DesignNews Magazine February 2012

MEMS IS THE WORD Sensors Apps Go Wide 12

PETROSKI ON ENGINEERING Armchair Design & Analysis 14

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Accelerating Engineering Innovation

Machine Vision Comes Into Focus

The ability to go beyond surface defects and see depths more effectively is driving adoption. 36

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Accelerating Engineering Innovation

Contents

February 2012 vol. 67 no. 2

www.designnews.com

36 44 48

Cover Story 36 3D Machine Vision Comes Into Focus Production of 1 million more autos annually is driving demand for deep inspection. By Charles J. Murray

Features 40 Multifunctional Coatings for harsh environments As operating conditions get tougher, coatings manufacturers are combining functions to make them more durable. By ann r. ThryFT

44 unleashing the Power of Model-Based Design Driven by the rise of embedded systems, companies are turning to model-based design approaches to facilitate the development of increasingly complex products. By BeTh sTaCkPole

48 advanced Motion Control for harsh environments Chemical and high-pressure washdown, extreme temperatures, high shock, and vibration require highperformance solutions that thrive in demanding applications. By al Presher

By DaVID T. huMPhrey C A P tA i n h Y B r i d

Wolfe’s den

12 MeMs Is the Word Our Sensors in Design summit focuses on emerging applications. By alexanDer WolFe

14 armchair Design & analysis The airline tray table in the armrest is something admired for its design ingenuity, but long cursed for its operational opaqueness and flimsiness.

One tiny screw stands between a safe highway ride and disaster.

20 Is lithium-Ion the answer for eVs?

Columns

P e t ro s k i o n e n g i n e e r i n g

MAde BY MonkeYs

18 harley hindered by lower Belt Guard

Lithium-ion batteries are already too costly, and new safety measures will prevent them from dropping significantly in cost, even as economies of scale kick in. By Charles J. Murray sherloCk ohMs

56 Materials Mix-up: The epoxy Was Too soft Expensive multipliers failed after potting when a hard epoxy was replaced with a soft one. By keITh henson

By henry PeTroskI

continued >

Cover Image: DeBee rommel

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Contents > continued GADGET FREAK

64 Self-Starting, SolarPowered Stirling Engine

7

xx

Sensors/Machine Vision

Departments Thirst for Energy Contributes to National Water Crisis

24 Data Measurement & Analysis

A Data Acquisition Primer

26 Mechatronics Pulse Width M odulation

28 Green Scene Environmental News Engineers Can Use

Medical Miniaturization Find stories on high-speed motors powering ventilators and micro drives increasing surgical precision.

This self-starting, solar-power Stirling engine runs all year when the sun is visible from the sculpture’s location.

22 Engineering Matters

Supplements

30 News Trends, Developments, Breakthroughs

54 Social Engineering Randy the Robot or Roomba?

58 Design Decisions Eddy Current Position/ Displacement Sensor Selection

60 Design Engineering Products

Best of the Engineering Marketplace

Learn about crank sensor support for stop-start functionality, Ethernet technology, and thermal accelerometers. These stories also appear online at www.designnews.com. DESIGN NEWS® (ISSN 0011-9407) is published monthly by UBM Electronics, 600 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030; 516-562-5000. Periodicals postage paid at Manhasset and at additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIPTIONS – Free to qualified subscribers as defined on the subscription card. Rates for non-qualified subscriptions, including all issues: U.S.A, $150.00 one year, $250.00 two years, $300.00 three years; Canada, $184.90 one year, $314.90 two years (includes 7% GST, GST# 123397457); Mexico, $172.90 one year, $295.90 two years; Foreign air expedited $323.90 one year, $579.90 two years. Except for special issues where price changes are indicated, single copies are available for $10 U.S.A and $15 foreign. For telephone inquiries regarding subscriptions 763-746-2792. Email: [email protected]. CHANGE OF ADDRESS – Notices should be sent promptly to DESIGN NEWS® P.O. Box 47461, Plymouth, MN 55447 – Please provide old mailing labels as well as new address. Allow two months for change. NOTICE – Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of content; however, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of the information supplied or advertised or for any opinion expressed herein. POSTMASTER – Send address changes to, DESIGN NEWS® P.O. Box 47461, Plymouth, MN 55447, Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement 40685520. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2011 by UBM Electronics. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

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The USB3 Vision standard, based on the widely available USB 3.0 bus, will become available this year for building vision systems with lots of different hardware. http://bit.ly/zuHWGq Gadget Freak

In an aerospace and mechanical technology trilogy, we bring you videos of homebrew jet engine projects, including one made via 3D printing. http://bit.ly/zqer5R engineering Materials

Unlike other organic resins used in composites for aircraft, automobiles, and electronic circuits, a new thermoplastic resin can be reshaped at high temperatures and is recyclable.

Li-ion batteries in eVs May Last Longer

New materials for lithium-ion batteries and their housings, along with cheaper ALD manufacturing methods, may help bring down costs and make them last longer in electric vehicles.

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Machine control, HMIs, safety, vision, networking, and software are converging to produce more potent, streamlined control architectures and robust industrial automation solutions. This webcast panel discussion focuses on this megatrend, the benefits of new technology, and how these solutions are re-shaping the face of automation and industrial machinery development.

CONNECT wITH US

Design News’ System & Product Design Engineering group: http://bitly.com/designnewsLI

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Know Before You Go: Remote Inventory Management & Bulk Liquids Logistics

Webinar: Mechatronics & industrial automation: software convergence View now at: http://bit.ly/yo3LfM

Tesla’s new EV, the Model S, is expected to surprise consumers with its acceleration, range, and styling. It is priced starting at about $50K, and was debuted at the North American International Auto Show.

This white paper allows design engineers and machine builders to better leverage the role of an expert partner in creating high-performance motion control solutions that result in true competitive differentiation. For example, expert advice on whether to specify hydraulic or electric technology for a higher performance level in a specific machine.

MeMs Will set the World on Fire

Jack, the Siemens PLM Software human simulation modeling tool, got a makeover, with a point release that pushes usability and productivity enhancements to facilitate easier, more accurate ergonomic studies. tesla Model s hitting the road this summer

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Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) were in focus at the Seventh Annual Livingston Nanotechnology Conference, with the news that the US has a competitive advantage in advanced manufacturing in nano- and, to some extent, microtechnology.

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ONLINE

Design News’ general Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/designnews Design News’ Sustainable Engineering Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/awolfe58

http://on.fb.me/fanpagedn Get Design News’ RSS feeds at: feed://www.designnews.com/ rss_simple.asp and sign up for e-mail newsletters at: http://www.designnews.com/register.asp

Remote monitoring has traditionally been a very difficult and expensive task. Companies involved in remote inventory management of bulk liquids face unique challenges and high overhead costs. In this webcast, we’ll show you how these companies can apply inexpensive and effective remote monitoring technology to monitor tank level spread throughout any region. http://dn.hotims.com/40993-502 White PaPer

Thermally Conductive Adhesives Keep Things Cool

Through heat dissipation, thermally conductive adhesives and potting compounds play a pivotal role in the protection of today’s electronic circuitry. Master Bond’s white paper examines the challenges design engineers face as chip makers up the ante on microprocessor power and density, and how thermally conductive adhesives and potting compounds can manage heat while solving other application issues. http://dn.hotims.com/40993-503

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BRAND DIRECTOR Al Schmidt 972-980-8810 CONTENT DIRECTOR Alexander Wolfe 516-562-7386 EXECUTIVE EDITOR Jennifer Campbell 781-869-7974 Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor Ann R. Thryft, Senior Technical Editor Rob Spiegel, Senior Editor Lauren Muskett, Assistant Managing Editor TECHNICAL SPECIALTIES CAE Software & Hardware: Beth Stackpole [email protected] Electronics & Test: Charles J. Murray [email protected] Fluid Power/Automation & Control: Alexander Wolfe [email protected] Materials & Assembly: Ann R. Thryft [email protected] CONTRIBUTING EDITORS DATA MEASUREMENT & ANALYSIS Jon Titus, [email protected] PRODUCTION Donna Ambrosino, Production Director

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UBM DESIGN CENTRAL Gene Fedele, Vice President/Design Director Debee Rommel, Creative Director David Nicastro, Creative Director Giulia Fini-Gulotta, Art Director Adeline Cannone, Production Manager Laura Alvino, Sr. Production Artist Yoshihide Hohokabe, Production Artist Diane Malone, Production Artist BUSINESS OFFICE Colleen Heckman, Project Manager Esther Aronov, Marketing Project Manager DESIGNNEWS.COM Brian McAvoy, Director, Interactive Media 781-869-7964 U.S. SALES REPRESENTATIVES IL/IN/KY/MI/OH/ON/WI Jami Brownlee 815-893-6052 DC/FL/GA/IA/KY/MD/MN/NC/PA/SC/SD/VA Doug Robertson 781-869-7966 CT/DE/MA/ME/NH/NJ/NY/RI/VT Julie Simoneau 781-869-7962 AZ/CA/CO/ID/MO/NV/OK/OR/TX/WA Chris Bombarger 512-249-0221 REGIONAL/SALES MANAGER CUSTOM PUBLISHING Mike Paul 781-869-7965 INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES UK Stephen Waddell 011 44 1322 437091 GERMANY Erhardt Eisenacher 011 49 2 28 65 0013 FRANCE Alain Faure 011 33 1 53 21 88 03 JAPAN Toshiyuki Uematsu 011 81 3 5775 6056 UBM ELECTRONICS MANAGEMENT TEAM CEO, UBM ElECTRONICs/UBM CANON (pUBlIshINg) Paul Miller ChIEf INfORMATION OffICER Brent Pearson sENIOR VICE pREsIDENT David Blaza sENIOR VICE pREsIDENT Of CONTENT Karen Field VICE pREsIDENT Of fINANCE Jean-Marie Enjuto VICE pREsIDENT Of pARTNER sERVICEs & OpERATIONs Barbara Couchois VICE pREsIDENT Of MARkETINg Felicia Hamerman DIRECTOR Of AUDIENCE ENgAgEMENT AND ANAlyTICs Amandeep Sandhu Design News ® is a member of UBM Electronics 33 Hayden Ave., Lexington, MA 02421 www.designnews.com Subscription Inquiries: 847-559-7597 Reprints: Wrights Media 2407 Timberloch Place, Suite B The Woodlands, TX 77380 281-419-5725

D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

Building a Low-Cost, HBLED-based FiberOptic Illuminator (Part 1) Recently I needed to design and build a dual channel, high-output fiber optic (FO) illuminator. In the spirit of “open disclosure”, the unit is intended as an upgrade for a cherished vintage Vision Engineering “TS-3 Dynascope” stereo microscope in my home lab. It was a simple two-weekend project; but the optical, thermal and software development reflect many of the tasks you may encounter in production-level designs. In this issue of Light Matters, I’ll present the optical portion. Part 2 will address how the HBLED’s temperatures are monitored using thermistors and the algorithm used to convert their resistance into Celsius using a small microcontroller.

Thus, ideally the source is a narrow collimated beam. For an LED, this implies a sophisticated arrangement of secondary optics, or a large concentrated die area covered with a flat glass plate (no lens). This was the approach I chose- a Luminus Devices’ CBM-360 HBLED. CBM-360’s are quite powerful, with outputs exceeding 4,000 lumens.

Cary Eskow Figure 3 –CBM-360 (Available from Avnet/US and EBV/Europe)

Figure 1 – My beloved old TS-3 Dynascope (Stereo Microscope)

Each of the two FO light engines contains a CBM-360, active-cooling and a mating thread for the FO bundle which ensures it is aligned precisely above and parallel to the glass cover of the CBM-360. A cable provides the thermistor feedback, high-current HBLED drive and fan power connections to a small MCU-based controller. The controller continuously monitors the temperature of each CBM-360, displays information on a four-line LCD and keeps the fan running until a desired cooler “end-point” temperature is reached after HBLED power is removed. The controller will immediately shut down one or both engines if a pre-set maximum temperature is exceeded (due to fan or cable fault, air flow constriction, etc.). Only about a hundred lines of C were required to implement the system. I used Atmel’s ATmega168 MCU—very nice tools and easy to develop with.

The controller can supply each engine with 100W of power, Due to its unusual multi-stage internal optical path, a but the CBM-360s are driven at 75% of capacity—this significant amount of light reflected from the area under yields over 6,000 lumens while keeping the system relatively observation is lost before the image is erected on the viewing cool and extending life to beyond 60K hours. screen. As a result, an illumination system is needed to cast additional light on an object so it can be seen clearly. This Dynascope uses a ring light fed by two FO bundles. Originally, two 150W MR-16 halogen lamps were provided to drive the system. The lamps run incredibly hot and have an average lifetime of 200 hours. The lamps’ radiation pattern is fairly wide, so only a small portion of the light is effectively coupled to the FO cable. FO cables and light pipes have an “acceptance cone” based on diameter. Light rays exceeding the cone angle never enter.

Figure 2 – Acceptance cone

Figure 4 – HBLED FO light engine internals, and as assembled into a PVC box

is Global Director of the Solid State Lighting and Advanced LED business unit of Avnet Electronics Marketing. An ardent advocate of energy efficient LED-based illumination, he has worked closely with LED manufacturers, advanced analog IC and secondary optics vendors since his first patent using LEDs was issued two decades ago. Avnet works with customers through their national team of illumination-focused sales engineers who are experienced in thermal, drive stage and optics design. Prior to his LED lighting focus, Cary was Avnet’s technical director and managed Avnet’s North American FAE team. To submit questions or ideas, e-mail Cary at [email protected]

Next issue will address the thermal aspects and coding. If you’d like more information on high-brightness LEDs, visit our website (www.em.avnet.com/LightSpeed) or send a note [email protected]. Your questions and comments are always welcomed.

To learn more about designing an LED-based illumination system, go to:

www.em.avnet.com/LightSpeed

12

Wolfe’s Den

Alexander Wolfe, Content Director, [email protected]

MEMS Is the Word MicroelectroMechanical SySteMS (MEMS) have stealthily moved from

DARPA research to daily use without most of the engineering world taking notice. The devices, which until recently saw service largely as automotive accelerometers to trigger airbags, have busted out big time in the consumer space. At Design News, we’ve taken notice.We’re running our first live event — Sensors in Design. It’s part of DESIGN West, which has the broadest technical program ever. On March 26 - 29 in San Jose, seven summits are coming together under one roof. ESC, the legendary Embedded Systems Conference & Exhibition, is joined by the Android Summit, Black Hat, DesignMed, MultiCore DevCon, EDN’s Designing with LEDs, and Sensors in Design. You can check out the program at www.ubmdesign.com, and register for any and all of the summits. Our Sensors event features a deep technical prog ram with a focus on applications and actionable design tips for engineers who need to get up the learning curve quickly. That’s key because many of you have an immediate need to fold sensors into the consumer products you’re designing. We saw this trend big time in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. “MEMS are becoming more mainstream, not just with accelerometers in your smartphone and tire pressure monitors in your car, but now you are seeing MEMS magnetometers enabling your GPS to determine what floor you’re on inside a building,” says Karen Lightman, managing director of the MEMS Industry Group (see www.memsindustrygroup.org).“You’ll also see MEMS microphones that can intelligently distinguish between your D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

voice and background noise, and relay the former. I see the future and it’s four letters: MEMS.” Karen will be one of our track chairs at the summit, along with sensor s experts Alissa Fitzgerald, founder of A.M. Fitzgerald & Associates, and Randy Frank. Our program includes a sensor-focused tablet teardown, robotics showcase, and panels on apps in factories, harsh environments, smart grid, sports, and healthcare. Sensors pose unique opportunities for design engineers. MEMS combine an electronic circuit and mechanical sensing element in one package. Smart sensors render moot the calibration challenges of analog devices. We’ll look at where both are headed, along with the role of legacy parts. To show we’re not neglecting cars — where indeed sensor usage has increased, due to the power management requirements in electrics and hybrids — Tesla Motors Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel will be a keynote speaker. Karen always takes pains to remind me that MEMS is more than just sensors. It encompasses microfluidics — MEMS which channel small fluid flows — and Texas Instruments’ Digital Light Processing — microscopic mirrors for video and pico projection. That puts me in mind of the 1966 movie, Fantastic Voyage, where the actors became anthropomorphic MEMS so they could travel through blood vessels to perform brain surgery. Assaying MEMS’ rapid progress, analogous biological apps may follow even before today’s consumer wave crests.

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1414

PETROSKI ON ENGINEERING Armchair Design & Analysis THE TRAY TABLE THAT folds in half for stow-

age in the armrest of an airline seat is something I have long admired for its design ingenuity, but long cursed for its operational opaqueness and flimsiness. On domestic flights, tables of the kind I am describing are usually found in the first-class cabin and on seats facing a bulkhead. The more common rigid tray tables that swing down from the back of the seat in front of a passenger are obviously less costly to manufacture and install, and so are used wherever the seat pitch Henry Petroski allows them. But even before the more complex armrest table can be deployed into a (hopefully) flat and horizontal position, the airline passenger has to get the thing out of its underarm pocket. This can be more easily said than done, for there is no standard feature to grasp on the stowed table. Some models have a fabric loop, some a trigger-like hook, and some a corner hole. Since not all passengers are able to contort their bodies or squint their eyes sufficiently to see what aid might be lurking in the dark recess, they tend to feel around for a familiar shape and tug on it. Once the table has been wrestled out of its hold, it can typically be rotated about an orthogonal axis to become a half table, often with a slight depression in its surface to keep drinks from walking off the edge during air turbulence or just under ambient vibration. It is in deploying this half table that passengers might first discover that the top can have a pronounced incline. On a recent flight from Chicago to Raleigh-Durham I found myself with such a table. As I waited for the flight attendant to bring me a drink, I almost put the table back into

the armrest, since I would have had to hold the glass anyway. The detailed design of the kinematically clever deployable armrest table understandably varies from airplane model to airplane model, but virtually all variations seem to depend for their operation on two primary mechanical principles: the hinge and the cantilever. Some also contain a slide or swivel feature, which enables the more corpulent user to push the tray forward or aside to gain some breathing room. In one common form, the two halves of the table have their top edges connected through a pair of link hinges; the bottom edges of the two halves butt up against each other, providing reaction forces. Collectively, the forces maintain a cantilevered table top in a flat and horizontal position. One familiar form of tray table, when fully deployed, forms a bridge of sorts between a seat’s armrests.

The folding tray table was obviously designed to satisfy a considerable number of constraints, which it does. On my flight where the folded table sloped downward, the unfolded one would also have — had it not been for the opposing armrest providing a support constraint. Thus, the fully opened table top formed not a flat plain but a shallow valley. The two halves inclined toward the center, creating a V into which everything from pencils to peanuts to plastic drink glasses would want to slide. While cursing my bad luck, I noticed that the passenger one row up and across the aisle had an

Henry Petroski is the Aleksandar S. Vesic Professor of Civil Engineering and a professor of history at Duke University. His latest book is An Engineer’s Alphabet: Gleanings from the Softer Side of a Profession. He can be reached at [email protected]. D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

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16

Petroski on Engineering

equally deformed tray table. The flight attendant saw immediately upon setting down his drink that it would not stay in place on the slope. She returned to the galley and came back with the aluminum tab she had broken off a

pop-top can, and she used it to shim up the cantilevered tray at its main hinge. When she came with my drink I asked for the same mechanical assistance, and she obliged. The fix was just right, and the table was perfectly flat and hori-

zontal even when fully opened across the seat. Thank goodness for shims, and for mechanically inclined flight attendants. The folding tray table was obviously designed to satisfy a considerable number of constraints, which it does. Thus, it is relatively lightweight, as well as compactable and deployable. These latter two qualities mean it has moving parts that are capable of getting out of kilter. Armrest tray tables clearly have not been designed to take the forces imposed by infrequent fliers wrestling with the puzzle of how the

While cursing my bad luck, I noticed that the passenger one row up and across the aisle had an equally deformed tray table.

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thing deploys and stows, or by frequent fliers who use the table as a crutch for rising out of their seat. Such overloads naturally can and do throw the mechanism out of alignment. All designs have limitations, but not every user respects them. The case of the airline tray table points out one of the asymmetries of the designer/user interrelationship. The failure of an armrest tray table to deploy into a f lat and level surface, perhaps leading to a drink spilling into a passenger’s lap, might result in a product-liability lawsuit, with possible career-altering implications for the table’s designer. But a passenger who engages in heavy-handed misuse of the table, causing it to be permanently off level when in its deployed position and thus setting the stage for a drink spilling into some future passenger’s lap, can simply walk off the plane when it reaches its destination. Neither life nor design is always fair. DN

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I was riding my 2005 Harley Davidson Screaming Eagle V-Rod when I heard a rattling that sounded like a part was loose. I looked and decided it was probably some of the stones that suck into the radiator cowl and rattle around in the sheet metal. A few days later, as I neared my exit on Interstate 83 at rush-hour, traffic slowed to a stop in my exit lane. When traffic started up, the bike wouldn’t move, even though the engine was running. The rear wheel was locked up! The lower belt guard had fallen down onto the belt, and it wedged between the main drive belt and the pulley. I pulled the bike back a couple of feet and reached down to pull the guard out of its errant location. I walked the bike to the shoulder, strapped the twisted chrome guard onto the seat, and rode the rest of the way home. This was not a terrible outcome. However, the more I thought about this, the more I was shaken. Moments before the rear wheel locked up, I had been riding almost 60 mph. It would not have been easy to keep the bike from spilling at highway speeds with a locked-up wheel. Furthermore, the following traffic may not have been alert to keep from hitting me during the extreme stop in the middle of rush hour. As it was, I needed to re-adjust the belt tension and replace the lower belt guard (using some lock-tight blue on the replacement screw). The belt was not visibly damaged, the pulley had minimal damage — something like two stone nicks. The belt tension, however, was pulled from the 6mm specified slack to around 80mm! I think I’m also going to get some of the aftermarket stainless mesh grills to keep stones out of the radiator cowl, and pay more attention to rattles. On further investigation, I found the lower belt guard was designed such that one little screw could loosen from vibration and the entire guard will drop off its mounts. There are no sheet metal tabs against the hex flats, back-up cotter pin, clip, safety wire, or even a second screw through a closed slot. If the belt guard did drop off, it would pass between the belt and pulley with an inverted-U channel. That would virtually guarantee that the guard would get trapped and pinched between the pulley and belt. This would, at the very least, either lock up the rear wheel with damage to the guard, belt, and pulley, or snap the belt and damage the pulley. A good Design FMEA should have caught this likely scenario from one little screw in the suspension/driveline loosening, and the risk could have been mitigated with secondary locks or travel limits. A redesign of the lower guard to wrap as a U channel from the outside of the belt would have allowed the guard to drop off. Or, alternatively, the channel riveted seam from metal to plastic could be shifted to have the top of the channel as plastic that may shear off without locking the rear wheel. — DAVID T. HUMPHREY

Made by Monkeys highlights products that somehow slipped by the QC cops. Email your examples to Rob Spiegel at [email protected]. D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

SolidWorks is a registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes. ©2012 Dassault Systèmes. All rights reserved.

THE HOT ROD BABY BUGGY IS ROAD READY P ROJECT 3 OF LE T’S G O DE S IG N In this interactive web series, SolidWorks brings together CAD fanatics from around the world to collaborate on innovative design projects. With their help, our host Jeremy Luchini successfully designed the first hardcore baby buggy for dads. Watch its development from design to build - and how SolidWorks was used to bring ideas, comments and your votes to life at LetsGoDesign.tv

20

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Is Lithium-Ion the Answer for EVs? Cost, not safety, is the big issue. By CHARLES J. MURRAY, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics & Test

these days, you can barely pick up a newspaper without seeing a headline about electric car safety. But the dark cloud that now hangs over the electric car community in the wake of a recent Chevy Volt fire shouldn’t be about the Volt itself, nor about electric car safety. It should be about battery pack cost. Experts say that rising concerns over safety are going to make it tougher for engineers to dramatically cut the costs of lithium-ion battery packs. Already, General Motors is said to be considering a re-design of its lithium-ion battery pack in order to help prevent damage during a collision, according to news reports. “We just don’t know how much lower we can go in terms of price,” says Donald Sadoway, battery expert and John F. Elliott Professor of materials chemistry at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “It’s not as if we can stand on the shoulders of all the work that’s been done on cell phone and laptop batteries up to now. Laptop batteries don’t have to be crashworthy.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says the Volt fire occurred after a side crash test was performed on a Volt last May (http:// dn.hotims.com/40993-505). During the test, the vehicle’s battery was damaged and a coolant line was ruptured. The fire occurred three weeks later. Three similar tests in November did not result in fires, although one damaged battery did emit sparks and smoke, the agency says. Experts are conf ident that existing cooling systems coupled with greater crashworthiness will keep electric cars safe. “We will learn how to better deal

with the safety issues,” says Elton Cairns, professor in the department of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of California-Berkeley and a designer of fuel cells for the Gemini spacecraft program during the 1960s. “After all, any battery that can fit on a vehicle stores much less energy than a tank of gas.” Still, the concern is that lithium-ion batteries are already too costly, and that new safety measures will prevent them from dropping significantly in cost, even as economies of scale kick in. Today, approximately half of the cost of an EV battery pack lies in its “non-cell” portion, according to the National Research Council, and that number could go up if crashworthiness becomes a big issue. None of this would be an issue, of course, if EV battery packs weren’t so big in the first place. The packs, often weighing in excess of 400lb, can have trouble releasing their heat because they’re so much bigger than laptop or cell phone batteries. That’s why most electric carmakers are employing complex active cooling systems that cell phones don’t need. “Can you put cooling channels in (an EV battery pack)?” Sadoway asked. “Sure. But then you may not hit the price point you want.” The bottom line is, today’s technology of choice may be facing challenges ahead. Automakers are relying on a steep drop in battery cost to help electric car sales to take off. And additional safety constraints aren’t going to help them reach their cost targets, especially since cost was already an issue before the Volt fire. DN

D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

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ENGINEERING MATTERS Focus on the Future of Engineering

Thirst for Energy Contributes to National Water Crisis YOU CAN HARDLY avoid the thorny issue of global

water politics today. Just a quick Google search of the phrase “global water crisis” yields a staggering number of hits, which sadly contain too few answers amongst the endless graphs and reports. So what an enlightening experience it was for me to be able to sit down and talk with Jeff Fulgham, and see the impend- Geoffrey C. Orsak ing water crisis through his very experienced eyes. Fulgham is the former chief sustainability officer for GE Power and Water, and is now one of the leaders of Banyan Water, helping customers manage water-related risks. He is one of the most thorough and lucid experts in framing and solving water resource challenges around the globe. As we talked, I gained a greater appreciation for the complex and often hidden interactions between water, energy, and global development that will inevitably pose deep challenges to our leaders, scientists, and engineers. Our national thirst for energy is the biggest consumer of water in our society; in the US this amounts to half of our total water consumption. So, while I am typing this article, or chilling sodas in the refrigerator for later, the faucet is running in the bathroom. Water consumption in the energy-hungry manufacturing industry can become truly staggering (and surprising): 39,000 gallons of water to produce one automobile, an additional 97 gallons for just one gallon of gasoline, and while you sit down to enjoy a simple hamburger over lunch, you will have unwittingly used an additional 4,000 gallons of water (not including the amount required for the A/C and lighting).

So, the big takeaway is that nearly everything we do in our lives today requires immense (and hidden) amounts of one of the most precious commodities on earth. Fortunately for the US, there is no real global market where water is priced based on supply and demand, for if there was, the actual cost of living in our country would likely increase dramatically. Just think, on a per capita basis, the US consumes more than five and a half times the amount of water of our neighbors in Latin America, and two and a half times more than France. In a world with increasingly stressed water reserves, this vast differential in consumption has the potential to seed resentment and conflict. And now that nations around the globe are aspiring to emulate the American lifestyle, they too will inevitably and dramatically increase their water consumption. Unfortunately, many of these countries are located where there is little water to begin with.Will their only practical option be to import all of their goods simply because they don’t have access to the vast amounts of water required to power a modern economy? Unless there is new water-efficient, energyproducing technologies available, they just might be locked in the economic conditions they face today for decades to come. We as an engineering community and society must become more aware of the real impact of our work and lifestyle on our already stressed water supply. So here’s one simple idea: what if every product listed the actual amount of water required to produce and place that product on the shelf at your local store? How would we feel about buying a 4-pound pot roast that required nearly 10,000 gallons of water to produce? Maybe we just might begin to look for new water-efficient ways to provide the benefits of our modern lifestyle. DN

Geoffrey C. Orsak is Dean of the SMU Lyle School of Engineering. He can be reached at [email protected]. D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

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DATA MEASUREMENT & ANALYSIS

Unbelievably useful info on data measurement, collection and analysis from the test expert

A Data Acquisition Primer OVER THE YEARS, engineers start-

ing their careers have asked me how to specify and create a data-acquisition system. The path can seem rocky until they analyze what they must measure and what they want to do with the measurement infor mation. Jon Titus This and following columns outline how to think about such projects, for which I assume one or more “unknown” voltage signals. You must know what to measure when you start a project. Although data-acquisition equipment can adapt to many needs, I recommend designing or configuring what you need to solve a specific problem. After solving that problem you can decide whether to add other capabilities. Must you measure analog, digital, or both signal types? At first, analog signals seem straightforward because most of the time you will just digitize them. Digital signals could involve counting pulses or timing periods between signal transitions. And because digital signals do not always make a clean transition between logic states, you might need to treat them as analog signals and sample them accordingly. The sampled information lets you observe analog-like behavior such as jitter, glitches, noise, and runt pulses not seen if you capture only logic-level transitions. Also, by sampling and analyzing digital signals

you can determine how well they meet signal-integrity specs. The need to sample a signal leads to the next specifications: resolution and accuracy. Manufacturers’ data sheets provide this information, so get your calculator ready. For a 1V signal, a 16-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC), for example, provides a resolution of 15.3μV, the value of its least-significant bit. A 5½ digit DVM offers a 10μV resolution, the value of its least-significant digit. The DVM data sheet notes an accuracy of 0.012 percent, or 120μV for

millivolts will suffice. Accuracy is almost always less than a specified resolution. Next, consider the frequency of your signals. To test slowly changing DC or near-DC signals in, say, battery or photovoltaic-cell tests, a digital voltmeter (DVM) with a USB interface to a PC might suffice. DVMs can provide rootmean-square (rms) measurements and can average a signal over a set period, too. When you sample AC signals, things get more complicated because you must determine the bandwidth over which you need to capture signals and then

A B&K Precision Model 5491B digital multimeter can take as many as 25 samples per second and provide true rms values to a PC. The company also provides instrument control software.

the 1V signal. Electrical noise created within the 16-bit ADC and surrounding circuits will limit accuracy to about 14 bits, or 61μV. Match accuracy to the measurement requirements for your data. There is no need to specify accuracy in 10’s of microvolts when 10’s of

Jon Titus, a former designer and chief editor of EDN and Test & Measurement World magazines, remembers when “fast” signals operated at 10 MHz and programs came on paper tape. D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

determine the appropriate sampling frequency. I’ll review sampling and bandwidth characteristics in the March issue of Design News. DN

For More Information: 1. Kester, Walt, ed., “The Data Conversion Handbook,” Elsevier-Newnes, 2005. ISBN: 978-0-7506-7841-4. 2. “Complete Data Acquisition Tutorial,” National Instruments. http://dn.hotims.com/40993-504

Name Dr. Dave Barrett Job Title Professor, Mechanical Engineering Area of Expertise Robotics LabVIEW Helped Me Bridge the gap between teaching theory and realworld design experience Latest Project Building a robotic tuna to swim across the Atlantic Ocean

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Pulse Width Modulation What is it and why is it so widely used? All engineers need to know. AS ENGINEERS, THERE ARE many components and devices we use every day that we treat as black boxes. We only are concerned about the inputs and outputs of the black box, and this is acceptable provided we know the operating range and limitations of the device. The same can be said about certain concepts and techniques. We routinely use them and they work, but maybe we really do not understand why they work. As fundamental performance limitations and safety come into question, a deeper understanding becomes necessary. In addition, innovation demands understanding. The widely used pulse-width-modulation (PWM) technique may fall into this category. Most engineers use it every day to drive a variety of devices, but only a few know why it is used and how it works. A pulse signal is defined by its amplitude and pulse width. A periodic pulse train has a frequency (pulse repetition rate) and a duty cycle (ratio of pulse width to repetition period, varying between 0 percent and 100 percent). In PWM, we modulate the duty cycle while keeping the period fixed. A PWM signal can be generated by microcontrollers, which operate in the digital domain. While an analog signal is continuous in both time and amplitude, a digital signal is discrete in time (sampled at a certain rate) and quantized in amplitude (using a finite number of bits). The output of a microcontroller is typically either digital or PWM. The PWM signal typically varies between 5V and 0V, high and low, and thus can be used to turn an electronic power switch (a transistor) on and off, and control the amount of power delivered to a load. Why would anybody be interested in this type of signal? PWM avoids losses normally incurred when a power source is limited by resistive means. In PWM, the average power delivered is proportional to the modulation duty cycle. Thus, the switched circuits, used to control the voltage across or current through a load, have low power loss as the switching devices are either off (no current, no power loss) or on (low power loss due to low voltage drop). The PWM signal, with a sufficiently high modulation frequency, can be augmented with a low-pass filter to smooth the pulse train and recover an average analog waveform. PWM has been called a poor man’s digital-to-analog (D/A) converter. What should the frequency of the PWM signal be? First, D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

consider the case where we are using the PWM signal as a D/A converter. A wide variety of microcontroller applications exist that need analog output, but do not require high-resolution D/A converters. In a typical PWM signal, the frequency is constant, but the pulse width (duty cycle) is a variable, directly proportional to the amplitude of the original unmodulated signal. The bandwidth of the low-pass R filter should be equal f = - to the bandwidth P of the unmodulated signal. The PWM 2L 1n 1 frequency is chosen to give an acceptable 100 ripple magnitude in the analog signal. For example, if a RC low-pass filter is used, the amplitude attenuation in decibels (dB) is given by: dB log 10 dB==2020log

10

1

Kevin C. Craig, Ph.D., Robert C. Greenheck Chair in Engineering Design & Professor of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Marquette University.

1 2 2

( PWM/ f/BWf BW ) +1+ 1

fPWM f

To increase the attenuation, and thus reduce the ripple, a higher-order filter may be necessary or a higher PWM frequency. Many devices inherently average an on-off signal to control their operation, based on the duty cycle. Examples include LEDs viewed by humans and inductive loads, such as motors and solenoids. For an inductive load, e.g., a LR circuit, what should the PWM voltage frequency be so that the current waveform is within a certain percentage (P percent) of the analog step response? A fundamental analysis of a LR circuit shows that frequency (f Hz) to be:

f ==-

R

R

P P 2L2L 1n ln 1 -1 100100

Too often, devices and concepts are shrouded in mystery, which can often lead to avoidance or misuse. Focusing on the fundamentals removes that mystery. DN dB = 20 log

1 10

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/ f BW

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GreenScene Environmental news engineers can use \\\ By Rob Spiegel, Senior Editor

Sustainable Cooling Technology Many power plants are cooled with the use of marine waters, and the effect is marine pollution. Chile-based Crystal Lagoons proposes to end this problem by creating closed-circuit lagoons for cooling plants. The company has 19 projects started in several locations, including the US, Finland, and India. The goal of the lagoons is to reduce or eliminate marine pollution and CO2 emissions produced by cooling industrial and thermal power plants. The company creates large crystalline lagoons which disperse heat through a closed cooling circuit. The water returns to the lagoon after cooling the plant, and the lagoon acts as a heat sink. The system also allows for creating or relocating thermoelectric power stations farther from the sea.

Kraft Foods Maps Total Environmental Footprint

Monitor Your Solar Power With Your Android

A company’s true environmental footprint goes beyond its own operations and includes the practices of its supply base. In that vein, Kraft Foods has conducted a study that measures the company’s environmental impact on land and water use beyond its own manufacturing operations. The study looked at Kraft’s environmental footprint from the farm to the forklift. It concludes that the company needs to work with its suppliers to reduce the impact of producing raw materials. This means forging long-term partnerships with suppliers based on shared objectives. Kraft says it intends to reduce water use, energy use, CO2 emissions, and waste production by creating measurable goals for reduction. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., meanwhile, has made a practice of mandating that customers adopt sustainable practices.

Want to know if you’re receiving sufficient solar power? Check your phone. SunPower, a manufacturer of solar cells and panels, has added an energy-monitoring application for Android-powered smartphones. With the Android application, users can follow their system’s performance, monitor home energy usage and trends, and view usage history. The android applications can be downloaded for free from the Android market. It’s available to new and existing SunPower customers.

SunPower energy can be monitored with an Android phone.

GREEN UPDATES

For regular updates on sustainable engineering news, follow Content Director Alexander Wolfe at http://twitter.com/awolfe58.

D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

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Prices applicable in the United States. Additional options, shipping, applicable taxes and/or duties not included. ©2012 Stratasys, Inc.

30

News Trends \\\ Breakthroughs \\\ Developments

The crew lowers composite panels made from recycled plastics into place in the 90-ft Scottish bridge structure.

Bridge Made From Recycled Plastic Bottles Recycled plastic bottles and other waste plastic are being turned into structural, weight-bearing elements of a 90-ft bridge in Scotland. We’ve Seen recycled bottles turned

into car seats for Ford’s 2012 Focus electric vehicle. And we’ve seen plans by Boeing to recycle composites used in its Dreamliner plane for nonstructural uses in aircraft. Now recycled bottles and other plastic products destined for landfills have been turned into structural, weight-bearing elements of a 90-ft heavy-load bridge in Scotland. Rec ycled St r uc t u r a l C om po s -

ite (RSC), a proprietar y composite thermoplastic material from Axion International, is made from 100 percent recycled plastics. RSC is also 100 percent recyclable at the end of its useful life. The material won’t rot, crumble, splinter, rust, or corrode, and it requires no painting or regular maintenance. In other words, it is a type of Trex building material, but instead of going into your back deck, it’s designed for heavy-duty manufacturing uses such as railroad ties and heavy-load bridge elements like I-beams, pilings, and boards. Axion constructed the bridge’s components at its plant in Pennsylvania and shipped them in six sections to Scotland, where the bridge spans the River Tweed at Easter Dawyck near Edinburgh. It

D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

was assembled and erected in four days (you can see a picture gallery at http://dn.hotims.com/40993-506). Recycling the materials in the bridge prevented 50 tons of plastic waste from going into a landfill or being shipped to Asia, Anil Aggarwal, director of the Welsh firm Vertech Composites, one of Axion’s partners in the project, said in a press release. The bridge, which is also the longest to date built with recycled plastic, meets European standards with a load rating of 45 metric tons. The three-span bridge, which measures about 12 ft wide x 90 ft long, replaces an old road bridge made of steel beams and timber decking. It is the first recycled plastic bridge outside the US. Axion has built several US bridges from

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its RSC material, most recently in North Carolina. Axion developed its RSC material in conjunction with Rutgers University’s materials sciences and engineering department. Vertech plans to manufacture its own high-performance composite sheet materials, using Rutgers University’s polymer blending and processing technology, for use in the European construction industry. These composite materials will serve as a replacement for the less environmentally friendly plywood, MDF, and laminates. Vertech’s new materials will be manufactured in the UK from UKsourced recycled materials. “We shouldn’t be sending so much of the UK’s waste plastic to landf ill, nor should we be shipping it to China,” William Mainwaring, cofounder and CEO of Vertech, said in a press release. “With this unique technology, we can now recycle it ourselves to produce increasingly sought-after high-quality and sustainable construction materials for the European market.” This year, Vertech plans to open a manufacturing facility in northern Wales to produce its own material, and it will work with Axion to combine its knowledge of the bridge market with technology from Rutgers. On its Website, Axion bills the Struxure RSC products used in the Scottish bridge as “Composite Infrastructure Products.” This looks to me like the wave of the future. It may not be technically renewable or sustainable, but an industrial-strength Trex could go a long way toward solving the problem of all that unused plastic that would otherwise end up in landfills.

Electronics & Test

Would Cellphone Ban Secure Car Safety?

Automakers continue to expand the scope of electronic “infotainment” features, despite government pressure to ban them and deem them unsafe. T h e p rol i f e r aT ion o f in-car entertainment technologies — Internet routers, smartphone links, MP3 connections, capacitive touch screens, etc. — are great for selling cars, but they have sparked a serious debate about driver distraction. That leads to the question: If safety is so important, why are automakers putting these features in vehicles at all? It’s a good question. The same thought apparently occurred to the people at the National Transportation

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Autonet Mobile’s in-car router lets occupants surf the Web while the car is moving.

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32

News

Safety Board, which in December called for the “first-ever nationwide ban on portable electronic devices” — including cellphones — for drivers. “According to NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distraction-related accidents,” NTSB chairwoman Deborah A.P. Hersman said in a press release. “It is time for all of us to stand up for safety by turning off electronic devices while driving.” However, the proposal was virtually dead on arrival. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood gave it an almost immediate thumbs-down. Auto blogs generally disliked the concept. “Even LaHood thinks the NTSB mobile electronics ban is flawed,” autoblog.com wrote. And radio call-in shows were flooded with calls from unhappy listeners, many of whom were probably phoning in from their cars. And that, in a nutshell, answers our readers’ question about why automakers keep adding these features. Auto executives understand what consumers want. They know how important cellphones are to a segment of the buying public. And no one wants to be the one who took a backward technological step, even if it is for the sake of safety. “You’ve got a pull coming from the market and a pushback coming from the government agencies, and the manufacturers are in the middle, trying to figure out what to do,” David Cole, chairman emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research, told us in an interview. Cole, who knows the automotive market as well as anyone in the country, cites the lack of success of Tata Motors’ Nano, a bare-bones city car that retailed for a scant $2,100 and still missed its mark, even in India’s economically challenged market. “It’s been a bomb in the market,” he said. “Many people don’t want a car with no extra features.” The debate over cellphone use is also complicated by the question of whether a cellphone really is a distraction. Few would argue that texting while driving

is a safety issue, but many phone users cite the availability of Bluetooth headsets to eliminate potential distraction. With Bluetooth, they say, a phone is no more a distraction than a car radio or a crying child in the back seat. Still, Bluetooth technology doesn’t help drivers deal with center console displays, many of which have gotten maddeningly complex. Some use as many as 15 buttons and require drivers to step through a menu of four or five

“You’ve got a pull coming from the market and a pushback coming from the government agencies, and the manufacturers are in the middle, trying to figure out what to do.” nested screens, all of which qualify as a major distraction. Cole predicts that the auto industry will ultimately settle the problem with the development of reconfigurable displays that can change to meet the individual driver’s needs. Those who have difficulties with complex features will be able to simplify the display to minimize the distraction, he said. Of course, that won’t help clueless drivers who seem incapable of understanding when they’re distracted. “This is a huge dilemma for the industry,” Cole said. “You’re dealing with human nature here. People want what they want. And sometimes they want more than they should have.” — Charles Murray, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics & Test

For More Information: National Transportation Safety Board: www.ntsb.gov Center for Automotive Research: www.cargroup.org

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2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

An industry in transition By Bolaji Ojo obody has come up with a catchy alternative yet, but it is becoming

N

increasingly clear that the term “electronics distributor”— harking back to the group’s origin as middlemen that linked component vendors with customers worldwide—has outlived its usefulness. The misnomer does little justice to the range of services that the sector’s

diverse participants perform nowadays, and it might be time to dump it altogether. A look at Avnet Electronics’ latest annual filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission bolsters that argument. The filing states that Avnet “provides engineering design, materials management and logistics services, system inte-

INSIDE

gration and configuration, and supply chain services that can be customized to meet the requirements of both cus-

8

Keeping the channel relevant in an ever-changing world

tomers and suppliers.” Of course, the company still functions as an

10 Need design guidance? Ask a distributor

“industrial distributor of electronic

11 Disasters, shortages, counterfeits: For industry, 2011 was a year of wakeup calls

and storage products, and embed-

16 Stemming the counterfeit tide

dleman. Rather, it is “a vital link in

21 Five regulations to watch in 2012

components, enterprise computer ded systems,” but it is no mere midthe technology supply chain.” The description is not hyperbole.

23 Niche suppliers point to hardware democratization

And it applies not only to distribution giants like Avnet, Arrow, World Peace Group,

25 Web, economy shift distrib models for automation/control products

players. This editorial package, a joint project among the publications of UBM Elec-

28 Parts ‘ownership’ questions defy easy solutions 30 Is your supplier’s distrib deal good news for you?

Future, Digi-Key, Mouser and Element14, but also, increasingly, to midsize and niche tronics, provides ample evidence that in all segments of the electronics industry, the companies we know today as distributors are increasingly critical resources for design and related value-added services. In short, today’s distributors have taken on many more responsibilities than tradition has assigned them. The expansion of distribution’s role raises key questions not just about distributors, but also about the fundamental changes occurring in the industry and in society at large. As distributors add design functions to their slate of offerings,

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

S5

Is your scope lying to you? Find out. Rohde-Schwarz-scopes.com If you’re not using a new Rohde & Schwarz digital oscilloscope, your scope may not be giving you honest answers.

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2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

what is the effect on their relationship

the recessionary Y2K period but have

with their various constituencies—

expanded fast since then to accommo-

component makers, the OEMs that

date some players that bear little resem-

have traditionally handled design, the

blance to the typical OEM of 2000. In

outsourcing community on which

addition to “traditional” companies like

equipment vendors rely for produc-

Microsoft and Apple, industry partici-

tion, and the customers who rely on

pants now include bookseller and Nook

their services? How many more OEM

e-reader vendor Barnes & Noble; online

and vendor functions can distributors

retail titan, Kindle creator and, if specu-

absorb? What are the implications of

lation proves correct, aspiring smart-

this brand extension for the design and

phone market participant Amazon;

supply chain? Who bene-

and Google Inc., which

fits most from the new

leveraged its high value

twists in relationships

in search engine opti-

among suppliers, distrib-

mization to launch

utors and their cus-

Android and purchase a

tomers? And how do the

traditional OEM (Motoro-

players get reimbursed

la Mobility).

for their services in an environment where goods and ideas crisscross national and corporate boundaries? The articles in this special editorial package examine those questions

Scope Lie #3 Your digital scope’s update rate Digital scope manufacturers boast update rates of 1+ million waveforms/sec, but this spec excludes measurements and mask testing. These demanding scope measurement tests slow down the update rate of most digital oscilloscopes. When conducting a mask test at lower update rates, finding an event that occurs once per second could take anywhere from minutes to hours.

I suspect distributors

The lines of demarcation are being erased across all industry segments

and provide perspective

will somehow find new ways to serve everyone in the industry, whatever direction they pursue. That’s because they’ve changed faster than any other segment over the past 20 years and have a

on how the industry can best manage

depth of offerings and market penetra-

its evolving web of interrelated busi-

tion that few can match. Avnet alone

ness models.

says its roster of customers includes

The discussion is only just begin-

“more than 100,000” OEMs, EMS

ning. As technology innovations have

providers, ODMs and VARs, in addition

accelerated, so has the complexity of

to hundreds of component makers.

the industry’s relationships. The lines

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Such companies can rightly still

of demarcation are being erased not

be called distributors only in the con-

just between OEMs and their EMS

text of how extensively their distrib-

providers, but across all industry

uted services touch all segments of

segments.

the industry. p

Indeed, even the definition of OEM is changing rapidly. The OEM ranks thinned out during

Bolaji Ojo ([email protected]) is editor in chief of EBN.

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

S7

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

Keeping the channel relevant in an ever-changing world By Barbara Jorgensen

E

lectronics distributors have seen wrenching changes in the industry over the past two decades and have had to adjust rapidly to the demands of their customers. The channel’s traditional model of order fulfillment has evolved to include design services and

engineering support. Meeting the needs of both the engineering and procurement departments isn’t always easy, and distributors are resolving this dilemma in a number of ways. Until fairly recently, distributors’ main focus was on purchasing—securing large-volume orders to be shipped to manufacturing sites around the world. Engineers either interfaced directly with component suppliers or worked with catalog distributors. A number of factors have changed that. First, suppliers are cutting back on their technical support to all but their major customers. Second, the global regulatory environment has made the supply chain increasingly complex. Distributors, which interface extensively with both their suppliers and their customers, have seen an opportunity to fill in some gaps by expanding their role in the supply chain. As component suppliers have cut back on their support, customers have been turning to distribution for design assistance. As extensions of their suppliers’ sales forces, distributors are trained in many technologies. Since most distributors carry a wide variety of suppliers—some in the hundreds—the channel has a bird’s-eye view of how these technologies interact. Distributors are in a unique position to assist designers in selecting the best mix of components for their end products.

S8

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

That has required a change in the way distributors interact

tions and have to be deployed toward distributors’ most prof-

with suppliers and customers. In the past, distributors would

itable opportunities. Distributors are trying to scale their

typically push a supplier’s product—a Texas Instruments or

design services toward a highly segmented customer base.

Intel part, for example—as the mainstay on a customer’s pc

While distributors can spread the expense of hiring engi-

board. Now, instead of focusing on a single product, distribu-

neers over a customer base that numbers in the tens of thou-

tors focus on solutions.

sands, they are also turning to their suppliers for support.

This approach takes a combination of products, directs

Global distributors Arrow Electronics Inc. and Avnet Inc.,

them toward an application, test drives the solutions and

for example, host several programs every year that include

offers them to the market. Intel and TI products may be on

suppliers and customers. Events such as Avnet’s X-Fest and

the board, but so are the capacitors, resistors and connectors

its SpeedWay and On-Ramp programs offer intensive hands-

that complete the solution. Even longtime competitors

on training sessions that bring suppliers and customers

appear side by side on the same board.

face-to-face.

Some distributors are taking design assis-

On the fulfillment side of the business, distrib-

tance a step further and are guiding cus-

utors face many of the same challenges as OEMs.

tomers to design tools as well as

Electronics companies are under increasing pres-

components. Catalog distributor Element14,

sure to become better global citizens. Manufac-

for example, has created an interactive site

turers are being asked to provide information on

hosting component data, EDA tools, design-

the materials they use, where those materials are

related content, pc board prototyping services, an engineering community and a components store. For now the community, called The Knode, targets the pc board design and embedded systems markets, but there are plans to expand into other design areas, such as FPGAs, according to Jeff Jussel, senior director of global technology for Element14 parent company Premier Farnell plc.

Interactive communities like the Knode are ‘a gateway into ... design solutions’ — Jeff Jussel, Premier Farnell

"We see this as a gateway into engineering design solu-

sourced and to whom their products are being shipped. Distributors are frequently conduits of such information. For example, environmental mandates such as the European Union’s RoHS directive require manufacturers to document their compliance. Most OEM systems aren’t set up to track and sort millions of components, but distributors’ systems are. So OEMs rely on distributors to stay on top of a variety of environmental laws.

Only a decade ago, the Internet threatened to render the

tions,” Jussel told EBN. “We now provide solutions beyond

distribution channel irrelevant. That hasn’t happened, but

component development kits and hardware tools: We can

distributors realize they have to keep evolving to keep cus-

help engineers with the design, their component selection,

tomers engaged. The channel has moved from the parts-ful-

their pc board services and their prototyping needs, and con-

fillment business into the design realm and still has room

tain it all in one ‘room.’

to grow.

“The concept is to present these solutions to engineers and

“We’ve moved from selling parts to making complexity

let them do their work faster, with less risk, and in a way that

seem simple,” Arrow CEO Michael Long said at a recent

makes sense to them.”

industry conference. “But innovation is the cost of entry.” p

All this engineering assistance comes at a cost, however. Distribution is first and foremost a sales-driven business mod-

Barbara Jorgensen ([email protected]) is community

el. High-salaried engineers are a fixed cost in these organiza-

editor at EBN.

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

S9

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

Need design guidance? Ask a distributor By Paul Rako

omponent vendors and

C

with the required reference platform.

workshops on such topics as designing

resources like EDN are go-to

Distributors also partner with other

sources for design guidance,

vendors to provide design services. For

Avnet section on the company’s Web site,

but electronics distributors

example, Avnet’s Technology Solutions

and there’s even a technology museum at

can also help you get your

group partners with Palo Alto Networks

Avnet’s Phoenix headquarters. And

with USB or ARM. There’s a Design with

designs off the ground.

Avnet Express is UBM Electronics’

Many distributors have

partner in the Drive for Innovation,

their own teams of applica-

a program in which Brian Fuller of

tion engineers. Companies

EDN sister publication EE Times

such as Newark offer libraries

has been driving a Chevy Volt

of application notes and

around the country and meeting

white papers, as well as train-

with engineers.

ing and design tools.

Digi-Key has long helped design

In addition, distributors

engineers get the job done. If you

like Avnet Inc. have long

need information on the on-resis-

championed reference

tance of a 200-volt p-channel FET,

designs as a way to help

you could go to five or more com-

OEMs speed product evalua-

ponent vendor Web sites and look

tions. Sometimes component

up the parts. But it’s far easier to conduct a search on digikey.com

vendors do these reference designs, but distributors have also stepped up to the challenge of creating their own.

The One-Hour CoasterBot, built with a handful of parts and unreadable CD castoffs (derisively nicknamed coasters), is one of the fun—and instructive—DIYs featured on Jameco’s Web site. Photo credit: Jameco

If enough customers request a

and filter for your desired specs, such as the lowest on-resistance available from the vendors that distribute through Digi-Key.

design, many distribution companies

to help with firewall solutions, and it

have the engineering talent on hand to

teams with Lincor Solutions to handle

training modules and videos to help

supply it. So even if you don’t see the

clinical assessment and entertainment

customers understand their design chal-

reference design you need, be sure to

systems. Avnet’s Electronic Marketing

lenges and trade-offs, and it has refer-

ask your distributor if it can come up

division conducts technical seminars and

ence designs on hand and application

S10

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

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2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

engineers on staff to help designers get started.

Mouser is another distributor that does more than just

Perhaps Digi-Key’s most valuable design-related service is

stock parts. Its Product Knowledge Center has information on

its TechXchange forum, where designers can share informa-

more than 1,700 topics to help engineers strategize and refine

tion and pick the brains of Digi-Key’s application engineers. A

designs. The company also offers a search accelerator that can

recent discussion centered on how to power an LCD through

be added to a browser to expedite part searches, an often frus-

a microcontroller output pin. Alec, a Digi-Key engineer, was

trating part of the design process. And Mouser’s project shar-

monitoring the forum and responded: “I asked one of the oth-

ing system lets designers share projects with coworkers.

er engineers here at Digi-Key, and he says he has used small

Even smaller distributors, such as Jameco, offer design

LCDs with that level of current draw and powered them

assistance. Electronics guru Forrest M. Mims III describes his

directly from an MSP430 GPIO pin without any problems.”

favorite designs on Jameco’s Web site. The site also offers a

Digi-Key also partners with National Instruments, NXP,

DIY section that offers fun projects, such as the One-Hour

Screaming Circuits and Sunstone in what the participants

CoasterBot kit. Such diversions might not solve an immediate

call a circuit design ECOsystem. The capitalized ECO riffs on

design problem, but they let engineers get hands-on experi-

the engineering change order, but the use of “ecosystem”

ence in areas such as robotics and analog design.

reminds designers they need distribution, board fabrication,

Be sure to consider the resources and talents of distributors

simulation and testing, as well as an IC vendor, to get a design

as you plan your next design project. They have the tools and

working and ready for production. The ECOsystem helps

expertise to help you get a jump on the competition. p

them move from parts research to circuit design, fabrication and assembly, and validation and test.

Paul Rako is a former EDN technical editor.

Disasters, shortages, counterfeits:

For industry, 2011 was a year of wakeup calls By Junko Yoshida Devastating impact he electronics industry got a rude awakening—or a

T

series of them—in 2011. It was a year in which any hiccup in the supply chain posed the threat of profound disruption for OEM businesses ranging from automaking to light bulb manufacture.

Supply chain issues that plagued the industry last year

included the great earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March; the increasing rarity of rare-earth materials; and an alarming uptick in chip counterfeiting, which has brought new national-security headaches.

The damage stretched from the fab lines to the office space at Renesas facilities after the March earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan.

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

b Their finest hour Dan Mahoney, president and CEO of Renesas Electronics America, characterizes the rebuilding period as his colleagues’ finest hour. Part of the process, once the crisis was over and manufacturing capability was restored, was to draft a ‘fab network’ plan that would get the company through the next disruptive event.

mBefore and after Although there was damage to equipment inside clean rooms like this one, shown before and after the repairs, the buildings themselves held up well, having been engineered and constructed to withstand seismic activity.

locations, and system vendors’ giving in

through second- and third-tier-automo-

business lives or dies by the supply

Everyone in the industry knows their

to the temptation of faster and cheaper

tive subsystem suppliers.

chain, but nobody fully appreciates its

solutions have all compromised supply

Thanks to the combined efforts of the

centrality until a catastrophe serves as a

chain visibility. That, in turn, has creat-

IC vendors themselves and their suppli-

reminder. Then, at least for a time, folks

ed new entry points for counterfeit

ers, customers and competitors, even

get serious about devising plans to cope

chips, as the industry and government

the most damaged chip vendors

with the next distribution crisis.

discovered last year.

resumed full production before the end

The problem is, every supply chain

Topping the list of 2011 events in

of the third quarter. But a robust redun-

problem is unique in terms of its cause,

terms of damage to the supply chain

dancy program to stave off the next sup-

its impact and its appropriate solution.

was the March 11 earthquake and

ply crisis is still in the works.

Often, distribution ruptures cannot be

tsunami. The catastrophe’s repercus-

In an interview with EE Times last fall,

repaired by distributors alone. It takes

sions were spread broadly among the

Yasushi Akao, CEO of Renesas, laid out

serious collaboration all along the supply

materials, components and equipment

his vision for a “fab network” of produc-

chain—component suppliers, distribu-

segments of the supply chain. A short-

tion lines operated both inside and out-

tors and OEMs included.

age of MCUs from Renesas—hardest hit

side Renesas fabs. During a crisis, the fab

To complicate matters, the supply

among the Japanese chip companies

network would allow the company the

chain itself has become increasingly

slammed by the quake—sent shock

flexibility to change, on the fly, the vol-

fragmented. The rise of Internet trading,

waves of production-line disruptions

ume and mix of products run on the var-

the increased use of electronics manu-

through tier-one automotive manufac-

ious fab lines.

facturing service providers in diverse

turers like Nissan and Honda, as well as

S12

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

Renesas’ three-pronged plan for the

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

Last May, customs officials at the Port

redundancy program involves securing

By last summer, China had cut already-

multiple production lines, asking cus-

short export supplies by a third. The

of Long Beach, Calif., intercepted a ship-

tomers to evaluate and qualify produc-

unsurprising upshot has been skyrock-

ment of almost $1 million worth of fake

tion lines at different fabs in advance,

eting prices for the vital materials.

SanDisk memory chips stashed inside nearly 2,000 karaoke machines, shipped

and requiring each fab to maintain an

Australia, Canada and the United

inventory of “semi-finished” products.

States all have programs under way to

Renesas aims to restore production at

open or reopen rare-earth mines outside

In a U.S. Dept. of Commerce survey of

any given fab—no matter what hap-

China, including new mines in Malaysia

original component manufacturers con-

pens—”within a month,” said Akao.

and Russia. But the added mine capacity

ducted in 2010, China topped the list of

“That’s our endgame.”

isn’t expected to reduce the shortfall

suspected sources of counterfeits by

appreciably for at least three years.

country. In the same survey, “brokers,”

But, of course, no supply chain issue

in a container from China.

Rare earths are used in slurries for

“independent distributors” and “Inter-

mechanical planarization of everything

net-exclusive sources” were identified

erly if Renesas and its customers fail to

from glass to semiconductor wafers.

as the three worst offenders by supply

disclose and share information on

Chip makers are resorting to silicates

chain segment.

specifics such as available capacity at

and other minerals to substitute for rare

As the electronics industry and law

fabs, product road maps and qualifica-

earths, but manufacturers of phosphors

enforcement step up their efforts to fer-

tion processes. Further, they must agree

for such products as fluorescent bulbs

ret out the fakes, counterfeiters are

on how to share the cost of building the

and white LEDs are having a hard time

becoming even more devious. Some are

needed redundancy into the model.

finding alternatives.

using dice harvested from decapped

can be sorted out just by one party. The fab network won’t function prop-

At a time when many leading inte-

For some, moving production to Chi-

scrap ICs and repackaging them. The best defense against counterfeit

grated device manufacturers have been

na—the source of the needed materi-

busy downsizing in-house production

als—addresses the problem, albeit by

parts is prevention. For OEMs and EMS

capacity and going fab-lite, Japan’s

sidestepping it. Meanwhile, phosphor

providers, traceability to the source—

earthquake was a shock to even the

manufacturers’ research and engineer-

knowing where every part comes

best-laid fab plans. The question semi-

ing teams are working to develop alter-

from—is the obvious first step. But

conductor companies need to answer is

native phosphors in the United States.

equally important are heavy-handed

no longer whether they should main-

Ultimately, regardless of how the

diplomacy—particularly with China—

tain their own fabs, but how they can

rare-earths shortage is addressed, the

and legislative oversight to combat the

build a network of production lines on

lesson that should linger well after last

flood of counterfeit electronics parts

which they can reliably depend.

year’s wakeup call on materials supply

coming into the defense supply system.

is that relying on a single source for

Artificial scarcity

anything is never a good idea.

In today’s interconnected world, design engineers cannot afford to ignore politics—just as they dare not disregard

Along with reliable access to fab capacity, reliability of materials supply was an

Crackdown on counterfeits

natural disasters, manmade shortages

issue last year as China tightened restric-

Nothing reveals the complexity of

and chips of questionable pedigree. If

tions on production of the rare earths

today’s supply chain issues more plain-

past is prelude, however, they probably

used in electronics manufacture. The

ly than the counterfeit chips that have

will—until the next rude awakening. p

problem originated with a tiff between

crept, with growing sophistication,

Japan and China in 2009 and quickly

into the electronics pipeline in recent

Junko Yoshida ([email protected]) is

escalated beyond those traditional rivals.

decades.

editor in chief of EE Times.

S14

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

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2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

Stemming the counterfeit tide By Bruce Rayner

ounterfeit components have

officials with knowingly importing

U.S. military, U.S. servicemen and

been a thorn in the side of the

more than 3,200 shipments of counter-

-women, the government, all of the

electronics industry for

feit semiconductors into the United

industries to which VisionTech sold

decades. And every year the

States, marketing some of the products

goods, and consumers,” the U.S. attorney

incidents seem to grow more

as “military grade” and selling them to

who prosecuted the case wrote in the

the U.S. Navy, defense contractors and

government’s sentencing memo.

C

common—and more costly. One estimate suggests that counterfeit parts

Congressional response

account for more than

In 2011, electronics counterfeit-

$5 billion, or about 2 per-

ing caught the attention of the

cent, of the total available

Senate Armed Services Commit-

market for semiconductors

tee. A series of hearings ex-

worldwide. The Semicon-

plored the extent and severity of

ductor Industry Association

the counterfeit problem within

claims counterfeiting costs

the military and government

U.S.-based semiconductor

sectors, and a congressional

companies more than

investigation documented more

$7.5 billion each year.

than 1,800 instances of counter-

Law enforcement and government agencies are collaborating to catch fakes before they enter the supply chain. Between 2007 and 2010, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) worked with U.S. Customs

New efforts to keep fakes out of the military supply chain have made headway, but are they enough to protect against tomorrow’s threats?

feit electronic parts in the defense supply chain. Some of those parts had wound up in military equipment operating in the field. One case involved suspect counterfeit parts in forward-looking infrared radar (FLIR) units supplied to the U.S. Navy by

and Border Patrol on more than 1,300 seizures involving 5.6 million counter-

others. The case involved the coordina-

Raytheon Co. Some of the FLIR units had

feit semiconductors. The confiscated

tion of multiple government agencies,

been installed on helicopters deployed to

counterfeits bore the trademarks of 87

including the Department of Justice

the Pacific Fleet. In another case, suspect

North American, Asian and European

Task Force on Intellectual Property, the

counterfeit parts were used in color mul-

semiconductor companies.

Naval Criminal Investigative Service

tipurpose display units (CMDUs) that L3

(NCIS) and ICE.

Communications had installed on U.S.

A 2010 government case against chip broker VisionTech Components of Clearwater, Fla., charged two company

S16

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

VisionTech “set a ticking time bomb of incalculable damage and harm to the

Air Force C-27J aircraft. Two of the C-27Js had been deployed in Afghanistan.

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2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

In the case of the CMDUs, the counterfeit parts were traced

The investigation culminated last month in an amendment

back to a company in China that had sold them to a U.S. inde-

to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal

pendent distributor. The U.S. company in turn had sold the

Year 2012 co-sponsored by Levin and McCain that would

parts to L-3 Communications, according to an Oct. 31 letter to

“bolster the detection and avoidance of counterfeit electronic

Michael Donley, secretary of the Air Force, from Senate Armed

parts.” The amendment, which was signed into law on Dec. 31,

Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin and Ranking Minor-

puts the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of contrac-

ity Leader John McCain. “More than 500 of those [CMDUs]

tors such as Raytheon and L-3 to ensure that counterfeits nev-

were sold to both L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, the

er make it into equipment deployed to the field.

prime contractor on the C-27J, and Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor to the C-130J,” Levin and McCain wrote.

The Levin-McCain amendment requires the contractor to absorb the cost for any equipment rework or refurbishment resulting from counterfeits. It also calls for a fine of up to

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LEVIN-MCCAIN AMENDMENT TO THE FY 2012 NDAA

$5 million and 20 years in prison for individuals convicted of

• Prohibits contractors from charging the DOD for the cost of fixing the problem when counterfeit parts are discovered.

critical infrastructure or national security applications.

• Requires the department and its contractors whenever possible to buy electronic parts from original component manufacturers and their authorized dealers, or from trusted suppliers that meet established standards for detecting and avoiding counterfeit parts. • Requires contractors and military officials who learn of counterfeit parts in the supply chain to provide written notification to the contracting officer, the DOD inspector general and the Government-Industry Data Exchange Program. • Requires the secretary of Homeland Security to establish a methodology for the enhanced inspection of electronic parts after consulting with the secretary of Defense as to the sources of counterfeit parts in the defense supply chain. • Mandates that large defense contractors establish systems for detecting and avoiding counterfeit parts, and authorizes reductions in contract payments to contractors that fail to do so. • Requires the DOD to adopt policies and procedures for detecting and avoiding counterfeit parts in its direct purchases, and for assessing and acting on reports of counterfeits. • Adopts provisions of a bill sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., to toughen criminal sentences for counterfeiting of military goods or services. • Requires the DOD to define “counterfeit part” and to include in that definition previously used parts that have been misrepresented as new.

selling counterfeits to the U.S. government that are used in Guilty companies could be fined up to $15 million. The amendment further requires contractors to obtain electronic parts from original manufacturers, their authorized dealers or other “trusted suppliers.” Those trusted suppliers can include independent distributors as long as they have adequate policies and procedures in place to detect counterfeits. Because military systems are often deployed for decades, replacement parts are typically out of production and often not available from either the original component manufacturer (OCM) or a franchised distributor. A few franchised distributors, such as Rochester Electronics, specialize in obsolete parts for defense systems. But when those sources don’t have the parts—or, more precisely, don’t have them when the customer needs them—the only recourse for defense contractors is to buy from independents and brokers on the open market. While the vast majority of independents are aboveboard, most do not have the systems in place to catch counterfeits. In fact, some independent distributors have estimated their incoming inventory to be as high as 35 percent counterfeit, according to Leon Hamiter of Components Technology Institute Inc. (Huntsville, Ala.). Catching the fakes is expensive. Outlays for the equipment needed for physical inspection and test can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The instrument roster includes high-powered laboratory-grade microscopes, X-ray fluores-

SOURCES: OFFICE OF SEN. CARL LEVIN; TITLE VIII, SUBTITLE C, SECTION 848 O F T H E N AT I O N A L D E F E N S E A U T H O R I Z AT I O N A C T F O R F I S C A L Y E A R 2 0 1 2

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2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

cence equipment, scanning electron and acoustic microscopes, and decapsulation test equipment. In addition to

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2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

absorbing the capital costs, companies must invest to hire

mercial customers in all market segments—including the

and train staff for both physical and electrical testing.

automotive, industrial and medical sectors, in which safety

Contractors and defense agencies are reviewing their rela-

and quality standards are rigorous. And there are plenty of cas-

tionships with independent distributors and brokers in light

es in all of these sectors of counterfeits’ causing system failure.

of the Levin-McCain amendment. “Many are cutting their

The recommendations made in Levin-McCain are as valid

approved vendor lists to just three or four independents,” said

for commercial applications as they are for the military. All

Tom Sharpe, vice president of independent distributor SMT

companies should source only from OCMs or their franchised

Corp. (Sandy Hook, Conn.).

distributors whenever possible. And if there’s no alternative

Sharpe hopes SMT will be one of the few independents that make the cut, though a few years ago it would not have been

to the open market, they should source only from “trusted sources” that have robust test capabilities.

considered a standout. In 2005 and 2006, SMT unknowingly

Still, there’s no telling how long today’s test regimes will

sold counterfeit parts to a defense contractor. The contractor

protect the electronics supply chain, as counterfeiters are con-

discovered the fakes during a stock sweep and in early 2007

stantly refining their capabilities. As soon as companies iden-

filed two Government Industry Data Exchange Program

tify a counterfeiting technique, counterfeiters respond with

(GIDEP) reports against SMT.

even more sophisticated approaches.

Appearing in the GIDEP database amounts to being black-

One of the most serious new threats is the “clone” compo-

listed by the defense community. But “that event was the best

nent—a part manufactured to look and function exactly like

thing that ever happened to SMT,” Sharpe said. “It made us

the OCM’s product. Typically, clones pass both physical and

reassess our capabilities and develop a mitigation strategy.”

electrical testing. Taking the concept a bit further is “malicious

SMT took a year off from selling to the military to enhance

insertion,” whereby malware is embedded in a piece of indus-

its ability to identify counterfeits. It invested more than $1 mil-

trial equipment with the intent of causing a malfunction or to

lion in test and inspection equipment, earned certification to

gather intelligence. Targets include commercial companies, the

three industry quality standards, trained and certified its quali-

military and the government.

ty-control lab staff, and built new capacity and processes. The company reentered the defense market in July 2008 and

One suspected example of malicious insertion, reported roughly a year ago, involved software embedded in a piece of

has since gained a reputation as a leader in authenticating

industrial equipment manufactured by Siemens. The software

semiconductors, according to a number of industry sources.

contained a sophisticated worm known as Stuxnet that was

SMT has contributed to the industry’s understanding of

allegedly responsible for causing malfunctions of nuclear cen-

counterfeit practices by documenting some of the more

trifuges at an Iranian nuclear enrichment plant. Israel has been

advanced methods used to resurface and remark semiconduc-

implicated in that attack, according to The New York Times.

tor packages. In 2009, it identified a surface recoating materi-

A November report by the Office of the National Counter-

al that is immune to acetone surface permanency testing. And

intelligence Executive titled “Foreign Spies Stealing U.S. Eco-

last year, it uncovered two new processes used by counterfeit-

nomic Secrets in Cyberspace” argued that the pace of

ers: one for removing part markings without requiring sur-

industrial espionage against U.S. corporations and govern-

face recoating, and the other to remove and recondition the

ment agencies is accelerating. While the report did not men-

surfaces of ceramic components.

tion clone components specifically, it did address the

“There’s no college degree in detecting counterfeit parts,”

increased incidence of malware.

said Sharpe. “You need to be looking at parts and work with

Don’t let your guard down. p

the stuff every day.” The counterfeiting problem is hardly confined to the public sector. About 98 percent of all semiconductors are sold to com-

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2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

Bruce Rayner ([email protected]) is a contributing editor to EE Times.

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

Five regulations to watch in 2012 By Suzanne Deffree

essy, confusing, expensive and often limiting to

and a coming analysis of additional substances, as well as new

design, government regulations and legislation

challenges in terms of meeting requirements for the CE mark,

are ever changing—and always influential.

a mandatory conformity mark for products placed on the

M

Like it or not, the task of understanding and

complying with these directives is a necessary

market in the European Economic Area. “The requirements of the CE mark included in the recast

evil of the electronics supply chain. Quality distributors stay

will prove a massive burden on industry,” said Gary Nevison,

on top of the directives to usher designers and manufacturers

head of legislation at Newark/Element14. “There will be a

through challenging process-

massive data collection exer-

es, even going so far as to

cise required, including a new

keep an eye on product end-

‘declaration of conformity’ doc-

of-life for the consumer. But

ument. There is already wide-

every link in the chain needs

spread concern in industry

to be aware of current regula-

around the CE requirements ...

tions and legislation.

this can impact manufacturers, importers and distributors.”

As we move into 2012,

As to other changes brought

here are five regulations, directives and laws across

by the recast, Nevison noted,

the globe that will affect the

“Manufacturers of products in

electronics supply chain—

categories 8 (medical devices) and 9 (monitoring and control

the manufacturers, distributors, design engineers and, ultimately, users of electronics.

instruments) will need to have RoHS-compliant products from 2014 onward. Those ready ‘early’ could gain market share.”

1. RoHS recast If you thought you were done with the European Union’s

2. China RoHS

Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, think

The term “China RoHS” has been used in the electronics sup-

again. A “recast” or reimplementation of RoHS was written

ply chain for more than five years, yet its meaning remains a

into the original directive’s documentation. Its subsequent

mystery to many. China RoHS, officially known as Measures

changes became law in the summer of 2011.

for Administration of the Pollution Control of Electronic

The changes include new product categories under RoHS

Information Products, is a Chinese Ministry of Information

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

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2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

Industry regulation that aims to control certain materials,

4. U.S. e-cycling

such as lead, that have been used in electronics and are con-

About half of the states in the United States—including tech

sidered to have negative environmental or health effects.

centers like California, New York and Texas—have passed

Because of the long road this regulation has taken, the

electronics recycling (e-cycling) laws to varying degrees.

measure seems to have fallen off many watch lists. To be sure,

Under the New York law, which took effect in April and so far

however, so-called China RoHS is alive and strong. Its “Stan-

is the most comprehensive in terms of covered products,

dard Product Catalog for the Pollution Control of

manufacturers must provide an electronic waste acceptance

Electrical and Electronic Products” was published in July;

program at no cost to consumers. Such state e-cycling laws

in November, the first “voluntary certification” measures

are expected to continue to pass and go into effect in 2012,

took effect for some parts, materials and components used

with Pennsylvania’s law being the first to go into force this

in computers, household electronics and telecommunications

year, on Jan. 1.

products.

Several federal bills have been presented that would affect e-cycling. Bill S.1397 was just one such effort to go beyond e-

3. Eco-design of Energy-related Products directive

waste dumping and call for “sustainable design” of electronic

Until recently, the EU Eco-design of Energy-related Products

of more sustainable designs.

(ErP) directive’s focus had been on increasing energy efficiency, particularly during the use phase of a product’s life. Now

equipment, as well as funding for research and development While Bill S.1397 did not become law, similar legislation is expected to continue to be presented. Such efforts, as

looking at the electronics supply chain from start to finish, the directive aims to improve the environmental performance of products throughout their life cycle, from mining of the raw material through recycling at end-of-life. By definition, this is a framework directive, meaning that while it defines the legal context for “implementing measures” for specific target groups of products, it does not itself

More information on legislation can be found via these sources and links: European Commission’s information page on the recast of the RoHS directive http://bit.ly/uuUZ90

pean Commission (EC) reports that 12 Eco-design regulations,

China Ministry of Commerce English translation of Measures for Administration of the Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products

two amendments and five energy labeling regulations came

http://bit.ly/tWHoJR

into force between 2008 and 2011.

Element14’s legislation information page

impose any obligations on industry. Nonetheless, the Euro-

At press time, an EC Consultation Forum on the Eco-design directive working plan and the new methodology was slated for Jan. 20, 2012. It was expected to address a working plan for 2012 through 2014 and to include a review of the directive’s methodology. It was also expected to address the need for

http://bit.ly/i886Qu

Export.gov information page on Eco-design of Energy-related Products directive http://1.usa.gov/sinoj1

National Center for Electronics Recycling http://www.electronicsrecycling.org

additional guidance and clarity in producing a uniform method for implementation of regulations. Element14 reports that 2012 is expected to be a big year for

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act http://1.usa.gov/dohxqC

the Eco-design directive, with more regulations due to be

IPC’s conflict minerals information page

implemented. Adoption of the revised Eco-design directive is

http://bit.ly/u5fRlN

due by March 2012.

S22

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

well as the various state e-cycling laws, will affect the

and then reporting it to the SEC is enormous but is necessary

supply chain.

to comply with the law. Various electronics industry organizations and groups have begun addressing the requirement. For

5. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act

example, the IPC, the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition

Dodd-Frank is largely focused on financial supervision. But 838

works to assist companies in demonstrating compliance.

pages into this act, which became law in the summer of 2010,

and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative have a standard in the In September, the IPC separately announced that it had

information on regulating so-called conflict minerals is present-

agreed to participate in a pilot evaluation program to review

ed. A provision requires public companies trading on a major

and refine the Organization for Economic Cooperation and

U.S. exchange to determine whether their products use any gold,

Development's due-diligence guidance for conflict minerals.

tantalum, tin or tungsten from the Democratic Republic of Con-

And in mid-October, the IPC’s Solder Products Value Council

go or surrounding countries, described as conflict areas.

began urging tin smelters to use conflict-free minerals and rec-

The law’s conflict minerals provision aims to deter what the United Nations describes as genocide in the area, as it is

ommended the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition/Global e-Sustainability Initiative Conflict-Free Smelter program. p

believed that terrorist activity is being financed through the illegal sale of minerals from the region’s mines.

Suzanne Deffree ([email protected]) is managing editor,

The task of determining the origination of such minerals

online, at EDN.

Niche suppliers point to hardware democratization By Margery Conner ne not-so-obvious side bene-

O

seemed mysterious, complex and

everything, and even 10-year-olds are

fit of the miniaturization of

expensive. Few consumers thought

creating them.

electronics is that folks far

about how they could exploit the com-

removed from the engineer-

putational power. But now that the

more open. A decade ago, distributors

ing realm become comfort-

equivalent of a workstation fits into a

like Avnet and Arrow began to create

able with small electronic devices and

smartphone, complete with a recharge-

their own corps of application engineers

think, “Wouldn’t it be neat if I had a

able power source and a high-definition

to intermediate between manufacturers’

gadget that did … ?”

screen, software creation has become

new, increasingly complex products and

more appealing to a nontechnical audi-

customers who wanted to solve design

ence. There’s an app for seemingly

problems without necessarily becoming

Back when computers were called “workstations,” their inner workings

Similarly, hardware itself is becoming

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

S23

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

experts in a highly specialized IC. Fast-forward to the present,

forums and FAQ pages on the kits and parts. This reliance on

and a new breed of electronics supplier is emerging to facilitate

the knowledge of the site’s fans is part of a well-thought-out

the “democratization of hardware”—that is, the use of hard-

business plan: Adafruit’s founder, Limor Fried, detailed the

ware in new designs by nontechnical people.

company philosophy in the EDN article, “15 steps to starting

One leader in this niche is SparkFun Electronics, started by Nathan Seidle, a newly minted EE from the University of Col-

your own electronic-kit business” (http://bit.ly/sIFA7f). Individual parts offered by Adafruit benefit from the com-

orado. Seidle had been looking for a source of small quantities

pany’s excellent documentation and tutorials. I speak from

of sometimes-obscure electronic parts and began offering them

personal experience. A couple of years ago, I bought a TLS

himself. Shortly thereafter, he began receiving questions from

2561 light-to-digital converter from TAOS Semiconductor

customers on how to use them,

(now part of Austriamicrosystems).

and he started posting tutorials.

It seemed like a handy component

That made for a virtuous circle:

for getting a quick, objective meas-

The tutorials served as link bait to

urement of LEDs. However,

draw in new, often nontechnical

although documentation existed

customers who found the compa-

for the part, its outputs were hard

ny through Google.

to interpret, and it was not easy to

Seidle contrasts the thinking of

hook it up to a computer for data

professionally trained engineers

logging. I quickly gave up and forgot

and nontechies: “I’ve seen a lot of

about it.

senior projects in the university EE department, and they are all very good and very technical. And they all have to do with some

Then Adafruit fielded the part pre-

This combination of an Arduino microcontroller platform on the left and a TSL 2561 light-todigital converter simplifies the detection and measurement of light.

kind of solar tracker or a digital

mounted on a small pc board with a couple of chip resistors and some headers, along with a tutorial as well as a software library for the

music player or a power supply. But in the digital media class-

open-source Arduino platform. As the Adafruit tutorial says, “To

es, [the art students] are doing the most amazing, ridiculous,

use this sensor and calculate Lux, there’s a lot of very hairy and

beautiful things with the same electronics. It’s important to

unpleasant math. You can check out the math in the data sheet,

show creative people that they can achieve a grand project—

but really, it’s not intuitive or educational—it’s just how the

and, yes, it has some current and voltage, but don’t worry about

sensor works. So, we took care of all the math and wrapped it

that. We’ll teach you that part.” It’s the opposite of a traditional

up into a nice Arduino library” (http://bit.ly/rNMbL7).

EE educational approach, which is: We’ll give you the technical

My sentiments exactly; I just wanted to start using the sensor.

background, and after a couple of years you can implement

Adafruit took a part that sells competitively for about $2 each,

your grand ideas—if you remember what they were.

added a couple of passive components and a well-thought-out

Adafruit Industries has a similar story of how it got into the parts/kit business with detailed tutorials that include step-by-

online tutorial, and sold it for $12. It was worth every penny. Digi-Key Corp. had a similar start back in 1972, selling its

step instructions and photographs to lead newbies through

Digi-Keyer Kit to ham radio enthusiasts. Today it’s a $1 billion

the basics of Ohm’s Law and soldering, and on to program-

company. History could repeat itself with a whole new gener-

ming the open-source hardware Arduino platform.

ation of parts and kits providers. p

Whereas traditional electronics distributors often have application engineers on staff, the Adafruit site effectively

Margery Conner ([email protected]) is a technical editor

crowdsources its application engineering support through its

at EDN.

S24

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

Web, economy shift distrib models for automation/control products By Ann R. Thryft elling automation and control products through

S

tor. Just last year, Allied’s growth in automation and control

distribution has traditionally been the domain of

exceeded 50 percent.

highly customized, the smaller operations that serve it func-

and business development for Digi-Key. “An automation

tion more like system integrators than traditional broadline

design is typically characterized by a higher mix and lower

local and regional resellers that serve customers in

Channel strategy and the selling process for electronics are

their own geographic markets. Because products in

quite different from those for automation/control or mechan-

this market are niche-oriented and designs are

ical products, said Chris Beeson, vice president of global sales

electronics distributors. They provide

volume,” Beeson said. “Some of these

specialized hardware and software

products are a one-time sale and

design services, often targeting only

might be capital expenditures, vs.

one or two main control platforms.

selling less-expensive components to

But other models for selling these

an OEM on a repeat basis.”

products have emerged, partly as a

For larger distributors whose mod-

result of the economic downturns of

el is based on moving large numbers

the past decade and the shift to the

of parts, these differences can be espe-

Web for research and e-commerce.

cially challenging. On top of that,

In particular, the recessions of

consolidation among the large semi-

2001-2002 and 2008-2009 were hard

conductor distributors means that

on smaller distributors and smaller

mindshare becomes even more

manufacturers. Many were forced to

important to automation and control

reduce inventory when their access

suppliers. “Smaller suppliers are com-

to capital all but dried up, said Scott

peting with very large companies

McLendon, vice president of product

under the same umbrella,” said Bee-

management and marketing for Allied Electronics. “They also typically aren’t quite as strong logistically as some larger dis-

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son. “How does the supplier know they are getting share of mind through the large distributor?” While price is always important,

tributors, nor do they have the full breadth of product solu-

other critical considerations in the automation and control sec-

tions available for many customers,” said McLendon.

tor include whether a product will be applied in a finished sys-

Consequently, some larger distributors, including Allied, have been able to build rapidly growing business in this sec-

tem or an OEM application, whether it will target domestic or global use, and the harshness of the operating environment.

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

S25

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

“In today’s business climate, buyers are looking for a better

been customers’ use of the Web. “There’s been a wider adop-

price on the brands they already know and trust, but they are

tion of Web-based everything in users’ lives: tools, social media,

not necessarily looking to sacrifice quality or performance in

user sites and user groups,” said Gable. “Therefore, it’s become

the process of getting a lower product price,” said Allied’s

many people’s whole mechanism for researching products and

McLendon. Making those sacrifices on the front end could

services. And they are researching vendors and sources, too, not

potentially require much more on the back end in warranty and

just products and tools.”

repair, as well as in downtime costs. Therefore, Allied approaches the mix/volume issue more

As machine builders and OEMs increasingly look to the Web for research, they are more open to ordering products

strategically. “Within a given technology, we try to offer the

online, Gable said. “In a down economy, with price more

customer ‘good,’ ‘better’ and ‘best’ options,” McLendon said.

important than it has been, if you are a low-price leader you

A “good” product “may do the job, but it might not last as long

can procure opportunities you did not have before. In the

or be as accurate, or it might have fewer features,” compared

past, some people may have not considered us, because they

with the alternatives.

were buying from the

Specialist Automa-

sources they were most

tionDirect takes an alto-

familiar with. But now,

gether different tack from

more are coming to us

the traditional reseller

because often we are the

model by relying primari-

price leader [and offer]

ly on e-commerce and

immediate product avail-

phone sales. “We don’t

ability. Those buyers

have sales reps who visit

often become our best

customer sites to demo

customers.”

products, take orders or

Said McLendon:

take the customer out to

“I think people are doing

lunch,” said Tina Gable,

more comparative shop-

focused image team advertising manager at AutomationDirect. “We

The Phoenix RAD-ICM-900 integrated radio and I/O module eliminates cable and conduit for one 4- to 20-mA current loop and two digital signals in harsh industrial environments. SOURCE: ALLIED ELECTRONICS

don’t provide full assis-

ping today, and the Web makes that a lot easier. Buyers in this sector are definitely shifting more

tance with designing a solution or with programming. We do

to e-commerce. Over the last four years, we’ve seen the online

have qualified internal support, plus external support

percentage of our revenue increase from 10 percent to over

through system integrators and VARs [value-added resellers]

40 percent, while our overall business has grown dramatical-

that are fully acclimated to our products and solutions.”

ly in that time frame, so the increase in online is substantial.

The distributor also provides free online tutorials, videos and

Last year, we grew our online sales by more than 80 percent.”

other training assistance tools. “AutomationDirect is like the

Some users conduct research online first before talking to

Walmart of automation, with a business model similar to that

the local distributor, said Beeson. “The small niche distributor

of Dell,” Gable said. “If you phone us, someone knowledgeable

or rep may have a Web site, but their customers may not be

answers immediately. All our products are stocked in a gigantic

using it, since the rep is always in front of their customers

warehouse and are available for same-day shipping.”

anyway. The niche-oriented suppliers to this segment can

One of the biggest changes in how the sector operates has

S26

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

really get into a tier-one company and get into the details of

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

design. We fit more of the long-tail

neers to develop the entire system.

equation—that is, working with tier-

Most fall somewhere in between:

two, -three or -four customers who

They want training and support with

may have similar design require-

the first product line, but when

ments but may not need the same

expanding to other machines and

degree of support from us.”

product lines they take all design

That’s why Web-based solutions

functions in-house.

and tactics work for Digi-Key, which is somewhat new to this sector: The one-

Products get more integrated

to-many equation yields economies of

Automation and control products are

scale and builds on the distributor’s

becoming more interconnected via

origins as a cataloger with an engi-

open communications standards,

neering orientation. “Many of our

more dependent on software, and

customers in this sector can now be self-serviced,” Beeson said. “The few

Worker checks inventory for fulfilling an order in AutomationDirect’s warehouse.

customers that need additional sup-

S O U R C E : A U T O M AT I O N D I R E C T

port can rely on the supplier and/or their manufacturers’ reps for followup.” AutomationDirect is evaluating social networking’s role in

more integrated. These changes can pose challenges for distributors. “Today, through open-source software and open standards, manufac-

turers are developing products that are more plug-and-play and that communicate with each other wirelessly, or, if wired,

marketing, said Gable. “Is it a trend yet in automation? We

via open protocols like Ethernet,” said McLendon. “Not only

don’t know,” she said. “Most of the engineers who buy from us

communication among devices, but also interoperability

now don’t use it, at least not in their work lives. They might be

among vendors, has proliferated over the last few years.”

more open to user groups, like technical forums. But the next generation of engineers will be open to social networking.”

For B&R, programming support is more important as software becomes a key factor in differentiating customers’

One supplier, B&R Industrial Automation, combines a

machines through increased performance, faster time-to-mar-

highly technical distributor network with direct sales and

ket and ease of maintenance, said Massey. Many distributors

engineering staff in regional offices. The privately owned

the company encounters don’t have such engineering

Austrian company, which has done business in the United

resources in-house, and are strictly hardware-oriented.

States and Canada since 1987, uses distribution as the main

B&R was among the first automation companies to release

push of its sales strategy, said Nathan Massey, sales channel

an all-in-one control solution, said Massey. Now, customers are

manager. “In addition to its sales staff, each regional office

quickly migrating to integrated control. “In the past, a control

and distributor has in-house, local engineering resources,

system [might include] an HMI, a PLC, a motion controller and

something that’s a big part of our regional strategy but not

a safety relay, all from different suppliers and requiring differ-

common among our competition. Our regional engineers pro-

ent software, multiple communication links, individual train-

vide design assistance and support our customers throughout

ing and separate troubleshooting. Integrated control solutions

the whole development process.”

combine these into a single, efficient package with a single,

Some customers take complete ownership of their designs, said Massey. “We help them with training and the initial

integrated development environment.” Open communications and connectivity-oriented network-

design, but they do 100 percent of the programming.” Others

ing standards are also becoming more important, visible in

contract for a B&R engineer or one of its distributors’ engi-

the rapid growth in demand for real-time Industrial Ethernet

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

S27

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

protocols. As a result, OEMs can select products from multi-

Overall, there’s been a lot of demystifying in the control

ple sources, instead of choosing a single vendor with older,

world, making it easier for design engineers to compare prod-

proprietary protocols.

ucts, spec them in or out of a design, or specify multiples within

In a related trend, machine builders’ customers are

the control system. “Today, you rarely see only one brand of

increasingly removing the control system brand from their

controls in a system,” said McLendon. “The challenge, or oppor-

machine specifications and are concentrating on a

tunity, that arises for distributors is: How do you support a cus-

machine’s performance and capability. “This allows the

tomer who is using multiple platforms and multiple products?

machine builder to focus on their core competencies and

How do you provide the service they require?” p

not remain handcuffed to aging, limited technology,” said Massey. “This encourages automation suppliers to innovate

Ann R. Thryft ([email protected]) is senior technical editor,

in order to stay competitive.”

materials and assembly, at Design News.

Parts ‘ownership’ questions defy easy solutions By Barbara Jorgensen ntil the twin natural disasters that shook Japan in

relieving most companies of the burden of financing invento-

U

who don’t want to carry inventory on the balance sheet.

ry they aren’t sure they are going to need.

Although inventory is considered an asset, explains Charlie

mid-March, the supply chain seemed to have gotten its inventory management practices down pat. The old habit of purchasing inventory well in

As the supply chain moves closer to JIT, distribution still manages upside and downside demand

advance of demand has shifted to just-in-time (JIT),

Most companies, that is, except distributors.

Barnhart, principal of consultancy Charlie Barnhart & Associ-

Distributors have become the de facto warehouses for the

ates, certain supply chain practices—such as buying invento-

entire supply chain, storing enough inventory for customers’

ry on credit—make it look like a liability. OEM customers

upside forecasts or inventory that is consigned by EMS com-

don’t want unused components or work-in-progress on their

panies or OEMs. Under most JIT, build-to-order (BTO) and

books when quarterly earnings periods come around.

consignment practices, distributors own inventory, and its attendant risks, until customers consume it. Such programs make sense for suppliers and customers

S28

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

But distributors are likewise beholden to Wall Street and to shareholders, so the channel is always in the middle of some kind of inventory adjustment. How do distributors

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

maintain enough inventory for customers without bogging

tion inventory based on geographic demand cycles, accommo-

themselves down?

dating seasonal shifts in ordering for the yearend holidays in the Americas, the August vacations in Europe or the Chinese

Lessons of 2001 Memories of the inventory glut of 2001 still sting, yet it has

New Year in the Pacific Rim . But the natural disasters of 2011 have some in the industry

taken a decade for the supply chain to even come close to a JIT

rethinking the Lean supply chain. Coupling inventory man-

inventory model. The first hurdle was convincing partners to

agement so closely to forecasts leaves little maneuvering

share demand forecast data in a timely manner; the next was

room for upside demand.

interpreting that data in a meaningful way. Distributors, as the

Late last year, for example, the flooding in Thailand, a manu-

link between component suppliers and manufacturing cus-

facturing hub for hard drives, forced many companies to sus-

tomers, have become the clearinghouse not just for inventory,

pend production. Although demand for the Christmas season

but for the information used to manage the supply chain.

had been met before the disaster, future orders were expected to

Before 2001, customers had little incentive not to overorder; the market was so hot that excess inventory was invariably gobbled up. It was only when demand slammed on the

be delayed. Such uncertainty drives some companies to pad inventory for orders that may or may not materialize. Distributors manage their way through inventory imbal-

brakes that anyone questioned who was responsible for all the

ances by selling to a diverse customer base: If one customer

stock in the supply chain: Was it the customer who ordered it,

orders too many widgets, others can take up the slack. The

the distributor that delivered it or the supplier that made it?

same should hold true for EMS companies, but industry

Facing huge write-downs on devalued parts, customers tried to return inventory to distributors, which, in turn, pressed

watchers say that isn’t the case. “Inventory in many cases makes up the largest asset on the

suppliers to take it back. The supply chain wrote off an esti-

balance sheets of global EMS providers,” IHS iSuppli

mated $13 billion worth of components.

EMS/ODM analyst Thomas Dinges wrote for EBN

Ten years later, the distribution channel has become so big

(http://bit.ly/sIBcir). “The latest results from several of the

that it can push back a bit on OEM and EMS customers. Distrib-

largest global EMS providers show, in fact, that nearly one-

utors now require more frequent forecasts from their partners.

third of their tangible asset base is tied up in inventory.”

They compare the data to historic buying patterns, flag major

While EMS companies serve many customers, their base isn’t

upside/downside trends and follow up to rectify discrepancies.

as broad as the channel’s. Selling off excess EMS inventory usu-

But distribution has to deal with component makers as

ally has meant selling to the gray market. Anecdotally, however,

well as OEMs. Component manufacturers rely on distribu-

distributors say EMS providers are turning increasingly toward

tion information to manage their own production schedules.

authorized distribution to manage their inventory imbalances.

The better the information coming from the distributor, the

Given the lingering market uncertainty, that’s a sound move.

better manufacturing can be managed. All of this requires closer partnerships. Indeed, over the past

So as long as the electronics supply chain operates on a demand forecasting model—which it still does, despite JIT,

decade, trust has built up among the partners, and upside/

BTO and Lean—the channel will play a leading role in global

downside forecasts work themselves out pretty quickly.

inventory management. Whether the electronics market is in

Globalization, meanwhile, has been a plus for inventory management. Global distributors manage pockets of invento-

an up-cycle or down-cycle, Barnhart says, “We are always in the middle of some kind of inventory question.” p

ry in all major regions, so a global distributor can internally move inventory out of, say, the Pacific Rim to the Americas if

Barbara Jorgensen ([email protected]) is community

demand in Mexico suddenly spikes. The channel can also posi-

editor at EBN.

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

S29

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

Is your supplier’s distrib deal good news for you? By Patrick Mannion or manufacturers, the question is almost as old as

ture. FPA was the invention of company founder and CEO

engineers’ make-or-buy dilemma: use in-house support

Patrizio Vinciarelli—a true engineer’s CEO.

F

or commit to a distributor? The latter is attractive in a

The FPA could be called a solution to a solution. At the time

time when global reach and rapid turnaround are nec-

of its arrival, the distributed power architecture (DPA), with

essary in order to compete and grow, but there are

power “bricks” that brought power to the point of load (POL),

implications for both the manufacturers and

was widely deployed and had been in broad

the designers using the product in terms of

use since the 1980s. DPAs solved the prob-

reputation, intellectual property protection,

lem of distribution losses, but multiple on-

design support and trust.

board voltage levels meant the number of

A case in point: In June, Vicor (Andover,

DPA bricks also multiplied, sucking up

Mass.) committed to Future Electronics, mak-

board space and increasing cost. They also

ing the Canadian company its global distrib-

proved inadequate for the loads’ increasing

utor for all of its power conversion devices.

transient-response requirements.

The phased rollout began in August. It was a

FPA concepts were realized in ASICs that

big move for Vicor, which to date had been

led to the development of V•I Chips, which

its own distributor within the United States

divide voltages and multiply currents while

while relying solely on smaller, specialty

keeping the voltage-current product (the “•”

distributors, such as Craftec and ACAL Technology, elsewhere.

‘We’re going all-in with Future Electronics’

Vicor traditionally has been self-reliant, keeping all its intellectual property, as well

— Rich Begen of Vicor

as its manufacturing, in-house to maintain a tight inner circle and thereby avoid the risk of exposing its road maps to any-

in V•I) constant. The chips, in turn, led to a popular series of power components that in the years since have garnered key design wins and solidified Vicor’s position in the power

market, most recently with the Picor line of semiconductors. But the technology has matured, and it is with that in mind

one who might take the knowledge elsewhere. Now, in a

that Vicor now needs to broaden its reach and distribution

quick turnabout, it’s “going all-in” with Future globally, said

capabilities to ramp up volume.

Rich Begen, vice president of distribution at Vicor. Why now, and why Future? To explain the “why now” part, Begen referred back to 2003, when Vicor introduced the Factorized Power Architec-

S30

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

That’s where Future comes in. Given the distributor’s size, it’s not intuitively obvious that Future would be the best choice. In a UBM Electronics distributor customer evaluation study (May 2011;

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

http://tinyurl.com/brerw5s), Future was ranked eighth in over-

tributor FAEs come up to speed but can’t completely replace

all patronage for all products. Digi-Key led the category, fol-

in-house support. “An FAE or two may get to a supplier-level

lowed by Arrow, Mouser, Avnet, Element14, Allied and

FAE, but they [generally] won’t have the depth,” and while

McMaster-Carr. Worse, Future placed tenth among the study’s

they tend to be more available than the suppliers’ own sup-

“most preferred” distributors. Digi-Key again sat securely at

port staff, “it’s the luck of the draw” in terms of quality.

the top; Arrow and Avnet were a distant second and third. Begen makes it clear that size doesn’t matter; on the contrary, it can sometimes be a liability. “Arrow and Avnet are too

“You have to ferret out the FAEs who can best serve [the designers’] needs,” Began asserted. That said, the distributor FAE can always refer to the supplier for help.

encumbered with large engagements,” such as Texas Instruments and Analog Devices, he said. “Future is

Web-based support

better with niche suppliers; it’s in their DNA.”

Increasingly, before attempting to reach an FAE, designers refer to both suppliers’ and distribu-

Begen speaks with some authority on the matter. Until last June, he was a principal of

tors’ Web sites for technical information, appli-

LJ James LLC, a consulting business focused on

cation tips and notes—and, in some cases,

sales and channel management strategy.

community knowledge. The Future Electronics Web site’s reputation as a comprehensive infor-

Implications For suppliers and designers, the implications of working through a distributor are manifold. First there’s the issue of trust, as the supplier has to expose its road map, as well as train the field application engineers (FAEs) at the dis-

mation source—supported by the UBM study—

Some suppliers have abdicated their responsibility for tech support

belies the company’s size. In general, distributors have tended to be a good starting point for basic product search and selection, but that bright spot may be fading. Comments on a recent EE Times article

tributor. That’s “secret sauce” information, but in general,

(http://bit.ly/tbKbje) bemoan the lack of solidly tabulated and

NDAs cover exposure liability pretty well.

parameterized data on distributors’ sites, and instead recom-

Then there’s a concern that a distributor might push one supplier’s line at the expense of another’s, depending on which supplier’s product has the higher margin or who’s

mend using one of a number of paid product selection sites, such as Octopart, Partminer or SiliconExpert. Thus, the answer to whether it’s a good move for sup-

being the squeakiest wheel about how much product is mov-

pliers and their customers to work through distributors is,

ing. That’s a trust issue not just for suppliers, but also for

“It depends.” It depends to what degree a supplier relies on

designers seeking reliable support from a distributor. Begen,

the distributor, and to what degree the distributor’s FAEs can

however, said the distributor model has matured enough that

be trusted. You may get them on the phone quicker, and you

neither suppliers nor designers need be worried.

may get the part quicker—but is it the right part? p

Designers over the years have expressed concern about suppliers’ overreliance on distributors to provide technical support;

Patrick Mannion ([email protected]) is director of content

in some cases, suppliers have abdicated their responsibility

for EDN, Test & Measurement World and the EE Times Designlines.

and gutted their own tech support infrastructure. That’s not the case at Vicor, Begen said. He acknowledged

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

that handing over support to a third party is a bit like trusting

See “Suppliers, distributors and the issue of trust” on EDN at

your baby to a stranger. With four months’ training, the dis-

http://bit.ly/tkBD4J.

2012 Global Electronics Distribution Special

S31

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News to reach out to users to assist in the beta test process. She says the beta program will give Autodesk specific feedback on features in the Android version, but will also allow users to report on how well the app performs on their particular Android devices. Tellerman declined to specify when the final version of Design Review mobile for Android would be released. She says her company plans to keep the iOS and Android mobile offerings comparable for the time being, but she didn’t rule out offering an app on one platform and not the other if Autodesk were able to take advantage of a specific capability on a specific platform. In addition to this latest Android app, Autodesk also offers Android versions of AutoCAD WS, Inventor Publisher, SketchBook, and its Pixlr mobile apps.

Autodesk is seeking beta testers to help work out the kinks in its upcoming Design Review mobile app for Android platforms.

— Beth Stackpole, Contributing Editor, Design Hardware & Software

hardware is better equipped to handle the kinds of data our customers will be working with than others. Tellerman says an Android version of Design Review mobile was the top requested feature among the Autodesk user community, which cemented the company’s decision

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Cover Storyer Story

Machine Vision Comes Into Focus

T

hree-dimensional (3D) machine vision, once considered little more than a novelty, may finally be finding its niche in high-volume manufacturing. Increasingly, manufacturers are deploying the technology in applications ranging from assembly of automotive car doors and hoods to part stacking, can filling, and tire inspection. And with new lightweight cameras, better software libraries, and more powerful multicore processors

KWD Automotive uses 3D machine vision on industrial robots that assemble car doors. D Deessiiggnn N Neew wss FNeobvreum a rbye 2 r0 21 02 1 1w w w w.w. d edseisging n enw ew s .sc.ocm om

on the horizon, deployment of the technology is expected to grow further during the next few years. “We’re reaching an inflection point where 3D vision is going to become much more common,” says John Petry, vision software marketing manager for Cognex Corp., a major manufacturer of machine vision systems. “People are getting just enough machine vision experience under their belts, and they’re starting to look to system integrators to help them support their 3D applications.” Indeed, the number of potential applications is growing fast, particularly as automakers look to ratchet up US-based production by a million more vehicles per year. Assembly of car doors, hoods, engines dashboards and LED lighting displays is increasingly being handled by robots equipped with 3D vision. Inspection of hose assemblies, such as fuel and brake lines, has also migrated from visual methods to 3D-camerabased systems, as has checking of tire treads and threaded holes. Outside the auto industry, engineers are employing 3D machine vision for semiconductor wafer inspection, as well as for food and pharmaceutical processing. Objects with round shapes — bottles, pins, and needles, for example — are also candidates for 3D machine vision. To be sure, the vast majority of machine vision applications are still two-dimensional. Manufacturing engineers say that 3D applications are still a niche, but they’re a growing niche. “We’ve been getting a lot more inquiries in the past three to four months,” says Robert Couture, senior machine vision specialist for EngATech Inc., a system integrator of machine vision systems. “All of a sudden, the floodgates have opened and manufacturers are starting to spend money again.” Overcoming Complexity In truth, 3D machine vision is not a new idea. Manufacturers have looked at it as a possibility for at least two

Source: Cognex Corp.

By Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics & Test

Production of 1 million more autos annually is driving demand for deep inspection.

decades, largely so they could go beyond inspection of surface defects and see depths more effectively. “3D machine vision has been around for a very long time,” says David Michael, director of core vision and applications for Cognex. “The world is 3D, not 2D, so this is a direction that people want to move in.” The path to 3D has been strewn with stumbling blocks, however. The mathematics behind it are complex, software libraries have been spare up to now, and robustness has been lacking. For many hopeful users, outside expertise was needed to get the job done. “3D is hard,” Petry says. “A lot of automotive companies have been working on this for 20 years. And a lot of vision companies have gone bankrupt trying to support the applications. It’s an order of magnitude harder than 2D.” The good news, however, is that machine vision manufacturers believe they’re crossing over into a new era, in which vast software application libraries are becoming more plentiful and 3D vision packages are growing more user-friendly. “In the past, it had to be a very specialized person to make it go,” Michael says. “But the trend now is moving from the specialized expert to a normal manufacturing engineer who can deploy this with enough training.” Cognex’s VisionPro 3D, for example, incorporates a software library that is specifically designed for machine builders and plant automation engineers. It includes a software library with 3D shapes, mathematical tools, and calibration software for a variety of applications. Similarly, MVTec Software

GmbH now offers Halcon 9.0 for 3D alignment and reconstruction, which helps to determine 3D shapes and orientation of objects. Couture says that such systems enable manufacturers to address manufacturing problems that couldn’t be touched with classical 2D solutions. He cites an example of a candy bar manufacturer who wanted to inspect chocolate bars to see if they contained almonds. By measuring the depth of the bar, he says, the manufacturer could tell if the almonds were present or missing. w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 D e s i g n N e w s

38 Cover Story “The whole bar is coated in chocolate, so you have very poor contrast,” he says. “But with 3D, the almond pops out at you.”

The Power of Multicore All of this would be virtually unthinkable, of course, without the constant push of semiconductor technology behind it. The VC nano 3D, for example, incorporates an onboard Texas Instruments digital signal processor (DSP). The emergence of D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

Aicon 3D’s MoveInspect employs a feature called Dynamic Referencing, which compensates for vibrations during measurement.

multicore processing technology has been an even bigger key for makers of 3D vision systems. Cognex engineers tell their customers to run their 3D software on PCs containing a minimum of four computing cores. “It’s very processing intensive,” Petry says. “Most people use a modern Intel processor with multiple cores. It’s not unusual for them to use eight or even 12 cores on their PCs.” The move toward greater simplicity doesn’t mean that the new breed of machine vision is easy to use, however. Asked to list the critical aspects of a successful 3D machine vision system, Michael of Cognex quickly responds, “Training.” Some system integrators doubt whether complex 3D applications can be handled by in-house engineers. In simpler applications, such as de-palletizing or picking items from a bin, in-house manufacturers can do it, they say. But complex robotic applications may call for a higher level of expertise. Even if such applications no longer require Ph.D.-level specialists, they still require engineers with intimate knowledge of 3D, they argue. “Can a plant engineer do it? Sure,” Couture says. “But the problem is that it might take twice as long. It will burn up a lot of resources and a lot of time.” Among those who are willing to invest in the technology, however, suppliers expect the 3D niche to grow. “We’re seeing more 3D applications popping up,” says Petry of Cognex. “There are a lot of applications right now that look like good candidates for 3D guidance.” DN

For More Information: Vision Components GmbH’s VC Nano 3D: http://dn.hotims.com/40993-514 Cognex’s VisionPro 3D: http://dn.hotims.com/40993-515 MVTec Software GmbH’s Halcon 9.0: http://dn.hotims.com/40993-516 Aicon 3D: www.aicon3d.com Allied Vision Technologies: www.alliedvisiontec.com

Source: Aicon 3D

Better Cameras Manufacturers attain such 3D results with various systems, including stereo cameras, so-called “time-of-flight” techniques (which resolve distances based on the speed of light), and vision triangulation. The most common of those is vision triangulation, which uses multiple images from the cameras to determine the object’s position in space and its 3D coordinates. “Triangulation systems are typically built on top of the same cameras that you’d use in 2D applications,” Petry says. “But it involves a second step where you take the results from the cameras and combine them to determine your 3D pose.” Increasingly, manufacturers are using such methods for applications that previously used visual inspection and mechanical methods. Aicon 3D, for example, developed a tube measurement system that calculates a pipe’s geometry. The system employs multiple cameras from Allied Vision Technologies to create parallel images that are used to inspect irregularly shaped pipes. It has been used to analyze long and winding fuel and brake lines in automotive assemblies. Smaller cameras are a key element in such systems, largely because cameras must often be mounted atop mobile robot heads.Vision Components GmbH’s VC nano 3D, for example, measures just 140mm x 70mm x 35mm, less than half the size of analog cameras of a generation ago. Increasingly, such cameras are also offering simplicity. The VC nano 3D integrates the camera and laser in a single pre-calibrated unit. “Not long ago, if you wanted laser triangulation, you had to buy the camera and the laser separately,” says Endre Toth, director of business development for Vision Components GmbH. “Then you had to have the knowledge to put the two together and calibrate the system yourself.” Lower-cost cameras are also appealing to manufacturers. MVTec has teamed with Microsoft to employ the Kinect camera to its Halcon software. Kinect, originally developed for the Microsoft Xbox 360, is expected to bring a lower-cost option to the machine vision market. Similarly, the VC nano 3D has cut costs by employing widely used CMOS, instead of CCD (charge-coupled device) technology. Such technologies are being employed in applications that needed a level of depth that 2D couldn’t provide. In automotive assembly, they’ve been used to inspect brake surfaces, threaded recesses and tire treads. “With 2D, you might not be able to look inside a tire tread,” Toth explains. “But with 3D, you can do it easily.”

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*SPEC® and the benchmark name SPECviewperf® are registered trademarks of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation. Competitive benchmark results stated above reflect results published on www.spec.org as of August 16th, 2010. The comparison presented above is based on standard industry workstations representative of when each particular graphics product was launched. n, n-1: Resolution of 1900 x 1200, Windows Win 7, 64 Bit, System 1P XEON 3.3GHz, 6GB Memory. n-2: Resolution of 1900 x 1200, WinXP x64, 1x 3GHz Core2 Quad (QX9650) 4GB. For the latest SPECviewperf® benchmark results, visit www.spec.org/gwpg. © 2012 NVIDIA Corporation. All rights reserved. NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, Maximus, Tesla and Quadro are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation. All company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated.

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40 Materials & Assembly

Multifunctional Coatings for Harsh Environments As operating conditions get tougher, coatings manufacturers are combining functions to make them more durable. By Ann R. Thryft, Senior Technical Editor, Materials & Assembly

Polysiloxanes combine the environmental toughness of silicone polymers with the functional attributes of different organic compounds, providing solvent-less high-performance protective coatings for harsh environments.

D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

Source: Dow Corning

C

oatings in harsh environments already have a tough job protecting metal and plastic components in cars, ships, planes, and industrial machinery. But a combination of globalized markets, more extreme operating requirements, and the desire for a cleaner environment, are now demanding more from them. Manufacturers of some coatings are combining the product’s basic function, whether it’s resistance to salt water, chemicals, or extreme temperatures, with additional features such as greater durability, reduced friction, lower cost, or less wasteful application. Some classes of coatings are replacing a competing class in certain applications, and in other application areas, new coating types are gaining ground. Field-applied coatings are used as topcoats on metal structures with tanks or piping exposed to outdoor conditions, such as bridges, oil tankers, or chemical plants. Traditionally, a zinc-rich primer coat was used to protect metal from corrosion, says Jerry Witucki, senior coatings specialist for Dow Corning’s coatings and composites group. The zinc powder protects the steel via sacrif icial oxidation. An epoxy coating is applied to hold down the zinc and provide corrosion protection, followed by a polyurethane topcoat. “It’s possible to cut down the number of coatings and get the same level of

41

Henkel’s electrodeposited Alodine EC2 titanium oxide coating can be used on a variety of aluminum castings, extrusions, and wrought alloy parts for superior corrosion resistance in harsh environments.

peratures on the crown of the piston can reach over 537C. Our coating protects the pistons and the whole engine at those temperatures.” The EC2 coating is also used in military engines, and is undergoing tests by NASA for rocket engines. The coating itself is stable to 900C, but the metal it coats melts at 600C to 660C, depending on the alloy. One trend Dow Corning sees is a demand for more durable anti-friction coatings that last longer under various conditions, says Matt Hagemeyer, application engineering and technical service specialist for industrial assembly and maintenance. As automotive manufacturers try to achieve federal mileage goals, there will be a sizable trend toward increasing the use of anti-friction coatings, such as the company’s Molykote. These coatings are lubricating paints, also called dry-film bonded lubricants, which may be used to coat pistons and other rotating parts of an engine. They are replacing grease and other wet lubricants because they are easier to handle, less messy, don’t attract dust, and look better. “Sometimes they replace coatings designed to resist corrosion,” Hagemeyer says. “Dry-film anti-friction coatings can be used everywhere in assembly, from fasteners to clips and springs, to threaded connections.” During thermal cycling the two or more dissimilar materials, such as a plastic and a metal, that are often found in some of today’s cars can produce noise when they touch each other, says Hagemeyer. Anti-friction coatings can reduce the amount of noise and vibration in an assembly or an engine, which is increasingly important in today’s smaller engines

Source: Henkel

protection for less labor cost and downtime,” says Witucki. “Siloxane-based coatings have superior weather and chemical resistance. The same zinc-rich primer is covered by a silicone acrylic or silicone epoxy topcoat. These are being used on offshore oil platforms, wind farms, radio towers, transmission lines, and anywhere steel is outside.” Because of consolidation in the industry, field-applied coating systems have become commoditized, says Witucki. Now coatings suppliers are differentiating their products by incorporating a new benefit or performance enhancement, such as durability, easy clean, or chemical resistance. “Historically, the silicones were relegated to niche applications due to cost, but as the price of organic resins increases with the price of oil, siloxanes have become a more attractive option,” he says. One of the fastest-growing coating technologies in industrial maintenance is the silicone hybrid coating, which combines the best of organics and silicones, says Witucki. In particular, polysiloxane hybrids combine silicone with epoxy, acrylic, or urethane. “Polysiloxanes have inherently low viscosity so there’s low solvent requirements. They have good thermal and UV stability, excellent chemical resistance, and excellent compatibility with organics,” he says. While their share of the overall coatings market is still small, engineers have a growing preference for hybrids, so rapid growth in polysiloxane use is expected. The trend toward lightweight materials in transportation means that more aluminum, magnesium, and titanium are being used. With more aluminum involved, there’s more coupling of aluminum and steel parts, so eliminating galvanic corrosion is becoming a large part of design, says Patrick Scalera, Henkel’s technology manager for general industrial surface treatments. For example, the company’s Alodine EC2 is a new base coating for protecting parts made of aluminum, titanium, and related alloys in severe environments. The coating process is electrolytic, producing a tough, f lexible titanium oxide coating with high resistance to abrasion, corrosion, extreme temperatures, and chemicals, says Scalera. Its primary applications are marine, automotive, and industrial. The coating is also used in automotive applications, such as for coating pistons and intake manifolds. Aside from inboard and outboard marine engines, the coating’s salt spray resistance can also be used for cast aluminum lights on large bridge structures spanning salt water, says Shawn Dolan, Henkel’s senior research scientist. “The corrosion on these bridges is very bad. In that environment, we’ve actually tested our coating for as long as 8,700 hours, which is a full year.” Automotive internal combustion engines are shifting to more turbocharged types, such as those that use exhaust gas recycling, says Dolan. “That means a lot of hot, corrosive gases recirculating, a very aggressive environment. Tem-

w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 D e s i g n N e w s

42 Materials & Assembly

and smaller cabins where less noise is being masked from passengers. Henkel’s EC2 coating can improve emissions in automotive engines, says Dolan. By replacing the piston skirt coating, it increases overall engine efficiency by 2 percent to 8 percent, since the piston skirt is responsible for about half of engine friction. Engineer it Right the First Time Plastics are increasingly used in many machines, and their coating requirements are quite different from those of metals. “The biggest threat to many resins isn’t corrosion, but scratching or damage from ultraviolet (UV) light,” says Bill Welch, vice president of engineering and CTO for Phillips Plastics. Although many are UV-stable, other plastics such as polycarbonate require hard coating to prevent scratching and UV degradation. One approach to solving corrosion and other problems often solved by applying a coating is to select the right material in the first place, says Welch. “Material selection is key, whether you’re talking about metals, plastic, silicone, or ceramics. By selecting the right material for the job, you can sometimes find an engineering solution to avoid corrosion. For example,

we have in many cases redesigned metal products to convert to plastics to solve corrosion issues.” By applying structural analysis with material selection, engineers may be able to choose a combination of molding process and material for designing a product without the need for coatings. The key questions engineers should ask in materials selection are what is the problem you are trying to prevent, what is the best material to prevent that problem, and how can you engineer a low-risk solution, according to Welch. “Incorporating these questions into the early product development phases can prevent issues that would not otherwise be found until later development phases,” he says. “The focus is on def ining the environment in which the product must work, and on what failures you’re trying to prevent from happening in that environment.” In addition to selecting the right materials and deciding how to coat out or seal out the environment, sometimes engineers do need to select a material that requires anti-corrosion coatings, says Welch. “For example, Phillips also offers magnesium thixomolding, which presents a unique set of material benefits along with corrosion challenges. Magnesium may be very susceptible to corrosion in some environments if not

D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

Source: Dow Corning

Dow Corning’s Molykote anti-friction coatings can be sprayed on automotive piston rings to provide durable, long-lasting friction control for reducing engine noise and wear.

43 properly coated, but the thixomolding process does provide enhanced mechanical and corrosion performance when compared to other magnesium casting processes.”

Source: Phillips Plastics

Application Processes Get Simpler The trend in application seems to be away from spray coating because of the amount of waste and environmental considerations. For example, in fieldapplied coatings, hand application by brush or roller is increasing, says Witucki. “During spray application, 35 to 50 percent of the coating fails to be applied onto the intended substrate. In addition to poor efficiency, without proper precautions, this overspray can be released into the environment.” Henkel’s electrodeposition application process for its EC2 coating eliminates the surface preparation necessary for most thermally applied spray coatings, improving adhesion, and saving time and money, says Dolan. The process also requires fewer steps by replacing primer and conversion coatings. Phillips has developed its own digitally printed, UV-cured system for hard

coats, called Vuecoat. “It offers precise thickness control and allows you to put the coating only where it’s needed,” Welch says. With a typical dip- or sprayapplied hard coating, plastic parts are molded and delivered to an advanced coating system, usually in a separate facility. With Phillips’ Vuecoat system, a part is molded, goes through the printed hardcoat machine, and straight into a carton for shipping, removing packaging and freight costs, reducing handling, and reducing scrap. “For spray-applied hard coat, a 25 percent material loss is typical for cosmetic application,” says Welch. “With a digitally applied hard coat, the loss is typically in the 5 to 8 percent range. The supply chain is also shortened, removing several days if not weeks, and the whole process is more consistent with lean manufacturing principles.” DN C

M

For More Information:

Y

Dow Corning’s Molykote: http://dn.hotims.com/40993-510 Henkel’s Alodine EC2: http://dn.hotims.com/40993-511 Phillips Plastics’ Vuecoat: http://dn.hotims.com/40993-512 CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Phillips Plastics’ multi-shot molding process provides integrated sealing that prevents corrosion in a variety of components made of multiple materials. w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 D e s i g n N e w s

44

Design Hardware & Software

Unleashing the Power of Model-Based Design Driven by the rise of embedded systems, companies are turning to model-based design approaches to facilitate the development of increasingly complex products.

Source: Centre for Concepts in Mechatronics (CCM)

By Beth Stackpole, Contributing Editor, Design Hardware & Software

W

ith software and control systems becoming standard fare even in what used to be considered straight mechanical-based products, model-based design — an engineering approach rooted in industries like aerospace and defense — is gaining traction as companies seek ways to reduce the growing complexity of development while facilitating time-to-market. In traditional development processes, engineers gather requirements from multiple sources, create a paper specification, and then work off that paper spec to produce a detailed design concept.The concept is then prototyped using simulation or physical hardware, and continually checked against requirements until a suitable design is achieved. In this scenario, testing typically occurs toward the end of this multiD e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

stage process, a design workflow that can be problematic if errors or flaws are detected late in the game when they are far more costly to remedy. In contrast, with the model-based design approach, a system model serves as the centerpiece of the development process, starting as early as the requirements phase, and evolving through design, implementation, and testing.This single model is an executable specification that can be linked to the original requirements. It is an approach that allows for two-way traceability between the design and the requirements while enabling a multi-domain engineering team to continually provide input and refine the model throughout the development process. Simulation is employed every step of the way to determine whether the model is behaving as desired. The MathWorks, which markets one of the leading tools

45

Using The MathWorks tools for model-based design, CCM created a custom controller that increased the repeatability of existing :Dotrix Modular printers for its customer, Agfa.

for model-based design, says the practice that was originally tuned for the development of dynamic systems such as control systems, signal processing, and communications systems, is systematically being embraced by other industry segments grappling with similar complexity issues. “Software complexity is the big driver,” says Ken Karnofsky, senior strategist for signal processing applications at The MathWorks. He explains that model-based design first took hold in industries like automotive and aerospace which were dealing with extremely complex, large-scale embedded applications that needed a lot of process rigor beyond some of the ad hoc engineering that was happening in other segments. Now, other fields like industrial machinery and medical communications are facing similar requirements, which are prompting a recasting of traditional design approaches in the hopes of finding a more efficient way. “With the integration of multi-domain systems, different disciplines that conveniently worked in separate bubbles in the past, for example, electrical, mechanical, and software, can no longer afford to do so,” Karnofsky says. “To get a design out to market in a reasonable amount of time and to meet requirements requires much more collaboration.” Specifically, The MathWorks says when collaboration

happens far earlier in the design workflow, companies are much better positioned to garner efficiencies and wring costs out of their development processes. “Once you adopt model-based design, what you get away from is building your first prototype that went together perfectly. Now, to get it to do what your customers expect it to do takes too many rebuilds to understand the design flaws,” adds Tony Lennon, The MathWorks’ industry market manager for industrial automation. “The cost of rework has gotten to point where companies need to find a way to get work done more cheaply.” Dr. Jerry Krasner, chief analyst with Embedded Market Forecasters, a division of American Technology International, conducted a study to drill down into the financial ROI associated with model-based design approaches. Krasner’s findings, which confirmed an uptick in model-based design adoption over the last six years, found that 36.6 percent of model-based design deployments in North America had a significant total cost of development advantage over nonmodel-based design deployments. Moreover, the number of developers used per project was smaller with model-based design deployments, according to his research. “Model-based design has significant cost advantages even for smaller designs,” Krasner says, adding that the approach’s advantages in the areas of rapid prototyping, code generation, and code reuse add to the value proposition. “The ability to move applications to new hardware and to have interoperability for people in different locations for working on the same project is key.” Model-Based Design in Action For the Centre for Concepts in Mechatronics, solving design challenges in its specialty area of mechatronics without a model-based design approach would be unthinkable given the complexities of development, according to Arend-Jan Beltman, manager of the department of mechatronics at CCM. While the development approach commands more upfront work in terms of understanding the design problem and building the model, it is a huge time saver in the end, Beltman says, because the model helps the team understand what is going on. “You start modeling the expected problem with the tools, and through the model, you gain insight and you can experiment to clarify your insights and iterate the design,” he explains. Take, for example, a project it completed for printer maker Agfa, which acquired the :Dotrix Modular inkjet printer brand and needed to make some design adjustments to improve the printer’s repeatability. The team had determined that tension on the substrate, or printing material, caused it to stretch, triggering a misalignment in the firing mechanism of the ink jet head, which reduced precision. Operators couldn’t tune the force control properties with the existing printers, so w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 D e s i g n N e w s

46 Design Hardware & Software complicated systems via the conventional approach of building and testing them on physical hardware, he says. “You can’t do design in a systematic way,” he says, explaining that a movement would be developed and tested, then hardware would have to be physically constructed to test the controller model. If a problem was encountered, the process would start anew, with the movement modified and the hardware physically redesigned to continue optimizing the controller design. “Nowadays, by testing on the model and then building the hardware, you can use the model for controller design before you even design the hardware,” he says. Newmann’s team put that approach into action with the design of the Festo Bionic Handling Assistant, a mechatronic robot arm designed to work closely and safely with humans. Unlike most industrial robot arms which are stiff, thus could be dangerous if they come into direct contact with humans, the Bionic Handling Assistant is made of lightweight polymer components so it’s safe to the touch. A complex system of 12 pneumatic chambers, 13 actuators, and 12 position sensors work in concert to control the motion of the arm, and a control system manages the pneumatics so that the arm will yield immediately in the event of a collision. The controller models for the pneumatic chambers were

©2012 Alpha Wire

the team turned to The MathWorks’ Simulink and Simulink Coder to design, develop, and deploy a control system that would address this issue with existing printers. The nonlinear dynamics of the substrate path were first modeled in Simulink, and CCM engineers then developed controllers using their own controller design tools. Simulink came back into play for simulating and refining the control strategy, and The MathWorks’ Simulink Coder was tapped to automatically generate C code for the controller. Simulink’s automatic code generation capabilities were a big factor in accelerating development time spent on this project. “In the conventional way, the software engineer would need to translate the idea of the control engineer into software code, but in this case, the control engineer also creates the software code using the Simulink Coder,” Beltman says. “It saves resources, it saves communications, and it lets the software department focus on other things like user interface design.” The model-based design approach also goes a long way in streamlining the trial-and-error process that so often derails engineering projects, according to Dr. Rudiger Newmann, head of research mechatronic systems at Festo AG. The group, which builds robots out of pneumatic drives, would not be able to efficiently optimize its controller designs for

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designed and optimized in The MathWorks’ Simulink, and Simulink Coder was used to generate C code from the model to put to work in the prototype hardware. Newmann says while the model-based design approach definitely saves time and ensures a more streamlined engineering workflow, he says there are hurdles, including getting engineers comfortable with a front-loaded design process that doesn’t necessarily yield results until later in the project. It also takes some work getting engineers acclimated to the mathematical background necessary for building models, as well as training and education on the tools. Nevertheless, heavy lifting aside, Newmann and Beltman say the transition to model-based design practices is well worth the effort. “It depends on the level of mechatronics,” Beltman says. “If the specifications are very tight, modelbased design is a must.” DN The MathWorks: www.mathworks.com Centre for Concepts in Mechatronics: www.ccm.nl Festo AG: www.festo.com Embedded Market Forecasters: www.embeddedforecast.com

Source: Festo AG

For More Information:

Festo’s Bionic Handling Assistant, a mechatronic industrial robot arm, was inspired by the motion of an elephant’s trunk.

w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 D e s i g n N e w s

48 Automation & Control

Advanced Motion Control for Harsh Environments Chemical and highpressure washdown, extreme temperatures, high shock, and vibration require highperformance solutions that thrive in demanding applications.

F

rom high-pressure washdown at food and bottling plants, to the extreme heat and pressure generated by oil and gas exploration, to an increasing focus on outdoor applications, advanced motion control solutions are being implemented in a wider set of harsh environments than ever before. Recall Concerns Push Washdown Solutions “Washdown is an important harsh environment segment that is growing because of concerns resulting from the recalls that we have seen this year,” says Gene Matthews, product manager for Kollmorgen. “With the listeria outbreak traced back to a cantaloupe packing plant, in addition to ground meat and egg recalls, there are many more machines that need to be washed down on a daily basis with caustic chemicals, steam, and/or using high pressure.” Matthews says that industry is moving, because of liability issues, toward all stainless-steel, hygienic designs, often using air purge and all of the techniques available to make sure that the motor is going to survive in the environment and can be cleaned thoroughly. “There are a number of challenges related to washdown applications,” says Matthews. “If the customer is using caustic chemicals, those chemicals will hasten corrosion and shorten the life

D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

of painted motors. For this reason, the most robust motor designs include an all stainless-steel exterior. Stainless steel is chosen due to its resistance to corrosion.” Companies are also utilizing round motor designs to eliminate the nooks and crannies in the motor housing where bacteria can hide, and users can more easily and thoroughly spray off the surfaces. Another approach is to use steam. The IP69K standard allows customers to use an 80C liquid for washdown between 1,200psi and 1,450psi. Most motor designs that meet the IP69K standard are all stainless steel. The reason for this is that painted motors can fail quickly once the painted surface is compromised. No matter what kind of paint is used, if the surface is scratched or chipped, the motor will corrode quickly under these conditions. “The downside of using stainless steel for the housing of a motor is that it is a poor conductor of heat,” says Matthews. “The motors get warm and, as they cool down, negative pressure forms inside the motor. In this situation, a perfectly sealed motor will often pull water inside the motor via the shaft seal. Spraying a hot motor with a cool liquid can intensify the effect.” “Water ingress doesn’t immediately kill the motor; you might just start to get some corrosion within the motor. Continued on page 49

Source: Moog Inc.

By Al Presher, Contributing Writer, Automation & Control

Medical Technology: Miniaturization

Micro Drives Increase Surgical Precision Techniques for minimally invasive surgery rely on highly sensitive drive technology. By Al Presher, ContriButing Writer

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[w w w. des ig n n e w s . c o m ]

Miniature medical actuator systems used in minimally invasive surgery need to be as compact as possible. Micro drives are an effective solution because they offer high performance from small packages, are easy to control, and help increase the fingertip sensitivity of the surgeon.

systems, means the surgeon is given better access to the patient, and allows surgeons to utilize their experience in direct contact with the patient rather than being reliant on pre-filtered information on a screen. Its comparatively low procurement and operating costs, compact size, and the fact that ease of sterilization has been incorporated into the design, make the system ideal for various surgical disciplines. Precise control and drives allow

the system to be used just as effectively in different areas such as gynecology, urology, or gastrointestinal, bariatric, and thoracoscopic surgery. Naturally, this kind of application needs motors which are small and compact, but offer high performance at the same time. It is an opportunity for modern drive technology to be utilized to its full potential. The quiet movements (due to bearings associated to EndoControl’s ViKY precise mechanism), sensitive reac-

F e b r uary 2012 M e d ic al T e ch no lo gy: MiniaT ur iz aT io n / a s up p le Me nT To de s ign news M1

Source: MIcroMo

odern medical technology is making operations safer and replacing conventional surgical methods with procedures, which put less strain on patients. Often these new techniques rely on micro control motion technology such as minimally invasive surgery, for example, which uses small openings in the body rather than larger incisions. Since all the components used need to be as compact as possible, micro drives are an appropriate solution for medical actuator systems. They produce high performance from very low product volumes, plus they are very easy to control and adaptable to all medical standards, making them perfect for extending the fingertip sensitivity of the operator. Minimally invasive surgery represents a significant improvement for patients but the “operating tools” used need to meet exacting requirements in terms of flexibility, reliability, and ergonomics. The new ViKY system (Vision Control for endoscopy) developed by EndoControl is tailored to meet these everyday medical requirements. In order to accommodate all the options the system offers to the operator within the smallest possible space, the developers worked in conjunction with custom motion provider, Faulhaber. Modern micromotors with precision gears and motion controllers are now used for the precise execution of the surgeon’s control commands. The new endoscopy system was developed with flexibility and compact design in mind from the outset. The device can handle all standard procedures in the abdomen, chest cavity, and other body cavities. Its small size, compared to other

Medical Technology: Miniaturization

Micro Motion in BioMedical applications

Biomedical applications are a great fit for micro motion technology that is being used to implement linear and rotary positioning, highly accurate piezo science, plus stepper motor and servomotor control integrating ball screws and lead screws. Typically motor sizes range from 1.9mm to 40mm in diameter, and precise mechanisms or motion subassemblies are often created as projects. In many applications, the design team takes standard motion products and, through a design process, suppliers work with individual customers on a system concept that is developed, tested, and ultimately goes through product approval. “Our technology offering covers an entire spectrum of micro drive solutions, and we look at ourselves as a micro and miniature motion provider,” says Jim Lostetter, a senior sales engineer for Micromo, the North American operations for the Faulhaber Group. “Many projects result in the development of value added subassemblies which reduces the integration requirements into the final product by medical device manufacturers. To simplify final assembly, a series of subassemblies created by individual suppliers can be quickly integrated into the final product.” In addition to micro motors and

endocontrol’s ViKY ep system is an ultra-compact, motorized endoscope positioner. it holds and moves the endoscope under direct surgeon control, is positioned just above the patient’s abdomen, and is held by one of a series of passive arms developed for different types of surgery.

drives, the building blocks that systems typically integrate include encoders or Hall effect sensors for either linear or rotary positioning feedback. One unique component is a quick shaft magnetic linear drive-motor which uses magnets in the rod itself and rides within a suspension coil, resulting in no wear. The novel design has attracted interest in applications where there is a requirement for precise positioning and a small working envelope. “The engineering challenges that designers of these systems face, start with the size restrictions and compact size of the devices,” says Lostetter. “Power usage is also important as more devices are moving to batteries, or batteries in parttime usage, and there is a requirement for systems that are efficient from an electrical usage standpoint. The size of the battery itself also becomes an important consideration and needs to be specified within the symmetry of the final device design and usage of the device.” Accuracy and performance within a small package is a major challenge and design goal. Operation has to be highly accurate and precise, especially in dosing applications where there is a concern for patient safety and the potential for

overdoses. Systems used in surgical applications often reflect the need for highly accurate motion performance, excellent feedback, and optimized speed and position. The overall product strategy and concept for development is to work within the existing suite of technology solutions to design customized solutions for specific devices. As much as possible, existing products that offer high performance, small footprints, and energy efficiency are used to keep costs down. The subassembly itself may be highly specialized, but the heart of the product components used in the design is already a fit for these types of applications. Ongoing development on the motion building blocks themselves is part of the process of creating more potent solutions. One trend is the use of micro motion solutions in dosing applications, such as push pumps and dosing pumps, with the push to smaller designs that deliver more precise movements and provide better energy management. It is also important to provide feedback on where they have moved and how far they have moved. We are seeing more lead screw and linear applications.

M2 Med i c a l T ec h no l o gy: M i n i aT u r i z aT i o n / a s u p p l e Me nT To de s ign ne ws F e b ru a ry 2012

[www.designnews.com]

Source: MIcroMo

tion to control commands, and high performance ratio are all key factors. A broad operating temperature range of -30C to 125C is compatible with all standard disinfection methods. Its long service life guarantees reliable functionality over a long period, which is a tangible benefit for a medical device, plus speed can be optimized to the application. The bandwidth of reduction ratios ranges from approximately 3:1 to 1,500:1, giving extensive latitude for optimum adjustment of speed and torque. Using metallic gearheads, up to 700mNm can be achieved. The position resolution generated provides both sufficient power and high levels of precision to the drive shaft. The compact control center integrated into the ViKY control unit also has built-in adjustable control functions, such as power and speed limits. This means that both the controller and the motor fulfill all EMC requirements for use in a medical environment.

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Our new interactive tools put the app in Apple Rubber. Everything you need for your sealing solutions is now only a click away. With new interactive tools and charts like the O-Ring Size Search, Material Selection Guide, Chemical Compatibility Guide, O-Ring Gland Calculator, and more, it’s never been easier to find the right O-rings for your specific applications.

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Biomedical applications are a great fit for micro motion technology. Motor sizes range from 1.9mm to 40mm in diameter and, in many applications, precise mechanisms or motion subassemblies are developed as suppliers work with customers on a system concept customized for the particular application.

Lostetter says there has been high interest and questions about piezo technology. Compared to other motor technology solutions, piezo technology offers the potential for small, powerful systems, which provide high performance in a very small package. Movements are highly accurate and the technology has improved its ability to provide energyefficient operation. “For medical device manufacturers, the ability to develop four to five different subassemblies from trusted technology suppliers enables them to use contract manufacturing that often specialize in biomedical products to do the final assembly and packaging,” says Lostetter. “It provides a complete design strategy where they have found that working with suppliers on subassemblies makes it possible to simplify the final assembly.” For more information, go to www.endocontrol-medical.com and www.micromo.com.

AirMotor_DesignNewsNewsletter:Layout 1 11/8/11 3:33 PM Page 1

Highly Reliable Air Motors Pro-Dex: The Engineer’s Choice for Reliable Air Motors

Pro-Dex Micro Motors Specifications AIR DRILL Reversible Right Hand

AIR MOTOR Reversible Right Hand

FREE SPEED

STALL TORQUE INCH OUNCES

“L” LENGTH INCHES

APPROXIMATE WEIGHT: OZ.

MMD-5000 MMD-2800 MMD-0700

MMDR-5000 MMDR-2800 MMDR-0700

MMF-5000 MMF-2800 MMF-0700

MMR-5000 MMR-2800 MMR-0700

40,000 25,000 6,300

2.8 6.5 22

2.56 2.56 2.56

3-1/4 3-1/4 3-1/4

MMD-0014 MMD-0004 +

MMDR-0014 MMDR-0004 +

MMF-0014 MMF-0004 MMF-002

MMR-0014 MMR-0004 MMR-0002

1,575 400 200

100 320 540

3.19 3.81 3.81

4-1/4 4-3/4 4-3/4

+ + +

+ + +

MMF-0001 MMF-5001 MMF-6001

MMR-0001 MMR-5001 MMR-6001

100 25 7

1000 1080 1,200

4.44 5.06 5.69

5-1/2 6-1/2 7

Meeting Your needs for Torque and Speed Known for high reliability and performance, Pro-Dex Air Motors and Drills are used in a wide range of applications. At only 3/4 inch in diameter, these precision motors produce stall torques from 2.8 in-oz to 1200 in-oz, at free speeds of 40,000 RPM to 7 RPM. Motors are available with either direct drive or internal gearing.

800.562.6204 • www.pro-dex.com • ISO 13485:2003-Certified Facility • Pro-Dex, Inc., 2361 McGaw Avenue, Irvine, CA 92614 USA

M4 M ed i ca l T ec h no l o gy: M i n i aT u r i z aT i o n / a s u p p l e MenT To de s ign ne ws F e b ru a ry 2012

[www.designnews.com]

Source: MIcroMo

Supplament Name Here

Medical Technology: Miniaturization

w w w. th elee co. c om

Go ahead, push us to your limits.

We love a good challenge. If you need a fluid handling component for whatever reason, no matter how extreme, talk to The Lee Company. We’ve been solving complex fluid control problems in all kinds of industries for more than 60 years. Our extensive family of precision fluid control products offers unsurpassed reliability in just about every configuration you could imagine, including:

• Miniature Solenoid Valves • Fixed and Variable Volume Pumps • Atomizing and Dispense Nozzles • Micro Dispensing Valves

We’re not just talking about off-the-shelf solutions, either. A Lee engineer will be happy to discuss your application, and develop a custom design if needed. From managing nanoliter droplets to creating fully integrated fluidic systems, we’re unsurpassed in breadth and experience to deliver the precise, reliable performance you require. Whatever problem you face, make the solution easy. Contact The Lee Company today.

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Medical Technology: Miniaturization

High-Speed Motors Power Ventilators Motor manufacturers work to balance iron, joule, and friction losses to optimize the working point, and create high-speed, dynamic motor control for new ventilator designs. By Al Presher, contriButing Writer

a

use of a brushless motor (with blower) reduces the noise experienced by the user and allows the oeM to minimize the size and weight of the ventilator.

turbine can be less expensive components to provide a continuous supply and required flow of air, plus there is less risk because it is basically a comfort application. But with other applications like COPD where there is often a threat to life and the patient may be hospitalized in a coma, the device has to be extremely safe and perform using very precise patterns. There is also a need to adapt the surgery to different types of patients (children and adults, including the elderly) who

have different breathing patterns. A child typically takes a higher number of breaths per minute and rates up to 200 respirations per minute due to the effects of the surgery and other stresses. With higher rates for the heartbeat and breathing, there is often a need to put more oxygen into the patient, and the system must be able to sustain the patient breath at the proper frequency. “These requirements create needs in the turbine design, and some device manufacturers are using valves to

M6 Med i c a l T ec h no l o gy: M i n i aT u r i z aT i o n / a s u p p l e Me nT To de s ign ne ws F e b ru a ry 2012

[www.designnews.com]

Source: PorteScaP

new trend with OEMs dramatically reduces the size of ventilators and makes them mobile to penetrate the home care market, as well as to answer ICU (intensive care unit) and emergency nomadic needs. This new technology tests the limits of highspeed motor technology, pushed along by ever-smaller turbine designs that will rely on up to 70,000rpm operation, fast changes in acceleration rates, and the need for ultimate reliability. “The home care sector and needs in the ICU have encouraged OEMs to consider a different approach using a much smaller compressor or turbine,” says Bruno Fauvel, project manager — Medical Market Europe for Portescap. “To make ventilators smaller, manufacturer designs are moving to small turbines that replace the compressors in these applications. The idea is to replace the air pump with a fan rotating at high speed and, as a result, a motor that is rotating very fast and defining many of the requirements for these products.” Turbine design for medical ventilators is also driven by the specific application such as either Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or sleep apnea patients. Sleep apnea is a high-quantity, low-end market because of the need for applying continuous air pressure into the patient’s lungs. The goal is to open the airway, so the patient doesn’t snore, and is simpler than other similar medical applications. Both the fan and

tance times the square of the current. More current creates a squared time INPUT temperature increase, so it becomes Pelect = U * I very important to limit the current to maximize system efficiency. Efficiency is defined by output power versus input power, where the input is electrical power and what you get out of the system is mechanical power. “The difference is the losses, so our goal is to work closely with the OEMs to understand the losses in the system and to minimize these losses,” says Fauvel. “The joule losses due to the square of the current are understood OUTPUT and, if there is a low current draw, Pmech = T * ω everyone knows that will produce low heating.” Another key factor is the friction, and typically brush-type motors are not used in these applications because of wear of the collector. The lifetime consideration of the motor is extremely important in these applications. The key to using high-speed motors in new ventilator designs is increasing efficiency of With a brushless motor that uses output (mechanical) power versus input (electrical) power. The goal is to balance coptwo bearings, the goal is to work with per or joule losses which vary with the load in proportion to the current squared with bearing manufacturers to define spemechanical losses, including friction in the motor (bearings and brushes). cial lubrication and minimize friction to enhance the life of the motor. Also, regulate the flow and pressure,” says accelerate is the inertia of the system the balance of the rotor is very imporFauvel. “It seems that using a valve times the acceleration rate,” says Fautant because if the rotor is poorly makes the therapy delivery simpler but vel. “If there is a large inertia, in this balanced, the bearings can be damaged it generates noise and makes the overcase a larger wheel because of driving very quickly. all system more complicated.” the turbine fan, there is a need for The balance issue also affects the The trend is a move to turbines, more torque. If a higher acceleration envelope considerations for the rotor. which can provide very If the application uses an high-frequency cycle rates. inner rotor motor, it is WITH A BRUSHLESS MOTOR THAT easier to balance than with The idea is simple because if you drive the motor more USES TWO BEARINGS, THE GOAL IS an outer rotor motor. An slowly, the turbine will supimbalance with a larger TO WORK WITH BEARING ply low pressure and low diameter rotor tends to flow rate just like a normal vibrate more in the bearMANUFACTURERS TO DEFINE patient is breathing out. ings. SPECIAL LUBRICATION AND The machine creates a very Beyond joule and friction MINIMIZE FRICTION TO ENHANCE losses, a third area of consmall back pressure for the patient to breathe against. cern is understanding and THE LIFE OF THE MOTOR. And when the patient needs mitigating iron losses. Iron to take or inspire air, the losses generated when the motor accelerates very fast to deliver rate is needed, it is the same. Since magnet is rotated in front of the lamihigh pressure and high flow to fill torque is directly related to the curnations also create heat. For example, the lungs. The challenge is that with rent required to operate the motor, to in the automotive industry, to temper a newborn child’s higher breathing increase the breathing rate, the applia brake disk the iron part is placed patterns and very high frequency, the cation overdrives the motor with more inside a winding and a magnetic field motor will need to speed up and down current.” makes the disk very hot to temper the 200 times per minute. The need for current also increases part. “These accelerations require torque, the temperature of the motor, and In a motor, the same phenomenon is and typically the torque required to creates joule losses equal to the resiscreated by a magnet with a permanent M8 MED I C A L T EC H NO L O GY: M I N I AT U R I Z AT I O N / A S U P P L E M E NT TO DE S IGN NE WS F E B RU A RY 2012

[www.designnews.com]

SOURCE: PORTESCAP

Medical Technology: Miniaturization

Portescap slotless brushless DC motors feature high speed, high torque, low noise, minimal temperature rise, electronic commutation, and Hall effect sensors. The key in ventilator applications is to specify a motor that offers the best compromise between the iron, joule, and friction losses to optimize its working point.

field rotating very fast in front of the back iron laminations of the motor. The heat generated by the rotation of

the magnetic field creates a challenge when you want to produce a cool motor running at very high speed.

The Sleeving That Does It All! ...Well, Almost.

“The respirator fan has low torque requirements to spin the disk to move the air but the speeds requirements are very high when the trend is to move to speeds up into the 50,000rpm range,” says Fauvel. “With a respirator, the frequency cycle needs to change from 10,000rpm to 50,000rpm in a short time. The optimization point is not important at 10,000rpm where there isn’t a need to think about the losses. But at the peak when the air is flowed into the patient’s lungs, that’s where the motor is heating the most and there is a need to define and optimize performance by selection of lamination material and defining the magnetic field.” The key for motor manufacturers is to find the best compromise between all of the three losses (iron, joule, and friction losses) to optimize the working point. Some motor manufacturers propose high-torque or high-speed motors for these applications.

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Send for our free sample folder. *Under UL’s Component Program, Grade A Varglas Silicone Resin 500 Sleeving is recognized for 200°C, 600 volt service-File E63450. CSA File LR58486. Conforms to MIL-I-3190/5 and is listed on the QPL for 200°C service. Standard Resin in Grade C-3 complies with VW-1, UL File E53690.

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M10 Medi c a l T ec h no l o gy: M i n i aT u r i z aT i o n / a s u p p l eM e nT To de s ign ne ws Fe b ru a ry 2012

(outside USA and Canada)

MagnetApplications.com ©2012 Magnet Applications MAI-011312-1

[www.designnews.com]

Source: PorteScaP

Supplament Name Here

Medical Technology: Miniaturization

Medical Technology: Miniaturization

Supplament Name Here

“Customers say the typical venThere is also a potential advantage incurring major cost increases. Distilator that operates at 35,000rpm, in having one blower support chilcussions with OEMs and motor in the future, will operate between dren, another for average adults, and component suppliers will help pin50,000rpm and 70,000rpm,” says another for overweight adults, but point the best compromises to achieve Fauvel. “The application will operate OEMs try to develop one versatile maximum performance. at twice the speed because the OEMs ventilator instead of several specialized “Job one is to balance the iron, would like to move to a smaller impel- units. joule, and friction losses to achieve ler and fan, and increase pressure and To do this, all of the motor manuthe unique set of performance requireflow capabilities. To move ments needed to support the same amount of air, new ventilator design goals,” The key for MoTor there is a need to rotate says Fauvel. “To achieve faster which leads to the ManufacTurers is To find The performance and reliability, challenges of managing the everything is tied together besT coMproMise beTween heat in the motor.” around that one goal.” all of The Three losses (iron, Joule losses due to more “Reliability and perfortorque, plus iron and fricmance are not separate joule, and fricTion losses) To tion/vibration losses from topics,” he adds. “PeropTiMize The working poinT. formance is high-speed higher speeds, all contribute to increased complexity operation but reliability as the trend in ventilators facturers will need to carefully specify means long life and also moves to this higher-speed operamotor components. Working with low-temperature operation since tion. Plus there is a desire not only to component suppliers, Fauvel says the higher temperatures can damage the reduce the size of systems, but also to goal is optimized selection of laminabearings very quickly.” operate on lower power and increase tions, magnets, and bearings where For more information, go to mobility. design hits logistic matters without www.portescap.com.

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www.eagletube.com M12 Medi c a l T ec h no l o gy: M i n i aT u r i z aT i o n / a s u p p l eM e nT To de s ign ne ws Fe b ru a ry 2012

[www.designnews.com]

Medical Technology: Miniaturization

IN THE MARKETPLACE

Bi-Directional SealS For a wide range of fluid delivery applications, including medical and dental devices. Bi-Directional seals handle opposing pressures while preventing leakage. To make these seals work, Minnesota Rubber and Plastics designed a double-lip seal. The lip facing up contains downward fluid pressure. The lip facing down contains the upward fluid (negative) pressure. The seal functions with the squeegee effect of a windshield wiper blade’s alternating motion. Contributing to the effectiveness of these double lip seals is correct material selection, and molding it properly to very tight tolerances. Minnesota Rubber and Plastics uses specially formulated EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) compounds for certain of its medical applications. Formulated and molded to ensure low extractables, seal materials are compatible with a wide range of fluids prescribed for administration through an IV system. Seal size is also important in double lip design applications. A smaller seal reduces potential for leaks. Minnesota Rubber and Plastics designs these double lip seals as small as .046 OD, .140 ID, and .145 inch thickness. Critical surface dimensions for this size are: ID ±.004, OD sealing diameter dimension (.295) held to ±.005. Sealing thickness held to ±.005. Minnesota rubber and Plastics www.mnrubber.com 6165 MarShall cnc BenDing for MeDical DeviceS Precision 2D and 3D Shapes available in prototype and large quantities. Marshall’s CNC bending capability often allows stock to be completely machined prior to bending, orienting the features as the part is bent. Marshall’s capabilities provide designers the freedom to create innovative and intricate designs. Mandrels and other tooling are often required to produce the required shapes. [w w w. d es i g n n e w s . c o m ]

Custom 2D- and 3D-shaped diameters are available in tubes from .035 inch to .500 inch, and wire from .060 inch to .315 inch. Component lengths range from 5.75 inch to 60 inch. Materials include stainless steel, titanium, MP35N, L605, and other metals. Marshall Manufacturing’s capabilities give medical designers the freedom to create innovative and intricate medical components, including introducers, implantable spine components, and orthopedic products. Marshall also offers design assistance for manufacturability, and real-parts prototyping service with fast turnaround. Complete capabilities for custom CNC precision bending, CNC Swiss machining, wire EDM, CNC milling, and electro polishing, Marshall Manufacturing is equipped to produce high-quality custom medical components. Many features and configurations can be designed into these specialized contoured tubes and wire components. A full range of needle tips for wire are manufacturable, including trocar points, taper points, and bullet points. Features available for tubing include flaring or swaging. Tubes may also be threaded, stamped to produce oval shapes, laser etched, burnished, and laser welded.

Marshall can also fulfill customer requirements for specially shaped windows, slots, and patterned shapes in cannula walls. These shapes can be produced using wire EDM or laser. Additional processes available include knurling, milling, stamping, broaching, burnishing, heat-treating, electro cleaning, electro polishing, and plating. Laser etching is also available for part traceability. Assembly operations include laser welding, brazing, press fit, and epoxy fastening. Marshall’s manufacturing and quality system insures lot traceability. Marshall Manufacturing www.marshallmfg.com

F e b r uary 2012 M e d i c a l T e ch no lo gy: MiniaTur iz aT io n / a s up p le Me nT To de s ign ne w s M13

all that glitters is not gold

Silver Conductive Epoxy Adhesive EP21TDCSMed • Low volume resistivity • USP Class VI approved • Superior toughness

Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA +1.201.343.8983 [email protected]

www.masterbond.com

Medical Technology: Miniaturization Updated Range of HigH peRfoRMance Line SHaft coUpLingS For use in material handling, printing, and sheet metal fabricating equipment. Fabricating with highly straight (generally 0.2mm/m) extruded intermediate tubing allows for the line shaft couplings to span very large distances (>6m) unsupported, and at unusually high speeds, depending upon the application requirements. New designs include lightweight CFK tubing, which makes for reduced inertia and

unit is available with a factory-fixed flow setting of .4 gpm to 100 gpm in water or custom flow settings in oil. Other models are available with vanes for adjusting set points in the field. Standard process connections range from 3/4 inch to 3 inch NPT, and optional silver braze or socket weld ports are available. Materials of brass, bronze, 316 stainless steel, or monel are standard. Thomas Products Ltd. www.thomasprod.com pRo-dex MotoRS Motors remain cool, even when operated under continuous load. Pro-Dex precision motors are 3/4 inch in diameter and produce stall torques from 2.8 inch-oz to 1,200 inch-oz, at free speeds of 40,000rpm to 7rpm. Motors operate on compressed air, nitrogen, or other inert gases at pressures up to 150psi. They have an aluminum and stainless-steel construction and are available with either direct drive or internal gearing.

higher critical speeds for a given length. New high-torque versions handle up to 150,000Nm with flexible bellows joints and up to 25,000Nm with elastomer jaw style coupling ends. These newer line shaft coupling designs have been successfully deployed in material handling, printing, and sheet metal fabricating equipment, as well as some customdesigned solutions for cooling tower applications. r+W america www.rw-america.com tHoMaS pRodUctS’ fLow SwitcH For monitoring insufficient or excessive flow rates of liquids. For operation of the Model 1100 inline flow sensor, a magnet-equipped shuttle is displaced at the proper calibrated flow of liquid to actuate a SPDT hermetically sealed reed switch within the stem. This

Features: • Advanced rotor blade design and highly polished cylinder for continuous operation; • Precision ball bearings virtually eliminates friction and wear; • Repeated stalling, instant reversing will not harm the motor; • Spark-free operation is suitable for use in contaminated, wet, or explosive environments; • Instant on, instant off, no wind-up or coasting;

M14 M e d i c a l Te ch no lo gy: MiniaTur izaT io n fe b ru a ry 2012

[www.designnews.com]

Medical Technology: Miniaturization • Hardened planetary gear system provides increased torque transmission capabilities and long life; • Lower air consumption than larger motors conserves energy. Pro-Dex Inc. www.pro-dex.com Quiet OperatiOn HDi SOlenOiD ValVe Available in face mount, plug-in, and ported configurations. The Lee Co’s Quiet Operation High Density Interface (HDI) is a 3-way solenoid valve designed to achieve patient comfort by reducing actuation noise by 50 percent. A typical solenoid valve has an inherent clicking sound when energized, which is caused by the metal-to-metal contact of the moving armature and stationary core. This quiet operation design uses “whisper” technology to provide a sound level measurement of less than 37dBA when measured at a distance of 24 inches and a valve cycle frequency of 10Hz. The Quiet Operation HDI is for medical applications flowing gas or air, such as dialysis machines, patient monitors, ventilators/respirators, and other bedside medical devices.

Features: • “Whisper” technology • Compact size • Operating pressure range: VAC - 45psig (0-15psid) • Flow Capacity (air): 3-way; 1,500 Lohms (4.4SLPM @ 10psig; Cv = .013) • Lightweight: less than 4.5g • Leakage: less than 50mL/min @ 5psig (air) • Electrical connection: 0.025 inch sq. Pin • Operating temperature range: 40F to 120F • Life expectancy: 250 million cycles • Three mounting styles: face mount, plug-in, and ported The Lee Co. www.theleeco.com MeDical-GraDe epOxy aDHeSiVe Withstands high temperatures and repeated sterilization. Capable of tolerating the harsh environments of the medical industry, Master Bond EP42HT-2ND2MED (black) fully complies with the testing requirements of USP Class VI plastics. This twocomponent epoxy resists recurrent autoclaving and sterilizations, including radiation, steam, ethylene oxide, and chemical sterilants. EP42HT-2ND2MED (black) is an electrical insulator with a volume resistivity over 1,012ohm-cm, a thermal expansion coef[w w w. d es ig n n e w s . c o m ]

Supplament Name Here ficient of 35 inch/ inch to 40 inch/ inch x 10-6/C, a dielectric constant of 3.8, and a tensile strength exceeding 12,000psi at ambient temperatures. Heat resistant up to 450F, it also withstands chemicals such as inorganic and organic acids, alkalis, organic sol-

vents, and aromatic hydrocarbons. This epoxy cures at room temperature in 48 hours to 72 hours. Its optimal curing schedule is overnight at room temperature followed by two to three hours of heat curing at 100C to 125C. EP42HT-2ND2MED (black) has a noncritical mix ratio of 100:40 by weight or 100:50 by volume, and a paste consistency with minimal flow when applied. It offers a lengthy working life of 30 minutes to 45 minutes for a mixed 100gm batch at ambient temperatures, which can be increased by using shallow mixing vessels or mixing smaller batches. Parts A and B for EP42HT-2ND2MED (black) are available for use in syringes, half pints, pints, quarts, gallons, and 5 gallon containers. Master bond Inc. www.masterbond.com SenSOr SiGnal cOnDitiOner ic Offers enhanced onboard diagnostics and second-order linearity correction. ZMD AG’s ZSSC3008 sensor signal conditioning integrated circuit (IC) is a cost-effective solution for resistive bridge sensor systems that require second-order linearity correction for a wide range of sensors. The ZSSC3008 is optimized for those applications with sensors that do not require temperature compensation because they have an intrinsically low temperature coefficient (TC). This includes ceramic pressure sensors, thin-film pressure sensors with good TC performance, and oil-filled stainless-steel or passively compensated sensors. The calibrated ZSSC3008 and a specific sensor are mated digitally: fast, precise, and without the cost overhead associated with trimming by external devices or laser. The ZSSC3008 offers a full complement of onboard diagnostics and protection features such as EEPROM signature, bridge connection checks, bridge input-short and open-bridge detection, power loss detection, and output current limits for short-circuit protection. For sensor correction,

F e b r uary 2012 M e d ic al Te ch no lo gy: MiniaTur izaT io n / a s up p le Me nT To de s ign news M15

Medical Technology: Miniaturization the device employs offset correction and gain programming to precisely calibrate the bridge output signal. Two analog and one digital outputs offer versatility across many applications. Programming and single-pass calibration of the sensor and the ZSSC3008 is implemented in a standard PC environment using the ZSSC3008KIT development tools. The kit includes the device, development board, USB cable, and calibration software. The ZSSC3008’s standard supply voltage is 2.7V to 5.5V, or up to 30V with external JFET. Accuracy is 0.25 percent over the -25C to 85C range, and 0.5 percent from -40C to 125C. Depending upon configuration, current consumption typically ranges from 1mA down to 250μA. Response time is typically 1ms. Zentrum Mikroelektronik Dresden aG (ZMDI) www.zmdi.com Medical clad Wire Custom manufactured clad composite wire lets medical device makers innovate more effectively by combining several properties into a single wire. Anomet Medical Clad Wire can achieve characteristics not available in a single alloy wire by combining one or more precious metals and a core material into a single wire with the desired OEM properties. Formulated to achieve various combi-

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Continued from page 48

If the motor doesn’t fail right away, it will certainly reduce its life, so that’s a big challenge for the engineers to deal with,” Matthews adds. Historically, air purge has been pitched as a solution for most stainlesssteel motors. Many motors offer an air purge port and users can apply a slight positive pressure (only around 1.5psi) to prevent the intrusion of water by counteracting the negative pressure. You can also prevent negative pressure from building within the motor by providing proper venting. A motor that is vented to clean and dry air will pull air into the motor instead of possible contaminants via the shaft seal area. “One of the design features that we incorporated into our new line of motors is a design where we run the motor

An important challenge for the oil and gas industry is the need for high power density actuation. Moog has the ability to create forces up to 100,000lb in very compact solutions, depending on customer envelope constraints and force requirements. In extreme cases, actuators have been built up to 22ft long and just over two inches in diameter.

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Automation & Control

power and feedback leads through plastic tubing,” says Matthews. “The leads from the feedback device and the power go through the tubing, and the user can route that tubing directly into the electrical panel.With the motor sharing the air in the electrical panel, it is more difficult for negative pressure to build within the motor. By equalizing the internal and external pressures, we prevent sucking water in through the shaft seal.” One of the benefits venting offers compared to the air purge approach is that is can be very expensive to get clean, dry air via the facility’s compressed air system. Typical compressed air systems contain some moisture and oil components. Cleansing the air of its water and oil components requires expensive equipment and a strict maintenance schedule. By venting the motor to the electrical cabinet, you get inexpensive access to clean, dry air. “Applications that require washdown are more prevalent with increased usage of variable frequency drives (VFDs) and the focus on energy efficiency,” says Todd Ammerman, product marketing manager at Yaskawa America Inc. “More and more users, along with OEMs, are familiar with the cost savings of VFDs and are specifying them in a wider variety of applications.” With the focus on reduced cost, energy savings, and higher horsepower washdown solutions, this motion technology is becoming easier to apply, and more companies are trying these drives in applications where they haven’t been specified before. In many applications, the drives are replacing lower-tech solutions such as across-the-line starters, which provide simple on/off functionality. “Engineers are realizing that it’s more energy eff icient and saves wear and tear on the motor to slow it down and speed it up rather than using on/off control or pharmaceuticals manufacturD e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

Source: Kollmorgen

New W-Series stainless-steel Goldline motors from Kollmorgen run motor power and feedback leads through plastic tubing. The design equalizes the internal and external pressures in the motor, making it more difficult for negative pressure to build, and preventing water from being sucked in through the shaft seal.

51

ing, bottling, slicers, and mixers,” says Ammerman. “The washdown capability provides a key feature to approach these applications with VFDs, especially in food processing washdown applications from water to harsh chemicals. The enclosure is coated to protect against the harmful effects of sanitizing chemicals commonly used in food industries.” The V1000-4X current vector microdrive (1/8HP to 25HP) is a version of Yaskawa’s standard V1000 in an integral enclosure that meets NEMA type 4X/12 indoor use requirements, UL type 4X/12 standards, and the IP66 rating of IEC 529.

can corrode and become brittle, leading to premature failure. Elastomeric seals on cylinders or linear actuators, for example, cannot be used for long-term deployments because they will eventually degrade and disintegrate. “In permanent deployment applications, we have leveraged work from the Moog Space and Defense Group,” says Nicholl. “We weld the Inconel housings together, so the system does not require static seals. The elimination of seals offers reduced failure modes for permanently deployed systems. For linear actuators we have replaced rod seals with Inconel bellows welded to the structure. This sealing methodology provides a unit that is sealed from the well environment.” An additional important challenge in the oil and gas environment is the need for high power density actuation, and systems that can create forces up to 100,000lb in very

“Applications that require washdown are more prevalent with increased usage of variable frequency drives (VFDs) and the focus on energy efficiency.”

High Temperature, High Pressure Environments “If you look at the oil and gas industry, the trends are continuing to move toward ultra-high-temperature and ultra-high-pressure wells,” says Rob Nicholl, engineering manager at Moog. “Systems must operate in temperatures up to 240C and 30,000psi inside the well, and even survivability of the transport systems can be challenging.” “The industry also has high shock and vibration requirements because actuation systems are sometimes placed directly behind the head of a drilling tool which is driving through rock,” Nicholl says. “Tools can stall, wind up torsionally, and produce massive shocks as the tool breaks free.” Designing solutions for operation within high-temperature environments requires careful selection of materials. The insulation systems used with electric motors, for example, are outside the industrial norm, and through correct selection of materials, Moog stators operate at temperatures up to 260C. “The goal is to trade off temperature performance relative to the life of the motor,” says Nicholl. “We design solutions to achieve the required life. In very high-temperature applications, the motor may be required to last for 2,000 hours.” Moog has also been working on permanently deployed actuators for downhole applications, which offer a completely new challenge. In that environment, systems are situated in the hydrocarbon f low after the well is completed. The hydrocarbon f low is a mixture of materials including, but not limited to, hydrocarbons, condensates, water, and hydrogen sulfide. With prolonged exposure to well f luids, metals

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Automation & Control

compact solutions. Systems can range from 1 inch up to 4.5 inch depending on customer envelope constraints and force requirements. “We have actually built actuators in extreme cases up to 22 feet long and just over two inches in diameter,” says Nicholl. To combat high-pressure environments, solutions need to include pressure compensation systems. For high-pressure systems the key is to equalize the pressure on the inside of the actuators with the pressure on the outside. In some applications, a slightly higher pressure (15psi) inside the unit helps prevent leaks. If there are any leaks, the compensation f luid inside the actuator will leak out into the well. “To achieve high power density, the ballscrews and gearing is custom-designed using very specific Yaskawa’s V1000-4X current vector microdrive enclosure material and processing selections,” says Nicholl. provides protection in washdown or dust-tight environ“Non-standard geometries are sometimes utilized ments. The new drive operates at up to 25HP, versus 10HP in gear and screw design to achieve above-normal to 15HP with the previous product line, to address larger load capacities. Since Moog has its own ballscrew applications using a 4X product. Mini Valves 2011 1-4 Des News:Mini Valves 2000 1-4.qxd 4/22/2011 12:5 manufacturing facility, these units can be customized based on the application versus making a selection from a catalog.” Moog uses a double-vacuum impregnation method on stators, which are submersed in the varnish and vacuumed to remove the air before they are cured. Since there is no air in the windings, when they are exposed to the pressurized environment, they do not fail.

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New Applications & Design Methods “Servo motion is being adapted in all kinds of applications well outside of factory machines,” says Karl Meier, marketing manager for Advanced Motion Controls. “Servos are operating in environments where AC and DC motors have been operating before and is evolving into new technologies that didn’t previously exist. We are being asked to put servo motion into applications where it wasn’t even a concept before. And as technology evolves, there is a challenge to come up with new design methods.” One example of an extreme harsh environment application is an AMC drive that operates in the engine compartment of a heavy industrial vehicle. The drive is fully enclosed within the motor housing in an environment to assist in vehicle emissions control. Internal temperatures reach 112C to 115C. Standard AMC drive products operate up to 65C to

Source: Yaskawa America Inc.

52

53

75C, so this application required development of a custom drive and adding components with extended temperature range capabilities to previous design blocks, and adjusting the drive design to operate in that much higher temperature range. “A circular-shaped custom PC board, created to fit within the confines of a completely sealed design, was mounted onto the back of the motor,” says Solomon Cheng, a senior

“We are being asked to put servo motion into applications where it wasn’t even a concept before.” applications engineer for AMC. “The design also carefully integrated the PC board into the housing to keep the package as small as possible.” All of the electronics are integrated into the motor housing, and the total number of components has been reduced. The feedback content of the subassembly has been reduced by implementing a magnetically coupled interface between the motor and drive. Because the motor is operating in a high-temperature, velocitycontrolled application, the application greatly benefitted from a servo solution. Components in the housing are also positioned to minimize shock, vibration, and the overall design was optimized to meet the specific stresses in the environment. DN

For More Information: Kollmorgen: www.kollmorgen.com Moog: www.moog.com Yaskawa: www.yaskawa.com Advanced Motion Controls: www.a-m-c.com

Equal to the Toughest Tasks The Position Sensor with Patented Pressure Equalization

Novotechnik’s new LWX Series of heavy-duty sealed position transducers is engineered for extreme operating environments where high temperatures, vibration, high-pressure equipment wash downs, grease, and other contaminants are present. The patented pressure equalization technology prevents buildup or the “pump effect” that can degrade operation in repetitive mechanical, vehicle, automation and robotic applications. • Linearity 0.05% Key specs include: • Stroke lengths from 75 to 750mm • Resolution better than 0.01mm • All metal corrosion resistant housing • Sealed to IP-67 For complete LWX information, visit www.novotechnik.com/lwx Novotechnik U.S., Inc. 155 Northboro Road • Southborough, MA 01772 Tel: 508-485-2244 Fax: 508-485-2430

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Social

engineering

Randy the Robot or System & Roomba? Product Design Engineering Group By ALEXANDER WOLFE, Content Director

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you’re a fan of nondescript, purposebuilt robots — this one vacuums your f loors — you probably are. But perhaps you’re intrigued, as I am, by the unusually anthropomorphic automatons coming out of Japan. (See “Slideshow: Humanoid Robots Get Real” at http://dn.hotims.com/40993-513.) The differences beg the question: Should robots look more like people or like machines? That’s what we asked participants in our Systems & Product Design Engineering and Automation & Control Engineering groups on LinkedIn. Many of the answers revolved around the “form versus function” issue. “This question is deeper than it seems at first glance,” says Rick Rice, an applications engineer in Illinois. “It really comes down to philosophy. Robots are designed to do things that humans can’t do, or robots can do better. This doesn’t necessarily mean they have to emulate humans. However, the people that program robots will tend to duplicate human actions because, after all, we are humans programming machines.” “Popular movies like ‘I, Robot,’ portray robots as virtually human in appearance, and they even possess human characteristics like a conscience and a sense of right and wrong. The bottom line is, do we want robots to be assimilated into our culture so much that we don’t recognize them at first glance?,” Rice asks. Alan Curley, an automation & control engineer in Ireland says, “I think the consensus is that function should dictate form, which should not directly lead to

a humanoid robot.” Erik Goode, an engineer at an industrial automation company, sees an inexorable movement toward humanoid form-factors. “People have a strong desire to attach personalities to their environment,” he says. “The visual perception of robots will indeed be less HAL-like and more humanoid-like. Depending on the task, robots will have avatars that convey personality, gender, and empathy.” However, other respondents disagree. “Useful robots are just an arm or other mechanism with tooling to accomplish a task,” says Michael Roberson, an electrical engineer in Nashville. “The Jetsons-style fictional vision is nothing but a novelty item with no real functional use in industry.” Mark Bannan, owner of MBE Automation in Michigan, balances both views. “I have worked on and off with robots for over 30 years in an industrial environment,” he says. “All of the robots I have worked with were designed based on functionality and did not look too human. For industrial use, I would expect this trend to continue.” “However, there are robots being designed to assist human beings, particularly in Japan, which has a rapidly aging population. These new robots will assist the elderly to function, without too much human intervention. This type of robot will need to look as much like a human as possible so that the humans they interact with are not repelled by the sight of them. So in this case it would be form over function,” he says. DN

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56

SHERLOCK ΩHMS Famous investigations into engineering’s most diabolical real-world cases

http://bit.ly/SherlockOhms

Materials Mix-up: The Epoxy Was Too Soft By Keith Henson, Contributing Writer I ONCE WORKED FOR Burr-Brown in the

function modules group. We made the weird stuff: square and square root, vector adders, log amplifiers, and the like. Mostly I worked on computing RMS modules. These designs were all based on monolithic pairs of transistors, and the same were used as the input stage of operational amplifiers. They were made by gluing a pair of transistors in a ceramic cup and bonding gold wires out to six leads. Then a dot of very hard epoxy protected the bonding wires. We sorted out the incoming parts for the ones with the bestmatched characteristics for multipliers, so the function modules got the newest parts. One day a line tech came by and gave me a box of expensive multipliers that had failed after potting. Normal loss was a percent or so, but this time about 40 percent failed. I don’t remember exactly why I suspected the dual transistors, but after grinding down half a dozen modules, I found that the leads were open on one or more of the dual transistors. Snapping off the potting plastic let me read the date code on the edge of the cups. Three date codes had failures.

Eventually this was traced to a materials mix-up where the hard epoxy had been replaced by a soft epoxy that moved under the stress of potting — enough to shear off the gold leads. It never occurred to me that I should ask before shutting down production to get the bad parts out of the flow. Months later, at a performance review, I found this was a strike against me. Not long after that review, I moved on to a job at the long-defunct Arizona Gear and Manufacturing Co. There I was dismissed for refusing to certify thermocouple isolation amplifiers for 250,000 MTBF. There were parts in the modules stressed to where t h e y wo u l d b e lucky to last 2,000 hours (400mW on a 250mW resistor, as I remember). The timing was wrong (1972) for these modules to have contributed to the Fermi-1 reactor meltdown (1966). However, the failure of similar thermocouples on the top of the reactor core made it hard to see the blocking effects on the sodium coolant of a loose plate of zirconium. DN

This was traced to a mix-up where the hard epoxy had been replaced by a soft epoxy that moved under stress.

Keith Henson is electrical engineer, a proto-transhumanist, and a writer on life extension, cryonics, memetics, and evolutionary psychology. He has published a Web book, “Standard Gauge,” which takes the reader on an exploratory journey into the post-singularity, nearfuture technology of an artificial intelligence directed clinic in Africa. D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

DesignNews.com Case of the Vintage Furnace Blower Sometimes the best solution is the one that gets you through the short term. http://bit.ly/saJsXn

Have you applied your deductive reasoning and technical prowess to troubleshoot and solve an engineering mystery that even the fictional Sherlock would find most perplexing? Tell us about it! E-mail Senior Editor Rob Spiegel at: [email protected]

Join 1,000 design engineers who are members of the Sherlock Ohms Investigators Club at LinkedIn: http://designnews. hotims.com/27739-523.

Get current, without the hassle. With Digi-Key’s Continuing Education Center, catch up to 180 days of free, interactive courses engineered by Design News, starting January 2012. Build your engineering know how. Take one or all. It’s your choice. Tracks include: Microcontrollers Basic, Microcontrollers Advanced, MEMS Sensor Technology, Lighting, Embedded Internet and Cloud, Wirelesss, and Power.

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58

Design

Decisions

Eddy Current Position/ Displacement Sensor Selection Whether a target will work in any specific application depends a great deal on the desired performance, most importantly resolution. By DAN SPOHN, Kaman Precision Products/Measuring

inductive eddy current position/displacement sen-

sors require an electrically conductive target. The target does not have to be grounded, and in general, the more electrically conductive the target is, the better the overall performance will be. Materials that have been successful targets for eddy current sensors vary in resistance from 1.59µOhm-cm for silver to 127µOhm-cm for Inconel. Even graphite at 1,050µOhm-cm has been used for a target. Magnetic/Non-Magnetic Distinction. Eddy current sensors utilize a balance bridge circuit to operate. The balance of the bridge circuit will vary with sensor-target distance. It will also vary with target material, and the biggest variable is whether the target is magnetic or non-magnetic. As they pertain to eddy current position sensors, all conductive material can be categorized into two groups, magnetic (magnetic permeability >1), and non-magnetic (magnetic permeability = 1). Note that for eddy current sensors, permeability of up to 1.1 is still considered non-magnetic. A small diameter sensor (<0.5 inch) set up for a magnetic target will perform poorly, if at all, with a non-magnetic target, and vice-versa. In most cases, electronic bridge components must be changed in order to convert a system set up for magnetic targets to be used with non-magnetic targets. Large diameter sensors (>0.5 inch) typically need only to be recalibrated to the new target material. It is best to check with the manufacturer’s applications engineering group, or service group before considering using a system with a target material other than what it was originally specified. When no target material is specif ied, non-magnetic systems will typically be set up and calibrated using a 6000 series aluminum target. For magnetic systems, 4130 steel is typically used.

0.25X -0.5X

1.5X -2X

X

0.25X -0.5X

X

0.25X -0.5X 1.5X - 2X

X

This figure depicts the size and shape of the electromagnetic field produced by a shielded sensor. It also shows a typical recommended bracket mount and recess mount.

Dan Spohn is regional sales manager for Kaman Precision Products/Measuring, a division of Kaman Aerospace Corp. For more information, go to www.kamansensors.com. D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

5006MP_2.25x10 Design News

59 Sensor Diameter vs. Target Diameter Relationships C a l i b r at e d R a n g e — S e n s o r Diameter. The calibrated range is typically the f irst specif ication to be considered when selecting an eddy current sensor for position/displacement measurements. The sensor itself contains a precision-wound wire coil that is excited by a high-frequency AC signal. This produces a toroidal-shaped oscillating electromagnetic field with the coil itself at the center of the toroid. As with all electromagnetic coils, the strength of the field produced is proportional to the distance from the coil. Kaman’s displacement sensors use the osci l lat i ng elect ro m ag net ic f ield to induce eddy currents in the sur face of a conductive “target.” As the magnitude of the eddy current is proportional to the f ield strength, the amount of eddy current induced in the target decreases with increasing distance between the sensor and the target. The effective measuring range of a given coil is typically equal to 30 percent to 50 percent of the coil diameter. Sensor D ia meter — Ta rget Diameter. For this discussion, the coil diameter and sensor diameter are interchangeable. The electromagnetic field produced by unshielded sensors extends radially from the sensor to a diameter equal to 2.5 to 3 sensor diameters. For shielded sensors, the f ield diameter extends 1.5 to 2 sensor diameters. Any electrically conductive material in this field will have eddy currents induced into its surface, thereby affecting sensor output. Sensors are typically calibrated by the manufacturer using a flat target based on the thumb rules described above. To ensure the sensor will perform to the manufacturer’s published specifications, the same target diameter thumb rules should be followed

in actual application. Deviating From Thumb Rules. Some applications do not allow enough room for an appropriately sized target. If the ideal target diameter is not possible, measurement can still be achieved with reduced performance. Contact the manufacturer’s applications engineering group to determine how the performance will be affected. Sensor Mounting Considerations The electromagnetic field produced by eddy current sensors extends in front of the sensor face, radially from the sensor OD, and, to a small degree, behind t he sen sor f a ce. A ny ele c t r ic a l l y conductive material in the sensor f ield can affect the system output. Because of this, care must be taken when installing sensors to ensure that maximum sensitivity of the system is achieved Shielded & Unshielded Sensors. The stainless-steel housing of shielded sensors typically extends to the face of the sensor. This results in the electromagnetic field from a shielded sensor being somewhat smaller than that of an unshielded sensor. In unshielded sensors, the sensor face containing the coil protrudes in front of the stainless-steel housing. This allows for a larger electromagnetic field and the larger calibrated ranges typical of unshielded sensors. D e v i a t i n g F r o m Ty p i c a l Mounting. In some applications, it is impossible to maintain the clearances specif ied in the drawings. This does not mean that a precise measurement is impossible to make. Conductive material other than the target that engages the field is called side loading. In-situ calibration or bench calibration with simulated side loading can, in most cases, eliminate the concern. DN

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Design Engineering

Products

Best of the Engineering Marketplace Compiled by Lauren Muskett, Assistant Managing Editor

Electronics & Test MXC6226XC MEMS Two-Axis Digital Accelerometer

Omega’s Advanced Operator Interface (HMI) NS Series For use in the automotive, chemical, and plastics industries.

Monolithic design, wafer level packaging, and thermal MEMS-based design, enables enhanced functionality for costsensitive motion-sensing applications.

MEMSIC Inc.’s MXC6226XC MEMS two-axis digital accelerometer is a small, fully integrated MEMS accelerometer. It is manufactured using a standard 0.18um CMOS process and advanced wafer-level packaging. The MEMSIC MXC6226XC digital accelerometer measures 1.2mm x 1.7mm x 1.0mm. Its small size and availability in a ball grid array (BGA) package provides designers enhanced flexibility for integration into spaceconstrained designs. The MXC6226XC

Crystek Corp. www.crystek.com

Omega’s NS series touch-screen HMIs offer built-in Ethernet communications, alarming/recipe/data-logging capabilities, and live video input/display capabilities. The CE-compliant NS series also allows you to monitor ladder programs without using a personal computer. The NS series monitors process temperature and pressure, packaging parts count, and water/air flow rates. Omega Engineering Inc. www.omega.com

integrates signal conditioning circuitry, including a DSP, to enable motionsensing performance. Since it is based on MEMSIC’s thermal accelerometer technology, which has no moving internal structures, the MXC6226XC exhibits high shock survivability (up to 50,000g). MEMSIC Inc. www.memsic.com

Hz @ 10KHz offset. Output power is typically +3 dBm. Engineered and manufactured in the US, the model CVCO55CC-2230-2430 comes in a 0.5 inch x 0.5 inch SMD package. Input voltage is 5V, with a max current consumption of 32mA. Pulling and pushing are minimized to 1.0MHz and 2.5MHz/V, respectively. Second harmonic suppression is -15dBc typical.

Crystek’s 2230-2430 MHz Voltage-Controlled Oscillator For use in applications such as digital radio equipment, fixed wireless access, satellite communications systems, and base stations.

Crystek’s CVCO55CC-2230-2430 VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) operates from 2230MHz to 2240MHz with a control voltage range of 0.1V~4.9V. This VCO features a typical phase noise of -106dBc/

D e s i g n N e w s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

Automation & Control Micromo’s 32ALN Gearhead Designed for smooth operation and high torque stability.

MICROMO’s 32ALN (32A Low Noise) gearhead from FAULHABER is a planetary gearhead designed for low-noise application requirements, and is optimized in combination with brushless motors. The gearhead can be used with a variety of brushless and dc motors in the 26mm to 32mm range. Based on the metal gearhead Series 32A, the low-noise module for the first stage of the 32ALN features a detailed and well-matched combination of module, teeth count, helical angles, gearing width, and material choice. The 32ALN is available in 17 standard reduction ratios from 4:1

Design Engineering Products 61

to 2076:1, with output torque ranging from 4.5Nm (continuous) up to 6.0Nm (intermittent). MICROMO www.micromo.com

IDEA Size 23 Programmable Linear Actuator Linear travel per step ranges from 0.000125 inch to 0.005 inch and output force up to 200lbf.

Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions has introduced the Haydon RoHS-compliant

IDEA Size 23 Non-captive Linear Actuator, which combines high-output force, rotary to linear motion, stepper drive, and programmable control in a single integrated package. In addition to full programmability through an easy-to-use graphic user interface, the programmable linear actuator configuration is capable of up to 20 inches of stroke length with a variety of screw pitches allowing fine-resolution linear motion. The IDEA programmable linear actuator is for small gantry robots, motion systems for optics and lasers, high-resolution imaging, precision fluid dispensing, and other applications requiring precision linear motion. Programming the actuator is through the use of on-screen graphic buttons instead of complicated command sets or other proprietary programming languages. The software allows the system designer to troubleshoot programs

through line-by-line or multiple-line program execution using the interactive debug feature. Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions www.idea-drive.com

Materials & Assembly Structural Thermoset 2045 from IDI Composites International For applications in military, industrial, and transportation.

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62 62 Design Engineering Products based SMC that allows for thinner walls while keeping its strength. It has UV properties, and is suited for demanding military and industrial environments. Suggested applications include variLBP-003 (4.5 X 7.5).ai 1 11/29/2010 1:28:27 PM ous shields in military applications,

components for welding equipment, enclosures for batteries in automotive and other transportation products, and various electrical components, such as high-reliability structural and dielectric fixtures.

IDI’s new line of Structural Thermoset Compounds builds on the properties of IDI’s standard thermosets, such as corrosion resistance and durability, with light weight and superior tensile strength.

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HinderRUST This rust-inhibiting lubricant is solvent free, non-aerosol based, and odor-free.

HinderRUST is a multi-use product that can extend the life of valuable equipment by keeping it moving and rust-free. As a lubricant, HinderRUST uses the technology from Tufoil to keep everything moving smoothly: motors, joints, and bearings. Areas of application include industrial, transit and light rail, mining, marine, automotive, household, and leisure. More specifically, areas include line machinery, all modes of transportation, submersible pumps, gas and electric motors, diesel, towing equipment, farming, construction/grading/ excavation, turbines, chemical engineering, manufacturing and maintenance, offshore drilling, car wash systems, and high-performance racing teams. HinderRUST fights against saltwater corrosion, and applying the product on parts or tools when they are new will stop corrosion before it begins.

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PRECISE. ACCURATE. EFFICIENT.

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Advertiser Igus Inc. IMS Schneider Electric Motion

Alpha Wire

46

ITT Enidine Inc.

APM Hexseal Corp.

63

Job Shop Shows Inc.

AutomationDirect

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in this issue

Page

Advertiser

50 42, 43 7 Insert

Kepner Prod’s Co.

52 33

Page 8

Proto Labs Inc. Pyramid Inc.

51

Sapa Extrusions

15

Sensiron

61

SEW-Eurodrive

55

Siemens Industry Inc.

13

Avnet

11

Keystone Electronics

Bokers Inc.

61

Master Bond Inc.

Bosch Rexroth

27

The MathWorks

C4

Siemens PLM

Carlyle Johnson Machine LLC

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Maxon Precision Motors

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Smalley Steel Ring Co.

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Carr Lane Advertising

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Minalex

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SolidWorks Corp.

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CIT Relay & Switch

20

Mouser Electronics

Stratasys

29

Clippard Instrument Lab.

23

National Instruments

Tech-Etch Inc.

49

UBM DNW House Ad

57 39

Digi-Key Corp.

C1, C2

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6 25, 54

Newark Electronics

21

4

Dymax Corp.

16

Nippon Pulse America Inc.

63

TDK-EPC

47

Nook Industries

17

Wirestone

Novotechnik U.S. Inc.

53

Publisher does not assume any liability for

EXAIR Corp.

3

Henkel Corp.

31

Omega Engineering

1

errors or omissions in this index.

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64

GADGET FREAK The Gadget Freak® Files Case #204

ADVERTISEMENT “SELF-STARTING SOLAR ENGINE” Amt

Self-Starting, SolarPowered Stirling Engine HERE’S A GADGET that offers an engineering nod to art. When Doug Conner was faced with an engineering challenge, he created a self-starting, solar-powered Stirling engine. The engine was requested by an artist to work as a power source for a sculpture. The engine is solar powered and it runs all year when the sun is visible from the sculpture’s location. The engine can shut down when the sun isn’t visible, and it can restart itself when the sun comes back up. DN Are you a Gadget Freak? Design News and Allied Electronics would like to send you a check for $500 to spend on Allied’s website at www.alliedelec.com/gadgetfreak or anywhere you please. And don’t forget to supply us with a video file of your gadget in action. E-mail Design News your proposed project (must incorporate electronic components and involve sensing, motion, timing and/or networking elements) to rob.spiegel@ ubm.com, along with a description of how it works, a parts list, schematic, photos, and video. If your project is selected, you’ll receive a $500 check from Design News and will be featured in an upcoming issue of the magazine or at designnews.com with your invention.

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A SUPPLEMENT TO DESIGN NEWS

SENSORS & MACHINE VISION

Sensors Bridge the Intelligent Network

February 2012

Compact Limit Switches Our new compact limit switches are made for small spaces! This series features 35mm wide bodies with standard 25mm mounting hole spacing. Over 45 models give you just the right actuator for your application. The AEM2G series limit switches start at just $24.00 (AEM2G11Z11-3).

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Also Available •Inductive Proximity Sensors •Photoelectric Sensors •Fiber Optic Sensors •Magnetic Proximity Sensors •Capacitive Proximity Sensors •Ultrasonic Sensors •ProSense™ Pressure and Temperature Sensors •Current Sensors (AC & DC) •Ground Fault Sensors •IEC Metal and Plastic Limit Switches •Incremental and Absolute Encoders

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FEBRUARY 2 012

A SUPPLEMENT TO DESIGN NE WS

TABLE OF CONTENTS SENSORS/MACHINE VISION

S4

Sensing Trouble Out at the Network Edge No matter what the environment, sensors are expected to communicate with reliability, accuracy, and durability. By Mike Fahrion, B&B Electronics

COmPaCt hIgh SPEEd thERmal ImagER  Worlds smallest  Interchangeable lenses (zoom /wide)  Complex image analysis software  High speed frame rate (120Hz)  USB interface

S8 The Rise of Heated-Gas MEMS Accelerometers

Thermal accelerometers have been gaining ground as an intelligent approach to many applications. By Yongyao Cai, Sean Ding, & James Fennelly, Memsic Inc.

S12 Crank Sensor Support for Stop-Start

Stop-start functionality requires advanced sensing technology to be efficient. By Eric Burdette & Mike Morris, Allegro MicroSystems Inc.

S14 Machine Vision Ratchets up Aerospace Precision

PRECISION IR SENSORS  Range: -55°C up to 1800°C  Different wavelength for shiny metal  Fast 1ms response time  Precision optics up to 300:1  Full instrumentation with signal processing

Recent camera product introductions highlight the importance of machine vision in manufacturing. By Ann R. Thryft, Senior Technical Editor, Materials & Assembly

S15 The Many Interfaces of Machine Vision More options exist today than ever before. By Ann R. Thryft, Senior Technical Editor, Materials & Assembly

www.micro-epsilon.com MICRO-EPSILON Raleigh, NC 27617 / USA Phone +1/919 787 9707 [email protected]

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F EB R UARY 2012 E LE CT R O NICS / T R E ND WAT CH S UP P LE ME NT S2

S e n S o r S & M ac h i n e V i S i o n DESIGN

APPLICATIONS

Sensing Trouble Out at the Network Edge No matter what the environment, sensors are expected to communicate with reliability, accuracy, and durability.

S

Sensors and their accompanying recording devices are growing steadily more sophisticated and can record everything from exhaust gas temperatures to the electrical activity in a human heart. And they don’t just collect data anymore. They’re becoming intelligent. Embedded microcontrollers and built-in software are turning them into thinking, communicating, and active nodes of intelligent networks, systems that demand localized intelligence and real time, sensor-driven analytics. You don’t just connect them anymore, they communicate with you. The Network Periphery Earlier generations of sensors reported their data via basic analog or digital connections. These days they’re becoming Ethernet-aware, with all of the accompanying advantages. Their use of universal Ethernet communications protocols enables them to work with off-the-shelf technology, and their ability to communicate via Ethernet means that they can be placed just about anywhere. But Ethernet technology has its roots in safe, climate-controlled office environments. The IT world thought in terms of structured cabling systems, mature protocol, transport standards,

High-speed wireless Ethernet bridges can connect devices many kilometers apart.

and hardware vendors who would provide standardized products with near-seamless interoperability. Who knew, back then, that networking would outgrow its tame, office-based beginnings and move out into the real world? Nowadays, networks must function reliably in increasingly harsh terrain — on factory floors, and on gas and oil pipelines, in industries ranging from mining to transportation. And sensors tend to live way out on the network periphery, where conditions are the worst. Design engineers must know what to do about that.

S4 s ensors & m a c h i ne vi s i o n / t r e n d wat c h s u p p l e m e n t F Eb r uAry 2012

Getting to the Ethernet Connecting sensors to Ethernet can be problematic in real-world scenarios. The first issue is distance. Copper wire-based Ethernet has a practical range limitation of 100m. That’s adequate for a network in an office or a small building, but it won’t do the job when you need to monitor the turbines on a wind farm or the chlorine levels at a water treatment plant. To be useful outside the office, Ethernet must function at far greater ranges. One answer is a device called an Ethernet extender, which uses DSL technology to create a long distance Ethernet bridge over virtually any available copper pair. There’s a drop in bandwidth as the range increases, but you can reliably extend Ethernet over thousands of feet while maintaining a quite serviceable connection rate of several Mbps. Better yet, Ethernet extenders give the system designer the freedom to use existing wiring infrastructure, like any telephone cabling or legacy coaxial cable that may be present. As the labor and materials involved in cable installation are often the most expensive element in setting up a network, the flexibility provided by Ethernet extenders can represent an enormous savings. [www.designnews.com]

Source: B&B Electronics

By MikE FahriON, B&B ElEcTrONicS

Sensor IC Solutions for Today’s Changing Automotive World

Motor Position Sensing Digital sensor ICs capable of handling the wide speed range and noisy environment found in motor position applications

Engine Management Extensive design experience has made Allegro the leading crankshaft speed and direction IC supplier to the stop/start market

Transmission Speed Allegro’s speed and direction sensing ICs incorporate advanced algorithms to ensure accurate system performance under severe conditions such as large rotational vibration

Wheel Speed Sensing Allegro’s wheel speed sensing ICs are capable of handling the harsh conditions common to ABS applications including damaged tone wheels or encoders, ferrous debris, and large temperature gradients.

Sensor packages that simplify magnetic system design in automotive speed sensing applications.

Industry leading solutions and support For more than 25 years, Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. has been a leading automotive supplier of Hall-effect sensor ICs and advanced mixed-signal power ICs, with experience in servicing the demanding application requirements found in transmission, engine management, braking, and other highly accurate systems. Allegro is committed to continue working alongside our customers in developing high-reliability sensor ICs, while our local sales and technical

Customized features for automotive applications, including: • Highly accurate direction detection capability • Vibration immunity • On-chip protection circuitry

resources ensure that our customers quickly and effectively receive high-quality service and products.

www.allegromicro.com/promo1092 115 Northeast Cutoff, Worcester, Massachusetts 01606 USA 508.853.5000

High-Performance Semiconductors

S e n S o r S & M ac h i n e V i S i o n

embedded wireless modules enable sensors to connect to ethernet.

fiber Optics A second option is fiber optic cable. There are two kinds. The cheaper option, multi-mode fiber optic cable, uses LED light and can carry data several miles. Its long-range cousin, single-mode fiber optic cable, transmits with a laser rather than an LED. It’s more expensive than multi-mode 2835SR1 RDP 4.5x4.625:2835 RDP 4c

cable, as are the associated transceivers and receivers, but it has the ability to transmit data over great distances. Telephone and cable companies use it for their long haul applications. Both kinds of fiber optic cable provide far greater bandwidth than copper wire, and they’re impervious to EMI interference, as the data is carried on a beam of light rather than copper. This is invaluable in industrial applications, for example, where the electric motors on the machinery can generate powerful magnetic fields. Given that labor costs typically represent the largest expense in a cabling installation, it often makes sense to go straight to single mode fiber, even if its capabilities exceed current requirements. Considering the rapid growth of vision-based sensor systems, and their ever-increasing needAMfor Page bandwidth, ad 4/8/09 9:53 1

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S6 s ensors & m a c h i ne vi s i o n / t r e n d wat c h s u p p l e m e n t f eb r uary 2012

Sensors can be protected by ethernet isolators.

starting with a fiber optic installation at the very beginning may soon turn out to be a very wise investment. What Happens When Cabling Isn’t a Practical Solution? One solution to the range issue is 802.11, which has evolved far beyond the coffee shop “hot spot.” Today’s WiFi can provide robust IP-based connectivity out to thousands of meters. Using a pair of 802.11-based wireless Ethernet bridges, a local sensor network can be easily bridged back to a SCADA system or enterprise location. Some wireless bridges can even connect at distances of many kilometers while maintaining connectivity rates well into the tens of Mbps — enough to handle even high-bandwidth, vision-based sensor systems. In many cases, sensor manufacturers are embedding WiFi directly at the sensor level. Rather than make the engineering and compliancy investment required to develop devices of their own, they often prefer to make use of pre-certified WiFi modules from reliable suppliers. The trends in WiFi are exciting: increasing range, increasing robustness, and improvements in power management. What about Physical Connections? Ethernet hardware isn’t normally designed for tough conditions. For example, when installed in difficult environments, the popular RJ45 connector needs to be strengthened and protected by an over-connector. [www.designnews.com]

The standard switches, hubs, bridges, wireless transmitters, and other physical devices that help make up a network suffer from similar weaknesses. They won’t stand up to the conditions they’ll encounter as networking continues to expand into new applications and new territory. Designers will need to specify equipment built for the job, and it won’t be found at the local office supply store. Look for industry-hardened devices built by technology companies that specialize in ruggedized equipment. Ground Loops & Power Surges Ethernet connections help sensors communicate, but they can also leave sensors vulnerable to damage from power surges and spikes. The greater the distance between two connected

ethernet extenders enable data to travel up to 6,200 ft on copper wire.

other power surges can also travel on copper Ethernet cable to burn out integrated circuits and connections. Sensors can be protected by Ethernet isolators, which allow data to pass unimpeded, but control electrical flows. Sensors may be out on the network edge, and they may have to function in some pretty rough environments, but they’ll still be expected to communicate with reliability, accuracy, and durability. And a sensor with poor Ethernet connections isn’t much of a sensor at all, no matter how well designed it is, and no matter how capable.

devices, the more likely it is that they will have different ground potentials and the associated risk of damaging ground loops. Lightning strikes and

Mike Fahrion is director of product management at B&B Electronics.. For more information, go to www.bb-elec.com.

A serious approach to a sensitive subject. Sensing. Choose from over 100,000 innovative Allen-Bradley® solutions for critical applications.  From photoelectric, proximity, and condition sensing to network media, encoders, and RFID. Work with a single global source, backed by full support. Rockwell Automation. Advanced solutions, single source. Allen-Bradley: Serious Sensing made simple. Download your free SERIOUS SENSING eToolkit: abSeriousSensing.com/DN/1

Copyright © 2011 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. AD RS2192-R1/2P

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f e b r uary 2012 s e ns o r s & mach ine v is io n / t r e nd wat ch s up p le me nt S7

S e n S o r S & M ac h i n e V i S i o n DESIGN

APPLICATIONS

The Rise of Heated-Gas MEMS Accelerometers Thermal accelerometers have been gaining ground as an intelligent approach to many applications. By yonGyAo CAi, SEAn DinG, & JAMES FEnnElly, MEMSiC inC.

A

An accelerometer is a device that can be used to measure acceleration in one, two, or three orthogonal axes. It is typically used to measure in-plane velocity and position, inclination, tilt, or orientation in two or three dimensions with respect to the acceleration of gravity, and to measure vibration and shock. It works by using a proof mass to detect motion and gravity. This proof mass can be a mechanical structure or heated gas. The most popular today are of the micromachined MEMS variety and largely consist of two basic types: those that work on the capacitive approach and ones that work on the heated-gas principle. These two types constitute the vast majority of MEMS accelerometers on the market. There are some other micro-machined types, as well, but these are used in specialized applications and are not generally suited for low-cost massmarket applications. These include piezo-resistive, piezo-electric, and strain-gauge accelerometers. Capacitance-type accelerometers account for a large number of accelerometer applications, however, gas-heated types provided by MEMSIC are beginning to make in-roads in consumer electronics, toys, automotive, industrial, home appliances, portable hand tools, and military and aerospace markets. Depending on the application, there are many advantages to using thermal MEMS acceleration versus capacitance types. The capacitance approach is more suitable for applications requiring higher bandwidth. However, all capacitive sensors intrinsically have resonance from its mechanical structure resulting in unwanted

ringing effect, which disturbs the normal sensing mechanism. Such effects have been a major issue in many sensitive applications such as automotive electronic stability control (ESC). For this reason, the heated-air sensor which has its natural roll off bandwidth from the sensor itself is better suited for ESC and rollover automotive applications, as well as for many consumer electronics applications which require inclination and human motion information. Theory of Operation In a capacitance MEMS accelerometer, the proof mass is usually a silicon inter-digitated cantilever beam mechanical structure. This structure consists of a set of fixed plates, configured as “fingers” attached to the MEMS substrate. The movable proof mass also consists of a set of finger plates attached through a mechanical suspension system to a reference frame. Both the fixed and movable frame fingers are connected in parallel. The deflection of the proof mass caused by acceleration is measured using the capacitance difference value between both sets of plates. The heated-gas approach for measuring acceleration is unique and operates on a totally different principle that involves no moving parts. It uses heated-gas molecules to detect acceleration using thermocouples. Unlike capacitance-type MEMS accelerometers which use a solid mass structure, the thermal approach uses heated gas and thermocouples, and is altogether different. This approach makes use of resistive heating to heat the gas molecules and uses thermocouples or other temperature

S8 s ensors & m a c h i ne vi s i o n / t r e n d wat c h s u p p l e m e n t F Eb r uAry 2012

[www.designnews.com]

Technology Comparison The differences between the operating principles of both capacitance and the heated-gas MEMS accelerometers are profound and have important benefits to the end user. Moreover, the latter method allows for proprietary monolithic manufacturing. The latter method produces the smallest, lowest-cost and highest shock survivability MEMS accelerometers compared to the capacitance method (see table, below). For one thing, the absence of moving parts in the thermal accelerometer makes it inherently more reliable. On average, failure rates achieved for heated-gas accelerometers are in the single-digit ppm range and compare quite favorably and typically exceed those of capacitance MEMS accelerometers. Capacitance types have been known to be prone to failure due to “stiction,” a condition where the moving proof mass fingers stick to each other and render the accelerometer inoperable. They’re also susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI) since their sensing mode has high impedance. This may be dealt with by proper shielding and packaging of the accelerometer and its interface circuit, but that also means more processing complexity and higher end user costs. Capacitance MEMS accelerometers also suffer from mechanical ringing, which requires damping, and have temperature-related hysteresis. All of this results in custom

Source: MEMSIC Inc.

sensors to measure the temperature difference between the two sides of the heater when there is no acceleration and when acceleration is applied. It is also amenable to monolithic manufacturing to include all the necessary signal conditioning, interface, and embedded algorithm circuitry, resulting in lower cost and higher reliability solutions. When subjected to acceleration, the less dense air molecules in the heated gas move in the direction of acceleration and the cool and denser molecules move in the opposite direction, creating a temperature difference. The temperature from one side of the MEMS structure to the other is proportional to acceleration.

This accelerometer measures less than 2.0 square mm in size. Here you can see it in reference to a common sewing needle and thread.

fabrication processing and higher costs. They also require more complex readout circuitry than heated-gas types. One area where heated-gas MEMS accelerometers don’t fare as well is in high bandwidth applications. However, for many applications like toys, consumer electronics, and mobile phones, this is not much of an issue since the slower response time is more than adequate. Also, capacitance-type MEMS accelerometers generally have lower noise densities than heat-gas types. The latter types can alleviate this by using filtering or averaging to reduce noise-density to acceptable levels. A major differentiating factor between capacitance-type and heated-gas accelerometers is the manufacturing process. Virtually all of the MEMS capacitive accelerometers use a heterogeneous/multiple chip integration approach,

Capacitance vs. Heated-Gas MEMS Accelerometers Parameter Cost

Heated Gas Very low (cents in OEM lots)

Packaged IC size Reliability Sensitivity Survivability to shock Power Dissipation

Very small Extremely high Very high Very high Medium

Capacitance Low to moderately high (cents to dollars in OEM lots) Small to moderately high High to moderately high High High Low to medium

This table shows the comparison between capacitance versus heated-gas MeMS accelerometers parameters.

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f e b r uary 2012 s e ns o r s & mach ine v is io n / tr e nd wat ch s up p le me nt S9

S e n S o r S & M ac h i n e V i S i o n requiring integrating the sensing element on one chip with signal-conditioning electronics, interface circuitry, and embedded algorithms on one or more additional chips. This leads to higher costs, larger package sizes, and lower reliability levels. MEMSIC’s thermal approach uses a patented monolithic process where the same chip holds the acceleration element as well as all the additional circuitry needed, including algorithms. Algorithms are the necessary elements that create an optimal system solution for the end user. They are often the means MEMS accelerometer manufacturers use to distinguish their products from their competitors’ offerings. Applications In automotive airbag crash applications, the heat-gas approach is not as suitable as the capacitance method because it is bandwidth-limited and thermal noise can be a problem. It does not have the high-speed (300Hz) performance of capacitance types. On the other hand, the heated-gas approach is more suited to ESC and rollover automotive applications due to its inherent low-pass frequency response and its insensitivity to out-of-band

accelerations coupled to vehicle-like gravel strikes to the frame. For some home appliance applications, such as washing machines, the regular, inexpensive, and low-mass nitrogen gas normally used in heated-gas MEMS thermal accelerometers is not sensitive enough to detect washer imbalances due to unevenly distributed loads. This gas can be readily changed to a heavier mass gas for greater sensitivity. Toys are another example where the heated-gas approach is superior, not the least reason being low cost. We all know that children are rough on toys. How about a toy withstanding a shock of 50,000gs when it is tossed aside, stepped on, or smashed? That is what a heated-gas MEMS accelerometer can do. As a point of reference, a 10,000g shock can be generated simply by banging a toy or any other product on a desktop. Yongyao Cai is the senior director of technology; Sean Ding is director of applications marketing; and James Fennelly is business development manager – automotive and industrial sensors, with MEMSIC Inc. For more information, go to www.memsic.com.

positioned

ahead...

moving beyond

RoLin™—embedded component-level position sensor Non-contact magnetic radial, axial and linear encoders designed for miniature motion control applications.

■ ■ ■

Absolute within 2 or 5 mm Incremental output position Resolutions to 0.244 µm or 13 bits

■ ■ ■

High speed operation Bi-directional reference mark Axial or radial rings

Advanced motion sensors for the smallest applications...and smaller.

RenishawIn c. Hoffman Estates, IL www.renishaw.com/encoders S10 s enso rs & m a c h i ne v i s i o n / t r e n d wat c h s u p p l e m ent F eb r uA ry 2012

Designed and manufactured by Renishaw’s associate company RLS d.o.o.

[www.designnews.com]

Every 3.5 seconds, a Banner sensing solution is installed somewhere. Being engineers, we’re trying to improve on that.

Solving automation challenges, one application at a time, for over 45 years. For nearly half a century, when industry has an automation challenge, they turn to Banner for solutions. And among the thousands of global sensing innovations engineered by Banner, many started as a tailored response to a single customer’s needs. Challenges solved quickly. Efficiently. And affordably. Responses that have helped to create over 30,000 products and applications, with more on the way. Because at Banner, engineering is not just part of our name, it’s what we do. Every second.

bannerengineering.com

safety

vision

sensing

wireless I/O

lighting & indication

more sensors, more solutions © 2012 Banner Engineering Corp. Minneapolis, MN

S e n S o r S & M ac h i n e V i S i o n DESIGN

APPLICATIONS

Crank Sensor Support for Stop-Start Stop-start functionality requires advanced sensing technology to be efficient. By EriC BurdEttE & MikE MorriS, AllEgro MiCroSyStEMS inC.

A

Automobiles equipped with stop-start functionality save fuel by turning off the combustion engine when at a standstill, such as at a traffic light. The engine is restarted when the driver signals a resumption of driving, such as depressing the clutch or releasing the brake pedal. Publicized fuel economy improvements for stop-start systems are touted as up to five or 10 percent. The reduction in fuel consumption through reduced engine idling time lessens the amount of released CO2 , a benefit that is propelling extensive implementation in Europe, as automakers strive to meet tightening emissions standards. Figure 1. The integrated magnet in an Allegro proprietary package, along with a ferromagnetic target, generates signals that the IC can use to determine crankshaft target position.

Start-Stop Operation The start-stop concept is not a new idea; several 1980’s vehicle models were released to production with this capability. Technological improvements in the last few decades have made stop-start operation a more reliable function. Moreover, the ability of modern vehicles to accomplish a restart of the engine quickly is critical to widespread consumer acceptance of this function. Stop-start systems have a great cost-benefit when compared to hybrids that require parallel drive systems. The former rely heavily on existing components, requiring only a few equipment upgrades to achieve the fuel savings. Existing engine control units (ECUs) use inputs from sensors to dynamically adjust engine timing and fuel use to optimize performance. Additional ECU algorithms can be implemented to turn off the combustion engine when not needed. This requires inputs from already monitored systems,

200

Lagging channel Leading channel

150 100 50 0

Source: Allegro MicroSysetems Inc.

Differential magnetic field (G)

250

-50

-100 -150 -200 -250

Signature region Target angular position

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[www.designnews.com]

Sensor digital output

Sensor Signal and Crank Position Determination High

Low

Crankshaft position (º)

300

200

100

Reverse rotation

Standstill

Restart

0

Figure 2. The sensor IC output is interpreted to determine exact crank position, even through direction changes on engine stop.

such as wheel speed, brake application, and battery status, which is necessary to ensure adequate power to restart the engine and to sustain electronics during the standstill period. To achieve a restart of the engine, systems rely on a startergenerator or a heavier-duty starter motor (to withstand the increased usage). In addition, information from a crankshaft position sensor is utilized to reduce the time for a restart to just a fraction of a second. In a typical automotive combustion engine, an active sensor is used to monitor a special target on the crankshaft. In order for the ECU to determine the absolute crankshaft position, thereby providing piston position, the sensor must provide direction of target rotation. This direction detection capability enables the system to maintain synchronization throughout a standstill event, even in the presence of engine backlash. Without keeping synchronization, a restart event would likely take longer. Sensing Technology Allegro MicroSystems Inc. offers several automotive-grade, gear-tooth, Hall-effect integrated circuits (IC), specifically designed to meets the requirements for crankshaft speed and direction sensing for start-stop systems. These devices are built upon Hall technology, which provides digital contactless sensing of a ferromagnetic target. The ICs in the family are incorporated into a user-friendly, over-molded IC that integrates the Hall-effect circuit with a rare earth magnet. The small package size and integrated magnetic system can be easily assembled and used in conjunction with a variety of target gears and installation air gaps. The combination of the sensor circuit with the back-biasing magnet in Allegro’s manufacturing facility ensures consistent device performance as each IC can be optimized to match a known magnetic circuit. The position sensor ICs, with speed and direction output, [w w w. de s ig n n e w s . c o m ]

offered by Allegro MicroSystems each contain three Hall elements used to generate two differential signals based on the magnetic stimulus produced by the rotation of the ferromagnetic target gear. The relative phase of the two signals is then used to determine the direction of target rotation. The sensor IC provides a digital voltage output signal where a short pulse is generated as the center of every target tooth passes by the device face. Two distinct output pulse widths differentiate whether the target is rotating in the forward or reverse direction. In this way, an engine control unit can determine both the speed of the target rotation, by looking at the period between consecutive pulses, and the direction of target rotation, by measuring the width of the output pulse. Internal to these ICs, a number of patented analog and digital signal processing techniques are used. Advanced calibration techniques are used to provide optimal signal offset and amplitude. This calibration, combined with the digital tracking of the signal, results in accurate switching through the full range of installation air gap and target speed. Unique signal tracking methods are also implemented to maintain signal integrity during long periods of standstill. Digital direction detection algorithms ensure that no erroneous output pulses will be generated during target direction changes, which can occur during engine stopping events. The combination of these techniques and algorithms allows these devices to track the absolute position of a crank target throughout an engine stopping event, ensuring that the ECU knows the exact position of the crankshaft (and therefore camshaft) and enabling a rapid restart. Eric Burdette and Mike Morris are systems engineers with Allegro MicroSystems Inc. For more information, go to www.allegromicro.com.

F e b r u ary 2012 s e ns o r s & mach ine v is io n / tr e nd wat ch s up p le me nt S13

S e n S o r S & m ac h i n e v i S i o n DESIGN

APPLICATIONS

Machine Vision Ratchets up Aerospace Precision Recent camera product introductions highlight the importance of machine vision in manufacturing. By Ann R. ThRyfT, SenioR TechnicAl ediToR, MATeRiAlS & ASSeMBly

A

At the Vision 2011 conference in Stuttgart, Germany, Microscan demonstrated its Vision MINI and Vision HAWK smart cameras. The small size of both makes them useful for a wide range of identification and inspection applications, including the meticulous lot tracking and component traceability required in aircraft assembly. The MINI measures 1.80inch x 2.10inch x 1.00inch, and the HAWK measures 1.59inch x 2.27inch x 3.79inch. Other recent introductions include the Imperx 29-megapixel ICL-B6620, a very high-resolution camera measuring 2.36inch x 2.36inch x 1.77inch. High quality and precision are top requirements in the components and processes used in automated assembly lines for aerospace manufacturing. Aircraft manufacturers are required to mark each component that goes into an airplane assembly with a 2D code and track it throughout the process. Their manufacturing facilities need machine vision not only for inspection, but also for automated tracking, tracing, and control of a wide range of part and assembly sizes and shapes. These separate but interrelated functions help ensure quality, precision, accuracy, and traceability. Individual components, component lots, and assemblies must be tracked and traced, often over long periods of time, and problems must be easily and quickly identified, located, and isolated in order to be controlled. A complex production environment requires a system for tracking the real-time location of subcomponents, components, and sub-assemblies at any given point in the manufacturing process. Next is a system for tracing where they were before that given time and what processes were done to them there. This can provide a lifecycle history of the items. The third element is a system for determining and controlling where parts will go next in the process, based on whether they meet the quality criteria to continue to the next step. All three of these systems can be merged into a single machine vision-assisted system,

Inspection in aerospace manufacturing sometimes requires very small, very high-resolution video cameras, such as this 60mm x 60mm x 45mm, 29-megapixel B6620 camera from Imperx.

which can optionally perform inspections. In aerospace, the steps in this overall vision-enabled tracking, tracing, and control system are sometimes identified as part identification or recognition, part acceptance or rejection, part request or handoff, deformation detection, and gap and flush measurement. For part identification, parameter tolerance data must be input, such as location, width, height, depth, and diameter. To accept or reject a part, the features of a scanned part must be compared to their predefined parameters. Components that pass the parameter test will be handed off to another station for assembly. To do this correctly, other features of the part — usually CAD dimensions — must be compared to those of the requesting station to ensure that it’s the right one for the job. In deformation detection, things such as impact damage or corrosion in panels, rotor blades, or other components are detected by measuring the planarity or curvature of a surface. Those measurements are compared to tolerances for the particular component, and the extent to which it is out of plane or out of curvature is noted. Finally, gap and flush measurement is used to make sure mating assemblies will connect properly, such as mating dashboards to window frames, seats to interior cockpit frames, or doors to door frames. For more information, go to www.microscan.com and www.imperx.com.

S14 s ensors & m a c h i ne vi s i o n / t r e n d wat c h s u p p l e m ent f EB r uAry 2012

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S e n S o r S & M ac h i n e V i S i o n DeSIGN

aPPLICaTIONS

The Many Interfaces of Machine Vision More options exist today than ever before. By Ann R. ThRyfT, SenIoR TechnIcAl edIToR, MATeRIAlS & ASSeMBly

S

Since January 2011, two new interface standards have been introduced: the serial Camera Link HS and CoaXPress. Now a third, called USB3 Vision, is under development, targeted for release in 2012. At first glance, it might seem that the more camera interface standards, the merrier. In March, the Japan Industrial Imaging Association finalized coax cable-based CoaXPress. At the Automate 2011 show in Chicago that month, a pre-release form of the “next-generation” highspeed Camera Link HS standard was unveiled. The Automated Imaging Association expects to release Camera Link HS to the public this year, which will not be backward compatible with Camera Link. There’s also the serial GigE Vision interface, which makes it easier to take advantage of Ethernet’s ubiquity and build point-to-multipoint vision networks, plus the original, parallel Camera Link. Aside from these three, soon to be five, machine vision-specific choices, some engineers designing industrial vision systems use interfaces based on generalpurpose protocols originating in consumer PCs. USB, now in its “SuperSpeed” version of USB 3.0, is one contender, as are FireWire and even Gigabit Ethernet. Now the count is up to six standards, and it will reach eight some time this year. Some engineers prefer these direct camera connections that don’t need a frame grabber. With their open standard cables and other components, hooking up USB or Gigabit Ethernet cameras is generally easier than with some of the machine vision-specific interfaces. Some vendors also support these standards so they can control the software, drivers, and protocols in their cameras. This makes it easier to add new features quickly and integrate cameras based on different interfaces without changing code. On the other hand, protocols designed specifically for machine vision, like Camera Link and Camera Link HS, directly support features that machine vision systems need, such as asymmetric data bandwidth and

[w w w. d es ig n n e w s . c o m ]

Measuring just 29mm x 29mm x 30mm, Point Grey’s fL3-u3 “SuperSpeed” uSb 3.0 camera is designed for machine and computer vision applications.

low-latency triggers or GPIO within the cable. They also tend to be simpler than general-purpose protocols. Having choices can be a good thing. The newer machine vision-specific standards are becoming a necessity, especially for increasingly popular multi-camera systems. The parallel, point-to-point Camera Link protocol needs only one frame grabber per camera. These cards, and the connecting cables, don’t come cheap, since Camera Link is essentially a closed standard specific to machine vision. Serial Camera Link HS transfers far more bits per wire, so it handles both traditional point-to-point configurations with a single camera and a single frame grabber, and different flavors of multipoint systems with multiple frame grabbers, multiple cameras, or both. But six or eight is a lot of interfaces for camera and frame grabber vendors, making it tough to decide where to spend their R&D dollars. Not all frame grabber suppliers are thrilled at the prospect, since they usually provide more choices than camera makers. Some have said this many standards complicates the supply chain, dilutes R&D budgets, and confuses vision system designers and production engineers. Then there’s the software investment problem, which makes protecting legacy applications a priority and provokes dread of the time, expense, and hassle needed to convert from one standard to another. Although little is known yet about USB3 Vision, USB 3.0 is well understood and embraced by several machine vision camera makers, as well as some frame grabber suppliers. The 3.0 version is a lot faster than its predecessor, USB 2.0, and more deterministic, which is critical in real-time factory floor video networks.

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SC3

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S16

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S10

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S7

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DISTANCE OR LIQUID LEVEL MEASUREMENTS Non-Contact Measurement Range of 4 inches to 30 feet M3 Wireless Sensor

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M-300 Wired Sensor

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