Machine Building

How a welding robot moves distances in the nanometre range

Can a robot move distances which are as small as 100 nanometres? Hard to imagine, considering that a human hair is 700 times thicker. One of Nanosystec's welding robots shows that it is possible. Behind its precision is a guidance system from HepcoMotion.

26th July 2016

Manufacturer of carbon brushes upgrades to Pilz servos

By upgrading its presses to Pilz PMCprotego D servo amplifiers, Schunk Hoffmann Carbon Technology has improved reliability substantially, while also saving energy and maintaining high safety standards.

22nd July 2016

Renishaw neuromate robot installation at children's hospital

Renishaw is reporting the successful installation of its neuromate stereotactic robot and surgical planning station. Sant Joan de DÃ©u Barcelona Children's Hospital is not only one of the oldest paediatric centres in Europe, but is also one of the most important. It is a European Centre of Excellence, renowned for its cutting edge procedures and state-of-the art facilities. Since the installation in April 2016, the system has been used successfully for both stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) for epilepsy and deep brain stimulation (DBS) for dystonia procedures. The centre also plans to use the system for endoscopy procedures in the near future.

22nd July 2016

BOGE compressors and control system cuts energy costs

BOGE Compressors has helped a plastics and extrusion blow moulding company in Haydock, Merseyside to achieve significant energy cost savings, reduce its carbon footprint and prepare for future expansion with a new integrated compressed air system. The project was managed by BOGE Platinum Partner Airflow Compressors & Pneumatics, which supplied two BOGE S-range compressors and the BOGE Airtelligence Provis 2.0 Master controller.

21st July 2016

P4 roller e-chain for cranes and conveyors

Cranes are prominent features on most container terminals, offloading modular containers from cargo ships and placing them onto trains or trucks. Very long travel distances can pose a challenge to cable management, especially as greater cable weights and higher travel speeds are now being demanded by the crane builders.

20th July 2016

Mobile drill rig uses electric drive for fume-free operation

Redevelopment of city centre locations can require drilling of deep bore holes to check the suitability of the soil and bed rock for supporting new buildings. If a site requires a comprehensive geological survey it may be necessary to drill inside existing buildings. However, most drills are diesel driven, meaning the exhaust fumes have to be extracted to the outside, a task that is difficult, time consuming, expensive and often not entirely successful. A new type of drilling rig, developed with the help of electric motor company Exico, can be used indoors without the risk of filling the building with diesel exhaust fumes.

18th July 2016

World's first modular robot system uses maxon motor

When architectural designer Philip started to develop a superior construction toy for his children it unpredictably resulted in the world's first modular multi-functional robot system.

16th July 2016

Rittal Automation System delivers major commercial benefits

When the directors of Peterborough-based panel builders Pneumatechnique Ltd were looking at ways to improve efficiency and offer better production consistency they turned to Rittal and its automation systems for switchgear construction.

16th July 2016

Enclosures speed rewiring of automated manufacturing systems

Until recently, rewiring automated plants in response to evolving production requirements could be a daunting prospect. Each change to the plant was likely to make the wiring a little more complicated and a little less efficient. In its GTi range of electrical enclosures Spelsberg has developed an approach that means wiring layouts can be kept neat through any number of changes, making both reconfiguring and fault tracing easy and efficient.

14th July 2016

Schaeffler bearings keep lock gates and valves moving

After a 9-year construction period, the new, third channel of the Panama Canal opened in June 2016, eliminating a bottleneck for global commercial shipping. Schaeffler has supplied more than 3400 rolling bearings for the canal's water management systems, including lock gates and valves.

13th July 2016