Machine Building

Connectors for tomorrow's system integrators

Amy Wells, marketing manager of industrial connector specialist Electroustic, explains current trends in systems integration.

26th July 2015

Metal detectors: inspecting snacks for contaminants

Midnight cereal snacks, energy sports bars and on-the-go breakfast replacements are shaping the snacks market, with UK consumption expected to reach £3.8bn by 2016. Given this increasing demand for healthy convenience, snacks producers are turning to efficiency driven automation to deliver consumer satisfaction and maintain safe, high-quality snacks. Sarah Ketchin, managing director at Fortress Technology, explores the varied challenges of inspecting for contaminants and the options available.

26th July 2015

Don't neglect palletising when automating lines

There are many different reasons for adopting robotic palletisation - usually the very last process on a packing line. It may be that you want to increase the speed of your operation, or improve the quality of the finished product. Other drivers might include overhead reduction or manual handling considerations, while in some cases staff turn around and training makes the idea of having the consistency and flexibility of a robot very appealing. Chris Sumner, Managing Director FANUC UK and Vice President of FEC (FANUC Europe Corporation), offers his thoughts on robotic palletisation.

24th July 2015

Tip top compressed air with Beko Technologies

Compressed air is said to be responsible for approximately 10 per cent of the power usage in the UK and other mature economies. Beko Technologies is a specialist in the treatment of compressed air and management of condensates. Another major part of the business is measurement systems. Beko Technologies helps businesses improve their efficiency of compressed air usage, and has put together a list of top tips.

23rd July 2015

Top 10 tips - oil analysis

With between 70 and 80 per cent of all hydraulic failures caused by contaminated oil, effective analysis is vital to ensuring the healthy functioning of machinery. Bosch Rexroth outlines its top 10 tips for maintaining oil quality.

22nd July 2015

How to maximise spring life: 7 top tips

Lee Spring offers seven tips to help engineers maximise the life of the springs they are specifying.

22nd July 2015

How to select gearboxes for servo motors

This technical article from Techdrives outlines the factors to consider when specifying the optimum gearbox for a servo motor-driven application.

21st July 2015

Solenoid valves - some are more equal than others

Process control throughout a vast array of industries relies heavily on the humble solenoid valve and its ability to perform both reliably and efficiently. Michael Hannig, Global Product Manager for Solenoid Valves at Bürkert Fluid Control Systems, looks at the improvements in design that have allowed an increasing number of processes to rely on this essential device.

17th July 2015

High-pressure pumps - safeguarding your investment

With any capital investment, it is important to ensure that new equipment provides continued, reliable operation on a day-to-day basis as well as achieving the shortest return on investment (ROI). For those applications operating high-pressure pumps, condition monitoring of the pump and energy efficient operation are key aspects to any design.

17th July 2015

What can be achieved with instant adhesives today?

This article form Henkel, the company behind the Loctite brand, outlines what can be achieved with the current generation of instant adhesives, including the latest gap-filling types.

16th July 2015