Developments

Low maintenance Air stroke actuators from Firestone provide a compact and easily installed way to continuously orient solar trackers’ payload towards the sun to optimize the amount of energy produced from installed power generating capacity. The rubber and fabric actuators – distributed throughout Australia by Air Springs Supply Pty Ltd – can be used to solve the problem of stationary solar collection panels becoming inefficient as the sun shifts from a 90-degree angle to the panels. Usually inflated or deflated by standard fixed or mobile compressed air (typically 7 bar (100 psi), they move photovoltaic systems to minimize and angle of incidence between the incoming sunlight and a photovoltaic array. Alternatively, an ingenious actuation alternative uses the expansion and contraction of Freon gas as it is heated and cooled within the actuators to extend and retract them and change the angle of the collection panels. “Airstrokes are particularly beneficial for commercial installations, where continuous focusing of the arrays through single or dual-axis arrangements enhances energy returns. Such installations – sometimes in remote locations and subject to climatic extremes over 24 hours – need extremely reliable actuators to continuously reposition payloads such as solar panels, reflectors, mirrors or lenses,” says Air springs Supply Sales and Marketing Manager Mr James Maslin. Airstroke bellows offered by for use by solar engineers and installers have been proven in widespread heavy duty industrial actuation throughout Australia, including providing millions of cycles of service on conveyors and mineral processing screens and vibrators, where they have to withstand dust, heat, moisture and extremes of Outback climate. “They are identical in construction to the airbags proven in truck and train suspension so they are extraordinarily tough. In addition to having no internal rods of seals to wear – unlike conventional metal cylinders – they have the ability to […]

One of Australia’s premier flange management companies, Projem, has used the latest Enerpac bolt tensioning technology to achieve outstanding flange sealing accuracy and tool reliability on a major project in the coal seam gas basin west of Brisbane. Projem is a specialist company, with branches in Gladstone and Brisbane and a strong focus on safety and quality. They offer a comprehensive flange management package to ensure everything is inspected and approved through all steps when completing bolted connections. They use a range of Enerpac bolting tools, which ideally complement the safety and quality focus. “In the past 18 months we’ve used Enerpac equipment to tension over 500 flange connections and it shows very little wear and tear,” says Mr Nathan Peachey, Mechanical Engineer, Projem. “All we need to do is calibrate the tensioning pump at appropriate intervals to keep the pressure as accurate as possible and Enerpac helps us with that too,” says Mr Peachey. In their recent Queensland project, Enerpac GT bolt tensioners were combined with an ATP-1500 air pump, as Projem worked on two new compressor stations and the main feed connection point on a pipeline to a Gladstone processing plant. They also assisted with pipe cutting and preparation of heavy wall pipes as well as on-site installation of pipework at Gladstone, which is a major gas processing hub for the State of Queensland, where coal seam gas has grown to become the dominant source of gas, supplying over 88 per cent of the Queensland market and over 98 per cent of remaining proved and probable gas reserves. The Enerpac tensioners, in capacities up to 2,845kN (320 ton) at 1500 bar, are particularly suitable where operators want to achieve known and accurate bolt loads across multiple applications, such as pipelines and flanges. Enerpac territory manager, SE Queensland and […]

The latest FAG radial insert ball bearing and housing units from Schaeffler Australia featuring easy mounting, smooth running, enhanced anti-corrosion protection and high reliability to allow particularly economical bearing arrangements. The new Black Series Ball Bearing Units FAG – featuring a DUROTECT B coating to provide improved anti-corrosion protection – are most suitable for challenging operating conditions where they require less maintenance and save operators time and money. The robust units are particularly suitable for medium-to-high load applications including: • Power transmission, conveying, materials handling, metals and steel • Mining and energy, construction and agricultural, textile, paper, packaging and woodworking machinery • Pumps and process industry exposed to wet conditions, including food and beverage, water and waste water, oil and gas processing plant Schaeffler Australia Pty Ltd – which markets the FAG and INA industrial and LuK automotive brands here – is part of the Schaeffler Group, one of Europe’s leading technology companies, with long-established Australasian operations, including its Bearing Engineering Services (BES) industrial bearing service centre and ASB competence centre focussing particularly on bearing and housing solutions for industry. Major benefits of the Black Series include: Simple mounting Misalignments are compensated by the matched design of the housing and the radial insert bearing and the plus tolerance of the bore. Reworking of the shaft is no longer required. In addition, two self-retaining set screws that are offset by 120° securely locate the inner ring on the shaft. A suitable Allen key is supplied with every ball bearing unit, reducing mounting outlay to a minimum. Quiet running, energy-saving low friction Optimised internal geometry, honed raceways and high ball quality ensure quiet running. The low frictional torque of the radial insert ball bearings reduces the energy requirements of applications. Energy efficiency is further improved with the extremely low-friction plastic cage. High […]

Represented by AWS Pty Ltd www.awsi.com.au, the new Speedglas auto-darkening welding helmet series 9100XXi from 3M is built on 30 years of expertise and sets a new benchmark in welding helmet technology. The 3M Speedglas 9100XXi series is designed for professional welders who require optimum comfort, trusted protection and ultimate performance. The new top-of-the-line series features the largest Speedglas welding lens available. The Speedglas welding lens 9100XXi when combined with the peripheral Speedglas SideWindows gives welders the largest viewing area amongst auto-darkening welding helmets currently available on the Australian & New Zealand market at the time of printing. The new “True-View” lens delivers a greater degree of definition and natural colour. Shades of blue and red as well as contours and edges are more visible due to improved welding lens optics. The new “Grab-and-Go” motion detector senses movement and instantly activates the welding lens to the welding setting that was last used. A “One-Touch” external button activates grind mode. Another quick push reactivates the auto-darkening welding settings. Just like the programmed pre-set stations on a radio, the new “Set-and-Forget” feature allows welders to pre-set their most frequently used welding helmet settings. By holding down the external button, welders can seamlessly switch between different welding applications without having to re-set the welding helmet. Each memory mode has an individual setting for dark shade, switching sensitivity and dark-to-light delay. For example, by holding down the external button, the welder can switch between low-amp TIG and high-amp MIG welding in a matter of seconds. The new 3M Speedglas Welding Helmet Series 9100XXi is available with flip-up functionality, head protection, hearing protection and with powered or supplied air respiratory protection. Featuring Speedglas’ legendary comfort and performance and the new True-View, Grab-and-Go, One-Touch and Set-and-Forget features, the Speedglas Welding Helmet Series 9100XXi is in a […]