What's New In Industry articles from July 2008

What's New In Industry archives from July 2008

WHAT'S NEW: Because your feet's too big.
July 21, 2008... ABB has launched an online calculator to help users of industry's largest consumer of electricity - the electric motor - to minimise their carbon footprint. There are about 11 million electric motors, with a total capacity of 90GW,...

WHAT'S NEW: Blowers to produce a laboratory hurricane.
July 21, 2008... Gast Group has secured an order worth over #150,000 to supply a bespoke version of its Regenair Blower to the University of Western Ontario's (UWO) $7m research laboratory for a project that tests the integrity of low- rise buildings by...

WHAT'S NEW: On your marks.
July 21, 2008... Countdown markings now printed on Legris's pneumatic tubing ranges allow users to determine the precise quantity remaining in a Tubepack dispenser. The markings - at one-metre intervals - also help to reduce wastage. The new system is...

WHAT'S NEW: Driving back Fenland floods.
July 21, 2008... Six 1250kW ABB industrial drives will be powering the UK's largest pumping station, protecting 700km2 of land in the Cambridgeshire Fens from flooding. The new pumping station at Wiggenhall St Germans will protect more than 25,000...

WHAT'S NEW: Cutterhead leads Chinese hydropower tunnel project.
July 21, 2008... Sheffield heavy engineering company DavyMarkham has fabricated and shipped a 320-tonne cutterhead for a 12.4m diameter tunnel boring machine (TBM) being built by The Robbins Company of Ohio, USA, the world's foremost manufacturer of underground...

WHAT'S NEW: Interface streamlines integration.
July 21, 2008... Newest version of ABB's Industrial ECS Enterprise Connectivity Solutions includes enhancements for quicker integration of systems, improved performance, and simplified user interface. ECS provides a streamlined, single point interface for...

WHAT'S NEW: Meters go with the flow.
July 21, 2008... Specialist instrumentation solutions provider Cache Instrumentation has been appointed as the exclusive UK distributor for thermal mass flowmeters from US manufacturer Sage. These technologically advanced metering products offer benefits...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Geared up for efficiency.
July 21, 2008... Helical-bevel gearboxes provide a speed reducer function that can deliver power transmission efficiencies of over 95 per cent for machinery builders: this can be up to twice that of the worm style gears that are commonly used, providing major...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Motor offers smooth control.
July 21, 2008... A range of brushless servo motors with a separate rotor and stator design, and aimed at the smooth precise control and direct-drive of large inertia or high torque loads, is available from precision motion specialists HeasonTechnology. The...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Cost-effective integration.
July 21, 2008... IMO's new i3 controller reduces equipment costs and the time for integrating discrete PLC and HMI combinations, by the simple means of combining both functions, as well as open bus communications, all in a single, easy-to-mount unit....

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Actuation with high precision.
July 21, 2008... Piezoelectric sensor and production monitoring specialist Kistler Instruments is launching two new electro-mechanical NC press-fit systems that claim significant advantages over hydraulic systems. With only two multi-pin plug connections,...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: High power drives see the light.
July 21, 2008... Danfoss's new high power drives aim to set new standards for heat management: a back-channel cooling system separates the cooling air and helps solve the heat loss problem by taking air from outside the control room and exhausting it back...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: ABB in kiln's driving seat.
July 21, 2008... Europe's most modern cement kiln, at Castle Cement's Padeswood works in North Wales, is being speed controlled by two 300kW ABB industrial drives. The drives work in a 'master-follower' fashion: both drives have an individual gearbox,...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Upgraded linear slide system gets heavy.
July 21, 2008... System capacities up to 68kN are offered by HepcoMotion's new HDS2 heavy-duty slide system, which has been engineered to provide an exceptionally rugged product to meet increased load and life requirements. In doing so it addresses new markets...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Transmissions optimised for fuel economy.
July 21, 2008... The Off Highway division of ZF has launched the first new models in its HC hydrostatic transmission systems range. The 1 HC 85 and 2 HC 85 transmissions for construction machinery up to 9.5 tons are designed with incorporated actuators...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Distribution deal drives service ahead.
July 21, 2008... Deritend has extended its national UK distribution agreement for the full range of WEG LV ac motors and drives with authorised repairer status in the UK. Deritend is now able to provide a comprehensive package combining supply from UK...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Drives save on fan power.
July 21, 2008... Fifty McDonalds restaurants across the country are saving 50 per cent on power bills for their kitchen extractor fans with the help of ABB inverter drives. "We were updating old equipment and realised we could reduce our carbon...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Taper gives a boost to couplings ratings.
July 21, 2008... The Falk 'Steelflex' coupling available from Rexnord is said to offer significant savings over alternative coupling designs when comparing initial cost, spare parts, installation and maintenance - particularly when the new five-year...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Cutting the cost, but not reliability.
July 21, 2008... From PULS, Europe's largest manufacturer of DIN rail power supplies, comes the C-Dimension Series of ac/dc DIN rail power supplies, designed using the same technical expertise that developed the Silverline, Miniline and Q-Dimension products...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Magnetics: the main attraction.
July 21, 2008... Not all design engineers will be familiar with the concepts of active magnetic bearings and emergency touch down bearings. Touch down bearings are often referred to as auxiliary, back-up or emergency touch down bearings and are manufactured by...

BEARINGS & SEALS: An ultra-thin coat of many colours.
July 21, 2008... From Trelleborg Sealing Solutions comes a range of coloured coatings for O-rings. Based on superior coating technology, these surface treatments are ultra-thin and resist cracking and peeling. Allowing segregation of similar seals, they...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Bearings offer greater options.
July 21, 2008... SKF has extended its range of sealed spherical roller bearings, increasing significantly the number of applications for which they can be used. Due to their sealed construction, the bearings can reduce the cost of installation and maintenance...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Roller bearings for high loads at low speeds.
July 21, 2008... The JK0S range of integral tapered roller bearings from Schaeffler are ideal for applications in which loads are very high but speeds comparatively low, such as pulleys, crane wheels and cable rollers. They are easy to mount, greased for life...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Custom seals a match for the job.
July 21, 2008... Blue Diamond has been supplying engineering seals for many years and knows that finding the right seal for a particular project can sometimes be a frustrating and time-consuming exercise. Often it simply isn't possible to find a standard seal...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Seal development gets into gear.
July 21, 2008... When Triumph Motorcycles required a new gearbox seal within a three- month lead time they turned to Pioneer Weston International, a division of ERIKS UK, to develop and supply the seal. The design and purchasing teams at Triumph...

BEARINGS & SEALS: A clean solution.
July 21, 2008... Bearings from SKF are enabling German industrial cleaning machine manufacturer Belimed Technik to make its machines easier to operate. SKF polymer ball bearings provided a low-friction solution that withstands high temperatures inside the...

BEARINGS & SEALS: An award for quality.
July 21, 2008... In recognition of its quality products, processes and supply, KAYDON Bearings has received the prestigious Bell Helicopter Premier Supplier Award. Only AS9100 certified suppliers can qualify for this award and the winner must have maintained...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Package for machine guarding.
July 21, 2008... Industrial safety specialist Troax has simplified machine safety with the introduction of an easy-to-fit machine guarding package. Based on its Rapid Fix machine fencing and a new fixing system, the package is said to offer unrivalled...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Interlocks protect against torch danger.
July 21, 2008... Fortess Interlocks has installed its interlocks to enhance protection of workers at the JRI manufacturing plant in Sheffield. JRI produces joint replacement implants and surgical instruments. The final stage of manufacturing requires...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Protective gloves putting on the style.
July 21, 2008... Two new protective glove designs have been introduced by Kimberly-Clark Professional, each claiming major advantages over anything else on the market to date. The KLEENGUARD G50 Mechanics Gloves offer improved protection with added...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Enhanced Protector faces up to the shock.
July 21, 2008... The Protector FHK67 electrician's helmet-mounted face shield carrier combination available from Scott Health & Safety has been enhanced to offer versatility, comfort and optimum protection against short circuit electrical arc of up to 1000V...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Safer gas/oxygen detection.
July 21, 2008... Believed to be the first gas detector in the world to meet the needs of all toxic and oxygen requirements from a single platform, the new Draeger Polytron 7000 is ideal for use in any application requiring intrinsically safe gas detection....

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Reducing crime by design.
July 21, 2008... Connexion2 has received the ACPO Secured by Design (SBD) Award for its Identicom range of lone worker devices. Identicom has met the stringent security standards required by SBD, an initiative from the Association of Chief Police Officers...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Getting to grips with safety.
July 21, 2008... High-performance Herongripa from Plastic Extruders is providing employees with healthy and safe working conditions at the DHL food and packaging distribution centre in Cannock. The matting is laid on both sides of the conveyor line used for...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Catch the latest automation bus.
July 21, 2008... Current automation technology needs are reaching the limits of industrial fieldbus systems that are currently popular, says Pilz Automation. Automation technology is moving away from centralised control systems with simple, bit-oriented sensors...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Lock onto a safe solution.
July 21, 2008... Shotbolt 62/63 from Magnet Schultz is a new electric bolt lock designed to meet the demand for self-contained locking solutions. Its anti- tamper construction has been designed for high performance and weatherproofed for outdoor use. Made...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Safety put to the test.
July 21, 2008... Bringing together the latest technology equipment in electrical safety testing, the new Advanced PATSolutions test equipment offering from Seaward Electronic, the PrimeTest 350 package, links Seaward's new IEE PAT Code compliant portable...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Driveaways locked out.
July 21, 2008... Diesel engine manufacturer Cummins has installed a Castell Salvo driveaway prevention system at its Darlington plant following a recommendation from its Daventry facility, an existing user. "It's failsafe," says Gary Summerson, Warehouse &...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Alarm options quick as a flash.
July 21, 2008... E2S has extended its range of industrial audible and visual signalling devices with the Spectra range of beacons. Available in three sizes, six lens colours and a choice of static, flashing filament, Xenon strobe, rotating or LED versions,...

SAFETY SECURITY & CLEANING: Link-up lighting.
July 21, 2008... Wolf Safety's new linkable ATEX Certified portable fluorescent luminaires are approved for use in Zone 1 (Cat 2) IIC T3/T4 hazardous areas. They suit heavy-duty applications in demanding areas such as oil, gas and petrochemicals and utilities....

BUILDINGS & MAINTENANCE: Timber gets a bigger home.
July 21, 2008... Having the capability to increase storage capacity is critical for many businesses. The lack of space can restrict the ability to trade and therefore impede the growth and profitability. For Tradewood Agencies bigger in this case was...

BUILDINGS & MAINTENANCE: Thermal imaging traces the leaks.
July 21, 2008... From every perspective the discovery of a leaking central heating pipe in a solid floor is not good news for a home owner. The route of the pipework can be difficult to predict and rarely can the plumber be certain of the full extent of the...

BUILDINGS & MAINTENANCE: Safety in the airport doghouse.
July 21, 2008... Troax has installed a series of custom-designed, fire-rated enclosures to protect the baggage handling system at Cork Airport's new state-of- the art terminal building. The enclosures surround the baggage conveyors to ensure the highest...

BUILDINGS & MAINTENANCE: Mesh keeps data secure.
July 21, 2008... Wire mesh safety fencing supplied by Troax has been used to secure potentially hazardous electrical equipment at a new data centre recently set up by a leading financial institution. The fencing prevents unauthorised access to electrical...

BUILDINGS & MAINTENANCE: Set the standard.
July 21, 2008... CG Flooring Systems has completed its biggest,most demanding project - upgrading a 6000m2 iron foundry floor to narrow-aisle warehouse standard suitable for 12m racking in under six weeks. Baxi Group closed the foundry at its Preston...

BUILDINGS & MAINTENANCE: Tough at the top.
July 21, 2008... Boss Zone 1 fibreglass modular access tower from Youngman has been redeveloped for greater toughness and durability. There is now a stronger deck design and improved flexural and compressive strength. The BoSS Zone 1 is the high-strength...

BUILDINGS & MAINTENANCE: Air curtains offer quick installation.
July 21, 2008... Dimplex's new dedicated recessed CAB air curtains offer quick and easy installation. To allow for straightforward fitting before installation of the suspended ceiling, the new CAB range comes with 185mm extension brackets and the grille...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: A clear case for film.
July 21, 2008... Autoflex hardcoated polyester film, developed and manufactured by MacDermid Autotype, is being used in a range of products designed to protect touch screens in hand-held point of sale devices, mobile phones and PDAs. Produced by Bristol-based...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: Black oxide finish provides fastener protection.
July 21, 2008... High-strength bolts and critical fasteners take on a protective and attractive black oxide finish when treated with TRU TEMP low temperature, non-polluting black oxide from Birchwood Casey Metal Finishes. The TRU TEMP process forms a...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: More options for tough process steels.
July 21, 2008... Sandvik has increased its range of heavy wall pipe, available as part of its standard stock programme, with the duplex stainless steel heavy wall pipes in Sandvik SAF 2205. The standard stock range has increased to include pipe of two to...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: Sealing in a longer life.
July 21, 2008... Latest ECOPUR sealing materials from SKF Economos offer optimum sealing solutions for virtually any industrial application. Combining resistance to abrasion, compression and tearing with a choice of purpose-specific properties, this...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: Direct quenched steels on a plate.
July 21, 2008... A range of wear-resistance steels aimed primarily at the lifting, handling and transportation sectors is offered by Finnish producer Ruuki. Reax wear plate is currently available in grades 400, 450 and 500HB. Historically these materials...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: Stainless tube ready for the wellhead challenge.
July 21, 2008... A major technological development is claimed by Sandvik for its new hyper-duplex stainless tube material, which provides the ultra-high strength and corrosion resistance needed for the wellhead control systems for today's enhanced oil and gas...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: Spray coating dissipates static.
July 21, 2008... Licron Crystal spray-on urethane from Intertronics is a clear static dissipative coating that is both user-applicable and perrmanent. Produced by Techspray, Licron Crystal adheres to metal, plastic and most other surfaces, making it ideal...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: Dip into the materials knowledge bank.
July 21, 2008... The UK subsidiary of a major US diagnostics equipment company, Tepnel BioSystems of Deeside, Flintshire, approached the Hereford-based manufacturer of technical injection mouldings, A K Industries (AKI), to take a fresh look at its Rapid-3D...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: The seal of approval.
July 21, 2008... Pipeline Seal and Insulator Company (PSI) has introduced an advanced new range of flange gaskets for use in extreme critical service environments. Called LineSeal the new range is suitable for very harsh operating conditions, including...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: Bridge comes clean.
July 21, 2008... Six blast machines and two dust collectors with special high-efficiency filters from Hodge Clemco are enabling Shutdown Maintenance Services Limited (SMS) to meet higher health and safety standards now specified by Network Rail for...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: Cooler colours.
July 21, 2008... Manchester-based HMG Paints has developed a solar reflective coating for Royal Mail double-deck trailers, being built by commercial vehicle bodywork specialist The Cartwright Group. Based on a modified version of HMG A211 clear acrylic...

FINISHING & MATERIALS: Compound speeds encapsulation.
July 21, 2008... A new way to encapsulate electric components and seal switches and wires in the electronics, automotive and aerospace industries has been developed by Power Adhesives. Traditionally the process involves using epoxy resins or silicone based...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Sleeping coder is key to energy saving.
July 21, 2008... To help Pepsi-Co meet its corporate sustainability goal, Markem-Imaje has developed a new energy-saving function for its most widely-used thermal transfer coder. The coding and marking solutions specialist has designed a power-saving feature...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Expanding the robotic option.
July 21, 2008... Hampshire-based technology specialist Kern Limited has become the latest company to sign up to ABB's Robotic Partner Network. The UK division of the Kern Group, Kern Limited, will be working with ABB to identify and develop new opportunities...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Throwing light on packaging.
July 21, 2008... "We needed a new packing system and turned to the specialists Easypack to find an eco-friendly solution" says Dialight Lumidrives packaging expert Peter Townend. Dialight Lumidrives are leaders in applying the latest high-powered LED...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Laser marking is right on time.
July 21, 2008... In many packaging applications the combination of a pre-printed label and laser marking is a perfect fit. As well as the base label colour, the images can include several spot colours or even a four-colour process print. Laser marking...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Entry-level coder built to meet IP65.
July 21, 2008... A new entry-level version of the Wolke m600 thermal ink jet printer has been introduced by Sunala. The m600 Basic has been designed for users who require fast, quality coding without some of the more sophisticated features of the m600...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Linking up the checkweighers.
July 21, 2008... A software programme that can link up to 100 checkweighers to provide valuable production data will be launched by Ishida Europe at this year's PPMA Show. Also on display for the first time in the UK will be a new entry-level tray sealer,...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: A new Dimension in 3D print.
July 21, 2008... From the Dimension 3D Printing Group, a business unit of Stratasys, comes the Dimension 1200es Series of desktop modelling systems. Available from Laser Lines, the 1200es units have a 254mm x 254mm x 305mm build size and offer engineers and...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: A UV cure for chemical resistance.
July 21, 2008... Coding and marking specialist Linx Printing Technologies has launched a new ink for industrial continuous inkjet (CIJ) applications. Linx Black UV-cure ink 1370 is said to use a superior UV curing process that delivers outstanding resistance...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Labelling right on the edge.
July 21, 2008... Dot matrix, label and bar code printer manufacturer Citizen Systems Europe has supplied its latest CLP 621 desktop label printers to BinSina Pharmacy in Dubai, enabling the chain to print shelf edge and promotional labels simply and quickly....

HANDLING & STORAGE: Low on emissions but high on comfort.
July 21, 2008... Nissan has put the emphasis on safety, productivity and the environment with the launch of a major new series of ultra low emission lift trucks. New engines designed and built by Nissan exclusively for its own trucks are at the heart of the...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Improving fleet performance.
July 21, 2008... Since early 2007, leading paper merchant Antalis has been rationalising its warehouse truck fleet to standardise on just two suppliers, including Atlet. During this time Atlet has delivered over 70 trucks to various sites in the UK and...

HANDLING & STORAGE: A solution to a slippery problem.
July 21, 2008... Since opening its doors in 2000, Hull Fish Auction has developed a reputation as the most quality-conscious fresh fish market in Western Europe. So when it decided that its existing fleet of forklift trucks was not up to the job, local...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Get to grips with building blocks.
July 21, 2008... Two Kaup sideshifting block clamps are providing Durisol's new manufacturing plant in Crumlin, South Wales, with the necessary performance and adjustable pressure needed to handle its recycled building blocks. Supplied through UK distributor...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Safer stacking.
July 21, 2008... Empty Pallet Return System from BITO Storage Systems tackles health and safety issues facing order pickers in warehouses and distribution centres, particularly the growing number of female order pickers. In a normal pallet return system...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Boosting storage density.
July 21, 2008... Convoys Complete Cargo Care prides itself on finding ways to improve performance, and in line with this ethos it has reconfigured one of its timber storage areas at its Chatham Dock terminal to work around the abilities of the Combilift...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Helping to keep the Cat on track.
July 21, 2008... Helping maintain operating efficiency of Caterpillar's lifting equipment and light crane systems at its steel track shoes facility at Skinningrove on Teesside is the maintenance services division of lifting services provider Morris Material...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Collar eases loading/unloading.
July 21, 2008... LINPAC Allibert's new pallet collar can ease loading and unloading operations, reduce handling time and save distribution costs. Quick to assemble and easy to fold, it transforms a standard 1200 x 1000mm or 1200 x 800mm wooden or plastic...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Thorworld ramps up the quality level.
July 21, 2008... After sourcing a mobile yard ramp from Eastern Europe, a UK furniture supplier replaced it within weeks with a version from UK maker Thorworld Industries. Norfolk Oak sells furniture including solid oak kitchens and worktops sourced in...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Complementing conveyor systems.
July 21, 2008... Following acquisition of Sandt-Logistik by Gebhardt Fordertechnik, European Conveyor Systems is offering a range of automated cranes, load- handling devices, materials handling interfaces and warehouse management systems to complement its...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Plastic pallets pass the sugar test.
July 21, 2008... Independent sugar refiner Ragus has taken delivery of 200 Craemer CR3-5 heavy duty plastic pallets. Ragus was looking at replacing and upgrading its existing stock of plastic pallets which carry 1000kg bulk bags of raw cane sugar. Craemer...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Tracking the loads.
July 21, 2008... Vigo Software is supplying Palletline with signature capture software that will enable Palletline to trace the movement of palletised loads to the point of delivery across the UK and Ireland. Palletline can now operate a five point track and...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Quicker picking off the deck.
July 21, 2008... Installed onto SSI Schaffer racking in two separate installations, Wire Mesh Decks from Nene Group are aiding the manual order picking of boxed clothing at a major US retail clothing chain. The Wire Mesh Decks have been installed across...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Lifting longer loads in all directions.
July 21, 2008... A multi-directional forklift to ease the handling of long loads has been developed by Sichelschmidt. The company cites the steel, timber, plastic and metal sectors as just some which could benefit from the flexibility of the new M900. It...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Conveying a new approach.
July 21, 2008... When automated bakery handling specialist RTS Flexible Systems needed a floor-mounted alternative to its gantry tin storage system, the answer lay in a collaboration with Excel Automation. RTS is a leader in the automation of tin exchange...

HANDLING & STORAGE: Make the most of space.
July 21, 2008... SSI Schaefer has installed a further new Trade Parts Operation for Hendy Ford in Hampshire. Having completed a number of installations for Hendy Ford, SSI has built up quite a relationship with the premier motor group in the South. In...