What's New In Industry articles from October 2004

What's New In Industry archives from October 2004

Filtration in sweet harmony.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... Two new models have been added to ABB's Power Quality Filter range of active filters, designed to solve the problem of harmonics in low-voltage electrical networks. The PQFM Ls for small/medium three-phase loads, and the PQFK is a three-phase,...

Oils meet fluid power needs.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... Suited to mainly static hydraulic uses, the latest Tellus hydraulic oils from Shell Lubricants are formulated to overcome problems such as corrosion, contamination, sludge build-up, filter blocking and increased wear. The benefits of these...

A bearing on good design.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... Just give 'em a challenge (and the chance of some prize money helps) and UK design engineers can still deliver the goods--just ask plastic bearings specialist igus. Manus, the company's first plastic plain bearing design contest, produced...

Lights, camera ... action.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... Latest fixed-mount i/d reader and verifier from Cognex integrates lighting, camera, i/d software, processor and associated communications in a single industrial grade package, giving full life-cycle traceability of parts throughout...

Belt up for higher load carrying.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... Ideal for single and double-axis gantry systems, the latest DLS belt-driven linear transmission unit from HepcoMotion offers a 50mm wide belt that increases the load carrying capacity of the range. With operating speed up to 6m/sec, the...

Sheet and plate feel the pulse.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... ESAB's Aristo SuperPulse extends the scope of the pulse MIG/MAG welding process to thinner sheet and thicker plates in stainless steel and aluminium. By combining the pulse arc mode with the short arc mode on the low-heat input side, and with...

Control platform lets users call the tune.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... Reconfigurable technology built into National Instrument' CompactRIO embedded control and acquisition platform lets LabVIEW developers to define their own custom measurement hardware circuitry using FGPA chips and LabVIEW's graphical...

Sensor cracks codes to aid traceability.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... Erwin Sick's new DCI 10 camera sensor has been designed to detect and inspect codes including sell-by and use-by dates, lot codes cod batch numbers printed onto products and packaging. This easy to use vision sensor detects the presence and...

Valves to go with the flow.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... Whether you use hydraulics for operating manlifts, telescopic handlers, or for any other application, you will need to switch hydraulic pressure and flow between components, says Sterling Hydraulics. Their new N04 series of four-port,...

Taking action to save energy.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... Atlas Copco Compressors is taking a pro-active role in encouraging customers to take advantage of the Action Energy interest-free loan scheme, a Carbon Trust programme to finance production equipment upgrades for businesses looking to replace...

Accounts: as easy as 1-2-3.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... In partnership with Access Accounting, Rent-I.T. offers the Access Dimensions business financial package alongside its own 123MRP software on a monthly payment plan that can be cancelled at any time--there is no contract, no capital commitment...

Clean air by the truckload.(What's News)
October 1, 2004... From Nederman come two L-PAK compact high vacuum units for dust and fume removal in general industrial applications. Compatible with Nederman's extraction system accessories, the units are mounted onto a base designed to be handled by a...

You want the real nitty gritty? Then just ask ...(Automation & Control)
October 1, 2004... There are many occasions when engineers struggle with problems and experience product failure unnecessarily--and frequently there's a common cause.... they haven't asked for advice from their supplier and sometimes haven't been willing to...

Precision as the mist clears.(Automation & Control)
October 1, 2004... Specially developed to replace traditional pneumatic cylinders, THK's VLA motor driven linear actuators are virtually maintenance-free and offer precise, high-speed control at low cost in a variety of manufacturing, assembly, test and...

Modular handling system stays in control.(Automation & Control)
October 1, 2004... Incorporating motion control, PLC, control units, digital drives and extensive networking facilities, Rexroth's Rhomotion is a complete modular control system for robots and handling systems. It offers a multi-tasking controller for 24 axes and...

Drives keep it simple.(Automation & Control)
October 1, 2004... Simple to fit and programmed for most tasks within minutes by inputting just ten parameters on the front-mounted keypad, the new Commander SK ac drive from Control Techniques is a compact device that allows high installation density, yet is...

Set for emergency touchdown.(Bearings & Seals)
October 1, 2004... Barden is employing the package of its wear and corrosion resistant Cronidur 30 steel and ceramic balls to achieve up to ten times the life, plus cost and space reductions, in the design of emergency touchdown bearings that are used as failsafe...

Lined up and ready for a washdown.(Bearings & Seals)
October 1, 2004... Aiming to all but eliminate problems of corrosion and premature bearing failure caused by frequent washdowns, SKF has developed a range of bearings and bearing units for the food and beverage processing industries. This industry is quite...

Alliance deal for bearings.(Bearings & Seals)
October 1, 2004... IKO Nippon Thompson has formed a strategic distribution partnership with Wyko Industrial Services, initially covering IKO's needle roller bearings, rod ends and cylindrical roller bearings. Scope exists to extend the range of products offered...

Reduced friction to keep the noise down.(Bearings & Seals)
October 1, 2004... Quieter operation of Blue Diamond's range of customised semi-precision bearings is being achieved by reducing internal friction and by attention to materials used in the tyres on which they run. These units are used in applications from sliding...

PTFE withstands aggression.(Bearings & Seals)
October 1, 2004... New PTFE diaphragms and bellows produced for Ceetak by Parker Hannifin Seals Division can withstand temperatures up to 260[degrees]C and resist prolonged exposure to most chemicals or process solutions. They also claim superior dimensional...

Standing proud.(Bearings & Seals)
October 1, 2004... Latest addition to the Greenlign range of plastic-housed bearings available from R A Rodriguez incorporates a triangular mounting base, allowing the bearing to stand proud. Offered in shaft sizes from 12 to 35mm, the new FBL model is...

Purer steels an aid to higher spindle speeds.(Bearings & Seals)
October 1, 2004... That modern machine tool spindles can operate reliably for long periods under demanding acceleration/deceleration and higher speeds owes much to advances in rolling bearing technology. Key to these advances is materials technology, particularly...

Extended travel broadens the mind ...(Bearings & Seals)
October 1, 2004... Offering machine builders the opportunity to create extended travel linear motion systems at low cost, THK's LM linear bushing offer low levels of friction with high positional accuracy. This suits them to applications including packaging...

Bushings cope with harsh use.(Bearings & Seals)
October 1, 2004... Bearings used in extreme conditions--such as prolonged contact with aggressive chemicals or abrasion-sensitive components, or under heavy mechanical loads--can seldom be lubricated once they have been installed and the process is in operation....

Elastomeric seals suit oil or gas use.(Bearings & Seals)
October 1, 2004... Developed specifically for use in the energy, oil and gas industries, the latest Hifluor and Parofluor ULTRA seals from Ceetak are both chemically stable and mechanically robust, offering extended operating life and compatibility with a wide...

Helping to keep the roof on.(Bearings & Seals)
October 1, 2004... Using the split design of Wyko's interchangeable SRB split plummer block mounted beatings has kept one of the two central production lines at Ibstock Brick in operation cost-effectively--and without the need for a crane to remove part of the...

A safe lifeline with mobility.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... Sala Sayfglida horizontal lifeline system from CSGNE allows workers to move around without having detach themselves from the system--even around corners. There are two cable format options: 8mm supports up to four users at a time, and 12mm up...

Detect intruders.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... Range of Blue Line passive (PIR) intrusion detectors from Bosch share a common modular design and quick, easy installation. Additional plug-in camera modules allow CCTV to be added easily. Blue Line detectors feature automatic sensitivity...

Safe availability.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... Components used within safety-related control systems for machinery, ranging from emergency stop switches to guard switches, must be designed to be failsafe in order to perform their proper function. Yet machine builders need care when...

Checking up on work zones.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... Offering a fast, effective method of safeguarding personnel in stationary or mobile applications over large work areas up to 6m radius, Allen Bradley Guardmaster's SafeZone laser scanner from EJA enables users to configure and protect even the...

An easier life in the long term.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... Long-term standing can be debilitating and very tiring--especially when the floor surface is hard. Faced with this problem in its Norwich factory, Remploy introduced new Zed Tred from Plastic Extruders into the machine packaging areas, helping...

Sound the alarm.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... AAASuite alarm management system from Yokogawa optimises and enhances process alarms issued by control systems. It can improve operator performance by providing notification of only necessary alarms, preventing alarm 'flooding' and allowing...

Making a safe connection.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... Aqua-Safe waterproof plug and socket connectors from Elkay allow the safe connection and carrying of power through wet/damp environments and bad weather conditions. New to the range are bulkhead or panel-mount fittings, while new features...

Interlocks soothe a saw point.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... A Castell interlocking system is helping to protect workers at BSW Timber's Newbridge-on-Wye sawmill. To access a machine, a single operator first isolates its power supply by turning and removing the key trapped in the relevant switch....

Hi-Vis jacket.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... From BuckHickman InOne come Roebuck Hi-Vis weatherproof jackets in PU-coated 300 denier Oxford polyester outer fabric. Meeting full EN471 class 3 certification, the jackets have a heavy-duty zip with storm flap, polyester filling with quilt...

Road safety.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... New road safety legislation now requires crew members of vehicles carrying dangerous or inflammable goods to have a pocket lamp 'so designed and constructed that they cannot ignite and flammable vapours or gases which may have penetrated into...

You are not alone ...(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... Developed to provide vital protection to unsupervised or remote workers, Telepartner's Lone Worker system only needs only the individuals concerned to carry a mobile phone (a land line can be used in areas of poor network coverage). ...

It's time to get off your trike.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... Use of solvents at aero engine specialist H+S Aviation--mainly through eliminating use of trichloro-ethylene--has been reduced by 55 percent following the installation of six aqueous multi-stage cleaning machines from Turbex. Benefits have been...

A silver lining.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... Using silver nanotechnology, QinetiQ has developed a novel method of incorporating silver directly into both natural and artificial fibres to produce materials that can be used to prevent bacterial and fungal growth. The effects are anticipated...

Helmet reacts to the light.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... New light-reactive welding helmet has been a added to the Diamond own-brand range of products from Thomas Wright/ Thorite Group. It has been designed to guard automatically against visible light, infrared and ultra-violet radiation. An...

A natural route to clean hands.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... Totally organic Worx hand cleansing range available from Winplus Europe begins the process of bio-degredation as soon as it comes into contact with water. It is said to be effective on almost every type of dirt--oil, grease, paint,...

Close fit improves protection.(Health & Safety)
October 1, 2004... New range of Roebuck safety glasses available through industrial distributor Buck & Hickman offers various frame styles, from the basic Overspec for occasional use, to more fashionable and comfortable options, such as wraparound designs, for...

Bottles packed at high speed.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... A high-speed wraparound case packer has increased both speed and capacity at bag-in-box and bottling specialist Corby Bottlers. The system has been installed by Penn Packaging, working in conjunction with German supplier Meypack, and replaces a...

Using your loaf ...(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... Three AllenCode NX printers from Thermo Electron Corp. have provided the solution to overprinting information onto printed film packaging for wholesale bakers G H Sheldon. The units overprint date and traceability data onto Sheldon's entire...

Coders a hit at CD plant.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... With a production cycle of just 1.8 seconds per CD-R, the Cramlington, Northumberland, plant of Europa Magnetics is one of the most efficient disc producing units in Europe. And to comply with traceabilty requirements they have turned to Imaje...

Sealer boosts line speed.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... From Proseal comes a fully automatic tray sealer designed to increase line speeds and cut labour costs. Aimed primarily at ready meals and flesh or long-life food applications, the F40 is able to in-line seal up to 45 packs/min. With only...

Unit validates as it codes.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... You need never print a faulty bar code again, says Concept Labelling Solutions, guaranteeing that every bar code produced by its VT 360 printer is 100 percent accurate. This is because the unit automatically validates every bar code...

Conductive storage puts PCBs on the rack.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... Conductive storage racks, ideal for storing PCBs and which can be incorporated into tailor-made racking systems, have been introduced by static control specialist TBA Electro Conductive Products. The ECP 1150 adjustable rack can be used...

Zinc diecasting gets uptight over money-saving packaging.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... PMS Diecasting is supplying a crucial component for a new product that it says could save industry huge sums in transport costs. The Loadhog is a reusable system for securing a load to a pallet in seconds without stretchwrap, shrinkwrap or...

Boxing clever.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... Boxes Prestige is producing top class packaging for Crabtzee & Evelyn's new top shaving and male grooming products: Sandalwood, Nomad and Sienna. The packaging is manufactured in 450 micron Avanta Ultra cartonboard and printed in seven colours...

Cat out of the bag.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... Versatile packing and palletising line from Webster Griffin has enabled WTL Int. to reduce the unit price of its pelletised wood-based cat litter and so target a larger market. The bagging machine and the palletiser both adjust for different...

On-line coder integrates into form, fill and seal.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... From Imaje comes the 5000 series thermal transfer on-line coders, designed to offer a flexible solution for printing product information directly onto packaging films by combining reliable print engine technology with advanced Windows-based...

Tie tags in pole position.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... To meet demand for permanent i/d and to enable compliance with HSE legislation and insurance requirements across a range of industries, ritchey-id has introduced a longer-necked polyurethane tie tag which will fit equipment as wide as a...

Charity mail gets a digital image.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... Donation Envelopes' commitment to innovative printing began with a purpose-built, two-colour flexographic web press, designed in-house to meet the specific needs of the company's niche markets. It now works alongside their original press, which...

Dispenser for easy strapping.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... Needing only one operator, and eliminating the need to bend down to thread a strap through the pallet void, the ES600 plastic strap dispenser from Cyklop uses an innovative strap guide system to automatically apply polypropylene or polyester...

Labels adhere to oily surfaces.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... A metalised high-tack security label for use on oily surfaces has been introduced by Cils. The label's construction provides a durable, high-strength bond and long-term stability. It can be used to identify engines, motors, valves end heavy...

In-line printing in the bag.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... Polythene specialist Palagan has commissioned a four-colour printing facility in-line with its three-layer co-extrusion line manufacturing blown film for both sheet and bag applications. The new unit is installed in Palagan's No. 1 line,...

Pallet strapper on the case.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... Specialist corrugated strapping equipment from Mosca has provided Mondi Mold with a system producing well-presented, stable pallets of corrugated cases. Mondi Mold supplies corrugated cases to a variety of industries, including food, where it...

Pick' n' place packer on the case.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... Designed to provide improved levels of automation and efficiency at lower cost, Endoline's new 310 series of modular pick and place case packing machines is aimed primarily at companies looking for their first move into full automation--or who...

Labels take five.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... Latest multi-layer label from Sessions of York, the Multi-Layer Plus, offers five printed pages as a single layer, providing even more space for on-pack data, promotion, multi-lingual instructions etc. They are applied as a single label using...

Sensor slides to track narrow web materials.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... EasiTrac slider and cradle assembly from NDC Infrared Engineering has been developed as a fast and practical fixed-point housing solution for any NDC series 710 on-line measurement sensor. It is ideal for any narrow web installation such as...

Labels replace metal i/d plates.(Packaging & Labelling)
October 1, 2004... Designed to replace old style identification plates--used particularly in the automotive industry--with a thermal transfer labelling system that is cheaper and smaller, the Atlas trackside printing system from GSM Printer & Label Systems claims...

Safe keeping.(Handling & Storage)
October 1, 2004... Balmoral Chemical Tanks' new range of integrated bunded Total Containment Systems is designed to store chemicals and other fluids in a variety of applications. The tanks, which are easily transported and lifted, range in size from 1500 to...

Thirteen prove to be lucky.(Handling & Storage)
October 1, 2004... Distribution and contract management specialist, Howard Tenens, has taken delivery of a fleet of 13 Komatsu materials handling machines from its local dealer, DAC Handling Solutions. The fleet, imported by OM Pimespo, includes FB14 reach...

Steve for Champ--again!(Handling & Storage)
October 1, 2004... Second year running in the Atlet/Bibby Distribution Fork Truck Driver of the Year competition, overall victory went Steve Dickinson, of Scunthorpe. Drivers from sites across the UK competed outdoors at Leconfield Barracks, contending with...

Tailor made.(Handling & Storage)
October 1, 2004... Kayserberg Plastics is extending the benefits of plastic pallets to users requiring a non-standard pallet, previously restricted to wood or metal alternatives. Kayserberg's Combi-Pal, a custom fabricated version of the proven Duro-Pallet,...

Quick shelf.(Handling & Storage)
October 1, 2004... Designed to be used with most types of pallet racking in warehouses or distribution centres, Quick Shelf mesh shelving from Troax UK is easy to fit and reconfigure, suiting it to smaller facilities where flexibility is vital. Each shelf...

Storing it up.(Handling & Storage)
October 1, 2004... Replacing a counterbalance lift truck with a multi-directional model from Sidetracker Engineering has enabled specialist removals and storage company Michael Gerson Ltd. to add 1100[m.sup.3] of storage capacity to a restricted site at...

Payback time for Bendi.(Handling & Storage)
October 1, 2004... An electric Bendi forklift from Translift Engineering has raised storage capacity by 25 percent for its owners, MRM (Multi Resource Marketing) reduced rack and product damage and achieved a remarkably short payback period. Bought last...

Dairy moo-ver.(Handling & Storage)
October 1, 2004... Boultham Park Dairy has taken delivery of two new Komatsu trucks. The FB 15M-2R counterbalanced forklifts will be used for moving stock at the Mablethorpe and Newark dairy depots. The trucks were supplied by Windsor Komatsu, who already...

Trucks with glazed looks!(Handling & Storage)
October 1, 2004... Guardian's 800m long float glass plant in Goole has been supplied with state of the art materials handling equipment from Impact Toyota. The specially liveried fleet includes six Toyota 7FBMF 45s for use inside the plant, and a 7FD 45 diesel...

Omni--pushing the envelopes.(Handling & Storage)
October 1, 2004... Chapman Envelopes has expanded its fleet of Atlet Omni DCR man-rising stacker/order pickers for its new 5200[m.sup.3], 5400 pallet warehouse. Warehouse Manager, Paul Crossland report: "The tracks are fast, highly responsive and...

'Reel' pushy.(Handling & Storage)
October 1, 2004... Europe's largest producer of fine paper, M-real, has recently purchased two Nu-Star Reel Pushers for the Sittingbourne Paper Mill, in Kent. The pedestrian operated, battery-powered Reel Pushers will move the 1.3m diameter paper reels (weighing...

Good to torque.(Factory Equipment)
October 1, 2004... MHH Engineering has introduced an enhanced range of Torqueleader XR Rotary Torque Transducers. These transducers are designed to enable accurate, dynamic torque measurement and claim to guarantee no 'brush bounce'. The series is...

Open sensor-me!(Factory Equipment)
October 1, 2004... Automatic door sensor manufacturer, BEA, has developed a mircowave sensor that is said to be suitable for us with all industrial automatic doors. The Falcon is a waterproof high-performance sensor which will only open a door when a vehicle...

Paving the way for savings.(Factory Equipment)
October 1, 2004... A major review of energy usage has led Marshalls, manufacturer of concrete, clay and natural stone landscape products, to nominate compressor manufacturer CompAir, as its preferred supplier. The company has purchased new systems, based on...

Ton up for Okura robots.(Factory Equipment)
October 1, 2004... The 100th Okura palletising robot has been installed in Europe. The 'A Series' robot will enable a horse feed and pet food manufacturer to increase production by up to 100 percent. Okura Automation designed and installed a palletising...

CompAir get fruity in Athens.(Factory Equipment)
October 1, 2004... Limpantsis Fruit Centre, based near Athens, kept athletes healthy for the Olympics thanks to air compressor specialist, CampAir. A new D22H oil-free compressor was installed with the help of Ergotrak. The plant supplied fresh fruit and...

See the benefits.(Factory Equipment)
October 1, 2004... VisionLabs in Kiddeminster, one of SpecSavers major production laboratories, has had to expand output and upgrade some existing equipment in order to keep pace with new business. Part of the upgrade operation involved installation of a new...

Write your boilers off.(Factory Equipment)
October 1, 2004... Fulton Boiler Works has announced that its recently launched, nine model RBC range of horizontal wet back fire tube boilers is now available with optional ECA approved burners. It has also been incorporated on the Energy Technology List for the...

Land of the rising conveyor.(Factory Equipment)
October 1, 2004... Platform conveyor and continuous bucket elevator manufacturer, Nerak-Wiese, has just sold its first vertical platform conveyor into the Chinese market. "We recognised the possibilities for our products following a sponsored visit to that...

FlexiDot is flooring benches.(Factory Equipment)
October 1, 2004... An unusual application for a floor covering is proving to be popular with Holophane Lighting. At its Milton Keynes factory, the company needed a high performance covering on top of the benches where the assembly of delicate and highly finished...

3 wires-men.(Mechanical Components)
October 1, 2004... Dorset-based spring and bent wire component manufacturers, William Hughes has moved with the times to embrace new materials, new technologies and modern methodologies such as Simultaneous Engineering and rapid prototyping. Established data...