October 2020

52 n DESIGN DATA AND MULTIMEDIA October 2020 www.drivesncontrols.com WEG has published the first two guidebooks in a series of four, providing a concise introduction to gear technologies. The first guide is called What mechanical engineers and plant operators need to knowabout gears , and the second is What mechanical engineers and plant operators need to knowwhen buying gearedmotors . The guides help to understand the differences between gear types and to simplify the decision-making process. The first guide covers helical, parallel shaft, bevel, worm and planetary gears, explaining the pros and cons of each. The second guide helps to analyse the key technical criteria and areas of application before buying a gearbox. www.weg-wg20.com Machine components catalogue runs to more than 700 pages NSK has released a new edition of its Precision Machine Components catalogue, covering its linear guide, ballscrew and monocarrier portfolio. The 700+ page publication also acts as a manufacturer-neutral guide to selecting and calculating the service lives of linear components. For example, 60 pages are dedicated to ballscrew selection, complemented by product listings for ballscrews that span a further 400 pages. The chapters on linear guides cover 300 pages, and a further 140 pages are dedicated to ready-to-install linear axes, and accessories such as sensors, covers, and motor adapters. New products include DIN- compliant high-speed ballscrews for machine tools and precision ballscrews with interchangeable nut-shaft pairings. The catalogue is available in printed or downloadable versions. www.nsk-literature.com/en/precision-machine-components White Paper argues that control cabinets should go Beckhoff Automation has published aWhite Paper laying out its vision of the future of automation and exploring whether control cabinets are necessary. It argues that cabinets limit the productive capabilities of businesses, and that modern automation and cabling technologies can minimise cabinet footprints – or remove the need for them entirely – thus cutting transport and installation costs for machine-builders and systemmanufacturers, and providing more output per m 2 of production space. The paper outlines a series of products – including IP65 and IP67 rated industrial PCs, distributed servosystems, and cables that combine data and power – that can make the concept a reality. https://www.beckhoffblog.co.uk Take a virtual tour of Coventry innovation hub Schneider Electric has launched virtual online tours of its Coventry innovation hub, allowing visitors to interact remotely with items from its EcoStruxure portfolio, including edge technologies, motor controls, safety systems, and pick-and-place robot systems that demonstrate motion and conveyor controls. Visitors can move through the hub using on- screen arrows, or jump to a scene using a navigate menu. They can explore the hub at their own pace or dive in for details. www.se.com/uk/en/work/services/site-tour/innovation-hub Guides explain gearbox technologies and buying choices Inertia is preventing manufacturers from digitising PrismSolutions has produced aWhite Paper reporting that up to 66% of global manufacturing organisations have yet to embrace digitisation of their services. Called Manufacturers andDigital Transformation: The Enabling Force in aDisruptiveWorld , the paper argues that manufacturers could use the IIoT to pivot towards healthier, safer working environments, but warns that they are running out of time to adopt IIoT and embrace Industry 4.0. Althoughmany manufacturers are aware of the digital revolution, few are actively pursuing it, and risk being left behind, the paper argues. https://drivesncontrols.news/5nmm3 Configurator helps to identify the best plain bearing material igus has developed an online system that helps visitors to select and calculate the service lives for 39 of its iglidur wear-resistant, robust and self- lubricating polymers for plain bearings. Users enter the parameters of their application, such as load, type of movement, housing, and shaft material, and the online tool shows the expected service lives of suitable iglidur materials. Igus has also announced an“analogue configurator”– a sample box that allows users to choose from a selection of templates which they place over the materials to determine the most suitable for their application. https://www.igus.co.uk/iglidurConf/Iglidur/Step1 Jointly-published paper explores digital twin technologies The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) and Plattform Industrie 4.0 have jointly published a White Paper that explores digital twin technologies and their practical application. Called Digital Twin and Asset Administration Shell Concepts and Application , the paper provides definitions of digital twin technologies, standards, and use cases. It also describes how the Plattform Industrie 4.0 Asset Administration Shell, an implementation of a digital twin for industrial applications, enables cross-company-interoperability. The paper has been published as part of a liaison agreement between the two organisations designed to enable faster adoption of IIoT through collaboration with industry partners. https://drivesncontrols.news/mrlr6 Portal will help companies with post-Brexit paperwork European Portals has launched a portal to help UK and European businesses to complete the required forms and documentation for importing and exporting goods after 1 January 2021 when the Brexit transition period ends and the UK leaves the EU customs union. Leaving the Union will make it more difficult for goods to move between the UK and the EU, and companies will need to be ready with the correct paperwork and registrations, whatever the outcome of the post-transition period. The portal provides an automated environment for cross-border customs procedures and practices, documentation requirements, freight and transit operations, trade, and transport arrangements. https://eutradeportal.com