Highly accurate digital liquid flow sensors.

Miniature liquid flow sensor platform for subcutaneous drug delivery

In the changing landscape of the healthcare industry, Sensirion's SLD3x series is contributing to the improvement of subcutaneous drug delivery with miniature, and highly accurate digital liquid flow sensors. Customizable solutions ensure optimal dosing and enhanced patient safety forvarious subcutaneous therapies.

The healthcare industry has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, with an increasing focus on patient and home care. This shift has been mirrored in the field of drug administration, with a decrease in hospital stays for certain treatments. The transition from intravenous to subcutaneous injections using large volume injectors (LVIs) has been a key driver of this change.

LVIs are wearable devices that enable continuous subcutaneous drug delivery. They reduce pressure on clinical staff, save costs, and improve patient comfort. Some LVIs require precise dosing of the delivered drug, which in turn requires the pump to be controlled by a flow sensor. Moreover, bubbles, empty lines, occlusion detection, and drug delivery confirmation are desirable to improve patient safety and the regulatory compliance of the device.

To meet these needs, Sensirion is developing the SLD3x platform – a series of digital liquid flow sensors to combine accurate flow measurement, miniature size, and compatibility with several therapies. This makes it the ideal solution for medical devices manufactured in large quantities, where an accurate, disposable liquid flow sensor is required. While flow measurement is at the heart of the SLD3x platform, it also provides a stream of data that can be used to detect occlusions, identify in-line air bubbles, flag up pump malfunctions and measure liquid temperature.

“The SLD3x series features models with maximum flow rates ranging from 100 µl/min to 5 ml/min to meet the varying dosing requirements of different drugs and treatment protocols. We are happy to discuss the customization of sensors to meet the unique needs of specific therapies.” says Dr. Konrad Domanski, Product Director Liquid Flow Sensors at Sensirion.

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@sensirion #Health #PAuto #Lifesciences

Expert-driven insights for accelerated value across the enterprise.

The launch of the an Industrial Enterprise Monitoring Suite, the Seeq Vantage, Seeq's first industrial enterprise monitoring app, was announced at the company's global industry conference, Conneqt 2024, in Miami (FL USA).

Today’s industrial operations face numerous enterprise-level reliability, performance, and sustainability challenges, which are difficult to systematically identify, prioritize and correct to maximize operational potential. With siloed teams and information, and limited visibility to historical knowledge and insights from previous operations and events, it can be challenging for organizations to achieve measurable impact.

The Seeq Industrial Enterprise Monitoring Suite provides a comprehensive, automated view into operational performance—past and present. This broader view enables better decision making and continuous improvement across today’s complex, industrial ecosystems. The Seeq Industrial Enterprise Monitoring Suite leverages the combined power of the Seeq Industrial Analytics and AI Suite and the context that only teams of experts can provide—all at the scale needed to drive truly impactful results across the operational footprint.

This Industrial Enterprise Monitoring Suite provides the flexibility, speed, and robust capabilities needed to operationalize a condition-based prioritization and decision strategy. Grounded in frontline expertise and insights, Seeq Industrial Enterprise Monitoring helps ensure decision-makers have key insights at their fingertips, allowing for faster, better decisions and actions.

“Industrial Enterprise Monitoring builds upon and elevates the Seeq mission to enable the creation of the insights that empower decisions and actions that increase operational excellence, drive sustainable manufacturing and, ultimately, the customer’s bottom line,” said Mark Derbecker, Chief Product Officer of Seeq. “We’ve always known that the people across the organization are the secret ingredient, and Industrial Enterprise Monitoring enables a company to turn local insights and expertise into a powerful system-wide advantage.”

Through the Seeq Vantage app, industrial organizations can tailor, deploy and automate enterprise-level use cases, such as asset and process monitoring, condition-based maintenance, reliability and downtime tracking and more. Coupled with the Seeq Industrial Analytics and AI Suite, customers now have an integrated ecosystem to capture, analyze, aggregate, monitor, triage, investigate, and document insights and actions at the local level and the enterprise level. The app provides proactive and automated enterprise surveillance for daily operational decisions, and comprehensive assembly of operational effectiveness and utilization understanding to prioritize longer-term investment decisions.

"Seeq empowers industrial organizations by turning their expert knowledge into a strategic asset," said Niels Andersen, Principal Research Analyst at LNS Research. "The Seeq Vantage app significantly enhances their enterprise monitoring and AI capabilities."

Seeq Vantage is scheduled for general release in June 2024 and was showcased at Conneqt earlier this month (May 2024)

Themed “Unleash,” Conneqt 2024  brought together Seeq customers, partners, and other industry experts for interactive sessions examining how industrial organizations can unleash the power of their operational data and people with industrial analytics and AI.

“Conneqt provides a collaborative environment for the Seeq community to exchange ideas, data-driven insights, and industrial expertise,” declared  Dr. Lisa Graham, CEO at Seeq. “By leveraging the insights gained at Conneqt, along with the latest innovations in industrial analytics and AI, Seeq customers can unleash digital transformation outcomes across their organizations to enhance operational excellence and profitability.”

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@SeeqCorporation #PAuto #Manufacturing #AI

Environmental, Social and Governance.

ESG report and emphasises sustainable commitment

The first Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report has been presented by WIKA recently – two years before required by law. This confirms the company’s commitment to sustainability and transparent reporting.

“The publication of our first ESG report is a clear commitment to our responsibility towards the environment and society. Our aim is not only to achieve progress, but also to make it visible and comprehensible. The report features individual projects from all over the world and illustrates our sustainability endeavours,” explained Alexander Wiegand, CEO of the WIKA Group.

The ESG report documents the company’s objectives and previous activities in the three core areas of sustainability: ecology, economy and social. The focus is particularly on climate protection measures, workplace attractiveness, employee development and retention and the company’s ability to innovate. In preparing the sustainability report, WIKA was guided by the internationally recognised “Global Reporting Initiative” (GRI) standard.

The company has already taken extensive measures to increase the efficiency of its processes and integrate more renewable energies. The aim is not only to minimise WIKA’s environmental impact, but also to support customers on their path towards greater sustainability.

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• WIKA products are marketed in Ireland through Instrument Technology. 

@WIKANews #PAuto #Sustainability

The latest in test excellence.

Emerson’s Test and Measurement business, formerly NI, has announced its premier NI Connect event will showcase the latest in intelligent NI test and measurement technologies driving innovation and enhancing business performance. The event for test and measurement customers and business and technology leaders runs May 21-22 in Austin, Texas.

“We will have a full lineup of keynote speakers who will share their experiences on how NI technologies are helping them use test as a strategic differentiator,” said Ritu Favre, group president of Emerson’s Test and Measurement business. “The NI software-centric test and measurement approach will be on full display, with our R&D experts available to collaborate directly with customers. They will assist in troubleshooting challenges and developing customized strategies that are specifically tailored to meet their unique needs.”

Industry leaders delivering keynotes at NI Connect include:

• George Kaehler, development lead at Siemens Mobility, who will discuss how Siemens uses NI software-centric product ecosystem of test hardware and software to achieve productivity gains.
• Michael O’Sullivan, vice president of Operations Engineering at Analog Devices, who will share how standardizing a unified test platform for hardware and software reduced development time and enhanced overall product performance across the life cycle from validation to production.
• Matt Fangman, senior director of Azure Data & AI at Microsoft, who will provide insights into how cloud computing, AI and software development enhance workflows across industries where reliability, repeatability and data privacy are critical.
• Steve Xie, founder and CEO of Lightwheel AI, who will share insights on how using generative AI to power synthetic data generation can provide realistic testing data solutions for autonomous driving.

In addition to the livestreamed keynotes, NI Connect will feature an extensive lineup of live demonstrations and educational sessions. Participants will receive hands-on experience with current and future products, designed to address the core challenges faced by the industry today, including software complexity and power consumption.

Technical sessions, led by NI engineering experts and partners, include “What’s New in LabVIEW,” an intro to the NI Battery Test Software Suite and “Getting Started with LabVIEW FPGA.” The full list of topics can be found here.

To register for niConnect click on the logo.

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@Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @NIglobal #TandM #USA

Hybrid connector system.

The MX-DaSH family of data-signal hybrid connectors just introduced by Molex unify power, signal and high-speed data connectivity in a single connector system. These innovative wire-to-wire and wire-to-board connectors are designed to support the transition to zonal architecture and address the full range of emerging applications requiring reliable data transmission. These include autonomous driving modules, camera systems, GPS and infotainment devices, LiDAR, high-resolution displays, sensor-device connectivity and more.

“The complete MX-DaSH portfolio enables automotive designers to reimagine vehicle electronics by integrating power and high-speed data transmissions within a single connector system to achieve major savings in size, space, cost and labor,” said Greg Everly, director, new product introduction for Molex, Transportation Innovative Solutions (TIS). “Our holistic approach lets designers mix and match different types of terminals, offering greater freedom and flexibility to support zonal architectures and simplify wiring harnesses.”

Optimizing Innovative Automotive Designs.
MX-DaSH connectors are available with sealed and unsealed options to optimize next-gen automotive architectures with assorted environmental and design requirements. Versatile configurations support different power and signal terminal sizes, such as 0.50, 0.64, 1.20, 1.50, 2.80 or 4.80mm, as well as high-speed FAKRA Mini (HFM®) modules for high-speed data transmission.

To ensure heightened reliability, MX-DaSH wire-to-wire connectors feature industry-leading male blade stabilization and independent secondary locks for robust and reliable terminal mating. Moreover, MX-DaSH empowers automotive engineers to accommodate a growing mix of devices and sensors with different network requirements by offering modular sections or cartridges in the wire to board option that support various interfaces without changing form factors or footprints.

Reducing Cost and Complexity.
With the new MX-DaSH family, automotive OEMs and their suppliers can better meet escalating demands for more compact, hybrid connectivity to support a multitude of automotive applications. For example, Mx-DaSH makes it possible to reduce the number of inline, wire-to-board connectors for an instrument panel and body control harness from eight to two while removing up to six meters of copper wiring, depending on the specific vehicle model.

Multiple options in this connector system encompass a variety of wire-to-wire applications. For instance, the 31+1-Way connector system combines 31 power and ground circuits, as well as a high-speed data connection, to decrease packaging requirements by up to 30%. With more functionality built into every MX-DaSH connector, considerable time savings can be realized through streamlined harness installations. Fewer component requirements also offer increased opportunities to further reduce BOMs.

Additionally, Mx-DaSH connectors have been designed for automated harness assembly to decrease cycle times and elevate overall manufacturing process efficiency and quality.

MX-DaSH connectors have been validated in accordance with global industry standards groups, including USCAR, Peugeot and IEC, to ensure reliable performance under the harshest automotive environmental conditions. MX-DaSH wire-to-wire connector models are available, along with select wire-to-board models and custom configurations. A continued expansion of the product family is underway to help customers keep pace with evolving vehicle connectivity needs.

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@MolexConnectors @NapierPR #Automotive #PAuto

Switches to provide added features.

Added security, diagnostics, and more powerful features for future-proofing industrial networks.

In keeping with its mission to future-proof industrial networks, Moxa  has upgraded its flagship EDS-4000/G4000 Series of controlled Ethernet switches with support for MX-NOS firmware version 4.0 (V4.0). The new firmware brings enhanced diagnostics, hardened security measures, and more powerful capabilities to the world’s first IEC 62443-4-2 certified line of Ethernet switches. The EDS-4000/G4000 Series now numbers 68 switch models, all designed to accelerate digital transformation in industrial spaces such as power, transportation, maritime, and factory automation.

Adhering with IEC 62443-4-1, the MX-NOS firmware platform enables expandability in Moxa EDS-4000/G4000 Series switches, allowing for the addition of new functions and features throughout the device's lifetime. By ensuring the switches share a consistent functionality and intuitive interface, MX-NOS V4.0 also enhances the user experience. MX-NOS V4.0 works seamlessly with Moxa MXview network management software to simplify operations throughout industrial operations.

Strengthened Security.
As industrial applications continue to evolve, OT architectures require enhanced network security. Recognizing this, MX-NOS V4.0 brings DHCP Snooping to EDS-4000/G4000 Series switches. A layer 2 security technology, DHCP Snooping filters and drops DHCP traffic determined to be unacceptable, preventing rogue DHCP servers from accessing the OT network using "man-in-the-middle" attacks.

Greater Diagnostics.
Strengthening operational resilience requires fast, accurate diagnosis of network issues to detect root causes. MX-NOS version 4.0 has added two important diagnostic tools to its arsenal: RSPAN port mirroring and a user-defined fiber check. Both limit network downtime. RSPAN lets administrators mirror traffic from source ports onto a VLAN, allowing session traffic to be transported across multiple switches. As its name implies, fiber check shows the interface status of fiber connections on the switch.

More Powerful Features.
As the number of connected devices in industrial operations grows exponentially, managed switches be more flexible while offering higher reliability. That's why MX-NOS V4.0 incorporates new features including Media Redundancy Protocol, IEEE 1588 PTP for time synchronization, along with support for Modbus TCP, Ethernet/IP and PROFINET.

• Media Redundancy Protocol or "MRP" uses a ring to provide redundancy in Ethernet networks. Ring networks with up to 50 devices can use MRP, which ensures entirely predictable switchover behavior.
• IEEE 1588 PTP (Precision Time Protocol) synchronizes clocks throughout a network in the sub-microsecond range for measurement and control systems.
• Support for EtherNet/IP and Modbus TCP protocols provides device management and monitoring, while compatibility with PROFINET enables transparent data transmission.

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@Moxa_Europe @OConnellPR #PAuto #Ethernet

Software for OPC and IoT cloud.

OPC Suite provides access to SINUMERIC 840D CNC machines

Softing Industrial Automation has released the latest version V5.35 of dataFEED OPC Suite to offer comprehensive support for SINUMERIK 840D CNC machines as well as the integration of web services.

The dataFEED OPC Suite combines software solutions for OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) and OPC Classic communication as well as IoT cloud connection in a single product. With the new SINUMERIC 840D support in the dataFEED OPC Suite V5.35, users can read out all process parameters from the Numerical Control (NC) part, the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) part, and the drive data of the machines without having to interfere with the machine configuration.

"The new support for SINUMERIK 840D CNC machines and the web services feature add two important features to our dataFEED OPC Suite. We see great potential to make the suite accessible to a wider range of users, especially concerning the support of SINUMERIK 840D," explained Andreas Röck, Product Manager at Softing Industrial Automation. "With this development, we have reached another milestone in fulfilling our claim of providing an all-in-one solution for secure and robust OPC communication and IoT cloud integration."

Another new feature of version 5.35 is the web services functionality, which enables direct access to production data via web client applications such as Web Browser, Postman, or Client for URL (cURL) and its integration into IT solutions.

The features of the new dataFEED OPC Suite V5.35 in detail:
• Full support for SINUMERIK 840D Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) machines:
The dataFEED OPC Suite can be used to read axis, tool, and program data as well as alarms from the NC section. Status, program sections, and alarms can be read from the PLC section. It is also possible to read out the drive data. Data is recorded without affecting the machine configuration.

• Integration with SIMATIC Siemens S7-300:
The suite offers a seamless connection to the integrated SIMATIC Siemens S7-300 for comprehensive control and monitoring.

• Versatile application possibilities of the dataFEED OPC Server CNC:
The server can be used as an OPC Classic Server or OPC UA Server and enables the seamless integration of Siemens SINUMERIK CNC controllers into modern Industry 4.0 solutions.

• Provision of production data:
The suite enables the provision of production data via the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) or Representational State Transfer (REST) protocols and their transfer to IoT Cloud or Big Data applications on platforms such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS and Siemens MindSphere. The data is subsequently available for various applications such as condition monitoring, predictive maintenance and evaluation.

• Integration of production data in IT solutions via web services

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@SoftingIA @mepaxIntPR #PAuto #Manufacturing