Known as National Manufacturing Month, there’s no better time than October to reflect on the importance of building a sustainable workforce for a more resilient future. As manufacturers across the country host student tours, Yaskawa Motoman continues to take part in STEM-centric events that fuel optimism for careers in robotic automation, as well as offer comprehensive robot training through Yaskawa Academy.
A popular trend that is growing in the US market is the use of ferrules, also known as end sleeves, to terminate single and multi-conductor wires, e.g. in the terminal blocks within a machine’s control panel. For US equipment manufacturers that export to Europe, using ferrules is a requirement toreceive CE certification so that a company can do business within the European Union. Regional Sales Manager Bob Wells takes some time to answer a few questions he hears in the field about this cable termination technique.
Omron’s partnership with AVEVA Edge makes machine visualization easier than ever. Although this solution is designed to work well across all industries regardless of platform, some platforms work even better - particularly the Omron NY Series Industrial PC or NY ICP for short.
Read more: Why Omron’s NY Series Industrial PC (IPC) Is the...
How fast can my Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) run my motor? This is a frequently asked question and the answer requires consideration. There are power and mechanical limits that will come into play with the design and performance of a typical squirrel cage motor. The VFD, itself, is usually capable of providing the necessary increased frequency. Actually, the VFD is capable of outputting 400Hz – 6.7 times the motors base design frequency
Read more: Thoughts On Running a Squirrel Cage Motor Above...
Trash compactors are one way that we can improve the environment by reducing the volume of trash that goes into a landfill. Smaller bags, smaller loads means that dumpsters can hold more trash and smaller loads entering the landfill. This also yields fewer times the dumpster needs to be emptied which equals less use of fuel to dump the load. A pressure switch is needed to monitor the amount of hydraulic pressure in the compactor’s system.
Read more: Trash Compactors – PS61 Series Pressure Switch...
Palletizing and depalletizing machines tend to be large and have several zones of control. They must also accommodate products of numerous different shapes and sizes. These factors create challenges when safeguarding these machines. To illustrate these challenges and the ways to overcome them, let’s follow a box on its palletizing journey - starting when it approaches the loading cell on a roller and ending when the pallet it gets incorporated into is wrapped up in clear plastic.
Read more: A Box’s Journey: Understanding Palletizing from...
Robots are an integral part of the manufacturing industry worldwide to the extent that they are indispensable. In production, robots and cobots frequently encounter each other, working and interacting side by side with humans, but also performing tasks independently. The latest industrial robots move in a three-dimensional space and can therefore perform a wide variety of tasks. In order to ensure optimum system performance, the use of a dress pack is required to keep a robot running as frequently as possible. Regional Sales Manager Gordon Post discusses some of the questions he hears in the field about robotic cable protection systems.
Whether you call them cord grips, cable strain reliefs, or cable fittings the cable gland is an important piece within the cable system. Several factors need to be considered when choosing the correct type of cable gland for industrial applications.
The main requirement when retrofitting the points controllers for the urban railway and trams in several of Poland's major cities was safety and reliability. That's because the control systems in use were obsolete and sensitive to temperature variations. In many places, points could only be passed at 10 km/h, which prevented attractive, clock-face scheduling. The Polish company ZUE S.A. is an expert in the field of modernizing rail infrastructure and took charge of modernization.
Considerable investments are made with respect to industrial gear units so one expects excellent system availability and productivity. It is not always possible to predict downtime and be able to prevent unscheduled maintenance. What if there was a way to get a clear view ahead, achieve proactive maintenance, and avoid costly breakdowns and even preventative maintenance? What if this solution was possible for not only new industrial gear units, but existing ones as well? DriveRadar® from SEW-EURODRIVE is that solution and more.
Editor's Pick: Featured Article
Put to the Ultimate Test – Part 1: Torsion Tests by HELUKABEL
Cables and wires in industrial robots and other moving machine parts are often required to withstand extreme stresses caused by torsion. Constant repetitive movements put materials under considerable strain. At the same time, operators expect components to function perfectly and reliably throughout their entire service life to avoid disruptions, outages and safety hazards.
For this reason, at HELUKABEL, we simulate intensive and continuous torsion stresses under realistic conditions with our high-tech testing equipment in Windsbach. We have several types of apparatus for doing this because some of our customers, for example those in the automotive industry, have very precise specifications for how a torsion test is carried out. The tests show that our cables and wires withstand speeds up to 1,000°/s, accelerations up to 2,000°/s² and torsion angles up to 720°. Hence, we make sure that each product always meets our customers’ high standards, and that they receive the impeccable quality they rightly expect from us as a leading supplier of cables, wires and accessories for more than 40 years.
What Is Torsion?
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Festo Didactic at the Forefront of Developing Canada’s Future Work Force
With Canadian manufacturing suffering from a growing labour shortage, the participation of industry in skills development is emerging as a vital component in hiring and retention.
The needs are stark: The Canadian Exporters and Manufacturers Association says almost 40% of its members have jobs they can’t fill. Five years from now, 60% expect to be short-staffed, especially when it comes to skilled trades. Statistics Canada forecasts the country’s labour force growth rate will remain below 0.2% for the rest of the decade, below replacement levels.
This growing shortage is affecting companies of all sizes. Already, some manufacturers acknowledge losing out on contracts because they can’t find the manpower to fulfill them.
In reality, the challenge is two-fold: to replenish and expand the workforce to help close the gap between the number of job seekers and vacancies through 2030 when the last baby boomers reach age 65, and ensure workers get opportunities throughout their careers to upgrade or add to their skillset as current technologies evolve and new ones emerge. Festo, through Festo Didactic, one of the world leading provider of equipment and solutions for technical education, intends to help Canada meet this challenge on both fronts. In essence, the approach Festo has always taken is that the learning never stops.
Read more here
Product News
New Emerson Valves Deliver Proportional Flow Control Performance in Exacting Applications
Emerson recently introduced the ASCO™ Series 209 proportional flow control valves, which offer the highest standards of precision, pressure ratings, flow characteristics and energy efficiency available in a purpose-built, compact architecture. With this combination of size and performance, Series 209 valves allow users to precisely regulate the flow of fluid in a wide range of devices that require exacting performance, like those found in the medical equipment, food and beverage, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) industries.
Accuracy, response time and repeatability are critical in high-precision flow control applications, such as controlling tool speed in dental chairs, the flow of steam in coffee makers, water flow in cooling systems and hydrogen flow in fuel cells. Series 209 valves have low hysteresis (less than or equal to 5%), excellent repeatability (less than or equal to 1%) and high sensitivity (less than or equal to 0.2%) that contribute to their precision.
To find out more, click here
Featured Product
Teledyne Announces New Ladybug6 Cameras for High Accuracy 360-Degree Spherical Image Capture
Teledyne FLIR Integrated Imaging Solutions is pleased to announce the all new Ladybug6— the latest addition to its field proven Ladybug series. Ladybug6 is the leading high-resolution camera designed to capture 360-degree spherical images from moving platforms in all-weather conditions. Its industrial grade design and out-of-the-box factory calibration produces 72 Megapixel (MP) images with pixel values that are spatially accurate within +/- 2 mm at 10-meter distance.
“The new Teledyne Ladybug6 is designed for mobile mapping and all-weather inspection projects requiring excellent image quality and high resolution,” said Mike Lee, Senior Product Manager at Teledyne FLIR. “With the addition of Ladybug6, we are now pleased to offer a wider variety of spherical cameras with higher resolutions ranging from 30 MP to 72 MP.”
To learn more, click here
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