Automation Parts

The Flexpower system from Banner Engineering combines low-power sensors, long-lasting batteries, solar panels and wireless I/O devices to allow wireless operation of remote applications. The no-wire solution is designed for applications where wired power is either not available or impractical. Power is generated by lithium D cell batteries or a solar connector and rechargeable battery combination that require an average of two hours of sunlight per day to power a 4-20mA loop. Flexpower is said to provide reliable, autonomous power sufficient to operate a range of sensors and the remote node of Banner's DX80 industrial wireless network. Applications for wireless sensing and control include: agriculture - irrigation control; monitor steam power plant valve temperatures; pump and flow control; perimeter guarding; tank level monitoring; rotating machinery for auto and other industries; landfill leachate pump counting; material handling; automated guided vehicle control; and vehicle

Ilix Launches Cutting Tools Catalogue For 2010 Cutting tool brand Ilix Precision has launched its 2010 catalogue, which features products for drilling, threading and reaming that are now available to UK engineers. Ilix describes itself as a true solid round precision-cutting tool brand with a product range of more than 50,000 items in HSS, HSSE, HSSE-PM, solid carbide and cermet. All products are offered with the latest surface-coating technologies. The 2010 catalogue has a 20 per cent increased programme range of the latest technology for drilling, threading and reaming. The catalogue is also available in 3D format on Ilix's website. The web catalogue is easy to work with and gives instant access to all the Ilix program and technical data.

Ilix Cermet Reamers Are Ideal For Dry Machining Engineers Cutting Tools, the UK agent for Ilix, has introduced Ilix solid-carbide and cermet reamers for the machining of hard metals. The machine reamers 6372C and 6323 allow the production of high-precision holes with good surface finish. Compared with HSS, the solid-carbide qualities enable the increase of cutting parameters and tool life. The quality of the reamers is said to guarantee high performance, even for hard metals with a resistance more than 1200N/mm2. The Ilix carbide 6372C range of hundredth reamers is from 0.98mm through to 12.05mm in increments of 0.01mm. The reamers are manufactured to a tolerance of +0.000 - +0.004mm. The cermet reamers 6323 have new cutting geometry developed by Ilix. These reamers are said to be ideal for steel machining, having high chemical stability during the cutting process. They offer good wear resistance due to the high hardness and have low material adhesion. The Ilix cermet reamer is said to

RFID Transponder Ideal For Medical Applications Smartrac has expanded its S-Tag product portfolio with an RFID transponder that withstands gamma radiation of up to 45kilogray (kGy) for medical applications where aseptic conditions are compulsory. Sanitising medical equipment with gamma rays is said to offer several benefits. As the irradiation destroys the DNA of any micro-organisms, medical equipment is sanitised reliably. In addition, radiation sterilisation is the only process in which products can be sanitised - including their packaging - as the gamma rays permeate materials and casings such as metal containers easily and without any appreciable increase in temperature. Compared with heat and chemical sterilisation, irradiation is a fast, easy, effective and environmentally friendly process that leaves no residues on the sanitised objects. The transponder has been developed based on the company's S-Tag product family. Smartrac said its S-Tags are characterised by robustness, h

Software Module Provides Clear Production Schedule Gemba Solutions has released the latest expansion to its real-time production efficiency software suite with the launch of a job sequencing module. This module allows a production machine's workload to be sequenced and its performance against that workload to be monitored. Unlike traditional scheduling or planning software, this module calculates realistic job start and end times based on data relating to the demonstrated performance of the user's assets. This gives a more accurate picture of the user's actual production schedule rather than one based on theoretical/nominal production rates. The user can pre-load the system with jobs and the software will calculate start times and dates based on actual shift availability, planned downtime and demonstrated OEE levels. The end times that the system calculates will be compared with the due dates/times that the user has entered into the system. Any jobs that will not meet their

Turn-Mill Cell Increases Machining Productivity Miyano has revealed that IMI Components has installed a 13-axis turn-milling cell with fully integrated gantry loader to reduce machining times on small components for the energy sector. IMI adopted single-cycle turn-milling to replace four separate CNC turning and milling operations on a range of small components destined for the energy and power generation industry. The 13-axis Miyano ABX-64TH3 turn-milling cell with fully integrated gantry loader is on final commissioning trials and has already reduced total machining times on four critical valves. Such is the level of increased productivity that for one particular component, three parts can now be produced complete in the previous floor-to-floor time total for one part. As an example of the level of complexity involved, one of the parts has some 100 dimensions that have to be maintained. Here, the Miyano has the advantage of being able to apply the 17 driven tools to carry out the

Burkert Discusses Benefits Of Integrated Valves Decentralised automation systems have become a suitable alternative to control cabinet systems in many process sectors, according to Burkert Fluid Control Systems. This comes as more and more practical solutions are developed that integrate automation functions into the pneumatic actuators of process valves. Food and beverage producers and companies in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors are now in a position to reconcile the commercial necessity of a high degree of automation in their production with the requirements of hygiene and safety. Thanks to their modular structure, systems based on process valves can be adapted to suit many situations and applications, whereby such optimised solutions are always based on high-quality, tried-and-tested components with a long service life. In the production of food, beverages, medicines and cosmetics, the statutory requirements of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) for food p

Super-Thermometers Calibrate Thermistors And SPRTs Electronic test and measurement specialist Fluke has introduced the 1594A/1595A super-thermometers from Hart Scientific for the calibration of SPRTs, PRTs and thermistors. The Fluke 1594A and 1595A super-thermometers are accurate enough for the primary lab, providing accuracy to 0.06ppm (0.000015C), and economical enough for the secondary lab. Fluke said metrologists can feel confident that every measurement made with the super-thermometer falls within expected limits, easy verifiable at any time. The 1594A and 1595A feature patent-pending ratio self-calibration that enables users to test the accuracy or calibrate the resistance ratio linearity of the super-thermometer's measurement circuit without requiring any external devices or special training. Metrologists can verify accuracy and performance automatically in about 30mins at the touch of a button. Although unlikely, measurement circuit defects would be detected and reporte

Robot Offers Compact Solution For Machine Builders Fanuc Robotics has launched a robot that can be mounted in a variety of orientations without modification and with an unobtrusive exterior for machine load, assembly and inspection applications. The M-10iA/10S is a six-axes, 10kg-payload robot with a hollow arm to completely remove tooling cabling from the work area. The company said the robot provides a compact solution for machine builders and system integrators needing to reduce space requirements. The arm can be mounted in floor, ceiling and angle orientation - for instance, overhead or an inclined plane - to reduce space required for other operations or peripheral equipment. The robot's hollow arm has integrated fluidics, signal and electrical cabling throughout, reducing the risk of cable snagging and breakages. By routing cables through to the wrist flange, joint six, full tool rotation is maximised without risk, speeding up programming and ensuring longer cable life. Fa

Tool Offers 3D Injection Moulding Flow Simulation Cimatron CAD/CAM provider Foregone Solutions has announced a partnership with Coretech System that will offer 3D injection moulding flow simulation for medical device manufacturers and more. As a result of this partnership, mould designers can now simulate and analyse the injection moulding process from within CimatronE. This will enable users to ensure optimal placement of injection points, increasing the quality of the manufactured part. Coretech's Moldex3D Explorer analyses tool displays a full 3D visualisation of the moulding process, providing the inner temperature and pressure of the cavity. CimatronE users will be able to evaluate the welding line, air traps, flow balance, cooling time, the number of gates needed, and the location of the gates. The Moldex3D Explorer add-on is activated with only a few clicks in CimatronE and requires no additional training or CAD conversion. A report generator enables users to provide relevan

Rocker Switches For Consumer Applications And More CandK Components has developed two series of rocker switches for household appliances, instrument panels, industrial controls and computers/peripherals. Designated the CG and CL series, the UL- and CSA-approved single-pole power rocker switches feature two-tone and multi-coloured illuminated actuators. The durable rockers are said to be easy to install and offer a casing that can retain markings. The CG series single-pole power rocker switches are available with a two-tone actuator (offered in five colour combinations) or with red, amber or green illuminated actuators. Additionally, the actuators can be marked. VDE-approved, the bevelled, framed CG series rockers offer easy panel-mount installation. The switch has contact ratings of 16A at 125VAC or 10A at 250VAC and an electrical life of 10,000 make-and-break cycles at full load. The operating temperature for the CG series is -20C to +85C. The CL series single-pole power rocker sw

QAM Modem IC For Narrowband Applications CML Microcircuits has launched the CMX7163 wireless data QAM modem IC designed to deliver high spectral efficiency QAM for narrowband applications including Scada and M2M systems. The CMX7163 provides 4/16/64-QAM baseboard modem functions in a single chip, replacing the current need for user-programmed DSP plus codec ICs. This development includes high dynamic range analogue signal capturing, digital baseband filters, auxiliary codecs, clock generator, and I/O functions, all designed to lower total bill-of-materials cost and chip count. The high level of total integration reduces technical risk and time to market, according to CML Microcircuits. The device is a complete baseband modem system delivering high performance and high spectral efficiency QAM for narrowband applications. These include M2M systems over dedicated channels, digital software defined radio (SDR), high-speed wireless data and Scada systems. The half-duplex device, which

Immunity Generator For Industrial Applications Advanced Test Equipment Rentals has announced the availability of the Teseq NSG 3060 6kV conducted immunity generator for residential, commercial and industrial applications. The Teseq NSG 3060 6kV conducted immunity generator meets IEC standards 61000-4-4, 5, 11 and 12, as well as various IEC 61000-4-4. It is said to establish a common and reproducible reference for evaluating the immunity of electrical and electronic equipment when subjected to electrical fast transient/bursts on supply, signal, control and earth ports. The test method documented in this part of IEC 61000 describes a consistent method to assess the immunity of an equipment or system against a defined phenomenon. IEC 61000-4-5 relates to the immunity requirements, test methods, and range of recommended test levels for equipment to unidirectional surges caused by over-voltages from switching and lightning transients. Several test levels are defined which relate to differen