Carefree clean coatings? A tough nut to crack!
The news from Fraunhofer ISC researchers at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 is music to allergy sufferers' ears - their new special coating might soon mean an end to the warning "may contain traces of nuts".

Food manufacturers have to clearly identify any allergenic ingredients on their product packaging. And because manufacturing processes often mean the incidental presence of allergens cannot always be ruled out, more often than not food producers also opt to print a catch-all warning, too - such as the very familiar "traces of nuts" advice. This can make it very difficult for allergy sufferers to find guaranteed allergen-free foods. But it seems that researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC might now have cracked this tough nut in their favor. At HANNOVER MESSE 2016, they are exhibiting special ultra-thin coatings with outstanding anti-adhesive properties that are entirely suitable for use in manufacturing systems.

The Fraunhofer ISC has long been involved in the development of functional coatings for a wide range of applications. A prime example is its dust-repellent coating that keeps the windows of Cologne Cathedral sparkling for ages without the need for painstaking cleaning. For the last six months or so, the team led by Walther Glaubitt at the Fraunhofer ISC has been examining whether these coatings would also repel other kinds of dust - and it seems that they do. Initial tests on materials used by printing ink and food manufacturers have produced very positive results. It seems that these newly developed anti-adhesive coatings from the Fraunhofer ISC could be used on the surfaces of front-line components to prevent the adhesion of particles that can only otherwise be removed by expensive cleaning processes. This would benefit the food industry by considerably reducing or even entirely eliminating traces of allergens in foodstuffs. The pharmaceuticals sector stands to gain, too. After all, a protective layer in their industrial facilities would make fuller use of expensive active ingredients by ensuring they go where they're needed - in the medicine - instead of sticking as residue to equipment. Similar benefits could be reaped by the manufacturers of colored powders and toners who need to ensure color purity for each new batch they process. The coatings could also be used in filling systems and storage containers. The Fraunhofer ISC is offering to collaborate with system engineers, filling facilities and manufacturers to develop suitable solutions for their applications, run customized tests and assist with integrating its technology into their production processes.

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Hands-on virtual engineering
Together with its partners Rittal and Phoenix Contact, EPLAN Software & Service GmbH is showcasing its "Smart Engineering and Production 4.0" at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 to deliver complete vertical integration of data in engineering and production processes.

One of the key requirements for Industry 4.0 is the incorporation of all processes in a virtual engineering umbrella. Hence at HANNOVER MESSE 2016, EPLAN, Rittal and Phoenix Contact - three of the leading solution providers in engineering and enclosure system and automation technology - are showing for the second consecutive year how digital data can be fully integrated into product manufacturing. The "Smart Engineering and Production 4.0" technology network is showcasing intelligent and networked production of the future at five stations at its stand in Hall 8. The example of an enclosure is used to show visitors how the engineering data from an entirely virtual product description flows into the manufacturing process via standardized data exchange formats such as AutomationML.

This year, the partners are focusing particularly on interfaces and data provision for manufacturing. The use of the AutomationML standard for data provision is demonstrated particularly well, since this will make it possible in future to integrate even conventional automation technology such as machine tools, drilling and milling centers into Industry 4.0’s digitally supported manufacturing processes. EPLAN’s Smart Wiring Application is further evidence of this end-to-end, sustainable approach. Presented as a work in progress at last year’s HANNOVER MESSE, the technology network is now exhibiting the finished product, which provides full digital data support for the manual processes involved in wiring enclosures.

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Top-notch 3D printing at twice the speed
KISTERS AG is exhibiting a wide range of professional 3D printing solutions at HANNOVER MESSE, including the new ProJet 3600 models that can print high-precision functional prototypes almost twice as fast as ever before.

The consumer sector still seems to be in search of suitable applications for 3D printers that would justify their purchase by general users - above and beyond their immediate novelty value, that is. Business applications are more obvious - and companies increasingly use rapid in-house prototyping solutions to present and examine the form and function of their designs. But which 3D printing technologies are best for what tend to be very specific different requirements? For years, KISTERS AG from Aachen, Germany, has been the world’s leading distributor of 3D printers for 3D Systems (ProJet and ZPrinter). The company is answering this and many other questions at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 and showcasing the new ProJet 3600 models that can generate high-precision functional prototypes in around half the previous best time.

Boasting almost double the print speed of its predecessor and an unparalleled micro-fine detail resolution of 16 µm, the ProJet MJP 3600 Max and ProJet MJP 3600 3D printers address customers who require the very best productivity, resolution, dimensional stability, contour definition and surface quality. In order to meet these requirements, MultiJet MJP 3D printers use an acrylate photopolymer, and the wax-based MultiJet printers a special wax, to produce very high surface quality, accuracy and precision. The process involved heats both the build and support materials before the print head jets the droplets onto the support structure. While the support material hardens immediately on its own as it cools, the build material undergoes additional curing using UV light.

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When the going gets wet, the he robots get cleaning!
At HANNOVER MESSE 2016, Stäubli Robotics is demonstrating the benefits of automated parts cleaning using a six-axis TX90L "he".

Stäubli's "he" cleaning robots are designed to withstand extreme conditions. The "he" designates the humid environment versions of Stäubli's six-axis robots for use in wet rooms and other situations involving direct contact with liquids and the risk of splashing. "Renowned manufacturers of parts-cleaning systems started using our he robots for processes such as feeding and handling parts some years back," says Stäubli Robotics General Manager Gerald Vogt. He has also announced a world premiere at HANNOVER MESSE 2016, revealing: "We are adding an entirely new field of application with robots actively performing cleaning tasks using high-powered water jets. Visitors to our stand in Hannover will get to see just how this works."

A real demo cell will be on show containing a six-axis TX90L he that is cleaning components, providing visitors with the chance to witness the efficiency and speed of the process. They will also see just how easy it is to program the robot. The system is so user-friendly that it should only take a couple of minutes to program the cleaning procedure for new components. "This kind of job involving lots of water and splashing is completely no-go for standard robots," Vogt points out - just in case anyone's tempted to try emulating this groundbreaking cleaning concept with run-of-the-mill robots. "Only our he robots can cope with such demanding conditions. We offer eleven different robots to cater for all kinds of cleaning tasks - from the small TX60 right through to the large TX200 he."

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Going up!
At HANNOVER MESSE 2016, thyssenkrupp Elevator AG is teaming up with Microsoft to showcase its MAX service solution that could potentially increase the global availability of elevator systems by up to 95 million hours per year.

thyssenkrupp Elevator AG from Essen, Germany, is showcasing its groundbreaking preventive service and maintenance system for elevators dubbed MAX. This cloud-networked system can monitor all elevator functions - from the speed of travel to payloads and the door mechanisms. Developed with the aid of Microsoft Azure Machine Learning, service mechanics will be able to use MAX to access real-time data and take preventive measures before an elevator breaks down, instead of adhering to rigid maintenance plans and waiting for the next impromptu call-out to fix a fault. As a result, MAX should considerably reduce downtime. Estimates suggest that installing MAX worldwide could increase elevator uptime by as much as 95 million hours each year!

The headline of HANNOVER MESSE 2016 "Integrated Industry - Discover Solutions" sets the perfect stage for showcasing this innovation. As thyssenkrupp Elevator CEO Andreas Schierenbeck says: "Together with Microsoft, we are digitizing our industrial products and turning big data into smart data. We are expanding our business model and thus securing key competitive advantages. This enables us to offer our customers predictive and even preventive service for elevators, which increases convenience, saves time and makes cities the best place to live in the world."

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Keep it clean
CAVEX GmbH & Co. KG is showcasing the world's first "hygienic" worm gearbox at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 that is designed exclusively for use in the beverages and food industry and chemical and pharmaceutical sectors.

For over 50 years, CAVEX from Swabia in Germany has been proving not all worm gears are the same. Besides its new-generation CAVEXcompact worm gearboxes, the company is also showcasing a new stainless steel gearbox range at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 that has been carefully conceived to tick all the boxes in terms of "hygienic design". By combining the established CAVEX product features such as load-bearing capacity, low noise and compact design with the ability to deliver even high ratios in compact form, the new stainless steel gearbox range is perfectly suited for applications in the beverages and food industry and chemical and pharmaceutical sectors.

The use of stainless steel and a gearbox casing design characterized by rounded outer surfaces makes the worm gearbox particularly easy to clean. This opens up an incredibly wide range of potential applications, as the new gearboxes make the perfect replacement for conventional gearboxes that needed carefully isolating from critical zones behind stainless steel covers or for coated gearboxes that tended to be a compromise at best. The new gearbox range from CAVEX is available in three different sizes - sizes 40 and 50 are produced as gear motors with integrated housings and size 63 is available both with and without a motor.

Temps without time limits
Berlin-based robotics pioneer Matthias Krinke - who is now showcasing the third generation of workerbots developed by his company pi4 robotics GmbH at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 - reveals his latest idea for humanoid robot temporary workers.

One of the aims of Industry 4.0 is to enable cost-efficient manufacturing of even small quantities. The world’s first temporary employment agency for robots, Robozän GmbH i.G., which opened its doors in November 2015, heralds an entirely new approach in this field. The concept of offering humanoid robots for temporary work was dreamed up by Berlin-based robotics pioneer Matthias Krinke, whose company pi4 robotics GmbH is now showcasing the third generation of its workerbots at HANNOVER MESSE 2016. It was the workerbots’ extreme flexibility that inspired him to make this move. “Our new concept for making the working environment more flexible significantly boosts Europe as a manufacturing location and responds to the increasing individualization of products and smaller production runs,” Krinke explains. Incidentally, he's not only the managing director of Robozän GmbH i.G. but also its only human staff member.

This innovative concept involves the owners of robots providing robotic manpower for other companies to use - without any effort at all, as all the organizational work involved is performed by the temporary employment agency. This ranges from procuring work assignments to transporting the robots to the workplace, their induction into work processes and even insuring them. Robozän pays a monthly salary at the current minimum wage of EUR 8.50 per hour to the provider and also issues an extra end-of-year summary for the robot to be used in the annual tax return - all this for just a moderate administrative fee and commission. The benefits for the end customer from using robots as temporary workers are clear. Once the robot has completed a virtually negligible induction phase, it can work 24/7 for weeks on end. The only two commitments for the end user are a minimum six-month contract and usage for at least two shifts per day.

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Still typing things out? Just click and send!
The new pixometer app being showcased by Cologne-based startup pixolus at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 is an easy, reliable and efficient way of reading electricity, gas or water meters using mobile image recognition.

It’s a well-known fact that every standard smartphone these days can be used as a mobile scanner. But the feature was never really put to good use until pixolus GmbH launched the pixometer app for iOS and Android, which is on show in the Young Tech Enterprises zone during HANNOVER MESSE 2016. This innovation from the Cologne-based image recognition specialist helps numerous sectors including energy and medicine to develop digitization strategies - and there are already market-ready solutions for recording mechanical or LCD displays, such as energy meters or displays showing blood pressure or weight.

pixometer makes electricity, gas or water meter readings simple, reliable and efficient thanks to mobile image recognition and by digitizing the reading and simultaneously taking a high-quality photo as evidence. An end is potentially in sight to the irritating, time-consuming and error-prone manual input of readings. Major suppliers and municipal utility companies have already adopted the software development kit (SDK) for this scanning technology into their reading tools and customer apps. Now pixolus is starting to catch on in numerous other fields, too - from industry and logistics to trade, banking and even medicine.

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The gecko effect
Researchers at the INM have improved their Gecomer structures' adhesion so much that the same gripper can now transport light, heavy and even sensitive objects.

The Leibniz Institute for New Materials (INM) in Saarbrücken is an internationally leading research center for innovative materials. It conducts collaborative scientific research with other German and international institutions and develops customized solutions for companies all over the world. At HANNOVER MESSE 2016, the team of scientists is showcasing a major new development in its Gecomer technology. The improved adhesion of its Gecomer structures to 20 kilograms per 25 square centimeters now makes it possible to use one and the same gripper for transporting light, heavy and even sensitive objects - thus opening up new potential uses in Industry 4.0 applications.

"Artificially produced microscopic pillars known as gecko structures can stick to objects using just physical interaction. The adhesion can be switched on and off by mechanically manipulating these pillars. This means that items can be lifted and released both quickly and very precisely," explains Karsten Moh from the Functional Microstructures Program Division. "Our new materials now make it possible to transport heavy and sensitive items, too. The newly developed adhesive systems can achieve adhesive forces of around eight Newtons per square centimeter. In our test runs, the system has proven itself over 15,000 runs," reveals upscaling expert Moh. He says the technology can now also be used to grip slightly rough surfaces and even in vacuums.

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Tackling Industry 4.0 with teamwork!
The "SEF Smart Electronic Factory e. V." project is head and shoulders above model factories as Germany's only smart "living factory" initiative. Experts from research, industry and the participating companies are at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 to explain the association’s aims and reveal the latest developments.

The "SEF Smart Electronic Factory e. V.", which focuses on developing Industry 4.0 solutions in an electronics factory under real production conditions, is at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 to illustrate the headline topic of Industry 4.0 as practically as possible. Its main aim is to present hands-on solutions to SMEs. Practical applications demonstrate the latest developments - from intelligent production facilities and the analysis of quality, process and machine data right through to the automatic identification of the causes of faults, a big data analytics control circuit and mobile and 3D enterprise monitoring.

Members of the "SEF Smart Electronic Factory e. V." include Asys Automatisierungssysteme GmbH, Bosch Rexroth AG, DUALIS GmbH IT Solution, Dürr AG, Fuji Machine MFG Europe GmbH, in-integrierte informationssysteme GmbH, iTAC Software AG, Limtronik GmbH, proALPHA Business Solutions GmbH, the Mittelhessen University of Applied Sciences and Unity AG. Together, they are bringing the factory of the future to life at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 and showing how SMEs and large companies alike can master the transition to smart factories. It’s this interdisciplinary collaboration between system engineers, automation specialists, technology providers and consultancies that generates solutions fit for Industry 4.0 and develops benchmarks to benefit manufacturing companies.

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Smoothing the wind and sun
French company SOCOMEC is showcasing SUNSYS PCS2 at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 - a new solution for the smart integration of energy from photovoltaic systems and wind turbines into electricity grids.

One of the major challenges posed by the energy revolution is to find a viable way of coordinating the ever-increasing proportion of intermittently available energy from photovoltaic systems and wind turbines with variable demand in consumption. With this task in mind, French company SOCOMEC has launched the SUNSYS PCS2 system for converting and storing renewably sourced energy in a way that evens out these peaks and troughs.

But SUNSYS PCS2 offers more than that - and SOCOMEC’s appearance at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 reveals it to be one of the first manufacturers to supply multiple applications in a single device for smart electricity grids. After all, the SUNSYS PCS2 not only smooths the peaks and troughs between the available energy and demand in the grid, but also optimizes self-consumption in smart grids and meets islanding requirements. Its evolutionary "hot swap" scalable system covers an extremely wide power range - from a few kW up to several MW - and can be extended by adding different parallel units. The SUNSYS PCS2 can be set up in a mixed configuration with the SOCOMEC PV inverter and different battery technologies, depending on the applications required. What's more, configuration is a quick and simple task.

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Mirror, mirror on the wall...
neoxid GmbH is exhibiting a groundbreaking low-e coating for aluminum profiles and films in Hannover - it's cost-effective, weather-resistant and comes in a myriad of colors.

Low-e glass is the go-to solution these days for minimizing energy loss through glazed surfaces. The term "low-e" stands for low emissivity (heat emission), an effect that's achieved by adding an ultra-thin layer of metal to the glass that doubles up as sun protection. While this process is now standard for glass facades, it hasn't caught on for other surfaces. And yet buildings located in very sunny regions would benefit more than most from a low-e coating on their facades. After all, reducing the emission level minimizes the amount the building's interior is heated by thermal radiation, which curbs the need for energy-intensive air conditioning systems.

As part of its active research into nano energy, neoxid GmbH, a spin-off from ODB-Tec GmbH & Co. KG and based in Neuss, Germany, has focused on this topic and is showcasing its innovative process for producing colored low-e coatings for aluminum facades at HANNOVER MESSE 2016. neoxid says its process achieves better absorption and reflection rates than the competition - and it's the first ever product on the market to offer a whole range of colors. What's more, this innovative low-e coating can be applied using a cost-effective roll-to-roll method that also makes it supremely corrosion-resistant - far out-stripping conventional PVD coatings. In short, neoxid coatings are robust, durable, fade-resistant and thermally stable. Not only that, but coated profiles can also be turned into adhesive films and then attached to any kind of surface.

The Internet of Things … that matter
In its HANNOVER MESSE debut, Hitachi Data Systems GmbH (HDS) is channeling its efforts into really benefiting businesses and society with big data - or as HDS puts it, the "Internet of Things that matter".

Hitachi Data Systems (HDS), a subsidiary of the global Hitachi industrial group, is exhibiting in its own right for the first time at this year’s HANNOVER MESSE. The company is showcasing its possibly unique expertise in linking information technology (IT) with operational technology (OT). Visitors to the trade fair will find HDS in the Bitkom Innovation Forum in Hall 7, where it’s running a demo station with a touchscreen table for an entertaining journey of discovery through One Hitachi solutions for the smart city of the future.

The top priority at HDS lies in creating solutions for managing information and promoting social development - with the aim of enabling companies to be more successful and helping people to live safer, healthier and smarter lives (aka "social innovation". To achieve this, HDS searches for ways to put big data to serious use in what it calls the "Internet of Things that matter" - as opposed to consumer IoT gadgets such as smart plant pots, fitness wristbands or household appliances. The kind of "Things" the company has in mind are systems for renewable energy, trains and industrial plants - in other words, the essential nuts and bolts that keep society functioning smoothly.

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Invest just the once - and get it right first time!
With its mind set on Industry 4.0, the focus of CRE Rösler Electronic GmbH in Hannover is firmly on technological innovations for the operating and control devices used in all industrial applications. Its new "S-Line" IPCs boast an extensive upgrade capability that ensures a high level of investment protection.

Industrial revolutions always call for investments to implement structural change - and Industry 4.0 is no exception. But what use is innovative technology to forward-looking companies seeking to invest intelligently if it's overtaken and thus obsolete in the blink of an eye? The magic solution to this quandary is called "upgradabilty". The new "S-Line" series of industrial panel PCs (IPCs) that CRE Rösler Electronic GmbH is exhibiting at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 aims to do more than just protect its customers’ investments - and it does this with flying colors.

The new S-Line IPCs are designed and optimized for attaching directly to machines. Thanks to their extreme flexibility, panel PCs can be used to operate, program, display, perform long-term archiving and simulate processes in all fields of automation and can also be combined with conventional industrial control units or PLCs. This latest generation of panels from CRE Rösler Electronic merges lean and elegant design with innovative technology and extremely service-friendly installation. What's more, their new modular connection concept makes it possible to combine the panels with almost any make of support arm system so as to ensure the optimum ergonomic operating position.

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Full steam ahead with eMIR
At HANNOVER MESSE 2016, the OFFIS Institute for Information Technology is showcasing the eMIR open reference platform it has co-developed with the maritime industry for testing new e-Navigation and assistance systems for maritime transport.

The acronym stands for eMaritime Integrated Reference Platform, an initiative of the German maritime industry for improving safety and efficiency. The idea is that the eMIR will prevent collisions, help incorporate environmental considerations and optimize the logistical aspects of the maritime transportation chain. The internationally focused research and development institute for selected information technology and applied IT research OFFIS is exhibiting the e-Navigation element of eMIR at HANNOVER MESSE 2016.

Among other things, visitors will be offered illustrative examples of the innovative maritime information and communication technologies, new assistance and monitoring systems and innovative control technology that go to make up e-Navigation. As one of the key fields of transportation research and consulting performed by the Oldenburg-based OFFIS IT institute, e-Navigation forms the framework for developing assistance systems for coordinating evasive maneuvers to avoid collisions and for new system architectures for the seafaring vessels that will in future navigate their own courses.

Your ticket to the HANNOVER MESSE 2016 Partner Country
USA-based DataBanque Ltd. is at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 to showcase marketing, sales and administration services designed to help companies get off to a flying start in this year’s Partner Country.

With the USA selected as this year’s Partner Country, HANNOVER MESSE 2016 provides the perfect opportunity to start thinking seriously about expanding into the United States market - not least because USA-based DataBanque Ltd. is the ideal local partner. With a top-quality team of sales, marketing, database and analysis experts, the company has over 25 years of experience working with international business customers.

It isn't just its extensive and in-depth industry expertise that makes DataBanque such an ideal partner for preparing customers for the challenges associated with entering the United States market. The company’s location in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is also a strategic bonus. As one of the USA's leading industrial hubs, Pittsburgh is home to some 125 German enterprises that have already successfully established themselves. The DataBanque experts are at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 to showcase the extensive range of on-site sales and administration support they can provide to help companies who want to invest in the USA maximize the success of their market launch.

Bavarian Batmen 2.0
As one of the first companies in the world to develop 3D sensor systems based on ultrasound technology without the use of lenses, Toposens GmbH made serious waves at CeBIT 2016 - and now the up-and-coming Munich-based company is at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 with a must-see new prototype.

Although HANNOVER MESSE and CeBIT split into two separate trade fairs in 1986, they continue to complement each other perfectly. And this isn’t just because of their interconnected headline topics - in fact, more and more exhibitors are choosing to appear at both events to highlight how digitalization is permeating every aspect of classic industry. A prime example of this trend is Toposens from Munich, which specializes in 3D sensor systems based on ultrasound technology and has thus become one of the first companies worldwide to develop 3D sensor technology that doesn't use lenses. On the back of its successful début at CeBIT this year, the Bavarian start-up is also exhibiting at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 with a new must-see prototype in tow.

Alongside the interactive gesture control technology revealed at CeBIT, Toposens GmbH is also showcasing mini robots based on its 3D sensor systems that can "follow the leader" at a constant specified distance - just like little dogs trotting after their owners! This is a highly effective way of showing just how suitable the system is for helping prevent collisions - though there is major potential for many other applications, too. These sensors deliver huge advantages over conventional 3D sensors based on cameras or laser technology - as well as being small, light, energy-efficient, precise and robust, they also require minimum computing power and are very competitively priced. The next step towards market launch is a development kit set to be released in early fall that is designed to help R&D departments get to grips with exactly how ultrasound sensor technology works.

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Hot on hotspots!
Dresden-based DIAS Infrared GmbH is at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 with three innovative new pyrometers featuring integrated video module technology for performing flexible, mobile temperature measurement between 200 and 2500 degrees Celsius.

Based in Dresden, DIAS Infrared GmbH develops and manufactures system solutions for contactless temperature measurement technology to suit industry and research requirements. The company sets great store by its "Made in Germany" credentials, with all DIAS Infrared state-of-the-art measuring devices produced exclusively at sites in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. At HANNOVER MESSE 2016, the company is showcasing a range of contactless temperature measurement solutions for industrial processes. Also on show are three innovative new hand-held pyrometers with integrated video module technology for performing flexible, mobile temperature measurement between 200 and 2500 degrees Celsius.

The new models were inspired by the fact that many pyrometers currently on the market use a laser or LED pilot light, which can become extremely difficult or impossible to make out at high temperatures like those found in metal casting, for instance. Meanwhile, the viewfinders that are often used as an alternative can pose a health risk, especially in harsh industrial environments. But thanks to an integrated color video module combined with a 2.5-inch TFT display, the flexible and portable DIAS high-temperature pyrometers provide a much clearer view and improve safety, speed and convenience - even at high temperatures. These robust hand-held pyrometers - ideal for use in metal extraction and processing activities - help minimize measurement errors when emission levels are low or unstable or when accurate information is not available for emissions.

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