News

Pipe and cable seal manufacturer Roxtec UK has expanded its marine and offshore team with the appointment of a new business development manager.

Jordan McNelly joins the company as Marine and Offshore Manager (North). His experience covers the manufacturing, distribution and contracting sectors, and in his new role at Roxtec he will be responsible for supporting customers in the north of England and North Wales.

Roxtec supplies the maritime industry with a wide range of pipe and cable transits that protect people and assets from multiple hazards including fire, flooding, the risk of explosion and electromagnetic disturbances.

Designed to withstand harsh ocean environments, Roxtec safety seals are used aboard carriers and cargo ships, superyachts, cruise liners, ferries and naval vessels. (See: Roxtec naval and Roxtec commercial marine . Its seals are also an industry standard within the offshore oil and gas sector, found on jack-up and semi-submersible rigs, and aboard FPSOs, drill ships and offshore support vessels. (See: Roxtec offshore oil & gas).

Mr McNelly said: “Roxtec is the global leader in pipe and cable safety seals, with a strong reputation and a lot of extremely innovative products that have proved to be game changers. This is a highly technical marketplace and I’m looking forward to working with customers, their designers and contractors to find sealing solutions that best fit project requirements – whether that be off-the-shelf products or bespoke solutions.

“I’ll be working with businesses across the North, with particular focus on the Merseyside area for shipbuilding and ship upgrades, Barrow-in-Furness where there’s a lot of activity linked to the submarine programme, and the North Sea in respect of oil and gas. My primary role will be to support customers and educate businesses within the wider marine and offshore market as to the variety of cable and pipe seal solutions Roxtec has available, as well as the value they can offer both at the point of installation and over the lifetime of a vessel.”

Clive Sharp, Managing Director of Roxtec UK, added: “Designing and manufacturing innovative sealing solutions is our passion. We work closely with shipbuilders to develop reliable pipe and cable transits that speed up installation time and reduce costs, while ensuring the safety of ships and crew.

“We have a great team in place to support our customers right across the UK and Jordan will play a pivotal role as we continue to increase our presence in the maritime sector.”

The Swedish-owned company first entered the marketplace in 1990 and is now active in more than 80 markets worldwide. Its transits are renowned for their durability, reliability and flexibility, and are also widely used to seal pipe and cable entry points within the manufacturing, power, infrastructure and process industries.

To help manufacturers make the most out of their operators’ skills, industrial metrology specialist, The Sempre Group, now supplies the Arkite Human Interface Mate (HIM). The system meansmanufacturers across the UK can easily implement augmented reality (AR) into pre-existingassembly lines. The use of AR to guide operators through the assembly process can drastically reduce human error, training and production cycle time.

Any time an operator is working on something repeatedly, there is a possibility of human error. As a result, scrap levels increase and with a higher number of defective products comes unwanted costs. The Arkite HIMreduces human error by 90 per cent, which is valuable in manufacturing processes where robots are notfeasible and the workforce is still vital, such as quality control. Light picking and visual projection can increase productivity by 75 per cent by projecting step-by-step instructions onto a surface for the workforce to follow, bridging the gap between robotics and the manual workforce.

The Arkite system also validates the work being done using embedded smart sensors, which take time stamps and qualitatively measure performance to ensure that certain tasks have been completed correctly. This reduces the need for management support, while maintaining a high level of control over the assembly line. The Arkite HIM is therefore suited to industries like automotive, aerospace, medical and electronics where validation is needed.

“During these unprecedented times, manufacturing managers need to ensure that they are able to achieve maximum productivity with their available workforce,” explained Chloe Reynolds, regional sales engineer, lean enterprise, at The Sempre Group. “For companies working with limited employees, or who are moving staff to new areas, this tool could be exactly what is needed.

“The Arkite HIM reduces training time by 50 per cent, allowing employees to hit the ground running whenperforming new tasks,” added Reynolds. “It can also be customised so that each employee receives instructions appropriate for their skill set and preferred language. We can also add the instructions for multiple products in a range to the same system.”

The ArkiteHIM consists of a projector and the Human Interface Mate, equipped with the necessary software.The Sempre Group can fully customise the system to each customer’s needs by teaching it specific sequence processes, including where items are coming from and specific height levels of bins. Arkite HIM integrates with existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, allowing seamless communication throughout back office functions. Managers can also integrate an active tool feature which will not allow an operator to move on until the right tools and torque have been used. This ensures that assembly has been done to the correct standards every time.

Powelectrics recently commenced a series of technical training sessions with its new partners at Tela Technology.

Tela have operated at the forefront of business communications for over 30 years, providing communication solutions to businesses of all sizes across the UK, encompassing mobile, fixed-line, internet and broadband, IT managed services and increasingly …. IoT connectivity! Powelectrics were delighted to be selected as an IoT partner, based on the company’s 30 years’ experience and its proprietary telemetry hardware and software, so well-proven across diverse business sectors and applications.

Ian Lloyd, Head of IoT, said: “Tela Technology are truly excited about this new alliance relationship with Powelectrics. We have a large, existing client base, most of whom will benefit enormously from embracing the Internet of Things.

“Generating efficiencies through IoT is an obvious evolution for business. Covid-19 has really highlighted the efficiency and safety advantages of remote connectivity.

“We are expanding our offering to help customers harness those, with a range of solutions, starting that IoT journey with Powelectrics proven telemetry hardware and software.”

Dave Oakes, Powelectrics MD, said: “Tela understand that connectivity is essential to gain maximum benefit from your sensor data. We are delighted to be selected as their first IoT partner and look forward to supporting them as they engage customers, guiding them on an IoT journey with our suite of intuitive, flexible and proven tools to enable process optimisation, forecasting and strategic decision-making.”

Powelectrics Metron4 m2m hardware and MetronView cloud are deployed globally, in many industries encompassing chemical, pharmaceutical, Adblue, fuel, oil, food manufacture, waste and recycling, agriculture, utilities, pumping, metering, the environment, rail and security.

They are used to:

• Drive down costs by enabling decision-making based on current sensor data.
• Improve reliability through condition monitoring – using data to respond promptly to developing maintenance needs.
• Offer customers addition revenue streams, for example through offering Platform as a Service and selling data along with sensors.

Powelectrics welcomes your enquiries: www.powelectrics.co.uk  sales@powelectrics.co.uk   +44 1827 310 666

Industrial metrology specialist, The Sempre Group, has introduced the new S neox 3D optical profilermicroscope, designed specifically for sub-nano, nano and micro-scale measurement. Designed and manufactured by new partner Sensofar, the 3D profiler includes three different optical measurement techniques in one sensor head to measure different textures and structures across varying surface scales. As well as being compact and lightweight, the new system provides a versatile solution for researchers because of its advanced inspection and analysis capabilities.

The Sempre Group now offers three optical metrology systems from Sensofar. As well as the flagship S neox, it supplies the S wide scanning system and the S neox Five Axis that can be combined with theprofiler to measure samples at different rotations and elevations. The improved S neox design is optimised for flexibility and is suitable for both research and development (R&D) and quality control (QC) in laboratories. The technology also comes with SensoSCAN software that has an intuitive and user-friendly interface so that users of any level of expertise can easily use the technology.

The new profiler is unique because it allows the user to switch between confocal, interferometry and active illumination focus variation methods without requiring multiple systems. This three-in-one approach gives researchers and other users flexibility in their measuring processes and can save on the costs associated with purchasing additional technology. Users can also program the system to run 24 hours-a-day, reducing downtime by removing the need to swap between systems.

“Researchers working with 3D profiling often have to alternate between systems depending on the optical techniques they require, and this can delay surface inspections and analysis,” explained Mike John, managing director at The Sempre Group. “The S neox is unique in combining these different opticaltechniques and it can deliver real efficiency and cost-saving benefits for the user.

“The technology can also operate at high speeds and data measurement acquisition is now five times faster than before,” continued John. “At 180 frame rates per second, it is without a doubt the fastest areal measurement system on the market and is right up there in terms of functionality and performance.”

The 3D profiling microscope and optical metrology systems have a wide range of potential applications, such as microelectronics to assess coating thickness in microns, as well as aerospace and additive manufacturing. The systems can also be used by palaeontologists to analyse bone structures.

Endress+Hauser is strengthening its logistics capabilities in Europe. Business partner Hellmann Worldwide Logistics will operate a modern, high-performance logistics centre on behalf of the Group in Wörrstadt, Germany near Frankfurt Airport. The hub is scheduled to be completed and in operation by mid-2021. The new location will replace the current logistics center in Nieder-Olm, Germany.

In order to smoothly fulfill customer orders and ensure a high level of customer satisfaction, a reliable logistics system is a crucial link in the chain. Fast throughput times, a quick response and on-time delivery are just a few of the demands placed on modern product distribution centers. During the coronavirus pandemic, another aspect turned out to be especially important: flexibility.

“In order to reliably supply customers around the world with measurement and automation technology despite the pandemic, our logistics hub in Nieder-Olm served as a solid foundation,” says Oliver Blum, Corporate Director of Supply Chain. “Although 100 percent availability was crucial, having the flexibility to keep thousands of measurement instruments from being delivered to customers that were in lockdown was particularly important.”

Cooperation extended

This positive experience served as further confirmation of the successful cooperation with Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, which was recently renewed with a new contract. The partners also want to put a larger logistics center in Wörrstadt into operation only a few kilometers from the current location. The new hub, situated at the junction of the A63 highway and state road B420 in Hessen, will feature more than 18,000 square meters of logistics space and can handle eight times the volume of the old facility.

“With Hellmann, we’re pleased to have a partner on our side that can flexibly and reliably support our growth in the future,” emphasised Oliver Blum. Volker Sauerborn, COO Contract Logistics at Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, said: “We’re pleased to be able to further expand the outstanding cooperation with Endress+Hauser and bring it to a new level in the new halls. The Wörrstadt location will enable strategic growth for both partners.”

A hub for goods distribution

Today the center in Nieder-Olm, which is certified for air cargo security, manages daily deliveries from 16 shuttle trucks from all Endress+Hauser European production sites. At the logistics center, the various products are bundled into a single order and shipped to national and international end customers.

Hellmann also manages replenishments for the Endress+Hauser product centres outside of Europe, which includes packaging and preparing the orders for shipment via air cargo and loading container ships. The new logistics hub in Wörrstadt will also bundle inbound orders from overseas locations and distribute them to the European production sites via the existing shuttle connections.

The space at the new location will also primarily be used for cross docking logistics, which involves products that are normally shipped directly from the manufacturer to the customer instead of being warehoused. “We also use this concept at our other Endress+Hauser logistics centers around the world: in France, India, Italy and the USA. And we are continuously strengthening our worldwide network. We are currently building regional hubs in China and India,” added Oliver Blum.

Ground-breaking ceremony

The construction activities are already well underway in Wörrstadt. The partners officially kicked off construction of the new logistics center with a ground-breaking ceremony. The project developer is Panattoni, a subsidiary of a worldwide leading real-estate company that specialises in logistics and industrial properties. LIST Bau Bielefeld is the prime contractor.

The UK has recently experienced a heatwave – London, for example, had the longest stretch of hot weather in almost 60 years. With an increase in temperature, there is an increase in demand for tap water. One area which is affected is the South West Water network, with water shortages across Sussex and up to 300 households left without tap water for five days.

But could this have been averted? Yes – it could.

It is possible with technology to better predict how people use water and monitor its quality. This technology currently exists. For example, manufacturing industries such as semi-conductor manufacturing monitor water for trace metals. The same sensors can be in a water network pipe. Furthermore, these methods of sensor detection have shown to work. Companies such as Suez have implemented smart water meters to track users water consumption in some locations in France, providing them with a better understanding of how the users consume water, and more importantly, when. IDTechEx research predicts that in the water pipe network alone, the industry of sensors will grow to over $3.5Bn by 2030. This area is a growing industry, and it is at the forefront of the Smart Cities and IoT technology areas.

What are the benefits of sensors in pipes?

Data brings understanding and understanding brings better management of a system. Collecting data on the flow in water pipes allows companies to quickly identify regions where there is an increase in demand, and as a result, lower pressure in the pipes. Utility companies can correlate their use age data with current events. They can then answer questions such as: On average, how much water is used per day in a heatwave? Who uses the most water? What times of the day is network strained?

Which sensors can be in water network pipes?

There are many different properties and measurements recorded in a water supply or a waste-water network, including the following:

• Pressure Measurements (static, stagnation, head)
• Flow levels (depth, pressure, velocity)
• Flow meters (velocity)
• Acoustic emission (leakage)
• Temperature measurements
• Chemical measurements (Ph, trace metals e.t.c)

IDTechEx research has covered and analysed all these different types of measurement sensors in the report “Sensors in the Water and Wastewater Treatment Industries 2020-2030”.

Who makes the sensors?

There are many players in the water and waste-water industries. The figure below shows some of those mentioned in the IDTechEx report, “Sensors in the Water and Wastewater Treatment Industries 2020-2030”.

When will it happen?

The need is, therefore, creating a smart water network, but it will only happen with investment. IDTechEx Research predicts there will be a change in regulation in 5-10 years. This change will push for smarter sensor-based networks. Moreover, the benefits of these systems will pay off any investment, providing a more efficient, safe, and monitored network.

What about COVID-19?

As an emerging technology, digitising and adding sensors to the water and waste-water networks may have both benefit and hindrance. Hindrance, as companies may not wish to spend large sums on new sensors, pipes, or technology, and the barriers for entry into the water and waste-water networks are already high.

The benefit of adopting sensors into the networks outweigh these barriers. There is a real need for remote monitoring. Monitoring removes the need for maintenance staff to check pipes as regularly, or to collect samples for lab monitoring. It speeds up the identification of pollution events reduces fines incurred by the water companies. It improves the efficiency of the treatment plants. It provides a better service for customers. A steep investment, but the dividends pay off for many years to come.

NI has announced the enterprise version of SystemLink software. By standardising the way data is shared and analysed, the new enterprise version enables increased visibility and control of test systems across an entire organisation. In this way, SystemLink software serves as an important bridge between engineering and manufacturing departments in their efforts to improve overall operational efficiencies and drive digital transformation initiatives.

In today’s unpredictable business environment, an organisation’s ability to leverage test insights can have a profound impact on whether it remains competitive or not. Data can be an organisation’s greatest asset when used to make more informed decisions. It can also be a drain on time and resources when it creates incompatible silos. SystemLink software connects test workflows to business performance, linking people, processes and technology across the enterprise, from engineering to production to the field.

In addition to helping companies achieve savings and efficiency gains, the new version also frees up engineers’ time. Instead of performing time-consuming tasks such as manually configuring systems, tracking down critical assets or searching through data, engineers can focus on quickly spotting patterns and proactively addressing issues before they become a problem. “Freeing up engineers to focus on the work that has the largest impact for their organisation is smart business,” said Josh Mueller, VP of Experience at NI. “But it is also one of the core components of our company mission — elevating and empowering the engineer.”

Cree Lighting, a leading manufacturer of indoor, outdoor and consumer lighting, has implemented real-time data monitoring and display, post-test analysis and factory management tools using SystemLink software. “SystemLink enables our production floor to step into the future. It equips us with the visibility to respond to market conditions more quickly while optimizing our team’s production efforts all around the world,” said Ian Yeager, test engineering manager at Cree Lighting. “Now, I spend less time managing deployments and post-processing data and more time using the built-in tools to take care of low-hanging opportunities and improve efficiency for my team.”

The new version of SystemLink software is NI’s first hardware-agnostic systems and data management tool. The announcement of enterprise support underscores NI’s enterprise software strategy to help customers accelerate digital transformation efforts by coupling test operations with advanced product analytics enabled through its recent acquisition of OptimalPlus. By unlocking the value of test data and allowing more groups across an enterprise to work together, NI is helping connect the bold people, ideas and technologies required to push our world forward.

Allegro MicroSystems today announced that Chris Brown has joined the executive leadership team as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary. Chris is the successor to Richard Kneeland, Allegro’s General Counsel since 2007, who has transitioned to the role of Senior Vice President, Special Counsel and Corporate Secretary supporting specific corporate activities.

Kneeland joined Allegro in 1972 and has been responsible for managing Allegro’s legal and corporate governance matters.  In July, Kneeland announced his transition to a part-time advisory role on the executive leadership team, reporting to the CEO.

“During Rich’s 13 years as General Counsel and a member of the executive team, we worked together to strategically transform Allegro’s global operating structure and to execute the transaction that brought in One Equity Partners as our new shareholder” said Ravi Vig, President and CEO of Allegro.  “The Board of Directors and I appreciate Rich’s ongoing leadership and advisement, and I’d like to thank Rich for his many contributions, particularly in enhancing our governance and growing our intellectual property portfolio. Because of his efforts, our legal function is poised for future success.”

Prior to joining Allegro, Chris Brown served as Executive Vice President, Chief Counsel and Secretary at Finisar Corporation, a global technology leader in optical communications components and subsystems, where he played an instrumental role in multiple public finance and acquisition transactions.

“We are excited to welcome Chris to the team,” said Vig. “His experience with leading technology companies and extensive knowledge in areas such as M&A, strategic partnerships, IP portfolio management, corporate governance and policy development will be valuable as we continue to grow our business and technologies to help our customers bring their breakthrough innovations to life. I look forward to working with Chris on the continued transformation of our corporation.”

Brown holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Massachusetts and a J.D. from Boston College School of Law.

Some manufacturers are still recovering from the repercussions of the 2008 crisis, and another global recession is impacting industry in 2020. Meanwhile, natural disasters and global warming are proving that we need to do more to preserve our resources. In times of economic instability and environmental concerns, the idea of turning production scrap into usable energy is appealing to many manufacturers. Neil Ballinger, head of EMEA at automation equipment supplier EU Automation, explains how it can be done.

The pressure of reducing waste while maximising productivity is pushing companies to explore ways of generating more power from renewable sources. Energy can be recovered from waste using several techniques, which allow manufacturers to turn the by-products of their processes into power, heat, and even transport fuels.

By repurposing waste, it is possible to benefit from an alternative source of energy while at the same time diverting waste from our already overflowing landfills. Waste-to-energy processes have a number of advantages. They help the country reduce its dependency on energy imports, provide an effective way to manage industrial waste, and can provide a steady and reliable source of heat and power.

The most common waste-to-energy method is incineration. However, this technique is not kind to the environment, since even modern incinerators may release fine particulate, heavy metals and dioxin in the atmosphere. Several emerging technologies can produce energy from waste without direct combustion, such as gasification, pyrolysis and thermal depolymerisation. Though more sustainable than incineration, these technologies also use high temperatures and release almost all of the carbon content in the waste to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

On the other hand, non-thermal technologies don’t involve heat in processing industrial waste and are completely environmental-friendly. Among them, anaerobic digestion is on the rise, especially in food processing plants, as a method to turn organic waste into clean energy.

The new frontier of waste management

Anaerobic digestion is an approach with big potential. It can be used to repurpose any kind of organic waste by breaking it down in an oxygen-free tank and transforming it into biogas and biofertilizer. This approach is ideal for firms that produce large amounts of organic waste, such as industrial farms, food processing plants, breweries, distilleries and tobacco plants.

The initial cost of this green technology can generally be amortised in under five years. After that, the plant will benefit from a constant and reliable source of energy that can be reused in the production process, establishing a virtuous circular economy business model. This is the reason why many manufacturers in the food and beverage sector and now investing in an on-site anaerobic digestion facility.

In the presence of an on-site anaerobic digestion plant, biodegradable production scrap can be fed directly to the oxygen-free tank to be processed. Here, naturally occurring bacteria will break down the waste. In the absence of oxygen, this process will release methane, a combustible has that can be repurposed to generate clean energy or heat.

Biogas, heat and electricity produced in anaerobic digestion tanks can replace energy derived from fuels, helping the country meet the European 20/20/20 targets – reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent compared to 1990, increasing energy efficiency by 20 per cent, and supplying 20 per cent of energy needs from renewable sources by 2020.

The medium combustion plant directive (MCPD) is a means of improving air quality. It controls SO₂, NOx, CO and particulate emissions from plant equipment, by regulating medium sized equipment that performs combustion. The MCPD became law in December 2018, but there is still some confusion surrounding it. Here Clinton Noble, Diesel Generator Sales Manager at Finning UK & Ireland addresses some frequently asked questions about the MCPD and back-up generators.

The MCPD filled the regulatory gap in between large combustion plants and small appliances, by regulating medium sized equipment, such as that used in hotels, commercial offices, schools, hospitals and for agricultural and industrial processes. It may therefore apply to power generation equipment, such as generators, boilers and turbines.

Does it apply to me?

Many operators of diesel generators are unsure whether their equipment needs to comply with the emission limits set out by the MCPD. The first thing to understand is that the legislation applies to plants with a combined output of 1 to 50 MWth. If your business is planning on expanding into this category, you will need to be mindful of this threshold.

In addition, if the diesel generator will be running for less than 50 hours a year over a three-year average in a new plant, or a five-year rolling average in an existing plant, it will not be covered by the MCPD. The legislation therefore would apply to a diesel generator running 24/7 but may not apply to a back-up generator.

However, standby generators that are not covered by the emissions limits may still be required to be registered via a permit. This applies to existing standby generators in existing plants greater than 5 MWth from 2024 and in existing plants between 1 and 5 MWth from 2029.

Can I synchronise my equipment to the grid?

Operators of power generation equipment must comply with the legislation if they are selling energy back into the grid.

So, operators considering synchronising their equipment with the grid will have to consider the MCPD regulations and meet emissions requirements. This can be done by adding a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) aftertreatment device. However, you should weigh up the financial gain from selling the energy with the cost of SCR technology.

Are there any local authority restrictions?

This is one of the biggest questions about the MCPD and, unfortunately, there is no easy answer. The local authority will look at the emissions in the area and assess how your emissions will contribute to the overall amount.

If you are applying in a high NOx area, such as near an airport, you are less likely to get approval.  When establishing a new site, you will have to apply for planning permission and act on the guidance given.

Will the legislation change?

The MCPD came into force for new equipment from 2018 and applies to existing medium combustion plants greater than 5 MWth from 2024 and those between 1 MTth and 5 MWth from 2029. There is some concern that new regulation, which does apply to standby machines, will be introduced in the future.

It is common to run a back-up generator for around 20 years. Understandably, businesses operating power generation equipment that do not currently have to comply with the MCPD are worried about the future of their equipment.

While no-one can accurately predict the future, working closely with a power generation equipment supplier that can produce custom solutions for your business can give you peace of mind. In most cases, it is preferable to upgrade an existing installation, rather than fit an entirely new model, especially if your current set up is running reliably.

It is possible to futureproof your backup generator with careful design, for example designing a container that means it is easy to retrofit an SCR if needed. If you are purchasing a new generator, one good option is to choose a smaller generator with good power density — a measure of power output per unit of volume — so that there is more space for retrofitting an SCR if needed.