News

A ROBOT which accurately replicates the mechanics of a human arm has been manufactured to remove specific waste from hazardous liquids from a safe, remote distance.

The team at engineering company Forth designed and created a robotic arm to operate like its human counterpart, complete with gripper technology to act as a hand, so the time-consuming process of sifting unwanted materials from liquids and transporting them into a designated area could be significantly speeded up.

Forth was approached by nuclear decommissioning company Magnox to find a solution on how to remove fragments of spent fuel rods from waste ponds at its Hinkley Point Power Station, in Bridgwater, by using a more efficient, cheaper and safer procedure.

Instead of removing all materials manually at the end of the process, the creation of the robotic arm allows companies to target specific materials and move them safely into a designated waste area.

The arm, manufactured from carbon fibre and stainless steel, is controlled remotely with a range of 10 metres and has cameras installed to feed back live images to the operator.

The machine operates exactly like a human arm and its flexibility allows the operator to navigate complicated routes. Similarly to an arm, it has joints to represent the shoulder, elbow and wrist to improve the maneuverability of the machine.

A two-pronged gripping mechanism was placed on the end of the arm to enable the machine to pick up the fuel rods and transport them without difficulty.

The robotic arm can be adapted by Forth to different clients’ needs and can therefore be used industry-wide.

Ben Telford, the engineering manager at Forth, said: “After being given a problem statement from the client, we had a recce of the site and looked at the waste pond and went away to think of some concept ideas.

“The robotic arm was the most versatile idea that would work successfully every time, and we went with that because there were a lot of constraints in the pond which we wouldn’t be able to navigate without the flexibility and fluid movement of the arm’s mechanics.

“Because it works like a human arm, the machine can manoeuvre around obstacles and angles and that proved game changing in the design.

“Just because we used it in the nuclear industry, it does not mean that it only serves a function for that sector and we can easily adapt this for multiple industries and whatever the job warrants.

“This robotic arm will be a huge asset to the industry because it is going to significantly speed up the process and save companies substantial amounts of money, while also reducing the risk to humans as it removes the interface previously required for the job.”

Magnox approached Forth because of its excellent reputation and experience in developing new products to solve industry-wide solutions.

The successful outcome of the project again highlights just why the company has become a global leader in the engineering industry.

Ben said: “We have worked previously with Magnox and they were aware of our work with other clients, so it was pleasing that they came to us with the problem statement.

“As a wider team, we all got together to discuss ideas and see what we could come up with collectively, and all the ideas and strategies from the different experts combined to get us to where we needed to be.

“It is definitely a collaborative approach we take at Forth to get the best possible results, and using the differing levels of expertise helped us dismiss some ideas but also come up with some others that we hadn’t previously thought of.”

Forth manufactured three robotic arms for use by Magnox.

Forth, which has bases in Flimby, Cleator Moor and Barrow, all in Cumbria, provides a number of services including manufacturing; decommissioning; mixed reality services; installation and site services; design and substantiation; innovation; deep recovery; and a trade counter.

To contact Forth visit www.forth.uk.com

While real progress was made at the COP26 Summit, the main conclusion drawn by the Glasgow Climate Pact was that further emissions cuts are required and need to be provided by the end of 2022. This is to ensure that countries are on track to meet the UN Paris Agreement’s target of net-zero by 2050.

Lifting, pushing, pulling, bending, spreading, cutting, lowering, pressing, and punching: The new Enerpac E330 Industrial Tools catalogue is now available. At 420 pages, it is 1.5 times larger than previous editions and designed to better serve customers and provide professionals with all the hydraulic tools they need to work safely and productively.

The catalogue features the full Enerpac portfolio of over 2,000 tools including the latest new products as well as other lines like Mirage machining, Equalizer flange tools, Sweeney aerospace tools and more. Each product series contains all the specifications, diagrams, selection charts and accessories needed to choose the right tool model and/or hydraulic system for the application. Customers and professionals can browse the catalogue by product category or go directly to a preferred model number using the index. And as in all the previous catalogs, the yellow pages section contains helpful information on the basics of hydraulics and safety instructions, along with tips for tool operation. 

A legacy for the Enerpac brand, the original catalogue evolved from an “Idea Book” introduced in 1951. It illustrated hundreds of applications for what was then a budding division of new hydraulic tools for the company. The book was filled with photos of actual product applications in factories, shipyards, power plants, paper mills, forge shops, and construction projects around the country. It quickly became—and remains—the industry standard.

The Enerpac E330 Industrial Tools catalogue can be downloaded from www.enerpac.com.

The destructive power of water is playing a key role in a highway improvement project along one of the busiest roads in the UK’s West Midland region.

Jets of water travelling at supersonic speeds are blasting concrete from around bearings in two flyovers on the A4440 Southern Link Road near Worcester.

The jets are so powerful they can tear lumps of concrete bigger than a fist from around the bearings, exposing the steel rebar for the first time since the carriageway was built.

However, in the hands of the experienced operatives from hydrodemolition specialist Aquaforce Concrete Services, they can also be directed with impressive precision to remove just the right amount material.

In the event of an explosion, the EXKOP Express controller receives a trigger signal, for example from the signalling unit of a flameless venting device, an explosion vent, a pressure detector or an IR-Flame sensor. The EXKOP Express controller then activates the connected explosion isolation systems, causing adjacent plant components to be isolated within milliseconds and protected against explosion propagation. The EXKOP Express is suitable for the following isolation systems: REMBE quench valves QV II and QV III, the Q-Bic extinguishing barrier and the RSV Slide Valve and REDEX Slide.

Together with the REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit, a software program to centrally display the explosion safety of your plant, the EXKOP Express offers the complete monitoring of plant components, process sections and statuses of various protective components. As soon as the EXKOP Express receives a trigger signal in the event of an explosion, it passes this information on to the REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit. Due to the direct notification to the desired communication medium, e.g. the mobile phone of the person in charge, REMBE has enabled causes to be identified in an optimised and targeted manner, thus allowing downtimes to be reduced.

By detecting operationally relevant components for explosion protection or temperature/fire gas detectors and grounding systems for explosion prevention, they can be registered via the REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit and connected to material management. So if a disruptive event such as an explosion occurs, the system detects which areas are affected and provides information about which spare parts are needed to restore the plant to a safe condition as quickly as possible. These functions can be presented in the operator’s system as a “suggestion” or can be sent directly to the manufacturer as a non-binding request. Continuous optimisation of processes is made possible through detailed documentation and evaluation of all results.

www.rembe.de

Leading global provider of mission critical air and gas handling products, technologies and services, Howden, has won a contract to supply a cooling system for the expansion of the Prominent Hill mine in South Australia for OZ Minerals. 

The solution provided by Howden will be for the complete mine cooling system and Howden’s equipment will ensure safe productive outcomes at depth and will bring additional efficiencies to reduce environmental impact for current and future carbon footprint compliance.

Howden will focus on sustainability and the solution will include closed circuitry on both condenser and evaporator circuits and R717 (Ammonia) compressors which emit no harmful CO2 or HFCs.  The system consumes no water, using the ambient air as the cooling medium and Howden will supply chillers, air cooled condensers, bulk air coolers, pumps, electronic controls and hydraulic design.

Camille Levy, President of Howden APAC, comments: “Howden works in partnership with customers to create solutions for their needs which are of the highest functionality, while supporting their net zero targets. This project is no exception. Our unique combination of manufacturing excellence, technical and project deliverables, and our global experience, also contributes to the reduction of carbon impact of operations.”

The use of Howden refrigeration screw compressor technology coupled with first class OEM suppliers of condenser coolers and bulk air coolers were other supporting factors in the successful offer which will be delivered by the Howden team in China.

Howden focuses on helping customers increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their air and gas handling processes enabling them to make sustainable improvements in their environmental impact.  Howden designs, manufactures and supplies products, solutions and services to customers around the world across highly diversified end-markets and geographies.

The business recently announced its target to be carbon Net Zero by 2035 through the purchase of renewable energy and carbon free energy; efficiency gains from energy conservation measures; and by renewable energy projects at its manufacturing facilities. The largest impact the business will have on global sustainability will be through its partnership with customers to supply equipment that will make a major impact on their carbon emissions and sustainability.

www.howden.com 

Valpes’ range of ATEX electric actuators has evolved with a new design and dimensions!

Valpes took the opportunity offered by compliance with the latest requirements of the ATEX directive (2014/34/EU) for installation in potentially explosive and hazardous atmospheres.

New certifications are also achievable for new markets with EACEx (Russia) and IECEx (international) certification.

Workforce injuries resulting from slips and falls are one of the leading, longstanding causes of unplanned workplace absence.  The latest statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) make for a sobering read. https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causinj/index.htm

Of the annual 750,000+ non-fatal injury reports it received in the UK, 29% cited slips, trips and falls, on the same surface level, as the cause.  And this translated into a phenomenal 11.25 million lost working days in just one year. 

So, the application of anti-slip coatings to all risk areas not only makes sound sense from a health and safety perspective but also from an operational and cost efficiency standpoint too.  Coatings are available with a broad range of characteristics that don’t just create a durable anti-slip finish for people but vehicles as well, ranging from light to heavy traffic.

LOCTITE® is a brand with notable benefits in this field.  Products in the range outlast and outperform typical sand-in-paint systems and tapes and are proven to be the strongest, most aggressive anti-slip methods available.   Typical applications include ramps, walkways, stairs, changing rooms, machine shops, assembly areas, warehouse floors and loading docks. And they are suitable for use on concrete, asphalt, wood, ceramic, fibreglass and metal surfaces with applications across industry, commerce and in the public service, utilities and transport sectors. 

UKEX – Practical Consideration and Implementation

UKCA marking (UK Conformity Assessed marking) is the UK product marking requirement that will be needed for all Ex-products being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). This substitutes the European Union (EU) requirements for CE Marking, which continues to be accepted in Northern Ireland.

UKCA Ex (UKEX) approval came into force from 1st January 2021, with a transitional period lasting up until 1st January 2023. However, the UKCA mark will not be recognised in the EU, European Economic Area, or Northern Ireland. For Northern Ireland, either the CE mark or dual UKNI and CE mark may be required.

To allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, CE marked ‘existing stock’ can still be accepted up until 1st January 2023. For example, if machinery was fully manufactured and ready to be place on the market before 1 January 2023. With respect to existing products, the rules for the EU and UK are the same, the legislation applies at the point when the individual product is placed on the market. This means that UKCA marking would not be required for products already placed on the market, for example, items which are already imported and sitting with a distributor which was prior to 1st Jan 2023.

Hundreds of scientists and engineers working on the UK’s race to harness fusion energy are being protected from COVID-19 contamination by new super-tough anti-microbial coating Touchpoint Shield.

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has commissioned bio-hazard cleaning and decontamination specialist SafeGroup to install Touchpoint Shield in washrooms and toilet areas.

Facilities managers at the authority’s research centre near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, were impressed with trials that proved the coating suppressed the build-up of SARS-Cov-2, the COVID-19 virus.

A team of SafeGroup technicians has now applied the fast-drying and nearly invisible Touchpoint Shield to showers, toilets and taps at multiple locations across the 200-acre fusion energy research site.