Machine Building

MiniTec purpose-built trolleys improve operational efficiency

The art of improving operational efficiency and helping to make processes more "Lean" are key challenges for manufacturing operations today.

19th May 2016

Magneto-inductive sensors measure blade cut depth displacement

A manufacturer of knife and blade sharpness testing machines is using non-contact magneto-inductive displacement sensors from Micro-Epsilon to calibrate the length and speed of the blade stroke. This is important as it enables the test machines to objectively compare the sharpness of various knife blades and determine which one is superior to another. The sensors were selected for their cost effectiveness, ease of set up, simplicity of use, robustness and non-contact wear-free operation.

19th May 2016

Bristol Uniforms chooses Vero RFID tags from Harland Simon

Bristol Uniforms, one of the world's leading emergency services protective clothing brands, has selected RFID tags from Harland Simon's Vero range to future-proof their garments and prepare for automated tracking of uniforms handled by their managed services.

18th May 2016

Avoiding overflow with light section sensors

Light section sensors from Leuze electronic monitor fill levels in the plastics processing industry.

18th May 2016

Commercial salad growers box clever with Spelsberg

Spelsberg electrical enclosures have been used in a high-tech environmental control system for a commercial greenhouse operated by one of the largest salad growers in the UK.

18th May 2016

Precision gas control for experimental combustion rig

Designing and manufacturing one-off pieces of equipment requires considerable engineering skill, especially when that equipment is required to control combustible gases and deliver precisely repeatable results. So when Saflame was approached to design an experimental combustion rig which required precise, independent control of three gases, it turned to Bürkert Fluid Control Systems to provide the solution.

18th May 2016

Southco's torque hinge technology for EvoBus headrests

In a crowded yet growing market space, bus and coach manufacturers alike must find new and innovative ways to improve the customer experience and to this end, many have found increased passenger comfort to be a source of competitive advantage. Until fairly recently, the headrests in buses and coaches have typically consisted of little more than a rigid frame covered with a thick piece of foam. Needless to say, this did not give passengers the level of comfort desired, making it difficult to properly rest and somewhat diminishing the appeal of bus and coach travel against other forms of transport. From a maintenance perspective, traditional headrests typically require regular overhaul, often at considerable expense and inconvenience.

16th May 2016

SYMÃ‰TRIE hexapods choose Renishaw's RESOLUTE absolute encoders

SYMÃ‰TRIE is one of the world's leading providers of hexapod systems for positioning and motion applications. A hexapod is a type of parallel robot, also known as a Stewart platform, with six linear actuators (jacks) and six degrees of freedom (X, Y, Z, pitch, yaw and roll). SYMÃ‰TRIE hexapods consist of a lower platform (base), upper platform (mobile platform), and 6 linear actuators with inline ball-screw drives. A ball and universal joint connects each strut to the base and mobile platform, respectively. The upper platform supports the payload and can be mounted in both vertical and horizontal orientations. Typical applications for hexapods include: flight simulation, materials testing, microscopy / telescopy, aeronautics, scientific research and many others.

13th May 2016

Brick manufacturer gears up production with new drive technology

As part of a planned upgrade of its brick making facility, at Nostell, near Wakefield, Yorkshire, Ibstock Brick is replacing all the drive technology at the plant with systems provided by SEW Eurodrive. The investment and upgrade is in response to increased demand for the company's products within the UK market and is designed to increase production, improve efficiency and cut downtime.

13th May 2016

Roller supported chain (RSC) system with a travel length of 260m

A robust cable carrier including a cable package and with a particularly long travel length for a new crane system in the company's own port: this has been the tender from the Indonesian fertiliser manufacturer Pupuk Kaltim. Kabelschlepp Metool has been able to win the bid and to successfully implement the project with an international team. The basis for this RSC system is a MC1300 cable carrier equipped with TRAXLINE drag chain cables.

13th May 2016