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Contents
Worldwide Engineering Magazine
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Providing timely industry news, exclusive features on advancing technology, equipment, materials, show previews, content marketing services for our valued clients and much more!
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Emerson Heat Staking Technology Enabling high-quality joins and superior aesthetics
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Nexperia Common Mode Filter Highly efficient, combined-functionality device
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Herga’s Modular Footswitch LEDs, screen printing and USB connection.
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Best in IoT Device Management Effectively manage and monitor large numbers of connected devices
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Cognex image-Based Barcode Readers Aging handheld laser scanners are considered outdated technology
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Altus Reaches Milestone With Inovaxe a leading supplier of capital equipment in the UK and Ireland
NSK has developed a new ball bearing that, thanks to its ultra-high-speed capability, is ideal for use in the traction motors of electric and hybrid vehicles. As well as allowing electric motors to operate at higher speeds, the new bearing improves fuel economy (reduced power consumption per unit distance), supports the increase of vehicle range and contributes to better user comfort.
To enhance global sustainability, the automotive industry is rapidly expanding the development and production of electric and hybrid vehicles. However, the maximum achievable range on a single charge remains a concern for consumers. As a result, automakers are pursuing smaller and lighter components, and developing faster, higher output motors. Accordingly, the bearings used in powertrains, especially in electric motors, are being subjected to increasingly higher speeds and performance demands.
Bearing rotation during highspeed operation can cause problems such as grease deterioration due to elevated operating temperatures, resulting in bearing seizure/ failure. Higher speeds can also lead to the bearing cage being deformed or destroyed by centrifugal forces. To help counter these issues, the new NSK bearing is filled with a proprietary grease that reduces heat generation at high rotational speeds, prolonging both grease and bearing life, and reducing the risk of seizure compared with conventional products. In addition, a newly developed cage is deployed with retainer tabs that are not only thinner and lighter, but reduce the potential for cage deformation
NSK design features that facilitate ultrahigh-speed rotation and heat resistance include: newly developed cage material; 1 cage with thinner and lighter retainer tabs; 2 high-rigidity cage base; and 3 the use of proprietary NSK grease to fill the bearing
or breakage. This innovation is supported by a new design of cage base (spine) and a newly developed cage material made from high-rigidity resin, which offers further heat resistance at the elevated speeds found in EV motors.
The combination of proprietary NSK grease and newly developed cage enables bearing operation at dmN(1) = 1.4 million. To provide a practical example, this worldleading measure of rotational performance means one of NSK’s new 35 mm bore diameter bearings can operate reliably at speeds of 30,000 rpm.
As a result of this advance in bearing technology, automotive customers can develop and implement electric motors that operate at significantly higher speeds. High motor output contributes to the utilisation of smaller motors, reduced vehicle weight and increased space for other components, such as more battery cells, for example, or the use of a larger vehicle interior. In turn, lower fuel consumption, extended vehicle range and/or improved comfort can be achieved.
Looking ahead, NSK is continuing its development efforts and expects to announce bearings capable of dmN = 1.6 million by the end of 2020. (1) dmN: A measure of bearing rotational performance. The product of bearing pitch diameter (dm) and rotational
speed (N).
NSK’s ultra-high-speed ball bearings are ideal for use in EVs
A 35 mm bore diameter variant of NSK’s new ultra-high-speed ball bearing can operate at speeds of 30,000 rpm.
Emerson Launches Unique Heat Staking Technology to Meet Growing Demand for Complex Plastic Parts
BransonTM GPX platform provides greater design freedom by enabling high-quality joins and superior aesthetics in a range of challenging applications The BransonTM GPX platform, with its unique heat-staking technology, provides greater design freedom by enabling high-quality joins and superior aesthetics in a range of challenging applications.
Emerson has introduced new heat staking technology designed to give manufacturers greater design freedom by enabling them to join more complex, delicate and sensitive components to plastic moldings. Using a unique pulse staking technology that optimizes the heat staking process, the BransonTM GPX platform produces high-quality joins, superior product aesthetics and energy savings in increasingly challenging applications.
Electronics, automotive and medical device manufacturers must produce more creativedesigns to meet rapidly changing market demand. This has led to an increase in challenging heat staking applications involving parts with more complex 3D geometries, closely aligned features and fragile or heat-sensitive components, such as soldered components or sensors, and using a greater number of blended, glass- reinforced, chromed and metallicized plastics.
The Branson GPX platform uses PulseStaker technology to provide instantaneous heating and cooling, with adjustable cycle times for optimized, low energy heat staking. The process creates no particulates or burn marks, and enables more delicate and sensitive parts, such as those with embedded electronics, to be joined with consistently high-performance finishes.
The advanced technology is suitable for all heat staking applications, including those with thermoplastic materials and metalized coated parts. A wide range of heat staking tip designs, which can be adapted to meet any stake welding requirement, and the ability to stake multiple points simultaneously provide manufacturers with greater design freedom. “The automotive, electronics and medical industries require more complex, delicate and sensitive components to be joined to plastic moldings,” said Priyank Kishor, global product manager for Branson products at Emerson’s Automation Solutions business. “The unique heat staking process that the Branson GPX platform provides helps to meet this demand and offers manufacturers a broad range of benefits, such as superior product aesthetics and reduced energy use.”
For more information on the Branson GPX platform, visit www.Emerson.com/Branson.
How Can A Radio Controlled Fire Door System Help Your Flat Or Residential Building Comply With The Fire Safety Bill 2020?
What is the Fire Safety Bill 2020 and why is it being amended? Currently progressing its way through Parliament, the Fire Safety Bill 2020 proposes fundamental changes to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The changes will action the recommendations identified by the Grenfell Tower public inquiry and the Dame Judith Hackett review which found current building and fire safety regulations needed a “major reform” in order to prioritise and protect resident’s safety. In conjunction with the Building Safety Bill, which overhauls legislation around building construction methods and materials, the Fire Safety Reform represents a landmark change to current fire safety legislation. Lord Greenhalgh, Building Safety and Fire Minister, said: “These are the biggest changes to building safety legislation for nearly 40 years, and they will raise standards across the industry and ensure building owners have nowhere to hide if they break the rules”. The reform will provide clearer accountability to those responsible for high rise buildings, increase sanctions to deter non-compliance and amplify the voices of residents raising concerns.
What does the Fire Safety Bill 2020 mean for fire door safety? The bill will impact any managed residential blocks in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where the main use of the building is sleeping, such as; blocks of flats, student accommodation, hotels and hostels. Buildings will be required to identify an ‘accountable person’ in each premises who will be responsible for the implementation of fire safety measures.
These measures are likely to include carrying out risk assessments, ensuring firefighting and fire-detection equipment is supplied and establishing fire safety drills and emergency routes. In additional to this, the ‘accountable person’ will also be responsible for carrying out and keeping record of regular inspections of flat entrance fire doors, as well any doors adjacent to common areas or escape routes from multi-occupied residential buildings.
Previously the responsibility of non-communal fire doors was not a legal obligation of building owners or managers, who were able to satisfy legal requirements by asking residents to carry out their own inspection and reporting back any problems. The lack of clarity around responsibility for flat entrance fire doors often resulted in essential maintenance and repairs not being carried out.
Why are fire doors important? Fire doors are an essential measure in preventing the spread of flames, smoke and toxic fumes should a fire occur. A fire door allows the fire to be compartmentalised, delaying the time it takes to spread from one area to another.
A standard fire door should meet the FD30s standard, which provides up to 30 minutes of protection and should be fitted with a self-closing device. This not only protects the other areas within the building or block, but provides essential time for evacuation.
How can a radio controlled fire door system help? Building regulations dictate that fire doors must be fitted with a BS EN 1154: 1997 standard selfclosing device in order to ensure fire doors ‘swing-shut’ after use. These devices can make heavy fire doors cumbersome, presenting significant obstacles to the young, elderly or disabled. In residential settings, such as student accommodation or care homes where isolation, access or ventilation can be a problem, residents often risk fire door integrity by using wedges to prop open bedroom and flat entrance doors. Wedging open of a fire door prevents it from functioning effectively; risking lives, prosecutions, significant fines and voided insurance policies. A BS EN1155 standard hold-open, free-swing door closer removes many of the risks associated with standard selfclosing devices ensuring that heavy fire doors feel lightweight, easy to move and can be held open at any angle whilst closing in the event of a fire.
The BS 7273-4:2015 code of practice specifically relates to the operation of fire protection measures and the actuation of release mechanisms for doors. There are three actuation types for door devices in different settings; critical, standard and indirect. Critical actuation (Category A) is the highest level of protection available, ensuring that self-closing devices are failsafe to any potential fault and can actuate within two minutes of power failure.
Category A devices are required when holding open any fire door which forms part of the stair enclosure in a residential building. From November 2020, flat entrance fire doors will also be required to use Category A devices.
Which radio-controlled systems comply with Category A of BS7273-4? Salamander offers the only wirefree system of radio controlled fire door holders and closers which complies with Category A of BS7273-4. Each Salamander device connects wirelessly to a mainspowered controller unit, which is connected to the building’s existing fire alarm system. One controller unit can manage up to 99 fire door closers or fire door holders. All products in the Salamander range are battery-powered, wire-free and offer two-way communication between controller and device, allowing the ‘accountable person’ to easily manage and oversee any faults within the building. To find out more about the Salamander range and find an approved installer near you, visit: www.geofire.co.uk
