Plant Engineering articles from August 2008

Plant Engineering archives from August 2008

Reaping the rewards of an integrated enterprise.
August 15, 2008... By Kevin Roach, Rockwell Automation A convergence of new business drivers, including compressed delivery schedules and ever-pressing regulatory demands, has intensified the focus on the critical value of information generated from the...

Machine safety pays off.
August 15, 2008... By J.B. Titus, Siemens Energy & Automation Inc. If a manufacturer's downtime costs $10,000 an hour, it does not take long to justify a low-cost, integrated system that saves time and increases uptime Plant engineers are taking...

Driving the point across: Break-fix isn't a strategy.(Column)
August 15, 2008... Bob Vavra, Editor My car provides basic transportation, which is all I really ask of it. It is pleasant enough to drive. It gets reasonably good gas mileage. It has needed minimal major repairs. It has had very little unscheduled downtime...

Signal, power wiring technologies drive changes in best practices.
August 15, 2008... By Brad Woodman, Molex AEP Division A creative tension typically exists between accepted practices that have served an industry well and the need for new practices that take full benefit of innovative new technologies. The current state of...

Breaking out of the break-fix mentality.
August 15, 2008... Staff Enterprise asset management an important tool for improvement, says Aberdeen/Plant Engineering report Manufacturers looking to improve the return on their assets need to break out of the 'break-fix mentality' and embrace...

Reader Feedback.(Letter to the editor)
August 15, 2008... Staff Maintenance needs to regain its luster and importance in manufacturing I read Bob Vavra's editorial in July's Plant Engineering. Above all, I found it most truthful concerning maintenance taking a back seat in our manufacturing...

IMTS puts emerging technologies on display in Chicago.
August 15, 2008... Edited by Kevin Campbell Storming into Chicago Sept. 8-13, the International Manufacturing Technology Show will inhabit all four halls of McCormick Place, occupying a whopping 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space. The 27th edition of...

NMW opens with five partner shows.(National Manufacturing Week)
August 15, 2008... Staff National Manufacturing Week arrives at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, Sept. 23-25 as part of the latest Canon Communications blitzkrieg of trade shows. Co-located with Assembly Technology Expo, Electronics...

SME, EMCI develop partnership.(Society of Manufacturing Engineers)(Engineering Management Certification International)(Brief article)
August 15, 2008... Staff The Society of Manufacturing Engineers will partner with Engineering Management Certification International (EMCI) on a certification program in engineering management among qualified engineers, scientists and technologists. ...

Wireless sensor development session scheduled at ISA.
August 15, 2008... Staff When Dr. Kris Pister of the University of California at Berkley began the Smart Dust project more than a decade ago, few could have predicted its effect on today's industrial automation. The wave of academic research and venture...

Strengthening relationships between suppliers and OEMs.(Company overview)
August 15, 2008... By Mike Klonsinski, Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership Robbins Manufacturing has a long tradition of continuous improvement. ISO certification, quality management systems, Value Stream Mapping, 5S and other Lean programs are just...

Achieving safety with hydraulics for hydroforming presses.
August 15, 2008... By Johannes Schunder, Bosch Rexroth Corp. Hydroforming processes have been established as efficient alternatives to conventional press forming for pressing - with the help of pressurized fluid - complex, single-component work pieces into...

How performance management systems improve energy efficiency.
August 15, 2008... By Martin Jette, OSIsoft Canada The new environmental regulations impose numerous constraints on companies and have significant implications for their financial health. The energy-saving and greenhouse gas emission (GGE) reduction programs...

'Slim' pickings for order fulfillment: Vertical lift modules elevate Lean distribution goals.
August 15, 2008... By Amanda Loudin, MHIA For many companies, achieving a Lean distribution environment begins with reducing lead times and lot sizes while increasing flexibility to achieve consistent results. With a flexible operation in place, companies...

Ethernet card.
August 15, 2008... Staff The MCA 121 Ethernet/IP option card enables VLT automation drive users to deploy standard Ethernet technology in manufacturing applications. The unit can handle a single EIP class one connection with an actual packet interval of 1 ms...

Blower.
August 15, 2008... Staff Com-paK Plus rotary lobe blower packages offer 5- to 200-hp designs with flows from 60 to 2,295 scfm. All maintenance points, including the automatic belt-tensioning device, oil drains and filter elements, are accessible through the...

Multimeter.
August 15, 2008... Staff The CE-compliant OMEGASAYS UV1000 is designed to measure and verbalize voltage, current and Type K thermocouple inputs. The unit is battery-powered and equipped with an RS-232 PC interface that facilitates the configuration of input...

Actuator.
August 15, 2008... Staff The ball-screw-driven cantilever actuator EGSA has a repetition accuracy of [+ or -]0.01 mm and is available configured with a motor or as an individual component that can be adapted to a third-party motor. Features include stroke...

Clevis hanger.
August 15, 2008... Staff The Ultra clevis hanger features a snap-open and snap-close design, easing installation of piping over conventional hangers. The clevis bottom locks in place to prevent swinging while it supports the pipe's weight when the hanger is...

Mobile cleaning system.
August 15, 2008... Staff The ICS 8950 is designed for cleaning staff who need to apply a single cleaning product at multiple dilution ratios. Users can turn a dial to one of up to four pre-determined dilution ratios, and cleaning and sanitizing chemicals are...

Energy recovery unit.
August 15, 2008... Staff The VersiVent model VER energy recovery unit offers a high-performance total energy wheel, a high-efficiency centrifugal plenum supply fan, 2-inch double-wall construction and hinged access doors. Cooling options include chilled...

Spring terminal block.
August 15, 2008... Staff The POWER CAGE CLAMP facilitate fast, maintenance-free connections. Conductors up to 4/0 AWG can be terminated with one turn of a hex wrench or with a screwdriver for 2 AWG. The two-conductor, feed-through block provides safe, secure...

Air winch.
August 15, 2008... Staff Part of the BIG RED Series, the TA10 air winch provides high line pull capacity while maintaining fast line speeds. Rated for first layer and full drum-load capacity of 37,000 pounds and 21,800 pounds, respectively, the winch is...

Message board.
August 15, 2008... Staff The RotoCube Big Island Tower rotating bulletin tower provides 42 square feet of display that can be customized with 25 different pan `el styles, including calendars, charts, grids and more. The unit can be rotated with the touch of...

Preassembled linear systems.
August 15, 2008... Staff Maintenance-free and suitable for small handling and packaging operations, eLine compact modules are available in ball-screw and belt-driven versions, respectively in profile sizes of 90 and 110 millimeters. The modules include...

Expansion cables.
August 15, 2008... Staff The expansion set of cable outlet sizes for the series 713, M12 connectors includes sizes ranging from 2.5 to 8 millimeters. Smaller wire sizes allow for more options in automation applications and industrial networks. The new outlet...

Torque multipliers.
August 15, 2008... Staff Available in three styles, universal tube, plate reaction and foot reaction, torque multipliers provide output capacity from 750 to 8,000 foot-pounds. The units take a low amount of input torque applied by the operator through a...

Roller bearings.
August 15, 2008... Staff Axial-radial cylindrical roller bearings can handle axial loads in either direction simultaneously with radial loads or moment loads. An L-shaped inner ring is integrated with a shaft washer, an outer ring, two thrust roller cage...

Duplexing pump.
August 15, 2008... Staff The Series DPC is designed for use where two pumps are required to alternate to provide equal runtime on each. The 120-Vac-controlled relay alternates each time a control switch opens. Two LED indicators show the load that is...

Adjustable load lifter.
August 15, 2008... Staff The adjustable load lifter is available in 1- and 2-ton capacities. The lifting bail adjusts to the correct center of gravity for balanced handling of different loads, and the throat opening adjusts for different load heights. The...

Pump.
August 15, 2008... Staff An alternative to piston pumps and conveyors for dewatered sludge transfer, the 2000 HS system features the high-efficiency G4 progressing cavity pump with proprietary Ultra-Feed rotor technology. The pump's 45-degree inlet allows...

Component coating.
August 15, 2008... Staff Kerkote TFE coating reduces friction in the company's lead screw, linear rail, spline shaft, slide, guide and actuator assemblies. The coating is a long-term dry lubricant that transfers to the nut, creating a low friction protective...

Robot.
August 15, 2008... Staff The M-710iC/50 SE FoundryPRO robot is IP67-protected for operation in harsh environments. The robot is coated with epoxy, and the wrist has protective covers to withstand high-pressure washing. The base of the robot purges air to...

Frequency-hopping serial radios.
August 15, 2008... Staff RLX-IFHS industrial frequency-hopping serial radios are license-free and available in both 900-MHz and 2.4-GHz bands. They use a proprietary signal that hops from channel to channel, which provides the wireless network with an extra...

DC output modules.
August 15, 2008... Staff The DirectLOGIC family includes fault-protected output modules designed for DL205 PLCs. The F2-DxP 16-channel current output modules, available in sinking and sourcing configurations, provide 16 input points, which are automatically...

Operator panel.
August 15, 2008... Staff The EXTER T150-st has an acid-resistant, stainless-steel construction to withstand damage from powerful cleaning agents used in the food and beverage and pharmaceuticals industries. The design has no cracks or lines in the surfaces...

Online cable configurator.
August 15, 2008... Staff The FieldConnex cordset product configurator allows users to design Fieldbus type A/ER cordset and extension cables, and receive a price and availability quote. The tool's question-based navigation builds cordsets in 10 steps and...

Control platform.
August 15, 2008... Staff The ILC 150 VLC is a compact embedded control platform for small- to medium-sized applications. A built-in Ethernet port accommodates networking and data exchange to a supervisory system. All VLC control platforms have integrated...

Focus on the basics for sustainability strategy.
August 15, 2008... By Marc Hoffmann, Consortium for Energy Efficiency If you type 'sustainability strategy' or 'sustainability plan' into any Internet search engine, more than 1 million results are returned. Similarly, a recent study conducted by the...

Tips & Tricks.
August 15, 2008... By Bob Vavra, Editor Brawn and brains work together to solve plant-floor problems The collision of the creative and practical parts of the brain gives us the world's great inventions. The basic tools man has invented - the lever, the...