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FEATURES

cover story

Products and expertise take the scenic route

The shortest distance between two points

is an innovative supply chain

Mike Bacidore, editor in chief

32

machine input

IIoT, software top experts’ lists of future foci

Panel discusses connectivity and how

software affects hardware

Mike Bacidore, editor in chief

27product roundup

No interruptions necessaryUninterruptible power supplies

keep the application moving

without missing a beat

38

CONTROL DESIGN, (ISSN: 1094-3366) is published 12 times a year by Putman Media, 1501 E. Woodfi eld Rd., Suite 400N, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173. (Phone 630/467-1300; Fax 630/467-1124.) Periodical postage paid at Schaumburg, IL, and at additional mailing offi ces. Address all correspondence to Editorial and Executive Offi ces, same address. Printed in the United States. ©Putman Media 2021. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication should not be reproduced in whole or part without consent of the copyright owner. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Putman Media, PO Box 1888, Cedar Rapids IA 52406-1888; SUBSCRIPTIONS: To change or cancel a subscription, email [email protected] or call 1-800-553-8878 ext. 5020. To non-qualifi ed subscribers in the United States and its possessions, subscriptions are $96.00 per year. Single copies are $15. International subscriptions are accepted at $200 (Airmail only.) Putman Media also publishes CHEMICAL PROCESSING, CONTROL, FOOD PROCESSING, PHARMA MANUFACTURING, PLANT SERVICES, SMART INDUSTRY and THE JOURNAL. CONTROL DESIGN assumes no responsibility for validity of claims in items reported. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40028661. Canadian Mail Distributor information: World Distribution Services, Inc., Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9A 6J5. Printed in the United States.

table of contentsVolume 25, No. 2

ControlDesign.com / February 2021 / 5

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AS-Interface9 editor’s page

Factories stick to 5G plansMike Bacidore, editor in chief

11 embedded intelligence

Who will collaborate with cobots?Jeremy Pollard, CET

12 technology trends

Intrinsically safe devices vs. systemsRick Rice, contributing editor

16 indiscete

Post-COVID surge predicted for collaborative robots

41 real answers

Standards and options for e-stops

45 product showcase

48 building blocks

Take a closer look at vision systemsAnna Townshend, managing editor

COLUMNS

Altech ..................................................................................17

AutomationDirect................................................................2

Beckho� Automation ........................................................4

Bihl+Wiedemann .................................................................7

B&R Industrial Automation ..........................................13

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Phoenix Contact ..................................................................3

Seifert Systems ................................................................35

Telemecanique Sensors ................................................15

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REMOTE OPERATIONS/CONTROL, optimized supply-chain innovations and enhanced

control, both time-critical and non-time-critical, are part of the focus that companies are

maintaining in their Industry 4.0 efforts, despite the limitations of the global pandemic.

While all of these activities are deemed important by organizations, supply-chain improve-

ment is receiving the highest attention, according to survey results released by ARC Advisory

Group and Wind River. So many restrictions have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic,

affecting transportation and human interaction and exposing many vulnerabilities.

In collaboration with ARC Advisory Group (www.arcweb.com), Wind River (www.

windriver.com) surveyed more than 450 manufacturing leaders at the height of pandemic

disruptions due to COVID-19. The results of the survey demonstrated that Industry 4.0

initiatives are alive and well, with speci�c focus on improvements and innovations is

supply-chain management and sup-

port for remote operations.

5G wireless telecommunications,

edge computing and Wi-Fi 6 net-

works were expected to be popular

technology initiatives in 2020, until

many plants struggled to remain

open and productive. Very few fac-

tories had experience with 5G, but

an overwhelming majority of survey respondents had expected to be using 5G within the

next �ve years. And North American respondents were even more positive about future

5G deployments than Europeans.

With respect to 5G adoption, manufacturers see 5G as a sea change, not just in raw

network performance but also in the capabilities and qualities of services that can be

delivered through cellular infrastructure, according to the survey. Turning that enthusi-

asm into adoption means communications service providers (CSPs) must understand and

appreciate the requirements that new and more critical applications within the factory

or plant will impose on networks and on business relationships with manufacturing cus-

tomers, according to the report of the survey results, ARC Research Director Harry Forbes.

Based on the research and analysis, the report recommends that:

• manufacturers should evaluate the lifecycle costs of 5G infrastructure with a view to its

new properties and capabilities

• manufacturers should expect CSPs to understand the risks of critical manufacturing ap-

plications and design service level agreements to re�ect and share in bearing these risks.

• CSPs should learn which applications their industrial customers plan for 5G and appreci-

ate the levels of criticality of these apps to their industrial operations.

Factories stick to 5G planseditorial teameditor in chief

Mike [email protected]

managing editor

Anna [email protected]

digital managing editor

Christopher [email protected]

contributing editor

Rick [email protected]

contributing editor

Dave [email protected]

editorial assistant

Lori [email protected]

columnist

Jeremy [email protected]

design/productionsenior production manager

Anetta Gauthier

senior art director

Derek Chamberlain

subscriptions1-800-553-8878 ext 5020

email: [email protected]

circulation Industrial machinery manufacturing 17,856

• Machine tools & metalworking 4,662

• Fluid handling & Conditioning 1,614

• Heating & cooling equipment 1,231

• Material handling & conveyance 1,230

• Power generatino & transmission 938

• Packaging machinery 718

• Other specialized machinery 7,463

Discrete & hybrid manufacturing 5,591

• Computers & electronics 2,199

• Food & beverage manufacturing 1,960

• Fabricated metals 905

• Pharmaceuticals & medical devices 696

• Transportation equipment 273

• Other manufacturing 2,395

Engineering & integration services 10,879

Other 2,857

TOTAL 40,020

1501 E. Woodfield Rd., Suite 400N Schaumburg, Illinois 60173

630/467-1300 Fax: 630/467-1124

In Memory of Julie Cappelletti-Lange, Vice President 1984-2012

Mike Bacidoreeditor in [email protected]

editor’s page

Industry 4.0 initiatives are alive and well, with speci�c focus on

improvements and innovations is supply-chain management.

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Jeremy [email protected]

embedded intelligence

THE ROBOTS ARE coming. Remember the charge that manufac-

turing will disappear because of this level of automation?

While a lot of the fears had been realized in the early years

of robotics—welding comes to mind in the automotive indus-

try—the current state of economics in robotic functionality has

taken a turn.

Technology in this space has advanced tremendously over

the past 20 years. The end effectors, which truly de�ne the

robot’s ability to perform tasks, are light years ahead of the

welder grips and high pressure tongs

of yesteryear.

The main issue with a robot is

based in the name: a robot that per-

forms the same repetitive task with

eerie precision. The what-ifs have

been dealt with using arti�cial intel-

ligence (AI) to some degree, but, by

and large, if the robot encounters an anomaly, it stops, unable

to �gure out what to do.

The original application of welding robots was to create a

reduced-cost automobile frame with repeatability and take the

perceived inconsistencies of manual welding out of the equa-

tion. GE Fanuc and the Karel programming language took the

market by storm many years ago.

Today robotics looks so different, and they also have a differ-

ent purpose. Many studies have been done on the use of robotics

and their effects on manufacturing in recent years. The outcome

of these studies has produced some interesting results.

Manual welding jobs have not in fact been decimated. Weld-

ing jobs are plentiful with not enough welders to �ll the posi-

tions, but that goes for a lot of hands-on positions. It has been

debated that the lack of versatility in a robotic welding applica-

tion creates the market for an actual person.

The addition of vision however could change that metric. Ro-

bot applications have penetrated the commercial marketplace,

as well, with brick-laying robots, window-washing applications

and remote-controlled heavy equipment. Drones are being

called robots as such, as well.

Robots are used in various aspects of manufacturing, includ-

ing packaging, palletizing, sorting and the like. Anywhere there

is a repetitive task, a robot can be used.

However, companies are realizing that robots can work to-

gether with people with very pro�table results. These are called

collaborative robots, or “cobots.”

In a recent study, Statistics Canada (www.statcan.gc.ca) has

said companies that have an increasing number of robots are

also employing an increasing number of employees.

It suggests that robotics have not been apocalyptic for labor

overall (www.controldesign.com/roboteffects). Where employees

used to do the work, they have been replaced by robots, but the

number of people to support the use of robotics has increased,

which can also be said of most tech-

nology applied in industry.

So, the types of jobs that have

been lost are where the focus has

been. Even managerial jobs have

been lost due to robotics since

more decision-making require-

ments have been dropped down to

the people doing the work.

This is where cobots come in. They can work in the same

space as a person and have safety devices as part of their envi-

ronment, so the person working with the robot is protected.

Cobots don’t operate on their own; they are collaborative. The

payback on using cobots is typically less than a year, according

to the Robotic Industries Association (www.robotics.org), which

also states the level of employee satisfaction with their jobs is

higher when a cobot is used.

The cobot becomes a friend, as such. It performs the tasks

that are perhaps dif�cult for the employee but really easy to

implement with a cobot. The level of sophistication and articu-

lation in the cobot space is very striking.

A big advancement is in torque and force control. We have

seen TV commercials where a robot picks up a small item with

precision and without squashing it. Very cool and very practical.

Robots are expensive, and there is a business model out

there that allows users to rent robots. Robots as a service (RaaS)

has gained acceptance and market share in recent years. The

pandemic has really spurred growth due to social distancing, so

employees need that space, which has been taken up by cobots.

Who will collaborate with cobots?

Robots as a service (Raas) has gained acceptance and market

share in recent years.

JEREMY POLLARD, CET, has been writing about technology and

software issues for many years. Pollard has been involved in control

system programming and training for more than 25 years.

CD2102_11_EmbedIntel.indd 11 1/25/21 12:25 AM

12 / February 2021 / ControlDesign.com

technology trends

Rick Ricecontributing editor

[email protected]

ONE OF THE most important design criteria, if not the most im-

portant, is the safe operation of your machine or process.

Safety can be broken down into two focal points:

1. safe for the humans that interact with the equipment

2. safe for the components of the machine or process.

The primary focus must always be the safety of the individu-

als who interact with the equipment. Effective physical guard-

ing combined with a reasonable and ef�cient way of interrupt-

ing the function of the equipment and restoring use thereafter

are very important considerations in

the design of a control system.

Traditionally, a control system

would start with a master control relay

to, as the name suggests, control the

voltage that is supplied to the motive

parts of the control system. The basic

circuit would involve a normally open

start button, a normally closed stop button and a tie-in contact

to keep the master control relay engaged unless the stop button

is pressed. To make the circuit safer, the stop button would be

a maintained-contact button by using a mushroom button that

must be pulled back out to re-engage the contacts.

Control systems became safer with the addition of an e-stop

button—mushroom-shaped and maintained contacts. These

buttons could also be shrouded in such a manner so that a pad-

lock could be applied to the shroud, preventing the e-stop but-

ton from being reset, or pulled out. Separate from the cycle stop

button, an e-stop button could be strategically located around

the machine or process area to provide a quick, easy means of

immediately stopping the controls, in case of emergency.

Safety circuits and hardware have evolved greatly since the

early control systems. Terms such as “dual-channel” and “dual-

redundancy” are commonplace today. These terms present the

logical progression that, if one circuit or device is safe, then two

circuits or devices is safer.

Safety systems have advanced dramatically over the past

few years, in particular, to the point where the driven devices—

variable-frequency and servo drives, for example—have safety

circuits embedded in the design to prevent power on the input

side from getting to the output side of the device.

Protection of the devices in a control circuit is the secondary

focus of safety circuits. Early control-system designs incorpo-

rated devices such as thermal overloads or thermistors in the

master control relay circuit so that a product jam or shorting

motor winding would immediately drop the control circuit.

As technology has advanced, many control devices have

built-in protection circuits that immediately stop the device

and provide a relay contact to the main control system to notify

of a device failure. Motor controllers are a good example of

devices that incorporate this method of protection.

By protecting the controlled devices, the human element

is also protected by reducing the

possibility of a broken component

challenging the integrity of the

physical guarding. Fractions of a

second can make all the difference

between a belt part and a broken

one, so protection in a variable-fre-

quency drive or servo drive instead

of a PLC or PAC—milliseconds later—can literally save a life.

Everything we have talked about so far deals with safety of

the control circuit or controlled devices, but what if the envi-

ronment itself is the unsafe part?

In petrochemical and processing, the product or by-product

of the process can contain solids, liquids or gases that have low

�ashpoints. In the food-packaging industry, some of the most

common of household baking items, such as corn starch or bak-

ing soda, are highly explosive if exposed to a spark.

This might seem like an obvious statement but control

systems use electricity. Even if it is 24 Vdc, it is still enough to

create a spark suf�cient enough to ignite a combustible mate-

rial. The approach to the design of control devices to be used

in a hazardous environment so that the available energy,

electrical and thermal, is too low to cause ignition is called

intrinsic safety (IS).

The National Electrical Code, Section 500, de�nes classes

of hazardous locations as Class I (gases and vapors), Class II

(dust) and Class III (�ber). Each class is further de�ned as Div.

1 (under normal operating conditions, including maintenance)

and Div. 2 (accidental release or exposure due to unexpected

rupture or breakdown).

In the industry, one might commonly see Class I, Div. 2, to

describe an unexpected exposure of electrical energy to dust,

for example.

Intrinsically safe devices vs. systems

The primary focus must always be the safety of the individuals who

interact with the equipment.

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technology trends

Let’s talk about a few common control devices that would

introduce risk in a hazardous environment. Many machines use

limit switches or cam switches; a cam switch is a limit switch

with a roller on the end that follows a lobed cam.

The construction of these mechanical switches requires a

physical lever to pass through the body of the switch. No matter

how well made, there is the possibility of a gas or � ne powder

getting into the inner workings of the switch and providing a

catalyst to a source of ignition.

While not as common any more, many electric motors came

with exposed windings to aid with cooling.

This provided a path for the combustive

material to get into the terminal block area

of the motor.

Newer motors tend to be totally enclosed

and fan-cooled to reduce this risk, but unless

the body is completely dust-, liquid- and gas-

tight, the combustive material can still get

through to the motor.

For these reasons, devices used in a haz-

ardous environment must be intrinsically

safe. However, the use of intrinsically safe � eld devices does not

make a control system intrinsically safe.

For this reason, the Occupational Health and Safety Associa-

tion (OSHA) requires that the whole control system be designed

to be intrinsically safe. It is not enough to use IS-rated devices.

The exception to this general rule is devices that use low

power or are passive in nature. A good example of this would be

thermocouples or resistance temperature detectors (RTDs).

Generally, the design of an IS system requires the use of low

voltages and low temperatures, so as to not provide an environ-

ment that is conducive to the ignition of combustible materials.

While the common focus is on the � eld devices, the control

cabinet itself might contribute the biggest risk of combustion.

Inside that enclosure, one will � nd lots of miniature switches

turning off and on, as well as plenty of devices that release

energy—heat—as a result of normal function.

While not as obvious as combustible gases or liquids, dust is

likely the most common source of combustible material. We are

talking of particles as small as 500 microns in size.

OSHA 1910.399 states, “Combustible dusts that are electri-

cally nonconductive include dusts produced in the handling

and processing of grain and grain products, pulverized

sugar and cocoa, dried egg and milk powders, pulverized

spices, starch and pastes, potato and wood flour, oil meal

from beans and seed, dried hay, and other organic materi-

als which may produce combustible dusts when processed

or handled. Dusts containing magnesium or aluminum are

particularly hazardous.”

To avoid ignition, we generally talk about voltages under 29 V

and current consumption under 300 mA. While PLCs and asso-

ciated I/O modules can be selected to operate at 24 V or less, the

presence of a VFD, for example, would imply

voltages at well above the 29 V target.

As one can imagine, it would be pretty

much impossible to make all of the compo-

nents inside a control cabinet to be intrinsi-

cally safe, so what can we do to protect our

control system from the risk of ignition?

Well, the somewhat obvious answer would

be to keep the microscopic dust particles out

of the enclosure in the � rst place.

The conventional design methodology

involves introducing elements to reduce the normal operat-

ing temperature inside a control cabinet or enclosure.

The easiest way to do this would be to provide a � ltered inlet

to draw in outside air and a fan to circulate that air throughout

the enclosure before exhausting it back out of the enclosure.

This approach doesn’t work for a hazardous location because

we would be drawing all those microscopic particles into the

enclosure and exposing them to an environment that is highly

conducive to the ignition of combustible particles. An air

exchanger would have the same issue, and an air conditioner

would be the best choice if it wasn’t for the fact that we are

talking about particles that are 500 microns or less.

No matter how tight we make the seal on an enclosure,

particles that small are bound to get into the enclosure. Just air

convection alone would cause this to happen, as we would have

cooler air outside the enclosure and warmer air inside.

The ultimate solution is to create an environment where

there is greater air pressure inside the enclosure than outside.

The introduction of clean, dry air to the inside and a means to

exhaust air from inside the enclosure to outside ensures that

air� ow will always favor leaving the enclosure. This addresses

WOW! That was “Simply easy!”This engineer just set up several ultrasonic sensors

for a new machine line. Despite the varying

ranges he had to set, he used a single

software application. He set the

distances. He adjusted gain.

He filtered out anomalies. And

those settings will remain for

future replacement sensors.

Programmable... ...Flexible...

www.tesensors.com/XXSonic

...and SMART!

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CD202101-Telemecanique.indd 1 12/15/2020 1:57:37 PM

Many control devices have built-in

protection circuits that immediately stop the device and provide a relay contact to the

main control system to notify of a device failure.


the normal conditions of Div. 1, but what about if/when we have

to open the enclosure to perform maintenance or troubleshoot-

ing? For this purpose, most positively charged cooling systems

also include a purge system so that all the air can be exhausted

from the enclosure before restoring operation.

A pressure sensor monitors the pressure differential between

inside and outside of the enclosure and will not permit opera-

tion of the control system until the air has been suf� ciently

purged and a temperature sensor ensures that the temperature

inside the enclosure is also kept to a minimum.

One last subject, the difference between explosion-proof and

intrinsically safe, should be mentioned. A device that is explo-

sion-proof is contained, so that it is capable of withstanding a

gas or vapor explosion. An intrinsically safe device is designed so

that it is not capable of causing an explosion in the � rst place.

It can be easy to overlook the presence of minute particles

or vapors in the ambient conditions where our machine or

process is intended to operate, but the consequences can be

deadly. Please take precautions and ask the right questions

to make sure that, where necessary, we are not only safe, but

intrinsically safe.

technology trends

RICK RICE is a controls engineer at Crest Foods (www.crestfoods.com),

a dry-foods manufacturing and packaging company in Ashton, Illinois.

WOW! That was “Simply easy!”This engineer just set up several ultrasonic sensors

for a new machine line. Despite the varying

ranges he had to set, he used a single

software application. He set the

distances. He adjusted gain.

He filtered out anomalies. And

those settings will remain for

future replacement sensors.

Programmable... ...Flexible...

www.tesensors.com/XXSonic

...and SMART!

XX Ultrasonic Sensors with NEWeasy-to-use software. Ideal for level detection & control,mobile equipment, material handlingand hoisting.

CD202101-Telemecanique.indd 1 12/15/2020 1:57:37 PM

Safety circuits and hardware have evolved greatly since the early control systems.


AFTER AN ARID 2020, when cobot

revenues saw negative growth for the

�rst time, growth is predicted to be in

the 15-20% year-on-year range up to

2028, according to a report from Interact

Analysis, an international research �rm,

focusing on intelligent automation.

The report reviews what turned out

to be a dif�cult 2019 and a tumultuous

2020 but gives reason for optimism for

the sector from now up to 2028, with

signi�cant growth predicted.

As is the case with many industries,

the collaborative-robot sector was se-

verely affected by COVID-19 in the short-

and medium-term outlook.

In 2020, when more than half of col-

laborative robots were shipped to Asia,

the market saw negative growth for the

�rst time, -11.3% in revenue terms and

-5.7% in shipment terms.

Factory and warehouse closures

slowed down demand; and customers

became more cautious about invest-

ment, leading to delays or even cancel-

lations of orders. But Interact Analysis’s

research indicates there will be a V-

shaped rebound for the industry which

will result in growth of nearly 20% in

2021, surpassing 2019 market size.

Thereafter up to 2028 there will be

an annual growth rate of the order of

15-20%. The forecast has been lowered

considerably compared to the equiva-

lent 2019 report, the main reasons

being, besides the COVID-19 effect,

competition from small articulated and

SCARA robots in industrial settings and

the slower-than-expected increase in

cobot installations in non-industrial ap-

plications, but, in these turbulent times,

the outlook looks good for the sector.

The impact of COVID-19 on the cobot

market varies from region to region, ac-

cording to the report. The virus started

in the Asian regions and then moved

to Europe and North America. As a

result, normal business operations and

commissioning of automation projects

in the Asia-Paci�c region will resume

earlier than in other regions.

This is important for the cobot mar-

ket, as more than 50% of cobots were

shipped to Asian countries in 2020.

However, only the Chinese and, inter-

estingly, the North American markets

are forecast to surpass the size of 2019,

mainly due to large domestic demand.

China has seen high take-up of cobots

because the country, as the world’s

largest manufacturing base, is suffering

from a labor shortage and is in strong

need of higher levels of automation to

improve production ef�ciency.

By 2022 all regions are predicted to

have exceeded the 2019 market size,

with western Europe, along with China

and North America seeing the fastest

growth rates.

“Collaborative robots are still the new

kid on the block,” said Jan Zhang, senior

director at Interact Analysis (www.in-

teractanalysis.com). “Their application

potential hasn’t been fully exploited

yet, by any means. At present, electron-

ics is by far the biggest end-industry

employing cobots, but their potential

is now being recognized across a range

of sectors. Their �exibility and ease

of use makes them strong candidates

for logistics, services and even educa-

tion applications. Our research tells

us that those nonmanufacturing areas

will account for 21.3% of collabora-

tive robot revenues by 2024. Our little

cobot friends are certainly set to enjoy

signi�cant growth compared to other

robot types.”

To produce the report, the Interact

Analysis team conducted more than 30

hours of interviews with 30 key industry

personnel at robot companies and end

users. These were conducted face-to-

face or by phone.

Post-COVID surge predicted for collaborative robots

Intelligent automationSignificant growth is predicted from now up to 2028 for the collaborative-robot sector.


indiscrete

Reve

nues

($M

)

Forecast for Collaborative Robot Revenues (2018-2028)

Collaborative root revenue YOY growth rate

15.6% 17.2%

Grow

th ra

te (%

)

-11.3%

30.0%

15.0%

0.0%

-15.0%

2000

02018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028

CD2102_16_26_Indiscrete.indd 16 1/25/21 12:27 AM

Motion turns 75MOTION INDUSTRIES, distributor of maintenance,

repair and operation replacement parts, and provider

of industrial technology solutions, now operates under

the brand name of Motion (www.motion.com).

The timing of the rebrand, designed to solidify the

company’s structure and advance its market position,

coincides with Motion’s 75th anniversary. The rebrand-

ing will include the use of the Mi logo.

As it has for decades, the word “motion” in the com-

pany’s name stems from its role in keeping industry’s

operations and machinery running, that is, in motion.

“We are excited to embark on this new Motion chapter

and to experience continued growth as 2021 progress-

es,” said Motion President Randy Breaux.

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ABB provides electrifi cation, automation for mine of the futureABB has provided electri� cation, connected control and operations

management systems, high-visualization and mobile operator work-

places as part of a global mining partnership to visualize a technol-

ogy shift and reduce climate impact in the Sustainable Underground

Mining (SUM) project. Devised by LKAB, SUM has the goal of setting a

new world standard for sustainable mining at great depths in partner-

ship with ABB, Combitech, Epiroc and Sandvik. The framework outlines

ambitions for zero carbon dioxide emissions, completely safe mines for

humans, productivity increases of 50% and deeper mining.

ABB says it will continue to contribute its knowledge in electri� cation,

automation and workplaces together with other suppliers to the mining

industry. The collaboration aims to � nd new methods and solutions for

mining operations in the future. Test work in LKAB’s Kiruna mine in


northern Sweden, as well as a virtual

test mine, will study the best way

to build a carbon dioxide free and

autonomous production system.

Within the mine, the Konsuln ore-

body is used to demonstrate future

workplaces in a decentralized envi-

ronment with use of an autonomous

electrical mobile transport system

in a mixed environment. Real time

process information is available to

all organizations involved. When

combined with the wider efforts of

the SUM partnership, this shows

a way of bringing new technology

solutions to market for safer, more

sustainable and more ef�cient min-

ing production processes.

“We are taking signi�cant strides

towards a vision of the future opera-

tor environment through smarter

working and demonstrable results,”

said Jan Nyqvist, global product

manager for Underground Mining

Automation at ABB, and one of the

leaders in the project. “Electri�cation

and automation are two important

factors for the mining industry to

continue its rapid, but effective, mod-

ernization. Sharing of information

and data is crucial to reach substan-

tial end goals.”

“ABB is integral to the next step,

which is to build a demonstration

workshop to connect electrical and

automation systems that have so far

been developed for this challeng-

ing project,” said Nyqvist. “We will,

through various developed scenarios,

be able to show how the systems

work together.”

By 2022, the ABB electri�cation

and automation solutions will be

fully installed, and it says its aim is

that a new standard for mining pro-

duction will be set globally by 2030.


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Above, ABB Overview of Kiruna mine locationBelow, ABB leads electrification and automation as part of the SUM project, IMAGES COURTESY OF LKAB AND PHOTOGRAPHER FREDERIC ALM


Inovance becomes OPC Foundation’s 800th memberTHE OPC FOUNDATION welcomes

Inovance as the 800th OPC Foundation

member. Accoring to OPC, as a global pro-

vider of industrial automation solutions,

Inovance uses agile production tech-

niques and experience across all industry

sectors to help companies establish and

maintain industry-speci�c business

units around the world. Inovance builds

long-term partnerships with its custom-

ers providing them with access to R&D

and manufacturing and engineering and

industry-sector specialists.

“We are honored to join the OPC Foun-

dation,” said Dr. Yang Lei, director of

research and development at Inovance.

“OPC UA will play a signi�cant role in

our factory automation software and

industrial Internet of things platforms.

This is an important step for Inovance

as it helps us transform our automation

solutions into digital transformation and

intelligent factory solutions. The OPC

UA standard is particularly attractive

to us because it is system agnostic, has

broad multi-function capabilities, and is

secure. This enables us to integrate data

from controllers, drivers, sensors and

devices with our edge and cloud applica-

tions for data analysis – effectively en-

abling us to build network architectures

that span every layer in in the factory.”

“As an international and a Chinese

National Standard, OPC UA is well-

positioned to contribute to the Made in

China 2025 initiative,” said Albert Zhang,

managing director of OPC China. “OPC

UA enables China’s manufacturers to

take advantage of IIoT era data interop-

erability in their own factories and helps

make their automation products more

competitive internationally. Inovance

is a great example of a leading Chinese

company truly taking advantage of

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what OPC UA has to offer. We welcome

Inovance to the OPC Foundation and

look forward to the OPC UA enabled

products and solutions it will bring to

the market.”`”

The OPC Foundation said it is gratify-

ing to see its membership grow to new

heights with a Chinese company with

global relevance across many industry

verticals joining its ranks. As a member,

Inovance can now share its expertise

by participating in OPC UA Companion

Speci�cation development efforts run by

the OPC Foundation and other industry

organizations.


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Motion breaks ground on new Alabama facilityMOTION, a distributor of maintenance, repair, and operation

replacement parts, and a provider of industrial technology solu-

tions, held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of its planned

shop facility in Irondale, Alabama.

In attendance were Randy Breaux, Motion president, and Joe

Limbaugh, SVP distribution, inventory, and operations support;

along with Irondale’s mayor and representatives from the Bir-

mingham Business Alliance, Bras�eld Gorrie and Graham. The

socially distanced event was held to of�cially kick off the �rst

stages of construction, already underway.

When completed, the $11.2 million 104,000 square-foot build-

ing will house Motion’s area �uid power shop, hose and rubber

shop and engineering department. According to the company,

the building and the shops within will feature processes, equip-

ment and safety advantages. Capabilities will include �uid pow-

er component repair and fabrication, power unit fabrication,

machining, hose kitting and assembly and engineering design.

The structure’s design was planned under the new MI design

and décor standards, according Limbaugh.

“This project continues our excellent partnership between

Bras�eld Gorrie and Graham Co.,” said Limbaugh. “These two

companies also did a fantastic job with the recent headquarters

renovation. At this property, we’re making excellent progress,

and while it’s early, we’re ahead of schedule.”

“The main reason for the investment is to strengthen our

position and provide the best customer service possible, as our

customer base and our company grow,” said Breaux. “We’re

looking forward to the positive impact this operation will have,

for our customers, our employees, and our community.”

Announced in October 2020, the project is estimated to com-

plete in the third quarter 2021 and will create 15 new jobs while

retaining 13.

Rajant receives Lean Six Sigma certificationRAJANT, the Kinetic Mesh wireless network provider, has received

Lean Six Sigma certi�cation for eight of its Morehead-based em-

ployees following an 11-month process. Process phases included

a February 2020 operational assessment, �ve days of Green Belt

classroom training and three days of Kaizen training. Rajant says

the goal of receiving Lean Six Sigma certi�cation is to eliminate

waste and optimize ef�ciency in all of its Morehead, Kentucky

business facets while maximizing the value to customers.

Rajant partnered with the Advantage Kentucky Alliance

(AKA) to assist them through all phases of Lean Six Sigma cer-

ti�cation. AKA’s center director Scott Broughton, client services

manager Bill Rouse and senior continuous improvement spe-

cialist Bertram Wells served to introduce Rajant staffers to Lean

Six Sigma analytical tools and, under Wells’ instruction, were

trained how to properly select and use the tools in identifying

and correcting operational gaps. The eight-team members were


assigned individual projects that were required to ultimately

prove each project’s realized savings, projected savings or cost

avoidance. Projects were successfully completed and �nal,

executive approval granted by Rajant’s Malvern, Pennsylvania-

based Brad Feick, senior hardware director. Total savings stem-

ming from the projects was about $40,000.

“It was a pleasure to instruct Rajant’s eight employees,” said

Wells. “This effort was championed locally by Dave Keeton,

Manufacturing Manager for Rajant. Green Belt Recipients are

Rajant’s Austin Clark, Dave Keeton, Jon Lacy, Ryan Lacy, David

Mays, Travis Miller, Travis Pettit and Zach Wagner. In the �ve

days spent with the Rajant team members who participated in

AKA’s Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training and certi�cation pro-

gram, I was impressed. Their commitment to making decisions

based on veri�able data and statistical methods they learned

during the training should directly impact Rajant’s future

success by motivating its employees, improving customer satis-

faction, and clearly focusing on measurable and quanti�able

�nancial returns.”

“The Six Sigma Green Belt course gave me an invaluable new

set of tools and critical thinking methods to use in the way I

approach my everyday tasks,” said Rajant systems engineer

Clark. “It allows me to view problems from multiple angles,

ensuring I explore every solution to �nd the best possible one.

Now, continual improvement is applied to everything I do.

Work product outcomes are of higher quality and the timeline

for completion improved. Six Sigma strengthened my leader-

ship and ability to work as a team to solve a common goal. I am

grateful for the skills retained from becoming a Certi�ed Green

Belt in Six Sigma as they will help throughout my career.”

Into 2021, four of these eight Rajant employees will go on to

Black Belt Six Sigma certi�cation with the goal of even more

operational savings.

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EMERSON opened its Branson weld-

ing and assembly technologies’ global

headquarters in Brook�eld, Connecti-

cut, which completes Emerson’s $49

million investment announced in April

2019. The facility supports Branson’s

plastic joining, ultrasonic metal weld-

ing, and ultrasonic cleaning technolo-

gies for the textile, automotive, food

and beverage, packaging, electronics

and medical industries.

“We are proud to support the Brook-

�eld community and American manu-

facturing with this strategic invest-

ment,” said Vernon Murray, president

of welding and assembly technologies

for Emerson. “This new facility will

help us continue to drive innovation

and deliver the solutions our custom-

ers need and expect. Our new Brook-

�eld headquarters also offers a more

collaborative work environment for

engineers and manufacturing leaders

to serve our customers.”

The technological capabilities available

with the 146,000-sq-ft facility will offer

levels of customer support, including:

• 16,000-sq-ft engineering lab for

research and development, customer

application development and materi-

als testing

• additive manufacturing equipment

for rapid-response prototyping and

production tooling

• 48,000 sq ft of manufacturing space

for computer numerical control (CNC)

milling machining centers, equip-

ment assembly and customer applica-

tion runoffs

• collaborative workspaces to facilitate

information to develop customer solu-

tions more ef�ciently

• dedicated training workspace for semi-

nars, training classes, technical support

services and other customer needs

• energy-ef�cient construction methods

including space wattage limitations,

energy-saving LED lighting, automated

controls for daylight harvesting and

recovering heat from manufacturing

operations to help warm the facility

• user-center design methodology to pro-

mote employee health and wellness.

Emerson plans to host seminars and

events to introduce clients to the ad-

vanced capabilities of the new facility,

as soon as COVID-19 safety protocols

permit.

Emerson purchased the 13-acre

parcel for the new facility in Brook�eld’s

Berkshire Industrial Park, less than 2

miles from Branson’s former Danbury

headquarters.


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Emerson opens $49 million global headquarters for welding and assembly technologies


DASSAULT SYSTÈMES have unveiled

Water for Life, the next act in its The Only

Progress is Human campaign to increase

awareness of societal and environmental

challenges and inspire the use of virtual

worlds to drive sustainable innovations.

Water for Life combines the themes of

water and consumption to explore the

challenge of how industry can consume

smarter and protect the world’s most

precious resource, which is threatened by

overconsumption. The campaign is part

of the company’s commitment to support

the United Nations Sustainable Develop-

ment Goals, and in particular SDG 6 to

ensure availability and sustainable man-

agement of water and sanitation for all.

Through Water for Life, Dassault

Systèmes is hoping to help its custom-

ers address this challenge from three

angles: measure and optimize, innovate

and create and educate. First, it will

drive the 3DEXPERIENCE platform as an

accelerator for measuring and optimiz-

ing the water footprint of businesses by

providing customers with integrated

industry solutions that deliver data on

the water consumption associated with

the experience they are creating and the

impacts of various design options. In the

future, AI-generated recommendations

will guide them toward the creation of

new and more sustainable products,

services and experiences.

Dassault Systèmes will also support

the idea of a water handprint through

its 3DEXPERIENCE Lab. This will be

achieved by using collective intelligence

to accelerate disruptive innovations

such as EEL Energy that transform pro-

cesses in industries needing to reduce

their water consumption, as well as by

reinforcing this engagement with a part-

nership of incubators worldwide such as

OceanHub Africa.

It plans to nurture educational

programs that aim to increase aware-

ness of major water-related issues and

inspire future generations to conserve

this resource, such as the Mission Ocean

project in France that is supported by La

Fondation Dassault Systèmes.

“The world is recognizing the urgency

of preserving water and moving toward

a new era of responsibility and sus-

tainability,” said Bernard Charlès, vice

chairman and CEO, Dassault Systèmes.

“Industry has its role to play in this ‘UN

Decade to Deliver. Virtual universes

are a key enabler for our customers to

imagine, design, and test the radically

new products, materials and manufac-

turing processes needed in tomorrow’s

more sustainable economy. Through new

industry solutions, we can become the

world’s number one partner for a more

sustainable industry renaissance that

meets Paris Agreement goals.”

Water for Life was of�cially launched

in a video featuring Bernard Charlès

alongside the professional explorer and

adventurer Mike Horn, who share the

same passion for water conservation.

“As a professional explorer, I wit-

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Dassault Systèmes unveils water protection campaign


nessed �rsthand how human activities

directly impacted the state of our Earth,”

said Horn. “It is crucial for humans to

take care of it, and more importantly in

preserving water, our most precious re-

source. I am happy that not only the UN,

NGOs and politicians meet this goal but

also that industrial leaders like Bernard

Charlès, CEO of Dassault Systèmes stress

the importance of this key topic.”

Launched in February 2020, The Only

Progress is Human is a communications

campaign that aims to increase aware-

ness of today’s societal and environmen-

tal challenges, and inspire people to use

the virtual world to gain deeper insights

into these challenges and drive sustain-

able innovations for a better future.


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Abaco to support Space Force satelliteABACO SYSTEMS have received an initial

award of a $900,000 design win, with a

lifetime potential win of several million,

for ground control interface supporting

Space Force’s Protected Tactical Satellite

(PTS) Communication Program (SAT-

COM). According to Abaco, PTS serves as

a next generation anti-jamming satellite

communication system to support warf-

ighters globally.

The win contains Abaco’s VP868 FPGA

card, as well as the FMC172 FPGA mez-

zanine card. The VP868 serves as a 6U

OpenVPX compliant plug-in module with

digital signal processing capabilities. It is

designed for applications which require

processing and I/O with the ability to

scale from the lab to deployed rugged

environments. The FMC172 provides

high performance, low latency and high

sample rates.

The �rst order for this design win will

be fully delivered by the end of 2020

with additional boards being delivered

between 2022 and 2023.

AVEVA announced it has attained a Gold

Application Development competency

and Silver Cloud Platform, Data Analytics

and Data Center competencies, dem-

onstrating a ‘best-in-class’ ability and

commitment to meet Microsoft Corp.

customers’ evolving needs in today’s

mobile-�rst, cloud-�rst world and distin-

guishing itself within a small percentage

of the Microsoft partner ecosystem. A

portfolio of competencies showcases that

Aveva is committed to focusing on on-

demand, business solution areas, along

with ensuring it can meet the evolving

needs of our mutual customers.

To earn a Microsoft competency, part-

ners must successfully complete exams

(resulting in Microsoft Certi�ed Profes-

sionals) to prove their level of technology

expertise and, for Gold competencies,

designate these certi�ed professionals

uniquely to one Microsoft competency,

ensuring a certain level of staf�ng capac-

ity. Partners must also submit customer

references that demonstrate successful

projects and pass technology and/or

sales assessments. For gold competen-

cies, partners must also implement a

yearly customer satisfaction study and,

for many competencies, meet a revenue

commitment.

Aveva achieves Microsoft competencies


“Aveva is enabling industrial organi-

zations to embrace innovative digital

platforms that will allow them to

deploy faster, reduce energy consump-

tion and emissions, and work more

collaboratively,” comment ed Steen

Lomholt-Thomsen, chief revenue of�cer

at Aveva. “These Microsoft competen-

cies not only showcase our technology

expertise, but also demonstrate our

commitment to supporting customers

and embracing innovation. By deploy-

ing our solutions, customers can be

empowered to deliver better business

outcomes, which will in turn help to ac-

celerate their own success.”

“By accomplishing a portfolio of

competencies, partners demonstrate

true commitment to meeting customer

technology needs today and into the fu-

ture,” says Gavriella Schuster, corporate

vice president, Worldwide Partner Group

at Microsoft Corp. “These partners’

pro�ciency and expertise of Microsoft

technology is instrumental in helping

our mutual customers continue to drive

innovative solutions.”

All 17 Microsoft technology compe-

tencies differentiate a partner’s speci�c

technology capabilities, helping cus-

tomers �nd quali�ed solution providers

with expertise in discrete areas quickly

and easily.

Earning the Application Development

competency helps partners differentiate

themselves as a trusted expert to their

customers through development and

deployment of commercial or custom

applications built using core Microsoft

technologies like Windows Server and

Windows 8 operating systems, the

Windows Azure platform, Microsoft

Visual Studio 2012 development system,

Microsoft BizTalk Server and emerging

cloud-based and web business models.

The Cloud Platform competency is de-

signed for partners to capitalize on the

growing demand for infrastructure and

software as a service (SaaS) solutions

built on Microsoft Azure.

The Data Analytics competency

recognizes partners who demonstrate

expertise in speci�c aspects of Microsoft

BI solutions to deliver, deploy and sup-

port BI projects.

The Datacenter competency rec-

ognizes partners who are transform-

ing data centers into more �exible,

scalable, and cost-effective solutions.

Partners can deepen customer relation-

ships by becoming a provider of Private

Cloud, Management, and Virtualization

Deployment Planning Services.


indiscrete

JAI, a global manufacturer of industrial

line scan and area scan cameras, has

announced the opening of a new of�ce

and production facility in Singapore

to strengthen its global sales, support

and manufacturing activities. The new

of�ce in Singapore is in addition to the

company’s of�ces already operating

in Denmark, Germany, United States,

United Kingdom, China and Japan.

To head this new of�ce, JAI has hired

Kevin Dominic Cordeiro as new Regional

Sales Director for the Asia region.

Cordeiro will work out of JAI’s new

Singapore of�ce (located at Marina View

#11-01) and will be responsible for cus-

tomer and distribution partner contact in

countries in the APAC region (except the

Japanese market), with special focus on

supporting JAI’s customers and partners

in China, Korea and Taiwan.

“We are pleased to have Kevin onboard

in JAI” said Usman M. Syed, vice presi-

dent strategy & digital innovation at JAI.

“With Kevin’s background as a mechani-

cal engineer and with his previous work

experience in product management and

sales support in high-tech industries, he

can help customers with good advice and

support when choosing the right camera

technology for their vision systems.”

“I am pleased to become a part of

the global JAI team and I look forward

to use my technical background in the

opto-electronics �eld, as well as using

my language skills in English, Chinese,

Malay and Indonesian to build good and

strong working relationships with JAI’s

customers across the APAC region, “

said Cordeiro.

JAI opens Singapore o�ce to strengthen APAC presence


Vision Product of the Year awards expandTHE EDGE AI AND VISION PRODUCT of the Year Awards celebrate the

innovation and achievement of the industry’s leading companies

that are enabling and developing products incorporating edge AI and

computer vision technologies.

This new award program represents a broadening of the scope

of previous annual Vision Product of the Year Awards program

by Edge AI and Vision Alliance. The awards categories will now

encompass products employing both vision and other forms of

edge AI, including a new category called Edge AI End Product. This

category is intended to recognize innovation in systems and appli-

cations for products delivered directly to the consumer, enterprise

or government markets. Among all of the award categories, this

end product category is the only one that is open to both member

companies and non-member companies of the Alliance. Alliance

member companies that supply enabling technologies are encour-

aged to invite their customers to submit their systems or applica-

tions for the Best Edge AI End Product category.

Members are invited to submit multiple products and/or multiple

categories. Five award categories are open exclusively for Alliance

Member companies, and the sixth award category is open to all

companies: Edge AI End Product.

Inductive Automation obtains AWS Outposts Ready designationINDUCTIVE AUTOMATION has achieved the AWS Outposts Ready

designation, part of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Service Ready

Program. This designation recognizes that Inductive Automation has

demonstrated successful integration with AWS Outposts deploy-

ments. AWS Outposts is a fully managed service that extends AWS

infrastructure, AWS services, APIs and tools to virtually any data-

center, co-location space, or on-premises facility. Inductive Automa-

tion’s key product, Ignition by Inductive Automation, is an indus-

trial application platform for building solutions in HMI, SCADA,

MES and IIoT. Achieving the AWS Outposts Ready designation dif-

ferentiates Inductive Automation as an AWS Partner Network (APN)

member with a product fully tested on AWS Outposts.


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Acquisitions and Partnerships

Honeywell acquires Sparta SystemsHoneywell has agreed to acquire privately held Sparta Systems for $1.3 billion in an all-cash transaction from New Mountain Capital. Sparta Systems is a provider of enterprise quality management software (QMS), including a next-generation SaaS platform, for the life sciences industry. The acquisition strengthens Honeywell’s abilities in industrial automation, digital transformation solutions and enterprise performance management software.

Delta Electronics acquires Trihedral EngineeringDelta Electronics, a global power and thermal management solutions company, announced it has closed the acquisition of Trihedral Engineering Limited, a SCADA and IIoT software company based in Canada. Under the terms of the agreement, Delta Electronics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta, acquired 100% of Trihedral’s interests for CAD $45 million (approx. $34.3 million USD).

Panduit partners with Cailabs Panduit, a global network infrastructure solutions company, has signed a partner agreement with Cailabs, a French deep tech company and expert in light beam shaping, for the global rights to integrate Cailabs technology within Panduit’s OneMode product portfolio. This is a far-reaching partnership that includes, among other elements of the relationship, exclusive use of the technology for the K-12 education market in the United States.

Rajant enters agreement Rajant Corporation, the Kinetic Mesh wireless network provider has entered into a strategic distribution agreement with Poland’s Mission Critical by ASTOR, a value-added distributor within Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) data exchange platforms and Machine to Machine (M2M).

This partnership represents Rajant’s further investment in Europe to increase support of autonomous platform connectivity and coverage in markets like military, rail, mining, indoor warehousing, public safety, and other emerging markets.



DR. CHRISTIAN HAINZLMAIER heads R&D, production and qual-

ity at Nanotec Electronic (www.nanotec.de). He joined the Ger-

man manufacturer of drive solutions in 2019.

Hainzlmaier studied mechanical engineering in Munich and

Toulouse, France, and earned his Ph.D. in materials science.

After completing his doctorate, Hainzlmaier spent several years

with McKinsey before he worked for Webasto, where he most

recently served as vice president, electric heating.

John Pannone is vice president of sales, HMI systems / key

customer management, North America, at EAO (www.eao.com).

Phil Marshall is CEO, North America, of Hilscher (www.

hilscher.com).

Josh Eastburn is director of technical marketing at Opto 22

(www.opto22.com).

Rick Simer is technology manager, machine automation, at

SEW-Eurodrive (www.seweurodrive.com).

What are three key things that a machine builder, system integrator or manufacturer should know about your company?

Josh Eastburn, director of technical marketing, Opto 22 (www.

opto22.com): For more than 45 years, OEMs, machine

builders, system integrators and IT and operations

personnel have looked to us for reliable products that deliver

cutting-edge innovation at an affordable price. Heard of

Ethernet I/O? That was us. OPC? We co-wrote the spec as one of

the founding members. How about PACs? Us again.

Today, we design and manufacture industrial control and

IIoT products, such as grooc EPIC and groov RIO, which bridge

the gap between IT and OT, following a core philosophy of open,

standards-based technology (Figure 1).

Opto 22 products are deployed worldwide in industrial

automation, process control, building automation, industrial

refrigeration, remote monitoring and data acquisition applica-

tions through our global network of distributors and system

integrators.

Dr. Christian Hainzlmaier, head of R&D, production and quality at

Nanotec Electronic (www.nanotec.de): The three key words

I would choose are: products, customers and

innovation. Nanotec is an industry leader in smart brushless

motors, motor controllers, linear actuators and motion control

systems, located near Munich, Germany. Our customers can

select the best system for the application from our standard

product range using our online con�guration tools, or we can

provide a customized prototype for a �rst pilot run to prepare

series production. As a fast-growing technology company, our

focus is on innovation and excellent R&D, helping our

customers create innovations themselves. We’re proud to have

been ranked among the Top 100 innovative companies in

Germany (https://www.top100-germany.com.

IIoT, software top experts’ lists of future fociPanel discusses connectivity and how software affects hardware

by Mike Bacidore, chief editor

machine input

Fast, ef�cient coordinationFigure 1: These pump trailers manage water usage in fracking operations. They use independent groov EPIC edge controllers for local operation and to direct MQTT communication between trailers and back to the home o�ce. Op-erators can coordinate all 20 trailers from the mobile HMI embedded in groov EPIC and trailers can coordinate activities wherever they are placed around a site because MQTT is fast and e�cient. (Source: Opto 22)

CD2102_27_31_MachineInput.indd 27 1/25/21 11:35 AM


Rick Simer, technology manager, machine automation, at

SEW-Eurodrive (www.seweurodrive.com): SEW-Eurodrive is a

technology leader, offering a wide portfolio of central-

ized and decentralized drive solutions from controllers and

software all the way to the geared motors—shaft to plug

approach. We offer products from simple shaft spinner drives to

high-end highly dynamic servo systems. Applications range from

simple conveyors to high-dynamic systems including robotics.

We are a system solution partner in a variety of industries

for machine automation, monorail systems and also offer

a line of automated-guided vehicles (AGVs) and automated

mobile robots (AMR).

SEW-Eurodrive is a proud family-owned manufacturer with

six U.S. facilities, including one state-of-the-art manufacturing

facility and �ve assembly plants. Currently, we are expanding

U.S. operations with an additional 440,000 sq ft of manufactur-

ing and production space in South Carolina in 2021. At the same

time, we are an international automation partner who can offer

support and a wide array of service capabilities in 51 countries.

John Pannone, VP sales, HMI systems / key customer

management, North America, EAO (www.eao.com): The three

things to know about EAO is that we are committed

to providing convenient, safe and attractive HMI components

and system solutions. EAO has a proud history of developing

new technologies and HMI solutions that serve our global

customer base. As a solutions-focused partner, EAO delivers a

range of local engineering and manufacturing capabilities in

each of our markets to help our customers solve their HMI

challenges and needs.

EAO provides a broad spectrum of HMI solutions for ma-

chinery applications. This includes convenience features with

indicators, displays or illumination, hardware or software, and

safety functions with fool-proof e-stop switches that offer the

highest safety standards. Machine builders and operators should

know that EAO brings 75 years of experience in the development

of machinery components and system developments.

Phil Marshall, CEO, Hilscher North America (www.hilscher.com):

Hilscher develops communications solutions for users

across all three spaces: machine builder (OEM), system

integrator, and end-user Manufacturer. Machine builders rely on

Hilscher netX chips and embedded comms modules to add

multi-protocol support for any and all industrial communication

networks required by their machines. These include all popular

�eldbuses, real-time Ethernets, IoT protocols, such as OPC UA

and MQTT, and even time-sensitive networking (TSN). System

integrators deploy Hilscher edge gateways, such as netFIELD

Connect, as data collectors at the network edge, aggregating and

delivering device data to cloud-based and higher-level applica-

tions. And end-user manufacturers utilize Hilscher protocol

convertors, gateways and edge devices to bridge any network

combination found on the plant �oor, such as Pro�bus to

Pro�net or EtherCAT to EtherNet/IP (Figure 2). Each of these

product portfolios relies on Hilscher’s own netX chip technology

to deliver a communications solution that is packaged with

multi-protocol support, common tools and driver software and

next-generation security functions.

What new technologies are driving your product development and why?

John Pannone, VP sales, HMI systems / key customer manage-

ment, North America, EAO (www.eao.com): First and fore-

most, the COVID-19 global pandemic is fueling the

need for higher hygiene standards in every industry, especially

HMI. This not only impacts machinery applications, but any

kind of application where a human touch is the fundamental

basis for interaction between man and machine. EAO is

committed to the development of higher safety and hygiene

standards that improve the customer and end-user experience.

Secondly, the evolution of every technical solution travels

from mechanics through electronics toward the software solu-

machine input

Flow-controller connectionFigure 2: An automation services company uses a Hilscher netTAP 151 gate-way to provide a simple way of connecting EtherCAT-networked thermal mass flow controllers (MFCs) to its standard Ethernet/IP networks.(Source: Hilscher)



tion. We believe that HMI for machinery applications follow

this path, and we are driving this kind of development with our

innovative, intuitive and reliable components and systems for

the machinery industry.


opto22.com): Traditional industrial communication sys-

tems address data processing from an hierarchical

perspective, as with the classic Purdue model. One good

feature of this hierarchy is the clarity it provides with regard to

where data can originate, be stored, undergo processing and be

delivered. However, the task of transporting data and process-

ing it in context is often quite dif�cult, because so many layers

of equipment and software are required to connect devices and

applications.

Industrial edge computing is changing the relationship

between �eld assets and the systems that collect and use their

data. Edge computing provides general-purpose computing,

networking, and storage in the �eld that of�oads central pro-

cessing, preserves data �delity, improves local responsiveness

and security, and increases data transfer ef�ciency into other

systems. A distributed system based on edge computing can

process and report data directly to SCADA systems, databases,

cloud services and business applications.

Complementary to this, MQTT/Sparkplug B is gaining trac-

tion as a potential standard for large-scale interoperable IIoT

communications. MQTT can provide communication that is 80-

90% more ef�cient than traditional poll-response protocols be-

cause of its lightweight format and brokered report-by-excep-

tion communication pattern. And because client connections

are outgoing (device-originating), edge device �rewalls can

completely block outside connection requests while still pro-

viding bi-directional communication. Building on top of this,

Sparkplug B de�nes an interoperable data exchange format for

MQTT communications with a data-rich payload structure that

supports a uni�ed namespace where IIoT communication can

happen across the organization.

Together edge computing and MQTT/Sparkplug B are laying a

foundation for widespread IIoT.


Nanotec Electronic (www.nanotec.de): In general, we want

our customers to become innovators. In the fast-

growing market for automated-guided vehicles (AGV), we were

one of the �rst companies supplying prototypes of integrated

wheel drives. Now we are following our customers into series

production. Also, the technology of functional safety has a

signi�cant impact on our product development, and we are

working on new products for the robotics, industry-automation

and medical-engineering markets.


The automation industry has seen a great deal of

technology convergence in the past decades, from the

incorporation of commercial-of-the-shelf (COTS) solutions—

think Unix, PCs, Windows—to the bridging of IT and OT

operations. These convergences are driving new product

approaches at Hilscher, for example, the convergence of

communications with added functionality, such as security, IT

and motion control. Hilscher’s latest netX 90 communications

controller chip supports all the popular industrial networking

protocols with added MQTT and OPC UA, and it builds in

hardware-based security, such as secure boot and an on-chip

accelerator to handle cryptology. In Q2 2021, Hilscher will deliv-

er motion control functionality for the netX 90, called netMo-

tion. Ideal for makers of motion-control devices, such as

encoders, motors and drives, netMotion is a �rmware-con�g-

ured communications solution with built-in motor control for

applications in networked factory and process control systems,

assembly, packaging, robotics and more. With netMotion,

developers get real-time Ethernet connectivity and general-

purpose motor and motion control in a single-chip solution,

which simpli�es designs and reduces material costs.


SEW-Eurodrive (www.sew-eurodrive.com): Our easily

con�gurable, parametrizable software modules,

MoviKits, are developed for single- and multi-axis automation

all the way to machine-level solutions for added value—OEMs,

integrators and end users. They are part of our Movi-C

automation platform and integrate nicely with our drive

portfolio. We operate under the assumption that our customers

look for solutions and not only for products.

We are introducing our new MoviLink DDI single-cable tech-

nology to the market. It reduces wiring effort, offers automatic

motor startup via the digital nameplate and allows for the

digitalization of motor sensor data. Overall, it enables a cleaner

machine design. The direct data access to the drive system will

be used for a preventive/predictive maintenance approach. We

will be able to monitor vibration, temperature and drive perfor-

mance, such as currents and voltages, and display these values

based on customer requirements.

machine input



One of our main goals is to spread the use of permanent

magnet technology in warehousing automation. End users can

take advantage of highest ef�ciency drive solutions to dramati-

cally reduce their plants’ energy consumption.

Our portfolio of automated-guided vehicles (AGVs) pro-

vides maximum �exibility and scalability. It helps end users

transform their logistical processes. AGVs are ideal helpers for

autonomous logistics tasks.

SEW-Eurodrive’s product and system strategy is based on

realizing energy savings and ef�ciency gains, easy integration

of industrial communication protocols and automation solu-

tions that enable the creation of demand-oriented, scalable and

�exible production systems.

How does the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) �gure in your business strategy?


opto22.com): We have positioned ourselves to be at

the forefront of IIoT in automation and control

devices, and our �agship products, the groov EPIC edge

programmable industrial controller and the groov RIO edge

I/O module, are aimed squarely at addressing the needs of

that growing market.

Groov RIO combines traditional I/O sensing with IT-com-

patible tools for connectivity, data processing and security in

a single device. Its 10 I/O channels are software-con�gurable,

supporting 13 different signal types and more than 200,000

I/O combinations in a single device for rapid integration of I/O

networks and stand-alone equipment. Groov EPIC expands on

this, combining full PLC control and modular I/O with a built-

in OPC UA server capable of integrating third-party PLC data

and bridging disparate automation networks.

Both products provide an embedded version of IBM’s

open-source IoT engine, Node-RED, for local data processing

and connectivity to cloud services and databases. And all of

this is backed by standard IT security features like SSL/TLS

data encryption, certi�cate management, centralized user

authentication with LDAP and secure remote connectivity

with VPN or MQTT.

We also seek out strategic partnerships with other vendors,

such as Inductive Automation, Cirrus Link, Canary Labs, and

HiveMQ, who are supporting powerful, open technologies for

IIoT. Our goal is to build up an ecosystem of scalable, interoper-

able technologies that engineering professionals can choose

from when building IIoT systems.


The IIoT �gures strongly in Hilscher’s business and

solution portfolio strategies. Two main ways come

to mind. First, Hilscher continues to develop gateway

solutions that serve as edge devices in an IIoT architecture.

Two new products include the netField Connect gateway and

the soon-to-be-announced sensorEdge gateway. Both

solutions will �gure heavily in brown�eld installations. Both

can be used to aggregate and collect data from devices and

sensors—sensorEdge via IO-Link—and serve that data directly

to the cloud. There is no need to completely reprogram the

installations’ main controllers or PLCs. These Hilscher

gateways work in tandem with the main control processes,

ideal for adding IIoT functions, such as predictive mainte-

nance, in a brown�eld situation.

The second impact of IIoT for Hilscher business strategy is

the development of solutions for green�eld installations. In

a green�eld installation, you have the advantage of starting

from scratch and building in to your devices, from the get-go,

the functions and services needed for an IIoT architecture:

communications, security, diagnostics, cloud connectors, data

transparency. Hilscher’s newest communications chips, such

as the netX 90, incorporate these functions and services so

device manufacturers can design truly IIoT-aware and future-

proof automation products for next-gen control systems.


SEW-Eurodrive (www.sew-eurodrive.com): To make machine

builders and end users IoT-ready, SEW-Eurodrive

provides intelligent drive components that inform IoT processes.

The real-time status of �eld level devices, such as motors, is used

for predictive maintenance functions and allow a detailed “view

into the machine”. By analyzing motor and drive sensor data in

the cloud, the status of process steps and the equipment itself

become transparent. The automation system can inform the user

about its health condition, estimate the next service interval and

show causes for device failures. Preventive maintenance plans to

increase the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and to reduce

downtime can be developed based on real-time insights.

SEW-Eurodrive’s DriveRadar together with the Movi-C auto-

mation platform enables us to integrate IoT services across our

wide automation portfolio.

From a development and design perspective, SEW-Eurodrive

equipment allows for the simulation of automated systems

and robotics. As a result, we provide a robust proof of concept,

ensure quality software and reduce startup time dramatically.

machine input



Drive technology products need to be compatible with many

�eldbus and communication protocols, such as OPC UA, in

order to integrate into different architectures and plant ecosys-

tems, allowing for openness, �exibility and modularity.


Nanotec Electronic (www.nanotec.de): The Industrial

Internet of Things will change the shape of the

industry, that is for sure. We are really excited about what this

change will bring along, and we have prepared ourselves for it.

As a result, we are able to support all relevant �eldbuses with

our controllers/drives, even some exotic ones. We understand

that IoT will bring new challenges and requirements for our

customers’ facilities, too, and have prepared to support them

with our online knowledge base and our applications hotline.

How will machine automation and controls alter the way companies staff their operations in the future?


SEW-Eurodrive (www.sew-eurodrive.com): Future operations

staff will take on different roles that include higher-

level problem solving, new soft skills and the need to work

physically closer to their machine counterparts.

By routing status information of edge devices into the upper-

level control architecture, diagnostic capabilities can be devel-

oped therefore facilitating troubleshooting measures. Predic-

tive product insights will drive preventive maintenance. This

will streamline maintenance processes, reduce downtime and

increase reliability and plant pro�tability. We regard intelligent

drive components and machine modules as crucial building

blocks for intelligent production systems. Intelligent automa-

tion technology allows organizations to rethink their produc-

tion processes and to fundamentally redesign operations.

Dr. Christian Hainzlmaier, head of R&D, production and quality

at Nanotec Electronic (www.nanotec.de): Quali�cation

levels will go up in our industry. Machine automa-

tion requires an increasingly profound understanding of

technology, electronics and controls. Hence, the demand for

manual and physical skills will decline, and the demand for

technological skills will rise. To help our customers adjust,

we are developing “plug and drive” products, following our

vision to make the use of a new drive or actuator as conve-

nient as possible.

How is the development of software solutions impacting your requirements for hardware?

John Pannone, VP sales, HMI systems / key customer manage-

ment, North America, EAO (www.eao.com): EAO has released

its �rst CAN-based product to support customers that

require products that interact with CAN Open, J1939 and CAN

Open with functional safety. This brings a new level of

operator-interface design options to engineers. Our Series 09

product line offers the ability to allow increased levels of

intuitive feedback to the operator to increase ef�ciency, safety

and overall user experience.


Nanotec Electronic (www.nanotec.de): Software and

hardware always go hand in hand at Nanotec. Our

R&D department includes both a strong embedded develop-

ment team and a team focusing on client applications, such as

our well-known and established Plug & Drive Studio. These

teams work closely together with our testing and hardware

development units. Quite naturally, this results in interdisci-

plinary project teams that are staffed individually according to

our customers’ requirements.


SEW-Eurodrive (www.sew-eurodrive.com): In recent years,

we have observed an increasing importance of

software as a differentiator in the market.

Advancements in software shorten the design iteration

cycles for hardware, as well. Essentially, by integrating soft-

ware functions into hardware products, the drive technology

can be further tailored to speci�c application needs. The use

of software to customize hardware provides an incredible

increase in design �exibility and product differentiation

opportunities. With SEW-Eurodrive’s Movi-C automation

platform, we are able to fully integrate drive software with

the physical drive products and enable compatibility across

the whole platform.

Added value for a machine builder is often only achieved

when the automation supplier provides hardware products

that easily integrate with the drive software to simplify and

shorten engineering efforts. Also, the integration of the drive

systems into different upper-level control architectures is of

highest importance. This way, OEMs can create innovative

machines with reduced development time while providing

added value and new features to the end user.

machine input


IN CASE YOU hadn’t noticed, life has changed a bit as a result of

the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s affected almost every aspect of our

personal lives, as well as industry and commerce.

Yes, there have been food and paper-product shortages of

certain goods at the supermarket, but additional goods, from

replacement electronic parts to building-and-construction ma-

terials, have been in short supply and on back order.

Manufacturers can feel those same pains. Transportation

and distribution can have a big impact on the supply chain.

We’ve become accustomed to the click of a mouse giving us

immediate grati� cation, but moving product requires a bit more

� nesse and preparation than it used to. Manufacturers and

distributors are here to help.

On the moveSupply and transportation dif� culties may have affected the

ability to deliver automation technology to machine builders

and end users during the global pandemic.

“The pandemic did cause a temporary slowdown on receipt of

product form a few of our suppliers,” says Eric Wendt, strategic

program development director at Digi-Key (www.digikey.com).

“Most of those delays were due to staf� ng levels, and then there

was a lingering slowdown from the raw material shortages that

are used to make those products. The supply side recovered fairly

well. Most of our customers were able to keep their needs � lled.”

The world of industrial automation manufacturers is not only

� at, but also small, says Todd Mason-Darnell, Ph.D., marketing

manager—services & safety, Omron Automation Americas (au-

tomation.omron.com). “All major manufacturers of automation

technology now rely on global supply chains to support regional

and global customers, and the impact of the global pandemic

has highlighted both the fragility and resiliency of this supply

chain,” explains Mason-Darnell. “In addition to either shutting

down or reducing plant staf� ng levels due to quarantine restric-

tions, automation technology suppliers have seen these impacts

cascade across their suppliers for subcomponents or raw materi-

als. Depending on the depth of a manufacturer’s supply chain,

there can be a signi� cant ripple effect as delays stack up.”

To add insult to injury, with the reduction of international

travel due to COVID-19, there has been a corresponding reduc-

tion in air cargo capacity, says Mason-Darnell. “So even if there

is no issue with the supplier manufacturing the components, it

may be impossible to get from one country to another in a time

frame that supports the just-in-time inventory levels that ev-

eryone had become accustomed to pre-pandemic,” he explains.

“Ironically, the pandemic has highlighted the strengths of the

global footprint of the modern supply chain,” notes Mason-Dar-

nell. “Rarely do manufacturers rely on a single manufacturing

plant or a single source for components, and they’re therefore

unlikely to suffer a single point of failure in their manufactur-

by Mike Bacidore, editor in chief


CD2102_32_37_CoverStory.indd 32 1/25/21 11:37 AM

ing chain. With multiple sourcing of suppliers and parallel or

multi-parallel manufacturing facilities, manufacturers can shift

demand and manufacturing locations for critical automation

components to meet the needs of their global customers.”

Having multiple plants and warehouses around the world

keeps customers supplied with necessary components.

“While Posital has production and distribution facilities

in Europe, America, and the Far East, we have managed to

keep our supply chains open with moderate delays,” explains

Christian Fell, head of Posital’s North American operations and

director of technology development for Fraba.

Supply chains, as a general statement, are in much better

shape than they were 10 years ago, due to increased resiliency

and more transparency on a global level, all due to increases

in technology, explains Rahul Garg, industrial machinery and

heavy equipment industry leader for Siemens Digital Industries

Software (www.sw.siemens.com). “COVID has brought addi-

tional challenges to the automation industry,” says Garg. “The

machine builders and suppliers best equipped to handle such

disruptions are those that have started to digitalize engineer-

ing and manufacturing processes. The further along companies

are in their digitalization journey, the more prepared they will

be to immediately adjust to unplanned disruptions. Using these

digital tools gives machine builders and suppliers the ability

to quickly evaluate and use alternative supply sources. These

machine builders have a real strategy for innovation and trans-

formation and have started to implement it. They can handle

custom orders for customers willing to pay extra and can ramp

up or decrease plant productivity easily.”

OnlineMachine builders and end users are more likely to purchase

certain components online without guidance.

OEMs are likely to buy commodity items such as incremental

encoders online, usually through distributors with an online

presence, explains Posital Fraba’s Fell. “We are excited about

the potential or online sales to customers in the MRO market,”

he says. “Our Encoder Match online tool is designed to help

these customers � nd replacements for older products from any

manufacturer, based on a part number or product speci� cation,

and to order them online without sales assistance.”

Most common purchases will be of standard replacement

parts needed in common service environments, which are

parts that can be purchased with limited risk to overall ma-

chine performance if they exist, says Siemens’ Garg. “In many

cases these may be parts sold to the machine builders by their

suppliers,” he notes. “However, some components may need

to be purchased directly from the manufacturer, depending

on the level of customization involved in the end-customer’s

speci� cations. In those instances, end users will bene� t from


cover story

by Mike Bacidore, editor in chief


working with machine manufacturers

that have fully merged their digital and

physical processes to create a continu-

ous, digitalized communication and

data repository to help take advantage

of advanced production technologies

including additive manufacturing where

standard parts are not available.”

Machine builders and end users are

moving to online purchasing for simple

automation components

such as relays, both safety

and non-safety, timers,

pushbuttons and power

supplies, agrees Omron’s

Mason-Darnell. What is

unique about these com-

ponents is that:

• the machine builder

or end user has a very

clearly de�ned set of

requirements for the ap-

plication

• the product has well-de�ned speci�-

cations that are commonly accepted

across the industry

• the product does not require a compli-

cated con�guration or programing for

product selection or use.

“When you have the combination of

these three, both machine builders and

end users feel con�dent in selecting the

right product online,” explains Mason-

Darnell. “Product selection essentially

becomes a datasheet exercise, with the

customer looking to select a product that

correctly �ts a set of known and well-

de�ned criteria and offers a plug-and-

play implementation.”

The only variance to this formula is

for end users who engage in mainte-

nance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activi-

ties, explains Mason-Darnell. “If an end

user is searching for an exact match—

part number for part number—for an ex-

isting product, there is a greater level of


cover story

No limitsFigure 2: There’s no limit to

the types of products machine builders will buy online.

(SOURCE: NEWARK)

Online comfortFigure 1: Online access to buy products and services has become a natural way of purchasing.(SOURCE: NEWARK)

It’s all coveredFigure 3: E-commerce covers product information

research, technical learning, product ordering, pay-ments, delivery and tracking.

(SOURCE: NEWARK)


con�dence of purchasing more complex

products, such as light curtains or even

basic PLCs, online without the guidance

of a technical specialist.”

Online access to buy products and

services has become a natural way of

purchasing, notes Daniel Weiss, senior

product manager at Newark (www.new-

ark.com). “In today’s environment, engi-

neers and purchasing teams want to be

able to research the different products

they need on their own time,” he says

(Figure 1). “It’s important for them that,

being able to compare different options

and sites is quick and easy. With well-

designed e-commerce sites, machine

builders can search for the products they

need, verify a particular part is the exact

product they’re looking for and buy the

product right then and there. Click a but-

ton and move on to the next task.”

There’s no limit to the types of prod-

ucts machine builders will buy online,

says Weiss (Figure 2). “PLCs, operator

interfaces such as pushbuttons and

HMI products, sensors, power supplies,

circuit breakers, interconnect products,

wire and cable, wire management,

Internet switches, routers, edge comput-

ers, enclosures, racks and fans are all

available online with complete data and

videos, making the machine builder’s

job easier and saving time. Bundling

and package deals allow for machine

builders to get the parts in when they

need them, eliminating the need to hold

stock,” explains Weiss.

“E-commerce covers many aspects of

the business relationship between two

parties,” continues Weiss, who identi�es

product information research, technical

learning, product ordering, payments,

delivery and tracking as a few of those

aspects (Figure 3). “It also allows for the

exchange of documents, such as techni-

cal datasheets or user guides, after-sales

support, training and customer service

that is quick and ef�cient.”

The number of products that people

feel comfortable buying without guid-

ance from a salesperson or engineer

has been expanding, says Digi-Key’s


cover story


Wendt. “In the past, most things speci-

�ed without support were replacement

parts or simple products such as relays,

meters, power or switches,” he notes.

“More recently, it’s common for products

that need programming, such as PLCs

and industrial PCs, to be chosen without

support. A year ago, we began expanding

our offering into more advanced prod-

ucts in vision, motion and robotics.”

Digi-Key has seen incredible growth

in all these areas, including the very

high-ticket industrial robots (Figure

4). “Most of these purchases have

happened after research on our site,”

notes Wendt. “There’s an ever-growing

community of engineers and techni-

cal people who are comfortable buying

even the most advanced products by

doing their own due diligence instead of

standard sales practices.”

With the habit of online purchasing at

home and availability of technical con-

tent online, many are able to make their

own decisions on choosing the correct

product. “This often is a �rst or second

step into automation, and as needs

expand they will then involve system

integrators for more complex systems.”

Several factors drive online shop-

ping behavior, explains Gary Frigyes,

national sales manager, FA Division,

at Pepperl+Fuchs (www.pepperl-fuchs.

com). “For end users, this is MRO busi-

ness where they are looking to replace

a product currently used in the facility,”

he notes. “The 24-hour availability of on-

line shopping, coupled with the ease of

ordering a few parts with a credit card,

drives the majority of this business. For

machine builders, online orders are typi-

cally for testing and prototyping a new

price of equipment or when adding new

functionality on an existing machine.”

During this proof-of-concept phase,

ease of ordering product and �exibility

are most important to customers, says

Frigyes. “Engineers can order products

online without involving purchasing or

local sales contacts,” he explains. “When

the project moves into the production

phase, purchasing will begin search-

ing for the best method to source the

product.”

Added valueAutomation distributors have affected

the way component manufacturers de-

liver solutions to machine builders and

end users.

“Distributors don’t just sell prod-

ucts,” emphasizes Newark’s Weiss.

“They provide engineering support and

aftermarket services, reduce costs and

optimize processes, as well as man-

age inventories, all of which creates

value for manufacturers and customers.

Distributors play a vital role in smoothly

connecting manufacturers and custom-

ers. They can expedite response times,

enhance a company’s reach and even

create value-added packages that com-

plement a company’s product offering or

scope. Without distributors, either the

buyer or seller would have to perform

these functions, adversely affecting the

bottom line.”

Because distributors handle multiple

products from various companies, they

can bundle components into turnkey

systems, points out Weiss. “If they’re

selling PLCs, HMI, sensors, switches,

power supplies, circuit protection, wire,

cable, connectors, wire management,


cover story

Online purchasesFigure 4: Online purchases have contin-

ued to grow in all areas, including the very high-ticket industrial robots.

(SOURCE: DIGI-KEY)

The world of industrial automation manufacturers is not only flat, but also small.


Internet switches, routers, enclosures,

racks and fans, they can design a com-

plete package from these building blocks

that works better, streamlines delivery

and often lowers costs.”

One of the most resounding argu-

ments for a solid distributor network is

that they can respond quickly to custom-

er demands, which is crucial in today’s

highly competitive environment, notes

Weiss. “Whether e-commerce or local

and nimble, distributors can service cus-

tomers on a level that would be dif�cult

or even impossible from the component

manufacturers,” he explains. Being close

to customers also lets them spot market

trends and pass this intelligence back to

the machine builders and end users.

“Industrial distribution brings a

lot of value to manufacturers,” says

Pepperl+Fuchs’ Frigyes. “First, they

provide additional feet-on-the-street

for �nding opportunities and servicing

accounts,” he notes. “In many instances,

they carry multiple complementary lines

so they can offer complete solutions and

one-stop shopping to machine builders

and end users. In addition, distribution

is able to provide value and services to

customers to meet their needs.”

Some customers value having local

or consigned stock, regular onsite visits,

special terms or product kitting, which

can be challenging for many manufac-

turers, says Frigyes.

“The ability of distributors to stock

and deliver a wide variety of products to

the end customers has helped machine

builders and end users to be more �ex-

ible in their design and reduce their

time to market,” says Digi-Key’s Wendt.

Most solutions involve products from a

variety of different manufacturers, he

explains, so the ability of a distributor

to service the entire scope of the project

rapidly is critical.

“With a small direct sales force and

an enormous product portfolio, we

have had very productive relationships

with our value-added distributors,”

explains Posital Fraba’s Fell. “These com-

panies understand our product portfolio

and can recommend the best choices for

customers. Our leading distributors have

also developed the skills to work with

our programmable products to �ne-tune

the performance characteristics in line

with their customers’ requirements.”

Driven by thin product margins, aging

�eets of factory assets and fast-changing

customer choices, companies are creat-

ing a comprehensive digital twin to op-

timize products and processes, explains

Siemens’ Garg (Figure 5). “Distributors

will have to determine the incremen-

tal value-add they will provide beyond

stocking and reselling parts, ultimately,

to increase pro�ts and stay in front of

the innovation curve.,” he advises. “One

way to create innovation that is not eas-

ily duplicated is by using superior distri-

bution and service business models. But

service as a strategy cannot become a

competitive advantage when considered

at the end of the production life cycle.

It is achieved by digitally connecting

data from products when �rst conceived

through delivery. Deciding to embrace

digitalization facilitates optimizing both

products and processes. This results in

the creation of new business models and

true differentiation that is not easily

duplicated, and distributors will need

to determine their new role in this new

business model.”


cover story

Digital differentiationFigure 5: Deciding to embrace digitalization facilitates optimizing both products and pro-cesses, which results in the creation of new business models and true di�erentiation.(SOURCE: SIEMENS)


Switching power suppliesRhino Pro (DIN-rail performance

series) PSN and PSD series

switching power supplies are

available in single- and three-

phase input units and feature a

universal ac input voltage range

(one-phase units), a built-in constant current circuit for charg-

ing applications (three-phase units) and a power boost of 150%

for up to 7 seconds. Current output is available from 3.4 to 40

A at 24 Vdc. The advanced power boost (APB) feature protects

the system and ensures continuing operation when a large

inrush current is detected due to faulty load on a multiple load

connection. A built-in dc OK contact and dc OK/overload LED

indicator are common on both series.

AutomationDirect / 800-633-0405 / www.automationdirect.com

IP67-rated power suppliesThese IP67 SCP-X self-sealed power supplies mount directly

on machines or as freestanding components on a production

line, removing the constraints imposed by power supplies that

must be housed in enclosures. The power supply is available

in 100 W and dual 100 W models and

can power from one to four loads. The

100-W model has a single output of 3.8

A at 24 Vdc to deliver �eld power in a

compact unit that requires minimal

assembly. The dual 100-W models

have quad output of 7.6 A at 24 Vdc (3.8

A max per pair).

SolaHD / www.solahd.com

Flexible power suppliesThe third generation of Step

Power power supplies keeps

the same footprints as the

previous version, measuring

55 mm deep and with widths

starting at 18 mm, but ef�ciency and power density have been

increased. These power supplies have EN 60355-1 certi�cation,

are UL 61010-listed and have Class I, Div. 2 approval. They can

accept either an ac or dc input, so they can adapt to a variety of

applications. The wide output range lets users adjust to their

speci�c needs. They also are available in the company’s push-

in technology for easy wiring.

Phoenix Contact / 800-322-3225 / www.phoenixcontact.com

Decentralized power supplyThe Emparro67 Hybrid switch

mode power supply allows users to

relocate the power supply from the

control cabinet to the �eld. It also

monitors currents using two inte-

grated 24-Vdc load circuit monitoring

channels to ensure system reliabil-

ity. An IO-Link interface permits extensive and transparent

communication. The fully encapsulated IP67-rated supply has

a robust metal housing and a 93.8% ef�ciency rating. It al-

lows voltage conversion (from 230 Vac to 24 Vdc) to take place

directly at the load, keeping power loss to a minimum. The

power supply relocation allows for smaller cabinet usage or, in

some cases, for cabinet elimination.

Murrelektronik / 770-497-9292 / murrinc.com

Power in harsh environmentsSolaHD SDN-P DIN rail power supplies are designed for chal-

lenging industrial environments, withstanding vibration,

high-/low-temperature ranges and high shock conditions.

The SDN-P series offers

sag immunity, transient

suppression and noise

tolerance, ensuring com-

patibility in demanding

applications. Power factor

correction to meet European directives, hazardous location ap-

provals and optional redundant accessories allow SDN-P power

supplies to be used in a wide variety of applications, including

industrial/machine control, process control, conveying equip-

ment and material handling.

Digi-Key / www.digikey.com

No interruptions necessaryUninterruptible power supplies keep the application moving without missing a beat


product roundup CONTACT US [email protected]

CD2102_38_40_Roundup.indd 38 1/25/21 12:36 AM

Power supply with integrated redundancy O-ringsUsing dynamic current limiting (DCL) technology, the ProTop

power supply triggers

circuit breakers and

powerful motors and

can address the needs

of high-end power

supply systems. It can

be used in applications with extreme vibration and temperature

conditions or in applications in which space saving for redun-

dant power supply systems is required. This industrial power

supply has redundancy O-rings already integrated, providing

the capability to work in redundancy with other powers supplies

without need of redundancy modules. It reduces potential fail-

ure points, saves space and increases installation performance.

Weidmuller / www.weidmuller.com

Low-pro�le DIN rail ac/dc power suppliesXP Power’s DRC series 30/60/100-W compact, convection-cooled

DIN rail ac/dc power supplies are designed for industrial elec-

tronics and control applications. A low-pro�le case allows them

to be positioned alongside circuit breakers within consumer

unit boxes. Class II operation eliminates the need for a safety

earth connection, reducing installation

time. Additional features include the UL

mark and EN62368-1 approval, Class B

conducted and radiated emissions, input

voltage ranges of 85 to 264 Vac and 120 to

370 Vdc, 4 k Vac input to output isolation

and dc ON LED indicator.

Newark / www.newark.com

Redundant power suppliesThe PS3500 redundant power supplies are suitable when an

unexpected loss of power would be disastrous to operations.

Continuous process facilities with demanding conditions

necessitate N+1 redundancy, a robust redundancy method that

guarantees system functionality will continue even during

a supply failure. Additional features include diagnostics and

fault indication, automatic load sharing

and adjustable voltage. The modular and

hot-swappable power supplies are fanless

and carry ATEX, IECEx and cULus approv-

als for Div. 2/Zone 2.

Pepperl+Fuchs / 330-486-0002 / www.pepperl-fuchs.com

Switching power supplies in rack-mount and benchtop con�gurationsThe 1U switching regulated 720 W ac/dc power supply family

is available in both rack-mount and benchtop con�gurations.

Shipped standard with power factor correction and universal

input, the power supplies feature single output voltages from 1

to 135 V, wide-adjust output voltages from 0-5 V to 0-135 V and

current capabilities up

to 70 A. They offer 720

W of output power and

are available with an

optional auxiliary out-

put (to 180 W). Featur-

ing high power density,

low ripple and a user-friendly front panel, the programmable

power supplies are suitable for use in a range of OEM and labo-

ratory applications.

Acopian / 800-523-9478 / www.acopian.com

IIoT-ready power suppliesThese Pro 2 power supplies are IIoT-

ready and can be connected to a �eldbus

network. Users simply plug in the com-

munication module to continuously

monitor and share important data such

as output current and voltage. It also can

communicate predictive maintenance

for greater system uptime. This modular approach makes the

unit �eldbus-independent and adaptable to protocols such as

Modbus RTU and IO-Link.

Wago / 800-din-rail / www.wago.us

Single-phase power supplyThe Sitop PSU6200 single-phase, 24 V/10 A power supply fea-

tures a diagnostic monitor to determine power supply status

quickly. Device preventive maintenance

is enabled with a diagnostic interface.

Constant current prevents the power

supply from being shut off during an

overload. Easily installed with push-in

terminals, the power supply is connect-

ed safely by recognizing input voltage

automatically for ac and dc and with

stable, wide-range topology.

Siemens / www.usa.siemens.com


product roundup


IP54 and IP67 power supplies for decentralized powerThe line of 24-Vdc �eld power supplies (FIEPOS) is designed for

decentralized power on machine mounting and IP54 and IP67

applications. This series includes three 300-W models and four

500-W models with three-phase input power. A basic version

with one output is available as well as an

e-fused version with up to four

programmable outputs. All

models offer a status output

of either dc-OK contact, or IO-

Link. Flexibility in mounting

options, connector styles and

power range makes the power

supply adaptable for almost any

application.

Puls / www.pulspower.us

Power supplies with long holdup timePB1 single-phase DIN rail-mountable power supplies are suit-

able for series installation in control panels and subpanels.

With an operating temperature range of -40 to 70 °C, these

compact power supplies can with-

stand extreme temperature environ-

ments and are rated for hazardous

locations such as Class I, Div. 2.

Adjustable output voltage compen-

sates for voltage drops. In the event of

a power failure, it provides a holdup

time > 60 ms.

Wieland Electric / www.wielandinc.com

Power supplies with remote monitoringS8VK-X series power supplies enable Ether-

Net/IP or Modbus TCP remote monitoring of

dc voltage and current, peak current, total

runtime and predictive replacement time.

The power supply also offers a front panel

indication monitor for local status monitor-

ing and includes coated internal circuitry

for environmental resistance. These power

supplies are available from 60 to 480 W at 24

Vdc with power boost of 150% for temporary

power demand spikes.

Omron Automation / 847-843-7900 / automation.omron.com

Ultra-compact single-phase power supplyThis single-phase 24-Vdc, 10-amp power supply unit has a nar-

row aluminum housing. At only 40 mm wide and saving panel

or machinery space, this ef�cient (>93%) Compact Ultra series

power supply is suitable for appli-

cations in which space is critical.

The UL 508-listed unit provides

15 A for 5 sec. during overcur-

rent situations and uses internal

output overload, short-circuit

protection and output relay alarm

for undervoltage situations.

Lutze / 800-447-2371 / www.lutze.com

Stepper and servo motor application power suppliesThe IPC-3 and IPC-5 power supplies are designed speci�cally to

address issues with traditional bulk, linear and

switching power supplies within motor control

applications. Based on a hybrid, resonant mode

design, this ef�cient power supply offers a small

footprint. With its large internal capacitance

bank, the IPC-5 minimizes voltage droop during

motor accelerations while eliminating overvolt-

age shutdowns and external regeneration by

storing or safely dissipating regenerative energy.

Specs include 900 W of peak power, 75-Vdc output, 95- to 250-Vac

input line voltage, LED diagnostics and UL and CE marks.

Teknic / 585-784-7454 / www.teknic.com

Convection-cooled sealed power suppliesThe ABS601 series convection-cooled sealed power supplies

are fully potted. They deliver a steady 600 W (800 W peak for 10

s) of regulated dc power in single 24- and 48-Vdc main output

voltages and a full set of protection features, with a form factor

of 4.92 x 9.86 x 2.36 in (125 x 250.5 x 60 mm). The series has an

aluminum extruded chassis with �ns to provide optimal heat

dispersion via natural convection. The input/output connec-

tions are �xed to the chassis through water-

tight glands and, combined with the

sealed enclosure, give the power

supply an IP66/67/68 ingress pro-

tection grade. The MBS601 series

is available for medical use.

Bel Power Solutions / www.belfuse.com


product roundup



real answersCONTACT US [email protected]

A CONTROL DESIGN reader writes: What is the standard method of

using circuits for e-stop conditions and their categories? Are there cases

in which an e-stop button can be software-based?

Answers

Safety and risk assessmentFrom a machine designer perspective, the safety system that

is being designed into the machine and the risk assessment for

the machine will determine which components are needed in

the safety system.

E-stop switches are just one of the components of the safety

system. There are many industry standards that need to be fol-

lowed to accomplish this, below are a few examples:

• DIN ISO 13849-1, Safety of Machinery

• DIN ISO 13850, Safety of machinery—Emergency stop func-

tion—Principles for design

• IEC 60947-5-1, Low-voltage switchgear and control gear

• EN 60947-5-5, Control circuit devices.

In my experience, an e-stop has to be a physical switch ver-

sus an icon or software-based to meet the above speci�cations

and industry standards (Figure 1).

JOE TORZILLO

vice president sales, HMI components / EAO / www.eao.com

Safe torque offI’m not sure if there’s a standard method of using circuits for

e-stop conditions; however, there are a number of ways to

con�gure an e-stop button in a servo drive system. Here is

one example: the image in Figure 2 illustrates what’s possible

by utilizing software-based safety, in this case, STO safety

subfunction.

E-stop buttons can be used in a number of con�gurations,

but in their simplest form, they cut power to drive compo-

nents when pressed to prevent damage to machine com-

ponents or to prevent operator injury. In a hardware-based

solution, power is cut to drive components via a series of

magnetic contactors when the e-stop button is pressed. This

Standards and options for e-stops

Safety sub-functionFigure 2: Possibilities exist by utilizing software-based safety, in this case, STO safety subfunction. (Source: Mitsubishi Electric)

Physical switchFigure 1: E-stop switches are just one of the components of the safety system. (Source: EAO)

Shut-off by STO

Molded-case circuit breaker(MCCB)

Safety relay circuit

Magnetic contractor for preventing unexpected start is no longer required

Magnetic contractor (MC) for servo alarm

Servo amplifier

Servo motor

Shut-o�

Stops motor

CD2102_41_44_RealAnswers.indd 41 1/25/21 12:38 AM


real answers

Safe torque off (STO)Responding to the input signal from external equipment, the STO function shuts o� power to the servo motor electronically using the internal circuit (shuts o� through secondary-side output). This function corresponds to the Stop category 0 of IEC/EN 60204-1.

Safe stop 1 (SS1)Responding to the input signal from external equipment, the servo motor starts to decelerate. After the set delay time for motor stop is passed, the STO function starts. Monitoring the servo mo-tor deceleration based on the motor deceleration rate is also supported. This function corresponds to the Stop category 1 of IEC/EN 60204-1.

Safe stop 2 (SS2)Responding to the input signal from external equipment, the servo motor starts to decelerate. After the set delay time for motor stop is passed, the SOS function starts. Monitoring the servo motor deceleration based on the motor deceleration rate is also supported. This function corresponds to the Stop category 2 of IEC/EN 60204-1.

Safe operating stop (SOS)This function monitors the position of the servo motor not to deviate from the specified range. Power is still supplied to the servo motor during the SOS function.

Safe brake control (SBC)The SBC signals are outputted for external brake control.

Safely limited speed (SLS)This function monitors the speed of the servo motor not to eceed the specified speed limit. If the speed exceeds the limit, the motor power is shut o� by the STO.

Safe speed monitor (SSM)The SSM signals are outputted when the speed of the servo motor is below the specified speed limit.

Safe direction (SDI)This function monitors whether the servo motor moves in the command direction. If the servo motor moves in a di�erent direction from the com-mand direction, the STO function is executed.

Safely limited increment (SLI)This function monitors the travel distance of the servo motor not to deviate from the specified range. If the travel distance exceeds the range, the STO function is executed.

Safely limited torque (SLT)This function monitors the torque (or the thrust) of the servo motor not to deviate from the speci-fied range. If the torque (or the thrust) exceeds the range, the STO function is executed.

Function activation area

Table 1: A full range of safety subfunctions, in addition to STO, are o�ered with safety over network that allow for more advanced safety features. (Source: Mitsubishi Electric)

Stop category 0 (uncontrolled stop)

Speed

STO (shut off)

Time

V

Stop category 1 (controlled stop)

Speed

STO (shut off)

Time

V

SS1 command SS1

Stop category 2 (controlled stop)

Speed

Time

V

SS1

SS2 command

SOS

SpeedPosition

S1

S2V

SOSTime

Speed

V

SBC output

Time

Speed

V

SLS

Time

Vmax

Speed

SSM output

Time

Vmax

Speed

V

SDI

Time

Position

S1

S2

SLI

Time

TorqueSpeedTmax

V

SLT

Time


serves the purpose of an e-stop by allowing motion to come

to an uncontrolled stop, but the downside is that cutting

power to the drives requires the drive to fully start up when

the e-stop condition is removed.

In a software-based solution, the system con�guration uses

software-based safety subfunctions, in this case safe torque

off (STO). Safe torque off cuts torque producing current to the

servo motor when the e-stop button is pressed bringing motion

again to an uncontrolled stop. The bene�ts of using safety sub-

functions such as STO is that the magnetic contactors are no

longer required, which reduces system costs and the power to

the drive is not cut, which reduces start-up time.

We have a full range of safety subfunctions, in addition to

STO, offered with safety over network that allow for more ad-

vanced safety features. Table 1 includes a full list of the range of

offerings, including a brief de�nition for each.

DAN ZACHACKI

senior product marketing engineer / Mitsubishi Electric Automation /

us.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/en/

Emergency stop vs. stop categoriesThe idea that the terms “e-stop,” “emergency-stop” and “stop

categories” are equivalents is a common misconception.

An emergency-stop function, which is normally linked to

an emergency-stop pushbutton, or e-stop, in a machine, refers

to a safety function that must be initiated by a single human

action and is intended to minimize hazards to people, as well

as damage to machinery or works in progress. Since this safety

function does not prevent people from being exposed, it is con-

sidered a complementary protective measure, according to ISO

12100:2010 and ISO 13850:2015.

Stop categories, on the other hand, refer to the way in which

a machine will stop. These categories, which are based on IEC

60204-1 and NFPA 79, can be de�ned as follows:

• Category 0 is a means of stopping the machine through the

immediate removal of power to its actuators and is considered

an uncontrolled stop. An example of Category 0 is to pull a

plug and wait until the machine has completely stopped.

• Category 1 is a controlled stop with power to the machine ac-

tuators available to achieve the stop condition. This category

allows powered brakes, so the power has to be available

until the machine stops. For example, in a machine that uses

drives, the stop is generated with a controlled deceleration

ramp before disabling the drive’s output to the motor. In this

case, the drive works as an actuator to bring the motor into

a non-torque state after the deceleration. Once the machine

motion has ceased completely, the power will be removed.

• Category 2 is a controlled stop with power left available to the

machine actuators. An example of this category is a normal

production stop in which the machine is brought to a stop and

power is available to start at any point.

According to IEC 60204-1, an emergency stop must operate as

either a Category 0 or Category 1 stop as determined by a risk

assessment. Both of these categories require that the emergen-

cy stop function override all other operations and functions, so

a restart is possible only after a manual reset. Category 2 is not

suitable for an emergency stop function because power is still

available after the machine stops, and no additional measures

are required to restart the machine.

To provide an example of an emergency-stop function that

performs a Category 0 stop, we can consider a safety circuit in

which an emergency stop pushbutton (e-stop) is identi�ed as


real answers

Safety circuitFigure 3: An emergency-stop function can perform as a Category 0 stop.(Source: Omron Automation Americas)

Feedback loopS1 S2

A1 T11 T12 T31 T32 T33 13 23

A2 T21 T22

KM1

KM2

24V

KM1 KM2

X1 14 24

KM1

KM2

M

Power supply circuit

Safety Input1

Safety Input2

Reset/ feedback

input

Safety output (instant aneous)

PLC etc.

Auxiliary outout



real answers

S1, a reset button as S2, a motor as M, and contactors as KM1

and KM2 (Figure 3). All of these devices are connected to a

status-monitoring relay, which ensures the switching action

and provides contactor monitoring through T31 and T32. When

the e-stop is activated, it will cause the contactors to isolate the

power from M. The power to M is kept removed until e-stop S1

is released and reset switch S2 is pressed.

This will exemplify a scenario

where an emergency stop in a

piece of equipment has been

pressed and power has been

removed completely, prevent-

ing the machine from starting.

At this point, the machine won’t

be permitted to start until the

emergency-stop pushbutton is

manually released and the reset

switch is pressed. After all safety

conditions are acknowledged by

the safety circuit, then the ma-

chine is permitted to restart.

In terms of emergency-stop devices, graphical representa-

tions of a button on an HMI or �at panel display are not an

option. The standards do not permit �ush or membrane-style

switches or touchscreen buttons. The speci�c requirements for

an emergency-stop pushbutton to be compliant are as follows:

• It must have a direct opening operation.

• It must be self-latching, meaning that it can only be reset

manually.

• It must be colored red and mounted upon a bright yellow

background. The yellow background must be a minimum of 3

mm beyond the mounting collar and visible beyond the con-

trol actuator, according to ANSI B65.1-2005.

• It must have a mushroom-head shape to make it easy to push.

• It must remain unguarded.

• It must be located at each operator control station and at any

other location where an emergency stop would be required.

For additional references on emergency-stop functions and

their requirements, please review

ISO 13850:2015, Safety of Machinery—Emergency Stop Func-

tion—Principles for Design and IEC 60204-1:2005, Safety of

machinery—Electrical equipment of machines—Part 1: General

requirements.

PAM HORBACOVSKY KLANCEWICZ

product manager—safety / Omron Automation Americas / automation.omron.com/en/us/

NFPA 79 standardsThe best standard method for using an e-stop would be just

that, starting with a standard. Using standards such as the

latest revision of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

79—the 2021 revision was just released—to understand the

requirements of an emergency stop and how it should function

in your system. NFPA 79 requires the use of a “self-latching”

type contact for push-button

emergency stops. It is important

to also differentiate the catego-

ries of an e-stop function versus

the categories of safety system

design. The stop function has

three categories:

• Category 0 is instantaneous re-

moval of power to the machine

actuators.

• Category 1 is a delayed removal

of power, where a breaking mechanism or a controlled and

powered stop is achieved, and then power is removed.

• Category 2 is a controlled stop under power where power is

never removed from the machine actuators.

According to NFPA 79, an emergency stop should be stop

category 0 or 1. It is important to select the correct stop func-

tion for your application. For example, you may think that

an instantaneous removal of power would be best for every

application, but if you have a large spinning drum or a fast-

moving �ywheel, removing power immediately could leave

them moving and hazardous for a long time. A better solu-

tion would be to stop them under power and then to remove

power (Category 1). Categories are also used when describing

safety system design. Without going into too much detail,

essentially design categories B, 1 and 2 are single-channel

type designs, and categories 3 and 4 are redundancy designs.

For more information on safety categories, reference EN ISO

13849-1 or ANSI B11.19.

There could be applications in which a software e-stop

could be used, but it would need to be on a safety visualization

package, on a safety network, as part of a fail-safe PLC. I’m not

aware of any safety-related visualization software that would

allow this type of setup, but with the continued advances in

control technology, there may be some available.

ZACHARY STANK

product marketing manager—I/O and networks / Phoenix Contact /

www.phoenixcontact.com

According to IEC 60204-1, an emergency stop must operate as

either a Category 0 or Category 1 stop

as determined by a risk assessment.

NFPA 79 requires the use of a “self-latching” type contact for push-button emergency stops.


Extra-low-voltage servo driveThe Simatic Micro-Drive is designed for protective extra-low-

voltage ranges (with 24/48 V). It can be used with the Pro�net

protocol, which uses Pro�safe telegrams for secure communi-

cations of drive safety functions

onboard, such as safe stopping

and safe monitoring of speed

and torque. The servo drives are

con�gured and commissioned

through the company’s TIA

portal with drag-and-drop sys-

tem integration and easy setup.

Straightforward control of the

drive through technology blocks in the Simatic S7 PLC helps

reduce engineering time and complexity. The Micro-Drive PDC

(Pro�DriveControl) units offer side-by-side rail mounting and a

built-in two-port Pro�net interface.

Siemens / www.siemens.com

High-precision triple-axis stageThis stage is designed for precise measurement of compound

angles or the rotation of an object to precise angular positions.

The XAB-050-XX-01 integrates a

two-axis alpha-beta goniometer

on top of a single-axis linear ac-

tuator. The beta axis has a travel

range of ±15° with a rotation

height of 50 ±0.2 mm. The table

size is 65 mm x 65 mm (2.559 in

x 2.559 in). The gear ratio is 1° (stage): 252° (motor). The travel

mechanism is precision crossed-roller guide. The lower goniom-

eter (A axis) has ±10° of rotation driven by a worm gear with a

drive ratio of 352° of motor rotation to 1° of stage rotation.

Optimal Engineering Systems / 888-777-1826 / www.oesincorp.com

FPGA development kit for PCIe 4.0 designsThe Intel Agilex F-series �eld-programmable gate array (FPGA)

development kit has a PCI-SIG-compliant development board

that allows engineers

to develop and test PCI

Express (PCIe) 4.0 designs

using the onboard Agilex

F-Series FPGA. Providing a

complete design environ-

ment with all hardware and software, the kit can evaluate SoC

features and performance using a hard processor system (HPS).

The kit is mounted with the FPGA with 1,400 KLE in a 2,486-

ball BGA package. It includes four DDR4 DIMM sockets and two

DDR4 DIMM modules. The kit’s HPS interface supports UART,

Ethernet, an SD card socket, eMMC and a Mictor connector.

Mouser Electronics / www.mouser.com

Integrated servo motorMaxon’s IDX compact integrated servo

gearmotor + drive combines a

powerful, brushless EC-i motor and

an EPOS4 positioning controller,

which can be complemented with

a maxon planetary gearhead when

required. This integrated motor offers high torque density, high

ef�ciency, maintenance-free components and an industrial

housing that provides IP65 protection. It also features con-

�gurable digital and analog inputs and outputs and intuitive

software enabling easy commissioning and integration into

master systems. The servo motors are suitable for use across

the entire speed range (from standstill to maximum speed) and

have a high overload capability.

Electromate / 877-737-8698 / www.electromate.com

Watertight and dustproof rotary tablesRTLA-100-350HJ motorized rotary tables feature IP65-rated

ingress protection. This rating assures against ingress of

dust and waterjets against the rotary table surface. The

hollow-shaft table is

integrated with a high-

rigidity cross-roller

bearing. This structure

improves permissible

thrust load and moment

load while maintaining

high torque. The large-

diameter hollow aperture (through-hole) helps to reduce

the complexity of wiring and piping, simplifying equipment

design. Equipment tables and arms can be installed directly

on the output table. This rotary table can be motorized with

stepper or brushless servo motors with encoders and match-

ing drives and controllers.

Intellidrives / www.intellidrives.com


product showcaseCONTACT US [email protected]

CD2102_45_47_Showcase.indd 45 1/25/21 12:39 AM

Simulation and test softwareSimcenter 3D 2021 offers more simulation types as well as re-

�nements in accuracy and enhanced performance speed. It can

help companies understand true performance of their designs

early in the development process. It includes full representative

volume element (RVE) separation and 2-D and 3-D automatic

insertion of cracks or cohesive zones in materials. Macro- and

microstructural models allow

for full mesh separation for a

crack to propagate complete-

ly through a material. An

auralization postprocessing

tool allows users to listen to

simulated pressure results to

evaluate sound quality. Acoustics engineers can hear the noises

produced from various vibrating components or products as op-

posed to evaluating them visually through charts or graphs.

Siemens / www.siemens.com

Data communications racks, miniature cases and wire trough and wirewaysHammond data communication racks provide a housing to

mount data communication equipment and devices used in

industrial environments. Wall-mount swing¬out rack enclosures

include 19-in mounting rails for easy installation of network

access equipment. Rack cabinets and open wall-mount racks are

suitable for securing equipment to vertical surfaces in limited

spaces. Open-frame �oor-mount racks

provide threaded rails on the front

and back. Miniature cases provide

watertight protection for electronic

equipment, circuit boards and DIN

rail-mounted components. The selec-

tion includes die-cast aluminum,

polycarbonate and ABS plastic models.

Wire trough and wireways route and organize electrical cables

and wires while protecting them from dust, dirt, oil and water.

AutomationDirect / 800-633-0405 / www.automationdirect.com

Modular-concept terminal blocksKlippon Connect AAP potential distribution terminal blocks are

designed to make the setup of complex control voltage distribu-

tions faster and more straightforward. They enable ef�cient

control voltage distribution to the consumers in the panel. A

modular concept means they can be

adapted to each application individu-

ally. The terminal blocks are available

with and without a fuse and in differ-

ent structures, both alternating and

grouped. The various cross-connection

options save space, and push-in technology

helps to reduce installation time. No special tools are needed

for rewiring. They are designed with �exibility in mind and are

easy to modify and expand.

Weidmuller / www.weidmuller.com

Solid-state relay with integrated current limiting and thermal shutdownThe CPC1561B normally open solid-state relay (SSR) offers 1 A,

60 V and integrates both current limiting and thermal shut-

down circuits. The small, surface-mount device’s dual fault

protection provides a rugged solution not possible when using

electro-mechanical relays and standard SSRs. It enhances elec-

tronics capabilities to survive fault conditions through active

current limiting and adapts to fault conditions using thermal

shutdown fault mode protection at 128 °C die temperature. It

also reduces equipment downtime by using

recovery with auto-reset capabilities, thus

avoiding system failures. It offers input/

output galvanic isolation via 3,750 Vrms

input-to-output isolation.

Littelfuse / littelfuse.com

FPGA board ready for harsh environmentsThe VP831 is the next generation of the VP889 3U VPX FPGA

board. It offers 100 G Ethernet on a design aligned with the

Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) technical standard.

This release provides more bandwidth and increased processing

capabilities at a lower power and size. It is ready to perform in

harsh environments. The board has embedded ARM cores within

the Zynq Ultrascale+ system-on-chip, which reduces power con-

sumption and size and brings advanced security to the forefront.

It comes with a fully featured open-board support

package, giving customers a high-level refer-

ence design example to simplify inte-

gration of application-speci�c IP and

reduce risks of a program integration.

Abaco Systems / www.abaco.com


product showcase

CD2102_45_47_Showcase.indd 46 1/25/21 12:39 AM

CIP Safety over EtherNet/IP safety light curtainsAllen-Bradley 450L GuardShield safety light

curtains include CIP Safety over EtherNet/IP,

which provides smart safety within a Con-

nected Enterprise as well as rich data from the

plant �oor. The safety

light curtains support

linear, star and DLR

networks and are well-

suited for applications

in which safe, easy and

frequent access to the

machine is required.

Unlike traditional

safety light curtains,

which are based on

separate transmitter and receiver units, these

light curtains employ technology that allows

each transceiver to be used as a transmitter

or receiver via a plug-in module. The 450L-E

option provides integrated laser alignment,

cascading, blanking and integrated muting.

Rockwell Automation / www.rockwellautomation.com

MQTT IIoT support for PLC CPUThis �rmware upgrade enables new and exist-

ing MicroSmart FC6A Plus PLC CPUs to support

the MQTT protocol. The upgrade is download-

able to the CPU, so customers can connect all

types of �eld data to onsite and cloud-based

brokers and make the information readily

available for users and analytical applica-

tions. Users also can send commands to the

CPU using MQTT. This capability is well-suited

for new automation system designs or to add

IIoT connectivity to existing systems. MQTT is

supported on Ethernet port 1, enabling the CPU

to use existing wired,

Wi-Fi or mobile data

wireless networking to

connect with onsite or

cloud-based brokers.

Idec / 800-262-4332 /

www.idec.com

Motorized vertical lift stagesThese AT20-30 high-precision vertical lift

stages can elevate heavy loads by 30 mm (1.18

in) in an ultra-low-pro�le design. The elevator

stage’s moving component has a rigid box

construction and travels on six slide rails, as-

suring smooth vertical travel and parallelism

of the table and mounting surface at all times.

The vertical lift stage features 3.315-micron

(full-step) resolution, 5-micron repeatability

and 15-micron positional accuracy. Motor

options include two-phase stepper motor,

single-phase dc servo motor for closed-loop

operation and a three-phase brushless servo

motor for higher precision and travel speeds.

The stages can be ordered as complete plug-

and-play motion

control systems.

Optimal Engineering

Systems / 888-777-1826 /

www.oesincorp.com

Modular push-pull connectorsThe Lemo B series offers modular, ergonomic

and rugged circular multipole connectors for

applications needing quick and secure push-

pull latching. It

is well-suited for

test and measure-

ment and instru-

mentation. The

modular insert

con�gurations

include a range of

high-density mul-

tipole or hybrid

electrical contacts. Contacts can be of solder

type, crimp, PCB straight or PCB elbow, �ber,

coaxial, thermocouple, pneumatic, �uidic or

high voltage. The series ranges from 00 to

5B sizes. A keying system allows for a higher

contact density while preventing mismating.

These connectors are UL-listed, and cable as-

semblies can be provided.

Lemo / www.lemo.com

product showcasereal answersreal answers

publishing teamGroup Publisher & VP, content

Keith Larson [email protected]

vp, sales & publishing director

sales teamNortheastern and Mid-atlantic Regional Manager

Dave Fisher [email protected]

508/543-5172 Fax: 508/543-3061

24 Cannon Forge Dr.

Foxboro, Massachusetts 02035

Midwestern and Southern Regional Manager

Greg Zamin [email protected]

704/256-5433 Fax: 704/256-5434

1501 E. Woodfield Rd., Suite 400N

Schaumburg, Illinois 60173

Western and Mountain Regional Manager

Jeff Mylin [email protected]

847/516-5879 Fax: 630/625-1124

Digital Sales Specialist

Jeanne Freedland

[email protected]

805/773-4299 Fax: 805/773-0451

Classified Manager

Lori Goldberg [email protected]

630/467-1300 Fax: 630/467-1124

executive staffPresident & CEO

John M. Cappelletti

Circulation Manager

Patricia Donatiu

VP Creative and Operations

Steve Herner

reprintsMossberg & Co.

Jill Kaletha

[email protected]

574-347-4211

The only magazine exclusively

dedicated to the original equipment

manufacturing (OEM) market for

instrumentation and controls—the

largest market for industrial controls.

1501 E. Woodfield Rd., Suite 400N

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Fax: 630/467-1124


CD2102_45_47_Showcase.indd 47 1/25/21 12:03 PM

MACHINE-VISION TECHNOLOGY has grown, large and small, to

touch most industrial automation applications. Trimmed-down,

cost-effective options are servicing small operations with

simple applications, while larger systems, harnessing massive

processing power, are operating inspections for the largest

production lines under sensitive and demanding conditions.

Three manufacturers—Teledyne Dalsa (www.teledynedalsa.

com), BitFlow (www.bit�ow.com) and Beckhoff (www.beckhoff.

com) —offer unique innovations.

Multi�eld imaging technologyFor machine-vision applications

that demand high sensitivity in

light-starved conditions, camera

speed and capability is paramount.

Teledyne Dalsa latest time delay

integration (TDI) cameras design, the

Linea 16K multi�eld camera, uses new technology to make im-

age capture even faster in the lowest light environments.

“A lot of high-performance inspections require different

lighting con�gurations,” says Xing-Fei He, Ph.D., senior product

manager, Teledyne Dalsa.

The lighting con�guration for an application focuses on

different �elds, or angles of light incidence. “When you want

to detect a defect, you need to adjust the lighting angles,” says

He. “The lighting angles play an important role to enhance the

contrast between the defect and the background.”

For bright�eld conditions, the light is shining on the object,

lighting the object and re�ecting back to the camera. Dark�eld

uses a very wide angle to light the object but not re�ect back to

the camera. Backlight is illuminating the object from behind or

underneath, which is often used for the inspection of transpar-

ent objects, He says.

Current imaging technology requires three separate scans—

with bright�eld, dark�eld and backlit lighting—and then

combines the scans together. Teledyne’s multi�eld imaging

technology, takes those three scans together. The technology

uses light sources at different wavelengths, which are captured

simultaneously by the multi-array TDI sensor with wafer-level

coated dichroic �lters that separate the images, He says.

The speed of the camera can improve on tact time, or total

assessable cycle time, and detectability in an automated optical

inspection (AOI) system. “Tact time is the number one spec in any

inline equipment in the production line to make a return on in-

vestment, and that’s related to the speed of the camera,” He says.

The multi�eld camera is ideal for applications, such as �at

panel display (FPD) inspection, PCB inspection, wafer inspec-

tion and medicine. Many of those applications require high

magni�cation. FPD and PCB inspections often require resolu-

tion in the sub-microns. With the introduction of 5G networks,

He says, circuitry design is only getting denser, requiring

inspections to capture more detail.

Wafers are used in the manufac-

ture of integrated-circuit (IC) chips,

and their inspection requires resolu-

tion at the nanometer scale.

The Teledyne TDI camera has also

been designed for DNA sequencing.

“That’s becoming very popular be-

cause of the pandemic right now, and we need to detect DNA,”

He says. The scale is similar to wafer inspection; the magni�ca-

tion is very high. “The camera needs to detect and process huge

amounts of data,” He says.

“The most important features about the camera are the

capability and the speed,” He says. “The high resolution and

throughput of the camera not only improves detectability, but

the camera can also align images automatically and that saves

a lot of time in the process.”

No interruptionsFor inspection applications that require the highest processing

speeds and highest resolution images, a frame grabber can serve

as another solution. A frame grabber is an industrial video card

used to transfer images from a camera into a computer. BitFlow

makes the Claxon-CXP4, which is a quad CoaXPress (CXP) 12 PCle

Gen 3 frame grabber.

“CXP 1.1 interface speed was at 6.25 Gb/s per link, and the

standard high-speed camera has four links, so that gives you

a total of 25 Gb/s, which is about 2.5 Gb/s of data,” says Donal

Waide, director of sales for BitFlow. “This new standard is CXP

2.0, and one of the highlights of CXP 2.0 is that the speed is

doubled to 12 Gb/s, again aggregated over four links, it’s approxi-

mately 5 Gb/s of data for the camera.” The frame grabber is ideal

with a multiple camera solution.

Take a closer look at vision systems


Anna Townshendmanaging editor

[email protected]

building blocks

The lighting con�guration for an application focuses on different

�elds, or angles of light incidence.

CD2102_48_50_BuildingBlocks.indd 48 1/25/21 12:06 PM

“While these systems have been a �x-

ture in machine vision for decades, what

is new is the use of CoaXPress. It allows

multiple cameras to be linked by a single

frame grabber over long, inexpensive and

very robust coaxial cables,” Waide says.

The frame grabber achieves virtually

zero latency (in the nanosecond range)

and exact synchronization between all

the camera images because it doesn’t

use CPU cycles (Figure 2). “So typically,

when the CPU is used, the CPU can be

performing a number of different tasks in

the computer, whether it’s moving data

around or doing some processing, and

what happens is the CPU is not always

available, so therefore, you get inter-

rupts,” Waide says. “Because the frame

grabber is not using any CPU, there’s no

interrupts.” With the multiple cameras

all running to the same frame grabber,

images are synchronized.

As an example, this technology could be

used to inspect cell phone screens. “We’ve

all dropped our phones, and, say, the

15th time you drop your phone, it cracks,”

Waide says. Anyone that buys a phone can

look at it, and, with the naked eye, they’re

not able to see any defects that would lead

to issues. But, because of the higher-resolu-

tion sensors in the camera, you can exam-

ine right down to the micromillimeter, and

you can actually see where the potential

issues might be happening, and this is why

you can drop that phone 14 times without

an issue,” Waide says.

Faster cameras and

faster processing can

also lead to drops in

the overall cost of pro-

duction for a manu-

facturer. What used

to take six cameras,

Waide says, can now

be done with one, plus

inspection speeds are

getting quicker.

The BitFlow frame

grabber is applicable

only for the top 5% of

applications, in terms

of their need for pro-

cessing speed, Waide

says, making BitFlow a

boutique company for

the “Cadillacs of the industry,” he says;

and machine designers who are unsatis-

�ed with standards such as CameraLink,

Firewire, USB3 and GigE Vision might �nd

an increase in speed from CXP.

“The required precise synchronizing

of cameras in a multi-camera con�gura-

tion is a byproduct of a deterministic

interface,” Waide says. CXP and Camera

Link are inherently deterministic. GigE

Vision and USB3 are not. Ultimately, this

makes CXP “perfectly predictable,” Waide

says. “With the grabber we can calculate

to a very high accuracy what the latency

would be in these systems. Without a

frame grabber, you are at the mercy of

the CPU and the number of interrupts

it’s handling at any given time,“ he says.

Additionally, Waide says this request

often comes from potential customers as

they are trying to calculate the setup of

their encoder triggers to match the image

capture sequence.

Controls integrationThough vision systems have become

more cost-effective in the past decade,

cost is still often a consideration for

machine builders. Many options exist, so

users can �nd the exact system that �ts

the speci�c application. “Now it’s become

very common that most machines have

some sort of machine vision on them,”


building blocks

See no noiseFigure 1: The charge-domain CMOS TDI camera improves on noise levels, compared to a more traditional CC TDI technology.

Grab the frameFigure 2: The frame grabber achieves virtually zero latency (in the nano-second range) and exact synchronization between all the camera images because it doesn’t use CPU cycles.


says Daymon Thompson, TwinCAT product manager at Beck-

hoff Automation.

Traditionally, the market has supported three types of

systems, Thompson says. The stand-alone camera is known as

a smart camera. They can be expensive, and, in a multiple cam-

era setup, “the economy of scale just doesn’t work,” Thompson

says. While it can work, it can be very expensive.

PC-based vision systems run on the operating system. “It,

therefore, has the power of the PC, but the timing is beholden

on the operating system,” Thompson says.

The third method, he says, is a hybrid—the stand-alone vi-

sion controller with a separate camera.

Beckhoff has introduced another option by integrating ma-

chine vision and image processing into the machine controls.

“In our approach, we’ve always been PC-based, with a real-time

environment, so not beholden to the timing of the operating

system, so that made a really great platform to bring in vision

algorithms,” Thompson says. “We built a vision driver to be able

to connect to the GigiE vision cameras, and we bring the image

directly into the machine controller.”

With stand-alone vision systems, they process the algo-

rithms and then need to send the results to the machine con-

troller, and then the machine controller cycles and processes

those and makes a decision based on the result. “And there’s

latency that happens there,” Thompson says. High-speed vision

applications, where product is coming by very quickly or guided

with motion, can be challenging, if latency occurs.

“We brought vision into the familiar programming environ-

ment,” Thompson says. “Because it’s on a PC, we can leverage

the multi-core capability of PCs.” This allows users to split the

motion controls and vision processing onto different cores, all

isolated from the operating system. “Basically, it means a wide

choice of cameras, extremely fast processing of the image and

very closely coupled with the machine controller,” Thompson

says. Also, controls engineers can design their own vision ap-

plications with familiar languages.

TwinCAT Vision is ideal for any industrial image-processing

application, such as quality inspection and track-and-trace. The

system also stores images in the PLC memory for easy access.

“Anywhere you have to do a fast reaction on the results of the

vision algorithm, so, for example, a bottling line where you’re

doing several hundred or thousand per minute and looking to

see if the cap is completely seated, or the label is fully on the

bottle,” Thompson says, “the faster you can react to the results,

the faster you can pull that bad product off the line.”

The software also allows users to implement watchdogs to

monitor the timing of image-processing functions (Figure 3). In

a continuous �ow operation, any anomaly can slow down the

process. Instead, the watchdog function can note that there

was some kind of anomaly without slowing production. “Tradi-

tional solutions would process the entire image before it would

give you results back, but, by that time, the inspection could

have missed several other products,” Thompson says.

The system was designed for easy image retrieval. A stand-

alone camera setup can make it challenging to get the current

image into the HMI. “A lot of times that involves having the im-

age being stored to an intermediary �le, like on a PC, and then

displayed on the HMI,” Thompson says. “So that was one of our

goals for this design, making it very easy to show the current

image, the last image, even be able to manipulate the image

a little bit by adding text to it,” Thompson says. “But it takes a

controls engineer a couple minutes to add the camera image to

the HMI. It’s very simple, really cleanly integrated.”

The TwinCAT Vision technology can be more affordable,

compared to stand-alone camera and controller systems. “The

reason is the underlying infrastructure is really already in

place,” Thompson says. “The savings really come from a multi-

camera situation.”


building blocks

Timing monitorFigure 3: Software allows users to implement watchdogs to monitor the timing of image-processing functions.

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PRODUCTS & EXPERTISE TAKE THE SCENIC ROUTE

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