Machine Building

Resistor choppers slow overspeeding fans

Fans don't normally need a braking resistor and chopper but when they are operating in a closed system, a situation may arise where one fan will over-speed the next and the DC bus voltage on their motor drives will then rise. Here John Mitchell, business development manager of CP Automation, reports on the case of GA Pet Food Partners in Leyland, Lancashire.

19th August 2016

Altec & KUKA collaborate to enhance cam assembly for Nissan

Altec Engineering operates across diverse markets, including the Automotive sector, where the company's Special Purpose Equipment Division is heavily involved with both the OEMs and Tier 1 & 2 suppliers. Whilst automotive assembly plants are generally heavily automated, there are still many areas where operators are required, either due to the complexity of the task or where full automation cannot be financially justified. It is in these areas where Altec excels with concepts that strike the perfect balance between man and machine.

19th August 2016

Specialised gears for an eye in the sky

If you have recently been to a large sporting event or music concert, chances are you might have caught sight of something high in the air, whizzing around on gossamer tendrils. The system enables television cameras to move both vertically and horizontally, tracking action quickly, fluently and accurately. To allow it to do this, the system employs specialised gears. Here, Graham Mackrell, managing director of Harmonic Drive UK, discusses how innovative gears are being used to deliver an immersive viewing experience.

18th August 2016

Goss Springs manufactures parts for performance and vintage cars

A top spring manufacturing company is supplying components for one of the top Le Mans racing teams - thanks to its MD's passion for vintage cars. Nick Goss of Goss Springs turned his passion into useful products for the legendary car makers, which last month saw them race in the world-famous Le Mans race.

18th August 2016

Tsubaki "˜RetroFit' boosts log saw accumulator availability

When a tissue manufacturer was struggling with the performance and reliability of the chain drive feeding tissue logs into an accumulator it turned to Tsubaki for help in reducing the lost production time. Using its RetroFit service to fit a high performance, lubrication-free Lambda chain on the machine, Tsubaki provided a solution that increased availability, improved product quality, reduced maintenance costs and increased productivity.

18th August 2016

Renishaw neuromate robot and neuroinspire software installation

Renishaw is announcing that a neuromate stereotactic robot system and neuroinspire surgical planning software have been installed at one of London's largest and busiest teaching hospitals, King's College Hospital.

17th August 2016

Forbo saves money with BOGE compressor

BOGE has cut Barnsley-based Forbo Flooring's energy bills following the installation of its C15F 11kW variable speed compressor. The unit replaces an old 18.5kW machine, one of two at the site. Forbo Flooring was so pleased with the installation that it plans to replace a second 18.5kW compressor, which currently acts as a back-up, with another BOGE C15F unit in due course.

17th August 2016

Automated hydraulics for machine builder provided by zenon

Traceability, data logging and graphical displays are in high demand in the modern hydraulics environment. As customers' requirements become more complex, the hydraulic control experts at machine builder Pressure Design focus on increasing their automated solutions offering, with the support of COPA-DATA's HMI/SCADA software, zenon.

16th August 2016

Upgraded backstop clutch improves bucket elevator reliability

When a bucket elevator manufacturer was experiencing reliability problems with its backstop clutches, resulting in intensive maintenance and frequent replacement, it turned to Tsubaki. Replacing the trapped-roller design with a sprag clutch delivered higher torque capacity and longer life.

11th August 2016

Collaborative robot for adhesive application quadruples output

R. A. Rodriguez (UK) has supplied a Universal Robots UR3 tabletop robot and Robotiq 2F85 gripper to help The Filter Design Co create an automation cell that has quadrupled output. Payback is likely to be in less than six months.

8th August 2016