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1. Winners of the Automation Award 2019 score points with simple operation
2. The results of the Automation Award 2019 at a glance
3. Digitalization for the first time topic for special prize of the Automation Award
The SPS (Smart Production Solutions) trade show took place under a new name at the end of November 2019 in Nuremberg. 63,708 visitors took a close look at the products and services offered by the 1585 exhibitors on an area of 135,500 m². Although both the number of visitors and exhibitors thus declined compared with the previous year, it was nevertheless high in view of the economic development and demonstrates the importance of automation technology, especially with regard to achieving competitive production.
Winners of the Automation Award 2019 score points with simple operation
With their solutions, the two winners of the Automation Award 2019 also provide answers to the question of how production technology can become easier to operate and therefore more efficient.
- Carlo Gavazzi GmbH was able to secure 1st place in the control technology & system solutions sector. Its Smart Configurator SCTL55 was elected with 28.0 % of the votes cast. The smart testing and programming device for IO-Link sensors can operate as a stand-alone device independent of a PC and software. As soon as an IO-Link sensor is connected, the device downloads the required data from IODDfinder, the database of all IO-Link sensors available on the market. Via a menu, the technician can then parameterize and configure the sensor and read out measured values, diagnostic data and process parameters.
- With a consistently uniform handling, Hans Turck GmbH & Co. KG with its plus sensor family PS+ (pressure), FS+ (flow) as well as TS+ (temperature) was also voted number 1 in the area of standard components & sensor technology, 34.4 % found this solution convincing. With the new fluid sensor platform +, Turck promises users not only flexible mounting and reliable continuous operation, but also intuitive operation. All Plus sensors are based on the same platform and the user interface with capacitive touchpads and a multi-colour display allows intuitive settings in plain text menus. By the way, a compatibility mode is also available for IO-Link systems.
The results of the Automation Award 2019 at a glance
Simplicity and efficiency also characterize the majority of all products nominated for the Automation Award 2019, as a glance at the placements shows.
Area control technology & system solutions:
- Place 1 (28,0 %) – Carlo Gavazzi GmbH: Smart Configurator SCTL55 – smart test and programming device for IO-Link sensors
- Place 2 (26,4 %) – Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG: U-Control 2000 web – Real-time automation and communication for IoT
- Place 3 (18,5 %) – Schneider Electric GmbH: Tesys Island – digital load management system
- Place 4 (14,4 %) – Pilz GmbH & Co. KG: PITmode fusion – Operating mode selection and access authorization system
- Place 5 (12,8 %) – Panduit GmbH: VeriSafe – Achieving electrical safety by button click
Area standard components & sensor technology:
- Place 1 (34,4 %) – Hans Turck GmbH & Co. KG: Sensorik-Familie PS+, FS+, TS+ – Fluid sensor technology with uniform handling throughout
- Place 2 (26,7 %) – Wibu-Systems AG: CodeMeter Certificate Vault – Roll out secure certificates automatically
- Place 3 (23,2 %) – MSF-Vathauer Antriebstechnik GmbH & Co. KG: Energy-Recovery-System (ERS) – easily integrated energy recovery system
- Place 4 (11,7 %) – Posital/Fraba GmbH: Hollow Shaft Kit Encoder – Feedback encoder for hollow shafts with energy harvesting
- Place 5 (4,0 %) – Bihl+Wiedemann GmbH: ASi-5/ASi-3 Profisafe über Profinet Gateway (BWU3674) – Safety gateway as ASi 5 and ASi 3 master
Digitalization for the first time topic for special prize of the Automation Award
Anyone who walked attentively through the SPS exhibition halls could find implementations of the topic of digitalization in 2019 in numerous places. Machine Learning, Digital Twin, as well as Cloud and Big Data technologies have arrived at many companies in practice and can be used concretely. For this reason, the jury of the Automation Award of elektro AUTOMATION will award the special prize for digitization for the first time in 2019. The winner in 2019 is the machine and plant manufacturer Grenzebach. It enables real-time quality control during friction stir welding in industrial 24/7 series production with the help of the Industrial Analytics software from automation specialist Weidmüller, which facilitates the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The ‚Special Digitalization Award‘ will continue to be awarded to a practical application that demonstrates how the advantages of digitalization can be used efficiently. co
