We’re starting to see some encouraging signs of life from the trade show industry. Recent shows have bounced back in a big way, including Automate 2022 and MODEX 2022. Will the upcoming IMTS and Hannover Messe USA continue the trend?

The Houston Turbomachinery & Pump Symposia (TPS) began as a 200-person Turbomachinery Symposium on the campus of Texas A&M University in 1972. The Pump Symposium was founded in 1984 and joined with Turbo for a singular event in 2011. TPS is a vital industry event that offers a forum for the exchange of ideas between rotating equipment engineers and technicians worldwide. For nearly 50 years, TPS is known for its impact on turbomachinery, pump, oil & gas, petrochemical, power, aerospace, chemical, and water industries through two pathways: the technical program and the exhibition.

Yeah, there are going to be fewer exhibitors than typical IMTS shows. You'll probably even see some unclaimed booth space. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't go. In fact, this might be the best IMTS you'll ever have the chance to attend, especially if you have an interest in automation technology, motion control and precision mechanical components. As in years past, Hannover Messe USA will be co-located with IMTS. The Hannover Messe pavilion will be located in the East (Lakeside) building of Chicago's McCormick Place, along with the IMTS Mechanical Components pavilion. Power transmission and motion control with a view: what could be better?

How do gearbox and gear drive providers navigate the interesting challenges found in steel, cement, paper, and construction applications? Apparently, one application at a time. Thanks to condition monitoring technology, IoT solutions and the flexibility of engineering teams today, plant downtime is not as problematic as it has been in the past. The secret to success in heavy industrial markets comes down to staying ahead of component failures.  

SKF recently launched SKF Axios, a solution that reinvents the fields of industrial machine reliability and predictive maintenance based on a collaboration between SKF and Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS). SKF showcased Axios during Hannover Messe 2022.

The engineering community is fascinated with big, shiny, yellow machines. Walk into any manufacturing facility around the globe and you’ll find guests huddled around the biggest, loudest, and most intimidating equipment on the shop floor. These large machines must play by the same rules as everybody else—they need to reduce energy consumption, lower plant costs, and increase productivity. Many power transmission component suppliers are tasked with optimizing this equipment. 

In the past, we designed motors and drives separately from the mechanical system, and then we integrated suitable components to make a system work. Increasingly, though, the design focuses more on the overall system aspect and system integration, which makes the design of customized components more challenging. In this article, we will use examples of specific software tools, and it should be noted that these are just that: examples. For many of these tools, multiple similar and good software packages exist that can be used.

A quick search of the patents issued, as well as a review of recent articles, shows a wide range of what authors call “servo stepper motors,” “closed-loop step motors,” “hybrid servo motors” and the like. Although the names may sound similar, the performance can vary quite substantially. Most of the “closed-loop stepper motors” are not actually servo motors! 

Torque Transducers and Test Machinery experience extreme demands including high torque loads and high operating speeds which cause stress on connected components. To assure these systems generate accurate test data when experiencing these conditions, system designers specify CD Couplings from Zero-Max. 

Increasing demands for energy efficiency and plant transparency are presenting industry with continuous new challenges. Automation specialist Lenze is offering an intelligent, cost- and energy-efficient solution with its decentralized frequency inverters i-series motec. The main beneficiaries will be machine builders and operators from material handling and logistics, automotive, and consumer goods industries.  

As part of its new, extensive eLION platform for the electrification of mobile working machines, Bosch Rexroth has developed spur gearboxes which vehicle manufacturers can use to unlock the full potential of new electric motors. 

Siemens Digital Industries Software recently announced that the latest release of Siemens’ NX software brings greater electronic co-design, collaboration, and intelligence capture and reuse capability. These empower engineering executives across every industry to find productivity improvements and greater efficiencies in their engineering departments.

Rollon provides the Plus System family which features an anodized aluminum structure and steel reinforced driving belt. All series are available with stainless steel elements for applications in harsh environments such as those subject to frequent washes. A dedicated set of accessories enables easy assembly when building high-performance multi-axis systems.

Voith is further expanding its expertise in the e-mobility sector. With the VEDS HD+, the company is presenting its first drive concept for heavy-duty trucks. Special configurations for waste collection vehicles, inner-city logistics or long-distance transport applications ensure efficient driving with every use.

Downtime is the enemy of profitability in manufacturing, which is why FANUC has introduced a new Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) software designed to prevent production problems before they happen. AI Servo Monitor uses artificial intelligence to predict possible failures of the drive systems for FANUC servomotors and spindle motors. 

The Mars helicopter team was recently awarded the Collier Trophy for being the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flight on another planet. NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter flies with electric motors from the Swiss company maxon, a provider of precision drives. This prestigious award was presented on June 9th in Washington D.C. by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA).

Sulzer has begun the expansion of its Orange, Texas Service Center, a project which will enhance its 24/7 electromechanical service capabilities and provide expanded capacity. 

Milton CAT, the Northeast’s Caterpillar (CAT) equipment dealer, has opened its 13th location, a 40,000 sq. ft. purpose-built, Tonawanda, NY, facility. Every feature of the facility is in place to improve safety and efficiency so Milton CAT can support western New York equipment owners with machine sales, machine service, CAT parts, CAT work tools, hydraulic hose repair, and Trimble technology from SITECH Northeast.

Applied Nano Surfaces (ANS), founded 14 years ago as an advanced surface finishing and coating technology innovator, is now called Tribonex.  

Voith has acquired Argo-Hytos. Based in Baar, Switzerland, the company develops and produces components for hydraulics and system solutions with a focus on the off-highway sector (agricultural tractors, construction equipment and material handling vehicles). A corresponding agreement was signed on June 6, 2022.

Gates recently published its 2021 corporate sustainability report highlighting progress toward goals, transparency and Eco-Innovation. 

Print is not dead. While reading magazines cover-to-cover is a lost art—thanks to work responsibilities, 24-hour sports/entertainment coverage, and the universal time suck known as Instagram—someone, somewhere still prefers the printed word to the shiny, unfriendly artificial light of tablets and smartphones.  This publication (hopefully) provides information engineers can discuss, debate, or collaborate on for future manufacturing endeavors. There would be no words, no photographs, no advertising without the paper used to print this very magazine.