Machine Building

OEM standardises to ABB drive to improve boiler range efficiency

An improvement in the pumping accuracy of water feed within industrial boilers has led to Byworth Boilers standardising using an ABB variable speed drive (VSD) to enhance the efficiency of its products.

12th February 2018

3D printed grippers cost less and are quicker to manufacture

By switching from machined aluminium grippers to 3D printed versions made from igus iglidur i150 filament, a manufacturer of cosmetic products has reduced costs by up to 85 per cent and manufacturing time by 70 per cent.

7th February 2018

maxon motors and gearheads chosen for endurance race car engines

2017 was an incredible year for race car engine specialist, Gibson Technology. The Repton-based company designed, developed and manufactured a new 4.2 litre V8 engine, supplied to all LMP2 racing teams in the most prestigious endurance competitions. Every engine depends on the performance and reliability of a maxon DC motor and gearhead assembly.

7th February 2018

Retrofits to ESAB Suprarex plasma cutting machines boost quality

ESAB has retrofitted two Suprarex plasma cutting machines with new CNC and plasma cutting systems for a longstanding customer, Eddison & Wanless. One machine was 12 years old and the other was five years younger, but both have been retrofitted with identical m3 Plasma systems so Eddison & Wanless is benefiting from improved cut quality and higher productivity. The complete retrofit project cost substantially less than buying two all-new plasma cutting machines, yet Eddison & Wanless is benefitting from state-of-the-art plasma cutting capability.

31st January 2018

Condition monitoring services for an energy-from-waste facility

By analysing vibration data from critical plant and equipment at a UK-based energy-from-waste facility, Schaeffler has been able to detect damage to components such as rolling bearings and gears early, therefore eliminating costly, unplanned downtime and prolonging the life of motors and gearboxes.

30th January 2018

Temperature measurement in the Hyperloop

Travelling from A to B at record pace in the Hyperloop - that's the vision of Tesla's CEO Elon Musk, who is pushing the development of this innovative transportation technology. But this high-speed mode of transportation requires precision sensors to take over important measurement tasks. Compact infrared temperature sensors from Micro-Epsilon check the surface temperature of drive wheels, battery voltage, current, engine temperature, engine speed, ambient pressure and pressure in pneumatic systems.

26th January 2018

Thickness profile measurement improves steel strip quality

A UK-based steel producer has installed a non-contact inline thickness measurement system from Micro-Epsilon directly in its slitting line to accurately measure the thickness profile of narrow steel strip as it is cold rolled from coils.

25th January 2018

$igus bearings used in drilling machine in bone fracture repairs$

igus bearings used in drilling machine in bone fracture repairs

iglidur plain bearings from igus have helped a team of students meet the demanding requirements of a smart drill measuring system used to fix bone fractures. The combination of rotary drive and axial vibration required the use of high-quality plain bearings not only to implement freedom of movement in the axial direction, but also to achieve the most accurate signals possible at high vibration frequencies.

24th January 2018

Drone technology benefits from the use of igus motion plastics

Effective pest control can often be difficult, especially if surrounding areas must not be affected. The FitoStinger drone was developed exactly for this purpose. Its lightweight design is partly attributed to motion plastics from igus that include the extremely light drylin linear guide made of carbon.

24th January 2018

"˜Snap' car banks on Harting's Fast Charging technology

Swiss automobile manufacturer Rinspeed presented its new concept vehicle "˜Snap' at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2018 in Las Vegas - with Rinspeed AG once again relying on innovative Harting technology. The family-owned company provided rapid-charge technology to quickly charge the "˜Snap' with electricity in an environmentally friendly manner.

23rd January 2018