Industrial Technology

Alloy choices for springs

When choosing a spring for your industrial application, one of the major considerations is the material, as this will determine the spring’s suitability for the environment it is working in. Choose the wrong one and you could be facing a costly redesign or repair job down the line. Justin Lawrence, applications engineer at leading fastening and fixing supplier TFC, explains the suitability of different alloys for specific environments.

20th February 2020

Living in the plastic age

The when and why of plastic springs is rarely a simple matter, made as they are from highly engineered composites and technically advanced new generation materials. Typical properties include operation at elevated temperatures, neutral magnetic characteristics, light weight, low thermal conductivity, electrically insulating and ability to recycle at end of life.

20th February 2020

Industry 4.0 returns to Manchester

See the future of manufacturing from global experts. Understand government policy, gain support and access to finance, adopt the latest business models, hear about large- and small-scale 4.0 case studies, and what this means for your business. Come and network with your peers and see the latest technologies and solutions to make manufacturing smarter. Join us in Manchester, the world’s first industrial city, at the UK’s largest gathering for the 4th industrial revolution.

31st January 2020

OEM Automatic announces new collaboration with Tosibox

OEM Automatic has announced a new collaboration with Finnish IoT ecosystem supplier Tosibox. In particular, the Tosibox range extends OEM Automatic’s panel products capability with turnkey solution for remote management.

29th January 2020

Intertronics launches precision microdispensing system for jetting liquids and pastes

Adhesives specialist Intertronics now supplies the Vermes Microdispensing System (MDS) 1560, an easy-to use, cost effective jetting valve for a wide range of viscosities, including solder pastes. The product is based on Dynamic Shockwave Technology (DST), a revolutionary pneumatic actuator technology, which optimises the valve’s yield to achieve more precise dispensing. Able to dispense very small amounts in rapid succession, the consistent actuation power delivers high precision, even at the smallest dispense stroke. The Vermes MDS 1560 dispenses small volumes of material at fast speeds with accuracy and repeatability, including onto 3D surfaces. It offers a high clock frequency (around 500Hz) and dispensed shot sizes down to around 1nl.

25th January 2020

Applying tools to harness the Internet of Things

With its BB-400 Controller, Brainboxes is launching businesses around the globe to the forefront of the smart technology revolution. The BB-400 offers the flexibility of PC systems with open source programming options to make integration and customisation user friendly. An edge controller that can read inputs and control outputs, whilst communicating with remote systems, Brainboxes’ device could be the perfect automation solution for Industrial applications. Capabilities can be extended via Brainboxes module range to provide additional inputs/ outputs as needed, and out of the box integration with cloud platforms like AWS mean the sky really is the limit when it comes to expansion.

25th January 2020

Schunk gripper plays a central role in AMRC wales opening ceremony

Before Christmas, the University of Sheffield officially opened its Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Cymru, a £20m state-of-the-art research and development facility in North Wales. As a member of the AMRC, Schunk UK played an integral role in the opening ceremony, holding the ribbon with a Schunk gripper for Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford to cut the ceremonial ribbon.

10th January 2020

Analog Devices helps manufacturers address Industry 4.0 issues

Analog Devices announced the release of new robust, industrial Ethernet physical layer (PHY) products to help manufacturers address key Industry 4.0 and smart factory communication challenges surrounding data integration, synchronization, edge connectivity, and system interoperability. The ADIN1300 is a low-power, single port Ethernet transceiver with industry leading power and latency specifications primarily designed for time-critical industrial Ethernet applications up to Gigabit speeds. As industrial automation increases the adoption of Ethernet and pushes in the boundaries of data rates, the ADIN1300 is designed to operate reliably in harsh industrial conditions over extended ambient temperature ranges.

1st December 2019

The life-saving spring in airbag bicycle helmets

A novel airbag bicycle helmet, that is worn like a collar, deploys in 0.1 seconds, providing superior protection against head injuries. Key to its operation is wire detail and a leaf spring from Lesjöfors.

1st December 2019

Installing a coiled spring pin

Coiled pins were designed with assembly in mind. Compared to other pins, their square ends, concentric chamfers and lower insertion forces make them ideal for easy installation. Additionally, coiled pins can accommodate wider hole tolerances than any other pin because they compress during installation and conform to the shape of the hole. All in all, coiled pins are the easiest type of pin to install and are designed to be serviceable.

1st December 2019