TPi October 2009

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October 2009 Tube Products International 21
High-speed
smart seam
finding system
SERVO-ROBOT, Canada, has
introduced the SF/D-H seam finding
system with on-board colour video
camera for process programming
and monitoring.
Welding robots are often under-
utilised because of their inability to
produce quality welds when parts
and tooling vary more than the
welding process can handle. The
new SF/D-H is the latest in Servo-
Robot’s line of smart seam finding
systems with on-board process
control. Its design allows it to be
mounted directly under the robot
flange, making it very compact.
The systems reduce the cycle time
by increasing the search speed
compared to touch sensing. They
can find joints on thin sheets or butt
joints down to 0.6mm, and can be
used on any metallic parts. They
provide high precision (0.05mm
resolution) and 1,000Hz sensing
frequency.
Servo-Robot Inc – Canada
THE Yokogawa Rotameter RAMC
flowmeter has been certified for use
in areas with a risk of gas explosions
and dust explosions. The instrument is
now provided with Ex certificates that
are valid in Europe, America, Australia,
China and other countries.
The explosion protection for dust zones
is available for instruments with the ‘d’
type flameproof protection in a robust
aluminium housing with the marking II
1D Ex tD A20 IP67 T1...T6 or II 2D Ex tD
A21 IP67 T1...T6. For type ‘i’ intrinsic
safety protection with the marking II
2G Ex ia IIC T6 or II 2G Ex ia IIB/IIC T4,
the Rotameter RAMC is equipped with
a stainless steel housing.
The Rotameter range has been in use
in many areas of industry for 100 years,
and includes designs with glass, plastic
and metal measuring tubes. Units are
available with mechanical displays and
with additional components including
transducers and limit switches.
The FMEDA (failure modes, effects and
diagnostic analysis) assessment of the
design, carried out by test house exida,
permits operation of the RAMC even
in safety-relevant systems that have
to comply with the requirements for
Safety Integrity Level SIL1 or SIL2.
The emphasis on safety in these
Yokogawaproducts reflects the fact that,
in all areas of industry, the explosion of
combustible dusts presents a risk that
is often underestimated. According to
estimates by Munich Re, there is a
dust explosion in Europe every day.
A particular risk potential exists in the
fact that even materials that otherwise
are considered non-combustible can
undergo explosion-like combustion
when they are present in the form of a
dust-air mixture.
Yokogawa UK Ltd – UK
Flowmeter certified for use in
potentially explosive areas
Yokogawa’s Rotameter RAMC flowmeter S S
is certified for use in potentially explosive
areas