Autumn 2020 NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTS INDUSTRY 4.0 THE IMPACT ON OUR INDUSTRY AR AND VR IN MANUFACTURING: AN INTRODUCTION USING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION TO BENEFIT YOUR BUSINESSCONTENTS Page 2 – Editor’s note Page 3 – Meet our Newsletter contributors Page 4 – News Page 8 – VR and AR in manufacturing: An introduction by Dr Luke Boormand and Mike Lewis, both of AMRC Page 12 – Using digital transformation to benefit your business by Tim Daniels, Autoscribe Page 14 – Automated calibration of non-automated devices by Matt Gypps, Trescal Page 16 – Industry 4.0 and the impact on the measurement, testing and calibration process by Brian Waterfield Consultancy Ltd Page 18 – Company Profile IndySoft Page 20 – Announcements BMTA - the Voice of Measurement and Testing BMTA was created in response to the need for an independent voice for the private sector to speak to Government, UKAS, BSI and other official bodies on issues affecting the whole measurement, testing and calibration community. We encourage you to make your views known. though your contribution to newsletters, participation in Association activities and membership of relevant BMTA and Standards Making committees. Welcome readers to the Autumn issue of the BMTA Newsletter This issue looks towards the 4th industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0 as it is generally known, and its possible impact on Measurement, Testing and Calibration. But what exactly is AR, VR, AI and XR and how does it fit within, and benefit, our business? Discover the terminology and how these technologies are being used for manufacturing, product development and training across a wide variety of markets. Staying within the realm of forward-thinking technology, we also take a look at automated calibration in non-automated devices and how digital multi-meter calibration is being transformed by purpose-built robots. What might this breakthrough mean for other highly manual tasks? The 4th industrial revolution is already here. This issue takes note of how we can use it to our advantage. Next issue The theme of our Autumn 2020 issue is: • Brexit - What changes is the Calibration, Measurement and Testing industry facing? To help us provide our BMTA members with useful information we would like your help to: • identify and share relevant topics; • provide research on new technologies or techniques; • let us know industry news; • promote events and training sessions; • inform us of publications you think may be of interest to your fellow BMTA members. If you would like to contribute to the next issue of the BMTA Newsletter please contact editor.bmta@abacus-comms.co.uk with a brief synopsis. Equally, should your business produce any information, white papers or interviews that you would like to share, please submit this to enquiries@bmta.co.uk. To subscribe visit: . EDITOR’S NOTE bmta.co.ukMEET OUR NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTORS bmta.co.uk Dr Luke Boorman Lead engineer Factory 2050 University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Matt Gypps, UK Technical Manager, Trescal Brian Waterfield Learn move Mike Lewis Theme Lead Digital Factory 2050 University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Tim Daniels Marketing Manager Autoscribe Informatics Luke obtained his PhD in neuroscience and an MEng degree in systems control engineering from the University of Sheffield. His research experience covers a range of disciplines, from medical imaging to industrial robotics, where he has specialised in the development, teaching and application of software solutions for research problems. His publication record reflects his research interests in neuroscience, artificial intelligence and robotics. Matt and his team are responsible for maintaining and developing all technical services, plus monitoring and improving their capability. He started his career as a calibration and repair apprentice nearly 30 years ago. He has professional qualifications in H&S and management as well as Electronic engineering. Trescal is the largest provider of calibration services and Matt believes he can share his industry experience and knowledge gained not just from the UK but from the worldwide Trescal activities. A pioneer for extended reality (XR) within the automotive industry, Brian has 23 years experience in an industrial setting; changing the landscape of adoption through research and process change. Driving development, innovation and immersive visualisation to build in trust and reliability, Brian helps to create an environment that supports automotive products through their development cycle; design, engineering, manufacturing, marketing service and sale. He defines strategic direction for visualisation, virtualisation and digitalisation in the manufacturing enterprise, creating scalable solutions that will evolve across the company ecosystem. Mike joined the AMRC after graduating Sheffield Hallam University with a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2015. He spent three years as a software developer, designing and developing digital work instruction and computer vision solutions for assembly, training and quality control. The portfolio of projects for which he is currently responsible, include augmented and virtual reality for the delivery of assembly and maintenance instructions, virtual reality for human process optimisation, layout planning and training, the application of the industrial internet of things. Tim has over 30+ years of experience working in national and international markets across a range of software/ high technology products. He is the Marketing Manager at Autoscribe Informatics, based near Reading in the UK. Autoscribe Informatics provides database management solutions such as Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) that are graphically configurable requiring no scripting or custom coding to configure solutions. Tim‘s broad background provides a unique blend of practical knowledge and insight to drive all aspects of product and corporate marketing within Autoscribe Informatics. Contribute to our next newsletter We encourage our readers to send in press releases, announcements and opinion pieces on a wide range of technical, operational and commercial issues impacting any aspect of the UK measurement and testing industry. To provide the best possible coverage for you within the newsletter we ask that alongside the article that you provide a 50-100 word synopsis which we can use to highlight the article before publication via news feeds and the BMTA website. Feature articles are usually between 600-1500 words in length. In addition to this we would ask that you provide supporting images, at print ready resolution, together with a photo and short biography of the author. If you would like to contribute, please email Laura Vallis at editor.bmta@abacus-comms.co.ukNPL GROUP LEADER AWARDED MBE FOR COVID-19 SERVICES Andrew Morris, National Physical Laboratory North of England Operations Manager and BMTA Council Member, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours Lists 2020. Released in October, the Honours List recognises the outstanding achievements of people across the United Kingdom. Andrew has been awarded an MBE for services to the Manufacture and Supply of Personal Protection Equipment during the Covid-19 response. The Queen’s Birthday Honours List demonstrates the breadth of service given by people from all backgrounds from all across the UK. This year 1,358 people were awarded a BEM, MBE or OBE. The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is the UK’s National Measurement Institute, and a centre of excellence in developing and applying the most accurate measurement standards, science and technology available. NPL is working with precision engineering companies throughout the Aerospace, Civil Nuclear, Automotive and Medical Devices Sectors to identify and implement manufacturing and inspection process improvements based on measurement best practice. COVID-19 IMPACT ON EMPLOYMENT SURVEY The BMTA is conducting a survey to discover the issues our members are facing regarding employment and the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on your business. Have you had to furlough your staff? Will you transfer those employees to the Job Support Scheme or will your organisation have to consider redundancies. The employment survey should take no longer than two minutes and can be found here: https://forms.gle/vGsveXP91yJ9e6kk6 NEWS bmta.co.uk UKAS ASBESTOS TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER VACANCY UKAS is currently in the process of reviewing the membership and terms of reference for their Asbestos technical advisory committee (TAC). BMTA members with an interest in the asbestos sector are invited to nominate a BMTA representative to join the committee. UKAS uses the TAC as an independent mechanism to provide advice, interpretation, clarification and expertise on technical and policy matters. Meetings are approximately three or four hours in duration and the asbestos committee hold these meetings twice a year. Traditionally face to face meetings, and predominantly at UKAS’s Staines head office, these meetings are currently being conducted remotely via MS Teams calls and this is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. More information on UKAS TACs can be found at https://www. ukas.com/about/our-structure/technical-committees/ which includes a list of all our TACs. If you are interested in representing BMTA on this committee please contact the BMTA Secretariat in the first instance.UKAS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING BMTA attended the recent UKAS Annual General Meeting and continues to represent members interests both at this meeting and as a member of the UKAS Policy Advisory Forum and UKAS Policy Advisory Council. We would encourage you to read the UKAS Annual Report CLICK HERE. Our role, as your Trade Association, is to ensure that the voice of Calibration, Measurement and Testing organisations throughout the UK is heard. We are very grateful to all those who contact us with comments and concerns. Only with your input are we able to fairly represent industry views to those in organisations determining the legislative, regulatory and accreditation frameworks your businesses operate within. Please keep talking to us and we will to our best to support you. UPDATED GUIDANCE REGARDING UK DOMESTIC REGIME FOR MANUFACTURED GOODS The Goods Regulation Team, BEIS, has updated their guidance published on GOV.UK regarding the UK domestic regime for manufactured goods, with effect from 1 January 2021. The new UK domestic regime will cover most goods currently subject to the EU’s CE marking. The technical requirements for these goods will be the same on 1 January 2021 as they are now. However, there will be certain changes, including the introduction of the UKCA marking and a system of third-party conformity assessments by UK-recognised approved bodies, in place of the current EU system of notified bodies. CE marked goods in scope of this guidance that meet EU requirements (where these match UK requirements) can continue to be placed on the GB market until 1 January 2022 where EU and UK requirements remain the same. From 1 January 2022 the UKCA mark will be required to be displayed on products where the CE mark is currently used, to show compliance to the UK domestic regime. To ease the burden on businesses, until 1 January 2023 for most UKCA marked goods there is the option to affix the UKCA marking on a label affixed to the product or on an accompanying document. From 1 January 2023, the UKCA marking must, in most cases, be affixed directly to the product. There are four links to guidance: • Placing UKCA and CE marked goods on the GB market from 1st January 2021: www.gov.uk/guidance/placing-manufactured-goods-on-the-market-in-great-britain-from-1-january-2021 • Placing manufactured goods on the EU market from 1st January 2021: www.gov.uk/guidance/placing-manufactured-goods-on-the-eu-market-from-1-january-2021 • Prepare to use the UKCA marking from 1st January 2021: www.gov.uk/guidance/using-the-ukca-mark-from-1-january-2021 • Conformity assessment bodies: status from 1st January 2021: www.gov.uk/guidance/conformity-assessment-bodies-change-of-status-from-1-january-2021 In addition, two new SIs were laid before Parliament on 13 October relating to Northern Ireland: • NI Protocol SIs for both consumer & industrial goods – Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1112/made. • The “Affirmative Policy SI” - Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment etc.) (UK(NI) Indication) (EU Exit): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2020/9780348213393/contents. This guidance relates primarily to goods regulated by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) under the areas listed in the guidance. This guidance does not wholly apply to medical devices, rail interoperability, construction products and civil explosives; goods regulated under the old approach (chemicals, medicines, vehicles and aerospace) and goods covered by national rules (see the UK specific rules guidance for more information). Contact goodsregulation@beis.gov.uk for further information regarding this guidance. NEWS bmta.co.ukBSI COMMITTEE VACANCIES Standards help people, organisations and the economy. 12,200 volunteer standards-makers are already assisting the BSI committee, but the organisation is currently on the lookout to fill a number of industry vacancies. By becoming a standards-maker, you could help to take innovations and new technologies to scale, increase sustainability and transparency in the supply chain, make where we work and the products we use better, improve how organisations are managed to reduce risk and increase resilience, make safer products for children, better steer your industry towards growth, and improve consumer services like finance and energy. The BMTA is a nominating body for the BSI committee. Contact us to find out if you can help in the following industries or see https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/about- bsi/uk-national-standards-body/how-to-get-involved-with- standards/become-a-committee-member/ for more information. Vacancies: B/538 – Doors, windows, shutters, hardware and curtain walling CPL/34/4 – Luminaires EH/3 – Water quality EH/3/2 – Physical chemical and biochemical methods FW/6 – Flammability performance and fire tests for furniture GEL/111 – Electrotechnical environment committee GME/21/5 – Mechanical vibration, shock and condition monitoring - Vibration of machines (on 2019.01.15) ISE/101/5 – Indentation hardness testing PRI/82 – Thermoplastic materials SS/7 – General metrology, quantities, units and symbols This is a voluntary role. The amount of commitment varies and some of the work is done online and via email, but most standards-making groups meet at least a few times each year. OPTIMISATION OF THE INTERVALS FOR METROLOGICAL CONFIRMATION Trescal provides a very broad and constantly evolving services offer including measurement process management solutions and assets mutualisation. This approach is conducted with the aim of assisting end users and organisations in their improvement processes in which metrology is a major driver. OiCM is an industrial method for optimisation of metrological confirmation, particularly its intervals, taking into consideration the requirements of the global economy in terms of competitiveness including quality improvements and costs reduction. This method complements Trescal Equipment Management Solution (EMS), a unique equipment pool management service offer on the market in Europe. OiCM is a pragmatic and fully metrological solution based on the knowledge built up from the experience and expertise given by Trescal’s calibration activities, partnership with a lot of manufacturers and world class organisations or labs working for the development of metrology. OiCM is fully compliant with the requirements of the standard ISO 10012 and involves three axes of optimisation: • Scope of assets used in measurement processes • Definition of the operations necessary for metrological confirmation (calibration, verification, ranges, uncertainties, intermediate controls) • Metrological confirmation intervals. It is based on: • A formal diagnosis of the different measuring processes of the perimeter to identify needs based on different criteria • An analysis of individual instruments with their utilisation and history and a unique database available within Trescal • Different simulations allowing the client to validate the final optimal solutions according to levels of risks, financial costs and implementation possibilities. The method developed by Trescal, OiCM, is an unmatched tool using the best standardised and published approaches so far. It draws its main strength in the level of expertise of Trescal and in the data generated by a volume of more than 1 300 000 operations conducted per year in almost every metrological field. NEWS bmta.co.ukENJOY UP TO 20% DISCOUNT ON DELL LAPTOPS, DESKTOPS AND ACCESSORIES AND IT SERVICES BMTA is now a proud partner with Dell UK, the worldwide computer technology company, providing hardware and software solutions, services and support to its customers since 1984. In addition to their products, Dell also partner with small business professional UK associations. All BMTA members can enjoy a range of exclusive benefits and discounts across selected product ranges and IT services. These benefits include: • Up to 20% discount off laptops, desktops and accessories • Free access to Dell’s highly trained Small Business Technology Advisors to help grow your business • A dedicated account manager The discount is provided through unique voucher codes which are used on the www.dell.co.uk online store. Also, up to 20% off Dell products listed in the “For Work” section of the Dell site is available. This includes XPS, Latitude, Inspiron and Dell Gaming as well as any associated accessories. See dell.co.uk/forwork. These discounts can be combined with money off deals on the online store where the base price already has a discount applied. However, you cannot apply a voucher if another voucher has already been applied. You can access your Dell member benefits via: https://www.bmta.co.uk/dell-discounts-benefits-for-bmta-members SURVEYING THE COVID LANDSCAPE We have collated the results of several surveys run by Eurolab members on the impact of COVID on laboratories. You can find these surveys on the BMTA website. (https://www.bmta.co.uk/news-events/news/254-surveying-the-covid-landscape.html) • 2020-06-17 Encuesta Eurolab - Acreditacion y Covid • Alpi Survey Accreditation and Covid • Eurolab - Information on Corona-Monitoring In order to be able to follow the impact and developments in the laboratories in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic, a specific and regular “corona monitoring” for the testing industry was developed - after a first EUROLAB-D flash survey in April 2020. Member associations of EUROLAB-D also forwarded the survey to their members. • Corona-Monitor – Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on conformity assessment and conformity assessment bodies in Germany. QI-FoKuS initiative. QI-FoKuS was launched in autumn 2019 as a joint initiative of BAM and TU Berlin and is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). NEWS bmta.co.ukbmta.co.uk VR AND AR IN MANUFACTURING: AN INTRODUCTION By Dr Luke Boorman, lead engineer and Mike Lewis, theme lead for digital, both of Factory 2050 at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Sheffield. The 2017 the Made Smarter Review launched by Juergen Maier at the AMRC’s Factory 2050 identified Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) as specific industrial digitalisation technologies (IDTs,) that could play a significant role in reviving flat lining productivity levels and enable faster growth for UK manufacturing. But what is VR and what is AR? How can these technologies be used in manufacturing and who is currently using them? In this article we aim to introduce these key technologies, give examples of where and how they have been used in manufacturing and show just how they could have the impact that Made Smarter anticipated in the future. What is AR / VR / MR Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are often spoken about in the same breath, but they are quite different things. Both are forms of conceptual reality and offer the user a virtualised experience. However, where VR offers a more immersive experience, AR provides information overlaid on, or contextualised within, the real world. Typically, VR uses a completely enclosed headset with images normally projected onto both eyes, such as the Oculus Rift. In contrast, AR offers a semi-adjusted view of the real world, which is generally achieved through a graphical overlay located on the world around the user. An early example of this is the heads-up-display in fighter jets, which is now widely available in many models of cars and is used to project vehicle speeds and other information in the driver’s field of view. These virtual experiences have been extended in more recent years through the capture and integration of additional sensory information from the user, or by embedding more of the real-world within the experience. This is often achieved through supplementary sensory user feedback, such as via audio or haptic means. This extension enhances the experience often increasing the level of user immersion. How can they be used? VR is a well-established technology having seen extensive development over the last three decades. Initially VR was the domain of the large corporations, but more recently has emerged into gaming and entertainment. Whereas in the 1990s when the cost of entry into these technologies was a small fortune in the £100,000s, today VR equipment is readily available, ranging from simple smartphone based holding assemblies costing about £5, such as Google Cardboard, to fully immersive, high-fidelity room-scale VR costing hundreds of thousands of pounds. AR and its sister technology Mixed Reality (MR) are newer compared with VR and thus have seen less extensive development. However, AR can be offered without dedicated hardware through utilisation of existing technologies. Smartphones and tablets contain much of the sensing, processing and display hardware required for rudimentary AR experiences. The ready availability, low cost and existing user experience of these devices make them ideal for deploying AR-based solutions. The ‘Pokemon Go’ smartphone game is probably the best known application bmta.co.uk of AR. In this game Pokemon characters are overlaid onto the real world at specific locations, allowing the player some basic real-world interaction. A more recent mainstream application of AR is the delivery of navigation information on smartphones such as through Google Maps. However, AR is not limited to smaller mobile devices. It can also go big. AR can be projected using high-powered projectors, an approach already used in the arts where images can be mapped and projected onto large structures such as buildings to produce visual effects for outdoor shows. Dedicated AR and MR head-mounted displays (HMDs) generally offer a more complete AR experience compared to those encountered when using projectors, tablets or smartphones. HMDs are often better able to track the position of a user, offer hands-free operation and interaction, and can be completely mobile. This is achieved through the inclusion of specialist sensing and display hardware to accurately track the user’s position, record user behaviour and to display virtual items over much of the field of view (FOV) of the user. AR headsets are available as either minimalist monocular devices or more comprehensive binocular devices and are thus suited to different tasks and environments. Lightweight devices have little impact on the user’s normal FOV, generally having a small field of view and can even be attached to a user’s spectacles or safety glasses. More comprehensive devices offer greater immersion with richer delivery of information, sensing and interaction, with much greater obscuring of the FOV. These devices tend to be heavier, are able to overlay images over more of the user’s FOV and include a range of sensors and more powerful on-board processing hardware. The latest developments in Mixed Reality (MR) deployment are commonly centred on improving the spatial tracking of the device and the user, which will allow for semi-automated inspection processes and tagging of parts and assets. For example, using the on-device camera and depth- sensing feeds available on some MR HMDs, the location of items on a work piece can be detected using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and compared with matching CAD information, with incorrectly placed or missing items visually highlighted to the user. How can these technologies be used in manufacturing? VR in manufacturing VR has three key areas of direct application for manufacturing. The first and most established is to allow visualisation of what does not exist, and it is in this area that many readers may have come across it. The creation of virtual prototypes really exploded in the early 2000s when computers with sufficient power could render scenes containing products or environments with a level of realism to them. Since then, technology has moved on considerably with near photo-realistic scene generation commonly used within the architectural and design industries to assess factory design and layouts before construction and hardware procurement begins. An example of the use of VR in virtual prototyping is a case study from the Ford Motor Company. Ford has developed the Ford Immersive Vehicle Environment (FIVE), a VR-based tool to allow design engineers to inspect new car models before they are built. A physical room which includes just a seat and steering wheel is transformed Via a VR headset and gloves, to display highly detailed life size 3D vehicles generated from CAD. The virtual cars can be test driven, walked around and fully inspected. The virtual prototypes are much cheaper to generate and update than a physical model and the vehicles can be viewed by engineers from anywhere in the world with VR hardware. (https://youtu.be/eJx7T-H00SE).Next >