Robot programming for dummies
One of the highlights at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 is the multiple-award-winning robot programming software ArtiMinds Robot Programming Suite. ArtiMinds RPS supports a wide range of robot makes and models and takes the hassle out of robot programming.

ArtiMinds RPS is intuitive and requires no expert knowledge or coding skills. Programming complex robot tasks (online and offline) is as simple as dragging and dropping elementary motion types using RPS wizards. For example, force-controlled assembly processes, such as peg-in-hole, contacting, alignment, centering and safe grasping and releasing, can be programmed in mere minutes. And once created, programs can be flexibly reused.

The software also supports CAD visualization, which enables the use of 3D models for motion planning and optimization. According to its developer, ArtiMinds Robotics, programming with RPS is up to 100 times faster than conventional robot programming. This year, for the very first time, visitors at HANNOVER MESSE can witness an ArtiMinds RPS-programmed robot in action in an electronics assembly demonstration.

ArtiMinds Robotics GmbH
Emmy-Noether-Strasse 11
76131 Karlsruhe
Germany
Tel.: +49 721 96694 781
www.artiminds.com

Contact at HANNOVER MESSE 2016:
Simon Fischer
Hall 3, Stand B30
E-mail: sales@artiminds.com

Smart rotor blades for more power
Uneven wind distribution between ground level and the upper reaches of wind turbines subjects the rotor blades to highly variable wind loads and hence extreme stresses. At HANNOVER MESSE 2016, a group of researchers from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is showcasing a number of potential ways of overcoming this problem.

The research projects on show include solutions that enable rotor blades to adapt their geometries to local wind effects. One such potential solution employs movable flaps that alter the geometry of the rotor blade’'s trailing edge. DLR is also showcasing EWITAC, a commercial software application that can be used to optimize overall wind turbine systems. EWITAC is a modeling library that brings together all key disciplines - from rotor aerodynamics to power electronics for grid in-feeds - and therefore enables integrated simulation of entire wind turbine systems.

Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR)
Linder Höhe
51147 Köln
Germany
Tel.: +49 2203 601 0
Fax: +49 2203 607310
www.dlr.de

Contact at HANNOVER MESSE 2016:
Dorothee Buerkle
Hall 27, Stand K31
Mobile: +49 172 385 46 40
E-mail: Dorothee.Buerkle@dlr.de

Battery-powered ultrasound fill meter for liquids and solids
SonalogGSM is a battery-powered ultrasound fill meter developed by ESYS. On show right now at HANNOVER MESSE 2016, it provides continuous fill level measurement for tanks and silos and can be used for both liquids and solids. It transfers measurement data in real time via GSM to the cloud, where it can be accessed and analyzed via web browser and a special app. The system can even send automated e-mail alerts if the material being monitored reaches a defined critical fill level.

The SonalogGSM can be operated either with an ultrasound sensor (measuring range up to ten meters) or a laser sensor (measuring range up to 40 meters). Its applications include liquid fill level measurement in (waste) water and retention tanks, fuel oil tanks, pits, wells and industrial facilities, monitoring of dry bulk goods in containers and silos, and ambient temperature monitoring in the -40 to +65 °C range.

Because it's battery-powered, the SonalogGSM can be used virtually anywhere. The manufacturer, ESYS, says the device will run for more than a year before the batteries need replacing. Plus it's lightweight and compact, weighing just 380 grams and measuring only 120 x 90 x 50 mm. The measuring interval is programmable, and the unit has 32 KB of flash storage - enough for about 1,000 measured values.

ESYS Gesellschaft für Elektronische Systemtechnik Hard- und Software mbH
Schwedter Strasse 34A
10435 Berlin
Germany
Tel.: +49 30 4432940
www.esys.eu

Contact at HANNOVER MESSE 2016:
Mike Schliekau
Hall 2, Stand B33
E-mail: vertrieb@esys.de

Start-up meets Grown-up
Berlin start-up Bär Drones and lighting giant OSRAM are among the young tech/old tech pairings exhibiting right now under the "Start-up meets Grown-up" banner at HANNOVER MESSE 2016. The two are presenting innovative applications that enable drones to be used for filming and for video monitoring of large outdoor areas. Bär Drones custom-builds drones for aerial filming, photography and monitoring and inspection of buildings. These uses require light sources that are powerful yet lightweight. And lighting grown-up OSRAM has developed just the solution -in the form of its Split Star S32 multi-chip and Zelion H LED modules.

The S32 multi-chip LED module features densely packed LED chips which produce an ultra-high luminance of 140 cd/mm2 and a luminous flux of up to 15,000 lumen. With an output of 300 W, these LED modules provide a highly focused light. They are also very compact and lightweight.

OSRAM GmbH
Nonnendammallee 44
13629 Berlin
Germany
Tel.: +49 30 3386 2072
Fax: +49 30 3386 2124
www.osram.com

Contact at HANNOVER MESSE 2016:
Dr. Josef Kroell
Hall 7, Stand C34, co-exhibitor at the Berlin Partner display
E-mail: contact@osram.com

Keeping a close eye on industry: mobile automation control
The widespread use of mobile devices poses new challenges in many areas, including HMI (Human Machine Interface) technology. This is especially the case in plant and mechanical engineering settings, where direct communication between human and machine is pivotal to managing processes and detecting problems and hence has a major bearing on business performance. One of the global frontrunners in HMI technology is the U.S. firm Iconics, which is showcasing its latest solutions right now at HANNOVER MESSE 2016.

Among much else, Iconics is showcasing MobileHMI, a technology that brings the power of Iconics’s GENESIS64 automation software to any smartphone, tablet, web browser or web-enabled device. MobileHMI can be used to provide users with real-time mobile visualizations of energy, quality and production metrics. With MobileHMI, executives, operators and technicians can monitor their data and equipment from anywhere, reducing the time it takes for issues to be recognized and fixed. Simple, effective and intuitive, MobileHMI is a must-have mobile software solution for anyone monitoring critical building, manufacturing or industrial applications.

Iconics, Inc.
100 Foxborough Blvd.
USA-Foxborough, MA 02035
Tel.: +1 508 5438600
Fax: +1 508 5438600
www.iconics.com

Contact at HANNOVER MESSE 2016:
André Lange
Hall 7, Stand C40
Tel.: +49 2241 16 5080
E-mail: a.lange@iconics.com

Laser micro-machined strain gauges detect deformations as tiny as 0.001 percent
Laser micro-machining is now commonly used in many areas of industrial production, including cutting, welding, drilling and soldering. But there is still ample scope for innovation, as Germany’s Laser Zentrum Hannover, a nonprofit research institute, is demonstrating at HANNOVER MESSE 2016. LZH is working on a laser patterning process for integrating thin-film strain gauges into machine parts. The sensors operate in the micro and nano range, detecting deformations as minuscule as 0.001 percent in highly deformation-resistant parts of machine tools. Visitors can see how the technology works in Hall 2 at HANNOVER MESSE.

Ultra-short pulsed lasers enable extremely low-damage machining in sensitive applications. LZH's innovation uses this technology to laser-pattern thin-film strain gauges directly onto a range of surfaces, including difficult-to-access and complex structures. The resulting gauges can be used for a range of applications, such as monitoring the condition of machine tools under load and measuring process forces and vibration.

The first step in LZH's new process is to apply an insulating and sensor layer to the part in question. Ultra-short pulsed lasers with resolutions of between 10 and 100 micrometers are then used to pattern the thin-film gauge structures onto the part.

Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.
Hollerithallee 8
30419 Hannover
Germany
Tel.: +49 511 2788156
Fax: +49 511 278100
www.lzh.de

Contact at HANNOVER MESSE 2016:
Pamela Klages
Hall 2, Stand A08
E-mail: p.klages@lzh.de

Futuristic electric motorcycle
With its futuristic design, the GAUSS electric superbike on show at the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences display at HANNOVER MESSE 2016 is certainly attracting a lot of attention. But it has an importance that goes beyond its looks.

The result of an interdisciplinary research project, the GAUSS is a prototype electric superbike featuring an energy recovery system in combination with innovative powertrain technology. When the electric brake is applied, the bike’s electric motor switches into generator mode and converts the kinetic energy from the front wheel into electric energy, which is then stored in the battery. Every application of the brake charges the battery. This energy recovery technology, which was developed and optimized especially for motorsports applications, can extend the bike's range by over 20 percent. The GAUSS is also unique in terms of its body design, which features a special air-intake at the front that captures incoming air for motor cooling. This is matched by an exhaust-air funnel at the rear of the bike. The GAUSS also boasts some pretty impressive performance specs. Its transverse flux motor is fueled by an optimized LifePro battery pack that delivers 4.5 kWh of power. The powertrain weighs 12 kilograms (26 lb) and generates 60 kW (80 hp) of power and 220 Nm of torque. The bike as a whole weighs 150 kilograms (330 lb) and has a top speed of over 200 kph (124 mph). It has a range of about 120 kilometers (75 miles).

Hochschule Darmstadt
SFT Forschung und Transfer
Haardtring 100
64295 Darmstadt
Germany
Tel.: +49 6151 16 8015
Fax: +49 6151 16 8988
www.h-da.de

Contact at HANNOVER MESSE 2016:
Juergen Linneweber
Hall 2, Stand B25, co-exhibitor at Hessen Trade & Invest pavilion
E-mail: juergen.linneweber@h-da.de