PHOENIX CONTACT | Xplore - New Automation Award 2018

Foreword to the 7TH xplore New Automation Award 2018 Dear readers, do you actually know how long the xplore technology competition has been existing? For a full twenty years already – what a nice tradition! Young people show ent- husiasm for automation technology and think up creative ideas. True enthusiasm is highly infectious. And we use this po- sitive virus. In today‘s world, know-how and experiences can be shared. Not only does this help the project teams to benefit from a transfer of knowledge from industry, but it also enables them to compare notes on their ideas and learn from each other. What began in 1998 as a solely German competition is a world-spanning initiative today. Participants from more than 30 nations set up 500 projects with financial and organizational support from Phoenix Contact. Investments in young people always pay off. When young people have the freedom to explore the op- portunities of technology, when their ideas take shape and are recognized and acclaimed by experts, then they have gained a lot for their careers, aside from being awarded a trophy. We are looking forward to many more explorations in the fabulous world of automation! Yours sincerely, Roland Bent | Executive Vice President, Phoenix Contact

xplore New Automation Award 2018 The xplore New Automation Award is an international technology and training competition held every three years by Phoenix Contact. It is aimed at pupils, apprentices, and students who can submit their creative ideas on the subject of automation solutions for the world of tomorrow to the Phoenix Contact organization team. The 100 best projects receive technical components and systems from Phoenix Contact and the project teams are invited to implement their ideas. In addition to being awarded out- standing prizes, the winners also have the opportunity to present their automation solution to a large expert audience.

Table of Contents xplore New Automation Award 2018 xplore New Automation Award in one word The history of the xplore New Automation Award The 7th xplore New Automation Award in numbers Environment 1. TRASH 2. Waste Paper Change into Garbage Bin 3. Smart Technology Solar Panel Cleaning using Air water Gun & OFF Grid Electrification Monitoring of an watering campaign for an irrigation machines via a SmartPhone Self-Sustainable Plant Watering System Green Energy Efficiency Urban Infrastructure 1. „Automated light- and heat-controlling intelligent building skin„ 2. „The Survival-Assistant-System“ 3. Automatic Cloakroom Project Besanabar „Stasha Projekt“ Smart Factory 1. Smart Virtual Maintenance 2. Easy Industry 4.0 3. „Little Coalball“ Modulare Transport Robot HoloLens AR Applications for New Automation Vision-based Programming-free System of Robot Proficloud control of a water station simulator TR1 Recreation 1. The Challenge 2. Carrot Chaos 3. Robo DJ The violent battle of intelligent car Adversarius Table Tennis Trainer The jury of 2018‘s xplore New Automation Award Outlook 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 74

1998 2005 2012 2018 2001 2008 2015 10 PHOENIX CONTACT New Automation Award 2015 Inspireer ons met jullie ideeën! Heb je een idee voor een project? ■ Meld je aan met je idee voor een project bij de xlpore New Automati- on Award 2015. ■ Phoenix Contact, toonaangevend in de elektro- en automatiseringstech- niek, sponsort je project met opti- male producten. ■ Geef vorm aan de toekomst van de Automatiseringstechniek. Ben je student of vertegenwoordig je een team van studenten? ■ Uitgenodigd zijn projectteams uit het algemeen onderwijs, opleidingsinsti- tuten, beroepsonderwijs, hogescho- len en bedrijfsscholen. ■ Stuur ons je idee per video. Maak gebruik van je talent! ■ Praktische ervaring en know-how bij de realisatie van je project met pro- ducten van Phoenix Contact ■ Nationale en internationale contacten door de samenwerking in competitie ■ Presentatie van je project en prijsuitreiking op de Hannover Messe 2015 Beschermheerschap: Aanmeldingen tot 31 mei 2014 www.xplore.org Ondersteund door: COL12-14.000.L5 Printed in Germany

The history of the xplore New Automation Award The xplore New Automation Award is a competition with now 20 years of tradition. In seven editions so far, more than 5,000 school students, students, and trainees were participants in the xplore competition. More than 600 creative and innovative automation projects were realized with the support of Phoenix Contact since its beginning in 1998. 500 young people were invited by us to present the outcomes of their work at our site in Bad Pyrmont. We were able to bring together people around the world in a shared enthusiasm for technology. The xplore New Automation Award unites. PHOENIX CONTACT 11

This was the 7TH edition of the competition in numbers The seventh edition of the xplore competition was a very special one due to it being the 20th anniversary of the competition. In four competition categories, 98 projects in 24 countries worldwide were supported with components and systems by Phoenix Contact. On average, the implementation of a project – without planning and without testing – took 300 hours. The amount of time spent on web conferences held by the organizing team, the jury members, and the technical advisors of Phoenix Contact with the teams totaled to 29 hours. The 24 best teams were invited to give live presentations of their projects at our site in Bad Pyrmont. 3,527 kg of technical equipment were transported for this event. With the four teams that had won in their category, we spent 5 days in Hanover, and presented our winning projects to the thrilled expert audience of the world‘s largest industrial fair. 12 PHOENIX CONTACT

TRASH 1st place The team from Purdue University developed an intelligent waste system to take the strain out of the laborious job of checking for full garbage cans on campus. Various sensors monitor the contents, the weight, and the temperature within the can. This means employees know when to empty which garbage can on campus and whether several garbage bags will be needed to transport heavy trash. Having this information spares the employees the physically demanding work of actually checking the garbage cans so that they can use their working time more eff ectively. Alongside a container for garbage, the intelligent waste system also includes a container for recycling, which aims to encourage an environmentally aware approach to waste disposal. Thanks to the simple design and the clearly structured user interface, the system is easy to install in large offi ce buildings and residential complexes. Purdue University, USA 16 PHOENIX CONTACT

Waste Paper Change into Garbage Bin 2nd place Since masses of waste paper are generated on a daily basis, the team from Qingdao University developed a machine that folds such remnants into little trash cans. So rather than consumers producing garbage by eating meals wrapped in paper, this project enables them to actually create waste containers from that paper instead. The machine is divided into four sections. Paper is stored in the fi rst section, while the fi rst folding procedure takes place in the second section. The third section is where the next folding process happens, and in the fourth section the paper is pressed ﬂ at. As the paper is thin and has to be prevented from tearing, the folding procedures have been continuously improved throughout the project. Thanks to the use of cylinders, the paper is folded fully automatically. Qingdao University, China 18 PHOENIX CONTACT

Smart Technology Solar Panel Cleaning using Air water Gun & OFF Grid Electrifi cation 3rd place To allow dust and dirt to be removed from solar cells even in extremely dry regions, the team from Heriot-Watt University in Dubai developed a machine that eff ectively cleans the cells. The automated cleaning system sprays the solar cells with compressed air and water, which are combined in a fi xed ratio. The mixture is applied through a purpose-built nozzle. If dust sticks to a solar cell and mixes with salt or water over time, it becomes increasingly diffi cult to clean it off properly. Since dust can impair the effi ciency of solar cells by up to 50 per cent, an automated, powerful cleaning machine is an invaluable addition to solar farms in particular. The system is able to clean a large area of solar cells in a way that is cost-eff ective, time-effi cient, and not dependent on the weather. In a subsequent phase of the project, the team successfully realized a battery charging station designed to give people living in rural areas access to electricity. People will be able to charge their batteries at charging stations so they can then power LED lights, for example. Heriot-Watt University Dubai, UAE “Our system is mi- xing air and water in a designed pressure. Due to the air, the water usage is drastically reduced.” Prashant Kumar Soori 20 PHOENIX CONTACT

Monitoring of an watering campaign for an irrigation machines via a SmartPhone This project saw the team from Orleans University realize a system to counteract the in- creasing amount of water consumed during irrigation. Text messages notify the user of the current status of the irrigation process and signalize any malfunctions with it. The mobile app enables the user to check on the process at any time. In order to anchor the project in a specifi c application context, the team worked closely with a farmer. The system not only spares him repeated trips to his fi eld to monitor the irrigation process, it also means he can avoid consuming excessively large amounts of water. He is always able to keep an eye on how many cycles the irrigation system has completed, how many are still outstanding, and whether any malfunctions have occurred – all through his smartphone. So the project is also helping people use water strategically and sustainably. Orleans University, France „The system sends updates directly to the user’s cell phone. With that he doesn’t need to stay on the fi eld because normally an irrigation process takes four to six hours.” Pascal Vrignat 22 PHOENIX CONTACT

Self-Sustainable Plant Watering System In order to exploit the humid climate in Singapore to the maximum, the team from ITE College East developed an intelligent watering system for house plants. By automating functions such as dehumidifying, watering, and lighting, plants can grow and thrive even if there is no homeowner present to look after them. The house plants are attached to a vertical suspension device, from which the plant pots can be removed at any time. The majority of the LED lights are set to the blue spectrum, as this encourages plant growth. If the plants are getting enough natural light from their surroundings, the LED lights switch off automatically to save energy. A pump also supplies the water collected from dehumidifying the air to the plants. If the water in the tank exceeds a certain level, the dehumidifi er switches off automatically, which stops the tank from overﬂ owing. Watering times are preprogrammed and take the available water supply into account, so there is always enough water for the watering process. ITE College East 24 PHOENIX CONTACT

Green Energy Effi ciency Its geographical location means Namibia is exposed to lots of sun and wind the whole year through. In order to harness these natural resources, the team from the Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology realized a system to measure energy gain. The system is able to determine how many watts of energy can be obtained from the level of solar intensity and the wind speed. Since Namibians are heavily reliant on power companies and not everyone is in a fi nancial position to make monthly payments, the team came up with the idea of utilizing the natural resources available. The system measures the solar radiation and wind speed simultaneously, so the user can see at a glance which resource will provide more energy. After all, as the availability of the two resources varies from region to region, it is not possible to make a sweeping statement about which would be more suitable. Once the system has calculated whether wind or sun will produce more energy on average, the user can advise his customer accordingly as to whether solar cells or wind generators would be the most suitable indepen- dent alternative to a power company. The system is mobile and consists of a transmitter and a receiver, which can be installed up to 100 meters away from one another. The transmitter is supplied with electricity generated by either solar or wind power. Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology 26 PHOENIX CONTACT

Automated light- and heat-controlling intelligent building skin 1st place Inspired by the concept of green building design, the team from Tongji University developed an intelligent, ﬂ ower-shaped wall for a house. In order to create a pleasant interior environment, natural light and heat are controlled by exterior conditions. The lotus ﬂ ower, controlled by light and rain sensors, consists of two layers and there are six petals in each layer. The lotus ﬂ ower adapts to the summer and winter seasons. In order to avoid heating the room in summer, the inner petals are closed, thus preventing the incidence of infrared rays. At the same time, the outer petals rotate in order to illuminate the room in a pleasant way. During winter, the inner petals are open as well. Tongji University, China 30 PHOENIX CONTACT

The Survival-Assistant-System 2nd place BBS1 Mainz developed the feasible and forward-looking Survival Assistant System, which guides people out of a building and to a safe location in the event of a fi re. LEDs on every door serve to visualize the escape route. Every room also has an LED that indicates whether people may leave that room or whether it would be dangerous to do so. In addition, each room contains temperature, smokescreen, and Co² sensors, which monitor the building round the clock. In the event of a fi re, the CPU recognizes which rooms are at risk and guides their occupants to safety using red and green LED lights. If it is not possible to leave the building, people are guided to a safer room. These safe rooms are helpful to fi refi ghters as they evacuate people from the building and lead individuals who require fi rst aid to them. Berufsbildende Schule 1 Mainz, Germany “The principle of our system can directly be transferred into reality and installed in buildings.” Jerry Feth 32 PHOENIX CONTACT

Automatic Cloakroom Project 3rd place The Automatic Cloakroom Project from Yildiz Technical University provides a hygienic, safe, practical, and easily accessible service for delivering and storing clothes in areas where they are fi lled to overﬂ owing, such as shopping malls or laundries. The project is managed by a PLC and features an HMI (Human-Machine Interface) module and a GSM module. Based on a cloud service program, the project is user-friendly and simple to use, requiring just an Internet connection and a cell phone app. First, the user logs in to the platform and chooses the clothes he or she wants to collect. The cloud service program then assigns a bar code to the clothes automatically. The bar code is all the user needs to collect his or her clothes whenever is convenient and without any fuss. The system is also able to send the user location data and prompts to collect his or her next item of clothing. Yildiz Technical University, Turkey 34 PHOENIX CONTACT

Besanabar Every year, there are countless car accidents all over the world. But not all casualties recei- ve fi rst aid soon enough. When it comes to rescuing injured parties, there is still a “golden hour” right after the accident takes place. The team from the National Technical University of Ukraine developed a rescue system for identifying and reporting accidents, as well as notifying all potential rescue services. The project‘s key objective was to design vehicles that respond to accidents intelligently and are capable of self-diagnosis. The system uses signals sent by a group of sensors to detect that a car accident has occurred. It then analyzes the signals and issues a prompt warning about the incident, which can really help the rescue services. What‘s more, the analysis carried out by the system can play a part in optimizing rescue services, improving road safety, and giving manufacturers feedback. A database containing details of the safety situation on every route is built from this data and can be accessed free of charge by every user. The team wants this project to demonstrate how modern technologies can help save and protect human life. National Technical University, Ukraine “In Ukraine there are a lot of car accidents on the road. With our project we want to help people in Uk- raine and all over the world.” Oleksandr Stepanets 36 PHOENIX CONTACT

Stasha Project What do you do if you are in an unfamiliar place and don‘t know where you need to go? The team from Donetsk National Technical University developed a prototype of a holographic assistant, who can off er helpful suggestions. The software, developed for PCs and PLCs, establishes contact between the user and the assistant in order to set the user on the right path and save time. Data is analyzed on the server, with the results then being applied to highlight the exact route the user can take. The team will continue to develop this project by adding a voice-controlled function and an image recognition system so the assistant can be activated faster. Donetsk National Technical University, Ukraine 38 PHOENIX CONTACT

Smart Virtual Maintenance 1st place Using a candy fi lling process as an example, this system demonstrates the future of production in the era of Industrie 4.0. The highly networked system makes it possible to produce lots of just one single unit. As every production stop leads to additional costs, failures need to be kept as short as possible and, ideally, stops need to be counteracted as a precautionary measure. Therefore, the intelligent machine indicates when a component has to be maintained and can be reached via smartphone. Operators of the machine are supported by an augmented reality app that points out the defective component. This app provides them with a tutorial helping them rectify an error step by step, which reduces repair times eff ectively and enables even those operators who lack technical expertise to repair components. Berufsbildende Schulen 2 Wolfsburg, Germany 42 PHOENIX CONTACT

Easy Industry 4.0 2nd place The team from Ausbildungszentrum Mittelland education center developed a model to make the idea of Industrie 4.0 understandable for a general audience. Taking vehicle production as an example, the model illustrates which smart functions Production 2.0 can cover and how the various processes are controlled. For his or her dream car to go into production, the user fi rst registers on a website. Here, the user is able to fully customize the vehicle, before receiving an e-mail containing a QR code. A camera on the model reads the code and production begins. The model consists of four diff erent production facilities, linked to one another by a train. This train collects the components and transports them from system to system. Once the vehicle is complete, the QR code is printed out to enable the user to access the relevant production data. Ausbildungszentrum Mittelland, Switzerland 44 PHOENIX CONTACT

„Little Coalball“ Modulare Transport Robot 3rd place The team from Tongji University realized a smart transport system in order to create ﬂ exible options for moving things around. Small robotic units work together in harmony according to the size of the item, enabling them to transport anything from tiny to huge. Airports would be one potential installation site, since lots of diff erent types of luggage of varying weights and dimensions have to be moved through them. The user interface enables the operator to see where the transport robots are located and to enter the dimensions of a particular suitcase. The system then automatically sends an appropriate number of robotic units to transport the luggage. Every transport robot is an independent control unit, but is able to communicate and cooperate with other transport robots as required. Once the requested units reach the place where the passenger is, they adjust their positions and connect to one another via grippers. From this point on, the robots move as one single unit. Once the transport run is complete, the robotic units return to their base and wait for the next job. Tongji University, China 46 PHOENIX CONTACT

HoloLens AR Applications for New Automation To illustrate the potential of safety, machine monitoring, maintenance, and marketing in smart factories, the team from Harrisburg University of Science and Technology developed four applications for Microsoft® HoloLens. The fi rst app focuses on practical exercises and on safety. It makes sure employees are fully equipped to perform their day-to-day tasks and minimizes the risk of injuries in the workplace. The second application gives users the opportunity to monitor, analyze, and control a machine remotely, while the third app helps them maintain the machine. An online catalog is incorporated into the fourth application, enabling users to virtually select a component, install it in the machine, and test out its compatibility. This can stop users purchasing the wrong items and prevent machine downtimes. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, USA 48 PHOENIX CONTACT

Vision-based Programming-free System of Robot Although industrial robots are popular nowadays, they require complex programming to execute simple tasks. If product technologies or programming languages change, it can often take quite some time for engineers to adapt. In order to circumvent traditional programming processes, the team from Hefei University of Technology developed a system that replaces the programming of code. Graphical editing and binocular tracking mean that even users with no programming skills are able to control the robot. In graphical editing, the user draws the required movement on a software interface and the robot then performs that motion. Binocular tracking, however, records then imitates a motion. The user makes a hand movement in the air, which is saved and translated into movement codes the robot can understand. This method requires no direct contact between the user and the robot, so is ideally suited to situations where contact is not possible due to a complex environment. Hefei University of Technology, China 50 PHOENIX CONTACT

Profi cloud control of a water station simulator The team from the University of Lille realized a demonstrator that simulates the checking and control of a water pumping station via Profi cloud. Both processes can be performed remotely, saving employees the laborious task of physically going from supply station to supply station. A Phoenix Contact HMI device enables workﬂ ows to be checked and notifi cations to be manually set up and adjusted. The entire process is controlled by an AXC 1050. University of Lille, France “We wanted to promote Profi cloud and let our students – the engineers of tomorrow – know about it.” Jean-Marc Vannobel 52 PHOENIX CONTACT

The Challenge 1st place Fun and games for everyone! That is the motto of the team from Berufsbildende Schule 1 Mainz vocational school. The project‘s basic idea is to experience the joy one felt from playing as a child once more. Using the latest automation technology, the project provides a play- ground for everyone. The user stands on a playing fi eld with individual segments that light up in diff erent colors. The individual segments have to be run to in a diff erent order in various modes, before shooting through a basketball hoop. So users are not only practicing their basketball, they are also training their reﬂ exes at the same time. In Competition mode, users can even play against their friends. Berufsbildende Schule 1 Mainz, Germany “Our project can be played by anyone, no matter if the person is tall or small, old or young. It can be played together with friends or alone.” Sven Semantke 58 PHOENIX CONTACT

Carrot Chaos 2nd place With their Carrot Chaos project, the team from the Walker Career Center were keen to show the skills they had gained over the last four years at the Center. On the one hand, the project is an entertaining arcade game, but on the other hand it illustrates some great engineering principles. The game is made up of a fi eld, a hare, and two farmers. Using sensors, automation, and a motorized vehicle, the team developed a life-size arcade game, in which a hare collects carrots for a set period of time. The two farmers try to stop the hare collecting the carrots. Carrot Chaos is a fully automated gaming system and all the budding engineers learnt new automation skills through the project. Walker Career Center, USA “We wanted to make some- thing fun that everyone from all ages could enjoy. We thought of game concepts and with Easter coming up, we decided for a bunny that is causing chaos at a carrot farm.” Kayla Hasseld 60 PHOENIX CONTACT

Robo DJ 3rd place The team‘s highly original objective was to develop a robot with standard DJ functions. Using a high-tech robot and a record player, the project combines advanced technology with a traditional object. Users can choose either manual mode or fully automatic mode, although both modes can be toggled at any time. In manual mode, users can select which song to play next. In automatic mode, the robot grabs the fi rst record and places it on the record player. If a request has not been made for a particular song after 90 seconds, the PLC sends a signal and the robot places the next record in the next slot. The project unites two great passions of this team: technology and music. Through working on this assignment, team members not only acquired technical skills, they also gained experience in planning and time management. David-Roentgen-Schule Neuwied, Germany “Music and techno- logy are two of our passions which we wanted to combine.” Felix Antoni 62 PHOENIX CONTACT

The violent battle of intelligent car Lots of young people nowadays want to stay home and play video games, which means their health is getting worse and worse. Against this backdrop, the team decided to develop a game combining exercise and fun. The aim was to improve young people‘s health while also changing their attitude to fi tness. In the game, two bicycles are transformed into remote controls, PLCs transmit signals to toy cars, and the aim of the game is to keep going for as long as possible. If the car overturns, the game is over. The team also created a special playing track, which is divided into fi ve sections and includes a central roadway, a sandy area, and a high platform. The coeffi cients of friction and the grip strengths of the diff erent areas vary, making the game even more fun to play. Qingdao University of Science and Technology, China 64 PHOENIX CONTACT

Adversarius The „Adversarius“ project gave rise to the perfect table tennis trainer, which can also spark learners‘ interest in automation technology. The team from BBS 1 Mainz developed a new system for table tennis training. Players can fi rst choose from various modes including shot direction and speed. The system is able to detect the position of the player. In addition, all the table tennis balls are collected in the storage area automatically. The fact that users can operate the trainer from a conventional terminal, a touch panel, or even application software is truly innovative. Berufsbildende Schule 1 Mainz, Germany “Our main component is the ball serving machine. It is milled from aluminum and caused the highest mechanical eff ort.” Viktor Horn 66 PHOENIX CONTACT

Table Tennis Trainer The Polish team developed a table tennis trainer designed to improve players‘ skills. The system uses compressed air to transport the balls through the tubes. Optical sensors inside the tubes supply information on how the balls are moving around within the system. An HMI panel enables the user to see the current score and change the playing mode. This playing system provides three modes altogether. The table tennis balls can shoot out of the diff erent tubes in order, or the user can choose a particular tube and train that way instead. Alternatively, the user can select a special mode, in which all the balls shoot out of the diff erent tubes at random – a real challenge. The game can be played alone or with others and the aim is to collect as many points and have as much fun as possible. Warsaw University of Technology, Poland “Our project was thought to be a product which can be bought. It is a box that can be put next to the table and our rule was plug and play.” Krystian Kossakowski 68 PHOENIX CONTACT

The jury of 2018‘s xplore New Automation Award A competition is as good as the technical know-how of its jury. Often, it‘s not easy for our jury to select from among all the creative and technically sophisticated applications those that are outstanding. We are happy and proud that this top-class jury was assembled for 2018‘s xplore New Automation Award. Dr. Reinhard Hüppe Roland Bent Dipl.-Ing. Gunther Koschnick Phoenix Contact-Stiftung Blomberg, Germany Chairman of the Board of Trustees Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG Blomberg, Germany CTO Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG ZVEI - Fachverband Automation Frankfurt am Main, Germany Managing Director 70 PHOENIX CONTACT

Outlook During the 20 years of its existence, the xplore New Automation Award has been changing constantly. The competition is characterized by the rapid evolvement of technology. In the context of digital transformation, brand new project opportunities arise for the automation industry, for instance in the field of app programming or for the work with cloud technologies. The 8. edition of the xplore New Automation Award is sure to bring more breathtaking ideas that we can‘t even imagine today. So, we hope you are as eager as we are for the next xplore New Automation Award! www.phoenixcontact.com/xplore