Design world august 2015

Think

Allie

d for

Autom

ation

& Co

ntrol

APR15-A&C Snipe_Snipe 3/13/15 2:39 PM Page 1

August 2015www.designworldonline.com

INSIDE:

LINEAR MOTION: Dont rule out lead screws PAGE 62

DESIGN FOR INDUSTRY: How timing belt propels h hovercraft PAGE 26

DEAN KAMEN: on making the world a better place through engineering PAGE 80

How to keep machines and people

72

safe

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I n s i g h t s

4 DESIGN WORLD August 2015

When I sat down with Dean Kamen last December in his office, he talked about how our society makes heroes out of sports stars and celebritiesand those are the people our kids (and disadvantaged children in particular) look up to. His vision in creating FIRST was to take the old science fair idea and make it more exciting, like a sporting event or a rock concert. Get engineering-type mentors for kids, to help them build things and learn the value of teamwork. Visiting the FIRST Robotics Championships in St. Louis is like spending a couple of days in Kamens long desired STEM-centered universe. What FIRST has created over a couple of decades is pretty amazing. Held slightly ironically in the Edward James Domehome of the St. Louis Ramsits hard not to get more than a little excited as the announcer shouts 1...2...3...TESLA! Goooooooo!!!! and thousands of kids are cheering wildly. Its like a science fair gone wild, mixed with thousands of kids for whom geeky is coolmy kind of kids, for sure. Young women proudly wear Rosie the riveter shirts. Guys wander the concourse holding blow up aliens and displaying Terminator shirts. On the competition floor, Im more impressed. They all speak so well and seem grown up beyond their years. Rick Schlack, who works for Southco in Concordville, Pa., was volunteering because his son, Trevor, was in the competition. He said the experience has helped push Trevor toward a technical field of study. Its helpedhes going to be a physicist, and he knows he wants to go through a doctorate, so he sees whats going on here, and its definitely solidified that, Schlack said. Kobe Greer, a 9th grader from Toronto, said hed learned a lot. Its a great learning experience, its a great community, everyones really friendly, he said. So many teams have told us what not to do and what to doand the rules. Without [the other teams], wed have probably gotten disqualified. Lots of people are helping us out because were rookies and they made this real easy. I love it. Were going to come back next year, and were going to come back the following years after that. Manny Carbajal, in his final year of college studying Innovation & Design Engineering at

FIRST in person

Pa u l J. H e n e y - Ed i to r i a l D i re c to rp h e n e y@w tw h m e d i a .co m

Has your company gotten involved in FIRST?Comment on Pauls blog on

Pneumatic Tips, www.pneumatictips.com/blogOn Twitter @ DWEditor

Universidad Panamericana, was volunteering for a Mexico City school. I started when I was 13 years old ... it was great and I was inspired by everything my mentors did for me. When you see an adult, an engineer, an important person, it inspires you. My first mentor was a GM electrical engineer and he was inspiring for me because he was always there. Everything I needed, he would always help me, he said. I found Luke Gries as his team from Hauppauge, N.Y., was readying to pack up. Gries, a junior in high school, got involved when a few of his friends joined the team his freshman year. I came the first night and I remember seeing the rebound rumble robotand I was blown away by how cool it was. They were shooting all the baskets and it just made me want to join and build stuff, he said. I want to be a mechanical engineer. This changed my life. From freshman year to where I am now, it set me on a career path and helped me so muchI cant even express how much. Kayleigh Head, a 10th grader from Houston, Texas, and her all-female team, Iron Plaid, stood out in their white tops and plaid skirts. Their energy was infectious. I joined FIRST because of a summer programI discovered programming and I discovered a whole new world, Head said. STEM opens your eyes so much to the world around you and how it works, and I think about things in a totally different way now. And I think that what makes FIRST so cool, is that it brings STEM to high school students and you can experience this great world and it prepares you so well for when you leave school. Head said she wants to study to be a computer scientist or an engineer. I asked her what shed say to Kamen if she ran into him one day. I would thank him so much for establishing this program, because it has changed my life so much, and I know its impacted so many other people, she said. This program is the best thing that I think has ever happened to me. Read my latest Q&A with Dean from after the FIRST championships starting on page 80.

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Te s c h l e r o n To p i c

Theres been a lot of bile spilled in the

blogosphere recently about a group

of economists at the University of

California Berkeley and the University

of Chicago. The researchers studied

Michigan households participating in a

Dept. of Energy effort called WAP (Federal

Weatherization Assistance Program).

WAP gives out grants that let low-income

families install energy efficient furnaces,

windows, insulation and other measures

aimed at cutting expenses for heating,

cooling and electricity.

L e l a n d Te s c h le r - Exe c u t i ve Ed i to rlte s c h le r @w tw h m e d i a .co m

Zinger: Many energy efficiency measures arent economical

On Twitter @ DWLeeTeschler


The economists found that money spent on these measures did, indeed, reduce energy consumption. Problem was, investments in energy efficient technologies didnt pay for themselves. In economic terms, the investments have negative annual returns both privately and socially (meaning, when the monetized value of the green house gas savings are included), wrote the economists. Perhaps even more disappointing, the recipients of WAP money didnt seem to live more comfortably. The households increased their indoor temperatures by less than a single degree on average during the winter months. These revelations are not good news for those who sell pricey windows and weatherization measures. Predictably, they havent taken this news well. Some of the comments online come across as though the economists had claimed Santa Claus was really a vampire. Not surprisingly, internet kibitzers have suggested the study authors had a conservative political agenda. Thats an interesting claim; one of the authors is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, sometimes described in the media as a liberal-centrist think tank. And UC Berkeley, from which two of the authors hail, is not exactly a bastion of conservative thinking. Other pundants in the green building space claim the study was too small. One I read was indignant that the researchers studied only a little over 600 households. In the spirit of generating more heat than light, it never

seemed to have occurred to the writer that 600 might be a statistically significant number, given what the economists were trying to discern. But once you get past the invective and name calling, there are interesting truths illuminated by all the back-and-forth thats spilling out online. One is that the engineering models contractors use to predict the pay-back of their energy efficiency solutions arent particularly accurate. On this score, here is a typical comment: The NEAT (National Energy Audit Tool) used by the programs they (the researchers) studied regularly under-estimates the efficiency of existing heating equipment. In the original paper, they estimate that the error in the NEAT tool to be about 25% (sic), since it was predicting heating energy use that was 25% higher than actually measured in those homes. Consumers should be troubled that NEAT and similar programs are spewing overly rosy predictions; their models are key selling tools of contractors who peddle weatherization services. Worse, contractors have an incentive to shade the results of these energy audits toward fixes that entail spending significant sums of money. In contrast, the lesson from the economists is to stick with improvements that dont cost much. One commentor may have summed it up best: The study mirrors my personal experience. Two years ago, I hired a contractor to nail down every board, caulk every gap, apply three coats of paint and blow insulation in the attic. This improvement reduced my electricity usage by a third a third! Overall, the biggest savings and the most cost-effective savings have come from paint, caulk, insulation and LED lightbulbs. DW

Lee Teschler Column 8-15_Vs2.MD.indd 6 8/4/15 2:25 PM

Helical 8-15.indd 7 8/4/15 2:27 PM

Follow the whole team on twitter @DesignWorld

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HOW DO I KNOWIF IM TALKING TO AN ENGINEER OR A SALESMAN?

Ask Smalley. We have nothing against sales people. But when it comes to differentiating Inconel from Elgiloy or overcoming dimensional variations within a complex assembly, wouldnt you rather work with an engineer?

Our customers would. Thats why they collaborate directly with our world-class team of Smalley engineersexperienced professionals whose only focus is helping you specify or design the ideal wave spring, Spirolox retaining ring or constant section ring for your precision application.

Smalley wave springs reduce spring operating height by 50%, saving space and weight, tting tight radial and axial spaces. We offer more than 4,000 stock sizes in carbon and stainless steel.

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July 2015 DESIGN WORLD 1 1

l C o n t r i b u t o r s S p o t l i g h t

62Take care of your machines and people with safety switches

ANDREW WAUGHProduct Manager for Sensors and SafetyAutomationDirect

ROBERT LIPSETT

Site Leader and Engineering ManagerThompson Industries

Dont rule out leadscrews 72

Programmable Encoders: The Next Generation

JARROD ORSZULAKProduct ManagerPosital Fraba

August 2015 DESIGN WORLD 1 1

At POSITAL, Orszulak coordinates an international team that develops custom products. He is especially enthusiastic about

extending the uses for industrial motion and position sensors into new areas such as alternative energy and medical devices. Ever since I was introduced to the field of Human Factors I have found it fascinating, he said. Understanding how people interact and understand technology is critical if it is to improve their lives. He cites lost knowledge as one of the big issues engineers face today. Whether it is baby boomer peers retiring or millennials jumping from one job to the next, with each individual turnover, knowledge is lost, he explained. Furthermore, CRM and advanced documenting tools cant replace the wisdom and relationships previous employees had with other peers, customers and suppliers. Speaking of baby boomers, Lipsett said advances in engineering will have an effect on them the most. Smart homes will monitor medication, while Skype and Facetime will provide social interaction with family and friends, he elaborated. Physicians will have a better understanding of a patients health and be able to intervene earlier. This all adds up to boomers living in their homes longer with a higher quality of life.

fun factLipsett and his wife love the great outdoors, where they can often be found kayaking or hiking. As prevalent as technology is, it is important to have some time off the grid, he said.

From a young age, Lipsett has been interested in understanding how things worked, an interest that was fostered by his parents and resulted in him taking apart anything on which I could find a fastener or means to disassemble. Most items went back together, he quipped. An alumnus of UC San Diego (bachelor of science) and the University of Southern California (masters), Lipsett said he finds computers one of the most frustrating technologies, due to the short life span of hardware driven software. As an ME, my passion is designing hardware that is robust and performs the required task in excess of the required life. Lipsett, who has been in the linear motion industry for 20 years and holds multiple patents, including one for the new Glide Screw, said he often finds junior engineers excelling at analysis and modeling, but sometimes lack experience in manufacturing processes and an understanding of traditional design solutions. This can result in out of the box thinking leading to breakthroughs, he said, but often junior engineers struggle to reinvent the wheel.

fun factWhen Lipsetts had a stressful work week, he enjoys getting away to the mountains to go skiing, biking and swimming.

Waugh, who holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State, could not live without his TV streaming box and digital antenna. Being a recent cable cutter, my family has access to more HDTV than before and at a quarter of the cost. Shout-out to Roku, Tablo, Netflix, SlingTV and MLBTV! Waugh has a lot of school pride, calling the engineering program superior, but wishes Penn State had put a larger emphasis on the importance of communication. The ability to explain and share ideas, concerns and concepts is imperative in all business, including engineering and manufacturing, he said. As someone who has 15 years of experience working with position and process sensors, Waugh would like to see the continuing evolution of smart manufacturing. Smart homes with refrigerators that order food themselves and thermostats that learn trends and self-adjustthese products will become the norm for new machines and facilities in manufacturing, he said. Then theres talk of Industry 4.0 where your sensors provide self-diagnostics and tell the ERP to order replacements; motors communicate and schedule maintenance needs. Industrial Control Self Awareness? It is exciting, yet scarySkynet!

my advice

Every job, every project, every day is a learning experience. You are either learning what works, or what doesnt work. Both provide an opportunity for you to grow if you pay attention.

56

Contributor Page 8-15_Vs2.MD.indd 11 8/6/15 4:39 PM

Relay or Transistor Outputs

10A contact relay output, 300mA per channel transistor output

Digital, Analog and High-speed Inputs

Eight built-in digital inputs of which two can be configured as 0-10VDC/4-20mA analog inputs

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Relay or Transistor Outputs

10A contact relay output, 300mA per channel transistor output

Digital, Analog and High-speed Inputs

Eight built-in digital inputs of which two can be configured as 0-10VDC/4-20mA analog inputs

4 high-speed inputs (up to 10kHz)

RS232C and RS485 ports

Serial and PLC communication Driver to communicate with other PLCs

USB-A Port

For data logging, recipe data and performing program updates

Embedded USB Mini-B Port

3 Bezel Colors

Silver Light gray Dark gray

Screens

STN monochrome (740cd/m2) 65K TFT color (400cd/m2)

RJ45 Ethernet Port

Supports remote Ethernet communication and Modbus TCP Driver to communicate with other PLCs

Flexible and Stress-free Programming

5MB screen-editing memory Over 7,000 symbol factory images

800.262.4332

Analog Expansion Cartridges

Add up to two analog expansion cartridges for an additional four analog I/O

Analog Outputs

Two 0-10V DC/4-20mA analog outputs

High Environmental & Safety Ratings

IP66f (water and oil tight) NEMA 4X (indoor) and 13 Class I, Division 2 for hazardous locations

HMI + PLC in One

Extreme Operating Temperature

-20 C to 55 C

www.IDEC.com/usa

Smart Products... Simple Solutions

By combining PLC and HMI functions in one, the FT1A Touch makes it faster and easier to build smart machines. This integration reduces initial design and maintenance costs by eliminating extra components and duplicate programming. Just one HMI+PLC unit optimizes efficiency and productivity by providing the complete functionality of a separate PLC and HMI system.

For more details and to read our Tech Note, visit www.IDEC.com/Touch

The Most Efficient Automation Solution

IDEC spread 7-15.indd 13 8/4/15 2:30 PM

Co n te n t s | A u g u s t 2 0 1 5 v o l 1 0 n o 8 | d e s i g n w o r l d o n l i n e . c o m

1 4 DESIGN WORLD

MOTION CONTROL

Programmable encoders: The Next GenerationThe latest programmable encoders offer both incremental and absolute functionality on one hardware platform and can be programmed with a WiFi connection.

2014

3

2014

3

56

F E A T U R E S

72 MECHATRONICSTake care of your machines and people with safety switchesOperator safety is a top priority for machine and robot installations, and safety switches help to implement the desired level of protection.

Paper based 3D printingreduces surgical time

A supplement of Design World August 2015

Inside:

92

Expert viewpoint:

How additive

technology will affect

manufacturing

96

Additively manufacturing

a cranial implant

100

2014

3

LINEAR MOTION

Dont rule out lead screwsHere we explain where lead screws excel in linear-motion applications. Then we explain

how to apply them.

62

ON THE COVERSafety switches are not just designed to protect operators, but machines as well.

Photo: courtesy of AutomationDirect.

80 DEAN KAMENDean Kamen on making the world a better place through engineeringWhat makes a true engineering leader?

A Supplement to Design World

August 2015

Design mission ready devices and equipment faster, smarter, and under budget with TiPS from leading suppliers

Aerospace cover 2015_main issue_FINAL.indd 105 8/5/15 2:08 PM

PAGES 88 -103 PAGES 105 -123

CONTENTS AUGUST 2015_first page_Vs4.LL.MD(1).indd 14 8/7/15 9:34 AM

ODU-USA 8-15 (new).indd 15 8/5/15 4:07 PM

Co n te n t s

D E P A R T M E N T S

4 Insights

6 Teschler on Topic 11 Contributors 18 Green Engineering

22 Engineering Exchange

26 Design For Industry

34 Design Notes

42 CAE Solutions

48 Internet of Things

126 Product World

128 Ad Index

8. 2 0 1 5

1 6 DESIGN WORLD August 2015

34

48

42

May issue Market Trend article correction

Note that IndraDrive Mi electric drives are from Bosch Rexroth, and they integrate into machines to let designers build compact designs. The decentralized supply and mains modules also let machine builders integrate all drive components directly into the machine without a control cabinet. Ed.

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Contents AUGUST_second page_Vs1.indd 16 8/6/15 4:16 PM

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Reducing food processing plants energy costs

Food processors in the U.S. face an unprecedented competitive environment and must look for ways to be profitable without negatively affecting the quality

of finished products. The challenge of maintaining high product quality while

simultaneously reducing production costs can often be met through investments in

energy efficiency, which may include the purchase of energy-efficient technologies

like high-efficiency motor systems.

According to the Department of Energy (DOE), electric motor-driven systems

are estimated to consume more than half of all electricity in the U.S. and more

than 70% of all electricity in food and beverage manufacturing applications. These

processing plants are large users of energy for refrigeration, cooking, heating, boilers

and steam generation, sterilizing, conveyors and auxiliary equipment. However,

because energy is typically viewed as peripheral to the business of production,

efficiency projects have an uphill fight for capital and attention. Even if organizations

adopt a more holistic approach to energy, managers and engineers

often dont have the time to analyze payback from various

projects and prioritize them. But this should be one of the first

places to look for reducing costs and improving productivity and

profits.

The typical industrial plant in the U.S. can reduce its

electricity use by around 5 to 15% by improving the efficiency

of its motor-driven systems. Process manufacturing

has the highest absolute consumption of electricity,

419,587 GWh/year, and motor systems account for

71% of this total.

A significant challenge in promoting high-efficiency motors

is that motor buyers often misunderstand where the costs of

motor ownership lie, and therefore do not account for these

costs accurately. The greatest cost of motor ownership is that of

operating the motor, which represents 97 to 98% of lifetime costs.

Initial purchase price represents only an estimated 2 to 3%.

Electric motors used in production facilities with conveyors are

almost always on, driving the energy bill higher. But what if there was a

way to reduce energy consumption and costs while increasing the efficiency level?

There isthrough the use of high-efficient motors. Energy efficient motors make

economic sense: In an industrial application operating 4,000 hours/year, energy-

efficient motors earn back their initial cost in two years.

G r e e n E n g i n e e r i n g


Green Engineering_8-15_Vs2.MD.indd 18 8/4/15 4:03 PM

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Dunkermotor 8-15.indd 19 8/4/15 2:33 PM

G r e e n E n g i n e e r i n g


Many state organizations and energy companies have created

monetary rebate programs available to qualifying businesses. For

example, the Wisconsin Food Processing Plant and Food Warehouse

Investment Credit is a refundable tax credit for businesses that have

invested to modernize or expand food processing plants or food

warehouses in Wisconsin and who have been certified by the Wisconsin

Department of Commerce.

Tax credits are earned by incurring eligible expenses for

modernization or expansion of a food processing plant or food

warehouse. This includes constructing, improving or acquiring buildings

or facilities, or acquiring equipment for food processing or food

warehousing.

Wisconsin also has the Meat Processing Facility Investment Credit

program to support the modernization of the states meat processing

industry. The tax credits build on the success of the states dairy

modernization and investment tax programs. The program provides

a tax credit for up to 10% of the expenditures meat processors invest

in modernization or expansion. Eligible costs include construction,

additions, utility upgrades, equipment, technology and other upgrades.

In southern Indiana, Dubois REC and other local rural electric

cooperatives, in a partnership with Hoosier Energy, have created a

monetary rebate program for energy efficient upgrades. Local electric

cooperatives have been offering rebates on energy efficiency upgrades

through Hoosier Energy since 2009. DW

Submitted by Cheryl Higgins, product marketing manager,

LEESON Electric, www.leeson.com.

Green Engineering_8-15_Vs2.MD.indd 20 8/4/15 4:04 PM

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At Catalyst Motion Group, we are able to congure motion systems by utilizing our own component level supply. What this means for our clients is full accountability for customized solutions while realizing the improved eciencies of a reduced supplier count and receiving fully tested and delivered solutions.We can provide you with the ultimate solution for almost any application, while managing scheduling demands, technical requirements and nancial considerations. We are able to accomplish this through coordinated utilization of our extensive engineering resources and vertically integrated manufacturing resources.We put it all together customized motion systems that include stepper motors, brush and brushless DC motors, linear mechanics, drives, electronics and an extensive array of peripheral system components. Our considerable and wide-ranging in-house manufacturing capabilities allow us full control of the entire process, from development of prototypes to delivery of fully tested production units. And, with our engineering capability, if we don't have it ...we can develop it! We have successfully developed and taken to production fully customized motion solutions for a wide variety of advanced technologies including: Medical devices for diagnostics, surgical procedures, therapeutics and pharmaceuticals Laboratory and analytical instrumentation and equipment Industrial automation including robotics and production line processing operations We are innovative, exible and most importantly a secure, reliable, and knowledgeable resource ready to respond to your most challenging motion control needs.

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August 2015www.designworldonline.com

INSIDE:

LINEAR MOTION: Dont rule out lead screws PAGE 62

DESIGN FOR INDUSTRY: How timing belt propels h overcraft PAGE 26

DEAN KAMEN: on making the world a better place through engineering PAGE 80

How to keep machines and people

72

safe

Does the hydraulic industry need to consider the preservation of laminar flow?Laminar flow describes the ease of flow, and it

describes how the desire of a fluid to travel is

parallel straight lines, whenever possible.

What's the difference between inertia and momentum? The concepts of inertia

and momentum are

often confusedpossibly

due to the similarity of

their definitions. Inertia

is generally described as

an objects resistance to

motion, with momentum being the tendency of an object

to continue moving. Both have implications for linear

motion applications, but while inertia is a fundamental sizing

parameter, momentum isnt directly addressed in system

calculations. To distinguish between the two and find out

why that is, well look at the definitions and uses of each.

Posted by Danielle Collins, Contributing Editor

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Senior Motion Control Editor Miles Budimir discusses the

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Where is hydraulic bar stock used (besides in cylinder piston rods, of course)?

Engineering Exchange 8-15_Vs1.indd 22 8/7/15 9:49 AM

2015 by AMETEK Inc. All rights reserved.

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2 4 DESIGN WORLD August 2015 www.designworldonline.com

NI Week RecapLee Teschler

A bicycle built for noneA lot of interesting technology comes out of universities. In that regard, consider the driverless bicycle on display in the NI Week exhibit area. It was created by students at Tsinghua University in China and was partly sponsored by Baidu, the

Chinese search engine. Ph.D. student Sotiris Stasinopoulos did much of the work on the sensors, the path planning, obstacle detection and path optimization. He explained that a remote operator steers the bicycle using a remote control as might be used for an ordinary radio controlled plane. A GPS sensor and gyroscope reside in the rear of the bike, rather than near the center of gravity, as is normally the case for systems that balance mechanical structures. The reason is that a gyroscope sitting near the bike center doesnt generate enough of a torque signal to stabilize the bike. The rear-mounted gyro mainly senses the roll angle as the bike moves. A maxon motor moves the front fork through a 9:1 gearbox to keep the bike upright. The bike contains two other motors, one for locomotion, the other for braking. Sotiris said it took students about seven months to perfect the stabilization algorithm.

Paul J. Heney

This years NI Week continued to impress upon attendees that the Internet of Things (IoT) is cominglike a wave, like the Borgand resistance is futile. Engineers need to over-design their products for future flexibility and realize that there is a Cambrian explosion of data coming (as Eric Starkloff, EVP of global sales and marketing put it so well). That means not just more data, but more diversity in the types of data that we will have to deal with. The IoT is also helping to create technology in things like software and sensors, and the varied applications on hand here in Austin certainly proved that. Engineers were treated to real-world uses of NI products in airplane testing, remote surgery, agricultural equipment, wearable technology, smart bracelets, GoPro cameras, the electrical grid, driverless cars, next generation wheelchairs, and a lot more. The interconnected world is here, and its only getting more exciting.

2 0 1 5

NI Week 8-15_Vs3.LL.MD.indd 24 8/7/15 10:14 AM

Austin Steve Meyers

Firefly Equipment takes the world of agricultural machinery and makes it super high tech with the new ProSlab Harvester. It automatically cuts, removes and stacks pads of sod grass on wood pallets with incredible precision. The machine combines five axes of electric servo drives with multiple axes of hydraulic actuation, touch screen HMI and multiple networks to produce a smooth running system for growers that need to bring grass turf to the marketplace. The main controller is National Instruments Compact Rio with multiple networks to synchronize all the internal controls. In addition, it connects all the machine systems with remote cellular access, producing full monitoring and diagnostics.

Lisa Eitel

The 2015 NI Week showcases hundreds of cutting-edge applications5G networks, data super-positioned over live streams of real-world devices, smart-grid integrationand the daily keynotes continue to wow attendees. Behind these flashy scenes are also dozens of intensive training sessions for those just beginning to use NI software and hardware, as well as certification tracks for power users looking to further their LabVIEW programming and other design skills. According to NI, the sessions can help attendees cut coding time in half and spend 43% less time on code maintenance.

NI Week also serves as a meeting for academics to share their latest research findings and discuss the future of engineering. One unifying theme is how participating students and professors from around the world use LabVIEW in their work, including everything from simulated veterinary biomechanics to complex control of robotic semiconductor machinery.

One presentation particularly exciting for the motion-design world was from Daniel Mohsenizadeh, researcher at Center for Bioinformatics and Genomic Systems Engineering (CBGSE), Texas A&M University.In the presentation, Mohsenizadeh and others describe a new way to design PID controllers for linear controls based on frequency-response measurements. The technique requires no transfer function or state-space model, and can handle the design process directly from frequency-domain data. Attendees got to see how to use it for real-world applications and see the experimental PID controller work a servomechanism with NI and Quanser components.


NI Week 8-15_Vs3.LL.MD.indd 25 8/6/15 12:48 PM

01

m i l i t a r y / a e r o s p a c e

D e s i g n f o r I n d u s t r y


m e d i c a l

Polycarbonate safetySeveral years ago, engineers were disuaded from using bisphenol A (BPA) as a material choice in many applications where people might use a product made from it. Heres an argument for revisiting the use of

this material.

The human body can survive for weeks without food. Without water, its only days. As such, access to clean, safe drinking water is absolutely vital. Perhaps at no time is this more evident than in the aftermath of natural disasters like floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. Disease can spread rapidly and people can quickly become dehydrated when the clean water infrastructure has been compromised or destroyed. In such situations, bottled water can mean the difference between life and death. Customers of 3- and 5-gal water bottles for home, office and retail delivery require a plastic that can meet market demand for sturdy, yet lightweight bottles that can be recycled. Bayer MaterialScience, a global polycarbonate supplier, offers a polycarbonate formulated to provide good flow, exemplary dimensional stability, high mechanical and impact strength, and excellent light transmission and transparency. Polycarbonate 3- and 5-gal water bottles can be washed and reused more than 50 times, one of the longest service lives of any water bottle in the field. Most importantly, the bottles, like all bottled water containers, are also sustainable. At the end of its life cycle, the polycarbonate can be recycled into near-virgin resin for second-life use in a variety of applications. Safe, reliable and rugged, polycarbonate is a proven packaging material. Still, one of its chief chemical building blocks, also known as a monomer, is BPA, and it is frequently misunderstood. The emotional controversy surrounding this monomer often means that reasonable, science-based questions that may be asked about any complex subject can quickly turn confusing. With that in mind, Bayer MaterialScience and the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) have teamed up to encourage a fact-focused conversation about polycarbonate.

What is BPA? It is a chemical building block used primarily to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate has been the material of choice for food and beverage product containers for nearly 60 years because it is lightweight, highly shatter-resistant and transparent. It is widely used in various food containers and many other everyday items, such

DFI 8-15_Vs6.LL.MD.indd 26 8/5/15 9:12 AM


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as eyeglasses and compact discs. For example, many bottled water companies use polycarbonate plastic for their 3- and 5-gal water cooler bottles. Because of less stringent toughness requirements in single-serve water bottle containers, polycarbonate is not used there. Science and experts agree: BPA is safe for its intended uses. Key government bodies around the world have issued favorable opinions on the safety of this monomer. The consensus among these international regulatory agencies, which include the U.S. FDA, Health Canada, the Japanese National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, World Health Organization/FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), and the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), is that BPA is safe when used as intended. Many international studies have been conducted to assess the potential for trace levels of monomer to migrate from lined cans or polycarbonate bottles into foods or beverages. The conclusions from those studies and comprehensive safety evaluations by government bodies worldwide are that polycarbonate plastic water bottles are safe for consumer use. On Jan. 21, 2015, EFSA announced the findings of a comprehensive re-evaluation of BPA exposure and toxicity, concluding that dietary exposure to BPA poses no health concern to consumers of any age group, including unborn children, infants and adolescents. In addition, EFSA noted that exposure to BPA from the diet or from a combination of sources (such as diet, dust, cosmetics and thermal paper) is below the safe tolerable daily intake (TDI) level. On Jan. 6, 2015, the U.S. FDA updated its Bisphenol A (BPA): Use in Food Contact Application page on its website. The update references the newest FDA safety assessment of BPA for use in food contact applications conducted in 2014. The webpage states that, FDAs current perspective, based on its most recent safety assessment, is that BPA is safe at the current levels occurring in foods. Based on FDAs ongoing safety review of scientific evidence, the available information continues to support the safety of BPA for the currently approved uses in food containers and packaging. The fact is that international, independent and objective scientific research has repeatedly shown BPA, when used as a monomer for plastics in food contact applications, to be safe. The Bayer polycarbonate, Makrolon WB1239, used in water bottle applications, is approved by the U.S. FDA for use in water bottles, as well as other food contact applications. A variety of other grades of polycarbonate can be used in food-contact applications as well. DW

Bayer Material Sciencematerialscience.bayer


Whether a conveyor moves small or large parts, efficient and quiet operation are

frequent requirements. For small part material

handling applications, the 1100 Series conveyor

platform now comes with upgraded fixed speed motors

that are 50% quieter than the previous version, and still rated


02 D e s i g n f o r I n d u s t r y m a t e r i a l h a n d l i n gMotors improve belted conveyor efficiency

P114

1-800-933-4915 www.trimlok.com

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for 10,000 hours of operation. The motor

is dimensionally identical to the pervious

versions. The 1100 Series conveyor has a frame height of in. This low profile enables the conveyor to fit into tight spaces. It is suitable for applications requiring lightweight or small product movement and is Clean Room Class 100 Certified. The belt conveyor has a 58-in. roller transfer tail for accurate and efficient small-part end transfers; the conveyor belt is nearly flush with the frame for easy side transfers; and the patent-pending pinch drive allows for 15-lb load without the need for high belt tension.

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learn today.

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A global educational

engineering network,

Connect, share and

learn today.

www.engineeringexchange.com

Connect with 339,805 engineers at

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WorldVideo.

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A variable speed motor is also available. The fixed speed may have an on/off switch on the motor. The variable motor may have several control options including 24 Vdc or 115 Vac input power options. Additionally, users can interact with the variable speed motor from either the control panel, or it can be wired to be controlled remotely. DW

Dorner Conveyorsdornerconveyors.com


Longest endless timing belts help propel hovercraft

03 D e s i g n f o r I n d u s t r y


O f f s h o r e

In two new hovercrafts, the British manufacturer Griffon Hoverwork relies on timing belts with carbon tensile from ContiTech Power Transmission Group. At 5,502 mm (216.6 in.) and 4,956 mm (195.1 in.), they are some of the longest endless polyurethane belts that have ever been produced. They drive the propellers and turbines of the giant hovercrafts, which are employed to connect Portsmouth (England) and the Isle of Wight. The belts are made in cooperation of ContiTech and Griffon Hoverwork at the ContiTech site in Dannenberg.

The two new hovercrafts, which are currently under construction, each have two propellers and fans that interact to set the vessels in motion. The timing belts drive them. Due to the high powers that are transmitted within the drives of the hovercrafts, the Synchrochain Carbon is the ideal belt for this application, said Barrie Oldham, industrial sales director, ContiTech UK. The vessels are equipped with two engines with 793 kW (1,079 hp) of power; they take up roughly the area of a tennis court and carry up to 88 people. Griffon Hoverwork has equipped the drives of their

hovercrafts with timing belts for quite some time. However, the use of the Synchrochain Carbon as well as endless timing belts, which exceed the 5-m mark, are new. The Synchrochain Carbon is wear-resistant and abrasion-proof. It transmits high power reliably. The heart of the belt is the carbon tensile member, which, at the same load, stretches less than an aramid tensile member. In addition, the high stiffness of the cord minimizes pre-tension losses, enhancing drive efficiency. The belt is nearly maintenance free, which helps minimize costs in the area of maintenance and replacement. DW

ContiTech Power Transmission Groupcontitech.de


800 453-6202

>> Accelerate your productivity at ni.com/embedded-platform

2013 National Instruments. All rights reserved. LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, and ni.com are trademarks of National Instruments. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. 12114

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D e s i g n f o r I n d u s t r y 04

www.designworldonline.com August 2015 DESIGN WORLD 3 3

s a f e t y

Sensor enhances driver safety

Heres a sensor that will help prevent operators from nodding off or losing focus when driving various types of vehicles. SensoFoil measures position and pressure; it can be added to any steering wheel. This sensing technology adds an extra dimension of safety to steering wheels for car and vehicle manufacturers. During normal driving, the operator is constantly moving their hands on the steering wheel, changing pressure as the fingers grip the wheel. However, by using SensoFoil inside the steering wheel, the vehicle can sense if the drivers hands are no longer movingif the operator has fallen asleep with their hands on the wheel or if their hands are no longer on the wheel. This can trigger the correct safety protocol to either wake up the driver or implement corrective measures. Traffic experts claim that about 25% of all

accidents are caused by extreme fatigue while driving. This makes nodding-off, also referred to as micro-sleep, in combination with heart attacks, as the leading cause of accidents, exceeding the number of accidents caused by alcohol and drugs. Once alerted by the Smart Steering Wheel, the car can try to wake the driver or take control and steer the vehicle to a safe stop along the road. In case of medical emergency, the car could even drive itself to the closest medical emergency center while sending out an alert to the appropriate authorities. The sensor can also be programmed for pressure in certain locations. This can be used in a vehicle to control various location, emergency, entertainment or communication systems. This same feature

can be used in game controllers, aircraft and so on, as an economical way to add additional programmable capabilities to a controller or joystick device without the need for extra buttons or dials. SensoFoil cost-effectively provides extra features and capabilities to a diverse range of products, said Jens Kautzor, CEO of Hoffman + Krippner. In addition, this sensing technology requires very little external energy since power consumption is very low. The sensor system is insensitive to electromagnetic radiation and therefore ideal for the automotive, aerospace and medical sectors. DW

Hoffmann + Krippnerhoffmann-krippner.com


StepSERVOTM Servo performance at step motor pricesClosed loop for faster response, ideal for high throughput machines

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Applied Motion 7-15.indd 33 8/4/15 2:37 PM

Servo controllers commonly use a cascaded configuration, in which a velocity

loop is nested within a position loop. The

velocity controller is tuned first, then the

position controller. The current control

parameters are usually set automatically.

The position controller typically consists of

a simple proportional coefficient, while the

velocity controller includes a proportional

coefficient and an integral term.

A drawback of this configuration is an

intrinsic tracking error during movement

proportional to the speed. Feed-forward

methods tend to reduce this error, but at the

expense of an overshoot or a longer settling

time.

To overcome these limitations, Servotronix

Motion Control developed an adaptive

non-linear control algorithm. Named HD

Control (HDC), this algorithm uses a parallel

configuration, in which all branches are on

the same level and executed in each sampling

period. On each branch, a variable gain

parameter is introduced and automatically

optimized for high gain and stability,

minimizing position error and settling time.

The algorithm consists of a variable gain

module, which contributes to a low tracking

error, and an adaptive feed-forward module,


Servo controller finds the right rhythm

The Servotronix design te

am uses

the HDC adaptive non-linea

r control

algorithm for the CDHD serie

s of servo

controllers.

Mike Santora Associate Editor D e s i g n N o te s

Design Notes 8-15_Vs8.LL.MS.MD.indd 34 8/5/15 9:59 AM

which allows a short settling time.

The variable gains (VGd, VGp, VGiv, VGi) are

calculated internally and modified dynamically

during operation by the HDC algorithm. Each

gain is a specific function of the system

variables, such as velocity and position error.

During movement, the variable gains may reach

values up to ten times higher than at stop. This

produces highly accurate path-following during

movement, together with quiet low-speed

operation and standstill. System stiffness is

more than tripled during movement, resulting

in low tracking error.

The four variable gains are balanced by

a proprietary algorithm that maintains the

stability of the system. The Kd (derivative)

parameter branch is comparable to the velocity

feedback loop, and serves to reduce velocity

error. The Kp parameter branch is a proportional

position feedback loop, for reducing position

error. The Ki parameter branch is an integral of

the position feedback loop, reducing standstill

error.

The Kiv parameter branch is unique to HDC

and combines the effects of the Kp and Ki

branches. It produces a stiffness more than

double that of Kp, without creating oscillations.

It reduces the tracking error during both

acceleration and standstill. It also eliminates

standstill error, as does Ki, but with the rapid

response time of Kp.

The adaptive feed-forward module

helps achieve a short settling time. During

movement, the correspondence between

acceleration and motor torque is monitored,

and this relation is used during the deceleration

phase to process the integral term. At the

end of movement, the adaptive feed-forward

algorithm modifies the content of the

integral term according to the expected path

acceleration, resulting in a zero settling time.

HDC is integrated in the Servotronix

CDHD servo drive series. Tuning is performed

automatically by the CDHD interface software,

ServoStudio. While autotuning is usually

sufficient, certain applications may require

manual fine tuning for the optimization of

control parameters.

Automatic and manual tuning is based

on the same principle. During autotuning,

the quality of the movement is measured

and evaluated by the drive and the software.

During manual tuning, the quality of movement

is evaluated by the user. In either method,

the servo control parameters are modified

progressively and the value that achieves the

best performance is selected.

HDC tuning is simple and is performed

much like conventional PID tuning. Each

variable gain is increased progressively until

some oscillation occurs, then reduced about 10

to 20% to a safe value.

For instance, one gantry robotic

application required a sustained accuracy

of 2 to 3 m at maximum speed. Using the

CDHD servo drive with the HDC algorithm, the

maximum application speed was increased

from 120 to 160 mm/sec while maintaining

the required accuracy, and resulted in a 33%

increase in machine throughput.

HDC can be advantageous in applications

requiring path tracking and low settling time,

such as CNC and cutting, conveyor tracking,

pick-and-place operations, PCB mounting and

welding, as well as painting, coating and gluing.DW

Servotronix Motion Controlservotronix.com

This image shows

a simplified diagram of

HD Control.

August 2015 DESIGN WORLD 35


Mike Santora Associate Editor

I want one thing to do a lot of things. If theres a mantra for the 21st-century

consumer, this is it. Swiss Army knives are on

the map for multi-purpose functions. Its why

we call smartphones smart. The problem is

that consumers want all this multi-function

wizardry and they want ease-of-use as well.

These concerns topped the list when

Watlow designed its new F4T temperature

process controller. The primary goal for

the development of the new device was to

ensure that it would be easy to use without

sacrificing application flexibility. Because

many of Watlows target customers were

already using its SERIES F4 controller, the

bar was set high for ease-of-use. The F4Ts

color, graphical touchscreen user-interface

and configuration software had to let OEMs

and end users tailor the controller to specific

applications.

The F4T controller combines the

functions of many devices, including

temperature PID, over/under temperature

limit, power switching, math, logic, and

timers and counters into one integrated

system. The controller has field pluggable

I/O, programmable function blocks and an

ambient operating temperature of 0 to 122

F. For connectivity, the F4T has a graphical

configuration PC software that connects

with the controller through Ethernet. It

also has agency certifications such as UL,

FM, CE, RoHS, W.E.E.E. and NEMA 4X/IP65.

Communications options include Ethernet

Modbus TCP and SCPI and EIA 232/485

Modbus RTU.

Clearly, many challenges come into

play when developing a product with such

a density of features. The F4T requires

time critical measurements, advanced

control algorithms, support for industrial

communications protocol interfaces,

management of multiple tasks in embedded

software, field pluggable I/O hardware,

onboard agency-approved safety devices and

robust mechanical design.

User experience is often a factor for

design teams, but its not always central to

the design efforts. The challenge for the F4T

team was to design for ease-of-use without

delaying product development.

The team started by defining their type

of usersoperators, OEM engineers, lab

D e s i g n N o te s


managers and line-maintenance technicians.

People in these roles participated in testing

to help the F4T team lay out the functions

and features of the interface. For example, in

an initial card-sort test, the subjects sorted

operations and functions, such as changing

the temperature units, into categories they

defined themselves such as operation, set-

up and maintenance.

Based on these tests, the F4T team

developed a grouping of information

and controls for each of the tasks. This

organization served as a blueprint for the

interface. From there, a wire-frame prototype

was developed with several iterations tested

internally. Next, an HTML-based prototype

was developed and tested by samples of the

target user populations.

The next challenge was getting a product

that was still in development into the hands

of test groups. The usability testing was

performed through web-based conferences

The F4Ts color, graphical touchscreen user-interface and configuration soft-ware let OEMs and end users tailor the controller to specific applications.

How to make a temperature controller easy to use


with a moderator administering a scripted

test in which subjects interacted with the

prototype using a web browser and mouse.

The moderator asked the subject to perform

tasks such as, Can you show me how you

would change the humidity set point?

Measurements included successfully

completed tasks in a preset amount of time

and how often users made wrong turns. After

each set of tasks, users were asked follow-up

questions to determine if they understood

what they had seen. They were then asked to

rate the ease-of-use of the functions. These

test sessions were observed by the F4T team

so they could directly witness the users

frustrations when features were not easy

The F4T process controller has field pluggable I/O, programmable function blocks and an ambient operating temperature of 0 to 122 F. The F4T also has graphical configuration PC software that connects with the controller through Ethernet.

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WHAT DO YOU THINK?



even created. Typically the user-interface

is the last thing you can put in the product.

But had the Watlow designers waited until

the touchscreen was functioning to begin

testing, it would have delayed the product and

comprised the ease-of-use. Their approach

is a great example of how to develop an

interface parallel with the hardware and

software. The testing and the prototypes cost

much less than actual product iterations,

saving time and money and creating better

end results. DW

Watlowwatlow.com

to use. The prototype was updated as they

discovered the problem areas.

The same process was applied to the

Composer software that can be used to set

up the F4T. The software testing also shed

light on areas that could be adjusted. In

one example, a subject was unable to find

a button on a screen that was required to

complete a task. By debriefing the participant

and reviewing the recording, designers were

able to determine that the color combination

(white text on a grey background) and

placement of the button (low on the screen)

was causing a problem. The farsighted

participant had trouble with this when using

a laptop with an LCD monitor. To make the

button easier to locate, the team moved the

button and changed the color combination to

a higher contrast (white text on dark blue). In

future tests, this problem no longer occurred.

After this testing, the F4T team refined

the interface design before the product was

The F4T connectivity options include two USB host ports, Ethernet Modbus TCP and SCPI, 232/485 Modbus RTU and a USB device port.


CM

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DesignWorld_MDrive_ad_2015.ai 1 4/28/2015 9:33:15 AM

Schneider Electric 7-15.indd 39 8/6/15 1:59 PM




Steel producers worldwide continually refine their processes to serve the changing needs of their customers. For example,

Federal emission standards and consumers demand more efficient

vehicles without compromising performance and styling. In

response, steel producers have begun to develop thinner, lighter

weight auto gage steels that perform as well and look better than

previous materials. However, producing a specialty steel cost

effectively is always challenging, particularly when incorporating

new alloy technology that is designed to be stronger yet lighter

than previous steels. These thinner steels are much more sensitive

to surface damage from vibrations of rotating mill rolls.

To reduce the damage caused by vibration, operators often

reduce the speed of their mills by up to 20%, which reduces

production. That 20% production reduction can equate to one 20-ton

coil of steel per hour that would have had a $50/ton profit, which

would have delivered a $24,000 profit.

Thus, the financial losses associated with steel surface

damage due to mill vibration can be significant. To understand

why mill operators are eager to convert to U-joints, consider the

following example: Surface-critical exposed prime steel sells for

approximately $850/ton. If the surface is marred or damaged, the

steel is downgraded to secondary, non-exposed usage with a 20%

($170/ton) reduction in price. Typical annual cold mill production

is around 3 mil tons. If only 2% of the product is downgraded, that

equates to 60,000 tons. So, 60,000 tons minus $170/ton yields a

total annual loss of a staggering $10.2 mil.

Universal joints help reduce mill vibration

One steel producer was experiencing excessive wear and

vibration of the gear spindles on their 5-stand tandem cold mill with

various spindle brands lasting only six months. Two spindles on

each mill stand connect the pinion gearboxes to the primary upper

and lower work rolls that compress the steel in a cold condition.

Over time the surface damage to the steel from the spindle vibration

(chatter) caused the operator to either slow the mill down, reducing

production by 20% to reduce the vibration, or replace the spindles

completely. The motor drives a gear box that connects to the pinion

stand single input shaft. The u-joints connect the two pinion stand

outputs to the work rolls that roll the steel sheet.

Thats why Ameridrives Power Transmission was called to

provide a more reliable spindle. Soon after, Ameridrives application

engineers approached the mill with a new idea. They recommended

that all the gear spindles be converted to universal joints, which

would reduce surface damaging vibration almost completely, while

allowing the mill to run at faster speeds. After testing competitive

models, the mill selected Americardan Model U3440 universal

joints. The mill was then able to run at record-setting production

levels with reduced vibration and minimal related surface damage.

The new U-joints reduced lubrication manpower, lube and clean-up

costs by approximately $120,000 annually compared to a grease

lubricated gear spindle on a 5-stand mill.

Americarden Model U3440

units feature 553,000 Nm torque

capacity, special carburized steels

and custom bearing steel rollers.

Edited by: Mike Santora Associate Editor



Ameridrives engineers work closely with steel mill

operators around the world to replace their cold mill gear

spindles, which amplify vibration, as they drive the work

rolls on the mill stands.

Americardan universal joints operate at high

misalignment angles up to 15 and are suitable for use

in severe atmospheric conditions. Through materials and

tight tolerances, the universal joints have proven to reduce

vibration levels in rolling mills. Universal joint design

features include closed eye one-piece yokes, replaceable

inner race bearing package, zero radial clearance bearing

package and built-in spring packs on the roll end knuckle.

Spring packs are non-contacting in operation and

are only engaged during roll change. You can mate

the spline adapters to the gear spindle at the pinion

end. This approach can be used without removing the

adapter, which speeds installation. These units can be

interchanged with any gear spindle in any mill stand, in

top or bottom position, at any time. DW

Altra Industrial Motionaltracouplings.com

These graphs illustrate the reduction

in vibration before and after using the

Americarden universal joints.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?



P.O. Box 9070 Fort Wayne, IN 46899 USA

To order a catalog and see more solutions, visitphdinc.com/dw8151-800-624-8511

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C A E S o lu t i o n s



The latest generation of Inspire combines faster geometry functions with an updated user interface and expands the scope and complexity of problems it can address. Several new functions have been added based on the most common requests from the Inspire user community. These include: fasteners (bolts or screws), joints (pins or sliding pins), and contacts (bonded, contact or no contact). Leveraging these capabilities, users can easily model, optimize and analyze model assemblies. Inspire Rely lets users realistically simulate loading conditions. It also offers support for assembly optimization, which lets you incorporate a surrounding structure into the optimizations and gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between multiple components.

Key updates include: Fasteners and jointsConnect multiple parts in a model using bolts, screws, pins or sliding pins. Inspires workflow identifies areas in the model with aligned holes to make the process easy and intuitive. ContactsDesignate whether neighboring parts should be bonded, contacting or have no contact for more realistic optimization results. Gravity loadsAdd G loads to a model through the Model Browser. Updated user interfaceA new ribbon-style interface organizes the tools into tabs. Customize the tabs to tailor the workflow to your process. Faster geometry functionsGeometry functions in the program are running up to 300% faster than previous versions of Inspire. DW

SolidThinkingaltair.com

Topology design program is faster, more accurate and supports assemblies

CAE Solutions_Simulations 8-15_Vs4.LL.MD.indd 42 8/13/15 3:08 PM

Your Custom Gearbox Solutionsare CGI Standard Products.

Advanced Products for Robotics and AutomationCGI Motion standard products are designed with customization in mind. We understand most off-the-shelf products or a complete

in-house design may not fi t your application, so our standard products are designed for functional fl exibility. Our team of experts will

work with you on selecting the optimal base product and craft a unique

solution to help differentiate your product or application. So when you think

customization, think standard CGI gearbox assemblies. Connect with us today

to explore what CGI Motion can do for you.

800.568.GEAR (4327) www.cgimotion.comcopyright2015 cgi inc. all rights reserved. 0804stdp

CGI 8-15.indd 43 8/6/15 2:20 PM



CAM education credentials

Autodesk, developers of 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) are partnering to develop the first set of industry recognized Computer Aided Manufacturing/Machining (CAM) standards and credentials. These standards and credentials will enhance education and training programs to meet 21st-century demands for skilled CAM programmers, designers and engineers, which will account for almost 100,000 new jobs by 2024. To stay competitive, manufacturers must maintain high standards of production at efficient cost while meeting the ever-changing customer demands for their products. CAM allows manufacturers to efficiently adjust their processes to identify optimal production paths that decrease cycle times, reduce scrapped parts and materials, and improve the quality of finished parts. Skilled CAM programmers, designers and engineers with extensive education and training are in high demand to plan, manage and control these sophisticated and costly machines. Companies in technologically advanced industries are becoming

Documents

Design world august 2015