Machine Building

Omron Sysmac Controller used in TheOpenVentilator project

Omron has taken part in the development of an emergency ventilator, in a project spearheaded by TheOpenVentilator a non-profit making association. The new ventilators are being built in Spain to help COVID-19 patients who need mechanical ventilation, using industrial equipment of high quality and reliability.

7th May 2020

PSL Datatrack helps Bedford CNC improve customer service

For some small precision engineering companies, improving the administration that lies behind their production processes and manufacturing capabilities is not always necessarily the top priority. The main focus is often to ensure that the performance of machine tools is optimised and that parts produced are of the highest quality. Andy Soos of Bedford CNC, however, has taken an approach that prioritises all of the above areas and is consequently now in a strong position to take the business to the next level. This is all thanks to a number of wise investments and business initiatives, including the use of PSL Datatrack production control software.

5th May 2020

igus drylin W linear systems for student spice vending machine

Curry instead of cola! Five students from Heubach, Germany have developed a vending machine for packaged spices together with engineers and trainees from EMAG LaserTec GmbH. To ensure that the salt, curry and pepper cans are picked from their compartments quickly, they used the drylin W linear guides from igus.

5th May 2020

Smart Patrol Robots feature Advantech UNO-2484G edge gateway

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shenhao Technology Co., Ltd has deployed smart robots that use Advantech technology to monitor body temperature and conduct identity detection in schools, banks, and other public places.

5th May 2020

Robot palletises woodshaving bales

Metsä Wood specialises in timber products but also earns a significant revenue stream from what would otherwise be a waste product. Woodshavings are sold as equestrian bedding, and a Kawasaki Robot has improved the efficiency of the palletising operation for woodshaving bales.

27th April 2020

Motion plastics for medical applications

Whether in handling applications or in laboratory equipment, where there is movement, energy chains are widely used to protect and guide cables and hoses. In the medical industry, however, higher demands are placed on the components, which must all run very smoothly and quietly, be cleanroom-compatible, media-resistant and corrosion-free and of hygienic design. igus offers a range of energy chains and cables, iglidur plain bearings and drylin delta robots developed specifically for medical technology.

24th April 2020

NSK bearings save soft drinks producer over EUR10,000 per year

A UK manufacturer of soft drinks that was experiencing premature bearing failures on its automatic bottle sleeving machine resolved the issue by adopting non-contact, shielded, greased-for-life deep groove ball bearings from NSK. The move has increased the operational life of the bearings by a factor of 52, which in turn is generating annual savings of EUR10,874.

23rd April 2020

Fit and Forget actuators for low-maintenance demands of bakeries

In recent weeks, due to the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a spike in demand for bread far in excess than previously seen. Whereas many people usually buy a ready-made lunch every day, now they are buying bread and eating at home. The UK bakery market is one of the largest markets in the food industry, and not surprisingly, there is a high need for modern technology to rise up to market demands. To keep up with today's demand, the food processing industry needs to be efficient; this means most of the tasks need to be automated. But in every automated system, there are a host of smaller components that perform simple yet essential processes. Without these components, the automation could not take place.

22nd April 2020

Atlas Copco helps moulding specialist save 60 tonnes of CO2 p.a.

Midas Pattern Company is an award-winning, precision polyurethane moulding manufacturer who took a compressor system audit from an Atlas Copco distributor as part of its green initiative project, leading to an equipment upgrade. Not only did this move achieve substantial energy savings but, at the same time, the company's carbon footprint was reduced by some 60 tonnes per annum.

21st April 2020

Heavy-duty AGV incorporates Sick laser scanners and controller

MasterMover, a manufacturer of automated guided vehicles, has integrated Sick laser scanners in its latest heavy-duty AGV, making good use of Sick's Flexi Soft controller and EFI-Pro gateway.

17th April 2020