Upcoming Machinery & Plant Safety Seminar!

We would like to invite you to a seminar providing information on the latest legislation and standards affecting machinery and plant safety, and the implication this has on your business.

Where: Village Urban Resort Hotel,  Leeds South, Capitol Boulevard, Tingley, LS27 0TS 
When: 17th July 2014

There will be a choice of a morning or afternoon session with a buffet lunch provided in-between, please find times below: 

The seminar provides the perfect opportunity to discuss current projects and difficulties you may be experiencing relating to machinery and plant safety including; safety circuit design, interlock devices and light curtains with a TUV-Certified engineer.

So, who should be there?

• Machinery Designers
• Factory Managers 
• Control Engineers 
• Project Managers 
• Production/Operation Managers
• Engineering Managers 
• Maintenance and support engineers 
• Machinery Procurement/Purchasing 
• Service Engineers
• Health and Safety Managers
• Anyone that has an involvement with Industrial Machine Safety 

To book your place for the morning or afternoon seminar, email: info@routeco.com. 

Thank Routeco It’s Friday! (TRIF)

Wimbledon

Wimbledon is finally here, marking the start of summer which can only mean one thing, 2 weeks of drinking pimms and enjoying strawberries and cream!

On day one we saw Andy Murray defend his title on centre court against Belgian David Goffin. Andy Murray is the first Briton to defend his title in 77 years and we are hoping this year will be another victory!

This has been one of the busiest years at Wimbledon. The queue for show-court tickets began forming on Saturday, and on Sunday morning tournament officials announced that there were already more people in line than the 1,000 seats available.

Will you be watching Wimbledon this summer?

Whether you’re at home, on the Murray Mound or in the office, we hope you enjoy it!

Have a great weekend!

Roya

The Anybus CompactCom C40

The Anybus CompactCom 40-series combines network connectivity and high performance/real-time Industrial Ethernet in various forms such as chip, brick or module.

The CompactCom C40 Chip solution includes all the functionality needed to handle communication between your device and any industrial network. The chip-based solution gives you the freedom to design your own hardware and add connectors around the chip.

The Anybus NP40 network processor enables integration of optimized infrastructure solutions like high-performance Ethernet switches with on-the-fly processing and cut-through switching with very low time intervals. This multi-network chip eliminates the need for different external communications, reducing the design complexity and cost.

Low cost, high performance with low power consumption combined with a compact size makes the C40 Chip optimal for high-performance industrial slave/adapter solutions. Based on the most reliable and secure programmable logic solution on the market.

Benefits of the C40 device include:

· Ready-made solution minimising your programming efforts with multi-network connectivity on a single chip.

· Provides new and future network updates and enhancements.

· Very low latency <15μs with clock-synchronous operation.

· Fast, event-based application hardware interfaces: 8/16-bit parallel and high speed SPI.

· One design for all Ethernet networks - just download new firmware to communicate with another network.

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

The Kinetix 300/350 Servo Drives from Rockwell Automation

For machine builders looking to reduce cost and complexity, but deliver outstanding motion control with increased scalability, the Kinetix 300/350 servo drives from Rockwell Automation are the compact answer. 

Operating over an EtherNet/IP network these compact servo drives provide an easy path to commissioning, configuration and start up. Seamlessly integrated with our CompactLogix controllers and supported by our Integrated Architecture they deliver the scalability and performance you would expect, at a cost you wouldn't.

Integrated Motion over EtherNet/IP
EtherNet/IP uses CIP Sync and CIP Motion technologies to provide real-time, closed loop motion control over standard Ethernet. This network provides simplified integration of the system including HMI, PAC, I/O and motion. 

Controller and Software Support 

Programmed with RSLogix 5000 software, it provides a scalable motion system to be used with Logix controllers.

Safety
Today, safety in the workplace means improving productivity. Being able to reduce time required for machine set-up, cleaning, removal of jams and other maintenance work, increases overall machine productivity. The Kinetix 300 and 350 are available with integrated safety to help you achieve your safety goals.

The Kinetix 300 is a flexible single axis motion drive on an EtherNet/IP network with Safety functionality. The power of Integrated Architecture™ in a cost-effective package. The Kinetix 300 servo drive combines all these benefits into the low axis motion solution that your cost-sensitive machines require. 

 

In addition to sharing the Kinetix 300 features, the Kinetix 350 offers: 

• CIP Motion technology for real-time, closed loop motion control over EtherNet/IP 
• Fully compatible with linear and star configuration topology 
• Achieve the benefits of Kinetix Integrated Motion with ControlLogix controllers or CompactLogix controllers that support Integrated Motion over EtherNet/IP

To read more about the Kinetix Servo Drives click here, or to purchase online click here. 

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

Thank Routeco It's Friday! (TRIF)

The Horse Trust!

In May we celebrated our monthly dress down day by dedicating our proceeds to The Horse Trust.

The charity is a home of rest for the horses, since WWI it has been a place for retired Military and Police horses who have served our country. The trust is also a retirement home for horses and ponies that have provided a service for the community such as riding for the disabled.

The day featured posters of some of the current residents of the trust enjoying their retirement years as well as information on the charity’s history. Donations of carrots and apples were warmly welcomed to accommodate the horses’ dietary needs.

A few members of the Routeco team are avid volunteers of the trust and visit the horses nearly every weekend! Thanks to their organisation of the day, we raised an incredible £237.25 for the trust which will be used for the care and welfare of the retired military and police horses.

Have a lovely weekend!

Rachael

Rittal introduces its second Guide Book: Enclosure and Process Cooling

This book provides information on a variety of topics including the basic principles of climate control, energy saving opportunities and project planning, installation and operation.

The book offers product specific guidance on a range of subjects, this includes: the removal of heat using air circulation, air/air heat exchanges, fan and filter units, thermo electric coolers, cooling units and liquid based solutions. The accurate selection of climate control equipment using software tools is also covered within this helpful guide.

Offering practical and useful tips on the installation and maintenance of cooling equipment, the guide book also incorporates years of experience of climate control solutions in industrial environments to pinpoint typical errors and how working solutions may differ from these originally planned. 

To read the Enclosure and Process Cooling Guide Book click here. 

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

How does Industry 4.0 affect business

Industry 4.0 is an initiative of the German government to promote computerisation in traditional industry sectors, such as production engineering. The goal of the project is the Smart Factory, to include fundamental technologies like cyber-physical systems and the internet of things.

Cyber-physical Systems

One of the Industry 4.0 technologies is cyber-physical systems, which combine computer and mechanical technologies and are also known as mechatronics. They are instrumental in the creation of systems that are as autonomous as possible. They include the initial steps towards driverless cars, such as the Google Car, as well as the Rover that is currently discovering Mars. Although the Mars Rover is managed from a control centre, it is still an autonomous device. Due to the time it takes to transmit a signal from Earth to Mars, the Rover cannot be piloted with “normal” remote control. The Rover’s local sensors observe its surroundings and its software analyses the resulting data, takes decisions and gives driving commands that are executed by the mechanical parts. These concepts have already been implemented in the parking assistance and collision prevention functions in certain cars. The major features of cyber-physical systems clearly include sensors that observe their surroundings and embedded software to autonomously monitor and drive the system.

The second technology inherent in Industry 4.0 is the internet of things. The idea behind this is that devices can be interconnected via the internet and communicate with each other. A blog post about the internet of things provides more information here.

The result

The result is more autonomy and smart production processes that can control and regulate themselves. The advantages include manufacturing process optimisation that goes beyond Lean Manufacturing, along with the avoidance of damage and accidents due to the timely detection of problems and risks. This is already a familiar concept in IT with self-healing systems, in which any errors that arise are detected and resolved by the system itself. The Industry 4.0 initiative is designed to carry this concept over to things like production processes on the meta level and products themselves on the instance level. An example would be the creation of a 3D replicator seen as a production process whose end product is the 3D replicator.

There is a long way to go before we achieve Industry 4.0. There are still difficulties in mastering security and managing the volume of communications and data. Security is clearly the top priority. It covers two main aspects: the reliability of the embedded software and protection from hacking. One only needs to imagine a system failure in a driverless car going at 130km/h on a motorway, or a cyber-attack on a production site in full operation! As for the management and analysis of very large data volumes, this is covered by the term “big data”, for which new technologies and processes are currently appearing on the market in very fast innovation cycles. These problems appear to be relatively easy to resolve.

For more information of the affect of Industry 4.0 click here. 

World Cup Fever!

The World Cup has now begun! The first game started last night with Brazil winning 3-1 against Croatia in an exciting opening match.

The month-long tournament sees 32 nations compete for a place in the final in Rio on Sunday 13 July.

But how will the teams relax during the tournament? Specific bananas, silent air-conditioning and special soaps are some of the extravagant hotel demands. Read below to see which team has requested what…

Germany have had a budget blowout building their own training facility in the village of Santo Andre in Bahia. They have also created a headquarters with 13 houses, 65 rooms, a football field and press centre.

Portugal demands a console in every room and 6 security guards, 2 of which will be dedicated to look after Cristiano Ronaldo at all times.

France asks for the hotel to replace its bar soap for the liquid variety. Each room needs to contain 2 types of liquid soaps, one for showering and the other for washing their hands. The French football federation also insisted that every player’s room should be identical, down to the colour of the paint.

Ecuador has demanded a special room where players can unwind, and an everyday basket with different types of Ecuadorian bananas in each room.

England demands one of 3 restaurants for their exclusive use, a dedicated video games room with 3 TVs and the latest games, and they want the sole use of the gym and swimming pool for just several hours every day. All their rooms contain brand new furniture, beds, wooden floors, rust-free balconies and air conditioning.

Japan wants all rooms to have a Jacuzzi.

Australia’s request is 2 large coffee machines close to their rooms, in an area that must also include a variety of newspapers from around the world. They want Brazilian meals of red meat, fish and chicken, but all cooked within the concept of a healthy diet.

Bosnia and Herzegovina demands an acoustic (sound-proofed) screen. The idea is that players will be on one side and the coaching staff on the other. This way their conversations will not be mixed.

Switzerland wants Swiss television channels in all the rooms and high-speed internet.

Colombia asked for 15 lucky youth players to take part in their training sessions.

We hope you will enjoy watching the World Cup as much as we will over the weekend!

Roya

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You can now keep up to date with the most recent Routeco news, product launches or updates, upcoming events and industry news!

The new Foldback DC Power Supply from Finder

The new 78.50 switch mode power supply from Finder now features ‘foldback’ overload protection. This feature has been introduced to meet market demands by extending application coverage to include lead acid battery charging – this is not compatible with the hiccup mode of protection on the rest of the 78 series.

The prime purpose of 'foldback' protection is to keep the output transistor within its safe power dissipation limit. If the load attempts to draw over current from the supply, 'foldback' reduces both the output voltage and current to well below the nominal operating limits.

The product also has a plethora of design features, as the rest of the range, to improve reliability and efficiency. This gives control system builders a stable and dependable low voltage DC supply, up to 91% efficient and only 0.4W in standby.

This series of modular, rail mounted DC power supplies now comprises models covering outputs rated 24VDC/12W, 24VDC/36W, 24VDC/60W, 12VDC/12W and 12VDC/50W. All these support a wide AC or DC supply range capability of respectively 100-265VAC and 140-370VDC.

Finders 78 series include:

• Supply overvoltage protection
• Thermal protection with fast output voltage shut down
• Short circuit and overload protection with hiccup protection (auto-recovery)
• High inrush current handling capability

To help minimise downtime in the event of a fault, the power supply inputs are protected by an easy access internal fuse, with an adjacent spare fuse ensuring an even more immediate fix.

The 35mm rail mounted power supplies measure only 17.5 or 70 mm wide by 60mm deep and can help to reduce control panel size. Conforming to EN60950-1 and EN61204-3 norms, they are fully compliant with global EMC standards for power supply design.

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

LeKtroniX Industrial Automation Repairs, Spares and Service from Rockwell Automation

If you need a repair on any industrial electronic product, broken or obsolete, Rockwell can repair it, test it and return it back to you.

Complete solutions provider for all your industrial automation requirements. 

• Rockwell repair and supply over 200,000 different parts including: CNCs, PLCs, gear boxes, motors, encoders, robots, communications, drives, monitors, power supplies and servo systems from more than 7,000 different manufacturers.
• All the quotations are free of charge and Rockwell provide a free repair collection service. 
• 12 months standard warranty on all repairs and spares. With over 20,000 different parts in stock for exchange service. 

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

eWon introduces eGrabit 3.1

eGrabit is the virtual private networking (VPN) client software for hardware platform eFive. With its user friendly and innovative user face, this VPN client software allows remote user connectivity to a VPN network powered by eFive. This software supports open VPN and is compatible with windows operating system.

Dial up and VPN connection manager

eGrabit is the new application for managing direct VPN or dial up connectors to eWON routers. With the new import/export feature of eGrabit users can now import/export all devices to and from any computer where eGrabit is installed.

The latest version of the software 3.1 strongly focuses on security with password reinforcement and enables users to connect through a proxy server.

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

Thank Routeco It’s Friday! (TRIF)

Soccer Aid takes place this weekend!

We all know that this summer is going to be a good one for Football with the world cup starting on Thursday! But kicking off the football season and getting everyone into the Football spirit is Soccer Aid which takes place this Sunday.

It brings together legends, supporters and celebrities for a Football match to help save and change children’s lives all around the world.

The two teams playing are England which will be managed by our very own Robbie Williams and the Rest of the World which will be managed by actor Michael Sheen. The teams are made up of a mix of football legends, Hollywood A-Listers and some of the UK’s most famous faces (so there’s something for everyone).

Some of the stars playing consist of Gordon Ramsey, James McAvoy, Ben Shephard and Jamie Redknapp.

So, whether you’re a football fanatic (like the majority of the Routeco staff) or film fan (like me), this weekend’s game looks to be a good watch!

Will you be tuning in?

Have a fantastic weekend!

Rachael

Enhance your PowerFlex 525 drive solution with matched motor protection devices from Rockwell Automation

For optimal performance of PowerFlex® 525 drives, it is best to use the same supplier for the protective devices and for the other drive circuit components. Rockwell Automation's short circuit tested motor protective and switchgear combinations protect and complete your starter circuit.

• Components available over a wide range of kW ratings based on common Short Circuit Current Rating application requirements
• IEC and UL standards compliant
• Tested in Rockwell Automation accredited test facilities and in most cases covered by third party witness by Underwriters Laboratories

The Short Circuit Current Rating Selection Tool assists you in selecting low voltage components for tested short-circuit coordination, making it easy for you to ensure all components are perfectly matched.

Try the new global SCCR Selection Tool now!

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

Automation University on the Move is coming soon to Warrington!

With topical content and a wide variety of industry perspectives, AUOTM brings together people, products, tools and technologies to help you meet your business and manufacturing requirements. 

Each day you can expect a comprehensive programme of presentations and demonstrations with an exhibition floor showcasing Rockwell Automation and Partner products, technologies and demonstrations.

Our recommended highlights for the Warrington event are as follows:

• The plant optimisation and business benefits presentation session 
• The process automation solutions: PlantPAx demonstration session including an overview on the subject
• The pump optimisation presentation session - The benefits of medium voltage Drives & intelliCENTER MCCs 
• The Addressing Cyber Security for Process Control Systems presentation session 

Rockwell Automation University on the Move will also be coming to: 

Nottingham - 3rd June

Peterborough - 5th June

Aberdeen - 10th June

For more information on each of these events, or to register click here.

We're Hiring!

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

Area Sales Manager (Dartford)

Branch Supervisor (Leeds)

External Sales Engineer (Bristol)

External Sales Engineer (Leeds)

External Sales Engineer (Milton Keynes)

External Sales Engineer (Southampton)

External Sales Engineer (Manchester)

Internal Technical Sales (Peterborough)

Internal Technical Sales (Leeds)

Apprenticeships at Routeco (Various)

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

The Guardmaster 440C-CR30 Safety Relay from Allen-Bradley

The new Allen-Bradley Guardmaster 440C-CR30 safety relay is a flexible, cost effective and easy to use safety relay ideal for applications requiring 4 to 10 and control, or up to 5 zones.

The Guardmaster 440C-CR30 is configured through the connected components workbench software, this is the same programming software used by the Micro800 family of controllers, PanelView, Component HMI’s and PowerFlex Drives for seamless programming of standard and safety logic in separate devices.

The unique graphical user interface and drag and drop capabilities of connected components software help guide users through a simple process of selecting certified safety blocks for the Guardmaster 440C-CR30, meaning that users can create, control and monitor a safety system in the same software environment as their standard control.

The embedded Modbus interface allows the Guardmaster 440C-CR30 to carry communication diagnostic data to an Allen-Bradley Micro800, PanelView Component or CompactLogix.

To buy now click here.

Or for more features and information click here.

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