The Branson™ GL-300 is a highly flexible quasi-simultaneous plastic joining solution, designed to deliver efficient high-quality welds in a wide range of applications and help manufacturers to increase production efficiency.

Emerson has launched a new laser welder platform that provides high mix and batch manufacturers of plastic components with greater production capability, without compromising product quality or performance. The Branson™ GL-300 is a highly flexible quasi-simultaneous plastic joining solution, designed to deliver efficient high-quality welds in a wide range of applications and help manufacturers to increase production efficiency.

Manufacturers increasingly need machines and processes that can be quickly and cost-effectively adapted to changing production demands and specifications. For low volume, high mix manufacturers especially, flexible welding solutions that allow faster production start-up, provide a critical advantage. The Branson GL platform meets this need by combining highly efficient and accurate welds with cost-effective and easy-to-change tooling that enables faster set-up and adjustment for changing product specifications.

Manufacturing capability is further enhanced by a range of unique features including a high-quality scanning system, easy-to-use HMI, large (300mm x 300mm) weld area, multiple weld modes, variable spot size as low as 0.5 mm and an adjustable laser power source height. These enable the Branson GL-300 to support applications with different materials, application sizes and production speeds.

“For batch manufacturers looking for more efficient production processes, quasi-simultaneous laser welders provide a very flexible, cost-effective joining solution,” said Priyank Kishor, global product manager for Branson products at Emerson’s Automation Solutions Business. “The Branson GL-300 extends this flexibility by enabling the assembly of a broader range of components, helping to increase manufacturing capability and profitability.”

For more information about the latest Branson welding solutions, visit Emerson.com/Branson

About Emerson

Emerson (NYSE: EMR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global technology and engineering company providing innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial, and residential markets. Our Emerson Automation Solutions business helps process, hybrid, and discrete manufacturers maximize production, protect personnel and the environment while optimizing their energy and operating costs. Our Emerson Commercial and Residential Solutions business helps ensure human comfort and health, protect food quality and safety, advance energy efficiency, and create sustainable infrastructure. For more information visit www.Emerson.com 

~ Is all bearing surface damage troublesome? ~

Up to 40 per cent of a vegetable crop can go to waste due to the aesthetic requirements of some supermarkets. While a wonky vegetable may not be the most visually pleasing, it possesses the same nutritional value as its perfectly proportioned counterpart. Here, Chris Johnson, managing director of bearing specialist SMB Bearings, explains why not all bearing surface damage should cause alarm and future headaches for offshore oil and gas plant managers.

Bearing surface damage can take many forms, from spalls in the raceways, wear from ineffective lubrication, corrosion due to harsh chemicals to false brinelling marks caused by static vibration. While surface distress can result in problematic symptoms such as excessive heat, increased noise levels, increased vibration or excessive shaft movement, not all external bearing flaws point to compromised internal machine performance.

Corrosion is a naturally occurring phenomenon and a common form of bearing surface damage that offshore oil and gas plant managers must contend with. There are ten primary forms of corrosion, but bearing corrosion usually falls into two broad categories — moisture corrosion or frictional corrosion. The former is environment specific, but can appear on any component of the bearing, creating an alarming oxide layer as a result of a chemical reaction with a metal surface.

For example, in offshore mining, bearings are often exposed to moisture or mild alkalinity due to their contact with sea water. Mild corrosion may result in light surface stains, but in more serious cases, it can lead to etching on the surface of the bearing, resulting in flakes of rusted material entering the raceway. For this reason, corrosion is often known as the natural enemy of bearings.

Corrosion isn’t just visually alarming; it can also significantly impact a business’ finances. According to the IMPACT study conducted by NACE International, the world’s leading corrosion control organisation, it has been estimated that 15-35 per cent of annual corrosion could have been saved if optimum corrosion management practices were followed. This equates to savings between US$375 and $875 billion annually on a global basis.

The enemy?

It’s impossible to ignore the significance of corrosion costs, however corrosion resistance must be considered alongside other operating requirements such as bearing longevity and load.

Consider this as an example. A drilling machine is required to operate with precision but must also operate in unforgiving conditions. Due to the extreme environment of oil and gas rigs, corrosion resistant bearings would be recommended. If a design engineer were to opt for a highly corrosion resistant bearing fabricated from polyether ether ketone (PEEK), this would stop the corrosion in its tracks, but the precision of the machine would be compromised. In this scenario opting for a high precision stainless steel bearing with superior roundness while allowing some superficial corrosion may be preferable.

When assessing the suitability and quality of bearings, it is important to look beyond the external aesthetic. Corrosion control is just one performance requirement, which doesn’t necessarily equate to poor performance or affect the bearing’s internal rollability.

Ensuring the right equipment is selected is the first step — and this is imperative for both large-scale machinery and small components, such as bearings. Luckily, offshore facility managers can weigh up their design requirements and can choose to combat corrosion at the design stage. Here are three corrosion control methods to consider:

Material choice

Stainless steel is the most obvious choice for corrosion resistance and is widely used in the offshore oil and gas industry. It also has other advantageous properties such as durability and heat resistance. 440 grade stainless steel bearings have good resistance in damp environments and are often used in applications such as the food and beverage industry. However, 440 grade stainless steel bearings have poor resistance to salt water and many stronger chemicals, so for harsh offshore environments 316 stainless steel may be considered. However, as 316 stainless steel cannot be thermally hardened, 316 bearings are only suitable for low load and low speed applications. Their corrosion resistance is best when there is an ample supply of oxygen so these bearings are mainly used above the waterline, in flowing seawater or where the bearings can be washed down after submersion in seawater.

An alternative material option is ceramic. Full ceramic bearings made from zirconia or silicon nitride with PEEK cages can offer even higher levels of corrosion resistance and are often used fully submerged. Similarly, plastic bearings, with 316 stainless steel or glass balls, provide very good resistance to corrosion. These are often made from acetal resin (POM) but other materials are available for stronger acids and alkalis such as PEEK, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyvinylidene fluoride PVDF. Like 316 grade bearings, these should only be used in low load and low precision applications.

Another level of armour against corrosion, is a protective coating. Chromium and nickel plating offer good corrosion resistance in highly corrosive environments. However, coatings will eventually separate from the bearing and need continual maintenance. This isn’t the most practical option for offshore applications.

Lubricants

A lubricant provides a thin film between the contact areas in a bearing to reduce friction, dissipate heat and inhibit corrosion on the balls and raceways. Surface roughness and lubrication quality are extremely important influencing factors as to whether surface distress will occur or not.

Opting for the correct lubricant matters. In an environment where superficial corrosion may occur on the outside of the bearing, it should not be allowed to occur on the inside. SMB Bearings can supply sealed bearings with waterproof greases that contain corrosion inhibitors. These lubricants protect the internal surfaces of the bearing and can be matched to the specific offshore application environment. Full ceramic bearings are mostly specified without lubrication but can be lubricated with waterproof grease for extended life.

Seals

In harsh environments, contamination protection is of utmost importance, so opting for a contact seal is favourable to ensure contaminants do not enter the bearing. For equipment that may be exposed to moisture, a contact seal will also offer increased water resistance. This will stop grease washing out of the bearing, allowing it to do its job in lubricating and protecting the internal surfaces of the bearing. An alternative option is a metal shield but this offers greatly reduced protection against moisture.

By assessing the operational environment, required longevity and loads that will be applied to the bearing, the best bearing may be the humble ‘wonky vegetable’ and not the one that remains looking aesthetically pleasing for the longest. By considering a bearing’s full environmental operating conditions, design engineers can weigh up whether opting for a corrosion control design feature will be the most cost effective, increase the bearing’s lifespan and elevate a machine’s performance.

For further information about SMB Bearing’s range of bearings for corrosive environments, visit the website or contact a specialist today This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About SMB Bearings: SMB Bearings originally specialised in miniature bearings, thin-section bearings and stainless steel bearings. By natural progression, the company expanded the range to include other corrosion resistant bearings such as plastic bearings, 316 stainless bearings and ceramic bearings.

Remaining a specialist business, SMB Bearings provide a high level of product knowledge, providing bearing and lubrication solutions to existing or potential customers, whether individuals or large corporations. SMB Bearings does not just sell bearings, but helps to solve your problems.

For further information please visit http://www.smbbearings.com/    

• The urgent challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic have required Food & Beverage manufacturers to rapidly adapt to changed circumstances and patterns of consumption, and will continue to impact processes as businesses and consumers embrace ‘the new normal’.
• Companies that invest in agile technologies including automation, digitalization and retrofit projects are best placed to react to shifting market demands with optimum flexibility and resilience. The size of the investment required is, however, considerable.
• New research from Siemens Financial Services (SFS) estimates that the global investment challenge for Food & Beverage industry for digital transformation alone is over $566 billion over the next five years.
• Smart manufacturers are deploying new financing models, mainly from manufacturing-specialist financiers, to provide commercially sustainable ways of maintaining the momentum of technology and equipment investment.

Siemens Financial Services (SFS) has released a new whitepaper entitled Rising to the New Challenge: The role of Smart Financing in helping the Global Food & Beverage Sector navigate the economic ‘new normal’. This is the second in a series of insight papers on the automation, retrofit and digital transformation investment challenges faced by manufacturers.

The pandemic crisis and its economic aftermath make the importance of investing in agile technologies even more critical. Historic evidence shows that companies that continued to invest in previous crises emerged ahead of their competitors.  Such investments typically enable manufacturers to achieve levels of operating flexibility that can cope with uncertain and volatile markets – a flexibility that is becoming an increasingly important competitive advantage as patterns of supply and demand, as well as working and labour practices, are likely to fundamentally change as the crisis recedes and businesses and consumers embrace ‘the new normal’.

The size of the investment challenge is, however, considerable. SFS has developed a model which conservatively estimates the size of the investment challenge faced by the Global Food and Beverage manufacturing industry as it seeks to implement smart factory technology during the five-year period 2020-2024.

Expert commentators are advising companies to diversify their financing sources, nurture existing lines of relationship credit, and harness alternative financing sources, such as Smart Financing, in order to preserve existing lines of credit.  New financing models to enable technology and equipment investment are often aligned to business outcomes, to integrate financing closely with the expected rate of return-on-investment delivered through the benefits of retrofitting existing installations and/or adopting new agile, digitalized technologies.

“The flexibility offered by upgrading existing platforms through retrofitting automation, or digitalization can be a significant competitive differentiator during this crisis,” says Brian Foster, Head of Industry Finance, Siemens Financial Services. “The ability to adapt swiftly and intelligently to rapidly changing markets remains an urgent need for businesses of all sizes. Smart finance enables sustainable investment based on clearly identified desired business outcomes for F&B manufacturers, facilitating access to the right technology and services with expert support from a specialist financier.”

Methodology

SFS has developed a model which conservatively estimates the size of the investment challenge faced by the Global Food and Beverage manufacturing industry as it seeks to digitally transform – even through the current economic difficulties. The model takes a variety of analyst predictions of the value of the Global Food & Beverage Industry’s investment in digital transformation for the five-year period 2020-2024 inclusive. The resulting figure is then adjusted by the proportion of digital transformation solutions that the Global Food & Beverage industry is already acquiring through smart finance. Additionally, the estimate is reduced to just half of the ‘available market’, to give a highly conservative view of the sheer scale of investment required even to reach 50% market penetration

For further information, please see:  www.siemens.com/new-challenge-food-and-beverage  

For further information on SFS, please see www.siemens.com/finance

Siemens Financial Services (SFS) – the financing arm of Siemens – provides business-to-business financial solutions.

A unique combination of financial expertise, risk management and industry know-how enable SFS to create tailored innovative financial solutions. With these, SFS facilitates growth, creates value, enhances competitiveness and helps customers access new technologies. SFS supports investments with equipment financing and leasing, corporate lending, equity investments and project and structured financing. Trade and receivable financing solutions complete the SFS portfolio. With an international network, SFS is well adapted to country-specific legal requirements and able to provide financial solutions globally. Within Siemens, SFS is an expert adviser for financial risks. Siemens Financial Services has its global headquarters in Munich, Germany, and has almost 3,000 employees worldwide. www.siemens.com/finance.

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of power generation and distribution, intelligent infrastructure for buildings and distributed energy systems, and automation and digitalization in the process and manufacturing industries. Through the separately managed company Siemens Mobility, a leading supplier of smart mobility solutions for rail and road transport, Siemens is shaping the world market for passenger and freight services. Due to its majority stakes in the publicly listed companies Siemens Healthineers AG and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Siemens is also a world-leading supplier of medical technology and digital healthcare services as well as environmentally friendly solutions for onshore and offshore wind power generation. In fiscal 2019, which ended on September 30, 2019, Siemens generated revenue of €86.8 billion and net income of €5.6 billion. At the end of September 2019, the company had around 385,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.

A leading provider of integrated logistics solutions has announced that its UK operation has secured work in excess of £2 million since the beginning of the year.

NorSea UK Country Manager Karen RussellNorSea UK is part of the NorSea Group and operates from premises in Aberdeen and Peterhead, providing supply bases and integrated logistics solutions to the energy and other industries.

Since the start of 2020, the UK team has seen a steady increase in demand for products and services, including an upturn in vessel numbers and types at its growing Peterhead facility.  NorSea has also reported that, following investment to the tune of £500,000, office accommodation at its Aberdeen base is at 90% capacity with warehouse and yard space also in high demand.

NorSea UK Country Manager Karen Russell commented: “As well as continuing to benefit from our refurbished base in Aberdeen, we are experiencing an ongoing increase in the volume of maritime traffic at Smith Quay and Merchants Quay in Peterhead.  The additional quayside, marshalling and berthing space which has been added there in the last 18 months has been central to that increase.

“By increasing our customer base whilst simultaneously extending services to current customers, we have been able to grow our UK business in a steady way which gives us confidence and optimism as we look to the future.”

To find out more, call +44 (0) 1224 451000 or visit https://norseagroup.com/bases/norsea-uk

NorSea United Kingdom operates from HQ, warehouse and yard premises in Aberdeen’s Altens Industrial Estate from where the privately-owned company provides supply bases and integrated logistics solutions to the energy and other industries. Part of the 55-year-old NorSea Group, it operates recently-expanded bases at Peterhead’s Smith Quay and Merchants Quay and aims to deliver high-tech, innovative and complete supply chain solutions which are tailored to customer needs.  To find out more, call +44 (0) 1224 451000 or visit https://norseagroup.com/bases/norsea-uk