MOTORS: Picking the best motors for driving and positioning applications LINEAR MOTION: How to achieve cutting-edge performance in sawmills SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL: Linear motion redefines laboratory automation practices Drives&Controls AUTOMATION FOR MANUFACTURING INSIDE Z ) Y M W W 4 M W ! ) EUCHNER Opens Up New Possibilities with IO-Link Safety MAY 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com
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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 2026 NEXT ISSUE The June issue of Drives & Controls will contain a look at what’s happening in the world of communications, networking and security, and reports on developments in mechanical power transmission and smart warehouses. UPDATE 10 Comment 11 ABB 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 24 20 18 5 48 DRIVES & CONTROLS MAY 2026 Vol 42 No 5 Editor Tony Sacks t: 01732 465367 e: tony@drives.co.uk Production Manager Sarah Blake t: 01233 770781 e: sarah.blake@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 and DFA Direct Damien Oxlee t: 01732 370342 m: 07951 103754 e: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk Sales Manager Sara Gordon t: 01732 370341 m: 07505867211 e: sara.gordon@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 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. 14 Technology Cutting-edge innovations in motion, power transmission, controls and related technologies. 18 Braking Resistors Aluminium-housed braking resistors are widely used in drive systems, yet their internal construction and installation requirements are rarely examined closely. As an expert explains, their insulation design, earthing arrangements and surface oxidation can all influence drive safety and reliability. 20 Cable Testing In an unusual application, a UK developer of low-loss power cables has used a drive’s variable-frequency capabilities to test a pioneering cable that it is has invented. A drives specialist explains how the test set-up works. 23 Motors In a special 10-page feature, we examine various aspects of electric motors and their uses, including a report on how a motor-driven system is giving an historic steam engine a new lease of life. We also offer advice on how to choose the best motors for driving and positioning tasks, and explain how large slipring motors have extended the operating life of a key London water treatment works. 34 Linear Motion How a German ballscrew manufacturer has responded to the increasing demands placed on wind turbine gearboxes – and the machine tools that are used to produce them. Plus a look at how sawmill operators cope with difficult operating conditions, caused in part by the large amounts of dust and debris that they have to deal with. 38 Scientific, Medical and Pharmaceutical Laboratory automation practices are being revolutionised by the emergence of new technologies that offer advantages over traditional motion technologies such as ball bearings. Plus a look at how to achieve the high levels of reliability that are essential for scientific, medical and pharmaceutical applications. 42 Smart Manufacturing Week Smart Manufacturing Week returns to the NEC in Birmingham next month to host the UK’s largest annual celebration of the manufacturing and engineering sectors. We take a look at some fresh features for 2026, as well as some familiar aspects that are returning. 38 42 Average net circulation January to December 2024 Subscribe for your FREE copy now 20,514 14 45
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NEWS n 5 SIEMENS HAS UNVEILED A purpose-designed AI tool dedicated to automation engineering tasks such as configuring drives, coding PLCs and setting up HMIs. It says the Eigen Engineering Agent represents a new class of industrial AI product – one that no longer simply generates suggestions, but uses multi-step reasoning and self-correction to carry out automation tasks autonomously. Siemens claims that the Agent will complete AIpowered workflows two to five times faster than manual alternatives, delivering up to 80% higher quality and 50% improved engineering efficiency. The company has piloted the system with more than 100 customers in 19 countries. Unlike generic AI tools, the new Agent operates inside real engineering systems, with full awareness of each project’s context and constraints. Using this understanding, it can execute automation engineering tasks, while meeting industrial standards for correctness, safety and reliability. Siemens says the tool will free engineers to focus on higher-level challenges, without compromising accuracy or reliability. Siemens board member Peter Koerte, who is also the company’s chief technology officer and chief strategy officer, describes the launch of the Eigen Engineering Agent as “a defining moment for industrial AI – where the technology becomes as easy to use as consumer AI, yet far more consequential”. He adds that it “has the potential to fundamentally transform how customers design, build, and operate the industrial systems we rely on.” “As demand outpaces capacity, automation engineering is becoming a bottleneck,” explains Siemens’ executive vice-president and head of data and AI, Vasi Philomin. “Manufacturers are under pressure to deliver increasingly complex systems faster, while skilled engineering resources remain constrained. With the Eigen Engineering Agent, we are delivering automation logic that meets each customer's standards, so engineers can take on more complex projects, faster. “This product signals a fundamental shift from AI that makes suggestions to AI that actually completes work,” he adds. “In industrial environments, this difference determines the value AI can create.” Examples of the tasks that the Eigen Engineering Agent can perform include: n Configuring drives, motors and encoders, and supporting read/write parameter set-ups for single-axis drives, including automatic configuration using imported spreadsheets or guided prompting. n Development and testing of PLC code, including SCL and LAD generation by creating or adapting code, generating test logic, and fixing compilation or syntax errors within seconds. n Developing HMIs and visualisation, by generating and integrating JavaScript for dynamic HMI behaviour. It can transition VB scripts smoothly into WinCC Unified, and enable intelligent tag www.drivesncontrols.com May 2026 dynamisation for fast, consistent set-up of dynamic tag behaviours. While advances in AI have shown promise, Siemens argues, off-the-shelf AI tools currently produce broad suggestions that engineers must translate manually to their specific projects. This can introduce errors and often takes as long as doing the work from scratch. To reduce risks, automation engineers need tools that understand their projects and can conform to their organisations’ standards. The Eigen Engineering Agent connects to TIA Portal – Siemens’Totally Integrated Automation engineering platform – giving it a complete contextual understanding of every project. It references the project’s data structures, blocks, parameters, and component relationships, so can deliver usable outputs immediately, tailored to what engineers are actually building. “The connection of the Eigen Engineering Agent to our TIA Portal is another step toward our vision of ‘automating automation,’” says Rainer Brehm, Siemens’ CTO and COO for automation. “By enabling goal-driven, agentic engineering workflows, we’re eliminating repetitive effort for automation engineers while significantly increasing their productivity. This marks an important shift for our customers, from manually executing tasks to orchestrating outcomes across the entire engineering workflow.” Siemens says that this contextual understanding also transforms onboarding. At one large automotive line builder, for example, new engineers were spending weeks learning project structures and component relationships before they could contribute. Using Eigen Agent, the company found that new team members could query projects directly. A request such as “Show me all blocks controlling Station 3” returned an immediate, accurate response. As a result, onboarding time dropped from weeks to days. Companies that have already piloted the Eigen Engineering Agent include: n US-based Prism Systems, which used it to create, modify, and import SCL code, cutting the time taken for process to seconds. n CASMT, a Chinese company that builds production lines for new energy vehicles, found that the Agent could reduce its time-to-market by automating device configuration, code generation and HMI visualisation. n Andritz Metals, a supplier of technologies for metal processing and forming, used the tool to accelerate its development of industrial automation and control software, and to generate code and documentation faster. The launch of Eigen Engineering Agent is part of Siemens’€1bn investment in industrial AI, announced in November last year, and follows news of its increased growth targets, driven by its expanding AI activities. Dedicated automation tool is ‘a defining moment for industrial AI’ Siemens’ Eigen Engineering Agent marks a shift from AI that generates suggestions to AI that carries out engineering tasks
May 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com 6 A CANADIAN COMPANY that claims to have developed the first silicon carbide (SiC) based drive that feeds motors with real sine waves, thus avoiding the need for external filters, has secured CA$15m (£8.1m) of funding to accelerate its product roadmap and meet a growing demand from users wanting simpler, more efficient and more reliable drive systems. Montreal-based SmartD Technologies adds that its Clean Power technology enables filter-free drive systems that meet IEEE 519 harmonic recommendations (with less than 5% THDi on the line side), resulting in simpler and smaller drives applications. SmartD says that following a year of wider adoption in sectors such as water infrastructure and data centres, it is entering a new phase of growth, focused on scaling the deployment of its technology globally. The company claims that its drives represent “a paradigm shift”, delivering clean sine-wave power to both the motor and the grid. They eliminate the need for external harmonic and output filters, cutting energy losses, and extending the lives of motors and electrical equipment. The wide-bandgap SiC devices offer fast switching, low drain-source on-resistance, and low switching losses. This results in high efficiency and good signal quality, leading to rapid control responses and low torque ripple. The drives also incorporate a multilevel inverter (MLI) technology of a type already widely used in renewable energy converters , grid-connected inverters, EVs and industrial applications. But, according to SmartD, MLIs have yet to enter the low-voltage motor control market due, mainly, to their high potential costs. But, it adds, the benefits of MLI are “compelling”, leading to improved harmonic content, reduced dV/dt (voltage change rates), lower switching frequencies and losses, reduced electromagnetic interference (EMI), and enhanced fault-tolerance. SmartD argues that using MLIs can increase efficiency substantially and lead to a much lower TCOs. It claims that its drive technology: n cuts capital costs by eliminating the need for external filters, specialised cabling, and oversized electrical infrastructures; n reduces operating costs through improved system efficiency and lower harmonic losses; n allows the use of long cable runs; n extends the lives of motors and electrical infrastructure, with lower bearing and insulation stresses, even in demanding environments; and n complies with IEEE 519 harmonic recommendations without needing any extra mitigation equipment. https://smartd.tech p For the first time, the European Robotics Forum (ERF) convention is coming to the UK. More than 1,000 robot specialists from industry and academia across Europe are expected to converge on Birmingham from 2-4 March, 2027, to explore robotic technologies and address the latest challenges and trends shaping robotics in Europe. The ERF2027 event is being organised and hosted by the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) and the University of Birmingham, is partnership with the European robotics association, euRobotics. p Wittenstein is buying a majority stake in the Israeli motor controls supplier STXI Motion, for an undisclosed sum. Wittenstein says the acquisition will expand its capabilities in electronics and software for motors, and boost its drive systems expertise. STXI’s products include servomotors and servodrives, integrated motors, geared motors, and motion controls. It was founded in 2019 as an offshoot from Servotronix. p PP Control & Automation has launched an acquisition drive aimed at hitting a record £40m in sales in 2026, and £100m within four years. The expansion will be achieved through organic growth in areas such as clean energy, defence and life sciences, combined with buying manufacturers in Europe, the US and Asia. The M&A activity will be led by Pinaki Banerjee, who succeeded Tony Hague as CEO last year. He is talking to potential targets in Italy, Eastern Europe, India and the US, as well as a possible joint venture in India. An outsourced manufacturing specialist, PP employs more than 200 people in the West Midlands. p A new industrial software business, called Velotic, with combined revenues of more than $300m, has been created by bringing together the Proficy business, formerly owned by GE Vernova, with the Kepware industrial connectivity business and the ThingWorx industrial data and analytics operation, previously owned by PTC. The announcement follows last year’s acquisition of the businesses by the US-based asset management firm, TPG which says that the new conglomerate brings together trusted platforms to advance a new era for industrial and manufacturing technologies. p Fanuc is collaborating with Nvidia to advance physical AI, which merges AI with physical robotics to produce machines that see, reason and act in dynamic environments. They say that the collaboration will combine Fanuc’s strength in robotics with Nvidia’s AI and simulation expertise to deliver intelligent, adaptable automation for factories of the future. Fanuc will use Nvidia’s AI infrastructure in its robots and its Roboguide simulation software, allowing manufacturers to create photorealistic digital twins of factories, train robots virtually, and deploy them quickly and flexibly. NEWS BRIEFS n NEWS Filter-free, SiC-based drives developer secures $15m of funding This installation of SmartD’s drives at a Canadian pumping station used an existing 415m-long buried cable to power a 37kW submersible pump, which had previously experienced dV/dt and reflected wave faults when used with a conventional VSD. The new installation runs reliably at 48Hz without any extra hardware and is claimed to have cut energy use by 40% due to its lower operating frequency and the elimination of throttling. AUTOMATE UK, THE ORGANISATION that represents more than 500 companies in the UK industrial automation sector, is combining its PPMA and UK Automation shows to create a single event called Automate UK Week. The new show will make its debut across two halls at the Birmingham NEC from 28–30 September, 2027. Automate UK describes the move as a strategic step to create a more integrated, future-focused event that reflects the evolving needs of the industry. It expects the show to be its biggest exhibition to date. “Our intention in co-locating our flagship shows is to create what we believe is a genuine one-stop shop for industrial automation in the UK, thereby enabling exhibitors and visitors to maximise their experience and get the best possible return on their investment,” says Automate UK’s chief operating officer, Scott McKenna Further details of Automate UK Week will be released later. www.automate-uk.com PPMA show will merge with UK Automation to create three-day event in 2027
NEWS n ONTHE SAME DAY in April that the US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire in their month-long conflict, a group of US government organisations issued an urgent warning that Iran-affiliated cyber-attackers have been targeting Internet-connected OT (operational technology) devices in the US, including Rockwell Automation PLCs and possibly others, including Siemens S7 PLCs. The organisations added that this activity has led to disruptions in critical infrastructure installations through malicious interactions with project files and manipulating the data on HMI and Scada displays, resulting in disruption and financial losses. The US government agencies that issued the statement included the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), Cisa (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency), NSA (National Security Agency), EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), DOE (Department of Energy), and CNMF (Cyber National Mission Force). They believe that a group of Iranianaffiliated APT (advanced persistent threat) actors has been targeting devices in critical sectors including Government services and facilities, water and wastewater systems, and the energy sector. In a warning posted on Cisa’s Web site, the agencies say that due to the widespread use of the PLCs and the potential targeting of other OT devices, US automation users should look urgently for signs of current or historical activity on their networks, and apply mitigations to reduce the risk of compromise. The agencies report that in a similar campaign that started in November 2023, cyberthreat actors affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber Electronic Command targeted US–based PLCs and HMIs. These attacks, which targeted Unitronics PLCs with HMIs, compromised at least 75 devices. Since March 2026, an Iranian-affiliated APT group has been using overseas-based IP addresses to access Internet-facing Rockwell PLCs, using leased, third-party-hosted infrastructure with configuration software such as Rockwell’s Studio 5000 Logix Designer, to create connections to targeted PLCs, including Allen-Bradley CompactLogix and Micro850 PLC devices. Cisa has published a list of IP addresses used recently by the Iranian-affiliated cyber-attackers. The US agencies say that if owners and operators discover affected Internetaccessible devices, additional measures may be needed to evaluate the risk of compromise. They add that organisations with Rockwell PLCs should review the guidance that the manufacturer issued in 2021 and 2026 to strengthen the security of its OT systems. Iran-affiliated cyber-attackers have targeted US-based PLCs Opt ed co m close timize your torqu ooling machine ass r e moto s e m b ly w i th o ur G W EA W Water pip ASY INS solution. leakage-free Guaranteed GHTNESS e ce. WATER TI rfa leakage free pes Plug-and-Play inter N STALLATIO emoves the need T R MACHINE COS on controlle and hig ers cated to moti is 100% dedi dmotor. ETEL for special casting aroun gh-end motion system products Our w ology. o direct drive techn provides a portfolio to meet yo ide range of linear and torque m ur needs. motors, position and ETEL Torque Motors ar HEIDENHA buted in the UK by re distri b T: 01444 2477 • AIN GB Limited sales@heidenhain.co.uk • 711 www.etel.ch Iran-affiliated cyber-attackers are said to have been targeting Rockwell PLCs
n NEWS THE JAPANESE-OWNED BEARINGS manufacturer NSK Europe has announced plans to close its Newark, Nottinghamshire, plant which makes industrial bearings, linear guide sliders and selflubricating bearings. It says that all 220 jobs associated with manufacturing at the site are “at risk” of redundancy, and it has entered into formal collective consultation with its workforce. NSK Precision UK, located at the same site, which makes precision machinery and parts, is also earmarked for closure. It has no employees of its own. The proposed closures are part of a global manufacturing review by NSK in response to reductions in demand both locally and globally, and the challenges of achieving profitable manufacturing of bearings in Europe. It would see production in Newark ending, and products being sourced from elsewhere. The UK sales and group services functions currently located at the Newark site will stay in the area. Should the proposed closure go ahead, UK and European customers will be served from NSK’s European distribution centre in the Netherlands, with items produced at other global manufacturing locations. NSK has issued an assurance that current levels of supply and service will be maintained. The Newark site, also known as the Stanley Works, can trace its history back to 1900, when Allen Ransome moved his woodworking company, Allen Ransome & Co, from London to Newark due to the high cost of land in the capital. In 1906, he decided to produce his own bearings. Bearings have been manufactured at the site ever since. Around 1970, the UK Government pressured Ransome and Marles to merge with Hoffmann Manufacturing and the Pollard Ball and Rolling Bearing company to form Ransome Hoffman Pollard (RHP Bearings), which employed 17,500 people across eight factories. In the 1980s, facing fierce competition from Eastern Europe, RHP exited the mass-produced bearings market, no longer making components for products such as fridges and washing machines. In 1987, the board decided to focus on its electrical operations and sold the bearings division. Three years later, NSK bought the new parent company, UPI (United Precision Industries). Most of the other UK factories were closed and sold off, but production remained in Newark – the only place outside of Asia to manufacture NSK’s Super Precision bearings. In 2000, NSKRHP became NSK. By 2025, the Stanley Works site’s 125th anniversary, it was still producing around 500,000 bearings a year. Last November, NSK Europe’s CEO, Dr Ulrich Nass, celebrated the milestone, saying: “Reaching 125 years of continuous production is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the resilience, ingenuity and dedication of the Newark team not just today, but across all those years. The site has played an extraordinary role in the history of British engineering and I’m sure Newark will continue to thrive in the years ahead.” NSK says that it expects the Newark site to close by March 2027. Last November, NSK announced plans to close two other UK factories in Peterlee, County Durham, with the loss of around 350 jobs. May 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com 8 NSK plans to close Newark plant with loss of 220 jobs Nidec has appointed Michael Briggs as chairman of its Motion & Energy business, and CEO of its Appliance & Automotive division. He will oversee a global portfolio of businesses, focused on deepening customer relationships, driving performance, and advancing the company’s next phase of growth. Briggs was previously president of Nidec’s Motion & Energy business and earlier served as CFO for its Appliance Commercial and Industrial Motor business, and president of Nidec Control Techniques, where he led the integration of its global operations. Omron has appointed Virendra Shelar as executive officer, president and CEO of Omron Europe, succeeding Fernando Colás. He will be based at its HQ in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands. Shelar joined Omron in 2014 and has held roles including president of the Omron Management Center Asia Pacific, general manager of its Global HR Strategy department, chairman of the Omron Management Center Europe, and senior general manager of Global Business Operations and Services. He previously worked for Sony, Schneider Electric and International Rectifier. NSK’s Stanley Works in Newark: scheduled for closure after more than 125 years EVENTS CWIEME Berlin / EEMODS 26 19-21 May, 2026 Berlin, Germany The world’s largest coil-winding and electrical manufacturing exhibition will host the biennial EEMODS (energy efficiency in motor-driven systems) conference for the first time this year. The conference is expected to attract experts and policymakers from around the world to discuss efficiency and regulatory issues regarding motors, pumps and compressors. 2026 also marks CWIEME Berlin’s 30th anniversary. https://berlin.cwiemeevents.com/home Smart Manufacturing Week 2026 3–4 June, 2026 NEC, Birmingham Smart Manufacturing Week (SMW), described as the UK’s biggest festival of advanced manufacturing and engineering, will have a fresh look and new features for 2026. It includes Drives & Controls, Smart Factory Expo, Maintec, Design & Engineering Expo, the Manufacturing Digitalisation Summit and The Manufacturer Top 100 Awards. New attractions for 2026 include fighting robots, extra showfloor theatres, and Future Stage – a window into the future of industry. www.smartmanufacturingweek.com Sensor+Test 2026 9–11 June, 2026 Nuremberg, Germany The international trade show for sensor and measurement technologies provides a stage for innovations, technical discussions and networking. The organisers expect more than 300 exhibitors to attend, showcasing products from sensor technologies to AI systems. The fair offers smaller and younger companies, in particular, the opportunity to present themselves on a limited budget. www.sensor-test.de/en Hillhead 2026 23-25 June, 2026 Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire The UK’s largest quarrying, construction and recycling equipment exhibition takes place every two years in a working Derbyshire quarry. It includes live demonstrations of quarrying equipment. Across its three days, the show is expected to attract around 600 exhibitors and nearly 20,000 visitors. Hillhead 2026 is on course to be the largest event in the show’s 44-year history. www.hillhead.com SPS 2026 24–26 November, 2026 Nuremberg, Germany More than 1,000 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors from Germany and around the world are expected to take part in the three-day industrial automation megashow that is spread across 15 exhibition halls. The event spans the spectrum of smart and digital automation – from simple sensors to intelligent systems, from what is feasible today to a vision of a digitalised industrial world of tomorrow. https://sps.mesago.com/nuernberg/en/expo
NEWS n ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE IS rewriting how the industrial automation sector will make its money in future, away from traditional control systems, and towards software and data, according to a new analysis by the global consultancy, Bain & Co. It says that dramatic changes will shift the industry’s architecture and sources of profit away from the traditional pyramid structure (with field devices such as sensors at the bottom, and enterprise software at the top) to more of an hourglass shape, with at least 80% of profits coming from AI-powered software at the top, and smart field devices – such as machine vision systems, actuators and drives – at the bottom. Bain predicts that this will happen as soon as 2030, by which time software, data platforms and AI-enabled layers will account for more than half of the sector’s profits, with smart field devices accounting for a further 25–30%. This will leave the traditional controls layer – including PLCs, DCSs, I/O modules and Scada systems – coming under increasing pressure in the middle. Although controls will still matter, it adds, they will no longer be the profitable core of the industrial automation market. The study, called Industrial Automation: From Control to Intelligence, points out that the software-based components at the top of the stack scale faster, carry higher margins and compound in value as data and applications accumulate. They are increasingly acting as the “brains” of industrial operations, translating raw signals into decisions and outcomes. At the bottom of the stack, value is re-emerging in smart field devices that are no longer passive endpoints. With embedded intelligence, connectivity and edge computing capabilities, they generate data, execute decisions, and improve performance continuously. Although traditional controls remain essential, they are becoming harder to scale and to differentiate, the report suggests. New entrants are reducing margins by shifting value away from these core controls. By the end of the decade, it predicts, most profits will flow away from the centre to the two ends of the hourglass. Bain predicts that AI-enabled technologies could unlock up to $70bn of new market value – a 22% AI will transform how the automation market makes its money by 2030 SCHAEFFLER HAS WON THIS year’s Hermes Award for a scalable, integrated actuator technology that it has developed especially for use in humanoid robot joints. The award, which is made at the Hannover Messe every year, recognises outstanding products with a high level of innovation and significant benefits for industry. Schaeffler’s actuators incorporate highefficiency servomotors with integrated power electronics and encoders, and can be configured with two-stage planetary gears or shaft-mounted gears. In developing the actuators, the company’s aim was to save installation space, while delivering a high continuous torque. The devices are said to be about 20% smaller and up to 500g lighter than rival products. The copper fill factor in the frameless PSM motors was increased to ensure that temperatures remain low at high torques. Schaeffler says that its actuators will reduce system costs significantly. When developing the actuators, Schaeffler relied on 12 of its core manufacturing technologies, including automated coil-winding, and chipless metal forming for the roller bearing rings that are just 1mm thick and are integrated into the rotor. The demand for efficient actuators for humanoid joints is growing globally. Because actuators account for around 50% of the total costs of humanoids, they are a pivotal factor in making them competitive. increase – by 2030. It expects the industrial automation sector to expand from a value of around $250m last year (generating profits of around $30bn) to $400bn by 2030 (with profits of $52bn). According to Bain, companies that already orchestrate data, software and smart devices at scale are achieving productivity gains of 30–50%, maintenance cost reductions of up to 35%, and extended asset lifetimes. “What's changing is not just the technology, but where economic value is created in the market,” explains Adrien Bron, leader of Bain Advanced Manufacturing & Services in Germanspeaking Europe. “As software, data and smart devices take on a larger role, industrial automation companies will need to rethink how they maintain and continuously enhance differentiation, where they find sources of scale and leadership, and where they can capture value over time.” Bain’s analysis reveals that a small number of applications – such as adaptive robotics and predictive maintenance – account for a disproportionate share of the Al benefits, with much of that value expected to materialise in the next one to five years. Although most people in the sector are aware that industry is going digital, not all are aware how quickly the shift is undermining the sources of differentiation that they have relied on for decades, Bain warns. The risk for automation incumbents is not overnight disruption, it adds, but gradual irrelevance. It’s a slow drift from being a strategic manufacturer partner to becoming a mere component supplier, even if revenues appear stable, the report warns. According to Bain, the shape of the industrial automation market is transforming from the traditional pyramid structure (left), to an hourglass shape (right), where 80% of profits will come from software at the top, and smart field devices at the bottom Schaeffler wins Hermes Award for actuator developed for humanoids www.drivesncontrols.com May 2026 9
CPG MANUFACTURERS PUT THEIR FAITH IN AI TO REVIVE THE SECTOR Manufacturers in the CPG (consumer packaged goods) sector say they are losing 15.2% of their revenues, on average, due to delays, downtime, rework, quality deviations or “sub-optimal” use of their assets. These preventable losses account for an estimated 20.3% of the final cost of their products, and they expect the losses to worsen, reaching 21.4% in 2027 and 29.1% by 2030. The figures come from a Schneider Electric survey of 1,435 senior manufacturing decision-makers working in the food and beverage, and life sciences, sectors in 14 countries, including the UK, US, Germany and France. In the UK & Ireland, revenue losses linked to CPG manufacturing inefficiencies are estimated to be around 17.8% today, and are expected to reach 24.5% next year and 34% by 2030, according to the survey. Many CPG manufacturers are betting on industrial AI to help them cut the losses, although just 13% say they have already embedded AI end-to-end in their operations and decision-making processes. But by 2030, 37% expect AI to be core to their operations, with 32.7% predicting returns of 50–74% from their AI projects by 2030, with 7.9% forecasting returns of more than 100% – meaning that their AI investments will pay for themselves in less than a year. 70% of the respondents reckon that the ROI on their current AI investments is under 20%, with 28.4% reporting ROIs of 5% or less. Schneider suggests that this reflects the limited value they are getting from early deployments of AI. Despite the executives’ faith in AI helping to turn their businesses around, they identify several structural – rather than technological – obstacles to a wider use of AI. These include: skills gaps in AI or data science (cited by 43% of respondents); their use of legacy automation systems and infrastructure (37.5%); a lack of contextualised operational data (36.3%); and resistance from employees (25.7%). Cybersecurity and compliance concerns were cited by just 21.7%. According to Neil Smith, president of Schneider’s CPG business, the manufacturers expect to triple their adoption of end-to-end AI by 2030, as well achieving as “a step change” in returns from the technology. “This expectation gap is the strongest signal of urgency we’ve seen in years,” he says. “AI can only be transformative when it delivers true industrial intelligence: the ability to turn real-time operational data, modern automation and AI into synchronised decisions that improve efficiency at scale. But, he adds, “many organisations are still operating brownfield sites with fragmented data and legacy systems that limit AI’s value and adoption. Closing this readiness gap is now one of the most important competitiveness priorities for the CPG sector.” Judging by the number of AI-related announcements at the recent Hannover Messe, manufacturers will not be short of AI tools that they can apply in their businesses. We will have to wait to see whether these tools have the transformative effect that many expect. Tony Sacks, Editor n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ÐÕÍÖÓÖÎÐÊ ËÌÚ ÐÕÊÌ ¯´²³ Ð Î Õ ZZZ LQIRORJLF GHVLJQ
Drives&Controls & BACK TO BASICS n SPONSORED BY The hidden problem that costs water companies millions Pressure transients cost the UK’s water sector millions of pounds every year. Nick Brown, managing director of Erskinebased Electronic Drives & Controls (EDC), explains how drives can be used to reduce pipe bursts significantly across the water network. Pipe bursts are a perennial problem for the UK water industry. Every year we see the same cycle of cold weather followed by burst pipes and leaks, inevitably resulting in angry customers and negative headlines. It can cost upwards of £2,000 to detect and repair a single leak, and with many utilities suffering thousands of bursts every year, it’s an expensive and disruptive problem. Often these bursts are treated as isolated events, yet many have the same underlying cause – pressure transients. When pumps use DOL (direct on line) starting, they create sharp surges in pressure on the discharge side, while suction pressure drops sharply at the same time. This results in the phenomenon known as pressure transients – also known as water hammer. In practice it means that you might have 16 bar or more of pressure travelling at the speed of sound down pipes designed to carry a fraction of that. The transient doesn’t dissipate, even over several kilometres of pipe. It carries on all the way down the pipe, looking for the weakest point. And if it can’t find a tap or an outlet somewhere, you end up with a burst. Transients are difficult to measure. Normal methods such as telemetry won’t detect them. With one customer, we deployed hundreds of special high-speed transient pressure loggers which were able to capture hundreds of pressure readings per second. It was only then that the true scale of the problem became clear. Using a drive instead of DOL flattens the pressure curve by gradually ramping up the pump motor, and keeps it at a more reasonable level – within 0.5 bar of the desired network requirement – instantly removing the problem. As well as reducing bursts by more than 75%, pumping at a lower pressure also saves energy, and extends the life of the pipes. As an ABB Value Provider for Scotland and North East England, our purpose is not just to install and service drives. We’re here to find and solve the customer’s problems by providing local knowledge and engineering expertise, backed up by market-leading drive technology. When we find a persistent problem, we try to go deeper, working with the customer to find the underlying causes, and develop permanent solutions. For more information visit www.edcscotland.co.uk, or search for “ABB Value Provider”.
In modern manufacturing, machine safety is no longer a box to tick—it’s a business differentiator. Companies that get it right don’t just meet regulations; they reduce downtime, protect their workforce, and build long-term operational resilience. Yet many organisations still struggle with one key challenge: How do you turn complex safety standards like EN ISO 14119 into practical, reliable and safe solutions? That’s where the right technology, and the right partner makes all the difference. EN ISO 14119: The Foundation of Safe Machine Access EN ISO 14119 defines how interlocking devices should be designed and applied to ensure that hazardous machine functions stop when guards are opened and cannot restart unintentionally. But beyond the standard, the design needs to take into consideration other aspects: • Considering access is possible during clean down operation e.g. when the power is off • Restricting access to only authorised operators, maintenance personnel and commissioning engineers • Designing safety logic for more complex systems that fulfils the needs of the relevant standards e.g. ensuring safety overrides meet the required Performance Levels (PL) under ISO 13849-1 This is where safety moves from theory into realworld engineering. Performance Levels: Where Safety Meets System Reliability Achieving the required Performance Level (PL) a-e is critical in modern machine safety design. It ensures that your safety function performs reliably under defined conditions. With advanced safety components, you can: • Achieve higher PL ratings with fewer components, saving installation time • Reduce wiring complexity through series connection capabilities, while still achieving high levels of performance (up to PLe). Up to 20 devices can be wired in series using standard cables with BR Technology from EUCHNER. • Gain real-time diagnostic data giving insights into equipment operation, increased productivity and ensuring downtime is minimised. Information such as number of operations, door position, lock status is easily obtainable from the communication outputs of selected EUCHNER devices such as the extremely robust CTA interlock with up to 8000N of locking force. • Connect safety devices directly onto standard safety fieldbus networks including PROFISAFE, Safety Over ETHERCAT and CIP safety via Ethernet/IP. The EUCHNER MGB2 range of interlocks allow up to 6 door locking stations per bus module. EUCHNER safety switch and guard locking solutions are engineered with this in mind, helping you reach high performance levels while simplifying your architecture. The result? A system that is not only compliant, but leaner, smarter, and easier to implement. Seamless Integration: Designed for Modern Automation One of the biggest challenges engineers face is integrating safety into increasingly complex control systems. Our solutions are built to integrate seamlessly into your existing environment and are compatible with leading control architectures, including Siemens, Beckhoff and Rockwell Automation. For medium complexity systems IO-Link and IOLink Safety solutions are available from EUCHNER, including non-contact and Locking Safety Interlocks. Instead of adding complexity, safety becomes a natural extension of your control system. Smarter Interlocking: Preventing Tampering by Design EN ISO 14119 places strong emphasis on minimising the risk of bypassing safety devices—a common but dangerous issue in industrial environments. Bypassing safety devices comes in two common forms – 1. where the operator or maintenance personnel overrides the guarding interlock to make life easier/faster. 2. Where there is a formal process to override the guards Machine Safety Isn’t Just Compliance– It’s a Competitive Edge COVER STORY
for operational purposes, e.g. setting up the machine, unjamming, etc. This should always be undertaken in a safe mode with additional safeguards when necessary. Our product range addresses this directly through: • High-level coded actuators to prevent unauthorised operation through the use of duplicate/spare actuators • Robust mechanical and electronic designs that discourage tampering and allow for safeguards when overriding interlocks, e.g. hold-to-run controls. • Intelligent monitoring that detects faults and misuse early and can even lock the machine down when suspicious activity is recognised. This ensures your safety system performs as intended—not just during inspections, but every day on the factory floor. From Safety Standards to Practical Applications The EUCHNER MGB2, when combined with the CKS2 electronic key system, moves beyond conventional guard locking to provide a unified platform for implementing access control, safe lockout and controlled intervention functions within a single architecture. Rather than treating these requirements as separate layers of compliance, the system enables them to be engineered as part of an integrated, networked safety concept. At the core of this approach is the integration of the CKS2 as a submodule within the MGB2. This transponder-based key system can be configured in the control system to function as a safe lockout mechanism, an authorisation system or a key transfer solution, depending on application requirements. The use of highly coded RFID keys ensures a high level of protection, while the embedded evaluation electronics eliminate the need for external key management hardware such as key exchange boxes or distribution panels. This architecture allows multiple functions— such as access permission, safe restart control and mode selection—to be incorporated directly at the machine access point. Hold-to-run devices and enabling switches can be integrated as part of the same modular station, alongside guard locking and key-based authorisation, removing the requirement for separate operator stations and associated wiring. The practical advantage lies in the transition to a bus-based safety system. Via PROFINET/PROFIsafe or EtherCAT/FSoE, all safetyrelated signals—including guard status, key identification, enabling device status and emergency stop commands—are communicated through a single interface. This consolidates what would traditionally require extensive hardwired safety circuits into a streamlined network connection. For engineering teams, this delivers a measurable reduction in hardware and installation effort. The need for dedicated safety relays, large I/O allocations and complex terminal arrangements is significantly reduced, as safety logic is handled centrally within the safety PLC. Multicore cabling is minimised, leading to shorter installation times, lower material costs and reduced cable tray requirements— particularly relevant in large automated warehouse installations. In addition, the electronic key system introduces a level of flexibility not achievable with mechanical solutions. Keys can be assigned, modified and tracked within the control system, enabling configurable access rights, operatorspecific permissions and traceability of interventions. From a commissioning and maintenance perspective, the benefits are equally clear. The reduction in point-to-point wiring simplifies system validation, while integrated diagnostics provide real-time visibility of all connected elements. Final Thought The Safety Standards provides the framework. The right technology turns it into a competitive advantage. Because the best machine safety systems don’t slow you down—they move your business forward. With high-performance, seamlessly integrated safety solutions, you’re not just meeting standards—you’re setting them. Want to learn more? Email: sales@euchner.co.uk or call the Safety Technology Centre on +44 (0)114 256 0123. https://www.euchner.co.uk
FLUKE HAS LAUNCHED a pair of laser-based shaft alignment systems that it says will simplify workflows as well as introducing a video replay technology that captures expertise and cuts maintenance times. The RotAlign Core and Elite systems support the shift toward predictive maintenance. New software-driven capabilities include customisable reporting, email alerts and an ROI calculator. According to Fluke, misalignments are responsible for up to half of all unplanned downtime, while also increasing energy consumption and accelerating wear. Research conducted by Censuswide has found that downtime can cost up to £1.3m per hour, with reactive events lasting up to 72 hours and resulting in losses of more than £31m per incident. The Core system is aimed at users wanting cost-effective, nonadjustable laser alignment systems that are easy to use. It is suitable for up to three machine trains with vertical formats. The Elite version can handle up to 14 machine trains and offers an adjustable laser with higher angular resolution for more complex alignment challenges. It allows users to carry out vibration measurements and to monitor dynamic machine movements in real time. The Elite models also include the video replay function that allows users to remove disruptive measurements without retesting, thus saving time. Key capabilities of the alignment systems include: n Fast, easy set-ups The single-laser technology needs only one sensor and one laser to set up, simplifying installation n No need for guesswork-based pre-alignments Freeze-frame measurements handle large misalignments n High precision and accuracy The single-sensor system with two optical planes maintains target precision over long distances, even with extreme misalignments n Simultaneous live moves Users can see alignment corrections in real time simultaneously in both the vertical and horizontal planes across the full detection surface n One live-move The single-laser technology prevents divergence, maintaining contact over long distances to avoid repetitive adjustments and multiple measurements “Manufacturers today aren’t short on data, they’re short on insight and provable returns,” says Fluke’s chief product officer, Vineet Thuvara. “RotAlign Core and Elite were built to eliminate costly rework, preserve critical expertise as the workforce changes, and help organisations move from reactive maintenance to predictive strategies with measurable ROI. “That challenge is only intensifying,” he adds. “Maintenance professionals are retiring at an accelerated rate, and tools must not only capture measurements, but also technical and strategic expertise. We are actively innovating to combat that change by building in usability features and simplifying tools to break down barriers to entry in the market.” www.pruftechnik.com Next-gen shaft alignment systems use video to capture expertise n TECHNOLOGY May 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com 14 AT LAST MONTH’S Hannover Messe in Germany, Belden demonstrated what it describes as the world's first 5G industrial switch specifically designed for use on the factory floor. It says that the BRS-5G switch will bring fast, reliable private 5G communications to wireless factory operations, allowing manufacturers to add sensors and machinery to existing facilities without the cost and hassle of installing new cables. Critical factory devices will be able to communicate instantly and smoothly with each other, meeting strict timing requirements, especially when synchronising complex machinery. Visitors to Belden’s stand at Hannover could view a live conveyor system demonstrating sensors and drives communicating in realtime via a dedicated private 5G network. The switch builds on Belden’s Bobcat Rail Switch (BRS) technology, and integrates advanced 5G capabilities through a collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies. It is designed to work with all major industrial communications standards. A key component is the Snapdragon X72 5G Modem-RF System which allows industrial Ethernet to be carried on 5G networks. Belden says it transforms industrial Ethernet-over-5G from a concept into a practical system for the first time, opening up new possibilities for factory connectivity. “The BRS-5G industrial switch represents a significant leap forward for industrial automation,” says Belden’s vice-president for global products, Vinod Rana. “By combining Belden’s proven industrial networking expertise with cutting-edge 5G technology, we’re delivering a solution that not only simplifies factory expansion, but ‘World's first’ 5G industrial switch makes its debut at Hannover also ensures the ultra-reliable, real-time communication that modern manufacturing demands. This switch, supporting all major industrial protocols, is a testament to our commitment to empowering industries with the most advanced and flexible connectivity solutions.” www.belden.com Belden says its BRS-5G industrial 5G switch will deliver deterministic wireless communications to factory floors
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