April 2019

AT THE HANNOVER Fair earlier this month, Rittal unveiled a new generation of the world’s best-selling range of small and compact enclosures, designed to meet the needs of the digital era. The new AX (compact) and KX (small) enclosures are being built in a brand-new €250m factory – the biggest investment in Rittal’s history – that will operate on Industry 4.0 principles, allowing the company to deliver custom-built enclosures to German customers within 24 hours of them placing an order. Elsewhere in Europe, it will take 48 hours. The new enclosures have been designed to make assembly and the installation of components faster and simpler. They can handle the increasing numbers of sensors and actuators needed in digitalised factories, with a modular design, improved cutouts, and larger gland plates, combining to  offer a third more space for cables than earlier boxes. The new generation of small enclosures follows last year’s launch of a new generation of large enclosures – the VX25. These already account for 80% of Rittal’s large-enclosure sales, a far quicker take-up than the company had expected. When combined with its Blue e+ cooling systems, 70% of Rittal’s products are now being made on lines that are less than four years old. “All of our core products have been entirely redesigned, and are fit for Industry 4.0,” says Uwe Scharf, managing director of Rittal’s businesses and marketing operation. There is also a some overlap between the new products. For example, the rails in the new small enclosures use the same 25mm spacing as the VX25, allowing the same accessories – such as terminal blocks and lighting – to be used in both, cutting inventory costs and avoiding the need for machining. Rittal claims that the new enclosures will reduce mounting times by about 30%. For example, panels can be removed individually, without the usual disassembly work. Doors and cam locks can be installed without tools, and wall-mounting brackets can be screwed into place from the outside, without affecting IP ratings. The new range consists of about 150 different models, allowing users to pick the ideal size for their application. The AX versions will span sizes from 300 x 300mm to 1,000 x 1,400mm, with depths from 210–400mm. The KX versions will range from 150 x 150mm to 800 x 400mm, with depths from 80–120mm. Both will be available in sheet or stainless steel, with protection up to IP66. Every new enclosure will carry an unique QR code, allowing it to be identified and tracked. Dedicated software will allow fast, simple configuration of the enclosures, accessories and modifications, and will check for errors. The results can be transferred to Rittal’s online shop or uploaded to Eplan engineering software. Since Rittal launched its AE range in 1961, it has sold more than 35 million small and compact enclosures. For details of the new factory that will build the small enclosures, see page 26. April 2019 www.drivesncontrols.com 8 Industry 4.0 Summit and Expo Manchester, UK 10-11 April, 2019 Billed as the UK’s largest event for the 4th industrial revolution, the third edition of this event will includes talks by experts on the future of manufacturing. Visitors will have the opportunity to be updated about government policy, find out about support and access to finance, and hear about the latest business models and Industry 4.0 case studies. www.industry40summit.com Smart Industry Conference: Food & Drink National Conference Centre, Birmingham, UK 22 May, 2019 The first in a series of one-day, sector- specific conferences with the shared theme: How to make the digitalisation transition. The aim is to provide a practical, jargon-free introduction to digital transformation, especially for SMEs, many of whom need guidance in this area. Speakers with practical experience of implementing digitalisation strategies will illustrate their talks with real-life case studies. The conference is being organised by DFA Media, the publisher of Smart Machines and Factories . www.smartmachinesandfactories.com 2019 UKIVA Machine Vision Conference and Exhibition Milton Keynes, UK 6 June, 2019 This will be the third year that the event has been run and it will follow a similar format to previous years, with a program of technical seminars supported by an exhibition featuring vision component manufacturers, vision component and system distributors and systems integrators. The 2019 conference will add a new theme, covering applications of vision in automation and robotics. www.machinevisionconference.co.uk Smart Industry Conference: Automotive National Conference Centre, Birmingham, UK 12 September, 2019 The second in a series of one-day, sector-specific conferences with the shared theme: How to make the digitalisation transition. The aim is to provide a practical, jargon-free introduction to digital transformation, especially for SMEs, many of which need guidance in this area. Speakers with practical experience of implementing digitalisation strategies will illustrate their talks with real-life case studies. The conference is being organised by DFA Media, the publisher of Smart Machines and Factories . www.smartmachinesandfactories.com EEMODS ‘19 Tokyo, Japan 17-19 September, 2019 The biennial International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Motor Driven Systems will bring together policymakers and energy efficiency experts from industry, research labs, universities and standardisation organisations from around the world to discuss energy efficiency policies and technologies used inmotor-driven systems such as pumps, compressors and fans. It is being organised by the Japan Electrical Manufacturers’Association. https://eemods19.org n NEWS Hilton Campbell has been appointed managing director of Interroll (UK), succeeding Chris Middleton , who has retired after holding the position for 13 years. Campbell was previous MD of Interroll’s South African business, which he helped to found in 1998. He had been MD of the South African subsidiary since 2012. The engineering services provider, Quartzelec, has promoted Stephen Morrison to managing director of its contracting business. He will focus on enhancing performance by delivering sustainable growth and creating a more collaborative approach with Quartzelec’s rotating machines business. Previously regional director, Morrison joined Quartzelec in 2013 and has more than 30 years of experience in the M&E building services and contracting industry. David Ede has been appointed to the new role of business development manager at the UK’s largest independent electric motor distributor, TEC Electric Motors. Ede has a remit to increase sales of TEC’s large-frame motors, MV and HV motors up to 8MW. Earlier in his 35-year career, he held senior roles at WEG, Marelli and Leroy Somer. The systems integrator, Boulting Technology, has appointed its former sales manager, Nick Boughton to the new role of digital lead, with the aim of strengthening its Industry 4.0 offering. Since joining Boulting in 2005, Boughton has been integral to developing and implementing its digital capabilities. He will build on existing alliances with NETbuilder and Siemens’ MindSphere partner programme, to offer an integrated IT/OT systems to customers. Next-generation small enclosures will be built in €250m Industry 4.0 factory Rittal says that its new small and compact enclosures will much easier and quicker to assemble and install