Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2012

Expert insight into quality management at Southern Manufacturing 2012

smeditor — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:49:55 +0000

The Free Technical Seminar programme at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2012 is your chance to hear leading experts in their fields deliver real insight into the trends that are shaping manufacturing industry today. One such expert is Ian McKay, who will be delivering two sessions looking at Quality at this year’s show. As Industry Co-Chair of the Defence Industries Quality Forum, Chair of the ADS Quality Committee and Quality Manager External Engagement at BAE Systems, Ian is eminently qualified to talk about the issues of quality as it relates to the Defence sector. In this exclusive preview, Ian gives us an overview of the key issues.

The manufacturing and engineering industries are changing rapidly as the current economic climate is forcing customers to critically examine their procurement budgets and the products and services they want are changing. This is particularly true of governments.

In the Defence Industry we are seeing a move away from high tech weapons systems towards security and information systems. Traditional quality management approaches are being developed for these new areas to ensure that the Defence Industry continues to deliver the dependable, complex systems its’ customers need.

A good example of quality management development is in the manufacture of the new F35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (“the world’s foremost stealthy, supersonic, survivable, lethal, supportable and affordable multi-role fighter”), which is taking us to unprecedented rates of production for military aircraft, requiring the need for ‘right first time’ performance from the entire supply chain.

The Defence Supply Chain therefore is central to delivery of these complex products and services. The SC21 project, lead by the Trade Association ADS, is focused on supply chain improvement. Based on agreement to a single “Continuous Sustainable Improvement Plan” with key customers, SC21 supports companies to establish sound quality management through the adoption of the EN9100 standard, the deployment of “Lean” tools and the adoption of relationship management techniques. The focus on a single agreed plan is delivering real ownership of improvement and has enabled the Defence Industry to improve productivity. If replicated across manufacturing and engineering industries as a whole I believe it would have the same positive effect.

The close collaboration between the Defence Industry and its customers is also something that other industries might learn from. A number of joint forums and groups exist to ensure continuous improvement and to keep pace with change. For example, the Defence Industries Quality Forum ensures that the MoD and Industry maintain a close relationship on quality policies and process and the CQI’s Defence Industry Group provides Quality professionals in the Defence Industry with the opportunity to be informed about and involved in developments. The Defence Industry is also working closely with the CQI to embed its own unique requirements into the Quality Management Body of Knowledge and Competency Framework.

In the face of change and the challenges the UK Defence Industry continues to supply what it believes are excellent products and services to its customers. This is enabled by a robust approach to quality management that is strongly aligned to engineering capability and maintains a balance between traditional and modern techniques. In this way it can deal with change and maintain the high standards required. Perhaps the most significant thing other Industries can learn from the Defence Industry therefore is that the quality of change management is just as important as managing the quality of products and services.

Ian McKay will present “In Defence of Quality” at 2.05pm on the 15th February and 1pm on 16th of February in Theatre 1 at Southern Manufacturing 2012. Entry is completely free, but pre-registration is strongly recommended. Register for free here

New marketing manager for Amberlea Plastics

smeditor — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:07:00 +0000

Julie Harding has joined Southern Manufacturing exhibitor Amberlea Plastics Ltd as Sales and Marketing Manager. Julie assumes responsibility for developing sales of the company’s range of standard and non-standard plastic fasteners and components in the UK and Europe. Fluent in French, Spanish and German, Julie is keen to further develop the firm’s relationships with its many European customers as well as finding new ones at home and abroad.

"I am really looking forward to meeting customers, old and new at Southern Manufacturing 2012," says Julie. "They will be able to bring drawings, sketches or samples to our stand (number 103) for a quote. Quotations are normally provided within one working day, and our tooling costs are probably still the lowest in the industry."

Established in 1997, Amberlea Plastics’ product line-up includes a wide range of one or two piece plastic fasteners including insert moulding (e.g. screw feet or metal screws in plastic) and adhesive products. "We enjoy solving fastening problems with plastic solutions!" said Julie.

http://www.amberleaplastics.co.uk/

Electronic hardware and software from concept to delivery

smeditor — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:14:00 +0000

Control systems, product monitoring and video systems are just a few of the application areas where Southern Manufacturing & Electronics exhibitor Raster Vision has steered a project from concept to delivery, taking in all the development and production phases on the way.

The service has proved particularly attractive to manufacturers of primarily mechanical products that require development of state of the art electronic controls or monitoring systems. All too often such companies cannot justify permanent in-house resources to undertake such projects because the requirement represents a temporary peak.

Projects already undertaken include tyre monitoring for earthmoving vehicles, video overlay for inspection and surveillance systems and calibration & test for pick and place feeder devices.

The service also appeals to manufactures with products where the electronic element is getting long in the tooth and not benefitting from the speed and reduced cost of today’s components. The company can convert through-hole boards to surface mount, thus reducing the size of the board and possibly of the end product while saving on manufacturing costs.

http://www.rastervision.co.uk

10,000 sales underlines Mazak’s one-hit machining success

smeditor — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:31:00 +0000

The Machinery Area of Southern Manufacturing is a popular destination for many visitors keen to see the latest machine tools cutting metal. At the show this year, visitors can witness the latest generation of the Yamazaki Mazak Integrex multi-tasking CNC machine going though its paces. Since its inception over 10,000 have been sold around the world emphasising how the concept of one-hit machining has come to dominate the production of complex components.

The machine is capable of completing all turning and machining operations to take raw material to a finished part in a single set-up on one machine. The main spindle is powered by a 22 kW motor which provides a maximum speed of 5,000 rev/min. The milling and drilling spindle has an increased output of 22 kW and has a 12,000 rev/min maximum speed for high speed metal removal.

http://www.mazak.eu

EMS Manufacturing – 40 years of quality

smeditor — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:44:00 +0000

Part of the EMS Security Group, EMS Manufacturing has over 40 year’s experience in manufacturing products for demanding applications such as fire and security. This experience has made it a sought-after supplier of electronic assemblies to third party customers as well.

Based in its 40,000 square foot facility in Herne Bay, EMS Manufacturing’s award winning factory is equipped with the latest production technology and is able to build, test and inspect a wide range of products. Its process technology includes two highly flexible SMT placement lines, Automatic Optical Inspection equipment, X-Ray inspection equipment, and a full range of off-line programming software. The factory has a wide range of approvals, from ISO 9001:2008 and ISO13485 to more specific third party process control based approvals.

If you are looking to find a quality, UK-based manufacturer then a visit to the EMS Manufacturing stand at Southern Electronics 2012 is a must.

http://www.emsmanufacturing.co.uk/

Blue is the colour…igus is the name!

smeditor — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:19:00 +0000

Bearings specialist igus UK now offers a range of bearing products that are blue in colour for easier detection in the food and drinks industry. The new iglidur A350 polymer plain bearing material is FDA-approved (Food and Drug Administration USA) and the igubal polymer material can also be recognised by metal detectors; both materials are manufactured completely from tribo-optimised plastic.

In the UK the contamination of food is illegal under The Food Safety Act 1990, that states: ‘It shall be a defence for the person charged to prove that he took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence by himself or by a person under his control.’

“The use of a visually detectable product with a colour not naturally found very often in nature is a reasonable precaution,” explains Matt Aldridge of igus UK. “For this reason, blue-coloured products have become the de facto standard – blue-coloured items, ranging from plasters to hair nets, are now widely used in food preparation areas and large scale mass produced food lines, which is why we’ve developed a blue range of bearings designed specifically for this industry.”

The igus iglidur A350 polymer plain bearing material is FDA-approved, which means that it can touch food and, should, in the unlikely event that particles contaminate food, be ingested without causing harm to the person. Highly wear-resistant, iglidur A350 can handle long-term temperature exposure up to 180degC and is resistant to a variety of chemicals and other liquid media. This makes the blue polymer material ideal for applications in the food, packaging and bottle-filling industries that undergo regular steam and chemical cleaning processes. Delivering low coefficients of friction, the iglidur A350 plain bearing is also corrosion-resistant, lubrication- and maintenance-free.

For use in the food and drinks industry, a blue variant of the igus igubal range is made of detectable plastic. When these special igubal bearings are fitted to a machine, there is no possibility of any igubal parts contaminating the end product when a metal detector is fitted on the automated production line.

The igus igubal detectable plastic range includes lubricant and maintenance-free rod end bearings and clevis joints, flange, pivoting and pillow block bearings, which are suitable for dry use at application temperatures ranging from -30 to +80°C. They can run in liquids as well as chemicals, and are corrosion-resistant – so are not adversely effected by regular washdowns. In comparison to traditional metallic bearings, the igubal range offers better damping characteristics since the specially developed plastic material absorbs vibrations more effectively.

For more information, visit the igus stand at Southern Manufacturing 2012 or go to www.igus.co.uk/bluebearingforfoodindustry and ww.igus.co.uk/metaldetectableplasticbearings

Dymo makes shopfloor labelling quick and easy

smeditor — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:23:00 +0000

Today’s emphasis on reliable product identity and traceability, underlines the growing demand for accurate durable product labelling systems. One of the best known handheld systems is Dymo. At Southern Manufacturing 2012 the firm will be showing its Rhino 4200 industrial unit.

This handheld unit features hot keys and familiar QWERTY keyboard that make any labelling job both quick and easy. One touch hot keys are used to create short cuts and format special versions such as wire/cable wraps, bar codes and module labels. A handy ‘favourites’ key provides single key access to commonly used labels and symbols, and customised designs can be saved for instant recall when required.

http://global.dymo.com/

Timers increase flexibility while reducing part number count

smeditor — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:11:00 +0000

Finder – exhibiting for the first time at Southern Electronics 2012 – has announced a range of eight modular, 22.5mm wide rail-mounted timers. The multi-voltage 83 Series of multi-function and mono-function timers handles 14 different timing functions, with time scales between 0.05 seconds to 10 days and offers either single or double pole variants.

The timers support a wide range of working voltages, from 24V to 240V AC or DC. With changeover contacts rated for 16A, the 83 Series is capable of switching AC1 loads of up to 4KVA or single phase motors up to 0.5kW.

The single pole 83.01 and double pole 83.02 multi-function timer variants both offer up to 8 different timing functions, including a special watchdog function allowing users to monitor repeating processes by resetting the time period each time a “watchdog” pulse is received. The 83.02 timer also provides the facility of external potentiometer time setting. It also offers users the option to select between either 2 timed or 1 timed and 1 instantaneous contact.

The third multi-function timer in the series, the 83.91 provides 4 asymmetrical flasher timing functions. Completing the 83 Series timer range are 3 single pole mono-function timers: the 83.11 for on-delay; the 83.21 for interval; 83.41 for off-delay with control signal; and a pair of 2 pole mono-function timers: the 83.62 for power-off delay (true off-delay) and the 83.82 for star-delta timing function.

www.findernet.com

A cut above – new technology at ICEE increases capacity

smeditor — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:55:00 +0000

Specialist fabricator ICEE has recently replaced its C0² laser with a Bystronic BySprint Fibre Laser, complement its existing water jet cutting services and allowing it to handle an even wider variety of projects. Using a combination of water jet cutting and fibre laser cutting ICEE can now handle virtually any material up to 230 mm thick.

The Southern Manufacturing exhibitor offers a wide range of services from its Hampshire base, from simply cutting blanks right up to full design and manufacture of bespoke enclosures. To this end, CNC press brakes, guillotines and welding are also available in-house.
With water jet cutting, the lack of heat is a major benefit as it eliminates any heat affected zone.

The maximum thickness than be cut is 230 mm; this allows material to be stacked and cut to reduce cost per part. Reflection can be a problem when laser cutting polished material, not so with water jet cutting. The range of materials that can be cut is impressive; all metals, plastics including composites, stone & marble, armour plate and bullet-proof glass. Even cardboard and foam can be processed. Plate and sheets up to 4,000 by 2,000 mm can be handled

Fibre laser cutting is faster than CO2 and can process a wider range of materials. Installed capacity is up to 12 mm in mild steel, 8 mm in aluminium and 6 mm in stainless steel. To complete the picture, a range of finishing processes including plating and powder coating can be specified.

ICEE’s cutting and fabrication experts will be on hand on its stand K30 at Southern Manufacturing 2012 to offer technical support and advice about both laser and water cutting.

http://www.icee.co.uk/

New power electronics and test equipment from PPM Power

smeditor — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:51:00 +0000

PPM Power will demonstrate its Typhoon HIL at Southern Electronics 2012. Described as “A power laboratory in a box”, the Typhoon delivers a flexible real time environment to speed up development of power electronics control systems and aid the rapid development, test and validation of control hardware and firmware.

PPM Power is a leading supplier of power electronics, test equipment, high voltage and pulsed power components. Other new products on show for 2012 will include a range of high voltage diodes, rectifier assemblies and bi-directional DC-DC converters. Available in either 25A or 75A versions, the converters are ideal for interfacing super capacitors, motor drives, PV arrays or any DC source or load that operates at less than 60V. The BD range of converters has a proven track record in PV, wind power battery charging and motor drive applications.

http://www.ppmpower.co.uk/

Take a closer look at DCB Automation at Southern Electronics 2012

smeditor — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:40:00 +0000

Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) is the speciality of Southern Electronics exhibitor DCB Automation. The company offers cost-effective AOI systems for the SMT production industry, designed to speed up inspection times and improve the quality of inspection.

A key feature of the company’s Vision range of products (UltraVision and EasyVision) is the software. Being both easy to use and quick to learn, the firm claims an easy upgrade path from older AOI units or manual inspection. With a complete software suite to provide programming (off-line), inspection, re-work (off-line), first-off inspection, comparator mode and management reporting statistics, all common AOI tasks are met in one fully supported package.

The systems are ideally suited to businesses that need to respond rapidly to their changing environment and changing customer needs. The feature set of the DCB Automation Vision range of AOI systems include a choice of camera resolution, laser co-planarity measurement and conformal coating inspection. With a choice of modes of operation including fully programmed (with or without solder checking), first-off inspection and comparator mode with off-line programming and re-work the systems meet all the inspection needs of a production environment – now with a choice of desktop, in-line or magazine feed formats to address all possible scenarios.

http://www.dcbautomation.com/

New £20m processing centre opened by Parker Steel

smeditor — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:36:00 +0000

Parker Steel – one of the best known names in UK engineering – will exhibit at Southern Manufacturing 2012 for the first time. The firm’s impressive profile includes over 25,000 tonnes of steel in stock, a massive shotblaster and primer, seven laser cutting machines, two state-of-the-art dynamic waterjet cutting machines plus tube laser and plasma cutter to enhance the existing profile machines. In addition to this, the firm operates a fleet of 75 lorries – a familiar sight on the South’s roads – distributing steel throughout the region.

The Canterbury-based firm recently announced a huge investment at a dockside development in Shoreham, enabling it to unload 5000 tonne ships directly. At 160,000 square ft and 1,100 tonnes of structural steel, the steel processing plant is the biggest to be built in the UK in the last 20 years. The plant will be the most advanced processing centre in Europe and will be fully functional in early 2012. The plant will be fully automated and only require minimal human assistance. Steel is simply loaded on to the conveyor where it passes through the automated processing plant, before being loaded on to a vehicle ready for immediate dispatch. This automated system cuts down on time and cost, enabling keener pricing for customers.

Along with steels of various types, Parkers also offers non-ferrous metals and a wide variety of processing services. Customers can order and manage their accounts online to make it even easier to manage stock purchasing.

Visit John Parker & Sons at Southern Manufacturing 2012 to find out how this forward-looking company with a great heritage can improve your metal procurement.

http://www.parkersteel.co.uk/

Standard or custom – Phoenix Mecano has the solution at Southern Manufacturing

smeditor — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:26:50 +0000

Bopla Enclosures, part of the Phoenix Mecano Group, offers over 25,000 enclosures and membrane keypads as standard, which means the chances of finding an off-the-shelf solution to enclosure and keypad challenges on the firm’s stand at Southern Manufacturing is extremely high.

The firm is a well-established leader in enclosures, supplying products bare or fully customised with machining, silk screen printing RFI shielding, membrane keypads and assembled with PCBs to the customers’ specification. Special enclosures can be developed with step by step dialogue with customers covering all aspects from materials and internals to functionality and aesthetic appeal. On all enclosures – predominantly ABS and polycarbonate – ingress protection up to IP 65 is standard; optionally this level can be raised to IP 69.

http://www.phoenix-mecano.co.uk/

Briton EMS wins £1m+ order for UK-built data units

smeditor — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:20:00 +0000

Southern Electronics exhibitor Briton EMS (stand G73) is demonstrating once again that the UK is still a force to be reckoned with in high-value engineering. The Bedford based contract electronics manufacturer, is currently fulfilling an order worth in excess of £1m for the complete build of data acquisition units for MPEC Technology of Derby.

"It is a complex product with over 1,500 components," says Tony Abri, commercial director of Briton EMS. "After involvement in its test development, we procured all the parts, produced and populated the circuit boards and set up a manufacturing cell to guarantee MPEC receives fully working and configured products."

MPEC gave serious consideration to manufacturing offshore, but concluded that in terms of value for money and total cost of ownership, using a UK manufacturer was its best option.

"There are no hidden costs, no unwarranted expenses and no time delays, language barriers, quality or currency concerns – all big advantages of sourcing from us in the UK," said Tony Abri.

"We also offer flexibility, lower costs and speedier time to market – without the burden of advanced payments, relatively high minimum orders, complex shipping arrangements and extended travel for engineering, design and other staff."

MPEC specialises in datalogging equipment for the rail industry and the units, designed by MPEC and coded SA380TX, provide robust condition monitoring and predictive analysis of trackside infrastructure to alert rail operators to the condition of their assets.

http://www.britonems.co.uk/

Low-cost robotics made simple with igus robolink

smeditor — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 01:16:00 +0000

Southern Manufacturing exhibitor igus UK, more commonly associated as the innovator of plastic bearings, energy chains and cabling products, has developed robolink a multi-axis joint for humanoid robots and lightweight automation applications. A complete modular system, robolink combines enormous design freedom with simplicity and is particularly well-suited where masses are to be kept as low as possible.

At the heart of the robolink modular system are lightweight, maintenance and corrosion-free joints with tribologically optimised plastic bearings that are driven via cables and can rotate and swivel freely. The robolink system has been trialled in a number of applications, ranging from maritime robots for use with underwater vehicles, through to mobile robots on the ground, used for handling contaminated or explosive materials. Other examples include humanoid robots, camera guidance equipment and systems for facilitating interaction between man and machine. Further trials were carried out in the medical industry, as well as in the field of animatronics.

To articulate the multi-axis joints, igus has developed a range of flexible Bowden cables with high-performance polymer jackets that combine low friction values with a long service life. The igus Bowden cables have extremely small bending radii, making highly flexible movements possible and are suitable wherever frequent relative movements take place. The plain bearings inside the joints are made of iglidur J.

A comprehensive range of complementary accessories has also been developed by igus; these include flange shaft blocks for attaching the arms, interior divisions for the organised routing of the drive and data cables and a cable tensioner for straight forward re-tensioning of the system, as well as a cable pulley range for guidance.

On the electro-mechanical side, igus has developed space-saving drive units, available in different performance classes, with four or five drive motors in a housing. In addition, an individually configurable drive disc is available that can be attached to a wide range of different motor or gear shafts and then connected to the wear-resistant cables. Simple control software is in development to intuitively program and store all the movements of a 4-axis jointed arm.

The igus robolink joint module system will be on show at Southern Manufacturing 2012. For more information, please call igus UK directly on 01604 677240 or visit the website at: www.igus.co.uk/robolink To keep abreast of future developments of robolink, please visit: www.igus.co.uk/Robotmoduledevelopmentblog

AGS Electronics offers total service

smeditor — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:43:00 +0000

AGS Electronics will exhibit at Southern Electronics for the first time. The firm has rapidly established a name for itself offering a comprehensive service to the electronics industry encompassing all aspects of manufacture.

Based in Fife, AGS aims to support customers through the entire product lifecycle, starting with PCB design and board manufacture. This covers single and multi-layer boards as well as flexible boards. Boards can be supplied in prototype or medium volume batch sizes. Once boards are finalised, the firm will handle population. As a project progresses towards full box build and final test, it takes in metal fabrication and cable harness manufacture. Wiring ranges from simple earth straps and ribbon wiring to multi-cable harnesses.

Customers can ‘pick and mix’ from the services to suit their requirements and the company is geared up for prototype and small to medium batch sizes coupled with a rapid response.

http://www.ags-e.co.uk

Spin over to the Principle Engineering stand at Southern Manufacturing

smeditor — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:40:00 +0000

The combined forces of Principle Engineering, GRW and British Encoder Products come together on stand G78 at Southern Manufacturing 2012. Representing both GRW and British Encoder Products in the UK and Ireland, Principle Engineering is a centre of engineering excellence for rotational applications.

British Encoder Products has been manufacturing its range of high-quality precision encoders in the UK for over 20 years. They have grown steadily with very little use of advertising thanks to their exceptional build quality and reliability. In many cases, custom-made encoders can be produced within 24 hours of order.

GRW are the largest supplier of miniature ball bearings in Europe, offering ball bearing races from 3mm outside diameter up to 50mm outside diameter. The company has vast experience in producing bearings to operate reliably in harsh conditions, such as high or low temperatures, where there is salt or chemicals, blood, sterilisation, vacuum, radiation, high speeds and vibration.

Some of Principle Engineering’s engineers will be on hand at its stand at Southern Manufacturing, ready to share their extensive technical and commercial experience with visitors.

www.principle-eng.co.uk.

Martec adds pin-less connectors for demanding environments

smeditor — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:37:00 +0000

Martec returns to Southern Electronics for 2012 with a new pin-less hermetic, compact & self contained connector system, offering power and data transfer capabilities with no mating connections in either single or multi-channel format.

The new product is just one of a range of very high performance interconnection solutions designed and manufactured to exacting requirements by Martec. The firm also designs and manufactures specialist interconnection devices to order, incorporating hermetic connectors, glass to metal seals and ceramic feedthroughs.

Martec’s product can be found in aerospace, military, automotive, marine, medical and industrial applications. Many of the hermetic connectors supplied to these sectors are customised to match existing or new specialist mounting requirements, and they are designed and manufactured to meet the appropriate standards, including MIL standards.

http://www.martec.ltd.uk

Handling every load with ease – Scaglia Indeva

smeditor — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:35:00 +0000

Scaglia INDEVA will be exhibiting its Liftronic Easy range of intelligent handling devices at Southern Manufacturing 2012.

Visitors will be able to see the wide choice of industrial manipulators supplied by the firm, covering mechanical, magnet and vacuum based solutions for any handling need irrespective of industry sector.

Its electronic zero gravity auto balancing manipulators are ideally suited to repetitive tasks with fast work cycles where an ergonomic answer to lifting and positioning is important. The system allows for precise positioning of the load and smooth, controlled movement throughout the work cycle and is ideally suited to operations where the weight changes during the process such as filling or emptying containers as the load remains balanced at all times.

An ideal alternative to a hoist, Scaglia INDEVA’s auto balancing manipulators allows the component to be held throughout the work cycle once float mode button has been set, with no need for pendant control.

Scaglia INDEVA enjoys a world-wide client base and has built up a vast knowledge bank of applications and solutions spanning over 40 years. The firm offers column, rail and ceiling mounted versions to support its Liftronic Easy operating system, which now incorporates electronic control of the pneumatic circuits to improve operating cycle times and contribute towards the all-important safety aspects.

http://www.indevagroup.com/

Keep it tight with IEC at Southern Manufacturing 2012

smeditor — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:31:00 +0000

Poole-based IEC will be demonstrating a selection of its vast range of precision mechanical components at Southern Manufacturing 2012. Products on show will include specialist bearings, sealing rings, bearing accessories, secure fastenings and dynamic disc springs.

Visitors to the show will be able to see a number of innovative washers and springs from Schnorr. The Schnorr safety washer is a conical washer that helps provide a secure fastening on joints which are subject to high levels of vibration. Flattening of the washer under load provides a tensioning effect, while serrations on both sides of the washer ‘bind’ the housing and bolt.

Schnorr Load Washers are plain conical washers used for high tensile joints on bolt grades up to 12.9 where load and thermal factors are an issue. Schnorr Disc Springs are conical springs manufactured to DIN2093 employed to impart high force with minimum movement. Like many Schnorr products, the Disc Springs are used extensively in the rail industry as a means to absorb energy on applications such as sleeper clamps and brakes.

Also on show at Southern Manufacturing will be Fey Laminar Sealing Rings – employed in a wide range of applications as a non-contact seal on a rotating joint, such as a shaft and housing. They work on the principle of creating a labyrinth that restricts the egress of gas or the ingress of contaminants and so lend themselves to a variety of automotive applications relating to exhaust systems and are used within the rail industry to protect bearings on bogeys, wheel sets gearboxes.

Fuji Locknuts are locking nuts originally designed for retaining a bearing on to a shaft but has now been employed in many other areas. A key benefit is that the security of the nut does not need to be supported by the use of a tab washer or keyway, thereby making the total installed cost much lower. These nuts are used by London Underground in the refurbishment of escalators.

www.iecltd.co.uk

Copper strip acquisition strengthens market position

smeditor — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:28:00 +0000

Southern Manufacturing 2012 sees the first appearance by Aurubis, the world’s largest copper recycler. The company recently strengthened its position in the world market with acquisition of Netherlands-based Luvata’s Rolled Products Division, a move which boosted Aurubis’ turnover by around €1bn and significantly enhanced its offer for finished products such as sheet, strips and plate made from copper and copper alloy.

Luvata produces about 1,600 tonne of such materials annually. Visitors to Southern Manufacturing & Electronics will be able to find out more about the implications this dramatic move for users of copper and copper alloy materials. The electronics & electrical industries, for example, are extensive users of high grade copper covering everything from motors and generators to PCBs and solenoids. Copper cathodes are another market that demands high grade materials.

Visitors from the automotive and aerospace sectors will also find much of interest on the Aurubis stand; the average mid-range car, for example, contains around 25 kg of copper based materials and this is rising with the growing sophistication of control systems and hybrid power.

http://www.aurubis.com

Margate is as Far East as you need to go for CEM says Simtek

smeditor — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:23:00 +0000

Margate based CEM, Simtek EMS Limited will be highlighting the benefits of UK-based manufacturing when it returns to Southern Electronics 2012. The company is celebrating its eighth year as a successfully independent, privately owned business. Since acquiring the business through a management buy-out in 2004, the owners have doubled the number of employees and increased turnover a massive four times.

Relocation to an 18,000 sq. ft. purpose built facility in 2007 followed by significant investment in Europlacer surface mount machinery – the latest being the state of the art Iineo placement machine – means the company is now one of the best equipped in the South. The investment in machinery has meant that Simtek can remain competitive in the global market while remaining in the UK. This competitiveness leaves the way clear to concentrate upon customer service which has resulted in 93% of the current customer base being gained through recommendation.

The whole Simtek operation is controlled by a SAP database system incorporating MRP coupled with full component and assembly traceability. This system was another timely investment which has more than proved its worth. The SAP system has also been key to the company achieving the ISO9001:2008 quality standard and has led to it attracting major customers from the medical electronics industry.

www.simtekems.co.uk

Protronix promises FAST-EST response to prototyping requirements

smeditor — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:15:00 +0000

Protronix EMS has introduced its FAST-EST (Every Single Time) prototyping service, designed to offer customers the opportunity to get their products into the market place in the fastest time possible. The most popular option is to have boards prototyped in 5 days, something the company claims not many other CEM’s can achieve. Going further, Protronix EMS says it can even deliver within 48hrs if required to help customers facing the tightest deadlines.

Operations Director Stuart Clark commented “I recall one client’s reaction being handed a fully assembled, high grade production quality board, having only sent us the BOM and gerbers 48hrs before… we soon became their sole manufacturing partner”

Protronix EMS can assist customers with NPI, DFM and value engineering. Protronix EMS can advise customers of the best manufacturing process, along with potential BOM and layout changes, all of which will lead to a lower cost of manufacture. This high level of support and the service offered is a crucial factor, says the company, as many of its customers operate in safety critical environments, where quality and reliability are paramount.

Visit Protronix EMS on stand D62 at Southern Electronics 2012 to see how it can assist with your electronics manufacturing requirements.

www.protronix.co.uk

Eurocircuits cut prices for 4 layer prototype and small series PCBs

smeditor — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:50:59 +0000

Eurocircuits have cut their prices for 4-layer prototype and small series PCBs by up to 30%. Standard delivery is now 7 instead of 10 days. During the last 18 months the company, one of Europe’s largest specialist manufacturers of PCB prototypes and small series, has invested heavily in its plants in Germany and Hungary, increasing capacity around 50% and boosting turnover by 40%. The savings achieved by more efficient manufacturing and more streamlined systems have been passed on to enhance Eurocircuits’ customers’ bottom line.

At the same time ordering has been made much easier, especially for the first time user. Price calculations for all Eurocircuits pooling services and pooling options can be made immediately against minimal data on the open-to-all price calculator on the home page. Prices can be stored in a shopping basket and orders placed without the need for upfront credit card payments.

Visitors to Stand M31 at Southern Electronics 2012 will be able to get live prices on the stand.

Eurocircuits provide a complete package to get the PCB designer’s product completed faster. As well as manufacturing PCBs and stencils, the company offer a production-quality bench-top solder-paste printer and reflow oven. Eurocircuits pin registration system ensures that board and stencil are automatically aligned without the need for time-wasting adjustments. Users report that prototype assembly times are cut by 75%. For users who don’t have the number of prototypes to justify a capital purchase, the company supplies a simple alignment tool to register PCB and stencil in seconds, ready for manual solder-pasting.

The eC-stencil-mate solder-paste printer and the eC-reflow-mate will both feature on the stand.

For more information, to get prices or to see Eurocircuits equipment in action, go to www.eurocircuits.com or email euro@eurocircuits.com.

PGT Ceewrite – world class machining capability on show at Southern Manufacturing

smeditor — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:19:03 +0000

PGT Ceewrite Ltd will showcase some of the resources and skills that have helped build its global reputation as a producer of high quality machined parts and sub-assemblies for the defence, aerospace and other commercial sectors around the world. The firm offers a wide range of services, including CNC Milling, CNC Turning, CNC Multi-Axis Milling/Turning, CNC Cylindrical Grinding, CNC Internal & External Grinding, Wire Erosion and Super finishing

PGT Ceewrite Ltd supplies some of the world’s leading aerospace companies and holds BS EN ISO 9001:2008 and EN9100:2003 Rev B and approvals from many of the world’s leading aerospace and engineering companies, including Honeywell in the UK and the USA, Rolls-Royce, Claverham, Reynard and approval for MOD work.

Bubble wrap on demand from Lightning Packaging

smeditor — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:11:00 +0000

The ubiquitous bubble wrap is a fantastically versatile packaging material, but it’s bulk can make storage of large quantities problematic. But a clever system from Southern Manufacturing exhibitor Lightning Packaging can make such storage problems a thing of the past.

Lightning Packaging’s Sealed Air system automatically inflates and dispenses the bubble packaging material only when it is needed. Up to the moment of use, the rolls remain tightly wound and compact. The Barrier Bubble used in the film retains air longer than non-barrier polyethylene air cellular materials and out-performs other materials for cushioning and overall packaging protection. The system is simple to use – just plug it in, load a roll of film and let it run. The Sealed Air system frees up valuable warehouse space and saves time as a dedicated operator is not required. A built-in the sensor keeps the portable bin filled for on-demand packaging.

The company also supplied a compact desktop version, the Mini-Pak’R, which can also be wall-mounted vertically so the bubble wrap is dispensed like a roller towel. Running at 7.5 metres a minute it can make 5 different types of cushion.

Lightning Packaging will also demonstrate a huge variety of other innovative packaging products on its stand at Southern Manufacturing 2012

http://www.lightningpackaging.co.uk/

Wyse Oil launches environmentally-friendly industrial cleaning solutions

smeditor — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:25:00 +0000

Reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing activities while maintaining productivity is sometimes a difficult balancing act. But a new range of industrial cleaners from Southern Manufacturing exhibitor Wyse Oil can help customers achieve both objectives

The company’s Wysekleen range of industrial wash solutions includes high-performance ‘safe’ solvent products, aqueous cleaners and vapour degreasers. The range provides fast and effective degreasing and cleaning solutions for diverse and challenging environments.

Ashford-based Wyse Oil is a leading provider of all kinds of metalcutting fluids and lubricants. Its Techcut 14001 water-mix range of products are also designed to be kinder to the environment; blended from a new generation of materials ideally suited to high speed machining, between 40% – 75% of the additives used in the formulations are renewable.

Should a neat cutting oil be required, then its Millicut range of cutting oils cater for all applications of machining and grinding. The Millicut range includes ester-based biodegradable products, high performance synthetic formulations and conventional grades. Other products include its Wysegrease range provides optimum performance from applications such as high speed machine tool bearings to high temperature demands of the heat treatment industry. Silicone greases and ‘white’ assembly pastes are also available within the new generation of Wysegrease lubrication products.

http://www.wyseoil.co.uk/index.htm

Lose the stencils and save on PCB costs, says G-Tec

smeditor — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:02:00 +0000

Southern Electronics exhibitor G-Tec will be promoting the benefits of solder jet printing – a revolutionary process for surface mount PCB assembly that removes the need to order and purchase solder stencils. The firm claims customers can make significant savings, while its 3D print on demand technology ensures incredibly high yields for all types of SMT products. Solder jet printing applies the optimum amount of solder paste to each device type, from uM BGA to PoP, removing problems such as unsoldered pins and floating QFN devices.

The company’s MY500 solder jet printer allows G-Tec to respond extremely quickly to customer orders. Even solder paste corrections can be made in real time, often allowing a same day assembly service for time critical projects.

G-Tec is located in Aldershot, Hampshire and provides professional and flexible services in PCB assembly. The firm operates with comprehensive MYDATA SMT capability, including a fully automated MYDATA SYNERGY line for higher volume contracts. Full CEM services include PCB design with Altium tools, BGA re-work, 3D X-Ray, conformal coating with selective spraying technology and product test and assembly.

Meet the G-Tec team at Stand N78 to discover more about solder jet printing technology.

http://www.geminitec.co.uk/

Open Mind software improves productivity and workflow

smeditor — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:46:00 +0000

At Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2012, OPEN MIND Technologies AG will demonstrate how the latest version of its CAM solution hyperMILL can improve productivity and workflow.

hyperMILL allows users to create their own intelligent macros, predefined rules and conditions for every stage of the machining process. hyperMILL automatically assigns and adjusts the job steps to the corresponding geometry based on these rules and depending on geometry information such as diameter, depth, open or closed pockets. Application programming interfaces (APIs) provide further automation support, creating applications that control the generation of complete NC programs.

New 5-axis cycles as well as shape offset roughing and finishing features allow more efficient machining of complex surfaces, further lowering the programming burden and help to obtain better milling results. Improved 5-axis swarf cutting results in better surface quality; New contour milling features allow for better control when using large milling tools.

Visitors to the Open Mind stand at Southern Manufacturing will also be able to see its hyperMAXX platform, optimised for high-performance roughing, the hyperCADCAD system and CAD-integrated solutions for SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor.

http://www.openmind-tech.com/

Precision dispensing systems from Liquid Control up production 40%

smeditor — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:22:00 +0000

Engineered solutions to a wide range of dispensing problems are the speciality of Southern Manufacturing exhibitor, Liquid Control. Visitors to its stand at the show will have the opportunity to learn about how its precision-controlled dispensing systems can bring about a dramatic improvement in both production and rejection rates. A recent example is a system developed for Pipercross, a manufacturer specialising in high-performance air, oil and fuel filters.

Liquid Control supplied an XY Cartesian robot combined with a precision resin mixing and dispensing system to ensure precisely the right amount of compound was applied, whatever the particular product being manufactured. Immediately after assembly the filter units are transferred to a temperature controlled carousel for curing. The system supplied by Liquid Control achieved a 40% increase in production rate, while the rejection rate was slashed by an impressive 50%.

http://www.liquidcontrol.co.uk/