n TECHNOLOGY October 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com 18 THE GERMAN CAD SOFTWARE developer WSCAD had announced what it describes as “the world’s first AI-powered electrical CAD solution”, which, it believes, will be “a gamechanger”. The Electrix AI package eliminates many of the usual steps and can complete tasks in seconds, slashing design times by up to 99%, according to the company. With smart errorchecking, intuitive guidance, and the ability to tackle complex tasks with simple commands, the software boosts productivity, and frees up users’ time. “Electrix AI is revolutionising how electrical design is done,” declares WSCAD CEO, Axel Zein. “We’ve seen massive time savings, and the streamlined process unlocks major productivity gains.” At its core is the AI Copilot. With a click on a button, a chat window opens up to help users. It can review designs, find errors and adapt to users’ needs. “Instead of manually searching for components, or designing from scratch, you just ask the AI Copilot, and hand over the tasks,” Zein explains. WSCAD says that when using other electrical CAD software, it can take more than 20 clicks to create a BOM (bill of materials). In the new software, this happens in seconds using a “create a bill of materials” command. Similarly, AI Copilot takes 15 seconds to place four macros on a new page, down from around five minutes that it took previously. To check for design errors, users can ask: “Find the errors in this project,” and the software will scan a schematic in seconds, pinpointing any open connections, missing assignments, or misplaced components. A quick request such as “Give me a copper wire, blue, 24V DC, 64A”, delivers a wire with a 16mm2 cross-section to the cursor. The software is said to be easy to use. It delivers electrical CAD expertise while learning continuously from user inputs, becoming more efficient with each task. Novice users can tackle jobs that were previously restricted to experts, while experienced designers can focus on complex projects and complete them faster. “This new division of labour supercharges productivity, enabling companies to handle growing demands more efficiently,” says Zein. “By integrating AI into our electrical CAD software, we are unlocking new possibilities and paving the way for enhanced productivity.” p Hilscher has collaborated with a German electronics specialist, Promwad, to develop a platform that addresses a compatibility issues faced by industrial robot manufacturers using platforms from Nvidia, Qualcomm and others. Integrating these with existing networks and components can require extra technologies to bridge the gaps, raising hardware and software costs and potentially affecting performance. The new platform supports EtherCat, Profinet and EtherNet/IP, and allows manufacturers to integrate modules and servodrives with robots without needing extra technologies. p A Swiss firm, Naviq, has patented a magnetic sensor for guiding mobile robots, which can measure angles with 1-degree precision and positional accuracy to within 1mm. It says the development will improve mobile robot navigation “significantly”. Unlike magnetic line-following sensors that only detect position in one dimension, the MTS160 sensor allows robots to assess track curvatures and to distinguish between minor adjustments on straight paths and more active steering for curves. The improved path-tracking will allow robots to follow paths more accurately at higher speeds. https://naviq.com/product/mts160 p Sick is integrating its Tag-Loc wireless tracking technology with the cloud-based RobOps platform developed by California’s InOrbit.AI, to enhance the safety and efficiency of mobile equipment. In addition to InOrbit’s support for AMRs and AGVs, it is now possible to track and orchestrate the movement of manually-operated vehicles and equipment such as forklifts, pallet jacks and carts. The development will support hybrid fleets that combine autonomous, guided and manual vehicles. It unlocks realtime analytics across vehicles, as well as complex workflows following traffic rules. p ABB has demonstrated a technology, developed in collaboration with BHP, Komatsu and Boliden, that charges electrically-powered mining vehicles automatically and safely without human intervention. The eMine Robot Automated Connection Device is designed to withstand harsh mine environments. It is regarded as an important step towards allelectric mines. After testing at an ABB lab in Sweden the technology will undergo field trials in a mine. p The Digital Twin Consortium (DTC) has expanded its scope to include the development of advanced digital engineering methodologies throughout the digital twin lifecycle. By integrating advanced methodologies and leveraging industry-wide adoption of DTC frameworks and new products, the consortium hopes to drive the adoption of leading practices for digital engineering ecosystems. www.digitaltwinconsortium.org TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS First AI-powered electrical CAD software is ‘up to 99% faster’ WSCAD has embedded AI into its Electrix AI electrical CAD software, cutting design times by up to 99%. WEG HAS LAUNCED a software tool that simulates energy efficiency projects, allowing users to analyse the energy impact of changes to motors, drives and gearboxes. By comparing equipment configurations, The WEGSee+ tool provides KPIs on energy consumption, return on investment, and CO2 emissions, helping users to make informed decisions to enhance operating performance and sustainability. The tool displays detailed insights into potential energy savings using simulations of motors, drives and gearboxes. It enables users to analyse the feasibility and potential of energy-saving projects and evaluates the potential ROI before implementing changes. “The launch of WEGSee+ marks a significant step forward in energy management for industrial applications,” says Marek Lukaszczyk, WEG’s marketing manager for Europe and the Middle East. “By simulating the impact of different equipment configurations, WEGSee+ reduces time and energy consumption during the planning phase, optimising resources and maximising benefits. “The launch of WEGSee+ enables our customers to take energy management into their own hands and optimise resources in an intelligent way,” he adds. https://www.weg.net/seeplus/en/calculator Tool analyses energy impact of changes to motors, drives and gearboxes
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