News Industry In brief...
Hi-Tech Automation will show- case the integration of robotic au- tomation with a high speed load/unloader and an injection moulding machine at the PDM13 Exhibition, Telford, 18th19th June. A strategic partner of FANUC UK,
Hi-Tech Automation will demonstrate the flexibility offered by a six axes FANUC M-10iA robot, used in con- junction with a Hi-Tech manufactured high speed side loader.
www.hitechautomation.com
A new poll commissioned by the In- stitution of Mechanical Engi- neers claims that the government is failing to promote UK manufacturing and remains more committed to the financial sector than UK industry. The survey of 1,000 manufacturers re- vealed that 61% of respondents believe the government is performing badly on manufacturing policy, with just 17% of those polled saying the government is performing well. Additionally, 35% say they are less confident about the future of UK manufacturing. To view the full article visit
www.connectingindustry.com/ imepoll
Spirax Sarco has won praise from local schools for giving engineering stu- dents the chance to train and gain hands-on experience using industrial steam equipment. The company opened its doors as part of the Launchpad initiative, which is a partnership of four schools around Tewkesbury that aims to deliver a plat- form for applied learning. Spirax Sarco has been working with Launchpad since 2012, and has recently provided training for 20 youngsters as part of a Level 2 Engineering Diploma.
www.spiraxsarco.com
Rockwell Automation has announced that the Automation University is coming to Dublin (6th June), Cardiff (11th
June), Crawley (13th June) and County Durham (18th June).
Automation University On The Move is a one day event that offers live demos, seminars and industry ses- sions. The events feature many of Rockwell’s technology partners and a large exhibition area, where visitors can see products and technologies brought to life and meet people with the experi- ence of applying the latest solutions to modern manufacturing requirements.
www.automationuniversity.eu/emea
6 Sales enquiries show benefits of ‘Made in Britain’
TAPESWITCH, A MANUFACTURER of pressure sensitive products, safety light curtains and acces- sories, is experiencing an increase in sales enquiries for its range of ‘Made in Britain’ products as compa- nies across the UK and Europe become disillu- sioned with distance purchasing - after many traditional manufacturing companies in the UK made the decision to outsource their manufacturing to China, India or the Philippines.
Buying from a UK company that still manufac- tures in Britain has significant benefits for the cus- tomer including fast turnaround, fast delivery, smaller order values, non-standard product solu- tions and also an actual, as well as a perceived, higher manufacturing quality. Karen Keighley of Tapeswitch commented, “Many of our customers have very unique problems requiring creative solutions and they need to speak to a com- pany who can respond quickly with a workable solu-
tion and just as importantly, be able to manufacture that solution in a reasonable time frame. Our cus- tomers would not except the lead times created by manufacturing in the Far East or the minimum order values required to get the project into production.”
www.tapeswitch.co.uk
Putting the fizz back into production
BY AUTOMATING A previously labour intensive operation, Endoline has increased the effi- ciency and productivity on a pro- duction line for Ridgeview Wines, the UK-based family run wine producers.
Commenting on the upgrade,
Tamara Roberts, general manager of Ridgeview Wines said, “We needed to increase our produc- tion and utilising skilled wine making staff to perform this task is not only a waste of resource but it adds no value to the prod- uct so we decided to automate this process.
“Endoline’s machinery has simplified a previously com- plex and labour intensive task. Our team have found the line extremely easy to use and fewer people are needed to operate the line resulting in a more effi- cient production. “We have made significant sav- ings in productivity, giving us more time to focus on the areas which add value and ensure the quality of our products.” To read the full case study please visit
www.connectingin-
dustry.com/ridgeview.
www.endoline.co.uk
New report challenges energy efficiency claims
A NEW REPORT has recently been published by Festo which evaluates energy efficiency measures in automation and positioning technology. The report helps manufacturers to better understand and identify methods, tools and the alternative advantages of pneu- matic and electric drive technologies for improving energy efficiency in automation processes. It is free to download from the Festo website and provides an introduction to the subject of effi- ciency with pneumatic and electric drives. The report explores the basic principles and measures for increasing energy efficiency and shows that the cor- rect selection of technology (effectiveness) and the correct operation (efficiency) are critical. Steve Sands, product manager at Festo, com- mented, “Energy is an ever more important issue and this guide is an excellent opportunity to become acquainted with pneumatic and electric drives sys- tems as a whole. The research shows that the require- ments of the application entirely determine the right technology mix for energy efficiency.
“There are no quick-fix solutions for increasing energy efficiency, as it must be viewed in an overall context. Trying to save money at a component level
APRIL 2013 Automation
without considering the overall system is ineffective and parameters must be looked at in detail to pro- vide lasting efficiencies and savings. Lifetime costs really must be considered - it makes no sense for it to take ten years to achieve a payback on an initial investment through improved efficiency if the expected life of the machine is only five years. Selecting the right measures and using drive tech- nology correctly, means notable energy and cost sav- ings can and must be reached.”
www.festo.co.uk/energyreport
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