For metal forming and assembly machines, Contrinex's YBES Extended Slim range of Type-4 safety light curtains for combine high-integrity machine safety with rapid commissioning, simplified maintenance and wireless Bluetooth configuration through the company's ContriApp platform.

The S8NR IP67-rated power supply series from OMRON is designed to be mounted directly on machinery, outside the control panel. It spans 90 W to 600 W (24 V DC), and the 360 W and 600 W models pack up to six individually protected outputs into a single unit.

NORDAC ON, the most recent product family of decentralised frequency inverters from NORD DRIVESYSTEMS, has received new functional safety features. The specialist for drive solutions has thus optimised the system for use in automation environments.

The "Simple-Flex" series from JAKOB Antriebstechnik is a spacer coupling that can be manufactured in lengths ranging from 0.5 m to 6 m and operates without the need for additional intermediate bearings, even over large shaft spans.

The IDEC FTxJ series, SmartAxis Touch, offers conveniently-sized and industrially-tough 4.3" or 7" multi-touch display with an integrated controller and expandable I/O, making the FTxJ series ideal for visualising and automating process equipment and machinery.

David Strain, technical director at Technidrive, examines the motor and drive technologies underpinning commercial food production and explains how these technologies give manufacturers tighter control across production lines.

Specifying a vision system is rarely the hard part. The real time cost sits around it: choosing the right lens, matching the lighting to the surface, mounting everything so it survives the line, then spending time tuning processing items and threshold values until the OK/NG judgement holds up against real-world variation. OMRON says its new FHV7-AI Detection Camera removes all of that setup pain.

Contrinex is renowned for both its technical leadership and the robustness and reliability of its factory automation sensors. During this period of unusually warm weather, PLUS Automation notes that Contrinex's unique Condist sensing technology provides long, stable sensing distances across a wide temperature range.

ABB has extended its all-compatible drive portfolio with the introduction of IP66 / UL Type 4X rated variants across its ACS580 General Purpose, ACH580 HVACR, and ACQ580 Water and Wastewater drive families.