Machine Building

Five innovative uses for PLM

Jigsaw fanatic Graham Andrew, along with a team of over 200 people, tried to complete a mammoth 33,600-piece jigsaw puzzle in 2016, only to realise there were four pieces missing. With so many people and parts involved, this was a tricky task to undertake and organise, as is often the case in manufacturing. Good product lifecycle management (PLM) can help manufactures get it right first time, and not lose any valuable pieces along the way. Here, Geoff Turner, PLM consultant at Design Rule, explains five innovative uses for PLM that companies can use to help keep projects on track.

4th May 2017

System Integrators are the vanguard of new technology adoption

When the client has explained what the goals of a project are then it is up to the System Integrator to translate those (usually function, price and performance) goals into a physical structure and a control platform - one that will not only deliver what the client is looking to achieve, but more often than not, also fit neatly into an existing control and management structure. This is by definition "˜system' and "˜integration'. It also underlines why the role of the integrator is often at the crux of the adoption curve for new technology.

2nd May 2017

Henkel innovations underpin automotive lightweighting

Vehicle lightweighting is one of the automotive industry's most prevalent trends, thanks largely to the presence of increasingly stringent emissions legislation around the world. It is estimated that every 100kg of reduced vehicle weight can save 8g/km of CO2.

28th April 2017

Design and materials developments in standard machine elements

Nigel Pritchett, MD Elesa (UK) Ltd, signposts some key developments in materials and design associated with standard machine components for industrial machinery and equipment.

28th April 2017

Linear transmission engineering gets straight to the point

The need for linear motion is increasingly common, especially in areas such as automated assembly packaging and robotics, but also diverse applications such as retail displays, sports equipment and many other areas. This has led to a plethora of different linear technologies, and finding your way through this can be daunting. Matt Jones, a linear motion specialist at Drive Lines Technologies Ltd, offers a quick guide through the basics.

28th April 2017

Bearing requirements for food and beverage manufacturers

When an Aldi customer recently discovered packs of KP-branded Hula Hoops inside a pack of the discount store's own-brand products, the media was quick to reveal that both products were made in the same place. Consumers have long speculated that food giants produce both luxury and budget versions of goods for supermarket own-brands, but in the highly regulated world of food and beverage manufacturing, a simple mistake during packaging is the least of manufacturers' worries. Here, Chris Johnson, managing director of SMB Bearings, explains the considerations manufacturers must take when choosing bearings and lubrication in the food and beverage industry.

27th April 2017

Cable colour coding - understanding the DESINA standard

DESINA stands for DistributEd Standardised INstAllation Technology and is a standard for components used on industrial machines, including the drives, control systems and cabling. It is a great idea with many benefits but, where it relates to cable colour coding, the situation may be a little confusing and there is room for error. Andrew Fallows, managing director of Motor Technology, explains.

27th April 2017

Working with ISO/TS 15066, technical specification for cobots

ISO/TS 15066 is the international technical specification for the safe implementation of collaborative robots. This article pools experience from consultants, suppliers, integrators and end users who have worked with the technical specification. *

27th April 2017

Implementing Ethernet at the field device level

CC-Link IE offers a way of providing high-speed Ethernet to the factory floor. It also brings Gigabit Ethernet to the field device level and allows seamless movement of data through one or more network levels.

26th April 2017

PLCs of the future

An etymological fallacy is an assumption that a word's current and historical meanings are the same. However, as language evolves, modern definitions do not necessarily resemble original ones. To take an example, "˜lord' is a compound of Old English "˜half' and "˜weard', meaning bread and keeper, respectively. This does not make it correct to use lord to refer to someone who bakes or keeps bread, regardless of its roots. "ŽIt is more sensible, therefore, to argue the definition of a word is instead the most recognisable option. Here Jonathan Wilkins, marketing director at obsolete industrial parts supplier, EU Automation discusses the evolution of the programmable logic controller (PLC), and predicts what the future might hold for this crucial piece of equipment.

26th April 2017