Tech Briefs Magazine - December 2023 - MD-20

Machine Vision Hardware
The new Vision hardware from Beckhoff
(Savage, MN) includes area scan cameras,
C-mount lenses, multicolor LED illumination,
and complete vision units. Whether used as
components or an entire machine vision system,
the Vision product portfolio meets industrial requirements perfectly.
Whether implementing individual components or an entire machine vision
system, engineers can tailor an ideal solution for their unique applications
with these new products. Cameras: The IP65/67, EtherCAT-enabled
area-scan cameras generate high-quality image data via monochrome and
color Sony CMOS sensors with up to 24-megapixel resolution and GigE
Vision transfer rates of 2.5 Gbit/s. Lenses: The robust, industrial C-mount
lenses ensure ease of use and high availability, along with an innovative
robust locking mechanism, VIS to NIR AR coating, up to 2 μm resolution,
and models for camera formats of up to 1.2 " (19.3 mm image circle).
Lighting: The IP65/67, EtherCAT-enabled multicolor LED illumination,
in panel, ring, and bar configurations, produces highly controlled illumination
for consistently high-quality images. Incorporated current-based
controls allow precise operation even in spectrally adjustable pulse mode.
www.beckhoff.com
Smart Manufacturing Data Platform
Renishaw's (West Dundee, IL) new Central
manufacturing connectivity and data platform is
poised to transform the productivity, capability,
and efficiency of manufacturing operations. The
new data-driven manufacturing solution brings the power of connectivity
to the machine shop floor, resulting in highly efficient, productive operations
with optimized processes, reduced downtime and minimized waste.
Renishaw Central collects metrology, status, and alarm data from connected
devices across the shop floor. Devices include additive manufacturing
systems, on-machine measurements systems, shop floor gauging, and
co-ordinate measuring machines. With insight into the process performance
of each workstation, manufacturers have a better understanding of
where to take corrective measures. In unattended processes, the status of
devices can be monitored remotely. If any errors occur, they are detected
and displayed within the Central platform's dashboards or other thirdparty
applications. The platform operates on-premises, allows shop administrators
to own their data, and ensures that process control is automated
without depending on an internet connection.
www.renishaw.com
Cloud-Based Operating System
Weidmuller USA (Richmond, VA), a provider
of Smart Industrial Connectivity products
and solutions, has introduced a new open operating
system, u-OS, that is uniquely engineered
for industrial IoT and automation applications.
The innovative u-OS system debuted at the 2023 PACK EXPO
in Las Vegas and its features include: u-OS is made for maintenance - easy
cloud-based diagnostics and fleet management for your remotely deployed
devices; it offers seamless integration - merge proprietary and third-party
apps effortlessly using containerization; it is future-proof, built on open
standards like Linux, OPC-UA, and Docker; it offers universal compatibility
by supporting multiple fieldbus protocols; as well as provides easy scalability
by expanding and adapting with cloud-based device management. An
added feature is that the CODESYS APP, a leading IEC61131-3 programming
tool used in machine building and system integration, is fully integrated
into the u-OS platform. This enables anyone, from newcomers to
automation experts, to harness the power of CODESYS, which provides a
robust and user-friendly environment tailored to the user's needs.
www.weidmuller.com
20
Positioning Stages
New compact three-axis, Yaw, Pitch, and Roll
Stages from Optimal Engineering Systems, Inc.
(Van Nuys, CA) feature four motor options to meet
the precision and speed of travel requirements of an application.
The YPR-10-15-60 Series of Three-axis Yaw, Pitch,
and Roll Stages are the integration of a 60-mm diameter rotary
stage (upper axis) capable of 360 degrees of continuous operation,
and two goniometers (middle and lower axes). The middle stage has a
range of +/- 15 degrees and the lower stage has a +/- 10 degrees range.
Depending on the levels of precision and speed of travel requirements,
four motor options are available. The -01 option is Stepper Motor driven
and has knobs at the back of the stepper motors for manual adjustments.
The stepper motors with a 10 micro-steps per step motor driver have a repeatability
of +/- 0.01 degree and travel speeds of 30 degrees-per-second
(roll stage) and 14 degrees-per-second (pitch and yaw stages). Option -02
is driven by Three Phase-Servo Motors, and option -03 is DC Servo Motor
Driven. The servo driven stages offer the highest precision and travel
speeds. The -04 option is Stepper Motor Driven with Quadrature Optical
Encoders for position verification. These three axis stages are the ideal
choices for: Optics, laser scanning, drilling, and machining, reverse engineering,
inspection, assembly, measurements, tracking, and positioning.
www.oesincorp.com
Digital Valve Controller
Emerson (Marshalltown, IO) has announced the
Fisher™ FIELDVUE™ DVC7K Digital Valve Controller
featuring the Device™ technology with embedded computing
and analytics that convert raw data into actionable
information locally with Bluetooth® capability, within the device. This
means maintenance personnel can receive the data via their phone, tablet,
or computer wirelessly without having to be in a control room at the plant
location. The new valve controller technology improves the performance,
reliability, and uptime of both on-off and control valves - and by extension
an entire process plant or facility - in a wide variety of process industry
applications, and provides the information required to create streamlined
work processes. The DVC7K interprets data to create an optimized path to
action by combining patented technology, experience-based algorithms,
and continuous real-time analytics with flexible connectivity and easy integration.
It uses powerful, real-time, and onboard edge computing to analyze
issues and create actionable information, providing real-time awareness
of valve health by analyzing data locally via its on-board diagnostics.
Emerson.com/FisherDVC7K
Magnetic-Inductive Flow Meters
AutomationDirect (Cumming, GA) has
added Endress+Hauser Picomag series magnetic-inductive
flow meters to its growing line of
flow sensors. Picomag series flow meters offer
reliable measuring and monitoring of conductive
liquids such as drinking and industrial water with a minimum conductivity
of 10 μS/cm. These magnetic-inductive flow meters allow simultaneous
measurement of flow, temperature, and volume, and provide two selectable
I/O points that can be configured for analog current or voltage
output, pulse or switch outputs, IO-Link connection, or status inputs for a
totalizer reset. The large colored TFT display auto-rotates based on orientation
and configuration parameters can be called up by simply knocking
on the device. Picomag flow meters are configured and monitored with a
Bluetooth® wireless interface on Android and iOS devices via the free
SmartBlue App. With a wireless connection distance of up to 32 feet,
Picomag is ideal for installation sites that are difficult to access. The flow
meters are UL Listed, CE marked, and RoHS compliant.
www.automationdirect.com/flow-sensors
Motion Design, December 2023
http://www.beckhoff.com http://www.oesincorp.com http://www.renishaw.com http://Emerson.com/FisherDVC7K http://www.weidmuller.com http://www.automationdirect.com/flow-sensors
Tech Briefs Magazine - December 2023

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