The arrival of a new year brings with it the urge to do some forecasting. Siemens took a look at the future of drive technologies by commissioning the Trendts Survey, which covered the changes expected to occur in the business environment in the next 15 years and how they will increase efficiency in production, transport and energy.
We also have Jim Pinto’s picks for automation technology that will make an impact in the new year. One of these is cloud computing, a technology which has been identified in Gartner Group’s Top 10 Strategic Technologies for 2011. We are already accustomed to ‘the cloud’ in our personal lives in smartphones, online banking and backups of home files on Google. In January 2011, Automation World labelled cloud computing as the next automation wave. It appears that security concerns about letting plant data reside on someone else’s server are evaporating as plant managers come to understand that the server on the plant may be the least secure of all. There is also a growing realisation that automation costs can be moved from a capital expense to an operations expense. It is interesting to note that Jim calls robotics ‘a sleeping giant’. The popular idea of a humanoid robot cleaning our house and serving us tea is already starting to happen. However the really useful robots today are to be found on automotive plants and welding machines.
Markets
Markets are also a feature of this issue. Genflex carried out a snap market survey on hydraulic hose assemblies which revealed some interesting findings. We also have a world market report from IMS Research on low voltage AC motors, which highlights the sea change which has occurred in the industry as a result of government directives for improved energy efficiencies for motors.
Regulations
Meeting the challenge of the mind boggling array of directives, standards, regulations and requirements for energy efficiency, not to mention engine emissions and machine safety, is a daunting task.
In this issue alone we have the EC Commission Regulation 640/2009 for energy efficiency; the revised European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC for safety of machinery; Tier 3 & 4/Euro Stage III & IV for engine emissions; SIL Safety Integrity Level 2 according to IEC 61508 for risk reduction; and SANS 1589 for braking performance of load haul dumpers underground. Luckily there are plenty of companies which make it their business to help engineers keep up. Our cover story shows how Sauer Danfoss has responded to these regulations by building these requirements into its H1 range of pumps. Siemens’ range of energy efficient pumps does the same; and Axiom Hydraulics with its hydraulic motors with dual breaking makes underground machinery safer.
Goedkoop is duurkoop
At the other end of the quality spectrum, an area of concern is SKF’s report on counterfeit bearings. This puts at risk all the above efforts, not to mention the SKF brand, as well as very expensive plant equipment. Genflex too has found that there are substandard fittings out there in the marketplace, this time caused by a lack of training.
Training
It is a fresh new year and a time to think about training. There is plenty on offer, including SAFPA’s safety training on hydraulic hose assemblies which is about to be launched.
Kim Roberts
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