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Is there a standout gas detection product that you think deserves to be recognised with an award? If the answer is yes, then now is the time to nominate that product for an Instrumentation Excellence Award. The Instrumentation Excellence Awards (IEAs) celebrate the very best from the world of test, measurement, sensing and control.

The 2024 awards ceremony, organised by Instrumentation Monthly publisher Datateam Business Media, will take place on 24 October at the Grand Connaught Rooms and will once again take place alongside the Electronics Industry Awards, making it the night of the year for networking.

Entering the Awards is quick, easy and completely free of charge – so there’s no need to delay! To make your entry really stand out from the crowd, it is recommended that you try to include a comprehensive overview of the product or company that you have nominated. There is even the option to include supplementary documents like data sheets and images alongside your nomination.  

Nominations close soon so visit www.instrumentationawards.co.uk to make your nomination and to find out more about the Instrumentation Excellence Awards. 

International exhibitors and visitors have always shown great interest in the SENSOR+TEST – which is why the trade fair has developed into the leading international trade fair for sensor, measuring and testing technology. Almost three months before the start of the fair, a record number of registered exhibitors is emerging: more than 40% come from abroad. And what’s more: the SENSOR+TEST is once again offering a host of novelties this year – from the Calibration Area to Technology & Application Guided Tours.

The SENSOR+TEST is still just under three months away, but preparations for the trade fair taking place in Nuremberg from June 11 to 13, 2024 are in full swing. The innovation dialog is expected to attract 400 exhibitors from Germany and abroad. Interest from international exhibitors in particular has grown once again this year. Following the traditionally strong exhibitor numbers from neighboring Switzerland, especially British and US companies have confirmed their participation. “After the abolition of entry restrictions, we are expecting more exhibitors from China than ever before and, above all, a delegation of more than 40 Chinese visitors who will be spending a week in Germany to exchange ideas,” says a delighted Elena Schultz, Managing Director of AMA Service GmbH. “We will be welcoming our exhibitors and visitors back to the exhibition halls at NürnbergMesse in June. As things stand at present, we are expecting 400 exhibitors in halls 1 and 2 this year, which will make the exhibition even more attractive, also thanks to the expansion with a lot of highlights,” says Elena Schultz. Hall 1 is already fully booked. “There are still places available in hall 2, but interested parties should not take too much longer to register, as more companies are waiting in the wings to present their innovations in Nuremberg,” explains Elena Schultz.

New area focuses on calibration

The new “Calibration Area” will be a very special highlight. Under the motto “Innovative Calibration”, exhibitors will present innovations for the calibration of sensors and measurement technology in a compact area. The focus will be on digital concepts and the challenges of calibration. In combination with an open Technology Forum, the “Calibration Area” is the ideal platform for the innovation dialog between manufacturers, calibration service providers and users. In the morning, the Technology Forum offers an exciting program with best-practice presentations in which exhibitors present their tried-and-tested applications. In the afternoon, visitors can look forward to top-class special sessions where they can learn more about the importance, strategies and digital future of calibration. Renowned institutions and universities will share their expertise with visitors, who can benefit from a wealth of expert know-how and make important contacts for their projects.

Visitors benefit from Technology & Application Guided Tours

At the SENSOR+TEST, the focus is on the application. Visitors know this and are already preparing for their visit online. In order to support this process and to increase the added value of the leading trade fair for visitors and exhibitors, there will be 90-minute professionally guided Technology & Application Guided Tours on selected topics for the first time. For 2024 these are:

• AI in sensor, measurement and automation technology
• Mobile testing
• Sensor, measurement and testing technology for the hydrogen industry

Attractive forum program

The extensive supporting program, which has characterized the SENSOR+TEST for many years, will once again be accompanied by a top-class lecture forum. Elena Schultz comments: “The quality is once again very high thanks to the evaluation of the submissions by experts, which is of particular benefit to the visitors of the trade fair.” Interested parties can look forward to an attractive program. At the forum in hall 1, which is centrally integrated into a meeting marketplace, exhibitors will be presenting new developments, products and applications on all three days. Admission is free for visitors. “We will be giving interested parties who are unable to attend the event the opportunity to watch all presentations live or online after the event,” says Elena Schultz.

Job Lounge: Well equipped for the future

“Medium-sized companies often have difficulties recruiting suitable staff,” says Elena Schultz. “With the Job Lounge, we want to give exhibitors and interested applicants the opportunity to talk to each other efficiently for the second time.” During the Job Lounge on the Tuesday of the fair, exhibitors at the SENSOR+TEST will present their topics related to human resources to an interested audience. On the Thursday of the fair, the Job Lounge will be part of the “Young Engineers Day”. The organizer is expecting several university groups from all over Germany and from technical schools in the Nuremberg area. “Whether you are looking for a new direction or the perfect career start – the Job Lounge will offer something for everyone,” says Elena Schultz confidently.

Two top-class conferences

The 22. GMA/ITG-Fachtagung Sensoren und Messsysteme, which will be held on 11 and 12 June 2024 by the Informationstechnische Gesellschaft im VDE (ITG) in cooperation with the VDI/VDE-Gesellschaft Mess- und Automatisierungstechnik (GMA), will once again address the latest trends in sensor and measurement technology. The conference will also report on new fields of application in the area of measurement systems, their analysis and description as well as system-related (multi-)sensor technology. More information on the website of the SENSOR+TEST at www.sensor-test.de/en/conference-2/sensoren2024

The ETTC 2024 European Test and Telemetry Conference (June 11-13, 2024) in hall 2 is the most important international platform for telemetry, telecontrol, test instrumentation and data processing. It will take place for the sixth time parallel to the SENSOR+TEST. Visitors and participants will experience the important role of telemetry technologies for applications in the aerospace, automotive and biomedical industries in current industrial developments such as IoT, big data, wireless or UAV (drones). More information on the SENSOR+TEST website at www.sensor-test.de/en/conference-2/ettc2024

Digital offer again in 2024

The SENSOR+TEST is once again focusing strongly on innovation communication. In the run-up to the event, interested visitors can already find a whole range of innovations and topics that they can experience live at the trade fair. The offer of information is rounded off by regular newsletters, which draw attention to the technologies shown by exhibitors, as well as by social media channels, which provide continuous and up-to-date reports – before, during and after the event.

Safe your ticket now

The SENSOR+TEST 2024 will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all three days of the fair. Visitors can already secure their trade fair ticket online: www.sensor-test.de/en/visitors/exhibition-ticket. They can receive a voucher code to register for a free e-ticket from one of the exhibiting companies. Elena Schulz comments: “A visit to the SENSOR+TEST is definitely worthwhile. I would like to cordially invite you to Nuremberg today. Let yourself be inspired by the trends and innovations in the industry. – Welcome to the Innovation Dialog!”

Further information on the SENSOR+TEST are available at www.sensor-test.com.

The Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI) is probably the most ambitious project for applied artificial intelligence in Europe. Its home will be a large, circular campus in Heilbronn, close to IDS headquarters. Companies, start-ups, research and science will come together there to work on cutting-edge AI solutions. IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH has been contributing its expertise in the field of artificial intelligence in image processing to the network since the beginning of 2024.

Heilbronn, primarily known as a traditional industrial city, is currently experiencing a dynamic transformation driven by the intense commitment of the Dieter Schwarz Foundation to future technologies. “Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence and in the coming years, further rapid developments will unfold. Heilbronn does not want to leave the shaping of these changes to others, but wants to research, participate and support locally,” explains IDS Managing Director Jan Hartmann. “IDS is proud to be active in this emerging city and to contribute to its development by participating in the IPAI.”

IDS brings AI expertise from image processing

The vision of an AI innovation park in Baden-Württemberg emerged back in 2018. A feasibility study by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, involving stakeholders and the public, formed the basis for the competition to select a location. On 27 July 2021, the Council of Ministers agreed to build the AI Innovation Park Baden-Württemberg in Heilbronn with financial support. IDS already supported the flagship project during the application phase with a letter of intent (LOI). Since the beginning of 2024, the company is now an official member. “By becoming a member of the IPAI, IDS deepens its commitment to AI. We look forward to contributing our AI expertise from image processing and other areas to the community and working together on promising projects,” explains Sigrid Rögner, Head of Business Innovation and Ecosystem at IDS.

Through the network’s open innovation approach, IDS simultaneously benefits from exchanging ideas with other AI experts, for example, regarding the optimization of AI camera series or internal information processing. Carolin Rehder, Head of Membership & Community, IPAI, adds: “We are delighted to welcome IDS, a leading player in the field of image processing, to the IPAI community. With its broad know-how, expertise and active commitment, IDS is not only deepening its commitment to the topic of AI, but also represents a valuable enrichment for our entire innovation ecosystem.”

www.ids-imaging.com

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has today launched the first of three innovation nodes with a focus on the application of accurate and precise timing for new technologies and products for sectors including transport, telecommunications, fintech, and quantum.

The nodes have been developed in partnership between NPL and the host organisations, the University of Strathclyde, the University of Surrey, and Cranfield University.

The innovation nodes are part of NPL’s National Timing Centre (NTC) programme the UK’s first nationally distributed time infrastructure that provides secure, reliable, resilient and highly accurate time and frequency data. NTC will aid the acceleration of new technologies such as time-critical 5G and 6G applications, next generation automated factories and connected autonomous vehicles.

The innovation node at the University of Strathclyde was officially launched today by Dr Peter Thompson, CEO at NPL and Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde. The launch is part of a wider two-day programme of events that showcases the breadth of work delivered by NPL and gives Scottish industry access to NPL’s extensive capabilities in quantum and timing. The programme underpins NPL’s long history of collaboration in these areas with the University of Strathclyde.

During their development, the three node sites hosted feasibility and demonstrator projects funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency. In total, 26 projects were supported with technical consultancy and access to high accuracy timing signals to enable the development of new products and services.

The projects that accessed traceable signals from the innovation nodes include an initiative to establish the evidence base for redistributing Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) data to air- and ground-based autonomous systems in a smart city infrastructure environment and to demonstrate the technologies required for safe, reliable, and secure autonomous transport. Other projects include the development of innovative products and services to accurately measure electricity grid performance, which rely on a resilient timing reference.

Dr Leon Lobo, Head of the National Timing Centre (NTC) Programme, said, “Time is an invisible utility that underpins our digital infrastructure, from synchronizing the energy grid and telecom networks to timestamping financial trades. The close collaboration with Strathclyde will offer industry and academia access to reference timing signals to stimulate the development of new products and services, necessary to enable resilient time for the future.”

Professor Paul Griffin, of Strathclyde’s Department of Physics, said, “GPS and its equivalent systems provide timing signals which are used around the world to provide accurate time.  Unfortunately, GPS and similar signals are very weak and can easily be jammed or spoofed.  The goal of the NTC is to provide robust timing for the UK that does not depend on GPS.

“There are atomic clocks installed at Anthorn in Cumbria, where there is a powerful eLoran (Enhanced Long Range Navigation) transmitter which is very difficult, but not impossible, to jam. Chronos Technology, a UK-based global provider of advanced timing, synchronisation, and smart technology solutions, will utilise our clock to align the clocks at Anthorn to UTC within the NTOL project (NPL Time Over eLoran).

“Chronos will demonstrate the broadcast of the NPL timebase via the eLORAN, which will be received and decoded by Strathclyde’s Power Networks Demonstration Centre (PNDC). “

NPL is open to collaboration with industry and academia to access the innovation nodes for traceable and high accuracy timing signals. For more information and to get in touch, visit http://www.npl.co.uk/ntc/innovation-nodes 

Nominations for the 2024 Instrumentation Excellence Awards are now open via the event’s online portal: www.instrumentationawards.co.uk.

The 2024 awards ceremony, organised by Instrumentation Monthly publisher Datateam Business Media, will take place on 24 October at the Grand Connaught Rooms and will once again take place alongside the Electronics Industry Awards, making it the night of the year for networking.

The awards celebrate the very best professionals, products and companies from the test, measurement, sensing and control sectors so head over to the IEA portal now at instrumentationawards.co.uk to find out more on how you can get your moment in the spotlight this October.

Launched in 2022, the event has grown from strength to strength. Last year, the event was hosted by celebrities Shaun Williamson and Alan Dedicoat. Attendees enjoyed live entertainment, including singing performances by host Shaun Williamson, as well as a delicious meal and a disco. This year’s event will continue in this tradition of celebration, making it an unmissable night for everyone in the instrumentation sector. ABB, BWW, VEGA Controls, Micro-Epsilon, ifm electronic and Napier have already announced their support for the 2024 Instrumentation Excellence Awards as sponsors of the event. To find out more about sponsorship opportunities for the 2024 event, please contact Louise Tiller by emailing ltiller@datateam.co.uk or calling 01622 699104.

Automation parts supplier EU Automation has published a new guide that is a must-read for engineers wanting to deploy condition-based maintenance (CBM) to improve operating efficiencies and increase profitability. It provides valuable insight so engineers can best implement a CBM strategy to realise its full benefits.

The handy guide helps engineers understand how CBM with real-time monitoring can offer an intelligent solution for maximising equipment uptime – protecting revenues and profits. The guide outlines how well-maintained equipment is typically more productive, enabling maintenance teams to meet critical key performance indicators. It describes how advances in technologies such as sensors and data analytics have seen CBM based on real-time monitoring emerge as a powerful tool in connected factories of the future, supporting engineers in their daily roles.

CBM can deliver significant benefits across manufacturing organisations. According to research by IBM, these benefits include:

• Prevention of equipment failures and downtime.
• Extension of asset lifespan.
• Improved safety through enhanced issue detection.
• Reduced maintenance costs.
• Improved maintenance efficiency.

“Knowing where to start with a CBM strategy can be a challenge, and that’s where this useful guide helps,” says Darren Halford, Managing Director at EU Automation. “The valuable report outlines the obstacles faced when establishing a CBM strategy, for example, high upfront costs, and gives the reader useful information about how to overcome them best.”

The guide explains how to structure a CBM monitoring system and gives real-life examples of how manufacturers have saved costs by deploying CBM into their operations. Readers can learn how to design a CBM network for real-time monitoring from both a hardware and software perspective, as well as understand the key considerations to take, such as choosing the right sensor technologies.

The guide also goes on to outline how engineers can visualise their data and provides handy hints and tips, for example, by ensuring that the software package selected has been used before in the engineer’s specific sector and it is compatible with the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) systems operated.

Additionally, the report highlights seven steps to successful CBM, including defining the CBM project, identifying critical equipment and putting information into action.

“Catching potential problems through real-time CBM early is essential to improving factory uptime, streamlining maintenance costs and staffing activities,” continues Darren Halford, Managing Director at EU Automation. “The best starting point for CBM and real-time monitoring is to determine what items of the plant are the most critical and those that are most likely to fail, and then choose the most suitable sensors for those. Working with experienced partners like EU Automation can help engineers ensure a CBM strategy is suitable for their industrial operation and realise the full benefits.”

For further information and to download EU Automation’s “Reducing costs and boosting uptime with condition-based maintenance and real time monitoring” guide visit

https://www.euautomation.com/uk/knowledge-hub/industries/condition-based-maintenance/industry-report

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, has revealed a new high-performance device that punches above its weight by combining performance, scalability and security of microprocessor-based systems that are typically more complex with the simplicity and integration of microcontrollers (MCUs).

Using these new STM32H7 MCUs, producers of equipment like smart appliances, smart-building controllers, industrial automation, and personal medical devices can evolve their products more quickly and cost effectively as end-users’ demands continue to increase. Examples include adding richer, colorful user interfaces and performing multiple functions simultaneously, which is usually achieved with microprocessors (MPU).

 “Our STM32 is already the world’s most popular Arm Cortex-M microcontroller family, and the latest STM32H7 devices let designers address even more use cases within this powerful ecosystem,” said Patrick Aidoune, General Purpose MCU Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics. “Its MPU-like qualities deliver outstanding core performance with the peripheral integration and convenience of an MCU, at a cost-effective price point.”

“With a dedicated graphics processor and fast memory interfaces on-chip, these MCUs are perfectly aligned with our mission to push the boundaries of what’s possible in embedded displays,” commented Kamil Kozlowski, CEO of Riverdi, a lead customer for the STM32H7R/S MCUs. Riverdi has chosen the devices to power its next generation of display modules. “The MCUs promise to enhance the visual performance and responsiveness of future displays, enabling more engaging and interactive user experiences. This represents a significant step forward in our journey to provide cutting-edge display solutions to our customers.”

ST’s new STM32H7R and STM32H7S microcontrollers come with robust security features, needed to address Internet of Things (IoT) applications. They include protection against physical attacks, memory protection, code isolation to protect the application at runtime, and platform authentication. The STM32H7S devices provide further security enhancement by integrating immutable root of trust, debug authentication, and hardware cryptographic accelerators that support the latest algorithms to prevent unauthorized access to code and data. With these security features, the devices are targeting up to SESIP3 and PSA Level 3 certifications, meeting the highest industry standards for cyber protection. 

The STM32H7 MCUs combine the highest-performing Arm Cortex-M core ST has yet announced (Cortex-M7 running at up to 600MHz) with minimal on-chip memory and high-speed external interfaces. They let engineers build systems with extra performance and flexibility using simple, low-cost microcontroller development tools. The devices available are further divided into the STM32H7R3/S3 general-purpose MCUs and the STM32H7R7/S7 with enhanced graphics-handling capabilities. Developers can share software extensively between the two lines, enabling efficient use of project resources and faster time to market for new products.

Michela Menting, Senior Research Director from ABI Research, said: “IoT hardware security is the holy grail for created trusted devices. The difficulty has been to offer a high-level of security for MCU-based embedded hardware, while achieving MPU-performance in a cost-effective manner; three criteria that are not often seen together in the market. The new STM32H7 MCUs appear to offer just that, with security front and center, built to perform the multi-application requirements of privacy-hungry markets in the consumer and industrial space.” 

ST’s new STM32H7 MCUs are scheduled to enter volume production from April 2024. Sample requests and pricing information are available from local ST sales offices. 

The STM32H7S8-DK demonstration and development platform, and the affordable and extendable NUCLEO-H7S3L8 MCU board, are available to accelerate building applications using the new devices. 

For more information, please go to www.st.com/stm32h7rs-product-overview.

Farnell is now stocking the TMPW Series of ultra-compact AC/DC power supplies from Traco Power.

The 5-50 Watt encapsulated power supplies are available in both PCB and chassis mount packages. The chassis mount models come with screw terminals or optional JST connectors and have an extended input range of 90 – 305 VAC, making them ideal for use in a wide range of industrial and household/building applications.

Other features of the TMPW series include an I/O-isolation voltage of 4000 VAC, operating temperature range of –40°C to +70°C, and Class II safety approvals. Additionally, an internal EN 55032 Class B filter saves valuable space for an otherwise often mandatory external filter. The series is also ERP ready, which means that it has an energy-efficient design, with less than 0.1 Watt standby power consumption, and satisfies tomorrow’s requirements for compact green power applications around the globe.

Farnell Product Segment Leader for Traco Power, Steve Hallgate, said, “The TMPW Series of AC/DC power supplies from Traco Power is an excellent addition to Farnell’s power portfolio. With their compact size, extended input range, and energy-efficient design, these power supplies are sure to be a hit with engineers and designers alike.”

Traco Power’s TMPW series can be ordered online from Farnell in EMEA, element14 in APAC and Newark in North America.

ABB and Sweden-based greentech company Salt X have signed an agreement to enable the further development of technologies in the Electric Arc Calcination (EAC) process. ABB will also become a minority shareholder in Salt X.

The two companies are known for their expertise in electrifying emission-intensive industries, including in the production of cement and quicklime, highly sought after materials in modern construction and process industries. Today, manufacturers are dependent on fossil fuels for high-temperature heating, up to 900 degrees Celsius, and have no realistic alternative.

Under the new agreement, Salt X will further develop its innovative Electric Arc Calciner (EAC), a technology that makes it possible to reach several thousand degrees Celsius. The electric plasma solution reinvents industrial calcination – the process used to heat materials to high temperatures – and replaces fossil-driven heating with renewable electricity while capturing the CO₂ emissions released. ABB will contribute with control and electrical systems for the EAC, creating a strong joint offering to the market. The collaboration aims to accelerate the commercialization of Salt X’s electrification and carbon separation technology.

“Salt X gains an optimal industrial partner with extensive experience in scaling up and implementing new industrial technologies on a global scale, together with a substantial capital injection,” said Carl-Johan Linér, CEO of Salt X. “This strengthens us as a company and enables us to progress with our growth plans. With ABB and our other partners, we can significantly improve our capability to take a leading role in the electrification wave sweeping through the industrial sector.”

“At ABB, we are at the core of accelerating decarbonization in the cement and other emission-intensive industries whilst providing world-class solutions to our customers,” said Michael Marti, Global Growth Industries Business Line Manager, ABB Process Industries. “Our collaboration with Salt X marks a significant milestone in this journey. The technology benefits are two-fold; replacing the use of fossil fuels through renewable electricity in the calcination process and enabling cost efficient capture of the carbon emissions at the same time. It will be a highly effective way of curbing lime production emissions.”

The companies first initiated a collaboration for electrifying the industrial process of calcination in 2022. This intensified in 2023 with the construction of Salt X’s research and test facility (ECRC).