EoW November 2010

technology news

Sikora’s Length 6000 is a system for non-contact online length measurement of cables. For this method, the product image and its movement are defined and thus the speed and the produced length can be calculated. The technology of the Length 6000 is based on an optical measuring principle. In combination with two laser diodes, two image sensors are positioned next to each other. In sequence the cable passes both image sensors. The time the product takes to move between the first and second sensor is measured. Even with reflective surfaces the high-resolution image sensors determine the structure using patented diffraction analysis. Mechanical systems provide only limited precision, due to the slip on the product surface, and the Doppler method is not suitable for reflective or smooth surfaces, for example, and requires an accurate product guiding. The technology of the Length 6000, which defines the length through comparison of image patterns, is reliable for round products and for products with reflective and smooth surfaces. The system calculates the length independent of the product direction and measurements start from zero line speed. Length measuring devices ensure that the required cable length is produced and delivered, as short- or over-lengths always lead to a loss in profit. Accurate measurement saves costs Suzuki Garphyttan Group is a producer of valve spring wire, said to have around one-third of the global market of this high-end product. The Suzuki Garphyttan Group provides high quality spring wire products globally from three sites; Sweden, the US and China. All three sites produce valve spring wire for the automotive industry. Other products include oil tempered wire for trans- missions, and special wire products, such as stainless spring wire and flat/shaped wire, are produced in Garphyttan, Sweden. After the Suzuki Metal Industry acquisition of the Garphyttan group last year, a wider product range is available, including Suzuki Metal’s Japanese-made wire. All sites are certified according to IS/TS 16949 and ISO 14001 and utilise the Suzuki Garphyttan Lean system. Garphyttan products are commonly used in automotive applications, but high performance and quality makes them suitable for very many different applications. Suzuki Garphyttan AB – Sweden Fax : +46 19 295 101 Email : info.se@sg-wire.com Website : www.suzuki-garphyttan.com Spring wires from Suzuki Sikora AG – Germany Fax : +49 421 48900 90 Email : sales@sikora.net Website : www.sikora.net

Language facility for cold welder British company PWM, which designs and manufactures high performance cold pressure welders and dies, has upgraded the operator interface on its best-selling EP500 rod welder to provide manufacturers with five new language options. The panel view on the machine can now display instructions in French, German, Spanish, Italian or Portuguese, and PWM plans to introduce Turkish and Czech shortly. The new language capability will enable manufacturers with multi-lingual workforces to configure and operate the EP500 more quickly, saving effort and reducing downtime.

Panel view of the EP500 cold welder ▲ ▲

The EP500 produces strong, reliable welds cost-effectively on non-ferrous wire and strip. Clean, energy-efficient and simple to operate, the pneumatically powered machine has a welding capacity of 5mm to 12.5mm (0.197 " to 0.492 " ) copper, and 5mm to 15mm (0.197 " to 0.59 " ) aluminium. PWM Ltd – UK Fax : +44 1233 820591 Draka Communications has developed an enhanced air-jet delivery solution, said to double the throughput of fibre delivery and reduce the expense of multiple technician visits to customer homes. Donald Brass, product manager EMEA Draka Telecom Solutions, expects the delivery method to have, “a substantial impact on project budgets, for small or large scale FTTH installations.” Ready-Connect involves blowing pre-ferruled cables (cables with pre-fabricated semi-finished connectors) through micro-ducts directly to the termination point. Installation is completed by snapping the connector housing around the ferrule. The system uses jets of compressed air injected from a central point, up to a kilometre away, to service up to 50 homes in a single session. Draka estimates that implementation time and costs at this final stage can be reduced by as much as 50% with additional savings incurred from reduced cable splicing and storage space. Draka Holding NV – Netherlands Fax : +31 2056 89899 Email : info@draka.com Website : www.draka.com Speeding up the delivery of FTTH Email : pwm@btinternet.com Website : www.pwmltd.co.uk

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EuroWire – November 2010