Smart Manufacturing

Is 5G ready for manufacturing?

High profile scandals aren’t typically good for the technology sector. Whether it’s diesel emissions, large data breaches or cyber-attacks on mission-critical infrastructure, scandal has the power to cripple a technology even before it’s gotten off the ground. Despite what recent headlines may have you thinking, 5G has the potential to be a hugely positive force in the world of manufacturing, heralding in a new era of technological innovation. While 3G and 4G offered incremental improvements in speed and bandwidth, 5G will be the first cellular, wireless platform to truly offer reliable integration with machine-to-machine and industrial IoT systems. It will do this in three ways. The first is enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB); 5G offers peak data rates of 10 Gbps and can handle 10,000 times more traffic than its predecessors. Secondly, it offers Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC). This means it has a radio latency of less than 1 ms and an availability of over 99.9 per cent, making it ideal for industrial use where uptime is critical. Thirdly, it offers Massive Machine-type Communication (eMTC), allowing it to handle a density of one million devices per square kilometre. It can also deliver ultra low-cost machine-to-machine communications and can last up to 10 years on battery, great for battery operated low power devices. So, what does this mean for industry? Well, not only will 5G open the door for real-time wireless sensor networks and location and asset tracking, it will also enable plant managers in smart factories to rely on seamless communication with a fleet of autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) without worrying about network dropouts. What’s more, manufacturers that may have been sceptical of adopting the likes of augmented and virtual reality technologies will be able to take full advantage of them for real-time simulation and predictive maintenance. In industrial […]

Composites for car part manufacturing

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandated in 2012 that the national automobile fleet should average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025 in order to reduce reliance on fossil fuel and minimize emissions, many other nations have also implemented similar new standards. To meet these new standards the automotive industry has had to find new ways to make lighter cars without sacrificing their strength and structural integrity. Here Jari Sopanen, Regional Manager at leading composites manufacturer Exel composites explains why one of the best replacements for steel is thermoset components. Thermoset composites are formed using glass, carbon, or aramid fibres, which are then combined with resins such as polyesters, vinyl esters, epoxies, or phenolic resins. These composites are used in various industries but are particularly prominent in the manufacturing of aircraft and spacecraft parts. Thanks to research and development in the aerospace sector, composites are also being used across other forms of transportation due to the high demand for lightweight vehicles and components. This trend, called light-weighting, seeks to use innovative materials to reduce the weight of products. As a result, composite materials are being increasingly used in production, especially for automotive parts and components. According to the American Composites Manufacturers Associations, fiberglass is one of the key reinforcing materials used in the US thermoset composites industry. Thanks to its durable properties, it is a good replacement for steel in vehicle structural components, including drive shafts, bumpers and roof beams Reducing component weight is crucial for raising the efficiency of automotive systems. For example, carbon fibre has comparable properties to steel, but is only one-fifth the weight. Regardless of the mode of transport, it is easy to see the benefits that shaving this amount of weight from a vehicle will achieve. Additionally, when directly compared to steel, composite materials can […]

Update of Hypertherm’s Robotmaster robot programming software available

Hypertherm has released Robotmaster Version 7.1, a major update to the completely redesigned and advanced architecture of its Version 7 software released last year. In total, this new robotic programming software contains more than 40 new features, 500 improvements, and dozens of bug fixes. Many of the changes, driven by customer feedback, are designed to continuously improve the software’s CAD/CAM technology and automate programming, allowing customers to enjoy the best error-free robotic path in just one click. Added features and improvements include: Ability to automatically recognise weld joints embedded in CAD models which simplifies and speeds up programming Ability to transform operations to reduce multiple manual selections Ability to modify operation geometry (a section of the path or the entire path) so the user can match the CAD model to the actual part when a mismatch exists Robotmaster can handle both simple and complex robotic tasks, from straightforward plasma cutting jobs, to deburring and additive manufacturing applications. Today, Robotmaster software is used on robots that drill airplane fuselages, polish automotive dies, cut material, support additive manufacturing, and add value to a multitude of processes at family-owned job shops around the world. “Our goal was to revolutionise the way robots are programmed by creating software that is so intuitive anyone can use it,” explained Garen Cakmak, leader of Hypertherm’s Robotic Software team. “It enables customers to enjoy error-free task-based programming that takes collisions, singularities, joint collisions, and other robotic errors into account before running the program live on a robot. “This in turn makes it possible to program new jobs without interrupting the robot, minimising downtime and instantly increasing productivity and profitability.”

JEC Asia 2019

A compelling programme with outstanding speakers JEC Asia 2019 features a fulfilling conference programwith experts from the industry, giving their insights on the latest developments in high-performance composite technologies and applications. A large panel of industry experts will take the stage to discuss the mostrecent innovations but also the challenges that the different application industries will face in the future. Conference sessions topics include: Carbon Fiber, Automotive, and Aeronautics. Carbon fibers session ‒ part of the International Carbon Festival Conference: world-class experts will discuss carbon fibres and other forms of carbon materials and their latest developments on Nov. 13 from 11 am to 6 pm, with our partner KCTech. Claudio Jarreta Neto, Non-metallic Materials Consultant at Petrobras, will speak about Composites for Off-Shore Applications at 11:25 am.Professor Sung Ha, Hanyang University, will give a review of HydrogenPressure Vessel Technology at 11:50 am.Tadashi Uozumi, Principal Engineer from Murata Machinery to speak about Multiple filament winder – High-Speed Production System for CFRP High-Pressure Hydrogen Vessels at 12:15 pm.Automotive session: speakers from various Tier companies will discuss composite golden triangle and new hybrid solutions on Nov. 14, 9 am to4 pm.Dr. Bin WEI, Senior Manager Lightweight at NIO will open the automotive full-day conference with an exclusive presentation on the future of Electric Vehicles, Lightweight and Composites’ Innovations at 9 am. NIOis a global-Chinese electric vehicle company offering premium smart electric vehicles and providing the best user experience. G. Kalkoffen from CARBON TT will present their latest composite innovations at 12 pm.Choon Soo Lee, Team Leader at Hyundai Motor Group on the subject of Development Status of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites for Automotive Application at 2 pm. Aeronautics session about faster processes and new materials on Nov. 15 from 9 am to 3:30 pm with our partner, CFK Valley. Professor Dr.-Ing. Axel […]

ATP launches SLC-Based E800Pi e.MMC with premium endurance of 60K P/E Cycle

ATP Electronics, the leading manufacturer of industrial-only memory and storage solutions, is launching E800Pi, its first embedded multimedia card (e.MMC) based on native single-level cell (SLC) flash with a very high endurance rating of 60K program/erase (P/E) cycles. “Embedded storage devices operate in challenging environments, are usually placed within very limited spaces and are expected to function reliably over extended periods of time. ATP addresses the high reliability needs of industrial applications through its latest e.MMC, the E800Pi, which packs native SLC flash within its compact form to provide ultra-high endurance and trustworthy performance for the most rigid industrial requirements,” said Marco Mezger, ATP Vice President of Global Marketing. “SLC is widely recognised as ideal for applications requiring high reliability due to its unparalleled endurance, lowest read disturb and highest data retention capability. With ATP’s SLC-based E800Pi e.MMC, our customers can be assured of the most optimal total cost of ownership (TCO).” Aside from its superior endurance, the SLC-based E800Pi e.MMC offers strong resistance against high and cross temperatures with its ability to operate in extremely hot or cold settings from -40°C to 85°C (industrial temperature rating). It is designed according to JEDEC e.MMC v4.41 standard with support for enhanced features such as Health Report, Field Firmware Update (FFU) and Fast Boot operation. The S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) feature monitors various parameters of endurance and reliability, indicating activity that is out of the normal range to help predict storage failure for preventive action. ATP e.MMC employs Advanced Global Wear Leveling to maximize flash life, Page Mode FW architecture technology to improve Random performance, Dynamic Data Refresh and AutoRefresh to sustain data integrity in seldom-accessed and read-only areas, and the Early Retirement technology to prevent data loss from weak blocks. The Sudden Power-Off Recovery (SPOR) firmware backup mechanism ensures […]

Siemens partners with TIES to develop technologies for electric vehicle batteries

Siemens Digital Industries Software has partnered with Tianmu Lake Institute of Advanced Energy Storage Technologies (TIES), a major Chinese energy storage research and development centre, to build an Advanced Battery Technology Innovation Centre. The Innovation Centre, to be located at the 500 million-yuan, 51,000 square meter TIES facility in Liyang, China, will be dedicated to transforming and upgrading the advanced battery industry, including nurturing advanced battery technology research and development, and the development and introduction of high-end talents in this growing area. Meanwhile, the Innovation Centre will also provide manufacturing enterprises, both domestic and abroad, with high-quality professional digital transformation services, including digital construction and digital manufacturing construction consulting services for medium- and large-sized enterprises, implementation of complete solutions for digital enterprises, as well as the development of digital capabilities for and shared lab leases for small and micro businesses. In doing so, this centre can enable advanced research in battery technology, drive collaboration throughout the supply chain, and allow partners to develop the leading-edge battery technologies required for enhanced range with future electric vehicles. “As the first digital innovation center in battery field we aim to provide comprehensive digital solutions for the innovation chain and production chain, from first principle calculation to digital twin factory, from materials to systems,” said Professor Hong Li, Chief Executive Officer, at TIES. “This target is difficult to be realised but certainly worthy for long-term effort. Based on digital solutions, we believe we can understand the complex batteries and their processing precisely and produce the new batteries with unprecedented quality and reliability.” “China is fast emerging as a peer to those countries long known as leaders in battery innovation, in part due to much concerted government and private investment, of which this Siemens-TIES partnership is a prime example,” said Pei Huang (pictured), CEO and […]

Grundfos launches Distributed Pumping System to meet Asia’s sustainable cooling needs

Anders Christiansen, Regional Business Director, Building Services for Grundfos Asia Pacific with Distributed Pumping System. Rising temperatures across the world has cast a spotlight on the need to provide cooling in cities without overburdening urban power grids and in turn further contributing to climate change. In response, Grundfos has launched its Distributed Pumping System in Asia, which aims to help air-conditioning systems consume up to 50 per cent less energy than current conventional methods. Conventional systems often use up a high level of energy due to issues such as over-pumping to compensate for discrepancies between the chilled water supply and return temperatures. In addition, they have the tendency to run at constant speed and pressure throughout its operations, regardless of fluctuating cooling demands. The systems’ high energy consumption ultimately contributes to greater carbon emissions, driving climate change. A first in Asia, Grundfos’ Distributed Pumping System is a novel system capable of operating in optimised conditions at any time. It achieves this by intuitively regulating the water flow based on feedback from temperature sensors, meeting the exact requirements of different building zones, and intelligently controlling energy consumption by delivering the right flow at all times. On top of reducing energy consumption and operational costs, this new system achieves comfort for users of the building by ensuring a consistent building temperature at all times. This revolutionary approach to optimum water distribution is made possible by Grundfos’ MAGNA3 and TPE3 pumps – both ranges feature compact, intelligent circulator pumps fitted with built-in sensors, variable speed drive, controller and communication module, and state-of-the-art IE5 motors ensuring the highest efficiency. TPE3 is a dry-runner, vertical, in-line pump used as the primary pumps, while MAGNA3 is a wet-runner circulator used as the secondary pumps. The self-balancing nature of Grundfos’ Distributed Pumping System also means that control […]

ANCA Motion opens new technology centre in Taiwan

ANCA Motion has officially unveiled its new and expanded facility in Taiwan to service a growing market. A designer and manufacturer of flexible control systems; specialising in high precision solutions for CNC machines, ANCA Motion is a global leader in motion control systems. The company has deep industry knowledge with over 45 years’ experience and operates in more than 40 countries, with their head office in Melbourne, Australia. Dr Roy Ko, ANCA Motion Taiwan Branch Manager, said: “ANCA Motion has been operating in Taiwan for 14 years and have expanded over this time from just a few staff to a committed team of 40 people. We specialise in providing a range of customised products and solutions and have world-class teams in engineering, quality and supply chain roles.” On September 11th, ANCA Motion welcomed key government officials, customers and other valued guests to the grand opening of the new dedicated technology centre in Taichung City. Dr Ko continued, “This is an exciting opportunity to demonstrate our unique solutions, commitment to our local market and customers, and the energy of our vibrant team. In our demonstration room customers can experience personalised demonstrations of our latest products and an in-depth look at ANCA Motion’s technology.” Paul Bocchi, ANCA Motion General Manager, said: “Having this new technology centre in Taiwan, not only geographically places us in our largest market segment—but offers unique advantages. The new facility represents an expansion of ANCA Motion’s manufacturing capabilities, and importantly, marks the beginning of a new stage of growth for us. Over the coming years, our plan is to invest further in our Research and Development capabilities in Taiwan. This will create new engineering jobs and enable us to work more closely with Taiwan’s machine tool industry.” Recently ANCA Motion Australia and ANCA Motion Taiwan have become ISO9001:2015 […]

Australia’s first electric motorbike launched in Adelaide

The Fonzarelli NKD electric motorbike and its charging stations will be manufactured in Adelaide, South Australia. Michelle Nazzari and Simon Modra met at a wedding several years ago in Sydney and spent the evening engrossed in conversation about motorbikes. The pair of entrepreneurs stayed in touch as each went their separate ways, Simon back to Adelaide and various startups in the sustainability sector, and Michelle into her own electric vehicle company called Fonzarelli. “I had been working in automotive manufacturing with electric and hybrid buses,” said Nazzari. “That’s where it all started, but I looked at the powertrain and it’s very simple and thought, ‘yeah, I might give this a go,’ and so set up the company and started tinkering.” Nazzari launched her first electric scooter in 2012-13 under the brand Fonzarelli and has grown the business from there. Always with the push to increase mileage and with a dedication to motorcycles still in her heart, Nazzari reconnected with Modra to tackle the issue of charging stations for her NKD electric motorbike. The electric dual-sport mini motorcycle has a range of up to 120kms and can produce 6000 RPM and a top speed of 100 km/h. Modra, who is also an architect and Future Submarine design researcher at the University of South Australia, jumped at the chance to collaborate with Nazzari on the NKD project and convinced her to manufacture the charging stations and bike in South Australia. “It’s a legitimate form of transport – there are many motorcyclists out there who don’t have a car and we’re lucky battery power has become so reliable now and Peter [Coombs – Chapter president of Design Institute of Australia] did give the hat-tip to Tesla,” Modra said. “Now we’ve got this incredible range with the vehicle and we’re getting further and further out.” […]

Cobot companies in industrial applications

There are well over 50 manufacturers of collaborative robots (cobots) worldwide, but only a handful of these companies have so far deployed cobots on any meaningful level of scale. Tens of thousands of cobots have been sold as of 2019 and earned US$500 million in annual revenue for world markets. The Industrial Collaborative Robots Competitive Assessment analysed and ranked 12 collaborative robot vendors in the industry – ABB, Aubo Robotics, Automata, Doosan Robotics, FANUC, Franka Emika, Kuka AG, Precise Automation, Productive Robotics, Techman Robot, Universal Robots, and Yaskawa Motoman. For this competitive assessment, innovation criteria included payload, software, ergonomics and human-machine interaction, experimentation and safety; implementation criteria focused on units and revenue, cost and ROI, partnerships, value-added services, and the number of employees. Market leaders in cobots generally have well-developed cobot rosters, in many cases backed up by an ecosystem platform that integrates applications, accessories, and end-of-arm-tooling (EOAT) solutions in with the base hardware. With 37,000 cobots sold so far, UR leads, followed by Taiwanese provider Techman with 10,000, and Korea-based Doosan with over 2,000. Precise Automation, which uses an advanced direct drive solution to develop faster collaborative robots, was cited as the most innovative of the 12 providers, just edging out Universal Robots, who claimed the overall top spot due to their significant lead in implementation. There are several companies that are too young to be challenging the dominant parties in the cobot market but are developing new and disruptive technologies that will allow them rise to prominence in the years to come. Productive Robotics is a case-in-point. It has an arm with inbuilt vision, 7 axes for superior flexibility, long reach, and a very affordable price point, but has yet to deploy at scale. Automata, a British company develops a ‘desk-top’ cobot costing less than US$7,000, is significantly […]

«‹ 34 35 36 37 ›»

News Ticker

Smart Manufacturing