BUSINESSES TODAY are under increasing pressure to reduce waste, improve efficiency, cut costs, and operate sustainably. Nowhere is this more critical than in the packaging sector, where millions of parcels leave warehouses daily, often half-empty and filled with unnecessary air and filler materials. This inefficiency leads to wasted carton material, inflated shipping costs, and excessive carbon emissions, highlighting a clear need for change.

With a vision to design a fully automated system capable of resizing every carton to match the true size of its contents, Opitz Packaging Systems, a German-based packaging OEM, partnered with IMI’s Industrial Automation team to create an award-winning, high-performance motion system that is, today, delivering precision, speed and flexibility across multiple packaging functions.

The actuator-driven solution

In an engineering partnership, Opitz and IMI’s Industrial Automation sector designed the desired motion architecture to include multiple actuator series as part of one fully integrated, high dynamic system

The IMI Bahr modular linear actuator platform serves as the foundation of the patented carton volume reducer system, seamlessly integrating IMI Bahr actuators at every stage of the innovative packaging process.

These include supporting the cutting and upper closure function for dust-free carton cutting and flap folding.

Tape is applied to individual parcels with precision and speed, followed by parallel actuator systems that ensure a smooth carton flow across various formats. Finally, actuators enable precise glue application to guarantee secure parcel sealing in readiness for warehouse dispatch.

“Our collaboration with Opitz exemplifies how engineering innovation can address real-world challenges,” said Cihan Halavurt, general management for IMI Bahr products. “By integrating our high-performance motion systems, we’ve created a solution that reduces waste, lowers carbon emissions, and enhances efficiency for the packaging industry.”

Benefits all round

As a result of the innovative motion system, Opitz has seen a raft of efficiency and sustainability benefits. There is now up to 85% less air per package, alongside a reduced carton filler material and carbon emission footprint.  Operational efficiencies have surged with multi-format cartons capable of being processed through one high speed, accurate and reliable automated system.

Florens Fuchs, head of procurement, Opitz Packaging Systems, said. “This partnership has allowed us to bring our vision of a right-size packaging solution to life. The results speak for themselves—up to 85% less air per package, reduced filler materials, and a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions. We’re delighted to have set a new standard for sustainable packaging.”

Such has been the industry impact of the Opitz motion system it was recognised by the German Packaging Institute and won a German National Innovation Award for the automated “right-size packaging solution”.  It was recognised for its sustainability contribution by reducing packaging waste and CO₂ emissions.

www.imiplc.com/industrial-automation

ELECTRIC MOTORS account for a significant share of industrial power consumption, making them a major contributor to both operating costs and environmental impact. While buying a motor is a one-time expense, it represents less than two per cent of the total cost of ownership (TCO), meaning that the other 98% consists almost entirely of energy usage.

What running costs can tell you

Understanding a motor’s consumption offers financial and operational advantages. Regular monitoring is essential — without it, reducing energy use is nearly impossible. Tracking consumption not only shows where costs come from but also creates a baseline to spot changes.

The data can also highlight issues that might otherwise be undetected. For example, if a motor consumes 50kW one week and 75kW the next, that variation may reflect a problem on the line, a motor that is over or undersized, or even a difference in power consumption between processes or products on a production line. This can affect product pricing, margins and maintenance planning. Recording trends and fluctuations in motor running costs can provide helpful insights to put strategies in place to improve overall operation efficiency and positively impact the bottom line. 

Calculating the cost

Motor running costs are primarily dictated by electricity prices, the power rating of the motor and its annual running hours. It is also important to remember when choosing a motor that its rated power tells you how much mechanical output it can deliver, not how much electricity it consumes. For example, a 7.5 kW motor can always provide 7.5kW of mechanical power, but the amount it draws from the power supply depends on its efficiency. A less efficient motor will absorb more input power to deliver the same output, while a high-efficiency motor achieves the same output using less energy. This means that not all the power taken from the grid is always used productively.

Motor running costs are directly linked to power along with several other parameters. This information can be found on the motor nameplate or manual. Modern energy meters also offer convenient way to measure energy usage, and this data can be used to work out the running cost of a motor.

First, calculate the energy usage in kWh by multiplying the annual operating time by the rated power of the motor. Losses can be calculated using its efficiency rating, and this combined with the energy use gives the total chargeable kWh. When this is multiplied by the tariff a business pays per kWh, this gives the total annual motor running costs. For example, a 45 kW IE3 motor running continuously (8760 hours) at €0.28/kWh could cost over €40,000 per year. 

Cost cutting strategies

Once businesses understand how their motors are performing, there are several ways to reduce energy use and operating costs. Consulting with an expert to evaluate the entire system is a helpful first step to identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency. One of the most commonly used strategies is smarter control. It is important to remember that overall, the best energy you will save is the energy you don’t use. By fitting variable speed drives (VSDs), motors can run at the speed the application requires and even a small reduction in speed can deliver large energy savings. 

Correct sizing and careful selection also play a crucial role. A motor that meets the actual demands of the application will operate closer to full load, improving both efficiency and power factor. Beyond the motor itself, evaluating other plant equipment is important. Worm gear units, for example, may operate at efficiencies as low as 45%, while switching to a bevel-helical unit can increase efficiencies to around 90% significantly cutting wastage. 

Maintenance also matters. While motors are often quite low-maintenance, the machinery they drive may require more frequent intervention. Worn or seized components can force motors to work harder, drawing more current than necessary. 

Finally, minor adjustments such as switching equipment off when not needed can offer easy savings without major investment or disruption. Together, these strategies show that savings often come from a combination of smarter choices across motors, drives and the wider plant rather than a single change.

An efficiency success story

An example of just how effective a holistic approach can be seen in an industrial exhaust fan project. The objective was to improve flow control of the vacuum level in a dryer while reducing overall energy consumption. Fitting a VSD allowed more precise control of the fan, with its speed adjusted according to the pressure requirements. 

Technidrive also downsized the motor to 110kW and upgraded it to an IE4 model. The results were measured across a week of production and the data showed significant improvements. 

Energy costs were reduced by 22% on a weekly comparison, and energy consumption per tonne of material fell by 19%. Comparing hourly operation, the fan consumed 38% less energy, even though it ran for 26% longer, delivering more than €30,500 in annual savings and cutting CO₂ emissions by 757 kilograms per year.

The bigger picture

Calculating motor running costs is an important step for any operation to manage its energy use, reduce expenses and meet sustainability goals. This allows companies to make informed decisions on investment priorities and identify where improvements can be made using valuable insights into where energy is going. 

However, some of the biggest opportunities lie beyond the motor. Poor system design, inefficient equipment or insufficient control can all drive up costs, and evaluating the entire operation can highlight the true savings potential. By combining accurate cost calculations with a holistic view of systems and processes, businesses can achieve meaningful reductions in both costs and energy consumption. 

David Strain is technical director at Technidrive

www.technidrive.co.uk

The Economic and Social Research Council funded project called ‘Understanding how servitization can impact UK economic productivity and environmental performance’ has been carried out by leading academics from Aston Business School, the University of Warwick and Lancaster University.  

The findings have been published in a report called DESIGN, MAKE & SERVE: The Big Business Case for Servitization aimed at helping businesses realise the economic and environmental benefits of adopting a service-led model.  

The report lands at a pivotal moment for UK manufacturing and shows that after decades of global industrial shift, rising competitive pressure, and growing sustainability demands, the evidence now provides the strongest UK-specific case for accelerating servitization.  

It reveals that service-led, digitally enabled business models not only meet today’s commercial realities but are also one of the most powerful levers available to deliver the government’s productivity ambitions set out in its industrial strategy, helping manufacturers raise productivity, strengthen supply-chain resilience, and compete globally. 

It is also timely because UK manufacturers are under pressure to adapt, and for the first time, business and policy leaders now have rigorous, long-term UK data showing why shifting toward services delivers commercial, productivity, and environmental gains.  

Servitization is the process of innovating an industrial firm’s business model to compete through services, rather than relying solely on products. It involves integrating products with services, in various combinations, in order to provide outcomes to the customer. 

The evidence presented in the report confirms that service-led strategies are delivering measurable financial gains for businesses. For every small shift (one percentage-point increase) in the share of revenue earned from services rather than products, firms experience over 2% total revenue growth, almost 2% profit growth. 

It shows that even a modest rise in a company’s “servitization intensity”, such as shifting just a few percent of revenue toward services or upgrading a small part of existing service work into more advanced offerings, is linked to major performance gains.  

Firms making this shift typically see almost 8% higher profits and over 5% growth in productivity. These improvements come from companies using their people, technology, and equipment more effectively as they move toward service-led business models.  

In the UK, there has been an erosion of high-value industrial capability, export capacity, and supply-chain resilience. Researchers believe that if this trend continues unchecked, as much as a further 3-4% of GDP could be at risk over the next decade. 

The report comes against the backdrop of some 20% of manufacturing leaving the UK to China and elsewhere. 

Professor of operations strategy at Aston University and the co-founder and executive director of the advanced services group, Tim Baines, said: “Manufacturing has been steadily declining in recent years and productivity in the UK is very low. This report shows that servitization can add value to businesses and create a change in future prosperity. 

“We know that digital technologies such as AI offer powerful new tools, but without commercial models to capture their value, they risk becoming another transient advantage.  

“Servitization changes the game. It monetises AI and digital technologies, deepens customer relationships, builds recurring revenue, enables the circular economy, and shifts competition from price to value in use. However, realising this potential will require more than isolated initiatives or gradual change. Incremental adoption will be too slow to capture the opportunity.  

“The risk of inaction is greater still. Servitization is amongst the strongest levers available to UK manufacturers. With the right leadership and support, it can position the UK as a global leader in industrial services – and secure a resilient, competitive future.” 

Professor of Digital strategy and services innovation at Lancaster University, Dr Andreas Schroeder, said: “High-quality products and specialist industrial expertise are among the UK’s greatest strengths, but in a product-only market they don’t always translate into fair reward. Servitization unlocks that value. It enables manufacturers to wrap services, advice and performance commitments around their products—rewarding quality, driving customer loyalty, and creating high-skill jobs in the process.” 

The study was based on a UK-wide survey of manufacturing companies in sectors like automotive, aerospace, and machinery. 

Further information can be found here:

‘Understanding how servitization can impact UK economic productivity and environmental performance’ can be viewed at www.advancedservicesgroup.co.uk/resources/white-papers/the-big-business-case-for-servitization/

The government’s industrial strategy can be viewed at www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-strategy
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The second SME Snapshot Survey, open from 26 January 2026 to 6 February 2026, is Enginuity’s biannual research initiative designed to capture the real-world pressures and opportunities facing UK engineering and manufacturing SMEs – the crucial driving force which will determine economic growth. 

The findings will provide evidence to inform national skills policy, workforce development, and industrial strategy, ensuring SME voices are reflected in decisions that shape the future of the sector. 

What is the SME Snapshot? 

The SME Snapshot is Enginuity’s flagship survey and insight report, exploring how engineering and manufacturing SMEs are responding to economic conditions and policy developments. It examines workforce availability, skills needs, labour and operational costs, business confidence, and future investment plans. 

By gathering insights directly from employers, the SME Snapshot helps policymakers, industry bodies, and investors better understand not only the challenges SMEs face but also how best to support their role in driving UK productivity, innovation, and growth. 

Why SME voices matter 

SMEs are the backbone of UK manufacturing, accounting for over 90% of the sector, yet they are often underrepresented in national conversations around skills, competitiveness, and economic growth. 

The SME Snapshot exists to close that gap, ensuring decision-makers hear directly from the businesses that underpin the UK’s engineering and manufacturing supply chains. 

The first SME Snapshot, published in July 2025, represented 135 employers, 6500 employees, and £1.1b in combined sales.

Key findings revealed: 

• Only 15% of SMEs view the UK labour market as attractive 
• 80% faced difficulties recruiting suitable staff 
• 89% identified labour costs as a major driver of price pressures 
• Despite challenges, 38% remained optimistic about the year ahead 
• 72% planned to maintain or increase investment in training 
• Real impact on policy and industry.

The inaugural SME Snapshot gained significant national traction, with coverage across 62 publications and an estimated reach of 8.9 million readers in local and sector-specific press. The findings were used to support direct engagement with HM Treasury, the Department for Business and Trade, Skills England, and the Department for Education, and helped shape national discussions on skills reform, workforce development, and industrial strategy

Policy Centre for Supply Chain and SMEs 

Feedback from SMEs and partners following the first Snapshot directly informed the launch of Enginuity’s new Policy Centre for Supply Chain and SMEs. 

The independent Policy Centre brings together industry, policymakers, and sector bodies to collaborate on the skills and policy priorities needed to build a resilient, competitive engineering and manufacturing supply chain. 

By acting as an independent arbiter, the Policy Centre ensures SME insights are clearly communicated to decision-makers, helping to close critical skills gaps across the UK. 

Why support the SME Snapshot  

With major changes ahead, including the Spring Budget, reforms to the post-16 education and skills system, and apprenticeship assessment reforms, it has never been more important that SME experiences inform national decision-making. 

By sharing the SME Snapshot Survey with networks and stakeholders, supporters can help ensure that policy and strategy are grounded in the realities of the businesses they impact most. 

Nicola Dolan, associate director of charity impact and operations at Enginuity, said: “The SME Snapshot gives engineering and manufacturing SMEs the chance to have their say and make their voices heard. Through the Policy Centre, we take their experiences and challenges straight to government, ensuring SMEs speak with a strong, unified voice. 

“By taking part in the survey, SMEs help shape policies and skills strategies that reflect their realities, while also contributing to practical solutions that support growth, resilience, and long-term success across the sector. One strong voice, one clear message – resulting in real impact.” 

The Enginuity SME Snapshot Survey is open from Monday, 26 January 2026, until Friday, 6 February 2026. SMEs can take part in the survey at:

www.surveymonkey.com/r/SnapGeneral 

The research team presented the new robot to the public on the occasion of a visit to the Garmisch Research Centre by Judith Gerlach, Minister of State for Health, Care and Prevention.

On a stable, mobile base, the upper body of the new care-assist robot is attached to an extendable lifting column with arms located on the right and left-hand sides of the column. Above the arms is a head with alert eyes that blink from time to time. The new generation of Garmi has various sensors: cameras are mounted at eye level to detect movements in the environment; a lidar at leg height keeps objects in the immediate vicinity at a sufficient distance; and in future, 3D cameras will secure and coordinate the movements of the two arms. There is also a screen at chest height.

‘"he new Garmi understands language, develops a plan independently and brings a patient something to drink," says Alexander König, whose team developed and implemented the new platform. Based on the new design, the first forward-looking functionalities have now been developed. The MIRMI professor says: "A robot must be functional and operable, but must also have an appealing appearance. That's why we are collaborating with design experts."

Robotics engineer König sees his Garmi research team as an integrator that brings technology and design together. This includes, for example, precise grasping functionality (perception) and the ability to arrive at the exact location where a task is to be performed (navigation). The design should also support people in interacting and communicating with the robot while conveying trust and safety.

"While the original Garmi was designed as a versatile research platform, the new Garmi has been specifically developed for the care context," says Annette Diefenthaler, professor of design and transdisciplinarity and director of the Munich Design Institute (MDI), who worked with an external partner to develop the design of the new robot.

The robot is more like a mobile platform than a humanoid. "But it was clear to us from the outset that it should come across as friendly and approachable – with subtle human-like features," says Diefenthaler.

The new platform does not look like a human being: ‘It’s a friendly creature that controls technology. This allows the machine to fade into the background while the robot creates an emotional connection.’

The new Garmi can pick up objects from the floor, but also retrieve them from up high. Unlike the first-generation Garmi, the face and screen are separate. In future, when a doctor is connected for a remote examination, their head will appear on the screen, just like in a video call. The next step is to make the new Garmi safe for use in both care facilities and the home environment of senior citizens. Bringing a drink to a thirsty person is only the first step. ‘Helping people get up, enabling communication and participation in social life, reminding them to take their medication – the possible applications are wide-ranging,’ says Prof. König.

www.tum.de/en/

Fyous has outlined in a new whitepaper how this new category of manufacturing addresses the tooling bottlenecks that hinder both traditional injection moulding and industrial-scale 3D printing. This new approach resolves the long-standing challenges of affordable mass customisation, facilitating truly agile, high-speed manufacturing.

Featuring tens of thousands of precisely controlled pins that reconfigure to create temporary tools in minutes, polymorphic machines can function as injection moulds, forming tools and work-holding fixtures. By eliminating the need for fixed tooling, which often takes months to deliver and accounts for up to 98% of part costs at low to medium production volumes, these machines support rapid prototyping and more economical production of bespoke products.

Joshua Shires, CEO of Fyous, states: “Polymorphic manufacturing is a fundamental change in production capability that delivers the agility of additive manufacturing with the quality, scalability and throughput associated with high-volume processes. This foundational shift in manufacturing technology represents the dawn of a new manufacturing category, making it possible to produce high volumes of unique, one-of-a-kind items as quickly and profitably as traditional mass-produced batch processes.”

Ben Morgan, Interim CEO of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), comments: “Following our first experience with polymorphic manufacturing for our workholding project, the far-reaching potential of this technology became clear. It offers a practical new route to fast, flexible manufacturing, and we’re excited to explore how it can be applied across a wide range of industries”

According to Fyous Polymorphic manufacturing is poised to revolutionise various sectors, with several manufacturers already exploring its potential:

• Dental aligner manufacturers could completely eliminate the single-use 3D-printed moulds associated with every aligner they produce. This could save millions of kilograms of plastic waste and as much as £1 billion in production costs annually.
• Innovative footwear manufacturers can use Fyous’s technology to produce custom shoe lasts. Polymorphic processes eliminate the milling stage required to produce lasts, which often wastes more than half of the material, and reduce plastic waste to less than 7.8%.
• In aerospace, the rapid tooling reconfiguration offered by this technology supports frequent design changes and significant cost reductions in low-volume production runs. Aerospace manufacturers can create and enhance aircraft parts without waiting weeks and spending tens of thousands of pounds on new tooling they might only use once.
• In healthcare, polymorphic technology enables the rapid, cost-effective production of patient-specific medical devices while contributing to sustainability gains.

To download Fyous’s whitepaper, Polymorphic Manufacturing: The Critical Factor for Mass Customisation, visit:

www.fyous.com/technology

Standard families are manufactured in painted mild steel, 304 and 316L stainless steel, aluminium, polycarbonate and GRP. For systems that are going to be exported to North America, many products have UL and cUL listings, an important consideration when specifying components for an export project. With IP ratings from IP65 up to IP69 and equivalent NEMA ratings, there is almost certainly a standard family to suit just about any application. 

In addition to general purpose industrial enclosures, there are ranges optimised for specialist requirements: corrosion resistant enclosures, hygienic enclosures for regular high temperature and pressure washdown, operator interface enclosures and flange disconnect enclosures. Modular IP sealed wireway and cable trough systems in mild and stainless steel are also manufactured. Free-standing racks and cabinets, thermal management solutions, power distribution systems and small electronic enclosures are also featured in the industrial enclosure portfolio.

Hammond also have an extensive in-house modification capability for OEM projects, reducing time to market and avoiding having to over-order standard enclosures for modification by third party contractors.

To see an overview of our product range, click here. To contact us to discuss a specific project requirement, call +44 1256 812812, email [email protected] or [email protected]

ADVANACES IN material science and digital technology are impacting asphalt production. Among these innovations, one of the most widely discussed in recent years is self-healing asphalt. Research led by Swansea University has shown how incorporating biomass waste into asphalt allows microcracks to completely heal in less than an hour. Laboratory trials suggest this approach could extend road life, reducing the need for resurfacing and lowering whole life carbon emissions. 

Further research published in ScienceDirect shows that bio-based rejuvenators, produced from waste oils, vegetable derivatives and biopolymers can restore aged asphalt binders and improve performance, offering a sustainable path to longer pavement life.

Although the research highlights significant benefits, their effectiveness depends on how well plants can manage these more complex mixes. Advanced mixes tend to be less forgiving than traditional hot mix asphalt. Temperature stability, mixing time and energy input play a greater role in determining final material behaviour. Variations that may once have been acceptable can now undermine performance, placing greater emphasis on consistency and process control within a plant.

Digital feedback in plant operations

At the same time, digital technologies are changing how asphalt performance is assessed once it leaves the plant. The UK Department for Transport increasingly uses laser-based surface texture measurement, sensor-equipped survey vehicles and predictive condition monitoring tools. 

Research and guidance published by National Highways shows that automated condition surveys using SCANNER and TRACS data can identify changes in road condition before visible defects appear, supporting a planned rather than reactive approach to maintenance.

This growing volume of performance data is beginning to influence decisions back at the plant. When production parameters can be reviewed alongside in-service performance, producers gain clearer insight into how adjustments at the mixing stage affect long-term outcomes. To support this, asphalt plants must be capable of collecting and interpreting process data in real time. 

Automation and modern control systems play a central role here. Continuous monitoring of mixers, motors, fans and conveyors allow operating conditions to be adjusted dynamically rather than relying on fixed setpoints. 

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), advanced energy management practices, incorporating digitalisation, real-time process data and automated control can provide durable and scalable improvements in industrial energy performance across sectors.

Precision, efficiency and sustainability

Energy efficiency has become inseparable from both cost control and sustainability and efficiency improvements are one of the fastest and most cost-effective routes to industrial carbon reduction. 

Without precise control of energy input, many of the environmental benefits associated with these materials risk being eroded during production. Smarter automation and better data visibility help ensure that process conditions remain within tighter tolerances, supporting consistent quality while reducing unnecessary energy use.

As materials science continues to advance, the demands placed on asphalt plants will only increase. New formulations require production systems that can respond to changing material behaviour without sacrificing throughput or reliability. Flexible automation architectures, integrated sensor networks and adaptable drive systems will also become standard features of modern plants.

Meeting these demands relies on precise, responsive plant equipment. High-efficiency electric motors, AC inverter drives and PLC-based control systems allow producers to maintain tight process control while reducing energy consumption and mechanical stress. 

Simultaneously, integrated automation solutions that coordinate mixers, conveyors and material handling equipment help reduce variability and support consistent production as mix designs become more sophisticated.

This is where experience in industrial drive technology, automation and control system integration is essential. Applying these technologies in a practical production environment allows asphalt plants to translate advances in materials science into reliable, repeatable processes on the ground — supporting both performance and sustainability goals as the industry moves toward intelligent infrastructure.

technidrive.co.uk

As part of this partnership, Tezmaksan has commissioned its second CubeBOX automation line at UFC Automotive’s tractor clutch production facility. The new installation marks a significant step in UFC Automotive’s digital transformation journey, facilitating continuous, robot-assisted production and delivering measurable improvements in efficiency, quality and manufacturing sustainability.

The partnership builds on more than a decade of cooperation between the two companies and reflects a shared commitment to modernising Turkish manufacturing through automation. According to The Global Economy, industry represented 25.94% of Turkey’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, highlighting the sector’s strategic weight and the growing need for modern, digitally driven production technologies.

UFC Automotive manufactures tractor clutch systems for both domestic and global markets as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and original equipment supplier (OES). Due to the critical functional role of clutch systems, the company prioritises precision, stability and traceability in its production operations.

“We’ve partnered with Tezmaksan as a reliable partner to help bring our production processes into the digital transformation era,” said Can Çetin, partner at UFC Automotive. “With Tezmaksan’s technical support and systems, we integrated the system without hesitation, and we’ve already seen an increase in productivity.”

The new CubeBOX robotic automation system continuously feeds three different CNC machines for 22 hours per day, automating a process previously requiring three operators. This transition has allowed the company to boost productivity by 35 per cent and increase cost savings by 50 per cent across its tractor clutch production.

By adopting a second CubeBOX system, UFC Automotive aims to secure higher process consistency, minimise manual handling and ensure sustainable, repeatable production quality.

“Turkish industry has enormous digital transformation potential and our work with UFC Automotive is a strong demonstration of what can be achieved with practical, well-engineered automation,” said Hakan Aydogu, Group CEO at Tezmaksan. “Our CubeBOX systems feed multiple CNC machines for extended periods, supporting efficient, operator-friendly production.”

UFC Automotive plans to continue its investment in digital transformation with Tezmaksan in upcoming projects, reinforcing its goal to increase efficiency, ensure quality and maintain competitive in both domestic and international markets. 

“Collaborations like this allow us to combine our automation expertise with the real production needs of manufacturers,” explained Aydogdu. “Our goal is to make advanced CNC automation accessible to a wider range of companies and to support their transition toward more efficient, reliable and data-driven production.”

www.tezmaksan.com

Tura is purpose-built to meet the stringent perception requirements for vehicle-based night vision, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and autonomous vehicles (AV) that demand high performance, low supply risk, and cost-effective thermal solutions.

The automotive-qualified Tura features a new, high-performance passive 640 × 512 resolution far-infrared (FIR) sensor with industry-leading sensitivity critical for detecting and classifying pedestrians, animals, and other vulnerable roadway users. It delivers perception far beyond headlights in complete darkness and through challenging conditions such as fog, smoke, sun glare, and headlight glare.

"Safety and reliability are non-negotiable pillars of autonomous technology, and Tura sets a new industry benchmark with compatible FuSa features starting from the sensor," said Paul Clayton, president and GM, Teledyne FLIR OEM. "We have manufactured more than one million automotive thermal camera modules over the last twenty years for driver warning systems and will continue to provide a high-volume, cost-effective solution."

Teledyne FLIR OEM and Valeo, a key technology partner of mobility players around the globe, previously announced their collaboration, and “Valeo and Teledyne FLIR will deliver the first Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) B thermal imaging technology for night vision ADAS. This system will complement Valeo’s large range of sensors and rely on Valeo’s ADAS software stack to support functions such as automatic emergency braking (AEB) at night for passenger and commercial vehicles as well as for autonomous cars.”

Tura enhances lifesaving pedestrian automatic emergency braking (PAEB) and helps provide a smoother, safer ride. It also supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 127, which requires higher-speed nighttime test scenarios where existing AEB systems struggle.

Teledyne FLIR OEM thermal cameras are also deployed in fully autonomous vehicles. In addition to delivering forward-looking perception data, multiple thermal camera modules can be integrated to enhance 360-degree situational awareness. This enables reliable detection of heat-emitting objects—such as people, vehicles, and animals even in low-visibility conditions.

www.oem.flir.com/tura