sensors & systems - Industrial Technology Magazine

INDUSTRY NEWS
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Munich hosts
Automatica
Automatica will see
the largest assembly of
automation equipment
and machinery ever
gathered under one roof
The third Automatica will take place in
Munich’s state-of-the-art trade fair centre, 10-
13 June. Covering automation for every
industry, it includes robotics, sensors and
vision, assembly technology, positioning and all
aspects of an automated factory.
The show has expanded further this year,
now occupying five halls and covering
31,500m 2 of net space. Among many
highlights, the Robotik Congress is being held
concurrently in the adjacent Conference centre,
covering topics including industrial robots in
production, plus papers on components, and
processes.
Whilst ‘assembly’ is sometimes seen as a dirty
word in manufacturing, implying that most of real work
has been done elsewhere, there is no doubt automated
assembly operations are a vital core of any manufacturing
operation, with far reaching implications throughout the
wider enterprise. According to Dr Norbert Stein, Chairman
of the Robotics and Automation Manufacturers’ Association,
there are three main directions currently being taken
in the drive to improve efficiency for systems operators.
These are: accelerated planning processes while
maintaining higher quality in planning solutions; hybrid
systems with modular integration of different process
steps; and microassembly with new-style solutions for
gripping and holding. Even at the last Automatica it was
easy to see that functional test integrated into assembly
processes are the state of the art.
The results to which such integration can lead are
demonstrated by various mechatronics initiatives. DLR
Oberpfaffenhofen, Wessling, for example, will be
exhibiting new research and practical developments in
gripper technology. Mechatronics, says DLR, is the
highest possible integration of mechanics, electronics and
computers, through to intelligent mechanisms and robots
that interact with their environment.
Two further initiatives in mechatronics should prove a
magnet for trade visitors at Automatica 2008: the
presentations by the Mechatronics Network from
Göppingen and by the Mechatronics and Automation
Cluster of Augsburg. As yet the participants are keeping
quiet about their trend exhibits but what’s certain is that
they will be solutions integrating mechanics and
electronics, and that imaging will be a part of this. The
‘seeing gripper’ is the best clue so far.
Many such developments are independent of a certain
product and have a common goal - to design production
or assembly processes so that they are as simple and
logical as possible, easy to operate and able to be
modified with minimum extra effort. For this reason the
emphasis is initially not on the products or components,
but on ideas and approaches.
Standard bearers for British
business win Queen’s Awards
A select group of firms from the engineering sector are
celebrating after winning the UK’s most prestigious
annual prize for business success, the Queen’s Award
for Enterprise. Among the winners were Alwayse
Engineering, Fortress Interlocks, Superior Group, TRP
Sealing Systems and Trinity Integrated Systems. Prime
Minister Gordon Brown commented: “Queen’s Award
winning companies are standard-bearers for the very
best of British business. These firms embody the spirit
of enterprise and innovation that is so vital to the
future of Britain’s economy.”
Omron Europe acquires Yelland
Control from Powertech
Omron Europe and Power Technologies have
announced the finalisation of Omron’s acquisition of
Yelland Control from Powertech. Yelland Control will
be merged with Omron Electronics (Pty), a wholly
owned subsidiary of Omron Europe BV. The company
will handle sales and servicing of Omron control
equipment in Southern Africa.
Rockwell buys
Incuity
Incuity Software, a
supplier of Enterprise
Manufacturing
Intelligence software, has
been acquired by Rockwell
Automation. Rockwell
Automation said that the
acquisition will help it expand
its FactoryTalk software suite.
Incuity's products are used to
monitor production operations
and enterprise systems for
manufacturing.
“This acquisition is a key
milestone in the continued
expansion of our FactoryTalk software
suite,” said Kevin Roach, vice president
of Rockwell Software. “The newest
software, IncuityEMI 2.6, easily
integrates many disparate information sources
from production operations and other
enterprise systems.”
Energy audits can quickly offset
price hikes, says Schneider
Schneider Electric has called upon all those concerned
with energy consumption to place greater emphasis on
implementing active energy metering and management
to combat both carbon impact and to offset energy price
increases. Schneider Electric offers energy audits that in
most cases lead to substantial savings at little cost, with
most of its audits resulting in investment that pays back
within as little as a year.
Pumps framework agreement for
Yorkshire Water Services
Watson-Marlow Bredel has been awarded a five year
framework agreement (with a two year option) for the
design, supply, installation and
commissioning of peristaltic pumps to
Yorkshire Water Services. The framework
agreement relates to Yorkshire Water’s use
of Watson-Marlow Bredel’s SPX range of
hose pumps for the handling of primary,
secondary, digested and thickened
sludge.
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INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY • May 2008