Electrical and Electronic Equipment

Traditionally, plastic injection moulding is a difficult application for machine vision. The highly reflective surface of plastics is hard to illuminate correctly, and the fact that the same production line can create items of different colours and shapes is problematic for traditional solutions, only capable of inspecting one product at a time. Here, Zohar Kantor, VP Sales of Inspekto, explains how Autonomous Machine Vision (AMV) has overcome these challenges.

Lubrication-free tribo-polymers ensure the reliable operation of vertical farming systems. Motion plastics from igus are playing a major role in the increasingly popular sector of vertical farming. igus, which has its UK headquarters in Northampton, is working closely with global companies specialising in vertical farming - the practice of growing plants indoors in stacked layers - by providing the lubrication-free tribo-polymers needed for this type of food production.

Farnell has strengthened its industrial automation product portfolio to include a range of variable speed drives, high quality motors and gearboxes from Control Techniques.

The e-loop energy supply series which increases safety and reduces procurement and installation time has been expanded to suit static applications, including shore power supplies. Shore power offers the provision of electrical power to a ship at berth so that its main and auxiliary engines can be shut down.

A solar powered car using igus plain bearings has raced its way across more than 1,800 miles of Australian desert - helping Team Sonnenwagen win sixth place in the World Solar Challenge 2020. The team, made up of a group of students in Germany, approached igus, requesting lightweight, wear-resistant, and lubrication-free iglidur plain bearing technology made of durable tribo-polymers. This helped the team to comfortably finish in sixth place, having raced from Darwin to Adelaide in less than a week.

A new black coloured guide roller with smooth-running polymer ball bearings has been designed and manufactured - following a customer request and extensive testing by the team at igus. The product, which uses black anodised aluminium tubes, is the latest in the xiros film guide roller range, largely used in the fields of packaging and food technology. igus, whose UK headquarters are in Northampton, are motion plastic experts and a global manufacturer of energy chain systems and polymer plain bearings.

The Tiger Eye discrete wire system with a 1.27mm (0.050-inch) pitch from Samtec has been introduced by distributor RS Components.

Cooking using leftovers and cheap ingredients, also known as Cucina Povera is a tradition that spans across most of Europe. From the Neapolitan soffritto to British black pudding, some of the world’s most iconic dishes derive from the need to use readily available resources effectively. Over time, these cunning recipes have become a part of our identity and culture. So, given this proud part of our history, why are we not extending the same creativity to efficient power generation?

Triton grounding jumpers from Molex for the safe management of high-power busbars are in stock at distributor RS Components.

We currently stand at the beginning of a new chapter for many industries. The impact of the pandemic is likely to be felt for years to come, with our lives and businesses changing forever. Through such change comes a shift in focus - while in recent decades we have strived for ever greater efficiency, the next few years will see a shift toward resilience and robustness as companies protect themselves against both seen and foreseen threats. By Christos Archeos, Power Breakers Manager at Schneider Electric