DRIVES: UK drives-maker uses its own VSDs to upgrade its site GEARS AND GEARBOXES: Rack-and-pinion system helps to halve cycle times PAPER AND PACKAGING: Infrared eye on papermaking process could save $1.3m Drives&Controls AUTOMATION FOR MANUFACTURING INSIDE engineered to outrun Introducing the ACS8080 drive - turn to page 19 JANUARY 2025 www.drivesncontrols.com
engineered to outrun Industries are the beating heart of the modern world. They power us; protect us; move and connect us; make things for us. Today, how industries run is critical. From energy, power and mining to building, transport, manufacturing, and more – they need to meet the global demand, be more sustainable, efficient, and manage transitions. To them, “running” is no longer enough – they need to outperform. At ABB, we are on a mission to help industries outrun – leaner and cleaner. With our leading technologies in electrification and automation, we help all industries run at high performance and become more productive, efficient and sustainable so they can outperform. We call this ‘Engineered to Outrun.’ Website Video Scan the QR codes to find out more:
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 system without 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 2025 NEXT ISSUE The February issue of Drives & Controls will look at what’s happening in the world of robotics and automated manufacturing, report on some of the highlights of the recent SPS show in Germany, and cover developments involving sensors and encoders. UPDATE 12 Comment 13 ABB Back to Basics 42 Gambica Column 46 New Products 48 Design Data and Multimedia 49 Products & Services IN DEPTH Follow us on X @DrivesnControls Drives Magazine Web site www.drivesncontrols.com Follow us on LinkedIn @ Drives & Controls Join us on Facebook Drives & Controls Drives& Controls REGULARS DfA media group 36 30 28 24 6 46 DRIVES & CONTROLS JANUARY 2025 Vol 41 No 1 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 Marketing Manager 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 and DFA Direct Damien Oxlee t: 01732 370342 m: 07951 103754 e: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk Sales Manager Sara Gordon t: 01732 370341 m: 07505867211 e: sara.gordon@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 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 5 News A round-up of the latest business and industry developments from around the world. 14 Technology Cutting-edge innovations in motion, power transmission, controls and related technologies. 22 Motion Controls Emerging technologies such as smart conveyors and machine-integrated robots could open up new markets for suppliers of motion control equipment. A research analyst explores the possibilities. 24 Drives A UK drives-maker has used its own products to automate the previously manual process of moving raw materials around its manufacturing site. Plus a look at inertia matching, as well as application stories from the worlds of wood processing, aerospace and elevators. 30 Gears and Gearboxes A Cambridgeshire machine-builder is using precision gearboxes and rackand-pinion systems for a new machine that cuts customised profiles into steel plates for distillery applications. Plus, we look at using drum drive gearboxes for conveyors, and at how a gearbox is giving a bionic hand a powerful grip. 36 Paper and Packaging A new technology that uses infrared cameras to monitor papermaking machines is helping to enhance quality, efficiency, uptime and control. On some machines, the annual savings could amount to around $1.3m. Plus how a UK fruit supplier has installed a robotic de-palletising and re-palletising system. 40 Warehouse Automation Tracking items accurately around warehouses in real time has big potential benefits in terms of saving time and money, and avoiding errors. An expert outlines some of the technologies available, and how combining two of them may be the ultimate answer. 44 Talking Industry For the latest session in the Talking Industry series of Webinars, consultant editor Andy Pye interviewed two specialists in smart maintenance and explored how it can be used to slash operating costs. 45 Southern Manufacturing The Southern Manufacturing & Electronics exhibition is returning to its Farnborough venue next month. We look at what visitors can expect to find when they attend the exhibition. 40 Average net circulation January to December 2023 42 44 Subscribe for your FREE copy now 18,942 15
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NEWS n 5 ABB and Microsoft launch AI copilot with ‘potential to transform industry’ ABB HAS JOINED FORCES with Microsoft to launch a generative AI tool that helps industrial users to improve efficiency, productivity and sustainability by contextualising vast amounts of data and providing actionable insights “in an intuitive manner”. The ABB Ability Genix Copilot uses large language models, such as GPT-4, that have been customised for industrial use. Unlike traditional natural language processing that works mainly with text, the new tool uses data from real-world production environments, providing insights that can be implemented immediately to improve industrial operations. ABB says that by embedding Genix Copilot’s capabilities into digital systems, users will be able to achieve significant cost savings in their operations and maintenance, boost production efficiency, and drive improvements in energy use and emissions. Genix Copilot is designed to handle and process data from multiple sources, including shopfloor operations, operator conversations, enterprise systems, unstructured data and metadata, to deliver insights with natural language support. The tool’s intuitive conversational interface allows users to inquire about operational parameters, such as asset health, performance, fault analysis and more, receiving clear, concise responses. For example, a maintenance manager can ask for a summary of the day’s events for their plant, including insights on critical assets that may need attention, root cause analysis, as well as the status of the work orders. Three Genix-based applications are already being used by early adopters: n Genix My Measurement Assistant Copilot, which streamlines troubleshooting and maintenance for industrial devices by using AI to access documentation, error codes and spare parts details. n Genix Asset Performance Management Copilot, which delivers an intuitive user experience for maintenance teams in asset-intensive industries, providing real-time insights in natural language, summarising key events, as well as delivering contextual analytics and actionable recommendations. With predictive maintenance insights, it helps to improve asset performance and reduce downtime. n Genix Sustainability Insights Copilot, which helps users to monitor and enhance their sustainability efforts by providing insights on energy consumption and emissions. “Digitalisation and AI are at the core of delivering more value to our customers, with a substantial part of our R&D workforce dedicated to digital, AI and software,” says Peter Terwiesch, president of ABB Process Automation. “Collaboration of ABB and Microsoft on generative AI is an important step in driving innovation and shaping the future of industry, helping our customers outrun – leaner and cleaner. With Genix Copilot, we can bring a new era of user experience, collaboration and consumerisation of real-time actionable insights across roles. “By embedding Genix Copilot capabilities in our Genix solutions,” he adds, “we’re empowering customers to make faster, data-driven decisions that help them improve productivity, efficiency and sustainability.” “Working with ABB, we’re truly pushing the boundaries of what generative AI can do for industry,” says Sonja Meindl, enterprise commercial director at Microsoft Switzerland. “Genix Copilot has the potential to transform industrial operations, offering customers a practical, easy-to-use tool that enhances efficiency, productivity and sustainability.” www.drivesncontrols.com January 2025 DG INNOVATE (DGI), A UK R&D COMPANY that develops mobility and energy storage technologies, has formed a joint venture with an Indian EV manufacturer and automotive technology company, EVage Automotive, to manufacture and supply drivetrains based on its motor technology. They expect to manufacture up to 100,000 motors in the first four years of production, in ratings of 80, 150 and 315kW, with largest machines having potential industrial applications. DGI has also recently delivered a prototype 450kW motor to Meritor Electric Powertrain Systems, a partner in a UK project to develop drive systems for heavy goods vehicle, which is being partfunded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). The motor weighs 180kg, and is claimed to deliver “industry-leading” torque density. It produces continuous power with a 97.3% measured efficiency when paired a DGI inverter, and 98.5% from the motor alone. DGI will own 60% of the JV with EVage, called Pareta India, and will provide the designs for a range of motors and licence the associated technologies and related intellectual property rights to the JV, while EVage will oversee day-to-day manufacturing. The JV will produce motors for e-mobility customers, including EVage, and for third parties in India and elsewhere. “I haven't been this excited about a product launch since my days at Tesla,” says DGI CEO, Peter Bardenfleth-Hansen. He was with Tesla for more than nine years until 2016, when he was director of its EMEA business development activities. The DGI team includes several former Tesla engineers. DGI’s prototype 450kW motor for the UK project, funded by the Government-backed Automotive Transformation Fund, has an innovative cooling system designed to ensure peak performance under extreme conditions. Redundancy is built in via a parallel inverter architecture, providing an extra layer of security. UK-Indian JV will produce 100,000 electric motors ABB’s Ability Genix Copilot uses generative AI to boost productivity, efficiency and sustainability in industrial operations
n NEWS January 2025 www.drivesncontrols.com 6 THE CHINESE AUTOMATION GIANT Inovance has entered the European market for industrial AC motors with an IE5efficiency motor that uses a hairpin technology adapted from the automotive sector. Inovance unveiled the motors at the recent SPS exhibition in Germany, along with several other new ranges including variable-speed drives designed to meet European eco requirements, as well as families of articulated and Scara robots. Inovance claims that the flat winding and hairpin winding technology used in its new MV33 motors will allow their sizes to be reduced by two or three frames for the same output. The permanent magnet synchronous motors can operate in temperatures up to 60°C. The new MD630 variable-speed drives have been designed for the European market and support EtherCat, Profinet and EtherNet/IP. They comply with European directives and offer safety functions to SIL 3, as well as built-in filters and programmable logic. Inovance’s new articulated and Scara robots for Europe will initially be available for payloads of up to 20kg, but larger models will be released during 2025. The company claims to be largest supplier of Scara robots in China, with 20.8% of the market. It is also China’s fourthlargest supplier of articulated robots with a 6.5% share of the market. In China, Inovance sells robots that can handle payloads of up to 300kg. In 2023, Inovance achieved revenues totalling almost $4.3bn, with 47% of this coming from its industrial automation activities (33% came from the EV and rail sector, 17% from elevators, and 3% from robotics). The company employs 23.685 people and claims to be the Chinese marketleader in servo systems (with 28.2% of the market) and medium-voltage AC drives (with 15.9% of the market). It is also China’s secondlargest supplier of LV AC drives (with 17% of the market) and small PLCs (15.3% of the market). Globally, Inovance says it is the front-runner in elevator controls. It is also making inroads into servodrives, claiming to be the world’s fourth-largest supplier in 2023. In 2022, it says was seventh in global sales of LV AC drives. As well as the new products at SPS, Inovance also announced a new design philosophy that will eventually cover its entire product range, making its products easy to identify. www.inovance.eu Chinese automation giant enters European AC motors market p Rockwell Automation and Microsoft have announced an expanded collaboration aimed at “revolutionising” industrial transformation. They will provide manufacturers with advanced cloud and AI systems that deliver data insights, streamline operations and enhance scalability. The relationship combines Rockwell’s industrial automation expertise with Microsoft’s cloud and AI capabilities. Together, they plan to bridge the gap between traditional industrial practices and modern digital applications to unlock the full potential of industrial data. p Made Smarter Adoption North West, the regional digital technology adoption programme, has secured an additional £230,000 to help more SME manufacturers access cutting-edge digital tools. The new allocation from the Department for Business and Trade will back at least 10 companies to adopt technologies such as sensors, robots and 3D printers to boost their productivity and growth, create highvalue jobs, and support decarbonisation. p Global shipments of mobile robots will rise from 547,000 in 2023 to 2.79 million by 2030 (a CAGR of 24.1%) according to a new report from ABI Research. Revenues generated will rise from $18bn in 2023 to $124bn by 2030, it predicts. p A US automation company, Launchpad Build is opening a global R&D hub in Edinburgh to drive the development of its advanced robotics technology, Digitool, which is designed to cut production costs and time-to-market, while simplifying automation and boosting productivity. The company sees the location as a gateway to the UK and EMEA. The hub will employ a team of 24. Launchpad has been awarded a £2m Scottish Enterprise R&D grant towards the project. p The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) has announced that it has already sold more than 65% of the floorspace for its next Mach manufacturing technologies exhibition, which takes place in April 2026. The MTA expects the five-day event to attract more than 30,000 visitors to the NEC. p The Coventry automation and robotics specialist, Expert Technologies Group, has won a major contract from a Spanish automotive parts supplier, SEBN (Sumitomo Electric Bordnetze). The project, to supply two automated harness assembly lines for EVs, has been backed by €1.4m of support from UK Export Finance and NatWest. NEWS BRIEFS Inovance says that its IE5 motors can be two to three frame sizes smaller than others with the same output SIEMENS AND EPLAN HAVE SIGNED a deal that will make it easier to exchange data between Siemens’Teamcenter X and TIASelection Tool software, and Eplan’s Electric P8 and Pro Panel products. They say that this interoperability will make engineering and production processes faster, more efficient, and less prone to errors. The automated interaction between the companies’software will make engineering information from Siemens software available on Eplan, and vice versa. Users will benefit from a more efficient chain for machine and line engineering, making electrical engineering much faster, they say. The collaboration between the companies was agreed by Cedrik Neike, CEO of Siemens Digital Industries, and Prof Dr Friedhelm Loh, owner and chairman of Eplan’s parent, at the recent SPS trade show in Germany. “The partnership between Siemens and Eplan is a milestone in digital engineering,” Neike declared. “The optimised data exchange enables customers to realise their projects in construction, operation and expansion faster and more efficiently. With this collaboration we’re strengthening our Siemens Xcelerator ecosystem and are creating more value for our customers than each of us could individually.” Siemens-Eplan data-sharing deal will simplify machine engineering
NEWS n BRITAIN’S MANUFACTURERS ARE AT risk of missing out on innovation and productivity benefits by not investing in AI and other forms of automation and digital technologies, according to a report published by Make UK and Autodesk. The Future Factories powered by AI report examines the opportunities and challenges for UK manufacturers and suggests how Government initiatives and regulation could support the adoption of the new technologies. It shows that although manufacturers are using AI tools widely across their business – in particular, to manage energy use and reduce waste – only 16% claim to be knowledgeable about AI’s potential uses. As a result, only 36% of companies are using it in their manufacturing operations, with Make UK warning of significant implications for the UK’s efforts to raise productivity. The 25-page report also reveals that large companies are more than twice as likely as SMEs to be adopting AI (71% and 28% respectively). Barriers cited include a lack of knowledge of how to apply AI, and limited access to technical and digital skills. Lower adoption rates among SMEs are preventing them from achieving the increased profits reported by almost a quarter of companies, and an ability to take on further work reported by almost a third. UK manufacturers are using AI for applications ranging from predictive maintenance to supply chain optimisation. The biggest benefits they cite are increased efficiency (69%), improved productivity (61%) and the automation of routine tasks (46%). The report also shows that a quarter of companies are using AI as part of their efforts to decarbonise, with 93% using it to optimise energy consumption, 64% to reduce waste and emissions, and 57% to improve resource efficiency. Three quarters of companies say they are planning to increase their AI investments in the coming year. While the adoption of AI across businesses is increasing, the report also says the use of digital tools remains “disappointingly low”. Only 16% of companies use them, with 38% considering using them, and 29% not planning to use them at all. “AI and automation are driving dramatic change in speeding up manufacturing processes and elsewhere in companies,” says Nina Gryf, digitalisation lead at Make UK. “Their potential to drive economic growth and reshape industries is becoming increasingly clear, and the manufacturing sector and its factories of the future have a central role to play. However, while the uptake of such technologies is increasing, the UK needs a step change in the use of automation, otherwise it risks missing out on vital transformative productivity gains.” According to Make UK, there have been welcome initiatives from Government including the national rollout of the Made Smarter programme and a doubling of the funding for the Alan Turing Institute. However, given the barriers that remain for SMEs, in particular, there need to be greater efforts by industry to overcome awareness and cultural challenges by sharing peer-to-peer learning and best practice, Make UK suggests. In addition, Government should take additional measures including extending the R&D tax relief to cover investment in capital equipment. UK manufacturers ‘losing out by not adopting AI’ www.drivesncontrols.com January 2025 7 Where UK manufacturers are using AI (percentage of users) Source: Make UK/Autodesk Future Factories Survey 2024 TAX MEASURES ANNOUNCED BY the UK chancellor, Rachel Reeves, in her autumn Budget, could trigger a wave of spending on automation and outsourcing, according to Tony Hague, CEO of the outsourced manufacturing specialist, PP Control & Automation. He believes that the £25bn annual rise in employers’National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will test the resilience of UK manufacturers, with some adopting new strategies to tackle high operating costs and widespread skills shortages. “She probably didn’t realise it at the time, but the Chancellor’s employment tax rises could well have given the UK the biggest push towards automation and outsourcing we’ve seen in decades,”Hague predicts. He believes many companies will invest in new technologies and partner with manufacturing specialists for non-core competences. “Our sector is highly sensitive to changes in employment costs, given its dependence on a diverse, skilled workforce,”says Hague. “NICs, representing a significant portion of employers’expenses, directly impact our operational expenditure (OpEx). “Automation and strategic outsourcing can give management teams some comfort if they can look past the initial investment and instead look at it through the joint lens of long-term productivity and efficiency gains,”Hague continues. “Automating repetitive, high-labour tasks can lead to substantial savings, including NICs, wages, and training investments, whilst also freeing up team members to take on higher value tasks. “Machines also offer consistent performance with minimal error, contributing to higher product quality and fewer costs associated with rework or quality control,”Hague argues.“You can also easily manage fluctuations in demand, whether that is scaling up or scaling down.” He reports that PP Control & Automation has already seen an increase in enquiries following the tax changes. “The strategic shifts that I believe will now play out will enable manufacturers to transform traditionally rigid cost structures into agile frameworks, allowing them to respond effectively to both current challenges and future demands,”Hague concludes. Tax hikes ‘could spark a rush to automation and outsourcing’
January 2025 www.drivesncontrols.com 8 n NEWS ALMOST 90% OF UK INDUSTRIAL organisations have experienced at least one cybersecurity incident in the past 12 months, with many suffering repeated breaches, according to a survey by the cybersecurity company Kaspersky. It quizzed 406 decision-makers in UK enterprises with more than 1,000 employees in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and oil and gas. In the energy sector, 95% of the organisations surveyed reported being targeted, often resulting in downtime and financial losses. The report says that industries are shifting their focus from preventing cyberattacks to mitigating the damage. The survey reveals that one of the sector’s biggest concerns is the vulnerability of connected and IoT devices, with 21% of those surveyed ranking IoT vulnerabilities as their top worry. The rapid adoption of IoT by industry has expanded the attack surface, creating new entry points for cybercriminals. Human factors continue to pose a significant risk, with 18% of respondents identifying insider threats as a persistent problem, alongside concerns about unauthorised access and credential theft. Kaspersky says that this highlights the need for stronger access controls and monitoring of illicit activities by employees. The survey also identified barriers that are preventing organisations from fully understanding cybersecurity issues. A quarter of respondents cited confusing technical jargon, while a similar number pointed to difficulties in quantifying cyber-risks and balancing regulatory compliance with operational efficiency. Budget constraints, sometimes considered as a significant hurdle, were less prominent, with only 20% of respondents citing them as a major concern. Kaspersky says that this suggests that understanding, rather than cost, is the main obstacle to implementing more effective cybersecurity defences. As industrial operations rely increasingly on interconnected systems and automation, vulnerabilities in OT (operational technology) environments have come to the fore. OT is particularly susceptible to targeted cyberattacks, according to Kaspersky. Many organisations are finding it difficult to secure these systems, leaving them exposed as the threats shift from IT networks to OT infrastructures. The research highlights the importance of closing this gap before it leads to more severe incidents, which could affect both production lines and national infrastructure. “Our research shows that cyberattacks in industrial sectors are not a matter of ‘if,’ but ‘when’, says David Emm, principal security researcher at Kaspersky. “As businesses digitise and connect more of their operational technologies, the need for robust and holistic cybersecurity strategies has never been more pressing. Organisations must address both IT and OT vulnerabilities if they are to stay ahead of and manage the evolving threats landscape.” • Russian-headquartered Kaspersky is closing its UK office with the loss of up to 50 jobs. The company will continue to operate in the UK through partner channels. Last year, Kaspersky was banned from selling its products in the US after being accused of having links to the Russian Government – which it denies. www.kaspersky.com Nearly 90% of UK industrial firms hit by cyberattacks in past year Sprint Electric has appointed Alan Baird as head of sales for its AC drives business. He was previously manager of Danfoss Drives in the UK and Ireland for almost seven years. Baird will lead global sales of Generis, Sprint’s recently launched regenerative AC drive. He will focus on expanding Sprint’s AC drives presence in the OEM market. Baird will work with Sprint director, Gary Keen, and business development manager, Neill Drennan, who lead sales for Sprint Electric’s DC business. Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation has announced that Lord (Richard) Harrington will become its new chair, succeeding Lord (John) Hutton who has chaired the organisation since 2022. After a career in business, Harrington was MP for Watford from 2010–2019 and held several ministerial positions. He was an advisor to David Cameron on apprenticeships and chaired the Apprentice Delivery Board. Renishaw has announced the death of its co-founder and nonexecutive director, Sir David McMurtry. Sir David founded Renishaw in 1973 with John Deer, a fellow Rolls-Royce engineer, to commercialise a 3D touch-trigger probe for coordinate measuring machines – a technology he had invented to solve measurement problems in the production of engines for Concorde. With Sir David at the helm, Renishaw revolutionised the development of coordinate measuring machines, shopfloor metrology and process control. He was named on more than 200 Renishaw patents. The British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) has announced Lee Tebbatt, managing director of Wilo UK, as its new president, following a two years as vice-president. He succeeds Dale Croker, managing director of KSB UK. Andrew Simpson, managing director at Apex Pumps, succeeds Tebbatt as BPMA vice-president. Almost 90% of UK industrial organisations have experienced cyberattacks in the past year EVENTS Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2025 4–6 February, 2025 Farnborough, UK The annual regional event returns to Farnborough, aiming to attract people involved in design, engineering production and procurement. They will be able to see the latest in production hardware, components, consumables and other technologies. The organisers are expecting more than 500 exhibitors and 9,000 visitors. https://www.southern-manufacturingelectronics.com Hannover Messe 2025 Hannover, Germany 31 March – 4 April, 2025 The main exhibition areas for the 2025 industrial megashow will be Smart Manufacturing, Digital Ecosystems, Energy for Industry, Compressed Air & Vacuum Technology, Engineered Parts & Solutions, Future Hub and International Trade & Investment. Drive and fluid power technologies will be highlighted in the Motion & Drives areas. The conference programme will include around 1,600 speakers. The partner country for 2025 is Canada. www.hannovermesse.de/en Smart Manufacturing Week 4–5 June, 2025 NEC, Birmingham More than 450 exhibitors and 13,500 visitors are expected at the two-day event that includes the Drives & Controls show, Smart Factory Expo, Maintec, the Air-Tech exhibition, Fluid Power & Systems and the Design+Engineering Expo. Running concurrently are the Manufacturing Digitalisation Summit, the Industrial Data and AI Summit, and the Automation & Robotics Accelerator Symposium. www.smartmanufacturingweek.com 2025 OT Cybersecurity Summit 17-19 June, 2025 Brussels, Belgium This event, organised by ISA, will focus on strategic OT (operational technology) cybersecurity based on the ISA/IEC 63443 standards. It will include various technical tracks, training courses as well as a cyberescape room. https://otcs.isa.org
NEWS n www.drivesncontrols.com January 2025 9 AN INSTALLATION OF eight 1MW medium-voltage drives on cooling pumps at a UK CCGT (combined-cycle gas turbine) power station is saving around 12GWh a year – enough to power around 4,500 homes. The installation, carried out by Innomotics Motors and Large Drives, has been chosen as Project of the Year in this year’s awards organised by the AEMT (Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades). The project paid for itself in less than 18 months. The unidentified power station has four 355kW gas turbine generating sets. Waste heat is recovered from their exhausts to raise steam that drives a turbine to generate additional power. Each set has two main cooling water pumps, each driven by 980kW, 6.6kV, ten-pole motors, which previously used to start direct on-line and run at fixed speeds. The pumps draw water from a nearby river which is used to condense exhaust steam back to feedwater. Because the pumps were running at fixed speed, energy was being wasted and there were fluctuations in the steam turbine vacuum, resulting in inefficient operation. It was therefore decided to fit VSDs to all of the pumps, while keeping the motors. The drives provide precise speed control of the pumps against a turbine vacuum setpoint. Only the required amount of water is pumped to the condenser, saving a significant amount of energy because the absorbed power varies with the cube of the pump speed, and the pumps are running around the clock. Precise control of the vacuum means that the steam turbine always runs at its optimum operating point, leading to further efficiency improvements across the cycle. The VSDs also result in a much improved power factor to the mains supply, and this delivers further improvements in reactive power drawn from the grid. The project has also raised the reliability of the pump motors, which had previously been suffering form serious issues resulting from stresses at start-up using the original DOL starters, and mechanical resonances while running. Other winners of 2024 AEMT awards included: n Product of the year: Megger Baker for its ADX static motor analyser, which verifies winding circuits and the condition of insulation systems in motors and generators. n Service centre of the year: Hidrostal for its 20,000ft2 service and distribution centre in Castleford which carries out servicing, refurbishments and repairs, and holds spare parts for the company’s centrifugal pumping systems and technologies. n Supplier of the year: Preformed Windings, the manufacturer of high-voltage diamond coils, whose products, such as its QualCoil H, have “revolutionised” hydropower efficiency, contributing to CO2 reductions. n Contribution to skills and training: Westin Drives, which invests in its workforce to enhance its expertise through continuous training programmes, apprenticeships, and skill development initiatives. n Rising star award: James Schooler, from ADC Electrical, who has only just started the second year of his apprenticeship, but has established himself as an integral member for the engineering team. n Sustainable engineering award: IPS Newcastle, which partnered with Newcastle University to assess the carbon footprint of motor and generator repairs compared to replacements. n Special recognition award: Hidrostal, which has “clearly demonstrated” inclusive participation in its everyday operations which contribute “significantly” to the enhancement of equality, diversity and inclusion at work. The call for nominations for the 2025 awards, which coincide with the AEMT’s 80th anniversary, will open in the spring. MV drive retrofit at power station wins AEMT project of the year DANFOSS DRIVES IS ENTERING into a cooperative agreement with Innomotics – the motors and MV drives specialist that was spun out of Siemens in 2023 and was acquired by KPS Capital Partners in 2024 for €3.5bn. By combining their strengths, the two companies are aiming to increase competitiveness and provide their customers with a comprehensive portfolio of products and services. The partnership will allow Danfoss and Innomotics to offer tailored packages. They will focus on joint approaches to selected customers, and on strengthening the technical compatibility, performance, efficiency and competitiveness of their motor-anddrive combinations. The companies are still defining the areas of the cooperation and plan to release more details soon. “We are delighted to announce the cooperation with Danfoss Drives to help minimise our customers' carbon footprints together,” says Innomotics CEO, Michael Reichle. Danfoss Drives president, Mika Kulju, adds that the tailored packages will offer “competitive, efficient and convenient solutions to our customers”. The retrofitting of MV drives at a UK power station has won the AEMT’s project of the year award for 2025 Danfoss Drives and Innomotics form drives and motors partnership Danfoss Drives and Innomotics have formed a strategic partnership
O closed Optimize you torq d cooling ur machine a r que moto ly wit assemb th our EAS so leakage-free Guaranteed GHTNESS WATER TI e leakage free N SY INSTALLATIO g olution. q Removes the HINE C W MAC Wat i 100%d di d ETEL e need for special casting arou T c COS rfa un lug-and-Play inter ter pipes P h l d di d i or. e. mot d f li O id i i d ETEL Torque Mo HE buted in the UK by a tors are distri on controllers ic moti ETEL is 100% ded T: 01444 • EIDENHAIN (GB) TD. and high-end motion system pro ology. ated to direct drive techn L sales@heidenhain.co.u • 247711 oducts provides a portfolio to m Our wide range of linear and to www.etel.ch k eet your needs. orque motors, position and NEWS n SIEMENS IS COLLABORATING with a Canadian specialist in magnetically-driven production-line transport systems, SuperTrak Conveyance, to offer a smart technology for moving items efficiently through production machines. They say that the technology, which integrates with Siemens’TIA Portal engineering platform, will boost machine throughputs and shorten machine-building cycle times. SuperTrak’s new Horizon3 closed-loop magnetic transport system – launched at the recent SPS show in Germany – moves items between production-line stations on shuttles/carriers that are powered by linear motors. The technology is said to lead to high-performance, costeffective and space-saving machine designs. The closed-loop linear transport system supports a variety of layouts. Each shuttle can carry up to 3kg, and they can operate just 50mm apart, allowing objects to be moved at high speed with high throughputs. Acceleration rates of up to 40m/s2 are possible and repeatability is claimed to be ±0.01m By combining the mechatronic technology with Siemens’ Simatic controllers and TIA Portal’s motion control functions, the system can help machine-builders to optimise movements in their machines. “By leveraging Siemens’ strengths in automation and digitalisation alongside SuperTrak Conveyance’s expertise in smart conveyance, we’ll help solve the manufacturing challenges our customers face on a daily basis,” says Rainer Brehm, CEO of Siemens’ Factory Automation business. “Together we’re enabling manufacturers to build and deploy high-performing and innovative automation and transport systems that increase throughput and reduce operational costs.” The Supertrak hardware can be linked to Siemens’ Simatic S7-1500T controllers, allowing users to synchronise movements with other axes. Shuttles can be controlled independently using TIA Portal technology objects that enable a variety of motion configurations, such as grouping shuttles together, or clamping containers between pairs of shuttles to perform filling operations. Animated 3D simulations of the systems can give machine-builders insights into ideal layouts, required shuttle numbers, and throughput. https://drivesncontrols.news/bizuxuib Siemens joins forces with SuperTrak to offer smart production transport system The collaboration between Siemens and SuperTrak is based on the new Horizon3 transport system
ti t As a leading su l d t f pplier of precision M STEPPER MSM OTORS M and application and experience " "! our customers approach to bu service and ado xcel technical e 40 years, we ha motion contro ns support staff ed technical sales ! " a professional e offer usiness. W opt a partnership lence and customer ave a commitment to ver l products for o SSTF STEPPER D speed control applications ation, suiting dynamic motion positioning and oper Extended torque performance and smooth turnaround for application customisation vailability for standard products and fast Stock a Aimed at the unique demands of OEM users stepper motors in NEMA sizes 08 through 34 Cost-optimised, microstepping 2-phase, 1.8° RIVES e u eed tepper o m Challeng Serv S F G o provide you Gearboxes vices es tors & driv es tors & driv systems us t f. mo mo back de x ams for multi-axis progr or store complete Command streaming and RS-485 " P, CAN AT, EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP systems where Industrial Et Optimal use for automation es: 3, 6 a Microstepping driv Nopen, thernet is preferred n and motion control nd 10 Amps/Phase g ww .mclennan ww sa + n.co.uk o.uk ales@mclennan.c synchronisation +44 (0) 1252 531444 IS AI THE ANSWER TO ALL OUR WOES? It becoming unusual for any new technology or software product not to be “AI-powered”. Sometimes it seems as though artificial intelligence is being championed as a panacea for all of our problems – with dire warnings of being left behind if we do not adopt it as soon as possible. A recent survey by Make UK and Autodesk found that just over a third of UK manufacturers (36%) are now using AI in their manufacturing operations, with large companies being more than twice as likely to adopt it (71%, compared to 28% for SMEs). This is even though almost a quarter of SMEs acknowledge that failure to adopt AI is affecting their profits, and almost a third say that it is hindering their ability to take on more work (see page 7). The reasons they give for not making wider use of AI include a lack of knowledge about how to apply the technology, and their limited technical and digital skills. But companies that have adopted AI report that it has helped them to improve efficiency, productivity and the automation of routine tasks. Almost all (93%) say they are using it to optimise their energy consumption, and 64% to reduce waste and emissions. Another recent survey suggests that those manufacturers that have adopted AI are using it to tackle skills shortages, with 79% saying that their main motivation has been to compensate for a lack of suitably skilled workers. This survey – conducted for Fluke Reliability, and involving more than 600 decision-makers and maintenance professionals in the UK, the US and Germany – found that 98% consider AI to be a viable answer to skills deficits. Digging deeper, it emerges that for most respondents (79%), the main attraction of AI is to tackle high-skill labour shortages, rather than addressing gaps in low-skill roles (cited by just 37%). The report suggests that manufacturers are looking to move beyond automating routine low-skill tasks to applying AI and automation to higher-skilled roles. There is a strategic shift from replacing humans with robots, to using AI-driven technology to augment high-skill work and address critical talent gaps. “The shift our research shows is not so surprising,” comments Fluke Reliability’s CTO, Aaron Merkin. “While moving beyond routine and low-skill automation has been on the cards for some time, only now has technology reached a level that allows broader adoption within industrial organisations. The evolution that we are now observing sees AI going beyond basic automation, elevating the worker experience and transforming operations.” Fluke’s president, Jason Waxman, adds that “the industrial sector is undergoing a paradigm shift, in which AI is not merely a tool but a catalyst for advancing the quality and sophistication of human work. By augmenting human expertise, AI fosters more resilient, adaptable, and analytically driven operations. This alignment between human and machine intelligence will have long-lasting effects on creating a future-ready workforce.” If this true, then AI does indeed need to be adopted more widely, especially among SMEs. To do this may require Government assistance to help them overcome the perceived barriers. Tony Sacks, Editor n COMMENT
Drives&Controls & BACK TO BASICS n SPONSORED BY Removing the guesswork from commissioning, virtually Digital twins create a replica of an object or system in a digital version of its environment. Liam Blackshaw, ABB’s UK product manager for LV drives, explains how they can be used to save time, reduce errors, and streamline on-site drive commissioning. When commissioning a drive on a complex project, it’s rare that everything goes exactly to plan. Unexpected problems will inevitably arise and require solving before the drive can be taken online. However, while solving engineering challenges in the field is rewarding, it can also be very timeconsuming – and time is a luxury most integrators seldom have. The more complex the project, the more time it typically takes to commission it. Drives used in applications such as large cranes or test rigs can take days to parameterise, and this is not something you can afford to make mistakes or cut corners on, particularly where safety is concerned. The challenges encountered may only emerge once you are on site and understand how the drive is interacting with wider systems. And the more time this takes, the more it can cost, particularly in remote or inaccessible locations that need lots of travel time. Digital twins allow you to solve many of these challenges before you set foot on site. They provide a virtual environment in which machine-builders and systems integrators can develop and simulate entire industrial processing lines and machines, without actually running the hardware. Virtual drives are commissioned in the same way, and using the same software, as their physical counterparts. This means that configuration and programming can start long before the actual drive arrives from the factory, and allows any potential pitfalls in the commissioning process to be identified and solved well before the physical installation, leading to a more streamlined workflow on site. Users can test dimensioning and control interfaces, configure functional settings for drives and PLCs, verify logic and debug code, and test the drive with other virtual machine models to see how they interact. The parameters can be loaded onto the physical drive once it has been installed, or even kept as a backup file on the virtual environment. It can also be used for training, and for energy optimisation of drive systems. To find out more, search for “ABB Virtual Commissioning”. Unit 3B, Lythalls Lane Industrial Estate, Lythalls Lane, Coventry CV6 6FL UNITED KINGDOM T. +44 2476 30 7722 | E. sales@andantex.co.uk www.andantex.co.uk
n TECHNOLOGY January 2025 www.drivesncontrols.com 14 LENZE HAS UNVEILED an integrated motor-drive system which, it claims, achieves energy efficiencies to IE5 and IE7 levels, and can cut motor losses by up to 60%. The system, which delivers 300% overload torque, combines Lenze’s m550/m650 permanent magnet synchronous motors, g500 gearboxes and i550 and i650 variable-speed drives. It is said to be as easy to use as an asynchronous motor. Lenze is offering the system with the m550 motor for applications from 0.25-11kW, and the m650 version for more dynamic applications from 0.75-22kW. Both can be combined with Lenze modular gearboxes in helical, angular or bevel formats. The system does not need sensors, even in dynamic applications. This cuts costs because there are no encoders, feedback systems or sensor cables. Mounting and installation are also quick and safe, contributing to system reliability. If the motor is controlled by a decentralised VSD, there is even less need for hardware, because braking resistors are unnecessary. A regenerative capability built into the motec drives feeds any braking energy back into the mains. Lenze’s i500 cabinet-based drives can exchange excess energy via the DC network, making it available to other axes. The company expects the new motor-drive system to open up new applications in intralogistics, and in sectors such as textiles, packaging and material processing. It sees the VSDcontrolled synchronised control as a cost-effective alternative to more expensive servodrives, with added reliability because of its low complexity. Lenze reports that it has had good feedback from pilot users. “Our customers are primarily interested in lower energy costs and reducing their carbon footprint,” says Lenze’s electromechanics product manager, Klaus Dierkes. “This is a very big issue, especially in logistics, and we can deliver this with the m550. Reality shows that the new motor-drive system can reduce motor losses by up to 60%. This is achieved by a newly designed permanent magnet synchronous motor. What's more, the motors are the same size or smaller than comparable IE2/IE3. “We promise a 300% overload torque from a standstill and we deliver it,” he adds. “The start at full load from standstill is achieved without any problems. The beverage industry, the textile industry and, above all, intralogistics benefit from this. This means that the system can be sized more precisely for continuous operation, as it is not oversized, and then immediately delivers the required power. “Efficiency and usabilty are crucial for our customers,” Dierkes reports. Users only need to enter one parameter to set the motor data on the drive. “There is no encoder, therefore less wiring, no adjustments and fewer components.” A SLSM (sensorless synchronous motor control) algorithm built into the drives can achieve performance similar to closed-control loop, without needing a motor feedback system and its cabling. “This allows us to realise sensorless and precise positioning,” says Dierkes. It can help to position goods in materialhandling applications. www.lenze.com BECKHOFF HAS ANNOUNCED a technology that monitors the health of servomotors in real time with minimal effort. The Beckhoff Smart System Diagnosis (B/SSD) technology measures vibration, humidity and temperature directly in the motor and uses this as the basis for predictive maintenance, and for statistical evaluation using Beckhoff’s TwinCat Analytics software. The technology – available as an option for Beckhoff’s AM8000, AM8300, AM8500, AM8700 and AM8800 servomotors – will allow any necessary action to be taken in a timely manner to ensure efficient operation and to maximise uptime. B/SSD uses Beckhoff’s One Cable Technology (OCT), eliminating the need for additional sensors and their cables, and reducing the overall need for wiring. By integrating with TwinCAT Analytics, B/SSD allows live data and historical data to be recorded, visualised and processed into information that can be used to optimise machines. Vibration measurements can be performed as average values (RMS), as well as peak values (peak-to-peak) or statistically (Kurtosis) up to ±50g. www.beckhoff.com Smart diagnostics built into servodrives will cut maintenance and downtime costs Integrated motor-drive is claimed to reach efficiencies of up to ‘IE7’ Lenze says that its integrated motor will operate with efficiencies up to the “IE7” level
TECHNOLOGY n 15 www.drivesncontrols.com January 2025 LEUZE HAS ANNOUNCED a lighting technology that makes it quicker to align and commission photoelectric sensors. Setting up such sensors can be timeconsuming. The new technology uses LEDs that emit their maximum light power from a tiny area, generating a light spot that maintains its size, shape and homogeneity over the sensor’s entire working range. As well as making alignment much quicker and easier, the Power PinPoint LED technology is also said to increase process reliability through precise detection. Sensors with the new technology generate a small, round light spot with sharply defined contours. This allows precise detection of the starts and ends of objects, with a pinpoint response during object tracking. Another claimed advantage is that retroreflective sensors with the new LEDs have higher function reserves for applications with large distances or small reflectors. Several through-beam photoelectric sensors can be used in parallel with higher detection reliability, because their compact light beams reduce diffusion. The LEDs also reduce unwanted reflections. The new light source is available initially for Leuze’s new 33C and 35C sensors, as well as its 25C, 3C and 5B diffuse sensors. The 33C and 35C series include diffuse, retro-reflective and through-beam photoelectric sensors in smooth stainlesssteel housings. www.leuze.com/en-uk FESTO HAS ANNOUNCED a new automation platform based on the open PLCnext technology developed by Phoenix Contact. The AX Controls platform combines software modules – including motion, visualisation, high-level languages and commissioning software – with a scalable hardware platform, including Festo’s first edge controller. The platform includes Festo AX OS (the operating system), Festo AX Motion control software, Festo AX Machine Visualization software, and the CEPE edge controller. It offers multiprotocol industrial Ethernet connections to higher-level PLCs, and an EtherCat master that can be used to combine servodrive and stepper motor technologies, as well as standard and servo-pneumatics. Applications for the platform will range from classic motion controls, to a variety of industrial, IoT and edge tasks. The AX OS is based on Phoenix Contact’s PLCnext open ecosystem for industrial automation, which supports real-time applications, the use of modern programming languages, and cloud connections. The containerised runtime environment enables an open, modular software architecture and the integration of AI-based software. Cybersecurity is built in. Festo and Phoenix Contact say they have a shared goal of meeting the needs arising from the convergence of IT and OT through open automation systems. Other adopters of PLCnext include Yaskawa and Ixon. In future, Festo customers will be able to buy software from the PLCnext Store. Festo’s AX Controls allows users to develop individual applications and to integrate them with their existing systems. The use of opensource software and apps is said to improve the efficiency of the development process. Festo’s CEPE edge device is based on AX OS and can execute software modules at runtime. It supports communications including EtherCat and Festo’s AP master, and can integrate with the company’s electrical and pneumatic portfolio, as well as connecting to other control architectures. Various software applications can be integrated and executed on the edge device in parallel. Cyclically-executed real-time applications and non-real-time applications can run together. The data is available to the applications and can be parameterised by the user. Another element of the AX platform is Festo’s AX Industrial Apps which are said to be easy to use without needing any AI knowledge. They also save time by giving operators a quick overview of data via intuitive dashboards and reports. Two of these apps are already available, and two others will follow soon. The AX Data Access app creates MQTT data access to Festo components, while AX Motion Insights Pneumatic detects faults in pneumatic drives. AX Motion Insights Electric will soon be added to detect faults in electric drives. The fourth, AX Energy Insights, will report deviations in energy consumption. The apps can connect to Festo’s AX Smartenance software for digital maintenance management, allowing parts to be repaired or replaced as part of planned maintenance, thus avoiding unplanned downtime. Smartenance is said to make maintenance and servicing more efficient and to cut costs. Powerful new functions have been added recently to Smartenance, including an interface that synchronises machines and fault management from SAP systems. It can assign spare parts to machines and incidents, with information available on site and via mobile devices. As well as finding parts quickly, the app also provides associated documents. Manual documentation and time-consuming searches are no longer needed. At the recent SPS show in Germany, Festo collaborated with a German software developer, voraus robotic, to demonstrate the AX platform being used to program, simulate, test and deploy gantry robots. www.plcnext-community.net https://vorausrobotik.com Festo’s open automation platform is based on PLCnext Festo’s AX platform includes the company’s first edge controller Pinpoint LEDs enhance photoelectric sensor set-up and reliability
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