After an interesting few months this issue of Motion Control is about getting back to business.
Getting it together
We have a number of stories about ingenious solutions. Our cover story shows how Hydromobile was able to adapt a complex system to the needs of a rural application. Along the same lines Festo, with the correct design, was able to minimise the complexity of a water treatment plant for more easy operation. 'Commercial Shearing's four-pump assembly ' tells how Commercial Shearing, instead of using an expensive splitter gearbox, put four pumps together to achieve the desired result on a compost turning machine. We also show how Hyflo developed a special clip and boot to protect a linear positioner from fine coal dust buildup. We see how Bonfiglioli needed fresh thinking to meet the demanding load requirements of offshore wind turbines in the harsh North Sea environment in 'Bonfiglioli drives wind farm'.
Predictive maintenance and reconditioning
Predictive maintenance allows timeous reaction before major machine failures occur. There are a number ways of doing this, from monitoring the condition of hydraulic fluids to measuring vibration levels or even tracking the noise history of critical machinery. After visiting this country an overseas supplier believes that local practices are on par with international standards. A variety of condition monitoring options are described.
With today’s tough economic conditions, reconditioning of equipment rather than purchasing new can make a difference to the bottom line. We cover some possibilities. Hytec has a mobile gearbox repair facility while Delba Electrical repairs and rewinds AC motors. 'Honingcraft rechromes hydraulic cylinders' covers Honingcraft’s chroming and grinding service for the repair of hydraulic shafts of a wide range of sizes, some very large.
Bigger or smaller?
Hydraulic rotary actuators can generate a very high torque in a small space. In 'Powerful rotary actuator for building machines' we feature an actuator which has enormous power combined with precision at the limit of what is currently possible. There is also a description of another gigantic actuator which is part of the world’s largest excavator shovel adjustment.
At the other end of the spectrum our regular columnist Jim Pinto identifies nanotechnology as one of the next big inflection points of the future. In 'The next big thing is really small' we take a look at nanomachines. Control of motion at the molecular level has already been achieved and computational tools are available to design and model atomically accurate components and assemblies.
Newsflash
Our online subscribers will have noticed that we now have a newsflash between Motion Control issues. This will help keep the momentum going and allow us to publicise events which would have passed by the time the next issue arrives. It is also a chance to include longer items and articles of more general interest as there is less of a space constraint online.
SAFPA
SAFPA has been very active and there is plenty of news in this issue. Watch this space as there will be more news about hydraulic hoses, SAFPA’s hose accreditation programme, as well as the new safety training course.
Kim
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