Editorial

• ABB and Samotics enter a strategic partnership to extend ABB’s asset health monitoring services to harsh and submersible environments

• ABB to acquire 10 percent stake in Samotics, leading provider of electrical signature analysis (ESA) technology for motor-driven industrial equipment
• Joint ambition is to reach next level of condition monitoring by co-developing advanced digital service solutions focused on energy efficiency and operational resilience

ABB and Samotics, a leading provider of ESA technology that is a high-growth scaleup company based in the Netherlands, have entered a strategic long-term partnership to provide enhanced condition monitoring services. The approach will leverage each company’s capabilities to deliver more insight into machine health and energy efficiency. As a first step, ABB will integrate Samotics’ plug-and-play monitoring solution into its digital portfolio. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Samotics’ technology is complementary to the well-established ABB Ability™ Condition Monitoring service for powertrains, a sensor-based solution that analyzes the health and performance of rotating equipment. Samotics’ SAM4 technology, based on electrical signature analysis (ESA), will expand ABB’s application of asset health monitoring of motor-driven industrial equipment as it does not rely on mounting sensors in the field. This means that SAM4 can be deployed on machines in harsh and submerged environments.

Adrian Guggisberg, President of ABB Motion Services said: “Our strategy is to build an ecosystem with leading service providers who can contribute to our customers’ overall success. With Samotics, we share the ambition to co-develop digital services that will offer even greater insight across a wider range of applications to help our customers taking better decisions. The partnership will also create even more value from digital service solutions to grow our annual recurring revenues.”

Jasper Hoogeweegen, CEO of Samotics said: “Entering into a strategic partnership with ABB will open doors with potential customers around the world and help us scale our business. At the same time, we share a mindset and commitment to help solve reliability and energy efficiency challenges.”

Ultimately, developing a system that uses both datasets will provide industrial operators with a more detailed view of asset health so that they can make better decisions to optimize maintenance, boost reliability and reduce downtime.

Samotics has established SAM4 as a robust and scalable system. It is already being implemented across the wastewater and water, steel, and chemical sectors and has established a fast-growing base with thousands of assets monitored. 

ABB plans to roll out Samotics technology to customers before the end of 2022 as part of its growing service portfolio for rotating equipment.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com

ABB Technology Ventures (ATV) is the venture capital unit of ABB (NYSE: ABB). ATV looks for breakthrough technology companies aligned with ABB’s goal to write the future of industrial digitalization. Since its formation in 2009, ATV has deployed around $250 million into startups spanning a range of sectors including robotics, industrial IoT, AI/machine learning, energy transition, cybersecurity, electric mobility, smart buildings and distributed energy. For more information, visit www.abb.com/ventures

Samotics is a leading provider of real-time actionable insights to optimize performance and energy efficiency of AC motors and rotating equipment. An expert team of data scientists, software developers and technical specialists has developed an AI-driven platform that supports global industrial companies in reducing energy waste and unplanned downtime. www.samotics.com

Nunspeet-based Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software provider IFS Ultimo has announced a technology sponsorship with BEAT Cycling Club, a UCI Continental road and track team based in the Netherlands. The partnership sees IFS Ultimo commit to supporting BEAT with EAM technology for at least two years. Ultimo’s software will help the BEAT team take their ambitions and growth to the next level.

“At BEAT, we are constantly working on improving ourselves and driving new innovation,” Geert Broekhuizen, Founder & Director, BEAT Cycling, said. “When working on professionalising and growing our organisation, we ran into issues managing our bikes, cars and stock. With their leading software solution, Ultimo will help us overcome this by providing the insight we need to determine if essential bike parts are race-ready, likely to need replacing while on the road, or undergoing maintenance in our workshop. This approach allows us to be more sustainable with spare part management. But more importantly, as every rider knows, proper maintenance helps win races."

Ewout Noordermeer, CMO, Ultimo, commented: "At Ultimo, we help organisations gain better control over their assets, optimise availability, manage costs and guarantee safety. It doesn't matter if we are talking about a chemical plant or a professional cycling team; the process is essentially the same. BEAT encompasses growth ambitions, an innovative approach and a sustainable character, so we are extremely proud to support their journey to becoming a UCI ProTeam.”

Ultimo and BEAT Cycling are working on a short documentary that will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the collaboration between a professional cycling team and a leading EAM software company.

To find out more, visit www.ultimo.com.

Industrial process heating equipment and solutions specialist Babcock Wanson has launched two new electric boiler ranges: the VAP EL 400V three-phase, 50Hz electric steam boiler, with models from 16 to 360 kW; and the e-Pack industrial electric boiler, with models from 500 to 17,000 KG/H.

As with all electric steam boilers, VAP EL and e-Pack use electrical energy to boil water and produce steam for process heating. Unlike many others though, they are configured for high efficiency approaching 100% with only minor standing losses. The boilers start quickly on demand – ideal for locations where grid power fluctuates - and react well to change of load.  Steam can be produced in a matter of minutes depending on the capacity of the boiler.  

Precise control of steam pressure – 4.5, 7 or 8.5 barg as standard, with higher pressures available on demand – has been built into the VAP EL, with multi stage and fully modulating input of power. With e-Pack boilers, the NAViNERGY operating system allows both on site and remote monitoring of operating parameters, for maximum convenience.

In addition to their high efficiency, VAP EL and e-Pack electric boilers have a number of further benefits, including simple installation. As the boilers do not consume fossil fuel, there is no requirement for chimneys, fuel storage or complicated gas piping. In the case of VAP EL, its compact size also means it requires minimum space for installation. All models are fully integrated and come with a Babcock Wanson factory tested control system for simple and reliable operation and are fully certified by Babcock Wanson in accordance with the PED for operation throughout Europe. They are delivered ready to operate, with just the connection to the electricity, feed water and the steam users required. Commissioning is controlled and repeatable.

Being powered by electricity, VAP EL and e-Pack boilers offer substantial environmental advantages as they produce no waste combustion gases and have very low overall emissions. From an operational perspective, this has the added benefit of removing the need for periodic monitoring of atmospheric emissions. Furthermore, they are quiet in operation and their robust construction ensures safe operation and long life, which adds to their environmental credentials.

VAP EL and e-Pack can be used in diverse process industries, such as food processing, drying, chemical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical, but are best suited to locations where electricity is a readily available and low-cost resource, or where it is not feasible to install a fossil fuel fired traditional boiler.

A full range of ancillary equipment, including feed water tanks and pressurised and atmospheric thermal deaerators, plus pressure reducing stations and steam control valves are available with VAP EL and e-Pack.

The VAP EL and e-Pack series of electric steam boilers are the latest addition to Babcock Wanson’s range of products and services for boiler houses and other process heating needs, including steam generators, thermal fluid heaters, hot water boilers, VOC and odour treatment by thermal oxidation, water treatment and process air heating solutions. The company aims to help optimise customer’s energy production with high quality products and efficient service.

For information on Babcock Wanson, go to www.babcock-wanson.com

Evolution takes time, and it’s not easy to improve what is already great, but we like challenges, and we did it. Adash’s bestselling vibration data collector, the A4900 Vibrio M, has been relaunched with significant improvements.

Supplied in kit format, in a small yet robust protective transport case, with all required components; it’s ideal for operators, engineers, consultants and analysts alike. Fully integrating into the Adash DDS software suite, the device retains its simple 3-button control, standard vibration measurement(s) and outstanding FASIT evaluation tool, enabling auto diagnosis of potential failures and problems which are presented clearly to the user with visual waveforms and traffic light alarms. This allows equipment breakdowns to be avoided by non-professional users.

Plug and play, don’t bother with settings, just measure!

This pocket sized vibration analyser and data collector has been upgraded with a larger TFT display (240x320 pixels) which ensures the screen is always visible, even in direct sunlight. The larger display further enhances the user experience when viewing FFT and time waveforms, improving front line and visual analysis and problem identification.

Replacement of the standard AA battery chamber with Li-Ion battery technology, provides a rechargeable power pack capable of providing 15 hours of continuous operation. The additional comfort of charge indication means there is no requirement for the user to carry replacement batteries or return to the office to recharge, during longer route data collection activity.

The rubber protection bumper case bolsters an already rugged industrial package, improving the overall mechanical protection and integrity, whilst covering the bottom panel has increased the overall ingress protection from duct and moisture, ensuring this device can be utilised in the most aggressive and oppressive environments.

If you want to identify faults, prevent equipment breakdowns and save money, don’t settle for second best, choose Adash and the New Vibrio M……Perfection in it’s best shape!

www.adashuk.com

New Service Programmes for Temperature Control Equipment

The new ICS Protect service packages offer customers a tailored, cost-efficient approach to their maintenance needs with different preventive and predictive coverage levels.

 ICS Cool Energy, an international market leader specializing in complete temperature control solutions for manufacturing process and facilities applications, introduced ICS Protect Agreements, new extended and enhanced service plans offering for its i-Chiller range and other temperature control equipment.

The new ICS Protect Agreements offer three levels of coverage including preventive maintenance plans, delivering partial to fully comprehensive solutions. This approach allows customers to choose a package that is tailored to their applications and business needs, and ensure the temperature control equipment receives regular inspection, preventive maintenance, and proper calibration minimising the risks of equipment failures.

 The longer the plan, the better the saving potential and reduction of downtime.  In the case of the i-Chiller range of process-designed chillers, the ICS Protect offers customers the option to continue protecting their investment beyond the market leading 5-year parts and labour warranty coverage.

“Facility managers understand their organisation’s dependence on the process temperature control systems to ensure continued manufacturing and business operations. Equipment that is improperly maintained can fail to provide the required level of efficiency,” said Dave Palmer, general manager of ICS Cool Energy in the UK and Ireland.

“We have designed the ICS Protect Agreements to provide our customers with operating efficiency, prolong their system’s life and simply help them cut costs. Keeping the equipment in optimal shape minimises the energy consumption, helps limit downtime and eliminate operating losses. These are critical factors that all manufacturers pay attention to, and with ICS Protect Agreements we can ensure the constant performance of the equipment with no hassle for the customer,” continued Palmer.  

With ICS Protect Agreements customers can choose their level of coverage from Bronze, Silver and Gold packages offering different configurations of Individual Parts, All Parts, and Parts and Labour.  Every level comes with complete market leading preventative maintenance visits (two per annum) and individual asset fluid analysis.

“With an ICS Protect Agreement, besides gaining priority response, proactive maintenance and parts coverage, our customers can decrease their administration-related expenses as well as in-house labour and outside maintenance expenses to save up to 25% in operating costs. The longer the agreement term, the larger the savings, leaving it up to ICS Cool Energy to support the aging equipment,” concluded Palmer.

The ICS Protect agreement covers equipment up to 10 years of age.

ICS Cool Energy is headquartered in Southampton within 100,000 square feet of warehouse, office and yard space facilitating new stock storage and engineering spaces for service operations. The central location is backed up by the depot in Bradford and regional offices in London, Birmingham, Glasgow and Dublin, as well as by over 70 mobile service engineers with van stock, to ensure customer support and service across the U.K and Ireland.

For more information on ICS Cool Energy complete process temperature control solutions, please visit www.icscoolenergy.com/.

Process gas burner specialists, Lanemark Combustion Engineering Ltd., has completed the development of a new in-house testing facility which is set to enhance services to its customers.  The Nuneaton-based organisation, which supplies burner systems for applications ranging from brewing and metal treatment to automotive manufacturing and, through an associated division, the petrochemical industry, says the new resource will enable larger, more detailed equipment analysis to take place while also helping to optimise customers’ emission controls.

“Our range is based on process tank, oven and duct heating systems through, respectively, our TX, FD, FDB and DB series,” says Jeff Foster, Lanemark’s Sales Director.  “In all cases, our success is centred on supplying the optimum configuration for each customer’s needs, so it is vital that our equipment undergoes the most rigorous testing and analysis procedures – both during product development and pre-installation phases.  This new facility will make a major contribution in this context.”

The announcement now of the company’s enhanced capability in this area will build on the role played by Lanemark’s longstanding testing installation.  Jeff Foster is keen to highlight key areas in which the new installation will help optimise this important element of production.

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“We can now test a greater range of both tank and oven burners in terms of size and output with specified configurations to match precise operating conditions,” he says.  He  points out that this now includes the company’s largest tank heating burner design, the TX80, using an 8” N.B. submersed tube heat exchanger.

“A wider range of emissions can also be monitored including NOx, SO2, CO2, CO and O2 as a result of the new facility incorporating a Horiba PG-350 flue gas analyser,” Jeff Foster explains.

The new test furnace now offers a volume measuring six metres in length and 2.5 metres in diameter.  No less than 25 viewing ports are available, each fitted with thermocouples to monitor temperatures of up to 1350°C, and pressure transmitters that can accommodate a range from -5 to +70 mbar.  Alongside this, the TX test installation provides improved flue gas testing accuracy and is able to address common issues such as condensation.

“Both the FD and TX test facilities are fully fitted with duct work and dampers to accurately reflect precise operating conditions,” adds Jeff Foster.  He explains that extensive plc control helps to optimise both set up and monitoring processes.

“We have always believed in working closely with our customers to ensure that the equipment we supply provides them with optimised usage in terms of performance, fuel consumption and emissions, and our investment in this new testing facility underlines this commitment,” concludes Jeff Foster.  “With the new service now up and running, we believe even greater benefits from our burner technology can be realised by users across our range of marketplaces.” 

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The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) is delighted to announce the first candidate to be enrolled on the new Compressed Air and Vacuum Technician (CAVT) apprenticeship.
 
Owen Webb, from Alton Compressor Services Limited (Alton) in Fareham has begun his training to coincide with this year’s National Apprenticeship Week and is the first young engineer in the UK to benefit from the scheme.
 
Owen’s training will be delivered by Semester Learning and Development (Semester), also the first provider in the UK to run the apprenticeship.  Using its proven online learning platform, Owen can train around his other work commitments.  Scott Margison, Managing Director of Semester explains:
 
“Following conversations with both the BCAS Training and Development Committee as well as the team at Alton, we could see the value that the CAVT apprenticeship would offer. In particular, how it could meet the urgent market requirement to develop specific skills related to compressed and vacuum systems.
 
“We are therefore proud to be the first training provider to offer the new CAVT apprenticeship and are really looking forward to working with Owen as he progresses through the variety of modules.  Our online delivery means that he can work flexibly, and at a pace which fits around his work schedule.
 
“Owen will benefit from a dedicated course tutor, alongside individual subject experts and an NVQ assessor.”
 
Commenting further, Jordan Sainsbury, Managing Director at Alton added:
 
“Owen started with us in October last year and initially, we were looking at a number of engineering training courses to help with his training and development. However, none of these offered any in-depth insight into the field of pneumatics, or the specifics of our industry. 
 
“So, when we learnt about the new CAVT apprenticeship, we were really keen to find a provider that would be able to deliver the training.  Scott and the team at Semester have been really enthusiastic throughout the process and we are all so proud that Owen will be the first person in the UK to kickstart the scheme!”
 
“Working in a family-run business like ours and managing multiple priorities can make it more difficult to schedule training.  The online approach really suits us.  Owen can schedule his apprenticeship modules around the daily demands of a busy service and engineering department.  We can’t wait to see how he progresses!”
 
During the three-year apprenticeship, candidates will learn how to commission compressed air and/or vacuum equipment and their associated systems, alongside service and maintenance, fault diagnosis, repair and system optimisation.
 
The course will also include the development of transferrable skills, which can be provided via BCAS training courses including working safely with compressed air and compressed air treatment technology to name a few.
 
The final two years will be more focused on developing the key engineering skills required by the industry, including installation, commissioning, service and repair of compressed air and vacuum systems.
 
Roy Brooks, Technical Development Officer at BCAS added:
 
"We are delighted that Owen will be undertaking the new apprenticeship, helping to plug the skills shortage of qualified engineers. The standard ensures that upon successful completion, the apprentice achieves a national apprenticeship, academic qualifications and may apply for the professional recognition of EngTech with The Society of Operations Engineers.
 
“We look forward to seeing how Owen progresses, paving the way for the latest generation of compressed air and vacuum technicians.”
 
 
To learn more about the CAVT apprenticeship and to view the full occupational standard, visit https://elearning.bcas.org.uk/compressed-air-and-vacuum-technician-cavt/
 
To learn more about Alton, visit www.altoncompressorservices.co.uk/

The new Alfa Laval CM Connect marks the next step in the digitalization journey to drive innovation and growth for customers in the hygienic processing industries. The CM Connect is a subscription-based condition monitor and cloud gateway. It enables plant operators to access data of rotating equipment on processing lines from a remote location. With data on actual runtime, trend analysis, and time to next service close at hand, plant operators can make informed maintenance decisions using their personal computers and mobile devices. This protects process continuity and critical assets, improves workplace safety, saves time and money, and delivers competitive advantage.

Maximize plant efficiency, minimize unplanned downtime

As Industry 4.0 evolves, the CM Connect is a natural next step on the customer digitalization journey, expanding the Alfa Laval range of condition monitoring solutions. With complete visibility of all connected assets, plant operators can detect issues that impact future performance, prevent unplanned downtime, and improve asset management.

The new and improved technology throughout the Hellberg Safety communications product range delivers the most advanced protection.

Hazardous work environments demand effective and reliable communication between people. Sometimes you need to talk and sometimes you just have to listen. With a range of up to 3km the new Hellberg Local hearing protector and communication headset makes it easy to talk to with colleagues - without the hassle of taking off your ear defenders.