Omron - Motion Control Tips

Omron releases new proximity sensors with enhanced sensing distance and IO-Link

June 10, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Omron Automation Americas, a globally recognized provider of advanced industrial automation solutions, has announced the release of over 2,500 new models of its E2E NEXT proximity sensor series featuring exceptionally long sensing distances and IoT functionality.

Highlights of the new models include an enhanced sensing distance that minimizes target contact during production and IoT capabilities for improved predictive maintenance.

Contact avoidance is essential for maximizing uptime. Seventy percent of unexpected equipment downtime is caused by component failures, of which proximity sensors account for a large proportion. E2E sensors are designed to help manufacturers reduce potential causes of unplanned downtime while benefiting from the sensors’ environmental resistance.

The addition of IO-Link functionality enables the sensors to reduce recovery time by indicating the location and cause of failures. They can also detect warning signs of impending failures and notify users via the network. The combination of IoT capabilities, long sensing distance, and oil-resistant sheathing reduces the risk of sudden equipment shutdowns by a factor of three.

In summary, Omron’s new E2E proximity sensors are:

Stable. The E2E NEXT line’s long sensing distance prevents unexpected equipment downtime caused by target contact, making the continued operations more stable.
Flexible. The extra-long sensing distance makes it possible to solve size-limited applications with smaller form factor sensors.
IoT-enabled. The DC 3-wire models use IO-Link to help identify the location and cause of failures in real time.
Oil-resistant. E2E sensors are resistant to cutting oil, which accounts for approximately 30% of unexpected component failures.
Easy to use. The sensors’ user-friendly design makes it easy to confirm detection status and ensures that your facility can recover quickly without requiring advanced support.

Manufacturers interested in learning more about the features and benefits of the E2E NEXT proximity sensor series can find additional information at automation.omron.com.

Omron donates new design and robotics laboratory to U. of Houston engineering college

May 30, 2019 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

The University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering recently unveiled a cutting-edge laboratory donated by the Omron Foundation, the charitable arm of automation solutions provider Omron in the United States. Designed for electrical and computer engineering students, the lab includes advanced technologies and equipment donated by Omron.

At the lab’s opening ceremony, UH faculty and Omron representatives looked at a variety of senior capstone projects, including a sorting robot and a mobile robotic billboard. The lab contains an area dedicated to senior design projects, which provides real world design experience, helpful for gaining employment after graduation.

“Prospective employers will expect them to speak intelligently about what they worked on for their design project so the experience they gain at this stage is very important,” says Len Trombetta, the associate department chair. “This makes our graduates very marketable because these are skills companies want. We’re grateful to Omron for making this possible.”

Omron Automation Americas President, CEO and COO Robb Black described the importance of preparing today’s students for the latest challenges in engineering and manufacturing. “We want to bring the skills they have learned in school into the manufacturing sector,” says Black. “I think it’s a great way for students to learn real-world technology and apply it once they leave.”

Omron Foundation has been supporting the Cullen College’s electrical and computer engineering students since 2010, when it established the Omron Scholarship in electrical engineering and sponsored a team of students applying their engineering knowledge to real-world industry problems in the Capstone Design course. Omron also provides one-on-one mentoring to UH engineering students.

About OMRON Foundation, Inc.
Founded in 1989, OMRON Foundation, Inc. (OFI) coordinates the charitable efforts of OMRON offices in the US to achieve the greatest positive social impact. The Foundation is funded by OMRON’s subsidiaries in the US, which contribute a portion of sales revenue to the Foundation. The Foundation divides its charitable resources among organizations benefiting education, people with disabilities, cultural programs, health, and other social concerns including disaster relief.

www.omron.com

Omron launches new website with new tools, responsive design

April 12, 2019 By Paul Heney Leave a Comment

Omron Automation Americas has announced the launch of its brand-new website. Featuring several new tools for customers, system integrators and distributors, the website is designed to have a more modern look and feel with a fully responsive layout.

The new website, located at https://automation.omron.com, offers enhanced content that focuses on Omron’s wide-ranging industrial automation solution portfolio. It includes a blog as well as a multifaceted search functionality to improve navigation.

“We are excited to launch our new company website to our customers, investors, partners, media and visitors who are seeking to learn more about Omron’s products and services,” said Robb Black, President and CEO of Omron Automation Americas. “We believe this new site will provide a more worthwhile experience for our visitors as we placed significant emphasis on personalization and self-service.”

Created with user experience in mind, the website’s new tools and functionality include:

OmronNow, a new self-service portal for Omron employees, distributors, system integrators and customers
New blog section discussing industry trends, product highlights and more
Expanded industry and solution sections that addresses pressing challenges
Detailed product catalog with part number listings
Easier Omron software registration
Enhanced navigation with multifaceted search function
Fully responsive design enabling compatibility with all browsers and mobile devices

Visitors are encouraged to explore the new website and stay informed on the latest details about technologies, product launches, events, corporate news and company information.

Omron Automation
automation.omron.com

Controller trends in edge computing and fog computing

March 30, 2019 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

Edge computing and greater connectivity are some of the key trends controller manufacturers are seeing in their industry. Here’s what else they told us they’re seeing in the way of tech trends.

With respect to the IoT and IIoT, what kinds of capabilities do your components or engineered designs incorporate to support functions related to fog computing on local networks?

Lee Cheung
Product Marketing Engineer II (Controller/Visualization)
Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc.

Our iQ-F and iQ-R controllers feature a built-in web server that allows users to access status information, diagnostics, error and operation history from any connected device with a web browser. Advanced GOT2000 HMIs with GOT Mobile functionality offer even more capabilities with web pages that can be beautifully designed with simple drag and drop operation. GOT Mobile is easily configured even without any IT or web technologies knowledge, and can also serve up work instructions, manuals, and troubleshooting videos. Additionally, iQ-R controllers and advanced GOT2000 HMIs can deliver factory floor data directly to upper level IT systems databases.

Mike Chen
Director of Automation Center Americas
Omron Automation Americas

We’ve debuted our latest Sysmac AI Controller as an Edge based controller with machine learning engine embedded. To Omron, Edge is literally inside a machine, with direct access to data values being collected within the machine controller processing time. Data is analyzed within the machine and utilized within the user program without any data needing to go up into the local Fog or remote Cloud based IT infrastructure. We give our customers the option to connect their machine to Fog level SCADA software, in-house custom software solutions or long-term historian databases, but those systems are not required for high-speed high-accuracy anomaly detection on process data to be used for equipment maintenance or productivity optimization. Omron sells a robust line of Industrial PCs that reside on local Fog level networks that can run Omron InduSoft SCADA software, or other Windows/Linux based applications for visualization or batch data analysis.

The Gold Twitter servo drive from Elmo Motion Control delivers over 5,500 W of power and supports EtherCAT or CANopen networking. They weigh just 18 g and are less than 13 cubic cm in volume.

Rodney Rusk
i4.0 Business Leader
Bosch Rexroth Corporation

Fog or Edge computing is common both in our Bosch manufacturing methodology as well as an integral part of many of the connected solutions that we adopt. Like many companies, we jealously guard our data and our knowledge know-how. Thus Fog computing is one methodology that helps us to optimize.

Looking at this from three viewpoints, we find ways to merge technology into a holistic plant ecosystem that feeds the necessary data into our Edge devices and our cloud-based resources.

At the top level, Fog (or Edge) computing to drive localized data analysis, condition monitoring and helping to drive machine learning. Within this sphere we work with such Bosch products as our Nexeed Production Performance Manager, Nexeed Production Quality Manager and Improvidus OEE analysis tools.

In the middle level, we network these tools to smart devices on our manufacturing floor to not only empower our associates with up to date real-time information, but allow for localized data comparisons. One example here would be the utilization of the Active Cockpit in our production rally/meeting areas. Using this tool, we can look at performance from individual machines, compare data sets, set priorities, capture decisions and respond to the needs of our production environment quicker.

Moving down to the lowest level, the actual machine level, by using smart devices such as our MTX CNC controls; our PRC7000 Adaptive Welding Controller or our IoT Gateway devices, we can pull data up through the new or older system to drive continuous improvement. In the case of the PRC7000 Adaptive Welding Controller, we can make-real time decisions to adjust the current voltage being applied to the welding operation and optimize consistent weld spots while reducing material losses.

What edge devices do you supply or support to allow for use of feedback signals or distributed motion control?

Mike Chen
Omron Automation Americas

Our latest Sysmac AI Controller is an Edge based controller with a machine learning engine embedded as well as motion control. We give our customers the option to connect their machine to Fog level SCADA software, in-house custom software solutions or long-term historian databases, but those systems are not required for high-speed high-accuracy anomaly detection on process data to be used for equipment maintenance or productivity optimization.

Rodney Rusk
Bosch Rexroth Corporation

The Bosch Rexroth and Bosch portfolio of products is quite expansive in the amount of manufacturing technology solutions that have feedback capabilities or motion controls resident on the devices. These pieces of equipment represent one example of i4.0 ready products that we produce for the external market and use extensively in our own manufacturing operations.

For example, the IndraDrive XLC combines the performance of Bosch Rexroth drives with embedded logic capability on-board. The product allows for advanced PLC programming using state-of-the-art PLC kernel, IndraLogic 2G, integrated homogeneously into the IndraWorks software tool and the multitasking runtime system. With its motion control functionality, the XLC handles machine applications ranging from simple point-to-point motion to the synchronization of multiple axes that use Rexroth’s FlexProfile to integrate complex motion sequences.

Another example would be the Bosch Connected Industrial Sensor Solution (CISS). The CISS is a multi-sensor device detecting acceleration and vibration as well as environmental conditions. The robust housing and the small outline makes it perfectly suitable for industrial retrofit applications such as condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. Configuring the device lets customers address a broad variety of use cases by interpreting the sensor data by smart algorithms from eight possible inputs such as acceleration, temperature, vibration and humidity.

Describe what you’re seeing in time-sensitive networking (TSN) and its application in motion applications.

Mike Chen
Omron Automation Americas

All Omron motion control capabilities have been standardized on the EtherCAT open network standard, as well as MACRO for specialized OEM applications. Using these high-performance deterministic network architectures, multiple motion devices can be synchronized to create complex electronically coordinated motion profiles, completely re-programmable and simulatable with direct control over torque, acceleration, deceleration, and jerk.

Rodney Rusk
Bosch Rexroth Corporation

Given the strong position of Bosch in the on-board vehicle product segment and the need for time-sensitive networking, the company has a long history as an industry leader. This includes all three areas of time synchronization, scheduling and fault tolerances. Looking back, we can see the development and implementation of early CAN-BUS solutions within these on-board vehicles by Bosch, for example in airbag deployment systems.

One of those areas was the early adoption of CAN-BUS within the Bosch Rexroth DC Tightening Systems, Platform 200 and 220, to provide rapid transmission of torque control data from the DC Tools installed on the line, back to the control panel and line management system. Today, when we look at the current generation of DC Tightening Tools from Bosch Rexroth, we find a high sensitivity to TSN and the improved transmission speeds that have resulted in the Platform 350 and now the NEXO Cordless DC Tool. The ability to provide time-sensitive feedback in an on-going assembly process is critical when dealing with minimal variation windows on safety critical applications like seat secure or restraint installations.

Other examples of our experience in the TNS area can be seen in the full complement of our Controls Product Lines, whether we look at the MTX CNC, the IndraDrive Mi or the MLC PLC products. In each case the use of synchronization modes such as velocity and phase synchronization or standardized motion profile functionality that is built in to the systems have all become second nature to our development teams.

In other areas, when fast absolute position of linear technology applications are required (+/- 4µm/m), such as when small rail deviation needs to be combined with multi-axis interpolation we look at our IMS-A line (Integrated Measuring System). These types of products allow us world-class accuracy of position and allows us to communicate over interfaces, such as Hiperface, SSI and DRIVE-CLiQ.

Shown here is a new RIO-47162 Pocket PLC from Galil Motion Control. It has 64 digital I/Os (40 optically isolate digital inputs and 24 digital outputs) and 16 analog I/O as well as two Ethernet ports. Analog I/O includes an available 16-bit ADC/DAC option or 12-bit standard. The analog I/O is user-configurable for +/- 10 V, +/- 5 V, 0 to 10 V, or 0 to 5 V. DSUBs make for ease of assembly. the RIO-47162 measures 3.88 x 4.65 x 1.3 in.

How does your company ensure interoperability between its offerings and product families?

Lee Cheung
Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc.

Mitsubishi Electric uses a rigorous design and quality review process that includes testing to ensure seamless integration between product offerings. We are uniquely able to maintain this strict level of control because we design and manufacture our own products. This also guarantees that the latest software versions are always compatible even with older hardware regardless of the firmware version, which saves end users and technical support staff a lot of headache.

Mike Chen
Omron Automation Americas

Omron has standardized on open networks such as EtherNet/IP and EtherCAT to ensure the broadest interoperability with different automation devices, while still maintaining the high-performance that our customers expect. Between our own product families, Omron has created a single Integrated Development Environment (IDE) which provides a single interface for configuration, programming, commissioning, and troubleshooting across our core automation technologies: logic, motion, vision, safety, robotics, visualization, and enterprise connectivity.

Jonas Proeger
Trinamic Motion Control

All of our products use the same protocols and interfaces, especially Trinamic’s own TMCL protocol. One of the results is that you can get any evaluation board you want and connect them together using Trinamic’s modular evaluation system. In addition, our components always follow the same partitioning between hardware and software. We equip them with industry-standard interfaces such as SPI, Step/Direction and standard encoder interfaces. A typical setup consists of:

Microcontroller (not Trinamic product)
Motion control IC, that generates ramps and commands current or target position via SPI
Current control part, typically integrated in the motor driver, that generates a PWM-scheme
The actual motor driver

Tomer Goldenberg
Elmo Motion Control

Interoperability of Elmo Motion Control’s servodrives and multi-axis controllers is guaranteed through adequate networking communication. EtherCAT implementation ‘by the book’ is mandatory not only to assure interoperability between Elmo products, but also in order to interoperate with third-party devices. Ensuring high confidence levels of interoperability in terms of fieldbus communication is a result of ongoing efforts to follow strict industry regulations set forth by the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG). Elmo has built an in-house lab with hundreds of I/Os and third-party devices with which it continuously tests every version of its products.

Further, regular delegations from Elmo’s R&D team visit ETG for their European Plug-Fest events, of which the goal is to assure interoperability with other EtherCAT communication devices in the market.

Rodney Rusk
Bosch Rexroth Corporation

Interoperability is one of the great challenges for both the provider and user of manufacturing technology. From our viewpoint, this is best served by not focusing on the individual product, but focusing on the ability of any products to be as scalable, flexible and open to as many “systems” as possible. Thus we try hard not to rely on one type of industrial protocol, for example, and we work diligently to make our products as compatible with non-Bosch solutions.

On a more practical day-to-day level, especially on the manufacturing floor, we have developed solutions that empower the users to bridge technology differences and try to meet the user where they are. For example, the use of our IoT Gateway device, allows us to help bridge the gap between older equipment and pull data into useful analysis tools; and our Open Core Engineering (OCE) software lets the machine programmer program in the scientific language that they are most comfortable with.

Finally at the higher software level, we have taken many of our stand-alone software solutions and have been unifying them under the Nexeed Suite of Software, creating a stackable solution set where we are actively pulling in various software modules (such as our Track & Trace and Intra-Logistics packages). Of course, this is an on-going development that has no real end date; we simply apply our philosophy and drive toward increase interoperability to meet the needs of our clients.

Stepper cDriver Modules from Trinamic Motion Control can control and drive up to six axes standalone, or from a host over UART or CAN interfaces. The manufacturer simplifies programming with CANopen as well as its TMCL motion-control language.

What value-add services (or in-house engineering support) have you provided to an OEM or other customer during the last 12 months?

Todd Mason-Darnell, Ph.D.
Marketing Manager – Services & Safety
Omron Automation Americas

Omron provides automation and safety systems engineering and integration services to OEMs and end users. Combining our in-house engineering resources with a network of certified partners, we support automation and safety engineering at all stages of the machine life cycle.

Jonas Proeger
Trinamic Motion Control

Our business model is selling standard products. Nevertheless, we offer engineering support for key accounts and also design customized board level solutions, if this helps the customer to achieve their goal faster. A typical application is for the development we did for a customer specialized on motorized prosthetics, where we developed a servo drive for the knee joint in an artificial limb. The customer provided the AI algorithms for the kinematics and interpreting the patients’ movements, while we provide the electronics and the software for the motion control.

What are your thoughts on new trends in wireless connectivity and technologies related to wireless power transfer for industrial applications and machine designs?

Lee Cheung
Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc.

We see wireless connectivity being adopted in particular with the use of GOT Mobile functionality on advanced GOT2000 HMIs. This lets maintenance engineers remotely monitor machine status and gives them the flexibility to move around a machine while checking documentation when troubleshooting. Production managers also benefit from being able to monitor production status to ensure that production targets are being met.

Mike Chen
Omron Automation Americas

Omron puts 7% of its annual revenue back into R&D across many technology sectors that is then applied into industrial automation, healthcare, mobility, energy management, and other business units. At this point, the Omron Industrial Automation business has not yet productized any wireless power transfer devices, but has released battery-less wireless push-buttons and wireless Ethernet communication adapters that are available according to regional regulatory compliance.

Tell us about any selector, sizing, or sales software you use or offer to customers and how these tools are changing how design engineering is done.

Lee Cheung
Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc.

Selection tools that we provide for controller products help streamline the process for creating a bill of materials. These tools check to make sure that the system configuration is valid and even take out the tedious work of calculating power requirements.

Mike Chen
Omron Automation Americas

Omron has recently opened up its internal cloud-based Bill Of Material (BOM) generation tool to our customers, abbreviated ONSeT – Omron Navigated Selection Tool. This tool lets design engineers peruse and select Omron products by feature and application needs, identify optional or required accessories, and then add-in their non-Omron line items for a single point proposal generator.

Omron to demonstrate advanced solutions for flexible manufacturing, traceability and more at Automate show

March 21, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Industry-leading automation solutions provider, Omron Automation Americas, will demonstrate a diverse solution portfolio encompassing traceability, flexible manufacturing, human-machine collaboration and more at the upcoming Automate Show in Chicago this April.

Omron Automation Americas, a global leader in end-to-end solutions for industrial automation, will be at the upcoming Automate Show to demonstrate applications for the factory of today and that of the future. Omron’s diverse technologies on display will feature solutions for traceability and flexible manufacturing.

The biennial Automate Show gives attendees the opportunity to see many of the world’s cutting-edge manufacturing technologies in action. Taking place from April 8-11 in Chicago, it provides a key opportunity for Omron to showcase technologies that help manufacturers improve productivity, flexibility, and human-machine interaction.

In booth #8737, Omron will be presenting its Factory Harmony exhibit, a multifaceted display that provides a vision of the manufacturing floor of the future. Each demo in the exhibit is designed to illustrate ways in which machines can collaborate more effectively with humans on the factory floor.

The Factory Harmony exhibit includes a fully integrated vision-guided robotics pick-and-place demo that shows the potential for machines to manage finely detailed work with speed and accuracy as part of a flexible manufacturing system, as well as a traceability demo comprised of laser marking and robotic technologies. Flexibility and traceability are key targets of Omron solutions.

Other robotic solutions on display at Automate include Omron’s TM Series collaborative robot, a flexible solution for human-machine collaboration, and the LD Series mobile robots that move materials flexibly throughout the factory. Both solutions help manufacturers meet growing demands for customization without completely reconfiguring their production lines.

The Omron booth will also feature a demo of its most advanced machine vision technology, as well as its safety product offerings. In total, the Factory Harmony exhibit demonstrates a new standard for human-machine collaboration to help manufacturers enjoy improvements in productivity, efficiency, quality, and worker satisfaction.

Omron Automation

Omron debuts programmable multi-axis controller with fast output speeds

November 1, 2018 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

Motion controller output speeds are reaching an industry-leading 50 µsec/5 axes with the introduction of the new CK3M programmable multi-axis controller from Omron. The company combined motion control capability originally developed by Delta Tau Systems (now part of Omron) with its own advanced design technologies inside a compact and streamlined housing.

Built with the needs of automotive and semiconductor manufacturing in mind, the CK3M controller achieves nanoscale motion control designed to keep production lines flexible enough to accommodate the needs of the future. Both of these industries are facing more complex manufacturing requirements, such as increasingly miniaturized, 3D-structured semiconductor devices and more complex automotive components (both internal and external) that incorporate more diverse materials than ever before. Conventional motion controllers cannot easily handle these needs.

Today’s manufacturing machines – as well as those of the future – require increasingly precise positioning and path control that can be most effectively achieved through the synchronized control of high-resolution encoders, motors and other devices. Whereas conventional controllers can only connect with specified devices, the new CK3M facilitates fully synchronized motion control by providing connectivity to virtually any motor or encoder using EtherCAT and encoder communication protocols.

Machine builders can avoid developing their own controller boards as well as specialized control algorithms to integrate a separate controller for each device when just a single controller is needed for high-speed synchronized control. As an all-in-one control solution, the CK3M significantly lowers the cost of design changes due to the discontinuation of used parts. In addition to the benefits of fully synchronized motion control, the CK3M makes it possible to use ANSI C or an original programming language so that machine builders can create their own control algorithms.

The new CK3M programmable multi-axis controller helps optimize system configuration with its ability to interface with various encoders and motors, providing high-precision synchronous control and increasing machine performance.

For more information, visit www.industrial.omron.us.

FH-Series vision system introduces unique lighting solution for defect detection

October 17, 2018 By Paul Heney Leave a Comment

Omron Automation Americas has developed a unique technology that can automatically detect small defects and subtle changes in color with great sensitivity. It can also simultaneously detect defects with different characteristics.

One of the key technologies in this powerful vision solution is an advanced lighting technology that changes illumination angles, directions, and colors depending on the specific characteristics of the object under inspection. Known as “Multi-Direction Multi-Color” (MDMC) Light, this innovation takes the automation of quality inspections to a whole new level.

The new vision system is designed to meet the growing demands for exceptional quality that are putting pressure on manufacturers to detect all scratches and other defects on products, no matter how small. Furthermore, today’s labor shortages are making it especially difficult to recruit enough visual inspectors to successfully complete all the necessary inspections without automating at least part of the process.

While conventional vision systems have typically been unable to match the capability of the human eye for certain defect detection tasks, the FH series has surpassed this performance threshold with the MDMC Light technology and Photometric Stereo Illumination. Manufacturers can take advantage of these solutions to see small and subtle defects and maintain a high level of inspection quality.

The illumination pattern of the MDMC Light is flexible using the “Scene Switch” functionality incorporated into the software. Even if inspection items are added or modified to meet changes in demand, there is no need to add or adjust illumination. All that is required is a simple change to the illumination pattern.

In addition to the introduction of the MDMC Light, controllers and cameras in the FH series have been upgraded to quantitatively detect and measure minute variances while managing the inspection results. The enhanced controller’s processing speeds are twice as fast as conventional models.

To help with regulatory compliance in pharmaceutical and other industries, the FH-series vision system can store all inspection results without hampering productivity thanks to its fast processing speed and high degree of synchronization with automation systems via a communications network. The results can be stored directly to a database using the machine automation controller over EtherCAT and can be output in combination with inspection image data and key inspection information.

Omron Automation
omron247.com

New Omron NX-Series safety network controller supports two industrial safety networks

September 11, 2018 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

Omron Automation Americas recently developed a new safety controller featuring both CIP Safety and Safety over EtherCAT. The CIP Safety networking protocol has gained popularity among industrial robot manufacturers thanks to its ability to enhance flexibility and facilitate advancements in the industrial internet of things (IIoT). This protocol is now supported by a new version of the NX-series safety controller from Omron Automation Americas.

This addition means that the new controller is the world’s first to support two industrial safety networks – CIP Safety and Safety over EtherCAT (FSoE), a protocol favored for its high-speed response. The controller is optimized to support applications in industries like automotive manufacturing and food factories where a wide variety of products are produced and production lines are frequently modified.

As the largest safety networking protocol, CIP Safety enables communication between nodes such as PLCs, I/O blocks, light curtains and interlock switches. Unique among safety network protocols, it was developed to be network- and media-independent as a fundamental part of its design philosophy. It enhances flexibility by allowing safety and standard control devices to reside on a single network, thereby eliminating the need for purpose-built safety networks.

Flexibility is extremely important as production becomes more globalized and high-mix production becomes the norm. The main challenge of flexible manufacturing is its high level of complexity. The new version of NX safety network controller helps manufacturers introduce flexibility into their production lines while keeping design effort and maintenance time to a minimum. It enables quick and easy safety program design and improves the efficiency of safety management and maintenance.

The new controller is also scalable from large automotive production lines to small parts production lines. With both CIP Safety and Safety over EtherCAT, Omron’s latest solution addresses 40% of the global market’s requirements for safety networking.

In addition to the new hardware, enhancements have been made to the programming and configuration software. Sysmac Studio now offers functions such as automatic programming, safety data logging, online functional test and third-party CIP Safety device connectivity that include industrial robots.

For more information, visit www.omron247.com.

Omron Automation Americas announces award winners

June 12, 2018 By Mike Santora Leave a Comment

Industrial automation solutions provider Omron Automation Americas recently announced the 2017 fiscal year’s winners of the Distributor of the Year award at its FY18 Sales Conference during the week of May 21st. Over 650 persons representing Omron and its channel partners participated in the event, which included new technology presentations, product training, business planning and team building activities.

The Sales Conference was truly an Americas event, with attendees hailing from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and other Latin American countries. The four top-performing channel partners honored at the event represented three different countries and were chosen based on criteria including revenue growth, local engagement, expertise and solution selling.

Mark Sadie, Omron’s vice president of US and Strategic Sales, presented the U.S. awards. “It was great to see two of our larger channel partners embrace the new technologies and channel programs introduced during the past two years and achieve great success in our FY17,” says Sadie. This is why we had co-winners for the US. “It is a standard we believe they will continue to follow and sets a solid example for our other channel partners to follow”.

Winning Distributor: Axis New England (United States)

As a leading automation technology center dating back to 1994, Axis New England provides innovative solutions to manufacturing challenges with a focus on motion control, robotics, and industrial automation. Its staff of over 50 employees are headquartered outside of Boston with an engineering group based in Rochester, New York, and branch locations in both Connecticut and New Hampshire. Axis has been an Omron distributor since 2006.

“Axis is very excited about the success we have experienced with Omron over the past few years,” says Axis New England President Todd Clark. “The partnership is strong, with our teams working well together delivering exceptional value to our automation clients. Omron’s product offering continues to expand and gain further acceptance in the marketplace. Possibly most exciting are the prospects for future growth and success.”

Winning Distributor: Southern Controls (United States)

Southern Controls is a company specializing in automation and control technology that was founded in 1974 in Montgomery, Alabama. “Our partnership with Omron began in 1978, selling basic switches,” says Mark Grooms, the company’s president. “While Omron’s core products are still a big part of our sales success, we have evolved into a total automation solution provider. We have twelve application engineers who support our highly trained outside and inside sales teams, and our success stems from our unique ability to create market share. Omron’s vast product offering, continuous introduction of new innovative products, superior factory support and commitment to the highest quality makes them a perfect partner. We are excited about our future with Omron as we continue to bring the latest in technology and service to our customers, and we are proud and humbled to be named Omron’s U.S. Distributor of the Year for 2017.”

Winning Distributor: Barmex (Mexico)

Barmex provides solutions for power transmission and motion control that allow industrial facilities to function with greater speed and efficiency. It was founded in 1969 as a wholesale company dedicated to importing the best brands and products available on the global market.

In Mexico, Omron has embarked upon an evolution of its sales organization that features its sales partners as a critical and fundamental part of its strategy. According to Mauricio Blanc, Omron’s general manager of Latin America, “partners like Barmex have embraced this evolution by investing in key strategic areas aligned with Omron sales teams while focusing on providing the best automation products and solutions though a value-added service. These partners have seen their efforts pay off immensely, and now Barmex has become the largest distributor in Mexico in 2017. We look forward to continuing this evolution and working with our partners in the coming FY18.”

Winning Distributor: Proax Technologies (Canada)

Proax Technologies is a leading distributor of technical automation products with a focus on providing innovative solutions in the areas of machine automation, motion control and machine safety. It currently has over 100 employees with 11 branch locations across Canada.

“We value our partnership with Omron highly and have invested heavily in supporting their highly advanced technical automation line,” says Stephen Daub, president of Proax Technologies. “We now have proof-of-concept and demo labs in a number of our facilities across Canada along with the technical resources to support them. As Canadian manufacturers continue to evolve to meet global competition, their need to automate is a must. Winning this award substantiates the joint partnership we have with Omron to provide these solutions to our customers. We are excited about the future as Omron continues to bring new and innovative products to the marketplace.”

In Canada, Omron continues to invest significantly in the local market. According to Peter Brouwer, vice president of Omron Canada, “it is because of true business partnerships with distribution partners like Proax Technologies that we are able to provide best-in-class automation products and solutions to our customers. The Omron and Proax teams work closely with each other across the country to make our customers more productive and globally competitive, and to ensure the safety of their employees. The local Omron and Proax teams are closely aligned to provide local technical support to our customers from coast to coast.”

Omron Automation
omron247.com

Motion Trends: Integration, software tools top controller trends

March 23, 2018 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

As machines become more complex, designers are looking for more integrated solutions to simplify overall machine design. So engineers are becoming more savvy about their automation choices, and are seeking solutions that offer better precision and performance all in one package.

And controls manufacturers have heard the message. For instance, Lenze just recently introduced a new safety controller, the c250–S. With the safety controller Lenze brings the whole safety solution into the machine. In combination with the Lenze controller family, the safety controller completes the total solution by adding required safety functions like the safe bus coupler and safe I/O.

The controller follows Lenze’s easy toolchain approach where the safety controller is part of the engineering toolchain for the whole Lenze system. The safety controller is integrated in the PLC Designer, the Lenze engineering tool for PLC programming, and requires no additional software. This makes it easy for machine builders to program the safety functions together with the whole machine application.

Other manufacturers are integrating components and functions while also shrinking their product footprints, another ongoing trend. AMK has developed MultiServo, four axes of motor control and an integrated motion control in the space (and cost) of two drives. With MultiServo, machine builders can make the control of servo axes even more multifunctional, precise, and cost-effective and up to 60 % more compact. The single module is only 130 mm wide, 320 mm high and 230 mm deep.

AMK’s MultiServo line combines four axes of servo motion control into the space of two drives, integrating industrial production and the latest communication technology for IoT/Industry 4.0.

The MultiServo module also has application in robots. Specifically, it is an IP20-based drive bank that has a robotic/motion controller integrated inside. It can control four servo axes configured to match the mechanical system being controlled. The compact design allows a cascade of robots to fit into a single small cabinet. The integrated controller means the robots can be standardized quickly regardless of the mechanical system, providing robust control from any supervising system.

As the AMK MultiServo example shows, robots and other automated vehicles are a growing area for controllers. These automated vehicles are at the front lines of full-automated operation, and many come in the form of mobile robots.

“Omron offers a variety of mobile robots – or Autonomous Intelligent Vehicles (AIV), that are able to carry different functions to help customers in manufacturing as well as warehousing and distribution,” says Greg Dieck, Motion Product Manager at Omron. “For example, in hospitality, they are used to deliver incidentals to guests’ rooms; in food and beverage packaging, they are used to carry raw material inputs to various lines for integration into the final product; and in manufacturing, they are often used to carry sub components to the production line for final assembly. We’ve even seen them used to deliver mail to different departments in large companies.”

Omron’s NJ5 controller features OPC UA compatibility, the industrial communication protocol that enables data exchange between machines and from machine to IT systems, especially useful for IoT or Industry 4.0 applications. It also offers data security through encryption and authentication.

Dieck adds that these AIVs are also used in many different facets of warehousing and distribution. The AIVs can be easily called from different locations to pick up and transport products to different locations within a warehouse.

Software developments also play a big role in controller developments. For instance, Omron has been adding software-based capabilities to its controllers that mean an array of applications can be serviced easily. Specifically, this affects the IIoT and the increasingly networked world of manufacturing.

“Omron launched IO-Link to help monitor and maintain the highest level of production integrity and accuracy,” adds Dieck. “Combined with Omron InduSoft, the company offers a predictive maintenance solution to prevent downtime or costly production stops before they occur.”

The LD robot from Omron is a self-mapping and self-navigating autonomous intelligent vehicle. The mobile robots are fully safety compliant and use an onboard laser and other sensors to detect obstacles in their path and, based on speed of travel, trigger an E-stop to prevent vehicle collision.

They’re also expanding into safe motion over EtherCAT, which will allow control and safety over one wire. Using the latest technologies, Omron offers advanced motion at a high safety level (SIL3), which helps designers with faster set-up time as well as better throughput, all while running in a safe mode.

Other software capabilities include the ability to use the company’s programming software to auto-tune and set-up servos. The software can also simulate the program performance and timing which allows users to calculate throughput on their machine while still in the designing stages and ensure that they are getting the best performance possible.

The company has also created their own sizing software, which lets them account for complex mechanical systems. Customers can export a file from the sizing software and use it to create hardware configurations in the company’s programming software.