50 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 system without 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 Group 2025 NEXT ISSUE The February issue of Drives & Controls will look at what’s happening in the world of robotics and automated manufacturing, report on some of the highlights of the recent SPS show in Germany, and cover developments involving sensors and encoders. UPDATE 12 Comment 13 ABB Back to Basics 42 Gambica Column 46 New Products 48 Design Data and Multimedia 49 Products & Services IN DEPTH Follow us on X @DrivesnControls Drives Magazine Web site www.drivesncontrols.com Follow us on LinkedIn @ Drives & Controls Join us on Facebook Drives & Controls Drives& Controls REGULARS DfA media group 36 30 28 24 6 46 DRIVES & CONTROLS JANUARY 2025 Vol 41 No 1 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 Marketing Manager Hope Jepson t: 01732 370340 e: hope.jepson@dfamedia.co.uk Financial Finance Department t: 01732 370340 e: accounts@dfamedia.co.uk ADVERTISING Sales Director and DFA Direct Damien Oxlee t: 01732 370342 m: 07951 103754 e: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk Sales Manager Sara Gordon t: 01732 370341 m: 07505867211 e: sara.gordon@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 Reader/Circulation Enquiries Perception-MPS Ltd t: 01825 701520 e: cs@perception-sas.com HEAD OFFICE DFA Media Group 192 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE t: 01732 370340 f: 01732 360034 e: info@dfamedia.co.uk www.drivesncontrols.com 5 News A round-up of the latest business and industry developments from around the world. 14 Technology Cutting-edge innovations in motion, power transmission, controls and related technologies. 22 Motion Controls Emerging technologies such as smart conveyors and machine-integrated robots could open up new markets for suppliers of motion control equipment. A research analyst explores the possibilities. 24 Drives A UK drives-maker has used its own products to automate the previously manual process of moving raw materials around its manufacturing site. Plus a look at inertia matching, as well as application stories from the worlds of wood processing, aerospace and elevators. 30 Gears and Gearboxes A Cambridgeshire machine-builder is using precision gearboxes and rackand-pinion systems for a new machine that cuts customised profiles into steel plates for distillery applications. Plus, we look at using drum drive gearboxes for conveyors, and at how a gearbox is giving a bionic hand a powerful grip. 36 Paper and Packaging A new technology that uses infrared cameras to monitor papermaking machines is helping to enhance quality, efficiency, uptime and control. On some machines, the annual savings could amount to around $1.3m. Plus how a UK fruit supplier has installed a robotic de-palletising and re-palletising system. 40 Warehouse Automation Tracking items accurately around warehouses in real time has big potential benefits in terms of saving time and money, and avoiding errors. An expert outlines some of the technologies available, and how combining two of them may be the ultimate answer. 44 Talking Industry For the latest session in the Talking Industry series of Webinars, consultant editor Andy Pye interviewed two specialists in smart maintenance and explored how it can be used to slash operating costs. 45 Southern Manufacturing The Southern Manufacturing & Electronics exhibition is returning to its Farnborough venue next month. We look at what visitors can expect to find when they attend the exhibition. 40 Average net circulation January to December 2023 42 44 Subscribe for your FREE copy now 18,942 15
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