What's New In Industry articles from November 2007

What's New In Industry archives from November 2007

WHAT'S NEW: Customised filtration.
November 30, 2007... Filtration specialist Axium Process has the ability to design, test, fabricate and commission customised and unique process membrane filtration systems in-house. Operating primarily in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage areas, the company's...

WHAT'S NEW: Coating technology makes the grade.
November 30, 2007... Sandvik Coromant's new GC1125 grade is designed to meet the demands of the CoroCut 1-2 edge parting and grooving tooling system. The optimization of properties for this grade delivers a wider application area and the capacity to handle...

WHAT'S NEW: Robots to speed plane production.
November 30, 2007... Robots are on the march to help aircraft manufacturers rise to the challenges that will define production in the 21st century, with the UK providing much of the impetus for advance. Robot and automation supplier Mitsubishi Electric has...

WHAT'S NEW: Now it's digital modelling for all.
November 30, 2007... An affordable, robust 3D scanner is being introduced by modelling and prototyping specialist Unimatic Engineers, and should prove ideal for use a wide range of design and manufacturing tasks The EScan is used to create a digital plot of...

WHAT'S NEW: Take your boots off.
November 30, 2007... If you're working on a hot engine and you need to remove spark plug boots, before you know it you've burnt your hand on the hot manifold. To avoid this scenario, Agriemach has introduced an invaluable tool for every toolbox: the...

WHAT'S NEW: The source of pure power.
November 30, 2007... Thurlby Thandar Instruments has updated its AC1000 low-distortion power source to integrate with its latest power, harmonics and flicker analyser, the HA1600A. The new unit, designated AC1000A, is a 1kW power source which removes distortions...

WHAT'S NEW: Nissan acquires Sweden's Atlet.
November 30, 2007... Nissan Motor Co has concluded an agreement through its subsidiary Nissan Forklift Europe to acquire 100 per cent of Swedish warehouse equipment manufacturer Atlet. The move evolves from an existing relationship begun in 2002 with an OEM...

WHAT'S NEW: An honourable discharge.
November 30, 2007... Seaward has introduced the first instrument of its type for the safe discharge of stored energy in large capacitors and electrically charged equipment. The SD300 is self-contained safe discharge device to protect the operator or test...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Gearing up for synthetics.
November 30, 2007... Today's industrial lubricants need to meet higher performance requirements than ever before, especially when it comes to complex bearing and gear applications in extreme pressure situations. That's why many plant managers are turning to...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Bearings cooler on the blocks.
November 30, 2007... After a three-year development programme, SNR has introduced a new range of Plummer Blocks. Designed to provide excellent rigidity and stability under all loading conditions, the housings have also been optimised to enhance resistance to...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Improving your assets.
November 30, 2007... NSK's asset improvement programme is delivering real benefits to the operating costs, efficiency and profitability of UK manufacturers. One recent application of the value added programme achieved annualised savings of #800,000 - a 40 per...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Making a case for plastics.
November 30, 2007... Many companies across all industries have now embraced the benefits of plastic bearings and benefited from years of lubrication-free systems, lower cost, flexible design and predictable service life. As a result, these companies have had a...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Smooth performers cope with heavy loads.
November 30, 2007... Aimed primarily at applications in the processing and automtic handling sectors, SKF's new LBC linear ball bearings provide accurate, smooth linear motion under heavy loads. Their improved level of control has been achieved through advanced...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Positoning right on the spot.
November 30, 2007... Aerotech's new ABL1500 air bearing linear positioning stage features active air preload, direct drive zero-cogging servomotors and sub- micron linear encoders for high throughput scanning and inspection applications in semiconductor, data...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Vee bearings at the double.
November 30, 2007... Euro Double Vee bearings and T-rail systems from Euro-Bearings offer an alternative linear bearing solution where low cost and smoothness of operation is required. Best in applications with relatively light loads (radial loads from 1220 to...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Going super clean.
November 30, 2007... Koyo Bearings has developed a Clean Pro PRZ bearing for use in clean environments, where it is suitable for equipment used in the manufacture and transfer of semiconductors, liquid crystal panels and hard disks. During manufacture of such...

BEARINGS & SEALS: Adapting to washdowns.
November 30, 2007... From Baldor come washdown versions of its Dodge Grip Tight adapter ball bearing range. Now offered in polymer and stainless steel housings, in addition to cast iron, the easy maintenance features of these bearings can be applied to reduce...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Printing technology can meet factory challenge.
November 30, 2007... In the packaging sector, adhesive labels containing bar codes and other vital information, which are printed and applied both on and off-line, offer a simple and cost-effective method of branding and identifying products. However, printing...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Pigmented inks leave a clear message.
November 30, 2007... Able to print up to five lines of text, bar codes and graphics with a range of coloured, high-opacity inks, the new Linx 6900 Spectrum Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ) printer offers consistent print quality at line speeds over 7.2m/sec. and can...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Coder on the right wavelength.
November 30, 2007... Imaje has extended its range of third generation CO2 laser coders with the 7031S, specifically designed for coding onto PET. It has specific wavelength properties to give perfectly legible contrast print on PET bottles. Over the last...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Pallet press aids automation plan.
November 30, 2007... A fully automated Mosca pallet press is being used as an integral element of the production line of a major corrugated products manufacturer. Skelmersdale-based Northern Packaging operates two sites. When it recently upgraded its...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: A clear advantage.
November 30, 2007... From Advanced Dynamics comes a linerless labelling system that dispenses with the traditional paper backing in label output and can improve the presentation of beverages, food and durable items, whilst also offering environmental advantages and...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Wraps off new slitter/rewinder.
November 30, 2007... A slitter/rewinder solution developed to accelerate the slicing and re- wrapping of extruded film has been introduced by the Process Engineering Division of Merseyside-based Diamond Group. Already purchased by three manufacturers, it needs only...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Coding down under.
November 30, 2007... Australia's largest producer of premium wine and alcoholic beverages, Fosters Group, needed a business partner capable of clearly coding glass wine bottles through the entire production and packaging process. With its global network and...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: A custom lift for shrinkwrapping.
November 30, 2007... To meet user requirements to lift, transport and load rolls of shrink wrap film onto a Muller Octopus stretch wrapper, Packline designed a special attachment to fit its range of Compac stainless steel lifting machines. The rolls of...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Check up on packaging costs.
November 30, 2007... A packaging audit designed to highlight areas where improvements to the packaging process can be made to enhance performance and reduce costs has been introduced by packaging technologies specialist M J Maillis. The review is intended to...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Packaging cost savings in the bag.
November 30, 2007... An integrated Autobag AB 180 and print-and-pack bagging system has been installed at automation components specialist OEM Automation, Leicester. Until recently OEM Automation was using two heat sealers and one labelling machine to bag...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: More choice for strapping.
November 30, 2007... Two new models have been added to the SMG range of vertical strapping machines from Strapex. The SMG15 and SMG25 are arch-based machines and both can cope with strap of 9mm to 12mm width. Simple touch panel controls allow the operator to...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Packaging control now for robots.
November 30, 2007... Rexroth is out to simplify modular automation with the latest version of its IndraMotion for Packaging. Already precision-scalable in hardware and software, the controller family for pharmaceutical, food and packaging machinery now also offers...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Talking Turkey.
November 30, 2007... Represented in the UK by Aetna, Euro-impianti has added a Turkish producer of starch and its derivatives to its expanding user base. The Turkish company historically chooses highly technical solutions for its production and was looking to...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: High-speed labelling machine on a roll.
November 30, 2007... Rollstar roll-feed hot melt labelling machine from Kosme is aimed at low to medium sized labelling operations, and has been priced to enable smaller operators to compete against larger service providers with access to high-speed, roll-fed...

PACKAGING & LABELLING: Keep IT monitors safely on the move.
November 30, 2007... A compact computer crate has been added to Teacrate's range of IT moving equipment. The IT2 will accommodate the latest flat-screen monitors. "We developed the IT2 in response to requests from our commercial moving clients for a smaller IT...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Three-in-one control.
November 30, 2007... New rotary version of Inmoco's 'three-in-one' Exlar Tritex series of actuators provides an all-electric solution for actuating and/or positioning mechanical devices in a large variety of industrial and military grade applications. Offering a...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: New service checks up on chuck safety.
November 30, 2007... Following its appointment as a main distributor for Boschert, Warwick- based tension control specialists Motion Drives and Controls has launched a safety chuck inspection and certification service to ensure and validate the safe operation of...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: DSPs make for a snatch-free soft start.
November 30, 2007... WEG's new SSW-07 soft-starters are equipped with digital signal processors, enabling them to provide exceptional performance for both starting and stopping of ac induction motors. The SSW-07 units overcome the sudden current inrush and high...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Compatibility on a plate.
November 30, 2007... In addition to bringing substantial benefits, progress can also sometimes be troublesome. With inverter drives, as they have moved from analogue to digital, from traditional to surface mount component construction of the circuit boards, and...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Drive is quick to fit.
November 30, 2007... Modular high-power ac drive system from Parker SSD Drives has been developed to aid users reduce installation time and costs. The 890PX only requires connection to a power supply and downstream induction torque, or permanent magnet servo...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Drive keeps its cool.
November 30, 2007... Energy-efficient liquid-cooled technology used in the new Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 700L liquid-cooled drive from Rockwell Automation allows it to be installed in conditions where air-cooled drives may increase climatic control costs or where...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Intelligent motor protection.
November 30, 2007... Designed to cut plant downtime and reduce maintenance costs, TeSys Model T intelligent motor protection relays from Telemecanique (a Schneider Electric brand) offer a range of protection functions and open communications options. Suitable...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Safer stopping in harsh zones.
November 30, 2007... New series of brakes from Intorq boast IP65 enclosures, enabling them to offer a low-cost solution for holding or stopping duties in damp or dirty environments. Available from Lenze, the series BFK461 units are spring-applied brakes...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Higher power, smaller size.
November 30, 2007... Latest addition to the Rotek synchronous motor programme available from OEM Automatic is the ROSYNC KM65 motor, with its patented rotor design and powerful neodymium magnets. Claiming 300 per cent more power from the same-sized motor body...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Belt drives maintain the right airflow.
November 30, 2007... Alfred McAlpine asked Brammer and Gates to look at the drive applications on aeration blowers at three sites where they carry out facilities maintenance for Yorkshire Water. The blowers deliver a controlled flow of air into sewage tanks,...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Stepping in to offer servo functionality.
November 30, 2007... New intelligent stepper motor controller from Festo employs encoder- based feedback to deliver true servo functionality using low-cost stepper motor technology. The new CMMS-ST motor controller, in conjunction with the company's new EMMS-ST...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Chain power for Groundhog days.
November 30, 2007... The latest in golfing, farm and ground-keeping utility vehicles, the JCB Groundhog, is driven by chain after Renold was able to meet the challenge and supply a solution with long wear life and endurance. During early development days it...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Extended warranty option for drives.
November 30, 2007... An optional three-year extended warranty is being offered by ABB for its standard and industrial drives. The warranty also offers optional maintenance intervals, improving the opportunity for lifecycle management. The extended warranty,...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: The power of demonstration.
November 30, 2007... Drives and transmission system builders Technidrive is winning more large-scale control and automation projects after installing a demonstration/test rig at its Armagh HQ. With a touchscreen HMI at its centre, the rig includes many technologies...

DRIVES & CONTROLS: Geared motor options.
November 30, 2007... Designed to IP65 standards, the range of Mini Motor low-noise geared motors available from OEM Automatic have full ball and roller bearing support for rotating parts, hardened steel worm and bronze wheels with a hardened rim. Offered in...

HEALTH & SAFETY: An new EYE for safety.
November 30, 2007... Technological advances over the last twenty years have made a huge difference to the way safety is implemented on machines. Today's machinery safety technologies are bringing significant benefits to machine builders and end users alike. Before...

HEALTH & SAFETY: Eagle-eyed search.
November 30, 2007... Eagle video search kit from Allen-Vanguard contains a colour video camera, a flexible under-vehicle trolley, LCD screen and telescopic pole, and allows difficult to access areas to be viewed and recorded day or night. It is easily converted...

HEALTH & SAFETY: Safety testing a boost for QC.
November 30, 2007... New electrical safety testing technology installed by Clare Instruments at the Tewkesbury plant of Moog Controls has helped streamline rigorous quality control and test procedures for a complex new fuel control product. Moog specialises...

HEALTH & SAFETY: Handling jobs put to the test.
November 30, 2007... Manual handling kit from Mecmesin is designed to test a variety of job tasks to maintain a safe environment. The kit contains a force gauge capable of measuring small and extensive forces, plus accessories to access accurately each task...

HEALTH & SAFETY: Accessing flexibility.
November 30, 2007... Stewart Bishop is the latest decorating service to experience the benefits of Sterk Systems' Triangular Bridge by buying an 8m system. The aluminium system is lightweight and easy to put up. Bishop's 8m span offers the option of using...

HEALTH & SAFETY: Trailers shown restraint.
November 30, 2007... Castell's Salvo drive-away prevention system is protecting warehouse staff at Europe's largest single-site PVC compounding operation. Hydro Polymers installed Salvo on the only loading bay at its Newton Aycliffe site. The bay handles...

HEALTH & SAFETY: More safety choices.
November 30, 2007... New safety and workwear brands to be included in the latest Screwfix catalogue include Ansell gloves, Bolle eye protection, EAR hearing protection and barriers and demarcation systems from JSP. Many new safety signs and posters have also...

HEALTH & SAFETY: Mesh for mezzanine safety.
November 30, 2007... Through contractor Western Industrial, Troax has custom-designed perimeter, conveyor and stairwell safety barriers to protect staff on a three storey high series of mezzanine floors at consumer elec tronics manufacturer JVC's distribution...

HEALTH & SAFETY: Leading lights for harsh areas.
November 30, 2007... Three-model TR-40 LED Primary Cell Torch range from Wolf has been certified to ATEX and IECEx by Baseefa (2001). These new torches incorporate high-power LEDs for a flawless, intense white beam of about 0.5m diameter at 5m and a light...

HEALTH & SAFETY: Voice sounders top o' the North.
November 30, 2007... Over 300 Mini Fire-Cryer voice sounders from Vimtex have been installed in the North's tallest building, Bridgewater Place in Leeds, which locates 23,000ft2 of office space alongside 200 apartments, retail outlets and leisure facilities. The...

HEALTH & SAFETY: Sounder mimics sirens or hooters.
November 30, 2007... Complex new digital to analogue software and amplifier technology enables the latest Hootronic sounders from E2S to mimic an industrial hooter, high and medium-frequency mechanical sirens, a buzzer and a bell with great fidelity. Replacing...

HEALTH & SAFETY: More options for head protection.
November 30, 2007... Headguard and Headguard Plus are two full-feature safety helmets from Wenaas that incorporate standard 30mm slots to accept a range of ear protectors and carriers for polycarbonate or acetate visors. Headguard is made from high-density...

HEALTH & SAFETY: Sounding the alarm.
November 30, 2007... Nexus Gas Extinguishant Voice Sounder from Klaxon Signals is a fire alarm designed specifically to meet the requirements of gas extinguishant systems by supplying four stages of alarm, each with a separate and distinct fire warning message and...

WELDING & METAL FABRICATION: Generator with a multi-purpose.
November 30, 2007... New from Wilkinson Star is a new MOSA 'DSP (Digital Signal Processing) 500 PS' water-cooled diesel-driven welder generating set with chopper technology complementing MOSA's existing 400A, 600A and 2 x 400A Perkins-powered 1500rpm machines....

WELDING & METAL FABRICATION: Wire feeder uses voltage sensing.
November 30, 2007... ArcFeed 200 and 300 are two new wire feeders from Kemppi that use voltage sensing technology. The new feeders have been designed so that existing users of both CC (Constant Current) and CV (Constant Voltage) characteristics MMA and other power...

WELDING & METAL FABRICATION: Looking deep into the fireball's heart.
November 30, 2007... One of the problems with trying to look at welding processes is that the arc produces such extreme brightness and glare that the resulting 'white out' obscures any view and makes it almost impossible to study such events as the flow of...

WELDING & METAL FABRICATION: Joined by i/r.
November 30, 2007... Short wave infrared emitters from Heraeus Noblelight are being used to weld various sections of an HDPE panel during its formation into a box construction within a special purpose machine manufactured by Robot Units of Winsford, Cheshire. The...

WELDING & METAL FABRICATION: Autocut for trucks.
November 30, 2007... Three CNC plasma cutting machines from ESAB have helped a manufacturer of aluminium and steel dumper truck bodies to increase production capacity. The company processes about 420 tons of sheet steel/month in thicknesses from 3 to 25mm, plus...

WELDING & METAL FABRICATION: Systems for TIG or MMA.
November 30, 2007... Latest fully digital systems from Fronius are aimed at TIG and MMA welding in the 250 - 300A power range, and offer reproducible welding results, noise reduction and a simple, intuitive interface (on 'Comfort' models). The four MagicWave...

WELDING & METAL FABRICATION: Metal joining under analysis.
November 30, 2007... Type 5825A2 welding and fastening monitor from Kistler Instruments is a battery-powered measuring system for analysing joining methods such as spot welding, clinching and riveting. Combined with the Type 9831A welding force calibration...

WELDING & METAL FABRICATION: A definite add Vantage.
November 30, 2007... Designed for both acetylene and propane service with a simple nozzle change, the NM18/90 Vantage cutter from Murex has a 90-deg. cutting head. It is said to be ideally suited to heating, gouging and rivet washing operations and can cut up to...

WELDING & METAL FABRICATION: Stud provides a strong fix.
November 30, 2007... New derivative of its NBR stud has been developed by pierce and rivet fastening specialist Profil UK to ensure accurate positioning and high strength threaded fixing of components in sheet metal assemblies. Building on the company's 14 mm...

WELDING & METAL FABRICATION: Oxygen level check for weld purge gas.
November 30, 2007... Providing precise indication of oxygen content of weld purge gas, the Argweld MKV weld purge monitor from Huntingdon Fusion Techniques allows welding to begin as soon as the correct oxygen level is reached, without the need for any estimation...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: Take a break for easier substation maintenance.
November 30, 2007... In traditional substation equipment it is the mechanically complex circuit breaker that requires the most maintenance. Disconnectors are therefore installed on either side of the circuit breaker so that it can be disconnected for maintenance....

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: Handy upgrades enlarge sensor's role.
November 30, 2007... With the introduction of a 14mm safety protection resolution Leuze Mayser has extended the application of its Solid 4E light curtain to now include hand and finger protection. All standard features of other Solid 4E safety light curtains...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: Optical encoder ready for a challenge.
November 30, 2007... A new, more accurate optical encoder with integrated pushbutton is offered by HMI specialist EAO. The Series 61L encoder, which features a one quadrature cycle per detent, is said to enhance accuracy by providing more data points to measure...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: Sensor checks in at the terminal.
November 30, 2007... A Contrinex S400 inductive sensor has been used to solve a production problem for a leading supplier of injection moulded plastic parts as part of a process to manufacture acoustic speaker parts. Carclo Technical Plastics won a contract to...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: Sensor goes distance to master all surfaces.
November 30, 2007... With its laser transmitter and advanced CMOS receiver, Sick's new DT20 Hi analogue distance sensor is said to master almost all surfaces, from white to black and matt or glossy, with high immunity to different ambient light conditions. ...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: Hot-swap protection makes sense.
November 30, 2007... The new ACS760 device from Allegro Microsystems is a hot-swap protection IC designed for 12V 'high-sided' applications. This new device combine's Allegro's Hall-effect current sensing technology with hot-swap control circuitry, giving in a...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: In the clear.
November 30, 2007... Latest in the O5 family of photocells from ifm electronics is designed for reliable detection of clear glass and plastics. The O5G is sensitive enough even to pick up smoke, so the thinnest of plastic films should pose no problems. The...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: Control with just a touch.
November 30, 2007... From Audon Electronics comes the Cutouch CT1721, an integrated touch panel 5.6-inch graphic LCD and programmable embedded computer. Based on Comfile's 'PLC-on-a-chip' technology, the CT1721 provides fast processing speed, 82 digital I/O...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: Logging emissions data.
November 30, 2007... Responding to the Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD) and the need to provide data and reports for the Environment Agency, Envirosoft has released a new version of its CEMSuite emissions data logging software. CEMSuite Power has a data...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: A heavy-duty connection.
November 30, 2007... High-voltage modules from GES Electronic & Service are rugged, flexible heavy-duty connector systems for making energy transmission in industrial environments. Two types are offered. HiPro HV-Module is for voltages up to 13kV dc (nominal)...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: Increasing power options at the bar.
November 30, 2007... Eaton has extended its Mempower MP medium power busbar range with a new 800A rating: it can now offer the 800A rating in either its air- insulated MP range or its 500-6300A Mempower XP low impedance range. Mempower MP is a versatile and...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: Controlled heat for rework.
November 30, 2007... Latest addition to OK International's APR-5000 Series, the DZ Array Package delivers highly targeted and controlled heating for rework of high thermal demand boards including lead-free and multi-layer assemblies up to 305mm x 305mm. The...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: 'Ernie' rides again.
November 30, 2007... Chloride Motive Power has supplied batteries for a bizarre world speed record attempt - the world's fastest milk float. Kevin Bourne, in his float Electric Blue, is preparing an attempt to break the current world record of 71.4mph by almost...

ELECTRICS & TRANSDUCERS: Rotary switch sees the light.
November 30, 2007... A new optical rotary switch said to outperform mechanical encoders is being offered by EAO. The 62AG optical encoder uses 'Light pipe' technology, 100 per cent hard-tooled parts and 50 per cent fewer solder joints to deliver an improvement...