Drives & Controls May 2022

50 CONTENTS n Drives&Controls is a controlled circulation publication. If you live in the UK and want to subscribe phone 0333 577 0801 or fax 0845 604 2327. Alternatively for both UK and overseas subscriptions please subscribe online at www.drivesncontrols.com. If you have any enquiries regarding your subscription, please use these numbers. The content of this magazine, website and newsletters do not necessarily express the views of the Editor or publishers.The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced or stored in a retrieval systemwithout the written consent of the publishers. Paid subscriptions UK: £110 per annum Europe: £145 per annum Rest of World: £180 per annum Printing: Warners Midlands PLC., PE10 9PH ISSN 0950 5490 Copyright: DFA Media Ltd 2022 NEXT ISSUE The June issue of Drives & Controls will contain a look at what’s happening in the world of communications, networking and security, plus a report on developments in mechanical power transmission. UPDATE 14 Comment 15 ABB Back to Basics 52 Gambica Column 54 New Products 56 Design Data and Multimedia 57 Products & Services IN DEPTH Follow us onTwitter @DrivesnControls Drives MagazineWeb site www.drivesncontrols.com Drives ShowWeb site www.drives-expo.com Join us on Facebook Drives & Controls Drives & Controls REGULARS 21 16 5 55 54 DRIVES & CONTROLS MAY 2022 Vol 38 No 5 Editor Tony Sacks t: 01732 465367 e: tony@drives.co.uk Consultant Editor Andy Pye t: 07808 137312 e: andy.pye@dfamedia.co.uk Production Manager Sarah Blake t: 01233 770781 e: sarah.blake@dfamedia.co.uk Project Liaison Manager Emma Floyd t: 01732 370340 e: emma.floyd@dfamedia.co.uk Marketing Executive Hope Jepson t: 01732 370340 e: hope.jepson@dfamedia.co.uk Financial Caren Brown t: 01732 370340 e: caren.brown@dfamedia.co.uk ADVERTISING Sales Director Damien Oxlee t: 01732 370342 m: 07951 103754 e: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk Sales Manager AndyWylie t: 01732 370341 m: 07939 607855 e: andy.wylie@dfamedia.co.uk DFA Direct Ian Atkinson t: 01732 370340 e: ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Italy Oliver & Diego Casiraghi e: info@casiraghi.info t: +39 031 261407 f: +39 031 261380 Managing Director Ryan Fuller t: 01732 370344 e: ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk Chief Executive Officer Ian Atkinson t: 01732 370346 e: ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Reader/Circulation Enquiries Perception-MPS Ltd t: 01825 701520 e: cs@perception-sas.com HEAD OFFICE DFA Manufacturing Media Ltd 192 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE t: 01732 370340 f: 01732 360034 e: info@dfamedia.co.uk www.drivesncontrols.com 37 5 News A round-up of the latest business and industry developments from around the world. 16 Technology Cutting-edge innovations in motion, power transmission, controls and related technologies. 26 Drives & Controls Show A pictorial round-up of some of the highlights from last month’s Drives & Controls Show and the cluster of related industrial exhibitions that took place at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre. 35 Motors How to decode motor nameplates, how a novel UK-developed compressor is using custom-designed IE5 motors to boost efficiencies by up to a third over traditional compressors, and how Mini is saving £40,000 by upgrading some of the motors in its Oxford plant to IE5 synchronous reluctance machines.. 45 Linear Motion Are modern electromechanical actuators now a realistic alternative to hydraulic cylinders when you need to achieve powerful linear forces? Plus advice on how to choose and use single-axis robots for basic transport and positioning applications. 48 Scientific How Nasa used a six-axis hexapod stage mounted on the end of robot arm to assemble the 18 hexagonal sections of the JamesWebb space telescope’s 6.5m- diameter mirror with sub-micrometre accuracy. Plus, how digital twins are accelerating the development of seabed farming. 51 Automation An expert argues that the current model used for industrial automation is too limiting and should be succeeded by a new more open model that promises vendor independency, interoperability, easier interfacing with IT systems, and more efficient engineering and operation. 48 40 45 26