September 2021

A new fully connected factory is applying game- changing technologies – including MiR Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) supplied by RARUK AUTOMATION – to help advance the manufacture of the UK’s next-generation combat aircraft system, Tempest. Located at the Warton facility of BAE Systems, the ‘Factory of the Future’ has been designed in such a way that it can flex to manufacture different products within the same area, leveraging the advantages provided by the MiRs and intelligent systems to accommodate changes quickly. Designed specifically to provide a connected intelligent factory for military aircraft technologies, the ‘Factory of the Future’ showcases manufacturing in a digital age. The facility serves as an experimental hub equipped with state-of-the- art technology to enable the brightest and boldest engineers to research, invest and test new technologies, build new capabilities and harness transformative ways of working. “Notably, the ‘Factory of the Future’ demonstrates how BAE Systems remains competitive within the aerospace industry and addresses the challenges we are facing around cost/time reduction for future aircraft programmes,” explains Ismail Master, manufacturing development engineer - Manufacturing Technology, at BAE Systems - Air. Serving as the central logistics function within the new facility are a number of MiR autonomous mobile robots supplied by RARUK Automation. “The MiRs enable a fully autonomous logistics solution for material flow within the facility,” explains Mr Master. “We are developing this capability and exploring how it integrates into existing and new production facilities. The robots will work collaboratively alongside operators, distributing material line-side to assembly stations on a just-in-time basis.” t | 01462 670044 e | automation@raruk.com w | www.rarukautomation.com Reflecting its commitment to delivering extremely low NOx emissions, RIELLO has announced it has developed a new range of Monobloc (350 - 19,500 kW) and Dual-block (2,500 - 24,000 kW) burners based on flue gas recirculation (FGR) technology. These include the new RS 68÷2000/E FGR series; monobloc burners in which all components are integrated in a compact footprint, so as to make installation and maintenance extremely easy. FGR operates on the partial recirculation of fumes of combustion inside the burner, using integrated electronic controls and three independent servomotors to manage proportions of air, fuel and exhaust gases. The company says the result is extremely low NOx emissions in compliance with the strictest standards, whilst maintaining high operating reliability. w | https://www.rielloburners.co.uk/ M&C Engineering says it has helped a water company bring an end to a costly and time-consuming diesel pump application, by introducing a new skid-mounted unit from Borger. Whilst a tank was being replaced at a treatment works, the water company were paying significant hire and running costs – but the flow is now being diverted by a 24.4kW Borger EL 1550 pump, which has been skid- mounted by M&C Engineering. Richard Shipp, director at M&C Engineering, said: “We’re very impressed with Borger, as is our customer. The new pump has been running 24/7 with no problems whatsoever. The diesel pumps that were at the plant were very hungry and expensive to run – and although this is a temporary set-up to keep the RAS (Return Activated Sludge), moving, the Borger pump is lined up for a permanent installation.” e | info@mandcengineering.co.uk w | www.mandcengineering.co.uk Borger UK: 01902 798 977 e | uk@boerger.com w | www.boerger.com Keep sludge moving WILLIAM HUGHES GROUP has announced that it has perfected a method of composing and forming complex automotive electric vehicle (EV) bus bar geometries out of pre-coated copper stock; and can do so in such a way that the insulation/protective cover remains completely viable along the length of the bar. “Battery advances and high voltages mean that bus bars are just as at home under the bonnet as they are in a control cabinet backplane,” explains Emma Burgon, engineering director at William Hughes. “But automotive applications are not quite as smooth sailing as their significantly less complex industrial peers. As well as electrical insulation, the copper has to be protected from Mother Nature too, which is why the efficacy of the insulation covering is so important.” t | 01963 363377 e | sales@wmhughes.co.uk w | www.wmhughes.co.uk New approach to bending Factory of the future MICHELL INSTRUMENTS says the new Michell S8000 –100 is a high- precision, low dew-point hygrometer designed to meet the demands of humidity calibration and standards laboratories. Michell says its engineers have used the latest developments in chilled mirror technology to achieve reliable, repeatable measurements of low dew points down to -100 °C, with an accuracy of ±0.1 °C, without the need for additional cooling. The company says at the heart of the new instrument is a unique advanced optics system, which detects minute changes in moisture condensed on the mirror surface. This ensures high sensitivity and fast response to changes in frost point, even at low levels of humidity, where measurements are the most challenging. t | 01353 658 000 e | uk.info@michell.com w | www.michell.com/uk 40 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk September 2021 Process, Controls & Plant New laboratory humidity reference standard Low NOx burners Image courtesy of BAE Systems