It’s Not Hard with Hardy

Glendinning is the largest independent supplier of quarry and concrete products both to the trade and direct to the end user in Devon and Cornwall. The company was established in 1958 by two brothers Ernest and Jack Glendinning, and today is owned by the founders’ families and is still very much a family business.

One of the most important factors in this business is being able to successfully move the products on the trucks from one place to another, carrying the right amount of product. However, this was an issue Glendinning faced.

Each of Glendinning’s trucks are supposed to carry 25 tons of product and the trucks are

measured on a weigh scale before leaving the quarry. It was found that they were not always carrying the prescribed amount of product, varying between extremes of 22 to 36 tons.

As it takes additional time to load and unload the product and travel around the site, the company saw an increase in time, running costs, fuel consumption and more.

There were also unseen costs of increased health and safety risks. Even though tipping product from a truck is not an exact science, there could sometimes be occasions which involve several ‘tuning trips’. Furthermore there is an axel loading limit on the trucks that should not be exceeded.

The weight readings being misread may have been due to the resonant vibration from the sorting screens, which runs through the steel work and affects traditional load cell readings. Ambient temperature variations change the properties of the belt which can further affect the weight readings.

Glendinning had previously attempted to resolve the issue. Initially the conveyor was fitted with a Ramsey International Belt Weigher. This had unreliable Modbus communications so the instrument was replaced by an Applied Weighing load cell amplifier. This only provided a 4-20mA output and required lots of PLC programming to give weight readings. It proved to be effective for static loads only, not offering enough updates/second to be used dynamically.

On hearing of the weight fluctuations, well-meaning operators attempted to ‘trim’ the dispensed amount. Unfortunately due to the random nature of the error this could sometimes exacerbate the problem.

Glendinning then got in touch with Routeco to help. Routeco proposed a Hardy Process

Solutions HI4050 instrument to be used with the same load cells and mechanics in place. The Hardy unit offers many advanced features including the ‘WaverSaver’ algorithm which is designed to mitigate the effects of vibration.

The instrument was installed with the ‘WaverSaver’ on its weakest of 5 settings 0.25Hz. The conveyor system dispensed mixtures of 9 different products, and in the 6 months that the Hardy instrument has been in use, the dispensed amount has shown only 1% variation for all weathers and products.

“It’s a pretty good set up, Auto Zero is set to ignore weights below 4kg as being belt variations.” said Carlos Moya – Hardy International Sales Coordinator.

The Hardy range is both easy to use and powerful, the WaverSaver feature has made a real difference here and Ian was able to set it up from scratch with no training.

There are other features that could be useful here too, with the load cells being high up and inaccessible maintenance and fault finding could be difficult. The Hardy Integrated Technician Summing Box provides remote switching of individual load cells making it easy to spot any faulty cells without having to leave the office.

Hardy’s C2 Calibration feature also allows for weightless calibration when used with C2 Load Cells. This is very useful when calibration is difficult or requires heavy weights.

To purchase the Hardy Process Solutions HI4050 click here. 

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

Robert Stebbings - Automation & Software Product Sales Specialist

Machine Safety

With a comprehensive portfolio of machine safety products, systems and services, Rockwell Automation has the solution for you.

Working with Rockwell Automation can provide you with access to a world-class portfolio of safety products, systems and services that can help address your safety requirements. Just as importantly, Rockwell Automation have got the people who can help to make best use of the technologies available and the tools to support that deployment.

A safety supplier that understands automation and safety will:

• Help you get performance you need safely
• Offer a full range of services and solutions for safer automation
• Help you achieve conformity
• Give you the best tools to help you design, validate and deploy safety

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

Industrial Electronic Repairs with Rockwell Automation

Meet your repairs needs quickly and conveniently with repairs services from Routeco. We offer a unique repairs solution with Rockwell Automation to repair any Electrical product no matter who the supplier, offering full warranty on the product, not just the repair. 

Working alongside Rockwell Automation, we are able to provide comprehensive repair services for over 200,000 items, from 7,000+ manufacturers. This provides you with a single source solutions for all of your electrical, electronic, mechanical, and servo product repairs.

Along with Rockwell Automation, we offer techniques used in the remanufacturing process to support quality repairs, these include:
> ISO 9001 and ISO 14001certified facilities
> Automated testing
> Full-year warranty
> After hours support
> Local representation

Quality has been integrated into every step of our repair process. We are your single source for service, providing repair on thousands of types and brands of electrical, electronic, mechanical, servo and robotic products.

You can view the list of manufacturers that we are able to repair here.

Check out the Rockwell Repairs video   

For help with your repairs, contact your local Routeco sales team: 0370 607 1000 or email info@routeco.com

Thank Routeco It's Friday!

Wearable Tech for Pets!

It’s not only humans who need some tender loving care but pets too! A smart collar for dogs and cats has been created that tracks the animal’s vital signs.

The pet wearable device enables continuous tracking of a range of vitals as well as any health-related behaviour. It keeps tabs on pets’ temperature, heart rate, body posture, calories burned and many others. It also comes with a smartphone application that pet owners, veterinarians and pet-care professional can use to monitor vitals before each appointment. It can also be used as a predictive device telling pet owners when it may be necessary to take their pets to the clinic.

Aside from keeping track of vitals and monitoring behavioural changes, it can also be used to keep track of pets that are in recovery stage or recently discharged from care. Vets can monitor the progress and identify any adverse reactions as soon as they develop.

As our love for pets keep growing, the American Pet Product Association, estimated $47.7 billion was spent on pet products and services in 2010. And since 1988, having pets at home has increased from 56% to 62% and 46% of their households have more than one pet.

With these new pet-health wearable devices, taking care of man’s best friend has never become more handy, efficient and convenient with the help from technology.

Would you buy a smart collar for your pet? Let us know your thoughts.

Have a great weekend!

Roya

The Implications of EN/ISO 14119 Safety of Machinery – Interlocking devices associated with guards

As with all new standards, there is the uncertainty of does EN/ISO 14119 affect me? When does it take effect? And do I need to do anything? I’m sure you have all read endless articles by various people highlighting minor points which can sometimes be taken out of context and can lead to potentially misinterpreting the content and may cause you to miss some of the principles that the standard is trying to bestow. No standards should ever be considered in isolation, which is why they cross-refer to other standards, to maintain as the name suggests, “a standard approach” rather than reinventing the wheel every time.

This standard highlights many new things to be considered regarding the classification of types of products and some positive reworking of the old EN1088 standard, which has been in place for many years. In my experience there are two main points regarding safety system design to be considered, which are detailed below;

1. Wiring of multiple dual channel door switches in a Category 3 wiring architecture. It has been recognised for a long time that it is possible to mask faults leading to a potential failure of the safety system under certain conditions. In your design you now have to account for this and the reduced diagnostic coverage will affect the validation of your design in ISO13849 and IEC62061. The publishing of ISO/TR24119 will offer some clarification on this, and this openly available leaked table will give you an idea of the implications. Key point to consider – are the doors opened more than once per hour?

2.Guard locking has always been a contentious area and this standard certainly clarifies all of the issues. My approach has always been ‘power to release’ for personnel protection unless the risk assessment deemed it to be unsafe as this presented addition risks, so using ‘power to lock’ was a better solution. If it was just to protect the process from uncontrolled intervention then either type could be used. There was also the unwritten law that if you were using a switch for personal protection it needed to have a holding force in excess of 1000 newton’s. This always prompted the question of how much force is 1000 newton’s when applied to the handle to open the door. The good news is, apart from the clarification of personal and process locking, this standard has a table showing all of the maximum forces that you could apply to a door. It is in Annex1, Table 1 (click here) and it is worth purchasing the standard for this information alone, as it will be a major benefit when you are completing your risk assessments and guard door design. It certainly highlights the fact that a number of safety switches on the market should only be sold for process protection, rather than personal protection as they have been in the past.

I am sure that the standard will affect you in some way and it is important to note that the full implementation date is February 2015. I would strongly suggest that you start to design your systems to comply with this standard now, as February is not far away and gives you chance to deal with the teething problems of the design changes that will no doubt ensue, before they become compulsory.

Watch a video on safety interlocking devices here or for more information on the EN/ISO 14119 click here.

Click here if you wish to purchase a Guard Locking Switch.

If you require any further information or wish to discuss your machinery safety systems with one of our specialists please contact your local Routeco branch. Alternatively email info@routeco.com or call 0370 607 1000.

Kevin Kirby – Routeco Safety Solutions Team Leader

The Anybus CompactCom B40

The Anybus B40 brick is part of the CompactCom series which also features the chip and module. The B40 brick is a high-performance network interface in brick format.

The B40 is ready made with software and hardware to communicate between your device and any industrial network, you just need to add network isolation and your choice of connector.

With the B40, you have the freedom to add your own connectors (DSUB, RJ45, M12 etc). It is especially well suited for demanding industrial applications requiring very fast data transfer. The B40 is ideal for device manufacturers who are looking for a semi-integrated solution where connector flexibility, size and cost are key elements.

The B40 is mounted on the host PCB to enable communication with the chosen network.

Key benefits of the CompactCom B40:

• The software and hardware are a ready made solution for network connectivity
• Integrated Anybus NP40 network processor
• Full connector flexibility 
• Able to attach the brick when needed

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

Rockwell Automation Price Review

With effect from 24th August 2014 Rockwell Automation will be implementing a price review.

This is not a uniform change and therefore some products will be increased in price and some products will be reduced. 

A copy of our new price list can be downloaded from here 

All orders placed after 22nd August 2014 will be subject to new prices. All orders placed before or on 22nd August 2014 with deliveries specified for a date later than 22nd August 2014 will also be subject to new prices

Regrettably, where prices have been increased, these changes are necessary in order to continue providing the quality products and services that customers have come to expect. They reflect costs in raw material, labour and shipping.

If you have any concerns and wish to discuss these changes, please contact your local Rockwell Automation or Routeco Account Manager.

Thank Routeco It's Friday

Germany Grand Prix

This weekend the Grand Prix is on again where we will be able to watch the live races. This will be the 10th race out of the 19, and will take place in Hockenheim, Germany. The 2014 Grand Prix started in Australia in March, where it went on to Bahrain, China and Spain and many other locations. This year will see Russia added as a new location where the drivers will be racing through the new sights to reach the finish line.

Nico Rosberg from Germany is currently number one on the Grand Prix table and is hoping to win in his home country against rival Lewis Hamilton. Both drivers are part of the Mercedes formula 1 team. If Nico Rosberg wins it will make another victory for Germany after they won the World Cup. Lewis Hamilton won the British Grand Prix at the beginning of the month, 4th-6th July, in a close race after he lost time following an oil pressure problem.

The 2014 Grand Prix has introduced a large amount of rule changes, which mostly affects the engines as the sport is trying to embrace ‘green’ technology. Drivers will now have to complete races on just 100kg (130 litres) of fuel instead of the 150kg teams would have used last year when there was no limit. Another rule change is teams are now only allowed 5 power engines, per driver per season, this is compared to an allocation of eight engines last year.

The rules now specify eight-speed fixed-ratio gearboxes, one more speed than in 2013. In the past teams could pick and choose from 30 gear ratios but now they must use the same specs all season, with one change allowed. Any further changes will incur in penalties.

As technology and manufacturing are both rapidly evolving it is great to see that it has made an impact in sport and racing is now becoming more ‘green’.

We hope you enjoy watching the Grand Prix and have a great weekend!

Roya

Armor GuardLogix PAC from Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation’s Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) delivers safety control that you can install directly on machines to reduce wiring time and to increase up time. By having pre-configured, quick-connected systems and simplified wiring layouts, you can achieve more efficient maintenance and repair.

With global certifications and ratings for IP67 dust and wash-down protection, the Armor GuardLogix controller offers dual independent Ethernet ports. This connectivity simplifies integration of components in the control system and reduces system cost.

The Armor GuardLogix controller is a high performance, multi-discipline controller that provides the full capabilities of the GuardLogix controller.

Benefits of the Armor GuardLogix controller also include:

• Flexible mounting options 
• IP67 rated housing for dust and wash-down protection 
• Functional safety certification 
• 4 MB standard memory / 2 MB safety memory 
• Support safety communications via EtherNet/IP, ControlNet and DeviceNet networks 

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

Is Your Equipment Too Hot or Too Cold?

We are excited to announce Routeco and Rittal are working together to bring you a range of climate control products. Climate control is an important factor in all environments, and it has been reported 57% of electrical equipment fail as a result of being either too hot or too cold. The risk of breakdown increases significantly without climate control and the cost of equipment failure can be huge.

Electrical equipment produces heat, which increases the temperature inside the enclosure, which, in turn, reduces the service life of components. The correctly selected enclosure climate control can prevent almost 80% of electrical equipment failures, addressing dust ingress and condensation as well as high temperature.

Do you know the temperature of your equipment? Or know which climate control product would be best suited? 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. There are many benefits of each product within the climate control range, and we want you to have confidence in your unit.

To purchase one of the products 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.

For more information on the climate control range, click on a product information leaflet.
Air/Air Heat Exchangers
Air/Water Heat Exchangers
Chillers
TopTherm Blue e Cooling Units
TopTherm Fan and Filter Units
Service Agreements

RFID Automation Solutions from Rockwell Automation

The Rockwell Automation industrial RFID systems provide real time data storage and tracking, with data communication from the shop floor to systems over EtherNet/IP. This product is highly effective for industrial applications as cost reduction, product quality and compliance issues are crucial to manufacturing success. 

Features:

• Robust, industrial system outperforms barcode formats in harsh environments
• Reliable, easy to implement and cost effective integration of floor information from ‘work in process’ 
• New ArmorBlock interfaces with embedded EtherNet/IP switches and DLR function for adaptability and scalability
• New add-on profiles and integrated EDS files reduce start-up times
• Reusable read/write tags can be read inside packaging

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

Thank Routeco It's Friday! (TRIF)

Tour De France

This year we saw the opening of the Tour De France start in the UK, with 2.5 million spectators having lined the route around Yorkshire over the two days to catch a glimpse of the cyclists. Some areas of the crowds were so dense the cyclists struggled to get pass.

The Tour De France, which started on Saturday 5th July and will finish on Sunday 27th July, is the 101th race and is made up of 21 stages. The cyclists will compete over 2,277 miles to win the famous yellow jersey.

Over the years we have seen how racing bikes have developed, with certain parts of the bike drastically changing and other parts staying largely the same. The first Tour bikes had two gears, sturdy steel frames, wooden wheels and the bikes could weigh between 30 to 40 pounds. In the past 30 years, technology has led to frames being made from aluminium and titanium and the wheels now weigh around 15 pounds.

The most important characteristics of racing bikes are weight and stiffness which effect the riders pedal strokes and therefore its streamlined wheels. Also, the drop handlebars and low saddles put the rider into a more aerodynamic posture.

There are few professional sports as closely bound to technology and manufacturing as cycling.

Not only have the racing bikes changed but also the culture of the race, and this may be due to advanced technology and manufacturing. During the first Tour De France outside help was banned and one rider had to repair his own bike himself on three separate occasions. Now the race leaders are supported by eight other cyclists and have dozens of coaches, trainers and mechanics on hand to help.

Cyclists now get information about their energy output from power meters attached to the rear hubs. The data is then transmitted back their coaches, who talk to the cyclists through tiny earpieces.


Watch the video below to see how modern day bikes are now made!

We hope you enjoy watching the Tour De France over the upcoming weeks.

Have a good weekend.

Roya

ProSoft Technology Introduces the C/C++ Programmable Linux Module

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 ControlLogix® compatible module (MVI56E-LDM) has two independent Ethernet ports and two independent serial ports, and also a scrolling LED display for custom messages.

The CompactLogix™ compatible module (MVI69E-LDM) comes with one Ethernet port and two independent serial ports.

Benefits:

• A complete Linux virtual machine, integrated development environment and a C API backplane interface are supplied on a development-kit DVD, allowing users to start coding immediately.
• The C/C++ Programmable Linux Module is ideal for anyone who wants to create applications that work with any devices requiring custom Ethernet and serial communications.
• The C/C++ Programmable Linux Module acts as a co-processor.
• Equipped with both Serial and Ethernet ports.
• Fast processing of complex code (400MHz ARM CPU)

For more information please download the datasheets:

ControlLogix® - MVI56E-LDM Datasheet

CompactLogix™ - MVI69E-LDM Datasheet

To purchase the ControlLogix® online click here, or for CompactLogix™ click here. 

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

Supply Chain Security for the Food and Beverage Sector

The shortage and the rising cost of raw materials, energy, transportation and labour in the very competitive consumer environment in the Food and Beverage (F&B) sector, has led to many high profile cases bringing attention to the supply chain security. The food manufacturing and retail industry is certainly under pressure. 

In the wake of the horse meat scandal, it’s easy to see how supply chain security failings have a direct effect on the reputation of the companies involved. On January 16th of this year, the Guardian newspaper reported that Tesco’s share price had slumped by £300 million after the negative coverage surrounding the horse meat scandal.

Competition on prices, which many consider a good thing for the consumer, lies at the heart of the issue and food producers walk a fine line between squeezing the most possible from the efficiency of the supply chain and maintaining product quality and staying within the regulations. As supermarkets have strong buying power, they are able to place great pressure on modern F&B manufacturers to find the right balance.

Modern automation and data management can go a long way towards addressing the concerns of food manufacturers, but is often seen as too expensive for the Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Regulations are increasingly requiring improved tracking and tracing through Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies and data management systems. Importantly though, it’s our experience with companies large and small, that the costs of a highly automated, highly integrated and information-rich processes in the factory and up and down the supply chain are very quickly offset by efficiency savings throughout the system. In fact, data from unique RFID tags containing information of products, palettes and batches throughout the supply chain can also offer the opportunity for optimisation of stock control levels and waste reduction that can give manufacturers the opportunity to be much leaner, as well as more efficient.

To read the full article click here.

Rockwell Automation TechConnect Support

Rockwell Automation TechConnect support offers dedicated, worldwide support, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Where ever you are in the world, you will be able to receive real-time support.

Every day you will be faced with new challenges that can make it difficult to meet your production goals. These challenges may range from your workforce aging, your staff or your budget may be getting leaner, or you might just need support in addressing a specific technical issue.

The benefits of using TechConnect support are:

• Obtain real-time telephone support
• Access comprehensive online support
• Maintain your software

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

Thank Routeco It’s Friday!

Glastonbury

Last weekend celebrated the best of British music festivals, yes Glastonbury! This year the Marketing Department had insight into the festival with one of our very own going.

For this particular festival, the anticipation starts months in advance when tickets are released and you only have a few minutes before that inevitable sold out sign appears on your screen.

And those lucky few that manage to purchase a ticket have to start preparing for this 5-day long festival with a few key questions:

- Clothes (do I wear the same ones?)

- Showers (do I bother? We all smell the same by the end of it?!)

- Money (I won’t need that much will I?)

- Sun cream (Will it help? Its 5 days!)

And of course, how will I be sleeping? Glastonbury is one of the only UK festivals that allows you to sleep in something other than tents. Therefore it is not uncommon to see tepee’s, caravans, and van’s/wagons converted into make-shift bedrooms!

Although Glastonbury is filled with bars, clubs, a circus and plenty of entertainment for the adults among as, it also has something for the kids with a children’s area shaped like a pirate ship, there is something for everyone to enjoy!

The most important part of the festival of course was the music itself which featured once in a lifetime performances from the likes of Dolly Parton, Kasabian, Metallica, Arcade Fire and Fatboy Slim.

So after hearing this news from our lucky colleague we are left with one question, is it too early to prepare for next year?

Tell us about your Glastonbury experience!

Have a lovely weekend!

Rachael

Lifecycle Management for Control Systems

The fast pace of technological evolution allows the use of high performance control systems. In most cases, these capabilities set the choice of a particular technology to accomplish the planned goals.

However, there are other factors that are not always considered, and in many cases these are crucial, such as indicating the number of years the system will be in good service and to define the maintenance costs involved.

The constant technological advances in the consumer market are determining the lifetime of hardware and software products. For example, consider mobile phones. A few years ago, about 2.5 years was considered the average lifetime of a mobile phone. This figure is currently estimated at about 18 months in the U.S., 15 months in Europe and just eight months in Japan.

This is the same for software, where systems are being fully updated every three to four years. For example, Windows Vista was introduced in 2006, Windows 7 in 2009, Windows 8 in 2012 and the availability of Windows 9 is scheduled to be released around the middle of 2014.

Control systems are built from technological products with their own lifecycles. When a control system is implemented within a facility it will include a validity period, which will affect the lifecycle of both the hardware and software.

Any control system can eventually need significant changes during its lifecycle. The better the strategy for longevity, the easier it can be to adapt to those changes. New investments in automation systems should consider the lifecycle strategy for the technologies implemented. 

A long life cycle can help save time when replacing new equipment and avoid investments in person hours for engineering automation migrations, which will generate costs in both value and time. 

To read the full article on Lifecycle Management for Control Systems click here.

Rockwell Automation’s Reliable Affordable PLe Safety Solutions

Rockwell’s innovative safety products and solutions improve the functional operation of your machinery while helping to increase personnel safety, efficiency and productivity.

The new Guardmaster safety relays monitor a broad range of safety devices in a variety of applications.

Rockwell’s Sensaguard RFID interlock switches feature the latest generation of RFID technology for coding and inductive technology for sensing.

The 800F emergency stop switches are now available with TÜV certification for the B10d Functional Safety ratings.

And lastly, the Safety-enabled drives PowerFlex® AC Drives and Kinetix® Servo Drives can help reduce machine downtime and increase productivity and operating efficiency.

These are a complete range of safety products offering the performance and protection you will appreciate.

To read more about the Kinetix Servo Drives click here.

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