n NEWS March 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com 6 A VARIABLE-SPEED DRIVE is the rst industrial product to be certi ed for use in the US after some of the required tests were conducted using digital simulation. The simulation was veri ed and validated using physical testing. The certi cation of the Siemens Sinamics G220 drive – thought to be a world- rst for a national safety-certi cation process – marks a shift from relying solely on physical tests to integrating digital simulations. It could reshape the future of veri cation, resulting in lower costs and shorter times-to-market. Traditionally, product certi cation has demanded exhaustive physical tests, often subjecting a product to a battery of assessments. Simulation based on digital twins could solve the challenges and costs of testing products containing high-power electronic components, in particular. The new certi cation process, developed by Siemens and the safety science specialist UL Solutions, means that products may not need to undergo every test physically. Digital twins could be used instead. Siemens says it marks a step forward into a future in which digital twins and the industrial metaverse streamline product development, enhance innovation and safety, and accelerate time-to-market. “Siemens’digital twin technology is rewriting the rules of innovation,”says Cedrik Neike, CEO of Siemens Digital Industries. “This collaborative eort with UL Solutions is a testament to our dedication to a future in which innovation knows no bounds. It invites industries and innovators alike to explore the limitless possibilities that comprehensive digital twins oer for shaping the future of product development.” “Our collaboration with Siemens in this transformative journey represents a signi cant shift in the certi cation paradigm,” adds Jennifer Scanlon, president and CEO of UL Solutions. “The certi cation process relies on physical testing. Now, digital simulations integrated with traditional methodologies can rede ne how our customers approach testing and certi cation and open new avenues for precision and eciency. UL Solutions is proud to be part of this revolutionary leap.” VSD is first product to receive US certification using digital twins pSiemens has bought the German visual inspection start-up Inspekto from its venture capitalist owner, D11Z Ventures, for an undisclosed sum. Inspekto has an AI-driven, machine-vision-based QA (quality assurance) technology that can be installed “within minutes” without needing systems integrators or the lengthy processes usually associated with setting up QA systems. p The global industrial automation market will grow at a CAGR of 8.16% from 2023-2027, expanding by $83.6bn over this period, according to a new report from Technavio. Some 42% of the growth will occur in the Asia-Pacic region. www.technavio.com p The German safety-related automation specialist Hima Group has bought Origo Solutions, the Norwegian supplier of safety, automation and instrumented systems for monitoring control and protection, for an undisclosed sum. They will collaborate on the digitalisation of functional safety. Origo also supplies Scada systems to the wind power industry. p The global distributor Mouser Electronics has signed an agreement with Siemens to stock products in a variety of categories, including networking devices, HMIs, circuit protection devices, modular contactors, pushbuttons, indicator lights, switches, power supplies and Logo! logic modules. p The UK Government is providing a total of £12.5m in funding for 19 projects that are developing automation and robotic technologies to boost agricultural productivity, food security and sustainable farming practices. One project will develop robotic vehicles to enable safe navigation on elds and to improve navigation accuracy and reliability. p The wound components specialist Electro-Wind is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. During this time, it has outgrown three premises and plans to add a further production unit this year to house its recent machinery investments. It now oers bespoke transformers from 10VA– 2MVA as well as AC reactors, DC rectiers and chokes, and accessories. NEWS BRIEFS MORE THAN 20 MILLION low-voltage AC drives, worth more than $14bn, were shipped globally during 2023 as the market continued to expand, new data from Interact Analysis shows. But the pace of growth slowed during the year and is expected to continue to do so in 2024, before steady growth returns in 2025. IA is predicting a CAGR of 4% in the period to 2028. During the rst half of 2023, strong backlogs fuelled growth in sales of LV AC drives, but drives vendors are reporting that sales fell substantially in the second half of the year. Following several years of higher average sale prices and unprecedented demand, the market slowed down, with a growth of just 2.7% during 2023. The volatility experienced in the LV drives market during 2021 and 2022 has largely subsided, and this has aected prices. The average global selling price for drives fell by 0.3% in 2023, driven by falls in the Apac region. “The in¡ated price levels of many commodities, which led to an increase in selling price for drives in 2021 and 2022, have fallen substantially from their peaks in 2022,” says IA research analyst, Brianna Jackson. “This has resulted in pressure from customers to decrease prices and we expect prices to erode further in 2024, shrinking by an estimated 1.5% during the year.” 20m LV AC drives shipped in 2023 Using digital twins for product certication could cut costs and speed time-to-market
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