Features

With thousands of parts per car model expected to become obsolete each year, obsolescence presents a huge challenge for automotive manufacturers. But what makes obsolescence so threatening to the car manufacturing sector, and how can it be avoided? Here, Ross Turnbull, Director of Business Development and Product Engineering at ASIC design and supply company Swindon Silicon Systems, explores.

For many purchasing and procurement professionals, obsolescence is a source of concern. Receiving notification of a product becoming obsolete will often raise multiple questions: What next? Is an alternative available? How will this affect the production line? 

And it seems some sectors are more prone to obsolescence issues than others. The automotive industry, for example, is one that is increasingly struggling with the challenges of obsolescence. In fact, consultancy company Oliver Wyman estimates that some 3,000 parts per car model are expected to become obsolete every year. To understand why this is the case, we need to dig deeper into the factors behind component obsolescence.

Understanding the challenge

Obsolescence usually occurs as a result of the technology or functionality becoming out-of-date, a drop in market demand, lack of compliancy with new regulations, or a combination of these factors. 

In automotive technology, the unprecedented rate of development is a huge driver for the former. Cars are smarter than ever. Where our vehicles were once entirely mechanical, we’re now seeing increasing digitalisation throughout. This includes lane and hazard detection systems, automatic parking and even completely autonomous driving — all a result of more advanced electronics. The caveat is, that the faster these developments occur, the quicker components become obsolete — potentially much earlier than initially forecast. Consultancy firm Roland Berger estimates that some 62 per cent of the automotive market relies on older, more specialised chips. And as chip manufacturers are moving to more advanced technologies, there’s less and less availability of these older components for OEMs. As a result, manufacturers are having to spend more time dealing with supply chain problems and sourcing suitable chip replacements.

Another factor is the sheer number of components used in the automotive industry. Estimates put the number of chips per vehicle anywhere between 1,000 to 3,000. And with the continuing transition to electric vehicles, these figures are only set to grow. Evidently, manufacturers must seek new strategies to manage obsolescence concerns if they’re to keep up with a dynamic, evolving market. The question is, how can this be done?

Managing obsolescence

Often, obsolescence is managed reactively, after the process or component has been deemed obsolete. But the problem with reactive management strategies is it leaves little room for error, and potentially a big hole in the manufacturer’s pocket.

Finding an alternative source can be tricky. Any replacement chips must be verified before use in the application. And there’s often significant redesign work required to ensure that the product is compatible with the substitute device. Even if a suitable chip is found that doesn’t require any product design changes, it’s unlikely to have the same performance or functionality as the original IC.

Sourcing the right supplier can be just as difficult. There’s always the concern that a third-party supplier can’t deliver components to the quality demanded by the application. Their supply chain must also be questioned. It’s no good to shift production to a new chip if the replacement is also expected to go obsolete.

A proactive approach

To minimise these issues, it’s preferable to take a proactive approach to obsolescence. In part, this comes through enhanced supply chain management and transparency, as well as more accurate business forecasting. 

It can also be achieved through the design of the chip itself. An Application Specific IC, or ASIC, is a bespoke chip that has been designed uniquely for custom requirements. As a result, the ASIC can be optimised down to the finest detail, offering improved performance, functionality and power consumption compared to off-the-shelf solutions.

Besides performance enhancements, the ASIC route also offers several benefits to those wishing to avoid obsolescence concerns. Commonly, chip obsolescence occurs due to two factors: either the silicon process or the packaging becoming obsolete.

An ASIC designer is always working proactively to avoid these. While sourcing packaging alternatives is relatively simple, silicon obsolescence requires a little more pre-planning. Typically, this is done at the earliest stage possible, where the ASIC supplier will select a silicon process and foundry with the required maturity and longevity to match the product’s lifespan.

In the unlikely event the silicon process still becomes obsolete, the ASIC supplier will provide at least a years’ notice, offering ample time for a suitable solution to be found. The ideal resolution is individual to the customer and its application. For short-term production, for example, a one-off purchase of fully packaged parts may be suitable for the quickly changing demands of automotive electronics.

The IC design can also be ported onto a new silicon process, or the ASIC designer and customer can embark on a completely new design altogether. Regardless of the route taken, this decision-making process must be taken collaboratively to ensure that the solution works for the customer and the product.

Industry expertise

For manufacturers in the automotive sector, there’s a strong case to be made for working with IC designers with the same industry experience. Finding an ASIC designer already knowledgeable about your application means they can often provide additional insight, whether it’s meeting industry regulations or keeping up to date with the latest trends such as ultra-low power requirements. 

Swindon, for example, is a global leader in the design and supply of ASICs for the automotive sector. Having been at the forefront of TPMS technology since its inception and now fulfilling more than half the world’s total demand for TPMS sensors, Swindon is well-versed in the unique demands of the automotive electronics industry. It can offer full compliance with strict ISO 26262 standards as well as AEC Q100 stress testing. As a result, Swindon is perfectly placed to help manufacturers navigate the challenges associated with the sector, including the ever-present risk of obsolescence. 

As our cars become more and more complex, the number of automotive electronic components continues to increase. And as a direct result, it seems obsolescence is set to become an even more pressing issue. But by taking a proactive management approach, developing custom electronics and working with trusted suppliers, manufacturers can reduce the risk of obsolescence — even in the most demanding of sectors.

Fluke Corporation, a global technology leader in the manufacture of compact, professional electronic test and measurement tools and software, recently hosted an award ceremony celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Premium partnership with CalPlus GmbH.

A leading German specialist distributor for test and measurement equipment and the leading supplier of calibrators for electrical quantities and temperature, CalPlus was formed in 1999 by former employees of Fluke. Today, the company serves customers in all areas of the German economy, including colleges, universities, research institutes and authorities, and is headquartered in Berlin.

The success of the longstanding, historical partnership between the two companies is down to the extensive technical knowledge that the CalPlus sales team has of Fluke Corporation’s products. CalPlus is also the exclusive German distributor for Fluke Calibration’s electrical and temperature calibration portfolio.

In 2022, this expertise enabled CalPlus to secure the largest single order for Fluke Calibration of $6.7 million – $4.5 million on hardware and $2.2 million on Premium Care plans – with a semiconductor and component test systems manufacturer. The accuracy, reliability and stability of Fluke Calibrations’ products are of critical importance to calibration and primary laboratories in Germany.

Flavio Romano, Senior Director of EMEA Sales, Fluke Corporation said: “The success of our partnership is owed to CalPlus’ unwavering commitment to customer-centricity and excellence in customer service, innovation and technical expertise. CalPlus’ profound product understanding enables them to provide comprehensive training and unmatched support, expediting the discovery of optimal solutions. Their proactive innovation ensures they lead in meeting evolving customer needs. Together, our shared vision for growth in the German market has forged a strategic alliance marked by mutual trust and a relentless pursuit of excellence.”

Jürgen Mau, Managing Director of CalPlus says long-term customer and supplier partnerships are at the heart of CalPlus’ corporate philosophy.

“Having Fluke as a Premium partner for 25 years has enabled us to make substantial inroads into the electrical and temperature calibration market in Germany. Over the years, we have also expanded our in-stock range of Fluke’s industrial and networking portfolios to reflect the considerable growth in the renewable energy sector, including solar and wind power as well as electric vehicles. These rapidly evolving markets demand reliable testing and calibration solutions of the highest quality. Fluke is a true innovator in these sectors and enables us to deliver complete solutions to our customers.”

Upgrade and save 20% for a limited time

Fluke Calibration is offering European customers the opportunity to upgrade and save 20% on the 55X0A Series of High-Performance Multi-Product Calibrators. For a limited time, customers can trade in their existing precision calibrator regardless of the manufacturer and upgrade to the latest technology.

Featuring three advanced models, the 5560A, 5550A and 5540A provide the most comprehensive electrical workload coverage with the highest accuracy, an intuitive redesigned front panel, MET/CAL compatibility and much more. This limited time offer ends on 28 June 2024.

More information on Fluke Calibration’s new trade-in program can be found here.

The precision of Contrinex’s inductive sensors finds them in an astonishing array of applications and this is further expanded by the introduction of their SMART sensors. An example of utilising this new technology is to measure the roller deformation and eccentricity when bending and forming heavy steel or aluminium plates and strips.

Reliable monitoring is essential to avoid potentially significant scrap costs, but taking machines out of service to inspect rollers causes downtime which drives designers to identify real-time monitoring solutions. Contrinex’s SMART Distance Measurement Sensors (DMS) are able to deliver actionable precision information about the condition of a roller, in real-time, including during rolling operations.

CUSTOMER APPLICATION

Bending and forming heavy metal plates and strips, particularly in steel or aluminium, requires large-scale investment in industrial rolling equipment with a consequent need to maintain high levels of uptime and productivity. Key to this is monitoring roller deformation and eccentricity, as these are common causes of out-of-tolerance production which can result in significant scrap costs.

Production engineers rely on regular measurement of both parameters to enable corrective action to be taken before product quality suffers. Traditionally, this required machines to be taken out of service to take the necessary measurements, not only putting unwanted time pressure on maintenance teams but also making it almost impossible to detect every occurrence before product defects occur.

The availability of affordable and robust distance measurement sensors from Contrinex which offer exceptionally high accuracy, has enabled designers to identify real-time solutions, eliminating avoidable downtime. They need rugged, high-performance devices, suitable for harsh industrial environments, that communicate seamlessly with modern control systems. Accuracy and reliability must go hand-in-hand with cost-effectiveness, giving an attractive price-performance ratio.

CUSTOMER SOLUTION

Designers elected to take advantage of Contrinex’s high-resolution Smart Distance Measurement Sensors (DMS) to upgrade an existing machine. By fitting a semi-permanent, but demountable, crossbar along the top roll of a three-roll bending machine, supporting six stainless-steel M18 DMS sensors at regular intervals, the engineering team implemented a robust, cost-effective solution to the problem.

With the sensors positioned immediately adjacent to the surface of the roller, and with a measurement accuracy to within fractions of a millimetre, they deliver actionable information about the condition of the roller, on-demand and in real-time – including during rolling operations. The design of the mounting brackets offers additional protection for the sensors, further protecting these rugged all-metal devices from accidental damage.

The embeddable, one-piece V2A (AISI 303) stainless-steel M18 Smart DMS Sensors, have a nominal 10-mm sensing distance for carbon steel, and are highly robust and resistant to vibration and mechanical shock. Capable of measuring both lateral and axial displacement directly, these devices also record cumulative data, including operational cycle count and temperature, with customer-specific alarm thresholds for each parameter programmed into the sensor memory.

IO-Link connectivity, standard across the range, provides an easy industry-standard interface to the central control system for routine process data. During initial calibration, each sensor’s configuration is stored automatically on the local IO-Link Master; this allows plug-and-play replacement of sensors should the need arise, without any loss of functionality and without any need for recalibration. Designed with the needs of OEMs and system integrators in mind, Smart Sensors provide an unobtrusive fit-and-forget solution.

Tektronix, Inc, a leading provider in test and measurement solutions, has acquired EA Elektro-Automatik (EA), a principal supplier of high-power electronic test solutions for energy storage, mobility, hydrogen, and renewable energy applications. The introduction of EA to the Tektronix team provides the company with expanded solutions, leveraging Tektronix’s industry-leading oscilloscopes and isolated probes, EA’s high-efficiency power supplies and electronic loads, and Keithley’s high-precision source meters and instrumentation. Combined, the Tektronix portfolio offers a unique set of capabilities for energy storage and power electronics design needs, from ultra-low to ultra-high power. With the addition of EA, Tektronix is better equipped than ever to serve engineers who are electrifying our world.

“Our customers are facing challenges in delivering safe and reliable power electronics designs that incorporate new technologies such as high energy density batteries, efficient electric motors, smart power inverters, and wide-bandgap semiconductors, for high power and performance to electrify industries and meet an ever-increasing energy demand to power our world,” said Markus Schyboll, CEO of EA Elektro-Automatik.

“Many companies offer partial power electronics design solutions, but now Tektronix offers an extensive set of products for industry-wide electrification,” said Chris Bohn, Tektronix President. “These aren’t just any regenerative power supplies. EA equipment adds high-efficiency regenerative power capabilities to the Tektronix portfolio that are critical to supporting our future-facing electrification goals.”

From analysis of power electronics performance dynamics with Tektronix MSO oscilloscopes and IsoVu probes, to semiconductor characterization and quality control for low power/high precision designs with Keithley SMUs and precision measurement instruments, and now with the addition of EA solutions to the portfolio, Tektronix can offer solutions up to 3.8 megawatt with industry-leading regenerative efficiency >96% to cover the full range of customer power needs. EA’s power supplies complement the Tektronix portfolio of cutting-edge scopes, probes, SMUs, and precision measurement instruments, allowing users to scale up in voltage to 2,000V or current up to 64,000A with a low noise regenerative instrument to minimize added heat and EMI noise — ensuring the best possible testing when using Tektronix, Keithley, and EA-branded test and measurement products.

With emphasis on creating solutions for power electronics in the semiconductor, aerospace, and automotive industries, the Tektronix and EA product portfolio addresses leading issues in energy storage, mobility, and hydrogen fuel. To learn more about the full Tektronix portfolio of solutions, including EA Elektro-Automatik, Tektronix, and Keithley products, visit tek.com.

Farnell has been honoured with the prestigious title of Global Distributor of the Year – 2023 by Global Connector Technology (GCT), one of the leading manufacturers of world-class connector and cable assembly solutions for over 30 years.

This accolade underscores Farnell’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and steadfast partnership with industry leaders.

The GCT awards celebrate distributors who have significantly contributed to expanding market reach, driving revenue growth, and delivering exceptional service to customers worldwide. Amidst unprecedented challenges in the industry, Farnell’s dedication and remarkable achievements throughout 2023 stood out, earning them this esteemed recognition.

“We have seen steady development of our business with Farnell over the past few years and these efforts really delivered results in 2023, a year that was not short of challenges across our industry,” said Richard Clark, Global Distribution Manager from GCT. “The teams at Farnell have been very supportive in expanding the GCT product offering, and this delivered best in class results in revenue growth, customer count expansion, and the number of unique parts sold. We deeply value the engagement with Farnell and look forward to continuing to accelerate our mutual growth.”

GCT highlighted Farnell’s instrumental role in expanding the GCT product portfolio and credited this collaboration for delivering outstanding performance amidst a dynamic business landscape.

Russell Paik, Global Category Director for Interconnect & Electromechanical at Farnell, said: “Winning the ‘Global Distributor of the Year’ award from GCT highlights the strong relationship we have built with GCT and customers. We are honoured by this recognition and look forward to continuing to deliver exceptional service and value to our customers worldwide.”

Customers can explore the entire GCT range from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Anritsu Company is proud to announce the launch of our new inline power sensor MA24103A that is designed to measure accurate Peak and True-RMS average power measurements from 25 MHz to 1 GHz and 2 mW to 150 W power range.

Several applications demand accurate peak and average power measurements well below the frequency range of 1 GHz. Agencies in Public Safety, Avionics (air traffic control and repair stations), and Railroads, etc. must maintain critical communications between the control centers and the vehicles. The slightest error in making measurements or maintaining a communication network in these markets could risk public safety or even have fatal consequences.

The advantage with lower frequencies is that they can propagate a longer distance and maintain communication with fast-moving vehicles. Normally, at lower frequencies the power of the transmitting signal is in the range of watts, which makes the MA24103A more suited for these types of applications.

This highly accurate, Inline Peak Power Sensor communicates with a PC via USB or with an Anritsu handheld instrument equipped with the high accuracy power meter option 19.

Some of the main markets that benefit from this low frequency Inline Power Sensor include:

• Broadcast Network and Manufacturer: Lab performance accuracy and low insertion loss over a wide temperature range (0 ºC to 55 ºC), making it perfect for field applications.
• Railroads: to evaluate various systems like Positive Train Control Systems, End of Train (EOT) signals, automated train control systems, and FM voice base stations.
• Avionics: such as Civil and Military Airports for beacon testing, surveillance radar testing, localizer, and marker testing.

ADLINK Technology Inc., a global leader in edge computing, is proud to launch its latest innovation, the EMU-200 series, an application-ready IIoT gateway that can easily meet the data network requirements of various harsh application scenarios, including renewable energy, electric vehicle (EV) charging, building management, and factory equipment monitoring.

To facilitate rapid deployment in diverse application environments, the EMU-200 series features a built-in smart software tool, the EGiFlow web console, which allows for seamless integration of multiple communication protocols. Paired with extensive connectivity options and highly adaptable hardware specifications, EGiFlow can cater to a wide range of on-site configurations while reducing the efforts required by engineers on development and deployment.

Integrating EGiFlow with the EMU-200 series simplifies the once complicated data transfer process between different systems and provides pre-configured data flow settings, alleviating the workload of solution developers and expediting the setup process for data collection, transferring and filtering from multiple sources, all achievable through a straightforward three-step setup.

To achieve broad connection coverage, the EMU-200 series integrates a variety of mainstream industrial communication protocols, such as Modbus TCP/RTU, MQTT, and OPC UA. Additionally, open charging point protocols (OCPP) for electric vehicle charging will soon be integrated. This comprehensive protocol support ensures data transmission compatibility, while avoiding issues caused a by lack of supported protocols. Furthermore, the EMU-200 series supports abundant I/O interfaces, along with Wi-Fi, 4G/LTE connectivity. This enables connection to data acquisition device such as remote IO and Ethernet DAQ systems, facilitating seamless connectivity from the edge to cloud platforms.

The EMU-200 series uses an ARM Cortex-A9 processor, known for its excellent power efficiency and suitability for operating under power supply restrictions. Its compact dimensions, coupled with multiple mounting options, and an impressive operating temperature range of -20 to 70°C, ensure adaptability even in harsh environmental conditions.

“Apart from the application-ready functions, the EMU-200 series is ideal for second development to fulfill a variety of applications from platform to integrated solutions,” said Jeremy Wu, Director of the Open Instrument Business Product Center.

To learn more about this innovative product line and how it can enhance your field site connectivity, please visit the link or contact our sales team for more details.

Experience a new level of industrial connector excellence at the Mencom Corporation booth #4084 at Automate 2024, May 6–9 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

The booth features hands-on demonstrations of the latest industrial electrical connectors, including power, control, signal, and network connectors.  These products are designed to provide robust performance even in harsh environments, ensuring reliable connectivity, and withstanding the most demanding applications.

Mencom’s team of connector experts will be available to provide personalized consultations, assisting you in finding the perfect solutions to integrate secure and dependable connections into your diverse equipment and applications.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to witness firsthand the difference that Mencom can make! Stop by booth #4084 at Automate 2024 and see how their innovative solutions can help your business streamline and succeed.

ABOUT AUTOMATE

Automate is a trade Show and Conference produced by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). It is proud to be the largest solutions-based showcase of automation, robotics, vision, motion control and other automation technologies in North America. www.automateshow.com

Bowers Group has proudly unveiled its new Baty Venture FV Series at the 2024 MACH exhibition, introducing the latest in its range of innovative vision systems to coincide with the opening of the show.

The exciting product launch has provided visitors with the exclusive opportunity to be the amongst the first to experience live demonstrations of this exciting new field of view product from the world-renowned Baty brand.

“We are thrilled to introduce the Baty Venture FV at MACH 2024,” said Martin Hawkins, Managing Director at Bowers Group. “This impressive field of view machine represents a significant advancement in our product line, providing remarkable levels of efficiency and versatility to our customers. Bringing with it a wealth of user-friendly features and industry-leading innovation, the launch of the new Venture FV marks the start of a series of new products across our product range in the coming months. We really do encourage visitors to head over to our stand to find out more.”

The Baty Venture FV sets a new standard in Bowers Group’s precision measurement offering, providing advanced features and high-speed measurement. Equipped with auto part recognition and a powerful camera, coupled with telecentric LED lighting, the vision system delivers precise field of view measurements with exceptional clarity. Its intuitive software streamlines the measurement process, allowing for seamless operation and efficient data analysis.

The new FV series is being displayed throughout MACH exhibition, allowing visitors to explore the features of the machines in real time, with a team of experts on-hand to deliver live demonstrations and discuss the benefits both the Venture FV, and the wider Baty vision range, could bring to businesses throughout many industries.  

For full details of the Baty Venture FV and Bowers Group’s wider range of connected metrology solutions, visit the team at stand 19-440, located in the measurement & inspection zone of MACH 2024. Or visit www.bowersgroup.co.uk for more information.  

MVTec Software, a leading international software manufacturer for machine vision, is strengthening its activities in Taiwan and establishing its own subsidiary in Hsinchu, southwest of Taipei. The new subsidiary was opened on April 1, 2024, and is intended to further intensify the exchange with customers from Taiwan. Martin Krumey, Vice President Sales at MVTec, explains the background: “Our goal at MVTec is to be close to our customers worldwide. Taiwan is a strategically important market for us. We believe that with our increased local presence, together with our local partners, we can understand and serve the needs and requirements of our customers even better.” MVTec has already had a sales office in Taiwan since 2020. This will now be relocated from its previous location in Taichung to Hsinchu and upscaled into a subsidiary.

Expansion of presence for greater customer proximity

In terms of personnel, MVTec is focusing on continuity in Taiwan. Jash Chu and Edward Tsai, who were already working in the sales office in Taichung, are the first two employees of the new subsidiary MVTec Taiwan Co., LTD. The expertise of the sales office employees will help MVTec to further expand its presence on the Taiwanese market and intensify its proximity to local customers. Jash Chu, Technical Sales Manager, explains: “Our powerful software products HALCON and MERLIC are already well known in the market. With the new subsidiary, we are now able to provide customers with even faster and more comprehensive support for their specific, often very complex inquiries. This service directly from us as the manufacturer helps to get even more performance out of the machine vision applications.” Edward Tsai, Sales Manager, adds: “We have been working with strong local partners, such as sales partners or hardware manufacturers, for years. We want to maintain these partnerships and expand them accordingly for the benefit of our customers.” To achieve these goals, the number of employees in the new subsidiary will be increased further over the next few years.

Enormous potential in the semiconductor industry

“Our focus sector in Taiwan clearly is the semiconductor industry. Automation and the corresponding use of machine vision, including our software, are already very advanced here. Nevertheless, the market is growing very dynamically. We decided to open the subsidiary to meet the increasing technical challenges in particular,” says Martin Krumey. 

MVTec Software GmbH was founded in Munich in 1996. The MVTec software products HALCON, MERLIC, and the Deep Learning Tool are developed at the Munich headquarters. By using modern technologies such as 3D vision, deep learning, and embedded vision, MVTec software enables new automation solutions as well as their use in demanding sectors such as the semiconductor industry, battery production, or electronics industry.