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The Importance of Motor Protection Relays in Industrial Settings

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Motors are critical components in diverse industries, ranging from manufacturing and mining to water treatment and HVAC systems.

As the backbone of industrial operations, any motor failure or malfunction can lead to costly downtime, production losses, and expensive repairs.

To safeguard these valuable assets and ensure their reliable and efficient operation, motor protection relays like GE Multilin 239 motor protection relays are deployed. This article introduces motor protection relays and how they help operators maximize motor longevity and performance. [Read more…] about The Importance of Motor Protection Relays in Industrial Settings

Teledyne FLIR Boson+ thermal camera now available with factory-integrated continuous zoom lens

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Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies, has launched the first Boson+ thermal camera module with its factory-integrated, high-performance 14 mm to 75 mm continuous zoom (CZ) lens.

With seamless optomechanical integration, the new Boson+ CZ 14-75 reduces development and operational risk and costs, all with an industry-first warranty that is not available when using multiple suppliers.

The reliable Boson+ CZ 14-75 is ideal for unmanned aerial vehicles, perimeter surveillance, light armored vehicle situational awareness and targeting, and soldier sighting systems. [Read more…] about Teledyne FLIR Boson+ thermal camera now available with factory-integrated continuous zoom lens

Teledyne’s Thermal by FLIR program sees expansion with US drone makers BRINC and Teal

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Thermal By FLIR Collaborators Teal and BRINC Mark the Next Generation of Small Thermal-Equipped Unmanned Aircraft for Defense and Public Safety Use

Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, today announced continued momentum within its Thermal by FLIR program for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), highlighted by the integration of its Hadron 640R dual visible-thermal payload within the recently announced Teal 2 drone and the Lepton 3.5 thermal micro camera within the BRINC LEMUR 2. 

Mike Walters, vice president, product management, Teledyne FLIR, says: “Teledyne FLIR brings decades of thermal camera development experience to the sUAS market, with a strict focus on reducing the size, weight, and power while expanding the technical capabilities today’s emergency personnel, law enforcement, and warfighters require.

“The integration of the Teledyne FLIR thermal camera modules into the cutting-edge LEMUR 2 and the Teal 2 demonstrates our continued commitment to innovation and streamlined platform integration.” [Read more…] about Teledyne’s Thermal by FLIR program sees expansion with US drone makers BRINC and Teal

Historical textiles in focus: IDS provides technology to preserve priceless artefacts

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New approaches to investigate damage due to environmental fluctuation on textile artefacts by image processing

Preventive conservation plays an important role in the preservation of art and cultural assets. In order to preserve their condition for as long as possible, it is essential to slow down ageing processes and evaluate factors that alter materials.

To do this, it is necessary to grasp and have an holistic understanding of the artefact. Cultural heritage science and engineering methods for understanding material behaviour require an interdisciplinary approach.

Textiles are among the most sensitive art and cultural heritage objects. In the course of their production and handling, their presentation and storage, they are often exposed to influences that can have a damaging effect. [Read more…] about Historical textiles in focus: IDS provides technology to preserve priceless artefacts

Improving industrial mobile robots with multiScan 3D LiDAR

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SICK’s newest multiScan100 family uses time of flight (TOF) measurement to create a 3D perception of its surroundings. To begin, SICK is launching the multiScan136, with a planned launch in the future for more products in the multiScan product family.  [Read more…] about Improving industrial mobile robots with multiScan 3D LiDAR

Teledyne FLIR adds new functions to its thermal camera system

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Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies, has expanded the Boson+ thermal camera module product line with 24 compact models featuring 320 x 256 resolution.

Radiometry, the ability to take the temperature of every pixel, as well as both MIPI and CMOS interfaces are now also available on all resolutions.

With these updates and a thermal sensitivity of 20 millikelvin (mK) or less, Boson+ is the most sensitive longwave infrared (LWIR) camera line in the market and is ideal for integration in unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), automotive, wearables, security applications, handhelds, and thermal sights. [Read more…] about Teledyne FLIR adds new functions to its thermal camera system

Czech retailer’s robots clean 20 million square metres

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Albert, said to be one of the Czech Republic’s largest retail brands, says its fleet of autonomous mobile robots have officially cleaned over 20 million square metres (215 million square feet), completing over 92,000 cleaning routes.

The industrial cleaning robots were implemented across Albert’s Czech Republic hypermarkets and two distribution centres. During 2023, Albert says it will “almost double” the number of stores with robot deployments for the robots.

Albert, an Ahold Delhaize local brand, released the figure in partnership with Brain Corp and Tennant Co, who supply and develop the robots and software. [Read more…] about Czech retailer’s robots clean 20 million square metres

ExRobotics develops ‘new and improved’ version of its inspection robot

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ExRobotics has developed a “new and improved” version of its ATEX-certified inspection robot, together with the help of Shell Pernis and DOW Terneuzen.

ExRobotics says “many companies” have adopted this way of working, and as a result, there are now 30 of its robots operating worldwide on a daily basis.

Why do industrial companies send employees into potentially hazardous environments (ATEX Zone 1 environments) when robots could do some of the work? Several studies have shown that inspection of hazardous environments by robots is the solution to preventing human injury during inspection. Robots perform inspections more accurately, more productively and more cost-effectively than humans. [Read more…] about ExRobotics develops ‘new and improved’ version of its inspection robot

ANYbotics to provide steelmaker Outokumpu with its canine inspection robot

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Outokumpu, one of Europe’s largest producers of stainless steel, has signed a deal with ANYbotics, a supplier of four-legged robots.

ANYbotics will provide its autonomous robotic inspection solution ANYmal to automate routine inspection at Outokumpu sites in Europe.

Outokumpu and ANYbotics formally announced the partnership ahead of the Green Steel World Conference. [Read more…] about ANYbotics to provide steelmaker Outokumpu with its canine inspection robot

Will a robot take my job? Notre Dame researcher says this view is overly pessimistic

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With the impact of industrial robots on the US labor markets in the past two decades, and an ever-increasing presence of machine-driven technology (such as artificial intelligence and ChatGPT), many employees have feared that one day robots will take their jobs.

Not necessarily so, according to research recently published by Yong Suk Lee, an assistant professor in the University of Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs.

He and his co-author, Auburn University’s John Chung, found that industrial robots, particularly those used within the automotive industry, complemented human workers rather than replaced them – some even working collaboratively, side-by-side. [Read more…] about Will a robot take my job? Notre Dame researcher says this view is overly pessimistic