Hydraulics & Pneumatics January/February 2023

NEWS NWCE Food Service Equipment is reportedly saving thousands of pounds a year, boosting engineer productivity and reducing its environmental impact, having implemented a job management system from BigChange. Offering commercial catering equipment services across the UK, NWCE uses BigChange to intelligently schedule and create optimised routes for its team of around 60 field engineers. With average savings of just over 30 miles, per van, per day, this equates to major annual savings, reduced travelling times and a decrease in Carbon Dioxide emissions. BigChange also provides the Bolton-based business with 24/7 visibility of its mobile workforce, automated stock management and a range of fleet management tools. “We had a system before BigChange, but it was slow and clunky,” says Ben Odling, managing director of NWCE Food Service Equipment. “BigChange is the complete opposite! It’s fast, it’s reactive and it is there when you need it. With our promise not to let our customers down even when their equipment does, this directly relates to and supports our ethos and way of working.” 6 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS January/February 2023 www.hpmag.co.uk Micro-Epsilon Messtechnik opens new competence centre for micromechatronics NWCE Food Service Engineers boosts workforce with BigChange Tech Precision sensor manufacturer Micro-Epsilon Messtechnik has opened a new production centre for micromechatronics at its headquarters in Ortenburg, Germany. Miniaturised mechatronic systems for semiconductor machine construction and aerospace applications are manufactured there. As a result, the growing demand for high-tech products from these key industries can continue to be met. On an area of 36 x 36 m, the competence centre for micromechatronics offers optimal conditions for the demanding production of miniaturised mechatronic systems, including sensors and systems for the latest generation of semiconductor lithography machines, as well as sensors for use in aircraft and space applications. Micro-Epsilon sensors contribute to the highest accuracy in the production of future chip generations. In order to manufacture such high-tech sensors, a clean room is required that offers optimal environmental conditions. In addition to the high demands on cleanliness, humidity and temperature must also be kept constant. Satellites and reflector telescopes Sensor-actuator solutions for laser-based satellite communication are also manufactured in the new production centre. Fast tilting mirrors enable precise positioning of the laser beam to the nearest satellite at a distance of several hundred kilometres, thus enabling a global satellite-based Internet of the future. Another application is high precision sensors for the world’s largest reflector telescope. The large-scale project comprises several thousand inductive position measuring systems. In the telescope, these sensors are used for the exact positioning of the 798 individual mirror segments. “The new production area increases production capacity and enables us to produce sophisticated products with the highest quality and precision,” says managing director Dr. Thomas Wisspeintner. “The products are used in high-tech applications and make a significant contribution to more innovation and technological progress for the world of tomorrow. In this way, precise measurement in ongoing production can save material, reduce rejects while increasing quality and performance. More than 50 years of continuous investment in the development, production and support of innovative sensor and system solutions from Micro-Epsilon offer our customers more precision for their applications.” Sustainable safeguarding and expansion The competence centre is also considered an important milestone for the sustainable safeguarding and expansion of the company’s business development and as a clear commitment to the Ortenburg location. The company focuses on the four business areas of industrial sensor technology, 3D sensor technology, micromechatronics, as well as measurement and inspection systems. With the completion of the construction work, the company now has 3800 additional square metres on three levels at its disposal. The investment in buildings, technology and equipment amounts to a total of 10 million euros. The company area at the Ortenburg site is thus growing to around 15,000 sq m. The competence centre for micromechatronics alone offers space for over 100 employees. Micro-Epsilon currently employs around 450 people in Ortenburg and has more than 1400 employees worldwide at 24 locations within the Group. The new production centre for micromechatronics at the Micro-Epsilon headquarters in Ortenburg.