Electricity + Control March 2017

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ROUND UP
3D inspection technology
strengthens digital offering
ABB announced today that it has acquired the Spanish start-
up company NUB3D, innovator of digital, 3D inspection and
quality-control solutions.The acquisition expands the group’s
portfolio of ABB Ability solutions that connect customers to
the industrial Internet of Things. ABB Ability builds on the
intelligent cloud, using connected devices to generate action-
able digital information for a broad range of customers. The
two companies have agreed not to disclose the value of the
transaction.
NUB3D is a privately owned company headquartered in
Barcelona. It supplies 3Dwhite-light scanning sensor technolo-
gies, using digital scans to optimise inspection and quality
assurance inmanufacturing.The sensors can detect defects on
a manufactured part with an extremely high level of accuracy.
By combining NUB3D’s proven world-class competence
in 3D vision and metrology with ABB’s brand, worldwide
reach, and offering and customer support, ABB will be able
to create automated turnkey inspection and quality-control
systems for automotive original equipment manufacturers,
aerospace companies and customers in other sectors such
as metals and plastics.
The technology represents the future of flexible manufactur-
ing, enabling a high level of automation with advanced data
analysis that can be used to optimise production processes.
NUB3D will become part of the Robotics business of ABB’s
Robotics and Motion division and the new global application
centre for 3D metrology in ABB.
Enquiries: Shivani Chetram.Tel.+27 (0)10 202 5090 or email
Compact, unified Factory Automation range
A smaller, standard component height
across all of Omron’s family of Factory
Automation (FA) control devices allows for
standardised wiring ducts and component
placement, thereby optimising space. A
standardised, unified design also means
design simplicity for panel builders. The
complete Omron portfolio has been rede-
signed into 600 different FA devices, across
18 different product categories, all built to
a common design platform. In addition, the
new FA devices are also built with Omron's
proprietary Push-In Plus wiring technology.
Moving to a uniform design avoids the dead
space that results from specifying compo-
nents of differing height, and also reduces
the design work required.
Most importantly, the ‘hot spots’ that build
up in small spaces in the panel are greatly
reduced, which can impact component
reliability.
“The lifetime of an electronic component,
like a power supply containing an electro-
lytic capacitor, may be halved for every 10°C
rise in temperature, as in accordance with
Arrhenius’ Law,” explains Lars de Bruin,
MarketingManager, Panel Solutions, EMEA.
Omron's complete new range of compact
in-panel compo-
nents includes
electromechani-
cal and solid state
relays, I/O relay terminals, terminal blocks,
temperature controllers, timers, measuring
and monitoring relays, power monitors and
(uninterruptible) power supplies.
These products also offer features such
as LED status indicators, simple front wir-
ing and Push-In Plus terminals, all helping
panel designers to optimise panel layouts,
without impacting issues such as usability
or maintenance.
Double DIN-rail fixation, both at the top
and bottom, allows customers to remove
the product from the DIN-rail in a straight
move, which is highly convenient in case
of replacement/ refurbishment.
Enquiries: Omron Electronics.
Tel. +27 (0)11 579 2600 or
email
CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION
Electricity+Control March ‘17 10