it september 2010
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Industrial
Techno logy
S e p te m b e r 2 0
Industry news p6
Computer aided design p1 2
Brakes, clutches & couplings p1 4
Batter ies & power supplies p1 8
Linear & rot ary actuators p2 0
www.industrialtechnology.co.u
k
www.industr ialtechnology.co.uk
Fasteners & adhesives p2 5
Sensors & systems p2 8
Test & measurement p2 8
M achine building p3 6
M achinery safety p4 6BA
CKTO
BASICS
Under
standin
gac
repeatabili t
resol u
THE MAGAZINE FOR PRODUCT DESIGN ENGINEERS AND MACHINE BUILDERS
Cable management for robots
comes of age
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mailto:[email protected]://www.mitutoyo.co.uk/mailto:[email protected]://www.mitutoyo.co.uk/ -
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Tow a rds t he goa l of
per fec t imper fec t ion.. .
As a controlled circulation journal, Industrial Technology is sent
free of charge to individuals in the UK who meet the terms and
conditions of the publishers. To apply for free regular copies,
write to the Circulation Department. To those not meeting the
terms and conditions, the magazine is available on UK
subscription at a cost of 60 per year (10 issues). Single copies
are 7. Overseas subscriptions (airmail) are as follows: Rest of
Europe including Eire 80 (single copies 9); USA $155 (single
$18); Elsewhere 90 (single copies 10).
Printing & production by Stephens and George Ltd, Merthyr Tydfil
EDITORIAL
Editor
Mark SimmsBSc Tel: 01732 773268
ADVERTISING
Regional Director (Home Counties &South East)
Mark West Tel: 020 8467 3613
Regional S ales Ma nager (Midlands)
David Harman Tel: 0161 374 5615
Regional Sa les Manager (North of England &Scotland)
Jan Anderson Tel: 01978 314730
Deuts chla nd/Suiss e/sterreich
Eisenacher Medien Tel: +49 228-2499860
Overseas
George BennettMA Tel: + 44 161 374 5615
MAILING ADDRESSES
Press Releases: mark.simms@itmaga zine.uk.com
PO Box 342 , Tonbridge TN10 4WD
Advertising Copy:production@itma gazine.uk.com
Head Office: Victoria House, 2 Mornington Road
Sale, Cheshire M33 2DA
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Circulation Department: PO Box 85, Sale M33 2BB
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GENERAL ENQUIRIES
Email: [email protected] Tel: 0161 374 5615
IndustrialTechnology
ISSN0967
5787
www.in
dustrialtechnology.co.uk
COMMENT & ANALYS
The Simms family has just returned from its annual mini-holiday to the Isle of Wight,
and most pleasurable it was, too. And when I say family, Im talking about 16 of us,
with ages ranging from 6 months to 85, all living for the week under one (thankfully
large) rented roof. Weve been doing this for a few years now, and naturally with so
many of us there can be or two underlying tensions although nothing that cant be smoothed
over with the odd glass of shiraz but generally what ma kes it work is that ea ch person has
the chance to pick an activity for half a day, so everyone gets to do at
least one thing during the week that they really want to do. Having
said that, there have been exceptions, with my proposed trip to the
bus and coach museum having been vetoed for the last three years.
Oh of course they all said they wouldgo, if I reallywanted to, but
they made it clear that there was no real enthusiasm.
This year, however, I was quite prepared to insist, and so on a
sunny Tuesda y morning the 16 of us convoyed to Newport and d own
to the tow n qua y. The look of joy and surprise on the face of the
museum curator suggested to me that 16 people walking in off the
streets unannounced was not a regular occurrence, and he certainly
gave us a very generous discount on the entry prices. So there we
were, and Im happy to report that everyone had a fantastic time, not so much because the
party wa s pa rticularly interested in buses or coa ches per se, but because of the memories that
the vehicles brought back. They sa y tha t smell is the grea test evoker of memories, but I reckon
transport must run it a pretty close second. Within moments we were all reminiscing about
trips we had taken, describing holidays we had been on, comparing stories of ticketing
strategies through the generations, and generally reliving experiences that hadnt been thought
about for many a year.
There are those for w hom vehicles themselves and transport genera lly represent a h ighly
emotional experience, and there are those for whom vehicles are merely functional. But I
would defy even the least emotionally moved (in a vehicular sense) among us to climb into a
car from their childhood and not immediately relive some long forgotten memory, or to clamber
into an old train and not straight away remember some long-ago taken trip. How much of that,I wonder, is down to the design flaws of those decades-old vehicles compared with modern
cars, buses, coaches and trains? Modern vehicles are undoubtedly superior in every aspect,
but daily transport itself has become a chore rather than an adventure. And will our own
children one day look back on new breeds of utilitarian electric vehicles and draw out
memories of their own childhood, or will they find that these supremely functional vehicles,
whilst undoubtedly practical problem solvers, and capable of evoking nothing? Are we then, in
fact, in danger of confusing perfection with a form of utilitarian sterility? It makes you wonder.
I would like, therefore, to propose a new paradigm for design. Instead of aiming simply for
perfection, perhaps w hat we s hould be looking to do is to ma ster perfect imperfection the
designing of character into even the most functional, practical and sensible of items. Because
surely the idea that everything we create will evoke an emotional response is what makes
design engineering so rewarding.
Mark Simms
Editor
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Industrial
Techno logy
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CAD ROUNDUPDave Brown with this
months CAD stories p12
ENGINEERINGLITERATUREEssential reading fordesign engineers p13
STANDARDSUPDATEOur look at the IndustrialEmissions Directive p48
ENGINEERINGDIARYJohn Richardsons monthin view p49
EARTOTHEGROUNDBecky Silverton on the issuesaffecting manufacturing p50
ALSO IN THISISSUE:Netfinders p48Events calendar p50Index to Advertisers p50
Contents
ON THE COVER
Wit h t he Tr iflex RS
module from igus, cable
management for robots
has finally come of age.
see centre spread for
details
In this issue: Low carbon strategy shapes up (p10);
How to bring down a SCADA system island by
island (p28); Good reasons to turn to active energy
management (p36); A universal safety standard for
any industrial Ethernet protocol (p46);
In the next issue of Industrial Technology: Gears, chains and belt drives Industrial PCs, HMIs and input devices
Drives and control systems Fasteners and adhesives Springs, gas springs and dampers Hydraulics and pneumatics
6 INDUSTRYNEWS
6 Manufacturers encouraged to look East
8 Linear actuation for advanced gun system
10 UK low carbon strategy takes shape
1 4 POWERTRANSMISSION Bra kes , Clut ches and Couplings
14 Operator safety and protection of machines
16 Brakes, clutches and couplings: new products
1 8 ELECTRICALEQUIPMENT& DESIGN Ba t t e r ies and Power S upplies
18 Are lithium-ion batteries safe?
2 0 MECHANICALCOMPONENTS Linear a nd Rot ary Act ua t ors
20 Greater choice needed as Britain automates
22 Lightweight face tests respirator seals
2 4 FASTENERS& ADHESIVES
24 Thread locking: coping with chrome
2 8 SENSORS& SYSTEMS
28 How to bring down a SCADA system island by island
30 Accuracy, resolution and repeata bility the common pitfalls
32 Sensors a nd systems: new products
34 Test a nd mea surement: w ireless telemetry system for strain gauge sensors
3 6 MACHINEBUILDING& AUTOMATION
36 Good reasons to turn to active energy management
38 Specifying the right vibration damping levelling element
40 Regeneration: capturing energy before its lost
42 Machine building and automation: new products
44 Evaluating the performance of safety control systems
46 A uniform safety standard for industrial Ethernet
2 81 2
1 6
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6/52INDU S TRIALTECHNOLOGY S ept ember 20
The Index of Production from the Office for
National Statistics (ONS) showed that, year on
year, overall production output in July 2010 was
1.9 % higher than in July 2009. Manufacturing,
though, really pushed forwa rd, rising by 4.9 % in July
2010 compared with the same month a year ago. And
thats the strongest performance for 26
years. Output increased in nine of the 13
sub-sectors and fell in four sub-sectors.
The la rgest contributors to th e rise were
the machinery and equipment industries,
which rose by 17.7 per cent and the ba sic
metals and metal products industries,
which increas ed by 12. 4 per cent. The
largest decrease in output over the same
period was 3.8 per cent in the chemicals
and man-made fibres industries.
In month on month terms, between
June and July manufacturing output
increased by 0.3 per cent. Output increased in eight of
the 13 sub-sectors, fell in three sub-sectors and remained
uncha nged in two. The largest positive contributions tooverall output were increases of 2.1 per cent in the
machinery and equipment industries, 4.9 per cent in
textiles, leather and clothing industries and 1.1 per cent
in the pa per, printing, a nd publishing industries. The
largest negative contribution to overall output was a
decrease of 3.2 per cent in the transport equipment
industries.
Now of course this is the summer period and a
typically damp British summer at that some output has
suffered somewhat in August. An element of restocking
has to be taken into account, but the overall picture is
still good. Graeme Allinson, Head of Manufacturing,
Barclays Corporate, comments: Despite a marked
August slowdown in growth, UK manufacturing continues
to climb back towards pre-recession output levels.
However, there are still several key areas that must show
further improvement in order to underpin a sustainable
manufacturing recovery; stronger UK export growth,particularly in developing countries, employment moving
from job replacement to job creation, and a marked
increase in non-essential investment.
Solid demandIn spite of the usual summer slowdown UK exports have
responded to solid demand from BRIC countries and the
Far East bolstered by recent falls in the value of
Sterling, he continues. However, output levels need to
strengthen UK export growth further, particularly to
developing countries, to ensure a sustainable recovery
alongside the creation of new jobs and a marked increase
in non-essential investment.
There is now a chorus of agreement that t he UK
manufacturings greatest opportunities lie East. With the
Prime Ministers recent trade mission to India, there
should be further impetus for any and every company
making goods in Britain to at least explore whether their
products have a market in Asia.
The CBIs la test month ly Industria l Trends Survey
highlights UK manufacturers seeing demand for their
goods continue to improve in August, as overseas orders
returned to normal levels. Responding to the survey, 21%
of manufacturers said that total orders were above
normal a nd 34 % said they w ere below. The resulting
rounded ba lance of -14% is the highest since August
20 08 (-13%) and a slight improvement on Julys ba lance
of -16%. Export order books strengthened more
noticeably, w ith 24% reporting them to above normal,
and 24% below normal. That gives a rounded bala n
-1%, compa red with -12% in the J uly survey.
With overall demand for UK-made goods continto improve, manufacturers expect production to
further over the next three months. 3 0% predict ou
will increase, w hile 20 % ant icipate a fall. The resu
balance of + 10% is an improvement on expectatio
July (+ 6%), with predictions for manufactu
production edging higher after weakening over the
two months. But price pressures are ongoing within
manufacturing sector, w ith a ba lance of 11% of
expecting to raise prices, compared to + 5% in
previous survey. Meanwhile, stock levels adequacy
broadly uncha nged (+ 1%) for the second month run
the ba lance is the lowest since J une 200 7 (-2%).
Lai Wah Co, CB I Head of Economic Anal
comments: Prospects for the manufacturing se
remain very positive. Demand is steadily improv
helped by the revival of export orders after s
weakness last month, and manufacturers expect slig
stronger production growth in the three months ahe
So we have demand, and we have opportunit
anything is lacking, then it seems to be confide
Graeme Allinson comments: UK manufacturing nee
inject some confidence in itself. As a bank weve
virtually no write offs and very few bad debts throug
the recession with in manufa cturing. This secto
conservative and perhaps reluctant to take on more
even when opportunities present themselves, and
banks have an appetite to lend. If a lack of confid
continues to prevail this could hinder UK
manufacturing more than any other factor.
Julys output figures were up, Augusts were down a typical
couple of months in the manufacturing cycle. But for sustained
growth, the UKs manufacturers are being encouraged to look
East, and exploit opportunities in Asia. Mark Simms reports
INDUSTRY NEWS w w w. indus t r ia lt ec hnolog y.c o.
Ma nufa c t ure r s enc our a g ed
to look Eastfor oppor t unit y
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Innovation in Miniature Tel: 01753 886664Fax: 01753 889588
www.industrial-microhydraulics.co.ue-mail: [email protected]
Lee Products Limited, 3 High Street, Chalfont St Peter, Bucks SL9 9Q
For more information, contact Lee Products
mailto:[email protected]://www.eriks.co.uk/http://www.bambi-air.co.uk/ -
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BAE Systems, along with partner General
Dynamics Armament and Technica l Products,
delivered to the US Navy the first automated
magazine for the 155-mm Advanced Gun
System (AGS) being developed for the DDG 1000
(Zumwa lt) Destroyer Program. The ma gazine is th e first
major production component to be delivered under the
AGS program. It is one of a total of four magazines that
will be built under a Navy contract to produce four AGS
weapon systems for the Navy's first two Zumwalt class
destroyers.
More than 40 Exlar GSX20 and GSX30 linear
actua tors are used for each gun a nd maga zine as part of
the Advanced Gun System. Exlars inverted roller screw
actuators with integrated brushless servo motors provide
linear actuation as part of the worlds largest fully
automated ammunition supply magazine. Exlars GSX
series actuator combines a brushless servo motor, an
inverted roller screw and an encoder/resolver feedbac k
source into a single compact assembly, which eliminates
the cost and complexity of a systems engineering
approach, as all elements for producing linear motion
have been properly matched and designed into the
actuator.
Closed loop servo systemsThe brushless servo design of th e GSX series linear
actuators allows them to be used in state-of-the art
closed loop servo systems where electronic control of
positioning and velocity is required. In these systems,
position feedback can be provided in a number of
different forms to match customer specifications,
including resolvers, encoders or internally mounted
linear position feedback sensors.
The GS X series a ctua tors employ a n inverted roller
screw mechanism to convert the rotary motion of the
brushless motor into high speed, high thrust linear
motion. This mechanism ha s a lead accurac y of
25 mm/30 0mm for high precision operat ion and ca n
also be supplied with zero backlash. GSX actuators are
suitable for use in many other demanding application
including: automatic tool changers, dispensing, wir
guiding, chip and wafer handling, robot manipulation
testing, web guidance, indexing material cutting, tensio
control, volumetric pumps, simulation testing
automated assembly, injection molding and riveting,
joining and fastening.
www.exlar.com
Exlar Corporation has announced its award to provide linear
actuators for the US Navys Advanced Gun System Program
INDUSTRYNEWS w ww. indus t r ia lt ec hnology.c o.
Linear actuation for AdvancedGun S ys t em for t he US Na vy
ERIKS UK has recently applied its engineering
know-how to the re-manufacture of a tyre
shredder used at one of the UKs largest tyre
recycling centres. ERIKS specified and sourced
a complete range of power transmission products for the
in-house build, ensuring a more efficient and productive
finished machine.
The tyre-recycling centre in quest ion is ca pab le of
recycling up to five million individual tyres each year a nd
reducing them to a fine quality crumb which can be
used for a range of products including sports surfaces
an d childrens playgrounds. The operator had a
requirement for a damaged tyre shredder to be fully
overhauled. A large number of components needed to be
repaired or replaced including the motors, gearboxes,
couplings, bearings and drive chains; due to the high
energy usage of the machine the client also saw this as
an opportunity to up-date the shredder and make it
more energy efficient.
Reduced lead timesFollowing approval from the client, ERIKS engineers
completed a detailed strip-down and inspection of the
entire ma chine. Mahesh P at el, Technica l Mana ger at
ERIKS, says: Once we had seen the damage that had
been caused we could identify which parts could be
repaired and w hich needed to be replaced. We then
worked with the customer throughout the project,
specifying and supplying the best components for the
job to rebuild and update the shredder; not having to
outsource jobs to other companies allows us to
drastically reduce lead times and manage costs.
Large 75kW WEG high efficiency motors were
chosen to drive the main shears that reduce the tyres to
a fine crumb, smaller WEG motors were also chosen to
drive the primary handling rotors that feed the tyres into
the shears. One of the benefits of WEGs W22 range is
its energy efficient performance, which reduces losse
by 10 -40%c ompared w ith typica l motors. Fenaflex Ty
Couplings were used to connect the motors to the inlin
gearbox. The couplings are highly efficient and ha v
excellent shock absorbing properties, isolating th
motors from vibration and torsional oscillat ions. The Ty
couplings have zero backlash, which is ideal fo
reversing applications, especially when using geare
drives. Wear can be detected through visual inspection
The tw o in-line reduction gea rboxes in t he ma in driv
system were stripped and assessed, due to th
significant wear present on the gear teeth, all ge
internals were replaced with new case carburised gea
manufactured in-house. Seals and bearings wer
replaced or upgraded as necessary using leading bran
components with high wear factors and lower frictio
coefficients for maximum efficiency. Right-angle Fenne
gearboxes were used to drive the handling rotors and th
opposing ends were mounted on SKF housed bearing
reducing the maintenance requirements and maximisin
robustness in the design.
In addition to the motors, couplings and gearboxe
ERIKS also supplied components such as seals,
gearbox bearings, drive chain and sprockets.
www.eriks.co.uk
ERIKS ability to provide repair services in addition to OEM component specification and supplymade it the ideal point of contact for a full service solution for a tyre shredding machine rebuild
Energ y s a ving rebuild for tyre shredder
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w w w.indus t r ia lt ec hnology.c o.uk INDUSTRYNEW
Bottle caps the foil coverings on corks of
wine and spirit bottles are often taken for
granted and even overlooked. But the
procedure it takes to create one is
surprisingly complicated, involving a large number of
complex and precise stages. Now, an innovative
compact drive system from Maxon Motor has
revolutionised the process, making it simpler, more
reliable and cheaper.
In addition to controlling local inputs and outputs,
program selection, start and stop signals and many
other pro-
cesses, one of
the prime benefits
that the MCD
offers is a high
level of relia-
bility something
for which Maxon has
become well-known.
This is es pecially im-
portant on a factory line,
where breakdowns are not just
costly in terms of mechanical repairs, but much more
so in lost production time.
Beyond the trademark Maxon reliability, the MCD
also reduces the number of parts necessary to perform
the role. The drives small size disguises a 60W
brushless DC motor combined with a maxon ceramic
gearhead GP 32 C (reduction ratio 18:1), to further
reduce wear. It also uses a very small motion controller
from Maxons popular EPOS range to ably deal with the
wide range of instructions required and more, if
necessary
greatly reducing
the amount of space
the drive as a whole takes
up. At one time this approach
would have been impractical, since
so-called compact drives were very
large but advances made in Maxons
laboratories have made it possible to
localise power a nd control in a single pa ckage.
Senior sales engineer Paul Williams says: By
removing any excess parts and keeping things simple,
a compact drive reduces the number of parts needed.
Fewer parts mean fewer breakages and lower costs.
The compa ct drive system is a single low-maintena nce
box operating in a space not much bigger than the ca ps
it makes. Its smaller than any previous controlling
package, but able to deliver even better results than
ever. The MCD is proof that good things really do
come in small packages.
www.maxonmotor.co.uk
Maxon Motors compact drive revolutionises
the creation of bottle caps for wine
Tiny drive s how s a lot of bot t le
mailto:[email protected]://uk.spray.com/http://uk.spray.com/ -
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INDUSTRYNEWS
The UK needs to create a
portfolio of low carbon
technologies to address its
particular greenhouse gas
issues and reach the target of an 80
per cent reduction in CO2 emissions
by 2050. Now the governments
Committee on Climate Change has
identified which low carbon tech-
nologies the UK should concentrate
on if it is to achieve its long term CO2
reduction targets and establish a
world-class green economy.
The UK must develop and deploy
offshore wind, ma rine, ca rbon capture
and storage (CCS) for power
generation, aviation technologies,
smart grids, and electric vehicle
technologies. It must deploy nuclear
power, advanced insulation ma terials,
heat pumps and CCS for energy
intensive industries (there may also be
scope for UK participation indemonstration of industry CCS). And
it must research and develop
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles,
technologies in agriculture and
industry, third generation solar PV
technologies, energy storage and
advanced biofuels technologies.
Jeff Whiting, Mitsubishi Electrics
Melsoft Energy Centre spokesman,
comments: Current UK funding is
low by international standards and
well below the recommendations of
the St ern report. The report suggests
that investment levels need to a t least
double, and possibly be increased 5-
10 fold. Successive governments need
to mindful of this as they set economic
strategy in the coming decades.
Technological success in these fields
will help establish a strong position in
the emerging global green economy.
On the whole, power generation
and carbon capture developments are
on track, although there is still a very
long way to go, he continues.
However, more funding is needed for
electric vehicles and radical
technologies in aviation, such as
blended wing geometries and cleaner
burning engines. It is further
recognised that some of these
objectives will be addressed in
international consortia, others wil
require public support.
Strong leadership is needed, with
clear long term strategies for
developing these technologies as wellas identifying the level and form of
public support along with clear
mechanisms for delivery.
BarriersThe energy report ident ifies tha t
conversion to green technologies is
slowed by both design conservatism
(an unwillingness to move too far from
existing technologies and innovate)
and investment conservatism
(financiers tend to back established
ideas where returns are calculable,
leaving innovators underfunded even
UK low carbon
s t r a t e g y be g ins
t o t a ke s ha peWhat does a low carbon economy really mean?
The Committee on Climate Change has given us
some ideas of what we need to be doing
mailto:[email protected]://www.aircontrolindustries.com/ -
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11/52S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 0 INDU S TRIAL TECHNOLOGY
w ww. indus t r ia lt ec hnology.c o.uk
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though success could be very
lucrative).
In addition consumers can find it
difficult to identify and support green
initiatives. They a re often unab le to
determine the greenest solution for
their needs, and may even perceive
low carbon products as less desirable
than their traditional counterparts.
Risk management also brings
problems. It is likely that some of the
low carbon solutions and technologies
under development will ultimately fail
to deliver their projected results for
one reason or another.
Any low carbon strategy must
address these barriers as much as the
technical solutions in order to secure
financial backing, says Whiting.
Further to this, it is also vital to bringthe general populous onboard, gaining
social impetus a nd pressure to accept
and implement new low carbon
initiatives.
Technology pathsThe report identifies tha t deciding
what to do first, and what can wait, is
a big barrier to getting started. A goal
of the committee was to classify
possibilities by both their difficulty and
their effectiveness. Things tha t are
easy and effective can be started
immediately; hard but effective things
need to be started early with the
acceptance that the resolution may be
long term; less effective things can be
fitted into established schedules
where convenient.
Decarbonising the nations
generating capacity will have big
effects and will also knock on into
decarbonised transport through the
use of electric vehicles, says Whiting.
Fortunately wind power is already
well established, as are the supporting
infrastructures for offshore
deployment. Similarly wave and tidal
power and nuclear power are in and
advanced states of development; but
there rema in ma ssive political/social
barriers to overcome. Other marine
technologies, such as coastal and
subsea current generators should be
developed within a relatively short
time. Carbon capture and storage also
holds significant promise, although
technical development and financial
incentives for wide deployment remain
some way off.
The Committee on Ca rbon Chang e
identify that the decarbonising of
energy generation is the first priority;
activity is underway and significant
gains should be made within the next
10 years. So from about 2020, the
emphasis can shift more towards
cleaning up transport, by which time
electric drive train technology shouldbe highly developed.
Road vehicles will be the obvious
change; rail is already largely
electrical, although it needs to be fed
with green power, says Whiting.
Marine transport of goods a
significant carbon source will also
see considerable electrification,
although there is also massive
potential from cleaner diesel, wind
assistance and other options. Later
still aviation can be addressed, but
because fundamental developments
are needed real effects are likely to be
some decades off.
He concludes: The committee ha s
done good work, mapping out the
milestones of a 50 year strategy.
Reticent design and investment con-
servation needs to be laid aside, and
the general population must embrace
the new carbon reduction technologies
to move forwa rd. There is also a real
need for new incentives, both supply
side and demand led to be developed;
releasing both public and private
funding and ensuring a strong future
for UK commerce and industry in
the low carbon revolution.
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DAVE BROWNS
CAD ROUNDUPComputer aided design, engineering and manufacturing
Flying car engineeredw it h virtual prototyping
The worlds first commercial
flying car will go the distance
on both roads and runways
next year when it rolls off the
production line thanks, in part, to
design optimization from Ansys.
Massa chusett s-based Terrafugia used
Ansys engineering simulation software
to design and verify its new production
prototype of the Transition a ircraft tha t
also can drive on the road, which was
unveiled at the EAA AirVenture
airshow.
Terrafugia engineers conducted
whole-vehicle airflow tests that
assessed the effects of design changes
on overall performa nce working in
para llel across th e various Transition
components. The simulations w ere
used to maximise wing lift in the air
and to minimize the effects ofcrosswinds along the road.
The Tran sitions test fligh ts
identified some important engineering
issues that Ansys fluid dynamics
software helped us to address in the
production prototype, says Gregor
Cadm an, a n engineer at Terrafugia.
"Our latest design improves both the
in-air and on-road performance of the
Transition, a s well as ensures tha t the
vehicle lends itself to full-scale
manufacturing.
Simulation software from Ansys
played a central role in these
engineering efforts. Without the ability
to work in a virtual environment, we
would have had to construct
complicated physical models, modify
or rebuild them, and conduct hours of
real-world testing, slowing down theprocess a nd a dding significantly to
development costs.
The Tran sition is t he w orlds first
vehicle to combine a lightweight,
aerodynamic aircraft with the stability
needed for long-distance driving on the
road. The vehicle can cruise up to 49 0
miles at over 105 miles per hour, can
drive at highway speeds on the road,
and is capable of transforming from
plane to car in less than 30 seconds.
The sophistica ted design fea tures
foldable wings that span more than 26
feet, a rear-wheel-drive system for the
road and a propeller for flight.
Terrafugias tea m of aeronautica l
engineers earned global a ttention when
the Transition proof-of-concept vehicle
completed a successful 60-second test
flight in March 20 09. The compa nyexpects to begin commercial
production of the vehicle in 2011.
Working closely with ANSYS
product specia lists, t he Terrafugia
engineering tea m a lso studied the
impact of the Transitions propeller on
air flows around the vehicle. As the
project developed over time, engineers
applied simulation tools to study ever-
smaller and more precise design
modifications, which a dded to t heir
confidence tha t the Transition w ill
perform well in flight testing.
The dua l challenges of driving and
flying present significant challenges for
aeronautical engineers, says Greg
Stuckert, aerospace industry manager
at Ansys. Terrafugias us e of
engineering simulation to fine-tune
designs throughout the development
process not just at the end for
verification contributed to a n
optimised historic vehicle and an
efficient product la unch. Their ea rlier
successful test flights and this years
production prototype are the proof that
their efforts are paying off.
www.ansys.com
E-tools make lifeeasier for engineersBosch Rexroth is now offering a
comprehensive family of software
Engin eering Tools or E-Tools t ha t
cover virtually every type of
engineering project and every
project stage. Developed by
engineers for engineers to save
time and to simplify routine tasks,
the E-Tools include pa ckag es to
assist w ith design, installation,
product selection and even on-
going support.
www.boschrexroth.co.uk
Rittals new Power
Engineering toolPower Engineering v4.1, is
Rittals new version of planning
and configuration software for
type-tested low-voltage
switchgear of its Ri4Power
systems, Form 1, Form 2-4 and
Ri4P owe r Form 1 ISV. The
software offers q uick and easy
generation of quotations and bill
of materials with better a ssembly
information and the capa bility to
view the side of the assembly,where part numbers and their
location within the system are
indicated.
www.rittal.co.uk
Vibration control
software for testingAutomotive manufacturers can
now reduce their costs and test
times thanks to an upgraded
edition of LDS Random Vibration
Control Software Version 8.1 .
LDS part of the Brel &Kjr
group since November 2008
created this softwa re for use with
its Laser USB vibration controller.
The Rand om Vibration Control
Software improves laboratory
simulation of real-life vibration
when testing automobile
components, including suspension
systems, DVD players, radios,
dash boards, roof racks or GPS
systems . The new version allows
a wider range of test simulations.
www.bksv.co.uk
Teffafugias roadable aircraft has been optimised for flight and driving
with minimal physical testing, using Ansys virtual prototyping software
Without the ability to work in a virtualenvironment, we would have had toconstruct complicated physical models andconduct hours of real-world testing
Image court esy Terrafugi a
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13/52S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 0 INDU S TRIAL TECHNOLOGY
F
irst-time inventors w ill be
pleased to hear a bout a free,
no nonsense e-guide which
sets out how to take an
invention from rough concept to
polished product. The guide ha s been
produced by experts with over 30 years
experience at the international product
development agency, Industrial Design
Consultancy (IDC).
We receive calls from inventors
bristling with new ideas on a daily
basis, but it can often be a frustrating
experience all-round if all the
groundwork hasnt been completed
beforehand a nd the concept isnt ready
for product development. Inventors all
face common cha llenges and set-backs
when going it alone. Yet there is verylittle advice freely available which
provides a c omprehensive How To
guide explaining each essential stage of
the process, so thats exactly what we
have produced, explains Stephen
Knowles, managing director of IDC.
Laid out step-by-step, the IDC
Inventors Guide offers a clear
introduction to research and
development, the patenting process,
confidentiality a greements and costs, a s
well as advice about seeking outside
investment, licensing and marketing. It
provides all the need-to-know essentials
necessary for planning and assessing
the development of a profitable product
and protecting it. For those who feel
ready to sta rt the product design and
development process, there is also a
60-second checklist, questionnaire and
confidentiality agreement to ensure all
the areas have been covered beforeinvesting precious funds and time.
Recent inventors whose products
have made headlines following
engineering, product design and
development support at IDC, include a
next generation motorcycle helmet
ca lled the Superskin ava ilable from
Laser Helmets. The product recently
launched in a global market to united
prais e. The medic-turned-inventor
behind the concept, Dr Ken Philips, has
received w ide-spread recognition for
dreaming up a way to help reduce
rotational head injury the biggest
cause of fata l head injuries amongst
bikers during road accidents.
The ground-brea king helmet mimics
nature by using a membrane which acts
as a powerful skin-like covering to
protect the scalp, reducing rotational
forces on impact and providing vastly
increased protection for the head andbrain. With over ten years of
development and investment totalling in
excess of 1million, Dr. Phillips says
the road from concept to production has
been a long one. The IDC Inventors
Guide aims to make the journey easier
by providing a quick-read reference
manual to help potential inventors keepon the right road without time-
consuming diversions and detours.
www.idc.uk.com/process/inventors-guide
Efficient motorsGambica
Gambica has published a new
guide titled Selection of
Efficient Motors &Controls.
The guide as sists in th e
selection of the best motor and
control technology.
http://bit.ly/GAMBICA
AdhesivesHenkel
To ena ble users to choose t he
right structural adhesive for the
job in hand, Henkel has
produced a handy selector
chart a really useful circular
device.
www.360bonding.com
Power transmissionOndrives
Ondrives has launched its
brand new 528 page catalogue
containing its unique red
anodised gearboxes and a
complete range of power
transmission parts.
www.ondrives.com
Rolling bearingsNSK
NSK has produced a handy,
pocket-sized guide covering a ll
aspects of rolling bearing
maintenance. S piral b ound for
easy reading, the guide runs to
over 80 pages.
www.nskeurope.com
Power transmissionBaldor
Baldor has released a major
new catalogue overviewing th
range of industrial motors,
drives, power transmission a
motion control products it
stocks in Europe.
www.baldor.eu
CANbus systemsSensor-Technik
Things a re looking up for
Sens or-Technik UK, with
turnover almost doubled in the
past year, expanded hea dcount
and further recruitment under
wa y. The expansion is proof
that an increased focus on
CANbus syst ems is meeting
market needs.
www.sensor-technik.co.uk
New ERIKS branchERIKS
ERIKS has relocated its
Coventry branch to purpose
built premises at Hotchkiss
Way on Binley Industrial esta te.
The new b ranch loca tion is part
of the ERIKS UK national
network of 75 outlets,
workshops, technology certres
and manufacturing sites
www.eriks.co.uk
Marine orderABB
ABB has won a n order worth
$20 million to provide
complete power systems,
drilling drive and propulsion
systems for a new deep water
drilling rig to be built by
Daewoo Shipbuilding a nd
Marine Engineering at its
shipyard in South Korea.
www.abb.com
BearingsRevolvo
Revolvo has made a n
investment of almost 1m in
two new GER CNC grinding
machines, and as a result has
improved its throughput of
large solid bearings (over
500mm) by over 400%,
cutting the lead times to
around 24-weeks.
www.revolvo.com
Drives supportVacon
Vacon ha s appointed Ralspee
as an Official Service Partner
for Vac on products. In this ne
role, Ralspeed is offering a fa
response maintenance service
for Vac on drives at customer
sites using its fleet of extreme
well equipped drives
ambulances.
www.vacon.com
An es s ent ia l e-g uide for invent or s
New guides and brochures for your bookshelf
News in brief...
HIGHLIGHThismonth
featured
literature
ENGINEERING LITERATURE
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POWERTRANSMISSION B ra kes , Clut c hes & Coupling s
INDU S TRIAL TECHNOLOGY S e p t e m b e r 2 0
Ope r a t or s a fe t y a nd
pro t ec t ionof machines
In this changing world some people may advise that
mechanical torque limiters are old-fashioned and
unnecessary, a nd tha t electronic monitoring ca n meet
the needs of machine protection and operator sa fety.
What is actually needed is a device to prevent damage
from accidental collisions that can lead to expensive
downtime. Also the increasing emphasis on operator
safety as EN ISO 13849 approaches demands a higher
level of protection than was acceptable before. In these
cases the humble mechanical torque limiter remains the
optimal a nswer beca use it disconnects the drive from the
driven parts in a very short time.
Where there is a slow increase in load, for example
due to da maged bearings or dirt contamina tion, electronic
sensing ca n work well. There is time to stop the d rive an d
the signal can be used as a preventative alarm. On the
other hand w here the load increase is sudden, for example
due to a mis-feed or mechanical breakage, only a
mechanical torque limiter can give protection. By
introducing a disconnection between the motor and the
driven load, the torque limiter takes much of the inertial
energy out of the drive train. Indeed where the limiter can
be positioned at low speed close to the output,
practically all the kinetic energy can be
disconnected resulting in a greatly
reduced possibility of damage orinjury.
Disconnection is not
instantaneous; depending on
the design and size of limiter it
can take from single figures to
tens of milliseconds. However,
electronic systems cannot
match this performance as they
have to sense the overload and
then apply a braking torque to
bring the drive train to a stop.
Therefore wh en it comes to
achieving maximum protection and
safety, mechanical torque limiters
remain the only real answer. So what are
the mecha nical options?
Simple friction torque limiters drive using
spring loaded rubbing faces that connect to a driven
wheel, often a pla te wheel. These friction torque limiters are
low cost, easy to adjust steplessly, and react very quickly to
shock loads . They do not suit operation in oily environments,
or prolonged slippage which introduces wear and the need
for read justment. Therefore they are best used a t low speed,
positioned close to the output. They are ava ilable in a wide
range of rated torques from 1 to 23000Nm.
A higher consistency of release torque and the a bility for
operation in oily and dirty environments is met by stepping
up to a ball or roller design of torque limiter. Both work by
spring pressure, usually from disc type springs, that push
together two plates. The plates ha ve recesses for
hardened balls or rollers and when an overload
occurs the ba lls/rollers rise up out of their
recesses and run in a track around the plates.
Disconnection is not instantaneous as the
springs have to be compressed when the plates
move apart. Ball designs require less separation
and can be more sensitive whilst roller designs
are useful to avoid nuisance tripping on small
torque variations, also to transmit higher
torques. The release a ction of ball and roller types of torque
limiters gives an axial movement that can be detected by a
micro switch or proximity switch, allowing the drive to be
turned off.
Possible variantsMany variants are available based on the ball and roller
principle. By positioning the rollers asymmetrically, re-
engagement will always be in a synchronised angular
position. Alternatively multiple positions such as every 180
or 60 are possible. The recesses can be ma chined to give
different torques according to the direction of rotation.
Models are available for in-line transmission with shaft
couplings, also offset with narrow or wide gears and
pulleys. These popular designs are to some
extent a European standard product andhave ratings from 2 to 12000 Nm.
Reversing and reciprocating
drives in the packaging industry
have triggered further development
of ball type torque limiters with
ba cklash free varia nts. These
have also found use with index
tables, printing machines and
ma chine tools. The interna l
structure of the torque limiter is
modified to remove splines and
generally a locking bush
connection to the shaft is used. A
higher degree of sensitivity is possible
too by using disc springs that have a
nega tive spring rate. Thus as the drive
plates begin to separate on overload, the
spring force decreases and the release time becomes
very fast indeed. Such torque limiters are more complex and
costly but offer th e highest levels of protection. They a re
typically available for torques up to 750Nm and can be
supplied with stainless steel construction for severe
environments.
Generally mechanica l torque limiters a re set to release a t
the highest torque required by the drive plus a service factor.
In many machines the starting torque is often the highest
torque. Setting the torque limiter above this level is
necessary to prevent tripping on start-up, but may result in
a lack of sensitivity during the normal working part of a
mac hine cycle. The ab ility to easily ad just the release to
during a cycle, or perhaps for a different product runnin
a machine, is an advantage contributing to a higher de
of protection. Electronic monitoring can easily ha
different levels of torque, but as mentioned above does
give the disconnection. The torque limiter solution is to
pneumatic actuation.
Pneumatic torque limiters are effectively clutches
the a bility to d isconnect a drive. A pneumatic piston rep
the springs of mechanical limiters, and the release torq
directly proportional to the air pressure applied. Factor
pressures up to 6 bar are used and this gives the abili
vary the release torque through a work cycle, or to qu
set a new release torque for a new machine set-up. Var
torques can be set for coilers and uncoilers proportion
the reel diameter. These roller based designs synchrinput to output and give release torques in a range of
30000Nm.
Over the years mechanical torque limiters have
developed to suit a number of market niches. Linear
limiters trip when a set force is exceeded either in tensi
compression and are frequently used as gearbox to
arms. A pneumatic friction design suits simple tensio
applications as the pneumatic cylinder automati
compensates for wear on the friction linings. Roller type
be supplied to give an overload signal without disconne
the drive, a useful feature where the load might other
fall. Every application has individual requirements
protection and sensitivity. Where operator safety is a fa
higher standards are needed and advice from experie
suppliers is recommended. The new sa fety sta nda rd EN
13849-1 requires machine designers to re-assess haz
although, as a standard related to control systems, it
not specifically deal with torque limiting. Nevertheles
review process may identify torque limiters as a solutio
achieving higher safety levels.
Mechanical torque limiters are today available in w
different forms to suit prac tically a ll types of mac hinery
level of protection achieved depends on the sensitivity
repeatability of the torque limiter. Compared to elect
torque monitoring, mechanical torque limiters offer
important advantage of disconnection where the in
energy on the drive side is isolated from the outpu
reducing da mage and improving sa fety.
www.techdrives.co.uk
In this artice, the experts at Lenze provide a comparison
of mechanical and electronic torque limitation methods
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mailto:[email protected]://www.centatechnology.co.uk/mailto:[email protected]://www.mayr.co.uk/mailto:[email protected]://www.tandler.co.uk/ -
7/25/2019 IT September 2010
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POWERTRANSMISSION B ra kes , Clut c hes & Coupling s
Wind power coupling now
w it h int eg ra l safety brake
Wind power plants place
high demands on the
connection between
gearbox and generator.
Substantial shock torques together with
high shaft misalignments must be
adequately catered for during the
running life of up to 20 years. It is
therefore important to develop a low
maintenance solution offering protection
against unpermitted overloads and
electrical isolation to prevent leakage
currents damaging the driveline.
Instead of simply offering a customer
specified brake disk integrated to a
coupling, Ma yr Pow er Transmissions
offers a complete modular system.
Although conventional hydraulic brakes
can apply high brake torque, they are
more prone to failure due to leaking
callipers, damaged hoses and wear on
the valves resulting in downtime and
high maintenance and repair costs. Due
to its high reliability, the Mayr ROBA-
diskstop electromagnetic brake is a
viable alternative for small and medium
wind power installations.
High frictional workUnder normal conditions, the turbine
rotor is slowed by feathering the pitch of
the blades, reducing the rotor speed
before engaging the brakes. On
emergency stop, the brakes have to
engage at full generator speed and
ab sorb very high frictiona l work. To cope
with this, Mayr has developed special
sintered brake linings which offer high
thermal sta bility, more reliable surface
pressures and very low wear rates.
At the core of the module is the
patented ROBA-DS coupling fea turing an
electrically isolating GRP intermediate
sleeve which can be disassembled
without moving the gearbox or generator
radially. The coupling can a ccommoda te
up to 4 of misalignment, and the
couplings torsional and compensation
rigidity values can be optimised at the
design stage.
Overload protection is achieved by
an integrated frictionally locked sleeve.
The special friction mat erial ha s beendesigned to maintain a stable and
repeatable release torque exhibiting a
tolerance of 15% over 1000 releases.
The w hole wind power module is
designed to be maintenance-free over its
entire service lifetime when used under
normal turbine operating conditions.
Where high friction work is encountered
all that is required is periodic inspection
and renewal of the brake linings.
www.mayr.co.uk
This modular solution drawn on Mayrs decades
of experience with torque limiters, shaft
couplings and electromagnetic safety brakesH
uco Dynatorks Multi-Beam
coupling has proved itself a
highly cost-competitive
method of accommodating any
combination of axial motion and
angular and parallel misalignment.
It is a lso an exceptionally versatile
device thanks to Huco Dynatorks
ability to manufacture this coupling
from a broad variety of materials.
Although aluminium and stainles
steel are the standard materials of
manufacture for its ex-stock range
Huco Dynatork also supplies the
Multi-Beam in nylon and acetyl for
the food a nd chemical industries. An
in response to customer demand for
lightweight coupling with high fatigue
life a nd strength, the product is
ava ilable in titanium. Another
successful development ha s been the
introduction of the Multi-Beam in
Victrex P EEK.
www.huco.com
Mult i-bea m
coupling in
any mat eria l
ReliancePrecision Mechatronics LLP
Precision cut: Plain and anti-backlash AQ14, ISO quality 3 gears. Ideal for precision
measurement and light instrumentation
Fine pitch ground: Gears with high accuracy and higher torque capacity. Hardened to
49 - 55HRc. Available down to 0.5 module
Brass:An economical balance of accuracy and load capacity against cost gears. Canbe run with minimal lubrication
Specials: Non-standard data transmission and actuation gears. Produced to BS EN ISO9001:2000 and AS9100 revision B, ideal for the aerospace and defence industries
Comprehensive Gear Range
Call our Sales Team on +44 (0) 1484 601002
Visit us at www.rpmechatronics.co.uk
Unique Solutions from Proven Concepts
INDU S TRIAL TECHNOLOGY S e p t e m b e r 2 0
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J oint s a re wea r a nd
corros ion res is t a nt
T
he service life of
mechanical components
can d ecrease rapidly under
aggressive a mbient
conditions. This is also t rue of angle
joints/ba ll joints, b all studs an d
housings/ba ll sockets. Thes e
important linking elements used in
many fields are open to attacks
from external sources, and are also
exposed to the tensile, compressive,
folding and shear forces generated
by the application.
In order to extend the service
life, the angle joints, ball joints, ball
studs, housings, ball sockets from
MBO Osswa ld are now even better
adapted to the installation
environment, since they are now
available in a new variant of
stainless austenitic chrome-nickel-
molybdenum steel 1.4404
(316S11, Aisi 316L).
This materia l has outstan ding
corrosion-resistan ce properties in
natural environments (urban a nd
rural atmospheres, seawater-
resistant) a nd in industrial
applications with moderate chloride
an d acid concent rations. The food
and chemical industries (sulphuric
and phosphoric acids, organic
acids) also tend to turn to this
material, w hich even after welding
is insensitive to intercrystalline
corrosion.
The wh ole range of sta inless
austenitic chrome-nickel-
molybdenum steel angle and ball
joints is available from MBO
Osswald from stock.
www.mbo-osswald.de
Reduce costs
...with latest..
/ex-stock70,000 products no minimum order no cutting costs with
24 hrs or today. Test now ask for a free sample! plastics for longer lif
igus (UK) Limited Phone 01604-677240 Fax -677242 [email protected].
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technology...
S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 0 INDU S TRIAL TECHNOLOGY
http://www.igus.co.uk/ex-stockhttp://www.igus.co.uk/ex-stockmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.howdon.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.igus.co.uk/ex-stock -
7/25/2019 IT September 2010
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Electronic devices are becoming smaller with
many power hungry features, resulting in the
battery pack also becoming smaller, but at thesame time requiring greater capacity. Such
devices are often carried in peoples pockets, increasing
the potentia l safety h aza rd and risk of personal injury. To
reduce that risk, education of the consumer plays a
significant part by promoting the safe use of ba tteries a nd
discouraging the purchase of non-genuine or counterfeit
batteries and chargers.
While it is true that the increase in capacity of todays
batteries, and end-user misuse, is part of the reason for
the Li-ion batterys bad publicity, the manufacturing
process has also been questioned. Many battery safety
incidents involving notebook PCs have been linked to
inadequate procedures relating to the avoidance of
contaminates in production. As a result of the high
number of incidents involving Li-ion batteries, there was
an international move to improve testing and quality
control through the introduction of standards including UL
1642 Lithium Batteries, IEEE 1725 IEEE Standard for
Recha rgeable Ba tteries for Cellular Telephones a nd UN
Recommenda tions on the Transport of Da ngerous Goods
Manual of Tests a nd Criteria (ST/SG/AC.1 0/11 ).
Another key cat a lyst wa s the introduct ion of the CTIA
(Cellular Telecommunica tions and Internet Associat ion)
certification scheme, an industry led initiative in the USA
that is based on the IEEE 1725 standard. Whilst
US-centric, it has had a positive effect worldwide as
manufacturers are unlikely to exclude themselves from the
massive potent ial of the American ma rket. The CTIA
programme wa s devised in partnership with leading cellular
network operators and required all
products to undergo mandatory
third-party testing a nd auditing, w ithcertification categories covering
cells, battery packs and power
adapters, as well as complete
cellular product systems. The CTIA
requirements now also include
another standard, IEEE 1625,
which relates to notebook computers with GSM
functionality that use Li-ion battery packs.
Manufacturers of Li-ion batteries now include internal
protection devices, in addition to the protection circuits
within the overall battery pack, to guard a gainst excessive
hea t and pressure. These include a vent plate, w hich
allows the safe release of gas, a positive temperature
coefficient (PTC) so that a device safely trips at a
pre-determined current, and a separator, which once it
reaches its defined temperature prevents the electrical
current from flowing. Some prismatic batteries also have
an additional feature, a thermal fuse which limits the
current under fault conditions.
A protection circuit is also usually fitted within the
battery pack that monitors the cell and prevents over-
charge, over-discharge, and over-current. Also present is a
temperature sensing device designed to invoke protective
action in the event of over-temperature.
Lithium-ion batteries have a number of importance
advantages:
1. High energy density: Compared to other batterytechnologies such as nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd), the energy
density of the Li-ion battery is greater with the opportunity
to increase capacity, for example by adding more nick
the cathode.
2. Small package size and weight: The Li-ion bat teideal for portable consumer products. Designers have
option of using the prismatic package, which is typi
thinner than 19mm, or the Li-ion polymer pouch, w
is typically thinner than 5mm. In addition to the
advantage, there is also a reduction in weight due to
chemistry (eg solid/gel electrolytes ra ther tha n l
electrolytes) and the packaging used (eg foil).
3. Memory effect: Unlike Ni-Cd, Li-ion batteries dosuffer from memory effect. Memory effect occurs w
over time a battery has been consistently partly used
then fully recharged which results in the appearanc
rapid discharge. In modern batteries this is more like
be caused by voltage depression as a result of repe
overcharging leading to clogged plates which incre
internal resistance thus lowering the voltage of the bat
4. Low discharge rate: Compared with orechargeable batteries Li-ion have a low self-disch
rate which means they can be left unused for longer.
But we have to balance that against the partic
disadvanta ges of Lithium ion ba tteries:
1. Protection: Li-ion batteries are sensitivetemperature and the chemistry is complex, ther
circuitry is required to protect the battery against o
charge, over-discharge, and over-temperature.
2. Premature ageing: Li-ion batteries are susceptibcapacity deterioration over time; however, storage of
battery in a cool environment can reduce the effects. O
the ba ttery is shipped by the ma nufacturer it is impo
that it is used it as soon as practic
order to provide the end-user with
longest possible battery life.3. Chemistry: Due to nature of lithium, severe temper
or mechanical impact can resu
venting a nd possible thermal runa
This req uires more extensive t e
than other forms of battery techno
to demonstrate stability in the final battery product
safeguard a gainst potential foreseeable misuse
4. Production costs: Compared to other typerechargeable battery production costs can be high.
The development of Li-ion technology h as play
significant role in the pace of technology evolution
todays user demands that mobile devices and o
technologies give them increased functionality
portability. Li-ion has helped manufacturers delive
that.
While Li-ion batteries still have some disadvant
their progressive development over the last few years
meant that these are far outweighed by the advanta
An improvement of manufac turing processes through
introduction of more robust standards, as wel
increasing consumer understanding of how to res
these batteries, means that the safety of Li-ion
dramatically improved. It is a battery technology that
had a steep learning curve, now resulting in a good ba
option that enhances all of our daily lives. Bad publ
and sa fety scares should be a thing of the past, a t leas
for the non-counterfeit product.
www.tuvps.co.uk
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT &DESIGN B a t t er ies & Pow er S upplies
INDU S TRIAL TECHNOLOGY S e p t e m b e r 2 0
Lithium-ion batteries have helped to revolutionise technology
development. However, they also have a reputation for volatilityand bad press has meant that consumers and manufacturershave questioned their long-term viability. Jean-Louis Evans,managing director at TV Product Service offers this overview
Are Li-ion ba t t er ies s a fe?
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MECHANICALCOMPONENTS Linea r & Rot a ry Ac t ua t ors
INDU S TRIAL TECHNOLOGY S e p t e m b e r 2 0
Gr ea t er c hoic e needed
a sBritain automates
As British manufacturers seek to take advantage
of the weak Euro to boost export sales they are
steadily turning their attention to automation to
increase cost competitiveness. Many are looking
at bespoke systems that are dedicated to the needs of a
specific application. And this is where there is a growing
need for engineering component and sub-assembly
suppliers to provide a wider choice of options.
Companies are trying to improve their efficiency in
different wa ys, explains HepcoMotions Technica l
Manager (Sales) Jason Cox. Some simply bolt-on a
proprietary handling system but many others are building
their own to enable the output of production machinery to
be optimised. Special purpose machinery has alwa ys been
a major market for HepcoMotion but demand is increasing
and the onus is on companies such as ours to provide the
spread of products tha t British industry now needs.
The req uirement is not just for a range of different
sizes, its also for a wider choice of design options to suit
the budget and the application. So in the case of the
HepcoMotion precision ring tra ck system P RT2, for
example, the customer now has the option of double edge,
single edge and ring discs. The double edge ring is a jack
of all trades product giving customers the option to useeither the inside or outside vee profile. Rarely do they use
both, Cox clarifies. Single edge rings are more
application specific, giving more drive capacity at a lower
price. And ring discs provide a useful built-in mounting
area along with improved a ccuracy.
Another important factor in production cost efficiency
is best use of space. Clearly every manufacturer wants to
get the very best return on every square metre of machine
shop so here again the emphasis is on product choice so
that the optimum configuration can be specified.
For example, often a track system using two large
diameter segments in an oval format is more
space efficient than using four smaller segments in
a rectangular layout.
There is a lso growing dema nd for more
compact linear systems in the assembly of small
items. The increasing minia turisat ion of
electronics has ca lled for systems based on much
smaller components with a far greater degree of
precision. A good example of a product whose
introduction has been driven by this need is the
HepcoMotion SBD sealed belt drive. It was developed to
be a compact and extremely clean linear solution and
incorporates a flush, metal cover strip that runs the length
of the unit and houses the b all guide. This prevents the
ingress of dirt and debris, preserving the life of the
product. Customer request prompted HepcoMotion to
extend the SBD size options downwards to accommodate
the demanding duty cycles that are common in micro-
electronic assembly. Predictably, orders for this new
addition initially came from the Far East but now the
domestic market is following suit.
Clean room and fit-and-forgetThis man ufacturing sector ha s also been responsible for
the introduction of new processes, several of which are
performed in clean room conditions. Cox adds: For these
applications our SBD product has a different sealing
method and contains more stainless steel components.
We also provide extraction ports in the bea m to ena ble the
customer to add a partial vacuum system to remove any
debris from inside the unit before it becomes airborne.
Along with automation
comes the need to minimise
dow ntime. There is also
increasing call for machines to
run 24/7 a nd in many of thes e
cases maintenance is more
difficult and the distance
travelled by the linear system
much higher.
Build quality to ensure
reliability is a key factor here
but there are other elements
too. Lubrication is one of them.
To enha nce its m inimal
maintenance credentials, for
example, HepcoMotion has
introduced bleed lubrication as
an option on its system s. This
continuously doses lubrication
through holes, direct into the
vee-profile contact faces to
eliminate any need for servicing
downtime. Systems building has always been
a st rong element in area s wh ich benefit from large
budgets . The pharma ceutica l and nuclea r industries
prime examples but others are also emerging such
renewable energy sector wind, solar, tidal and w
power. Manufacturers in this field benefit f
Government sponsorship and as a result there is a l
innovative thinking going on.
Its impossible to predict any trend in this market
moving so fast and in different directions, Cox contin
On my desk today, for example, I have an enquiry f
9m diameter ring for wave power generation. And isystem that will also need to be corrosion resistant.
Although this sector may have more developm
funds at its disposal it still wants to get the best va lu
money. So it is important that although this partic
requirement clearly falls into the specials categor
should be constructed from stan da rd elements. This
only contains costs but also eliminates long lead tim
HepcoMotion has taken this need very seriously
invested a lot of R&D time in perfecting th e a
manufacturing ring segments to ensure both concentr
and smooth running of the finished product, whateve
diameter. Ring systems greater than 8m are
eminently feasible for us, Cox explains.
He continues: The trend is very clearly towa rds l
rings for indexing tables and medical scanners whe
large diameter is an advantage. Another new mark
suntracking, where solar cells and even large struct
such as houses a re optimally orientated tow ards the s
The final area of consideration is mat erials ch
There is increas ing demand for linear systems tha t
withstand all weathers or washdown and are destine
either hostile or ultra-hygienic environments. For t
stainless steel and corrosion resistance are vital.
concludes: HepcoMotion thinks it is important that t
needs are accommodated within a standard pro
programme so the customer can specify the optim
system for the job without the cost a nd time penaltie
normally as sociated with specials.
www.hepcomotion.com
We ask the experts at HepcoMotion how they see the market
for linear and rotary actuators changing, and how products
are being developed to meet emerging requirements
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EURO-BEARINGS LTDTel 01908 511733 Fax 01908 511713
www.euro-bearings.com
Looking for a
HEAVY DUTY
LinearMotion System?
Combined Roller Bearings
mailto:[email protected]://www.linak.co.uk/mailto:[email protected]://www.hiwinactuators.co.uk/ -
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MECHANICALCOMPONENTS Linea r & Rot a ry Ac t ua t ors
INDU S TRIAL TECHNOLOGY S e p t e m b e r 2 0
Lightweight face t e s t sres pira t or s ea ls
Compa c t , prec is e external actuator
Acomputer controlled head form has been
developed by i-bodi in Buckingham that mimics
just about every possible facial expression,
talking, breathing and hyperventilating. It is
designed for testing the integrity of the seal of a respirator
against the face to a level never previously achieved. Jez
Gibson-Harris, designer of the head form and Managing
Director of i-bodi, explains: The fac ial sea l is vita l to the
performance of an y respirator. The sta te of the a rt design
has progressed so much in recent years that new
sta nda rds of testing have become necessa ry. This required
some innovative new ideas.
The hea d form is comprised of a ha rd skeletal bas e
structure covered in a variable thickness silicone skin
representative of the human face to produce a realistic locus
surface upon which the respirators under test must sit and
maintain an effective seal, even under the types of motion
generated when a user is engaged in considerable physical
activity in the harshest of environments.
The first movement tha t a ffects the seal is breat hing, and
respirator designs often have to accommodate the heaviest
breathing. i-bodi simulates this using a large bellows
mounted beneath the hea d form. This is driven by a P arker
ET Electrothrust cylinder actua tor and SMH series
servomotor under the control of a Compax 3 servo drive.
Available in single and multiaxis variants and a full range ofsizes, the Compax and SMH ranges are typically used in
handling applications, but also in highly developed
mechatronic systems tha t integrate a nd synchronise multiple
complex motion axes. A comprehensive library of softwa re
controls is available, and IEC61131-3 compliant
programming tools allow rapid development of bespoke
solutions. Similarly, the ET Thrust cylinder is something of a
Parker workhorse. Its simple robust design has made it a
firm favourite of design engineers the world over for more
than 20 years, while its precision build means it can
reproduce accuracy a nd repeata bility of movement time and
time again.
Parker assigned mechanics specialist James Cadogan to
liaise with the i-bodi team. He explains: The drives that
control the breathing had to be robust and flexible. Had the
requirement just been for normal breathing we could have
used a much simpler system, but for realistic tests we need
to be able to simulate heavy breathing, ragged breathing and
massive inha lations and exhala tions. This
meant we needed to produce very fast
accelerations and high speed changes of
direction.
Unique softwareIn fact the bellows forms part of the i-bodi
DBM-01 digital breathing machine, which
again has some unique software at its heart.
For the most part, the tests are conducted
with the bellows set for normal breathing.
However, it can also be set for moderate or
hea vy breathing or even panic and hyperventilating. The
regular settings are fairly standard sinusoidal motion profiles
commonly used in industrial a pplications, sa ys Cad ogan.
We could ha ve just ramped up the speed for the extreme
performance testing, but it would not ha ve been particularlyrealistic. Instead, we wrote a non-regular pattern that
included lots of sudden changes of speed and stroke it
makes the head look shockingly realistic.
There is a secon d set of movements , covering
swallowing, talking and shouting, and facial expressions
especially jutting out of the lower jaw, a movement that is
commonly made when under stress and which could easily
unsea t a sea l. To simulate these J ez and his i-bodi design
team identified 13 points of articulation, including nine
around the lips to accurately simulate
articulatory phonetics of speech. Eac
these is driven by a servo motor lo
within the head and driven by sophistic
software developed in-house to perf
simulate talking breathing and f
movements.
A requirement of the design brief
that all of these drives be housed within
head form. To say tha t this was a cha llenge would b
understatement, recalls Jez. In fact we ended up using
sort of servomotors found in remote control model air
They are sma ll, lightweight and w e were a ble to ada pt
mountings to fit the space available.A variant of the head form can be fitted with a h
protective helmet or a constrictive CBRN (chem
biological, radiation, nuclear) hood. Another is the abil
make the head sweat; tiny valves at various points aro
the face release variable amounts of a saline solution. Fo
head to be commercially viable it has to meet m
international standards including UL, CUL and CE
several different countries, all of which i-bodi has secur
www.phstock.com
A servo drive and linear actuator package is helping to ensure
that respirators seal against the face under extreme conditions
New from Reliance Precision Mechatronics is
Haydon Kerks RoHS compliant IDEA External
Linear Program mab le Actua tor. This completes
a line of fully programmable size 17 stepper
motor linear ac tua tors. The IDEA act uat or is perfect for
small gantry robots, motion systems for optics a nd lasers,
high resolution imaging, precision fluid dispensers, and
other applications requiring precise linear motion.
The IDEA act uator is a compa ct, e asy -to-use electronic
drive and fully program ma ble control unit. This is
integrated with a linear actuator resulting in a single,
compact package with a variety of screw pitches allowing
fine resolution linear motion and a stroke length of up to
508 mm. The ac tuat or is programmed using on-sc
graphic buttons. The softwa re allows the system des
to easily troubleshoot programs through line-by-lin
multiple line program execution using the intera
debug feature. Inputs and outputs can also be simu
in softwa re before connecting I/O hardwa re.
Other features include programmable current con
a single supply voltage of 12 to 48V DC, 2.6A
(3.68Apeak) max rated current per phase, a nd eight o
isolated general purpose I/O. The inputs are ra ted for
24V DC, 4 mA max per input. The outputs are open
collector, 5 to 24V DC, 200mA maximum per output
www.rpmechatronics.co.uk
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Medic a l lea ds c re w s
in minia t ur e s izes
M
iniature lead screw
designs have often been
challenging w ith regards
to application performance verses
reliability and cost. A recent
medical application supplied by
Abssac posed some significant
technical obstacles, which were
successfully overcome.
Using a 3mm diameter
stainless steel trapezoidal thread
form with a 1mm lead formed the
basis of the design within an
automated micro syringe device.
The driven nut wa s used to provide the
linear motion that would accurately
dispense the drug. The nut wa s
eventua lly man ufactured from Turcite
and incorporated an attachment tang
which would provide the connection
betw een s yringe plunger. Turcite wa s
suggested as the nut material as it
exhibits self lubricating characteristics.
However, in an effort to reduce
operational drag further and improve
efficiency, the lead screw w as then
coat ed w ith Teflon to make a very low
friction linear assembly.
The final part mea sured 30m m in
length and is supplied complete with a
machined journal for motor connection.
Abssac was able to supply the parts on
budget and have exceeded reliability
and performance demands set by the
customer.
www.abssac.co.uk
mailto:[email protected]://www.hepcomotion.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.wymark.co.uk/ -
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MECHANICALJ OINING Fa s t ener s & Adhes ives
INDU S TRIAL TECHNOLOGY S e p t e m b e r 2 0
Thr ea dloc king :
coping with chrome
Chromates provide a crucial function to a wide
range of industries. In particular, Hexavalent
chromates have been employed to coat metal
components in order to afford protection from
corrosion and, th erefore, extend their working life. The
automotive industry has been a particularly heavy
consumer with an estimated four to seven grams of
Hexavalent coatings used on each new vehicle.
And while there is no doubt they did their job very
efficiently, the fact remains that Hexavalent chromates are
highly toxic. In addition, it has been shown they create
ecological problems during the disposal of spent chromium
compositions. More significant ly, it has come to light tha t
these Chromates could introduce the possibility of cancer
among users in close contact with them. All of which meant
there were very good reasons for finding another method of
coating.
The sea rch for the alterna tive process formed pa rt of two
European Union projects known as the End of Life of Vehicle
(ELV) and Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)
initiatives. Based on the findings of the projects, the ELVDirective stated that from 2007 the Hexavalent chromium
content of coatings that were employed to avoid corrosion
must be reduced. Specifically, the maximum concentration
must be 0.1% or 100 0ppm by weight of homogeneous
material. An extension was granted concerning the use of
Hexavalent chromium in relation to bolt and nut assemblies
for cha ssis applica tions. This came into effect in July 2008 .
With this new directive in force, those companies that
supplied such materials needed to find an alternative
method of providing corrosion protection. Nowhere was this
more pressing than in the a utomotive industry. The extensive
research paid off with the
solution being found in the
form of Trivalent chrome. Not
only were the health and
safety concerns answered,
but a number of other
benefits from using this new
material came to light. For
example, these chromates
created a harder scratch-resistant coating with lower water
content and this led to better heat resistance.
But although this solution solved many difficulties, it also
resulted in a significant challenge for adhesives
manufacturers. Thats because trials revealed tha t most
existing anaerobic grades simply did not adhere very well to
Trivalent chromes. Indeed , there wa s no guarant ee that
joints and ma terials coated with Trivalent chrome would stay
locked under all conditions. It rapidly became apparent that
developments in adhesives formulas were necessary.
Rising to the challengeAt Henkel, technology specialists were quickly at work toovercome the d ifficulties. This development included close
cooperation with customers, especially a supplier to the
automotive industry whose speciality was the precision
machining and as sembly of components. Working tog