Safety controller for the open PLCnext Technology ecosystem

The Phoenix PLCnext Control RFC 4072S controller is the first high-performance controller for the PLCnext Technology ecosystem.

It can be used to leverage all the advantages of the control platform: programming in your favorite programming language and programming environment, using open source software, apps, Proficloud and soon, the real-time version of the PLCnext store.

In addition to a high-performance Intel i5 dual-core processor, the controller also includes 4 GB RAM. The safety-relevant calculations are performed by two independent CPUs that are based on different architectures. Therefore, it is suitable for applications with high safety requirements in accordance with SIL 3 or PLe.

The safety-oriented controller uses the current Profisafe profile 2.61 for Profinet and Profisafe systems. In the Profisafe network, it performs the function of an F-Host and can put up to 300 lower-level F-Devices into operation. Standard and safety programming has been combined with PLCnext Engineer software to create a single engineering tool.

Thermo Fisher Australia stocks Honeywell BW Ultra portable five-gas detector

Designed specifically for sampling and monitoring confined spaces, before and after entry, the Honeywell BW Ultra portable five-gas detector offers enhanced sensor technology, visibility on gas readings, comfort, and connectivity.

This makes it more reliable and provides an intuitive user experience, helping to prevent a potential gas safety incident.

Honeywell BW Ultra stands up to harsh conditions with a very high rating of IP66/68, the handheld device is protected not only from dust but also from water ingress (high pressure spray or submersion up to 1.2 m or 3.9 ft. deep). So if you drop the Honeywell BW Ultra in a vat or take it into a dust-prone environment, you can feel completely confident that it will continue to operate effectively.

Honeywell BW Ultra simultaneously detects the four gases you’re required to monitor in confined spaces, namely Oxygen (O2), Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), Carbon monoxide (CO) and Combustibles at the lower explosive limit (LEL: per cent LEL or per cent vol.). Plus there’s a fifth sensor for the gas of your choice, ranging from sulfur dioxide (SO2) to chlorine (CL2) to volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Hence whether you have operations in oil and gas, pulp and paper, water treatment, marine, chemical plants, or other industries, you can add a fifth level of protection for your confined space entries.

Honeywell BW Ultra portable five-gas detector is now available from Thermo Fisher Australia.

Mouser Electronics now stocking SimpleLink dual-band wireless SoCs

Mouser Electronics is now stocking CC3235x SimpleLink dual-band wireless systems-on-chip (SoCs) from Texas Instruments (TI).

Integrating a high-performance application processor, network processor, and crypto engine in a single chip with a rich set of peripherals, the CC3235x SoCs are ideal for a wide range of Internet of Things (IoT), building automation, security, and health care applications.

TI’s CC3235x SimpleLink series SoCs, available from Mouser Electronics, provide a network processor to run all Wi-Fi and internet logical layers.

The ROM-based subsystem completely offloads the host microcontroller and includes an 802.11a/b/g/n dual-band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radio, baseband, and MAC with a powerful hardware cryptography engine.

The CC3235x devices feature new capabilities that simplify the connectivity of IoT applications. These features include 802.11a (5GHz) support, Bluetooth Low Energy and 2.4 GHz radio coexistence, antenna selection, enhanced security with FIPS 140-2 Level 1 certification, up to 16 concurrent secure sockets, and a certificate sign request (CSR).

The CC3235x device is available in two variants: the CC3235S and CC3235SF. The CC3235S incorporates an Arm Cortex-M4 microcontroller with 256 Kbytes of RAM, IoT networking security, and device identity/keys.

The CC3235SF builds on the CC3235S and adds a user-dedicated 1 Mbyte of executable flash in addition to the 256 Kbytes of RAM. Both variants offer microcontroller-level security features such as file system encryption, user IP (microcontroller image) encryption, secure boot, and debug security.

The CC3235x SoCs are supported by the TI LAUNCHXL-CC3235x LaunchPad development kit. The kit includes either a CC3235S or CC3235SF device, and features onboard emulation and sensors for a full out-of-the-box experience and rapid development.

The board’s 40-pin LaunchPad pinout enables designers to incorporate add-on boards from the BoosterPack ecosystem.

 

New igus cable for SEW and Siemens motors

For the motors of SEW and Siemens, igus has now developed the CF280.UL.H, a new hybrid cable specifically for use in the energy chain.

Users of intralogistics, machine tool construction or the automotive industry can now rely on a solution with a 36-month guarantee either bought by the metre or supplied as a ready-to-connect readycable.

In order to drive motors, many engineers increasingly come face to face with hybrid cables. In these drive solutions, the energy supply and other functions run on a single cable.

In this way, for example, the motor manufacturer Siemens replaces the encoder cable with a BUS element and adds this to the energy cores.

This eliminates the need for cabling with a separate measuring system cable for the encoder.

Treotham has now expanded its low-cost igus hybrid cable series with the CF280.UL.H, which is suitable for motors of SEW and Siemens.

The new highly flexible cable is specifically designed for use in the energy chain.

It is suitable for applications up to a bend radius of 10 x d across all industrial sectors from the machine tool and automotive industry up to intralogistics.

Even temperatures from -25 degrees up to +80 degrees Celsius pose no problem for the cable. Depending on the manufacturer’s specification, the new hybrid cable has a black or orange oil-resistant PUR outer jacket, is coolant-resistant and flame-retardant.

A braided shield with high coverage ensures good EMC protection of the cable over a long service life. igus regularly carries out continuous tests on all cable ranges in the world’s largest laboratory spread across a floor area of 2,750 square metres.

In a series of tests at 7.5 x d, hybrid cables survived over 8 million cycles without damage. Another advantage of the new cable series is that it has the American UL approval, as well as the EAC and CTP certificate for the Russian market.

Immediately delivered as a ready-to-connect readycable

Due to customer request, igus harnesses all its cables with the appropriate connector in-house. With more than 4,200 drive cables available made in line with to 24 manufacturer standards, the customer always finds the most cost-effective cable for their application. All cables are tested after harnessing and receive a seal.

By testing all chainflex cables during motion under real conditions, igus has acquired the unique position as the only manufacturer on the market to offer a 36-month guarantee on its entire range of cables. The igus chainflex cables are available harnessed from Treotham Automation.

Microchip’s PIC-IoT WG development board now at Mouser

Mouser Electronics is now stocking the PIC-IoT WG development board (AC164164) from Microchip Technology.

Featuring a PIC microcontroller, Wi-Fi module, and CryptoAuthentication secure element IC, the PIC-IoT WG Development Board offers an ideal launching point for virtually all Internet of Things (IoT) devices and applications.

The plug-and-play development board is suitable for applications including intelligent lighting systems, wireless sensors, and other smart home devices.

The Microchip PIC-IoT WG development board available from Mouser Electronics, enables developers to migrate next-generation PIC microcontroller-based applications to the cloud.

The device’s low power PIC24FJ microcontroller is ideal for battery-operated, real-time sensing and control applications, with core independent peripherals supporting complex performance with minimal code and power consumption.

The Microchip ATWINC1510 module is a single-band, 2.4 GHz IoT network controller that offers easy Wi-Fi connectivity to Google Cloud. Meanwhile, the ATECC608A CryptoAuthentication device provides secure authentication and is pre-registered for use on the Google Cloud IoT Core and zero touch provisioning.

The PIC-IoT WG development board is supported by the Microchip MPLAB X integrated development environment (IDE), MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC) rapid prototyping tool, and an online portal that enables immediate visualisation of published sensor data.

The Development Board is also compatible with more than 450 MikroElektronika Click Boards that expand sensors and actuator options.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3D ethernet cable from Treotham enables fast robot communication

In large-scale manufacturing, industrial robots are everywhere. They provide a fast automation of processes and thereby ensure cost-efficiency in companies. Igus has now developed a new long-lasting Ethernet cable, the CFROBOT8.PLUS, to ensure that robot communication between the axes, the control system and superordinate systems functions flawlessly, even under extreme stress.

The new family of cables, available from Treotham, have been tested under torsion for several years in the in-house laboratory and are running absolutely fault-free for more than 15 million cycles.

The number of robots used in manufacturing is growing rapidly. According to the estimate of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), more than three million industrial robots will operate worldwide by 2020 just to drive the automation in manufacturing.

At the same time the requirements for safe communication between robots, axes, control systems and superordinate systems, are also rising.

Rainer Rössel, chainflex cables division manager at igus, said the probability that the communication of the future will be dominated by industrial Ethernet is quite high.

For this reason the motion cable specialist has been working for more than five years on the development of Ethernet cables for extreme three-dimensional stress and a safe data transmission between the robot components.

At the SPS IPC Drives in Nuremberg, igus presented the CFROBOT8.PLUS cable family to a specialist audience.

“With our new robot cable, we have become the only manufacturer worldwide to offer a durable and tested torsion cable from stock, with up to +/-360 degrees torsion angle, and thus fill a gap in the market,” said Rössel.

The CFROBOT8.PLUS has been tested for torsion in the 2,750sqm test laboratory – in the igus triflex e-chain series for three-dimensional motions – with over 15 million cycles. The result is that the electrical features of Ethernet communication work faultlessly.

The test series are still ongoing to determine the expected maximum service life. However, we expect the final results in a few years. This is because igus has been developing and testing cables for more than 30 years in the industry’s largest laboratory, these cables being specially designed for use in energy chains. With more than 2 billion test cycles and over 1.4 million electrical tests per year, igus is a motion cables in energy chains specialist. The company igus is the only manufacturer worldwide to provide a guarantee of 36 months for its complete chainflex cable range including the new CFROBOT8.PLUS. The full igus range is available from Treotham Automation.

Suhner’s new hand tools for quick metal finishing

Suhner Australia, a metal finishing solutions company, has released its next-generation electric hand tools for metal finishing. The new C-Series includes a range of grinding and polishing tools that lets users quickly achieve the required finish on stainless steel, aluminium, brass and other alloys.

Designed and built in Switzerland and Germany, the C-Series are quality tools created for working on a wide variety of applications including rails, balustrades, vehicle components, medical products, aircraft parts, and tools in manufacturing applications.

The range includes the UTC 9R Tube Polisher, UBC 9R Finger File Belt Grinder, USC 9R and 25R Die Grinders and the UKC 3R Fillet Weld Grinder.

Designed with the user in mind, the C-Series is ergonomic, compact and lightweight.

The unique low-profile design of the tools ensures that users can even access difficult to reach fillet welds for grinding and polishing. The range provides practical portability, manoeuvrability and it is easy to use.

Already tried and tested in Europe, the C-Series delivers excellent performance. All the models feature a powerful 600W electric motor and a digitally controlled speed system that ensures a constant contact speed under load which is essential for excellent polishing results. The speed of each tool is infinitely variable to suit the needs of the application.

Other key features of the C-Series polishing and grinding tools include an electronic soft-start for jolt free work, and a host of safety functions. Each model has an integrated overload cut-out, and brush wear warning system as well as a dead safety switch that ensures the tool switches off, and remains off should power be disconnected.

Built to last, the range is robust and durable, and each tool complies fully with Australian standards. The tools are also digitally engraved to ensure ownership and warranty cover.

The C-Series range lets users achieve their desired grinding and polishing results quickly and easily. However, if users require any training or have any technical questions, Suhner Australia can assist.

The company provides expert training by certified and qualified trainers who have vast experience

and can teach how to grind, polish and finish various metals and other materials to the required level and in the most cost-effective way. Technical questions are also welcomed.

Industrial grade and portable inflatable blast shelter

Power plants and other turbine-based industries undertake regular and necessary maintenance and service of their turbines continuously. In order to do this, they must shut down their entire system to disassemble, clean, test and reassemble the turbines. 

The cleaning stage requires high powered blasting apparatus. This requires a fully encapsulated space to contain and filter the blast material and debris and attenuate the noise in order to comply with occupational health and safety (OH&S) requirements. 

Traditional scaffolding which is then wrapped with an encapsulating cover is expensive in both time and labour, requiring up to three days to just set up.  OH&S certifications are then required for work at heights before work could commence. These delays are very costly in lost production and output.  This also delays the maintenance and servicing schedule.

The Giant Inflatables Industrial design and engineering team set about creating an industrial grade, inflatable blasting shelter that is portable, and easy to set up and pack down. In addition, the inflatable workshop contains all the necessary blasting protection shields and noise attenuating skins and does not need any height certifications in order to comply with OH&S.

This blasting shelter can be quickly deflated and packed up onto a pallet and very easily and quickly transported, stored and then redeployed efficiently and easily for use when needed.

To solve the problem of dust and pollutants arising from blasting, the inflatable shelter is a fully sealed, encapsulating, environment that contains an air filtration system to ensure that the blast material and dust are captured in a reusable dust bag for recycling.

With strict operational health and safety requirements on industrial plants, Giant Inflatables Industrial’s shelter offers a huge advantage over traditional methods. 

Backplane launches iBASE performance 2U network appliance

Backplane Systems Technology has launched iBASE’s new FWA9500 2U network appliance with Dual Intel Xeon scalable processors and up to 66 GbE ports.

The highly flexible FWA9500 network computing appliance is designed to be an ideal workhorse for enterprise workloads, capable of managing vast quantities of data to enable robust levels of performance and reliability in industry-grade network security, firewall, VPN, UTM, WAN, and network management applications.

It supports Intel Skylake-SP Xeon processors, perfect for today’s ever-changing network environments. The 2U Rackmount system features dual LGA3647 CPU sockets, and an Intel C624 chipset supporting up to 512GB RDIMM memory in 16x DDR4-2666 sockets. With 2x Intel I210-AT gigabit ethernet controllers on-board and configurable NIC module slots, the FWA9500 can be equipped with 8x IBN (iBASE proprietary network interface) cards to accommodate a maximum of 66 GbE ports.

The unit features a modular approach to its design as a network appliance with high expandability and scalability. This allows rapid customisation and easy configuration by interchanging and combining modules in order to meet the customer’s optimal requirements, altogether reducing the total cost of ownership.

The inner storage expansion with 2x 3.5” or 4x 2.5” swappable drive bays and an 800W redundant power supply ensures high availability and serviceability. It comes with I/O connectivity and expansion slots including a PCIe x8 slot, an M.2 (M-key), a Mini PCIe, 2x USB 2.0, and an RJ45 serial console with LCM display for easy operation. Optional features include LAN bypass and the iBASE IDN100 IPMI 2.0 module.

Key Features:

• Dual Intel Xeon Scalable Processors (Skylake-SP)

• 16x DDR4 RDIMM; max. 512GB

• Max. 8x NIC modules; max. 64 GbE ports

• Optional IPMI 2.0 module

• 1x PCI-E x8 expansion slot

• 800 watt redundant power supply

Keep calm under pressure with SMC’s booster regulators

While the company is synonymous with pneumatics, SMC has worked hard to differentiate itself by listening to customers’ needs and developing products based around exactly these.

SMC offers a complete range of automation solutions so that customers can enjoy the ease of working with just one supplier. It also offers peace-of-mind knowing that you are covered by a trusted global brand.

In addition to its chillers, dryers, ionisers and regulators, SMC also offers a VBA booster regulator series. It is designed to be used across all industries and for applications where high-pressure air is required. By using a booster, customers save on both energy and money.

Customers can now enjoy an increase in factory air of up to 200 per cent without any required power supply, and when connecting the booster regulator to the factory line, it is possible to achieve double the existing pressure.

In addition, the VBA series offers space saving as it connects directly to air tanks and booster regulators.

SMC is running an AUSPACK show special on their booster regulators for a limited time.

 

Movus launches wireless condition monitoring tool

Movus, the developer and provider of the FitMachine IIoT solution, has launched an advanced and cost-effective, certified condition monitoring technology in a bid to reduce maintenance costs.

FitMachine EX has been built specifically for explosive environments where monitoring and maintaining the equipment is extremely hazardous, so safety is critical to engineering and maintenance processes.

These include upstream oil and gas, refineries, industrial chemicals, mining and food processing sites.

Movus designed FitMachine EX in partnership with oil and gas companies following its win of the KPMG Energise 2.0 Accelerator Program sponsored by Woodside, Chevron, BHP, WesFarmers Chemicals and South32.

Movus also undertook extensive certification process, included internal systems and processes, manufacturing auditing processes and material management control to ensure compliance with ISO/IEC 80079-34:2018, the quality system for manufacturing devices for Explosive Atmospheres.

Movus founder and CEO Brad Parsons said from the company’s work with major industrial organisations, it recognised the need for an intrinsically safe sensor.

“Safety is a core value at Movus and we are now excited to bring the FitMachine EX solution to market for the oil and gas, and food processing industries,” said Parsons

“We understand that these are extremely sensitive environments where equipment downtime directly impacts the bottom line. By providing the most advanced artificial intelligence-powered condition monitoring solution at a cost-effective price, FitMachine EX delivers a very compelling solution,” he said.

Movus has chosen ALS as its main go-to-market business partner for FitMachine EX, due to ALS’s asset reliability and condition monitoring expertise in the heavy asset industries.

ALS Group general manager Mushfiq Rahman said ALS has been working with Movus for more than twelve months and see great value in the FitMachine EX.

“Our clients have been asking for an intrinsically safe wireless sensor, and we are very pleased with this advanced technology, rigorous testing and certification, and the rapid development speed,” said Rahman.

FitMachine is a condition-based maintenance solution that detects machine failures in advance using artificial intelligence and machine learning. The solution comprises an industrial intrinsically safe wireless sensor, mobile application, analytics and trending dashboards, and an artificial intelligence engine. The system continuously monitors equipment 24×7 and learns what the normal operation of machinery is to detect any abnormalities and alert the organisation before failures occur. The insights provided are extremely valuable in avoiding unplanned downtime.

 

 

Safe protection for the next generation of motors with new igus material

The trend for variable frequency drives (VFDs) is moving towards more compact drives with the same or higher power and extremely high switching accuracies of the frequency converters.

As a result, when selecting the cable the user not only has to pay attention to the right combination of number of cores and cross-sections, but also to the electrical specifications of the cable.

That is why igus has now developed a material that meets the new challenges for its latest generation of motor and servo cables. In the test, it was able to withstand a bend radius of 7.2 x d over 45 million strokes.

From small to large: the trend in motor technology is towards ever more compact VFD motors with the same or a higher performance level than their predecessors.

Smaller, plastic-insulated round power connectors such as the M16 or M18 are being used more and more for the new motor designs to be able to exploit their full advantages.

The more compact design of the motors, can result in higher temperatures within the system, compared to larger ranges of the same motors.

The result is that the cable heats up via the connector contacts. Although there are no consequences for the motor and the connected components in the short term, serious problems might occur in the long term.

If the insulation material of the cable does not withstand the elevated temperatures in the long term, short circuits can occur inside the cable and in the vicinity of the connectors, which in the worst case can lead to fires.

Therefore, the insulation material plays a new central role in the selection of the correct servo and motor cables.

After a five-year development and testing period, Treotham now offers a solution to prevent insulation and consequential damage to the compact motors, in the form of a new insulation material for the igus chainflex VFD motor and servo cables.

Due to the expertise in the area of new high-performance polymers, the motion plastics specialist has been able to develop a new material that successfully passed the comprehensive laboratory and practical tests.

For example, in test 5034, the CF29 servo cable with a bend radius of 7.2 x d withstood over 45 million strokes. The new material – in contrast to other common materials – meets the increased thermal requirements of the latest motor generations.

This makes igus the only supplier in the global market to offer long-term tested ranges of VFD motor and servo cables for continuous use in energy chains, which meet the specific thermal and electrical requirements of the latest converter generations.

Mouser stocks Maxim’s high-speed octal digital input

Mouser Electronics, a distributor of semiconductors and electronic components, is now stocking the MAX22195 octal industrial digital input device from Maxim Integrated.

Designed to reduce power, system cost, and size for programmable logic controller (PLC) digital-input subsystems, the MAX22195 is a highly integrated IEC 61131-2-compliant digital input device for industrial, process, and building automation applications.

The Maxim MAX22195, available from Mouser Electronics, translates eight 24 V industrial inputs to a serialized CMOS-compatible, parallel outputs with propagation delay of less than 300 ns from input-to-output for all channels.

The fault-tolerant, 5 mm × 5 mm device interfaces with 3 V or 5.5 V logic and incorporates a current-setting resistor, allowing engineers to configure the MAX22195 for IEC 61131-2 Type 1, 2, or 3 inputs.

The MAX22195 includes an internal low dropout (LDO) regulator that provides power to digital isolators and other field-side circuits, plus energy-less field-side LED drivers that meet the indicator light requirement of IEC 61131-2 with no additional power dissipation.

The MAX22195 also offers surge protection to ±1 kV and ±8 kV contact electrostatic discharge (ESD) and ±15 kV air gap ESD protection to contribute to increased system robustness. The MAX22195 device is supported by the MAX22195EVKIT evaluation system, which provides terminal blocks for all eight inputs and a single header for all eight outputs for easy monitoring and evaluation.

Eight field-side LEDs indicate input status, and a READY LED indicates that the MAX22195 is operating normally.

Three-dimensional object measurement with laser

Wenglor 2D/3D sensors from Treotham have experienced a strong growth. The new performance class for weCat3D profile sensors, MLSL2 includes a total of ten innovative models. As a result of this expansion, the sensors provide more options for three-dimensional object measurement. In particular they permit large visual field widths of up to 1350 mm in the X direction, as well as increased laser power and extensive and fast profile detection.

While the MLSL series of sensors have previously only been capable of covering visual field widths of up to 280 mm in the X direction, the ten new models offer visual field widths of up to 1350 mm in the X direction. This means that significantly larger objects can now be detected than in the past.

Diverse applications such as bin picking, pick and place, gap measurement, object counting and 3D sealant bead monitoring are some of the possible uses for this technology.

WenglorMEL managing director, Torsten Hellerström, said expansion of the performance range of the MLSL series is making it possible to provide outstanding point cloud quality with a very broad visual field over a large distance. “All of these features are included in a compact housing.”

With dimensions of just 200 x 67 x 38 mm, the ten new models represent a mixture of performance and compact design. Variants with different laser classes including 2M, 3R and 3B and red or blue light also provide customers a wide range for product selection.

The high speeds and accuracy offered by the sensors result from their functional principle: The 2D/3D sensors project a laser line onto the object to be measured and then record it by means of an integrated camera. Two and three-dimensional surface and volume profiles can therefore be calculated with the help of point clouds – quickly and accurately.

With a total of 81 different variants in the weCat3D series, Treotham offers diversity for the implementation of multi-dimensional applications.

Intelligent ethernet extenders by Phoenix Contact

Phoenix Contact TC extenders don’t just extend simple point-to-point ethernet paths via plug-and-play. All extender paths and devices can be easily monitored remotely using a single managed device via IP. In the case of unexpected events such as a weakening of the path, this information is available via Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) trap and can be issued as a warning to one or more freely selectable network devices.

In addition, the managed ethernet extenders feature integrated, replaceable surge protection. The intelligent Plugtrab PT-IQ technology doesn’t just provide appropriate protection. It can also call up the status of the surge protection remotely at any time and, in emergencies, can also transit this status as an SNMP warning. This means that the devices independently provide information on which surge protection should be replaced soon or where immediate replacement is required.

Using automatic topology and data rate detection, extender applications can be easily expanded into line and ring topologies during operation, easily and without configuration, and without impact through the addition of up to 50 extenders. The use of special cables is not required here. Any existing two-wire cables can be used for ethernet networking. This enables transmission ranges beyond the corresponding standard and up to as much as 20km per extender segment.

Gates Australia introduces next generation of premium hydraulics

Gates Australia, as part of Gates Industrial Corp, a global provider of application-specific fluid power and power transmission solutions, has introduced the next generation of premium hydraulics.

The new Gates MXT family of hoses is an innovative, patent-pending product line that is a light weight and more flexible solution.

It meets or exceeds a wide range of industry standards, and addresses both replacement market and original equipment manufacturer needs. It is designed for applications across industries such as agriculture, mining, construction, and other end-markets with demanding performance requirements.

Gates Industrial chief executive officer Ivo Jurek said the company has been focused on enhancing its product development and manufacturing capabilities.

“MXT is a great example of how these investments are starting to pay off. This innovative new product further demonstrates our ongoing dedication to push the boundaries of applied materials science and manufacturing processes to deliver solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers,” said Jurek.

Gates Industrial chief marketing officer and senior vice president of product line management, Tom Pitstick, said the company’s customers have been saying they want lighter, more flexible and easier-to-handle products that address multiple industry standards. “They are seeking to enhance the performance of their machines, simplify their engineering processes, improve operational efficiencies and streamline inventory with a simplified selection of replacement products that can be used on virtually any original equipment platform. MXT delivers on these needs and adds value to our customers beyond just premium product performance,” said Pitstick.

Gates MXT Features

  • More flexible with an average of 40 per cent decreased force-to-bend (compared to similar Gates products), allowing for faster and more ergonomic installation
  • Up to 30 per cent lighter weight for improved fuel efficiency, easier handling and reduced shipping costs
  • Meets or exceeds multiple industry standards, covering approximately 90 per cent of the hydraulic wire braid product applications
  • Tested to exceed 600,000 impulse cycles – three times greater than industry standards
  • Designed to work exclusively with Gates MegaCrimp couplings

Gates MXT is the latest addition to the Gates MegaSys product portfolio, a complete hydraulic hose and coupling system, and is available now in Australia and New Zealand as well as globally.

Allplastics clear polycarbonate machine guards

Employee safety is paramount in the workplace. Many industrial accidents can be prevented by providing machinery with proper guarding.

Allplastics Engineering can provide, cut, fabricate and CNC rout a range of clear polycarbonate brands including Lexan, Makrolon, Palram, Safeguard and for a variety of industries such as food and beverage, material handling, mining, packaging and pharmaceuticals where operators need to see through the guards but should not risk their fingers and hands.

It also helps on assembly lines where WHS regulations require processes or machinery to be guarded for the safety of workers.

The SafeWork NSW states that guarding must be securely mounted. If access is required to parts of the plant during operation, maintenance or cleaning, the guarding should be an interlocked physical barrier that allows access when there is no risk –and prevents access at all other times.

Polycarbonate is 250 times the strength of normal glass and half the weight of if it. Available from 1 mm to 12.7 mm thick, polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable and covered by a warranty from the manufacturer. This makes it the preferred choice of engineers when designing guards for machinery.

In applications where the guards are constantly being cleaned and are subjected to constant wear Allplastics provides mar resistant grade polycarbonate which has a special coating on both sides of the clear polycarbonate to minimise guards and barriers being easily damaged or marked.

Brands such as Lexan MR10 and Makrolon AR2 are available in thicknesses ranging from 3mm to 12.7mm. Allplastics can provide CNC routered shapes to match drawings or broken guards.

The company’s experienced fabrication personnel can bend or construct chutes, guards, boxes or covers for a diverse range of applications.

For situations such as curved lathe guards or surrounds Allplastics can supply thin gauge polycarbonate which can be cold bent and secured by a frame.

In addition to clear polycarbonate guards Allplastics can also fabricate opal polycarbonate where visibility is more important than clarity or yellow high-density polyethylene for even higher visibility.

Atlas Copco Compressors’ GAVSD IPM compressors

Atlas Copco Compressors is releasing a new range of variable speed demand (VSD IPM) compressors, alternatives to its traditional VSD range: the GA 18-22 VSD IPM and GA 45-75 VSD IPM.

These new VSD compressors use Altas Copco Compressors’ in house developed internal permanent magnet (IPM) motor technology in a horizontal drive train patented configuration, in combination with a variable speed drive and unique air compressor inverter, to offer superior IE4 efficiencies. 

The innovative and compact compressor is a new addition to its VSD and VSD+ range and continues Atlas Copco Compressors’ focus of reducing size and increasing energy efficiency for its customers. 

Atlas Copco Compressors will first offer GAVSD IPM compressors in two capacity ranges: 18 to 22 kW and 45 to 75 kW. Before the end of the year, it intends to expand the range it offers within these ranges.

Key Features:

• Setting a new benchmark in energy efficiency the IPM motor technology reduces energy consumption, on average, by at least 35 to 40 per cent when compared with similar market offerings from competitors.

• Compact size reduced footprint the GS VSDIPM’s innovative and compact design results in a smaller carbon footprint. 

• Service friendly design minimising downtime due to service activities

• Reliability a robust cooling system makes it dependable in the harshest of conditions.

Wear-resistant sliding and free designing with igus plate strips

Abrasion-resistant iglidur sliding plates made of high-performance plastics provide even more geometric design options

Wear-resistant parts ordered quickly, easily and individually manufactured with increased service life. Treotham offers this service, among other things, with its igus bar stock product range.

To provide users with even more tribologically optimised special solutions, Treotham now offers five high-performance plastics resistant to wear and abrasion as bar stock plate strips in its product range. These provide the designer with new geometric design freedom.

High-performance igus plastics from Treotham are in demand wherever freedom from lubricant, corrosion and maintenance is required.

Be it in the glass industry, food technology or special mechanical engineering. Treotham already has more than 50 high-performance igus polymers as plain bearings in the product range, for a wide variety of applications.

The specialist also offers 27 of its materials as bar stock. Customers can use the high-performance polymers to mill custom solutions and small batches themselves or order them from Treotham.

In order to give users even more design freedom in terms of geometry when designing their wear-resistant special solution, Treotham now also offers five of its materials as highly abrasion-resistant plate strips.

In addition to the classic iglidur W300 and the cost-effective J4, the FDA-compliant iglidur A500 material as well as the high-temperature endurance runner C500 and iglidur J350, the specialist for temperatures up to 180 degrees Celsius, complete the range. All sliding plates are offered by Treotham with a 15 millimetre thickness and 160 millimetre width.

Lubrication-free high-performance plastics for sliding solutions

The new plate strips are used, for example, as sliding surfaces made of the high-performance plastic iglidur W300 in abrasive environments in the glass industry. Here, the material impresses with its wear resistance and freedom from maintenance.

Special solutions made from the iglidur A500 plate material are available, for example, in the form of slide rails in the food, packaging and semiconductor industries. Here, the chemical-resistant material, in addition to its FDA approval, boasts a high temperature resistance.

In contrast, iglidur C500 is especially suitable for applications where aggressive media and extreme temperatures of between-100 and +250 degrees Celsius prevail. For example, design engineers in the fields of medicine, pharmaceuticals and chemicals can resort to a chemical-resistant solution.

The sliding plates are manufactured by igus in Cologne in a newly built production facility. Due to the in-house development and production, further iglidur materials will be available in the future as plate strips in different thicknesses and lengths up to two metres.

 

 

New industrial IoT gateway features low power processor

Backplane Systems Technology has released Winmate’s New EAC Mini Series EACIL22S IoT gateway for industrial applications such as Internet of Things (IoT) machine automation, and smart factories.

The EAC Mini EACIL22S is a brand new industrial IoT gateway featuring a low power consuming Intel Apollo Lake N3350 1.1 GHz processor to maintain efficient power-usage and USB Type-C video output to facilitate easy connectivity with devices such as, but not limited to, USB Type-C Displays. The USB Type-C connector works in Alt mode, meaning it can provide display A/V output, transfer USB data, and deliver up to 10W (2V/2A) of power.

Its other highlights include a fanless cooling system and various mounting options (desk, wall, VESA). Further, the EAC Mini EACIL22S is compatible with the Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, Linux, and Ubuntu Operating Systems for easy integration into established IT infrastructures.

Wireless connectivity and all necessary connectors allow Winmate’s new EACIL22S to send data from manufacturing facilities directly to a cloud server for extra reassurance on the recoverability of your data. Its compact size in combination with its One-Cable design (USB Type-C Alt mode) makes this EAC Mini highly suitable for IoT, smart factory, and machine automation applications.

Key Features:

• Intel Apollo Lake N3350, 1.1 GHz

• Windows 10 IoT, Linux, Ubuntu OS

• USB Type-C Connector with Alt Mode: Display Port A/V Output, USB Data, and Power Delivery

• 2x LAN, 2x USB Type-A

• Compact Size 100 x 90 x 31 mm

• Fanless Cooling System

• Various Mounting Options: Desk, Wall, VESA