Electronic Specifier

The correct lubrication is vital when ensuring the reliable operation of rolling bearings, as well as practice, which is often an overlooked factor. The main purpose of a lubricant is to separate the metal surfaces of the bearing’s components with a thin lubricating film to prevent wear. At the same time, the lubricating film reduces friction and therefore power dissipation, resulting in reduced energy consumption of the whole system.

If a small, metal box with limited airflow, suspended metres in the air by a hoist was described to you, you would imagine a death trap; no it’s actually a passenger lift. When you think of it like that, it is hardly surprising that so many of us harbour phobias of lifts. One of the most pressing threats is from electrical faults. In 2007, Gary Morgan from Liftstore recalled some instances of electrical interference in elevator systems, highlighting issues that are still prevalent in many systems to this day.

Promoting manufacturing in the developed world is important especially for former investment banker Troy Barratt, so much so that he sacrificed his career in Wall Street and then the City of London to buy a subcontract sheet metal fabricating business in Sittingbourne, Kent. While working for a merchant bank in London, he learnt that rising labour costs in China and other low-wage countries, together with higher shipping costs and perceived quality issues, were opening up opportunities for manufacturers in the West.

After the 2008 recession, productivity was affected especially in the UK; however we are not much more productive now. As productivity is measured by the amount of goods produced per person per hour, Government creates incentives and applies pressure on businesses to simply hire more people. Stephen Harding, Managing Director of materials handling expert Gough Engineering, explains why simply adding more people is not the answer and outlines three things businesses can do to genuinely boost manufacturing productivity.

The BITE 2017 event in Brighton saw one of the world’s most famous ‘sharks’ attending. Marnus Broodryk, who stars in ‘Shark Tank’ - the South African equivalent of Dragon’s Den, took centre stage at BITE 2017, hosted by Sussex-based MHA Carpenter Box at the Amex Stadium, and provided a fascinating insight into the mind of a highly successful entrepreneur.

The ambitious data centre provider, Datacenter.com has announced the deployment of multiple dedicated dark fiber rings connecting its first, soon to open flagship data centre in Amsterdam to virtually all colocation data centres in the Amsterdam region. Dutch company Relined Fiber Network will be the first network provider to establish a PoP and supply redundant dark fiber connectivity for the new facility. 

Industry and unions has joined forces to prevent cheap steel, ceramics and other products flooding the market after Britain leaves the EU. Seven manufacturing trade associations have been joined by GMB, Unite and Community trade unions in demanding that politicians include strong new ‘trade remedies’ within their manifestos.

A top priority for specifiers responsible for sourcing socket outlets has always been safety, and it always will be. This is particularly the case in commercial builds, in which thousands of people will use sockets to access electricity on a daily basis. It’s important to feel confident that the accessories you’ve sourced are free of danger when its people’s safety in your hands.

According to the MSCI Women on Boards, 2015; companies with more female representation on their board of directors deliver a 36% better return on equity than businesses with fewer women on board. As the world of engineering develops and progresses, there are still some areas that haven’t entered the 21st century yet. For example, the amount of women studying in engineering has basically remained the same since 2012.

  There is potential for offsite construction to revolutionise the construction industry and provide a solution to the UK housing shortage, but only if the sector develops the right skills, a new Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), a report has shown.

The fast-growing Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider, 3W Infra has announced the migration of its complete IaaS infrastructure to a newly commissioned data centre configured for high-redundancy in Amsterdam. The migration to this new data hall is part of an infrastructural upgrade to support 3W Infra’s rapid customer growth.  

In recent years alternative funding options have thrived and this will be a major theme at BITE 2017 (Business, Innovation, Technology and Efficiency) hosted by MHA Carpenter Box at the Amex Stadium, Brighton on Thursday 27th April. Andy Davis, former Editor of FT Weekend and author of the ‘Beyond the Banks’ report on alternative finance, will be one of the industry experts forming an Alternative Funding panel at the free one-day conference, and he’s looking forward to sharing his expertise with local business leaders.

Huddersfield-based sheet metal manufacturer, B Allsop has agreed a £400,000 finance package with Yorkshire Bank’s asset finance team to support the firm’s investment plans. The funding has allowed the precision sheet metal engineering firm to invest in a new £500,000 laser cutting machine which will enhance the ability to cut through thicker metal more quickly. The deal was delivered by Anthony Cope, Relationship Manager, Commercial Banking and Sarah Gwynne, Sales Manager, Asset Finance.

The second annual roundtable hosted by Trelleborg will see industry experts agree that the silver lining in the low barrel price is the willingness of the industry to embrace innovative solutions that can lower overall costs while not compromising safety. The roundtable explored issues raised from Trelleborg’s 2017 ‘Next Level Report’ that gathered views from individuals involved in the offshore oil and gas industry.  

Specialising in finding candidates for specialised roles in industry and science, Techconsult UK has already recruited three roles for Stockton-based Axiom Engineering Associates and is set to recruit several others for the company in the first quarter of 2017. Since 2013, Techconsult has been helping Axiom with different parts of the recruitment process, assisting in salary surveys, drafting job descriptions and posting adverts; and the relationship is going from strength to strength as it looks to make new appointments this year.

The offshore operation from Trelleborg has launched Buoyant Uraduct, a protection system for subsea cables, umbilicals, flowlines and hoses. Based on the original Uraduct design, Buoyant Uraduct protects cables from abrasion and impact. The protection system reduces the crush risk at crossing locations by reducing the overall weight of a subsea cable.

A yaw brake lifting and installation tool has been released by Svendborg Brakes which aims to improve safety and reduce the time taken to maintain the yaw brake systems on wind turbines. This latest innovation uses a simple carriage assembly to position, raise and lower brakes to ensure that maintenance engineers minimise any heavy lifting and complete their tasks more efficiently.

  Kautex Maschinenbau began gradually introducing the third generation of its successful KCC production series last year with the KCC20 MK3, which is a further step in leading this year with the KCC10 MK3.

Holding UK manufacturing licenses for TAPTITE and MORTORQ Super Products, Barton Cold-Form has over 80 years of history. Barton Cold-Form is a stalwart of the UK fastening industry and one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of bespoke critical fastenings and special cold forging.

Representatives from the international packaging industry will again this year gather at the Interpack trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, to find out about the opportunities for improving efficiency in the field of packaging production. As in previous years, Kautex Maschinenbau will be represented at this year's event with its own stand in Hall 13 from 4th-10th May.