Features

Cities account for more than 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions — that’s despite making up only around three per cent of the world’s landmass. In response, urban planners and developers are increasingly turning to technology to make our cities smarter and more sustainable. In this article, Richard Mount, Director of Sales at ASIC design company Swindon Silicon Systems, explores smart city technology and the sensors crucial to its success.

Back in 2015, the UN established a series of Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, to serve as a blueprint for development across the globe. And as part of these, the UN set a specific goal ─ SDG 11 ─ to “make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.

With ten defined targets and 15 indicators, cities hoping to meet the requirements of SDG 11 might be daunted on the outset. But, by harnessing data and the latest smart city technologies, achieving sustainability goals could be simpler than originally thought.

Parking made smarter

One example is building smarter car parks. Simple automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) or car counting systems have been used for some time to give drivers real-time information on available parking spaces. While these systems show how many spaces there are, they often don’t give any indication of location, creating frustration for drivers who are unable to find them.  At busy times, this can create extra traffic with vehicles circling and idling on the hunt for an empty space.

Tackling this is possible with a smarter parking system. By installing radar sensors within the parking bays, the system can not only show how many spaces are available, but precisely where they are. In a multi-storey car park, such a system could be paired with overhead lights and signage to direct drivers to the nearest available space. And with many drivers unaware of off-street options, combining sensor technology with navigation apps could help drivers make full use of the available infrastructure.

Making the car parking experience smarter helps tackle all three areas of sustainability: the environmental impact of unnecessary car journeys is reduced by helping drivers park smoothly, without having to circle round the city looking for suitable car parks; the economic impact of workers who are late or stressed due to poor traffic flow is lessened; and the social benefits of an easier driving and parking experience can be enjoyed.

This thinking can be easily applied beyond parking and across the entire smart city network. In terms of waste disposal, sensors can indicate when waste sites need emptying and to plan more efficient disposal routes. Such thinking can also be applied to general traffic management, using data to map out common pain points where traffic builds up to facilitate a holistic, more sustainable approach to city management.

At the heart of sensing

Collecting reliable and detailed data is crucial to the success of a smart city. Any inaccuracies and reporting errors will lead to discrepancies in the data and could cause issues with essential infrastructure. Therefore, it’s important to invest in the right sensor technology.

In its simplest terms, the sensor can be broken down into three individual components: the sensing unit, responsible for detecting changes; the processing unit, which converts the analogue signals produced by the sensor into digital signals; and the communication unit, which is responsible for relaying this information to a control system.

The analogue signals produced by many sensors cannot be understood by digital equipment directly. Therefore, converting the signal into a digital, electrical one is an important and necessary step in allowing the sensor to interface with the rest of the network.

Standard off-the-shelf integrated circuits (ICs) can perform the required signal conversion. But to set the system apart from others on the market, there’s a better solution available.

This comes in the shape of an Application Specific IC, or ASIC. An ASIC is a custom chip designed for the specific application at hand and, in the case of smart cities, the adoption of ASICs over standard ICs can offer many benefits. The bespoke approach of ASIC design results in an optimised chip, with ultra-low power consumption. This is especially important in applications like in-ground car sensors, where connection to the mains requires significant disruption to roads and services.

With smart city sensors expected to work for years at a time, not having parts available for repairs or replacements can be an area of concern when working with standard ICs. But ASICs are designed with non-obsolescence in mind, and an experienced ASIC designer will ensure that there are sufficient obsolescence plans in place to guarantee a supply of chips for as long as required.

Improving sustainability isn’t just about meeting targets. It’s also about making cities a cleaner and more attractive place to live. By implementing the latest in sensor technology, cities can collect data like never before, and truly unlock the benefits of a connected, smarter, more sustainable city.

Swindon is a leading global supplier of ASICs for a variety of industrial and automotive applications. To find out more, please get in touch with a member of the team here.

Contrinex’s inductive sensors are trusted in an astonishingly wide range of applications and industries for reliable position detection. With the introduction of SMART sensors as well as providing reliable detection, the sensor can also provide the system’s designer additional functionality.

Looking at the final machine in this Smart manufacturing cell, a pick-and-place station, transfers shrink-wrapped cartons from a conveyor, stacking them onto an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), which takes them to a finished goods storage area.

Customer application

A Contrinex high-precision Digital distance-Measurement smart Sensor, also known by the acronym of ‘DMS’ is used to sense the precise position of the push-rod in a pneumatic cylinder, halting its travel when fully extended. Routine process data from the sensor is transmitted to the PLC via IO-Link.

When an AGV approaches the docking bay of the pick-and-place transfer station, a Contrinex inductive Basic Smart Sensor detects its presence. The simple, low-cost Basic smart sensor does not measure the distance to the AGV, because presence detection is sufficient for this application. The sensor communicates via IO-Link to a central PLC when an AGV is approaching and the PLC slows the AGV as it docks. Being able to operate the AGV at two speeds greatly improves their cycle times and their availability.

Contrinex smart sensors like all of its other IO-Link sensors can be automatically configured by the PLC when installed, which reduces the downtime needed to replace a damaged sensor. The capability and flexibility of Smart sensors mean that fewer sensors can perform a larger variety of tasks, reducing the number of sensors that need to be stocked to enable the immediate replacement of damaged units.

Customer solution

A high-precision DMS inductive sensor is embedded into the side wall of the pneumatic cylinder. The sensor measures a distance of up to 6mm to a longitudinally inclined face at the end of the circumference of the push-rod. A dynamic resolution of ±5.5 micrometres is delivered in a highly accurate 16-bit digital output to the PLC, which determines the cylinder’s position in real-time.

Inclined planes and eccentric cams are just two methods of utilising the precision measurement offered by Contrinex’s DMS and AMS (Analogue) smart sensors:

With the inductive sensor being embedded into the side wall of the cylinder, its dual-channel capability is utilised for secondary monitoring of the cylinder’s temperature. If an over-temperature event is detected, a high-speed serial input/output (SIO) alarm is sent to the PLC, calling for action before there is a risk of wear or damage.

The Basic smart inductive sensor in the docking bay of the pick-and-place machine not only switches its output state to signal the PLC when it detects an AGV approaching, but it also uses its secondary output to initiate the start-up of the transfer station. The integration of equipment from different manufacturers is made much easier by the sensor being able to communicate via a wireless hub to the pick-and-place machine, awakening it from an energy-saving hibernation, now that there is an AGV available to load. Contrinex Smart Sensors are designed to help OEMs and system integrators include value-adding services that are quick to design and implement in reliable fit-and-forget solutions.

Trescal, the global leader in calibration services, announced that it has acquired Unithree to open operations in Busan, Korea’s largest port. This brings Trescal’s Korean operations to 40M€ and 330 people over six locations. This is the first acquisition since EQT acquired a majority stake in Trescal this year.

Founded in 2011 and merged with KCDI in 2018, Unithree represents 2M€ in sales and employs 25 people. It performs accredited calibrations in several domains. Its dimensional, force and balance capabilities will complement Trescal’s Korean technical expertise in the southern part of the country. Unithree serves a diverse client base in the automotive, shipbuilding, energy and metal forging industries. 

Guillaume Caroit, Trescal CEO: “We are delighted to welcome Unithree to the Trescal family. Under EQT, we will continue to expand in the thriving Asian market as we aim to achieve 300M€ in regional sales by the end of 2027.”

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has announced the release of a new modular 3D laser scanner designed for large surface inspection, for use with both its laser tracker and portable measuring arm devices. The new Absolute Scanner AS1-XL is built on the same SHINE technology as its flagship Absolute Scanner AS1, allowing it to collect extremely clean 3D data at very high speeds from even the most challenging surface types. With a wider scan line, the new scanner is designed for inspecting large surfaces and deep cavities across inspection applications such as aerospace panels, marine propellers and large automotive castings.

The AS1-XL boasts an ultra-wide scan line of 600 millimetres at mid-range. Together with its 1.2 million points per second point acquisition rate and 300 Hertz frame rate, this makes it ideal for scanning large surfaces quickly without losing inspection detail. The scanner also features an extended measurement stand-off distance of 700 millimetres, which paired with its 600 millimetre working range allows for hidden point measurement capability of up to a metre.

“Since even before the launch of the AS1 we’ve wanted to deliver that same level of data collection quality and automation readiness in a device focused on large surface inspection,” says Daniel Moser, Laser Tracker Product Director at Hexagon. “We’ve seen with our previous generation of scanners that the appetite and applications for a dedicated large-scale scanning device are out there in the market. With the AS1-XL, we’ve been able to deliver on the promise of that large surface measurement concept in a far more satisfying way thanks to our new scanning technology that is ten times faster than our previous generation, the LAS-XL.” 

The proprietary intelligent exposure algorithms that make up Hexagon’s SHINE technology are key to the performance of the AS1-XL, allowing it to digitise almost any material, including multiple surface types and colour finishes, within a single scan pass with no need for settings adjustment. It is this and the scanner’s automation compatibility that set it apart from the previous generation LAS-XL, a handheld-only device. The high measurement speed and large stand-off distance of the AS1-XL make it ideal for a wide range of automatable inspection tasks – the former allowing the scanner to keep up with modern robot technology rather than being a bottleneck to robot path speed, and the latter minimising risk of collision by not requiring the robot path to pass so close to the inspection object.

As with the Absolute Scanner AS1, the AS1-XL has been designed with a modular concept that allows for compatibility with both Hexagon’s flagship laser tracker and portable measuring arm systems – the Leica Absolute Tracker AT960 and Absolute Arm 7-Axis respectively. The quick-mount design and minimal warm-up period make the AS1 and AS1-XL a hot-swappable combination, allowing users to move quickly back and forth between high-density detailed scanning and larger surface inspection using either a portable arm or laser tracker at a moment’s notice. 

“The Absolute Scanner AS1 has really been embraced by the market since its launch in 2021, and it’s great to be completing the 3D scanning toolkit of our portable measuring arm line-up with an equally impressive device in the AS1-XL,” says Anthony Vianna, Portable Measuring Arm Product Director at Hexagon. “Our Absolute Arm range offers a market-leading measurement volume of up to 4.5 metres in diameter, making it an ideal platform for a large-scale device like the AS1-XL. And even with our smaller diameter models, the hidden area coverage provided by that extended stand-off distance opens up a lot of applications that have previously been hard to cover, such as automotive, rail and aerospace interiors.”

As with the AS1 and latest iteration of the Absolute Arm range, the AS1-XL is IP54-rated, allowing for safe and reliable operation in the challenging shop floor environment into which quality inspection is increasingly being taken.

The AS1-XL is available to order now from local Hexagon representatives, and more information is available on the Absolute Scanner section of the Hexagon website.

Like automation, Contrinex sensors, available from PLUS Automation, are used in a wide variety of applications, and in this installation are trusted to ensure the safe and reliable control of weathertight doors on shipping.

Customer application

On ships, water-tight doors rely upon compressing seals around the perimeter of their frame, when they close. Double-acting hydraulic cylinders are used to open and close multiple linked latches that secure the doors when closed, maintaining their correct fit against the seals.

Designers required an affordable and highly reliable means of confirming the status of the latches, which would withstand the aggressive marine environment, being resistant to seawater, corrosion, vibrations and shock.

Contrinex has the advantage of offering a range of ‘Maritime’ inductive sensors which are approved to the DNVGL-CG-0339 environmental test specification for equipment to be installed on ships and offshore units. For example, the sensor’s EMC protection meets maritime requirements, particularly regarding power supply variations and low-frequency immunity, as well as being highly corrosion resistant, and IP68/IP69K rated.

DNV is an internationally accredited certification body that establishes and maintains technical standards for the construction and operation of ships and other offshore mobile structures in international waters. DNV is authorized by 130 maritime administrations to perform certification or verification on their behalf.

Customer solution

A high-pressure rated inductive sensor was selected which is capable of operating in installations of up to 500 bar (7,255 psi) and at a peak pressure of 800 bar (11,603 psi). The sensors are embedded into the side of the double-acting hydraulic cylinders which drive the door’s power locking mechanisms. The sensors are located at either end of the cylinder to monitor the presence of the metallic cylinder tie rod, as it reaches the end of its travel, showing whether the door locks are fully open or fully closed.

A member of Contrinex’s uniquely robust ‘700 Series’ of inductive sensors, the sensor features a front face and cylindrical housing which is machined from a single piece of stainless steel. It’s thick front face provides extraordinary abrasion resistance and the sensor’s unique technology gives it unmatched abilities to resist shock and impact damage. This impact resistance is typically demonstrated by showing how a sensor survives being used to hammer nails into a wooden block.

In the Maritime range of sensors, V4A/ AISI 316L stainless steel is used to provide high corrosion resistance to seawater and a salt-laden atmosphere. The sensor’s location inside metal doors on the perimeter of ships also meant that their wide temperature operating range (-25°C to +70°C) and Contrinex’s industry-leading temperature stability and temperature-resistance is important for reliable service.

The sensor also contains the IO-Link communication protocol so that parameters can be auto-updated from the PLC to a new sensor when it is installed. IO-Link is also ideal for implementing the sensors into Industrial IoT (IIoT) and Industry 4 systems, for example for the continuous monitoring of sensor status.

Combining exceptional durability in harsh environments with extended working life, Contrinex’s DNVGL-approved inductive sensors are an affordable, risk-free option for marine systems integrators and equipment designers.

Automotive designers are looking to replace legacy gateway subsystems with technology that can migrate applications to an Ethernet network to easily access information from the edge to the cloud. To provide OEMs with automotive-qualified Ethernet solutions, Microchip Technology today announces its first automotive-qualified Ethernet PHYs. This family of 10BASE-T1S devices with AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualification includes the LAN8670, LAN8671 and LAN8672.

The LAN8670/1/2 10BASE-T1S Ethernet PHYs are functional safety ready and designed for use in ISO 26262 applications. These devices now make it possible to connect low-speed devices that previously required their own communication systems into a standard Ethernet system in automotive applications.

“Microchip continues to prioritize connectivity solutions for the automotive industry with the expansion of its line of 10BASE-T1S products,” said Matthias Kaestner, vice president of Microchip’s automotive products business unit. “This new technology will connect the sensors and actuators used in the physical world all the way to the cloud, and it will enable a seamless Ethernet architecture everywhere.”

The ability to connect multiple Ethernet PHYs to a common bus line makes it simpler to implement automotive applications on a single, well-known architecture and saves implementation costs by reducing cabling and switch ports. The LAN8670/1/2 enables the network edges to use Ethernet and Internet Protocol (IP) to easily communicate with the rest of the network infrastructure. These devices include advanced PHY diagnostics to provide the user with troubleshooting capabilities. In addition, sleep/wake functionality allows for low-power modes.

The 10BASE-T1S device specifications include 10 Mbps, half-duplex mode, flexible topology with multidrop bus line and point-to-point and use a single balanced pair of conductors. These devices also feature enhanced electromagnetic compatibility/electromagnetic interference (EMC/EMI) performance. Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) support allows for synchronized timing across far-reaching Ethernet networks. Time synchronization is critical for many applications throughout automotive zonal architectures.

Microchip was a key contributor in the development of the standards with IEEE for the automotive-qualified 10BASE-T1S technology. This technology simplifies system design by expanding the reach of Ethernet to the devices that are typically at the very edge of the network.

Low-cost cameras in industrial quality are an important growth driver for automation – after all, it does not always have to be the high-end solution. The low-cost portfolio from IDS specifically addresses price-sensitive applications and has so far included the camera families uEye XCP (closed zinc die-cast housing, 29x29x17 mm) and uEye XLE (different variants from board-level models to closed plastic housing). It is now being expanded to include the uEye XLS camera family. These are tiny board-level cameras with dimensions of only 29x29x7 mm, which are consistently reduced to essential camera functions and can therefore be offered at a particularly low price. They are available from 150 euros list price.

The new USB3 cameras from IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH are compatible with the Vision Standard, have a Micro-B connector and are available exclusively as board-level versions with or without C/CS or S-mount lens holders. The board-level cameras are so small that they can be inserted directly into the lens holders. Users can choose between different sensors from 2 to 12 MP. Thanks to their minimal heat generation, uEye+ XLS cameras are particularly suitable for device construction and embedded vision applications.

With the low-cost portfolio from IDS, companies can now benefit from the advantages of industrial cameras even with a limited budget. The range of applications extends from rapid prototyping and the automation of previously unprofitable small series to image processing projects with a large number of cameras.

More information: https://en.ids-imaging.com/low-cost-cameras.html

Anritsu introduces the measurement function (MS9740B-020) for Optical Spectrum Analyzer MS9740B that evaluates a pulsed Laser Diode (LD) chip. New solution reduces the test time for pulsed LD chip, contributing to improved production efficiency of high-power LD chip.

Development Background

LD chip manufacturers and optical equipment vendors evaluate the optical spectrum of LD chips during manufacturing. Market demand for high-power LD chips is driven by higher communication bit rates and longer LiDAR detection ranges. In addition, new use cases, such as External Laser Small Pluggable (ELSFP) modules for Co-packaged Optics applications, are expected to accelerate demand. The continuous wave (CW) output from a high-power LD chip suffers power drift and wavelength shift as the chip temperature rises. This is prevented by suppressing the temperature rise by using pulsed LD chips. However, current testing of pulsed LD chips during production takes longer because an external trigger signal is required to synchronize with the pulsed LD chip.

Rugged Design for Any Environment

• Reduced tact time for pulsed LD chips

The new MS97040B-020 solution accelerates optical spectrum evaluation by eliminating the need for a trigger signal.

• Assured measurement reproducibility for even high-power LD chips

This solution assures measurement reproducibility of ±1.4 dB* for Side Mode Suppression Ratio (SMSR). Low SMSR variation improves the LD chip yield and helps production efficiency.

*±1.8 dB with MS9740B-020 installed.