PWE looks at how an online monitoring solution using ultrasonic sensors was able to detect an issue on a critical bearing before it turned into a big problem.

Anyone with responsibility for warehouse equipment must consider the question of if the equipment is faulty, do you repair or replace? Rite-Hite’s Thorsten Mauritz explains further.

Maintec returns on 7th and 8th of June 2023 at Birmingham’s NEC as part of Nineteen Group’s Manufacturing & Engineering Week (M&E Week) www.mandeweek.co.uk . PWE reports

Global miner Anglo American has overcome persistent reliability problems at an important iron ore project in Brazil with the help of Sulzer pump specialists. PWE reports.

Johan Jonzon, CMO and Co-Founder of edge analytics platform developer, Crosser, explains how edge analytics provides instantaneous data to prevent unscheduled downtime.

Do you ever wish you had x-ray eyes to see inside a machine to predict exactly when it will fail? The reality is probably a relentless routine of maintenance checklists and service inspections, together with time-consuming preventive procedures. Nevertheless, unexpected lapses in product quality and machine failures are still likely to happen. PWE spoke to David Hannaby, Market Product Manager for SICK UK to find out more.

ABB has acquired a minority stake in Swedish start-up Viking Analytics via its venture capital unit, ABB Technology Ventures (ATV). The strategic partnership to develop the next generation of predictive asset health analytics for electrical equipment, will allow customers to predict anomalies before they become a risk to their operations. Financial details of the investment were not disclosed.

Sulzer engineers custom boiler feed pumps with updated hydraulic design for 50% less than replacement cost. PWE reports

In February next year at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2023 will host nearly 600 firms exhibiting a vast array of components, equipment, software and services

PWE takes a look at some of the latest problem-solving solutions from Turck Banner in machine safety, diagnostics and data security

PWE spoke to Donal Bourke, Sales Director, and Stephen Davis, Marketing Director, at PEMAC who explain how optimisation services can increase the return on investment of CMMS software projects and support maintenance improvement programmes.

The manufacturing industry is facing a plethora of external challenges: supply chain disruptions, labour shortages and vast globalisation are amongst those at the top of many lists. Against the backdrop of vast international competition, these external factors have undoubtedly created heightened pressures for manufacturers to outperform their counterparts. Colin Crow, managing director of Nexer UK, reports.

Steam specialist TLV Euro Engineering has launched the FJ32, a range of free-float steam traps designed for process applications including jacketed pans, heat exchangers and vulcanisers that, while adopting the universal QuickTrap connection, can be regularly, safely and easily removed, repaired and reused.

Research conducted by the Tork brand reveals that a large number of machine operators are needlessly interrupted at least 20 times during their workday by having to fetch or dispose of wiping and cleaning products.

The manufacturing industry is facing a plethora of external challenges: supply chain disruptions, labour shortages and vast globalisation are amongst those at the top of many lists. Against the backdrop of vast international competition, these external factors have undoubtedly created heightened pressures for manufacturers to outperform their counterparts. Could AI and AR be the solution? Colin Crow, managing director of Nexer UK reports

PWE looks at why remote telemetry units (RTUs) and advanced software will be crucial for managing more diverse, renewable energy sources.

While an increasing number of enterprise companies and some SMEs are adopting digitally transformative technology, the UK continues to fall behind other nations, including the US and Germany. Andy Pye chaired an international panel to explore the trends

New pump internals from Sulzer solve reliability issues and improve productivity for chemical processing plant. PWE reports.

Dr Martin Lawrence, Combustion Development Specialist at Air Products, looks at how digitalisation can enhance aluminium recycling to boost efficiency.

Chris Measor, Winding Assistant Manager at electro-mechanical specialist Houghton International explains how preventative maintenance can improve the sustainability of electric motors.

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software provider Ultimo has added an autonomous maintenance feature to its platform to allow plant operators to carry out and track simple maintenance tasks using the same software as the maintenance team. PWE takes a closer look.

ntegrating a CMMS or Maintenance Management System with inventory, accounting, purchasing systems and other enterprise management systems is essential for many organisations. PWE reports

Precise and consistent dosing accuracy ensures product quality. However, as the repeatable accuracy of valve actuation typically declines over time, monitoring valve actuation is crucial. Failure to do so can not only reduce dosing performance, it can also lead to unplanned maintenance that will impact productivity and service levels. Implementing a valve actuation monitoring system is the answer. PWE looks at how to monitor valve actuation rates.

A partnership to help customers improve efficiency and increase safety in field maintenance jobs has been launched by Ultimo and XMReality.

A low-cost remanufacturing solution that can extend the life of parts used within manufacturing by 120%, helping UK manufacturers to embrace the circular economy, boost sustainability, and save costs, has been created by Additive manufacturing and machining engineers at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) which is operated by the University of Strathclyde. PWE reports.

By making industrial plants more adaptive, AI can help save the planet says Dominic Gallello*, who looks at how new digital solutions can meet the challenge.

Phrases like ‘Smart Manufacturing’, ‘Industry 4.0’ and the ‘Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are widely used terminology in the context of today’s manufacturing environment. However, these concepts, which embody the idea of using technology to benefit manufacturers, are slow to be adopted, particularly by companies operating within more mature, traditional sectors. PWE reports.

Manufacturers face the ongoing challenge of delivering goods in greater volumes and speeds while keeping prices competitive in an overcrowded market. Automation that features software integrated solutions are helping manufacturers meet these challenges by providing precision and versatility through intelligent systems that increase order fulfilment and improve quality control. Steffen Thierfelder, Managing Director, Northern Europe of Dematic UK and Ireland, explains more

A German wine producer has improved its productivity by retrofitting an anti-corrosion chain on its conveyor system. The company invested in a Tsubaki Neptune chain that has increased service life and reduced downtime with less frequent replacement and maintenance requirements. The upgraded chain has also reduced the total cost of ownership.

Louis Tuttle* takes a look at why maintenance systems fail

Variable speed drives (VSDs) and soft starters provide ways to reduce the energy consumption of a motor by providing operators with solutions for control over their power. But which is the most appropriate choice? Marek Lukaszczyk* gives his advice for choosing a VSD or soft starter.

Whether offshore or inland, wind farms endure all kinds of harsh environments. Condition monitoring is therefore essential and relies upon rugged embedded computing. PWE reports.

To reduce the cost of downtime, several industries have connected their equipment to the Internet of Things (IoT) for an accurate understanding of their performance. Now, with the help of telematics software, generator operators can also improve fleet performance and avoid downtime by receiving near real-time information on their machinery. Becky Wallis* discusses the potential for telematics in gensets.

The decision by power generation company EDF to repair, rather than replace, leaking pipework at its nuclear power plant in Bugey has proved hugely beneficial both practically and financially. Maintenance engineers used Henkel’s Loctite Composite Pipe Repair System to restore the integrity of 170m of freshwater pipes, a process that was undertaken without the need to stop production and at a cost that was 35% less than the replacement value. PWE reports.

Talking Industry Chair Andy Pye reflects on the latest Talking Industry webinar, which covered Maintenance 4.0 - the use of advanced digital methods to nudge maintenance out of traditional systems towards preventive and predictive maintenance.

A wastewater pumping system at a large shopping centre in Bristol was causing a headache for facility managers, as it was suffering multiple breakdowns. Designed to pump wastewater from a 1000 L basement tank over a 10m head and along to the main drains, two pumps kick in once a certain level is reached, emptying the tank. However, the 20-year-old system was showing its age. The tank itself was leaking, causing the seepage of wastewater into the basement area. This required clean up, which was jeopardising the reopening of shops post-lockdown.

A pneumatic valve island for process automation now includes Switching Time Monitoring to ensure improved predictive maintenance, and longterm dosing accuracy.

Knowing the health of your important assets is critical to achieving production and business goals. PWE looks at how edge analytics devices are helping to simplify the implementation of online monitoring systems

Henkel has announced the date for a webinar to explore how LOCTITE structural adhesives can open up limitless possibilities in product design. Broadcast at 10:00 hrs BST on Wednesday 30th June 2021 the event will be hosted by Henkel’s senior technology specialists, Bob Goss and Dr. Julie Joseph. To register for the event go to https://www.bigmarker.com/ma-business/Discover-Structural-Bonding-Adhesives-Design-Performance?utm_bmcr_source=loctiteOneWeb

Andrew Normand* looks at how the power of AI can save plant operators a small fortune

Tork®, an Essity brand, is launching a new guide to “kaizen” that aims to help businesses implement a culture of continuous improvement. Kaizen is the Japanese management theory which advocates that all employees be engaged in the improvement of a business, supported by a new study among machine operators.

Clive Jones*, discusses whether the pandemic could kickstart the digital revolution of thermal fluid monitoring.

By installing automatic lubricators for bearings on its conveyor drive motors and belt pulleys, an opencast mine in Hungary has seen a range of benefits, including prevention of unplanned downtime, longer bearing life and reduced repair work. PWE reports

The Tennent Caledonian Brewery has taken its newly implemented Mainsaver CMMS from Spidex Software live despite the additional pressures of Covid 19. PWE reports.

Industry 4.0 encompasses so much more than simply optimising existing processes. Automation company Pilz has drawn up a universal, digital concept – from ordering through to commissioning with its latest modular safety relay myPNOZ. PWE reports

Industrial equipment operators have increasingly turned to predictive maintenance to prevent catastrophic system failures as well as anticipate and schedule repairs correctly and minimise overall disruption to operations. Overall, predictive maintenance should generate significant cost savings and protect the company’s bottom line. Philipp Wallner* reports.

Svendborg Brakes says its newly launched Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solution is empowering the mining industry to boost its operations. PWE reports.

Digital condition monitoring technology has enabled manufacturers to embed proactive condition based maintenance approaches into their operations, improving reliability, reducing downtime and delivering swift return on investment. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted how cloud-based CM systems

A digital transformation strategy that includes upgrading to a modern distributed control system can help producers improve productivity and reduce risk. Blair Wilson* and Lisa Ridgely* report.

Turck Banner’s systems division has a reputation for bringing together a diverse array of products to form cohesive systems solving the requirements of major industrial companies. However it has not manufactured its own product in the UK until July of this year, when it started manufacturing systems to support social distancing and occupancy for a wide range of uses from factories and plants, to commercial premises and shops. PWE reports.