Marposs participating in Target-X project

The European Target-X project is launching its second open call to strengthen important economic sectors in Europe by integrating 5G and 6G, accelerating the digital transformation. The call stresses the importance of establishing a sustainable business framework, unlocking new market prospects and providing financial support up to €60,000 per entity.

Marposs is actively involved in the research project, led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) in Aachen. The project’s objective is to conduct validation tests for new technologies in both 5G and its successor, 6G. Collaborating with other partners, Marposs has identified different applications within existing experimental test environments in both Germany and Spain.

In the automotive sector, the project focuses on studies related to digital twin vehicles, co-operative perception, autonomous or remote driving, and the prediction of quality of service (QoS) in real-world scenarios. Meanwhile, in the industrial manufacturing sector, research lines initiated in previous projects continue, involving partners to integrate real-time technologies with cutting-edge cloud architectures. This integration aims to create more efficient and sophisticated digital twins of robots and machine tools.

The project aims to explore the potential of 5G and 6G technologies in realistic environments within end-user industries through demonstrations and experimental evaluations. Notably, the focus includes examining the impact of network and digital-twin integration on real-time communications, localisation, tracking and interactivity. The assessment also considers sustainability, security and privacy metrics for the solutions under test, contributing to the development of a framework for evaluating the economic and social effects of potential new business models emerging from the use of these advanced technologies.

For further information www.marposs.com

Zeiss to co-operate with Borg Automotive

Zeiss is entering into a co-operative project with Borg Automotive, an independent remanufacturer of automotive parts. Researchers at the Zeiss Innovation Hub @ KIT will be working closely with Borg Automotive developers and production engineers on the project over the next 12 months. The project will focus on researching and implementing new visual and automated solutions for modern remanufacturing processes that enable an even better component quality, performance and service life.

By remanufacturing used components it is possible to reduce waste and, at the same time, cut the resources and emissions required to manufacture new components.

“After remanufacturing, used parts have the same functionality, safety and reliability as new parts,” says Max Riedel, head of the Zeiss Innovation Hub @ KIT. “We would like to develop processes with Borg Automotive that will allow us to base even more reliable future predictions about the life of remanufactured parts on measurements and models.”

Grzegorz Pawłowski, group technology director at Borg Automotive, adds: “Testing components in the remanufacturing process is one of the most important steps in determining which parts are suitable for reuse: it defines the lifespan and quality of the product. Our ambition is to use automated systems in the processes increase process efficiency and further improve quality standards.”

Circular economy is one of the Zeiss sustainability focus topics. Borg Automotive also bases its business model on the circular economy, in which it is possible to extend the lifecycle of vehicle parts. Borg Automotive has recently had comparative lifecycle assessments performed on its eight product groups. These assessments show a tendency for 60% less CO2eq, 42% less energy (MJ) and 70% lower consumption of natural resources (Sb-eq) compared with newly manufactured products.

For further information www.zeiss.com

World-first in composites stress testing

StressMap, a specialist in residual stress metrology using the contour method, has invested in two new capabilities to help customers prolong the life and control distortions of critical mechanical components in the aerospace, motorsport and defence industries.

In its quest to making cutting-edge residual stress engineering technology available to industry, StressMap has designed, built and commissioned a new wire cutting machine that facilitates contour method measurements in polymers, ceramics and composites. Before this machine, it was only possible to measure electrically conductive materials (mainly metals), since the only cutting technique available was wire EDM.

StressMap’s invention is the fruit of a year’s worth of research and is the only machine in the world that can cut these non-conductive materials with the required quality. Specialist researchers presented and scrutinised the first results obtained in a PEEK pipe at a conference in the spring, with further structures currently undergoing tests.

Another new capability for StressMap is a laser peening machine, which will see collaborative use with a Formula 1 team as it looks to test engine components. This technique induces beneficial residual stress at the surface of key components, preventing cracking and prolonging their life.

Over the past decade, StressMap has delivered over 150 projects for 80 customers across the world. Applications of the company’s residual stress measurement expertise vary widely, and include: additive manufactured titanium components; nickel superalloys for turbine discs; and cobalt-chrome alloys for bio-medical use.

StressMap has also developed strain scanning simulation software in conjunction with STFC in Harwell Oxfordshire to improve the quality of neutron diffraction measurements by maximising accuracy in strain measurements and providing a high level of positional accuracy and repeatability.

For further information www.stressmap.co.uk

Rainford offers complete tool investigations

A UK specialist in micro-machining solutions, Rainford Precision, has invested in a Keyence digital microscope to provide a complete tool investigation and consultancy service for customers in the UK and Ireland.

The company’s managing director Miles Evans says: “When you are servicing customers with tools below 0.2 mm in diameter, diagnosing and optimising tool life and performance is a challenge. The Keyence system will enable us to provide a unique service to our customers within the cutting tool marketplace.”

With a magnification range from 100 to 1000, Rainford’s experts can analyse standard and micro-tools then investigate and resolve the barriers to optimum performance.

Cutting tools smaller than 0.5 mm in diameter can naturally pose issues when investigating performance and tool life issues. With the Keyence VHX-970FN, Rainford can provide an aftersales service aimed at delivering improved tool life, machining performance, productivity and consistency.

By investigating the wear characteristics of customer tools and armed with the cutting data, the company can diagnose issues from a multitude of factors. For example, if the cutting speeds, feeds and machining parameters are impacting performance, Rainford will be able to diagnose this from investigations with the Keyence microscope. Likewise, concentricity, tool holding and the associated concerns of rigidity, balance and stability could also be diagnosed and potentially rectified through Rainford’s service and product portfolio.

For existing customers, the service will provide a comprehensive feedback loop with full reporting and recommendations to maximise the machining performance of tools purchased through Rainford. Additionally, all potential customers who may be experiencing issues with their current cutting tools, whoever the manufacturer, and want investigate potential solutions, will be able to send their tools to Rainford’s experts.

For further information www.rainfordprecision.com

Machine Vision Conference reached 8th edition 

Machine Vision Conference 2024 is shaping up to be another successful event. Now in its 8th year, the Machine Vision Conference (MVC) takes place at the CBS Arena in Coventry on 18-19 June, featuring a range of state-of-the-art solutions from leading companies. The core purpose of MVC is to promote the use of image processing technology, educate visitors about innovative new processes and assist businesses in finding new technologies that can help them to improve processes and reduce operating costs.

This annual event is content-packed with networking opportunities, live demonstrations and knowledge-sharing, making it suitable for existing machine vision users and engineers, as well as educating those new to machine vision technology.

MVC 2024 will be one of the best two-day conference and exhibition yet, with visitors expected to immerse themselves in the latest developments and innovations. In addition, the seminar programme, featuring some of the industry’s most knowledgeable experts, will make it hard for visitors to decide which thought-provoking presentations to attend.

The conference has a reputation for attracting an array of businesses, the top five visitor company types in 2023 were OEM, vision solutions provider, end user, machine vision manufacturer and distributor, and academic. Last year, some of the visitors included: Airbus, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes AMG F1, Mitsubishi Electric, Nissan, Panasonic, Rolls-Royce, Siemens, Sony andTata Technologies.

MVC is once again co-located alongside Automation UK, organised by the British Automation and Robot Association (BARA), providing visitors to MVC 2024 the added benefit of being to discover the latest in automation and robotics, all under one roof.

For further information www.machinevisionconference.co.uk