Thank Routeco It's Friday!

MK Dons vs Manchester United

On Tuesday we saw something that no one thought they would see… MK Dons beating Manchester United 4-0.

MK Dons won in front of a crowd of over 26,000 at Stadium MK, which is their biggest crowd in their 10 year history, and the stadium is only around the corner from us!

MK Dons fans were queuing in their hundreds at the ground last week during the early hours of the morning, hoping to buy tickets to support the club who were only founded in 2004.

One lucky Manchester United fan put a £2.50 free bet on United to beat MK Dons 4-0 in the league cup. But it turned out she had accidentally bet on MK dons to win 4-0 instead of United! Her shock quickly turned to happiness as she won £1,250 at odds of an astounding 500/1.

Did you watch the game? Let us know your thoughts on it.

Have a great weekend!

Roya

Have you tried Rockwell Automation's mid range control platform?

The mid range control platform from Rockwell Automation provides all the control you need at a price you would not expect. With an combined range of control solutions you will be able to maximise performance whatever the size, complexity or budget of your machine.

With integrated safety and motion, utilisation of standard unmodified Ethernet with EtherNet/IP and the simplicity of a single, easy-to-use programming environment, it’s scalable, integrated control for every size of machine and budget. 

The mid range control platform has high performance within a single network and great value with advanced servo drives and robotic control. This is all via one standard network rather than dedicated networks for each application like motion, safety, I/O and information. 

Key features include:

• CompactLogix control platform provides scalability from 2-16 axes of motion
• EtherNet/IP connectivity for enhanced data capture and exchange
• Modular, scalable control solutions with easy to use single programming environment
• Multi-discipline control allowing platform standardisation (motion, drive, process, batch, safety and discrete control)
• Increased performance with new processors

For more information email info@routeco.com, call 0370 607 1000 or view our Compact Logix range online 

To view the Compact Logix 5370 L1 controller on our online web shop click here

To view the Compact Logix 5370 L2 controller on our online web shop click here

To view the Compact Logix 5370 L3 controller on our online web shop click here

To view the Rockwell Automation's product specification click here

Three Easy Ways to Start Saving Energy

Finding ways to be more energy efficient in your plant can feel like a big task and not really worth the time or effort.

But it doesn’t have to be a difficult task. There are quick ways to find what’s wasting energy and identify potential cost saving opportunities.

When energy was less expensive, manufacturers didn’t have to primarily focus on energy efficiency. Neither did homeowners, that 10-year-old refrigerator consumes 20% more energy than a new one.

Identifying energy-saving opportunities in your plant can be simple and quick. In many cases, money and energy are literally flying out an open window if you are not paying attention to the process. A few easy opportunities to save:

1. Turning off lights/machinery when not in use
2. Fixing air compressor leaks
3. Reclaiming waste heat

Just like these easy steps, processes that are not too complex and energy intensive are due for an overhaul.

In some cases where energy is such a small percentage of overall costs, you may think this seems like small savings with big efforts. But it is worth it, especially with the increase of prices and regulatory pressures. If you’re evaluating your production and how you use energy to meet government regulations, then use that time as a chance to look at all areas, big and small.

Your air compressor system has leaks. This may be frustrating, but does it affect your manufacturing process? Maybe not. But, according to the US Department of Energy, leaks typically make up 20-30% of the total compressed air load in plants without maintenance programs.

Or does your warehouse need to be at a certain temperature? What happens if you bump the thermostat up (or down) a few degrees? What are the savings if you shift part of your operations to off-peak periods?

Small savings do add up and minimal efforts can make a big difference, so take the time to see where you can save.

Click here to read the full article.

Thank Routeco It's Friday!

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

The Ice Bucket Challenge has gone viral throughout social media, with well-known celebrities taking part such as Simon Cowell, Tom Cruise and Tiger Woods.

The rules of this challenge is, within 24 hours of being nominated, record themselves having a bucket of ice water poured on their heads and calling out the names of other people to take part in the challenge. If they decide to forfeit they make a donation to the ALS Association.

The ALS Association is an American charity which raises money and awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. It all started by an American baseball player who was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Motor Neurone Disease in the UK. The support of this challenge has raised millions so far, with donations in the UK going towards the Motor Neuron Disease Association and Macmillian Cancer Support.

Click below to see former US president George Bush and David Beckham take on their challenge.

Have you done the challenge? If so post your video here!

Have a good weekend

Roya

The C/C++ Programmable Linux Module FAQ

The C/C++ Programmable Linux Module for ControlLogix and CompactLogix processors enables C/C++ developers to write custom applications for legacy or proprietary applications.

The C/C++ Linux Development Modules features:

• Acts as a co-processor
• Fast processing of complex code (400MHz ARM CPU)
• ControlLogix or CompactLogix backplane-compatible development using C/C++
• Available development kit DVD contains Virtual Machine (VM) with preinstalled development software.
• C API provided for backplane driver
• Equipped with both Serial and Ethernet ports

FAQ

Why did was the Linux Development Module for ControlLogix and CompactLogix created?
The Linux Development Module was created for both processors to allow users/developers to write a custom application (in C/C++ programming language) that interfaces to the Ethernet ports, serial ports, and for ControlLogix a storage media (Compact Flash) of the unit.

How does the module communicate with the ControlLogix and CompactLogix processors?
For both processors a backplane API is provided to allow the application to read and write.

Are there any tools to assist me in developing the module?
Yes. A Linux Virtual Machine comes on a separate development kit DVD. The Virtual Machine contains the popular Eclipse IDE and a preinstalled toolchain and libraries, as well as Ethernet & serial port example applications.

What are some typical applications for the modules?
1. When a ControlLogix or CompactLogix system needs to interface with a proprietary/custom protocol.
2. When complex functions or calculations are required that will not adversely affect the ControlLogix or CompactLogix processor scan time.

What determines my level of success with the modules?
The level of success with the LDM will be determined by: 

1. Developer’s knowledge and experience with the C/C++ programming language
2. Developer’s knowledge and experience with the embedded Linux environment
3. Developer’s knowledge and experience with the ControlLogix or CompactLogix system and RS Logix 5000/Studio 5000

What Linux distribution is used for both processors?
Timesys

If you require more information email info@routeco.com or call 0370 607 1000.

How do you calculate an order cost for a typical UK machine builder?

Is it a valid exercise to try to audit the cost of a single purchase order as part of a machine BOM? 

In our experience it is a much more accurate process to look at the transactional costs derived from the purchase of the complete BOM for electrical components, as every order will be different in terms of line items and complexity. This needs to be averaged across the project to give more meaningful results.

The following is an example of real customer data for a project and the time factors derived from an audit of their processes:-

• £18,038 total parts cost
• 14 orders
• 7 suppliers
• 110 lines
• 197 components
• £78 delivery charges
• £20/hour (internal average rate)

If you divide the number of lines to transacted by the number of orders than we get the figure of 7.86 as an average number of lines per order. Time per operation in the supply chain can then be attached as minutes for each process and multiplied by an hourly rate that is an average across all business functions, (we have decided £20 in this case). We then end up with an average cost of £48.45 per order (excluding delivery charges) and a transactional total of £756 for the project.

A very compelling case from the introduction of vendor reduction, web based catalogues and electronic trading!

Brian Benson
Group Packaged Solutions Manager

Have you explored the Great Barrier Reef this morning?

Underwater ‘street view’ maps are here!

It’s so easy for us to go online and get a 360 degree ground level view of almost any street throughout the world, but now Google have branched out to coral reefs and other underwater wonders!

It’s been announced that scientists will be using specialised fisheye lenses under water in Florida Keys this week to apply the street view mapping.

Some of the panoramic and rotating images will be available online next week including the selection on Google maps. It will be like scuba diving from your computer!

Around 400,000 images have already been produced of the reefs off Australia and the Caribbean.

These can be found here

So why not spend part of your afternoon exploring some of the beautiful underwater wonders of the world, and look out for the Florida edition very soon!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Laura

The Future of Food and Beverage Manufacturing: Plantwide Optimisation

As demand increases and consumers are becoming more sophisticated in their buying habits, there is a need to invest in manufacturing facilities that can match these changing demands.

Manufacturers are looking to optimise their assets as they take on the challenges of demand for a wider range of products. These manufacturers are faced with global competition and sustainability in difficult economic times, and are looking for solutions that can overlay existing infrastructure, delivering immediate short-term benefits, while still providing a transition path to a single platform in the longer-term.

These challenges are drawing the focus of food and beverage manufacturers towards optimisation. But what does this really mean in terms of changes in the operation?

There are three areas in which food and beverage manufacturers typically address when thinking about optimisation:

- How do I enhance performance?
A few ideas could be integrating process control and packaging without replacing equipment; or implementing new safety solutions to meet legislation requirements without increasing costs and reducing output; or improving quality and consistency without huge capital outlay.

- How can I reduce costs?
It’s sometimes as simple as standing back and looking at where the costs are highest and thinking about ways to reduce them. If manufacturers are spending time and money managing and maintaining control Platforms, then outsourcing asset management contracts could help significantly reduce invested capital. If a manufacturer is constantly having to modify recipes to meet ever changing and diverse customer demands, then an integrated plantwide quality assurance could help deliver significant savings.

- How can I improve energy consumption?
Manufacturers know how much their monthly electricity bill is but often have no idea where the costs are coming from. With energy costs increasing, consumers demanding more sustainable production, and legislation driving businesses to reduce energy consumption, there are many reasons to manage energy consumption more effectively. With intelligent energy management advances, it is possible to identify where energy is being wasted and help reduce that waste.

Food and beverage manufacturing can now deploy one control platform using a common control engine with a common development environment, expressly designed to help deliver more optimised manufacturing. 

How Can we Maximise the Benefits of Vendor Reduction for Machine Building OEMs?

The implementation of a vendor reduction program is widely recognised as having significant benefits for UK machine builders in terms of reducing numbers of orders and invoices. However, the actual cost saving is difficult to measure as in our experience an OEM is usually buying products for a complete machine BOM. This can easily exceed 200+ electrical items bought previously from perhaps 10 suppliers.

It is possible to buy all of these items from a single supplier, thereby reducing orders by 9. In practice, however, the 200+ line items still need to transacted and a processing time is associated with every line, even via a single supplier.

Routeco have taken the vendor reduction process one step further by having the capability of electronically uploading and turning complete BOMs into one kit part number, (or a few kit part numbers) dramatically reducing information input and giving the true benefits of vendor reduction:-

One order line, one delivery and one invoice!

Brian Benson
Group Packaged Solutions Manager

Thank Routeco It’s Friday!

Friday Quiz

Do you keep up to date with the news? Test your knowledge with our fun quiz on events that have happened over the last few weeks. Click here to find the answers.

1. In which city does a cup of coffee tend to be strongest?

a) Glasgow, Scotland
b) Madrid, Spain
c) Milan, Italy


2. Kenyan officials reportedly issued a warning this week about drunk and disorderly behaviour by which animals?

a) Elephants
b) Giraffes
c) Baboons


3. A woman was told by UK passport officials her signature infringes a trademark after changing her name to a Star Wars character. Which one?

a) C-3PO
b) Leia
c) Skywalker


4. There's been a strange Japanese café, with which type of animals visiting regularly?

a) Cats
b) Owls
c) Mice


5. Fill in the missing word to complete the headline

Birds beat machines in ____________ test

a) Hover
b) Vision
c) Hover


6. The body of a great white shark was washed up on an Australian beach. What is it thought to have choked on?

a) Jellyfish
b) Saltwater crocodile
c) Sea Lion


7. Fill in the missing word to complete the headline

Early risers ‘less ______ at night’

a) Moral
b) Tired
c) Patient


8. A man dropped his mobile phone into a grain pit at his farm in Oklahoma, USA. Nine months later he was reunited with the device after it turned up again. Where was it found?

a) China
b) Japan
c) Korea


9. Which "aggressive" creature was reportedly shot dead in Uganda after a police officer said it attacked him?

a) Snail
b) Tortoise
c) Sloth


10. Last Monday, it was 100 years since World War One started in 1914. What did lots of people do to mark the date?

a) Listen to the national anthem
b) Have a minute’s silence
c) Turn lights off for an hour

TopTherm Blue e Cooling Units

We are excited to offer a range of climate control products by working alongside Rittal. Products in this range include fan and filters, chillers, air and water heat exchangers and more.

TopTherm blue e cooling units were developed due to the increased requirements relating to energy efficiency, and are the ideal enclosures for stand-alone applications that require the air inside electrical enclosures to be maintained at a lower temperature than that of the air surrounding them.  

By switching to the blue e cooling units today you can save up to 70% on energy costs. 

The main features of these cooling units include:

Efficient Benefits:

• Blue e cooling units now offer even more energy savings thanks to the eco-mode control function for demand-oriented climate control. 
• The installed components such as fans, condenser, evaporators and liquefiers have been streamlined to yield greater energy efficiency. 

Permanent Energy Savings:

• With blue e cooling units, you can save up to 45% energy consumption.
• You can save up to 70% energy by using the cooling units.

Easy Conversion:

• Cooling units and modular climate control systems have been manufactured in energy saving blue e design since September 2011.
• The previous series of energy efficient cooling units is replaced in the course of this conversion.

Do you know the temperature of your products? If not, we have a great easy to use thermal label to help. By sticking the small label to an internal surface of your enclosure, you will be able to see how hot or cold it is from the temperature gauge, and the results will appear straight away. The thermal label is quick to use and is suitable for all types of equipment.

To request your free thermal label email info@routeco.com and one of our sales engineers will come and help select the best product for you.

For product data on roof-mounted cooling units click here, or here for wall-mounted cooling units.

Click here for the product information leaflet.

To purchase a blue e cooling unit online click here.*

*Please note not all products may be available to purchase online, please email info@routeco.com or call 0370 607 1000 for product enquiries

IEC Enclosed Starter Range from Rockwell Automation

Looking for versatile compact starters? Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, the new Rockwell Automation Bulletin 103, 105, 107 and 109 starters are ideal for material handling, single–drive OEM machinery, conveyor systems, fans and refrigeration applications.

The Eco Class Starters are ideal for simple starter applications providing an economical solution. The Automation Class Starters are designed for more complex applications requiring protection, diagnostics and communications, including EtherNet/IP™ and DeviceNet™ connectivity, and the Starters with Circuit Breaker provide the most compact motor protection.

Compact Size with Robust Material
• Bulletin 109 Eco Class Starters IP 66 and Type 4X, 12K (indoor use only)
• Bulletins 109 and 105 Automation Class Starters IP 66 and Type 4X, 12K
• Bulletins 103C and 107C Starters with Circuit Breaker IP 66 and Type 1, 12K

Practical Design
• Reduces installation time and complexity
• Knockouts for 20mm and 25mm metric cable glands
• Sealable cover screws
• Easy to access terminals and moulded connection kits
• Optional side-mount accessory modules to the Allen-Bradley E1 Plus Electronic Overload Relay

Standards and Approval
• EN/IEC 60946-4
• UL50, UL508, CSA 22.2
• CE Marked, cULus Listed

Prompt Delivery
• Most selections are in stock today

Additional operator options
• E-stop, pilot light, selector switch

For more information on compact starters email info@routeco.com or call 0370 607 1000.

Hazardous Area Solutions from Routeco

Routeco offer a complete supply solution for hazardous area electrical products.

Supporting Routeco branch sales nationwide our dedicated Hazardous Area/Process team have expertise covering most aspects of hazardous area electrical equipment and instrumentation. With experience in all protection techniques intrinsically (Ex i) safe solutions for Zone 0, flameproof (Ex d) and increased safety (Ex e) and others for zone 1 or  Ex n solutions for Zone 2. Our team can assist with selecting, specifying and supplying the optimal solution.

As a service to clients we offer:

         > Training – customised to clients requirements

  Introduction to hazardous areas

  Dust hazards

  Intrinsic safety

  Lunch and learn sessions

        > Design assistance

              Converting non Atex systems for zoned hazardous area

  Protection method options

  Equipment type selection.

  Compare commercially and technically  different manufacturers offerings

        > Site Surveys

  On non-certified equipment to assess for conversion to Atex

  On existing equipment to assess suitability for  the zoned area

Routeco's Assembly Cell can build to the customers’ specifications enclosures ranging from part-build to full-build, of Junction boxes through to complete control panels. Assembling certified Ex e terminal boxes, and working with partners and 3^rd parties to provide assembled and certified Ex e, Ex d, Ex de and Ex n panels and systems for gas and dust as well as Ex t dust solutions

Our primary supply partners are:

Other partners for hazardous area equipment  include IndEx for enclosures & control stations, Steute (sensors and switches), Bartec (control stations, HMI’s and PC’s), as well as Red Lion, Endress+Hauser, Eurotherm, Vega for sensors, transmitters, controllers and data recording solutions) and Habia or Eland for Cables.

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

How Much is Customer Specification Driving Technology Selection for UK OEMs?

There are many large end users (mainly automotive, pharmaceutical, water treatment, etc) that will specify in detail what an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) must use for automation products. This has obvious advantages for the end user in terms of spares, training and in-house capability, but can impact on cost and engineering time for the OEM.

We often find that in reality when engaging with OEMs, the level of specified technology is less than 30%, but they continue to use whatever manufacturer has been specified the most. They will use this technology for the rest of the machine build, without evaluating if the solution is the best in terms of performance and even cost. The easy route is just to copy what has previously happened. 

Our Packaged Solutions Team`s BOM (Bill of Materials) analysis process followed by a detailed machine audit can simply identify where cost savings and performance gains can be made. A resource is ready to deploy alongside the machine builder to ensure the speed of integration and transfer of technology. Whatever barriers there are with software and training can easily be removed with the right business case.

The specified business can then end up being the least desirable as we create a “standard (best performance / lowest cost) automation catalogue” for the more enlightened & profitable OEM.

We often ask management in these OEMs:-

“Are you here to make machines, or are you here to make money”

The answer is usually the later!

Brian Benson
Group Packaged Solutions Manager

Thank Routeco It's Friday!

Driverless Cars

It has recently been announced driverless cars will be on UK public roads in January next year. There will be an 18-36 month trial, where three cities within the UK will have the opportunity to host the trials. The cars will be guided by a system of sensors and cameras, and has the potential to transform the UK’s transport network by improving safety, reducing congestion and lowing emissions.

Japan, Singapore and Germany have already started trials of driverless cars on their roads and Sweden will soon be next. In California, USA, the cars are now legal and have logged 700,000 miles.

Even though this is an exciting step in technology, people may be uncomfortable giving up control of their vehicle to a computer, as 65% of drivers still enjoy driving, and it will also involve changes to the Highway Code. Researchers in Oxford have now developed a vehicle which can be controlled using only an iPad.

Not only will the driverless vehicles have the ability of automatic braking, anti-lane drift and self-parking functions, which are currently available in today’s cars, but will also be able to take charge of steering, accelerating, indicating and braking during most, if not all of a journey.

This is a similar function to when aeroplanes are on autopilot, but down on the ground, there are much more hazards to be aware of. Attached to the driverless cars is a 360 degree camera which captures images, warning the car of pedestrians, cyclists, road works and other objects that might be in the vehicle's path.

What are your thoughts on driverless cars? Would you feel comfortable driving one? Let us know your thoughts.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Roya