January/February 2012 | $10.00 | Return of the Airship

$10.00 | January/February 2012
PM40069240
Return of the
Airship
14 Former “Anti-PLM” CAD
company, Autodesk, launches
Nexus 360 PLM for SMBs
24 Machine Automation Controller
integrates multiple controllers
34 Modular bridge system poised
to expand outside Canada
Buoyant aircraft make a
comeback as the need
to ship cargo to remote
locations intensiﬁes.
1-DES.indd 1 12-02-13 7:49 AM

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5-DES.indd 4 12-02-07 10:50 AM

IN THE NEWS
?? Tex to go here Tex
to go here Tex to go
here Tex to go here
here Tex to go here
here Tex to go here
here Tex to go here
here Tex to go here
here Tex to go here
here Tex to go here
5IN THE NEWS
8 Amphibious “tank”
design validated by
Autodesk
8 University of
Waterloo names
new dean of
engineering
8 JMP Engineering
opens new office
8 Digi-Key,
Dynastream
sign distribution
agreement
10 Manufacture of
2012 Honda CR-V
begins in Alliston,
ON
10 Tricorder XPrize
competition
launched
10 DALSA sensors to
guide Mars rover
12 Waterloo spin-off
wins recognition
for smarter alloy
technology
12 Study suggests
Canada less trade
dependent than
previously thought
Annual Subscription Rate
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READER SERVICES
Contents | Volume 58, No. 1
14 CAD Report
Formerly the “Anti-PLM” CAD company,
Autodesk launches Nexus 360 PLM
for SMBs
20 HardWire
Researchers leverage 3D mice and six
degrees of freedom control for robot
design and flight manipulation
26 Power Transmission
Compact design envelope of Lunar project
prototype relies on mini-slides
30 Idea Generator
The latest in industrial products including
motors, sensors, fluid power and motion
34 Canadian Innovator
Modular bridge system, Make-A-Bridge,
poised to expand outside Canada
Columns
18 Will Additive Manufacturing
Change Manufacturing?
AM could very well become the
most diverse, flexible and accessible
manufacturing technology ever
22 Return of the Airship
Long ignored buoyant aircraft are making
a comeback as the need to ship cargo to
remote locations intensifies
24 All-in-One Automation
Omron’s Machine Automation Controller
integrates multiple controllers while
maintaining high performance
Features
26
34
18
24
22
20
www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2012
5-DES.indd 5 12-02-07 10:50 AM

6 EditorialViewpoint
I enjoy hearing from you so please contact me at
MMcLeod@design-engineering.com and your letter
could be published in an upcoming issue.
@
To say that the Canadian aerospace market is poised to “take off” in 2012 is
not only a terrible cliche but a bit of an understatement. While most of the
manufacturing sector continues suffer from the effects of the worldwide reces-
sion, aerospace OEMs and their suppliers have pulled out of the dive of the last
three years and are now hitting the afterburners.
According to research from market analyst firm RNCOS, aerospace in
Canada will experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7 percent
in 2012-2013, as the U.S economy strengthens. For those in the MRO space, the
outlook is even better, as aerospace maintenance hubs such as Manitoba and
Quebec are expected to see CAGR of 10 percent or better in coming years.
Other forecasters are similarly optimistic. After declines in 2010 and little to
no growth last year, Export Development Canada (EDC) Economics estimates
exports of aircraft and parts will surge by 22 percent this year.
Currently, the U.S. represents the biggest aerospace market, with estimated
sales of US$ 215.2 Billion in 2009, and is Canada’s largest export destination.
However, emerging markets like Brazil, Mexico, India and especially China may
one day soon overtake it. Analysts anticipate China alone will buy more than
3,700 airplanes by 2028, worth an estimated US$390 Billion.
In the here and now, though, Canada’s big aerospace players have already
begun to benefit from the improving economic environment. For example,
Quebec-based landing gear manufacturer, Heroux-Devtek, recently reported
that its net profits, in the third quarter of its 2012 fiscal year, were 33.8 per cent
higher than the $5.2 million it earned a year earlier.
Similarly, flight simulator firm, CAE has landed several contracts in the last
few months including more than $100 million worth from Canada’s Department
of National Defence, Malaysia, the German Air Force and the Royal Air Force.
In addition, it has signed $65-million worth of contracts to supply customers
in Asia with five flight simulators.
Not to be out done, Montreal-based Bombardier boasted at the end of 2011
that it will add between $10 and $16 billion in revenue to its current $18 billion.
The company reports that production of its CSeries planes are fully booked in
2014 and 2015 and is two-thirds to capacity for 2016.
This ramp up in activity translates to growing employment opportunities,
particularly in Quebec, says Comité sectoriel de main‐d’œuvre en aérospatiale
(CAMAQ), a Quebec-based non-profit industry organization. Its annual Employ-
ment Census and Forecast survey conducted last fall found that 95 percent of
the 215 survey respondents expect the coming year to be as good or better than
2011.
More importantly, the survey found that 3,040 jobs were added in 2011 and
another 3,642 positions will need to be filled in 2012, including engineers,
machinists, assemblers and maintenance technicians.
CouplingCAMAQ’ssurveyresultswiththeengineerdeficitprojectedbyEngineers
Canada’s recent employment study, it looks like the industry’s high density centres
like Montreal will be a safe place for engineers to land in 2012 and beyond.
Mike McLeod
Take-Off, Non?
www.design-engineering.com
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January/February | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
6-DES.indd 6 12-02-09 10:22 AM

Product Description AutomationDirect
Price/Part Number
JUST A FEW PRICES ON SAFETY DEVICES
AutomationDirect prices are U.S. published prices as of March 2011.
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6-DES.indd 7 12-02-07 11:45 AM

8
University of Waterloo names new
dean of engineering
The University of Waterloo has
named professor, Pearl Sullivan
P.Eng, C.Eng, as its new dean
of engineering—the eighth in
the university’s history and the
first woman to hold that post.
Currently the chair of the
Department of Mechanical and
Mechatronics Engineering at Waterloo, Sullivan
will begin her five-year term on July 1, 2012.
She takes over from Adel Sedra, an authority
in microelectronic circuits, who has served two
terms as dean and is retiring.
Originally from Malaysia, but in Canada for
nearly 30 years, Sullivan earned her PhD from
the Department of Metals and Materials Engi-
neering at the University of British Columbia.
She is the founding director of Waterloo’s joint
graduate program in nanotechnology within
the faculties of engineering and science.
www.uwaterloo.ca
JMP Engineering opens new office
Engineering, systems integrator and solutions
provider JMP Engineering, Inc. has opened a
new office in Dallas–Fort Worth, TX as part of
its continued expansion plans across North
America. Marc Goulet, a JMP manager and
solution provider, will oversee the new office,
along with Dan Foster, a professional with a
background in automation and packaging.
www.jmpeng.com
Digi-Key, Dynastream sign distribu-
tion agreement
Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Cor-
poration announced the addition of products
from Dynastream Innovations. The company is
an industry leader in wireless monitoring products,
including the Dynastream ANT series, a wireless
sensor network protocol and silicon solution for
ultra-low power networking applications.
With an installed base of over a million nodes,
ANT is engineered for ultra-low power, low
system cost, ease-of-use, scalability and flex-
ibility that enables sensors to operate for up
to three years on a coin cell battery. The ANT
protocol handles peer-to-peer, star, tree and
practical mesh topologies.
www.digikey.ca
Up Front Canadian amphibious
“tank” design validated
by Autodesk Simulation
ARKTOS Developments Ltd. (ADL) —designer and manufacturer of
an amphibious vehicle known as the ARKTOS Craft—is using simu-
lation software from Autodesk to design its products to operate in the
world’s most environmentally demanding locations.
Originally designed as an amphibious evacuation craft for Arctic
offshore oil facilities, the ARKTOS Craft can move from frigid -50°C
(-122°F) temperatures, through burning flames, and back again, as in
thecaseofevacuatingaburningoilrig.Additionally,theARKTOSCraft
can navigate ice-rubble fields, ice ridges and open water—and can even
climb up or down vertical steps. The company’s Craft is currently oper-
ating in Alaska, China and the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan.
Delta, B.C.’s Valmont West Coast Engineering, which provides finite
element analysis (FEA) services to ADL, was responsible for predicting
vehicleperformanceinsevereenvironments.“WeusedAutodeskSimu-
lation technology to predict critical stresses for the ARKTOS at extreme
temperaturesandloadingconditions,”saidIoanGiosan,Ph.D.,P.Engat
Valmont. “After finding an optimal design using FEA, we relied on
physical testing and field use to validate the accuracy of our results.”
ThekeytotheARKTOSCraft’smobilityisanarticulatedarmbetween
the vessel’s two main compartments. As the Craft climbs up onto an ice
shelf from the water, the hydraulics in that arm help push the Craft up
out of the water so that the special track spikes can grab the ice.
Using the multiphysics capabilities of Autodesk Simulation, Valmont
was able to show ADL engineers how thermal stress caused by tem-
perature extremes would combine with mechanical stress within the
articulated arm between the units. Additionally, since the arm would
see repeated compressive and tensile loading, Valmont also analyzed
fatigue life using the Autodesk Simulation multiphysics tools.
“We continue to modify the original ARKTOS design for each of
our new customer’s unique needs,” said Bruce Seligman, president at
ADL. “Autodesk software makes it easy for us to design new attachments
for the craft, and then simulate how they will affect performance.”
www.arktoscraft.com
DesignNews
Pearl Sullivan
B.C.-based ARKTOS Development’s amphibious craft.
8-13 DES.indd 8 12-02-07 10:33 AM

513-521-4261
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Cincinnati, OH
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513 521 4261
miniature
pneumatic and
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devices
stainless steel cylinders • shuttle valves • push-quick fittings
pushbutton actuators • acrylic subplates • manifolds • solenoid valves
slip-on fittings • frls • brass cylinders • toggle valves • quick-connect fittings
stem valves • hose • modular valves • 10 and 15 mm valves • pneumatic circuits
tubing • brass valves • pressure sensors • flow controls • pressure gauges
8-13 DES.indd 9 12-02-07 10:33 AM

10 DesignNews
(Left to Right) Nobuyuki Sanui, President, Honda of Canada Mfg.
and Takashi Sekiguchi, President and CEO, Honda Canada Inc.
Manufacture of 2012 Honda CR-V
begins in Alliston, ON
In January, production of the 2012 Honda CR-V officially
began at Honda of Canada Mfg. in Alliston, ON. The addi-
tion of the CR-V to HCM’s production lineup makes it the
first Honda plant in North America to produce four distinct
models (Civic, CR-V, MDX and ZDX) on one line.
In November 2011, Honda celebrated 25 years of manu-
facturing in Canada at its facilities in Alliston, Ontario.
Since 1987, Honda has built close to 6 million vehicles and
invested more than $2.6 billion in Canada. The company
also purchases more than $1.1 billion in goods from Cana-
dian suppliers per year, the company says.
http://hondacanada.ca
Tricorder XPrize
competition launched
At the 2012 Consumer Elec-
tronics Show, the X PRIZE
and Qualcomm Foundations
announced the launch of the
$10 million Qualcomm Tri-
corder X PRIZE, a competi-
tion to create a real world Star
Trek’s medical Tricorder.
According to the contest spon-
sors, the goal spurs develop-
ment of devices that allow
consumers to make medical
diagnoses independent of a
healthcare provider.
To score the $10 million top prize, the winning entry will
be the mobile platform that most accurately diagnoses a set
of 15 diseases across 30 consumers in three days. Teams must
also deliver a compelling consumer experience while captur-
ingreal-timehealthmeasurements—bloodpressure,respira-
tory rate and temperature, etc.—so user can tell if they need
professional help and provide “next step” advice.
www.qualcommtricorderxprize.org
DALSA sensors to guide Mars rover
Teledyne DALSA announced that its NASA-designed, Tele-
dyne DALSA-manufactured CCD sensors were used in
Navcam and Hazcam cameras of the Curiosity Rover for
navigation on the surface of Mars. The Rover will use 4
Navcam cameras and 8 Hazcam cameras.
Mounted on a pan/tilt mast 2 meters above the ground,
four Navcams black-and-white cameras will use visible light
to gather panoramic, three-dimensional imagery. The
navigation camera unit is a stereo pair of cameras, each
with a 45-degree field of view that will support ground
navigation planning.
The rover’s eight Hazcams, mounted on the lower por-
tion of the front and rear of the rover, will use visible light
to capture three-dimensional imagery to safeguards against
the rover getting lost or crashing into obstacles.
The rover uses pairs of Hazcam images to map out the
shape of the terrain as far as 3 meters in front of it and 4
meters wide. Teledyne DALSA’s semiconductor wafer
foundry has supported NASA’s missions to Mars since 1997.
www.teledynedalsa.com
PyroGenesis awarded waste-to-energy
contract
PyroGenesis Canada Inc.—a Montreal-based company that
makes plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch
products—announced that the U.S. Air Force 1st Special
Operations Civil Engineering Squadron (1 SOCES) has
signed an 18-month, $2.73 million contract.
Under its terms, PyroGenesis will operate, maintain
and collect operations data on its Plasma Resource Recov-
ery System (PRRS) at the Air Force’s base in Hurlburt
Field, Florida.
PyroGenesis designed and manufactured the PRRS,
which uses plasma to convert waste to energy and usable
products. The system began operational testing at the
Florida Air Force base late last year.
www.pyrogenesis.com
Qualcomm’s Tricorder XPrize
promises $10 million to first
to invent a real world Star
Trek-like diagnostic tricorder.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover incorporates CCD sensors manufactured by
Teledyne-Dalsa in its four Navcam and eight Hazcam cameras.
8506-8-13 DES.indd 10 12-02-07 12:07 PM

8506-24 RunWise 7.875x10.75.indd 1 1/20/12 2:13 PM8-13 DES.indd 11 12-02-07 10:33 AM

12
IPT’s Multiple Memory Material technology “remembers” multiple
shapes based on varying temperatures.
Waterloo spin-off wins recognition
for smarter alloy technology
Waterloo University spinoff, Innovative Processing Tech-
nologies (IPT), has been recognized for its Multiple
Memory Material (MMM) technology. The company’s
technology allows typical memory alloys, which change
shape at a specific temperature, to memorize multiple shapes
at different temperatures.
IPT and a Waterloo Engineering team, led by professor
Norman Zhou, have been awarded $130,000 by the Ontario
Centres of Excellence (OCE) to develop prototypes for auto-
motive applications. OCE also awarded, IPT’s co-founder
and Waterloo mechanical engineering alumnus, Ibraheem
Khan, a $50,000 one-year fellowship to help commercialize
OCE-funded research.
According to IPT, its memory material technology
promises to enhance applications of shape memory alloys
for micro electromechanical systems (MEMS), medical
devices, valves, automotive applications, among others.
Located in the Toronto-based MaRS Discovery District,
IPT is currently working with a number of clients in the
automotive and aerospace sectors.
www.engineering.uwaterloo.ca
Study suggests Canada less trade
dependent than previously thought
According to a Conference Board of Canada study, “Adding
Value to Trade Measures: An Introduction to Value-Added
Trade” Canada is less trade-dependent than previously
thought; has a smaller trade relationship with the United
States than commonly believed; and relies on the services
sector for a much larger share of its trade.
According to the study’s authors, conventional trade
measures have not been adapted to gauge transactions accu-
rately when more than one country is involved in the produc-
tion of a single good. Instead, the Conference Board’s
value-added analysis utilizes a methodology to estimate
value-added in the context of trade.
The first major outcome of the value-added trade method
is to eliminate double counting, which occurs when inputs
cross borders multiple times before becoming a finished
product. The second is to allocate the value embedded in a
traded product back to its source. For example, an exported
car contains a variety of inputs including raw materials,
engineering services and even electricity.
Accordingtotheanalysis,Canadaislesstrade-dependent;
itstrademixisdifferent;anditislessdependentontheUnited
States,thanpreviouslythought.Forexample,usingvalue-added
trade measures, Canada’s share of global trade falls from 3.1
percentto2.9percent;servicesaccountforabout40percent
ofCanada’strade;andtheU.S.shareofCanada’soveralltrade
falls from 69 per cent to less than 62 percent.
www.conferenceboard.ca
DesignNews
Baumer Inc. · 4046 Mainway Drive · Burlington · Ontario · L7M 4B9
Phone 905-335-8444 · sales.ca@baumer.com · www.baumer.ca
Rugged, Accurate, Programmable
Unparalleled Flexibility
„ IP67 design withstands temperatures -40 to +100C
„ Industry leading precision and shock handling
„ Field programmable resolution and output voltage
HS35 Motor Feedback Encoder
8-13 DES.indd 12 12-02-07 10:33 AM

Novotechnik U.S., Inc. • 155 Northboro Road • Southborough, MA 01772 • Tel: 508-485-2244 Fax: 508-485-2430
The RSM2800 Magnetic Encoder counts turns,
measures angles down to the last degree, and
remembers shaft positions without power
Don’t try this with other encoders: imagine your machine
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RSM2800 reports the correct position including the
counts that occurred with no power!
RSM2800 magnetic encoders provide the level of reliability
and accuracy sought in demanding applications like:
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The RSM2800 is based on Novotechnik’s patented
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This new wear-free technology
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Contact us for samples or for complete specs,
visit www.novotechnik.com/rsm
RSM2800 Specifications:
Absolute multi-turn
Up to 16 turns
Up to 0.1° resolution
Up to 0.1%
independent linearity
Outputs: 0.1 to 10V
or 4 to 20 mA
or 0.25 to 4.75V
Housing OD=30 mm
IP rating options:
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No gears, no optics,
no batteries
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8-13 DES.indd 13 12-02-07 10:33 AM

14
Formerly the “Anti-PLM” CAD company,
Autodesk launches Nexus 360 PLM for SMBs.
By Ralph Grabowski
When people stand around the office cooler, sharing
horror stories of PLM implementations, one thinks of
the old joke defining a yacht: A hole in the water into which
you pour money. PLM has a similar patina, so software com-
panies like Aras and Autodesk have developed systems to keep
down the cost of implementing and operating PLM.
PLM(productlifecyclemanagement)isacollectionofsoftware
that promises to manage products from concept to CAD, to
CAM, to distribution, and to disposal—“womb to tomb,” as
some put it.
PLM systems are sold generally to large corporations by
other larger corporations. In the CAD world, this includes
Dassault Systems who offers Enovia for PLM; Siemens PLM
Systems (Teamcenter); and PTC (Windchill). There are some
very large non-CAD software companies who also offer PLM,
including Oracle (Agile) and SAP (ECC). For a CAD vendor,
PLM can earn more in revenues than CAD, ironically. Indeed,
when Siemens AG purchased UGS, it put “PLM” in the name,
not ‘CAD,’ and when PTC relaunched Pro/E as Creo, it was
in part acknowledging that it had let CAD development lag
at the expense of PLM.
This leaves Autodesk, the largest CAD vendor of all, with-
out PLM. Company CEO Carl Bass had, in the past, boasted
that Autodesk was the anti-PLM vendor. “We have less belief
in the PLM market, and are happy to leave others to it,” he
declared at a media event some years ago. In interviews I have
held with Autodesk executives, they would insist that Vault
was sufficient.
Vault is Autodesk’s product data management (PDM)
software, which runs on a server. It manages the data related
to product designs, such as drawing and Word files. “PLM is
different from data management,” executive VP of Manufac-
turing Industry Group, Robert Kross told me five years ago.
“We are looking at data management differently than all other
CAD companies.” At the time, his group’s focus was on
digital prototyping, and his plan was to store product data in
Inventor files.
Autodesk Embraces PLM
CADReport
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Autodesk Does a 180 with 360
Then, a year ago, the anti-PLM
tone changed. In an interview with
the British DEVELOP3D webzine,
Mr Bass admitted, “As the most
outspoken critic of PLM, I have
changed my mind in a couple of
ways.” We didn’t know it at the
time, but when the interview was
being held, Autodesk had already
been working on its PLM software
for a year.
After all its poo-pooing of traditional PLM, Autodesk had to
make sure its PLM was different. It would be cheaper, run on
Vault for managing data, make use of Buzzsaw for sharing data
and require no customization. PLM customization means big
bucksforconsultants,andsoAutodesk’splanistomakeavailable
hundredsofspecializedmodulesthatuserscustomizethemselves.
Autodesk spent the last year secretly acquiring a dozen small
companies whose technologies are now modules in “Autodesk
Nexus360forPLM”—thenameitchoseforitsnewPLMsystem.
And it is a “system,” not a single software package.
What Might Be In Nexus 360
The problem is that Nexus 360 isn’t available yet, and so I can
report only what Autodesk says it will be—and what won’t
be—in its marketing literature and
through interviews with the media.
Autodesk found that companies
use PLM mostly for managing CAD,
managing engineering change orders
(ECO) and generating bills of mate-
rials (BOM). But when implement-
ing a PLM system, firms had to put
up with costs from installing servers,
backup units, deployments, software
maintenance fees and the custom
code required to tie everything
together. This PLM implementation typically takes up to a
half year to get running.
Initially, Nexus 360 will consist of three products. Vault
will continue its traditional role as server-based software that
handles PDM, but adds hosting Nexus 360 modules.
BuzzsawalsocontinuesinitstraditionalroleastheWeb-based
portal for project collaboration, but its mandate will expand
fromAECtoMCAD.Nexusisnew,andisthehomeformodules
that manage business processes. The modules run in SaaS fash-
ion (software as a service) on Amazon-hosted cloud servers.
Cloud-based PLM is not a new concept. Ever since the
Internet exploded in popularity in the late 1990s, companies
like Arena Solutions have provided cloud-based PLM. The only
thing that’s new is the term “cloud-based”. Previously, you
This example of a home page for Nexus 360 assigns tasks.
15
14-17-DES.indd 15 12-02-07 10:34 AM

16 CADReport
might have known the technology as SaaS, browser-based,
plugin-free or on-demand.
In your firm, Autodesk’s PLM would work like this:
1. You may already have Vault installed through software
like Autodesk’s Inventor-based Factory Design and Product
Design suites. An updated version hosts Nexus 360 modules.
2. You might already be using a Buzzsaw account to con-
trol AEC projects through Web browsers. An update will host
MCAD projects.
3.Nexus360will come with a few basic modulesthatrunon
Autodesk’sCloud.Youstartwiththeseandthenaccessadditional
ones to suit your company’s work
flow. Some of the modules men-
tioned include data entry forms,
compliancemanagement,NPI(new
product introduction), CAPA (cor-
rective and preventive action) and
FMEA (failure modes and effective
analysis).
4. You still customize the system
to make it work for your firm, doing
it in-house with graphical tools.
For security, your CAD data
stays inside your corporate firewall.
External access is done through Buzzsaw. Backups will be
provided by Autodesk, says the company.
Taking a page from Apple, Autodesk plans to make modules
written by customers available through their Exchange online
app store. However, the company has no plan for Android or
iOS apps; the workaround is to access Nexus 360 through the
Web browser running on your phone or tablet.
Built on the Salesforce.com business model, Autodesk says
it’ll price Nexus 360 in the range of $15 to $125 per-user per-
month for all modules, whether your firm uses one or all.
Nexus 360 is probably best suited for small firms. Large
firms already have PLM imple-
mented, and the way PLM reaches
octopus-like into all areas of a
company, existing systems are hard
to extract. I don’t see Autodesk
making replacement sales.
Its appeal will be to people who
want to implement PLM one con-
firmed step at a time and will appeal
primarily to firms using Autodesk
software, rather than those using
CAD from competitors. DE
www.autodesk.com
In Nexus 360, administrators will be able to build
customized workflows graphically.
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18
AM could very well become the
most diverse, flexible and accessible
manufacturing technology ever.
By Terry Wohlers
Additive manufacturing (AM) was once viewed as a tech-
nology used almost exclusively for making models,
prototypes and patterns. Most people didn’t anticipate that
it would one day be used for making end-use products or
parts. Yet given what I am seeing, I believe AM will eventually
have a greater breadth of impact on the production of prod-
ucts than any manufacturing technology in recent history.
Think this is an exaggeration? Consider the following:
Aircraft parts: For years, Boeing has used AM, specifically
laser sintering (LS), to produce highly complex environmen-
tal control ducting for its military jets. Today, it is also produc-
ing them for the 787 commercial aircraft. The plastic ducting
has substantially reduced inventory, labor, assembly lines,
weight, maintenance and mountains of certification paper-
work. “More than 20,000 of them are currently flying without
a single failure,” said Chris Glock of On Demand Manufactur-
ing, a former Boeing company.
Parts for UAVs: The development of parts for unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs) has become a test bed for additive
manufacturing. Companies are using the technology to cre-
ate new wing designs with elaborate lattice structures, as well
as other types of parts, because they are smaller and the
regulatory requirements are not quite as difficult as they are
with large-scale military and commercial aircraft.
Specialty automobiles: Fifty AM parts were used in the
Abruzzi car from Panoz Auto Development Co., initially for a
photo shoot. The company found that many of the interior and
exterior parts were good
enough for the final prod-
uct, so they used them in
the entire production run
of 81 cars. Nine of the AM
parts were used in the
instrument panel, while
others were used in the center console and armrests. Most of
the interior parts were covered in leather or another material.
928 Motorsports LLC, an after-market parts company, is using
AM to manufacture intake runners for the Porsche 928, which
went out of production in 1995. The company is manufactur-
ing the part on demand in carbon-filled nylon 12 for the 900-
hp engine. The nylon part weighs 1.4 kg (3.1 lbs) versus 3.6 kg
(7.9 lb) for the aluminum version.
Manufacturing tools: A number of manufacturing com-
panies are using AM to make jigs, fixtures, alignment and
drill guides, gauges and other manufacturing and assembly
tools. Thogus Products, a custom injection molder located
outside of Cleveland, OH, uses FDM from Stratasys extensively
for these types of parts in its 76,000-sq-ft. manufacturing
facility. According to Matt Hlavin, the company’s CEO, Tho-
gus saves $150,000 a year in factory automation using FDM
to build manufacturing tools.
Orthopedic implants: An estimated 30,000 orthopedic
implants have been produced by electron beam melting (EBM)
worldwide,mostlyinEurope.About
half have been implanted into
patients.Afewofthetitaniumalloy
(Ti-6Al-4V) implants are custom,
but most are standard products,
such as acetabular cups for hip
joints.Orthopedicdevicemanufac-
turers in Europe received CE certi-
fication in 2007 and have been
manufacturing artificial hips by
EBM since then. The FDA gave the
green light to manufacture certain
orthopedic implant products by
EBM in the U.S. in February 2011.
Will Additive Manufacturing
Change Manufacturing?
RapidPrototyping
Panoz Auto Development
Co.’s Abruzzi incorporates
numerous AM production
parts in its instrument panel,
arm rest and center console.
BMW AG uses
a Stratasys FDM
system to create
inexpensive
and ergonomic
assembly tools.
(Image courtesy of
Cimetrix Solutions.)
18-19-DES1.indd 18 12-02-07 10:36 AM

19
Dental restorations: European dental labs are using pro-
cesses, such as direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) from EOS,
to produce copings for crowns and bridges. A coping is the
main structure of a crown or bridge that is custom-made to
fit the patient. Dental technicians typically coat the copings
in porcelain to match the color of the patient’s teeth. These
technicians can produce about eight to 10 crowns per day
using traditional techniques. With a machine, such as an
EOSINT M 280 from EOS, a dental lab can produce about
400 copings in 20 hours. Data for the copings must be prepared
using special software by a skilled technician and the copings
must be removed from the build plate and finished.
Fashion products: Additive manufacturing is having an
impact on the fashion industry. High-heeled shoes have been
designed, manufactured, and worn by models. For example,
the eye-catching Melonia Shoe, designed by Naim Josefi and
Souzan Youssouf, were featured at the Stockholm Fashion
Show in February 2010. Meanwhile, special clothing garments,
even jackets and dresses, have been produced by laser sinter-
ing and worn in fashion shows, such as a recent event in Paris.
The examples discussed thus far are targeted at profes-
sionals. A consumer market for products by additive manu-
facturing is also developing. Some are high-end products that
come with high-end prices, such as thousands of dollars.
Other products can be purchased for under $100—even less
than $10.
Furniture: An example of
a high-end consumer product
is the beautiful Holy Ghost
chair by designer Lionel Dean
of Future Factories. The chair
is impressive and can be yours
for a mere $10,300 for the
nylon version and $13,200 for
the metal-plated version. Less
expensive products are avail-
able, such as the lighting
designs from i.materialise and
.MGX by Materialise. Some of
the designs are stunning and
are available for a few hundred
dollars.
Protective covers for
phones: A number of covers
for smart phones have been
designed and produced by AM. An example is the Double
Mesh product designed by Janne Kyttanen of Freedom of
Creation for Freshfiber. Apple purchased the exclusive rights
of this particular design and offers it at its on-line store for
about $54.
Video game characters: In December 2007, FigurePrints
brought World of Warcraft (WoW) characters to life through
its additive manufacturing service. At figureprints.com, play-
ers can order a statue for $130 or bust for $70 of their WoW
character. The product is printed in full color using a 3D
printer from Z Corp. and infiltrated with resin to strengthen
the delicate features. The product is then mounted, covered
in a glass dome, and shipped. The company recently introduced
the manufacture of Xbox LIVE avatars for $50.
Custom dolls: A company named That’s My Face can put
your face on a doll or action figure or frame it for display.
Customers upload one or two jpg images of a face and the
company does the rest. That’s My Face uses a color 3D printer
from Z Corp. to produce the likeness of you or someone else.
Prices are from $29 for a small product to $129 for a 12-in.
action figure.
The market potential for products made by additive
manufacturing is immeasurable. The preverbal tip of the
iceberg is emerging. What we do not know is the enormity of
the iceberg below the surface. Based on what I’m seeing, hear-
ing and expecting, it could be very large. In effect, AM could
very well become the most diverse, flexible and accessible
manufacturing technology ever. DE
Terry Wohlers is principal consultant and president of Wohlers
Associates, Inc. and has authored nearly 400 books, magazine
articles and technical papers on Additive Manufacturing. This
column was published in the May/June 2011 issue of Time
Compression.
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20
Researchers leverage 3D mice and six
degrees of freedom control for robot
design and flight manipulation.
When Danny Ellis was first introduced to CAD in high
school with a course in Autodesk Inventor, little did
he know he would someday be designing and flying aerial
robots. As Ellis advanced into the engineering program at the
University of Michigan, he was introduced to CATIA and
3Dconnexion 3D mice.
“Between my freshman and sophomore years, I became
irritated at how cumbersome it was to rotate a model using a
traditionalmouseinCATIA,”saysEllis.“Ithought,IbetIcould
getatrackballmouseandprogramitsowhenIrotatethemouse,
itrotatesthepart.IdidaGooglesearchtoseeifithadbeendone
before, and that’s when I came across 3Dconnexion—it was
exactly what I had been looking for. I ordered the SpaceNaviga-
tor right away and haven’t stopped using it since.”
In 2009 during his senior year, Ellis began researching an
aerial robot competition he could undertake at the university.
Five days later, he started the Michigan Autonomous Aerial
Vehicles (MAAV) team with 15 members ranging from fresh-
man to graduate students studying Aerospace, Computer,
Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. Within a week, the
team kicked off their first quad-rotor design for the International
Aerial Robotics Competition (IARC). At the end of the first
year, MAAV successfully built two quad-rotor vehicles capable
of manual flight.
“The IARC challenge is to build a flying robot of any type
you want that can fly through an unknown building completely
on its own,” explains Ellis. “There can be no communication
with the device—the robot follows signs, must avoid detection
from security cameras, locate a room, retrieve a flash drive,
drop off the decoy and get out in under 10 minutes. No one
has completed the mission yet, but we are one of the better
teams competing.”
When Ellis started the team, he wanted to get a 3Dcon-
nexion 3D mouse for everyone. “It makes modeling CAD
designs so much faster and easier,” says Ellis. In addition, the
team quickly realized trying to fly the quad-rotor with a
standard joystick didn’t mimic the movements very well and
wasn’t intuitive enough for the user, while a 3D mouse could
mimic the exact movement of the robot.
“We used the 3Dconnexion SDK to develop a driver to
control the quad-rotor with the SpaceExplorer. It quickly
allowed us to control pitch and roll, zoom control height, and
rotation control yaw,” says Ellis. “In addition, the SpaceEx-
plorer’s Intelligent Function Keys control other commands
such as on/off and camera control. It’s much more intuitive
to fly with the 3D mouse.”
Today, Ellis is still the head of the MAAV team, while also
completing two masters in Aerospace Engineering and Robot-
ics. He continues to use CATIA for all of his designing, both
for the team and his class projects. He also works at a student
lab training other students involved in competitions in CAD
modeling and machining, and 3D mice are integral to his
training efforts.
“CATIA is a sophisticated and powerful application, but it
takes time to learn how to interact with the model,” says Ellis.
“This can be a barrier for people, especially if they’ve never
used any CAD software before. 3Dconnexion 3D mice make
training new students much easier, helping them visualize how
to move and rotate the model. Once they get that, it’s pretty
much universal navigation across all CAD systems.”
Ellis currently uses the SpacePilot PRO and is a big fan of
the Intelligent Function Keys, as they allow him to use the most
frequently used commands without ever needing to touch the
keyboard. And, if Ellis goes into the lab and doesn’t have a 3D
mouse with him? “It’s really tedious,” he says. “It takes me
twice as long to do anything without a 3D mouse. Really, I
couldn’t live without it.” DE
www.3dconnexion.com
Hardwire
Aerial robot takes flight with 3D mouse
Gr
Th
A
en
in
F
sp
w
sc
to
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22
Long ignored buoyant aircraft are making
a comeback as the need to ship cargo to
remote locations intensiﬁes.
By Mike McLeod
Except for the occasional sighting at a Super Bowl half-time,
buoyant aircraft (better known as blimps) have been out
of sight and out of vogue in aerospace circles for nearly a cen-
tury. Images of the Hindenburg crash of 1937 grounded future
airship development and continue to haunt those who strive
to commercialize the flying machines.
Now, after a decade of steadily rising fuel costs and the hunt
forhigh-pricedresourcesmovesinexorablyfartherintoremote,
hard-to-reach locations, interest in airships has experienced a
renaissance.Whilestillconsideredsomewhatofa“fringe”mode
of transport,proponentssaytheeconomictippingpointinfavor
of modern heavy-lift airships—capable of ferrying 50 tons or
more—is only few years away.
“We have more demand for more things moving by air than
ever before,” says Dr. Prentice, a professor of supply chain man-
agement at the I.H. Asper School of Business, University of
Manitoba. “But we also have more places in the world we want
to get to that don’t have infrastructure; 70 percent of Canada’s
land mass, for example, has no roads.”
Where the Roads End
An outspoken supporter of airships for more than a decade,
Prenticepointstothefactthatapproximately30,000Manitobans
inremotecommunitiesdependtheannualconstructionof2,200
kilometersofwintericeroadsforcriticalsupplies.Ifthatconstruc-
tion is delayed, due to a short winter, supplies have to flown in,
drivingthecostofgoodstotwoorthreetimestheirmarketprice.
At the same time, the expense of permanent roads, he says, is
enormous and is money better spent elsewhere.
“Building all-weather gravel roads in northern Manitoba
costs $1 million per kilometer,” Prentice says. “It can be done,
but when you have Muskeg, permafrost, rock outcrops and so
on, it just isn’t economic. So what’s left?”
More than an advocate, Dr. Prentice is also president and
CEO of Buoyant Aircraft Systems International (BASI) with
partnerandBASIChiefScienceOfficerDaleGeorge.InDecem-
ber2011,thepairunveiledtheir24-metrelongGiizhigo-Misameg
(which means Sky Whale in Oji-Cree) airship at the University
of Manitoba.
The relatively small-scale blimp will be used for research to
test the vessel’s ballast exchange, electrical propulsion and fuel
cells under cold weather conditions. Once proven, the intent is
to build much larger airships to service resource operations in
Northern Canada as well as remote communities.
“Mining will be the first big markets for airships,” says
Prentice. “The problem with this type of transport, given the
value of the equipment and the number of cycles you have to
make during a year to pay for it, is that your market length is
in the 250 to 300 mile range. We have many markets like that
in Canada. All you have to do is look at a map and see where
the roads and rail lines end.”
Combat to Cargo
As with many advances in aerospace technology, interest in
modern airship initially took off with the military. In fact, in
lastsixyears,thevariousbranchesoftheU.S.armedforceshave
invested more than $1.13 billion in four airship programs.
Thelargestdealhasbeenthe$517-millioncontractsignedby
the U.S. Army with Northrop Grumman in June 2010 to buy at
leastthreeairships.DestinedforsurveillancedutyinAfghanistan,
theUSArmy’slong-endurancemulti-intelligencevehicle(LEMV)
will be designed and built by Northrop partner, Hybrid Air
Vehicles (HAV) of the U.K.
Like BASI, the Bedfordshire-based airship company is also
eyeing the cargo transport market. In August 2011, HAV signed
a preliminary agreement with Yellowknife’s Discovery Air—
Canada’s second largest aircraft operator—to design and develop
a potential fleet of commercial hybrid airships to transport
supplies to Canada’s north.
Both companies hope to reach a final design soon and see
delivery of the first of several 50-ton capacity HAV 366 hybrid
airships begin by 2015. ForStephen“Fig”Newton,B.Eng., direc-
tor of business development at Discovery Air, the business case
for airships is an obvious one.
“You can pretty much do anything with these vehicles,” he
says. “You can land on water, snow or ice. You can turn it inside
its own body length; you can take off fully loaded within four
body lengths; and you can pick up vertically 40 percent of its
maximum payload. So it has all the benefits of a helicopter or
fixed-wing with very few of the downsides of any of them.”
Return of
the Airship
22-23-DES.indd 22 12-02-07 2:12 PM

23
Rise of the Hybrid
Still, many are sceptical of airships. One of the main reasons is
thattheairship’sbiggestadvantage(i.e.“free”verticallift)isalso
itsbiggestdesignheadache,especiallyforheavycargoapplications.
After all, what happens when a huge airship, filled with enough
helium to equalize the weight of 50-tons, loses its cargo? Tradi-
tionally, dealing with buoyancy has required ground crews,
mooring lines and the delicate balance of ballast management.
YetPrenticesays,modernairshipsareaworldawayfromtheir
predecessors. BASI’s Sky Whale handles the buoyancy problem
bycompressingtheheliumduringlandingandcargounloading.
Thedensegasthenactsasballastwhileatmosphericairispumped
into ballonets to retain the envelope’s shape. After unloading,
the helium is pumped back in for the trip back.
Hybrid Air Vehicles tackles the problem from a different
approach. It’s HAV 366 vehicle is a hybrid airship and not
subject to many of the same challenges of a traditional blimp,
say its creators. Heavier than air, hybrids gain lift by a combi-
nation of three forces. Helium assists with take-off and flight,
but nearly half the vessel’s lift comes from the aerodynamic
shape of its envelope.
In addition, lift off, landing and sustained hover are further
assisted by vectored thrust nacelles at the envelope’s aft and
front quarters. As a result, heavier-than-air hybrids require
less volume to lift heavy loads than a comparable dirigible.
“The other crucial element is HAV’s air cushion landing
system that blows air toward the ground,” says Andy Barton,
HAV’s chief designer for heavy cargo airships. “The air cush-
ion system, paired with the vectored thrust, makes sure you
have a gentle landing.”
“That airflow is also reversible,” he adds. “So once you have
landed,thedirectionoftheairflowissuckingyoutotheground
and can cope with significant unevenness. That also allows 30
tonstoberemovedimmediately,whiletheshipisrefueling.Once
that’s done, the rest of the cargo can be taken off.”
Whilerelativelyslow,BartonsaystheHAV366’s2400-hpPratt
Whitney Canada gas turbine engines will produce a typical
cruising speed 80 knots fully loaded with bursts up to 110 knots.
Inaddition,thevessel’sconsiderablesize(109mx55.7mx32.7m)
and shape bolster its stability in rough weather.
“We’re okay in winds up to 80 knots, and we can do ground
handling in winds up to 50 knots without masting up,” Barton
says.“Duetotheairship’scrosssection,theimpactofcrosswinds
is less than for the traditional blimp shape. And since we are
heavier and we have some aerodynamic trim on the design, we
have better handling properties.”
Sustainable Flight
Many of the design challenges have been overcome, but the real
obstacles holding airship development back aren’t technical but
economic,saysJayGodsall,founderandCEOofToronto-based
Solar Ship. The problem, he says, is that the cost to develop a
heavy-lift airship hovers around $1 million per ton of lift, mak-
ing it difficult to find investors willing to fund a vessel large
enough (20 or more tons of lift) to be economically viable—
especially when a technology has yet to be proven. Of course,
the only way to prove it is to make the initial investment.
“Withairships,thereisnoentrepreneurialfirststepwhereyou
raiseabitofmoney,getalittlefirstcustomerandthenincremen-
tallygrow.Thisisanimmediatebigplay,”hesays.“Theonlyway
around that, is if you figure how to make a smaller airship and
make it useful to a customer.”
That’swhereSolarShipislookingtopositionitself.Thecom-
pany is currently developing a unique hybrid concept designed
toferrymedicalsuppliesandothercargotoremotelocationsand
areas in need of disaster relief.
“If you trying to get to a place like Haiti after the earthquake,
when you couldn’t get emergency supplies in for eight and a
half days, then you don’t need carry 20 tons,” he says. “A
ton of critical cargo into Haiti in eight and half hours
would have saved a lot of lives.”
Like the HAV hybrid, Solar Ships’ aircraft is heavier-
than-air and, as such, gains 60 percent of its lift from its
delta-wing design. This allows the airship to take off, land
andpilotmorelikeaconventionalplaneandisthereforemore
manoeuvrable and resistant to wind conditions.
At the same time, helium increases cargo carrying capacity
andcutsthespaceneededtotake-offandlanddownto50to100
meters.Moststrikingly,thehybrid’slarge,inflatedwingprovides
ample surface area for the solar panels that power its engines.
“Not having to burn fossil fuels, in certain parts of the world,
isreallyvaluablething,”Godsallsays.“ForCanada,itmakessense
for us to run a hybrid fuel system. But in regions of the Congo,
the Amazon or Indonesia, they don’t have fuel at any price.”
Although the need for cargo transport to remote locations is
growing,thefactremainsthatmanyhavetriedtocommercialize
airships before without success. Still, proponents say economic
pressures and technological advancements have reached a point
that the age of the airship is inevitable.
“Technology without demand is just a curiosity, but the
demandisthere,”saysPrentice.“Soon,wearegoingtoseeairships
flying in the U.S. military. Once that happens, people will see
opportunities for profit, and the flood gates will open.” DE
Hybrid Air Vehicle’s HAV 366 heavy lift hybrid airship, say its creators, will
economically transport 50-ton loads to Canada’s remotest locations.
Toronto’s SolarShip is in development of a solar-powered hybrid
airship—intended to ferry critical cargo to remote locations—that
combines the lift capacity of a blimp with the flight properties of a plane.
22-23-DES.indd 23 12-02-07 2:12 PM

By Mike McLeod
In November, Omron Industrial Automation announced
what the company billed as a new category in automation
control, the Machine Automation Controller (MAC). While
similar to established categories (e.g. PLC, PAC and Industrial
PC), the company says the MAC incorporates aspects of each
but combines and coordinates the various functions to create
an architecture unmatched in the industry.
To fill this newly created category, Omron unveiled its Sys-
mac NJ-Series MAC, a high-end controller that integrates and
synchronizes motion, logic and vision in one unit. Like a PLC,
the NJ-Series is “hardened” for industrial environments but
houses a fanless processor at its core like an Industrial PC.
Comparatively, says Omron commercial engineer for PLCs
and IO, Johnston Hall, the NJ-Series MAC is most like an
enhanced version of the Programmable Automation Control-
ler (PAC); the MAC handles the same functions but can
coordinate motion, logic and vision synchronously and at an
exceptionally high speed.
“With a PAC, you add software to a controller for all the
different functions, but the different software still has to ‘talk’
to each other and, therefore, aren’t really synchronized,” he
says. “With the MAC, the three processes are unified and
synchronized; that way there is no time loss.”
According to Omron, the NJ-Series updates motion, network
and user application updates in the same scan to ensure syn-
chronicity. In addition, it handles more axes (16, 32 or 64) than
typical controllers but its response time remains very fast—1ms
for applications up to 32 axes and 2ms for 64 axes.
Part of that speed is due to the NJ-Series’ hardware. The
controller runs a 1.66 MHz dual core Intel Atom processor
running an embedded real time operating system (RTOS) in
non-volatile RAM.
Added to that, the MAC
leverages the speed and
determinism of the Ether-
CAT protocol. While the
industrial Ethernet protocol
transmits standard 802.3 Ether-
net frames, it adds a unique data
packet that EtherCAT compatible
devices (up to 192 nodes) read and
inject, on the fly. In addition, a slave
clock in each node allows the mas-
ter controller to use the timestamp
of income and returning packets to determine propagation
delay offset and thereby ensure accurate synchronization
between devices with less than 1 microsecond jitter.
To communicate less time sensitive data, the Omron’s MAC
also “speaks” the popular EtherNet/IP protocol, facilitating
remote access; interface with HMIs and SCADA software; and
tie the controller into the larger peer-to-peer network.
EtherNet/IP also serves as the communication conduit to
the last piece of Omron’s MAC puzzle: Sysmac Studio, the
company’s software that serves as an IDE programming envi-
ronment as well as for configuration, simulation and monitor-
ing. Compliant with the IEC 61131-3 standard, Sysmac Studio
supports ladder logic, structured text and function block pro-
gramming languages. The package also includes a CAM editor
for programming of motion profiles and a 3D
sequence and motion simulation environ-
ment to assist debugging.
“Customers told us they were having
trouble integrating the three technologies
as well as maintaining machines because
there were too many software packages and
too many cables,” Hall says. “Now, with
the MAC, a user can program, back up and
tune from a single point.” DE
www.omron.com
24
All-in-One
Automation
Omron’s Machine Automation Controller integrates multiple controllers while
maintaining high performance.
AutomationInsight
Like its hardware
counterpart, Sysmac Studio
combines an IDE with
configuration, monitoring
and simulation.
Omron’s NJ-Series Machine
Automation Controller (MAC)
combines logic, motion, I/O
and vision with EtherCAT to create a
high-end, all-in-one controller.
DMR_E
24-DES.indd 24 12-02-07 10:37 AM

DMR_EssentialComponents_September-2011-outline_01.indd 1 8/15/2011 12:43:40 PM
24-DES.indd 25 12-02-07 10:37 AM

26
Manned or not, this lunar project has a
prototype.
By Larry Hansen
When NASA Langley Research Center hired Honeybee
Robotics Spacecraft Mechanisms Corporation to develop
a totally mechanical tool changer, Honeybee was ready.
The tool changer was for the end of what Langley’s Lunar
Surface Manipulation System (LSMS) team describes as a
robot that could unload landers. Then, after the landers were
unloaded, it could, in addition to doing base assembly, mate
with tools to take science experiments. This robot could be
likened to a crane but with more dexterity.
The crane was designed to work remotely so that it could
be used on an unmanned mission without human interaction.
It’s completely autonomous. That’s one of the driving factors.
And the tool changer does have other applications if they
decide they want to use it on Mars or even in outer space for
a robotic arm and end effectors.
Since Honeybee has been developing harsh-environment,
mission-critical end-effectors for over 25 years and has worked
on the equipment for other space missions, they were specially
suited to tackle this challenge.
Making It Work
Basically, Honeybee was given an envelope—a footprint to
stay within—and all the requirements for load ratings and
misalignment allowances. Lee Carlson, a Systems Engineer
who was part of the Honeybee team, describes the project.
“The crane might be sitting on the lander deck or on the
lunar surface and would be driven from quite a distance away
from the tool to be mated to; this required designing for large
misalignment allowances … this was our first design chal-
lenge,” he says. “The end of the crane and target tool could
be misaligned by as much as a couple inches in any direction
with up to 20 degrees angular misalignment when attempting
a mate.”
But, Carlson adds, there were other considerations too.
“The tool changer had to be capable of carrying around 1000
lbs. so [the tool changer] had to be very robust,” he says. “Also,
since this was a lunar project, it has to be tolerant to moon
dust. These two design criteria required special seals to pro-
tect large roller bearings. If this design was for space, it becomes
considerably simpler. All of the loads would be reduced and
dust is no longer an issue. But the Moon is a very harsh envi-
ronment and lunar dust is a major concern when designing
for missions there.”
When NASA had an ‘afterthought’, Honeybee engineers
had a real challenge. The original assignment called for
‘dummy’ tools requiring no power. The crane would do all
the work. Tools would range from a fork lift attachment, a
shovel or scoop for acquiring surface samples or digging, or
even a bucket for lifting human passengers.
Then NASA decided it wanted the capability of attaching
an electronic or electromechanical tool to the end of the crane.
Now the tool changer would have to provide an electrical
connection as well. Solving this problem fell to Carlson.
“The contract was expanded to add an electrical connec-
tor to the existing mechanical connector,” he says. “You’d
have a power source on the LSMS, on the crane itself. Your
tools could then be powered. So your tools capabilities could
expand into the realm of cameras or tools with cameras on
them or even a light jackhammer.”
However, they had not left space to accommodate an electri-
Fly Me
To The MoonManned Or Not, This Lunar Project Has A Prototype
PowerTransmission
Top isometric view
of connector within
enclosure.
The bottom view of Honeybee’s LSMS
connector extended.
26-28-DES.indd 26 12-02-07 10:38 AM

27
cal connector because it was not a part of the original contract
and the budget did not allow for starting from scratch.
The Crucial Ten Square Inches
Carlson had to work within the constraints of the current
design because NASA did not want a redesign of the whole
tool changer. They just wanted to add an electrical connector
to it without increasing the current envelope. He only had
roughly two and a half by four inches of free space to incor-
porate the male side of the new autonomous connector. The
connector has to mate itself to a female connector mounted
on the tool.
“We make small stuff all the time and if there were more
space, there are many different ways that I could have designed
it,” Carlson says. “This is, probably, the most compact I’ve
ever had to make anything.”
Honeybee designed both the male and female sides of the
connector. The female side had to be inexpensive and easy to
create because each tool would have to have its own female
connector versus a single male connector attached to the
crane. The female connector has no moving parts but is slightly
compliant.
The male connector has all the moving parts. It is cylindri-
cal and populated with eleven 1/16-inch diameter aluminum
pins which are plated with gold over nickel configured in a
standard MIL/Spec pattern. The connector rides on compact
slides—miniature guides called SEBS made by NB Corpora-
tion. The top faces of the two glides are facing each other and
Honeybee’s components are in between the two glides - sup-
porting this connector. This configuration reduces the moment
loads on the slides.
Precise Movements
Lee Carlson describes how it works. “We actually used a total
of six slides within the space—three on each side. The slides
ride on each other in the manner of drawer slides that are
PowerTransmission
CAD rendering of extended male
connector (without enclosure).
Mini-guide appears white.
26-28-DES.indd 27 12-02-07 10:38 AM

28
stacked to extend the distance they can open a drawer,” he
says. “Our configuration achieves an extension of the move-
ment equal, approximately, to the length of three slides. So
instead of a half-inch stroke, we could get an inch and a half
stroke—within a very, very small footprint. Low mass, low
load and very low profile were all required for this application.”
Carlson says that the reason that they chose these par-
ticular guides was that they were some of the smallest slides
he could find. His one caveat was that he wanted to work with
one of the slide suppliers that Honeybee had worked with
before—not take chances on a new supplier. It also had to be
a guide that, even though this was a prototype, was completely
made of stainless steel without any plastics. Plastics are gen-
erally avoided unless they are specially chosen and approved.
As for lunar dust tolerance, the whole electrical connector
assemblage will be sealed in a bellows to protect it from the
harsh lunar regolith.
Honeybee was able to choose from the widest selection of
miniature linear slide guides on the market. The standard
SEBS guides major advantage is that they have a standard
radial clearance that is twice as accurate as other standard
miniature guides. Most manufactures do not claim that their
preload eliminates all clearance. Their standards are plus to
minus, which allows gaps, i.e. clearance, to exist. Minus
means there is some preload
so there’s no gap. NB’s are
from zero to minus as a stan-
dard, making for greater accuracy because there is no
clearance. In other words a negative clearance means the ball
is larger than the space adding more pressure and greater
rigidity. This increased rigidity is desirable in high precision
applications. NB’s standard fabrication requires more control
in the assembly and manufacturing process in order to adhere
to this higher quality standard.
As Honeybee waits to complete assembly and testing
with the LSMS, they look forward to the future when, hope-
fully, the project will make its way to the Moon—the final
test of all. DE
www.honeybeerobotics.com
Larry Hansen is a director and the general sales manager for
NB Corporation of America
PowerTransmission
The NB Corporation Mini
SEBS is one of the smallest
guides on the market.
|TS11-03USA|
A
26-28-DES.indd 28 12-02-07 10:38 AM

|TS11-03USA|
www.beckhoff.ca/TwinSAFE
TwinSAFE from Beckhoff: from I/O to drives it's the universal and flexible safety system.
TwinSAFE I/O for the EtherCAT Terminal system makes optimum use of the exceptional
performance offered by EtherCAT:
Compact: Safety PLC in a 12 mm terminal block
Powerful: up to 128 safety devices per Safety PLC
Versatile: integrated function blocks for emergency stop, protective door, two-hand control
Modular: standard and safety I/Os integrated in a single system
Flexible: “fieldbus-neutral” communication, eliminates dedicated safety networks
Certified: solution up to SIL 3 according to IEC 61508, EN 954 Cat. 4 and
DIN EN ISO 13849 PLe (approved for use throughout North America)
Safety inputs Safety PLC
Safety outputs Safety DrivesStandard PLC
Motion
Automation
I/O
IPC
TwinSAFE:
Machine Safety Simplified.
Combine safety PLC Terminals, safety I/O and
standard I/O on one EtherCAT network.
26-28-DES.indd 29 12-02-07 10:38 AM

30
Motion Control
Multi-Bus Servo Drive
Kollmorgen announced that its AKD
servo drive now supports the functional-
ity of the base analog drive, indexing
drive, CANopen drive and EtherCAT
drive. In addition, the drive supports a
variety of feedback devices and Ethernet
motion buses including Smart Feedback
Devices (SFD), Endat, BiSS, Analog Sine/
Cos encoders, incremental encoders, HIPERFACE and resolvers.
In addition to EtherCAT and CANopen motion buses, the AKD
supports SynqNet, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and Modbus/TCP. The
drive is rated for operation in ambient temperatures ranging
from 0°C to 40°C (up to 55°C with de-rating), and boast a MTBF
of nearly 660,000 hours.
www.kollmorgen.com
Wi-Fi Industrial Ethernet Modem
Weidmuller has introduced its WI-MOD-E-G wire-
less Ethernet appliance, a 2.4Ghz, Wi-Fi industrial
Ethernet device designed for process/automation
applications connecting to PLCs, DCS/SCADA,
data loggers or field instruments with an
RS232/485 or Ethernet port/interface. Built
around the 802.11b/g standard, the device’s
throughput scales up to 108Mbps and features
400mW of transmit power. The unit can oper-
ate as a Wi-Fi router/bridge, access point/
client and serial server (RS232/485). By attach-
ing an I/O expansion unit, a user can send or
receive up to 16 digital or 8 analog signals and Ethernet (Wi-Fi)
at the same time. For security, the unit features WEP and WPA2
PSK encryption, MAC address filtering, IP filtering, password login
and white/black list authentication.
www.weidmuller.com
Managed Ethernet Switch
AutomationDirect’s line of Stride Eth-
ernet products now includes industrial-
grade managed Ethernet switches,
designed with redundant power inputs
with surge and spike protection and
auto-crossover. Built with aluminum
housings, all models are designed for
an operating temperature range of -40
to +75°C. The switches’ Real-Time Ring
technology provides fast recovery of all the redundancy options
on the switch. Most models feature multiple 10/100BaseT RJ45
Ethernet ports; additional models include ST or SC type fiber
optic connections. Gigabit managed switches are also available,
with 10/100/1000BaseT RJ45 ports and combination SFP ports
that accept noise-immune fiber optic links.
www.automationdirect.com
Ethernet Switches
WAGO Corporation announced that its
852 Series Ethernet Switch family now
features two wide temperature models for
operation between -40°C to +70 °C. The
mid-range, 8-port unmanaged 852-103
Ethernet Switch features a redundant
power supply and a 9V-48V supply voltage
range. A top-mounted DIP Switch sets an
alarm relay to monitor loss of 24 VDC or
port status (selectable by port). Beyond eight 100BASE-TX ports,
the 852-103 provides two 100BASE-FX SFP ports for fiber optic
cables. The 7-port 852-104 managed switch provides Xpress Ring
and Jet Ring networking features. Xpress ring enables networks
to recover from link failure within 50ms; Jet Ring provides redun-
dant data-transmission routes during link failure/damage within
300ms. In addition, the 852-104 provides Web-based management,
port configuration and data packet prioritization.
www.wago.com
Motors
Brushless PM Motor
NovaTorque, Inc. introduced its Gen2.0 PremiumPlus+, 3-hp and
5-hp brushless permanent magnet motors with motor-only rated
point efficiencies of 93 percent and 92 percent, the company says.
In addition, the company says its patented flux-focusing stator and
rotor hub geometry allows the motor to maintains this performance
using an all-ferrite (versus rare earth) magnet design.
NovaTorque PremiumPlus+ motors are
packaged in standard NEMA frame sizes
and mounting dimensions and are com-
patible with readily available variable
frequency drives (VFDs) from most
leading manufacturers.
www.novatorque.com
Stepper Drive/Controller
Tolomatic has added Ethernet con-
nectivity to its ACS stepper drive/
controller. The component supports
both Ethernet/IP and Modbus TCP,
allowing connectivity to Allen Bradley
and many other PLCs and HMIs. The
ACS with Ethernet is capable of command-
ing motion with immediate move command or
preconfigured moves for infinite position capability. Each move
has configurable motion profile parameters (position, velocity,
acceleration/deceleration, force) that are independent for each
move. The Ethernet connectivity also provides additional status
and diagnostic information to the control system for monitoring
and fault recovery. The ACS comes with a starter kit that includes
the configuration software and two setup manuals.
www.tolomatic.com
IdeaGenerator
30-33-DES.indd 30 12-02-07 2:13 PM

31
Fluid Power
Proportional Valve
Clippard introduced its SCPV-1,
a high-flow, stepper-controlled
2-way proportional valve. The
valve features a bonded elas-
tomeric seat and achieves 2
percent hysteresis, linearity of
2.5 percent of full scale and 2
ms reaction time. While a flow
range of 0 to 300 slpm is standard, the valve is highly modifiable,
the company says. This valve is designed for critical applications
such as gas delivery, medical, analytical and industrial automation
requiring high resolution, high flow and low hysteresis.
www.clippard.com
Control Valves
Rexroth introduced its
ML-18, an energy efficient
pressure compensated load-
sensing control valve. In
applications requiring up to
40 gpm (151 lpm) at 4,000
psi (276 bar), the ML-18 can
reduce pressure drops as much as 50
percent versus the competitors, the
company says. The valve’s monoblock
design reduces the interface restrictions
between sections. In addition, it features
a dedicated tank coring for the highest
flow section and uses backpressure valv-
ing for forced flow regenerating. The
ML-18 architecture was developed so
OEMs could choose electro-hydraulic as
well as pilot operation for spool modu-
lation.
www.boschrexroth.ca
Hydraulic Fittings
Eaton Corporation has expanded its
Everflex E-Series line of one-piece, crimp-
type hose fittings that increase operating
pressures up to 33 percent, the company
says. The fittings and the higher pres-
sures have been validated on Eaton’s
2807, FC465, S-TW and SC-TW series
hoses. The fittings are available in both
male pipe and female 37º swivel end
configurations in both carbon and stainless steel. The carbon
steel offering now includes hose fittings for -8, -12 and -16 size
hoses, while the new stainless steel offering covers -4 through
-16 size hoses.
www.eaton.com
Sensors
Incremental Encoder
Industrial Encoder has introduced its
EncoderUNO, an incremental encoder
that’s PPR (pulses/revolution) can be
set by connecting it to a computer.
The unit’s accompanying USB pro-
gramming kit includes a USB cable
and configuration software. Accord-
ing to the company, one programmable
unit can replace multiple encoders previously required for
a variety of equipment. OEMs can optimize performance when
testing and prototyping new equipment without the added
cost and inefficiency of stocking encoders with different revo-
lutions.
www.industrialencoder.ca
IdeaGenerator
www.globalencoder.ca
22 Commerce Place
St. Catharines
ON, Canada L2R 6P7
Toll free 1-888-277-6205
Fax 1-866-278-1301
info@globalencoder.ca
Industrial Encoder Corporation
Member of the GESgroup of companies
Demand more... We always deliverDemand more... We always deliver
Our only products are encoders.
Whatever your industry, we’ll
satisfy your expectations for
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supported by superior service.
Our proven reliability allows
us to offer the industry’s only
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Our only products are encoders.
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supported by superior service.
Our proven reliability allows
us to offer the industry’s only
FIVE-YEAR WARRANTY.
Expect more... and get it.
30-33-DES.indd 31 12-02-07 10:39 AM

32
Hall Effect Precision Sensors
API Technologies Corp. introduced a new
output option for its Spectrum Sensors
line of H009 Hall Effect Position Sensors.
The new 4-20mA output option joins the
existing H009 series with Analog,
PWR and Serial output options.
Hall Effect Position Sensors con-
vert relative changes in a magnetic
field into an electrical signal to provide
position change information. The sensors are .875 inch in diam-
eter with a .750-inch maximum length. They have a 12-bit reso-
lution with a rotational life of over 100 million revolutions and
feature an absolute linearity of +/- 0.1 percent at room ambient
and +/- 0.3 percent at -40° to +125°C.
www.apitech.com
Digital Multimeter
Omega’s HHM8229 5-in-1 autorange digital multimeter offers
temperature, RH, sound, light and digital multimeter features in
an all-in-one device. It also features a large, backlight LCD display,
auto power off and an audible and visual
illuminated warning for correct input
jack connections. The HHM8229 can
perform measurements of AC/DC volt-
age and current, resistance, frequency,
duty, capacitance, as well as continuity
and diode test. Designed for trouble-
shooting electrical circuitry and measur-
ing temperature, sound and light in a
typical industrial control room.
www.omega.ca
Proximity Sensors
Pepperl+Fuchs X-Series Pile Driver extended range inductive
sensors are now available in 8mm diameter models. With barrel
lengths down to 35mm, the miniature sensors deliver a 3mm
sensing range. The sensor’s single-piece machined barrel is fully
embeddable in stainless steel. X-Series sensors are also available
in 12mm, 18mm and 30mm diameters to deliver sensing ranges
of 5mm, 10mm or 15mm. X-Series Pile Driver’s can detect all
metals, and its extended sensing field is designed for automotive
IdeaGenerator
To advertise your solution in this section call Alan Macpherson at 416.510.6756
Dust Collectors Full Line Literature Guide
This impressive guide outlines dozens of N.R. Murphy dust collectors, installations, capacities, styles
and models. A must for any reference library. N.R. Murphy Limited has been in business over 65 years
and has thousands of satisfied customers.
“Dust Collectors are all we do; so get it done right the first time. Just Ask the Experts.”
Contact: 4nodust@nrmurphyltd.com
Visit us at: www. nrmurphy.com
OMEGA’s Thermocouple/Voltage Input USB Data Acquisition Module
Omega’s new OM-DAQ-USB-2401 series of USB 2.0 full speed thermocouple/voltage input data
acquisition modules are fully compatible with both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 ports. This module is user
programmable for type J, K, T, E, R, S, B, N thermocouples or voltage input and features 8 Differen-
tial or 16 Single-Ended Analog Inputs, 24 Bit Resolution with up to 1000 Samples/Sec throughput.
This module is powered directly by USB port or an External DC Power Supply.
Contact: info@omega.ca
Visit us at: www.omega.ca
Clippard Quality Stainless Steel Cylinders
Pneumatic cylinders feature polished I.D 304 stainless steel tubes for low friction. Available in 12 bore
sizes with strokes to 40”. Precision-rolled construction, clear anodized machined aluminum heads, and
rods ensure long life and performance.
Roller-burnished rods • Interchangeable design • Long lasting seals • Replaceable rod seals • Long
cycle life • 100% testing • Made in the USA with pride Clippard—The Preferred Cylinder!
Contact: sales@clippard.com
Visit us at: www.clippard.com/cylinders
DesignSolutions

30-33-DES.indd 32 12-02-07 10:39 AM

33
manufacturing applications, as it
enables reliable detection of irregu-
larly shaped contours, the company
says. Increased sensor-to-target
distances also help eliminate contact-
related scuffing of “Class A” hood,
door and trunk surfaces. The sensors
are IP69k-rated to withstand high
pressure washdown cleaning.
www.pepperl-fuchs.com
Power Transmission
Right Angle Gear Drive
Zero-Max introduced its
Crown gear drives, which
feature heat-treated, AGMA
Class 10 spiral bevel gears and
non-magnetic stainless steel
shafts. The gear drives also fea-
ture precision hardened and
ground ball bearings handling speeds up to
2000 rpm in most operating environments. The
drives are hand-shimmed and pre-lubricated during hand-
assembly, then enclosed in a heavy-duty anodized aluminum
housing. Standard two and three way models are available with
1:1 and 2:1 speed ratios in shaft diameter combinations of 3/8,
1/2, 5/8 and 3/4 inch.
www.zero-max.com
Adjustable Drive Nut
Amacoil introduced its Model
RS4 drive nut, which provides
backlash-free linear motion.
Changes to linear pitch can be
accomplished by replacing the
pitch wedges, which doesn’t
require any other components,
machinery or controls. The
backlash-free linear motion provided by RS4 nuts is achieved by
specially machined rolling ring bearings which are in constant
single-point contact with the drive shaft, even during reversal.
Available in eight sizes, Amacoil-Uhing RS4 rolling ring linear
drive nuts can achieve linear speeds of up to 5 feet per second
over distances of up to 13 feet. Axial thrust is up to 500 pounds
and repeatable accuracy is to within +/- 0.0004 inches depend-
ing on the type of controls used.
www.amacoil.com
IdeaGenerator
PRODUCT
DESIGNERS,
CAD/MECHANICAL
TECHNOLOGISTS,
Degelman is looking for product designers, mechanical engineers,
industrial designers and/or mechanical technologists for its
modern Research and Development Department.
Degelman designs and manufactures premium equipment respected by farmers for
50 years. The agricultural industry is booming and we cannot keep up with demand
for new products and improving existing products. We are a mid-sized family owned
company and we are looking for sharp multi-tasking people that are down to earth,
have excellent people skills, mechanically inclined and know their way around
agricultural equipment. Our current modelling software is SolidWorks.
This is a great opportunity to work in an informal team environment with a great degree
of design latitude. If you know you have the skills, the talent, the personality AND have
Canadian citizenship, send in your resume with samples of your work to
designteam@degelman.com. We thank all applicants for their consideration, but due
to the volume of applicants we will only contact those selected for an interview.
PRODUCT
DESIGNERS,
CAD/MECHANICAL
TECHNOLOGISTS,
DES 1/4page.indd 1 12-02-02 9:32 AM
Advertiser Website Page
Aurora Bearing Co. www.aurorabearing.com 12
Automation Direct www.automationdirect.com 7
Baldor Electric Company www.baldor.com 36
Baumer Electric Inc. www.baumer.ca 12
Beckhoff Automation www.beckhoff.ca 29
Clippard Instrument Laboratory www.clippard.com 9
Daemar Inc. www.daemarinc.com 25
Degelman Industries Ltd. www.degelman.com 33
Encoder Products www.encoder.com 28
Great West Life
www.brainshark.com/grs/mygroupadvantage 21
Industrial Encoder Corp. www.globalencoder.ca 31
Master Bond Inc. www.masterbond.com 19
Myostat Motion Control Inc. www.myostat.ca 27
Nord Gear Ltd. www.nord.com 14,15
Novotechnik www.novotechnik.com/rsm 13
Omega Engineering Inc. www.omega.ca 3
Parker Hannifin Corp. www.parker.com 11
Proto Labs Inc. www.protolabs.com 17
RotoPrecision Inc. www.rotoprecision.ca 16
Schaeffler Canada Inc. www.ina.com 4
Schunk Canada www.ca.schunk.com 28
Siemens Canada www.siemens.ca/sinamics 35
Siemens PLM www.plm.automation.siemens.com 2
Advertisers Index
30-33-DES.indd 33 12-02-07 10:39 AM

34
By Treena Hein
For many innovators, inspiration dawns gradually after
the creator perceives a need to be met. For Montreal inven-
tor, Aleandre de la Chevrotière, that “moment” of inspiration
came after several years of working in shipyards retrofitting
NATO destroyers,
“I was speaking with a colleague about long gangways,”
explains de la Chevrotière. “Such long bridges are extremely
costly to ship and transport on roads. Also, there’s a long delay
to fill orders. I saw a need for modular, prefabricated and com-
pact structures that are light,
quick-to-install, yet can bear
a lot of weight.”
The result was Make-A-
Bridge,aMeccano-like,alumi-
num bridge system that’s
interlocking-componentdesign
makes them easily transport-
able, highly customizable and
exceptionally versatile. Most
compellingly,delaChevrotière
saysthemodularbridgesystem
retainsallthestructuralinteg-
rity of conventional wielded
bridges, but require a fraction
of the time and labour to con-
struct.
“At the site, components
are easily unloaded (the
maximum weight of one
component is 45 kg), assembled and installed with simple
tools and minimal labour, which saves a lot of money,” he
says, adding that modules are designed to assemble into load-
bearing spans of up to 60 feet.
To market and manufacture his creation, de la Chevrotière
founded MAADI Group, (Most Advanced Aluminum Design
Inspection) in Montreal in 2005, following his first year of
a Masters in mechanical engineering.
“The topic of my thesis was the weld-free moment-resist-
ing joint, which is the key component in our structures,” he
says. “Eliminating welds means each Make-A-Bridge is com-
pletely free of thermally-affected zones, which results in
excellent structural integrity.”
Creating the weld-free joints, however, required sorting out
several challenges, not least of which was addressing aluminum
or steel structural codes that didn’t address the product’s unique
assembly technique. “Our process has a fastening device screwed
into the neutral axis of an element, with the medium consist-
ing of a cast node,” de la Chevrotière explains. “The actual
design code required having either a welded connection or a
bolted connection, working in most cases in shear.”
To validate their design and reassure a conservative civil
engineering community, MAADI’s team ran hundreds of
finite element analyses and dozens of destructive tests to
optimize the connection nodes. “In terms of load and safety,
we have been found code-compliant,” Alex notes. “There are
many innovations, ours among them, that do not show up in
the current codes, but they are allowed, as long as they’re
proven to fulfill the design
requirements.”
They also sought a way to
optimize the yield strength of
aluminum alloy. The technol-
ogy they developed—for
which the company currently
has three patents and a fourth
filed—allows 100 percent of
aluminum’s yield strength to
be maintained.
“It’s our weld-free concept
that facilitates this,
offering a yield strength
comparable to construc-
tion that uses A36 steel,”
he notes.
For its innovative
work, MAADI has won
the Extrusion Technol-
ogyFoundation’s2008DesignCompetitionAward(architectural
category), and the 2009 Regional Innovation Award for New
Technology.ThecompanyalsoreceivedfundingfromQuebec’s
CenterforResearchandDevelopmentofAluminum(CQRDA)
to move from concept to manufacturing.
In addition, MAADI has approached the Canadian
military engineers to have some of their bridge designs tested.
The first military version of Make-A-Bridge would allow
three-ton vehicles.
The world is changing, de la Chevrotière says, and demand-
ing a reduced environmental footprint. “Aluminum designs
will be reused for decades, retaining their full mechanical
properties, while using only five percent of the energy required
to originally produce the aluminum,” he notes. “It’s a mate-
rial that offers us limitless design possibilities, and we are
poised to share our bridge innovation with the world.” DE
www.makeabridge.com
Bridging the Gap
Modular bridge system, Make-A-Bridge, poised to expand into markets outside of Canada.
CanadianInnovator
The modular Make-A-Bridge, by
Quebec’s MAADI Group, features
weldless construction and
Meccano-like assembly.
S
m
S
SI
to
in
th
an
th
al
34-DES.indd 34 12-02-07 12:08 PM

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Customer Interaction Centre: 1-888-303-3353
34-DES.indd 35 12-02-07 11:31 AM

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34-DES.indd 36 12-02-07 11:31 AM

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