SICK UK Publishes Food-Processing Sensor Guide

SICK UK's 'Efficient Automation for Food and Beverage Production' guide features sensors that have a positive effect on operating safety, availability and economic efficiency of facilities. The 72-page guide describes the best sensor or scanner for differing applications.

It addresses hygiene design issues and resisting clean-in-place and sterilise-in-place regimes; hygiene legislation and certification; temperature; and environmental and ingress protection. Further sections cover the extensive support services provided by SICK for food and beverage manufacturers and a comprehensive overview of SICK sensor products.

APS Offers Hire Service To UK Businesses

Automated Packaging Systems (APS) is offering the option to UK businesses to hire - rather than buy - automated bagging and void fill solutions. The company has joined forces with nationwide tool and equipment provider HSS Hire to offer exclusive short- and long-term hire of its Freespace bagging system and Airpouch void fill system. The PS 125 Freespace is designed for low- to mid-volume operations.

It is said to be highly productive and flexible and has been adapted for a range of applications, from splitting bulk-purchase fittings and craft items to dispatching goods from offices. Capable of operating at speeds up to 25 bags per minute, it weighs less than 40kg and has a footprint of 550mm x 480mm, which means that it can be used in small spaces. The quiet, all-electric design does not require compressed air.

Freespace makes it possible for one person to sort and bag products at between four and six times their normal operating rate in a like-for-like bagging scenario, saving time and cutting the cost of bought-in labour. The bags are available in a range of sizes, from postcard to pillowcase. In addition, HSS Hire will also offer Airpouch: APS's desktop void-fill system that provides an immediate, lightweight and greener source of reprocessed protective packaging cushions.

Airpouch is claimed to be fast and simple to use, providing protective air-filled cushions at a rate of 15 linear metres per minute - enough to fill a family car every 10 minutes. The cushions offer protection and padding and are suitable for components, spare parts, CDs, books, electronics, pharmaceuticals and electrical items. Airpouch is used in mail-order centres and fulfilment houses, as well as for parts distribution, and will be available for hire on a weekly basis.

Kamo Seiko Appoints UK Distributor

A range of zero-backlash speed reducers is now available to the UK market, as a result of the recent appointment of Precision Motion (Cofil) as agent for the Japanese manufacturer Kamo Seiko. Available in both co-axial and right-angle configurations, these speed reducers utilise precision ground steel balls as the transmission medium.

According to the company, the speed reducers offer zero-backlash; rolling contact, therefore reduced noise; high efficiency; high torque capacity; and excellent accuracy. There is a choice of several input/output options to suit all applications, including a version to allow direct fitting of NEMA 11 to 34 frame motors.

In addition, the housing is designed to facilitate the addition of custom-made flanges for special applications. Reduction ratios are available from 5:1 to 1600:1, with rated output torque capacity ranging from 1.6Nm to 98Nm. Precision Motion will also be responsible for sales and technical support for Kamo's range of miniature cam and cam/pneumatic hybrid indexing mechanisms, for small fixed stroke positioning applications.