Developments

MHPS Opens Global Service Center for Thermal Power Plants in the Philippines

Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) has opened a Global Service Center (GSC) for thermal power plant operators, centered on the Southeast Asia region in Alabang, Muntinlupa City in Metro Manila, Philippines. The Center will support the optimal operation and maintenance (O&M) of thermal power plants, harnessing the latest Information and Communications Technology (ICT), such as remote monitoring, and MHPS’s extensive accumulated knowledge of thermal power systems. In addition, it will provide training to increase the expertise of clients’ O&M engineers. The Center will begin to provide services this fall. An opening ceremony was held locally on the 16th and was attended by many VIPs such as Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Rowel Barba and Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa from the Embassy of Japan, as well as executives from Southeast Asian and Japanese power plant operators, financial institutions and trading companies. President and CEO Takato Nishizawa and Executive Vice President Masao Ishikawa also attended from MHPS and presented an outline of GSC and its services for thermal power plants using ICT. The Global Service Center follows the remote monitoring centers set up in Takasago, Hyogo Prefecture in 1999 and Orlando, Florida in 2001. It will open with approximately 20 employees with excellent communication and technical skills from local group companies with the aim of promoting globalization and consideration will also be given to technology transfer from Japan and development of new services designed to meet the needs of Southeast Asia. The Center will have three main functions: – The Service Solution Center will act as a ‘one-stop shop’ for client needs, providing services such as management of maintenance parts and dispatch of emergency personnel. – The Remote Monitoring Center will not only perform remote monitoring but will also provide solutions for improving O&M based on early fault detection and optimized […]

Volvo and Uber to develop autonomous driving cars

Volvo and Uber, have formed a strategic alliance to develop next generation autonomous driving cars. The two companies have entered a $411M joint venture to develop new vehicles that will be able to incorporate the latest developments in AD technologies, including fully autonomous driverless cars. Both Uber and Volvo will use the same base vehicle for the next stage of their own autonomous car strategies. This will involve Uber adding its own self-developed autonomous driving systems to the vehicle. Coby Duggan NZ national manager said the strategic alliance will see a blending of revolutionary technologies. “Volvo has a history of forming synergistic partnerships which integrate new types of technology into vehicles. This new venture will take the development of fully autonomous vehicles a stage further, and into a new segment of the transport industry.” The Volvo-Uber project marks a significant step in the automotive business with a car manufacturer joining forces with a new Silicon Valley-based entrant to the sector, underlining the way in which the global automotive industry is evolving in response to the advent of new technologies. The alliance marks the beginning of what both companies view as a longer term industrial partnership. Travis Kalanick, Uber’s chief executive, said: “over one million people die in car accidents every year. These are tragedies that self-driving technology can help solve, but we can’t do this alone. That’s why our partnership with a great manufacturer like Volvo is so important. “Volvo is a leader in vehicle development and best-in-class when it comes to safety. By combining the capabilities of Uber and Volvo we will get to the future faster, together.” The new base vehicle will be developed on Volvo’s fully modular Scalable Product Architecture (SPA). SPA is one of the most advanced car architectures in the world and is currently used […]

IoT testbed for the manufacturing industry

TOKYO – Hitachi has announced that along with Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and Intel K.K. (Japan), it proposed, and received approval for Factory Automation Platform as a Service (FA PaaS) Testbed(1) in the field of next-generation factories at the Industrial Internet Consortium(IIC)(2). The goal of this testbed is to test open IoT platforms that seamlessly integrate Factory Automation (FA) in the front lines of manufacturing and Information Technologies (IT) that support management and operation, in collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric and Intel. Hitachi will incorporate the results of these tests into the IoT platform “Lumada”, and create new solutions along with customers and partners. In recent years, amid increasingly intense global competition in the manufacturing industry, there has been a growing demand for more rapid product development and market introduction, quality improvements and shorter lead times in order to quickly respond to the rapidly changing market environments and management environments through the introduction of new technologies and collaborations between companies. In this backdrop, there has been a growing expectation for overall optimization that uses data related to manufacturing in the increasingly global supply chain to connect the front lines of manufacturing with management, suppliers, and customers. This in turn has given rise to a need for secure connections between a variety of devices in FA environment and cutting-edge IT services (e.g., Big Data and the cloud) and for the accelerated development of applications in the field of next-generation factories. These platforms include IoT data processing platforms that processes Big Data, IoT head end systems, and IoT gateways that securely connect the service platform layer with FA environment, and FA edge devices that provide functions unique to FA applications, and which also enable communications with FA devices in the field of next-generation factories. In addition, the advantage of IoT platform tested in this […]

Smart devices rely on even smarter engineering

As industrial machines become more sophisticated and connected, the need for ‘smart engineering’ and detailed application knowledge continues to grow to increase productivity and safety, lower risk and reduce costs of compliance. Peter Tomazic, senior solution consultant with the Global Solutions team at Rockwell Automation has more than 25 years experience in ‘thinking outside the square’ to successfully solve customers’ unique challenges, whether it involves engineering for cranes, pulp and paper machinery, process lines, mining applications , printing presses and the list goes on. He explains that while providing the hardware is only 30-40 percent of the solution, it is the domain knowledge on the application and how to apply the engineering that really makes the difference. “Anyone can go and buy hardware and try to put it together but it is the application knowledge of how to engineer the hardware that really adds value to our customers operations.” “As part of the Global Solutions team at Rockwell Automation, we leverage our in depth technical knowledge and work with customers to understand their unique challenges and goals. We can then design, manufacture and commission a solution to meet their production and business objectives,” said Tomazic. Driving innovation Advances in technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things, are enabling machines to get smarter and meet endusers networking, integration, diagnostics and intelligence demands. Motors and drives are gaining improved integration and connectivity, resulting in increased productivity, safety and asset management. “Ethernet communications is now an important part of any application that involves drives because it provides full access to all the diagnostics within the drives, including drive parameters, status and additional features such as Automatic Device Configuration,” explained Tomazic. Automatic Device Configuration is a feature that increases uptime by allowing the Logix controller to automatically detect a replaced drive and download […]

Distributed design is now the norm

Why CAD must evolve to support it By Jon Hirschtick The wide-bodied Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range passenger plane designed for comfort. The celebrated aircraft’s unique features include: more headroom (higher ceilings and overhead luggage bins), more legroom, a “comfier recline,” 21% more fuel efficiency, bigger windows and “infinity mood lighting.” When the first Dreamliner came off the production line on July 8, 2007 (not coincidentally “07-08-07”), there was much industry fanfare. Boeing hired former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw to host a red carpet affair for 15,000 employees and even commissioned a Dreamliner theme song. Chief rival Airbus graciously sent a congratulatory letter to Boeing, declaring it “a great day in aviation history.” But beyond the funky mood lighting and more comfortable coach experience, the Dreamliner represented a landmark moment in distributed design. Instead of building a complete aircraft under one roof, the 787 would have its major components designed and built in many different factories spread across the globe. The cargo doors, for example, would come from Saab in Sweden; engine parts from Rolls-Royce in England; and wing sections from Mitsubishi in Japan. In total, 17 design teams in 10 countries would play a major role. See “Birthday Girl,” a Boeing 787-9, be assembled quickly in a time lapse video. (Source: Virgin Atlantic/YouTube) Embed link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKQQHfquBa8#t=32 On a varying scale, Boeing’s distributed design and manufacturing chain shift has become the norm rather than the exception. As the lead founder of SolidWorks and now as the lead founder of Onshape, I’ve spent a tremendous amount of time visiting CAD customers and have witnessed some dramatic changes in the way product ideas become a reality. Three profound things have happened to design teams, most noticeably over the past decade: Teams have become highly fragmented. There used to be a […]

Semiconductor use in India to grow to USD55 Billion in 2020

PENANG, Malaysia, Apr 8, 2016 – The Indian Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) market is expected to grow from USD31.6 billion in 2015 to USD400 billion by 2020, and consumption of semiconductors is expected to increase to approximately USD55 billion in 2020. Given this backdrop, the electronics supply chain will convene at SEMICON Southeast Asia (SEA) from 26-28 April at the Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition Centre (SPICE) in Penang, Malaysia. SEMICON SEA 2016 will offer a complete platform for engaging customers, suppliers, engineers and decision-makers from across the industry. With the objective to champion regional collaboration, the event will open new business opportunities for customers and foster stronger cross-regional engagement. Against this positive backdrop, many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) have invested in the Indian semiconductor space. The Government of India expects investment proposals in electronics manufacturing to increase two times in the 2017-18 timeframe, giving a push to the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. According to Mr Ng Kai Fai, President of SEMI Southeast Asia, “The Indian semiconductor industry offers high-growth opportunities as the industries which source semiconductors are themselves witnessing high demand. With the Internet of Things (IoT) picking up momentum, the next generation of interconnected devices will further increase the demand for intelligent computing, creating sustainable demand for semiconductors.” “SEMI has organized a Technology Innovation Forum focusing on the impact and potential of IoT within the semiconductor sphere at the upcoming SEMICON Southeast Asia 2016. Known as the region’s premier showcase for the entire electronics supply chain, the event will feature industry leaders who will share their views on how IoT is impacting the semiconductor ecosystem. With a sold-out event, the support from global players provides a compelling reason why Vietnamese semiconductor stakeholders should visit SEMICON SEA 2016,” he added. […]

The Internet of Drones has landed

H3 Dynamics has unveiled DRONEBOX,a revolutionary system that converges professional drone-enabled service activities with the Industrial Internet of Things. Welcome to the Internet of Drones. DRONEBOX is an all-inclusive, self-powered system that can be deployed anywhere, including in remote areas where industrial assets, borders, or sensitive installations require constant monitoring. Designed as an evolution over today’s many unattended sensors and CCTV cameras installed in cities, borders, or large industrial estates, DRONEBOX innovates by giving sensors freedom of movement using drones as their vehicles. End-users can now deploy flying sensor systems at different locations, and measure just about anything, anywhere, anytime. They offer 24/7 reactivity, providing critical information to operators – even to those located thousands of miles away. Besides innovating in the world of unattended sensors, DRONEBOX eases the scalability challenges for drone service operators. Such service providers use professional drones to provide their customers with detailed aerial land surveys in mining or agriculture, perform infrastructure inspections, or monitor the progress of construction sites. However, some remote locations need regular or prolonged visits, which increase travel costs and risks to drone service providers. From an end-user perspective, despite providing powerful new insights within an industrial context, the mass-adoption of professional UAVs is slowed by the special skills required to operate them. Conversely, by pre-deploying DRONEBOX systems at the right locations, travel to remote areas is no longer required, charging or handling drone batteries is eliminated, and sensor data is simply sent through a network for easy access and processing. DRONEBOXES can be installed anywhere so that drones can perform pre-programmed scheduled routines, deploy on demand, or be woken up by other drones or sensors as part of a much wider network of “things”. As a network, DRONEBOXES can increase their effectiveness and mission times using collaborative technologies. Such deployments could […]

IoT Asia 2016 delivers solutions for a sustainable IoT Ecosystem in Asia

SINGAPORE – 30 March 2016 – Today, IoT Asia 2016, the region’s leading platform in the Internet of Things (IoT) returns with its third and largest edition from 30-31 March 2016 at the Singapore EXPO Convention and Exhibition Centre. Themed Closing the gap: From vision to reality, this edition will reveal new insights on emerging trends, new key technologies and directions for IoT’s proliferation in the region. It will also stimulate in-depth discussions to drive business collaborations in the region and undertake the real nuts and bolts of IoT implementation to make it a reality. Jointly organised by the Singapore Industrial Automation Association (SIAA) and SingEx Exhibitions (SingEx), the event was officially opened by Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister-in-Charge of the country’s Smart Nation Initiative. Aloysius Arlando, Chief Executive Officer of SingEx Holdings, emphasised the significance of the event to the region, “We are entering an era dominated by smart and connected devices, and IoT is fast becoming a reality in our everyday lives. Not only is this causing a paradigm shift in how we go about our daily activities, it’s also changing and challenging traditional business models. “IoT Asia 2016 provides a rich and diverse knowledge-sharing platform for industry players and stakeholders – from the private and public sectors – to share their challenges and solutions. It continues to be the principal event for governments, businesses and communities in the IoT ecosystem to convene and discuss real outcomes, and enhance the design of effective business solutions that could impact the wider communities across the region.” Smarter technologies for Smarter Cities and Communities Asia’s urban population is growing on an average of 44 million every year[1]. As a result, there is growing pressure on the infrastructure of Asia’s cities, from transportation to communications and […]

Fabrics detect dangerous gases

Researchers, from the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute and Konkuk University in the Republic of Korea, coated cotton and polyester yarn with a nanoglue called bovine serum albumin (BSA). The yarns were then wrapped in graphene oxide sheets. Graphene is an incredibly strong one-atom-thick layer of carbon that is known for its excellent conductive properties of heat and electricity. The graphene sheets stuck very well to the nanoglue: so much so that further testing showed the fabrics retained their electrical conducting properties after 1,000 consecutive cycles of bending and straightening and ten washing tests with various chemical detergents. Finally, the graphene oxide yarns were exposed to a chemical reduction process, which involves the gaining of electrons. The reduced-graphene-oxide-coated materials were found to be particularly sensitive to detecting nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant gas commonly found in vehicle exhaust that also results from fossil fuel combustion. Prolonged exposure to nitrogen dioxide can be dangerous to human health, causing many respiratory-related illnesses. Exposure of these specially-treated fabrics to nitrogen dioxide led to a change in the electrical resistance of the reduced graphene oxide. The fabrics were so sensitive that 30 minutes of exposure to 0.25 parts per million of nitrogen dioxide (just under five times above the acceptable standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) elicited a response. The fabrics were three times as sensitive to nitrogen dioxide in air compared to another reduced graphene oxide sensor previously prepared on a flat material. The new technology, according to the researchers, can be immediately adopted in related industries because the coating process is a simple one, making it suitable for mass production. It would allow outdoor wearers to receive relevant information about air quality. The materials could also be incorporated with air-purifying filters to act as “smart filters” that can both detect and […]

Vitafoods Asia coming soon

Vitafoods Asia is now in its sixth year and is the only dedicated business platform for Asia’s nutraceutical industry. Taking place on 1-2 September at AsiaWorld-Expo, in Hong Kong, Vitafoods Asia is for the nutraceutical, functional food and beverages and dietary supplement industries. Vitafoods Asia provides buyers the opportunity to source Ingredients & Raw Materials, Finished Products, Contract Manufacturing & Private Label services, and Services & Equipment. Some 170 global exhibitors and over 2,500 senior industry professionals from across Asia take part all actively seeking to grow their business in this booming region. www.vitafoodsasia.com, LinkedIn Vitafoods Asia, Twitter @VitafoodsAsia

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