September 2018

50 57 48 44 38 28 50 CONTENTS 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 systemwithout the written consent of the publishers. Paid subscriptions UK: £95 per annum Europe: £125 per annum Rest of World: £160 per annum Printing: Warners Midlands PLC., PE10 9PH ISSN 0950 5490 Copyright: DFA Media Ltd 2018 NEXT ISSUE The October issue of Drives & Controls will contain a special section devoted to developments in machine-building, as well as round-ups of recent applications and news from the food & beverage and water industries. UPDATE 13 Comment 52 Gambica column 55 ABB Back to Basics 57 Design Data 59 Multimedia 60 New Products 68 Products & Services IN DEPTH Follow us onTwitter @DrivesnControls Drives MagazineWeb site www.drivesncontrols.com Drives ShowWeb site www.drives-expo.com Join us on Facebook Drives & Controls Drives & Controls REGULARS DRIVES & CONTROLS SEPTEMBER 2018 Vol 34 No 8 Editor Tony Sacks t/f: 01732 465367 e: tony@drives.co.uk Production Manager Sarah Blake t: 01233 770781 e: sarah.blake@dfamedia.co.uk Customer Liaison Ewa Hodden t: 01732 370340 e: cewa.hodden@dfamedia.co.uk Financial Clare Jackson t: 01732 370340 e: clare.jackson@dfamedia.co.uk ADVERTISING Director of Sales Damien Oxlee t: 01732 370342 f: 01732 360034 m: 07951 103754 e: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk Sales Manager AndyWylie t: 01732 370341 f: 01732 360034 m: 07939 607855 e: andy.wylie@dfamedia.co.uk DFA Direct Ian Atkinson t: 01732 370340 f: 01732 360034 e: ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Eastern US Karen C Smith-Kernc e: karenkcs@aol.com t: +1 717 397 7100 f: +1 717 397 7800 Western US & Canada Alan A Kernc e: alankcs@aol.com t: +1 717 397 7100 f: +1 717 397 7800 Italy Oliver & Diego Casiraghi e: info@casiraghi.info t: +031 261 407 f: +031 261 380 Commercial Director Ryan Fuller t: 01732 370344 e: ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk Publisher Ian Atkinson t: 01732 370346 e: ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Reader/Circulation Enquiries Perception-MPS Ltd t: 01825 701520 e: dfamedia@dmags.co.uk HEAD OFFICE DFA Media Ltd 192 High Street, Tonbridge KentTN9 1BE t: 01732 370340 f: 01732 360034 e: info@dfamedia.co.uk www.drivesncontrols.com 60 3 News A round-up of the latest business and industry developments from around the world. 15 Technology Cutting-edge innovations in motion, power transmission, controls and related technologies. 22 DC Drives Despite forecasts that the market for DC motors and drives is in terminal decline, demand for these technologies is still strong. An expert considers the reasons behind the longevity of the DC drive. 25 Energy Efficiency Supplement In a special 13-page section, we report on recent developments in energy- efficient technologies, and describe some of the many approaches that organisations are adopting to minimise their energy bills. 37 Precision Motion By changing from a centralised to a decentralised servodrive architecture, a UK manufacturer of multi-axis vehicle testing systems has cut its build times, while improving performance. 44 PPMA Show Preview What is building information modelling – or BIM – and how can it help to improve building projects? Also, how a new London school is using a single Ethernet-based control system to simplify its building services. 48 Sensors & Instrumentation Preview The Sensors & Instrumentation exhibition is expected to attract more than 80 exhibitors when it returns to the Birmingham NEC later this month. 50 Robotics A company that specialises in sophisticated airflow analysis has turned to industrial robots to cut the time needed to perform wind tunnel tests on F1 cars and aircraft by at least two thirds. 22 15 26