Successfully applying a level of smart manufacturing will bring greater efficiencies and flexibility to any given production process and is a significant step toward ‘futureproofing’ a production enterprise, explains Chris Evans, marketing & operations group manager, Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V. Automation Systems Division.

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Running continuously for 24/7 or standing idle for months on end are the two extreme conditions in which the world's longest igus plastic energy chain operates. At the lignite-fired power station in Tušimice, Czech Republic, the roller energy chain system with a travel length of 615 metres has been achieving this for ten years now without missing a beat.

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HARTING looks at some of the key focuses of smart manufacturing in 2019.

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For much of this and last century and throughout UK industry, a dependable supply of industrial gases such as nitrogen and oxygen has been as crucial to critical processes as the supply of electricity, water and gas utilities. Now, major advances in on-site gas generation technology have transformed the way users are able to source industrial gases explains Arron Farghaly MEng – lead application and business development engineer Atlas Copco Compressors.

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In this issue of IP&E, the news from the British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) is that it has welcomed its new president, Jason Morgan, and said a well-deserved congratulations to the winner of this year’s Primary Engineer Rogers Knight award

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Free cooling is a fast, effective and economical way for industrial end-users to reduce process cooling energy costs, in some cases by up to 80%. Get the specification right and the system can pay for itself within 18 months; get it wrong and the investment may fail to live up to expectations. Richard Metcalfe, director – UK & Ireland Sales & Service at ICS Cool Energy looks at the pros and cons of two of the most popular types of free cooling systems. 

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As the name suggests, corrosion-resistant bearings can be used in applications where corrodible materials wouldn’t suffice — think food processing, chemical manufacturing, pharmaceutical production and bearings for marine applications. But, what materials suffice? Chris Johnson, managing director of miniature bearing supplier SMB Bearings, explains

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A consistent supply of clean, dry compressed air is essential to many sectors, but it can require a considerable amount of energy to produce. Here, Andrew Power, country manager at Gardner Denver, details some simple steps that operators can take to improve energy efficiency and bottom line profitability

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When making the choice between a vane or screw compressor, there are a number of different areas for consideration. Amongst these, the most important are the long-term factors, as these will paint the most accurate picture of which technology is likely to offer the greatest benefits. Andy Jones, managing director at Mattei, examines four key areas to take into account when making a compressor selection

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Plastic waste has become one of today's hottest topics with both businesses and consumers feeding the problem of overuse. It seems some organisations are reluctant to change their pick, pack and despatch process, believing it too challenging or expensive to explore viable alternatives. With plastic production doubling over the last 50 years, there is an urgent need to do something, as Jake Kirk, managing partner at Kite Packaging, explains

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Fluid Heater installations are generally at the simpler end of the spectrum when compared to a complex steam plant, so it came as something of a surprise to Babcock Wanson UK when it was approached by a company asking if it could create a 1MW fluid heater to operate at 275 bar pressure and reach a temperature 490°. Chris Horsley, managing director, explains more

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Power grids are becoming digital jungles. Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, smart meters and integrated cloud services are bringing new considerations for organisations in relation to hackers, cyber security and data protection. Here, Martyn Williams, managing director of energy software expert Copa-Data UK, explains how software is playing an important role in securing networks of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) in the energy industry.

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If you work in manufacturing, you will be used to hearing about Industry 4.0, the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution, and its vision of a brave new world for automation, just around the corner. It’s an exciting prospect. Yet, in reality, Industry 4.0 is much less about revolution, than it is about winning through steady, incremental progress, according to Seb Strutt, senior product manager for SICK UK

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AxFlow product manager Malcolm Walker looks at the types of positive displacement pumps that are making their mark in the food processing industry

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Early indications of bearing damage enable a user to replace bearings during regularly scheduled maintenance, avoiding otherwise costly unscheduled machine downtime. Important parameters for monitoring machine condition include noise, temperature and vibration. Phil Burge, marketing and communications manager of SKF explains

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The topic of Brexit is a daily, if not hourly discussion in companies across the UK. To help its members and end-users speak with a unified voice and help influence UK Government policy, BCAS is now a key member of the EURIS taskforce, an advisory body that examines the potential impacts of the changing relationship between the UK and EU for the UK Government, manufacturers and the media 

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Flexibility and modularity are key trends in machine and plant engineering. It is increasingly common for standard machines and additional units to be made as separate mechanical and electronic units that are joined only shortly before commissioning the full system. Installation hardware must live up to the modularity of the machine. Murrelektronik explains how its Cube67 field bus system offers a solution

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Water quality plays a considerable role in plant efficiency but what should we be measuring, where and how? Armand Uchtmann, commercial business manager water quality EMEA of HORIBA, offers guidance on monitoring the quality of water used for heating and cooling purposes.

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Battery-free scanners powered by super-capacitors can help boost a business’ productivity and green credentials, explains to Stan Zywicki, general manager, Scanning and Printing, Honeywell Safety and Productivity Solutions

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Effective maintenance strategies can help businesses save money, improve operational efficiencies, reduce downtime and increase productivity. What, then, are the most effective strategies that compressed air users can implement? Keith Atkinson, EMEAI sales manager at Gardner Denver, offers some suggestions

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OFFER RELIABLE CONTROL IN DEMANDING ENVIRONMENTS

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Parker domnick hunter offer a range of high efficiency coalescing compressed air filters for the removal of water and oil aerosols, solid particulates and micro-organisms, and dust filters for the removal of dry particulate and micro-organisms from industrial compressed air systems.

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JTEKT offers a vast range of bearings for the automotive industry including various types of tapered roller bearings.

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TSE Small Thermal Shock  Simple to install and operate!

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OMD dryers are sized to match standard compressor outputs

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INTERPUMP is the largest and most innovative manufacturer of high pressure plunger pumps in the world. Dual Pumps are the official INTERPUMP UK distributor.

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Carrier Rental Systems have a new range of dry air blast coolers available for hire ranging from 25kw to 500kw single units. It is common that clients incorporate Carrier Rental Systems Dry Air Coolers into site contingency plans to facilitate fast delivery and connection in the event of a failure of the clients own installed equipment.

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Nord-Lock washers secure bolted joints with tension instead of friction. It is a high quality product with documented success in many industries worldwide.

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For over 50 years, Verder has provided engineering support to its customers in the water & wastewater, chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical and process industries.

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Keeping you cool this summer … wherever you are ... with portable air conditioner hire from Carrier Rental Systems.

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We have one of the largest supplies of hose and couplings available and we also supply custom designed large bore hoses.

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The latest generation of innovative INOX valve bodies from Bürkert can eliminate the need for a large number of pipe sections, bends and connections in complex interfaces. Removing a collection of conventional piping greatly reduces space requirements, speeds-up design and installation time and reduces the opportunities for leaks.

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Gas solenoid valves auto or manual reset class A EN161

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State-of-the-art, energy efficient chiller hire is at the core of Carrier Rental Systems. A complete range of chiller rental units are available immediately, from 10kw to 1200kw.

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The Ceramic and EXSEV Bearings are designed for applications operating in extreme special environments where conventional bearings are not suitable for.

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