News » Product News Fanless industrial PCs are based on low-power CPUs
The latest addition to Beckhoff’s portfolio of tiny industrial PCs is a device that uses Intel’s low-power Core i U processors that need much less energy than other processors in the same series. The result is a fanless IPC capable of intensive computing, but drawing minimal power.
Decentralised starter is ‘smallest and first with IP65 and STO’
At the recent SPS show iun Germany, Wieland Electric unveiled a decentralised motor starter that, it claims, is the smallest in its power range and the first with IP65 protection and a built-in STO (Safe Torque Off) safety function. The podisMS reversing starter covers the power range 0.3–5hp (0.25–4kW) in one frame size, cutting storage and administration costs.
Tiny servodrives pack four 5kW axes in the size of a hand
At the recent SPS show in Germany, the Israeli manufacturer Elmo Motion Control launched a series of servodrives which, it claims, offer “the industry’s most advanced servo functionality”, and are the world’s smallest servos to offer functional safety and support FSoE (Functional Safety over EtherCat). It adds that the drives offer “unmatched” performance with extreme power densities and near-zero latency.
Project software now available in free trial versions
The computer-aided engineering specialist Eplan is offering free trial versions of its eView and eBuild software packages, and is planning to release a series of webinars and training videos to help users to make the most of the trials.
Photo sensors have the ‘smallest bodies and longest ranges’
Omron has launched a series of reflective photoelectric sensors that, it claims, have the smallest bodies and the longest sensing ranges (up to 1.5m) in their class. The E3AS sensors are not affected by sensing distances, colours, materials or the surfaces of objects, making them easier to select, commission, adjust and maintain.
Small servodrive handles dynamic applications
At the recent SPS show, Festo unveiled a compact servodrive designed to deliver dynamic motion from small servomotors and stepper motors with continuous power ratings up to 300W. The CMMT-ST drive is particularly suitable for use with Ethernet-based bus systems and can be integrated with controllers from manufacturers such as Siemens, Rockwell and Beckhoff.
Lightweight cobot targets first-time users
Fanuc has unveiled a lightweight collaborative robot (cobot) aimed at first-time users of robots, especially in smaller companies. The CRX-10iA robot can handle payloads of up to 10kg, and will be available with a reach of either 1.2 or 1.4m.
Bluetooth-enabled lubrication controller is ‘a breakthrough’
A US manufacturer of fluid-handling equipment has developed an automatic lubrication controller that supports Bluetooth, allowing maintenance personnel and operators to monitor parameters such as lubricant levels, pressures and configurations on a smartphone or tablet.
IP67 protection opens up new uses for ABB’s smallest, fastest robot
ABB has announced an IP67-rated version of its smallest and fastest industrial robot – the IRB 1100 – as well as a matching IP54-protected controller. The IP67 protection will allow the robot to be used in applications that generate dust, water and debris, such as polishing, wet grinding, buffing and deburring.
‘World’s tiniest’ safety scanner fits in spaces others won’t go
Sick claims that its latest safety laser scanner is the world’s smallest. The 8cm-high nanoScan3 has been designed for easy integration into machines such as AGVs (automated guided vehicles), mobile platforms and service robots. It can also be built into stationary equipment for hazardous point, area and access protection.
All-in-one precision platform is ‘the future of motion control’
At the recent SPS exhibition, Aerotech unveiled a new control platform which, it says, contains all of the components needed for precision machine control. The Automation1 platform is aimed, in particular, at the growing markets for precision machinery in which process controls need to be linked closely to motion controls. It promises faster motion and settling times, improved position stability, and enhanced contour accuracy.
Engineering platform migrates to the cloud, cutting need for PCs
At the recent SPS show in Germany, Beckhoff announced that users of its TwinCat engineering and runtime products will, in future, be able to use them directly in the cloud. The new TwinCat Cloud Engineering service will give them an easy way of engineer TwinCat systems and controllers without having to use a local PC.
‘Singular controller’ handles robots, drives and I/O systems
At the recent SPS exhibition in Germany, Yaskawa announced a machine controller that can handle robots, servodrives, inverter drives and I/O systems. When used with the company’s Sigma-7 servo systems, the MP3300iec RBT “singular controller” can supervise 32 real axes as well as up to eight robots.
Edge appliance targets car-makers and their suppliers
Rittal and two of its sister companies in the Friedhelm Loh Group – German Edge Cloud and IoTOS – have joined forces with Bosch Connected Industry to launch an edge computing appliance that will allow manufacturers to extract extra value from their production data. Called Oncite, the appliance is an open IIoT platform combined with an edge cloud datacentre.
Wireless gateway sends real-time motor data to the cloud
The Brazilian motor-maker WEG has developed a wireless gateway that allows motor users to monitor the condition of any number of machines in real time, and to plan their maintenance accordingly. The gateway is an enhancement of the Motor Scan module that WEG announced last year.
