Process Engineering Control & Manufacturing - Issue 50 2021

Process

MANUFACTURING

Control &

Engineering

CORBETTS - 10

TSUBAKI - 28

Galvanizing 'world first' creates 40 new jobs

Tsubaki Neptune™ chain keeps the drinks coming for beverage manufacturer

PECM

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Process

MANUFACTURING

Inside...

Sections

Control &

Engineering Inside Issue 50

Editors Choice

6

Boilers & Maintenance

40

Galvanizing ‘world first’ creates 40 new jobs

Control & Automation

42

C-ALPS

Electrical & Electronics

52

Fasteners & Fixings

59

Fluid Handling

60

Gears, Drives & Motors

63

Health & Safety

65

Machining & Machinery

72

Measurement & Monitoring

76

News & Events

84

Process Technologies

90

Software & Systems

95

Tools, Plant & Equipment

96

CORBETTS

WINSTER

MET Recruitment signs Winster deal to support hose specialist’s future expansion

C-ALPS targets hydrogen fuel cell opportunities with £2m new lab investment

CORTEC

FRASER TECHNOLOGY

PP C&A

nPB replacement in 5 steps

TSUBAKI

Get Ready to Unleash the Cortec® Boiler ‘Reptiles’ on Corrosion PP C&A targets £40m sales with a little help from Sharing in Growth

Tsubaki Neptune™ chain keeps the drinks coming for beverage manufacturer

CLPA

HLH PROTOTYPES

FANUC

James Murphy, co-founder and vicegeneral manager of HLH Prototypes, looks at the rise of this form of manufacturing

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

New services from Schneider Electric pinpoint operational risks

Why TSN will soon be a must-have for competitive manufacturing FANUC partners with Recycleye to automate the recycling industry

SICK

SICK Launches Compact 2D Vision Camera with Deep Learning App Onboard

Issue 50 PECM

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Process

The leading source for innovators in Technology, Manufacturing and Maintenance within the Engineering & Processing industry worldwide.

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Every issue of the magazine contains the latest news, in-depth features, together with product innovations and case studies showing how process engineers are implementing new technologies to reduce costs and impact on the environment.

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Issue 50 PECM

5

EDITOR’S CHOICE

GEMÜ Lined Diaphragm Valves – Versatile Process Valves for Industrial Applications GEMÜ lined diaphragm valves are the ideal process valves for industrial applications. The combination of robust body housing and durable plastics is preferable for corrosive, high temperature media and safetyrelevant systems. At GEMÜ the high-quality and robust lined diaphragm valves are developed using injection moulding via a central sprue from below the valve weir, preventing the plastic layer from detaching from the metal body under vacuum operating conditions. The metal/plastic material transition is designed at the pipe connections so that the plastic lining is fixed axially inside the pipe and no stress damage can occur as a result of thermal expansion. A temperature-resistant coating on the metal bodies prepared for injection provides a high level of corrosion protection for the metal surface even underneath the plastic layer. All of this goes hand in hand with offering the customer a superior product with peace of mind that the product is more than adequate for their application.

Tel: 01925 824044 Email: enquiries@gemu.co.uk Web: www.gemu.co.uk

60 years of innovation brings you the green line valve Muller Coax have developed a patented energy saving valve which can offer up to 80% power saving on similar sized valves.

The new green line series has been specially developed as an energy efficient series of solenoid valves. For this reason directly controlled standard valves from Muller coax has been paired with completely new patented control electronics within the terminal box.

The valve has an optical position indicator as standard on the terminal box for the open / closed position, the position indicator as also available as an electrical signal. Flanged or

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PECM Issue 50

threaded from 15mm through to 40mm orifice and 100 bar rated the design in the electronic circuitry within the box allows: • Different opening / closing speeds at the flick of a switch which helps to eliminate vibration and water hammer in the pipework.

• Holding voltage as low as 7.5 watts for the smaller 15mm valve reduces the power consumption when energised for long periods and the solenoid remains cold.

www.co-ax.com john.osborn@coaxvalves.co.uk Tel 01908 067583.

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EDITOR’S CHOICE

THE NEW U1000-WM MICRONICS

New Product Release from Micronics The New U1000-WM (Wall Mount) is a significant addition to the Micronics ULTRAFLO range of Clamp-on, Flow and Heat/Energy meters and provides a noninvasive metering solution for hot & cold water services, potable and process water flow measurements.

U1000 Flow and Heat/Energy meters are now available in the original pipe-mounted or new wall-mounted, display & keyboard format with an extended pipe range!

The U1000MKII is a “Best Value” Clampon, Ultrasonic flow meter alternative to traditional inline meters, for process and energy management applications, which offers significant installation cost and dry maintenance benefits over traditional in-line products. And the new U1000 Wall Mount version offers the alternative of Clamp-on pipe-mounted flow sensors but with a wall or control panel, display and keyboard plus an extended range to cover larger pipe size applications.

Micronics has built on its success with the ULTRAFLO U1000 meter range to develop a WM (Wall Mount) version, which extends the pipe size to cover applications from 25mm – 225mm (8”) OD pipe and the temperature range to 135°C. And whilst the U1000MKII-WM can still be used as a stand-alone product, in the all important area of connectivity the new product supports optional Mbus or Modbus RTU slave and RS485 serial communications for SCADA, aM&T or BEMs systems.

Still simple to install: connect power and enter the pipe inside diameter, adjust the sensors and clamp-on the pipe with no specialist skills or tools required but now with the added flexibility of an alternative wall or panel mounted keyboard and display and a wider range of application the U1000 MKII meters continue to offer a “Best Value” clamp-on non-invasive alternative to traditional in-line meter installation, with no drain-down required plus dry servicing, providing minimum downtime and maximum availability.

For further information on this product or the Micronics range call Micronics on +44(0)1628 810456, visit www.micronicsflowmeters.com or take a look on YouTube.

The U1000MKII is a “Best Value” Clamp-on, Ultrasonic flow meter alternative to traditional inline meters, for process and energy management applications, which offers significant installation cost and dry maintenance benefits over traditional in-line products.

For further information, please visit www.micronicsflowmeters.com

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PECM Issue 50

EDITOR’S CHOICE ULTRAFLO U1000MKII RANGE

PORTAFLOW PF333/PF222 NEW SIMPLE CLAMP ON, NON INVASIVE FLOW & ENERGY MEASUREMENT FROM MICRONICS

PF333 now available as energy meter

THE CLAMP-ON ALTERNATIVE TO CUTTING PIPES AND MECHANICAL METERS FROM MICRONICS, FOR SIMPLE, LOW COST FLOW AND ENERGY MEASUREMENT FROM OUTSIDE THE PIPE!

• Ultrasonic, cross-correlation flow measurement • Reynolds number correction • Easy to install • Simple to follow set-up menu • Clamp-on flow and temperature sensors

NEW! Now available in the original pipe-mounted or new wall-mounted, display & keyboard format with extended pipe range.

The NEW Portaflow PF333/ PF222 range brings simplicity to the non-invasive measurement of liquid flow and is now available with an energy meter function for the PF333. Results can be achieved within minutes of opening the case.

The ULTRAFLO range of clamp-on metering solutions including the New U1000MKII-WM with wall or panel mounted display and keyboard offers a complete package alternative to traditional in-line flow and energy meters.

If you need to monitor and manage water and energy consumption in your facility the ULTRAFLO range offers a best value solution including lower cost, no disruption installation and dry maintenance for hot and chilled water applications ranging from 22 to 225mm OD.

Compact, rugged and reliable, designed to provide sustained performance in: Process fluid monitoring and Energy Management including Water, Glycol, DI, Diesel and Fuel Oils. For System audits, Pump verification, Boiler testing, Leak detection and many more...

And the range can be used as a standalone installation or form an integral part of your

Suitable for: Steel, Plastic and Copper pipe, 22 to 225mm OD

aM&T or Building Energy Management System.

Simple to install – connect power and enter the pipe inside diameter, adjust the sensors and clamp-on the pipe – no specialist skills or tools required!

Compact, rugged and reliable, the ULTRAFLO range has been designed to provide sustained performance in industrial environments.

MADE IN BRITAIN

For fur ther information call us on

+ 44 ( 0 )1628 810456 or email sales@micronicsltd.co.uk www.micronicsflowmeters.com

1381-Micronics PF333+222 Ad 90 x 277mm Dec 2020 v1.indd 1

For fur ther information call us on

+ 44 ( 0 )1628 243064

or email sales@micronicsltd.co.uk www.micronicsflowmeters.com

09/12/20201401-Micronics 19:33 U1000 MKII Range Ad 90 x 277mm Feb 2021 v1.inddIssue 1

50 PECM 9 15:10 15/02/2021

EDITOR’S CHOICE

A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP CORBETTS THE GALVANIZERS

Galvanizing ‘world first’ creates 40 new jobs with consistent increases of work in construction, prisons, rail, utilities and with the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

An exciting tie-up between two businesses in the Black Country and Shropshire is delivering a ‘Galvanizing’ world first.

Fastline Steel Services has signed a £multimillion integrated manufacturing agreement with Corbetts the Galvanizers to exclusively use Plant A at its Telford site, guaranteeing over 15,000 tonnes of perimeter steel fencing will be galvanized there every year.

The decision, which creates up to 40 new jobs and safeguards a further 80 more across the two firms, marks a switch from dual sourcing to a more strategic partnership that will deliver increased capacity and reduced lead times, not to mention world class, repeatable quality.

“This marks the next stage of a five-year relationship and a new way for galvanizers and manufacturers to work together,” explained Sophie Williams, Finance Director and General Manager at Corbetts the Galvanizers.

“The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns had cut our volumes in certain sectors and that meant we temporarily

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PECM Issue 50

This is a very exciting move for the business and will help support growth plans that will initially take turnover from £15m to £30m over the next eighteen months. consolidated all business into our larger Plant B. Whilst this was not ideal, it did give us the opportunity to take a longerterm view of how we wanted to work with our customers to build more strategic partnerships.”

She continued: “One of those was with Fastline Steel Services, who has been growing rapidly and was in need of guaranteed additional capacity to cope

“We held several detailed discussions and eventually agreed to bring back Plant A to serve as a dedicated galvanizing facility.

A further 10 jobs are to be created in the initial three months, with the installation of palisade lines directly on site supporting the manufacture of railings and high security steel perimeter systems.

“Over £500,000 has been invested in creating the infrastructure so that the products can be manufactured and sent straight to be dipped in baths just a few metres away.”

Corbetts, which celebrated 160 years in business in 2020, currently galvanizes over 100 tonnes of products every week for Fastline, with the second line providing the opportunity for exponential increases.

This, alongside the introduction of a Kanban system and a new approach to hanging work, will speed up throughput and allow both parties to meet growth expectations.

Mike Fellows, Managing Director of Fastline Steel Services, went on to add: “This is a very exciting move for the business and will help support growth plans that will initially take turnover from £15m to £30m over the next eighteen months.

This process is the most effective and environmentally friendly way to protect steel from the elements and provides a long-term solution to corrosion (rust) and maintenance free protection in excess of 100 years.

From its purpose-built facility in Telford, it operates a number of galvanizing baths that give it the opportunity to process in excess of 50,000 tonnes every year and the ability to double dip material up to a length of 14 metres.

“There is significant interest in our core fabricated products, including steel palisade, rigid mesh, chain link, weldmesh and fabricated railing systems, with a host of new automated solutions also coming online.

“This means we require a strategic partner we trust to deliver the galvanizing capacity and quality going forward and Corbetts really stepped up when we gave it the challenge.”

He concluded: “It’s a galvanizing sector world first and, importantly, will safeguard 80 jobs and create many more in its first twelve months. There’s also a significant environmental benefit as we are reducing hundreds of journeys and minimising energy usage whenever we can.”

Corbetts the Galvanizers has been supplying world class hot dip galvanizing to thousands of customers across the UK and Europe for 160 years.

For further information, please visit www.wcorbett.co.uk or www.fastlinesteel.co.uk Issue 50 PECM

11

EDITOR’S CHOICE

ifm’s new longer-tip conductivity sensors simplify CIP Particularly suited for use in CIP (cleaning-in-place) applications in the food and beverage industries, the new LDL201 conductivity sensors from ifm electronic have a 77mm long sensing tip which makes them versatile and easy to install in a variety of hygienic process connections. In addition, the tip features solid PEEK construction which virtually eliminates the risk of breakage even if the sensor is subjected to high levels of stress.

Typical applications for the new LDL201 sensors include monitoring/control of cleaning agents, checking rinse water for residues and product validation. Since the sensors allow improved process control to be achieved, they typically enable users to cut costs by reducing energy usage during CIP cycles, along with the consumption of water and cleaning agents.

LDL201 sensors have a conductivity measuring range of 100 µS/cm to 1000 mS/cm and feature an integrated temperature sensor. They have a continuous operating temperature of -25 to +100 ºC and a maximum of 150 ºC < 1 hr. They are provided with an IO-Link interface which provides loss- and error-free transmission of measured conductivity and temperature values.

IO-Link also allows easy parameterisation, which not only aids initial set up but also makes it quick and easy to adjust settings to accommodate recipe changes.

With food-grade material used for all parts exposed to the media in which they are being used, ifm’s new conductivity sensors meet EHEDG, FDA and 3-A standards. They are available for fast delivery and are complemented by a wide range of accessories. These include welding adapters, clamps, hygienic pipe fittings and pre-terminated connecting cables.

C

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https://www.ifm.com/gb/en/shared/product-news/2020/sps/conductivity-sensor-for-clamp-and-hygienic-pipe-fittings

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Demand grows for improved water treatment systems

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The filtration specialist has seen a rise in demand for customised membrane systems as environmental responsibility, operational costs, and discharge limitations put increasing pressure on companies to find improved solutions for trade effluents.

Derek Davies, Business Development Director at Axium Process, said “A growing number of industrial companies need to balance their discharge consent against increased levels of production and spikes in output linked to manufacturing processes. Failure to do so can result in hefty fines, snap inspections, and reputational damage.

Advances in effluent processing techniques mean that crossflow membrane filtration can filter raw effluent and recover high quality water. It allows highly customised solutions to be developed that can meet ambitious sustainability goals.

As it is a physical process no chemicals are required to separate suspended or dissolved materials. The technology has the potential

www.axiumprocess.com

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PECM Issue 50

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Stringent discharge rules for trade effluents are fuelling enquiries into the benefits of the latest wastewater processing technology, says Axium Process.

“Even similar industries have very different filtration requirements, so the ideal solution is a purpose-designed treatment process for each application. To identify and optimise the best solution, our engineers first conduct investigative pilot trials on the feed material either at our test facility in Swansea or the manufacturer’s premises. The trial results will clearly identify the main requirements for the project and associated benefits.”

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to significantly reduce effluent disposal costs while recovering up to 95 per cent clean reusable water.

Water recycling systems from Axium Process can be used in almost any industry, including pharmaceutical, food, drink, textiles, chemical and automotive. They can also be used to complement other waste treatment processes such as anaerobic digestion.

An unbeatable team!

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Enhanced security for your food production RANTY AR

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years if m p r o d

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With ifm you can monitor and control your hygienic production processes in a precise and, thanks to IO-Link, even more comprehensive and convenient way: The new TCC temperature sensor with integrated Calibration Check Technology continuously validates the measured value and protects the production process and product quality in equal measure.

The LMT level switch works reliably even in highly viscous, sticky and foaming products . It simply ignores build-up. The full metal pressure sensor PM15 is the world’s first hygienically approved (3A and EHEDG) sensor with G1/2”process connection and ceramic-capacitive measuring cell. This enables greatly simplified and cost effective connection to small diameter pipework. The compact LDL conductivity sensors help you to establish efficient CIP- cleaning and increase the availability of your system. ifm - close to you!

Go ifmonline ifm.com / uk

EDITOR’S CHOICE

TEST CHAMBER SPECIALISTS JAMES TECHNICAL SERVICES

Engineered solutions, designed and built in Britain James Technical Services is an established independent, specialist manufacturer – designing and building high-performance environmental test chambers for a wide variety of industries.

Our mission is to work closely with our customers to provide innovative solutions for their product development and quality assurance. As such, we are delighted to have been working on a project with Grayson Thermal Systems who is the market-leading supplier of cooling, HVAC and e-mobility systems across a variety of industries.

The design brief was to build a large environmental test chamber to provide controlled temperature conditions between -30°C and +55°C with some test loads dissipating up to 30kw.

The combination of a ceiling-mounted cooling unit, fitted with three EC fans and a speed-controlled Ecostar Bitzer condensing unit ensure maximum efficiency in full and part load operations.

Double doors and a removable aluminium ramp give easy access to a test area that is 2.8m wide x 3.8m deep and 2m high.

The high load-bearing anti-slip floor is fitted with drainage points to facilitate the safe containment of test fluids used within the customer processes.

One wall of the room is fitted with an inlet and an outlet port allowing the customer to connect their test product up to an external conditioned temperature and humidity cyclone air supply. This cyclone air is mixed and conditioned in an insulated enclosure adjacent to the main test area where humidity is introduced via a steam lance. To give full testing flexibility two insulated stainless steel bungs are provided to isolate the cyclone system when it is not required.

As with any bespoke design, it is key that the customer interface is accurate, informative and easy to navigate, so for this JTS use the Watlow F4T touch screen programmable controller which permits

custom screens to be created. Taking full advantage of ethernet connectivity the chamber can be run and monitored from a PC anywhere on the network.

With the chamber installed and commissioned, Grayson Thermal Systems can look forward to a future of reliable testing backed by our after-sales support for scheduled maintenance and calibration, with a quick efficient response should a breakdown occur.

For further information, please visit jts-test-chambers.co.uk

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PECM Issue 50

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EDITOR’S CHOICE

LATEST NEWS FROM C-ALPS C-ALPS

C-ALPS targets hydrogen fuel cell opportunities with £2m new lab investment

Over £2m is being invested into developing a world class hydrogen fuel cell development facility in Coventry University, as the UK looks to lead the globe with electrified propulsion systems.

There will be areas for instrumenting and commissioning electric drive and fuel cell systems and equipment for environmental testing of powertrain components and systems from -400 to +1200

sector and improving air quality.

Hydrogen, as a fuel, will almost certainly play a significant role in this transition,” explained Simon Shepherd, Director of C-ALPS.

The Centre for Advanced Low-Carbon Propulsion Systems (C-ALPS), which works with a number of industrial partners, has pressed the button on work that will create a dedicated 100sq metre Hydrogen Fuel Cell lab and comprehensive upgrade of its powertrain cells for running with hydrogen fuel.

This investment will complement C-ALPS’ bespoke fuel cell test stands, which have been developed in-house and feature advanced electrochemical diagnostics for detailed characterisation of applicationscale fuel cells and stacks.

“Our latest investments strengthen our existing hydrogen energy research capabilities and give us the facility to support partners in both fuel cell and hydrogen generation R&D and fuel cell application projects.”

The new facilities will be housed inside the £50m research centre that was opened in 2018 and will feature a fully equipped laboratory alongside the upgraded test cells for fuel cell and electrolyser system, stack and cell-level testing and diagnostic/post-mortem work.

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PECM Issue 50

Construction and fit-out will be completed by late August 2021 and will give researchers state-of-the-art facilities to undertake fundamental and collaborative applied research with industry.

“Sustainable electric propulsion and mobile energy storage solutions are essential in decarbonising the transport

He continued: “There is massive interest in this area of electrification and adoption of these technologies is growing extremely fast in Europe and Asia, mainly from stakeholders involved in heavy-duty commercial vehicles, bus and coach, marine, rail transport and aerospace applications.

Sustainable electric propulsion and mobile energy storage solutions are essential in decarbonising the transport sector and improving air quality. so that it can deliver rapidly developing ‘enabling’ technologies around battery systems, fuel cell development, power electronics and electric drive systems.

Oliver Curnick “Capacity and capability are significantly expanded with these new investments from the University. Researchers, professors and engineering staff will be employed in the new labs and test cells and, as the project portfolio continues to grow, this is expected to create a number of new positions within the team.”

The facility, which was initially co-funded by international engineering consultancy FEV, focuses on strong industry and academic collaboration to create cuttingedge research, future engineering leaders and powertrain solutions that will drive economic growth and minimise environmental impact.

The Centre for Advanced Low-Carbon Propulsion Systems has been working with the transport sector to create cleaner mobility and develop the supply chain

C-ALPS currently offers access to automotive format battery cell prototype manufacture, battery-cell and module testing and characterisation, system

modelling, in-situ sensing and advanced diagnostics and expertise in next generation power electronic devices and sensors.

The centre has already secured a number of major research project wins and is making significant progress towards selfsensing/healing battery cells, development of sensing for electric drive systems, advanced on-board diagnostics for battery, fuel cell and hybrid power systems.

Oliver Curnick, Associate Professor at C-ALPS and technical lead on Hydrogen within the Group, concluded: “What makes us unique within the UK is our mix of component and system level expertise from both academic and industrial backgrounds - all geared towards applied research which enables our industrial partners to meet the challenges facing the transport sectors.

“Understanding both the science behind batteries, fuel cells and electric drives and the engineering which delivers them into a vehicle system, means that commercial partners can approach us with confidence that we can both understand the challenges they face and work with them to create truly innovate solutions.

“The latest investment is a massive step forward and a real show of commitment from Coventry University and our ambition to help the UK lead the world in clean mobility.

For further information, please visit www.coventry.ac.uk/c-alps Issue 50 PECM

17

EDITOR’S CHOICE

BREXIT & BEYOND 3DPRINTUK

Reassessing supply chains for uk manufacture Whether because of the vagaries of Brexit, or because of the intense scrutiny that supply chains have come under due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, many manufacturers find themselves in a state of flux, and there is a tangible move across industry to localise production where possible while at the same time maintaining timeliness, cost-effectiveness, and quality of production. In some instances, companies using international service providers have had their orders refused, which was the case for Qontrol Ltd., a new client of 3DPRINTUK. Such situations can be catastrophic, and have caused numerous manufacturers to select UK-based production services.

The government was nothing if not persistent in its appeals to business to prepare for the inevitable changes that would take place once Brexit was a done deal rather than simply an approaching date.

So saying, ahead of the actual leave date, and reinforced by the need to respond to the disruption caused by the pandemic, 3DPRINTUK — along with many other forward looking companies — had already started to make preparations to ensure that its international clients continued to receive the same high standard of service that they had become accustomed to, despite increasing uncertainty at the British border and customs issues.

3 months on from the January Brexit date, there continues to be particular concern around road freight for international orders.

To mitigate these delays at customs and to ensure reliable international deliveries during this period, 3DPRINTUK stopped all road freight and instead, all orders were and still are fulfilled by UPS Express until things settle.

For our clients based within Great Britain, there has been little to no disruption as 3DPRINTUK provides service as normal from its facilities in London, and is in close communication with its couriers who are confident that services will operate as expected. For any clients in Northern Ireland or Eire, 3DPRINTUK will also use UPS Express to avoid delays at what is effectively negotiated as a UK border in the Irish Sea.

For any potential clients based in the UK who may be using 3D printing services from the continent and who experience any of the issues described for parts coming the other way —a fresh look at manufacturing in the UK with 3DPRINTUK might actually relieve some of the issues and uncertainty companies might be facing with European suppliers with regards to delays and additional logistics costs.

3DPRINTUK has direct experience of how this may work from one of its customers, Qontrol, based in Bristol UK. Qontrol makes instruments for use in quantum science R&D, with a mission to make controlling complex photonic devices easy and economical.

The company uses 3D printing throughout the design cycle, from prototyping through to production, and is a recent convert to 3DPRINTUK which it now uses to produce its custom electronic enclosures and mechanical parts to support its products.

One key attraction is that 3DPRINTUK offers both selective laser sintering (SLS) and MultiJet Fusion (MJF). The team at Qontrol prefers SLS parts for their tactile feel and on-brand dye colourings, but finds that MJF parts tend to be cheaper and more reproducible.

But playing to the Brexit theme, the reason

that Qontrol made the initial move to 3DPRINTUK is one that other companies in a similar position might recognise.

Dr Josh Silverstone, Qontrol’s CTO, explains.

“We have been long-time regular customers of a continental-European print service.

Very simply, we needed to place an urgent order with them just before Christmas 2020, and they refused it down to uncertainty around Brexit. Looking for alternatives, we stumbled on 3DPRINTUK, and we couldn’t be happier. 3DPRINTUK’s parts are at least as high-quality as our old supplier, with very competitive pricing and generally faster turn-around, without the new Brexit customs headaches. We’ve decided to use them as our main 3D printer, going forward, and we hope they keep up the good work!”

Customers and potential customers can check out the high-quality industrial 3D printing services 3DPRINTUK provides — SLS and MJF — both for functional prototyping applications as well as reliable batch production services, and the way that the company can be an integral support to a robust supply chain moving forward, never more important than in post-Brexit Britain, and when considering the disruption that has taken place to cumbersome international supply chains during the pandemic.

For further information, please visit www.3dprint-uk.co.uk

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PECM Issue 50

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ADDITIVE FOR MANUFACTURE

EDITOR’S CHOICE

PRODUCT EXPANSION TR FASTENINGS

TR launches HUMMEL cable glands to enhance their Plastics & Rubber Hardware range TR Fastenings announces further product expansion with the launch of a new premium range of HUMMEL cable glands, an important addition to its growing plastic & rubber hardware portfolio. This latest move confirms TR’s commitment to increase their product offering to existing and new customers nationally and globally.

HUMMEL cable glands are made of the highest quality plastic, brass and stainless steel and hold all the relevant approvals for international use. This range spans across numerous industry sectors with specific products to suit their needs.

DESIGNED WITH SAFETY IN MIND Cable glands perform a number of essential roles in cable management. Designed to attach and seal the end of an electric cable, cable glands provide earthing, grounding, insulation and strain relief when connected to plugs, terminals, enclosures or electrical equipment.

They are often used outdoors or in harsh and hazardous environments where they need to contain electrical sparks or repel external contaminants such as dirt, dust, water and moisture. In addition, they

prevent cables twisting, tearing and pulling to ensure continual performance and a secure connection.

ADHERENCE TO STRICT SPECIFICATION HUMMEL’s range offers a wide choice of high specification plastic and metal materials and mounting thread types. All products adhere to the strictest national and international specifications, for full information on all please visit the TR website.

HIGHEST IP RATING With the international Ingress Protection (IP) rating system in place, the IP rates the glands depending on their design and efficiency for different applications. The HSK-K plastic range and HSK-M metal range meet the toughest requirements of industrial indoor and outdoor environments and provide the highest levels of IP ratings – IP68 and IP69K, compared to other competitors’ product.

This is mainly due to advanced seal design.

The higher rated IP69K enables products to be used in conditions where equipment

must be carefully sanitised such as in medical and food processing applications.

Dr. Bertram Melzig-Thiel, Vice President Product Line Cable Glands at HUMMEL, commented; “We are pleased to be able to expand our cooperation and we are sure that we will enrich TR Fastenings’ high-quality product range with our premium cable glands.”

Andrew Fletcher, Director of Plastics and Rubber (Commercial and Technical) at TR commented; “TR is proud to offer this latest innovative range to customers, and working with a world-class manufacturer in the connector field such as HUMMEL, strengthens our commitment to growing this range.

“This isn’t a one solution fits all scenario as we’ve seen the cable glands market change considerably over the years, with continuous product developments to meet industry demands. We do more than just deliver products, we provide solutions and we’re well poised to react quickly to this evolving market whilst remaining competitive.”

For more information on the HUMMEL Cable gland products visit: www.trfastenings.com/products/Catalogue/Cable-Glands

20

PECM Issue 50

Cable Glands

Flammability rating of UL94 V0

part part of of the the Trifast Trifast plc plc Group Group

IP68 (up to 10 bar) and IP69K

NEMA & UL Certifications

A range of premium cable glands that meet the highest demands on quality

Relevant certifications will provide customers peace of mind on performance

One of the highest levels of ingress protection compared to competitors due to advanced seal design

Carries NEMA approvals: important when equipment is being supplied to American markets

Wide range of styles in the HUMMEL portfolio to meet specific application requirements

A comprehensive range of standards & approvals ensuring they meet the requirements of diverse industries

Product Range

General Purpose Product Range

Nylon, Nylon, Flex-Protecting Flex-Protecting Nylon, Nylon, Nylon Nylon Lock Lock Nuts, Nuts, Nickel Nickel Plated Plated Brass, Brass, Stainless Stainless Steel, Steel, Brass Brass and and Stainless Stainless Steel Steel Lock Lock Nuts, Nuts, O-Rings O-Rings -- Nitrile Nitrile

Nylon, Nylon, Nylon Nylon Lock Lock Nuts, Nuts, Nickel Nickel Plated Plated Brass, Brass, Stainless Stainless Steel, Steel, Brass Brass and and Stainless Stainless Steel Steel Lock Lock Nuts, Nuts, O-Rings O-Rings -- Nitrile, Nitrile, Threaded Threaded Plugs Plugs

Contact TR Fastenings - Your specialist in Cable Glands

Localised Localised stock stock availablity availablity

Technical Technical && dimensional dimensional data data

www.trfastenings.com

Design Design support support && problem problem solving solving

sales@trfastenings.com

EDITOR’S CHOICE

NPB REPLACEMENT IN 5 STEPS FRASER TECHNOLOGIES

nPB was prohibited from 4 July 2020, though not all companies have ceased use of the solvent. Graham Fraser, MD of Fraser Technologies, discusses the simple steps to making the safe switch and how an aerospace customer has made the change to a safer solvent.

Due to legislation around the safe use of nPB (also known as n-propyl bromide or 1-bromopropane), the substance was banned under REACH regulations from 4 July 2020. Any business still using this solvent in its cleaning and degreasing process must find a replacement, except where authorisation to keep using it is granted.

If business are still using nPB, they must take action to ensure that their cleaning processes are compliant. Here are our top tips to help make the switch and to keep employees and businesses safe:

1. KNOW HOW THE BAN AFFECTS YOUR CLEANING SYSTEM The first step is to understand how the ban will affect different types of cleaning systems. Users of ECSA type I (open top) and type II (enclosed) cleaning systems will need to stop using nPB and use an alternative cleaning agent. nPB can turn acidic, which corrodes the machinery from the inside, so you may need to also repair or even replace your equipment.

2. GET SPECIALIST ADVICE FROM A BUSINESS YOU CAN TRUST Taking advice from a cleaning industry specialist will help users understand the implications of nPB replacement. A full audit and survey of existing equipment will be required to make sure any switch of solvents is be viable, effective and safe.

We provide guidance through REACH and other regulations to ensure that businesses understand how to remain compliant, whatever their type of cleaning system.

3. TAKE STOCK OF THE ALTERNATIVES All current nPB users will need to identify new replacement cleaning

22

PECM Issue 50

Common Name

Chemical Name

GWP

Regulatory Issues

nPb

n-Propyl Bromide, 1-Bromopropane, 1BP

<1

SVHC Sunset Date

HFC 365

1,1,1,3,3-PENTAFLUOROBUTANE

890

F-gas Annex I

HFC 4310

1,1,1,2,2,3,4,5,5,5-decafluoropentane

1640

F-gas Annex I

HFE7100

Ethyl Nonaflouroisobutyl ether

320

F-Gas AnnexII

HFE 7200

Ethyl nonafluorobutyl ether

55

F-Gas AnnexII

HFO

Z)-1,1,1,4,4,4-Hexafluoro-2-butene

<2

None

HFO

Methoxytridecafluorohep-tene isomers

<15

None

chemistries, but caution is advised. Some alternatives which may be suggested are also restricted solvents, such as Perchloroethylene (PERC) or Methylene Chloride (MECL). These substances pose numerous health risks and usage restrictions are set to be put in place, so they are not safe, and they may require replacement soon. Users should be careful not to simply substitute one harmful substance for another.

One family of alternative solvents is fluorinated materials. However, regulations around the use of F-gases (also known as fluorinated gases) have become increasingly stringent over the last few years. There is a limit on how much F-gas can be sold in Europe and the use of F-gases in new equipment is banned where alternatives with a lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) are available.

F-gases have a very high GWP. Global warming is a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants. GWP is used to represent the equivalent of Co2 being released into the atmosphere. So 1kg of Co2 = a GWP of 1.

In the case of F-gases, they have a GWP of up to 11,000.

The table above shows the common HFC and HFE’s offered as replacement alternatives. As the table highlights, many of these fall under F-gas regulations and should be avoided.

New generation cleaning agents are worthy of consideration as a replacement.

SF80™ by the new generation Opteon™ range from Chemours™, for example, is a drop-in nPB alternative. SF80 is also unique because it is not affected by any F-gas regulations, which allows businesses to make a one-step replacement, saving time and ultimately costs.

4. ASSESS THE TRUE COST OF ALTERNATIVES The total cost in use of cleaning agents is sometimes overlooked. Price per litre should not be the only factor to consider.

Other restricted solvents may have a similar price point to nPB, but this may mask their overall cost in productivity and safety terms.

Restricted solvents, including nPB, continue to be subject to special storage and handling requirements, as well as vapour extraction and compulsory occupational exposure monitoring - all of which are ‘hidden’ costs.

The existing Solvac systems used more than 1 tonne of solvent per year, meaning they both required a permit from the local authority for continued use, further increasing costs for the company.

Due to the legislation around the safe use of Trike and nPB, these systems were fitted with over tank canopies and safety interlocks to ensure operators were not exposed to solvent vapours.

One of the systems also had a PPM meter fitted, which restricted the front door from opening until the level of solvent had dropped below a specified level. This, as well as additional safety features, protected operators and reduced emissions.

THE RESULTS While there were minor issues with the system, these could be addressed and it was determined that Opteon™ SF79® was a suitable replacement. This has now been fully implemented at two of the locations, while the third is currently transitioning to the new product.

A replacement such as SF80 is nonflammable and has a safety exposure limit of 202ppm (ten times better than PERC), which eliminates all these additional costs and can boost productivity through energy savings and faster component drying times.

5. UNDERTAKE TRIALS Businesses should consider trials of replacement chemistries with their particular components and soil types, as well as new cleaning equipment and agents.

At Fraser Technologies, our facility includes free customer trial centres in the London and Edinburgh areas. These allow you to test out alternative chemistries, as well as new equipment if required, before buying. This helps you to make an informed choice into what the best alternative solution is for your specific needs.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF REPLACING NPB? In 2017, we worked with leading Aerospace manufacturer, BAE Systems, to replace the nPB that they were using with a safer solvent.

THE CHALLENGE BAE Systems approached us to assess their existing process to see how they could use an alternative solvent which

would be safer, at which point we also discussed additional benefits including efficiency and cost saving.

To assess their existing cleaning processes, we arranged a site visit to inspect the Solvac vapour degreasing systems at two of their facilities. We performed a full system inspection to ascertain suitability of the systems for conversion to Opteon™ SF79, a cleaning fluid chosen for its performance, ultra-low global warming potential (GWP), recyclability, reusability, safety, and ease of use. At the time of the change, SF79 was the leading product for this application and while SF80 has since come on to the market as a refined replacement of SF79, both products are safe and suitable alternatives to nPB. As part of the process, our objectives were to test the equipment for suitability and compatibility for use with SF79®, as well as the general condition of the equipment and any opportunities to reduce solvent usage. The customer found that their solvent usage was very high and they were aware that reductions would improve their environmental impact, as well as save costs.

Before using nPb, both of BAE’s systems were originally supplied for use with Trichloroethylene (Trike) to flush pipework, so they were long narrow tanks specifically suited to this application. They each had a flushing rig and filtration, and originally had Carbon Absorption Deabsorption systems fitted.

Since moving to Opteon™ SF79®, BAE has achieved the cleaning performance they expect, while also significantly reducing their environmental footprint.

As SF79® does not have the acidity issues that nPB does, the customer’s usage was significantly reduced simply because fewer clean outs were required.

And importantly, it is safe and easy for operators to use.

Speaking about the results of the change to SF79®, the customer’s Engineering & Governance Lead said: “The transition from nPB to SF79® was relatively straightforward and quick, and communication was good throughout. Fraser Technologies also had a much stronger relationship with the manufacturer than we did, which was especially helpful during the process.

“Due to a reduction in manufacturing throughput, we cannot confirm an exact reduction in annual usage, and therefore cost savings and environmental footprint.

However, emissions monitoring that we undertook following the introduction of SF79® showed a reduction in volatile organic compounds to atmosphere compared with the previous solvent. The product’s lower GWP will also contribute to reducing the environmental impact of our site operations.

“Overall, changing to SF79® has been a positive experience and it has helped us to achieve our safety, health and environmental objectives.”

For further information, please call 01506 443 058, email sales@frasertech.co.uk or visit www.frasertech.co.uk.

Issue 50 PECM

23

EDITOR’S CHOICE

CHAIN SELECTION MADE EASIER DONGHUA

Help With Identifying the Right Chain Solution Donghua Limited, the UK arm of one of the world’s largest chain manufacturers, has recategorised its extensive Drive Chain products into three ranges to help make it easier for customers to identify the right chain solution.

The three new ranges are: Standard, Solution and Premium.

The Standard Range features a variety of standard chain manufactured with precision to suit simple drives with large diameter sprockets or complex drives with multiple sprockets and high load bearings.

The new Premium Range offers customers ultimate solution to problems with chain wear, chain fatigue, high speed, lubrication, chain length accuracy and chain strength offering optimum performance in extreme conditions.

A new Premium Range chain is being launched in the UK later this year.

The Solution Range offers our customers a genuine solution to problems with chain wear, chain fatigue, corrosion, high speed, lubrication, chain length accuracy and chain strength with specific build features designed to enhance durability and withstand a range of arduous environments.

Our new Solution Range incorporates Donghua’s existing HSP Chain, SLR Chain and CP Chain plus our recently launched EXL Chain.

HSP Chain: Donghua’s Heavy Super Power (HSP) Chain is specifically designed for aggressive environments and has become a highly popular chain in the UK. HSP Chain is suited to agricultural and industrial applications and boasts ultimate tensile strength up to 50 per cent higher than DIN standard chains. HSP Chain has wide-waist plates to give extreme fatigue strength and high interference fit between pins and plates.

SLR Chain: Donghua’s Self-Lubricating Roller (SLR) Chain incorporates special oil impregnated sintered bushings which extend beyond the inner plates to prevent dirt ingress, giving these chains their self-lubricating characteristics.

Nickel plated throughout to prevent corrosion, and with chemically plated and tempered pins, SLR Chain offers improved wear resistance and added protection in the bearing area. This chain is ideal for use in areas where chain lubrication is difficult or undesirable.

CP Chain: Donghua’s Chromized Pin (CP) Chain offers increased wear life over standard roller chain.

It is designed with a chromized pin; adding a chrome surface coating to the pins results in super-hard pins which extends the wear life of the chain. With a 1100 HV10 surface hardness, CP Chain is ideal for dirty / dusty conditions, giving high abrasion resistance.

EXL Chain: Recently launched in the UK, the premium EXL Chain offers significant benefits over standard Roller Chain. It utilises different materials, material treatments and layer technologies, to offer the best possible quality/price ratio for all applications.

Aimed specifically for the after-market, EXL Chain is designed, manufactured and tested for unbeatable accuracy and performance in arduous conditions, offering enhanced wear and fatigue resistance and greater precision.

The chain is designed with a new hardened, shot-peened wide-waist plate for increased

fatigue strength and a seamless cold forged solid bush and roller to give full contact between the pin, bushing and roller for higher durability.

The EXL Chain has optimised cylindrical parts which improve sliding contacts to help increase service life. It also incorporates Donghua’s unique ‘Easy Break Technology’ which enables the EXL Chain to be cut in the field using Donghua’s Plate Extractor tools.

To watch our video showing how to cut the EXL Chain using our Plate Extractor tools, visit: https://youtu.be/UD6rtBEJrkM

NEW CHAIN SELECTION CHART

To help UK customers select the correct chain solution, we have developed a simple reference guide – the Donghua Chain Selection Chart. The chart provides a visual 1 - 5 star rating highlighting our recommendations for each chain product for wear resistance, fatigue resistance, strength, shock load, corrosion resistance, selflubrication, easy break, FDA approved and so on. It’s a must-have reference document in an engineer’s toolkit.

To download your copy of the Chain Selection Chart visit: https://www.donghua.co.uk/rollerchain or for a laminated hard copy call 01902 866 200.

For further information, please visit https://www.donghua.co.uk/roller-chain

24

PECM Issue 50

DON DRIVE CHAINS DONGHUA CHAIN SELECTION CHART DRIVE CHAINS

Wear Resistance

Wear Resistance





Fatigue Resistance





High Speed up to 2.5 mtrs/s

 



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 

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

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

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

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Shock Load



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

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



High Speed up to 2.5 mtrs/s





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

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







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

-

Self-Lubricating

-

-

-

-

-

High Abrasion Resistance

-

-

-

-

-

Easy Break

-



-

-

FDA Approved (Food)

-

-

-

Damp/Wet Environment

-

-

-









Strength (MUTS)

General Purpose

High Strength/High Shock High Temperature





Corrosion Resistance

High Strength/High Shock

-



-

-

-

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

-





-

-

-



-

-

-

-

 -

-

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-

-

-

-

-

-

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-

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Strength (MUTS)

Fatigue Resistance

Shock Load

SOLUTION CHAINS

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-

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-

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-

-

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HSP & UHSP = American Standard Only

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

Corrosion Resistance

BEST



VERY GOOD

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

GOOD



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BETTER

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STANDARD

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NOT RECOMMENDED

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-

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Self-Lubricating

-

-

-

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-

-

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High Abrasion Resistance

-

-

-

-

-





Easy Break

-



-

-

-

-

-

FDA Approved (Food)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

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Damp/Wet Environment

-

-

-

-

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-

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General Purpose High Temperature



HSP & UHSP = American Standard O

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

BEST



*Up to 5 metre lengths. Longer lengths can be supplied matched and tagged.

VERY GOOD



GOOD



BE

EDITOR’S CHOICE

LET’S STICK TOGETHER BONDLOC

Promoting unity and support for UK manufacturers, suppliers and distributors Bondloc is challenging the status quo in the industrial adhesive market by launching its first National advertising campaign, “Let’s Stick Together”. It promotes unity and support for UK manufacturers, suppliers and distributors and reinforces the current social and economic climate as we exit Europe and the Global COVID pandemic.

Bondloc, based in Worcestershire, has manufactured and supplied adhesives and sealants to the industrial, engineering and automotive sectors for over 28 years. With an international distribution network and product approvals within major OEMs like JCB, Black & Decker, Honda, Bosch, Bombardier and Princess Yachts, they have over 150 adhesive formulations and over 300 active SKU’s sold across 32 countries.

This includes a wide range of adhesive chemistries - anaerobic, cyanoacrylates, sealants and structural epoxies, PU’s and MMA’s.

Warren Wilkinson, managing director of Bondloc said: “Our focus continues to be within the engineering market, with our metal bonding anaerobic products used extensively in this sector. We have an established network of distributors with core competencies within pneumatics, seals, bearings, transmission, pumps and gearboxes, and we continue to supply and support many OEMs directly.”

Warren continues: “Distributors and end users need to be able to work closely with their suppliers to tackle production challenges surrounding new complex substrates and increasing processing costs. Having in-house production means we have the flexibility to tweak our formulations

and bespoke manufacture products to the customer’s exact requirements.

ISO 9001:2015 certification underpins customers’ confidence in our quality systems to aid this process.”

With the onset of Brexit and various supply issues with imported goods, more and more end users are looking to switch their adhesive products for UK made, high-quality but lower-cost local alternatives.

Improved productivity and financial benefits after reviewing and switching products outweigh the time and costs involved. Bondloc has developed and modified more adhesives in the past 24 months than in the previous 25 years.

“Let’s Stick Together” launched on 1st April. Commercial adhesive users can try and test Bondloc adhesive products using the free technical and sampling service.

Visit www.bondloc.co.uk or call 01299 269269 for more information.

26

PECM Issue 50

NT

•M

ADE

I

LET’S STICK TOGETHER.

THE UK

HE UK

MADE I

N

•

Bondloc UK Ltd is a British manufacturer with over 25 years’ experience in high performance industrial and engineering adhesives and sealants.

Cost-effective, quality products supported by a technical team and a national distribution network. Formulas that work.

CONTACT US TODAY TO DISCUSS Bonding projects Costs savings A free sample sales@bondloc.co.uk 01299 269 269 bondloc.co.uk

Threadlockers | Gasket Solutions | Thread Sealants | Retaining Compound | Instant Adhesives | Structural Adhesives

EDITOR’S CHOICE

CONTINUOUS GROWTH TSUBAKI

Tsubaki Neptune™ chain keeps the drinks coming for beverage manufacturer

Tsubaki’s range of Neptune™ chains are ideal for bottle conveyor applications.

The beverage industry operates on a global scale, with its growth driven by our desire for convenient drinks. With the needs of billions to cater for, beverage manufacturers need to utilise highly reliable equipment to meet demand and secure profitability.

A beverage manufacturer in the Netherlands approached Tsubaki to provide a highly reliable drive chain to boost its equipment uptime, allowing it to capitalise on customer demand.

A highly efficient production line that can provide high output is essential for meeting customer demand.

GROWING BEVERAGE DEMAND The global beverage industry is a story of continuous growth, matching an expanding human population and resulting demand.

Trends such as improved living standards, the desire for convenience and changing tastes have spawned technologically advanced production lines and cold chain facilities to deliver beverages to consumers worldwide. In 2018, the global beverage industry was valued at US$1,544.61 billion1, with future predictions estimating further growth in the years to come.

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PECM Issue 50

HIGH DUTY REQUIREMENTS To meet this demand, beverage manufacturers need to secure the reliability of production lines. A highly efficient production line that can provide high output is essential for meeting customer demand.

It is also vital for securing profitability.

Mass produced beverages offer low profit margins per unit, so ensuring reliable high output is key for manufacturers looking to maximising return. Furthermore, many

beverage manufacturers will have supply contracts to honour with businesses such as supermarkets. These are incredibly lucrative, and failure to fulfil delivery quotas places these agreements at risk. Ensuring the continued reliability of production equipment is therefore incredibly important for the prosperity of a beverage manufacturer.

WASHING IT DOWN Combined with these demanding duty requirements, beverage manufacturers must also ensure that hygienic standards are maintained. High pressure chemical washdowns are standard across the sector, which reduce product contamination risks. However, this can adversely affect equipment that is not specialised for these operational conditions. Power transmission components on equipment such as conveyors are particularly at risk: chains for example.

In the case of conveyor chains, repeated high pressure chemical washdowns can

Tsubaki provided the beverage manufacturer with the lube-free RS12B-1 Lambda Neptune™ roller chain. Its inherent resistance to corrosion ensured an instant improvement in reliability.

cause corrosion on the surface of the chain. This rust can increase chain wear in operation. Ultimately, this wear will mean that the chain fails prematurely. The resulting downtime can cause the entire production line to grind to a halt. While maintenance is carried out, production output is decreased, and consequently, overall profitability. Rust can also present a contamination risk to the product itself. To avoid this outcome, a specialised chain solution is required.

BEATING CHAIN CORROSION A beverage manufacturer in the Netherlands was experiencing increased wear on a lube-free chain installed on the drive of a bottle conveyor. The stainless-steel chain of the conveyor itself was subjected to a weekly washdown with an alkaline cleaning substance. With prolonged use, the aforementioned lube-free drive chain had begun to exhibit corrosion that was increasing wear. In an effort to eliminate the problem and reduce maintenance, the

manufacturer approached Tsubaki to provide a new chain better suited to requirements.

Tsubaki offers a highly capable range of conveyor chains with multiple specialisations to meet specific application challenges. To provide end users with a highly corrosion resistant option, Tsubaki has a range of Neptune™ chains, which are ideal for bottle conveyor applications.

Neptune™ chains feature a special surface treatment that is designed to resist alkaline cleaning, marine environments, acid-rain and other adverse weather conditions. Link plates, bushings and bearing pins feature two special layers to ensure maximum protection from conditions and operational wear and tear. The chain is also resistant to varying temperatures and excessive moisture.

After inspection of the conveyor, Tsubaki provided the beverage manufacturer with

the lube-free RS12B-1 Lambda Neptune™ roller chain. Its inherent resistance to corrosion ensured an instant improvement in reliability. This increased service life extended maintenance intervals, thus promoting uptime and productivity. As a result, the beverage manufacturer could capitalise on growing market demand, securing profitability. The elimination of rust ensured that associated contamination risks were effectively reduced.

Tsubaki provides a wide range of chains in Neptune™ specification, with experts available to visit facilities and specify an exact solution, tailored to maximise reliability. A proven track record delivering hygienic, corrosion resistant conveyor chains to the global food and beverage industry ensures a knowledgeable service.

Beverage manufacturers can therefore trust Tsubaki to help improve uptime and keep the drinks coming, meeting global demand.

For further information, please visit tsubaki.eu Issue 50 PECM

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EDITOR’S CHOICE

Start with clean air – to protect people and save cash!

We are Projex Solutions – Your EPCM Partner

In times where clean air is more important than ever, air cleaning systems from Zehnder Clean Air Solutions are a key factor in protecting people at work.

We are an experienced and responsive project solution provider, having been an established EPCM company since 2006.

We are market leaders in the Chemical, FMCG, Pharmaceutical, Medical, Energy & Warehousing & Logistics sectors.

With our experienced team of multidisciplined engineers, we manage projects and provide engineering solutions for our clients encompassing Safety, EC&I, Process, Mechanical and Project Engineering.

Our company mission is to continue to deliver first class consultancy, design and project management solutions safely, utilising the latest innovations whilst becoming an embedded part of our clients established team.

They complement existing ventilation perfectly and flexibly to remove airborne contaminants, particulates, dust, oil/mist, fumes/gases and micro-organisms.

And at the same time, they also save you money on cleaning (up to 70 %), maintenance (up to 30 %) and sick leave (up to 50 %). We offer an effective, flexible and reliable solution that meets your individual needs.

Get in touch with our experts to improve the air quality at your site!

Give us a call on 0800 0430100 or visit www.zehnder-cleanairsolutions.com.

Innovative lifting and handling solutions from Palamatic Palamatic boasts over 35 years of experience in materials and powder handling, placing it at the cutting edge of lifting and handling solutions for all manufacturing industries.

As a leading expert in handling solutions, Palamatic offers an extensive range of equipment, which includes vacuum tube lifting systems, support gantries, automatic sack opening machinery and bespoke handling solutions for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. In addition to this, Palamatic also keeps spare parts in stock for standard systems.

Highly experienced staff are available to offer help and advice at all stages of the process, and Palamatic can assist with parts, servicing and annual certification requirements to ensure customers’ equipment provides many years of active service.

T +44 (0) 1246 452054 | sales@palamatic.com www.palamatic.com

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PECM Issue 50

If you need support with your project and would like some more information, please contact us today: E: sales@projexsolutions.co.uk T: 01484 711333 W: www.projexsolutions.co.uk

MTM Products MTM Products have been established for over 40 years and are a leading manufacturer and supplier of industrial graphics products including self-adhesive labels, metal nameplates, graphic overlays, engraved labels and vinyl cut decals.

We have the knowledge and experience to advise you on the optimum graphics solution for your application, taking account of operating environment. We supply to many sectors including industrial machinery, electrical, automotive, rail, construction, medical and audio equipment. We offer excellent quality and service at competitive prices. MTM are certificated to ISO9001 and ISO14001. Our products comply with the current RoHS and REACH requirements MTM – the industrial graphics specialists Let us share our expertise to make your life easier Contact us at sales@mtmproducts.co.uk or www.mtmproducts.co.uk

Control

Isolation

Safety

Steam trapping

Actuator

Systems

ARI-Armaturen UK Ltd ARI-Armaturen UK Ltd. is a subsidiary of a large German engineering company, reputed to have the largest valve stock in Europe.

We specialise in pipeline equipment for the steam and condensate loop, hot water, thermal oil and products, including an extensive range of valves, controls and steam trapping equipment in cast iron, SG iron, cast and forged steel and stainless steel. These include: • Control Valves • Isolation Valves • Safety Valves • Steam trapping • Heat Exchange Systems These products are produced to exacting German, European, ANSI other internationally recognised standards, and covered by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance DIN EN ISO 9001.

We have completed many successful projects including for the NHS, Food and Beverage and EfW sectors, as well as smaller process and building services projects.

Vicki Chatfield, Marketing & Sales Development Victoria.Chatfield@ari-armaturen.co.uk Tel: 01684 275752

Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere...

The on-Cloud solution that delivers simplicity CATIA 3D CAD On the Cloud: easy to implement (< 20 minutes to connect to your Cloud), full design suite of applications, together with collaborative framework to manage projects and design activity.

On the Cloud platform delivers flexibility and single point of access and common interface for all applications and enables all business units – design, engineering, simulation, manufacturing, sales, marketing, finance, procurement and management – to engage in collaborative innovation. Move your business to the next level and network your organisation into a social design community.

Take away the headache and risk of backups, software upgrades, infrastructure cost and complexity and spend more time designing.

www.dte.co.uk/catia-3dexperience-on-thecloud/

EDITOR’S CHOICE

we make ideas come to life

RMIG is the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier of perforated metal and its related products.

We know our customers’ requirements for price and quality and meet their demands with uncompromising service.

Not only do we offer standard and bespoke perforated metal sheets, we are able to offer you a range of secondary operations as detailed below.

Complete solutions With a continued investment in the latest equipment and a network of professional partners we are able to produce prime quality products and solutions – from a simple perforated sheet to the fully formed and coated custom made part.

Cutting We can cut and shape perforated sheet to meet the needs of your final application.

Levelling For some applications a high degree of flatness is required, we have processes in place to ensure our perforated coils and sheets meet with your most demanding requirements.

Rolling and forming We can roll, bend and form perforated sheets to match your design.

Aesthetic finishes and protective coating We can offer powder coating and hot dip galvanizing solutions to meet your specifications.

For more information please contact us tel: 01925 839610 | email: info.uk@rmig.com | www.rmig.com

The new Tricor PRO Plus Series

we

The new Tricor PRO Plus Series of Coriolis Mass Flow Meters is an accurate and highly repeatable meter with the smallest installation length on the market for installation into systems where space is limited.

The TCD transmitter offers greater robustness, performance, diagnostics, and connectivity options. With a modern HMI interface and excellent logging functionality, the DSP transmitters provide users with an efficient configuration and analysis tool.

PRO Plus Series Features: • High dosing accuracy due to short response time (max. 10 ms) • 100 Hz refresh rate makes this series suitable for pump monitoring and fast response control • Extremely short installation length makes for an easy fit in most configurations • Excellent zero stability for drift-free accuracy and longterm reading assurance

• Extensive diagnostics and self-monitoring, including empty pipe detection Sizes from ½” to 2”.

Available for Litre Meter, call 01296 670200, now. www.litremeter.com

Issue 50 PECM

31

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Connecting the UK Since 1972 HISTORY

Next year will be a very special year for Tom Parker Ltd. as they will be celebrating their 50th anniversary. They are immensely proud to remain a family run business and of earning and maintaining their place as one of the leading fluid power distribution companies in the UK.

TEAM

Many of the team have been with the company and working in this industry for a long period of time. Their Internal Technical Support Team and External Area Sales Representatives have extensive experience and training, which enables them to provide advice when needed.

EXCLUSIVE & MARKET LEADING BRANDS

The focus has always been on supplying innovative, high quality, competitively priced product ranges across a wide range of markets (including machine building and process and packaging) and they now offer more than 80 brands and application solutions that span the whole fluid power market.

NORTHERN & SOUTHERN LOCATIONS

Their HQ is situated in the North of England and their second branch in the South; ensuring

a quick and reliable supply network to the entire UK.

TRADE COUNTERS, HOSE ASSEMBLY & TESTING FACILITIES

Both premises have stocked retail units, engineers and on-site workshops where they

can design, certify and test pneumatic hose assemblies up to 500 psi and hydraulic hose assemblies up to 30,000 psi.

Please don’t hesitate to contact their expert team to find your perfect application solution today!

01772 255109 | sales@tom-parker.co.uk | www.tom-parker.co.uk

Your Partner for Fluid Power High Stock Levels & Same Day Dispatch Exclusive & Market Leading Brands 35,000+ High Quality Catalogue Products Impartial Technical Support Team Hose Assembly & Test Facility Trade Counters at Preston & Basingstoke

Tom Parker Ltd & 01772 255109 32

PECM Issue 50

sales@tom-parker.co.uk

tom-parker.co.uk

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Specialist Funding Support to Business Is your company one of the 97% of businesses that incorrectly assume they can’t apply for funding to support their innovative work?

MCS Corporate Strategies Ltd provide specialist funding support to businesses, with a core focus on cost recovery. As an independent consultancy, we help businesses and institutions to access the government grants and incentives they’re entitled to. This includes Research & Development, RDEC and Patent Box. Research & Development Tax Credits form a key part of Government strategy to boost innovation in business. This tax relief scheme reduces the real cost of investment in improving products and processes and remains one of the largest single Government funding mechanisms available for business.

We make the whole identification and application process quick and simple.

1. We identify your eligibility and take the difficulty and stress out of making a R&D claim.

2. We work with you to gather the details and then prepare all submission documents.

3. We liaise with your accountants and HMRC to submit and process your claim.

4. We handle the entire claim process, from initial assessment to completion.

The single key criteria for qualification is that you be registered as a UK corporate entity.

Claims are retrospective (two years) and intended to be claimed year-on-year. SME’s and large companies qualify.

Manufacturing, engineering and all disciplines, activities, parts, products, prototypes; IT software and first-of-class items are examples of what is included as items for research and development. The CIRD definition of R&D is wide and inclusive of very broad activities.

We work on a success fee basis only so there’s no initial cost – you’ve nothing to lose.

Telephone: 01926 512475 e-mail: charlotte@mcs-corporate.com

www.mcs-corporate.com

QUALITY HINGES Your technical experts for plastic injection moulding

TALK TO THE EXPERTS.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT MOULDING TOOLING BEYOND THE MOULD Make Pentagon your UK supplier of choice for Mould Tool manufacture and Plastic Injection Moulding.

Whether you need a supplier for a new injection moulding project or sourcing a new manufacturing partner for existing production, Pentagon will support you at every stage.

01827 63391 sales@goldwassallhinges.co.uk Whatever your hinge requirements, we offer a solution.

Bespoke/Stock - UK maunfactured - Expert advice

www.pentagonplastics.co.uk | websales@pentagonplastics.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1403 264 397 |

Issue 50 PECM

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EDITOR’S CHOICE

LOW-VOLUME MANUFACTURING HLH PROTOTYPES

James Murphy, co-founder and vice-general manager of HLH Prototypes, looks at the rise of this form of manufacturing Recent years have highlighted an increasing requirement for low-volume manufacturing, with demand for bespoke products existing throughout the supply chains of many industries.

A defining feature of manufacturing in recent times has been the drastic reduction in product lifecycles. Where mass produced products may previously have had a lifespan of several years, thereby allowing production processes to remain largely unchanged, there is now a trend towards a more bespoke product.

LOW-VOLUME MANUFACTURING

In part, this is down to a flourishing R&D ethos throughout supply chains which has seen an overall increase in the frequency of new products. Perhaps more significantly, there has been a shift in consumer behaviour that has permeated into the manufacturing sector.

Demand for customisation and personalisation, particularly from endusers, has meant that manufacturers are increasingly required to be agile and flexible in their production process.

In turn, this reduces development time and shortens launch windows, ultimately necessitating a move away from traditional forms of large-scale production.

This is where low-volume manufacturing has an increasingly critical role to play, given its capacity to meet changing demands. Using a range of techniques, from rapid CNC machining through to the latest additive manufacturing (3D printing), low-volume production is an effective way to deliver a more bespoke offering.

It generally deals with batch sizes that range from 1 to 1,000, and is ideally suited to a short-run of products, or to provide preliminary and test batches in the development of new products. This has an intrinsic link with prototyping applications, but as the market moves towards a more bespoke model, its wider benefits are being brought to the attention of businesses throughout the supply chains of many sectors. Lowvolume production is no longer just part

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PECM Issue 50

The other major benefit to low-volume manufacturing is the reduced investment required when compared to mass production. of the design process, but an integral way of delivering finished parts and products to the market.

SWIFT TURNAROUND AT LOW-RISK INVESTMENT

This level of agility within a production environment has advantages that go beyond product customisation. For instance, being able to quickly produce small batches ensures that lead times are kept to a minimum, which is particularly important early in the design process.

Frequent alterations to products and their constituent parts are a natural element of

the R&D process, as manufacturers strive to achieve the perfect final design.

It also means that manufacturers can adapt to emerging and developing trends, beating competitors to market owing to shortened production times.

Low-volume manufacturers, such as HLH Prototypes, are adept at navigating lastminute design changes to ensure swift delivery of product that specifically meets a certain specification.

The other major benefit to low-volume manufacturing is the reduced investment required when compared to mass production. With no minimum order quantity, there is less onus on delivering economies of scale. A smaller initial investment for a production run of just 1,000 parts represents a much smaller risk than one for 100,000 parts.

It is also often the case that the initial cost of tooling is lower by virtue of the fact it doesn’t need to stand up to the rigours of long-term mass production. Ultimately, this can help to encourage innovation within the manufacturing sector as new solutions are brought to market quicker, and at a lower cost.

IDENTIFYING LOW-VOLUME PARTNERS

traditional, large-scale production runs to ensure they can continue to operate us usual. However, growing consumer demand for customisation and bespoke products means that there is scope within the market to deliver low-volume manufacturing solutions.

When batch size is below a certain threshold, there can be a tendency amongst subcontractors to shy away from those projects.

Based in in Shenzhen and Dongguan, China, but with a footprint in both the UK and the US, HLH Prototypes is operating within this growing niche. Built on a foundation of open communication and speed, it has seen the low-volume manufacturing side of its business explode in popularity.

In spite of the emergence of low-volume manufacturing as a viable means to meet supply chain demands, there remains some reluctance within UK manufacturing to truly embrace it.

Often, it is simply a case of how a facility is set up, and for many subcontractors there remains sufficient appetite for

FINAL THOUGHTS

The inexorable rise of bespoke product offerings represents both a challenge and an opportunity to UK manufacturers. While it places strain on an already stretched supply chain, it also allows businesses to be reactive to their customer’s needs and differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Partners that can help to deliver lowvolume manufacturing solutions, such as HLH Prototypes, will play an increasingly important role in determining how successful businesses are in meeting these varied demands.

For more information, please visit www.hlhprototypes.com or email james@hlhprototypes.com Issue 50 PECM

35

EDITOR’S CHOICE

ECOSTRUXURE SERVICE PLANS SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

New services from Schneider Electric pinpoint operational risks and create business resilience with condition-based maintenance Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today announced a new service offer, EcoStruxure Service Plans. These enriched packages combine traditional services with powerful digital services that are tailored to pinpoint and address specific customer goals, improving performance of electrical equipment and systems.

PEACE OF MIND FOR BUSINESS CONTINUITY 60% of organizations are now preparing for the future by beginning their digital transformations, part of which means digitizing electrical infrastructure. The goal of this digitization is to strengthen everyday uptime and minimize risk. For example, 56% of electrical fires are due to a lack of maintenance. Workforce challenges are also frequently encountered, especially with respect to remote expertise, skills gaps, and aging workforces. asset management, asset safety, resilience, operational efficiency, and sustainability.

The new EcoStruxure Service Plans alleviate these challenges by providing, in a single contract, a tailored mix of on-site services, digital services, and consulting.

Schneider Electric emphasizes the importance of a seamless experience for customers, who can select the EcoStruxure Service Plan best reflecting their individual needs.

“Many of our customers are laser-focused on regaining the business strength they sacrificed during the crisis,” said Frederic Godemel, EVP of Power Systems & Services at Schneider Electric. “That’s why we built our new EcoStruxure Service Plans: to guide them on their unique route to improve business resilience. With ideal combinations of traditional on-site services and powerful new digital services with IoT, we’re providing peace of mind. Like good insurance coverage, it lets our customers turn their attention to their main business, knowing that their electrical equipment health and power quality is under expert care.”

On the ground or in the cloud, the new EcoStruxure Service Plans help improve business continuity and energy management for customers by leveraging Schneider Electric’s tremendous inhouse knowledge, local expertise, and its extensive partner network.

POWERED BY SOFTWARE, ANALYTICS AND NATIVELY DIGITAL EQUIPMENT THE RIGHT SELECTION OF CONTRACTS TO DELIVER ON THE STRATEGY EcoStruxure Service Plans reflect Schneider Electric’s ongoing commitment to building future-proof business resilience for its customers. Beyond traditional field services, it is an IoT-enabled bundle of expert support where data, analytics, software, and domain expertise drive substantial improvements in For further information, please visit www.se.com

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PECM Issue 50

EcoStruxure Service plans are fueled by connected products, such as Schneider Electric’s natively digital equipment.

The company continues to bring its digital philosophy to life by equipping its equipment and retrofitting brownfield equipment with the latest sensing technologies. These provide the foundation for condition-based maintenance through analytics such as those offered by Schneider Electric’s robust EcoStruxure.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

MET Recruitment signs Winster deal to support hose specialist’s future expansion One of the UK’s leading suppliers of hoses and accessories has signed a strategic deal with MET Recruitment to help it meet growing customer demand as the economy emerges from the shackles of Covid-19.

liked the way Industrial specialist Daniel Alford took time to understand our business and the positive culture temporary staff have to embrace.

Winster, which serves hundreds of resellers across agriculture, automotive, construction, general engineering and marine, restructured its business to remain operational throughout the pandemic and is now putting in place the foundations for double-digit growth over the next twelve months.

To help it meet seasonal fluctuations in volumes from its nationwide client base, the Willenhallbased firm has turned to the expertise and talent pool of the Dudley recruitment agency to supply temporary staff every month.

All skilled and non-skilled workers are sourced, vetted and interviewed by MET Recruitment ahead of placing them, with full on-site introductions completed and a rapid turnaround agreement in place to find and supply candidates within a few hours of receiving a call.

“In the current uncertainty, we need flexibility in our staffing and this strategic relationship gives us exactly that,” explained Val Gardner, who became Managing Director in 2014.

From left, Val Gardner (Winster), Gail Arnold (Black Country Chamber) and Daniel Alford (MET Recruitment) “Our hoses and assemblies are playing a crucial role in helping construction and manufacturing companies remain operational throughout the pandemic and we had to make sure we were open despite volumes being extremely volatile. This meant looking at more temporary workers that we could bring in quickly when required and this is where the relationship with MET Recruitment has really started to pay off.”

She continued: “MET was recommended to us by the Black Country Chamber of Commerce as a fellow Patron and we haven’t been disappointed. Its proposal was extremely competitive and, most importantly, we really

“We have over 100 products in our core range and £1m of stock held in our 28,000 sq ft warehouse on Neachells Lane at any one time – combine this with our on-site manufacturing and packaging capabilities for producing customised solutions and there is a significant opportunity for growth with the economy starting to recover from Covid-19.”

MET Recruitment enjoyed a record year in 2020 and this latest deal strengthens a growing reputation for supplying temporary and permanent staff to industrial companies in the West Midlands.

The relationship with Winster first started three years ago and has developed from supplying staff on an ad hoc basis to a more strategic partnership where recruitment needs are mapped out in advance and then supplemented when necessary.

All searches, interviews and checks are completed by the industrial team before placement, with workers usually selected for packing, assembly or logistics tasks.

For further information, please visit www.metrecruitment.com or www.winster-hose.co.uk

Gas Process Burners Lanemark gas burner systems offer users reliable, high efficiency, process heating solutions.

FD Series Packaged Oven/Dryer Burners Specifically designed for process air heating applications in convection ovens and dryers High turndown/short flame lengths providing accurate process temperature control High efficiency gas + air modulation, gas only modulation and simple high/low control options Heat Input Range: 9 kW – 1550 kW

• • • • FD-C high turndown oven/

FD-E low cost high turndown

dryer air heating burners.

oven/dryer air heating burners.

FD-GA modulating gas + air process air heating burners.

TX Series Gas Fired Process Tank Heating Systems High efficiency (80%+) heating of all types of spray and dip process tanks Compact high efficiency small diameter immersion tube heat exchangers occupying minimum tank space Accurate performance modelling using Lanemark TxCalc design software Heat Input Range: 15 kW (1½") – 1150 kW (8")

• • • •

Midco HMA Series Air Replacement or “Make-Up” Air Heating Burners Direct fired, high efficiency burner systems, for high volume air heating applications such as paint spray booths, ovens and dryers.

Supplied either as Midco burner heads for OEM system integration or as Lanemark DB or FDB complete packaged systems including modulating gas valve trains and controls Wide range of firing rates to suit alternative temperature rise and air velocity system requirements DbCalc system design software

• • •

Midco HMA high efficiency,

high turndown, air replacement or “make-up” air heating burners.

TX high efficiency small diameter immersion tube tank heating systems.

Lanemark Combustion Engineering Limited Lanemark House, Whitacre Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 6BW United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 24 7635 2000 Fax: +44 (0) 24 7634 1166 E-mail: info@lanemark.com www.lanemark.com X4620PECM Lanemark Ad SDAW.indd 38 Issue 50 1

•

COMBUSTION ENGINEERING

31/08/2016 09:04

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Global Supplier of technologically advanced Aerospace precision components & assemblies to major OEM’s

Reliability

Precision

www.wgjones.co.uk

Quality |

...and delivery on time

Tel. 00 44 (0)1202 825 467

WG Jones Limited Established in 1975 and under current ownership since 1982, WG Jones Ltd. operate from our 2,500 m² facility in Dorset.

WG Jones Ltd has a long and established reputation for customer excellence and responsiveness in the supply of complex, vital and critical precision machined components and related assemblies into the Defence and Aerospace sectors. As an AS9100 Rev D approved supplier the business’s primary sector experience is servicing the Defence and Aerospace markets but other markets served include Oil and Gas and Formula 1 arenas. WG Jones Ltd is proud to work with market leading OEM and Tier 1 Customers, several of which are contracted under Long Term Agreements. The business continues to invest in both its People and in high technology manufacturing tooling and techniques. Utilising our CAD/CAM expertise we have strong, robust and extensive capability in the following areas: CNC Milling (3, 4 and 5 axis), CNC Multi axis Turn/Milling, CNC Grinding (internal and external). Assembly with calibrated facilities for both Heat and Freeze and numerous specialist bonding approvals. Honing, Lapping and pressure testing are also covered in-house.

WG Jones have broad material experience of working with a wide range of materials including Aerospace heat treated steels such as AMS6419 (300M),Stainless steels , Inconel, Titanium, Bronze, Aluminium, Plastics, Nylons, Rubber.

In partnership with our extensive and varied Supply Chain partners we offer all our Customers the same commitment.

PRECISION, RELIABILITY, QUALITY and delivery on time...

For enquires email our Team at info@wgjones.co.uk Issue 50 PECM

39

BOILERS & MAINTENANCE

EFFECTIVE BOILER LAYUP CORTEC

Get Ready to Unleash the Cortec® Boiler ‘Reptiles’ on Corrosion

Boiler layup season for heating systems is just around the corner, which makes it the perfect time to unleash Cortec® Corporation’s boiler layup “reptiles.” These options make boiler layup effective and incredibly simple compared to traditional methods of applying desiccant, nitrogen blanketing, maintaining dry air systems, or doing nothing to prevent corrosion while the boiler is not in active use. Cortec® expanded its boiler layup “menagerie” in 2020 and is eager to reintroduce these exciting solutions just in time for facilities to start thinking about seasonal boiler layup.

SOLUTIONS FOR DRY LAYUP

The first and most well-known boiler layup reptile is the Boiler Lizard®, a decades-long friend for water treatment specialists who have come to know and love its ease of use and effectiveness for boilers 500-

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PECM Issue 50

10,000 gallons in size (1893-37,854 L). The Boiler Lizard® contains VpCI® Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors packaged in a watersoluble bag. Application is easy: remove the outer packaging, place in the boiler, slit open the inner water-soluble pouch, and seal all boiler openings. The VpCI® powder in the Boiler Lizard® immediately begins to vaporize, disperses throughout the vessel, and then forms a protective molecular barrier layer on accessible metal surfaces within the space. Startup is easy because the Boiler Lizard® does not have to be removed from the waterside. It simply dissolves as the boiler is refilled.

The Boiler Egg™ is an excellent new companion to the Boiler Lizard®. The Boiler Egg™ lies dormant until startup, then, as the boiler is initially filled with cold, untreated makeup water, dissolves and releases

active ingredients to scavenge dissolved oxygen and passivate metal. The Boiler Egg™ can be used alone in a feedwater tank (or deaerator tank) and any condensate receivers, or together with the Boiler Lizard® as part of the Boiler Lizard® Plus complete preservation kit.

The Boiler Gecko™ transfers the effectiveness and ease of the Boiler Lizard® into a form suited for application to boilers less than 500 gallons (<1893 L). Boiler Gecko™ contains VpCI® Technology in an EcoAir® air-powered spray can and may be sprayed into the boiler’s waterside or fireside—no flushing or product removal required at startup. On the other end of the spectrum, Boiler Dragon™ is a VpCI® fogging fluid designed for dry layup of the largest boilers of 10,000 gallons (37,854 L) or more.

LATEST RELEASES FOR SPECIALTY LAYUP

The newest members of Cortec’s boiler layup menagerie include the Boiler Turtle™, Boiler Salamander™, and Boiler Iguana™.

The Boiler Turtle™ offers the convenience of wet-dry layup: the product is added to the boiler and kept at high water level for 24 hours before draining for dry layup or leaving as is for wet layup, no opening of the boiler required.

components and is an excellent option for use in systems with deionized or reverse osmosis water.

Finally, the Boiler Iguana™ provides an easy solution for boilers on standby. It is easy to apply and does not require frequent monitoring, unlike traditional layup strategies that require maintenance of high pH and regular testing of oxygen scavenger and sulfite levels in boilers kept on low fire.

Cortec’s boiler menagerie is a welcome relief to traditional layup methods that may be cumbersome, ineffective, and sometimes even dangerous. In contrast, Cortec’s boiler reptiles are very friendly to users and very effective for avoiding corrosion inside idle boilers. This spring, be sure to launch the layup season successfully by unleashing one of Cortec’s handy layup reptiles inside your boiler!

The Boiler Salamander™ provides a wet layup solution for high-purity steam boilers, such as high-pressure steam systems, superheaters, super-critical boilers, and cyclic boilers at power plants. It does not contain any EPA or OSHA hazard

Cortec® expanded its boiler layup “menagerie” in 2020 and is eager to reintroduce these exciting solutions just in time for facilities to start thinking about seasonal boiler layup.

Get to know our boiler reptiles better, and contact us for further assistance: www.cortecwatertreatment.com/products/boilers/.

Issue 50 PECM

41

CONTROL & AUTOMATION

LATEST NEWS FROM PP C&A PP C&A

PP C&A targets £40m sales with a little help from Sharing in Growth

From left, Tony Hague (PP C&A) and Paul Binns (SIG) PP Control & Automation (PP C&A) has signalled its intention to double sales to over £40m after it became the latest manufacturer to be selected for the Sharing in Growth (SIG) transformation programme.

The company, which provides strategic outsourcing manufacturing services to some of the world’s biggest machinery builders, has started a 100-day intensive business improvement project that will help it increase operational efficiencies, create a more resilient supply chain and open up new opportunities in aerospace, defence and renewables.

Experts from SIG have completed a gap analysis to identify immediate and longer-term goals to work towards, as well as implementing a ‘survive and thrive’

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approach to overcoming the joint issues of Brexit and Covid-19.

This will pave the way for the Cheslyn Hay-based firm to increase production capacity as it targets more than £40m of sales between now and 2024.

Tony Hague, CEO of PP C&A, commented: “There is no point ever thinking you’ve reached your optimum performance; the moment you do that then complacency will set in, improvement stagnates and ultimately you will find yourselves dropping back behind new competition that emerges.

“That is why we embraced the opportunity to take part in the Sharing in Growth programme, a business transformation scheme that gives companies like ours

accesses to world class experts with more than 2000 years’ industrial experience between them.”

He continued: “What we really like about the collaboration is that a lot of the learning will be delivered on site and we can handpick the different specialists, whether the focus is HR, leadership and management, logistics, lean manufacturing, even adoption of digital technologies.

“We have some really exciting expansion plans in place as we emerge from the economic shackles of Covid-19 and look to seize on the many new and exciting opportunities, some of which are developing on the back of the ‘attraction’ of reshoring supply chains within the UK manufacturing sector.”

From left, Avais Chaudhri (SIG) and Tony Hague (PP C&A) PP C&A has been fully operational throughout the entire pandemic, providing strategic outsourcing solutions to customers involved in food and drink, packaging, renewables and medical.

The company’s expertise in control and automation and contract manufacturing, combined with the ability to quickly set up new production cells, has seen it supply critical wiring harnesses to the VentilatorChallengeUK consortium and a host of new Covid-19 inspired technologies designed to protect people and reduce the spread of the virus.

New orders have seen the firm return to pre-pandemic levels and in a position where it is now looking to hire new staff in a range of production and office roles.

Avais Chaudhri, Business Transformation Coach at Sharing in Growth, is leading on the project: “PP Control & Automation is already world class in a lot of things that it does, but the management team still recognise the benefit for external

There is no point ever thinking you’ve reached your optimum performance; the moment you do that then complacency will set in expertise, especially in making it fit for new opportunities in aerospace and defence.

“We’ve identified some quick wins and a number of strategic changes that will help it meet some of the major requirements of the tier 1s and primes in these sectors, as well as putting the building blocks in place to help the company secure the relevant quality accreditations.

“Our 100-strong pool of experts ‘get industry’ and this makes a massive difference when it comes to imparting our knowledge through the senior leaderships teams to the shopfloor, cascading an aligned message.”

Established in 2013, Sharing in Growth was initially set-up to provide intensive transformation support to accelerate business growth in the aerospace sector.

Its team members are deployed into clients to provide training, coaching and mentoring to address specific ambitions and diagnose challenges, including strategy development, operational excellence, productivity, culture and new product introduction.

Over the course of the last eight years, SIG’s focus has widened to also facilitate growth in offshore wind and other sectors, supporting the creation of 9000 highly valued jobs and generating £4.7bn of contract values in the process.

For further information, please visit www.ppcanda.com. More details on SIG, can be found at www.sig-uk.org Issue 50 PECM

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CONTROL & AUTOMATION

INCREASING CAPACITY ICS ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LIMITED

Robotic Automation used in the fight against Covid-19 The Covid-19 pandemic has been tough for a lot of businesses. However, a number of companies have been busier than ever, as they rise to challenge of fighting the Covid-19 threat. Wesbart Limited are one of these companies who have a 40-year heritage of expertise in designing and manufacturing aluminium and stainlesssteel sample storage systems for laboratories, hospitals, universities, and the pharmaceutical industry across the globe.

With the global programme of Covid-19 vaccination their products have been in high demand.

During the first lockdown ICS Robotics and Automation Limited were approached

by Wesbart Ltd who were looking for assistance to add robotic automation to their factory. With the main aims of increasing the capacity of the factory and maintain high levels of quality needed for the pharmaceutical industry.

Wesbart Ltd were looking to automate the tending and operation of two Bystronic press brakes being used to fold the extensive range of products needed for the Covid-19 vaccination programme such as freezer racks and trays.

Most brake press cells with robotic automation are designed to fold small steel parts, which are stacked within the brake press cell itself. This makes it easier for robots to operate but limits the usefulness of the automation itself. Due to the extensive range of parts being produced by Wesbart Ltd, the standard brake press (with robotic automation) solutions on the market were not capable of folding the full range of parts.

ICS Robotics & Automation Ltd were engaged to develop a custom solution capable of folding the complete range of Wesbart Ltd components. The current Wesbart Ltd CNC punching process meant that parts were lightly oiled and were not easely stacked. Therefore, an infeed and outfeed solution using conveyors and a vision system was developed to ensure sufficient buffering was achieved and parts were not damaged by avoiding the traditional mechanical chute in a pallet box.

ICS Robotics & Automation Ltd developed the interface between the Bystronic press brakes and the Kuka robots to allow for a full automatic control of the brake presses in a safety interlocked system. The system was designed such that one of the press brakes can be used as a manual operation while the remainder of the machine is utilised in full automatic mode. ICS Robotics & Automation Ltd provided the full Turnkey solution which included full training to cover robot programming, vision training and overall system operation. Full on site commissioning and support was also provided with remote support utilising the VPN connection to the system was also included to allow ICS Robotics and Automation Ltd to provide timely breakdown and support services.

The main Components used in the robotic automated brake press system were: • Robots - 3 off Kuka KR10 R1100 with Ready to Pilot option and safe range monitoring.

• Vision System - Keyence XG-X2200 vison controller with 2Mp Monochrome vision cameras • Pneumatics - SMC ZK2 Vacuum ejector • Press Brakes - 2 off Bystronic Xpert 40 The investment made by Wesbart Ltd in this automation process has allowed them to continue to compete across Europe with

the view of opening new markets in the US. For larger batch production, it also improves their quality and production costs.

Robotic automation has removed the monotonous task of folding thousands of the same component allowing staff members to focus on more challenging and involved bespoke products. It has allowed Wesbart Ltd to offer their products to the market with a reduced lead time due to increased production hours and increased efficiency whilst reducing waste caused by human error. Staff members will not develop repetitive strain injuries as a result of carrying out the same tasks for serval days. Staff members selected to programme the automation equipment also have the opportunity to increase their skill set.

Based on their positive experience with ICS Robotics and Automation Ltd, Wesbart Ltd are now looking at other areas in the manufacturing process that can be automated. There are plans to extend the conveyor or add a pick and place robot so the punched parts can be placed directly onto the conveyor ready to be folded, this removes the need to collect parts after punching and place them on the conveyor. There are also plans to review other processes within the company such as product assembly with the option of introducing future automation.

For further information, please visit www.ics-robotics.co.uk

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Contact: Lester Bull ICS Robotics & Automation Ltd. www.ics-robotics.co.uk Tel :: +44 (0) 2380 772711 Mob :: +44 (0) 7917 490231

CONTROL & AUTOMATION

A GAMECHANGER CLPA

Why TSN will soon be a must-have for competitive manufacturing Futureproof Connected Industries rely on responsive, data-driven operations.

Advanced industrial networks that incorporate Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) are key enablers for such systems.

By selecting them, companies can benefit from high-speed, reliable communications for Industry 4.0 applications.

Christian Bergdahl, Product Marketing Manager at HMS Industrial Networks, a member of the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA), explains why the technology is a gamechanger and how the company is getting ready to launch its first TSN compatible products.

The Connected Industries of the future are highly productive, flexible and responsive because of their ability to leverage the power of data, which can offer a unique understanding of what is happening on the factory floor in realtime.

As a result, companies can run automated processes to ensure smooth operations at all times, maximising their efficiency. The backbones of such systems are their networks, which connect every part within a plant or enterprise to share key information. In order to support Industry 4.0 functions, these infrastructures should be able to ensure the large volume of data generated is transmitted with high reliability and in a timely manner. The move towards gigabit bandwidth is further supporting these requirements.

TSN can provide further support and help businesses create data-driven operations. Christian Bergdahl explains: “The most emphasised feature of this technology is its ability to turn standard industrial Ethernet into a real-time communications system with extremely low jitter and latency. Therefore, it provides the key network technology to support the latest data-driven solutions and Industry 4.0 applications. These, in turn, are essential to help companies enhance productivity by creating responsive and flexible shop floors.”

concept that TSN will certainly become a must-have in the short- to mid-term. In fact, the extensive roll out of innovative industrial Ethernet solutions is a matter of when, not if and businesses are ready to act now.

MORE THAN SIMPLE DETERMINISM He continues: “TSN will make industrial Ethernet deterministic by design and provide the basis of converged networks.

In effect, the technology is being defined by the IEEE 802.1 specifications, which will set up a common, unified solution. As a result, any user will be able to benefit from a highly reliable and responsive network, whose nature supports interconnectedness, independently of vendor-specific solutions.

This ultimately ensures openness and interoperability among automation devices and systems, simplifying the creation of welllinked plants and enterprises.”

Furthermore, TSN has the ability to bring different parts of an enterprise, such as the operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) sectors closer together.

“The technology was originally developed for transferring audio and video streams in commercial applications. Only later, this solution has been looked at to support industrial automation systems. As a result, TSN applications in a given sector will be influenced by the developments in another segment, shaping and converging the future of the technology and industries themselves,” adds the HMS Industrial Networks specialist.

This unique feature will also play a crucial role in enhancing the acceptance of TSN.

NO DOUBT ON TSN ACCEPTANCE Automation system builders and end users are highly perceptive and well aware of the potential of TSN, particularly its ability to provide a unified way towards interoperability. Therefore, many companies are actively looking forward to adopting this technology. Furthermore, it is a well-accepted

Currently, the creation of TSN-based solutions is experiencing a growth phase and it is certainly a thrilling time for the technology specialists. Christian Bergdahl comments: “Fieldbuses and conventional Ethernet have been established for many years. Now that the innovation of TSN is here, engineers are up for a new challenge as they develop new products with groundbreaking capabilities. It is truly inspiring to see how committed and motivated these teams are.”

PROACTIVE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TSN SOLUTIONS A challenge in driving the TSN revolution may be shaping successful collaborations between automation vendors, according to Christian Bergdahl. “As the key element of TSN is interoperability, specialists need to be willing to collaborate closely to develop suitable systems and migration solutions.

Within such a framework, existing networks of key automation players, such as the CLPA, are on the right path and have a competitive advantage.

“Being part of the CLPA has always been extremely beneficial. With TSN, we are witnessing a number of unique advantages. In addition to being able to rely on a community of leading automation experts, we can be the first to develop TSN-compatible devices by utilising the CC-Link IE TSN specifications. This is the first network technology incorporating the innovative TSN standards that was released to the market. By offering the earliest solutions with TSN, we can enhance our role and acceptance in the automation sector, particularly in Asia, where the CLPA’s technologies are de facto standards. The first product appearing from HMS in mid2021 will be the Anybus CompactCom for CC-Link IE TSN, which will allow device makers to easily implement this new promising technology.”

For further information, please visit eu.cc-link.org

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PECM Issue 50

Safety systems: food and beverage industry The The Schmersal Schmersal Group Group develops develops and and produces produces safety safety switching switching appliances appliances and and systems systems for for the the entire entire machinery machinery and and plant plant construction construction industry. industry. In In some some industries industries special special requirements requirements are are applicable. applicable. As As aa customer customer focussed focussed company company who who intensively intensively deals deals with with the the wishes wishes of of the the manufacturer manufacturer and and users users of of machines, machines, Schmersal Schmersal has has taken taken up up these these challenges challenges from from the the start. start. As As aa result, result, specific specific products products and and solutions solutions were were developed developed for for many many industries. industries.

For For the the sensitive sensitive fields fields of of the the food food and and beverage beverage industry industry we we have have developed developed tailor tailor made made product product series, series, which which do do not not only only guarantee guarantee the the safety safety of of the the machine machine but but also also contribute contribute to to an an enhanced enhanced productivity productivity and and availability. availability. This This applies applies for for instance instance to to plants plants which which were were developed developed according according to to the the Hygienic Hygienic Design Design standards standards and and to to machines, machines, for for which which the the directives directives regarding regarding the the dust dust explosion explosion protection protection must must be be observed observed during during the the filling, filling, bottling bottling and and storing storing of of powdered powdered food food products. products.

Industries Industries

Product Product Ranges Ranges

Services Services

•• Packaging Packaging

•• Safe Safe switching switching && monitoring monitoring

•• Application Application advice advice

•• Food Food && Beverage Beverage

•• Guard Guard door door monitoring monitoring safety safety switches switches

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•• Medicine Medicine // Pharmaceutical Pharmaceutical

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•• Risk Risk assessment assessment in in accordance accordance

•• Machine Machine Tools Tools

•• Tactile Tactile safety safety devices devices

•• Construction Construction machinery machinery

•• Optoelectronic Optoelectronic safety safety devices devices

•• Stop Stop time time measurements measurements

•• Renewable Renewable energy energy sources sources

•• Automation Automation technology technology

•• Training Training courses courses

•• Automotive Automotive

•• Safety Safety monitoring monitoring and and control control modules modules

•• Chemical Chemical Industry Industry

•• Machine Machine guarding guarding systems systems

Schmersal: Schmersal: T: T: 01684 01684 571980 571980 E: E: uksupport@schmersal.com uksupport@schmersal.com W: W: www.schmersal.co.uk www.schmersal.co.uk

with with the the machinery machinery directive directive

Scan Scan the the QR QR code code for for your your food food and and beverage beverage industry industry brochure brochure

CONTROL & AUTOMATION

‘MAKE VS BUY’ PP CONTROL & AUTOMATION

Tony Hague, CEO of PP Control & Automation, delves into one of industry’s hottest topics and explains why investing the right amount of time and money is crucial to coming up with the right answer to the ‘make vs buy’ outsourcing debate general direction…organisations should invest, indeed invest significantly, in areas of competences/processes that absolutely ‘need’ to be at the centre of the business, where risks are too high to consider outsourcing.

Take a snapshot of manufacturing 50 years ago.

Organisations were large, geographically concentrated and horizontal integration was ‘king’, with multiple activities in place across the entire value chain. Business models, nine times out of ten, were focused on volumes and efficiencies.

Equally, competences and processes where supply chain effectiveness and capability are good, often better than what you have in-house, can make perfect operational and financial sense.

These companies thrived for many years until the impact of globalisation took hold and was exacerbated even further with the growing desire from clients for customisation of both parts and processes.

Some met the new challenge with vigour and innovation, resulting in rapid growth and success, whereas others decided to continue to fight a losing battle focused on annual cost reductions until the thin end of the wedge was duly reached. Where these proud businesses once stood, you will now sadly find a retail park or housing estate.

Manufacturing now comprises complex ecosystems and specialisms and vertical integration has taken its place at the top table, rewarding agility and responsiveness in place of ‘lean at all costs’. As a result, businesses are often smaller in size, albeit with multiple locations domestically and around the globe.

This paradigm shift has completely changed supply chain models within these ecosystems. The focus is now based around solutions not products, relationships are strategic, not transactional and suppliers are now partners sharing in the same outcomes, whether they are positive or negative.

With this in mind, the requirement for outsourcing and how businesses approach the ‘make vs buy’ decision has become of massive strategic importance, but what factors drive such decisions?

• Lead time reduction • Total cost reduction

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PECM Issue 50

So, let’s assume that an organisation has identified a need to outsource a particular process or service. Two obvious questions then arise.

1) At what level do we outsource component level, sub-assembly or total assembly?

• Reshoring/in-sourcing • The need for additional capacity • New skills or capabilities • Logistics and carbon footprint reduction • Business interruption/risk planning • Tacit knowledge, intellectual property and patents Whilst these are many of the common drivers, each business, within their own market, faces different challenges and opportunities and will need to carefully consider the ‘make vs buy’ decision against their own individual situation. They will no doubt have unique problems and questions pertinent to just them.

A number of tools and techniques are readily available to help support the decisionmaking process, the majority of which will focus on the strategic importance of a process, the suitability and effectiveness of a supplier (based on available supply chain) and the overall management of risk.

Ultimately, all models will point in the same

2) How do I select the right outsourcing partner?

The first question again will have multiple factors associated with it. Often the level of risk is key, alongside required timelines for the desired outcome. On many occasions, the journey may commence at a perceived lower risk level (component supply only) whilst relationships are cultivated and trust is instilled between both parties. Then you can start moving up the value chain, but only if the right outsourcing partner is found.

If the optimum solution for outsourcing is at a high value add level, there is little point in spending time and effort bringing a new outsourcing partner on board that is limited to only ‘component level’. You need to look at the bigger picture.

Clearly many other factors affect partner selection, including: • Size/capacity • Experience in the chosen field - can they demonstrate historical competence?

• Current customer base - can you talk to other clients for references, do they work with your ‘sworn’ rival, are positive case studies available that you can relate to?

• Financial standing - it’s amazing how often we do rigorous financial checks on customers and yet fail to appreciate the financial credibility of a potential strategic supplier • Investment - track record and forward plans. How does this investment (or lack of) affect the ability to offer you something different or better than you could do yourself?

• Location – becoming ever more important is the need to be close to the customer.

The move towards reshoring has been accelerated by Brexit, Covid-19 and freight & logistics trends built around reducing carbon footprint and environmental impact • Ownership – how will this drive different behaviours and approaches to investment?

• Culture – get out of the boardroom and walk around a factory shopfloor. You will learn more in 10 minutes about a business, their people and their levels of engagement than sitting through hourlong polished presentations from the sales team • Supply chain capabilities – often complex and always critical. Can the potential partner bring new ideas and sub-suppliers into the mix that could positively effect quality and cost?

• Design and engineering capabilities – do the skills possessed by the partner complement your own? Are you are looking for something different, whether that is value engineering, design for manufacture, support around design for cost, perhaps specific certifications and approvals?

Time spent in the rigorous selection of a new strategic supplier is always time well spent and should be so much more than the quality team going in and performing an audit. The costs of getting it wrong can be ‘eye-watering’ and, in some circumstances, could stop a business ’stone dead’.

Certainly, from a UK contract manufacturing perspective, the outlook is largely positive, but not without its challenges.

You cannot fail to notice that we have lost certain skill sets and capabilities that are not returning to our shores any time soon.

A good example is certain types of casting services, where a combination of legislation and energy prices have resulted in us simply not being competitive and hence a lot of this specialism being off-shored ‘East’.

Thankfully this is the minority. We are blessed with some remarkable, innovative and exceptionally competent contract manufacturers that span multiple disciplines.

At times they may have been overlooked with the focus purely on the desire to source

from low-cost countries, but the mood is changing and companies are seeing the real benefit of working with and investing in each other, developing agile, creative UK-centric supply chains.

This can only benefit us in the longerterm, help drive sustainable GDP growth, rebalance our trade deficit and improve productivity levels that have never recovered from the 2008 recession.

Not for one moment am I suggesting that mass reshoring is the only answer. That would be both one dimensional and naïve global supply chains are just that, we need partners around the world that are agile and fluid.

So, in summary, the importance surrounding the ‘make vs buy’ decision has never been greater than it is currently.

We live in a post pandemic recovery economy that is balancing climate and sustainability pressures with the opportunities associated with digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics. Then you can throw into the mix, rising political tensions between the East and the West, which is increasing the risks of trade barriers and further nationalisation.

As history demonstrates, businesses that adapt successfully will thrive and prosper.

Sadly. companies that don’t react, could become the next drive-thru fast food outlet.

For further information, please visit www.ppcanda.com Issue 50 PECM

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CONTROL & AUTOMATION

AFFORDABLE AUTOMATION FANUC

FANUC partners with Recycleye to automate the recycling industry

FANUC, one of the world’s largest robotics manufacturers, is breaking into the waste management industry by partnering with intelligent waste management start-up Recycleye. Over the past 12 the months, Recycleye has combined its validated AI computer vision technology with FANUC’s 60+ years of experience in automation, to deploy and scale Recycleye Robotics, an AIpowered robotic waste-picking system.

To date, the limited availability of scalable recognition technologies has pushed the waste management industry towards a reliance on manual waste pickers to identify and extract high value materials. However, in recent years, the economic efficiency of manual sorting has been challenged due to increased stringency in international quality standards on the purity of imported recycled waste. As such, the demand for an affordable automated sorting solution to ensure purity standards are met, is rising.

Together, FANUC and Recycleye have addressed that demand to deliver intelligent automation to the industry.

Recycleye Robotics performs the physical tasks of identifying, picking and placing material, at a rate of 55 successful picks

per minute. The novel solution automates current manual operations and enables facilities to double their total throughput.

FANUC’s team of expert automation engineers designed Recycleye Robotics to weigh 75 percent less than any existing robotic waste picker currently in the market.

The plug-and-play installation eliminates traditional expensive retrofit costs.

Oliver Selby, Robotics Business Development Manager at FANUC UK commented: “As a provider of unrivalled electric injection moulding solutions, FANUC acknowledges that increasing the use of recyclates available for the manufacturing of new plastic products is a priority for the development of a circular economy. By integrating Recycleye’s robotic picker into its repertoire, FANUC can be proud to be delivering affordable automation to the recycling industry.”

Recycleye Robotics is powered by Recycleye Vision, an AI vision system, which has been deployed across the UK and French markets, exceeding human vision in identifying and classifying all items on waste streams – by material, object and even brand. Recycleye Vision works

to constantly train and learn new object detection, enabling for the robotic waste picking system to adapt to changing waste composition without any need for manual upgrades.

Yann Glauser, Lead Hardware Engineer at Recycleye added: “Recycleye’s intelligent robotic picker is creating long-term value for our clients, working consistently to increase throughput and reduce the cost of recycling. Our partnership with FANUC is leveraging world leading expertise in robotic solutions to develop the most effective automated solution for waste sorting.”

The modular robotic picking system has already been deployed at two UK material recovery facilities, on multiple plastic and paper sorting lines, and deployments in France are scheduled for later this year.

Having installed over 700,000 robots worldwide in different markets, FANUC will utilise their expertise to help lead the global rollout of the Recycleye robotic pickers.

Recycleye and FANUC’s intelligent robotic system is creating a new wave of intelligent and affordable automation in the waste management industry.

For more information, please visit www.fanuc.eu/uk/en/ and https://recycleye.com/

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PECM Issue 50

CONTROL & AUTOMATION

TF Automation automate manual process for Textile client TF Automation has recently delivered a new machine to long-standing customer, Genesis Patterns, which has automated a timeconsuming and problematic manual process.

Over the last thirty years Genesis Patterns has grown into one of the leading suppliers of sampling products to the flooring industry.

Originally supplying swatches and pattern books, the company has invested in machinery and staff to expand into the shade card sector.

TF Automation has worked with Genesis Patterns for several years designing and building a number of specialist machines to support their expansion and development plans. Genesis had a recent requirement to automate a manual process of taking precut carpet swatch samples from a strip and adhering them to “dec” boards, to create carpet sample books.

TF Automation project engineers worked with the team at Genesis to build a machine that would de-laminate and remove the pre-cut samples from the strip and place in the exact position required on the larger board. This activity is currently carried out by hand and is open to large fluctuations in output and accuracy.

The new machine removes the individual samples from the strip and places accurately in position on the boards, ensuring precision placement and standardisation every time.

The new machine has enabled Genesis to improve productivity of this activity and enable more cards to be completed in a shorter time frame, whilst also ensuring consistency and uniformity.

Tony Hubbert, MD at TF Automation, comments, “We have worked with Genesis for a number of years and were delighted to support them in automating this manual process to improve their efficiencies and ensure standardisation and accuracy.”

www.tfautomation.co.uk

RK Height Adjustable Monitor Floor Stand With the new height adjustable monitor floor stand, RK Rose+Krieger is expanding its monitor mounting product range to include a robust ergonomic standing workstation for industry which can be set up quickly and is much more economical than complex workstations.

AMCHECK

Designed for manufacturers needing to add or retro-fit Eddy Current inspection to an Additive Manufacturing CNC or Robotic System.

• Dual Frequency High Performance Eddy Current Flaw Detector with C-Scan Capability.

• Wall mountable for ideal and easy process inclusion.

• No couplant, no effluent and no radiation.

• Supports X/Y and R/Theta manual scanners with an easy scan calibration and enoder configurations.

• Viewing and analysis of C-Scan Data e.g. Phase Rotation Adjustment, Gain Adjustment. e:sales@ethernde.com t: +44 (0)1727 648050 www.ethernde.com

The work surface and monitor mounting are supported by a stable triple column system on a black powder coated base frame. The position can be easily adjusted by hand and has an adjustment stroke of 400mm.

The standard version of the stand has feet (steering rollers optional) and a rotary flange connecting plate. Pre-assembled modules are supplied for quick and easy set-up. The stand can also be combined with all available RK monitor holding components.

www.pmgb.co.uk/rk

Issue 50 PECM

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ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

THE F-TECH RANGE WILKINSON STAR

More new fume extraction systems meeting latest HSE welding requirements New from Wilkinson Star, one the of the UK’s largest independent distributors of Welding and Industrial Equipment, is the F-Tech Fume technology product range of high vacuum fume extraction systems and welding torches.

Welders and operatives can be exposed to welding fumes, grinding dust and oil mist in the working environment. It is therefore obligatory for employers to create safe and healthy working conditions for operatives by reducing these health risks.

The F-Tech Armur is a high vacuum dust extraction system offering a mobile solution to extract dust from manual welding and grinding processes. The Armur unit features a high performance German motor and a choice of 3 mtr suction Armoflex or Armotech

cantilever arm and a user friendly digital panel with hour meter, clogged filter alarm.

This unit offers E12 99.5% filter efficiency and comes with a 5 year warranty on both 110V and 230 V models.

The F-Tech Pocket is a portable extraction unit designed to extract and filter fumes from welding processes, micro dust, vapours and odours. At only 20kg, it is a robust unit with a practical long handle perfect for site work and those difficult to reach areas. This unit has a 2mtr hose fitted with a plastic extraction nozzle.

The Pocket also has a filter efficiency of E12 99.5% and comes with a 2 year warranty.

Additional features include a hourmeter and it is available in 110 and 230 Volt.

The F-Tech Fox is a high vacuum dust extraction system offering a portable solution to extract dust from manual welding and grinding processes.

Offering a 5 year warranty the Fox unit offers automatic cleaning of the filters which are manufactured in Europe and offer a long service life. The robust tandem motors offer pure efficiency in providing a vacuum over 20,000 Pa to extract and filter harmful welding and grinding dust. An auto start/ stop unit is also available to reduce noise levels and energy consumption when the unit is not running. The Fox will also run two welding torches simultaneously.

The F-Tech range of fume extraction MIG welding torches are of Swiss manufacture.

They offer the user more extraction efficiency at the welding source. Available in 300, 400 and 500A air/water cooled versions in 3, 4 and 5 mtr euro fittings.

Also added to the range are the Down and Draught extraction benches, the heavy duty Armur-Force for manual plasma cutting and grinding dusts. Also new is the F-TECH ICAP; a wall mounted welding fume extraction system with self supporting HD cantilevered 3 mtr arm.

The F-Tech range is available through Wilkinson Star’s extensive distributor network. For further details please contact Wilkinson Star on 0161 728 7900 or visit wilkinsonstar247.com.

For further information, please visit www.wilkinsonstar247.com

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PECM Issue 50

NEW!

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** Wheel Wheel Mounted Mounted Units Units

Wilkinson Star Limited, Shield Drive, Wardley Industrial Estate, Worsley, Manchester M28 2WD • +44(0)161 793 8127 • www.wilkinsonstar247.com Issue 50 PECM

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ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

DESIGN-IN-DISTRIBUTORS RHOPOINT COMPONENTS

Four advantages to utilising a Design-in Distributor 1. TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW Many design engineers like utilising the same components from the same manufacturers, time and time again, when there may be new, innovative products on the market offering a variety of advantages rather than utilising the same technology. Jay Gasson, the technical manager at Rhopoint Components says: “Representing 28 leading manufacturers, means we launch several new products a year. It is always a challenge when new technology is introduced as customers are not aware that they can suddenly do things more effectively. Rather than asking for a particular part number, try discussing your next project needs with one of our engineers as you may find that we have a better solution”.

2. STOCKING & LOGISTICAL SERVICES Relying on the same products being stocked as and when you need them via online stockists may not always be a luxury you have should there be huge demands or production issues elsewhere. Design-in distributors are able to offer alternatives from the various suppliers they represent on shorter lead times or even stock, as well as offer stocking options / call off orders for up to 12 months to better suit your requirements and help combat these potential shortages.

3. SELECTION Design-in distributors usually represent several manufacturers and have a good understanding of customer requirements, enabling them to better recommend the right product for you.

4. CUSTOM PRODUCTS Vast majority of industry-leading component manufacturers can offer much more than what you can buy from online marketplaces.

Are you spending ages browsing through websites and datasheets, but what you need is nowhere to be found? Speak to a design-in distributor. They know which of their product ranges are customisable, and they may be able to arrange the perfect component just for you.

The next time, you have a requirement, why not give a design-in distributor a try.

For further information, please visit www.rhopointcomponents.com

• Resistance value • Tolerances • TCR • Package • Terminations • Lead lengths and more....

Customised components, sensors and connectors • Specialist distributor for more than 25 leading manufacturers • In stock, manufactured-to-order and customised solutions 01342 330 470 sales@rhopointcomponents.com www.rhopointcomponents.com

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PECM Issue 50

4Most Electronics Importer and specialist distributor of E-MECH products

Cabinets & Enclosures Cable Management Connectors & Slip Rings Handles & Knobs Joysticks Keypads & Data Input Potentiometers Power Supplies Optoelectronic Switches Thermal Fuses

For further details of our extensive product range please call or email us on: T +44 (0)1371 811171

E info@4most.co.uk

www.4most.co.uk

Part of the 4most Electronics Technology Group: evconnectors.com | enclosures4u.com | ipjoysticks.com

ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

Accurate, precise dispensing for wearable technology When manufacturing a medical device, it is important that all processes are reliable, consistent and can be validated.

The industry requires manufacturers to have a good understanding of process variables, and to control them to create a robust procedure across all dispensing processes.

Dispensing processes must be done accurately and repeatably.

DISPENSING IN ACTION To achieve the level of precision required, manufacturers can opt for progressive pump technology, as it enables true volumetric dispensing. A progressive cavity pump typically consists of a single-helix metal rotor and a double-helix hole in an elastomeric stator, which forms a sequence of small discrete cavities. These cavities progress through the pump as the rotor is turned, transferring the liquid. The output represents true volumetric dispensing — the amount of material is directly proportional to the number of rotations of the rotor, and is not affected by material viscosity, input pressure or ambient temperature.

One example technology is the eco-PEN330 preeflow dispenser, which enables the user to dispense volumes as small as 0.001 µl within 1%, 99% of the time — a high level of repeatability and accuracy. It can be used for low or high viscosity materials, with or without filler content.

DISPENSING FOR DIABETES MANAGEMENT Medical wearable devices have huge potential for diabetes management. For example, in the US, the digital diabetes management market size has a compound annual growth rate

of around 20%. Examples of technologies include continuous glucose monitoring, smart glucose metres and closed loop systems.

One interesting example comes from a client of ViscoTec India, whose engineers created a closed loop system, consisting of a skin patch that measures blood glucose levels, a device that calculates the required insulin dose, and a smart pump that injects the dose. During the production process, the manufacturer required the precise dispensing of 0.7 microlitres of grease into a gearbox component of the electric motor in the insulin pump. These precise requirements were fulfilled with a preeflow eco-PEN330.

AUTOMATING THE PROCESS In most wearable production processes, adhesive dispensing is automated to achieve a high degree of repeatability.

Once the dispensing technology has been selected, manufacturers can repeat the application of materials with positional accuracy by incorporating a robot or other form of automation. Medical device manufacturers have several options to mechanise the process, which include rotary tables or simple 3-axis benchtop robots, usually at modest cost, right up to multi-axis robots with vision-based control and feedback As well as delivering productivity benefits from their speed, consistency and ability to run continuously, automation can enable results not possible manually. They can deliver rapid return on investment, particularly when precision and accuracy-based productivity gains are taken into consideration.

For more information, visit www.intertronics.co.uk/

your reliable solution partner...

+44 (0)1925 811 290 / sales@tempapano.co.uk / www.tempapano.com

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PECM Issue 50

ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

The state-of-art signalling to meet the hightest safety needs within industries Established in 1974, Sirena are a leading Italian manufacturer of audible and visual signalling devices. Our product range covers LED Beacons, Sirens, Buzzers, Tower-lights, Safety LED lighting, ATEX devices, Evacuation System devices and warning lights.

Thanks to a constant investment in research and development, we offer our customers innovative and high performing solutions, 100% designed and manufactured in Italy.

We are committed to make industrial processes and production sites safer, providing an extensive assortment of signalling solutions to fit all Signalling and Safety needs.

Available in the UK from Switchtec Ltd, Special supplier of industrial components.

Visit www.sirena.it or write to info@sirena.it

Reduce the risk of lightning hazards with a lightning warning system Measures can be taken to reduce the risk of getting struck by lightning. Biral now offers its BTD200, a self-contained, standalone lightning warning system so that petrochemical plants, mining operations and other large scale manufacturers can take precautions to prevent exposure to lightning and ensure both process and outside workers’ safety.

The system is a modular and designed to operate out-of-the-box. The system comprises of a professional grade lightning detector connected to a PC running the supplied Lightning Works software. Users view the lightning in real-time on a local map whilst displaying the urgent lightning alarm levels.

For more information call Biral on +44 (0)1275 847 787, email info@ lightningearlywarning.com, or visit our dedicated website www.lightningearlywarning.com

Issue 50 PECM

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FASTENERS & FIXINGS

SKILLS, EXPERTISE & EXPERIENCE STAR FASTENERS

Key Huck® Fastener supplier to Rail, Engineering & Fabrication Industries The UK is at the forefront of rail development, liberalisation of the market has fostered competition from global manufacturers and has helped with the generation of new projects and infrastructure improvements. Star Fasteners are a key supplier to the rail and heavy engineering industries and supply fastening solutions to projects around the world. We have the skills, expertise and experience to support customers from design stage through to production and beyond if required, and also have a reputation for being innovative and providing best-in-class products and services.

Star Fasteners are the largest UK distributor for Huck® fasteners, and have been specialists in the sales and distribution of Huck fasteners for over 30 years. Huck fasteners have been designed to cope with extreme stress and vibration, providing strength and facilitating lighter, stronger, more durable structures, they are widely used in a wide variety of tough engineering applications including railcars, rolling stock and track, aerospace, trucks and trailers, bridge construction, mining /quarrying and automotive, in fact anywhere that fastener failure is not an option.

Huck fasteners offer a clean and safe alternative to welding and a more efficient fastening method than standard nuts and bolts, they have additional advantages such as, quick and easy installation, elimination of re-checking / replacement, and ultimately cost reductions. For years, welding was seen as the only way to ensure the integrity of joints in demanding loadbearing or high-vibration structures; companies manufacturing heavyduty equipment or fabricating large, metal structures continued to employ the universally accepted process of welding joints together. However, today there are alternatives to welding, one of the foremost being direct-tension installed, swaged Lockbolts, such as the HuckBolts®. Each Huck Fastener has its own unique characteristics ensuring that there is a product for every application.

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PECM Issue 50

Huck® BobTail® - various sizes and finishes available

Huck® BobTail® cross-section

THE NEXT STEP IN LOCKBOLT EVOLUTION A fastener that has become increasingly popular in the UK market is the Huck BobTail®. Regarded as the next step in Lockbolt evolution, the BobTail installs in only two seconds, up to twice as fast as any other large diameter Lockbolt on the market. BobTail has the additional benefit of no pin-break. This not only reduces material waste, it also ensures an improvement in corrosion resistance by eliminating the exposed surface resulting from the pintail break.

The installation system provides a smooth, shock-free process with significantly reduced maximum noise levels, typically less than 70dB. The elimination of the shock load and reduced noise can offer real and significant health and safety benefits.

Declared by DIBt (Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik) as ‘maintenance free’, the 12mm, 14mm, 16mm, 20mm and 1-inch diameter BobTail is now approved to be used in both static and dynamic civil engineering applications. HuckBolt fasteners are now being specified into a wide range of applications that once solely belonged to welding.

HUCK STRUCTURAL BLIND FASTENERS AND STANDARD RIVETS As well as Huck Lockbolts, Star Fasteners stock a large range of blind fasteners.

There are two classes of blind fasteners; structural and non-structural. Huck structural fasteners retain and hold their mandrel after installation, they also have predictable and quantifiable shear and tensile strength.

These fasteners can be differentiated from non-structural standard rivets by their overall increased level of strength. Installed Huck structural blind fasteners remain tight up to their minimum mechanical values creating vibration-resistant joints. Many attributes make structural blind fasteners ideal for fastening dissimilar materials, they are also available in a variety of materials, diameters, head styles, coatings, structural strengths and join material through either hole-fill or surface bearing. Easy installation procedures and quick visual inspection guidelines help ensure that each joint is fastened properly, every time.

Huck® Encapsulated Hucktainer®

Huck Range Force™ Battery Tool

Tool repair and hire service; Star Fasteners accredited Huck tool repair and service department offers expert technical knowledge. We have a dedicated team of experienced engineers, fully trained to the relevant manufacturers’ recommendations on key brands such as Huck®, FAR® and Marson®, as well as many other popular brands. Star Fasteners has developed a reputation for providing a personal and reliable service, incorporating nationwide collection and return.

Powder coating service

STAR FASTENERS UNIQUE SERVICES An in-house powder coating service allows any Huck fastener to be coloured to meet customers’ requirements. The powder coating service has proved to be popular for both matching the fastener to a project, colour coding for identification purposes and offering additional corrosion / surface protection.

Custom colour encapsulated head. The growing trend for using composites as well as technological improvements has seen innovation in design. With this in mind Star Fasteners brought to the market a coloured encapsulated head Hucktainer®. This Huck fastener was designed specifically for joining light weight composite panels, plastic and fiberglass reinforced plywood to a wide range of materials. With low minimum order quantities and a fast turnaround, the head of the Hucktainer can be matched to any colour of the customer’s choice.

Its neat appearance gives a professional look to their finished project.

With a fully equipped workshop, Star Fasteners tool services are reliable and timely, so there is minimal down time for the customer and a quick turnaround for every job. Once the tool has been assessed, a quote detailing all parts and costs is raised. If required, Star can guide customers to help find the most economical outcome. Each tool gets a unique reference so Star Fasteners can view its full maintenance history.

Every production environment, workshop and tool benefits from a regular maintenance program and Star Fasteners can help out with that too. We have a large selection of short or long-term hire tools to ensure that production isn’t held up. Advising customers on simple maintenance procedures to help prolong the production life of tooling systems are all part of the service.

Star Fasteners also stock a wide range of quality hand, battery and pneudraulic tools that we know can stand up to the rigours of a busy workshop environment.

We recognise that choosing a fastener installation tool can be fairly complicated; our service includes demonstrating the latest models and advising on tooling options best suited to both the application and the environment.

WHAT’S NEW? THE HUCK RANGE FORCE™ BATTERY INSTALLATION TOOL The Range Force battery tool has been designed to combine industry-leading performance with superior reliability. It can install the complete Huck range of structural and non-structural rivets (up to 1/4” / 6.4mm) as well as two-piece fasteners (up to 1/4” BobTail® / Hucktainer® / Magna-Grip® / C6L®). In addition, it boasts exceptional quality for superior durability (tested to 50,000 installations). The high pull force is adjustable and it features a long stroke length, providing considerable versatility.

What’s more, there’s cross-compatibility with Huck nose assemblies and Makita 18v batteries.

COMPANY PROFILE Star Fasteners has evolved over thirty years to meet the changing needs of the market and now stock an ever-wider range of products in response to the changing marketplace. Our company philosophy is based on principles of quality, service and continuous improvement; this has enabled us to achieve certification to ISO9001:2015 and also Alcumus Safe Contractor accreditation. From products and processes, quality always plays a crucial role and is engrained into Star Fasteners culture.

For more information on our products and services and their potential applications visit starfasteners.co.uk and for tips, ideas and product news follow along on our social media platforms Facebook: @starfasteneruk and LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram @starfasteners.

Tel: +44(0)115 932 4939 Email: sales@starfasteners.co.uk

For further information, please visit www.starfasteners.co.uk Issue 50 PECM

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FLUID HANDLING

A COMPLETE SOLUTION SEEPEX

SEEPEX back mixing technology increases sludge throughput SEEPEX engineered solution encompassing progressive cavity pumps for dewatered sludge back mixing has increased sludge throughput at Anglian Water’s Cotton Valley cake import facility by 50%, enabling the site to generate more biogas, and delivering significant savings in logistics and cake storage costs.

Anglian Water is the largest water company in England and Wales by geographic area, supplying water and recycling services to over six million domestic customers, processing over 142,000 tonnes of dry solid sewage sludge in 2020-21 to generate 115GWh of bioenergy.

The Cotton Valley Sludge Treatment Centre (STC) is one of Anglian Water’s ten main STCs where sludge is dewatered and treated anaerobically to produce bioenergy. In 2008 an advanced digestion Thermal Hydrolysis Process (THP) was commissioned to speed up the anaerobic digestion process. As part of an upgrade a sludge handling facility was designed to handle approx. 160 tonne a day of imported dewatered sludge from satellite works.

LONG STANDING PROBLEMATIC APPLICATION

pumps were costing overall circa £100K per annum due to rotors and stators change every 3-6 months. Their inability to transfer no more than 3.5m3/h (bottleneck and limiting gas production) meant the site was not able to meet the design criteria limiting the amount of imported raw cake being handled to only 120 tonne per day.

Additionally, prior to maintenance, the silo had to be emptied to allow the pumps to be worked on, but also cake imports from satellite sites had to be diverted whilst work was carried out resulting in substantial logistical costs.

SEEPEX was invited to survey the site based on their vast experience in pumping and mixing dewatered sludge within Anglian Water’s water recycling treatment sites and sludge treatment centres. Leigh Thornley, Engineer for SEEPEX, says: “We took pride in Anglian Water coming to SEEPEX with the opportunity to resolve a long standing problematic application.”

CUSTOM-MADE SEEPEX was asked for a complete turnkey package which included the removal of the existing pumps which were installed under

a 7m high silo. The new pumps required custom made hoppers which were 5m long to fit under the existing silo, and being able to handle 5.5m3/hr of 16% DS sludge which had been back mixed within the pump from 25% DS and transfer this approx. 60m.

Part of the SEEPEX solution was to offer standardisation of pump size with other sludge treatment centres within Anglian Water resulting in commonality of spare parts.

PRODUCTIVITY INCREASED SEEPEX supplied and installed two custommade pumps from their BTES range with a dimensionally identical hopper to fit within the same footprint of the original pumps whilst delivering over 55% increased throughput capacity from 3.5m3/hr to 5.5m3/hr.

SEEPEX BTES range pumps are designed to fit under silos, have custom made hoppers to suit the application and additionally incorporate an isolation devise to enable maintenance of the pumps to take place whilst sludge is left in the silo.

Progressive cavity (PC) pumps (not SEEPEX) were installed to back mix the dewatered sludge and pump it into the THP. The two

Pumps from SEEPEX BTES range handle highly viscous to semisolid products from silos.

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PECM Issue 50

SEEPEX’s custom made 5m long pumps installed under existing silo.

FIRST-TIME FIT

A HAPPY ENDING

Due to the complexities of replacing the existing pumps and the restricted space, the SEEPEX Service Team carried out 3D modelling of the working area to ensure the pumps would fit first time. Over a two week period, the old pumps were removed and the new pumps installed all within the agreed project timeline.

“Due to the reliability and performance of the new SEEPEX pumps there is an increase in uptime of the cake import facility at Cotton Valley,” explains Luke Fish, Production Manager at Anglian Water. “This has not only allowed us to increase the sludge throughput on site and therefore generate more biogas but has also given us significant savings in logistics and raw cake storage costs.”

FLEXIBILITY TO MEET PRODUCTION DEMANDS Prior to the installation of the new pumps, Anglian Water were processing approx.

120 tonne per day of imported sludge cake with both pumps running. With the new pumps installed, the customer is now able to exceed this by 50% (from 120 tonne up to 180 tonne) whilst maintaining the same footprint and motor size.

Due to the reliability and performance of the new SEEPEX pumps there is an increase in uptime of the cake import facility at Cotton Valley.

The new SEEPEX pumps offer ample flexibility to meet the site’s production demands at lower speeds, which has a direct impact on reducing spare parts consumption. Since the pumps have been installed, no spare parts have been used and the service life has considerably exceeded that of the previous pumps.

“Thanks to the capabilities and proven expertise of SEEPEX in cake pumping, installation and management of turnkey projects, we were able to deliver a complete engineered solution for Anglian Water from the initial consultation, site survey, start up and commissioning to continued after sales and service support”, continues Leigh.

For further information, please visit www.seepex.com Issue 50 PECM

61

FLUID HANDLING

Swivel Joint Considerations

Fluid Carrying

Swivel joints are often the unsung hero in manufacturing and production, helping to solve problems that otherwise would cause long and costly delays.

One of our most recent problem-solving interventions was for a global chemical company. They had a persistent problem with a long 5” discharge hose. It was frequently twisting which led to extensive damage. This had the potential to become an expensive and time consuming problem if it was allowed to continue.

They reached out to Rotaflow to see if the introduction of a swivel joint could help solve the issue. Having designed swivels for similar purposes on previous projects, the Rotaflow design and engineering team knew how to approach the problem.

The introduction of a stainless steel flanged 90 degree swivel solved the issue and allowed the bulk power chemicals to pass through the full bore 5” line.

Flexibility It wasn’t quite as simple as that though.

Articulated Torsion Pipework In Hoses

As with most powders it was important to remove the potential for build-up of static charge and the subsequent explosion risk should there be a spark. As this particular supply was flanged, earthing straps could be fitted onto the connecting bolts which took care of the explosion risk issue and made the plant significantly safer. Given Rotaflow both design and manufacture the joints, they can supply the earthing strap connection points if required.

Tel: +44(0) 1663 735003

www.rotaflow.com

Rotating Cylinders

Swivel Joints Swivel joints allow pipework to pressure 1/4” to 40” and beyond.

Vacuum to over 20,000psi.

Stock and bespoke production.

Unique bearing/seal design for longer life.

ISO 9001 CE marked where applicable.

Tel:

Bingswood Trading Estate Whaley Bridge | High Peak | SK23 7LY | UK

+44(0)1663 735003

E-mail:

Bulk liquid dispensing skids for mobile and static applications Self-contained mobile demountable skids for IBC delivery vehicles Land based skids for loading and unloading of road tankers with fuels, oils and chemicals

Dispensing systems designed to suit customers specific requirements in terms of liquids and flow rates

IBC and barrel filling

Electric, hydraulic or donkey engine drive options

PD or centrifugal pumps for handling all types of petro-chemical liquids

Optional transfer methods, hose reels, loading arms custom hoses and couplings

Highly accurate LC flow meters with mechanical or electronic registers

Galvanized or stainless-steel framework for protection against the elements

Liquid handling solutions for the petro-chemical industry

4016 Alpeco TEX Lube Plant Skid Ad 180x132 v4.indd 1

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PECM Issue 50

Alpeco Limited | 66-69 Rabans Close | Aylesbury | Bucks HP19 8RS

t 01296 619510 | alpecoltd.com

23/04/2021 10:01

GEARS, DRIVES & MOTORS

LABINOX bespoke stainless steel vessel, filter and furniture manufacture LABTEX, the Huddersfield based laboratory and scale up chemistry equipment specialist, has introduced LABINOX as sub-brand offering off the shelf & bespoke fabrications in metals.

Stainless Steel Laboratory Furniture

Sourced in the UK, the EU and the USA LABINOX offers plain and jacketed vessels and filters and furniture to customer specifications.

Our work ranges from simple fabrications and machining to high specification bespoke projects for the pharmaceutical, food processing, water, paper and chemical industries.

Working in conjunction with skilled fabricators and finishers, LABINOX ensures that work is completed to the highest standard and is in accordance with relevant EU directives. In particular the pressure equipment, ATEX and machinery directives.

LABINOX will project manage manufacture and installation of assemblies, ensuring that not only stainless steel equipment but also associated equipment is procured and scheduled to meet your requirements.

Services include: Draughting, Design, Quotation and Feasibility Studies, Fabrication Supply and Project Management

Labtex.co.uk 01484 600200

Cost effective fail safe power off brake for e-parking SG Transmission has developed a 40 mm diameter static holding brake (12Volt DC, 0.6Nm Torque) for a German automotive customer as a parking brake with fail safe power-off braking.

The approach is a fully automated production process with single part feed, including an air gap preset during the manufacture process with reduced part count for simpler assembly.

The electrical connection is with integrated terminals.

The spring applied brake has been optimised to: - reduce complexity of parts - reduce manual handling - reduce cost - cover high quantity needs of over 100,000 pieces per year

Call us on 01388 770360 or visit www.sgtransmission.com with your requirements.

Issue 50 PECM

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GEARS, DRIVES & MOTORS

Productiv’s rapid response brings Cyclopic centreless wheel drive system to Advanced Engineering 2019 A novel centreless wheel drive system with multiple potential applications was showcased at the Advanced Engineering event in Birmingham 30-31 October, assisted by Coventry-based venture engineering specialist Productiv.

Productiv has created a working prototype of Cyclopic’s revolutionary patented Wheal system, which combines drive, steering, braking and operating height adjustment in a single unit.

The ground-breaking prototype was showcased at the entrance of the National Exhibition Centre and was well received by thousands of visitors the show attracted.

Each Wheal is fitted with its own separate drive system, giving complete 360-degree manoeuvrability – allowing for easy parallel parking, and so creating a ready solution for urban zone parking. In combination with road reading technology, the Wheal also delivers a unique vehicle levelling capability with no need for additional fluid power systems for levelling.

In just 13 weeks, Productiv created a complete working aluminium prototype for the show,

from the Cyclopic team’s own prototype, as well as optimising the electronics and control software.

Alan Rallings, Director of Cyclopic, commented: “Uniquely combining operating vehicle height, drive, steering and braking in a single unit, the Wheal has multiple applications, not least in electric vehicles and other mobility solutions. The Productiv team did an exceptional job in creating a completely operational model with full control system, in such a short period, once we knew we were given the opportunity to showcase the Wheal at the Advanced Engineering event. We anticipate strong interest from many sectors given the flexibility and capability of the Wheal.”

Matt Hardwick of Productiv added: “This was a genuine challenge which showcases the unique capabilities of Productiv in having design, prototyping and systems engineering all under one roof. The Wheal is a highly novel design which is versatile enough to be used in both on-road applications, such as delivery vehicles, and other applications such as caravans/trailers.”

Cyclopic Ltd would welcome any interest from any company or individual that would like to invest / sponsor the next stage of prototyping the Wheal For more information on Productiv, visit www.productiv.co.uk.

Further details on the Wheal can be found at www.cyclopic.co.uk.

Cross+Morse Power Transmission Manufacturing Specialists ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

Since 1984

Manufacturing up to 1450mm diameter Turning - CNC lathes, Vertical Machining Centre Gear Cutting - Hobbing, Planing, Shaping Gears Bevel Gears, Helical, External & Internal cut Gears Rack Shaping, Broaching, Keywaying Vertical Boring, Centreless & Rotary Grinding Bore Honing ◊ Induction Hardening ◊ Blacking Drilling & Tapping ◊ Marking Large stocks of Transmission Drive components CAD - CAM Design & Development ISO 9001 : 2015

Yes we can make it.

Cross + Morse. Shady Lane, Great Barr. Birmingham. B44 9EU sales@crossmorse.com

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PECM Issue 50

Tel: +44 (0)121 360 0155

www.CrossMorse.com

HEALTH & SAFETY

DSEAR 3 DAY - Risk Assessment Training Course

Create colour coded protection for the right area with Chemcre8

Our “Three Day” DSEAR course is aimed at those who responsible for conducting DSEAR assessments, but are not necessarily fully confident with the process. They may work in a flammable environment, in-addition to being responsible for managing the area, day to day.

With Alpha Solway, chemical suits are not only available in standard green! Our revolutionary Chemcre8 system now allows you to design bespoke colour variations by area, identifying and keeping your staff or contractors safe and ensuring they are comfortably protected at all times.

June 15-17th | Oct 12-14th

The course content: • Legal foundations • How sources of danger arise.

• What is the difference between flashpoint, fire point, boiling point and Auto Ignition?

• The fundamentals on the origin of Explosions, Deflagrations and Fires • Risks resulting from improper storage or handling of these substances • The meaning of the danger triangle and pentagon.

01952 947682 - 07989 597569 https://www.dsc-ltd.co.uk

This is your bespoke chemical clothing solution. Whatever feature specifications or fabrics you require, or whether you need colour coded suits for different hi-viz areas, the list is (almost!) endless with Chemcre8.

Fully compatible with other PPE, the range also helps support environmental programs, helping to reduce waste and disposal costs.

Available in XS – 6XL sizes Call 01461 202452 or email sales@alphasolway.com https://www2.globusgroup.com/ alphasolway/chemcre8

MasterCheck app provides the paperless solution to mandatory forklift inspections The new MasterCheck app automates the inspection process and provides the supervisor with important operational analytics and management tools on the web-based Supervisor Dashboard. Operators complete forklift inspections, repair reports, accident reports and near-miss reports including photos, quickly on a mobile device or tablet and simply click “send” to have the inspection sent to their supervisor and saved in the cloud. No more looking for lost paper reports – everything is automated!

MasterCheck is currently being used by companies throughout the world, and at $19.99USD per year versus as much as $120.00USD per year with traditional paper booklets, the decision to go automate and go paperless is an easy one. www.mastercheckapp.com

The new bar code reader.

Perfect performance on the conveyor line.

Our new BCL 200i bar code reader is specialized for guided container and tray identification. Its especially compact design is optimally tailored for stationary use in confined spaces. Integrated industrial interfaces and simple configuration offer you perfect performance at the best price.

www.leuze.com/bcl200i

210312_LEU20025_Anzeige_BCL 200i_148x210x3_EN.indd 1

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Issue 50 PECM

65

HEALTH & SAFETY

CONTINGENCY PLANNING APPLIED TECHNOLOGY

Smoke ventilation service warning to industry As the UK cautiously emerges from lockdown and the occupancy rates of commercial buildings begin to ramp back up, building managers and contractors are being urged to review their smoke ventilation service and maintenance schedules.

The stark warning comes from Applied Technology – a division of Elta Fans responsible for designing and manufacturing bespoke ventilation systems across industry. This includes highspecification life-safety smoke ventilation, including models for highly hazardous areas.

According to the technical team at Applied Technology, because such systems are designed for worst-case scenarios, there can be a tendency to fit and forget them, and lockdown measures could exacerbate issues further.

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PECM Issue 50

With cities opening back up, people returning to workplaces, and the hospitality and leisure sectors wishing for a busy summer, our buildings need to be in optimum condition.

Bradley Crisp, Sales Engineer at Applied Technology, explains: “If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that contingency planning should be high on industry’s agenda. If smoke ventilation is not correctly maintained, building owners need to be aware that they risk becoming liable. It is up to everyone in the industry to raise standards by highlighting why and how to keep equipment in optimum condition.”

In order to generate more awareness of the issue, Applied Technology is launching a campaign to help inform industry on the common maintenance pitfalls, as well as advising on best practice.

According to Brad, the recurring issues that can compromise the performance of smoke ventilation systems include: a substandard approach to storage; ongoing service and maintenance; lack of accountability. He continues: “While we invest significantly into the intensive R&D and rigorous testing required to create these life-safety systems, we ultimately hope they don’t have to get used. However, that’s not a reason for them to be forgotten.

“With cities opening back up, people returning to workplaces, and the hospitality and leisure sectors wishing for a busy summer, our buildings need to be in optimum condition. This includes a thorough approach to service and maintenance of smoke ventilation. We hope that our series of content can help remind building professionals to assess their systems effectively.”

For more information, please visit: https://www.eltafans.com/bespoke-and-oem/smoke-fans/ Issue 50 PECM

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HEALTH & SAFETY

ADVANCED SIGNALLING SYSTEM REMBE

Non-invasive signalling for processes that require a high level of tightness

Over the past few years significant advances have been made in the performance and capability of pressure relief technology - essential safety components found within chemical processing plants. With non-invasive signalling devices, which make it impossible for the process medium to escape, processes with critical pressures and demanding media can also be reliably monitored.

For customers for whom compatibility with harsh operating conditions is of paramount concern the NIMU (Noninvasive monitoring unit) works well.

NIMU is a reusable rupture disc signalling system designed for rapid notification of rupture disc activation even in the harshest chemical environments. The REMBE NIMU sensor is not in contact with the process meaning it is not affected by challenging process conditions or corrosive media.

The intrinsically safe NIMU is installed into a tapping within the outlet of the rupture disc holder, completely isolated from the process so it does not create any leak paths and is not damaged following disc activation - critical for chemical customers where leak paths cannot be tolerated.

With the traditional membrane type signalling devices, false alarms were unfortunately commonplace, as the harsh operating conditions could cause the device to activate even if the disc itself had not opened. This false signalling would cause unnecessary and costly process downtime. Unlike these traditional devices, the NIMU is not negatively affected by the process.

Additionally, membrane detection systems are single use, meaning additional replacement costs. With the NIMU this additional cost is eradicated – the NIMU enhances overall dependability of

rupture disc installations while reducing long-term expenditure. Not only is the signalling device fully reusable following disc functioning it is also reusable after routine maintenance checks. Easy to inspect during such maintenance routines, its closed circuit design allows it to be refitted into the holder by the same operator inspecting the disc, simplifying and quickening the maintenance process, a must to meet the demanding productivity requirements within the chemical processing sector.

When used in combination with the REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit the operator can be instructed in the event of a system disruption and can implement the relevant emergency management protocols. The affected employees can be individually informed of a process shutdown and coordinated response to identify the cause and get the plant back up and running as quickly as possible.

For further information, please visit www.rembe.de

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PECM Issue 50

T +49 2961 7405-0 info@rembe.de

Made in Germany

Your Specialist for

PRESSURE RELIEF and

EXPLOSION SAFETY

© REMBE® | All rights reserved

Consulting. Engineering. Products. Service.

Gallbergweg 21 | 59929 Brilon, Germany F +49 2961 50714 | www.rembe.de

Process technology inspired by Mother Nature … for a greener world … half the price … half the plastic You would not be surprised to be told that your banana was ‘made’ entirely in its skin! Mother-nature is a very efficient process engineer and would not consider growing a banana, then a skin, then placing the banana in the skin and then ‘zipping’ it up.

But that’s what we human engineers do … we make a product then decide how to wrap it up wasting time and materials doing that. To be more precise, that’s what contact lens producers the world

over do; they form a lens between two precision optical moulds, remove it from this assembly, discard the opticalmoulds before carefully transferring the lens into a third moulding then filling this with saline and shipping it to customers.

Mother Nature was not impressed.

“Three plastic moulds to make one wee contact lens … you must be joking!”

The challenge was massive because modern soft contact lenses are extremely fragile, being more than 50% water. The centre thickness is less than a human hair. The diameter is 140 times this thickness. The contour shape has to provide precise power-correction within tight limits and it has to be strong enough to support its weight in air even when fully hydrated with water. It has to be crystal clear, without imperfections so as to sit comfortably on the human eye.

But the Daysoft Engineering Team got to work and invented a completely new process they named INPAC®. This

eliminates making millions of mouldings each month then lifting wet fragile lenses into these. Now the lens is formed, hydrated, sealed and sterilizedin its originating mould. INPAC® process technology already has patent protections in US, Canada, Europe (UK, Ireland, Germany, France), Hong Kong, China, Japan. Manufacturing site capacity has been increased to over 100 million lenses per year.

Mother Nature was consulted.

“Supplying the lens in the mould you made it in … now that’s impressive.”

DAYSOFT.COM DAILY-DISPOSABLE CONTACT LENSES FOR A GREENER WORLD

Half the price, half the plastic Mother Nature CEng – Inpac® Process delivers

£4.99

ow N

£5.99

32 Lenses per Box minimum purchase 2 boxes, £0.70/Box post and packing Today orders are taken from around the world, picked and packed within 8 hours and posted direct to wearer homes or office right from the end of the new INPAC® production lines.

Over 650,000,000 sold direct world-wide Daysoft® process engineering: • Half the plastic, half the process transfers • Half the shipping stages • Half the price • Designed and made in the UK.

DAYSOFT.COM

MACHINING & MACHINERY

SPECIALISTS IN TOOLS & GAUGES WISEMAN THREADING TOOLS LTD

WISEMAN THREADING TOOLS LTD Specialists in Tools & Gauges for Screw Threads We have been supplying threading tools and gauges since 1987.

Together with supplying plain plug and ring gauges this is all that we do, we therefore consider ourselves to be specialists in this field.

We supply worldwide.

We hold extensive ready stocks that include all of the standard stuff that others offer, but also includes taps, dies, die nuts, die head chasers, thread rolls and gauging for threads not normally available 'off the shelf '.

Our real time stocks can be checked and purchased online at www.threadtools. com Just enter the thread details into the search box on the home page.

You will be directed to the item, if stocked, or to our specials, (custom manufacture), sales team. who will quote to supply at competitive rates, in good time.

As an account holder you can also order online from our listed in stock items, at your normal terms. We realise that you need the right item at the right price and quality, and in a reasonable time frame.

We are geared to provide that.

We can ship stocked items same day.

Our experienced sales staff can assist and advise you on any technical issues.

We welcome enquiries from resellers and can offer terms to suit.

WISEMAN THREADING TOOLS LTD 11 Padgets Lane South Moons Moat Redditch B98 0RA UK 0044(1527)520580 sales@threadtools.com www.threadtools.com

For further information, please visit www.threadtools.com

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Threading Tool Specialists

HSS DIES & DIE NUTS Large shelf stocks for all Standard and many Special Threads. Check our stocks online.

THREAD CUTTING AND ROLLING HEADS and parts and repair service

THREAD ROLLS FOR ALCO & FETTE HEADS. READY STOCKS CUSTOM MANUFACTURURE

HSS TAPS Huge Stocks for all Standard threads CUSTOM MADE taps our SPECIALITY! We stock taps for many non standard (SPECIAL) threads All types; Spiral flute and point, Fluteless, Left Hand, etc, etc.

Wiseman Threading Tools Ltd 11 Padgets Lane, South Moons Moat. Redditch B98 0RA Worcs UK 004(0)1527520580 sales@threadtools.com www.threadtools.com

THREAD GAUGES all types. Large stocks for standard and SPECIAL threads. Any non stocked can be quoted for custom manufacture.

CHASERS FOR COVENTRY & LANDIS TYPE DIE HEADS Ready stocks for most size heads most standard and some special threads Geometry available for most materials.

Custom manufacture our speciality!

MACHINING & MACHINERY

TOTAL SUPPLY PACKAGE JOHN KING GROUP

Material processing solutions since 1926 John King is a family-owned manufacturing company founded in 1926.

The fifth generation of the family are now working in the business; both qualified and committed to take it forward and achieve greater success.

The enterprise began by producing plain pedestal bearings for coal mining pit tubs. Expansion came with the rapid mechanisation of the collieries and an increasing demand for chain conveying equipment. In the early days it was supply to one industry in one region of the United Kingdom.

The Company has enjoyed unrivalled success and expansion in the last decade.

Today exporting mechanical handling equipment to over 60 countries. This achievement was recognised in 2020 when the Company won the Queens Awards for Enterprise –International Trade

PRESENT DAY FOCUS

The business is now focused on provision of a total supply package for materials handling; comprising chains and sprockets to conveyor systems and their eventual installation and maintenance.

John King Laser was established in 2007 primarily to service the mechanical handling division. It was well understood that the available capacity surpassed that of in-house requirements and the business model from the outset was to sell laser cut and fabricated parts to customers producing a wide range of machinery and equipment.

More recently the division has been able to support John King’s site service division

John King main factory in Yorkshire with an original pit tub in the foreground. Above left, Installation of new laser – to be commissioned in January 2021 where bespoke fabrications have been required .A good recent example would be the survey, technical drawing, production and installation of major fabricated structures within an EFW plant (Energy from waste).

The laser division has remained autonomous from the start in having to achieve individual levels of sales and profitability whilst critically benefitting as part of a Group structure in investing in new technology to give the division a distinct advantage in efficiency and quality of products produced. The current installation of the newest and probably best laser capacity in the country is testament to that particularly in considering the present challenges within the economy as a result of the pandemic .It is our strong opinion that in 2021 John King Laser will be perfectly prepared to deliver as the economy emerges from a challenging period.

MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES

The 2020s business is a lean and profitable enterprise working from a modern manufacturing facility employing best production techniques Fibre laser technology , plasma for thicker material sections , CNC machining and Robotics. Group structure

provides the internal resource to implement production management systems that ensures highest quality, consistent and competitive products produced in a safe environment. All manufacturing is conducted within the dictates of ISO9000 to the latest 2015 standard to ensure quality objectives are monitored and maintained.

OUR PEOPLE

Our people are at the heart of the Kingdom, constantly driving the business forward whilst showing unrivalled commitment to make us the success we are. Together we search for continuous improvement and product innovation.

As a family enterprise we are proud of what we have achieved .To be working and succeeding in manufacturing is a privilege.

To operate in a process led sector where we turn raw material into a wide variety of products by using machinery and manpower is challenging and eminently rewarding.

As a result of unceasing advances in technology and machinery Engineering is one of the fastest developing sectors internationally. The UK engineering sector generates more than 27% of the UK’s GDP and it is clear that the industry is driving productivity whilst having a positive impact on other areas of the UK economy. For every new job in engineering, two more are created outside of the sector. The UKs Engineering sector is the real wealth creator and it is my hope that post Brexit the Government will realise the opportunity we have to put UK Engineering at the forefront.

David Wadsworth Managing Director

For further information, please visit www.johnkingchains.com

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MACHINING AND MACHINERY

Manes Controls Ltd Manes Controls Ltd have a long-established reputation and expertise in control system design and manufacture, we now bring all this experience to our range of standard inverter drive products.

Please have a look at our full range of motor speed control panels now available to purchase online with 3-5-day delivery times.

These panels can be used for various applications such as

conveyor belts, fans, centrifugal pumps, hoists, mixers, grinding machines and many more………….

Manes Controls Ltd Unit 504, Phoenix Park Ind Estate, Phoenix Close, Heywood, Lancashire, OL10 2JG Tel: +44 (0)1706625500 Fax: +44 (0)1706625588 mail@manesindustries.co.uk

www.manescontrolsltd.co.uk

Innovative design and manufacturing

Investing for your Future Requirements

High speed glass handling specialists

For more than 50 years, Dynabrade reach the excellence in manufacturing unique portable pneumatic abrasive power tools, related accessories, and dust collection.

Accurate Laser Cutting (SJS) Ltd of Rotherham, has made a significant investment in new equipment, to enable then to offer the very best service and quality to their clients.

A total investment of £1.2 million will be made on two new pieces of equipment and supporting software. The equipment will comprise of a brand-new laser cutting machine and a press-brake, the very latest technology and spec in the region.

How do you turn sheets of glass through 90o at the rate of up to 12 per minute without touching the delicate coated upper glass surface, with scratch-free zero contact between lower glass surface and conveyors?

Glass handling professionals Ashton Industrial shows you how with a neat, compact high performance engineering solution in a straight line layout employs lifting arms that pass like the teeth of a comb between transport belts and transport rollers. .

Glass from a first edge grinding station arrive on transport rollers and are instantly lifted clear as arms extend through from below so the next lite in line can already start its approach while those arms are pivoting away.

At the end of the turn the arms duck back underneath, passing between transport belts as they set the glass down to drive away to the next station. Return is at high speed underneath both conveyors. click the blue VIDEO LIBRARY button on www.ashton-industrial.com

With our total systems solutions offerings, we are able to meet the specific needs of many industries.

Our products are used in a variety of applications on the majority of materials that require surface preparation and finishing.

We design and manufacture high-quality tools and innovative solutions (including in automation with robotic solutions) to improve the operator’s environmental safety, process time, and finish which reduces our customers’ costs. We can offer the quality, the service and the advice along with the Knowledge that contributes to Dynabrade’s reputation across multiple industries. www.dynabrade.com

The laser cutter will be a powerful 12kW model, on a 4m x 2m bed. with a 320 ton, 4.1m press-brake to match. Accurate Laser Cutting (SJS) Ltd Managing Director, Stephen Rolfe commented, “We have built our business upon providing our clients with the very best quality products, at competitive prices on short lead times. This investment in the very latest technology, will enable us to continue to provide a service second to none.” www.accurate-laser.co.uk/

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MEASUREMENT & MONITORING

INTELLIGENT INSPECTION SICK

SICK Launches Compact 2D Vision Camera with Deep Learning App Onboard SICK is launching its first vision camera with a pre-installed Deep Learning app onboard to make it simple to create custom quality inspections of complex or irregular-shaped produce, products or packaging. The system will bring opportunities for food industry operators to automate vision inspections, for example of naturally-grown produce, that may have previously defied automation using traditional systems.

PRACTICAL AND AFFORDABLE AI CLASSIFICATION The SICK Intelligent Inspection Deep Learning App runs on SICK’s newly launched Inspector P621 2D programmable vision camera. The all-inone package enables machine builders and food processors to set up Artificial Intelligence vision classifications in a fraction of the time and cost it would take to set up complex inspections using traditional vision inspections based on pre-set rules.

Where it has previously been very challenging to achieve consistently robust and repeatable quality inspections, with SICK Intelligent Inspection they can now be mastered with high levels of reliability and availability. Automation is therefore practical and affordable for complex imaging tasks such as sorting fresh fruit and vegetables or inspecting packaging that may get easily deformed, for example.

Neil Sandhu, SICK’s UK Product Manager for Imaging, Measurement and Ranging explains: “By embedding the Intelligent Inspection App onto SICK’s Inspector P621 deep learning camera, SICK has made it possible for users to purchase a ready-made package that uses artificial intelligence to run complex vision inspections with ease.

“Users are guided through an intuitive process that teaches the system how to recognise ‘good and bad’ examples using SICK’s specially-optimised neural networks in the cloud.”

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further production images to evaluate and adjust the system.

Once the user is satisfied, the neural network is downloaded to the Inspector P621 camera where it can begin to take decisions automatically with no further Cloud connection necessary. Results are output to the control system as sensor values and digital I/O.

Because it runs directly on the camera, the SICK Intelligent Inspection app does not require any additional hardware.

INTUITIVE STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS Using the SICK Inspector 621’s in-built image capture tool, users begin by collecting example images of their product in realistic production conditions. Guided step-by-step through the intuitive graphic interface, the system prompts them to sort the images into classes. Using SICK’s dStudio service, the pre-sorted images are uploaded to the Cloud where the image training process is completed by the neural network. The user can then apply

The image inference is carried out directly on the device, so there is no need for an additional PC. As the system training is done in the Cloud, there is also no need for separate training hardware or software, saving on implementation time and cost.

“Because it runs directly on the camera, the SICK Intelligent Inspection app does not require any additional hardware,” Sandhu continues. “So, users can automate complex vision inspections for a much lower cost of ownership. They can now consider automating quality inspections of products or goods that have just proved too difficult previously.

“Even better, the system can be set up in no time at all. Users may be able to manage the process themselves.

However, if needed, SICK is also offering services to support customers through the feasibility, commissioning and neural network training process.”

Users also have access to a large set of traditional machine vision tools installed

as standard on the SICK Inspector P621, so they can extend the functionality of their quality inspection further. Developers working in SICK’s AppSpace can also use SICK’s Nova software tools for further custom development and to create their own SensorApps. Starting with the Intelligent Inspection on-camera package still saves significant development time and cost.

SICK INSPECTOR P621 The SICK Inspector P621 is a versatile all-in-one 2D CMOS vision sensor with

1.3mpix image resolution. With flexible illumination provided by powerful on-board LEDs, a high-quality lens, an adjustable electric focus, the SICK Inspector 621 provides high-quality images out of the box to support the Deep Learning process. With a rugged IP65 housing, its compact 71mm x 43mm x 35.6mm dimensions mean it can be installed even in small machine spaces and at tight angles. Its versatility for many applications is assured through a wide range of communications interfaces and compatibility with EtherNET/IP, EtherCAT, Profibus and PROFINET fieldbuses.

SICK Deep Learning is also now available as licensed option for all InspectorP600 2D vision sensors. Initially available with image classification, the SICK Intelligent Inspection App, will be extended to incorporate anomaly detection, localisation and segmentation functions later in 2021.

For more information about SICK Intelligent Inspection and the Inspector P621, please contact Andrea Hornby on 01727 831121 or email andrea.hornby@sick. co.uk.

For further information, please visit www.sick.com/gb/en Issue 50 PECM

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SEN - 8

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01623 427701 info.uk@kobold.com

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01623 427701

MEASUREMENT & MONITORING

Time-Domain NMR Spectrometer for Materials Studies & Process Measurement & Control This highly compact Mk3 low-field time-domain NMR relaxation spectrometer provides physical information on liquid and solid samples in the lab and in the field, at a size, cost and complexity typically 1/10th to 1/100th of that of typical high-field chemical NMR systems, while still giving results on properties which are variously described as mobility, dynamics, stiffness, viscosity or rigidity. The signal-to noise is excellent, it uses digital R.F processing for high long-term stability. This spectrometer is robust and compact enough for use in the field. It has a 3D printed solid metal case, gold flashed, and weighs just under 1kg.

A Peltier thermo-electrically cooled variabletemperature probe is available, that precisely controls temperature from -35C to +80C, with additional gas-assist available down to -80C. nmr@lab-tools.com | www.Lab-Tools.com http://nmrspectrometer.lab-tools.com

One tool – everything under control

Solutions for your lab from Spectronic CamSpec Ltd

The PLC-ANALYZER pro 6 is the widely appreciated solution for logic analysis, failure diagnosis and data recording on PLC controllers (SIMATIC S7, Allen-Bradley, Mitsubishi, Schneider, OMRON, CoDeSys, OPC UA and others).

Do you carry out research, development, or quality control of your products? Spectronic CamSpec provides analytical equipment suited for every laboratory, allowing users to quantitively measure individual characteristics of their products. Spectronic CamSpec offers excellent after sales support and instrument maintenance contracts, carried out by qualified technical engineers. This is available for the Spectronic CamSpec instrument range and many competitors’ instruments.

Contact Spectronic CamSpec to see if they service your existing equipment.

Up to 16 million variables from 250 signal sources can be recorded simultaneously.

Every PC connected for PLC programming can be used for recoding process data without modification. Video data can be recorded synchronously with the PLC process data.

Symbol files or PLC programming projects (e.g. TIA) can be loaded directly by PLCANALYZER pro 6 making all settings and variables immediately available for easy drag’n’drop selection. With this unique tool you have always everything around your PLC installations under control. >>> Wanted: Reseller for UK <<<

Instrument range includes: • Spectronic’s own brand of CamSpec spectrophotometers • FTIR spectrometers • Flame photometers • Texture analysers and Tenderometers • Mercury analysers • Electrochemistry equipment • Wide range of accessories and consumables

www.autem.de

E: sales@spectronic.co.uk | T: +44 (0) 113 286 4536 www.spectronic-camspec.co.uk

Labfacility 50th Anniversary Celebration

TR-7 series simplifies access to data

NEW MM7010 Bluetooth Logging Thermometer/Print Combo

Labfacility are proud to announce that in 2021 we will be celebrating our 50th birthday.

We want to say a big thank you to everyone who has made this 50th year anniversary possible.

The TR-7wb WLAN data logger with Bluetooth feature is ideal for temperature and humidity monitoring, and designed for those who require a broad range of measurement tasks.

Recorded data can be automatically uploaded to T&D’s free of charge WebStorage Service, which is accessible anywhere and any time by computer or mobile devices. The App “T&D Thermo” enables the use of mobile devices for viewing data recorded by TR-7wb/nw (wireless and wired LAN) series data loggers, as well as direct communication and operation with the TR-71wb, TR-72wb and TR-75wb via Bluetooth.

These applications allow uncomplicated and cost-effective protection of various goods and processes in public buildings, warehousing of sensitive products, and the supervision of laboratories and refrigerators.

The MM7010 is a Bluetooth, high accuracy logging thermometer which can store up to 1,000 timed and dated measurements at a time. No more pen and paper recording – just download to your nearest PC, mobile phone or PDA as soon as you’re ready. The MM7010 is supplied complete with Excel compatible software for easy integration with your existing database. The MM7010 is IP67 waterproof, combined with our waterproof probes, gives you a quality, robust system which can be used in a variety of different settings – from food to pharmaceuticals. For goods-in, delivery and storage, TME recommends: • Needle Probes (TP05) for core temperature inside product • Flat Food Probes (TA12) for measuring between pallets or boxes • Food Simulant Probes (TFS01) for replicating the actual temperature of stored • Any of the other probes in our wide temperature probe range

Labfacility are the UK’s leading manufacturer of Temperature Sensors, Thermocouple Connectors and associated Temperature Instrumentation and stockists of Thermocouple Cables.

The Company has been trading since 1971 and is ISO 9001 accredited.

Quality and Service are key elements in the continued growth of Labfacility; technical support for both sensing and instrumentation is always freely available from our experienced technical sales teams.

Email: sales@labfacility.com Tel: +44 (0) 1243 871280 www.labfacility.com

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For further information, please visit: www.tandd.com www.webstorage-service.com

www.tmethermometers.com

Optimum for metal surfaces and low temperatures The CT 4M measures within the spectral range of 2.2 µm to 6.0 µm, making it ideal for low-temperature measurements on metals, metal oxides, ceramics or for materials with an unknown or changing emissivity.

Pyrometers. IR Cameras. Accessories.

Software. We measure temperature non-contact from –50 °C to +3000 °C. Visit: www.optris.co.uk

New

With very fast processes, requirements for the pyrometers used for temperature measurement are especially onerous. Typical examples are plastics processing machinery, such as those used for blowmolding PET bottles, which work on very short cycle times. Another application is the monitoring of rail vehicles, where the temperature of the wheelset bearings are measured as the train wheels pass the pyrometer, to be able to detect components running hot in good time.

Optris now offers the new high-speed pyrometer CT 4M for these types of challenging tasks. With a detection time of just 90 µs, it is the fastest pyrometer within the product range at Optris.

Our new high-speed pyrometer CT 4M with ultra-fast exposure time of 90 μs is ideally suited for fast high-volume production and packaging processes.

New high-speed pyrometer CT 4M from Optris

Ultra-fast.

MEASUREMENT & MONITORING

Here, low temperature means the measurement range which spans 0 °C to 500 °C. The sensor head of the new pyrometer is very compact; with a diameter of 14 mm and a length of 28 mm, it can easily be installed even where space is at a premium, for example directly within a machine. Instead of a PC, the pyrometer can also be connected to an Android mobile device which has the free IRmobile app installed.

Optris GmbH Ferdinand-Buisson-Str. 14 13127 Berlin, Germany info@optris.global

Innovative Infrared Technology

when temperature matters

www.optris.global Issue 50 PECM

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MEASUREMENT & MONITORING

LIGHTS OUT PRODUCTION HEXAGON

Hexagon helps Alloy Specialties increase production capacity with ‘lights-out’ robotic quality inspection Robotic quality inspection technology Tempo, from Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division, is enabling aerospace part manufacturer, Alloy Specialties, to increase its production capacity and staff productivity through automation.

Tempo comes from a series of Hexagon products designed to help manufacturers begin automating their quality processes in a way that doesn’t require large-scale investment and disruption. The part loading system enables teams to queue multiple inspection jobs and sort rejected parts, and easy operation means anyone can operate a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). By using Tempo, Alloy Specialties is able to improve productivity by extending production time, improving labour efficiency throughout the day and aiding ‘lights-out’ operations.

Dawn M. DiMauro, President, Alloy Specialties says, “In 2020, Alloy Specialties, Inc. became a beta site for Hexagon’s new Tempo System.

Hexagon’s support team has been outstanding and the Tempo system is meeting all our expectations. Currently, we are running one aerospace part exclusively on the Tempo system twentyfour hours a day, seven days a week. As a result, we have seen significant impact in reducing our backlog, increasing capacity, and freeing up other CMMs. We anticipate being able to add additional parts to the Tempo queue soon and look forward to a continued partnership with Hexagon.”

Hexagon’s support team has been outstanding and the Tempo system is meeting all our expectations.

The use of Tempo is part of a continuous push by Alloy Specialties to increase automation and, along with program revisions, has contributed to 50 percent faster quality inspection processes.

This, in turn, is enabling the company to reduce costs and meet increased demand. As a result, Alloy Specialties is considering investing in an additional Tempo System in 2021.

There is much to be gained from the implementation of smart manufacturing technologies, such as increased efficiency, productivity and process innovation.

Tempo is helping Alloy Specialties free up their skilled professionals, enabling them to take on more work while keeping staff costs down. In the current climate, the need to stagger shifts and schedule

jobs with less staff on site can lead to resourcing issues. Making metrology processes more automated and more accessible empowers more agile crossfunctional teams.

Ingo Lindner, VP Stationary CMM Devices, Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division says: “All too often quality processes are an afterthought when it comes to smart manufacturing investments. Yet, this is a critical element of the manufacturing process and there is much to be gained from employing automation where it adds most value.

“As Alloy Specialties has found, smaller, incremental investments in the right technologies can have a huge impact.

They can enable manufacturers to address the skills shortage by using their staff more effectively, enabling ‘lights-out’ production and paving the way for greater capacity and agility across their businesses.”

For further information, please visit www.hexagonmi.com

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MEASUREMENT & MONITORING

Bartington Helmholtz Coil Systems Bartington’s range of Helmholtz Coils provides solutions for a variety of industrial and research applications, where creation of an accurate and controllable known magnetic environment is important. For example, many of today’s devices include compasses for navigation, such as mobile phones, satnav systems, and rangefinders.

Our Helmholtz Coils are idea for calibrating these devices accurately, enabling maximised performance and improved accuracy of the data obtained from these compasses.

from distortions in the Earth’s magnetic field.

For the HC1®, you may specify the number of axes, and hence pairs of coils, required.

The two-axis version is available in any combination (X+Y, X+Z or Y+Z), which may be specified when placing your order. The HC2® coils are provided in flat-pack form for easy shipping and assembly at your convenience.

Our range of coils is available with diameters of 350mm(HC16), 500mm (HC1®) or 1m (HC2®). They can be supplied on their own, or with our Power Amplifier (PA1) and Control Unit (CU1). The CU2 Module allows for closed-loop compensation to take place for improved field stability, especially over slowly varying ambient field changes. We also offer a compatible National Instruments acquisition card and LabView™-based package, which enable a turnkey solution for software control of your Helmholtz Coil system.

When developing new magnetic sensing technology, our Helmholtz Coils and reference sensors are invaluable in ensuring the new sensors are calibrated and tested appropriately. Our Mag-13MS three-axis magnetic field sensor is an ideal high precision reference sensor for field measurements.

In addition, Ferronato Helmholtz Coils with 1.3 and 2m diameters from Serviciencia are also available, and are compatible with our control system.

Each pair of coils generates a homogeneous magnetic field in one specific axis: X, Y or Z. The coils can be calibrated to add or subtract

www.bartington.com

Time-Domain NMR Spectrometer for Materials Studies & Process Measurement & Control Time-domain NMR Relaxation is an extremely useful quantitative technique for material science and process measurement & control. This time-domain NMR spectrometer can be used to study solids such as polymers and porous materials. This gives data on sample component masses and movement of the atoms and molecules, which lead to qualities which are variously described as mobility, dynamics, stiffness, viscosity or rigidity.

Here are some typical measurements monitoring the setting of two-part epoxy resins over more than a day, measuring the changes in the motion of the atoms in the polymers as the setting process proceeds and the resins become more rigid.

There are many such systems where this NMR spectrometer can provide useful process information. For temperature dependent systems, a Peltier thermo-electrically cooled

CNC ROUTERS & LASER CUTTERS CNC Routers

Now with Touch Screen Control

• Affordable, high quality build • Over 25 years experience in supply and installation of CNC Routers • Excellent technical support and back up

CNC Laser Cutters • Models for both metalic and non-metalic materials • 150w laser tubes

variable-temperature probe is available, that precisely controls temperature from -35C to +80C, with additional CO2 gas-assist available down to -80C.

www.nmrspectrometer.labtools.com www.Lab-Tools.com Lab-Tools Ltd.(nanoscience) +44 (0) 7805 437 241

ATACAM ALM1390 ATACAM AL1390 Call for more information or a demonstration, or visit www.atacam.co.uk ATA Engineering Processes Ltd ATA House, Unit B, Boundary Way, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 7SS t: 01442 264411 e: sales@ataeng.com www.ataeng.com

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NEWS & EVENTS

NEW PARTNERSHIP SEMPRE GROUP

The Sempre Group adds LK Metrology CMMs to its metrology portfolio Industrial metrology specialist The Sempre Group and coordinate measuring machine (CMM) pioneer LK Metrology have announced a new partnership. The collaboration will enable the companies to bring productivity-enhancing digital quality solutions to the British and Irish automotive, aerospace, power generation, medical and precision engineering markets. The Sempre Group will now distribute LK Metrology’s full product range throughout the UK and will also launch the brand to the market in Ireland LK Metrology is a Derbyshire based CMM manufacturer with a long and pioneering history that includes many industry firsts. It supplies a complete range of premium bridge, gantry and horizontal arm CMMs for highly accurate and repeatable measurement, alongside multisensor CMM software to help automate inspection processes. Its products are used all over the world to control and improve component quality from design to quality assurance. After becoming an independent CMM manufacturer in 2018, LK Metrology was looking to expand its reach by partnering with a strong UK business.

The Sempre Group was established to help British and Irish manufacturers improve productivity, reduce human error and demonstrate compliance in quality control. From its Gloucestershire facility, it offers a comprehensive suite of technology from a range of partners to enable it to suggest the best combination of systems and software for each individual measurement application. It also provides tailored solutions to help customers achieve specific outcomes.

The company recently established a physical base in Ireland to help further serve its Irish customers and become Ireland’s leading supplier for metrology equipment, bespoke solutions and services.

“Sempre is a likeminded business, based on providing the right solution for each customer and we saw great synergy between our two companies,” explained Steve Shickell, sales, marketing and service director at LK Metrology.

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“We share the same goal to introduce the market to Quality 4.0 solutions that provide actionable information to enable manufacturers to improve their processes and performance. For example, providing true traceability through tiered supply chains to provide visibility, control and efficiency.”

“LK Metrology offers market-leading products, backed by its history as a true industry pioneer,” explained Jim Mangan, chief operating officer of The Sempre Group. “While the products do fill a gap in our product range, working together is

about much more than shipping boxes.

This partnership means we can provide the highest level of technical support and service to help customers meet their specific business objectives, be it reducing waste, improving yield or driving productivity. It is a pleasure to collaborate with such an esteemed British manufacturer.”

The machines will be available across three locations in the UK. For more information on The Sempre Group, visit https://www.thesempregroup.com/.

Sempre is a likeminded business, based on providing the right solution for each customer and we saw great synergy between our two companies.

To learn more about LK Metrology’s product range, visit https://www.lkmetrology.com/.

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NEWS & EVENTS

ENERGY TRANSITIONS EEMUA

Decarbonising sectors beyond power generation Governments have ambitious plans for reducing carbon emissions, and companies increasingly implement more sustainable practices. Continuing to pursue a low-emissions future emphasises decarbonising sectors beyond generation.

Green electricity needs to reach industry, transport, and buildings sectors that account for over half CO2 emissions from the world energy systems.

EFFICIENT, SAFE ENERGY TRANSITIONS

Engineering is central to creating economies that rely on electricity and to making transitions efficient and safe for people, businesses and the environment.

There will be demand for new types of industrial installations, deployed in large numbers. While technologies already exist for this transition, experience and dissemination of good practice may not be widespread or at scale.

Bringing together industry experts to capture their experience for the wider world, the Engineering Equipment and Material Users Association (EEMUA) shares safety guidance that is applied today across industrial sectors and is essential to new types of industrial installation for energy transitions – for instance, guidance for offshore structures and safe fuel storage. EEMUA members meet and share good practice in a non-commercial setting in specialist technical committees on electrical, instrumentation and control, machinery and materials, piping and pressure vessels, storage tanks and more.

RENEWABLE’S POTENTIAL IN NON-GENERATION SECTORS

For transport, weight-for-weight, hydrogen contains about three times as much energy as petrol or diesel fuels. Vehicles fuelled by compressed hydrogen gas have potential to drive significant cuts in transport emissions. Hydrogen can also be blended into existing natural gas networks for domestic or commercial use. Sustainable use of hydrogen depends on energy generated from renewables being stored as gas for use elsewhere.

EEMUA publications relevant to the energy transition EEMUA 133 – Specification for underground armoured cable protected against solvent penetration and corrosive attack

EEMUA 197 – Specification for the fabrication of non-primary structural steelwork for offshore installations

EEMUA 147 – Recommendations for refrigerated liquefied gas storage tanks

EEMUA 201 – Control rooms: a guide to their specification, design, commissioning and operation

EEMUA 158 – Construction specification for fixed offshore structures

EEMUA 207 – Double concrete tanks for liquefied gas – guide to design, construction and operation

EEMUA 159 – Above ground flat bottomed storage tanks – a guide to inspection, maintenance and repair

EEMUA 208 – Guide to life-cycle management of pressure relief systems

EEMUA 177 – Guide to the UK Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (2000)

EEMUA 218 – Quality requirements for the manufacture and supply of duplex stainless steels

EEMUA 183 – Prevention of tank bottom leakage – a guide for the design and repair of foundations and bottoms of vertical, cylindrical, steel storage tanks

EEMUA 224 – A guide to risk-based procurement

EEMUA 186 – A Practitioner’s Handbook for potentially explosive atmospheres EEMUA 190 – Guide for the design, construction and use of mounded horizontal cylindrical steel vessels for pressurised storage of LPG at ambient temperatures EEMUA 191 – Alarm systems – a guide to design, management and procurement EEMUA 194 – Guide to materials selection and corrosion control for subsea energy equipment

EEMUA 227 – Management of ageing electrical assets EEMUA 230 – Ageing rotating equipment – a guide to maintenance and operation EEMUA 231 – The mechanical integrity of plant containing hazardous substances: a guide to periodic examination and testing EEMUA 232 – Specifying, procuring and managing third party inspection services EEMUA 241 – Guidance on the presence and operation of portable self-energised electrical / electronic devices in potentially explosive atmospheres (gas and dust)

EEMUA e-learning – awareness and introduction modules cover: storage tanks, alarm systems, control rooms, process safety management, third-party inspection, mechanical integrity and more. All approved for Continuing Professional Development by the Society of Operations Engineers

It is vital to store and use such flammable gases safely. Industry already uses EEMUA 147 ‘Recommendations for refrigerated liquefied storage tanks’, to cover safetyspecific considerations throughout tank life.

Likewise, EEMUA’s 190 guidance addresses practical design and lifecycle aspects of horizontal cylindrical vessels to store pressurised gases. Alongside, EEMUA 241 guidance on the use of personal portable devices in hazardous atmospheres and the EEMUA 186 Practitioner’s Handbook for Potentially Explosive Atmospheres are important.

A SAFE BOOST TO CONTINUOUS GREEN GENERATION

Success in boosting renewables in the generation mix has been led by capacity expansions in solar and wind. Other renewable sources, like biofuels, will

also play an important role if electricity generated by renewables is to serve sectors currently reliant on other fuel forms. Here, EEMUA’s work on electricity generation underpins ‘through-life’ safety in biofuel settings where continuous operation is essential. Increasing deployment of green technologies may involve new types of equipment and materials manufactured to suitable specifications and standards. EEMUA’s guidance, professional development options, and opportunities to interact and share experiences with other members, all play a central part in giving the owners and operators of these ‘newenergy’ industrial sites confidence in both their design and operation.

The above article is based on EEMUA’s free whitepaper on engineering resources for Energy Transitions.

For further information, please visit www.eemua.org

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More for Engineering from EEMUA… People in engineering work to make businesses, the environment, and everyone’s future prosperous and safe – EEMUA’s publications, training and other resources help people in engineering to get that work done.

EEMUA shares engineering task know how contributed ‘by industry, for industry’ as practical aids for engineers in their work – wherever they are, whatever time they have.

Available to all in industry…

All publications and many other resources are downloadable from EEMUA’s Shop – where you can also register to take part in EEMUA events and training.

Members help yourselves…

Many EEMUA resources are free or discounted for members, so please log in and help yourself to guidance notes, training, e-learning, checklists, live webinars, seminars, recordings, and much more.

Join in…

New Corporate Members are always welcome to share EEMUA’s knowledge and influence.

Call on EEMUA…

www.eemua.org membership@eemua.org +44 (0)20 7488 0801

When managing real pressure is your job…

MIPC® helps engineers stay on-site and on top of the latest industry developments and good practice in primary containment of hazardous substances.

MIPC® shortlisted for the Best E-learning/ Online Education Initiative memcom membership excellence awards 2020

Using a blend of live, online classes, one-to-one sessions with expert tutors, and e-learning, enhanced by a mentor’s support and guidance, EEMUA’s Mechanical Integrity Practitioner Certificate course delivers in-depth training to engineers where they work – to give professionals the flexibility to learn on-site or on-call.

Options for induction to suit your schedule from July 2021 Learning starts in September 2021 Registration open now.

For more information please contact EEMUA online-learning@eemua.org +44 (0)20 7488 0801 www.eemua.org

NEWS & EVENTS

STATE-OF-THE-ART SERVO VALVES DOMIN

Domin and Renishaw collaborate to create a more sustainable industry UK-based, Domin, has developed a highly competitive range of state-of-the-art servo valves, and is now setting out to showcase how engineering start-ups can drive value for UK industry. Supported by metal additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) technology from global engineering company, Renishaw, the company has produced a first-of-its kind product — a high- performance servo valve. Such innovation represents the company’s first step towards drastically reducing CO2 emissions from the fluid power industry — every valve can save one tonne of CO2.

Domin, based in the city of Bristol, was founded in 2012, aiming to disrupt the fluid power industry by improving the range of technology available and increasing sustainability. Whilst recent decades have

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seen swathes of technology introduced across all industries, Domin believes that there has not yet been a single innovation that has caused significant enough change in the fluid power market.

presented a compelling case for use in hydraulic manufacturing.

For Domin, metal additive manufacturing (AM) was the missing piece of the puzzle, and it turned to this technology to design its product range. This technique, where products are built up layer-by-layer from metal powder, is used across a wide range of industry sectors, including aerospace, automotive and medical.

“There is a pressing reason disruption is needed — sustainability. In the US, the fluid power sector alone wastes about 300 million tonnes of CO2 per year through system inefficiencies,” explained Marcus Pont, Chief Executive Officer of Domin. “To put this into context, this is about the same as the total output for all CO2 emissions in the UK. More efficient technology could make a real difference to global emissions.”

By using the Renishaw RenAM 500Q, a four-laser AM system, which is designed for serial production applications, Domin was able to increase its productivity, achieve design freedom and reduce cost per part in such a way that 3D printing

“Britain is home to some of the world’s leading engineering businesses,” he added, “However, most of the UK’s big engineering businesses were started in the 20th Century. It’s time for British business to become more ambitious.

Combining metal additive manufacturing with other technologies revolutionises what can be achieved technically — it could generate real value for British industry.”

“Additive manufacturing is proving to be a key enabler in many markets,” explained Bryan Austin, Director of Sales, Additive Manufacturing Group at Renishaw. “The productivity that Renishaw’s technology enables means metal 3D printing is broadening into markets where it was previously uneconomical. Domin has showcased how AM can be used to make products better, faster and cheaper than traditional manufacturing would allow.”

Domin’s electrohydraulic valves are designed for the most demanding servo

Domin has showcased how AM can be used to make products better, faster and cheaper than traditional manufacturing would allow. applications and are marketed as small, light, affordable and high-performance products that are easy to configure online, offering good power density

and dynamic performance. Pont sees this product range as just the first step in creating change in fluid power systems across the UK; “every valve saves over one tonne of CO2 per year compared with alternative products”.

Long term, Domin plans to start manufacturing and selling complete systems. It is already working on some high-profile projects, which Pont says includes one to develop a new suspension system with Aston Martin Lagonda.

For further information on Renishaw additive manufacturing, visit www. renishaw.com/additive. For more information on Domin, visit www.domin.com

www.domin.com | www.renishaw.com Issue 50 PECM

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PROCESS TECHNOLOGIES

PUMPING SOLUTIONS KECOL

If It Ain’t Broke - Just Improve It! When something has worked for many years it is often the tendency to allow it to continue i.e. if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Until recently this was the case for a company when it came to maintaining the levels of coating material in the trough of wallpaper coating machines. However, the company also realised that the manual filling and topping up of the trough meant two operators were required to keep the machine running and the management decided to investigate how this could be improved.

The company contacted Kecol, explained the problem and their requirements, at which point a site meeting was arranged to enable Kecol Engineers to evaluate the project and consider potential solutions.

The application was quite straight forward, coating level within the trough feeding

sensor and manifold were installed at the customer’s premises by Kecol Engineers.

The system worked well and enabled one operator to run the machine rather than the two operators previously required.

the coating machine must be maintained.

The coating was a relatively low viscosity material from Kecol’s perspective and pumping it from the drums was not an issue, however, the pump had to be mobile and easily cleaned. It was decided to create a bracket to attach to the drums, which would support the pump. An ultrasonic sensor was selected to control a solenoid valve within the air supply line to the pump.

Following trials at Kecol the pump,

The management and operators were very pleased with the system and they are now considering further systems on other coating machines.

A video of the installation is available at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=FaIkRcAjl5w Kecol Pumping Systems Ltd Faraday Drive Bridgnorth Shropshire WV15 5BJ sales@kecol.co.uk 01746 764311

For further information, please visit www.kecol.co.uk

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PECM Issue 50

7 + ( + 2 0 ( 2 ) 9 ,6 & 28 6 3 8 0 3 , 1 * 6 2 /8 7, 2 1 6

Kecol have over 25 years of experience in handling all types of viscous products in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics markets, as well as general industrial applications.

A sample of products we already pump… ᅚHoney ᅚPetroleum Jelly ᅚMascara ᅚSauces ᅚLanolin ᅚLip Gloss ᅚEssences ᅚEye Ointment ᅚMeat Paste ᅚParaffin Wax

T: +44 (0)1746 764311 E: sales@kecol.co.uk W: www.kecol.co.uk

ᅚFace Scrub ᅚTeething Gel ᅚTomato Puree ᅚMedical Adhesives ᅚVeterinary Creams ᅚFruit Paste ᅚToothpaste ᅚMalt ᅚJam ᅚWax

PROCESS TECHNOLOGIES

ultraFLOW ultraFLOW quick couplings are the ideal choice for liquid cooling of electronics. It has an extremely low pressure drop that will help to increase the overall energy efficiency. ultraFLOW offers all the properties that are important for liquid cooling of electronics: compact outer dimensions, flat-face design with no spill on connection or disconnection, high flow capacity and low pressure drop.

It is available in hard-anodized aluminium and now also in stainless steel. The stainless-steel version has the same great characteristics but is more suitable for deionized water and other aggressive fluids. Stainless steel also makes it more suitable for use in corrosive environments.

You can download our white paper “A Critical Component in Liquid Thermal Management Solutions” at www.cejn.com.

Website: www.cejn.com Email: info.uk@cejn.com

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New lightweight filling material with high damping properties Numerous machines are impaired in their performance by vibrations. To counteract this, the German durcrete GmbH has developed the lightweight and highly damping filler material durcrete®cell.

New Quantum Cascade Lasers from 10µm to 17µm for Monitoring BTX, CH3I and HCN

durcrete®cell is a mineral filler to reduce vibrations in metallic structures. Damping is increased by over 300% and vibration amplitudes are reliably reduced. The damping material eliminates harmonics caused by sheet metal vibrations and reduces noise radiation.

With its balanced weight-to-rigidity ratio, the lightweight material is ideal for moving components and for filling hollow steel and aluminum sections. While natural frequencies are changed only minimally, guiding rails and motors can be designed economically and the machine retains its dynamics. The material is optimally used as a filling material in machine tools, in automatic placement machines and in measuring technology.

FLC offers innovative off-the-shelf Industrial Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) and QCLbased spectrometer modules for Industrial & Defence applications. For the first time, single frequency DFB lasers, based on an InAs-technology, commercially available in the wavelength range from 10-17µm and output power of 5 - 10mW. They open the way for high resolution spectroscopy applications to detect and monitor substances as the aromatics Benzene (~14.9µm), Toluene (~16µm) and Xylene Propane (~14µm) as well as Methyl Iodide (CH3I) (~11.3µm) and Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) (~15.9µm). Detection and monitoring of the substances is most important in the Oil & Gas, Chemical and Nuclear Industry. An early detection of the radioactive CH3I in a nuclear power plant for can reduce the risk of a serious accident, preventing a shut-down of the plant and might save many lives.

www.durcrete.de

https://frlaserco.com

PROCESS TECHNOLOGIES

Quality is in our DNA There is no doubt that the world is currently going through a period of seismic change and the compressed air industry is no exception.

As the leading global equipment suppliers streamline their product ranges, some users are concerned that they may not be able to obtain equivalent units as well as the same level of quality and service to which they have become accustomed.

But end users may not realise that a good percentage of the most common 60 cfm oil/water separator units can be traced back to the original SEPURA™ SEP 60 ST which was developed by parent company Bowman Stor in its own UK-based research and development facilities.

This means that customers can still purchase filtration units that will be a perfect match for their existing equipment - the same size, same fittings, and offering the same superb level of performance that they have enjoyed previously. All they need to do is contact their SEPURA distributor.

Having developed an enviable global reputation, the SEPURA brand continues to go from strength to strength. And their exceptional product standards have recently been given an additional stamp of approval with the achievement of the prestigious DIBt approval status for the key range of SEPURA™ oil-water separator units (SEP 60 through to SEP 2500).

So it’s good to know that while the SEPURA range continues to expand and evolve, the same ideals of product excellence, reliability and conformance remain at the heart of everything they do.

Customers who want the superior condensate filtration associated with genuine SEPURA separators and filters can ONLY obtain them through SEPURA’s designated distributors.

Above, Economic design is the secret to the SEP 60’s impressive performance. Left, the compact SEP 60 ST and its SILEXA™ contents.

To place an order or for further information on SEPURA’s unique range of filtration products contact: Multi Factor Europe Ltd., t: 01978 855995 e: sales@mfeuk.co.ukor visit our website: sepura-technologies.com

www.sepura-technologies.com Sepura Blue Genes Half Page Ad 132x180L.qxp_Layout 1 04/12/2020 16:48 Page 1

Only SEPURA™ separators contain the superior SILEXA™ filtration media.

Blue Genes Having trouble locating discontinued or limited stock 60 cfm units to fit your set up?

Many of the most popular 60 cfm separator products can be traced back to the SEPURA™ SEP 60 ST which means that our unit will work perfectly with your existing set up.

Same size, same fittings, same performance.

Supporting our customers is in our DNA so, if you need more information or replacement units fast, contact your local stockist or visit our website for details.

SEPURA™ is part of the Bowman Group

www.sepura-technologies.com 94

PECM Issue 50

t:

+44 (0)1543 379212

e: sales@sepura-technologies.com

PROCESS TECHNOLOGIES

Winn & Coales (Denso) Ltd announce the launch of Denso Bore-Wrap™ Winn & Coales (Denso) Ltd are delighted to introduce a new addition to the Denso product line – Denso Bore-Wrap™.

Denso Bore-Wrap is an Abrasion Resistant Outerwrap (ARO) which has outstanding performance against impact, gouge, abrasion, and fracture. Denso Bore-Wrap creates a superior sacrificial outer laminate layer, which protects both pre-approved field joint coatings and mainline coatings (such as, liquid epoxy coatings, heat shrink sleeves, 3LPE, 3LPP and FBE coatings) from damage during pipeline installations, in difficult terrain or by means of trenchless installation methods, such as directional drilling, HDD or boring.

Denso Bore-Wrap is easily applied in the field; there is no mixing required, it is simply wrapped over the existing pipeline coating and cured with water. Due to its flexibility and exceptional level of mechanical protection,

Denso Bore-Wrap minimises the need for costly spot repairs or re-pulling pipe from damage.

Chairman of Winn & Coales (Denso), Chris Winn, is excited about the introduction of Denso Bore-Wrap and the potential that this new development will bring. He said,

“At Winn & Coales (Denso), we are always striving to innovate and provide our customers with the most up-to-date solutions for their corrosion prevention problems.

The introduction of Denso Bore-Wrap to the Denso product range is an exciting development, and really cements our position as market leaders.”

www.denso.net

DIN11864 and DIN 11853 Aseptic Unions for Orbital Welding

It’s even easier to bin the pen and paper for calibrations

DIN11864 and 11853 unions were developed to meet the exacting needs of the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. This range of unions has been developed from the three most common systems used in the hygienic and sanitary industries; namely the “Aseptic” screwed union to DIN11864-1; the “Aseptic” flange union to DIN11864-2 and the “Aseptic” clamp union to DIN11864-3.

Size range: 10mm to 150mm and 1” to 4” Specials are available up to 304mm Materials: 316L SS 1.4404 and 1.4435 Specials available in Duplex and Alloy 22

Beamex LOGiCAL – a subscription-based calibration software solution that streamlines and digitalizes the calibration process – has already helped hundreds of users complete thousands of calibrations since its launch in 2020. A new update introduces a host of enhancements that will make it easier than ever to say goodbye to time-consuming, error-prone manual calibration processes. The cost scales based on how much you calibrate, making LOGiCAL easy to understand and budget for, and because it’s hosted by Beamex there’s no IT investment needed – just sign up and start using it with a free trial. LOGiCAL allows seamless movement between on-line and offline environments to enable digital calibration even without internet access. With LOGiCAL, it’s easy and inexpensive for companies of all sizes to take their first steps towards a streamlined and digitalized calibration process.

Tel: 01269 841 324 Web: www.alchemprocess.co.uk

www.beamex.com/software/logicalcalibration-software/

Available with optional lengths to suit both orbital and manual welding, these unions have been designed to match tube and pipe specifications to DIN11866 Table A (DIN11850); DIN11866 Table B (ISO 1127) & DIN11866 Table C (ASME BPE).

Smart and fast 3D analysis With the 3D sensor from EVT it is now possible to realize 3D analysis without PC. Simply attach the pre-calibrated sensor, select the task from the ready-to-use inspection tools and then measure an angle, distance or gap with a measuring frequency of up to 3000 measurements per second. The result can be taken directly from the sensor as a good or bad signal. Optionally, the data can be sent to the PLC via Profinet or Modbus to correct a production process immediately and automatically.

The sensor is only connected to a computer (Windows/Linux) for a short time for configuration. The inspection is configured with the ready-to-use inspection tool and can be used immediately. The sensor can also be used for more complex tasks than the ready-to-use inspection tools allow. In this case more detailed tools can be used in the remote configuration system of the EyeVision software.

Tel: +49 721 668 004 230 | info@evt-web.com www.evt-web.com Issue 50 PECM

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TOOLS, PLANT & EQUIPMENT

The LHS 210 / 410 Air Heater Series Leister’s new series of compact and powerful LHS 210 / 410 air heaters are suitable for installation in industrial plants where space is limited or tubular air systems such as furnaces for heat curing processes, due to their compact design and ease of integration. With a choice of eight air heaters with single (SF) or dual flanges (DF), the innovative design allows for easy electrical connection, with connection housing separated from the airstream, which allows unhindered air flows through the air heater with minimal loss in pressure. The connection housing is also protected against overheating, making it possible to work with an air inlet temperature up to 350 degrees Celsius.

The SF-R and DF-R air heaters are equipped with an extension on the housing connection.

The ceramic inside this extension ensures that the electrical connection on the tubular air heaters is sealed off and protected from high temperatures or backflowing hot air.

NEW AIR HEATER SERIES

LHS 210 / 410 COMPACT & POWERFUL The series SF-R and DF-R (“recirculation”) are designed for many industrial processes where hot air recycling is required.

The recirculation abilities of these models’ lower energy consumption which reduces CO2 emissions and saves money. Welwyn supply the full range of Leister plastic welding and industrial process heat equipment and offers highly competent technical support by their team of dedicated engineers.

For further information and technical advice for equipment in this field, please contact Welwyn Tool Group on 0800 856 0057, email them on info@welwyntoolgroup.com, or visit their website

Brand NEW Men’s and Women’s Work Shorts for the flexible working environment designed for superior comfort and freedom of movement.

Combining 4-way stretch fabric that delivers working comfort all day with street-smart, slimfit designs, Snickers Work Shorts are great for grafting in the warmer months.

These lightweight garments feature a body-mapping design and are made from a self-ventilating stretch fabric with CORDURA® reinforcements for durability all-round mobility when you need it most.

For professional tradesmen and women who rely on their gear in demanding environments, they’re a must for those who want the ultimate in cool comfort this summer.

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PECM Issue 50

COMPATIBLE NOZZLES

HOT AIR RECYCLING

HIGH AIR VOLUME

$ ECONOMICAL

www.welwyntoolgroup.com

Snickers Workwear Stretch Shorts – For Street-Smart Comfort This Summer

www.snickersworkwear.co.uk

EASY CONNECTION

Bartec PIXAVI Cam Intrinsically Safe Digital Camera The new Bartec PIXAVI Cam Intrinsically Safe Digital Camera replaces the previous Gravity X camera and is certified for use in ATEX / IECEx Zone 1/21 hazardous areas. The PIXAVI Cam now has a 12.2MP back facing camera with Ultra 4K video recording plus an 8MP front facing camera with 1080p video recording capability.

Features: • ATEX/IECEx Zone 1/21 certified • Android 9.0 OS • 4GB memory / 64GB storage • 5.5″ AMOLED display • Ultra 4K video recording • 12.2 MP camera • 3.200mAh replaceable battery • WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC • Dust and waterproof (IP68) Phone: +44 (0) 1189 169 420 Email: info@247able.com www.able.co.uk

OVERHEATING PROTECTION Tel: +44 (0)1707 331111 info@welwyntoolgroup.co.uk | www.welwyntoolgroup.com

On the edge, get set, go with Panduit Panduit’s new Edge Clips are versatile, quick and securely attach directly to panel and frame edges. No drilling into the structure is required, maintaining integrity and allows cables to be routed along or perpendicular to the edge.

Attachment is simple, press the clip directly onto the panel edge and use the cable tie for bundling. The Edge Clips can be installed without tools in around 11 seconds - 10 seconds faster than average cable tie and clip combinations, a time saving of almost 50%.

The new Edge Clips offer increased flexibility and wider range of use. Two variants are suitable for 0.7-3 mm and 3-6 mm thick edges.

In addition, only a single Edge Clip is necessary for horizontal or vertical mounting, where alternative solutions require two different Edge Clips.

Panduit UK Tel. +44 0208 601 7200 Find more at: www.panduit.com

TOOLS, PLANT & EQUIPMENT

Safe, secure worksites are our business

Has ergonomics of blue-collar industrial workers been forgotten?

Ergonomics at work is a hot topic at the moment. Office workers around the world have switched to working at home instead of company offices.

Sales of electric desks and home office furniture has spiked in many countries with the aim of improving home office ergonomics. But how is the ergonomics of industrial blue collar workers?

Treston, a global leader in manufacturing ergonomic industrial furniture and workstations, has put together an information package concentrating especially on the ergonomics of mobile industrial work in order to raise awareness of the importance of good workstation ergonomics, both

for the employer and for the employee. Why concentrate on mobile industrial work? Manual handling of loads is generally considered an occupational risk factor for lower back and shoulder complaints (1) and it is in fact the most common cause of occupational fatigue, lower back pain and lower back injuries (2, 3).

This information package offers practical information and advice for employers on how to improve ergonomics of mobile industrial and work. We also explain why companies should invest in ergonomics.

Download the information package here

Our purpose at Secure Engineering is to make your business operations, process control and worksites safe and reliably secure.

High performing, quality, integrated security and surveillance systems.

Whether your requirement is complex encompassing hundreds of cameras and security devices, spread across many sites, or more simple standalone systems our installations are completely bespoke.

Good system design is vital to meeting the challenges in protecting your company. Secure Engineering is NSI NACOSS Gold accredited for design, Installation & maintenance of Electronic Security Systems including CCTV, Access Control & Intruder Detection.

Be confident in the security of your business operations.

www.secureeng.co.uk 01622 844244 info@secureeng.co.uk ISO 9001 & ISO 14001.

Construction Line, CHAS, Achilles Accreditations

Issue 50 PECM

97

PACKAGING

CURING DAYS OF DOWNTIME TSUBAKI

Tsubaki Lambda Lube Free roller chain maximises uptime for pharmaceutical blister packaging machine For a crucial commodity such as medicine, it’s important to secure supply.

For pharmaceutical manufacturers and patients alike, ensuring uptime across the production line is key for continued health. When a French pharmaceutical manufacturer was looking to solve a chain reliability issue on one of its packing machines, it opted for Tsubaki RS2008B Lambda Lube Free roller chain to cure days of downtime.

BLISTER PACKAGING After manufacture, many pharmaceuticals such as tablets, capsules, granules and other products are packed into blister packaging. Each dose is contained within a ‘bubble’, usually formed from plastic, with a backing. This form of packaging, known as unit-dose, is effective at protecting medicines from the harmful effects of contamination, humidity and light. Therefore, it is ideal for safeguarding product quality.

The packaging process is carried out by specialist machines. Inside, conveyor chains with attachments are used to form the carton and insert the blister into the packaging. With so many doses requiring packaging, these chains have to withstand prolonged usage. Any downtime due to chain failure risks reducing medicine output, compromising supply and profitability.

CHAIN RELIABILITY CHALLENGES A French pharmaceutical manufacturer operating a blister packing and cartoning machine from a leading packaging machine OEM was encountering issues with its internal conveyor chain. External lubrication from the chain was contaminating the blister packaging, which was damaging the quality of batches. This was resulting in time consuming repacking or loss of batches.

Furthermore, every year the original lubricated chain required dismantling parts of the machine by three technicians to clean the chain and guides. The process

Lambda Lube Free roller chains from Tsubaki eliminate the need for external lubrication thanks to oil-impregnated bushes which provide internal lubrication on blister packing and cartoning machine for pharmaceutical manufacturer. resulted in machine downtime of up to three days, further reducing production output.

THE TSUBAKI CURE The pharmaceutical manufacturer approached Tsubaki, a leading designer and manufacturer of specialised conveyor chain for packaging applications, to provide a more reliable solution for the machine.

Tsubaki experts recommended a RS2008B Lambda Lube Free roller chain with special SA1 attachment.

Lambda Lube Free roller chains from Tsubaki eliminate the need for external lubrication thanks to oil-impregnated bushes which provide internal lubrication.

Popular in chain applications where reducing the risk of product contamination from lubricant is imperative - such as pharmaceutical or food and beverage - Lambda Lube Free roller chains also minimise maintenance requirements due For further information, please visit tsubaki.eu

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to their inherent wear resistance. Features such as ring coining, a cold deformation around the pin hole of the connecting link plate, add strength to the design and help prevent premature chain elongation, improving reliability.

PROMOTING UPTIME With the new chains installed on the blister packing and cartoning machine, technicians at the pharmaceutical manufacturer began to feel the benefits. The solution required no disassembly of the chain and guides for cleaning, adding three days of extra packaging capacity to production schedules. Delays and losses caused by contaminated packaging were also eliminated, enhancing efficiency and output.

Combined with inherently low maintenance requirements and high reliability, the Tsubaki solution greatly improved productivity. This ensured that supply of medicines could continue uninterrupted, securing profitability and patient access.

Portable Confined Space Ventilators & Air Blowers Fume & Dust Extractors Where fumes, smells or dust occur, the Miniveyor Air VAF fans can move contaminated air out of a confined space or building.

They effectively exhaust fumes, ventilate confined spaces, and increase the flow of fresh air.

The Miniveyor Air range are tough! The rugged VAF ventilators easily withstand blows without denting, giving less downtime and greater productivity and come with an industry leading 10 year warranty on the body.

The vane axial fans work on positive and negative airflow and are at home either extracting dust and fumes or blowing clean air into a confined workspace. In fact whatever the industry you work in, from marine, construction, mining, telecoms, fabrication or maintenance services, our VAF series fans will take whatever is thrown at them.

VAF-200 (8”)

VAF-400 (16”)

VAF Air Ltd Tetbury Ind. Estate Tetbury, United Kingdom sales@vaf-air.com +44 (0)330 016 0002 or visit -

VAF-300 (12”) Pneumatic

www.vaf-air.com

Scan Now with your Smart phone to buy at our Online store

How I teach machines to speak

OPTIME enables me to keep an eye on hundreds of machines in just a few hours – which makes OPTIME a quick, easy and economical condition monitoring solution. www.schaeffler.com/optime www.schaeffler.co.uk