The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) has launched a series of videos that explore how automation is transforming industries and improving lives around the world. The Age of Automation series, produced by BBC StoryWorks, highlights organisations that are using automation to address real-world challenges – from autonomous mining trucks designed to improve safety, to robotic mobility systems helping children to take their first steps. The series can be viewed online, with episodes released across BBC StoryWorks’ digital platforms. www.automate.org/a3/age-of-automation Guide aims to attract armed forces personnel into manufacturing The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), in partnership with Mission Community, has launched a career guide and recruitment pathway for ex-armed forces personnel and the wider service community. Called Mission Manufacturing, it aims to guide trained individuals into second careers in manufacturing and advanced engineering, where employers can benefit from their talent in the face of the skills shortage. The publication offers advice on the technologies and sectors the industry serves, to how veterans’ skill sets relate to roles in the sector. www.mta.org.uk/mission-manufacturing Scada standard makes systems easier to design, build and operate The International Society of Automation (ISA) has published a standard that provides a framework for modernising Scada (supervisory control and data acquisition systems), making them easier to design, build, operate and maintain. Called ANSI/ISA112.00.01-2025, SCADA Systems – Part 1: SCADA Lifecycle, Diagrams and Terminology, the standard provides a vendor-neutral and technology-independent framework for the long-term management of Scada systems and execution of Scada modernisation projects. It is aimed at organisations designing new Scada systems or upgrading existing systems. www.isa.org/standards Tool helps manufacturers to comply with CRA ByteSnap Design has launched an EN 18031-1 assessment tool that helps manufacturers to identify security compliance gaps early, helping them to prepare for the imminent Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), to reduce the risk of delays during conformity assessment, and to understand when Notified Body involvement is needed. The tool is aimed at manufacturers preparing Internetconnected radio products for EU launch in 2026 and beyond, providing a 23-month headstart on CRA alignment. It helps to avoid duplicate assessment effort when using pre-certified secure elements, reducing time-to-market while maintaining compliance. www.bytesnap.com/resources/en-18031-compliance-tool 48 n NEW PRODUCTS n DESIGN DATA AND MULTIMEDIA April 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com Nord Drivesystems has extended the power ratings of its compact PMSMs (permanent magnet synchronous motors) up to 11kW. The IE5+ motors have an efficiency of up to 95% over a wide torque range, and achieve an optimum energy performance at partial loads and over wide speed ranges. They are available in three sizes from 0.35–11kW, with continuous torque ratings from 1.6– 43.9Nm. The motors have 8 poles in an innovative IPM design, and operate at speeds of up to 2.400 rpm. The stator can be made with a singletooth winding, reducing the amount of copper needed. www.nord.com/en/home-uk.jsp Videos show how automation is shaping people’s lives ifm has launched a distance sensor for use in confined spaces, and for complex detection tasks in materials handling, robotics, assembly automation and logistics applications. The O6D100 sensor, which has a detection range of up to 3m, uses PMD time-offlight technology to ensure reliable detection, regardless of the object's colour, angle or surface characteristics. It offers high excess gain, allowing it to detect challenging objects accurately, including those that are deep black or reflective. There are three operating modes – fine, standard and fast – which can be switched via IOLink. This allows one device to perform multiple sensing tasks, enhancing efficiency and reducing stockholding. The sensor offers adjustable hysteresis, with factory settings optimised for stable switching states, even with changing object colours, which users can customise to detect single-colour objects. The sensor has an M8 connector. Its IO-Link capability allows rapid integration into control systems and enables remote configuration, streamlining set-up and maintenance procedures. ifm electronic 0208 213 0000 www.ifm.com/gb/en Metrel has released an easy-touse handheld power quality analyser to help tackle PQ issues that arise when distributed generation, large motors and sensitive digital equipment are all connected to the same power network. The MI2992 analyser, which has a 10.1” colour touchscreen and an Android interface, incorporates step-bystep set-up wizards to help capture data, including minimum, maximum, average and average on values for voltage events, transients in-rush and RCVs (reference control voltages) on LV and MV networks. The instrument offers a sampling rate of 800 samples per cycle, and can analyse up to the 63rd harmonic as well as “supraharmonics” (2–15kHz), which are important for installations with converters and LED drivers. It has an on-board Li-Ion battery and can be powered directly from the voltage terminals (P-N or P-P). The analyser’s 6GB internal memory can be expanded using an external SSD card via USB Type A and C ports. Data can be transferred via Ethernet, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for remote analysis using Metrel’s MPVision software. Metrel 01924 245000 www.metrel.co.uk Distance sensor can perform multiple sensing tasks Power quality analyser has 10-inch colour touchscreen
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