Stratus and ARC invite you to join their webinar

Learn how to eliminate unscheduled downtime and future-proof your automation system
assets in a webinar sponsored by Stratus, ARC and Routeco. Join industry expert, Craig Resnick of ARC Advisory Group, for straight talk on industrial automation and manufacturers’ biggest nemesis, unscheduled downtime. The webinar takes place on Tuesday 7th June at 3pm. This live 45 minute session will deliver need-to-know guidance on “must haves” for OT leaders looking to maximize the ROI of their automation systems by eliminating any unscheduled downtime.

Learn to assess availability readiness of your automation system, as well as best practices to engage with IT decision makers. Understand how IT and OT convergence can align to deploy the best solution for you—one that fits into existing systems, supports standards including OPC, and delivers ROI—while laying the foundation to support modern technologies, such as virtualization and IIoT.

You will gain insights including:

> OT Business Drivers — Simplicity, TCO, and avoiding unscheduled downtime

> Best of Both Worlds for OT/IT Convergence — Best practices to engage with IT

> Support for Modern Technologies — IIoT, Virtualization, Cloud?

> Customer Successes — Real world zero downtime stories

> Live Q&A — Direct access to ARC Advisory Group

Click here to register.  For more information please email info@routeco.com

Reduce wear and tear on your equipment with Allen-Bradley Soft Starters

Allen-Bradley’s Soft Starters are designed to help minimize cost by reducing overall system power requirements and wear and tear on equipment.

Their SMC™ Controllers can be easily integrated into your intelligent motor control solution to offer higher productivity and shorter downtimes. This SMC line is also an ideal alternative to a drive where a more cost-effective, simple solution is required. We offer a diverse line of soft-starters to meet your communication, control and space requirements.

There are three options of Soft Starters available:

SMC Flex Soft Starters

The SMC Flex Controller provides microprocessor-controlled starting for standard 3-phase squirrel-cage induction or Wye-Delta (6-lead) motors. We offer seven standard modes of operation within a single controller.

SMC-3 Soft Starters

The SMC™-3 Smart Controller is a compact, simple to use, solid-state motor controller designed to operate 3-phase motors. It has a built-in overload relay and a built-in SCR bypass contactor on all three phases, allowing a smaller footprint than other soft starters on the market.

SMC-50 Soft Starters

Our SMC™-50 Soft Starters are available in three frame sizes and range from 180...520 A. This micro-processor based, fully solid-state soft motor starter helps maximize efficiency for motor starts and stops.

For more information about Allen-Bradley’s Soft Starters please contact us at info@routeco.com

New footed Load Cells from Hardy Process Solutions

Hardy’s new line-up of footed load cells with height adjustable rubber feet are used for many standard industrial manufacturing applications, including platform scales, tank weighing, hoppers, and conveyor systems. Rocker and Captive load pin options provide a high degree of structural integrity and make them flexible for a wide variety of installations.

The key features of footed load cells include:

• C2 Electronic Datasheets for EASY Electronic Calibration
• Complete Hermetic Sealing
• Compatible Height Adjustable Rubber Feet
• Matched mmV/V/Ω load cells

The footed load cells have a perfect combination of advanced features and economy for OEMs and Systems Integrators. The industry standard Load Cell Form factor allows for easy upgrade of existing systems to utilise C2® and with IP68 (and IP69K for the HI SBHF14 and the HI SBHC14) they provide a high degree of ingress protection.

For more information please contact us at info@routeco.com or visit our website at www.routeco.com

Seven considerations for efficient enclosures from Rittal

Keeping your industrial enclosure cool is important in order to protect your technology.

Make your control cabinets and electronic enclosures last longer and more energy efficient by following these top tips from Rittal.

1. Make sure the devices and electrical components are installed in the enclosure in accordance with the manufacturer instructions. Remember to take storage space for documents and circuit diagrams into account too.

2. When arranging the components in the enclosure, verify that the cooling air flows from top to bottom. You can ensure this in the planning stages by properly routing the air flow away from the electronic components. When roof-mounted units are used, particular attention needs to be paid to the air flow from blowers built into electrical components. The use of air duct systems is advisable in the case of roof-mounted cooling units.

3. There should be sufficient space for air to flow between the parts and electrical components.

4. Air intake openings of climate control components must not be obstructed by electrical devices equipment or cable ducts. With all climate control solutions, the cold air should always be routed close to drive units. This is where the greatest heat losses occur. This arrangement ensures that the cold supply air from the climate control solution optimally cools the drive units without losses.

5. Internal temperatures of the enclosure should always be set to +35◦C. There is no technical justification for setting the temperature any lower. If the temperature inside the enclosure is any lower, condensation will be significantly increased.

6. Institute a systematic cleaning cycle. As most climate control components are used in industrial environments external filters of the climate control must be maintained to ensure long-lasting operation.

7. Ensure the correct filters are used for the industry application.

Rittal have produced a complete handbook on keeping your enclosure cool which you can download here.

Ensuring sufficient planning and having maintenance guidelines in place will make your enclosures more efficient. 

For more information please email info@routeco.com

Functional Safety Approach For Machines Compliant To ISO 13849 - A Practicable Process

These one day workshops are designed to focus on understanding the practicalities of ISO 13849 and how to produce documentation for the technical file and compliance.

The day will be very much hands on to enable attendees the opportunity to understand the scope and design requirements of the current functional safety standards ISO 13849-1 and to give an appreciation of how to apply their principles.

This course includes case study examples and practical exercises on the use of software packages for the verification of hardware performance (Safety Automation Builder (SAB) and Sistema), culminating with a practical task to demonstrate knowledge of functional safety and generating the required documentation for a technical file.

The course is delivered by Rockwell Automation TÜV Approved Functional Safety Engineers.

The workshop is aimed at anyone who needs to have an understanding of the practicalities of ISO 13849 and who may produce documentation for the technical file. This includes managers, technicians and design engineers who have responsibility for safety relation controls and anyone who needs to ensure that functional safety is maintained for machinery in use.

Locations and dates: 

31 May 2016: Routeco, Bristol branch

Unit 1153, Aztec West, Almondsbury, Bristol, BS32 4TF

14 June 2016: Routeco, Leeds branch

Unit 7, Shawcross Court, Shawcross Business Park, Dewsbury, Nr Leeds, WF12 7RF

28 June 2016: Routeco, Peterlee branch

East Durham Business Service, Novus Seaham, Spectrum 7, Spectrum Business Park, Seaham, SR7 7TT

Spaces are limited - you can view the full agenda and register here. 

Introducing ProSoft connect - Make the IIoT work for you

As you hear more and more about Industry 4.0, you’re probably wondering: How can I use this to make my operation that much more efficient? 

ProSoft Connect is a Cloud-Native Platform designed to address the current and future needs of businesses that want to get full value from their IIoT deployment.

ProSoft's initial offering will enable you to easily and securely access your remote machines via a cellular gateway, as well as manage all your cellular gateways from a single location. Future enhancements will enable you to improve machine productivity and decrease maintenance costs by centrally collecting and monitoring operational and diagnostic data from your worldwide facilities in real time.

This highly secure tool can help you utilise the Industrial Internet of Things to your advantage, optimising your resources and connecting your enterprise from anywhere.

With ProSoft Connect, a secure, cloud-native platform for the Industrial Internet of Things, you can now securely and remotely access your ICX35 Industrial Cellular Gateways – wherever you are. This intuitive system will eventually help you get full value from your IIoT deployment. 

ProSoft Technology are preparing for the future of Industry 4.0 – and looking forward to helping you make the most of its technologies!

For more information on how Routeco can help you move into an IIoT world please email info@routeco.com or visit ProSoft's website. 

Join Routeco Glasgow for a Rockwell Automation technical workshop

Routeco Glasgow are hosting a Connected Components technical workshop on Wednesday  25^th May and are inviting you to attend.

The next generation of compact drives and micro PLCs from Rockwell Automation is here. With Connected Components Workshop software, we set a new global standard for convenience and ease of use, whilst providing just enough control capability to match your application.

The workshop will be led by Rockwell Automation specialist engineers and will be supported by Routeco's own Automation Specialists who will also be available after the workshop to discuss your individual projects and applications, should you require any further assistance.

Agenda

08:30    Arrival and introduction

09:00    Presentations and Hands-on Training

> Understand Machine Solutions

> Discover Low-Cost Automation

> Explore Connected Components Workbench

> Review of Control Applications

12:00    Lunch

13:00    Programmable Safety with the CR30

14:00    Q&A session

Location: Routeco Glasgow, 25 Fairfield Place, College Milton Industrial Estate, East Kilbride, Glasgow G74 5LP

Date: Wednesday 25^th May  2016, 8:30 - 15:00 with lunch provided

For more information and to confirm your attendance please email techworkshop@routeco.com 

Energy efficient regulators from SMC Pneumatics

SMC has launched two regulators, the basic IR200-A and precision IR000-A that feature a new internal bleeding structure, which almost doubles the flow rate and eliminates the fix throttle.

The result is a number of savings for those in manufacturing utilising pneumatic applications, such as accurate balance pressure setting, contact pressure control and residual pressure relief.

The IR000-A offers exceptional precision by achieving repeatability within ±0.5% of full span and low air consumption of just 1 l/min or less. Although not as accurate, with a repeatability within ±1% of full span, the IR200-A features a bleed air ‘0’, generating less noise by reducing the frequency of the compressor start-up. Their intelligent design also avoids the need for purchasing additional components, such as a mist separator, delivering cost and space savings.

Flexibility is key when it comes to both Series, as they are available in three sizes with a trio of set pressure ranges. Together with a knob direction that can be moved upwards or downwards, they also feature a digital pressure switch as standard.

Lighter in weight, these regulators are easy to handle and mounting is interchangeable with the existing IR Series, making it simple for customers to adapt to the new models.

For more information please contact us at info@routeco.com or visit our website at www.routeco.com

FreeCon contactless transmission system from Weidmuller

Burnt, bent or dirty contacts are often the cause of time consuming and costly production failures, especially in applications requiring frequent plugging cycles, for example industrial robots performing frequent tool changes where the level of wear and tear is especially high.

Weidmuller’s FreeCon Contactless product allows power to be transmitted via an air gap by means of an inductive resonance coupling – it’s a solution that’s completely wear-free and especially efficient. Double the power density and a far higher degree of efficiency is achieved compared with  other solutions that are available on the market.

With FreeCon Contactless, you can avoid contact related failures and reduce your maintenance costs considerably. It even opens up completely new areas of application, since for the first time ever an automated process can be used to establish a connection which previously would have to be plugged manually. The process of charging driverless transport systems, for instance, can be automated. High maintenance slip ring transmitters can be replaced too, since FreeCon Contactless securely transmits power even in the case of rotational movements.

Weidmuller’s FreeCon is available to purchase from Routeco here. For more information, please email info@routeco.com

Schaffner introduces the newest generation of 690/600 VAC dv/dt filters

Schaffner introduces the new FN 5060 HV standard dv/dt filter series for 690/600 VAC motor applications. These innovative filters are designed according to Schaffner’s patented concept which enables dv/dt filter damping performance without using resistors or capacitors. This simplifies the installation, saves mounting space and is a reliable long life time solution.

The new filters are designed to offer minimum power loss, low voltage drop and thus help to maximize the system efficiency.

Several industries can benefit from the use of the new 690/600 VAC dv/dt filter such as the chemical, cement, metal, oil and gas, mining, applications in buildings and infrastructure environments (pumps, fans, HVAC) and other industries.

Not only to be used in areas where pumps and fans are controlled by drives with short motor cables, the dv/dt filters from Schaffner are also recommended to be used for applications with frequent braking, danger of flash-over voltage and motors running at high temperature.

New and existing motors and installations will benefit from a longer life time and a continuous long lasting operation, if such dv/dt filters are used with variable speed drives.

The standard 690/600 VAC filter series are available with current ratings from 16 A to 1’200 A. Higher or other ratings can be engineered and delivered on demand.

All models are CE, UL, CSA and ENEC approved and RoHS compliant.

For more information, please email info@routeco.com

New Safe-Test Point from Grace Engineered Products

Electrical safety is made safer with Grace Engineered Products.The new Safe-Test Point™ is a Permanent Electrical Safety Device (PESD) that allows qualified personnel to safely verify presence or absence of voltage. This high impedance protected device provides the capability to measure voltage from outside the enclosure, minimizing risk of arc flash and shock hazard. Through at closed-door metered test, workers can quickly and accurately perform routine tasks while feeling confidently safe.

Safe-Test Point features

• A Permanent Electrical Safety Device (PESD) that allows workers a safer way to verify presence or absence of voltage from outside the electrical cabinet
• The Safe-Test Point contains four test points that are hardwired directly to energy sources and allows measurement of both AC and DC voltages by inserting the insulated meter probes into any two test point  sockets to take a voltage reading
• Provides a safer and more productive method of performing Lockout / Tagout (LOTO) procedures
• It comes complete with a tool-entry dust cap and label.

Safe-Test Point can be mounted on the side of the enclosure, door or flange and provides four test points to allow measurement of AC/DC voltages either phase or phase to ground. For more information, please email info@routeco.com