Se­cur­ity in the field of op­er­at­ive tech­no­logy (OT) is prov­ing it­self to be a de­cis­ive re­quire­ment for se­cure data col­lec­tion, which is of cru­cial im­port­ance when it comes to im­ple­ment­ing di­git­al­iz­a­tion projects and op­tim­iz­ing pro­duc­tion pro­cesses. At the same time, norm­at­ive re­quire­ments on the cy­ber se­cur­ity of ma­chines, sys­tems and com­pan­ies are be­com­ing stricter. PI (PROFIB­US & PROFINET In­ter­na­tion­al) already real­ized some time ago that the un­der­ly­ing re­quire­ments in OT se­cur­ity are of ut­most im­port­ance. Step-by-step spe­cific­a­tions, proofs of concept and guidelines were de­veloped by tech­nic­al work­ing groups. This pro­cess makes it pos­sible to ad­apt the scope in a man­age­able and flex­ible way.

Im­port­ant steps to­wards im­ple­ment­a­tion

PROFINET Se­cur­ity Class 1 has now transitioned to con­crete im­ple­ment­a­tion. For this pur­pose, PI es­tab­lished in­fra­struc­ture for the sign­ing of GSDs (Gen­er­al Sta­tion De­scrip­tion files, a de­scrip­tion of an IO device in­clud­ing con­fig­ur­a­tion, para­met­ers and dia­gnost­ic­al in­form­a­tion). The ba­sic ele­ments for Se­cur­ity Classes 2 and 3 have been defined in the most re­cent spe­cific­a­tions and in­clude a defin­i­tion of crypto-al­gorithms and cer­ti­fic­ate hand­ling, among oth­er things. This means that hard­ware and firm­ware pro­du­cers have already been able to get star­ted with de­vel­op­ment. At present, the fi­nal func­tions –some of which have also been de­rived from IEC62443 – are be­ing spe­cified in de­tail, in­clud­ing se­cur­ity re­port­ing.

As ex­pec­ted by both mem­bers and users alike, PI is es­tab­lish­ing cer­ti­fic­a­tion along­side this. The res­ult will be ap­plic­able and re­cog­nized se­cur­ity tech­no­logy which meets the re­spect­ive re­quire­ments and has been de­veloped in close co­oper­a­tion with man­u­fac­tur­ers, users and rel­ev­ant in­sti­tu­tions and au­thor­it­ies. With this con­crete pro­gress, PI is mak­ing a valu­able con­tri­bu­tion to the strength­en­ing of cy­ber se­cur­ity in the OT field and is also help­ing to make the di­git­al trans­form­a­tion in in­dustry more se­cure. 

Endress+Hauser has completed the announced change at the top of the Group: The 54-year-old Dr Peter Selders has taken over the CEO position at the Swiss specialist for measurement technology and automation solutions. He holds a doctorate in physics, has been with the company since 2004 and was previously managing director of the competence center for level and pressure measurement technology based in Maulburg, Germany. He is only the fourth CEO in the Group’s 70-year history.

His predecessor Matthias Altendorf (56) is moving to the Supervisory Board after 10 years at the helm. In 2014, he became the first non-family CEO to succeed Dr Klaus Endress. He is now replacing the 75-year-old as president of the Supervisory Board. In future, two members of the third generation will represent the interests of the shareholder family: In addition to Sandra Genge, Steven Endress, a grandson of the company founder, joined the board on 1 January 2024. 

Peter Selders has been succeeded at Endress+Hauser Level+Pressure by Dr Dirk Mörmann (50), who was previously head of technology and a member of the management board. Endress+Hauser had already announced all these changes to the public in February 2023.

PI USA signed a contract to build a new 119,575 square foot facility in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. This is three times the size of the current US sites in Auburn, MA, Hopkinton, MA and Nashua, NH combined. Starting in 2025, PI will use the new facility to manufacture components and system solutions for motion, precision positioning and piezo applications for the North American market, as well as to drive the development of innovative technologies and products.

“Over the past five years, the annual turnover of PI USA has grown by more than 10 percent. At the same time, production in the USA could be increased by 30 to 50 percent each year,” says Markus Spanner, CEO of the PI Group. “With this new production facility, we lay the foundation based on which we will be able to meet the sturdy growth of the American markets and to manufacture an increasing proportion of our products directly locally. This will enable us to meet customer requests more flexibly and quickly.” 

Expanding local production and innovations

With core competencies in nanopositioning, piezo technology and performance automation, PI has become an established supplier to companies in the industrial automation, photonics, semiconductor, microscopy and life sciences markets. Markus Spanner is convinced that only the CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to create incentives for semiconductor production, and the Inflation Reduction Act, which actively promotes the establishment of companies in the USA, will lead to sustainable growth in these markets.

After completion of the new facility in Shrewsbury, production will continue at the current sites for a transitional period. Ultimately, the new facility will offer the opportunity to manufacture additional products such as piezo motors and tip/tilt systems for the photonics market segment. At the same time, the new building will expand the company's development capacity for innovative system solutions in the USA. The new facility is part of the largest investment programme in the Group's history. The PI Group is currently investing more than sixty-three million euros in expanding its production capacity worldwide.
 

Yokogawa Europe B.V. announces that Seita Hagihara has been appointed as the new president of the Yokogawa regional headquarters for Europe as of January 1. Hagihara succeeds Takayuki Matsubara, who will be moving into the role of CEO in Yokogawa Group company KBC.

After studying Economics & Geography at the University College of London, Hagihara began his career as a sales engineer at Yokogawa Electric Corporation in Tokyo, Japan. He can look back on 26 years of experience in various roles at Yokogawa, ranging from sales to finance and global major account management.

International experience

In 2021, Hagihara was appointed vice president of System Sales & Sales Operation at Yokogawa Corporation of America. Based in Texas, his responsibilities included leading system sales, business development, proposals, and sales operations from Canada to Central America, as well as supervisory management of Yokogawa Mexico. In addition, he led the regional Energy & Sustainability business.
With effect from January 1, 2024, Seita Hagihara will be in overall charge of managing Yokogawa’s operations in Europe from the Yokogawa Europe headquarters in The Netherlands.

“I am incredibly excited to return to Europe after almost a decade and truly honored to be the new President of Yokogawa in Europe where I will be devoting all my energies to working with customers to help them achieve their sustainability and business goals. Over the last two years, the European region has continued to experience its fair share of challenges. These include the climate crisis and high domestic energy costs affecting the daily lives of all Europeans and also industry. 

At Yokogawa, we strive to contribute with solutions, in line with Yokogawa’s Purpose, a statement that reads, ‘Utilizing our ability to measure and connect, we fulfill our responsibilities for the future of our planet.’ 
My goal is to support Yokogawa’s growth as the leading company in decarbonization and energy efficiency, boosting the competitiveness of European manufacturing,” states Seita Hagihara.

Dr Michael Berger has been appointed Managing Director of IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH with effect from 1 January. After 27 years at the helm, Jürgen Hartmann, founder and shareholder of the industrial camera manufacturer, is stepping down. The generational change at the Obersulm-based machine vision specialist has been successfully completed with the appointment of 42-year-old Berger to the IDS management team. In future, Berger will be responsible for sales, marketing, product management and system consulting. Jan Hartmann, son of the founder, will now be responsible for Finance, Human Resources, IT and Business Innovation & Ecosystem, while Alexander Lewinsky will take over Development in addition to his previous responsibilities in Operations. Jürgen Hartmann is handing over the management of the operational business and will advise the family business in the areas of technology and innovation as Chief Innovation Manager. He will remain managing partner of Hartmann Holding GmbH.

Dr Michael Berger studied business administration at the University of Bayreuth and obtained his doctorate in sales and market management at the University of Constance. He was most recently General Manager of Li-Ion Cells at VARTA AG. A clear market orientation always characterises his actions. "The product portfolio of IDS has an enormous market potential that needs to be exploited to the full," says Michael Berger, who is looking forward to his new role.

It was important for Jürgen Hartmann to prepare early and carefully for the handover of management responsibility in his own company. With the promotion of his son Jan to the Management Board and the appointment of Alexander Lewinsky in 2021, he initiated this step four years ago. "Continuity and reliability are particularly important to us in relation to our partners and customers. Everything has its time, and after more than 40 years of working life, it's time for me to take another step back," says Jürgen Hartmann, explaining his decision. The 61-year-old industry pioneer, who is regarded as the father of the USB interface for industrial cameras, will continue to "support where desired and help where necessary" in the company founded by him, as he says. His main focus will continue to be on the development area. 

In his new role, Mr. Puccio will set ADI’s financial strategy and lead the company’s global finance operations. Mr. Puccio will report to CEO and Chair Vincent Roche.

“Rich brings tremendous experience and capability from his more than three decades of leading financial advisory and high-growth business operations activities in complex technology sectors, and this makes him a great addition to ADI’s leadership team. We welcome Rich’s sharp business acumen to enable ADI to accelerate the effectiveness of our operations in a world of increasing opportunity and complexity,” said Vincent Roche, ADI’s CEO and Chair. “I would also like to thank Jim Mollica for his partnership and contribution as interim CFO, and I look forward to Jim’s continued leadership in ADI’s finance organization,” continued Mr. Roche. 

Mr. Puccio joins ADI from Amazon Web Services (AWS), a leading global cloud and technology services provider, where he served as CFO. In his role at AWS, Mr. Puccio partnered closely with the business to manage more than 200 fully featured services, including compute, storage, databases, robotics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, and security, among many other technologies. Prior to his role at AWS, Mr. Puccio was at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for nearly 29 years, where he served as a partner for over two decades. During his tenure at PwC, Mr. Puccio primarily served clients in the global technology, semiconductor, and semiconductor capital equipment industries.

“With its innovative spirit, amazing talent, and dedication to enriching lives and the world around us, ADI has exceptionally strong growth potential. I’m delighted to be joining ADI as the company’s new CFO and look forward to bringing my digital, software, and platform experience to the company as we play an increasingly important role in creating the Intelligent Edge and driving new levels of shareholder value,” said Mr. Puccio.

Mr. Puccio earned his BA in Economics from Harvard University and his MBA from Boston University.
 

Ro­bot­ics is a key theme at HAN­NOV­ER MESSE. Ro­bots of all shapes and sizes - from in­dus­tri­al ro­bots and co­bots to autonom­ous mo­bile ro­bots - are on dis­play throughout the ex­hib­i­tion grounds. A spe­cial high­light this year is the Ap­plic­a­tion Park in Hall 5, which has a strong part­ner in the Ger­man Ro­bot­ics As­so­ci­ation (DRV). The DRV's mis­sion is to pro­mote and sup­port the use of ro­bot­ics in Ger­many. There is un­doubtedly po­ten­tial in this area, giv­en the short­age of skilled work­ers in Ger­many, which ranks fifth in the world be­hind China, Ja­pan, Korea and the US.

"With the ro­bot­ics ex­perts from DRV, we have part­ners at our side with whom we will fur­ther build on the top­ic of ro­bot­ics, in con­junc­tion with that of auto­ma­tion, at HAN­NOV­ER MESSE. There is no bet­ter place in the world to show­case the di­verse ex­amples of ro­bot­ic ap­plic­a­tions," says Hubertus von Mon­schaw, Glob­al Dir­ect­or HAN­NOV­ER MESSE at Deutsche Messe AG. 

En­gage with new tech­no­lo­gies

Young ro­bot­ics com­pan­ies and start-ups in par­tic­u­lar will be demon­strat­ing the wide range of ap­plic­a­tions for ro­bots and the in­ter­ac­tion between hu­mans, ma­chines and ar­ti­fi­cial in­tel­li­gence in the Ap­plic­a­tion Park. Vis­it­ors will be able to see and try out ro­bot­ic auto­ma­tion for them­selves. One of the high­lights will be driver­less trans­port sys­tems, which will demon­strate how many activ­it­ies will no longer re­quire a driver in the fu­ture. 

"This ex­hib­i­tion plat­form of­fers vis­it­ors to HAN­NOV­ER MESSE a unique op­por­tun­ity to en­gage with new tech­no­lo­gies and learn how ro­bot­ics, AI and auto­ma­tion can help solve the enorm­ous chal­lenges fa­cing in­dustry," en­thuses Helmut Schmid, CEO of the DRV. 

The Portescap portfolio presented at R-24 in Odense is designed to meet the demanding requirements of modern robotics, with miniature brushed DC, brushless DC and stepper motors designed for high efficiency, low power consumption and maximum power density in a wide range of environmental conditions. These solutions provide an optimal balance of torque and speed, improving overall performance and reducing cycle time. Portescap's customisation capabilities are also noteworthy, with options such as temperature probes for thermal management, special materials, connectors, custom coil designs, shaft lengths and mechanical integration choices.

Fellow Regal Rexnord brand Kollmorgen will be co-exhibiting with Portescap at R-24. This joint exhibit underscores the strong partnership and synergies between our brands and demonstrates the strong portfolio in Hall A at booth 1705 from March 13 to 15.

Siemens is innovating the well-established Sinamics S210 servo drive system with a new hardware architecture and new V6 software generation that expand the system's range of applications. The servo drive system is especially suitable for applications with high dynamics in the power range between 50 W and 7 kW: for example, machines for packaging, pick & place applications, and digital printing.
To make it even easier to control individual axes in the future, the new generation of the Sinamics S210 comes with a second encoder interface and offers the option to connect a direct measuring system to compensate for mechanical looseness and tolerances. This significantly increases precision, which makes more applications possible. 

New security functions

With its Basic and Extended Safety Integrated functions, the new Sinamics S210 ensures the comprehensive implementation of the safety concept in the machine and meets the requirements of SIL3 (EN 61508) and PL e (EN ISO 13849-1). Another new feature of the system is the Security Integrated functions that ensure greater safety in industrial systems with user management and access protection. 

Robust in aggressive production environments

In addition to Profinet IRT, the Sinamics S210 now offers communication via EtherNet/IP. This means that third-party controllers can also be connected to the servo system, which significantly increases the range of applications, especially in the U.S. market. With the new 3C3 (H₂S and SO₂) coating, the new generation is extremely robust and can resist aggressive environmental influences like sulfur gases. This means that the servo system also guarantees high system availability and productivity under difficult production conditions: for example, in the tire industry. 

The EPOS single positioner is now also available as a technology function for the Sinamics S210. With this function module, high-precision motion control positioning tasks can be implemented quickly and easily in the converter because positioning tasks can be calculated directly in the drive. This reduces computing power in the controller, which can instead calculate more complex tasks or a larger number of drive axes.

Simulating motion control

The new generation also enables the simulation of motion control applications. Using the DriveSim Advanced simulation software, a digital twin of the Sinamics S210 can now also be created in the TIA Portal. This can be used to virtually commission the drive system in advance and perform engineering tasks. Requirements for the processes in the drive train can therefore be ensured cost-effectively and efficiently. In addition, the digital twin offers the opportunity to create virtual training courses and demonstrations and to optimize real machines by eliminating problems in the drive train, which are simulated with the digital twin. 
 

Nanotec presents the PD1-C, a stepper motor with integrated controller and encoder. In a 28 mm flange size (NEMA 11), this compact smart servo achieves a maximum holding torque of 18 Ncm and a peak current of 3 A. Three motor versions are available: one with protection class IP20, a version with IP65 and a motor with open housing that can be modified for applications with customer-specific connectors.

Single-turn encoder

A CANopen and a Modbus RTU interface facilitate parameterisation, and Nanotec's free Plug & Drive Studio software ensures user-friendly programming. The PD1-C's single-turn absolute encoder further enhances performance through closed-loop control. The compact design of this stepper motor makes it ideal for applications where space is at a premium, effectively reducing both wiring complexity and installation costs.
 

With the BSCL (Ball Rail System Compact Line), Bosch Rexroth has expanded its portfolio, adding a versatile, high-quality linear guide. The new product family for applications with lower performance requirements complements the BSHP high-precision range. The economical guides are particularly suitable for use in assembly and handling tasks as well as for woodworking systems or in machine tools. With six sizes from 15 to 45, six runner block designs, three pre-load classes and the three accuracy classes N, H and P, the new BSCL product family covers a broad range of applications. The C100dyn load capacity is up to 79,200 N, while the maximum speed is 5 m/s. The new BSCL ball rail systems close the gap between high-precision ball rail systems and simpler guide rail systems such as linear bushings or cam roller guides. 

Digital engineering, quick delivery and installation

Like all linear guides from Bosch Rexroth, the BSCL ball rail system can be selected, configured and ordered online quickly and easily using modern e-tools. The global Rexroth network ensures quick delivery and maximum availability. The profiled rail systems in the new range are available in lengths of up to four meters in one piece and can easily be shortened to the desired length using simple tools. After cutting to length, the ends only need to be deburred – there is no need for time-consuming chamfering. In addition, precision rails and runner blocks of the same size can be combined with each other as required. This makes logistics easier and reduces the work involved if servicing is required.

Long service life reduces maintenance costs

The sealing concept of the runner blocks prevents chips and other contaminants from infiltrating the runner blocks, thus helping to ensure a long service life. The runner blocks are supplied with initial lubrication and can be relubricated from both end caps. The design with eight lubrication points gives users greater freedom. Front seals, scraper plates and front lube units are available as accessories.
 

c3controls has launched a new line of In­dus­tri­al Power Sup­plies that provide stable, low voltage power for equip­ment that re­quires con­trol with­in elec­tric­al pan­els and en­clos­ures. The new Series IPS power sup­plies de­liv­er up to 93% ef­fi­ciency, the best in its class among com­par­able devices, and are avail­able in out­put power ranges from 60W to 480W and voltage op­tions in 12, 24 and 48V. Ideal for reg­u­lat­ing power loads in res­id­en­tial, com­mer­cial and in­dus­tri­al ap­plic­a­tions such as HVAC, man­u­fac­tur­ing, in­dus­tri­al auto­ma­tion, and pump and mo­tor con­trol, the c3 power sup­plies are UL lis­ted, CE marked, and RoHS com­pli­ant. 

The ul­tra-com­pact Series IPS power sup­plies range in width from 43 to 60mm, and are de­signed to fit in pan­els of al­most any size, with quick and simple snap-on in­stall­a­tion on a 35mm DIN Rail. The con­trol devices provide re­li­able pro­tec­tion against short cir­cuit, over­load, over­voltage and over-tem­per­at­ure oc­cur­rences, and fea­ture an auto-re­cov­ery func­tion. The out­put voltage of the devices is flex­ibly ad­justable from 100 to 116%. The LED in­dic­a­tion al­lows users to see the avail­ab­il­ity of the DC power out­put to as­sist in troubleshoot­ing. The power sup­plies from 240W to 480W come with DC OK Re­lay Con­tacts to provide status sig­nals to the mon­it­or­ing sys­tem.
 

binder is expanding its M12 portfolio by adding K- and L-coded overmolded cable connectors of the 823 and 824 series, which were developed according to UL 2238. These are primarily intended for use in the power supply of field devices in automation technology. The connectors provide a compact alternative to power connections using 7/8-inch technology.

The K-coding indicates 5-pin connectors for AC supply of e.g., drives or frequency converters. Target applications of the likewise 5-pin connectors with L-coding include DC miniature drives, decentralized I/O modules, and other automation components that are supplied with DC voltage in field bus systems.

The K-coded products of the binder 824 series with screw locking are characterized by their ampacity of up to 12 A per pin under continuous load at rated voltages of 630 V(AC) respectively. The L-coded products in the 823 series have a rated current of 16 A and a rated voltage of 63 V (DC). Gold-plated contacts guarantee reliable current transmission. The fully overmolded connectors ensure protection of the interface according to IP68and have an operating temperature range from: -40 °C to +90 °C

Ready for the markets of North America

The rapid and seamless introduction of new products to the markets of different world regions is an increasingly important competitive demand. Export to North America, for example, requires conformity to US safety regulations. This in turn can be proven by certification from a qualified and recognized test laboratory. With the UL approval from Underwriters Laboratories, manufacturers of electromechanical connectivity products can prove that their components meet the safety requirements for North America. Interfaces designed for rated currents up to 16 A and rated voltages up to 630 V require approval according to UL 2238. UL 2238 certification is currently in preparation.

Robust, flexible, reliable

The K- and L-coded overmolded M12 cable connectors were developed in conformance with IEC 61076-2-11 for use in industrial-automation environments. Thus, product designers and installers are provided with a robust and variably applicable interface technology that ensures reliable power transmission to AC and DC field components even at high ambient temperatures. The IP68-compliant interfaces feature a protected seal within the M12 socket, and the M12x1 thread is equipped with an anti-vibration lock. Furthermore, connection cross-sections up to 2.5 mm² are available.
 

Toshiba Electronics Europe has just released the first >1.4A-rated DIP4 package photorelay that has an OFF-state output terminal voltage of 80V, over temperature and over voltage protection functions. Photorelays integrate the functions of a photocoupler with an output MOSFET switch and are often used to replace mechanical relays. As solid-state devices there is no contact wear, they are silent in operation, small in size and require very little power to operate.

Alternative to mechanical relays

These devices are used in a wide variety of applications including building management, sensors, I/O interfaces, battery management systems and anywhere a mechanical relay can be used. Toshiba’s new TLP241BP photorelay is configured as 1-Form-A / normally open (NO) and is capable of a continuous on-state current (I_ON) of 1.4A and 4.2A (I_ONP) for pulsed operation. It offers an input-output isolation voltage (BVs) of 5,000 Vrms and is capable of operating at ambient temperatures between -40 °C and +110 °C.

For operation in electrically harsh environments

Inbuilt over temperature protection function inhibits the output MOSFET to protect against over current situations. Also, an active clamping MOSFET protects the device when an overvoltage exceeding the blocking voltage rating is applied. The inclusion of these protection functions makes the device suitable for use in environments with high levels of electrical noise such as industrial applications or air conditioning systems.
With comprehensive inbuilt protection and solid-state operation, the TLP241BP significantly contributes to the reliability of equipment in electrically harsh environments.

The TIM 6 series from Traco Power is a cost efficient range of medical 6 Watt DC/DC converters in DIP-24 plastic package with wide 2:1 input voltage range. They provide a reinforced isolation system for 5000 VAC and a very low leakage current of less than 2 μA. 

The units are approved to IEC/EN/ES 60601-1 3rd ed. for 2 x MOPP and come along with an ISO 14971 risk management file. Design and production conform to the quality management system ISO 13485. With a high efficiency of up to 89% and highest grade components the converters can reliably operate in an ambient temperature range of –40°C up to +95°C and up to a n altitude of 5.000m. They constitute a reliable solution not only for medical equipment but also for demanding ranges of application such as transportation, control & measurement or IGBT drivers.

The Model 390 from Resolve Optics is a new compact non browning lens for small sensor cameras operating in high radiation areas. Designed to provide high performance imaging up to a total radiation dose of 100,000,000 rad, this new 5mm fixed focus non-browning lens is optimized for use with ¼-inch image format radiation resistant CCD cameras. Providing true HD quality images, the Model 390 lens sets a new standard for high-quality imaging of high radiation nuclear applications including monitoring of hot cells, belt lines and close inspection of baffle bolts.

Resolve Optics’ model 390 produces clear, sharp images free of a strong yellow tint has traditionally been a limitation of radiation resistant lenses on colour cameras. The development drew upon the manufacturers in-depth knowledge of radiation resistant optical materials to help solve this problem. The fixed focus, radiation resistant lens enables ¼-inch format CCD cameras to capture clear, high-definition colour images, with minimum geometric distortion from 400 to 770nm.
 

Specially designed for thermographic measurement tasks involving very high temperatures and challenging materials are SWIR infrared cameras ImageIR® 8100 and ImageIR® 9100. Both thermography systems operate in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) range and extend InfraTec's thermographic temperature measurement portfolio. In high-temperature applications between 300 °C and 1,700 °C, for example, they enable emissivity-optimised temperature measurements on metallic surfaces. Other applications include additive manufacturing and laser applications, welding processes and press hardening in the metal industry.

Different resolutions – radiometrically calibrated

The cameras do not require a mechanical cooler. This makes them suitable for maintenance-free continuous operation. With the new InfraTec SWIR cameras, users have at their disposal thermographic cameras that are equipped with a high degree of measurement accuracy as well as very good short and long-term stability.

Compact, robust and easy to integrate

The modern interface concept makes it easy to control the camera and to acquire data in full frame format up to 237 Hz. Combined with the control and analysis software of the IRBIS® 3 family, the new SWIR infrared cameras from InfraTec are a versatile tool for numerous monitoring and measuring tasks.

With their compact design and low weight, the ImageIR® 8100 and ImageIR® 9100 SWIR infrared cameras are ideal for integration into existing system environments. The ImageIR® 8100 and ImageIR® 9100 are extremely rugged and perform well in harsh environments. With the included Software Development Kit (SDK), all camera features are easily accessible.
 

Lika Elec­tron­ic’s Eth­er­net en­coders fam­ily grows and adds the CC-Link IE Field Ba­sic com­pat­ib­il­ity to its EXM58 mag­net­ic and EXO58 op­tic­al series. CC-Link IE Field Ba­sic is the pop­u­lar, 100 Mbit ver­sion of the CC-Link IE open in­dus­tri­al Eth­er­net. It is an ul­tra-high speed and ul­tra large ca­pa­city net­work, which provides both syn­chron­ous de­term­in­ist­ic (cyc­lic) com­mu­nic­a­tion and asyn­chron­ous on-de­mand mes­saging (tran­si­ent) com­mu­nic­a­tion. Ori­gin­ated with the CC-Link (Con­trol & Com­mu­nic­a­tion) field­bus in 1996 de­veloped by Mit­subishi Elec­tric Cor­por­a­tion, it is man­aged by the CC-Link Part­ner As­so­ci­ation (CLPA) cur­rently. CC-Link is among the most pop­u­lar Eth­er­net-based net­works in the world. It is a de facto stand­ard in Asia, but the USA and the United King­dom are us­ing CC-Link in­creas­ingly. 

Wide range of tem­per­at­ure

The EXM58 and EXO58 ab­so­lute rotary en­coders are CC-Link cer­ti­fied and be­long to Lika’s wide Eth­er­net fam­ily which also in­cludes Profinet, Eth­er­Net/IP, Eth­er­CAT, POWER­LINK, and MOD­BUS/TCP devices. The EXM58 en­coders mount the ro­bust mag­net­ic sens­ing tech­no­logy while the EXO58 en­coders are equipped with the high ac­cur­acy op­tic­al sens­ing tech­no­logy. They are very light and com­pact thanks to the in­teg­ra­tion of the En­ergy Har­vest­ing Tech­no­logy cir­cuit. It en­ables the mul­ti­t­urn counter to be bat­tery-free and gear­less and the risk of mech­an­ic­al fail­ures to be sig­ni­fic­antly re­duced at the same time. The range of the work­ing tem­per­at­ure is ex­ten­ded from -40°C to +100°C (-40°F to +212°F) to cov­er many in­dus­tri­al ap­plic­a­tions. They can mount sol­id and blind hol­low shafts. Also the Uni­ver­sal power sup­ply cir­cuit is very use­ful, it en­ables an in­put voltage of +5Vdc +30Vdc. Sing­le­tu­rn ver­sions provide res­ol­u­tions up to 18 bits while mul­ti­t­urn ver­sions of­fer res­ol­u­tions up to 30 bits. They have axi­al con­nect­or out­let.
 

On­do­Sense presents the new On­do­Sense reach radar sensor for dis­tance meas­ure­ment, ob­ject de­tec­tion and po­s­i­tion­ing. With its great per­form­ance and re­li­ab­il­ity, it is ideally tailored to the mar­ket needs of in­dus­tri­al auto­ma­tion. The sensor com­bines mil­li­meter ac­cur­acy and high meas­ur­ing speed with a wide meas­ur­ing range. And as one of the smal­lest dis­tance sensors on the radar mar­ket, it is also suit­able for con­fined spaces and short meas­ur­ing dis­tances. Thanks to in­nov­at­ive radar tech­no­logy, the On­do­Sense reach meas­ures re­li­ably – even in chal­len­ging pro­duc­tion en­vir­on­ments with dirt, smoke, steam, rain, poor light con­di­tions or rough sur­faces. The On­do­Sense reach is thus per­fectly suited for the auto­ma­tion of out­door ap­plic­a­tions in ag­ri­cul­ture, min­ing, trans­port and lo­gist­ics as well as for fact­ory auto­ma­tion in the man­u­fac­tur­ing in­dustry.

High per­form­ance even for de­mand­ing ap­plic­a­tions 

With its prac­tic­al M30 hous­ing design and a length of only 92 mil­li­meters, the sensor is one of the smal­lest radar sensors for dis­tance meas­ure­ments, ob­ject de­tec­tion and po­s­i­tion­ing. The On­do­Sense reach also of­fers a meas­ure­ment ac­cur­acy of ± 2 mm and a meas­ur­ing rate of 100 Hertz. As a res­ult, the dis­tance radar is also suit­able for de­mand­ing ap­plic­a­tions. The meas­ur­ing range of the sensor starts at 0.2 meters and reaches up to 40 meters. With an RS485 com­mu­nic­a­tion pro­tocol, an ana­log cur­rent in­ter­face (4-20 mA) and three di­git­al switch­ing out­puts (PNP/NPN), cus­tom­ers be­ne­fit from power­ful in­dus­tri­al in­ter­faces for data trans­mis­sion to the pro­gram­mable lo­gic con­trol­ler (PLC). 

Thanks to its dust-proof, jet wa­ter-proof hous­ing (IP 67) and its res­ist­ant PT­FE lens, the ro­bust dis­tance radar is also suit­able for de­mand­ing pro­duc­tion en­vir­on­ments and out­door ap­plic­a­tions. The high-per­form­ance radar sensor is ideal for dis­tance or di­men­sion meas­ure­ment, ob­ject po­s­i­tion­ing or de­tec­tion in ag­ri­cul­ture, min­ing, trans­port and lo­gist­ics, ship­ping and off­shore, mech­an­ic­al and plant en­gin­eer­ing or in the en­ergy sec­tor.
 

Yamaha Robotics’ Factory Automation Section is adding the new clean type YK-XEC series to its YK-XE series. It offers SCARA robots with high operational and cost performance. The YK-XEC series meets ISO Class 4 (ISO 14644-1) cleanliness standards, which are in high demand in the current market.

For food and medical applications

The main specifications such as the arm length and Z-axis stroke, as well as maximum payload are identical to the YK-XE series. By achieving a high operational performance of 0.42sec (YK510XEC) for a standard cycle time, this new model will further contribute to improving productivity as well as realizing labor savings in manufacturing plants for semiconductors and hard disk drives, which has seen growing demand recently, as well as in the food and medical equipment-related plants. 

Unitron­ics has launched its IO-Link solu­tion to en­hance the auto­ma­tion ex­per­i­ence of its cus­tom­ers. This new product of­fer­ing en­com­passes IO-Link, which has been stand­ard­ized by the In­ter­na­tion­al Elec­tro­tech­nic­al Com­mis­sion (IEC). IO-Link is a field­bus com­mu­nic­a­tion solu­tion for sensors, ac­tu­at­ors, and mechat­ron­ics that can be in­teg­rated in­to any ex­ist­ing field­bus, in­form­a­tion tech­no­logy, or auto­ma­tion sys­tem. Thanks to the pop­ular­ity of IO-Link, users can pick and choose which com­pon­ents they want for their ap­plic­a­tions. 

Unitron­ics’ IO-Link solu­tion, which does not re­quire any cod­ing, makes it easy for ma­chine build­ers to ef­fort­lessly stream­line their op­er­a­tions. It only takes one click to con­nect Unitron­ics' IO-Link with oth­er com­pon­ents in the auto­ma­tion eco­sys­tem. This auto­mated setup pro­cess solves the is­sue of manu­al con­fig­ur­a­tions and re­lated prob­lems. It is de­signed to keep things easy and simple since all con­trol­lers sup­port IO-Link via the Eth­er­net/IP com­mu­nic­a­tion pro­tocol. The pro­gram­ming con­sists of two easy steps - after drag­ging and drop­ping the con­fig­ur­a­tion, all that needs to be done is as­sign­ing IP ad­dresses. Once done, all com­mu­nic­a­tions are com­pletely trans­par­ent and seam­less. 

Easy in­teg­ra­tion and setup

Also, the IO-Link solu­tion of Unitron­ics is not just a stan­dalone fea­ture but a vi­tal part of Unitron­ics' end-to-end ap­proach to auto­ma­tion. The ad­ded value of IO-Link is its cap­ab­il­ity to provide any ap­plic­a­tion with easy setup, a simple ar­chi­tec­ture, and straight­for­ward dia­gnostics. Com­bined with Uni­Lo­gic, Unitron­ics’ drag & drop all-in-one soft­ware for de­vel­op­ing PLC and HMI apps in one en­vir­on­ment, im­ple­ment­ing the IO-Link bi-dir­ec­tion­al data trans­fer is quick and easy thanks to its drag & drop con­fig­ur­a­tion. This makes it the ideal op­tion to avoid is­sues such as in­tric­ate wir­ing and cum­ber­some setup pro­cesses.

Unitron­ics has al­ways been at the fore­front of in­teg­rat­ing in­tel­li­gence in­to auto­ma­tion, and IO-Link is a test­a­ment to that com­mit­ment. This new of­fer­ing en­hances the Unitron­ics product fam­ily, bring­ing ad­di­tion­al be­ne­fits to the all-in-one of­fer­ing by uni­fy­ing in­tel­li­gence across the sys­tem. Ma­chine build­ers now have ac­cess to a single, com­pre­hens­ive plat­form that in­teg­rates IO-Link ef­fort­lessly, which en­sures the seam­less op­er­a­tion of all con­nec­ted com­pon­ents, in­clud­ing con­trol­lers, sensors, and ac­tu­at­ors.  

Mitsubishi Electric has updated its FX5-ENET Ethernet unit to offer advanced Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) capabilities within machines using MELSEC iQ-F series PLCs. End users and machine builders can now drive operational efficiency even further by leveraging expanded access to cloud computing, cybersecurity and email functions that support enhanced connectivity and data management. 

Thanks to a hardware update to the FX5-ENET Ethernet module for iQ-F series PLCs, it is now possible to collect data in the Cloud, in line with IIoT principles. As a result, machines using this unit can benefit from data-driven analytics to support predictive maintenance strategies, simplify troubleshooting and improving productivity. Even more, a Cloud-based solution can help to drive profitability. 

Smart and secure operation

The Cloud connectivity function is supported by MQTT, a communications protocol that is optimised for IIoT devices and can maximise accessibility and enable the realisation of a wide range of applications. Ultimately, it is possible to benefit from advanced connectivity that support remote access. In addition to this, the use of MQTT within the FX5-ENET Ethernet unit assists users in setting up seamlessly interconnected machines for smart operations while protecting their factories from cybersecurity threats. The protocol also includes key security features, such as encryption and digital certifications, that help to prevent, detect, respond to and address potential risks through retransmission if a message is not received, TLS encryption and client authentication.

Finally, encrypted email sending functions are built into the latest FX5-ENET Ethernet solution, with free email services, such as Gmail and Yahoo mail, supported. This means that operators can receive notifications via a secure SMTP server, improving availability, accessability and responsiveness. 
 

Softing Industrial has expanded the functionalities of its OPC UA C++ SDK (Software Development Kit) with the new version 6.30. Data transmission using OPC UA Pub/Sub (Publisher/Subscriber) via MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) is now possible in addition to the previously available UDAP protocol (Universal Data Augmenting Processor). The new implementation supports both the widely used MQTT version 3.x and the new version 5.0. 

Data security is guaranteed by encrypting the communication using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). Easy data evaluation at the application level is possible because OPC UA JSON coding (Java Script Object Notation) serves as the transmission format.

Data transmission with Pub/Sub via MQTT offers many benefits to users. These include:

• Scalability: Pub/Sub via MQTT can be easily scaled to a large number of devices or subscribers without compromising performance.
• Efficiency: The protocol overhead with MQTT is low, which makes data transmission efficient and resource-saving.
• Reliability: MQTT provides mechanisms for Quality of Service (QoS), which make it possible to control message delivery and ensure that messages are delivered reliably depending on the requirements of the use case.
• Flexibility: Thanks to the clear separation of publishers and subscribers, MQTT enables flexible and dynamic communication between different devices and applications, which is particularly suitable for distributed systems or the IoT.

The development kit is available for Windows, Linux, and VxWorks. It offers developers, system integrators, and device and control manufacturers an easy and fast way to integrate OPC UA into their automation and Industry 4.0 applications. A comprehensive collection of libraries with a concise, clearly documented programming interface as well as corresponding sample applications, and test and simulation tools are included in the software package and enable a fast time to market. All SDKs have the OPC UA Testlab certification. Users can therefore be sure that they are choosing the safest and fastest way to compliant, robust, and high-performing OPC UA products. A demo version with full functionality and a limited runtime as well as detailed release notes and technical data sheets are available for download on the Softing Industrial website.

Fluke Process Instruments extends its ThermoView TV30 series, launching a GigE thermographic camera in addition to the spearhead standalone version. The infrared cameras for fixed installation enable 24/7 thermal monitoring of processes and assets. They identify temperature anomalies and send alerts, allowing plant staff to rectify any problems early on and avoid poor quality output and damage to products and equipment. 

Automated monitoring

The standalone version with onboard analytics and remote setup via web browser needs no PC in the field to automatically monitor up to 32 values for user-specified Areas of Interest (AOI) and criteria (max./min., average, spot temperature, standard deviation).

Manual and automated image archiving

The GigE version was designed to meet the most sophisticated requirements. It enables direct communication between programmers and the camera using standard applications like Labview or Matlab or the proprietary ThermoView software. It connects to a shop-floor or control-room PC and can stream thermal images at up to 60 frames per second. The ThermoView software provides an extensive array of features and functions for all typical industrial temperature monitoring and documentation needs. It supports an unlimited number of AOI, trending for those AOI and manual or automated archiving of images as well as measured values for traceability.

The thermal imagers can detect temperatures from -10 °C to 1300 °C (14 °F to 2372 °F). For improved accuracy, users can specify tighter temperature ranges. The imagers feature a rugged, IP67-rated housing. The series also provides a choice of two infrared camera resolution options, three lenses for different fields of view and protective accessories for demanding environments. All versions boast excellent connectivity, with multiple supported protocols for easy integration in plant-level automation systems and computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS).
 

The configurable safe small controller PNOZmulti 2 from Pilz supports the open communication system EtherCAT in combination with the safe protocol Safety-over-EtherCAT FSoE (= FailSafe over EtherCAT). As a result, PNOZmulti 2 enables the transfer of both control and safety-related information, thereby achieving efficiency in production. The controller offers flexible, economical expansion options when connecting safety-related plant structures.

Safety-over-EtherCAT for EtherCAT communication 

From Version 11.3 of the software tool PNOZmulti Configurator, the safe small controller PNOZmulti 2 can easily be configured as FSoE Master, FSoE Slave and also EtherCAT-Slave. Up to four Master-Master and up to 60 Master-Slave connections are possible with the EtherCAT FSoE communication module, in conjunction with the base unit PNOZ m B1. This way it is simple to implement and expand flexible plant structures with a “one-cable solution” at fieldbus level. As a result, the certified safety system not only provides a high degree of safety but also efficiency for plant and machinery.

Radar and drive masterfully intertwined 

With PNOZmulti 2 as FSoE Master, it is easy to implement safety-related networking with the safe radar sensor PSENradar from Pilz and safe drive technology PMC (Pilz Motion Control) – both with FSoE functionality. The “onecable solution” is also used here to incorporate FSoE-capable actuators and sensors flexibly into the network. As FSoE Master, PNOZmulti 2 combines monitoring of all of an application’s safety functions in one device – from ESTOP and safety gate to light curtains – and establishes connections to safe Slaves in the network. This minimises the wiring effort and saves costs. Comprehensive diagnostic options also ensure minimal downtimes, making production economical.

The protocol Safety-over-EtherCAT (FSoE) was defined in order to implement safe data transfer for EtherCAT. FSoE enables the transfer of safety and non-safety-related information in the EtherCAT communication system. As a result, in accordance with IEC 61508, FSoE is suitable for safety applications up to SIL 3.