May 24, 2012 A Penton Media Publication Tune in to EngineeringTV.com SMOOTH, TOUGH COATINGS WITH DIAMONDLIKE CARBON, page 50 THE PHYSICS BEHIND KEYSTROKES, page 54 EMBEDDED ELECTRONICS GO ON A POWER DIET, page 58 TV\ZLYJVT :LTPJVUK\J[VYZHUK LSLJ[YVUPJJVTWVULU[Z MVYKLZPNULUNPULLYZ $XWKRUL]HG'LVWULEXWRU RS# 101 (PPEOFXT ZPVμWFCFFO VQHSBEFE /FXVQHSBEFE4,'&YQMPSFS TFMGBMJHOJOHSPMMFSCFBSJOHT DBOQSPWJEFVQUPUXJDFUIF TFSWJDFMJGFVOEFSEJG¾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•FEA helped determine the best keyboard layout Anyone who’s ever typed on a mobile-device keypad has probably aimed for one letter but hit a different one on a nearby key The result? Poor spelling, mangled messaging, or an e-mail that never should have been sent As electronic devices become increasingly compact, “fat-finger syndrome,” as it is known in the industry, is becoming a bigger problem Pad computers and smart phones might have flat touchscreens that work off of pressure sensors, but keypads and keyboards that rely on the touch of a finger on a spring-loaded key are still widely used in many electronic devices such as desktop computers, laptops, some cell phones, remote controls, and appliances •Better keyboards will make devices easier to use The physics behind keystrokes Authored by: Soo Hyun Park Application Engineer Manufacturing Core Technology Team Samsung Co Ltd Suwon, Korea Edited by Leslie Gordon leslie.gordon@penton.com, Twitter @ LeslieGordon Key points: • Small keyboards make typing difficult Resources: 3DS Simulia, www.3ds.com/simulia Samsung Co Ltd., www.samsung.com/sec The Global Production Technology Center of Samsung Co Ltd., in Suwon, Korea, decided to tackle the problem of tinier keys and denser key layouts to make products that are both smaller and easier to use Engineers there delved deeper into the fat-finger phenomenon by A prototype of a mobile personal computer (now discontinued) was used in the Samsung keypad optimization study FEATURES examining the physics behind keystrokes, finger pressure, and strike angle to determine what can go wrong and how to correct it The company thinks keyboards will remain widely used for the foreseeable future, so it is important to study the ergonomics of human-device interaction According to Samsung, using Abaqus finite-element analysis (FEA) for realistic simulations helped engineers cut mistyping errors with a prototype model of a QWERTY keypad Systematically modifying the relevant design parameters revealed keypad configurations which led to the least number of typing errors To tackle fat-finger physics, engineers realized they needed two different FE models to realistically simulate the problem — one of a human fingertip and the other of a device key Of course, nature has already determined the human-finger configuration; Samsung needed an FEA model of it This meant defining the separate material properties of skin, subcutaneous tissue, bone, and nail to model the overall biodynamic response of the finger Because most small-device QWERTY keypad users type with both thumbs, the engineers started from the thumb-bone structure of a 178-cm-tall male combined with exterior skin surface data from a 3D laser scan Modeling the fingertip Basing their finger-parts definitions on previous studies of human tissues, engineers queried the material database in Abaqus for the properties and element types they needed to build the FEA model Nail and bone were modeled as linearly elastic and the skin (epidermis and dermis) was assumed to be hyperelastic and linearly viscoelastic The finger’s deeper subcutaneous tissue was represented by a biphasic material composed of a fluid phase and a hyperelastic solid phase (essentially a spongelike porous material representing muscle, fully saturated with fluid to represent plasma) Next, the team created a virtual keypad to simulate the interaction of fingertip and key Model of a fingertip The FEA model defined the separate material properties of skin, subcutaneous tissue, bone, and nail to model the overall biodynamic response of the finger Bone Subcutaneous tissue Skin: epidermis and dermis Nail Thumb tip and dome gets a classy 40 Indy new chassis Keycap Spring dome Substrate Drivers will squeeze themselves into a new chassis for this year’s “greatest spectacle in racing.” Realistic simulation helps design better mobile-device keypads 54 MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 MAY 24, 2012 54 coating 50 Carbon toughens up parts Diamondlike carbon can improve the surface characteristics of parts and pipes for “fat-finger 54 FEA syndrome” Realistic simulation helps design better mobile-device keypads smarts, 58 More less energy ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY GUIDE More and more products depend on electronic smarts embedded inside The growth of embedded systems has been spurred by computation power that lets engineers work at the module level, rather than design systems from scratch Early embedded systems had limited memory, CPU power, and I/O Operating systems did little more than boot-load a program that performed one specific, noncomplicated task The basic rule of thumb became, “If it needs to something else, add another processor to handle it.” If size and power were no object, than that was indeed the path to take Today, however, the reality of batterypowered operation and energy efficiency has intervened Battery life comes at a premium in embedded-system applications found in consumer electronics, home appliances, aviation, automotive, medical electronics, and industrial automation and controls, to name just a few Many times over it was a case of those who knew the product being charged with adding the embedded control, of which they knew very little Designers of these systems need a host of skill-sets related to computer hardware, embedded software, and electronics, as well as a background in the area of application To let these individuals focus on the application details and not the electronics, embedded-system makers have crafted more-powerful systems with features that also simplified the design process Recent devices demonstrate the power and sophistication found today in the embedded world The power of sight The say a picture is worth a thousand words But it takes millions of bits to make a picture Processing that many bits of data takes time, so practical vision systems need a lot of processing power It was quite common to find early The combination of morepowerful embedded processors and application modules for specific tasks almost creates a black-box drop-in approach to system design The Abaqus FEA model shows the side view of a human thumb tip (top) and a CAD model of finger contacting device keys (bottom) vision systems housed in enclosures that dwarfed a refrigerator Today, thanks to embedded electronics, it’s quite possible to obtain a powerful vision system that fits in your hand Processors able to handle the torrent of data in these situations include the Blackfin line from Analog Devices, Norwood, Mass The Blackfin consists of both 16 and 32-bit designs that target the demands and power constraints of embedded audio, video, and communications applications It uses what’s called Micro Signal Architecture (MSA) jointly developed with Intel Corp., Santa Clara, Calif., to better handle data streams Its instruction set resembles those of reduced instruction set computers (Risc) This, combined with dual 16-bit multiply accumulate (MAC) signal processing registers, lets Blackfin processors perform equally well in both signal-processing and control-processing applications, eliminating the need to specify separate processors for each task The four latest additions to this line add dual-core capabilities at clock speeds up to GHz The ADSP-BF606 and ADSP-BF607 target general-purpose digital signal-processing (DSP) ap as wireless communications, i cess control, and electric powe toring/protection The ADSPADSP-BF609 include a high-pe video analytics accelerator c Pipelined Vision Processor (PV set of configurable processing that accommodate up to five c rent image algorithms for high analytics These processors, a with the PVP, are touted for plications such as automoti advanced-driver-assistance sy Powerful embedded processors help make more applications energy efficient 58 MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY A 24, 2012 58 Access our Reader Service Web site to quickly find and request information on the products and services found in the pages of MACHINE DESIGN www.machinedesign.com/rsc MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 55 1/16 DIN Digital Counter-Timer-Tachometer The CTT series multi-function devices are 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RS# 103 ON THE COVER DEPARTMENTS The Honda Indy car showcases the new chassis For customized article reprints and permissions please contact: Penton Reprints, 1-888-858-8851, e-mail at reprints@pentonreprints.com or visit pentonreprints.com EDITORIAL A generation of pessimists 10 EDITORIAL STAFF 12 LETTERS 16 SCANNING FOR IDEAS Actuator provides high precision for small moves FRAM-based RFID with built-in I/Os 20 REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK 30 LOOKING BACK 36 COMMENTARY Yellow light for green plastics — Kenneth Korane 39 INDUSTRIAL DESIGN Design helps combat the spread of flu 62 ORR ON ENGINEERING Engineering your internal state 64 SOFTWARE PRODUCT S 66 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Fasteners & adhesives 68 74 76 77 78 78 PRODUCTS DATA FILES AD INDEX BUSINESS INDEX BUSINESS STAFF BACKTALK Editorial content is indexed in the Applied Science Technology Index, the Engineering Index, SciSearch and Research Alert Microfilm copies available from National Archive Publishing Company (NAPC), 300 N Zeeb Rd., P.O Box 998, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0998, Ph: 734-302-6500 or 800-420-NAPC (6272), extension 6578 Permission to photocopy is granted for users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) Inc to photocopy any article, with the exception of those for which separate ownership is indicated on the first page of the article, provided that the base fee of $1.25 per copy of the article, plus $.60 per page is paid to CCC, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923 (Code No 0024-9114/12 $1.25 + 60) Subscription Policy: MACHINE DESIGN is circulated to research, development, and design engineers primarily engaged in the design and manufacture of machinery, electrical/electronic equipment, and mechanical equipment To obtain a complimentary subscription see our Web page at submag.com/sub/ mn For change of address fill out a new qualification form at submag.com/sub/mn Printed in U.S.A., Copyright © 2012 Penton Media, Inc All rights reserved MACHINE DESIGN (ISSN 0024-9114) is published semimonthly except for a single issue in January, February, June, July, and December by Penton Media, Inc., 9800 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS 66212 Paid subscriptions include issues 1-18 Issue No 19 (OEM Handbook and Supplier Directory) is available at additional cost Rates: U.S.: one year, $139; two years, $199; Canada/Mexico: one year, $159; two years, $239; All other countries: one year, $199; two years, $299 Cost for back issues are U.S $10.00 per copy plus tax, Canada $15.00 per issue plus tax, and Int’l $20.00 per issue Product Locator, $50.00 plus tax Prepaid subscription: Penton Media (MACHINE DESIGN), P.O Box 2100, Skokie IL 60076-7800 Periodicals Postage Paid at Shawnee Mission, Kans., and at additional mailing offices Can GST #R126431964 Canadian Post Publications Mail Agreement No.40612608 Canada return address: Pitney Bowes, P.O Box 25542, London, Ont., N6C 6B2 Digital subscription rates: U.S.: one year, $69; two years, $99; Canada/Mexico: one year, $79; two years, $119; All other countries: one year, $99; two years, $149 MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 POSTMASTER: Send change of address notice to Customer Service, MACHINE DESIGN, P.O Box 2100, Skokie, IL 60076-7800 Windshields destined to be installed on military Humvees get a DLC coating that will let them better resist abrasion from blowing sands Photo courtesy of SwRI because electrons generated inside the tube undergo many collisions before they move out of the tube Because the plasma is generated in the bore of the pipe, the pipe does not need to be straight Researchers have used HCD to coat curved steel pipes up to 7-ft long and in in diameter The coating is quite dense and adheres well So far, researchers have also put DLC coatings on various materials, including steels, alloys of aluminum, titanium, and magnesium, various ceramics, glass, and polymers such as polycarbonate and Teflon For longer pipes, a vacuum chamber is not commercially viable However, the pipe itself can serve as the vacuum chamber by using proper vacuum and electrical isolation connections A pulsed voltage is then applied to the pipe, and a DLC coating gets deposited on the inner surface The insides of pipes up to 40-ft long have been coated with DLC Pipes can be too small or thin for standard HCD For example, HCD cannot create a plasma in a tube greater than 2-ft long with a diameter of less than in But using a patented SwRI technique of adding a magnetic field to HCD lets a plasma form inside the tube With this approach, technicians have DLC coated the insides of 10-ft tubes with outer diameters of less than three-quarters of an inch The intense plasma generated in the HCD leads to high deposition rates, which are useful for speeding up the coating process Using the same principle, SwRI researchers developed a technique in which a meshed metal cage encloses parts for high-rate deposition With this technique, several components can be coated with much thicker coatings (10 to 20 μm) Additionally, short tubes can be coated on the inside and outside simultaneously, due to the high plasma density inside the cage DLC coating performance The hardness and smoothness of DLC coatings let them resist sliding wear, making them well suited to parts in reciprocating pumps and motors These attributes also led to a successful military application when SwRI researchers developed a version of PIID that could coat the glass windshields of military Humvees with DLC to help them resist abrasion In tests, uncoated and DLC-coated glass samples were sprayed with small alumina balls The results showed a several-fold improvement of erosion resistance with a DLC coating only a few nanometers thick Based on these results, hundreds of windshields were coated and delivered to the U. S Marine Corps for use in the field The final deposition process was later transferred to a commercial company, and SwRI continues to develop other transparent coatings In some applications, DLC coatings are being evaluated as replacements for toxic chromium plating, which should reduce environmental problems DLC is an established material and can be placed on a wide variety of industrial parts, even those with complex geometries DLC coatings can help meet a broad demand for better surfaces with more wear and corrosion resistance for markets such as oil and gas delivery, power generation, and automotive engines and drivetrains MD MAY 24, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 53 CAD/CAM •FEA helped determine the best keyboard layout Anyone who’s ever typed on a mobile-device keypad has probably aimed for one letter but hit a different one on a nearby key The result? Poor spelling, mangled messaging, or an e-mail that never should have been sent As electronic devices become increasingly compact, “fat-finger syndrome,” as it is known in the industry, is becoming a bigger problem Pad computers and smart phones might have flat touchscreens that work off of pressure sensors, but keypads and keyboards that rely on the touch of a finger on a spring-loaded key are still widely used in many electronic devices such as desktop computers, laptops, some cell phones, remote controls, and appliances •Better keyboards will make devices easier to use The physics behind keystrokes Authored by: Soo Hyun Park Application Engineer Manufacturing Core Technology Team Samsung Co Ltd Suwon, Korea Edited by Leslie Gordon leslie.gordon@penton.com, Twitter @ LeslieGordon Key points: • Small keyboards make typing difficult Resources: 3DS Simulia, www.3ds.com/simulia Samsung Co Ltd., www.samsung.com/sec The Global Production Technology Center of Samsung Co Ltd., in Suwon, Korea, decided to tackle the problem of tinier keys and denser key layouts to make products that are both smaller and easier to use Engineers there delved deeper into the fat-finger phenomenon by A prototype of a mobile personal computer (now discontinued) was used in the Samsung keypad optimization study Realistic simulation helps design better mobile-device keypads 54 MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 examining the physics behind keystrokes, finger pressure, and strike angle to determine what can go wrong and how to correct it The company thinks keyboards will remain widely used for the foreseeable future, so it is important to study the ergonomics of human-device interaction According to Samsung, using Abaqus finite-element analysis (FEA) for realistic simulations helped engineers cut mistyping errors with a prototype model of a QWERTY keypad Systematically modifying the relevant design parameters revealed keypad configurations which led to the least number of typing errors To tackle fat-finger physics, engineers realized they needed two different FE models to realistically simulate the problem — one of a human fingertip and the other of a device key Of course, nature has already determined the human-finger configuration; Samsung needed an FEA model of it This meant defining the separate material properties of skin, subcutaneous tissue, bone, and nail to model the overall biodynamic response of the finger Because most small-device QWERTY keypad users type with both thumbs, the engineers started from the thumb-bone structure of a 178-cm-tall male combined with exterior skin surface data from a 3D laser scan Modeling the fingertip Basing their finger-parts definitions on previous studies of human tissues, engineers queried the material database in Abaqus for the properties and element types they needed to build the FEA model Nail and bone were modeled as linearly elastic and the skin (epidermis and dermis) was assumed to be hyperelastic and linearly viscoelastic The finger’s deeper subcutaneous tissue was represented by a biphasic material composed of a fluid phase and a hyperelastic solid phase (essentially a spongelike porous material representing muscle, fully saturated with fluid to represent plasma) Next, the team created a virtual keypad to simulate the interaction of fingertip and key Model of a fingertip The FEA model defined the separate material properties of skin, subcutaneous tissue, bone, and nail to model the overall biodynamic response of the finger Bone Subcutaneous tissue Skin: epidermis and dermis Nail Thumb tip and dome Keycap Spring dome Substrate The Abaqus FEA model shows the side view of a human thumb tip (top) and a CAD model of finger contacting device keys (bottom) MAY 24, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 55 CAD/CAM Pushing a physical key compresses a spring dome that completes an electronic circuit to register whatever symbol is on that key As engineers meshed the FEA models, they built in a nonlinear spring element beneath the key to simulate the action of the spring dome To capture the “snap ratio” — the tactile feeling the user experiences when pushing down on a key — engineers lab tested an actual spring dome with a load cell underneath it to record pressure as the key was pushed with different degrees of force They then used the real-world spring stiffness data to characterize the response of the nonlinear spring element in the model Striking a balance To combine thumb-and-key models, engineers studied users’ real-world gripping and pushing behavior as they typed This let the engineers pinpoint the average angle where the finger model would hit the key model This was 16.6° from the front of the keypad and 16.4° from the side When a user pressed the “K” key, engineers calculated the force on the two neighboring keys on either side Engineers came up with what they called a “mistyping ratio,” defined as the force on the neighboring key buttons di- vided by the force on the target key Engineers compared the contact pressures predicted by the thumb/keyboard FEA model with test measurements obtained from an I-Scan instrument, which contained an extremely thin (0.1-mm) flexible tactile-load sensor It verified a good correlation between models and tests With a working FEA model of fingers striking keys in hand, engineers next turned to optimizing the key layout They asked the question, “Which side-by-side configuration of keys would produce the least mistyping?” The team identified several design variables: width; height; vertical angle; pitch; slope; reference face level of individual keys; and inclined angle between center points of adjacent keys Each of these variables needed to be applied to the keys being studied According to the engineers, the Python script in Abaqus was useful in this because it let them automate multiple, repetitive FEA-model tasks Engineers determined the mistyping ratio of each analysis case and then used a response-surface method to identify the optimum key position The analysis revealed that a few of the design variables all had similar effects on mistyping However, the reference face level and slope showed stronger, yet contraThe images are from the keypad analysis model in Abaqus 56 MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 Existing Mistyping ratio (%) 35% Existing Optimal Optimal design design dictory, tendencies Running through 27 sets of analyses, engineers determined that the pitch of the keys on either side of the center key had to increase in order to decrease the mistyping ratio Using the results of their virtual finger/keypad optimization exercise, the team was able to systematically alter the key design variables and identify a design for which the mistyping ratio improved from 37 to 7% Again, the FEA results showed good agreement with subsequent experimental tests For the future, Samsung engineers see value in developing hand, arm, and whole-body models so that all aspects of users’ motion can be incorporated into device design As human/device interfaces continue to advance, the use of FEA to model these interactions will contribute to reduced trial-and-error with the design process and improve the “emotional” quality of devices MD 0% 7% Key Key 7% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% Previous prototype device-keypad designs (top two sets of bar graphs) produced too much mistyping (an error rate as high as 35%).Optimal design (bottom bar graph) showed the lowest overall mistyping ratio (7%) The image shows an analysis of the mistyping ratio MAY 24, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 57 ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY GUIDE More and more products depend on electronic smarts embedded inside The growth of embedded systems has been spurred by computation power that lets engineers work at the module level, rather than design systems from scratch Early embedded systems had limited memory, CPU power, and I/O Operating systems did little more than boot-load a program that performed one specific, noncomplicated task The basic rule of thumb became, “If it needs to something else, add another processor to handle it.” If size and power were no object, than that was indeed the path to take Today, however, the reality of batterypowered operation and energy efficiency has intervened Battery life comes at a premium in embedded-system applications found in consumer electronics, home appliances, aviation, automotive, medical electronics, and industrial automation and controls, to name just a few Many times over it was a case of those who knew the product being charged with adding the embedded control, of which they knew very little Designers of these systems need a host of skill-sets related to computer hardware, embedded software, and electronics, as well as a background in the area of application To let these individuals focus on the application details and not the electronics, embedded-system makers have crafted more-powerful systems with features that also simplified the design process Recent devices demonstrate the power and sophistication found today in the embedded world The power of sight The say a picture is worth a thousand words But it takes millions of bits to make a picture Processing that many bits of data takes time, so practical vision systems need a lot of processing power It was quite common to find early More vision systems housed in enclosures that dwarfed a refrigerator Today, thanks to embedded electronics, it’s quite possible to obtain a powerful vision system that fits in your hand Processors able to handle the torrent of data in these situations include the Blackfin line from Analog Devices, Norwood, Mass The Blackfin consists of both 16 and 32-bit designs that target the demands and power constraints of embedded audio, video, and communications applications It uses what’s called Micro Signal Architecture (MSA) jointly developed with Intel Corp., Santa Clara, Calif., to better handle data streams Its instruction set resembles those of reduced instruction set computers (Risc) This, combined with dual 16-bit multiply accumulate (MAC) signal processing registers, lets Blackfin processors perform equally well in both signal-processing and control-processing applications, eliminating the need to specify separate processors for each task The four latest additions to this line add dual-core capabilities at clock speeds up to GHz The ADSP-BF606 and ADSP-BF607 target general-purpose digital signal-processing (DSP) applications such as wireless communications, industrial process control, and electric power-grid monitoring/protection The ADSP-BF608 and ADSP-BF609 include a high-performance video analytics accelerator called the Pipelined Vision Processor (PVP) — a set of configurable processing blocks that accommodate up to five concurrent image algorithms for high-level analytics These processors, along with the PVP, are touted for applications such as automotive advanced-driver-assistance sys- smarts, LESS ENERGY Powerful embedded processors help make more applications energy efficient 58 MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 Authored by: Robert Repas Associate Editor robert.repas@penton.com tems (ADAS), industrial machine vision, and Resources: third-generation Intel Analog Devices Inc., www.analog.com security/surveillance systems Core processors based congatec inc., www.congatec.com All four processors have two 500-MHz cores on Intel’s new 22-nm Features optimized for low-power operation inIvy Bridge technology IEC 61499, www.iec61499.de clude a high-bandwidth switched-fabric datawith 3D trigate tranISaGRAF, www.isagraf.com movement infrastructure that lets data route sistors The Ivy Bridge Microchip Technology Inc., www.microchip more quickly for calculations or analysis Typical chips are die-shrunk com power consumption is 400 mW or less versions of the secTexas Instruments, www.ti.com On the development side, the Blackfin proond-generation 32-nm cessors are supported by the CrossCore EmbedSandy Bridge designs ded Studio, a software-development tool specifically for that use dual-gate planar transistors While fully compatthe Blackfin processor families Based on the Eclipse deible with Sandy Bridge, the Ivy Bridge chips reduce electrivelopment platform, this highly visual, intuitive IDE supcal power needs but also sport a 20% boost in processor ports both proprietary and open-source tools and techpower nologies through pluggable modules This lets the system The COM Express module uses either the Intel Core handle codes from widely used programming languages i7-3612QE, a quad-core processor running at 2.1 GHz such as Ada, C, C++, Cobol, Perl, PHP, Python, R, and and total power dissipation of 35 W, or the Intel Core i7Ruby (including Ruby on Rails) with the proper module 3615QE quad-core at 2.3 GHz and total dissipated power of 45 W Both processors possess a 6-Mbyte L2 cache Additional programming support comes in the form of memory and are used with the Mobile Intel HM76 Exthe Analog Devices C/C++ compiler and the Micrium μC/ press chipset This chipset offers native USB 3.0 support OS-IIITM operating system Blackfin processors also include on-chip peripheral options such as timers, and accesses up to 16 Gbytes of dual-channel DDR3-1600 counters, pulse-width modulators (PWM), serial pememory It’s literally a full PC-type system on a 3.74 × ripheral interfaces (SPI), and controller-area network 4.92-in board (CAN) interfaces Development accessories include Of course, a system like this needs a display For graphic high-speed in-circuit emulators, EZ-Kit development work, the integrated Intel HD4000 graphics core performs boards, and application-specific EZ-Extender cards up to 50% better than its predecessors with the ability to control up to three independent displays It also uses the The embedded PC Intel Flexible Display Interface (FDI) that runs DirectX In the world of embedded systems, there are single11 OpenGL 3.1 OpenCL 1.1 The OpenCL programming chip computers, but no such thing as a single-chip perenvironment distributes computing tasks over a variety of sonal computer Thus, the need for system-on-chips (SoC) processor systems involving a number of hardware units and computer-on-module (COM) approach This way multiple tasks can execute in parallel using a sinOne COM device is the conga-TM77 from congatec gle step process known as Single Instruction Multiple Data inc., San Diego Emphasizing energy efficiency, it uses (SIMD.) This approach supports classic parallel computer An evaluation board helps determine the suitability of the Microchip analog front end for a given application Applications for the TMS320F280x Series of embedded processors include lighting control, solar-power generation, consumer appliances, automotive, and HVAC, to name just a few MAY 24, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 59 ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY GUIDE architecture as well to better handle analytical problems well suited to parallel processing A high-performance MPEG-2 hardware decoding unit decodes multiple full-HD videos in parallel In addition, Blu-ray support is offered through the WMV9 (VC-1) and H.264 (AVC) codecs at rates up to 40 Mbps Eight USB ports connect a variety of peripherals with four of the ports capable of USB 3.0 Superspeed operation at 5,000 Mbps With USB 3.0, data transfer is considerably faster, energy consumption lower, and it becomes possible to simultaneously send and receive data through the port The COM module offers seven PCI Express 2.0 lanes, a PCI Express graphics 3.0 (PEG) that provides 16 lanes for high-performance external graphics cards, four SATA interfaces handling up to Gbytes/sec and RAID support, an EIDE and a gigabit Ethernet interface Fan control, a low-pin-count (LPC) bus for simple connection of legacy I/O interfaces, and high-definition audio capabilities round off this embedded system’s range of features Suitable operating systems include Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Embedded Standard, Embedded POS Ready (WEPOS), and Linux 3.0 A matching evaluation carrier board for the Type COM Express modules is also available One such AFE used in energy management is the MCP3911 from Microchip Technology Inc., Chandler, Ariz The MCP3911 features two 24-bit, delta-sigma analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) that operate at 3 V with an accuracy of 94.5-dB SINAD and 106.5-dB THD The low noise and low-distortion reading lets the AFE provide better energy-meter and power-monitoring accuracy from start-up to maximum current then that possible with standard ADCs Four different power modes let the chip handle low-power designs, at approximately 0.8 mA/channel, up to designs that capture higher-speed signals, like those necessary for analyzing harmonic content The MCP3911 can help keep down circuit costs For example, the unit runs on 2.7 to 3.6 V for both analog and digital operation, so it can be powered from the same power rail as the microcontroller This eliminates the need for voltage-interface circuitry An internal, low-temperature-coefficient voltage reference, along with programmable-grid arrays (PGAs) on each channel, further enhance metering and monitor designs Programming without writing code Embedded systems are indeed computers, and as such they must be programmed However, programs written for real-time control of machinery typically need specialAnalog front ends for the real world ized development systems geared more toward control One such programming suite for automation technolIn the field of energy management, smart-grid technology comes from ISaGRAF, Brossard, Quebec, Canada Inogy uses electronics embedded in smart meters to monitor energy use and, eventually, give home owners realtroduced in 1990, it was originally designed to bridge the time feedback about how to cut energy bills Smart meters gap between microcomputer systems and programmable that monitor energy consumption use analog front ends logic controllers (PLCs.) Today, ISaGRAF covers open au(AFEs) to convert the power measurement into digital tomation, traditional automation applications, embedded signals for the embedded-control system, helping designcontrol, and soft logic ers create smart meters that maximize performance while The ISaGRAF 6.1 Workbench is now based on Microminimizing costs soft Visual Studio 2010 for speed, a modern user interface, and better windows docking and package management The new workbench design is complemented by V5.3 of the AV DV Refin/out C5 firmware To keep the software agVoltage reference ile and flexible, ISaGRAF features are Osc1 Clock supported using plug-ins New features Refingeneration Osc2 may be added to the environment simV V SINC filter ply by adding another plug-in CH0+ + PGA The ISaGRAF 6.1 Workbench adds – CH0DR an IEC 61499 editor for creating softΔ-Σ modulator Digital SDO Phase shifter ware in terms of function blocks ApSPI Φ Reset interfaces plications are built by networks of funcSDI PGA tion blocks that generally provide an CH1+ + SCK interface for event I/Os and data I/Os – CH1CS Δ-Σ modulator Programmers, thus, build their autoSINC filter Dual Δ-Σ ADC mation applications by stringing funcMDAT0 Modulator output block tion blocks together rather than writMDAT1 AGND DGND ing direct code They simply drag and drop any function block from the block library into a program as needed FuncAnalog front ends (AFEs) play critical roles adapting the analog real world tions and function blocks can be choto the digital world of computers This internal block diagram of Microchip’s MCP3911 AFE details the different functions these types of chips perform sen by project, device, or resource The blocks are also grouped by scope and dd Ref– 60 dd Ref+ MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 A Blackfin processor from Analog Devices is used as the primary control logic of a robotic surveyor The processor handles the video input from the forwardlooking camera as well as the output from the ultrasonic transducer “ears.” All information is relayed to a central control computer via a wireless connection (Photo courtesy Surveyor Corp., www.surveyor.com) category, or programmers can simply search for the block name Also new in this edition is a Version Control System that lets multiple users work on the same elements without conflicts via a check-in/check-out process It also lets developers manage multiple versions of a project, backup and restore entire projects or only certain elements, and compare files between different versions Because different types of applications need different types of interrupts (e.g., time, pulse, I/O…), ISaGRAF provides a toolkit that lets OEMs define and map their interrupts to an ISaGRAF application It also includes a plug-in for end users to configure and program the interrupts Finally, the Failover mode is a backup operating mode where the functions of the primary-control system are assumed by a secondary-control system should the primary system become unavailable, either due to equipment failure or scheduled downtime Its purpose is to make control systems more fault-tolerant The Failover feature lets the user modify control decisions and change the conditions under which a controller gains or loses control Real-time motor control time and improve efficiency Programming the Piccolo system is handled through TI’s ControlSuite software tools It provides libraries, examples, and support with devicespecific drivers and software The ControlSuite software platform includes the CLA C-compiler software libraries and system examples available for motor-control applications that let developers create customized designs with typically a 15 to 20% performance improvement over prior versions Metalanguage tools give designers direct access to onchip peripherals for parallel execution of algorithms to improve flexibility and compatibility The CLA also enables faster system response, high-speed control loops, and improved triggering and fault detection As part of their motor-control functions, the F2803x microcontrollers include pulse-width modulators that have a 150 psec resolution; a 3-MSPS, 12-bit analog-todigital converter (ADC) with 16 input channels; and two 10-MHz oscillators on chip A complex math and CRC unit (VCU) provides 75 tailored math instructions to accelerate processing of communications algorithms Also included on-chip are USB 2.0 and CAN interfaces for improved communications throughput and three analog comparators with 10-bit reference, that help eliminate external parts and simplify the external circuitry The embedded field is growing as makers of embedded systems continue to expand their abilities While we’re not at the point of a pure drag-and-drop embedded device, the growing set of features and interfaces could make that a reality MD 112x GPIO + 6x PINT A large percentage of the energy used in the U. S goes into powering electric motors No surprise, then, that embedded systems are increasingly used in motor controls The Piccolo line of Peripherals BF core L memory BF core System control microcontrollers from Texas Instru2x TWI Power management Black fin Black fin ments Inc (TI), Dallas, is one such L2 SRAM With ECC 8x timers Dual CRC embedded system designed from the 256 kbytes (BF606 1x counter Dual watchdog L1 SRAM L1 SRAM ground up to control motor operation 128 kbytes) 148 kbytes 148 kbytes 1x CAN Trigger routing with parity with parity Latest additions to that line include the System debug 2x PWM TMS320F2803x and TMS320F2806x Watch points 2x UART The new models add a C-programmaSystem crossbar and DMA subsystem System protection 2x SPI ble, integrated control law accelerator 3x SPORT+ACM (CLA) coprocessor Hardware processing L3 memory interfaces BF608/BF609 only The CLA is a 32-bit floating-point 4x link port Pipelined math accelerator, designed to work in3x ePPI Vision Processor (PVP) DDR2/LPDDR1 Async (SMC) dependently of the TMS320C28x CPU 1x EMMC/RSI core to off-load complex, high-speed 2x EMAC 1588 Pixel compositor control algorithms This off-loading (PIXC) 1x USB OTP MP 16 16 frees the CPU to handle input/output Video subsystem and feedback loop metrics, resulting The block diagram details the internal functions of the BF60x Series of in up to a 5× boost in performance for Blackfin processors by Analog Devices The dual-core chip includes L2 closed-loop applications The CLA also and L3 memory, timers, counters, CAN, pulse-width modulators, and a provides direct access to on-chip penumber of communication interfaces The Pipelined Vision Processor is ripherals for parallel execution of alonly available on the BF608 and BF609 gorithms to accelerate system response Pixel crossbar MAY 24, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 61 ORR ON ENGINEERING Engineering your internal state Many engineers share a mindset — a way of looking at the world as a place full of things they can fix or otherwise control But did you know you can control your internal emotional state? I’ve learned from Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) about a little-known “dashboard” that lets me decide how to feel, how I will respond to perceived or recalled images, sounds, smells, and sensations A good book for learning more is NLP: The New Technology of Achievement But here’s a quick introduction Your sensory modalities — sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch — come with “controls” called “submodalities.” These are the qualities of your sensory experiences such as an images’ size or brightness, a sound’s loudness or pitch, or how sweet or sour something tastes You can adjust these to affect your subjective experience Let’s say a visual memory distresses you whenever it comes to mind Sit quietly, close your eyes, and recall the remembered image Notice what it looks like Does it occupy your full visual frame, or just a portion of it? Is it bright or dim? Still or moving? Are colors saturated or dull? Do you lift your eyes to see it, or look down? Allow yourself to explore the image with curiosity Make it bigger Does that intensify the feeling it evokes? Now make it smaller Does the evoked feeling diminish? Play with the image, checking your feelings after each change Let it fade to white Now bring it back, and let it fade to black See it as if it were projected on a screen; let the screen tilt backwards until all you see is a horizontal line Now let the line shrink to a dot, like on an old TV, then let it pop out of existence How you feel now? One odd modification of a visual submodality is to put a frame around an image I’m not sure why, but visualizing a frame — I usually see one out of dark wood — seems to drain an image, or even a movie, of emotional impact It’s as if I have asserted control over it Similarly, play with an auditory memory Do you recall something you heard that made you feel good? Try playing it back a bit louder How does that make you feel? You can also “play a soundtrack” for a memory I had a memory of someone angrily speaking to me I played it back in my mind, and ran a “soundtrack” with circus music in the background I played with the volume of the soundtrack until the angry ranting no longer bothered me I did this a couple of times in succession, and felt good The original memory never bothered me again — when I thought of it, I always heard the happy circus music In addition, to help quell your “inner critic,” when you imagine that nasty voice speaking to you, where is it coming from? If it’s coming from a location high up and to your right, tell it that it must move down and to your left If it’s in front of you, move it back Now change its tone of voice to one that is pleasant and loving How you feel now? Keep making changes until you experience the criticism as powerfully supportive and energizing With practice, you can control the emotional effects of almost any recalled experience Your sensory modalities — sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch — come with “controls” called “submodalities.” These are the qualities of your sensory experiences You can adjust these to affect your subjective experience — Joel Orr Joel Orr is an NLP Master Practitioner and CTO of EZOSA, a software start-up Edited by Leslie Gordon Twitter @LeslieGordon, leslie.gordon@penton.com 62 MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 Engineered Solutions 12 LPM 1.5 LPM Bringing together two of the most innovative and trusted bolt securing technologies 2102 5132 (1.8" x 95" x 60") (3.2" x 1.9" x 90") 45 LPM The combination of NordLock and Superbolt is unique in the bolt securing industry Together we are able to serve our global customers with an impressive line-up of safe and cost-effective bolting solutions Trust your critical applications to the bolting experts 1032 (5.5" x 3.5" x 2.7") High Flow High Pressure Low Cost High Vacuum High Efficiency Compact CUSTOM ENGINEERING CUSTOM SOLUTIONS EXCEPTIONAL VALUE 877-244-4330 To learn more visit: Made in the USA RS# 138 RS# 139 RS# 140 SOFTWARE PRODUCTS Workstation features snap-open display The HP Z1 Workstation is said to be the world’s first all-in-one workstation with a 27-in (diagonal) display that snaps open to let users swap-out parts and make upgrades No tools required Built for computer-aided design, digital media, and entertainment professionals, the HP Z1 provides fast rendering and performance It offers a full range of workstation-class graphics cards and processors and is thoroughly tested and certified to work with industry applications Hewlett-Packard Co., 3000 Hanover St., Palo Alto, CA 94304, (650) 857-1501, www.hp.com/z1 RS #429 r formation via ou Request free in Web site at ice rv Se Reader c design.com/rs ww w.machine Software for modeling highly sculptural goods Freeform 3D Design for Manufacture software targets product designers who create organic, highly sculptural goods, from jewelry to toys and medical implants Freeform Version 12 adds over 50 new features and enhancements The software can work across many geometries, including voxels, mesh, polygons, and Nurbs Freeform tools let users quickly change between formats, enabling flexible workflows using the best format for the task at hand Simulate injection molding in SolidWorks SolidWorks Plastics brings easy-to-use injectionmolding simulation directly to the designers of plastic parts and injection molds It simulates how melted plastic flows during the injection-molding process to predict manufacturing-related defects on parts and molds Users can quickly evaluate manufacturability while they design, eliminate costly mold rework, improve part quality, and accelerate the time to market A Results Adviser provides troubleshooting steps and practical design advice to help users diagnose and solve potential problems Fisher/Unitech, 1150 Stephenson Highway, Troy, MI 48083, (800) 816-8314, www.funtech.com RS #430 64 MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 Geomagic Haptic Technology Group, 15 Constitution Way, Woburn, MA 01801, (781) 937-8315, www.sensable.com RS# 431 " '%+##0/+) /&+* provides advanced, open automation products based upon proven industrial technologies Manufacturers and machine builders can implement high performance Beckhoff control systems more efficiently and at a lower overall cost than traditional PLC and motion control systems Visit them at booth E-4271 or www.beckhoff.com INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION NORTH AMERICA at IMTS 2012 International Trade Show for Factory, Process and Building Automation Systems and Solutions at September 10 - 5 +-)& '( "%& $+((&*+& V To register for IANA and IMTS, please visit industrialautomation-na.com Organized by: www.ia-na.com Partner: For more information, please contact Aryan Zandieh at (312) 924-1688 or azandieh@hfusa.com SPOTLIGHT FASTENERS Fasteners for electronic assemblies Designed for compact electronic assemblies, ReelFast microPEM (Type SMTSO) fasteners install on PC boards just like other surface-mount components prior to the automated reflow-solder process A hex-shaped barrel provides a large solder area and, once installed, the steel fasteners become another board component The fasteners can serve as nuts or standoffs to space or stack PC boards, mount boards, or attach components The fasteners reduce the risk of damage to boards that occurs when conventional fasteners are improperly installed with off-line equipment, minimize the number of loose parts, reduce board handling, and promote quicker assembly by eliminating secondary operations The fasteners come in thread sizes as small as M1/#0-80, lengths as short as mm/0.62 in., and can be installed in boards as thin as 0.5 mm/0.020 in They are packaged on 13-in recyclable reels measuring 16 mm in width PennEngineering, 5190 Old Easton Rd., Danboro, PA 18916, (800) 237-4736, www.pemnet.com RS# 446 Adhesives for wound dressing Hydrocolloid adhesive materials can now be converted for short and long-term wound care, surgical dressings, and ostomy applications The materials are durable, absorb fluid, and cause little or no skin trauma Matching the right hydrocolloid-adhesive formulation and substrate for medical applications depends on a number of factors: short or long-term skin use; resistance to heat, moisture, and pressure; compatibility with sterilization; and fluid resistance The adhesives come in double or single-coated tapes, and in roll form Fabrico, a div of EIS, 4175 Royal Dr., Suite 800, Kennesaw, GA 30144, (800) 351-8273, www.fabrico.com/ medical RS# 447 66 MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 & ADHESIVES Automated pin installation The Model CR Combination Installation Machine is capable of installing three completely different size pins The base machine has three vibratory feeders and three pin orientation heads A selector switch determines which pin size to activate for installation Three interchangeable fixture nests accommodate each pinning application Each nest has a centrally located dowel pin that aligns the fixture to the pin exit bushing Precise dowel holes are machined in the base plate, in line with each pin orientation head A single bolt secures the fixture while in use This design lets operators use one machine to perform three different pin-size installations Each fixture is number coded for easy selection When the first short-run pinning operation is done, the operator removes the fixture, installs the next, and moves the selector switch to the corresponding position to begin the next pinning operation The machine can be retooled with a different feeder/orientation head, and fixture combination if any of the pinning operations are eliminated Spirol International Corp., 30 Rock Ave., Danielson, CT 06239, (860) 774-8571, www spirol.com RS# 448 [...]... designs, improve throughput and performance, increase component life, and reduce machine commissioning time Learn more and register at http:// machinedesign.com/content/optimize -machine- performance-with-the-latest-servo-tuning-technology-0430 Split cylinders increase engine efficiency EDITOR’S WEB PICKS Lee Teschler of MACHINE DESIGN talks with an expert from the Scuderi Group about their split-cycle... com/surfacetreatment MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 buttons, controllers, and development kits The site’s resource guide contains application information, tutorials, technical articles, white papers, and videos Motion control and automation Kollmorgen’s new Web site (www kollmorgen.com) provides engineers with a range of motion-control and machine- automation information Product pages cover machine and vehicle... magnetic and optical sensors, and custom wire harnesses RS# 401 16 MACHINE DESIGN.com MAY 24, 2012 Motormounting plate counterbored to locate guide rods r formation via ou Request free in Web site at ice rv Se er ad Re c design.com/rs ww w .machine For info on an interesting application using leadscrews, scan this code or go to: http:// machinedesign.com/ article/leadscrewassembly-redesign-makesspine-implants-easier-toinstall-0420... 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