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$10.00 | January/February 2015
PM40069240
ENGINEERING
Salary Guide
14 Inside Autodesk’s latest CAD in
the Cloud design applications
28 Study reveals wide-spread
underemployment of engineering
degree holders in Canada
45 Toronto-made smart-bicycle
gives directions and watches
riders’ back in traffic
Compensation map
reveals average
mechanical engineering
salaries in major
Canadian cities
1-DES.indd 1 15-02-10 2:08 PM
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IN THE NEWS 5
Annual Subscription Rate
In Canada: $53.95 (1 year)
$72.95 (2 year)
Outside Canada: $101.95 (1 year)
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Contact Information
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Elsewhere: 1-866-543-7888
Mail:
Annex Publishing & Printing Inc.
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M3B 2S9
Printed in Canada
IN THE NEWS
8 Linamar plans $500
billion expansion
8 RMT Robotics
now Cimcorp
Automation
8 Magellan signs
$250M deal with
P&WC
8 Waterloo
researchers step
closer to a viable
Lithium-Sulphur
battery
8 UBC engineers
develop cheap,
hand-held
biochemistry lab
10 Voxel8 unveils first
multi-material 3D
electronics printer
12 UofT engineer’s
spray-on quantum
dot process could
lead to ubiquitous
solar power
READER SERVICES
Contents | Volume 61, No. 01
14 CAD Report
Fusion 360 Ultimate and AutoCAD 360
manifest Autodesk’s noteworthy if shaky
move toward CAD in the cloud
18 CAD Beat
Midwestern Manufacturing’s pipelayer
attachment benefits from 3D scanner’s
accuracy
36 Motion Control
Unorthodox dual gantry milling machine
realizes 35 percent cycle time improvement
for aerospace manufacturer
39 Idea Generator
The latest industrial products including
automation, fluid power and power
transmission
45 Canadian Innovator
Toronto-based Vanhawk’s smart-bike
tracks performance, gives directions and
notifies you if it’s stolen
Columns
20 The IIoT Challenge
Evolving to the Industrial Internet of Things
will require a platform-based design, an
open architecture and real-time Ethernet
24 A Proactive Approach
Maintaining safety in industries with
hazardous locations starts with the design
and operation of the equipment used
28 Canada’s Engineering
Underemployment Crisis
OSPE study finds a high number of
engineering graduates in Canada work in
positions that don’t require university degree
30 A Question of Experience
University co-op programs provide the key to
opening Canada’s deadlocked engineering
labor market
34 Engineering Salary Guide
Compensation map reveals average
mechanical engineering salaries across
Canada
Features
www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015
r
,
d
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14
18
20
24
28
30
36
45
34
4-5-DES.indd 5 15-02-10 2:09 PM
6 EditorialViewpoint
I enjoy hearing from you so please contact me at
MMcLeod@design-engineering.com and your letter
could be published in an upcoming issue.
@
www.design-engineering.com
Editor
Michael McLeod (416) 442-5600 ext. 3231
mmcleod@design-engineering.com
Publisher
Alan Macpherson (416) 510-6756
AMacPherson@design-engineering.com
Accounts Manager
Taebah Khan (416) 510-5230
tkhan@design-engineering.com
Technical Field Editor
Pat Jones, P. Eng.
Art Director
Kathy Smith (416) 442-5600 ext. 3215
KSmith@plant.ca
Market Production Manager
Cheryl Fisher (416) 510-5194
CFisher@bizinfogroup.ca
Circulation Manager
Mary Garufi (416) 442-5600 ext. 3545
MGarufi@bizinfogroup.ca
Annex Publishing & Printing Inc.
President & CEO
Mike Fredericks
mfredericks@annexweb.com
Vice President Annex Business Media East
Tim Dimopoulos (416) 510-5100
tdimopoulos@canadianmanufacturing.com
Publications Mail Agreement #40069240
ISSN: 0011-9342 (Print), 1929-6452 (Online)
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January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
You can’t get experience without a job and you can’t get a job without experience.
This old truism has been repeated many times by those entering the job market for
the first time or transitioning to a new career. And for most jobs, being under-qualified
isn’ttheendoftheworld.Inthelicensedprofessions,however,whereday-to-daydecisions
mayhavedisastrousconsequencesifmadebytheunqualified,moxiedoesn’tcutit.Most
aspiringprofessionalsmustcompletesomeformofon-the-jobapprenticeshiptopractice.
After two years of medical school, for example, would-be doctors begin a supervised
internship followed by several years of residency before they’re considered full physi-
cians. Similarly, Canadian law school grads are required to article for two years before
becoming licensed to practice law. Even nurses and teachers typically have an intern-
ship as part of their education.
For would-be engineers, however, a structured apprenticeship isn’t necessarily a
component of their education. With a few notable exceptions (e.g. University of Water-
loo), most engineering departments offer optional and highly competitive co-op or
intern programs. For those who don’t land a co-op position, their job prospects after
graduation may be significantly diminished. According to the Ontario Society of Profes-
sional Engineers’ 2014 study From Classroom to Career: A Snapshot of Employment and
Underemployment Among Ontario’s Engineering Graduates, employers surveyed for the
report,“overwhelminglyprefertohireengineeringgraduatesthathaveco-opexperience.”
In a balanced or supply-surplus labor market, such a meritocratic co-op/internship
processwouldbepreferable,asonlytopstudentswouldhaveahighlikelihoodofbecom-
ing engineers. But as multiple articles and studies have found, employers are frustrated
by a growing shortage of experienced engineers.
The Engineering Labour Market in Canada: Projections to 2020—a 2012 study
conducted by Engineers Canada and Randstad Engineering—points to “market
imbalances” in which “an abundance of Canadians seeking work as engineers coexists
with an acute shortage of engineering skills.” At the same time, the report projects that
large numbers of engineers will reach retirement age over the next decade and “account
for over 95,000 job openings…Managing this process and recruiting to meet this
replacement demand is a priority.”
Bringing in experienced engineers from other countries hasn’t helped to fix things.
OSPE’s 2014 study Crisis in Ontario’s Engineering Labour Market: Underemployment
Among Ontario’s Engineering-Degree Holders, found that in Canada, “just over 20 per
cent of women and internationally trained engineers (ITEs) with engineering degrees
actually work as engineers or engineering managers.” In earlier studies, OSPE research
found that most Canadian employers have difficulty assessing the relevancy and quality
of ITE’s previous, non-Canadian experience.
So with Baby Boomer engineers set to retire combined with the surplus of engineer-
ing graduates and internationally trained engineers who lack relevant experience, it’s up
to employers to step up. No matter the industry, they need to engage in “bridging”
programs for internationally trained engineers or co-op/internships for engineering
undergrads,sothat,fiveyearsfromnow,thereareamplecandidatesavailabletofillthose
positions. Or, as OSPE CEO Sandro Perruzza succinctly asks in this issue’s feature “A
Question of Experience” (p.30), “How much longer do you have to wait before you
realize that it’s better to develop your own talent?”
Mike McLeod
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8
UP FRONT Waterloo researchers
step closer to a viable
Lithium-Sulphur battery
Chemistry researchers at Waterloo University announced a break-
through in making lithium-sulphur (Li-S) batteries a feasible
and better alternative to the lithium cobalt oxide cathode currently
used in lithium-ion cells.
Sulphur is not only a cheaper, lighter and more abundant material,
the researchers say, but Li-S also possesses a significantly higher energy
density, opening the possibility of powering electric vehicles three times
further than current cells. Such a battery would also lower the cost (and
weight) of the most expensive EV component.
While the superiority of Li-S has been known for years, it also has
major challenges. It’s main drawback has been that a sulphur cathode
exhausts itself after only a few recharge cycles. Typically, the sulphur
dissolves into the electro-
lyte solution as it’s reduced
by incoming electrons to
form polysulphides.
However, Chemistry
Professor Linda Nazar and
her research team in the
Faculty of Science at the
University of Waterloo
discovered that ultra-thin
nanosheets of manganese
dioxide (MnO2
) maintains the rechargable sulphur cathode.
Specifically, the researchers found the reaction is similar to the
chemical process behind Wackenroder’s Solution discovered in 1845.
The oxygenated surface of the MnO2
nanosheet chemically recycles
the sulphides in a two-step process involving a surface-bound inter-
mediate, polythiosulfate. The result is a high-performance cathode
that can recharge more than 2000 cycles.
“Veryfewresearchersstudyoreventeachsulphurchemistryanymore,”
said Nazar, who also holds the Canada Research Chair in Solid State
Energy Materials. “It’s ironic we had to look so far back in the literature
to understand something that may so radically change our future.”
Postdoctoral research associate Xiao Liang, the lead author, and
graduate students Connor Hart and Quan Pang also discovered that
grapheneoxideseemstoworkbyasimilarmechanism.Theyarecurrently
investigating other oxides to find the best sulphur retaining material.
www.uwaterloo.ca
UBC engineers develop cheap, hand-held
biochemistry lab
Engineers at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus
have developed a hand-sized biochemistry laboratory capable of detect-
ing infectious diseases in microscopic drops of blood or the presence
of chemical weapons and other biohazards.
Housed in a 3D printed enclosure, the small device integrates with
a common smartphone to form an inexpensive and portable testing
device that could be used in remote or resource-limited areas.
DesignNews
January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
Linamar plans $500 billion expansion
Canadian auto parts manufacturer Linamar Ltd.
announced a $500-million expansion to its Ontario
operations in January. The company says the
expansion will help the company focus on produc-
ing lighter, more efficient transmission and power
train parts.
To assist the company, the Ontario government
will provide a $50-million grant added to a $50.7
million repayable loan from the Canadian govern-
ment. The province’s grant to Linamar is the first
from its 10-year, $2.5-billion Jobs and Prosperity
Fund. The company said, the $101 million from
the two governments will be used to purchase
new equipment and fund product R&D.
www.linamar.com
RMT Robotics now Cimcorp Automation
Effective January 1, 2015, Grimsby, Ontario-based
RMT Robotics, Ltd. has changed its name to Cimcorp
Automation Ltd., a manufacturer and integrator of
turnkey robotic gantry-based order fulfillment and
tire handling solutions. Going forward, the company
says it will use its combined resources to ramp up
collaborative R&D initiatives and continue software
development.
Cimcorp Oy was acquired by Kyoto, Japan-based
Murata Machinery, Ltd. in 2014 to provide mate-
rial handling solutions to a global client base. As
outlined after the acquisition, both Muratec and
Cimcorp—including its North American subsid-
iary—will continue business operations with no
change to their current strategies.
www.cimcorp.com
Magellan signs $250M deal with P&WC
Magellan Aerospace has signed a 10-year agree-
ment with Pratt & Whitney Canada for the supply
of complex magnesium and aluminum castings.
Most of the castings will be produced by Magel-
lan’s Haley, ON division.
Magellan, a manufacturer of aerospace engine
and structure assemblies and components, said the
$250-million agreement with the Montreal-based
aerospace engine maker will provide revenue
through 2023. In addition to the legacy casting
programs, the agreement includes the production
of castings for the PurePower engine family, which
encompasses the Airbus A320neo, Mitsubishi
Regional Jet and Bombardier CSeries programs.
www.magellan.aero
8-13-DES.indd 8 15-02-05 1:52 PM
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10
“It’s of great interest for use in
placesthatdonothaveinfrastructure
for accurate testing in a timely fash-
ion,”saysUBCprofessor,Homayoun
Najjaran, founder and principal
investigatoroftheAdvancedControl
and Intelligent Systems (ACIS) Lab.
“Tomakeitreallyvaluable,youwant
to be able to put the laboratory at the
point of care, and this system will do
just that.”
The system uses several tech-
nologies developed by the (ACIS)
lab. Foremost among them is a
digital microfluidic processor (i.e.
lab-on-a-chip) that precisely con-
trols electrical fields to move sample
droplets in and around a chip.
Typically, such chips are fabricated on glass wafers and cost $5
apiece. In contrast, the UBC team’s lab-on-a-chip — developed in
consultationwithUBCprofessorofprintmakingBriarCraig—uses
conductiveinkscreen-printedontopaper.Thisallowsseveralyards
of the paper chips to be printed quickly and thereby reduces the
priceperchip.AccordingtoNajjaran,hundredsofthepaperchips
canbemanufacturedfor$5.Intotal,he
says the cost of the entire laboratory
could be less than $100, potentially.
In addition to the chip, Najjaran’s
engineering team also developed the
lab’s electronics. A rechargeable 3.7-
volt battery supplies enough power to
manipulate the droplets of sample
fluid. The device is monitored and
controlled via Bluetooth wireless com-
mands from a smartphone.
Presently, the hand-held lab is sim-
ply a working prototype but research-
ers are seeking an industry partner so
they can refine the technology for
commercialization. In addition, the
team is working with colleagues at
UBC, McGill University and other
institutions — including Canada’s National Design Network
— to develop applications for the device.
Funding was provided by the Canada Foundation for Inno-
vation (CFI) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
Council (NSERC). The research also used UBC Okanagan’s
Applied Micro- and Nanosystems Facility, a laboratory supported
by Western Economic Diversification Canada.
www.ubc.ca
Voxel8 unveils first
multi-material 3D
electronics printer
At CES 2015, Massachusetts-
based start-up Voxel8 launched
the world’s first electronics 3D
printer, of the same name,
capable of combining elec-
tronic components, conduc-
tive traces and polymer build material in a single print.
The creation of Dr. Jennifer Lewis, Wyss Professor of Bio-
logically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, the Voxel8
printer works the same as any FDM-style printer, depositing
layers of PLA filament, stored in the machine’s base.
To that, the 3D printer adds a pneumatically driven, cartridge
print head that dispenses conductive silver ink via a 250 micron-
wide nozzle. According to the company, the conductive ink
dries quickly at room temperature and is 20,000x more conduc-
tive than the most conductive filled-thermoplastic filaments
and more than 5000x more conductive than carbon-based inks.
The Voxel8 also features a removable build platform that
allows designers to place electronic components (i.e. memory
chip, LED, electric motor, etc) mid-build. After the platform is
replaced, conductive ink connects the component leads to the
rest of the circuit and the polymer encases the traces and com-
ponents within the part.
For design, the Voxel8 developer kit was launched in conjunc-
tion with Project Wire, a browser-based application from
DesignNews
January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
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UBC’s smartphone lab prototype with, from left, Engineering
Instructor Ali Ahmadi, PhD Candidate Mohamed Yafia
Salem, Assoc. Prof. Homayoun Najjaran, and mechanical
engineering student Jessica Van Brummelen
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8-13-DES.indd 11 15-02-05 1:52 PM
12 DesignNews
January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
Autodesk. Developed specifically for the Voxel8, the online app
imports 3D models and provides design tools to position wire
placement and a library of standard electronic components.
The company is currently offering a limited release of the
Developer’s Kit to ship in late 2015 for US$8,999. In addition
to the printer and access to the Project Wire application, the
initial release also includes cloud-based slicing software, four
PLA filament spools, 10 conductive ink cartridges and one
additional print bed.
www.voxel8.co
UofT engineer’s spray-on quantum dot
process could lead to ubiquitous solar power
A researcher at the University of Toronto has invented a technique
for spraying colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) — microscopic
light-sensitive materials – onto flexible sheets of plastic film.
Illan Kramer, a post-doctoral fellow in UofT’s Edward S. Rog-
ers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, says
the new process is a major step toward making spray-on solar
cells easy and cheap to manufacture.
“My dream is that one day you’ll have two technicians with
Ghostbusters backpacks come to your house and spray your
roof,” says Kramer.
Quantum dots are nanoscale bits of a semiconductor mate-
rial that can be tuned to capture and convert both visible and
infrared light. Printed onto a flexible film, CQDs could be used
to coat and produce power from nearly any surface. According
to Kramer, a car roof wrapped with CQD-coated film, for
example, could power three 100-Watt light bulbs.
Previously, producing CQD-coated surfaces required slow
and expensive batch processing. Kramer’s technique, called
sprayLD, applies a liquid containing CQDs directly onto film
or plastic, similar to applying ink on a roll of news print.
www.ece.utoronto.ca
Dr. Illan Kramer and the sprayLD setup he designed to spray solar
colloidal quantum dots onto flexible surfaces. (Photo credit: University
of Toronto)
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January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
14 CADReport
Fusion 360 Ultimate and AutoCAD 360 for Windows
8 manifest Autodesk’s noteworthy if somewhat shaky
move toward CAD in the cloud.
By Ralph Grabowski
Autodesk is doing a lot of different
things these days as it hopes to ride
atop another wave of success. It’s porting
parts of its professional software to the
cloud even as it makes consumer software
that runs on 1.2 billion smartphones and
tablets.
Which brings us to two recent offerings
that are just that: Fusion 360 Ultimate will
eventually become everything-and-the-
kitchen-sink for MCAD professionals,
while AutoCAD 360 is like TinkerCAD for
AutoCAD users. The two have one thing
in common: Their prices are cheap com-
pared to what we have come to expect from
Autodesk.
Fusion 360 Ultimate
Autodesk took a gamble when it wrote
Inventor from scratch to compete against
the Solidworks juggernaut. Previously, it
had acquired its MCAD programs, such as
The Engineer Works, AutoSurf/Designer,
and Mechanical Desktop. Following the
success of Inventor, Autodesk did it all over
again with Fusion, its next generation
MCAD program. Instead of developing it
in secret like Inventor, however, Autodesk
made the Fusion direct modeler a public
beta by including it free with two releases
of AutoCAD and Inventor.
Today, Fusion 360 is a stand-alone pro-
gram. The name references the fusion of
history-basedanddirectmodeling,thefusion
ofdesktopandserver-basedcomputing,and
thefusionofcodethatworksontwooperat-
ing systems, Windows and OS X.
Even though Autodesk likes to promote
360-branded products as running on the
cloud, Fusion 360 runs primarily on the
desktop: Local install, local computing and
local file save. Only some operations are
handed off to Autodesk’s servers, such as
advanced rendering and file translation.
“We use server-side processing where
appropriate, and local processes where
appropriate,” explains Kevin Schneider,
director of Fusion 360 at Autodesk.
There was a time when Apple was keen
on high-end markets like engineering and
film editing, but then switched focus to
consumers. With a dearth of engineering
software for Mac users, it comes as little
surprise that Fusion 360 is popular there;
30% of Fusion 360 users are Apple custom-
ers, according to Mr Schneider.
More recently, Autodesk released an
expanded version called Fusion 360 Ulti-
mate that bundles together all the software
that an MCAD designer might want. I am
not sure why it was released in November,
because the bundle today is sparse.
Autodesk is promising, however, to add
more functions during this summer and
beyond, and Fusion 360 Ultimate will be
available for Macs in the near future.
As their respective feature sets stand
today, here is the difference between the two
programs: Fusion 360 ($300/yr) includes
2.5-axis machining and costs, while Fusion
360 Ultimate ($1,200/yr) includes 2.5- and
3-axis machining (so far). Autodesk lists
the planned differences between the two
programs at www.autodesk.com/products/
fusion-360/compare.
There is no large, up front perpetual
license fee, as there is with Inventor.
Fusion 360 can also be rented month-to-
month for $40/mo, Fusion 360 Ultimate
for $150/mo. It’s cheaper to go annual
A TURBULENT
Ascent
14-17-DES.indd 14 15-02-09 2:17 PM
www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015
15CADReport
after eight months.
So, what is planned for Fusion 360
Ultimate? Schneider says Autodesk wants
its new MCAD software to address all the
ways of making things, such as 3D print-
ing, composite machining, additive
manufacturing, integrated electronics,
and custom products with short lifecycles.
It currently handles 2-3-axis machining;
5-axis will be added in mid-2015.
Also by the middle of 2015,
Fusion 360 gets more functions in
several areas. Fusion currently
stores versions automatically, but
will gain the ability to generate
design variations by branching the
base design. A sheet metal module
will be brand-new to Fusion, and later in
2015 Autodesk will add simulation.
While it seems that Autodesk is writing
all of the add-ons, there will be some
third-party apps, such as rendering by
Keyshot, a parts library and access to a
quoting system.
Fusion 360 is a work in progress and
so I wouldn’t jump in just yet. It bares
watching to see if Autodesk can make good
on its promise to add all those new func-
tions over the next half year.
AutoCAD 360 for Windows 8
For several years, Autodesk made simpli-
fied versions of AutoCAD for mobile
devices known as AutoCAD WS. Early
this year, they released a version for Win-
dows 8.x (and 10), called AutoCAD 360,
as a “Metro” app. This means that it
doesn’t work with Windows 7 (or earlier)
or with Windows Phone. Autodesk calls
AutoCAD 360 a “portable DWG reader
and editor for AutoCAD,” and so I looked
at how well it performs in each of those
areas.
Portable: Portable it certainly is, as
there are versions of AutoCAD 360 writ-
ten for Android, iOS, Web browsers, and
now Windows 8 tablets running Intel or
ARM CPUs. I tested it on a 12-inch Sony
tablet running Windows 10 pre-release,
with a dual-core 1.2GHz CPU and 4GB
RAM.
Being a Metro app, I needed to down-
load it from the Microsoft store, which
meant that I needed a Microsoft account.
To run the software, I also needed an
Autodesk account. Upon starting it up, I
found that the user interface accommo-
dated my fingers through several large
icons.
Tapping one button gave me access to
Fusion 360 is a work in progress
and so I wouldn’t jump in just yet. It
bares watching to see if Autodesk
can make good on its promise...
Figure 1: Fusion 360 Ultimate running on a Mac computer
14-17-DES.indd 15 15-02-09 2:17 PM
16
further functions. For instance, the Create button instance
draws lines, polylines and other 2D objects. I could not draw
in 3D mode. There are other buttons for placing markups,
making measurements, specifying the color (just black, white,
or red), and undoing/redoing.
A slide-out panel accesses layer tog-
gling, block insertion, views, properties
and DesignFeed, Autodesk’s social
media system.
DWG Reader: AutoCAD 360 opens
files from Autodesk’s hosted service
and from Dropbox, but not files stored
on the tablet. Drawings are opened in
2D initially; switching between 2D and
3D views is slow, because the drawing
is reloaded with each switch over.
When I checked DWG compatibil-
ity, I was dismayed at how badly Auto-
CAD 360 did. Nothing is filled in, and
so wide polylines, solid hatch patterns,
and even TrueType text are outlines.
The program does correctly display
some objects, like traces and vertical
text. Other objects are not displayed
at all, draw order is ignored, and I had uneven luck in seeing
xrefs.
To be fair, the files most likely to be viewed on job sites are
going to be 2D drawings that contain simple linework and
CADReport
Absolut
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1 . 8 0 0 . 6 6 8 . 4 3 7 8 • w w w . n o r d . c o m
Figure 2: AutoCAD 360 for Windows 8 editing an object, with the layer toggle panel on the right.
14-17-DES.indd 16 15-02-09 2:17 PM
17
dimensions, and these display correctly.
Editor: The emphasis in AutoCAD 360 is on viewing, not
editing, and so it was easy to pan 2D drawings with one finger,
and zooming with two. In 3D mode, one finger rotates the
model about a fixed point, two fingers zoom, and three pan.
There is no quick zoom-extents by double-tapping; instead, I
had to access the side panel, which takes four taps.
Initially, I couldn’t find the editing commands; they were
hidden until I selected an entity. This free version of AutoCAD
360 limited editing to move, copy, rotate, scale and delete.
Only blocks already in the file can be inserted; once inserted,
however, I could not move them. Fortunately, editing can be
done off-line, unlike some server-based programs.
AutoCAD 360 “plots” only to PDF and DWF files, which
are delivered by email. It cannot print to local or networked
printers. When I tried plotting, the program complained “There
was a problem exporting the drawing” with no further infor-
mation. The Share option did allow me to email the DWG file.
The program recognizes CBT color tables, so the look of plots
can be customized.
When I exited the drawing, all changes were saved, whether I
wanted them saved or not. (Tip: To exit the drawing, click the
Windows pancake button, and then choose App Commands.)
In addition to the free version of AutoCAD 360, there is
a subscription-only Pro version that adds functions like
starting new drawings, displaying coordinates and some-
thing called “advanced drawing and editing tools” whose
benefits Autodesk doesn’t describe.
The Pro plan costs $50/yr, while Pro Plus is $100/yr to
give you 75GB more online storage and the ability to store
and load drawings that are 33% larger than under Pro.
Because AutoCAD 360 is free, it is worthwhile installing
to see if it works with your drawings on your Windows 8
tablet. Avoid paying for the Pro version until the many prob-
lems are fixed. DE
www.autodesk.com
Ralph Grabowski is the author of 140 books on computer-aided
design, and a CAD journalist whose work appears on his blog,
worldcadaccess.typepad.com
CADReport
I n n o v a t I o n b e y o n d t h e o r d I n a r y
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They know we will never compromise on the reliability of
our products. And that they won’t have to compromise either.
Choosing NORD is your guarantee of lasting performance.
You know our name and you’ve got our word on it.
Because AutoCAD 360 is free, it is worthwhile
installing to see if it works with your drawings on
your Windows 8 tablet. Avoid paying for the Pro
version until the many problems are fixed.
14-17-DES.indd 17 15-02-09 2:17 PM
January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
18
In 1953, U.S.-based Midwestern Manufacturing introduced
the world’s first hydraulically operated side boom pipelayer
attachment. Over the past 50 years, these side booms have con-
tinuously set the highest standards for safety, reliability, ease of
operation and cost-efficiency in the pipeline industry.
Midwestern side booms are engineered and manufactured
to satisfy the requirements of each job and the needs of custom-
ers across the globe. The company converts new and used trac-
tors into the industry’s most reliable pipelayers. It also provides
some of the finest hydrostatic fill and test pumps and hydraulic
tail-end mounted winches on the market. Midwestern’s side
booms fit on Caterpillar, John Deere, Case and Komatsu tractors.
To accurately and efficiently design and integrate their side
boom attachments onto a platform, however, Midwestern needed
accurate and detailed 3D models. The main project involved
the complete 3D scanning of the outside surface of a dozer
(platform) along with detailed scans of the engine door, engine
compartment, cab door and operator’s station. Some reverse
engineering of the dozer (platform) also had to be performed
Lowering the BOOM
Midwestern Manufacturing’s pipelayer attachment benefits from 3D scanner’s accuracy.
CADBeat
Top: Creaform Application Engineer Pierre-Luc Delagrave scanning a
bulldozer with the company’s MetraSCAN 210 optical CMM scanner.
The scanned 3D data (bottom) was used to design and integrate a side
boom built by U.S.-based Midwestern Manufacturing.
18-19-DES.indd 18 15-02-05 1:49 PM
in order to convert the scanned data into a detailed 3D model.
In the past, Midwestern used other technologies to create 3D
models; however, a higher level of details became necessary. As
a result, using reverse engineering files with insufficient accuracy
to manufacture side booms eventually caused fitting issues on
tractors and additional project delays and costs.
Always looking to provide the best results to its clients
within the shortest time frames possible, Midwestern obtained
Creaform’s advanced 3D measurement solu-
tions. For this specific project, the scan was
performed inside Midwestern’s facilities
using the MetraSCAN 210 optical CMM
scanner and the MaxSHOT 3D optical coor-
dinate measuring system. The dozer had to
be driven up onto railroad ties to elevate it
and facilitate its scanning.
“Without the Creaform solutions, it would
havebeenimpossibletoreachthelevelofaccu-
racy and the level of details we needed in order
to manufacture a new, fully integrated side
boom attachment that would allow optimum
functionality, visibility, accessibility, service-
ability and safety,” said Doug Garner, vice
president of engineering at Midwestern. “In
addition,thefactthatthefilesweresoaccurate
minimized considerably the amount of modi-
fications we had to apply to the platform.”
“The detailed 3D scans and 3D models
allow us to accurately design and integrate
our side boom attachment onto the existing
platform,” he added. “It also allows us to
completely visualize the design before final
approval and production.”
Creaform’s technologies reduce the
amount of engineering time actually spent
to complete a project, which, in turn, allows
Midwestern to focus on the actual side boom
design. Therefore, from a financial perspec-
tive, these time savings help to reduce sub-
stantially the costs related to engineering and
side boom attachment development. How
much time did Midwestern save using Crea-
form’s technology?
“It’shardtopreciselysay,”Garnerexplained.
“It saves us a lot of time upfront since we don’t
have to physically measure and recreate the
dozer (platform) in CAD. But more impor-
tantly, we gain a much higher level of detail
and accuracy from the scan—all of which
ultimate helps us optimize our design process.”
Garner described his experience with the
Creaform technologies as providing amazing
detail and accuracy.
“By using the 3D scanning technology and
reverse engineering process, we are able to
provide a superior product in our industry and to remain the
world leader in side boom attachments,” he says. “This is espe-
cially important in today’s world, where platform models are
changing more rapidly than ever before.” DE
www.sidebooms.com
www.creaform3d.com
This article was provided by Creaform.
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18-19-DES.indd 19 15-02-05 1:49 PM
January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
20
By Brian Phillippi
The idea of a smarter world where systems with sensors and
local processing are connected to share information is tak-
ing hold in every single industry. These systems will be connected
on a global scale with users and each other to help users make
more informed decisions. Many labels have been given to this
overarching idea, but the most ubiquitous is the Internet of
Things (IoT), including everything from smart homes, mobile
fitness devices and connected toys to the Industrial Internet of
Things (IIoT) encompassing smart agriculture, smart cities,
smart factories and the smart grid.
IIoT can be characterized as a vast number of connected
industrial systems that are communicating and coordinating
their data analytics and actions to improve industrial perfor-
mance and benefit society as a whole. Industrial systems that
create an interface between the digital world and the physical
world through sensors and actuators that solve complex control
problems are commonly known as cyber-physical systems. These
systems are being combined with Big Analog Data solutions to
gain deeper insight through data and analytics.
Imagine industrial systems that can adjust to their own
environments or even their own health. Instead of running to
failure, machines schedule their own maintenance or, better
yet, adjust their control algorithms dynamically to compensate
for a worn part and then communicate that data to other
machines and the people who rely on those machines. By mak-
ing machines smarter through local processing and communi-
cation, the IIoT could solve problems in ways that were previously
inconceivable. But, as innovation grows so does the complexity,
which makes the IIoT a very large challenge that no company
alone can meet.
This challenge becomes even more daunting and complex
when comparing the requirements of the industrial Internet to
those of the consumer Internet. Both involve connecting devices
and systems all across the globe, but IIoT adds stricter require-
ments to its local networks for latency, determinism and band-
width. When dealing with precision machines that can fail if
timing is off by a millisecond, adhering to strict requirements
becomes pivotal to the health and safety of the machine opera-
tors, the machines and the business.
Adaptability and Scalability
As the IIoT comes to fruition, it will be a big change for historical
industrial systems. The traditional design and augmentation of
industrial systems are characterized by either (1) designing a
proprietary or custom end-to-end solution or (2) adding func-
tionality by repeatedly tacking on vendor-defined black boxes.
The tack-on solution can be quick to implement, but at what cost?
One of the biggest advantages of the IIoT is that data is easily
shared and analyzed for better decision making.
For example, in a vendor-defined condition monitoring
Automation
The IIoT Challenge
Evolving to the Industrial Internet of Things will require a platform-based
design combined with an open architecture and real-time Ethernet.
20-23-DES.indd 20 15-02-05 1:51 PM
20-23-DES.indd 21 15-02-05 1:51 PM
January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
22
solution, the data being acquired and analyzed is not easily
available; the system is limited to sending simple alarms to
prevent a catastrophic failure. Data may be available after an
event to analyze and determine what went wrong, but by then,
time, money and more may have been lost. If the condition
monitoring data is not continuously analyzed and made avail-
able through an open, standardized interface, there is no pos-
sibility of adjusting control algorithms based on the data collected
or correlating the collected data to control events to improve
efficiency or prevent system downtime.
The opposite is true for end-to-end solutions. All
of the components and the end-to-end solution can
work in harmony, but the underlying issue still remains.
When an end-to-end solution is built, the communi-
cation protocols are uniform and data can be shared
easily.
But at that point, the solution itself essentially
becomes the black box due to proprietary communica-
tion protocols. As soon as an update is required, the
engineer faces the dilemma of tacking on a solution
that may not communicate well with the whole system or of
starting the process over and creating a new end-to-end solution.
IIoT systems need to be adaptive and scalable through software
or added functionality that easily integrates into the overall
solution. When the entire system is a black box, this cannot
occur. There has to be a better way to integrate disparate systems
and reduce system complexity without sacrificing innovation.
Security and Maintenance
Adaptability and scalability are only the first of many challenges
presented by the IIoT. Systems management and security are
also paramount. As massive networks of systems come online,
these systems need to communicate with each other and with
the enterprise, often over vast distances. Both the systems and
the communications need to be secure, or millions of dollars’
worth of assets are put at risk. One of the most prevalent
examples of the need for security is the smart grid, which is on
the leading edge of the IIoT. As information on the grid becomes
more accessible, so does the damage a security breach can inflict.
In addition to being secure, these systems need to be con-
tinually modified and maintained to meet ever-changing
functionality and system-maintenance requirements. As more
capabilities are added, software updates are needed or more
systems must be added. Soon a tangled web of interconnected
components starts to form. The new system has to integrate
not only with the original system but also all of the other
systems. Imagine modifying and updating thousands or mil-
lions of systems located all over the world, including some in
remote locations.
The IIoT Investment
Developing and deploying the systems that will make up the
IIoT represent a massive investment for decades to come. The
only way to meet the needs of today and tomorrow is not by
predicting the future but by deploying a network of systems
flexible enough to evolve and adapt. The way forward involves
a platform-based approach; a single flexible hardware architec-
ture deployed across many applications removes a substantial
amount of the hardware complexity and makes each new prob-
lem primarily a software challenge. The same principle must
be applied to software tools to form a powerful hardware-
software platform that creates a unified solution. An effective
platform-based approach does not focus on hardware or software
but instead on the innovation within the application itself.
Platforms to develop the IIoT exist today. The platforms
that system designers choose need to be based on an IT-friendly
OS so they can be securely provisioned and configured to
properly authenticate and authorize users to maintain system
integrity and maximize system availability. These platforms
can achieve this through an open OS that helps security experts
from around the world unite and develop the latest in embed-
ded security.
These platforms also need to be based on standard Ethernet
technologies and incorporate evolving standards to enable a
more open and deterministic network that meets IIoT latency,
determinism and bandwidth requirements while maximizing
interoperability between industrial systems providers and the
consumer IoT.
Organizations like the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC)
document use-cases and ensure interoperability. Additionally,
the IEEE has formed the Time Sensitive Network task group to
evolve IEEE 802.1 to meet these requirements.
The ongoing design of the IIoT represents a massive business
and technology opportunity for all of us. Organizations like the
IIC, IEEE and AVnu are working hard to define the IIoT. They
are actively gathering use-cases to better understand how best
to enable more innovation.
Engineers and scientists are already implementing systems on
the leading edge of the IIoT, but they still face many unknowns
and much work ahead. Start concentrating on a platform-based
approach and become part of the IIoT generation by getting
involved with these bodies to define the future and ensure that
businesses focus on innovation and not simply integration. DE
www.ni.com/trend-watch
Brian Phillippi is a product marketing manager at National
Instruments. This article was adapted from “Industrial Internet
of Things,” a report from National Instruments’ Trend Watch
2015 series.
Automation
By making machines smarter through local
processing and communication, the IIoT could
solve problems in ways that were previously
inconceivable. But, as innovation grows so does
the complexity, which makes the IIoT a very large
challenge that no company alone can meet.
20-23-DES.indd 22 15-02-05 1:51 PM
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January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
24
By Dana Parmenter
When it comes to hazardous or dangerous locations, the oil
and gas industry receives the most attention in North
America. The industry is both praised for its economic growth
potential and spurned for the perceived risks.
To mitigate the risks, it’s important that both the designer of
theequipmentandthoseinvolvedinitsinstall,repairandoperation
have a thorough understanding of the requirements. The very
nature of these locations means there are explosive elements that
requirespecificsafetyfeaturestoensurethemachinerycanbeused
safely.Certificationofproducts,andevenpersonnelinsomecases,
is required by law in most jurisdictions.
Incorporating safety features into the initial design, ensuring
proper testing and certification of products and training of
personnel operating the equipment should always be considered
best practice and included as an integral part of overall product
development.
As growth in hazardous locations industries in North
America and around the globe continues at an increased pace,
so has the demand for equipment, repair and personnel. This
increase in demand has had many positive and important con-
tributions to the economy.
Unfortunately, this exponential rise has also come with an
increase in injuries and deaths to those working in the field, the
communities where these sites are located and through which
hazardous materials are transported via pipeline, road and rail.
It is often claimed, and easy to assume, the rise is simply the
result of the much higher numbers of people employed in these
industries, increased mechanization and the greater number of
hazardous locations.
However, data available indicates this rise is not simply due to
volume alone but also to much more subtle and often overlooked
factors.Theuseofnon-seasonedoruntrainedworkers;equipment
thatisnotcertifiedorunfitforthedesignatedpurpose;andimproper
storage, repair and maintenance are often the underlying cause of
these accidents. It’s not surprising, then, that both companies and
individualsareseekingstrategiestoassuresafetyoftheirproperty,
workers and the communities in which they operate.
Product Certification
Demand for equipment for hazardous areas is largely in response
to the global increase in oil and gas production which has surged
inrecentyearsoftenleadingtolongerthanexpectedleadtimesfor
important new equipment. It has also led to an increase in equip-
ment manufacturers, many of whom are unfamiliar with the
requirements for hazardous locations products.
Productcertificationisoftenviewedasanecessaryeviltobring
aproducttomarketratherthantheimportantsafetyfunctionthat
it actually is. When designing equipment for use in hazardous
locations,itisimperativetounderstandthesafetystandardsadopted
byeachjurisdictionwhereaproductmightbeused.Theserequire-
ments must act as the foundation to any design, as certification
will be necessary and safety requirements can have implications
that effect functionality.
Demonstrationofcompliancerequirestestingandapprovalby
a Certification Body or Notified Body accredited to issue the cer-
tificateforthedesignatedtargetregion.It’scriticalthatmanufactur-
ers and designers consider the intended use of the product at the
initialdesignphasesratherthantheweeksbeforeproductiononce
ShopTalk
A PROACTIVE
Approach
Maintaining safety in industries with hazardous locations starts with the design and
operation of the equipment used.
24-27-DES.indd 24 15-02-09 2:22 PM
www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015
25
the functional design is complete. This includes considerations
such as what protection concept will be employed to assure safety
of the equipment, as well as what type of hazards and operating
environments the product will be exposed to.
Beyond selecting certified products, purchasers and operators
of hazardous location equipment have the additional responsibil-
ity of assuring the certification actually meets the requirements of
the intended installation location as products are certified for use
inveryspecificlocationsandconditions.Toeffectivelyimplement
and assure proper equipment use requires knowledgeable and
competentstaff.Oneofthebestwaystoassureuniformunderstand-
ingandcomplianceisathoroughandongoingpersonnelcertifica-
tion program.
Personnel Certification
While there is often significant time and investment in the certi-
fication of the products for use in hazardous areas, the knowledge
and capability of the individuals tasked with sourcing, installing
and maintaining the equipment is often less thorough. Safety
provided by certified products can quickly be undermined by
improper installation or maintenance by unknowledgeable staff.
Larger companies in the oil and gas industry often have
comprehensive training programs in place. However, industry
growth and outsourcing has led to a boom in small service
companies often without these elaborate
health and safety programs or the resources
internally to provide them.
In addition, oil and gas growth in “non-
traditional” locations such Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick and Newfoundland has further
posed difficulties as the historical knowledge
fromexperiencefoundinlongtimeproducing
areas such as Alberta or Texas do not exist in
these“newer”oilregions.Stakeholdersshould
aimtoassurethatnotonlytheirown,buttheir
suppliers and contractors personnel, are
capable and competent.
The best way to assure competence is par-
ticipationandcertificationofstaffinvolvedin
hazardous areas to a personnel competence
schemesuchasIECExPersonnelCompetence
program. Independent third party personnel
competence schemes assure a demonstrated
knowledgeoftherequiredskillsanduniformity
of all participants.
Utilization of a scheme such as IECEx per-
sonnel competence assures companies who
outsource elements of their business a consis-
tent and measurable method of assuring their
subcontractors and providers have a skill set
consistent with their own, limiting costly
mistakes resulting from the competence of
hired staff. This also extends past initial com-
missioningtolifecycleservicessuchasequip-
ment repair, inspection and maintenance.
Equipment Repair and Inspections
The past decade has seen new equipment, infrastructure and
businesses entering the market faster than any previous time.
Current standards and regulations have increased the requirements
of the equipment being produced for hazardous locations improv-
ing worker and workplace safety. The demand is so great that
often new equipment supply is not sufficient to meet the demand.
The volume of equipment in service and the shortage of new
equipment create a unique challenge as equipment that was pre-
viously mothballed is being re-commissioned. This equipment
is often in a state of disrepair and in some cases no longer compli-
ant with standards or safety regulations. Further, the sheer volume
of equipment in use and the increasing age of infrastructure
brings with it greater need for inspection, repair and maintenance.
Effective safety measures must encompass best practices in all
three of these key areas.
Maintaining equipment integrity and ensuring the safety of
personnel is the ultimate goal of any inspection, repair and main-
tenance program. If handled improperly, repairs performed may
invalidate a product’s certification or worse negate some or all of
the protection measures in place to assure it doesn’t cause a fire
or explosion. Equipment that is not maintained also carries
similar risk due to various influences such as environmental
damage or neglect. Failure to monitor and correct these challenges
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24-27-DES.indd 25 15-02-09 2:22 PM
January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
26
through regular maintenance can have catastrophic results.
Often, these tasks have been handled internally; however, in
light of recent incidents in the field, regulations relating to
engineering and inspection requirements are becoming increas-
ingly more stringent and the required skills or volumes of these
skills simply aren’t available. This leads us back to the importance
of personnel certification. A comprehensive and forward-
looking program can help ensure the required resources in
sufficient volume.
Utilization of a third party expert to accomplish these tasks
is also a valid option. Third parties carry unique skills and knowl-
edge that are tested by experience and time. They also typically
hold the most up-to-date knowledge and training. Use of a third
party for your inspection, repair and maintenance provides
workforce flexibility and consistent quality.
Some programs, such as the IECEx Service Facility Certi-
fication scheme, offer a third party validated certificate of
conformity that confirms an independent ExCB evaluated the
facility and found it to have the appropriate equipment, trained
staff and procedures to assure high degrees of confidence in
performed repairs and ongoing compliance with its safety
certificate.
A sound inspection, repair and maintenance program using
the latest knowledge, facilities, tools and resources is mandatory
to help ensure safety and reduce the risk of costly accidents.
Accidents in industries with hazardous locations are dispropor-
tionately higher at smaller operators who lack the safety program
or training to assure safe working. Understanding where you may
have weakness and using third party resources available to help
you identify these challenges or perform the tasks for you where
you lack the confidence and skills helps guarantee the safety of
all stakeholders.
While the very nature of these industries is dangerous, the
number of accidents is still few and far between. Advancements
in technology, health, safety and awareness over the past 10 to 15
years have created great gains in safe working practices.
However, with the ongoing boom in industries with hazardous
locations, and the associated demand for people and equipment,
we will see increased chances that aging or uncertified equipment,
untrained labor and maintenance programs will increase the risk
of a series accident. A proactive approach is required to address
the gaps to help ensure the safety of personnel and equipment
and a thorough policy to educate staff and assure safe practices
are always encouraged and followed. DE
www.csagroup.org
Dana Parmenter is the Group Global Business Unit Director,
Hazardous Locations for the Canadian Standards Association.
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January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
28 CareerReport
As unbelievable as it may sound, if you hold an engineering
degree in Canada, it’s unlikely you’re actually working as an
engineer. In fact, there is an unacceptably high chance you’re not
workinginajobthatnecessarilyrequiresauniversitydegreeofany
kind.Andthat’sonlyformaleengineerstrainedinCanada.Ifyou’re
a woman with an engineering degree or were trained abroad, the
likelihood you’re employed as an engineer is even bleaker.
These troubling findings are the culmination of a series of in-
depth reports conducted by the Ontario Society of Professional
Engineers(OSPE)overthepastyear.InMay2014,OSPEpresented
From Classroom to Career: Employment and Underemployment
Among Ontario’s Engineering Graduates, a report explored the
disconnect between what employers say – that there is a shortage
of workers who have the specialized skills they need – and the
ongoingaccountswehearfromindividualswithengineeringdegrees
who cannot find relevant or appropriate work.
In September 2014, OSPE published From the World to the
Workforce: Hiring and Recruitment Perceptions of Engineering
Employers and Internationally Trained Engineers in Ontario. This
report’scorefindingwasthatasymmetriesormisalignmentsexist
betweentherecruitmentprocessesofemployersandthejobsearch
practices of internationally trained engineers (ITEs).
The association’s latest study — Crisis in Ontario’s Engineering
Labour Market: Underemployment Among Ontario’s Engineering-
Degree Holders — goes one step further. Released in January 2015,
thestudyfocusesonindividualswithengineeringdegreeswhoare
working in jobs that don’t necessarily require a university degree.
Since there is no universally agreed-to definition of underem-
ployment, the report defines the term as a state of employment in
which an individual with an engineering degree has a job that
doesn’t necessarily require a university degree of any kind.
InformationreferredtointhisreportisderivedfromtheCana-
dian National Census 2011 National Household Survey (NHS).
According to the 2011 NHS, only about 30 per cent of employed
individuals in Ontario who held a bachelor’s degree or higher in
engineering were working as engineers or engineering managers.
Fully two-thirds of engineering degree holders were not working
inengineeringatall.Evenmorealarming,greaterthan33percent
had jobs that didn’t necessarily require a university degree.
OSPEconsidersthisunacceptable,andanindicatorofsignificant
underemployment of those who hold engineering degrees.
Byawidemargin,employedindividualswithbachelor’sdegrees
or higher in engineering did not work in their field of study com-
pared with those with medical, law, nursing or education degrees.
The percentage of people with engineering degrees who actually
workedasengineersorengineeringmanagerswaslowerinOntario
than in any of the five provinces to which it was compared, and
Canada as a whole.
In Ontario, just 29.7 per cent of individuals with engineering
degrees worked as engineers or engineering managers. This com-
pares with almost 46 per cent of similarly educated individuals in
Alberta, for instance.
Additionally,thosewhoobtaintheirengineeringdegreesoutside
Canada faced, and continue to face, a troubling situation when it
comestoemployment.Therewasmuchgreaterunderemployment
inthisgroupthanamongthosewhosedegreeswerefromCanada.
If we assume that individuals with degrees from outside Canada
are immigrants and internationally trained engineers (ITEs), just
over 20 per cent worked as engineers or engineering managers.
Consideringgenderdifferences,justover20percentofwomen
with engineering degrees worked as engineers or engineering
managers.Indicatorsareworsewithrespecttounderemployment
forthisgroup.Welloverone-thirdofwomenwhohadengineering
degreesworkedinjobsnotnecessarilyrequiringadegree.Thiswas
especiallytrueforwomenwithdegreesfromoutsideCanadaas50
per cent were unemployed.
ThesefindingsarediscussedinmuchgreaterdetailintheOSPE
report available on the association’s web site, but they do lead to a
number of questions, including: Are we graduating too many
engineers in Canada? Are employers doing their part to generate
entry-levelpositions?DidCanada’simmigrationsystemcontribute
to the underemployment situation?
While beyond the scope of OSPE’s research so far, the answers
to these and numerous other questions are critical to the health of
the engineering profession in Canada. DE
www.ospe.on.ca
This article was adapted from OSPE’s report, Crisis in Ontario’s
Engineering Labour Market: Underemployment Among
Ontario’s Engineering-Degree Holders.
Canada’s
Engineering
UNDEREMPLOYMENT CRISISOSPE study finds an unacceptable number of engineering degree holders in Canada
are employed in positions that don’t necessarily require a university education.
28-29-DES.indd 28 15-02-09 1:37 PM
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January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
30 CareerReport
By Mike McLeod
Engineers in Canada, and the firms that employ them, are
caught in a Catch-22. According to studies conducted by
the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) and Engi-
neers Canada, the profession is locked in a labour supply and
demand puzzle that could have serious consequences in the
coming decade.
On the one hand, employers complain of a broad skills short-
age, in particular a lack of engineers with at least 5-10 years of
experience. But while industry struggles to find suitable candidates,
it is also facing a looming deadline. A 2012 labor study conducted
by Engineers Canada projects that as Baby Boomer engineers
reach retirement age, the number of experienced engineers in
Canada will begin to decline significantly by 2020.
Part of the problem, says Ontario Society of Professional Engi-
neersCEOSandroPerruzza,isthatemployersarereluctanttohire
those unable to “hit the ground running.” This leaves many engi-
neering graduates struggling to find jobs in their field. In fact,
OSPE’s recently released report Crisis in Ontario’s Engineering
Labour Market (detailed on page 28), finds that only 30 per cent
engineering degree holders in Ontario work as engineers— a per-
centage that doesn’t differ radically in other provinces.
“Industry has tried looking for engineers within Canada
so they go to the government and say there is a skill shortage
here,” he says. “So they asked to open the borders and let in
engineers from other countries who have the skill set they’re
looking for. Well, they have done that and we are currently
immigrating as many engineers as we graduate, but as our
studies show, [internationally trained engineers] have even
less chance of landing a job in Canada.”
“So if the existing workforce isn’t there and looking [outside
Canada] isn’t working, then how much longer do you have to
wait before you realize that it’s better to develop your own talent,”
he adds. “A co-op program is a great way to get a student who,
while they are learning, comes into your company and also learns
your work processes and culture. You develop a relationship with
them and also see if they’re a good fit for your organization.”
For Dr. Wayne Parker, P.Eng., Associate Dean of Cooperative
Education and Professional Affairs at the University of Water-
loo, that sentiment is central to the university’s engineering
program philosophy. With nearly 7,000 students enrolled in 14
engineering programs, U of W requires all its engineering under-
grads to complete up to two years worth of co-op placement as
a graduation requirement and has done so since its founding in
1957. Today, in partnership with approximately 5,200 Canadian
and international companies, the university operates the largest
post secondary co-op program of its kind in the world.
The results, Parker says, speak for themselves. A survey of 2010
graduates conducted in 2013 for the Ontario Ministry of Training,
Colleges and Universities, found that 92 per cent of U of W engi-
neering degree holders landed a job six months after graduation
and 95.9 per cent after two years. In addition, the university says,
on average, co-op students earn 15 percent more post graduation.
“Employers come to co-op for a number of reasons: Some are
doing talent scouting for permanent employment and some have
short term needs for people to step in and take on particular
tasks,” Parker says. “The best employment situations are when
the students are given tasks that have real meaning and where,
at the end of the day, the student and the employer can see that
the work has made a contribution to the organization.”
Makingsurestudentshaveachancetocontributemeaningfully
duringtheirplacementsiskey,agreesCherylHulme,Co-opCoor-
dinator for Engineering at the University of Guelph. The biggest
obstacle she finds when talking to prospective partner companies
is overcoming a previous bad experience with a co-op student.
“If an employer has had a student who wasn’t suited for the
position, didn’t get the support they needed or simply wasn’t
ready to work, the employer is likely to say, ‘co-op students are
more work than they’re worth; I’m not getting enough value,’”
she says. “Some of that comes from the fact that a traditional
co-op program just has four-month work terms. So an employer
brings them in, trains them up and in 16 weeks, it is time for
them to go. But as companies have become leaner and leaner,
everyone who comes on board has to be adding value. In four
month, it can be hard to find that value.”
A Question of
EXPERIENCE
University co-op programs provide the
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engineering labour market.
30-33-DES.indd 30 15-02-09 4:30 PM
Whether you want to transform your career, your prospects, or
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January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
32
In response, Hulme says the University of Guelph has moved
toward 8-month work terms beginning after the second year
for its engineering students. She says the longer term is not only
more attractive to employers but also allows students to get up
to speed in a position before they rotate back to their academic
studies. At the same time, it still provides the opportunity for
students to “sample” a spectrum potential career tracks before
graduation.
Unlike U of W’s program, however, University of Guelph’s
isn’t mandatory. In total, the program ran 395 unique engineer-
ing workterms last year. Having an optional program, she says,
tends to attract only highly motivated and committed students
who have had an opportunity to consider all their options.
“And in some engineering programs, students go out in the
January of their first year so their feet are barely wet in univer-
sity life,” she says. “Our students don’t go out until they finish
two full years of their program. So not only have they taken half
their courses but they have also begun to think about what they
really want to do.”
Rather than break work placement into alternating four or
eight month stretches, some engineering programs prefer a paid
internship model. In Ryerson University’s Industrial Internship
Program, for example, students work for 12 to 16 months after
their third academic year. When the term is up, they return to
university to complete their degree.
Dr. Liping Fang, P.Eng, Associate Dean, Undergraduate
Programs and Student Affairs at Ryerson University says that
while internships limit students to a single employer, they also
provide ample time for students to become fully contributing
employees. Currently, approximately 30 percent of the Toronto
university’s engineering track students seek internships.
This extended placement also benefits employers, Fang says,
by reducing the cost of recruitment, as many interns are offered
permanent positions by the end of their term. In addition, he
says employers, whether they participate in a co-op or intern-
ship program, can offset some of the costs associated with hir-
ing an engineering student through the Ontario Co-operative
Education Tax Credit and the Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council Awards.
“In Canada, we have a lot of new graduates from engineering
programs but we have companies that want people with five
years experience,” says Fang. “For people graduating in this type
of program, they may not get five years, but this way companies
are providing experience gaining opportunities. I think this is
one way to fill this five-year experience gap.” DE
www.ryerson.ca/mie/IIP
www.recruitguelph.ca/cecs
http://uwaterloo.ca/engineering
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1 Year
Work experience
3 Year 5 Year
Edmonton, AB
$70,080
$76,066
$81,922
Lo
Calgary, AB
$71,948
$78,095
$84,107
Saskatoon, SS
$64,117
$69,677
$75,116
Vancouver, BC
$71,604
$77,668
$83,599
Victoria, BC
$69,136
$74,939
$80,615
Winnipeg, MB
$62,686
$68,122
$73,440
BRITISH
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AN
January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
34 CareerReport
34-35v1-DES.indd 34 15-02-09 1:49 PM
Halifax, NS
$62,448
$67,902
$73,237
Kitchener, ON
$65,665
$71,205
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London, ON
$66,260
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Montréal, QC
$65,745
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Québec City, QC
$62,053
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Toronto, ON
$70,118
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Ottawa, ON
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ONTARIO
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www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015
Mechanical
Engineering
Salary Guide
According to a recently released compensation study, where Canadian
engineers live and work has as much impact on how much they make
as their chosen discipline and industry. The data presented here is adapted
from Randstad Engineering’s 2015 National Compensation Survey. The firm
is Canada’s leading provider of customized staffing and recruitment
solutions for engineering and technical talent.
The numbers below represent the average salaries of mechanical
engineers across 12 industries in 12 major cities. In addition, the numbers
represent average salaries for mechanical engineers at 1, 3 and 5 years of
experience. Randstad’s complete and comprehensive survey, available as a
free download from the company’s web site, includes salary data for all
engineering disciplines and across more than 30 Canadian cities.
http://w.randstad.ca/design-engineering-salary-guide
34-35v1-DES.indd 35 15-02-09 1:49 PM
January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
36
Unorthodox dual gantry milling machine
with twin rotary 6-axis milling heads realizes
35 percent cycle time improvement for
aerospace manufacturer.
By John Meyer
Since its founding in 1975, Triumph Structures – Wichita has
made a name for itself in aerospace manufacturing circles not
only for its extensive CNC capabilities but also its early adoption
of technology. Operating in the heart of the “air capital of the
world,” the contract manufacturing company specializes in com-
plex, high speed, monolithic precision machining and sub-
assembly of aluminum and titanium structural airframe
components often with wall thicknesses
down to 0.020 inches.
In total, its Kansas-based facility
houses 21 individual 5-axis machining
centers, with a maximum length of 960
inches. More than 20 other 3-axis and
4-axis machines complete Triumph’s
machining capability for aluminum
structures. Projects run the gamut of
build-to-print precision machining of
aluminum and hard metal small-to-
large parts, especially aircraft wing
spars, skins, bulkheads and landing
gear components.
But, while its machine capabilities
are substantial, the company often
required a machine that could serve
multiple purposes. For example, many
times Triumph needed to machine very
long parts with volumetric compensa-
tion to manage material expansion and
tool tip position over a very long cutting
cycle, often multiple days.
The company had extensive experi-
ence in this area, but it was determined
that a single machine might be capable
of also running multiple smaller parts
or operate in twin fashion, occasionally
using the entire machine bed with both
heads working the same part in tandem.
Clearly, the latter scenario would demand extremely close atten-
tion to collision avoidance between the gantries, as well as the
consistency of surface machining at the points where the twin
machining heads intersected.
“We had grown steadily over the last decades, since our
incorporation of 5-axis work in the 1990s, and were ready to
jump to a new level of competence for our customers, who
represent the top players in both
commercial and military aircraft,
making Triumph Structures –
Wichita a more value-adding sup-
plier,” explains Harry Thurmond,
president of Triumph Structures
– Wichita.
“We had requirements for spars
and stringers that often reached
22 feet in length, but we also do a
variety of production jobs on
smaller sections such as bulk-
heads,” he adds. “This creates the
need for fast, reliable and adaptable
machine tools.”
Thecompanyconsideredavari-
ety of options to expand on the
capabilitiesoftheirexistingmilling
machines, but ultimately turned to
its longtime partner and portal
machine supplier, Michigan-based
Zimmermann, Inc. Meeting Tri-
umph Structures’ requirements,
however,necessitatedthatZimmer-
mann modify one of its FZ100
machines with twin gantries, each
equipped with a three rotary axis
head and independent Siemens
Sinumerik 840D sl CNC.
“We had a variety of machine
styles available, but the best solution was a head with three
rotary axes, A-B-C integrated in a forked milling head,” explains
Zimmermann President Matthias Tockook. “This provided
simultaneous 6-axis cutting in a very compact design, with no
pole position, less overall axis rotation, a constant feedrate
capability and improved surface quality.”
The individual head machining time scenario was further
In TANDEM
MotionControl
A view down the entire length of the workspace, showing
the twin heads and the break wall removed for continuous
machining of a single workpiece, with co-dependent
gantry and CNC operability.
36-38-DES.indd 36 15-02-05 1:55 PM
www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015
37
detailed. If the maximum time was achieved
using an A- and C-head with infinite C-axis,
the alternative A-B-C integrated rotary axis
head could accomplish the same work in
25 percent of that time.
In designing the final work envelope
and machine structure, Zimmermann
engineers determined the best solution
was a removable break wall built into the
midpoint of the machine bed, which would
allow completely independent operation
of the entire machine, literally running as
two machine tools in one.
When removed, the machine bed
could accept parts up to 960 inches in
length and process them using the twin
heads working in tandem and monitored
for total collision avoidance by the two
CNCs onboard.
Owing to the unique volumetric com-
pensation feature of the Siemens CNC,
where the execution of the
machining is
based upon the
actual tool tip
position, the
point of intersec-
tion for the twin
heads was found
to be an easily
addressed and
resolved issue.
Surface integrity on the workpiece would
be preserved, while machine and operator
safety would remain paramount. The
machine was built over a period of eigh-
teen months. Parts were sent to Zimmer-
man to be fully tested prior to being
erected on site.
According to Thurmond, the Zimmer-
mann head design provides significant
advantages in speed on the typical peaks
and pockets found in aerospace structure
machining, working in tandem with the
look-ahead feature on the CNC.
“It slows down and speeds up in antici-
pation of the next required surface contour,”
he says. “Over long run times, this can
translate into an improvement of 35 percent
or better, because there is no deburring or
polishing required. We routinely get better
than a 125 RMS finish on inside pocket
surfaces and up to a 32 RMS on the outside
of the Series 7000 aluminums we run. Com-
bined with the flexibility of the machine to
work a single structure or individual work-
pieces simultaneously, we have been quite
satisfied with the results to date.”
On longer runs, Thurmond adds, the
chilled coolant used on the Zimmermann
is helpful in minimizing thermal expansion
of the material, a critical factor in long run
machining work. An added advantage, the
machine is used to produce workholding
and fixturing devices. Lastly, the Zimmer-
mann machine is equipped with test probes,
so it can be used as a CMM to measure
workpieces in process.
The 3-axis head avoids the pole position
of the traditional 2-axis A-C head at A =
0º. In this Zimmermann head design, the
B-axis moves +/- 15º inside a rigid curved
guideway for handling the inner sloping
and especially the pockets typically found
on aero structures, so simultaneous 6-axis
machining is achieved with high surface
finish integrity.
The new machine is further equipped
with a stationary clamping table, fixed
mounted side walls, DemTec composite
fill on the base and side walls for enhanced
stability and vibration damping. Backlash-
MotionControl
Triumph Structures — Wichita’s twin gantry
portal milling machine features this unique
head design, based on three rotary axes.
Paired with its twin, the heads are capable
of full 6-axis machining with 125 RMS
inside and 32 RMS outside finish.
One of two Siemens Sinumerik CNC units on the machine. With the
doors closed and the break wall installed, each of the two
work envelopes of the machine can run simultaneously
yet completely independent of the other.
36-38-DES.indd 37 15-02-05 1:55 PM
To advertise your solution in this section call Taebah Khan at 416.510.5230
January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
38
free drives on both sides with rack-and-pinion mechanisms are
sealed from contamination and guided on both sides. All axes
have feed rates to 60m/min and accelerations to 4m/sec2. Each
head can access a 60-position toolchanger on the machine.
For communication of data from the machine, Triumph
Structures – Wichita integrates the CNCs into their Ethernet
network via DNC and hard-wiring. Through a remote monitor-
ing feature on the Sinumerik 840D SL CNC, Zimmermann is
also able to maintain awareness of all conditions on the machine
in real-time. The machine built for Triumph Structures –
Wichita also includes Siemens servo motors and drives plus
spindles running at 73kW/95HP and 27,000 rpm in operation.
Commenting on the CNC selection, Zimmermann’s Tockook
observed, “With all the challenges we had on this machine,
including the axes of motion, the integration of the twin gantry
movements, the substantial safety factors involved and the need
for independent and also co-dependent gantry operations, we
quickly determined that only twin Sinumerik 840D sl CNCs
could handle this job.” DE
www.usa.siemens.com
www.zimmermann-inc.com
www.triumphgroup.com
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PERFECT MESHING TIMING BELTS AND PULLEYS
Perfect meshing timing pulleys are crucial for high
performance and long service life. The B216
Timing Belt Pulley catalog from BRECOflex
highlights our domestic custom pulley capabilities,
available tooth pitches, and stock pulleys.
Our NJ production facility is designed around
made-to-order pulleys for industry-leading
standard and expedited delivery times.
Our objective is “100% customer satisfaction”!
BrecoFlex
www.brecoflex.com
Tel: 888-463-1400 • Email: info@brecoflex.com
36-38-DES.indd 38 15-02-05 1:55 PM
www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015
39
Automation
Embedded PC
Beckhoff Automation unveiled its CX5100 series of embed-
ded PC controllers, featuring Intel’s latest 22-nm Atom
CPUs (‘Bay Trail’). The fanless, rail-mountable controllers
are offered in three different processor and housing sizes:
Single-core, 1.46 GHz (CX5120); dual-core, 1.75 GHz
(CX5130); or quad-core, 1.91 GHz Atom CPU (CX5140).
The basic interface equipment corresponds to that of the company’s CX5000 devices:
Automatic recognition of K-Bus I/O or EtherCAT Terminals; two Gigabit-capable Ethernet
interfaces; four USB 2.0 ports; a DVI-I interface and a “multi-option” interface that can be
equipped to support a variety of fieldbus systems. The embedded PCs extended operating
temperature ranges from -25 to +60 °C.
www.beckhoffautomation.com/cx5100
Graphics Terminal
Rockwell Automation released its PanelView Plus 7 Standard
graphic terminal, available in screen size options ranging from
4 to 10 inches standard and 4-inch and 9-inch in widescreen
formats. The terminals feature an SD card, to help configure
multiple machines and access saved diagnostics, as well as
virtual network computing (VNC) connectivity for secure
application monitoring on mobile devices from remote loca-
tions. The Rockwell Automation software code library includes faceplates and add-on
instructions (AOI) for the PanelView Plus 7 Standard operator interface. The terminals
provide connectivity to one controller, and up to 25 screens and 200 alarms along with
ATEX Certification.
www.rockwellautomation.com
Automation Panel
In addition to its widescreen panels, B&R Automation has
added a line of second generation automation panel
displays in conventional 4:3 format with single-touch
operation. As part of B&R’s modular system platform, the
panels can be combined with a module to create a panel
PC. The panels can also be equipped with a Smart Display
Link 3 receiver that allows the display to be installed at
distances up to 100 meters from the PC. SDL3 then transmits all necessary data over an
ordinary Ethernet cable. The 4:3 format units are available as 12.1- and 15-inch panels with
XGA resolution and well as 19-inch panels with SXGA resolution. The panels’ LED backlight
features a wide adjustment range to allow for dimmed user environments.
www.br-automation.com
PLC
WAGO announced the addition of its PFC200 PLC to the com-
pany’s Ethernet 2.0 series. The unit features multiple fieldbus
ports; a 600 MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor; 256 MB on-board
memory (32 GB removable) and an integrated web server. The
PFC200 acts as a fieldbus gateway to communicate between
MODBUS TCP/UD/RTU, CAN, PROFIBUS, Smart Grid and RS-232/
RS-485, eliminating the need for third-party converters. Con-
figuration of fieldbus networks is facilitated by the WAGO-I/O-
PRO programming and visualization software tool.
www.wago.us
IdeaGenerator
Vision1210™
w w w. u n i t r o n i c s . c om
usa.sales@unitronics.com
Unitronics, Inc.
1 Batterymarch Park Quincy, MA 02169 USA
PLC + HMI
inOneUnit
Starting at
$1,676
Toll Free: 866-666-6033
12.1”Colortouchscreen
800x600pixels(SVGA)
Supportsupto1000I/Os
Includinghigh-speed,
Temperature&weight
measurement
NEMA4X/IP66/IP65
39-43-DESv2.indd 39 15-02-05 1:59 PM
January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com
40
Level Controller
CARLO GAVAZZI has expanded its
line of Conductive Level Controllers,
which provide filling or emptying
control of liquid levels between two
different points. The company’s
CLD2EB1BU24 controller provides
three sensitivity ranges plus a fine tune adjustment from 250 ohms
to 500k ohms. The controller features DIN rail mounting, universal
24-240VAC/DC supply voltage and a 17.5mm housing width. The
company’s CLP2EB1Bxxx provides a single mid-range sensitivity adjust-
ment from 5k ohms to 150k ohms. Mounted via an 11-pin DIN-rail
mountable socket, four different models are available for operating
voltages of 24VDC, 24VAC, 115VAC or 230VAC. All of the models
provide one SPDT relay output, which is rated up to 8A, 250VAC.
www.gavazzionline.com
Motors
Motors and Gearboxes
Maxon announced additions to its X drive and GPX planetary
gearhead lines. The motor line now includes four more motor sizes
— 14, 16, 22 and 26mm diameter models. The models are also
available in a long version that
offers higher continuous torque
and output power. In addition,
the GPX planetary gearhead line
has added sizes 14, 19, 26 and
37mm, all of which are designed
with scaled gear stages. Each of
the new 3-stage gearheads can
be driven with the next smaller
motor. In addition, the existing GPX 16 and GPX 32 models are
available in various versions and can be equipped with ceramic
axles to reduce wear. Lastly, the company’s ENX 16 Easy absolute
encoder is available as an SSI or BiSS-C version, according to the
customer’s requirements.
http://dcx.maxonmotor.com
Servomotors
Beckhoff Automation intro-
duced its AM801x and
AM811x servomotors which
offer a low rotor moment
of inertia, as well as qua-
druple overload capacity,
and add a flange size F1
IdeaGenerator
AH1114A-PMG
Ph: 412-963-7470
Email: sales@aerotech.com
www.aerotech.com
Dedicated to the
Science of Motion
Control Systems
• Advanced control capabilities for
coordinated motion
• Innovative features for
minimizing dynamic tracking
errors
• Velocity profiling maintains a
constant vector velocity over
complex profiles for total material
distributing control
• Powerful, user-friendly
controllers and drives to enhance
your complete process
3D Motion Control Subsystem and Component Solutions
Precision Additive Manufacturing
Mechanical Systems
• 3D motion down to nanometer-
level performance
• Full line of linear and rotary
stages in both mechanical-
bearing and air-bearing versions
• Component-level solutions for
cost effective, reliable motion
• Integrated subsystems and
turnkey machines customized to
exact specifications
Subsystems with six
degrees of freedom
Aerotech motion products are currently used in a
variety of additive manufacturing applications.
A 3D printed structure
produced using an
Aerotech motion system.
Photo provided by
Professor Jennifer A. Lewis,
Harvard University
AH1114A-PMG-Additive-Manufacturing-7x4_875.indd 1 12/11/2014 1:43:24 PM
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Dng de-01012015

  • 1. $10.00 | January/February 2015 PM40069240 ENGINEERING Salary Guide 14 Inside Autodesk’s latest CAD in the Cloud design applications 28 Study reveals wide-spread underemployment of engineering degree holders in Canada 45 Toronto-made smart-bicycle gives directions and watches riders’ back in traffic Compensation map reveals average mechanical engineering salaries in major Canadian cities 1-DES.indd 1 15-02-10 2:08 PM
  • 2. Deliver it all – in black-and-white and colour – with the HP Designjet T3500 Production eMFP.1 The most productive large-format MFP2 offers advanced copy and scan features and low-cost, unattended operation. Built for rigorous IT demands and top security. Find out more: hp.ca/newdesignjets © 2015 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Colour is the new black. 1. Compared with large-format colour MFPs under $25,000 USD. Based on the fastest-rated colour speeds as published by manufacturers as of January 2014. Test methods vary. 2. Ibid Prints up to E/A0 size 2-3-DES.indd 2 15-01-30 7:58 AM
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  • 4. Superior-quality products. Comprehensive reliable solutions. X-life products from Schaeffler feature optimized roller geometries and raceway finishes that are so precise, their service life far exceeds the conventional standard — as much as 70% in the case of our cylindrical and spherical roller bearings. Need more details? Please contact us at 803-396-3644 or ads.ind@schaeffler.com www.schaeffler.ca ©2015 Bottom line: Maximum efficiency for your gearboxes. Only X-life. Only from Schaeffler. 4-5-DES.indd 4 15-02-09 2:16 PM
  • 5. IN THE NEWS 5 Annual Subscription Rate In Canada: $53.95 (1 year) $72.95 (2 year) Outside Canada: $101.95 (1 year) Single Copy In Canada: $10.00 Outside Canada: $22.00 Directory Rates In Canada: $28.00 Outside Canada: $46.00 Reader Service Contact Information ecallaghan@bizinfogroup.ca Toronto: 416 442 5600 X 3538 Elsewhere: 1-866-543-7888 Mail: Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. Design Engineering Circulation Dept 80 Valleybrook Drive North York, ON M3B 2S9 Printed in Canada IN THE NEWS 8 Linamar plans $500 billion expansion 8 RMT Robotics now Cimcorp Automation 8 Magellan signs $250M deal with P&WC 8 Waterloo researchers step closer to a viable Lithium-Sulphur battery 8 UBC engineers develop cheap, hand-held biochemistry lab 10 Voxel8 unveils first multi-material 3D electronics printer 12 UofT engineer’s spray-on quantum dot process could lead to ubiquitous solar power READER SERVICES Contents | Volume 61, No. 01 14 CAD Report Fusion 360 Ultimate and AutoCAD 360 manifest Autodesk’s noteworthy if shaky move toward CAD in the cloud 18 CAD Beat Midwestern Manufacturing’s pipelayer attachment benefits from 3D scanner’s accuracy 36 Motion Control Unorthodox dual gantry milling machine realizes 35 percent cycle time improvement for aerospace manufacturer 39 Idea Generator The latest industrial products including automation, fluid power and power transmission 45 Canadian Innovator Toronto-based Vanhawk’s smart-bike tracks performance, gives directions and notifies you if it’s stolen Columns 20 The IIoT Challenge Evolving to the Industrial Internet of Things will require a platform-based design, an open architecture and real-time Ethernet 24 A Proactive Approach Maintaining safety in industries with hazardous locations starts with the design and operation of the equipment used 28 Canada’s Engineering Underemployment Crisis OSPE study finds a high number of engineering graduates in Canada work in positions that don’t require university degree 30 A Question of Experience University co-op programs provide the key to opening Canada’s deadlocked engineering labor market 34 Engineering Salary Guide Compensation map reveals average mechanical engineering salaries across Canada Features www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015 r , d d 14 18 20 24 28 30 36 45 34 4-5-DES.indd 5 15-02-10 2:09 PM
  • 6. 6 EditorialViewpoint I enjoy hearing from you so please contact me at MMcLeod@design-engineering.com and your letter could be published in an upcoming issue. @ www.design-engineering.com Editor Michael McLeod (416) 442-5600 ext. 3231 mmcleod@design-engineering.com Publisher Alan Macpherson (416) 510-6756 AMacPherson@design-engineering.com Accounts Manager Taebah Khan (416) 510-5230 tkhan@design-engineering.com Technical Field Editor Pat Jones, P. Eng. Art Director Kathy Smith (416) 442-5600 ext. 3215 KSmith@plant.ca Market Production Manager Cheryl Fisher (416) 510-5194 CFisher@bizinfogroup.ca Circulation Manager Mary Garufi (416) 442-5600 ext. 3545 MGarufi@bizinfogroup.ca Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. President & CEO Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com Vice President Annex Business Media East Tim Dimopoulos (416) 510-5100 tdimopoulos@canadianmanufacturing.com Publications Mail Agreement #40069240 ISSN: 0011-9342 (Print), 1929-6452 (Online) Privacy Notice: From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1-800-668-2374 Fax: 416-442-2191 E-mail: privacyofficer@businessinformationgroup.ca. Mail to: Privacy Officer, 80 Valleybrook Drive, North York, ON M3B 2S9 Subscriber Services: To subscribe, renew your subscription or to change your address or information contact us at 1-800-387-0273 ext.3552. Subscription Price: Canada: $53.95 for 1 year; $72.95 for 2 years; $10 for single copy. Outside Canada: $101.95 for 1 year; $22 for single copy. Directory/buyer’s guide: Canada $28; Outside Canada $46. Design Engineering, established in 1955, is published by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc., 6 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which count as two subscription issues. Tel: 416-442-5600, Fax: 416-510-5140 80 Valleybrook Dr., Toronto, ON M3B 2S9. Contents of this publication are protected by copyright and must not be reprinted in whole or in part without permission of the publisher. DE receives unsolicited features and materials (including letters to the editor) from time to time. DE, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort. DE accepts no responsibility or liability for claims made for any product or service reported or advertised in this issue. DE is indexed in the Canadian Business Index by Micromedia Ltd., Toronto, and is available on-line in the Canadian Business & Current Affairs Database. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com You can’t get experience without a job and you can’t get a job without experience. This old truism has been repeated many times by those entering the job market for the first time or transitioning to a new career. And for most jobs, being under-qualified isn’ttheendoftheworld.Inthelicensedprofessions,however,whereday-to-daydecisions mayhavedisastrousconsequencesifmadebytheunqualified,moxiedoesn’tcutit.Most aspiringprofessionalsmustcompletesomeformofon-the-jobapprenticeshiptopractice. After two years of medical school, for example, would-be doctors begin a supervised internship followed by several years of residency before they’re considered full physi- cians. Similarly, Canadian law school grads are required to article for two years before becoming licensed to practice law. Even nurses and teachers typically have an intern- ship as part of their education. For would-be engineers, however, a structured apprenticeship isn’t necessarily a component of their education. With a few notable exceptions (e.g. University of Water- loo), most engineering departments offer optional and highly competitive co-op or intern programs. For those who don’t land a co-op position, their job prospects after graduation may be significantly diminished. According to the Ontario Society of Profes- sional Engineers’ 2014 study From Classroom to Career: A Snapshot of Employment and Underemployment Among Ontario’s Engineering Graduates, employers surveyed for the report,“overwhelminglyprefertohireengineeringgraduatesthathaveco-opexperience.” In a balanced or supply-surplus labor market, such a meritocratic co-op/internship processwouldbepreferable,asonlytopstudentswouldhaveahighlikelihoodofbecom- ing engineers. But as multiple articles and studies have found, employers are frustrated by a growing shortage of experienced engineers. The Engineering Labour Market in Canada: Projections to 2020—a 2012 study conducted by Engineers Canada and Randstad Engineering—points to “market imbalances” in which “an abundance of Canadians seeking work as engineers coexists with an acute shortage of engineering skills.” At the same time, the report projects that large numbers of engineers will reach retirement age over the next decade and “account for over 95,000 job openings…Managing this process and recruiting to meet this replacement demand is a priority.” Bringing in experienced engineers from other countries hasn’t helped to fix things. OSPE’s 2014 study Crisis in Ontario’s Engineering Labour Market: Underemployment Among Ontario’s Engineering-Degree Holders, found that in Canada, “just over 20 per cent of women and internationally trained engineers (ITEs) with engineering degrees actually work as engineers or engineering managers.” In earlier studies, OSPE research found that most Canadian employers have difficulty assessing the relevancy and quality of ITE’s previous, non-Canadian experience. So with Baby Boomer engineers set to retire combined with the surplus of engineer- ing graduates and internationally trained engineers who lack relevant experience, it’s up to employers to step up. No matter the industry, they need to engage in “bridging” programs for internationally trained engineers or co-op/internships for engineering undergrads,sothat,fiveyearsfromnow,thereareamplecandidatesavailabletofillthose positions. Or, as OSPE CEO Sandro Perruzza succinctly asks in this issue’s feature “A Question of Experience” (p.30), “How much longer do you have to wait before you realize that it’s better to develop your own talent?” Mike McLeod Made in Canada 6-7-DES.indd 6 15-02-10 2:11 PM
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  • 8. 8 UP FRONT Waterloo researchers step closer to a viable Lithium-Sulphur battery Chemistry researchers at Waterloo University announced a break- through in making lithium-sulphur (Li-S) batteries a feasible and better alternative to the lithium cobalt oxide cathode currently used in lithium-ion cells. Sulphur is not only a cheaper, lighter and more abundant material, the researchers say, but Li-S also possesses a significantly higher energy density, opening the possibility of powering electric vehicles three times further than current cells. Such a battery would also lower the cost (and weight) of the most expensive EV component. While the superiority of Li-S has been known for years, it also has major challenges. It’s main drawback has been that a sulphur cathode exhausts itself after only a few recharge cycles. Typically, the sulphur dissolves into the electro- lyte solution as it’s reduced by incoming electrons to form polysulphides. However, Chemistry Professor Linda Nazar and her research team in the Faculty of Science at the University of Waterloo discovered that ultra-thin nanosheets of manganese dioxide (MnO2 ) maintains the rechargable sulphur cathode. Specifically, the researchers found the reaction is similar to the chemical process behind Wackenroder’s Solution discovered in 1845. The oxygenated surface of the MnO2 nanosheet chemically recycles the sulphides in a two-step process involving a surface-bound inter- mediate, polythiosulfate. The result is a high-performance cathode that can recharge more than 2000 cycles. “Veryfewresearchersstudyoreventeachsulphurchemistryanymore,” said Nazar, who also holds the Canada Research Chair in Solid State Energy Materials. “It’s ironic we had to look so far back in the literature to understand something that may so radically change our future.” Postdoctoral research associate Xiao Liang, the lead author, and graduate students Connor Hart and Quan Pang also discovered that grapheneoxideseemstoworkbyasimilarmechanism.Theyarecurrently investigating other oxides to find the best sulphur retaining material. www.uwaterloo.ca UBC engineers develop cheap, hand-held biochemistry lab Engineers at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus have developed a hand-sized biochemistry laboratory capable of detect- ing infectious diseases in microscopic drops of blood or the presence of chemical weapons and other biohazards. Housed in a 3D printed enclosure, the small device integrates with a common smartphone to form an inexpensive and portable testing device that could be used in remote or resource-limited areas. DesignNews January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com Linamar plans $500 billion expansion Canadian auto parts manufacturer Linamar Ltd. announced a $500-million expansion to its Ontario operations in January. The company says the expansion will help the company focus on produc- ing lighter, more efficient transmission and power train parts. To assist the company, the Ontario government will provide a $50-million grant added to a $50.7 million repayable loan from the Canadian govern- ment. The province’s grant to Linamar is the first from its 10-year, $2.5-billion Jobs and Prosperity Fund. The company said, the $101 million from the two governments will be used to purchase new equipment and fund product R&D. www.linamar.com RMT Robotics now Cimcorp Automation Effective January 1, 2015, Grimsby, Ontario-based RMT Robotics, Ltd. has changed its name to Cimcorp Automation Ltd., a manufacturer and integrator of turnkey robotic gantry-based order fulfillment and tire handling solutions. Going forward, the company says it will use its combined resources to ramp up collaborative R&D initiatives and continue software development. Cimcorp Oy was acquired by Kyoto, Japan-based Murata Machinery, Ltd. in 2014 to provide mate- rial handling solutions to a global client base. As outlined after the acquisition, both Muratec and Cimcorp—including its North American subsid- iary—will continue business operations with no change to their current strategies. www.cimcorp.com Magellan signs $250M deal with P&WC Magellan Aerospace has signed a 10-year agree- ment with Pratt & Whitney Canada for the supply of complex magnesium and aluminum castings. Most of the castings will be produced by Magel- lan’s Haley, ON division. Magellan, a manufacturer of aerospace engine and structure assemblies and components, said the $250-million agreement with the Montreal-based aerospace engine maker will provide revenue through 2023. In addition to the legacy casting programs, the agreement includes the production of castings for the PurePower engine family, which encompasses the Airbus A320neo, Mitsubishi Regional Jet and Bombardier CSeries programs. www.magellan.aero 8-13-DES.indd 8 15-02-05 1:52 PM
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  • 10. 10 “It’s of great interest for use in placesthatdonothaveinfrastructure for accurate testing in a timely fash- ion,”saysUBCprofessor,Homayoun Najjaran, founder and principal investigatoroftheAdvancedControl and Intelligent Systems (ACIS) Lab. “Tomakeitreallyvaluable,youwant to be able to put the laboratory at the point of care, and this system will do just that.” The system uses several tech- nologies developed by the (ACIS) lab. Foremost among them is a digital microfluidic processor (i.e. lab-on-a-chip) that precisely con- trols electrical fields to move sample droplets in and around a chip. Typically, such chips are fabricated on glass wafers and cost $5 apiece. In contrast, the UBC team’s lab-on-a-chip — developed in consultationwithUBCprofessorofprintmakingBriarCraig—uses conductiveinkscreen-printedontopaper.Thisallowsseveralyards of the paper chips to be printed quickly and thereby reduces the priceperchip.AccordingtoNajjaran,hundredsofthepaperchips canbemanufacturedfor$5.Intotal,he says the cost of the entire laboratory could be less than $100, potentially. In addition to the chip, Najjaran’s engineering team also developed the lab’s electronics. A rechargeable 3.7- volt battery supplies enough power to manipulate the droplets of sample fluid. The device is monitored and controlled via Bluetooth wireless com- mands from a smartphone. Presently, the hand-held lab is sim- ply a working prototype but research- ers are seeking an industry partner so they can refine the technology for commercialization. In addition, the team is working with colleagues at UBC, McGill University and other institutions — including Canada’s National Design Network — to develop applications for the device. Funding was provided by the Canada Foundation for Inno- vation (CFI) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). The research also used UBC Okanagan’s Applied Micro- and Nanosystems Facility, a laboratory supported by Western Economic Diversification Canada. www.ubc.ca Voxel8 unveils first multi-material 3D electronics printer At CES 2015, Massachusetts- based start-up Voxel8 launched the world’s first electronics 3D printer, of the same name, capable of combining elec- tronic components, conduc- tive traces and polymer build material in a single print. The creation of Dr. Jennifer Lewis, Wyss Professor of Bio- logically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, the Voxel8 printer works the same as any FDM-style printer, depositing layers of PLA filament, stored in the machine’s base. To that, the 3D printer adds a pneumatically driven, cartridge print head that dispenses conductive silver ink via a 250 micron- wide nozzle. According to the company, the conductive ink dries quickly at room temperature and is 20,000x more conduc- tive than the most conductive filled-thermoplastic filaments and more than 5000x more conductive than carbon-based inks. The Voxel8 also features a removable build platform that allows designers to place electronic components (i.e. memory chip, LED, electric motor, etc) mid-build. After the platform is replaced, conductive ink connects the component leads to the rest of the circuit and the polymer encases the traces and com- ponents within the part. For design, the Voxel8 developer kit was launched in conjunc- tion with Project Wire, a browser-based application from DesignNews January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com |BK11-17USA| A Rod Ends and Spherical Bearings designed and manufactured to Aurora's exacting standards for quality and durability. Registered and Certified to ISO-9001 and AS9100. From economy commercial to aerospace approved, we've got it all ! Aurora Bearing Company 901 Aucutt Road Montgomery IL. 60538 Complete library of CAD drawings and 3D models available at: w w w . a u r o r a b e a r i n g . c o m Aurora-Where_the_Action_Is:Aurora 11/5/10 2:27 PM Page 1 UBC’s smartphone lab prototype with, from left, Engineering Instructor Ali Ahmadi, PhD Candidate Mohamed Yafia Salem, Assoc. Prof. Homayoun Najjaran, and mechanical engineering student Jessica Van Brummelen 8-13-DES.indd 10 15-02-05 1:52 PM
  • 11. 75% space saving 50% space saving Cut I/O installation space up to 75%. The compact HD Bus Terminal series from Beckhoff. The 12 mm I/O terminals offer 16 connection points. The space-saving High Density Bus Terminals are available in various configurations, e.g.: 16 digital inputs 16 digital outputs 8 digital inputs + 8 digital outputs 8 digital inputs (2-wire technology) 8 digital outputs (2-wire technology) |BK11-17USA| 12 mmwww.beckhoff.ca/HD-BusTerminal High-Density Bus Terminals from Beckhoff: The first 16-channel terminals in a compact 12-mm terminal block format: Doubling of the packing density; increasing from 8 to 16 connection points Reduction in space requirements by 50% or more Reduction in control cabinet size and assembly costs Wiring by means of tool-less assembly using direct plug-in technique Wide range of digital HD Bus Terminals Available for Beckhoff I/O systems in protection class IP 20: Bus Terminals and EtherCAT Terminals Motion Automation I/O IPC 16-channel Bus Terminals Width: 48 mm 8-channel Bus Terminals Width: 96 mm 4-channel Bus Terminals Width: 192 mm Application example for 64 digital inputs or outputs 8-13-DES.indd 11 15-02-05 1:52 PM
  • 12. 12 DesignNews January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com Autodesk. Developed specifically for the Voxel8, the online app imports 3D models and provides design tools to position wire placement and a library of standard electronic components. The company is currently offering a limited release of the Developer’s Kit to ship in late 2015 for US$8,999. In addition to the printer and access to the Project Wire application, the initial release also includes cloud-based slicing software, four PLA filament spools, 10 conductive ink cartridges and one additional print bed. www.voxel8.co UofT engineer’s spray-on quantum dot process could lead to ubiquitous solar power A researcher at the University of Toronto has invented a technique for spraying colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) — microscopic light-sensitive materials – onto flexible sheets of plastic film. Illan Kramer, a post-doctoral fellow in UofT’s Edward S. Rog- ers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, says the new process is a major step toward making spray-on solar cells easy and cheap to manufacture. “My dream is that one day you’ll have two technicians with Ghostbusters backpacks come to your house and spray your roof,” says Kramer. Quantum dots are nanoscale bits of a semiconductor mate- rial that can be tuned to capture and convert both visible and infrared light. Printed onto a flexible film, CQDs could be used to coat and produce power from nearly any surface. According to Kramer, a car roof wrapped with CQD-coated film, for example, could power three 100-Watt light bulbs. Previously, producing CQD-coated surfaces required slow and expensive batch processing. Kramer’s technique, called sprayLD, applies a liquid containing CQDs directly onto film or plastic, similar to applying ink on a roll of news print. www.ece.utoronto.ca Dr. Illan Kramer and the sprayLD setup he designed to spray solar colloidal quantum dots onto flexible surfaces. (Photo credit: University of Toronto) 8-13-DES.indd 12 15-02-05 1:52 PM
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  • 14. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 14 CADReport Fusion 360 Ultimate and AutoCAD 360 for Windows 8 manifest Autodesk’s noteworthy if somewhat shaky move toward CAD in the cloud. By Ralph Grabowski Autodesk is doing a lot of different things these days as it hopes to ride atop another wave of success. It’s porting parts of its professional software to the cloud even as it makes consumer software that runs on 1.2 billion smartphones and tablets. Which brings us to two recent offerings that are just that: Fusion 360 Ultimate will eventually become everything-and-the- kitchen-sink for MCAD professionals, while AutoCAD 360 is like TinkerCAD for AutoCAD users. The two have one thing in common: Their prices are cheap com- pared to what we have come to expect from Autodesk. Fusion 360 Ultimate Autodesk took a gamble when it wrote Inventor from scratch to compete against the Solidworks juggernaut. Previously, it had acquired its MCAD programs, such as The Engineer Works, AutoSurf/Designer, and Mechanical Desktop. Following the success of Inventor, Autodesk did it all over again with Fusion, its next generation MCAD program. Instead of developing it in secret like Inventor, however, Autodesk made the Fusion direct modeler a public beta by including it free with two releases of AutoCAD and Inventor. Today, Fusion 360 is a stand-alone pro- gram. The name references the fusion of history-basedanddirectmodeling,thefusion ofdesktopandserver-basedcomputing,and thefusionofcodethatworksontwooperat- ing systems, Windows and OS X. Even though Autodesk likes to promote 360-branded products as running on the cloud, Fusion 360 runs primarily on the desktop: Local install, local computing and local file save. Only some operations are handed off to Autodesk’s servers, such as advanced rendering and file translation. “We use server-side processing where appropriate, and local processes where appropriate,” explains Kevin Schneider, director of Fusion 360 at Autodesk. There was a time when Apple was keen on high-end markets like engineering and film editing, but then switched focus to consumers. With a dearth of engineering software for Mac users, it comes as little surprise that Fusion 360 is popular there; 30% of Fusion 360 users are Apple custom- ers, according to Mr Schneider. More recently, Autodesk released an expanded version called Fusion 360 Ulti- mate that bundles together all the software that an MCAD designer might want. I am not sure why it was released in November, because the bundle today is sparse. Autodesk is promising, however, to add more functions during this summer and beyond, and Fusion 360 Ultimate will be available for Macs in the near future. As their respective feature sets stand today, here is the difference between the two programs: Fusion 360 ($300/yr) includes 2.5-axis machining and costs, while Fusion 360 Ultimate ($1,200/yr) includes 2.5- and 3-axis machining (so far). Autodesk lists the planned differences between the two programs at www.autodesk.com/products/ fusion-360/compare. There is no large, up front perpetual license fee, as there is with Inventor. Fusion 360 can also be rented month-to- month for $40/mo, Fusion 360 Ultimate for $150/mo. It’s cheaper to go annual A TURBULENT Ascent 14-17-DES.indd 14 15-02-09 2:17 PM
  • 15. www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015 15CADReport after eight months. So, what is planned for Fusion 360 Ultimate? Schneider says Autodesk wants its new MCAD software to address all the ways of making things, such as 3D print- ing, composite machining, additive manufacturing, integrated electronics, and custom products with short lifecycles. It currently handles 2-3-axis machining; 5-axis will be added in mid-2015. Also by the middle of 2015, Fusion 360 gets more functions in several areas. Fusion currently stores versions automatically, but will gain the ability to generate design variations by branching the base design. A sheet metal module will be brand-new to Fusion, and later in 2015 Autodesk will add simulation. While it seems that Autodesk is writing all of the add-ons, there will be some third-party apps, such as rendering by Keyshot, a parts library and access to a quoting system. Fusion 360 is a work in progress and so I wouldn’t jump in just yet. It bares watching to see if Autodesk can make good on its promise to add all those new func- tions over the next half year. AutoCAD 360 for Windows 8 For several years, Autodesk made simpli- fied versions of AutoCAD for mobile devices known as AutoCAD WS. Early this year, they released a version for Win- dows 8.x (and 10), called AutoCAD 360, as a “Metro” app. This means that it doesn’t work with Windows 7 (or earlier) or with Windows Phone. Autodesk calls AutoCAD 360 a “portable DWG reader and editor for AutoCAD,” and so I looked at how well it performs in each of those areas. Portable: Portable it certainly is, as there are versions of AutoCAD 360 writ- ten for Android, iOS, Web browsers, and now Windows 8 tablets running Intel or ARM CPUs. I tested it on a 12-inch Sony tablet running Windows 10 pre-release, with a dual-core 1.2GHz CPU and 4GB RAM. Being a Metro app, I needed to down- load it from the Microsoft store, which meant that I needed a Microsoft account. To run the software, I also needed an Autodesk account. Upon starting it up, I found that the user interface accommo- dated my fingers through several large icons. Tapping one button gave me access to Fusion 360 is a work in progress and so I wouldn’t jump in just yet. It bares watching to see if Autodesk can make good on its promise... Figure 1: Fusion 360 Ultimate running on a Mac computer 14-17-DES.indd 15 15-02-09 2:17 PM
  • 16. 16 further functions. For instance, the Create button instance draws lines, polylines and other 2D objects. I could not draw in 3D mode. There are other buttons for placing markups, making measurements, specifying the color (just black, white, or red), and undoing/redoing. A slide-out panel accesses layer tog- gling, block insertion, views, properties and DesignFeed, Autodesk’s social media system. DWG Reader: AutoCAD 360 opens files from Autodesk’s hosted service and from Dropbox, but not files stored on the tablet. Drawings are opened in 2D initially; switching between 2D and 3D views is slow, because the drawing is reloaded with each switch over. When I checked DWG compatibil- ity, I was dismayed at how badly Auto- CAD 360 did. Nothing is filled in, and so wide polylines, solid hatch patterns, and even TrueType text are outlines. The program does correctly display some objects, like traces and vertical text. Other objects are not displayed at all, draw order is ignored, and I had uneven luck in seeing xrefs. To be fair, the files most likely to be viewed on job sites are going to be 2D drawings that contain simple linework and CADReport Absolut zuverlässig!(Absolutely dependable!) 1 . 8 0 0 . 6 6 8 . 4 3 7 8 • w w w . n o r d . c o m Figure 2: AutoCAD 360 for Windows 8 editing an object, with the layer toggle panel on the right. 14-17-DES.indd 16 15-02-09 2:17 PM
  • 17. 17 dimensions, and these display correctly. Editor: The emphasis in AutoCAD 360 is on viewing, not editing, and so it was easy to pan 2D drawings with one finger, and zooming with two. In 3D mode, one finger rotates the model about a fixed point, two fingers zoom, and three pan. There is no quick zoom-extents by double-tapping; instead, I had to access the side panel, which takes four taps. Initially, I couldn’t find the editing commands; they were hidden until I selected an entity. This free version of AutoCAD 360 limited editing to move, copy, rotate, scale and delete. Only blocks already in the file can be inserted; once inserted, however, I could not move them. Fortunately, editing can be done off-line, unlike some server-based programs. AutoCAD 360 “plots” only to PDF and DWF files, which are delivered by email. It cannot print to local or networked printers. When I tried plotting, the program complained “There was a problem exporting the drawing” with no further infor- mation. The Share option did allow me to email the DWG file. The program recognizes CBT color tables, so the look of plots can be customized. When I exited the drawing, all changes were saved, whether I wanted them saved or not. (Tip: To exit the drawing, click the Windows pancake button, and then choose App Commands.) In addition to the free version of AutoCAD 360, there is a subscription-only Pro version that adds functions like starting new drawings, displaying coordinates and some- thing called “advanced drawing and editing tools” whose benefits Autodesk doesn’t describe. The Pro plan costs $50/yr, while Pro Plus is $100/yr to give you 75GB more online storage and the ability to store and load drawings that are 33% larger than under Pro. Because AutoCAD 360 is free, it is worthwhile installing to see if it works with your drawings on your Windows 8 tablet. Avoid paying for the Pro version until the many prob- lems are fixed. DE www.autodesk.com Ralph Grabowski is the author of 140 books on computer-aided design, and a CAD journalist whose work appears on his blog, worldcadaccess.typepad.com CADReport I n n o v a t I o n b e y o n d t h e o r d I n a r y German engineers wrote the book on dependability. Around the globe discriminating designers and end-users know there is no substitute for NORD when it comes to dependability. Wherever our products are deployed in demanding applications, industry places its trust in our precise German engineering. They know we will never compromise on the reliability of our products. And that they won’t have to compromise either. Choosing NORD is your guarantee of lasting performance. You know our name and you’ve got our word on it. Because AutoCAD 360 is free, it is worthwhile installing to see if it works with your drawings on your Windows 8 tablet. Avoid paying for the Pro version until the many problems are fixed. 14-17-DES.indd 17 15-02-09 2:17 PM
  • 18. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 18 In 1953, U.S.-based Midwestern Manufacturing introduced the world’s first hydraulically operated side boom pipelayer attachment. Over the past 50 years, these side booms have con- tinuously set the highest standards for safety, reliability, ease of operation and cost-efficiency in the pipeline industry. Midwestern side booms are engineered and manufactured to satisfy the requirements of each job and the needs of custom- ers across the globe. The company converts new and used trac- tors into the industry’s most reliable pipelayers. It also provides some of the finest hydrostatic fill and test pumps and hydraulic tail-end mounted winches on the market. Midwestern’s side booms fit on Caterpillar, John Deere, Case and Komatsu tractors. To accurately and efficiently design and integrate their side boom attachments onto a platform, however, Midwestern needed accurate and detailed 3D models. The main project involved the complete 3D scanning of the outside surface of a dozer (platform) along with detailed scans of the engine door, engine compartment, cab door and operator’s station. Some reverse engineering of the dozer (platform) also had to be performed Lowering the BOOM Midwestern Manufacturing’s pipelayer attachment benefits from 3D scanner’s accuracy. CADBeat Top: Creaform Application Engineer Pierre-Luc Delagrave scanning a bulldozer with the company’s MetraSCAN 210 optical CMM scanner. The scanned 3D data (bottom) was used to design and integrate a side boom built by U.S.-based Midwestern Manufacturing. 18-19-DES.indd 18 15-02-05 1:49 PM
  • 19. in order to convert the scanned data into a detailed 3D model. In the past, Midwestern used other technologies to create 3D models; however, a higher level of details became necessary. As a result, using reverse engineering files with insufficient accuracy to manufacture side booms eventually caused fitting issues on tractors and additional project delays and costs. Always looking to provide the best results to its clients within the shortest time frames possible, Midwestern obtained Creaform’s advanced 3D measurement solu- tions. For this specific project, the scan was performed inside Midwestern’s facilities using the MetraSCAN 210 optical CMM scanner and the MaxSHOT 3D optical coor- dinate measuring system. The dozer had to be driven up onto railroad ties to elevate it and facilitate its scanning. “Without the Creaform solutions, it would havebeenimpossibletoreachthelevelofaccu- racy and the level of details we needed in order to manufacture a new, fully integrated side boom attachment that would allow optimum functionality, visibility, accessibility, service- ability and safety,” said Doug Garner, vice president of engineering at Midwestern. “In addition,thefactthatthefilesweresoaccurate minimized considerably the amount of modi- fications we had to apply to the platform.” “The detailed 3D scans and 3D models allow us to accurately design and integrate our side boom attachment onto the existing platform,” he added. “It also allows us to completely visualize the design before final approval and production.” Creaform’s technologies reduce the amount of engineering time actually spent to complete a project, which, in turn, allows Midwestern to focus on the actual side boom design. Therefore, from a financial perspec- tive, these time savings help to reduce sub- stantially the costs related to engineering and side boom attachment development. How much time did Midwestern save using Crea- form’s technology? “It’shardtopreciselysay,”Garnerexplained. “It saves us a lot of time upfront since we don’t have to physically measure and recreate the dozer (platform) in CAD. But more impor- tantly, we gain a much higher level of detail and accuracy from the scan—all of which ultimate helps us optimize our design process.” Garner described his experience with the Creaform technologies as providing amazing detail and accuracy. “By using the 3D scanning technology and reverse engineering process, we are able to provide a superior product in our industry and to remain the world leader in side boom attachments,” he says. “This is espe- cially important in today’s world, where platform models are changing more rapidly than ever before.” DE www.sidebooms.com www.creaform3d.com This article was provided by Creaform. We drive automation for your success. We are your partner to inspire innovation. We shape the future together. WE ARE THE ENGINEERS OF PRODUCTIVITY. 40 years at the forefront of industrial automation in Canada. 40 Festo Canada 2015years www.festo.ca CADBeat 19 18-19-DES.indd 19 15-02-05 1:49 PM
  • 20. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 20 By Brian Phillippi The idea of a smarter world where systems with sensors and local processing are connected to share information is tak- ing hold in every single industry. These systems will be connected on a global scale with users and each other to help users make more informed decisions. Many labels have been given to this overarching idea, but the most ubiquitous is the Internet of Things (IoT), including everything from smart homes, mobile fitness devices and connected toys to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) encompassing smart agriculture, smart cities, smart factories and the smart grid. IIoT can be characterized as a vast number of connected industrial systems that are communicating and coordinating their data analytics and actions to improve industrial perfor- mance and benefit society as a whole. Industrial systems that create an interface between the digital world and the physical world through sensors and actuators that solve complex control problems are commonly known as cyber-physical systems. These systems are being combined with Big Analog Data solutions to gain deeper insight through data and analytics. Imagine industrial systems that can adjust to their own environments or even their own health. Instead of running to failure, machines schedule their own maintenance or, better yet, adjust their control algorithms dynamically to compensate for a worn part and then communicate that data to other machines and the people who rely on those machines. By mak- ing machines smarter through local processing and communi- cation, the IIoT could solve problems in ways that were previously inconceivable. But, as innovation grows so does the complexity, which makes the IIoT a very large challenge that no company alone can meet. This challenge becomes even more daunting and complex when comparing the requirements of the industrial Internet to those of the consumer Internet. Both involve connecting devices and systems all across the globe, but IIoT adds stricter require- ments to its local networks for latency, determinism and band- width. When dealing with precision machines that can fail if timing is off by a millisecond, adhering to strict requirements becomes pivotal to the health and safety of the machine opera- tors, the machines and the business. Adaptability and Scalability As the IIoT comes to fruition, it will be a big change for historical industrial systems. The traditional design and augmentation of industrial systems are characterized by either (1) designing a proprietary or custom end-to-end solution or (2) adding func- tionality by repeatedly tacking on vendor-defined black boxes. The tack-on solution can be quick to implement, but at what cost? One of the biggest advantages of the IIoT is that data is easily shared and analyzed for better decision making. For example, in a vendor-defined condition monitoring Automation The IIoT Challenge Evolving to the Industrial Internet of Things will require a platform-based design combined with an open architecture and real-time Ethernet. 20-23-DES.indd 20 15-02-05 1:51 PM
  • 22. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 22 solution, the data being acquired and analyzed is not easily available; the system is limited to sending simple alarms to prevent a catastrophic failure. Data may be available after an event to analyze and determine what went wrong, but by then, time, money and more may have been lost. If the condition monitoring data is not continuously analyzed and made avail- able through an open, standardized interface, there is no pos- sibility of adjusting control algorithms based on the data collected or correlating the collected data to control events to improve efficiency or prevent system downtime. The opposite is true for end-to-end solutions. All of the components and the end-to-end solution can work in harmony, but the underlying issue still remains. When an end-to-end solution is built, the communi- cation protocols are uniform and data can be shared easily. But at that point, the solution itself essentially becomes the black box due to proprietary communica- tion protocols. As soon as an update is required, the engineer faces the dilemma of tacking on a solution that may not communicate well with the whole system or of starting the process over and creating a new end-to-end solution. IIoT systems need to be adaptive and scalable through software or added functionality that easily integrates into the overall solution. When the entire system is a black box, this cannot occur. There has to be a better way to integrate disparate systems and reduce system complexity without sacrificing innovation. Security and Maintenance Adaptability and scalability are only the first of many challenges presented by the IIoT. Systems management and security are also paramount. As massive networks of systems come online, these systems need to communicate with each other and with the enterprise, often over vast distances. Both the systems and the communications need to be secure, or millions of dollars’ worth of assets are put at risk. One of the most prevalent examples of the need for security is the smart grid, which is on the leading edge of the IIoT. As information on the grid becomes more accessible, so does the damage a security breach can inflict. In addition to being secure, these systems need to be con- tinually modified and maintained to meet ever-changing functionality and system-maintenance requirements. As more capabilities are added, software updates are needed or more systems must be added. Soon a tangled web of interconnected components starts to form. The new system has to integrate not only with the original system but also all of the other systems. Imagine modifying and updating thousands or mil- lions of systems located all over the world, including some in remote locations. The IIoT Investment Developing and deploying the systems that will make up the IIoT represent a massive investment for decades to come. The only way to meet the needs of today and tomorrow is not by predicting the future but by deploying a network of systems flexible enough to evolve and adapt. The way forward involves a platform-based approach; a single flexible hardware architec- ture deployed across many applications removes a substantial amount of the hardware complexity and makes each new prob- lem primarily a software challenge. The same principle must be applied to software tools to form a powerful hardware- software platform that creates a unified solution. An effective platform-based approach does not focus on hardware or software but instead on the innovation within the application itself. Platforms to develop the IIoT exist today. The platforms that system designers choose need to be based on an IT-friendly OS so they can be securely provisioned and configured to properly authenticate and authorize users to maintain system integrity and maximize system availability. These platforms can achieve this through an open OS that helps security experts from around the world unite and develop the latest in embed- ded security. These platforms also need to be based on standard Ethernet technologies and incorporate evolving standards to enable a more open and deterministic network that meets IIoT latency, determinism and bandwidth requirements while maximizing interoperability between industrial systems providers and the consumer IoT. Organizations like the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) document use-cases and ensure interoperability. Additionally, the IEEE has formed the Time Sensitive Network task group to evolve IEEE 802.1 to meet these requirements. The ongoing design of the IIoT represents a massive business and technology opportunity for all of us. Organizations like the IIC, IEEE and AVnu are working hard to define the IIoT. They are actively gathering use-cases to better understand how best to enable more innovation. Engineers and scientists are already implementing systems on the leading edge of the IIoT, but they still face many unknowns and much work ahead. Start concentrating on a platform-based approach and become part of the IIoT generation by getting involved with these bodies to define the future and ensure that businesses focus on innovation and not simply integration. DE www.ni.com/trend-watch Brian Phillippi is a product marketing manager at National Instruments. This article was adapted from “Industrial Internet of Things,” a report from National Instruments’ Trend Watch 2015 series. Automation By making machines smarter through local processing and communication, the IIoT could solve problems in ways that were previously inconceivable. But, as innovation grows so does the complexity, which makes the IIoT a very large challenge that no company alone can meet. 20-23-DES.indd 22 15-02-05 1:51 PM
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  • 24. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 24 By Dana Parmenter When it comes to hazardous or dangerous locations, the oil and gas industry receives the most attention in North America. The industry is both praised for its economic growth potential and spurned for the perceived risks. To mitigate the risks, it’s important that both the designer of theequipmentandthoseinvolvedinitsinstall,repairandoperation have a thorough understanding of the requirements. The very nature of these locations means there are explosive elements that requirespecificsafetyfeaturestoensurethemachinerycanbeused safely.Certificationofproducts,andevenpersonnelinsomecases, is required by law in most jurisdictions. Incorporating safety features into the initial design, ensuring proper testing and certification of products and training of personnel operating the equipment should always be considered best practice and included as an integral part of overall product development. As growth in hazardous locations industries in North America and around the globe continues at an increased pace, so has the demand for equipment, repair and personnel. This increase in demand has had many positive and important con- tributions to the economy. Unfortunately, this exponential rise has also come with an increase in injuries and deaths to those working in the field, the communities where these sites are located and through which hazardous materials are transported via pipeline, road and rail. It is often claimed, and easy to assume, the rise is simply the result of the much higher numbers of people employed in these industries, increased mechanization and the greater number of hazardous locations. However, data available indicates this rise is not simply due to volume alone but also to much more subtle and often overlooked factors.Theuseofnon-seasonedoruntrainedworkers;equipment thatisnotcertifiedorunfitforthedesignatedpurpose;andimproper storage, repair and maintenance are often the underlying cause of these accidents. It’s not surprising, then, that both companies and individualsareseekingstrategiestoassuresafetyoftheirproperty, workers and the communities in which they operate. Product Certification Demand for equipment for hazardous areas is largely in response to the global increase in oil and gas production which has surged inrecentyearsoftenleadingtolongerthanexpectedleadtimesfor important new equipment. It has also led to an increase in equip- ment manufacturers, many of whom are unfamiliar with the requirements for hazardous locations products. Productcertificationisoftenviewedasanecessaryeviltobring aproducttomarketratherthantheimportantsafetyfunctionthat it actually is. When designing equipment for use in hazardous locations,itisimperativetounderstandthesafetystandardsadopted byeachjurisdictionwhereaproductmightbeused.Theserequire- ments must act as the foundation to any design, as certification will be necessary and safety requirements can have implications that effect functionality. Demonstrationofcompliancerequirestestingandapprovalby a Certification Body or Notified Body accredited to issue the cer- tificateforthedesignatedtargetregion.It’scriticalthatmanufactur- ers and designers consider the intended use of the product at the initialdesignphasesratherthantheweeksbeforeproductiononce ShopTalk A PROACTIVE Approach Maintaining safety in industries with hazardous locations starts with the design and operation of the equipment used. 24-27-DES.indd 24 15-02-09 2:22 PM
  • 25. www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015 25 the functional design is complete. This includes considerations such as what protection concept will be employed to assure safety of the equipment, as well as what type of hazards and operating environments the product will be exposed to. Beyond selecting certified products, purchasers and operators of hazardous location equipment have the additional responsibil- ity of assuring the certification actually meets the requirements of the intended installation location as products are certified for use inveryspecificlocationsandconditions.Toeffectivelyimplement and assure proper equipment use requires knowledgeable and competentstaff.Oneofthebestwaystoassureuniformunderstand- ingandcomplianceisathoroughandongoingpersonnelcertifica- tion program. Personnel Certification While there is often significant time and investment in the certi- fication of the products for use in hazardous areas, the knowledge and capability of the individuals tasked with sourcing, installing and maintaining the equipment is often less thorough. Safety provided by certified products can quickly be undermined by improper installation or maintenance by unknowledgeable staff. Larger companies in the oil and gas industry often have comprehensive training programs in place. However, industry growth and outsourcing has led to a boom in small service companies often without these elaborate health and safety programs or the resources internally to provide them. In addition, oil and gas growth in “non- traditional” locations such Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland has further posed difficulties as the historical knowledge fromexperiencefoundinlongtimeproducing areas such as Alberta or Texas do not exist in these“newer”oilregions.Stakeholdersshould aimtoassurethatnotonlytheirown,buttheir suppliers and contractors personnel, are capable and competent. The best way to assure competence is par- ticipationandcertificationofstaffinvolvedin hazardous areas to a personnel competence schemesuchasIECExPersonnelCompetence program. Independent third party personnel competence schemes assure a demonstrated knowledgeoftherequiredskillsanduniformity of all participants. Utilization of a scheme such as IECEx per- sonnel competence assures companies who outsource elements of their business a consis- tent and measurable method of assuring their subcontractors and providers have a skill set consistent with their own, limiting costly mistakes resulting from the competence of hired staff. This also extends past initial com- missioningtolifecycleservicessuchasequip- ment repair, inspection and maintenance. Equipment Repair and Inspections The past decade has seen new equipment, infrastructure and businesses entering the market faster than any previous time. Current standards and regulations have increased the requirements of the equipment being produced for hazardous locations improv- ing worker and workplace safety. The demand is so great that often new equipment supply is not sufficient to meet the demand. The volume of equipment in service and the shortage of new equipment create a unique challenge as equipment that was pre- viously mothballed is being re-commissioned. This equipment is often in a state of disrepair and in some cases no longer compli- ant with standards or safety regulations. Further, the sheer volume of equipment in use and the increasing age of infrastructure brings with it greater need for inspection, repair and maintenance. Effective safety measures must encompass best practices in all three of these key areas. Maintaining equipment integrity and ensuring the safety of personnel is the ultimate goal of any inspection, repair and main- tenance program. If handled improperly, repairs performed may invalidate a product’s certification or worse negate some or all of the protection measures in place to assure it doesn’t cause a fire or explosion. Equipment that is not maintained also carries similar risk due to various influences such as environmental damage or neglect. Failure to monitor and correct these challenges ShopTalk Optimized Automation SystemsOptimized Automation Systems www.globalencoder.ca 22 Commerce Place, St. Catharines ON, Canada L2S 0B3 Phone Toll Free 1-888-277-6205 Fax Toll Free 1-866-278-1301 info@globalencoder.ca Industrial Encoder Corporation Member of the GESgroup of companies IEC encoders help to optimize automation systems and reduce costs. Rely on this proven technology to strategically improve your productivity and profitability. Our mission is to exceed all your expectations with superior quality, value, service and reliability. Our exclusive FIVE-YEAR WARRANTY demonstrates our commitment to your satisfaction. IEC encoders help to optimize automation systems and reduce costs. Rely on this proven technology to strategically improve your productivity and profitability. Our mission is to exceed all your expectations with superior quality, value, service and reliability. 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  • 26. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 26 through regular maintenance can have catastrophic results. Often, these tasks have been handled internally; however, in light of recent incidents in the field, regulations relating to engineering and inspection requirements are becoming increas- ingly more stringent and the required skills or volumes of these skills simply aren’t available. This leads us back to the importance of personnel certification. A comprehensive and forward- looking program can help ensure the required resources in sufficient volume. Utilization of a third party expert to accomplish these tasks is also a valid option. Third parties carry unique skills and knowl- edge that are tested by experience and time. They also typically hold the most up-to-date knowledge and training. Use of a third party for your inspection, repair and maintenance provides workforce flexibility and consistent quality. Some programs, such as the IECEx Service Facility Certi- fication scheme, offer a third party validated certificate of conformity that confirms an independent ExCB evaluated the facility and found it to have the appropriate equipment, trained staff and procedures to assure high degrees of confidence in performed repairs and ongoing compliance with its safety certificate. A sound inspection, repair and maintenance program using the latest knowledge, facilities, tools and resources is mandatory to help ensure safety and reduce the risk of costly accidents. Accidents in industries with hazardous locations are dispropor- tionately higher at smaller operators who lack the safety program or training to assure safe working. Understanding where you may have weakness and using third party resources available to help you identify these challenges or perform the tasks for you where you lack the confidence and skills helps guarantee the safety of all stakeholders. While the very nature of these industries is dangerous, the number of accidents is still few and far between. Advancements in technology, health, safety and awareness over the past 10 to 15 years have created great gains in safe working practices. However, with the ongoing boom in industries with hazardous locations, and the associated demand for people and equipment, we will see increased chances that aging or uncertified equipment, untrained labor and maintenance programs will increase the risk of a series accident. A proactive approach is required to address the gaps to help ensure the safety of personnel and equipment and a thorough policy to educate staff and assure safe practices are always encouraged and followed. DE www.csagroup.org Dana Parmenter is the Group Global Business Unit Director, Hazardous Locations for the Canadian Standards Association. ShopTalk Tomorrow’s marking technology... Today! 800.469.6275 Get your quote today sales@marking-machines.ca www.marking-machines.net Contact Our New Canadian Representative: Automation Products I-MarkTM dot peen and scribe systems join CMTs wide range of products Everything you need in one easy package.. 24-27-DES.indd 26 15-02-09 2:22 PM
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  • 28. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 28 CareerReport As unbelievable as it may sound, if you hold an engineering degree in Canada, it’s unlikely you’re actually working as an engineer. In fact, there is an unacceptably high chance you’re not workinginajobthatnecessarilyrequiresauniversitydegreeofany kind.Andthat’sonlyformaleengineerstrainedinCanada.Ifyou’re a woman with an engineering degree or were trained abroad, the likelihood you’re employed as an engineer is even bleaker. These troubling findings are the culmination of a series of in- depth reports conducted by the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers(OSPE)overthepastyear.InMay2014,OSPEpresented From Classroom to Career: Employment and Underemployment Among Ontario’s Engineering Graduates, a report explored the disconnect between what employers say – that there is a shortage of workers who have the specialized skills they need – and the ongoingaccountswehearfromindividualswithengineeringdegrees who cannot find relevant or appropriate work. In September 2014, OSPE published From the World to the Workforce: Hiring and Recruitment Perceptions of Engineering Employers and Internationally Trained Engineers in Ontario. This report’scorefindingwasthatasymmetriesormisalignmentsexist betweentherecruitmentprocessesofemployersandthejobsearch practices of internationally trained engineers (ITEs). The association’s latest study — Crisis in Ontario’s Engineering Labour Market: Underemployment Among Ontario’s Engineering- Degree Holders — goes one step further. Released in January 2015, thestudyfocusesonindividualswithengineeringdegreeswhoare working in jobs that don’t necessarily require a university degree. Since there is no universally agreed-to definition of underem- ployment, the report defines the term as a state of employment in which an individual with an engineering degree has a job that doesn’t necessarily require a university degree of any kind. InformationreferredtointhisreportisderivedfromtheCana- dian National Census 2011 National Household Survey (NHS). According to the 2011 NHS, only about 30 per cent of employed individuals in Ontario who held a bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering were working as engineers or engineering managers. Fully two-thirds of engineering degree holders were not working inengineeringatall.Evenmorealarming,greaterthan33percent had jobs that didn’t necessarily require a university degree. OSPEconsidersthisunacceptable,andanindicatorofsignificant underemployment of those who hold engineering degrees. Byawidemargin,employedindividualswithbachelor’sdegrees or higher in engineering did not work in their field of study com- pared with those with medical, law, nursing or education degrees. The percentage of people with engineering degrees who actually workedasengineersorengineeringmanagerswaslowerinOntario than in any of the five provinces to which it was compared, and Canada as a whole. In Ontario, just 29.7 per cent of individuals with engineering degrees worked as engineers or engineering managers. This com- pares with almost 46 per cent of similarly educated individuals in Alberta, for instance. Additionally,thosewhoobtaintheirengineeringdegreesoutside Canada faced, and continue to face, a troubling situation when it comestoemployment.Therewasmuchgreaterunderemployment inthisgroupthanamongthosewhosedegreeswerefromCanada. If we assume that individuals with degrees from outside Canada are immigrants and internationally trained engineers (ITEs), just over 20 per cent worked as engineers or engineering managers. Consideringgenderdifferences,justover20percentofwomen with engineering degrees worked as engineers or engineering managers.Indicatorsareworsewithrespecttounderemployment forthisgroup.Welloverone-thirdofwomenwhohadengineering degreesworkedinjobsnotnecessarilyrequiringadegree.Thiswas especiallytrueforwomenwithdegreesfromoutsideCanadaas50 per cent were unemployed. ThesefindingsarediscussedinmuchgreaterdetailintheOSPE report available on the association’s web site, but they do lead to a number of questions, including: Are we graduating too many engineers in Canada? Are employers doing their part to generate entry-levelpositions?DidCanada’simmigrationsystemcontribute to the underemployment situation? While beyond the scope of OSPE’s research so far, the answers to these and numerous other questions are critical to the health of the engineering profession in Canada. DE www.ospe.on.ca This article was adapted from OSPE’s report, Crisis in Ontario’s Engineering Labour Market: Underemployment Among Ontario’s Engineering-Degree Holders. Canada’s Engineering UNDEREMPLOYMENT CRISISOSPE study finds an unacceptable number of engineering degree holders in Canada are employed in positions that don’t necessarily require a university education. 28-29-DES.indd 28 15-02-09 1:37 PM
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  • 30. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 30 CareerReport By Mike McLeod Engineers in Canada, and the firms that employ them, are caught in a Catch-22. According to studies conducted by the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) and Engi- neers Canada, the profession is locked in a labour supply and demand puzzle that could have serious consequences in the coming decade. On the one hand, employers complain of a broad skills short- age, in particular a lack of engineers with at least 5-10 years of experience. But while industry struggles to find suitable candidates, it is also facing a looming deadline. A 2012 labor study conducted by Engineers Canada projects that as Baby Boomer engineers reach retirement age, the number of experienced engineers in Canada will begin to decline significantly by 2020. Part of the problem, says Ontario Society of Professional Engi- neersCEOSandroPerruzza,isthatemployersarereluctanttohire those unable to “hit the ground running.” This leaves many engi- neering graduates struggling to find jobs in their field. In fact, OSPE’s recently released report Crisis in Ontario’s Engineering Labour Market (detailed on page 28), finds that only 30 per cent engineering degree holders in Ontario work as engineers— a per- centage that doesn’t differ radically in other provinces. “Industry has tried looking for engineers within Canada so they go to the government and say there is a skill shortage here,” he says. “So they asked to open the borders and let in engineers from other countries who have the skill set they’re looking for. Well, they have done that and we are currently immigrating as many engineers as we graduate, but as our studies show, [internationally trained engineers] have even less chance of landing a job in Canada.” “So if the existing workforce isn’t there and looking [outside Canada] isn’t working, then how much longer do you have to wait before you realize that it’s better to develop your own talent,” he adds. “A co-op program is a great way to get a student who, while they are learning, comes into your company and also learns your work processes and culture. You develop a relationship with them and also see if they’re a good fit for your organization.” For Dr. Wayne Parker, P.Eng., Associate Dean of Cooperative Education and Professional Affairs at the University of Water- loo, that sentiment is central to the university’s engineering program philosophy. With nearly 7,000 students enrolled in 14 engineering programs, U of W requires all its engineering under- grads to complete up to two years worth of co-op placement as a graduation requirement and has done so since its founding in 1957. Today, in partnership with approximately 5,200 Canadian and international companies, the university operates the largest post secondary co-op program of its kind in the world. The results, Parker says, speak for themselves. A survey of 2010 graduates conducted in 2013 for the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, found that 92 per cent of U of W engi- neering degree holders landed a job six months after graduation and 95.9 per cent after two years. In addition, the university says, on average, co-op students earn 15 percent more post graduation. “Employers come to co-op for a number of reasons: Some are doing talent scouting for permanent employment and some have short term needs for people to step in and take on particular tasks,” Parker says. “The best employment situations are when the students are given tasks that have real meaning and where, at the end of the day, the student and the employer can see that the work has made a contribution to the organization.” Makingsurestudentshaveachancetocontributemeaningfully duringtheirplacementsiskey,agreesCherylHulme,Co-opCoor- dinator for Engineering at the University of Guelph. The biggest obstacle she finds when talking to prospective partner companies is overcoming a previous bad experience with a co-op student. “If an employer has had a student who wasn’t suited for the position, didn’t get the support they needed or simply wasn’t ready to work, the employer is likely to say, ‘co-op students are more work than they’re worth; I’m not getting enough value,’” she says. “Some of that comes from the fact that a traditional co-op program just has four-month work terms. So an employer brings them in, trains them up and in 16 weeks, it is time for them to go. But as companies have become leaner and leaner, everyone who comes on board has to be adding value. In four month, it can be hard to find that value.” A Question of EXPERIENCE University co-op programs provide the key to opening Canada’s deadlocked engineering labour market. 30-33-DES.indd 30 15-02-09 4:30 PM
  • 31. Whether you want to transform your career, your prospects, or your life, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University can help. With 88 career-related certificate programs and over 1,500 courses, seminars, and workshops to choose from, we offer many ways to achieve your goals. Come to our Open House and meet with program representatives who can help you choose the best area of study to meet your career goals. March 26, 2015 4:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m. 380 Victoria Street, Toronto (just east of Dundas subway station) RSVP: ryerson.ca/ce/openhouse OPEN HOUSEfOR COnTinUinG EDUCaTiOn STUDEnTS TRaNSfORM: iDEaS inTO planS 30-33-DES.indd 31 15-02-09 4:30 PM
  • 32. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 32 In response, Hulme says the University of Guelph has moved toward 8-month work terms beginning after the second year for its engineering students. She says the longer term is not only more attractive to employers but also allows students to get up to speed in a position before they rotate back to their academic studies. At the same time, it still provides the opportunity for students to “sample” a spectrum potential career tracks before graduation. Unlike U of W’s program, however, University of Guelph’s isn’t mandatory. In total, the program ran 395 unique engineer- ing workterms last year. Having an optional program, she says, tends to attract only highly motivated and committed students who have had an opportunity to consider all their options. “And in some engineering programs, students go out in the January of their first year so their feet are barely wet in univer- sity life,” she says. “Our students don’t go out until they finish two full years of their program. So not only have they taken half their courses but they have also begun to think about what they really want to do.” Rather than break work placement into alternating four or eight month stretches, some engineering programs prefer a paid internship model. In Ryerson University’s Industrial Internship Program, for example, students work for 12 to 16 months after their third academic year. When the term is up, they return to university to complete their degree. Dr. Liping Fang, P.Eng, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs and Student Affairs at Ryerson University says that while internships limit students to a single employer, they also provide ample time for students to become fully contributing employees. Currently, approximately 30 percent of the Toronto university’s engineering track students seek internships. This extended placement also benefits employers, Fang says, by reducing the cost of recruitment, as many interns are offered permanent positions by the end of their term. In addition, he says employers, whether they participate in a co-op or intern- ship program, can offset some of the costs associated with hir- ing an engineering student through the Ontario Co-operative Education Tax Credit and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Awards. “In Canada, we have a lot of new graduates from engineering programs but we have companies that want people with five years experience,” says Fang. “For people graduating in this type of program, they may not get five years, but this way companies are providing experience gaining opportunities. I think this is one way to fill this five-year experience gap.” DE www.ryerson.ca/mie/IIP www.recruitguelph.ca/cecs http://uwaterloo.ca/engineering CareerReport • No waiting for a match at Guelph. Just post, interview & hire! Post your jobs today! (519) 824-4120 x52323www.recruitguelph.ca • Students available for 4 or 8 months • Design focused, hands-on, collaborative engineering programs Bachelor of Engineering Hire a co-op student • “Expanded programs, state of the art facilities, extraordinary growth” 30-33-DES.indd 32 15-02-09 4:30 PM
  • 34. 1 Year Work experience 3 Year 5 Year Edmonton, AB $70,080 $76,066 $81,922 Lo Calgary, AB $71,948 $78,095 $84,107 Saskatoon, SS $64,117 $69,677 $75,116 Vancouver, BC $71,604 $77,668 $83,599 Victoria, BC $69,136 $74,939 $80,615 Winnipeg, MB $62,686 $68,122 $73,440 BRITISH COLUMBIA ALBERTA MANITOBA SASKATCHEW AN January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 34 CareerReport 34-35v1-DES.indd 34 15-02-09 1:49 PM
  • 35. Halifax, NS $62,448 $67,902 $73,237 Kitchener, ON $65,665 $71,205 $76,625 London, ON $66,260 $71,875 $77,367 Montréal, QC $65,745 $71,475 $77,079 Québec City, QC $62,053 $67,386 $72,603 Toronto, ON $70,118 $76,181 $82,111 Ottawa, ON $69,164 $75,088 $80,883 ONTARIO QUEBEC NOVA SCOTIA www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015 Mechanical Engineering Salary Guide According to a recently released compensation study, where Canadian engineers live and work has as much impact on how much they make as their chosen discipline and industry. The data presented here is adapted from Randstad Engineering’s 2015 National Compensation Survey. The firm is Canada’s leading provider of customized staffing and recruitment solutions for engineering and technical talent. The numbers below represent the average salaries of mechanical engineers across 12 industries in 12 major cities. In addition, the numbers represent average salaries for mechanical engineers at 1, 3 and 5 years of experience. Randstad’s complete and comprehensive survey, available as a free download from the company’s web site, includes salary data for all engineering disciplines and across more than 30 Canadian cities. http://w.randstad.ca/design-engineering-salary-guide 34-35v1-DES.indd 35 15-02-09 1:49 PM
  • 36. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 36 Unorthodox dual gantry milling machine with twin rotary 6-axis milling heads realizes 35 percent cycle time improvement for aerospace manufacturer. By John Meyer Since its founding in 1975, Triumph Structures – Wichita has made a name for itself in aerospace manufacturing circles not only for its extensive CNC capabilities but also its early adoption of technology. Operating in the heart of the “air capital of the world,” the contract manufacturing company specializes in com- plex, high speed, monolithic precision machining and sub- assembly of aluminum and titanium structural airframe components often with wall thicknesses down to 0.020 inches. In total, its Kansas-based facility houses 21 individual 5-axis machining centers, with a maximum length of 960 inches. More than 20 other 3-axis and 4-axis machines complete Triumph’s machining capability for aluminum structures. Projects run the gamut of build-to-print precision machining of aluminum and hard metal small-to- large parts, especially aircraft wing spars, skins, bulkheads and landing gear components. But, while its machine capabilities are substantial, the company often required a machine that could serve multiple purposes. For example, many times Triumph needed to machine very long parts with volumetric compensa- tion to manage material expansion and tool tip position over a very long cutting cycle, often multiple days. The company had extensive experi- ence in this area, but it was determined that a single machine might be capable of also running multiple smaller parts or operate in twin fashion, occasionally using the entire machine bed with both heads working the same part in tandem. Clearly, the latter scenario would demand extremely close atten- tion to collision avoidance between the gantries, as well as the consistency of surface machining at the points where the twin machining heads intersected. “We had grown steadily over the last decades, since our incorporation of 5-axis work in the 1990s, and were ready to jump to a new level of competence for our customers, who represent the top players in both commercial and military aircraft, making Triumph Structures – Wichita a more value-adding sup- plier,” explains Harry Thurmond, president of Triumph Structures – Wichita. “We had requirements for spars and stringers that often reached 22 feet in length, but we also do a variety of production jobs on smaller sections such as bulk- heads,” he adds. “This creates the need for fast, reliable and adaptable machine tools.” Thecompanyconsideredavari- ety of options to expand on the capabilitiesoftheirexistingmilling machines, but ultimately turned to its longtime partner and portal machine supplier, Michigan-based Zimmermann, Inc. Meeting Tri- umph Structures’ requirements, however,necessitatedthatZimmer- mann modify one of its FZ100 machines with twin gantries, each equipped with a three rotary axis head and independent Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl CNC. “We had a variety of machine styles available, but the best solution was a head with three rotary axes, A-B-C integrated in a forked milling head,” explains Zimmermann President Matthias Tockook. “This provided simultaneous 6-axis cutting in a very compact design, with no pole position, less overall axis rotation, a constant feedrate capability and improved surface quality.” The individual head machining time scenario was further In TANDEM MotionControl A view down the entire length of the workspace, showing the twin heads and the break wall removed for continuous machining of a single workpiece, with co-dependent gantry and CNC operability. 36-38-DES.indd 36 15-02-05 1:55 PM
  • 37. www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015 37 detailed. If the maximum time was achieved using an A- and C-head with infinite C-axis, the alternative A-B-C integrated rotary axis head could accomplish the same work in 25 percent of that time. In designing the final work envelope and machine structure, Zimmermann engineers determined the best solution was a removable break wall built into the midpoint of the machine bed, which would allow completely independent operation of the entire machine, literally running as two machine tools in one. When removed, the machine bed could accept parts up to 960 inches in length and process them using the twin heads working in tandem and monitored for total collision avoidance by the two CNCs onboard. Owing to the unique volumetric com- pensation feature of the Siemens CNC, where the execution of the machining is based upon the actual tool tip position, the point of intersec- tion for the twin heads was found to be an easily addressed and resolved issue. Surface integrity on the workpiece would be preserved, while machine and operator safety would remain paramount. The machine was built over a period of eigh- teen months. Parts were sent to Zimmer- man to be fully tested prior to being erected on site. According to Thurmond, the Zimmer- mann head design provides significant advantages in speed on the typical peaks and pockets found in aerospace structure machining, working in tandem with the look-ahead feature on the CNC. “It slows down and speeds up in antici- pation of the next required surface contour,” he says. “Over long run times, this can translate into an improvement of 35 percent or better, because there is no deburring or polishing required. We routinely get better than a 125 RMS finish on inside pocket surfaces and up to a 32 RMS on the outside of the Series 7000 aluminums we run. Com- bined with the flexibility of the machine to work a single structure or individual work- pieces simultaneously, we have been quite satisfied with the results to date.” On longer runs, Thurmond adds, the chilled coolant used on the Zimmermann is helpful in minimizing thermal expansion of the material, a critical factor in long run machining work. An added advantage, the machine is used to produce workholding and fixturing devices. Lastly, the Zimmer- mann machine is equipped with test probes, so it can be used as a CMM to measure workpieces in process. The 3-axis head avoids the pole position of the traditional 2-axis A-C head at A = 0º. In this Zimmermann head design, the B-axis moves +/- 15º inside a rigid curved guideway for handling the inner sloping and especially the pockets typically found on aero structures, so simultaneous 6-axis machining is achieved with high surface finish integrity. The new machine is further equipped with a stationary clamping table, fixed mounted side walls, DemTec composite fill on the base and side walls for enhanced stability and vibration damping. Backlash- MotionControl Triumph Structures — Wichita’s twin gantry portal milling machine features this unique head design, based on three rotary axes. Paired with its twin, the heads are capable of full 6-axis machining with 125 RMS inside and 32 RMS outside finish. One of two Siemens Sinumerik CNC units on the machine. With the doors closed and the break wall installed, each of the two work envelopes of the machine can run simultaneously yet completely independent of the other. 36-38-DES.indd 37 15-02-05 1:55 PM
  • 38. To advertise your solution in this section call Taebah Khan at 416.510.5230 January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 38 free drives on both sides with rack-and-pinion mechanisms are sealed from contamination and guided on both sides. All axes have feed rates to 60m/min and accelerations to 4m/sec2. Each head can access a 60-position toolchanger on the machine. For communication of data from the machine, Triumph Structures – Wichita integrates the CNCs into their Ethernet network via DNC and hard-wiring. Through a remote monitor- ing feature on the Sinumerik 840D SL CNC, Zimmermann is also able to maintain awareness of all conditions on the machine in real-time. The machine built for Triumph Structures – Wichita also includes Siemens servo motors and drives plus spindles running at 73kW/95HP and 27,000 rpm in operation. Commenting on the CNC selection, Zimmermann’s Tockook observed, “With all the challenges we had on this machine, including the axes of motion, the integration of the twin gantry movements, the substantial safety factors involved and the need for independent and also co-dependent gantry operations, we quickly determined that only twin Sinumerik 840D sl CNCs could handle this job.” DE www.usa.siemens.com www.zimmermann-inc.com www.triumphgroup.com MotionControl CLIPPARD OFFERS MINIATURE PNEUMATIC PRODUCTS CATALOG FOR SCIENTIFIC/MEDICAL APPLICATIONS A leader in miniature pneumatics, Clippard provides the scientific/medical industry a variety of products and solutions. The product range is illustrated in a color brochure featuring the most complete line of miniature fluid power products for the medical, pharmaceutical analytical and dental fields. To get your copy today please visit our website at the address printed below. Clippard www.clippard.com/scientific-a Tel: 1.877.245.6247 • Email: sales@clippard.com HIGH PERFORMANCE SILICONE FEATURES SUPERIOR THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY Master Bond MasterSil 151AO is a two component, low viscosity silicone compound for high performance potting and encapsulation. It combines high temperature resistance, superior flexibility and outstanding thermal conductivity. MasterSil 151AO has an exceptionally low viscosity and offers remarkable flexibility while maintaining high temperature and thermal cycling resistance Master Bond www.masterbond.com/tds/mastersil-151ao Tel: 1.201.343.8983 • Email: info@masterbond.com DRYLIN® W - FOR ALMOST UNLIMITED DESIGN FREEDOM DryLin® W was developed to promote both design flexibility and quick assembly in both single and double rail configurations. DryLin® W is also available in several mounted assemblies eliminating the need for both shaft alignment and bearing assembly. All DryLin® W systems have lubrication-free liners, reducing friction and optimizing bearing life. Request a free DryLin® W sample linear guide kit from igus®. igus www.igus.ca Tel: 1.905.760.8448 • Email: webmaster@igus.com PERFECT MESHING TIMING BELTS AND PULLEYS Perfect meshing timing pulleys are crucial for high performance and long service life. The B216 Timing Belt Pulley catalog from BRECOflex highlights our domestic custom pulley capabilities, available tooth pitches, and stock pulleys. Our NJ production facility is designed around made-to-order pulleys for industry-leading standard and expedited delivery times. Our objective is “100% customer satisfaction”! BrecoFlex www.brecoflex.com Tel: 888-463-1400 • Email: info@brecoflex.com 36-38-DES.indd 38 15-02-05 1:55 PM
  • 39. www.design-engineering.com January/February | 2015 39 Automation Embedded PC Beckhoff Automation unveiled its CX5100 series of embed- ded PC controllers, featuring Intel’s latest 22-nm Atom CPUs (‘Bay Trail’). The fanless, rail-mountable controllers are offered in three different processor and housing sizes: Single-core, 1.46 GHz (CX5120); dual-core, 1.75 GHz (CX5130); or quad-core, 1.91 GHz Atom CPU (CX5140). The basic interface equipment corresponds to that of the company’s CX5000 devices: Automatic recognition of K-Bus I/O or EtherCAT Terminals; two Gigabit-capable Ethernet interfaces; four USB 2.0 ports; a DVI-I interface and a “multi-option” interface that can be equipped to support a variety of fieldbus systems. The embedded PCs extended operating temperature ranges from -25 to +60 °C. www.beckhoffautomation.com/cx5100 Graphics Terminal Rockwell Automation released its PanelView Plus 7 Standard graphic terminal, available in screen size options ranging from 4 to 10 inches standard and 4-inch and 9-inch in widescreen formats. The terminals feature an SD card, to help configure multiple machines and access saved diagnostics, as well as virtual network computing (VNC) connectivity for secure application monitoring on mobile devices from remote loca- tions. The Rockwell Automation software code library includes faceplates and add-on instructions (AOI) for the PanelView Plus 7 Standard operator interface. The terminals provide connectivity to one controller, and up to 25 screens and 200 alarms along with ATEX Certification. www.rockwellautomation.com Automation Panel In addition to its widescreen panels, B&R Automation has added a line of second generation automation panel displays in conventional 4:3 format with single-touch operation. As part of B&R’s modular system platform, the panels can be combined with a module to create a panel PC. The panels can also be equipped with a Smart Display Link 3 receiver that allows the display to be installed at distances up to 100 meters from the PC. SDL3 then transmits all necessary data over an ordinary Ethernet cable. The 4:3 format units are available as 12.1- and 15-inch panels with XGA resolution and well as 19-inch panels with SXGA resolution. The panels’ LED backlight features a wide adjustment range to allow for dimmed user environments. www.br-automation.com PLC WAGO announced the addition of its PFC200 PLC to the com- pany’s Ethernet 2.0 series. The unit features multiple fieldbus ports; a 600 MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor; 256 MB on-board memory (32 GB removable) and an integrated web server. The PFC200 acts as a fieldbus gateway to communicate between MODBUS TCP/UD/RTU, CAN, PROFIBUS, Smart Grid and RS-232/ RS-485, eliminating the need for third-party converters. Con- figuration of fieldbus networks is facilitated by the WAGO-I/O- PRO programming and visualization software tool. www.wago.us IdeaGenerator Vision1210™ w w w. u n i t r o n i c s . c om usa.sales@unitronics.com Unitronics, Inc. 1 Batterymarch Park Quincy, MA 02169 USA PLC + HMI inOneUnit Starting at $1,676 Toll Free: 866-666-6033 12.1”Colortouchscreen 800x600pixels(SVGA) Supportsupto1000I/Os Includinghigh-speed, Temperature&weight measurement NEMA4X/IP66/IP65 39-43-DESv2.indd 39 15-02-05 1:59 PM
  • 40. January/February | 2015 www.design-engineering.com 40 Level Controller CARLO GAVAZZI has expanded its line of Conductive Level Controllers, which provide filling or emptying control of liquid levels between two different points. The company’s CLD2EB1BU24 controller provides three sensitivity ranges plus a fine tune adjustment from 250 ohms to 500k ohms. The controller features DIN rail mounting, universal 24-240VAC/DC supply voltage and a 17.5mm housing width. The company’s CLP2EB1Bxxx provides a single mid-range sensitivity adjust- ment from 5k ohms to 150k ohms. Mounted via an 11-pin DIN-rail mountable socket, four different models are available for operating voltages of 24VDC, 24VAC, 115VAC or 230VAC. All of the models provide one SPDT relay output, which is rated up to 8A, 250VAC. www.gavazzionline.com Motors Motors and Gearboxes Maxon announced additions to its X drive and GPX planetary gearhead lines. The motor line now includes four more motor sizes — 14, 16, 22 and 26mm diameter models. The models are also available in a long version that offers higher continuous torque and output power. In addition, the GPX planetary gearhead line has added sizes 14, 19, 26 and 37mm, all of which are designed with scaled gear stages. Each of the new 3-stage gearheads can be driven with the next smaller motor. In addition, the existing GPX 16 and GPX 32 models are available in various versions and can be equipped with ceramic axles to reduce wear. Lastly, the company’s ENX 16 Easy absolute encoder is available as an SSI or BiSS-C version, according to the customer’s requirements. http://dcx.maxonmotor.com Servomotors Beckhoff Automation intro- duced its AM801x and AM811x servomotors which offer a low rotor moment of inertia, as well as qua- druple overload capacity, and add a flange size F1 IdeaGenerator AH1114A-PMG Ph: 412-963-7470 Email: sales@aerotech.com www.aerotech.com Dedicated to the Science of Motion Control Systems • Advanced control capabilities for coordinated motion • Innovative features for minimizing dynamic tracking errors • Velocity profiling maintains a constant vector velocity over complex profiles for total material distributing control • Powerful, user-friendly controllers and drives to enhance your complete process 3D Motion Control Subsystem and Component Solutions Precision Additive Manufacturing Mechanical Systems • 3D motion down to nanometer- level performance • Full line of linear and rotary stages in both mechanical- bearing and air-bearing versions • Component-level solutions for cost effective, reliable motion • Integrated subsystems and turnkey machines customized to exact specifications Subsystems with six degrees of freedom Aerotech motion products are currently used in a variety of additive manufacturing applications. A 3D printed structure produced using an Aerotech motion system. Photo provided by Professor Jennifer A. Lewis, Harvard University AH1114A-PMG-Additive-Manufacturing-7x4_875.indd 1 12/11/2014 1:43:24 PM 39-43-DESv2.indd 40 15-02-05 1:59 PM