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The new Garlock SGi shaft grounding bearing isolator is the first seal to protect bearings from electrical damage as well as from lubricant loss and contamination.

Maintenance-free, the Garlock SGi combines the proven technologies of the Garlock GUARDIAN non-sparking bronze labyrinth seal and the AEGIS shaft grounding ring in a single unit. It is suited for motors controlled by variable frequency drives (VFDs) running pumps, fans, high-speed spindles, and other equipment in “severe-duty” applications such as mining and the processing of pulp/paper, food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and water/wastewater.

Commonly used to save energy, VFDs induce motor-shaft currents that can damage bearings, completely wiping out any energy cost savings.  Standard bearing seals only keep out contamination and prevent leaks, but the Garlock SGi diverts harmful currents safely to ground, bypassing the bearings entirely and extending motor life. The patented AEGIS FiberLock channel built into the Garlock SGi permanently secures circumferential rows of conductive microfibers, preventing their dislocation and the resulting accidental contamination of the bearing. The microfibers themselves, proven in hundreds of thousands of installations to protect bearings from harmful currents, are specially engineered for exceptional flexibility to prevent breakage and ensure that the SGi will last for the service life of the motor.

Designed for long-term total bearing protection, the SGi also provides an IP56 non-contact isolation seal that withstands dust and powerful jetting liquids.  It easily replaces contact lip seals and traditional bearing isolators used in nearly every industrial application and withstands operating temperatures from –22°F to 300°F. The unit is available for motor-shaft sizes ranging from 0.875 to six inches in flanged, flangeless, and custom configurations.

“No other seal provides the SGi’s level of protection against costly maintenance,” says Earl Rogalski,

A worker in British Columbia troubleshooting a mechanical problem on part of a lowbed trailer — known as a "gooseneck" — that connects the trailer's deck to the tractor was crushed while looking under the raised gooseneck, according to a Hazard Alert from WorkSafeBC released by Enform. The fatally injured worker was kneeling behind the jeep's rear wheels. A second worker on the opposite side of the gooseneck was also troubleshooting.

Unaware that the first worker was in the hazardous area between the gooseneck and the jeep's frame, he walked over to the hydraulic controls, intending to raise the gooseneck so that he could get a better look at a malfunctioning part. When he activated the controls, however, the gooseneck dropped down instead.

The worker who was under the gooseneck suffered fatal injuries when the gooseneck dropped onto him.

Recommended safe work practices included that employers provide workers with the information, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their safety when working around hazardous areas of equipment, including pinch points. They should inform workers of the hazards — including pinch points that present a risk of crush injuries — to which they are exposed when operating equipment or performing maintenance or repairs.

Additionally, companies should provide safe work procedures for working on or under parts held up by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure. Include the following: 

• Do not work under any elevated equipment part unless it has been physically secured against inadvertent movement.
• Do not leave any elevated equipment or equipment part unattended.
• Warn all workers nearby before activating any hydraulic controls to lift or lower equipment or equipment parts.

Acklands-Grainger Inc., Canada’s leading distributor of industrial, safety and fastener products, recently hosted “The Works,” one of the country's largest maintenance repair and operations (MRO) and safety show at the Toronto Congress Centre.

The annual event — held in Toronto for the first time — brought together more than 2,000 invited customers, 250 manufacturers and 800 Acklands-Grainger team members from across the country to provide a forum for attendees to discuss pressing industry trends, as well as showcase thousands of new products and solutions that help business run more efficiently and keep employees safe and on the job.

“Faced with a challenging economic climate, companies are looking to trim costs in new ways to improve their bottom line,” said Sean O’Brien, president of Acklands-Grainger. “Companies can realize significant savings by partnering with a supplier like Acklands-Grainger who can serve as a single source for MRO suppliers, reducing product acquisition and storage costs.”

In addition to the trade show, the company hosted a variety of seminars offering expertise in topics ranging from ways to improve environmental performance and helping businesses better manage process costs associated with purchasing, to ensuring compliance with appropriate government regulations and how to save time and money through eCommerce solutions.

“Our goal was for everyone to leave with stronger relationships and increased knowledge on how Acklands-Grainger and our partners can help them improve their business results and I’m confident that this was achieved. Our team is passionate about serving customers and we look forward to partnering with Canadian business in 2011 and beyond,” O’Brien added.
www.acklandsgrainger.com/info

The New Year signalled further important steps in the integration of the Hägglunds group into Bosch Rexroth Canada. Following the acquisition of the Swedish company in December 2008, 15 sales units of Hägglunds’ 22 legal units will be gradually transferred to the legal units of Bosch Rexroth.

The legal integration will be accompanied by a simultaneous integration of Hägglunds sales units into Bosch Rexroth sales units in each country, which will allow a larger sales team to serve Rexroth and Hägglunds customers from one single source.

Hägglunds Drives is an international supplier of complete hydraulic drive systems, separate drive motors and services. The group develops, manufactures, markets and services complete drive system solutions for applications requiring high torque and variable speeds. The drive systems are used in a wide range of industries, such as mining and materials handling, marine and offshore, recycling, sugar, pulp and paper.

In the renewable energies sector, Hägglunds Drives products are used to drive machines for producing ethanol, and feature in the first prototypes for generating tidal energy.

The acquisition of Hägglunds Drives expands Rexroth’s industrial hydraulics portfolio allowing Rexroth to gain new potential in growing markets, such as renewable energies, mining and materials handling.
www.boschrexroth.ca

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is supporting the European Chemical Agency’s (ECHA) campaign to remind companies that new rules on classification, labelling, packaging and notification of chemical substances came into force on 1 December 2010.

Phoenix Inspection Systems has appointed John Boughey as the new manager of its probe assembly department.

A leading educational charity is challenging companies to help engage secondary school students with careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Leading instrumentation specialist Ashtead Technology has announced the appointment of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and Remote Visual Inspection (RVI) specialist Peter Myatt as its new Sales Manager.

National Instruments UK & Ireland recognised innovative applications developed by engineers, scientists and researchers in its NIDays 2010 Graphical System Design Case Study Contest. This annual technical paper contest, now in its fifth year, is intended to encourage and showcase the most innovative uses of virtual instrumentation and graphical system design in teaching or by engineers in industry.

The BINDT North East Scotland Branch Seminar and Exhibition in November started off as an exploration for AGR Technology Design: it was the first time the company attended the event and it ended up with it not only exhibiting but also presenting a paper on subsea ultrasonics using the AGR Neptune and Trident systems.