David Strain, technical director at Technidrive, examines the motor and drive technologies underpinning commercial food production and explains how these technologies give manufacturers tighter control across production lines.

Specifying a vision system is rarely the hard part. The real time cost sits around it: choosing the right lens, matching the lighting to the surface, mounting everything so it survives the line, then spending time tuning processing items and threshold values until the OK/NG judgement holds up against real-world variation. OMRON says its new FHV7-AI Detection Camera removes all of that setup pain.

Contrinex is renowned for both its technical leadership and the robustness and reliability of its factory automation sensors. During this period of unusually warm weather, PLUS Automation notes that Contrinex's unique Condist sensing technology provides long, stable sensing distances across a wide temperature range.

ABB has extended its all-compatible drive portfolio with the introduction of IP66 / UL Type 4X rated variants across its ACS580 General Purpose, ACH580 HVACR, and ACQ580 Water and Wastewater drive families.

Belden has announced the release of its new ProSoft Technology ELX3 ProLinx Edge Gateway. This offering unites operational technology (OT) protocol conversion with lightweight, Docker-based edge application hosting on a single ruggedsed hardware platform.

Rollon announces the launch of the HVC-MG and H1C-MG telescopic rails. The new MG version integrates magnets that allow the sequential opening of the rail elements, delivering improved load management, smoother extension, and increased durability, even under intensive operating conditions.

Nabtesco Precision Europe's zero backlash strain wave gears (manufactured by Ovalo in Limburg/Lahn) offer maximum precision, outstanding performance and cost-efficiency. With extensive customisation and integration options, the modular product system is available in the UK from R.A. Rodriguez (UK).

At the binder Innovation and Technology Center (ITZ), sensors, heating elements and conductor tracks are produced by printing - on plastic, metal, glass or ceramic, and even on curved surfaces. The binder group turns this into a production-ready system solution.

NORDAC ON, the most recent product family of decentralised frequency inverters from NORD DRIVESYSTEMS, receives new functional safety features. The specialist for drive solutions thus optimises the system for use in automation environments.

The UK lags behind the rest of the world on automation. In sectors where adhesive dispensing is a routine part of assembly, that gap represents a real competitive disadvantage. Here, Matt Baseley, Head of Sales at adhesives and dispensing systems supplier Intertronics, examines ten reasons for investing in automation.