Machine Building

Don't forget fixturing for CMMs and other inspection systems

When purchasing Co-ordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) and vision or flexible gauging systems, fixturing is often overlooked until the inspection equipment has been commissioned and the first parts need to be measured. To avoid delays, fixturing requirements should be well understood and addressed while a project is still in the planning stages. Even long after the equipment has been commissioned, many machines continue to be under-productive and cause backlogs in the inspection process, which is a direct result of inadequate fixturing.

29th June 2016

DCS versus PLC

The difference between distributed control systems (DCSs) and programmable logic controllers (PLCs) can be boiled down to a simple football metaphor. Your DCS is your captain. The first name on the team sheet, your DCS is dependable, hardworking and controls the whole outfit. Your PLC is more like a utility player - he's nippy and doesn't mind where he plays, but don't expect him to be as reliable as your captain. Here, Mark Proctor, managing director of industrial spares supplier EU Automation, gives his player analysis of DCSs and PLCs in the modern plant.

24th June 2016

Subaru's approach to adopting next-generation automation

In advance of the Next-Generation Collaborative Robots & Automation Technologies 2016 conference (August 17-18, Detroit), the organisers have published this interview with Steven Eakins, a Manufacturing Engineer at Subaru, about his perspective and where Subaru stands when it comes to robotics and automation technologies.

24th June 2016

Production machines and automation products for the Asian market

Success in overseas markets often requires vendors to adapt their products or services to suit their target markets. This is particularly evident in automation, where each continent tends to favour specific communications systems. Here we look at how several European machine builders and device makers have addressed the needs of potential customers in Asia.

22nd June 2016

Think outside the box for cranes and hoists

When contemplating entering the cranes and hoists market, panel builders and system integrators need to think outside the box - not only laterally but vertically as well. Mainstream horizontal applications like conveyors cannot be shoehorned into the same category as cranes and hoists. Tony Young, owner and director of CP Automation explains the complexities of vertical lift applications.

13th June 2016

GRP: the best of both worlds for trackside enclosures?

Network Rail has switched to 2-core cable in an effort to reduce spending on trackside installations. While this is a way to cut down on thefts overall, the cable type offers no earthing capabilities, meaning that traditional metal enclosures may no longer be suitable. This presents a rare opportunity for the canny specifier, who may find that Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) enclosures can offer cost advantages whilst keeping the engineers happy. Chris Lloyd, Managing Director of Spelsberg UK, explains why GRP enclosures offer the best of both worlds in terms of performance and price.

9th June 2016

Buying by the scoop: The rise of unpackaged grocery shopping

As a business model, selling groceries loose isn't a new-fangled approach. It's what market stalls have done for decades. Farm shops, food cooperatives and organic specialists in particular, continue to test the concept of providing sections, where shoppers can fill reusable containers with everything from flours, cereal, grains and nuts to olive oil, frozen fruit and even laundry detergent.

9th June 2016

Cut your bottom line costs with ISO 11011

BCAS is urging businesses to adopt ISO 11011 to cut the cost of running their compressed air systems, even if they don't have to comply with ESOS (Energy Saving Opportunities Scheme).

7th June 2016

Managing obsolete industrial automation systems in oil and gas

On Earth, it's hard to imagine a more alien place than the unexplored environment of the deep sea. For the Attenborough enthusiasts among us, bizarre, bioluminescent creatures are what usually come to mind when we consider an ocean's 3000 ft depths. But by employing cutting-edge technology, these incredible depths are set to become the locations of large production sites for the subsea oil and gas industry. Rapid technological advancements have the potential to make these innovative sites a reality as early as 2020. With technology racing ahead, it's unsurprising that obsolescence management in the industry is complicated. Here, Jonathan Wilkins, marketing director of industrial automation supplier EU Automation discusses how the oil and gas industry can manage the spiralling issue of equipment obsolescence.

6th June 2016

Precision measurement using laser displacement sensors

Although most laser displacement sensors use the same measuring principle, the individual design of the sensor mechanics, optics, the mechanical stability and signal processing algorithms will differ widely from one supplier to another, says Chris Jones, Managing Director at Micro-Epsilon UK.

4th June 2016