p

(space = 3.0” )

www.designworldonline.com
June 2021
p

inside:
PLCs:
PLCs — the power of
lower voltage

p. 152
(Peek-A-Boo door - 4” x 4”)
(dashed and solid lines for template
use only - does not print)

p
p
3D CAD: (space = 1.0”)
Configuring new uses for

Smart
already created designs

p. 156

ROBOT REPORT:
RBR50 Innovation
Awards mechatronics
add capabilities to linear
p. 63

motion applications page 146

(COVER PAGE WIDTH = 8.625”)

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Custom_6-21p.indd 1 5/26/21
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AM
 NEW!
I n s ights
4 AXIS SERVO from

Teach an old dog

2.25” some new skills
The idea that people can’t adjust and adapt to new rules is a tired one. I’ve
seen plenty of people in my career, om the stereotypical older worker who
can’t figure out the email system to the stereotypical younger worker who is
totally focused on what everything means about them. But I’ve seen a higher
proportion of advanced workers who jump at the chance to try new things or
embrace new technologies — and newbies who bring wonderful teambuilding
ideas to the organization.
So, I wasn’t surprised to see a recent survey om Mendix that showed
that 87% of U.S. manufacturing workers want to learn low-code application
development. Further, 67% said they’d like to develop an app that tackles
issues in their jobs, and 62% said they see learning new digital skills as
important to success in their current role.
The downside here is that a mere 18% said they are happy with digital
skills they possess — and they’re not receiving much support om their
organizations or bosses. At a time when our manufacturing industry is mired
- brushed or bldc motors
in a decades-long slump and when managers clamor for productivity and
- 5 amps per axis more useful soware applications, much of the nation’s workforce seems ill-
- 16 analog inputs equipped to deal with writing code.
- 16 on/off drivers “Low-code solves so many of the problems facing manufacturers and
- home and limit in industrialists,” explained Derek Roos, CEO of Mendix. “Like many business
sectors, U.S. manufacturing is short of soware and soware developers.
- live tech support
Training workers to code is expensive and time-consuming. Low-code enables
- made in the USA citizen developers to build applications rapidly, with minimum training.”
This last crazy 14-month period of our lives has taught many of us that
See the we’re more adaptable than we might have thought. Prior to the pandemic,
I had been working remotely om the office one day per week, which was
EZQUAD SERVO perfect in my opinion. The flexibility was great, but I knew there was no way I
in action! could ever do it three, four or five days per week. How did those fully remote
workers manage to do it? That’d drive me crazy. Well, aer my own trial by fire,
I’ve adjusted and realized I truly love the full-time working remote concept.
Whether it’s learning new skills within the realm of manufacturing and

WWW.ALLMOTION.COM engineering technology or the basics of our physical working spaces, it is clear
managers have to continue to adapt, listen to their employee’s wants and
needs, and provide proper training for working better — not merely in 2021,

(510) 471-4000 but in 2025, 2030, and beyond. DW

30097 Ahern Avenue Paul J. Heney - VP, Editorial Director

Union City, CA 94587 pheney@wtwhmedia.com
Te c h n i c a l S u p p o r t
On Twitter @wtwh_paulheney
(408) 460-1345

4 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

DW.Insights.6-21_Vs2.LL.indd 4 6/4/21 11:37 AM

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When trust in models leads to
bad outcomes
Three cheers for mathematical models,
especially those that help sort out
complicated engineering problems.
No question that engineers emerge
from their undergraduate years with
a healthy respect for the benefits of
modeling. After all, math models are a
great help not only in engineering but
also in decision making. There they help
avoid over confidence and weigh data
evenly to help eliminate human biases.
But a misapplication of math
models can also lead to dubious results
and misleading predictions. It is correct
to apply math modeling when the
behavior of the system doesn’t change,
as in physics where F always equals
mA. But all bets are off when people
can influence the outcome of the thing
you’re trying to model.
Hold this thought as you consider
recent proposals for U.S. infrastructure
spending. Current plans call for
spending $85 billion to modernize
transit systems and $80 billion for
repairing, improving and expanding
Amtrak. Airports, ports and waterways
would also get some of the funding.
One major problem with this
idea is that uses of transit and
transport systems change over time
and sometimes drastically so. A
cautionary tale can be drawn from a
case in Scotland. There consultants put
6
June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
Lee Teschler Column 6-21_V2.indd 6
Teschler on Topic
together a model predicting that a tram
built between the center of Edinburgh
and its nearby airport would easily pay
for itself. In fact, the tram project, which
is only partly complete, cost about
double what was projected and has
generated small losses. A public inquiry
into the bungled construction has been
proceeding for about as long as it took
to build the 8.7-mile section.
Somehow, project planners
apparently missed the existence of a
long-established bus service running
between the airport and the city that
is cheaper and quicker than the tram
would be. Nevertheless, they allowed
for uncertainties in their predictions by
employing Monte Carlo simulations.
As a quick review, Monte Carlo is a
way of estimating joint probability
distributions of multiple variables when
you know each variable’s underlying
probability distribution. Importantly,
though, probability distributions can
be inferred only when the observations
used come out of an underlying process
that doesn’t change—in the parlance of
statistics, it must be stationary.
Edinburgh tram consultants ginned
up many sets of alternatives to the
construction and operation costs
they came up with and generated a
probability distribution of possible
outcomes predicting all would be well.
But critics argue the modelers really had
no idea what the underlying probability
distributions looked like; it was very
much a case of garbage in, garbage out.
And a key flaw in these exercises was
in assuming the future would resemble
the present. The transit situation being
modeled was anything but stationary.
The result: Costs and revenues of the
unfinished tram project came out to be
many standard deviations away from
what the modelers expected.
That brings us back to U.S.
infrastructure spending. Undoubtedly
the proponents have prepared models
predicting the money will be well spent.
But as the Scots learned the hard
way, models are only as good as their
underlying data, and only as good as
their modelers.
Thus when it comes to modeling, the
lesson from the recent pandemic is how
unstationary the trends and practices in
our society really are. DW
Leland Teschler • Executive Editor
lteschler@wtwhmedia.com
On Twitter @ DW_LeeTeschler
6/9/21 9:32 AM
 Our solution for the servo drive system
SIMATIC MICRO-DRIVE from Siemens.
The drive solutions from ebm-papst for SIMATIC drive controllers from Siemens combine network capability with functional safety. For you,
this means an additional plus in simplicity and reliability. SIMATIC MICRO-DRIVE is the new servo drive system for the safety
extra-low voltage range. This system is composed of the PDC (Profidrive Control) servo controller, flexible motors and connection cables.
As part of a product partner program, ebm-papst offers motors (50-750 watts) in various sizes and various gears for this purpose.

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ebm-pabst 6-21.indd 7 6/4/21 2:57 PM


How to explode design freedom
Thanks to additive manufacturing,
a design tool takes on greater
importance. That tool is the lattice
structure.
Lattice structures are those
geometric shapes grouped together
to create repeatable patterns for
engineering purposes. The idea of
lattices has been around for quite
some time. For design engineers,
though, lattices used in additive
manufacturing can deliver specific
mechanical properties to an object,
often in the form of a stiffness-to-
mass ratio.
Lattices can sometimes be thought
of as kind of a meta-material – an
architected material – where you have
material properties that are different
from an original material, such as a
polymer, that you might have used
in a design. For some users, the use
of lattices is exploding their design
freedom.
One basic advantage of lattices
is that you can achieve mechanical
properties not easily achievable with
foams, in addition to having a lattice
function like foam in many designs.
But you can also use lattices in areas
totally different than those you
might use with foam. One example
is COVID-19 nasal swabs, which used
a lattice design to obtain enough
material for testing.
8
June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
Tech.Forward 6-21_Vs2.LL.indd 8
Technology Forward
Lattice structures have not been Thus, consider lattices as an
used as often as they could be alternative to obtaining some
because manufacturing methods mechanical properties, as they could
that could produce them easily did be a way to use one material and
not exist until the development of still get that variation of material
additive manufacturing. Attempting properties you need in a design.
to make these intricate geometric The beauty of additive and
shapes using injection molding and lattices is that you can specify the
machining is often cost prohibitive. mechanical properties you need
Today, though, 3D printing easily with minimal material usage and
creates lattice structures. One of minimal cost.
the more recent examples is the The wider use of lattices in your
latest athletic shoe from Adidas. But design can be one more tool in your
lattices have been used in helmets, toolbox. DW
saddles, shoes, nasal swabs, robot
grippers, and in other designs.
Lattices are even being studied for
use in understanding how pulmonary
airways work.
Programs that help you design
with lattice structures are trending
this year. One reason is that there
are thousands of useful geometric
shapes suitable for lattices. But it can
be a challenge determining which
structure is right for a project. Some of
the newer programs offer guidance in
selecting the right shape for a design.
And, lattices function well
in conjunction with topology
optimization or generative design
programs. This combination helps
designers consider different material
properties for different points of the
design.
Leslie Langnau
llangnau@wtwhmedia.com
On Twitter @ DW_3Dprinting
6/9/21 9:33 AM
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 Green Engineering
Hydraulic motion control could
enable massive energy savings
in supercritical CO2-driven rock
pulverization
Rick Meyerhoefer • Delta Computer Systems
Roughly 3% of the world’s generated electricity is consumed
in the mining process of breaking down rocks. In Canada alone,
mines consume more than 150 petajoules annually. For perspective,
1 petajoule can power the city of Calgary for three weeks, so
any significant drop in mining energy requirements could have
vastly beneficial consequences, both in cost and environmental
impact. Natural Resources Canada figured the problem was worth
exploring and announced the Impact Canada Crush It! Challenge,
urging applicants to develop “a new clean technology solution that
transforms how energy is used for crushing and grinding rocks in
the mining industry.” Cliff Edwards of Envisioning Labs has what
he thinks is a winning idea; using high-pressure and temperature
control to pulverize rock with supercritical CO2.
10 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com
Green.Engineering 6-21.Vs2.LL.indd 10
The core idea is that breaking rocks through compression
is hard; breaking them with tension is far easier. Think about
the difference in effort between squeezing a sealed soda
can until it bursts compared to simply putting it in the
eezer. The U.S. Bureau of Mines had experimented with
rock comminution (breaking something down into smaller
particles) through steam flashing in the 1930s. Like so many
other approaches, though, this may have been discarded
because the energy required for the process was too great
relative to the results. But Edwards wondered if another fluid
might be amenable to a lower-energy approach.
CO2 seemed like a strong contender. At a relatively easy-
to-achieve 74 bar and 31° C, the substance transitions om
DESIGN WORLD
6/4/21 11:40 AM
 DznWrldBallSplineNB3.pdf 1 7/13/15 4:17 PM

Ball Splines No Backlash

No Vibration
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NB Corp 6-21.indd 11 6/4/21 3:02 PM

 Green Engineering
a subcritical to a supercritical fluid. At
this point, small changes in temperature
and pressure can cause large changes
in density and thus, volume. In theory,
TEMPO HYDRAULIC rocks could be bathed in supercritical
CYLINDER CO2, allowing the substance to permeate
the rocks’ pores, and then depressurized
quickly enough to make the CO2 go
CO2 CYLINDER subcritical and suddenly expand, bursting
the rocks om within. Edwards relates
the approach to explosives blasting
used in mining to liberate rock om the
ground, where rapid expansion of gasses
om within the rock causes relatively
efficient breakage.
He was confident the technology
could work for the application.
Unfortunately, an apparatus to put the
idea into practice didn’t exist.
From collaboration to execution
Edwards reached out to MistyWest,
a Vancouver, B.C.-based engineering
design consultancy, which tapped project
manager and mechanical engineer Cole
Crocker to be the project’s tech lead.
“There was a lot of learning,” said
Crocker. “I would go and investigate
the thermodynamics and decide
whether to use liquid CO2 versus
filling it with gaseous CO2 in order to
reach supercritical. In the early stages,
we would do quick tests and learn
something, then go iterate on that. Our
entire first phase was just reaching a
minimum viable experiment.”
That first tabletop device was only
2- long and highly manual, essentially
two pressure cylinders piped together
with a central rupture disc and manual
valves — but it worked. In one cycle, the
device turned roughly 100 grams of rock
into smaller rocks and dust. One more
cycle resulted in nothing but micron-
sized powder. The team was stunned
with their success. The challenge became
how to scale it.
MistyWest contacted Vancouver,
B.C.-based PQ Systems, a motion control
solutions specialist, for help. PQ Systems
recommended a novel implementation of
a known design, a dual-section cylinder,
and worked with Westcoast Cylinders to
design. Essentially, there are two cylinders
joined through a shared center head
with a common rod and a piston on each
12 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com
Green.Engineering 6-21.Vs2.LL.indd 12
end of that rod. One side is hydraulic
and contains an MTS SSI Temposonics
transducer for determining piston
position. The other side compresses
CO2 and has another transducer for
monitoring pressure. PQ Systems decided
the optimal motion controller for the
system was Delta Computer Systems’
RMC75E.
Pulverization in practice
The operation is deceptively slow and
simple, moving less than one gallon
of CO2 per minute. A valve on the
CO2 side controls the inflow of CO2
om the supply tank to the secondary
chamber (pressure vessel B, or “PVb,”
above) as needed and seals shut before
compression begins. As the piston in the
hydraulic cylinder (HC-1) side extends
over a period of 2-4 minutes, the CO2
is compressed into the supercritical
pressure regime, sealed into the primary
chamber by closing a fast-acting valve,
and held there for 10-30 minutes.
Because compressing gas can heat it
substantially, a separate temperature
probe makes sure that the system stays
within allowed limits. The Delta controller
retracts the shared rod to a given
position, and finally the valve releases,
allowing the gas to expand back into
the secondary chamber and complete
the cycle. Additionally, the RMC75E is
responsible for finely controlling pressure
levels in the face of fluctuating pressure
conditions in a way that won’t incur
excessive heat generation.
The second-generation cylinder
measured 80-in. long with a 6-in. bore
on each cylinder side, with each side
allowing a 30-in. stroke. The whole
assembly stands 10- tall. The pulverizer
system can accept 1-2 kilograms of
rock and 1-2 liters of CO2 in its primary
chamber. Note that the primary chamber
is not shown in the above image. Rather,
it connects via pipes and valves to the
hole in the bottom of the CO2 cylinder.
The rock loads into the primary pressure
chamber. In effect, the CO2 cylinder
is dual-purpose, serving as both a
compression device for pushing CO2
into the primary chamber as well as a
collection tank for expansion of CO2 om
that chamber.
DESIGN WORLD
6/4/21 11:42 AM
 The motion controller’s role in this
system is key, as the volume of the
compression chamber is central to
managing the pulverization process.
Interestingly, the Delta controller works
om a feedback loop based on the CO2
pressure rather than hydraulic pressure,
which is unconventional. The system
flows hydraulic fluid until the desired CO2
pressure is reached. The decompression
stage resets the CO2 chamber back to
a set point based on a target system
volume.
“The Delta is doing two things,”
said Misty West’s Cole Crocker. “It’s
compressing the fluid into the primary
chamber with the rock, and that will
involve feedback om pressure. We
close off the primary chamber valve and
back off the piston in the secondary
CO2 chamber using position feedback.
Exactly how far we retract it is important
because we need to know the volume
of our secondary chamber, as that
determines the resulting pressure
aer decompression. So, the Delta is
controlling the pressurization as well
as the retracted volume. We need to be
able to make fine adjustments during
compression while knowing we have
retracted to the correct volume in
preparation for decompression.”
PQ Systems technical sales rep Robert
de Rot recommended the single-axis
Delta RMC75E, which offers a USB link
for communicating to a Windows-based
PC running Delta’s RMCTools soware
and Ethernet for communication with
the PLC and HMI. PQ Systems points out
DESIGN WORLD
Green.Engineering 6-21.Vs2.LL.indd 13
that RMCTools plays an important role in
the pulverizer solution, as “the soware
is quick to learn and offers capabilities
such as the dual-loop position-
pressure controls and the ability to
quickly transition om position to
pressure control all in a one-millisecond
control loop,” which can greatly aid
this application. The control loop can
be shortened even further, to 0.5, 0.25,
or even 0.125 millisecond if faster
response is needed. The RMC75E uses
Delta’s AP2 and D8 expansion modules
for input and output. The AP2 module
allows the RMC75 to perform differential
position-pressure control with two 16-
bit analog inputs and output a control
signal to the Moog servo valve. The D8
module provides eight discrete I/O links
individually configurable for greater
flexibility, helpful in a prototype proof
of concept such as this. The RMC75 can
accept up to four of these expansion
modules.
Crushing future challenges
Natural Resources Canada’s Impact
Canada Crush It! Challenge mandated
an energy reduction goal of at least 20%.
Envisioning Labs estimates that its CO2
pulverization system achieves at least
a 24% energy reduction compared to
conventional crushing systems, although
fine tuning continues to find the exact
CO2 state that will yield optimal rock
permeation and expansion acturing.
Once those numbers prove out, Edwards
expects the mining industry to get
involved. Envisioning Labs has already
www.designworldonline.com
taken out a provisional patent on the
approach, which could be applied to
produce anything om smaller rocks to
fine powder depending on the need. The
system architecture would change at
larger scales, but the underlying process
would remain.
“The primary application here is
to replace typical ball mill or SAG mill
grinding in a mine’s comminution
circuit,” said Cliff Edwards. “Secondary
applications may include the cement
industry, where they have to crush
and grind limestone. It may also have
application in aggregate or recycling
industries.”
Edwards hopes that demonstrating
the technology at scale in the near future
will warrant a pilot plant within the next
two years, which would then provide a
model for the industry to follow. DW
Delta Computer Systems
www.deltamotion.com
June 2021 13
6/4/21 11:44 AM
 6 • 2021 • vol 16 no 6 •
designworldonline.com
156
142 _MOTION CONTROL
Successful lab experiments
start with the right pipette
motor
For medical lab applications, motor
selection is integral to an electronic
pipette’s accuracy and precision.
146 _LINEAR MOTION
Smart mechatronics add
capabilities to linear motion
applications
Industry 4.0 innovations have
spurred a new class of smart motion
technologies that combine digital
electronics and communication
interfaces for more design
sophistication, functionality, and
ease of use.
14 June 2021
CONTENTS 6-21_Vs2.LL.indd 14
Contents
152 _PLCs
PLCs—the power of lower
voltage
Industrial automation typically uses
24 Vdc, but many mobile and remote
applications are easier to integrate
with 12 Vdc PLCs.
Produced by
Robotics Business Review
156 _3D CAD RBR50 COVER 6-21.indd 63 6/11/21 10:50 AM
Configuring new uses for already 63-141
created designs
Repurposing designs saves design time
and money, helping you get to market Medical
faster.
www.designworldonline.com A Supplement to Design World - June 2021
The latest standard of
broadband technology
continues to make waves
in 2021. But what about
medtech?
How 5G could
affect MedTech
| By Steve Halama on Unsplash
Medical Tips cover 6-21_V1.indd 161 6/4/21 10:59 AM
161-172
ON THE COVER A Z B E E S A Z B E E S A Z B E E S
Smart mechatronics with advanced sensors and
A S B P E Aw a r d s o f E x c e l l e n c e A S B P E Aw a r d s o f E x c e l l e n c e A S B P E Aw a r d s o f E x c e l l e n c e
operator-friendly controller platforms can help
engineers quickly build machines for specific
applications. | Bosch Rexroth
www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
6/11/21 10:51 AM
210212_LFL_DW_US.indd
Digi-Key 3-21.indd 15 1 2/10/21 2:28 PM
6/4/21 3:03 PM
 6.21 • contents

departments

04 Insights

06 Teschler on Topic

08 Technology Forward

10 Green Engineering

18 Design For Industry

32 Design Notes

42 CAE Solutions

50 Coupling Notes

52 DfAM

58 Internet of Things
THIN ENOUGH?
173 Product World
BXR Brakes
· Up to 480 in-lbs static
· Up to a 1.125'' bore 176 Ad Index
· 19 watts or less
· Produced for over 10 years
Our Innovative design
features a very thin profile,
reducing weight and space.
For more information:
Call: 800.533.1731
www.mikipulley-us.com

16 June 2021 DESIGN WORLD

CONTENTS 6-21_second.page_Vs1.indd 16 6/7/21 8:04 AM

 DESIGN WORLD
Follow the whole team on twitter @DesignWorld

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TEAM page 6-21_Vs1.indd 17 6/7/21 8:00 AM

 Design for Industry
M a c h i n e To o l
Robot enables flexible
machine tool tending
Many automation solutions for machine tending
rely on either cobots for flexibility, or industrial robots for
performance and larger parts. LoadMate Plus gives users a
choice.
The LoadMate Plus is a robot cell that can be easily
moved for efficient use. It is targeted towards manufacturers
in CNC machine tool applications that find themselves
facing a labor crunch, yet need to be more efficient and
improve their production. The robot cell provides flexible
solutions for traditionally high-mix, low-volume facilities to
introduce automation, and is designed with mobility and
flexibility in mind.
LoadMate Plus automates the task of loading and
removing parts om a machine tool through the use of
robotics. It can be mounted next to one machine, between
two machines, and otherwise moved around a facility as
jobs require. When this cell is paired with a Mitsubishi
Electric M8 Series CNC, operators can use the Direct
18 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com
DFI.6-21_Vs2.LL.indd 18
Robot Control (DRC) feature within the CNC
controls to also control and program the
robot with menus and G-code om the
same screen used for the machine tool. No
robot programming experience or teach
pendant is required, allowing manufacturers
to use existing staff to automate and make
adjustments.
The cell is flexible, regardless of the robot,
and users can choose om a number of
robots to match a shop’s specific needs.
LoadMate Plus can be used with a variety
of machine tools, including mill, lathe, and
drilling/tapping. DW
Mitsubishi Electric Automation,
us.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/en
DESIGN WORLD
6/7/21 8:13 AM
 BETTER PARTS | BETTER PROCESS
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shapes in high detail. Azoth has established a quality-driven process that utilizes
the best technology partners in additive manufacturing.
Connect today for a free analysis of your parts and learn more about how we can
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parts that demand a quality-driven process.

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AZOTH 12-20.indd 19 6/4/21 3:04 PM

 Design for Industry
M a c h i n e To o l

Metrology system handles

large parts The Nexview 650 is a large format metrology system
for the automated measurement of injection molding
tooling, PCBs, glass panels, and other samples requiring
an extended work volume up to 650 x 650 mm. The
system provides 2D and 3D measurements of a variety
of surface features with sub-nanometer vertical
precision and sub-micron lateral precision.
At the heart of the system is a coherence scanning
interferometry (CSI), a technology that uses specialized
optical microscope objectives that not only provide
the imaging and magnification of a surface, but also
measure its 3D topography. CSI profiling is completely
non-contact, which eliminates any chance of the
sample being damaged. Also, in contrast with other
microscope-based 3D topography techniques, CSI has
the distinct advantage that the height resolution of the
measurement is consistent across all magnifications,
whether the field of view is 20 µm, 20 mm or larger. CSI
offers high-precision, high-value surface metrology
benefits, including measurements of all types of
surfaces, sub-nanometer measurements, gage capable
performance, and SureScan vibration tolerance
technology.
The Nexview 650 is a production-oriented tool that
can accommodate large parts at the point of need
within the factory. It delivers 2D and 3D measurements
with sub-nanometer vertical precision and sub-micron

20 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

DFI.6-21_Vs2.LL.indd 20 6/7/21 8:16 AM

 Power REVIEW THE POWER BRANDS IN POWER TRANSMISSION

Vol. 10 | No. 2 | 2021 www.AltraMotion.com Follow Altra Motion on:

TB Wood’s V-Belt
Solutions for
Forestry and Wood
Products Applications

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Universal Joint Rebuild and
Repair Service for the North
American Metal Shredder
Market

Warner Electric Original

Compact, Powerful and Proven
PK Brake Design Leads the
Market

TB Wood’s and Stromag

Couplings for Natural Gas
Compressors

Boston Gear Micron® True

Planetary Gearheads Quick
Selection Guide

FSO Backstopping Clutches

for Cog Railway Coaches

For more information contact us at:

info@altramotion.com

Scan to download
the interactive version
of the Power Review

Altra Industrial_#1_6-21.indd 21 6/4/21 3:08 PM

 TB Wood’s V-Belt Drive Solutions for Forestry and Wood Products Applications
Industry-leading TB Wood’s sheaves and belts have become a preferred choice for many forestry and wood products OEMs and end users. Rugged,
made-to-order sheaves and premium belts from TB Wood’s are designed to provide long service life in a variety of tough applications including chippers,
band saws and pellet mills.

TB Wood’s has been pouring quality iron since 1857 with a maximum sheave capacity of 107-inch diameter. Experienced application engineers provide
optimum designs to meet specific application requirements. Our integrated foundry and machining center allows us to provide fast response time for
made-to-order products. Superior quality iron provides longer sheave life, resulting in less frequent replacement. Less maintenance & downtime equals
lower total cost of ownership.

All standard TB Wood’s narrow and classical V-belt sheaves are designed to ensure that they are
capable of delivering the dependable performance in smaller HP chipper and larger mill applications. TB Wood’s Facilities

North America
USA
440 North Fifth Avenue
Chambersburg, PA 17201
- USA
888-829-6637 • 717-264-7161
Belted Drives and Elastomeric
Couplings
Canada
9779 45 Ave NW
Edmonton, AB T6E 5V8
+1 780-439-7979

6305 Danville Road

- Canada
Europe
Merchant Drive, Hertford
Hertfordshire SG13 7BL
+44(0)1992 501900
Elastomeric Couplings
- England
Altra Motio
n

Customer Service Mississauga, ON L5T

2H7 - Canada
1-888-829-6637 1-800-829-6631

Application Support

V-Belt Drive
1073 Rue Bégin
1-888-829-6637 Saint-Laurent, QC H4R
1V8 - Canada
+1 514-332-4812
2000 Clovis Barker Road

Solutions
San Marcos, TX 78666
- USA Mexico
1-888-449-9439
General Purpose Disc Comisión Federal de
Couplings Electricidad 850,
Industrial San Luis,

for
Customer Service San Luis, S.L.P., 78395
- Mexico
1-888-449-9439 +52 444 137 1500

4970 Joule St
Reno, NV 89502 - USA
775-857-1800 Forestry
and Wood

For more information, download P-8882-TBW

The Brands of Altra
Motion
Products
Applications
Couplings
Ameridrives Geared Cam Limit
Switches
www.ameridrives.com Stromag Heavy Duty Clutches
& Brakes
Bibby Turboflex www.stromag.com Twiflex Engine Braking Systems
www.bibbyturboflex.com www.twiflex.com Jacobs Vehicle Systems
Guardian Couplings Engineered Bearing Stromag www.jacobsvehiclesystems.c
Assemblies om
www.guardiancouplings.com www.stromag.com
Kilian

from www.AltraLiterature.com
Huco
www.huco.com
Lamiflex Couplings
www.lamiflexcouplings.com
Stromag
www.stromag.com
TB Wood’s
www.tbwoods.com
Linear Systems
Thomson
www.thomsonlinear.com
Neither the accuracy
nor completeness of
and performance characteristics
conditions of sale can
be viewed at http://www.altramotion.com/
acquire or use a product
referred to herein, including
©2021 by TB Wood’s
LLC. All rights reserved.
www.kilianbearings.com Svendborg Brakes Precision Motors
www.svendborg-brakes.com & Automation
Kollmorgen
Electric Clutches Wichita Clutch www.kollmorgen.com
& Brakes www.wichitaclutch.com
Matrix
www.matrix-international.co Miniature Motors
m Gearing & Specialty
Stromag Components Portescap
www.stromag.com Bauer Gear Motor www.portescap.com
www.bauergears.com
Warner Electric
www.warnerelectric.com Boston Gear Overrunning Clutches
www.bostongear.com
Formsprag Clutch
Belted Drives Delevan www.formsprag.com
www.delevan.com
TB Wood’s Marland Clutch
www.tbwoods.com Delroyd Worm Gear www.marland.com
www.delroyd.com
Stieber
Nuttall Gear www.stieberclutch.com
www.nuttallgear.com
the information
of these products may contained in this publication is guaranteed
vary depending on the
application, installation,by the company and may be subject to
terms-and-conditions/sales- operating conditions change in its sole discretion.
any person who buys terms-and-conditions. and environmental The operating
from a licensed distributor These terms and conditionsfactors. The company’s terms and
of these branded products. apply to any person who
All trademarks in this may buy,
publication are the sole
and exclusive property
of TB Wood’s LLC or
one of its affiliated companies.

Universal Joint Rebuild and Repair Service for the North American Metal Shredder Market
Metal shredder facilities in North America, with an eye on increasing output while reducing costs and downtime, can send their damaged Ameridrives or
competitor U-joints directly to the Rebuild and Repair facility in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Every hour of shredder downtime can cost thousands of dollars. That’s why the Ameridrives facility is set up and staffed to provide fast turnaround of all
customer U-joint repairs and rebuilds.

Ameridrives offers emergency rebuild services for those instances when a U-Joint needs to be repaired within a matter of hours and returned. Their dedicated
team of technicians work after hours and over the weekend, if necessary.

Comprehensive services include the inspection, remanufacturing and repair of all shafts, spline sections,
yokes, flanges, knuckles and journal cross assemblies. We are also able to provide in-house Altra Motion

Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) of cracks in the yoke, flange, journal cross and spline. Universal
Joint
Rebuild
and Repair
Service
for the
North
American
Metal
Shredder
Market

For more information, download P-8030-AC-NA

from www.AltraLiterature.com

Warner Electric Original Compact, Powerful and Proven PK Brake Design Leads the Market
The Original PK Brake...A Very Thin, Powerful and Proven Design
- Installed on more than 500,000 forklift trucks and aerial platforms
- More than 30 key OEMs have adopted this solution since 2010
- Manufactured globally
Long service life with reduced power consumption
- Dual voltage coil/PWM control
Vehicle can be moved without power (due to drained batteries)
- Mechanical brake release by screw or lever available as an option
Eliminates water ingress and corrosion issues
- Up to IP67 protective grade
- NEW up to 500h of salt spray resistant coating
Increased stability elminates harsh or strong braking
- Multi-step option to release torque on demand in gradual steps
Reduced maintenance costs and downtime
- NEW WES Contactless Monitoring System

Easy, reliable integration with vehicle’s existing controller

Altra Motion

- PK brakes can become CAN BUS ready with our embedded electronics
Original
Compact,
Powerful
and Proven
PK Brake
Design
Leads the

Compact size fits in limited vehicle space envelope

Market

- Thin profile for easier axle integration

For more information, download P-8874-WE

from www.AltraLiterature.com

Altra Industrial_#2_6-21.indd 22 6/4/21 3:10 PM

 TB Wood’s and Stromag Couplings for Natural Gas Compressors
TB Wood’s is a leader in couplings for gas compression applications, Stromag GmbH couplings are designed for low to medium speed
with multiple products to satisfy all customer power transmission needs. applications. These products support continuous loading, but are
also engineered to handle alternating and vibratory loads that are
FSH/HSH and GCF/GCH couplings can be modified for API671
compliance. common in natural gas compression applications.
TB Wood’s regularly works with Torsional Analysts to tune couplings for GE Heavy-Duty, Multi-Segmented Couplings
satisfactory system response, by adding inertia or altering stiffness. TRI-R UNIVERSAL Couplings
Periflex®-VN “PVN” PLUG IN Disc Couplings
• High Torque, Low Speed Applications Altra Motion

I N T R O D U C I
N G

• Standardized products available with short delivery times

• Torque Capacity up to 1,600,000 in. lbs.
Couplings for
Natural Gas
Compressors
• Specialists in customized solutions adapted to the torsional
• Special designs are not a problem
FSH/HSH and GCF/GCH
couplings can be modified TB Wood’s is a leader in couplings
for gas

dynamics of the application

for API671 compliance.
compression applications, with
We regularly work with Torsional multiple
Analysts to tune couplings for products to satisfy all of your
satisfactory system response, by power
adding inertia or altering stiffness. transmission needs.
• High Torque, Low Speed

• All couplings have labels with QR Codes

Applications FSH/HSH Couplings – the industry
standard for over 50 years
• Torque Capacity up to 1,600,000 GCF/GCH Couplings – new technology,
in. lbs. released as an
• Special designs are not a problem
improvement to the traditional FSH/HSH Altra Motio
ranges n

• In house TVA engineers

GCF/GCH is an innovation of the
QR Codes traditional coupling series. It
targets the typical driver power ranges
All couplings have labels with QR with fewer couplings.
Thus, reducing the number of spare
Codes for easy
e access to installation parts required to support a
instructions. compressor fleet by 50%.

for easy access to installation instructions.

Highly Elastic
Original Design
New Design
FSH/HSH Size
GCF/GCH Size
Rating OD

Couplings
Rating OD
Size lbf·in N·m inch mm Size lbf·in
31 N·m inch mm
24,000 2,712

• ATEX compliant couplings

8.12 206.2
35 44,000 4,971 9.12 231.6 340 40,000 4,519 8.38 212.9

for Natural Gas

42 73,000 8,248 11.00 279.4
Online selection tools for 45 99,000 11,185 11.87 301.5 412
couplings and belted drives: 50 128,000 14,462 13.43 341.1
120,000 13,558 11.00 279.4

Compression
55 189,000 21,354 15.00 381.0
Form-Flex disc couplings: 60 261,000 29,488 16.75 425.5 424 240,000 27,116 15.00 381.0
http://www.couplingselector.com/ 70 415,000 46,887 18.93 480.8
tbwoods/formflex.php 75 533,000 60,219 20.62 523.7 456 560,000 63,270 18.00 457.2
80 685,000 77,392 22.37 568.2
85 829,000 93,662 23.75 603.3 511
92 1,040,000 117,501 25.75 1,100,000 124,280 22.00 558.8
654.1
GE Heavy-Duty, Multi-Segm

• In-house rubber composition

www.tbwoods.com
www.tbwoods
TRI-R UNIVERSAL Couplingsented Couplings
2000 Clovis Barker Rd.
San Marcos, TX 78666 Periflex®-VN “PVN”
888-829-6637 • 717-264-7161 PLUG IN Disc Couplings

For more information, download P-8886-C

Stromag GmbH couplings
are
applications. These products designed for low to medium speed
also engineered to handle support continuous loading, but are
alternating and vibratory
common in natural gas loads that are
compression applications.

and production capability

• Standardized products
available with short delivery
• Specialists in customized times
solutions adapted to
dynamics of the application the torsional

from www.AltraLiterature.com
• In house TVA engineers
• ATEX compliant couplings
• In-house rubber composition
and production capability
• Multi-coupling connection
options, i.e. shaft-shaft,
shaft, flange to flange flange to
• Extensive experience
in the design and manufacture
flexible couplings of highly
• Stromag’s segmented
rubber
installation or rapid element designs are available for quick
replacement to minimize
• Various stiffnesses downtime.
and multi-row combinations
available to get the perfect of rubber are
fit for your application.
• Fail-safe functionality
is available on specific
temporary emergency models allowing for
operation following a
www.stromag.com
rubber failure.
Hansastraße 120
59425 Unna - Germany
+49 2303 102-0

P-8886-C 4/21

Boston Gear Micron® True Planetary Gearheads Quick Selection Guide

10 REASONS TO CHOOSE MICRON® GEARHEADS Easy Customization
Modification requests welcome as well as “white paper” custom opportunities.
RediMount™ – Fast and Error Free Motor Mounting
Mounts any Micron gearhead to any motor in just three simple Unmatched Product Breadth
steps in less than five minutes! Largest selection of planetary gearheads in the world with over 3000 size and
ratio combinations.
Easy Sizing and Selection with Micron Motioneering
The most accurate and user friendly gearhead sizing and design Unmatched Quality
tool on the market. Try it at www.micronmotioneering.com. All Micron gearheads are tested through our state of the art end of line tester,
making our outgoing quality best in the market.
Superior Technology
All Micron gears are case hardened to HRC60 for longer life. Commitment to New Product Development
Micron was first to launch an all stainless steel, IP69K gearhead for the food
Fast Deliveries
& beverage market. AquaTRUE is designed for the most harsh and corrosive
1 – 2 week standard lead times on all standard catalog products.
environments.
24 hour “Gearhead Express” delivery service available for all Altra Motio
n

models for just a 10 % premium! Made in the USA Micron®

True Planetary

Lubricated For Life All Micron Gearheads are Gearheads

Quick
Selection

Micron gearheads require no maintenance and are grease filled. manufactured in the USA. Guide

For more information, download P-8885-BG

from www.AltraLiterature.com

Formsprag FSO Backstopping Clutches for Cog Railway Coaches

The famous Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire has been transporting visitors to the highest peak in the Northeastern US since 1869. At the
summit, 6,288 ft. above sea level, the mountain experiences some of the most extreme weather conditions in the world with wind chill temperatures down to
-102ºF.
The railway fleet consists of a pair of steam locomotives, seven biodiesel locomotives and seven passenger coaches. A backstopping sprag clutch is installed
on the down-mountain axle of each coach. The sprag clutch is engaged by the brakeman for the up-mountain portion of the trip, preventing any roll-back of
the passenger coach. For the down-mountain leg of the trip, the sprag is disengaged to allow downward movement.
Formsprag Model FSO 800 backstopping clutches were selected and installed on every coach in the fleet due to their torque capacity and the general
ruggedness of their construction. The compact FSO units were also able to fit within a small space and around existing hardware when retrofitted to older
coaches.

• FSO 800 clutches feature a torque capacity of 13,000 lb.ft. (17,680 Nm)
• Grease lubricated and equipped with steel labyrinth seals Application Profile

• PCE sprags with Formchrome® and Formsprag “Free-action” retainers

Photos courtesy of Mount Washington Cog Railway

Product
Application
Highlights
• FSO 800 clutches feature
a torque capacity of
13,000 lb.ft. (17,680 Nm)
• Grease lubricated and
equipped with steel
labyrinth seals
• PCE sprags with
Formchrome® and
Formsprag “Free-action”
retainers
FSO Backstopping Clutches
Cog Railway Coaches
The famous Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire
has been transporting visitors to
the highest peak in the Northeastern US since 1869. At
the summit, 6,288 ft. above sea level,
the mountain experiences some of the most extreme weather
conditions in the world with wind
chill temperatures down to -102ºF. A directly measured
surface wind speed of 231 mph is a
Northern and Western Hemisphere record. The 6-mile,
3-hour round trip features an average
grade of 25% (some sections approach nearly 38%).
The railway fleet consists of a pair of steam locomotives,
seven biodiesel locomotives and seven
passenger coaches. A backstopping sprag clutch is installed
on the down-mountain axle of
each coach. The sprag clutch is engaged by the brakeman
for the up-mountain portion of the
trip, preventing any roll-back of the passenger coach.
For the down-mountain leg of the trip, the
sprag is disengaged to allow downward movement.
Formsprag Model FSO 800 backstopping clutches were
selected and installed on every
coach in the fleet due to their torque capacity and the
general ruggedness of their construction.
The compact FSO units were also able to fit within a small
space and around existing hardware
when retrofitted to older coaches.

Model FSO 800 clutches have a torque capacity of 13,000

lb.ft. (17,680 Nm). Units are grease
lubricated with steel labyrinth seals and feature PCE sprags
with Formchrome® and Formsprag
“Free-action” retainers.

Grease lubrication was specified because of the concern

For more information, download P-8880-FC

of lubricating oil leaking onto the
adjacent caliper brake rotor, which could allow the brake
calipers to slip. Also, grease will seep
out slower and presumably more visibly than oil allowing
more time to identify a leak.

US (Application Assistance) For a complete list of our

1-800-348-0881 Press #2 global sales offices visit:
formsprag.com altramotion.com/contactus

P-8880-FC 3/21

from www.AltraLiterature.com

Altra Industrial_#3_6-21.indd 23 6/4/21 3:10 PM

 Boston Gear's Original Domed Crown™
Stainless Steel 700 Series ®

Certified
The Original Domed Crown™ rounded housing prevents foreign
matter adherence and fluid accumulation.

Blending trusted 700 Series worm gearing

with an innovative new exterior design,
the stainless steel 700 series has been
optimized to withstand the harshest
washdown conditions. The units
feature trusted 700 Series worm
gearing, a 316 stainless rounded
housing with smooth uninterrupted
surfaces designed to prevent particle
accumulation and pooling fluids,
double lipped shaft seals, covers for
all hardware and counter bored holes.

Boston Gear Stainless Gear

Drives Enhance Food Safety
The Clean Product Advantage
• NSF Certified
• Sealed motor flange
• Electropolished exterior finish
• Covered hardware
• Maintenance friendly features

The Boston Gear Service Advantage

• Standard 2 day delivery on any cataloged SS700 Series product
• Same day break down service
• After hours/holiday hotline
• Stocked at local and regional distribution centers
Laser marked nameplate provides worry-
free part identification while maintaining a
smooth, unetched surface. Rounded housing
prevents foreign matter adherence and fluid
accumulation.

Scan to learn
more about the
SS700 Series full
For more information on the Stainless Steel 700 Series, visit www.BostonGear.com range of products

Altra Industrial_#4_6-21.indd 24 6/4/21 3:11 PM

 lateral precision — a level of performance
that is critical to qualiing components
in consumer electronics, manufacturing,
optics, and semiconductor businesses.
The system’s large work volume
accommodates both large and heavy
parts. With an integrated operator
station and a split axis motion design,
the system footprint is minimized.
Integrated passive isolation is included
to enable installation close to the
manufacturing process to shorten the
time to data.
The Nexview 650 provides a return
on investment for years to come. With
a metrology area that accommodates
lateral dimensions up to 650 x 650 mm,
a sample load of > 100 kg, a vertical
range of 150 mm, and options for a fully
enclosed or partially enclosed system,
it offers maximum flexibility for large
samples that require precision 3D optical
profiling. The system can accommodate
any of today’s standard PCB substrate
panel sizes; custom-defined sample
holders for flexible sheets, etc.; and large,
high mass injection molding plates
that benefit om precise non-contact
inspection to minimize potential surface
damage.
Custom chucks and sample
holders can be designed or supplied
by customers to adapt the Nexview
for smaller panels or even singulated
substrates, maximizing application
flexibility. In addition, the system’s
integrated recipe-driven automation
soware enables hands-ee metrology
of multiple features on each panel. DW
ZYGO
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TL Design World V1.pdf 1 6/17/19 4:34 PM

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DFI.6-21_Vs2.LL.indd 25 6/7/21 8:15 AM

 Design for Industry
M a c h i n e To o l

Sealed linear encoder offers

thermal stability

In metrology, one factory accuracy depends on is thermal stability. These

sealed linear encoders fit high-end metrology applications. The MSA 7xx/8xx
model encoders offer high quality and easy mounting for use on CMMs,
Optical Comparators, Video Measuring Machines, among other types of
measuring equipment.
The encoders can be used on or off the shop floor because of the
high signal quality and long-term stability of HSP 1.0 (Heidenhain Signal
Processing). HSP1.0 supplies online gain and offset stabilization, ensuring
signals are generated om the 20 µm grating of the scale inside the
aluminum extrusion, even in the presence of contamination.
The thermal behavior of the MSA 7/8 is adjustable based on variable
fastening elements, allowing for different thermal fixed points, each of which
provide a known temperature growth characteristic for compensation within
the control system.
The MSA can also be shipped with glass or glass ceramic (Robax)
substrates, providing a standard and low CTE (Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion) offering, depending on the application need. The encoders also
offer high reproducibility due to force-ee compensation of the mounting
tolerance. The MSA 7xx encoder offers a fixed connecting cable, while the
MSA 8xx connection is detachable. DW

RSF Elektronik, HEIDENHAIN CORP.

www.heidenhain.us/contact-us

26 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

DFI.6-21_Vs2.LL.indd 26 6/7/21 8:17 AM

 POWER TRANSMISSION
Medical
RETAINING DEVICES &
maintenance & assembly tools
BEARLOK SHOELOK BEARLOK Shrink Disc

BEARHUG CLAMPNUT TANGENTLOK

Breaking the size

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PRECISION NUTS & WASHERS ADAPTER SLEEVE ASSEMBLIES
INCH and METRIC THREADS
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Materials of:
ALLUMINUM and
High levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) compromise people’s CORROSION RESISTANT
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cognitive performance and well-being. While energy standards
and better insulation help make home more energy efficient, CO2 NUTS & WASHERS HARDENED TONGUE WASHERS SPLIT COLLAR
produced by the human metabolism can accumulate rapidly.
Therefore, CO2 is a key indicator for indoor air quality.
Measuring indoor CO2 concentration enables smart ventilation
systems to regulate ventilation in an energy-efficient and human-
iendly way. Indoor air quality monitors and other connected
devices can help to maintain a low CO2 concentration for a healthy,
productive environment.
The SCD4x series is a miniature CO2 sensor that is small in RETHREADING DIES ADJUSTABLE SPANNER WRENCH BEARING ASSEMBLY SOCKET
size. The series consists of the SCD40 and SCD41 CO2 sensors.
Both sensors are built on the photoacoustic sensing principle the
patented PASens and CMOSens Technology. The SCD40 offers
an accuracy of ±(50 ppm + 5% of reading) at 400–2000 ppm, W
HI
TT
ET
while the SCD41 has an accuracy of ±(40 ppm + 5% of reading) at -H
IG
GI
NS

400–5000ppm. In addition, the SCD41 offers a low-power mode US

for applications with a limited power budget. A

SMD compatibility and the small footprint allow cost- and

space-effective integration to boost eedom of design for device
manufacturers. The integrated best-in-class humidity and
temperature sensor enables on-chip signal compensation and
additional RH and T outputs. The voltage ranges om 2.4 V – 5.5 V.
DW
Sensirion
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DESIGN WORLD June 2021 27

DFI.6-21_Vs2.LL.indd 27 6/7/21 8:17 AM

 Design for Industry
Medical

Coolers meet the demands of

thermal cycling
The PowerCycling PCX series of thermoelectric coolers meets
demanding thermal cycling applications found in molecular diagnostics,
PCR and point of care test devices. Thermal cycling exposes thermoelectric
coolers to mechanical stresses as the module contracts and expands om
repeated heating and cooling cycles. This can quickly degrade the long-term
performance and operational life of a standard thermoelectric cooler. PCX
thermoelectric coolers are assembled with next-generation thermoelectric
materials and enhanced module construction for better performance and
long-life operation in thermal cycling applications.
Temperature cycling devices use thermoelectric coolers to achieve faster
ramp rates with minimal temperature gradient. Standard thermoelectric
coolers are designed for traditional reigeration applications and cannot
withstand the mechanical stresses induced by rapid thermal cycling between
multiple temperature set points.
Validated to withstand rapid thermal cycling test standards of leading PCR
OEM’s, the PCX Series has a construction that reduces the thermal stresses
caused by rapid mechanical expansion and contraction.
The PCX Series offers high heat pumping capacities up to 215 W, various
footprints to accommodate temperature zoning for various well sizes and is
built with enhanced process controls to operate in temperatures up to 120°C.
This exceeds the requirements for applications like PCR. DW

Laird Thermal Systems

www.lairdthermal.com

28 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

DFI.6-21_Vs2.LL.indd 28 6/7/21 8:18 AM

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CGI 6-21.indd 29 6/4/21 3:05 PM

 Design for Industry
Pharma

Color cameras for true image

processing
In the pharmaceutical industry, image processing is a critical component across
an array of applications, om the diagnosis of patients, to the quality assurance
of products and labels. The industry was one of the first to embrace color-based
machine vision, as well as to apply cameras in the automated documentation and
tracing of medicines throughout the supply chain.

Key factors for success in pharmaceutical imaging cameras are:

• High optical resolution
• High color fidelity for inspection of packaging, tablets and diagnostic applications
• Very low dark noise of CCD cameras for high quality microscopy images
• High-resolution 3D and color images for tablet inspection
• Fast image acquisition and high image transfer rates
• Multi-channel flashing to capture up to four images with different parameters
in one pass
• Precise trigger synchronization for multi-camera image acquisition
• Compatibility with standards such as GigEVision and GenICam.
This line of vscan cameras and illumination systems has been staples in the medical,
life science and pharmaceutical sectors for decades, used in such applications as
the 100% inspection of blister packs, the in-line monitoring for physical presence
of tablets, and the 3D measurement of tablet shape and dimensions, which are
otherwise measured by cumbersome off-line techniques. Superior color fidelity makes
the company’s line scan cameras suitable for the diagnosis of skin diseases and in
digital recording systems for microscopy. Intensive cooperation with pharmaceutical
customers throughout system development ensures an
economical and reliable imaging solution with optimized
production technology.
The allPIXA wave is a line of cameras featuring a
quadlinear true color RGB line scan sensor in resolutions
up to 15360 pixels. Available in 10k and 15k models,
the cameras deliver CCD image quality with CMOS
performance, plus offer added system flexibility of
increased scan line lengths up to 15k x 3 lines, along
with line equencies topping out at a maximum speed
of 47kHz at 850 megapixel/s. These allPIXA wave
cameras help pharmaceutical manufacturers, contract
manufacturers and packaging companies avoid recalls
linked to mislabeling, while reducing downtime, false
rejects and rework. DW

Chromasens
www.chromasens.com

30 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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Rigol_OscilloscopeAd_DesignWorld.qxp 5/31/21 10:00 PM Page 1

RIGOL 6-21.indd 31 6/4/21 3:06 PM

 Design Notes

Plastics locked down and laser welded

Jonathan Magee • Managing Director • ACSYS Lasertechnik UK Ltd, Coventry, U.K.

Laser plastic welded

automobile speedometer
clock faceplate
to housing.
Industrial lasers are used for diverse processing of engineering plastics
across many markets. Some examples of the common processes are shown in
figure 1, including laser marking, cutting, and welding. Well-recognized markets
in the field of laser plastics welding include automotive (see figure 2), and
medical devices.

The rationale for laser plastic welding

Laser-based welding has several advantages for plastics versus conventional
contact methods. Laser welding is a non-contact process at the point of
welding that generally takes place at the interface of overlapped parts, and thus
the weld zone is encapsulated.
This results in an aesthetically pleasing weld, which is sterile and does not
contaminate the surface of the parts being welded. It seems counterintuitive
that parts in contact can be welded together, om the top down, without
disturbance to their outer surfaces. With conventional plastic welding
techniques such as ultrasonic or hot stamping, contact with the outer surfaces
of the parts to be welded together is inevitable. Non-contact laser plastic
welding works on the principle of partial transmission, reflection, scattering, and
absorption of laser light within the polymer chains being joined. By carefully
selecting the plastics and laser’s optical properties, sufficient heat is generated
at targeted locations to melt and fuse the materials.

32 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

Design-Notes-6-21-Vs3.LL.indd 32 6/11/21 8:31 AM


Design Considerations for
Laser Plastic Welding
Plastic products have mechanical,
geometrical, thermal, and optical
properties among others (refer to figure
3). At a fundamental level, the laser
weldability of plastic assemblies can
broadly be determined by:
1 Are the materials chosen compatible?
Compatibility refers to the melting
temperatures, chemical, mechanical,
geometrical, and optical properties of
both plastic parts to be welded.
2 Can the laser beam be transmitted
through the top layer material efficiently
to reach the joint interface, and can the
bottom layer material absorb the laser
beam to create heat where it’s needed?
Idealized light
transmission and
absorption in plastic
welding.
DESIGN WORLD
Design-Notes-6-21-Vs3.LL.indd 33
Laser plastic welded
automobile speedometer
clock faceplate
to housing.
3 Can the parts be held together
properly during the welding process,
and can the force applied be controlled?
Does the geometry of the parts result in
a good fit up between the parts without
gaps between them?
4 Can the laser beam be delivered to the
parts to effectively distribute and control
the heat given the geometry?
Thermal and Chemical Compatibility
Plastics melt and decompose at much
lower temperatures than metals. Typical
melting temperatures of engineering
plastics are around 250 °C. There are
some plastics with much higher melting
temperatures, like PEEK, which ranges
om 350-400 °C. Close compatibility of
melting temperatures will assist mixing of
www.designworldonline.com
the weld pool and improve mechanical strength
on re-solidification. Certain combinations of
plastics relatively closely matched on melting
temperature are good candidates for plastic
welding. The chemical composition of the
plastic is also a factor. For example, one cannot
weld high-density polyethylene HD-PE to
Polypropylene PP, but it is possible to weld low-
density polyethylene LD-PE to Polyproplyene,
even though the polyethylenes are within the
same family. Careful consideration must be given
to the material combinations.
Matching of Optical Properties
Lasers in materials processing generally emit a
light beam at one wavelength or a very narrow
wavelength bandwidth. Unlike natural light, the
laser beam is coherent and focusable. Near-
inared and inared wavelengths are most
widely used in plastics welding om 800nm
- 2um, oen by high-powered diode lasers.
These wavelengths are longer than wavelengths
visible to the human eye, such as green, which is
532nm in the visible spectrum, and red, which is
635nm. Using the 800-2000nm wavelengths the
plastics to be welded must exhibit some degree
of transmission and absorption in this range.
Plastics are, to some degree, semicrystalline
structures and have amorphous and crystalline
phases. Differences in the reactive index
June 2021 33
6/7/21 8:29 AM
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Kingway 4-21.indd 34 6/7/21 8:23 AM

 Design Notes
Correct choice of
Plastics - Thermal
and Chemical
Compatibility
Successful
Effective laser Plastic
Delivery Weld
method for
laser beam
to part
Sufficient Part fit
up, and fixturing
forces along part
extremities
between the amorphous and crystalline
phases within a plastic cause light
scattering and reflection when a laser
beam impinges on them. This can be a
benefit or a hindrance for laser welding,
depending on the level of these effects.
Design combinations of these
properties help achieve transmission of
the laser beam through the top plastic
part and absorption in the lower part,
refer to figure 4. Sometimes additives
are included in the production of the
polymers in the masterbatch to make
them absorb laser light. At the design
stage, engineers should consider whether
additives are acceptable in the product.
For example, would they pass FDA
approval in the case of a medical device
plastic?
The level of glass fibers in certain
plastics such as Polyamide, PA-66,
commonly referred to as Nylon, can
affect the transmission of light through
them, especially at higher levels of glass
fiber concentration where transmission
is lower. A equent question regarding
plastics is which colors can be welded
together? There is no simple answer;
many combinations are possible. Even
the same color materials such as black to
black can be joined with careful design
composition. Even though visible light
does not transmit colored plastics, this
can be the opposite for a single laser
wavelength.
Sufficient part fit up, and fixturing
forces along part extremities Designers
must always ensure that the parts are
DESIGN WORLD
Design-Notes-6-21-Vs3.LL.indd 35
Design
molded in geometries
considerations that lend themselves
for laser plastic to laser plastic welding
welding. through a good fit
up of the assembly
Matching components and joint
of Optical
Properties of
accessibility. Laser welding is not
plastics and good at transmitting heat across air gaps, and
laser beam
it is crucial that the components of a
joint are in contact. Lap weld configurations
achieve this.
Downward force during the welding process
is essential for certain complex parts, especially
large ones that are difficult to achieve good
fit up naturally. The clamping force can be
generated by servo drives or through the use
of pneumatic clamping. There is a collapse
force for plastic welding, which governs how
much force the hot and melting plastic can
withstand before it starts to significantly
deform, and how much force is necessary to
push the parts together when molten.
Laser Beam Distributes and Controls Heat
in an Effective Manner
There are several methods for laser beam
delivery to the workpiece in laser welding.
The use of cartesian axes systems where
there is a relative movement between a fixed
laser plastic welding head and an XYZR table
motion system is one example. These devices
may not result in a uniform heating of large
parts due to the acceleration required at
start and stop points and around changes of
direction. However, this method is flexible as
the laser path can be generated through
CAD data.
The use of high-speed galvo scanning
heads allows rapid movement of the laser
beam at up to 10m/s. Scanning around a weld
seam at very high speed, with sufficient power,
allows an almost instantaneous heating of
the entire welding seam om one end to the
other. This reduces the effects of simultaneous
heating and cooling that cartesian axes
systems create. Another less flexible method
is to laser illuminate the parts through a mask.
In this case, the mask aperture takes the
shape of the required welded seam but must
be manufactured each time there is a design
change. DW
ACSYS Lasertechnik | acsyslaser.com
www.designworldonline.com June 2021 35
6/7/21 8:33 AM
 Design Notes

Connectors improve connections

integrity while reducing costs
Edited by Mike Santora • Associate Editor

A Powell Power
Control Room (PCR).

Powell’s Power Control Rooms (PCR) have improved quality and these boxes were shipped, wires would
productivity while lowering costs and reducing labor since their inception in sometimes loosen due to vibration or
1968. Used in a variety of markets, om utility substations to oil/gas projects to installation errors. Upon delivery, before
transportation systems, these PCRs have been transported and installed in all 50 connecting the rooms, engineers would
states and over 70 countries. The size of the PCRs varies depending on the final need to go into each box, reconnect the
application. wires, and re-tighten the screws that held
“Some are so large they need to be split apart and shipped in sections,” Powell the wires in place using calibrated torque
Production Designer Rick Deiss explained. screwdrivers. This made the process both
When Powell assembles these larger Power buildings, the sections (or rooms) are costly and time-consuming as these
physically joined together first. Then the interconnect wiring between each building specialty tools carry not only a high
must be terminated during the manufacturing phase and subsequently “de- initial investment but require calibration
terminated” before the buildings are split apart again so they can be shipped to the annually.
final job site. For mounting connections, Powell had
Each section typically includes shipping split boxes for wiring. In the past, when previously used an internally fabricated

36 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

Design-Notes-6-21-Vs3.LL.indd 36 6/7/21 8:35 AM NAS_36


aluminum angle bracket modified with
7 pre-punched square-mounting holes,
which would allow a third-party, 2-piece
pull-apart terminal block assembly to
snap into each square hole. This design,
however, was considered labor-intensive
and could cause reliability issues, as the
connectors would sometimes become
dislodged om the mounting bracket.
Inside Powell’s shipping split
wiring compartment: WAGO 832
Series MCS MAXI featuring tool-
free, lever-operated termination. It
is shown here in a 6-pole wire-to-wire
configuration with mounting adapters
for DIN rail or panel mounting.
They began to look for ways to improve
their design while simultaneously gaining
a higher-quality connection.
“We needed a terminal block for
power connections that could be
disconnected by pulling it apart,” Deiss
said.
In 2016, Ciarah Tapley-Smith of
Future Electronics, WAGO’s local
distributor in Houston, Texas, and
WAGO Regional Sales Manager Kevin
Stevenson, arranged a visit to Powell
by WAGO’s Innovation In Action Tour
(IIAT) mobile display. It was then that they
were introduced to CAGE CLAMP design
technology.
The Powell engineering team assessed
831 Series connectors and learned how
they could improve connections integrity
while reducing production and labor costs.
Powell requested samples to see if
the connectors could indeed fit their
company’s specific application needs.
Deiss pointed out that he and his
colleagues were also able to visit WAGO’s
manufacturing and testing facilities in
Minden, Germany, to learn more. “The
831 Series connectors are just what we
needed,” stated Deiss, “while touring the
WAGO factory in Germany, I saw parts

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Design-Notes-6-21-Vs3.LL.indd 37 V2.indd 1 5/5/21
6/7/21 8:54
8:35 AM
 Interpower® Design Notes
Outdoor Outlets!
831 Series MCS MAXI in both
Push-in CAGE CLAMP (in 9-poles)
and lever-operated (in 4-poles)
variants with DIN rail mounting
adapters. Both provide a safe,
convenient, and reliable method of
providing pluggable connections
inside the shipping split wiring
compartments of the PCR.

being manufactured as well as many “Powell is looking to implement more

Interpower Outdoor Outlets conform to
IEC 60529 and NEMA 250 standards.
All are Ingress Protection (IP) rated for
“sealing” properties from elements.
IP ratings have two digits. The first
digit indicates the degree persons are
protected against contact with moving
parts, and the degree equipment is
protected against the intrusion of solid
objects. A “0” rating means no special
protection while “6” means dust-tight,
the highest rating.
The second digit indicates the degree
of protection from moisture. A “0”
rating indicates no special protection
while “9” indicates the highest
protection (water jets).
Interpower’s outdoor outlets are rated
IP 65 (protected from dust and jetting
water) and NEMA 12/4, indicating they
are good for both indoor and outdoor
equipment and protected from dirt,
dust, and dripping and splashing water.
®
®
Toll-Free Phone: (800) 662-2290
E-mail: info@interpower.com
Business Hours:
7 a.m.–6 p.m. Central Time
tests performed on their products.”
Powell soon realized that the 831
series would prove to be a critical
component in manufacturing their PCRs.
“It was evident by their implementation
of our original tool-operated, DIN-rail
mounted 831 Series that they value our
connection technology and form-factor
not only as a time and labor savings
but also for the improved connection
integrity it provides,” says Cory Thiel,
WAGO’s PCB Interconnect Product
Manager.
Powell has since eliminated the cost
of lugs and the labor for crimping as
well as the need for the pre-fabricated
aluminum mounting bracket. With
the use of spring pressure connection
technology, there are no screws,
eliminating loose connections and the
need for torqueing. These products have
sped up manufacturing, connecting,
and disconnecting the shipping splits,
ultimately reducing labor costs.
Over the last four years, both
companies have developed more
solutions to help with the production
and shipping of Powell’s Power Control
Rooms. So what may be on the horizon?
A new version of the 831 series with
tool-ee lever actuation is currently
in production. Powell is also looking
at using new 832 Series connectors to
replace additional competitive devices
and some old connections requiring
larger wire connectors.
of our products in their design and are
very excited to hear that we will soon
have the 832 Series connectors coming
out later this year with a DIN Rail-mount
capability,” Stevenson says, “which will
allow them to use our CAGE CLAMP
technology on larger wiring circuits
ranging up to 4 AWG.”
Deiss also expressed his enthusiasm
for the future, “I am very excited about
the 832 Terminal Blocks. These have larger
ampacity ratings, so we will pull apart
connections for up to #4 gauge wire.
Currently wiring larger than #8 requires
lugs, screw terminations, and torqueing.”
With the help of these products, Powell
will continue to work on speeding up and
simpliing the wiring process. DW
WAGO
wago.com
WHAT DO
YOU
THINK?
Connect and discuss this and other
engineering design issues with
thousands of professionals online

Order Online!
www.interpower.com
38 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

Design-Notes-6-21-Vs3.LL.indd 38 6/7/21 8:40 AM

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(781) 924-1

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sales@cmtco.co

Ame
com
P.O. Box 298
Hanover, MA
301 Winter

Concentric
www.cmtco.

Manufacturers of Power Transmission and Motion Control Components

Custom Machine & Tool Co., Inc.

800-355-5949
sales@cmtco.com
www.cmtco.com

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CMT 6-21_Concentric Maxi Torque_Vs5.indd 39 6/9/21 9:38 AM

 Design Notes

Metrology for micro molding —

a case study
Inspection of a microlens (a
single lens that is part of a
Edited by Mike Santora • Associate Editor molded lens array). This kind
of data is used to find defects
and assess overall shape of the
molded part. This ensures design
accuracy.

Accumold operates in an environment

where part dimensions are sometimes minute,
tolerances are always exacting, geometric complexity
can be demanding, and zero failure rates and repeatability
are paramount. The key to reaching sub-micron tolerances
is risk mitigation, as each step in the product development
process can potentially introduce tolerance stack-up. Control
requires that Accumold is vertically integrated, with tooling,
molding, validation, and automated assembly all under one
roof, and each “department” collaborating to ensure optimal
outcomes.
Validation is a crucial, which is why Accumold partnered with
non-contact optical metrology specialist, ZYGO, to manage
some of its more demanding measurement and
validation work. Nowhere is the well-worn
phrase “if you cannot measure it, you
cannot make it” more relevant than in the
The diamond turned surface
shows the texture on a
piece of injection molding
tooling for an optical
surface. Understanding and
controlling the texture on the
mold tooling is important as
it will transfer directly into the
finished part.
world of micro molding. Here, parts are oen used in safety-
critical applications and can be as small as a grain of sand.
Accumold’s metrology capability is critical during micro-
molding processes — om initial experimental design runs
and stress tests to prototype and production qualifications
runs. With measurement taking this central role, metrology
moves om being a necessary evil to an enabling
technology. Accumold’s metrologists have been successful
in helping customers improve their design, re-dimension
parts, and better use Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing
(GD&T) so that the part is easier to mold, easier to measure,
and performs better for the end-user.
Oen in micro-molding scenarios, metrology and
validation-related issues can be challenging, with part
size, part fixturing, print tolerances, and surface roughness
introducing complexities. Of these, part size is the most
critical challenge. Micro-molded parts can be dimensioned
in microns, with features that only become visible under 10x
(or greater) magnification. With such small part sizes, non-
contact metrology is the best solution.
It is essential to determine how to fixture the part being
inspected so repeatable and reproducible measurements
are achieved. Accumold designs and manufactures steel

40 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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 S IC K OF
or 3D plastic custom fixtures designed to hold parts in various

R IN GS?
N A P
orientations to ensure they can measure all the features in either
automated or manual measurement processes.
Another challenge for these components is surface roughness.
Due to the small size and essential finish requirements, slight
S
variations can have more dramatic effects on the final product
than might be observed with a larger component. Non-contact
metrology tools are vital for such applications, as tactile tools can
compromise surface integrity.
Metrology instruments are constantly evolving, and it is
essential to assess new technology continuall.y. Accumold uses
various advanced metrology technology, including automated
vision inspection (AVI), robotic handling, and non-contact optical
surface metrology, such as the coherence scanning interferometer
equipment om ZYGO to measure micro features and surface
roughness.
Industry perceptions of optical metrology systems have
changed in recent years, and its uptake is growing year to year.
There are obvious reasons for this: its ability to measure without
damaging surfaces or features on sometimes delicate components.
However, optical metrology also stimulates the move to greater
manufacturing automation due to its speed compared to contact We were too.
systems. It can also quickly undertake full-field measurement
rather than focusing on specific part features one at a time.
Accumold has used ZYGO optical profilers for many years, That’s why we are the only
starting with the NewView 7300 and later adding the next
generation NewView 8300 to the fleet. The main reason for manufacturer of Spirolox®.
selecting ZYGO was to accurately measure parts made om high
temperature and clear resins used to mold lenses.
One of the best ways to derive maximum value om metrology • Easy and Quick Install/Removal
is to work more as partners and collaborators to solve a challenging
• Interchangeable with Snap Rings
problem. The first collaboration’s optical profiler was the NewView
7300. Both company’s engineering teams devised a customized • Large Selection from Stock
analysis routine for the micro-molded lenses that were being
• Easy to Customize
made. As technology evolved, the two companies continued to
work together to solve metrology issues both on the original tool
and on the NewView 8300 and its latest soware platform.
Instead of simply purchasing a tool, ZYGO and Accumold have
maintained a dialogue to ensure ZYGO’s product and capability
roadmap reflects Accumold’s metrology needs — continually
providing value across their entire organization. Accumold thinks
that working collaboratively with metrology suppliers is the future
and will ensure that technology evolves with market and customer
needs. DW

Zygo Spiral Retaining Rings

www.zygo.com

DESIGN WORLD June 2021 41 Request Free Samples at 847-719-5900 or smalley.com

Design-Notes-6-21-Vs3.LL.indd 41 6/7/21 8:48 AM

 CAE Solutions

Preview design changes in real time

The 3.0 version of the nTopology part geometry reliably and error-ee. Any
soware offers several enhancements. CPU can evaluate this implicit equation
One of the new features is an opt-in GPU in milliseconds.
acceleration that will deliver a 10x to Through patent-pending technology
100x performance boost, which makes it the soware can use both the CPU
easier to preview design changes in real- and GPU of a designer’s system for
time and regenerate parts with complex faster performance. The reduction in
geometry in seconds. the time it takes to develop designs
The soware also consolidates
recent technology improvements
introduced to it. These
include functional latticing
workflows, topology optimization
tools, engineering simulation
utilities, and advanced design
automation capabilities.
The core of version 3.0 is
the implicit modeling engine.
This engine describes every solid
body by a single mathematical
equation, which enables
designers to generate complex

42 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

CAE.Solutions.6-21_Vs4.LL.indd 42 6/7/21 9:14 AM

 Lattices let
designers change a
structure’s behavior
by controlling its
geometry at the

Explosion Proof.
mesoscale level.

enables latticing, texturing, filleting, shelling,

and other field-driven operations to
be previewed in real-time. Complex designs
are rebuilt in a few seconds.
According to nTopology managers, you
can save 10 to 60 seconds every time you
change a design parameter. Thus, making
100 such changes a day can save an average
of 60 minutes of time per day.

Other enhancements include:

Lattice generation: Lattices let designers
change a structure’s behavior by controlling
its geometry at the mesoscale level. Thus,
designers can alter material response
for specific applications. nTopology’s 3rd
generation latticing pipeline offers tools to
navigate the mesoscale world.
This generation includes a complete set
of ordered, stochastic, and TPMS unit cells
to control lattice properties at every point
in space using simulation results, test data, Gearmotors for Class I / Division 1
engineering formulas, and a field-driven Hazardous Locations
design approach.
New utilities help designers create
custom unit cells and build the basic
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Topology optimization: Topology

optimization is a core tool of many
generative design workflows due to its
effect on lightweighting and structural
optimization. nTopology 3.0 uses state-of-
the-art algorithms and unique constraints
for Additive Manufacturing.
The soware expands the capabilities
of nTopCL and strengthens the integrations
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Accuracy Is Nothing Without Repeatability
Specify The Position Sensors
With True Precision
T/TR family of absolute position
sensors feature repeatability to
2µm. They are ideal for
machine automation
and control
applications
where precise repeatability and long life
are requirements. These sensors offer
a proven solution for applications with
alignment errors. T/TR position sensors
are available with a return spring too for
use in auto-retraction systems.
For complete information on T/TR sensors visit www.novotechnik.com/ttr
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CAE.Solutions.6-21_Vs4.LL.indd 44
CAE Solutions
with its Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO)
soware.
nTopCL enables users to call generative nTop
workflows in Python or Matlab scripts. It can run on a
desktop, a private server, or the cloud.
nTopology 3.0 offers three ways to simulate. The
results can be an input to drive part geometry, or
used to perform design analysis, or users can export
meshes for verification in external solvers.
Built-in simulation tools let users run static,
modal, and buckling structural analyses, steady-state,
transient, and non-linear thermal simulations, and
lattice unit cell homogenization.
nTopology is also expanding its simulation pre-
processing capabilities. These include new meshing
utilities, import and export capabilities for FEA and
CFD data in the native format of any solver including
ANSYS, Abaqus, or Nastran to streamline the design
verification process. DW
nTopology | nTopology.com
WHAT DO
YOU
Novotechnik’s T/TR family shares THINK?
these key specs:
Connect and discuss this and other
engineering design issues with
thousands of professionals online
• Repeatability to ±0.002 mm
• Stroke lengths from 10 to 150 mm
• Long life of >100 million movements
• Linearity to ±0.075%
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44 June 2021 DESIGN WORLD
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 CAE Solutions

Industrial CT soware detects and

corrects design flaws and
manufacturability issues

The latest version of Volume Graphics’ high-end CT data analysis

soware suite, version 3.5, brings enhanced capabilities to manufacturers
looking for better ways to inspect parts and improve designs—however they are
made.
Particularly in the automotive, aerospace and defense industries, engineers
exploring novel materials and manufacturing methods are increasingly turning
to CT scanning to achieve a more accurate, non-destructive evaluation of
product robustness and performance. Volume Graphics is a leading developer of
soware technology that interprets CT data om scans of almost any material
to detect, analyze and visualize minute structural deviations that might affect
part quality.
Version 3.5 provides automated used to improve manufacturability.
design-geometry adjustment and Filtering out points that can cause
repair tools that can be used to correct erroneous compensation results, the
and/or offset issues that stem om soware fine-tunes surface fitting
the manufacturing process itself. and provides compensations that are
Moldmakers, casting shops, and additive within tolerances, enabling the user to
manufacturing providers can use the immediately see if their design changes
soware to detect and visualize material are compatible with mold-making. Manufacturing Geometry Correction
and/or design defects or distortions— Module. When compensating a
and then use included functions to • Enhanced mesh compensation. For geometry, a new filter option in
correct their CAD designs, compare those working in simulation and AM/3D Volume Graphics’ industrial CT
values against nominal limits and ensure printing, this module provides easier software version 3.5 allows users to
that final part quality meets applicable navigation and understanding of the find fit points that cause inaccurate
industry standards. relationships between elements for compensation results.
better interpretation of part warpage,
Here are some of the highlights in deformation and displacement—
version 3.5 of the data analysis soware and automatically compensates
suite (which includes VGSTUDIO MAX, designs to correct for deviations om
VGSTUDIO, VGMETROLOGY, VGinLINE, manufacturing intent. Mesh updating
and myVGL): is 10X faster, with improved results
when scan and reference objects differ
• A reworked manufacturing geometry greatly in size or show other significant
correction module. This soware deviations. There are a greater number
module benefits all those who work of control points for more granular
with some kind of mold, i.e., injection and accurate results. In the case of
molders or casters. Enhancements in lattice structures and other complex
usability, with continuous updating geometries, a uniform control-point
and feedback on quality, give the CAD placement function ensures full
designer information that can be analysis of a design. The soware

DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com June 2021 45

CAE.Solutions.6-21_Vs4.LL.indd 45 6/11/21 12:26 PM

 CAE Solutions

Enhanced Mesh Compensation.

A new compensation mesh color
overlay in Volume Graphics’
industrial CT software version
3.5 helps users to clearly
visualize, analyze and annotate
any displacements in the
compensation mesh.

can also shorten the 3D-print-and-test process

by automatically running two sequential design-
compensation results to move a design for AM closer
to nominal before the first print.

• Porosity and inclusion analysis of castings. CT

scans of cast parts can be inspected for porosity
and compliance with Reference Sheet P 203 of
the Federation of German Foundry Industry (BDG).
With the help of the BDG P 203 porosity key, users
can perform a 3D evaluation of detected volume
deficits both in the complete casting and in eely
defined sub-areas, such as functional areas with
special attributes. The soware enables inspection
of multiple, different regions of interest in a part to
see if porosity is within tolerances and whether there
are any post-machining issues in the finished part.
The data om this analysis is then ready for Q-DAS
process control.

Capability enhancements support engineering

across many industries
Other enhancements in version 3.5 strengthen
existing functions that support science, R&D, medical
device development and other industries in addition
New Porosity and Inclusion Analysis of Castings. Usability
to automotive and aerospace & defense. Among
improvements in the P 203 analysis, in Volume Graphics’ industrial
these is advanced reporting, which is now more
CT software version 3.5, include combining the generation and
user-iendly and fully integrated with viewing. The
editing of global and freeform porosity keys in one dialog. A new
nominal/actual comparison module has also been
BDG P 203 name field allows users to add a comment for each
made more user-iendly with easy-to-understand
porosity key.
visualization of deviations of scanned objects om
their reference data sets. DW

Volume Graphics and Hexagon

www.volumegraphics.com

46 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

CAE.Solutions.6-21_Vs4.LL.indd 46 6/7/21 12:17 PM

 7
Congratulates

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 CAE Solutions

CFD simulation soware puts flow

analysis into the design process early

The latest version of Simcenter FLOEFD soware, a CAD- structural stress analysis of complex PCBs
embedded computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool, helps users accurately. A new interface to Simcenter
ontload CFD simulation early into the design process to understand Nastran soware allows easy transfer
the behavior of their concepts. It can reduce the overall simulation of CFD results for structural analysis in
time by as much as 75% and it runs seamlessly inside NX soware, Simcenter 3D soware. In addition, new
Solid Edge soware, CATIA V5 and Creo. The latest version includes enhancements for lighting applications
new functions that let designers take advantage of a seamless working include pulse-width modulation of a light
environment, as well as enhancements that extend thermal simulation source and the simulation of scattering and
capabilities and lighting applications. photoluminescence of phosphor particles,
Simcenter FLOEFD includes improvements within process which are used during the manufacture of
integration, allowing design engineers to implement CFD solutions LEDs. DW
within their workflow without requiring process changes. Simcenter
FLOEFD for NX projects and results can be managed in Teamcenter Siemens Digital Industries Soware
soware. Integrations with HyperLynx soware, a suite of analysis and www.sw.siemens.com
verification soware for PCB engineers, allow for enhanced thermal
analysis and more accurate simulation of printed circuit boards (PCBs)
by taking into account joule heating phenomena.
The latest version of Simcenter FLOEFD also includes expanded
WHAT DO
capabilities based on Simcenter MAGNET soware technology
YOU
to increase accuracy of thermal simulation by considering THINK?
electromagnetic phenomena. Direct integration of structural analysis Connect and discuss this and other
engineering design issues with
thousands of professionals online
allows CAD-centric users to apply CFD results to perform linear

48 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

CAE.Solutions.6-21_Vs4.LL.indd 48 6/7/21 9:12 AM

 DeviceTalks Tuesdays is a Topics include:
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Each DeviceTalks Tuesday will kick
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Sponsorship opportunities are available for future DeviceTalks programs.
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DeviceTalks HOUSE AD 6-21.indd 49 6/7/21 8:55 AM

 Coupling Notes
Edited by: Mike Santora • Associate Editor

Couplings in the field: two case

histories
Oldham Couplings in capping and filling machine application

Cap Coder, a manufacturer of standard and custom capping,

filling, labeling, and coding machines, needed precision
couplings for its equipment. The couplings connect the drive
Couplings connect the drive motor to the torque capping heads on low-to-medium
motor to the torque capping volume filling and capping machines used by beverage and
heads on low-to-medium pharmaceutical customers.
volume filling and capping Positioned within the main capping torque head, the
coupling is considered one of the machine’s most critical
machines used by beverage and
components as it transfers power while maintaining position
pharmaceutical customers.
and controlling the applied torque to the container cap. Aer
| Courtesy of Cap Coder
reviewing all available alternatives, Cap Coder chose to install
Huco Oldham couplings on all capping head assemblies
incorporated on its various machines. Oldham-style couplings

H
were selected for their precision and reliability.
The Oldham coupling design transmits torque through
a central disc that slides over tenons on the hubs under
controlled preload conditions. To meet the capping torque
head requirements, the complete 3-part Size 33 Oldham
couplings are comprised of two aluminum clamp-style blind
hubs and an acetal disc that provides high torsional stiffness
C
and long backlash-ee life. The 1.31-in. (33.3 mm) diameter
couplings have a 79.7 in lb. (9 Nm) peak torque rating. W
LO
H
A
P
C
This modified Flex M
membrane-type coupling
has a torque rating of 100
in.lb. (11.3 Nm). The double-
stage version of the coupling,
featuring two membranes,
was chosen to provide greater
A
misalignment capacity. W
50 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD S
Coupling.Notes.6-21_Vs5.LL.indd 50 6/7/21 9:20 AM

Modified couplings for oil viscosity
measuring instrument
A manufacturer of tribology testing
equipment needed reliable precision
couplings for their oil viscometer
instrumentation. The fully automated,
microprocessor-controlled device uses
proprietary soware to perform ultra-
shear rate measurements in less than
an hour. A precision coupling is used to
connect the machine’s rotary head to
reach speeds up to 20,000 rpm in short
bursts.
The ability to recreate accurate oil
shear rates inside engines is critical,
especially in the automotive industry
as engines continue to operate at
higher speeds and temperatures.
Thus, the instrument is widely used
in the laboratories of automotive
manufacturers, research universities, and
lubricant and additive designers.
HOW DOES A
CHECK VALVE WORK?
WHEN YOU’RE CREATING A LOW PRESSURE,
LOW FLOW APPLICATION, IT PAYS TO UNDERSTAND
HOW CHECK VALVES WORK. WILL A CERTAIN STEP
AFFECT YOUR DEVICE'S PERFORMANCE? IS THERE A
PART IN THE OPERATION PROCESS THAT WILL BE
CRITICAL TO YOUR APPLICATION?
ADD TO YOUR KNOW-HOW
WATCH THE 1:40 min VIDEO OR DOWNLOAD WHITE PAPER AT
SMARTPRODUCTS.COM/CHECK_VALVE_OPERATION.PHP
Coupling.Notes.6-21_Vs5.LL.indd 51
The Oldham coupling
for this application has
aluminum alloy hubs with
standard acetal torque
discs. The coupling eliminates
backlash and protects against
shock loading.
The OEM contacted
Huco for its Flex M precision
couplings aer a careful review
of the application requirements.
The modified Flex M membrane-
type couplings provided have a torque
rating of 100 in.lb. (11.3 Nm). The double-
stage version of the coupling, featuring
two membranes, was chosen to provide
greater misalignment capacity. making them suitable for applications
Flex M precision couplings have thin requiring high rotational speed and
pressed steel membranes — torque is motion integrity. DW
resolved to simple tensile stresses in
opposing segments of the membranes. Huco | huco.com
The couplings have near-infinite life and
a dynamically balanced construction,
6/7/21 9:21 AM
•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
D e s i g n for Additive Manufacturing
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
• • • • • • • • • •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

3D-printed circuit boards: How they’re

made and why they matter
Once confined mainly to home-brew tinkering, circuit boards created via 3D
printing are now practical for some manufactured products.
J.F. Brandon • BotFactory Inc.

Example of an
nScrypt system
extruding
conductive traces
on a FDM-printed
substrate.

In the past ten years 3D Printing has gone om a niche prototyping tool It is worth looking at the details of PCBs and
to a process acceptable for mass production. Most of the recent hubbub has their construction. The word ‘printed’ in printed
been about monolithic plastic and metals. But new materials and processes circuit board only describes half of the process – the
have appeared to help create 3D-printed PCBs that meet long-standing silkscreen masks are the only part that is printed.
engineering problems. A PCB is originally copper foil on a rigid fiberglass
If the history of electronics manufacturing could be summarized in one laminate which is selectively etched, drilled, and
phase, it would be, “Shrinking everything to nothing to squeeze out something plated using a set of silkscreens and chemical baths
faster.” The push towards miniaturization has been driven by the inviolable to produce the final product.
laws of nature – faster devices that consume less power require shorter The sole purpose of the PCB is to reliably connect
electrical paths. passive and active components and provide a
However, the printed circuit board is an outlier in the electronics world. PCBs reliable platform for integration or interactions with
still use basic drilling and plating processes perfected 50 years ago. That is not the rest of a product. For example, the PCB in the
to say that PCB manufacturing is trivial or antiquated. But the investment in average computer keyboard connects electronic
new PCB manufacturing methods is a pittance compared to the hundreds of elements together, and manages human interactions
billions put into chip fabs by IC makers such as TMSC and AMD. and provides a sound mechanical connection to

52 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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 Examples of inkjet-printed circuitry made with a BotFactory SV2 PCB printer.
the body of the product. PCBs must be
designed so they can easily be stenciled
with reflow solder paste and integrated
into industrial surface-mount pick-and-
place lines. All in all, modern PCBs can play
a variety of roles in the end products. So it
is worth considering new manufacturing
processes that can expand the capabilities
of PCBs.
PCBs have thermal, electrical,
geometric and mechanical requirements
that go beyond what most materials for
3D printing can offer. For example, the
average $500 3D printer that uses Fused
Deposition Modeling (FDM) uses PLA, ABS
and PETG which melt under the harsh
gaze of any standard soldering station.
Metal 3D printing techniques handle one
material at one time. Yet PCBs require, at
a bare minimum, a dense and conductive
metal for conductors.
Three technical paths have appeared
for PCB printing: inkjets, extrusion, and
additive manufacturing (AM)-electroless
plating. First consider inkjetting. New
nanoparticle and particle-free inks have
allowed inkjet printing to go beyond
CMYK inks and graphics. Inkjets can now
lay down metal (overwhelmingly silver)
inks in fine patterns on flexible materials.
In combination with a polymer ink, it is
possible to create PCBs with complex
multilayer circuitry (blind and buried vias
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com   June 2021
DfAM.6-21-Vs3.LL.indd 53
are trivial items) in only a few steps on a
single machine.
The inherent advantage of creating
PCBs layer-by-layer this way is that
each layer can be tested and validated.
The minimal level of processing
simplifies the dispensing solder paste,
part assembly, and testing for every
layer. The disadvantages are that
material dispensing via inkjet printing
is slow relative to all other additive
manufacturing processes-- deposition
speeds can be in the millimeters-per-
hour range. It’s possible to create precise
traces with inkjet printing (metal traces
with 100-micron widths are commonly
attainable). But the smaller droplets limit
deposition speeds.
And there are problems with metal
inks: Applying too much can cause
bleeding and cracking during drying,
thus limiting PCB fabrication speeds.
Solderability is a particular blind spot –
silver can wilt under standard pastes like
SAC305, suffering from tin ‘scavenging’
silver during reflow. In addition,
inkjet polymers melt at temperatures
that standard PCBs easily manage.
Fortunately, industry-accepted low-
temperature tin-bismuth and indium-
based solder pastes are compatible with
inkjet-printed PCBs.
Today there are two PCB printers that
use inkjetting – the BotFactory SV2 and the
Nano Dimension DragonFly. Each printer uses
the same process to create multilayer circuitry,
although the BotFactory SV2 uses inexpensive
thermal inkjet heads instead of the piezo heads
found in the DragonFly. Nano Dimension has
focused on printing for production, whereas
BotFactory has emphasized integration of
pasting and PCB assembly into a small unit,
working on projects with the USAF to automate
the entire process. BotFactory offers
a commercial product below $20,000.
Single nozzle jetting
Inkjetting isn’t the only way that nanoparticles
can be deposited to create circuitry. An
alternative method extrudes lines onto flat
surfaces and uses fused-deposition modeling
to provide a polymer structure for the traces
to inhabit. Pastes are notoriously difficult to
control when creating fine traces and spaces,
requiring precise control and extremely close
contact with the substrate surface.
Here the target surface must be covered
twice – first for mapping, then for pasting. The
two-step procedure handicaps the scalability
of the process for production. Pastes must be
devoid of air pockets lest each bubble act as
a kind of ‘spring’ and impede the extrusion
process. The flip side of using viscous pastes is
that metal-loading is higher and it’s possible
to deposit metal in thicker layers, boosting
conductivity and solderability. However, at
53
6/7/21 9:37 AM
•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
D e s i g n for Additive Manufacturing
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
• • • • • • • • • •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
printed electronics for its low thermal circuitry on pre-existing substrates or
expansion and dielectric constant. UK augments AM with subtractive processes is
researchers found UV energy can be used not 3D-printed electronics. By conveniently
this time, silver is the favorite material and to chemically bond silver particles and ignoring the drilling process for vias and
suffers om the same constraints as inkjet- the polymer chains, providing seeds for shaping, one could argue that PCBs are
printed PCBs in regards to silver scavenging. plating aerwards. made with AM when they clearly are not.
AM + electroless plating (also The technology described above has When an entire model is fabricated
abbreviated as AMEP, or 3D-Print-and- not been commercialized, but the overall using AM, it typically has characteristics
Plate) is a completely new category of concept has been used for creating and form factors that go beyond what
AM that combines existing additive unique antennae at firms like Swissto12. would be possible if subtractive fabrication
manufacturing processes and well- There a high-resolution SL print is made, is included. Use of subtractive processes
understood electroless plating techniques. coated, and then electro-plated (not detracts om the entire point of adopting
An object is printed via stereolithography electroless plated). Electroplating requires AM.
(SL) or FDM using a distinct metal-loaded a current to initiate and control the An example of semi-additive process
material that can be electroless-plated plating process, whereas a PCB oen has commonly cited as 3D-printed electronics
aerwards. AMEP continues to be a topic unconnected traces and vias that require is Laser Directed Structuring developed
of academic research. Last year, researchers plating. by LPKF. Essentially, an object consists
at UCLA published results on using SL to Overall, the greatest challenge to of an injection-molded plastic that has
create multi-material prints that could be AMEP is that it cannot create conductors been filled or coated by an organometallic
selectively plated. Using two vats of pure within an object unless there are exposed compound. When a laser applies a circuit
and metal-loaded polymers, the process holes or the PCB undergoes multiple pattern to the surface, metallic seeds form
enhances the existing premise of AM with dips into the plating baths. As it stands, and create an electroless nickel or copper
no extra constraint on fabrication speed. the technology has the ability to meet plating. The technology is limited by the
Palladium, a metal traditionally all the technical requirements for high- reach of the laser, inhibiting the possibility
extremely expensive, normally serves as a performance PCBs, including ease-of- of allowing conductors to pass thru the
seed material in this process. But on the solderability and high-thermal tolerances. object. Thus LDS parts are not true 3D PCBs.
other side of the world, UK researchers The same limitation also applies to
devised a way of printing less expensive What it’s not aerosol jetting, a concept commercialized
metal on a new polyimide material. There is some confusion about what is by Optomec. Here a carrier gas (nitrogen
Polyimide (also known as Kapton) is prized and isn’t ‘AM electronics,’ and certain lines typically) jets out of a fine nozzle at high
by electrical engineers in flexible and have been drawn. Any process that builds speed and carries a fine suspension of
materials such as nanoparticle metal inks.
The variety of viscosity, metal-loading and
material choice makes aerosol jetting a
candidate for creating sensors on objects,
overcoming the limited choice of materials
for LDS. As both processes use non-AM
elements, they arguably do not create
3D-printed electronic devices.
Credible advances in materials, metals
and polymers make it possible to 3D-print
PCBs useful in many applications today. The
most mature technique is inkjet printing;
it comes closest to reaching the necessary
geometric and electric properties, with
materials advancing quickly to meet the
thermal and mechanical needs. Extrusion is
well-understood but hard to scale. AM-EP
is the dark horse in the race, combining old
and new techniques to provide another
path to the 3D PCB. DW
The BotFactory SV2 is capabile of printing PCBs and utilizes inexpensive thermal
inkjet heads. BotFactory Inc. | www.botfactory.co

54 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

DfAM.6-21-Vs3.LL.indd 54 6/7/21 9:38 AM

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PBC Linear 6-21.indd 55 6/7/21 9:48 AM

•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
D e s i g n for Additive Manufacturing
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •• •• •• •• ••
•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
• • • • • • • • • •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Three new 3D printers om Stratasys

encompass FDM, P3, and SAF
technologies
Stratasys Ltd., recently introduced The Stratasys Origin One
three new 3D printers to address a brings production scale 3D
large portion of the multibillion-dollar printing for detailed and
additive manufacturing of end-use intricate parts. Coming om
parts market. The systems collectively the acquisition of Origin, this
are aimed at accelerating the shi om 3D printer uses proprietary P3
traditional to additive manufacturing technology and a soware-
for low-to-mid-volume production first architecture to produce
applications underserved by traditional parts at volume in a range of
manufacturing methods. open, certified third-party materials with
The Stratasys H350 3D printer can industry-leading accuracy, detail, finish,
produce thousands of parts. Powered by repeatability, and time to part.
SAF technology, this printer is designed Internal Stratasys estimates suggest a
to give manufacturers production $3.7 billion market opportunity by 2025 for
consistency, a competitive and the production-oriented segments suited
predictable cost per part, and complete to the Origin One, including automotive,
control for the production of thousands consumer goods, medical, dental, and
of parts. The H350 printer includes about tooling applications.
a dozen different parts 3D-printed with The third new system announced
SAF technology. was the Stratasys F770 3D printer. For
The H350 printer has been in beta big parts, Stratasys claims this newest
testing since early 2021 with service FDM 3D printer features the “longest fully
bureaus and contract manufacturers heated build chamber on the market and
in Europe, Israel, and the United States, a generous build volume of over 13 cubic
including Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, feet (372 liters).”
which is now selling parts on demand The new system, priced under
using the system. It is expected to ship $100,000, is for prototyping, jigs and
more broadly to customers in Q3 of fixtures, and tooling applications requiring
this year. Applications include end-use standard thermoplastics. Soluble support
parts such as covers, connectors, hinges, material simplifies post processing, while
cable holders, electronics housings, and GrabCAD Print soware streamlines
ducting. workflow and enterprise connectivity is
Stratasys is using certified third-party enabled through the MTConnect standard
materials for H Series systems. The initial and the GrabCAD SDK. DW
material is Stratasys High Yield PA11,
which is a bio-based plastic made om Stratasys | www.stratasys.com
sustainable castor oil.

56 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Desktop Metal qualifies another

material for its additive systems—
316L stainless steel
Known for its corrosion resistance and excellent mechanical properties
at extreme temperatures, 316L stainless steel is well suited for applications in
demanding conditions, such as parts exposed to marine or pharmaceutical
processing environments, food preparation equipment, medical devices and
surgical tooling. It also exhibits excellent weldability by standard fusion and
resistance methods.
Through extensive testing, the Desktop Metal materials science
team has validated that 316L stainless steel printed on Production
System technology and sintered by Desktop Metal meets MPIF
35 standards for structural powder metallurgy parts set by
the Metal Powder Industries Federation. Parts printed with
316L have demonstrated excellent mechanical properties
and corrosion resistance, while significantly decreasing
production time and part cost.
Because 316L is a surgical-grade steel, it is an ideal
material for medical applications like surgical nozzles.
By eliminating tooling, additive manufacturing enables
mass production runs of different sized nozzles with
no lead time, featuring internal channels that are
optimized for individual patient needs.
Printing on the Production System P-50 eliminates
multiple fixturing steps otherwise required for
machining, and results in a throughput of more than
24,000 parts per week at approximately $2.50 per part.
By comparison, machining the same part would cost
$20.00 -$40.00 per part, and require up to two months
to create the same number of parts the P-50 can
produce in just one week. DW

Desktop Metal
www.desktopmetal.com

DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com   June 2021 57

DfAM.6-21-Vs3.LL.indd 57 6/7/21 9:39 AM

 Internet of Things

Unmanaged Ethernet switch

delivers key industrial managed-
switch features

The SX5E-HU085B 8-port unmanaged industrial Ethernet

switch offers many features to support Ethernet, IoT, and
IIoT devices used in critical and challenging commercial and
industrial locations. No soware configuration is needed, and it
has flexible installation options.
Industrial networking installations commonly rely on certain
advanced functions that are typically only available on managed
switches. But such switches oen require configuration expertise,
can be more difficult to manage over time, and cost more than
other options. To address these and other issues, the switch offers
the following features:

Quality of Service (QoS)

QoS is a networking feature, usually only available on managed
switches for prioritizing specified network traffic to handle critical
packets first. The QoS function in the SX5E unmanaged switch
automatically guarantees priority for EtherNet/IP packets for
crucial industrial automation tasks. For instance, a programmable
logic controller (PLC) communicating with other intelligent
automation devices using EtherNet/IP will receive precedence over
other general traffic. QoS can be easily turned on/off with a single
external DIP switch to give the user flexibility.

Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) snooping

Ethernet traffic may consist of some messages broadcast to all
devices, and others multicast to select devices. IGMP snooping
allows a switch to monitor conversations between hosts and
routers, and to create and maintain a map or filter of which links
need which transmissions. By delivering messages only where
they are needed, IGMP snooping reduces networking traffic and
required resources.

58 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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The SX5E-HU085B
8-port unmanaged
industrial Ethernet
switch offers many
features to support
Ethernet, IoT,
and IIoT devices
used in critical
and challenging
commercial and
industrial locations.
Broadcast storm protection
For Ethernet networks, improper ring
connections can result in duplicate
messages that will cause the network
to stall. Broadcast storm protection
detects this issue and discards duplicate
messages. It can be turned on/off with a
single external DIP switch.
Robust networking
This switch operates at 10 and 100
Mb/s, with auto negotiation of speed
and full or half duplex mode, and every
port automatically detects and adjusts
for straight-through or crossover
cable connections. Store-and-forward
technology ensures each communication
ame is fully received into memory
and CRC-checked for integrity before
forwarding it to the destination. This
feature introduces a small switching
delay, but it secures high quality
communication.
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com
Internet.of.Things.6-21_Vs4.LL.indd 59
SMARTER
BRAKE & CLUTCH
CONTROL
Industrial-grade form factor
The SX5E is built to withstand extreme
conditions. With a rugged metal housing
that is IP30 rated, the switch can operate
at temperatures ranging om -40 to
75°F, and it is designed to resist electrical
noise. The switch can be mounted on
standard 35 mm DIN rail, or panel-
mounted using an accessory direct
mounting bracket. The switch is carries
approvals for UL508, CE, RoHS, and FCC.
Class I Division 2 hazardous location
approval is pending.
For easy installation, the power supply
terminal block is pluggable, and IP30-
rated RJ45 covers are available to protect
unused ports. To keep the network switch
up and running in the event of power
SmartSense(IoT)
interruptions, the switch can be supplied
om two separate redundant power
supplies for zero failover time, even if one Sensor-less Brake and Clutch Controls
power supply fails. DW with Status Monitoring
IDEC | www.IDEC.com/usa
Introducing a new way to control and monitor
spring-applied, electrically-released brakes
and clutches. Electronically sensing armature
movement after power is applied, the controller
provides real-time operation status and wear
condition while communicating with your IoT
system. Tracking the brake or clutch lifecycle,
WHAT DO scheduling maintenance accurately, reducing
YOU energy and extending the lifespan has never
THINK? been simpler. The SmartSense (IoT) offers:
Connect and discuss this and other
engineering design issues with
thousands of professionals online
• Avoidance of motor and brake/clutch
drive overlap
• Remote armature motion monitoring
• Variable holding voltage
• Enhanced positioning and stopping
• Increased cycle rates
• Real-time brake wear monitoring
• Auto-adjust timing to holding voltage
www.regentcontrols.com
A Carlyle Johnson Company
June 2021 59
6/7/21 10:31 AM
 Internet of Things
Smart grid gateways enable IO and
Wi-Fi sensors to connect to energy
networks
The Ixxat SG-gateway series for networking of
energy components has two new multi-IO versions
that allows traditional IO-sensors or devices in Wi-Fi
networks to be connected to energy systems using
IEC 61850 and IEC 60870. This arrangement gives
users direct and seamless access to sensor data
om the control room, as well as IIoT capabilities for
monitoring, maintenance and forecasting purposes.
Digitalization of energy technology is important
for mastering the future challenges of sustainable
energy supply. With Ixxat SG-gateways, device
manufacturers, system integrators, energy
suppliers and network operators get instant status
information into the control room through direct
access to plant data om various sources. This
enables efficient system operation, fast reactions to
60 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com
Internet.of.Things.6-21_Vs4.LL.indd 60
network disturbances, as well as remote
monitoring and maintenance of devices
and systems. The compact gateways
are suitable for retrofitting plants and
digitalization of substations, and are used
in many areas of energy automation,
including power plants and large energy
consumers.
These gateways remove the need for
installing several separate gateways, such
as fieldbus gateways, sensor gateways,
IoT gateways and firewalls. Adding to
the existing support for IEC 61850, IEC
60870, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, MQTT and
4G, the two new SG-gateways feature
Multi-IO and Wi-Fi capabilities (WLAN
DESIGN WORLD
6/7/21 10:31 AM
 Digitalization of
You don’t need to be an
energy technology expert in clutches, brakes
is important for or torque limiters.
mastering the Because we are.
future challenges of
sustainable energy
supply.
We Are Your One-Stop Shop For Motion Control Solutions.
according to IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n). With When it comes to high-performance, custom-made clutches, brakes
this, traditional as well as wireless sensors and torque limiters, we aim to please. Which is why you’ll find Engineering,
can be easily connected to control rooms Production, Sales, and Product Support all under one roof. All to put you at
and cloud systems. Besides RS232/485 and ease, knowing that we’ll deliver the perfect solution for your applications.
Ethernet, eight digital inputs/outputs (24
Vdc) and eight analog inputs (0-20 mA
or 0-10 V) are available for direct sensor
connection, all switchable via soware. The Mach III Advantage:
The acquired data om sensors,
fieldbuses and energy protocols is made Rapid Custom Solutions
available by the SG-gateway in control From slight design modifications to unique, clean-sheet
room applications, SCADA and can also creations, we can present you with a customized design
be integrated into the user’s cloud system solution in about 48 hours.
of choice. For direct use in a targeted
system and protocol, the data can be
pre-processed by the SG-gateway using
Built To Order
the integrated WEBPLC. Data security We specialize in high variation, low quantity production. All
products are built-to-order, allowing even catalog models
is ensured via a local firewall, access
to be bored to fit the exact shaft and key size required.
management and via encrypted data
transmission. Depending on the used
protocol, this is done either with openVPN Reliable Ship Dates
or TLS 1.3. DW Every purchase order we receive is confirmed with a ship
date that we meet or beat 98% of the time. Lead times for
HMS Networks Standard Products: 2–5 weeks and Custom: 3–6 weeks.
www.ixxat.com/energy

WHAT DO
YOU To learn more, contact us at
THINK? 859–291–0849 or email us at
Connect and discuss this and other engineering@machiii.com
engineering design issues with
thousands of professionals online

DESIGN WORLD June 2021 61

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Internet.of.Things.6-21_Vs4.LL.indd 61 6/7/21 10:31 AM

 Internet of Things

Reduce hardware development time for

IoT Proof of Concept applications
The Avnet Express Connect tool gives
developers and non-programmers a way
to deploy combinations of connected IoT
solutions.
The tool addresses a problem for IoT
projects—implementing projects. It enables a
low code-no code drag and drop connection
om an initial library of more than 400 pre-
connected sensors and devices, reducing
hardware proof-of-concept (POC) development
om weeks to hours without the need for
programmers.
The Express Connect tool enables the
creation and evaluation of IoT-based designs.
It provides developers and customers the ability
to deploy combinations of IoT solutions at the
edge while seamlessly linking the data to
cloud dashboards and SaaS applications.
A cloud-based tool, Express Connect
contains a library of hundreds, expanding
to thousands of industrial IoT sensors,
interface boards and gateways that can
be linked together in endless
combinations all via a drag-and-drop
design environment. Once the design
is created, the platform generates all
the underlying code, which is remotely
deployed to any Express Connect
Gateway globally within seconds.
The Express Connect Tool supports
sensors ranging om simple temperature
and humidity to more specialized sensors.
Key suppliers supported include Omega,
TE, Amphenol, Advantech, and others.
Avnet manages and secures the IoT-
based designs created in Express Connect
through the IoTConnect platform built on
Microso Azure. Developers and OEMs
can create cloud-based applications that
communicate with the Avnet IoTConnect
API with ease, avoiding the complexity of
sensor interfaces, protocols, security and
device management. Connected suppliers
can expand their market presence with
preconnected devices that accelerate
customer adoption and reach. DW
Avnet | www.avnet.com/wps/portal/us/

cati.com || 888.308.2284

WE EMPOWER THE INNOVATORS

Companies like yours come to CATI for the complete

engineering solutions that let them focus on their
mission to innovate.

With our nationwide team of product development and

additive manufacturing experts behind you, nothing is
impossible.

Complete Hardware, Software, & Service Solutions

for CAD-CAE-CAM-PLM & Additive Manufacturing

62 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

Internet.of.Things.6-21_Vs4.LL.indd 62 6/7/21 10:32 AM

 Produced by
Robotics Business Review

RBR50 COVER 6-21.indd 63 6/11/21 10:50 AM

 The Robot Report
Welcome to the 2021 RBR50
Robotics Innovation Awards
What does a childlike, humanoid robot, a research
center, a 5G development platform, and taxis, tractors and
interplanetary explorers have in common? Well, if you are
reading this paragraph, you can probably guess “robotics,”
and you would not be wrong.
But the similarities do not end there, and they are more
pointed and correlated. All the examples are representative
of winners of the 2021 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards
(RBR50).
For nearly a decade, Robotics Business Review has
produced the RBR50, which recognizes and celebrates
forward thinking companies from across the globe and
the original, impactful solutions they have created. Widely
recognized throughout the world as a leading indicator of
robotics innovation leadership, the RBR50 is also a critical
indicator of robotics sector growth.
For the robotics sector, the role, importance, and impact
of innovation has never been greater. Moreover, it is the
confluence of multiple, diverse innovation determinants -
technological, business, and market – that act to accelerate
robotics sector growth overall.
64 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com
2021_Intro_RBR50_Vs5.indd 64
The RBR50 reflects that diversity of innovation, and
celebrates robotics innovation in all its forms including:
• Business and Management Innovation - Business
and management initiatives or practices that enhance a
company’s commercial standing, fosters robotics sector
growth or improves society.
• Technology, Products and Services Innovation – New
commercial solutions that have the potential to positively
impact markets or the whole robotics sector.
• Application and Market Innovation – Industry specific,
newly developed applications that deliver value, provide
entry to new markets, or improve performance over existing
approaches (i.e. improve productivity, increase quality, reduce
cost, etc.).
The editors in WTWH Media’s Robotics Group enjoyed the
challenge of evaluating and selecting the 2021 RBR50 awards
winners, and learned much during the process. We hope
you share that enthusiasm, and the 2021 RBR50 Robotics
Innovation Awards also acts to increase your understanding
of the global robotics sector. In that small way, the RBR50 will
have done its part to drive the robotics sector forward. RR
THE ROBOT REPORT
6/4/21 3:18 PM
 S P O N S O R S

THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com June 2021 65

SPONSOR PAGE_RBR50_Vs1.indd 65 6/8/21 4:46 PM

 RBR50 Introduction

Inside the RBR50

A closer look at notable innovators and where
this year’s winners are from.

The first flight of NASA’s

Ingenuity Mars Helicopter
was captured in this image
from Mastcam-Z, a pair of
zoomable cameras aboard NASA’s
Perseverance Mars rover on April
19, 2021. The milestone marked the
Steve Crowe • Editorial Director • The Robot Report first powered, controlled flight on
another planet.
Credit: NASA JPL

Each year, the RBR50 receives more nominations than can fit in the annual
list. This year, the final selection reflects more rigorous judging criteria, current
technological and business trends in robotics, and the world, hopefully, emerging
from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since companies of different sizes build robots for widely differing applications,
it is difficult to compare them directly. Add to that regional clusters, universities and
research institutions, and new business models, and it becomes clear the best way
to analyze robotics leadership is to see what categories and industries they fit into.

Notable Winners
An emphasis on innovation led to 27 RBR50 winners being recognized for their
introduction of new products, services and technologies. This included both
hardware and software for autonomous systems. Twenty companies were honored
for application and market innovations, while three were honored for their business
prowess.
No RBR50 winner was more innovative than the NASA Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, which forever changed space exploration with its near-flawless
execution of the Mars 2020 Mission. The organization’s Perseverance Rover landed
on Mars on February 18, 2021, traveling 292.5 million miles from Earth. The fifth

66 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

2021_Trends_and_Chart_RR_6-21_Vs5_SC.indd 66 6/4/21 1:13 PM

 2
Conceptual rendering of the
multi-jointed robotic arm of a
surgical system.

Giving robots
QTA143
1 Micro Reaction Torque Sensor
Dimensions: 14 mm × 10 mm × 26 mm

a sense of touch Provides closed-loop feedback on torque measurement.

FUTEK's miniaturized sensor technology LSB205

2 Miniature S-Beam Jr. Load Cell
allows surgeons to perform as if they had
Dimensions: 19 mm × 18 mm × 6.6 mm
virtual fingertips. The sensors’ precise Provides critical force feedback.

measurement and feedback allow the

machine to emulate the dexterity and
QLA401
haptics of human hands. 3 Load Cell Built for Autoclave
Dimensions: Ø 14 mm × 3.28 mm
go.futek.com/medtech Designed to withstand the autoclave sterilization process.

QLA414
4 Nano Force Sensor
Dimensions: 4mm × 5mm
ANSI ISO ISO ISO
Enables direct measurement that eliminates any drift
Z540-1 17025 9001 13485 U.S. Manufacturer in the output.

FUTEK 11-20_RR.indd 67 6/8/21 4:22 PM

 RBR50 Introduction
This still image is part of a video taken by several
cameras as NASA’s Perseverance rover touched

Investment in RBR50 down on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021. A camera aboard

the descent stage captured this shot.
innovators Credit: NASA JPL

Several RBR50 winners raised funding

or were acquired to continue their
development of self-driving cars,
end-of-arm tooling, sensors, and
commercial robotics systems. Here are
some of the notable transactions.
Softbank paid $2.8 billion for a
40% stake in AutoStore, a leading
developer of automated storage and
retrieval systems (AS/RS). AutoStore
currently has a global customer base
with more than 600 installations and
20,000 robots across 35 countries.
Hyundai Motor, in December 2020,
acquired a controlling stake in Boston
Dynamics for about $880 million.
Hyundai became the third owner of
Boston Dynamics in seven years. It
was acquired by Google in 2013 and
sold to Softbank Group in 2017.
After raising about $620 million
since it was founded in 2016,
autonomous trucking startup Plus is
being acquired by Hennessy Capital
Investment Corp. V, a publicly traded
special purpose acquisition company.
American Robotics, an industrial
drone developer specializing in
autonomy for rugged, real-world
environments, was recently acquired
by Ondas Holdings for $70.6 million.
American Robotics was the first startup
resident of MassRobotics.
robotic rover is currently searching for
signs of previous life on the Red Planet.
Also attached to its underbelly was the
Ingenuity Helicopter, which became
the first aircraft in history to make a
powered, controlled flight on another
planet.
Notable market innovators include
AutoX and Waymo, which both
introduced to the public Level 4 robotaxi
services that don’t have human safety
drivers. Waymo launched its service
near Phoenix in late 2020, while
AutoX followed suit in January 2021
By innovation class:
20 Application & Markets
3 Business & Management
27 Technology, Services & Research
With Spot Arm,
Boston Dynamics’
Spot quadruped is
no longer just a data
collection robot, but
rather a skilled mobile
manipulator that
can interact with its
environment.
Credit: Boston Dynamics
in Shenzhen, China. Both services are
far from perfect and are only offered
in small, mapped areas. However, L4
robotaxis officially arrived in the world
thanks to AutoX and Waymo.
More people are killed or injured
each year in the mining industry than
any other industry. Australia-based
Orica is a perfect example of how robots
can be used for dangerous jobs. The
company’s Avatel system automates
blast hole charging systems for the
underground mining market. It enables
a single operator to prepare and
charge explosives from the safety of an
enclosed cabin, several meters from the
rock faces and out of harm’s way.
Similar to the 2020 list, one company
was recognized this year for social
good. READY Robotics was honored
for its work to address the skills gap

68 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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LUCID 6-21.indd 69 6/7/21 10:36 AM
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 RBR50 Introduction
Your worldwide source for high performance
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that has continued to negatively By the numbers:
impact the manufacturing industry. It
launched a free, online educational 5: Repeat honorees from 2020 Improving automation design
platform designed to teach manu- 15: U.S. states represented
facturing professionals how to with performance polymers
design, program, deploy, manage and 30: Organizations from the U.S.
scale automation. The skilled labor 20: Organizations from outside the U.S.
shortage that is limiting manufacturing
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productivity is expected to grow to
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AMR companies that focus primarily PEEK®
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while only 3 did so in 2021: BMW’s PTFE
IDEALWorks, GreyOrange, and inVia
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While the majority of RBR50 winners are based in the U.S. (30), 13 high impact areas
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Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, fastening motion components
Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea and the United Kingdom. • Non-stick polymer solutions for
Within the U.S., organizations from 15 states were included on this reducing friction on conveyor
year’s list, with 15 winners coming from California alone. Massachusetts, guide rails or gantry arm
Ohio and Pennsylvania each had two winners. systems
A winner from Massachusetts to keep an eye on is commercial
drone developer American Robotics. In January 2021, it became the
first company approved by the Federal Aviation Administration to We turn polymers into parts!
operate fully autonomous drones without visual observers on site. This
approval could unlock long-awaited and widespread drone usage for
the commercial market, which is projected to be a $100 billion market.
Denmark-based Universal Robots (UR) once again made the list. This
is the 10th time in 11 years that UR won an RBR50 award, far more than
any other company on the list. It won for its ActiNav machine loading
kit for bin-picking and machine-tending applications. There are only
five repeat winners from the 2020 list, including Boston Dynamics, Send us your drawing!
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DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com June 2021 71

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 NEW IDEA. NEW GEAR.
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 RBR50 CHART
Company Innovation Innovation Type Innovation Subclass
Accerion Accerion releases novel positioning sensor with Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
sub-millimeter accuracy, for mobile robots and Innovation
automated guided vehicles.
Ambi Robotics Ambi Robotics leverages Sim2Real technology to Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
train its picking robots much faster than by collecting Innovation
real-world data.
American Robotics American Robotics becomes first company approved Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
by FAA to operate autonomous drones without visual Innovation
observers on site.
AutoStore AutoStore deploys e-grocery micro-fulfillment centers Application & Market Innovation Retail/Wholesale
to optimize grocery e-commerce workflow.
AutoX AutoX launches China’s first Level 4 robotaxi service Application & Market Innovation Transportation
without safety drivers.
BMW/IDEALworks BMW Group launches IDEALworks, helping itself and Business & Management Innovation Leadership
becoming an AMR player.
Boston Dynamics A 6-DoF robotic arm opens new doors for Boston Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
Dynamics’ Spot quadruped. Innovation
Canvas Canvas releases a drywall finishing robot that can Application & Market Innovation Construction/Demolition
spray and sand drywall mud.
DreamVu DreamVu’s single-sensor solution reduces the Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
cost and complexity of providing robots with Innovation
omnidirectional, 3D vision.

Embodied Embodied revolutionizes child development with Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
Moxie social companion robot. Innovation

FarmWise FarmWise leverages machine learning and robotics to Application & Market Innovation Agriculture
power agricultural weeding solution.
FedEx/PlusOne FedEx adds pick-and-place robots into its small Application & Market Innovation Logistics
package sort facility to handle shipment growth.

Ford/University of The University of Michigan opens Ford Motor Business & Management Innovation Leadership
Michigan Company Robotics Building.

GreyOrange GreyOrange and Vicarious launches autonomous Application & Market Innovation Logistics
vertical picking solution for automated pick-n-pack
operations.
Hello Robot Hello Robot’s Stretch RE-1 democratizes mobile Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
manipulation. Innovation
inVia Robotics inVia Picker Wall increases warehouse Technology, Services & Research Services Introduction
productivity by 10x. Innovation
Material Handling MHS’ multi-pick robotic end effector picks up Application & Market Innovation Logistics
Systems 36 items simultaneously.
ModalAI ModalAI’s VOXL Flight combines powerful autonomy Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
computer and PX4 flight controller on a single board. Innovation
Monarch Tractor Monarch Tractor launches all-electric, autonomous, Application & Market Innovation Agriculture
compact class tractor.
Motus Labs Motus Labs’ ML1000 series of gearless drives create Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
high torque and high performance. Innovation
NASA JPL NASA JPL’s Mars 2020 Mission revolutionizes future Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
of space exploration. Innovation

Oculii Oculii’s intelligent software increases resolution, Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
sensitivity and range of radar. Innovation

THE ROBOT REPORT

www.therobotreport.com   June 2021 73

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6 River Systems 6-21.indd 74 6/7/21 10:39 AM
 RBR50 CHART
Company Innovation Innovation Type Innovation Subclass
Open Robotics Built on ROS 2, RoMi-H enables interoperability of Application & Market Innovation Healthcare
heterogeneous robot fleets.
Opteran Technologies Natural Intelligence the basis for Opteran Technology, Services & Research Primary or Applied Research
Limited Technologies’ machine autonomy solutions. Innovation

Orica Orica uses robotics to improve the speed of the Application & Market Innovation Mining/Quarrying
blast charging process while increasing the safety
of human miners.
Ottonomy Ottonomy makes air travel a little easier by providing Application & Market Innovation Consumer
gate-side deliveries to weary travelers.
Photoneo s.r.o. Photoneo’s MotionCam-3D provides no compromise Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
3D reconstruction of objects in motion. Innovation
Plus Plus demonstrates value of SL4 for trucking, and Application & Market Innovation Transportation
paves way for fully autonomous driving.
Prophesee Prophesee debuts Metavision Intelligence Suite SDK Application & Market Innovation Manufacturing
as part of ecosystem for event-based visioning.
QLayers QLayers’ 10Q robot transforms traditional, manual Application & Market Innovation Construction/Demolition
method of coating large industrial surfaces. 
Qualcomm Technologies Qualcomm’s RB5 provides high-end compute, edge Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
AI, 5G and more for robotics developers. Innovation
RE2 Robotics RE2 automates solar panel installation and reduces Application & Market Innovation Energy
the time to set up new solar energy farms.
READY Robotics READY Robotics launches free, online educational Business & Management Innovation Social Good
platform to address skills gap.
rideOS rideOS builds a traffic control center for managing Application & Market Innovation Transportation
fleets of autonomous vehicles.
Rocos Rocos enables cloud-based, remote operation and Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
real-time visualization of heterogeneous robotic fleets. Innovation

ROEQ ROEQ innovates with new coded light sensor to Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
bridge the communication gap between AMR and Innovation
conveyor docks.
SBG Systems SBG Systems’ tiny Ellipse-D inertial sensor provides Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
precise heading and centimeter-level position Innovation
accuracy.
SCHUNK SCHUNK’s Plug & Work portfolios simplify and speed Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
up cobot deployments. Innovation
Seoul Robotics Seoul Robotics Discovery democratizes LiDAR-based Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
3D sensing. Innovation

SICK SICK LiDAR-LOC enables contour-based navigation Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
on mobile robotics platforms. Innovation

Siemens Digital Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio accelerates innovation Technology, Services & Research Services Introduction
Industries Software for autonomous vehicle startups. Innovation

SLAMcore SLAMcore releases SpatialAI SDK, a powerful set of Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
navigation functions. Innovation

Smith & Nephew Smith & Nephew enables better surgical outcomes Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
with robotic-assisted surgery. Innovation

Tevel Aerobotics Tevel launches commercial tethered drone solution Application & Market Innovation Agriculture
Technologies to identify and pick ripe fruit.

THE ROBOT REPORT

www.therobotreport.com   June 2021 75

2021_Trends_and_Chart_RR_6-21_Vs5_SC.indd 75 6/4/21 1:17 PM

 Advanced Robotics
for Smart Logistics

Automated Warehouse Solutions

Rapid ROI Flexible and Scalable
2-3 years payback “On demand” software and
hardware configurations

Advanced A.I. Increased Accuracy

Optimized operations Eliminates mispicks and
accuracy issues

Improved Productivity Fast deployment

200-300% increase in labor 1-3 months
throughput

https://geekplus.com

Geek+ 6-21.indd 76 6/11/21 9:20 AM

 RBR50 CHART

Company Innovation Innovation Type Innovation Subclass

ULC Technologies Roadworks operations are safer and easier with Application & Market Innovation Utilities
robotic-assisted asset mapping and excavation.

Universal Robots Universal Robots’ ActiNav simplifies machine-loading Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
applications. Innovation

Vention Vention simplies automation design and specification Application & Market Innovation Manufacturing
process with online workcell design and ordering tool.

Verizon New Business Verizon 5G enables new modes of operation and Technology, Services & Research Primary or Applied Research
Incubation enhances wireless communication for autonomous Innovation
mobile robots.

Waymo Waymo One launches in Phoenix area in October Application & Market Innovation Transportation
2020, becoming first Level 4 robotaxi service.

WiBotic WiBotic releases WiBotics Commander software for Technology, Services & Research Product Introduction
fleet energy management of mobile robots. Innovation

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Accerion Triton a Unique Localization

Sensor for Mobile Robots

Organization Name: Accerion

Country: Netherlands
Website: www.accerion.tech
Year Founded: 2015
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
In September 2020, Accerion released the vision-based Triton positioning sensor for mobile
robots (AMRs) and automated guided vehicles (AGVs). The Triton provides sub-millimeter
accuracy and enables AMRs and AGVs to easily and accurately determine their location,
independent om the environment.

Analysis:
The Accerion Triton sensor is unique in the
market and delivers a necessary element
of localization without the need to add
infrastructure to the operating environment
for AMRs and AGVs. Without Triton, most
devices are only capable of centimeter
accuracy, but Triton delivers sub-millimeter
accuracy throughout the facility. The Triton is
a plug-and play replacement for line guiding
and magnetic wire following sensors. This
enables AGVs that were previously guided
by paint or magnetic stripes on the floor
to become virtual line followers. The Triton
system consists of a camera, lighting, CPU,
software and database embedded in one
sensor measuring 110 x 110 x 40 mm with
two connections: power supply and signal
exchange. Triton holds CE, FCC and RoHS
certifications.
Triton enables robot designers to have
a number of navigation options available
to them depending on the use case and the
economic constraints of the application. RR –
Mike Oitzman

78 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Ambi Robotics Leverages Sim2Real

Technology to Power Picking Robots

Organization Name: Ambi Robotics

Country: U.S.
Website: www.ambirobotics.com
Year Founded: 2019
Number of Employees: 1-10
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
Ambi Robotics emerged om stealth in March 2021 and introduced AmbiSort and AmbiKit, AI-
powered pick-and-place robots for parcel sortation and e-commerce kitting. Co-founded by
leading roboticist Ken Goldberg, the robots can sort a variety of parcel types, including boxes,
polybags, and mail envelopes, and successfully pick om bins, chutes, totes, or gaylords.
Ambi’s robots are modular, and the company claimed AmbiSort works over 50% faster
than manual labor. The systems get smarter over time thanks to AI-based quality control that
improves accuracy to avoid mispicks.

Analysis:
Pick-and-place robots for logistics
applications are not novel, but Ambi’s
operating system is. The robots are powered
by AmbiOS, the company’s advanced
operating system that leverages proprietary
simulation-to-reality technology to rapidly
teach robots unique pick and pack tasks.
AmbiOS leverages The Dexterity Network
(Dex-Net) project that automates the training
of deep neural networks to improve a robot’s
ability to grasp items. Dex-Net was created
by Goldberg and his team at the University of
California, Berkeley.
AmbiOS trains robots in simulation
and transfers its deep neural network
advancements to real-world systems.
Goldberg claims Dex-Net trains robots in
hours, not months, 10,000 times faster
than collecting data in the real world.
Faster training in simulation opens up new
opportunities for robotic manipulation,
creating more capable robots from day one
that can help companies handle surging
e-commerce demand. RR – Steve Crowe

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH
— Product Introduction

American Robotics’ FAA Approval a Major

Milestone for Commercial Drones

Organization Name: American Robotics

Country: U.S.
Website: www. american-robotics.com
Year Founded: 2016
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
In January 2021, Marlborough, Mass.-based American Robotics became the first company
approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate fully autonomous drones
without visual observers on-site. Before this approval, waivers and certifications awarded by the
FAA required visual observers to be stationed along the flight path to monitor a drone’s airspace.

American Robotics’ Scout System features advanced acoustic detect-and-avoid technology

that enables it to maintain a safe distance om other aircra. Scout is designed for data
gathering applications in industrial, agricultural and governmental settings.

Analysis:
The value and scalability of the U.S.
commercial drone industry has been
drastically inhibited, or in most cases,
eliminated by burdensome restrictions.
Autonomy, and the ability to fly without an
operator, should have a major impact on
drone adoption in a variety of industries.
American Robotics’ groundbreaking FAA
approval is a critical step forward for the
commercial drone industry. The industry can
now build on American Robotics’ success by
continuing to work with the FAA toward safe
integration of commercial drones into our
national airspace.
With this new regulatory approval,
American Robotics is unlocking long-
awaited and widespread drone usage for the
commercial market, which is projected to be a
$100 billion industry. As a result, the company
is enabling never-before-possible access
to real-time information, next-generation
analytics, and AI-powered insights to bring
dated industries into the 21st century. RR
– Steve Crowe

80 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Retail/Wholesale

AutoStore Micro Fulfillment Centers Enable

Grocers to Optimize Delivery Services

Organization Name: AutoStore

Country: U.S.
Website: www. autostoresystem.com
Year Founded: 1996
Number of Employees: 101-500
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Retail/Wholesale

Description:
During 2020, AutoStore rolled out micro-fulfillment centers (MFC) to enable grocery
e-commerce fulfillment workflow. The AutoStore MFC solution fits in the space between large-
scale but remote automated warehouses and labor-intensive, in-store fulfillment. AutoStore
MFCs enable retailers to have more efficient order fulfillment through both in-store pickup and
rapid home delivery to customers.

Analysis:
Full blown automated storage and retrieval
systems (ASRS) have emerged as one of the
key solutions for warehouse fulfillment.
Historically, cube-based ASRS systems, like
those delivered by AutoStore, required a huge
investment in time and money, along with a
large allocation of warehouse floorspace. The
innovation of a “micro-fulfillment” center is
in the space optimization of smaller footprint
ASRS designs. AutoStore leveraged its core
knowledge and expertise in ASRS design to
produce a high-density storage solution that
can be deployed effectively into a smaller
footprint. An AutoStore MFC can be configured
to fit in a grocery store back storeroom or even
in a section of the front-of-house retail space
to provide a new shopping experience. The
solution is easily expandable to accommodate
future growth. Finally, unlike in-store
fulfillment options for curbside or home
delivery, AutoStore MFC provides complete
inventory control to minimize the opportunity
for stockouts, a common problem for in-store
fulfillment. RR – Mike Oitzman

THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com June 2021 81

Autostore_RBR50_Vs4.indd 81 6/4/21 12:59 PM

 APPLICATION AND MARKET INNOVATION
— Transportation

AutoX is World’s 2nd Company to Operate

Driverless Robotaxi Service

Organization Name: AutoX

Country: China
Website: www.autox.ai
Year Founded: 2016
Number of Employees: 100+
Innovation Class: Application and Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Transportation

Description:
AutoX, a Chinese autonomous vehicle pioneer, opened its Level 4 driverless robotaxi service to
the public in Shenzhen, China in January 2021. This is the first time the general public in China
can pay for a robotaxi that doesn’t have a safety driver. The modified Fiat Chrysler Pacifica
minivans use a variety of sensing modalities, including cameras, LiDAR, radar, IMUs and GPS.

Shenzhen has the highest level of population density of any city in China. To start, AutoX’s
fleet of 25 Pacifica minivans will operate within Shenzhen’s Pingshan district, which is 65 square
miles in size. AutoX’s vehicles have teleoperators standing by in case the systems encounter
situations they can’t handle. AutoX is also testing a robotaxi service in Shanghai, but it currently
uses safety drivers.

Analysis:
AutoX became the second company in the
world to launch a Level 4 robotaxi service
to the public without safety drivers. Fellow
RBR50 company Waymo was the first to do so,
opening its robotaxi service to the public in
Chandler, Arizona in late 2020.
In just five years, AutoX launched its
public robotaxi service, which shows the rate
at which innovation is happening in the space.
The company is the first to obtain permits in
four mega cities in China (name them) and the
second to obtain a driverless robotaxi permit
in California, although it has yet to utilize it.
There is tremendous activity taking place
within China’s autonomous vehicle industry,
but none more impressive than what AutoX
has accomplished. RR – Steve Crowe

82 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Robot Arm Opens Doors for Boston

Dynamics’ Spot Quadruped

Organization Name: Boston Dynamics

Country: U.S.
Website: www.bostondynamics.com
Year Founded: 1992
Number of Employees: 101-500
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
In February 2021, Boston Dynamics released its long-awaited Spot Arm. Featuring a 6-DoF arm
and two-finger gripper, the robot arm attaches to the Spot quadruped and can grab, li, place,
and drag a variety of objects, including door knobs, tools, and valves.
Spot Arm features a maximum li capacity of 24.3 lb, while the gripper features integrated
time of flight, IMU, and 4K RGB sensors, as well as two accessory ports for power and Gigabit
Ethernet. Manipulating objects with Spot Arm can be done manually or semi-autonomously via
constrained manipulation or “Touch to Grasp.” If controlling Spot on a tablet, for example, users
simply touch the object on the screen that they want Spot to manipulate. The robot will then
autonomously figure out how to best grasp the object.

Analysis:
Spot first became commercially available in
June 2020 for $74,500. There are now 500-
plus Spot quadrupeds operating in the real
world. With Spot Arm, Spot is no longer just
a data collection robot, but rather a highly-
skilled mobile manipulator that can interact
with its environment.
Not only will existing Spot users gain
greater functionality with Spot Arm, but it will
expand the quadruped’s customer base and
generate more revenue for Boston Dynamics,
which was acquired by Hyundai Motor Group
in December 2020 for $880 million.
RR – Steve Crowe

A legged mobile manipulator is a novel

form factor. Spot performs whole-body
manipulation with its robotic arm, as opposed
to just acting as a four-legged base that
brings the arm to the desired location.

THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com June 2021 83

Boston_Dynamics_RBR50_Vs4.indd 83 6/4/21 1:05 PM

 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Construction

Canvas Partners with International Union on

Novel Drywall Finishing Robot

Organization Name: Canvas

Country: U.S.
Website: www.canvas.build
Year Founded: 2017
Number of Employees: 11-15
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Construction

Description:
San Francisco-based Canvas exited stealth mode in November 2020, unveiling a semi-
autonomous drywall finishing robot. The robot combines a mobile base, robot arm, multiple end
effectors and multiple sensing modalities to spray and sand drywall mud.

Canvas currently focuses on installing drywall at commercial construction sites larger than
10,000 square feet. It claims it can consistently deliver better than Level 5 finish, what it calls
Machine-Finished Level 5, and reduce finishing times by up to 2.5x.

Analysis:
Drywall finishing represents one of the
dirtiest jobs in construction. It’s also often
over budget and behind schedule. Canvas is
changing this by putting better tools in the
hands of construction workers by creating a
new class of robotics.
Canvas also partnered with leading
builders, including Webcor, Swinerton,
and Suffolk, and District Council 16 of the
International Union of Painters and Allied
Trades. This will not only help improve
the technology, it gets the robot into the
hands of more skilled operators. Canvas’
approach will help construction workers
familiarize themselves with and accept
robotic technology, which is often a barrier
to adoption in many industries.
Canvas considers itself a tech-
enabled drywall subcontractor, not a
robotics company. Canvas was set up as a
construction company for go-to-market
purposes, and the company is hired just like
any other subcontractor, except it arrives at
the jobsite with state-of-the-art robots in
tow. RR – Steve Crowe

84 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

DreamVu Reduces Cost, Complexity of

Giving Robots 360° Situational Awareness

Organization Name: DreamVu

Country: U.S.
Website: www.dreamvu.com
Year Founded: 2017
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
PAL and PAL Mini, two solid-state, omnidirectional 3D vision systems recently launched by
Philadelphia-based DreamVu, includes the hardware (camera) and the soware required to
run the camera and to perform tasks such as obstacle detection and avoidance, localization
and mapping. Each system provides 360° horizontal field-of-view, with PAL supporting a 110°
vertical field-of-view while PAL Mini offers an 80° vertical field-of-view.

Analysis:
The sensor stacks in robots
(especially mobile robots) are
expensive and complex. DreamVu
addresses these challenges by
offering the low power, small form
factor PAL and PAL Mini, 360°
3D cameras that provide high-
resolution vision, high-accuracy
depth, and color 3D point-clouds.
The PAL stereo vision systems
deliver a large field of view for
situational awareness, but at a
lower cost than LiDAR solutions
or others requiring the use of
additional narrow field-of-view
cameras to provide the same 360°
coverage. RR – Dan Kara

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Embodied Revolutionizes Child Development

with Moxie Social Companion Robot
Organization Name: Embodied
Country: U.S.
Website: https://embodied.com/
Year Founded: 2016
Number of Employees: 50-100
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
In April 2020, Los Angeles-based Embodied Inc. formally launched Moxie, an engaging robot
companion for children designed to promote social, emotional, and cognitive development
through play-based learning. Embodied representatives have acknowledged that its vision is a
‘moonshot,’ but the social imperatives for this new class of child development tool forced the
company to overcome a number of significant challenges in unique ways.

Analysis:
There have been other attempts at developing
social robots for children, many of them little
more than advanced, consumer-class toys,
but a few like Moxie were designed specifically
to promote social engagement and cognitive
development. These systems largely failed to find
a commercial footing.
The developers of Moxie have learned om
these earlier attempts. They also benefited
om a new generation of critical enablers
- powerful microprocessors, computer
vision and machine learning – that provide
advanced capabilities at a relatively low cost.
For example, Embodied developed its SocialX
platform, which leverages machine learning,
enabling children to interact with Moxie
naturally via conversation, facial expressions,
and body language. To ensure privacy, Moxie
notably does not require cloud-based services
to deliver most of the necessary social skills to
facilitate spontaneous, two-way interactions.
In addition to the advanced technologies
incorporated into Moxie, the Embodied team
also created a specialized curriculum for Moxie
based on child development research that makes
interacting with the robot fun and engaging.
Embodied also opted for a subscription model
for Moxie’s launch that includes soware and
curricula updates, access to the Global Robotics
Laboratory, an online children portal with games
and stories, and behavioral analytics via the
Embodied Moxie app.
The technologies, business model, and the
decades of children’s development research
make Moxie a moonshot with its heart in the
right place RR - Dan Kara

86 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

Embodied_RBR50_Vs3.indd 86 6/4/21 1:19 PM

 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Agriculture

FarmWise Leverages Machine Learning

and Robotics to Power Agricultural
Weeding Solution
Organization Name: FarmWise
Country: U.S.
Website: https://farmwiselabs.com/
Year Founded: 2016
Number of Employees: 51-100
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Agriculture

Description:
In April 2020, Farmwise released its Titan FT-35, the third and most advanced version of its
driverless weeding tractor. The Titan FT-35 solution, which is currently offered as a service to
vegetable growers in California and Arizona (fee per acre), includes the operation, servicing,
and maintenance of the Titan system.

Analysis:
Agricultural weeding (and other similar
undertakings) is a costly and labor-
intensive task, and chemical methods,
while effective, are expensive and often
have negative environmental consequences
associated with them. For the Titan
system, Farmwise leveraged computer
vision and machine learning to distinguish
vegetables — including broccoli, lettuce and
cauliflower —from weeds, which are then
removed with robotic arms. No herbicides
are involved in the process. The result?
Streamlined farm operations and increased
food production efficiency, while reducing
the environmental impact of agricultural
weeding. RR – Dan Kara

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Logistics

Pick-and-place Robots Help FedEx Handle

e-commerce Growth

Organization Name: FedEx

Country: U.S.
Website: www.fedex.com
Year Founded: 1971
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Logistics

Description:
In 2020, FedEx introduced four pick-and-place robots into its small package sort facility at the
Memphis Hub. These robots were one of the first of their kind when it came to sorting packages
at a major sorting facility.

The robots work two 4-hour shis - a day sort and a night sort. Each robot sorts anywhere
om 1000-1400 packages per hour depending on package mix. In 2021, FedEx plans to expand
the number of robots not only in Memphis, but other operations in its network.

Analysis:
This innovation shows how far robotics, AI, and
vision systems have come when dealing with
the diversity of package types that the typical
package sort operation deals with. This opens
up the rest of the industry to deploy more of
these types of systems into their networks.
FedEx’s deployment showcases the state-of-
the-art as Amazon just did something similar
with its “Robin” robot.
With the explosion of e-commerce due to
the COVID-19 pandemic, this breakthrough
will help not only FedEx, but the rest of the
logistics industry to deal with the continued
growth in shipments while also dealing with
a shrinking workforce as Baby Boomers retire.
This type of application also allows FedEx and
others to reposition and upskill their workforce
to address other tasks within their operations
and not this monotonous task of picking and
placing packages into a sorter. RR – Steve Crowe

88 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT INNOVATION
— Leadership

University of Michigan Opens Ford Motor

Company Robotics Building
Organization Name: University of Michigan
Country: U.S.
Website: https://umich.edu
Year Founded: 1817
Number of Employees: N/A
Innovation Class: Business & Management Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Leadership

Description:
In March 2021, the University of Michigan (U-M) held the grand opening of the Ford Motor
Company Robotics Building, a four-story, $75 million, 134,000-square-foot robotics research
complex. The first three floors of the facility will house U-M robotics research labs, while the
fourth floor will lodge Ford’s first robotics and mobility research lab on a university campus, as
well as 100 Ford roboticists, including autonomous vehicle researchers.

Analysis:
The state of Michigan is headquarters of car
manufacturers Ford and General Motors,
as well as major automotive systems and
components suppliers, all of which rely
heavily on robotic automation. So it comes
as no surprise that the University of Michigan,
home of M-Air, a research facility focused
on autonomy and collaborative robotics,
and Mcity, a testing ground for autonomous
vehicles, was well-regarded as a world-class
center for robotics and autonomy research
prior to the opening of the Ford research
facility. The opening of the Ford Motor
Company Robotics Building will further
enhance that reputation.
The work at the Ford Motor Company
Robotics Building and other U-M research
sites will generate new robotics capabilities
and technologies by participating in both
fundamental and applied research. But
they will also facilitate robotics innovation
through technology transfer activities,
networking events, and most importantly,
the education of the next generation
of robotics researchers, engineers, and
entrepreneurs. RR – Dan Kara

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Logistics

GreyOrange Autonomous Vertical Picking

Increases e-commerce Operation 300-400%

Organization Name: GreyOrange

Country: Singapore
Website: www.greyorange.com
Year Founded: 2011
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Logistics

Description:
In March 2021, GreyOrange teamed up with Vicarious to bring a unique, fully autonomous,
order picking solution to market. The GreyMatter Fulfillment Operating System (FOS) oversees
the entire fulfillment workflow for this solution. FOS provides oversight of the GreyOrange Butler
AMRs to bring bulk inventory into and out of the Vicarious work cells. FOS also orchestrates the
Vicarious picking robot to properly configure each specific customer order.

Analysis:
Vicarious’ computer-vision and gripper
technology enables it to handle unstructured
and hard to grasp items. The Vicarious robot
is capable of picking items from vertically
oriented bulk storage. The combination
of automated order picking by Vicarious,
together with the continual flow of bulk
inventory with the GreyOrange AMRs, is
a unique fulfillment workflow solution on
the market. The FOS has knowledge about
all of the customer orders for the day, and
orchestrates all of the automation on the
warehouse floor to fulfill customer orders.
The result is that this solution is helping
e-commerce and omnichannel players
increase the efficiency of their operations by
300 to 400 percent while also providing safe
and socially-distanced work environments for
their associates. RR – Mike Oitzman

90 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Hello Robot’s Stretch a Major Step Towards

Democratizing Mobile Manipulation

Organization Name: Hello Robot

Country: U.S.
Website: www.hello-robot.com
Year Founded: 2017
Number of Employees: 1-10
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
Aer three-plus years in stealth mode, Martinez, Calif.-based Hello Robot launched its Stretch
RE1 mobile manipulator in July 2020. Designed primarily as a research platform, Stretch weighs
less than 55 lb, offers a payload capacity of more than 3.3 lb, 3D perception, a compliant gripper,
open-source soware and much more.

A sleek, carbon-fiber telescoping arm can reach up 43.3 inches high and extends outward 20.5
inches, enabling the robot to grasp items on a variety of surfaces. Stretch RE1 also features
torque sensing in all its joints to detect contact, a laser range finder, an onboard computer, and
differential two-wheel drive. The robot has various mount points and expansion ports that allow
researchers to extend the robot with their own hardware.

Analysis:
Led by Aaron Edsinger and Charlie Kemp, Hello
Robot combines decades of experience in
industry and academia. Stretch RE1 is a novel,
low-cost approach to mobile manipulation.
At $17,950, Stretch costs a fraction of what
other mobile manipulators sell for without
compromising its performance. The PR2, for
example, cost upwards of $400,000 when it
was the state-of-the-art mobile manipulator
10-plus years ago.
Stretch is a major step towards democratizing
mobile manipulation technology. On top
of being capable, lightweight and open-
source, Stretch ships with out-of-the-box
teleoperation and demos of autonomous
functionality like path planning and object
grasping, facilitating prototyping of new
applications. RR – Steve Crowe

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 BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT INNOVATION
— Leadership

BMW Group Launches IDEALworks, Helping

Itself and Becoming an AMR Player

Organization Name: BMW / IDEALworks

Country: Germany
Website: https://idealworks.com
Year Founded: 2020
Number of Employees: 34
Innovation Class: Business & Management Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Leadership

Description:
In 2020 the BMW Group launched a wholly-owned, Munich-based subsidiary named
IDEALworks, with the “IDEAL” standing for Industry-Driven Engineering for Autonomous
Logistics. IDEALworks was formed om BMW’s Logistics innovation team, which during the
previous five years had developed the Smart Transport Robot STR (in conjunction with the
Fraunhofer Institute and other technology partners such as NVIDIA), an intelligent autonomous
mobile robot (AMR) optimized for intralogistics work in BMW’s automotive factories.

The STRs – now renamed iw.hub - had been in use at several BMW production sites prior
to the founding of IDEALworks, but in 2020, the iw.hub was made commercially available to
companies outside of BMW.

Analysis:
The IDEALworks founding and iw.hub
commercialization demonstrates business
leadership at multiple levels. First, BMW
leveraged the company’s domain expertise
in logistics to develop a solution optimized
for automotive manufacturing (BMW officials
have indicated that 3rd party AMR solutions
were lacking). By spinning off IDEALworks
and commercializing the iw.hub, BMW’s AMR
skunkworks goes from being a revenue sink to
a revenue source in the very hot AMR market.
IDEALworks intends to broaden its AMR
offerings targeting applications outside of
logistics and possibly industries outside
of automotive. This opens up further
opportunities for continued growth and
systems development, and well as the
formation of new partnerships. All the while,
IDEALworks benefits from its relationship to
the mother company BMW Group, which as a
global multinational business will continue
to be a driver for robotics innovation and
source for in-house proof-of-concepts and
testing. RR – Dan Kara

92 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Services Introduction

inVia Robotics Optimizes Picking

Operations with Picker Wall

Organization Name: inVia Robotics

Country: U.S.
Website: www.inviarobotics.com
Year Founded: 2015
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Services Introduction

Description:
The inVia Picker Wall innovates warehouse goods-to-person workflow by optimizing the target
SKUs for each day’s customer orders. By pre-staging ordered quantities and decoupling robots
om shi work, inVia Robotics’ customers have seen up to 10x throughput improvement.

Analysis:
inVia Picker robots (AMRs) autonomously
retrieve goods from the warehouse and
put the bulk storage bins onto the wall for
workers to pick from. This process decouples
the order fulfillment process from the
automatic storage and retrieval of goods from
warehouse inventory locations. inVia software
keeps track of the bulk storage locations of
individual SKUs, and continuously optimizes
the storage of items based on their demand
by customer orders. High volume SKUs are
stored on shelves close to the Picker Wall,
while “long tail” items are placed into storage
on shelves in the aisles furthest away from the
Picker Wall. Throughout the day, inVia Picker
AMRs continuously shuffle bulk storage bins
between the inVia Picker Wall and a target
storage location based on the demands of
upcoming orders.
Some existing inVia customers have seen
dramatic throughput enhancements with the
implementation of the inVia Picker Wall without
any additional robots being deployed. Given that
inVia customers pay for the service in a robots-
as-a-service contract, this is a win-win for both
inVia and the end customer. RR – Mike Oitzman

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Logistics

Material Handling Systems’ Multi-pick End

Effector a Step Forward for Pick-and-Place
Technology
Organization Name: Material Handling Systems
Country: U.S.
Website: www.mhsglobal.com
Year Founded: 1999
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Logistics

Description:
Unlike end effectors that handle a single item at a time, the multi-pick robotic end effector om
Material Handling Systems (MHS) can pick up and hold up to 36 items simultaneously and pack
four orders at a time into four separate shipping boxes. Working as part of a goods-to-robot
fulfillment system, this package offers a throughput rate of 90,000 pieces picked and 42,000
orders fulfilled per day.

Analysis:
Today’s e-commerce landscape pushes
supply chains to meet faster service levels
and overcome labor challenges in the face of
intense cost pressures. MHS’ multi-pick end
effector uses advanced technology to help
companies reduce dependency on a shaky
labor pool, control costs, and boost output.
The multi-pick robotic end effector breaks
new ground for robotic order fulfillment
with an end effector capable of processing
large numbers of items to plan for and pick
higher quantities and then act as an on-
demand buffer, holding some items while
packing orders of various quantities as
available. The multi-pick robotic end effector
is a step forward for pick-and-place robotic
technology in logistics and offers meaningful
productivity advantages for businesses with
large amounts of multi-item orders to fulfill.
RR – Steve Crowe

94 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

ModalAI’s VOXL Flight Combines Powerful

Autonomy Computer and PX4 Flight
Controller on a Single Board
Organization Name: ModalAI
Country: U.S.
Website: www.modalai.com
Year Founded: 2018
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
In April 2020, ModalAI, a Qualcomm spin out, released VOXL Flight, a development platform for
GPS-denied autonomous drone localization and navigation, along with computer vision for AI-
powered object recognition, depth sensing and obstacle avoidance.

The SWaP-C (size, weight, power consumption, and cost) optimized VOXL Flight incorporates a
Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC and PX4 flight controller on a single board, and can support up to
four image sensors for simultaneous 4k video capture, streaming and machine vision processing.
An LTE add-on is available that plugs into the VOXL’s board-to-board connector, enabling
command and control for operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).

Analysis:
VOXL Flight’s single-board architecture (small
size, low weight) and powerful compute,
imaging and navigation features makes it a
great choice for autonomous drone developers
building systems for indoor flight (and other
GPS-deprived environments), as well as large
scale, 4G LTE-enabled BVLOS operations. As
such, it enables and simplifies the development
of drone-based solutions for a wide range of
industrial and commercial applications.
For companies developing solutions
for the U.S. defense department, it is also
notable that the VOXL Flight is developed
and manufactured in the U.S., and so it
is compliant with the National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2020, which bars
the U.S. military from purchasing unmanned
aircraft systems that are designed or
manufactured in foreign countries. RR
– Dan Kara

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Agriculture

Monarch Launches All-electric,

Compact Tractor

Organization Name: Monarch Tractor

Country: U.S.
Website: www.monarchtractor.com
Year Founded: 2018
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Agriculture

Description:
In November 2020, Monarch Tractor launched an all-electric, compact-class tractor. With an
electric motor, the Monarch Tractor brings a new level of autonomy to small- and medium-sized
farms around the world. The tractor works with any existing compact tractor, and opens the
door to a new class of “smart implements” that will enable additional automation of in-field
operations.

Analysis:
Monarch Tractor is “betting the farm” that
existing small farm operators will more easily
accept an autonomous tractor if the machine
can leverage their investment in existing
implements. Unlike many of its competitors
that are bringing single-purpose robotic
agriculture platforms to market, the Monarch
philosophy is centered around the ubiquity
of the compact tractor form factor on farms
worldwide. The Monarch team spent three years
designing, piloting and iterating on an entirely
new platform. The tractor is completely “drive
by wire.” This enables the tractor to function
autonomously, or even to be remotely operated.
The tractor can also function manually just like
a classic tractor. The tractor is equipped with a
standard 3-point hitch, making it compatible
with existing implements. However, the tractor
also includes a power bus and a CAN-bus
sensor connection, making the tractor “future-
proof” and opening the door for innovation as
manufacturers release new “smart-implements”
that integrate additional sensing and
intelligence. RR – Mike Oitzman

96 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Motus Labs Gearless Drives Create High

Torque, Performance

Organization Name: Motus Labs

Country: U.S.
Website: https://motus-labs.com
Year Founded: 2018
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
In September 2020, Dallas-based Motus Labs commercially released its ML1000 series of
precision gear drives. The gear drives feature Motus’ proprietary M-DRIVE design that use low-
iction mating blocks instead of traditional gear teeth.

The cam-driven blocks engage over 80% of the output ring surface area at all times, distributing
load stresses over a large surface area. This enables the four models in the lineup to provide more
torque for given weight and lower weight for given torque, creating rigidity and stable control
over the robot.

Analysis:
Motus Labs’ series of geared solutions
provides value to new robotic and motion
control applications due to the unique gear
architecture, compact footprint, high torque
density and performance. The collaborative
robot market, for example, is demanding new
designs that require smaller, lighter joints
that rely on new enabling technologies.
The increased torque density from the
ML1000 series can lead to a reduction of the
size and weight of the gear drive at every
joint of a robot. This can reduce the inertia
of arm links, which potentially allows robot
arm manufacturers to reduce the size of the
motors used, significantly reduce overall
production costs and create wider adoption
of their systems. RR – Steve Crowe

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FAULHABER MICROMO 6-21_RR.indd 98 6/7/21 10:42 AM
 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Mars 2020 Mission a Game-changer for

Future of Space Exploration

Organization Name: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Country: U.S.
Website: www.jpl.nasa.gov
Year Founded: 1936
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
On February 18, 2021, the Perseverance Rover landed on Mars. The fih robotic rover traveled
292.5 million miles om Earth to Mars. Developed by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the
rover is exploring Jezero Crater, the site of an ancient lake that existed 3.9 billion years ago, and
searching for microfossils in rocks and soil.

Attached to Perseverance was the Ingenuity Helicopter. Weighing just 4 lb, Ingenuity features
four carbon-fiber blades arranged into two rotors that spin in opposite directions at around
2,400 rpm – many times faster than a passenger helicopter on Earth. At press time, Ingenuity
completed five test flights on Mars, becoming the first aircra in history to make a powered,
controlled flight on another planet.

Analysis:
Perseverance is the most sophisticated rover
NASA ever built, following in the footsteps of
Sojourner, Spirit and Opportunity, Curiosity.
The Mars 2020 Mission was full of firsts,
including the first powered, controlled flight,
the first recordings of sound on Mars and
much more. Safely landing anything after a
292.5 million mile journey is impressive in
itself, but Perseverance took things one step
further by using terrain relative navigation
to autonomously determine the best landing
location on Mars. And powered flight is
difficult to achieve on Mars because its
atmosphere is 99% less dense than Earth’s.
NASA JPL’s execution of the Mars 2020
Mission has been nearly flawless. It is one of
the greatest technological feats ever and has
changed the future of space exploration. RR
– Steve Crowe

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 R O B O T I C S , S O F T WA R E , D E V I C E S

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High Res BioSolutions 6-21.indd 100 6/7/21 10:43 AM

 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Oculii’s Intelligent Software Increases

Resolution, Sensitivity and Range of Radar

Organization Name: Oculii

Country: U.S.
Website: www.oculii.com
Year Founded: 2014
Number of Employees: 40
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
Oculii introduced two radar sensors incorporating the company’s AI-powered Virtual Aperture
Imaging soware that allows any radar to dynamically adapt and dramatically increase its
resolution. At 5 x 5 cm and consuming less than 2.5W, the FALCON is well suited for cost-
sensitive advanced driver-assist systems, industrial robots, and aerial drones. The EAGLE is a
commercial 4D imaging radar designed for autonomous navigation capable of generating high-
resolution visibility of more than 350 meters in all directions regardless of fog, rain, dirt, or other
sensor obstruction.

Analysis:
Although radar is the most widely
used visibility technology in the
industry today, improving radar
resolution has traditionally been
based on a hardware approach
(adding more antennas). This
significantly increases cost, size,
and power consumption of the
sensors. Because of its software,
Oculii’s radar solutions can deliver
high resolution and long-range
sensing in a more compact, low
power, and less costly package.
RR – Dan Kara

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 APPLICATION and MARKET INNOVATION
— Healthcare

Open Robotics’ RoMi-H Simplifies Control of

Heterogeneous Fleets

Organization Name: Open Robotics

Country: U.S.
Website: www.openrobotics.org
Year Founded: 2012
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Application and Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Healthcare

Description:
Robotic Middleware for Healthcare (RoMi-H) is an open-source system built on ROS 2
and simulated using Gazebo. It creates uniform communication and monitoring across
heterogeneous fleets of robots, sensors and enterprise information systems. Open Robotics,
the company behind ROS, recently deployed RoMi-H at Changi General Hospital in Singapore, in
partnership with Singapore’s Centre for Healthcare Assistive and Robotics Technology (CHART),
IHiS, Hope Technik, GovTech and more.

RoMi-H uses standardized communication protocols for inastructure, environments and

automation where robots are deployed to optimize the use of critical resources (i.e. robots, lis,
doors, passageways, etc). It adds intelligence to the system through resource allocation and by
preventing conflicts over shared resources.

Analysis:
As more robotics and automation technologies
are introduced, interoperability needs to
be front and center for every manufacturer,
systems integrator, and end user. This is
discussed a lot, and there are several groups
discussing how to standardize this need. But
Open Robotics’ RoMi-H has already applied
this to a real-world robot fleet.
Companies need a unified approach to
command and control all the robots in a
facility, whether it be a hospital, warehouse
or manufacturing facility. They need a reliable
way to develop and test multi-vendor systems
in soware simulation prior to deployment.
RoMi-H is a significant step in the right
direction, encouraging an open, integrated and
efficient approach to developing and deploying
heterogeneous robot fleet.. RR – Steve Crowe

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 TECHNOLOGY & SERVICES INNOVATION
— Primary or Applied Research

“Natural Intelligence” the Basis for

Opteran Technologies’ Machine
Autonomy Solutions
Organization Name:
Country:
Website:
Year Founded:
Number of Employees:
Innovation Class:
Innovation Subclass:
Opteran Technologies
U.K.
www.opteran.com
2020
11-50
Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Primary or Applied Research

Description:
Opteran Technologies has developed a suite of vision-based, edge compute products for robots
and other autonomous machines based on eight years of honeybee research at the University
of Sheffield. Recently the company announced its Opteran Development Kit (ODK) that includes
two soware-stabilized cameras for panoramic vision weighing 30g and only drawing a few
watts of power. The ODK also integrates Opteran See technology that provides 360-degree
image-stabilized panoramic vision and Opteran Sense, which calculates optic flow across the
entire field of vision for obstacle avoidance and velocity estimation. Two additional components,
Opteran Decide for autonomous decision making and Opteran Direct for SLAM, are forthcoming.

Analysis:
Many machine autonomy solutions rely on
Deep Learning, using massive datasets in
enormous datacenters to generate autonomy
software trained using statistical methods
and complicated pattern matching. This
approach has a number of drawbacks,
including technical complexity, cost and
difficulty scaling.
Opteran Technologies leveraged honeybee
research to understand how tiny, real brains
deliver complex autonomy. The algorithms
and chipsets inspired by this work power
Opteran’s vision based autonomy solutions
- small, lightweight, ultra-low power –
that are edge only and do not rely on large
datasets or even training. Opteran’s solution,
which it broadly deems “natural intelligence,”
provides for efficient, robust, and scalable
machine autonomy for a number of common
autonomy tasks. RR – Dan Kara

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THK 6-21_RR.indd 104 6/9/21 7:53 AM

 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Mining

Orica Automates Blast Hole Charging to

Improve Consistency, Safety

Organization Name: Orica Limited

Country: Australia
Website: www.orica.com
Year Founded: 1874
Number of Employees: 10,000+
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Mining

Description:
In December 2020, Orica launched Avatel, an automated and mechanized blast hole charging
system for the underground mining market. The innovative Avatel solution enables a single
operator to prepare and charge explosives om the safety of an enclosed cabin, several meters
om the rock faces and out of harm’s way.

Analysis:
Mining has always been dangerous work.
Orica has been supplying explosives to the
Australian goldfields for more than 150
years, and is a global leader in blasting and
productivity solutions. The Avatel is a state-
of-the-art machine that combines all of
Orica’s knowledge and experience with the
latest in robotic technology. Avatel will help
reduce errors and improve the consistency
in the charging process while making one
of the most dangerous tasks in mining safer
for the charging operator. The Avatel looks
like a mechanical incarnation of Edward
Scissorhands, and mechanizes the entire
charging process. The entire machine can be
operated by a single operator, which helps
to eliminate any additional miners from the
immediate area during the charging process.
More people are killed or injured each year in
the mining industry than any other industry,
so innovations like the Orica Avatel help to
save lives and reduce risks while improving
productivity. A win-win for everyone involved.
RR – Mike Oitzman

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Consumer

Ottonomy Delivers to Passengers Waiting at

Airport Gates

Organization Name: Ottonomy

Country: U.S.
Website: www.ottonomy.io
Year Founded: 2020
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Consumer

Description:
Ottonomy is bringing the concept of last-mile delivery to the unique use case of airline
passengers waiting to board an airplane. Using autonomous delivery pods and a smartphone
app, Ottonomy enables airline passengers to securely order fast-food, snacks, and gis om
in-terminal vendors and have the items securely delivered to the passenger waiting at an airline
gate. If the airplane loads while waiting for the delivery and you miss the pick up, no problem -
the item is returned and your fee is refunded.

Analysis:
Ottonomy did its market research. The
airline terminal delivery application is
novel, yet it combines mature technologies
that are ready for use. An airline terminal
is a self-contained, well-defined space.
Unlike a street or sidewalk, the climate
inside an airline terminal is environmentally
controlled, and the biggest obstacles for
an autonomous mobile robot are moving
people, electric carts, and luggage bags. The
floor surface in an airline terminal is also
designed for wheelchairs and carts, making
it easy for the Ottomony delivery pods to
maneuver around the facility.
Ottonomy is providing a win-win service
to both weary travelers and to airline
terminal vendors. RR – Mike Oitzman

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Photoneo’s MotionCam-3D Provides No

Compromise 3D Reconstruction of Objects
in Motion
Organization Name: Photoneo
Country: Slovakia
Website: www.photoneo.com
Year Founded: 2013
Number of Employees: 101-500
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
Photoneo’s MotionCam-3D, an IP65-rated 3D camera for scanning objects in rapid motion, is
based on Photoneo’s patented technology called “Parallel Structured Light.” Implemented by a
custom CMOS image sensor, the MotionCam-3D can capture objects moving up to 144 km/h
and provide a high-quality 3D reconstruction with a point cloud resolution and with a high level
of detail on edges. In addition to capturing dynamic scenes, MotionCam-3D offers modes for
scanning static scenes and a 2D mode for texture images without 3D information.

Analysis:
The capture and 3D reconstruction of objects
in motion is challenging, typically requiring
a tradeoff between good quality or high
speed. MotionCam-3D’s ability to capture
and reconstruct objects moving quickly
and unpredictably with high resolution and
accuracy makes it suitable for many common
industrial applications such as bin-picking
and belt-picking, machine tending, quality
control and more. Perhaps more importantly,
Photoneo’s MotionCam-3D opens up
completely new opportunities for automation
both for the imaging and handling of objects
in motion (including employing machine
learning), but also the sensing and monitoring
of dynamic operating environments
themselves. RR – Dan Kara

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 90%
faster
gripper change
SWS
Quick-change
System

Up to 3°
maximum
deflection
TCU Tolerance
Compensation Unit

NEW:
Up to 50%
higher gripping
force
PGN-plus-P
Universal
Gripper

© 2021 SCHUNK Intec, Inc

Everything for your

Articulating Arm Robot
More than 3,000 components for
handling and assembly. schunk.com/equipped-by

Schunk 2-21_RR.indd 108 6/7/21 10:44 AM

 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Transportation

Plus Demonstrates Value of L4 for Trucking

and Paves Way for Fully Autonomous Driving

Organization Name: Plus

Country: U.S.
Website: www.plus.ai
Year Founded: 2016
Number of Employees: 101-500
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Transportation

Description:
Plus is beginning the mass production PlusDrive, a driver-in, Supervised Level 4 (SL4) automated
driving system designed for Class 8 trucks that can be installed on existing vehicles or built
into new trucks (over 10,000 pre-orders, according to the company). Truck drivers can activate
PlusDrive with the push of a button to help them handle the most tiring and error-prone parts
of driving long-haul, including sitting in traffic, switching lanes, handling merges, and driving at
night or over long, monotonous distances.

Analysis:
PlusDrive has been under test since December
2020 with SF Express, China’s largest logistics
company. Plus reports that the ongoing pilot
program has logged over 62,000 miles of
supervised autonomous driving with zero
safety-related disengagements and a 20%
reduction in fuel costs. These statistics, which
approximate the results of earlier testing
programs, also translate into reduced driver
turnover, fewer accidents and fatalities,
and lower carbon emissions for Class 8
transportation work. Plus’ SL4 PlusDrive
solution, and the data generated from real-
world operation, will also pave the way for the
development of the next generation of fully
autonomous, driver-out systems. RR – Dan Kara

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Manufacturing

Prophesee Debuts Metavision Intelligence

Suite SDK as Part of Ecosystem for
Event-Based Visioning
Organization Name: Prophesee
Country: France
Website: www.prophesee.ai
Year Founded: 2010
Number of Employees: 51-100
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Manufacturing

Description:
In September 2020, Prophesee made available its Metavision Intelligence Suite, a development
toolkit that includes 100 algorithms available through APIs, 67 code samples and 11 open-
source, use-case specific application modules for designing and implementing event-based
vision technology in machine vision systems. This “initial offering”, the result of 5 years of
work, is comprised of three components – Player, Designer, and SDK – and will be constantly
expanded with new use cases modules and code.

Analysis:
Today’s machine vision systems, based on a
form of frame-based imaging invented in the
1880s, capture everything going on in a scene
at a fixed rate, taxing computing resources and
complicating analysis as a result. Conversely,
the bio-inspired, event-based sensing systems
capture only what changes in a scene, which
reduces computational load, and delivers low
latency, high resolution imaging with lower
power and processing requirements.
Event-based imaging has a huge potential
for automating tasks in environments where
traditional cameras are challenged, such
as for low light applications requiring low-
latency, high speed, and high dynamic range
sensing. With its Metavision Intelligence
Suite, Prophesee gives engineers a huge leg
up for developing and implementing these
systems. RR – Dan Kara

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Construction

QLayers Transforms Manual Method of

Coating Large Industrial Surfaces

Organization Name: Qlayers

Country: Netherlands
Website: www.qlayers.com
Year Founded: 2019
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Construction

Description:
In February 2021, QLayers launched its 10Q painting robot that is designed to coat large
industrial surfaces. The semi-autonomous system can paint up to 2,150 square feet per hour.
The system’s patented shielding system on the robot allows coating surfaces with high precision,
accurate layer thickness and high transfer efficiency of up to 90%. It can paint tanks that are a
maximum of 99 feet high and claims to have less than 1% overspray outside of the robot’s hood.

QLayers developed the system in partnership with Van der Ende Steel Protectors Group,
which was founded in 1929 and is one of the largest Dutch specialists in the protection of steel
against corrosion.

Analysis:
When it comes to maintaining and protecting
steel surfaces against corrosion, precision
and coating quality are essential. Current
manual application methods, such as spray
coating or application by rollers, have shown
many drawbacks as they are laborious, time-
consuming and hazardous for people and the
environment. Long-term exposure to chemicals
found in anti-corrosion coatings can cause
chronic health issues due to the paint toxicity.
The 10Q robot from QLayers is an
innovative solution that transforms the
traditional method of coating large-scale
industrial surfaces into a fully controlled,
efficient, and safe process. RR – Steve Crowe

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Qualcomm Robotics’ RB5 Provides High

End Compute, Edge AI, 5G and More for
Robotics Developers
Organization Name: Qualcomm Technologies
Country: U.S.
Website: www.qualcomm.com
Year Founded: 1986
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
In June 2020, Qualcomm Technologies released its RB5 AI-enabled 5G robotics ‘platform.’ The
RB5 consists of a set of hardware, soware, and a rich set of development tools optimized for
all classes of robotics systems and drones - consumer, commercial, defense, and industrial. The
RB5 platform is available in multiple options, including several chip-on-board and system-on-
module designs.

Analysis:
At first blush, the RB5 could be considered
just an upgrade from Qualcomm’s RB3
platform that was released in February 2019.
Yes, the RB5 provides multiple incremental
improvements over its RB3 predecessor
including multiple cameras and extra
processing power for machine learning and
computer vision work, but the platform also
provides a whole range of new features. Most
critical is the RB5’s built-in support for both
4G LTE and 5G connectivity via a companion
module. This makes the RB5 especially
suitable for drones and robots deployed
outdoors where high-end compute at the
edge and 5G’s secure low latency connectivity
are critical for perception, localization,
mapping, and navigation. RR – Dan Kara

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Energy

RE2 Robotics Automates Solar Field

Deployments

Organization Name: RE2 Robotics

Country: U.S.
Website: www.resquared.com
Year Founded: 2001
Number of Employees: 51-100
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Energy

Description:
RE2 Robotics is being recognized as a leader with the development of a robotic solution for
autonomous deployment of solar fields. The Outdoor Autonomous Manipulation of Photovoltaic
Panels (O-AMPP) robotic system is capable of both autonomously delivering and installing
photovoltaic (PV) modules.
The O-AMPP base unit consists of the RE2 Sapien robotic manipulator fixed to the top
of a large unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). This platform is capable of maneuvering in the
tight spaces between PV arrays to deliver a new set of PV panels to the installation site.
Using computer vision, the system registers the target installation location and uses the
Sapien arm to lift a PV panel and install it into the array.

Analysis:
RE2 combines a variety of state-of-the-art
technologies to help increase the productivity of
solar panel installers. Commercial PV installations
are growing at a record rate, and the market is
currently understaffed with installers to meet the
demand for green power. A solar plant can require
the installation of hundreds of thousands of panels.
RE2 solves this market need with a
completely automated PV panel installation
solution. No other autonomous solution
exists in the market.
O-AMPP acts as an assistive device, taking
on the intensive task of picking and placing PV
panels, while workers carry out finer tasks such
as wiring, laying cable runs, and validating plant
performance. RR – Mike Oitzman

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 BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT INNOVATION
— Social Good

READY Academy Helps Address

Skilled Labor Shortage

Organization Name: READY Robotics

Country: U.S.
Website: www.ready-robotics.com/
Year Founded: 2016
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Business and Management Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Social Good

Description:
In October 2020, aer a trial with the East Kentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute (eKAMI),
READY Robotics launched its READY Academy to the general public. The ee, online educational
platform is designed to teach manufacturing professionals how to design, program, deploy,
manage and scale automation.

It includes 75-plus hours of original educational videos, covering everything om project
assessment, end-of-arm tooling, parts presentation, robot safety, robot programming, building
machine tending tasks, and more. READY Academy also enables students to learn to program
multiple brands of robots.

Analysis:
READY Academy addresses the skilled labor
shortage affecting the manufacturing industry
by enabling anyone to learn the skills needed to
design and deploy automation. The skilled labor
shortage limiting manufacturing productivity
is expected to grow to 2.4 million unfilled jobs
by 2028. And the current educational system
is insufficient to teach advanced manufacturing
skills needed, much less the robot programming
skills needed to support the deployment of
automation at a scale.
READY Robotics believes education and ease
of use are keys to unlocking automation for a
wider variety of manufacturers. And the READY
Academy could play a critical role in addressing
the skilled labor shortage. RR – Steve Crowe

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Transportaion

rideOS Develops Traffic Control Center for

Autonomous Vehicles

Organization Name: rideOS

Country: U.S.
Website: http://rideos.ai
Year Founded: 2017
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Transporation

Description:
The rideOS platform provides an end-to-end mobility solution, with flexible routing,
optimization, and dispatch technologies. The entire stack leverages a state-of-the-art routing
engine with support for custom maps, dynamic operational domain limitations, and tunable
costing of roads and turns. rideOS can combine the customization with real-time traffic
awareness for better route optimization and accurate travel time estimation.

Analysis:
Developers of autonomous vehicles want to
deploy their vehicles to do productive work
in a fleet. However, their core competencies
are in robotics, safety, and manufacturing.
Mobility service providers want to welcome
automated vehicles into their fleets, but they
often license routing technologies that assume
all vehicles are human-operated.
Such atypical routing decisions introduce
fleet efficiency challenges that are not handled
by most mobility platforms. Dispatch decisions
are challenging when route predictions are
wrong, and individual vehicle performance suffers
when vehicles follow naive routes within their
limited operational domains. These barriers to
deployment can be broken down by the rideOS
platform to help get autonomous vehicles doing
efficient and productive work. RR – Steve Crowe

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

General Release of Rocos Makes Unified

Control Available for Robotic Systems

Organization Name: Rocos

Country: Australia
Website: https://rocos.io
Year Founded: 2017
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
Rocos generally released its new cloud-based robotic management platform in 2020. The
system has a pluggable architecture that enables new robots to connect to the Rocos solution
within minutes, without any code changes. The solution enables remote intervention of robotic
systems at scale, all om a unified user interface.

Analysis:
Rocos is bridging the gap between robot
manufacturers and enterprise robotic
users to enable the unified management of
heterogeneous fleets of robots. Across all
industries, enterprises are deploying any
number of autonomous mobile robots from
a variety of manufacturers. Imagine a retail
store with a floor cleaning robot, an inventory
robot and a security robot, all from different
manufacturers. Each vendor supplies its own
proprietary management tool optimized for its
specific solution. Robot users currently have to
control each unit with its own specific app.
Rocos helps an enterprise user control all
of the robots in the system through a unified
interface to enable remote teleoperation, precision
intervention, and a consistent and secure API. This
enables the user to recover and restart a system
om a remote location, all over the web.
In addition, Rocos can also be leveraged
by any specific robot vendor who needs to
deliver robots-as-a-service (RaaS) functionality,
without the need to develop the supervisory
RaaS functions om scratch. RR – Mike Oitzman

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

ROEQ Enables Instant Communication

Between Devices with GuardCom
Organization Name: ROEQ
Country: Denmark
Website: www.roeq.dk
Year Founded: 2017
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
In 2020, ROEQ launched its latest innovation, GuardCom, to solve the need for instant, secure
communication between an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) payload and a fixed conveyor
docking station. GuardCom enables seamless communication between an AMR and a conveyor
to effortlessly and autonomously transfer cargo between them.

Analysis:
Active, roller-top payloads are one of the most
popular solutions that ROEQ sells for AMRs. A
roller-top conveyor may be simple in design,
but in practical implementation, triggering the
cargo-exchange interaction between an AMR
and a conveyor docking station has to be done
wirelessly. ROEQ learned the hard way that
WiFi communication, position sensors, contact
sensors and many other event triggering
options all present inconsistent failure modes.
The GuardCom system uses a proven and
robust, coded light sensor technology to enable
communication between a device attached to
the top roller on an AMR and a device attached
to a stationary conveyor station. GuardCom
signals to the conveyor system that the AMR is
in place and ready to receive or deliver goods.
The communication between devices is secure,
safe and instantaneous.
The net result is a robust, wireless,
event-signaling solution that improves the
productivity of conveyance AMRs and delivers
a fault-tolerant mode of communication
between devices. RR – Mike Oitzman

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 Miniature Actuator with Integrated Servo Drive

The
Servo Drive
is Inside!

The compact RSF-5 miniature actuator with a zero backlash Harmonic Drive® gear delivers high torque with
exceptional accuracy and repeatability. The actuator features an integrated servo drive utilizing CANopen®
communication. This evolutionary product eliminates the need for an external drive and greatly improves
wiring while retaining high-positional accuracy and torsional stiffness in a compact housing. This new
miniature actuator is ideal for use in robotics.

• Actuator + Integrated Servo Drive utilizing • Zero Backlash

CANopen communication conforming to DS402 • Pigtail Connectors with 2 exit options
and DS301 • 14bit (16384 cpr) resolution motor encoder
• 24VDC Nominal +7 to +30VDC Supply Voltage • Control Modes Including Torque, Velocity, and
Range Position Control, CSP, CSV, CST
• Single Axis BLDC Motor Controller/Driver with • Harmonic Drive HDL Software for initial tuning,
CAN & TTL-UART Interface commissioning, and analysis
• Field Oriented Control • Homing modes include: single-ended, double-
• Single Cable with only 4 conductors needed: ended, double-ended with 16bit autoscale hardstop
CANH, CANL, +24VDC, 0VDC homing or teachable position

42 Dunham Ridge, Beverly, MA 01915 | 800.921.3332 | www.HarmonicDrive.net

Harmonic Drive is a registered trademark of Harmonic Drive LLC. CANopen is a registered trademark of CAN in Automation.

DW RSF-5Drive
Harmonic Integrated Ad 9x10.875.indd
6-21.indd 118 1 4/22/21 10:45
6/7/21 3:31 AM
PM
 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

SBG Systems’ Tiny Ellipse-D Inertial Sensor

Provides Precise Heading and Centimeter
Level Position Accuracy
Organization Name: SBG Systems
Country: France
Website: www.sbg-systems.com
Year Founded: 2007
Number of Employees: 51-100
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
SBG Systems has released the Ellipse-D, an affordable and tiny Inertial Navigation System (INS)
featuring an integrated Dual-antenna RTK GNSS receiver providing highly accurate navigation
and orientation data (roll, pitch, heading, position and velocity). The Ellipse-D, which benefits
om a 64-bit architecture capable of supporting high precision signal processing, is tested and
calibrated to operate in challenging environmental conditions.

Analysis:
The Ellipse-D provides high-end performance
and reliability without compromising on its
optimized SWaP-C profile (size, weight, power
consumption, and cost). Different variants of the
Ellipse-D are available for OEMs and integrators,
and the included D Soware Development Kit
incorporates an online ROS driver.
Taken together, the Ellipse-D provides
developers of unmanned systems – aerial, ground
and surface – with a cost effective, fully integrated
inertial navigation solution that delivers the
precise heading and centimeter level position
accuracy formally limited to more expensive and
sizable form factors. As such, the Ellipse-D opens
up the possibility for new classes of autonomous
applications and system types. RR – Dan Kara

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 From Customer
Concept to Complete
OEM Sensor Solution TE
CHNOLOG
Y

BY
HBK is your partner to design single and multicomponent sensors for use in robotic
surgical and industrial equipment measuring system forces. Whether it’s a multi-axis
measurement on a joint, force feedback on an actuator, or grip control on a manipulator,
HBK is your partner to design and manufacture highly customized OEM sensor solutions.

Learn more on: www.hbm.com/oemsensors

HBK 6-21.indd 120 6/7/21 10:46 AM

 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

SCHUNK’s Plug & Work Portfolios Simplify

and Speed Cobot Deployments

Organization Name: SCHUNK

Country: Germany
Website: www.schunk.com
Year Founded: 1945
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
In 2020, SCHUNK released its Plug & Work Portfolio, a collection of electric and pneumatic
grippers, quick-change modules, and force/moment sensors that are compatible with
collaborative robotics systems om Universal Robots (19 variants), Doosan Robotics (11 variants),
and Techman Robot (14 variants). The Plug & Work modules are optimized for robot arms of the
respective manufacturers.

Analysis:
When collaborative robots were first
introduced, their key value proposition
was ease of set-up and integration, ease
of programming and ease of use, with the
concomitant benefits of fast deployment,
greater flexibility and reduced operational
costs. This was and is true, but “easy” is a
relative term.
Compared to traditional industrial
robotics platforms, collaborative robots are,
on the whole, easier to deploy and utilize.
Still, for many businesses, especially those
small-to-medium manufacturers that were
the primary target for collaborative robotics
systems early on, collaborative robots are still
too difficult to deploy and program/reprogram
even for common manufacturing tasks.
SCHUNK addresses this problem with
its Plug & Work Portfolio by providing high-
quality electric and pneumatic gripping
solutions and supporting modules for a wide
range of applications that are easy to use
and guaranteed to work with their respective
cobot arms. RR – Dan Kara

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Seoul Robotics ‘Discovery’ Democratizes

LiDAR-Based 3D Sensing

Organization Name: Seoul Robotics

Country: South Korea
Website: www.seoulrobotics.org
Year Founded: 2017
Number of Employees: 30
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
Seoul Robotics recently released its first products, a family of “Lidar Processing Units,” each
engineered for different applications, named Discovery. Discovery, which is sensor agnostic, is
powered by the company’s proprietary SENSR computer vision soware, which uses machine
learning applied to 3D LiDAR data for object detection, tracking, classification.

Analysis:
LiDAR technology is commonly used in self-
driving cars and mobile robots for object
detection and autonomous navigation.
A number of companies provide LiDAR
hardware, LiDAR soware or both, for these
markets. Oen expensive and proprietary,
these siloed systems have limited applicability
for many emerging applications and use cases
– IoT environment monitoring for example –
that could benefit om 3D sensing.
With its Discovery product line, Seoul
Robotics offers a cost effective, powerful
and efficient AI-powered 3D sensing
solution that is compatible with over 70
different 3D sensors from various suppliers
such as Velodyne, LiDAR, Ouster, and
Innoviz Technologies. As such, Discovery can
increase the number of new applications
and use cases to which LiDAR-based 3D
sensing can be applied. RR – Dan Kara

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

SICK LiDAR-LOC Enables Contour-Based

Navigation on Mobile Robotics Platforms

Organization Name: SICK

Country: U.S.
Website: www.sick.com
Year Founded: 1946
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
In September 2020, SICK released its LiDAR-LOC (Localization On Contour), a soware solution
through which companies can implement contour-based localization – and, hence, navigation
- on any automated guided vehicle, cart, forkli or service robot equipped with SICK’s LMS, TiM
and NAV 2D LiDAR sensors, along with SICK safety scanners, such as the microScan3.

Analysis:
The tenants of Industry 4.0 emphasize
flexibility, but in many cases companies with
deployed mobile robots use reflectors, tracks,
magnetic strips or other fixed, inflexible
fiducials as localization references for
navigation. SICK is a market-leading sensor
provider, and as a result many of these mobile
systems are using SICK 2D LiDAR sensors or
safety scanners.
With SICK LiDAR-LOC software running on
a SICK Sensor Integration Machine, these
systems can be retrofitted to support flexible,
contour-based navigation using data pulled
from the existing sensors. The navigation
paths of these systems can be altered as
needs dictate without the cost and delay of
installing new fixed, physical localization
markers. RR – Dan Kara

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 ROBOTICS R&D

DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY. DRIVING INNOVATION.

Our engineers collaborate with leading energy, infrastructure and industrial companies to develop and deliver com-
plex robotics, innovative inspection technology, robotics-as-a-service (RAAS), unmanned systems, and machine
learning. ULC Technologies focuses on delivering commercial solutions that enable our customers to move faster,
work smarter and reduce costs.

READY TO TALK TO OUR TEAM?

Contact us at 1-631-667-9200 or learn more at ulctechnologies.com.

ULC 6-21.indd 124 6/7/21 10:48 AM

 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Services Introduction

Siemens Accelerating Innovation for

Autonomous Vehicle Startups

Organization Name: Siemens

Country: Germany
Website: https://www.siemens.com/global/en.html
Year Founded: 1847
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Services Introduction

Description:
Siemens Digital Industries Soware and MaRS Discovery District, a Toronto-based innovation
hub, partnered to provide over 1,400 Canadian science and technology companies with
access to Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio of soware and services to support and accelerate the
development of autonomous and connected vehicle technologies. Some of the products being
offered in the portfolio include soware for 3D CAD, simulation, and design management.

Analysis:
The rise of autonomous and connected
vehicles is changing the way the vehicles
are designed, manufactured and tested. The
design and simulation software provided by
Siemens will help companies in the MaRS
ecosystem conduct early design development
and advanced verification of autonomous
function and performance systems.
Startups at the forefront of innovation
encounter complex design challenges.
It’s vital they have a foundation of digital
technology that enables expansion and
growth as company needs evolve. Having
data management and simulation tools they
can use from the beginning of their journeys,
which can enable traceability, collaboration
and early design validation, can improve
product delivery and success. Siemens’
industry-leading technology can help the
MaRS community to speed innovation in the
areas of autonomous and connected vehicle
development. RR – Steve Crowe

THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com June 2021 125

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 Ideal for robotics applications, our super-slim crossed roller bearings can
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IKO 6-21.indd 126 6/7/21 10:49 AM

 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

SLAMcore SpatialAI SDK Enables World-

Class Perception Using Low-Cost Hardware

Organization Name: SLAMcore

Country: United Kingdom
Website: www.slamcore.com
Year Founded: 2016
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
SLAMcore released the SpatialAI SDK in 2021 to enable high quality perception for
autonomous mobile robots. The toolkit allows roboticists to combine proprietary
visual positioning algorithms with state-of-the-art calibration and fusion
algorithms and complementary tools that use data from low-cost sensors and run
on low-power processors such as Raspberry Pi.

Analysis:
SLAMcore’s mission is to level the playing field
for all AMR providers while delivering high-
quality spatial awareness of an AMR to its
surroundings. An AMR needs to know about
the world around it to effectively and safely
navigate through it. SLAMcore:Perceive is at
the core of the solution and enables semantic
understanding of the world by identifying
walls, tables, people and even other robots.
The SLAMcore solution enables an AMR
developer to quickly integrate and deploy
a powerful full stack spatial AI-based
SLAM solution while leveraging consumer
grade sensors and compute platforms.
This technology lowers the barrier to entry
and enables innovation in mobile robotic
solutions, while reducing the overall cost to
the end user. RR – Mike Oitzman

THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com June 2021 127

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Cori Surgical System for Knee

Replacements Creates Better Outcomes
Organization Name: Smith and Nephew Inc.
Country: U.S.
Website: https://www.smith-nephew.com
Year Founded: 2016 (robotics division)
Number of Employees: 10,000+
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
Smith and Nephew’s Cori Surgical System for knee replacements is a pioneering robotic
navigation system that obtains all the information that a surgeon needs in real time during
the procedure. No pre-operative CT scans or MRIs are needed.

The heart of the Cori Surgical System is the ATRACSYS tracking system. The compact
ATRACSYS fusionTrack 500 is composed of two cameras designed to detect and track
fiducials (reflective spheres, disks and/or IR-LEDs) with high precision in real time video
streams. Triangulation enables retrieving 3D position of each fiducial with sub-millimeter
accuracy.

Analysis:
During the knee replacement procedure, the
CORI system works in conjunction with a
surgeon’s skilled hands to achieve accurate
positioning of the knee implant based on the
patient’s unique anatomy. The process starts
with the surgeon registering the existing knee
topology using the robotics-assisted hand piece.
With that information, the system
calculates the perfect fit of the implant and
instructs the surgeon on how much material
needs to be removed and exactly where to
remove the material in order to prepare the
ideal surface for the implant.
The CORI Surgical System enables a
surgeon to more precisely fit an implant,
which in turn produces better outcomes for
the patient and a shorter recovery time.
RR – Mike Oitzman

128 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Agriculture

Tevel Aerobotics Gets Off Ground to Help

Orchard Owners Pick Ripe Fruit

Organization Name: Tevel Aerobotics Technologies

Country: Israel
Website: www.tevel-tech.com
Year Founded: 2016
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Agriculture

Description:
In 2020, Tevel Aerobotics demonstrated the ability to use a tethered drone to pick ripe uit
using vision and AI. The innovation is a combination of AI-vision to identi ripe uit and a
tethered drone for continuous harvesting operations. The Tevel drones are tethered to the
battery in an autonomous mobile base that enables the drones to fly continuously without
stopping to recharge.

Analysis:
Tevel developed a drone-based solution that
uses vision and AI to determine if uit is ripe
and then pick it om the tree using an attached
arm and gripper. The solution is designed for
the uit tree harvesting market as uit farmers
struggle to hire seasonal pickers and the work
requires dexterity and extended reach to
acquire uit high in the tree.
The fruit gripper is also novel in the
spinning motion used to remove fruit from
the branch. The heart of the system, however,
is the AI-based vision system that can
identify when the fruit is ripe and perfect for
picking.
The company is initially focusing on
the apple tree market, however, the system
can also pick peaches, nectarines, plums
and apricots. The company has deployed to
orchards in Israel in 2020 and is expanding to
Spain in 2021. RR – Mike Oitzman

THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com June 2021 129

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 Robotics Applications Require Flex Rate Cable
Alpha Wire’s Xtra-Guard® Flex offers a wide variety of flexing applications.
These long-lasting flex cables are designed to provide excellent performance in
high-flex, high torsion and continuous-flex applications especially with robot-
ics. Available in a variety of configurations allowing exactly the right cable to be
selected for the application. These cables are rated up to 14 million flex life
cycles (85000 series), up to 6 Million flex life cycles (86000 series).

Alpha Wire’s EcoFlex® PUR are abrasion, UV, and oil resistant. They contain
a tough, zero-halogen Polyurethane jacket. This flex cable is 40% smaller and
44% lighter than other 600V continuous flex cables. With its rugged PUR jacket
and finely stranded conductors, EcoFlex PUR cable provides 8+ million flex cy-
cles in tough application conditions—while saving space and reducing weight.

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Alpha Wire 6-21.indd 130 6/7/21 10:50 AM

 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Utilities

ULC Technologies Improves Roadwork

Excavation With All-Electric Autonomous
Excavation Robot
Organization Name: ULC Technologies
Country: U.S.
Website: www.ulctechnologies.com
Year Founded: 2001
Number of Employees: 101-500
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Utilities

Description:
ULC Technologies introduced the the Robotic Roadworks and Excavation System (RRES) project
in 2020. RRES combines an industrial robotic arm, an all-electric track drive system, below-
ground locating sensors, artificial intelligence, machine vision and new vacuum excavation
methods for safer, faster and autonomous roadworks and street excavation.

Analysis:
Working in collaboration with UK-gas network
SGN, ULC Technologies developed the all-
electric robotic system to revolutionize the
way that utility companies, energy networks
and other industries carry out roadworks.
The heart of the system is an industrial
robotic manipulator along with a variety of
end-of-arm tools that enable the system to
autonomously perform all of the roadwork
excavation and backfill operations.
The system starts by locating and mapping
the target assets underground. It then cuts out
a road core and excavates soil with a unique
vacuum evaluation head. After the pipeline
or cableway repairs are made, RRES helps to
backfill the excavation, compress soil and
replace the road surface core.
The system uses machine learning and
vision guidance to position all of the tooling
and to plan the entire excavation operation.
RRES is a novel, automated solution to
the everyday operations of roadworks
departments around the world. RR
– Mike Oitzman

THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com June 2021 131

ULC_Technologies_RBR50_Vs3.indd 131 6/4/21 2:12 PM

 CLOSING THE CIRCLE.

Production and intralogistics in harmony. Once considered two distinct disciplines, now these areas are growing
closer and closer. The prerequisite for a smart, networked production. SICK, with their 360° approach, represents
optimization of the entire value-creation chain. So the circle is completed – and production logistics gets smart.
We think that’s intelligent. www.sick.com/production-logistics

SICK 6-21.indd 132 6/8/21 7:36 AM

 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

Universal Robots’ ActiNav Simplifies

Machine-Loading Applications

Organization Name: Universal Robots A/S

Country: Denmark
Website: www.universal-robots.com
Year Founded: 2005
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
Universal Robots in April 2020 launched its ActiNav machine loading kit for bin-picking and
machine-tending applications. ActiNav is a “plug-and-produce” UR+ application kit that makes
it easier to deploy collaborative robots for common applications.

ActiNav requires a UR5e or UR10e cobot, an end effector of the user’s choice, and an application-
specific ame or fixture. The kit includes the ActiNav soware and autonomous motion module
controller, the URCap user interface soware, along with a choice of 3D sensors. The ActiNav
system can handle vision processing, collision-ee motion planning, and autonomous real-time
robot control.

Analysis:
Autonomous bin picking is a common
robotics application, but it is rarely, if ever,
referred to as “easy to use.” Deploying
autonomous bin picking systems usually
requires integration and programming efforts
customers can’t do themselves.
ActiNav changed that as It doesn’t require
programming expertise to deploy. ActiNav
uses a teach-by-demonstration approach via
a wizard-guided setup process on the cobot’s
teach pendant. The system can be deployed
in less than two hours. ActiNav mirrors
the mantra of the other UR+ application
kits: make it easier for customers to deploy
automation and lower their risk.
In addition, Universal Robots’ application-
oriented solutions help with continuous
product introductions, an expanding
customer base, and new revenue streams. RR
– Steve Crowe

THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com June 2021 133

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 APPLICATION & MARKET INNOVATION
— Manufacturing

Vention’s Manufacturing Automation Platform

Simplifies Deployment of Automation

Organization Name: Vention

Country: Canada
Website: www.vention.io
Year Founded: 2016
Number of Employees: 101-500
Innovation Class: Application & Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Manufacturing

Description:
Vention’s manufacturing automation platform (MAP) simplifies the process of designing
industrial automation equipment. Vention has modularized (and digitized) all of the various
components so that they are easy to layout within an online, 3D design tool. MAP includes digital
twins of the linear motion components, safety equipment, tooling, filtering, ame elements and
more. At the end of a design session, the user is able to output a bill of materials for the workcell
and order it all directly om Vention.

Analysis:
Vention is closing the loop on the complete
design, automate, order, deploy lifecycle.
Vention lowers the barrier to entry and
delivers an end-to-end modular automation
solution for manufacturers who might not
have been able to make the leap to industrial
automation with prior options. It also enables
non-industrial engineers to design, spec and
program an automation work cell.
With a focus on ease of use and speed, MA)
empowers any manufacturing professional
to become an automation specialist. MAP is
ideal for manufacturers with low volume
and high mix production who can’t afford
the technologies conceived for those with
higher throughput. In this case, there simply
is not enough volume to payback the required
investment. RR – Mike Oitzman

134 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Primary or Applied Research

Verizon Delivers Foundation of Better

Wireless Communication for Mobile Robots
Organization Name: Verizon New Business Incubation
Country: U.S.
Website: https://www.verizon.com/about/
new-business-incubation
Year Founded: 2000
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Primary or Applied Research

Description:
Verizon is incubating cutting-edge robotics solutions fueled by the inherent orchestration
power of 5G wireless. Verizon is a leading provider of 5G wireless infrastructure in the U.S.
5G connectivity is now a viable option for industrial mobile robot developers to enable
wireless communication with individual vehicles in industrial or consumer settings.

Analysis:
In 2020, Verizon incubated a number of
robotics-based 5G projects. But in one
notable project, a partner company offloaded
compute from multiple autonomous mobile
robots (AMRs) to the Mobile Edge Compute
(MEC), and orchestrated them via centralized,
MEC-based microservices. The AMRs relied on
a centralized, shared 3D map for navigation
and routing, and fed near real-time updates
to the map to ensure its accuracy.
As a direct result of the reliability and
speed of the network and the accuracy of
the map, the company was able to reduce
onboard sensors to one single off-the-
shelf stereo camera per device, with visual
positioning performed on the MEC. The
MEC maintained precise knowledge of the
autonomous mobile robots’ locations and
used complex algorithms and ultra-fast
processing to dynamically and safely adjust
their routes.
This is just one example of how the
speed and stability of 5G connectivity will be
able to help AMR companies enhance their
capabilities and improve their operations in
the future. RR – Mike Oitzman

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 APPLICATION AND MARKET INNOVATION
— Transportation

Waymo Launches World’s First Robotaxi

Service Without Safety Drivers

Organization Name: Waymo

Country: U.S.
Website: www.waymo.com
Year Founded: 2009 (formerly known as the Google
Self-Driving Car Project)
Number of Employees: 1500+
Innovation Class: Application and Market Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Transportation

Description:
In October 2020, Waymo opened its Level 4 driverless robotaxi service, called Waymo One,
to the general public in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The driverless Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
minivans operate in about a 50-square-mile area in the suburbs of Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and
Tempe.

Waymo has been testing its autonomous vehicles around Phoenix for years. Since 2017,
some of the cars have had nobody behind the wheel, but that was only for certain tests and
select riders. But now anybody can take a paid ride in a Waymo One driverless robotaxi around
the clock, seven days a week.

Analysis:
With the public launch last year, Waymo became
the first company in the world to open a Level 4
driverless robotaxi service without safety drivers
to the general public. Although the launch was
a bit behind schedule, and Waymo hasn’t scaled
this service to any other locations as of press
time, this was a monumental moment for the
autonomous vehicle industry.
The Waymo One service isn’t perfect,
there are still disengagements that require
Waymo employees to manually take over
control of the vehicles. But no other company
in the U.S. can match what Waymo is doing.
Fellow RBR50 company AutoX recently
launched China’s first L4 robotaxi service
without safety drivers in Shenzhen.
L4 driverless cars have arrived in the U.S.,
albeit in a limited capacity, thanks to Waymo.
It recently ramped up its testing operations
in San Francisco, and applied for a permit to
charge for rides and delivery services. RR
– Steve Crowe

136 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

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 TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES & RESEARCH INNOVATION
— Product Introduction

WiBotic Launches WiBotic Commander for

Fleet Energy Management

Organization Name: WiBotic

Country: U.S.
Website: www.wibotic.com
Year Founded: 2015
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology, Services & Research Innovation
Innovation Subclass: Product Introduction

Description:
In February 2021, WiBotic announced the availability of WiBotic Commander, a new
soware solution for Fleet Energy Management of mobile robots. WiBotic Commander
provides an overlaying soware layer to monitor and control the energy needs of an entire
mobile robotic fleet. The solution takes into account the battery chemistry, voltage and
optimal charge rate to ensure that each individual machine gets the most om its battery.

Analysis:
WiBotic is one of only a handful of wireless
battery charging solution providers, and
WiBotic was one of the first to come to market
with its wireless charging solutions. The
company recently received a CE mark approval
for its charging solutions and is actively
expanding beyond the U.S. market into Europe.
As interoperability between robots gains
acceptance, the mobile robot market has
expanded beyond homogeneous deployments
to environments where multiple vendor
solutions are operating within the same
workspace on a manufacturing, warehouse
or front-of-house retail space. Within this
heterogeneous operating environment, it
doesn’t take long for the active space to
become cluttered with unique and proprietary
charging stations for each individual robot.
WiBotic offers a solution that essentially
provides a “universal charging” function that
every mobile robotic device can leverage
to recharge its batteries. Now, with the
addition of WiBotic Commander, the entire
heterogeneous fleet’s energy management
can be managed with a single, unified
solution. RR – Mike Oitzman

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WiBotic_RBR50_Vs4.indd 137 6/4/21 3:20 PM

Univ of Maryland 6-21.indd 138 6/9/21 7:52 AM
 Robotics Robotics Kevlar®- Performance protection for exterior robotic components

Kevlar® woven fabrics are ideal materials for

protecting exterior robotic components due
to its high heat, cut and abrasion resistance.
With a service temperature up to 650°F
and great chemical and mildew resistance,
this fabric can withstand the most extreme
environments. Kevlar® as a fabric is very flexible
with little stretching making it perfect for high
flex applications like retractable arms. CS Hyde
supplies standard Kevlar® and Kevlar aramid
fabrics with woven glass fibers, as well as
specialty fabrics with PTFE coating for nonstick
release applications. For applications requiring
fastening we also supply adhesive backed Kevlar®
tapes or Kevlar® thread for high temp. sewing
applications. Custom cutting, sheeting,
and die cutting services also available. CS Hyde Company
39655 N. IL Route 83
Lake Villa, IL 60046

www.cshyde.com
800-461-4161

Fully Integrated Speed Controller, within 6.2 mm

The FAULHABER BXT Flat brushless DC servo motor family

has grown; now available in all sizes with a diameter-
compliant, integrated speed controller. With an additional
attachment length of just 6.2 mm, the combination of
the BXT H motors with the integrated speed controller
is the ideal solution for space-confined applications,
particularly if speeds need to be controlled precisely, and
high torques are also required. The default factory
pre-configuration, along with the Motion Manager
software allows for quick and easy commissioning
of the system. Typical applications include medical devices,
pumps, hand-held instruments, optics systems, robotics &
surgical end-effectors.

FAULHABER MICROMO
www.faulhaber.com
14881 Evergreen Ave
Clearwater, FL 33762 USA

800-807-9166

THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com June 2021 139

Robotic Tips 6-21_Vs1.indd 139 6/8/21 4:41 PM

 Robotics Robotics FUTEK

We make innovation possible

FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology

specializes in creating inventive sensor
solutions for today’s leading tech innovators:

• Load cells
• Torque sensors
• Pressure sensors 
• Multi-axis sensors
• Instruments
• Software

Our end-to-end measurement products and services

FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology, Inc.
include sensors, amplifiers, and calibration, allowing you
10 Thomas
to streamline and optimize your system and achieve better Irvine, CA 92618
results at a lower cost than legacy solutions. All our products USA
are made in the USA. To learn more, visit www.futek.com.
www.futek.com
+1 (949) 465-0900

Harmonic Drive

Actuator + Integrated Servo Drive

Ideal for use in robotics, the RSF miniature actuator

is extremely compact and delivers high torque with
exceptional accuracy and repeatability. This evolutionary
product eliminates the need for an external drive and
greatly improves wiring. Since it communicates via
CANopen, only 4 conductors are needed: CANH,
CANL, +24VDC, 0VDC.

• Actuator + Integrated Servo Drive utilizing CANopen communication

conforming to DS402 and DS301
• 24VDC Nominal +7 to 30VDC Supply Voltage Range
• Single Axis BLDC Motor Controller/Driver with
CAN & TTL-UART Interface 42 Dunham Ridge
• Single Cable with only 4 conductors needed: Beverly, MA 01915
CANH, CANL, +24VDC, 0VDC United States
• 14bit (16384 cpr) resolution motor encoder
www.harmonicdrive.net
• Zero Backlash

Harmonic Drive is a registered

trademark of Harmonic Drive Systems

140 June 2021 www.therobotreport.com THE ROBOT REPORT

Robotic Tips 6-21_Vs1.indd 140 6/8/21 4:41 PM

 Robotics Robotics JUST RELEASED: Revolutionary - Motus Labs ML1000
Series precision M-DRIVES offer a higher torque density
than competing strain wave gearing with no compromise
in performance. The ML1000 family of hollow shaft
drives includes standard gear drive sizes ranging from
17-40. Motus Labs’ patented design utilizes a series of
cam-driven blocks, instead of traditional gear teeth, that
engage over 80% of the output ring surface area at all
times resulting in a more rigid drive at a lower weight.
The design distributes load stresses over a much larger
surface area, permitting the M-DRIVE transmission to
deliver up to twice the torque per unit size and volume
and 15% greater efficiencies compared to strain
wave drives.

Motus Labs
17815 Davenport Road
Suite 130
Dallas, Texas 75252

www.motus-labs.com

Effective Tooling for Assembly

Automation
Assembly tasks often present challenges! A lot happens in a
small space with fast cycle times.

Some suggestions for common challenges:

Utilize Robot Payload – Select gripper fingers that are optimal
to their payload to increase reliability and produce better
assembled products.

Be Flexible – Quick-change products allow tools to be changed

or replaced at the robot wrist, machine table, or even the
gripper fingers.

Improve Cycle Time – Mechanical actuators can respond quickly

to commands and move faster, thereby reducing cycle time.

Reorientating Workpieces – Parts often need to be flipped

or rotated to be accessed correctly as they travel through the
process. Accomplish this with a reorientation station. SCHUNK:
211 Kitty Hawk Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560
You do not need to reinvent the wheel for every aspect of info@us.schunk.com
custom automation, there are many standard modular solutions 919-572-2705

to customize to your needs. www.schunk.com

THE ROBOT REPORT www.therobotreport.com June 2021 141

Robotic Tips 6-21_Vs1.indd 141 6/9/21 10:32 AM

 M o t i o n C o n t r o l

Successful lab
experiments start with
the right pipette motor
For medical lab applications, motor selection is integral to an
electronic pipette’s accuracy and precision.

Valentin Raschke • Application Engineer • Portescap

Laboratory automation has always been a great fit for linear motion.
Within certain laboratory devices, precision is required for moving samples into
position, adding reagents, and withdrawing samples. Advancements in the linear
force and speed capabilities of stepper linear actuators let device manufacturers
increase their throughput with these actuators without sacrificing quality.
Life science researchers rely on pipettes as a dependable means to measure
and dispense liquids to a specific volume. Pipettes are typically the first step
in many lab processes, so they must perform accurately and reliably to ensure
that researchers can successfully reproduce the outcome of their experiments.
Since the pandemic began in 2020, pipettes have become an even more vital
laboratory tool, helping COVID-19 researchers prepare lab samples to detect
pathogens using techniques like real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction).

142 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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As pipettes take on this critical role,
the choice of component—such as
motors—for a design is just as critical.
How pipettes work
Laboratories use different types of
pipettes, depending on the scale of the
lab and the volume of liquid that must
be dispensed. The four most common
pipette types are air displacement,
positive displacement, volumetric, and
graduated.
DESIGN WORLD
Motion.Control 6-21_Vs3.indd 143
Electronic pipettes
are becoming a more
common alternative
to traditional manual
types, as they offer more
Inside an air displacement pipette, accurate and repeatable
for example, a piston creates positive delivery of samples
or negative air pressure that allows a and reagents in test
user to take in or eject a liquid sample and medical laboratory
using a disposable tip. Meanwhile, the settings.
tip’s air column separates the liquid
from the non-disposable part of the
pipette. Pipettes can either be designed
to allow the operator to trigger the
movement of the piston using a thumb
button, or a motor can move the piston
when an operator presses a button.
www.designworldonline.com June 2021 143
6/7/21 11:12 AM
 M o t i o n C o n t r o l
Used in molecular biology and
analytical chemistry as well as in many
medical tests, electronic pipettes allow
for accurate and repeatable delivery of
samples and reagents. These electronic
units have become increasingly
common among researchers compared
to manual types. When an operator
uses a manual pipette over a long
period of time, the pipette may become
uncomfortable or even cause injuries.
For example, the force required to
dispense the liquid and eject the
pipette tip, combined with repetitive
motion for hours at a time, can increase
the risk of repetitive strain injuries (RSI)
in a user’s thumbs, elbows, wrists or
shoulders.
By contrast, electronic or motorized
pipettes offer better ergonomics, as
well as a more efficient way to increase
sample throughput with precision and
accuracy. Instead of the traditional
thumb-controlled pipetting button and
manual volume adjustment, electronic
pipettes have a digital interface that
allows users to adjust the volume. The
motorized piston is used for aspiration
and dispensing.
A diagram of an air displacement
pipette shows the major
components including the air
column and a reagent sample.
Two schematics showing different designs of an electronic
pipette; on the left is a dc-motor based system using a gear wheel
and pinion attached to a screw, and on the right is a stepper-motor
based design with a built-in screw.
144
June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
Motion.Control 6-21_Vs3.indd 144
Precision and accuracy
Because pipetting is typically the
first step of a multi-step process, any
inaccuracy or imperfection when
measuring such small amounts of liquid
will carry through the process and
ultimately impact the total accuracy and
precision of the entire experiment.
Users can achieve precision when
the pipette dispenses the same volume
multiple times, while accuracy occurs
when the pipette dispenses the exact
amount of the targeted volume without
any error. While it’s possible to achieve
one without the other, most industries
that use pipettes require both precision
and accuracy—especially because both
are needed to reproduce the outcome of
experiments.
Comparing dc motors and
stepper motors
The heart of any electronic pipette is the
motor. Not only does the motor greatly
influence precision and accuracy, but it
also affects other important factors like
envelope size, power and weight. Pipette
designers can primarily choose either dc
motor or stepper linear actuators, and
techno 6/7/21 11:12 AM
 both have strengths and weaknesses.
First, dc motors are simple electronic
machines that rotate when dc power is
applied. They do not require complex
electronics to run the motor. However,
because linear motion is required for
the electronic pipette, a dc motor will
also need an additional lead screw and
gearing system to convert rotational
movement to linear movement and
provide the required force. The dc
motor will also need to incorporate
a feedback mechanism, such as an
optical sensor or encoder, to control
the linear piston position. Depending
on the design, it may also be necessary
to add a braking system to improve the
accuracy to account for the rotor’s high
inertia. While a dc motor may enhance
the pipette system’s overall precision
and accuracy, it can be an expensive
option.
The other option is to use a stepper
motor-based system. Stepper linear
actuators are characterized by their
ease of integration, high performance
and low cost. They consist of a can
stack stepper motor with a threaded
rotor and integrated lead screw that
provides direct linear motion in a small
package.
Unlike the dc motor, the stepper
linear actuator lead screw moves up
and down in discrete step increments
when electrical pulses are applied. It
can be accurately controlled via an
open-loop system, eliminating the
need for expensive feedback devices
or braking systems for positioning.
Typically, high-resolution positioning
can be achieved with a small step
angle and a choice of lead screw
pitches. To enhance positioning, the
stepper linear actuator can be driven
in micro-stepping mode. However, to
ensure the highest possible accuracy
and avoid dispensing inaccuracies, the
stepper motor should be sized properly
because an improperly sized motor can
lose steps and contribute to dispensing
inaccuracies.
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com   June 2021
Motion.Control 6-21_Vs3.indd 145
Electronic pipettes
powered by dc or
stepper motors are
designed to overcome
the human factors
associated with
manual pipettes.
While both motor types
have benefits, stepper
linear motors offer the
additional advantage of
open loop control.
Motorized pipette designers should also
follow these important best practices
during motor selection:
• Keep a minimum 50 percent safety
factor from the speed/force curve.
• Avoid low-frequency resonance points
during operation.
• Avoid back-driving, sudden
movements and external load changes.
The dispensing accuracy of air
displacement pipettes comes down to
how well the internal piston is controlled.
Electronic pipettes powered by dc
or stepper motors are designed to
overcome the human factors associated
with manual pipettes. While both motor
types have benefits, stepper linear
motors offer the additional advantage
of open loop control. Without the
additional control electronics needed
for DC motors, a properly sized stepper
motor provides pipette designers the
reliability they need to ensure precise
and accurate dispensing. DW
Portescap
www.portescap.com
145
6/7/21 11:13 AM
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L i n e a r M o t i o n

Smart
mechatronics
add capabilities to
linear motion
applications
Industry 4.0 innovations have spurred a new class
of smart motion technologies that combine digital
electronics and communication interfaces for more
design sophistication, functionality, and ease of use.

Richard Hansen | Senior automation engineer | Bosch Rexroth Corp.

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•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
Partner with
mechatronics suppliers that
offer engineering expertise
and all components (including
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
linear motion products,
controllers, servo drives, and
operator software) to
build top-performance
mechatronics solutions.

As more manufacturing companies embrace Industry 4.0-ready mechatronics is tight integration of electronic motors,
technology, emerging smart mechatronics technologies are giving machines controls, sensors, and linear components.
greater intelligence and versatility. These advanced systems are also easier to Smart mechatronics takes the concept further —
specify, order, and deploy than past options — enhancing their value to OEMs taking the form of complete solutions that incorporate
and end users. advanced sensors and operator-friendly controller
Understanding the capabilities of smart mechatronics can help system platforms. These systems yield:
design engineers asses how best to leverage these mechatronics to making • Realtime data on machine performance
their manufacturing solutions highly competitive. • Realtime data on manufacturing quality as
applicable
Modern mechatronics are integrated and versatile • Precise control and execution of motion sequences
Mechatronics are systems and subassemblies that combine disparate • Automated tracking of production data and
mechanical and electronic components into solutions dedicated to specific throughput
tasks. In the world of motion, two examples are product assembly and transport • Easy connectivity with machine-level and plantwide
satisfied by mechatronic linear motion systems and Cartesian robots. Core to management systems

DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com June 2021 147

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 L i n e a r M o t i o n
Smart mechatronics step one:
Online configuration
Smart mechatronics are faster and
easier to design and commission
than previous mechatronics systems.
That’s helpful because
mechatronics are by their
very nature quite complex
— demanding concurrent
consideration and sizing
of multiple linear components,
Smart mechatronics drives, controllers, and operator
systems support transparent interfaces … and then their
production processes by careful combination.
enabling realtime condition The first step in
monitoring and predictive specifying, purchasing,
maintenance. and commissioning a
smart mechatronics machine
is to leverage online tools
accessible via supplier portals.
These configuration
tools let engineers
build intelligent systems
ready to operate “out
of the box” with minimal
programming … so are
perhaps most helpful to engineers
having just a basic understanding of
electrical and fluid-power actuation
(including linear motion) and motion
controls. Users enter parameters
Mechatronics could such as stroke, workpiece weight,
and cycle time, which then generates
be considered a an output that can be verified in the
online tool’s CAD environment. The
forerunner of Industry following sizing and configurator
prompts, all the components for the
4.0 technologies. complete mechatronic solution —
such as a Cartesian robot, pressing
machine, or joining machine — can
be specified in one go. It’s an option
that lets engineers obtain a complete
solution from a single supplier —
receiving an integrated system
shipped with preprogrammed motion
sequences ready for plug-and-produce
implementation.
148
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Linear.Motion.6-21_Vs3.LE.OK.LL.indd 148
Simpler operational control
Smart mechatronics can enhance
productivity and flexibility usually with
“transparent” production processes
— with sensors for realtime condition
monitoring.
Just consider how some
manufacturers offer operation-specific
mechatronic function kits to support
such monitoring. For example, one
function kit for a pressing machine
might include an electromechanical
cylinder, servo drive, motor, controller,
sensors, and operator software to
support pressing and joining assembly
operations. Machines built using such
a function kit are easy to implement, as
the components come with operating
software preinstalled … and automatic
parameterization ready to run on the
servo drive — so no motion control
programming knowledge is needed to
bring the machine online. The software
features a drag-and-drop graphical
user interface (GUI) that lets operators
intuitively build production sequences
— such as pressing ball bearings into a
housing, for example.
In addition, the machine can come
with an integrated force sensor to
measure and track operations. For
example, such sensors in a bearing-
press application might track the linear
actuator to ensure it applies the exact
right force to insert the balls into their
bearing housing. Meanwhile, system
controls can also execute quality control
by ensuring that the actuators properly
run through their precisely controlled
sequences. As such sequences on
a pressing machine typically repeat
hundreds or even thousands of times
per hour, the system’s controller
records and then forwards for storage
the measurements of each motion
cycle. Operators can then use tools
in the controller package to create
D
techno 6/7/21 11:20 AM
 visualizations of the process results.
These might map whether pressing
forces exceeded or failed to meet
process thresholds … and let operators

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analyze force-displacement curves in
realtime at their workstations. Such data
lets experienced machine operators
maintain top manufacturing quality
and productivity sans any specialized
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development by expert software
engineers.
Data can also be exported via
system interfaces to plantwide or cloud- Interference
based manufacturing analytics systems
… making the smart mechatronics CANNOT be
system an integral component of a
company’s Industry 4.0 platform.
Tolerated!
Similar capabilities are also being
deployed for other factory automation
scenarios, including linear motion CUS
TO
systems such as Cartesian handling SLID M
AVA ES
robots for pick-and-place or transport ILAB
operations. They use similar online LE
configuration tools to size and specify
all the linear modules, actuators and
end effectors, cabling, sensors, electric
drives, and controller necessary for Other
Precision Linear Motion
complete handling systems. Products

Del-Tron Precision, Inc. is now

Smart mechatronics applications
Smart mechatronics demonstrate
how sophisticated technology can
solve complex engineering issues in
a simpler way. In a common industry
scenario, machine builders have
typically tried to develop their own
mechatronics assemblies by ordering
and integrating separate components
— linear actuators, controllers, power
supplies, end effectors and more. This
process is often cumbersome and time-
consuming.
At many companies or system
integrators, it’s common for the
mechanical engineering group to
be responsible for specifying and
ordering one set of components
while the electrical group orders its
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DESIGN WORLD June 2021 149

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 L i n e a r M o t i o n

is tasked to make it all fit together EMC electromechanical cylinder, force

A Smart Function Kit for Pressing
from Bosch Rexroth (part of the Smart
MechatroniX platform) combines an
electromechanical cylinder, servo drive
and motor, controller, sensors, and
operator software to support a wide
range of assembly operations.
physically and program it to ensure it
works as specified.
The smart mechatronics concept
changes that paradigm and, in the
process, frees up the engineers so they
can devote time and resources to more
complex and challenging design issues.
Consider a real-world plug-and-
produce smart mechatronics example.
A leading sensor manufacturer was
setting up a new assembly line for
various types of rotary encoders.
The new line was designed to be
highly flexible and economical, with
the ability to make different products
in small batches with exact pressing
and joining processes and automatic
documentation of process data for
quality assurance. The company opted
to use a Smart Function Kit for Pressing,
supplied as a preconfigured complete
package with zero programming
knowledge required. As a result, the
sensor manufacturer was able to set
up the line in a very short time before
starting operation.
A key production step is pressing
a small lid precisely onto the sensor
housing with the highest precision.
The Smart Function Kit is suitable for
forces from 2 to 30 kN and combines
standard components such as an
sensor, servo motor, drive controller
and industrial PC. The browser-based
HMI software can also be operated via
tablet.
Instead of laboriously writing
code for the pressing processes,
programming takes place visually.
Select the software blocks via drag-
and-drop, combine them, enter
the parameters and the workflow
is complete. The drive controller
parameterizes itself automatically, and
a wizard guides the user intuitively
through the commissioning process.
In addition, the process data can
be shown live and is considered along
with the force displacement curve in
the IT system for quality assurance
management and analysis purposes.
No doubt — the benefits and
advantages offered by smart
mechatronics technology will help
manufacturers build more production-
ready systems with the intelligence and
sensor technology built-in to support
Industry 4.0 requirements.
Although the smart mechatronics
concept is very intuitive, it’s still
important to work with mechatronics
suppliers whose portfolios and
engineering expertise encompass
the full range of components —
linear motion products, controllers,
servo drives and operator software
— necessary to build complete, high-
performance mechatronics solutions. It’s
R

Some of the most advanced smart mechatronics

take the form of linear motion systems such
as Cartesian handling robots that execute
pick-and-place tasks. Bosch Rexroth’s Smart
Function Kit for Handling lets engineers use online
configuration tools to size and specify all linear
modules, actuators, cabling, sensors, electric
drives, and controls to complete such handling
systems.

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 also important to assess the quality and
ease of use of their configuration tools,
to make certain that the ease of use
promised by the smart mechatronics
movements — from start to finish — is
fully delivered. This helps to ensure that
machine builders and end users can
fully leverage the plug-and-produce
benefits of smart mechatronics in their
operations. DW

Bosch Rexroth
www.boschrexroth.com

A Smart Function Kit for Pressing lets engineers leverage

the power of Smart MechatroniX online tools and drag-and-
drop programming to build, order, and commission their
pressing station.

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 152 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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 P L C s

PLCs —
the power of
lower voltage
Industrial automation typically uses 24 Vdc,
but many mobile and remote applications are
easier to integrate with 12 Vdc PLCs.

Don Pham • IDEC Corporation

Typical industrial automation projects today rely heavily on 24 Vdc

for device power and signaling. This voltage level is touch-safe for users and the
minimal voltage drop in conductors due to the currents involved at these relatively
low voltage levels is acceptable. However, there are several reasons to consider
using 12 Vdc as nominal design voltage for many applications.
For example, 12 Vdc is a common voltage for individual batteries and battery
banks. Automation of traffic controls, water wells, and other remote equipment
is often powered by solar charging systems in conjunction with battery powered
storage systems.
Heavy equipment and portable systems driven by internal combustion engines
usually have 12 Vdc readily available. Even some oil and gas pumping stations, gas
wells, small compressors, and separator/regulator systems using utility power may
rely on battery backups in the event of a power failure.
With the wide availability of lower level of power, it makes sense to use
compatible programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in many instances.

Figure 2. Traffic controls and signage can use solar/battery

technologies and 12 Vdc PLCs, enabling installation anywhere.

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One last look

Hardwired to smart relays to PLCs
Hardwiring 12 Vdc automation with relays,
solenoids, and switches has always been
common for simple applications. If additional
functionality was required, sometimes a
smart digital relay could suffice for discrete
input/output (I/O) tasks.
However, if any degree of control
complexity is involved, a PLC is usually the
best choice. This is especially the case if any
analog I/O are involved, such as receiving
a signal from a pressure transmitter, or
controlling a modulating valve.
Some PLCs can be powered using a
range of 12 to 24 Vdc, but there are more
details to consider beyond the nominal
operating voltage, and the price, when
choosing 12 Vdc PLC solutions.
Checking all the boxes
When choosing a PLC for a 12 Vdc
application, designers need to ensure the
device can withstand the environment,
provide sufficient I/O, and support the
necessary communication and visualization
requirements (Figure 1). Following are
some of the capabilities designers should
investigate.
Most lower voltage PLCs will already
have a relatively small form factor, which is
a plus for remote and mobile applications
where space is often at a premium. But
these installations also tend to be located
in environments that can become extremely
Figure 1. Some PLCs, like the
IDEC FC6A MicroSmart family,
can be powered and perform
I/O signaling using 12 Vdc,
which is suitable for solar/
battery equipment, remote
installations without utility
power, and portable/mobile
systems.
hot or cold, or where high vibration is
present. Selecting a device with the
widest possible operating temperature
range is a must, along with proper
resistance to shock and vibration.
For applications where combustible
gases, vapors, or liquids may be
present, designers should look for
devices carrying a Class I Division 2
rating as an indication of suitability
for hazardous locations. For oil and
gas installations this is obviously
important, but in actuality many types
of automated equipment may be used
in and around hazardous locations, for
example many types of water treatment.
Defining the I/O count may seem
straightforward, but a common issue
for automation projects is the need for
additional future I/O as requirements
expand. This is why modular designs
are preferred to provide options for
configuring the PLC initially, while
providing options for future growth.
Communication protocols enable a
PLC to talk to intelligent field devices,
to other PLCs, and to supervisory
systems like human-machine interfaces.
Most PLCs are Ethernet-capable now,
and Modbus TCP is among the most
common protocols. However, it is also
helpful if the PLC can use serial Modbus
RTU communications to access legacy
devices.
A final concern when selecting a 12 Vdc
PLC solution regards what operator
visualization is needed. This is often a
requirement, with needed functionality
varying widely. In some, no visualization
is needed once the PLC is programmed
and commissioned. Sometimes a small
local HMI module is sufficient to let
users access important values. In other
cases, a full-fledged local HMI display
needs to be installed in an easily
accessible area.
More advanced applications might
need web-viewable visualization and
connectivity. In these cases, choosing
a PLC with web server capabilities
allows it to host web pages, which can
be accessed by any device capable
of hosting a web browser, such as a
laptop, smartphone, or tablet.
Some PLCs can even initiate emails
for warning or reporting purposes,
often a necessity for monitoring remote
unmanned locations. If the PLC includes
an SD memory slot, users can store
data on the SD card and transmit it as
needed.
One other capability can be a great
advantage for mobile applications
which may not need full-time
visualization. Some PLCs can interact
with iOS and Android mobile apps
over Bluetooth. This means users can
connect their mobile devices wirelessly,
without opening any enclosures, when
they are near an automated installation.
These apps let users monitor the
system, change parameters, or perform
other control tasks, such as uploading
and downloading programs or data.
This can be an ideal way to provide
essential visualization right when and
where it is needed.
Applications everywhere
Because solar power generation
performance has increased and prices
have decreased, there are many
applications which can be purely solar-
powered. A typical installation can be
powered solely from photovoltaic solar
panels when the sun is shining, and
by a battery bank in other conditions.

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 The battery bank receives a trickle
charge from the solar panels, and it
can operate for years with little or no
maintenance.
Using solar/battery technologies,
many types of traffic controls such as
speed indicators and crosswalk warning
signs can be installed on a single pole
without requiring any external power
or other connections (Figure 2). This
makes it very economical to install
them wherever they are needed, even
if other infrastructure is unavailable.
Integrating 12 Vdc PLCs with these
systems is a compact way to obtain
the necessary functionality. In addition,
these PLCs can be connected to
nearby wireless networks for sending
information to the cloud or for receiving
remote instructions.
Many types of equipment are built
onto portable or towable platforms.
These include manufacturing machines,
chillers, air compressors, compressed
natural gas trailers, and others. Each of
these systems can be associated with an option, 12 Vdc PLCs are far more capable
internal combustion engine or electrical and a natural fit for performing any type of
vehicle power that is on-board or part ofautomation or communications tasks for
the towing system, and therefore able to these applications. These PLCs also provide
supply 12 Vdc. Using a 12 Vdc PLC is the an excellent price/performance ratio.
logical way to control the system devices,
Today’s lower voltage PLCs include
and to provide operating indication, significant logic and communications
safety warnings, alarms, and notifications.
functionality. Protocols are available for
Remotely located chemical injection integrating these PLCs with intelligent field
systems may use solar/battery to run device and cloud-based IIoT systems. These
small pumps in addition to the controls, PLCs come in convenient form factors, and
at least as a backup power means, if modular configurations are available to
not the main source of power (Figure support many types and quantities of I/O,
3). Industrial-grade 12 Vdc PLCs built both for the initial installation and for future
to withstand extremely high and low expansion.
temperatures allow this equipment to be A final point is that these PLCs open
controlled and data-logged. the door for many types of visualization,
whether directly on-board the PLC, via a
12 Vdc PLCs support remote local HMI, using a web-based interface,
locations and mobile equipment or using a mobile app. These visualization
Per the preceding examples, 12 Vdc is a options make PLC-based systems easy to
readily available normal or backup power configure, operate, monitor, and maintain.
source at many types of remote locations DW
and on-board mobile equipment.
Although 12 Vdc smart relays are an IDEC | us.idec.com

Figure 3. IDEC 12 Vdc PLCs are the robust choice for

automating remotely located equipment where backup
battery power is available, or on board mobile, portable,
or towable equipment with an internal combustion engine
that replenishes vehicle batteries.

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 3 D C A D
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Configuring
new uses for
already created
designs Repurposing designs saves design
time and money, helping you get
to market faster.

Jean Thilmany • Senior Editor Sometimes you don’t need to re-invent the wheel. You could, for
instance, drop the computer-aided design file for an existing wheel
into your lawnmower design. Many companies, particularly those that
create custom parts or manufacturing systems, integrate already-
created CAD parts into an assembly to shave design time.
That’s the idea behind configuration-based design, which allows
users to drop an already-created design file into a part or assembly
for quick customization. With configuration-based design, the CAD
file automatically sizes and fits itself into the assembly.
While today’s CAD systems continue to add that functionality,
IronCAD was the originator of the concept with the company’s launch
in 1998, says Cary O’Connor vice president of marketing at IronCAD,
Atlanta.
With this method, feature, part, and assembly data for each part
are stored in a catalog of frequently used parts and assemblies. The
piece from the catalog provides precise reference locations when
designers drop their components into a larger design, positioning it
automatically into any complex orientation required, O’Connor says.

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“In traditional CAD, you start with a sketch,
put it into a 3D profile, you insert parts from a file
system and you keep drawing like that,” he adds.
“We can do that, but with us, you can also drag-
and-drop parts and assemblies from a catalog
into the design environment, mesh the geometry,
and use that for enhanced CAD design.”
Engineers do, of course, need to create the
original file for the frequently used parts and
assemblies, which are then stored in the catalog,
from which they can be pulled from for use again
and again.
“But engineers can use these parts confidently
without worrying about how the original design
was created,” O’Connor says.
DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com   June 2021
3D.CAD.6-21_Vs3.LL.indd 157
Robinson Race Cars
created parts and
chassis for a 1955
Chevrolet owned by
Matt Woods.
The catalog of parts requires only one file, no | Matt Woods
matter how complex. Assembly part data is integrated
into a file’s design rather than linking to external files,
O’Connor says.
The CAD maker calls these cataloged parts
“intelligent parts” because they contain the geometry
and other information to fit the assembly seamlessly.
The designer need not worry about that step.
This is what allows the drop-in and automatic fit, he
adds.
“Rather than insert constraints to the part,
we’re doing it on the fly, positioning and changing
information at the same time. If you want to make it
larger, the tool knows how to update the part to make
that change,” O’Connor says.
157
6/7/21 11:56 AM
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•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• 3 D C A D

Robinson Race Cars began by designing

chassis for touring and other racecars
and soon moved on to providing custom
parts for many of those cars

The already-designed parts can be
dropped within many popular CAD
programs as well as into IronCAD
designs, he says.
Some companies have integrated
IronCAD software with their enterprise
systems for even greater hands-off
customization. Others have used it as
a backbone of their own proprietary
software. Still others use IronCAD as
their design system.
Automation for quick
customization
Take the example of Dutch company
Van Keulen Interieubouw, which makes
fixtures and equipment for retail and
office environments, including shelving
units and cashier stations made from
materials like wood and laminate.
Customer needs vary according
to the layout and the look they seek.
The company can manufacture and
customize almost any interior element
to meet customer requirements.
Van Keulen maintains manufacturing
facilities for processing wood, metal,
and plastic.
To stay ahead of competitors, the
company delivers its products quickly
after they receive an order, “Even going
to the point to state if they need to
deliver the next day, they will deliver the
next day,” says Eddy Huis in’t Veld, the
company’s software manager.
“To move from design to the finished
products very fast, we have to be very
flexible,” he says. “So, we have a high
level of automation within our company.”
Using IronCAD, the company
creates and stores the intelligent parts
within its parts catalog. Some designs
are reusable; others need quick
modifications—easy to make on an
already-created part where the CAD
information also exists—and others
need to be redesigned from scratch,
Huis in’t Veld adds.
The parts can be added where
needed to common CAD designs.
Engineers customize designs as
they’re ordered, incorporating the pre-
existing catalog of parts into their own
design. The company has integrated
the CAD application into its enterprise
resource management system. When
the engineer hits done, a parts request
is automatically sent to the ERP system,
which creates a list of needed parts for
the manufacturing floor.
“ERP can extract the size, material
technology, and many other aspects
from the drawing,” Huis in’t Veld says.
“It puts them into the production
environment, sending them into the
right machines in the right order.
“We can be in production within
15 minutes after the designer puts
the drawing into the ERP system,”
he adds. “Open your drawing, make
the changes, and send it to ERP. With
a few mouse clicks, we can start
production again.”
In other words, designers can
design a custom order and send it
to the manufacturing floor within the
same system.
“They’ve created a kind-of curated
process-manufacturing system,”
O’Connor says.
The design tool is also useful in
the sales process, where salespeople
can show potential customers how a
potential shelving unit—for example—
would look made from laminate,
built to a certain size, and standing
on particular types of legs. Suppose
the customer seeks another shape
for the legs, or would like a different
style of shelving unit. In that case, a
salesperson can make those changes
quickly with IronCAD and present
them immediately.

158 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com

3D.CAD.6-21_Vs3.LL.indd 158 techno 6/7/21 11:59 AM

 Van Keulen Interieurbouw, which makes office fixtures
and furniture, is able to customize designs and get them
into production quickly by integrating its CAD tool with its
ERP system. | Van Keulen Interieurbouw

On the plant floor and in the
race car
The drag-and-drop capability to
customize parts and assemblies doesn’t
stop with CAD itself. Software makers
take IronCAD’s core functionality and
build their own product around it. One
example is Fixture Builder, a 3-D design
and modeling product from Renishaw,
a supplier of coordinate measuring
machines and machine tools.
The software is used to create and
document fixturing set-ups. Fixture
Builder’s fixtures have intelligence built-
in because they’re made with and stored
within the IronCAD’s design and catalog
application.
“A designer would import the catalog
model they want to build fixture around,
drop the plate and components into their
piece, and then the export file to show
how someone in the real world would set
up that fixture,” O’Connor says.
And of course, IronCAD is useful as a
company’s primary modeling tool.
When mechanical engineer Andy
Robinson opened his own business,
he turned his love of drag-car racing,
designing and building racecar chassis.
And, while racecar drivers won’t be
thinking of the software behind the
design of their chassis, they’ll certainly
appreciate its ability to hold its own in a
roll.
While Robinson had long worked
with CAD in previous roles, he knew
for Robinson Race Cars, in Hampshire,
England, he’d need a tool anyone on his
team could use.
More importantly, he wanted
an environment where they could
manipulate, change, and alter designs in
3D easily and on the fly, Robinson says.
Soon, he knew that with the help
of CAD technology his company could
resupply car parts and design and build
chassis.
For instance, CAD enabled
Robinson’s team to take a single repair
and develop a standard part, which
he could stock and sell to all in the
industry.
Today, many of the former touring
cars featured in the British Touring
Car Championship are now in the
hands of private clubman racers and,
as Robinson knew, those cars still got
bent and broken most weekends. The
owners—who couldn’t, of course, buy
many vital parts off the shelf—had a
hard time keeping their cars running.
The Kwik Fit British Touring Car
Championship is a touring car racing
series held each year in the United
Kingdom. Touring cars are particularly
suited to racing long distances.
Recently, one such racer came to
Robinson Race Cars with a broken
suspension upright from a Spanish
SEAT touring racecar that needed
repair. A common problem and one that
possibly dozens of drivers were dealing
with across Europe.
Using IronCAD, Andy was able to reverse
engineer the part and create a 3D model
for evaluation. He could then understand
the structure of the upright and look for
weaknesses in the original design. He
then went to several machine shops for
proposals.
Having created the part, Andy was then
able to show it on his website and approach
other SEAT race teams to offer them
replacement uprights.
His love of drag racing got him into this
business, and Robinson hopes he can turn
his attention to supplying those parts as
well. That’s certainly feasible. In 2010, many
European countries began to wake up to
the sport of drag racing, as abandoned
airfields across Poland, Croatia, and Russian
were converted into quarter-mile drag strips.
From its early days in the 1990s,
configuration-based design has become a
stalwart of the design process. While more
and more CAD systems today include at
least parts of the method, IronCAD first
introduced the functionality with its release
in 1998.
And users like Van Keulen and Renishaw
continue to find new ways to put it to work
for them. DW
IronCAD | www.ironcad.com

Renishaw Fixture Builder includes

configuration management functions to
create and document fixturing set-ups in
a number of ways. | Renishaw

DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com   June 2021 159

3D.CAD.6-21_Vs3.LL.indd 159 6/7/21 12:00 PM

 5G TECHNOLOGY WORLD
Delivers the Latest 5G
Technology Trends

5G Technology World is EEWorldOnline’s newest site covering 5G technology,

systems, infrastructure, and wireless design and development.
Get caught up on critical 5G information, check out the following articles on 5GTechnologyWorld.com:

Massive MIMO performance testing:
Emulate the channel
Performing MIMO testing using real-world conditions is
critical for successful 5G deployments.
www.5gtechnologyworld.com/massive-mimo-
performance-testing-emulate-the-channel
5G is hot, keep your components and systems cool
5G’s antennas and the devices that drive them generate
more heat than their LTE predecessors. That creates new
cooling problems for wireless devices and systems.
www.5gtechnologyworld.com/5g-is-hot-keep-your-
components-and-systems-cool

5G moves into production, causes test issues
5G Technology World talks with Teradyne’s Jeorge
Hurtarte, who explains components and over-the-air
production test of 5G components.
www.5gtechnologyworld.com/5g-moves-into-
production-causes-test-issues
IEEE 1588 adds timing performance while reducing
cost and risk
GPS and GNSS have been the standards for network
timing, but they have security issues. A Master clock and
IEEE 1588 reduces the risk and lowers installation costs.
www.5gtechnologyworld.com/ieee-1588-adds-timing-
performance-while-reducing-cost-and-risk

For additional content, go to: www.5gtechnologyworld.com

5G HOUSE AD - 2020.indd 160 6/7/21 12:01 PM

 Medical
www.designworldonline.com A Supplement to Design World - June 2021

The latest standard of

broadband technology
continues to make waves
in 2021. But what about
medtech?

How 5G could
affect MedTech | By Steve Halama on Unsplash

Medical Tips cover 6-21_V1.indd 161 6/4/21 10:59 AM

 M e d i c a l T i p s

The latest standard of

broadband technology
continues to make waves
in 2021. But what about
medtech?

How 5G could
affect MedTech
Sean Whooley | Associate Editor | Medical Design & Outsourcing

A cell tower
| image by Steve Halama on Unsplash

162
June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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WIRELESS TECH COMPANIES such as
Qualcomm predict download speeds
as high as 10 gigabits per second as
next-generation 5G cellular networks
roll out worldwide.
The open question in medtech
is how quickly companies will take
advantage of the super-speedy
connectivity for their products.
“5G is about bringing more capacity
and speed to the pipes,” said Don
Jones, a member of the advisory
council at BrightInsight and a veteran
of the digital healthcare space. Jones
spent more than 11 years building
Qualcomm’s healthcare group.
“What you have to analyze is, ‘Can
healthcare take advantage of what
essentially amounts to these bigger
pipes?’ Because more data can be
shoved through them with more
speed,” Jones said during a recent
interview with Medical Design &
Outsourcing.
Put into practice, those increased
speeds and “pipe” sizes can bring data
together to enable everything from
robotic telesurgery to better decision-
making on vital therapies such as drug
delivery.
An evolution toward 5G
For now, 4G technology adequately
supports telehealth, according to
Philips connected care leader Phil
Raymond. But Raymond expects new
medical technologies to develop as
5G lowers latency and download
delays, plus high bandwidth and high
numbers of connected devices.
“The road to 5G will be an
evolutionary process that will follow
DESIGN WORLD
5G.and.Medtech_Vs3.LL_Med.Tips.Supp.6-21.indd 163
technology rollout and accompanying
new care paradigms that drive
innovative disruption in existing care
models,” Raymond said.
Some 5G-based applications have
already made their way into medtech
as the COVID-19 pandemic sped
up the adoption of telehealth and
remote monitoring.
Wearable biosensor patches and other
wireless technologies, along with the
5G-powered Internet of Things (IoT),
have benefitted from the scale of
cloud storage and computing power
already enabled by 5G, Raymond
noted.
“Wireless connectivity is pervasive
today in healthcare, but with the
advanced capabilities and features
within 5G, it will be a foundational
component of delivering on the
promise of the ‘quadruple aim’ of
enhancing the patient experience,
improving health outcomes,
lowering the cost of care
and improving the work life
of care providers,” he said.
Jones pointed out
that ResMed and Philips
each have 25 million
CPAP machines wirelessly
connected through cell
phone chips on the market
today, indicating that the
structure for a higher level
of connectivity is already in
place.
“The interesting part
is beginning to figure
out ways that [medtech
companies] can use
the communications
www.designworldonline.com
| AdobeStock.com
capabilities to add more services,”
Jones said. “It’s a question of how far
they want to go with the capabilities.”
Ushering in robotic telesurgery
Robotic telesurgery could be one of
the most obvious areas that could
benefit from 5G. Simply put, there’s
a lot of data involved when surgeons
are controlling a robot from a remote
location.
AVRA Medical Robotics CEO Barry
Cohen wrote in an end-of-2020 letter
that as the company looks to meet
modern requirements of robotic-
assisted healthcare, 5G may be a
game-changer.
“The company is exploring remote
operations for its intelligent robotic
system for medical procedures using
the new 5G mobile network at a time
when social distancing, even in the
Dexcom's G6 Pro with a
physician reader. Devices
like this could benefit
from the capabilities
provided by 5G.
Image courtesy of Dexcom
June 2021 163
6/7/21 12:04 PM

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spaces reserved for surgical and medical work,
has never been more important,” Cohen said. “The
effectiveness of 5G has reduced the latency issue
encountered in the early days of remote robotic
surgery operations, a significant and potentially life-
saving improvement.”
Corindus, which Siemens Healthineers acquired
for $1 billion in 2019, has been a pioneer in the
robotic telesurgery space. Former Corindus COO
and current innovation advisor Doug Teany sees
5G enabling the movement of large data packages
with edge computing between a Siemens imaging
system and a Corindus robotic system.
Robotic telesurgery system users could
pull information for a patient, preprocess that
information (with images of the heart or arteries
or other areas) and deliver it in a way that
offers warnings of potential complications or
specifications for a patient’s anatomy.
“Technologies and advancements in image-
guided robotics that are enabled by 5G will truly
change the quality of care you get,” Teany said.
“Then we move to safer, targeted options that are
more prescriptive to the patient themselves, and the
risk of remote care will be removed. We’re excited
about those possibilities.”
Teany acknowledged that cybersecurity poses
a hurdle. Higher levels of security tend to slow
networks down, somewhat negating the impact of
5G. But as advances continue, Teany is optimistic
about overcoming security snags.
“The world is evolving to maneuver around these
continual threats and these continual considerations
for cybersecurity and it’s getting better,” Teany said.
“So, I think we’ll all benefit from that. There’s only a
path forward, not a path backward for the issue of
cybersecurity.”
Enabling more automated insulin delivery
Jones recalls how major diabetes technology
developer Dexcom brought him in years ago to help
move the compmany toward developing connected
devices. The networkable continuous glucose
monitor (CGM) developed by Dexcom, currently the
G6 (with a G7 in development), can connect with
several other insulin- or diabetes-related devices,
like a Bluetooth-connected pen from Novo Nordisk
or a pump from Tandem Diabetes Care.
Faster communications through 5G could help
companies overcome some of the safety challenges
involved in what has been a holy grail for the
diabetes tech space: automated insulin delivery.
“We’re going to have a more complex world of
sensors that are intercommunicating, and that’s
164 June 2021 DESIGN WORLD D
6/7/21 12:05 PM
 where 5G will start to be of help, for
two reasons,” Jones said. “First, in
a local area, the 5G allows a lot of
computing and interconnectivity to
not clog the cellular network. Then,
when it needs to go to the cloud, it
can go much faster.”
Other major medtech companies
including Medtronic anticipate that
5G will make a big difference and are
keeping a close eye on technology
developments.
“From our perspective, the
increased bandwidth, faster speeds
and lower power associated with 5G
cellular networks offer interesting
possibilities for improved connectivity
between pumps, sensors, peripherals,
digital health devices and cloud
services,” said Ali Dianaty, VP of
product innovation for
Medtronic’s diabetes business.
Dianaty told MDO in a statement:
“We continue to monitor technologies
like 5G for the potential impact they
can have on the way we can help
make living with diabetes easier while
producing better outcomes.”

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DESIGN WORLD June 2021 165

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 N 9 5 S h o r t a g e s

3M, others may have

unmasked

166 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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 a solution
to future N95 shortages
A handful of companies THE FACE OF THE NEXT PANDEMIC could be very different than that
of COVID-19, thanks to a handful of companies that have redesigned
including 3M are reusable industrial face masks to better protect healthcare workers
and help prevent mask shortages.

working to ensure that a

The makers of reusable elastomeric half-mask respirators designed
them for industrial use with two inhalation valves flanking an
exhalation valve. The exhalation valve enables wearers to breathe out
scramble for disposable comfortably and keeps the rubber masks from becoming too hot.
Some healthcare workers had been using them during the pandemic,
masks never happens but the FDA became concerned last year about the possibility of
spreading the virus through the exhalation valves.

again. Three companies — 3M, MSA Safety and Dentec Safety Specialists
— recently gained NIOSH approval for elastomeric respirators they
redesigned by either removing the exhalation valve or fitting it with a
new filter and valve to trap the virus inside. HHS plans to buy some of
the redesigned masks.
The proposed fixes may sound easy, but the companies had to
figure out where and how to safely and comfortably channel wearers’
outbreaths without leaving them uncomfortably warm, according to
Nancy Crotti NIOSH.
Managing Editor
Medical Design & Outsourcing How 3M did it
Maplewood, Minn.–based 3M developed a new exhalation filter and
valve to fit its 6000 series of elastomeric half-mask respirators, which
had been used occasionally in healthcare before the pandemic,
according to Nikki Vars McCullough, director of application
engineering and regulatory affairs in the company’s personal safety
3M EVF with 3M 6000 series division.
half facepiece respirator
In addition to selling new respirators, the company wanted to offer
Image courtesy of 3M
the new exhalation filter and valve to those who already owned them.
“That was really important to us because anytime you buy a new
facepiece or a new design, the healthcare workers have to go through

DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com June 2021 167

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 N 9 5 S h o r t a g e s
what’s called a fit test,” McCullough
said. “We didn’t want people who
already had these respirators to
have to go through another fit test.
We didn’t want them to have to go
through new training.”
With the 3M elastomeric half-mask
respirators, it’s possible to remove
the inhalation and exhalation valve
filters and wipe them off, as well as
separately submerging the facepiece
in water for cleaning. “Once the (virus)
particles are captured by air filter
media, they stick to those fibers. They
don’t come back off. They’re really,
really stuck,” McCullough said.
Determining the best filter media
to capture virus particles and still
be comfortable for breathing was
another challenge for 3M. Company
engineers had to make sure the
new exhalation valve filter would
seal properly and that it would not
impede the wearer’s line of sight.
Plus, the company had to develop
new machines to manufacture the
new exhalation valve filter and scale
that manufacturing capability to meet
demand.
NIOSH approved the product in
January 2021, and 3M has begun
selling it to healthcare providers.
168 June 2021
3M.others.prepare.for.next.pandemic_Vs3.LL_Med.Tips.6-21.indd 168
TOP: Dentec white elastomeric respirator
for healthcare use.
BOTTOM: Dentec black elastomeric
respirator for healthcare or industrial use
Images courtesy of Dentec
“NIOSH hadn’t really approved an
accessory like this before. These were
not ever needed before,” McCullough
said. “This was a solution that we
came up with in a short period of
time. I’m very proud of it.”
Smaller companies take up the
challenge
MSA Safety, based near Pittsburgh in
Cranberry, Pa., developed a half-mask
respirator with no exhalation valve
for use in healthcare settings. MSA
also worked with Allegheny Health
Network, a 12-hospital system based
in Pittsburgh, to test the masks.
MSA engineers had to figure out how
to redirect exhaled breath through European medical approvals, Frund
the inhalation filters at the same high said.
filtration level while ensuring the Meanwhile, Allegheny Health has
breathing resistance was still low, switched its entire staff to MSA’s
according to Zane Frund, executive elastomeric half-mask respirators.
director of product research and It is working with NIOSH (as is the
development for the company. University of Maryland) to develop
To test its reusability, MSA staff also best practice guidelines for other
immersed their respirator in several healthcare organizations to use them.
types of disinfecting solutions for up
to two weeks, then reassessed it Making masks personal
for fit and function, Frund said. A third company, Dentec Safety
NIOSH approval, which typically Specialists (Newmarket, Ontario),
takes a few months, took just has been making elastomeric half-
weeks for MSA’s healthcare- mask respirators for industrial use for
appropriate respirator, MSA 40 years in its Lenexa, Kan., factory,
Advantage 290. The according to president Claudio Dente.
company has since sold it Dentec designed its new Comfort-
to more than 20 hospitals AirNx series with two-way filtration
and hospital networks in the through the same filters rather than
U.S. and Canada and is working having a separate exhalation filter.
with a medical consultant on To test it out, company employees
MSA Safety Advantage 290 elastomeric respirator for
healthcare. Image courtesy of MSA Safety
www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD
6/7/21 12:12 PM
 wore the new mask and measured the
temperature inside it at 45-second,
one-, two-, five- and 10-minute
intervals to see how quickly it heated
up. They concluded it was more
comfortable to wear than a disposable
respirator.
The mask wearer then walked at a
brisk pace for 500 steps, simulating a
healthcare worker’s movement, then
breathed hard for 20 breaths and did
temperature readings inside the mask
five and 10 minutes later. Repeated
tests showed the ComfortAir Nx
MD elastomeric mask produced a
temperature slightly below that of
a disposable N95 mask without an
exhalation valve, according to the
company.
“It’s all about how hard it is to
breathe,” Dente said. “We wanted to
measure the heat buildup inside the
mask versus an N95 disposable versus
a 3-ply disposable surgical mask.”
The new mask’s material is also
different. When the virus first hit
New York City and the country
shut down, people frantically called
and emailed Dentec, begging for
respirators. Dente watched the TV
coverage of overwhelmed hospitals
and PPE-encased workers hovering
unrecognizably over sick and dying
patients and vowed to do something
— manufacture new respirators out of
white elastomeric rubber instead of
the usual black.
“I made it in white on purpose so
you can write a message,” Dente

LEFT: Woman wearing MSA Safety

Advantage 290 elastomeric respirator
for healthcare
RIGHT: Man wearing MSA Safety
Advantage 290 elastomeric respirator
for healthcare
Image from MSA Safety

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 N 9 5 S h o r t a g e s

explained. “You can say, ‘I care for “In addition, elastomeric masks can
you.’ It was about having to have be stored for future surges and should
some type of humanity.” be considered an essential part of all
healthcare facilities’ supply of personal
Uncle Sam is buying protective equipment,” the Allegheny
In mid-February 2021, the U.S. Health researchers reported in an
Department of Health and Human article published in September in
Services posted a request for bids to the Journal of the American College
supply the Strategic National Stockpile of Surgeons. “Implementation of
with 375,000 elastomeric half-mask the program has eliminated our
respirators that meet the new NIOSH dependence on disposable N95s to
requirements. 3M, MSA Safety and maintain normal operations during the
Dentec Safety Specialists all submitted global pandemic.”
bids by the March 17 deadline. HHS
has yet to award the contract(s).
NIOSH will send a portion of the
respirators it buys under the contract
to about 90 healthcare organizations
to test the best practice guidelines
Our hope is, by offering these elastomerics
drawn up by Allegheny Health and the and the powered air-purifying respirators ...
University of Maryland, according to
Maryann D’Alessandro, who directs
there's some relief provided to the inventory
the National Personal Protective of respirators to the healthcare organization.
Technology Laboratory for NIOSH in
Pittsburgh. NIOSH will then use that
information to draw up best practices
for healthcare providers nationwide.
“Our hope is, by offering these
elastomerics and the powered air-
purifying respirators and putting
some good best practice guidelines
in place for hospitals … there’s some
relief provided to the inventory
of respirators to the healthcare
organization,” D’Alessandro said.
HHS acknowledged that these
elastomeric masks cost more than
disposables, but also noted that they
last much longer. As part of its study,
Allegheny Health concluded that the
cost of the reusable masks was 10
times less per month than disposable
N95s and that the cost-benefit
increased the longer they are needed.

170
June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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 MEDICAL MEDICAL Eagle Stainless Tube &
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leading supplier of ultra high precision, cut-to-length,
stainless steel tubing, nickel alloys, and alluminum
for medical, electronic, semiconductor industrial, and
aerospace applications.

ISO 13485 & ISO 9001 certifications have reinforced

Eagle’s commitment to each and every customer
to provide the ultimate in quality, service and reliability.

• Tubing - Hypodermic, Fractional, Metric and Pipe

• Bar Stock
• Custom Sizes and Shapes Eagle Stainless Tube &
• Custom Fabrication Fabrication Inc.
• Precision Cut-to-length 10 Discovery Way
• Laser Welding & Cutting Franklin, MA 02038
• CNC and more!
E-mail: info@eagletube.com
At Eagle we welcome the opportunity to share our www.eagletube.com
expertise in developing product concepts and helping
you solve your engineering problems. Tel: 1-800-528-8650
Fax: 508-520-1954

DC Motor-Driven Pumps

Nitto Kohki’s DC motor-driven air compressors and vacuum pumps are ideal
for applications requiring exceptionally reliable air flow, pressure or vacuum
performance. Featuring oil-free operation, a single moving part, low noise,
and low vibration, this line of linear air compressors comes in 12V and 24V
models. Other benefits include:

• Very low power consumption

• Self-cooling design
• Exceptional service life (rated at 10,000 hours)
• Easy maintenance

Ideal for demanding applications in the medical device and laboratory

equipment industry, including dialysis machines, blood separators, blood NITTO KOHKI U.S.A., INC.
analyzers, incubators, heart assist devices and more. 46 Chancellor Drive
Roselle, IL 60172

Toll Free: (800) 843 6336

Phone: (630) 924 8811
Fax: (630) 924 0808
E-mail: info-pumps@nittokohki.com
www.nittokohki.com

DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com June 2021 171

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 MEDICAL Comprehensive Engineered
Mechanical Solutions
SDP/SI creates engineered mechanical and
electromechanical solutions for the most highly-regarded
names in the medical industry. Manufacturing high-
precision gears and mechanical components we meet and
surpass customer expectations. SDP/SI’s combination of design,
manufacturing and assembly capabilities allows us to meet the
critical tolerances and functionality needs that the medical device
and healthcare industries require.

• Custom Gears and Gearboxes

• Miniature Timing Belt and Pulley Drives
• Custom Subassemblies for Integration into Larger Systems
• Engineering Assistance
• Precision CNC Machining
• ISO 7 Class 1000 Cleanroom for Assembly
• Long Term Agreements and Project Management Stock Drive Products/Sterling Instrument (SDP/SI)
• Established 1950 250 Duffy Avenue, Hicksville, NY 11801

https://www.sdp-si.com
Send an RFQ, we can quote from your drawing or
sdp-sisupport@sdp-si.com
3D model. We look forward to working with you!
(516) 328-3300

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Sponsorship opportunities are available for future

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172 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

Medical Tips 6-21_Vs1.indd 172 6/7/21 12:29 PM

 Product World
Intelligent and simple variable
frequency drive
Danfoss
danfoss.com

The VLT AutomationDrive EZ FC 321 provides variable speed control of all asynchronous
and permanent magnet motors, on any industrial machine or production line and is packed
with standard features with no special configuration or customization required. Save energy,
improve flexibility, and optimize processes with this intelligent yet simple variable frequency
drive designed for easy stocking and fast turnaround.
Inductive proximity
Supply voltages and power range sensors
• 3 x 200 – 240 V...................... 0.33 HP – 100 HP
AutomationDirect
• 3 x 380 – 480/500 V............. 0.5 HP – 200 HP
automationdirect.com
• 3 x 525 – 600 V..................... 1 HP – 100 HP
• 3 x 575 – 690 V..................... 125 HP – 200 HP
There is now a variety of new ProSense inductive
proximity sensors. Added are 8mm triple-sensing
Features:
inductive proximity sensors in flush and non-flush
• Rugged and reliable: VLT AutomationDrive EZ FC 321 is
mounting options, which can detect ferrous metals
a proven performer in all industrial environments and
up to a distance of 6mm.
grid voltages, including 690V. Enclosures are available
Also new are inductive proximity sensors with
up to NEMA 4X (depending on model), and integrated
a metal face to provide more durable protection,
DC chokes and RFI filters in all models protect
with environmental ratings of IP65/66/67/68 and
installations by minimizing harmonic distortion and
IP69K. They are available in 8mm, 12mm, 18mm,
electromagnetic interferences. All drives are tested at full
and 30mm barrel sizes, with convenient M8 or M12
load before leaving the factory.
quick-disconnect connections.

• Flexible and expandable: With a flexible modular design, the AutomationDrive

EZ FC 321 has standard features which can be expanded with plug-and-play options
with additional features and fieldbuses. Safe Torque-Off is a standard safety feature
that can be applied through hardwired safety.

• Printed circuit board protection: Drives up to 100 HP come standard with class
3C2 coating (acc. IEC 60721-3-3). Drives 125 HP and above come standard with
3C3 coating.

DESIGN WORLD www.designworldonline.com June 2021 173

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 Product World
Photoelectric sensors EtherCAT terminal for direct
provide condition connection of inductive
monitoring data displacement sensors
Balluff Beckhoff
Balluff.com beckhoff.com

These photoelectric sensors The EL5072 EtherCAT Terminal from Beckhoff enables direct connection
with condition monitoring deliver of up to two inductive displacement sensors, including transducers
capabilities not yet seen before in LVDT and half-bridge designs or inductive angular position sensors
in the market. In addition to in the RVDT version. This means that precise position and distance
providing solid photoelectric measurements, such as in-process control or the control of joining
sensing, they provide the processes, are possible in a compact, finely scalable, and cost-effective
condition monitoring and format. The EL5072 measures just 12 mm wide for space-saving
advanced IO-Link features of the installation in the standard EtherCAT I/O system.
Smart Automation and Monitoring Displacement measurement is one of the most important metrological
System (SAMS) portfolio, meant tasks — in the industrial production environment, and in infrastructure
to eliminate downtime by simplifying troubleshooting, monitoring. Examples include the measurement and inspection of
changeover, and setup of machines. workpiece geometry, the monitoring of press-fit and joining processes,
All new SAMS products, including these new inline quality assurance, and building monitoring. With the EL5072
photoelectric sensors, are self-monitoring, providing internal EtherCAT Terminal, all commercially available inductive measuring probes
environmental data in real-time, including temperature can be integrated into the standard control platform and evaluated
monitoring, relative humidity, inclination detection, and without great effort.
vibration monitoring. The sensor’s signal quality is displayed
on LEDs on the sensor, and operating hours and time
functions are available using IO-Link.

Two new photoelectric sensors are now available:

• BOS0285 – a diffuse sensor with triangulation and a laser
red light making it suitable for small part detection thanks
to background suppression

• BOS0286 – a retroflective sensor with an LED, which can

reliably detect clear objects

Features:
• IO-Link V1.1 (Smart Sensor Profile 2)
• Designed for harsh ambient conditions.
• Various operating modes for demanding object detection.
• The sensor monitors itself and its environment:
temperature, humidity, vibration, inclination,
contamination, function reserve.

174 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

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 For further information about products on these pages visit
the Design World website @ www.designworldonline.com

Connector with 360° shielding

for sensor and robotic
applications
Binder
binder-connector.us

The Series 718 portfolio has been expanded with the compact molded M8 circular
connector. The connector has a new type of 360° EMC shielding, used for the
first time in this environment. This shielding ensures reliable protection against
EMI in even the most challenging environments, making this connector suitable
for sophisticated sensor and machine vision technologies, and conveyor systems,
robotics, and other industrial applications.
The M8 cable connector is among the smaller size and lighter weight offerings,
providing an option for applications with high-performance needs where space is
limited (and will likely decrease even more in the future).

Highlights:
• binder series: 718
• Pin counts: 3, 4, 6 or 8
• Degree of protection: IP67
• Lifetime > 100 mating cycles
• Cable: PVC or PUR (length customized per customer requirements)

Diaphragm liquid pump

KNF
KNFusa.com

The FP 70 further expands the series of smooth flow liquid pumps. This product line combines
the low pulsation of a gear or centrifugal pump with the strengths and advantages of
diaphragm pumps. The versatile FP 70 is available with a selection
The KNF FP 70 delivers up to 850 ml/min while producing up to 29.4 PSIG (2 bar) pressure of motors to match the functionality and lifetime
under continuous operation. Thanks to the patented 4-point valves, the KNF FP 70 is reliably requirements of the application — from high-end
self-priming, even at very low motor speeds. It also can safely run dry, handles liquid transfer BLDC to lower-end DC motors. Depending on the
gently and cleanly, and is available with chemically resistant flow path materials. Thanks to operating parameters, the high-end BLDC motor
the integration of pulsation dampening technology, there is no need for additional pulsation achieves a lifetime of more than 20,000 hours.
dampening elements and tubing when using the KNF FP 70, thus reducing space requirements
versus a pump-plus-damper approach.

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 Ad Index
SALES

AllMotion ...........................................4 Keystone Electronics Corp ........3 Ryan Ashdown Jim Powers
rashdown@wtwhmedia.com jpowers@wtwhmedia.com
Altech Corporation ........... Cover,1 Kingway USA ............................... 34 216.316.6691 312.925.7793
Altra Industrial Mach III ............................................ 61 @jpowers_media
Jami Brownlee
Motion Corp. .......... 21,22,23,24 Miki Pulley U.S. ............................. 16 jbrownlee@wtwhmedia.com Courtney Nagle
224.760.1055 cseel@wtwhmedia.com
Automation24, Inc. ....................... 9 Nason ............................................. 37 440.523.1685
AutomationDirect ......................IFC NB Corporation ............................. 11 Mike Caruso @wtwh_CSeel
mcaruso@wtwhmedia.com
Azoth ............................................... 19 Novotechnik .................................44 469.855.7344
Bison Gear .....................................151 OKW Enclosures, Inc. ................. 17 LEADERSHIP TEAM
Mary Ann Cooke
Bodine Electric Company ........ 43 PBC Linear .................................... 55 mcooke@wtwhmedia.com Publisher
781.710.4659
Canfield Connector ....................44 Regent Controls/ Mike Emich
memich@wtwhmedia.com
CGI Inc. ........................................... 29 Carlyle Johnson ....................59 Bill Crowley 508.446.1823
bcrowley@wtwhmedia.com
Clippard ......................................... BC RIGOL Technologies ................... 31 610.420.2433
@wtwh_memich

CMT .................................................39 ROLEC Enclosures Inc. ............. 35 Jim Dempsey

Managing Director
Scott McCafferty
Computer Aided Smalley Steel Ring ...................... 41 jdempsey@wtwhmedia.com smccafferty@wtwhmedia.com
216.387.1916
Technology ............................. 62 Smart Products USA .................. 51 310.279.3844
@SMMcCafferty
Del-tron ........................................ 149 The Lee Company .........................2 Mike Francesconi
mfrancesconi@wtwhmedia.com EVP
DeviceTalks ...................................49 Trim-Lok ......................................... 25 630.488.9029 Marshall Matheson
Digi-Key ........................................... 15 WAGO Corporation .................... 47 Neel Gleason
mmatheson@wtwhmedia.com
805.895.3609
ebm-papst .......................................7 Whittet-Higgins ........................... 27 ngleason@wtwhmedia.com @mmatheson
312.882.9867
igus ................................................ IBC Zero-Max, Inc ..................................5 @wtwh_ngleason
Interpower .....................................38

The Robot Report - RBR50

6 River Systems ......................... 74 IDS Imaging Development .....70

Alpha Wire .................................. 130
CS Hyde Company ..................... 71
FAULHABER MICROMO .......... 98
FUTEK Advanced Sensor
Technology, Inc. ....................67
Geek + ...........................................76
Harmonic Drive .......................... 118
HBK Worldwide ......................... 120
IKO International ...................... 126
Lucid Vision Labs Inc .............. 69
MOTUS LABS .............................. 72 FOLLOW US ON
Schunk ........................................ 108
SICK, Inc. ..................................... 132
Follow the whole team on twitter @DesignWorld
Sumitomo Machinery ............... 77
THK America .............................. 104 DESIGN WORLD does not pass judgment on subjects of controversy nor enter into
dispute with or between any individuals or organizations. DESIGN WORLD is also an
ULC Robotics .............................124 independent forum for the expression of opinions relevant to industry issues. Letters
to the editor and by-lined articles express the views of the author and not necessarily

HighRes Biosolutions ............ 100 University of Maryland .......... 138

of the publisher or the publication. Every effort is made to provide accurate informa-
tion; however, publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy of submitted advertising
and editorial information. Non-commissioned articles and news releases cannot be ac-
knowledged. Unsolicited materials cannot be returned nor will this organization assume
responsibility for their care.

DESIGN WORLD does not endorse any products, programs or services of advertisers

Medical Tips Supplement or editorial contributors. Copyright© 2021 by WTWH Media, LLC. No part of this publica-
tion may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or by
recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission
from the publisher.

Eagle Stainless Tube ............................ 164 Subscription Rates: Free and controlled circulation to qualified subscribers. Non-
qualified persons may subscribe at the following rates: U.S. and possessions: 1 year:
Nitto Kohki USA ...................................... 165 $125; 2 years: $200; 3 years: $275; Canadian and foreign, 1 year: $195; only US funds
are accepted. Single copies $15 each. Subscriptions are prepaid, and check or money
Stock Drive Products/ orders only.

Sterling Instrument ................... 169 Subscriber Services: To order a subscription or change your address,
please email: designworld@omeda.com, or visit our web site at
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DESIGN WORLD (ISSN 1941-7217) is published monthly by:

WTWH Media, LLC; 1111 Superior Ave., Suite 2600,
Cleveland, OH 44114. Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland,
OH & additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Design World,

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176 June 2021 www.designworldonline.com DESIGN WORLD

AD INDEX_6-21_Vs1.indd 176 6/11/21 9:34 AM

 Online 3D-print service for
wear-resistant parts
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Upload your step file

Choose your material

and part quantity

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 Precision
Control Solutions
Designing efficient systems involves much more than
simply understanding a few basic principles. There is
a true art to balancing the specific requirements of an
application in order to achieve the desired goals in
the best possible way. Help us understand the unique
needs of your application and together, we’ll develop
something that surpasses what any of us could have
done alone.

Contact your distributor to learn more,

or visit clippard.com to request a free
catalog and capabilities brochure.

• Electronic Valves • Toggle & Stem Valves • Special Manifold Designs

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