Editorial

In this article, Dustcontrol highlights problems associated with dust pollution in modern production facilities and illustrates how integrated high vacuum systems can provide competitive advantage. Intense workloads and pressure to produce quality products are
creating demand for cleaner production facilities. However,manufacturing intensity seems to make this need harder than ever.

Airborne dust and particulate waste from manufacturing processes are increasingly nacceptable in facilities trying to achieve efficient working environments. If physical concerns over product quality and environmental health are not enough, external pressures from COSHH and recent ATEX regulations, add to the burden.

While it may seem that air cleaning through large-scale ventilation is a primary option, many businesses could improve their facilities through on-tool extraction.This involves high vacuum systems that transport waste to a centralised location for easy disposal or intermediate pre-separators for potential recycling. Such systems can also be used as general in-house vacuums, negating the need for sweeping (which creates hazardous airborne dust) and mobile vacuums.

Michell Instruments are delighted to announce that they now offer a rental scheme for a number of their products. Due to a significant demand in the market, Michell made four of their most popular dew point hygrometers available for hire.

Offering the customer free packing and carriage in the UK and free technical, and applications support, the rental scheme gives the customer all of the benefits of buying a new product, but the ease of hiring it at a fraction of the cost. Each product is calibrated to National Standards and calibration is re-verified before delivery.

Providing the customer with a flexible, efficient and cost-effective solution, this scheme has been an instant success. Since its launch, Michell have had all of their available instruments out on hire and are adding to their product range to deal with the demand. Special gas producers, Air Products, Plc, Manchester, were one of the first customers to be delighted with this new service.

Monitran launches its easy-to-use product selector guide for general and special purpose vibration sensors

High Wycombe, United Kingdom

With the Kyoto protocol due to be renewed next month and road vehicles contributing to four-fifths of the total emissions in the UK that apply to transport - transport as a whole makes up a quarter of the UK

Deritend is one of the few UK companies qualified to repair, certify, install and commission electric motors for use in ATEX zoned environments. While traditional ATEX industries such as petrochemical processing facilities are used to conformity, Deritend is warning that motors without correct certification are likely to be used in the recently defined ATEX zone 20 to 22 dust conditions. Companies need to use suppliers and repairers that correctly certify machines if they are to avoid liability should something go wrong.

Commenting, Dave Hawley, General Manager of Deritend

John Crane has responded to the need for a rugged, accurate and reliable measurement and alignment system with the launch of LASE-A-LIGN EX

Sira is a world leader in the conformity assessment solutions field, specialising in explosion protection of equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres (Hazardous Areas).

Already the UK

SBES has recently completed the installation of a diverse lone worker protection system for ExxonMobil Aviation at six airports across the UK. The system, the first of its type anywhere in the World, will protect workers either out on site refuelling aircraft or back at the operational base.

The initiative to install the SBES system has come from Paul Heald, SHE and OIMS adviser for ExxonMobil Aviation in the UK. He recognised that during a 24h period at Manchester Airport personnel were often working alone and that a solution to this

UK manufacturer Midland-ACS, has developed a control system capable of operating in the harsh environment of gas turbine heat recovery systems destined for the Al Shaheen oil field in Qatar.
 
Working closely alongside Citech, formerly Alstom Energy Systems SHG ltd., Midland-ACS

Alcon Solenoid Valves new EXm rated valve actuation coil is providing precise dosing control for a new additive injection system designed specifically to handle the integration of biofuels into the domestic fuel market at the refinery.
 
With governments and auto manufacturers the world over pursuing ways to reduce reliance on crude oil and reduce emissions, one of the favoured current methods