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Industrial 

Technology 

May 2008 

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COMMENT & ANALYSIS 

Industrial Technology ISSN 0967-5787 www.industrialtechnology.co.uk 

EDITORIAL 

Editor 

Mark Simms BSc Tel: 01732 773268 

PO Box 342, Fax: 01732 365676 

Tonbridge TN10 4WD 

mark.simms@itmagazine.uk.com 

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Sale, Cheshire M33 7XY 

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Printing & production by Headley Brothers, Ashford, Kent 

Origination by Sarah & Mark 

new wave 

PUBLISHING LTD 

AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS 

BUSINESS PRESS 

Measuring environmental 

costs of going green… 

As I write, the cost of crude oil has just hit $1.14 a barrel. And there’s no sign of the 

price coming back down any time soon. The pundits are predicting a price peak of 

around $1.50 through the year, and are warning to expect a minimum hovering price 

of $1.50. Driving up to friends at the weekend, I was struggling to find petrol prices 

below £1.10 per litre, and those in the know seem to think that we could well be paying 

£2.00 or more by the end of the year. That’s a pretty frightening prospect. So perhaps it’s 

finally time to do the environmentally responsible thing and switch 

over to a hybrid vehicle. At the very least, I’d be able to get in and 

out of London without contributing to either the planet’s 

greenhouse gases or the Mayor’s coffers. 

But it turns out the case for the alternative power sources is not 

quite so clear cut after all. Hybrid vehicles rely on battery 

technology, and although there is the promise of lithium-ion 

technology on the horizon, the major car manufacturers currently 

seem to favour of nickel-metal-hydride. But the nickel-metalhydride 

batteries could have a major environmental cost. Huge 

amounts of pollution are generated in the mining and refining of 

nickel. And when the batteries finally come to the end of their 

working lives, all that nickel has to go somewhere. The car manufacturers might have 

committed to collecting and reprocessing that nickel, but what quantities of greenhouse gases 

might be generated during all that transportation? 

Also, to be efficient, hybrid cars need to be lightweight, and increasingly that is coming to 

mean construction based on the use of higher levels of exotic metal alloys and – the clincher – 

plastics. Yes, oil based products; we’re back to square one. 

Okay, I thought, let’s not panic. There’s always the push for biofuels. Already the 

government is leaning on fuel suppliers to start mixing bio-ethanol into petrol supplies, so that 

by 2010, 5% of all petrol and diesel will contain biofuels. That must be a step in the right 

direction. Well, no. Although bio-ethanol is very clean burning fuel, the primary waste product 

of the fermentation process used to create ethanol is carbon dioxide. Another problem is the 

massive quantities of crops (and the associated land) that are needed to get even a modest 

yield of fuel. Using those crops as fuel instead of food is an environmental issue in its own 

right. There are technologies in development which aim to get the yield up and the CO2 waste 

down, but the problems are still considerable. 

So, in these days of harmful emissions and high fuel prices, it turns out that trying to do 

the environmentally responsible thing could actually be doing as much damage as it prevents. 

Which means that, bizarrely, there really is an environmental cost to going green. Go figure. 

Mark Simms 

Editor 

mark.simms@itmagazine.uk.com 

FACT file … 

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3

48 

12 

Contents 

This month in history: (1859) Big Ben begins 

marking time in London; (1904) Byron Carter 

patents his friction drive to replace gears in cars; 

(1971) The unmanned probe Mariner 9 departs 

for Mars on its mission to gather scientific data 

20 

38 

6 INDUSTRY NEWS 

6 Rising to the challenge from China 

8 Extra taxes will hit UK businesses hard 

16 Aerospace industry news 

18 Food hygiene and safety report 

22 POWER TRANSMISSION Brakes, Clutches and Couplings 

22 Couplings are soft on pumps 

24 Improved tension control for narrow web labelling machines 

26 ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT & DESIGN Enclosures, Cabinets and Fans 

26 The cost-effective option for water-proofing your enclosure 

28 Time to check your cable glands? 

30 Enclosures, cabinets and fans: new products 

32 DESIGN COMPONENTS Springs, Gas Springs and Dampers 

32 Critical care units benefit from silent closing pedal bins 

34 Four spring rates in a single part 

36 Springs, gas springs and dampers: new products 

40 MECHANICAL JOINING Fasteners and Adhesives 

40 How do you combat high levels of vibration? 

42 Fasteners and adhesives: new products 

44 SENSORS & SYSTEMS 

44 Optical inspection system reduces false failure rates 

ON THE COVER 

SEW-Eurodrive has taken 

away all the constraints 

in specifying AC motors 

See page 38 for details 

ENGINEERING LITERATURE 

Essential reading for 

design engineers p14 

ENGINEERING DIARY 

John Richardson’s month 

in view 

p57 

EAR TO THE GROUND 

Becky Silverton on the issues 

affecting manufacturing p58 

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: 

Factfinders 

Events calendar 

Index to Advertisers 

p56 

p58 

p58 

46 Simple solution for monitoring and logging of flow and process variables 

48 Sensors key to improved motorbike suspension design 

50 Sensors and systems: new products 

54 MACHINE BUILDING & AUTOMATION 

54 Hydraulics and Pneumatics: Options for closing the loop in servovalves 

Next month in Industrial Technology: Machinery safety • Gears, chains and belt drives • Bearings, slides and lubricants 

• Drives and control products • Pumps and blowers • Special purpose sensors • Fasteners and adhesives • Machine building 

4

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INDUSTRY NEWS 


UK manufacturers are rising 

to the challenge from China 

A new survey shows that new 

strategies are underpinning a more 

resilient UK manufacturing sector 

Britain’s manufacturers are continuing to reap the 

dividends of moving into higher value production, 

despite the continued growth of low cost, emerging 

markets according to a new survey published today by 

EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation and accountants and 

business advisers BDO Stoy Hayward. While the competitive 

challenges posed by low cost regions have not diminished, fewer 

UK manufacturers are reporting a significant impact from price 

competition in key markets, compared with 2004. Furthermore, 

whilst many low cost competitors, such as China, have been 

striving to become more innovative, only two fifths of companies 

saw higher value added goods from competitors as posing a threat 

and only 3% a significant threat, down from half and 12% 

respectively in 2004. 

The challenge from low cost economies is firmly on companies’ 

radar and they are adopting a range of strategies including 

entering niche markets, increasing innovation and service delivery. 

This means that manufacturers are competing less on price and 

more on quality and customer service as a result. EEF Chief 

Economist, Steve Radley, says: “This survey paints a positive 

picture of how manufacturing companies have adapted to the 

challenge of the global environment. Instead of competing on price 

alone they are adopting a range of strategies to take advantage of 

emerging markets. While there are many other challenges on the 

horizon, manufacturers look well-placed to rise to them.” 

Moving up the value chain 

Tom Lawton, head of manufacturing at BDO Stoy Hayward 

comments: “The competition from emerging markets is likely to 

increase as these new economies move further up the value chain. 

We see an increasing challenge from China and India as they 

develop the low cost models that we have seen to date and begin 

to add innovation, research and increasing quality to the mix. 

However, the threat from established economies such as Germany 

and the US must not be overlooked. Like the UK, they are 

associated with quality and have access to sizeable home markets 

with the ability to tap into overseas markets. What’s more, 

manufacturers in these countries can also outsource to lower cost 

economies to shrink their cost base and boost their 

competitiveness.” 

As part of their strategy, the survey shows that manufacturers 

will continue to look overseas to reduce costs. Seventy per cent of 

companies who already have overseas operations expect this 

proportion to increase within the next five years and one third of 

companies with no production currently outside the UK expect this 

to change by 2012. However, the survey also shows this will not 

lead to an exodus of manufacturing, with the UK remaining the 

centre for high value innovative activity. Three quarters of 

companies expect the UK to be the primary location of research 

and development in five years’ time with only 3% of companies 

locating production outside the UK to access new technologies. 

This compares with two thirds of companies using overseas 

production to reduce labour costs. 

Lawton adds: “The UK is still the home of innovation for 

manufacturers, with 90% of companies carrying it out in some 

form here. Moreover, there is still a strong demand for the low 

volume local niche products that are required on a just-in-time 

basis by UK customers. This has helped maintain a number of 

smaller companies despite the turmoil of global competition.” 

The survey shows the changing nature of competitive threats, 

but also the significant increase in companies identifying emerging 

markets as opportunities. Whilst China and Eastern Europe remain 

perceived as major threats (25% and 20% in 2002 compared to 

approximately 80% for both in 2007) there has been a marked 

increase in the number of companies looking to take advantage of 

the rapid growth in Eastern Europe (68%), China (58%) and the 

Middle East, where a quarter of firms are already exploiting 

opportunities and a further firth expect to do so within five years. 

India and Russia are also 

viewed more as an opportunity 

than a threat with over a fifth of 

companies seeing potential in 

both regions and a further third 

seeking opportunities within 

five years. 

Bucking the 

trend in 2008 

Applied Automation (UK) has 

acquired a new facility in 

Plymouth which has seen its 

business premises double in 

size and is ultimately improving 

its customer experience. The 

new facility has become home 

to the MayTec aluminium 

profile and also houses the 

local X-Stk React Centre. 

David Rowe suggests that 

“providing a differentiator in 

today’s market is difficult when 

you simply look at the products 

and supply, so we are focusing 

on providing the ultimate in 

customer service and improving 

their experience.” In order to 

help achieve this, Applied has 

built a 1000 2 ft Technology 

Product Plaza allowing visitors 

to gain valuable knowledge and 

‘hands-on’ playtime with some 

of the latest products. Also, the 

X-Stk React Centre provides 

Plymouth with a local trade 

counter for the supply of 

industrial control, automation 

and pneumatic components. 

Wyko no more as 

Eriks UK is born 

As of 2nd April 2008, Eriks UK 

became the new name for what 

was formerly known as Wyko 

Industrial Services in the UK. 

This name change is part of a 

major re-branding campaign 

that the company has 

undertaken since the £139 

million acquisition of Wyko by 

Eriks in November 2006. 

Eriks UK is composed of 

different divisions that together 

offer an enormous range of 

technical solutions to UK 

industry. A number of the 

divisions have been re-branded 

as Eriks prior to the Eriks UK 

changeover. And as well as the 

103 branches that will now be 

Eriks Service Centres, newly 

named divisions include Eriks 

Automotive, Eriks Industrial 

Distribution and Eriks Electro 

Mechanical Services. 

6 


For the very latest 

product information, most 

up to date industry news, 

plus useful company 

profile information, visit 

the pages of Industrial 

Technology online at 

industrialtechnology.co.uk

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7

INDUSTRY NEWS 


£4.2bn extra tax burden 

will hit UK businesses hard 

Businesses will pay an extra £4.2bn in tax over the next three 

years from new tax rules and the end of investment allowances 

British business faces a tax hike of over £4bn 

over the next three years as a result of the 

latest fiscal measures, CBI analysis of Treasury 

figures shows. The net increase comes despite 

the 2p cut in headline corporation tax and undermines 

the government’s claim to be boosting the UK’s 

international tax competitiveness. At a time of economic 

slowdown and uncertainty, the government should be 

helping business keep the economy growing, not raising 

taxes, the CBI said. However, its 

analysis of this April’s new tax rules 

shows that UK businesses will pay 

a net total of £4.21bn in taxes by 

2010/11 on top of existing 

financial demands. 

Breaking this down, companies 

will pay an extra £1.84bn in tax in 

2008/9, £1.24bn in 2009/10, and 

£1.13bn in 2010/11. The majority 

of this comes from the loss of 

plant and machinery investment 

allowances and the abolition of 

empty property relief. The penny in the pound increases 

to the small business tax rate (from 19% to 20% last 

year, rising to 22% in 2009/10) will also deal smaller 

companies a heavy financial blow. 

John Cridland, deputy director-general of the CBI, 

said: “When the economy is slowing, the last thing a 

government should do is raise taxes on the part of society 

which creates jobs and wealth, but that’s what’s 

happening. The consequence will be that hard-pressed 

companies, which are already paying high rates of tax, 

will find life getting even tougher. Despite enjoying a 

decade of strong growth and stable economic conditions, 

the government has little room to manoeuvre to give the 

economy a booster shot in the arm when most needed; 

instead it is leaning on the business community to shore 

up its finances.” 

Cridland continued: “The UK has been slipping down 

the league table for international tax competitiveness for 

years and has become increasingly less attractive to 

overseas investors, and the latest changes will make this 

even worse. This has been exacerbated by the abrupt 

changes to capital gains tax and the poorly handled 

reforms of non-domicile taxation – personal issues rather 

than business tax but ones that heavily influence the 

general business climate.” 

In March an independent taskforce commissioned by 

the CBI published its analysis of the UK tax regime and 

argued that the system was in need of a radical overhaul. 

It used dynamic analysis to show that cutting the 

headline rate of corporation tax to 18% over eight years 

was not only affordable but would boost tax receipts over 

the long term. According to the World Economic Forum, 

the UK has slipped from fourth place in 1998 to 15th in 

2003 on the Global Competitiveness Index. While the 

UK’s corporation tax rate was third lowest in the EU in 

1997, it is now the sixth highest and the effective 

average corporation tax rate is the eighth highest in the 

OECD. 

In addition to the tax changes, several new 

employment regulations have also come into force, 

including new rules on consulting employees in small 

firms and amendments to discrimination law. These 

changes will add £303m to business costs and bring the 

total cost of the 42 new employment regulations 

introduced since 1998 to over £49bn. 

david.b@atlas.co.uk 

Does the UK need skilled migrants? 

A recruitment specialist is calling for public policies to match the UK’s need for engineers 

Those in the House of Lords who are calling for 

caps on immigration should wake up to the 

realities of recruiting in the UK, according to 

Resourcing Solutions. Employers throughout the 

country, including those from highly specialised sectors 

such as construction, engineering and rail, are supporting 

the Government’s recent implementation of a skilled 

migrants points system in recognition of the skills 

shortages the market is facing. 

Massive skills shortfall 

Richard Lawrance, Managing Director, Resourcing 

Solutions says: “The influential parliamentary committee 

within The Lords who called for limiting migration, should 

make sure that any policy decision on the issue clearly 

takes note of industry’s unanimous call for encouraging 

skilled workers to come to the United Kingdom. 

“Throughout the construction, engineering and 

transportation industries we are seeing a massive shortfall 

in the numbers of skilled workers. It is of crucial 

importance that Lords recognise that limiting migration 

must not result in reduced numbers of skilled workers. 

“We all understand that we live on a small island, but 

allowing free movement of all workers inside the European 

Union, and then limiting the numbers of skilled workers 

from outside will neither solve immigration concerns nor 

help industry. There are currently large pools of highly 

skilled workers from India and South Africa, for example, 

who are making outstanding contributions to UK industry. 

In order to make the 2012 Olympics as spectacular as we 

all hope the UK needs as many skilled workers as 

possible regardless of where they come from. 

8 

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY • May 2008

WE’VE INCREASED 

OUR PRODUCT 

OFFERING TO 

500,000 LINES 

THAT’S A BIG PLUS! 

When Wyko became ERIKS UK we added 

to our already extensive range of product 

lines. 

Whether it’s bearings, belts and bevel 

gearboxes, or pneumatics, pumps, power 

packs and protective seals you’re bound to 

find what you’re looking for across our 

extensive range of top-branded products. 

And if you can’t find it ‘off-the-shelf’, we have 

the ability to customise existing products or 

even manufacture new ones. If replacement 

isn’t an option we operate a repair facility too. 

With high stock availability and a logistics 

operation that’s second to none you can be 

sure that you’ll get the products you want – 

when you want them. 

To find the know-how you’re looking 

for visit www.eriks.co.uk/bigplus 

or call into your local ERIKS 

Service Centre. 

MARKET • PRODUCT • APPLICATION • CUSTOMISATION • LOGISTICS • INFRASTRUCTURE 

More details: Write in 90 on the free information card 9

INDUSTRY NEWS 

Ready to 

Rightsize! 

Back to black 

Brevini planetary gearboxes are helping 

to reinvigorate coal mining in Wales 

The mining industry of South 

Wales today may be a 

shadow of its former self, 

but the region’s days as an 

important energy producer are not 

yet over. With energy prices at record 

levels and a new focus on reduced 

reliance on imported oil, he UK’s coal 

seams are being revisited to see if 

they can once again be exploited 

profitably. 

At the forefront of this resurgence 

in interest is Cowbridge-based Metal 

Innovations. The company is devoted 

to the design and production of a 

new generation of highly efficient 

coal mining equipment that it hopes 

will make many of the region’s coal 

seams economic once more. 

While there is certainly coal 

under the hills of South Wales, much 

of the remaining material is 

distributed in relatively small, low 

seams. Large, conventional mining 

machinery simply won’t fit into these 

seams, while manual mining 

methods are too arduous and 

expensive to consider. 

The answer, according to Metal 

Innovations managing director 

Gareth Thomas, is a new type of 

mining machine – one that is smaller, 

more manoeuvrable and more 

efficient to operate than anything 

seen before. Metal Innovations’ first 

product was the Celtic Miner 4500. 

This compact, tracked mining 

machine has a powerful hydraulic 

cutter and material removal arm that 

can access coal in seams up to 4.5m 

in height. 

The machine itself is extremely 

compact however, allowing it to 

squeeze into the smallest 

commercially viable coal seams. An 

integrated conveyor system within 

the machine allows material to be 

cut, collected and removed by a 

single operator, dramatically 

improving productivity compared to 

conventional mining approaches. 

Demanding environment 

Designing a machine with the 

capabilities of the Celtic Miner was a 

significant challenge. The coal 

mining environment is an extremely 

tough one. Machinery is exposed to 

high peak loads, water, dust, slurry 

and freezing conditions, while the 

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Lenze 

Stripping out cost 

A blower-powered airknife drying system 

has achieved a rapid payback for Corus 

Increasing competition from 

around the world is leading 

manufacturers to review their 

processes to see if there are 

ways of reducing costs. If the new 

systems introduced also make a 

contribution to enhancing the 

production process then that is a 

valuable bonus. On this basis, the 

new blower-powered Airknife 

moisture removal system installed on 

the five-stand mill at the Corus 

Trostre Works, Llanelli must be 

considered a genuine success 

because it both saves money and 

helps to ensure quality. 

Prior to the installation of the 

Airknives, compressed air delivered 

through 66 nozzles was used to 

remove surface moisture (lubricant 

and coolant) from steel strip as it 

exited the mill. This was both an 

expensive process and one of 

variable performance. 

The 66 nozzles delivered a total 

of 1748 scfm at 5 bar. This equates 

to more than 7HP/5kW per nozzle 

making a total in excess of 345kW 

with an annual running cost for a 48 

week year of some £75,000. By 

comparison, the Airknife system, 

10 More details: Write in 100 on the free information card 



difficult economics of modern mining 

mean that downtime must be kept to 

an absolute minimum. 

Safety is also critical in the 

underground environment and all 

equipment must meet demanding 

legislative requirements to eliminate 

the risk of flame or sparks. To further 

complicate matters, the compact 

design of the Celtic Miner means there 

is little space inside the machine to 

house its mechanical components. 

To overcome these difficulties, 

Metal Innovations turned to planetary 

gearbox specialist Brevini UK. The 

Celtic Miner 4500 uses two compact 

close-coupled planetary gearboxes 

and hydraulic motor units in its 

bespoke track drive system and 

another gearbox and motor to power 

its rotating cutting head. “The Brevini 

planetary gearboxes are the ideal 

solution for the Celtic Miner,” explains 

Brevini UK sales director Jon Snaith. 

“Planetary gearboxes are particularly 

compact and, as they transmit power 

through multiple gears instead of just 

one, they are particularly resistant to 

high peak loads.” 

Brevini has provided parts and 

technical support to Metal Innovations 

throughout the development of the 

Celtic Miner. Brevini supplied 

gearboxes for the first prototype 

machine in 2006 and, based on its 

positive experience during the design, 

development and testing process, 

Metal Innovations has specified 

Brevini products for the production 

versions. The company plans to build 

20 machines this year at its new 

assembly facility in South Wales. 

supplied by Air Control Industries 

(ACI) uses just 60kW yet achieves 

more efficient moisture removal. The 

result, was that payback was 

achieved in just 21 weeks. 

In addition, whilst the compressed 

air supply was vulnerable to demands 

for other operations within the plant, 

resulting in inconsistent performance 

which impacted upon quality, the 

blower-powered Airknives deliver the 

required air output, constantly. Air 

delivered by the Airknives also has the 

benefit of being heated by the 

blowers, making it a more effective 

drying agent. 

Eliminating contamination 

The original compressed air moisture 

removal system was also vulnerable 

to contamination by oil and moisture. 

This had the potential to cause 

imperfections in the tinplate. With the 

new Airknife system air is filtered at 

the inlets of both the enclosure and 

blower so such problems are 

eliminated. ACI’s Airknife moisture 

removal system comprises a pair of 

stainless steel chevron-shaped 

airknives covering a width of 

1240mm fed at all times by four of 

the company’s 15kW EP10 blowers, 

which are housed in pairs in acoustic 

enclosures. There are in fact six 

blowers but two are on standby. Air 

from the blowers is delivered to the 

Airknives, first via 200mm ducting 

and then by two 150mm ducts. 

The blowers are powered by 

inverter-controlled, high-efficiency 

EFF1 motors. This permits the 

blowers to be ramped up and down as 

required whereas the compressed air 

system was either on/off and could be 

left on between production runs. 

“Low-volume and applications 

which require low to mediumpressure 

are an inefficient use of 

compressed air,” says Paul Millett, 

senior development engineer at 

Corus, “whereas air delivered in highvolume 

at low pressure, as supplied 

by the ACI blower-powered Airknives, 

is ideal. In less than six months we 

have recouped our investment and 

quality has also improved.” 

May 2008 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY 


11

INDUSTRY NEWS 


Munich hosts 

Automatica 

Automatica will see 

the largest assembly of 

automation equipment 

and machinery ever 

gathered under one roof 

The third Automatica will take place in 

Munich’s state-of-the-art trade fair centre, 10- 

13 June. Covering automation for every 

industry, it includes robotics, sensors and 

vision, assembly technology, positioning and all 

aspects of an automated factory. 

The show has expanded further this year, 

now occupying five halls and covering 

31,500m 2 of net space. Among many 

highlights, the Robotik Congress is being held 

concurrently in the adjacent Conference centre, 

covering topics including industrial robots in 

production, plus papers on components, and 

processes. 

Whilst ‘assembly’ is sometimes seen as a dirty 

word in manufacturing, implying that most of real work 

has been done elsewhere, there is no doubt automated 

assembly operations are a vital core of any manufacturing 

operation, with far reaching implications throughout the 

wider enterprise. According to Dr Norbert Stein, Chairman 

of the Robotics and Automation Manufacturers’ Association, 

there are three main directions currently being taken 

in the drive to improve efficiency for systems operators. 

These are: accelerated planning processes while 

maintaining higher quality in planning solutions; hybrid 

systems with modular integration of different process 

steps; and microassembly with new-style solutions for 

gripping and holding. Even at the last Automatica it was 

easy to see that functional test integrated into assembly 

processes are the state of the art. 

The results to which such integration can lead are 

demonstrated by various mechatronics initiatives. DLR 

Oberpfaffenhofen, Wessling, for example, will be 

exhibiting new research and practical developments in 

gripper technology. Mechatronics, says DLR, is the 

highest possible integration of mechanics, electronics and 

computers, through to intelligent mechanisms and robots 

that interact with their environment. 

Two further initiatives in mechatronics should prove a 

magnet for trade visitors at Automatica 2008: the 

presentations by the Mechatronics Network from 

Göppingen and by the Mechatronics and Automation 

Cluster of Augsburg. As yet the participants are keeping 

quiet about their trend exhibits but what’s certain is that 

they will be solutions integrating mechanics and 

electronics, and that imaging will be a part of this. The 

‘seeing gripper’ is the best clue so far. 

Many such developments are independent of a certain 

product and have a common goal - to design production 

or assembly processes so that they are as simple and 

logical as possible, easy to operate and able to be 

modified with minimum extra effort. For this reason the 

emphasis is initially not on the products or components, 

but on ideas and approaches. 

Standard bearers for British 

business win Queen’s Awards 

A select group of firms from the engineering sector are 

celebrating after winning the UK’s most prestigious 

annual prize for business success, the Queen’s Award 

for Enterprise. Among the winners were Alwayse 

Engineering, Fortress Interlocks, Superior Group, TRP 

Sealing Systems and Trinity Integrated Systems. Prime 

Minister Gordon Brown commented: “Queen’s Award 

winning companies are standard-bearers for the very 

best of British business. These firms embody the spirit 

of enterprise and innovation that is so vital to the 

future of Britain’s economy.” 

Omron Europe acquires Yelland 

Control from Powertech 

Omron Europe and Power Technologies have 

announced the finalisation of Omron’s acquisition of 

Yelland Control from Powertech. Yelland Control will 

be merged with Omron Electronics (Pty), a wholly 

owned subsidiary of Omron Europe BV. The company 

will handle sales and servicing of Omron control 

equipment in Southern Africa. 

Rockwell buys 

Incuity 

Incuity Software, a 

supplier of Enterprise 

Manufacturing 

Intelligence software, has 

been acquired by Rockwell 

Automation. Rockwell 

Automation said that the 

acquisition will help it expand 

its FactoryTalk software suite. 

Incuity's products are used to 

monitor production operations 

and enterprise systems for 

manufacturing. 

“This acquisition is a key 

milestone in the continued 

expansion of our FactoryTalk software 

suite,” said Kevin Roach, vice president 

of Rockwell Software. “The newest 

software, IncuityEMI 2.6, easily 

integrates many disparate information sources 

from production operations and other 

enterprise systems.” 

Energy audits can quickly offset 

price hikes, says Schneider 

Schneider Electric has called upon all those concerned 

with energy consumption to place greater emphasis on 

implementing active energy metering and management 

to combat both carbon impact and to offset energy price 

increases. Schneider Electric offers energy audits that in 

most cases lead to substantial savings at little cost, with 

most of its audits resulting in investment that pays back 

within as little as a year. 

Pumps framework agreement for 

Yorkshire Water Services 

Watson-Marlow Bredel has been awarded a five year 

framework agreement (with a two year option) for the 

design, supply, installation and 

commissioning of peristaltic pumps to 

Yorkshire Water Services. The framework 

agreement relates to Yorkshire Water’s use 

of Watson-Marlow Bredel’s SPX range of 

hose pumps for the handling of primary, 

secondary, digested and thickened 

sludge. 

12 



NEW 

MCS ■ Machine Construction System 

NEW 

updated MCS-MFS 

catalogue now 

available. 

Wider range of profiles 

& accessories. 

Request your free 

copy. 

The HepcoMotion MCS system offers 

an extensive range of aluminium 

profile sections plus all the connecting 

elements and accessories the 

SEE US AT 

AUTOMATICA 2008, 

10TH-11TH JUNE, 

HALL B1, STAND 118 

designer could need. 

Hepco’s range of linear slide systems 

can also be mounted directly onto 

the MCS profile sections. 

These modular components allow infinite possibilities of 

frames to be constructed for use in industrial machinery, 

guarding, storage and display applications. Also 

incorporated into the range is the MFS - Machine 

Fencing System, fully compatible with the MCS range 

it provides economical barriers around machine 

installations such as gantries, pick and place equipment 

and floor mounted robot systems. 

HepcoMotion ® 

Tel: +44 (0)1884 257000 E-mail: sales@hepcomotion.com 

Tiverton Way, Tiverton, Devon EX16 6TG Fax: +44 (0)1884 243500 


ENGINEERING LITERATURE 

Dirak launches 

new global 

website 

Dirak has introduced a new global 

website, representing a dramatic 

improvement in content, 

appearance, and navigation to the 

previous site. The new website has been 

designed in 

direct response 

to Dirak’s 

customer 

research. The 

result is a 

customerdriven 

site, created from an in-depth 

understanding of what customers require 

from a global, technical website. 

The new website features two 

platforms. A SuperStructure site serves as 

a corporate portal for the Dirak Group 

allowing users to select their local regions 

and highlighting corporate news and 

events. The individual Country Sites 

feature strong product and technical 

information in the local language with 

region-specific content. 

Check it out at ....................................www.dirak.com 

Guides for your book shelf 

and the latest brochures 

Every month, your hard working Industrial Technology team brings 

you the best of the latest industry guides, the most interesting 

catalogues, and news of important updates to supplier web sites 

When you’re designing 

new products, how 

much thought do you 

give to the fact that 

many of the users of that product 

might be either elderly or disabled? 

Well, a new guide is now available to 

help you ensure that the ICT systems 

you design and manufacture are 

more useable by these groups. 

A wide range of application areas 

and technologies are covered - from 

household appliances and transport 

to biometrics and information 

displays. The information contained 

in the Guidelines document, and 

more in-depth detail, can be found at 

www.tiresias.org/guidelines. Tiresias, 

which is the RNIB scientific research 

unit’s website, also offers in-depth 

information on more than 2,000 

devices, some 1,000 agencies for 

blind and partially sighted people, 

current and future research across 33 

countries, and more than 100 

scientific and technological reports on 

topics ranging from smart cards and 

biometrics to Braille and tactile data. 

Dr John Gill, Chief Scientist at the 

RNIB, who produced the Guidelines, 

said that the greater enjoyment of life 

of people with disabilities and older 

people lay in the hands of our 

engineers and technicians. “They are 

the people who design and make ICT 

systems and we urge them to look at 

the recommendations contained in 

Guidelines and to give some thought 

on how greater improvements can be 

made,” he said. “The need to do so 

grows apace as, added to the several 

millions of Britons with disabilities, 

we have to help the increasing 

number of older people.” 

Want a copy? ...............www.tireias.org/guidelines 

Control solutions 

Feteris Components 

Feteris has produced a new 

overview brochure on its range 

of industrial sensors and HMI 

components, all conforming to 

the highest technical standards 

and sourced from worldleading 

manufacturers. 

The brochure covers 

potentiometers, displacement 

sensors, inclinometers, angular 

rate sensors, pressure sensors, 

load cells, strain gauges, 

joysticks, foot pedals and 

trackballs. Key markets include 

machinery, equipment, ship 

building and medical devices. 

Electric motors 

Baldor 

Baldor has published its first 

catalogue of stocked electric 

motor products following its 

acquisition of Reliance. 

This heavyweight 580-page 

volume details thousands of 

Baldor Reliance motor choices 

including premium efficiency, 

severe duty and explosion 

proof, washdown, DC, vector 

and brake, plus many 

application-specific types 

including pump, HVAC and 

farm duty. Power ranges for 

stocked lines extend from 

0.015 to 750 kW. 

Sealing rings 

IEC 

This new brochure from IEC 

covers the Fey range of laminar 

sealing rings and retaining 

rings, suited to a range of 

applications including roller 

bearings, wheel set bearings 

for rolling stock, continuous 

casting plants, transmission 

systems, power systems, and 

many others. 

The Fey laminar rings can 

be used as external or internal 

ring sets, as well as combined 

in one groove, as a result, the 

increased deflection optimises 

the seal. 

Fastening systems 

Spirol 

Everything you could want to 

know about fastener 

automation is contained on a 

new CD guide from Spirol. 

The company offers a range 

of equipment for fast and 

reliable fastener installation 

and parts feeding of pins, 

compression limiters, bushings 

and inserts. Full details of 

these products and the 

company’s engineering 

services can be found on the 

CD. You’ll also find intuitive 

video guides for each product 

range. 

Shaft guidance 

Schaeffler UK 

A free, 175-page reference 

guide to shaft guidance 

systems, including linear 

bearings, shaft support blocks, 

rail guidance units and housing 

units, is now available from 

Schaeffler UK. 

As well as providing 

technical data on individual 

products, the ‘Shaft Guidance 

Systems’ catalogue also 

includes useful information on 

load carrying capacities, 

friction, lubrication, design of 

bearing arrangements, and 

much more. 

Want a copy? ....Enter D145 on the card 





14 


Dry faster, at less cost. 

WindJet ® Air Knife Packages for product 

and component drying 

Spraying Systems’ advanced 

air knife technology. 

High-performance 

blowers, sized to suit your system. 

® 

Spraying Systems Limited 

Experts in Spray Technology 

• No compressed air. Low-maintenance regenerative 

blowers (3kW-22kW) produce a non-pulsating 

stream of oil-free, hot dry air at low energy cost - 

cleaner, quieter and far less expensive than 

compressed air. 

• Unique Air Knife Design. Concentrates air stream, 

boosts effect with entrained air. Six standard lengths 

up to 914mm plus custom lengths. 

• Customise your system. Full choice of compatible 

accessories, including manifolds, piping, fittings and 

air cannons for targeting water traps. 

• Expert help and advice. From our 

regionally-based engineers. 

• Fast payback. 

www.spray-uk.com to download 

literature and contact the experts. 

Tel.: 01252 727200 Email: info.uk@spray.com UK website: www.spray-uk.com 

Spray 

Nozzles 

Spray 

Control 

Spray 

Analysis 

Spray 

Fabrication 


How Much Variety Do Rotary Encoders Have to Provide? 

Your individual wishes are no “small fry” for us. HEIDENHAIN now offers “small“ encoders with the same 

high specifications as our “standard“ models. New “small“ absolute multiturn and inductive encoders 

complete the diversity of our rotary encoder range. Variety and flexibility—the optimal solution for any 

requirement. HEIDENHAIN (G.B.) Limited, 200 London Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9RD, 

phone: 01444 247711, fax: 01444 870024, http://www.heidenhain.co.uk, E-Mail: sales@heidenhain.co.uk 

Multiturn 

rotary encoders 

angle encoders linear encoders contouring controls digital readouts length gauges rotary encoders 


Laser sensors 

for displacement, 

position & thickness 

INDUSTRY REPORT 


New sensors: 

- Series 2220 for extreme fast 

measurement: 

Measuring rate 20 kHz 

- Series 1700DR precise 

measure-ments against 

mirrored surfaces 

- Series 2210 for large offset 

distances 

The correct sensor 

for your application: 

Measuring ranges 2 to 750 mm 

Linearity from 1 μm 

Resolution from 0.03 μm 

Measuring rate up to 37 kHz 

Largest selection worldwide 

www.micro-epsilon.co.uk 

Micro-Epsilon UK Ltd. 

Call 0151 260 9800 

info@micro-epsilon.co.uk 

Servo products designed to 

meet military requirements 

Elmo Motion Control’s ExtrIQ delivers an intelligent and durable servo 

solution for demanding military applications and extreme environments 

Inmoco has announced availability of the new Elmo Motion 

Control ExtrIQ servo product family for military applications 

operating in extreme environmental conditions. The product 

family consists of intelligent digital servo drives and 

powerful analogue amplifiers, which are MIL standard-compliant 

and highly durable. ExtrIQ offers a compact solution with optimal 

performance across a wide temperature range (–40°C to 

+70°C), as well as operation in high humidity and at extreme 

altitudes. The products are also tested against intense vibration 

of over 15G and offer high resistance to mechanical shocks. 

ExtrIQ's versatility and resilience provides support for a broad 

range of demanding applications requiring tough and reliable 

motion control solutions. Typical applications will include 

military ground mobile, naval, nautical, aviation, aerospace, 

missile weaponry, specialised laboratory automation, oil refining, 

unmanned vehicles and satellite communications. The ExtrIQ 

drives offer high power density between 10W to 9kW, in the 

operating voltage range 10V-200V, and have a current carrying 

capacity of up to 200A continuous and 400A peak. The 

compactness of the products ensures a cost-effective solution for 

both OEMs and users. 

Compliance with military standards 

ExtrIQ has been tested using methods and procedures specified 

in a variety of Extended Environmental Conditions directives. The 

standards with which ExtrIQ complies include: MIL-STD-810 

Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests; 

MIL-STD-1275 Characteristics of 28V DC Electrical Systems in 

Military Vehicles; MIL-STD-704 Aircraft, Electric Power 

Characteristics; MIL-STD-461 Requirements for the Control of 

Electromagnetic Interference Characteristics of Subsystems and 

Equipment; MIL-HDBK-217 Reliability Prediction of Electronic 

Equipment; and ISO-9001: 2000. 

The ExtrIQ servo drives are based on Elmo's intelligent 

SimplIQ motion control technology, which provides a wide range 

of feedback options, programming capabilities, communications 

protocols, and superior motion control technology with a fully 

digital motion controller, which features current, velocity and 

position loops. 

MORE INFORMATION: 

Enter D165 on the enquiry card or visit ‘latest issue stories’ at 

www.industrialtechnology.co.uk for further details. You can also find more 

stories from Inmoco and more news on servo drives 

16 



KF 170 - now with 

continuous stroke 

Perfect, fast and comfortable 

forming with 

continuous stroke... 

...or precise correcting, adjusting, 

punching and clinching with single stroke 

- no problem, just turn the lever. 

Eckold Limited 

Unit 5C, Quinn Close 

Seven Stars Estate 

Whitley, Coventry CV3 4LH 

Tel. 024 7630 7555 

Fax 024 7630 2777 

sales@eckold.co.uk 

www.eckold.co.uk 



6-7, Faraday Road | Aylesbury 

Buckinghamshire HP19 8TX 

Tel 01296 398865 | Fax 01296 398866 

e-Mail: rkgb@phoenix-mecano.co.uk 

www.rk-online.co.uk 


DESIGN REPORT 

Food Hygiene & Safety 

Robust inspection system 

keeps sausages safe 

A metal detection system 

installed on a pre-packed 

meat and sausage production 

line is ensuring absolutely 

safe food without wasting 

unacceptable quantities 

Although safety standards are essential in the 

food industry, they are just a starting point and 

most food manufacturers go well beyond the 

legal requirements to protect their good name. 

No matter how often a product is praised for taste and 

quality, just one report of contamination can easily 

destroy not just the reputation of a particular product 

but also damage the brand. 

Pre-packed meat and sausage company, 

Aldenhoven, wanted the highest possible quality 

standards, exceeding IFS requirements. But finding 

suitable metal detection and separation equipment that 

was both easy to use and reliable proved to be far from 

easy. A major problem was the inspection of sausage 

meat filling for very small particles of metal from the 

production process without wasting an unacceptable 

quantity of the product. The strong and variable product 

effect combined with high vibration levels and wet 

operating conditions demanded a very high 

specification inspection system. The solution came in 

the form of a Liquiscan metal detection system with the 

Genius control unit from S+S Inspection. 

Designed specifically for use with pumped liquid and 

paste products, the S+S Liquiscan can be installed with 

all types of conventional filling machines without any 

problems. The Genius control unit is designed for 

quality control systems used in automatic processes and 

the ‘Auto-Learn’ capability automatically adjusts for 

product effect changes. The system logbook can record 

one thousand events and produce date and time 

stamped documentation to HACCP and ISO 9000 

standards. 

Delivering high standards 

As an additional safeguard, Aldenhoven also installed 

an S+S Unicon-D end-of-line metal detection system to 

identify magnetic and non-magnetic contamination in 

packed products, both sausages and meats immediately 

before despatch. Aldenhoven’s technical manager says: 

“To meet the very high standards we set, it has been 

necessary to replace some of our existing inspection 

equipment with S+S systems. Now, we can be 

confident that the quality demanded by our 

customers will be reliably maintained.” 


Enter D185 on the card, or visit ‘latest issue stories’ at 

www.industrialtechnology.co.uk for further details from 

S+S Inspection and more news on inspection systems 

18 

More details: Write in 180 on the free information card

Connectors for the food Industry 

Specifically designed to meet the demands of the food and 

beverage industry - A unique range of valve, sensor and actuator 

connectors from the market leading manufacturer. 

All Murrelektronik connectors are based on proven technology. The metal parts of the connectors 

designed for the “Food & Beverage” industry have been replaced by stainless steel, ensuring high corrosion 

protection. The encapsulation in light color makes it easy to notice dirt and mould. Plugs and 

cables are made of a plastic material that fulfills all demands of the food and beverage industry. 

Stainless Steel fittings 

Colour shows mould & dirt 

Resistant to washdowns 

High IP rating 

Murrelektronik manufactures one of the largest ranges of M12 and M8 connection products in the 

world. At its state of the art production facilities in Europe, millions of connectors are produced 

every year. Massive stocks coupled with the ability to take an order for many items through production 

to delivery inside 48hrs, you can be assured of the best service available .... and at competitive 

prices! 

...talk to the manufacturer 

Murrelektronik Ltd 

Albion Street, Pendlebury Ind.Est 

Swinton, Manchester 

Tel: 0161 728 3133 Fax: 0161 728 3130 

www.murrelektronik.co.uk 

sales@murrelektronik.co.uk 

stay connected 


CONTROL TECHNOLOGY // EXPLOSION PROTECTION 

// MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 

Introducing: the safety 

sensor for gourmets 

DESIGN REPORT 

Hygienic 

conveying 

Choosing the right chain conveyor system 

for hygienic applications can make a big 

difference to both initial expenditure and 

running costs. Ian Dickson of Bosch 

Rexroth provides some useful pointers 

If you have a desire for good food, you would certainly lay 

special attention on hygiene at the processing of food. 

We have developed our magnetic safety sensor RC Si M30 

stainless steel IP 69K especially for this complex application. 

The enclosures of the sensor and actuator are fully 

made of stainless steel and even the jet of a high-pressure 

washer (protection IP 69K) does not have any effect 

on the reliability of the magnetic safety sensor. So this is 

why this is the ideal switchgear for gourmets – and for 

the manufacturer of food processing machines. Further 

information: 

steute UK & Ireland, Maylite Business Centre, Martley, 

Worcestershire, WR6 6PQ, Phone 0 18 86 / 88 77 22, Fax 

0 18 86 / 88 77 25, infouk@steute.com or www.steute.co.uk 

When approaching the 

choice of chain 

conveyor systems for 

applications in the 

food, pharmaceutical and similar 

sectors, perhaps the first question to 

ask is just how hygienic the 

installation needs to be. In most 

cases, this equates to another 

question: will the installation be 

subjected to washdown? If the 

answer is no, then it’s likely that a lot 

of money can be saved by choosing 

an appropriate aluminium-frame 

conveyor system. 

A well-designed system of this 

type will have a minimum of cavities 

and crevices that might harbour 

contaminants, and a conveyor chain 

manufactured from high-grade plastic 

that does not fret or shred. The 

surface of the chain will also be as 

closed as possible to minimise the 

risk of harbouring dust and dirt. An 

installation based on conveyors of 

this type is, for example, eminently 

suited to the handling of packaged 

products. 

For those applications where 

washdown is essential, conveyors 

with frames made from stainless steel 

are the usual choice. This material is 

not only inherently hygienic, but is 

also able to withstand attack by the 

often aggressive chemicals used in 

washdown cleaning. Stainless steel 

conveyors share many of the features 

of the aluminium-frame types already 

discussed but are constructed from 

structural members with an open 

section. This allows them to be 

thoroughly cleaned by pressure 

washing. 

Ancillary equipment 

It’s not just the conveyors themselves 

that need to be considered in hygienic 

applications, as mechanical handling 

systems almost invariably include a 

wide range of ancillary equipment. 

Typically this might include gates, 

diverters and stops, all of which are 

usually pneumatically actuated. In 

these situations, thought must be 

given to the pneumatic valves and 

cylinders used. 

In installations where washdown 

is used, are the cylinders made from 

stainless steel? Is the grease used to 

lubricate the cylinders edible? And, 

particularly where washdown is being 

used, is it necessary to put the 

pneumatic valves into an enclosure 

for protection? This last point is more 

important than it may at first appear. 

If the valves need to be protected, 

the only cost-effective way to do this 

traditionally is to group several valves 

SAFE SWITCHGEAR FOR COMPLEX 

AND CRITICAL APPLICATIONS 



Food Hygiene & Safety 

The plain truth. 

iglidur ® plastic bearings are almost indestructible. 

They are lubrication-, corrosion- and maintenancefree. 

For example, iglidur ® Z bearings for high application 

temperatures are three times more wear 

resistant than other high load plain bearings. 

Maintenance-free up to 

temperatures of 250 °C 

together in the enclosure, which 

inevitably means that some of the 

valves will be located at a 

considerable distance from the 

cylinders they control. The long 

pneumatic lines needed to connect 

them up will then degrade the 

performance of the system, 

particularly in terms of response 

speed. 

Where productivity is paramount, 

this loss of speed may well be 

unacceptable. The solution is to use 

valves that require no additional 

protection, since these can be 

mounted immediately adjacent to the 

cylinders they control, thereby giving 

the fastest possible response. 

Operational requirements 

At this point, it’s worth remembering 

that even the most hygienic conveying 

system in the world is of no value 

unless it meets all of the other 

operational requirements of the 

application efficiently and effectively. 

Fortunately, the latest chain conveyor 

systems – such as those in the 

VarioFlow range from Bosch Rexroth, 

which includes both aluminium- and 

stainless-frame products – make this 

much easier to achieve. 

These modern conveyors feature a 

modular design with a wide range of 

components, which allow them to be 

configured quickly and easily to suit 

almost any requirement. This modular 

approach eliminates the need for 

custom fabrication, which keeps costs 

down, and it also means that on-site 

modifications can be made 

conveniently and inexpensively. 

Another benefit of the latest systems 

is their use of integrated motors with 

variable speed drives. This greatly 

simplifies design and ensures that the 

motor is always correctly matched to 

the conveyor section it is driving. The 

incorporation of variable speed drives 

makes it easy to fine-tune the 

operation of the installation. In 

addition, because these drives offer 

controlled starting and stopping, the 

risk of damaging products is reduced, 

and the life of the conveyor system is 

extended. 

Finally, the best modern chain 

conveying systems now feature 

improved performance on curves. This 

allows long chain sections to be 

driven by a single motor, and smaller 

motors to be used for short sections. 

In both cases, initial costs and 

running costs, along with energy 

consumption, are reduced compared 

with conventional conveyors. 

The selection of conveyors for 

hygienic applications is a task that 

needs to be carried out with care. It’s 

important not to inflate costs by overengineering, 

but it’s also important to 

recognise those applications where 

the extra cost of stainless steel 

construction is unavoidable. Finally, 

attention needs to be given to the 

overall performance and efficiency 

of the system. 


Enter D205 or visit ‘latest issue stories’ at 

www.industrialtechnology.co.uk for further 

details from Bosch Rexroth 

Best iglidur ® polymer plain bearing for 

soft stainless steel shafts in oscillating or 

pivoting applications 

Low friction at high speeds 

Lasts longer. Costs less. Find 55 iglidur ® applications 

now at www.igus.co.uk 

Rollercoaster 

gear 

3D CAD and lifetime calculation 

® 

igus ® (UK) Limited 

51A Caswell Road 

Brackmills Ind. Estate 

Northampton NN4 7PW 

Bag forming, filling 

and sealing 

machine 

plastics for longer life ® 

Boat propellor 

for marine 

engine 

Phone 01604-677240 

Fax 01604-677245 

sales_uk@igus.co.uk 

The terms "igus, iglidur and plastics for longer life" are legally protected trademarks in the 

Federal Republic of Germany and, where applicable, in some foreign countries. 



21

POWER TRANSMISSION 

Brakes, Clutches & Couplings 

Couplings are soft on pumps 

Pumping applications place stringent demands on couplings, but 

rubber-in-compression products are adept at rising to the task 

Rubber-in-compression couplings, from Renold 

Hi-Tec, are perfectly suited to pumping 

applications, particularly when large 

particulates such as sand or gravel are being 

pumped. The rubber blocks in the couplings eliminate 

torsional vibration, isolate resonance and dampen 

vibrations in the system that would otherwise cause 

early failures. 

Torsional vibration is caused by the almost 

imperceptible pulses in torque that are inherent to 

diesel engines and variable frequency drives, which are 

commonly used to power pumps. Each power stroke of 

the engine produces a pulse, or peak in torque that 

causes an indiscernible twisting of the drive shaft that 

will eventually destroy it if 

left unchecked. 

Each diesel 

engine also has 

its own natural 

resonance, a 

bit like the 

note of a 

ringing bell 

or the sound 

of a vibrating 

guitar string. 

If the engine’s 

resonance coincides 

with the natural 

frequency of the pump then 

the results can be catastrophic. The 

modern solution is to fit a torsionally soft 

coupling in-between the diesel engine and the drive 

shaft to isolate the engine’s harmonics and torsional 

vibration from the rest of the system. Rubber-incompression 

couplings are frequently selected due to 

their failsafe design, which is a critical requirement in 

many pumping applications like fire fighting for 

example. 

Rubber-in-compression couplings are made up of 

two round metal sections with what looks like the 

paddles of a paddle steamer projecting inwards from the 

outer section and outwards from the inner. Rubber 

blocks are placed in the spaces in-between the 

paddles, and, as the outer section is turned by 

the engine, the inner section is driven through 

the rubber blocks. As this happens the 

rubber is compressed and hence the term, 

rubber-in-compression. The couplings are 

failsafe because even if the rubber blocks 

failed the strong metal paddles would 

come together and continue to drive the 

pump. 

Rubber-in-compression couplings are 

also maintenance free and do not require 

lubrication or adjustment of any kind, 

which means they provide the lowest 

lifetime cost on all pump applications. The 

only serviceable item are the rubber blocks, 

which in most cases are good for over 

ten years of service. 

As well as pumping applications, 

the rubber-in-compression couplings 

have also proved their worth in 

other demanding areas, such 

as their use in a 

strip steel 

mill in 

the USA 

where they have 

cut torque amplification 

by a staggering 23 percent. 

The couplings were specified during 

the refurbishment of the plant to protect the 

drivelines of two reversing roughing stands and one 

finishing stand. One of the main causes of torque 

amplification is backlash across gears and couplings. 

The Renold Hi-Tec coupling is backlash free by virtue of 

the precompressed rubber blocks which not only 

eliminate clearance but incorporate hysteresis damping 

as the rubber deflects. Renold’s engineers were able to 

use in-house software to analyse the dynamics of the 

system and carefully select the correct type of 

coupling and rubber blocks to change the 

natural frequency of the system and avoid 

resonant frequencies. 

Three rubber-in-compression couplings 

were specified delivering up to 8MW of power 

each, and operating at speeds of up to 

725rpm. The new couplings dramatically 

increased the life of the plant and cut the 

ongoing cost of ownership as rubber-in 

compression couplings are also maintenance 

free. Capital investment was also reduced. 


Enter D225 on the card, or visit ‘latest issue stories’ at 


Renold Hi-Tec and more news couplings 

22 


Bellows - Huco Flex B 

flexible 

coupling 

solutions 

Whether the accent is on high torsional 

stiffness, generous misalignment capability, 

high speed operation, recyclable hubs, or a 

capacity for operating in push/pull mode, 

Huco offer the answer to all your flexible 

coupling needs. Call now for our new 

Flexible Couplings catalogue or visit our web 

site at www.huco.com 

Membrane - Huco Flex M 

Sliding - Huco Oldham 

Universal Lateral - Huco Unilat 

Beam Type - Huco Multi-beam 

Merchant Drive 

Hertford, SG13 7BL 

United Kingdom 

t: +44 (0) 1992 501900 

f: +44 (0) 1992 509890 

www.huco.com 

Double Loop - Huco-Flex P 

Jaw Type - Huco Flex G 



Renold Couplings 

Renold produces a wide range 

of standard and customised 

coupling products. 

These products include soft start 

Hydrastart fluid couplings, double 

and single engagement Gearflex 

& MB Gear Couplings as well as 

the ever popular Crownpin and 

Pinflex “pin & bush” couplings. 

In addition to these Renold also 

produce Tyreflex, Spiderflex and 

Discflex elastomeric couplings. 

International companies from 

Steel to Food processing, and 

from escalators to textile 

machinery have chosen Renold 

to solve their problems. 

Industrial sectors such as mining, 

quarrying, mineral processing, 

metal manufacture, cement and 

power generation regularly use 

Ajax mill Spindles, Hi-Tec flexible 

couplings, Renold Hydrastart, 

Gearflex and Pinflex couplings. 

If you have an application 

requirement, Renold will offer 

the solution. 

Superior Coupling Technology 



Brakes, Clutches & Couplings 

Tension control in narrow 

web labelling machines 

Equipped with a comprehensive range of cooling systems, 

Andantex claims its new EMP series of brakes and 

clutches is the widest and most reliable on the market 

Resolving web handling problems 

by improving tension 

control is a cost-effective way 

to refurbish existing equipment 

or to enhance the performance of new 

equipment. It allows an increase in linear 

speed, production quality and flexibility, 

and reduces waste. To do this, Andantex, 

with Merobel, have launched a new 

range of EMP brakes equipped 

with the most comprehensive 

range of cooling systems – 

necessary components to 

achieve higher linear speed – 

and a new digital tension 

controller, the DGT 300. 

When it comes to applying 

variable torque in tension control, 

EMP brakes and clutches are more 

reliable (wearless) and easy to implement 

(constant torque) than friction systems 

and more cost-effective and easy to 

maintain than Shaftless systems. 

The reliability of the Merobel EMP 

brake and clutch comes from a 

combination of many different design 

improvements including factors such as 

specifically developed 

wearless surface 

treatments, magnetic 

properties of the 

chosen steel quality, 

powder composition, 

ball bearing optimisation 

to resist to 

high temperatures, 

sealing quality and 

thermal resistance. In 

addition, computer simulation of 

the exact working conditions 

allows the temperature level in 

any crucial part of the brake to be finely 

defined. The best solution in terms of 

cooling system (cooling fins, axial fan, 

radial fan, or water jacket cooling system) 

can then be chosen from known machine 

working conditions. 

Wide torque range 

As the versatility of narrow web label 

machinery has become more important, 

so the available global range of torque, 

from 2Nm to 1,000Nm has also become 

more crucial when considering the 

application needs. The capability for the 

EMP brake and clutch technology to offer 

the widest available continuous torque 

range is one of its key features. This 

capability relies on constant research and 

development for solutions to decrease the 

drag torque, as well as for the internal 

magnetic field optimisation to allow a 

better linearisation of the characteristic 

curve. 

Even using the world’s best brake, a 

tension control system must also include 

controllers and sensors in order to reach 

its goal: a guarantee of different, accurate 

and consistent tension levels on any of the 

product that the application may require 

(up to 1% precision). The DGT300 offers 

all the special features required to deal 

with the application parameter variations: 

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 

Chain Solutions 

Renold has brought together all of its high-tech, problem solving 

chain products under the new banner of Solutions Products. 

The move serves to emphasise the 

opportunities available to engineers who 

are trying to overcome application 

challenges caused by anything from 

lubrication and corrosion to wear, fatigue and 

abrasion. 

The Solutions Products range is spearheaded 

by Renold’s high performance Synergy chain 

which is solving problems all around the world on 

applications where companies are suffering from 

short wear life and unacceptably high levels of 

downtime to replace worn out chain. On some 

applications Synergy has slashed chain 

replacements from once a month to once a year, 

and one American customer recently described 

Synergy’s performance as, ‘astonishing’. 

The complete range of Solutions Products 

includes, Syno, a range of chain that requires no 

lubrication, and, uniquely to Renold, this includes 

a polymer bush version for arduous, heavy-duty 

and outdoor applications. There is a range of 

stainless steel chain for applications where 

corrosion might be a problem, such as in the food 

industry. 

Conveyor applications 

Another Solution Product is Klik-Top polymer 

block chain for conveyor applications. Unlike 

other, similar, products Klik-Top chain has no 

sharp edges coming into contact with conveyed 

goods and the polymer blocks can be clicked on 

and off individually without the need to remove 

the whole chain from the application. 

The Solutions Products range also includes 

Sovereign chain for abrasive applications where 

there are significant amounts of dust and debris 

that would cause a standard specification chain 

to wear rapidly. Finally there is Renold's Hydro- 

Service 

chain, which 

has been treated with 

a series of coatings to protect against corrosion. 

So effective is the Hydro-Service anticorrosion 

treatment that chain treated with it will resist 

corrosion up to 30 times longer than a standard 

carbon steel chain, but has the same working 

load capabilities as standard steel. 

To contact Renold for more information on its 

Solution Products range, call UK Sales on 01283 

512940, e-mail ukchain@renold.com, or visit 

www.renold.com. 

More details: Write in 240 on the card 

24 


web 

elasticity, 

bobbin rotational 

inertia, continuous or stop 

and go running processes, range of 

diameter variations, and many more. 

Designed for both closed loop and 

open loop tension control, the DGT 

family of controllers is the up-to-date 

turnkey solution for unwinding, 

rewinding and intermediate tension 

control applications. 

Web control functions 

Allowing 100% setting up through the 

user friendly Windows PC interface, or 

through the front panel keyboard, 

these devices include all the requested 

web tension control specific functions: 

E-stop proportional to the set point, 

soft start, hold and release, taper 

tension and no-stop splice turrets. 

Advanced regulation features are also 

offered, such as automatic PID 

coefficients variation, combined 

open loop and closed loop 

control, inertia compensation, 

smooth start-up with programmable 

slope as well as motorand 

drive- specific algorithms. 

Compatible with standard 

position sensors, ultrasonic sensors, 

and any load cell, the design of this 

product family offers the benefit of fully 

digital calibration procedures. In 

addition, direct control of EMP brakes 

and clutches is available through the 

built-in power amplifier, and the drive 

can be controlled with a standard 

analogue output. 

This system offers the advantage of 

easy tuning through a simple Windows 

PC interface and offers increased 

flexibility to make production batch 

changes. Maintenance teams will 

doubtless appreciate the ability to read 

and modify all the parameters, and 

to make data records of the 

inputs and outputs for easier 

troubleshooting. 


Enter D244 on the card, or visit ‘latest issue 

stories’ at www.industrialtechnology.co.uk 

for further details from Andantex 


3D 

CAD 


25

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT & DESIGN 

Enclosures, Cabinets & Fans 

Cost-effective 

water proofing 

Why buy a sarcophagus when all you really need is a plain box? 

Gel filling offers an alternative to bespoke design when you’re 

looking for long-lasting performance in tough, wet conditions 

Anyone who has had the responsibility of 

specifying enclosures for use in hostile 

environments or buying purpose built IP68 

underwater enclosures to fulfil their specific 

requirements will know that it can be a very expensive 

and time consuming exercise. A whole host of specialist 

companies will tell you that they have designed and 

developed their particular range of products and that 

they have supplied enclosures for permanent submersion 

in up to 30 - 50 plus metres of water and can therefore 

provide you with a satisfactory solution to your enclosure 

problems. 

Sure they can – at a premium price. And then there 

are the ‘must have’ accessories. The specialist intricate 

gaskets and the matching cable glands and grommets, 

without which the entire enclosure is rendered useless. 

But now there are cheaper options, in the form of gel 

filling systems. We found solutions from both GH Lucas 

and Spelsberg in the UK. 

Already in wide use throughout Europe, the GH 

Lucas solution consists of an incredibly fast, crosslinking 

bi-component formula that is presented in two 

options. On the one hand, you can have the two 

components correctly proportioned into pouches, that 

are separated by a divider. Or alternatively, the product is 

offered in a two-bottle pack, together with a measuring 

vessel and mixing spoon to offer the user a no waste, 

quick, clean and efficient method of mixing and pouring. 

Simply pour the liquid into your standard enclosure and 

within 10 minutes of pouring, the mixture will be 

completely cross-linked and ready for use. 

The cross-linked material is characterised by strong 

binding forces that will not flow on exposure to heat, as 

the links between the molecular chains holds the chains 

together. Beyond a certain temperature, called the 

crystalline melting temperature, the crystals disappear 

and the material becomes soft and malleable. 

Wide ranging applications 

GH Lucas can demonstrate a host of successful uses for 

its gel-system solution, including enclosures for 

underground street lighting controls, mounted in sewer 

systems, in harbours with cameras inside to monitor fish 

stocks, on ROVs, in pits and water treatment plants, on 

pumping systems, on reservoirs, on rivers and on flood 

plain areas, transport systems, roadside monitoring 

equipment and other places where electrical equipment 

and other apparatus needs to be protected from 

condensation and 

water ingress, and with the possibility of being totally 

submerged underwater. In fact, according to the 

company, the deeper the gel-filled application is 

submerged, the more the natural water pressure 

increases the effectiveness of ingress protection, which is 

quite the opposite with traditional resin fill devices, as 

increased water pressure has been known to crack the 

resin in-fill at greater submerged depths. Further, the 

system is chemically inert and non-toxic, and therefore 

totally safe. 

For its part, Spelsberg ELS UK has launched its new 

Abox GT range of extreme environment electrical 

enclosures which can also make use of an extremely 

durable and easy to use gel-fill system to protect 

electrical connections, even after prolonged exposure to 

water, soil, sand or grit. The IP68-rated enclosure 

system will even withstand extended periods of total 

immersion. Abox GT enclosures are ideal for any 

application where electrical connections must be 

protected from the wet. Typical uses are in flood prone 

areas, washing installations, tunnels, docks and 

agricultural or horticultural applications. 

Spelsberg uses a semi-setting gel compound to 

protect the contents of the box after assembly. As with 

the GH Lucas solution, the gel is a two-part mixture 

designed for easy mixing and installation in the toughest 

site conditions. A handy mixer bag included with every 

box can be used to prepare and insert exactly the right 

amount of gel. Once cured, the gel-filled enclosures are 

shock and fracture-proof, UV-resistant and exhibit low 

flammability. 

Unlike foam based systems where the foam is 

extremely difficult to remove after it has been inserted, 

the clear Spelsberg Abox GT gel can easily be removed 

without damaging the enclosure or the connections 

allowing for simple rewiring or reuse. 

The Abox GT range is available in four sizes from 

80x80x52mm to 140x140x79mm. The enclosures will 

handle cable cross sections from 1.5 to 10mm 2 . In tests, 

they withstand immersion in water to a depth of 15m for 

168 hours. The new enclosures join the largest range of 

plastic enclosures available ex-stock in the UK from the 

company's Telford headquarters; centrally located to 

provide immediate access to technical support and 

next day delivery on all standard items. 


GH Lucas: enter D265 on the enquiry card 

Spelsberg ELS UK: enter D266 on the enquiry card 

Or visit www.industrialtechnology.co.uk 

26 


AZ_TopPult_a4_4c_engl.indd 1 12.11.2007 10:28:36 

The aesthetics of functionality. 

New Rittal TopConsole. 

Compatible 

with 

TS 8 accessories 

The new Rittal TopConsole enclosure system adds a touch of style to machine control. 

After all, it is not only the sleek design which enables it to blend seamlessly into every 

conceivable work environment, but also the infi nite confi guration possibilities with system 

accessories of the TS 8 and CM enclosure series or the Rittal Industrial Workstation. 

Assembled or converted in a matter of minutes, the new Rittal TopConsole leaves no wishes 

unfulfi lled with regard to ergonomics and functionality. Rittal. Switch to perfection. 

Rittal Limited, Braithwell Way, Hellaby Industrial Estate, Hellaby, Rotherham, S Yorks S66 8QY 

Tel.: (01709) 704000 Fax: (01709) 701217 Internet: http://www.rittal.co.uk eMail: information@rittal.co.uk 


dealing 

with all the 

pressure 

you need 

fans and blowers for extraction, cooling, 

ventilation, aeration, vacuum and drying 

• Backward curved bladed single inlet 

centrifugal blowers 

• Flow rates up to 850m 3 /hr (500CFM) 

• Pressures upto 150mBar (60in.SWG) 

• Exceptionally low noise levels 

• Reliable and maintenance free 

• ATEX versions 

• Many configurations and add-ons 

ACI’s Multi Stage Range of directly driven blowers offers 

exceptionally quiet running and maintenance free 

solutions for many higher pressure applications. 

Direct mounting of the impellers and low motor speeds minimise 

noise levels whilst providing high pressure performance. The Multi 

Stage’s modular system design gives a flexible choice in the number 

of stages combined. Power supply options available. 

Please contact us for further detailed specifications and to 

discuss suitability for your application. 

www.aircontrolindustries.com 

the solution providers for air movement problems 

Air Control Industries Ltd 

Silver Street, 

T: +44(0)845 5000 501 

Chard, 

F: +44(0)845 5000 502 

Somerset,TA20 2AE, UK E: sales@aircontrolindustries.com 


Time to check 

your cable 

glands? 

Terry Spriggs of Hylec Components helps 

to keep your knowledge up-to-date by 

giving an overview of what has changed 

and what is now available 

There are now more 

variations of cable gland 

available than ever, and with 

more choice comes the 

requirement for more knowledge in 

order to make the right selection. 

Considerations such as suitability for 

purpose, sealing, safety and 

installation time all need to be 

balanced against cost, which is 

always an issue. 

It is as easy to overlook a cable 

gland as it is to under-specify or to 

over-specify it. With a huge range of 

fast new push-fit designs, tighter 

regulations and new materials 

coming onto the market it is essential 

to look at what is fit-for-purpose. 

Essential criteria include the quality 

of the hole available for the cable 

entry, the thickness of the cable, the 

ingress protection required, the 

mechanical cable retention strength 

required, and the environment it is 

being exposed to. Exposure to heat, 

weathering and any fire requirements 

such as building regulations, halogen 

free requirements, Ex rating or ATEX 

zones have to be considered. 

One of the original and simplest 

types of cable gland is the ‘stuffing 

gland’ offering basic sealing and 

protection for cables passing through 

panels or bulkheads. A locking nut is 

used to apply pressure via a skid 

washer onto the sealing rings that 

spread to form a seal around the 

cable. This method of cable feedthrough 

achieves three basic 

functions. It protects the cable from 

possible damage due to any sharp 

edges on the bulkhead/wall/cabinet. 

It provides a barrier to moisture and 

debris entering the equipment 

housing (IP ratings are generally low 

as they will not withstand 

pressurised water or immersion). And 

it provides a measure of cable 

retention. The stuffing gland has 

been around for many years and is 

used in an enormous number of 

applications today. However, a major 

problem with these particular types 

of traditional gland is the limited 

mechanical performance and its 

protection rating of IP54. 

Many applications require better 

cable retention, in terms of factors 

like superior mechanical strength, a 

wider clamping range and a higher 

rating of IP65, or IP68 (which can be 

buried and/or kept under full 

emersion in water). These needs are 

catered for by a dome topped cable 

gland. These glands are also more 

aesthetically pleasing, looking more 

modern and smartening up an 

installation. A number of variations of 

this type are available in both Nylon 

and metal but the salient features 

that ensure superior performance to 

the traditional stuffing gland are in its 

construction. 

The cable is again fed through a 

sealing ring but in this case, the 

sealing ring is placed within an 'iris' 

that closes onto the sealing ring, 

clamping the cable and forming a 

high IP seal as the dome top is 

screwed down. 

Dome top variations 

Many different cable gland variations 

exist in dome top configurations 

covering a variety of general 

industrial applications. Specialist 

applications may require additional 

protection over and above the 

common plastic variations. There 

are, for example, products designed 

to meet the requirement of ATEX 

100a for hazardous areas such as 

petrochemical. And there are glands 

designed for EMC compatibility and 

certified by VDE in compliance with 

VG 95373 part 40. Stainless steel 

versions should be considered in food 

and chemical process applications 




Warning 

safe in 

where wash down is essential for 

hygiene. Nylon and plated brass 

glands are suited for general industrial 

or marine applications. 

Most new developments are 

focused on speeding up the process of 

cable sealing and retention, offering 

push-fit glands and grommets in a 

range of designs. The main issue with 

these variations is that they provide 

limited mechanical grip and will only 

seal up to IP67. Because the retention 

material is soft, it is generally less 

resistant to extreme heat, but can be 

more resistant to corrosive 

atmospheres and liquids. They are not 

currently suitable for any Ex 

applications. 

Grommet options 

There are a number of membrane 

plug/grommet products available that 

offer good sealing up to IP67 that are 

very fast to use. As a grommet they 

are a push fit design both to install 

and to feed the cable through. Recent 

grommet designs will allow for a 

variety of cable and conductor widths. 

They are resistant to vibration and will 

provide for easy adjustment. They are 

not suitable for Ex applications or 

extreme heat and most don’t provide a 

great deal of cable retention force, 

unlike a clamped dome topped gland. 

There is a range of fast-fit 

grommet seals that clip into standard 

drilled and knockout holes that 

provide positive cable retention. The 

Klikseal from TST, for example, is 

moulded using two materials – a 

softer compound for the body/seal, 

and a stiffer inner material that 

applies positive clamping and cable 

retention. It will accommodate a few 

millimetres of wall thickness – self 

adjusting up to 5mm – and a range of 

cable diameters for each size. The 

added benefit of these designs is that 

they do not protrude far from the 

surface. 

Many contractors and OEMs are 

focused on reducing inventory and 

reducing overall line items, which is 

where these products really score. No 

tools are needed to fit them once there 

is a suitable aperture available, and 

the manufacturers claim they deliver a 

90% time saving. 

Enclosure manufacturers have 

also developed junction boxes that are 

manufactured using dual materials, 

injection moulding a softer compound 

into the wall design so that it forms 

self sealing cable entries. These will 

generally take a range of cable sizes 

providing sealing up to IP65 for a 

cable that is simply pushed through 

the flexible membrane. More suited to 

indoor applications or instances 

where there is secondary protection 

available such as a control cabinet, 

these junction boxes can certainly 

speed-up installation and assembly, 

particularly when the enclosures 

arrive onsite pre-populated with 

terminals and breakers. 

One such product is a junction box 

capable of connecting two or three 

round profile cables via an integral 

connector block that features a similar 

sealing method to the dome top 

gland. It is moulded in one piece and 

hinged so that the threaded sections 

of the cable entries fold together. The 

cables are then inserted through a 

seal and locking cap and the cap 

screwed into position to complete the 

assembly. 

In conclusion, the humble cable 

gland can be a boon when it is 

specified correctly, speeding-up 

production and installation time, and 

a liability if it is wrongly specified. The 

consequences of a water leak into a 

junction box can be catastrophic, not 

just for the internal components, but 

more importantly for the process, 

building or machinery that relies 

upon that connection. 




details from Hylec Components 

all areas 

fans and blowers for extraction, cooling, 

ventilation, aeration, vaccum and drying 

• Curved forward bladed 

centrifugal fans 

• Flow rates up to 4500m 3 /hr 

(2600CFM) 

• Pressures upto 15mBar (6in.SWG) 

• Reliable and robust 

• ATEX versions 

• Many configurations and add-ons 

ACI’s single inlet centrifugal blowers offer 

quiet, powerful air delivery for localised air 

movement. Ideal for high velocity where 

space to fit a fan is at a premium. 

Please contact us for further detailed specifications and 

to discuss suitability for your application. 

www.aircontrolindustries.com 

the solution providers for air movement problems 

Air Control Industries Ltd 

Silver Street, 

T: +44(0)845 5000 501 

Chard, 

F: +44(0)845 5000 502 

Somerset,TA20 2AE, UK E: sales@aircontrolindustries.com 



29



Thinking inside the box 

Moeller Electric has addressed the needs of electrical distribution 

equipment with a new range of enclosures and accessories 

19in blanking 

panels reduce 

installation time 

Schroff has launched a range of 

plastic clip-in blanking panels that 

provide a quick and easy way to 

prevent hot air from recirculating through 

the gaps between equipment mounted in 

a 19in cabinet. The new clip-in panels 

eliminate the need for screw-in blanking 

plates and simply snap into place without 

any tools. They can also be easily 

removed and repositioned if the system 

configuration has to be altered. 

The clip-in panels are made from 

composite material and are available in a 

choice of black or RAL 7035 grey. 

Compatible with any IEC 60297-2 

compliant 19in cabinet, they come in 1U 

and 2U sizes and can be used with 

tapped or square-hole frames. 

As well as ensuring proper air flow 

through the cabinet, these handy timesaving 

products give the finished system 

a tidy and professional-looking 

appearance. Prices start from £34 for a 

pack of ten, with good discounts 

available for volume orders. 


Enter D307 on the card, or visit ‘latest issue stories’ 

at www.industrialtechnology.co.uk for further 

details from Schroff 

Versatility, ease of use, 

attractive styling and 

competitive pricing are 

among the key benefits of the 

extensive range of enclosures now 

being offered by Moeller Electric for 

use with electrical distribution 

equipment. Enclosures in the range, 

which includes compact distribution 

boxes and sheet-steel distribution 

boards, have been developed 

specifically to meet the needs of UK 

users and all types are supplied 

complete with neutral and earth 

terminals for outgoing ways. 

Manufactured from high-impact 

flame-retardant plastic, the compact 

distribution boxes are available in 

standard versions and in moistureproof 

versions. Both versions are 

available with up to 54 usable 

outgoing ways and both include 

mounting rails for use not only with 

MCBs and other protective devices, 

but also with control components. 

Standard distribution boxes are 

offered in surface and flush mounting 

Heaters protect delicate electronics 

For enclosures which are situated 

outdoors, Rittal has introduced a 

range of heaters to protect the 

versions with a choice of transparent 

or opaque lids, while moisture-proof 

boxes are suitable for surface mounting 

only and are supplied with transparent 

lids. For larger applications or those 

where a metal enclosure is preferred, 

Moeller Electric offers surface- and 

flush-mounting distribution board 

enclosures with up to 198 useable 

outgoing ways. 

Neat, compact assembly 

These robust enclosures have provision 

for a Moeller Electric MCCB incomer to 

be fitted internally, eliminating the cost 

and inconvenience of mounting the 

incomer separately and producing a 

neat, compact assembly. 

The distribution board enclosures 

which provide generous space for 

wiring despite their compact overall 

dimensions are supplied as standard 

with a removable DIN-rail mounting 

frame and a gland plate to facilitate 

cabling. They are offered with plain 

steel or glazed doors and with either 

white or grey paint finish. The 

delicate electronics housed within from 

any temperature fluctuations. 

Available with 400W and 800W 

outputs, the heaters prevent the 

temperature inside the enclosure from 

dropping below operational level. The 

heaters also facilitate in the reduction 

of condensation within dual walled 

cabinets where severe low 

temperatures may be encountered. 

The heaters can be easily installed 

by simply snapping-on to DIN Top Hat 

versatility is further increased by a 

large range of accessories. This 

includes blanking plates, segregators 

that can be fitted internally to provide 

a ‘hidden’ control section, single- and 

double-row dead plates, universal 

mounting plates for control items, and 

key-operated door locks. All 

accessories and standard enclosure 

components can be purchased 

separately. 



stories’ at www.industrialtechnology.co.uk for 

further details from Moeller Electric 

Rails or by screwing into the punched 

frame sections of the outdoor 

enclosure. All heaters are provided 

with a protective grill in both the air 

inlet and outlet. A complementary 

thermostat is also available to switch 

the heaters as required. 




further details from Rittal 

30 


Control panel design 

software gets smarter 

Wieland Electric announces 

the UK launch of Wieplan 

3.0 – a powerful, yet 

easy-to-use, software tool for 

configuring DIN rail terminal block 

assemblies using Wieland 

components. It offers a faster and 

more efficient means of planning 

and creating control panels. Wieplan 

3.0 features a bi-directional 

interface with ePLAN and, by 

contributing the DIN rail terminal 

block assembly, closes a gap in the 

engineering chain. 

The process for selecting the 

right terminal block and accessories, 

designing the DIN rail and 

optimising space and flexibility 

through to completing all the 

documentation and drawings, has 

traditionally made control panel 

planning a laborious process. It is 

not administered in ePLAN but now, 

when the terminal connection points 

have been defined the user can 

simply export this assignment to 

Wieplan where the control-panelready 

DIN rail can be configured. 

It enables design engineers to 

easily manage the product data and 

integrate Wieland components into 

their diagrams, create parts list 

using own or manufacturers 

numbers. The new Wieplan software 

works with a project structure and is 

intuitive to use. As the planner is 

guided step by step through each 

stage, the software provides search 

and filtering functions and there are 

plausibility checks to prevent 

mistakes. Once the completed 

terminal blocks with all data 

including terminal type, item 

number, accessories and 

identification are defined in Wieplan 

they can be seamlessly transferred 

back to ePLAN. 

Available in four languages, 

wieplan has high quality graphics 

and the components database is 

simply updated on-line. 

Easy-fit swinghandles 

offer a host of options 

The 1150 UNItech program of 

swinghandles from EMKA 

offers one easy-fit system with 

many options for applications as 

wide as telecom cabinets to 

electrical enclosures and data centre 

racks to outdoor cabinets, with 

locking systems to suit. 

The 1150 UNItech program 

features mini style swinghandles, 

medium style, vandal resistant in 

stainless steel and standard – 




for further details from Wieland Electric 

including electronically operated 

variants. Traditional EMKA modular 

thinking has brought together an 

extensive collection of easy to install 

swinghandles using a simple set of 

cutouts, designed to speed up the 

work of specialist cabinet builders, 

equipment installers, operators and 

maintenance engineers. 

Locking systems include key 

cylinders, inserts, padlocks and fully 

electronic with personal ID and 

access logging. On the inside of the 

cabinet door rod closure systems 

encompass many cam sizes and 

styles as part of standard round or 

flat rod actuation configurations. 


Solid partner 

with Flexible 

Solutions 

An instinctive mixture of incredibly 

robust, yet elegant Italian 

styling, fused with innovative quality 

and design, is what sets us apart 

from our competitors. 

And when you add twenty five years of product 

development experience coupled with the flexibility 

of standard or tailored solutions, you will 

see that experience becomes visible in every 

one of our products from the smallest terminal 

box to the largest modular cabinet system. 

So why compromise? Call ETA today. 

ETA ENCLOSURES (UK) LIMITED 

And from first order to 

final delivery, our total 

commitment to customer 

service and satisfaction 

is FIRST CLASS! 

Kea Park Close, 

Hellaby Industrial Estate, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S66 8LB 

Tel: 01709 730111 E-mail: info@eta-enclosures.co.uk 

Fax: 01709 544088 Internet: www.eta-enclosures.co.uk 



for further details from EMKA 



31

DESIGN COMPONENTS 

Springs, Gas Springs & Dampers 

Gas springs deliver 

silent closing pedal bins 

for critical care units 

SKF’s Stabilus dampers are taking the noise out of pedal bin usage 

on the wards to the benefit of patients and hospital workers alike 

SKF has supplied a specially designed oil filled 

damper for use in a new range of pedal 

operated bins from Bristol Maid and Hospital 

Metalcraft. The range combines smooth, silent 

opening and closing with hygienic features that make 

them ideal for use in hospital critical care units. 

David Forrest, design engineer at Bristol Maid, 

explains the requirement: “We were looking for a solution 

that allowed pedal bins in hospitals, and critical care 

environments in particular, to close smoothly and 

silently, while meeting the exceptional hygiene standards 

required in such applications. Coma patients often have 

an extremely heightened sense of hearing and are 

acutely aware of their surroundings. With pedal bins in 

intensive care units being used between 60-100 times a 

day, significant distress can be caused to patients and 

may slow the recovery process. Likewise, at night in 

shared wards, when patients are sleeping but doctors 

and nurses still busy working, the problem of noise from 

pedal bins also arises. This often results in the bins being 

moved away from patients, which in turn causes issues 

with harmful waste being carried across wards, risking 

contamination and ultimately infection.” 

Due to the existing partnership between the two 

companies, Hospital Metalcraft contacted SKF in order 

to provide a reliable solution based on its extensive 

experience with Stabilus gas springs. SKF approached 

the project from a customer focused perspective, taking 

one of the new bins, and built a solution around it as 

opposed to making an existing product fit. A 

conventional gas spring that was initially trialled was 

discarded as the product enabled smooth and easy 

opening of the bin lids but not a soft and aesthetic 

closure. A Stabilus STAB-O-SHOC oil filled damper 

proved to be the solution. 

Slow, gentle closure 

The STAB-O-SHOC is designed to have a high resistance 

force in compression but low to zero in extension, 

resulting in unrestricted travel when the bin lid is 

opened. When the foot pedal is released in order to close 

the bin, the damper enables a relatively slow movement 

until the last few seconds when the lid closes slowly and 

gently with the support of the damping force allowing a 

silent closure. 

The damper includes a high quality oil with tightly 

controlled viscosity and, coupled with Stabilus’ excellent 

component quality, ensures optimum performance. The 

STAB-O-SHOC has been tested in conditions between 

0°C and 80°C with no detrimental effect on performance, 

making it also suitable for use in extremely challenging 

locations such as crematoriums or autopsy rooms. It is 

compact – just 101.5mm when compressed and 

128mm extended – and ergonomically designed, 

allowing it to be easily incorporated into the existing 

fixtures and fittings of the new bins, without the need for 

major alterations. 

The new high quality bins are available in a choice of 

capacities (20, 50, 75 and 90 litre) and feature solid 

steel construction with positive bag retention achieved 

by means of elasticated cord or drop over clamp. This 

reduces the risk of unhygienic spillages from the bag 

onto the exterior of the bin, which can aid the spread of 

harmful bacteria. For ease of cleaning, it has a 

removable body with radius corners, rubber feet keeping 

the unit clear of the floor, and an integral tube weld in 

the chassis of the bin's structure. 

The bins come with a number of additional features 

making them simple to use, including rear mounted 

wheels to aid mobility, and a front opening mechanism 

for easy bag removal. The range is already being 

supplied to the NHS and private health care 

organisations. 

Forrest concludes: “We are delighted with the 

solution which SKF offered us. It is so refreshing for a 

solution to be built around our products as opposed to 

having to design our products around its components. 

The bins are already proving to be a huge success and 

are making a big difference to hospital workers and 

patients alike.” 



www.industrialtechnology.co.uk for further details. You can also find 

more stories from SKF and more news on springs and dampers 

32 





Four spring rates in one part 

A medical manufacturer thought it was testing spring capabilities to 

the limits with a requirement for a unique characteristic. But Abssac 

was able to meet the company’s needs with a machined spring 

Probably one of the most demanding machined 

spring applications to date for Abssac involved a 

medical equipment manufacturer wanting to 

utilise precision compression, torsion, lateral 

bending and lateral translation rates – all within one 

individual spring. In addition to this, the springs required 

easy attachment and would have to be lightweight and 

relatively inexpensive – something that previously was 

unobtainable from a standard wound spring format. 

To add to the difficulty, Abssac’s customer also 

requested three other springs, identical in size but with 

different spring rates. But that was easy compared with 

the real challenge of being able to accurately supply not 

just one spring elastic rate, but all four in the single part. 

Precise linear deflection 

Machined springs are quite different from conventional 

wound products. Rather than deforming a wire around a 

set form to produce the spring, machined springs are – as 

the name suggests – machined from a solid piece of 

material. In use, two main advantages are immediately 

apparent. Machined springs can provide very precise, 

linear deflection rates because virtually all residual 

stresses are eliminated. And the machined spring also 

enables the designer to incorporate the way in which the 

spring attaches into a single piece design, often 

incorporating parts of the spring assembly into the single 

part construction. 

But what is most compelling about machined springs 

is the fact that it is possible to have more than one spring 

coil in the single piece construction or multi start 

configurations, which deliver quite outstanding 

performance advantages. In fact, the machined spring’s 

capability to be supplied in multiple start spring coil 

configurations takes the performance and reliability to 

levels not achievable by the traditional wound spring 

format. Naturally, the most common configuration is the 

single start spring, which consists of a single continuous 

coil element, which starts at one end and terminates at 

the other end, much like its wire wound counterpart. The 

double start or indeed a triple start spring has two or three 

intertwined continuous coil elements, still within the 

same single part construction. 

In effect, this puts multiple independent helixes in the 

same cylindrical plane, which provides totally enhanced 

spring performance. On multiple start machined springs, 

virtually all internal moments are resolved within the 

spring itself and the double start machined spring 

configuration is the closest single Cartesian co-ordinate 

deflection part available with today’s technology. 

Five start configuration 

Pulling on extensive product knowledge it was known that 

the triple start Heli-Cal beam configuration delivered very 

high lateral stiffness. Combining this with the requirement 

of a high lateral translation rate became the starting point 

for analysis. Next, came the remaining three rates. Using 

first-class finite element analysis software, these three 

were then quantified. A trend also appeared, showing that 

as the number of starts increased, the ratio of the 

remaining three rates converged. In fact, at five starts, the 

ratio was near perfect. At six or more, divergence was 

experienced, hence no benefit. 

All that was left was to select a coil thickness, and 

outer diameter to inner diameter ratio that would best fit 

the customer’s needs. Combine this with the use of 

7075-T6 aluminium for light weight and lower machining 

cost, and the design was successfully completed. 

The advantages of the machined spring product are 

numerous, having proven itself in medical, aerospace, 

semiconductor and motor-sport industries to name but a 

few. Wherever a wound spring is not able to meet your 

performance criteria or a new spring design requires 

ultimate accuracy and repeatability, the machined spring 

is the ideal partner. So the next time you require a spring 

in a critical or high duty cycle environment, the machined 

spring from Abssac may have the answer to your 

design problems. 




more stories from Abssac and more news on springs and dampers 

34 




whatspringstomind? 

Stock springs? 

We’ve 15,500 different 

types and sizes of springs. 

New for 2008 

Constant force springs 

REDUX wave springs 

Millions in stock 

and custom options. 

Call us on 0118 978 1800 or visit www.leespring.co.uk 

Lee Spring Limited, Latimer Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 2WA 

Telephone: 0118 978 1800 Fax: 0118 977 4832 Email: info@leespring.co.uk 




Engineering 

success for 

‘elastic’ 

components 

Christian Bauer disc springs 

are manufactured to the 

tolerances, material 

specifications and performance 

parameters of DIN 2093, provide 

highly reliable ‘elastic’ technical 

components which can form the 

building block elements of spring 

packs. Under applied load or 

torque, the spring yields with a 

defined and repeatable 

deformation, while an opposing 

reaction force is at the same time 

stored as energy within the spring. 

With their precise and 

controlled characteristics they are 

becoming ever more recognised as 

ideal components where high 

forces, are combined with limited 

space, precise movement, long- 

Constant force and wave 

springs added to portfolio 

With the latest additions to its range, the Lee Spring portfolio now 

extends to over 15,000 stock spring types. Something for everyone... 

New constant force and Redux 

wave springs have been added 

to Lee Spring’s portfolio of 

products, increasing its stock spring 

range to over 15,500 different types of 

spring. Custom designs in both springs 

are also available. 

Manufactured from high yield 301 

stainless steel strip, the constant force 

springs exert a near constant restraining 

force to resist uncoiling. This natural 

inbuilt stress resists load at an even 

rate and makes them suitable for 

use in retractor mechanisms. 

Common applications include 

counterbalance springs, car seat 

belts and cable retractors. 

Constant force springs are 

tightly coiled on a drum and either 

the free end or the drum can be 

attached to the load. Four life cycle 

ranges are offered: 2500, 4000, 

13000 and 25000 covering loads from 

1.02 to 73.42N (0.23 to 15.50 lb). 

Lengths vary from 356 to 1542mm, 

thicknesses from 0.10 to 0.51mm and 

widths span the range 6.35 to 

31.75mm. 

Wave springs perform a similar 

function to compression springs but they 

take up 

approximately 50% less compressed 

height space due to their sine wave 

design which allows tangential contact. 

These springs also offer greater control 

of axial movement and consistent load 

transfer. 

Produced in stainless steel type 17.7 

PH, Lee Spring’s Redux wave springs 

offer optimum performance in static or 

slightly dynamic applications where 

space is critical or where radial and 

axial tolerances are tight. Stock sizes 

range from rod sizes of 6.35 to 

25.40mm to suit hold diameters from 

9.53 to 31.77mm and in spring rates 

from 1.58 to 52.21N/mm (9.00 to 

298 lb/in). 




further details from Lee Spring 

Dampers control oil storage bunker 

doors in high winds 

term reliability and virtually 

maintenance-free operation. 

Disc springs combine the 

highest forces within the smallest 

height parameters compared to 

other spring mechanisms and are 

generally applied when high forces 

are needed for compensation due 

to thermal expansion or for 

tolerances. Individual discs can be 

combined in series, parallel or 

mixed stack combinations to 

provide custom designed 

characteristics to the customer 

requirements. General engineering 

uses include slotted disc springs 

used for a compressor clutch, with 

a single disc spring providing 

sealing pressure for a feeder valve 

used with liquid plastics or resins. 


Enter D368 on the enquiry card, or visit 

www.industrialtechnology.co.uk for 

further details from Bauer Springs 

Industrial Gas Springs (IGS) has 

provided large size dampers to control 

a set of doors on a storage bunker at 

an oil refinery situated on the coast of 

West Wales. Aker Kvaerner Engineering 

Services approached the company in the 

course of carrying out work at the site, 

with a view to finding the most efficient 

solution to a potential safety hazard. 

“I asked IGS to recommend a 

suitable gas spring/shock absorber for 

two fully clad 2m wide by 4m high 

doors, due to safety concerns,” explains 

David Nicholetts, structural designer for 

Aker Kvaerner. “The doors needed to be 

able to take a wind load of 3kN when 

opening/closing but the dampers were 

not required to assist in opening/closing 

operations or in restraining the leaves in 

their open/closed positions.” 

The request was then followed up by 

project engineer Owen Derrick, who sent 

IGS some initial drawings and 

dimensions of the doors, which were to 

be installed on a storage tank radiation 

bunker. 

“We started to look at all the 

requirements for this project and 

consider possible solutions,” says IGS 

commercial manager Jean- 

Philippe Duvillard. “All of 

them were limited by the 

wind pressure the doors 

would be subjected to: the 

force was finally specified to 

be equivalent to 1500 

Newton per square metre.” 

Safety limits 

“In order to damp the opening 

of these doors, we had to use 

the largest gas springs we 

could manufacture,” he 

continues. “It was also necessary to limit 

the stroke to minimise the risk of the 

dampers buckling, while keeping the 

length sufficient to keep the forces 

applied onto them below 11000 Newton 

– which is the safety limit on our size 20 

dampers. Finally, the amount of damping 

was calculated so the doors would open 

slowly in gusty wind conditions and the 

dampers would be completely free when 

the doors are being closed. 

“We recommended using five-off 

dampers with a size 20mm rod and 

40mm body diameter for each door, fully 

oil damped in compression and free in 

extension. The dampers have proved a 

very effective solution.” 

Derrick concludes: “We are really 

pleased with the final result. While it is 

a somewhat slow process to open the 

doors when there is no wind, there is no 

need to exert any force on them – they 

will not open faster and the operator 

simply has to ‘walk with the door’ as it 

opens.” 


Enter D365 on the enquiry card, or visit ‘latest issue 


further details from Industrial Gas Springs 

36 


Springs meet challenging 

aerospace requirements 

Springs for the aerospace 

industry and other safety 

critical or precision 

applications bring new challenges to 

design and production engineers. The 

aerospace industry in particular has 

special requirements for materials, 

specifications, manufacturing 

tolerances, cleanliness and 

packaging. 

William Hughes has been 

manufacturing precision, high 

specification springs for many years, 

and can match the exacting 

requirements of the aerospace 

industry, including kitting, direct line 

feed and protecting packaging for 

vulnerable components. 

Springs manufactured by William 

Hughes are used in vital items of 

aerospace equipment including 

oxygen systems, access hatches and 

the solenoid valves used to control 

the hydraulic and cabin pressure 

systems. The company can offer its 

customers a rapid design and 

prototyping service service in a range 

of materials. This service is 

particularly suited to the aerospace 

industry where small quantities are 

required for prototypes with the 

capability to move to volume 

production once a final design is 

agreed. Quality systems to ISO 

9001:2000, ISO/TS 16949:2002 

and AS9100 ensure consistency and 

accuracy of supply. William Hughes 

can also supply a range of bent wire 

forms and sub-assemblies. 




details from William Hughes 

ABSSAC 

Precision motion since 1982 

Release the potential of the 

unique machined spring 

sales@abssac.co.uk www.abssac.co.uk 

Tel: 01386 833301 



37


Integrated Motors 

Motor design goes modular 

SEW-Eurodrive has taken away all the constraints in specifying 

AC motors with the introduction of the DR series of products 

With the launch of its DR 

series of AC motors, 

SEW reckons it has one 

modular system that will 

meet a diverse range of different 

application requirements. The motor 

offers the user all energy efficient 

standards available worldwide, 

integrates BE brakes to enable you to 

choose and install different brake sizes 

to one DR motor size, enables 

encoders to be installed behind the fan 

rather than on the B end, so reducing 

the length of the motor, and provides 

interchangeability with SEW’s existing 

gear units. 

Integrating standard and energy 

efficient motors in one modular system 

offers a number of advantages, 

primarily the ability to obtain all 

standard and standard-compliant 

motors from one modular system. 

Further, users benefit from reduced 

complexity, for example when replacing 

wearing parts. Spare parts kept on 

stock and costs involved are reduced 

because the ancillary accessories are 

the same for all motor variants. 

The configuration is based on the 

standard motor (IE1 or EFF2); an 

energy efficient motor of the same 

power (IE2, High Efficiency or EFF1) is 

realised in a motor that is one stage 

larger than the standard motor. An 

energy efficient motor with the same 

power (IE3 or Premium Efficiency) is 

two stages larger. 

The modular system for BE brakes 

offer a number of advantages, too. 

Costs are reduced since the brake size 

can be tailored to the application. Also, 

simple assembly and disassembly 

facilitates serviceability. The BE brake 

is based on the BM(G) brake, but with 

some interesting developments. In 

particular, for DT/DV motors, the brake 

size is related to the motor size. A 

weaker brake is only possible by 

reducing the braking torque by means 

of a modified brake spring. The new 

combination options of DR motors with 

BE brakes is no longer subject to this 

fixed assignment. The DR motor can 

be combined with two or three 

different BE brake sizes. Depending on 

the braking torque or braking work 

required, the DR motor can be 

combined with the ideal BE brake. 

Easy replacement 

Brake mounting to motors size 90 and 

larger offers another special feature. 

The brake itself is mounted on a 

friction plate, which only has to be 

attached to the end shield. The unit 

can now be demounted and replaced, 

also by a larger or smaller brake, 

without opening the motor. 

The DR series AC motors can be 

equipped with the new built-in 

encoders, which offers advantages of 

its own. In particular, it makes the 

overall package very compact, seeing 

as the encoder does not contribute 

additional motor length. It also 

provides a cost-efficient alternative for 

simple requirements on speed control 

and positioning. With the encoder 

mechanically safe inside the fan guard, 

the package is highly robust. 

Interchangeability with SEW- 

Eurodrive gear units means that the 

new DR motor series can replace any 

of the existing DT/DV series motors. 




details from SEW-Eurodrive 

Motors offer precise speed control 

EMS has released the Smartshell 

brushless motor series from 

Minimotor The Smartshell is a 

conventional brushless DC-servomotor 

based around the Faulhaber selfsupporting 

skew wound coil. The coil, 

PCB, laminated stack and front-end 

cover are all encapsulated together in 

an injection moulded LCP (liquid 

crystal polymer), giving outstanding 

mechanical and thermal features. 

The Neodymium rare earth magnet 

provides superior dynamic 

performance. The monolithic design 

ensures a simple compact and very 

robust stator is guaranteed. The 

anodised aluminium front and rear 

motor covers provide the optimum 

location for pre-loaded ball bearings, a 

secure mounting fixture in the 

application and ensure excellent heat 

dissipation. 

The modular construction gives this 

motor real versatility. The entry-level 

motor is sensorless, resulting in a costeffective 

solution suitable for 

demanding drive applications where 

precise speed control is required. If 

more sophisticated motion control is 

required then the motors can be 

equipped with a hall sensor module 

with either digital or analogue sensors. 

Complementary drive electronics and 

the comprehensive range of minimotor 

gearheads, enables optimisation of the 

drive to meet the most demanding 

applications. 




details from EMS 

38 



Integrated motor delivers 

accurate speed control 

The MDrivePlus product line 

from IMS, combining motor, 

driver and encoder, now offers 

increased functionality with the 

integration of a digital oscillator for 

accurate speed control. The resulting 

MDrive34Plus 2 Speed Control 

provides an all-in-one variable speed 

control solution that utilises a NEMA 

size 34 high-torque brushless 1.8° 

motor, with NEMA size 17 and 23 

motors also available. 

The MDrive34Plus 2 Speed 

Control includes a programmable 

oscillator along with an easy-toprogram 

parameter setup GUI 

communicating over SPI. Features 

include two separate configurable 

speed control inputs that may be 

preset and digitally selected, an 

output frequency up to 5MHz, and 

three adjustable modes of operation: 

voltage, current and PWM. Step and 

direction output signals may be used 

to control a second axis that follows 

the speed of the first, simplifying 

wiring and controlling machines with 

large tables or wide conveyors while 

eliminating drift between motor 

speeds. 

The MDrive34Plus 2 Speed 

Control accepts a broad input 

voltage range from +12 to +75V 

DC, delivering enhanced 

performance and speed. Oversized 

input capacitors are used to 

minimise power line surges, reducing 

problems that can occur with long 

runs and multiple drive systems. 




details from IMS 



39

MECHANICAL JOINING 

Fasteners & Adhesives 

Adhesives gain 

vibrations victory 

Bob Orme, a Senior Technology Specialist at Henkel, maker 

of Loctite brand products, dramatically illustrates how 

adhesives help fasteners stand up to high levels of vibration 

Bolts that become loose as a result of vibration 

have presented problems ever since threaded 

joints have been around. And many ingenuous 

methods of providing a solution have been 

tried. But far and way the most successful has been the 

use of adhesives. Indeed, the very first job undertaken by 

Dr Vernon Krieble, the pioneer of Loctite adhesives, was 

to lock and seal a screw in a car’s carburettor – a part 

that is subjected to harsh vibration. In fact, the result 

was so outstanding that anaerobic adhesives soon 

became a trusted method of guarding against the 

potentially devastating effects of vibration in a whole 

range of industries. 

But let’s get back to basics. Just what is the function 

of a bolt? Essentially, it is threefold: it provides a means 

of locating the components of an assembly; it creates a 

clamp force; and (unlike technologies such as welding 

and riveting) it allows a joint to be readily disassembled 

and reused. As far as establishing a vibration-proof 

fastening system is concerned, we need only concern 

ourselves with the last two points. 

Building the tension 

Threaded fasteners provide a clamping force. Once the 

tightening operation of a threaded assembly has been 

completed, the clamp load is maintained by the pre-load 

of the bolt. However, without some locking ‘mechanism’, 

shock, alternating loads, thermal changes and vibration 

can lead to a loss of this tension and allow loosening of 

the fasteners to take place. 

Once initial loosening occurs, the tension of the 

fastener and the clamping load are lost. And when that 

(Right) Threaded fasteners are held securely in 

place on the floor of this minibus through the use 

of a threadlocking adhesive. (Below) An anaerobic 

threadlocker will provide secure fastening, even 

under extremes of vibration. 

happens, there is a strong likelihood of 

machinery failure – with all the associated 

aggravation. 

Mechanical methods such as Nylon 

inserts, spring washers, locknuts, split pins 

and tab washers have been the traditional means of 

combating this loosening effect. But, as we shall see, 

their effectiveness can be limited. A far more reliable 

solution lies in the use of engineering adhesives. That 

may sound like a bold claim, but it can be supported 

with hard facts. 

Shocking results 

An independent assessor built a transverse shock test 

machine to compare anaerobic threadlockers, spring 

washers, patch bolts, distorted lock nuts and nylon ring 

nuts. The trial involved assembling a 3/8in, 16-grade 

bolt in the machine and then tightening it to a controlled 

tension. Air hammers were then activated and the 

resulting bolt tension was plotted against time. 

In each case the adhesive provided better protection 

against the bolt working loose than any other method. 

Indeed, the results showed that every tested mechanical 

fastener failed while the adhesive continued to work. For 

instance, where a spring washer was used as the locking 

method the assembly became loose after just ten 

seconds. More significantly, 

this technique didn’t perform 

any better than the assembly 

with no locking mechanism. 

Also, within a short period of 

time, the tension in the bolt 

was lost when secured by the 

nylon ring nut. However, the 

adhesive-treated assembly 

proved permanently secure 

and the tension in the bolt 

remained fairly constant. 

Those results are 

dramatic, and pretty 

conclusive. The use of 

engineering adhesives – in 

particular, anaerobic products 

– provides a much better 

vibration-proof system than 

mechanical methods. These 

single part adhesives cure on metal surfaces in the 

absence of air. The air is generally excluded from the 

joint as two mating surfaces – whether threaded or not – 

are brought together. What’s more, anaerobic adhesives 

fill all the spaces between the threads of a bolt and a 

nut, thus simultaneously sealing the assembly. Further, 

because the locking action does not depend heavily on 

the shear strength of the adhesive, a relatively low 

strength product can be used to provide a vibration proof 

assembly. 

This matter of product strength brings us back to the 

third point mentioned earlier. Even though a joint treated 

with an adhesive is secure against vibration, the bolt can 

be readily disassembled, if necessary. Therefore 

operations such as servicing and maintenance are not a 

problem. Where a bolt is unlikely to be removed 

regularly, a high strength adhesive can be employed. 

As well as different strengths, anaerobics are 

available in a selection of viscosities to suit various 

purposes. For example, where the application involves 

fine threads, a low viscosity product should be utilised. 

On the other hand, high viscosity alternatives are more 

suited to coarse threads. 

The benefits 

So, there can be no doubt that adhesives offer a superior 

vibration-proof system for locking joints. But there are 

other benefits. As previously explained, using different 

product grades can control the strength of the joint. 

Next, as well as providing a secure joint, the adhesive 

allows the components to be sealed against the ingress 

of moisture or the leaking of internal fluids. Finally, there 

is a cost-saving implication, too. Through the use of 

adhesives, any fastener can become a locking fastener. 

All in all, it’s good news for those who want to ensure 

they have a vibration-proof system. 




more stories from Henkel Loctite and more news on adhesives 

40 





MECHANICAL JOINING 

Fasteners & Adhesives 

All the benefits of captive 

screws, but easier to use 

Dirak says its captive joiner represents a totally 

new technology for fastening sheet metal panels 

The 1-035SL Captive-Joiner 9.5 

Snap-Line offers all the benefits 

of traditional captive screws, 

says Dirak, plus improved ease 

of use by the end-user, significant 

reduction in time of installation, and 

reduction in the risk of damage to 

sensitive electronic equipment housed 

inside enclosures. The Captive-Joiner also 

functions as a slam to close latch, 

requiring just a simple push of the panel 

against the frame to ensure latching. 

Delivering ease of use, disengaging 

the two panels is achieved by turning the 

knob 45° instead of the more time 

consuming traditional screwing and 

unscrewing required for a captive screw. 

Further, the Captive-Joiner can be 

completely removed from both panels onsite 

and re-installed quickly with a simple 

push, making it ideal for maintenance 

applications. Where misalignment is a 

concern the Captive-Joiner compensates 

for tight tolerances that are difficult to 

achieve. 

The knob design offers a comfortable 

grip for actuation and opening and 

eliminates the need to install a separate 

handle. And for applications which 

require restricted access, the Captive- 

Joiner is available in a tool (NEBS) 

operated style. 

Protecting the equipment 

Traditional captive screws require an 

insert which can become dislodged if 

excessive force is applied from the 

captive screw. The fallen insert can 

severely damage the electronic equipment 

housed inside the enclosure. Since the 

Captive-Joiner does not require an insert, 

this problem is completely eliminated. 

Secure attachment to the panel 

eliminates the possibility of the Captive- 

Joiner falling out under extreme vibration 

conditions and damaging sensitive 

equipment housed inside the enclosure. 

The single component design combines 

the function of the captive screw and the 

captive nut/cage nut. With only one 

component to inventory the number of 

SKU’s is reduced and the installation 

process is significantly simplified. 




further details from Dirak 

Self pierce rivets bring in the sun 

An innovative robotic line ensures fast and efficient assembly of sunroofs 

Self pierce rivet manufacturer 

Henrob has put together a 

robotic assembly cell for the 

production of a car sunroof. The 

entire cell has been designed and 

developed at Henrob’s Deeside plant in 

Flintshire. The cell consists of an ABB 

robot, a Henrob hydraulically powered 

riveting system with tape fed rivets and a 

bespoke pneumatic turntable to place the 

sunroof components prior to riveting. 

As one sunroof is being riveted 

together an operative has time to remove 

a completed assembly from the turntable 

and re-load the jig with the next set of 

components ready for the next assembly 

cycle. The whole cell has been developed 

to produce two variants of the sunroof as 

the OEM will use the sunroof design on 

two different vehicles. It is estimated that 

120,000 units will be built per year, with 

eight self pierce rivets per assembly. 

Characteristic strength 

The OEM specified self pierce rivets 

(SPR) because of the strength 

characteristics they can offer and their 

ability to join dissimilar materials. In the 

case of the sunroof the assembly is 

joining 2.0mm aluminium to 1.0mm 

steel. In addition to these benefits, as 

SPR does not need a pre-hole, it 

eliminated drilling, swarf and alignment 

issues. Further, SPR does not create 

heat, sparks or fumes and is a low 

noise, environmentally friendly 

process. 

SPR is not only used in the 

automotive sector. SPRs increasingly 

feature in a wide range of industries, 

as manufacturers face the challenges of 

more extensive use of ‘new’ materials like 

aluminium, magnesium, high-strength 

steels and composites. The SPR process 

can join sheets of dissimilar materials, 

like aluminium to steel, aluminium to 

magnesium, steel to steel and metals to 

composites. During the process the selfpierce 

rivet is driven into the material to 

be joined at high force, piercing the top 

sheets of material spreading outwards 

into the bottom sheet of material, under 

the influence of an upsetting die, to form 

a strong joint. 

It is a process requiring no holes that 

delivers high static strength – similar to 

or better than spot welding. The process 

produces a fatigue resistant joint that is 

up to 30% stronger than spot welding. 

Cycle time is two to four seconds. 

Henrob has a range of tool 

configurations and types of rivet to suit 

the widest possible range of general 

industry applications. 




further details from Henrob 

Transparent 

option for 

fasteners 

Anew range of fasteners in 

Polycarbonate has been 

introduced by Bülte 

Plastics, including screws, 

washers and Hex nuts. With their 

‘see through’ qualities, the 

Polycarbonate threaded fasteners 

give you the opportunity to use 

them as part of the external 

design of your assembly. They are 

also useful in industries where 

light is a necessary component. 

The material is resistant to 

weather, provides excellent 

dimensional stability and ductility, 

and high mechanical toughness. 

The working temperature range is 

–120 to +120°C. Washers and 

nuts are available in M5, M6, 

M8, M10 and M12 sizes, whilst 

the hexagonal head Screws are 

available in M5 to M12 sizes, 

with other dimensions and forms 

available on request. 




further details from Bülte Plastics 

Custom 

assembly 

solutions 

Fabrico reports that it is 

working with 3M to offer 

custom, high-performance 

solutions for fastening and 

assembly applications. The two 

companies blend Fabrico 

applications and converting 

expertise with 3M high-value 

products to provide customers 

with exceptional bonding, joining, 

fastening, and assembly solutions. 




further details from Fabrico 

42 


Adhere LCD adhesives 

make displays clear 

Adhere at Intertronics has 

announced new UV curable 

LCD application adhesives 

from product partner Dymax. This 

range is specially formulated for 

applications where crystal clear, 

invisible bonds are required, such as 

LCD screens, monitors, outdoor 

kiosks and navigation systems. This 

range sticks glass to glass, glass to 

plastic, and plastic to plastic, all 

with clear, bubble-free bonds. 

These one-component LCD 

adhesives feature excellent resistance 

to yellowing, with increased light 

transmission and accurate colour, 

enhancing the brightness and clarity 

of liquid crystal displays, monitors, 

screens and kiosk panels. 

The solvent-free laminating 

adhesives bond a variety of common 

substrates including polycarbonate, 

glass, CAB, acrylic, phenolic, PET 

and ITO in seconds upon exposure to 

UV light. The ability to ‘on-demand 

cure’ means substrates can be 

repositioned precisely until parts are 

ready to be cured, leading to reduced 

air entrapment and no bubbles, 

creating strong, ripple-free bonds 

that help increase panel strength. 




for further details from Intertronics 


 

 

 

 

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43

SENSORS & SYSTEMS 

Optical Inspection 

Reducing false failure rates 

A new approach to automated optical inspection 

that is delivering extraordinary results 

OptiFox, an automatic optical 

inspection (AOI) system from 

Tralec, utilises a proprietary 

lensing system that has 

unrivalled performance in both resolution 

and depth of field. The result is a larger 

image capture size, 50x70mm with a 

depth of field over 30mm, containing more 

detail than images captured by any other 

AOI system, says the company. More detail 

means more information, which translates 

to higher fault detection capability and 

much lower false failure rates. 

These characteristics are the basis for 

an efficient and precise pattern-matching 

procedure. Pattern-matching means that 

from the overlapping display details with a 

size of 50x70mm a complete image of the 

module is created automatically. With just 

a few mouse clicks on the user interface, 

you can set up what is to be tested on the 

module, including components, solder 

joints, labelling, bar codes, shapes of the 

circuit board, free areas, positions of DIP 

switches and so on. There is practically no 

limit to the choice of the samples to be 

tested. The sampling ratio is chosen 

according to default settings or corrected 

according to user demands. 

OptiFox uses the proprietary Olbrich 

Lensing System (OLS) Optics – which 

Tralec reckons are the only optics on the 

planet that can provide OptiFox the ability 

to capture distortion-free images with a 

depth focus of 30mm in a format of more 

than 30cm 2 . 

Multiple advantages 

By capturing enough high resolution, 

distortion-free images to encompass the 

entire area of the board under test, OptiFox 

is able to generate a complete composite 

image of the board using a patternmatching 

process. It is from this composite 

image that OptiFox does all fault detection 

and analysis. The first advantage of this 

approach is that no fiducial detection is 

required at all. In fact, the board can be 

several millimetres 

out of alignment from the expected 

start position with no impact on the 

quality of the test. The second 

advantage is that all areas of test are 

established by their expected position 

relative to all other areas in the 

composite image, and not from 

fiducial references. 

OptiFox utilises a dual axis single 

lens motion system to facilitate twodimensional 

image capture. A future 

enhancement, utilising the same 

single lens motion system, will 

provide 3D imaging for enhanced 

inspection. The board under test can 

be inserted manually into the system 

or by automated transport using the 

SMEMA protocol. OptiFox is PC 

driven from a standard USB port and 

a flexible library of the objects to be 

tested is easily enhanced or 

maintained either manually or with 

CAD data. Because of a compact size 

of 50x50x50cm and low weight 

25kg, OptiFox can be flexibly used at 

any point on a production line or just 

about anywhere in a production 

facility. 

As a result of this high-resolution, 

object-oriented pattern-matching test 

technique, OptiFox is not limited to 

the 

optical inspection 

of circuit bards. 

It can be used for optical 

inspection of just about anything that 

has a defined shape, like punched 

parts, screws, nuts, etc. A system as 

flexible as OptiFox can continue to 

provide economic benefit in the 

rapidly changing environment of 

circuit board manufacturing long after 

other systems become obsolete. 

Tralec has also developed an 

electrical test system, called PinFox. 

Like OptiFox, PinFox utilises radically 

new concepts to provide low-cost yet 

high-performance modular solutions 

for all types of simple as well as 

sophisticated electrical test needs. 

Tralec recognises that multiple test 

strategies, as well as test methods, 

are often a necessity. Optical and 

electrical test systems are, by 

definition, complementary. One 

will find faults that the other can’t. 




for further details from Tralec 

44 




DISPLACEMENT/POSITION • LOAD/FORCE • PRESSURE • VELOCITY 

• ROTARY & REACTION TORQUE WITH COMPLETE INSTRUMENTATION. 

Choose RDP products and get the assurance that only more than 40 years of development 

and applications experience can give, backed up by the ISO9001:2000 quality system. 

Call today for advice and a complete measurement system from transducers to your PC. 

RDP Electronics Ltd 

Grove Street, Heath Town 

Wolverhampton, WV10 0PY 

Tel: +44(0) 1902 457512 

Fax: +44(0) 1902 452000 

Making sensors make sense. 

www.rdpe.com 



Flow, Level & Pressure Measurement 

Simple monitoring and logging 

of flow and process variables 

JBJ Techniques reckons it has spotted a gap in the market for 

an effective, simple to use, four-channel process monitor and 

alarm controller, combined with 

PC-based visualisation and 

data logging software. So 

the company has addressed 

this requirement by 

developing its own 

cost-effective 

package. 

Mark Simms reports 

Why is it that, in so many different 

industries and market sectors, there are a 

myriad of all-singing-and-dancing high 

end products, swathes of simple, lowend, 

single-function products, but very little in between. 

Take, for example, the monitoring of fluid systems in 

various processes. At one end of the scale, there are 

simple indicators to show pressure or flow – barely more 

than a dumb display with an alarm output or two. And 

then at the other end you can spend many thousands of 

pounds on custom designed data logging and analysis 

software that will monitor as many channels as you 

could conceive and give you more alarm outputs than 

you could imagine. But what lies between these two 

extremes? In reality, very little. 

This gaping hole in the market had not escaped the 

attention of JBJ Techniques. And it became particularly 

apparent when the company looked around for an 

effective process indicator and alarm controller to 

accompany the high quality flow meters that it 

distributes for Italian manufacturer Siem in the UK. “As 

standard, the flowmeter came with a fairly basic, single 

channel indicator with a four-digit display and a couple 

of alarm outputs,” says product development manager 

Tony Fletcher. “But our experience of the market is that 

anyone monitoring flow is also going to interested in one 

or more pressure points, temperature variations, and 

perhaps a range of other process variables. There needs 

to be an instrument with that sort of functionality 

mounted locally. 

“At the same time, it’s rare these days not to need 

some remote monitoring and datalogging capability, but 

there’s nothing out there that can address the sorts of 

markets we’re looking at straight out of the box. There 

are lots of very good packages that you can program to 

fit the bill, but those packages are not cheap and the 

programming requirement is far from trivial.” 

This, then, was the market need that JBJ Techniques 

sought to address. And the first part of its solution was 

a new process instrument capable of displaying up to 

four process variables, and providing all the outputs that 

engineers could need for a typical process application. 

The unit provides a dedicated pulse input for flow 

meters, with the remaining inputs configurable either as 

three 4-20mA inputs (for the likes of pressure sensors 

and thermocouples) or as two 4-20mA inputs and one 

thermistor input. Two alarm outputs are provided with 

no-volt contacts, along with a 4-20mA output of the 

flow. “It’s a modern-looking process monitor with flexible 

set-up options and all the functions that today’s 

applications require,” says Fletcher. 

The unit also sports a serial port on the rear, making 

all of that data available to a connected PC. And that 

was where the next stage of development took JBJ, with 

the design of a complementary software package. 

Ready to run, straight out of the box 

“Our goal,” says Fletcher, “was to create something akin 

to a dashboard for a hydraulic system – a complete 

package that was ready to run straight out of the box 

and which would provide hydraulic systems engineers 

with all the information they needed in order to monitor 

the process, perform trend analysis, diagnose faults, dig 

down into systems and store historical data.” 

On launching, the software presents you with four 

graphical digital displays, but each can be toggled 

between various display options, including the likes of 

analogue dials and temperature gauges. All of the inputs 

to the local process monitor are retransmitted to the PC 

as standard, so you just need to select the input ports 

from within the software to make that data available. 

Then you simply set your scaling, alarm points, data 

logging intervals and a few other set-up parameters, and 

you’re ready to go. The software does everything you 

need it to do, combining full data logging capability with 

a real-time line graph display of the four process inputs. 

The sampling interval can be set at anything up to a 

frequency of 500 samples per second, which Fletcher 

reckons is more than good enough for pressure transient 

analysis in hydraulic systems. All data is logged as 

standard, complete with time and date stamp, and that 

data can be readily accessed, or pulled straight into a 

spreadsheet package from where any number of 

graphically-based reports could be generated. High and 

low alarm points can be set for each channel, and the 

software creates a separate log file for all data taken 

whilst in the alarm state. It also records the time and 

date going into and coming out of the alarm state, whilst 

the graphical display highlights the maximum deviation 

whilst in the alarm state. The real-time line graph 

monitor builds in a high degree of display flexibility, 

including allowing you to zoom in on events. 

So, then, here we have a package which is highly 

flexible, simple to use, and that is a fraction of the price 

of other graphical monitoring systems. In fact, probably 

the best way to look at the cost is that you’re buying a 

high quality, four channel process instrument, and 

getting the software thrown into the bargain, free of 

charge. And whilst it might have been designed to meet 

the needs of hydraulic system monitoring, the 

adaptability of the package means that it is equally 

applicable across a far broader spread of applications. 

“There are lots of instruments out there, and lots of 

software monitoring packages, but nothing that really 

addresses the market for essential monitoring and cyclic 

testing of hydraulic pressure lines, or indeed any other 

applications involving combinations of pressure, flow 

and temperature variables,” concludes Fletcher. “What 

we’ve done is to look at the real requirements of those 

applications in terms set-up, functionality and resolution 

of data, and bring together an affordable, easy-to-use 

solution that answers those needs.” 




more stories from JBJ Techniques and more news on hydraulics 

46 


Look no further for great 

deals on flow switches 

PVL, which has been 

distributing the full Honsberg 

range for many years, says it 

is offering better deals than the 

major catalogues on most Honsberg 

products – without changing its 

prices or making special offers. 

“We work closely with the 

Honsberg design team to meet 

customers’ needs, and have realised 

that, even with that service, our 

prices are lower than the 

catalogues,” explains PVL managing 

director Steve Moorey. “OEM 

customers are buying from us every 

day.” 

Moorey says that Honsberg CRE 

flow switches give the widest range 

of fittings and sizes available in 

Britain, and can solve just about any 

flow switch problem in the business. 

With a standard 1in BSP fitting, the 

CRE paddle flow switch can be fitted 

to any pipe from 1in to 6in diameter 

just by fitting a 1in BSP stub to the 

pipe whose flow is to be measured 

and fitting the flow switch to the 

stub. So one type of Honsberg 

mechanical flow switch covers nine 

different standard pipe sizes with 

excellent repeatability and very low 

pressure loss. 




details from PVL 

LOW COST 

CAPACITIVE 

SENSORS for... 

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Body weight 3.5 grammes 

We offer low cost OEM 

solutions for 

measurement problems 

on many applications 

including vehicles, 

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Sensors UK Limited 

137a Hatfield Road, St. Albans AL1 4LZ 

Tel: 01727 841692 Fax: 01727 844272 

www.sensorsuk.com 

CAP1 


Get your FREE GUIDE 

to CANbus technology 

Written by the experts here at Sensor-Technik, 

The Engineer’s Guide to CANbus is, we would 

modestly suggest, one of the 

most comprehensive and 

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CANbus technology that 

you’ll find anywhere. 

I’m Morten Moller, managing director 

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When you deal with Sensor-Technik UK, 

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Tel: 01234 782049 

info@sensor-technik.co.uk 

www.sensor-technik.com 

The CANbus, pressure, force & rotary measurement specialist 



47


Autosport 

Performance at high speeds 

Position, pressure and temperature sensors are key in an improved motorbike suspension design 

The 2008 Thunderbike motorcycle championship 

represents a new beginning both for Alto 

Performance Racing and for the sport. With its 

unique Vyrus 994cc bike featuring a front swing 

arm suspension system with hub-centre steering, the 

Alto team is pioneering a design conceived decades ago 

that modern materials, production technologies and 

electronics systems have now made a race winning 

reality. Unlike conventional motorbikes with front forks 

which suffer from inherent handling problems caused by 

deflection and stiction plus a tendency to ‘dive’ under 

braking, the aluminium swing arm separates the steering 

and damping systems to offer much improved handling 

as the trail and the steering angle remain constant in all 

conditions. 

As with all levels of competitive autosports, 

monitoring dynamic data and interpreting results is 

fundamental to performance improvement. At the test 

track and on race days, Alto uses sensors from Variohm 

under extremely arduous conditions to acquire fast and 

precise feedback for race critical parameters that include 

front/rear suspension position, front/rear brake pressure 

and throttle position along with tyre and ambient air 

temperatures, barometric pressure and engine speed. 

These real-time readings combine to pin-point 

information delivered from the bike’s CANbus network by 

telemetry to data loggers that determine exactly how a 

machine and rider has responded to the intricacies of the 

track and provide the race team with essential statistics 

for continuous design and set-up improvement, and race 

winning performance. 

The ruggedised Autosports version of Variohm's ELP 

series slimline linear position transducers are used for 

the suspension ride-height feedback during braking, 

cornering, track bumps and undulations. The compact 

sensors conductive plastic track is fully sealed to IP67 

and fast replacement is assured with optional ‘pop’ 

mountings. High linearity and excellent positional 

repeatability combine with a very wide temperature 

range and mechanical life in excess of 25 million 

operations to provide a highly reliable position feedback 

transducer. 

The bike’s throttle reading is measured with a Vertex 

13E series, 14-bit resolution angle sensor. This highly 

durable and compact 13mm diameter sensor is IP69 

rated and the non-contact Hall-effect and magnet design 

yields an almost limitless life. Within the Vyrus 

application the programmable 0-360° electrical angle is 

calibrated in-situ to provide highly accurate and 

repeatable power feedback. The throttle reading can 

even provide the race team with precise details of when 

control is momentarily lost due to unexpected track 

bumps affecting the riders grip. 

Dynamic, high speed information 

EPT series 1200 pressure sensors provide dynamic and 

high speed brake pressure information from a very 

rugged yet compact high strength stainless steel 

packaged design. Measuring up to 400bar, the 

hermetically welded, thin film measuring cell and high 

level output circuit technology ensures this sensor is 

suitable for the demanding shock and vibration levels 

experienced within the application. The sensors help 

confirm when and how the bike is losing traction and 

detect the minute compression changes in front and rear 

suspension. 

The bike’s unique front swing arm suspension system 

with hub-centre steering design can be attributed to two 

mechanical engineering students in the 1980s as a 

graduation project with additional development carried 

out by the Italian Bimota Company and later by Vyrus of 

Rimini. The history should also include thanks to the 

British engineer Jack DiFazio for the hub-centre steering 

system he developed in the 1970s and even to the 

1920s Neracar motorcycle that attempted to improve 

the limitations imposed by front forks for combined 

steering and suspension. It is true to say that these 

previous designs suffered from production quality and 

weight problems but as materials and manufacturing 

technology moves on there is strong optimism that hubcentred 

steering could make a big difference to the 

motorcycle racing industry and even prove a safer and 

more durable design for road bikes. 

Northampton based Alto Performance Racing, led by 

brothers Ben and Aarron Shaughnessy with rider Phil 

Read, raced in the same competition last season with a 

traditionally front forked Laverda 750cc and finished in 

third place with fifty percent podium positions. For this 

year’s Thunderbike series, which is based upon strict 

power-to-weight ratio rulings, the team and rider will 

remain the same – so the new chassis and steering 

design has a definitive benchmark to compete against. 

Ben Shaughnessy, the Alto Team technical director 

who has always had a passion for hub-centre steering 

and took six months off from his ‘day job’ running the 

team to develop the design says: “This is a genuine 

attempt to race and demonstrate this technology to its 

natural winning conclusion, and to show that motorcycle 

forks and frames are truly old fashioned and in need of 

newer technology. Thanks to our mostly British based 

sponsors like Variohm, who have provided world leading 

engineering and technology solutions, we have the 

best possible chance to succeed.” 




more stories from Variohm-Eurosensor and more news on sensors 

48 



Pressure sensor technology from 1 mbar … 1000 bar 

Pressure Transmitter 

Type 694 

Mechanical pressure switch 

Type 604 

Pressure transmitter 

OEM Type 511 

Relative and differential 

–0.5 … 0.5 – 50 mbar 

The pressure transmitters of type 694 series 

incorporate a proved ceramic cantilevered 

beam technology. They deliver adjusted 

temperature-compensated sensor signals 

(voltage or current outputs). They are ideal 

for registering low air flow in air conditioning 

systems and for the measurement of 

fine pressures in environmental, laboratory 

and cleanroom applications. 

Relative and differential 

0.2 … 50 mbar 

The type 604 pressure switch is used as a P 

flow switch in ventilation ducts for the 

control of filters and fans, and in primary 

and secondary control systems for the 

control of air dampers. The 604 pressure 

monitoring switches are also ideally suited 

to protect heating coils from overheating 

and for monitoring industrial air cooling 

circuits. 

Relative –1 … 0 – 600 bar, 

absolute 0 … 1 – 25 bar 

Type 511 pressure transmitters meet 

the highest specifications for longevity, 

accuracy, temperature stability and EMC 

characteristics, making them suitable for 

an extremely wide range of demanding 

industrial applications. 

Huba Control AG 

Unit 3 Network Point 

Range Road 

Witney Oxfordshire OX29 0YD 

Tel +44 (0) 1993 776667 

Fax +44 (0) 1993 776671 

info.uk@hubacontrol.com 

www.hubacontrol.com 



New Products 

3D software for laser profile 

sensor enables export to CAD 

Now you can export your 3D profile bitmap as a 

point cloud to any CAD/CAM software application 

Micro-Epsilon's 3D-View and 3D- 

Data software are used with the 

company’s ScanCONTROL range 

of non-contact laser profile sensors. These 

sensors enable you to detect surface 

defects and to inspect grooves, channels, 

gaps and edges in a variety of 

applications. The system has standalone 

plug-and-play capability, and is easy to 

set up, configure and adapt for different 

measurement applications. 

All users of ScanCONTROL receive a 

complimentary version of 3D-View with 

the sensor, but the new software, 3D- 

Data, is for users who need to export the 

3D captured data from ScanCONTROL 

and export it to their CAD/CAM system. 

Florian Martin, product sales manager for 

ScanCONTROL at Micro-Epsilon 

comments: “3D-Data is ideal for R&D 

departments, design engineers and 

production engineers because it allows 

the user to quickly demonstrate the 

capability of the sensor and the quality of 

the measurement data being captured. 

3D-Data goes that bit further than 3D- 

View and enables you to visualise the 

surface of the material or product being 

measured.” 

The software also provides an 

intensity function that enables users to 

see the intensity of the surface in black 

and white images (greyscale). Although 

colour images are not possible, a colour 

coding function allows the user to set up 

suitable colour codes for products being 

measured. 




further details from Micro-Epsilon 

Plastic fantastic as 

a conveying solution 

Hygienic 

replaceable 

process 

connections 

With the CombiConnect 

system, Baumer offers a 

series of hygienic, 

replaceable connections allowing 

high flexibility and reducing the 

stock at the same time. 

The system can be used with 

the FlexBar and ED701 pressure 

transmitters as well as with the 

CombiTemp temperature 

measuring device. It is the ideal 

choice when you’re measuring 

temperature and pressure in 

different environments with 

several process conditions. Due to 

its flexible application, the stock 

of spare parts can be greatly 

reduced. 

CombiConnect allows the use 

of only one standard process 

Reliable position 

sensing in small 

bore cylinders 

Idec has added to its SA1E 

photoelectric sensor range with a 

convergent type which provides a more 

focused beam than the standard diffuse 

sensor. This means the object must reside 

in a well defined area 5 to 35mm in front 

of the sensor. Backgrounds are ignored 

and colour or material of the object has 

very little effect. Because the convergent 

type does not employ a moving adjustable 

lens, its cost is cheaper than a 

background suppression sensor, but it can 

still can be used to perform that function, 

because of its tight focused beam. 

Typical applications include detection 

of ICs mounted on PCBs, ignoring the 

board itself. To take advantage of its tight 

focused range, the small size of the SA1E 

enables it to be mounted extremely close 

to production lines. 

In response to growing customer 

demand, LAC Conveyors has launched 

its first range of plastic modular 

conveyors. Designed to provide a costeffective 

alternative to mild steel and 

aluminium conveyors, the versatile range 

of durable HMW polythene constructed 

systems could also save valuable 

production time. 

LAC Conveyors tells us that its plastic 

modular conveyors can be built to order 

in almost half the time of their mild steel 

and aluminium counterparts. In addition 

to this, the durable but flexible 

construction of the systems vastly reduces 

any maintenance requirement and 

crucially, the plastic belts are easily 

removed for cleaning or maintenance 

without major downtime or the need for 

special tools. 

Built for use across a variety of 

manufacturing environments, from 

product and component manufacture to 

food production and preparation, the 

plastic modular conveyor range is 

constructed from 25mm plastic which is 

resistant to corrosion to ensure durability 

throughout production. It is also 

chemically inert to ensure that the 

conveyor itself does not contaminate the 

products that it’s handling. 

In addition to providing a costeffective 

solution to stainless steel, the 

new conveyor range will also allow for a 

‘change of angle’. Swan neck conveyors 

and double swan neck conveyors can be 

complicated and expensive when 

manufactured from mild steel or 

aluminium, but the plastic conveyors are 

simpler and cheaper to produce for these 

configurations. 

“Manufacturing environments in the 

UK are changing rapidly with the 

competitive effects of increased offshore 

competition, which is why we have 

designed a modular system that will 

enable our customers to respond quickly 

to changing product portfolios and 

manufacturing techniques,” explains Chris 

Unwin, managing director of LAC 

Conveyors. “The versatility and cost 

benefits of the new plastic modular 

conveyors will give our customers another 

competitive advantage in terms of cost 

and efficiency, whilst enabling them to 

continue to achieve high quality.” 

connection on a pressure and 

temperature transmitter which 

then can be fitted to numerous 

different process connections with 

the CombiConnect adaptor pieces. 

The mounting of a pressure or 

temperature measuring device 

takes less than two minutes. 

By using a configurable 

pressure transmitter, the number 

of required spare transmitters can 

be further reduced, for example by 

having only two transmitters, one 

for lower and higher pressure 

each. Since the pressure ranges 

are configurable, the devices can 

be adjusted to the exact 

requirements of any particular 

application. With the 

CombiConnect system, the 

process connection can be 

adapted to fit in the application. 

The CombiConnect 

connections are made of acidproof 

stainless steel. The products 

meet the demands of the food 

industry fulfilling the FDA and 

EHEDG criteria. 






further details from Idec 



further details from LAC Conveyors 



further details from Baumer 

50 


New Products SENSORS & SYSTEMS 

Cost-effective sensing of small objects 

Contrinex has introduced a new 

range of M18, low cost, high 

precision diffuse laser sensors 

designed to solve the problem of 

detecting small components or features 

during manufacturing processes. 

The Contrinex solution uses a new 

generation of low cost, precision 

diffuse lasers in which the beam spot 

can be reduced to just 0.2mm 

diameter by use of an adjustable iris. 

This allows them to detect objects as 

tiny as 0.1mm diameter at a distance 

of 150mm. The operating distance can 

be extended by a geared multi-turn 

potentiometer to 600mm, to detect 

targets of 0.6mm diameter. 




details from Contrinex 

Simple user 

interface for 

temperature 

controller 

West Instruments, part of the 

Danaher Sensors and Controls 

Group, has launched an innovative 

temperature controller that combines 

simplicity of use with a range of functions 

that have only previously been available from 

far more expensive high end devices. Called 

ProVU, the new controller is also unique in 

offering the option of integrated data logging 

in this price bracket, together with a large 

LCD screen with simple text messages, an 

innovative set up wizard and customisable 

menu options. Combined, these can help to 

reduce setup and operating costs still further. 

ProVU is designed to make operation as 

simple as possible, with a large area LCD 

screen for displaying graphics and messages 

in plain text, with the option of automatically 

changing the screen colour for alarm and 

event conditions. The plain text feature 

reduces the potential for confusion that is 

traditionally associated with the mnemonic 

codes that are often used with competing 

products with LED displays. 

In addition, the new controller 

incorporates a simple set-up wizard, which 

automatically starts as soon as the 

instrument is powered on. The wizard guides 

users through the principle set-up and 

configuration procedures, including the type 

of inputs, outputs, alarms, set points and so 

on. For many mainstream applications this 

may be all that is required, enabling fast and 

simple commissioning. These settings can 

also be saved to a memory stick via a front 

panel USB port and then used for later 

reconfiguration or to download the same 

program to other ProVU units. Alternatively, 

PC based BlueControl software can be used 

for on- and off-line configuration. 




West Instruments and more news on temperature controllers 

www.ifm-electronic.co.uk/opto 

Equipped for 

any distance 

O4 optical sensors for long fairways 

The new range of optical sensors from ifm electronic covers 

all common applications and includes variants such as: 

Through-beam with a range of 80m 

Retro-reflective for over 20m 

Diffuse with background suppression for up to 2.6m 

Cut your handicap with the O4! 

Telephone (020) 8213 2222 



51


New Products 

Meeting industry demands 

for higher fibre port counts 

New versions of GarrettCom 

Europe’s 6K32 Ethernet switches 

double the fibre port count 

GarrettCom Europe has introduced 

enhanced versions of its popular 

6K32 series managed Ethernet 

switches, doubling the number of 

standard fibre and gigabit fibre ports, and 

offering the choice of either fan or 

convection cooling. User configurable with 

a maximum of 32 ports, the 6K32F and 

6K32FC can provide up to 16 standard 

fibre ports or eight gigabit ports to meet 

the growing data and bandwidth 

requirements of demanding industrial 

applications. 

Housed in a rack-mounted, space 

efficient package, the 6K32F is a fan 

cooled managed Ethernet switch targeted 

at standard 

industrial 

environments. The 6K32FC has the same 

form factor, but is convection cooled to 

meet the needs of environments where 

the presence of dust and dirt preclude the 

use of fan cooling, or sensitive 

applications where EMIl issues mean fancooled 

products could only be used with 

additional precautions. 

Employing a patent-pending static 

thermal design, the 6K32FC offers an 

extraordinarily high energy efficiency, with 

techniques such as internal heat barriers, 

multiple heat sinks throughout the unit, 

extra cooling space and premium high 

efficiency components all combining to 

optimise the cooling efficiency. 

Both the 6K32F and 6K32FC deliver 

high fibre capacity to demanding 

industrial applications where fibre 

networking is becoming the cabling media 

of choice, due to its noise immunity, 

transmission distance, security, bandwidth 

and overall reliability. 




further details from GarrettCom Europe 

High-spec 

pressure 

sensor with 

CANbus 

Sensor-Technik UK is 

introducing a high 

specification pressure 

sensor primarily designed for offhighway 

vehicles. The M01-CAN 

has the exceptional shock and 

vibration resistance required by 

agricultural and construction 

machinery, and , comes in an all 

stainless steel housing to IP65. 

Depending on the electrical 

connection, IP69K is optional. 

Sensor-Technik UK expects that 

the specification will also be of 

interest in many industrial 

applications. 

The M01-CAN interface is fully 

CAN-Open (SAE J1939) 

compliant, and so the device will 

Sense pressure 

at up to 400°C 

The new Type 6045A piezoelectric 

M8 pressure sensor from Kistler is 

designed specifically for both 

thermodynamic investigations and knock 

measurements in engine development 

applications. Suitable for use at high 

operating temperatures up to 400°C, the 

6045A does not require cooling and is 

directly interchangeable with the watercooled 

Type 6041A sensor. 

The PiezoStar crystal provides very 

high sensitivity of 45 pC/bar, excellent 

thermodynamic characteristics, low 

thermal shock and reduced sensitivity 

shift. The pressure range is 0 to 250 bar 

and the sensor can withstand 300 bar 

overload. Being uncooled, the Type 

6045A is ideally suited to on-road engine 

mapping investigations. 




further details from Kistler 

Torque sensing is key 

as Lotus hybrid blooms 

The torque-current characteristics of 

a combined motor-generator 

developed for a Lotus-based hybrid 

car have been comprehensively mapped 

by a TorqSense digital torque sensor. 

Specialist electromagnetic design 

company Elektro Magnetix (EMX) of 

Brighton developed and tested the motorgenerator 

for Lotus Engineering’s EVE 

(Efficient, Viable, Environmental) Hybrid. 

This is a technology demonstrator that is 

showcasing many of the medium term 

solutions that will be used to reduce 

vehicle emissions. 

Jonathan Bremner of EMX explains 

that the mapping was essential, but could 

not be done in-house. “We are a design 

house, so tend to sub-contact testing to 

other organisations. With this project we 

needed to plot out the full range of 

performance, but had only a tight time 

window to do all the work.” 

So EMX worked with a testhouse to 

design a simple yet effective test rig. It 

was not long before the specialist 

engineers had settled on using a 

TorqSense torque sensor from Sensor 

Technology as they could design a rig 

around it very easily, and then it was very 

quick and simple to use. 

Unlike other torque sensors TorqSense 

is mechanically simple with its sensors 

fixed to the shaft and a rotating RF 

antenna used to allow non-contact 

coupling with its digital electronics 

offering immunity from magnetic fields, so 

there is no need for complicated and 

delicate slip rings or large transformer 

assemblies to obtain signals. 

Lotus Engineering believes that hybrid 

technology is a key route for CO2 

reduction. In the medium term it may 

remain more viable to integrate hybrid 

technologies into existing model ranges 

than to develop completely new vehicles. 




further details from Sensor Technology 

slot directly into modern CANbus 

communication systems without 

any modification. The sensor is 

available in pressure ranges from 

0-25bar to 0-800bar as standard, 

but other ranges are available at 

no extra cost, as well as OEM 

versions. 

Operating temperature range is 

–40°C to +125°C, with a 

maximum media temperature of 

+150°C. Accuracy is better than 

1% between 0°C and 80°C. All 

wetted parts are stainless, and 

thanks to the welded thin film 

measuring element, the unit has a 

broad media compatibility. 

Morten Moller at Sensor- 

Technik UK says that the M01- 

CAN is likely to find some 

challenging uses. “However,” he 

adds, “as you’re dealing direct 

with a leading-edge European 

manufacturer here, rather than 

buying a rebadged take-it-orleave-it 

sensor of indeterminate 

origin, you can be sure that you'll 

get exactly the right sensor for 

your particular application.” 




further details from Sensor-Technik 

52 


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Towcester, Northants. NN12 6HP 


MACHINE BUILDING & AUTOMATION 

Hydraulics & Pneumatics 

Closing the loop 

Ian Whiting of Moog Controls looks at the relative merits of 

electronic and mechanical feedback systems for Servovalves, and 

explains where electrical feedback can provide the best option 

Many may have assumed that the advent of 

electrical feedback (EFB) servovalves would 

spell the end for their mechanical feedback 

(MFB) counterparts that close the spool 

control loop mechanically. The actual picture today is 

that each offers its own advantages in different 

applications. 

The decision governing the choice of servovalve for 

any given application is ultimately based on the dynamic 

performance (in terms of frequency response), static 

performance (for example hysteresis and threshold) and 

on the flow rate. Other criteria include vibration level, 

temperature and the installation package size. 

Additionally, environmental factors such as ATEX 

approved intrinsic safety have a part to play in the 

decision making process. 

It is no doubt tempting to assume in these modern 

times that electrical feedback will always provide the best 

option, but in servovalve technology EFB does not 

necessarily replace MFB. Whilst offering obvious benefits 

in general, there are some quite commonly occurring 

cases where the requirements are out of reach using EFB 

technology. MFB continues to fill the needs of these 

applications. In particular, the benefits of MFB 

technology become apparent in any application where 

installation space is at a premium. And MFB technology 

is a must in cases where vibration levels (and/or the 

general environment) are extremely severe or the unit is 

operating at elevated temperature. 

So what specific requirements might steer you 

towards electrical feedback over the mechanical 

alternative? Well, low system pressure is a key 

consideration. An MFB valve has specific pilot stage 

requirements in terms of supply pressure in order to 

achieve acceptable spool response. The EFB counterpart 

– typified by the direct drive valve (DDV) – with direct 

spool actuation is able to move the spool regardless of 

supply pressure, making it an ideal solution in those 

cases where the oil supply pressure is low or variable. 

Further, the ability of the valve to overcome hysteresis 

(Top right) The digital interface direct drive valve is widely used in 

modern servo systems. (Bottom left) Servo Jet (SJ) pilot technology 

provides a low contamination, single inlet design. (Bottom right) 

Direct drive (DDV) spool valve eliminates pilot stage leakage. 

Annular 

Area 

Nozzle 

Jet 

Pipe 

Receiver 

and threshold problems and to minimise the drift 

effects caused by changes in supply pressure and 

temperature gives improved static performance. 

Because the spool position is being monitored 

electronically and compensated for temperature, the EFB 

valve is far superior to its MFB counterpart. 

Spool monitor diagnostics is another consideration. 

This is where the spool position signal is made available 

to the control system, making it possible to spot faults or 

the beginnings of deterioration in the valve. In industries 

where reducing downtime is critical, the possibility of 

building in predictive maintenance programmes can 

provide an important competitive edge. 

Benefits of reduced wear 

Where operating life is an issue, or where the location of 

the valve makes maintenance difficult, the EFB 

servovalve is an inherently lower wear option than the 

MFB alternative. Unlike the feedback mechanism in an 

MFB device, the electronic sensor in an EFB valve is noncontacting, 

and so offers an almost unlimited lifespan. 

The ultimate life of the valve or the periods between 

required maintenance are then defined by other operating 

and environmental factors. 

Reduced internal leakage can be critical in cases 

where there is a limited oil supply capacity. Once more 

the EFB valve is an improving factor where spool 

actuation leakage is reduced via the use of Servo Jet (SJ) 

pilot technology or completely eliminated in the case of 

the DDV valve. Similarly, reducing contamination may 

also be a consideration in valve selection. This is 

especially difficult to handle in MFB valves when the 

torque motor becomes contaminated. In EFB valves, 

contamination effects are reduced via the single inlet 

design of the SJ pilot or in the case of DDV valves by 

eliminating the pilot stage completely. 

The latest state-of-the-art EFB solutions move 

conventional valve spool positioning technology forward 

into the application solution arena. This is achieved via 

the introduction of digital electronics at the heart of the 

valve control system. The move to digital technology 

gives significant performance improvements. Advanced 

Cable 

Hole 

Permanent 

Magnets 

Centring 

Springs 

Bearing Coil Armature Plug 

control algorithms 

inside the valve 

are capable of delivering 

improvements in the valve dynamic 

performance. In addition, field tuning by the user to 

achieve a specific performance result becomes possible. 

As standard, the performance characteristics of both 

MFB and EFB servovalves are factory set and tuned to 

meet general application needs. However in many cases 

(especially pressure control) optimisation of the valve 

performance may play an important part in achieving a 

good result. 

Valve configuration parameters allow additional field 

configurable settings to be used. Examples might include 

user setting of direction dependant valve spool opening 

time and peak flow rate to meet the system requirement. 

Including these functions as part of the valve itself 

encourages best practice in setting up the servo system. 

Further user configurable functions are available for 

diagnostics and health monitoring. 

Other motivating factors in the use of digital 

technology include the availability of serial 

communications, reducing field cabling and electrical 

noise. A single easy to install data ring (such as CANbus) 

allows the signalling of a large number of valves over 

considerable distances with none of the noise problems 

that are often associated with analogue signals. 

Multi sensor applications are often required in 

hydraulic servo control systems, where as well as 

providing position measurement data the valve may also 

be required to operate in pressure control mode. In such 

cases the digital EFB valve solutions further reduce field 

cabling. 

As we have seen, it is no exaggeration to say that the 

advent of electronic feedback and the subsequent 

developments in electro-hydraulic servovalves have 

opened up new markets and brought higher levels of 

precision control to existing markets. The introduction of 

on-board digital electronics has further expanded the 

capability of Moog valve solutions in terms of 

performance, installation cost, functionality, reliability 

and cost effectiveness, making EFB technology a 

worthwhile and easily achieved upgrade path in 

applications currently using MFB valves. 

In new applications, EFB valve technology (analogue 

or digital) should, in most cases, be considered as the 

first option at the machine design stage. At the same 

time, though, the complementary attributes of MFB and 

EFB valve technology continues to be the mainstay of the 

Moog valve product range, enabling solutions to be 

provided in across the widest possible spread of 

application areas. 




more stories from Moog Controls and more news on valves 

54 




Micro Hydraulic Components 

● Lee Plugs 

● Restrictors 

● Check Valves 

● Relief Valves 

● Shuttle Valves 

● Solenoid Valves 

● Flow Controls 

● Filter Screens 

SEND FOR OUR FREE PRODUCT CATALOGUE 

Lee Products Limited, 3 High Street, Chalfont St Peter, Gerrards Cross, Bucks. SL9 9QE. 

Innovation in Miniature 

Tel: 01753 886664 Fax: 01753 889588 www.leeproducts.co.uk e-mail: sales@leeproducts.co.uk 


product and service factfinders 

AIR CONTROL 

INDUSTRIES Ltd 

Silver Street, Chard, Somerset TA20 2AE 

www.air-con.co.uk 

ACI Airknife Drying Systems 

ACI has produced a new set of literature outlining Total 

Drying Solutions, based upon Airknife Technology. 

These individual data sheets, along with a detailed 

technical CD, are inserted into our new-look ‘Drying 

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If you would like a copy, or a FREE DEMO, please visit www.air-con.co.uk 

igus 

51 Caswell Road, Brackmills Industrial Estate, Northampton NN4 7PW 

e-mail: sales_uk@igus.co.uk www.igus.co.uk 

New Cable Catalogue 

The Chainflex cable catalogue is now available from igus. 

igus has manufactured its own cables since 1989. 

The high-flex cables withstand the stress of tight bending 

radii in moving applications and have been tested over 

millions of cycles. They include control cables, robot cables, 

motor cables, data cables and servo cables. 

Request yours today. 



ANDANTEX Ltd 

Rowley Drive, Baginton, Coventry CV3 4LS 

e-mail: sales@andantex.co.uk www.andantex.co.uk 

Precision Industrial Gearboxes 

Widest range of precision low backlash industrial gearboxes: 

• Spiral Bevel Gearboxes 10 to 2100Nm 

• Reducers and multipliers up to 220Kw 

• Single Position Jaw Clutches up to 2400Nm 

• Epicyclic differential gearbox for speed balancing, speed 

adjustment and input-output phasing 

• Differential phase shifters – the heart of a registration control system 

- In line and bevel right angle versions 

- Full electronic system for automatic error correction 


MACHINE BUILDING SYSTEMS Ltd 

Heage Road Industrial Estate, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 3GH 

e-mail: sales@mbsitem.co.uk www.mbsitem.co.uk 

Machine Construction 

System 

The item MB System is a modular aluminium extrusionbased 

system for machine construction. 

The item range encompasses machine frames, machine 

guarding, linear slides, work benches, conveyors, jigs and 

fixtures. Machine Building Systems is the sole distributor 

in the UK and Ireland for the item MB System. 

With an online catalogue, CAD downloads and regular 

new-product updates, the website is well worth a visit. 


BALDOR UK Ltd 

Mint Motion Centre, 6 Bristol Distribution Park, Hawkley Drive, Bristol BS32 0BF 

e-mail: sales.uk@baldor.com www.baldormotion.com/br1202 

Motion Control Catalogues Build 

Into Complete Library for Machine Builders 

Baldor’s series of motion control product catalogues are 

designed to make life easier for OEMs and machine 

builders implementing automation systems. 

Comprising nine separate publications, each is dedicated 

to a specific area of motion control such as Ethernet 

motion, servo motors, servo drives, motion controllers and 

accessories. The series builds into a comprehensive and 

accessible library of up-to-date system building information. 


SANDVIK MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY UK 

Manor Way, Halesowen, West Midlands B62 8QZ 

e-mail: sales.smtuk@sandvik.com www.smt.sandvik.com/uk 

Sandvik Stainless Steel Stock 

Programme at a Glance 

Sandvik’s S:110 brochure contains 28 pages of product 

information on pipe, tube, bar and hollow bar, showing the 

extensive stock range of products and provides detailed 

information on the standard stainless steel programme as well 

as listing all the relevant material grades. 

It also provides detailed information on material grade 

composition, testing, tolerances, a guide to typical applications 

and Sandvik sales and service contacts. 


COTEL MOULDINGS 

JG Coates (Burnley) Ltd, Trafalgar Street, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 1TH 

e-mail: sales@cotel.co.uk www.cotelmouldings.com 

New Cotel Mouldings Industrial 

Components Catalogue 

The new Cotel Mouldings Catalogue is the definitive buyer’s 

guide for industrial components and includes: 

• 100s of new products 

• Extended ranges 

• Colour photos, technical drawings and material information 

For our extensive range of stock components including Knobs, Handles and Handwheels, 

Adjustable Feet, Tube End Fittings, Hinges, Plungers, Plastic and Metal Fittings, Fixings and 

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.steute 

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New Explosion Protection 

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• Europe’s largest manufacturer of EEx foot controls, safety 

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• EEx safety magnetic sensors with matching safety relay, 

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.steute Safe Switchgear for Complex and Critical Applications 


56 


John Richardson’s ENGINEERING DIARY 

When my journeying around the UK’s 

manufacturing heartlands took me to the 

North West recently, I was lucky enough to 

spend a very pleasant day in the company of 

the chaps from Eriks Sealing Technology. Among other things, 

we talked about the history of the region itself, which was one 

of the focal points of the industrial revolution in the 1700s. In 

particular, we could argue that it was in and around Manchester 

where we really learned how to take raw materials and, on an 

industrial scale, turn them into an end product. And in the 

region, that product was cotton. So successful was Manchester’s 

cotton industry that by around 1850, it was supplying two 

thirds of the world’s spun cotton. 

In the early days, the merchants who brought the cotton from 

Liverpool sold it to small-time masters in Manchester, who then 

passed it to the spinners working in the cottages. But the 1770s 

saw the invention of spinning machines from the likes of Samuel 

Crompton and James Hargreaves, which completely changed the 

way cotton goods were produced, and were instrumental in the 

shift to true industrialisation. The machines in the first textile 

factories – Manchester’s spinning mills – were driven by waterpower, 

so the mills grew up alongside rivers. Then, in 1783, 

long before the world saw the steam train, inventor Richard 

Arkwright realised the potential of James Watt’s Rotary Steam 

Engine as a source of power, and began using the machine in 

his Cromford factory. Others followed his lead, meaning that 

factories no longer had to be built close to fast-flowing rivers; 

instead they could be built wherever there were good supplies of 

coal and cheap labour. 

Manchester and Marxism 

And so it was that the slums of Manchester grew up, housing 

workers in the most appalling conditions, who themselves were 

treated as little better that products, to be hired when needed 

and simply discarded during slow periods. Perhaps it should 

come as no surprise to find the region also spawned the origins 

of communism. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were regular 

visitors to Manchester, where Engels family had cotton spinning 

interests. In 1844 Marx wrote: “The worker becomes all the 

poorer the more wealth he produces, the more his production 

increases in power and range. The worker becomes an ever 

cheaper commodity the more commodities he creates. With the 

increasing value of the world of things proceeds in direct 

proportion to the devaluation of the world of men. Labour 

produces not only commodities; it produces itself and the worker 

as a commodity – and does so in the proportion in which it 

produces commodities generally.” In 1847, Marx and Engels 

collaborated to write ‘The Communist Manifesto’. Scarcely was it 

published when a wave of revolutions broke out in Europe. 

Perhaps it is interesting to draw links between industrialisation 

and communism, and to look at where things are going in China 

at the moment. Certainly there are parallels. But if the North 

West can indeed be seen as a mirror for where China might 

head, what has happened to Manchester’s indigenous 

manufacturing in the last couple of hundred years? Surely it has 

been decimated. 

Well, we come back to Eriks Sealing Technologies. It can 

trace its origins back to 1958, when Charles Weston started 

manufacturing seals near Salford. By the 1970s, Charles 

Weston was a global brand, and when JH Fenner bought the 

company in 1976, and merged it with the Pioneer Oil Sealing 

Company to form Pioneer Weston, it formed a company that 

employed over 600 people across three manufacturing sites. 

Through the 1980s, JH Fenner invested in developing global 

manufacturing, so successfully that the company became an 

attractive acquisition for Wyko, which itself was then acquired 

by Eriks Group in 2006. And so, earlier this year, Pioneer 

Weston became the UK arm of Eriks Sealing Technology. 

In terms of its manufacturing output, one might consider 

Pioneer Weston as a shadow of its former self. The uninformed 

spectator might view the humble seal as a low value product 

that cannot possibly be manufactured in the UK competitively. 

But what I find particularly interesting is the way the company 

views modern manufacturing in the UK, because it mirrors a 

growing realisation that our definitions of manufacturing need to 

change. It is no longer all about how many products are shipped 

through the doors – you can leave those definitions for China, 

India and others. Instead, successful manufacturing in the UK is 

all about focusing on the entire manufacturing process, from 

market assessment and product design through to manufacture, 

support and service delivery. In that light, a manufacturer can 

think about its operations on a global basis, with design in one 

country, contract manufacture in another, assembly in a third, 

and possibly the back-up spread world-wide. When I look at the 

way Eriks is investing in design and testing facilities at the 

Pioneer Weston Technology Centre, then I can see all of this in 

action, and I can see that the UK can indeed be a successful 

manufacturing player in the 21st Century. 

If our definitions of manufacturing in the UK do need to 

change, then perhaps the pages of this very magazine need to 

change also, to reflect the needs of today’s market. I’d be very 

interested to hear your views on the subject. 

feedback@itmagazine.uk.com 


57

EAR TO THE GROUND • Becky Silverton 

becky@itmagazine.uk.com 

Particles, string theory and 

successful manufacturing... 

Does art imitate life, or does life imitate 

art? Well, to answer that question, let’s 

consider shopping for shoes and 

handbags. On second thoughts, boys, I’ll 

spare you that one. Instead, let’s use Douglas 

Adams as our start point, where, as we all know, 

the answer to the ultimate question of life, the 

universe and everything turned out to be 42. Not a 

terribly satisfactory answer from supercomputer 

Deep Thought, but the problem was not so much in 

the answer as in defining the question in the first 

place. So that little task was 

jobbed out to a new computer, 

which turned out to be the Earth. 

We have, then, our little planet 

turned over to sorting out the 

ultimate problem of life, the 

universe and everything – its 

entire history merely a prelude to 

precisely forming the great 

question. And interestingly, it’s a 

question that’s been foremost in 

our minds since the ancient Greek philosophers first 

defined metaphysics, and began asking, “what is 

the world made of?” and “what is the ultimate 

substance of all reality?” 

Over two thousand years on, the boffins at 

CERN in Switzerland are on the verge of powering 

up the Large Hadron Collider – the world’s largest 

and most powerful particle accelerator, built to help 

answer key unresolved questions about particle 

physics. I heard one spokesman claiming that this 

could be the key to “answering the question of 

everything”, including by default the universe. Well, 

that still leaves the question of life, but in my book 

two out of three ain’t bad. Soon we may be able to 

talk with genuine authority about the origin of 

mass, the nature of dark matter and dark energy, 

the differences between matter and antimatter, and 

the secrets of the Big Bang. We may be able to 

prove the existence of sparticles, the true nature of 

string theory and the existence of hidden 

dimensions and multiple universes. In short, we 

could be on the verge of breakthroughs that could 

fundamentally change all of our lives. 

Now, of course none of this will come quickly. 

Once turned on, the LHC could take months to 

calibrate, and maybe even years to deliver results 

given the amount of computing power that will be 

needed for the analysis. But the sense of excitement 

is palpable. We really are looking at the big picture. 

Interestingly, every company I’ve ever spoken to 

has its own big picture – a view of where it’s going 

to be or what it’s going to be doing in five years 

time, or ten or fifteen. But however exciting that 

future may seem, it’s important not to let the big 

picture become such a dominating force that the 

equally important, day-to-day, incremental 

improvements never happen. Which is why, for 

example boys, I shall be shopping for shoes and 

handbags this weekend, bringing me back neatly to 

where I came in. Life, imitating art, imitating life. 

PCIM Europe 2008 

May 27-29, 2008 

Nuremberg, Germany 

www.mesago.de 

Mesago PCIM (+49 711 61946-0) 

North West Manufacturing 

June 11-12, 2008 

Reebok Stadium, Bolton 

www.industry.co.uk 

Etes (01784 880890) 

Automatica 

June 10-13, 2008 

New Munich Trade Fair Centre, Germany 

www.automatica-munich.com 

Pattern (020 8940 4625) 

Wireless Technologies 

September 27-29, 2008 

Bochum, Germany 

www.mesago.de 

Mesago Messe Frankfurt 

(+49 711 61946-0) 

Northern Manufacturing 

October 1-2, 2008 

Hallam Arena, Sheffield 

www.industry.co.uk 

Etes (01784 880890) 

Sealing, Adhesive, Elastomer 

October 21-23, 2008 


www.mesago.de 

Mesago Messe Frankfurt 

(+49 711 61946-0) 

SPS/IPC/Drives 

November 25-27, 2008 


www.mesago.de 

Mesago Messemanagement 

(+49 711 61946-0) 

Index to Advertisers May 2008 

Abssac ......................................................... 37 

Air Control Industries ................................ 28-29 

Air Control Industries ..................................... 56 

Andantex ..................................................... 56 

Associated Spring ......................................... 37 

Baker & Finnemore ........................................ 18 

Baldor ......................................................... 56 

M Barnwell Services ...................................... 55 

Bosch Rexroth .............................................. 11 

Bürkert Fluid Control Systems ........................ 13 

JG Coates .................................................... 56 

Dirak ........................................................... 30 

Eckold ......................................................... 17 

George Emmott ............................................. 33 

EMS ............................................................ 39 

ERIKS ............................................................ 9 

ETA Enclosures ............................................. 31 

Feteris Components ....................................... 53 

Futek Advanced Sensor Technology ................. 44 

Heidenhain .................................................. 15 

Henrob ........................................................ 43 

HepcoMotion ................................................ 13 

Huba Control ................................................ 49 

Huco Dynatork ............................................. 23 

Idec ............................................................... 3 

IFM ............................................................. 51 

Igus ............................................................. 21 

Igus ............................................................. 56 

Impac Infrared .............................................. 47 

IMS UK ....................................................... 38 

Industrial Gas Springs ................................... 35 

Industrial Vision Systems ............................. OBC 

Interpower ..................................................... 5 

Interpower ..................................................... 7 

Albert Jagger ................................................ 41 

LAC Conveyor Systems .................................. 55 

Lafert Electric Motors ...................................... 6 

Lee Products ................................................ 55 

Lee Spring ................................................... 35 

Lenze .......................................................... 10 

Machine Building Systems ............................. 56 

Master Bond ................................................ 43 

Mayr Transmissions ....................................... 25 

Micro-Epsilon ............................................... 16 

Murrelektronik .............................................. 19 

Ondrives ...................................................... 23 

Parker Filtration ........................................... IFC 

Penny & Giles Controls .................................. 49 

Pepperl & Fuchs ........................................... 45 

Power Jacks ................................................. 25 

Protex Fasteners ........................................... 41 

RDP Electronics ............................................ 45 

Reliance Precision Mechatronics LLP .............. 22 

Renold Clutches & Couplings ......................... 23 

Rittal ........................................................... 27 

RK Rose & Krieger ........................................ 17 

Rotalink ....................................................... 39 

Sandvik Materials Technology ......................... 56 

Sensor Technik UK ........................................ 47 

Sensors UK .................................................. 47 

Sensortechnics GmbH ................................... 53 

SKF ............................................................. 17 

Spirol Industries ............................................ 41 

Spirol Industries ............................................ 43 

Spraying Systems .......................................... 15 

Springmasters ............................................... 35 

Steute .......................................................... 20 

Steute .......................................................... 56 

Variohm Eurosensor ....................................... 53 

WDS .......................................................... IBC 

58 


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of every system deployed we provide cost effective and reliable 

solutions for the entire field of industrial vision. 

Your benefit: Shorter realisation time, company-wide standardisation, 

greater flexibility when compared to conventional systems, and all 

supported for the life of the system by a company who really is 

passionate about achieving your goal of zero defects. 

For more information call +44 (0)1865 823322 

www.industrialvision.co.uk 

Industrial Vision Systems Ltd 

Kingston Business Park 

Kingston Bagpuize 

Oxfordshire / OX13 5FE / UK 

www.industrialvision.co.uk 

sales@industrialvision.co.uk 

Software Design & Training Centre 

70174 Stuttgart / Germany 

Phone +49 711 229 646-30 

Engineering Centre 

71686 Remseck / Germany 

Phone +49 7146 8956-0

sensors & systems - Industrial Technology Magazine

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