AeroZero Tapes are ideal for use on battery boxes, busbars, and other sensitive components within battery systems, where exposure to high and fluctuating temperatures can impact safety and structural integrity. The tape acts as both a thermal and electrical insulation barrier, offering robust protection during cyclical heating events that occur during operation and charging.

Already flight proven in spacecraft and aircraft applications, AeroZero Tapes are tailored for design engineers, product designers, manufacturers, and R&D teams focused on developing advanced thermal management solutions in aerospace and defence applications, where weight, safety, and ease of application are critical factors.

Tim Burbey, president of Blueshift, underscores the company’s expertise in mission-critical industries like space and commercial aerospace, which reinforces the tape’s reliability: "We’re applying our insights to offer AeroZero Tapes to engineers and OEMs developing systems where thermal protection is paramount. This solution is especially valuable for designs with space limitations, cyclical temperatures, or those needing an easy-to-apply thermal barrier," he explains.

AeroZero Tapes offer unique customization options, allowing for tailored solutions to meet diverse application needs. Available in various widths from 5mm to 100mm and thicknesses, AeroZero Tapes can be adapted to address specific thermal challenges that other tapes on the market cannot resolve.

"With virtually limitless design possibilities, AeroZero Tapes help enhance product safety and protect brand reputation," adds Burbey. "Our tapes support safe and reliable thermal protection for components that require precise, high-performance materials."

For more information on AeroZero Tapes, visit: https://www.blueshiftmaterials.com/az-tape/ or watch the launch video.

The explosion-proof buzzer combines a small design with low power consumption and a high volume (>90 dB(A)). A continuous tone or an optional rising and falling tone is used to draw attention to hazards and malfunctions in potentially explosive atmospheres. The acoustic signal cannot be overheard, even in noisy environments.

The buzzer made of stainless steel is encapsulated, the sound is generated piezoelectrically by an intrinsically safe circuit inside. The intrinsically safe circuit does not have to be considered during installation.

The signalling device has an EU-Type Examination Certificate and an IECEx Certificate of Conformity as an Ex Equipment and can be used in Zones 0 and 21, as well as in zone 21 without any further housing. The cable tail must be connected in a junction box or in a switchgear combination in a standardised Type of Protection.

www.thuba.com

The QS Micro holding system is specifically designed for small part machining and sliding head machines. It covers the majority of industry segments, such as general engineering, automotive, aerospace and medical. With an extensive range of cutting heads and shank adaptors, the system offers a multitude of configurations and quick tool changes.

The assortment includes rectangular shaft adaptors in sizes 10 × 10 mm up to 20 × 20 mm, and equivalent inch sizes. It also features cutting heads for general turning, parting and grooving, and threading in families CoroTurn 107, CoroCut 2, CoroCut XS and CoroThread 266. CoroTurn 107 and CoroCut XS provide cutting heads designed for Y-axis machining, offering advantages such as higher stability and better chip evacuation.

"One of the main benefits of the QS Micro holding system is that it is possible to quickly change cutting heads with high precision, which reduces the machine downtime," said Hampus Jemt, global product manager for small part machining and threading at Sandvik Coromant. "Another benefit is the modularity, which enables the fitting of different types of cutting heads in different adaptors, reducing the need for a large tool inventory."

Other benefits include a rigid holding mechanism that minimizes vibrations, enabling unprecedented precision in sliding head machines without compromising process security. High indexing precision (+/- 3µm) also ensures supreme component quality, exceptional accuracy and repeatability across various operations.

Furthermore, efficient chip control is crucial in small part machining. All QS Micro shank adaptors provide through-coolant functionality, allowing easy coolant connection to the cutting heads, and the precision coolant is delivered directly to the insert. "Effective chip evacuation is critical. Chip smearing can significantly impact the intricacy of the machined parts. Fortunately, our through-coolant functionality results in exceptional chip control, extended tool life and increased productivity," added Jemt.

Combining quick and easy tool changes with a high degree of modularity, QS Micro is the perfect fit for small part machining operations where precision and security are of utmost importance. Read more about the solution by visiting the website.

www.sandvik.coromant.com

Purbeck Personal Guarantee Insurance saw a 161% year on year increase in applications for personal guarantee backed business loans by the directors and owners of manufacturing businesses.  Personal guarantee backed loans require the business owner to put their personal assets (such as their home and savings) on the line as security for the loan.

Half of manufacturing firms need finance for working capital

While an increase in loan applications suggest higher levels of confidence, Purbeck’s data shows that  48% of applications for personal guarantee backed loans in Q3 2024 were for working capital, to keep the business running.  This is up from 34% in Q2 2024.

15% of loan applications were for business acquisitions and a further 15% were for asset purchase.

Marginal increase in the average size of loan

Manufacturing firms are also being prudent about the amount they are borrowing.  The data from Purbeck Personal Guarantee Insurance shows the average size of loan and corresponding personal guarantee demand was £167,865 - a marginal increase on the same quarter in 2023 (£166,030).

"Our analysis echos the cautious optimism expressed in the Manufacturing Outlook for Q3 2024, from Make UK. We would hope that once manufacturers feel more confident about the outcome of the Budget and the impact of rising energy costs, they will have renewed confidence to invest and grow," said Todd Davison, MD of Purbeck Insurance Services.

www.purbeckinsurance.co.uk

On 28 November, on Stand 55 at MENE, the Starrag stand will have new innovations, including the exciting new Dörries VT 28 vertical turning centre. 

At the MENE Show, Starrag will have everything from new machine technologies to virtual showroom demonstrations on the stand. From the Bumotec product range, Starrag will present its latest turn/mill product lines, which can now be viewed in the company’s new virtual showroom (showroomvud.starrag.com). Also new to the Starrag stable is the new Heckert H Compact Series of twin pallet horizontal machining centres. The new Compact Heckert X series has a trunnion table that provides an impressive high-speed/rigid simultaneous 5-axis capability, making it perfect for any machine shop.  

Scotland and northern England are regions particularly well respected for their expertise in heavy-duty machining and large-scale manufacturing projects. That is why Starrag will be keen to present the new Dörries VT 28 vertical turning centre at MENE. Developed for one-hit machining of large components in the aerospace, power generation, and offshore sectors, the Dörries VT 28 is the epitome of performance, accuracy, and long-term stability. 

Capable of efficiently machining heavy components up to 17 tonnes with a maximum diameter of 2.8m and a height of 2.65m, the Dörries VT 28 has been developed as a multifunctional, high-precision, and flexible vertical turning centre for everything from rough to finish machining in a single operation. To achieve this, the compact single-column vertical turning lathe is suitable for turning, drilling, boring, milling, grinding, and much more.

Stand: 55

www.starrag.com

Designed for high metal removal rates in stable conditions, GC1230 is set to become your go-to solution for steel milling.

Developing a grade to excel in both edge line toughness and wear resistance is a rare feat. However, this is precisely what has been achieved with our new steel milling grade GC1230 produced with Zertivo coating process technology. "GC1230 has a ground-breaking coating innovation delivering exceptional performance with security, predictability and sustainability. It is the first choice for steel milling applications," said Wayne Mayson, global product application manager for grades at Sandvik Coromant.

"This new steel milling PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) grade innovation comprises of a nano multi-layer TiAlN + TiSiN coating with improved adhesion - a coating technology that is improved in all directions of performance capability. In short, it is stronger for longer whether wet or dry steel milling applications."

GC1230 excels in every aspect, whether you seek to extend tool life, boost productivity, or embrace a more sustainable milling approach. The new coating of GC1230 provides unbeatable edge line toughness, resulting in a significantly extended tool life which means more pieces per edge. Thanks to the high heat-resistant capabilities, you can maximise cutting speed to achieve high metal removal rates and boost productivity by reducing machining and cycle time. Its outstanding performance in dry machining conditions makes it a sustainable alternative to coolant-based methods, contributing to more eco-friendly milling.

Comprehensive tests conducted between the existing grade GC1130 and the new grade GC1230 demonstrate the latter’s superior strengths and versatility - it is strong all over. The new grade builds upon the success of grade GC1130 but has a wider application coverage due to increased toughness and wear resistance capabilities at even higher cutting data. The edge line security of GC1230 stands out but heat resistance, crater and wear resistance, and tool life in both P1 and P2 material are also far superior to its predecessor.

Optimised for light roughing to finishing operations, GC1230 is ideal for a wide range of applications, from general to more challenging tasks such as square shoulder milling, complex tool paths and deep cavities, in both wet and dry conditions. It is suitable for all industry segments and various component features.

www.sandvik.coromant.com

This cutting-edge technology offers continuous monitoring of electrical connections, busbars, cables, and other critical applications. 

Moniture is attached via a steel banding around the monitored point and leverages the electromagnetic field of AC current to power itself, enabling passive, self-powered monitoring of temperature 24/7. This innovative approach enhances the safety of condition monitoring by reducing the need for technicians to approach live electrical equipment, especially in medium- and high-voltage (MV and HV) environments.

"At Uie, we are passionate about condition monitoring, safety, and technology. Moniture is a direct result of these passions,” said a Uie spokesperson. “We believe Moniture not only advances the condition monitoring of electrical equipment but also significantly reduces safety risks."

A new era in electrical equipment monitoring

For years, thermal imaging has been the go-to solution for condition-based maintenance (CBM) engineers inspecting electrical panels and network equipment. However, thermal imaging has limitations - it provides a snapshot in time, requiring the fault to already be present, and inspections often occur at long intervals (3, 6, or even 12 months). 

Moreover, thermal inspections carry significant safety risks. Systems must remain live, and inspectors need a clear line of sight, often requiring the opening of HV equipment enclosure doors with exposed live electrical components. Considering that the purpose of such surveys is to identify faults, this process inherently involves greater safety risks. 

Why is this necessary? 

Electrical component failures can have disastrous financial impacts, ranging from tens of thousands to millions of pounds in lost production or supply. In the built environment, the consequences can be even more severe, with the potential for electrical fires to occur. With rising power demands, changing grid conditions, and outdated networks, the rate at which electrical components degrade is accelerating.

Moniture addresses both the safety challenges and the issue of infrequent inspections, offering a simple, maintenance-free solution.

Key statistics:

• UK electrical fires per year: 15% or 8,000 on average (Source: Home Office)  
• Unplanned downtime costs: Average 11% of manufacturers' annual revenue, totaling approximately $1.5 trillion for Fortune 500 companies (Source: Sensye True Cost of Downtime Report, 2022)

Breakthrough technology features:

• Long-range wireless connectivity: Using low-frequency wireless communications, Moniture can penetrate steel enclosures, concrete walls, and steel buildings with a range of up to 200 meters in many cases.
• No stored energy: The system has no stored energy, reducing the risk of arc potential.
• Rugged design: IP68-rated, capable of withstanding harsh weather conditions.
• Data analytics potential: Moniture’s data stream can be integrated into broader data analytics pools, enhancing the value of AI outputs for predictive maintenance.

www.moniture.com

AS THE world is moving towards sustainability and energy independence, so too is commercial building design changing to incorporate these values. More frequently, businesses are striving to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) status for their buildings as part of a longer-term strategy to reach net zero. In parallel, commercial buildings are also becoming smarter, and energy consumption is increasing. This has opened the way towards managing energy in a more efficient manner.

There are many other areas in which building design can decrease the energy requirements of a building, from energy-efficient lighting, passive lighting, water conservation, and more. Yet, no matter how much a commercial building is able to reduce its energy requirements, it is nearly impossible to completely eliminate energy demand. However, the building can become its own energy generator.

Harnessing solar energy

One of the most promising aspects of solar energy, versus other types of renewable energy, is that it is designed to be a distributed power source. For commercial buildings with large rooftops, such as manufacturing facilities, adding a photovoltaic (PV) solar system can be an excellent way to produce the amount of energy that is consumed on-site.

Adding solar energy to a building’s energy mix is a crucial aspect in making a building more energy independent; however, it is only the first step. The next step is improving the management of that energy in order to increase self-consumption. This is because energy usage does not always align with the energy generation of a PV system. As such, there are two ways that the energy can be managed to overcome this inconsistency. The first technique is energy storage, and the second is consumption shifting.

The importance of smart energy management

Energy storage is an essential part of smart energy management as it stores energy when it is produced for consumption at a later time. This is instead of either limiting energy production or feeding it into the grid. Today, the latest PV plus storage systems are able to manage battery charge and discharge patterns to meet consumption needs and reduce the amount of power purchased from the grid.

Shifting energy consumption is another form of energy management that can also help significantly increase self-consumption. This technique combines the technology of smart buildings with solar energy. By merging these two technologies, smart energy management solutions can automatically use a PV system’s excess power to increase solar energy usage, help lower electricity bills, increase energy independence, and provide greater convenience.

For example, devices and appliances, such as immersion heaters, fleets of EV chargers, lighting, and fans, can be controlled by smart energy management solutions that include AC switches with a meter and plug-in sockets with a meter, and load controllers. With the immersion heater, excess PV energy can be directed towards water heating, which is a low-cost form of energy storage. While the other devices allow appliances, such as fans, thermostats, and lighting, to be remotely controlled and utilised during high PV production for increased self-consumption.

Aligning energy use with solar generation

Consumption shifting can also be used to offset loads within a building. This was an important goal for precast concrete company, Litecast, when it installed a 350kW SolarEdge DC-optimised PV rooftop system at its production facility in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. The PV system was forecast to produce 284MW of clean, renewable electricity each year - more than enough, in linear terms, to power both the building and its energy-intensive production machinery.

However, with no battery in place, any unused energy would have to be sent to the grid. To overcome this challenge, Litecast decided to integrate information from the SolarEdge monitoring system with a weather station to identify times of peak energy generation. This would enable it to move production schedules to coincide with these times, thereby ensuring it was able to use as much of the PV energy as possible.

Seamless integration of smart energy management systems

In addition to increasing energy independence, smart energy management allows for a simple user experience when combined into one integrated energy management and monitoring platform. This enables a more streamlined smart energy and building management process to reduce operation and maintenance costs.

As this technology advances, we will continue to see more opportunities to further integrate it into making commercial buildings more energy efficient. For example, weather and irradiance forecasting integrated into energy management systems can help ensure more efficient planning of building heating, or personalized profiles and thermostat controls that can help increase comfort without additional resources. Combining these types of technology with architectural designs can help our commercial buildings exist in better harmony within their surroundings and environment.

Jason Kirrage is senior technical marketing manager at SolarEdge

For more information:

www.solaredge.com

Tel: +44 8000 281183

IN APRIL 2024, a group of eight US newspapers, including The New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune and Denver Post, sued OpenAI and Microsoft for allegedly using their copyrighted articles without permission to train their AI models. The New York Times had already sued both OpenAI and Microsoft in December, on similar grounds.

These legal challenges reflect broader issues in the field of generative AI, particularly concerning the ethical sourcing of training data and the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content. But when training an AI model there is no escaping the need for vast quantities of data.

In addition to the quantity of data, the relevancy of that data is also crucial. If you want to build an application for a manufacturing environment, for example, you need manufacturing data. Unlike the data that is freely available on the internet, the relevant data here is closely guarded by manufacturing companies. 

Model training for defect detection

If you want to build an AI model for a specific use case, for example quality inspection, you need data that is highly relevant to that specific use case. However, to achieve the end goal of a deployable model, there are different routes. If you are starting from zero every time, the process of building the model for your production line will take much longer, require more images and necessitate greater input from the quality manager.

The alternative route, which achieves the same outcome, but in less time and with less hassle, is to develop an AI backbone, essentially pre-training a model with relevant data. In the same way that a human being would recognise a new car they had never seen before as belonging to the category of “car” based on their prior knowledge of cars, so too an AI model, trained on vast quantities of relevant manufacturing data, can recognise a “crack” or a “watermark” on a metal surface, based on its pre-training data.

This will not get you to the end goal, but it will give you a significant head start. Whereas ChatGPT might be able to make mistakes, the KPIs for defect detection typically allow an error rate close to zero. 

Building a powerful backbone

However, if the pre-training data is voluminous and relevant, you have a powerful backbone in place. With this backbone, you have already completed half the job of training a fully deployable AI model. The problem with building this model is, as the case of ChatGPT shows, you need a lot of data.

At QualiSense, our solution has been to partner with Johnson Electric. We’ve secured an agreement with them that provides access to vast troves of manufacturing data from eighteen manufacturers across the world. This means our model has a powerful backbone allowing it to recognise different types of defects on metal surfaces.

Zohar Kantor is chief revenue and customer success officer at QualiSense

For more information:

qualisense.ai

Tel: +972 544234606

Designed to meet the increasing demands and challenges of factory automation, logistics and other similar industry applications, these AC Pulsed Stepper Drivers offer important features and benefits. For example; versatile soltage support ensures single-phase 85-265V AC input with maximum current options of 4.5A, 8A and 12A. This means they are ideally suited to a wide range of applications which demand various torque requirements. Additional features combine to provide user-friendly configuration; for example a Type-C interface which helps to simplify tuning, a 16-bit motor selector which enables easy matching and a 12-bit DIP switch for motor current interpolation with anti-resonance functions.

Additionally they meet the demand for enhanced performance because they offer higher continuous torque output at up to 1200 rpm which significantly surpasses the performance of 750W servo motors in low speed applications, helping to improve factory production line efficiency and stability.

Simple set-up plus safety enhancements

The configuration process has been streamlined allowing quick set-up of parameters such as sub-division, speed, running current and idle current via a 16-bit DIP code. For customised settings, users can connect through the Type-C interface to modify and save parameters using MOONS’ configuration software.
Diverse Control Modes

The SRXAC series supports both pulse (-S) and speed (-V) modes offering users flexible control methods to suit a wide range of application needs. The speed mode increases the options for acceleration / deceleration and can also be tailored through software adjustments.

Typical applications

To meet the latest trends, the SRXAC series is designed for applications requiring low control accuracy and high torque at low speeds so will excel in factory assembly lines, logistics conveyor belts, the food industry and many more. The features and benefits of this new generation of AC stepping pulse drives elevates the possibilities of industrial automation and helps to propel innovations into developing new and improved manufacturing solutions.

www.moonsindustries.com