Routeco on YouTube

We were busy in 2015 filming and making videos to help you understand what we do and how we can help you!

Why don’t you take a few minutes to watch a few of our videos? If you want any further information about any of the content featured please email us on info@routeco.com or call 0370 607 100.

Welcome to Routeco – Learn more about who we are, what we do and meet some of our leadership team

Routeco Technical Specialist Rob Stebbings introduces the range of Hardy Process Solutions products

 Weidmuller’s Demonstration Vehicle visits Routeco Bristol branch

iTRAK –See the new Rockwell Automation iTRAK system in action

We also had a number of events at our head office in Milton Keynes:

Rockwell Automation’s Safety Seminar and demonstration vehicle

 Rittal Demonstration vehicle

 Rockwell Automation’s Motion Control technical workshop

Assemblex Assembly frames

Ergonomics in enclosure assembly

Are your panel builders working in the most ergonomic and safest way possible?

When it comes to automation and rationalisation of processes throughout every stage of machining, assembly, wiring and testing of enclosures, we have the right ergonomic solution for you. 

Our Assemblex assembly frames are mobile, tiltable and depending on the version, height adjustable with a maximum mounting plate or enclosure size of 1900 mm x 1900 mm. All 3 types offer simple and variable fixing of mounting plates using quick release fasteners, are independent of mains power preventing the risk of running over power leads and take up minimal space when not in use.

There are also a range of optional extras from managing cables reels to installing the mounting plate inside the enclosure directly from the assembly frame preventing heavy lifting and encouraging a safe working environment.

For further information click here or email info@routeco.com

Positioning with Rockwell Automation Variable Speed Drives

Today’s blog is written by Routeco’s Drives and Motion PSS Team Leader Kevin Johnson which is aimed to answer any questions you may have about Rockwell Automation’s variable speed drives.

Variable speed drives have traditionally been used for continuous speed applications where the speed has to change infrequently. Recently however due to advances in drive technology they also offer position control as an option. A few design aspects need to be considered before applying a Drive for this feature. Below are some frequently asked questions (and answers) when considering the choice of which drive system to use.

1) Is the system as accurate as a servo?

Yes it can be in theory. This will however mainly depend on the torque performance of the motor at zero speed and the resolution of the feedback device.

2) Is there a special motor requirement?

The induction motor can be used as standard to provide the torque required for the application. If the application requires the motor to be run at a low speed (less than 50% of nominal) then the integral fan on the motor is not effective and the motor may get hot for this reason we would recommend that the motor is a force cooled design.

3) We have a gearbox so it’s better to put the feedback after the gearbox?

No it is not! If the gearbox has any backlash the motor will try to move to compensate for any error this means that the motor will oscillate across the lost motion of the gearbox. As a further benefit if the feedback comes from the back of the motor the resolution is increased by a factor equal to the gearbox ratio i.e. a 1000ppr encoder with a 100:1 gearbox will provide 100000 pulses per output rev. 

4) Will I be able to replace my servos with standard drives?

It would depend on the dynamics required in the application, an induction motor will not perform (accelerate) as well as a servo, however if a slow response is acceptable then this can be a considered path bearing in mind point 2) above then an Induction motor may be possible.

5) Which Rockwell Automation drives support ‘position’ mode?

From the current range the minimum would be a Powerflex 525 but the 527 and 750 range offer increased performance, all the drives would require a feedback device and a compatible feedback card fitted in the drive.

Routeco Drives and Motion specialists can advise you on the relative strengths and weaknesses of the solutions available and to book a appointment please contact your local Routeco branch.

For more information, contact your local Routeco office on 0370 607 1000 or email info@routeco.com

Routeco helping others in the community

In 2015, Routeco staff across the UK helped to raise money for a wide range of local and national charities.

Each Friday we ‘dress down’ and make a donation to the week’s charity – these helped to raise over £2,000.

Routeco also made a donation of £5,000 to the Milton Keynes Foundation.  The Milton Keynes Community Foundation is a local independent grant-making charity who are a part of a network of Community Foundations which award grants across the UK, to strengthen local communities, create opportunities and tackle issues of disadvantage and exclusion.  Routeco are delighted to support the Community Foundation on an annual basis.

A team of cyclists from our Peterborough branch raised over £1500 by cycling over 500 miles across France. And finally, over £285 was raised for Cancer Research by member of our PSS team cycling to different branches across the UK.

Thank you to all Routeco staff for your efforts in raising these funds and all those who have supported us throughout the year. 

EPLAN's free webinar will help you close the gap between hardware and software design

In this free webinar from EPLAN you can learn how to share engineering data between departments within your organisation resulting in one set of consistent data, closing the gap between hardware and software design.

Learn how EPLAN’s central database interfaces with other software programs such as RSLogix5000, RSLogix Architect and Integrated Architecture Builder (IAB). Demos include bi-directional synchronisation of controls hardware and tag synchronization and how to incorporate Rockwell Automation certified product data into electrical designs via the EPLAN Data Portal with just a drag and drop into your schematic.

To view the webinar, please click here. This link will take you EPLAN’s registration page.

If you require any further information you can email info@routeco.com or call us on 0370 607 1000. 

Challenges for Control Engineers in an IIoT World

Design News magazine recently published an interesting article on the challenges Control Engineers face in an IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) World. 

The first obvious changes in an IIoT world include increasing security requirements and sharing information in a much broader way. Design News believe that while some of the challenges of moving to an IIoT world will be driven by changes in the fundamentals of networking infrastructure, some of the solutions required will bring fundamental changes to machine control.

What do you think the challenges will be for Control Engineers in an IIoT World?

Will machine control networks be able to merge with enterprise and plant supervisory networks successfully?

What new ways of thinking will help implement machine control?

How soon do you think it will be until we are truly working in an IIoT world?

Let us know your thoughts on the above and what other challenges you will be facing by leaving a comment!

The full Design News article can be found by clicking here

Internet Of Things Ecosystem Convergence Event

The Internet of Things is already a reality, and a huge potential growth area for Routeco System Integrator partners with 50 billion devices expected to be connected to the Internet by 2020. The question is are you ready to start making money from IoT today? 

As the traditional IT and Industrialised Networking (OT) markets converge, one of the quickest ways to extend your capability and move into new markets is to join forces with a complementary ecosystem Partner. Let us help you to understand IT and OT convergence and show you how to make money from IoT today. Whether you are currently expert in the IT or OT sector join our inaugural IoT convergence event and understand how you can profit from new opportunities by working with one of our IoT ecosystem partners in the adjacent market. 

At this event you will have the opportunity to increase your profile with peers in the adjacent market. We are also inviting you to stay for drinks and dinner at a prestigious restaurant to continue the conversation! 

Agenda for the day: 

• Registration & Coffee 
• Welcome (Santos Muro) 
• Comstor Smart Connect (Santos Muro) 
• The Opportunity for IT and OT Partners to Partner (Cisco) 
• Building a Profitable IoT Practice (Mike Willshare) 
• Challenges for IT Partners (AVSnet) 
• Challenges for OT Partners (Cisco) 
• A Platform for IoT Business (Cisco) 
• Lunch 
• Certification/Vertical requirements for OT Partners (Santos Muro) 
• Transport Application Software (Davra Networks) 
• Networking 
• Selling the Smart Business/Cities Proposition (Mike Willshare) 
• Summary 
• Dinner & Drinks 

Date - Thursday 4th February 2016 
Location - Cisco London City office 
Time - 9:00am - 5:30pm (followed by dinner) 
Details - IoT Ecosystem Convergence Event

We very much hope you are able to join us on Thursday the 4th February. Places are limited so please register as soon as possible to guarantee your place. Click here to register

New Rockwell Automation ControlLogix® 5580 L8 Controller

The new ControlLogix 5580 Controllers provide increased performance, capacity, productivity, and security to help meet the growing demands of smart machines and equipment for manufacturing. 

The ControlLogix 5580 controllers use the Studio 5000 Automation Engineering & Design Environment application as a common design environment and Integrated Motion over EtherNet/IP for high-speed motion applications. 

These controllers are ideal for applications requiring high-performance communications, I/O, and motion control for up to 256 axes, and provide increased capacity of up to 45%. 

Key features: 

• Gains up to 45% capacity when using the 5580 controller 
• Includes a 1 gigabit (Gb) embedded Ethernet port that enables high-speed communications, I/O, and motion control 
• Offers controller functions that maximize system performance 
• Includes controller-based change detection and logging, digitally-signed controller firmware, and role-based access control for extra security 
• Provides a display that allows for enhanced diagnostics and troubleshooting 

Further product information is available by clicking here. 

The ControlLogix 5580 Controllers are available to purchase via Routeco on our website here.

Integrated Architecture - The power of multiple control disciplines in one control solution

Harness the power of multiple disciplines with Rockwell Automation’s Integrated Architecture 

As technology continues to drive innovations, your production enterprise must stay ahead to remain competitive. By converging your production disciplines into an integrated plant-wide architecture, you can benefit from a single, future-proof network technology that helps you address production growth, as well as growth of the wider plant. 

By integrating process batch, discrete, drives, safety and motion into one connected and segmented plant-wide infrastructure, you increase efficiency and productivity across all layers of your operations. This eliminates the need for multiple, disparate control systems, replacing them with one common framework that’s easier to install, operate and maintain. 

Here at Routeco we frequently host ‘hands on’ Technical Workshops for our customer’s at various locations throughout the UK so you can discover the value of the Integrated Architecture portfolio of products. To register your interest in forthcoming events please email us at technical.workshop@routeco.com

Intelligent Motor Control with Rockwell Automation's E300

The E300 Electronic Overload Relay is the next generation electronic overload from Allen-Bradley®. Its modular design, communication options, diagnostic information, simplified wiring and integration into Logix make this the ideal overload for motor control applications in an automation system. 

The E300 Overload Relay provides flexibility, reduces engineering time and maximizes uptime for important motor starter applications.

Features include:

• Intelligent motor control (EtherNet/IP enabled)
• Scalable solution
• Diagnostic information
• Integrated I/O
• Adjustable trip class 5…30
• Wide current range
• Test/Reset button
• Programmable trip and warning settings
• True RMS current/voltage sensing (50/60 Hz)
• Protection for single- and three-phase motors
• Customize the E300™ Overload Relay by selecting one each of the following modules: 
• 193-ECM E300 Communication Module
• 193-EIO E300 Control Module
• 193-ESM or 592-ESM E300 Sensing Module

The range of E300 Electronic Overload Relays are available to buy on our website here.

For more information, contact your local Routeco office on 0370 607 1000 or email sales@routeco.com

Simple and low cost additional security devices for your control systems

The Panduit RJ45 port lock-out device provides a simple and secure method to control access to data and deter vandalism to your Ethernet ports on PLCs and Switches.

The lock-out module device saves time and money associated with downtime, data security breaches, hardware replacement and infrastructure repair. This innovative design is easily inserted into RJ45 ports and can be released only with a special removal tool, ensuring the safety and security of your network infrastructure.

A simple, effective and low cost solution that should be fitted into any unused port of your control system unmanaged and managed switches, which can also be used in conjunction with Panduit’s similar Lock-In devices for keeping the correct Ethernet cables in the right ports!

USB and Fibre variants of both lock-in and lock-out devices are also now available.

For more information please download the product profile by clicking here and to check price, stock and to buy online please visit our website here.