The sensitive skin for robots

The touch-sensitive sensory skin from Blue Danube Robotics dresses conventional industrial robots for safe human-machine interaction. At HANNOVER MESSE 2017, the startup is showcasing custom designs and a wide range of colors -not just overall blue.

The four founders of Vienna-based startup Blue Danube Robotics – Dr. Walter Wohlkinger, Andreas Baldinger, Tobias Ferner and Dr. Michael Zillich - are back at HANNOVER MESSE 2017, rekindling fond memories. After all, it was at the world's leading trade fair for industrial technology that a Samsung manager recognized the potential of their idea of covering service robots with a sensory skin. He advised the team of TU Wien graduates to focus their innovation on industrial robots – and they have done so extremely successfully. The Airskin they are now showcasing at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 is the first tactile skin for industrial robots.

Its name reflects how the smart robot skin avoids accidents by measuring changes in air pressure. A two-millimeter dent in the polyurethane skin is all it takes for Blue Danube’s sensor technology to register the contact and halt the robot in ten milliseconds. Dr. Wohlkinger and his team can custom-fit the 3D-printed Airskins to any conventional industrial robot when they have the original CAD model to work with. Airskins are generally around one centimeter thin and are certified to TÜV safety level E. This makes them an attractive, more affordable alternative to conventional camera safety systems when upgrading existing industrial robotic systems for human-machine collaboration. What’s more, Airskins go one step further by keeping things safe in places where a camera's line of sight is restricted.

Blue Danube Robotics GmbH (1010 Vienna, Austria), Hall 17, Stand D10
Contact:
Dr. Walter Wohlkinger
Tel.: +43 1 89-08697
E-mail: office@bluedanuberobotics.com

High aspirations

Kiel University (Christian-Albrechts-Universität - CAU) is gearing up for Germany's new national and regional excellence strategy - and aiming right for the top. At HANNOVER MESSE 2017, the CAU is showcasing its research concepts together with its partner university in Poznań in this year's partner country Poland.

CAU President Professor Lutz Kipp says: "s Germany’s northernmost flagship for cutting-edge research, we are attending the world's leading trade fair for industrial technology to open a dialog with representatives from industry and politics about the right conditions for science and technology transfer." Among other things, two evening events entitled "Cutting-edge research to drive innovation in Germany" and "Digitalization in science and industry" promise fruitful discussions with a host of key movers and shakers.

The science editor of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Heike Schmoll, is hosting panel discussions between researchers and key industrialists from Schleswig-Holstein, the rest of Germany and further afield. There will no doubt be plenty to talk about, not least considering the enviable sums of funding up for grabs. After all, from 2018 on, the national and regional excellence strategy will channel 533 million euros into strengthening cutting-edge research at Germany’s universities.

Besides the panel discussions and Kiel’s four key research topics of "Kiel Marine Science", "Kiel Life Science", "Societal, Environmental and Cultural Change" and "Kiel Nano Surface & Interface Science", the subjects of knowledge transfer, patents and startup initiatives will also figure highly on the agenda at Hannover. Exciting examples of outstanding individual research efforts and the full low-down on Kiel's partner university in Poznań round off the CAU's HANNOVER MESSE 2017 showcase.

Christian Albrechts University/CAU (24118 Kiel, Germany), Hall 2, Stand C07
Contact:
Dr. Boris Pawlowski
Tel.: +49 431 88-03004
E-Mail: presse@uv.uni-kiel.de

Excitement guaranteed!

The latest, improved smartARS pro NH fuse switch disconnector from APATOR S.A. based in Poland, the partner country for HANNOVER MESSE 2017, boasts special screws for mounting on busbars - without interrupting the power supply.

With its innovative technical solutions in switchgear, measurement technology and IT systems, APATOR is no stranger to leading the field throughout Central and Eastern Europe. But besides developing cutting-edge technologies that manage all types of current effectively, the company is also working to protect people and the environment. APATOR boasts many years of experience in developing reading and billing equipment for utility services, with its portfolio including prepaid and post-paid electricity meters, calorimeters, gas meters, water meters and temperature sensors. At HANNOVER MESSE 2017, APATOR is showcasing smartARS pro, the latest improvement to its tried-and-tested NH fuse switch disconnector that is far quicker to assemble than its conventional counterpart.

Special built-in screws mean the smartARS pro NH fuse switch disconnector can quickly be mounted on live busbars, thus reducing installation costs - or a version with hooked catches is also available.

Designed for remote monitoring, the NH fuse switch disconnector is also equipped with detection modules, current transformers and miniature adapters for detecting a blown fuse, measuring the phase current and providing information on its operating status (closed/open).

Additional features of the smartARS pro NH fuse switch disconnector include current converters that are installed in the switch housing and a specially shaped housing that means it can be mounted in many makes of housing while retaining the original coverings. Custom-designed channels create a chimney effect that effectively draws heat away from the disconnector, thus ensuring optimum exchange of warm and cool air.

APATOR S.A. (87-100 Torun, Poland), Hall 13, Stand F82
Contact:
Michael Roclawski
Cellphone: +48 506 0-09339
Tel.: +48 566 1-91492
Fax: +48 566 1-91295
E-Mail: Michael.roclawski@apator.com

Some like it hot

The bright sparks at DIAS Infrared GmbH are showcasing their extra-robust PYROINC thermal imaging cameras at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 for continuously monitoring industrial combustion chambers.

Taking measurements in industrial environments often involves extremely harsh conditions and places enormous strain on the technology used. In glass smelting or rotary cement kilns, for example, the equipment has to both withstand extremely high ambient temperatures and work in particularly narrowband spectral ranges that have been optimized for the process. At HANNOVER MESSE 2017, DIAS Infrared GmbH from Dresden is exhibiting its PYROINC thermal imaging camera systems, which are specially designed for non-contact temperature measurement in the demanding conditions inside combustion chambers.

The new PYROINC 768N combustion chamber camera works in the near-infrared wavelength range around 1 µm and boasts an impressively wide continuous measurement range from 600 to 1,800 degrees Celsius. A water-cooled, stainless steel sensor-cooling jacket acts as a heat shield for the camera, which features a borescope lens system with motor-controlled focus and a sapphire protection window. To ensure the camera can be inserted directly into an opening in the wall of a combustion chamber, the infrared radiation inlet has been kept particularly small and fitted with a patented air purge system. An additional automatic retraction device makes sure the system survives the high temperatures and extreme duress over years of continuous industrial use.

DIAS Infrared GmbH (01189 Dresden, Germany), Hall 17, Stand F63
Contact:
Katrin Schindler
Tel.: +49 351 89674-25
Fax: +49 351 89674-99
E-mail: k.schindler@dias-infrared.de

High pressure heading to Hannover from Scandinavia

Swedish family-run business Olsbergs Hydraulics AB is unveiling a new generation of load-sensing, pressure-compensated proportional valves in monoblock form at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

Load-sensing (LS) systems are hydraulic controls that can adapt the pressure of a hydraulic pump to suit the consumer's requirements. Unlike conventional hydraulic pumps, which sometimes cause high power losses because they always run at full power, even when the flow is reduced, the LS system ensures the pump only conveys the volumetric flow rate that all the active consumers actually need in any given scenario. Prestigious Swedish company Olsbergs Hydraulics AB is now showcasing its new generation Q200 and Q300 LS and pressure-compensated proportional valves in monoblock form at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

This new generation of valves from the Olsbergs Q series is designed to offer even better control characteristics. The innovative hydraulic system's improved performance and, above all, extremely flexible range of applications can be attributed in part to its modular design. Equipped with electro-hydraulic servos and P8 positioners, the Q200 and Q300 valves can be very precisely remotely controlled and can handle a pump pressure of 450 bar and a maximum total volumetric flow rate of up to 300 liters per minute, or 150 liters per minute per section.

Olsbergs Hydraulics AB (575 36 Eksjö, Sweden), Hall 21, Stand E02
Contact:
Jan-Erik Steen
Tel.: +46 8 511-85850
E-Mail: jsn@olsbergs.se

Good vibrations

Delphin Technology AG is at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to show how intelligently and quickly its compact new Expert Vibro can measure vibrations.

Everyone knows what vibrations are - but a clear definition is tricky. Wikipedia describes vibrations as a mechanical phenomenon whereby periodic or random oscillations occur about an equilibrium point. This means they provide valuable information about the condition of bearings, shafts and machines. These mechanical oscillations, or vibrations, often significantly affect the quality of a production process. So it makes sense to consistently record vibrations and carefully analyze them to compile useful key data. At HANNOVER MESSE 2017, Delphin Technology AG from the Bergisch Land region of Germany is showcasing Expert Vibro, an innovative compact measuring device for recording transient signals and vibrations.

Despite its complex functions and extreme flexibility, Expert Vibro is still easy to use and opens up new fields of application where vibration measuring technology would previously have been too costly. Its state-of-the-art processor technology combined with FPGA logics should always ensure sufficient power reserves. What’s more, users can easily switch between voltage measurement, IEPE and shaft vibration sensors. Integrated comparators and digital inputs allow flexible triggering. And safety is ensured as well, as measurement data is monitored "on the fly" so machines can be switched off in milliseconds in the case of a critical incident.

Delphin Technology AG (51427 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany), Hall 11, Stand B57
Contact:
Claudia Zimmer
Tel.: +49 2204 97685-0
Fax: +49 2204 97685-85
E-mail: info@delphin.de

A very fast learner

Techman Robot Inc. from Taiwan claims its new TM5 robot can learn new visual pick-and-place tasks in just five minutes. Visitors to HANNOVER MESSE 2017 can put this to the test at its first public outing.

Techman labels its latest development "smart - simple - safe". Equipped with six swivel joints, the smooth action of the steel robotic arm on the new TM5 certainly lives up to this neat and balanced description. But what makes the TM5 so very special is how quick it is to learn. The smart combination of Techman's intelligent vision system with manual control functions enables even users without previous robot-programming experience to set up a visual pick-and-place task in less than five minutes.

The TM5 is available in two versions - the TM5-700 for loads up to six kilos and with a reach of 700 millimeters and the TM5-900 for loads of up to four kilos and with a reach of 900 millimeters. Both models have an IP54 rating and can be used in temperatures between zero and 40 degrees Celsius. Their integrated vision system perfectly harmonizes hardware and software, so it takes hardly any time or effort to integrate the vision components, despite the complexity of this task. That is precisely why Techman refers to its designs as "low-stress robotics". What’s more, according to its makers, the TM5 is the world's first industrial robot that can follow orders sent via smartphone. A straightforward app interface is all that is needed to program the robot with a full range of industrial robot functions.

Techman Robot Inc. (33383 Taoyuan City, Taiwan), Hall 17, Stand D32
Tel. +886 3 328-8350

Digitalization makes it all possible - even smart filters

MANN+HUMMEL, the filtration development partner and series supplier to the international automobile and mechanical engineering industries, is presenting its new Center of Competence for IoT Solutions in Smart Filtration at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

The Internet of Things (IoT) laboratory launched by MANN+HUMMEL in Singapore last October is destined to become an integral component of, and key contributor to, the Group’s research and development strategy for bringing smart filtration technologies to market. As Thomas Fischer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at MANN+HUMMEL, explains: "The lab in Singapore will be our new Global Center of Competence for IoT solutions. We will harness our understanding of the filtration industry and the needs of our vast customer base and build optimized smart solutions with advanced sensors and predictive capabilities." At HANNOVER MESSE 2017, MANN+HUMMEL aims to reveal the potential of the new IoT Center to its customers and engage in constructive dialog about emerging requirements.

By opening the laboratory in Singapore, MANN+HUMMEL is investing in the digitalization of advanced cleantech technologies, especially on industrial scale. Both time and place are well chosen, as the region is grappling more acutely than ever before with the consequences of air and water pollution. Mr. Fischer therefore anticipates a dynamic environment, saying: "Establishing the lab in Asia, especially in Singapore, will allow for the acceleration and adoption of these new technologies to take place." There are practical considerations, too. For example, in Singapore, air pollution levels vary. In the months when a haze descends, there is a more urgent need to contain air pollution. Smart air filtration systems can meet this need by using a customized IoT platform to automatically correlate and adjust the level of filtration to suit the current level of pollution. Ultimately, the goal is to optimize performance while cutting energy consumption and ensuring comfort.

MANN+HUMMEL GmbH (67346 Speyer, Germany), Hall 26, Stand C21
Contact:
Peter Biebricher
Tel. +49 6232 53 8357
E-mail: info@mann-hummel.com

It is better to light a candle...

… than curse the darkness. Enclosures used to be very dark places. That is, before Rittal created its new system light that uses innovative LED technology to illuminate every last corner.

At HANNOVER MESSE 2017, Rittal GmbH & Co. KG is placing its product portfolio for technology packaging, enclosure systems and climate control in the limelight. Based in Herborn, Germany, and part of the Friedhelm Loh Group, this year Rittal is revealing what it says is the "perfect enclosure lighting" solution in the form of its new LED system light. The ambitious aim is to set new standards in all areas.

This innovative LED technology provides intelligent illumination that can be customized to the geometry of the enclosure thanks to a special optical cover with different Fresnel structures. The cover is easily rotated to adapt the light distribution to each installation scenario so as to make the most of the enormous luminous intensity of up to 1,200 lumens. The LED system light can be mounted tool-free thanks to a latching hook system that uses a 25 mm pitch pattern of holes. Alternatively, it can be screw-fastened if preferred or - for complete flexibility - freely positioned inside the enclosure with a magnetic fixing. Horizontally or vertically? The choice is totally yours. Rotating connectors enable installation in the most confined spaces. Through-wiring is carried out on a simple "plug & play" basis and versions with integrated motion detectors are available that eliminate the need for separate door-operated switches. What's more, models with a socket ensure a power source is available whenever it is needed for maintenance work. Thanks to its wide-range 100 – 240 V (AC) or 24 V (DC) voltage, the system can be used all over the world.

Rittal GmbH & Co. KG (35745 Herborn, Germany), Hall 11, Stand E06
Contact:
Christian Abels
Tel.: +49 2772 505-1328
E-mail: abels.c@rittal.de