FOOD AND BEVERAGE: £2.5m palletising cell doubles cereal-maker’s output BEARINGS AND BELTS: Using graphene to ght friction in bearings BUILDING SERVICES: How regenerative drives can boost lift eciencies Drives&Controls MARCH 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com #1 ENGINEERING MAGAZINE FOR AUTOMATION, POWER TRANSMISSION AND MOTION CONTROL INSIDE
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50 CONTENTS n 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 system without the written consent of the publishers. Paid subscriptions UK: £110 per annum Europe: £145 per annum Rest of World: £180 per annum Printing: Warners Midlands PLC., PE10 9PH ISSN 0950 5490 Copyright: DFA Media Group 2024 NEXT ISSUE The April issue of Drives & Controls will contain a feature on machine vision, a section devoted to developments in conveyors and material-handling, and a look at what’s been happening in the machine-building sector. UPDATE 14 Comment 15 Back to Basics 45 Gambica column 46 New Products 48 Design Data and Multimedia 49 Products & Services IN DEPTH Follow us on X @DrivesnControls Drives Magazine Web site www.drivesncontrols.com Follow us on LinkedIn @ Drives & Controls Join us on Facebook Drives & Controls Drives& Controls REGULARS DfAmedia group 36 32 28 18 5 46 DRIVES & CONTROLS March 2024 Vol 40 No 3 Editor Tony Sacks t: 01732 465367 e: tony@drives.co.uk Consultant Editor Andy Pye t: 07808 137312 e: andy.pye@dfamedia.co.uk Production Manager Sarah Blake t: 01233 770781 e: sarah.blake@dfamedia.co.uk Operations Manager Emma Godden-Wood t: 01732 370340 e: emma.godden-wood@dfamedia.co.uk Marketing Manager Hope Jepson t: 01732 370340 e: hope.jepson@dfamedia.co.uk Financial Finance Department t: 01732 370340 e: accounts@dfamedia.co.uk ADVERTISING Sales Director Damien Oxlee t: 01732 370342 m: 07951 103754 e: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk DFA Direct Ian Atkinson t: 01732 370340 e: ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Italy Oliver & Diego Casiraghi e: info@casiraghi.info t: +39 031 261407 f: +39 031 261380 Managing Director Ryan Fuller t: 01732 370344 e: ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk Chief Executive Ocer Ian Atkinson t: 01732 370346 e: ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Reader/Circulation Enquiries Perception-MPS Ltd t: 01825 701520 e: cs@perception-sas.com HEAD OFFICE DFA Media Group 192 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE t: 01732 370340 f: 01732 360034 e: info@dfamedia.co.uk www.drivesncontrols.com 5 News A round-up of the latest business and industry developments from around the world. 18 Technology Cutting-edge innovations in motion, power transmission, controls and related technologies. 28 Machine Vision Sales of 3D machine vision systems are growing more than twice as fast as the total vision market. A research analyst specialising in the sector examines the reasons for this rapid expansion and looks at some of the technologies involved. 30 Food and Beverage A UK cereal producer has doubled its output to 86,000 cases every 24 hours by replacing a manual palletising and labelling operation with an automated installation. Plus how smart 2D prole sensors are helping to measure the bread rolls and other ingredients on a sandwich production line. 36 Bearings and Belts Using low-friction graphene as a lubricant for bearings can deliver substantial energy savings. and could result in better, or even limitless, bearing wear. Plus tips from an expert on how to reduce the risk of conveyor belt breakdowns. 41 Talking Industry Last month's Talking Industry panel discussion covered network connectivity, including trends in networks, the move to 5G private networks, and time-sensitive networking. We report on the conversation. 42 Building Services An expert explores how regenerative braking systems can improve lift eciency and deliver signicant benets for building owners. 43 M&E Week The organisers of Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week 2024 are continuing to announce new activities designed to enhance the visitor experience. We look at some of the latest. 44 Robots The International Federation of Robotics identies the ve main technological trends that it believes will drive the global automation sector during 2024. 41 Average net circulation January to December 2022 43 44 42 Subscribe for your FREE copy now 21,157
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NEWS n 5 $100bn plan aims to make Saudi Arabia a global leader in robotics and automation SAUDI ARABIA HAS EMBARKED on an ambitious programme to become a global leader in robotics and industrial automation. It has set up a company called Alat which has formed a strategic partnership with the Japanese investment group SoftBank to develop “groundbreaking” industrial robots and to create a nextgeneration industrial automation infrastructure with the aim of establishing 32,000 “leading edge” factories in the Kingdom by 2025. An investment budget of $100bn has been allocated to Alat (which is also promoting other high-tech activities). The robotics project is predicted to be contributing $1bn to Saudi GDP by 2025. The rst step in the programme is the creation of a joint venture between Alat and SoftBank to produce industrial robots for a wide range of industrial manufacturing and assembly processes “that will radically transform manufacturing”. The partners will invest up to $150m to establish an automated manufacturing and engineering hub in Riyadh that will serve local and global demand. The rst factory is due to open in December 2024. Riyadh-headquartered Alat has been established to create a global champion in electronics and advanced industrial segments. With an investment budget of $100bn, Alat will partner with global technology leaders to transform a variety of industries, and to establish world-class businesses in Saudi, powered by clean energy. “We want this to be the start of a gamechanger for manufacturing around the world,”says Alat CEO, Amit Midha. “Together with SoftBank Group, we see an immense market opportunity for robotics, both in the Kingdom, the Gulf, and globally. With this initial set-up, we predict a contribution of $1bn to Saudi Arabia GDP by 2025. Our ambition is to fundamentally transform industrial manufacturing by robots, manufactured in the Kingdom.” SoftBank’s chairman and CEO, Masayoshi Son, adds: “The combination of Saudi Arabia’s vision, economic growth and leading logistics location, coupled with abundant access to green energy and Alat’s mandate to manufacture sustainably, made this strategic partnership very compelling. Today’s announcement marks a historic milestone for how future manufacturing will take place.” The new JV will build industrial robots using intellectual property developed by SoftBank and its aliates. The robots will be able to perform tasks with minimal programming. They will be target industrial assembly and other manufacturing applications. The robot factory that the JV is setting up will use the latest technologies to manufacture “unprecedented” next-generation robots, capable of performing a wide variety of tasks. Saudi Arabia’s massive infrastructure investments will accelerate the adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution applications in the Kingdom, enhancing its supply chains and logistics. By 2035, it expects to be running around 32,000 factories powered by clean energy and using leadingedge technologies. Alat, backed by Saudi’s PIF sovereign wealth fund, aims to create a sustainable manufacturing hub in Saudi Arabia focused on advanced industrials and electronics. It will target seven strategic areas: advanced industrials; semiconductors; smart health; smart appliances; smart devices; smart buildings; and nextgeneration infrastructure. It will create products both for Saudi and the rest of the world. Alat aims to help the country to achieve its Vision 2030 goals of industrial development, innovation, economic diversication and job creation. By 2030, Alat wants to create 39,000 direct jobs, as well as a sustainable manufacturing hub focused on advanced industrials and electronics that, it hopes, will be contributing $9.3bn of non-oil revenues to the Kingdom’s GDP by the end of this decade. Another of Alat’s goals is to achieve zero-carbon manufacturing, powered by renewables. It will take advantage of the fact that Saudi Arabia receives around 105 trillion kWh of solar energy every day – equivalent to 10 billion barrels of oil. Alat CEO Amit Midha has joined the company from Dell Technologies, where he was responsible for the computer company’s growth in Asia-Pacic and Japan. The industrial automation and robotics activities will fall under Alat’s next-generation infrastructure business, whose president, Dr Matthias Heilmann, was previously president of ABB’s installation products division. www.alat.com www.drivesncontrols.com March 2024 MANUFACTURERS IN EUROPE and North America experienced a 279% rise in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) cyber-attacks last year, according to new analysis by the communications infrastructure provider, Zayo. These are targeted attacks, launched simultaneously from multiple sources, that overwhelm a victim’s Internet capabilities, cutting them off for extended periods. According to the report, the attacks knocked out manufacturer’s Internet capabilities for 68 minutes on average – much longer than in most other sectors. With the costs of such attacks averaging £4,700 per minute, a typical DDoS attack on a manufacturer costs almost £320,000. Zavo suggests that a combination of business and networking practices, including the use of multiple digital connections, make manufacturers especially vulnerable to DDoS attacks. One bit of good news from the report is that the number of DDoS attacks on manufacturers fell by 24.5% in the second half of 2023, compared to the first. The report can be downloaded from: https://www.zayo.com/resources/ truth-and-trends-of-ddos-attacks Manufacturers suffered a 279% rise in DDoS attacks in 2023 Alat CEO Amit Midha: a game-changer for manufacturing around the world
n NEWS March 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com 6 A VARIABLE-SPEED DRIVE is the rst industrial product to be certi ed for use in the US after some of the required tests were conducted using digital simulation. The simulation was veri ed and validated using physical testing. The certi cation of the Siemens Sinamics G220 drive – thought to be a world- rst for a national safety-certi cation process – marks a shift from relying solely on physical tests to integrating digital simulations. It could reshape the future of veri cation, resulting in lower costs and shorter times-to-market. Traditionally, product certi cation has demanded exhaustive physical tests, often subjecting a product to a battery of assessments. Simulation based on digital twins could solve the challenges and costs of testing products containing high-power electronic components, in particular. The new certi cation process, developed by Siemens and the safety science specialist UL Solutions, means that products may not need to undergo every test physically. Digital twins could be used instead. Siemens says it marks a step forward into a future in which digital twins and the industrial metaverse streamline product development, enhance innovation and safety, and accelerate time-to-market. “Siemens’digital twin technology is rewriting the rules of innovation,”says Cedrik Neike, CEO of Siemens Digital Industries. “This collaborative eort with UL Solutions is a testament to our dedication to a future in which innovation knows no bounds. It invites industries and innovators alike to explore the limitless possibilities that comprehensive digital twins oer for shaping the future of product development.” “Our collaboration with Siemens in this transformative journey represents a signi cant shift in the certi cation paradigm,” adds Jennifer Scanlon, president and CEO of UL Solutions. “The certi cation process relies on physical testing. Now, digital simulations integrated with traditional methodologies can rede ne how our customers approach testing and certi cation and open new avenues for precision and eciency. UL Solutions is proud to be part of this revolutionary leap.” VSD is first product to receive US certification using digital twins pSiemens has bought the German visual inspection start-up Inspekto from its venture capitalist owner, D11Z Ventures, for an undisclosed sum. Inspekto has an AI-driven, machine-vision-based QA (quality assurance) technology that can be installed “within minutes” without needing systems integrators or the lengthy processes usually associated with setting up QA systems. p The global industrial automation market will grow at a CAGR of 8.16% from 2023-2027, expanding by $83.6bn over this period, according to a new report from Technavio. Some 42% of the growth will occur in the Asia-Pacic region. www.technavio.com p The German safety-related automation specialist Hima Group has bought Origo Solutions, the Norwegian supplier of safety, automation and instrumented systems for monitoring control and protection, for an undisclosed sum. They will collaborate on the digitalisation of functional safety. Origo also supplies Scada systems to the wind power industry. p The global distributor Mouser Electronics has signed an agreement with Siemens to stock products in a variety of categories, including networking devices, HMIs, circuit protection devices, modular contactors, pushbuttons, indicator lights, switches, power supplies and Logo! logic modules. p The UK Government is providing a total of £12.5m in funding for 19 projects that are developing automation and robotic technologies to boost agricultural productivity, food security and sustainable farming practices. One project will develop robotic vehicles to enable safe navigation on elds and to improve navigation accuracy and reliability. p The wound components specialist Electro-Wind is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. During this time, it has outgrown three premises and plans to add a further production unit this year to house its recent machinery investments. It now oers bespoke transformers from 10VA– 2MVA as well as AC reactors, DC rectiers and chokes, and accessories. NEWS BRIEFS MORE THAN 20 MILLION low-voltage AC drives, worth more than $14bn, were shipped globally during 2023 as the market continued to expand, new data from Interact Analysis shows. But the pace of growth slowed during the year and is expected to continue to do so in 2024, before steady growth returns in 2025. IA is predicting a CAGR of 4% in the period to 2028. During the rst half of 2023, strong backlogs fuelled growth in sales of LV AC drives, but drives vendors are reporting that sales fell substantially in the second half of the year. Following several years of higher average sale prices and unprecedented demand, the market slowed down, with a growth of just 2.7% during 2023. The volatility experienced in the LV drives market during 2021 and 2022 has largely subsided, and this has aected prices. The average global selling price for drives fell by 0.3% in 2023, driven by falls in the Apac region. “The in¡ated price levels of many commodities, which led to an increase in selling price for drives in 2021 and 2022, have fallen substantially from their peaks in 2022,” says IA research analyst, Brianna Jackson. “This has resulted in pressure from customers to decrease prices and we expect prices to erode further in 2024, shrinking by an estimated 1.5% during the year.” 20m LV AC drives shipped in 2023 Using digital twins for product certication could cut costs and speed time-to-market
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March 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com 8 n NEWS THERE WERE MORE THAN 420 million cyberattacks on the world’s critical infrastructure last year – equivalent to 13 attacks every second, and a 30% increase on 2022 – according to a new report by the cyber-research organisation, Forescout Research. The report, 2023 Global Threat Roundup, analyses attacks on sectors including manufacturing, power, communications, waste and transportation. It nds that OT (operational technology) systems are “under relentless assault”, with industrial automation installations accounting to 71% of these attacks, followed by power grids on 28%, and building automation systems on 1%. Five protocols bear the brunt of the attacks, with Modbus subject to a “staggering” 33% of all attacks, followed by Ethernet/IP, Step7 and DNP3, each accounting for around 18% of the onslaught. IEC10X accounts for 10% of attacks, with the remaining 2% being distributed among other protocols, the largest of which is the building control protocol BACnet. The report nds that 163 countries suered attacks last year with the US being the main target, with 168 malicious actors setting their sights on it. In second place was the UK, targeted by 88 actors, followed by Germany (77), India (72) and Japan (66). Nearly half of the attackers came from just three countries: China (with 155), Russia (88) and Iran (45). Although there fewer attacks on software libraries last year, Forescout reports a surge in exploits that target network infrastructures and IoT devices. The most common IoT targets included IP cameras, building automation systems, and network-attached storage. The report nds that only 35% of the exploited vulnerabilities appear in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) list compiled by the US government’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, CISA. Despite the challenges posed by the surge in cyber-attacks, Elisa Costante, Forescout’s vice-president of research at Forescout Research, is optimistic about the future. “While it's true that current eorts have fallen short in fully harnessing crucial technology to fortify critical assets and assess risks, there is an opportunity for improvement,” she says. “The key lies in achieving comprehensive visibility, ensuring real-time contextual awareness of every device, whether managed or unmanaged.” https://www.forescout.com/resources/ research-report_2023-threat-roundup Cyberattacks soar to 13 per second – with OT being a key target QPT, the Cambridge-based start-up developing next-generation GaNbased motor drives, has appointed Rupert Baines as its CEO with eect from April. The semiconductor industry veteran has been advising QPT for the past two years and will help to accelerate growth as the company reaches the prototype phase. Magnomatics, the developer of magnetic transmissions and ultracompact motors, has appointed Joe Kitchen as operations director. He has more than 15 years’ experience in the manufacturing and operations management, including a period as head of operational excellence at Siemens Gamesa. Magnomatics was formed in 2006 as a spin-out from the University of Sheeld to commercialise novel products based on an ecient magnetic gear technology. The robotics software company Bow has appointed Nick Thompson as CEO. The company, established in 2020 as a spin-out from the University of Sheeld, aims to become a global leader. Thompson is an entrepreneur who founded the software development rm, One Beyond (originally DCSL Software) before selling it to private equity. Bow’s founder, Daniel Camilleri, is taking on the role of CTO and product visionary. Nick Hart has been appointed to the new role of director of wholesale at Hylec-APL, the manufacturer and supplier of electrical and electromechanical components. The appointment marks a return to the company for Hart who was previously its head of wholesale before leaving to spend three years as sales director at the water-resistant electronics manufacturer, ProofVision. Modbus accounts for a third of attacks on OT systems Source: Forescout Research EVENTS Mach 2024 15-19 April, 2024 NEC, Birmingham Described as “the UK’s only live, national event showcasing sustainable, innovative technologies used across the manufacturing spectrum”, Mach 2024 will introduce a series of hubs focusing on specic technologies: automation and robotics; data and AI; energy eciency; additive manufacturing; and tooling. Each hub will be managed by one of the specialist centres from the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. www.machexhibition.com Hannover Messe 22-26 April, 2024 Hannover, Germany The industrial megashow returns bringing together exhibitors from digital industries, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, robotics and the energy sector. Key topics will include Industry 4.0/Manufacturing-X, digitisation, AI and machine learning. The fair will include a Research and Innovation Summit for the rst time. The partner country is Norway. www.hannovermesse.de/en CWIEME Berlin 14-16 May, 2024 Berlin, Germany The world’s largest show dedicated to motor manufacturing, coil winding, transformers, generators and emobility, expects to welcome more than 6,000 attendees and 600 exhibitors over its three days. More than 50 speakers have been lined up for the event, oering more than 25 hours of content. There will be a new zone dedicated to start-ups in areas including high-performance motors, sensors and power electronics. https://berlin.cwiemeevents.com Drives & Controls 5-6 June, 2024 NEC, Birmingham Now part of Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week, the Drives & Controls show will run alongside other events including Air-Tech, Fluid Power & Systems, Maintec, Smart Factory Expo and Design & Engineering Expo. It will cover areas including industrial automation, energy eciency, machine safety, drives, motion controls, power transmission and robotics. www.mandeweek.co.uk/ drives-controls-expo-home Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week 5-6 June, 2024 NEC, Birmingham The event will include the Maintec, Smart Factory Expo and Design & Engineering Expo shows and will run alongside Drives & Controls, Air-Tech, Fluid Power & Systems. The organisers say the “Festival of Industrial Innovation” represents the future of manufacturing and engineering in the UK. As well as the exhibitions there will be conferences and summits. www.mandeweek.co.uk
n NEWS March 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com 10 A UK START-UP HAS EMERGED from a period of stealth to announce that it has developed a patented switched reluctance motor (SRM) technology which halves torque ripple, making it much smoother and quieter than other SRMs. Monumo, based in Cambridge and Coventry, recently raised a £10.5m in seed funding and says it has signed NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) with numerous tier one engineering companies and OEMs. The company, founded in 2021, says it has coupled deep-tech AI innovation with traditional engineering expertise to reinvent the electric motor. Although its initial focus is on rare-earth-free SRMs for electric vehicles, it adds that its “world-rst approach” of combining simulation, optimisation and prototyping, has the potential for wider uses across the electric motors market. Monumo says that its technology will reduce the weight and costs of EV motors, and the amount of materials they need, while delivering the same performance. It will achieve high eciencies across drive cycles at all speeds, and solve the problem of overheating, while also improving recyclability. Monumo claims it can optimise motor systems faster and better than any other company. “We’re creating disruptive motor system designs that are highly improbable to conceive by conventional means,” it says. Using its proprietary technology, the company is running around 10 million simulations every day to test potential iterations of its motor designs. The platform can optimise parameters to achieve specic goals, such as cutting costs, raising eciencies or improving sustainability. The company is led by founder and CEO, Dominic Vergine, an entrepreneur and former VP for sustainability at the chip-maker Arm, and Dr Jaroslaw Rzepecki, its chief technology ocer, who previously held software engineering posts at Siemens, Microsoft and Arm. The company has a 30strong multidisciplinary team – half of whom have PhDs in areas such as physics, electronics, machine learning, computer science and engineering. “We’re extremely excited to be entering this next phase of our business journey,”says Vergine. “We are driven by a desire to create a sustainable future and we know that the EV market is a crucial entry point for our technology. By partnering with OEMs and tierone engineering companies, our unique combination of simulation, ML, AI and motor design ability can facilitate genuine near-term impact in the EV industry. These incredible results from our motor simulations are just the start as we look to create genuine system-level optimisation for the rst time.” One of Monumo’s backers is the venture capital company, LQD. “I believe that, in short order, Monumo will show the world that the impossible eciencies they promise are not only possible, but of fundamental importance to how much impact we have on the planet,” says LQD’s founder and managing partner, Santiago Matheus. “It’s hard to overstate the role we anticipate this unique combination of technologies will have in the future of engineering disciplines and beyond.” https://monumo.com UK motors start-up emerges from stealth with a ‘reinvented’ SRM UK RESEARCH AND INNOVATION has awarded grants totalling £3.7m to 11 latestage robotics and automation collaborative projects aimed at improving productivity, sustainability and resilience. The 9-15-month projects, covering areas such as process control, machine vision and gripper technologies, have each secured £107,000–£535,000. One winning group, led by Brompton Bicycle, has been awarded £512,660 to optimise bicycle production using robots and automation. Another, led by Rivelin Robotics, working with GKN Aerospace and others, will use additive manufacturing, 3D vision and force control algorithms to automate the nishing of aerospace parts, orthopaedic implants and gas turbine components. The grant is worth £535,360. UKRI’s Made Smarter Innovation (MSI) Challenge – delivered by Innovate UK, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, and the Economic and Social Research Council – reduces innovation risks for UK manufacturers, with the help of experts in digital technologies. It has a total budget of £147m from 2020–2025. “The successful 11 projects have the potential to improve process automation and eciency in environments where those kinds of gains are hard to come by,” says Chris Needham, the MSI Challenge’s innovation lead. “The importance of these kinds of innovations for the UK economy can’t be overstated. Our funding is designed to support them as they pave the way to a smarter and more resilient manufacturing landscape.” Each project has to deploy an in-factory demonstration in real-life conditions. The project partners can use the lessons learned in commercial processes. The projects being backed include: n a low-cost, high-speed robot transfer system for automated 3D printing and nishing equipment, led by Photocentric (awarded £462,622); n robotic picking-and-placing of ingredients into sandwiches, led by Industrial Robotic Solutions (£362,526); n automated feedstock management for additive manufacturing, led by Autonomous Manufacturing (£474,568); n using automation technologies to pack ¨owers, led by Flamingo Flowers (£199,409); n robotic manufacturing of electroformed components, led by Ultima Forma (£107,648); n automated production of aerospace pallets, led by Fergusson’s Advanced Composite Technology (£280,008); and n adaptive self-learning robotic linishing and polishing, led by Advanced Automation and Assembly (£160,781). Brompton Bicycle is one of 11 winners in £3.7m smart factory grants Challenge Vergine: “incredible” results from motor simulations are just the start
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n NEWS March 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com 12 AN ONLINE TOOL THAT helps people assess their prospects for a career in drives, controls, power electronics and machines, has been launched by the Electric Revolution Skills (ERS) Hub – the Government-backed platform that provides a national skills resource to help attract people into the “electrication” sector. The aim of the new Electrication SelfAssessment Tool is to help ll the 169,000 electrication jobs needed in the UK. It will help individuals to understand the skills, courses and roles available, and how suited they are for a career in the sector. The self-assessment tool takes less than 30 minutes to complete and can be used both by people who are already working in the industry, and by those with no prior experience but who want an insight into the sector. It provides a broad overview of the skillsets and jobs involved, and will later oer more details on specic roles such as mechanical design engineers, software integration specialists and battery engineers. “There are so many opportunities in electrication, but it is still an emerging industry, and it can be dicult to navigate the skills and capabilities required,” explains Dr James Shuttleworth, the ERS Hub’s operations director. “We have taken advantage of the reach of the ERS Hub, the common language of the PEMD Body of Knowledge and the understanding of electrication from our connections with colleges, universities, employers, and experts in the sector. “The tool gives users the benet of all this expertise and understanding to help them identify the careers they want and the skills they need,”he adds. “Thanks to the enormous amount of career and development opportunities on the Hub, the tool can then link people directly to the ones that suit them.” The ERS Hub was launched a year ago, with funding from Coventry University and UKRI (the UK Government’s research and innovation organisation), to support careers and skills development in the sector. It has already helped to ll more than 600 jobs and has hundreds of positions available with more being added every day. The Hub’s directory of training, development and courses continues to grow, and now boasts more than 900 entries, including short courses, upskilling programmes, and graduate placements. At its heart is the “Body of Knowledge”, which promotes a consistent view of the sector’s skills and technologies and helps create a consensus for the disciplines needed to upskill the UK workforce. The Self-Assessment tool builds a tailored, interactive journey for individuals. “This is just the start,” says ERS Hub product development director, Richard Lane. “The tool has multiple pathways already and can expand to support people at dierent points of their journey, across dierent sectors, and job roles. “We are encouraging companies and training providers to come forward and work with us on creating more pathways that are relevant to their current and future workforces,” he continues. “The technology can be branded and customised in order to support organisations looking to attract new talent in what is an extremely competitive environment.” www.ershub.co.uk Online tool helps to assess careers in drives, controls and machines THE UK MANUFACTURING SECTOR is predicted to continue struggling during 2024 and will shrink by 0.4% over the course of the year, according to the latest predictions from Interact Analysis. It expects the machinery sector to be particularly hard-hit, experiencing a contraction of 3.3%. In Europe, the economic outlook for 2024 is just as bleak. Italy is one of the worst aected, with machinery production expected to shrink by 3.7%, while the manufacturing sector will contract by 1.5%, with employment levels falling as well. Interact is also predicting a manufacturing decline of 1.3% in France and 0.8% in Germany. The gures are part of the analyst’s regular look at global manufacturing, with the latest forecasts suggesting that 2024 will be the lowest point in the manufacturing cycle for many regions and sectors. Despite this, regions such as the US and Germany will shrink half as much in 2024 as they did at the height of the Covid pandemic. Interact is predicting slower growth for the global machinery sector over the coming ve years, following a weak 2023, a contraction in 2024, and worries over 2025. It expects the CAGR for global manufacturing to be 2.7% from 2023–2028, with the AsiaPacic region on 2.9%, and the US and Europe both on 2.4%. But there are some more optimistic predictions. “While everything seems so doom and gloom, we are seeing positive order books for semiconductor machinery,” reports Interact CEO, Adrian Lloyd. “This sector is in an odd position currently – as demand for semiconductor machinery increases, the production of semiconductors themselves has all but collapsed. North America’s order growth for semiconductor machinery has reached over 50% – likely due to the Chips and In¥ation Reduction Act – while Europe and Taiwan also continue to place orders. “Although 2024 will be a tough year for the global manufacturing industry,” he adds, “our predictions suggest that the severity of the growth trough will be mild for most regions.” www.interactanalysis.com UK manufacturing will shrink by 0.4% in 2024, with machinery down by 3.3% “Just the start”: (left to right) Deepak Farmah, James Shuttleworth and Richard Lane of the ERS Hub
NEWS n sfp & brainboxes.com Switch range Gigabit Ethernet SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC HAS collaborated with Intel and the opensource software developer Red Hat to release a Distributed Control Node (DCN) software framework that, they say, will help to drive open automation. The framework, an extension of Schneider’s EcoStruxure Automation Expert, will allow industrial companies to migrate from vendor-specic hardware to a software-dened, plugand-produce model, thus enhancing their operations, ensuring quality, reducing complexity and optimising costs. The three collaborators say they have created a modern, network-based experience that will lead to the next generation of industrial controls. It is aligned with the goals of the Open Process Automation Forum (OPAF), which is dedicated to driving interoperability and portability. Schneider Electric and Intel rst revealed their plans to develop a DCN software framework to simplify and speed the development of software-dened control systems in 2022. “This project is the culmination of two years of co-innovation to create ecient, future-proof distributed control systems,” says Nathalie Marcotte, Schneider’s senior vice-president of process automation. “The DCN framework is key to fostering an open automation approach, enabling industrial businesses to grow and innovate for the future. Its interoperability and portability help our customers enjoy the freedom of shaping technology around their business needs – and not the other way around.” Red Hat, working with Intel, recently announced a new industrial edge platform for building and operating industrial controls. Since implementing this platform, Schneider has deployed Red Hat Device Edge in its new DCN software, combined with its own control infrastructure and a reference architecture from Intel. The framework consists of two main components: an advanced computer platform, which supervises the control workload by providing the control and automation capabilities needed to deploy workloads securely and programmatically, as well as virtualisation and monitoring functions; and the DCNs – low-power industrial devices based on Intel Atom processors, that are dedicated to running controls. “Open and interconnected commercial solutions will help to usher in the transition from xed-function proprietary devices to exible, dynamic software-based infrastructures,” says Christine Boles, vice-president of Intel’s Network and Edge Group and general manager of its Federal and Industrial Solutions activities. “Intel has a long history of driving open-system approaches across its ecosystem,” she adds. “This collaboration with Schneider Electric and Red Hat to develop a software-dened control system showcasing next-generation distributed control nodes built on general-purpose compute and operating systems, brings about this transition to the industrial sector.” www.se.com/ww/en Schneider, Intel and Red Hat offer automation framework The new DCN software framework is an extension of Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Automation Expert. The aim is to replace vendor-specific hardware with an open plug-and-produce architecture. For moreNews visit www.drivesncontrols.com
GET READY FOR SAUDI ARABIA’S SMART REVOLUTION Saudi Arabia’s audacious project to use its petro-billions to transform itself into a robotics, automation and high-tech superpower could have massive implications far beyond the Kingdom’s borders – if indeed it can pull it o . It makes sense for the Saudis to use their oil fortunes to plan ahead for a time when demand for oil may be declining. But to attempt to reinvent itself as an industrial frontrunner is certainly a bold move. The aim of establishing 32,000 new high-tech factories in just over a decade might seem far-fetched, especially at a time when manufacturers are struggling in much of the world. But because they are starting almost from scratch, the Saudis have the potential to leapfrog nations being held back by substantial investments in legacy technologies, infrastructures and mindsets. In a similar way to how China has established itself as an electrical vehicle pacesetter by not really attempting to compete with West in the combustion-engined vehicle market, Saudi Arabia could be the place where concepts such as digitalisation and the industrial metaverse become a widespread reality, rather than merely an aspiration. But to do so will require expertise – hundreds, if not thousands, of automation experts will be vital if Saudi is to achieve its ambitions. And many, or most, of them will need to come from the West. To tempt these people in the numbers needed, Saudi will no doubt be o ering very attractive remuneration packages. These, coupled with the prospect of a life in the sun, and being in at the start of a new industrial revolution, will no doubt persuade many Western engineers to make the move to the Middle East. But this could, in turn, have a negative impact on Western countries, causing a brain drain of the very people that these countries are relying on to turn their manufacturing sectors around. Skills shortages are likely to become even more acute in some countries. The Saudis have already made clear their intentions with the calibre of the people who they have already appointed as key executives in the Alat organisation that is driving the new revolution. They have headhunted people who have worked at the top of organisations such as ABB, Dell, LG Electronics, Johnson Controls, Dow Chemical and Onsemi. They also seem to have made a wise choice in partnering with the Japanese SoftBank group for their automation and robotics joint venture. SoftBank has a stake in many cutting-edge technologies including AI, smart robotics, IoT and clean energy. It also has a majority holding in the chip-maker, Arm. If anyone has the resources to reshape the global automation lansdscape, it is the Saudis. They will no doubt face many challenges, but if they succeed in their ambitions, when we refer to the EMEA region in the future, it could be Europe and Africa that are the minor players. Tony Sacks, Editor n COMMENT * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * brus ) Preci , ) motors hed and brushless (( ! ' %+% $+ '!!' ision resolvers, $& +' + dri ste %$ vices eedbackde es tepper motors & driv es Servo motors & driv S F epper Stepper motor dr %$ '((%#'$ %$ ' r andserv ives "( ) %+ $ $ (* ormance, High perf rives, # ) '& vomotor epper Harsh industrial, vacuum #'$% +!) ' rated st rmotors systems %$&"+ %)(! +% $%$# sh Vacuum and har Robust incremental and absolute encoders moto moto Smal ors orque ors, frameless t l brushed and brushless ,+ ) (') control a comm custom )!! ) )! ' s and ') '& + Gearboxes systems or )&%$#+"!!(%' ! ' %+% $ $ l products f r over 40 years, we have mitment to technical excellence and mer service and adopt a partnership "+%$'++ ' ' " "+ ' + '++% $)( +!' % ) $ )$& &'+%#$ x tary Slip ring assemblies ro y joints and spur Planetary r gear units ww $ '# step .mclenna ! "%(&+' ' !' %' +"!! ) ! ww # ) '&, +' )$& per motors $ ( # o.uk sales@mclennan.c $ $ ( ' !!(% ) $ +!' % +44 (0) 1252 531444 o.uk ! # ' % ' ) '& "! % ")(% '& )$& '$ '& ' $% )( +)('+ )$& )!!(% ) $+ + ) )(('$#' "+ ! %&' " % !(' ' + (" $ , n.c
Drives&Controls & BACK TO BASICS n SPONSORED BY Data centre cooling: PUE isn’t the whole story PUE is often used to measure the e ectiveness of data centre cooling systems. However, using PUE alone risks losing sight of the bigger picture when it comes to overall system e ciency, as ABB’s Carl Turbitt, ABB’s HVAC drives sales manager for the UK, explains. PUE (power usage e ectiveness) is the most widely used metric for calculating the energy e ciency of data centres. It measures the ratio of the energy used, compared to the energy delivered to the computing equipment. Anything that isn’t considered a computing device – for example, lighting or cooling – counts towards energy consumption. In theory, the closer PUE is to 1.0, the more e cient a data centre is. A perfect 1.0 ratio would imply that all of the power is being delivered to the IT equipment, with no losses. Anything above 1.4 for the latest data centres (or 1.5 for older centres) is considered to be less than ideal. While a PUE of 1.0 is theoretically possible, there are very few facilities around the world where it has actually been reached. In any case, using PUE as a performance metric for data centres is not without its aws. For instance, PUE only accounts for active power, ignoring harmonic losses and reactive current losses on the cooling system, so the formula does not account for a sizeable chunk of power losses. Harmonics, caused by switching devices such as variablespeed drives, can be a major issue for data centres, and are a blind spot in PUE calculations. They reduce energy e ciency, and can cause equipment to function erratically. This, in turn, reduces reliability. There are several options for mitigating data centre harmonics, varying in cost and complexity. A traditional solution to mitigating harmonics would be to add more harmonic lters, however these involve extra cost, space, cooling and installation. They also create a single potential point of failure – if a lter fails, the upstream system can trip, and so still needs to be oversized for the application. By contrast, active front-end (AFE) drives handle harmonic mitigation within the drive itself. They have an active supply and integrated line lter, which help to reduce harmonic content by up to 90%. While these drives typically have a higher upfront cost than conventional drives, they can save money within the context of wider systems by reducing the likelihood of downtime, and allowing smaller cables and transformers to be used. ABB will be exhibiting its AFE drives at the Data Centre World event in London from 6-7 March. To attend, register at https://www.datacentreworld.com 10.00am Tuesday 12th November - How smart maintenance can slash operating costs? 10.00am Tuesday th - How does efficiency and sustainability affect your bottom line? 10.00am Tuesday 11th June - Are robots a worthwhile investment for SMEs? 10.00am Tuesday 10th September - Machine safety: what are the latest regulations?
In a strategic move that forti es its position as a leader in the motors and drives industry, Oriental Motor has recently signed a signi cant UK distribution deal with the Swedish owned, OEM Automatic. This partnership is poised to have farreaching implications, oering enhanced support to customers, particularly in scenarios where sourcing or replacing AC or Brushless DC (BLDC) motors has proven challenging, especially since the withdrawal from the market of the Panasonic AC and BLDC product series. OEM Automatic, a distinguished specialist supplier of high quality automation products,stands to benefit immensely from the expansion of its product portfolio, with the addition of Oriental Motor's comprehensive range. The move is especially crucial in scenarios where AC or BLDC motors have been discontinued, providing customers with viable alternatives and ensuring seamless operations without disruption. “What is really exciting for us, is that we’re seeing lead times halved from what is an average 8 to 12 weeks, that is a massive shift that can only be good for the market.” Said Nik Page, Nik Page, the Motors Business Area Manager for OEM Automatic, “Customers can get product quicker than they’ve ever been able to get it.” Oriental Motor's extensive product line spans an array of cutting-edge technologies, ranging from the intelligent stepper and servo motor range (AZ series) to open loop stepper motors with drivers (PKP and CVK Series). The inclusion of AC input BLDCs (BLE2 series & BMU Series), DC input BLDCs (BLH and BLV-R series), induction motors, reversible motors, IP67 rated motors, and various actuators further solidifies Oriental Motor's commitment to delivering innovative solutions for a diverse range of applications. Mike Larsen, the UK Divisional Manager of Oriental Motor, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, highlighting the strategic significance of partnering with OEM Automatic, a major player in the distribution landscape. He identified that this venture would not only provide OEM Automatic's customers with access to a broader range of high-quality products but also serve as an opportunity to introduce Oriental Motor to a new audience of engineers. Nik Page, echoed Larsen's sentiments, emphasising the expansive nature of this collaboration. He sees this partnership as a pivotal move that expands their current offerings and positions OEM Automatic firmly within the domain of control and automation. Page believes that this alignment with Oriental Motor's products and systems, aligns seamlessly with the evolving needs of their customers, both present and future. nADVERTORIALFEATURE ORIENTAL MOTOR AND OEM AUTOMATIC LTD COMBINE TO PROVIDE A LASTING ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION
Adam Porter, Product Group Manager at OEM Automatic went on to say “Thanks to the large product offer Oriental Motor brings, we are able to develop and evolve with our customers providing solutions today and into the future, in essence we can offer a one stop shop to customers and we can expand with your engineers. We are a technical trading company so everyone is speaking from a technical, engineering background, so we’re not just salesman”. Mike went further to say Our field sales staff are degree educated engineers, our first priority when engaging with a customer is to understand and meet their automation requirement. This philosophy and approach aligns perfectly well with the values of OEM Automatic. Nik Page added “It’s what OEM can do for you", we try to find areas where our customer has a problem and approach the problem from an engineering/ application point of view. We’re not doing switch sell, we are an important part of our customers design team, and look to work closely with design engineers. This exciting new distribution deal between Oriental Motor and OEM Automatic is a strategic alliance that holds promise for the industry. With Oriental Motor's cutting-edge technologies and OEM Automatic's established position as a specialist supplier, this collaboration is poised to usher in a new era of innovation and support for customers in the dynamic field of motors and drives. Oriental Motor, Japan's oldest motor manufacturer, producing electric motors for over 130 years. The overall product range comprises over 70,000 products, and covers various motor technologies. Since its entry into the European market in 1982, the company has played a vital role in the region's motor manufacturing industry. In the UK specifically, Oriental Motor has been a trusted source of highquality Japanese motors since 1996. OEM Automatic, specialise in marketing and selling components for industrial automation. They proudly represent over 50 top suppliers and serve as their local sales organisation in the UK. For more information, visit www.oriental-motor.co.uk info@oriental-motor.co.uk 01256 347 090 Thanks to the large product oer Oriental Motor brings, we are able to develop and evolve with our customers providing solutions today and into the future, in essence we can oer a one stop shop to customers and we can expand with your engineers. We are a technical trading company so everyone is speaking from a technical, engineering background, so we’re not just salesman Adam Porter, Product Group Manager, OEM Automatic “ ”
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