The SNAP IN technology used in OMNIMATE 4.0 connectors reduces wiring time while increasing connection security, even when compared with other cage-clamp systems, according to the company. The connectors are supplied ready for wiring, and users simply insert a pre-stripped cable end. The connector then snaps shut – like a mousetrap – and securely clamps the wire. An audible click and a green marker confirm that the connection has been made correctly. No tools are required.

Should it be necessary to remove a connection, this is equally fast and easy. The clamping latch is simply lifted with a finger to release the wire and, once again, no tools are needed.

Thanks to their modular design, OMNIMATE 4.0 connectors can be supplied with any number of poles from two to twelve, and can also incorporate a Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) connection. Currently available types are suitable for use with solid or flexible cables, with or without ferrules, from 0.5 mm² to 2.5 mm². Further pitch sizes will shortly be added to the range, and all types will be intermixable to allow complete freedom in the configuration of custom connectors.

For even greater convenience and speed, OMNIMATE 4.0 connectors are supported by the Weidmüller Configurator. This means that users can specify and order their connector assemblies including any special printing requirements with just a few mouse clicks, secure in the knowledge that the specification will be checked instantly for completeness and accuracy. The configurator can also import requirements direct from popular CAE packages, including Zuken E3 and Eplan Electric P8.

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Zidac Laboratories has pledged to donate £1 million worth of the products to healthcare organisations and charities. At the time of writing, it is more than halfway towards achieving this target, having gifted products to organisations that include St Barts Hospital in London, Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth and Medical Supply Drive.

To help meet the large demand for sanitiser, the palletisers are designed to operate at high speed, taking boxes of bottles and loading them on to pallets at a rate of 16 boxes per minute.

“We looked at a number of options for expanding the I/O capacity of the robot control system,” said Scott Sidwell, chief technical officer at Solent Automation, “and, after carefully weighing up the pros and cons of each, we ultimately decided that u-remote products from Weidmüller were the best match for our needs.

“The modules in this range offer Ethernet IP connectivity, which means that they interface directly with the Fanuc systems without the need to download or install special software. In fact, in one instance when working to a particularly tight deadline, Weidmüller was able to supply the modules we needed within two days of us placing the order.”

Other benefits offered by the u-remote modules which were important in this application include integral LED indicators that provide instant visual confirmation of the status of each individual I/O, and high power-handling capacity – each input and output current path can provide up to 10 A without the need for additional power-feed modules. For the palletisers, Solent Automation used three types of module. These provide 16 digital inputs, 16 digital outputs and analogue inputs. All were chosen from the IP20 range and therefore were installed in a cabinet where the compact and modular design complemented the space-saving demands of the application.

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FreeCon Contactless

Burnt, bent or dirty contacts can often be the cause of time consuming and costly production failures. This is all the more true of applications that require frequent plugging cycles. Certain models of industrial robots performing frequent tool changes are prone to suffering such system errors like this; the level of wear on moving parts can be especially high.

In some scenarios industrial robots can perform several hundred tool changes per day. In this regard, conventional contacts are subjected to high levels of wear. But now Weidmüller has introduced FreeCon Contactless. FreeCon Contactless offers contact-free power transmission up to 240W, enabling customers who employ industrial robots on their production lines to eliminate contact related failures and cut maintenance costs considerably.

FreeCon Contactless allows power to be transmitted via an ‘air gap’ by means of an inductive resonance coupling. FreeCon Contactless is a solution that’s completely wear-free and especially efficient. By doubling the power density on FreeCon Contactless, the line can obtain a far higher degree of efficiency compared with comparable solutions that are available on the market.

With FreeCon Contactless, customers will benefit from a reliable and maintenance-free connection. The process of charging driverless transport systems can now also be automated via FreeCon Contactless. High maintenance slip ring transmitters can be replaced too, since FreeCon Contactless securely transmits power even in the case of rotational movements.

Unlike conventional plug-in connections, which only provide IP 20 protection when unplugged and are therefore unprotected, FreeCon Contactless offers IP65 protection. FreeCon Contactless also enables reliable and contactless transmission of up to 240W of power with compact dimensions and maximum efficiency. The transmission through FreeCon Contactless can even be controlled via PLC. It is therefore possible to switch 10 A directly via the PLC with FreeCon Contactless without the need for further contactors. FreeCon Contactless provides complete protection against humidity and dirt.

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