Friday 28 September 2018

Ethernet gateway.

The all-new HES HART® to Ethernet Gateway System released by Moore Industries, converts signals from up to 64 wired HART® devices to Ethernet MODBUS/TCP and HART-IP. The HES allows HART® transmitters and smart valves to interface directly with MODBUS/TCP-based monitoring and control systems over Ethernet, with field device data viewable in any web browser via the HES’ built-in web server.

The system communicates with HART field devices in point-to-point and digital multidrop networks and supports both Normal and Burst Mode communications.

The HES is available in a single channel or four channel configuration. Single channel configuration supports up to 16 HART devices in digital multidrop mode, or can support just one device in a standard point-to-point 4-20mA loop configuration. The four channel configuration can support up to 64 total HART devices for high density installations.

It supports communication with HART 5, 6 and 7 field devices that includes Coriolis, magnetic, vortex, ultrasonic and multivariable mass flowmeters along with pressure, pH, level, temperature transmitters and even smart valve positioners. The HES has sufficient memory to handle thousands of process variable and diagnostic data points from connected smart HART devices.

All HART data from connected field devices is viewable in read-only mode with any web browser via the HES’ built-in web server or a MODBUS/TCP compliant host. The HES also supports HART-IP, allowing any of the connected HART device variables, HES variables, or diagnostics to be monitored. Support for these open industrial protocols enables interface with any process control or asset management system while taking advantage of any Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) initiatives that facilitate the propagation of process data to higher level corporate or analytical systems.

The HES is simple to configure over Ethernet using PACTware or other FDT compliant host with
supplied HES DTM. Easy to use menus provide full configuration of the HES including HART channel communications, MODBUS communication and mapping settings and network security parameters. The HES is designed and built to continue supporting Moore Industries’ reputation for rugged reliability and customer satisfaction.

@MII_Worldwide  #PAuto #Ethernet

Thursday 27 September 2018

Sulphur/Total Nitrogen Analyser.

The next generation elemental analyser, “ElemeNtS”is the successor of PAC's “MultiTek” .

Launched under their Antek™ brand, ElemeNtS is the most advanced, modular, analytical system available for the detection of Total Nitrogen and/or Total Sulphur content in liquid, gaseous materials and LPG samples. Three configurations are available: ElemeNtS-N for Nitrogen analysis, ElemeNtS-S for Sulphur analysis and ElemeNtS-N/S for simultaneous Nitrogen and Sulphur analysis.

ElemeNtS positions itself as the best performing TS/TN analyser in the market, combining an extremely stable Sulphur and Nitrogen detectors with linearity up to 104.
ElemeNtS complies with key standard methods such as D5453, EN ISO 20846, D4629, IP490, DIN 51444, EN 15486, D7183, D7184, UOP 971, IP554, D7551, D6667, UOP 936, D5176.
The new generation Elemental Analyzer “ElemeNtS” displays exceptional sensitivity and allows simultaneous analysis of Total Sulphur and Total Nitrogen in hydrocarbon samples up to 30 ppbw, according to ISO 11843.

Featuring a 10” touch-screen, the ElemeNtS allows for direct queue control and diagnostics, along with a completely revamped IRIS based software platform make controlling ElemeNtS effortless. ElemeNtS also has an easy accessible front door to keep maintenance of the instrument hassle-free.

The ElemeNtS is delivered completely turnkey and as such is factory tuned, calibrated & validated. Other benefits include documented methods as well as two year warranty on hardware and applications.

#PAC #PAuto #Laboratory

Addressing logistic expertese!

Over 15,000 job vacancies expected by 2020 with Brexit expected to worsen the skills gap.

Logistics and freight distribution companies from across Ireland have warned that a no-deal Brexit coupled with an acute shortage of qualified logistics workers could lead to significant disruption in the sector. The warning comes as Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) launches Ireland’s first ever Logistics Apprenticeship aimed at addressing the skills gap in the industry while providing ‘earn as you learn' opportunities to schools leavers and mature students. The launch was attended by the Minister for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development John Halligan TD, Logistics Associate Apprentices and leading industry employers.

DIT Apprentices Dylan Moloney (Harris Group) and Rachel Slater (Kuehne + Nagel) pictured with Minister of State for Training and Skills John Halligan TD at the launch .
Speaking at the launch, Declan Allen, Assistant Head of the School of Management said, “The Logistics Associate Apprenticeship, developed by DIT in conjunction with an industry-led consortium, is in response to the report published by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs in 2015 which found the sector would need up to 15,500 extra skilled workers by 2020." Apprentices work four days a week and then spend a day in DIT College of Business on Aungier Street. Over the two-year programme, students will develop the skills necessary for Logistics Associates, who are responsible for coordinating the movement of goods in a company, including the planning and coordinating of all warehousing and transportation activities in the supply chain.”

Aidan Flynn, General Manager Freight Transport Association Ireland and Chair of the Logistics Associate Apprenticeship Consortium, is confident the new enterprise-led apprenticeship will alleviate skills shortage in the sector. “In recent years, our industry has struggled with a widespread skills shortage, and we are also facing an uncertain future with Brexit on the horizon. Regardless of the outcome of negotiations, there is likely to be a divergence in UK and EU regulations increasing the cost of transporting goods and the level of paperwork required to do so. The Logistics Associate Apprenticeship launched today will provide the industry with a fresh cohort of graduates equipped with the knowledge required to maintain supply chains and the steady distribution of goods to wholesalers, retailers and consumers across the country.”

LtoR: Aidan Flynn, General Manager Freight Transport Association Ireland and Chair of the Logistics Associate Apprenticeship Consortium, DIT President Professor Brian Norton, Minister of State for Training and Skills John Halligan TD, Dr Mary Liz Trant, Declan Allen, Assistant Head, DIT School of Management and Paul O’Reilly, Head, School of Management at DIT.
The Logistics Associate Apprenticeship was announced by the Ministers Richard Burton TD and John Halligan TD last year as part of the government’s Action Plan for Education. The plan aims to double the number of new apprentices registered to 9,000 by 2020 and expand further into new areas. 18 employers and 26 apprentices from across the Freight, Transport, Distribution and Logistics sector are participating in the programme on a day-release basis with the apprentices attending class one day a week in the School of Management in DIT Aungier Street (Dublin Irl).

@ditofficial #Breatimeacht #EGFSN #Brexit

Wednesday 26 September 2018

Three in one sensor.

The duct mount EE850 from E+E Elektronik measures CO2 concentration up to 10000 ppm (1 %), as well as relative humidity (RH) and temperature (T). It is ideal for demand controlled ventilation, building automation and also for climate and process control. The 3-in-1 sensor features a dew point temperature (Td) and a passive temperature output.

The EE850 incorporates the E+E dual wavelength NDIR CO2 sensor, which is highly insensitive to pollution. The CO2 autocalibration ensures excellent long-term stability, while the temperature compensation leads to high measurement accuracy over the entire working range from -20 to 60 °C (-4...140 °F). The CO2 sensing cell is located in the innovative device enclosure and thus very well protected.

The combined RH/T sensing element is placed inside the probe. The E+E proprietary coating protects the sensing element from dust and corrosion, which leads to accurate measurement even in harsh environment. It also improves the long-term stability by preventing stray impedances caused by deposits on the active sensor surface.

The CO2, RH, T and Td measured data is available on the analogue outputs. Additionally, the EE850 features a passive T output. Configuration and adjustment can be easily performed with an optional adapter and the free EE-PCS configuration software.

External mounting holes allow for mounting the transmitter with closed cover. This saves time and protects the electronics from construction site pollution. Alternatively, the device can be installed with the mounting flange included in the scope of supply.

• E+E products are marketed in Ireland through Instrument Technology


#Epulse #Pauto #HVAC

Availability of cloud-based advanced analytics applications.

The advanced analytics solutions from Seeq Corporation is delivered via software as a service (SaaS) on Microsoft Azure. Seeq enables engineers and scientists in process manufacturing organizations to rapidly analyze, predict, collaborate, and share insights to improve production outcomes. Customers include companies in the oil & gas, pharmaceutical, chemical, energy, mining, food and beverage, and other process industries.

“The move to cloud platforms for advanced analytics on large manufacturing data sets is clearly underway and will only accelerate,” says Michael Risse, Vice President and CMO at Seeq Corporation. “Our goal is to ensure our customers have the advantages of Seeq insights on their cloud platform of choice.”

Seeq is already run by customers on Azure and includes support for Azure-specific features such as Azure Directory Service. Seeq will now offer its software as a SaaS application on Azure to address customer interest in cloud-based analytics solutions. Shell, headquartered in The Hague, (NL), is an example. Shell will be providing cloud-based access to Seeq for its process engineers and experts working with OSIsoft PI data.

"Easy cloud-based access to Seeq by our engineers will enable faster insights and reporting on our key real-time data," comments Johan Krebbers, IT CTO of Shell. "Our ability to tap advanced analytics offerings for predictive and root cause analysis of assets and process outcomes delivers on our commitment to continuously improve execution results."

“Seeq’s focus on driving advanced analytics innovation in process manufacturing organizations makes it an ideal addition to the Azure ecosystem,” says Julia White, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Azure. “As Microsoft enables digital transformation initiatives in process manufacturing and IIoT customers, we are excited for the insights Seeq will deliver.”

Recent releases of Seeq have focused on enabling larger deployments through scalability features, and making the Seeq applications easier to use. R20 features, released this summer, include the ability to have live updates to Seeq Topics, which publish insights from Seeq to other users; expanded machine learning functionality for customers doing predictive analytics with Seeq; and an improved query model for customers accessing contextual data from SQL-based data sources to provide faster connections to big data sources.

"Seeq continues to release compelling analytics solutions for customers in process manufacturing and Industry 4.0 engagements," says Janice Abel, Principal Analyst at ARC Advisory Group. "The need for faster and better insights is a consistent requirement for customers investing in IIoT and Smart Manufacturing."

@SeeqCorporation #PAuto @Azure

Refrigration motor.

The new PLSES 4500 from Leroy-Somer, is a high-speed drip-proof induction motor specifically designed for industrial refrigeration. Meeting the demand of professionals in the refrigeration sector, particularly as regards reliability and energy efficiency, the PLSES 4500 can reduce power consumption and operating cost by up to 30%.

A refrigeration installation has a strong impact on the energy bill of a company. The cold compressor, at the heart of the system, remains the most energy-consuming element, and can represent up to 80% of total consumption. OEMs or integrators seek to reduce drastically the power consumption of their machines. The other fundamental requirement in this industry is fault-free operation, as any breakdown of the cold production system would cause significant losses.

With the PLSES 4500, a new IP23 high-efficiency and high-speed induction motor controlled by a frequency inverter, Leroy-Somer provides an appropriate response to the needs of the refrigeration industry.

Based on the IMfinity® platform, the PLSES 4500 motor combines tried-and-tested induction motor technology with Leroy-Somer's recognised drive systems expertise. These motors, cornerstones of the refrigeration system, whose robust design perfectly meets or even exceeds the industrial refrigeration requirements in terms of reliability, are compliant with the latest European standards.

Dedicated to high speed, the PLSES 4500 has been designed to operate at variable speed. It was tested and qualified with Leroy-Somer Powerdrive MD2 high-power variable speed drives, guaranteeing optimum electrical and mechanical performance, obtained by using components selected to work together.

This solution using a variable speed motor drive has a positive effect on the energy bill. Offering IE3 efficiency, PLSES 4500 motors deliver their rated torque over a range from 1000 to 4500 rpm, resulting in notable power gains at the refrigeration compressor output. For its part, the frequency inverter adjusts the speed to the load fluctuations - which are typical of industrial refrigeration - by limiting electricity consumption to what is strictly needed for the application. Through improving operating conditions, the motor-drive assembly contributes considerably to reducing the energy bill generated by the refrigeration unit, as well as increasing the coefficient of performance (COP). This maximised energy efficiency can reduce power consumption up to 30%.

Furthermore, Leroy-Somer made design choices which ensure a surprise-free operation of the PLSES 4500 motor, given the constraints of industrial refrigeration:
  • - To avoid the circulation of shaft currents, a particularly common phenomenon in high-power applications, and offer thus maximum protection to the motor and the driven machine, the PLSES 4500 is fitted with insulated bearings and a grounding ring as standard for redirecting shaft currents.
  • - Laid out in such a way as to facilitate the connection of thick shielded cables, the terminal box also has a set of grounding braids that contribute to the good product immunity to high-frequency electromagnetic interference.
  • - The cooling system has been optimised to reduce losses, minimise noise levels and prevent temperature rise. The PLSES 4500 also benefits from a thermal reserve of 25 K across the entire speed range, which increases the winding lifetime.
An ideal solution for the industrial refrigeration from 100 to 480 kW, in frame sizes from 225 to 315, the PLSES 4500 motor combines performance and energy efficiency, whilst maintaining a maximum level of reliability.

@Leroy_Somer_en #PAuto

Tuesday 25 September 2018

Security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems.

The ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards, developed by the ISA99 committee as American National Standards and adopted globally by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), is designed to provide a flexible framework to address and mitigate current and future security vulnerabilities in industrial automation and control systems (IACS). All ISA standards may be found here on their website in numerical order.

A newly published standard in the series, ISA/IEC 62443-4-2-2018, Security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems: Technical Security Requirements for IACS Components, provides the cybersecurity technical requirements for components that make up an IACS, specifically the embedded devices, network components, host components and software applications. The standard sets forth security capabilities that enable a component to mitigate threats for a given security level without the assistance of compensating countermeasures.

“The standard definition of the security capabilities for system components provides a common language for product suppliers and all other control system stakeholders,” emphasizes Kevin Staggs of Honeywell, who led the ISA99 development group for the standard. “This simplifies the procurement and integration processes for the computers, applications, network equipment and control devices that make up a control system.”

The new standard follows the February 2018 publication of ISA/IEC 62443-4-1, Product Security Development Life-Cycle Requirements, which specifies process requirements for the secure development of products used in an IACS and defines a secure development life-cycle for developing and maintaining secure products. The life-cycle includes security requirements definition, secure design, secure implementation (including coding guidelines), verification and validation, defect management, patch management and product end-of-life.

The ISA99 standards committee draws on the input and knowledge of IACS security experts from across the globe to develop consensus standards that are applicable to all industry sectors and critical infrastructure. Previous documents in the ISA/IEC 62443 series cover terminology, concepts, and models; establishment of an IACS security program; patch management; and system security requirements and security levels.

#ISAuto @IECStandards #PAuto #cybersecurity 

Series of RFI filters.

Schaffner is introducing a new series of RFI filters with IEC Inlet C14 or C20.

The dual-stage high-performance FN 9255 filter series are an addition to the market proven FN 92XX filter families and have been developed for high frequency applications, above 30MHz. The FN 9255 is the first power inlet designed by Schaffner to operate up to 300MHz.

The only difference from a standard Schaffner IEC inlet is a slightly increased length, which means the FN 9222, FN 9233, FN9244 and recently introduced FN 9255 all are fit in the same cut out, allowing designers exchange inlet filters if the system requires higher performance than one of the basic models.

The new series offers a high number of variants of approximately 100 different filter types. Included in the range are versions designed for medical applications, one with and one without an earth line choke.

Another new feature of the series is a rear mount version, which includes a press-in nut to allow a reliable assembly without adding complexity to the system chassis.

The very wide variant diversity and comprehensive attenuation properties means the FN 9255 series offers an filtered power inlet solution for a wide range of applications including the latest household appliances, audio, video and also medical devices.

The filters have full international safety approvals (UL 60939-3, IEC 60939-3 and CQC), are CE marked and are compatible with the RoHS II (2015/863) directive.

@SchaffnerGroup #PAuto 

Greenhouse gas sensors made with new materials for climatic usage.

Recent reports on the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions have shown that CO2 levels within the atmosphere are steadily rising. The UN has consistently promoted the use of renewable energies for the control of atmospheric conditions. These need to be steadily monitored and in order to do so it is essential that cheap, robust, and accurate sensors are available for the acquisition of reliable measurements.

A recent review “Greenhouse Gas Sensors Fabricated with New Materials for Climatic Usage” has been produced by the School of Chemistry and Materials Science at Rochester Institute of Technology in the USA.

Edinburgh Sensors Gascard NG was used as part of the research in the filed of commercialised carbon dioxide sensors for field experiments. Classified within the report as a Type 1 sensor, these gas sensors generally have a non-metallic substrate on which the active material is deposited and kept in either ambient or selected experimental conditions (e.g., inert atmosphere) in the measuring chamber. The change in resistance of the active material is measured as a function of concentration of the greenhouse gas. The successive measurement requires flushing the measuring chamber.

The first part of this review is focused on the possible effects of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, and the second part surveys the developments of sensors for greenhouse gases with coverage on carbon nano-materials and composites directed towards sensing gases like CO2, CH4, and NOx. The purpose of the review is to emphasise the necessity for the development of greenhouse gas sensors for climatic usage by using selected examples.


@edinsensors  #Environment  

Optical network monitoring.

Laser Components offers the OTU-5000 from Viavi Solutions, a compact solution for optical time-domain reflectrometry (OTDR) monitoring of infrastructures and fibre optic networks.

Since it is only one rack unit, the OUT-5000 is able to control 72 glass fibers that are 100 kilometers or longer. Since it does not require complex software or a server connection, the system can be run as a stand-alone solution. It is controlled via a web browser, and error messages are sent by e-mail or SMS.

At the same time, the OTU-5000 offers maximum future security: The optical switches are scalable to up to 1080 connections, and the entire system can be easily integrated into a comprehensive automated ONMSi monitoring solution.

The need for efficient network monitoring is no longer limited to large telecommunication carriers. Providers of so-called critical infrastructures must comply to critical infrastructure protection (CIP) regulations and grant the failure-free operation of their facilities. In any case, OTDR allows for immediate detection and localization of performance errors in order to correct any errors often before service quality is noticeably impaired.

Specialised sensors can also be integrated into the OTDR system for monitoring passive infrastructures such as manhole covers or service cabinets.

@LaserComponents #PAuto @LCGermany

Friday 21 September 2018

Space-saving optical sensor.

Leuze electronic has a new cylindrical optical sensor which, with its compact, space-saving design, benefits in applications where little installation space is available.
This slim, cylindrical M12 sensor design with the 412B series in metal housing is especially well suited for use in tight installation spaces, as occur in, e.g., material handling or in packaging machines.

Compared to the previous series, the new series of switching optical sensors for object detection has an even more compact design and is available with various functionality: as throughbeam photoelectric sensor, energetic diffuse reflection sensor and as retro-reflective photoelectric sensor. In addition to improved performance such as operating range, response time and glass optics, laser variants as well as models with NPN switching outputs are available for the throughbeam photoelectric sensors. Focus of the new development was primarily on the simple and intuitive set up use by means of 270° potentiometer.

@Leuzeelectronic #PAuto 

Most accurate precision power analysis!

In early September the global launch of Yokogawa's much-anticipated Precision Power Analyser was attended by technical journalists at a press event in central London (GB).

Yokogawa's Anoop Gangadharan
The new instrument was introduced by Product Manager Anoop Gangadharan. "It features multichannel mechatronic insights and a modular architecture and offers unprecedented levels of accuracy, stability and flexibility in power measurement, making it suitable for applications in a number of industries including automotive, energy, consumer electronics and industrial automation."

The Yokogawa WT5000 is the first of a new generation of Precision Power Analyser that offers exceptional measurement accuracy of ± 0.03% combined with stability, noise immunity and plug-in modular flexibility to meet the measurement needs of today’s developers of energy-efficient systems.

In rapidly evolving industry sectors like electric vehicles, renewable energy and energy efficient technologies, the need for reliability in testing to enhance safety, efficiency and performance has never been greater. Changing application needs and evolving international standards call for custom measurements and consistent accuracy, and in the WT5000 Precision Power Analyzer, engineers have a versatile platform that not only delivers reliable measurements today, but is ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

The WT5000 achieves the world’s highest measuring accuracy: ±0.03% of total at 50/60 Hz. As a result, it has become possible to evaluate the power consumption, loss, and efficiency of electrical and electronic devices. In particular, its wide dynamic current range is indispensable for tests on energy-saving designs.

One of the essential elements for determining the performance of a power measuring instrument is the A/D converter that performs analogue-to-digital conversion. In order to obtain the world’s highest measurement accuracy, the WT5000 uses an 18-bit converter with a sampling frequency of maximum 10 MS/s. As a result, it becomes possible to accurately capture waveforms from the latest high-speed inverter devices. It is very effective for stable measurement results.

While the WT5000 has the same dimensions as existing models in Yokogawa’s WT series, it incorporates up to seven input channels, allowing it to support applications that previously could only have been measured by synchronising several separate instruments. As a result, it offers considerable savings in installation space, communications overheads and cost-effectiveness. Further benefits result from the use of plug-in modular input elements, which can be swapped directly by the user.
The 30 A and 5 A elements, for example, can be switched for applications involving electric vehicles or fuel-cell vehicles, where developers are increasingly required to evaluate a number of different motors. Using the WT5000 equipped with the /MTR1 and /MTR2 options, it is possible to evaluate up to four motors simultaneously with one unit. Since these options allow the input of four channels, flexible measurement of the A, B, C and Z phases of each motor can be carried out.

With a 7 elements input capability, multi-system measurement is increased in harmonic measurements on 3-phase systems, for example. The WT5000 can carry out two harmonic measurement functions simultaneously, each at up the 500th order and up to 300kHz fundamental waveform. This makes it possible to measure the carrier frequency component from the rotational speed of the motor in the inverter drive and also to check the influence of the carrier frequency on the motor drive.

An increasing number of applications require the evaluation of larger-current devices, typical examples being electric vehicles and large-scale solar installations. In these cases, external current sensors are often used. An external current sensor input function is fitted as standard in the input element of both the 30 A and 5 A input elements of the WT5000. For much higher currents (up to 2000 A RMS) dedicated high-current sensors are available. Yokogawa AC/DC current sensor CT series is current output type in order to prevent noise influence.

@Yokogawa_Europe #TandM #PAuto

Thursday 20 September 2018

Tech Day informing choices on Industry 4.0.


Manufacturers are being invited to explore the technologies that are making the industrial landscape more connected, efficient and secure at a SolutionsPT ‘Tech Day’ on October 2nd in Cork (IRL).
The day will be divided into sessions to help delegates make informed choices about meeting the challenges of Industry 4.0, with hands-on practical workshops and demonstrations led by SolutionsPT systems architects.

Activities on the day will include:
  • An exploration of the benefits of upgrading to Wonderware’s latest SCADA software, System Platform 2017, including increased operator effectiveness and low development costs. A system integrator will also share their experience of completing a recent System Platform 2017 upgrade
  • A talk by SolutionsPT’s Technical Manager, Ken Molloy, about overcoming the key challenges posed by Industry 4.0, such as the integration of OT and IT applications
  • A case study from a food and beverage company on its successful implementation of Wonderware System Platform 2017 and InTouch OMI
  • A look at how using Cloud-based technology to host data can enable businesses to make faster, smarter decisions, including testimony from a renewable energy supplier that embraced Cloud technology to drive their IIoT optimisation
  • Two sessions focussing on industrial cyber security, the steps manufacturers can take to ensure their SCADA is protected and the benefits comprehensive continuous threat detection and vulnerability monitoring will deliver
  • A series of afternoon breakout sessions which will enable attendees to build on the knowledge gained during the morning with optional, hands-on workshops and demonstrations.
The Cork Tech Day will run from to 8.45am to 3.45pm. Attendance is free but delegates must register here in advance.

@SolutionsPT  #PAuto #Industrie4

Selecting heavy duty connectors.

The Harting Han® Configurator is a new interactive tool designed to speed the selection of heavy-duty industrial connectors by allowing engineers to quickly access all the necessary information and relevant data on the individual interface components prior to producing a design that can be viewed as a 3D model in real time.


This tool is an advance in the digital transformation of product development. It helps generate the best solutions from an extensive portfolio, without the user having to be or become a component specialist himself.

The Han® Configurator is geared towards real-world practice. It is designed so that a user can quickly put together all the interfaces necessary for a particular configuration. The designer starts by selecting three inputs (contacts, voltage and current) to generate the first possible solution. At each stage of the process the user can receive suggestions for alternative interfaces and via the “smart assistant” feature the configurator will only allow valid configurations to be implemented, saving valuable design time.

Despite increasingly complex requirements and a high level of product diversification, the smart configurator makes the connector selection process easily manageable. The current configuration can be viewed in real time in the form of a 3D model in a separate window, and the configurator will never display components that cannot be combined with a selection already made.

By selecting “expert” mode, users who already know the product numbers or names they are looking for can set up their interfaces in the configurator, making them easily manageable for subsequent processing. The choice of housing (top/bottom) or insert (pin/socket) is all that is necessary to begin the configuration process.

The Han® Configurator allows users to quickly and intuitively arrive at the best interface solution without the need to search for components and their specifications. It is easy to add and remove alternative interface solutions that comply with the latest connector developments, all with the click of a mouse.

Designers also benefit from the on-screen 3D visualisation of the current configuration, allowing the design to be viewed from a range of angles. Each configuration is assigned its own number, allowing it to be saved for revision at a later date.

All documentation can be downloaded with a single click (including STP files) for saving, loading and sharing among members of a design team, including those working remotely.

#Harting  #PAuto

Complying with automotive industry standards.

E+E Elektronik has recently completed the certification according to IATF 16949:2016. It confirms that the company’s quality assurance system complies with the high requirements of the automotive industry. The new standard follows the previous ISO/TS 16949 and is recognised by the world's leading automotive manufacturers.

Josef Hartl
"With the IATF certification, E+E Elektronik qualifies as a reliable partner for the automotive industry. This is proof that we strive and are able to offer our customers the highest quality standards", states E+E Managing Director Josef Hartl.

E+E Elektronik develops and produces sensors and transmitters for humidity, temperature, CO2, air velocity, dew point, moisture in oil, mass flow and pressure. The highly accurate measurement devices are used all over the world in various applications, such as building automation, process control, meteorology, environmental technology, agriculture and clean rooms.

In the automotive industry, the humidity sensors from E+E Elektronik are part of control systems for the fuel mixture, the air conditioning or the windscreen fogging prevention. For quantities of several millions of units, highest quality level is a must. Therefore, the company has already been certified according to the automotive standard ISO/TS 16949.

Twenty five years ago, E+E Elektronik established a quality assurance system in compliance with ISO 9001 and thus anchored the quality aspect in the corporate strategy. The company is now certified according to the latest ISO 9001:2015, which is also mandatory for the new IATF standard.

Besides innovative products and high quality standards, E+E Elektronik also takes environmental protection and the sustainably use of resources very seriously. Membership in the Austrian Climate Alliance and an environmental management system according to ISO 14001 are therefore a matter of course for the company.

• E+E Electronik products are marketed in Ireland through Instrument Technology.

#Epulse #PAuto #Automotive

Wednesday 19 September 2018

Surface mounted indicators.

The latest LED surface mount indicators from IDEC have been introduced by Foremost Electronics.

Alan Vincent, Sales Director of Foremost, comments, “The extended range of surface-mount industrial LED indicators from IDEC are ideal for panel and machine builders offering status and emergency information signals which can be mounted on any surface, whether a control panel, the arm of a robot or even an emergency exit. The wide number of colours and ability to add custom legends and symbols makes them suitable for a very wide range of applications. These industrial LED indicators fit in very well with our other HMI product ranges.”

The LH1D series of LED Spider Lights are a slim and stylish design ideal for mounting on the surface of equipment or panels and offer excellent visibility from the front and the side. The surface-mount design does not affect the location of other panel components and requires only a small space behind the mounting surface.

LH1D Spider Lights can be used in many applications that do not have space behind the panel to mount conventional indicators. Typical applications include robotic arms, product picking machines, door monitoring and other applications where designers require dual-colour pre-wired LED Spider Lights rather than having to mount individual status indicators.

Key Features include LED indicators in seven colours and dual-colour as standard in flat or dome designs with three-colour illumination available in the jumbo dome model. An integrated 1m connecting cable is provided as standard with 3m and 5m available as options and a 30cm M12 connector terminated cable is available for the jumbo dome version. Marking film can be inserted into flat Spider Lights allowing customer legends and symbols to be printed and displayed.

The 24V AC/DC Spider Lights provide an impressive 50,000 hour lifespan while consuming low levels of energy and are UL Listed, CE marked and TUV rated. All Spider Light LED indicators are NEMA Type 4X and IP67 rated for protection against exposure to water or oils.


#4mostelectronics #PAuto 

Asset Purchase Completed.

Solar Light Company have now advised that the assets of Gooch and Housego (Orlando) have been acquired. The new entity will operate as Optronic Laboratories from its facility in Orlando, Florida, USA. Optronic Laboratories, Inc. will become an affiliate of Solar Light Company, Inc.
Optronic Laboratories, Inc., was founded in 1970 by two eminent researchers at NIST (originally National Bureau of Standards). The company quickly became recognized for its expertise in light measurement and commercial metrology. Today, Optronic Laboratories and its business partners provide a comprehensive line of high-performance, optical radiation measurement systems, sources, standards, and calibration services with a worldwide reputation for excellence in light sciences.

Highlighting the importance of this acquisition for its global customers, Jay Silverman, President of Solar Light Company, Inc., stated, "Since 1970, Optronic Laboratories has been improving the way the world measures light. This acquisition ensures that Optronic Laboratories can continue to provide the critical light measurement systems and the support necessary for our customers to develop and manufacture their innovative products and processes."




See also:
• Relief for optics facility. (21 Aug 2018)
• Facility closes down. (25 June 2018)


@SolarLight_Co #PAuto #USA @ghphotonics 

Photoionisation detector.

"Exciting new supply agreement allows Blackline to add Ion Science photoionisation detector to G7 sensor portfolio through revenue-sharing rental service!"

Ion Science has signed a supply and revenue-sharing agreement with Blackline Safety Corp. to bring an affordable photoionisation detector (PID) to market.

Hazardous to the short-term and long-term health of employees, VOCs are emitted by a variety of liquids and solids that can impact the respiratory system, skin and eyes, as well as cause fatigue, memory loss and affect the nervous system and function of internal organs.

Specialised PID sensors use high-energy ultraviolet light to ionise gases into negatively-charged electrons and positively-charged components. VOC levels are measured by monitoring the current flow between electrodes inside the sensor.

“Ion Science supplies more PID sensors than any other manufacturer and our MiniPID 2 eliminates two key challenges — humidity and contamination,” said Duncan Johns, Managing Director at Ion Science. “In order to bring our proven technology to a wider audience, we forged a unique relationship with Blackline. Rather than a traditional sensor sale to an OEM customer, we offer our PID sensors to Blackline as a rental, complementing how they bring gas detection to the market as an overall service offering.”

“Until now, PID technology has been less affordable for large workforce deployments with instruments often costing several thousand dollars each,” said Cody Slater, CEO and Chairman for Blackline Safety. “Advanced Ion Science PID sensors are now part of our overall G7 gas detection portfolio and services that include a lifetime sensor warranty. Businesses that have not been able to justify the expense of PID technology can now affordably deploy across their teams with known costs. Further, our G7 Complete leasing program can provide these capabilities with affordable monthly payments and zero startup fees.”

PID sensors are highly sensitive devices and occasionally require cleaning of the internal ultra-violet bulb, bulb replacement and replacement of the electrode stack. Blackline’s G7 gas detector features a plug-and-play cartridge interface that enables any G7 device to be equipped with a PID sensor while also limiting maintenance. When a PID sensor requires servicing, Blackline customers simply replace the G7 cartridge in seconds, eliminating downtime. In contrast, traditional PID instruments take tens of minutes each to be disassembled, PID sensor removed and taken apart, parts cleaned and then reassembled.

Mr. Slater added: “Included in our relationship with Ion Science is lifetime sensor maintenance, performed at their facility. Every time that a customer installs a new PID sensor cartridge, they benefit from a factory-certified replacement that is maintained by expert technicians.”

The Ion Science MiniPID 2 sensor takes advantage of patented Fence Electrode Technology that eliminates the common problem of humidity influencing VOC readings, while an internal membrane reduces contamination. MiniPID 2 is now available for Blackline’s G7 Single-gas Diffusion Cartridge and Multi-gas Diffusion Cartridge, plus the upcoming Multi-gas Pump Cartridge, scheduled to be released this fall.

@ionscience #Pauto #Safety @blacklinesafety @ionscienceusa

Tuesday 18 September 2018

Top load turbine flow meter.

Badger Meter has just intruduced the Blancett® Top Load Turbine Flow Meter.  Designed to withstand the demands of the most rigorous flow measurement applications, this meter was originally intended for the secondary oil recovery market but provides an ideal solution for liquid flow measurement on or off the oil field.

Since 1975, Blancett turbine meters have delivered accurate, consistent, reliable and informative flow measurements for liquid and gas applications. These turbine meters are popular velocity flow-measuring devices with the ability to measure wide flow ranges with good accuracy. They are known for their fast speed of response, low pressure drop, and durable construction.

For customers looking for a better turbine solution, the top load meter’s new, innovative design provides the proven performance expected from the Blancett brand with the ability to reduce repair times by over 70 percent. A new replaceable insert assembly kit allows users to quickly and easily replace the rotor and blade assembly in the field without having to remove the meter from the line. The meter is constructed with a rugged 316 stainless steel housing, rotor shaft and rotor support assemblies; 17-4 PH stainless steel rotor; and hybrid ceramic ball bearings. It maintains measurement accuracy and mechanical integrity in the corrosive and abrasive fluids commonly found in oil field water flood projects, as well as many other industrial applications.

Key features of the new Blancett meter include:

  • Reduce repair time by 70 percent
  • Simple field maintenance by a single technician
  • No special tools necessary for disassembly
  • Long service life with no rusting in severe operating environments
  • Electronic integration with state-of-the-art flow monitors and K-factor scaler, or an F-to-I/F-to-V Intelligent converter
  • Helical blade design
  • Repair kit for turbine replacement without loss of accuracy
  • High 15:1 turndown ratio for extended flow range
  • Installed either horizontally or vertically

Badger Meter's top load turbine flow meter can be paired with a Blancett B2900 flow monitor, which provides advanced communication capabilities over an RS485 bus using Modbus remote terminal unit (RTU) and control outputs. This allows operators to connect meters to a network for process automation and/or remote flow monitoring. The Modbus RTU connection can be configured with user-selected baud rates.

The Blancett Top Load Turbine Flow Meter is available in one- and two-inch nominal pipe sizes with an accuracy rating of ±1 percent of reading and a repeatability of 0.1 percent of reading. Ideal flow ranges vary between 5...225 gallons per minute (GPM)/18.9...851.72 liters per minute (LPM) depending on line size. The meter comes calibrated and traceable to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards.

With quick product availability and advanced electronic integration options, backed by experienced application support personnel, Badger Meter offers an optimal solution for critical flow measurement requirements. The Blancett Top Load Turbine Flow Meter is in stock and ready to ship.


@Badger_Meter #PAuto #Oil @BadgerMeterDE 

Identify the first signs of machine failure.

Senseye,  provider of predictive maintenance analytics, is rolling out new Trend Recognition algorithms capable of automatically identifying machine problems at an earlier stage than was previously possible.

Simon Kampa
Simon Kampa, CEO of Senseye, comments: “The earliest warning signs of machine failure tend to emerge very gradually and have previously been difficult for an A.I. application to spot. Our new algorithms can reliably and automatically identify problems several weeks earlier than was previously possible. This reduces the cost of downtime by providing a greater window of opportunity for engineers to apply the right maintenance remedy without impacting on production schedules.”

Senseye’s new Automatic Trend Recognition algorithms use Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) to monitor very gradual changes in the condition of industrial machinery. The algorithms analyze basic diagnostics data from machine sensors to spot small but significant variations in vibration, pressure, temperature, torque, electrical current and other sources that indicate deterioration in machine health.

Senseye has invested more than 8,000 work hours from its data scientists, mechanical engineers and application developers in developing its Automatic Trend Recognition algorithms, which are the first automated offering of its kind to be deployed as a SaaS application. The algorithms will be made available to all Senseye customers around the world by the end of the month (September 2018).

@senseyeIO #PAuto


Monday 17 September 2018

Security certification confirmed!

The remote management solution, eWON Argos, from HMS Industrial Networks, is now ISECOM STAR security certified.

The eWON Argos Product Manager, Anders Stålheden comments: “We are very proud to have successfully passed the ISECOM STAR security certification, and we are committed to continue with regular security assessments to ensure that we provide the highest possible security to protect our customers.”

The eWON Argos remote management service is an important part of the eWON remote solutions from HMS Industrial Networks. Argos offers users a secure monitoring and control to field equipment via eWON Netbiter gateways. Accordingly, Argos is regularly tested by independent companies to maintain a high security level in today’s fast-evolving technology environment.

Argos has become ISECOM STAR certified after passing an assessment performed by the company admeritia GmbH, a vendor-independent German cybersecurity company specialized in IT Security assessment (ethical hacking) and KPI-based security measurement. The assessment was done through an OSSTMM 3.0 and OWASP audit process which included penetration tests of Argos targeting the cloud-based infrastructure.

 @ewonrouters #PAuto @isecom

Defining the Principal Roles in Cybersecurity.


Overview Planning, operating, and maintaining an effective response to cybersecurity risks can be a daunting exercise for many asset owners. They must address the cybersecurity of automation and related systems across their entire life cycle, from specification and development to operations and maintenance. Although they are not directly responsible for all activities, asset owners must understand the requirements and translate these into responsibilities for those performing the tasks required.

Eric Cosman
This report is authored by Eric Cosman an expert on the subject. ARC Advisory Group clients can view the complete report at ARC Main Client Portal. Eric Cosman was one of the speakers at the ISA Food and Pharmaceuticals Industries Division Symposium (FPID) on Cybersecurity held in Cork two years ago.

The lifecycle of an automation solution provides the context or back-ground for defining processes and associated roles. If defined in sufficiently general terms, it can be applied easily across a wide range of situations and help improve communications and cooperation between the various contributors and stakeholders. This is a major goal for people involved in standards development efforts since it would enable broader use of their work.

Many of the available standards, frameworks and guidelines for cybersecurity stress the need to address the people and process elements of the response in addition to technology. However, it is often left up to the reader to define the needed processes and associated roles. This requires a detailed understanding of business processes and organizational structure, including identification and definition of roles and responsibilities. Although the details may vary by situation, the fundamentals are often common.

A general-purpose lifecycle model includes the definition of several principal roles that are not industry specific. By using these general definitions, it is possible to provide guidance that can be applied broadly.

#Cybersecurity #PAuto @arc_advisory

End-to-End SCADA Security.

Bedrock Automation is demonstrating commercially available end-to-end SCADA security built on the cyber secure root of trust embedded in their control system at this year’s Inductive Automation Ignition Community Conference (ICC) this week in Folsum (CA USA). In this application, Bedrock® Open Secure Automation (OSA®) provides secure, high-performance control of industrial field devices, while also authenticating and encrypting OPC UA communications across Ignition SCADA using the Bedrock Certificate Authority (CA) and public key infrastructure (PKI).


“OPC UA enables open and secure communications across industrial devices. OPC UA’s highest level of security, however, requires authenticating all communications against a cyber secure root of trust, which is what Bedrock uniquely provides. We are pleased to continue working with Inductive Automation to help them deliver authenticated and encrypted SCADA,” said Bedrock CEO and founder Albert Rooyakkers.

At ICC, Bedrock and Inductive are demonstrating a process control application in which a Bedrock® system is sharing production data across a plant network with an Ignition Server. The Bedrock control system provides an authenticated and encrypted message signed by the cryptographic keys built into the Bedrock controller itself and validated against the Bedrock Certificate Authority. Through an exchange of electronic certificates, the Bedrock PKI verifies both the source and the integrity of all data transmitted.

In addition to OPC UA, OSA supports standards such as IEC 61131-3, MQTT and Ethernet IP, with- software selectable universal digital, discrete and analog I/O. The Bedrock® OSA infrastructure is used to authenticate hardware, firmware and software. Users interact with the cyber functions via a simple dashboard.

Bedrock Automation and Inductive Automation have now implemented this architecture at many sites and are in the process of installing at many more. “Cyber security is critical to the next generation of industrial productivity, and we have extensive programs in place to secure our customers’ applications. The industrial certificate authority that Bedrock provides augments the capability, helping to deliver the efficiency and profitability benefits of open connectivity with minimal risk of cyber intrusion,” said Don Pearson, Chief Strategy Officer at Inductive Automation.

 @BedrockAuto #PAuto @InductiveAuto @TizianiWhitmyre  #Cybersecurity

Friday 14 September 2018

Air Flow Indicator and Alarm.

Dwyer Instruments has released the Series DAFA Air Flow Indicator and Alarm. This indicator and alarm is designed to alert users of low or no air flow conditions in pipes. The DAFA is ideal for monitoring radon mitigation systems by detecting a loss of air flow in the pipe and providing a signal to the homeowners if the fan has stopped operating.

The Air Flow Indicator and Alarm utilizes a thin, field trimmable vane to sense the air flow rate in pipe sizes between three to four inches. The DAFA is battery powered to provide versatility of installation location and offers a yellow LED to indicate a low battery. In addition, the battery can last up to five years when in a steady state. An 85 dB audible buzzer alternates with a bright red LED to alert users when the air flow rate drops below the desired rate.

• Dwyer Instrument products are marketed in Ireland through Manotherm.

@DwyerInstrument #PAuto

Thursday 13 September 2018

Gas detection systems in China.

In a key strategic move to strengthen global growth, customer support and brand awareness, Ion Science has opened an office in China.

Peter Childs
Based in Shanghai, Ion Science China Ltd will be aiming its photoionisation detectors (PIDs) for monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at a range of markets across China, Hong Kong and Macau, including indoor and outdoor air quality, oil & gas, environmental, fire / hazmat (first responders), semi-conductor, manufacturing and automotive.

Ion Science China Ltd is headed up by Peter Childs who comments: “Having a dedicated office in Shanghai will allow us to more easily restructure distribution channels in China by securing new sub distributors and OEM partners.

“A new local service centre will also enable us to provide more efficient after sales support. We are extremely excited at being able to offer our full range of fixed and handheld portable gas detection instrumentation across the Chinese market.”

Ion Science new office contact details are:

Ion Science China Ltd
1101, Bldg B, Far East International Plazza
No 317 Xianxia Road
Shanghai
P.R. China
 @ionscience #PAuto #Environment @elhcomms @ionscienceusa

Wednesday 12 September 2018

Enabling digital transformation.

Multisite automation investment to help FIS improve efficiency, quality and compliance of manufacturing operations

R&D at FIS Montecchio
FIS – Fabbrica Italiana Sintetici, a leading active pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturer, has selected Emerson to digitise operations and work processes at three manufacturing sites in Italy. With the €16.1 million (US$20 million) contracts, Emerson will provide automation technology to help create a fully electronic manufacturing environment for increased efficiencies, quality and regulatory compliance.

“It is vital that FIS develops the right relationship to help it expand operations in a measured and prudent manner,” said Franco Moro, general manager of FIS. “Working with Emerson provides FIS with a trusted partner as we digitise work processes and invest in automation to improve production and efficiency.”

As part of its growth strategy, FIS constructed a new $123 million (€100 million) unit at its Termoli site, doubling capacity to produce active pharmaceutical ingredients. Emerson will implement its Syncade™ manufacturing execution system at the Termoli site, as well as the Montecchio facility, providing automated workflows and paperless procedures and record-keeping. Paperless manufacturing improves production efficiency and offers widespread benefits in compliance, product quality, inventory and document control, which are critical in the highly regulated pharmaceutical industry.

The two leading companies have partnered before; Emerson provided its DeltaV™ distributed control system to monitor and control manufacturing at the Termoli site in 2017. As part of this latest agreement, Emerson will expand the automation system to incorporate additional measurement and control instrumentation. By standardising on DeltaV across its Termoli, Montecchio and Lonigo sites, FIS aims to improve efficiency and ensure consistent operations.

“This project reinforces Emerson’s strong relationship with FIS, and, as a trusted advisor, we will continue to support its business objectives on a long-term basis,” said Mike Train, executive president of Emerson Automation Solutions. “Our expertise will help FIS further automate work processes and boost profitability across these three sites as part of a companywide digital transformation strategy.”

The contracts are part of a 10-year strategic framework agreement signed with Emerson for the supply of its DeltaV and Syncade systems, measurement instrumentation and control valves, as well as a 10-year service agreement that covers the control systems at all three sites plus the new MES systems at Termoli and Montecchio.

@EMR_Automation #PAuto #Pharma @Emerson_News #Italy

Recessed socket plates.

Cliff Electronics are now offering panel builders and system integrators a user customisable connectivity option.

The new XRP Customisable Recessed Socket Plates continue to use the very popular XLR panel cut out and allow users to fit a connector of their choice or retro-fit a connecter to a system at a later time. This facility will be particularly useful for non-standard or more esoteric connectors not easily available from component suppliers. The blank XRP socket plate also allows for cables to be passed though using a grommet or cable gland and push buttons or LED indicators to be mounted.

The Cliff XRP Customisable Recessed Socket Plates offer 3mm and 12mm recesses to accommodate low profile and deeper connection options. They are available in black plastic and nickel or black finished metal. All versions are available with countersunk or plain mounting holes and metal versions can be supplied with an M3 thread in the mounting hole. The new customisable recessed socket plates are provided with a drilling guide in the centre of the connector mounting area to ensure correct assembly.

The new XRP customizable recessed socket plates can be mounted into the 19” rack panels provided by Cliff for users to configure or for factory assembly.

John Hall, Managing Director of Cliff Electronics, comments; “Our range of XLR mounted standard and FT connectors is growing rapidly in both options and sales as customers continue to find new applications for them. There will always be requests for non-standard or very specialised connectors in quantities which may not be viable for us to manufacture. That’s why we have introduced the XRP Customisable Recessed Socket Plates which offer an XLR based mounting platform to which users can fit any connector or accessory they wish. Should the end application reach good sales volumes we will always consider putting it into production."

This series of true, feed through, data connectors for electrical and electronic instrumentation are perfect for developing custom I/O configurations for wall plates, enclosures, rack panels, etc. All fit within a standard XLR panel cut-out and use common standard cabling for front and back connections with no soldering or screw terminal connections required. FT connectors may be mounted from the front or back of a panel and a low rear profile accommodates the tightest behind-the-panel spaces. Pre-assembled 19” rack panels fitted with a range of FT and standard connectors are available from Cliff to simplify end system assembly.

Cliff’s XLR format FeedThrough connectors take advantage of the standard 24mm panel cut out widely used in audio and broadcast systems and which is finding increasing popularity instrumentation, medical and industrial applications due to the format’s flexibility, security and reliability.

Versions available include GJ45, HDMI, BNC and USB3.0 compliant single and dual USB versions in addition to the existing range which provides Analogue, Digital and Optical Feed-Through connectivity in formats including Firewire, HDMI A-A and metal or plastic 50 ohm BNC versions, USB2 A-to-B and B-to-A “gender change” sockets high speed USB Type – C, USB3 to USB3 in all gender changing configurations - A-A, A-B and B-A. Also available are all popular data and Ethernet connectors including USB 2.0 and 3.0, LC and SC fibre (Duplex & Simplex), UTP and FTP RJ45s in both Cat6 and Cat5e (shielded and unshielded), Toslink, RCA Phono and HDMI and blanking plates.

Cliff Electronics are market leaders in the design, development and manufacture of connectors, leads, test lead sets and accessories for a wide range of markets and supply major international OEMs. As a UK manufacturer Cliff are able to respond quickly to customer’s needs for both standard products and custom designs. Cliff manufactures audio, optical and power connectors and accessories, general industrial connectors, foot pedals, lighting connectors, terminal posts and connection blocks, motors, fans and assembly aids. Cliff can also provide a wide range of leads including test and instrumentation, audio, instrument and power.

#CliffComponents #PAuto 

Software solution wins award.

The PAS-X MSI Plug & Produce Solution from Werum IT Solutions was awarded as “Best Of” at the Industriepreis 2018 in the category “IT & Software Solutions for Industry”. With this award, the jury of experts honors the novelty, product maturity and future-oriented approach of the solution, as well as its economic and technological benefits.

The PAS-X MSI Plug & Produce Solution allows the easy and fast integration of machines, equipment and automation systems into the existing production environment of a pharmaceutical or biotechnological manufacturer. The machines on the shop floor and Werum’s PAS-X Manufacturing Execution System can communicate directly with each other via a new, standardized and message-based interface. This allows to reduce the integration effort for a new machine by up to 75 percent.

“We are very pleased about this award, which is both a recognition and an incentive for us,” said Christiane Dickel, responsible Product Manager at Werum IT Solutions GmbH. “Our PAS-X MSI Plug & Produce Solution is a trendsetter in networked production and an important prerequisite for advancing Industrie 4.0 solutions in the pharma and biotech industries. Together with customers and industry associations such as ISPE, we are continuously developing our solution and have just released a new version with improved usability and extended options.”

With the Industriepreis, Initiative Mittelstand and Huber Verlag für Neue Medien, publishers of IT magazines, honor particularly advanced industrial products and solutions in 14 different categories every year. An independent jury of experts consisting of professors, scientists, industry experts and journalists evaluates all submissions.

@Werum #PAuto 

Tuesday 11 September 2018

Testing trains.

Wireless rotary torque transducers from Sensor Technology are at the heart of a test rig to develop next generation technologies for electric and hybrid vehicle powertrains. With unique expertise in the electric motors and electronics used across the key powertrain technologies, AVID Technology relies on the innovative torque transducers as part of an automated approach to motor characterisation.
Climate change, urban air quality and the rising cost of energy have become the defining issues of the 21st century. With energy consumption and exhaust emissions from vehicles and transport being significant contributors to these issues, governments across the world are driving moves to secure a future where the air is safe to breathe and transport is more sustainable.

In Britain this has seen the introduction of the government’s draft clean air policy, along with the announcement that sales of petrol-only and diesel-only vehicles will be banned from 2040, bringing the role of hybrid and electric vehicles to the fore. In evolutionary terms, these technologies are still in their infancy, and this is where AVID Technology comes in.

Based in the North-East of England, which is now a world-recognised centre for automotive development, AVID Technology is a renowned leader in the design and manufacture of electrified powertrain and advanced thermal management systems for heavy-duty and high-performance electric and hybrid vehicles. Its technology also improves conventional internal combustion engine efficiency through parasitic loss reduction, efficient thermal management, lubrication, electrified ancillary systems and waste heat recovery.

The company develops powertrain improvement solutions for a wide range of electric and hybrid vehicle applications, including high performance passenger cars, heavy duty buses and trucks, as well as motorsport vehicles and off highway machinery. Its high efficiency electric motor and power electronics technology delivers class-leading electrified powertrains and propulsion systems.

In order to test and characterise the high performance electric motors used in electric and hybrid powertrains, AVID Technology designed and built a special purpose test rig. Central to the design of the test rig is an innovative wireless rotary torque measurement device from Sensor Technology. These non-contact surface wave acoustic (SAW) transducers offer significant advantages compared with strain gauges, magnetic torque sensors and optical devices that might be fitted to a conventional dynamometer for motor characterisation.

Sensor Technology SAW-based devices are non-contact, robust and highly accurate. TorqSense torque sensors use two tiny SAW devices made of ceramic piezoelectric material containing frequency resonating combs. These are glued onto the drive shaft at 90 degrees to one another. As the torque increases the combs expand or contract proportionally to the torque being applied. In effect the combs act similarly to strain gauges but measure changes in resonant frequency.

The adjacent RF pickup emits radio waves towards the SAWs, which are then reflected back. The change in frequency of the reflected waves identifies the current torque. This arrangement means there is no need to supply power to the SAWs, so the sensor is non-contact and wireless.

These characteristics make the TorqSense transducers ideal for use in the stepper drive test rig. AVID Technology sales director Jordan Taylor explains: “The TorqSense transducer was chosen as it allowed us to use a fixed pedestal load motor and eliminate frictional losses and parallax errors from the load installation in the measurements. This allows AVID to produce very accurate performance characterisation results compared to a conventional motor dynamometer.”

Not only has the sensor delivered superior and more accurate characterisation results, it also enabled AVID to design a simpler test rig.

Reporting that the device has performed flawlessly in the application to date, AVID Technology is confident that its test rig will be key in enabling it to provide even smarter powertrain electrification, delivering on its vision of a cleaner, greener world.

@sensortech #Transport #Testing @Avid