Significant business growth challenges can be turned into growth opportunities with careful planning and use of Canadian government funding programs.
The other day I came across an interesting article that takes us back to some early innovations regarding the use of electric motors in manufacturing facilities. The article titled “The Electric Motor in Factories”, and was published in Science by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1889.
Read more: Looking Back at Electric Motor Use in Factories,...
Modern 5-axis and multi-tasking machines as well as high-precision machining centers for micro-cutting enable continuously new and improved machining concepts. In addition to the cutting edge, the choice of the tool clamping device is the main key to success. The range of technologies is correspondingly large. A systematic comparison helps to define the optimum clamping technology for the respective machining process.
The savings keep coming when you use a variable frequency drive (VFD) with synchronous bypass and transfer capabilities. It can help reduce up-front capital costs and long-term energy and maintenance costs in various motor-control applications. And along with the cost savings, the VFD can help you increase efficiency and achieve more flexible process control.
What do NBA sportsmen like the world champions from Toronto, The Raptors, and the workings of their teams, have in common with system technology from Rittal and Eplan? More than you might expect. In short, both operate on an “all for one and one for all” basis. Both demonstrate how coordinated systems that link together can tap into unimagined potential.
This June the Pepperl+Fuchs road tour made its way through Ontario and Quebec, visiting several automation providers and manufacturing facilities. During one of the stops at a manufacturing facility in southern Ontario I was able to tour the mobile exhibit with Richard Krawczyk, Account Manager of Factory Automation in Canada.
With the growth of e-Commerce, comes major changes in global retail and logistics. Because of this, companies are seeking automated warehouse solutions to meet this growth. New automated technologies are providing these companies with the capabilities they need to optimize their use of resources. By minimizing operational space, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) enable retailers to not only maximize their resources but also ship products faster and more efficiently.
This April, while attending the Hannover Messe Trade fair, Drives and Control Solutions had the opportunity to spend some time at SEW-EURODRIVE’s impressive booth with Jochen Sauer, Head of International Marketing for the Americas and Asia-Pacific regions.
A Massachusetts-based municipal water treatment facility needed to upgrade their aging 350HP 18-pulse drives. They turned to a local Yaskawa drives distributor, who recommended a reliable, compact, and cost effective retrofit with Yaskawa’s U1000 Industrial Matrix Drive.
Read more: Yaskawa: Drive Retrofit Improves Efficiency for...
In any automotive body shop, transferring subassemblies accurately and efficiently from Point A to Point B is critical. But achieving optimal throughput is not just a matter of speed. It requires a conveyance strategy that can accommodate downtime in some systems without slowing production in others.
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?
To learn the answer, click here
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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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