DAC102021

50 36 CONTENTS n Drives&Controls is a controlled circulation publication. If you live in the UK and want to subscribe phone 0333 577 0801 or fax 0845 604 2327. Alternatively for both UK and overseas subscriptions please subscribe online at www.drivesncontrols.com. If you have any enquiries regarding your subscription, please use these numbers. The content of this magazine, website and newsletters do not necessarily express the views of the Editor or publishers.The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced or stored in a retrieval systemwithout the written consent of the publishers. Paid subscriptions UK: £110 per annum Europe: £145 per annum Rest of World: £180 per annum Printing: Warners Midlands PLC., PE10 9PH ISSN 0950 5490 Copyright: DFA Media Ltd 2021 NEXT ISSUE The November/December issue of Drives & Controls will contain our annual feature on machinery safety, as well as a look at what’s been happening in the world of controlgear and enclosures, and a report on recent developments in controllers and HMIs UPDATE 14 Comment 17 ABB Back to Basics 32 Switching into Safety Engineering 59 Gambica column 61 Design Data and Multimedia 62 New Products 65 Products & Services IN DEPTH Follow us onTwitter @DrivesnControls Drives MagazineWeb site www.drivesncontrols.com Drives ShowWeb site www.drives-expo.com Join us on Facebook Drives & Controls Drives & Controls REGULARS 28 18 5 52 48 DRIVES & CONTROLS OCTOBER 2021 Vol 37 No 9 Editor Tony Sacks t: 01732 465367 e: tony@drives.co.uk Consultant Editor Andy Pye t: 07808 137312 e: andy.pye@dfamedia.co.uk Production Manager Sarah Blake t: 01233 770781 e: sarah.blake@dfamedia.co.uk Operations Manager Ewa Hodden t: 01732 370340 e: ewa.hodden@dfamedia.co.uk Project Liaison Manager Emma Floyd t: 01732 370340 f: 01732 360034 e: emma.floyd@dfamedia.co.uk Financial Caren Brown t: 01732 370340 e: caren.brown@dfamedia.co.uk ADVERTISING Sales Director Damien Oxlee t: 01732 370342 f: 01732 360034 m: 07951 103754 e: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk Sales Manager AndyWylie t: 01732 370341 f: 01732 360034 m: 07939 607855 e: andy.wylie@dfamedia.co.uk DFA Direct Ian Atkinson t: 01732 370340 f: 01732 360034 e: ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Italy Oliver & Diego Casiraghi e: info@casiraghi.info t: +39 031 261407 f: +39 031 261380 Managing Director Ryan Fuller t: 01732 370344 e: ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk Chief Executive Officer Ian Atkinson t: 01732 370346 e: ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Reader/Circulation Enquiries Perception-MPS Ltd t: 01825 701520 e: cs@perception-sas.com HEAD OFFICE DFA Manufacturing Media Ltd 192 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE t: 01732 370340 f: 01732 360034 e: info@dfamedia.co.uk www.drivesncontrols.com 30 5 News A round-up of the latest business and industry developments from around the world. 18 Technology Cutting-edge innovations in motion, power transmission, controls and related technologies. 28 Insight Industrial PCs (IPCs) are an increasingly common sight on factory floors. An expert explains the role that IPCs can play in the modern factory. 30 Talking Industry The seventh online discussion in the Talking Industry series explored some of the many issues involved in digitalisation – from where to start in the journey, to incorporating legacy systems into digitalised plants. 35 Machine Building Our special eight-page feature contains examples of the machine-builder’s art in a variety of sectors, including pipe-bending, wrapping and automated manufacturing cells. We also examine an alternative technology to indexing tables and roller conveyors. 43 Precision Engineering and Motion Control Are motion controllers a viable alternative to PLCs for supervising machine operations? Plus expert advice on how to use feed-forward control to optimise servo behaviour. 48 Water How reprogramming a VSD helped to avoid the need to dig up the pitch at a Welsh rugby ground after the sprinkler system sprang a leak. Plus how small DC motors are key to a mobile laboratory for assessing water quality. 52 DC Drives One of the world’s oldest radio astronomy dishes, at Goonhilly in Cornwall, has been upgraded to operate as a deep-space antenna. The project involved an overhaul of its motor drive system – using DC rather than AC drives. 54 SPS Preview When the SPS automation and motion engineering megashow returns to its Nuremberg venue next month, it will be rather different from the last show two years ago. It will be run as a hybrid event that will welcome visitors both in person at the showgrounds and online. 58 Drives & Controls Show With the return to the Drives & Controls Show and its associated events just six months away, we look ahead at what visitors can expect to find – including the launch of the new series of Talking Industry Live seminars. 43 32 58