Machine Building

e-spools ease PA speaker array manoeuvring in university venue

Over the last two years the University of Liverpool has run an ambitious £14m [EUR18m] project to improve functionality and the utilisation of space, and to enhance the overall student experience at the Guild and Reilly Building, which is central to the Liverpool University campus. The project included technical upgrades and refurbishment for three venues - Mountford Hall, the Stanley Theatre and The Courtyard.

27th May 2016

In-wheel motors from PMW power innovative Rasa hydrogen car

The Rasa hydrogen fuel cell car developed by Riversimple has been attracting a lot of attention with its innovative design and impressive performance. A key feature is its four in-wheel electric motors which directly drive the vehicle's wheels.

27th May 2016

FANUC robots flex to medical blister filling needs

Compactness and dexterity were two important features of the anthropomorphic FANUC LR Mate 200iD robot selected by FlexLink for a cutting-edge medical assembly line located in Italy. Combined with a FANUC M-1iA delta robot and an integrated iRVision system, FlexLink completely re-engineered the blister packing operation, automating an intricate and time-intensive job that previously performed manually.

25th May 2016

FANUC re-shores production for cycling specialist

Ten years ago, the "˜rags to riches' story started for bicycle component business Superstar Components Ltd. The Lincoln business that started in a bedroom selling brake pads quickly progressed to sourcing manufactured products from Taiwan for the cycling enthusiast. As the business evolved into more expansive product ranges, the production lead-times from Taiwan were increasingly prolonged. The decision was made to manufacture and control production from the UK, and this is where FANUC came into the equation with its ROBODRILL D21MiA5 machining centre and FANUC M-10iA 10M robot loading system.

25th May 2016

Fastenings for the rail industry: fixings for FRP components

Just as other major global industries, mass transit continuously strives to improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce running costs. For rail vehicle and passenger coach designers this has meant embracing new materials and production techniques, and one area that continues to thrive is the use of fibre-reinforced polymer composites (FRP) materials to produce structures and parts that are lightweight, have high strength and offer design flexibility. bigHead supports such innovation in the rail industry, supplying expertise and a wide range of standard or customised products that enable the safe, secure and discrete fixing of individual panels or complete modular sub-assemblies.

25th May 2016

Inside the world's quietest place at Microsoft

Microsoft has a vision to make its customer devices so effortless to use that they all but disappear and - since sound quality holds the key - the company built a series of anechoic chambers for testing, which include the quietest place in the world.

24th May 2016

Submersible sensors measure fuel tank levels at remote sites

Submersible tank gauging level transmitters from instrumentation specialist Impress Sensors & Systems Ltd have been specified for measuring tank fuel levels in remote power generation and telecom sites across the world.

24th May 2016

HepcoMotion's MCS, MLG and BSP in fish farm feeding application

When Engranor were contracted to design a new hatchery feeder machine for the fish farming industry, they turned to HepcoMotion for the fully assembled frame with necessary guidance system.

24th May 2016

Automation delivers energy savings for extrusion application

For many manufacturing plants, the opportunities to achieve savings on energy consumption are plentiful. Businesses consider options ranging from simply adopting best practice in terms of switching off energy sources when not required, to making significant changes to machinery. Maintenance personnel are often the individuals tasked with making the savings. However these teams often come up against the issue of obsolescence, which can make it very challenging to find new efficiency opportunities.

24th May 2016

Decentralised installation: Power supply in the field

Machine and system drives are often placed far from a control cabinet even though they require high inrush currents. Murrelektronik's Emparro67 power supply is the right option for these applications. It allows you to move the power supply into the field while still supplying direct current drives with its Power Boost function and an integrated current limiter.

23rd May 2016