What's New In Industry articles from January 2006

What's New In Industry archives from January 2006

WHAT'S NEW: Seal technology on its metal.
January 31, 2006... Developments at James Walker Moorflex in manufacturing metal-to-metal seals and components for oilfield equipment has expanded the firm's capabilities in CNC manufacture of annular products, typically involving complex sealing profiles and...

WHAT'S NEW: The fastest ads on the road.
January 31, 2006... Advanced recloseable fasteners from 3M provide the critical link for some of the fastest advertising on the road. The Dual Lock fastener system allows full-sized truck-side advertising panels that last for more than 200,000km, but can be...

WHAT'S NEW: Going to extremes.
January 31, 2006... Bearings specialist igus has unveiled a new 'extreme' polymer material compound - iglidur Z510 - to meet those applications demanding both permanently high operating temperatures of 260 degrees C with those requiring high pressure resistance...

WHAT'S NEW: Compact regulator with a sense of proportion.
January 31, 2006... Compact Moduflex MPT40 electronic proportional regulator from Parker Hannifin has been designed to offer both OEMs and end users a modular, accurate device for controlling a set output pressure for compressed air or inert gases. The device...

WHAT'S NEW: Sweet little sixteen axes.
January 31, 2006... Versatile point-to-point positioning systems can now be implemented easily and inexpensively with the new CJ1W-NCF position control unit from Omron. This single standard-size PLC unit provides for position, speed and torque commands up to 16...

WHAT'S NEW: Robots cut oil wastage.
January 31, 2006... Aerated concrete block manufacture at two Tarmac Concrete Products plants has been improved significantly by using robots to apply 'release' oil accurately to the inside of the moulds in which the concrete mix sets prior to cutting and...

WHAT'S NEW: High temps in the balance.
January 31, 2006... Suitable for arduous process use, such as high temperature water and thermal fluid systems, the new Astra-Plus range of balancing valves from ARI Armaturen utilises metal-to-metal seating to eliminate the potential of setting errors, however...

WHAT'S NEW: Spares service.
January 31, 2006... Providing a wide range of spare parts which are fully interchangeable with those of most makers of progressive cavity pumps is a new service from Robbins & Myers. Parts include rotors, stators, drive train, mechanical seals, gearboxes and...

WHAT'S NEW: Non-contact measurement.
January 31, 2006... Low-cost, high-accuracy thermal imaging system able to measure simultaneously up to 256 temperature points over an object or area, the IRI 1002 from InfraRed Integrated Systems is aimed at a range of fixed installations in continuous process...

QUALITY CONTROL: Plato drives testing right off the radar.
January 31, 2006... New 'drive-by' noise testing capability has been built into the latest version of the Plato noise and vibration measurement and analysis system for powertrain and power steering testing from Anthony Best Dynamics. And 'RevKit' sub-product...

QUALITY CONTROL: Customised testing lets you read the fine print.
January 31, 2006... Anorad, the precision motion control division of Rockwell Automation, has developed a custom-designed split-axis, linear motor-driven X-Y motion platform specifically for testing and the alignment of industrial inkjet printer head...

QUALITY CONTROL: Partners in analysis.
January 31, 2006... Applied Wave Research Inc, provider of high-frequency electronic design automation (EDA) tools, and 3D electromagnetic analysis software specialist Flomerics, have anounced a partnership that enables Microwave/RF engineers analyzing circuit...

QUALITY CONTROL: Clampmeter measures up.
January 31, 2006... Megger's MMC850 clampmeter measures current in standard single conductor cables up to 200A - and also measures currents in multi-core flexible or installed (twin and earth) cables to 100A. Users no longer need to disconnect a circuit and...

QUALITY CONTROL: The big image.
January 31, 2006... Two add-on imaging modules have been announced for Ocean Optics' LIBS2000+ Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectrometer (LIBS) system, enabling users to magnify a sample image and establish a precise laser target. Ocean Optics says the LIBS...

QUALITY CONTROL: Scan at high-res.
January 31, 2006... Digital imaging laser line sensor from LMI Technologies is for very high-resolution 3D cross-section profile scanning. The Class 11 EyeCON laser line sensor scans up to 150 points across a horizontal measuring line. Combining the advances...

QUALITY CONTROL: Imaging at high speed.
January 31, 2006... A new generation of machine vision systems from Panasonic Electric Works can reduce the processing time required by previous generations of image processing systems. The PV300 system uses greyscale/binary processing algorithms to perform image...

QUALITY CONTROL: Take a check on tools.
January 31, 2006... Latest generation of Crane Electronics' Joint Rate Simulator (JRS Opta) has been introduced to provide a mobile testing solution from 2 to 500Nm. Used for assembly tool performance verification by accurate and repetitive simulation of...

QUALITY CONTROL: Interface eases inspection.
January 31, 2006... An improved user interface developed for Cognex's Intellect software for DVT vision sensors is designed to make inspection, precision measurement, counting and object location applications even easier. Intellect 1.2 increases object...

QUALITY CONTROL: Leak checking by ultrasound.
January 31, 2006... Beko has taken its established leak detector one step further with the addition of a device which generates ultrasound, allowing the unit to be used in many applications that do not have their own pressure/vacuum. The device was...

QUALITY CONTROL: Linking up for analysis.
January 31, 2006... The Gossen Mueller & Weigert MA400 multifunction power meter range from Metrix Electronics offers RS232 serial or Profibus-PD outputs to link with PLCs, PCs and SCADA systems. These compact units are designed to monitor and display active,...

QUALITY CONTROL: Get the jitters.
January 31, 2006... From Yokogawa comes a new version of its TA220 digital jitter meter with added features to aid adjustment and inspection in production-line testing of the next generation of Blu-ray high-density optical discs. New standard functions include...

QUALITY CONTROL: Sensor isolated from shock loads.
January 31, 2006... Reliability and robustness were key requirements when Wyko Industrial Services set about building a test and calibration rig for its servomotor repair business at Aintree. The design was based on a non- contact torque sensor that could...

QUALITY CONTROL: Making life a TAD easier.
January 31, 2006... Regular calibration is no longer necessary with the latest TAD temperature sensors from ifm electronic. The use of two different sensor elements which monitor each other in the process is said to ensure that a developing sensor drift is...

QUALITY CONTROL: Thermal calibration gets on the move.
January 31, 2006... New range of lightweight, 'dry block' portable thermal calibrators that operate between 45 degrees C below ambient and 650 degrees C has been developed by Techne to provide convenient use in the field. Available from Barlow Scientific,...

QUALITY CONTROL: IR metering by degrees.
January 31, 2006... The Extech Instruments Model 470 is an ergonomically designed multimeter with built-in, non-contact infrared thermometer that provides fast, safe measurements from -20 to 270 degrees C in a variety of applications. A built-in laser pointer...

QUALITY CONTROL: Taylor-made inspection.
January 31, 2006... A fully-ESD-compatible conductive stage specifically designed for the semiconductor market has been designed, prototyped and manufactured by Prior Scientific for non-contact measuring systems specialist Taylor Hobson. Prior has supplied...

QUALITY CONTROL: Coatings put to the test.
January 31, 2006... Ocean Optics has expanded its optical sensor coating services to enable OEMs and product developers to create and manufacture custom oxygen and pH sensor accessories for optical chemical sensing applications. Accessories include fibre optic...

QUALITY CONTROL: Upgrade for QC software.
January 31, 2006... Upgrades to Mecmesin Emperor test software enhance its use in QC, where the response of products, components or materials to applied tensile, compressive or torsional loads needs to be evaluated. Improved batch reporting means an...

FASTENING & JOINING: Fast feeding.
January 31, 2006... Feeding and insertion equipment able to install more than 100 high- strength male or female fasteners per minute into sheet metal components up to 4mm thick (a Mercedes A Class bulkhead is shown here) were highlighted by Profil at last month's...

FASTENING & JOINING: If the cap fits.
January 31, 2006... Range of plastic caps from Bulte offers various head styles to suit many types of metal screws. Types available include: caps for countersunk head screws; for Pozidriv screws 1 to 5; for Philips screws 2 and 3; for Torx screws 25, 30 and 40;...

FASTENING & JOINING: Fastener turns up the tension.
January 31, 2006... From Bollhoff Fastenings comes a new range of blind rivet nuts designed to achieve high joint tension in structural applications where tightening torque values are above 54kN. Advanced materials and processes give the Rivnut HRT an enhanced,...

FASTENING & JOINING: Auto feed drives to increase production.
January 31, 2006... Reliability and durability are important criteria when undertaking high- output assembly operations, particularly when application efficiency is the number one priority in meeting modern production targets. To ensure that various...

FASTENING & JOINING: Adhesives bring a better bond.
January 31, 2006... Development of new industrial-strength adhesives is enabling fasteners from BigHead Bonding to be mounted in inaccessible and post-manufacture positions in all types of fabrications and assemblies, even in direct metal-to-metal situations....

FASTENING & JOINING: Clamping gets a grip.
January 31, 2006... Fastener specialist Protex has extended its range of ex-stock stainless steel bandclamps to include components from 24 to 615mm diameter. Grip diameters up to 45mm are catered for by ten type 61-1750-PBC-SS platform bandclamps: here, a...

FASTENING & JOINING: Bolt head reveals tension loss.
January 31, 2006... You don't need a torque wrench to check the tension on James Walker Rotabolt's new Vision safety bolt - in fact you don't even need to go anywhere near it. A clear marker on the bolt head - visible from up to 25m away, says Rotabolt -...

FASTENING & JOINING: Spray for bulk adhesives.
January 31, 2006... To give fast spray-on with no wastage in bulk adhesive applications, the 17kg Evo-Stik portable spray adhesive system from Bostik comes as an easily carried, disposable canister which is connected to a reusable hose and spray gun, available...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: Keeping the water clean.
January 31, 2006... Designed specifically for drinking water and waste water disinfection, the bersonInline+ medium-pressure UV disinfection system combines the low maintenance, high efficiency and small footprint of the original Berson system with enhanced...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: Business is blooming.
January 31, 2006... A Powrmatic heating system has created a warm, welcoming environment to the sales floor area of a garden centre in Gillingham, Dorset. Orchard Park called in heating specialist Environmental Control Services who in turn called in Powrmatic....

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: Centre extends its energy use advice.
January 31, 2006... The scope of operations of the Melsec Energy Centre is to be expanded from information and advice to include full energy management programmes in conjunction with its Solution Partners. The Centre was set up three years ago by Mitsubishi...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: UV disinfection down the hole.
January 31, 2006... From Hanovia comes a new UV system which prevents microbial contamination of downhole injection water during oil recovery. UV reduces the need for traditional disinfection chemicals which can be expensive, toxic and potentially hazardous to...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: New tests on the block.
January 31, 2006... Water analysis specialist Palintest has introduced a high-capability multi-tube heater block said to be ideal for chemical oxygen demand (COD) reactions and enabling Palintest to offer economical COD test kits for use with its Tubetest...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: Pipes cope with thermal shock.
January 31, 2006... Process drains able to withstand high concentrations of chemicals and thermal shock have been supplied to the Arklow facility of Honeywell Iropharm by the Hathernware division of Naylor Drainage. Early discussions with the installation...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: Going compact to cut costs.
January 31, 2006... By replacing open top bins - which had less capacity and incurred transport and labour costs through frequent emptying - with two Randalls Simpak 1800 static waste compactors, a 75 percent reduction in associated transport costs has been...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: Munching with Mono.
January 31, 2006... A Danish biogas plant has maintained its relationship with Mono Pumps with the installation of a Mono Series F Muncher. The heavy-duty, twin-shaft grinder will handle waste materials such as livestock manure and waste from restaurants and...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: New noise law.
January 31, 2006... The final version of new Noise at Work Regulations, just published, has a start date of 6 April 2006. One important change is a reduction of the upper action level from 90 to 85dB(A), a large fall which will impose a large burden on industry...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: A real treat for process water.
January 31, 2006... Hanovia's new 300 Series UV water disinfection system has been developed for small-flow industrial process water applications (up to 65m3/hr) in the food, beverage, brewing, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The system uses amalgam...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: Giant keeps its cool.
January 31, 2006... At almost 4m high, the T50 plate heat exchanger is the largest ever built by Alfa Laval. With a flow rate capacity of up to 975kg/second, this giant is designed for central cooling systems in petrochemical refineries, chemical plants and...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: Keeping it quiet.
January 31, 2006... The Frogbox Company has supplied its Synergy integrated refirgeration and air conditioning system to the Tesco Express store at Wickfod, Essex, helping to reduce energy consumption and improve reliability, and at the same time reducing noise...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: Triple environmental success.
January 31, 2006... Three achievements have seen Toyota Industrial Equipment's parent company Toyota Industries Corporation reach some of its most important environmental objectives in 2005. In line with its environmental action plan, Toyota reached its...

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: Safety in the pipeline.
January 31, 2006... Durapipe's new Detecta-line pipework system has been developed specifically for use with aspirating smoke detection systems. It is suitable for applications in environments including commercial office buildings, hospitals, refrigerated stores,...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Modular route to flexibility.
January 31, 2006... Using established platform engineering principles from the automotive industry, Linde Material Handling is offering a wide choice of modular 'matrix' warehouse products. The range runs from low-level order pickers and pallet trucks through to...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Trucks hide hoses to give improved driver vision.
January 31, 2006... A clear view mast with concealed hoses gives improved visibility for drivers of BT three-wheel Cargo C3E100R - 150R rear-wheel drive electric counterbalance lift trucks. With capacities from 1000 to 1500kg, the trucks offer a full choice...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Another good turn for supermarket.
January 31, 2006... British Turntable has supplied a second 15m diameter HGV access turntable to Waitrose, creating an efficient loading and unloading operation at the super-market's new store in Wallingford, Oxon. A similar unit is installed at an underground...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Lift tables offer higher capacity.
January 31, 2006... Three new low-profile scissor lift tables from Hymo raise the range's capacity. The 2000kg capacity MXR20 and MXE20 offer a 95mm closed height and an 800mm lifting height. Either can be located directly on the floor with no need for a...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Trucks called to the bar.
January 31, 2006... Three Boss 567 sideloaders are taking care of all bar and tube movements at the Congleton, Cheshire, centreless turning and reeling operation of Copeland & Craddock. Typical bundle weight is 2.0 to 3.0 tonnes but can be as high as 6.0...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Truck a lift for fuel cell power.
January 31, 2006... Fuel cell hybrid system for lift trucks has been developed in a joint project by Toyota Industries Corporation and Toyota Motor Corp. that allowed TICO to make use of TMC's advanced techology and share components in the automotive field. ...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Safer handling on the side.
January 31, 2006... Two Sidetracker multi-directional lift trucks are providing materials handling services for raw materials and finished product at a new #14m Midlands factory opened by Carter Retail Eqpt. to manufacture refrigerated display cabinets. Key...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Tubs and skips handle site mortar.
January 31, 2006... New range of containers from Craemer have been specifically designed for the handling and distribution of pre-mix mortar on construction sites. Made from HDPE plastic, these thick-walled tubs and skips are robust, durable and easy to clean....

HANDLING & STORAGE: Eggs loaded safely on board.
January 31, 2006... A mobile powered platform from Transdeck is allowing a single operator using a powered pallet truck to load over 22,000 eggs onto delivery vehicles in just 30 minutes at a production site run by Deans Foods. The platform was chosen as...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Trucks cut leasing costs.
January 31, 2006... By closing down surplus storage premises, aerosol valve producer Lindal Valve is saving over #30,000 a year on leasing costs alone, helped by a switch to Bendi articulating forklifts from Translift Bendi. Rationalisation at its Leighton...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Making the most of space.
January 31, 2006... Planned Storage Systems has designed, supplied and installed a very narrow aisle racking system for catering equipment supplier Nisbets at Avonmouth. To provide the target number of pallet locations, PSS used its Stronglock VNA high-bay racking...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Tough on trucks.
January 31, 2006... Building on a six-year relationship with M&W Toyota Handling, Newby Foundries has purchased a new fleet of five Toyota 7FGF gas forklifts. Newby supplies grey and ductile iron castings. And the foundry's buyer, Rae Knowles, said: "The...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Maximising parts retrieval.
January 31, 2006... New integrated inventory management and access software has updated the Industriever range of vertical carousel systems from Kardex. Able to operate either as a central inventory store or as a fully integrated on-line parts access system,...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Truck fleet gets close to 100% uptime.
January 31, 2006... A newly-commissioned fleet of Atlet trucks is performing at 99.74 percent uptime for a j-i-t component supply operation at Cummins Engines' plant at Daventry. The new fleet comprises 12 UNS Tergo reach trucks, two Presto PLP pallet...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Cook up a handling solution.
January 31, 2006... When Electrolux looked at improving handling and transportation of cooker parts from its press area - then through a pre-treatment facility before returning them to various enamelling application unload stations - at its Spennymoor plant, MCM...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Fresh picking/packing on the mezzanine.
January 31, 2006... Modification to two existing lines and provision of a new materials handling system for an extended mezzanine floor has been carried out by Conveyor Systems Ltd. for national food service distribution company Pauleys, part of the Brakes Group....

HANDLING & STORAGE: The best forks for fish.
January 31, 2006... Hull-based Glenrose Fish Company has taken delivery of two new Mitsubishi trucks - a PBP20K pedestrian-powered pallet truck and a an FB15K RT three-wheel electric counterbalance. The former machine, with its low energy use and high...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Storage makes a Sharp move.
January 31, 2006... Combination of Hi-Lo storage products and the project management of Designed Storage has provided packaging manufacturer Sharp Interpack with a new warehouse complex in Kent. Two linked warehouses, storing raw and finished goods, have been...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Quick belt release.
January 31, 2006... Quick-release belt conveyor brackets developed by BDL Drum Motors aid the building of belt conveyors and provide rapid belt release for easier maintenance and washdown purposes. Precision laser cut from stainless steel, the brackets are...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Air freight pallets given a lift.
January 31, 2006... A bespoke scissor type goods lift has been installed by Britannia Lift to move heavy air freight pallets from road-going vehicles to a loading dock at the Nottingham depot of Delta Galil. The lift has a 4000 x 2800mm working platform and...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Conveying integrated ideas.
January 31, 2006... Peer Conveyors has designed, manufactured and installed a warehouse conveying system for software/hardware distribuor Bell Microproducts. It incorporates use of an existing lineshaft carousel conveyor with new powered roller conveyors and...

HANDLING & STORAGE: On the case.
January 31, 2006... Increasing handling efficiency and the flow of cases from an erector located on a mezzanine floor down to a manual packing station has been achieved at William Grant & Sons Distillers with a solution from Conveyor Systems Ltd. Clear...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Truck offers steering options.
January 31, 2006... Crown's ESR 4500 reach truck series is now offered with 360-degree Select ac steering system allowing the operator to choose 180 or 360- degree rotation of the steer tyre to match driving conditions, experience level or personal preference....

PROCESS PLANT & CONTROL: Flowmetering gets real.
January 31, 2006... Prototypes of a revolutionary dry solids mass flowmeter have been successfully tested in university and industrial laboratories with response times, resolutions and accuracy in real-time exceeding expectations against conventional weighing...

PROCESS PLANT & CONTROL: Communications control.
January 31, 2006... Three integrated communications interfaces are offered by the latest communicative control for high-speed machines and processes from Siemens Automation & Drives. The CPU 319-3 PN/DP, from the Simatic S7-300 controller family, interfaces...

PROCESS PLANT & CONTROL: Enhanced functions for data acquisition.
January 31, 2006... Enhanced functions and new capabilities have been added to new DAQSTATION paperless recorders from Yokogawa, the S120 versions of the DX100 and DX200. DX units are advanced data-acquisition stations combining the capabilities of...

PROCESS PLANT & CONTROL: Calibration on the move.
January 31, 2006... Rugged hand-held multifunction documentaing process calibrators for use in the lab or on-site have been introduced by Eurotron Instr. The Dual-channel Micropal 20 DPC units provide simultaneous generation and measurement for accurate,...

PROCESS PLANT & CONTROL: Plant-wide automation.
January 31, 2006... A modest project to automate a compressor house at Yorkshire Fittings' Leeds facility has been expanded to embrace the entire factory. The initial project was based on the installation of a Mitsubishi Electric MX32 SCADA programme to...

PROCESS PLANT & CONTROL: Ram unit aids product flow.
January 31, 2006... Transferring very high viscosity creams, gels and pastes which do not flow can present a major problem in the food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and process sectors. A solution from Pump Engineering is the CSF piston pump fitted to a twin ram...

PROCESS PLANT & CONTROL: Collared.
January 31, 2006... To meet the demand for smaller, more reliable components for fluid handling equipment, Omnifit offers a new range of manifold-mountable inert solenoid pumps and valves by Bio-Chem Valve. With a footprint as small as 13mm, the components use a...

PROCESS PLANT & CONTROL: Pump controller copes with power variations.
January 31, 2006... From Milton Roy comes a pump controller which helps provide accurate dosing in applications requiring automated and proportional pumping. The Varipulse controller has been developed for use with Milton Roy GA and GM dosing pumps, typically...

PROCESS PLANT & CONTROL: The flow show.
January 31, 2006... For use with SMC's flow rate sensors, PF2#200 digital flow rate monitors can operate with up to four different sensors when using the same medium - water, air, de-ionised water or chemicals. Using one monitor instead of the usual four can...

Transmitter copes in harsh areas.
January 31, 2006... ABB has expanded its 2600T pressure transmitter range with a device suitable for use in harsh process environments. Produced in 316 stainless steel, and with a stainless steel sensor diaphragm, the Type 261 pressure transmitter offers a...

PROCESS PLANT & CONTROL: Check up on temperatures.
January 31, 2006... To measure the temperature of the atmosphere in waste incinerators, the CDA non-contact thermometer from Land Instruments Int. 'sees through' cold CO2 concentrations to measure the hot atmosphere beyond. It is insensitive to the presence of...