Slurry pump for mining industry
Mining companies seeking an efficient way to handle abrasive slurry can now use KSB/GIW Industries' ZW Vertical Slurry Pump Series which is claimed to provide an economical solution for vertical sump requirements. Read more »
Inspecting electric motors
Thermal imagers are useful for both troubleshooting motor problems as well as for condition monitoring, for long-term preventive maintenance. Using a handheld thermal imager, infrared temperature measurements of a motor’s temperature profile can be captured as a two-dimensional image. Read more »
Hydraulic hose sleeving
During a routine tamping operation in the US in 2008, a rural electric lineman suffered a devastating injury due to a high-pressure pinhole leak in a hydraulic hose. His hand was badly injured. But even worse, hydraulic fluid was injected into his tissue through the open wound, resulting in extensive medical treatment. Read more »
DIY hydraulics
Netherlands-based AMCA Hydraulic Fluid Power has designed a self-build modular concept for its hydraulic proportional load-sensing directional control valves. The build concept is designed to provide distributors, OEMs and end users with a flexible and cost-effective solution that will suit a wide range of applications. Read more »
Increasing the useful life of hydraulic oil
Fluid technology company Hydac has set an aggressive target for increasing the useful full performance life of hydraulic oil in the system by 300% in what it calls The 300 Project. The project also aims at reducing total life-cycle costs and the use of oil, generally, for the benefit of the environment. Mark G Keen* explains why and how this can be achieved. Read more »
Efficiency conveyed to EB Mawson
Many quarries and mines are still relying on old technology to power their conveyors, using indirect V-pulley or belt-drive systems. These exposed belts and pulleys require continual adjustment to optimise their performance, and invariably require significant levels of safety guarding. Servicing of these systems often results in excessive conveyor downtime - both as a consequence of the constant attention required, and due to the time-consuming task of removing the guarding before work on the drive systems can begin. Read more »
Small-scale wind energy
Nevada-based Windspire Energy has announced a partnership with Australian-based AllSafe Energy Efficient Products to be the sole distributor of the Windspire wind turbine in Australia. Read more »
Testing for Z quality steel
The term ‘Z’ quality has been used for many years. It is often specified for critical applications in structures such as offshore oil and gas platforms (particularly the node joints), ball mills, heavy flanges and some pressure vessels. These applications endure high levels of stress from loading or from excessive restraint of welded sections, particularly where heavy plate sections are used. Read more »
How to use a regulator to reduce time delay in an analytical system
Process measurements are instantaneous but analyser responses never are. From the tap to the analyser, there is always a time delay. Unfortunately, this delay is often underestimated or misunderstood. Read more »
Optimal oil change research
Engineers at Saarland University and the Center for Mechatronics and Automation (ZeMA) in Saarbrucken, Germany, are developing a new method that could determine the optimal date for changing lubricant and hydraulic fluids, used in construction machines, airplanes or industrial installations, during normal operation. Read more »
Pumping abrasive and shear-sensitive liquids
Understanding a fluid’s rheology is fundamental in designing an efficient pumping and process solution. Read more »
Safety - an essential element for industry
Safety has become be a key focus for every business - as important as meeting financial objectives. Strategies that make risk assessment an intuitive part of the job and which encourage personal responsibility are crucial in fostering a culture of continual improvement of safe working practices. Read more »
Australia to heed safety standard deadline
The European Commission has extended the deadline for the transition from standard EN 954-1 to standards EN ISO 13849-1 and EN/IEC 62061. Rockwell Automation Area Manager - Safety, Gary Milburn, explores the implications to Australia’s industrial community. Read more »
Control of static electricity
Static electricity is caused by the imbalance of electrons on the surface of relatively ‘non-conductive’ materials, such as plastics, paper, glass etc. Affecting many of the processes with which we are all associated, static electricity produces effects including electrical shocks to personnel, material handling problems and can lead to damage and destruction of materials. Ultimately, it adversely affects performance, production and process reliability. Read more »
Optimising energy efficiency in hydraulic systems
Considering that approximately 20% of the total global electric energy production is consumed by motor-driven pump sets, they offer a large potential to save energy. As high-power pumps are usually designed and purchased with a strong focus on life cycle costs and low energy consumption, the huge number of low-power pumps are most often selected only with focus on low investment costs although they consume, due to their large population, a considerable share of the total consumed energy. Read more »
Icelandic ash and its implications for aircraft
Air traffic across Europe was halted in April as ash from an Icelandic volcano drifted towards the continent. Scientists in London discuss the technical reasons for this disruption. Read more »
Pumps for underground drinking water
The United Nations General Assembly declared 22 March as World Water Day. This day was dedicated to technical projects aiming to improve the drinking water supply of people all over the world. One of these projects concerns a unique water supply system on Indonesia’s Java island, which was designed by scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and was commissioned in March 2010. Read more »
Firepump workshop
Pump Industry Australia (PIA) is conducting a Firepump Workshop in Sydney on 12 May 2010. Suitable for consulting engineers, fire protection companies, fire-pump packagers, fire authorities and other regulatory bodies within the industry, the workshop will discuss fire pumps to AS 2941-2008 - Fixed fire protection installations. Read more »
Partnerships are key to convergence
'Best of breed’ partnerships will be the key to the successful convergence between production and IT systems, according to Rockwell Automation's Integrated Architecture Regional Business Leader, Geoff Irvine. True convergence, he believes, means getting the best of both worlds - from production and from IT - and is essential to maximise production efficiency and profits. Read more »
How to select the right robot for the job
Precise, repetitive manual tasks are a classic cause of workplace injuries and lost productivity, making them the perfect job for robots. Still, just like their human counterparts, robots must be well matched to their job descriptions. Robotics advisory service Robotize will help visitors to Melbourne Materials Handling from 20 to 22 April 'headhunt' their next machine and Managing Director Wade Leslie offers 12 golden rules for robot selection. Read more »