Machine Building

Robots take the load for cooperage

Automation technology is proving it can mix effectively and unobtrusively with the heritage craft of barrel manufacturing at Speyside Cooperage in Alloa. Two Kawasaki robots and a purpose-designed lathe are being used in the refurbishment process of traditionally built oak barrels.

9th August 2013

Complete PAT software and hardware system increases efficiency

Bristol, UK-based Optimal Industrial Automation is just completing the design, construction and installation of a complete Process Analytical Technologies-based control system. Built to manage a pharmaceutical customer's continuous manufacturing line, it delivers a huge increase in production efficiency, including regulatory compliance. The new system builds on Optimal's 26 years of systems integration experience in the pharmaceutical sector and makes use of the company's synTQ PAT implementation management software.

8th August 2013

Improved line speed and quality with Heraeus infra-red drying

Increased line speed and improved adhesion quality are the two main benefits arising from the installation of a Heraeus Noblelight infra-red drying system at the Renfrewshire factory of Smith & Mclaurin. The system was easily retrofitted after successful on-site trials.

5th August 2013

Flexicon flexible conduit protects British maritime heritage

Flexicon has supplied 150m of flexible conduit to protect critical power and data cables during the restoration of a Brixham sailing trawler, which first entered service in 1895.

2nd August 2013

Bearings enable inspection of hard drive disk coatings

The Barden Corporation UK has supplied super precision bearing units to a customer in South East Asia for mounting to ellipsometry inspection equipment that checks the integrity of thin-film coated hard drive disks.

2nd August 2013

Spicing up automation with Festo's high-speed electronic axis

When PCE Automation was challenged with designing a new handling system for automating the manufacture of a brand new concept of spice jar lid by plastics manufacturer RPC Halstead, it turned to Festo for expert technology and advice.

1st August 2013

Screw blower technology improves efficiency and energy savings

SCA has improved the operating efficiency and energy use of the waste water treatment plant at its Oakenholt Mill as a result of installing energy-efficient ZS+ rotary screw blower technology from Atlas Copco.

31st July 2013

Brevini delivers bespoke gearboxes for pipe-laying operations

By the end of 2014 the world's largest platform installation / decommissioning and pipelay vessel be ready for offshore operations, and on board will be 32 high-power gearboxes from Brevini Power Transmission. Capable of producing 2000 tonnes of tension, the abandon and recovery winches will be used as part of the pipe-laying equipment on board the Pieter Schelte, which is currently being built by the Korean shipyard Daewoo.

30th July 2013

Piston ring inspections at PSA use laser displacement sensors

PSA carries out automatic piston ring inspections using Keyence laser displacement sensors. These accurate measurements have been made continuously and successfully for several years. The TrÃ©mery factory, set up in 1979, is located 20 kilometres from Metz and has a staff of 3740. It specialises in assembly of four-cylinder diesel engines and has a daily production of 6500 units, which makes it the biggest diesel engine assembly factory in the world, and the fourth largest taking all power sources together.

22nd July 2013

EZstrip technology helps improve biogas production efficiency

The ability to reduce the time taken for an average maintenance operation from 1 day to just 1 hour was one of the key reasons why an EZstrip maintain-in-place, progressing cavity transfer pump from NOV Mono was selected by a large wastewater treatment plant in Germany.

22nd July 2013