UNIT-V FMM.HYDRAULIC TURBINE - Construction and working
Dng de-04012012
1. PM40069240
Canadian firm,
General Fusion,
aims to fire up
the first net gain
fusion reactor.
14 Solidworks World 2012 looks to
the future of CAD software
22 Resolvers stage a come back in
motion control applications
38 Fluid Power Roundtable 2012
$27.00 | March/April 2012
aims to fire up
the first net gain
fusion reactor.Commercial
Fusion
FLUID POWER
BUYERS’ GUIDE
P.30
1-DES.indd 1 12-04-18 12:04 PM
2. Solid Edge. Design better.
The best product designers have an edge.
Solid Edge
3D CAD Software
Product designers have never been more important to
the success of their companies. Creative, efficient
designers are the key to delivering better products faster.
Too often, however, CAD tools get in the way of their tal-
ent—and the company’s success.
Solid Edge with synchronous technology is different. It
helps you create designs more intuitively. It helps you
instantly revise any design, even complex designs from
other CAD systems. And it’s built on our bulletproof
Parasolid kernel – the industry-standard for reliable
performance.
Our new “Get the Edge” program shows how Solid Edge
will help you reach your design potential—and help your
company realize greater success. Learn more today at
www.siemens.com/plm/gettheedge or call
800-807-2200.
2011siemens_SE_DE_OCT2011.indd 1 10/3/11 8:38:46 AM
2-5-DES.indd 2 12-04-11 12:27 PM
4. SCHAEFFLER GROUP
INDUSTRIAL
The Straight Line
on Linear Solutions
Operational reliability begins with design.
INA linear products from Schaeffler are designed
with maximum load capacities across the range,
as well as high rigidity and misalignment
compensation within series designs. Patented
lubrication and sealing technology ensures
maintenance free operation, while continuous
product innovation embraces linear solutions with
increasingly longer and quieter service lives.
Behind design is versatility and service. INA offers
an extensive range of products backed by a
comprehensive service center to quickly create
and deliver highly customized linear assembly
solutions.
INA linear solutions from Schaeffler… the straight
line to operational reliability.
www.schaeffler-group.com
Straight Line 10/24/07 12:06 PM Page 1
2-5-DES.indd 4 12-04-11 12:27 PM
5. 5IN THE NEWS
8 Canadian Satellite
Design Challenge
heats up
8 Schneider Electric
Canada appoints
new president and
vice president
8 General Donlee
Canada appoints
new CEO
10 Canadian bike
maker leverages
CFD for latest model
10 EADS, Creaform
form partnership
10 SCS Supply Group
changes name
10 NKK Switches names
new president
12 Canadian
automotive R&D
receives a funding
boost
12 COM DEV one of
the best employers
for new Canadians
Annual Subscription Rate
In Canada: $52.95 (1 year)
$71.95 (2 year)
Outside Canada: $99.95 (1 year)
Single Copy
In Canada: $10.00
Outside Canada: $22.00
Directory Rates
In Canada: $27.00
Outside Canada: $45.00
Reader Service
Contact Information
ecallaghan@bizinfogroup.ca
T: Toronto 416 442 5600 X 3538
Elsewhere -866-543-7888
Mail:
Business Information Group
Design Engineering Circulation Dept
80 Valleybrook Drive
North York, ON
M3B 2S9
Printed in Canada
READER SERVICES
Contents | Volume 58, No. 2
14 CAD Report
Solidworks World 2012: As CAD software
approaches maturity, Solidworks pushes
to generate excitement and satisfy user
requests at annual conference.
22 Motion Control
When choosing between position
feedback components, resolvers may just
have an edge over optical encoders.
24 Idea Generator
The latest in industrial products including
motion control, power transmission and
robotics
28 Canadian Innovator
Kick Starter: Canadian engineer perfects a
low-cost prosthetic to help amputees.
Columns
18 Commercial Fusion
Canadian firm aims to fire up the world’s
first net gain fusion reactor
34 Maximizing Hydraulic Efficiency
Choosing the most efficient control option
requires a full understanding of a hydraulic
application.
38 Fluid Power Roundtable 2012
Canadian leaders discuss the market,
globalization and the next generation of
fluid power professionals.
42 On the Ball
Integrator saves time and expense with
new ball valves and end connections.
Features
14
22
28
38
www.design-engineering.com March/April | 2012
18
2-5-DES.indd 5 12-04-11 12:27 PM
6. 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.
@
Every year, another federal budget comes out, sending various sectors into a
flurry of cheers for increased spending and dire warnings of the consequences
funding cuts will bring about. There may be much to argue about in the budget
unveiled in March, but it’s hard to dispute that innovation isn’t high on its list of
objectives. In total, it allocates almost $1.6 billion in innovation spending.
Specifically, the budget is interested in fostering the broader sense of the word
ratherthanfocusingonthenarrower“invention”definition.Inotherwords,itplaces
greater emphasis on the “D” rather than the “R” in Research and Development.
Thrown into the mix is the often unstated “C” for Commercialization. While
it can be argued that Canadians are every bit as creative as their counterparts in
other industrialized countries, we often get poor marks for successfully bringing
those creations to market. Since the 1980s, the Conference Board of Canada has
given Canada a “D” grade in innovation.
That’s not due as much to a lack of patent filings or ground-breaking research,
but to the comparatively little profit derived from either. According to the Global
Innovation Index for 2011, Canada ranked eighth in innovation inputs and tenth
in outputs but 54th in terms of innovation efficiency.
To engineer this shift towards measurable results, the budget closely follows
recommendations put forward in the Expert Panel Report, Innovation Canada: A
Call to Action. First and foremost, the report advocated restructuring the Scientific
Research and Education Development (SR&ED) tax credit program. The most
significant change is that, starting in 2014, capital expenditures will no longer be
eligible.TheintentbehindthepolicychangesistotakecomplexityoutoftheSR&ED
application process and shift compensation toward SME’s labour-related costs.
While the budget squeezes SR&ED, new funding is being pumped into more
direct forms of support, again, in line with the Expert Panel Report. For example,
the budget proposes doubling contributions made to the Industrial Research
Assistance Program (IRAP), an initiative administered by the National Research
Council to fund innovation within SMEs.
In addition, the Canada Foundation for Innovation will receive $100 million
annually,fornextfiveyears,tosupporttheprivatesectorthoughresearchconducted
in Canadian Universities. And, to address the dearth of Canadian VC money, the
budgetallocatesanextra$100milliontotheBusinessDevelopmentBank’sventure
capital activities as well as $400 million to create large-scale venture capital funds.
The only panel major recommendation missing from the budget was the forma-
tion of a proposed Industrial Research and Innovation Council, an arm’s-length
funding and delivery agency with focus on supporting business innovation. While
not formally addressed, the government hasn’t rejected the idea for the future.
It’s hard to anticipate what affect all this budgetary effort will ultimately have
on Canadian innovation. Socially engineering success is a tricky business; govern-
ment funding and economic incentives have a tendency to bounce in unanticipated
directions. But whatever your political leanings, the government is at least making
an honest effort to foster innovation. Like any government initiative, it will depend
on how the recipients choose to use the money allocated.
Mike McLeod
Engineering R&D
www.design-engineering.com
Publisher
Alan Macpherson (416) 510-6756
AMacPherson@design-engineering.com
Group Editorial Director
Lisa Wichmann (416) 510-5101
LWichmann@canadianmanufacturing.com
Accounts Manager
Laura Gergley (416) 510-5230
lgergley@design-engineering.com
Editor
Michael McLeod (416) 442-5600 ext. 3231
mmcleod@design-engineering.com
Technical Field Editor
Pat Jones, P. Eng.
Art Director
Kathy Smith (416) 442-5600 ext. 3215
KSmith@plant.ca
Market Production Manager
Jessica Jubb (416) 510-5194
jjubb@bizinfogroup.ca
Circulation Manager
Cindi Holder (416) 442-5600 ext. 3544
CHolder@bizinfogroup.ca
BIG Magazines LP
Executive Publisher
Tim Dimopoulos
Vice-President of Canadian Publishing,
Alex Papanou
President of Business Information Group,
Bruce Creighton
Publications Mail Agreement #40069240
ISSN number: 0011-9342
Privacy Notice: From time to time we make our
subscription list available to select companies and
organizations whose product or service may interest
you. If you do not wish your contact information to
be made available, please contact us via one of the
following methods:
Phone: 1-800-668-2374 Fax: 416-442-2191
E-mail: privacyofficer@businessinformationgroup.ca.
Mail to: Privacy Officer, 80 Valleybrook Drive,
North York, ON M3B 2S9
Subscriber Services: To subscribe, renew your
subscription or to change your address or information
contact us at 1-800-387-0273. Subscription Price:
Canada: $52.95 for 1 year; $71.95 for 2 years; $10 for
single copy. Outside Canada: $99.95 for 1 year; $22
for single copy. Directory/buyer’s guide: Canada $27;
Outside Canada $45.
Design Engineering, established in 1955, is published
6 times per year except for occasional combined,
expanded or premium issues, which count as two
subscription issues. Published by BIG Magazines LP, a
division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd.
Tel: 416-442-5600, Fax: 416-510-5140
80 Valleybrook Dr., Toronto, ON M3B 2S9.
Contents of this publication are protected by copyright
and must not be reprinted in whole or in part without
permission of the publisher. DE receives unsolicited
features and materials (including letters to the editor)
from time to time. DE, its affiliates and assignees may
use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and
archive such submissions in whole or in part in any form
or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any
sort. DE accepts no responsibility or liability for claims
made for any product or service reported or advertised
in this issue. DE is indexed in the Canadian Business
Index by Micromedia Ltd., Toronto, and is available
on-line in the Canadian Business & Current Affairs
Database. We acknowledge the financial support of the
Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical
Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.
March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
6-7-DES.indd 6 12-04-11 3:57 PM
7. Jefferson Electric
Buck-Boost Transformers
Buck-boost transformers are designed
to maximize the performance and life of
electrical equipment. They are typically
used to power loads with specific voltage
requirements that differ from the
available line voltage.
When connected as an autotransformer,
these units can buck (lower) or boost (raise)
available line voltage from 5 to 20 percent.
When connected as an isolation
transformer, they can be used to step
down supply power to low voltage
circuits at the nameplate rating listed.
Features
• Single-phase units from 50VA to 2kVA
(individual units required for multiple phases)
• Encapsulated with electrical grade resin
• Cores of high-quality electrical steel
• 60 Hz operation
• NEMA 3R-rated enclosure
• Slotted mounting holes for quick and easy mounting
• 10-year limited warranty (mfg. defects)
• Built in accordance with UL1446, CAN/CSA - C22.2 No. 0
• Agency Approval UL File #E4466
www.automationdirect.com/power
www.automationdirect.com
1-800-633-0405
Go online or call to get complete information,
request your free catalog, or place an order.
Control Transformers
starting at: $37.50
(PH50PG)
Encapsulated
Transformers
starting at: $86.00
(C1FC10WE)
Also Available
Free standard shipping is available for orders totaling over $300 U.S.
(except for orders which require LTL shipping, see Web site for details). Also, save on
brokerage fees when shipping standard ground to Canada - you can choose to
allow AutomationDirect to nominate a broker for your shipment for parts shipping
via standard ground. This can save you big on brokerage fees. See Web site for details
and restrictions - www.automationdirect.com/canada
Two series available:
• 240 x 120 VAC to 24 x 12 VAC
• 240 x 120 VAC to 32 x 16 VAC
Applications
• Air conditioners
• Heating elements
• 277 Volt supply for lighting systems
Our shipping policies
make it easier than ever
to order direct from the U.S.!
6-7-DES.indd 7 12-04-11 12:26 PM
8. 8
Schneider appoints new president
Schneider Electric Canada has appointed
Daniel Peloquin as President, replacing Gary
Abrams, who has been appointed Transforma-
tion Leader, Schneider Electric North America
IT Transformation Initiative.
Peloquin’s background includes executive
leadership in general management, engineer-
ing, sales, marketing and operations. He
graduated from the École Polytechnique de
Montréal with a Bachelor of Engineering
degree, majoring in power systems and is a
registered Professional Engineer from the Ordre
des Ingénieurs du Québec.
Replacing Peloquin as VP of services & projects,
Leonce Fraser will lead activities that include
installed base services of electrical distribution
systems; energy management services; the
projects and engineering center; and customer
operations. Leonce holds a Bachelor’s degree
in mechanical engineering from the University
of Québec and an MBA from HEC Montreal in
international business.
www.schneider-electric.ca
General Donlee Canada appoints CEO
General Donlee Canada, Inc. announced that
Garen Mikirditsian has been appointed CEO
and CFO. In addition, Bruce Van Nus has joined
the company as Chief Operating Officer.
Prior to joining General Donlee in April 2011,
Garen was VP of a private investment firm and
spent three years in the mergers & acquisitions
group of BMO Capital Markets. He is a graduate
of Concordia University’s John Molson School of
Business where he received a Master of Business
Administration degree, and holds a Bachelor of
Engineering degree from the mechanical engi-
neering honours program at McGill University.
Bruce Van Nus, Chief Operating Officer,
brings over twenty years of manufacturing
experience, including fourteen years with
Bombardier Aerospace.
www.generaldonlee.com
Up Front Canadian Satellite Design
Challenge heats up
Following a critical design review held at the CSA’s David Florida Lab
in Ottawa this past March, the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge
(CSDC) has come down to three leading Canadian University teams.
Theprimaryobjectiveofthechallengeisforuniversitystudentstodesign
and manufacture an operational “cubesat” satellite, predominantly
using off-the-shelf components.
Of the 12 universities competing, teams from Concordia Univer-
sity, University of Manitoba and University of Saskatchewan have
taken the top three positions so far. Concordia University’s ConSat-1,
designed by a 30-student team, is tasked with studying the South
Atlantic Anomaly of the Van Allen radiation belt, to discover how it
works and affects space weather.
University of Manitoba’s T-Sat cube satellite carries two scientific
payloads. The primary payload will study a colony of small organisms
calledtardigradesandmonitortheirbehaviorwhenexposedtotheharsh
space environment. The second remote sensing payload is designed to
learn more about the Sun through spectroscopy.
University of Saskatchewan Space Design Team’s (USST) nano-
satellite is intended to measure and map plasma densities in the
Earth’s ionosphere to help improve the accuracy of multi-million
dollar GPS satellites.
Presently, the satellites are undergoing full space environmental
and launch qualification testing. When the contest wraps in October,
one or more winning teams will be chosen to have their satellite
launched into outer space where they will conduct its experiment at
26,280 kilometres
per hour, approxi-
mately 700 kilome-
tres above the Earth.
www.geocentrix.ca
DesignNews
March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
Daniel Peloquin Leonce Fraser
Members of University of Saskatchewan’s Canadian Satellite Design Challenge team.
Concordia’s ConSat-1
is one of 12 “CubeSat”
satellites vying for a trip
to Earth orbit.
8-13-DES.indd 8 12-04-13 2:06 PM
9. Wire leads to be
7” + 1/8” with
crimped terminal
10258333-2
FKM seals
5-volt coil less
than 0.5 watt
“Cleaned for Oxygen
Service” internal
components
Brass base (no
plating needed)
Toggle-operated
manual by-pass
valve in base
Integrated needle
valve for precise
flow control
1/2” maxMounting
holes
Stainless Steel
coil housing
CUSTOM er
-
solutions
Clippard Instrument Laboratory,Inc.
513-521-4261
www.clippard.com/customsolutions
Wainbee Ltd.
888-WAINBEE
www.wainbee.com
Providing custom products and value-added assemblies based on
the most successful miniature pneumatic line in the world!
8-13-DES.indd 9 12-04-11 8:05 AM
10. 10
SCS Supply Group changes name
Applied Industrial Technologies, LP announced
that its SCS Supply Group Inc. business, includ-
ing Toronto Bearing Belting, CBS Equipment,
and Jake’s Bearings, has changed its operating
name to Applied Industrial Technologies, effec-
tive April 1, 2012.
Applied Industrial Technologies, LP, head-
quartered in Saskatoon, is the Canadian-
operated subsidiary of Applied Industrial
Technologies, Inc. that operates more than 40
locations in Canada.
www.appliedcanada.com
NKK Switches names new president
NKK Switches has appointed Michael Wada
as president of NKK Switches, succeeding
Kiyoko Toyama. Wada has been with NKK since
2006, previously serving as vice president of
business development.
www.nkkswitches.com
Up Front
Canadian bike maker leverages CFD analysis for
latest racing model
Canadian high-end bicycle company, Cervélo—known for the
distinctive airfoil shape of its bikes’ down pipe—teamed up with,
Intel, R Systems and engineering software company, CD-adapco,
to test the design of its S5 racing bike before its release. As a result,
the company says the S5 doubles the aerodynamic advantage its
S3 model had over traditional road bicycles.
Anyone who has ridden a bicycle on a windy day knows aero-
dynamics play a huge role in cycling. Drag makes up 80-90 percent
of the resistance experienced by an average rider on a flat road—
80 percent of this drag is due to the rider, with the remaining 20
percent down to the bicycle itself.
In the design of the S5, Cervélo ran simulations using the
STAR-CCM+ Power-on-Demand licensing scheme on R Systems
HPC resources powered by multi-core Intel processors. STAR-
CCM+ Power-on-Demand allows users to run STAR-CCM+
simulations using an on-demand cloud computing service. Based
on extensive wind tunnel testing and Computational Fluid Dynam-
ics (CFD) simulation, Cervélo says the S5 is the most advanced
aerodynamic road bicycle it has yet developed.
www.cd-adapco.com
www.cervelo.com
EADS, Creaform form partnership
EADS and Creaform have entered into a technological partnership
agreement covering 3D optical measurement for aerospace and
defence applications. This 5-year agreement provides for the
development of innovative applications in the field of optical 3D
measurement for non-destructive testing (NDT), test monitoring
and form and surface measurement, applied to aeronautics, space
and defence.
“EADS has successfully implemented Creaform’s 3D scan-
ning and optical measurement technologies since 2008. The
developments planned will enable EADS to reduce its develop-
ment time cycle, create synergies and reduce the time-to-
market of its new products,” said Yann Barbaux, Head of EADS
Innovation Works.
Comprising Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter, EADS
employs more than 1600 people in Canada through EADS
Canada, Eurocopter Canada, Composites Atlantic, Cassidian
Communications, Aerolia and Vector Aerospace.
www.creaform3d.com
DesignNews
March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
Rod Ends and Spherical
Bearings designed and
manufactured to Aurora's
exacting standards for quality
and durability.
Registered and Certified to
ISO-9001 and AS9100.
From economy commercial to
aerospace approved,
we've got it all !
Aurora Bearing Company
901 Aucutt Road
Montgomery IL. 60538
Complete library of CAD drawings and 3D models available at:
w w w . a u r o r a b e a r i n g . c o m
Aurora-Where_the_Action_Is:Aurora 11/5/10 2:27 PM Page 1
8-13-DES.indd 10 12-04-13 2:06 PM
12. 12
Canadian automotive RD receives
funding boost
Six new projects—supported by Automotive Partnership
Canada initiative—were announced at the University of
Windsor in March. Intended to advance RD in Canada’s
automotive industry, these university-industry partnerships
will receive approximately $34 million from Automotive
Partnership Canada and other industry partners, including
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of
Canada (NSERC), Canada Foundation
for Innovation (CFI) and National
Research Council Canada (NRC).
The projects include a million-
dollar investment to assist in the devel-
opment of manufacturing processes to
produce lighter-weight car parts,
headed by Daniel Green, a UWindsor
mechanical automotive and materials
engineering professor. In addition,
Dalhousie University received a total
of $6.4 million to develop a low-cost
method of producing titanium parts
for automotive applications and another
project to identify cell chemistries
optimize battery life.
Other awards include $3.7 million to
the University of Waterloo to examine
multi-material automotive structures;
$5.5 million to Simon Fraser University
to develop polymer electrolyte membrane
fuel cells with lower platinum require-
ments; and $2.3 million to McMaster
University to identify improvements to
lithium batteries.
Announced by the Government of
Canada in April 2009, Automotive Part-
nership Canada is a five-year, $145-million
initiative that supports collaborative RD
and pushes the Canadian automotive
industry to greater levels of innovation.
www.apc-pac.ca
COM DEV one of the best
employers for new Canadians
COM DEV International Ltd., a leading
manufacturer of space hardware subsys-
tems, announced that it has been named
one of the “Best Employers for New
Canadians.” This designation, awarded
by the editors of Canada’s Top 100
Employers, recognizes employers that
offer programs to assist recent immi-
grants in making the transition to a new
workplace and a new life in Canada.
At its head office in Cambridge, Ontario, the company’s
cafeteria displays 84 flags representing every country which
is the birthplace of at least one of COM DEV’s 1,000+ employ-
ees. The company also partners with agencies such as the
YMCA to mentor new immigrants in efforts to orient them
to Canadian culture and assist them with job searching.
COM DEV also offers on-site, one-on-one English language
programs.
www.comdevintl.com
DesignNews
March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
8-13-DES.indd 12 12-04-13 2:06 PM
14. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
14
If a CAD user conference is any indication, the healthy
attendance at SolidWorks World 2012 suggests that the
economic rebound is taking hold in North America. Nearly
5,650 registered attendees descended on San Diego Conven-
tion Center this past February. That’s significantly larger than
the approximately 4,300 of the year previous.
To kick off the conference, CEO Bertrand Sicot’s remarks
during the first general session were somewhat overshadowed
by the small, child-like robot—called the NAO—that intro-
duced him. Designed in SolidWorks, NAO robot is the brain-
child of Paris-based Aldebaran Robotics and is intended to,
among other things, help autistic children learn.
Other highlights of the show included presentations by
Mike Rowe from Discovery’s Dirty Jobs; NEPTUNE Canada,
the world’s first underwater observatory network; and a sit-
down interview keynote address between Sicot and the father
of the Apple iPod, Tony Fadell.
While these presentations were entertaining and informa-
tive, SolidWorks World this year lacked the buzz of prior
years. In the history of the event, Day 3 is typically the big
reveal when execs show off what’s coming in the next release.
Typically, attendees sit at the edges of their seats, eager to hear
how their favorite design software will become that much
more powerful. The 2012 event lacked that kind of excitement.
There was simply a lack of cool new stuff.
IsthisonlyaSolidWorksproblem?Notreally.It’sanindustry
problem. Now that CAD tools are so robust, it’s questionable if
they can be pushed much further; 3D CAD has matured to the
point that most of the real cool stuff has been done. Running
downthetop10bestenhancementstoexpectinthe2013release
shows that there are only one or two real enhancements and a
handful of nice-to-haves but one disappointment in the lot.
10Assembly visualization: You will be able to sort parts
and assemblies depending on which is more graphically
intensive. Combined with the feature lock capability of last
year’s 2012 release, it could make working on large assemblies
much easier.
9eDrawings markup import into SolidWorks drawings:
Not too many people use eDrawings but for design shops
that do, this is a must have. Being able to import the markups
from an eDrawing into a SolidWorks drawing will likely save
having to flip between multiple windows (SolidWorks and
eDrawings) to get a drawing done and just do it all directly
in SolidWorks. Two thumbs up!
8SectionXpert: You will be able to create sections quickly
without having to make a sketch to start the command,
saving a few mouse clicks. Everyone wants to save mouse
clicks so this is a definite win-win. Plus, there is some added
functionality to make more complex section cuts.
7Revision clouds: This is self explanatory and been in the
industry since God was a child. In this case, all I have to
say is that it’s about time they added this to the software.
6Bring multiple components into assembly at once: Again,
this is a mouse click saver. Anything to keep carpal tunnel
syndrome at bay is good in my books.
5Favorite features folder added to feature manager: Put-
ting common features you use in an accessible folder in
the feature manager is a good idea but to get users to put this
to use might be a bit of a challenge.
4Dowel holes added to the hole wizard: Much like the
revision cloud ability, this comes under “It’s about time”.
3Surface intersect: With this command, you can add and
subtract material to a solid body in one step using surfaces.
This is something that could be pretty awesome.
CADReport
As CAD software and the industry approach maturity,
Solidworks pushes to generate excitement and satisfy
user requests at annual conference.
By Ben Eadie
S
m
S
SI
to
in
th
an
th
al
14-16 DES.indd 14 12-04-11 8:05 AM
15. SINAMICS – General purpose and
motion control drives
www.siemens.ca/sinamics
Seamless and integrated drives
SINAMICS is the most comprehensive drive family available
today. It is based on a simple, integrated engineering concept,
inherently providing innovative, energy-efficient solutions for
the future. Whether it’s a matter of efficient pumping, ventilating
and compressing, or precise movement, processing, or machining,
the number of application areas for frequency converters is
almost endless.
So it’s good that there is one family of drives for all of these areas
that fulfills every requirement perfectly. Our SINAMICS portfolio
represents uniform engineering, extremely high-efficiency, and
convenient operation. No matter which direction you wish to
go, Siemens offers you the optimum drive – from one source
for every application. For more information contact Siemens
Customer Interaction Centre: 1-888-303-3353
14-16 DES.indd 15 12-04-11 8:05 AM
16. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
16
2Equation entry everywhere: Being able to add equations
on the fly while designing is great to have. I take notes when
coming up with conceptual designs on things I need to re-
address once the initial approvals are done. The most common
note I take is where to add smart dimensions using formulas
to be able to generate multiple iterations quickly for final design
and prototyping. Now, being able to add them while in concept
phase will help speed up the prototype phase.
1Backwards compatibility: This issue has been seen on
the top 10 list for years and, on the surface, it seems like
it’s finally being addressed. But there is a significant limitation.
Backwards compatibility is limited to 2013 files being saved
back to 2012, provided you have the latest service pack.
In general, I think SolidWorks is going in the right direc-
tion; when a recent user group meeting was polled if they
could use backward compatibility, everyone raised their hands.
However, when shown the current backwards compatibility
functionality being proposed and asked if this would help
them, no one raised their hands.
Why? The fact is that users are just as shy to upgrade to the
latest service pack as they are to upgrade to a new version for
fear that bad things happening to their data. So if someone is
using one service pack back from the last released for 2012,
then this functionality will simply not work. For this group of
users, this is the critical detail that makes this a bitter sweet
enhancement. On the one hand, SolidWorks is adding what
the users asked for. On the other, the company has limited
compatibility to such an extent that it misses the mark. Hope-
fully, this is just the start of SolidWorks’ backwards compatibil-
ity and it will improve in future releases.
SolidWorks has been taking care of bugs and stability issues
for the last few years and I see a little trickle of new innovative
things coming to light now that the software is more stable
and less buggy.
It’s hard to say what the future holds for SolidWorks. There
has been talk of some great stuff coming from the company’s
staff, but it’s all just rumors at this point. The company has
been tight lipped, and only time will tell if they can get their
mojo back with some super cool features or innovative solutions
to CAD issues in the next year or two.
SolidWorks is now leaving the stability and bug phase of
the development cycle, so my fingers are crossed that we will
see a resurgence of cool things in the future. DE
www.solidworks.com/sww
Ben Eadie is an Aeronautical Engineering Technologist, as
well as a prolific CAD industry blogger, developer, trainer and
video caster.
CADReport
Anything Less Costs More
sChUnK is the global leader in gripping systems, Clamping
technology and robot eoAt components. turnkey solutions are
available from sChUnK for oeM, integrator and end User needs
in industrial, Packaging, Pharmaceutical and health Care.
www.schunk.com | info@ca.schunk.com | 905-712-2200
EXCEPTIONAL PRECISION FROM THE COMPETENCE LEADER FOR
CLAMPING TECHNOLOGY AND GRIPPING SYSTEMS.
SCHUNK_GrippingSystems_91x130_CA_0112.indd 1 01.02.12 13:54
14-16 DES.indd 16 12-04-11 8:05 AM
18. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
18
By Treena Hein
In a world beset by fossil fuel energy woes, fusion energy is
holiest of Holy Grails. A working fusion reactor would not
only release large amounts of energy but, unlike nuclear fission
plants, they can’t melt down. They’re also significantly “cleaner,”
in that a fusion reaction only uses small amounts of an abun-
dant fuel (hydrogen isotopes tritium and deuterium), which
is only weakly radioactive. The problem is, no one has yet
created a net gain reactor (more energy out than in), although
many well-funded programs are actively pursuing it.
It’s not surprising, considering the daunting challenges
involved. Similar to the process that drives the Sun, a fusion
reaction—meldingtwohydrogenatomstoformhelium—requires
heatingthereactorfueltogalactic-scaletemperaturesandcrushed
underintensepressures.Ofcourse,youalsoneedavesselcapable
of producing and containing these thermonuclear conditions.
Consequently, building fusion reactors will take decades, as
wellasenormousexpenditures,whichiswhyenthusiasmforthis
type of energy production has dampened. However, these same
issues have many in the field keeping a close eye on a Canadian
company,GeneralFusion,anditscomparativelylow-techapproach
tofusionpower.TheBurnaby,BC-basedcompany’smechanical
design sidesteps the massive costs of other leading approaches.
“Fusion reactions require plasma to be heated to near 150
million˚C, and that requires a lot of energy,” says Michael Delage,
General Fusion’s vice president of business development. “Where
you get this energy, and how you deliver it to the fuel, has a big
effect on system cost.”
Reactor Design 101
To appreciate General Fusion’s concept, it’s important to under-
stand how it differs from the two leading projects. ITER, a
multinational collaboration based in France, is the larger and
uses an approach called magnetic confinement. Using this
method, a stream of super-heated tritium and deuterium gas,
or plasma, is contained in a donut-shaped vacuum vessel called
a tokamak. Super conducting magnets heat and compress the
plasma to create the fusion reaction.
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratories is pursuing the other approach, inertial
confinement.Itemploys192laserbeamsfocusedondeuterium-
tritium pellets inside a 10-meter-diameter target chamber to
convert the fuel to plasma and generate X-rays. The radiation
then compresses the plasma until fusion occurs. Both methods,
saysDelage,requiremassiveamountsofinputenergyanddepend
on expensive, complex equipment that drive development costs
into the billions and time lines out to 2050 at best.
In comparison, Delage says a commercial General Fusion
reactorcouldbeonlineby2020andatafractionoftheprice.The
company’sapproachisahybridbetweenthetwomainmethods,
called “magnetized target” fusion, and employs a comparatively
lesspowerhungryreactordesign.BasedonaconceptcalledLINUS
first developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in the
1970s,GeneralFusion’sreactorstartswithasphericalvesselfilled
withliquidlead-lithiummetal.Theliquidmetalisthenpumped
in a circle until centrifugal force forms a vortex in its center.
Into this vortex, plasma injectors on the top and bottom of
the reactor inject doughnut-shaped “puffs” of plasma wrapped
CoverStory
Commercial Fusion
Amid many competitors, a Canadian firm aims to fire up the first commercial fusion reactor.
A successful test of this scaled
down prototype of General
Fusion’s reactor may change the
future of energy production.
18-21-DES.indd 18 12-04-11 11:11 AM
20. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
20
in a magnetic field. Like smoke rings blown into either end of
a tube, these “magnetized targets” collide at the reactor’s core.
Asthetargetscombine,approximately200steam-drivenpistons
simultaneously hammer the spherical vessel, sending a shock-
wave through the molten metal. The shockwave collapses the
vortex and compresses the plasma, heating it adiabatically (like
a diesel engine), to produce a short burst of fusion energy.
During the reaction, the hydrogen isotope atoms fuse into
Helium and throw off high-energy neutrons that pass into the
swirling liquid metals, transferring heat and converting some of
the lithium into tritium. After the reaction ends, the metal is
pumpedoutofthechamberandpassedthroughaseparatorthat
removes the helium and tritium, which can be directed back to
theplasmainjectorsasfuel.Meanwhile,thehotleadpassesthrough
a heat exchanger that creates steam, half of which will be used to
re-power the pistons and the other half to generate electricity.
According to Delage, each fusion pulse will result in approx-
imately 100 MJ of net electrical output. The cycle repetition rate
canbevariedtocontroltheoverallpowerplantoutput;ifrepeated
oncepersecond,thenetoutputwillbe100MW.Inaddition,the
reactorwoulduseonlysmallamountsofdeuteriumandlithium.
If fusion reactors began generating enough electricity for the
entire world, Delage says, lithium reserves would last for 207
million years and deuterium for more than 67 billion years.
Fusion for Less
For all its promise, the quest for net gain fusion has been a time
consuming and costly endeavor. The ITER reactor is projected
to take 10 years and 13 billion euros to construct. That doesn’t
count the 25 years and counting since the project began and the
millionspouredinbycontributorssofar.Evenwhenbuilt,ITER’s
superconductingmagnetsandothercomponentswouldrequire
50MWworthofinputpowertostartandmaintainthereaction.
Similarly,costsforLaurenceLivermore’sNationalIgnitionFacil-
ityareestimatedatupwardsof$850millionanditsreactorrequires
500 trillion watts of laser light to kick-start fusion reactions.
Where General Fusion’s magnetized target method stands
apart is in its relatively low-tech, low-cost mechanical means of
compressing the plasma. “As an energy storage medium, com-
pressedgasisordersofmagnitudelessexpensivethancapacitors,”
Delage explains, “but it’s hard to release this energy quickly.”
That’s the problem that ultimately scuttled LINUS, the pre-
decessor of the General Fusion reactor, in the 1970s. The LINUS
concept proposed impacting the liquid metal directly, which
resultedinarelativelyslowvortexcollapseofupto40milliseconds,
whilethemagnetizedtargetholdsitsstructureforonlyabout100
microseconds. According to Delage, General Fusion has solved
this problem by impacting the containment vessel itself.
“Our sphere is in fact full of holes, like a Wiffle ball,” he
explains. “Each hole is plugged with an ‘anvil’ and compressed
gas is used to accelerate a 100 kg ‘hammer’ piston. This accel-
eration takes about 80 milliseconds. When the hammer piston
impacts on the anvil piston, it moves a small amount and trans-
fers the energy into the liquid metal in about 80 microseconds.
That’s a timescale shorter than the lifetime of the magnetized
target and an increase in power of 1000 times.”
The challenge is that as the energy delivery speeds up, the
requirements for symmetry of compression increases. “Every
piston has to be individually servo-controlled to achieve the
necessary synchronization,” Delage says. “Achieving this wasn’t
possible in the 1970’s, but we are able to nurse each piston’s
trajectory using a fast-response, closed-loop control system
and brake, so that the timing of the impact is controlled to
within microseconds. It’s the use of modern electronics—the
computing power that has only come available in the last ten
years—that makes our proposed system possible.”
Approaching the Finish Line
Presently, General Fusion is creating a prototype and key sub-
systems at full scale. These include a plasma injector that cre-
ates the magnetized target; individual full-scale pistons that
meet requirements for impact energy and timing; and a 1-meter-
diameter sphere with 14 pistons to demonstrate the symmetric
collapse of a liquid metal vortex.
“We’re also performing a series of experiments to demon-
strate the behavior of the plasma target at peak compression
CoverStory
General Fusion’s reactor will employ 200 steam-powered pneumatic
pistons, like this one, to create the necessary pressures to induce
nuclear fusion.
The largest of its kind every constructed, this plasma injector
is designed to inject “smoke rings” of magnetized tritium and
deuterium plasma into the fusion reactor’s core.
18-21-DES.indd 20 12-04-11 11:11 AM
21. www.design-engineering.com March/April | 2012
21
in accordance with theoretical predictions,
and developing simulation tools, matched
experimental data, to be used in the design
of the prototype system,” says Delage. “To
date, the most challenging work has been
related to the formation of the magnetized
target plasma.”
He says General Fusion’s plasma injector
is the largest such device ever constructed.
Rather than a straightforward extension of
smaller systems, many issues have been
overcome to achieve the necessary performance.
“All our efforts have required significant innovation in
mechanicaldesign,materials,electricalandpulsepowersystems,
diagnostics and advancements in plasma science,” says Delage.
“Italltakestime.”Thecompanyhopestohaveaprototypeoper-
ating by early 2015, and a working reactor by 2020.
“Thepathtoasuccessisaboutunderstandingthephysicsand
the engineering and managing the outcome to produce energy
safely and reliably,” notes Dr. Paul Wilson, associate professor of
nuclear engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“The understanding of the physics of the mechanisms they
are employing is less mature than with the two standard
approaches, but they’re obviously learning more all the time,”
Wilson adds. “Magnetized targets have been achieved in many
experiments, but it’s a matter of determining
how you can have atoms collide with enough
symmetry that you get the bang and not a
fizzle.”
Wilsonbelievesit’spossiblethatacompany
like General Fusion may beat large national
and international programs to the finish line.
Dr. Kevin Bowcutt, a senior technical fellow
and chief scientist of hypersonics at Boeing,
agrees.Heledanindependenttechnicalreview
of General Fusion’s technology in 2008.
“We found that their engineering challenges can be solved
and they’ve been solving them since then,” Bowcutt says.
“They have achieved things such as control of impact timing.”
He notes that General Fusion will be holding an important
physics test this summer of their plasma compression device. If
all goes well, it’s likely to change the global fusion mindset.
“The world has been saying that achieving fusion will cost
billionsofdollarsandtakedecades,”saysBowcutt,“butGeneral
Fusion’s approach, if it’s shown to work, will sidestep all that.”
“I think a horse race metaphor works well,” Wilson observes.
“We’reprobablygoingtoseeonehorsepullaheadandthenmaybe
another catch up and maybe lead the group for a while, and so
on. This will be an interesting decade.” DE
www.generalfusion.com
At the center of a liquid metal vortex,
tritium and deuterium atoms fuse,
releasing a short burst of energy.
CoverStory
18-21-DES.indd 21 12-04-13 2:13 PM
22. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
22
When choosing between position feed-
back components, resolvers may just have
an edge over optical encoders.
By Mark McCann, B.Sc. Electrical Engineering
While most motion control systems can work with either
resolvers or encoders to monitor shaft position, they are
not interchangeable. Many engineers are unfamiliar with
resolver electronics and opt for an optical encoder as a default.
As with all components, it is important to understand the basic
operation of both options and keep abreast of technological
advances to build the most efficient and effective systems.
Both resolvers and optical encoders function as transducers
bytransformingmechanicalmotionintoelectronicinformation.
This information is fed back to electronic devices that control
the mechanical motion, providing feedback that closes the con-
trol system loop and improves system performance.
A resolver is an electromechanical device with a mechan-
ical design similar to a motor or a small transformer. It con-
tains a rotor with one or two orthogonal primary windings
and a stator with two orthogonal secondary windings. AC
voltage is applied to the rotor and the voltage induced in each
stator winding depends on the position of the shaft.
The voltage in one stator winding is Er Cos theta, where
Er is the input voltage and theta is the shaft position, while
the voltage in the other stator winding is Er Sin theta. A
resolver-to-digital converter (generally mounted in the equip-
ment to which the resolver is connected) compares the two
voltages to give a highly accurate value of theta.
The biggest upside to resolvers is their ruggedness. They are
MotionControl
Resolvers Stage
a Comeback
While less common than optical encoders, resolvers provide ruggedized
and reliable position feedback in “extreme” environments.
resistant to electrical distur-
bances and, because they have
no fine-pitch gratings through which light must pass, they can
tolerate dust and dirt that would stop an encoder.
In contrast, an optical encoder uses a scale with a pattern
of lines deposited or engraved on its surface. A light source
shines on the scale, and the transmitted or reflected light passes
through the grating to a photodetector.
Encoders are available with both incremental and absolute
outputs. An absolute encoder has as many tracks as it has
output bits. An incremental encoder outputs a stream of pulses
as the shaft rotates and are specified in pulses per revolution
(ppr). Incremental encoders can be optical, using a scale or
disk with just one or two rows, or magnetic, using several
different technologies.
An incremental encoder does not provide any position
information at start-up, but merely keeps track of how far it
has moved. The only way to determine the absolute position
of an incremental encoder is to set the equipment to a known
reference position and then zero the counters.
Unlike a resolver, encoders are intrinsically digital, which
means they can interface easily to most modern control systems.
However, optical encoders have had a reputation for being
fragile. The thin glass disk at the heart of most optical encod-
ers could be broken by excessive shock or misaligned by strong
vibration. In addition, their integrated circuits could be dam-
aged by a severe electrical disturbance or they could be obscured
by dirt. Over the last decade, encoders gained popularity as the
glass disks were replaced with steel and plastic disks and the
electronics became more integrated and durable as a result.
Resolvers have also undergone a transformation in the past
few years, which affects the way engineers are thinking about
them. Advances in electronics manufacturing have lowered the
cost of circuits and provide an increase in resolution. In fact, 21
byte resolvers are now available with more than 2 million ppr.
Resolvers are also gaining exposure through their use in
automotive and green energy applications that deal with
environmental exposure. Compared to optical encoders,
resolvers are far more durable in extreme conditions, operate
under greater temperature ranges, tolerate higher vibrations
and are not as easily degraded by contamination. For these
reasons, resolvers excel in modern application positioning
feedback for hybrid vehicle electrical mechanical components
and solar panel positioning systems. DE
www.myostat.ca
Mark McCann is the Lead Design Engineer at automation
solutions provider, Myostat Motion Control. During his eight
years with the company, Mark has worked on hardware,
electronic circuit design, software, microcontroller firmware
development and windows application programming.
22-23-DES.indd 22 12-04-11 8:07 AM
24. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
24
Motion Control
VLT Drive
Danfoss VLT Drives introduced the
VLT FlexConcept, an optimized drive
solution engineered for food and
beverage, and packaging applications.
The system consists of the VLT
OneGearDrive, the VLT Decentral
Drive FCD 302 and/or the VLT AutomationDrive FC 302. Each
component features a washdown coating designed to IP66/67 and
IP69K standard that satisfies DIN 1672-2 Hygienic Design standards.
The VLT FlexConcept supports AC or PM motors and can operate
open- or closed loop. The system provides up to 90 percent energy
efficient operation, reducing total cost of ownership by up to 25
percent when compared with conventional systems.
www.danfossdrives.com
Food-Grade Actuators
Tolomatic’s IMA line, the company’s
integrated motor rod actuator, is
now available with a food-grade
white epoxy coating and stainless
steel components for washdown
applications. Available in four sizes,
the IMA line features stroke lengths
from three to 18 inches (76.2 to
457.2 mm) and peak thrusts from 200 to 6,875 pounds force (890
to 30,594 N) at speeds up to 24 inches per second (610 mm/sec).
The actuator series integrates a servomotor and a ball or roller
screw. Its hollow-core rotor design allows the nut of the screw to
pass inside the rotor. The motor features skewed stator windings
to minimize cogging.
www.tolomatic.com
Rotary Encoder
Leine Linde released its 700 Series of
encoders that feature a thin design and
a hollow shaft of up to 25.4 mm, often
allowing for mounting on a motor’s shaft
without an adapter. They also feature a
dual set of heavy duty bearings, an encapsu-
lated enclosure and a range of electrical inter-
faces including TTL, 1VPP, HC HTL, HTL and
RS422. On the mechanical side, the company offers shaft variants
in both inch- and millimeter-based dimensions.
www.heidenhain.com
Servo Drive
Rockwell Automation introduced its Kinetix 350 single-axis
EtherNet/IP servo drive designed for low-axis machines. When
the drive is paired with the company’s CompactLogix 5370 Series
PAC and PanelView Plus HMI, the integrated architecture system
scales from 200-10,000 I/O.
The servo drive is also equipped with safe, torque-off func-
tionality that allows tasks such as machine
setup, cleaning, removal of jams and other
maintenance tasks to be performed with-
out shutting down. Instead, drive output
can be disabled, allowing faster machine
restart. The Kinetix 350 servo drive has an
available 400W to 3kW power range and
supports 120-volt AC input, typical to
power outlets found in nonindustrial settings.
www.ab.com/motion
Industrial Ethernet
DeviceNet Analyzer
Balluff introduced its DeviceNet
Analyzer, a tool for analyzing,
commissioning, monitoring and
maintaining DeviceNet/CAN bus
installations. The unit allows users
to analyze signal square wave
quality; monitor overall network
health by node; detect the location of cable breaks and short
circuits; and locate weak points such as incorrect cable types,
lengths and faulty plug connections. The DeviceNet Analyzer
assists with making sure the network is healthy during startup
and setup and also allows for the health of the network to be
documented.
www.balluff.com
Ethernet Connector
HARTING has launched an angled
version of its next generation RJ
Industrial 10G Ethernet connector.
Rated IP 20 for the office IT envi-
ronment, the flexible, lockable,
eight-wire RJ45 requires no tools
or expertise to assemble. The 45°
cable outlet can be mounted in four different directions and
features an industrial strength actuator with locking lever protec-
tion as well as optional color coding tabs for saving patch cable-
ID and parameters. The insulation displacement terminations are
fitted for flexible and rigid wires with profiles ranging from AWG
27/7 to AWG 22/1. Cables with a diameter of between 4.5 mm
and 8 mm can be connected. With data transfer rates up to 10
Gbit Ethernet, the RJ 10G series is twice as fast as previous
versions.
www.harting.com
HMI Workstation
Pepperl+Fuchs announced that its VisuNet IND SlimLine Operator
Workstations have received Zone 2 certification for use in hazard-
ous environments. The workstations are available in a NEMA 4/4x
IP 64 Stainless or painted steel housing, and as a full PC, remote
monitor or KVM monitor solution. The company’s remote moni-
IdeaGenerator
24-27 DES.indd 24 12-04-11 8:58 AM
25. www.design-engineering.com March/April | 2012
25
tor (RM) technology requires no
software installations, provides stan-
dard Ethernet networking connections
and provides access to multiple servers
from a single workstation. VisuNet
RM has been tested and approved by
Thin Manager for use with ACP Thin
Manager software. Pepperl+Fuchs
visualization solutions also support RDP applications including
Microsoft terminal services, Citrix ICA or VNC RFB.
www.pepperl-fuchs.us
Power Transmission
Microslide
Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions has
released a microslide linear actuator
capable of a resolution of 15 microns
/ step (0.0006-in/step) and a maxi-
mum load of 13N (3 lb-f). The
microslide is approximately 22mm
(0.87-in) wide by 25.2mm (1.0-in) high and is capable of up to
a 64mm (2.5-in) maximum stroke length. The slide load carriage
is made from self-lubricating polyacetal and
features a built-in clearance take-up mecha-
nism for load rigidity during motion. The
leadscrew is 303 stainless steel and is available
in 5 different leads from 0.3mm (0.012-in),
to 2.0mm (0.079-in).
www.HaydonKerk.com
Worm Gear
Wittenstein has
expanded its
alpha V-Drive
family of servo
worm gears to
include a size
040, designed for machine tool, automation
and packaging applications. The VDH 040
features a duty cycle of greater than 60 per-
cent; input speed up to 6,000 rpm; and
running noise below 54 dB(A). In addition,
the worm gear has a maximum axial force of
675 lb-f, maximum radial force of 540 lb-f
and 20,000 hours of rated service life.
www.wittenstein-us.com
Rack Gears
Misumi has introduced two rack gears that
feature 1045 Carbon Steel construction and
induction hardened teeth. The gears are
designed for use in pinion (spur gear) mech-
anisms to create a simple actuator that con-
verts the rotational motion of the
pinion into linear motion.
The additions include the RGEAH
Induction Hardened Rack Gears
with machining options no hole, or
bottom tapped, side tapped or side
counterboard tapped holes. The
company’s RGEAHL Induction Hard-
ened Rack Gears offer user configurable hole machining, with
bottom, side or side counterboard tapped options. Both new
rack gears are manufactured in 1045 Carbon Steel with Black
Oxide Finish, and both feature end face machining. The Rack
Gears are available in a variety of sizes (Module 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5
and 3.0).
http://us.misumi-ec.com
Automation
All-In-One Vision Sensor
Omron Industrial Automation has introduced a vision sensor
designed for pick-and-place applications. With a processing
speed of 5,000 pieces per minute and 360 degree rotation, the
FQ-M combines a camera, image processing functionality and
communications options (Ethernet and EtherCAT) in a single
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
exceptional quality and value
supported by superior service.
Our proven reliability allows
us to offer the industry’s only
FIVE-YEAR WARRANTY.
Expect more... and get it.
Our only products are encoders.
Whatever your industry, we’ll
satisfy your expectations for
exceptional quality and value
supported by superior service.
Our proven reliability allows
us to offer the industry’s only
FIVE-YEAR WARRANTY.
Expect more... and get it.
24-27 DES.indd 25 12-04-11 8:58 AM
26. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
26
package. The sensor’s object detection is
based on a contour-based search algorithm
that can cope with overlapped or partially
hidden objects. The camera’s incremental
encoder interface simplifies initial calibration
of the system and enables on-the-fly tracking
for synchronized control. Measuring 110 x
75 x 50mm, the FQ-M provides a standard
C-Mount lens attachment and a 3.5-inch TFT color touch screen.
The TouchFinder console provides image viewing, zoom in/out
and a variety of measurements.
www.omron247.com
6-Axis Robot
DENSO announced that it has increased
the maximum payload capacity of its
VM Series six-axis articulated robots
from 10 kg to 13 kg. Along with their new
capacity, the robots offer reaches from 1,000
to 1,300 mm; standard cycle times of 0.89
to 0.95 seconds; and repeatability from
±0.050 to ±0.070 mm. In addition, their high
maximum allowable moment of inertia (0.36 kgm²
at J4 and J5 and 0.064 kgm² at J6) is 2.5 times
greater than conventional robots. The robots are
ANSI and CE compliant and can be mounted on the floor or
overhead. Standard, dust- and mist-proof and Class 100 clean
room models are available.
www.densorobotics.com
SCARA Robot
Toshiba Machine introduced its THL Series, a line of low-cost
and lightweight SCARA robots. Configured with a lightweight
die cast aluminum arm, the robot is 50 percent lighter than
existing Toshiba Machine models, the company says. The THL
Series includes the THL500, THL600 and THL700 with arm lengths
of 500mm, 600mm and 700mm respectively. Each THL offers
a payload of 10kg. Cycle times (with 2 kg load) are .45s for the
THL500 and THL600, and .50s for the THL700. All THL Robots
feature a working envelope of 4 axes, with a Z-axis rotation of
360º. Maximum speeds range from 6.3m/s to 7.9m/s overall.
Storage capacity totals are approximately 6400 point + 12800
steps. The programming language is SCOL (similar to BASIC).
www.toshiba-machine.com
IdeaGenerator
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
24-27 DES.indd 26 12-04-11 8:58 AM
27. To advertise your solution in this section call Alan Macpherson at 416.510.6756
DesignSolutions
www.design-engineering.com March/April | 2012
27
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 Offers Miniature Pneumatic Products Catalog for
Scientific/Medical Applications
A leader in miniature pneumatics, Clippard provides the scientific/medical industry a variety of products
and solutions. The product range is illustrated in a color brochure featuring the most complete line of
miniature fluid power products for the medical, pharmaceutical analytical and dental fields. To get your
copy today please visit our website at the address printed below.
Contact: sales@clippard.com
Visit us at: www.clippard.com/scientific-a
Ideas To Improve Production Efficiency! Look to Seal Master® Inflatable Seals.
Sealing is just one of many tasks for custom-built, fabric-reinforced elastomeric inflatable seals. Simple,
versatile and with close tolerance capability, they’re ideal for use as actuators, brakes, valves, clutches,
wipers and for other innovative applications. Backed by in-depth technical/customer service, they’ll
replace cumbersome, hard-to-maintain proccessing and handling components to lessen downtime.
Ask about our RSVP Design Assistance program
Contact: info@sealmaster.com
Visit us at: www.sealmaster.com
The domestic source for perfect meshing timing belts and pulleys
BRECOflex CO., L.L.C. is announcing their new pulley catalog “B216” for made-to-order and stock pulleys. The
new domestic “CNC” state of the art pulley manufacture allows for very precise machining standards, leading
to superior product quality and quick product availability. BRECOflex CO., L.L.C., is providing finished precision
pulleys made-to-specification and stock pulleys with pilot bores, for immediate delivery. Made-to-order pulleys
are available with normal backlash, reduced backlash “SE” or zero backlash “0” tooth gap design.
Contact: info@brecoflex.com
Visit us at: www.brecoflex.com
EXAIR’s New Catalog 25 Is Packed With New Features, Products, New Solutions
EXAIR’s new Catalog 25 is a full color technical guide offering solutions to common industrial cooling,
drying, conveying, blowoff, cleaning, coating, and static electricity problems. This 164 page catalog features
many new products that can help companies conserve compressed air and reduce dangerous noise levels.
A detailed technical explanation, performance data, application photos, and dimensional drawings are
provided for each product. A price list is also included.
Contact: techelp@exair.com
Visit us at: www.exair.com/cat25.htm
New Parts and Engineering Catalog from Smalley
Smalley’s new 132-page catalogue features comprehensive design and technical information for more than
10,000 standard parts. The updated content combines existing retaining ring and wave spring series with
newly released series including Hoopster retaining rings, constant section rings, metric wave springs and small
series wave springs. The catalog is an ideal resource for engineers needing detailed product information for
quick prototypes. Smalley products are stocked in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver by RotoPrecision Inc.
Contact: applsupport@rotoprecision.ca
Visit us at: www.rotoprecision.ca
24-27 DES.indd 27 12-04-11 8:58 AM
28. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
28 CanadianInnovator
Kick Starter
Canadian engineer perfects a low-cost
prosthetic to help impoverished amputees.
By Treena Hein
Even if they are mobile and reasonably healthy, people in
developing world countries face many challenges. When
they lose a lower leg to a land mine or another factor, their
circumstances become much more dire. What they need is a
lower limb prosthetic that is durable and allows great func-
tionality—but it also must cost little to make.
That’s been the quest—and amazing achievement—of Jan
Andrysek, assistant professor at the Institute of Biomaterial
and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto and
researcher at the Bloorview Research Institute.
“I’ve always been interested in inventing things and also
fascinated by how the human body works,” he says, “so that
led me to learn mechanical engineering and to use it to pro-
vide bio-medical engineering solutions.”
It’s been a journey of six years to create and perfect what
is now known as the LC Knee—a very inexpensive, simple,
tough and highly-functional lower limb prosthetic knee joint.
The quest started in earnest during Andrysek’s Master’s degree
on knee joints, when he investigated numerous existing types
of simple lower limb prosthetics for children.
“They’re all based on a handful of common mechanisms
created after WWII,” Andrysek notes. “The main problem
with many of them is that they do not provide stability to
allow individuals to safely negotiate different terrains.”
Some prosthetics are designed to provide a higher level
of stability by restricting the knee from bending when the
user’s weight is placed on the limb; however, this makes it
difficult for the user to bend the leg as it swings forward
during walking.
But it’s exactly that ability of a prosthetic—to swing eas-
ily—that Andrysek says provides an efficient and natural
walking pattern for an amputee. He has achieved this through
the creation of “Simplified Automatic Stance-Phase Lock”
(SASPL) technology.
“The system actually locks up the knee joint before you
put weight on it, so that there’s a feeling of safety for the
user,” Andrysek explains. “The unlocking occurs in response
to the load conditions that occur naturally in walking. We
studied this extensively and figured out that we needed to
configure the limb so that the unlocking would automatically
occur at the point where the weight is placed on the toe of
the prosthetic, at the same time as it’s cued by the user’s hip
flexion motion.”
Andrysek also needed to create a mechanism that would
provide a forward-swing motion that’s smooth, natural and
properly-timed. “We optimized a spring and friction system
that mimics the motion provided by hydraulics in more
expensive prosthetics,” he says. “The faster a person walks
with the LC Knee, the faster it swings forward.”
But it wasn’t simply about engineering the limb to provide
a natural gait—a big challenge in itself. The prosthetic had
to be light, durable and cheap to make.
“Plastic is great because it’s light, but the plastic parts had
to be strong,” explains Andrysek. “With injection-moulding,
which is the way we wanted to go because it’s so inexpensive,
you can’t just make the part thicker to achieve greater strength.
There are many other limitations, such as what’s possible with
pulling certain shapes out of the mould.”
After much tweaking and trial-and-error (and the use of
a durable nylon plastic), Andrysek achieved manufacturing
costs that are a stunning 90 per cent less than that required
by other prosthetics with similar functionality. The final cost?
Only about $100.
The leg also had to be very low-maintenance, so Andrysek
has incorporated self-lubricating plastic bearings and wear
parts that are easily replaced after extended periods of use.
Some long-term testing has been done in Central America,
but Andrysek wants a broader look at how the LC Knee func-
tions in different environments. A newly-awarded Grand
Challenges Canada grant of $100,000 is about to help him to
do just that in places like Chile, India and Tanzania.
“The award is very nice,” Andrysek says, “but it’s also great
to get direct feedback from the people using it or from the
people who work with patients, to hear it’s allowing them to
do this or that, things that they couldn’t do before. We wanted
to provide a lot of function with a simple device, and it’s great
to have done that.” DE
www.hollandbloorview.ca
Biomedical Engineer Jan Andrysek’s LC Knee is a light-weight knee
joint that’s rugged, easy-to-make and works as well as standard
prosthetics but at a fraction of the manufacturing cost.
Com
M
H
• F
• M
• L
• H
Design_Engineer28-29-DES.indd 28 12-04-11 8:59 AM
29. Commercial Support: 1 877 463 3786 Technical Support: 1 866 463 3786 www.festo.ca/ms-series
MS Series Air Preparation
High Level Safety Compliance
Engineered
to perform
wherever
you need it.
• Four interchangeable sizes up to 12,500 Nl/min.
• MS6-SV, category 4, level E safety compliant.
• Lightweight.
• High flow performance.
Design_Engineering_Ms_series.indd 1 23/03/2012 4:20:47 PM28-29-DES.indd 29 12-04-11 8:59 AM
30. 30 FluidPower
8754-08
Contents
32 Fluid Power News
• Pneumatic Air Guitar rocks
trade show circuit
• Hydraulic engineering app for iPad
• Eaton appoints new director
of hydraulics
34 Shoptalk
Choosing the most efficient control
option requires full understanding of
hydraulic application
38 Fluid Power Roundtable ‘12
Canadian fluid power leaders discuss
market and product trends
42 On the Ball
Integrator saves time and expense
with new ball valves and end
connectors
44 Fluid Power Showcase
The latest in hydraulic and
pneumatic product technology.
47 Fluid Power Product Index
48 Fluid Power Product Listings
56 Fluid Power Supplier Listings
Fluid Power
Controls
BUYERS’ GUIDE
March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
30-33-DES.indd 30 12-04-11 11:12 AM
32. 32
Showing off the speed, repeatability and power density of
pneumatic systems in a way that captures the imaginations
of weary trade show attendees can be a challenge. However,
Business Development Manager Rob Clippard and a team of
inventive engineers at Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Inc.
have combined their interests in music and fluid power to
create one attention-grabbing pneumatic application.
They’re creation is the Clippard Air Guitar, a pneumatically
automated guitar playing machine that incorporates 62 cyl-
inders, 58 valves and an iPad as the machine controller. More
than 30 cylinders along the neck of the six-string guitar depress
the strings on the fret board while another cylinder mounted
horizontally at the bottom of the soundboard drives a pick
to strum the chords. For the melody, six cylinders across the
sound hole pluck individual strings. Additionally, the “clack”
of the cylinders provide percussive accompaniment.
In total, Clippard says the Air Guitar took about a month
and a half of nights and weekends to prototype and build. “I
have a new found respect for the human hand,” he says. “The
biggest challenge came when we started prototyping.
“When you play guitar, the pressure you put on or take off
the strings varies dramatically depending on what you want
to do next,” he adds. “When controlling basic components
with very high speeds and variable pressures, it’s amazing
how much complexity goes into playing a single note in the
way the human hand does without thinking.”
To date, the Clippard Air Guitar has a repertoire of 16
songs. Similar to the rolls of punched paper of a player piano,
the musical machine uses midi song files that digitally des-
ignate whether a particular note is played at any given moment.
The iPad functions as a time-based PLC, outputting the binary
song files through a midi soundboard that interprets the on/
off of the digital signal to control the relays of the individual
pneumatic cylinders.
The Air Guitar made its first appearance last year at PackEx
in Las Vegas but is currently on its way back from the Analytica
Show in Munich, Germany. Clippard says it will most likely
make its next appearance in May at the Medical Design and
Manufacturing East show in Philadelphia. For those interested
in re-creating Clippard’s musical machine, the company has
posted a video and component list on its web site.
http://clippard.com/guitar
Hydraulic engineering app for iPhone/iPad
Education software firm, MultiEducator, has released Hydrau-
lic Engineer for apple devices including iPhone and iPad. The
comprehensive app includes more than 60 formulas required
by hydraulic engineers, including sections on actuators, fluid
power, hydraulic tubing, pumps, induction motor selection,
and vehicle drive formulas. It also includes 60 area formulas
and 300 conversion formulas.
www.multieducator.net
FluidPower: News
DMR_Ess
Eaton appoints new director of hydraulics
Industrial manufacturer, Eaton Corporation, announced
that Daniel F. Koehler has been named director of market
intelligence and strategy for the Hydraulics Group. Koehler
will be responsible for the analysis and communication of
market data, leading the annual strategic planning process
for the global hydraulics business, and coordinating the
strategy deployment and communication activities across
the product divisions, regions and functions.
www.eaton.com
March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
Pneumatic Air Guitar rocks trade show circuit
30-33-DES.indd 32 12-04-11 11:12 AM
34. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
34
Choosing the most efficient control option
requires full understanding of a hydraulic
application.
By Pat Jones, P.Eng.
As with all things technical, some decisions are not neces-
sarily as easy as they first appear and require a better
understanding of the application. In previous articles, I have
discussedthebenefitsofademand-flowsystemusingapressure-
compensated pump and also with a load-sensing pump.
In those cases, it was easy to see the energy/cost saving of
using variable displacement pumps over fixed displacement
pumps. In applications where the flow supply can be matched
to the flow demand, then power is not wasted moving fluid
that is not used in the circuit.
Fixed displacement pumps can also be used in load-
sensing type circuits. This does offer power savings over a
simple circuit with just a fixed displacement pump and a relief
valve where unwanted flow is forced across the relief valve
(which would be set at maximum system pressure). It may
also offer power savings over using a pressure compensated
variable displacement pump.
In a fixed displacement/load-sensing circuit, a bypass type
compensator is used with the sensing line from the compen-
sator connected into the circuit downstream of the flow con-
trol. With this type of circuit, system pressure is determined
by the load pressure felt in the sensing line, plus the spring
value of the compensator (typically 200 psi to 350 psi or so).
Therefore, system pressure upstream of the flow control
will always be 200 psi higher than the load so the pressure
difference across the flow control will always be 200 psi. When
the flow control is adjusted for the desired speed, the unwanted
flow is forced across the bypass compensator at load pressure
plus 200 psi. This unwanted flow across the bypass compen-
sator is wasted energy, but not as much as would be wasted if
dumping flow across the relief valve.
So how can a fixed pump circuit be more efficient than a
variable pump circuit? It depends on duty cycle and the load
flow/pressure demands. Consider the following comparison
at a certain point in the duty cycle:
System pressure setting 2,000 psi
Maximum pump flow 20 USgpm
Flow to circuit 15 USgpm
Load pressure 500 psi
In this scenario, the system efficiency of the pressure com-
pensatedpumpisapproximately25percentwhilethefixedpump
with load sensing achieves about 44 percent efficiency.
From the graphs 1 and 2 above, you can see that, in this
condition, the pressure compensated pump circuit will be
much less efficient due to the control’s inability to sense the
load. In this high-flow/light-load situation, the fix pump with
load sensing-type circuit is much more efficient.
This example points out that the nature of the control and
the motion profile of the load, as well as duty cycle, must be
clearly understood to choose the most efficient control option.
It may be the most efficient to always specify a variable load-
sensing pump for all circuits; however, if the duty cycle is
intermittent usage, then a total cost case can be made for a
fixed pump, load-sensing circuit.
In a previous article, I mentioned that closed loop hydrau-
lic circuits represent an efficient circuit option. The advantage
to these drives is that—because both the direction and speed
of the load are controlled with the displacement of the pump—
the throttling losses of open loop hydraulic circuits are
eliminated. This type of circuit offers one of the most efficient
hydraulic circuits possible.
In a typical closed loop circuit, there are two pumps: The
main loop pump that controls the load and the charge pump
that supplies make-up fluid for main loop leakage and also
Maximizing
Hydraulic Efficiency
FluidPower: ShopTalk
AD-116
34 FluidPower: Shop
Graph1: Pressure
Compensated Pump
Graph 2: Fixed Pump
with LS Control
34-37 DES.indd 34 12-04-11 11:46 AM
36. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
36
typically supplies pilot fluid for main pump control. The charge
pump is usually fixed displacement and continually forces fluid
across a relief valve that is typically set from 350 – 500 psi.
Thechargepumpsizewouldtypicallybe10-15percentofthe
main loop pump. So the continuous wasted energy is always at
least the charge pump flow across the charge pump relief. The
worst-caselossiswhenthemainloopisatfullloadandthemotor
and pump are at maximum leakage. This could typically repre-
sent10percentofmainlooptotalflowbeingforcedthroughthe
pump and motor clearances at full load pressure.
Using the same flow and load pressure numbers from the
example above and assuming a charge pressure of 350 psi we
see that, in the worst case, the closed loop circuit efficiency
will be approximately 83 percent.
So, why aren’t closed loop circuits used everywhere if they
offer such a distinct efficiency advantage? Considering that
one main loop pump is required for each load, this is very
practical on a stationary crane where there would be four
main functions: Main boom, rotation, extension and winch.
This makes for a very compact and efficient circuit.
However, as the number of loads grows and possibly the
distant between them, having a separate closed loop circuit for
each load becomes less practical from a machine design point
of view. One input power source, capital cost wise, is very cost
effective as opposed to having multiple closed loop circuits and
the necessity of multiple prime movers. Of course, the long-term
energy costs need to be weighed against this.
Fromanefficiencystandpoint,thereareclearstandardoptions
available. It’s a matter of understanding the combined flow-
pressureprofileoftheloadsandthemachinedutycycleandthen
looking at capital and longer term costs to determine the best
solution.Efficiencydoeshaveacost,butwecancalculatethereal
cost of proper design if we understand all the variables. DE
Pat Jones, P.Eng, is the owner of Consolidated Fluid Power
(CFD) Ltd., where he is an instructor and consultant with more
than 20 years of hands-on experience in the fluid power industry.
FluidPower: ShopTalk
Graph 3 represents the power consumption and heat generation
of a closed loop hydraulic circuit.
34-37 DES.indd 36 12-04-11 11:46 AM
37. Fluid Contamination Under Control with ...
Innovative Products, Support Solutions
SVR Soluble Varnish Removal.
Prevents and removes lube oil varnish
preventing servo valve failure
and unit trip.
VUD Vacuum dehydrator removes free,
emulsified dissolved water to 20 ppm
from oil up to ISO 680 ISO codes 14/13/11.
Filter assemblies up to 8700
psi. High flow in-tank return
duplex filters for hydraulic, lube oil
diesel applications.
Dedicated FSL
Gearbox Filtration Systems
Maintain Cleanliness,
Extend Gearbox Life
Filter carts for hydraulic
lube up to ISO 680.
COT Turbine Oil Coalescer rapidly
removes free emulsified water
to 150 ppm, ISO 14/13/11.
ICB Dry Ion acid scavenging
elements remove acid and
dissolved metals, eliminate
gels deposits.
DFE rated glass media filter element
upgrades yield lower ISO codes (βx[c]
1000), extend component bearing
life. All series available in Non-spark
and water removal media.
Make Hy-Pro a Part
of Your Lube Team
and Arm Yourself with Tools
and Industry Expertise to
Maximize Your Hydraulic
Lube Assets.
ISO 9001 Certified
www.hyprofiltration.com
34-37 DES.indd 37 12-04-11 11:46 AM
38. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
38
Shane Monaghan
The product capabilities gaining the most traction have
to do with safety. So, high quality products, particularly
those that protect the operator, are gaining the most in
popularity.
—Shane Monaghan, Product Manager, Fluid Power Division,
Gates Canada Inc
Canadian leaders discuss the market,
globalization and grooming the next
generation of fluid power professionals.
By Mike McLeod
DE:Formanyinthefluidpowerindustry,2011wasarebound
year. How would you characterize 2012, so far?
Shane Monaghan, Product Manager, Fluid Power Division,
GatesCanadaInc:ForGates,2011wasanexcellentyear.Infact,
Gates Canada was recognized as the largest growth region for
all of Gates North America. You can attribute those high sales
to forestry, oil and mining—our top three markets. In terms of
2012,wewereexpectinganotherstellaryear.For2012,thecom-
panyhasreinventeditselftofocusonfiveidentifiedendmarkets:
Energy, exploration and extraction; infrastructure and agricul-
ture; transportation, automotive, and process and specialty.
Those are the end markets we want to attack for 2012.
SteveApps,SalesProductManagerforMobileMarkets,Bosch
Rexroth: For us, 2011 was definitely a good year, and 2012 is
looking the same if not better, although it’s a bit early to tell.
Miningandforestryaretwoareasthathavecertainlyrebounded,
although the mining industry has rebounded quicker. Prior to
therecession,therewereagreaternumberofcompaniesineach
ofthosedifferentsectors,butthedownyearstooktheirtoll,and
somecompaniesdidn’tcomeback.Thosethathavearegenerally
what I would consider larger OEMs—that is, companies that
deal both locally and internationally.
AndreasSobotta,VicePresident,ProductandMarketManage-
ment, Festo Canada: We had a very strong start to 2012, more
or less in all industries except automotive which was expected
to be flat. Assembly and handling; food and beverage; and
natural resources are all very strong. This is something that we
anticipated, and we are getting stronger in these areas where we
were already strong. The reason is that we aren’t just selling
products; we sell solutions, and our customers appreciate this.
Festo has been focused on this worldwide, so that customers
will see us as a partner instead of just a supplier.
Kevin O’Doherty, Regional Manager, Hydraulic Systems
and Services, Wajax Industrial Components: From our
perspective, 2012 is definitely going to be a more robust year
than 2011, which was better than 2010. Through the first
quarter, sales are up across both industrial and mobile seg-
ments and we’re hopeful the trend continues. The rebound
is being led by the resource businesses, whether its oil and gas
in Western Canada or metals and minerals here in Ontario.
FluidPower: Roundtable
Fluid
PowerRoundtable 2012
38-41 DES.indd 38 12-04-13 2:22 PM
39. Steve Apps
For the mobile hydraulic market, emission control is
probably the biggest consideration. Meeting the Tier 4
emission standard will affect performance, costs, physical
design and a number of other things.
— Steve Apps, Sales Product Manager for Mobile Markets,
Bosch Rexroth
As well, I think a lot of companies, through the belt tighten-
ing years, performed a bit less maintenance on their machin-
ery in plant. Now that production is beginning to ramp back
up, they do have to put those investment dollars back into
their machinery.
DE: At the NFPA annual conference in March, the prevailing
themewasglobalization.AreyourCanadiancustomerslook-
ing beyond the U.S. market?
Monaghan-Gates: Absolutely. We have Canadian distributors
who supply mines in North Africa, as well as agriculture equip-
mentinRussia,EuropeandAsia.Forthepasttwodecades,Gates
hasbeenonfivecontinents.Whatwe’vedonetohelpdistributors
is develop a global product. Any OEM, across the globe, can
purchase our products so they don’t have to import the product
from a specific country of origin. We’ve also re-named most of
our hose and fittings to include the letter “G” for global, which
means that no matter where you buy it, it will be manufactured
to the same specifications and standards.
Apps -Bosch Rexroth: From my perspective, this has always
been there. When the demand for domestic machines was
higher, maybe globalization wasn’t as prevalent because cus-
tomers could concentrate on their own backyard. With the
change in the Canadian economy, the factors that influence
production or harvesting of natural resources has dropped.
As a result, to stay in business, people are looking for markets
other than Canada and the U.S. One of the advantages we
have is that we are able to draw on the applications and expe-
39FluidPower: Roundtable
www.design-engineering.com March/April | 2012
38-41 DES.indd 39 12-04-13 2:22 PM
40. March/April | 2012 www.design-engineering.com
40 FluidPower: Roundtable
Andreas Sobotta
We aren’t just selling products; we sell solutions, and
our customers appreciate it. Festo has been focused on
this worldwide, so that customers see us as a partner
instead of just a supplier.
—Andreas Sobotta, Vice President, Product and Market Management,
Festo Canada
rience of companies from around the world. Also, people
want to know that what we are supplying is going to be sup-
ported if it is shipped, for example, to Eastern Europe. That
has a certain attractiveness to local Canadian companies.
Sobotta-Festo: About 75 percent of Canadian exports still go
to the U.S., but I know that a lot of customers are looking to
expand into new markets. For example, some of our Canadian
customers are exporting into South America and some pulp
and paper companies into Europe. Yet, it will take some time
for some to look beyond the U.S. The difficulty is in the require-
ments and the expectation in Europe. They are used to a more
sophisticated level of product. For example, in Europe, they
use more bus systems and smaller products with better per-
formance. For a lot of U.S. companies, if something isn’t big,
it can’t be good. It’s important for some of our customers to
re-think their approach into new markets.
O’Doherty-Wajax: Our customers are definitely looking at
the export markets. For example, a lot of the mining machin-
ery OEMs we work with are doing more business in South
America and Africa as well as parts of Russia and Asia. So, we
definitely see customers taking a much more globalized
approach to their sales channels versus just Canada and the
U.S., the way it was a few years ago. Wajax is very much a
Canadian-based company, so we don’t sell directly into other
countries, but we do support the after-market for products
that we manufacture here in Canada.
DE:Technicallyspeaking,whattrendsaredrivingyourcom-
pany’s new product development?
Monaghan-Gates: For 2012, Gates has budgeted nearly
double the industry standard for product growth to create
products designed for specific regions. For example, in
Canada we are coming out with a low-temperature product—
an arctic version of a hydraulic hose. We are also re-releasing
global products with improved pressure ratings and minimum
bend radius. The product capabilities gaining the most trac-
tion have to do with safety, which is always a concern in the
fluid power industry. For example, our Lifeguard line of sight
hydraulic hose sleeves protects against catastrophic failure.
If the hose were to burst or there were a pin hole, the sleeve
protects the operator. Safety is more of a concern for OEMs
now, and it’s a selling feature for them as well.
Apps-BoschRexroth:Forthemobilehydraulicmarket,emission
control is probably the biggest consideration. Meeting the Tier
4 emission standards, which come into play at the beginning of
2014,willaffectperformance,costs,physicaldesignandanum-
ber of other things. That single point has played a large role in
shaping, not only the components themselves, but the system
concepts. The trick is to find ways to improve a machine’s
operation or performance such that it’s emissions are reduced.
Bosch Rexroth saw this coming because there is an internal
connection between the automotive and hydraulics sectors. So,
we have some access to the technologies and concepts used in
the automotive industry, which was hit with these emission
standards well before the off-road industry.
Sobotta -Festo: The new trend coming from Europe is that
products need to be more efficient. As a German company, we
aretryingtoconvinceourcustomerstojumponthatbandwagon
and be more productive. In terms of product, what we see is
smaller, faster and more energy efficient. In terms of products
that are gaining traction, customers want to have more flexibil-
ity so we have a single form factor product series that allows
differentsizevalvestodrivedifferentapplicationsoverdifferent
distances, all in one control panel. Additionally, you have the
abilitytoconnecttoanytypeofbussystem.Whetheracustomer
has an Allen Bradley, Siemens or Omron system, they can take
advantage of their existing software to drive our modules.
O’Doherty -Wajax: We see a lot going on with electronics and
with the quest for higher pressures. For example, the marriage
between high-pressure hydraulics and electronic systems on
mobileequipmentisbecomingmuchmoreofatrend—anything
that helps with emissions and fuel consumption but increases
payloads. If you fill your car each week, you know it isn’t getting
any cheaper. Of course, the bigger the equipment, the more fuel
they burn, so if they can get something as miniscule as a five or
10percentfuelsavings,thattranslatesintosomefairlybigdollars
for these guys at the end of the year.
DE: Which strategies or initiatives are you finding most suc-
cessful in developing tomorrow’s fluid power professionals?
Monaghan-Gates: Recruitment is definitely an issue and has
been for a number of years. We combat that through the high
schools and colleges. To get the fluid power name out there,
it’s usually best to find a high school senior who hasn’t made
38-41 DES.indd 40 12-04-11 12:20 PM
41. 7PLNT15928.indd 1 3/20/07 12:32:48 PM
Kevin O’Doherty
Most people in fluid power have to be built from within.
It is really incumbent upon us to take the lead in their
development such that we can hone their skills and turn
them into a value player.
—Kevin O’Doherty, Regional Manager, Hydraulic Systems and
Services, Wajax Industrial Components
up his mind yet. Specifically, Gates provides a lot of product
and equipment to high schools and we give out six scholar-
ship awards every year to high school seniors. We also put
on training courses at colleges and offer engineering services
to FIRST Robotics, where a large number of participants go
on to pursue a career in engineering.
Sobotta-Festo: Festo is one of the largest sponsors of Skills
Canada competitions for colleges and universities. The last
World Skills competition was held in Calgary, Alberta two
years ago and we got a lot of interest from Alberta colleges
and universities, which not only generated business for us,
but they have now incorporated our equipment into their
curriculum. As a result, students become familiar and ben-
efit from this advanced learning technology. We also have a
unique product offering for high schools that is at the begin-
ning of the implementation phase, which is well underway.
We just have to work on the curriculum so that high schools
move toward a more automation and pneumatic focus.
O’Doherty – Wajax: As an industry, I think this is one of
our biggest collective challenges. There is very little talent
walking out of schools ready to go these days. Most people
in fluid power have to be built from within. It’s really incum-
bent upon us to take the lead in their development such that
we can hone their skills and turn them into a value player.
A lot of companies have backed off the throttle a bit, especially
through the recent recession. But as business starts to ramp
back up, we definitely see the need to train, develop and build
our own. DE
41FluidPower: Roundtable
www.design-engineering.com March/April | 2012
38-41 DES.indd 41 12-04-13 2:22 PM
