Machine Building

Bearings for tidal power plants

Not only are tidal power plants invisible, they supply renewable energy regardless of weather conditions. This technology is being tested in countries such as France and The Netherlands - with help from Schaeffler.

21st December 2018

Corrosion-proof rivet nuts withstand shock and temperature

For designers of winter sports equipment, finding the right way to attach foot bindings onto snowboards can sometimes be a case of "˜straight from one slippery slope to another'. However, in a recent series of evaluations to establish the preferred fastening option, a manufacturer of snowboards has settled on Bollhoffs' RIVNUT blind rivet nuts to achieve the design objectives.

18th December 2018

Brewery upgrade improves reliability

For Marstons brewery in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, replacing control valves on the main chiller system would improve reliability. However, the process control components were initially looking expensive - that is until a call to Burkert revealed a much more cost-effective option.

13th December 2018

Southampton students select plastic bearings for Submarine Races

A team from the University of Southampton working on submarine technology is receiving engineer support and engineering-grade plastic bearings through the igus YES (Young Engineers Support) programme. The Southampton University Human Powered Submarine Society (SUHPS) is a group of students that design, build and test human-powered submarines to compete internationally.

12th December 2018

Spelsberg customised enclosures feature in educational rig

TecQuipment, provider of high-quality educational equipment for engineering disciplines across the world, is using customised enclosures from Spelsberg UK in its latest sediment transport channel flume for teaching engineering students about fluid mechanics. To deliver suitable enclosures quickly, the products were produced via Spelsberg's in-house CNC machining service.

7th December 2018

Mitsubishi automation system boosts Denby Pottery's productivity

Although often perceived as a threat to traditional industries, automation can actually empower artisans to have greater control over skilled manufacturing processes and enable improved product quality. When Denby Pottery, a premier producer of handcrafted tableware, looked at refurbishing its process control systems it turned to Mitsubishi Electric's distributor BPX to provide a reliable and well-connected option to efficiently monitor, control and improve their clay production line. Now successfully implemented, Mitsubishi Electric's state of the art system has reduced downtime and improved the quality of their customer's clay processing.

6th December 2018

Reliance supplies custom componentry for satellites

The successful launch of the new SES 12 satellite brings further space flight heritage for Reliance Precision Ltd (Reliance).

6th December 2018

ZF wind turbine gearboxes have Schaeffler cloud connection

Schaeffler and ZF Friedrichshafen are cooperating on a development project aimed at the wind power sector. During operation, wind turbine gearboxes that are equipped with sensors send load data to a cloud-to-cloud system shared by the two companies.

4th December 2018

Switching to NSK linear guides gives nine-times longer life

A UK-based manufacturer of hygienic wipes (wet wipes) is enjoying the benefits of replacing standard linear guides with those manufactured by NSK. After experiencing persistent and expensive breakdown situations, the company opted to upgrade by fitting NSK linear guides, which, thanks to their stainless steel sliders and specially coated rails, have delivered a nearly nine-fold increase in working life. Installed within the framework of an NSK Added Value Programme AIP, the move has resulted in improved machine performance, as well as reduced maintenance and downtime costs.

4th December 2018

Continuous thermal imaging reduces risks in steel mill

Steel breakouts are catastrophic process failures that are both extremely dangerous and costly. Monitoring the health of ladles and torpedoes using thermal imaging can greatly minimise the risk, but a handheld infrared camera can only provide a periodic check on the health of these critical transport structures. ANT Automation has overcome this limitation by developing a system that provides continuous thermal monitoring and at its heart is FLIR thermal imaging.

3rd December 2018