October 2018

50 65 54 48 41 32 64 CONTENTS Drives&Controls is a controlled circulation publication. If you live in the UK and want to subscribe phone 0333 577 0801 or fax 0845 604 2327. Alternatively for both UK and overseas subscriptions please subscribe online at www.drivesncontrols.com. If you have any enquiries regarding your subscription, please use these numbers. The content of this magazine, website and newsletters do not necessarily express the views of the Editor or publishers.The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced or stored in a retrieval systemwithout the written consent of the publishers. Paid subscriptions UK: £95 per annum Europe: £125 per annum Rest of World: £160 per annum Printing: Warners Midlands PLC., PE10 9PH ISSN 0950 5490 Copyright: DFA Media Ltd 2018 NEXT ISSUE The November/December issue of Drives & Controls will contain our annual feature on machinery safety, as well as a look at what’s been happening in the world of controlgear and enclosures, and a report on recent developments in controllers and HMIs UPDATE 13 Comment 60 Gambica column 63 ABB Back to Basics 64 Design Data 64 Multimedia 65 New Products 69 Products & Services IN DEPTH Follow us onTwitter @DrivesnControls Drives MagazineWeb site www.drivesncontrols.com Drives ShowWeb site www.drives-expo.com Join us on Facebook Drives & Controls Drives & Controls REGULARS DRIVES & CONTROLS OCTOBER 2018 Vol 34 No 9 Editor Tony Sacks t/f: 01732 465367 e: tony@drives.co.uk Production Manager Sarah Blake t: 01233 770781 e: sarah.blake@dfamedia.co.uk Customer Liaison Ewa Hodden t: 01732 370340 e: cewa.hodden@dfamedia.co.uk Financial Clare Jackson t: 01732 370340 e: clare.jackson@dfamedia.co.uk ADVERTISING Director of Sales Damien Oxlee t: 01732 370342 f: 01732 360034 m: 07951 103754 e: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk Sales Manager AndyWylie t: 01732 370341 f: 01732 360034 m: 07939 607855 e: andy.wylie@dfamedia.co.uk DFA Direct Ian Atkinson t: 01732 370340 f: 01732 360034 e: ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Eastern US Karen C Smith-Kernc e: karenkcs@aol.com t: +1 717 397 7100 f: +1 717 397 7800 Western US & Canada Alan A Kernc e: alankcs@aol.com t: +1 717 397 7100 f: +1 717 397 7800 Italy Oliver & Diego Casiraghi e: info@casiraghi.info t: +031 261 407 f: +031 261 380 Commercial Director Ryan Fuller t: 01732 370344 e: ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk Publisher Ian Atkinson t: 01732 370346 e: ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Reader/Circulation Enquiries Perception-MPS Ltd t: 01825 701520 e: dfamedia@dmags.co.uk HEAD OFFICE DFA Media Ltd 192 High Street, Tonbridge KentTN9 1BE t: 01732 370340 f: 01732 360034 e: info@dfamedia.co.uk www.drivesncontrols.com 66 3 News A round-up of the latest business and industry developments from around the world. 15 Technology Cutting-edge innovations in motion, power transmission, controls and related technologies. 22 Robots in Agriculture A UK company is developing a robotic broccoli-harvesting system that could revolutionise the UK vegetable-growing industry as it struggles to cope with spiralling costs. And in Germany, researchers are developing a robotic cucumber harvester. 25 Machine Building Our special 12-page feature contains examples of the machine-builder’s art in a variety of sectors, including biological research, plastic tube-making and flight simulators. An expert also examines the potential implications of a No-Deal Brexit for the UK’s machinery sector. 38 Food and Beverage Examples of how automation technologies are being applied in the food industry, including robots that are helping to pack cheese and make pizzas. There is also advice on controlling temperatures and choosing bearings for food and drink applications. 48 Quality Assurance Machine vision systems used for quality assurance have traditionally been costly and complex to implement, and have needed the services of systems integrators. A machine vision expert argues that these costs will fall dramatically as autonomous vision technologies become available that will allow systems to be set up without needing SIs. 51 Water A sophisticated control and communications system has been implemented in Switzerland to help regulate water levels in three lakes, thus minimising the risk of flooding. Also, how a German wastewater treatment plant has cut its costs and environmental impact by replacing DOL motors by inverter-driven PM synchronous geared motors. 58 SPS IPC Drives Preview Next month, the SPS IPC Drives automation and motion engineering megashow returns to its venue in Nuremberg, Germany. We report on what visitors can expect to see. 22 15 58