What's New In Industry articles from March 2003

What's New In Industry archives from March 2003

Energy--measure it to manage it: energy efficiency is now a priority for industry. But many companies need more sophisticated and systematic techniques to achieve even greater energy efficiency. Martyn Gilbert of Siemens Energy Services advises. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... Saving energy doesn't necessarily require a massive investment in time or capital. The Government body Action Energy, managed by The Carbon Trust, claims that any industrial plant can save up to 20 percent on its fuel bills with a minimum...

UV light comes clean. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... Increasing pressure on land for development can mean that more homes, businesses and leisure facilities are now situated close to factories and food processing plants. And many of these plants can emit odour-laden air, which needs treating...

Energy monitoring--get it right on target. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... Latest automatic monitoring and targeting (aM&T) MeterRing MM system from Elcomponent has been developed to offer a flexible solution to monitoring energy use. The package includes all hardware for every utility, plus software. aM&T, or...

Monitoring the dust. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... Aimed at applications such as electrostatic precipitation, powder transport and dust recovery, Yokogawa's new Model DT400G dust monitor incorporates a direct insertion sensor that works on the `friction electro-static' principle, where static...

Clean-up cuts solvent use. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... Switching to a mono-solvent cleaning system from Kerry Ultrasonics has allowed medical device manufacturer Portex to reduce solvent consumption by 85 percent. For environmental reasons Portex switched from solvent 141b, but was concerned about...

A Wizard idea clears away the mist. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... A serious problem still affecting the working environment within the industrial workplace is airborne pollution from gases, fumes and dust such as oilmist, welding fumes and grinding dust. Without doubt, says fume extraction specialist...

Control system keeps a finger on the pulse. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... Ultrafilter's ultratroc range of refrigerant dryers now have an innovative control system that reduces energy consumption, while improving operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The system is said to use only about one-third of the...

Diaphragm valve options. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... Designed for positive flow control of aggressive liquids and sludges in processing, chemical and water treatment applications, AKO's diaphragm valve is offered in straight-through and weir types. Both are self-cleaning with no `dead pockets'...

Curtains can cut energy losses. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... Designed for large entrances and doorways, the latest Thermozone AD300/400 range of air curtains from Frico combine improved performance with lower sound levels. They are offered in electrically-heated, hot water heated or ambient (unheated)...

Pack options to keep cool. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... The Vario modular refrigeration pack system from Hussmann, part of Ingersoll Rand, has been designed for maximum performance and flexibility of configuration, accommodating larger shell scroll compressors. The basic pack comes in four...

Clean up for diecasting. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... One of the most persistent problems affecting diecasting--the extraction of mould release agents and the subsequent discharge of clean air from factories--is said to have been solved by Dustraction. During diecasting, the mixture of dust and...

Taking control. (Environmental Control).
March 1, 2003... From Matsushita comes the NAiS KT range of temperature controllers with multi-type input ranges and RS485-based Modbus communications. The design allows up to 31 units to be connected on an RS485 network, with centralised control via...

Providing lift-off for fork trucks. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... A heavy-duty hydraulic lift table from Britannia Lift has solved an unusual loading problem at the Don & Low spunbonded fabrics plant in Forfar--by being able to handle a fully-loaded fork truck. Daltex is a technical textile shipped in...

Take the shuttle. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Ideal for high-density bulk storage of goods, BT's Radioshuttle is aimed at applications where relatively few order lines are carried, it allows cost-effective use of expensive warehouse space, such as temperature-controlled stores. The system...

Cut the cost of conveying. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... By replacing the traditional PLC/software combination with a fully integrated module, Rockwell Automation says its innovative Allen-Bradley 22ZC zone controller--designed specifically for zero pressure accumulator conveyors--can provide...

Stacker raises the standard. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Boasting a number of ergonomic features designed to enhance driver comfort, safety and productivity, Atlet's new high-capacity, stand-on stacker track suits work in wide or narrow (under 2m) aisles and other confined spaces. The Ergo truck is...

Laser makes a point for product selection. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Key feature of the latest LogiMat vertical storage lifts being introduced by Autoscan is the availability of a laser pointer to ensure accurate product selection. LogiMat is an automated, high-density storage system described by Autoscan...

Picking to order. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... European Conveyor Systems has completed a 600,000 [pounds sterling] materials handling installation for picked orders and stock replenishment at a new 10m [pounds sterling] distribution centre opened in Leicester by Cromwell Industrial...

Still winning. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... For the fourth year, Still has won a Fork Lift Truck Association Award. The SH High Lift Pallet Truck won the Improving Ergonomics category, Still claiming that it can provide the ideal operating position for up to 95 percent of all male and...

An inspector calls. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... With 99 people killed and over 8000 injured in accidents involving workplace transport in 2001, a call for industry to check lift trucks regularly has come from Toyota Industrial Equipment. Part 111 of PUWER 98 regulations concerns users of...

Modular solution to. evolving automation. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... The facility to be able to design and assemble a multi-axis handling or positioning system quickly from a set of modular parts is offered by the Elmore range of modular linear units from Naples Coombe. The range includes all the driven linear...

Truck control is programmable. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Three new electric lift tracks from Daewoo offer capacties from 2200 to 3000kg. The B22X, B25X and B30X four-wheel machines all come equipped with a programmable controller and an 80V high-torque `separately excited' 15.5kW drive motor for an...

Mobile yardlift eases vehicle loading. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Truckloader mobile yardlift from ThorWorld Industries offers safe, effective vehicle or raised dock loading and unloading when a fork track is unavailable--particularly when dealing with vehicles without tail lifts. Offered in various...

Better digging up for grabs. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... New drive system developed by Kinshofer for its range of clamshell buckets is said to deliver improved productivity, greater flexibility and prolonged working life. The HPX drive does away with hydraulic cylinders, replacing them with a helix...

Containers make the return trip. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Mindful of new legislation to minimise packaging waste, Palletower's new range of multi-trip sleeved containers provide a complete returnable packaging system consisting of an injection moulded pallet base, intermediate folding Correx sleeve...

Reaching out for ac power. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Established 1.4 to 2.0 tonne reach truck range from Lansing Linde has now been supplemented by an ac-powered version. Designated ACtive, these new machines incorporate advanced, maintenance-free ac drive/lift technology for high levels of...

Shelving with a multi-purpose. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Offered in a range of formats to suit a diverse range of applications, Dexion's latest shelving system has been designed for fast and easy assembly. Storage trays with easy-mount dividers are offered in three heights and can be supplied...

Saving space. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... To meet increasing industry demand for re-mountable stencils, Tecan has developed a range of modular lineside storage systems claiming space savings of 90 percent over traditional meshed or fixed frame stencils. The system allows stencils...

Keeping the load stable. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Street Crane's latest advance in precision crane control, the XY-Zero load stability system, can be retrofitted to other makes of crane. Implementation of the system is simple as the XY-Zero software is integrated into the inverter drive...

High-density storage. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Diamond Phoenix SMARTdepot vertical lift module is a compact automated storage and retrieval system which, by using a multi-bay design and vertical storage space up to 13m, is said to pack more high-density storage capacity per cubic metre than...

Truck batteries on the charge. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Latest multi-function high-frequency truck battery chargers in Hawker's LifePlus and Powertech ranges are designed to interface with the company's battery condition monitoring and diagnostic systems. Design rationalising now means that...

Tug makes light of 2000kg loads. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... PowerTug from Nu-Star Material Handling can manoeuvre loads of up to 2000kg. The unit is designed for moving dolly or trolley-mounted loads fitted with four swivel castors: these can be difficult to control, says Nu-Star, as they tend to...

Setting the standards. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... A three-way benefit is claimed by Hyster for the move to standardised parts and features for its range of stackers and pallet trucks--investment in spare parts stock is reduced, servicing costs are lowered and downtime can be reduced to a...

Double the drive. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Three-wheel lift trucks and sideloaders from Sidetracker Engineering are now offered with two drive wheels, giving 50 percent more torque and better balance than standard models while retaining their multidirectional manoeuvrability. Like all...

Keeping your distance ... (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Lifting gear specialist Easylift has appointed Certex as exclusive distributor of a new lifting system to be used on cranes. The Remote Control Release System, developed with financial backing from Shell Expro, uses hydraulic power instead of...

ThorWorld--setting the standards in loading bay equipment and mobile yardramps.
March 1, 2003... BSI registered with ISO 9002 accreditation since 1992 and CE mark certification, ThorWorld Industries Ltd became one of the first in its industry to achieve the latest ISO 9001:2000 international quality management standard. The company...

Pallets in store. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... To reduce the labour intensive task of moving and storing pallets in the bulk solids handling environment, an automatic pallet stacker has been developed by Flexicon to provide the stacking of up to ten pallets. It is designed to stack pallets...

Bespoke control. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... New PLC controller from Dyna Sea claims superiority over traditional relay and contact systems, simplifying more complex control sequences and creating smaller control panels. With PLC control panels, warning lights, inflatable shelters,...

Faster picking. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... Designed for the storage and processing of small/medium-sized items, SSI Schaefer's Pickomat system claims to operate twice as fast as conventional vertical lift storage systems. Up to 100[m.sup.2] of goods can be stored in a 22[m.sup.2] floor...

Handling with just a touch. (Handling & Storage).
March 1, 2003... A single-touch part handling solution for sheet metal fabricators using fasteners in their products has been developed by insertion presses specialist Haeger. The machines are available from Shear-Form Machine Tools. Single touch part...

Dealing with factory spills. (Plant Maintenance).
March 1, 2003... At Maintec, Darcy Products is showing a range of absorbents for dealing with workplace spills and leaks involving oils, coolants, cuting fluids, paint and chemical solutions, as well as aqueous liquids. Products shown include high-absorbent...

Drains no longer a liability. (Plant Maintenance).
March 1, 2003... Establishing liability when it comes to faulty or collapsed drains is hardly ever straightforward and, with numerous factors to be considered, insurance companies can tend to rely on drain specialists like Dyno-Rod for the facts. The `facts'...

Packing 'em in down under. (Plant Maintenance).
March 1, 2003... Following its successful use in applications with highly-aggressive chemical slurries in Australia, James Walker's Aluflon compressed packing is being made available worldwide. The product was initially developed as shaft gland packing for...

Service agreements maintain process integrity. (Plant Maintenance).
March 1, 2003... Wherever cooling towers are used to maintain a supply of cool, clean water, a Marley Plan Service Agreement, provided by Marley Cooling Tower, can maintain the integrity of associated production or process applications. The agreement is...

A good blow out clears process pipework. (Plant Maintenance).
March 1, 2003... System designed to provide process industries with a cost-effective and environmentally-sound method of clearing pipes has been introduced by Whirlwind-By-Air. WBA uses a computer-controlled system to evacuate product from pipework using...

Sensor won't get its cables in a twist. (Plant Maintenance).
March 1, 2003... In the spotlight at this month's Maintec show, Monitran's latest sensor products include the MTN/1135 accelerometer, designed for use in hard-to-reach locations such as rotating spindles, motors and gearboxes. The unit's innovative...

Alfie's rapid payback. (Plant Maintenance).
March 1, 2003... An Alfie 400 portable centrifugal separator from Alfa Laval has enabled turned parts specialist Bryken High Speed Turnings to reduce its annual bill for soluble cutting oil and waste oil disposal to such an extent that the machine is expected...

Seal keens the cream in the tube. (Plant Maintenance).
March 1, 2003... Changing the seals on a tube-filling machine has solved a lost downtime problem at GlaxoSmithKline. The ptfe seals on a machine that fills tubes with an anti-viral cream were identified as the root cause of leaks that also resulted in waste...

Repairs on the high seas. (Plant Maintenance).
March 1, 2003... Engineers from Wyko Electro Mechanical Services have carried out emergency repairs to a large generator on board a ship while it sailed around the world. The project involved flying one team to Singapore to dismantle the unit and identify the...

Switch to make a splash. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... The 3140 Series splashproof door switch from Arcolectric is said to be ideally suited to various applications including refrigerator light and fan functions. Designed-in overtravel makes it versatile enough for use in security panel protection...

A thrusting new product. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... Ultra-powerful electric cylinder from Parker Hannifin's Electro-Mechanical Division can produce a thrust up to 44kN. The ETB125 is based on a robust design to ensure durability in high-duty cycle applications. It is designed to be particularly...

New dimensions in platinum. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... Miniaturization and low power are the elementary features dictated by development engineers working with state-of-the-art electronics systems. Heraeus Sensor-Nite has made what is described as "a decisive step" towards these two goals with...

Three into one will go. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... Believed to use the first controller housing with three joysticks, this new portable remote control from Cattron-Theimeg has been specifically designed for use with overhead cranes. The 3 Joystick Controller will handle multiple bridge,...

Full house with fewer cards. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... Single-slot VME card from Crellon Microsystems has six module positions and extensive built-in features, allowing developers to achieve a custom configuration while reducing the number of cards required for system integration. The North...

Mini Series 909. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... Wide measurement range makes the HPS Series 909 `an ideal' measurement tool for high vacuum applications, including pressure measurement of high vacuum chambers and control or start-up of high vacuum systems. The compact Bayard-Alpert type Mini...

Lightweight cooling. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... Compact radial blower from Papst offers a footprint and performance that meets industry standards yet simultaneously offers a reduced physical weight and height. The blower--dubbed RL48-19/12/2--is designed to provide the answer to space...

Happy motoring. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... Available from OEM Automatic, SPG's complete DC motor program includes both stand alone DC motors with `D' cut shafts and spur geared motors. Voltages are 12 or 24V with power ratings of 15w to 90w. The base motor speed is 1800rpm ensuring low...

Dwarf sensors. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... 303 series sensor from Leuze Mayser is small, measuring only 11mm x 12mm x 30mm, but will reliably accommodate through -beam, retro-reflective and diffuse scanner operations. Using Leuze's [A.sup.2]LS technology the 303 will adjust the...

Linear `economy' drive. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... Linear drive technology offers the benefits of compact construction, fast dynamic response and low life-cycle costs but is often thought of as a high cost option. However, recent reductions in system costs of up to 30 percent are claimed...

Introduce a stable platform. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... Emerson Process Management will offer the Stratus ftServer fault-tolerant server to power the DeltaV digital automation system, designed to integrate and improve all facets of industrial plant automation. The hardware fault-tolerant...

The lightweight touch. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... Dolch has launched a lightweight yet rugged wireless handheld touch display for use with its FlexPAC portable computer. The display can be used up to 50-metres (150 feet) from the computer and is designed to withstand shock and vibration to...

Theory of EVOlution. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... Socomec UPS has added the compact Digys EVO to the Digys UPS range. Said to be a new generation of single-phase and three-phase units from 10 to 60kVA, EVO offers reductions in harmonic feedback to below five percent. The Digys EVO has a...

Step in the right Direction. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... A3967 from Allegro MicroSystems is a low-cost stepper motor driver IC with EasyStepper[TM] translator technology to provide microstepping (one-eigth step) operation for office automation, industrial and medical applications. The EasyStepper...

Direct mount cuts costs. (Electrics & Electronics).
March 1, 2003... HBM's AED9301 digital transducer electronics with Profibus DP V 1 in two versions. 9301basic can digitise condition analog and digital strain gauge signals, while AED9301 plus allows complete control of filling and batch processes for...

A load of improvements. (Inspection & Measurement).
March 1, 2003... HBM's HLC series of load cells has been improved by increasing the side load sensitivity, and is now available in two versions to offer end users a wider choice when designing a weighing system. Version A has a threaded bore, and Version B has...

Resisting rodents. (Inspection & Measurement).
March 1, 2003... The ELC series of hermetically sealed and IP68 protected load cells has been introduced by HBM UK specifically for the agrarian market. A feature of these load cells is their distinctive red connecting cables. The cable sheathing uses an extra...

Colourful analysis. (Inspection & Measurement).
March 1, 2003... ANALYST Q70 from LEM is a hand-held power quality analyser, offering a comprehensive range of measurements to help track down the increasing number of power quality problems on single-phase systems. Its full colour display simultaneously...

Wireless technology for data exchange. (Inspection & Measurement).
March 1, 2003... Highlighting the versatility of wireless technology AeroComm, leading supplier of high performance, cost effective 2.4GHz spread spectrum wireless modules, has supplied transceivers for vehicle management applications that save time and money...

Traceability guarantee. (Inspection & Measurement).
March 1, 2003... TB2 reference torque transducer from HBM has been designed to ensure traceability of measurements in accordance with the requirements of ISO 9000 certification. This requirement includes all equipment used for measurements and tests made for...

Weighing in for industry. (Inspection & Measurement).
March 1, 2003... Thames Side-Maywood offers a sizeable range of large-capacity products for the weighbridge industry, including the extremely rugged and durable Model 740 self-centring, column compression cell. Model 740 is a cost-effective, rocker pin load...

Probe options. (Inspection & Measurement).
March 1, 2003... HMT320 series of humidity and temperature transmitters from Vaisala includes six interchangeable probes, a separate transmitter body and mounting plate. Calibration is contained in the probe interface avoiding the need to recalibrate when a...

When the Earth moves. (Inspection & Measurement).
March 1, 2003... Introduced by Techni Measure, the new model 393B05 seismic accelerometer is small sized, low frequency but high output. It is the latest addition to the range of high sensitivity sensors from PCB Piezotronics, used for vibration monitoring in...

Label versatility. (Packaging & Labelling).
March 1, 2003... Kosme UK's hot melt labelling machines are designed to be multifunctional, providing an economic solution to varying labelling requirements for glass or PET bottles in a wide range of shapes, sizes and diameters. The Kosme machines can handle...

Labelling--top to bottom. (Packaging & Labelling).
March 1, 2003... Weyfringe Systems' new Top & Bottom Labeller is suitable for the labelling of trays, packs and cartons. It can be built around a wide selection of conveyor sizes and incorporates Apollo print and apply units and Series 6000 apply only label...

Quick change printing. (Packaging & Labelling).
March 1, 2003... Value and performance are said to be the key benefits of the latest label printer from Sessions of York The AP3.4 is a low cost thermal and thermal transfer model, operating at 203dpi to produce good quality print standards at speeds up to...

Topical TIPS for cable marking. (Packaging & Labelling).
March 1, 2003... Further developing the `TIPS' thermal printing system, Hellerman Tyton has launched two new Thermal Transfer Printers to undertake all cable identification requirements. The new machines, designated TT3000 and TT350, will print on a...

A handle on packaging. (Packaging & Labelling).
March 1, 2003... Wrapid Packaging Systems has introduced a range of state-of-the-art automatic handle applicators, manufactured by the italian company SmiPack. There are three models in the series which can apply handles on shrink film packs, cardboard...

New advanced imager. (Packaging & Labelling).
March 1, 2003... ImageTeam 5600 is an advanced linear imager from HHP, designed to meet the exacting needs of the retail and light industrial sectors. The new model is said to have the fastest scan speed in its class coupled with an exceptional depth of...

High density thermal transfer. (Packaging & Labelling).
March 1, 2003... M84pro is an ultra-high resolution, fast label printing system launched by Sato UK. The M84pro series prints bar codes, text and graphics at up to 24 dots/mm (609 per inch)--twice the density of most top of the range thermal printers. The...

Long items in a spin. (Packaging & Labelling).
March 1, 2003... Fully automatic Vortex Spiral Stretch Wrapping machines from United Packaging operate at rotation speeds of up to 60rpm and are said to be ideal for wrapping long articles, profiles, wall elements and flat packed furniture. With a wrapping...

Safety is the main concern. (Safety, Security & Cleaning).
March 1, 2003... Mistura Systems has introduced a safety interlock which acts directly on the main power isolator. Rather than a safety interlock as pan of the control circuit or Emergency Stop, this consists of a trapped key, manufactured from stainless steel...

High level safety. (Safety, Security & Cleaning).
March 1, 2003... Hyprosteps is said to provide an ideal solution for both access and high level work stations with a range of High Steps and a selection of work platforms. Robust and stable, the Medium and High Steps are built with safety in mind. The...

A rapid solution for chlorine. (Safety, Security & Cleaning).
March 1, 2003... Palintest has developed a range of rapid dissolving chlorine release tablets for professional applications in water treatment and disinfection. Instachlor PR tablets are available in four tablet sizes to suit a wide variety of uses. They...

Protection at arm's length. (Safety, Security & Cleaning).
March 1, 2003... Good hand protection management provides workers with industrial gloves that are comfortable to wear. Marigold Industrial aims to meet this need with the newly launched P50 range, offering high levels of safety and protection against tough...