Drives & Controls Magazine February 2023

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 Group 2023 NEXT ISSUE The March issue of Drives & Controls will contain a report on applications in the food and beverage sector, coverage of the latest developments in bearings, belts and chains, plus a look at the world of building services and HVAC. UPDATE 12 Comment 13 ABB Back to Basics 45 Gambica Column 46 New Products 48 Design Data and Multimedia 49 Appointments 50 Products & Services IN DEPTH Follow us onTwitter @DrivesnControls Drives MagazineWeb site www.drivesncontrols.com Follow us on LinkedIn @ Drives & Controls Join us on Facebook Drives & Controls Drives & Controls REGULARS D f A mediagroup 36 32 25 16 5 DRIVES & CONTROLS February 2023 Vol 39 No 2 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 Operations 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 Finance Department t: 01732 370340 e: accounts@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 Media Group 192 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE t: 01732 370340 f: 01732 360034 e: info@dfamedia.co.uk www.drivesncontrols.com 40 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. 25 SPS show report After a Covid-enforced three-year absence, the SPS automation exhibition returned to its venue in Nuremberg, Germany, last November. It might have been slightly smaller than before but it still generated a lot of enthusiasm. We look at some of the key technologies and developments on show. 32 Robotics and Automated Manufacturing In a special feature, we reveal the results of a survey of attitudes to robotics and automation among senior leaders and executives in key industrial sectors. We also report on how a Midlands automotive supplier is using a pair of automated cells to produce aluminium components, and how Alfa Romeo has commissioned 468 robots – some of them repurposed – to build its new Tonale SUV. 40 Sensors An expert examines the variety of technologies available for measuring thickness on production lines and explains their pros and cons, plus we publish an opinion piece on why sensors are vital to implementing Industry 4.0, the Industrial Internet of Things and machine-to-machine communications. 44 Hazardous Areas There are confusing variety of acronyms related to safety in hazardous environments. An expert in this area examines some of the key terms, acronyms, standards, directives and certification authorities that you are likely to encounter, and how they relate to each other. 46 45 47 44