Machine Building

Database options: modern SCADA must support multiple formats

It is hard to imagine a current automation system working without the capacity to use some sort of database technology. The process data needed for effective control and analysis in order to improve productivity is becoming extensive. The result is that SCADA systems are needed not simply to perform their traditional supervisory control and monitoring role, but also to provide a platform to process, manage and store big data.

28th February 2017

Rolling bearing selection - look at the bigger picture

When selecting rolling bearings for industrial plant, machines and equipment, it is important to analyse the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) not just the purchase price of the bearings, says Dr Steve Lacey, Technology Centre Manager at Schaeffler UK.

28th February 2017

Protect your Industrial Control Systems from cyber-attacks

Phil Neray, VP Cybersecurity & Marketing at CyberX, explains why the threat of cyber-attacks on Industrial Control Systems can no longer be dismissed by the "˜It's never happened before' argument.

27th February 2017

Industrial screws: many sizes, many threads

Many imperial thread sizes are now either obsolete or trending towards obsolescence prompted by changes in demand patterns from countries such as the USA who are now drifting towards metric products. This increasing globalisation of metric threaded fasteners does not necessarily mean that all variations are commonly available, and it remains important that design engineers are careful in their selection. Whether metric or imperial it is always advisable to seek advice and avoid either paying premium prices or creating lifetime availability issues.

27th February 2017

How to reduce metal contaminants and mitigate food safety risks

Consumer perceptions and a high-profile product recall can make or break a food brand. The damage, if left unchecked, can come back and haunt a company for years to come. Phil Brown, European Sales Director at Fortress Technology outlines why paying attention to metal contaminant risks continues to be the mainstay of a robust brand protection programme and why it doesn't pay to take a maverick approach to product inspections.

23rd February 2017

Improving flow control in pneumatic conveying systems

For many industries, pneumatic conveying brings a number of advantages, not least the lack of moving parts and system flexibility. However, it is essential that such systems are properly controlled in order to maintain efficiency and the quality of the product in transit. Delivering effective process control systems requires an understanding of both the technology and the industry itself. Tony Brennan, Field Segment Manager, Gas and Micro for Bürkert, looks at the advantages of pneumatic conveying and how it can be maximised.

22nd February 2017

Are your Variable Speed Drives running at maximum efficiency?

While variable speed drives (VSDs) provide an important energy saving technology, Mitsubishi Electric's Matt Handley questions how many of the installed base of drives are actually set up to run at their maximum efficiency.

22nd February 2017

Liquid cooling halves component space

Many renewable and marine resistor applications are moving towards liquid cooling, because it offers superior environmental protection for drive systems, as well as improved reliability and smaller component sizes. A water-cooled brake resistor, for example, can be half the size of its air-cooled equivalent and the heated water produced can be integrated into a heating system, producing further efficiencies. Here, Steve Hughes of REO UK explains the benefits.

21st February 2017

Keeping a FANUC robot in top-top condition

Gary Taylor, Service Manager RO FANUC UK, explains how preventative and predictive maintenance can be used to keep FANUC robots - and other automation equipment - at the peak of their powers.

21st February 2017

High-performance industrial servers for the industrial channel

With inherent challenges to maintaining longevity and consistency in system production, the industrial channel has historically been unable to pair server-class performance with a long-life system. High[performance industrial servers from Corvalent solve this design limitation, embracing Intel Xeon technology in an application-ready, customisable server-class design with guaranteed production and availability of 5-7 years. Illustrated by application examples such as medical imaging, security and surveillance, and cloud and data centre processing, this article highlights the broad competitive value these long-life systems newly enable for industrial OEMs and application developers.