June

2017

The Engineers guide to new products & design ideas

The users guide to

motor technology

dpaonthenet.net

18: Aerospace 36: Scanning

materials technology
New materials to lift new ideas Keeping classic cars on the road
off the ground with reverse engineering
 Contents
Cover Story
Motor technology
14: Pros and cons of four types of motor technology

Rapid Prototyping & Simulation

Technology Focus:
Design software
05: Setting new standards of performance in rideable technology
Injection moulding
08: Revolutionary adjustable spectacles benefit from Fanuc Alliance
3D printing prototypes
10: Design process behind the remote controller organiser

Cover Story: 12:

FPGA based prototyping
FPGA based prototyping revisited reducing time to prototyping
ABBs Dave Hawley takes a look at the pros
and cons of four of the most widely used motor
types on the market. p.14
(Cover image: ABB)
Materials 16
Special Report:
Bonding systems
Editor:
Paige West
16: Track record of safety and success in machine building applications
Aerospace materials
18:
paige.west@imlgroup.co.uk
Publisher: New materials to lift new ideas off the ground
Andrew Quenault Locking system
andrew.quenault@imlgroup.co.uk 20: Recycled plastics: the eco-savvy product designers choice
Design:
Graham Rich Design
www.grahamrichdesign.co.uk Motors & Motor Control
Head Office: Special Report:
IML Group, Blair House,
Brake selection
184/186 High Street,
Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BQ 24: Selecting brakes which type and why
Motor control
Tel: 01732 359990
Fax: 01732 770049 26: Microprocessor-based motor control: is there a universal solution?
E-mail: dpa@imlgroup.co.uk Low voltage motors
30: Wood chips Romanian style
DPA ISSN 0965-4747 Hydraulic motors
Copyright in the contents of Design Products &
Applications, its websites and newsletters is the
32: Hydraulic motors for the tunnel machine

property of the publisher. The publisher and the

sponsors of this magazine are not responsible General Feature:
32
for the results of any actions or omissions taken
Robots
on the basis of information in this publication.
In particular, no liability can be accepted in 34: Robots and the labour force
result of any claim based on or in relation to
material provided for inclusion. Design Products
& Applications is a controlled circulation journal,
Automotive
published monthly. Completed print or online Supplement:
registration forms will be considered for free
Scanning technology
supply of printed issues, website access and
online services. Annual subscription for non- 36: Keeping classic cars on the road with reverse engineering
Connected cars
38:
qualifying readers is UK 121, EU 146, Airmail
212 and single copy price is 12. Public safety concerns of connected cars need to be addressed
RFID
42: Innovative solution for moisture sensing in automobile production

UK systems remain vulnerable

According to cyber-security experts at Cougar Automation, too many
of the UKs systems remain unnecessarily vulnerable to attacks.
The cyber-attack, WannaCry, which hit UK hospitals and industries
9,966 in almost 100 countries is a reminder to those operating critical
Average net circulation systems of the need for robust security strategy. The Health and
Jan-Dec 2016
Safety Executive (HSE) recently issued guidelines for operators
of major hazard workplaces to ensure they are managing cyber
security appropriately. Inspectors will be visiting all such sites
Circulation across the UK to ensure they are taking the steps needed to
Tel: +44 (0)1732 359990

34
protect their sites from cyber threats.
Email: subscriptions@imlgroup.co.uk
For more information: https://goo.gl/zS34W2
Paige West, Editor

June 2017 3
IO LINK

Smart Devices for

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Sensors are the eyes and ears of your machine

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Routeco/IOLink/2017/05
 Feature: Design software

Setting new standards

of performance in
rideable technology
S iemens PLM Software enabled Uniwheel to
cruise from design concept to fully engineered
product in just seven months.

Uniwheels aim was to be the first to
market with a design that was thorough-
ly thought through. That target was met
at the end of 2015, when the company
launched its first consumer product, just
seven months from first concept. The
use of NXTM software from Siemens
PLM Software was fundamental to the
success and speed of the entire devel-
opment project.
Balancing form and function
on one wheel
From first concept, the design team began
using NX to create basic 3D models of el-
ements such as the external styling of the
plastic case, which has integrated lighting;
the metal for the pedals and motor; and
details such as the grip on the surface of
the pedals. The main challenge was to
package the electronics and software, the
removable battery packs, the motor and
the wheel housing. Allocating appropriate
spaces for the wiring looms was critical.
With an emphasis clearly on the ergonom-
ics of the main casing, 3D curves had a big
role to play.
With safety a key focus throughout the de-
sign process, a range of sensors had to be
incorporated into various parts such as the

Uniwheel cruised from design concept to fully engineered product in just seven months

dpaonthenet.net 5
Feature: Design software

pedals and the handle. The sensors allow
the motor to respond automatically when
a foot is put on or taken off a pedal, or
when the device is lifted off the ground.
There is also a cut-off point to prevent the
motor being taken to its limit.
Much thought went into designing the
wheel and the tyre, then refining tyre
pressure in order to create more surface
contact with the ground to provide stabil-
ity and assist with battery life. In addition,
the team used NX to design a specific
tread pattern that would allow water to
run off quickly for better grip.
Nearly 400 different components and
25 pieces of tooling were created and
assessed within NX to ensure that there
were no interference or clash problems.
In some cases 3D printing was used to
create rapid prototypes, particularly for
the bi-directional lights, which alter ac-
cording to the orientation of the machine,
adjust to levels of daylight and grow
brighter when the rider is slowing down.
TritanTM copolyester, a tough, colli-
sion-resistant plastic, was chosen for the
case, and this was overmoulded with sili-
cone rubber to absorb impact. Engineers
devised a test rig for conducting physi-
cal wear-and-tear testing to replicate the
process of the unicycle being knocked
about in daily use.
Steve Godden, a Uniwheel designer ex-
plains how the main case is very complex,
yet the only issues found in testing were
cosmetic, and the designers could easily
see and adjust the detail of the surfaces.
Using NX resulted in clarity and precision.
Predictability alleviates
pressure
With several international suppliers lined
up to do tooling, it was imperative that
Uniwheels designers could convey the
design intent. The use of NX and the di-
rect transfer of computer-aided design
(CAD) enabled clear and constructive
discussion about the tooling and manu-
facturing process. Only one tooling trial
was conducted, as part of the process of
refining the lights.
Using NX to optimise the way in which all
the design elements come together, the
Uniwheel team was able to reduce over-
all weight by more than 0.91kg, taking the
device to less than 11kg, an achievement
that led to the casing for the motor being
patented. The team was also able to hide
screw holes in the main case while ensur-
ing complete ease of assembly. It takes
just one hour to put together a finished
product in Uniwheels London research
and development unit.
For Uniwheels team of designers, the
reliability and stability of NX was critical.
Mark Kennell, a designer, observed from
past experience that NX is robust and
utterly predictable, and with the ambi-
tious timescales was exactly what was
needed.

Uniwheel has the flexibility to deal with bumps and curves on the ground

The first UK electric wheel

With a 16in wheel and a 1,500W motor that stops
automatically when the user steps off, the Uni-
wheel has the flexibility to deal with bumps and
curves on the ground, but being at ease on a sin-
gle wheel still takes a little practice. The hardest
thing is to ride at less than seven or eight miles
per hour, when you cant rely on momentum for
side-to-side balance, says Steve Milton, director
and chief executive of Uniwheel. However, we
see the learning curve as cool and intrinsic to the
appeal for potential customers.
Designed and assembled in the UK, the Uni-
wheel is streamlined to the lower leg and delivers
up to 90 minutes of ride time. It can reach speeds
of 12mph and has a range up to nine miles, yet it
takes just one hour to charge fully. The controls
are easy to negotiate and customisation is ena-
bled through the colourful bumpers, which can
be replaced if they get scratched from regular
use. The pedals can be exchanged as well.
Milton reflects on the companys first year: It is
vital to us that NX is so reliable. This was a start-
up, with an ambitious target and a young team
of designers who had not taken a product from
design to manufacture before, yet I knew that NX
would take us from visualising on a piece of pa-
per to the finished product.
Tapping into growing demand for assisted person-
al transportation, Uniwheel is already considering
future developments. As performance-to-weight
is of critical concern to us, we are planning to
expand our capability using NX for CAE, says
Milton.
www.plm.automation.siemens.com
www.uniwheel.co.uk

6 dpaonthenet.net
 With precision placement to within 0.005mm

MELFA robots are naturally suited to even

the most complex challenges.
The Mitsubishi Electric range of MELFA industrial robots offer extreme precision
and exceptional high-speed performance. Featuring advanced technologies,
each model is available as a standalone option or can be seamlessly integrated
into the control system using a rack mounted robot controller option.

Easy to install and easy to set up, the series utilises intelligent next generation
controllers and offers 4 or 6-axis operation with maximum payloads of up to
20kg always within a remarkably compact, space-saving footprint.

Designed from the outset for precision manufacturing the MELFA range is ideally
suited to many tasks from micro-assembly, through high-speed pick and place
to clean room operation, packing and palletising.

Versatile and robust all our systems are factory fitted with built-in Ethernet, USB,
tracking, camera and additional axle connections and run with an availability of
over 99.9 % making them natural choice for even the most delicate requirements.

If youd like to find out more contact us on automation@meuk.mee.com or gb3a.mitsubishielectric.com

call 01707 276100 quoting reference AM02.
Feature: Injection moulding
Revolutionary adjustable
spectacles benefit from
Fanuc Alliance
A djustable spectacle manufacturer Eyejusters was founded
with a simple objective: to create affordable, innovative,
adjustable glasses.
The journey from this simple objective
to a quality, production-ready range of
spectacles would draw heavily on Fa-
nucs experience in injection moulding
and robotics. It would also use automa-
tion partner Hi-Techs skills in 3D sim-
ulation and its experience in defining a
robust production automation concept.
At the heart of the Eyejusters product is
the SlideLens Technology, a lens with a
special profile containing both positive
and negative power areas. When two
of these lenses are placed together,
the positive and negative power areas
cancel each other out. When one lens
is then moved across the other, the
amount by which they cancel each other
out varies, changing the focus.
8 dpaonthenet.net
A focus on moulding
Injection moulding optical lenses is al-
ways a challenging process, but the Eye-
justers design presented challenges that
could only be overcome through on-go-
ing product and process development
by both Eyejusters and Fanuc. The key
objective was, of course, to produce opti-
cally perfect lenses. However, in order for
the Eyejusters design to work it was criti-
cal that they were also as thin as possible,
so that the two lenses, plus the protective
rear cover, remained aesthetically neat
and compact.
As the unique Eyejusters lens design has
special varying thickness profiles, it is al-
most impossible to mould the lens with
conventional injection moulding tech-
niques. This is because the injection melt
front tends to move around the thicker
sections before completing the fill at the
thin sections, which, in this case, are lo-
cated in the centre of the lens. Using
conventional techniques, it is highly likely
that problems with quality, such as hairline
marks and air traps, would be present.
To eliminate problems such as these and
develop a robust production solution,
Fanuc supported Eyejusters over an ex-
tended period, running a series of mould-
ing development tests. At the same time,
Eyejusters strove to perfect the tool de-
sign so that it could work in combination
with the unique CNC ROBOSHOT special
functions, gradually calculating the work-
able boundaries to achieve the thinnest
possible and highest quality lens product.
The outcome of this process development
exercise was a final production solution
comprising a special patented mould de-
sign, combined with ROBOSHOTs preci-
sion Pre Injection/compression function.
The material was injected into the tool
under reduced clamp force. At a precise
injection point, full clamp force was then
applied to compress the moulding as in-
jection completed. The precision nature
of the ROBOSHOT CNC control meant
selected positions to control the process
were repeatable within 0.001mm.
Developing the production
solution
With the lens moulding techniques and
processes fully defined, the next stage
was to consider the integration of the in-
jection moulding process within a produc-
tion cell. This would also need to contain
the additional technologies and process-
es required to assemble and finish the

lens modules. It was at this point that the
partnership between Fanuc and Hi-Tech
Automation became an essential element
of the finished product. Hi-Tech Automa-
tion has experience within the plastics
sector and, as a certified Fanuc Strate-
gic Partner, the company has knowledge
of Fanucs robot range. This partnership
between the different Fanuc business ar-
eas - ROBOSHOT and Robotics, together
with Hi-Tech - proved to be beneficial to
Eyejusters, as all of the expertise required
for the project resided within this close-
knit team.
As the product was the only fully-de-
fined element of this project, Hi-Techs
initial task was to develop a working
specification for each of the production
processes and steps. This would require
day-to-day liaison with Eyejusters per-
sonnel to review each step and make de-
cisions on processes, specifications and
parameters.
The first step was to determine how best
to remove the individual mouldings from
the tool. In this instance, the team decided
it would be beneficial to have the individual
moulded parts attached to a runner/sprue
for handling and orientation purposes.
This would allow the parts to be removed,
transported and handled safely through
subsequent processes, without the need
to touch the critical optical surfaces. The
robot gripper systems were therefore de-
signed, manufactured and integrated into
the robots.
Now that the first task in the automation
process had been resolved successfully,
the team could turn its attention to the
subsequent processes which needed to
be considered, evaluated and fully de-
fined, including: lens coating, component
de-gating, ultrasonic welding and final
packing into thermoformed trays.
Hi-Tech turned to Fanucs ROBOGU-
IDE simulation software to design, mod-
el and create the layout virtually. Using
ROBOGUIDE, the various elements of the
system could be tested and developed
before any equipment was ordered or
manufactured. Further benefits included
Feature: Injection moulding
the ability to evaluate and determine ac-
curate cycle times and to generate the
robot programmes offline.
As with any optical product, cleanliness
was a key consideration and the tech-
niques used for de-gating and welding
would have to eliminate the potential for
the contamination of the lens components
by particulate matter. Hi-Tech selected
laser de-gating and ultrasonic welding
processes to perform these delicate op-
erations because they were clean and
precise.
With the automation cell built and opera-
tional, a Class 5 Clean Room needed to
be built around the cell before production
level components could be produced.
Hi-Tech specified a solution that met all
cleanliness standards and incorporated
full air handling through entry and exit air
locks, thus allowing the cell to begin pro-
duction.
http://www.fanuc.eu
www.eyejusters.com
www.hitechautomation.net/
Feature: 3D printing prototypes

Design process behind the

remote controller organiser
T he team at Willett Design Group approached Star Rapid
to help them create The Remote Controller; an innovative
organising solution to keep your remote controllers in one place.
Its a universal rubber attachment that fits on all shapes and
sizes of remote controls.
A rough sketch is a great place to start
for any invention. If you think the idea is
a winner on paper, then the next step is
to move from a drawing to a CAD file so
it can be made into a physical prototype.
The team at Willett Design Group had its
2D and 3D CAD files ready so the next
step was to find a manufacturing partner.
The team at Willett Design Group reached
out to Star Rapid to inquire about availa-
ble services.
Make a prototype
When preparing to make a prototype
there are a range of different processes
you can use. Vacuum casting and 3D
printing are great alternatives for plastic
injection moulding and CNC machining
when creating your prototype since they
avoid costly tooling investment, therefore
you can make small quantities for cheap.
right manufacturing process. An elasto-
mer rubber sleeve like this can be made
with vacuum casting or compression
moulding.
It chose compression moulding for
low-volume manufacturing. It required
a larger initial investment, but multiple
cavities will let them produce many
parts quickly and efficiently. This is a
great way to provide an immediate rev-
enue stream to recoup costs and grow
a business organically.
Design for manufacturing
Star Rapids engineers provide custom-
ers with a design for manufacturing re-
view before production. This is important
to ensure the designs are optimised for
the manufacturing. Star Rapids main
feedback for the team at Willett Design
Group included the following:
Decrease the height of the embossed
lettering, to allow the part to be re-
moved from the mould tool without
damage. Deeply recessed lettering in
soft material will stick too much to the
tool walls, even with a draft angle.
Relocate the parting line of the mould
so that it would form a natural design
feature around the circumference of
the shell while highlighting the product
name.
Compression moulding for
low-volume production
Compression moulding uses two clam-
shell-type, open flash moulds. Within
the cavity of these two moulds, an insert
is placed to form the final shape. The
green colour on the tool is a protective oil
that keeps the tool from rusting allow-
ing it to be stored for further production
runs down the line.

The team at Willett Design Group chose

to make its prototype using 3D printing
since its fast and flexible. Its also an
excellent, low-cost way to test the three
Fs: Form, Fit and Function.

The team loved its 3D prototypes be-

cause they can hold the products and see
if theyre the right size and shape. Another
benefit of 3D printing is that design mod-
ifications are easy and cheap. Based on
the prototype the client saw they need-
ed some tweaking of the digital CAD file.
Once the design was finalised it was time
to prepare for low-volume production.

Choose the right process for

manufacturing
Next, Willet Design had to choose the

10 dpaonthenet.net
 Feature: 3D printing prototypes
Trunki maker rides through
A sheet of thermosetting silicone rubber was placed in the cavity of each energy savings with AC drive
mould tool. This sheet of raw material comes pre-mixed but is not yet fully
cured. It will only cure under the heat and pressure of compression, about
300C for three minutes.

The embossed lettering has been CNC machined into the cavity wall.
Recessed letters here will become raised lettering on the finished part. Its
important that they not be too deep or they will stick in the mould.

During compression, the two halves of the mould, with the inserts be-
tween them, will be held together under several tons of pressure. Excess
material or flash will be squeezed out of the cavity to form a very thin
strip around the parting line. This flash can later easily be peeled off by
hand.

The grooves outlining the parts profile are troughs where the excess ma-
terial will be pressed out to become flash.

Testing the first samples

Star Rapid always does a thorough QC inspection and test of the first set
of sample parts to make sure everything came out right.

One of the first tests was to confirm the stretchiness of the rubber, since
the remote controller needs to be flexible enough to fit every size and
shape of device without breaking. Star Rapid performed pull and twisting
tests and everything seemed fine.
T
he manufacturer of the Trunki brand of ride-on
suitcases has cut its energy costs by 7,800 per
year by retrofitting an ABB variable speed drive
(VSD) to one of its moulding machines.

These machines were ideal to test out the

But during testing the client decided to modify the design of the stalk.
effect of a VSD as they are identical machines
Star Rapid modified the tool and made a new set of samples within a few
days of receiving the clients revised drawings. A larger ball was added for
side by side making identical parts.
Tony Newbold, Magma Moulding
better grip and holding power, which also adds a little flair!

www.starrapid.com Up to 23,000 Trunki suitcases are produced at Magma

Mouldings Plymouth facility each month. The two halves
of the cases are made on two moulding machines. One
of these machines is 15 years old while the other is only
three years old.

Tony Newbold, technical manager for Magma Moulding,

says: These machines were ideal to test out the effect of
a VSD as they are identical machines side by side making
identical parts. The only difference is that the newer
machine already has a speed-controlled hydraulic pump.
We wanted to see if we could produce similar savings
by retrofitting an electric VSD to the older machine.

ABB authorised value provider APDS conducted a

week-long trial with an ABB drive to see how much
energy could be saved. After consultation with Magma,
it was agreed that installing a 55 kW ABB general
machinery drive would save 7,800 a year in energy
costs, with a payback of just seven months.

The moulding machine previously drew 40 kW, but since

fitting the drive, this has reduced to 23.5 kW. As it runs
for 4,500 hours per year, the drive is saving 74,250 kW/
hrs annually.

dpaonthenet.net 11
Feature: FPGA based prototyping
FPGA based prototyping
revisited reducing
time to prototyping
C hip developers are facing ever-increasing verification requirements driven by growing
hardware and software complexity. Fast time to results is essential for them to ensure
that projects can meet schedules. During the chip development flow, they demand to
use the right tools for the right job at the right time, requiring a combination of formal,
simulation, emulation, and FPGA prototyping as indicated in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Core development engines used during a chip design flow
Initially, when IP blocks and sub-systems
are developed, formal verification and sim-
ulation are the main core engines. Later,
hardware assisted techniques like emula-
tion and FPGA based prototyping find their
application. While simulation of gate-level
timing and test aspects is often that last
step prior to committing to tape-out, FPGA
based prototyping enables software devel-
opment at higher speed than emulation,
which in exchange offers better visibility
into the hardware than FPGA based pro-
totyping. While studies show that 80 per-
cent or more of all designs are prototyped
in FPGA eventually, traditional prototyping
comes at a significant cost and effort for
bringing up the design in FPGA based pro-
totyping architectures.
Key challenges include the re-modelling
and re-mapping of ASIC memories into
scarce FPGA resources, synchronisation
of clocks for multiple ASIC domains on
PCB boards and within FPGAs, partition-
12 dpaonthenet.net
ing of the design if it cannot fit into a sin-
gle FPGA and validation that after all the
changes made to the design it is actually
still functionally identical to the design with
which the process started. Consequent-
ly, the time to prototype classically could
take multiple months. As indicated in Fig-
ure 1 by way of left pointing arrows, if both
simulation and FPGA based prototyping
are accelerated or made available earlier,
the time to tape-out can be reduced and
development of software on FPGA based
prototyping can start earlier.
As part of its Verification Suite, Cadence
recently introduced both new simulation
and FPGA based prototyping engines. The
next generation simulation engine Xceli-
um is the industrys first production-ready
third-generation simulator combining
a multi-core engine architected for fast
System-on-Chip (SoC) simulation with a
single-core engine that has been refac-
tored for fast IP simulation. The patented
multi-core solution automatically analyses
designs and selects optimal configuration
for speed, providing on-average simulation
speed-up of 3X for RTL, 5X for gate-level
and 10X for design for test. The single-core
engine is proven to run a comprehensive
set of simulation use cases and provides
on average 2X speed-up over the Incisive
Enterprise Simulator.
The next generation FPGA based proto-
typing platform Protium S1 introduces a
common compile flow with Palladium Z1
emulation, providing congruency and re-
use of verification environments, reduces
the time-to-prototyping from months to
1-2 weeks as chip designers dont have to
do RTL changes, can utilise automatic par-
titioning and memory compilation as well
as a fully integrated FPGA place-and-route
capabilities. Performance is scalable from
3 to 100MHz from fully automatic to fully
manual implementation with an advanced
black-box methodology. The key target us-
ers for FPGA based prototyping software
developers can utilise advanced soft-
ware debug capabilities including memory
upload and download, force and release of
signals and a SCE-MI based transaction
interface.
Key to the accelerated time to prototype is
the multi-fabric compiler as shown in Fig-
ure 2. Traditional FPGA based prototyping
flows as indicated on the left hand side
require significant changes of the RTL to
fit the design into an FPGA fabric and to
 Feature: FPGA based prototyping

Figure 2: Cadence Multi-Fabric Compile Flow for Palladium Z1 and Protium S1

partition it across multiple FPGAs, followed
by FPGA synthesis and partitioning and
place & route (P&R). Each of the iterations
can take multiple days and because of the
changes made to the RTL, functional veri-
fication is a challenge, exacerbated by the
challenge that visibility into FPGA based
fabrics is much more limited than in pro-
cessor based emulation.
In contrast, the Protium S1 flow is using the
same front-end as emulation does. Mem-
ories are compiled automatically using a
comprehensive library of memory models
and clocking is taken care of automatically
by synchronising all clocks in the design
to a master step-clock. Users can guide
the partitioning manually using their knowl-
edge of the design, and use the full debug
capabilities of Palladium Z1 emulation pri-
or to committing to time consuming FPGA
P&R. In addition, the front-end compile
knowledge is forwarded as constraints to
the FPGA P&R, optimising partitioning and
making the layout much more predictable.
bilities of being able to look at all signals
in the design over a specific time period,
but is more than respectable for initial
debug tasks. Waveforms are aligned not
per FPGA but across partitions, users can
monitor signals easily and compile probes
into the design in advance. A very unique
capability is the ability to force and release
signals in a design to allow what if this 1
would be a 0 type of assessments.
Classic software debug with debuggers
like Lauterbach T32 and ARM DS-5 is done
via JTAG just as on the real chip and board
later on, but with a lot more flexibility to al-
low scripting, clock control, start and stop
as well as backdoor memory accesses to
load memories with new tests or updated
software versions to be booted.
With the combination of fast time to proto-
type from months to days using the mul-
ti-fabric compile flow with emulation and
new unique features that are made avail-
able to software developers, Protium S1
literally allows users to revisit FPGA based
prototyping and enable software develop-
ment much earlier than in classic develop-
ment flows.
Frank Schirrmeister is with Cadence
Design Systems
www.cadence.com

The resulting prototype now available

much earlier in the design flow than in tra-
ditional, older approaches, is optimised
for software developers as indicated in
Figure 3, which illustrates how a SoC with
its software stack is mapped into Protium
S1. Hardware debug is more limited than
Figure 3: Protium S1 Advanced Software
in emulation that has simulation like capa-

dpaonthenet.net 13
Sponsored content
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performs the same
Low voltage electric motor users have never had it so good. Users are spoiled for choice from an array
of motor technologies that have reached the market in recent years. Here, ABBs Dave Hawley, takes a
look at the pros and cons of four of the most widely used types.
Induction motor
Induction motors have been with us for many years:
the technology is well understood, they are easy to
control and to repair and they have become more
efficient over time. The best way to save energy
using an induction motor is to stop using them
direct-on-line and start using variable speed drives
(VSD) technology.
Advantages
Well known mechanical sizes, most popular
and common motor design. Many applications
such as air handler bed plates, for instance, have
standard mechanical interfaces to these motors.
Efficiency levels are improving with IE4 now
available on larger machines.
Easy to maintain and operate: can be readily
re-wound and spares are widely available.
Magnet-free: no generated electricity from
freewheeling loads.
Induction motors can be made between 20 to 80 percent more efficient when
operated with a VSD
14 dpaonthenet.net
Can operate direct-on-line or with a VSD. VSDs
bring energy savings between 20 to 80 percent.
Disadvantages
The induction motor requires current to be
induced into the rotor, hence a second magnet.
This rotor current is a source of I2R losses within
the motor, making it hard to achieve very high
efficiencies in smaller powers.
Smaller power motors are particularly difficult to
make high efficiency. It is very hard to increase
the cross sectional area of conductors and add
copper whilst keeping motors small. Making
motors below 7.5kW efficient, therefore, is why
other technologies like ECM, PM and SynRM are
often considered.
Permanent magnet (PM) motor
PM motors may be used to achieve the Eco-design
directives for efficiency. The motors only work with a
VSD to achieve a control point that saves energy. The
drive can be connected to fieldbuses and building
management systems (BMS). Sometimes encoders
are required, depending on the VSD being used.
Advantages
Permanent magnets mean no generation of a
second magnet in the motor. This absence of
heat, due to current in the rotor, means the motor
is more efficient.
30-60 percent higher torque capacity and
30 percent better torque utilisation with faster
acceleration and deceleration compared to
induction motors.
Compact design in non-standard frames with
high torque density and less weight, fit into
smaller spaces.
Higher continuous torque over a wide range of
speeds.
Lower rotor inertia, higher dynamics.
Higher operational efficiencies with no
magnetising currents.
Disadvantages
Can be between two to three times the cost of an
induction motor.
Can be hard to maintain and operate as
permanent magnets on the rotor make the rotor
hard to extract.
The magnets can be attracted to nearby
equipment such as lifting or handling machinery.
Often de-magnetise over time, especially if over-
heated or excess current flows.
Not possible to over speed PM motors to achieve
best efficiency characteristics of the system.
Do not have standard IEC frame sizes, meaning some
applications need to be mechanically re-designed.
Generate electricity in a freewheeling load
situation making them dangerous to work on,
causing electric shock or death.
Best efficiency point is near base speed, so when
controlling some applications across a speed
range, the efficiency drops.
VSD control topology needs to be good for
reasonable control of a fan or pump. As such,
encoder feedback is quite often required.
High noise levels are generated.
A spinning motor will generate dangerous
voltages within the terminal box.
The only way to avoid electric shock from this
regenerative energy is to mechanically lock the
rotor during maintenance.
PM motors only work with a VSD.
Electronically commutated motor (ECM)
ECMs are widely used in the building services
industry. These are brushless DC motors that
function using a built-in inverter/chopper and a
magnetic rotor, and as a result are claimed to
achieve greater efficiency in air-flow systems than
other kinds of AC motors.
Advantages
Medium to high efficiency.
Consistent airflow over a range of downstream
static pressures.
Gradual ramp-up to set-point flow rate at start-up.
Longer motor life.
 Sponsored content

Less motor noise because smaller package of

a fan array compared to one large induction
motor.
Convenient package simple installation.

Disadvantages
Higher capital cost.
Above 7.5kW do not have enough torque to
overcome static pressure in the system (restricted
by fan hub size).
Can generate considerable harmonic distortion,
especially at higher frequencies up to 120
percent total harmonic distortion (THD) is not
uncommon.
Cannot ride through power dip situations.
Cannot catch a spinning load.
When one part of the system (fan, motor,
controller) fails, the whole unit has to be
replaced.
Cannot be connected directly to fieldbus
networks, like BACnet which is an industry
standard, so not easy to gather telemetry or
control the application from a BMS. SynRMs are available in sizes that match induction motor frames, or smaller if less
Cannot programme the controller to perform PID space is required
control or timed functions for the application, so
no intelligence. Does not introduce high harmonics onto the freewheeling loads.
supply. The VSD can even be an ultra-low Only able to operate with a VSD.
Synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) harmonic variant. Absence of slip makes SynRM motor more
While the high efficiency offered by ECMs may be Can catch spinning loads, allowing power loss responsive.
suitable for some applications, it is essential that ride-through. Cooler running and quieter than other motors,
the right motor technology is selected if unforeseen Easy to optimise motor selection to the duty giving longer maintenance intervals or better
problems with harmonics, catching spinning loads, point. When operating variable speed the entire working environments.
power loss ride through, etc., are to be avoided. system can be adjusted to run most efficiently Disadvantages
by selecting operating points that fall within the VSD operating motor can be slightly larger than
For instance the cost-effective synchronous efficiency islands of that system. a conventional induction motor selection, due to
reluctance motor (SynRM) offers the same Easy to maintain and operate: standard motor re- higher excitation current on heavy loads.
efficiencies as ECMs but without the aforementioned winders can repair a SynRM motor with no more Potential cost increase is countered by
issues. A SynRM controlled by a traditional VSD than a copy wind approach. additional savings from the guaranteed package
brings all of the advantages such as: Magnet-free, therefore easier to handle than PM efficiencies.
Improved harmonic mitigation and no risk of de-magnetising. No magnets Motor runs synchronously (as does PM), so
Adequate power drip ride-through means no generated back EMF electricity from some re-scaling may be needed on BMS/SCADA.
Fieldbus connectability
Comparison of some motor types compared to IE2 motors
Built-in control features to enhance the
application HO SynRM IE4 SynRM IE4 IM Typical PM
Motor size Smaller Same Bigger Smaller
There are many other benefits of using a SynRM. Replacement Not always Yes Not always Not always
Advantages Repair Same copy rewind Same copy rewind Same copy rewind More difficult
Same price as equivalent induction motors. Efficiency Same or higher Higher Higher Higher
Available in sizes that match induction motor Ease of service Same Same Same More difficult
frames, or smaller if less space is required.
Price Same Same as IE3 Higher than IE3 Higher (2 300%)
Up to 50 percent lighter than induction motors.
Reliability Same or higher Same or higher Same or higher Magnets
Significantly quieter running than other motor
Availability 1.1 350kW 11 350kW Above 75kW now -
technologies - a big benefit in HVAC applications
Weight Lower Lower Same or higher Higher
where noise in the ductwork is a major
Operating noise Lower Lower Same Similar
consideration.
Have superior efficiency over induction motors; Package Yes Yes No No
efficiency testing
achieve same efficiency as PM motors. ABB
guarantees package efficiency. http://new.abb.com/motors-generators

dpaonthenet.net 15
Feature: Bonding systems
Safety and success
in machine building
applications
T he use of bonding systems is gaining
popularity among machine builders
as more come to recognise the potential
advantages on offer. For instance, bonding
systems enable manufacturers to incorporate
new materials into their designs, combining
their properties to best effect. Indeed, taking
a design approach that embraces adhesives
and sealants means that imagination
becomes the only restriction in creating
a new generation of class-leading machines.
Compared with welding, structural adhe-
sives that cure at room temperature the
preferred assembly system today do not
alter material properties, nor do they cre-
ate residual stresses, which in turn leads
to more durable, fatigue-resistant joints. In
addition, bonding processes consume less
energy, the equipment used is less costly
and fewer safety precautions are required
in the factory.
A further benefit is that lightweight mate-
rials such as plastics and composites can
be incorporated and joined with other ma-
terials, while flanged joints in casting parts
can be sealed and reinforced using anaer-
obic liquid gaskets, which enhances their
load transfer capability. These materials
prevent fretting corrosion between mating
flanges, thus guaranteeing long term ma-
chine reliability.
High performance anaerobics
Manufacturing machinery is evolving con-
tinuously in response to new industry de-
mands. Trends such as energy efficiency
and the requirement for increased produc-
tion rates and machine availability mean
16 dpaonthenet.net
Henkel health and safety range
that industrial machine builders are under as temperature change, pressure load and
huge pressure to build faster equipment part surface settling.
without compromising attributes such as
reliability and productivity. To fulfill this task, Liquid gaskets
machinery manufacturers must safeguard Fretting corrosion is another major prob-
all mechanical components by guarantee- lem that can be prevented using anaero-
ing that part dimensions and movements bics. Flanges sealed with liquid gaskets
are not compromised. not only prevent leakages and the ingress
of fluids, but also reinforce the joint against
Anaerobics have evolved dramatically since
they were discovered in the 1950s. Modern
properties include high temperature resist-
ance of around 200C in many grades, and
compatibility with oily surfaces and low
surface sensitivity, which means that most
grades cure even on inactive surfaces such
as stainless or passivated metals.
LOCTITE threadlockers are well known by
machinery manufacturers, although their
use is still associated with heavily loaded
bolts. In terms of cost, threadlockers are as
cheap as washers and significantly cheap-
er than other mechanical solutions such as
high quality bolts or tab washers. They are
also more efficient in ensuring bolt clamp-
ing force. Vibration is not only a source of
bolt loosening, it also causes issues such
 Feature: Bonding systems

any local shear stresses, thereby preventing micro-movement. As transversal

forces are prevented, load transfer capability is actually enhanced without any
design modifications and with no need for surface finishing improvements.

Cylindrical joints can also be retained using anaerobics. In this case, stress
distribution is more even, preventing all typical fatigue-related failures that oc-
cur when keyways and other mechanical systems are used. Compared with
welding, the metal properties are not modified by high temperatures and no
residual stresses are generated.

In one example, rollers can now be manufactured using this cheaper and more
sustainable system. In simple terms, anaerobic retainers make transportation
rollers more reliable and easier to manufacture. The bondline evenly transfers
the dynamic loads expected during roller operation to reduce fatigue-relat-
ed failures. In addition, rollers of all sizes and functions, including conveyors,
lamination systems, wrapping and thermoforming rollers, converting equip-
ment and calendering machines, can be manufactured using this system.

Instant assembly of small parts

Not long after anaerobics were introduced, another adhesive technology was
added to the LOCTITE range: cyanoacrylates, or superglues. These adhe-
sives were soon adopted by machinery manufacturers to bond materials
such as plastics and rubbers used in door seals, tags and other parts. Today,
cyanoacrylates are unrivalled in terms of performance and manufacturing
speed, as the latest developments have increased temperature resistance by
50 percent, up to 120C. Moreover, fixture speed is just a few seconds in
most working conditions, an attribute that no other commercial grade is able
to equal.

Temperature resistance is not only noticeable at close to the upper limit of

120C, but these adhesives exhibit higher strength than competitor products
even at temperatures of around 50-60C, where the resistance of most grades
falls dramatically. Several food compliant grades are available in addition to
medically approved grades that have been used for decades to manufacture
disposable medical devices. For more than 60 years we have been
transforming ideas into reality.
In short, bonding systems such as LOCTITE anaerobics and cyanoacrylates
No matter how complex your product design we will
from Henkel have a huge role to play in making life easier for machine builders have a solution.
the benefits are high and the costs are low, as more are discovering to their
competitive advantage.
Our reputation as a supplier of precision injection
moulded products means you can expect nothing less
than professional support throughout the manufacturing
www.loctite.co.uk
process from our people in the design engineering
department, the tool shop, our rapid prototyping bureau
through to the factory floor, assembly and warehousing.

We begin every design

with the end in mind
If youre looking for a plastic injection
moulding partner, lets talk.
LOCTITE 6300 e enquiry@rutlandplastics.co.uk Cold Overton Road,
w www.rutlandplastics.co.uk Oakham,
t 01572 723 476 Rutland LE15 6NU
dpaonthenet.net 17
Feature: Aerospace materials

New materials to lift new

A s the aerospace industry rises to the challenge of reducing
the weight of aircrafts while keeping manufacturing costs
down, new materials and techniques are playing an increasingly
AlSi10Mg. With good casting properties,
its used for cast parts with thin walls and
complex geometry. The alloy combina-
important role in component design. Stephen Dyson, Head of tion of silicon and magnesium results in
Industry 4.0 at Proto Labs, considers the latest developments. significant strength and rigidity, and good
dynamic properties make it ideal for parts
One consequence of the trend towards metal parts. DMLS is suited to a variety subject to high loads. It can be machined,
producing lighter aircraft is an increase in of alloys, and can build prototypes from wire-eroded and electrical discharge ma-
demand for lightweight materials espe- the same material as the final production chined, as well as welded, micro-blast-
cially aluminium and titanium alloys with components. Also, as components are ed, polished and coated. Alternative, for
new technologies in composites and met- built layer by layer, its possible to design CNC machining, optimum aluminium
als opening up possibilities for aerospace organic geometries, internal features and alloys include aluminium 2024 (QQ-A-
part designers. But how can the aero- complex passages that cant be cast or 250/4 T351), a medium to high strength
space industry make the most of these machined in any other way. aerospace aluminium alloy, which offers
materials to create lighter components? stiffness, fatigue performance and good
Also, which manufacturing processes Refining the finish: CNC strength for applications such as fuselage
best support aerospace part design? machining structural parts.
CNC machining is almost as fast as 3D
The game changer: 3D printing printing, and offers a wider choice of With titanium, some of the characteristics
The technology thats changed the rules suitable materials including engineer- that make it ideal for aerospace applica-
in many industries and is having a major ing-grade plastic and metal. In some tions also make it difficult to machine.
impact in aerospace is 3D printing. What cases, this process can create parts with Its hardness and low heat conductivi-
was previously impossible to manufacture greater functionality and higher quality ty reduce tool speeds and life, require a
can now be created in a matter of hours. appearance. Another benefit is that CNC great deal of liquid cooling during machin-
But, even though it seems like 3D printing machined parts are difficult to distinguish ing, and limit the productivity of certain
brings endless design freedom, its impor- from moulded parts so the process is of- shapes, such as thin walls. So, in many
tant to understand what it can achieve, ten ideal for high-quality prototypes, which ways, its better suited to 3D printing,
and what its best suited to. can be used as jigs, fixtures and one-offs. where it retains the beneficial properties
of the metal and involves no tool-wear or
Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) is an Material selection coolant costs. Also, nearly any geometry,
industrial 3D printing process that builds An aluminium alloy highly suited to creat- including thin walls, can be created with
prototypes and fully functional, end-use ing aerospace parts through 3D printing is DMLS.

Climate control
from the smallest
to the largest.
ENCLOSURES POWER DISTRIBUTION CLIMATE CONTROL

w ideas off the ground
Which process to select?
The choice of manufacturing process
is not straightforward. Many factors will
determine whether 3D printing or CNC
machining is best for producing your
lightweight parts and prototypes. Both
processes are suitable for aluminium and
titanium alloys, and the decision often de-
pends on standard criteria such as timings
and part geometry. Generally, 3D printing
offers faster production, but the resulting
part might need additional finishing. For
a smoother finish, CNC machining can
be more suitable with exceptions, such
as the higher costs associated with the
need for more complexity and precision,
as a larger number of tool paths may be
required to complete the task.
IT INFRASTRUCTURE
Feature: Aerospace materials
There are some impressive in-
novations coming out of the
digital manufacturing industry,
leading to significant develop-
ments in industries. In aerospace,
this means looking beyond traditional
supply chain relationships and manufac-
turing processes, and working in part-
nership with companies like Proto Labs
to make the most of the advantages the
latest technology and materials provide.
Stephen Dyson is Head of Industry 4.0
at Proto Labs
https://www.protolabs.co.uk/
SOFTWARE & SERVICES
www.rittal.co.uk
Feature: Recycling

Recycled
plastics:
the eco-savvy
product designers
choice VEKA Recycling - cable management

T he wide variety of innovative and sustainable recycled polymers produced in the

UK make it easier than ever for branded OEMs to go green with new product
design. Sophie Thomas, Director of Design RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement
of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) examines how and why this material
choice delivers a range of environmental and sustainable benefits for designers,
manufacturers and their customers alike.

Increasingly, consumers are making pur-
chasing decisions based on a products
sustainable credentials. Does it contain
recycled content? Can it be recycled and
reused again at end of life? What is its
carbon impact?
Recognising this growing environmental
awareness among their customers, many
major manufacturers are responding by
incorporating ethical principles into their
production processes and using this
added value to promote their brands
and build customer loyalty.
This opens up opportunities for environ-
mentally aware product designers to offer
clients novel recycled content options
that help to address the new green con-
sumers and add value to branded prod-
ucts. Increasing product appeal through
sustainably sourced materials can ulti-
mately lead to higher sales.
So why should designers incorporate
recycled plastic content into new prod-
ucts and what are the benefits? With the
concept of a circular economy gaining
ground, recycling is going to become
an increasingly important consideration.
Allied to this, significant improvements
have been made in the UK by local au-
thorities, the recycling industry and the
wider supply chain towards achieving a
circular economy for plastics and reusing
these valuable resources.
Raw material scarcity is an important
consideration and recycling existing pol-
ymers ensures a sustainable and con-
sistent supply for the future, reducing the
reliance on dwindling virgin materials. It is
also a low-carbon choice. Typically recy-
cled polymers have about 50 to 75 per-
cent of the carbon impact compared to
taking oil out of the ground and making a
virgin polymer - depending on the virgin
polymer types.
The high quality of recycled polymers and
their greater availability ensures a reliable
and sustainable supply of locally-sourced
recovered materials - a viable alternative
to virgin materials and the more environ-
mental choice for new plastic goods.
End users that enter into a long-term sup-
ply agreement with an integrated recy-
cling business, such as those in the end-
of-life vehicle or construction products
sectors, can benefit from a reliable local
feedstock. This shorter, lower risk supply
chain from UK-based recyclate suppliers
makes future production planning easier.
Another advantage of using recycled
plastics in durable goods concerns mul-
tiple re-use. Design for recyclability is
crucial. If the component design is right,
plastics can be recycled many times
through a well-structured end of life
re-supply chain.
Designers need to understand the design
principles that enable the efficient release
and recovery of materials during the recy-
cling process. Equally, they should recog-
nise the black marks that apply to poorly
designed products and wrong combina-
tions of materials. Many everyday prod-
ucts have simple design-for-recycling
guides, created by recyclers, which ex-
plain the dos and donts of good design
for recyclability.

20 dpaonthenet.net

Intelligent systems for process optimisation
StockSAVER
A retrofit solution for FIFO flow racks to monitor stock
movements and launch replenishment orders automatically
- Kanban without cards.
SmartMONITOR
Machine and workstation data collection and
monitoring system - reduce downtime, get lean.
AndonSPEED
Call-for-action system for logistics operations -
identifiesbottlenecks and gets things moving
again quickly.
Made in Germany
Intralogistex 2017: WERMA launches StockSAVER
The system, simple to retrofit to existing FIFO flow racking solves many
typical Kanban issues, increases the floor space for value adding activities
and increases cash flow. StockSAVER automatically calls up material
replenishment requirements and thereby reduces the margin for human error
and will significantly cut the amount of line-side safety stock being held.
Few Kanban systems are completely free from errors and weak spots: the
processing of Kanban cards can be delayed; cards can sometimes be
mislaid leading to very little transparency in the operation. The introduction
of scanners provides only partial relief to some of these issues, not least
Advertorial
WERMA (UK) Ltd.
email: uksales@werma.co.uk
Shop online at: www.werma.co.uk
of all because often staff will forget to scan leading to incorrect bookings
being made and shelves being incorrectly replenished.
The solution: third generation Kanban
With the help of WERMAs StockSAVER, many of the traditional Kanban
issues can be resolved: stock withdrawals no longer have to be scanned
and arithmetically calculated stock levels errors are removed.
Intelligent sensors on the FIFO racking give total transparency of stock
levels and, thanks to the automatic call for replenishment, stock-outs and
incorrect stock replenishment is excluded. The objective of the system is to
halve the level of stock held line-side by reducing the traditional amount of
safety stock being held there. Human errors in calling up for new material
or the incorrect filling of shelves is eliminated.
By using StockSAVER you can halve the number of FIFO racks and space
required on the shop-floor. This can free up valuable floor space for other
value adding activities and of course cash flow will be improved through
reduced stock.
WERMA (UK) Ltd
Tel: 01536 486930
www.werma.co.uk
uksales@werma.co.uk
dpaonthenet.net 21
Feature: Recycling
Recycled plastics can be used in many
innovative applications and manufactur-
ers are using them effectively in engineer-
ing products across diverse sectors from
car components to vacuum cleaners.
Here are some key examples:
VEKA Recycling - PVC-U
windows into new windows
and construction products
VEKA Recycling processes post-industri-
al and post-consumer PVC window frame
material. The finished products 100 per-
cent recycled PVC pellet and micronised
(pulver) are suitable for a wide range
of manufacturing and extruded plastic
goods, from building, roofline and cabling/
ducting products to new windows.
PVC is a versatile material that can be
readily recycled many times with no loss
of performance, making it an ideal choice
for use in building products with green
credentials.
VEKA Recycling Commercial Director Si-
mon Scholes says recycled PVC offers
clear advantages of reliable consistent
supply and improves the environmental
credentials of manufacturers products. In
releasing the reliance on virgin polymers,
the company is giving longer life to plastic.
Axion Polymers & BMW Mini
air vent
Axion Polymers recycled plastics de-
rived from end-of-life vehicles are used to
make new automotive-related products
in an example of the circular economy in
action.
Axion Polymers - BMW Mini air vent
22 dpaonthenet.net
Axpoly r-PP51, a black polypropylene
(PP), is used to make the BMW Mini air
vent that controls air entry and exit/pres-
sure in the cabin. The polymer is also
used in wider manufacturing industries,
including water treatment, horticulture
and retail goods.
Axion Polymers Director Keith Freegard
says creating new manufactured prod-
ucts using materials resources that are
mined from closed-loop recycling routes
provides a novel and environmentally re-
sponsible approach for vehicle producers
that is both sustainable in the long term
and also lower cost.
Luxus - automotive interior
trims
Technical plastics recycler Luxus is de-
veloping a range of polypropylene (PP)
compounds with up to 60 percent recy-
cled content, aimed at Europes Class A ply of sustainable polymers coming from
automotive interior trim market. Hycolene
is a faster cycling range of scratch re-
sistant, lightweight (PP) compounds that
help deliver improved Life Cycle Analysis
(LCA). The range is being developed to
help satisfy both end-of-life vehicle (ELV)
and emissions targets.
Recent trials concentrated on the follow-
ing criteria: scratch resistance, weight
savings, appearance and cycle time. The
Hycolene16818 achieved a weight saving
of up to 4.2 percent against the markets
current lightweight benchmark material.
It also delivered improved colour, dimin-
ished weld lines and a rapid cycle time for
reduced energy usage.
Terry Burton, Luxus Technical Manager
says Hycolene allows manufacturers to
satisfy environmental goals thanks to its
recycled content without sacrificing per-
formance delivering a lighter, stronger
and, critically, a high scratch-resistant
finish.
Modern design and manufacturing is
moving away from the traditional linear
model of take, make and dispose to-
wards the circular flow of materials. Re-
cycled plastics are a key part of the drive
towards sustainable product design and
the transition to a circular economy.
Designers and specifiers of materials
have a key role to play in breaking the lin-
ear model by challenging the norms and
ingrained habits and forcing the material
supply chain to link up the circular loop
and tap into the ready and growing sup-
the innovative waste reprocessing sector.
Designers keen to embrace these sus-
tainable values when developing new
products can access a growing range
of materials that are readily available as
good quality recyclate. A great place to
start sourcing recycled materials is with
the many plastics recycling companies
listed within the BPFs Members Directo-
ry: http://www.bpf.co.uk/directory/home.
aspx
Sophie Thomas is Director of Design
RSA (Royal Society for the encourage-
ment of Arts, Manufactures and Com-
merce)
Sigma-7 AC Servo Drives
Quick - Fast - Reliable
The New Sigma 7 Servo Series from YASKAWA focuses on three key objectives:

Consistently simple and fast commissioning

Maximum machine throughput, optimum precision
Outstanding operational reliability

With 25 years of development know-how, over 12,000,000 servo axis in operation and a reputation
for outstanding reliability its easy to see why global leaders in machine tool, packaging, woodworking
and many other applications rely on YASKAWA to maximise the performance of their machines.
AB17_1038_DPA

Contact YASKAWA UK Ltd: salesuk@yaskawa.eu.com

Tel: +44 (0) 1295 272755
Feature: Brake selection
Selecting brakes
If you need to hold a load, you need a brake. The question is
which type of brake and why?
The first thing you need to decide is
whether you want the brake to be applied
when there is no power, or when power
is applied. In most cases you want to
hold the load when power is off, but there
are applications like gates and turnstiles,
where the brake must disengage in the
case of a power failure. Power-to-energise
brakes are also used in process control
often in conjunction with a clutch to give
a stop-start action. However these appli-
cations are increasingly being solved with
servos or steppers, removing the need for
brakes altogether.
For power to release applications, there
are two main technologies available,
spring applied or Permanent Magnet (PM)
brakes. The majority of brakes are spring
applied fail-safe brakes, this is because a
spring applied brake is a rugged, low cost,
solution that will work over a wide tem-
perature and voltage range. Extras such
as a hand release, or wear indicator mi-
croswitch can be easily added. Tradition-
24 dpaonthenet.net
ally theses brakes have been designed for
dynamic operation, but now brakes can
be specified for holding. In the case of only
emergency stop applications, the torque
density can be increased by 50 percent,
providing better value and space saving
when the brake is used in conjunction with
a motor under Inverter or Servo Control.
With PM brakes, the holding force is pro-
vided by high power rare-earth magnets.
The brake incorporates an electromagnet-
ic coil, this is used to cancel out the flux
from the permanent magnets, releasing
the load when powered. The advantage
of PM brakes is a superior torque density,
faster response, and backlash free oper-
ation. This makes them a popular choice
for incorporation into servo motors and
for precision functions such as robotics,
medical, military and laboratory applica-
tions. The disadvantage over spring ap-
plied brakes is higher cost, and difficulties
in operating over an extended tempera-
ture and voltage range. The design of a
system with a PM brake needs to con-
sider the armature mounting arrangement
carefully because if the airgap between
the armature and the magnet is exceed-
ed, then the brake may not operate as
Fail-Safe.
Brakes are sized on torque so it is usual
to place the brake at the high speed end
of the power train, often on the back of
the motor, or within the casing of a ser-
vo motor. If this cannot be achieved or for
safety reasons the brake needs to be at
the low speed high torque end then Ca-
liper, Drum or Multidisc types are used
on larger systems. This article does not
cover these brake technologies. For ap-
plications up to approximately 1000Nm,
standard spring applied and PM brakes
can be used successfully across all points
in the drive system.
Calculating the optimum brake torque
size needs to take into account the torque
needed to stop or hold the load, the safe-
ty factor and the operating cycle. Care
needs to be taken to ensure the brake is
not over sized, particularly for dynamic
applications, as the inertia of the brake
itself can become significant. Bigger is
not always better. Another consideration
is duty cycle; Friction brakes produce heat
every time they stop the load, so for stop/
start applications it needs to be taken into
account, particularly when large inertias
are involved. Short-cut brakes are often
sized by comparing their torque to the
motor torque, but this is not ideal as it can
lead to Safety Factor Inflation where ad-
ditional margin is added at every stage of
the design, as well as adding unnecessary
cost, it can produce a design that is inher-
ently less dynamic and in extreme cases
failures can be caused by the shock load
of an oversized brake being applied in an
emergency stop situation.
With correct sizing an electromagnetic
brake can produce a safe trouble-free ma-
chine, as long as the appropriate technol-
ogy is chosen, and the design is correct.
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Feature: Microprocessor-based motor control
Microprocessor-based motor control:
is there finally a universal solution?
M otors are one of the most valuable items in modern
connected factories. They are also one of the largest
energy users and, therefore, industry continues to demand
technology to be more efficient.
Figure 1: Block diagram of a typical FOC control system
While there are still efficiencies to be gained
in both the motors themselves and the
semiconductors that control them, the area
with the greatest potential efficiency bene-
fit is the way in which motors are driven.
However, this is a particularly challenging
area, which is why designers increasingly
seek off-the-shelf solutions that address
as many requirements as possible.
The energy challenge
The International Energy Agency has es-
timated that electric motors account for
nearly half (46 percent) of global electric-
ity demand, thus making them a focus for
energy efficiency initiatives. Saving energy
in this area is seen as so important that,
in 2009, the European Union issued their
energy-related products directive (ErP)
2009/125/EC. While the directive focused
on many energy-consuming devices, reg-
ulation 640/2009 relates specifically to
electric motors, whether they are sold as
stand-alone devices or as part of larger
equipment.
Clearly, motor manufacturers and users
are faced with stringent legal and com-
mercial challenges. If their products do
not comply with the directive, they will not
sell. While the motor itself is a fundamental
element of a motion control system, the
method of driving the motor has a large
26 dpaonthenet.net
impact on overall system efficiency.
Types of motor and control
Compared with traditional brushed AC and
DC motors, Brushless DC (BLDC) motors
offer a number of significant advantages
including improved reliability and lower
costs. Unlike traditional motors, BLDC
motors have no commutator meaning that
they require more complex electronics to
achieve the torque control that is required
by modern applications.
Speed control for BLDC motors minimis-
es the current in the stator windings for
keeping the selected speed. This ensures
that all of the effort is directed into turn-
ing the motor, delivering optimal efficiency
and reliability. One of the challenges of this
approach is to sense the current to allow
comparison with the desired torque.
In trapezoidal motor control, the stator
currents are controlled to be equal in the
windings on either side of the rotor, while
the third winding is unpowered. As the
rotor spins the current of each phase is
cycled through positive, zero, and nega-
tive. This creates a trapezoidal current that
approximates to a sinusoidal waveform.
However, trapezoidal control can lead to
imprecise control and audible noise, espe-
cially at low speeds.
Sinusoidal control uses phase-shifted si-
nusoidal current waveforms to produce
smoother torque than the trapezoidal ap-
proach. This requires more accurate rotor
position information and current values
have to be calculated rapidly. At higher
speeds, any lag in this calculation will
lead to inefficiency.
Field-oriented control
Field Oriented Control (FOC), sometimes
known as Vector Control, is a mathemat-
ical approach to controlling BLDC mo-
tors that overcomes the poor low-speed
accuracy of trapezoidal control while
addressing the high-speed inefficiency
of sinusoidal control. FOC is a sensor-
less technique, so the space, weight and
energy consumed by a rotary encoder is
saved with this approach.
FOC maintains a constant stator field in
quadrature with the rotor field by manip-
ulating the motor currents and voltages
with reference to the rotors direct and
quadrature axes. The sensed stator cur-
rents are converted into direct (D) and
quadrature (Q) components. These com-
ponents are then compared with the re-
quired torque and zero to create an error
signal. These error signals are processed
in a software-based Proportional-Integral
(PI) function to create PWM drive signals
for the motor.
FOC is efficient across all motor speeds
and is not affected by the PI function
bandwidth. However, real time FOC re-
quires fast execution of the functions to
transform the sensed stator current sig-
nals into the voltage-control signals for
the output bridge. Software-based FOC
demands a significant portion of available
CPU performance to complete the calcu-
lations in a timely manner, especially at
fast rotor speeds. In some cases, the pro-
cessing ability of the system may be the
main limitation on the rotational speeds
achievable.
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Feature: Microprocessor-based motor control
Figure 2: Block diagram of TMPM37x vector engine microcontroller
In order to remove the dependence on the
main processor performance, dedicated
hardware platforms for FOC based motor
control have been developed. Toshibas
original Vector Engine (VE), for example,
moved the complex vector control equa-
tions into a dedicated hardware engine
with customisable firmware. Also included
in the integrated solution was a Program-
mable Motor Drive (PMD) block to gener-
ate the PWM waveforms and perform oth-
er necessary functions such as dead-time
control.
By reducing the software content, the VE
ensures stable and predictable execution
of code that is not impacted by interrupts
or the quality of the software. As standard
software is provided as part of the devel-
opment environment, designers can focus
on their core competencies and bring
products to market quicker.
Also, as dedicated hardware can exe-
cute up to 70 percent faster than a soft-
ware-based solution, higher rotor speeds
can be achieved. Moreover, the hardware
VE approach releases main CPU resourc-
es for high-level product features. In many
cases, when a hardware VE is implement-
ed, a lower performance main CPU can
easily provide the required application-lev-
el functionality thus saving space, cost
and energy.
However, many hardware-based motor
control solutions are inflexible and not
suitable for deploying a single core solu-
tion across a range of different applica-
tions. This can mean that some designers
continue to use the more complex and
time-consuming software based solu-
28 dpaonthenet.net
tions. What is needed, therefore, is a plat-
form that allows engineers to migrate their
existing FOC algorithms from a pure soft-
ware environment.
New and emerging
technologies
Some of the latest microcontroller devel-
opments are helping to address this chal-
lenge. Take, for instance, Toshibas TMP-
M37A. Capable of running at speeds of up
to 40MHz, this micro represents the latest
addition to the companys TX03 series of
ARM Cortex-M3-based devices and com-
bines high levels of integration with a small
footprint. Indeed, housed in a VQFN32
package measuring just 5 x 5mm, the new
solution is the worlds smallest microcon-
troller to incorporate Toshibas Vector En-
gine Plus (VE+) as well as a pre-driver.
By integrating a pre-driver, the TMPM37x
can directly drive MOSFETs with a com-
plementary three-phase output with a
minimum unit of 25ns. Direct microcon-
troller drive and control of small motors is
now possible.
Figure 3: Comparison of software and hardware based FOC implementations
Furthermore, the TMPM37x series only
requires a single 5V supply, with on-board
conversion to 3.3 and 1.5V. Also included
are up to two on-board 12-bit ADCs with
more than a dozen analogue input chan-
nels. The ADCs offer a constant conver-
sion mode and complete conversions
within 2S, when using a 40MHz conver-
sion clock. Some products incorporate a
4-channel operational amplifier for single
or three shunt resistor current detection
as well as a comparator for over-current
detection. External interfacing is extensive
with up to 74 I/O pins.
The full-function TMP37x includes up
to two-channels of encoder input circuit
(ENC) that corresponds to incremental
encoders (AB/ABZ). Allowing for 3-phase
input, the ENC is able to detect rotation
direction and includes a comparator for
position detection as well as a counter for
absolute position detection.
Other features integrated into the ad-
vanced TMP37x include a watchdog timer,
power-on reset, voltage detect and a gen-
eral purpose serial interface (SIO/UART).
Even though the vector control is hard-
ware-based, the VE allows for widely
differing solutions to be implemented via
software. This brings flexibility and hard-
ware-based performance into a single
solution. This flexibility is further enhanced
through an architecture that allows de-
velopers the flexibility to choose whether
to use their own IP or take advantage of
hardware acceleration using IP from Toshi-
ba or combine both.
The closely-related TMP47x series is
based on an ARM Cortex-M4F proces-
 Feature: Microprocessor-based motor control

sor and offers operation at speeds up to Frank Malik is Principal Engineer https://toshiba.semicon-storage.com/
120MHz. of Processing & Control at Toshiba eu/top.html
Electronics Europe
The recently announced M4K group is a
single-chip solution with a low pin-count
for controlling multiple motors - especially
in home appliance and HVAC applications.
The new products support the RAMScope
interface that can confirm parameters in
real time without affecting motor operation.

Development support
Alongside a number of specific reference
design boards and code examples, Toshi-
bas MotorMind software provides a start-
ing point to easily setup and initialise a
motor. The software enables designers to
enter basic motor parameters without the
need to write any code.

MotorMind offers an advanced graphical

interface to show actual motor parameters
including speed and torque. The package
also features an integrated DSO (Digital
Storage Oscilloscope) to visualise regis-
ters from inside the Vector Engine based
upon optional, configurable, trigger points.
Figure 4: Toshiba MotorMind PC software allows rapid code-free development

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www.klippon-connect.com
Feature: Low voltage motors

Wood chips Romanian style

T he third sawmill of the Austrian Schweighofer Group was commissioned in
Reci (Romania). The key component of the fuel processing line there is a
drum chipper made by BRUKS Klckner (BRUKS). What makes this chipper
special is its custom drive system, consisting of a pair of smart low-voltage
motors from WEG.

The special drive system enables electronic braking of the drum chipper after it is switched off

BRUKS makes drum chippers with rotor
diameters up to 2.8m and up to 15 rows
of knives, to meet a wide variety of re-
quirements in the sawmill, cellulose and
paper industries, chipboard plants, bio-
mass power plants and pellet plants, as
well as custom models for a wide variety
of special applications.
BRUKS supplied the complete fuel pro-
cessing line for the biomass power plant
attached to the Schweighofer sawmill in
Reci. The key component of the system is
a type DH 850 x 1200 drum chipper with
a total of 15 infeed rolls and drive power
of 710kW. The chipper has a knife cutting
circle diameter of 2m with two knife rows
and produces 60,000kg of wood chips
per hour, with a chip length of 65mm.
From logs to wood chips
The fuel processing line consists of sever-
al seamlessly meshed units. First a lateral
conveyor receives the logs and passes
them to a singulator, which feeds them

30 dpaonthenet.net
 Feature: Low voltage motors
into the chipper line. The line additionally receives
short timber from a dispensing table. The logs reach
the chipper over an infeed belt with integrated metal
detection coil. Finally, the produced wood chips are
picked up and carried away by an extraction and dis-
tribution claw conveyor.
Among other things, the chipper line is distinguished
by its cleanliness: any dirt falling below the chipper
belt or the lateral conveyor and singulator is caught
by belts and transported to the material storage area.
From there it is fed to thermal recycling.
Special drive
The 10,000kg chipper rotor is driven by a WEG
low-voltage motor with an output power of 710kW. The
six-pole squirrel cage motor with frame size 450 J/H
produces a nominal torque of 6,825Nm. It achieves an
efficiency of 96.3 percent under full load. The rotor is
made from copper bars, and the motor can be operat-
ed at ambient temperatures from -30 to +40C.
A V-belt drive transfers power from the main motor
to the drum chipper. The belt pulley is not mounted
on the motor shaft, but instead in bearing blocks on
each side, because the radial forces with this level of
drive power are much too high for the motor shaft and
motor bearings. The main motor is connected to the
pulley shaft by an elastic pin coupling.
A six-pole WEG motor with a rated power of 55kW,
which serves as an auxiliary starter motor, is coupled
to the opposite end of the belt pulley. It is ramped
up by a variable-speed drive unit operating in power
control mode to slowly accelerate the entire system
up to the rated speed of 994 rpm. The start-up ramp CNC Power-
time is about two minutes. The main motor is only Engineering
switched on when the rated speed is reached, avoid-
ing high start-up currents. Due to the cold winters in
Romania, the auxiliary motor is also designed for am-
bient temperatures down to -30C.
In the other direction, this custom drive arrangement
allows the chipper to be braked electronically after it Guaranteed Results !
is switched off, with the braking energy fed back into
the power grid. The run-down time with this drive sys-
NUM steps up to
tem, which is presently unique in the chipper market, the challenge !
is only about two minutes instead of approximately 11
minutes without braking.
In addition, there is a small gear motor on this motor
axis, which is connected to the other end of the start-
er motor shaft through a solenoid clutch. In normal
operation it is decoupled from the drive train. It is only
connected in maintenance mode, so that the chip-
per rotor can be slowly rotated to the best position
for changing the knives. On average, the knives must
be changed every two shifts. Moving the 10,000kg
motor by hand is virtually impossible, and it is not al-
lowed for safety reasons.
Benefits for mechanical engineer and
plant operator
BRUKS and WEG have worked together on a wide va-
riety of projects over the course of many years. Plant
operator Schweighofer also benefits. Thanks to the
sturdiness and low maintenance needs of the motors,
the drum chipper is very reliable in operation and cost-
If we can't improve the
ly downtime is reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, performance of your
feeding the braking energy back into the grid and start- machine then
ing up the drum chipper with a variable-speed drive
reduce energy consumption and operating costs.
Engineering will not be
charged*
www.weg.net/uk Got an Idea? Lets make it
happen... Together!
Just give us a call.
*T&C's apply
NUM (UK) Ltd.
Unit 5 Fairfield Court
Seven Stars Industrial Estate
Wheler Road
Coventry, CV3 4LJ
www.num.com
dpaonthenet.net 31
Feature: Hydraulic motors
Hydraulic motors for the tunnel
M achine builder Palmieri has developed a new type of machine
for an unusual tunnel project in Italy. Bosch Rexroth designed
and delivered the hydraulic system for it.
Slowly the saw descends, the chain begins
to rotate around the guide bar and eats its
way little by little through a metre-thick re-
inforced concrete block as though it were
ordinary wood. This saw is by no means
ordinary. It looks like a normal chainsaw
with gigantic dimensions eight metres
long, with a chain that is half a metre long.
It is standing in a production hall at the Ital-
ian Palmieri Group, a manufacturer of tun-
nel construction systems. Once the huge
saw has gone through its trial by fire, it still
needs to prove itself in the field.
Andrea Novello, Sales Engineer at Bosch
Rexroth in Italy who has been overseeing
The saw was in use for approximately 1,000 hours
32 dpaonthenet.net
the project from the outset, said the saw
is part of a machine concept intended for
a tunnel expansion project. In order to
test it, Palmieri completely assembled the
system to ensure nothing could go wrong
on the construction site.
of the Italian highway network, commis-
A tunnel in a tunnel
Just a few weeks after the test run in the
production hall, you can view the task for
which the Palmieri machine is intended.
On the Autostrada Adriatica or the A14
highway, which connects the north of Italy
to the heel of the boot, the two tunnels of
the Montedomini Tunnel, which are around
280m long will be widened from two to
three lanes near the port city of Ancona.
Novello said the construction work is to
be carried out while traffic is still flowing.
Normally you need to close the tunnel for
such work and divert the traffic. Howev-
er, the A14 is a busy road and closing the
tunnel would result in traffic chaos. The
responsible municipality did not authorise
the building of another tunnel. Autostrade
per lItalia S.p.A, which is the operator
sioned the road construction company
Ghella S.p.A. to widen the tunnel without
having to close the road. So far, there has
only been one comparable project in Italy
and that was the Nazzano Tunnel project
near Rome at the beginning of the millen-
nium. The technique used there served as
the model for the Montedomini project. In
the existing tunnel a further tunnel is built

el machine
through which the traffic can keep flowing
while people and machines work in the
cavity between the two tunnel ceilings.
Extreme conditions
Ghella wanted to further optimise this tech-
nique for the Montedomini Tunnel and com-
missioned the Palmieri Group to design a
new machine for the expansion work.
Novello explains that while the Nazzano
project only had one machine carrying
out all of the work, Palmieri used two that
are able to work separately. Both look like
two curved portals, whose dimensions
more or less correspond to the desired
tunnel diameter. They drive into the tun-
nel on rails, while below the cars rush
by beneath a protective concrete shield.
The first portal carries the gigantic saw,
which saws a semi-circular, half-metre-
wide cleft in the rock above the old tun-
nel ceiling. The resulting gap is then filled
with shotcrete. Conventional excavators
then remove the material from under the
new semicircle. The next machine can
now move forward where it lines the new
tunnel ceiling with prefabricated concrete
segments. Once this task has been com-
pleted, the saw continues with its work.
The two machines enable a reduction in
standstill periods due to the fact that one
can be serviced while the other one re-
sumes its work. The technology is faced
with extreme conditions: the machines need
to endure a lot of dust, heat and moisture.
Robust hydraulics
Palmieri required components for the
two machines that also worked relia-
bly under extreme conditions. The drive
for the chainsaw in particular needed to
be extremely resilient. Novello explains,
Palmieri originally considered using an
electro-mechanical solution, but that
would not have worked in this harsh en-
vironment. The tunnel machine builder
therefore settled for one by Hgglunds -
Feature: Hydraulic motors
hydraulic motors from Rexroth with a dis-
placement of 20,100 cubic centimetres
and a torque of 80,000 Newton metres
at 50 revolutions per minute. In addition
to this, Palmieri also needed a hydraulic
system to drive the motor. It was at this
point that the cooperation with Bosch
Rexroth began.
For Novello, this job was a premiere in two
respects: Although Palmieri had already
previously obtained Rexroth components
from its dealers, it had never worked di-
rectly together with Bosch Rexroth. Also
new was the fact that it had never before
had anything to do with a hydraulic sys-
tem of these dimensions.
Bosch Rexroth worked in close coopera-
tion with Palmieri to develop and design
a closed hydraulic system, through which
the fluid was pumped using two axial pis-
ton variable pumps. The hydraulic system
was required to hold out for 3,000 hours
and Novello is convinced that it is also ca-
pable of more.
One metre per day
The hydraulic system successfully sur-
vived the work on the Montedomini
Tunnel and the machines from Palmieri
advanced by one metre a day. The ex-
pansion work to widen each tunnel to
three lanes took only six months. The saw
was in use for approximately 1,000 hours.
In principle, the machine can also be used
again for other similar tunnel projects.
www.boschrexroth.com
dpaonthenet.net 33
General feature: Robots

Robots and the

labour force
R obotics have, to a greater or lesser degree, been
a feature of manufacturing for several decades.
For example, many of us will remember the Fiat
Strada Hand built by Robots television ad campaign
from 1979, showing the vehicles being created on an
impressive robot operated production line.
Since then their use in manufacturing to be put in the machines, the raw material
has become commonplace and there is must be presented to the machines. The
currently much discussion as to whether machine shop itself then becomes a huge
robotics could replace the human work- robot.
force. Roger Haw, managing director of
Flame Hardeners Ltd. gives his view on the Extending the boundary further, the tooling
extent to which this could become reality. and the raw material have to be brought
from the stores. The store could operate
Robot: A machine (which could be pro- on automatic picking and tools can be
grammed by a computer) to undertake a placed in a selected order on pallets for
complex series of actions automatically. delivery to the machine shop. The incom-
ing tools to the factory can be automatical-
This definition is rather different from the ly selected from the transport and placed
image of an artificial man arriving at the correctly in the stores. The whole lot is
side of your armchair with a cup of tea then moved to the machine shop
on a tray. It is feasible that in a manufac- on a driverless programmed
turing/engineering environment a com- vehicle. The stores are
ponent could be produced on a series of now a robot.
machines undertaking different operations
and linked by programmable handling op-
erations in between different units. It is rea-
sonable to define the whole collection of
machines and the transfer units as a robot.
Extend the boundary, and the tooling has

34 dpaonthenet.net

The stores robot feeds the machine Roger Haw believes that the increased use
shop robot. Add the assembly shop of the robot will see the work force moved
robot and the manufacturing unit is com-
plete with programmed marshalling and
movement without the involvement of
bodies on the shop floor.
But have the robots replaced the people
in the factory? No - there may have been
a few reductions in numbers but the main
effect has been redistribution of the labour
force away from manufacturing opera-
tions to cleaner, and perhaps more sat-
isfying, tasks such as programming the
robots. The machine operator previously
programmed his CNC machine, now the
technician programmes all machines in
the sequence and the handling of items
between the machines.
In the event of something going wrong
then diagnostic programmes will deter-
mine the faults, but the human in the form
of a maintenance man actually has to go
in there and replace faulty parts or make
routine adjustments to compensate for
wear and tear.
Is the ultimate dream that the robot repairs
the robots? Major economies now have to
provide a high standard of technical educa-
tion to keep the robots running efficiently.
The advantage of the robot is that it can
manufacture volume or batch parts ac-
curately and efficiently and more eco-
nomically than previously. The robot can
fetch, carry, position and most im- Flame Hardeners has never concentrated
portantly handle toxic substances hazard-
ous to workers in particular areas. Howev-
er, there will always be some applications
that will not be economical, such as re-
pairs to plant and machinery.
General feature: Robots
ment. The specific treatment is selected
following discussion with the customer
from production operations, stores oper- regarding their requirements and the most
ations, and inspection operations to pro- suitable materials to employ in achieving
gramming and maintenance activity. these.
Robots will not replace people. The fu- Every member of the work force is mul-
ture work force will control and maintain ti-skilled and can set up and operate every
the robots. It will be necessary to estab- item of machinery used for flame and in-
lish education and training to provide a duction hardening within the company
suitably qualified workforce and this will and, working as a team, they constantly
be the next area of debate. And it is one assist each other in providing customer
that Flame Hardeners has already begun satisfaction.
to address.
Over the years, Flame Hardeners has
While examining its workforce require- developed a unique training programme,
ments for the next three years, it looked which is now ready for taking in newest
at the current structure of the company recruits.
and realised that its four longest serving
members of staff have a combined total of Hopefully, in the years to come the com-
more than 135 years experience in flame pany will still be able to share its pride in
and induction hardening. the collective experience and knowledge
available to its customers.
The company assumed that all of them
have been with the company for this length Roger Haw is Managing Director of
of time because they are happy here. Flame Hardeners Ltd
On discussing the matter with them, www.flamehardeners.co.uk
Flame Hardeners found that all four are
really proud that they are engaged on
work which they consider to be interest-
ing and highly skilled, and which requires
unique process training that is not readily
available in centres of further education or
provided by the many training agencies
currently in existence.
on high volume work. Instead, it has ser-
viced the specialised requirements of high
value components (ranging from items
weighing as little as 5gm. up to 20 tonnes),
most of which require bespoke heat treat--
This image represents an item that couldnt be tackled by a robot
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With up to 16 channels in a 12 mm wide housing it requires less space,
and has lower energy and maintenance costs; taking automation into
extreme environments.
To request a catalogue call 01788 568 008,
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Supplement: Automotive
Keeping classic cars on th
with reverse engine
G one are the days when a shortage or complete lack of spare
parts would ultimately see classic or historic cars retired from
the road and consigned to a museum or collection. By harnessing
the latest scanning technology in conjunction with SOLIDWORKS,
the ability to reverse engineer obsolete parts provides the means to
jump-start the life of such vehicles and prolong their lifespan.
In this interview, Dafyd Richards, founder
of bespoke car restoration company, Re-
design Sport Ltd (RSL), lifts the bonnet on
how he and his team are using technology
from SOLIDWORKS reseller NT CADCAM
to do exactly that for a classic 1952 Ferrari.
Can you tell us a bit about what
RSL does?
In a nutshell, we restore historic vehicles
and have been doing so since 2006. We
are finding that certain parts are getting
increasingly harder to source and the cars
rarer. In some cases, the vehicles we have
36 dpaonthenet.net
coming through are one of a kind, so we
realised that we need to take matters into
our own hands.
In the last 3-5 years, there has been a rev-
olution and evolution in scanning technol-
ogy. This offered the capability to scan old,
broken parts and put the data into the 3D
space for CAD modelling. Scanning mas-
sively improves the accuracy and time in
reverse engineering these beautiful cars
and their associated parts. It also reduc-
es the mental fatigue of the engineer, who
would have previously relied on traditional
methods or worse, been forced to model
a component from memory!
What scanners do you use?
We undertook a great deal of market re-
search before ultimately opting for a Crea-
form HandySCAN 700. I had a demo and
the salesman was able to scan half the car in
15 minutes, so I knew it was a game chang-
er. It comes with VX Elements lightweight
scanning software, which scans to mesh di-
rectly, as opposed to other scanners which
scan as a point cloud and then convert to a
mesh. This enables us to see information in
real time and, if need be, change the reso-
lution or laser intensity on the fly.
For example, if Im scanning across two
different materials say a highly polished
red paint to rubber I can change the
shutter setting and alter the intensity of the
laser halfway through.

he road
eering
We have also used Romer Arms which are
much like the FaroArm; it runs Geomagic
Design X software. This powerful piece of
kit lets me convert the 3D scan data into
high quality CAD models that I can then
use in SOLIDWORKS.
So whats the secret to
scanning?
For a long time, 3D scanning was almost
a black art. Everyone thinks you need the
most amount of data and information to
reverse engineer, but sometimes its irrel-
evant because you cant do anything with
it. Scanning items and helping them get
that scan data into a SOLIDWORKS file is
much of what RSL is about.
Whether it is scanned data from a laser,
geo satellite MMR or a photogrammetry
scanner, we can process it, trim out the
erroneous data that isnt needed and then
1952 Ferrari 225
work with the customer to try and meet
their aim. From there, we can help them
get the relevant data into their SOLID-
WORKS environment.
Tell us about the 1952 Ferrari
A customer in the US asked us to look af-
ter his 1952 Ferrari 225 for the Goodwood
Revival. The car had been given a fresh
engine build and a check over in the US,
but when we fired it up a day before the
race, a conrod came out of the side of the
engine. This part moves the pistons up and
down so the prognosis was terminal. Un-
fortunately, upon stripping the fresh engine
we found that every nut and bolt inside the
engine had been left loose during the origi-
nal rebuild. Needless to say, we missed the
event, but the customer asked if we could
get the car race-ready for the Monaco His-
toric Grand Prix. We had eight weeks to
turn things around.
What happened next?
We scanned the piston on a Thursday
morning using the HandySCAN, modelled
the scan data in Geomagic Design X then
transferred it live into SOLIDWORKS. Our
Supplement: Automotive
chosen manufacturer uses SOLIDWORKS
for modelling where, if needed, they could
tweak the design. eDrawings and part files
flew back and forth, but by the Monday
morning the 12 pistons went into produc-
tion and we had the new pistons in our
hands three weeks later.
We also used SOLIDWORKS to remodel
two distributors on the Ferrari, which were
causing problems with the ignition system.
We remodeled every single component in
the same way and sent all the parts out to
different manufacturers.
The parts had only ever been together on
the screen in SOLIDWORKS, but when
they all arrived they all fitted together per-
fectly the first time.
How is SOLIDWORKS
helping you?
We use other pieces of software, but always
come back to SOLIDWORKS because we
simply couldnt operate without it. When
I worked for a Porsche Supercup rac-
ing team, Id seen the guys next door use
CATIA on their Le Mans LMP project and
thought it would be painfully difficult for a
CAD newbie like me to come in and use it.
I then discovered SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD,
which was very easy and quick to learn. I
have been using Geomagic Design X in
real world projects for the past couple of
years and between the two products, RSL
has achieved a huge amount of success
especially the 2D drawing facility.
Dafyd Richards is founder of bespoke
car restoration company, Redesign
Sport Ltd (RSL)
www.ntcadcam.co.uk
RSL chassis scan data
dpaonthenet.net 37
Supplement: Automotive
Public safety concerns of
connected cars need to be addressed
B uoyed by todays smart cities and the need for the worlds
1.2 billion motor vehicles to be able to navigate the worlds
streets more safely, there has been a substantial rise of what
is commonly referred to as the connected car. In fact, some
12 percent of all cars on the roads are predicted to be
connected to the internet by the end of the year.
Connected cars are already one of the big-
gest exponents of the Internet of Things
(IoT) revolution. In fact, with smartphone
penetration hitting a saturation point in
many western countries, mobile-industry
consultants Chetan Sharma revealed that
in the US there are now more cars being
added to mobile networks than actual
mobile phone handsets in the first quarter
this year.
A breach of public safety
Whilst the market is firmly in fifth gear, the
security that underpins connected car
technology is still spluttering in second at
best. There has already been a number
of stunt hacks such as a well-publicised
one on Jeep last year where hackers
took over the controls wirelessly and sent
38 dpaonthenet.net
commands through the cars entertain-
ment system. This enabled access to its
dashboard functions, steering, brakes,
and transmission with the driver within
unable to override them.
Until now, security and safety have been
considered as two completely separate
entities. Unlike the high profile breaches
such as Home Depot and Sony that have
been confined to legal ramification and a
knock to consumer confidence, the po-
tential breach of a connected car could
lead to someone sustaining physical
harm. This is along with medical devices
and critical infrastructure the first time
that computer security is intersecting with
public safety, with serious ramifications.
A shift in focus
Automotive manufacturers have been
focusing so much on adding functional-
ity and usability that they havent been
properly considering the threats. A shift
in focus is needed. Manufacturers have
to start placing security front and centre,
and take the potential human safety im-
pact more seriously.
One of the things that automotive man-
ufacturers seem to have been relying
on is that physically getting hold of a
car to deconstruct it and find the vul-
nerabilities is expensive, so bad guys
havent yet been targeting them. Whilst
this may reduce the potential for curi-
ous teenage hackers, it certainly wont
prevent black-hat security researchers,
organised crime syndicates or state
sponsored attacks. However, even this is
a short sighted view. Now, many of the
systems being put into connected cars
can be downloaded from the internet, so
are accessible to all, including those with
nefarious intentions.
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Supplement: Automotive
A changing landscape
The information security landscape has
changed. Back in the mid-90s, firewalls
were all that was really needed to keep
nasties out of your systems. That worked
well until software became the target and
the perimeter came down. Now the root
problem is in the design and implemen-
tation at the software level, where the vul-
nerabilities typically manifest themselves
from within the code when it is written.
A more proactive way of undertaking
security in 2017 is to identify where the
vulnerabilities are within the code and
then recommend changes to remove the
issue. This proactive approach means the
vulnerability can be fixed before the prod-
uct whether it is a connected car, mobile
phone or fridge goes onto the market.
Source of the problem
Whilst the attacks on connected cars
have been limited to stunt hacks, it is no
stretch of the imagination that criminals
could use a similar technique to the Jeep
hack to gain access and take control of a
car innocently parked on your driveway.
To minimise the risk, it is imperative that
quality assurance and security is embed-
ded across the development lifecycle, es-
pecially as requirements and architecture
is being designed, to ensure that robust
security protection is baked in from the
very beginning.
40 dpaonthenet.net
Whilst a potential bug in the code is gen-
erally an unintentional failing of the test-
ing process that could be exploited at a
later date, there are fears that it could be
placed intentionally from within the supply
chain. Because of a connected car using
a number of relatively small components,
there is great temptation for manufactur-
ers to rely on open source libraries. How-
ever, this open source code which by
its very definition could be reused again
and again could have been written by
anonymous coders (amongst a cast of
100 legitimate ones). These coders could
be playing the long game by allowing bad
guys in the future to infiltrate through a
back door they may have placed into the
system years before. It may sound a far
sighted way to do it, but it unfortunately
does happen.
Testing the system for security vulner-
abilities can take on various forms. It
could be by undertaking a port scan to
see which ports are open, which services
are running on them, and then looking for
known vulnerabilities. It could be using
fuzzing to find weaknesses, where coding
errors and security loopholes are discov-
ered by firing large amounts of random
data at a system in an attempt to make
it crash. Sometimes, though, it can be as
straightforward as connecting to the car
and sniffing the data in order to reverse
engineer it to find flaws.
A constant battle
The truth is that security is an ongoing
process. In the commercial space, we
are all used to routinely patching our
systems. This is because new vulnera-
bilities and new methods of attacks are
always being developed and discovered.
Yet, until now automotive manufacturers
have been complacent in their attitude to
security. It was, more often than not, a
token gesture tacked on at the end not
taken seriously and baked-in from the
start.
Security is not a complete solution and
a system can never be truly 100 percent
secure. However, by placing security
alongside human safety when it comes
to automotive manufacturing, there
will need to be both an immediate risk
reduction and a process in place. This
means they can respond in the future if
something happens. After all, the cost of
testing is a drop in the ocean compared
to the total cost of getting a new car to
market - so it is a small price to pay for
increased public safety.
Stephen Morrow is principle security
consultant at SQS
www.sqs.com
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Supplement: Automotive
Car factory production line
Innovative solution
for moisture sensing in
automobile production
W
orking in close co-operation with a leading car manufacturer,
Turck has designed a fully automated solution for moisture
sensing based on RFID.
In the automotive industry, before a new
car leaves production, it is checked for
water ingress at multiple points through-
out the bodywork. For this process it is ex-
posed to different situations in a sprinkler
chamber that simulates rain, water splash-
es and car wash facilities. Next, moisture
checks are carried out to determine any
ingress but as these are manual inspection
methods they cannot offer total, error-free,
assurance.
Together with its partners Smartrac &
Vilant, Turck offers one of the worlds first
system solution for fully automated mois-
ture sensing. The system is based on UHF
RFID technology and detects all moisture
ingress in car bodies without the need for
any manual intervention.
42 dpaonthenet.net
Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)
uses radio waves to read and capture in-
formation stored on a tag attached to an
object. A tag can be read from up to a
metre away using a two-way radio trans-
mitter-receiver called an interrogator or
reader that emits a signal to the tag using
an antenna. The tag responds with the in-
formation written in its memory bank. The
interrogator will then transmit the read re-
sults to an RFID computer programme.
In order to detect all moisture, the car body
is fitted with tags at convenient stages
throughout production. These tags react
to humidity, even in concealed places.
Before the car is driven into the rain spray
chamber as part of the final inspection, it
goes through an RFID gate which registers
all the RFID tags. After the spray process,
the car goes through a second RFID gate
at the exit which reads all the RFID tags
again. If humidity has penetrated at any
point the system detects a discrepancy
between both read operations and sends
an appropriate fault message to the Man-
ufacturing Execution System (MES) of the
user. Car bodies that are affected can thus
be removed directly and investigated.
As part of its customer support policy and
in close collaboration with an automobile
manufacturer, Turck has drawn up a re-
quirements profile for the system for mois-
ture testing. For every installation, only
once the initial test phase is successfully
completed on-site and the test feasibility
determined in an actual application do
Turck hand over the turnkey solution.
The passive UHF-RFID sensor tags can
be stuck directly on metal and later read
in positions that are difficult to access due
to the surrounding structure of the vehicle.
Thanks to this capability and their com-
pact format of 21.5 x 73mm, the self-ad-
hesive tags can be mounted, without any
problems, on many points in the car body.
For areas that are extremely difficult to ac-
cess, Turck have devised special tags with
extension strips that will register moisture
in the smallest cavities.
If the tag detects humidity, it reacts with a
change in impedance, which is registered
within the RFID read process. RFID eval-
uation software allows the affected areas
to be localised precisely by means of the
collected data.
Being a passive RFID sensor tag it does
not require a power supply and can remain
in the car for its entire lifetime so that it can
be read again at any time. The tag draws
the required energy from a handheld de-
vice or the read write heads of the gates.
The elimination of faults, particularly in
manual operations, and the continuing
challenge to achieve zero-defect produc-
tion, is paramount in the automotive indus-
try. The introduction of a fully automated
solution for moisture sensing and the in-
creased level of quality it affords benefits
customers and increases confidence in
the brand.
www.turckbanner.co.uk
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