WAKE UP AND SMELL THE LEAN MANUFACTURING T
o increase the speed and efficiency of a coffee stacking line, one of the largest snack foods
manufacturers in the world has chosen a KUKA robotic palletiser from Linkx Systems. Linkx were called upon for the integration of the
U
K manufacturers have had a somewhat sobering start to
2015. Like someone experiencing a reality health check following the decadence of Christmas, the optimism surrounding UK manufacturing has quelled slightly as we have entered 2015, according to the annual EEF/Aldermore Executive Survey. The survey revealed that global
economic conditions have been a major contributor to the tempered optimism with 38% expecting things to take a turn for the worse in 2015 (compared to just five percent at the beginning of 2014). In line with ongoing economic and geo-political uncertainty, manufacturers see Europe and the Middle East as ‘not spots’ meaning this unrest represents a very real concern for industry. Despite the more pessimistic
economic outlook, there is some good news with seven out of ten manufacturers confident that their staff numbers, sales, margins and productivity, will be heading in the right direction this year. Commenting on the survey
Terry Scuoler of EEF said, “Manufacturers’ confidence at the beginning of last year was very high - one year on and, while still positive, it has very evidently eased back. The realities of 2014 have taken the edge off future forecasts and what we are now seeing as we head into 2015 is a far more muted outlook.” Clearly, automation is one area
where UK manufacturers can get ahead. There has been a dramatic uptake of robotics in nations such as Germany and China, and although the UK’s adoption of automation technologies is increasing, we still need to close the gap on these major players when it comes to embracing the benefits of robotics. With this in mind our February
issue will feature the Robotics and Motion Control supplement where we’ll be taking a closer look at this sector that is so crucial to UK manufacturing. We’ll be getting the low-down from some of the key industry players such as Mitsubishi Electric, Shunk, B&R Industrial Automation and Stäubli Robotics.
Joe Bush - Editor 4 FEBRUARY 2015 | AUTOMATION /AUTOMATION
palletiser robot at a plant where 100 million jars of instant coffee are produced a year. The aim was to improve the automation for stacking shrink wrapped coffee doy packs. The KR120 robot has a maximum reach of 2,496mm and weighs 1,049kg. Linkx’s robot is able to deliver repeatability of
±0,06mm. Floor mountable and benefiting from a vacuum pick-up head, the KR120 can stack up to 24 cases per minute. The robot also boasts sizeable pallet storage for up to 15 pallets at a time. David Hayward, MD at Linkx, commented, “We were asked to make their packaging line more lean and effective and we had no hesitation in recommending a robot-based solution. Our KUKA System Partner status
gives us access to their specialist application support. We are always pleased to offer our input to develop better and more effective systems for our clients that will increase productivity, save them the money and future- proof their packaging lines.”
www.linkxpackaging.com
A LOST DECADE OF INVESTMENT
Independent finance provider LDF has claimed that ageing machinery, and other assets, of the UK’s manufacturing sector is now worth less than it was in 2005 following years of underinvestment during the recession. Underinvestment by manufacturers in their business assets may have seen their value erode by £8.4bn pounds from the start of the credit crunch in 2008. LDF claims that, at current rates of investment, this will mean that the manufacturing sector will have experienced a lost decade of investment.
LDF added that since the credit crunch UK businesses have put off
capital investment as a result of a shortage of funding from traditional sources. However, with more money being made available through
alternative forms of finance, such as leasing, manufacturers are now beginning to invest again. LDF explained that higher levels of capital investment in new machinery and IT is required if UK manufacturers are to keep pace with rapidly growing companies in emerging markets. Since 2008 the level of investment in UK manufacturing has dropped off substantially and it is feared productivity in the sector will continue to suffer as a result. Peter Alderson, managing director of LDF said, “In the last six years the value of UK manufacturers’ equipment has
dropped, while key global rivals in China, Korea and Taiwan have invested relentlessly. If UK manufacturers are going to compete, a huge programme of investment is needed to catch up.” To read the full story visit
www.connectingindustry.com/age.
www.ldf.co.uk ASSISTING WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME
FLIR Systems’ FLIR A655sc thermal imaging camera is now providing a means of data collection to the USDA Water Management research program. At the USDA researchers are looking into ways for
farmers to be more productive by using less water. They do this by deliberately imposing stress on crops and monitoring the water stress. The most established method for detecting crop water stress remotely is through the measurement of a crop’s surface or canopy temperature. As the crop becomes water stressed, the leaves will start to curl and transpiration will decrease leading to an increase in leaf temperature. Traditionally the USDA had used IR thermometers for
this task but found the technique limited as it does not provide an image. Looking to thermal imaging to provide a solution, the USDA required a high resolution camera able to look close enough and clearly see the difference between water stressed plants and plants with sufficient water supply. To meet this requirement the FLIR A655sc provides 14-bit data up to 50 frames per second at full frame
640 × 480 resolution. A spokesperson for the USDA commented, “In our thermal images of sunflowers, we can clearly see the flower head that is hotter and the leaves that are five degrees colder. The FLIR camera has also proven to be very robust.”
www.flir.com
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