by Gary Mintchell | Feb 23, 2022 | Business, News, Organizations
I lost this news item, and now the deadline for sending information has passed. However, this is an initiative that you may want to keep in the back of your mind for future ideas. Or, maybe you would like to investigate further and join. Remade Institute is one of 16 US Department of Energy advanced manufacturing organizations.
Responses to REMADE’s RFI will inform revisions to the Institute’s technology roadmap, which is currently focused on reducing the use of raw and virgin, or primary, materials; increasing remanufacturing and the use and supply of recycled, or secondary, materials; and fostering circular innovations. The RFI will also address REMADE’s sustainability strategy, including developing Circular Economy approaches that will help address climate change economy-wide.
“Over the last five years, REMADE has invested or allocated more than $85.6 million to develop innovative technologies to reduce energy consumption and decrease carbon emissions,” Remade CEO Nabil Nasr said. “Given REMADE’s projected impacts so far, it’s important to see how we can further accelerate the U.S.’s transition to a Circular Economy — to turbocharge it.”
The connection between industrial development and climate change is significant. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, manufacturing accounts for 25% of U.S. energy consumption at a cost of approximately $150 billion. Based on data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, industry is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the nation at 30%. This is why a circular approach to manufacturing — “make-use-reuse-remanufacture-recycle” — is so important, Nasr said.
“If we don’t reduce industrial energy consumption and industrial emissions, research shows we will only get a little more than halfway to net-zero by 2050, about 55% of the way,” he added. “A Circular Economy approach to how we manufacture and use everyday products can help us get all the way to net-zero.”
REMADE Chief Technology Officer Magdi Azer says the Institute has focused its efforts and investment dollars on increasing the reuse, remanufacturing, recovery and recycling of four energy-intensive material classes: metals, plastics/polymers, fibers, and electronic waste (e-waste). In addition to seeking feedback regarding these current activities, the RFI asks where REMADE should focus its efforts relative to electric vehicles (EV) and photovoltaic (PV) solar power as part of the Institute’s future planning.
“Having invested in a suite of technologies to increase the reuse, remanufacturing, recovery and recycling of metals, polymers, fibers and e-waste, REMADE is evaluating how to proactively respond to megatrends such as climate change, resource scarcity, and technological breakthroughs in its research agenda,” Azer said. “The RFI will assist us in answering these questions.”
Those interested in learning more can read the detailed RFI here. Innovators and researchers with industry, academia, government, and the non-profit sector who are interested and involved in the nation’s transition to a Circular Economy are especially encouraged to respond. Responses can be submitted in either short-form or long-form. For details on REMADE’s 2020 Technology Roadmap, review the Institute’s roadmap here.
REMADE, part of the nation’s Manufacturing USA network of 16 advanced manufacturing institutes, and its members are developing technology solutions that are capable of:
• Saving more than 1 Quad of energy per year, which is the equivalent of conserving more than 180 million barrels of oil a year
• Reducing 50 million metric tons per year in greenhouse gas emissions, which is the equivalent of eliminating the annual emissions of 11.5 million cars
• Increasing the supply and use of recycled materials by more than 40 million metric tons per year
• Creating up to 700,000 direct and indirect jobs, enhancing the U.S. economy and increasing the nation’s competitiveness
Founded in 2017, REMADE is a 141-member public-private partnership established by the U.S. Department of Energy with an initial investment of $140 million. REMADE is the only national institute focused entirely on the development of innovative technologies to accelerate the U.S.’s transition to a Circular Economy. In partnership with industry, academia, and national laboratories, REMADE enables early-stage applied research and development that will create jobs, dramatically reduce embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions, and increase the supply and use of recycled materials.
by Gary Mintchell | Feb 22, 2022 | Commentary, News
I like the market research by Interact Analysis. Its analysts search out data and don’t seem to use the famous sliding scale for prognostication. Although, as always take trend analysis with a grain of salt. Here are two news items from their research.
Lithium-Ion Battery Production Goes Global
Thoughts from Maya Xiao, Senior Analyst.
Why are you doing this research now, Maya? For two reasons. The first of these is that lithium-ion battery manufacturing has gone global in recent years. Previously, production was concentrated in APAC, where the main market also was. But in the past couple of years, electric vehicle manufacturing has taken off in the EU and in America, and as a result we are seeing battery manufacturers springing up across these regions. It’s a global boom time for the lithium-ion battery industry, and we need to assess the state of this burgeoning market.
But the second reason is that research is also needed into the battery manufacturing machinery segment. That’s because every battery manufacturer needs dedicated machinery, which is now a blossoming high-tech sector in its own right. Our aim is to give battery makers and component suppliers a clear view of the machinery landscape.
Can you give me one stand-out fact that you have learned during your research? There’s a lot of optimism about market growth from battery manufacturers and capital markets, and this may be leading them to make overestimates regarding the expected production capacity of planned installations. The average utilization rate of global battery capacity is under 70% currently.
How was 2021 for battery manufacturing? It was a good year. We saw the battery market double in size, and even triple in some regions. And the machinery market was even stronger, being bolstered by the presence of some very innovative high-tech start-ups. Where end-user markets are concerned, EV production saw fast growth, especially driven by the Chinese market, and some big OEMs in Europe.
What about 2022? We anticipate some major financial activity in the markets, with battery manufacturers such as LG Energy Solution, SVOLT and CALB engaging in IPOs which will enable them to invest in significant expansion. As a result, we expect to see tougher competition in the market as the existing big players such as CATL and BYD are challenged by smaller companies which, through going public, generate more funding for R&D and manufacturing expansion.
Low voltage AC motors market grew 21.5% by revenue in 2021
New research from Interact Analysis shows that the low voltage motors market saw the highest revenue growth in living memory during 2021, driven by historic price increases as a result of supply chain disruptions. Growth in unit terms of 6.6% was much more in line with the broader rate of recovery seen in the manufacturing sector globally. Supply chain disruptions have included shortages of key components and raw materials – with steel, copper, and aluminum in particular reaching record highs in 2021 – as well as major increases to shipping prices.
China continues to be the world’s largest motor market and, although ABB and Siemens continue to be global market leaders, domestic Chinese companies, including Wolong Electric and Wanan Motors are now entering the top ten global suppliers. During 2022 we expect to see Wolong hit the top spot in APAC, which will be a first for a Chinese supplier.
Blake Griffin, Senior Analyst at Interact Analysis comments, “For me, one of the most interesting findings of this research is related to new high efficiency IE4 and IE5 motors. There is a lot of hype surrounding them, but the market has shown that it will generally not adopt them unless forced to by legislation. Currently, the IE4 & IE5 motor market is in its infancy with a market size of $134 m in 2020. But major growth is predicted in the European Union which is putting IE4 minimum efficiency performance standards in place.”
by Gary Mintchell | Feb 21, 2022 | Automation, Networking, Technology, Wireless
We are beginning to see more installations proving the value of 5G private cellular networks for industrial applications. This should be almost commonplace by the beginning of 2023. This is the third Nokia application I’ve seen in a bit over six months.
Nokia announced it is partnering with OIV, a leading provider of national strategic communications infrastructure in Croatia, to deliver a 5G private wireless network solution that will enhance operational efficiency and enable new capabilities at AD Plastik’s automotive component manufacturing facility in Croatia.
Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) application platform will enable low latency and secure, reliable 5G wireless connectivity for equipment, machinery, and a set of applications at AD Plastik’s manufacturing campus in Zagreb, Croatia. It will replace and overcome the limitations of the existing Wi-Fi infrastructure to allow AD Plastik to implement new Industry 4.0 use-cases and enhance operational efficiency.
Marinko Došen, President of AD Plastik Group, said: “Further digitalization and automation of business in our industry is simply a necessity. Just as your chances on the market are significantly reduced if you produce vehicles that cannot be connected, so you have to keep up with trends in the production of automotive components. Industry 4.0 is our reality, and we must be ready to continue its implementation. 5G technology, in addition to being a hundred times faster than the existing one, allows us to simultaneously connect smart and digital devices that we use every day in our production, and which will be even more represented in the future. Simply put, at the moment it is the basis for connecting devices that will help us in the production and delivery processes, and for the future we create the preconditions for building a modern, digital and promising company.”
Andrej Skenderović Project Manager at OIV Digital Signals and Networks, said: “OIV as a modern digital company is constantly looking for new solutions for existing and future clients. We see the Private 5G network as a key technology for further development in the next decade. That is why we launched this project with the aim of expanding the range of our services. In this technology, which is characterized not only by a large capacity of the network, but also by many other possibilities, we see the potential to start the recovery and further development of the industry. We hope that with this project we will continue to be the leading provider of innovative services in our country.”
Michael Siegel, Director Nokia Enterprise South-East Europe, said: “By implementing the Nokia DAC, AD Plastik will benefit from the highest reliability and lowest latency connectivity for all their operations, allowing the company to accelerate its digitalisation and industry 4.0 transformation for greater efficiency and flexibility while maintaining quality and safety in its manufacturing facility in Croatia”
by Gary Mintchell | Feb 18, 2022 | Automation, Networking, Standards, Technology
Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) news kept reporters and analysts busy a few years ago. Then the news stream slowed to a trickle. TSN is still an important networking technology for a number of use cases—especially in the audio/visual realm. That is the area of the Avnu Alliance. This month, its working group released a white paper exploring expected capabilities and network design.
“Time sensitive networking feature sets and profiles are still evolving,” says Dave Cavalcanti, chair of Avnu’s Wireless TSN (WTSN) working group and principal engineer at Intel. “No network or device, wired or wireless, implements every single TSN feature. With this white paper, the WTSN Working Group is aiming to offer a first look at the application requirements and expected wireless networking capabilities to meet those needs. It is intended to facilitate both discussion and alignment in the industry in this early phase of technology development, trials and testing.”
Created with input from TSN market leaders including Intel, L-Acoustics, Cisco, and Keysight, the new paper identifies the capabilities that wireless TSN-capable networks must implement, including features to enable time synchronization, bounded latency, reliability, security and efficiency. It also offers estimated KPIs for these capabilities by vertical market, including industrial automation, professional audio and video, and AR/VR (Augmented and Virtual Reality).
“It was critical for us to understand how the needs and network configurations will differ across markets,” says Genio Kronauer, executive director of electronics and network technologies at L-Acoustics and one of the paper’s contributing authors. “Live sound and industrial automation talk about their networking needs differently, so it was fascinating to see the synergies across markets. Through collaboration and certification, WTSN is going to be able to serve a wide range of industries.”
For network managers, the white paper also provides models for various WTSN configurations including Wi-Fi, 5G, and hybrid networks across wired and wireless TSN segments.
“This white paper is an important next step towards an ecosystem,” says Greg Schlechter, president of the Avnu Alliance and technology manager at Intel. “It begins to form a roadmap for the industry, including makers of devices and network components, to meet the market expectations for time sensitive networking applications that require wired and wireless mediums.”
The white paper, Wireless TSN: Market Expectations, Capabilities & Certification, is now available for download via the Avnu website.
by Gary Mintchell | Feb 17, 2022 | News, Organizations
When long-time publicist acquaintance John Nero told me this news, I responded that I didn’t know if I’d want to be in the same room with the two principals named. A joke, of course. I have had many long, technical, and energetic discussions with both Peter Martin and Albert Rooyakkers. Advisory board meetings at Bedrock Automation will never be the same henceforth.
Bedrock Automation announced that automation industry luminary Dr. Peter Martin has joined its advisory board. Martin, well-known throughout the industrial automation world for his pioneering applications of control theory to business profitability, will advise Bedrock in its advancement of Open Secure Automation.
“Peter essentially invented the concept of measuring business value of automation and has proven it in practice. Peter and I share in the certainty that the full potential of industrial automation systems has yet to be realized. The Bedrock Open Secure Automation platform is designed to help companies realize that potential and we are excited to be continuing to advance our platforms with the added experience and vision of Peter Martin,” said Bedrock Founder, CEO and CTO Albert Rooyakkers.
Dr. Martin served as vice president of innovation & marketing for Schneider Electric Process Automation until his retirement in 2019. The International Society for Automation (ISA), named him an industry fellow, recognizing his innovations in real-time, sensor-based dynamic performance measures, which they say, “has improved process tuning and profitability control for industrial operations across the globe.”
ISA also named him one of InTech magazine’s 50 most influential innovators of all time in instrumentation and controls and gave him a Life Achievement Award for his work in “integrating financial and production measures that improve the profitability and performance of industrial processes.” Control magazine named him to its Process Automation Hall of Fame and Fortune magazine has named him a Hero of U.S. Manufacturing. He was also named to the Measurement, Control and Automation (MCAA) Hall of Fame.
“As more industrial devices connect to each other, security is increasingly and literally the key to business value. By bringing a powerful and inherently secure automation solution to market, Bedrock is unlocking a new generation of heightened business effectiveness, safety and profitability. I am looking forward to doing whatever I can to help them advance their platform to achieve that — for everyone’s sake,” said Martin.
