Showstoppers
A selection of innovative new products and services exhibited at Fakuma (Friedrichshafen, Germany) and at Manufacturing Week and Inspex (Birmingham, UK)
Motion control components
Plug-in actuator package reduces lead time
Reduced lead time and ease of installation and use are among the key features of an off-the-shelf single-source actuator kit unveiled at Manufacturing Week by THK UK (Milton Keynes, UK). Developed in alliance with the company's leading distributor, BSL Engineering, the system incorporating the core elements of a standard actuator, controller, and motor can be delivered within days to customers requiring a standard-stroke unit operating with a predetermined load. Kits with standard actuator stroke lengths of 280, 480, and 980 mm are in stock for rapid delivery; units outside of that range can be shipped within 4 to 6 weeks.
"We identified a standard need among our customers," says operations manager Bob Love. "People want a plug-in unit with a very simple teach-in function. They don't want to get involved with a multipage manual, which involves an investment of time and introduces a high element of risk," he says. THK ensures risk-free operation of its actuator by preprogamming parameters into the controller. "If the user punches in an unauthorized number, an error message comes up," notes Love. "It won't let the unit overtravel or overaccelerate. That's why it's called NPR
The unit is available with a ball screw or belt drive and achieves a maximum speed of 2 m/sec when fitted with the latter. A number of options are available, and the actuator kit can be coupled with user-specified motors and controllers.
Manufacturing equipment
Network-compatible industrial scales designed for use in hazardous areas
Industrial scales with weighing capacities up to 300 kg are designed for use in hazardous work environments in the pharmaceutical industry as well as for processing adhesives and solvents. The FC-X scales, which are network-compatible via an RS-232 interface or an optional RS-485 bus, were exhibited by Sartorius AG (Göttingen, Germany) at the recent Fakuma exhibition.
A printer, PC, or other peripheral can be connected to the scale and placed in a safe area of the workplace, notes product manager Herbert Kraeft. "The explosion-proof scale has the full functionality of the Sartorius FC series including the isoTEST function, which enables one-key calibration and adjustment," he says. Calibration results can be printed out to comply with GMP and GLP guidelines, making the system ideal for use in quality assurance applications, Kraeft adds.
The scale's graphic display and control unit guide the user through the various application programs, and the backlit screen provides fatigue-free reading even in unfavourable production environments.
Sartorius also introduced a new generation of moisture analyzers at the exhibition. The MA gravimetric moisture analyzers are available with either a ceramic infrared heating element or a halogen lamp, reportedly the first time that a single unit can accommodate two different heat sources. The ceramic unit rapidly attains the final temperature to ensure a uniform distribution of infrared rays over the entire sample surface, thus eliminating localized burning. The halogen lamp is suited for applications that require accelerated temperature regulation during sample drying.
Other innovations include integration of the heat source into the chamber cover. "The motorized heating unit opens and shuts at the touch of a key," says engineer Thomas Krahl, "eliminating the need to use a hood." This system minimizes handling of the sample, speeding up the process and thereby preventing predrying during weigh-in, Krahl adds. The motorized heat source also reduces exposure of the weighing mechanism to mechanical vibration. "As a result, we have been able to add one decimal point to the readings, achieving an accuracy of 0.1 mg," says Krahl.
Testing equipment
Next-generation control software for tension and compression testing unveiled
A 1000-N-capacity testing system based on recently developed control software received its premiere at Inspex, a biannual show devoted to quality assurance equipment and services. Mecmesin Ltd. (Broadbridge Heath, W Sussex, UK) ultimately plans to use the Emperor control software for tension and compression testing to drive its entire range of systems, says engineering manager John Page.
"Emperor is an amalgamation of two products," says Page, "a combination of DOS-based software and data blocking." The force gauge emulator is described as a virtual instrument console that enables samples to be tested at a fixed speed. The maximum tensile and compressive loads can be displayed and a simple test report can be printed. Sophisticated control and analysis procedures can be developed using a Windows interface, and the data can be graphically interrogated, replayed, assessed against pass/fail criteria, compiled into batch reports, and exported to other programs.
The data transfer rate has also been accelerated by means of pulse acquisition technology, adds Page. "Historically, data transfer has been slow because data has been sent in pieces. Pulse acquisition technology enables the transfer of data blocks, which substantially speeds up the process," he says. The system also captures a video of the tests, which can then be e-mailed to a customer. "He can view it, freeze it at whatever point, and analyze the data," explains Page.
Designed specifically for use in quality control laboratories for the evaluation of a product's or material's mechanical properties, Emperor will be available starting in January 2000.
Manufacturing equipment
Electronic clamp delivers total process control
An electronically controlled clamping tool used in conjunction with ear clamps produces an optimal seal and enables the verification of all parameters. The Clamp Pincer ELK 01 was presented by the UK subsidiary of Oetiker GmbH (Endingen, Germany) at Manufacturing Week. "This tool is the first of its kind to qualify, quantify, and verify clamping processes," stresses technical sales representative Cliff Lowe.
Ear clamps overcome tolerance deviations and feature a stepless design that produces 360° seals and consistent band loads. The ELK 01 clamping tool opens and closes ear clamps with consistent force, and each closure is obtained with an identical radial clamp force. "Control parameters can be regulated by force or by weight, and the clamp can be programmed to close slowly and hold the seal for a predetermined number of seconds," says Lowe. "Unlike other clamps that simply open and shut, this device gives the user complete control," he adds. "You decide how you want it to work."
Parameters are programmed into the tool via a PC, but once the data have been exported, the computer is not required to run the ELK 01. When required, the PC can be used for continuous data recording to capture such information as the closing force that has been achieved and the resulting closing gap.
Safety features built into the system alert the user immediately if process parameters have not been met. "If the desired force hasn't been reached or there is even a slight in-process pressure deviation, the system shuts down until the situation has been corrected," says Lowe. "You know exactly when you have a failure."
Equipped with a program to facilitate calibration, the ELK 01 is designed for easy integration into automated assembly lines.
Quality assurance equipment
Colour line-scan systems precisely inspect products at high speed
A machine vision system consisting of software, a PC, a frame grabber, and a colour line-scan camera provides high-resolution colour printing verification for printing and packaging applications. Using machine vision software such as WiT, 100% of production can be inspected for any type of visible defect at rates attaining 30 parts per second. The technology was presented by DataCell Ltd. (Finchampstead, Berks, UK) at Manufacturing Week.
"Line-scan technology used to be perceived as a black art," says product manager Giles Doe. "No longer. Easy-to-use software tools and powerful line-scan cameras deliver cost-effective high-resolution imaging," he says. Central to the technology is the ability to recognize colours while maintaining a high degree of resolution across each colour plane. "The system automatically checks for flaws and it can verify dimension measurements, part sizes and assembly, colour, and so forth," says Doe. This technology is proving its worth in a range of medical applications requiring very accurate measurement and quality assurance.
Calibration is as easy as dragging a box around a portion of the image on the computer screen and selecting that as the control. The Perceptor-Pro machine vision system can export data to SPC software and it connects seamlessly to the user's process control and operating system.
"DataCell has its origin in R&D and laboratory-based image acquisition technology," notes Doe, adding that the company has several years of experience supplying vision technology to the industrial sector as well. "Our broad base of knowledge in image inspection software enables us to rapidly and cost-effectively develop machine vision solutions for a variety of applications," says Doe.
Packaging equipment
Thermoforming machine combines small footprint and flexibility
A compact thermoformer that can accommodate sheets measuring
"My aim was to build an easy-to-use three-platen machine that was small enough to move around as an alternative to mass-production equipment," says company president Jürgen Schönwolff. "You can line up three of my machines in the amount of space used by a typical thermoforming machine," he adds.
The SW 16 incorporates a number of safety features, and more than 50 heat settings can be stored in memory. The machine is designed with three open sides to accommodate rolls and sheets. Format changes are facilitated by the integration of a reduction frame that is divided into three grid sizes; no tooling is required to switch between formats.
Another innovation introduced by Schönwolff is a swivelling three-sided control panel. "The machine can be run in automatic and manual modes, and process control can be monitored from an LCD that is incorporated into one of the faces of the panel," says Schönwolff.
Injection moulding equipment
Compact moulder suited for cleanroom production of technical parts
A compact injection moulding machine with a
To achieve a small footprint while maintaining acceptable performance levels, Arburg placed the control cabinets underneath the injection unit. Likewise, the water manifold has been integrated into the machine base behind the control cabinets. The plasticizing unit has been optimized for the production of small parts: the screw has a 15-mm diameter and an L/D ratio of approximately 18:1.
The pivotable injection unit is designed as a modular assembly for easy removal, and the plasticizing cylinder incorporates a coupling that snaps into a central socket. The two-stage programmable injection-speed profile includes adaptive temperature regulation, and back pressure can be programmed to positive and negative values. The
Manufacturing equipment
Geometry-based measurement system boosts performance of vision systems
A host-based vision system that displays images in colour is available with object location software that uses geometric information rather than grid-based correlation to recognize objects. This technology, which was presented at Manufacturing Week by Cognex UK (Milton Keynes, UK), enables the machine vision system to identify objects that vary in size or orientation, whose appearance may be degraded, or that are partially hidden.
"It's a bit like me being able to recognize you coming down the aisle even though I'm not wearing my glasses," explains sales manager Colin Graves. "PatMax technology has made machine vision feasible in real-world conditions. Fixtures have give, there can be vibration, and with traditional systems you get false rejects," he adds. "But if the system is looking at a geometry, then it's seeing the same object, just differently scaled," Graves explains.
Paired with Intel's MMX instruction set, PatMax applies a three-step geometric measurement process to an object. First it identifies the key features within an object image and measures characteristics such as shape, dimensions, angle, arcs, and shading. The software then corresponds the spatial relationships between the features of the trained image to the run-time image, encompassing both distance and relative angle. By analyzing the geometric information from the features and spatial relationships, PatMax is able to repeatedly determine the object's position under conditions that would overwhelm traditional correlation methods. "The same technique can also be applied to character verification," Graves adds.
Graves also notes that the system functions as a traceability tool, because the accumulated data can be easily exported for SPC reports. Cognex, he adds, has developed numerous machine vision systems for medical device and pharmaceutical companies.
Testing equipment
Calibration instrument verifies accuracy of leak and flow testers
Designed to provide a versatile and convenient method of maintaining accuracy on all types of leak and flow testing equipment, a calibrator complements the use of calibrated leaks. The device was presented for the first time at Inspex by Ateq (Les-Clayes-sous-Bois, France), a supplier of leak decay testing equipment.
"The calibrator simplifies and improves the accuracy of test instrument calibration procedures and helps to ensure quality control," says president Jacques Mouchet. It allows users to forgo the recalibration of calibrated leaks, he adds, and enables them to perform calibration procedures in-house as needs arise.
The device can gauge multirange leak, pressure, atmospheric pressure, and temperature parameters. Leak rates from 0 to 2000 cm3 and pressure from –1 to 10 bar can be measured. Standard features include RS-232 and infrared interfaces, conversion of units of measure, data storage, multiple language capabilities, and a time and date function. Automatic measurement to standard conditions eliminates the effect of variations in environmental conditions.
Electronic components
Device OEM finds novel use for gloss sensor
A gloss sensor that is capable of recognizing the varying degrees of brilliance on an object, from dull to high gloss, was exhibited at Manufacturing Week by Wenglor Sensoric GmbH (Tettnang, Germany). The sensor is suited for a range of applications including the recognition of transparent labels on a white substrate, opaque labels on glass or clear plastic, and the amount of moisture remaining on surface coatings. "It was recently used by a device manufacturer to detect the presence of adhesive on a wound-care product," notes James Newman, technical sales engineer at the firm's UK branch.
The product's visible laser beam and large aperture facilitate adjustment of the sensor for varying applications, according to Newman. Parameters such as the object's colour and its distance from the sensor are accounted for during the measuring sequence.
Wenglor Sensoric also exhibited a recently developed white-light-emitting sensor that recognizes printed markings of any colour on any background. There is no need to modify the emitted light in the
Manufacturing services
Pultrusion process expands design options
Although pultrusion is not a widely used process in the fabrication of medical devices, pultruded profiles are finding some applications in the medical sector. Fibreforce Composites Ltd. (Whitehouse, Cheshire, UK) has provided parts to a manufacturer of body scanners, and the firm is actively seeking other medical applications, according to technical sales representative Vin Dixon. The company presented its services at Manufacturing Week.
"One of the reasons to consider pultruded profiles," says Dixon, "is when you are sourcing nonferrous materials that will not produce interference." Another advantage, according to Dixon, is the wide variety of profiles with tailored properties such as strength, stiffness, weight, and colour that can be engineered into the material at the early stages of product development. "The colour is in the product, not added to it, and combinations of the resin matrix and fibre reinforcement can be formulated to produce fire and chemical resistance requirements," notes Dixon.
Although pultrusions can obtain a tensile strength in excess of 1000 MPa, the composites can weigh up to 80% less than steel. The material is also corrosion resistant, has a low thermal conductivity, and is transparent to electromagnetic frequencies. Glass fibre pultrusions are electrically nonconductive, but a small degree of conductivity can be introduced to promote static dissipation.
Pultrusion is a very versatile process, stresses Dixon. "Consequently, we can supply a range of standard products, but our specialty is really the production of custom sections based on shape or material needs." Fibreforce has a comprehensive in-house design department, Dixon adds, including a high-end CAD system and fully equipped R&D laboratory.
