Weidmüller – New electronics plant opens: Weidmüller invests in the future

EMR Analysis

More information on Weidmüller: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Dr. Sebastian Durst (Chief Executive Officer, Weidmüller): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on André Sombecki (Managing Director – Chief Financial Officer, Weidmüller): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Dr. Timo Berger (Chief Technology Officer, Weidmüller): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Dr. Christian von Toll (Chief Sales Officer, Weidmüller): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

 

More information on u-remote I/O by Weidmüller: https://www.weidmueller.com/int/products/automation_software/i_o_systems/index.jsp + u-remote offers the perfect solution for all common areas of application within machine and plant construction. Whether it’s used as a pure control cabinet system, in mixed IP20 and IP67 applications, or even positioned directly in the field for signal connection, u-remote grants you complete freedom to create a flexible I/O architecture and gives you the benefits of an integrated complete system.

More information on Compact PicoPak by Weidmüller: https://eshop.weidmueller.com/en/compact-standard-signal-isolators-loop-powered-picopak/c/group10752991490297 + Compact standard signal isolators, loop powered – PicoPak.

• Space-saving in the control cabinet thanks to the slim 6 mm width
• Passive isolator, loop-powered at the input and output
• Increased operating temperature range: -40°C …+70°C
• Zero and Span adjustment possible

 

 

 

More information on Daniel Sieveke (Secretary of State, Ministry of Regional Identity, Local Government, Building and Digitalisation, State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany): https://www.mhkbd.nrw/en + https://www.daniel-sieveke.de/kontakt + https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-sieveke-0b374456/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EMR Additional Notes:

• Printed Circuit Board (PCB) & PCB Terminal Block Relay: 
  • Printed Circuit Board (PCB):
    • A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is an electronic assembly that uses copper conductors to create electrical connections between components. PCBs also provide mechanical support for electronic components so that a device can be mounted in an enclosure.
    • The Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is very important in all electronic gadgets, which are used either for domestic use or for industrial purposes. PCB design services are used to design the electronic circuits. Apart from electrically connecting, it also gives mechanical support to the electrical components.
  • Relays: 
    • Relays are electric switches that use electromagnetism to convert small electrical stimuli into larger currents. These conversions occur when electrical inputs activate electromagnets to either form or break existing circuits.
    • A simple electromagnetic relay is made up of a solenoid, which is wire coiled around a soft iron core, an iron yoke that provides a low reluctance path for magnetic flux, a movable iron frame, and one or more sets of contacts. The three main types of relays are electromechanical, solid-state, and reed.
  • PCB Relays & PCB Terminal Blocks: 
    • The electromagnetic PCB relay works by applying an electromagnetic field when power gets applied to the coil, subsequently causing the movement of the armature and making the contacts either close or open. PCB relays get classified by construction, mounting type, or function.
    • PCB terminal block connectors are designed using one-piece board mount terminal blocks and two-piece plug connectors with mating right angle and straight shrouded headers. Assembly is made simpler due to our built-in interlocks on the modular housing types.
    • PCB terminal blocks enable the easy and safe transmission of signals, data, and power to the PCB. They are suitable for a variety of applications in numerous industries, markets, and for Industry 4.0 applications.

 

 

• I/O:
  • Input/Output
  • Describes any operation, program, or device that transfers data to or from a computer. Typical I/O devices are printers, hard disks, keyboards, and mouses.

 

• IO-Link:
  • IO-Link is a powerful standard, an increasingly deployed point-to-point serial communication protocol.
  • It allows for the bi-directional exchange of data and is used to communicate with sensors and/or actuators.
  • Extending the globally recognized PLC standard IEC 61131, it allows three types of data to be exchanged – Process data, service data, and events.
  • Major sensor manufacturers and industrial manufacturing companies have joined the international IO-Link Consortium to promote the IO-Link communication protocol due to its many advantages over standard I/O.

 

 

• Transducer:
  • A transducer is an electronic device that converts energy from one form to another. Common examples include microphones, loudspeakers, thermometers, position and pressure sensors, and antenna.
  • Both a sensor and a transducer are used to sense a change within the environment they are surrounded by or an object they are attached to. However, a sensor will give an output in the same format and a transducer will convert the measurement into an electrical signal.

 

 

• Heat Exchangers, Heat Pumps, Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP), Hydronics, Geothermal Heating – Cooling & Chillers:
  • Heat Exchangers:
    • Used to transfer heat from one medium to another. These media may be a gas, liquid, or a combination of both. The media may be separated by a solid wall to prevent mixing or may be in direct contact. Heat exchangers are required to provide heating and/or cooling to meet a process requirement.
    • In HVAC, Heat exchangers are used to transfer heat between the indoor and outdoor air streams while keeping them physically separated as a means of cooling the indoor air. In addition, heat exchangers can also be used to heat indoor air. These systems are called heat pumps.
  • Heat Pumps:
    • Use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. During the heating season, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house.  During the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your house into the  outdoors. Because they transfer heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can efficiently provide comfortable temperatures for your home.
  • Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP):
    • Heating and cooling system that extracts heat from the outside air and transfers it to a building’s interior for heating, or reverses the process to cool the building. ASHPs are a low-carbon alternative to traditional heating systems like gas boilers or oil furnaces. They are efficient because they transfer heat rather than generating it, typically providing 2-4 times more heat energy than the electricity they consume.
    • The only difference between a heat pump and a chiller is that one is designed to remove heat from a space or process stream, making it cooler and rejecting heat to the environment, while the other is designed to extract heat from the environment and use it to provide useful heat.
  • Hydronics:
    • Systems of heating or cooling that involves transfer of heat by a circulating fluid (such as water or vapor) in a closed system of pipes.
  • Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems:  
    • Take advantage of the stable temperature underground using a piping system, commonly referred to as a “loop.” Water circulates in the loop to exchange heat between your home, the ground source heat pump, and the earth, providing geothermal heating, cooling, and hot water at remarkably high efficiencies.
  • Chillers:  
    • Mechanical systems that remove heat from a building’s liquid coolant, typically water, and transfer it to another location to cool the air and maintain comfort. Unlike traditional systems that might cool air directly, chillers generate chilled water that circulates through air handling units (AHUs) within the space to absorb heat, making them essential for cooling large commercial or industrial buildings.

 

 

• Ampere – Amp (A):
  • Ampere (A) is the unit of measure for the rate of electron flow, or current, in an electrical conductor. One ampere is defined as one coulomb of electric charge moving past a point in one second. The ampere is named after the French physicist André-Marie Ampère, who made significant contributions to the study of electromagnetism.
    • Amperes measure the flow of electrical current (charge) through a circuit.
    • Watts measure the rate of energy consumption or generation, also known as power.
    • Volts measure the force or potential difference that drives the flow of electrons through a circuit.

 

• Milliampere (mA):
  • A milliampere is a unit of electric current equal to one-thousandth of an ampere (1mA=10−3A). The prefix “milli” signifies 10−3 in the metric system. This unit is commonly used to measure small currents in electronic circuits and consumer devices.
• Kilovolt (kV):
  • Kilovolt (kV) is a unit of potential difference equal to 1,000 volts.
• Kilovolt-Amperes (kVA):
  • Kilovolt-Amperes (kVA) stands for Kilo-volt-amperes, a term used for the rating of an electrical circuit. A kVA is a unit of apparent power, which is the product of the circuit’s maximum voltage and current rating.
  • The difference between real power (kW) and apparent power (kVA) is crucial. Real power (kW) is the actual power that performs work, while apparent power (kVA) is the total power delivered to a circuit, including the real power and the reactive power (kVAR) that doesn’t do useful work. The relationship between them is defined by the power factor. Since the power factor is typically less than 1, the kVA value will always be higher than the kW value.
• Megavolt-Amperes (MVA):
  • Megavolt-Amperes (MVA) is a unit used to measure the apparent power in a circuit, primarily for very large electrical systems like power plants and substations. It’s a product of the voltage and current in a circuit.
  • 1 MVA is equivalent to 1,000 kVA, or 1,000,000 volt-amperes.

 

• Kilowatt (KW):
  • A kilowatt is simply a measure of how much power an electric appliance consumes—it’s 1,000 watts to be exact. You can quickly convert watts (W) to kilowatts (kW) by dividing your wattage by 1,000: 1,000W 1,000 = 1 kW.
• Megawatt (MW):
  • One megawatt equals one million watts or 1,000 kilowatts, roughly enough electricity for the instantaneous demand of 750 homes at once.
• Gigawatt (GW):
  • A gigawatt (GW) is a unit of power, and it is equal to one billion watts.
  • According to the Department of Energy, generating one GW of power takes over three million solar panels or 310 utility-scale wind turbines
• Terawatt (TW):
  • One terawatt is equal to one trillion watts (1,000,000,000,000 watts). The main use of terawatts is found in the electric power industry, particularly for measuring very large-scale power generation or consumption.
  • According to the United States Energy Information Administration, America is one of the largest electricity consumers in the world, using about 4,146.2 terawatt-hours (TWh) of energy per year.
• Power vs. Energy:
  • Power (measured in kW, MW, GW, TW): Rate at which energy is used or generated at a given moment.
  • Energy (measured in kWh, MWh, GWh, TWh): Total amount of power consumed or generated over a period of time (i.e., Power x Time).

 

• KiloWatt ‘peak’ (KWp):
  • kWp stands for kilowatt ‘peak’ power output of a system. It is most commonly applied to solar arrays. For example, a solar panel with a peak power of 3kWp which is working at its maximum capacity for one hour will produce 3kWh. kWp (kilowatt peak) is the total kw rating of the system, the theoretical ‘peak’ output of the system. e.g. If the system has 4 x 270 watt panels, then it is 4 x 0.27kWp = 1.08kWp.
  • The Wp of each panel will allow you to calculate the surface area needed to reach it. 1 kWp corresponds theoretically to 1,000 kWh per year.