Oxford YASA Motors, a company created to commercialise the revolutionary YASA motor developed by Oxford University’s Energy and Power Group, is finding that a TorqSense non-contact speed and torque sensor from Sensor Technology is an invaluable aid in the refinement of its world-leading motor designs. Used in a test rig to evaluate prototype motors, the sensor provides accurate and dependable real time information in a readily accessible format.

Oxford YASA Motors is engaged in the development and manufacture of a new type of axial flux motor that features Yokeless And Segmented Armature (YASA) topology. Compared with conventional axial flux motors, the new YASA types offer a step-change improvement in torque density, making them ideal for applications such as electric vehicles where the highest possible torque-to-weight ratio is a key requirement.

To suit every individual application, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies can offer bespoke flange seals that meet the highest standards in hygiene. 

Developed for customer-specific sealing grooves in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, the customised flange seals are available via authorised distributor Dichtomatik Ltd, the exclusive provider for Freudenberg’s food and beverage related products in the UK.

Mobile GIS Services (MGISS) has released a new toolkit specifically designed to help highways contractors adopt new Highways England standards.

As part of the new Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) – the ‘highways bible’ – the requirement to manage drainage asset data and conduct specialist drainage surveys has changed. Designed to improve asset management, highways maintenance and reduce the risk of flooding and pollution, the new MGISS toolkit uses mobile devices running advanced mapping software to improve the planning of inspections, automate the collection of site data and facilitate the organisation wide use of drainage asset data.

SMGlobal has released FastMaint CMMS software v.11. It is a computerized maintenance management software program for equipment and facilities maintenance.

Maintenance managers can use FastMaint to schedule and manage preventive maintenance as well as corrective maintenance work. They can send work orders to the maintenance staff and receive their feedback. Managers can track the progress of all outstanding and completed jobs. They can use FastMaint for on-site maintenance programs or field service management.

Arnlea Systems Ltd, global leader in industrial mobile software for tracking, inspection and maintenance for the oil & gas industry, has successfully renewed its ISO 9001:2015 certification, the international standard for Quality Management Systems, for an additional three years, further underpinning its commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.

The ISO certification audit was performed by global standards organisation LRQA. They say that the ISO 9001 certification has been achieved by more than 1 million organisations worldwide, making the standard arguably the most important piece of business literature ever written.

Food and beverage manufacturers of all sizes are facing huge operational challenges right now. 

Sudden increases in consumer demand, shifting expectations, changes in food safety legislation, and emerging technologies, all require companies to be responsive, agile and flexible.  There is also the matter of ensuring seamless production continuity, to ensure consumer confidence around maintaining food and beverage supplies.

As digital technologies continue to transform global markets, no industry remains untouched, and food and beverage manufacturing is certainly no exception. 

Let’s consider how each of these three factors can impact day-to-day operations on the production floor, and how leading manufacturers are adapting to win. 

Spidex Software is delighted to announce that leading speciality bakery Finsbury Food Group has selected Mainsaver CMMS for its seven manufacturing sites across the UK.

Finsbury produces a wide range of cakes, bread and bakery snack products for major retailers and foodservice providers.

The selection of Mainsaver CMMS is just one part of a company-wide efficiency improvement drive at Finsbury called the “Operating Brilliance” programme. In terms of the engineering maintenance element, the programme seeks to uniformly improve asset management across all its sites with standardised KPIs and reporting systems.

Hart Door Systems has completed the installation of a major contract comprising Speedor Cleanrooms, Speedor Storms and a Firebrand fire shutter for a leading UK manufacturer and supplier of flavourings, extracts and essences.

Gordon Kipling, Hart’s senior sales executive, says the contract was driven by Odour Abatement as a result of a number of complaints from local residents about odours emanating from the plant.

Rail safety specialist, Sheffield’s Zonegreen, is using its latest technology to protect depot staff on the Isle of Wight from the risks associated with manual hand points. 

The firm has installed three Points Converters at Ryde St. John’s Road depot, which serves the Island Line, an eight and a half mile stretch of rail running from Pier Head to Shanklin on the east coast. 

Site managers up and down the country share many of the same concerns, and safety is one of the main ones. Unfortunately, and despite everyone’s best intentions, accidents can happen. A leak can inform you there was damaged equipment, and a spill can often be attributed to human error. Both leaks and spills can spread quickly and present immediate hazards for slips and falls. 

Measures to combat this can be put into two broad categories: prevention and remedy. Prevention is always the preferred option as it ensures safety, simultaneously saving you considerable time and expense. But even the best made plans can go awry and whether through accident, mistake or bad luck, you could have a liquid on your site presenting a risk. The most appropriate response is therefore to include both prevention and remedy in your plan, and there are three areas that warrant the most attention to keep your site safe.