Automation Parts

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...

NMB-Minebea Benefits From Aqua-Save 30 System A wastewater treatment system from Aqua-Save Technologies, part of Mecwash Systems, is helping a UK manufacturer of aerospace bearings enhance its environmental performance and save processing costs. The use of an Aqua-Save 30 at NMB-Minebea UK's Lincoln factory has helped to address a waste product disposal requirement that results from a key part of its manufacturing processes. Stuart Haysman, health, safety and environmental officer at the site, said: 'We undertake a wide range of processing operations including machining, plating, grinding and anodising and, in many cases, products pass through a "rumbling" phase - a vibratory process that enhances the surface finish of each product. 'This requires significant amounts of water that, inevitably, become contaminated with oil, metal "fines", detergent and media dust, which, in turn, calls for a suitable disposal process. 'Conventionally, this has s...

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...

Evolut Benefits From Visionpro Technology Evolut uses its Hawk vision-guided robot system - based on Cognex's Visionpro technology - for vision jobs, such as for a robot arm that recognises, picks and positions an item on an assembly line. When using Cognex image-acquisition cards, the installation can manage up to 10 cameras and reduce the time of image acquisition. The system also relies on Patmex, Cognex's software for recognition and localisation of parts. Thanks to Patmex, Hawk can identify and find a diverse range of objects. The robot receives the data in order and can follow the handling of pieces no matter how they are oriented. Approximately 50 per cent of their installations benefit from this technology, which offers a range of advantages. The camera acquires the image, position and orientation of the part or object and communicates this to the robot, which can then pick it up. In a typical application for Evolut, the robot relies on Visionpro and Patmex to obtai...

HVAC Market Benefits From Building Boom Rising competition is squeezing electric drive manufacturers' profit margins, especially with the rising demand for smaller and low-cost HVAC drives. The boom in the construction business has rippled into the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) industry in Europe, which, in turn, has buoyed the electric drives market This is because HVAC accounts for nearly 10% of its total market revenue. New analysis from Frost and Sullivan Electric Drives Market in the European HVAC Industry, finds that the market earned revenues of US $292.5 million in 2007 and estimates this to reach US $456.5 million in 2014. The HVAC industry's status as one of the major consumers of electrical energy among industries in Europe and the recent hike in energy costs have compelled electric drive manufacturers to develop energy-efficient systems. The passing of standards and directives stressing energy conservation bolstered this development. However, the ...