Smart Manufacturing

The long service life of igus chainflex high-end TPE cables from Treotham convinces inspectors and gives customers certified security As the world’s first manufacturer, igus has received UL AWM certification from the well-known US organisation Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for its high-end TPE cables that do not use fire-retardant halogens as additives. This is the first time that the testing organisation has recognised that halogen-free TPE cables can also meet the fire protection requirements in industry. The independent organisation Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is one of the most important authorities in the USA in terms of product safety. It has been testing components of machines and systems since 1894 to see whether they are suitable for industrial use. Their seal is one of the prerequisites for a successful market entry in North America. Fire protection is a key decisive criteria. This is because, according to the US National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), machine fires are the fourth leading cause of fires in industrial environments in the USA, closely followed by fires caused by electrical factors. Fire protection can also be achieved without halogens For this certification, the igus engineers had to do a lot of persuading. Up to now, the flame retardancy of cables has been the key factor in obtaining UL certification for fire protection. Approval is therefore only granted to products containing flame retardants such as chlorine, fluorine or bromine. These additives increase the flame retardancy. However, so far it has not been taken into account that the flame retardants generally change the chemical structure of the jacket and reduce the mechanical load-bearing capacity. Therefore, igus starts much earlier in the process: The cable specialist focuses less on preventing a fire from spreading, but rather on how the cable itself caused the fire. The TPE jacket compounds are extremely resistant […]

Suhner Australia, a leader in metal finishing solutions, has expanded its range of products and services around metal finishing processes to provide its customers with a total solutions package. In addition to providing Suhner tools, consumables and know-how in the surface finishing of all metals, Suhner Australia is now offering hand tools, annular hole cutters, safety equipment, tapes and glues as well as a tools for hire service. By broadening its range of products and services the company will be able to offer a higher degree of service to meet the needs of its customers. “All of the new products that we have chosen to incorporate in our range are integral to the polishing and finishing of metals regardless of whether they are stainless steel, aluminium, brass or special alloys. The larger product offering will allow us to offer customers a complete solutions package so that we can assist them with any aspect around metal finishing processes. “What’s more, a broader range means that our customers now also have greater choice when it comes to selecting quality hand tools, annular hole cutters, PPE gear, and tapes and glues. “We can also guarantee good availability of our new product range, which will be reassuring for our customers given the critical shortage of products that are being experienced in industry due to disruptive supply chains,” explained Robert Bartrum, General Manager, Suhner Australia. The company’s new hand tool range includes quality European brands such as PB Swiss Tools and Ruko drill bits. Maxisafe will spearhead the company’s range of PPE gear, while tapes and glues will include leading brands such as 3M and Stylus. Complementing Suhner Australia’s wider product range is its new ‘Tools for Hire’ service. The service allows customers to hire metal finishing tools for a “one-off” project, to meet additional […]

By Lim Jing (Ph.D.) Chief Technology Officer, Osteopore Three dimensional or “3D printing” is an additive manufacturing process that has been around for a while now – but is still guaranteed to attract attention. It produces a physical object from a digital design, and it’s been creating a buzz in the healthcare industry since the 1990s when dental implants and custom prosthetics took off. While there are many different types of 3D printing available, harnessing the technological advantage that 3D printing has over traditional manufacturing techniques is the key to its success. This involves creating a microstructure that is representative of native bone while meeting gross geometrical needs of the reconstruction area. Specifically, making use of the body’s regenerative capacity to rebuild lost tissues and the use of bioresorbable materials in implants leverage the combined technologies of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and 3D printing techniques. 3D printing technology has allowed us to make ground-breaking regenerative implants – our bioresorbable implant is the first of its kind to be successfully developed and commercialised for surgical use, and we see this technology as the way of the future for healthcare. When used appropriately, we find the solutions created with 3D printing regularly outperform traditional implant methods in terms of design and associated long-term healthcare costs. 3D printing allows the creation of complex geometries that copy the shape and function of natural bone and allows efficient productisation particularly in customised implants.   Given the complex nature of bone microarchitecture, it is not a matter of course that production can happen at cost effective scale – and 3D manufacturing gives us that option. With improvements to technology, we can go down the path of automation, producing our implants around-the-clock and even remotely; there is a compelling commercial industrial argument for the technology alongside medical […]

Articulated arm robots can travel over six metres, quadrupling their working space: the 7th axis is now compatible with all lightweight articulated arm robots worldwide thanks to a simple Plug & Play kit. So far, models from Universal Robots, Epson and the igus robolink series from Treotham have benefited from this increased mobility. Now Omron, Franka Emika, Doosan, Yuanda Robotics and many other lightweight robotics suppliers are joining the list. The first users of the so-called 7th axis, a linear axis with an electric toothed belt drive that igus launched in 2020, were thrilled according to Alexander Mühlens: “Suddenly, thanks to the additional axis, their articulated arm robots are as mobile as humans. This enables them to take on multiple tasks in automation environments making them significantly more productive,” says the Head of Automation Technology at igus. “We therefore decided to extend the compatibility of the system to all manufacturers worldwide – such as Omron, Franka Emika, Doosan and Yuanda Robotics. With a matching Plug & Play kit of hardware and software we make customisation possible.” Ready-to-connect complete solution for all lightweight articulated arm robots In the future, all lightweight articulated arm robots with a weight range of 10 to 50 kilograms or, depending on the dynamics, a payload of 2 to 20 kilograms can use the 7th axis. Treotham supplies the system as a ready-to-connect complete solution from a single source. It consists of a drylin ZLW toothed belt axis with a length of up to six metres and two parallel rails made of aluminium. These can be mounted on the floor, walls or ceilings and a toothed belt drive with stepper motor for a positioning accuracy of 0.3 millimetres. Also included is: an energy chain for guiding energy and data cables; a switch cabinet integration kit with cables; […]