Adept Presents Quattro S650H Robot

Adept Technology will be demonstrating the Adept Quattro S650H robot for solar manufacturing at the Taiwan International Photovoltaic Forum and Exhibition in Taipei, from 7-9 October. The technology will be shown in a solar wafer handling system, designed by the company's partner Castec International, on booth 1359. Castec will be demonstrating the high-speed system using the Quattro S650H robot with integrated vision guidance and inspection.

'Castec's turnkey automation solutions, incorporating Adept's robotics and control products, are designed to increase throughput, minimise breakage and reduce scrap,' said Rush LaSelle, director of global sales and marketing. The demonstration system will feature the Adept Quattro robot, which is a parallel robot (or 'delta robot') that features a four-arm rotational platform designed for maximum speed and maximum acceleration across the entire work envelope.

The embedded amplifiers and compact controls in the Adept Quattro parallel robot make installation easy and enable reduced workspace. Adeptsight is a stand-alone vision guidance and inspection package that runs on a PC and comes complete with all the necessary hardware and accessories.

The software includes a powerful framework that can be used to develop customised vision guidance and inspection applications. Its graphical interface is said to allow the user to develop robust and accurate vision applications. The Taiwan International Photovoltaic Forum and Exhibition will be held from 7-9 October 2009 at the Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall, Area A.

Michell Sensor Speeds Up Maintenance Of RH Devices

Michell Instruments has introduced the I7000 Hygrosmart humidity sensor, which is claimed to make the maintenance of the company's relative-humidity (RH) instruments quick and simple with no downtime. The interchangeable module incorporates all calibration data and is delivered together with a calibration certificate.

To ensure continued measurement accuracy over time, the user can recalibrate an instrument by replacing the old sensor with a new one. No specialist training is required for this process, according to the company. The I7000 Hygrosmart interchangeable module forms the base of a range of temperature and humidity instruments, suitable for applications from precision manufacturing to controlled environments and heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

Tentec Refurbishes Bolt-Tensioning Tool

Tentec has helped the Artemis Ocean Racing team after its bolt-tensioning tool seized just six days before a big race. The tensioning tool failed while refitting the vessel's keel and the technicians needed help fast. After a quick call to Tentec, an engineer was sent to Ocean Racing's HQ within the hour to assess the situation. As suspected, it was the tool cell within the tensioning equipment that had been damaged and required refurbishing back at Tentec's factory.

The bolt tensioner had been specifically designed and manufactured by Tentec. The application uses titanium bolts to hold the long central stabiliser 'fin' of the yacht and needed a special insert within the tool. This fin is fully adjustable via hydraulic rams for various trim settings of the vessel.

The bolts are held within a glass-fibre structure at the base of the mast, which is the critical stress area of the vessel. However, time was of the essence and the demands of the refit meant the team could not be without the tool. Tentec once again came to the rescue as Peter Koller, Tentec's account manager for Artemis Ocean Racing, realised he had an exact replica of the tool cell, as a demonstration model, back at his office.

Next morning he was back at the refit yard and worked with the technicians to ensure this tool could do the job. Within an hour, three out of the 12 nuts were tensioned and Koller left the tool at the yard for the completion of the refit. Within six days the refit had been completed and sea trials were underway around the Solent ahead of Cowes Week, the Artemis Challenge and the Rolex Fastnet Race. During this time, the original bolt-tensioning tool was completely refurbished back at Tentec.

PEM Spotfast Provides Permanent Flush Mounting

The latest PEM Spotfast fastener from Penn Engineering permanently joins metal sheets to PC boards or plastic panels and creates a flush-attachment connection without protrusions on either side. These fasteners offer alternatives to riveting or adhesives and their rotational capability extends application potential with the fastener serving as a single flush-mounted pivot point.

The steel fasteners (Type SFK) install smooth with the top metal sheet and flush or sub-flush with the bottom panel. When used as a pivot point, the top metal sheet is captivated between the head of the fastener and the lower (non-rotating) panel, which allows the metal sheet to rotate freely. The fastener's design features two separate clinch and knurl joining profiles that hold the key.

Squeezing the fastener into place using punch and anvil causes a cold flow of the metal sheet material into the fastener's clinch profile and a broaching fit of the knurled end into the PC board or plastic panel. The result is permanent and flush attachment of sheet to board or panel. Standard parts can install with minimal space requirements into metal sheets as thin as 0.031/0.8mm with hardness of 80 or less on the Rockwell B scale. Various head sizes and diameters are available to suit application needs.

Softnoze Introduces Machine Vision Mounts

Softnoze USA has announced product models that mount, aim and secure machine vision cameras and smart sensors. The first two product series are the MV-SUB-CB and the MV-SUBE-CB components. Combining a strong, stainless-steel bracket with a high-strength polymer base is said to make camera and sensor installation easy, as well as give final machine designs a professional look.

Machine vision has found applications within all sectors of automation, and while they remain more complicated to deploy than typical sensors and switches, their mounting and aiming requirements can be matched using one or more of Softnoze's 16 machine vision components. Regardless of manufacturer, the MV brackets accommodate a multitude of cameras and smart sensors.

This is done utilising a multi-slotted and drilled plate. The plate is held very securely, yet is easily aimed using a swivelling ball, which can then be held captive within the polymer base upon tightening. Beyond the 16 standard models, Softnoze plans to release additional versions and can quick-turn custom designs to meet any application.

Objet Offers Digital Material Pack For 3D Printers

Objet Geometries has released a digital material pack that allows manufacturers and designers to create suitable parts and models for product-design testing, simulation and validation. The offering is only available on the Connex350 and Connex500 - 3D printers that are capable of simultaneously printing multiple materials with different mechanical and physical properties.

The pack provides 3D printing users with 18 new materials comprised of combinations of Verowhite and Tangoplus or Tangoblack Plus, the latest addition to the Tango range. The materials encompass the full Shore A hardness scale (from 27 to 95), characterising a range of rubber-/elastomer-based products.

With these materials, Connex users can print parts, such as wires and cables, grips and handles, plugs and connections, shock absorbers, function buttons, gaskets and seals, among other rubber applications. The rigid materials simulate the strength and toughness of products made of such standard plastics as PP, LDPE, HDPE, PVC and PS. Up to 11 different rigid and flexible materials can be combined in a single part in one build.

Elta Fans Ventilate Education Facility

Forest Way Special Educational Needs School has installed 35 Elta Fans as part of a system to provide a comfortable, well-ventilated learning environment for the pupils. The school, situated in the National Forest in Leicestershire, is a co-educational special school for 138 pupils aged 3-19 years old with a wide range of special needs.

Designed with sustainability in mind, the school incorporates several integrated, eco-friendly systems, added to which is the low-energy ventilation system that utilises the Elta fans. The ventilation system incorporates 18 Elta Quietflow single fans, three Quietflow twin fans, one Elta Skyflow SSF roof unit, four domestic SE fans and two SCE fans. The 22 larger fans were supplied complete with all required ancillaries and accessories such as mounting feet, silencers, speed controllers and sensors.

The system is powered by renewable energy and automatically controls the ambient environment in each classroom. The main contractor for the development was Wilmot Dixon, with Fans and Spares Nottingham (Elta's local distributor), providing the Elta equipment to Derry Building Services. The school is intended to be a major focal point and resource for the whole community and was designed around an internal courtyard to a very high specification.

Many of the features are there to provide a very intimate and tactile environment for the students with multiple learning difficulties. 'The fans featured PIR control, with speed controllers also fitted to ensure they are operating at optimum capacity,' said Adrian Franklin, the building services engineer at Derry Building Services responsible for the project. 'The fan units were clearly identified, along with the ancillaries, to identify the relevant locations,' he added.