Have you seen who will be exhibiting at Routeco LIVE?

Routeco LIVE will showcase the very latest in Industrial Control and Automation products and give you the opportunity to learn about the latest trends and hot topics within the industrial sector. Our events will comprise of both a show floor, where you find exhibits from our manufacturing partners, and three break out rooms with presentations and discussions running throughout the day.

We are pleased to announce that the following exhibitors will be present at Routeco LIVE:

Routeco LIVE is a free of charge event but pre-registration is a requirement for attendees. 

To register, email RoutecoLIVE@routeco.com stating your full name, contact details and company stating which event you wish to attend.

Event details:
AJ Bell Stadium, 1, Stadium Way, Eccles, Salford, M30 7EYTuesday 4th October 2016

MK Dons Stadium, Grafton Street, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK1 1STThursday 6th October 2016

The events will open at 8.30am with presentations running from 9.30am and closing at 4pm. Breakfast rolls, refreshments and a buffet lunch will be provided.

If you are a business leader, engineer, technical manager or commercial manager for a machine builder, system integrator, panel builder or manufacturing plant then this event is for you! 

Did you know there’s a new Routeco OEM team?

The Routeco OEM Solutions team are dedicated to helping you improve efficiency and reduce cost of your Electrical and Pneumatic procurement.

The team can also help you differentiate your machines with top class engineering support available from Routeco’s own Product Sales Specialist teams, Rockwell Automation Commercial Engineers and a host of resources from our other leading franchise partners.

From L-R: Chris Glendinning (OEM Team Leader -North), Chris Appleton (OEM Solutions Support), Don Hall (OEM Solutions Consultant), Michael Appleton (OEM Solutions Consultant - Implementation), Paul Gibson (OEM Solutions Consultant - Implementation), Rob Stebbings (OEM Team Leader - South), Steve Hill (OEM Solutions Consultant). 

There’s a lot of change happening in the OEM market at present with ‘Smart Machines’, ‘Batch size of one’, ‘Connected Enterprise’ etc.  If you’d like to know more about these, or challenge us to identify procurement savings for you then contact us at info@routeco.com

Rockwell Automation Price Review

With effect from 28^th August 2016 Rockwell Automation will be implementing its annual price adjustment. These adjustments will vary by catalogue number although legacy products may experience the largest adjustments.

The net impact of the price adjustment is highly dependent upon the mix of your product purchases, although we will continue to provide cost-effective products and solutions, at high-quality, that reduce your total automation cost and increase productivity.

A copy of our new price list can be downloaded from http://goo.gl/e5ti27

All orders placed after 26^th August 2016 will be subject to new prices.

All orders placed before or on 26^th August 2016 with deliveries specified for a date later than 26^th August 2016 will also be subject to new prices

We would be grateful if you could please ensure relevant colleagues within your company are advised of this information,

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

Thank you for your continued support of Rockwell Automation products and services.

Brad® M23 Power and Signal Overmolded Cordsets

Designed to meet the most stringent of customer requirements, Brad® M23 Power Overmolded Cordsets save space and time in the harshest of industrial environments. The M23 interface with multiple pin-out options adheres to de-facto market standards, interfaces easily with existing M23 infrastructure, enhances design flexibility and eases installation in industrial automation applications.

Features and benefits include:

• Low profile, pre-assembled overmold and connector
• Mitigates wiring and assembly errors while saving valuable time and space
• IP67 seal rating when mated
• Meets wide range of application needs
• Protects against local dust ingress and submersion to depths of 1m

Look out for the Brad® M23 Signal Overmolded Cordset to be released soon!

Molex products are available to purchase from Routeco. If you require further information please email us.

Routeco MK go bowling!

Another fun night had by all at this year’s Bowls night at Woburn Sands Bowls Club (Aspley Guise) In Memory of Howard Wright (Former Routeco Tech Support) on Friday 8th July.

Every year Routeco MK are invited along by the club for an evening of games with mixed teams between Routeco staff and family/friends and their own members, followed by a great buffet made and provided by their kitchen volunteers. To end the night there was a raffle with prizes of wine and chocolates which always goes down well. We must be great entertainment for them as they keep inviting us back!

The sun shone for us which for some of us sore losers “affected our game as it was in our eyes”! We are looking forward to next year’s bowling night already!

We're hiring!

Routeco is looking for talented people to join our growing team!

Our current list of vacancies include :

• Internal Technical Sales (Peterlee Branch)
• Internal Sales (Coventry Branch)
• Area Sales Manager (Manchester Branch)
• External Sales (Southampton Branch)
• Product Sales Specialist - Automation and Software (Bristol, Cardiff and Southampton area)
• External Sales (Milton Keynes Branch)
• Accountant (Milton Keynes Head Office)

Please click on the job role for full details and how to apply.

For more information on Routeco careers please visit our website at www.routeco.com

What is your ideal overload relay?

Electric motors are the backbone of today’s modern industry. They provide the mechanical energy needed for most manufacturing processes.

With so many options available, how do you choose the right overload relay for your motor starter application?

This article helps to explain how to specify the correct product for your requirements

  

If you would like further information about overload relays please email info@routeco.com

Join us at Routeco LIVE!

Routeco LIVE will showcase the very latest in Industrial Control & Automation products and give you the opportunity to learn about the latest trends and hot topics within the industrial sector. Our events will comprise of both a show floor, where you will find exhibits from our manufacturing partners, and three break out rooms with presentations and discussions running throughout the day covering topics such as:

• Industry 4.0, SMART Manufacturing, Enabling a Connected Enterprise
• IT/OT Convergence, Network Infrastructure for the factories of the future
• Machinery Safety, Legislation/Standards and Compliance
• Accessing and expanding into global markets for UK Machine Builders
• Enabling IoT technologies in the industrial sector
• Cyber Security best practices and protection concepts and technologies
• Migration of legacy control systems and managing obsolescence
• Motion Control optimisation and introduction to new technologies

… and much, much more, including a prize draw on the day!
  

Event details:

AJ Bell Stadium, 1, Stadium Way, Eccles, Salford, M30 7EY

Tuesday 4th October 2016

MK Dons Stadium, Grafton Street, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK1 1ST

Thursday 6th October 2016

These events are free of charge however, all attendees must pre-register for admittance on the day.

Register now to avoid disappointment! Email RoutecoLIVE@routeco.com with your full name, contact details and company stating which event day you wish to attend.

The events will open at 8.30am with presentations running from 9.30am and closing at 4pm. Breakfast rolls, refreshments and a buffet lunch will be provided.

There will also be guest speakers on the day with key note addresses from:

Thomas Donato (EMEA President at Rockwell Automation) and Steven Brambley (Director of Public Relations at GAMBICA)

If you are business leader, engineer, technical manager or commercial manager for a machine  builder, system integrator, panel builder or manufacturing plant then this event is for you!

Don’t miss out – email RoutecoLIVE@routeco.com today to register. 

Migrations Mobile App from Rockwell Automation

Use the new Rockwell Automation Migrations Mobile App to quickly migrate an existing SLC™ configuration to a ControlLogix® or a CompactLogix™ controller-based configuration. Specify the SLC configuration graphically by placing SLC modules in a 1746 chassis. The Migrations App then selects an equivalent ControlLogix or CompactLogix controller and I/O modules. When finished, share your Bill of Materials, existing and migrated chassis via email.

For more information and to download the app please click here. 

Please email info@routeco.com for further information. 

Allen-Bradley 42JT sensor range now with IO Link

Rockwell Automation has embedded IO Link in its standard 42JT sensor range. They can be used as a standard sensor with auto detect PNP/NPN outputs or IO Link when it detects the IO master. This flexibility makes it suitable for all applications.

With a choice of visible red LED and Class 1 “eye safe” lasers you now have a full range of background suppression, through beam, polarised retro-reflective, diffuse and clear sensors available.

For more information about this product click here.

The benefits of IO-Link Technology include:

• Reduced inventory and operating costs
• Increased uptime/productivity
• Simplified design, installation, setup and maintenance
• Enhanced flexibility and scalability

Please email info@routeco.com for further information. 

Helping our customers to access the North American market through a series of seminars

At the end of June, Routeco and Rockwell Automation hosted a series of seminars across the country on ‘North American Standards’ and building panels and machines to meet UL508A certification.

The sessions, held in Glasgow, Sandbach and Milton Keynes, were designed to help attendees gain an insight into complying with these Standards which could help to widen customer reach and unlock the ability to export to the US market.

The sessions covered:

> Different terminology & definitions between European & North American approach

>  How do these standards compare?

>  Look at branch, feeder & control circuits and learn how to correctly size panels

>  Discuss examples of SCCR calculation & find out what tools are available to assist

>  Learn which products are acceptable and not acceptable to meet these standards

Many thanks to all attendees who helped make the sessions a great success.

If you want to make sure you hear about our future workshops and seminars follow us on twitter and LinkedIn  or email us to ensure you’re subscribed to receive our emails.

For more information on the Introduction to North American Standards  seminar please email info@routeco.com

Special Offer – Laptop Compatible with Rockwell Automation Software

Routeco have a fantastic laptop available at only £499.99 which includes two free Rockwell Software installs.

The spec of the laptop is:

• Lenovo B50-50 80S2000NUK 39.6 cm (15.6") Notebook
• Intel Core i5 (5th Gen) i5-5200U Dual-core (2 Core) 2.20 GHz – Grey
• 8GB RAM
• 500 GB HHD - DVD-Writer - Intel HD Graphics 5500
• Wireless LAN - Ethernet - Front Camera/Webcam - HDMI - 2 x Total USB Ports - 1 x USB 3.0 Ports
• Win 10 Pro 64-bit / Win 7 Pro 64-bit downgrade - pre-installed: Win 7 Pro 64-bit – English
• 1 year warranty

The spec of the laptop meets the requirement for the majority of Rockwell Automation software and is most commonly used with FactoryTalk View and Studio 5000 packages.

For more information on this special offer please email info@routeco.com

Please note that Rockwell Automation software is not included in this cost, only the installation of up to two software packages when purchased at the same time as the laptop. 

Support Arm configurator tool from Rittal

To accommodate different viewing angles of your machine the support arm systems from Rittal ensure optimum interaction between monitoring and operating. Various different systems are used depending on the system configuration, jib length and enclosure weight.

This configurator from Rittal determines the perfect support arm system for your application and is a helpful tool to use when designing your machine.

If you would like further information on Rittal support arms or wish to discuss your machine requirements with one of our specialists please contact us at info@routeco.com

Ladder logic still dominates PLC programming

According to latest research, Ladder logic continues to be the dominant language for programming PLCs, accounting for more than 81% of the global market, despite the availability of several other languages defined in the IEC 61131-3 standard. 

The research from Technavio suggests that Functional Block Diagram (FBD) programming represents just over 11% of the market, with other languages accounting for the remaining 7.24%.

The Global PLC Software Market 2016-2020 report predicts that PLC programming will merge with motion control and robotics programming, and forecasts that the global market for PLC software will be worth $684m by 2020 – representing a CAGR of more than 7% since 2015, when it was worth $485m.

“Traditionally, industrial robots, motion controllers, and PLCs were programmed separately,” explains Technavio automation research analyst, Bharath Kanniappan. “PLCs are programmed in ladder logic, motion controls with their wide range are programmed using a PC library or other proprietary language, and industrial robots are programmed in complex proprietary languages that are difficult for non-technical personnel to understand.

More information can be found in this article in Drives and Controls magazine here

If you would like to discuss this topic with one of our Automation Specialists please email info@routeco.com to book an appointment