Control Systems

Machine tool builders are demanding ever shorter mounting and commissioning times for the electrical equipment on their machines. Particularly for safety-related machines and systems, they need position encoders that deliver safe, redundant position values over a fast serial interface to a dual-channel control. These topics are among the focal points of HEIDENHAIN, the control and encoder specialists from Traunreut, Germany, at this year’s EMO.

The new linear drive based YASKAWA handling system combines absolute precision with maximum dynamics and long service life. The system picks up, moves and precisely deposits weights of up to 1.5kg at cyberspeed.

Foremost Electronics, anounces the introduction of the next step in control functionality. The Navimec switch concept from leading switch manufacturer MEC offers soft-touch joystick functionality making it possible to navigate up, down, left and right with the provision of a centre function that will typically be used as an enter key. Navimec™ switches are available with or without illumination and the non-illuminated versions may be over-printed with appropriate legends.

SERCOS International announces that an open source software driver library for the SERCOS lll real-time Ethernet communication system master implementation is now available via the sourceforge.net online-portal. The software can be used by interested users according to the LGPL license, without any license fees and without any usage limitations.

Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that its subsidiary, Yokogawa Deutschland GmbH, has received an order from MAN Ferrostaal Industrial Projects GmbH to supply an automation and control system for the La Brea Combined Cycle Power Plant that is being built by MAN Ferrostaal Industrial Projects GmbH and Eisenbau Essen GmbH for Trinidad Generation Unlimited . This power plant is being built near La Brea, a town on the south side of Trinidad Island. With a capacity of 720 MW, this will be the largest power plant in Trinidad and Tobago, a country with a vibrant economy that is rich in oil and natural gas resources. Scheduled to be completed in July 2011, the plant will meet the country's rising demand for electricity.

Although it has been supplying the food industry with dough kneading machines for almost a century, Diosna Dierks & Sohne of Osnabrück prides itself on always making the best use of modern technology in its machines. And it has found that the latest controlgear products from Eaton’s Moeller Business provide important benefits.

Parker Hannifin has launched the new Compax3F electro-hydraulic controller. Designed to help engineers increase productivity and machine performance, the new control features optimised force/pressure control, controller pre-setting for closed loop position control, an updated valve library with the latest Parker valves, and a multi-axis tool supported by a comprehensive data base of multi-axis applications.

Parker Hannifin, has launched an innovative new interactive online learning programme designed to help all OEMs and end users of hydraulic systems to improve system performance, productivity and profitability. In particular, the free e-learning facility provides a simple but effective method of helping engineers understand both the problems that can be caused by moisture or particle contamination and the latest solutions that are available for different applications.

Thameslink Trains, which provides the only north-south link through central London, has drastically improved its customer information service through the installation of Interalia’s XMU+ announcement and call processing system from SOH providing Thameslink wit. Installed as part of an upgrade of Thameslink’s customer information services, Interalia’s XMU+ has expanded services offered to travellers by increased flexibility to constantly update recordings.

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