A market report from Entec, an environmental consultancy, has provided encouragement for the producers of a new filtration material made from recycled glass.
Two aspects of filtration have a direct impact on the environment: first, filters are frequently used to extract contaminants from liquids and gases so that they do not pollute; second, the filter elements - which are inevitably contaminated - have to be safely disposed of at their end of their useful life so that they do not pose a fresh hazard.
Parker Balston has launched Tyresaver, a compact, self-contained nitrogen generator for independent tyre centres and garages to inflate tyres.
A market report from Entec, an environmental consultancy, has provided encouragement for the producers of a new filtration material made from recycled glass.
Two aspects of filtration have a direct impact on the environment: first, filters are frequently used to extract contaminants from liquids and gases so that they do not pollute; second, the filter elements - which are inevitably contaminated - have to be safely disposed of at their end of their useful life so that they do not pose a fresh hazard.
Parker Balston has launched Tyresaver, a compact, self-contained nitrogen generator for independent tyre centres and garages to inflate tyres.
Just a few years ago it would have been unthinkable to use anything other than hard-wired electromechanical safety relays for the safety-related controls on machinery. But technology and machinery safety standards have now evolved to present machine builders with a much wider choice, as Jon Severn reports.
Just a few years ago it would have been unthinkable to use anything other than hard-wired electromechanical safety relays for the safety-related controls on machinery. But technology and machinery safety standards have now evolved to present machine builders with a much wider choice, as Jon Severn reports.
Profibus has been described as Europe's leading industrial fieldbus. So what is the current status of the version approved for use with safety-related qqqdata? Jon Severn investigates.
Asisafe, the version of the Actuator-Sensor Interface fieldbus protocol that is approved for use with safety-related data, appears to be extremely popular with those designing control systems for new equipment as well as those updating the safety systems on existing machinery.
Croner, a leading business information services provider, has developed a range of manufacturing, engineering and new product design (NPD) compliance manuals. The manuals are loose-leaf in design for easy reference, and come complete with regular updates and monthly newsletters.
Traditionally, control in hazardous areas has been achieved using pneumatics but, more recently, 4-20mA electronic systems have been used. However, with a growing demand to cut installation and maintenance costs, Ray Barnes predicts that piezo pneumatics will be more widely used.
Several alternative methods of providing explosion protection are available to the designer, five of which are outlined below.
IEC 61508 is an umbrella standard, covering all industries and all aspects of the safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety-related systems from 'cradle to grave'. Paul Stevens looks at the standard and what its implications are.
The IEC 61508 is not, strictly speaking, a standard; rather it is a series of standards for the functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic (E/E/PE) safety-related systems. Part 1 is the main standard and parts 2 to 7 are supporting documents. The seven are listed by IEC (the International Electrotechnical Committee) as follows:
