March 2019

69 www.drivesncontrols.com March 2019 NEW PRODUCTS n Ifm has introduced a software package that provides continuous condition monitoring of machines and systems, as well as collecting and evaluating parameters, offering visualisation functions, and analysing trends in pressure, flow, temperature, current and rotational speed. The Smartobserver software enables users to see what is happening in plants down to individual sensors and stores the data for later analysis. Smartobserver provides operators with details of the bigger picture, analysing what is actually occurring in their processes, driven by data collected from the sensors in their plant. It avoids relying on historical data for estimations, and is said to improve condition monitoring, energy efficiency, and quality. At the heart of Smartobserver is bidirectional communicating software interface called LR agent CP (Connectivity Point). This configurable interface collects and handles information from machines and transmits it on to other systems such as databases, and MES and ERP systems. It can also send information back to the machines. Ifm electronic 020 8213 2222 www.ifm.com Condition-monitoring software improves maintenance, quality and energy efficiency Rittal has announced stainless- steel and Nema 4X versions of its VX25 large enclosure system, with enhanced corrosion protection and shielding of equipment against dust, water splashes and jets. The two variants have an almost identical design, so interior engineering for the stainless-steel versions can be applied, unchanged, to the Nema 4X versions, saving time and money. The stainless-steel enclosures deliver the highest level of corrosion resistance. Their frame structures, doors, panels and gland plates, as well as external parts such as 180-degree hinges and comfort handle variants, are all made of stainless steel. The enclosures offer IP55 and Nema 12 protection as standard. The Nema 4X versions have an IP66 rating and protect equipment inside the enclosure against dust, water splashes and jets. During development, the enclosures underwent a test that checked their seals for leaks using a water jet with a flow rate of more than 240 litres per minute for 40min/30 s (6mm/s per seal length). The tests also checked dust protection, corrosion resistance, and protection against damage caused by ice forming externally. Rittal www.rittal.co.uk igus has developed a pair of easy-to-use motor controllers to provide simple control and operation of its drylin E linear axes. The dryve D3 controller is aimed at basic modes of operation, while the dryve D1 targets more complex tasks. The D3 controller is suitable for use with any standard DC motor. Users simply need to connect to a 24V power supply and parameterise the operating mode, end-position switch-off, acceleration and the motor via a DIP switch. The speed can be adjusted using a rotary controller and the current limited via a manual dial. The dryve D1 controller is operated via a Web browser on a PC, smartphone or tablet. An intuitive interface eases parameterisation, even for complex tasks. The compact controller can be DIN-rail- mounted in switch cabinets. By connecting a WLAN router it can be controlled via a wireless device. The built-in Web server does not need any extra software on the operating devices, nor does it need additional storage. igus 01604 677240 www.igus.co.uk/dryve Motor controls are aimed at linear axis applications Red Lion Controls has enhanced its Crimson software, adding an OPC UA Client driver with encrypted password support, OPC UA Historical Access, an MQTT connector for Google Cloud, and store-and- forward buffering for all Crimson cloud connectors. Unlike other OPC UA clients which may only allow access to pre-existing data, Crimson 3.1’s OPC UA client driver captures attributes such as diagnostic and performance information of a target OPC UA server’s data tags. This means that most Crimson 3.1-based devices can act as both OPC UA servers and OPC UA clients, simplifying system architectures, increasing scalability, and accelerating data integration with no extra hardware or software customisation. www.redlion.net/crimson-31 Opto 22 has added IEC 61131-3 programming options to its groov Epic edge programmable industrial controller, allowing users to program in languages they already know, while taking advantage of the Epic’s extended capabilities for automation and IIoT. All of the IEC 61131-3 standard languages are supported, including FBD, ST, SFC and LD. The IEC 61131-3 option allows users to pick the best software tool for an application, and to mix-and- match software tools to build control and IIoT solutions on one platform. The new programming option is available as a free upgrade. www.opto22.com/products/ groov-epic-system PI (Physik Instrumente) has released a high-power piezo amplifier to drive high- capacitance multilayer piezo actuators with rapid rise times or high frequencies. The modular E-619 amplifier provides sink/source currents up to 10A, an output voltage swing of 160V (–30V to +130V), and up to 1.2kW of peak power. There are two versions with maximum bandwidths of 20kHz and 3kHz. Optional modules are available for closed-loop position servo control and digital control via a USB and TCP/IP interface. The rack-mounting amplifier is said to be efficient due to its energy recovery circuitry. www.physikinstrumente.co.uk Stainless-steel and Nema 4X enclosures are designed to handle extreme environments