n TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY n January 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com 24 pThe Dutch industrial computing specialist OnLogic has announced what it says is the rst ThinManager-ready thin client that supports booting via Wi-Fi, rather than wired Ethernet, allowing deployment in previously dicult or impossible locations. Available initially on the TM260 industrial edge computer, it will provide better visibility of plant operations, and could be used on mobile equipment such as robots and forklifts. Industrial thin clients can centralise the management of factory operations. www.onlogic.com pThe Japanese semiconductor producer Renesas has launched a family of motor driver chips for brushless DC (BLDC) motors incorporating patent-pending technologies that allow full torque at zero speed from motors without sensors – said to be the rst to do this. The ICs will allow users to design sensorless BLDC motor systems with higher powers and speeds for a given torque. They will also improve eciency and reliability, while cutting costs and space by needing fewer components. www.renesas.com pThe US Department of Energy has awarded High Temperature Superconductors Inc (HTSI) $5m of funding to develop novel manufacturing technologies for high-temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes for applications such as superconducting motors and low-loss power transmission systems. HTSI will use part of the funds to develop tools to expand the superconducting layers on metal tapes, enabling production speeds up to ten times faster than before, and boosting not only output but also raising the quality of the tapes. www.hitsuperconductors.com pThe OPC Foundation has concluded a year-long study into the need for a standardised approach to the metaverse to ensure that OPC UA is suitable for metaverse applications. It looks at requirements such as information modelling and exchange, cloud connections and asset identi cation. Potential applications include: remote or local condition monitoring using AR or VR; remotely-assisted machinery maintenance; and training in safe, simulated environments for real-world tasks in hazardous environments. www.opcfoundation.org pThe Taiwanese industrial automation supplier Advantech has collaborated with the Israeli cloud robotics specialist Cogniteam to embed a cloud system in its AMR-S100 mobile robots, streamlining development, cutting resource demands by up to 60%, and integrating functions such as spatial awareness and over-the-air updates. It says the development will help to develop, deploy and manage individual robots, as well as eets. It will also allow robots to remain operational in the eld longer without needing intervention for updates. TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS UR’s most powerful cobot ‘underpins new era in automation’ UNIVERSAL ROBOTS, the Danish manufacturer of collaborative robots (cobots), has demonstrated a new 30kg-payload cobot that it says will underpin a new era in automation. The UR30 machine weighs only 63.5kg, allowing it to be moved easily between work cells. It has a reach of 1.3m and footprint diameter of 245mm. Universal Robots says that the UR30’s superior motion control capabilities ensure perfect placing of large payloads, allowing it to work at high speeds and to lift heavy loads. Potential applications include machine-tending, materialhandling and high-torque screwdriving. The new cobot was launched at an exhibition in Japan where it was demonstrated lifting tyres and their rims. Because it can handle 30kg at full reach, regardless of the pose of the arm, it can not only lift a tyre, but also change its orientation during the lift. For machine-tending applications, the high payload will open up new options because the cobot can use multiple grippers simultaneously, and can remove nished parts and load new materials in a single pass, thus reducing changeover times and boosting productivity. In screwdriving applications, the UR30 will handle larger and higher-output torque tools, while a steady mode function will deliver straight, consistent screwdriving. The 30kg payload also makes the UR30 suitable for material-handling and for palletising heavy products, with its small footprint allowing it to t into most workspaces. “The higher payload and greater exibility underpin a new era in automation,” says Universal Robots’ president, Kim Povlsen. “Industries around the world are embracing more agile manufacturing and modularity in production – part of achieving that modularity and agility is about mobility and this cobot delivers that, despite its payload. “As industries evolve, the UR30 not only meets but anticipates shifting demands, enabling businesses to adapt and respond to changing needs eectively. As we continue to innovate, the UR30 is another step in UR's journey in pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the world of automation.” UR30 is the second in Universal Robot’s series of next-generation cobots and is built on the same architecture as the 20kg-capacity UR20 launched in 2022. It is available to pre-order and will start shipping later this quarter. www.universal-robots.com/products/ur30-robot The UR30 made its debut at the iRex exhibition in Japan where it was shown lifting tyres and their rims THE GERMAN SENSOR-MAKER OndoSense has developed what it claims is the world’s smallest radar-based distance sensor. The reach sensor combines millimetre accuracy with high measuring speeds and a wide measuring range, to measure distances, detect objects and for positioning. The 92mm-long, M30-housed sensor is suitable for use in tight spaces and for short measuring distances. It oers accuracies of ±2mm, 100Hz measuring speeds, and a range of 0.2–40m. The IP67-protected device can be used in in challenging environments where dirt, smoke, steam, rain, poor light conditions or rough surfaces may be factors. “The radar sensor enables production and e¥ciency gains in the automation of measurement tasks with high demands on accuracy and speed,”says OndoSense’s coCEO, Rainer Waltersbacher. “I am thrilled with the performance of our new sensor.” https://ondosense.com/en ‘Smallest’ radar distance sensor promises mm-accuracy and high speeds
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