There is much going on in the world of hydraulic, pneumatic and electric motion systems, from technology introductions and industry advancements to new trends and industry leaders. Each week the Power & Motion team collects the latest industry news to help keep our readers up to date on what's happening in the fluid power and electric motion control sectors as well as the industries they serve.
A3 Celebrates 50 Years
The Association for Advancing Automation (A3), a trade group for robotics and automation, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024. A3 now represents over 1,280 member companies as part of its efforts to promote automation technologies and the benefits they can provide.
The association originated as the Robot Institute of America, founded by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). Over the years it evolved to support more automation technologies, including in partnership with the AIA-Advancing Vision + Imaging and Motion Control and Motors Association (MCMA). In 2021, the associations merged into a single entity, A3, and added an Artificial Intelligence group to its fold to be more encompassing of the various technologies involved with automation.
“While the name of our association has changed over the years, what has never wavered is our mission of bringing vendors and users together to take advantage of the productivity and efficiency benefits robotics and automation enable,” said Jeff Burnstein, who joined A3 in 1983 and has served as president of the association since 2007. “I’ve had a front row seat to the growth of the industry for more than 40 years and expect even greater growth as more industries facing labor shortage and efficiency issues recognize what robotics and automation can do to help them succeed.
“The last few years have been an especially exciting time as the use of robotics and other forms of automation has hit record levels. We expect the next 50 years to be even busier for our organization as we support our member companies and users as they continue to embrace automation. We look forward to commemorating a legacy of innovation and progress all year, but especially as the industry gathers in Chicago this May for the Automate Show.”
Voice of Customer Presentation Added to March NFPA Virtual Technology Conference
A voice of customer presentation will be one of the sessions during the National Fluid Power Association's (NFPA) March Quarterly Technology Conference. Set for March 7, the virtual event will focus on the topic of Predictive and Preventative Maintenance.
Representatives from Vermeer Manufacturing will provide the voice of customer presentation, focusing on reliability requirements and predictive maintenance. Additional presentations during the event will be given by representatives of Schroeder Industries and Casappa S.p.A.
Registration is open for the March conference.
The Quarterly Technology Conferences are held in conjunction with the Fluid Power Industrial Consortium (FPIC) and provide opportunities for members of the hydraulics and pneumatics industry to learn about new technologies and trends. One is held each quarter on a different topic of importance to the industry based on target development areas outlined in the most recent NFPA Technology Roadmap.
Waste and Recycling Company to Use Mack and Volvo Electric Vehicles
Coastal Waste & Recycling in Boca Raton, FL, has taken delivery of a Mack LR Electric, a battery-electric refuse vehicle from Mack Trucks. It will also pilot Volvo Construction Equipment's EC230 Electric 23-ton excavator.
Both Volvo Group companies' vehicles use the latest electrification technologies developed within the group. The EC230 Electric is a medium-sized excavator designed to offer the same performance as its diesel counterpart, while the LR Electric is a heavy-duty truck with all the strength of comparable diesel-powered Mack LR refuse models. Excavators and refuse vehicles are heavy users of hydraulics and remain so even with the current shift to electrification because of the power density required in these applications and the similar operation they offer to those using the vehicles.
The Mack LR Electric will operate in residential and certain specialized commercial applications; Mack Trucks worked with the customer to develop favorable routing for the refuse truck to ensure it meets Coastal Waste & Recycling's needs. Meanwhile, the Volvo EC230 Electric will be tested at the customer's Materials Recovery Facility to feed material into a sorting line.
Utilizing both electric vehicles in real-world applications will help provide further validation of their capabilities as well as insights for future design iterations.
READ MORE: The Impacts of Electrification on Fluid Power Systems
Women in Manufacturing Partnering with SME on Virtual Career Fairs
The Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM) is partnering with SME again in 2024 to host virtual career fairs designed to connect those looking for careers in manufacturing with companies which aim to support, promote and inspire women in this field.
With these virtual events, one-on-one connections can be made between job seekers from around the U.S. Job candidates will include a mix of experience levels, including recent college graduates, young professionals, season managers and skilled tradespeople.
“We are excited about WiM’s continued partnership with SME, which allow us to bring even greater opportunities to candidates in search of their next industry roles,” said Allison Grealis, WiM president and founder. “Further, WiM and SME collaborate to deliver a career fair experience that proves to be a valuable resource for manufacturing companies who understand the importance of recruiting more women and emphasizing diversity in the workforce.”
The first career fair was held February 8 and a second is planned for later in the year. All job seekers can participate and there is no cost to do so.
Visit Power & Motion's WISE (Workers in Science and Engineering) hub which compiles our coverage of workplace issues affecting the engineering field, in addition to contributions from equity seeking groups and subject matter experts within various subdisciplines.
Bosch Rexroth Partners with Modine on Thermal Management Technology for Electric Machines
Bosch Rexroth has formed a partnership with Modine to include its EVantage thermal management systems in the eLION portfolio of electrification products for off-highway mobile machinery.
Proper thermal management is vital to ensuring the performance of the various components used in electric vehicles. As part of the collaboration, Modine designed a fully integrated, liquid-cooled thermal management solution for the eLION portfolio — enabling it to work seamlessly with the various components in the lineup to ensure an optimal battery temperature is maintained, power electronics are cooled efficiently and passenger comfort is maintained.
"This collaboration allows us to leverage our state-of-the-art heat exchanger technology and intelligent electronic products to deliver the optimal thermal conditions for the critical battery and electronic components on which Bosch Rexroth customers rely," said Gina Maria Bonini, Vice President and General Manager of Advanced Thermal Systems at Modine.
