Industrial Factory Automation

A consortium led by Prodrive has developed an approach to the configuration of DC/DC converters that will reduce the cost, weight and package space associated with electric vehicle battery packs. The system is said to address the spiralling costs of energy storage by increasing the voltage available at the traction motors. To improve efficiency, electric motors require ever wider speed ranges; as speed is proportional to voltage, electric vehicles and hybrids are progressing from 300V to 600V systems. This creates a challenge because battery chemistry dictates the voltage per cell, so doubling the voltage with the same battery chemistry means doubling the number of cells, incurring cost, weight, and packaging penalties. More cells, or a switch to an alternative chemistry, may also exacerbate challenges such as thermal management, availability, environmental protection and end-of-life recycling. To address this challenge, the consortium (which also includes the University of Manchester...

Blohm Jung has announced that at the Schleifring Grinding Symposium 2009, it will present, under the expression GEOID, a new development for compensation of contour faults in dressing tools. The example shows the quick manufacture of a blanking punch on the Vario D. GEOID was developed in conjunction with the Georg Simon Ohm University in Nuremberg. The software for compensation of uneven wear in dressing tools is a further development of the automatic diamond adjustment by Blohm Jung and is used in conjunction with the CNC PA37K profile dressing device and the table version PA130TM. Topography of the cutting edge of the dressing tool can be determined with accuracy using GEOID. The correction values calculated are fed directly into the dressing program and create a perfect contour on the grinding wheel. The result is an increased service life for the dressing tool, reduced costs of tools and improved contour accuracy. For profile grinding, different dressing systems are available...

Trelleborg Automotive has announced the introduction of Noise-Free Rubber, a self-lubricated, low-friction rubber formulation that overcomes noise issues associated with automotive applications. The Noise-Free Rubber features improved dynamic properties while reducing noise in specific anti-vibration system components, such as anti-roll bar isolators, suspension bushings and engine mounts. The product has also been engineered to meet stringent fatigue requirements, the result of which is an increase in durability of around 50 per cent.

Sound Dead Steel (SDS) was contacted by the Industrial Noise and Vibration Centre (INVC) to assist with a noise reduction programme for Scottish Power. The power station's main gas pipe work is 400mm diameter, with a reduction to 150mm at the metering section Close microphone measurements indicated noise levels as high as 100 to 110dB(A) with the dominant energy at frequencies >500Hz. SDS clad the pipeline with Sonphonon sound dead steel, fabricated and fitted split boxes to encase the valves. After the final snagging was completed, the attached noise survey was carried out to determine the overall noise reduction for this project. The average noise reduction achieved within the GRF compound was approximately 8dB(A). The maximum reduction achieved was 16dB(A); this was adjacent the metering flow meter area. INVC noted that noise from adjacent cooling fans masked the full noise reduction benefits. Noise reductions on plain pipeline measured 19dB(A), which clearly shows the ef...

Lenze has developed 8200 vector inverters using the 'cold plate' technique for cases where the inverter can be mounted directly onto a substantial heatsink. AC Tech (Lenze AG) 8200 Vector Inverters are available for power 0.55 to 90kW with three-phase supply. In the more popular smaller sizes up to 22kW, a space saving variant can reduce the requirement for panel space by up to 40%. By dissipating the heat outside the cabinet, these 'cold plate' versions enable panels to have higher enclosure ratings. Alternatively a plate with external cooling by liquid or air can be used. The cold plate versions of the 8200 vector inverters have no heat fins, so heat generated is passed to the mounting plate and transmitted out of the cabinet. In this way inverters require less mounting depth and the space savings are substantial. For a 1.5kW inverter the saving is 25%, rising to 40% for a 22kW inverter. Therefore panels can be smaller and costs reduced. As the heat is now transmi...