News

Industrial equipment, services and inspection news and information for manufacturing, process, facilities and related fields.

19/03/2014 EDF Energy joins EEMUA, strengthens power industry representation EDF Energy, one of the UK's largest energy companies and its largest producer of low-carbon electricity, ha joined EEMUA (the Engineering Equipment and Materials users Assocation). » Read More

18/03/2014 Calculator shows scope for savings with ABB robots ABB has launched an online ROI calculator to help SMEs (small to medium size enterprises) discover the cost and productivity potential available to them from industrial robots. » Read More

18/03/2014 GE and Highview Power sign energy storage agreement GE Oil & Gas has signed a global licensing and collaboration agreement with liquid air energy storage (LAES) pioneer Highview Power Storage to explore opportunities for the technology where its gas turbines and gas engines are installed. » Read More

17/03/2014 BASF sees significant savings from alternative bearing design One of BASF plants at the Port of Antwerp is reporting significant cost savings replacing failed bearings on its axial cooling tower fans since installing Revolvo SRB split roller bearings. » Read More

17/03/2014 Turbulent flow means stable control for Warden Plastics Fitting Sumitomo Demag temperature control units on two of its highest output machines has enabled injection moulding specialist Warden Plastics not only to stabilise its process but also to shave a valuable 10% off cycle times. » Read More

17/03/2014 ABB achieves MCERTS for pH measurement instruments ABB has achieved MCERTS certification for its AX400 pH measurement system, following tests in a field trial over nine months on an effluent discharge at Pembroke Power Station. » Read More

17/03/2014 Welwyn Garden City firm fined after worker’s injury A Welwyn Garden City manufacturing firm has been fined a total of £17,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,219 after an agency worker suffered a hand injury while clearing a blockage on a poorly-guarded palletiser machine. » Read More

17/03/2014 Pupils crowned UK Young Engineer and Scientist of the Year The UK Young Engineer and Young Scientist of the Year in the National Science + Engineering Competition have been announced. » Read More

14/03/2014 Solvay speeds compressor overhaul timeline with Atlas Copco Chemicals giant Solvay's hydrogen peroxide plant in Póvoa de Santa Iria, Portugal is back on line after a nine-day turnaround to get its 80,000-hour compressor overhauled – a process normally quoted at three weeks. » Read More

14/03/2014 Wabtec Rail improves damper testing with ABB drive Wabtec Rail is reporting improvements in terms of noise and reliability since fitting a variable-speed drive to damper tester equipment, used in the upgrade and refurbishment of railway equipment. » Read More

14/03/2014 Industry 4.0 projects see funded progress in Germany Models, methods and tools to help manufacturers make the transition to 'Industry 4.0' – smart, networked factories – by implementing cyber-physical systems (CPS) are being developed under the MetamoFAB research project in Germany. » Read More

13/03/2014 Flir turns to test and measurement: points to new IR future Declaring that Flir thermal imaging cameras are increasingly treated as tools of the trade by maintenance technicians and service engineers, the firm has broaden its scope to include related tools – and looks set to go one further. » Read More

13/03/2014 ECS offers Landustrie Archimedes screw pumps ECS Engineering Services has extended its UK coverage and support for the supply, installation and maintenance of Archimedes screw pumps. » Read More

13/03/2014 Stafford firm fined after worker’s arm caught in machine Stafford-based ceilings manufacturer CEP Ceiling has been fined £24,000 with £1,194 costs after a worker's arm was caught in an unguarded laminator machine. » Read More

13/03/2014 EEMUA 191: engineers need to act on alarm KPI changes in Revision 3 With EEMUA 191 Revision 3 changing requirements in terms of generating and representing KPIs (key performance indicators), engineers responsible for process plant control systems need to update their approaches. » Read More

12/03/2014 CBI demands action on growing skills vacuum A call for action to make careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) more attractive and easier to access has come from the CBI. » Read More

11/03/2014 Dalkia upgrades Sanofi Holmes Chapel energy centre Pharmaceuticals giant Sanofi has extended its service contract with Dalkia for the Holmes Chapel, Cheshire manufacturing site by five years. » Read More

11/03/2014 Sovex wins Manufacturing Innovation Award Wirral based conveyor manufacturer Sovex won the Manufacturing Innovation Award at the Made in the Northwest Business Awards 2014. » Read More

11/03/2014 Powder coating firm in court after worker’s hand injury A Bedfordshire-based powder coating firm has been fined £36,000 and ordered to pay £10,509 costs after an employee suffered serious hand injuries when lifting equipment failed at the company premises in Leighton Buzzard. » Read More

10/03/2014 Ultrasonic sensor pinpoints industrial machinery faults Researchers at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) have developed wireless sensors able to detect minute fissures in industrial machinery by the ultrasonic sounds they emit. » Read More

10/03/2014 Foundry fined after worker fell through roof A Coventry foundry has been fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £899 after a worker broke three ribs after falling 5m through a fragile roof sheet while clearing gutters. » Read More

10/03/2014 20,000 apprentice jobs at National Apprenticeship Week More than 20,000 new apprenticeships have been pledged by employers as part of last week's National Apprenticeship Week (3—7 March 2014). » Read More

10/03/2014 Boost your power plant efficiency: new guides New guidance notes from ABB, published to coincide with the launch of ABB's Navigator analyser range, explain how to optimise boiler chemistry and steam quality in power generation applications. » Read More

07/03/2014 Chester dairy factory fined after workers badly scalded A Chester-based dairy firm has been fined £54,000 after two employees were badly scalded when hot water escaped from the top of a 600 litre tank. » Read More

06/03/2014 Viridor cleans up health, safety and environmental management Recycling, renewable energy and waste management giant Viridor is reporting improvements in the provision of health and safety as well as environmental expertise for its compliance team, following advice from legal consultancy Cedrec. » Read More