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RS adds details of more than a billion parts to DesignSpark

RS has added a “Product Design Centre” – a product data library with information on more than one billion electronic components – to its DesignSpark online CAD platform and community. It says that the PDC will enhance the platform’s CAD library that already provides more than 40 different types of content, including product data, environmental and lifecycle information, as well as 3D models, footprints and schematics.

Single-phase motors comply with new EU efficiency rules

The Italian motor manufacturer Soga has announced a range of high-efficiency two- and four-pole single-phase motors designed to comply with the EU2019/1781 regulation which came into force on 1 July 2023, and requires asynchronous single-phase motors sold in Europe have to have minimum efficiency ratings of IE2.

AC drives for global market come with 10-year guarantees

Omron has announced a family of AC drives aimed at the global market that, it claims, set a new standard in motor control and drive technology. The M1 drives can power a variety of motor types including induction motors, permanent magnet synchronous motors (including direct-drive types with up to 128 poles), as well as special machines such as drum motors. They can deliver up to 200% torque at 0Hz.

Nema motors offer high efficiency and reliability

ABB has developed a new generation of large Nema induction motors with modular mechanical construction and flexible electrical designs. The AMI 5800 motors use high-strength welded steel frames usually reserved for even larger motors, to reduce stress and vibration and ensure long service lives.

Automated motor tester can spot progressive faults

The British electrical test and measurement specialist Megger has announced a range of automated static motor analysers that can be used: to assess the health of electric motors; to monitor and analyse trends in motor condition; and to locate faults. Depending on the model, the portable Baker ADX analysers can provide high-voltage tests for surge, turn-to-turn partial discharge, insulation resistance, polarisation index, DC Hipot and step voltage tests, as well as low-voltage tests for winding resistance, inductance and capacitance. A single set of plug-in high-voltage Kelvin test leads means there is no need to change leads between tests.

Cobots carry more, reach further and improve repeatability

At the Automatica exhibition in Germany, ABB has launched two new variants of its GoFa collaborative robot (cobot) with heavier payload capacities (10-12kg), “best-in-class” reach and “market-leading” repeatability. The GoFa 10 and 12 cobots can handle an expanded range of tasks in close collaboration with workers, addressing skills and labour shortages, while improving safety and productivity. They are also claimed to lower the barriers to entry for first-time users, SMEs and educators by offering easy programming and rapid integration into production environments.

Codesys PLCs offer a choice of built-in or remote I/O

Delta has introduced a pair of compact, mid-range PLCs that use the Codesys development environment. The AX-300N and AX-324N PLCs are compatible with Delta’s AS Series I/Os and support a variety of industrial communication protocols including PLCopen v1.0 function blocks, Ethernet/IP and OPC UA server.

Cobot is mounted on an autonomous mobile platform

A cobot (collaborative robot) mounted on a mobile platform was one of the innovations that Kuka was showing at the Automatica exhibition in Germany this week. The KMR iisy mobile cobot can move safely through work areas for flexible use at assembly workstations, in logistics and as a robot service system. The cobot can carry payloads of 11 or 15kg, while the mobile platform can carry an additional 200kg.

Energy-saving robots promise ‘class-leading repeatability’

ABB Robotics has added four new energy-saving models and 22 variants to its family of large robots, claiming that they will achieve energy savings of up to 20%. The new IRB 6710, 6720, 6730 and 6740 models are suitable for payloads from 150–310kg and have reaches from 2.5–3.2m. They made their debut at the Automatica exhibition in Munich, Germany, where they were shown performing spot welding, loading and unloading tasks in a fully functional battery production cell on ABB’s stand.

Codesys-based motion controllers handle up to 64 axes

The Taiwanese automation supplier Delta has launched three Codesys-based motion controllers for single-axis movements as well as synchronous multi-axis motion applications such as gearing, electronic cams and interpolation. The AX-304EL, AX-316E, and AX-364EL controllers support up to 4, 16 and 64 axes respectively, and offer an EtherCat master, two Ethernet ports, serial ports, 16 digital inputs and eight digital outputs.

Industrial Ethernet tester spots causes of network failures

Fluke Networks has launched an industrial Ethernet tester designed to verify cable performance up to 10Gb/s and to help discover the causes of network failures. The LinkIQ Cable+Network Industrial Ethernet Tester (LinkIQ-IE) can identify connected switches, port and VLAN data, run targeted “ping” tests, and confirm the presence and capacity of available PoE (Power over Ethernet) sources.

Edge computer links legacy systems to new ones

The Dutch industrial computing specialist OnLogic has announced an edge computer designed to link existing equipment with the cloud, modern sensors, and other legacy devices. The solid-state Helix 511 edge computer offers a choice of connection options to help bridge the gap between modern systems and older technologies.

64-axis controller boasts 125μs EtherCat cycle times

The UK motion specialist Trio Motion Technology has launched an EtherCat-based motion controller for up to 64 axes which achieves EtherCat cycle times down to 125μs. The Flex-X Nano Motion Coordinator is designed to increase machine productivity while optimising motion precision.

‘First’ NFC encoder avoids the need for set-up cables

The German encoder-maker Wachnendorff has developed what it claims is the world’s first incremental encoder that can be configured wirelessly from a smartphone using NFC (Near-Field Communications). It does away with the usual need for adapter cables and parameterisation boxes when setting pulses counts to customise an encoder for an application. The encoders will also be easier to modify at a later date.

Managed SPE switches are the first of their type

Phoenix Contact has released its first managed Ethernet switches that can connect sensors and terminal devices to SPE (Single Pair Ethernet) interfaces. The FL Switch 2303-8SP1 switches support SPE on eight ports with the 10 Base-T1L standard, which supports transmission distances of up to 1km.