February 2010

New IDEA Drive Boasts Improved Graphic User Interface
Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions introduces the Haydon RoHS compliant IDEA programmable stepper motor drive. The IDEA Drive is a compact electronic drive and fully programmable control unit with a patent-pending graphic user interface. Programming the drive is done through the use of on-screen buttons instead of complicated command sets or other proprietary programming languages.

The IDEA Drive also features automatic population of the motor and drive parameters based on entering a Haydon actuator part number when prompted by the user interface. Complex parameter calculations or in-depth stepper motor knowledge from the user is unnecessary. For a more experienced user, default values can easily be adjusted as long as they remain within the safe range calculated by the software. The software allows the system designer to easily troubleshoot programs using line-by-line or multiple-line program execution using the interactive debug feature. Inputs and outputs can also be simulated in software before ever connecting actual I/O hardware.

Other features include programmable current control, a single supply voltage of 12 to 48 VDC, 2.6Arms (3.68Apeak) max rated current per phase, and 8 opto-isolated general purpose I/O. The inputs are rated for 5 to 24 VDC, 4mA max per input. The outputs are open collector, 5 to 24 VDC, 200mA maximum per output. Communications to the IDEA Drive is via a USB to mini USB.

Kübler by TURCK Magnetic Single-Turn Absolute Encoders Support CANopen and SAE J1939 Protocols in Harsh-Duty Applications
Kübler by TURCK introduces a new magnetic single-turn absolute encoder series specifically designed for extreme outdoor applications and heavy-duty construction machinery. The Sendix M3658 shaft and M3678 hollow shaft encoders incorporate patented Sensor Protect and Safety-Lockplus technologies to withstand harsh environmental conditions common in CANopen and SAE J1939 applications.

Sensor Protect technology incorporates fully-encapsulated electronics and a separate mechanical bearing assembly, which provide an IP69K protection rating for both the encoder housing and flange. Due to this design, the Sendix M3658 and M3678 encoders can withstand the high-pressure water or steam cleaning that construction machinery requires without experiencing humidity or moisture ingress.

The encoders’ robust interlocking bearing design utilizes Safety-Lockplus technology that mechanically protects the shaft seal, allowing it to better tolerate installation errors and abrasion. A high resistance to shock and vibration enhances the encoders’ reliability, helping to ensure that machines and motors run safely and dependably without costly downtime due to repairs or unnecessary shutdowns.

The Sendix M3658 and M3678 encoders provide a resolution of up to 14 bits and a non-contact, wear-resistant measuring system. With a wide temperature range from -40°C to 85°C and a high resistance to humidity, the encoders are well-equipped to withstand outdoor applications that experience wide temperature fluctuations.

The new encoder series is equipped with a two-color LED located on the rear of the housing that indicates safe operation or fault status, as well as internal diagnostic status. A compact, 36 mm housing design allows the encoders to be easily installed in areas where space is limited.

ON Semiconductor Expands 100 Volt N-Channel MOSFET Portfolio with New High Current Capability, Robust Load Performance Solutions
ON Semiconductor, a supplier of high-performance, energy-efficient silicon solutions for green electronics, has expanded its N-channel power MOSFET portfolio with the addition of 12 new 100 volt (V) devices. With avalanche ratings of up to 500 millijoules (mJ), ON Semiconductor’s fully tested N-channel power MOSFETs are well-suited for use in designs where voltage overstress resulting from unclamped inductive loads is a concern.

Typical applications for the company’s 100 V power MOSFET devices include industrial motor control, power supplies, power inverters in uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and direct gas injection (DGI) in automotive. Key specification features of these Pb-free, RoHS compliant solutions include: RDS(on) as low as 13 milliohm (mΩ), current capability as high as 76 amperes (A), 100 percent avalanche testing and AEC-Q101 qualification.

 “With the potential for high voltage spikes due to switching inductive loads, and the drive for greater energy efficiency, ON Semiconductor’s N-channel power MOSFETs provide a robust and dependable solution” said Paul Leonard, vice president and general manager of ON Semiconductor’s MOSFET products division.

The NTP641x and NTB641x series of 42 to 76 A devices include the NTB6410AN, NTP6410AN, NTB6411AN, NTP6411AN, NTB6412AN, NTP6412AN, NTB6413AN and NTP6413AN and are available in Pb-free, RoHS compliant TO-220 and D2PAK packages. The NTD641x series of 17 to 32 A devices include the NTD6414AN, NTD6415AN, NTD6416AN and NTD6416ANL and are available in Pb-free and RoHS compliant DPAK and IPAK packages. Operating temperature range of all devices is -55°C to 175°C. Pricing for these MOSFETs ranges from $0.92 to $1.90 USD per unit in 10,000 unit quantities.

MicroE Systems' Miniature Encoders are Well-Suited for XY Microscope Stages, Sub-Micron and Nanometer Positioning Systems, Piezo-Motor Stages and Fine Control of Optics
MicroE Systems' newest Mercury II encoders, with miniature sensors and resolutions as high as 1.2 nm, can upgrade your motion system.
Mercury II encoders enable compact system designs with a sensor as short as 8.7 mm and tape scale only 6 mm wide. Models include programmable interpolation as high as x16384 right in the sensor. Users benefit from digital or analog output from the sensor, especially a smaller footprint and a variety of connector options, including customer-specific connectors.

The small size, excellent operating performance, integrated interpolation electronics, low power consumption and ease of installation make Mercury II encoders perfect for a wide range of precision motion control and metrology applications. High-speed applications are supported by new, faster A-quad-B output and serial word versions as fast as 10 m/s with 1.2 nm resolution.

Mercury II encoders offer linear resolutions from 5 µm to 1.2 nm, rotary resolutions up to 268M CPR, short-range accuracy up to ±20 nm, long-range accuracy up to ±1μm and vacuum models up to 10-8 torr. Scales include cut-to-length PurePrecision laser tape with stick-on index and limits, linear glass with stick-on index and limits (low expansion glass available) and rotary scales.

Key features of the Mercury II include tiny sensors, wide setup tolerances, user-programmable resolution, robust tolerance to scale contamination, low power consumption and software for encoder setup and data plots.

In addition to Mercury II encoders, MicroE Systems makes small-diameter rotary, low-cost PCB mount and vacuum-rated models, all RoHS compliant.

New Advanced Kollmorgen Drive Delivers Scalable Programmability to Optimize Machine Performance in Virtually Any Application
Kollmorgen introduces the Advanced Kollmorgen Driv (AKD). The Ethernet-based AKD delivers best-in-class performance with industry-leading flexibility, scalability and power range to meet the unique performance requirements of nearly any application; from basic torque and velocity applications to indexing and multi-axis programmable motion via the company’s new complete machine automation solution, Kollmorgen Automation Suite. As a result, machine builders are able to standardize on a single drive family with a common graphical user interface (GUI) across the power range to deliver optimized machine performance, throughput and accuracy across multiple applications while minimizing engineering time and costs associated with stocking, understanding and programming multiple types of drives.

“AKD is specifically designed with the versatility, communications and power that OEMs need to expand machine performance and increase integration speeds,” said Josh Inman, product manager of Kollmorgen North America. “The AKD facilitates true plug-and-play operation with standard Kollmorgen servomotors and linear positioners to get an optimized, high-performance system up and running quickly in less space and for less cost than lower-performing options. Multiple Ethernet connectivity options available from the base hardware support a variety of open and closed protocols without the need for separate option cards. And a broad power range in a smaller, compact design enables machine builders to use these robust drives with a single interface.”

The AKD is available for 120/240 VAC or 480 VAC operation with a power range of 3 to 24 Arms continuous current, 9 to 48 Arms peak. Models with an industry-leading power range as high as 96 Arms continuous and 192 Arms peak will be available in 2010. The AKD’s high power density enables machine builders to get more power from a drive as small as 168 mm by 57 mm by 153 mm. As a result, OEMs can reduce the size of their machine or increase its power without increasing its size. And with common interface and hardware across the entire AKD power range, machine builders will benefit from faster commissioning and troubleshooting.

The AKD is uniquely capable of supporting a variety of feedback devices and Ethernet Motion buses from the base hardware without the need for any separate option cards. Currently supported feedback devices include Smart Feedback Devices (SFD), Endat, BiSS, Analog Sine/Cos encoders, incremental encoders, HIPERFACE and resolvers. Currently supported Ethernet Motion buses include EtherCAT, CANopen and Modbus/TCP. Because these capabilities are available “out of the box” from the base hardware, the AKD maximizes operational flexibility while reducing costs and overall footprint increases associated with integrating option cards.

The AKD delivers patented Autotuning algorithms that automatically adjust all gains, including patent-pending observers. This advanced Autotuning functionality also provides immediate and adaptive responses to dynamic loads and offers precise control of all motor types. Additionally, Autotuning can help overcome less-than-perfect mechanical designs and help machine builders solve even the most challenging scenarios by compensating for compliant transmissions and couplings that would otherwise rob a machine of its intended performance.

With up to 27-bit resolution, the AKD delivers the industry’s lowest noise characteristics for improved machine precision. Additionally, a powerful dual processor system executes industry-leading servo algorithms with high resolution for very fast settling times. Because the AKD provides torque loop updates in 0.67 μs, while velocity and position loops lead the market at 62.5 μs and 125 μs, respectively, these drives immediately accommodate changing load conditions.

The AKD’s easy-to-use GUI features a six-channe,l real-time software oscilloscope for fast commissioning and diagnosis. A multi-function Bode plot allows users to quickly evaluate performance, while Auto-complete functionality of programmable commands saves looking up parameter names. One-click capture and sharing of program plots and parameter settings allow users to send machine performance data instantly.

Additional features of note include digital signal processor control to support reliable, repeatable spets; screw terminal connectors on I/O for fast installation; optically-isolated I/O to reduce noise; SIL-qualified, over-voltage, current and temperature detection; option cards that increase available I/O and add NVRAM; and processing power that provides multi-axis machine control capability.
The AKD is rated for operation in ambient temperatures ranging from 0°C to 40°C (as high as 55°C with de-rating) and boasts a robust MTBF of nearly 660,000 hours. It conforms to Category 3/Sil2 and RoHS standards, meets the insulation requirements of IEC60601, is UL listed and carries the CE mark.

GM Invests $246 Million in Electric Motors and Hybrid Components, Creating Jobs in Baltimore
General Motors will invest approximately $246 million in electric motor and electric drive manufacturing, including construction of a high-volume electric drive production facility at the Baltimore Transmission plant. In 2013, the plant will begin to manufacture electric motors for GM's Two-mode Hybrid system. The plant will be the first electric-motor manufacturing facility in the US operated by a major automaker.

By bringing this capability to the US, GM will create approximately 200 jobs. Local and state incentives, along with the Recovery Act funding announced in August 2009 by the US Department of Energy, are helping to make this facility expansion and job creation possible.
"Electric motors are the engines of the future," said Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman, Global Product Operations. "By designing and manufacturing electric motors in-house at Baltimore Transmission, we can more efficiently control the design, materials and production processes. It will also enable us to lower costs and improve performance, quality, reliability and manufacturability of the electric motors we use in our vehicles."

Stephens also noted the importance of the new technology to the nation's and Maryland's overall economic growth.
"Electric motors are driving the next wave of automotive growth," Stephens said. "The expansion of the Baltimore plant will generate a significant influx of money and jobs into the greater Baltimore area, creating US-based manufacturing jobs."
Through job retention and creation, Baltimore Transmission, which opened in 2000, will employ close to 400 people.
Nationally, including immediate project jobs, manufacturing jobs and the impact on suppliers and local communities, the investment is estimated to retain or create about 1700 jobs.

"Ultimately this expansion, its direct economic impact, its contribution to GM's capabilities and its impact on the vehicles we drive will be a model of what a lean, energetic, creative General Motors is capable of doing and contributing," Stephens said.

Remy International, Inc. Forms New Business Unit to Further Target EV/HEV Markets
Remy International, Inc. has announced the launch of a new business unit that will accelerate its efforts to provide high-output electric drive motors for the emerging markets of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles and equipment.

Remy International's CEO John Weber said, "We are projecting rapid growth over the next five years in the electric vehicle/hybrid electric vehicle market, and Remy has some terrific technology for these applications. Kevin brings a wealth of experience to new business launches, and we're delighted to have him leading our efforts here. We expect to build a $500 million global business unit for Remy International, and we're investing the resources to make this happen. We're staffing up our engineering, sales and market development functions immediately, and we'll be expanding our manufacturing capacity by the end of this year."

Last October, Remy International introduced an advanced electric motor for hybrid and hybrid-electric vehicles. This product, the HVH250, is based on Remy's patented High Voltage Hairpin technology and offers the highest power and torque density on the market today. It is the first in a series of new off-the-shelf products planned by Remy for the automotive, truck, bus and heavy-equipment markets.

The HVH motor platform exceeds not only the current DOE targets for electric motor power density, but also already exceeds published 2020 DOE targets for power density by 200 percent.

With multiple manufacturing sites in North America and Europe, Remy has the capacity to produce more than 100,000 of these electric motors annually. Remy's expansion of this product line is being funded in part by recent Department of Energy grants aimed at accelerating the commercialization of next generation electric vehicle technologies. Some of the grant funds will also be available to support customer costs associated with the integration of the motor/generator system.

Motor Drives Market Decline in 2009 Mitigated by Growth in Asia Pacific
According to the latest statistics from IMS Research, the worldwide market for low voltage AC and DC motor drives experienced robust growth in 2008, with revenues increasing by approximately 14.6 percent over 2007 levels. Data reported by leading motor drive suppliers indicates positive growth through the third quarter of 2008 was fueled by key industry sectors such as oil and gas, mining and commercial HVAC. IMS Research estimates that total worldwide revenues for the motor drives market were nearly $11 billion in 2008 with more than 15 million drive units shipped during the year.

Starting in the fourth quarter of 2008 and continuing through 2009, many segments of the market slowed significantly due to the global recession. As a result, the worldwide market for motor drives is forecast to contract by nearly 15.9 percent in 2009 in terms of revenues before returning to positive growth in 2010. There are several reasons behind the contraction in 2009, including declines in regional GDP and significant contractions in machinery production levels. Ongoing problems with capital lending are also expected to contribute to the decline of the market in 2009.

Due to the heavy concentration of machine builders in Western Europe, the EMEA motor drives market remains the largest regional market, accounting for nearly 45 percent of total market revenues in 2008. The full effects of the economic downturn in the EMEA region were delayed until the first quarter of the year, resulting in a projected market contraction of 25.2 percent in 2009. The Americas region, accounting for more than 20 percent of total market revenues in 2008, also represents a sizeable percentage of the global motor drives market. The Americas drives market is forecast to contract by 19.2 percent in revenue terms in 2009, as the earlier impacts of the downturn in the region are predicted to result in a faster recovery than in the EMEA drives market. The Japanese drives market is projected to be impacted the most severely due to global economic conditions; revenues are forecast to decrease by approximately 27.1 percent in 2009. This steep decline is attributed to a large decrease in the industrial machinery exports that utilize the majority of the motor drives sold in the region. The bright spot of the market remains Asia Pacific, where the drives market is expected to harbor positive growth throughout the downturn. Continued demand from the booming Chinese market elicited by sustained positive GDP growth is predicted to result in a 2.9 percent revenue growth during 2009 for the entire Asia Pacific drives market.

The global economic slowdown is forecast to have varying levels of effect, impacting some industries more than others. Smaller declines experienced by the renewable energy, food, commercial HVAC and beverage and tobacco sectors are expected to help offset significant decreases in the semiconductor, machine tool and shipbuilding and marine industries. According to IMS Research analyst Jenalea Howell, “there are two distinct tiers of industries that have been affected by the economic downturn. Industry sectors that have links to population growth and increased urbanization, such as food, beverage and tobacco and utilities, have held up relatively well during the recession, while those tied to machine building have suffered greatly.”

Ingeteam to Build Production Facility in Milwaukee for Renewable Energy Equipment
Ingeteam, a Spanish company that specializes in highly engineered electrical and electronic equipment and services, will construct a $15 million facility in Milwaukee, Wis. to manufacture equipment for renewable energy projects.

Ingeteam, headquartered in Bilbao, Spain, said it will begin construction of the 100,000-square-foot combined production facility and office complex in April, with completion set for December. The company expects to begin manufacturing operations in January 2011 and will employ about 275 workers by 2015.

This will be Ingeteam's first manufacturing facility in the US. When completed, the plant will focus primarily on the renewable energy industry, producing Indar wind power generators and Ingeteam converters and solar power inverters for the North American market.

"After carefully analyzing our company's needs, we selected Milwaukee for our new production facility because the city is conveniently located for distribution of our products and has a solid industrial base from which Ingeteam can source materials," said Ander Gandiaga, Ingeteam's corporate director for international development.

"Milwaukee also has a labor pool experienced in electrical manufacturing. In addition, the area boasts prestigious universities with some of the highest-ranked engineering departments in the country that offer specific courses in renewable energy, which will be very useful when it comes to finding specialized staff," said Aitor Sotes, chief executive officer of Ingeteam Inc., Ingeteam's subsidiary in the US.
Ingeteam already has an office in suburban Milwaukee that has provided operations management and maintenance services for US wind turbine farms since 2008. In addition, Ingeteam has a sales office in Santa Clara, Calif., that supplies the market for solar inverters.
Ingeteam currently has a 12 to15 percent worldwide market share of wind power components. However, Ingeteam has identified the United States as a growth market for wind energy and expects its global market share to rise by having a US-based manufacturing operation to supply the North American market. At full capacity, the Milwaukee plant will supply equipment capable of producing 7,500 megawatts (MW) of electricity each year.

The Milwaukee plant will produce generators and converters for 1.5 MW to 5 MW wind turbines, and solar power inverters that range from 2.5 kilowatt (kW) units for residential use up to 500 kW units for utility-scale installations. Later, Ingeteam plans to add a facility for system testing.

In addition, the new plant is expected to produce motors, generators and converters for the other markets in which the company is active – railway, marine, combined heat and power generation, hydraulic equipment and the iron and steel industry.
Finally, the new facility will also provide better access to North American markets for Indar Maquinas Hidraulicas, an Ingeteam company that designs and manufactures large submersible pumps. Indar MH has been very active commercially in the United States market since 2003.

Ingeteam, Inc. is a business group specializing in electrical engineering and the development of electronic technology for the energy, industry, marine and railway sectors. Its brands include Ingeteam, Indar, and Pine. Ingeteam companies provide custom turnkey engineering and installation solutions and manufacture electric machines and electronic control and power equipment.

Moving Water Industries Signs Major Contract to Supply Pumps for Red Bluff Pumping Plant and Fish Screen Project
Moving Water Industries has won a competitive request for proposal and had signed a major contract with the Bureau of Reclamation of the United States Department of the Interior to furnish pumps and motors for the Red Bluff Pumping Plant and Fish Screen Project located in Red Bluff, Calif. in Tehama County. The pumps to be supplied will pump cumulatively 2,100 cubic feet per second ( 942,480 gpm) and meet the requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which will provide partial financing for the project.
"The construction of a bridge and siphon to connect the existing canal headworks facilities and the new pumping plant is a significant step toward diverting water in a way that allows unimpeded passage for salmon and green sturgeon," said Ken Salazar, US Secretary of the Interior.

Completion of this project is expected by spring 2012 in order to meet court-mandated completion requirements and to meet the needs for agricultural water supply in the 18 member Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority which serves Tehama, Glenn, Colusa and Yolo counties. The canal authority manages irrigation for 150,000 acres with a direct annual economic benefit of $250 million and an overall regional economic benefit of $1 billion according to Jeffrey P. Sutton, general manager of the Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority.

Moving Water Industries is an industry leader in the manufacture and sale of extended line-shaft axial and mixed flow propeller pumps, submersible electric pumps and its patented Hydraflo Pump, which can save as much as 50 percent of the cost of installing a pump station. MWI's Rental Division has more than 5 million gallons per minute of capacity available for rent anywhere in the world. Rental pumps are available for quick installation with flows of up to 120,000 gallons per minute.

March
23-25 • WESTEC 2010 • Los Angeles, Calif.

April
13-15 • SAE 2010 World Congress • Detroit, Mich.

19-23 • Hannover Messe • Germany

28-29 • Automation Technology Expo South • Charlotte, N.C.

Aviation Industry Expo
March 16-18
Las Vegas, Nev.

Aviation Industry Expo focuses on what matters most in the aviation industry and is the industry’s ONLY annual event focused on Ground Support, FBO/Aviation Services and Aircraft Maintenance.

Attendees come from all 50 states and over 35 countries looking for products and services like: aircraft maintenance equipment; auxiliary power & ground power units; batteries; communication devices; engine parts and components; forklifts; surface carts; transfer vehicles; trucks/vans/scooters; tugs & tractors; wheels and brakes

AIE is host to NATA Spring Training, AMTSociety’s Annual Symposium, the U.S. Department of Defense JPAVSE Annual Gathering, and a wide variety of ground support and business seminars.

Join us March 16-18, 2010, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For information on exhibiting or attending, call 800.827.8009 or visit www.AviationIndustryExpo.com.  Use priority code WCNew to register and the $25 exhibit hall fee will be waived!

WESTEC 2010

There's no denying it. Manufacturing is changing and in ways you probably never imagined: new economic forces, stiff competition advances in technology, demands to work lean and green, emerging industries, and global markets. Get the inside track on running a manufacturing enterprise, buying machinery, and manufacturing leadership. Rounding out the week are complimentary sessions on becoming and staying a successful manufacturer, keynotes, and a panel discussion. If you want to be part of new supply chains, WESTEC should be your first stop. The game is changing. Want to make sure your company not only grows, but evolves? Make sure you get to WESTEC.

Sensors Expo & Conference
June 7-9
Rosemont, Ill.

For 24 Years, Sensors Expo & Conference Has Been the Leading Industry Event Focusing Exclusively on Sensors & Sensor-Integrated Systems! The in-depth conference program features the world's leading authorities, in a carefully designed program, including topics such as: Energy Harvesting, Wireless Networking, Low-Power Sensing, Bio-Sensing, MEMS & MCUs, Monitoring Tools & Applications, Novel Approaches to Measurement, Power/Smart Grid Monitoring & Control, and more!  PLUS – save months of time researching, by examining solutions to your toughest sensing challenges from best-in-class vendors on the Expo floor!  Whether you're looking to find the latest sensing solutions, evaluate emerging standards, find and compare suppliers, or solve new design challenges, you can't afford to miss Sensors Expo & Conference! 

Visit www.sensorsexpo.com for details!

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