Automation
| Foto: ronaldbonss.com |
Eco-friendly flying is on the horizon. All over the world, researchers are developing new technologies to achieve this goal. One focus of developments is the idea of using hydrogen-powered engines for aircraft in the future. The aircraft companies, though, face the challenge of storing this energy source. Hydrogen turns liquid when cooled to minus 253 degrees Celsius, and only then can it be used as a so-called cryogenic fuel. Both tanks and pipe systems in the aircraft have to be absolutely tight at such low temperatures. An innovative new welding process has been developed to help: magnetic pulse welding. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden have now demonstrated that this joining technology can produce extremely resilient, metallic mixed joints for cryogenic applications. They successfully achieved these outstanding joint properties in cooperation with the Technical University of Munich.
| Foto: Motek / P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG |
The industry is preparing for participation at Motek/Bondexpo in Stuttgart from the 5th through the 8th of October, 2021. As digital trade fair platforms, Motek-Virtual and Bondexpo-Virtual are currently proving their worth as effective and useful online marketplaces by making it possible to maintain business contacts between manufacturers and users, but all involved parties are nevertheless urgently awaiting the next edition of the on-site event.
| Foto: dpa |
A particular highlight is the address to be given by the Minister President of Bavaria. Further, a line-up of well-known industry experts are set to impart their updates and knowledge on up and coming technologies; these will be complemented by discussions and roundtables. From 24–26 November 2020 representatives from the automation industry can take part in an exciting and packed three days and make use of the platform following the event.
| Foto: Messe München |
The automatica exhibition scheduled for December 8–11, 2020 will not take place due to the current travel restrictions in Europe in connection with the coronavirus pandemic, which are becoming more stringent. This decision has been taken by Messe München in agreement and close coordination with the conceptual sponsor VDMA Robotics + Automation and the automatica Advisory Board. In coordination with the industry, Messe München is now developing a compact new in-person event for mid-2021, which will be adapted to the specific circumstances in times of the coronavirus. In addition, auto-matica is further expanding its digital offering.
| Foto: Mesago / Malte Kirchner |
Due to the ongoing travel restrictions and other fundamental changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Mesago Messe Frankfurt has decided to hold the SPS 2020 in an all-virtual format.
| Foto: Mesago / Malte Kirchner |
The Bavarian Government has approved the protection and hygiene concept for exhibitions in Bavaria signalling the go-ahead for the SPS 2020 in Nuremberg from 24 - 26 November 2020. In addition to numerous national exhibitors, many international exhibitors have also confirmed their attendance and are looking forward to the exhibition season with eager anticipation.
| Foto: Motek / P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG |
In cooperation with the exhibitor advisory board for Motek/Bondexpo 2020, trade fair promoters P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG have decided to postpone this year’s 39th Motek international trade fair for automation in production and assembly to 2021.
| Foto: Motek / P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG |
Together with the 14th Bondexpo international trade fair for bonding technologies, the 39th Motek international trade fair for automation in production and assembly is gearing up for take-off. Digitalisation will be one of the key issues of the industry highlight from 5 to 8 October 2020, and startup companies will also be provided with a special platform. An implementation concept is currently being worked out in close cooperation amongst the responsible authorities, venue operator Messe Stuttgart and trade fair promoters P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG, in order to comply with all of the requirements resulting from the corona pandemic.
| Foto: Fraunhofer IPT |
The manufacturing of products made of fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) often still involves a number of manual work steps: the position and orientation of the semi-finished fiber-reinforced materials must be aligned precisely by hand to ensure that the product has the required levels of stability and flexibility after lamination and curing. Ultimately, this is the only way of enabling the user to fully exploit the advantages of the FRP material. To support the manual deposition process, known as preforming, the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen, Germany, has developed intuitive software for commercially available augmented reality glasses: The system specifies the correct deposition of the semi-finished materials as a virtual representation on the mold and can thus significantly improve the quality and performance of FRP production processes.
| Foto: Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH / Malte Kirchner |
Despite the currently tense economic situation, the platform for the automation industry once again drew numerous exhibitors and trade visitors to Nuremberg at the end of 2019. Attendees were particularly impressed by the high level of innovation and the sheer number of practical solutions presented by exhibitors.
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