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IGUS has developed the 3D energy chain “Triflex R” for robot producers and users designed to prevent corrugated hoses from kinks and tears.
According to the company, the multi-dimensional, movable robot chain is adjustable in length at any time to its modular construction, and achieves its high tensile strength using the “ball and socket” joint.
Individual elements are reportedly not connected to each other using extra steel cables similar, but with a simple connection like a trailer tow bar. This ball and socket design is said to ensure mobility in every direction.
As it is possible to turn about +/- 10° per link in the chain, the company says this makes it much easier to guide the cables around difficult geometries.
Furthermore, the robot has a bending radius which is the same in every direction reducing the stress on the chain itself, and also on the cables, and hoses.
The robot is available in three designs: a closed version said to protect the cables on rough applications, such as welding spatters, chips, and dirt; an “Easy” version in which the cables are pressed into the chain by handle; and the third is a “Light” version.
MOTOMAN’S dual-arm robots, DA20, DIA10 and SDA10 are industrial robots with an overall configuration that has reportedly distinct humanoid qualities.
According to the company, the robots feature the compact actuators that combine the motor, encoder, reducer, and brake, which can be stacked. The use of the actuators for arms reportedly provides a slim profile that is said to be approximately near to the shape of a human arm.
The latest version of the IA10, the SIA10 is compact in size and able to snake into places within a body-in-white. It caters for deep-throated spot welding guns and can give way to smaller guns on these robots.
The SIA20 is a seven-axis robot that has a minimal footprint and the ability to snake into locations that conventional articulated arms might be challenged to reach.
The DA20 can handle 44.1 lb. per arm, and each arm has a reach of 30.1 inch from the centerline of the base to the tool mounting surface. The arms can work independently or in coordination with one arm holding a part and the other performing a process on it.
To give the DA20 humanoid abilities, Motoman developed the DIA10, which has two seven-axis arms and a waist, for a total of 15 axes.
In addition, Motoman has introduced control technology, NX100, which has the ability to simultaneously handle 32 axes.
BELDEN Infinity C-TC+ and FCC ‘Continuous Flex’ cables have been enhanced to provide superior flexing, extended temperature range capabilities and compliance with more industry ratings.
With the addition of Belden high-performance Belflex jackets, these cables reportedly offer exceptional flexing capabilities, resistance to sunlight, oil and abrasion, and the ability to withstand temperature ranges of -40ºC to +90ºC (cold impact) and -50ºC to +90ºC (cold bend).
They offer compliance with 600V TC-ER (18 AWG and larger), 300V UL PLTC-ER (20 AWG), 1000V WTTC (18 AWG and larger), UL MTW & AWM, and 1000V CSA AWM I/II A/B FT4 ratings.
The cables are also UL approved for direct burial, suitable for Class I & II Div 2 installation in hazardous locations. They meet NFPA 79 requirements for industrial machinery and are CE and RoHS compliant.
The C-TC+ cables are suitable for extreme flexing applications in severe environments, delivering optimal performance at 10 million flex cycles. The cable’s unique conductor design is said to eliminates torque and makes the cable less susceptible to fatigue.
The FCC cables are a cost-effective alternative to C-TC+ cables and are suitable for moderate flexing operations of 1 million flex cycles. Like C-TC+ cables, they are manufactured and designed to exhibit superior flex life and durability.
HAYDON Kerk has added the extended stroke captive 19000 series linear actuator to its high output can-stack line.
According to the company, the 1.22” (31mm) stroke length allows a greater range of linear motion while at the same time, maintaining the small mechanical footprint for use in demanding applications requiring compact components.
The 19000 can-stack linear actuator reportedly uses the latest technology in both materials and manufacturing. Technical enhancements includes optimised stator tooth geometry, high energy neodymium magnets, custom engineered polymers, and larger ball bearings.
The resulting system is a linear actuator with a body diameter of 20mm and a linear force of up to 180 oz (50N).
The high output can-stack line is said to provide high force-to-size ratios and is compatible with applications, including precision medical equipment, scientific instrumentation, scanning devices, advanced optics, and other mechanisms requiring high force in a small package size.
COMPANIES who can assemble orders quickly, accurately, and cost-effectively gain a competitive advantage, according to Dematic.
In most operations, order fulfilment is a significant component of customer service, and is of primary importance to customers.
According to the company, the key to achieving this advantage is through an order fulfilment system based on paperless picking technologies, such as Dematic’s PickDIRECTOR technology — a cost-effective hardware and software solution that can provide substantial improvements in productivity and picking accuracy.
PickDIRECTOR takes order information directly from your company’s computer system and delivers it right to where it’s needed – to the picker.
Tasks such as reading, writing, and searching for stock locations are eliminated – dramatically improving productivity, the company says.
The PickDIRECTOR is said to increase productivity by 50%, and in some cases by up to 200%.
Picking errors are typically reduced by 70 to 90%, and real-time feedback is available on order progress, zone productivity, etc.
The order turnaround time can reportedly be significantly reduced, while the overall system management and customer service is apparently vastly improved.
FEATURING advanced diffused semi-conductor and sputtered thin film technology to provide maximum stability, the new NOSHOK 640 series precision heavy duty pressure transducers were designed for industrial and laboratory applications requiring high accuracy and repeatability, such as research and testing, aeronautical, precision controls, marine, power generation, and medical.
The units offer a temperature compensation system that is said to eliminate temperature-induced errors from 50°F to 104°F.
Standard output is digital with an RS232, 8N1/9600 Baud serial interface (other outputs & electrical connections available).
The units also offer: vacuum ranges through 15,000 psi (absolute ranges from 15 psia to 300 psia); high over range protection; standard 1/2 inch NPT process connection; and final calibration tests prior to shipment.
There are a variety of factors that can limit your business and your ability to grow, including not having the computing power you need to do your work quickly and efficiently, according to Metromatics.
This could be the result of limited workspace, the need to be portable, or budget restrictions, the company says.
Metromatics is now supplying NextComputing’s new solution for these concerns in the Radius LE.
The Radius LE is an all-in-one portable workstation/server. Like other NextComputing portables it is reportedly designed to provide high-performance computing in a mobile, lightweight package.
What makes the Radius LE unique is that it is the thinnest of the NextComputing portables, says the company.
At 4.3 inches deep, and with base configurations weighing around 15lbs., it is said to bring desktop-class computing with PCI Express expansion, all for the price of a high-end laptop.
The ToughSwitch 3 is a dedicated, ruggedised ethernet switch designed to meet MIL-STD environmental and electromagnetic requirements.
It operates from 24 VDC vehicle power in accordance with MIL-STD-1275B, making it ideally suited for use in military vehicles.
The ToughSwitch 3 is painted with Chemical Agent Resistant Coating (CARC) paint, meaning it will resist the effects of biological and chemical decontamination agents, including DS2 and STB, applied to external surfaces and components using standard decontamination procedures and methods.
It also meets MIL-STD-108 requirements for steam and waterjet cleaning.
The ToughSwitch 3 is outfitted with two MIL-STD connectors, one for power and a second for ethernet connectivity. Since all the ports are auto-MDI/MDIX, any port can be connected to another ethernet switch as an uplink.
The ToughSwitch 3 is designed to minimise collisions and network loading. Unlike an ethernet hub that broadcasts all messages out all ports, it automatically determines and remembers where an ethernet device is located and routes messages only through the appropriate port.
THE Huntron Access DH (dual head) Automatic Probing Station is designed to open the measurement spectrum to fixtureless diagnostic robotic probing.
The addition of a second point is said to provide accurate automation of a two-point measurement, therefore reducing the manual dexterity limits when an event needs to be captured.
The Huntron Access DH can be configured to work with almost any standard measurement instruction such as Huntron Trackers, Multimeters, Oscilloscopes, Spectrum Analysers and LCR meters, distributor Metromatics says.
Huntron Access Probers connect to the Huntron ProTrack, the Tracker Model 30, TrackerPXI. The Access Prober also comes with the Tracker Model 30 built-in for an all-in-one test solution.
The Huntron Access Probers are said to allow economical, automated testing of densely packed surface-mount and other devices on the most complex boards from the smallest to the largest systems.
GERMAN company TOX PRESSOTECHNIK has expanded its TOX-Mini handheld and machine-mount robot tongs range to offer a more comprehensive supply.
One of the new models is a new generation of pneumohydraulically-operated drive cylinders, called the TOX-Powerpackage type RZ, reportedly offering high precision and easy flange mounting.
This model is designed to offer engineers new possibilities for the rationalisation of production processes for pieceparts and for the mounting of subassemblies.
TOX-Handheld Tongs come in six types and further executions and equipment variants.
According to the individual requirements and operative ranges, the customer may select among mini handheld tongs, handheld tongs and flange tongs.
There are various designs available which may be guided either as independent, mobile handheld tongs, stationary machine mount tongs or even in robot operation.
TECPRO Australia’s new GIRAFFA fog cannon is based on the company’s larger ELEFANTE model, but with the flexibility of being able to be mounted on a moveable extension, enabling it to reach five metres in height.
Manufactured by Italian company Idrotech S.r.l, it is the latest addition to Tecpro Australia’s range of industrial dust suppression systems designed to neutralise odours and suppress dust in open industrial spaces.
Two atomizing nozzle-rings in the mouth of the cannon create a misting effect, with fine water vapour thrust over a wide distance by a powerful fan.
The GIRAFFA reportedly makes it simpler to comply with environmental requirements on a range of work sites.
By suppressing fugitive airborne dust in areas such as manufacturing sites, it minimises the dispersion of dust to neighbouring areas, thereby reducing dust pollution.
KAESER Compressors Australia has made available its range of oil-free, two-stage rotary screw compressors, the DSG and FSG series, to the Australian market.
The DSG & FSG series has been designed for applications where oil-free compression is specifically required, such as clean manufacturing areas.
At the heart of these units lies a two-stage compressor airend. The rotors are equipped with Ultra Coat, which is said to be resistant to temperatures up to 300 °C. Because this cost-reducing coating is also abrasion-proof, its sealing and protection performance remains unchanged, even after years of operation, according to Kaeser.
Kaeser’s system design allows for the units to be provided in either water-cooled or air-cooled versions, in addition to the option of frequency control to allow for fluctuating demands.
GETTING the maximum net weight into a container or bulk bag is easily achieved when a Vibrating Compaction Table is employed, according to Enmin Vibratory Equipment.
The company offers a range of custom and standard designs to consolidate bulk materials.
During the filling process, unless de-aeration is generated, the container will be shipped with less than the maximum achievable weight, the company says.
Considering a shipping sea container or a road truck, this can reportedly add to the overall cost of transportation since a lesser load is dispatched since all the potential space is not utilised.
Enmin Vibratory Compaction Tables are usually installed at the point where the container or flexible bulk bag is being filled. By interlocking the electrics as the filling takes place, the load will be subjected to a timed and controlled vibration frequency that will quickly consolidate the material. On reaching the net weight, the system simply switches off until the next cycle.
The Vibratory Compaction Table can be supplied with a standard platform low profile scale as a standalone unit or engineered to suit any filling operation such as an automatic conveying process.
Construction of the Vibratory Tables can be in carbon steel painted or hot dipped galvanised or in some cases in a stainless steel design for food or environmental considerations.
The new KitBin is said to make a significant difference to work place practice when used as a replacement for wooden pallets holding shrink wrapped products.
Benefits include better protection of saleable products, safer worker environment and improved warehouse efficiencies, manufacturer Nayla claims.
At Distribution Centres (DC’s), warehouses and stores there are a number of OH&S issues related to wooden pallets. There can be significant costs to the business from the damage wooden pallets cause to products from nails, sharp wooden edges and splinters etc.
According to Nayla, these problems are solved as a result of using the HDPE plastic KitBin alternative. The KitBin has a smooth easy-to-clean surface and external rounded corners to ensure easy handling and protection for workers.
Lids are also available where required for preventing over flow of individual bulk bins or for shelter from the environment. This results in a reduction of product that is wasted.
Product protection is improved when using a KitBin instead of a wooden pallet shrink wrapped, as the walls are a solid construction that shields products stored inside from the knocks and bumps associated with transportation of goods. This also increases workplace safety as products are less likely to fall off the pallet because of the surrounding walls, the company claims.
King Materials Handling has a released a new range of pallet handling solutions incorporating a pump with the handle pivoted at the pump housing.
According to the company, some other types have a pivot point attached to the cylinder housing – which is prone to fracturing then leaking due to straining of these points.
All new HI-EX Trucks feature a single, large diameter hydraulic cylinder. Other types still use double and even triple telescoping cylinders, which are prone to bending and leaking at the many seal points, as bending moment stress is applied to the cylinder- especially at height, according to the company.
The battery version features a moulded plastic ‘comfort handle’, push button up/down and separate on/off switch. With the ability to use the machine in either manual or battery lift modes, which can be very handy if the unit was not plugged in the night before.
High Lift Pallet Trucks are very popular with companies wanting to feed product into machinery at bench high level. Printers use them for paper feeding into presses. Furniture manufacturers simply pump up the load and slide a single sheet into a moulder or edger.
If there are goods coming down the conveyor or from the work bench, then the operator simply pumps up the pallet to the right height, and loads the pallet without having to bend.
The safety feature on all trucks, is that the rear outriggers come to rest on the floor, when the height of the truck exceeds 300mm. The truck cannot now be moved, unless taken down below that point.
Kincrome has expanded its range of Storage Racks with a new set of Kincrome Workshop Storage Racks with removable tubs designed for handy storage around the workshop.
Suited for a variety of areas, the racks are designed to store smaller items such as nuts, bolts, washers, screws, nails, seals and o-rings, as well as drill bits, electrical fittings, spare parts, and more, and are ideal for use on manufacturing assembly lines and workshops.
Available in two different sizes, the Kincrome Storage Rack range includes the 24-bin rack small enough to fit on a workbench, and the larger 43-bin rack offering unlimited storage potential, according to Kincrome.
The racks feature a metal construction with a silver powder-coated finish, along with adjustable shelves, and are said to be easy to assemble. The racks feature a quick and easy ‘knock down style’ assembly with bolts included.
The racks include durable plastic storage tubs with moulded label holders for easy identification of contents. Each rack includes two different size tubs to fit a range of parts and accessories. The tubs are also available separately in the two different sizes.
Michell Instruments’ Multi-Channel Control Unit (MCU) is designed to make multiple process moisture measurements easier.
The Promet I.S, process moisture in gas analyser, is now available in a multi-channel format, with the MCU, enabling up to four measurement channels within a single 19-inch sub-rack unit.
The Promet I.S channels can be combined together with a sister product for moisture in liquid measurement — the Liquidew I.S — into the MCU to enable both gas and liquid sample measurements to be taken with a single analyser system.
Each channel of the MCU functions independently of the others so that maintenance can be carried out on one channel while the others continue to operate as normal.
The MCU is reportedly very simple to operate: its bright alphanumeric LED display, with optional live pressure compensation, provides unit conversions from dew point to a wide range of alternative moisture content units to allow the user complete flexibility to select their preferred unit of measurement.
Siemens PLM Software has announced a new version of its Parasolid software — a PLM 3D geometric modeling component.
Parasolid Version 23.0 (V23) is said to deliver a wide variety of enhancements which reflect Siemens PLM Software’s commitment to improving complex processes throughout the entire product development process.
Parasolid has extended its support for multi-core processor hardware to enable applications based on Parasolid to take full advantage of their significant performance advantage over single-core processors.
Parasolid V23 is now fully thread-safe, enabling applications to have several threads running on different processors, with each calling any Parasolid function simultaneously.
A new face deformation operation enables sophisticated shape changes to digital models based on either design requirements or simulations of shape changes that occur due to real-world situations such as deflection under load or distortion during temperature cycles.
In addition, in response to the needs of product designers who need to create and modify complex geometry with maximum productivity and flexibility, Parasolid V23 is said to offer more sophisticated blending techniques and controls that extend the software’s already impressive range of blending capabilities into the domain of complex modeling.
Adaptalift Hyster (AALH) has updated its ForkTrack fleet management solution with 3G coverage, with the new offering said to incorporate the latest in communications technology to extend reporting coverage to wherever it is needed.
With 3G wireless services covering more than 98% of all Australians, ForkTrack 3G reportedly allows full reporting and safety alerts in all regions, both rural and urban, throughout Australia.
According to AALH, ForkTrack is currently the most advanced online safety and reporting system available in the marketplace, bringing the very best safety enhancements and the most advanced fleet analysis technology into one sleek, state-of-the-art device.
Forktrack is now able to band hop between 3G & GSM/GPRS, offering more coverage in remote areas such as Far North and Central Queensland, as well as the Kimberly and beyond.
The ForkTrack Fleet Safety System incorporates: pre-start, paperless safety checklists; driver ID controls; smart driver restraint controls; transmission controls; advanced impact detection; and overload alarms and lockouts.
Adaptalift Hyster has extended its Fortens forklift range with the introduction of an 8-9 tonne capacity series, which reportedly provides a compact, efficient, high capacity truck that delivers low-cost of operation in tough applications.
The new H170-190FT Fortens series is suited for industries such as paper, wood, beverage, metals, ports, automotive or construction materials.
The high capacity, compact design also benefits operations with high attachment usage, the company says.
The H170-190FT has a compact design, ensuring that space, loads moved per hour and on-site efficiency is maximised to maintain low operating costs.
It shares many features with the company’s successful H135-155FT series, including the frame construction, low maintenance oil immersed brakes, leak-free hydraulics and drivetrain.
The compact frame design results in a wheelbase of 2450mm, making the H170-190FT one of the smallest in its capacity class, particularly when taking into consideration the load centre for trucks equipped with front end attachments, the company says.
