Machine Building

Custom bearings help maximise gas recovery for Oil & Gas major

Schaeffler UK has custom designed a set of maintenance-free spherical plain bearings to support a newly constructed process module extension column, which is fixed to the main offshore platform located in the North Sea.

8th May 2014

Kollmorgen provides smooth pneumatic to electric transition

An increasing number of companies in the packaging machine industry have chosen electrical servo technology - mainly to replace motion axes previously powered by pneumatic systems. "Servo technology increases controllability and reduces noise emission. These systems also help us to increase the number of production cycles", Guido Spix, CTO Multivac, recently emphasized during a packaging show. The packaging machine company uses motion control systems from Kollmorgen to reduce energy consumption, increase the overall machine effectiveness and improve safety of packaging processes.

6th May 2014

Datatrack provides double the control at First Components

First Components invested in PSL Datatrack production management and business administration software to ensure effective management of two businesses within its group. They supply both components and assemblies to a wide range of industries including aerospace, automotive, medical, electrical, white goods and general engineering.

5th May 2014

Service robots take over clean-up of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

While research continues under laboratory conditions elsewhere, Australian robotics specialists have demonstrated a concrete application at the recent Schunk Expert Days event on Service Robotics. Using the Sydney Harbour Bridge as an example, Australian specialists have highlighted how service robots will soon revolutionise how steel structures are serviced. The robust lightweight robotic systems are planned to go into serial production at the end of 2014. At their core is a lightweight arm designed by Schunk.

5th May 2014

From pedals to steering, igus' bearings fit many applications

iglidur plastic bearings from igus, are a good fit for the automotive industry. Carefully tested in igus' high-tech laboratories, the iglidur range has been developed to live up to igus' "˜plastics for longer life' mantra.

1st May 2014

Exception-based remote condition monitoring of ships' gearboxes

Schaeffler UK has installed condition monitoring systems on two ships operated by United European Car Carriers (UECC). The monitoring systems, which are installed in the ships' engine control rooms, are set up to monitor the vibration behaviour of the engine gearboxes.

1st May 2014

WDS components used in world's first All-Terrain' wheelchair

In their standard design format, wheelchairs are almost impossible to use on the majority of woodland and country paths. This means that many wheelchair users find themselves frustrated by the limitations imposed on them by the mobility of their chair. Tim Morgan, Managing Director of Mountain Trike, recognised this problem and designed the world's first all-terrain wheelchair. Now in full-time production, Tim has specified WDS components to help connect his drive levers to the Trike's drive train. This is a vote of confidence for the reliability and short lead times that WDS offers.

25th April 2014

Flexible drive system - simple, yet clever

Robotronic AG, the Swiss sole agency for Mitsubishi robots, focuses on individual automation systems. For the specialist's self-developed robot cell "˜MRT' (Modular Robot Technology), a feeding system for the pharmaceutical packaging industry, HepcoMotion linear systems were the choice. The combination of Robotronic's modular design and HepcoMotion's linear systems offers an individual product, ready for serial production.

24th April 2014

HepcoMotion X-Y-Z gantry provides 3kN of downforce

The Department on Civil and Structural Engineering at Sheffield University is a world authority on soil dynamics. Its research group continues to explore how soil behaves under different stress conditions and for this purpose has developed a non-intrusive modelling technique using transparent soil. Central to this work is a test rig, whose design and construction has brought together the expertise of the linear motion company, HepcoMotion, and SmartDrive, specialists in motion control.

24th April 2014

Thermal imaging spots cockpit electrical faults

Today, even low-cost, entry-level thermal imaging cameras are surprisingly smart. They are suitable for quick and easy troubleshooting but they are not best suited to every task. Where clear visual evidence of thermal difference is needed in mission or process-critical application, a camera that has a thermal sensitivity of no less than 30mK is essential.

18th April 2014