First speed-controlled MV motor promises rapid paybacks, plus ￡100m Factory of the Future
Drives & Controls
The UK's leading magazine for automation, motion engineering and power transmission
Business confidence among UK manufacturers is at its highest level for a decade as the sector starts to emerge from a two-year post-Covid slump, according to a new survey from the manufacturers’ association, Make UK. In its Q2 Manufacturing Outlook survey, the organisation reports that orders and output have been picking up, and predicts that the sector will expand by 1.2% in 2024, outpacing the UK economy which is expected to grow by just 0.9%. When asked about their top priorities for the next government, 69% of UK manufacturers cited the need for an industrial strategy, with more than half (54%) wanting stronger EU/UK relations, and 44% calling for the tax burden on businesses to be cut. Make UK warns that the skills shortage is now a critical issue for many manufacturers, affecting not just their growth, but also their ability to maintain daily operations and fulfil contracts. There are currently 64,000 vacancies in the manufacturing sector, which Make UK estimates is costing ￡6bn in lost output. The survey should give the battling political parties food for thought.
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?ABB has announced what it describes as the world’s first speed-controlled medium-voltage motor, claiming that it represents “a new way of converting electricity into motion”. The system – called MV Titanium – combines a 1-5MW MV motor with a frequency converter in one package. It is designed to pow ...
Construction has started on the ￡100m Factory of the Future project in Northern Ireland, which is expected to create up to 1,500 jobs in the region, contribute ￡1bn to the economy, and train 300 apprentices by 2025. The 10,500m2 Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) is being built at the ...
When space is at a premium, but your application requires a motion system with power-packed performance, it may be time to consider a flat motor. New brushless DC flat slotted motors from Portescap offer speeds up to 10,000 rpm. Available in diameters starting from 20mm and with cont. mechanical power between 9-260W. These compact precision motion systems allow for a lower cost of ownership, as well as extensive customization to optimize your machine including gearheads, coil modifications and more. The flat architecture of these precision motors make them well suited for demanding applications including surgical robotics, industrial power tools, robotics, eVTOLs, control systems, and aerospace control and actuation. Know what you need? Our motor eStore is available for quick prototypes!
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The chip-maker Nvidia has announced a series of tie-ups with industrial automation suppliers including Siemens, Rockwell Automation, Teradyne Robotics (which owns Universal Robots and MiR), the Chinese industrial giant and car-maker BYD, and Intrinsic, the software and AI robotics subsidiary of Alp ...
?Unipower Motor Load Monitors have been used in industrial motor driven applications for over 30 years. They are extensively used in Water & Waste, Pharmaceutical, Petro & Agro-Chemical and many other industrial applications to protect machines from damage caused when a motor drives against an abnormal load event such as a jam, blockage, or dry-run. The motor effectively becomes a sensor to detect the state of the equipment it’s driving. UNIPOWER Load Monitors calculate Watts/Kilo Watts (kW), the only electrical measurement of work that is linear with and proportional to load, using the formula: P=√3×I×V×COS? Motor current is not suitable as it does not vary with load in all circumstances but does vary with site voltage causing nuisance tripping.
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?ABB claims to be the first electric motor manufacturer to have achieved IE6 levels of efficiency from a synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) motor without needing to use magnets. The Brazilian motor-maker WEG recently announced that it had achieved a similar level of efficiency from a SynRM motor ...
PMW Dynamics have launched the IG9190 Geared Actuator. This low voltage, high torque motor is designed to meet the increasing demand for more powerful electric vehicles in the agricultural, warehousing and robotic AGV/AMR application spaces. This IP65 rated unit is a motor, gearbox, brake and encoder all in a package weighing 10 kg and measuring only 260-300mm long. Just add power (24, 48 or 72v) and the drive of your choice to get moving. With a variety of gearing options, the IG9190 can deliver up to 380Nm of peak torque and support a weight on each wheel of up to 500kgs
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The recent Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week 2024 event, held at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre in early June, drew a record number of 13,428 visitors, representing a 30% increase on the number that attended in 2023. The organisers say that part of the reason for the record atte ..?
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?Global revenues from sales of collaborative robots (cobots) exceeded $1bn during 2023, despite demand recovering more slowly than expected after the Covid pandemic, according to new data from Interact Analysis. It predicts the market will see a 22% increase in shipments during 2024 and expects grow ...
?Join Talking Industry panellists from KUKA, Universal Robotics, and GAMBICA on 26th June at 14.30 as they tackle robotics and automation in SMEs. Robotics and autonomous systems are increasingly crucial for manufacturers, offering opportunities to reduce costs and improve efficiency. UK businesses, particularly SMEs, have failed to capitalise on automation with industrial robots. Senior engineers, managers, or directors of SMEs: what is holding up the march of robotics in your company? Senior leaders in larger manufacturing enterprises: how can you help your supplier base introduce automated systems, and how would your company benefit?
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ABB Robotics has announced a new-generation intelligent robotics automation platform that, it says, is faster, more precise and more sustainable. The OmniCore platform – the result of more than $170m of investment in next-generation robotics – is a step change to a modular, futureproof control arch ...