this week, HANNOVER MESSE 2020 should have taken place – which, as you know, is not possible due to the protective measures taken to mitigate the corona pandemic. Under #HM20 and #WHATWEWOULDHAVESHOWN, HANNOVER MESSE provides information about the innovations that would have been presented at the fair. For your coverage, we are happy to highlight the projects Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) would have shown in the ‚Research & Development‘ and ‚Energy Solutions‘ halls.
Camera-based Spindle Control
The intelligent camera system for quantifying surface defects on ball screw drives enables image-based direct monitoring of the spindle surface. It consists of a camera system with lighting mounted on the ball screw nut, combined with a machine learning model trained on image data, which distinguishes between image data with and without defects. By evaluating this image data, a reliable state-ment can be made about the wear condition of the entire spindle surface, which is a prerequisite for timely exchange of the component in operation.
Press Release: https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2020_009_artificial-intelligence-for-machine-tool-maintenance.php
Fact Sheet: http://www.sek.kit.edu/downloads/Datenblatt-WBK-Spindelueberwachung-en.pdf
Biomimetic Surfaces: Nano- and Microstructured Surfaces Inspired by Nature
In the course of the evolution, many plants and animals have developed nano- and microstructured surfaces with fascinating properties. Biomimetics imitates these solutions from nature and makes them technically usable: Modeled on the white beetle Cyphochilus insulanus, a nanostructured poly-mer film forms a brilliant white coating for various products. An aquatic plant-inspired nanofur with specially arranged structures on a plastic film effectively separates oil and water and enables oil spills on water bodies to be removed quickly and in an environmentally friendly manner.
Press Release: https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2020_020_new-materials-brilliant-white-without-pigments.php
Fact Sheet: http://www.sek.kit.edu/downloads/Datenblatt-IMT-bionische-Oberflaechen-en.PDF
Video: https://media.bibliothek.kit.edu/world/2020/DIVA-2020-197_mp4.mp4 (in German)
RoboShield Demonstrator: Safe and Efficient Human-robot Collaboration
The demonstrator developed in the "RoboShield" project demonstrates measures that make collabo-ration between humans and robots more flexible and efficient without compromising safety: A combi-nation of laser scanners and cameras makes it possible to record the position of humans in three dimensions, so that upper body and arm movements, for example, can be identified. By infinitely scaling the robot speed, unnecessary decelerations or stops can be avoided. Intelligent operations scheduling increases the throughput of the system. By request, the robot switches to a mode that allows physical contact, for example for inspection purposes.
Press Release: https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2018_125_researchers-make-production-facilities-safe-and-secure.php
Fact Sheet: http://www.sek.kit.edu/downloads/Datenblatt-IAR-RoboShield-en.PDF
Value Stream Kinematics: Innovative and Versatile Production
Combining the high productivity and accuracy of special machines with the flexibility and versatility of industrial robots - this is what value stream kinematics makes possible. This innovative production system focuses on mapping entire production flows using uniform standard kinematics. In addition to the usual robotics handling tasks, the kinematics also carries out other processes such as assembly, 3D printing, cutting and joining, and machining. Value stream kinematics allows companies to economically and competitively manufacture products with a high degree of individualization and in smaller quantities.
Fact Sheet: http://www.sek.kit.edu/downloads/Datenblatt-WBK-Wertstromkinematik-en.pdf
reFuels: Regenerative Fuels as Building Blocks of CO2-neutral Mobility
The "reFuels" research initiative deals with the composition, production, and use of regenerative fuels. The objective is to enable refueling of all vehicles with regenerative fuels in order to provide a rapid complementary solution for CO2-neutral mobility. "reFuels" is based on innovative infrastructures: For bioliq®, which is used to produce high-quality fuels from biogenic raw materials and residues such as straw, KIT already operates a plant that supplies gasoline. The Energy Lab 2.0 at KIT is a worldwide unique plant network, which combines state-of-the-art technologies, e.g., gas turbines, power-to-methane systems, and water electrolysis plants, for the generation and use of electrical, thermal, and chemical energy. In addition, Energy Lab 2.0 produces different fuel components.
Press Release: https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2019_008_research-offensive-on-regenerative-fuels.php
Fact Sheet: http://www.sek.kit.edu/downloads/Datenblatt-refuels-en.PDF
World’s Smallest Transistor: A Quantum-electronic Element for Higher Energy Efficieny
Information technologies consume enormous amounts of energy: Whether in data processing centers, PCs, smartphones, or embedded systems for various applications from washing machines to air-planes – transistors are the central elements of digital data processing. The world's smallest transis-tor, which switches current through the controlled reversible movement of a single atom, can be used to increase energy efficiency: The quantum-electronic element enables switching energies that are by a factor of 10,000 lower than those of conventional silicon technologies. The single-atom transistor already works at room temperature. It operates in a gel electrolyte that combines the advantages of a solid with the electrochemical properties of a liquid.
Press Release: https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2018_097_smallest-transistor-worldwide-switches-current-with-a-single-atom-in-solid-electrolyte.php
Fact Sheet: http://www.sek.kit.edu/downloads/Datenblatt-APH-Transistor-en.PDF
Digital Power Supplies: Film Capacitors for a Longer Service Life of End Devices
A new modulation method for the digital and highly dynamic control of power supplies makes it pos-sible to use film capacitors that need only slightly increased installation space. Thanks to the accura-cy and flexibility of control, such digital power supply devices are particularly suitable for industrial applications with high dynamic requirements, for example in electric cars. The long service life of the film capacitors reduces the failure rate of the switching power supplies and thus increases the service life of the end devices many times over. The power supply units can be integrated into the Internet of Things via an online monitor for remote maintenance or remote diagnosis. Digital power supplies thus are important companions of Industry 4.0.
Press Release: https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2019_059_new-power-supply-unit-lets-electrical-devices-live-longer.php
Fact Sheet: http://www.sek.kit.edu/downloads/Datenblatt-Netzteile-en.PDF
Economical Lighting: Novel Parallel LED Circuit
Street lighting with LED technology saves energy and, hence, costs. A new circuit developed by KIT can reduce electricity costs of a lamp by 30 to 40 percent. The is how the modules are set up: Mid-power LEDs are arranged in any number of arrays connected in parallel. An upstream current control ensures that each of the LED arrays is supplied with the same amount of current. The modules are characterized by a high reliability and low production costs and can be used for many different applications, also in medicine or agriculture.
Press Release: https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2019_041_highly-economical-led-street-lights-tested-in-practice.php
Greenventory: Software for Inventorying Energy Systems
The software developed by the start-up company greenventory enables companies and cities to reach their energy and climate targets more easily, faster, and at less cost by providing the spatially and temporally highly resolved database needed for forward-looking planning. This database contains all energy-relevant building parameters and includes the grid infrastructure and potential for wind power and photovoltaic plants. In a holistic system analysis, the software considers heat, electricity, and mobility together. It enables energy supply and climate protection concepts, for example for produc-tion sites, distributor networks, or living areas, to be developed in much less time and at a much higher quality than before.
Press Release: https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2020_015_data-based-optimization-of-energy-systems.php
Fact Sheet: http://www.sek.kit.edu/downloads/Datenblatt-greenventory-en.pdf
Electronic Press Kit: http://www.sek.kit.edu/english/5026.php
