Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced that skyTran, developer of a personal rapid transit system taking aim at the world of gridlocked traffic, is using software from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio to develop and manufacture a new maglev transport system. Using Simcenter MAGNET software, skyTran reduced physical prototyping costs by 90%.
Founded in 2011, and now a NASA Space Act company, skyTran is headquartered in Huntington Beach, California. Its high capacity, personal mass transit system and its on-demand, personal occupancy vehicles allow riders and cargo to travel above the road at motorway speeds and beyond. Vehicles operate autonomously and use proprietary switching technology to safely navigate complex guideway networks direct-to-destination without the constraints of ground-based corridors.
The system uses a modified and improved maglev variant called electrodynamic suspension, based on coupled levitation and propulsion systems. skyTran’s propulsion system uses a drive motor with a magnetic rotor and aluminum stator. In contrast, the levitation system uses the electromagnets in the vehicle and their interaction with the steel guideways.
To develop this revolutionary transport system, skyTran has a full-scale test rig, but each test takes a lot of time and cost. Additionally, it can be difficult to visualise what’s happening in the physical system while it is operating. Gaining further insight necessitated adding sensors, but these can influence the results from the test rig. To overcome this, the team wanted a simulation solution that could help reduce the scale of the test rig program and interrogate the test in new, faster and cheaper ways.
skyTran chose Simcenter MAGNET from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio to help them confront these issues. “By using Simcenter MAGNET we can speed up the manufacturing of the parts and building of the test fixture process by four times compared to when we don’t do any simulation,” says Iana Volvach, finite elements analysis engineer, skyTran. “In terms of the cost, we can save a lot since we don’t buy the parts to create every single experiment and the test fixture for it. When modelling with Simcenter MAGNET we can reduce the cost spent on prototypes by 90% compared to when no simulation is used.”
How sustainability unlocks real business impact Rockwell Automation
IT in Manufacturing
Sustainability has moved from a compliance obligation to a strategic driver of resilience and value for manufacturers. Rockwell Automation explains how its Triple A framework and connected-data approach help producers cut energy, water and waste while improving productivity.
Read more...Mining’s AI future will depend on people as well as technology
IT in Manufacturing
South Africa’s mining industry is embracing digitalisation and AI, but AvenirHoldings chief executive officer, Tshidi Mndzebele says the real test is whether the people behind the industry are equipped to move forward with it, and outlines five things mining needs to get right.
Read more...How BIC overcame operational silos to integrate technology and people Rockwell Automation
IT in Manufacturing
Manufacturing giant BIC deployed Plex MES from Rockwell Automation at its Bizerte plant in Tunisia, replacing fragmented, partly in-house software with a single cloud-based execution system that broke operational silos and improved shop-floor visibility.
Read more...AI in industry is an early warning system, not a guarantee Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Schneider Electric’s Paul Steyn argues that AI in industrial maintenance is only as good as the infrastructure and people behind it, and explains the three layers a facility needs before predictive maintenance can deliver on its promise.
Read more...SA’s mining industry must put people at the heart of its digital future
IT in Manufacturing
South Africa’s mining industry employs around 470 000 people while its digital transition accelerates. Avenir’s chied executive officer, Tshidi Mndzebele argues that technology should enable and upskill the workforce rather than replace it, setting out five ways mining can make technology work for its people.
Read more...Quality control supports efficient tissue production Valmet South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Valmet’s advanced quality control technology is helping tissue producers improve product consistency while reducing energy and raw material consumption. Its latest installation at KORO Paper in Vietnam combines real-time measurement, process optimisation and non-contact, nuclear-free quality control.
Read more...Patented algorithm maximises operator efficiency Rockwell Automation
IT in Manufacturing
Rockwell Automation piloted a patented anomaly detection algorithm and FactoryTalk DataMosaix at its Twinsburg electronics plant, giving operators 30 to 60 days’ advance warning of stencil failure, improving fail rates by 22% and achieving a 200% return on investment.
Read more...Measure, Manage, Maintain: The operating model behind SA’s water resilience Siemens South Africa
News
South Africa’s growing water crisis is putting pressure on infrastructure, municipalities and the economy. Siemens highlights how digital technologies, smarter operations and safe water reuse could help shift the country from crisis response towards a more resilient and sustainable water future.
Read more...Cybersecurity must become part of the next era of industrial automation Adroit Technologies
IT in Manufacturing
The EU’s Cyber Resilience Act is setting a global benchmark for connected products, making cybersecurity a core engineering requirement in industrial automation. Adroit Technologies and Mitsubishi Electric explain how building security into controllers, PLCs and drives from the outset helps South African manufacturers protect production and meet international expectations.
Read more...The next generation of engineers is building living labs of innovation Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Graduate engineers at Schneider Electric East Africa designed, integrated and commissioned the smart building systems in the company’s new Nairobi head office, demonstrating how practical, real-world project experience accelerates engineering capability and confidence.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version