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Safety levels during solar panel commissioning and installation have been strengthened substantially by the world’s first CAT III 1500 V true-RMS solar clamp meter

Eindhoven, Netherlands. 7 June 2022: Fluke, a global technology leader in the manufacturer of compact, professional electronic test and measurement tools and software, has today announced the top three electrical hazards to avoid when installing and maintaining PV solar installations to keep technicians safe. Renewable energy is one of the fastest growing markets in the world – in the UK, solar installations have doubled within the last year and are expected to double again by 2030.  

Such rapid expansion is accelerating the search for ways to reduce risks associated with commissioning and installing photovoltaic (PV) systems. The resulting demand for highly accurate hand-held devices capable of carrying out safe and reliable measurements in these applications has now been met with the introduction of the world’s first CAT III 1500 V true-RMS solar clamp meter – the Fluke 393 FC.

In PV applications current is "wild" and not limited by electronics, therefore choosing the correct solar testing equipment is vital if workers – and the PV system itself – are to be protected against a range of potential electrical hazards.

Class 1 and 2 Hi-Vis Stretch Work Trousers with Sorona® sustainable performance fibres.

Whether its dusk, dawn or dark, Snickers Workwear has a superior range of Hi-Vis protective wear for both men and women to ensure comfort, safety and certified protection.

The latest additions to the Hi-Vis range are the new Stretch Work Trousers made from the innovative Sorona® sustainable performance fibre.

Sorona® delivers both environmental benefits and great performance. This recyclable, bio-based fibre offers exceptional softness for maximum comfort as well as excellent durability to help extend the lifetime of a garment.

The new Hi-Vis Work Trousers with Sorona® also offer long-lasting elasticity for ease of movement. Sorona® is also quick-drying, breathable and soft to the touch for optimal comfort and workday performance.

With advanced designs, high-tech fabrics and performance reflection features, all Snickers Workwear Hi-Vis protective wear has durable colour-fast protection that will last through wash after wash, retaining shape, comfort and protection levels throughout the life of the garments.

Added to which, Snickers Workwear High-Vis garments can be custom-profiled to ensure 'stand out' coverage for your corporate brand.

For more information on the Snickers Workwear range of Hi-Vis Protective Wear, call the Hultafors Group UK Helpline on 01484 854788, checkout the website at www.snickersworkwear.co.uk or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ultimo and INOTEAM join forces to help asset-intensive organisations in the French market benefit from Ultimo’s Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) solution. Based in France, INOTEAM is a service provider and a system integrator specialising in EAM and APM (Asset Performance Management) software. Ultimo is the leading EAM platform in Europe, serving more than 2,200 customers in manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, infrastructure and utilities. The new partnership allows INOTEAM to add Ultimo’s EAM Cloud Platform to its service portfolio, enabling it to provide customers with a user-friendly and flexible EAM solution that is quick and easy to implement.

For years, INOTEAM’s specialist consultants have guided customers in finding a strategic way to implement EAM and APM solutions. With a wealth of expertise in different best-in-class solutions, they are dedicated to helping find the solution that makes their customer’s project a success. The partnership helps INOTEAM better serve its mid-market customers through an EAM solution tailored to their unique needs. It will also accelerate Ultimo’s growth and presence in France, helping bring its solutions to new customers. 

Patrick Navarro, CEO of INOTEAM, commented: “Ultimo and INOTEAM have come together through our network of customers and partners. We share not only a vision for customer requirements but also an entrepreneurial spirit and a pragmatic approach to business; our partnership made immediate sense to both companies. This is also true on the operations level – we work as one team to make our customers successful, and we have already signed up our first joint customers.”

Marcel Leeflang, Head of Channel Sales at Ultimo, said: “As part of our international growth ambitions, I am very happy that we are connected with one of the leading providers in our market in France. We are convinced that the partnership will benefit mid-sized asset-intensive companies in the country. Our technology partnership with AVEVA also plays an important role, enabling us to connect Ultimo with AVEVA’s APM platforms. This allows us to offer our customers an integrated solution that covers the best of both worlds. Leveraging EAM and APM strongly contributes to the customer’s road to EAM maturity, resulting in further cost savings, higher uptime and a safer workplace. As a joint AVEVA partner, INOTEAM is now able to bring these benefits to their customers.”

www.ultimo.com   

A manufacturer of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles frequently had to replace the linear guides on its blow moulding machines.

However, after switching to NSK’s RA series roller guides, there have been no failures for over a year, producing annual cost savings in maintenance, spare parts, and downtime of €60,000. Dissatisfied with the number of linear guide failures on its blow moulding machines, the manufacturer invited NSK to investigate several faulty guides.

 Expert analysis identified the cause to be end cap damage, which was occurring due to the combination of short stroke movements, short cycle times, frequent start-stop operation, and increased displacement force during start-up. Given this application profile and the damage that was taking place, NSK recommended that the plastics processor installed RA series roller guides.

 These guides offer, among other things, very high load-carrying capacity and motion accuracy, extreme rigidity, smooth running, and long service life under conditions of short cycle rates and high loads. A principal design feature of the RA series are its spacers, which perform a restraining function between each of the rollers.

 These spacers reduce roller skew and ensure smooth running, as well as lower displacement force during start-up. The user followed the recommendation and, on a trial basis, equipped one of its blow moulding machines with NSK RA series roller guides. This machine ran for more than a year without any problems or breakdowns, reducing production downtime costs to zero.

 NSK's cost savings analysis showed that the retrofit of this one machine alone resulted in a saving of €59,500. In the light of this outcome, the PET bottle manufacturer had no hesitation in upgrading its other blow moulding machines.

Press pictures 1) A manufacturer of PET bottles is benefitting from NSK RA series roller guides on its blow moulding machines. Photo: Shutterstock

2) NSK RA series roller guides offer high load capacity and rigidity to meet the needs of a wide range of applications. Photo: NSK

www.nsk.com

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software provider Ultimo explains how improving collaboration between departments can help organisations optimise productivity, enhance safety, and cut costs at Maintec 2022, NEC Birmingham, 8-9 June. Visitors to Ultimo’s stand A26 can learn how autonomous maintenance empowers operators to look after recurring maintenance tasks, freeing maintenance team capacity for more value-adding jobs. The stand will also feature a live demonstration of how combining EAM technologies with virtual reality technology can help streamline maintenance on the field.

Featuring Ultimo’s partner, the industrial technology specialist ICT Group, the live demo shows why access to reliable asset data enables more intelligent remote maintenance. Visitors can experience it for themselves when Ultimo’s EAM software is linked to ICT Group’s mixed-reality platform HoloNXT, which connects online data with the physical world to create a digital twin. This data is then integrated with insight from Ultimo’s EAM platform to provide real-time information on the status of maintenance activities and asset health.

“We are excited to show visitors how leveraging asset data can unlock completely new levels of efficiency in maintenance,” said Chris van den Belt, Team Leader Product Management, Ultimo. “You can look remotely at a physical asset – in this case a bicycle we have on the stand – and have all crucial maintenance and operational data from Ultimo made available to you through HoloNXT. This helps optimise communication and information sharing and enable safer mobile working.”

To find out more, visit Ultimo on stand A26 or online at www.ultimo.com.

SONOTEC brings powerful combination of hardware and software for preventive maintenance to Sweden SONOTEC, a leading specialist in ultrasonic measurement technology, is going to showcase all-new and updated products and solutions for preventive maintenance at Underhållsmässan and looks for strong partnerships in Scandinavian region. The fair will take place from 31 May till 3 June in Gothenburg

Acoustic Camera SONASCREEN®       

 Broadband structure-borne sound sensor BS40 and SONAPHONE®  

Today it is crucial to meet climate change targets and energy efficiency lays the cornerstone for a new and more environmentally conscious approach to the industrial operations. Another important focus nowadays is to prevent critical equipment from unnecessary and unplanned downtimes.

 Ultrasonic solutions ensure that these issues are addressed at the very earliest stage when big problems can still be omitted. It has never been so important to use resources wisely and ensure that machinery is up-and-running when it is needed the most. SONOTEC for the first time ever brings its wide palette of powerful ultrasonic solutions to Scandinavia.

Our preventive maintenance devices offer users new ways to deal with energy inefficiencies, cut extensive costs as well as to reduce unplanned downtimes and production losses. Our team is on a mission to find strong business and technology partners to allow new customers solve their problems using our innovative and reliable ultrasonic testing devices and solutions.

 We are looking forward to getting to know Scandinavian partners and will be happy to show our maintenance solutions in the core applications of: • Ultrasonic Leak Detection • Tightness Testing • Steam Trap and Valve Inspection • Bearing Inspection and Lubrication • Detection of Electrical Partial Discharges This year SONOTEC, which is active in the industry for more than 30 years, is going to present the acoustic camera SONASCREEN® which makes ultrasound not only audible but also visible.

 The second highlight is the new broadband structure-borne sound sensor BS40 which in combination with ultrasonic testing device SONAPHONE® enables detection of bearing faults and check-up of lubrication status. Last but not Seite 2 von 2 least, we will be happy to demonstrate our sensor box SSB10 together with the T20 Probe which allows for effective online monitoring of machines and processes. The SONOTEC team is looking forward to meeting customers, partners, colleagues, and friends at Underhållsmässan in Gothenburg at booth #C02:30. Being proactive with ultrasonic preventive solutions pays off.

www.sonotec.de

The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) has appointed Jen Kershaw to the new position of Policy and Membership Officer.

Jen joins the society with more than a decade’s experience in the compressed air industry gained in a range of customer support and sales roles and will be working directly with BCAS members to further enhance the range of services provided.

In the role, Jen will have two primary functions. One of these is to drive member engagement and satisfaction to ensure that value is continued to be delivered from membership of the society.

Jen’s other role will be to work on policy to influence legislation and regulation at a strategic level in the new landscape, post Brexit. 

She will work with other industry groups and BCAS partners to help influence and lobby for regulatory improvement, which will help drive change and ensure the compressed air industry continues to have a strong voice.

Commenting on the new position, Jen said:

“I have worked in the industry for many years, both directly for compressed air manufacturers including Ingersoll Rand and Atlas Copco and in distribution, including MultiAir UK & Ireland and more recently, Pennine Pneumatic Services. 

“I have seen first-hand the benefits that membership of BCAS can bring, but many members are not aware of the full range of services that are available to them.  This includes not only the technical and legislative advice and the specialist industry training that the society is renowned for, but a comprehensive range of business services too, including HR, health and safety, legal and tax support.

“As a BCAS member, you are part of a network of like-minded businesses and air users that want to be compliant with the latest legislation and operate safely and efficiently.  Through face-to-face meetings and more regular feedback, I’m looking forward to speaking to more members directly to understand how the society can help their businesses to grow and succeed.”

Vanda Jones, BCAS Executive Director added:

“We are delighted to welcome Jen to the team.  She brings a wealth of experience in customer-focused roles and will be a real asset in helping us to reach more members and help influence the future direction of the society. 

“The feedback we receive will help to shape, formulate and revise UK directives and regulations, through to delivering specific member benefits and training courses that our members need to deliver their services safely and efficiently.”

A ferry ride across Hong Kong’s harbour in the early stages of a typhoon caused Doug Hart, chairman, Hart Industrial Doors, to pause – just what sort of technology would be needed to create a secure, protective, shutter that could withstand the full impact of a typhoon he asked himself writes Chris Dobson.

Research shows that typhoons and their sister storm, the hurricane could generate wind well in excess of 100 mph, enough at sustained levels to break any known shutter system.

“The issues when faced with such violence is to secure buildings and potential weak areas such as loading bays and other access points. We were dealing with exceptional weather up to the super typhoon level. The power would break a standard shutter system,” says Mr Hart.

Encouraged by Hart’s Hong Kong partner, Hart’s team re-worked on its existing Terror Screen, which is a large and heavy security shutter that offers protection for up to 20 minutes against cutting, drilling, crowbars and axes due to its exceptional robustness, to create Hart’s typhoon shutter, many of which are now in service.

The development of this super shutter is timely given climate change and the likelihood of increasing storms. Indeed the UK was hit by several storms in quick succession starting with Arwen last November with sustained strong winds generating gusts up to 110 mph. The devastation was considerable with evidence of damage to forests and property large-scale and still evident today.

With climate change the culprit  there is a rush to minimise the impact of fossil fuels by accelerating the transition to clean energy. One hundred nations pledged to end deforestation by 2030 at the recent COP but record numbers of trees have been recently plundered from Brazil’s part of the Amazon.

Despite best intentions therefore, climate change is going to rumble on. How does this global conversation impact on the mere mortal living, for example, in North East England? The late storms of 2021, which continued into 2022 have already been referred to. But with damaging storms likely to be a feature of our weather pattern it is best to be prepared.

The initial Hong Kong experience has been an opportunity for Hart to develop a very strong shutter system drawing on its experience with the Typhoon shutter which is proven to be able to withstand violent storms. With more storms of the Arwen strength forecast, a high-performance roller shutter which is a wind-resistant, robust and electrically operated roller shutter system is essential.

Perfect for high security in areas exposed to extreme winds from major storms and it complies with the current British and EEC safety regulations. Further during its development Hart third party tested the shutter which revealed it could withstand various high-pressure levels up to 4000 pascals. 

As a brand it is a perfect match for Hart’s Speedor range of high-speed, automatic doors. Just as the Typhoon shutter is about strength and protection, Speedor is about high-speed and frequent use in high-traffic situations, improving working conditions and saving energy. 

Contact www.hartdoors.com  t: 0191 214 0404   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tractebel begins its gender equity journey with EDGE Assess certification 

Tractebel, the global engineering company delivering game-changing solutions for a carbon-neutral future, has become EDGE Assess certified, becoming the first organization within the multi-utilities industry to obtain a global EDGE Assess certification confirming its commitment to workplace gender equity. 

EDGE is the leading global assessment and business certification for gender and intersectional equity. The certification process involves a rigorous third-party review of representation across the pipeline, pay equity, effectiveness of policies and practices, and inclusiveness of an organization’s culture. As an integral part of the assessment, statistical data is analysed, policies and practices are reviewed and employees receive a comprehensive survey to assess perceptions of career development opportunities in the workplace.

EDGE’s assessment has highlighted a certain number of common denominators but also important local specificities across the different countries of operation of the company. Tractebel France has a solid framework of policies and practices in equal pay for equivalent work and flexible working. Similarly, when it comes to inclusivity both male and female employees in Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany and India, perceive Tractebel to provide equal opportunities to be hired and they would also recommend it as an employer to both male and female friends to work for the organization. 

Across countries of operation, employees of both genders believe that gender equity is important for the organization to remain competitive in the market. Furthermore, men and women are given equal access to leadership development opportunities, a crucial element needed for a journey towards gender equity in the workplace. 

With their EDGE action plan, Tractebel aims to improve gender balance and inclusion across all levels of responsibility, through a focused approach in terms of hiring, promotion/development, and retention rates across the pipeline.

Aniela Unguresan, Founder of EDGE Certified Foundation, says that EDGE Assess global certification marks a strong start: “Tractebel proudly joins the other companies of the ENGIE Group - ENGIE Brasil Participações and ENGIE Impact - which are currently certified at EDGE Assess level, on the EDGE accelerated path towards workplace gender equity. Their EDGE Certification will enable the company to successfully contribute to ENGIE Group’s Fifty-Fifty Programme, which aims to accelerate inclusion at the Group level and create the necessary conditions to achieve gender parity in managerial positions by 2030.”

“I am proud to announce that our Tractebel headquarters in five countries – Belgium, Brazil, Germany, India and France – have all passed the external audit by SGS to achieve the first of three levels to EDGE certification, EDGE Assess, which demonstrates commitment to gender equity in the workplace. This first level officially recognizes our commitment and will be followed by a concrete action plan to increase gender balance and inclusion across all levels of responsibility. Why are we pursuing EDGE certification? Because diversity, including gender equity, is crucial to the success of any organization. It creates a more innovative and productive workforce, bringing a proven competitive edge. It’s also an increasingly deciding factor among stakeholders, clients, current and potential employees and the public. But it’s not just about the bottom line. Most importantly, in 2022 there is simply no room or reason for inequality of any kind in the workplace, or anywhere else. Looking forward to continuing the journey to EDGE certification!” says Karen Goovaerts, Tractebel Chief Human Resources, QHSSE and Communications Officer.

www.tractebel-engie.com