Developments

Robot disinfects large areas

A robot capable of rapidly disinfecting large areas has been invented by a world-first solutions business to speed-up the fight against coronavirus. Forth Engineering in Cumbria is known for its innovations to solve complex industry challenges in the nuclear, oil and gas, renewables and other sectors all over the world. Forth managing director Mark Telford and his team have responded to the fight against COVID-19 by inventing a remotely operated disinfecting robot. “It’s an amazing bit of kit. I took it to one of our sites and it disinfected 68,000 square feet in just 20 minutes. It’s very impressive,” said Mark. “We’ve put together our tracked robot, vapour cannon, camera and lights, and developed the first one in a matter of days. “That’s how quickly we always work, it’s just that the sectors which need our help are different right now and this is a national emergency. “We have had lots of inquiries about it and we are now going into production. We will have to see how many robots people want us to manufacture.” The robot can be worked remotely, controlled from a safe distance, to help the NHS and other organisations keep areas clean during the coronavirus outbreak. “It can be used to sterilise ambulances, hospitals, shops and supermarkets, wherever it’s required,” said Mark. “It works in a similar way to a vapour cigarette in that it fires high pressure vapour which will settle in every part of a designated area. “It can also be used to disinfect factories and offices, schools and colleges, before people return to work and go back to education after the lockdown to make sure they are safe to use.”. In terms of the impressive speed of Forth’s response, Mark said it’s how he and his team have been […]

Millions lost in APAC carve-out deals

Third of global carve-outs fail to go to plan, with APAC most likely to experience deal delays, TMF Group research shows. The number of carve-out acquisitions is expected to rise as businesses in Asia-Pacific (APAC) look to restructure because of the COVID-19 turmoil. Those that do should approach with a note of caution after research revealed around a fifth of carve-outs result in millions of dollars wasted because of inefficiencies. While the deal economics of carve-outs can be very attractive, an independent survey, commissioned by TMF Group, found that 34% of senior executives from private equity firms with buy-side experience and 27% from corporations said their most recent cross-border carve-out failed to deliver on expectations, with 24% and 19%, respectively, saying costly overruns significantly impacted the deal. The survey also revealed that businesses in APAC were much more likely than those in other regions to experience deal delays (33%), against just 18% of those in the Americas and 16% in EMEA. Where a delay resulted in increased cost, a clear majority of those from private equity firms (92%) said it added 10% or more of the original value of the deal, with 30% saying more than 16%. The figure for corporates was equally high, with 85% claiming it increased add-on costs by 10% or more, and 38% at 16% or more – all considerable sums given that most of the carve-outs were valued at over US$ 50 million, and some more than US$1 billion. The research comes at a time when the market has seen a three-fold increase in the annual volume of spin-offs and carve-outs since 2016. The onset of COVID-19 will dampen deal volumes in the immediate period, but will create special situations for cash rich buyers as affected companies in the region look to restructure their […]

Businessman manager Holding Light bulb of icon of logistics , Creativity and innovative or idea for workers with Modern Trade warehouse logistics.

Samedaylogistics secures critical logistic routes ex China

Samedaylogistics, a leading global supplier of priority and customised emergency transports, repetitiously secures medical transportation from China to Europe addressing urgent needs to fight the current Corona-pandemic. The current global fight against the Corona-pandemic creates numerous challenges for all kinds of industries. For the logistics sector, one of the key issues is the vast cancellation of passenger flights, leading to a serious scarcity also in freight capacity. Mere freight flights, on the other hand, are dramatically overbooked, so numerous urgent and time-critical transport requirements, i.e. for medical equipment from China to Europe, cannot be addressed. Samedaylogistics, as a leading supplier of customised emergency transports, is actively filling this critical gap by providing vacant freight capacity up to full charter arrangements, so to secure that vital material against the pandemic is being moved, especially from China into Germany. Customers include national and regional state authorities, as well as medical charity organizations. One of those transports received a considerable press coverage, when the ruling mayor of Berlin, Mr. Michael Müller, announced via Twitter on the 4th of April, that more than 2 million face masks and 300.000 protective gowns were successfully shipped to Berlin, for subsequent distribution to hospitals, retirement homes and the police. To execute this urgent and time-critical delivery, Samedaylogistics provided a Boeing B747 Aircraft-charter, managed the on- and off-loading of the material and took care of the full custom clearance around the delivery.

Yokogawa to provide control system and field instruments for gas-fired power plant in Turkmenistan

Yokogawa Turkey Industrial Automation Solutions A.S. (Yokogawa Turkey) has won an order to provide a control system and field instruments for the Zerger gas-fired power plant in Turkmenistan. The order was received from Renaissance Heavy Industries, a major construction company in Turkey that is involved in the construction of this plant for Turkmenenergo, a state-owned power utility in Turkmenistan. This is Yokogawa’s first control systems order for a power plant in this country. Turkmenistan is a resource rich country with the world’s fourth-largest natural gas reserves*1. The country continues to experience steady economic growth thanks to its exports of natural gas and production of cotton and other agricultural products. To aid in the reconstruction of the neighboring country of Afghanistan, the Turkmen government concluded an agreement based on which it will supply electricity to that country for a ten-year period, beginning in 2018. The main source of this electricity will be the Zerger power plant, which generates power using locally-sourced natural gas. Located in the Chardzhev district of Lebap Province, approximately 600 km northeast of Ashgabat, the country’s capital, this is a simple cycle gas turbine power plant that will have three gas turbines with a combined capacity of approximately 400 MW. Sumitomo Corporation is the prime engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for this project, and the plant’s turbines and generators are being supplied by Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS). To monitor and control the plant’s three gas turbines and auxiliary facilities, Yokogawa will provide the CENTUMTM VP integrated production control system, DPharp EJATM series differential pressure and pressure transmitters, and YTA610 temperature transmitters*2. Yokogawa Turkey will be in charge of providing engineering and support services for the installation and commissioning of this system, and will complete work on this project by September of this year. To provide support services, Yokogawa […]

OnRobot Soft Gripper highly flexible

The new OnRobot food-grade Soft Gripper is able to pick a wide array of irregular shapes and delicate items in food and beverage, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals production, as well as manufacturing or packaging Automation just got easier for food and beverage and other “clean” applications such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals that need to handle items from eggs to fruit, to bottles or irregular-shaped containers. The flexible OnRobot Soft Gripper uses three interchangeable silicon-molded cups in star and four-finger configurations to pick up almost any small object under 2.2kg with a delicate, precise touch. The electric Soft Gripper is food-grade certified (complies with FDA 21 CFR for non-fatty items and EC 1935/2004) and unlike traditional vacuum grippers, it requires no external air supply, so it can reduce both cost and complexity. “Our new Soft Gripper is challenging existing solutions for picking hard-to-grasp, delicate and odd-sized items,” says CEO of OnRobot, Enrico Krog Iversen. “Unlike proprietary solutions, the Soft Gripper offers seamless integration with most collaborative robots and light industrial robots through our One System Solution.” OnRobot’s award-winning One System Solution is a platform that provides a unified mechanical and electrical interface between leading robot arms and any OnRobot end-of-arm tooling (EoAT). The One System Solution has been newly expanded to include integration with robots from ABB Robotics and Hanwha Precision Machinery. Now, users of those robots can take advantage of the unified mechanical and electrical interface of any OnRobot product, for easier integration and faster ROI. While the Soft Gripper is ideal for food and beverage applications, it also provides flexible, delicate gripping for manufacturing and packaging. Soft Gripper Features: Up to 2.2kg payload based on shape, softness and friction of items to be handled Grip dimensions ranging from 10mm-118mm depending on cup used FDA certification Flexible, interchangeable silicon cups Ideal […]

TDK joins the Responsible Business Alliance

RBA is an industry coalition dedicated to corporate social responsibility in global supply chains TDK is committed to endorse the vision and mission of the RBA across the global TDK entities and to strengthen its CSR activities. TDK Corporation has recently joined the Responsible Business Alliance (headquartered in Virginia, U.S.A., the world’s largest industry coalition dedicated to corporate social responsibility in global supply chains. As an Affiliate Member of the RBA, TDK fully supports the vision and mission of the RBA and continuously improve its own operations in accordance with the RBA Code of Conduct. TDK will also support and encourage its first-tier suppliers to do the same. RBA Vision and mission Vision: A global electronics industry that creates sustainable value for workers, the environment and business. Mission: Members, suppliers and stakeholders collaborate to improve working and environmental conditions through leading standards and practices. The purpose of joining the RBA is to bolster efforts for the rights, health and safety of workers in the global TDK Group and its first-tier suppliers, as well as for the environment. To fulfill our social responsibility and further enhance the credibility of the TDK Group by publicly pledging to practice the RBA Code of Conduct, the global standard, and making it the clear standard for the TDK Group. TDK will continue to put in practice its corporate motto, “Contribute to culture and industry through creativity,” and strengthen its CSR activities with its customers, suppliers and other stakeholders to advance the development of a sustainable society and champion well-being for all people through its innovative core technologies and solutions. TDK Corporation is a leading electronics company based in Tokyo, Japan. It was established in 1935 to commercialise ferrite, a key material in electronic and magnetic products. TDK’s comprehensive portfolio features passive components such as ceramic, aluminum […]

SDK Group to produce SPALF packaging material for large-scale LIBs

Showa Denko Packaging Co., Ltd. (SPA), a consolidated subsidiary of Showa Denko K.K. has developed a new product for its SPALF(TM) line of aluminum laminate films for packaging small-scale pouch type lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). and will install equipment to mass produce the new product, for large-scale LIBs and use in electric vehicles (EVs). The new production facility is scheduled for operation in March 2021. SPALF is a laminated composite film consisting of resins and aluminum foil, mainly used as packaging material for small-scale pouch type LIBs. SPALF enjoys a large global market share due to its superb insulation qualities and plasticity. It is more flexible for molding, more lightweight, and with better heat radiation characteristics than metal, so used as casing for small LIBs in devices such as smartphones and tablets. Recognised for its high quality with safety evaluations progressing, it is increasingly used in large-scale LIB applications, such as EVs. As the EV market is developing in China, following Europe, the Showa Denko Group has decided to install facilities to mass produce SPALF for large-scale LIBs. The Showa Denko Group’s Vision is of becoming a KOSEIHA Company, a group of KOSEIHA Businesses that can maintain profitability and stability at high levels over a long period. The global demand for LIBs (in electrical applications) is expected to increase 30% a year until 2025. The Showa Denko Group produces and sells various LIB materials with distinguishing advantages, such as SPALF(TM), VGCF(TM) additives for anode/cathode materials, and POLYSOL(TM) aqueous binding resin. By increasing sales of these LIB materials, the Group aims to contribute to the growth of the LIB market and the improvement of LIB functionality, and make the Group’s LIB materials business grow to become a KOSEIHA Business in the field of advanced battery materials. Showa Denko K.K. is a major […]

Global financial markets to use China’s recovery as a critical gauge

Global financial markets will use China’s recovery as a sentiment tracker, affirms the CEO of one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory and services organisations. The comments from Nigel Green come as European and Asian-Pacific markets and U.S. futures fell after a stream of stark headlines over the weekend. His observations also follow Chen Yulu, a vice governor at the People’s Bank of China, giving a press conference on Sunday at which he noted that two ways the country is contributing to global financial recovery is by maintaining domestic financial markets’ stability and by being involved in international talks on macroeconomic policy collaboration. Mr Green says: “Since the World Health Organisation upped its rhetoric on Covid-19 due to the rapid spread, financial markets – including stocks, oil, government bonds and gold – have experienced wild bouts of volatility and major sell-offs. “Investors are now not only monitoring the habitual markers like the price of gold and oil and international fiscal and monetary policies, but they’re also tracking the global health policies and Coronavirus-death tolls.” He continues: “The epicentre of Coronavirus has shifted from China to Europe. Europe has now registered more Coronavirus cases and fatalities than China. “Almost immediately, the Chinese authorities launched intense lockdown measures to try and halt the outbreak. It appears to have been successful, with cases having fallen considerably. “However, the adverse impact on the world’s second-largest economy – which drives in a large part – the global economy – has been significant.” Mr Green goes on to say: “As such investors around the world will now be looking at how China gets back on its feet economically. Did the extreme lockdown work? Were the public health facilities adequate? Will there be another outbreak as activity resumes? How will the authorities now kickstart the economy? […]

Aquila address waste processing/recycling industry with specialist glove

Aquila address recycling industry with specialist glove

The Aquila RE05F represents the purpose designed personal protection approach of Aquila for the waste processing and recycling industries, where the range of risks varies widely from process to process. Glove development for these applications makes life safer and more comfortable for operatives – in the case of the RE05F this is typically in a picking role at the conveyor belt stage where it provides extra protection from fast moving objects. The RE05F is cut resistant and double-coated with foam and full flat nitrile which provides excellent abrasion resistance. This is achieved with 100% cut resistant yarn throughout the glove (not just on the palm), followed by a two-stage foam and flat dip process, making the glove waterproof and chemical resistant, whilst maintaining an excellent grip and appropriate dexterity to suit general purpose usage. Related Aquila products for the waste processing/recycling industries include much of their impact protection range featuring TPE (thermal plastic elastomer) on back of hand and fingers for protection against fast moving hard/sharp objects at picking stations on conveyor belts. Good examples are the TOG4B with genuine Alkimos cut 4 yarn guaranteeing full cut resistance not just on the palm but throughout the glove. An additional nitrile coating with sandy finish greatly aids grip levels in both wet and dry environments, with excellent oil and chemical resistance. The sister TOG6W includes an extra comfortable brushed liner for added warmth – suitable for temperatures down to -30°C. Further information may be found at: www.aquilaglove.com

Engineers develop miniaturised “warehouse robots” for biotechnology applications

UCLA engineers have developed minuscule warehouse logistics robots that could help expedite and automate medical diagnostic technologies and other applications that move and manipulate tiny drops of fluid. The robots are disc-shaped magnets about 2 millimetres in diameter, designed to work together to move and manipulate droplets of blood or other fluids, with precision. For example, the robots can cleave one large droplet of fluid into smaller drops that are equal in volume for consistent testing. They can also move droplets into preloaded testing trays to check for signs of disease. The research team calls these robots “ferrobots” because they are powered by magnetism. The ferrobots can be programmed to perform massively parallelised and sequential fluidic operations at small-length scales in a collaborative manner. To control the robots’ motion, electromagnetic tiles in the chip pull the ferrobots along desired paths, much like using magnets to move metal chess pieces from underneath a chess board. “We were inspired by the transformational impact of networked mobile robot systems on manufacturing, storage and distribution industries, such as those used to efficiently sort and transport packages at Amazon warehouses,” said Sam Emaminejad, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and the study’s corresponding senior author. “So, we set out to implement the same level of automation and mobility in a microfluidic setting. But our ‘factory floor’ is much smaller, about the size of your palm, and our goods, the fluid droplets, are as small as a few tenths of a millimetre.” The “factory floor” is an index card-sized chip, designed by the researchers, with internal structures that help manipulate fluid droplets transported by the robots. In the same way that mobile and cross-collaborative Amazon robots transformed the logistics-based industries, this technology could transform various biotech-related industries, including medical diagnostics, drug development, genomics, and […]

«‹ 35 36 37 38 ›»

News Ticker

Developments