage of skilled manufacturing workers?

December 18, 2018 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

If you went to college in the 1990’s or earlier and were interested in engineering, you generally had eight or ten fields of study to choose from:

— Mechanical Engineering

— Aerospace Engineering

— Electrical Engineering

— Computer Science (often included in the Engineering department)

— Civil Engineering

— Industrial Engineering

— Chemical Engineering

— Materials Science Engineering

— Nuclear Engineering

Those of us who landed in the automation industry in the past two decades typically came from either a mechanical engineering or an electrical engineering background. And while both mechanical and electrical engineering programs cover a broad range of topics within their respective fields, there has historically been little overlap between the two.

Case in point: Those of us from the mechanical side were great at calculating forces and inertias but had limited expertise in motor and control theory — much less the practical application of motors and controls to linear or rotational systems. And those of us from the electrical side were great at the hands-on integration of motors and controls, but typically lacked experience in the fundamentals of mechanical design, such as calculating beam deflection or tensile strength. If you found someone who had mastered both fields — mechanical and electrical engineering — they either had many years of experience under their belt, or they had, at some point in their career, been thrown into a “sink or swim” situation and learned out of necessity and self-preservation.

But the silos that were mechanical and electrical engineering programs are changing. There are now engineers coming out of both 2-year technical programs and 4-year degree programs who are educated and ready to hit the ground running with practical experience in mechanics, electrical hardware, electronics, controls, and software. This new, diverse type of graduate is the product of mechatronics engineering: a field of study that first became available in the late 1990s and has seen significant growth over the last decade.

The term “mechatronics” was first coined by an engineer at Yaskawa Electric Corporation, stemming from the combination of mechanics and electronics.

This diagram, developed by Kevin Craig, a leader in the field of mechatronics, shows the diversity of related disciplines that contribute to mechatronics.
Image credit: K. Craig

Mechatronics engineering programs can now be found at community colleges, technical schools, and universities. These programs range from two-year associate degrees or technical certificates with a focus on practical, hands-on training, to four-year degrees that cover everything from engineering theory to hands-on applications, to humanities and social-science courses that will give modern engineers the “soft” skills they’ll need alongside their technical expertise.

Regardless of the length of the program and the type of certificate or degree awarded, one thing the mechatronics engineering curricula all have in common is that they combine mechanical, electrical, and computer science disciplines with hands-on training in software, controls, sensors, and networking to produce students who can effectively work in advanced manufacturing facilities.

Mechatronics engineering is inherently tied to the manufacturing industry, although it also has application in other fields such as surgical robots, aerospace, and even agriculture. In fact, industry leader Siemens sees the need for mechatronics education as such as critical part of manufacturing’s future that it has developed the Siemens Mechatronic Systems Certification Program (SMSCP). This program, which can be integrated into existing programs at schools and universities, provides training and teaching resources to schools and instructors, along with certification for students to ensure they have the necessary competencies for specific job profiles in mechatronics disciplines.

The rise in popularity and availability of mechatronics engineering programs could be a godsend for the manufacturing industry. A recent study by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute found that the US manufacturing labor shortage could equal 2.4 million by 2028. Much of this shortage is attributed to three factors: the retirement of baby boomers, with fewer millennials to take their place; shifting skills requirements, which are increasingly dependent on technical training and technology degrees (although not necessarily four-year degrees); and a misrepresentation of manufacturing jobs, which will require a concerted effort from manufacturers to overcome.

The report from Deloitte debunks the theory that advanced technologies such as automation, AI, and IoT are eliminating jobs. Instead the report finds that more jobs have been created thanks to these technologies. From the report:

For more than two centuries, the manufacturing industry has adopted new technologies and provided new jobs for workers. Today, the industry is experiencing exciting and exponential change, as technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and Internet of Things (IoT) are rapidly changing the workplace. While some predicted that these new technologies would eliminate jobs, we have found the reverse—more jobs are actually being created.

The availability and attractiveness of mechatronics training and engineering degrees can provide a two-fold benefit to the manufacturing industry. First, it can entice students and younger workers to consider working in fields and industries they would not have otherwise considered. And more importantly, it can prepare them for the types of jobs that manufacturers are having the most difficulty filling — those that require a multidisciplinary approach to engineering, marrying traditional mechanical and electrical concepts with practical knowledge of software, motion control, sensors, and networking.

Omnify Software’s Empower PLM software wins LEAP Award in Industrial Automation category

December 13, 2018 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

Earlier this week at the LEAP Awards dinner gala in Costa Mesa, Calif., 11 winners were announced for the first annual awards competition recognizing excellence in engineering design. In the Industrial Automation category, Omnify Software’s Empower PLM Software won the top prize for its use in developing 6 River’s Robot Chuck.

The judges for the award commented that the product was: “Highly innovative and will improve productivity … a great product that will be so helpful to individuals doing picking and packing of the product being shipped.”

The judges for the Industrial Automation category were Bonnie Baker, Consultant, ATW, LLC; Bradford L. Goldense, President, Goldense Group Inc.; Thomas E. Manley, Engineering Manager, Feedall Automation; and Karl H. Schultz, President, Schultz Associates.

Chuck is a warehouse robot built from the same technology and sensors as autonomous vehicles. Omnify Empower, a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Software, was instrumental in developing 6 River’s Robot Chuck. The Chuck Robot, using machine learning and artificial intelligence, leads associates through their work zones to help them minimize walking, stay on task and work more efficiently.

Chuck integrates with Warehouse Management Systems so it can be used in all put-away, picking, counting, replenishment and sorting tasks. Chuck keeps warehouse employees on task by guiding them through the facility through each step of the packaging process. It can glide around the room and also has a touchscreen to help workers locate items. Chuck uses sensors to help detect worker productivity. It’s also been designed to help with employee training.

6 River isn’t worried about eliminating humans and instead believes there is an opportunity to help industries that have a “massive labor shortage” for warehouse suppliers. There aren’t enough people to fill the jobs.

The 6 River System robots offer an intuitive design and guide workers to the correct locations and step them through the picking process at a granular level. The robots can clearly increase worker productivity and picking accuracy. 6 River Systems offering can increase units per hour per employee by 200 to 300 percent. Pricing runs at about $250,000 for 8 robots in the first year and maintenance costs of about $50,000 a year thereafter. 6 River Systems currently has 20 customer sites with a total of more than 200 robots in use. It is the company’s end of year goal to have 600 Chuck robots in use across 40 sites.

The finalists for the Industrial Automation category were:

Cognex; DataMan 470
Littelfuse; MP8000 Bluetooth Enabled Motor Protection Relay
Omron Automation Americas; CIP Safety Controller
Parker Hannifin; Universal Pneumatic Valve Manifold
Protolabs; Farmbot – humanity’s first open-source CNC farming machine
Schneider Electric; EcoStruxure Augmented Operator Advisor
Serapid; Telescopic Jib

The new CC-Link IE TSN — for time-sensitive networking for open industrial Ethernet

December 5, 2018 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

The CC-Link Partner Association (based in Nagoya Japan), the organization promoting the Ethernet-based integrated network CC-Link IE, has announced the completion of the specification for CC-Link IE Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) – a next generation network based on the current CC-Link IE. CC-Link IE TSN was developed to meet future market demands and has added Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) technology, which are additional standards related to IEEE Ethernet, to integrate Operational Technology (OT) and IT while strengthening performance and functionality.

CC-Link IE TSN combines industry leading gigabit bandwidth with TSN to deliver open networking solutions for smart factory construction.

Plus with the diversification of development methods, it has enabled flexible implementation for various types of equipment and also achieved mixed usage of information communications by using Internet Protocol (IP) and control communication technology. It is expected that these will improve efficiency and reduce time for the construction of smart factories using the IIoT. More details of the CC-Link IE TSN specification will be published on the CLPA Members Site.

Click to enlarge.

The CC-Link IE specification was released in 2007 as the first 1-Gbps Ethernet-based open industrial network and has expanded its function and scope of application to motion and safety control after starting from general input-output control. Its features reach a mixture of high-speed and large-capacity control communication (cyclic data) that combines with non-control communication (transient data). The two can coexist thanks to the 1Gbps bandwidth. Furthermore, it is easy to diagnose the cause of network errors. Since it is simple to build not only the system that controls and monitors a production site but also the system that collects and analyzes information on the production site, it is expected to bring benefits to a range of different industries.

But as IIoT systems have progressed to the practical stage in recent years, market demands for utilizing a wide range of devices implementing general purpose Ethernet communication have increased. Moreover, requests for high function motion control equipment and protocol implementation for various types of equipment have increased.

So to meet these demands, CC-Link IE TSN was developed — a network that significantly improves the performance and functions of the current CC-Link IE. Plus it’s increased openness through use of TSN technology.

CC-Link IE TSN includes:

• Flexible IIoT system construction for faster time to market and reduced downtime

• TSN Ethernet communication technology as a time-sharing method; collection of information from end devices by IP communication while securing real-time control communication

• Easier network diagnosis by using general-purpose Ethernet diagnostic tools compliant with SNMP

• Time synchronization of compatible devices, for simpler investigation into problem root causes; supports both 1 Gbps and 100 Mbps

• Top communication performance for best-in-class motion control operation cycle times … of better than 31.25 µsec

• Segregation of high and low performance device communication, for optimized performance on all network stations … and the system as a whole

• Diverse development methods; hardware (ASIC and other device based) and software (protocol stack) development methods

What’s in development for CC-Link IE TSN-compatible products

The detailed specification of CC-Link IE TSN will be released to CLPA partner companies through the website. Those partners who were involved in formulating specifications are considering product development and compatible products are expected to be released from 2019.

Endorsements for CC-Link IE TSN

The CLPA partner companies that have considered development for CC-Link IE TSN compatible product as of November 2018 are listed below. Following are endorsement comments from the Board of Directors and partner companies.

“Recently, industrial networks that control various manufacturing equipment, robots and sensors are expanding rapidly with the demands for visualization of manufacturing processes and production improvement efficiency. We welcome the release of CC-Link IE TSN to achieve more evolution with the integration of IT and control. We will promote provision and development of network connectors and cable assembly products that realize high transmission reliability and robustness, and will support “CC-Link IE TSN” promotion activities globally.” — Akiyoshi Funayama | Senior Manager, Interconnect Sales and Marketing Dept. Electrical Interconnect Solution Division • 3M Japan Limited

“We, Advantech Japan Co., Ltd, believe that CC-Link IE TSN will be the key product to ensure the construction of a flexible IIoT system, which is the basis of the new Ethernet technology and we would like to actively contribute to it.” — Takaaki Furusawa | Director, Industrial-IoT Group iFactory Sector • ADVANTECH Japan Co. Ltd.

“Analog Devices has a rich history of providing industrial communication solutions – from the early days of 4 to 20mA and serial fieldbuses to today’s Ethernet-enabled protocols for the factory of the future. Through this evolution, CC-Link has played a vital role solving customers’ most complex automation challenges. ADI strongly supports CC-Link with a robust portfolio of products that includes a roadmap of Ethernet solutions for CC-Link.” — Brendan O’Dowd | Automation Energy Group, Industrial Automation, General Manager • Analog Devices, Inc.

“Balluff, as a CLPA board member, has supported CC-Link and CC-Link IE for many years. the slogan “Innovating Automation” expresses that we are a specialist in sensor and automation application, offering also solutions beyond the sensor core business. As a leading company in conveying IO-Link Data from intelligent sensors to the control, Balluff is a partner for digitalization and the IIoT strategy of the customers. The CC-Link IE IO-block family gives high-speed data access in nearly any application. Balluff is looking forward to continuing the excellent relationship with the CLPA and will expand the portfolio with new solutions and products.” — Jürgen Gutekunst | Senior V.P. of Mobility • Balluff GmbH

“Hirschmann Automation and Control GmbH is a pioneer in TSN. We’ve helped develop the technology since the early start in the IEEE 802 standardization years ago, and we are excited to see its adoption into the CC-Link IE TSN networks. By using TSN technology, CC-Link IE takes the next step to supporting the applications of the IIoT and the smart factory of today and tomorrow. Hirschmann Industrial Ethernet Switches provide extremely high synchronization quality and high-precision transmission functions and we are looking forward to enable CC-Link IE TSN networks with the TSN portfolio.” — Oliver Kleineberg | Global CTO Core Networking • Hirschmann Automation and Control GmbH (a Belden brand)

“Cisco supports digital transformation that brings creative disruption to business. CC LINK IE TSN serves as a robust platform that helps manufacturing customers digitalizing their systems … by integrating OT and IT at factories and promoting data trading, which will lead to creating business value.” — Kazuhiro Suzuki | Chairman • Cisco Systems G.K.

“CC-Link IE TSN, which enables high-speed I / O communication and information data transmission at the same time, will provide a lot of value to customers. We welcome this release and will contribute to the promotion of CC-Link IE TSN through product development and sales.” — Hiroyuki Mizuno | General Manager, Network Engineering Department, Components Business Division • CKD Corp.

“CC-Link IE TSN is a breakthrough in interoperability and performance in network technology. Cognex vision sensors help automate the manufacturing process and communicate critical Industry 4.0 data. The flexibility of this network architecture will make it easier to collect this data by a variety of existing data management, diagnostic, and monitoring systems. In addition, the high speed, high precision synchronization feature enables advanced vision – motion solutions leading to improved productivity. Cognex sees CC-Link IE TSN as a significant advancement in network technology that will help create smarter factories.” — Justin Testa | V.P. of In-Sight Business Unit • Cognex Corp.

“CC-Link IE TSN is a major innovation that evolves machine tools and robots. We expect that with the integration of motion control and the combination of TSN technology support with Contec’s IPC and IIoT solutions, it would bring new value creation to customers.” — Katsutoshi Fujiki | President and CEO • CONTEC Co. Ltd.

“We have had a close partnership with the CLPA since we started to develop the first CPV valve terminal with the CC-Link fieldbus in 2001. During the development of these and following products like CC-Link for CPX and CTEU, we’ve received excellent support from the CLPA Testing Center and also from CLPA who helped us to establish the network in Asia between the subsidiary there and the colleagues in Japan, Korea, China. We’re pleased that based on increased demand for the next generation gigabit-capable fieldbuses we’ve started a CC-Link IE Field project. We know we can also count on good cooperation and support in this project.” — Lale Hübner | Product Management IO Terminals • Festo AG & Co. KG

“I am very pleased about the completion of the CC-Link IE TSN specification. As IIoT is becoming common in manufacturing industry, this network based on TSN technology will play a key role in accelerating use of IIoT. Fortinet continues to support efforts conducted by CC-Link Association and contribute to industrial security.” — Kubota Norio | Country Manager & VP Sales for Japan • Fortinet Japan K.K.

“Hilscher is one of the key technology suppliers for industrial communication solutions. We have been supporting the CC-Link technology portfolio over the years, following up with the innovative standards CC-Link IE and CC-Link IE Field Basic. Therefore, it is a must for us to stay on track with this success story for CC-Link IE TSN within the Product portfolio. With this new technology we see the enablement of devices for IIoT, with Sensor to Cloud Communication.” — Sebastian Hilscher | Division Manager, Development • Hilscher Gesellschaft für Systemautomation mbH

“HMS Industrial Networks, world leading provider of connectivity solutions to the automation industry, is taking the next step to provide industrial grade communication from factory floors all the way to Enterprise and IT levels worldwide. With the announcement of CLPA’s latest network at SPS/IPC/Drives 2018, we are excited to continue the journey together … which began with the collaboration on reliable Anybus products enabling communication for CC-Link and CC-Link IE Field. This collaboration between HMS Industrial Networks and CLPA has been a great success and will continue to be so.” — Christian Bergdahl | Product Marketing Manager • HMS Industrial Networks AB

“We are pleased to see that the market-leading software development toolchain IAR Embedded WorkbenchⓇ for Arm has been selected as a reference tool for enabling CC-Link IE TSN because of verified sample protocol stacks from various companies. We believe that this joint activity will help to expand the industrial network market as well as boost the use of the powerful toolchain.” — Kiyofumi Uemura | APAC Director & Japan Representative Director • IAR Systems

“As the trend of IIoT expands globally, we welcome the release of CC-Link IE TSN, which will be expected to spread globally with the collaboration with other industrial networks. We will contribute to the expansion of CC-Link IE TSN through compatible product development and sales of network equipment, code reader and switching devices.” — Hiroki Matsumoto | General Manager, Automation Solutions, Products & Markets Strategy Division, Sales & Marketing Headquarters • IDEC Corp.

“MESCO is a partner for innovative software and hardware development in the field of process and factory automation with unique knowledge in industrial communication, functional safety and explosion protection. CC-Link IE TSN fulfills high performance requirements for industrial communication. CC-Link IE Safety enables the technology for safety critical implementations. A MESCO CC-Link Software Development Kit makes the technology available and facilitates development. The kit includes CC-Link IE TSN Stack, CC-Link Safety IE Stack, evaluation board for safe and non-safe applications. Additionally, MESCO provides coaching and service for customized hardware and software development with use of CC-Link IE TSN SDK.” — Peter Bernhardt | Head of Sales & Marketing • MESCO Engineering GmbH

“We have been supporting CC-Link and CC-Link IE for many years, as well as developing and selling a variety of FA products and proposing FA Integrated Solutions e-F@ctory. We will adopt TSN technology … which will become the mainstream of future industrial networks as soon as possible … and will lead to the expansion of CC-Link IE TSN. We will contribute to the development of the FA industry by providing solutions using CC-Link IE TSN.” — Takayuki Tsuzuki | General Manager, FA Systems Div. • Mitsubishi Electric Corp.

“CC-Link IE TSN realizes high-speed computing, motion control and visualization that integrates IT and OT to accelerate the construction of the IIoT. We will also contribute to the popularization of CC-Link IE TSN through product development and collaborations such as network I/O, safety system and edge computing related products.” — Riky Comini | Director, Industrial Automation, Transportation and Industrial Solutions • Molex Inc.

“We believe that expansion of CC-Link IE TSN will more strengthen cooperation of existing IT and FA, and bring new business opportunities to both industries. We will not only enhance interoperability and security of IT and FA systems, but also promote technological development enabling wireless CC-Link IE TSN.” — Yoshimitsu Okayama, Digital Platform Division, Senior Manager • NEC Corp.

“We are focusing the attention on CC-Link IE TSN as one of the core networks of the future. We will consider development of stepping motors/actuators that will lead to CC-Link IE TSN as the control for networks that contribute to the construction of IIoT systems.” — Ryuta Sugimoto | Chief Product Planning Department Sales Headquarter • ORIENTAL MOTOR CO. LTD.

“As the trend towards implementing the IIoT is accelerating, network compatibility is strongly needed for control devices. We will develop CC-Link IE TSN compatible products for sensing and safety products and contribute to IIoT for FA industries.” — Jun Kasugai | General Manager Product Planning Department Sensing Division • Panasonic Industrial Devices — SUNX Co. Ltd.

“Industrial networks are one of the most important technologies in the digitalized Factory Automation industry. CC-Link IE TSN is a leading-edge technology that integrates control and system networks, and Renesas sees this technology as a key driver for the evolution of the industry. Renesas has been providing products supporting the CC-Link Family and we plan to continue to expand the line up to support the next- generation standards.” — Yuji Mori | Director, Industrial System Solution Department, Industrial Automation Business Div. of the Industrial Solution Business Unit • Renesas Electronics Corp.

“As a CLPA board member, we plan to manufacture CC-Link IE TSN compatible products that will offer real-time extensions supported by world standard technology. Pro-Face HMIs are planned to be part of an extensive line up of compatible products.” — Minoru Yoshida | Strategy & BD Director • Schneider Electric Japan Holdings Ltd.

“SecurityMatters has over 15 years of experience ensuring mission-critical industrial cyber-resilience. We have a proven track record of protecting industrial environments from undetected threats, process flaws and maintenance issues. In this context, CC-Link IE and CC-Link have always been vital components. The secure, open, and complete specifications have allowed the most advanced network analysis. This enables better cyber protection and preventative maintenance of complex industrial automation networks. CC-Link IE TSN will provide a strong foundation for Smart Factory applications and Industry 4.0. On this solid foundation, we will work together to develop even better protection capabilities.” — Damiano Bolzoni | Chief Executive Officer • SecurityMatters B.V.

“SMC welcomes CC-Link IE TSN. We will contribute to disseminate CC-Link IE TSN by product development and sale of it in the market. We cultivate advanced technology trusted by customers, and strive to develop products that meet customer needs.” — Fumio Morikawa | General Manager, Product development division • SMC Corp.

“As global trend of smart manufacturing using IIoT is accelerating, we expect CC-Link IE TSN from Japan will bring customer productivity and profitability to a new level. ZUKEN ELMIC has been actively developing products ranging from protocol stacks to software packages, based on networking, video streaming technology, and CC-Link as well. We will continue active marketing and development efforts on CC-Link IE TSN.” — Takashi Fujii | General Manager, Development Division • ZUKEN ELMIC INC.

“With the CC-Link IE TSN support for the STM32 family, developers of CC-Link IE devices have access to the industry’s most popular variety of Arm Cortex -M core microcontroller to accelerate Industrial IoT development with optimized cost and higher flexibility.” — Paolo Oteri | Director, Microcontroller & Digital ICs • STMicroelectronics K.K.

The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) is an Intl. organization with over 3,400 member companies worldwide. The partners’ common objective is promotion and technical development of the family of CC-Link open network technologies, helping their joint customers reach their integrated manufacturing aspirations. The CLPA organization is the driving force behind developing new standards in industrial communication while also supporting the device development activities of its members as well as certification of those devices. For more information, visit am.cc-link.org.

Lenze Group update: Revenue figures, technology releases, and focus on digital services

December 1, 2018 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

Lenze Group has continued its course of growth for 2017/2018 and exceeded key financial targets. Group revenue increased in the reporting year by 9.2% to a new record of EUR 741.0 million, far surpassing original expectations. Organic revenue growth, adjusted for currency effects, amounted to 11.2%. Operating results (EBIT) also reached a new high, rising by 12.3% to EUR 65.7 million. The EBIT margin rose to 8.9%. Net income grew by 21% as a result of a favorable tax ratio performance.

Building on decades of mechatronics experience, Lenze is bolstering its position as a global systems partner for integrated machine automation as part of implementing its 2020+ strategy … largely through scalable hardware.

The Mechatronics and Automation Systems divisions are benefiting from the company’s growth momentum. The revenue of the digital division likewise developed positively in the reporting year. Setting the pace in global factory automation, Lenze has a considerable competitive advantage with its two subsidiaries:

• the Bremen CPQ specialist Encoway

• the software company Logicline based in Sindelfingen, Germany

These subsidiaries let Lenze provide digital services and solutions along the entire value chain … for Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT) functionalities — such as remote and predictive maintenance, big data management and analytics, virtual reality, and working with digital twins.

Lenze also invested in developing global sales — and focused sales activities on five high-growth sectors: automotive, consumer goods, converting and printing, intralogistics, and textiles. In these industries, the company can effectively implement application competencies for production processes. In fact, over the last fiscal year Lenze has completed more than 1,000 customer projects.

In terms of product development, the company has been pursuing a platform strategy to accelerate innovation cycles, boost market penetration, and support cost-effective design for lean production. Case in point: i500 frequency inverters and i950 servo inverters (launched this financial year) enable consistent automation platforms.

Lenze saw the greatest absolute revenue growth in Europe. With a sales increase of 18.6%, Asia recorded the largest rise in percentage terms … and strong sales in the U.S. continued. Lenze also increased profitability with strong revenue growth. Operating result (EBIT) rose by 12.3% to EUR 65.7 million, reaching a new high. The EBIT margin increased to 8.9%. The return on capital employed (ROCE) grew in the financial year 2017/2018 by 1.2 percentage points to 23.5% (previous year: 22.3%).

All in all, the Lenze Group generated a gross cash flow from operations of EUR 62.3 million (previous year: EUR 56.1 million) – prerequisite for financial strength and stability. The company therefore has sufficient scope for investment. At the Extertal location in North Rhine- Westphalia, for example, a major future project for Lenze is currently being developed with the Mechatronic Competence Campus (MCC). Overall, the company will be investing approximately EUR 50 million in the location until planned completion of the new mechatronics campus in 2020.

Equity capital also improved. With a balance sheet total of EUR 483.1 million, equity capital amounted to EUR 321.3 million (previous year: EUR 299.0 million). This corresponds with an equity ratio of 66.5% compared with 64.1% in the previous year. In addition, the Lenze Group has net financial assets totaling EUR 63.0 million (previous year: EUR 59.4 million).

The Executive Board considers Lenze to be very well-positioned, both strategically and financially, “We want nothing less than to set the pace for global factory automation and to be at the very front of shaping digital transformation,” explains Chair of the Executive Board Christian Wendler. Wendler expects moderate growth for the financial year 2018/2019. “We are pursuing the growth strategy and investing disproportionately in sales channels, R&D, and digital services.”

Lenze reaffirms its intention to increase its revenue to EUR 850 million by the financial year 2020/2021. The automation specialist is more aiming for the one billion mark by leveraging the opportunities of digitalization in the years to come.

	2017/2018	2016/2017	Change
Revenue in EUR millions	741.0	678.3	+9.2%
EBIT in EUR millions	65.7	58.5	+12.3%
EBIT margin in %	8.9	8.6	+0.3% points
Return on capital employed (ROCE) in %	23.5	22.3	+1.2% points
Gross cashflow in EUR millions	62.3	56.1	+11.1%
Investment in EUR millions	22.4	11.5	+94.8%
Equity ratio as %	66.5	64.1	+2.4% points
Net financial assets in EUR millions	63.0	59.4	6.1%
Employees as at 30.04.2018	3,715	3,457	+258 (+7.5%)

Lenze presents other information about its business operations for specific groups via 30-second multimedia clips at annual-report.lenze.com.

New Physik Instrumente reference on precision motion control and positioning systems for electronics manufacturing

December 1, 2018 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

PI’s new brochure gives an insight on advances in standard and custom motion systems designed to satisfy the needs of industrial test, inspection, and manufacturing engineers in the electronics and semiconductor industry.

With decades of experience in the semiconductor market, the technological diversity and the high vertical range of manufacturing enables PI (Physik Instrumente) to offer motion systems that address the needs of OEMs, integrators, and end users and react flexibly to changes in the market. PI’s new brochure contains examples of high-performance systems for different productions steps, including piezo based nanopositioning systems, air bearings, beam steering systems, XY and XYZ gantry stages, granite-based multi-axis systems, parallel-kinematic hexapods, fast silicon photonics alignment systems, and high-end industrial motion controllers with EtherCAT connectivity.

Applications include aligning fibers and optical components; tactile and optical testing of electronic devices; processing large printed circuit boards; inspecting complex structures; and placing components and tools.

Download the brochure at this deep link on pi-usa.com.

PI has in-house engineered solutions with more than decades of experience working with customers to provide products that meet application demands … and can quickly modify existing product designs or provide a fully customized OEM part to fit the exact requirements of the application.

EtherCAT Technology Group now offers vendor-independent diagnosis interface

December 1, 2018 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

The EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) has specified a new vendor-independent diagnosis interface, which allows third-party tools to access diagnostic information from EtherCAT networks. The software-based interface can be implemented in controllers offered by any device manufacturer, which makes it an interesting feature to vendors of both master devices and diagnostic tools.

Diagnosis is one of the most important functions of a modern fieldbus system. EtherCAT provides extensive diagnostic information both at the hardware and software levels. One EtherCAT feature is the ability to detect errors and precisely locate them.

This includes bit errors as well as issues generated by loose connectors. The corresponding error counters are supported by all network slave devices.

It’s functionality that helps users, machine builders and system integrators ensure the robustness of EtherCAT networks … and reduce machine downtime to the absolute minimum. Plus diagnostic routines test the quality of the communication and help easily detect internal errors in slaves, wrong cabling order, damaged cables or EMC interference.

The diagnosis interface enables master-independent access to EtherCAT diagnostic data.

ETG has specified this user-friendly, vendor-independent diagnosis interface so that third-party diagnostic tools can work with any master implementation. No hardware changes are necessary, since an EtherCAT master is software-based, as is the interface. The interface is easy to implement with a small software footprint, so it is even suitable for embedded devices with limited memory.

The standardized interface allows access to EtherCAT network diagnostic information for both hardware and software. Through the information provided by this new interface, diagnostic tools or HMIs can retrieve the EtherCAT network topology information, compare it with the expected configuration and detect communication interruptions and disturbances, as well as unexpected state changes.

The specification ETG.1510 “Profile for Master Diagnosis Interface” enhances the “EtherCAT Master Classes” specification and extends the EtherCAT Master Object Dictionary already defined in the “Modular Device Profile” specification. Likewise, the access mechanism makes use of the already specified Mailbox Gateway functionality. Based on already existing standards, the new profile is therefore easy and straightforward to implement.

The EtherCAT Technology Group is an organization in which key user companies from various industries and leading automation suppliers join forces to support, promote and advance the EtherCAT technology. With over 5,000 members from 65 countries the EtherCAT Technology Group has become the largest fieldbus organization in the world. Founded in November 2003, it is also the fastest growing fieldbus organization. For more information, visit www.ethercat.org.

Beckhoff intros EtherCAT G for next-level gigabit performance

November 30, 2018 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

Beckhoff Automation’s new EtherCAT G gigabit communication technology takes EtherCAT performance to the next level by delivering the Gbit Ethernet speeds needed to support highly data-intensive applications. The latest industrial Ethernet technology expansion is not only compatible with the globally established 100 Mbit/sec EtherCAT standard, but also provides the same familiar ease of use. In addition, the new branch controller model for EtherCAT G enables efficient operation of multiple network segments in parallel.

EtherCAT G supports standard Ethernet transmission rates of 1 Gbit/sec; its EtherCAT G10 counterpart, already introduced as a proof-of-concept technology study, is even faster with data rates of 10 Gbit/sec. The sharp increase in transmission rates beyond the standard 100 Mbit/sec provided by EtherCAT significantly increases the possible data throughput. With propagation delay times through devices as a limiting factor on the one hand, but boosted by the newly introduced branch model on the other, EtherCAT G can deliver a two-to-sevenfold performance increase, depending on the application.

Though it’s not a substitute for standard EtherCAT, EtherCAT G shares the same characteristics, yet achieves even higher transmission speeds without changes to the protocol or the EtherCAT master software. Fully compatible with the globally established EtherCAT standard, EtherCAT G provides the same field-proven capabilities, including built-in diagnostics, high-precision synchronization and, most importantly, unrivalled telegram processing on the fly. It also conforms to the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard.

The high performance offered by standard EtherCAT remains more than sufficient for the majority of today’s applications. EtherCAT G has been developed specifically in anticipation of extremely large-scale applications and greater use of highly data-intensive equipment, such as machine vision cameras, complex motion control systems and measurement equipment operating with high sampling rates.

Branch controller model enhances variety of supported devices and minimizes propagation delay
EtherCAT and EtherCAT G can be combined within a heterogeneous network. This means that EtherCAT G slaves can operate in a 100 Mbit/sec EtherCAT network, and vice versa. In both instances, EtherCAT G equipment falls back to the 100 Mbit/sec rate. With the new EtherCAT G branch controller model, though, EtherCAT branches can be set up to enable the parallel operation of 100 Mbit/sec segments within a 1 Gbit/sec network through a conversion of transmission rates. For instance, the upcoming EK1400 EtherCAT G Coupler can create a branch that steps the data rate down from 1 Gbit/sec to 100 Mbit/sec, making available the wide range of standard EtherCAT Terminals for use as I/Os on an EtherCAT G network. Based on the branch controller capabilities of the EK1400, the 1 Gbit/sec data rate on the EtherCAT G trunk remains unaffected.

Another advantage of the EtherCAT G branch controller system is that it minimizes propagation delays. The new CU14xx branch controller series is designed specifically to interconnect EtherCAT and EtherCAT G segments and enable parallel operation. This setup significantly reduces signal propagation times and, thus, shortens communication and cycle times, because telegrams coming back from a given segment travel straight from the branch controller to the master at the higher transmission rate of 1 Gbit/sec, independent of other network segments.

For more information, visit www.beckhoffautomation.com.

HMI simplifies setup of robot-assisted automation for one integrator

November 12, 2018 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

Integrator Inovatech Automation recently decided they were spending too much time programming expensive HMI and PLC platforms, so contacted Pro-Face America for help.

The integrator needed an HMI capable of universal robot and I/O-Link integration, legal for Inovatech Automation branding, and easy to program.

“I was apprehensive at first because we have a lot of projects going … so timing is short,” said Inovatech director of operations Travis Buset. “More specifically, I had concerns about learning something on the fly — and feared the onboarding experience and programming were going double our time investment.”

Pro-Face America supplied its LT4000M HMI plus Control unit. This hardware reduces costs by eliminating the need for an external PLC. In addition, for Inovatech Automation the LT4000M halved engineering time for configuration; offered easy integration to a Universal robot and IO-Link network; and was delivered with a custom overlay for machine-branding purposes.

Inovatech uses Pro-Face America’s LT4000M HMI plus Control unit on its modular automation station.

Trimming the time for setup was the most important benefit, though.

“Another platform needed two different pieces of software. In contrast, Pro-Face uses one software with drag-and-drop functionality. What once took me 32 to 40 hours to program now takes eight hours on the Pro-Face.” In fact, Buset had one programmed in eight hours his first time trying.

“This a powerful unit and well worth its cost for the level of configuration it allows.” Inovatech estimates it’s now operating 75% more efficiently than before.