Developments

The iTRAK 5730 small-frame intelligent track system can improve throughput in multi- product applications

Food and beverage manufacturers are constantly under pressure to package a wider variety of products in more types of packaging without compromising productivity. Now they can answer these trends while increasing throughput using the new iTRAK 5730 small-frame intelligent track system from Rockwell Automation. The system uses independent cart technology to support smart, flexible and efficient machines. Independent cart technology offers many benefits over traditional gear, chain and belt conveyors, including unlimited machine flexibility, better traceability and increased uptime. By using magnetic propulsion, the individually controlled carts can quickly start and stop with high precision, which reduces machine wear and is highly energy efficient. The technology also quickly manages changeovers using pre-configured move profiles that can be implemented with the push of a button from an HMI. The iTRAK 5730 system has the smallest footprint within Rockwell Automation’s independent cart portfolio. It has a 50 mm minimum pitch that makes it ideal for primary packaging applications, such as flow wrapping, end load cartoning, and form-fill-and-seal pouching. The system also easily integrates into a manufacturer’s architecture, providing analytics that help optimize energy use, monitor parts wear and reduce downtime. “The iTRAK 5730 system extends the flexibility and productivity benefits of iTRAK to meet the growing demand for customized food and beverage products,” said Michaela Kaufmann, iTRAK product manager at Rockwell Automation. “The technology is truly scalable. Your system can have as little as a 50 mm pitch in a small, standalone machine, or be as large as 100 meters and part of a large, complex line.” “We are always exploring ways to enhance our offering and better support our machine assembly, food and beverage manufacturing customers; enabling them achieve their manufacturing and throughput goals without restriction,” added Max Kiah, Independent Cart Technology Sales Manager, Asia Pacific at Rockwell Automation.“The new iTRAK […]

Transforming the Smart Grid with Fibocom 5G modules

Fibocom, a leading provider of cellular embedded wireless module solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), announced in April that its two 5G supported IoT modules, FM150(W) and FG150(W), had completed the first successful data call using an end-to-end data transmission service under a Chinese Standalone (SA) Structured 5G network. Download speeds skyrocketed, exceeding more than 2.5Gpbs under the ENDC mode. 5G is the fifth-generation technology standard for cellular networks. Its objective is to support three generic services with vastly heterogeneous requirements: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), and ultra-reliable low-latency communications (uRLLC). These capabilities make future scenarios more flexible, reliable, and secure when providing diverse services in the intended usage scenarios. Both the Fibocom 5G modules FM150(W) and FG150(W) support 5G standalone (SA) and Non-Standalone (NSA) network architectures, provide an integrated multi-network compatibility with 5G Sub 6 and millimetre-wave bands and work both with LTE and WCDMA standards. This gives customers an edge in harnessing the full power of 5G networks’ faster data transmission, vast network capacity, and ultra-reliable low latency. The applications of Fibocom’s 5G smart modules bring efficient cost-effective advantages to a vast number of industries. In this paper, we will look at the application of these 5G modules in the utility industry, specifically in smart grids. 5G network slicing meets the needs of smart grid effectively The term “Grid” refers to an “Electric Grid” fundamentally describing the complete network which includes transmission lines, transformers, distribution substation and all accessories that are used for delivery of electricity from generation plants to home and commercial scale. These services require a flexible and orchestrated network, high reliability, and millisecond ultra-low latency for its diverse needs. Smart grid systems have provided the possibility of enabling two-way communication between electricity consumers and the distributor, thereby allowing distributors to manage […]

APAC post-Covid-19 consumer trends will re-calibrate sustainability priorities

The Covid-19 pandemic is transforming the consumers’ attitudes and willingness to respond to environmental challenges and sustainability factor. It has forced consumers in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region to believe that their behaviors, product choices and collective influence can make impactful changes on a global scale, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. GlobalData Covid-19 survey week-8 (12-17 May 2020) shows that almost 38% Australians, 52% Chinese and 56% Indians are always/often influenced by how ethical/environmentally-friendly/socially-responsible the product/service is. This implies that consumers are considering the environmental and ethical implications of their purchases. Shagun Sachdeva, Consumer Insight Analyst at GlobalData, says: “Environmental and ethical considerations have become a secondary purchase influence for consumers in the APAC, who are more likely to base purchases on trust, value, convenience and health. “Consumers are not necessarily disregarding broader sustainability issues during the health crisis, but the pandemic has highlighted the need to act with urgency on other matters to mitigate the damage of imminent and future crises. For instance, in case of sustainable packaging, consumers may be more inclined to hygiene-driven features in the short-term, in which consumers may view disposable packaging as positive. “Post-pandemic, considerations around hygiene and food safety will continue to form packaging preferences, but consumers will expect companies to offer adequate packaging protection without resorting to virgin plastic. More sustainable packaging options such as cardboard boxes or bio-degradable bags will secure consumer adoption.” Consumers will emerge from the pandemic with a renewed sense of health and environmental consciousness and will more thoughtfully reassess their dependence on animal products. To reduce their environmental footprint, consumers will make more concerted efforts to opt for plant-based food and drink alternatives. For instance, Nestle has recently expanded its plant-based production capacity in China along with other key players such as Starbucks, KFC, and […]

A glimpse into BYD’s Blade Battery Factory in Chongqing

On June 4, 2020, over a hundred members of the media and industry experts were given on-site access to the FinDreams Battery Factory in Chongqing that produces the BYD Blade Battery. This is the first factory tour that BYD has conducted since it debuted the Blade Battery on March 29, presenting the factory’s intelligent manufacturing capabilities. Located in the city’s Bishan District, the factory is currently the only production base for the Blade Battery. It possesses a highly demanding production environment and much of BYD’s self-developed Blade Battery production equipment. The factory has a total investment of 10 billion yuan with an annual production capacity of 20GWH. The nature of the factory’s environment can be seen in the core production process. For example, requirements necessitate that within one cubic meter space, fine particles equivalent to 1/20th of a single hair (or a 5-micron particle, as a hair is 100 microns), cannot exceed 29, reaching the same standards as LCD screen production. The overall allowed humidity is limited to below 1% (the average daily humidity being 60-80%), and the humidity during a core production process cannot exceed 0.05% of the average moisture level. In addition, the temperature is kept constant at 25 degrees Celsius. According to Sun Huajun, the Vice General Manager of FinDreams Battery, these demanding conditions are a “necessary foundation” to the Blade Battery’s high safety standards. “The nearly one-meter-long pole piece can achieve tolerances of within +/-0.3mm, and the accuracy and speed of a single-piece lamination have an efficiency of 0.3s/pcs. This is the first of its kind in the world. This form of lamination comes from BYD’s completely independent development of its equipment and cutting-edge solutions – aspects that are uncopiable,” he said. In addition to laminations, the mixing of ingredients as well as the coating, pressing, […]

The future of Asia: Decoding the value and performance of corporate Asia

Discussion PaperBy Chris Bradley, Wonsik Choi, Jeongmin Seong, Ben Stretch, Oliver Tonby, Patti Wang, and Jonathan Woetzel Corporations in Asia have grown in scale but lag behind the global average on profits, and the Covid-19 crisis poses new challenges. The Covid-19 crisis is an unprecedented global challenge in the post–World War II period. The pandemic has proven to be not only a public-health crisis but also a major disruption to supply chains, which may permanently change long-standing business practices in the next normal. But Asia has come through crisis periods before and emerged stronger for it—and there is reason to believe it can do so again. The dynamism, speed, and agility of companies in Asia have given the region resilience, enabling it to achieve macroeconomic stability in a volatile world. Corporations in Asia have grown rapidly and risen to global prominence over the past decade. However, bigger has not always meant better for economic profit (net of the cost of capital), a measure of value creation and companies’ ability to beat the market. As a group, companies in Asia lag behind their counterparts in the rest of the world. An external shock of the magnitude of the Covid-19 pandemic may accelerate the widening of the gap between underperforming and outperforming companies. There are many opportunities for corporations in Asia to build their ability to sustain long-term growth in what will be a more volatile context in the wake of the Covid-19 shock. Corporations can accelerate digital adoption and thereby unlock productivity, build scale by exploring M&A and continued regionalization, and be bold and agile in the management of portfolios. In addition, business leaders need to manage for multiple time horizons, putting in place plan-ahead teams. Corporate Asia has added scale; however, it has underperformed in economic profit Over the past decade, $1 of every $2 in new […]

A resilient return for Asia’s manufacturing and supply chains?

By Didier Chenneveau, Matteo Mancini, and Sahil Shinghal Asia shows an early glimpse of how manufacturing and supply-chain leaders are responding to disruption caused by the pandemic. The Asia-Pacific region is at widely varying points on its journey through the COVID-19 pandemic. China is broadly beginning to restart its operations amid recovering domestic demand, while other geographies, such as Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea, are still tackling cases and under a range of control measures to help stop the spread. To understand the differing sentiment and responses among manufacturing leaders across the whole region, we surveyed more than 200 manufacturing and supply-chain leaders across industries including advanced industries; consumer goods; chemicals; metals and mining; oil and gas; construction, engineering and infrastructure; and transportation and logistics. Recovery is coming, but isn’t here yet Overall, 39 percent of respondents are confident that the manufacturing sector will recover rapidly from disruptions caused by COVID-19, estimating that as little as two to three months will be sufficient. However, 61 percent expect that recovery will take at least six months. Once we looked at responses split by subregions across Asia Pacific—Australia and New Zealand; China; Japan and South Korea; South Asia; and Southeast Asia—we saw that optimism closely aligns with the stage of progression through the pandemic timeline. Nearly half of respondents in China expect rapid recovery, possibly because the country is further along the timeline in its pandemic response. Responses from Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea, on the other hand, report markedly lower confidence in a swift recovery. The majority of these regions are still tackling cases and only just beginning to ease lockdown measures—South Korea is currently preparing to slowly and cautiously proceed to the next normal under “everyday quarantine” measures. Japan’s lack of confidence is worth noting, as the country has a […]

Suprema further enhances cyber security with new BioStar 2 release

Suprema, a global leader in security and biometrics, has released a new version BioStar 2 platform, enhancing the cyber security features. Suprema BioStar 2 is a web-based, open, and integrated security platform that provides comprehensive functionality for access control and time & attendance. In addition to existing encryption of personal data, used for authentication with passwords, fingerprint templates and face templates, BioStar 2 now encrypts every data available that may potentially link to any specific individual. With this enhancement in BioStar 2 v2.8, this upscaled security will be made available not as an option but a default feature of the system. Introducing this new update, Young S. Moon, CEO of Suprema Inc., remarked, “We place absolute top priority to strengthen security measures and reinforce our security framework. Along with the current update of BioStar 2, we will continue to strive to make our solutions secure to make sure our customers’ personal data is protected.” Suprema Inc. is a leading global provider of security and biometrics technologies. Suprema’s extensive range of products includes biometric access control systems, time & attendance solutions, mobile authentication solutions and embedded fingerprint solutions. Suprema has No.1 market share in biometrics access control in EMEA region and has worldwide sales network in over 130 countries.

Industry’s first secure SmartNIC Optimised for 25G

NVIDIA has launched the NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-6 Lx SmartNIC — a highly secure and efficient 25/50 gigabit per second (Gb/s) Ethernet smart network interface controller (SmartNIC) — to meet surging growth in enterprise and cloud scale-out workloads. ConnectX-6 Lx, the 11th generation product in the ConnectX family, is designed to meet the needs of modern data centers, where 25Gb/s connections are becoming standard for handling demanding workflows, such as enterprise applications, AI and real-time analytics. The SmartNIC extends accelerated computing by leveraging software-defined, hardware-accelerated engines to offload more security and network processing from CPUs. “Modern cloud and enterprise data centers rely on accelerated networking to address their scalability and compute challenges,” said Amit Krig, senior vice president of software and NIC products in NVIDIA’s Mellanox networking business. “ConnectX-6 Lx SmartNIC delivers cost-effective, accelerated and secure networking for the new era of disaggregated, composable data centres.” Advanced Security Accelerated security features such as IPsec in-line cryptography and Hardware Root of Trust, and a 10x performance improvement for Connection Tracking, enable Zero Trust security throughout the data center. Best-in-class RDMA over converged Ethernet (RoCE), advanced virtualisation and containerisation, and NVMe over Fabrics storage offloads provide highly scalable and performant networking. “The server industry is rapidly transitioning from 10GbE to 25GbE network speeds with very fast growth expected. With increasing requirements being placed on the network, more offloads need to be performed on SmartNICs,” said Scott Raynovich, founder and chief technologist of Futuriom, a technology research firm. “NVIDIA’s Mellanox ConnectX-6 Lx enables SmartNIC offloads, including advanced switching and security, in a cost-efficient 25/50GbE solution.” Key Features The Mellanox ConnectX-6 Lx provides: Two ports of 25Gb/s, or a single port of 50Gb/s, Ethernet connectivity with PCIe Gen 3.0/4.0 x8 host connectivity Security features including Hardware Root of Trust, Connection Tracking for stateful L4 firewalls, […]

Does hybrid manufacturing offer the best of both worlds?

In the wild, zebra and ostriches may appear to be unlikely allies. Here, John Young, country manager for the APAC region at industrial equipment supplier, EU Automation, explains how sometimes a seemingly polarising combination can be very effective, particularly in the realm of additive and subtractive machining. While zebra have excellent eyesight and a poor sense of smell, ostriches have weak eyesight and a much better sense of smell. By working together, they have a greater chance at identifying threats and evading predators. In much the same way, additive and subtractive manufacturing may seem like competitors, but by combining them, it is possible to overcome their respective deficiencies. The additive manufacturing market is growing exponentially, and Asia-Pacific is expected to be at the forefront of this multi-billion-dollar market. Japan, China, Australia, and South Korea are among the key global players, while countries such as Singapore are seeing increased government funding in this area. Despite additive manufacturing being widely heralded as revolutionary, it does have its own set of drawbacks to contend with. Does hybrid manufacturing offer a solution, and could it have even greater potential than its predecessors? Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing as it is commonly referred to, denotes the production of a part by adding, or “printing”, layers of a material on top of one another. Additive manufacturing results in less waste material, lighter and more complex designs, and reduced lead times, ideal for rapid prototyping. However, there are drawbacks too; the printing process takes a long time, and finished parts often have an uneven, stepped surface. Subtractive manufacturing, on the other hand, means creating a product by gradually removing material using techniques including drilling, cutting, and grinding. This method is precise, has a high productivity, and can achieve a range of surface finishes. However, it results in […]

Next-Generation Modular EV Platform

REE Automotive (REE) and KYB Corporation (KYB) have announced a strategic partnership to develop suspension capabilities for future electric vehicle (EV) platforms. Automotive Tier 1 supplier KYB’s unparalleled semi-active and active suspension systems will boost REE’s next-generation EV platform, which delivers complete design freedom and cost-effective, scalable solutions in e-mobility. The combined expertise of REE, a pioneering technology company and leader in electric vehicle platforms, and KYB, a leading global hydraulics manufacturer, will reshape the movement of goods, people and services by revolutionizing electric vehicle design. REE’s partnership with KYB further expands REE’s global manufacturing capabilities. It also ignites a new level of suspension technology within the REEcorner architecture solution, which integrates all drivetrain vehicle components (steering, braking, suspension, e-motor) into the wheel. The REEcorner combines with the REEboard – a completely flat platform – allowing complete freedom of design, improved performance and safety, and modular applications for any vehicle type – from last mile delivery to heavy duty shipping. The KYB-REE partnership marks the first time KYB has formally collaborated on EV platforms with a technology company. “KYB has vast experience in developing and manufacturing advanced suspension systems, and we are excited to partner with REE Automotive and share its revolutionary EV vision by engineering a suspension subsystem that supports the needs of tomorrow’s mobility ecosystem” said Kazunori Masumoto, General Manager of Engineering Headquarters at KYB Automotive Component Business Division. REE’s Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Barel said, “REE is delighted to welcome KYB to our unique network of global strategic automotive partners, bringing world-class expertise in advanced suspension systems. KYB’s technology will play a crucial role in the rapid development of our next-generation EV architecture, which reinvents the electric vehicle with a completely flat, scalable and fully modular platform, ready to carry the future of e-mobility.”

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