Automation Parts

LVDTs Cost-Effectively Monitor Tunnel Deflections RDP Electronics has introduced a range of water-resistant LVDTs that can monitor movement and deflection in tunnels. Tunnels can be subject to movement and deflections due to the overlying rock strata. In areas of geological or seismic activity there may be a greater need to monitor movements, as these may foretell damage or even collapse of the structure. RDP LVDTs with 4 - 20mA analogue output can provide accurate responses in what is typically a wet and dirty environment. Pinned to the tunnel walls, an installation may involve tens or even hundreds of LVDTs with cable runs of 100m or more, which is made possible using these analogue devices.

Meltric Releases Rubber Power-Distribution Boxes Meltric has brought out a line of portable power-distribution boxes made of a durable rubber material. The heavy-duty rubber boxes provide portability, while the switch-rated plugs and receptacles ensure electrical safety and simplify code compliance. Standard and custom configurations are available with inputs up to 100A and voltages up to 600V. Optional features include mini circuit breakers and duplex receptacles. This product line will allow more facilities to benefit from Meltric's switch-rated plugs and receptacles, which distribute power to welders, lighting, pumps and other electrical equipment. Meltric's switch-rated plugs and receptacles protect workers by preventing exposure to arc flash and live parts. They feature an integral switching mechanism that ensures the safe make or break of live connections and makes certain that the contacts are dead before the plug can be removed. They are UL-approved for use as a m

Megger Enhances MPRT To Test To IEC 61850 Megger has introduced an IEC 61850 option for the MPRT, together with the new MGC (Megger Goose Configurator) software package. This allows the MPRT to test to IEC 61850, the new international communication standard for electricity substations. The MGC software allows users to import parameters from configuration files in SCL (Substation Control Language) format, and use them to configure the MPRT test set to subscribe to pre-selected Goose (Generic Object Oriented Substation Event) messages. Data from the received messages is assigned to the binary inputs of the test set, so that the messages effectively take the place of hard-wired connections to the binary outputs of the relays. This arrangement provides for manual and automatic relay testing, using either the integral Touch View Interface (TVI) of the MPRT test set, or Megger's AVTS relay-testing software. The MGC software can also assign the binary outputs of the MPRT to Goose me

Siemens Enhances Milltronics Belt Scales Siemens has extended its range of Milltronics MSI and MMI belt scales, allowing them to be used on systems with flow rates of up to 12,000 tonnes per hour, an increase of 7000 tonnes per hour. The Milltronics MSI is a heavy-duty single idler belt scale. It is designed for use in rugged process applications and offers instant response to belt loading. It has an overload protection to 300 per cent. The MSI measures only the vertical load applied through the belt and the supporting suspended idler, making it structurally sound so that it can be applied to the most demanding applications. Drop-in installation makes alignment easy and economical. The Milltronics MMI is a heavy-duty, high accuracy multi-idler belt scale consisting of two or more MSI scales. The two-idler MMI-2 offers accuracy up to +/- 0.25 per cent. It is suitable for critical process and load-out control. For even greater accuracy, the Milltronics MMI-3, a three-idler belt sc

NI Enhances Test Management Software National Instruments has introduced NI Teststand 4.2, the latest version of its test management software for developing test and validation systems. This version is designed to reduce test development time and costs through enhanced integration with test modules written in almost any programming language. NI Teststand 4.2 features improved integration with programming environments such as NI Labview and Labwindows/CVI software, as well as Microsoft .Net and scripting languages such as Perl, Python and TCL. The software reduces test system development time by serving as a commercial test executive that helps engineers reuse the software investments they have already made with various programming languages. By providing integration with scripting and .Net languages, NI Teststand 4.2 makes it possible for engineers to take advantage of their software investments and create an efficient, commercial off-the-shelf solution for their system requirement

Bumotec Unveils Multi-Tasking Machining Centre To improve productivity for manufacturers of complex components, Bumotec has launched its S191 multi-tasking machining centre. Working within a compact envelope of 410mm x 200mm x 400mm in X, Y and Z respectively, the S191 has an accuracy level of +/-0.0001mm. This works in harmony with a rotational C-axis and a swivelling B-axis with an angular travel of -25 to +120deg and an accuracy level of 0.001deg. The combination of accuracy and multi-axis capability delivers a machine tool with the ability to produce complex of parts to tight tolerances. This makes the S191F suitable for medical, aerospace, automotive, mould and die, and micro machining applications. The S191 is available in four configurations with an F, FL, FT and FTL version available. The S191F and S191FL are multi-axis milling centres, while the S191FTL and S191FT are mill-turn centres with an A-axis that sits under the workpiece as opposed to the W-axis on the S191F and

Cutting Head Suits High-Pressure Applications The Active Autoline Pro abrasive cutting head from KMT Waterjet Systems has been specifically designed for waterjet cutting with 6,200 bar pressures. Its design and materials of construction can withstand large forces while focusing the energy to the cutting jet. According to KMT, the features of Active Autoline Pro cutting heads include automatic precision alignment, repetition accuracy, high cutting speeds, long service life and easy maintenance. It takes a few seconds to replace the few wear parts of the head, such as the water nozzle, mixing chamber and focusing tube - and no tools are required. In order to keep routine maintenance to a minimum, these components are made from tough wear-proof materials and are part of the company's PSC (Precision System Components) range, which includes all the installation parts required to feed the high pressure from the pump to the connected cutting stations. PSC parts have been specificall

Parker-Origa Protects Drives Against Sticky Fluids Parker-Origa has developed the Clean Design system, which protects linear drives from sugary and sticky fluids present in food manufacturing and other process lines. The Clean Design system protects linear drives - including associated guides, sensors and travel-measurement systems - in a modular, stainless-steel housing sealed to IP64. The resulting drive is ideal for use where intensive washdowns are frequent and in damp, dusty and otherwise challenging environments. Key to the effectiveness of the Clean Design system is the longitudinal-seal along the stroke. A driven element passing through the seal provides the connection between the linear drive and the customer's equipment. The design and layout of the seal is such that fluids run off the outer lip of the seal and do not penetrate inside. The lips of the seal are made from low-wear material and, if necessary, can be changed simply, without the need for assembly aids. The

Torchmate Introduces Routermate CNC Router Torchmate has unveiled the Routermate CNC router system, available in sizes from a 2ft x 4ft cutting surface to a 10ft x 40ft cutting surface. Torchmate's research and development team examined the pre-existing design and fabrication of the CNC router pinpointing vulnerable construction points and correcting them in their structural plan. To maintain rigidity, the Z-axis bearings are located at the bottom of the axis plate, and do not move away from the material as the Z-axis moves the travelling distance of 8.5in. The standard version of the Routermate is equipped with stepper motors. Servos are available as an option. All drive systems are completely gear driven, with the exception of the Z-axis that is a recirculating ball-screw drive. The Y and Z axes have 24 bearings each for linear rigidity, and the X-axis runs on 16 cam follower type bearings. These CNC router tables are available as a complete bolt-together kit, or fully assemb

Ultrasonics Testing System Has USB Interface The USLT 2000 ultrasonic testing system from GE Sensing And Inspection Technologies is now supplied with a USB interface. This replaces the former PCMCIA card interface and will ensure universal connectivity with standard PCs. The modification will allow users, especially those carrying out spot-weld checks in the automotive sector, to achieve easier connectivity between USLT 2000 ultrasonic equipment and standard PC notebooks. The USLT 2000 is an ultrasonic dialogue instrument that has been specially developed for testing the variety of welds, bondings and solders used in the automotive industry. It features purpose-designed software to provide universal evaluation options for detected indications to meet both national and international test specifications. It also offers high-resolution display of results for rapid sentencing. Inspectors in the automotive sector are increasingly using notebooks without a PCMCIA interface, which has n

Quadrature Encoder Features Eight Channels Measurement Computing has announced the release of a high-speed, eight-channel quadrature encoder module. The USB-Quad08 data-acquisition device provides simultaneous input and decoding for up to eight incremental quadrature encoders at resolutions up to 48 bits. Its eight quadrature counters with indicator LEDs support both differential and single-ended inputs, and feature multiple programmable counting modes. The counters have less than 10ns jitter, and accept input up to 10MHz. The streaming speed to the PC is software configurable up to 8MS/s. The USB-Quad08 can also serve as a high-speed pulse counter for general counting applications. The eight digital I/O bits support up to 42.4Vpk/50V DC with clamping diodes for CEMF suppression. Other features include: configurable for either single ended or differential; two timer outputs capable of up to 5MHz output rate; 16-bit, 32-bit and 48-bit resolution; and pacing (external/internal) and

Resultancy Offers Business Process Health Check Resultancy is offering business performance improvement services for manufacturing companies on a no success, no fee basis. The company's Success-as-a-Service business model (also known as the Consultancy 2.0 model) offers manufacturing businesses a risk free and self-financing method for beating the recession through competitive transformation. Up until now, many businesses have viewed the deployment of management coaching and business consultancy services as an expensive luxury. Many manufacturing executives have either had unsatisfactory experiences of working with coaching and management consultancy firms, or know of executives who have. This situation is hurting businesses who could benefit from practical help and advice but are lacking confidence in the profession's track record to make a positive difference. Resultancy has built a team of multi-disciplinary coaches and consultants who differentiate the brand of professi

Engis Designs Lapping And Polishing Machines Engis UK has announced a range of floor-standing Engis Hyprez FL Fastlap systems, which are designed to process a wide range of advanced materials with speed and flexibility. The Fastlap range is the latest development in Engis' total systems strategy for tackling challenging lapping and polishing applications. This approach includes the design and manufacture of a large selection of polishes and polishing mediums, from micron and sub-micron diamond polishes, to more conventional and chemical products. The new machines are available with four different lapping plate diameters: 24in, 28in, 36in and 42in, all of which are equipped with touch-screen digital controls, giving operators a range of pressure and speed settings up to 0-1,500lbf and 90rev/min respectively. Standard features include a 'soft start' ramp-up to protect parts during start up, as well as a corrosion-resistant worktable, chrome pressure plates and a splash/pr

CRE Machines Launched By Holton Crest Holton Crest has announced the launch of its continuous rotary extrusion machines, which it says are ideal for turning metal feedstocks into profitable bar, tube and complex profile products. The Holton Crest's continuous rotary extrusion (CRE) lines are capable of producing shapes and profiles across a large range of product cross-sectional areas from reductions to expansions. The machines are ideal for the continuous high-volume production of application-ready copper and aluminium electrical busbars and conductors requiring optimum surface quality and straightness. Production scope includes transformer winding strips and motor commutators. The current application growth areas for Holton machines lie in the production of advanced materials, with their capability of processing material at a high rate. For example, in continuous high-volume production of application-ready copper, production rates of 4,000kg/h are achievable with the HC4000.

Steelmaster Crane Systems Selected By Parkersteel Demag Cranes And Components has supplied three Steelmaster crane systems to Parkersteel as part of the development of a new 14-acre steel processing and distribution facility. The dockside location of the new facility was chosen to allow imported steel to be offloaded, by dockside crane, directly into the stockyard and co-located processing plant, eliminating the costly transport from port to factory. The dockside crane places the steel beams immediately under the Demag cranes, for further lifting and movement to the appropriate storage area within the stockyard. The steel beams are then loaded onto conveyor systems, which take them into the factory for processing and next-day delivery to customers or Parkersteel's other stock-holding sites. To meet the specific materials handling needs of Parkersteel's application, Demag supplied three double girder Steelmaster cranes, all of which have a span of 36m and are rated at 8 + 8

Boge Screw Compressor Reduces Energy Costs RSL Steeper has reduced its compressed-air energy costs by 45 per cent through replacing an ageing compressor with a Boge S15 screw compressor at its manufacturing facility in Leeds. RSL Steeper is a supplier of prosthetic and orthotic patient care services in the UK. At its Leeds site, RSL manufactures a range of upper extremity prosthetic systems and components including cosmetic products, as well as mechanical and electric-powered systems from simple passive hands with silicone cosmetic gloves to multi-function Myo electric hands and powered elbows. Compressed air is used in the manufacturing process to power a number of air tools as well as a bio-reactor. The bio-reactor performs an important health and safety role in the production process. VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are generated in the manufacturing process from applications such as gluing. The bio-reactor purifies such air pollutants. The company has recently realised redu

Citizen To Demonstrate Benefits Of A32 CNC Centre Citizen Machinery UK will stage a series of demonstrations of its Citizen A32 CNC sliding-head turn-mill centre at its headquarters in Bushey, Watford from 2-5 June 2009. The heavy-duty Citizen A32 generates higher returns from single operational cycles on parts up to 32mm diameter. The combination of control system and specially developed Citizen software, improved spindle powers and rigidity typically gives users a 30 per cent advantage, enabling them to decimate previous cycle times and demonstrate new orders of productivity on turn-mill components. The advantages of the machine specification will be put to the test at the A32 productivity demonstrations. They will show how the 7.5kW main and 3.7kW two-axis sub-spindles with 40 per cent improvement in torque and 45m/min rapid traverse rates can combine with the advantages of Citizen's 'Streamline Control' software to minimise non-cutting times through the likes of ax

Thomas Updates Baccus Stock-Control System Thomas Micro Systems has introduced version 3.0 of the Baccus Manufacturing Control system, which provides ease of use to small and medium-sized manufacturers. Baccus is an integrated stock control/order processing/MRP system covering: stock control (raw materials and bought-in components), assemblies, purchase-order processing, sales-order processing, work orders and quotations. Baccus can automatically plan work orders and purchase orders from sales orders, ensuring the manufacture only of what is needed and that materials are ordered in the optimum quantities at the optimum time to fulfil those orders. Baccus also keeps track of actual costs against estimated costs for each work order.

Schuler Fits Blankloaders For Servo Press Lines A German car manufacturer is using Schuler high-speed sheet-metal blank loaders for automated feeding of its new power-press lines. The high-speed blankloaders enable the mass manufacturing of single and multiple parts on three new Schuler servo press lines. The blankloader is flexible and can process single or double blanks made of steel or aluminium, either next to or behind each other, and offers a high de-stacking performance. Two robots alternately remove the blanks from the first de-stacking station and place them on a transport belt. The blanks are then transported through a spray lubrication unit to the optical centring station, where a robot centres them ready for loading into the first press stage. Schuler's automation solution includes a crossbar feeder that then places the blanks into the die of the first press. Reiner Doerner, head of product management at Schuler Automation, said: 'Once the first de-stacking stat

Linx SL301 30W Scribing Laser Gets IP65 Rating Linx Printing Technologies has added IP65 capability to the latest version of its Linx SL301 30W Scribing Laser, making it suitable for use in harsh, wet and dusty environments. Part of Linx's SL laser range, the versatile Linx SL301 is ideal for coding onto a range of products at low or high speed, in a variety of manufacturing industries. The coder offers low running costs, reduced downtime, user-friendly operation and reliable coding without the need for manual intervention or high-quality codes, even at higher line speeds. The IP65 rating extends these benefits to challenging production environments where washdown processes are common, providing companies with effective 24/7 coding regardless of factory conditions. The Linx SL301 can be quickly installed into existing production-line set-ups. The coder operates without requiring factory air or water to keep it cool, removing costly and time-consuming integration procedures. S

Rubate To Make Appearance At Subcon 2009 Metal-processor Rubate will exhibit on stand N118 at Subcon 2009, which will take place at the NEC Birmingham from 9-11 June. Rubate's products include excavator buckets, containers, components for agricultural equipment and stainless-steel chimneys. Rubate's metal-processing business evolved from its original activities in plumbing and construction and now accounts for 65 per cent of turnover, with export a high priority. The company has customers in Sweden, Norway, Germany and Belgium. When Rubate was set up it focused on installing external and internal water supplies, sewerage, ventilation and heating systems. In 1997 it opened its first plumbing store, with additional stores following. In 2003 Rubate started building and reconstructing roads and in order to support its plumbing and construction facilities it set up a metal-processing facility. At first the main activity was sheet-metal working, producing stainless-steel chimn

Zwick Combination Efficiently Measures Strain Zwick has combined the Videoxtens transverse strain extensometer with the Macro extensometer to make an optical/contact strain-measurement system for metal and automotive industries. Compared with mechanical systems, the optical measuring system can be used for specimens with small gauge lengths (from 15mm). Videoxtens's non-contact, high-resolution measurement allows determination of r-values to ISO 10113 and removes the need for specimen markings by using a sophisticated edge-identification algorithm. The non-contact measurement principle eliminates contact forces in the transverse direction, allowing thin and/or sensitive specimens to be tested. The Macro extensometer records strain in elastic and plastic ranges during the entire tensile test, up to specimen break. The system is easy to set up and operate and is well suited to production-related testing of sheet and strip used for forming into bodywork panels and structural met

Exact Measures Inner And Outer Structures In 3D Wenzel Volumetrik has brought out the Exact Computed Tomography Workstation for industrial applications. The Exact can take contactless 3D measurements of inner and outer structures, enabling non-destructive and timesaving inspection for industry processes such as quality control, test engineering and reverse engineering. The Exact features precise mechanical engineering, high image-quality detectors and CT-Software. Its control software allows optimal acquisition of projections pictures; the reconstruction software allows the exact evaluation of 3D voxel data. Data analysis is realised with the Quartis software from Wenzel Metromec and Pointmaster from Wenzel Knotenpunkt. The Software Pointmaster from Wenzel Knotenpunkt offers excellent options for Reverse Engineering, for correcting tool shapes and for site-specific analysis against CAD models. Accurate free-form surfaces can be generated and processed from CT data. The functions

Lasertube Cutting Speeds Up Tube-Profile Cutting Lasertube Cutting has announced it will exhibit its services at Subcon 2009, to be held at NEC Birmingham from 9-11 June. Lasertube Cutting claims it can complete saddling tubes for applications such as truss work and bridge structures in 30 per cent of the time taken by traditional methods. With five advanced tube lasers it can offer a complete service for profiling tube and structural hollow sections. Lasertube Cutting has an Adige Jumbo laser, which allows it to process tubes up to 508mm in diameter, square hollow sections up to 400 x 400mm and rectangular hollow sections up to 500 x 300mm in thicknesses up to 16mm, including weld preparations with a maximum input length of 18m and finished lengths of 15m. Tubes UK, a sister company of Lasertube Cutting, carries more than 6,000 tonnes ex-stock of Grade S355J2H hollow sections, hot finished and cold formed in lengths up to 18m. These can be supplied cut to length, including squar

Deritend Moves Gearbox Production To New Facility Deritend Industries will move its West Midlands gearbox production, repair and fabrication work to a 32,000 square-feet (9754 square-metres) engineering workshop in West Bromwich. The new facility will house the smaller gearbox work for the West Midlands and the Deritend Large Rotating Machines business established there in early 2008. The new facility joins several of Deritend's 14 other workshops across the UK in offering 24-hour maintenance support and engineering services. The workshop is designed for working with gearboxes and large machines. It has already let Deritend expand its capacity to serve industries such as power generation, mining and steel production with large gearboxes and fabrication work. The integration of the smaller gearbox business completes the change-over to the new site, based just a mile away from the original facility. Deritend offers a comprehensive breakdown engineering, machining and fabricatio

Combined Starter-Alternator Reduces Petrol Use Dow Corning is helping auto manufacturers and suppliers boost gas mileage and reduce emissions. Dow Corning's technical centres are delivering process engineering, testing and even prototyping to help customers accelerate product development and reduce time to market. Among recent fuel-saving advances is a design for a combination starter-alternator that outperforms the conventional starter and alternator as separate components. The device is at the heart of the 'start-stop' system, which conserves fuel and reduces pollution by automatically shutting off the engine when a vehicle is stationary. The system immediately and silently restarts the motor as soon as a gear is engaged; or in the case of a car with automatic transmission, whenever the driver releases the brake. In starter mode, the belt drive and low inertia of the device mean it starts three-times faster than a conventional starter and with a fraction of the noise.

Flowline Reveals Portable Ultrasonic Flowmeter Flowline has introduced the Ultraflux UF801-P portable ultrasonic flowmeter. It incorporates dual processors that increase the speed of signal acquisition and accuracy of measurement to +/-0.5 per cent. The UF801-P is ideal for diagnostic and flow monitoring duties in all water and waste applications. The non-invasive external probes are simply clamped onto the pipe for immediate measurement. The unit can be used on pipe diameters from 10mm up to 10m, includes an integral logger with a data capacity of over six months at two-minute intervals, and has a 14-hour battery life. Operation and set-up can be carried out using the integral keypad or via software, while the digital signal processing feature using multiple processors enhances response times. External input options can now be included, such as current, voltage, pulse, frequency, and RTD input for heat metering. The programming and set include multi-parameter inputs, including u

CJ1 PLC And GRT1 To Support Profinet Omron plans to add Profinet units to two of its main product lines. A CJ1 module, CJ1W-PNT21, will enable the CJ1 PLC to support Profinet I/O. Set-up and monitoring over all possible connections to the PLC will be supported, using the latest FDT configuration tools, and will be as easy as setting up a traditional field network. The Smartslice modular I/O system has built-in intelligence that reduces engineering effort and machine changeover times, and early-warning functions to avoid unplanned machine maintenance. With the GRT1-PNT bus coupler for Profinet I/O, these PLC-independent functions will be easily accessible through any FDT-based software tool. Equipped with a built-in Ethernet switch, it will be possible to link Profinet I/O stations together in a line topology without having to install additional hardware, saving costs, space and installation time. Features include: standard Ethernet set-up using FDT tools, as with a traditional Fie

ICR Rod-Style Actuator Simplifies Motion Control Tolomatic has released the ICR Basic rod-style actuator, the first model in the company's new Smartactuator series of compact, all-in-one linear actuators. These actuators (integrated servomotor, drive, controller and actuator) simplify motion control for industrial applications. The Smartactuator series can be built to order and is ready to ship in five days from factory order. The series is designed for durability and 100 per cent duty cycle performance. It combines a powerful servomotor with a rugged ball-screw housed in a sturdy aluminium extrusion. The series also incorporates Tolomatic's Endurance TechnologySM features for long service life and to remove the need for maintenance. Aaron Dietrich, electric product manager for Tolomatic, said: 'When applying traditional electric motion-control systems, engineers have to specify each component in the system, often purchasing them from different suppliers, and then assem

RTP's APWA Compounds Improve Wear-Resistance RTP Company has commercialised a line of all-polymeric wear-additive (APWA) compounds that offer improved wear resistance. The materials are free of particulate or fluid additives and provide excellent plastic-on-plastic performance without sacrificing properties inherent to the host resin. Tom Cordes, general manger of wear products at RTP Company, said: 'By eliminating traditional wear-reducing additives, such as PTFE or silicone, we have been able to significantly increase mechanical performance in these compounds. 'Using our new olefin-based APWA technology we are able to better maintain crucial base-resin properties - such as strength, impact resistance and specific gravity - allowing moulded parts to perform more consistently in end-use applications. 'Not only are wear performance and all-round properties improved, our APWA compounds are both non-halogenated and RoHS-compliant, making them more environmentally respo

ISO-Designer 3.0 Allows IOP Files To Be Imported Jetter AG has released version 3.0 of its ISO-Designer software, a design environment for creating masks that conform to the requirements of the ISO 11783 standard. The tool is based on the Jetviewsoft visualisation and Scada software. Masks that meet the requirements of the ISO 11783 standard are used for utility vehicles within the agricultural and forestry sectors as well as in municipal vehicles. Masks can be designed using ISO-Designer and saved as IOP files. If IOP files have already been created using some other tool, the user can import these into ISO-Designer and continue editing them there. The product even allows the user to import DXF files. Objects can be taken from a library and inserted into masks using drag-and-drop. Convenient functions for arranging graphical include align, rotate, flip and a function for editing complex geometrical objects (for example polygons). ISO-Designer supports a range of languages.

ABB Drive Features Energy Saving Calculator

ABB Low Voltage has released a drive module with an in-built energy saving calculator, embedded Modbus and drive-to-drive link, a user interface with a series of assistant wizards and integrated safety functions. It also features modular hardware and software along with a removable memory unit, and uses the latest motor control platform, Direct Torque Control (DTC). Targeted specifically at OEMs, panel builders and system integrators, the ABB industrial drive modules are designed for industrial machinery and applications such as extruders, cranes, mixers, pumps and fans, in the power range 1.1kW to 400kW, with voltages from 380V to 480V. An on-board energy saving calculator indicates the amount of energy consumed and the amount of energy saved in kW hours and money, as well as showing the duration curve showing the load profile of the drive. It also has an automatic energy optimiser that provides for optimum drive efficiency. The drive's internal fan features an automatic on/of

Multi-Speed Transmission Improves Electric Cars Vocis has developed a multi-speed transmission that will contribute to the acceptance of electric vehicles, and will display it at EVS, the Electric Vehicle Symposium (to be held 13-16 May in Norway). Simulations show that a two-speed configuration could reduce the battery energy consumed by five to 10 per cent over the industry-standard New European Drive Cycle, without increasing cost or packaging volume; it could also extend battery life and potentially help downsize the power-train and battery pack. Andy Turner, EV transmissions specialist at Vocis, said: 'Electric motors have a very wide operating range, but that doesn't mean that they are equally efficient at every speed. 'The torque curve of a typical traction motor is well suited to vehicle propulsion, having maximum torque from zero speed and a wide constant power region. 'However, there is a 'sweet spot', typically at medium speed and medium to high l

Transmagic STL PRO Converts 3D CAD Into STL Files Transmagic has brought out Transmagic STL PRO, a product for the rapid prototyping (RP) and direct manufacturing (DM) markets. This software lets anyone view, repair and convert 3D CAD models into STL files for a variety of uses, including additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping, FEA and other applications that require STL files. With the growing use of 3D printers and new methods of direct manufacturing, the use of STL files is becoming pervasive. With this new application, anyone can convert 3D CAD files into high-quality STL files without having to be a CAD expert. Transmagic STL PRO opens and views all major 3D CAD formats without needing any additional CAD software. The product gives customers single-click 'best practice' options to quickly repair geometry. This ensures the STL models have the quality needed for applications that require water-tight geometry. The new product offers options to control surface deviati

Renold Couplings Protect Against Eddy Currents The Renold Hi-Tec coupling range of rubber in compression couplings protects the bearings of large rotating machines from eddy current damage. Eddy currents pose a problem in rotating machinery. The larger the machine and the higher its rotating speed, the stronger these currents become. The resulting eddy currents can cause extreme damage to both sleeve and rolling element bearings. In some extreme cases, they can even cause the bearings to weld together. The high rubber content of the Renold couplings combine with the no metal-to-metal contact of the two coupling halves, which effectively insulates the motor from the driven machine. This ensures that damaging shaft currents are not allowed to flow from the motor to the bearings of the driven machine and effectively safe guards against a costly repair and failures. Machines that are most affected by eddy current damage to bearings are: fans, compressors, turbines and pumps. However,

Centa-Sec Ensures Fail-Safe Compressor Operation Centa-Sec, Centa's flexible coupling system, offers a torsionally soft alternative to standard all-metal couplings used in gas and oil industry businesses. These couplings shift harmful resonances to subcritical ranges, ensuring fail-safe operation of the compressor system. The couplings are type-approved by renowned classification societies and are designed in consultation with the customer to meet API standards. Companies in the oil and gas industries look for large compressor units with high performance and efficacy. These units are normally driven by a powerful electric engine, which is connected to the compressor unit by an all-metal coupling. The drawback of this design is that harmful vibrations induced by the piston compressor, caused by high torsional stiffness and weak damping characteristics of the couplings, are transmitted to the drive unit. They result in damages to the coupling and high loads for the bearing units,

Atlas Controls Reduce Compressed-Air Costs Atlas Copco Compressors has introduced the next generation in compressor controls across its oil-injected screw compressor range 11-90 kW GA/GA+/GA VSD. The new fifth-generation Elektronikon graphical-display controller and the integrated Energy Saving (ES) Systems ES4/6i increase compressed-air efficiency, resulting in lower operating costs. In addition, free online visualisation enables remote monitoring, allowing for anticipation of operating and maintenance needs. Atlas has expanded the Energy Saving (ES) System to simultaneously control, with the ES6i, up to six variable-speed drives or fixed-speed compressors. The Elektronikon graphical-display controller is a colour display, housed on the compressor, that shows several compressor and dryer parameters while built-in algorithms automatically implement energy-saving cycles for fan and dryer. Additional features such as dual-pressure band and timer-based controls enable Atlas Copco to m

Iwis Presents Flat-Top Chains And Modular Belts At this year's Hannover Fair, Iwis has presented a range of chains for the beverage and packaging industries. Sold under the Flexon label, the flat-top chains and modular belts can be used for conveying almost all types of piece goods. With its plastic chains, Munich-based precision chain systems manufacturer Iwis now offers chains for all drive and conveying applications. Flexon flat-top chains are available in various plastic and stainless-steel versions that cover a range of customer requirements. Their physical dimensions, mechanical properties and materials fully meet the applicable market standards. The Flexon range of modular belts is also available in various plastic versions in both metric and inch widths. Flat-top chains and modular belts are typically used for conveying glass and plastic bottles, cans, cases, barrels and cartons in bottling and packaging plants, transporting of foodstuffs in the food and beverage indust

Inspection System Checks Internal Welds A weld scanning inspects the internal size and shape of girth welds on pipes for use in subsea oil and gas applications and is available from Optical Metrology Services (OMS). The Internal Weld Scanning Tool scans welds inside pipes - both visually and dimensionally - enabling engineers to quickly assess the quality of the root weld. In oil and gas pipes, the quality of the root pass of a weld is critical to the structural integrity of the girth weld. Oil and gas companies, therefore, have stringent inspection requirements for checking welds. Welding of clad pipe is especially challenging and requires accurate measurement of the weld area in order to ensure zero defects and to avoid the delay and cost of a weld cut out later in the welding process. The technology can be deployed onshore and offshore at different stages of the pipe welding process. The tool can be used on corrosion-resistant alloy-lined pipe to identify sour (aggressive) ingre

Chainflex Wire Is Highly Flame Resistant Igus has supplemented its range of 850 energy chain rated cable types with NFPA 79-conforming machine cables for companies that want to export machines and plant to the US. The Chainflex CF130.US and CF140.US machine tool wire (MTW) are highly flame-resistant and meet the strict US standards in terms of materials and insulation wall thicknesses. The outer material is oil-resistant in line with the regulations and provides high fire-resistance according to FT4. Areas of application are both indoors and outdoors, short to medium travel distances, and self-supporting energy chain use up to 10m. They cope with medium mechanical loads, such as in the areas of tool machining, packaging, wood and stone processing as well as general handling tasks. These PVC control cables are available immediately without any cutting costs or minimum quantity surcharge. The NFPA standard originated in the construction field and prohibits the use of some AWM cable

Stemmer Enhances Common Vision Blox Stemmer Imaging has announced Version 10.1 of the Common Vision Blox (CVB) programming library. New tools in Version 10.1 include CVB GigE Vision Server for standardised remote imaging, CVB Match 3D for demanding 3D surface inspection and the CVB GPU Processing tool, which offers image processing acceleration. CVB GigE Vision Server allows a suitably equipped computer to be used as both an image receiver and as an image source. It acts like a GigE Vision compliant image source with configurable features. CVB GigE Vision Server opens up a range of opportunities including full application remote control, distributed pre-processing and computing, or multicast transfers to multiple monitoring stations. CVB Match 3D offers a practical approach for 3D imaging, providing high accuracy and a processing speed fast enough to keep track with modern production lines. The 3D image of a perfect sample (golden template) is compared to the 3D images of upcom

Spacefeeder Solves Sachet-Handling Problems RNA has released a high-speed feeding system that eliminates the problems normally associated with handling sachets and pouches. Spacefeeder provides a long-needed solution to the handling of flexible packaged products, which are now growing in importance, especially in the food and snacks and process packaging sectors. Spacefeeder has been developed by Swiss friction-feeder specialist Rontech and will be marketed by RNA in the UK and Ireland. The design can feed at speeds of up to 300 parts per minute and boasts quick and simple changeover between differing products. The capacity to easily accept changed or new products provides a genuinely future-proof investment. Each system is constructed of stainless steel and food-grade materials, suitable for full wash-down environments. Bulk parts are simply loaded into a storage hopper and gently elevated and fed onto the upper level of the system, where separation and singulation begins. Intel

Tubeinspect HS Provides 50-Micron Accuracy Aicon has introduced the Tubeinspect HS camera-based 3D tube measuring system, which uses ten digital cameras with higher resolutions. A spatial reference point field made from glass, especially stable with respect to shape and temperature, is located in the measuring cell. Thus the measuring system can resort to reference points in different spatial planes, which leads to a more precise measurement of the tube geometries. Also in terms of the software, basic changes have been implemented. Tubeinspect HS uses Aicon's software version 4.5, which contributes to a higher measuring accuracy thanks to an improved algorithm. Dr Ing Werner Boesemann, Aicon's president, explained the value of the new Tubeinspect system by saying: 'Let's take a closer look at an injection pipe. 'This pipe must fit exactly into the available installation space - and this space becomes more and more confined. 'Furthermore, the connectors of

World-Beam QS30 Reliably Detects Clear Objects

Banner Engineering has introduced the World-Beam QS30 Clear Object Sensor, which provides reliable clear-object detection. The Clear Object Sensor utilises an advanced optical design to allow the sensor to see translucent materials, ensuring dependable detection of clear targets including PET bottles and glass containers. Additionally, the optical design prevents the sensor from being tricked by specular reflections, allowing the sensor to detect optically engineered surfaces such as mirrors, LCD glass with polarising films, and semiconductor wafers. Dennis Smith, technical marketing engineer at Banner, said: 'The optical design of the Clear Object Sensor controls how the emitted light strikes the reflector and it prevents false light signals from reaching the photodetector. 'The stable and controlled optical path allows the sensor's microcontroller to detect small changes in the light level, so even clear objects that alter the light level only slightly will activate th

Analogue Input Module Added To USB-2404 DAQs Adept Scientific has announced the release of Measurement Computing's universal analogue input module to the USB-2404 series of simultaneous data acquisition devices. The module provides four channels of 24-bit universal analogue input with integrated signal conditioning. Whereas the USB-2404-10 and USB-2404-60 modules measured voltage only (+/- 10V and +/- 60V, respectively), the USB-2404-UI can be used to measure a variety of signal types, from sensors such as RTDs, thermocouples, load cells and other powered sensors. Each of the four channels has a detachable six-position spring terminal, which is individually configurable, so a different measurement type can be performed on each channel. All channels are measured simultaneously at up to 100 S/s per channel. The USB-2404-UI can perform the following measurements: voltage; current; thermocouple; RTD (four-wire and three-wire); resistance (four-wire and two-wire); and bridge-based s

Panel Thermostats Offer Peak Current Rating Of 10A The 1T series of panel thermostats from Finder are aimed at designers and manufacturers of electrical control panels, motor control centres, distribution and server cabinets and automation systems. They are designed to maintain acceptable ambient temperature levels in electrical control panels and enclosures by controlling on/off status of heating and/or ventilation components. The thermostats are ideal for use in controlling heating and ventilation within panels and equipment installed in areas subjected to wide variations in ambient temperature, and where temperatures inside enclosures are likely to rise considerably due to the normal operation of equipment and components contained within. Reliability is the main factor driving the demand for this type of thermostat by reducing damage to, and minimising the potential failure of equipment caused either by the effects of overheating or by condensation resulting from rapid cooling.

Pneumatic Vibration Isolators Launched By Newport Newport has announced the release of the S-2000 Stabilizer series of pneumatic vibration isolators. The offering incorporates Newport's self-centring pendulum design, laminar flow damping system, and precision auto-levelling valves. In addition, the S-2000 design incorporates enhanced levelling indicators, recessed lifting channels and a lower magnetic permeability design. Newport said the S-2000, with a 2000lb load capacity per isolator, is an ideal solution for isolating optical tables, large inspection equipment, heavy machinery, and large area sub-floors. Newport is also making available a standard offering of fully non-magnetic models as well as clean-room compatible versions in the near future. The initial offering of the S-2000 will be available in six heights ranging from 16-28in all equipped with precision re-levelling valves. The S-2000 Stabilizer performance delivers a 1Hz vertical resonant frequency and a vertical

IM100 To Test Air Spring Impact Properties Imatek has completed the installation of an IM100 impact tester at Firestone Industrial Products that will be used to test and develop the impact properties of air springs and their component parts. The parts are used in suspension systems for the automotive and rail industries. Imatek's IM100 is an instrumented impact tester providing impact speeds up to 6m/s and uses a variable mass system of up to 200kg to provide impact energies from 1000 Joules to 5000 Joules. Instrumentation is based around a 250KN precision load cell coupled to Imatek's C3008 data-capture system and a PC running the Impacqt system control and data analysis software. Imatek's Impacqt software is designed to allow for the configuration of the drop parameter, the data capture and the analysis of resulting data. The software is designed for high productivity. There is no limit to the number or complexity of results that may be defined, so analysis can be t