Machine Building

Rittal's one-stop system for human-machine interfaces

Human-machine interfaces play a key role when choosing manufacturing equipment. Potential purchasers not only consider the quality of the machine and the products it manufactures, but user-friendliness and a robust, well-designed operator control system, often influence decision-making just as much. Engineering specialist Laempe & Mössner produce several lines of core shooters and equips its core shooting machines with Rittal's support arm and housing systems.

11th August 2014

See hot spots in context with thermal imaging

The new FLIR E4 has proved to be a hot seller for PASS Ltd, the independent test equipment professionals. Barry Atkins, managing director of PASS reports on the case of one particularly enthusiastic electronics engineer who uses it to monitor the temperature of circuit boards for potential faults, by finding where heat sources are on a board.

11th August 2014

igus energy chains tame the tide

Ensuring a safe and productive solution to providing electrical, water, and fuel connections to a jetty is challenging at the best of times. But when that jetty is floating in the harbour at Barrow-in-Furness with rough seas and an 11 metre tide, the problems are compounded. That was the situation facing Cameron Forecourt, who installed a floating pontoon for Dong Energy that is used to service their wind farm just off the rugged North West coast of England.

8th August 2014

Altra solves vibration issues for pumps in water treatment plant

A large raw water pumping station in Malaysia was suffering from severe vibration problems with the drivetrains on a number of large pumps which resulted in regular failures and downtime. When an update to the original parts was unsuccessful in solving the issue, the plant's managers turned to Altra Couplings to offer a solution. Fortunately the power transmission specialist was able to design a bespoke system using TB Wood's Form-Flex shafts which substantially reduced vibration.

8th August 2014

Videojet printers help Uponor improve uptime on production lines

Plastic pipe manufacturer Uponor has entered into partnership with Videojet Technologies Inc. Uponor selected 1610 dual head and 1620 continuous ink jet printers (CIJ) for its extrusion lines and, as a result, increased its overall yield by five per cent.

8th August 2014

Unidrive M meets speed and budget requirements of paper mill

Mostafa Paper Complex Ltd (MPCL), an established paper mill based in the Chittagong district of Bangladesh, has begun using the new Unidrive M variable speed drive plus encoders and systems by Control Techniques on its latest paper machine. Aside from high-performance products, Control Techniques was selected for the project based on the strong industry knowledge of its technical team, fast 8-week delivery and rapid commissioning.

31st July 2014

Coordinated syringe handling by Mitsubishi Electric robots

The pharmaceutical industry sets high standards in respect of hygiene, quality and performance, and these standards apply to pharmaceutical packing facilities too. Space is also often at a premium in production plants, chiefly due to how they have grown historically, and new additions to the machinery stock must therefore be as compact as possible. Robotronic AG specialises in robot-aided handling systems that meet these strict size requirements. The Swiss company works with a modular robot cell developed in house, termed Modular Robot Technology or MRT for short. Only Mitsubishi Electric robots are used in this system.

31st July 2014

1000th SKF S2M magnetic bearing in operation in oil and gas

SKF has commissioned its 1000th SKF S2M active magnetic bearing (AMB), a milestone that underlines how the innovation is bringing enhanced reliability to an ever-increasing number of oil and gas customers. The frictionless, oil-free, low maintenance operation of the SKF S2M magnetic bearings has brought the benefits of high efficiency, long service life and low maintenance to critical oil and gas applications.

31st July 2014

e-spool provides power and data in all directions

igus has developed the e-spool as an alternative to cable reels and zigzag systems.

24th July 2014

DYMAX UV/light adhesive used in museum-quality display table

The high-end acrylic fabrication company Dauphin Restoration Ltd, founded in 1986, designs and makes cast acrylic mounts, cases and cabinets for an increasing number of state and private collectors alike. With an invitation to receive the Royal Warrant as Mount Makers to Her Majesty The Queen, Dauphin has established itself as the world's largest maker of exquisite cast acrylic (Perspex) mounts, stands and holders for collectable items. So when they received an important private commission for a museum-quality decorative display table in 40mm smoked acrylic to go in a high-end modern London house, they reviewed the assembly process with the Intertronics specialist adhesives engineering sales team.

24th July 2014