Manufacturing Technology

Emerging technologies of 2020

Microneedles for painless injections and tests These tiny needles, at no more than the depth of a sheet of paper and the width of a human hair, could bring us pain-free injections and blood testing. “Microneedles” penetrate the skin without troubling underlying nerve endings, and can be attached to syringes or patches, or even mixed into creams. They could allow blood tests to be done at home and sent to the lab or analysed on the spot. And because their use doesn’t require expensive equipment or high levels of training, testing and treatment could be delivered in under-served areas – making care more accessible. Sun-powered chemistry Making many of the chemicals we rely on requires fossil fuels. But a new approach holds the promise of reducing the sector’s emissions by using sunlight to convert waste carbon dioxide into useful chemicals. Recent developments in the sunlight-activated catalysts needed for this process are a step towards creating “solar” refineries to produce useful compounds from the waste gas, which could be turned into everything from medicines and detergents to fertilisers and textiles. Virtual patients If the goal of swapping humans for simulations to make clinical trials faster and safer sounds simple, the science behind it is anything but. Data taken from high-res images of a human organ is fed into a complex mathematical model of the mechanisms that control that organ’s function. Then, computer algorithms resolve the resulting equations and generate a virtual organ that behaves like the real thing. Such virtual organs or body systems could replace people in the initial assessments of drugs and treatments, making the process quicker, safer and less expensive. Spatial computing Spatial computing is the next step in the bringing together of physical and digital worlds we’re already seeing with virtual-reality and augmented-reality apps. As with VR […]

Soul Machines and Florence to assist tobacco users quit during Covid-19

Soul Machines has joined the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Access Initiative (AI) for Quitting Tobacco to help share WHO’s life-saving information during the Covid-19 pandemic, combat misinformation, reduce the risk of Covid-19 and help over one billion tobacco users quit. Florence, the WHO’s first digital health worker, was created using Soul Machines technology and WHO technical guidance, with support from Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud. Florence will help provide clarity and expel damaging myths around Covid-19 and will specifically address smoking and its consequences – heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and respiratory diseases – all of which are comorbidities with Covid-19. With Florence, smokers can engage with a digital health worker to develop a quit plan and rely on a trusted source anytime and anyplace, to help them feel confident to reach their quit goals. Initially available in English, Florence will, over time, be available in all six official UN languages. Smokers are more exposed to the Covid-19 virus and are at greater risk of having severe disease complications. Although around 60% of the 1.3 billion tobacco users globally want to quit, only 30% of them have access to tools that can help them quit. As a digital health worker for WHO, Florence will help give the increasing numbers of people globally who have a desire to quit smoking during the Covid-19 pandemic a new, safe, easily accessible and engaging channel. Florence can scale seamlessly and to talk to many individual people around the world and is available 24/7 with no wait times, as a simple video stream from the cloud to any device. This frees up critical people resources and provides a user-friendly solution to an overwhelming demand for clear, concise information that can be relied on. Florence will always be available when needed and ready to engage to […]

The Best in Black: igus high-performance polymer iglidur J3B

The advanced material is attractive with a low coefficient of friction and a new black design. For the bearing of pivoting and rotary applications, Treotham introduces iglidur J3, a lubrication-free and long-lasting igus tribo-polymer. The endurance runner convinces, above all, with its proven, very low coefficient of friction. As the yellowish material did not always match the design concept of the user, igus has now further developed the tried-and-tested tribo-polymer into the black iglidur J3B. But igus always has the right material for other applications as well. The intuitively operated iglidur online expert system helps with the selection. High dirt resistance, low coefficient of friction and toughness to combat edge and impact loads; features that are in demand in many industries. To satisfy this demand, igus launched the high-performance polymer iglidur J3 for its plain bearing range in 2015. The tribo-polymer displays its advantages especially in pivoting and rotary movements. igus has now further developed the “endurance runner” into iglidur J3B (B for black). The new black high-performance polymer adapts to the design of furniture or even sports and leisure equipment. “Particularly the customers who use our flanged bearings wanted to use iglidur J3, but the slightly yellowish material often did not fit into the design of the application. Now we can deliver a long-lasting solution with proven properties”, explains Stefan Loockmann-Rittich, Head of iglidur plain bearing technology Business Unit at igus GmbH. The iglidur J3B increases service life, especially for applications with low and medium loads, making it ideal for the bicycle industry, for example in pedals, brake levers or suspensions. The iglidur J3 is also used in the mountain bike pedals from Crankbrothers. For years, the American company has been promoting the premium components and is relying on the lubrication-free and dirt-resistant plain bearings made of high-performance polymers. Online expert […]

Safety at high speed with igus e-chain system in the linear motor robot

Twice as fast and half as heavy: this is what makes the linear motor robot from Fibro Lapple Technology(FLT) different from other solutions. In order for the linear robot to be able to get production up and running quickly and reliably, a compact, durable and quiet energy supply was required. A side-mounted igus energy chain system with pre-harnessed chainflex cables proved to be the optimal solution. Linear robots are the automation tool of choice for machine or press loading, order picking and high-bay warehouse loading or even for transport and handling tasks. Due to the demands of production for faster, more intelligent and economically profitable solutions, Fibro Lapple Technology has developed a linear robot which fulfils the desire to maximise production performance. In a new carbon design, the linear motor robot saves up to 50% in weight compared to conventional solutions. The weight reduction enables twice the speed, accelerations of up to 26m/s2 and twice the positioning accuracy. Instead of a rack and pinion drive, the designers chose a linear motor because it allows very high dynamics. An unsupported igus energy chain of the E4.1 series ensures a secure energy supply for the z-axis. The integration of a suitable energy chain solution in the compact installation space of the x-axis was a challenge, because a classic gliding or unsupported solution was out of the question due to the high forces. Complete energy supply system directly from a single source An E4.1 series energy chain is used with additional sliding elements that further reduce wear. The designers also used the igus range for the cables. They chose pre-harnessed chainflex cables – so-called readycables – that are specifically designed for use in the energy chain and, thanks to a large number of tests in the company’s own 3,800 square metre test laboratory, […]

Autonomous Mobile Disinfectant Robot

Autonomous mobile robot company SESTO Robotics has launched a dual-function Autonomous Mobile Disinfectant Robot. Addressing the urgent need for tiptop hygiene standards and minimum environment infection risk during Covid-19, the robot can efficiently and effectively disinfect facilities 24-hour, round-the-clock, with its dual functionality, eliminating 99.99% of bacteria, germs and viruses. SESTO HealthGUARD is designed to self-navigate and manoeuvre around tight places, avoiding obstacles and people, making it suitable for many indoor facilities. The robots are versatile and safe, and automate labour-intensive and repetitive tasks in healthcare and manufacturing facilities. There are no “off-days” or “after hours” for viruses. And the self-navigating, fully-autonomous robot is ready for round-the-clock thorough facility disinfection. Powered by SESTO’s proprietary user interface, operators can easily set up cleaning missions, schedules and deployment on a tablet or laptop. This means operators can conveniently change and update the robots’ cleaning routine as necessary. The robot provides an industry-leading utilisation rate of up to six hours on a single charge, auto-returns to its charging station when required and battery hotswap in less than five minutes. Responding to the growing concerns around environmental infection and community spread with the outbreak of Covid-19, the team at SESTO Robotics conceptualised the product in less than four weeks, integrating the disinfectant unit on its industry-adopted mobile robot platform. The proof-of-concept was rolled out in mid-April to much interest across industries ranging from retail malls, bus operators, hotels and healthcare facilities. Manual cleaning and disinfection may be inadequate and subject to human error, especially in large spaces. During operational hours with human traffic, SESTO HealthGUARD can disinfect the environment with hospital-grade disinfectant from its multi-nozzle sprayer, eliminating 99.99% of bacteria, germs and viruses. The multi-nozzle sprayer targets high-touch surface areas and enables facilities owners and operators to disinfect large surfaces more efficiently and thoroughly. […]

Faster transaction processing for manufacturers

ThinkSystem SR645 and SR665 two-socket servers feature enhanced performance and I/O connectivity for higher performance workloads. Many industries, such as manufacturing need faster transaction processing, improved data analytics, and greater grid-computing capacity, while still improving efficiency and total cost of ownership (TCO). To address these needs, Lenovo focuses on delivering open, reliable, and secure infrastructure solutions comprising industry-leading servers, storage, and software. With the addition of the new ThinkSystem SR645 and SR665 servers featuring more CPU cores and a larger memory footprint, Lenovo can help customers accelerate higher performance workloads and improve efficiency. ThinkSystem servers are designed for workloads such as in-memory databases, advanced analytics, virtualisation, and AI. They feature: Next-generation technologies, including PCIe 4 support, which doubles I/O bandwidth eliminating potential bottlenecks found in previous generation servers increase networking capabilities essential for I/O intensive applications Increased GPU support (up to 8x 75W NVidia T4s) allowing customers to efficiently implement video analytics and inference solutions for artificial intelligence Increased onboard storage up to 40 2.5” drives or up to 32 NVMe drives allowing for dense software defined storage solutions The high core counts allow customers to buy fewer servers, saving them rack space and power, in addition to obtaining results faster. These benefits are material in multiple industries: In the financial services industry, typically, servers are in a premium space located near the exchanges so saving rack space is paramount In retail environments, faster video analytics results can identify high-traffic areas in stores to strategically place products In manufacturing, processes rely on efficiency, therefore the ability to quickly process analytics data allows for better quality control and improved throughput. This results in higher yields and better forecasting of warranty needs In high performance computing (HPC) environments like scientific research, higher throughput means faster results, yielding earlier discoveries The Lenovo SR665 […]

IOT the future of manufacturing

–Nathan Knight, General Manager ANZ, Lenovo DCG With Australia’s 5G networks set to go live this year, we can expect a new wave of possibilities in the manufacturing industry to usher in a new era of economic growth and hyper-connectivity. 5G isn’t just about consuming more content faster, but also how high-speed connectivity supports new work from home arrangements, smart vehicles, devices and factories where plenty of data are exchanged in the network every second. This looks set to propel the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) and catalyse connectivity beyond recognition. IoT is the future of manufacturing IoT and 5G together are key for manufacturing companies to connect all stages of the planning-to-sales process, offering a holistic view of real-time benefits. They allow data to flow back and forth through multi-dimensional ecosystems, enabling suppliers, manufacturers and customers to conduct business more efficiently. IoT-enabled devices collect masses of data, allowing manufacturers to achieve higher product quality, better-informed decision making and greater foresight with predictive maintenance. At a supply chain level, IoT streamlines processes where various shipments coming in daily need to be synced into the production schedule and tracked until the final delivery stages. This entire process needs to be arranged with precision so entire factories are being IoT-enabled with smart devices that track the position of each employee and machine. While the benefits of the technology are vast, a quick summary of what enterprises can hope to achieve through the creation of IoT enabled networks includes: Identification of issues before they occur, for example, potential breakdowns Optimisation of supply and reduction of costs through closer observation of the production network Improved analytics and decision making through relevant, real-time data Enable efficiencies of scale in areas such as inventory, production, logistics, etc. Increased consumer loyalty through improved products Prediction of issues and optimisation of inventory management by closely monitoring materials and products throughout the manufacturing process Getting the most out of IoT with Cloud and Edge IoT generates mass amounts of data that manufacturers are required to store, secure, manage and analyse in order to gain business insights. Not only do cloud-based solutions perform these essential functions, but they also allow for better collaboration with developers and analysts who are able to store and access data remotely while managing workloads in response to operational cycle demands. Further to this, by incorporating IoT into the cloud, manufacturers can better connect different plants and storage clouds across a variety of locations, and the use of artificial intelligence in this network can help manufacturers capture new growth opportunities. It’s no wonder that manufacturers are now more interested than ever to leverage the cloud to intelligently […]

The next start-up cities to transform the global economy

During the past decade, much of the discussion about start-up ecosystems has been centred on the question of which city or region will become “the next Silicon Valley.” Although there are several places with promising growth trajectories, this view is short-sided. It implies there needs to be a new champion overshadowing the old one. In fact, there will be no “next Silicon Valley”. Instead, new research from Startup Genome’s 2019 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) points to there being 30 “next” hubs that will reach critical mass and reshape the state of the global economy. While none of them will be as big as Silicon Valley in the foreseeable future, each will thrive due to either regional dominance or start-up sub-sector leadership. Now, it’s not obvious which ecosystems will end up as the global change agents we predict, but we have some big clues. The first place to look to determine the next hotspots is at present start-up ecosystem rankings. 12 such ecosystems are: Greater Helsinki, Finland,Hangzhou, China,Jakarta, Indonesia,Lagos, Nigeria,Melbourne, Australia, Montreal, Canada, Moscow, Russia Mumbai, India, São Paulo, Brazil, Seoul, South Korea, Shenzhen, China, Tokyo, Japan. When it comes to specific start-up sub-sector leadership, Montreal emerge is one of the global hotspots for artificial intelligence (AI) start-ups. Since 2016, more than $1 billion has been invested in AI companies located there (including notable startup Element AI), and it has the largest concentration of AI academic researchers in the world. Montreal also hosts the NeurIPS conference, the largest AI event held annually in the world. Other “Challenger” ecosystems on the list have not created such a strong brand, or ecosystem identity, for themselves yet. But that is changing rapidly, partly due to aggressive government investment. In Asia-Pacific, for example, Seoul Metropolitan Government stands out with a recent pledge of $1.6 billion in funding for start-ups by […]

NVIDIA-Announces-Industry’s-First-Secure-SmartNIC-Optimized-for-25G

NVIDIA announces SmartNIC optimised for 25G

NVIDIA has launched the NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-6 Lx SmartNIC — a highly secure and efficient 25/50 gigabit per second (Gb/s) Ethernet smart network interface controller (SmartNIC) — to meet surging growth in enterprise and cloud scale-out workloads. ConnectX-6 Lx, the 11th generation product in the ConnectX family, is designed to meet the needs of modern data centers, where 25Gb/s connections are becoming standard for handling demanding workflows, such as enterprise applications, AI and real-time analytics. The new SmartNIC extends accelerated computing by leveraging software-defined, hardware-accelerated engines to offload more security and network processing from CPUs. Advanced Security Accelerated security features such as IPsec in-line cryptography and Hardware Root of Trust, and a 10x performance improvement for Connection Tracking, enable Zero Trust security throughout the data center. Best-in-class RDMA over converged Ethernet (RoCE), advanced virtualisation and containerisation, and NVMe over Fabrics storage offloads provide highly scalable and performant networking. The server industry is rapidly transitioning from 10GbE to 25GbE network speeds with very fast growth expected. With increasing requirements being placed on the network, more offloads need to be performed on SmartNICs. Key Features The Mellanox ConnectX-6 Lx provides: Two ports of 25Gb/s, or a single port of 50Gb/s, Ethernet connectivity with PCIe Gen 3.0/4.0 x8 host connectivity Security features including Hardware Root of Trust, Connection Tracking for stateful L4 firewalls, and in-line IPSec cryptography acceleration GPUDirect® RDMA acceleration for NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF) storage, scale-out accelerated computing and high-speed video transfer applications Zero Touch RoCE (ZTR) for scalable, easy-to-deploy, best-in-class RoCE without switch configuration Accelerated switching and packet processing (ASAP2), with built-in SR-IOV and VirtIO hardware offloads for virtualization and containerization, to accelerate software-defined networking and connection tracking for next-generation firewall services ConnectX-6 Lx is sampling now, with general availability expected in Q3 2020. Like all products in the ConnectX […]

How Omron keeps your production flowing

Flow sensors have been used throughout industry for many years. However, Omron’s new E8FC series introduces dual parameter sensing, where a single meter measures the temperature of a liquid, as well as its flow. The simultaneous monitoring temperatures means many more abnormalities can be detected than when only flow is measured. Typical applications are measuring cooling water used in moulding and welding. The water must not only flow, it must also be below a certain temperature to be effective. Faulty or substandard products could result if either is incorrect. Three different models are available, analogue only or analogue + IO Link (both with COM2 and COM3 baud rates). All models have a digital output for external alarm detection, which allows for easy replacement of existing units. The meter uses its IO Link channel to return the flow rate, temperature and a host of configurable alarm bits, set by threshold values. This allows users to keep a close eye on proceedings and even perform preventative maintenance functions if required. A four-digit high luminosity 7-segment display on the meter shows flow rate, temperature or percentages of what’s expected. It also has a large indicator that changes colour to alert users of potential flow and temperature problems. As the meter often needs to be mounted into a small or awkward space, it can be rotated up to 330° on its mounting. The display also has an “upsidedown” mode for when the meter needs to be mounted this way.

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