Ma 2015june de

Motion control learn how thermoplastic racks open up new motion control applications

education a british columbia college debuts online robotics lab to boost hands-on learning

Machine safety ait uses siemens’ integrated platform to improve performance of boeing’s Dreamliner fuselage assembly process

J u n e 2 015

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M AC H I N E D E S I G N • S YS T E M S • T E C H N O L O G Y

THE

SNOWBALL

EFFECT

our editorial advisory board discusses the top themes changing the face of manufacturing

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W H A T ’ S

I N S I D E

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

4 FROM THE EDITOR 5 AUTOMATION UPFRONT In brief Deal makers Movers and shakers

COLUMNS 9 Industry Watch

“Finishing well” should be a primary goal for industry leaders, notes Paul Hogendoorn

10 Machine Safety

A look at how AIT used Siemens’ integrated platform to improve performance for Boeing’s Dreamliner fuselage assembly process

30 Distorted Realities

Dick Morley looks at the futures — plurial — of manufacturing

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Cover photo by Sandra Strangemore

The snowball effect

Our editorial advisory board discusses the top themes changing the face of manufacturing By Alyssa Dalton

control 18 Motion Thermoplastic racks open up new motion control applications By David Hein

manufacturing 20 Lean Principles to help keep your facility Lean, clean and competitive

NEW PRODUCTS 25 26 26 27 27 28 28 29

Robotics Motors & Drives HMI & Operator Interface Hydraulics & Pneumatics Automation Software Connectivity Sensors Test & Measurement

Murrelektronik_MA_May.indd 1

By Mike Brauss

22 education A British Columbia college debuts an online robotics lab to drive student interest and hands-on learning By Alyssa Dalton

Connectivity 24 Mobile technology and wearables enable Cloud-based Industry 4.0 concepts By Andy Burleigh

www.AutomationMag.com2015-04-28 • June 2015 3 10:04 AM

F R O M

T H E

E D I T O R www.automationmag.com • Vol. 30, No.4 Canada’s leading publication providing industrial automation news and technology information aimed at the discrete and process industries.

A taste of thailand

A

s I write this editorial, I am restlessly sitting on a Boeing 777 from Thailand to Toronto for what feels like an eternity of flying. It will take me about a combined 24 hours of travelling to get home after a hectic four-day press junket in Bangkok. Organized by the Thailand Board of Investment, the press tour brought together five North American journalists (myself included) to visit a handful of manufacturers and institutes in the area. We also attended Intermach and Subcon Thailand, the largest industrial machinery and subcontracting exhibition in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The city of Bangkok was exactly how I imagined it would be — everywhere you looked were small family-owned street restaurants and travelling vendors serving hot bowls of noodles, soup and local grilled meats; bright neon signs that light the sky day and night; while loud, excited pedestrian chatter add to the atmosphere. And it was humid — the week averaged over 38 C! As the only member of the Canadian media present on the tour, I was granted a rare opportunity to see how companies in this bustling, vibrant country are not only surviving, but thriving. For a country that is small in scale, its machinery sector packs a mighty punch. In 2014, Thailand exported US$8 billion in machinery and parts, primarily to Indonesia, Japan and the U.S., and was ranked the world’s 16th largest manufacturer, according to ASEAN stats. The tour at Nissan Motor’s manufacturing plant gave me a backstage look at this burgeoning industry. My colleagues and I saw robots and humans work together in the paint shop, detailed work in the inspection line, and completed vehicles roll off the final assembly line, ready to be tested around a 60,000-m2 test track. Here, 60 per cent of total production is set for export outside the South Asian region. Hopefully this gives you a taste of my Thailand articles to come. Be sure to check the magazine and website regularly for follow-up stories, photos and videos from my trip! •

EDitOR Alyssa Dalton adalton@annexweb.com

ARt DiRECtOR svetlana Avrutin savrutin@annexweb.com

EDitORiAL DiRECtOR Paul Grossinger pgrossinger@annexweb.com

ACCOUNt CO-ORDiNAtOR Kathryn Nyenhuis knyenhuis@annexweb.com

GROUP PUBLisHER Klaus B. Pirker kpirker@annexweb.com 905-726-4670

CiRCULAtiON CO-ORDiNAtOR Lisa thomson 866-790-6070 ext. 201 Fax: 877-624-1940 lthomson@annexweb.com

COLUMNists Paul Hogendoorn Dick Morley

DiRECtOR OF sOUL/COO sue Fredericks

EDitORiAL ADVisORY BOARD Piero Cherubini, Dean, Faculty of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship, Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology Al Diggins, President and General Manager, Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium, and Chairman and CEO, Canadian Manufacturing Network David Green, Technology and Business-to-Business Consultant sherman Lang, Industrial Technology Advisor, Industrial Research Assistance Program, National Research Council of Canada Don McCrudden, Vice-President, Business Development, Festo David McPhail, President and CEO, Memex Automation Nigel southway, Business Productivity Consultant and Author on Lean Thinking Bill Valedis, Vice-President, Precision Training, Products and Services Inc. Manufacturing AUTOMATION is published seven times a year by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. 222 Edward Street, Aurora, Ontario L4G 1W6 Tel: (905) 727–0077 • Fax: (905) 727–0017 • PM # 40065710 The contents of Manufacturing Automation are copyright ©2015 by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. and may not be reproduced in whole or part without written consent. Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. 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. send address changes and return undeliverable Address Blocks to: Manufacturing AUTOMATION, P.O. Box 530, Simcoe ON N3Y 4N5. Return postage guaranteed. subscription rates: Canada — $40 per year. United States and Foreign — $60(US) per year. Student subscription rate $20 per year. ISSN-1480-2996

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A U T O M A T I O N

U P F R O N T

112 stop work orders issued in Ontario machine safety blitz

In brief • About 1,000 workers will be laid off from GM Canada’s Oshawa Assembly Plant in Ontario this year. The cuts will be made by December 2015, when the main assembly operation is expected to have 2,600 hourly employees — down from the current 3,600.

to Spanish auto parts manufacturer Grupo Antolin for about $525 million. • 100 employees were evacuated due to massive roof fire at Standen’s warehouse in Calgary, Alta. The fire created plumes of smoke which could be seen across the south side of the city.

• Magna International has confirmed its Canadian plants are not included in its decision to sell its interiors operations

With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press

Ontario inspectors issued 3,669 orders — which includes 112 stop work orders — for violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations during a recent safety blitz that focused on machines that were not properly guarded or locked out during maintenance, repair and other activities. The inspectors visited almost 700 workplaces in the industrial sector, such as wood and metal fabrication, manufacturing, chemical and plastics, and pulp and paper, in the Ministry of Labour blitz that took place from November 3 to Dec. 14, 2014. They checked that employers were taking appropriate action to assess and address possible hazards involving machines that were not properly guarded, locked out or blocked. “Workers can suffer serious injuries such as amputation of limbs or even death if machines have improper or missing guards or if improper lockout procedures are used,” said George Gritziotis, chief prevention officer. “We’re working to improve the health and safety of workers in Ontario. But we can’t do it alone. Government, employers, workers and others must share the responsibility to keep workplaces safe.” They also checked that employers were protecting workers from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and chemical exposure, and that workplaces had a strong internal responsibility system (IRS) in place to ensure worker health and safety. “Since 2003, the number of injuries in Ontario workplaces has decreased by 40 per cent, but blitzes like this show that more can be done and needs to be done to ensure the health and safety of all workers,” said Kevin Flynn, minister of labour. “These blitz results send a strong message that non-compliance continues to be a problem in many industrial workplaces, and it will not be tolerated by the Ministry of Labour. Ontario workers deserve to return home safe and sound after a hard day’s work, and we will persist in our efforts to ensure they do.” PC45__USA.indd 4 Beckhoff_MA_June.indd 1

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A U T O M A T I O N

U P F R O N T

DeAL MAKerS baylis receives $15.2-million boost for first-in-canada medical device manufacturing Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) has announced a $15.2-million loan that aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of medical devices to Baylis Medical, a manufacturer and distributor of medical devices. Specifically, the investment will allow Baylis to manufacture three new medical device product lines and improve productivity for in-house manufacturing. These devices, according to FedDev Ontario, are the first of its kind in Canada and will be used by physicians during heart procedures. “Innovative companies, like Baylis Medical, are taking Ontario’s manufacturing sector into the future. The Government of Canada is proud to support Baylis and continues to be committed to investing in trailblazing manufacturers by helping them become more competitive, more productive and by ensuring we keep and create higher quality jobs here in Canada,” said Stella Ambler, MP for Mississauga South. Baylis Medical Company is expected to create 30 research and development jobs and 60 manufacturing jobs at its facilities in Mississauga, Ont.

Manufacturing AUTOMATION had the opportunity to chat with Thomas Lichtenberger, president and CEO of Festo Canada, at the company’s recent 40-year anniversary celebration. Find out how the company has managed to stay relevant and successful over the past four decades in Canada. Lichtenberger also shared his views on smart factory and other emerging trends and technologies. Visit our digital edition to watch this exclusive video.

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Schleuniger, a manufacturer of high-precision wire processing machines, hosted an open house on Apr. 24 to celebrate its new Canadian branch office location. Cirris Systems, Gem Gravure and Panduit also exhibited at the event and provided live product demonstrations for wire processing, cable testing, marking and coding, and end-to-end wire management solutions. Guests enjoyed a continental breakfast, a catered lunch and pianist Mario Commisso set the mood for happy hour with his elegant piano styling. Several raffles were held throughout the day — congratulations to Anixter’s Joe Doris for winning a golf day with Harry Coates, Schleuniger Canadian sales manager, and Simcona’s Carl Candler for winning the Golf Town gift card grand prize. Originally established in 1991, Schleuniger’s Canadian branch office moved to a new facility located at 1195 North Service Road West, Unit B5 in Oakville, Ont., late last year, which it says will help serve its Canadian and northern New York customers and support the growth of the company. The new office will offer the “same great sales and technical support” as well as customer service.

MOVerS & SHAKerS schneider electric has announced Juan Macias has been named its Canadian president, reporting to Laurent Vernerey, North American president and CEO. In his new role as country president, he will Juan Macias “continue to elevate Schneider Electric’s presence in Canada as a leader in energy management and automation solutions,” said the company. Daniel Péloquin, who Macias replaces, has moved to an advisory role with Schneider Electric Canada and will continue to represent Schneider at conferences across North America. paul cooke has been named regional president Americas and president & CEO of bosch Rexroth u.s. He joined the company in 1982 and has served in positions of senior leadership in the United Paul Cooke Kingdom and Germany. Berend Bracht, who currently holds the position is resigning for personal reasons, said Dr. Karl Tragl, chair of the executive board.

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omega plastics has appointed scott Gardner to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). Prior to joining Omega, he held a variety of leadership positions within the optical fiber and optical fiber cable division of Alcatel. His increasing responsibilities included process engineering, operations management, quality, business develop and sales & marketing. “Scott Gardner is a proven performer, and he brings

June 2015 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION

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tremendous depth to the company as we continue both organic growth and the potential for additional acquisitions going forward,” said Stephen Redwine, CEO. vinesh Kumar is joining carlo Gavazzi as account manager for the Alberta region, bringing with him more than a decade of sales experience in automation and electrical products. Over the Vinesh Kumar years, Kumar has gained extensive experience in distribution channel management representing major names in the industry, noted Carlo Gavazzi, adding that he will be a “key part in developing and maintaining longterm relationships and new business opportunities.” Global automotive supplier Denso has announced changes to its North American executive management team. stephen Milam is promoted to CEO of Denso Thermal Systems North American Center (TAC) Business Group, where he will also continue to serve as president of Denso Manufacturing Canada. andris staltmanis is promoted to president of Denso Manufacturing Michigan Inc. (DMMI). In his new role, he will oversee DMMI operations, as well as lead TAC manufacturing activities. Michael winkler is promoted to vice-president of Denso’s North America Purchasing Group, responsible for overseeing regional sourcing strategy to support the growth of the company in North America and enhance supplier relationships.

A U T O M A T I O N

U P F R O N T

Feds invest $56.4M for Mitacs Accelerate skills development & research

The Government of Canada’s budget announced an additional investment of $56.4 million over four years, starting in 2016-17, to support industrial research internships for graduate students through the Mitacs Accelerate program. The new funding will support an additional 6,000 internships over four years, effectively doubling the program by 2020. Mitacs Accelerate provides graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with career skills as they apply their specialized expertise to businessfocused challenges in partnership with industry and not-for-profit organizations. Internships are supported by the Canadian government, industry partners and provincial governments. “This new funding will support R&D collaborations, which will see graduate students transfer their skills from theory to application while our partner companies grow through innovation,” said Alejandro Adem, CEO and scientific director of Mitacs. “We are grateful that the Government of Canada has taken a significant step to further promote innovation and productivity in Canada by expanding investment in Mitacs Accelerate and supporting collaboration between industry and Canadian universities.” The impact of Mitacs Accelerate on Canadian R&D investment, innovation and business outcomes was recently revealed in a longitudinal survey. As a result of their collaboration with Mitacs, former industry partners reported that the Accelerate program met their corporate needs:

• 66 per cent of projects have resulted, or will result, in commercialization, • 25 per cent of the interns were hired into new positions, and • 18 per cent of companies saw their profits grow through cost savings. Mitacs is a national, not-for-profit organization led by Canadian universities that has designed and delivered research and training programs in Canada for 15 years. Open to all disciplines and all industry sectors, projects span a wide range of areas, including manufacturing, business processes, IT, design and more.

Canada eliminates all tariffs on machinery, equipment and inputs used in industrial manufacturing

The Government of Canada has eliminated all remaining tariffs on machinery, equipment and inputs such as screws, electric motors and pipe

fittings for industrial manufacturing, which it says will benefit Canadian businesses by lowering the cost of imports used to produce manufactured goods. It noted that the tariff elimination measure was first announced in Budget 2010, the Government estimated that it could create 12,000 jobs across Canada. Since 2009, more than 1,800 tariffs have been eliminated in the industrial manufacturing sector. This announcement will specifically benefit small and medium-sized businesses that rely on global supply chains and are looking to diversify their export markets. These changes will provide $450 million in annual tax relief for Canadian manufacturers. “The elimination of all tariffs on imported goods and equipment, along with other tax measures, is providing Canadian manufacturers with a significant competitive advantage. Manufacturers across the country are using these tax savings to invest in innovation, growth and jobs,” said Jayson Myers, president and CEO, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME). According to the government, Canada is the first G20 nation to eliminate all tariffs on machinery, equipment and inputs used in the industrial manufacturing sector. “Today’s announcement builds on our commitment to making Canada one of the best countries in the world to do business. We are confident that our low taxes, global trade opportunities and clear investment rules will ensure that Canada’s manufacturing sector remains globally competitive,” continued James Moore, minister of industry.

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A U T O M A T I O N

U P F R O N T

Canadian businesses not prepared for disruption: Deloitte Rapid advances in technology are already disrupting many industries that anchor Canada’s economy, bringing significant and permanent changes to the country’s business landscape and Canadian firms are not prepared, according to Deloitte. A new report in its Future of Canada series, The Age of Disruption: Are Canadian Firms Prepared?, finds that only one

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in 10 organizations (13 per cent) are ready for significant technology-driven disruption, and a company’s size, age or industry sector has little bearing on how ready it will be to adapt. Meanwhile nearly nine out of 10 (87 per cent) organizations aren’t fully prepared to handle the impacts of technological disruption, yet Canadian firms seem unaware

June 2015 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION

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“Organizations need — nearly half or 43 per cent think they are better prepared to handle the to understand how to adapt impacts of technological disruption than they actually are, said Deloitte. to these technologies “In addition to the core readiness to remain competitive.” problem, Canadian businesses are suffering from a preparedness perception gap,” said Terry Stuart, chief the distant future — it’s happening now. innovation officer at Deloitte Canada. Technologies like advanced robotics, “Disruption isn’t going to happen in artificial intelligence and 3D printing have considerable disruptive potential. Canadian organizations need to understand how to adapt to these technologies to remain competitive, both within Canada and abroad.” Seven hundred business leaders across Canada were surveyed for the report. Each firm’s performance was measured in four areas of importance to disruption preparedness: awareness, culture, organizational agility and resources. “No matter the measure, Canada has a preparedness problem,” said Stuart. “The way in which Canadians live and work is about to change profoundly as technological advances reshape consumer expectations and business processes. A majority of organizations will be caught off guard if they don’t take steps today to improve their performance when it comes to preparedness for disruption, which poses a significant threat to the Canadian economy and productivity.” The good news is that highly prepared firms provide a roadmap for other organizations on how to prepare for disruption. Deloitte notes four key areas organizations should assess to determine their preparedness for disruption: • Awareness of the forces that have the potential to disrupt the firm’s business or industry; • A culture that promotes, encourages and provides incentives for innovative behaviours and practices; • Organizational agility to embrace new ways of working and making decisions that make it easier to rapidly redeploy systems, assets and people to address external opportunities or threats; and • Effective resources, like advanced technologies, human capital and financial assets, that can be used to enable change often through the crowd. “Highly prepared firms not only excel in the four areas that impact a company’s ability to withstand disruption, they also demonstrate the attitudes and behaviours of Canada’s most productive companies. They are more committed to R&D investment, more likely to be internationally focused, and perhaps most compelling of all, report greater revenue growth. Getting prepared sets a firm up for success in the future, and also pays off today,” said Stuart. • 15-04-16 5:42 PM 2015-05-19 10:23 AM

I ndustr y

W atch

Finishing well BY PAUL HOGENDOORN

T

his thought has been on my mind quite a bit lately, perhaps it’s because I just visited a 90-year-old friend in his new retirement home. Or perhaps it’s just because everything that gets started has to end sometime. We are counselled “to begin with the end in mind”, but that’s easier said than done. We get caught up in the here-and-now, and the relentless petitions of what needs to get done next, that we take our eye off of the horizon and forget to calibrate our sites on the point at where we hope to end up. In this age of continually emerging game changing ideas and technologies, it is not only hard to do this, it’s critical to do as well. Steve Krar, my aforementioned 90-year-old friend, has lived through a lifetime of rapid changes in manufacturing technology, but he continues to keep his eyes on the horizon. His work is not yet complete, and he never wavers from his course. His goal is to educate, inspire, stimulate and motivate others; to embrace, adopt and continue developing new ideas, practices, products and technologies for our industry. To him, it’s the most exciting one in the world; it’s the industry that actually makes things, moulds things, shapes things and creates things. And it does more than that; it creates meaningful work opportunities for millions of people, and provides a living and lifestyle for many, many more. It gives us the opportunity to use our hands and our brains. Over 50 years ago, Steve and his buddies started a little venture called the Advanced Technology Think Tank (check out www.attt.ca). The purpose was to spend some time with a few like-minded thinkers, away from the regular distractions and demands of their careers, to take a look at the forest away from the trees. They would do this by going into the forest for a couple of days, rent cabins, pack fishing gear and enough food (and beer), and then allow thoughts and conversations not just about what is, but also what could be. Over the years, the event has grown (although it’s still comfortably small), and has attracted innovation thinkers from all over the world. Even though technology has changed, Steve’s vision for the event and his life in general have stayed on a straight and consistent path. Right now, with the help of friends, Steve continues to sort through new information and old published works. He has authored and co-authored 86 books, and is in the process of consolidating new material to publish a book on the history of manufacturing — the man never stops. In business today, our attention seems naturally drawn to the excitement of something new — the quest for the next new thing, or the execution of a tried and proven practice. We are often hesitant to think about finishing something well, perhaps because once we get something running the way we want it to, we hope that it will go on forever. But it won’t, because nothing lasts forever. Whatever it is, will eventually end, evolve or change to the point that it no longer looks like what it did at the start. I think we need to continually think about finishing well just as much as we need to plan to start well and manage wisely. Business, as in life, is full of beginnings and endings. Most beginnings start with excitement, great hopes and lots of anticipation. Too often though, the endings come as a surprise, without warning and in ways we don’t expect. When that happens, all of the achievements up to that point become unharvestable, and lost to the future generations. One of our primary goals as leaders needs to be on finishing well. Some people, like Steve, continually focus on finishing well, whether it’s the latest book they are writing, or the school curriculum they are teaching, or the next group of innovators they are inspiring. Whatever activity they are doing, they have the end in mind, and finishing well is the only way they know how to do things. They are not afraid of endings, because when they set their eye on the horizon, they know the next important goal will come into view. Good leaders aren’t afraid of the endings — in fact, that’s what they are aiming for. • Paul Hogendoorn (paulh@getfreepoint.com) is co-founder of FreePoint Technologies, “Measure. Analyze. Share.” (Don’t forget to share!) www.AutomationMag.com • June 2015 9 Hiwin_MA_Jan.indd 1

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M achine

S afet y

Machine safety gets you soaring towards productivity and profitability By Errin Major

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dvanced Integration Technology (AIT) is a 20-year-old supplier of turnkey industrial automation systems for the aerospace industry. The company’s strength centres on the design and build of complex, fully integrated manufacturing, tooling and assembly systems for commercial and military aircraft produced by Boeing, Bombardier, EADS, Lockheed Martin and others. AIT operates six locations in Canada, the U.S., Sweden and Spain to serve its growing customer base. On a recent project involving production of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, AIT designed and built all final body assembly systems needed to join the major fuselage components, plus a moving production line. Key elements in this design included the motion control system, servo drive platforms, failsafe CPUs and all distributed I/O, with the entire system communicating over a Profinet network. In addition, the integration of comprehensive safety technology was incorporated into the standard automation on these systems. As a prime contractor on the 787, AIT had responsibility for the final assembly and body join functions, charged with delivering a fully automated positioning and joining system. In the end, two complete assembly systems

A look at the Final Body Join (FBJ) assembly line built by Advanced Integration Technology (AIT) for the Boeing 787, which is used to join the sections of the fuselage.

and one positioning system were provided. The three main sections of the fuselage are joined, with 14 positioners mounted to transport structures that move either independently or interlocked and indexed to the factory floor for stability. Real-time positioning measurement data are logged with an integrated indoor GPS. AIT designed the alignment and positioning systems to allow rolling them under the aircraft dollies after the sections were brought into the Boeing factory, radically reducing auxiliary equipment needs, materials handling requirements and additional positioning steps in the overall process. Onsite at Boeing, the 14 positioning system components were moved into their respective locations near the cradle dollies and engaged to lift and move the aircraft sections. Once the system was rigidly joined, a measurement system onboard located the airplane sections. This information was fed to the AIT system’s software application. From those data points, the system could then calculate how much each section (nose, tail, left and right wings) needed to move to ensure an exact fit to the adjoining section. This precise alignment ensured a smooth and more rapid build of each aircraft’s fuselage. In commenting on the particulars of this system’s requirements for his company, Ed Chalupa, president of AIT, explains, “We looked for a supplier with an off-the-shelf selection of automation and motion control solutions who could offer us global support. Our goal here was to align ourselves with a leading automation technology supplier and to utilize all current software, integrated safety and control technology advancements.” 10

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He further noted that it was vital the chosen supplier be able to provide comprehensive application engineering support, training on both products and software, plus prototype and demo equipment for AIT’s use with its customer and internally. After an extensive review of several global contenders, the selection was made for Siemens control system components. The basic scheme of the motion control system implemented here comprises a Simotion D motion controller, Siemens HMI on a Windows-based PC, a Simatic S7 Safety PLC and fail-safe/standard I/O modules, all running on a Profinet network. This basic architecture was then multiplied by the number of control nodes for each specific operational system in the overall production line being designed by AIT. Each unit is capable of working independently of the others in the line or with the addition of relatively few Profinet cables and mode selections on each unit, the final body join assembly tool is able to run as a single entity. When running together in this latter configuration, the safety devices are likewise working coherently, providing proper response levels to all E-stop events on the line. Each unit motion controller receives commands to perform uniform group movements with the tool as a whole via network communications from the HMI. Specifically, the Simotion D motion controller used here controls all axis movements to position and align parts. Because AIT delivers a turnkey and dedicated system, customers have no need for further internal customization of the controller hardware or HMI panels. AIT designed the overall layout of the control architecture, programmed the Simotion system with the Simatic S7 PLC, distributed I/O and integrated safety, plus provided support on the Boeing internal structure and lifecycle support requirements. The integrated safety concept on this overall system was based upon three core principles: increasingly layered safety architectures, greater degrees of integration between the control and safety systems, plus more use of networking, especially industrial Ethernet and available motion technologies. In operational sequence, these safety principles manifest themselves in the form of physical barriers and mechanical means such as walls, gates, door interlocks and light curtains, all designed to separate personnel from danger.

“The safety concept on this system was based upon three principles: increasingly layered safety architectures, greater degrees of integration between the control and safety systems, plus more use of networking, especially Industrial Ethernet and currently available motion technologies.” Meanwhile, the control systems monitor operating conditions within established parameters. Finally, safety shutdown systems, such as automatic shutdown via safety PLC or manual shutdown via E-stops, offer the final protections.

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M A C H I N E

S A F E T y

The Final Body Join (FBJ) assembly line shows the wing trivet for joining the wing.

The completed assembly of the Boeing 787.

requirements, maintenance procedures and human error factors. The result for AIT and its customer Boeing was lower total cost of ownership (TCO), owing to the substantial reduction in engineering, hardware, training and spare parts needed.

With integrated safety and control, the project has a single system for standard and safe automation, with one bus and one engineering system for both standard and safety technology, which further reduced cost. As a collateral benefit, the software solutions allowed easier replication of series machines. Likewise, faster troubleshooting and extensive diagnostics onboard reduced downtimes on the floor, with faster restart after issue resolution. Functionally, this safety integration in the control system allowed uniform user interfaces and data libraries, plus a reduction in the variety of control cabinets needed for the various applications. PROFIsafe is the backbone of the fail-safe communication. It facilitates the transmission of both standard and safety-related data on a single bus cable, using either Ethernet or fieldbus protocol. With advanced PLC and industrial Ethernet networking technologies combined, the system safety for AIT and its customer became a production asset that protects the workers from harm and promises maximum availability and uptime. Reductions in initial capital expense and field operating expense were also realized. In the field, the final assembly and body join automated assembly systems, plus positioning system provided to Boeing, are utilized to join Section 41 (forward fuselage), Sections 47/48 (aft fuselage) and Section 12 (left and right side wings) to the mid-fuselage of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Two major sub-assemblies are further split for transport into left- and right-hand minor sub-assemblies. Motion control, advanced PLC systems and industrial Ethernet networking technologies have enabled machine safety to become a production asset that not only protects workers from harm but also boasts maximum availability and uptime. Machine safety gives a competitive edge that goes to producers with highly integrated operations that are faster, more flexible and more responsive to changing market demands and opportunities. •

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C O V E R

S T O R y

Manufacturing AUTOMATION’s editorial advisory board (L to R): David Green, Bill Valedis, David McPhail, Al Diggins, Don McCrudden, Piero Cherubini (Missing: Sherman Lang, Nigel Southway)

THE

SNOWBALL EFFECT

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June 2015 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION

Our editorial advisory board discusses the top trends changing the face of manufacturing

Photos by Sandra Strangemore

By Alyssa Dalton

W

e all know how the growth of technology has hugely impacted the 21st century, but how important is it to consider the fast pace of this advancement? On one of the first sunny days this spring, Manufacturing AUTOMATION’s editorial advisory board gathered for its yearly roundtable to discuss the outlook of the sector as a whole, fuelled by the spread of technology, the new age of workers and increased collaboration between industry members. Thanks to this “snowball effect,” the face of manufacturing will continue to evolve faster and faster with both positive and troubling repercussions, say our members.

www.AutomationMag.com • June 2015 15

the new generation

Work-life balance can be a common distinction between generations in the workplace, notes Piero Cherubini, dean of the Faculty of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship at Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology. “People of my age group, we go to work and we do our 60, 70, 80 hours a week. Younger folk have a different look in terms of balance and quality of life, and I don’t know that at the end of the day, they don’t have it right,” says Cherubini. “At the end of the day, it could be a positive one.” “I think manufacturing is But Bill Valedis, vice-president of Precision Training, Products so different that we have to & Services points out there are look at it differently.” some problems with this change in David Green attitude. Referring to Asia, he says “you see that people are so focused in their careers. Maybe [the younger generation] has it right and we have it wrong, but here’s what we’re competing against.” “If we don’t graduate a proportionate number of people that are interested in and engaged in wanting to be part of the next generation of manufacturing, we’re in trouble,” says David McPhail, president and CEO of Memex Automation. He says he believes the manufacturing industry is no longer “painted in a bad light” thanks to the worldwide adoption and advancement of technology. “I mean with the menial stuff, if you’re in a manufacturing environment and you’re still harnessing menial labour without automation, you’re dated.” Another thing that has changed significantly is the automatic following of the family’s footprints in business — working where grandpa and dad worked, says David Green, technology and business-to-business consultant. “The millennials, based on recent figures, have a job for three to four years then move on. People see that as negative, but it’s learning new skills, it’s getting better prepared to be in other environments and contribute.” Manufacturing today is so much more than just a plant floor, he notes, as it is now increasingly incorporating the creative arts and sustainability, among other elements. “I think manufacturing is so different that we have to look at it differently. The innovation needs to look at what business is all about and what kind of people you need to work in that environment today.”

innovation

“Industries today tend to require businesses to adapt quicker, faster and better.” Al Diggins

“Innovation isn’t only in the components. It could be all kinds of things.” Don McCrudden

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With how quickly today’s technology is progressing, the sustainability of workers and their skillset is a key issue, believes Green. “Time to market now can be six months, not the 18 months to two years it used to be. Therefore you will need your operators for specific applications or machinery to constantly upskill.” Green adds that in other countries, innovative approaches are taking worker training online, sometimes with the use of virtual reality simulation. “I think there’s some innovation and collaboration needed “They’ve tried to keep up absolutely, it’s part of [becoming] equal skin in the game in terms of with the robotics [...] but investment, not just as a company by the time [the students] but as an industry.” The more automated the hit the floor running, the manufacturing process becomes technology has changed.” and will become in the future, the Piero Cherubini more we need to offer different types of training, McPhail says. “There’s going to be a huge — there already is — skills void in people that can support that type of equipment. I don’t think we graduate enough people from college and university that are capable of being put into

June 2015 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION

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But with innovation being the nondescript word it is, how exactly would you define it, asks Al Diggins, president and general manager of Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium. McPhail believes it means “constantly challenging yourself to do something different.” With tariffs and barriers to entry between countries diminishing, “it’s about who can build the mousetrap the most efficient who wins and that constantly changes,” he says. Diggins agrees, stressing that industries today tend to require businesses to adapt quicker, faster and better. One way a company can promote innovation is by implementing it as a culture, says McPhail. “One that is set from the top down. It should be right in the mission statement of the company.” He believes that investment is key in supporting a culture of innovation. “If the purse strings of the company are tied so tight that you can’t buy new equipment, then you’re limited in the type of innovation you can undertake.” Don McCrudden, vice-president of business development for Festo, brings a unique perspective. “Innovation isn’t only in the components. It takes on different forms all over the place. [It] is also in how you bring those components into the real world with clients and solve real-world problems. It could be all kinds of things.”

2015-05-26 2:05 5/26/2015 9:54:19 AMPM

www.asconumatics.ca , Applications Engineering Technician

The term ‘connected factory’ is often synonymous with Industry 4.0, the emerging industrial revolution that consists of highly automated, smart machines that operate with and around humans and each other. Diggins says the issue of cybersecurity created a lot of concern when connected systems first hit the industry. “We saw a lot of fear headed this way. A few years ago, [manufacturers] were worried about everything being intercepted.” While he agrees security attacks are still an issue, he believes this fear “If we don’t adopt dataisn’t nearly as prevalent. driven manufacturing, we’re “The average return for companies that embrace the going to be left behind.” connected manufacturing model David McPhail is somewhere around 300-400 per cent in return-rated capital,” says McPhail. “That’s about a three- to four-month payback.” But the smart factory — or data-driven manufacturing, as McPhail calls it — is more than improving a bottom line, as it can boost efficiency by measuring continuous improvement initiatives by real-time monitoring. After all, you can’t manage what you don’t measure, he says. “If we don’t adopt some kind of data-driven manufacturing process — whatever that might be — we’re going to be left behind because the rest of the world is doing it,” he cautions. With the increase of automation, the manufacturing process can be so much more condensed, he says. “It’s only going to be more condensed because the faster the manufacturer can address a market requirement, the more likelihood they’re going to stick around, then that business grows and this whole thing snowballs again.” •

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that scenario. That skillset is always a catch-up,” he says. “It’s only going to get worse if we don’t change that because the equipment is not going to get dumber — it’s going to get smarter.” Cherubini says that more and more employees are identifying a need for workers with essential skills along with the harder skills. “They’ve tried to keep up with the technology and the robotics and everything else going into the workplace but the other ‘pressures’ we feel we need them to have are “The gap that we talked their literacy, numeracy and the about five years ago — the need to work as a team,” he said. “You try to wrap all that up in a oneskills gap — well it’s here or two-year program and have that person hit the floor running but by and we’re still reacting.” Bill Valedis the time they hit the floor running, the technology has changed.” “The environment on the plant floor is changing so rapidly that we really don’t have the time or resources [...] to act in a proactive way to budget or plan, and it doesn’t seem to be working. It’s like trying to manage something that’s in the form of Jell-O and not concrete yet,” adds Valedis. “In the area of educating ourselves and tweaking the processes and making efficiencies wherever we can, I feel [like] we’re still reacting. The gap that we talked about five years ago — the skills gap — well it’s here and we’re still reacting.”

Visit www.automationmag.com/tag/ video to watch roundtable highlights! www.AutomationMag.com • June 2015 17 Asco_MA_June.indd 1

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M O T I O N

C O N T R O L

THE LATEST GENERATION THERMOPLASTIC RACKS OPEN UP NEW MOTION CONTROL APPLICATIONS BY DAViD HEiN

R

ack and pinions are linear actuators that play a critical role in a wide range of linear motion control applications. While rack and pinions are commonly thought of as a timeless technology, several new developments have helped provide significant performance improvements in specific applications. One new approach — the roller pinion system — replaces the traditional rack and pinion with bearing supported rollers, increasing positional accuracy, speed and durability. The latest development goes one step further by constructing the rack from thermoplastic, which provides corrosion resistance, eliminates the need for lubrication, and reduces weight and cost. The latest generation of rack and pinion gears helps adapt this tried-and-true technology for dusty environments, food industry applications that require 18

June 2015 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION

washdown, outdoor equipment, and many other applications that are not well served by traditional metal gears.

conventional metal rack and pinion systems

Conventional rack and pinion gears consist of a circular gear, called a pinion, that engages the teeth of a linear gear, called a rack, to convert rotational motion to linear motion. Rack and pinion gears are commonly used as linear actuators in a wide range of machinery. For example, they are used to move the axes of CNC machine tools, such as machining centres. They are also widely used to position robots used in assembly, welding, painting and other operations. Rack and pinion actuators are also suitable for controlling valves in pipeline transport applications.

roller pinion systems

Traditional metal rack and pinion gears are less than ideal for many applications due to shortcomings such as backlash, cumulative error, thermal creep, vibration, noise, and particle emissions. A new design addresses these shortcomings by replacing the spur gear teeth with bearing supported rollers that engage a unique rack tooth profile. This approach replaces the sliding friction of conventional rack and pinion systems with smooth rolling friction that provides 99 per cent efficient rotary to linear motion conversion. Due to the smooth way the rollers engage the rack teeth, the new approach generates very low noise and vibration. It also does not suffer from noise caused by tooth slap or recirculating balls that can occur with other linear drive systems.

characteristics of thermoplas- cost. They also provide a good fit tic rack and pinion systems for part marking systems, another Steel rack and pinion systems are ideally suited for clean operating environments, but applications involving corrosive fluids, washdown applications where the equipment is sprayed with water, outdoor applications, etc., are likely to substantially reduce the life of a metal rack and pinion. Most metal rack and pinion systems require lubrication, so they are not well suited to applications that generate considerable contaminants such as wood, fiberglass routing, or other applications that produce dust and debris. Thermoplastic racks provide an alternative that delivers very high corrosion resistance, high durability and low maintenance requirements at a relatively low cost point. Thermoplastic racks are impervious to corrosion. They are made of a self-lubricating polymer so they can withstand dirty environments and outdoor operation without concern over failure due to the loss of lubricant. Their ability to run at full speed without lubrication reduces maintenance requirements and means that these systems can easily withstand washdown, outdoors operations, operation in coastal climates with salty air, etc. A related development is a new generation of value-oriented roller pinions that can also withstand dirty and harsh environments while providing good accuracy, good speed and good flexibility at an economical price point.

application where low maintenance and durability are important but accuracy is not as critical. Many gantry-based automation systems are another good candidate for thermoplastic racks, as a typical gantry stacking system does not have high accuracy requirements so the low maintenance, durability and simplicity provide major benefits.

Conventional steel racks and pinions have been a mainstay of machine design for more than a century and are well positioned to maintain their leading role for many years to come. Yet there are many applications that can benefit from a simple and durable alternative that offers high levels of corrosion resistance, reduced maintenance requirements and lower cost, while still providing accuracy and are

load bearing. Thermoplastic racks deliver all these benefits and are destined to play an ever-increasing role in the industrial machinery of the future. • David Hein is the vice-president of engineering for Nexen Group, where he has managed worldwide new product development for more than 10 years. He also serves on several non-profit advisory boards.

Fast, Smart, Flexible

typical applications for thermoplastic racks

There are many very high precision applications where steel racks will continue to provide the best fit such as CNC machine tools, waterjet cutting systems, and robot transfer applications. Many other applications are well suited for thermoplastic racks as well like CNC routers, and are generally used for cutting wood, composites and plastic. Routing operations generate large volumes of chips that can interfere with lubrication of steel racks. Thermoplastic racks provide a good fit in most cases because they do not require lubrication and provide sufficient accuracy. Material handling applications such as conveyors and picking systems typically require high durability and low maintenance, while high levels of accuracy are not. Thermoplastic racks provide a very good fit for this application, primarily because of their low maintenance requirements and low

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L E A N

M A N U F A C T U R I N G

TRIMMING THE WASTE Keeping your facility Lean, clean and competitive BY MiKE BRAUss

THE SEVEN WASTES Correction

E

liminating process waste in a manufacturing setting is not a small task. Improvements in this area do not happen overnight, and cannot be viewed as a simple project that someone at a manufacturing company can undertake, implement quickly and expect to be successful. An entire culture shift needs to take place to make a real difference. Manufacturing companies are now seeing that by adopting and embracing Lean manufacturing principles, they are able to improve their bottom line and market share. But for Lean to be successful, there must be 100-per-cent employee buy-in to the process. The entire culture of the way the company operates must be examined, analyzed and critiqued in order to truly adopt Lean principles. Lean manufacturing is the process of identifying non-value added activity or waste. It includes anything that does not change fit, form or function of the product. If the process isn’t essential to the end product, it needs to be eliminated. The benefits are lucrative when Lean principles are implemented successfully. One will see gains in quality, lead-time reduction, productivity and employee development. 20

June 2015 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION

Motion

Overproduction

conducting the analysis

The first step in conducting any kind of real analysis of the processes that are currently in place at a manufacturing plant is to conduct what is known as a Value Stream Map. This is a popular and effective technique used to document, analyze and improve the flow of information or materials required to produce a product or service for a customer. So what does

Waiting

Material Movement

Over-Processing

Inventory

this mean when it applies to Lean manufacturing? It literally means documenting every process from concept to completion and identifying the different forms of waste that can be seen on the plant floor. These wastes are easier to see when you categorize them into one of seven categories: Correction, Overproduction, Motion, Material Movement, Waiting, Inventory and Over-Processing.

Correction is the most obvious of the seven wastes. When a product comes out wrong, or defected, it can be very costly to correct. Defected items require replacement or additional work and leads to more headaches and loss of customer trust. Overproduction involves producing too much of any given thing before it needs to be. This leads to excess inventory. This type of excess is not only unnecessary for business operations but can often hide true problems on the production line. Motion waste includes any unnecessary movement by a person or a machine on the plant floor. This type of waste leads to lost time and money. Material movement waste occurs when materials are moved from one location to another. This does not add any value to the operation and only wastes time and money. Waiting is a waste that many people do not think of when they analyze their company’s processes. However, waiting for answers, waiting for deliveries and waiting for one process to finish in one department until someone can start somewhere else all disrupt the flow of work on any given day. Inventory waste is tough for some to see, but every piece of inventory that is unsold is considered waste because of the time and money that is put into it. Trying to cut down on excess inventory is crucial. Over-Processing is the final type of waste in Lean manufacturing and includes putting more time and effort into a product than is necessary. If it does not add any value to the product, then there is no reason to have that process implemented on the plant floor.

Ready, set, action

In order to correct the wastes that are discovered during the value-stream mapping process, it’s important to go to what’s known as the gemba or “real site” where the wastes were found. At this place it becomes easier to identify key improvements that would eliminate the wastes that were previously discussed. This is a very productive exercise to help the entire organization understand the currentstate and what steps would need to be taken for tangible improvement. Once the wastes are identified and understood, a Kaizen or “good change” event needs to be scheduled with all essential plant personnel. At the event the basic lean foundation principles of Waste Elimination, 5S (Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize and Sustain), Visual Management and Standard Work are taught to the group. In many instances, reducing inventories is a common

“Lean manufacturing is the process of identifying non-value added activity or waste. It includes anything that does not change fit, form or function of the product.” takeaway from the entire process. When inventories are reduced, a “just-in-time” goal can be achieved. If a manufacturing company is able to reduce inventory by a significant amount without losing anything by way of delivery, then capacity increase can be achieved. Even more than some of the

technical processes that can be altered, by having these assessments and Kaizen events for the employees, overall morale, quality and productivity can be improved. When an employee understands why a process should be done a certain way, they are generally much less changeaverse. The goal is a real-tangible

cultural change that leads to better processes and ultimately a healthier bottom line. • Mike Brauss is the operations manager at EnviroPAK Corp., a manufacturer of molded pulp packaging for the interior protection of a wide range of products (www.enviropak.com).

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E D U C A T I O N

REMOTE

One of the Lego Mindstorm robots that high school students in the Comox Valley, B.C., control from school or home.

ROBOTICS

A son’s passion for robotics inspires virtual Lego lab for hands-on learning BY ALYssA DALtON

A

North Island College, B.C., employee’s love for his son has lead to an invention that will soon allow all grade school kids in the Comox Valley access to Lego robotics online all year long. Two years ago, Albert Balbon’s son came home from his Grade 5 class excited about being able to experiment a travelling kit of Lego robots. “Chase would go around to different elementary schools with a kit of about 30 robots for robotics training for three weeks or so. He was excited but then he would have to move onto the next school after that,” notes Balbon. “It was all he could talk about,” he says, recalling when Chase first came home after using the Lego EV3 robotics. “His eyes lit up when he talked about it and then it was gone. He knew I was developing online access to microscopes and science labs at NIC and he asked me if I could find a way to connect students to Lego robots online.” This way, he would still be able to work with these robots and his friends who he had been programming with, he explained. Balbon reached out to Stewart Savard, the robotics instructor at the Comox Valley School District’s North Island Distance Education School (NIDES) and together they found a way to combine Lego robotics with technology in NIC’s Remote Web-based Science Lab (RWSL). Under the agreement, teams of students at home or in class will be able to program and operate Lego EV3 robots housed in RWSL over the Internet. The idea is the technology allows schools to put science experiments online for students to do labs — a concept Balbon says he’s been working 22

June 2015 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION

Albert Balbon is NIC’s chief architect of the Remote Web-Based Science Lab, an online lab that allows students from across North America to control lab equipment in real time.

on for more than a decade. He says he first invented this technology to offer hands-on science labs for an NIC instructor in Bella Bella, with the goal of allowing students to work in groups from “almost anywhere they wanted” including at home or in school. All that is needed for a student to participate and collaborate with others across the globe in real-time is access to a computer and an Internet connection.

Groups of up to four participants are best, suggests Balbon, as only one student can control the robot at a time. There are also different cameras they can pan, tilt and zoom when building and programming the robots.

Maintaining the interest

What makes this technology successful is that it takes learning out of the classroom, so that the curriculum is not restricted to “the bricks and mortar” or finances of an institution, says Balbon. “The reach is quite phenomenon,” he says. “I’m amazed at how far we can go with this technology.” According to Balbon, the technology can be incorporated into school curriculums, after-school robotics clubs, and more — “there’s a lot of options here that are available.” “I know there are a lot of robotics courses [...] but I know of no one that does the teaching over the Internet and actually gets them to control the robot through their computers,” says Balbon. “It engages the student. They know it’s real, not a simulation.” This engagement is key when attracting students to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers, he believes, pointing to his son as an example. Now in Grade 7, Chase’s interests have shifted more towards music. “He’s still got the interest in robotics but not as much as during that three-week period. That was the time that if we were able to capture it, maybe he would still have that interest now. I hate when [a student’s] interest is pique and then it is taken away from them where it actually should be cultivated.” Since the lab’s inception, Balbon has presented the technology to the White House and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges, shared programming with the European Space Agency and NASA, and received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Department of Labor. Two Comox Valley High School students operate robotics through NIC’s online Nearly 50 students have already experimented with the Lego robots lab, while their teacher Stewart Savard, and NIC’s Albert Balbon look on. lab, with another 200 students in the district set to test it out this June. Balbon’s work on RWSL recently earned second place at the Wharton “NIC’s Remote Web-Based Science Lab already makes learning School of Business’ international Reimagine Education Awards in the science more tangible, accessible, and affordable to students across North Natural Sciences Discipline Awards category. The awards were developed America,” says NIC president John Bowman. “We’re extremely proud of to identify the most innovative approaches in higher education to enhance Albert’s innovation and we know he has many more ideas to come.” • learning 201503_ADAM-6000_6200_AD_EN(8.625 and student employability.inches wide x 5.75 inches high)_P.pdf 1 2015/3/23 下午 03:31:59 — With files from Christiana Wiens

Putting the I/O in IoT

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C O N N E C T I V I T y

VIEW FROM THE

TOP Mobile technology and wearables enable Cloud-based Industry 4.0 concepts BY ANDY BURLEiGH

I

n North American industries that are continuously adapting new technologies, Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things (IoT) are two concepts gaining meaningful momentum. While IoT covers a broad range of application areas for highly-connected devices — from the plant floor all the way to the consumer — Industry 4.0, as the name implies, is entirely focused on manufacturing. The philosophy behind it highlights the ideal of the smart factory: a network of cyber-physical operations monitoring physical plant processes and establishing advanced monitoring for better troubleshooting and improved decision-making. This infinitely-connected manufacturing enterprise is not just a dream of the future, IoT and Industry 4.0 converge today in forwardthinking communication standards, such as OPC UA. In fact, the concepts and goals of Industry 4.0 can be achieved through utilization of the significant advances in secure connection, Cloudbased technologies, and increased usage of mobile devices for dynamic data sharing. The realization of the smart factory is happening now. Mobile phones and tablets come immediately to mind as a means of enabling dynamic remote access to shared data; the capabilities of these devices increase rapidly as new technologies are released to increase their computing power and functionality. However, the latest technologies in mobile devices can be found with ‘wearables.’ As form factors continue to shrink, devices such as smartwatches and Google Glass provide the foundation for a Cloud-connected revolution, 24

June 2015 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION

continuously improving access to critical data. Development of these unobtrusive, multi-use devices continues unabated, lowering the barrier of entry for companies looking to implement the principles and processes of the smart factory, as outlined by the ideals of Industry 4.0. Beckhoff currently has a demo travelling the North American tradeshow circuit, which features a delta robot and a 3-axis machine module, controlled with an embedded PC and TwinCAT software. The system pushes performance data into the Cloud, in this case to an Amazon Cloud server, where it can be accessed via any user device. The remote interface provides users the ability to control the speed and operation of the robot. Demonstrating the openness of the system, users can access the operations by scanning a QR code, and are then directed to a web page containing an interface to control the robot, as well as real-time performance data. Taking access to the next level, this information and control has been made available through a number of wearable devices, most recently a variety of smart watches and Google Glass. Here, users can utilize the Google Glass to access the robot data, as well as controlling the robot operations with both touch and voice activated functions. The wearables market is highly dynamic from a hardware perspective, and emerging hardware designs will support established connectivity technologies. For example, the Explorer Edition of Google Glass is no longer available, although an updated version will likely be introduced soon, and there are already a number of data glasses

concepts from other manufacturers in various stages of development. Provided that these upcoming devices have an open web browser, they can be connected to controls in similar ways. This clearly demonstrates the flexibility of highly-connected access using currentlyavailable, secure communication standards such as OPC UA and PC-based control technology. As an open standard with built-in data security and encryption, OPC UA fosters innovative design and integration by encouraging interoperability in automation. Open specifications enable the standardization of communication, ensuring seamless connection and operation of devices from independent manufacturers around the world. The dream of a true smart factory hinges on the ability of these types of multi-platform, multi-vendor devices to work seamlessly, with little or no effort from the end user, and OPC UA provides a standard to deliver this high level of functionality. The industrial potential for Cloud-connected wearable technology is limitless, and is usable in any number of vertical markets. Wearable devices have the potential to take great strides in changing the current operating philosophy on machines as a complement to the traditional HMI. Innovations of this magnitude clearly demonstrate how the fusion of IT and automation technology can work within the framework of Industry 4.0 and connected smart factories. • Andy Burleigh is a senior application specialist with Beckhoff Automation Canada.

P R O D U C T S

robotics videos, articles, white papers and more on new robotics technology site

humans. All articles offer an area to post comments and questions to facilitate further discussions on the topic. The Featured Products section focuses on key products that speed and enhance the development of robotics systems. Finally, the Technical Resources section lists videos, application notes, and white papers that discuss device selection and system considerations when designing robotics systems. www.ca.mouser.com

Mouser Electronics says its new Direct drive servo motor robotic Robotics Technology site (ca. finger mouser.com/applications/roboticstechnology) provides developers with the resources they need to learn about the latest advances in robotics technologies, and the company’s newest components for building robotics systems. Available on Mouser.com, the site segments the Technology section into four main categories: overview, motor control, sensors, and MCU control. The Articles At Automate 2015 show, SMAC section discusses topics such as Moving Coil Actuators introduced the future of robotics, distributed a prototype version of what they control systems in robotics, and say is the world’s first direct drive SEW-MANAUTO-SWAPP2015.pdf 1 21/05/2015servo 11:01:37 AM robots that very closely resemble motor robotic finger. The

structure weighs about 350 g and is physically about 1.5 times larger than the average male finger. SMAC says it expects an early 2016 release to be shortly followed by a robotic thumb, followed by a true functional robotic hand capable of reproducing work done by human hands. The motor is a servo “partial” motor and is equipped with a rotary encoder with 15.5K counts per revolution. According to the company, it achieves a high torque/ diameter ratio due to its magnetic circuit design and coil design. Another 35MM motor acts as the second joint (MCP FLex), which puts out a torque of 630 mNm and can exert a resultant force of 7N at the tip. Both motors move +/- 45 degrees as human joints do. A third motor operates as the first joint (MCP Abd), moving side to side. www.smac-mca.com

sse robot delivers high flow vacuum system

CBW Automation, a designer and manufacturer of automation systems for the injection molding industry, has debuted the SSE robot, describing it as the company’s

most technologically advanced robot available. With its high flow vacuum system, customers can achieve the fastest possible transfer of parts from mold to automation for down-stream operations, says CBW, adding that productivity is optimized with an intrusion time of less than 0.5 seconds. Additionally the SSE robot can recognize that the vacuum has been achieved in as little as 60 milliseconds. Meanwhile, a strip stroke allows for more complex mold and part geometries, undercuts to be stripped quickly, and the robot to follow the motion of the mold for unscrewing or more complex ejection of parts, it notes. www.cbwautomation.com

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P R O D U C T S

Motors

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d ri v es

DcX motors and GpX gearboxes

Four more motor sizes are being added to Maxon’s existing portfolio of brushed DC motors —the Maxon X drives. The 14, 16, 22 and 26 mm diameter models are now each available in a long version, which boasts higher continuous torque and higher continuous output power. At the same time, the company is presenting four matching GPX planetary gearheads, in the sizes 14, 19, 26 and 37 mm. All these gearheads are designed with scaled gear stages. The biggest news, according to Maxon, is that each of the new 3-stage gearheads can be driven with the next smaller motor. This brings many advantages, as the resulting drive system is smaller, lighter and more economical, it notes. www.dcx.maxonmotor.com

brushless Dc servo motor for robots, grippers

The Faulhaber 3274 BP4 brushless DC servo motor from Micromo

hMi

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added ul type 4X and type 13 approvals for HMi

With the addition of UL Type 4X and Type 13 approvals, IDEC 5.7-in. HG2G HMIs help protect against corrosion, dust, spraying water, oil, non-corrosive coolant and damage from external ice formation. A bright LCD screen (800cd/m²) with 65K colours display images in light and at an angle. According to the company, the high-performance HMIs allow users to remotely monitor, control 26

measures 32 mm in diameter and 74 mm in length, and promises to deliver continuous torque of 165 mNm. The four‐pole servo motor is best suited for applications such as humanoid robots, electric grippers used in process automation, and high‐performance traction drives used in inspection robotics. The company says the 3274 BP4’s operational lifetime is many times longer than that of a conventional DC micro motor. The slope of the motor characteristic curve is just 3 rpm/mNm, with a stall torque of 2.7 Nm. Promising to be overloadresistant, it equipped as standard with digital hall sensors. High-

resolution optical and magnetic encoders can be attached to the rear multifunction flange. www.micromo.com

Claiming to be 85-per-cent efficient, the motors boast 2,600 – 3,800 RPM and 1.8 – 10.8 in-lb torque. The closed loop controls are designed to deliver commutated power and variable speed control, maintaining excellent speed regulation over a wide range of loads, it adds. www.groschopp.com

H2w technologies manufacturing brushless linear motors

With the acquisition of the Baldor linear motion product line, H2W Technologies has begun manufacturing brushless linear motors. Offering “extensive experience” in designing and building custom linear motion systems, and now with the tooling necessary to

family of brushless Dc motors and gearmotors Groschopp says its family of brushless DC motors and gearmotors have been tested for pairings with the brushless DC control product line, offering engineers a package designed for optimal operation.

produce both ironless and iron-core brushless linear motors, H2W is delivering a complete line of standard and custom brushless linear motors.

c-more HMi configuration software

The C-more HMI configuration software version 6.0 from AutomationDirect offers more alarm and recipe features, additional math and tag logic, and improved Windows compatibility. This newest version is compatible with

June 2015 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION

new planetary gearboxes

Pittman Motors, part of Ametek Precision Motion Control, has added PLG24, PLG42K, PLG42S, PLG52 and PLG63 planetary gearboxes to its product offering. Available with brush and brushless DC motors, the new gearboxes boast high torque loads and come in diameters from 24 to 63 mm and output torques to 100 Nm (74 lb ft). They are suitable for a range of motion control applications, including pan/tilt functions, indexing, pumping, conveying, and traction applications. Reduction ratios range from 4:1 to 710:1 with more than ten standard ratios available in each size. OEMs can specify custom output-shaft features, lubrication, and reinforced output-shaft assemblies for differentiated solutions tailored to specific application requirements. www.pittman-motors.com

stepper motor promises superior eMc performance

i n t er fac e and troubleshoot an application from a PC, tablet or smartphone. They support an SD memory card and USB flash drive, providing you extra room to store and transfer project data, images and video files. All models are Class 1 Div. 2 rated for hazardous locations, as well as being ABS, LR and NK approved, CE-marked, cULus listed and IP66 rated; 5.7-in. HG2G basic models also offer Type 4X and Type 13 approvals. www.idec.com

They operate at speeds up to 240 ips [6 m/s], and can be controlled when coupled with a linear encoder. Zero cogging in brushless linear motors make them ideal for applications requiring smooth motion at both low and high speeds, notes the company, adding that it can provide motors with precision linear encoders or with hall effect sensors for trapezoidal commutation. www.h2wtech.com

all previous C-more projects. New tag combinations added to the event manager allow for simple logic with multiple events, it says. Users can combine up to four different tags to trigger actions based on logical results, going beyond alarm and message functions. The event manager allows actions to be taken on a screen change, a set date or time, a single tag status or value, and now on a combination of tag status or values. www.automationdirect.com

With its SC3518 series, Nanotec says it has launched stepper motors that feature a very high torque and excellent EMC properties. The motors in the series are 2-phase hybrid stepper motors with frame size NEMA 14 (35 mm) and a 1.8 degree step angle. Depending on the motor length, their torque is between 0.18 and 0.32 Nm. The stepper motor is connected via an integrated connector that promises easy cable adaption to any customer application. The two outer pins of the connector are attached to the motor housing. Together with the shielded cable, which is standard equipment, this creates a shield connection with excellent EMC performance, says the company. Meanwhile, interference from motor line radiation, which can cause problems in existing sensors, is effectively suppressed, it adds. www.en.nanotec.com

P R O D U C T S

hydraul i cs & P n euMatics

au to M at ion

equipment selector guide for product selection

Mobile capabilities for software

Dymax’s product selector guide for manual and automated fluiddispensing systems provides detailed product information and specifications such as dispense modes, viscosity range, and material compatibility. Available for download on the Dymax dispensing equipment webpage, the guide claims to be organized in a manner that makes comparison easy. The dispensing systems promise ease of setup and use, and boast long, reliable service life with little maintenance, reduced downtime and repair costs. www.dymax.com

Modular pressure switches

sof t wa r e

Manufacturers can now use any digital device to access performance metrics and data analytics from plant floors and machines with the FactoryTalk VantagePoint EMI v6.0 software from Rockwell Automation. The solution

now includes VantagePoint mobile, a feature that enables users to create displays and interact with data across any HTML5-compliant browser and mobile platforms. Meanwhile, the composer feature allows users to browse through data and customize

content based on individual roles, priorities and viewing preferences. Using drag-and-drop interactive tools, users can create personalized displays to find the information that is most important to them. www.rockwellautomation.com

It’s hotter than it used to be. Only Rittal has the advanced climate control technology to help you save up to 70% in energy costs. Temperatures are rising outside the plant and inside your enclosures. Are your air conditioners up to the task of protecting your critical electronics and avoiding production shutdowns? Find out with a free climate control audit. There’s clearly no better place to start, backed by three decades of German-engineered climate-control technology, than with Rittal’s new air conditioner systems that save up to 70% in energy costs. • Prevent lost revenue due to costly production shutdowns from overheated electronics • Save floor space with smaller enclosures that better handle heat dissipation • Extend service life of installed electronic systems/ components by keeping enclosures cool with better dust- and corrosion-control

FREE climate control audit Omega’s modular series general purpose pressure switches offer a proven design for stationary or mobile hydraulic applications, says the company. Applications include factory automation, balers, compactors, overload controls, machine tools and hydraulic power pack applications. The PSW8 series is available in a range of configurations. Low pressure ranges feature a diaphragm pressure switch design, while higher pressure ranges feature a compact piston design. A SPDT micro switch will change state on increasing pressure at a set-point, and will reset when the pressure decreases back below the set-point by the amount of the deadband. www.omega.ca

Sign up for a free audit to find costly hot spots (worth up to $5000!), and be entered to win a FLIR ONE™ smartphone Thermal Imager. Scan to learn more

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P R O D U C T S

CONNECTIVITY Long range frequency data modems

Weidmuller has introduced two new licensed frequency data modems that promise powerful long-range communications (up to 40 miles) to extend Ethernet networks into difficult-to-access locations. Its design features built

SENSORS into the new wireless Ethernet modems claim to provide dynamic network optimization and intelligent routing for high reliability, lower latency and deterministic power management. They support 360 to 512 MHz and 928 to 960 MHz configurations; can operate in Access Point/Client configuration; function as a network Bridge/Router; or serve as a Serial Server (RS232/485). Best suited for industrial networking applications, the WI-MOD-450E-5W and WI-MOD-950-E-5W modems integrate with Weidmuller wireless and wired networks to connect remote sensors, actuators and instrumentation to mission critical monitoring and control systems. www.weidmuller.com

Electronic pressure transducer/ switch

The Transducer Direct TDEPD electronic pressure transducer/switch offers a programmable marquee display that can be set to revolve, hold at a fixed angle, or inverted for upside down installations of the sensor. Unique in the industry, says the company, is that the unit is alldigital with field-selectable, industrystandard outputs. Selectable red/ green display colours allow the sensor to be programmed to provide a variety of visual cues signaling the pressure, condition and readiness of a fluid power system. OEM/private-labeled models can even be programmed with custom displays. It includes Spike Monitoring Technology (SMT), which allows the sensor to capture and record short-duration “explosions” of hydraulic overpressure to protect the transducer and fluid-power system. www.transducersdirect.com

CMM-laser for portable and fixed coordinate measuring machines

ScanR represents the sixth generation of CMM-laser scanners from Perceptron, and is the world’s first green laser-line metrology scanner, says the company. It dramatically extends the range of engineering materials that can be laser-scanned, offering a significant customer advantage over red and blue laser scanners when scanning highly reflective and carbon fiber parts, it adds. The scanner boasts wider coverage of colour spectrum and reflectivity, improved material coverage, thinner laser line with higher signal to noise ratio, and adjustable data acquisition rate. www.perceptron.com 28

June 2015 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION

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Inductive position sensors

Hoffmann Krippner is rolling out LVDT (Linear Variable Differential Transformer) inductive position sensors for industrial, medical, agriculture, testing applications and special purpose machines. They are available as M12 or M18 versions with external thread and capture measuring lengths of up to 2, 5, 10 or 20 mm, depending on the model. Actuated by an unguided core or a switch with internal spring, the linearity tolerance of the sensors

is ± 0.5 per cent. The M18 sensors come with integrated electronics and a current or voltage output. For the M12 models, users can choose between various signal amplifiers which generate output signals ranging from 0 to 5 V, 0 to 10 V, ± 5 V, ± 10 V, 0 to 20mA or 4 to 20mA. www.hoffmann-krippner.com

Digimatic indicators for calculation, peak-value hold and bore gage

Mitutoyo Corporation has announced three newly designed special functionality type digimatic indicators that promise improved operability and ease of use. The three models — calculation, peak hold and bore gauge — boast unique features to enhance the performance. Calculation model provides the ability to program a formula into the gauge allowing use in special purpose jigs and fixtures. Meanwhile, peak-value hold model stores maximum, minimum and runout values, and bore gauge model, which is used in commercially available bore gauges, allows users to set up and measure internal bore sizes. All models feature a wide LCD panel for increased visibility that also incorporates an analog bar graph for enhanced operability. www.mitutoyo.ca

P R O D U C T S

tes t

&

Meas u r eM en t

Digital insulation meter

Multi-function static meter

Keyence has added the SK series of electrostatic sensors to its lineup of staticcontrol products. The series promises to offer precision measurement of static electricity, temperature and humidity to allow the user to monitor charges on parts or check static eliminator performance while viewing or

The Ideal Industries 61-797 digital insulation meter is a rugged, industrial-grade tester designed for commissioning, routine troubleshooting and preventive maintenance to identify whether insulation is performing at an effective, safe level. Using the 61-797, the technician can determine the integrity of insulation in new and existing wiring by identifying capacitive, absorption and leakage current at multiple test voltages (50V, 100V, 250V, 500V and 1000V) and resistance up to 20G ohms. Periodic testing of insulation for signs of deterioration will spot breakdowns in electrical systems, generators, switchgear and motor windings before failure occurs, says the company, adding that insulation testing can prevent the dangerous occurrence of short circuits or short to grounds. The meter offers twist-on alligator clips that fit over the test leads. www.idealind.com

outputting data as required. The SK-H050 handheld electrostatic sensor boasts a large, easy-to-read liquid crystal display for checking static levels on the spot. Built-in laser aim and a 180-degree rotating head allow for fast and easy measurement even in a narrow space, says the company. www.keyence.com

MULTI-POLE CONNECTORS Speciality versions Non-Metallic, Aggressive Enviroment, EMC & High Temp *available upon special request

thermal calculation software

To help simplify the often timeconsuming calculation of enclosure cooling and heating requirements, Rittal has developed its Therm 6.3 software. Input the dimensions and position of the panel, together with the heat loss, the ambient temperature, preferred internal temperature and details of the available power supply, then select a cooling or heating solution specific to the project requirements. The interface guides users step-by-step through the selection process and at the end of the calculation, a report will show the selected product and the net heat transfer through the walls of the enclosure. www.rittal.ca

• Ideal for Industrial and O.E.M. Markets • IP Rating up to IP67 (IP68 and 69 available upon special request order) • Available in 1 to 216 pole inserts. Ranging from 5 to 200amp (Based on pole configuration, 600v rating) • Screw, Crimp & Spring clamp termination • Rugged die-cast aluminum alloy housing with stainless steel levers & springs, thermoplastic glass fibre handles • CSA, UL, CE, ROHS approvals

Tel: 905-820-6150 Toll Free: 1-800-363-1588 Email: sales@techspan.ca

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R E A L I T I E S

the black hole of manufacturing BY DiCK MORLEY

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he future of manufacturing is application dependent and two examples of this come to mind. One is the understanding of black holes, and the other is regarding Google’s internal organization. A black hole is known by its surface only — much like a factory automation process or a beer plant. What counts is what can enter the plant (“goes-inta”) and what comes out (“goesoutta”). A black hole, as it gets larger, increases its volume on the cubic basis. The black hole surface, however, only increases as the square. This means that the black hole content is not related linearly to the surface area, much like the complexity of large systems. The surface area of a company of process or country can be made to expand only by increasing the internal complexity to an astounding amount. This argues for small loosely coupled economies. Like small startups, profitability is inversely proportional to size. Google understands this very well. If you go to Google and check on the “more” indicator, you’ll get about 50 different loosely coupled organizations. They seem not to be run by Google Corporate. Google Corporate is the gravity that holds the black hole we call the Google system together. Each of the agents in the Google system, however, is strong and independent as would be a small company. This argues for small economic elements in any large system that perform specific functions with conductivity to the whole limited. The application

concept used for the iPhone are examples of this application dependency of self-acting agents held together by a connectivity and a communicationsoriented operating system. To some extent the internals of a black hole and the Google linkage are examples of the new philosophical aspect to agents and economic systems. These systems and elements also tend to be “intelligent.” I do not mean this to be intelligent systems as described in science fiction movies. This intelligence is much like the intelligence in your heart. The heart manages to beat without management. Management is distant and cannot stop the heart or allow the heart to hurt itself. I guess self-adaptive is a better word than intelligent. In the simplest case, the invention of feedback systems in 1936 was one of the first emergence of these adaptive reactive systems. This means that future systems will require components that are a direct application targeted rather than an engineering performance. Most of us geeks think about performance as faster, better, cheaper when in fact the user wants it dependable, lifecycle costs and status. In the building information management (BIM) world, we utilize these three elements: • comfort, • security, and • status. Although BIM systems were initially designed for human beings, we can also consider the inhabitants

DON’T MISS OUT

being applications and manipulation elements. In this case, the applications in the iPhone and MtoM are perfect applications of this philosophy. To some extent, the programmable logic controller is a similar device. They are scattered throughout the world and appear as Google applications, modems, game cards and Wikis. In summary, the internal technology that lets things happen is irrelevant but necessary. What counts is the ability of the application to be honest, self-adapted and run forever, even the purchase of the applications in these modern showcases of technology is made easy. • Dick Morley (morley@barn.org) is the inventor of the PLC, and author, speaker, automation industry maverick and self-proclaimed ubergeek.

OMEGA Introduces Conductivity and Temperature Monitor and Controller

on your next issue of CDTX-111/CDTX-112

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OMEGA’s new CDTX-111/CDTX-112 series of conductivity controllers are panel instruments for online monitoring of industrial process conductivity. The economically priced, CE compliant product features include linearized data, automatic temperature compensation, no error due to cable length changes and maintenancefree cells. It’s an ideal auxiliary instrument of various types of conductivity sensitive processes. Ideal for automotive, chemical and water industries for measurement and control of conductivity in water, electronics, chemical and manufacturing processes. Price Starts at $235 Twitter: @OmegaEng Facebook: http://facebook.com/pages/ Omega-Engineering/121219014465 Email: info@omega.ca Phone: 514-856-6928

June 2015 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION NewOmegaProd_MA_June.indd 1

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Advantech Industrial Automation Group ..................23 Allied Electronics Inc. .........................................1 + 13 ASCO Numatics .........................................................17 AutomationDirect .....................................................IFC Beckhoff Canada .........................................................5 Carlo Gavazzi (Canada) Inc. ........................................4 Eaton Canada ..............................................................8 Encoder Products Company ........................................6 Excellence In Manufacturing Consortium .................28 Festo Inc. ...................................................................12 Harmonic Drive LLC ...................................................21 HARTING Canada Inc. ...............................................16 Hiwin Corporation .......................................................9 KUKA Robotics Canada Ltd. ......................................10 Murrelektronik Canada ...............................................3 Omega Engineering, Inc. .................................... 7 + 30 Omron Automation and Safety .................................19 Pepperl+Fuchs...........................................................11 Rittal Systems Ltd. .....................................................27 SCHUNK Intec Corp. ................................................ IBC SEW-Eurodrive...........................................................25 Siemens Canada Ltd...............................................OBC Techspan Industries Inc. ............................................29

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Reduce your commissioning time by up to 30% The perfect match: S7-1200, Basic Panels and TIA Portal

With its intuitive, task-oriented editors, TIA Portal Basic serves as a common engineering framework for the SIMATIC S7-1200 controller and SIMATIC HMI Basic Panel. By providing many engineering efficiencies for your daily work, it offers you a distinct competitive advantage. • Investment protection with Security Integrated safeguards against unauthorized code or process value changes, thereby helping you increase your operational availability

Intuitive, efficient, proven: TIA Portal redefines engineering.

• Know-how protection uses passwords to prevent unauthorized third parties from opening your blocks and accessing your algorithm

• Comprehensive networking offers you a wide variety of communication options for both local and remote applications as well as integrated PROFINET for distributed I/O, HMI and drive architectures • Engineering efficiency with intelligent drag and drop functionality between editors saves you configuration time and engineering costs • System flexibility: Modular board concept allows additional I/Os without increasing the CPU footprint; adding just one RTD input is no problem • Broad industry application space via integration of technology for motion, drives and PID

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