Original article date: September 1997
There are now 16 EU Directives stipulating mandatory CE marking, of which the infamous Machinery Directive is just one. This overview from Klockner-Moeller.
Your machine must be demonstrably safe – it must perform its functions without causing injury or damage to health. As a rule, you are permitted to provide the certification [...]
Original article date: April 1995
Material choice, sizing, pulley design and geometry should all be taken into account in selecting the right pulley design.
When designing a pulley for a metal belt application, the most fundamental consideration is establishing whether it will be used as a friction or timing pulley.
A timing pulley used with a metal must [...]
This article was originally written in the period 1995-2000
Bob Brooks and Noel West from Rietschle UK compare vacuum pump technologies, explaining how the Inovac Roots-type design has evolved.
Traditionally, vacuum for the chemical and pharmaceutical processing industries has been generated by steam ejectors, steam ejector liquid ring hybrids and fresh oil pumps. Each has the disadvantage [...]
Original article date: January 2000
Compressors are essential for pneumatic systems, but they are often incorrectly specified. NICK POOLE of Abac has some advice to help avoid the common pitfalls
No pneumatic system would be complete without a supply of compressed air, but the specification of a new compressor, however, is often carried out urgently in response [...]
Original article date: July 1999
How do you CE mark a production line that is made up of many linked machines? DEREK COULSON of Laidler Associates explains.
A complex assembly can be defined as a number of machines that are generally capable of functioning when linked together to form a single production line, although they could be [...]
This article was originally written in the period 1995-2000
Grease is penetrating into high speed and high temperature applications where oil lubrication would once have been the only option. This from NSK-RHP
Of course, grease is less fluid than lubricating oils. This has meant that traditionally it has not been suitable for high speed operations. However, the [...]
Full article...Original article date: October 1998
MARTIN EADON explains the options available to dissipate the energy within a pneumatic actuator and why the RHC cylinder from SMC Pneumatics is a major advance.
The force generated by a pneumatic cylinder is determined by the air pressure applied to the cylinder and the effective area of the piston. As pressure [...]
Original article date: July 1998
Adhering to a few simple design considerations for locking assemblies make them so much more effective. Alan Quinn studies the design advice given by Simplatroll for the Tollok range.
Applications for locking assemblies are found everywhere from simple pulley fixing to heavy duty drums and high integrity cases such as lift pulleys. [...]
Original article date: March 2000
What is the latest state-of-play with the application of Internet technology, and how will it affect machine builders? Tommy Miller looks at what one player – Siemens Automation and Drives – is doing
Some companies are playing a waiting game, seeing how the use of the internet develops before they decide which [...]
Original article date: October 1997
Mannesmann Rexroth’s Pneumatic Trainer manual covers all aspects of pneumatic circuit design including this outline on pneumatic sensors.
For contactless sensing of positions and for measuring purposes flow elements functioning on the “dynamic” principle can be used (fluidlogic). In these elements (sensors) the pressure conditions in the air flow are utilised. Depending [...]