Machine Building

Olympic success leads to robot investment at Speciality Breads

The installation of a second-user robotic system by Pacepacker has revolutionised the palletising of artisan loaves for Speciality Breads. Cutting palletising time in half, the robot is keeping up with the bakery's daily production of 100,000 individual loaves from its brand new-state-of-the art £3million bakery.

24th August 2016

2D laser scanners prevent downtime in automated warehouses

Programmable 2D lasers can provide a compact and very effective means of detecting objects with which a crane mechanism might collide; preventing collisions can reduce downtime substantially in multi-million-pound facilities such as automated high-bay warehouses.

23rd August 2016

JOTA get off to a racing start with PSL Datatrack software

Jota Advanced Engineering Ltd, the recently formed sub-contract precision engineering division of the Jota Group, has invested in a PSL Datatrack production control system to manage their sub-contract engineering business. Having already invested in a skilled workforce to support the requirements of Jota Sport motor racing, the company was in the perfect position to expand its business by lending its engineering skills, quick turnaround and technical capabilities to the highly competitive general sub-contract market. Having made this move the company recognised the need to invest in dedicated production control software, with PSL Datatrack ticking all the boxes.

23rd August 2016

CNC machine tools networked for intelligent production

A manufacturer of machining centres has selected Advantech's CNC machine tool industrial IoT system for collecting data from spindle-mounted accelerometers and temperature sensors so end users can maximise productivity without sacrificing quality, as well as managing the entire production process.

22nd August 2016

Optoelectronic safety devices cut machine tool cycle time

Leuze electronic has provided machinery safety advice - and, subsequently, optoelectronic protective devices - to enable machine manufacturer MAKA to offer its customers a time-saving alternative to conventional safeguards on its DC 7 machining centre.

22nd August 2016

Resistor choppers slow overspeeding fans

Fans don't normally need a braking resistor and chopper but when they are operating in a closed system, a situation may arise where one fan will over-speed the next and the DC bus voltage on their motor drives will then rise. Here John Mitchell, business development manager of CP Automation, reports on the case of GA Pet Food Partners in Leyland, Lancashire.

19th August 2016

Altec & KUKA collaborate to enhance cam assembly for Nissan

Altec Engineering operates across diverse markets, including the Automotive sector, where the company's Special Purpose Equipment Division is heavily involved with both the OEMs and Tier 1 & 2 suppliers. Whilst automotive assembly plants are generally heavily automated, there are still many areas where operators are required, either due to the complexity of the task or where full automation cannot be financially justified. It is in these areas where Altec excels with concepts that strike the perfect balance between man and machine.

19th August 2016

Specialised gears for an eye in the sky

If you have recently been to a large sporting event or music concert, chances are you might have caught sight of something high in the air, whizzing around on gossamer tendrils. The system enables television cameras to move both vertically and horizontally, tracking action quickly, fluently and accurately. To allow it to do this, the system employs specialised gears. Here, Graham Mackrell, managing director of Harmonic Drive UK, discusses how innovative gears are being used to deliver an immersive viewing experience.

18th August 2016

Goss Springs manufactures parts for performance and vintage cars

A top spring manufacturing company is supplying components for one of the top Le Mans racing teams - thanks to its MD's passion for vintage cars. Nick Goss of Goss Springs turned his passion into useful products for the legendary car makers, which last month saw them race in the world-famous Le Mans race.

18th August 2016

Tsubaki "˜RetroFit' boosts log saw accumulator availability

When a tissue manufacturer was struggling with the performance and reliability of the chain drive feeding tissue logs into an accumulator it turned to Tsubaki for help in reducing the lost production time. Using its RetroFit service to fit a high performance, lubrication-free Lambda chain on the machine, Tsubaki provided a solution that increased availability, improved product quality, reduced maintenance costs and increased productivity.

18th August 2016