A tractor with a difference
With the world of industrial technology gripped by digital revolution, ZF Friedrichshafen AG is bringing a whole host of smart solutions to HANNOVER MESSE 2017 - and its "Innovation Tractor" is sure to catch the eye.

The leaps in technological development due to digitization - both those that have been made and the even greater number still to come - will have surprised even the boldest of visionaries. And that's not going to change any time soon. Inspired by the revolution in industrial technology, ZF Friedrichshafen AG is in turn driving the switchover to intelligent mechanics and already offers innovations and digitized solutions for the industry of tomorrow. "Networking intelligent and self-learning systems helps us reach a whole new dimension," says Wilhelm Rehm, Member of the Board of Management of ZF responsible for the Industrial Technology division. "The transformation from pure mechanics to intelligent mechanical systems that can capture, analyze and then adapt to situations is summed up neatly in three words: 'See - Think - Act'." During HANNOVER MESSE 2017, the southern German technology group will be demonstrating precisely that with its "Innovation Tractor".

Thanks to sensors and actuators from ZF, the "Innovation Tractor" can be controlled from a tablet. However, it also independently identifies a trailer and - at the touch of a button - maneuvers itself into the ideal position for coupling. Another focal point at the ZF stand is the ZF ProAI, which it has developed as part of its collaboration with Nvidia. This electronic control unit is based on a supercomputing platform and is set to make artificial intelligence available to the mobility and industrial sector. But there's more! Besides predictive maintenance scenarios for wind farms and cableway businesses, ZF is also exhibiting the Car eWallet, which is based on blockchain technology and can enable cars to pay highway tolls and parking fees autonomously. Finally, ZF will be showcasing its Smart Gearbox for rail vehicles at the VDMA pavilion.
ZF Friedrichshafen AG (88046 Friedrichshafen, Germany), Hall 25, Stand A12
Contact: Thomas Wenzel
Tel.: +49 7541 77-2543
E-Mail: thomas.wenzel@zf.com

Parts on a global journey
GUARDUS Solutions AG is showcasing its manufacturing execution system GUARDUS MES in Hannover to show how end-to-end data intelligence can be implemented in automated manufacturing processes.

The topic of "parts tourism" recently reappeared in the headlines following a revelation made during Donald Trump's "America First" campaign. It was found that the "most American" car, built with 75 percent US-made components, is a Toyota, while the second biggest selling car in 2016 - a Chevrolet Silverado - is just 38 percent "American". Through its Manufacturing Execution System (MES), GUARDUS Solutions AG hopes to help untangle the complex international web of state-of-the-art production concepts, which comprise machines, materials, tools and of course people. Exhibiting under the slogan "Connected World", the company is at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to put GUARDUS MES center stage. This homogeneous platform provides end-to-end recording, mapping and monitoring of all product and process data along the value-added chain.

The aim of GUARDUS MES is to achieve seamless, transparent traceability for all trace units in locally managed, automated production environments - starting with individual parts, assemblies and batches, right through to pallets, crates and even delivery notes and digitalized information directly on the product itself. Like a central backbone, GUARDUS MES can be used to centrally pool and permanently store comprehensive packages of information and product life folders from several plants, suppliers and countries. Added to that are rollout concepts for managing the entire recording process in a central MES entity while holding important information on the product locally at the same time.
GUARDUS Solutions AG (89073 Ulm, Germany), Hall 7, Stand D28, co-exhibitor with VDMA Software und Digitalisierung
Contact: Christian Garcia
Tel.: +49 731 880177-431
E-Mail: info@guardus.de

Robot development: Faster, simpler, more cost-effective!
Startup Synapticon is celebrating its debut at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 with three new SOMANET modules. These hardware and software components are ideal for control and regulation systems for miniature robots, industrial robot arms and mobile robotics systems.

"It's clear that manufacturers on the market desperately need to be able to develop and ultimately series produce robotic systems faster, more easily and at lower cost," says Nikolai Ensslen, founder and CEO of Synapticon GmbH. "However, conventional approaches and the technology that currently dominates the market make this virtually impossible. Usually, companies need to order individual elements from a wide range of suppliers, combine them and then put a lot of work into coordinating them. When they move from the prototype stage to series production, lots of companies have to start all over again from scratch." Ensslen and his coworkers at Synapticon have taken on this challenge with their SOMANET platform, which they are unveiling at HANNOVER MESSE.

SOMANET modules are hardware and software components that can be used to create control and feedback control systems for robot applications. The focus is on achieving better performing and more economical motor and motion control and on convenient retrievals and the integrated processing of sensor data. A SOMANET stack, which can be custom configured, always consists of three modules - a motor controller that can be selected from a range of performance classes, a processor and a communications interface for the standard industrial real-time protocols. In Hannover, Synapticon is exhibiting three new SOMANET modules that are suitable for miniature robots, industrial robot arms and mobile robotic systems. These new drive modules for robotics and mobility can actuate any BLDC/PMSM/DC motors and can also be used for position, speed and torque feedback control. The SOMANET IFM Drive DC1000 module, which features four phases and can therefore actuate a motor and brakes, is ideal for use in collaborative robot arms and small-scale robotics. By contrast, the SOMANET DC5000 module is primarily intended for use in electromobility applications, where output up to 5000 Watts is required. Last but not least, the SOMANET DC100 module has been specially designed for miniature drive solutions.
Synapticon GmbH (71101 Schönaich, Germany), Hall 9, Stand D18
Topic: EtherCAT pavilion, co-exhibitor with EtherCAT Technology Group
Contact: Philipp Haberland
Tel.: +49 7031 304780
E-Mail: phaberland@synapticon.com

A whole different kind of pin ball!
Baden-Württemberg-based Heinrich Kipp Werk is at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to exhibit new ball lock pins that are being added to the company's already wide product range.

What is a ball lock pin? Look online and you'll find all manner of designs and explanations. At Heinrich Kipp Werk, in Sulz am Neckar, Germany, they define them simply as fixings that allow a component to be engaged and locked. They consist of a pin that has an inbuilt spring mechanism, with a pushbutton at one end and balls at the other, and they are used wherever fastening and securing elements are deployed, such as in jigs, perforated plates and assembly structures. Heinrich Kipp Werk has recently expanded its range to include new ball lock pins and is showcasing them at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

The newly launched ball lock pins make it easy to connect or fix two parts or workpieces at the touch of a button. Special stainless steel models are also ideal for demanding applications. The new ball lock pins from Kipp are based on a simple, tried-and-tested principle: First the button at the top is pressed, which retracts the balls at the lower end of the pin. The pin can then be inserted into the intended opening and the button released. When the button is released, the balls return to their original position, locking the pin in place. Any unintentional ejection of the pin caused by vibration or other external influences can thus be prevented.
Heinrich Kipp Werk KG (72172 Sulz, Germany), Hall 5, Stand A17
Contact: Stefanie Beck
Tel.: +49 7454 793-30
E-Mail: stefanie.beck@kipp.com

For electrifying printworks
The Leibniz Institute for New Materials (INM) based in Saarbrücken is an international center for materials research. Researchers from the INM are at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to exhibit new hybrid inks for printing or drawing flexible circuits.

The idea of printing circuits on a flexible carrier material such as film or paper is nothing new - but it does offer certain advantages. For a start, a process like this is usually economical and practical but, more importantly, it enables users to create extraordinary designs with curved lighting or input elements. All the same, implementing this idea in a practical and reliable process requires special materials that won't be damaged during the printing process and will continue to exhibit good conductivity even when their substrate is undergoing flexing. Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for New Materials (INM) have therefore developed hybrid inks that can be used in a printer or pen to create circuits on film or paper and are also ready to use immediately on drying - without requiring any further sintering. The developers themselves are on hand at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to take visitors through their results in detail and showcase a whole range of options.

The special properties of the hybrid inks can be attributed to the complementary benefits of polymers and metallic nanoparticles. Gold or silver nanoparticles are coated with organic, conductive polymers and are then suspended in mixtures of water and alcohol. "Metal nanoparticles with ligands are already being used to print electronic circuits," explains materials scientist Professor Tobias Kraus. These shells mostly had to be removed by a sintering process because, although they control the arrangement of the nanoparticles, they impede conductivity. According to the experts, this is difficult when working with carrier materials that are sensitive to temperature such as paper or polymer films since these would be damaged during the sintering process. "Our new hybrid inks are conductive in the as-dried state, are mechanically flexible, and do not require sintering", explains Professor Kraus.
INM - Leibniz-Institut für Neue Materialien gGmbH (66123 Saarbrücken, Germany), Hall 2, Stand B46, co-exhibitor with Uni des Saarlandes, WuT
Contact: Dr. Carola Jung
Tel.: +49 681 9300-506
E-Mail: carola.jung@leibniz-inm.de

Only half as fast, but twice as attentive
With the new 24 volt version of the "P-Rob", F&P Robotics is systematically pursuing its strategy of developing "robots for people". Visitors to HANNOVER MESSE 2017 can see for themselves the practical applications of this collaborative service robot for aiding humans.

The rapid development of technical applications is directly linked to the global transformation of society. This relationship also opens up a steady stream of new applications for collaborative service robots. Whether in industry for fast pick-and-place applications or more complex operations in the health and care sectors, collaborative service robots work tirelessly and deliver consistently high quality while also helping to cut costs. This is the context in which Swiss-based F&P Robotics AG is showcasing its latest developments at HANNOVER MESSE 2017, including the brand new 24 volt version of the P-Rob for tasks in areas such as care and treatment.

For applications with - or even, on - people, it is essential to use a robot that is demonstrably safe. The soft exterior and limited forces and speeds of the 24 volt version of the P-Rob personal robot from F&P Robotics mean that no special protection is needed. "Although it has only half the maximum speed compared to the 48 volt model, it is nonetheless fast enough for many applications. Nothing can happen to users if the robot malfunctions or makes unexpected movements, even if it comes into contact with them," says founder of F&P Robotics AG, Hansruedi Früh.
F&P Robotics AG (8152 Glattbrugg, Switzerland), Hall 17, Stand E84
Contact: Lea Stettler
Tel.: +41 44 5159520
E-Mail: les@fp-robotics.com

Don't put your money in an account - put it where the sun shines!

Want to make your money work for you? Then S.A.G. Solar GmbH & Co. KG recommends your business’s roof as the best option. The company is at HANNOVER MESSE to show how even an initial payment of 10 percent can provide the gateway to generating your own cost-effective energy.

"The solar market has never seen anything yet like roofINVEST," says David Hogg, the CEO of S.A.G. Solar. roofINVEST from solar energy company S.A.G. Solar based in Freiburg, Germany, offers an easy and cost-efficient solution to all businesses looking to generate their own power without tying up capital in the long term - leasing of solar roof systems. An initial payment of ten percent is enough for businesses with high energy needs to harness all the benefits of solar energy. S.A.G. Solar installs the turnkey system on the roof, optimizes it to meet the customer’s own requirements and puts it into operation.

S.A.G. Solar's leasing model enables businesses to produce their own electricity for up to 20 years and benefit from significant cost savings. The company says that once the leasing term expires, the system can be acquired for the residual value of the loan. However, it adds that the leasing agreement can also be terminated after just eight years if customers are not interested in such a long-term commitment. S.A.G. Solar calculates that the investment will have paid for itself after an average of just five years and enables enhanced planning reliability and low energy costs over the long term. Other benefits of roofINVEST highlighted by S.A.G. Solar include the fact that the full-service contract - embracing everything from maintenance and documentation to repairs – covers the entire system at a fixed price. "The threefold benefits of leasing model, full service and guaranteed yield remove all the previous obstacles," says Hogg. This results in enormous savings for businesses, particularly in terms of finance and operation of the system, which S.A.G. Solar takes care of completely.
S.A.G. Solar GmbH & Co. KG (79111 Freiburg, Germany), Hall 27, Stand H50
Topic: Integrated Energy Plaza, co-exhibitor with pv magazine Solar Premium
Contact: Eva Breunig
Tel.: +49 761 4770-301
E-Mail: e.breunig@sagsolar.com

Children of the revolution
With the premiere of Revolution Pi - based on Raspberry Pi - KUNBUS GmbH is using a cost-effective tool and open system to open up new sales opportunities for companies.

Even today, developments are occurring that go beyond the realms of our imagination. For example, when the British-based Raspberry Pi Foundation launched its now world-famous single-board computer onto the market - with the single aim of making it easier for young people to pick up programming and hardware knowledge – even the boldest visionaries probably didn't foresee what a stir this would cause. And the journey doesn't appear to be over yet, with Raspberry Pi now also making the leap into the industrial sector. KUNBUS GmbH - based in Denkendorf, Germany - is at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to showcase Revolution Pi , an open, modular and cost-effective industrial PC based on its predecessor.

Equipped with the Raspberry Pi Compute Module, the RevPi Core base module can be seamlessly extended with appropriate I/O modules and fieldbus gateways to meet specific requirements. Fitted in a DIN rail housing, RevPi Core also has the USB, Ethernet and HDMI ports familiar from RaspPi. Yet unlike RaspPi, the basic and extension modules are supplied with 24 volts, which is the industry standard. As well as disclosure of the circuit diagrams, the open source concept is also continued in the software. The well-known Raspbian operating system, enhanced with the drivers for the extension modules, comes pre-installed. This ensures that in principle all software or applications that can run on RaspPi also work on Revolution Pi. Full root access also means users can program and run their own programs with ease. Revolution Pi thus makes it possible to create business models and services that open up new markets.
KUNBUS GmbH (73770 Denkendorf, Germany), Hall 9, Stand G33
Contact: Andreas Müller
Tel.: +49 711 3409 7093
E-Mail: a.mueller@kunbus.de

A dual approach
One of the key themes in the GKN Sinter Metals Engineering GmbH presentation at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 is additive manufacturing. Working with its partners, the company aims to speed up development of the next generation of automotive drivelines.

In an intensely competitive environment, speed is often a key advantage. It is virtually impossible to catch up with companies who are first onto the market with a really good solution, let alone overtake them. Needless to say, this is nothing new for the strategists at GKN Sinter Metals Engineering GmbH, a market leader in the powder metallurgy sector, based in Radevormwald, Germany, which is why a partnership with EOS GmbH, itself a leader in additive manufacturing, was announced shortly before the start of HANNOVER MESSE 2017. Together, the two companies are now looking to conquer the growth market of industrial 3D printing in the business to business sector, primarily in automotive engineering.

"Metal additive manufacturing has a big chance of making a decisive impact on the future of industrial production and its products and in taking it to a new level. This is a challenge that EOS and GKN will be tackling together in the future. We want to ensure that more and more customers recognize and harness the potential of this innovative technology. We also want to significantly expand the areas of application with new materials even further through trials and subsequent utilization in series production," says Dr. Peter Oberparleiter, CEO GKN Powder Metallurgy.
GKN Sinter Metals Engineering GmbH (42477 Radevormwald, Germany), Hall 6, Stand J01
Contact: Susanne Huetter
Tel.: +49 3603 895983

All a load of hot air - and yet so valuable
FuSystems SkyWind GmbH has developed a system for recovering energy from ventilation systems and is unveiling its Fenergy turbines at HANNOVER MESSE.

Rising energy costs are often cited as an argument for “selling” price increases, and it's a fact that "ventilation and climate control" is frequently one of the largest regular costs for companies. As the newest member of the Cronenberg group of companies, which has been operating for over three hundred years, FuSystems SkyWind GmbH - based in Langenhagen, Germany - has now developed turbines that dramatically reduce the energy needs of ventilation systems without making any changes to existing fans or ducts. The company's Fenergy System is now being premiered at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

Thanks to a patented all-metal production process, Fenergy turbines are not just exceptionally robust and durable. What makes them particularly impressive is their high efficiency. A turbine adapted to the individual fan is installed at the outlet of the waste air flow to cut energy costs by 20 to 30 percent. The aim is to recover from the airflow some of the kinetic energy that has previously been released unused into the environment and convert it into usable energy. The principle is thus similar to that of an exhaust turbocharger in a combustion engine. The system has no negative impact on the airflow or performance of the existing system. This technology will be available for the first time on the German market from the second half of 2017.
FuSystems SkyWind GmbH (30855 Langenhagen, Germany), Hall 16, Stand H03, co-exhibitor with hannoverimpuls
Contact: Fritz Unger
Tel.: +49 511 96774207
E-Mail: info@myskywind.com

Wind of change
When the ancient Greeks used the word "pneuma" to refer to wind, they surely never dreamt of how FESTO would today be changing the world with "digitalized pneumatics". The Festo Motion Terminal is celebrating its world premiere at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

The Festo Motion Terminal from FESTO is nothing less than a groundbreaking innovation in digitalized pneumatics that combines hardware and software to form a digitalized valve. The development took three years, which didn’t just see the creation of an intelligent pneumatic automation platform for Industry 4.0 but quite simply a key innovation for the manufacture of products of the future that we - like the ancient Greeks - may not even have thought of yet.

The Festo Motion Terminal is a programmable platform for highly flexible and adaptive automation using digitalized pneumatics and is ideal for flexibly programming a wide range of valve functions and controlling them using motion apps. The Festo Motion Terminal combines the functions of over 50 individual components, which greatly simplifies the engineering process and eliminates a large number of hardware components. Thanks to the Motion Terminal, mechanical and plant engineering companies can use completely new platform and modular designs, while plant operators secure competitive advantages through flexible and adaptive facilities, data transparency, communication, maximum process reliability and easier operation of complex machinery. “"We've created an automation platform that integrates all functions in order to cover adaptive and flexible production cost-effectively - we've thus revolutionized pneumatics," says Alfred Goll, spokesman for the Management Board of FESTO AG. The Festo Motion Terminal is due to be rolled out around the world following its premiere at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.
FESTO AG & Co. KG (73734 Esslingen, Germany), Hall 15, Stand D11 (main stand)
Contact: Christopher Haug
Tel.: +49 711 347 4032
E-Mail: christopher.haug@festo.com

Better together!
To avoid isolated solutions, AUCOTEC AG is in Hannover to present Engineering Base, a project status manager that integrates third-party system data automatically and reliably.

The factor that makes isolated islands so seemingly wonderful is also their greatest shortcoming - isolation. And as the English poet John Donne said back in the early 17th century: “"No man is an island". Isolated solutions don't simplify existence for humans or for machinery and systems - quite the opposite, in fact. Instead, an engineering system designed to simplify the work of plant planners should avoid isolated solutions, or at least be able to connect them using convenient bridges. AUCOTEC AG has thus created Engineering Base (EB), an exceptionally well integrated platform. The central, collaboration-enhancing data model simplifies work not just by minimizing coordination and correction and by function/template orientation - its special openness for connections to additional tools, such as 3D systems and the customer’s own ERP, is also crucial.

"Integration competence is the key to realizing the concept of a complete digital twin of a plant in the engineering process," explains Uwe Vogt, Executive Officer for Engineering at AUCOTEC. Unless all data about a given plant is integrated, the vision of Industry 4.0 cannot be realized, he says. "We want planners, designers and project managers to always be able to use the optimum tool for the relevant field. An all-round tool can only ever be a compromise," stresses Vogt. AUCOTEC is unveiling its new Project Status Manager for machine and plant planning at HANNOVER MESSE 2017. This module from the database-based Engineering Base (EB) CAE platform can automate workflows within the system and supports data exchange with third-party systems of all types. "Users thus no longer need to be afraid of forgetting operations or mixing versions," says Vogt.
AUCOTEC AG (30659 Hannover, Germany), Hall 6, Stand K28
Contact: Johanna Kiesel
Tel.: +49 511 6103 186
E-Mail: jki@autotec.com

Intelligent protection against nasty surprises
Aventics GmbH is focusing its presentation at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 on predictive maintenance.

Predictive maintenance has less to do with clairvoyance and more to do with intelligently placed sensors that can work with smart algorithms to predict with ever increasing reliability when it’s time for maintenance or even replacement, and can even do so remotely. This capability doesn't just link predictive maintenance inextricably with developments such as Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data - it is even becoming increasingly important in those contexts in their own right. This is also reflected in the presentation by Aventics GmbH - based in Laatzen in Germany’s Lower Saxony region - which is focusing firmly on this area at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

Aventics, one of the leading manufacturers of pneumatic components and systems, is using an illuminating example to show how predictive maintenance can be carried out on such equipment. In its demonstration, the company is using appropriate sensors and the new Smart Pneumatics Monitor to monitor shock absorbers and cylinders, based on an electropneumatic valve system. The sensor data collected is evaluated in real time using the AV/AES valve systems and the Smart Pneumatics Monitor, a module for AES. Continuous monitoring of loads makes it possible to determine the condition of the shock absorber and thus detect problematic wear in good time.
Aventics GmbH (30880 Laatzen, Germany), Hall 23, Stand C31
Contact: Sabine André
Tel.: +49 511 2136-168
E-Mail: sabine.andre@aventics.com

I can see what you can't!
CMC Engineers GmbH is at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to unveil its CMC ViewR software, a virtual reality solution specifically designed to meet the needs of SMEs.

While the use of industry-specific VR solutions has till now been the preserve of just a few companies due to the high investment and perceived complexity involved, CMC Engineers GmbH - based in Hülben in Germany’'s Swabia region - is now set to make virtual prototyping accessible to a wider audience. Using a smart combination of existing toolkits and custom-designed interfaces, CMC has succeeded in launching onto the market a VR software solution that is both cost-effective and equipped with the necessary tools. CMC ViewR now also enables smaller companies to gain even more of an edge on their competitors through virtual testing of their designs and virtual sales presentations. CMC Engineers is now unveiling the CMC ViewR VR solution at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 with a live demonstration.

Thanks to its special focus on SMEs, CMC ViewR cuts the outlay for entering virtual reality to the lowest possible level. For example, specialist mechanical engineering companies will be able to visualize and evaluate their concepts and present them to their customers more quickly and easily in the future. Design engineers could interact with their designs to ensure their feasibility and serviceability and thus, among other things, incorporate ergonomic aspects into product development. CMC is keen to highlight the easy and intuitive user interface and the compatibility with HTC Vive consumer hardware and the STEP data exchange format as unique features of ViewR.
CMC Engineers GmbH (72584 Hülben, Germany), Hall 17, Stand E70/1, co-exhibitor at "Young and Innovative Companies"
Contact: Julian Hermle
Tel: +49 7125 979 0718
E-Mail: info@cmc-engineers.de

Partner Country Poland and its perspective on the Nazca Lines
The Nazca Desert is known for its gigantic shapes and lines whose dimensions can only be appreciated from a great distance. The gigantic data volumes of our age also call for a special perspective, says the APA Group from this year’s partner country Poland.

The Polish-based APA Group is a leading company in industrial automation and building services management with over 15 years of experience through numerous successful projects for industrial plants, the public sector and private individuals. The APA Group works for companies such as VW, FSA, Opel, MAN, Tesla, 3M, DB Schenker, Philips and Samsung and collaborates with various organizations including three technical universities in Poland. The Group is committed to transferring know-how from the industrial sector to building automation systems for business, everyday life and municipal authorities.

The APA Group sees one of the greatest technological challenges in the constantly rising volumes of virtual data and refers to estimates from Oracle that the information on the Internet is growing by 40 percent each year. Big data is thus a hot topic, and the APA Group is keen to use this data to optimize quality of life, costs and environmental protection. That’s why it has developed NAZCA, a system that is being previewed at HANNOVER MESSE 2017. The key features of NAZCA are its ease of use, scalability and multiserver architecture. It has been designed to work with Microsoft’s Azure technology and is essentially a combination of three subsystems - BMS, SMS and EMS, which are systems for managing buildings, security and energy. NAZCA meets the ISO 50001 standard and offers real economic benefits through monitoring of energy and media use, thus cutting the costs related to using buildings.
APA Sp. z o.o. (44-105 Gliwice, Poland), Hall 6, Stand K62
Contact: Joanna Oczko
Tel.: +48 602 405 969
E-Mail: media@apagroup.pl

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