Machine Building

Rethink compressed air and save energy costs

Energy price rises are having an impact on the financial viability of UK industry, so changes have to be made in order to remain competitive; one area to look at is the provision of compressed air.

21st February 2007

Explaining the benefits of thin-film pressure sensors

Morten Moller of Sensor-Technik UK explains why the time is right for sensor suppliers to offer standard thin-film sensors in a simple package at a low price to enable accurate pressure monitoring on hydraulic systems and fluid machinery.

21st February 2007

The benefits of infrared for analysing 'difficult' gases

Electrochemical and thick-film sensors are fine for measuring many gases, but more challenging applications are often better tackled using infrared photometry.

20th February 2007

CRP Technology explains its recent - and future - growth

2006 was a decisive year for CRP Technology, with significant growth in the organisation, output and finances. Several projects are now scheduled to broaden the market to other racing series and to increase the already close collaboration with various constructors. In this interview, Eng Franco Cevolini, Chairman and Technical Director, and Eng Livia Cevolini, Marketing and Sales Director, explain what enabled such financial growth within the company in 2006, both for the mechanical department and the rapid prototyping (RP) department.

10th February 2007

How to use machinery safety to enhance plant availability

Products and systems for machinery safety are usually sold on the basis that they will enable customers to comply with the latest legislation, regulations and standards. However, this article explains how choosing the right machinery safety products can also enhance plant availability.

4th February 2007

Safe use of motors in hazardous-dust environments

Andy Glover of WEG UK gives some advice on motor specification and application in dusty environments where there is a risk of explosion.

11th January 2007

How to specify low-voltage industrial power supplies

With most industrial automation systems now based on equipment that operates at low voltages – typically 24V DC – there is a big demand for power supplies for use in tough industrial applications, as David Norton, Vice President of Marketing at Lambda, explains.

9th January 2007

How to design high-precision microdrives

maxon motor, a supplier of high-precision drives, launched a new book at electronica 2006 entitled 'The design of high-precision microdrives'. The book is part of the maxon academy series and was written by Dr Urs Kafader.

2nd January 2007

Explaining the benefits of wireless technologies

Gary Marrs, senior field application engineer at Lantronix, discusses some of the benefits that wireless technology can bring to a wide range of businesses.

19th December 2006

Investing in robots costs less than expected

Martin Walder, Managing Director for ABB UK's robotics division, argues that UK manufacturers - including small to medium-sized businesses - need to consider investing in robots if they are to remain globally competitive.

6th December 2006