Change liquid analysis leadership.

Dr Thomas Buer is to become the new managing director of Endress+Hauser Liquid Analysis in October 2024. He succeeds Dr Manfred Jagiella, who is retiring at the end of September after 17 years at the helm of the competence center for liquid analysis.

Dr Thomas Buer

Dr Thomas Buer moves from Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions to Endress+Hauser Liquid Analysis. The 55-year-old manager studied mechanical/process engineering at the Technical University of Aachen and has extensive international experience in the water and environmental technology sector. In professional roles in Germany, Canada, the USA and France, he successfully managed global business units and drove innovative technologies forward.

“In Dr Thomas Buer, we have found an experienced managing director for our competence center for liquid analysis. His broad expertise and international experience will help him to further develop Endress+Hauser Liquid Analysis together with the proven management team,” says Dr Andreas Mayr, COO of the Endress+Hauser Group. To ensure a smooth transition, Thomas Buer will start at Endress+Hauser on 1 August 2024.

Manfred Jagiella joined Endress+Hauser as managing director at the beginning of 2007 and since then has developed the competence center for liquid analysis into a sustainably growing and profitable company. During this time, the number of employees has tripled to over 1,300 worldwide and turnover has increased even more.

Endress+Hauser Liquid Analysis has won various innovation prizes and other awards, ranked first in Germany several times as an exemplary employer and was recently even honored as one of the best employers worldwide.

Since 2016, Manfred Jagiella has also been valued as a committed member of the Executive Board of the Endress+Hauser Group. In September of this year, Dr Manfred Jagiella will turn 65 and then embark on a new chapter in his life.

“Dr Manfred Jagiella has played a key role in making Endress+Hauser one of the world’s leading providers of liquid analysis today,” emphasizes Dr Peter Selders, CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group. “We would like to thank him for his many years of dedicated service to our company and his contribution to the success of the Group. We wish him all the best and good health for the next phase of his life.”

His responsibilities on the Executive Board of the Endress+Hauser Group will be assumed by other members of this body from October.

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@Endress_Hauser @Endress_US @Endress_UK #PAuto #Automation

Automating the impossible anywhere!

"Industrial automation’s most versatile compensation module to the world."

At the Bosch Rexroth Customer and Innovation Center in Ulm (D), they develop innovative solutions for the future of automation, such as the Smart Flex Effector, a compensation module aiming to revolutionise the industry.

Automate the impossible.
David Lehmann, System Architect at Bosch Rexroth, explains what a compensation module is and what makes the Smart Flex Effector unique:

David Lehmann

“When you think about a robot in the factory, you usually think of a six-axis robot assembling parts or building a car, or something like that. The robots have some kind of tool at the tip, like a gripper. The compensation module is the part that goes between the robot arm and the gripper. The Smart Flex Effector stands out due to its ability to provide compliance (flexibility in response to forces) in six degrees of freedom (movement in three-dimensional space).

We can measure the deflection (change in position) of the tool with high precision with an integrated sensor system. This allows us to perform complex tasks, such as precise assembly operations, that usually only humans can do. Our slogan, ‘Automate the impossible’, sums it up nicely. Our goal with this product is to enable robots to perform new tasks that they are traditionally not good at, thereby increasing efficiency and productivity.”

Connectivity challenges.
To enable the robots to perform these new tasks, the Smart Flex Effector needs to exchange position measurement data with the robot controllers, including information about the deflection of the tool and control signals for the module's locked and unlocked states.

However, connecting the Smart Flex Effector to robot controllers was challenging, as David explains. “Our product was available, but we had difficulties installing it at our customer’s sites. When we talked to our customers, the feedback was often the same: 'You have this serial interface, but I don't want to spend two weeks or more trying to connect it with my robot controller. I do not have the time or the resources to do that.'”

Simplifying connectivity with Anybus protocol converters To solve these connectivity challenges, Bosch Rexroth turned to HMS Networks who provided the Anybus Communicator Common Ethernet, a ready-made protocol converter capable of connecting serial devices to EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP or PROFINET controllers.

A key benefit of the Anybus Communicator Common Ethernet was that the same unit can connect to all the major Ethernet protocols, as David describes “This Anybus protocol converter was the ideal solution for us because we can reconfigure it with a firmware update and with just one unit, we are able to provide the connection to the different protocols.”

The Anybus Communicator’s intuitive user interface also won some new fans. “The interface is really nice. Before selling it to our customers, we tested it for ourselves in our lab where application engineers completed feasibility studies, for example. They all said that it was easy and straightforward to complete the required configurations via the web interface, which was important to us as we have customers that are not experts in automation and robotics.”

The fact that the Anybus Communicator could be installed via a web browser was a further plus point. “Both we at Bosch and our customers prefer not to install third-party configuration software. It adds security risks and complexity – just getting the required admin rights often delays installations.”

The Smart Flex Effector and Anybus Communicator have worked so well together that Bosch Rexroth includes the Anybus Communicator as part of a complete solution. “We decided to create an order number for the Anybus convertor, so that customers could buy it directly from us. So, we sell both devices together as a complete solution.”

With the addition of the Anybus Communicator, Bosch Rexroth can easily connect to all the major Industrial Ethernet protocols, and as a result have significantly expanded its market. "Now we really can address more or less the whole market”, David concludes. “We can cover everything; we haven't found a robot with a fieldbus connection that is not supported by this Anybus convertor yet."

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@hmsnetworks @HMSAnybus @RexrothDACH @mepaxIntPR #Pauto #Robotics

Automation Platform for Power and Water Industries is AI ready.

Automation architecture which accelerates plant modernization with a more flexible and user-centric approach.

The Ovation™ automation platform has been updated by Emerson to include a software-defined architecture that will help utilities better leverage data, new technologies and artificial intelligence (AI). This enhancement will enable the industries to achieve new levels of operational excellence and meet the increasing demand for reliable, affordable and sustainable power and water.

Today’s progress toward energy transition, global sustainability targets and “electrification of everything” is transforming the power and water industries. These complex challenges require modern, adaptive technologies that interconnect previously siloed data and provide a holistic operational view to improve performance and availability.

Emerson’s Ovation 4.0 automation platform builds upon the company’s Boundless Automation™ vision to integrate and deliver valuable reliability, safety, production and sustainability data across enterprises to optimize operations. The software-defined platform enhancements include advanced automation, simulation and AI capabilities.

“Our next-generation platform will help modernize power and water operations, unlocking predictive strategies to help utilities meet the evolving pressures of the industries,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson’s power and water business. “Ovation 4.0 offers a single automation platform with real-time data, enabling customers to keep pace with rapidly changing markets, providing the insights they need to work smarter, better and faster.”

Power or water operators with a complex portfolio of distributed energy resources (DERs) – including combined cycle plants, wind farms, hydro facilities, solar panels, battery storage, microgrids and electric vehicle charging stations – can rely on Ovation 4.0’s grid edge ecosystem to manage real-time, bidirectional inputs and deliver distributed data across their entire network. Grid edge controllers provide a more granular view of the grid through high-speed, localized computing environments across DERs, securely putting rich data closer to operators to improve load and demand management.

This, the newest Ovation software-based platform is part of a robust solutions portfolio designed to help future-proof utilities, including a full suite of advanced pattern recognition and machine learning technologies to monitor, control and optimize assets. These technologies can be used in local or remote operation control centers to centralize knowledge, predict maintenance requirements and optimize operations. The new Ovation View human machine interface and integration of Ovation Green renewable supervisory control and data acquisition software provide a clear view of operations, advanced analytics and forecasting tools. This Ovation 4.0 integration, combined with these new features, improves holistic awareness across traditional and renewable generation and energy storage segments, reducing costs while increasing plant safety, reliability and sustainability.

The platform also offers generative AI models trained on a foundation of secure Ovation knowledge-based data that will offer prescriptive guidance on operational and maintenance practices. Ovation digital twin technology with AI models will provide infinite analytical computing power that enables data-driven decisions, business-wide collaboration and on-demand support.

All Ovation 4.0 technologies will be seamlessly supported through the Guardian™ digital customer experience, a single point of access to real-time monitoring, in-depth analytics and actionable insights.

“With our extensive portfolio unified under the Ovation 4.0 automation platform, power and water companies now have access to a comprehensive technology ecosystem, unmatched industry expertise, cohesive customer support, and decades of engineering innovation and efficiencies,” Yeager said. “This enhancement will help us strengthen our position as a go-to partner, helping our customers modernize with a software-defined architecture that provides the most advanced control systems without completely overhauling existing infrastructure.”

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• See also Industrial IoT company of the year (12/1/2024)

@Emerson_News @EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation  @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #AI

Temperature data loggers in laboratory.

Cansford Laboratories, working within the family legal sector, carries out drug and alcohol testing for workplaces, governments, and individuals. Samples of hair, nails, oral fluid, and dried blood spots are stored in refrigerators throughout different processes of analysis and quality control. Temperature must be monitored to ensure that it remains within the set acceptance criteria to comply with the company’s Quality Management System and laboratory standard ISO 17025:2017.

The Tinytag Plus 2 data loggers with built-in temperature sensors are used ensure compliance with the specific storage temperatures required and Cansford Laboratories’ internal standard operating procedure (SOP). In addition to their use in storage facilities, Tinytags are used to monitor ambient room temperatures, especially that of the laboratory, as the equipment produces a significant amount of heat while running. The data gathered also provides the opportunity to examine and validate the performance of air conditioning systems and how well they maintain constant temperatures.

The loggers were selected for their wide temperature range – from -40 to +85°C – which makes them suitable for multiple monitoring locations. They are also compact and durable, making them ideal for unobtrusive use across the laboratory, office, fridges and freezers.

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• Tinytag data loggers are stocked in Ireland by Manotherm

@tinytag @cansford_labs @Manothermltd #PAuto #Laboratory

Vibrating level switch.

Designed for general purpose applications.

WIKA has supplemented its portfolio with the TLS-S vibrating level switch. It is suitable for all liquids, also for highly viscous media.

The new instrument is available in three variants for different market segments. It is intended for the process industry and can also be delivered with ATEX approval. The model TLS-H, thanks to its hygienic design, meets the requirements of the food & pharma sector. The particularly compact model TLS-C has been designed for OEM applications.

The vibrating level switch, with its functional principle based on a tuning fork as the measuring element, enables precise limit level monitoring in containers and pipelines, irrespective of the mounting position.

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• WIKA products are marketed in Ireland through Instrument Technology.

@WIKANews #PAuto

Management team at sensor manufacturer.

A new management team of at E+E Elektronik has been announced. Wolfgang Pucher has taken up his position as Technical Managing Director while Min Kim has been responsible for the Market Division in May 2024. This new set-up strengthens the company's management and provides new impulse for future development.

Wolfgang Pucher (top)
and Min Kim

Wolfgang Pucher took over the management of the Technology Division at E+E Elektronik on July 1, 2024. His area of responsibility includes development, production, quality management, calibration laboratory, IT and technical infrastructure. Wolfgang Pucher studied mechanical engineering and completed his doctorate in measurement technology at the Technical University of Graz. In 1997, the 61-year-old joined Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH, where he held numerous management positions in the development of measuring devices and precision machines. As Head of Development, he has many years of experience in development, production, assembly, quality management and marketing.

Min Kim has over 23 years of professional experience, including 15 years in various international management positions. The 52-year-old studied economics and business administration in Germany and built up his initial expertise in particular at the Robert Bosch Group in Asia-Pacific regions. His portfolio also ranges from global sales management to the integration of acquired companies. Since May 1, 2024, Mr. Kim has been responsible for the Market Division at E+E Elektronik. In this role, he is responsible for sales and marketing, product management, purchasing and logistics, human resources and all seven subsidiaries.

They are both two highly experienced managers. A statement from the company said, "Their expertise in their respective fields will contribute to developing E+E Elektronik from a recognized, solid company to an innovative global market leader with pioneering technology. Together, new market opportunities will be developed, and the customer base is to be expanded. In addition, the optimization of development and production processes and the promotion of innovative solutions are on the agenda.""

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

#Epulse #PAuto #Austria

Elevating work platforms.

The ePanda eDrive for low-voltage applications has been launched by Danfoss. 

Designed as a propel solution for mobile elevating work platforms, the ePanda eDrive is an integrated compact power system comprising an electric motor, microcontroller unit, and reduction gearbox that maximizes efficiency, reliability, and safety. The eDrive joins the ePowerpack in Danfoss’ ePanda series of products for low-voltage electrification.

“OEMs specializing in low-voltage machines have been among the first to embark on the electrification journey. However, technology limitations and the efficiency of electrified systems currently on the market have fallen short of customer requirements,” said Derek You, Low Voltage business unit lead and head of Editron China, Danfoss Power Solutions. “We designed our ePanda low-voltage system solutions to help these OEMs unlock the complete benefits of electrification. With our innovative solutions, including the ePowerpack and now the eDrive, we’re electrifying positive change throughout the off-highway industry.”

The ePanda eDrive’s permanent magnet synchronous motor maximizes propel system efficiency, reducing battery consumption and thereby extending machine runtime. The eDrive offers peak efficiency of 94% compared to 85% for competitive AC induction motor systems. It maintains high efficiency throughout its operating range, with system efficiency 17% to 31% higher than AC systems at various speeds. Average efficiency improvement is 20%.

Designed to be the most compact drive solution on the market, it simplifies machine integration and installation. Compared to the next best alternative, the eDrive is 20% shorter in length and 23% lower in weight. As a fully integrated solution, the eDrive reduces the number of parts and labor hours required for installation.

The unit's integrated design also provides high durability and reliability. Ingress protection ratings of IP67 (motor) and IP65 (controller) make it suitable for extreme environments. The braking system is durable and replaceable, and with its strong gearbox in the leading position, risk of oil leakage is minimized.

With overspeed protection and superior inching control, the eDrive delivers a smoother, easier driving experience for operators. Its high controllability prevents rollback during hill starts and stops, while its high power enables gradeability of up to 30% and speeds of up to 6.4 kilometers per hour. The eDrive is CE compliant and its safety stop and speed limitation functions meet ISO 13849 performance level D requirements, maximizing operational safety while ensuring suitability for use in global markets.

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@Danfoss @NapierPR #Pauto  #OEM