Global
safety light
curtain
COVERING THE DESIGN ENGINEERING
FUNCTION IN CANADA’S OEMs
www.dpncanada.com
DESIGN
E
ESIGN
R
RODUCT
PRODUCT
NEWS
E
EWS
New system
can be deployed
anywhere
See Page 14
• February 2015 • Volume 43, Number 1
INSIDE: Enclosures I Hydraulics & Pneumatics I Motion Control I Sensors
Magnetic absolute
rotary encoders
Pepperl+Fuchs has announced
ENA58IL and ENA36IL magnetic
absolute rotary encoders. The encoders feature accuracies up to 0.1°,
resolution up to 16 bit single turn
and 32 bit multiturn, and a signal
processing time < 100 µs.
www.pepperl-fuchs.us
Switches in 90-degree
configurations
Poly eRacing team at Polytechnique Montreal, with the school’s Formula SAE Electric
racecar destined for the Lincoln, NB, competition in June.
Polytechnique Montreal racing to Nebraska
Poly eRacing student team designs new electric vehicle
By Mike Edwards
M
www.bimba.com
ONTREAL – When it comes to designing an all-electric racecar, making
the proper electrical connections is one of many vital engineering specifications required to be track-worthy.
Simon Bellemare, an electrical engineering student and Director of
Electrical Engineering, Poly eRacing at Polytechnique Montreal, made just such a connection as an intern at Bombardier two years ago. He noticed his transportation product
employer was using Harting Han industrial connectors and called Harting tech support
to clarify a design issue.
Fast forward to today in his role as leader of the Poly eRacing, and you’ll find that
relationship continuing. As expected, an electric vehicle is required to be full of electrical
connectors to shunt power from batteries to motor, move signals to monitor vital signs
and provide a safe environment for the driver.
For the electric racecar charger connection that provides high voltage, CANbus
and Interlock, Bellemare chose a Harting Han Q 5/0 connector, harkening back to his
internship. Other connections in eRacing vehicle destined for the Formula SAE Electric
competition in Lincoln, NB, this June include: Molex MX150L connectors for low
voltage and high voltage/low current; TE AMP+ manual service disconnect; Delphi FCI
Power S3 for drive connection; Binder M12 for CANbus; and a Harting Harax M12 to
PM# 40065710
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 1
Bimba Manufacturing has introduced the EdgeSwitch solid-state
switch. The switches use an intelligent sensing algorithm that senses
magnet edge instead of magnetic
field. The 90-degree profile is suitable for applications in tight locations, or in shorter cylinders.
Continued on page 8
Inch anti-vibration mounts
J.W. Winco Canada has announced
inch sized GN 451.1/GN 451.2/
GN 451.3 cylindrical type vibration
isolation mounts with stainless steel
components. Isolation mount body is
made of natural rubber (NR), vulcanized, 55 durometer (shore hardness
±5°). Cover plate is stainless steel
and tapped inserts/threaded studs
are made of stainless steel, molded in.
www.jwwinco.ca
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
UPTIME
P
TIME
Predictive Failure
diagnose cylinder issues
before they happen
Machine Efficiency
measure optimal
stroke time
Remote Monitoring
collect data on cylinders
from multiple locations
Production Improvement
move from emergency repair
to proactive upgrades
WELCOME TO THE PNEU AGE OF CONDITION-BASED MONITORING
Introducing IntelliSense®, a one-of-a-kind technology platform that delivers real-time
performance data on standard Bimba pneumatic devices for maximum uptime.
See the future at bimba.com/smarter
© Copyright 2014 Bimba Manufacturing Company. All Rights Reserved.
BIM-752DPN
Bimba
Resizes_2014_DPN_IntelliSense
Nov/Dec.indd 1
FEBRUARY
2015.indd
2
Bimba_DPN_Nov.indd
1
2015-01-26
9:32
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DESIGN
PRODUCT
NEWS
How to create the world’s
largest 3D printed car
Contents
CES 2015 puts MEMS sensors
squarely in its sights
February 2015
Ad Index
Amacoil Inc .........................................14
Asco Valve Ltd ....................................23
AutomationDirect ..................................3
Baldor Electric Company .......................9
Bimba Mfg Co ......................................2
12
10
Local Motors, using Siemens PLM Solid Edge
software, overcame obstacles to create the world’s
largest 3D printed car at IMTS 2014.
Clippard Instrument Laboratory Inc......24
Conductix Wampfler ............................14
Emphatec Inc ......................................12
The Oculus Rift virtual reality system is just
one of hundreds of devices shown at CES 2015
relying on MEMS technology.
Festo Inc .............................................11
Igus Inc ...............................................17
Master Bond Inc .................................13
Festo CEO shows how bionics
research meets smart factories
Robot surgery means experts
can operate remotely
Novotechnik........................................15
Omron ................................................19
V.J. Pamensky Canada Inc .....................5
Ringball Corp .................................12-13
Ringfeder Power Transmisssion ............10
Smalley Steel Ring Company ...............21
18
20
International automation giant Festo is leveraging its bionics research of flying, hopping and
swimming creatures into smart factory products.
The Da Vinci robotic surgical system provides the
ultimate tool for operating room doctors that can
now perform surgery remotely.
THIS MONTH ON
dpncanada.com
Automotive Scene Blog
DEPARTMENTS:
5
7
By Design
PTDA annual meeting
Spirol wins GM award
Magellan $250M contract
KSB Pumps goes surfing
Linamar nabs over $100M
in government support
Advisory Board
PTDA president Ajay Bajaj
ponders the oil kaboom
EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BLOGS
11 Power
Transmission
Product Spotlight
12 Sensors
MEMS sensors take
centre stage at CES 2015
in Las Vegas
14 Safety light curtains
tackle applications
around the world
16 Enclosures
Product Spotlight
Software
17 CAD
Top 4 reasons for
managing your data
The Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle
emits nothing but water in from its
exhaust system
SEO Blog
Jeff Quipp, founder of Search Engine
People examines the impact of the
Internet and the business of marketing
Scene
22 Automotive
Bill Vance demonstrates
how flywheel energy
storage works for both
vehicles and utilities
visit www.dpncanada.com
When online, launch the digital edition of DPN and view
videos related to content where you see this icon.
4 Design Product News • www.dpncanada.com
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 4
February 2015
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
By Design
By Mike Edwards
Ajay Bajaj tapped to lead PTDA through 2015
ucts.com) of Woodbridge, ON, will
become PTDA’s president in 2015. He
succeeds Ken Miko, director category
management and strategic accounts,
BDI (Cleveland, OH). Bajaj has been
active in PTDA since 2002, serving
as a member of several task forces
and four committees. Bajaj has been
a member of the
PTDA Board of Directors since 2010
and is a member of
the DPN Editorial
Advisory Board.
Following his
election, Bajaj had
an opportunity to
address the membership. Bajaj said,
“The fact that I
am standing here
Ajay Bajaj (right), president of the PTDA in 2015, and president,
Rotator Products Ltd., with outgoing president Ken Miko of BDI. today proves that
CHICAGO –The PowerTransmission
Distributors Association (PTDA)
elected its 2015 Board of Directors
and Manufacturer Council at the
recent PTDA Industry Summit in
Orlando, FL.
Ajay Bajaj, president, Rotator
Products Ltd. (www.rotatorprod-
even small distributors can contribute
greatly and get a great return on our
investment in our association. I truly
believe my volunteer experience has
made me a better businessman and a
more effective leader, and I look forward to learning from all of you.”
Nearly 600 power transmission
and motion control industry representatives from over 250 PTDA
member companies attended the
PTDA 2014 Industry Summit.
“The relationships we begin, nurture and evaluate here at the Industry
Summit allow us to imagine an even
stronger distribution channel,” said
Miko.
He continued, “In my own experience, this year’s Industry Summit
just continued to reinforce the association’s mission to bring together distributors and manufacturers,
working for the benefit of our mutual
customers.”
The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) is a
global association for the industrial
power transmission/motion control
distribution channel. Headquartered
in Chicago, PTDA represents power
transmission/motion control distribution firms that generate more than
$16 billion in sales and span over
3,400 locations. PTDA members also
include manufacturers that supply
the PT/MC industry.
www.ptda.org
SPIROL receives
2014 GM Quality
Excellence Award
Magellan signs $250M deal with Pratt & Whitney
duced at its Glendale, AZ, plant.
The agreement is expected to represent approximately $250 million
in revenue for Magellan through
2023.
P&WC has been a key customer
of Magellan Aerospace, Haley for
more than 50 years. The new longterm agreement is said to recognize
Magellan’s position as a
leader in the industry and
provides the framework
for a new level of strategic
alignment with P&WC. In
addition to the legacy casting programs for P&WC’s
current engine platforms,
the agreement includes the
production of castings for
Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower engine family which
The PW1100G-JM engine for the Airbus A320neo
encompasses the Airbus
successfully completed its first flight on Pratt &
A320neo, Mitsubishi ReWhitney’s Boeing 747SP flying test bed at the
company’s Mirabel Aerospace Centre, in Mirabel, QC.
gional Jet, and Bombardier
TORONTO – Magellan Aerospace
has signed a 10-year agreement
with Pratt & Whitney Canada, a
United Technologies Company, for
the supply of complex magnesium
and aluminum castings.
Primarily Magellan’s Haley,
ON-based division, will produce
the castings with several being pro-
CSeries programs.
Magellan’s president and CEO,
Mr. Phillip Underwood said, “This
10-year agreement demonstrates
P&WC’s confidence in Magellan’s
ability to produce some of the most
complex sand cast geometries in
the industry. Magellan has invested and will continue to invest in
innovative new technologies such
as robotics and 3D sand printing to
meet its commitment to achieve the
highest standard of product and
performance.”
Magellan is a world leader in
the development and production
of aerospace components using the
sand cast process. In addition to
P&WC and P&W engines, Magellan castings are used on civil and
defence, fixed-wing and rotorcraft
programs across the globe.
www.magellan.aero
www.pwc.ca
Randall Pappal, GM (left); Chris
Stanton, SPIROL, Sheri Hickok, , GM,
Daniel McLean, SPIROL.
WINDSOR, ON – For the
third consecutive year, SPIROL
Industries Ltd. has received the
General Motors Supplier Quality
Excellence Award.
The award was received on
behalf of the SPIROL team by
Daniel McLean, quality manager and Chris Stanton, operations
manager.
Suppliers who receive this
award have met or exceeded a
stringent set of quality performance criteria and have achieved
the cross-functional support of the
entire GM organization.
www.spirol.com
More information,
literature and more at:
Scan this QR Code
with your smartphone
to visit our website.
Motors
Automation
Machines
Transformers
Pamensky_DPN_Feb.indd 1
February 2015
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 5
New W22 Line of Motors
CFW 11 Variable Frequency Drives
www.pamensky.com
info@pamensky.com
1 877 PAMENSKY (726-3675)
12-01-19 9:16 AM
www.dpncanada.com • Design Product
News 5
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
Renderings
By Mike Edwards
Canada rallies in cyclical
automotive sector
Vehicle sales buoy Scotiabank manufacturing forecast
for the NAFTA nations
T
The U.S. recovery has
been critical to the
rebound
he cyclical automotive manufacturing sector in Canada has
entered a positive patch over
the last year. Investment announcements at Ford, Chrysler, Honda and
Linamar are a testament to this industry rally.
This confidence is reflected in a Scotiabank report
that forecasts auto sales in Canada and Mexico this
year will top the record-setting pace they set in 2014.
Robust U.S. demand will, in turn, improve exports for
Canadian and Mexican automakers.
Combined, auto sales in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are forecast to total 20.03 million this year, topping
the previous peak set in 2000, when there were 19.8
million vehicles sold.
The Conference Board of Canada senior VP and
chief economist Glen Hodgson told the Globe and
Mail, “In the high-profile vehicle manufacturing sector,
sales revenue and profitability have recovered nicely
from the 2009 recession, with profits finally breaking
through the $1-billion barrier.”
However, automotive OEMs have developed a
parts manufacturing strategy that matches the need for
just-in-time, local deliveries to keep production lines
humming.
“In vehicle parts, sales and profits have improved
but not as strongly, and employment has not increased
since 2011,” said Hodgson. “Moreover, in order to be
included in key supply chains, parts
manufacturers have to position their
production close to their clients’ sites
for final assembly.
“This means investing in productive capacity outside Canada.
Vehicle and parts production is highly globalized;
location and related production costs both play a
central role.”
Government investments such as those at Linamar
recently (story on page 7) are helping to play a part in
this manufacturing sector’s recovery in Canada.
“There’s no shortage of regions that are willing to
offer all kinds of incentives to companies,” Linamar
CEO Linda Hasenfratz said at a recent government
funding announcement ceremony. “And I think it’s
wonderful to see our governments stepping up and being competitive.”
The $101 million from the two governments will be
used to purchase new equipment and will fund R&D of
new products, said Hasenfratz.
Sounds like a sustainable, profitable plan to me.
Follow us on Twitter
@DPN_Engineering
WATCH the latest innovations in technology
at dpncanada.com
Video highlights at dpncanada.com cover developments from the world of design engineering from software and
automation to mechatronics and fluid power.
Derby the dog runs on 3D
printed prosthetics
POSITAL encoder plant
embraces Internet of Things
Master Bond Adhesive
Academy: Heat Curing 101
Group Publisher
Manufacturing Group, Nigel Bishop
nbishop@annexweb.com (905)-713-4395
Editorial Director Michael R. Edwards
medwards@annexweb.com
Contributing Editor Robert Colman
rcolman@annexweb.com
Art Director Graham Jeffrey
gjeffrey@annexweb.com
National Sales Manager:
Ron Salmon, rsalmon@annexweb.com
Advertising Sales:
Nigel Bishop, nbishop@annexweb.com
Peter Tams, ptams@annexweb.com
Quebec Office, Peter Tams
ptams@annexweb.com, (514) 984-2668
Account Coordinator, Alice Chen
achen@annexweb.com
President, Michael Fredericks
mfredericks@annexweb.com
Editorial Advisory Board:
Caleb Funk, IMAGINIT Technologies
(imaginit.com)
John Lamb, Emerson Industrial Automation
(emersonindustrial.com) and Canadian Fluid
Power Association (cfpa.ca)
Ajay Bajaj, Rotator Products Ltd.
(rotatorproducts.com) and Power Transmission
Distributors’ Association (ptda.org)
Mirek Tokarz, Langen Packaging Inc.
(langeninc.com)
Jonathan Loudon
Swave Studios and ACID-O (acido.info)
Millan Yeung, Industrial Research Assistance
Program, National Research Council Canada
(nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/irap)
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Design Product News is published six times a year for
the specifiers of materials and components in product
engineering (OEM); in-plant (systems); and design/
production engineering (the crucial stage between
finished blueprint/CAD drawing and routine mass
production).
The contents of Design Product News are copyright by
©2015 Annex Publishing & Printing and may not be
reproduced in whole or part without written consent.
3D Systems has announced that it
has successfully outfitted Derby the
dog with 3D printed prosthetics – an
improvement over wheeled system –
allowing him to run down the street
for the first time ever.
http://bit.ly/1CfWxPl
Slubice, Poland POSITAL plant and
its encoder product assembly staff
rely on cloud servers – production
that embraces the Internet of Things.
The model plant is structured to be
duplicated anywhere in the world.
http://bit.ly/1AMKSrm
It’s time to enroll in Master Bond’s
Adhesive Academy, where “Dr. B”
fills you in on the ins and outs of
adhesives, including using heat to
cure epoxy systems. Heat is said to
improve the bonding structures.
http://bit.ly/1u2tC26
Annex Publishing & Printing disclaims any warranty
as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the
contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in
respect of the results of any action taken or not taken
in reliance upon information in this publication.
We acknowledge the financial support of the
Government of Canada
Members of
6 Design Product News • www.dpncanada.com
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 6
February 2015
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
By Design
KSB Pumps makes waves at Quebec surf centre
MISSISSAUGA, ON – Indoor surf
centres are becoming very popular
around the world, and this exciting
concept has arrived in Canada Oasis
Surf in Brossard, QC, powered by
KSB pumps.
enthusiasts who want to polish their
skills in the off-season.
Creating a stable standing wave
in a surf pool means moving a lot
of water. At Oasis Surf the four KSB
Amacan axial flow pumps drive
wave system. “Amacan pumps are
ideal for applications with high flow
volumes and relatively low heads,”
said Joe Buckman, Western U.S.
regional manager for KSB Inc.’s
Water and Wastewater division.
“They are highly reliable and
deliver very good energy efficiency.”
For the Oasis Surf facility, the pumps
are powered by 160 hp motors and
equipped with variable frequency drives (VFDs), which allow the
pump speed to be adjusted in order
to create different wave conditions.
www.ksb.ca
Linamar gets $101M in government funds to expand
Professional surfer Lauren McLean tests the
wave at Oasis Surf.
Oasis Surf’s 24 ft wide wave
machine is built to provide a range
of experiences, starting from two
foot standing waves that are ideal
for newcomers to the sport (who
appreciate a controlled learning
environment) up to a 6 ft “tube”
that can challenge experienced
GUELPH, ON – The federal and
Ontario governments are handing
over $101 million to a Guelphbased auto parts manufacturer
that is promising to create 1,200
“high-quality” local jobs over the
next decade.
Linamar Corp. has announced
a $500-million expansion to its
Ontario operations, with the
province providing a $50.25-million grant and Ottawa contribut-
Advisory Board Directions
Linamar said its $506.8-million expansion
will focus on producing lighter, more
efficient automobile transmission and
power train parts.
ing $50.7 million in the form of a
repayable loan.
Linamar
CEO
Linda
Hasenfratz said at an announcement ceremony its $506.8-million
expansion will focus on producing lighter, more efficient automobile transmission and power train
parts. The $101 million from the
two governments will be used to
purchase new equipment and will
fund research and development of
new products.
www.linamar.com
By Ajay Bajaj
Has Canada’s oil boom
gone kaboom?
Watch out for carbon tax grabs from government
T
here is an oil war going on in
the world. Is there life after
the oil collapse? What is the
crystal ball prediction?
Global events have been happening at dizzying speed. Oil has gone
down from over $100 to under $46
within three months and has put
Alberta under recessionary threat.
Europe is struggling with recessionary conditions. The Federal
Budget surplus seems to be evaporating like spilled gasoline. The
Federal Government has postponed its budget. Watch out as
governments will cook up creative
schemes like carbon taxes to gobble up more of your money.
Recessions and slowdowns
never ring a bell or blow a horn
to announce their arrival. Similarly
an economic boom does not advertise its arrival until we are happily
February 2015
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 7
swirling in its midst swept by the
rising tidal wave delighted and
making money. Frankly no one can
predict these things. Not even people who do this for a living.
No one can
predict these things,
not even those that do
it for a living
All gold rushes come to an
end eventually – be it the yellow
metal – or the black gold in the
tar sands. Anyone who thinks this
is a temporary change is probably
smoking B.C. hemp. Canadian oil
sands will be facing a new reality
and a changed landscape when
the dust settles. Saudis are intent
on taking out high cost producers
in the U.S. as they perceive rising
U.S. production as a real threat to
their future prosperity. This time
they are fighting for their economic
future. Coincidentally, it is bringing
Russia to its knees as its foreign
exchange earnings dwindle.
We are witnessing a fundamental shift happening globally in oil
production and supply in that is
changing the clout of OPEC and
politics of oil. Even if oil goes back
up, it will never see astronomical
heights or be as fully controlled
and manipulated by OPEC cartel
anymore. U.S. production is still
rising – though slowly now.
Employees and employers in
Alberta will have to come to grips
with the vastly inflated wages in
Alberta which have been the norm
compared to rest of the country.
Expect Alberta to adjust and adapt
to changing conditions.
Low gas prices do help consumers so the general population and
Canada except Alberta will be benefiting from this bonanza. Let us
not forget we are all tied to Alberta
at the hip and their slowdown still
affects rest of Canada.
The U.S. economy is on a roll.
Low oil can only help. Transport
companies, airlines, logistics, railways, retail sector and consumers
are all benefiting.
When all is said and done U.S.
economy is expected to do better
than any other economy in the
world. North America is still the
place to be.
Ajay Bajaj is president of Rotator Products
(www.rotatorproducts.com) and president of
the Power Transmission Distributors Association (www.ptda.org).
www.dpncanada.com • Design Product News
7
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
Cover Story FEATURE
Poly eRacing car driving electric vehicle
technology forward
Claude Langlois (left), national sales manager of Harting Canada and Simon Bellemare, Director of Electrical
Engineering, Poly eRacing, Polytechnique Montreal, with the school’s Formula SAE Electric race car.
continued from Front Cover
connect the competition mandatory
energy measuring device.
“After competing in Formula
SAE Germany (FSG) in its first year,
the team decided to do an entire
redesign of the car,” said Bellemare.
Harting is a major sponsor of FSG.
Harting Canada sales director
Claude Langlois is impressed by
what the Poly eRacing team has
accomplished so far. “We have seen
a lot of technology coming from
smart, bright young kids who I’m
sure will have great careers in their
respective businesses.
“Connectors from Harting were
chosen mainly for their small footprint and their watertight specifications. As well, the modularity of the
inserts (in the Han Q 5/0) that allow
current and voltage suitable for the
application.”
According to Bellemare, mechanical specifications such as “weight
reduction, fibre-reinforced plastic
manufacturing integration and aerodynamic package integration were
chosen as the main design goals for
this year’s car.
“In the development process of
the 2014 car, a strong emphasis was
placed on the car’s frame in order to
make it as light as possible considering the team’s experience. We wanted
the 2014 car to be a strong base for
the design of the next cars.”
The total vehicle weight goal for
the launch this month is 220 kg. The
2WD Poly eRacing car is designed to
consume 80 kW.
The frame is made of 4130
Chromalloy steel constructed
by Stratford, ON-based sponsor
Cartesian Tube Profiling division of
VR3 Engineering Ltd. “Good availability, good pricing of our supplier
and interesting mechanical properties have influenced our choice,” said
Bellemare. “Square tubing was used
at particular places requiring high
flexion rigidity and
it eases the jigging
of the frame and
the mounting of
some brackets.”
Poly eRacing
used Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks
software for weld tools and 3D
sketches on the chassis, along with DS
CATIA for solid modeling and finite
element analysis (FEA). Other CAE
tools include Altair Hyperworks for
the hub design and Ansys CFX for
computational fluid dynamics solving and post-processing.
At the Poly eRacing shop
off-campus, the team uses Miller
Synchrowave series TIG welding
equipment. TIG welding provides
good steel penetration with a minimum of heat input so that the
8 Design Product News • www.dpncanada.com
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 8
mechanical properties of the material are not disrupted, the team has
found.
To achieve its weight reduction
objective, the team decided to run
a single motor driving both rear
wheels. The motor is an Emrax 228
axial flux, manufactured by Enstroj.
It is characterized by a high current
low voltage power, thus giving high
torque at relatively low speed. This
allowed Poly eRacing to scale down
the speed reducer. It can produce
up to 240 Nm at any given velocity between 0 and
3600 rpm.
The
motor
is
controlled
by
a
Unitek
B A M O C A R
D3-400-400 drive.
This high efficiency, 400 A peak motor controller is
recommended by the motor manufacturer, and matches the specifications of the vehicle’s motor.
Featuring highly reliable IGBT, this
drive supports a wide range of input
DC voltage, which is suitable for the
accumulator topology. An IP65 protection and high current connectors
ensure a safe and reliable operation
in any race condition.
“The accumulator is a central
part of the vehicle design,” said
Bellemare. “It features the EiG C020
Li-NMC cell, in a 72s1p configura-
Safety of the driver is
a top priority of the
eRacing engineering
design team
tion, providing our car with 262.8
Vdc of nominal voltage. This configuration provides 5.25 kWh of energy, which is just enough to complete
the endurance event according to our
simulations.
“The chosen cell was chosen for
its excellent specific energy (174 Wh/
kg) combined with great power density (2,300 W/kg) to support our
high power motor. The cells tabs
are ultrasonically welded together to
ensure a perfect, vibration-resistant,
contact at all times.
“The accumulator container is
mostly made of a fire-resistant and
ultra-lightweight aramid fiber reinforced plastic. Its innovative design
allows a great airflow to cool our
cells, thus enabling us to get the
maximum of their performance on
the track.
Regenerative braking, a common
feature of commercially available
hybrid and electric vehicles, was
considered. But because the team
is limited by battery size and could
only squeeze out an extra 5 to 10 per
cent in distance, this option was not
pursued,” noted Bellemare.
“Safety of the driver being one of
our top priorities, our team designed
and manufactured our own battery
management system (BMS),” said
Bellemare. “Published under Opensource-hardware license, our design
implements Master-Slave architecture with CAN communication.
The BMS continuously monitors
the voltage and the temperature of
every cell, and provides passive cell
balancing.”
The BMS also directly controls
the accumulator insulation relays, as
well as many other safety features of
the car.
New this year, Poly eRacing
implemented a traction control
system (TCS) to provide stability
control, anti-slip and launch-control
to improve vehicle dynamics under
slippery conditions. It implemented
an acceleration-control algorithm to
modulate the torque applied to the
wheels, helping the pilot to avoid
loss of traction in cornering.
The team has also plunged into
the world of 3D printing for selected
components on the vehicle.
http://eracing.polymtl.ca/
www.harting.ca
www.3ds.com
www.millerwelds.com
February 2015
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
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©2015 Baldor Electric Company
DPN
Baldor_DPN_Feb.indd
FEBRUARY 2015.indd
1 9
2015-01-26
2015-01-19 9:32
12:05
AM
PM
3D Printing FEATURE
Local Motors takes 44 hours to 3D print car
Solid Edge ST invaluable importing non-native CAD data
By John Fox
L
ocal Motors made history at the
International Manufacturing
Technology Show (IMTS) last
fall, becoming the first company to
build a full-size, working 3D printed
car. The car, named the Strati, was
printed in just 44 hours using direct
digital manufacturing, then assembled, driven and showcased all from
the trade show floor.
The Strati was designed by
Michele Anoe (https://localmotors.
com/Harlock/) of Italy, whose design
was selected from over 200 submissions as the winner of Local
Motors’ community challenge. The
goal of the challenge was simple:
crowd source a great looking vehicle
that could be printed in a single piece
in order to celebrate the 3D printing
medium.
The hard part came next. While
the Strati frame may have been ready
for the printer, the car’s mechanical
components were borrowed from
the Renault Twizy electric vehicle,
and those design files were not initially integrated with the design of
the 3D printed portion of the car.
This created the first major hurdle:
integrating non-native CAD data
from multiple sources into a final
assembly that included all of the
interfacing parts. All this happened
without the luxury of prototypes or
test assemblies.
Using Solid Edge synchronous
technology, Local Motors was able
to integrate the components and
design the intermediate structures
that would mount to the frame, and
also dynamically modify their subframes and mounting assemblies as
other geometries changed throughout the process.
“Without Solid Edge, we would
have spent quite a bit more time
repairing models coming in from the
multiple software packages,” said
Alex Fiechter, Local Motors. “This
would have slowed our iteration
quite a bit as we headed towards a
final design.”
Because Local Motors’ machine
designers were able to quickly check
critical elements like hole alignment and part interferences in 3D
– all common causes of scrapped or
reworked parts – the team was able
to catch mistakes early in the process. When striving to print, assemble, and drive a functional Strati over
The Strati was printed in just 44 hours using direct digital manufacturing, then assembled,
driven and showcased all from the IMTS 2014 tradeshow floor.
the course of a few days, there was
no room for mistakes.
The printing kicked off on
September 12, 2014 in Chicago in
front of a live audience. Over the
course of the show, which attracted an estimated 114,117 people,
attendees came by to see the progress. An especially exciting moment
came on September 17, 2014 when
Jay Rogers, CEO and co-founder of Local Motors finally turned
the key and onlookers cheered the
functional car.
Partnering with Local Motors was
the Association for Manufacturing
Technology and Oak Ridge National
Labs and Cincinnati Incorporated,
who worked together to develop
what is now called Big Area Additive
Manufacturing (BAAM), an industrial sized, additive machine designed
to allow 3D printing to be used for
production manufacturing. Without
the BAAM, a full-size 3D printed car
would have been out of the question.
As a company focused on
low-volume microfactory production of open-source motor vehicle
designs, Local Motors is pushing
the boundaries of manufacturing. While the Strati is momentous because it was the first-ever, life-size, working 3D printed
car, the real significance was the
proof point it made for the Digital
Manufacturing Revolution.
“With no tooling costs up front,
we are only limited by the cost of
design time in the CAD authoring
software to produce the next version,” added Fiechter. “It begins to
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take the focus away from an economy of scale, and frees us up to tackle
more markets with higher product
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configuration counts in ways that
would have cost too much previously.”
The Strati proved a new, highly
flexible “design to make” innovation
process. It proved that a car can be
Technical Performance
Partnership
made efficiently without specialized
Locking Devices
and Assemblies
US based
engineering and technical support
Technical
Performance
Partnership
tooling. It proved a simplified supply
Shrink
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Couplings
– Rigid Disc, Torsionally Flexible, Metal Bellows
Local inventory and product customization
ber of parts (from 20,000+, down
Shrink Discs
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and Assemblies
US based
engineering
and technical support
to 40) needed to create a working
Damping
Technology
ISO
certified
quality systems
Couplings – Rigid Disc, Torsionally Flexible, Metal Bellows
Local inventory and product customization
Shrink Discs
98 % On-time delivery
car. Above all, the Strati and Local
Damping Technology
ISO certified quality systems
Couplings
Local inventory and product customization
Motors represent a symbol of what
RINGFEDER– Rigid Disc, Torsionally Flexible, Metal Bellows
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POWER TRANSMISSION USA CORPORATION
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RINGFEDER
165 Carver Avenue, Westwood, NJ 07675
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165 Carver
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Toll Free:
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Fax:
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Direct:
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PrAn_RPT_R_Anzeige-US-letter-halb-Image_V1_MiV_15-01-15.indd
1
E-mail: sales.usa@ringfeder.com
Fax:
(201) 664 6053
E-mail: sales.usa@ringfeder.com
15.01.15 13:54
www.solidedge.com
https://localmotors.com/
PrAn_RPT_R_Anzeige-US-letter-halb-Image_V1_MiV_15-01-15.indd 1
PrAn_RPT_R_Anzeige-US-letter-halb-Image_V1_MiV_15-01-15.indd 1
10 Design Product News • www.dpncanada.com
Ringfeder DPN feb15.indd 1
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 10
John Fox is VP, Velocity Series, at Siemens
PLM Software.
15.01.15 13:54
15.01.15 13:54
2015-01-22 3:09 PM
February 2015
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
Power Transmission PRODUCTS
Cooling tower motor and drive system
Baldor Electric Company has introduced an adjustable speed direct drive cooling tower
system that combines the technologies of the field-proven, laminated finned frame Baldor•Reliance RPM AC motor with a permanent magnet rotor design. The motor and
power-matched adjustable speed drive replaces the right-angle gearbox and jack shaft
installation found in many conventional industrial process cooling towers.
www.baldor.com
Locking assemblies with nut
Ringfeder Power Transmission has
announced Locking Assemblies
with Central Lock Nut. The RfN
7070, RfN 7075, RfN 7085 and
RfN 7090 series locking assemblies with a central nut boast easy
mounting, compact dimensions and
a safe connection between the shaft
and hub.
www.ringfeder.com
We drive automation for your success.
We are your partner to inspire innovation.
We shape the future together.
WE ARE THE ENGINEERS
OF PRODUCTIVITY.
40
AC motor line expanded
Festo
Canada
years 2015
The AutomationDirect line of
IronHorse motors has been expanded. The new MTF series
farm-duty motors are T-frame
230 Vac single phase, integral
horsepower motors. The NEMA
design L motors are electrically
reversible and have a full load
torque range of 6.04 to 15.30
lb ft (depending on motor size).
The MTR2 series of rolled steel
56C/56HC TEFC units come in
0.33 to 2 hp sizes.
www.automationdirect.com
Motors and gearboxes
Additions to the maxon series of X
drive products include several long
versions of brushed DC motors,
with higher torques and more power, together with matching planetary gearheads. Each of the 3-stage
versions can now be combined with
the next smaller motor. The 14, 16,
22 and 26 mm diameter models are
now each available in a long version (L).
40 years at the forefront
of industrial automation
in Canada.
www.festo.ca
www.maxonmotor.com
February 2015
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 11
Festo DPN feb 2015.indd 1
www.dpncanada.com • Design Product
News 11
2015-01-22 10:12 AM
2015-01-26 11:59 AM
Sensors FEATURE
Small technology is big at CES 2015
MEMS driving devices from smart phones to home automation
By Zac Bolan
L
AS VEGAS – MEMS (micro
electromechanical systems)
were showcased prominently
at International CES 2015. A growing number of smartphone, fitness
and wearable device developers and
vendors are heavily reliant on this
nascent technology.
“The
MEMS
industry was $5 billion five years ago,
is now a $12 billion
industry and is forecasted to be $18 billion in three years – that’s how fast
it’s growing,” said Karen Lightman,
MEMS Industry Group executive
director (www.memsindustrygroup.
org).
The MEMS Industry Group
started with five companies in 2001
and was initially funded by DARPA
(Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency) – a relationship lasting until
2006 when the group gained independence. Now with more than 170
members including 20 international
partners, the organization hosts con-
ferences and provides seminars and
programming to members both in
person and online.
“Our members see value in
collaboration with competitors,”
Lightman explained. “With the
growing Internet of Things (IoT),
the use of MEMS is increasing
exponentially. Our
o r g a n i z a t i o n ’s
ambition is to have
MEMS
sensors
everywhere, such as
in the smart home
shown by Bosch (a
member company)
here at CES. The
display home is laden with sensors
and MEMS microphones, gyros
and accelerometers.
“Now the big thing is a wearable device. MEMS used in this
environment need to be much
smaller and draw significantly less
power to be successful. For example, chemical sensing MEMS might
one day enable a smartphone to
tell you how many calories you’re
sweating, or if diabetic, how much
sugar is in your sweat.”
Lightman continued, “Industrial
The MEMS sector,
$5 billion five years
ago, is now a
$12 billion industry
The ZMDI temperature sensor MEMS at work, demonstrated by Uwe Guenther.
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12 Design Product News • www.dpncanada.com
Emphatec_DPN_Feb.indd 1
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 12
MONTREAL
(514) 685-6006
Fax (514) 685-6007
montreal@ringball.com
Ringball_DPN_Sept.indd 1
2015-01-05 12:04 PM
TORONTO
(905) 826-1100
Fax (905) 826-9691
toronto@ringball.com
For Special Environments try
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February 2015
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applications for MEMS are huge.
For example, Chevron is using
MEMS sensors mounted on chain
link fences to protect their facilities
and assets in Nigeria instead of
using security cameras.
“Our group represents the
entire supply chain including: the
companies that make the chip; the
companies the build the equipment
that use the chip; the companies
that make the silicon; as well as the
designers and integrators.”
Canadian members of the
MEMS Industry Group include:
Micralyne, a world renowned
pure-play MEMS foundry based
in Edmonton; Quebec’s MiQro
Innovation Collaborative Centre
(C2MI); and Teledyne DALSA of
Waterloo, ON.
“We as an organization brought
together our colleagues and created
the first standards for performance
of MEMS and sensors, which is
now an IEEE standard – IEEE
2700,” said Lightman. “We actually
won an innovation award because
we did it in less than 2 years from
start to finish, which is pretty amazing for a standard.
“We can now work on testing,
and Cinder Solutions here in our
booth develops testing equipment
specifically for MEMS. We are now
working on standards for testing
and calibration of MEMS.”
Stuart Faris, Cinder Solutions
marketing director, demonstrated
a two-axis rate table used to validate the performance of embedded
sensors within consumer products
Stuart Faris demonstrating the Cinder Solutions two-axis rate table for testing MEMS.
such as smartphones and tablets.
With this custom device, engineers
can test both gyroscope and accelerometer, then benchmark that performance, make any improvements
at the sensor software or hardware
level and track improvements by
repeating the test program. Faris
explained that Cinder is a validation and inter-op company for any
level of engineering services their
customers come to them for.
QuickLogic, another MEMS
Industry Group member, demonstrated their MEMS smart hub
device at CES 2015.
“We make ultra low power sensor hubs and develop all the algorithms needed to take the data from
MEMS and make something useful
of it, then a pass it to the application processor,” marketing director
Paul Karazuba explained.
“Inside smartphones and wear-
ansmission...
y of
nts try
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842° F)
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ables are a lot of MEMS devices
such as accelerometers, gyroscopes,
pressure sensors. The question of
what you do with all that data is a
big one right now. What our smart
hubs do is take that raw data and
determines what the user of the
device is actually doing. Are you
walking, running, sitting in car, in
an elevator, are you sleeping? With
this information, the smartphone
can change its behavior accordingly.
While we are not a MEMS producer, we provide the interface between
MEMS and their host systems.
“On a consumer level MEMS
can make your smart devices smarter – I hesitate to call something
smart when it ‘butt-dials,’ but if
our sensor hub can make the determination that the device is in your
pocket, the system can turn off the
screen and stop wasting battery
power or accepting touch input.
Quality bearings are only one aspect of RBL’s product line.
We take pride in our products that encompass bearings, rod
ends, bushings, sprockets, roller and leaf chains along with a
range of power transmission products. To assure product
availability and the best possible service for our customers,
we have extensive inventories at our five regional warehouses.
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“If the user were asleep, why on
earth would they need WiFi? Turn
that off! All of these things can be
done with the data from MEMS sensors interpreted by our smart hub. ”
ZMDI, a MEMS Industry Group
member based in Dresden, Germany,
produces semiconductors, application-specific integrated circuits
(ASIC) and MEMS. Uwe Guenther,
Mobile Sensing product manager,
was demonstrating sensors destined
for the mobile industry such as pressure sensors which are MEMS devices that give the accurate air pressure,
and from that the device altitude.
“Our customers are using
our ICs to produce optical sensors, which are not really MEMS,”
Guenther explained. “For example,
the proximity sensor on a smartphone will deactivate the screen
when raised to an ear.
“The next MEMS we are working on is a heat sensor that provides
contactless temperature readings
of the body. This is a thermopile
MEMS device to measure infrared
energy combined with an ASIC that
has many uses in fitness and health.
It can be used in other applications,
for example – how hot is my steak
or how cold is my beer?
“We are also showing a prototype gas sensor at CES 2015.
The sensor detects alcohol as a
VOC and can be placed into a
mobile phone as a MEMS device,”
Guenther revealed.
Zac Bolan is a Calgary-based writer and
photographer (zbolan@mac.com).
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February 2015
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 13
www.ringball.com
Hackensack,NJ07601USA
+1.201.343.8983•main@masterbond.com
www.masterbond.com
www.dpncanada.com • Design Product News
13
9/24/13 10:04 PM
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2015-01-08 3:03 PM
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
Sensors FEATURE
A light curtain ready to be used anywhere
Safety system addresses global manufacturing challenges
G
lobal manufacturers face the
challenge of running operations in multiple countries
around the world, where safety is
often dependent upon the ability of
personnel to comprehend instructions for operating critical safety
equipment in a foreign language.
While manufacturers of safety
equipment typically translate their
manuals into languages native to
the areas where they are used, operators of this equipment may be
left scratching their heads when a
problem occurs that isn’t addressed
in the manual.
Omron Automation and Safety
has taken on a unique approach to
this problem. Its new F3SG-RA global safety light curtain comes with
stickers in 8 languages – English,
Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean,
Japanese, German and Italian.
Each sticker has a QR code that
can be scanned by an operator with
a smartphone or tablet whenever a
problem occurs. Scanning the code
brings up a website that provides
online support and troubleshooting
in the user’s language, keyed to the
diagnostic signals provided by the
light curtain. The QR code also
provides quick access to a manual
in the user’s language.
Omron also provides a feature that allows manufacturers to
select one light curtain regardless
of where their machines may ship.
In Europe and North America, PNP
outputs are normally used while
NPN is the standard in Asia. The
company is perhaps the only light
curtain provider that makes it possible to switch from PNP to NPN
(and vice versa) with a DIP switch,
allowing a single model to be used
around the world.
This article was contributed by Omron
Automation and Safety.
www.omron.ca
Omron’s new F3SG-RA global safety light
curtain comes with stickers in 8 languages
– English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean,
Japanese, German and Italian.
High-Performance Energy and
Data Transmission Systems
Conductix-Wampfler’s mission: To keep your operations running 24/7/365 with
rugged, reliable energy and data transmission systems. Our conductor bar, cable
reels, festoon systems and crane controls are time-tested in the most demanding
environments and backed by a worldwide sales and service network unmatched
in our industry. We have over 60 years of experience applying our complete
line of mobile electrification and ergonomic products to real-world industrial
applications.
If you need solid solutions, look no further than Conductix-Wampfler.
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CANADA
18450 J.A. Bombardier
Mirabel, QC J7J 0H5
Phone +1-800-667-2487 Fax +1-800-442-9817
14 Design Product News • www.dpncanada.com
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DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 14
February 2015
12/30/2014
10:31:14
2015-01-21
9:39 AM
AM
Amacoil_DPN_Feb.indd
1
2012-12-18 8:54 AM
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
Sensors PRODUCTS
Food industry photoelectric sensors with IO-Link
Baumer has announced it now also makes the user benefits of its NextGen sensors available to
the food industry. Overall, three sensor principles are offered in EHEDG-compliant hygienic
design (O500 HD) or as wash-down variant (O500 WD) with IP69K rating. First, a light sensor
with background suppression. Second, a retro-reflective sensor. And finally, SmartReflect, the
light barrier technology developed by Baumer that does not need a separate reflector.
www.baumer.com/ca
Current sensor line expanded
The AutomationDirect AcuAMP
series ACSN100-AE-F AC current
switch features a fixed setpoint of 0.5
A and monitors conductor current up
to 100 A. The NO solid-state switch
output is rated for 120 V AC/DC,
0.15 A. ACSN250 series AC current
switches are available in fixed and
split-core styles.
www.automationdirect.com/
current-sensor
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Ult
Feedback position sensors
Festo Canada has introduced
programmable analog feedback position sensors – the
SDAT-MHS series – for pairing
with any Festo T-slot pneumatic drive. Said be easy to install
and program, the SDAT-MHS
transmitters provide consistently reliable positioning data that
assures high repetition accuracy
in applications such as pressing,
screwing, riveting, ultrasonic
welding, adhesive bonding.
www.festo.ca
Pressure transducers for oil
and gas equipment
Gems Sensors & Controls has announced the 31EP/EA and 32EP/
EA series of explosion proof pressure transducers. Rated at over
100 million cycles, the transducers
use sputtered
thin-film pressure sensing
technology, all
stainless steel
wetted parts
and an IP67
enclosure. Series transducers are
offered with a choice of either CSA
or ATEX hazardous area approval,
along with a broad selection of pressure ports and electrical outputs.
Automotive racing can present a very
demanding environment for race car parts.
That’s why when race team engineers
choose the SP2800 and call it “ultrareliable”, they speak from years of direct
experience. Proven in applications from
industrial valve controls to robotics,
mobile steering and more, the SP2800
Series is also easy to mount and has great
price/performance.
Key specifications are:
• Electrical angles 0° to: 100, 130, 308, 340
and 345°
• Repeatability to 0.01% (0.03°)
• Life: 50 million movements
• Ingress protection rating to IP 65,
IP 67 optional
For complete SP2800 information visit
www.novotechnik.com/sp2800
Novotechnik U.S., Inc.
Telephone: 508-485-2244
Email: info@novotechnik.com
www.gemssensors.com
February 2015
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 15
Novotechnik_DPN_Feb.indd 1
www.dpncanada.com • Design Product
News 15
2015-01-20 2:09 PM
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
Enclosure PRODUCTS
Bareboard computer enclosure platform
Visual and audible
warning signals
Hammond Manufacturing has announced 1593HAMEGG enclosures,
board-specific designs for the Arduino and Raspberry Pi bareboard computers.
Available in translucent blue, translucent purple or translucent black, they have
been designed in response to user feedback, providing an alternative to traditional base and lid designs where the bareboard is mounted inside an enclosure. In
the design, the board is screwed into molded studs located on the top of an eggshaped base, giving stability and access to I/O connectors, often used controls,
indicators and expansion boards, as well as allows installation of EMC shields.
www.hammondmfg.com
AutomationDirect has announced
WERMA 115 V AC/DC and 24 V
AC/DC stacklights in pre-assembled two and three-light models;
additional signal horns and buzzers have also been added. KombiSIGN KS 71 series pre-assembled
stacklights are IP65-rated and
feature LED permanent optical
elements.
High airflow fan tray with optional redundant power
Orion Fans has expanded its high airflow fan tray offering to include a front exhaust
unit available with up to six-fan positions. Suitable for narrow depth cabinets found
in security, audio and A/V applications, the OA406 series AC fan tray combines
small size – 1U high – with reliable performance and high airflows of up to 160 cfm,
the company says. Should the application require the capability of redundant power, the OA406 series fan module has a second power supply available as an option.
The RoHS-compliant fan tray has an operating temperature range of -10° to 50°C.
http://orionfans.com/products/fan-trays
www.automationdirect.com
Fasteners for electronics
add removability
PennEngineering microPEM TackScrew fasteners are said to integrate
proven self-clinching technology for
permanent sheet-to-sheet attachment
while also incorporating a unique
thread-like feature to allow fastener
removal when necessary. This combination adds functionality to the
original microPEM TackPin fastener
product line for thin sheet attachment applications, especially compact
electronics. TackScrew fasteners can
even be reinstalled one time if desired.
As suitable replacements for micro
screws, TackScrew fasteners will not
require the added costs of locking
patches, threaded inserts, tapped holes
or driver bits for initial installation,.
www.pemnet.com
Wiring channel cutting tool
High density fibre optic
routing management
Molex Inc. has launched its OptoConnect custom optical enclosures. Designed to simplify
complex fibre optic mapping issues, OptoConnect fibre routing
system using integrated FlexPlane optical circuitry provides
a complete end-to-end optical
management system that interfaces with various manufacturers of high density telecom
and datacom equipment used
in communications systems.
Fully tested and NEBS compliant, the enclosures handle the
most complex routing schemes
to greatly reduce intra-system
cabling footprints and increase
system reliability, the company
says.
www.molex.com
Electronic rotary latching line
Southco. has announced the R4-EM 8 series electronic rotary latch. The series
combines the efficient and robust performance of a rotary latch mechanism
with simplified DC motor actuation, the company says. Units are available
with or without an extended housing
option to accommodate door sensing
and to provide added protection of the
locking cam. Additionally, the series is
available with an integrated connector
and mechanical override bracket.
www.southco.com
The PPS CD M cutting tool from Phoenix Contact is
for cutting wiring channels and covers up to a width
of 125 mm to length, burr-free and non-cutting. One
feature is the simple handling, whereby the spring mounted knife protection
provides the necessary safety for the application. With the aid of a stop, the
exact length of the wiring channels to be cut is set on the 1 m long metric
measuring bar. With the aid of the lever rod, standard plastic profiles with a
wall thickness of up to 2.5 mm can be cut with a minimum of effort.
www.phoenixcontact.ca
AE/CP operating housings
Filter fans with CSA
certification have broad
application range
Pentair Technical Solutions has introduced Hoffman cooling system
filter fans that are now fully certified on the complete fan assembly
by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). Hoffman branded
filter fans are designed with numerous options available to suit a
broad range of electronic cooling
applications. The click-fit design
allows for fast and easy installation, Pentair says. Models available
include side-wall and roof-mount
options with AC and DC power
inputs. Additionally, reversible airflow and shallow depth models for
tight spaces are also available.
Rittal has introduced operating
housings based on AE with handle
strips, based on the support arm
system CP 60/120/180. Supplied
as standard, the operating housings with handle strips benefit
from a standardized design and
operation and replace the existing range of sheet steel operating
housings. Features include rear or
front access, an aluminum front
panel, lock with integral door runners and uniform interior installation via Rittal system accessories.
Units are available in 10 sizes,
with protection category IP55.
www.rittal.ca
www.pentairprotect.com
16 Design Product News • www.dpncanada.com
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 16
February 2015
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
CAD FEATURE
Four high-level reasons
why data management
should be on your radar
Succession planning, focus on innovation, customer retention, business continuity
By Greg Dohrman
General purpose ...
A
lot has been written about how data
management
can
standardize revision control, provide a documented,
audit-able design history,
and retain iterations and 3D
data sets for future leverage.
While these are important
features of data management, let’s take a look from
the 1000-foot view at how
data management can contribute to higher-level corporate objectives and goals A data management solution allows your staff to respond rapidly and accurately to
– beyond better design and each and every customer request, no matter how urgent.
more efficient manufacturing.
There is nothing more frustrating than not
With so many boomers getting set to retire
being able to track down the latest design docuin the next five years, many manufacturers are
ments when a great customer calls in a huge new
working out how best to pass on the collective
order that needs fast-tracking. How much time
knowledge of years of engineering expertise.
does your organization waste looking for files,
Not only can data management protect inteltrying to find finals to revise or to re-send to the
lectual assets, but also it can allow next generashop floor? A data management solution allows
tion designers to work intelligently by leveraging
your staff to respond rapidly and accurately to
existing assets at a much more use functional
each and every customer request, no matter how
level. Not just finding the part, but also seeing
urgent. By providing excellent customer service in
how that design has been applied to other prodterms of re-orders, replacement parts and further
ucts in the past.
product customization, manufacturers stand a
Top management sees innovation as a manbetter chance of keeping existing business and
datory part of their future. Faced with incredible
growing new business.
competitive pressures from new economies in Asia,
Lengthy downtime can kill a manufacturing
North American manufacturers can use innovabusiness – or at the very least stretch credit faciltion to maintain an edge. This
ities to the breaking point. In the
means new products and enhanceface of catastrophe, what is your
ments for existing products – more
strategy for ensuring your operadesign iterations faster to outpace
tions can be up and running again
competitors that primarily manuin a matter of hours not weeks?
facture copied products.
Gathering critical data assets in
For many, keeping pace is
a single repository like Autodesk
more than adding people, it
Vault can contribute significantly
requires better leveraging the experience resourcto your business continuity plan. No matter what
es that are already in place. This may require that
the original file type, a data vault can store and
the designers and engineers be able to collaborate
organize them for future use. With a good backseamlessly across locations or specialized resourcup and recovery plan, data management can get
es work across more projects to further leverage
workers back up and running in quickly.
their expertise.
All too often we get caught up in product feaInnovation does not have to centre solely on
tures and we forget the forest for the trees. Take
product design. Many incremental process innoa look at how the solutions you are considering
vations beyond design, including shop floor, cusmight contribute to higher-level corporate goals:
tomer service and sales can stem from data mansuccession planning, innovation, customer retenagement solutions that make design information
tion and business continuity.
available to the entire organization from an early
stage. Upstream and downstream innovations can
Greg Dohrman is Director, Data Management Solutions, at
contribute to increased productivity, improved
IMAGINiT Technologies.
closing rates and reduced shop floor downtime.
www.imaginit.com
For many,
keeping pace is
more than adding
people
February 2015
Extreme loads ...
Low wear ...
High temperature ...
Chemical resistant ...
Food contact ...
Niche products ...
Special solutions ...
.ca/iglide
www.dpncanada.com • Design Product News
Igus_DPN_Feb.indd 1
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 17
17
2015-01-20 1:51 PM
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
Hydraulics & Pneumatics FEATURES
Festo invests in future smart factory vision
Control moves down automation pyramid
S
mart Factory, Industry 4.0,
Smart Manufacturing: these
and other largely vendor-driven collaborations around the world
have the same overriding objective
– to develop smart manufacturing
technologies that take plant-wide
productivity to new heights.
The excitement being generated
by this movement has some manufacturers concerned that change
is coming too fast. Dr. Eberhart
Veit, CEO of global automation
giant Festo, offers this reassurance:
Change is going to be evolutionary,
not revolutionary, and very customer-centric. Only those smart technologies offering “true customer benefits” will succeed. Festo expects to
be workIng more closely than ever
with customers tailoring these technologies to their needs. “Customers
expect more and more customer-specific solutions,” says Dr. Veit. “They
are not willing to take standard
ones, and they will not wait.”
Festo is participating in
Germany’s Industry 4.0 initiative
while making major investments to
reap its benefits. The company is
building two facilities at a total cost
of €108m ($153 million) that will
increase its capability to design and
test future automation technologies
and processes, often in collaboration with customers. Though only
partially completed, the high-rise
Automation Centre already is the
most visibly striking structure on
the Festo campus in Esslingen, near
Stuttgart. Nearby in OstfildernScharnhausen, the Technology Plant
will benchmark new products and
processes.
In Festo’s vision of the future factory, control functions now residing
at the top level of the automation
pyramid will shift downwards, with
intermediate components given the
functionality to process orders dispatched from above. Such adaptive
components will function collaboratively to form their own networks.
Future smart production technologies will be more economical,
flexible and adaptable, faster to set
up and more energy efficient. Yet
workers won’t disappear from the
shop floor. In fact, there will be
increased opportunities for closer
collaboration between humans and
technology in the manufacturing
Festo CEO Dr. Eberhart Veit displays the Bionic Handling Assistant, inspired by the elephant trunk, and its NanoForceGripper, inspired by the
gecko. The system is being adapted for use in robotic automation solutions.
environment through concepts such
as collaborative robotics.
Creating and commercializing these and other smart factory
concepts will require changes of
mindset. Greater
inter-disciplinary
collaboration will
be paramount.
“Closer collaboration will be
required between
the
hardware
designer and software programmer
as devices become
more intelligent,”
says Dr. Veit, a mechatronic engineer
himself.
Future manufacturing technology will be more knowledge-based,
necessitating better knowledge management. It will be critically important to understand the factory on
three levels – the plant as a whole,
the end-to-end production processes
within and the automation supporting each process.
That will place added emphasis
on industrial education and training, an area in which the company already has a global presence through Festo Didactic, its
industrial education division. Festo
18 Design Product News • www.dpncanada.com
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 18
Didactic was further strengthened
by the recent acquisition of North
American-based Lab-Volt, a specialist in technical training and continuing education for electronics, electrical and mechanical engineering
and telecommunications.
The
former Lab-Volt
facility in Quebec
City,
which
employs over 200,
will play a major
role in developing
and
producing
training systems
and education programs for the
future factory.
This focus on education and
training underscores Festo’s belief
that the smart factory is a journey,
not a destination. It will be continually evolving, and operators should
take a long view about change.
Festo has taken such a long view
in product development through its
unique Bionic Learning Network
and Futures Concept. Visitors
to major trade shows have seen
Festo’s experimental SmartBird fly
and Bionic Kangaroo jump, but
what it really gets out of the Bionic
Learning Network is greater under-
The focus on
education and training
underscores a belief
that the smart factory
is a journey, not a
destination
standing of how nature achieves
perfection in areas important to
future product development goals,
such as lightweight design, functional integration, enhanced connectivity and energy efficiency.
If this research seems esoteric, some products based on these
mechanical imitations of nature are
being incorporated into commercial
applications, or will be shortly.
Festo’s award-winning Bionic
Handling Assistant, inspired by
the elephant trunk, is being adapted for use in robotic automation
solutions. Its NanoForceGripper,
inspired by the gecko, can grasp
smooth-surface, fragile objects like
drinking glasses or smartphone
display modules with almost no
expenditure of energy, making it
a potential tool for enhanced pick
and place systems.
Festo sees products that owe
their origin to the Bionic Learning
Network effort becoming catalysts
for major gains in manufacturing
productivity that can make the
smart factory of tomorrow an
even smarter investment for plant
operators..
This article was contributed by Festo.
www.festo.ca
February 2015
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
CAD Chronicle
Apply materials data to real-life engineering problems
System-level modeling
and simulation
Maplesoft has announced a new
release of MapleSim, its system-level modeling and simulation
platform. This release is said to
make it easier to explore and validate designs, create and manage
libraries of custom components,
and use MapleSim models elsewhere. The release is also said to
dramatically reduce model development and analysis time.
www.maplesoft.com
Granta Design has introduced Granta MI Version 8 software, which helps
engineering enterprises to manage and apply vital materials data, ensuring
quality, gaining time, and avoiding risk in the engineering process. The software enables companies in sectors including aerospace, automotive, energy,
industrial and consumer equipment, and medical devices to manage their proprietary data on composites, metals, plastics, and other materials. They can
combine this data with authoritative reference data, creating a single, trusted
source for corporate materials information.
www.grantadesign.com
What’s the driving force behind the
performance and profitability of your
packaging machines?
Ergonomic human
modeling software
NexGen has released the HumanCAD 3.0 digital human modeling
platform. The software creates digital humans in which a variety of ergonomic and human factor analysis
can be performed. It aids users with
the design of products and workplaces by determining what humans
of various sizes can see, reach or lift.
www.nexgenergo.com
It should be your automation partner!
Computational parts
based CAE system
MSC Software Corp., has released its CAE platform, MSC
Apex. MSC Apex is said to be
the world’s first computational
parts-based CAE system that
will serve as the platform for a
broad range of physics and applications. MSC Apex transforms the way engineers perform
simulation by reducing critical
CAE modeling and process time
from days to hours.
At Omron, we deliver a comprehensive
range of products and services
designed to increase the speed,
versatility, and safety of your machines.
Empower your production with highly
advanced solutions that have the
OMRON AUTOMATION AND SAFETY
Toll free: 800.556.6766 • www.omron247.com
DPN Omron Jr Pg Ad_2015.indd 1
Omron_DPN_Feb.indd 1
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 19
If you are developing a new machine
or upgrading an existing model, look
to Omron as your knowledgeable
partner for superior automation.
Discover how we can increase
your packaging profitability.
www.mscapex.com
February 2015
proven reliability to maximize your
customers’ loyalty.
www.dpncanada.com • Design Product
1/16/15News
9:24 AM19
2015-01-16 2:25 PM
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
Medical Engineering
By Mark Sunderland
High-tech surgery able to go online
Robot remotely pairs human hand dexterity with human decision-making
T
he time has come that a surgeon, sitting at home in PJs (or
nighty) can remotely remove a
dysfunctional body part from a patient
on the opposite side of the world. The
means and the technology are in place
– though not from home but from a
hospital console – well clear of interference from the family cat.
The technology for
telesurgery is now well
advanced
This technology pairs the dexterity of the human hand with the decision-making capacity of the human
brain. It never panics, it doesn’t need to
sleep, and it’s free from niggling irritations that can lurk in the human mind
– and it doesn’t even bother to breath.
It is, in fact, the Da Vinci surgical robot
(www.davincisurgery.com).
From a console in St. Joseph’s
Hospital (www.stjoes.ca) in Hamilton,
ON, a surgeon controls a robotic
surgeon in another hospital, incising,
stitching and removing or repairing
body parts as required.
The technology for remote surgery
(telesurgery) is now well advanced and
it exposes patients to world-leading
expertise and better healthcare without
having to travel.
The birth of telesurgery began
with the interest in space travel and
was an outgrowth of the robotic doctor, an idea that was conceived when
NASA (www.nasa.gov) suggested
that researchers look into the option
of remote-controlled robots to treat
astronauts in space.
But like other technologies developed for military applications the
transfer to civilian use is not without
The Da Vinci robotic surgical system. “I have both my hands on the robot in the same way I would have instruments in both hands,” said Dr.
Mehran Anvari of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hamilton, ON.
precedence and in 2001 the first transatlantic procedure, a 45 minute minimally invasive cholecystectomy, was
conducted by a French surgeon (Dr.
Jacques Marescaux) in New York on
a patient in Hôpital civil, Strasbourg.
France Telecom provided fibre optic
ATM lines to minimize lag time and
optimize connectivity and Computer
Motion provided a modified Zeus
robotic system.
The publicity and success of the
procedure, known as the Lindberg
Operation after Charles Lindberg, the
first aviator to cross the Atlantic, led a
robotic team to use the same technology in Canada with Bell Canada’s public
Internet between Hamilton and North
Bay, ON. While operation Lindbergh
used the more expensive ATM fibre
optics communication to ensure reliability and success of the first telesurgery, the follow on procedures in
Dr. Mehran Anvari controls his robot surgeon, conducting a keyhole surgery (St Joseph’s
Healthcare).
20 Design Product News • www.dpncanada.com
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 20
Canada used standard public Internet
that was provisioned with QOS using
MPLS QOS-MPLS.
A series of complex laparoscopic
(light tube assisted) procedures were
performed with expert clinicians supporting the more experienced surgeon
who was remotely operating on the
patient. This resulted in the patient
receiving the best care possible while
remaining in the hometown, the less
experienced clinicians gained valuable
experience, and the expert surgeon
stayed home. The robotic team’s goal
was to advance Lindbergh’s proof of
concept to a real-life solution. This was
achieved with over 20 complex laparoscopic operations between Hamilton
and North Bay.
Although the Zeus robot in North
Bay lacked some it the features of the
Da Vinci robot at St. Joseph’s Hospital,
the surgeon Dr. Mehran Anvari said,
other than the location, its operation is
not much is different. “It’s the same as
if I were sitting in the operating room,”
he says. “I have both my hands on the
robot in the same way I would have
instruments in both hands.” He moves
the robotic camera that serves as his
eyes, and can speak with the nurses in
the remote operating room with the
patient, and give them instructions.
“Basically, it’s the same as if I were
next to the patient, just using telecommunication and robotics. It doesn’t feel
different.”
In the past few years, better landlines and hard-wired Internet connections have made lag time less of an
issue. When Anvari operated on his
first set of patients, there was a delay
of about 175 ms that is imperceptible
but with distance, the risk increases
and lag time and interruptions can risk
disaster.
“It’s not realistic to expect these
robots to go into autopilot mode
and finish the surgery,” said Tamas
Haidegger, a researcher at Obuda
University in Budapest who studies
space telesurgery.
“This will certainly be an issue
for operations conducted at great distances – such as in deep space or
Mars. Out there, robots that use algorithms and databases to make decisions during surgery will be required,”
said Mangai Prabakar, an engineer at
Florida International University who
designs smart robots.
“If they can just maintain the communication link between Earth and the
space shuttle, then they can be guided
by the surgeon on earth,” Prabakar
said.
“But Mars is really far, and we
can’t communicate over such a huge
distance. We’re going to have to build
robots that we can trust to do full
surgeries without a human guiding the
scalpel on Earth. And that will require
incredibly powerful computers.”
Meantime, back in Hamilton, ON,
surgery is getting closer to getting further away.
Mark Sunderland is President of Ottawabased Biomedical Industry Group
(msunderland@biomedgroup.com).
February 2015
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
Motion Control PRODUCTS
Energy-efficient pneumatic directional control valves
Online motion system
application engine
With Aventics compact and lightweight Advanced Valve AV03 valve systems,
compared to the market standard, the company says it has halved the weight of
the new valves by using resistant high-performance polymers and reducing the
number of parts and cut the required space by 45%. Users profit from a flow
improvement of 40%, it adds. The AV03 can control up to 24 coils with 25-pin
D-sub connection, up to 40 coils with 44-pin D-sub connection, and up to 128
coils with Fieldbus connection.
www.advanced-valve.com
Kollmorgen has introduced a tool
that is designed to provide a better
experience in motion system sizing
and selecting – Motioneering Online.
The OEM design tool utilizes a
mechanism project concept to collect
and save load information for multiple
axes. This design tool automatically
calculates application results and
compares them against Kollmorgen’s
database of products.
Needle valves control pneumatic system air flow
Clippard GNV series needle valves are available with 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8 in. port
sizes with flow rates up to 60 scfm at 100 psig. Mounting options include direct and in-line, as well as cartridge styles. Adjustment is achieved by either
a recessed slot or knurled knob. Features include: bidirectional flow control;
rotating input for 360º positioning; multiple mounting options; suitable for use
with Clippard push-quick fittings.
www.clippard.com
www.kollmorgen.com/motioneering
LBP-003 (CN 4.25 X 7.25).ai 1 12/20/2011 8:26:23 AM
Inline fittings added to
pneumatics line
The AutomationDirect NITRA line of
pneumatics products now includes pushto-connect inline fittings. Constructed
with technopolymer bodies and nickelplated brass internal parts, these fittings
work with 1/4- and 5/16-in. flexible pneumatic tubing and can be added
to existing circuits. Inline hand valves have a range of 0 to 150 psi and are
available in 2-way and 3-way styles with or without locking capability;
3-way valves relieve pressure downstream.
www.automationdirect.com/special-push-connect
Connector series for environments up to 200ºC
HARTING Han High Temp connectors are designed to circumvent the
limitations of deploying connectors in hot manufacturing applications up
to 200ºC like mold machines and casting equipment. The Han High Temp
can be located right at the machine, saving on cabling and potentially
simplifying machine design and wiring, including
pneumatic supply lines. The aluminum die cast
hoods and housings feature a highly compressed
surface with non-stick properties allowing the
connector to be unmated without the gasket
sticking. A special non-adhesive seal implemented
in the connector provides temperature resistance.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
www.harting.ca
Motorized linear slides
EAS series linear actuator products from Oriental Motor use a low heat,
constant duty AR series motor and driver. The motorized linear slides
are said to be quick and responsive and incorporate a ball screw and a
THK-manufactured LM Guide as the guide. Units are available with a
pulse input or built-in controller (stored data type) driver and a wide
range of options including
electromagnetic
brake
for vertical applications,
reversed motor for space
saving and X-axis or
Y-axis table orientation.
www.orientalmotor.com
February 2015
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 21
www.dpncanada.com • Design Product News
21
2015-01-26 9:32 AM
Automotive Scene
By Bill Vance
A “mechanical battery” in your future?
Using the kinetic energy of a spinning flywheel
T
ightening emissions and fuel
economy legislation is forcing manufacturers to produce
more hybrid vehicles in which an electric motor and battery-pack supplements the internal combustion engine.
This contributes to improved economy, but at significant weight and cost
penalties.
A flywheel
has several advantages
over batteries
This is leading engineers to pursue
lighter, less costly alternatives, one
of which is using the kinetic energy
stored in a spinning flywheel. It is
in effect a battery that stores energy
mechanically, not chemically.
A flywheel has several advantages over batteries. It is less costly to
produce (some one quarter of a battery-electric system), has about one
third less mass, no end-of-life disposal
problems, and the ability to release
and absorb energy instantly without
damage. It is also more compact for
easier integration into the vehicle.
Using flywheels to store kinetic energy is not new. In the 1940s
Swiss company Orlikon’s “Gyrobus”
replaced the combustion engine with
a flywheel energized by an on-board
motor-generator fed by overhead wires
and roof-mounted booms. The bus
could travel six km on a full charge
and was used until the mid-1950s.
Flywheel development continues both in stationary and mobile
applications. Mississauga, ON-based
Temporal Power Ltd. is currently
experimenting with them for storing
municipal electrical energy to smooth
out power grid imbalances created by
fluctuating demand, and by inputs of
renewable energy from sun and wind
sources.
Temporal has installed ten 4000
kg cylindrical flywheels in in-ground
concrete silos near Harriston, ON.
Excess power is used to activate a
motor-generator that spins the flywheels up to 11,000-plus rpm. When
power is demanded, the motor-generator switches immediately to generator
mode using the flywheel’s kinetic energy to produce electricity.
In automobile use, UK-based powertrain technology specialist Torotrak’s
Flybrid energy recovery system is taking advantage of a mechanically driven flywheel to store kinetic energy.
Torotrak obtained this technology
when it purchased Flybrid Automotive
of Northamptonshire in 2014.
Torotrak uses a small carbon fibre
flywheel that is lighter than steel and
can withstand much higher rotational
speed – up to 60,000 rpm. Since energy increases as the square of speed, a
lighter wheel spinning twice as fast produces four times the power, enabling it
to store more energy. Flybrid’s flywheel housing is under vacuum to
reduce friction on the wheel.
In the event of flywheel failure
a carbon wheel is safe because if it
disintegrates it does not release steel
shrapnel, but sheds shredded fibre that
is light enough to be contained within
the casing.
Torotrak’s automobile testing has
dispelled the prevailing opinion that
hybrid power is mainly effective in
low speed urban driving and acceleration assistance. Highway cruising is
limited so the engine takes over.
Torotrak has found that an energized flywheel can do all these things,
Ontario-based Temporal Power Ltd. is
currently experimenting with flywheels
for storing municipal electrical energy to
smooth out power grid imbalances created
by fluctuating demand, and by inputs of
renewable energy from sun and wind
sources.
One of the several vehicle manufacturers UK-based Torotrak is working with is Volvo, where
a study showed the Flybrid system “spin-up and cruise” capability achieved a 25% highway
fuel economy improvement over a non-hybrid Volvo.
and also maintain highway speed
without the engine. When the flywheel
slows down the engine re-starts to
maintain vehicle speed and re-energize
the flywheel. Once up to speed the
wheel begins releasing its energy and
the cycle repeats.
One of the several vehicle manufacturers Torotrak is working with
is Volvo, where a study showed the
Flybrid system “spin-up and cruise”
capability achieved a 25% highway
fuel economy improvement over a
non-hybrid Volvo.
Re-energizing a flywheel puts
22 Design Product News • www.dpncanada.com
DPN FEBRUARY 2015.indd 22
more demand on the engine, making
it work harder. The resulting wider
throttle opening improves volumetric
efficiency. Another option is fitting an
axle ratio allowing lower engine speed
that reduces internal engine friction
and works it harder for improving
breathing and more efficiency. If the
engine is turbocharged, the flywheel
can compensate for the turbo lag
caused by less exhaust energy from the
lower engine rpm.
A significant component of the
Flybrid flywheel system is its clutched
flywheel transmission that links the
flywheel mechanically to the driveline
but allows flywheel speed to be independent of engine speed. This enables
power flow from powertrain to flywheel and vice versa, and the recovery
of energy from vehicle braking to
re-energize the flywheel.
Torotrak envisions the Flybrid flywheel eventually becoming fully integrated into the gearbox for more compact packaging, and to share systems
like lubrication and cooling.
The Flybrid system has proved
its durability in Formula One racing’s Kinetic Energy Recovery System
(KERS). Torotrak sees a bright future
for it in passenger cars.
Bill Vance (bvance1@cogeco.ca) is an
author and founding member of the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada.
February 2015
2015-01-26 11:55 AM
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www.asconumatics.ca
After 50 years in the fluid automation industry, we understand that our customers have unique needs. Trust our hand picked team
of industry experts to assess the situation, recommend a solution and deliver what you need to keep your operations running smoothly.
From small entrepreneurs to large corporations, ASCO Numatics Canada promises an experience that delivers quickly and cost-effectively.
We’re committed to excellence... it’s the ASCO Numatics difference.
At ASCO Numatics we handle things differently... we offer solutions
, Assembly Supervisor
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