Automation Parts

MVTec Updates Halcon Software MVTec will release version 9.0 of its Halcon software in January. Halcon v.9.0 offers valuable speedups, especially for automatic operator parallelisation, which distribute the processing to the available cores. This technique has been updated to increase the benefit of multi-core computers. Halcon 9.0 also provides new matching technologies. In the future, it will be possible to find 2D objects such as labels or work pieces with a corresponding structure, even in images with strong perspective distortions. Version 9.0 allows large images of more than 32k x 32k pixels to be processed.

Cluma Constructs Gantry For Waste Disposal System Cluma Engineering, as integrator of hoisting products under the trademark Verlinde, has constructed a travelling gantry to handle the containers of the Dilsen-Stokkem city waste disposal system. The Dilsen-Stokkem waste drop-off centre will be opened to the public in September 2008 About 10 containers, one per type of waste material, will be made available to individuals and professionals. These storage containers are located in two ditches next to the road. The gantry, delivered and installed by Cluma Engineering, is used to handle them and place them on the trucks that will then carry them to the processing centre. The gantry-type bridge is equipped with two electric Eurobloc VT3 cable hoists from Verlinde, each with a 12.5-tonne capacity. It is radio-controlled and can make translations of 28m laterally and more than 40m longitudinally. To avoid the risk of pulling out the electric supply when the trucks pass under, and for visitors...

Contrinex, the Swiss sensor manufacturer, has introduced a range of safety light curtains. Known as Safetinex, the modular design allows fully tested systems to be delivered on a very short time scale. Contrinex safety light curtains correspond to safety Category 4 (EN/ISO 13849-1) and Type 4 (EN/IEC 61496 -1 and -2) and are designed to be used wherever risks cannot be eliminated through machine design. A person or any part of the body entering a danger zone is detected by the light curtain, resulting in immediate machine stoppage. Safetinex light curtains consist of a sender and a receiver unit that demarcate the protection zone around the machine. The range comprises models with resolutions of 14mm for finger protection and 30mm for hand protection, with a maximum protective field width of 3.5m and 12m respectively. The maximum protective height is either 1685mm (14mm resolution) or 1822mm (30mm resolution). The signal processing method used in the Contrinex system ensures fas...

TraceParts Improves Brand Visibility For SNR SNR is a manufacturer of bearings in France and develops parts for the industrial marketplace, automobiles and for the aerospace sector. The company has five production sites in France and six in other locations around the world. Its recent merger with Japanese company NTN was aimed at situating the new group NTN SNR to be ranked third in the world of bearing suppliers. Selecting a bearing is not only the result of simple geometric criteria. In addition, many parameters come into play such as speed, force, or conditions of utilisation. In the mid-1990s, SNR decided to develop a configuring CD-ROM, called ICAT, in order to help its clients define the appropriate equipment with clear criteria. Axel Rocher, marketing manager for the industrial markets at SNR, explains the objectives of this configurator: 'ICAT made it possible to select a bearing from our line using a certain number of formula fields. 'Customers could define geometric s...

PVL Offers MFS Plastics Level Switches Pressure Vacuum Level is offering Riko's MFS plastics level switches. The switches have a gland at the cable entry point to prevent the ingress of moisture. A fitting enables a plastic tube to be fitted over the gland, enabling the level switch to meet the requirements of IP65. Each switch can be configured for normally open (NO) or normally closed (NC) contacts by removing and reversing the float. Riko MFS level switches are compact, lightweight and need little maintenance. All wetted parts are white polypropylene or black nitrile, plastics that are not-conductive and are resistant to chemical attack and to the growth of bacteria and algae when used in float-switch applications. The precision plated reed switch contacts are sealed in an inert gas to prevent arcing. All Riko MFS level switches have unsinkable foamed floats, of nitrile (Buna-N) in the case of the nitrile models, and are available with straight or tapered threads, in versions fo...

Bottle-Filling Plants Rely On Penko's Accuracy Penko's high-precision weighing systems can measure every drop in a filled bottle and ensure every bottle is filled perfectly. Rotating filling machines can handle bottles that vary in capacity and weight, with up to 400 bottles a minute being filled while the machine is rotating. Filling any vessel at such a velocity requires constant weight monitoring to ensure no liquid is lost. Makers of rotating filling machines rely on the accuracy of Penko's controllers. In typical filling machines, the Penko system checks weight, inputs and outputs every millisecond for maximum accuracy and to achieve the lowest standard deviation. For optimum results, weight and rotating forces have to be corrected while the bottles are in flight. Each bottle's weight is initially checked, then the bottle is filled in three phases, pre-fill, coarse and fine, before the bottle leaves the carousel after having its end weight checked. Only precisely-f...

Spur Gears Feature Hub Fastening System A series of Modules 0.5, 0.8 and 1 spur gears from Quality Transmission Components features the Fairloc integral hub fastening system that eliminates marred shafts. These 20deg pressure angle precision gears conform to JIS N8 Grade standards The SUS303 stainless steel gears are identified as the SUSL Series. The Fairloc integral hub fastener is suitable where phase adjustment, timing, position adjustment and frequent removal of the component are factors in the specific application. In addition, Fairloc offers full component support along the entire hub section. These gears are compact, self-contained and offer a small gear hub envelope. They are designed to fit shafts ranging from 4mm to 10mm in diameter and are stocked with face widths ranging from 5mm to 8mm. Sizes range from 14 to 120 teeth. The Fairloc system consists of two slots that are machined into the hub, one orientated radially the other angularly, to create a transverse wedge that re...

Parvalux Motors Have Integrated Electronics Twelve months after the launch of its range of its DC brushless motors, Parvalux has strengthened its offering with a selection of motors with Integrated Electronics (IE). Both the PBL42 and PBL60 square frame ranges now come with optional integrated speed controllers. This offers product designers the advantage of the motor and controller coming in one low-profile, compact unit with no interconnecting wires, thereby making the task of design, installation and maintenance much easier To coincide with the release of the IE models, Parvalux has published a new catalogue for the entire DC brushless range. In addition to the wider selection of motor and controller options, the 2009 catalogue highlights 36 recommended gearmotor combinations, as well as add-ons, extras and other customisation options.

Tentec Releases Hydraulic Bolt Tensioning Tools Tentec has brought out the Aero Model WTF range of hydraulic bolt tensioning tools for wind turbines, with 25mm piston/ram capability for one-pull uninterrupted tensioning. These tools can be supplied to suit different thread forms, such as Williams and Dyson threaded bars and ISO metric and Imperial Unified Thread forms. As the amount of thread protruding can vary between turbines, the tensioning tool has been designed to work in two different ways. When there is long stud protrusion from the foundation hexagon nut, a spare nut can be used on top of the Aero WTF tensioner, whereas with a short stud protrusion, an extended length puller can be used. This reaches down inside the tensioner to grip on to the short stud protrusion. Other features include the gear nut run-down mechanism, which offers a rapid and consistent method to seat the foundation hexagon nuts during the tensioning procedure. All WTF tensioners are fitted with a spring me...

Viscometer Checks Food Product Viscosity Recognising the value of reliable viscosity measurement, a major manufacturer of spreadable cream cheese chose the XL7 on-line viscometer from Hydramotion. Installed in minutes, the XL7 was able to give production staff the data they needed right from the start 'We had tested other online viscometers but always had problems because of the stickiness of the cheese, which had previously caused errors in the measurements,' said an engineer. The XL7 has a clean-in-place, solid-rod sensor with a crevice-free, all-welded 316 stainless steel construction. The technology of the instrument deters material adhesion to the sensor, which can be mounted in any orientation and in any location using any size or type of fitting, including sanitary types such as quick-release tri-clamp, RJT, IDF or DIN. The company has gone on to adopt the same technology for other dairy products such as mayonnaise and salad dressings. 'The results have been very pos...