October 2019

n TECHNOLOGY POWER DISTRIBUTION ENCLOSURES CLIMATE CONTROL Machining Assembly Wiring Handling Wire processing Rittal Automation Systems . We automate panel building. p Bosch has developed a series of silicon carbide (SiC) chips which, it says, will set new standards for high switching speeds, low heat losses and size, resulting in lower energy dissipation than silicon chips, andmore efficient motor controls.The chips are aimed, in particular, at electric vehicles where Bosch says they could extend the range on a single battery charge by up to 6%. And because the SiC devices can work at much higher temperatures than silicon, they reduce the need for powertrain cooling, cutting EV weights and costs. Bosch is investing around €1bn – the biggest investment in its history – in a wafer fab tomake the chips. p The Danish robot end-effector specialist OnRobot has announced a single-systemend-of- arm-tooling (EoAT) interface that will simplify automation“dramatically”by integrating with eight robotics brands: Doosan , Fanuc , Nachi , Kawasaki , Kuka , Techman , Yaskawa and Universal Robots . Manufacturers can now access a full range of tools with a single programming and training platform, and vendor.There is also a Dual Quick Changer version that incorporates these capabilities and allows two tools to be used in one cycle, mixing-and-matching to suit the application. https://onrobot.com/en p Siemens has announced amore powerful version of its RuggedcomAPE (Application Processing Engine) – an industrial application hosting platform for cyber-security, designed to run third-party software applications in harsh, mission-critical environments.Themodular, field- replaceable platformallows users to chooseWAN, serial or Ethernet options. www.siemens.com/ape p RS Components has launched an upgraded, paid-for version of its DesignSpark PCB design suite, adding“a wealth of productivity features”. DesignSpark PCB Pro is aimed at electronic design engineers. It is designed to bridge the gap between low-end, unsupported open-source products and complex, costly PCB CAD software. Unlike the existing free DesignSpark PCB software (which RS will continue to support and develop), the new software will cost £375 (exVAT) for a licence. www.rs-online.com/designspark/ pcb-pro-software ABB ROBOTICS has announced a new generation of robot programming software which uses digital twin technology for the first time, and is claimed to cut commissioning times from days to hours, and changeover periods from hours to minutes. ABB asserts that its PickMaster Twin software will also reduce picking times by 15% and boost output and line efficiencies by 40%. The software, which works with any ABB robot as well as“a range of virtual and physical machines”, is aimed at vision-guided, random-flow picking and packing applications – especially where higher outputs, faster response times and quick changeovers are needed. It is claimed to deliver improved flexibility and visualisation for complex robotic manoeuvres used for flow-wrapping, tray-loading, case and carton packing, and handling applications. The digital twin technology allows users to test out robotic configurations on virtual production lines before they build the physical lines. The simulated twin can connect directly with production operations, allowing picking processes to be optimised virtually at the same time as the process is being implemented. Allowing picking and packing tasks to be programmed offline means that users can create, simulate and test complete robot installations in a virtual environment without having to disturb their real production lines. This not only helps to reduce costly and time-consuming risks, but also shortens the time-to-market for new products, because product lines can be installed faster, ramped up to full speed without surprises during commissioning, and optimised continuously – helping manufacturers to achieve mass customisation and shorter product lifecycles. Intuitive new interfaces based on ABB’s Ability Zenon Operations Data Management platform provide colourful dashboards for easy data visualisation. The software also complies with the OMAC PackML (packaging machine language) standard, making it suitable for modern packaging machines. The software allows workspaces to be tuned visually online in both the X and Y directions to maximise output and increase OEE (overall equipment effectiveness). StevenWyatt, head of portfolio and digital for ABB’s Robotics & Discrete Automation business, predicts that the new software“will help our customers take high-speed picking and rapid applications to the next level, whether it’s to boost picking and packing efficiency, or to reduce the cost of integrating robotics into production lines”. https://new.abb.com/products/robotics Digital twin robot programming cuts commissioning ‘from days to hours’ ABB says that its new robot programming software can boost output by up to 40%