Thank Routeco It's Friday (TRIF)

Games

The gaming world went crazy last week with the release of Grand Theft Auto Five which made a huge $5m in it’s first day, and with the release of FIFA coming soon, this shows no signs of slowing down.

The craze over these new games got us in the office thinking about the games we used to love playing. Here are some of the games mentioned; due to the varied age ranges in the office I’ve split them by decade.

80s

The 80s saw the release of the first Mario and Donkey Kong games, can you believe how 2D they used to look? The 80s was also the decade for arcade games and the first ever Pac Man was released!

90s

The 90s saw the arcade decade disappear and the console decade began with the release of games such as Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, Pokemon and Tomb Raider.

00s

The 00s changed drastically for games, in particular physical interaction became popular with the release of the dance mat, the Eye Toy, and the Wii with games such as Mario and Sonic at the Olympic games (look how they’ve changed!).

Whatever happened to good, old-fashioned board games such as Monopoly and Scrabble?

Feel free to share what games you used to play, or maybe still play?

Why not try playing our Tech Man game http://goo.gl/g35EsC 

Have a great weekend everyone!  

Rachael

Molex Brad eNetMeter DN

This passive Device continuously monitors a DeviceNet network and sends information over Ethernet to a PLC or PC monitoring system presenting both detailed and summary data. The eNetMeter DN provides accurate measurements of the network parameters (CAN signals, power and shield voltage) using high-speed sampling (up to 100 mega-samples per second). By comparing acceptable baseline measurements of a known, standard network, it effectively predicts imminent failures down to individual devices and responds to out-of-tolerance parameters. 

Benefits

• Accurate analysis of DeviceNet physical layer parameters 
• Flexible communication for a variety of applications using a PLC and/or PC
• Cost effective approach, particularly for OEM’s and system integrators 
• Has no adverse effects on the network being monitored 
• Users can implement a basic solution and progress to a more detailed resolution as required.

For more information, email: info@routeco.com or call : 0370 607 1000

We're Hiring!

We have a number of exciting vacancies available across our branches. Here is an overview of our current opportunities.

Technical Sales Supervisor (Milton Keynes)

External Sales Engineer (Dartford)

Area Sales Manager (Glasgow)

PSS Team Leader ~ ATEX / Process Components (North or South)

Assembly Wire-person (Milton Keynes)

Internal Technical Sales (Peterlee)

Internal Technical Sales (Derby)

PSS ~ ATEX / Process Components (North or South)

Branch Supervisor (Manchester)

Apprenticeships at Routeco (Various)

External Sales Engineer (Milton Keynes)

Warehouse Operative (Milton Keynes)

External Sales Engineer (Manchester)

For more information, or if you would like to apply, please click on the job role.

Rittal's Cooling Solutions

Particular seasons of the year can bring with them rising ambient temperatures, this can lead to overheating equipment such as electrical panels. Selecting appropriate cooling solutions can prevent a large proportion of failures by limiting the highest temperature the equipment will be exposed to. 
Rittal offers a range of cooling products including:

• Fan-and-filter units force the cool, clean air surrounding panels through them
• Air/air heat exchangers recirculate the air inside the enclosure, cooling this down using only the ambient air, this solution may be ideal for dirty environments.
• Cooling units, Air/ water heat exchangers and chillers may be used to cool the air inside an enclosure to a temperature lower than the ambient, this solution is suitable for contaminated environments. 
• Thermoelectric coolers

Rittal have an expansive range of climate control products that are able to determine whether climate control is necessary. Rittal’s self-adhesive thermal labels provide simple yet accurate solution to measuring the internal temperature of existing electrical enclosures. They also have the equipment and knowledge to undertake thermographic surveys which will identify areas in which equipment could be at risk, due to high temperatures in a written report.
 
RiTherm; a software package that allows climate control requirements to be quickly and easily calculated enabling you to select the most suitable climate control solutions.

For more information, email: info@routeco.com or call : 0370 607 1000

Thank Routeco It's Friday! (TRIF)

This week Routeco celebrated our Annual Golf Day up in Lincolnshire. This had the office talking about the subject of golf and other hobbies they take part in. 

 

We all have some form of hobby whether to keep ourselves active, for social means, or just because we get bored! Hobbies can be far and wide and after asking some of the people in Routeco it appears that the majority seem to enjoy sport, whether taking part or just watching! Some of the activities mentioned include:

• Golf 
• Football 
• Motorbike Racing
• Cricket 
• Netball 
• Pigeon Racing (it is an actual sport)
• Shopping (us Marketing girls really feel this is a sport) 
• Canoeing 

I myself am a huge film fanatic and enjoy going to the cinema. I decided it would be interesting to ask around the office for other hobbies that people enjoy. This ranged from attending horseshows to gardening, cleaning out the garage (wild times) and even the highly unusual custom of Fenny Popping (I don’t really know what it is either but you can find many videos on YouTube!). 

 

As you can see our hobbies range from the everyday activities to the slightly unusual choices. 

Feel free to share some of your hobbies with us.

 

Enjoy your weekend!

 

Rachael

Routeco Golf Day

So yesterday was our annual Routeco golf day and what a great day it was! It took place at Belton Woods in Lincolnshire, a beautiful location and a great course to play on (so I’ve heard).

We were slightly panicked by the weather but with great luck it held out and we even got a good bit of sunshine!

Now I’m no golfer, in fact yesterday was my first time visiting a golf course but I must say, now I understand why people love it! The course was beautiful, especially the view from the top of the hill!

All the teams had a great few hours in the sunshine showing of their skills or maybe having a sulk (or two). 

I even had the opportunity to be cruised around in a buggy so I could visit all the teams. I have to say it was quite tense watching and trying to take some sly action shots!

But who did great over all? Of course there were some prizes at the end!

We had a team competition where 2^nd and 1^st place were within a point of each other! But with 109 points it was Routeco’s own David Evans and his team Colin Spencer and Nick Crosbie who were champions of the competition.

There was then the individual competition, and a huge well done to Jon Kendrick who got 40 points (I heard that’s pretty great) for the day!

Then we had our longest drive competition, again… Jon Kendrick showing off his skills!
And our nearest to the pin competitions which included the 2^nd hole- once again a massive well done to Jon Kendrick!
And the 11^th hole was one by Damien Kelly!

Well done everyone!

And thank you to everyone who attended, and made it a really great day.

Laura

We're Hiring in Manchester!

We currently have two vacancies available at our Manchester branch.
 
External Sales Engineer - Manchester
 
Based in the Manchester area, we are looking to recruit an External Sales Engineer to join our team. The ideal candidate will have industry experience, technical knowledge and the commercial acumen to continue to build relationships with existing customers as well as the drive and enthusiasm to secure new business. 
Duties for this role include, but are not limited to:

• The achievement of sales targets in relation to turnover and profitability
• Business planning and review meetings
• New trading account generation
• Preparing quotations and proposals
• Pro-active telephone canvassing for appointment generation
• Present to various audiences subject matter of products and services

Branch Supervisor - Manchester 

We are looking to recruit a Branch Supervisor to join our team. The Branch Supervisor will manage all internal branch staff on a day to day basis ensuring quality, productivity and objectives are met within a positive and results driven environment where customer expectations are exceeded.

• Manage internal branch team to meet their job profiles and objectives
• Responsibility for the improvement/ maintenance of the Customer satisfaction scores
• Create a culture of continuous improvement and flexibility
• Meet the branch KPI’s to maximise sales; maintain and grow the number of trading accounts; and increase the range of products sold, Improve customer retention and spend frequency
• Demonstrate sufficient commercial awareness to negotiate prices
• Update and monitoring of the strategix customer discount system

For more information, or if you would like to apply, please click on the job role.

Stop Time Testing Services with Rockwell Automation

In accordance with national and international safety standards, machines with dangerous moving parts have to be equipped with protective devices such as light curtains, light beams, safety mats etc.

The improper placement of these devices has the potential for an operator to suffer serious injury. The safety distance is defined in national and international standards such as EN ISO 13855 and EN999.

The recommended maximum period between each periodic inspection and test is six months for type 4 ESPE and 12 months for type 2 ESPE.

Rockwell Automation now offer a stop time testing service. This service measures all important values such as stop time, stop distance and velocity to enable a minimum safety distance to be calculated. This is calibrated to national standards at a UKAS accredited lab, all brands of scanners and light curtains tested.

The Stop Time Testing service includes:

• Visual inspection of the ESPE installation
• Ten stop time measurements recorded, and using EN999 the safety distance “S” calculated
• Mechanical checks to ensure that the ESPE is securely mounted
• Review of “Reaching” distance reference to ISO 13857:2008 (safety of machinery – safety distances to prevent hazard zones being reached by upper and lower limbs)
• Functional check of elements of the ESPE (e.g. each light beam)
• Written report delivered

For more information, email: sales@routeco.com or call: 0370 607 1000 

Thank Routeco It's Friday!

The Rittal Bus on Tour!

 

They started by touring the North and have now reached the South, it’s the Rittal Tour Bus! Today they joined us at our Milton Keynes head office bright and early ready to welcome customers.

 

The Rittal experts were at hand to answer any questions and even to give a full tour of the bus and its contents, giving customers a great hand on experience too.

 

Products included the new operating housing with handle strips, Micro Data Centre Level 3, the liquid cooling package TopTherm chillers and many more. There was also a great selection of guides and product literature for people to take away with them.

The tour bus will be making it’s way to Peterborough, so if you do get the chance, don’t miss out on a great opportunity from the experts at Rittal!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Rachael

IXXAT CAN Repeaters

HMS Industrial Networks has launched a range of CAN repeaters under the IXXAT brand. These products enable coupling of two or more CAN network segments, this provides galvanic isolation and eliminate the effects of Electromagnetic interference (EMI). These enable machine builders and system integrators to use extended CAN topologies including tree or star topologies.

The integrated galvanic isolation provides build-on protection against over voltage, in addition the anti-noise circuit of the units removes the effects of EMI. These repeaters and specially designed for use in industrial environments, they meet high demands for robustness, safety and temperature ranges.

Benefits

• Using this, it is possible to build independent electric segments that can be optimally terminated in terms of signals.
• Increases signal quality and makes it possible to isolate malfunctions (keeping the remaining CAN system fully operational) therefore increasing system reliability
• The implemented monitoring function detects disturbed or malfunctioning lines and disconnects them automatically to allow the network to continue functioning. After the fault has been removed, the disconnected segment automatically reconnects to the network.
• The CAN lines are protected among each other and against the power supply up to 4 kV.

AMCI brings affordable motion to Allen-Bradley PLCs and PACs

AMCI announces budget-friendly solutions when adding motion (stepper or servo) to your Allen-Bradley PLC.

 

Solutions include a:
•   3602 2-axis module that plugs directly in the 1769 CompactLogix PAC
•   3401L 1-axis module that plugs into the 1734 Point I/O

Both modules have 24Vdc open collector sinking 200kHz outputs, making them ideal upgrades for applications currently using PTO outputs. AMCI has introduced these modules to the market with low prices to keep cost of ownership at a minimum.

 

Both the 3401L and 3602 are 100% compatible with Allen Bradley PLCs, and are easy to program using Allen-Bradley’s RSLogix software.

 

Point I/O 3401L Motion Module
The new 3401L modules meet Rockwell Automation’s performance requirements while delivering a great value at under $300 per axis. AMCI’s 3401L 1-axis motion modules are compatible with all Point I/O network bases (EtherNet/IP, ControlNet, DeviceNet, etc.). The modules feature two discrete inputs, and can control the velocity and position of a stepper motor. AMCI’s 3401L modules were designed for applications where flexibility and low-cost of ownership are key for successful control system design and operation.

 

CompactLogix 3602 Motion module
AMCI’s 3602 2-axis stepper/servo controllers are similar to the 3601 (1-axis controller); with additional features and a low cost of under $450 per axis. Additional features/capabilities include an additional axis of motion and coordinated linear and circular interpolated commands. AMCI 3602 modules are easy to program with no extra software required, and offer a wide range of motion commands including registration, jogging/changing speed on the fly, and blend move. These modules are designed to provide sophisticated stepper control, or a cost effective servo solution.

 

AMCI is the only Rockwell Automation Encompass Partner to offer a complete selection of motion control products. Because AMCI products are 100% compatible with Allen-Bradley PLCs, you can be confident that their solutions will work for your application.

For more information, email: info@routeco.com or call : 0370 607 1000

Thank Routeco It's Friday! (TRIF)

It's officially that time of year again, the kids have gone back to school and their parent's summer has just begun.

And based on today's weather - I think we can safely say.. Autumn is on its way!

Here are some signs that tell us Autumn is nearing:

• The roads have suddenly become a lot busier 
• There's a slight chill in the morning when you wake up
• It was dark at 8:30 last night(!)
• You can't hear the ring of the ice cream vans daily appearance anymore
• Christmas gifts are in the shops
• The leaves are starting to change into a golden crimson

So it's time to say farewell to Pimms, shorts and t-shirts until next year and hello to a sea of crimson leaves, fireworks and a cosy blanket in front of the fire!

What's your favourite season?

Have a great weekend!
Rachael

Netherlands Branch Opening!

We are pleased to announce the opening of our Netherlands Branch. Strategically located in Best, we have assembled a team of industry experienced personnel, led by Luc Op Den Buijsch, the Netherlands Country Manager.

Routeco B.V. will be distributing Rockwell Automation and other major franchise suppliers products, with the aim of providing superior customer experience to clients in the Netherlands. Routeco aims to provide outstanding service to the customer facilitated by in country stock of products in its warehouse in Best, improved logistics with daily shipments of products throughout the Netherlands.  

"We are happy to establish an alliance with Routeco in the Netherlands. We were looking for a dedicated distributor in the Netherlands, and Routeco is seeking to broaden their EMEA footprint so this is an ideal solution for all parties and will enhance greatly our customer service. We are confident that our combined strengths will benefit our Dutch customers" says Far Vermeylen, Country Sales Director - Benelux, at Rockwell Automation.

"Routeco is delighted to become Rockwell Automation's preferred distributor in the Netherlands, our primary objective is to deliver additional value to our collective customers. This we will achieve by listening to their needs and configuring supply chain solutions that match the customer's business requirements," says Tony Usher, Operations Director at Routeco.

Customers will be able to place their orders with Routeco from 1 October 2013 onwards.

Branch Details
Routeco B.V., De Maas 22B, 5684 PL., Best, Netherlands

www.routeco.nl (coming soon!)
T: 0499 801 801
F: 0499 327 128

Rittal Flex-Block New Packaging

The flex-block plinth has reached its first anniversary and after reviewing this time, the plinth package is about to change. It was originally sold as a single part number to make up a total packaged solution. After discussing with customers, it became apparent that the order process was causing some concern. The procedure of ordering the product under a single part meant that it created un-wanted trim panels when combining enclosures together.

Taking this into consideration, Rittal has adapted how a flex-block can be purchased so that it is now possible to order the plinth and its components separately based on the corner blocks, the trim side panels, the trim front and rear panels which will eliminate the issue of waste.

The New Packaging Benefits

• Less part numbers to satisfy the enclosure range
• No unwanted trim panels
• Spare parts can be ordered quickly and easily i.e. damaged trims
• Less inventory means flexible and fast adjustment to the demand of different size variants
• Reduction of additional products and waste means a more cost effect solution

The former packaging is still available for a short period of time until stocks have been exhausted, but will be retired by the new supply style.

For more information, email: info@routeco.com or call : 0370 607 1000.