Machine Building

Machine shop saves EUR24,000 PA thanks to NSK spindle bearings

When a manufacturer of heat exchangers was experiencing frequent production stoppages due to bearing damage on the spindles of its horizontal machining centres, the company turned to NSK. After comprehensive analysis, NSK recommended fitting its sealed, high-precision, angular-contact ball bearings, which has helped the company to save EUR24,000 per annum in replacement bearings and labour costs.

5th August 2016

3D printing builds success for Renishaw sponsored Moto2 bike

French Moto2 team TransFIORmers won its first race at the CEV Repsol European Championship in Barcelona in June 2016. The team used a new front suspension system including an additively manufactured (3D printed) titanium wishbone produced using Renishaw"˜s AM250 manufacturing system. The component is a good example of effective part consolidation, with a weight saving of 600g compared with the original welded steel component.

28th July 2016

bigHead's fastenings for offshore wind turbine maintenance hatch

bigHead Bonding Fasteners are regularly challenged to provide custom designed fastenings for its customers. Whilst the standard range of over 400 mild steel and stainless steel "˜bigHeads' provide efficient and effective discrete fixings, whether embedded or surface bonded to composite materials, there are some applications that benefit from a design approach where the characteristic bigHead welded fixing is engineered and adapted to actually improve the final design, to enhance its performance or reduce costs - and even to facilitate increased safety.

27th July 2016

Cake-frosting robot masters the art of pastry decoration

Swiss confectioner Suteria Chocolata AG has been producing its famous Solothurner Torte - still the chocolatier's bestseller - for a century. Never wavering from its original and delicious recipe, several years ago the company enlisted the help of a new pastry chef - a compact FANUC LR Mate.

27th July 2016

Mechatronics drive system ensures positioning accuracy

Schaeffler has worked closely with Siemens Healthcare to develop a drive system that enables computer tomography (CT) machines to be moved from one hospital treatment room to another. This will benefit patients, as they can now be diagnosed more quickly after a stroke.

27th July 2016

Alpine Components sells FLIR T1020 thermal camera to BP

FLIR distributor Alpine Components has sold a FLIR T1020 high-resolution thermal camera to oil industry giant BP. The advanced new camera is being used for a range of tasks that extend from checking sludge levels in tanks to checking for blocked pipes.

26th July 2016

Belden delivers complete industrial LAN for Saudi pharma plant

Belden Inc was selected by Saudi Pharmaceutical Industries & Medical Appliances Corporation (SPIMACO) to provide a new network system for its Al-Qassim Plant, the largest pharmaceutical plant in Saudi Arabia.

26th July 2016

How a welding robot moves distances in the nanometre range

Can a robot move distances which are as small as 100 nanometres? Hard to imagine, considering that a human hair is 700 times thicker. One of Nanosystec's welding robots shows that it is possible. Behind its precision is a guidance system from HepcoMotion.

26th July 2016

Manufacturer of carbon brushes upgrades to Pilz servos

By upgrading its presses to Pilz PMCprotego D servo amplifiers, Schunk Hoffmann Carbon Technology has improved reliability substantially, while also saving energy and maintaining high safety standards.

22nd July 2016

Renishaw neuromate robot installation at children's hospital

Renishaw is reporting the successful installation of its neuromate stereotactic robot and surgical planning station. Sant Joan de DÃ©u Barcelona Children's Hospital is not only one of the oldest paediatric centres in Europe, but is also one of the most important. It is a European Centre of Excellence, renowned for its cutting edge procedures and state-of-the art facilities. Since the installation in April 2016, the system has been used successfully for both stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) for epilepsy and deep brain stimulation (DBS) for dystonia procedures. The centre also plans to use the system for endoscopy procedures in the near future.

22nd July 2016