SOMIRAM installs two cranes at WALTEFAU

SOMIRAM, member of the VERLINDE EUROPONT network has installed two box cranes equipped with VERLINDE hoists in the new workshop at their WALTEFAUGLE production facility located at Dampierre sur Salon, in the Franche Comté region of France. What distinguishes this installation is a maximum span obtained by modifying the hoist trolley hook crossbeams.

WALTEFAUGLE's two new double-rail box cranes- a 10-ton and a 12.5-ton- were manufactured and put into operation by SOMIRAM. The new production line at the WALTEFAUGLE factory has two major machines. One cuts 2x14-meter sheets of metal and the first crane handles these big sheets and the cut parts. The second crane handles the final welded reconstituted beams. The two workstations are 40 meters apart and work simultaneously. In the new workshop, WALTEFAUGLE makes variable inertia beams, which offers new sales horizons. Variable inertia beams are used especially for buildings where extra floor space is needed.

For further information, e-mail: jean-yves.beaussart@verlinde.com

New inch & metric magnetic disk couplings
from Sterling Instrument feature no wearing parts

A new series of magnetic disk couplings from Sterling Instrument (ISO 9001:2000+AS9100B Registered Manufacturer) features no friction or wearing parts, uses no electricity and no magnetic particles to leak. These units, identified as the S50DCM... (inch) and S50DCMM... (metric) Series are stocked in 8 different bore sizes ranging from .1875" to 1.000" (5 mm to19 mm).The couplings consist of two opposing disk halves with powerful rare earth magnets. The torque applied to one disk is transferred through an air gap to the other disk. Because of its simple flat design, one can have angular misalignment of up to 3O or parallel misalignment of up to 1/4" and still transmit nearly full rotational torque.

These 416 Stainless steel couplings incorporate an NdFeB, nickel plated magnet. The hub sections are offered singularly and are offered with or without a keyway and are fastened to shafts with an included set screw. The coupling O.D. ranges from 1.72" to 2.86" (43.7 mm to 73 mm).

Other features include being incredibly accurate, repeatable torque control, and easy to adjust, easy to apply, smooth with no friction since there is no physical contact between driving and driven parts.

Applications include: material handling such as for conveyor belts, film transport, capping of syringes or bottles, shrink wrapping, constant wire tension coil winding, and film tensioning. Quotes, online orders, and 3D CAD Models are available at our new eStore at: www.sdp-si.com/eStore.
 
Detailed specifications are contained in Catalog D795, available free upon request from Sterling Instrument, 2101 Jericho Turnpike, P.O. Box 5416, New Hyde Park, NY, USA 11042-5416. Tel: 516-328-3300, Fax: 516-326-8827. Website: http://sdp-si.com/web/html/newprdcouplings9.htm   

VERLINDE is equipping the decontamination
site on the industrial landfill at Bonfol, in Switzerland

STEPHAN SA, the dealer-integrator of VERLINDE equipment, has built two overhead cranes with a span of 45 m and a capacity of 16 tonnes to excavate the waste on the Bonfol industrial landfill site in Switzerland.

To decontaminate the clay pit the Basle chemical industry used as a landfill from 1961 to 1976, an enormous construction site has started at Bonfol, in the Swiss Jura. Before excavating the toxic waste from the ground to incinerate it, the area, as big as four football pitches, had to be covered with a colossal structure supported by nine steel arches. After completion, the site will be replanted with trees in 2015.

A limited partnership, the BCI, was set up within which the main chemical industries in Basle (Ciba, Clariant, Novartis, Roche, etc.) accept their joint liability with regard to the security of the Bonfol industrial landfill. The companies which are members of the BCI have set up the BCI Betriebs-AG, responsible for planning and carrying out the decontamination.

To build the excavation hall, 14 hectares of forest had to be cut down, and 110,000 cubic metres of earth moved to prepare the site for the construction. The twin-boom suspended cranes built by Stephan SA, and equipped with VERLINDE EUROBLOC VCTS chain hoists, are used to excavate and transport the waste to the conveyor cars. A grab with a capacity of 3 cubic metres, comes down and picks up the waste. It is then drawn upwards and moves semi-automatically towards a loading area where the waste is deposited in a car. This waste is then emptied into receiving bunkers for preparation so that the material is stable and safe for transport. The waste is then packed into 10 m³ containers specially designed and smell-tight, which are then sent by train to hazardous waste incineration plants.

"The overhead cranes, with a 35 m range, and with booms 45 m long, are remote controlled by radio link from a protected and secure control room, outside the excavation hall. There are no personnel in or around the excavation location" explained Anton AEBY, the project head and responsible for security at the BCI Betriebs-AG.

Pictures: Crane remote control (Top left). Waste excavation (Top right) Empty containers for transporting the waste to a hazardous waste incineration site.

VERLINDE in profilet
VERLINDE is the leading French manufacturer and exporter of hoisting and handling equipment, with a range of 30 types of hoisting equipment. The company operates in more than 55 countries with 10 sales agencies in France,  11 EUROPONT approved manufacturers of overhead travelling cranes, two manufacturers in Belgium and 26 after-sales service stations in France.

For further information, e-mail: jean-yves.beaussart@verlinde.com  Refer to page 174

Take the guesswork out of weld purging and improve
purge and weld quality by using one of our weld gas analysers!

Weldwide Solutions Limited offer 2 models of weld gas analysers which will both accurately and reliably measure the oxygen content in the purge environment. This will give the welder complete confidence that the optimum conditions for the stainless weld have been reached without any guess work and without wasting gas and time "just to be on the safe side". Furthermore, a weld gas analyser will immediately indicate whether unwanted oxygen penetration occurs during welding and will therefore eliminate weld oxidation and costly repairs and considerably improve weld quality.

The Ar-Gone WGA is a well-known model in the industry and provides accurate measurements down to 0.01 % oxygen, easy handling and long lasting performance.

The Argo-Naught WGA is a new design exclusive to Weldwide Solutions which is already becoming the trusted partner of many fabricators. It gives precise measurements down to 0.1 % oxygen and combines exceptional stability, easy push-in sensor change and air- and water-tight casing to provide a user friendly, easy to use, reliable oxygen monitor for weld purging.

Both models are manufactured in ISO accredited facilities and guarantee high quality at affordable prices.   Very reasonably priced spare parts and replacement sensors are available from Weldwide Solutions and we also offer extremely competitive calibration and sensor replacement packages for our own and similar weld gas analyser models.

For further information, e-mail: darren@weldwidesolutions.com or view website: http://www.weldwidesolutions.com  Refer to page 172

New Chinese export order victory for MacGregor Welding Systems

Suffolk based MacGregor Welding Systems Ltd, has just completed another major export order to China, after beating off stiff international competition.

This latest export order for the company, which supplies its products worldwide, is for a semi-automatic welding system which was ordered by a major automotive electronic components manufacturer. The contract follows on the back of four earlier export deals with China for eco-friendly semi-automated lamp manufacturing lines.

The automotive order was secured following extensive development trials in the MacGregor applications laboratory where the full capabilities of the equipment were demonstrated. The latest contract represents a major triumph and is leading to further employment opportunities at MacGregor Welding Systems, with a number of new jobs currently being advertised.

Although MacGregor Welding Systems has been involved in the lighting industry for many years and supplies many household names, including Philips and Osram, its move into the supply of semi-automated equipment for the automotive industry represents a further chapter in the firm's distinguished history.

As part of the automotive project the business was required to design and build a four station semi-automatic welding system against a tough delivery date. The four-station solution integrates a fully automated welding cell with full control and programming of all welding parameters. Full process monitoring is included in conjunction with vision monitoring systems for component checking and product bar code reading.?

A key feature of the system is remote system access which enables UK staff to monitor in real-time, the actual weld process taking place in China and also provide system updates and live support.

A big selling feature of the MacGregor Welding Systems equipment is its ability to reliably weld small, critical components, making it an ideal solution for many industries including medical, aerospace as well as automotive electronics and lighting.

MacGregor Welding Systems key strength is its ability to offer a turnkey solution from product inception through to installation of a complete production system.
Managing director, Graham MacGregor, explains: "For many years MacGregor Welding Systems has been involved in providing its worldwide blue-chip client base with process development work. However, in the last few years we have seen an increase in demand from places like China for the development of bespoke fully automated and semi-automated solutions, which is the reason we are now expanding our operation."

MacGregor Welding Systems offers an extensive range of micro joining equipment for both resistance and micro-arc welding. The range includes the range of 'm' series resistance welding units and the recently introduced fully programmable 'PAP' arc welding units. All products include many advanced features including graphical displays for programming and displaying the actual process. All units are PC compatible for remote programming and data logging.

acGregor Welding Systems in profile
MacGregor Welding Systems specialises in the design, manufacture and distribution of precision DC micro welding power supplies and welding heads. In addition, the Company also manufactures a range of other precision welding equipment including micro TIG for the coil termination industry and offers an international consultancy service. The company is the world leader in the design and manufacture of DC micro weld equipment and exports to more than twenty different countries.

All of the MacGregor DC welding equipment operates by controlling the output voltage, current or power to accuracy's of better than 1%. Due to the precise regulation, the equipment is especially popular with those making critical welds to a large range of precision items including instruments, electronic components, batteries, lamps, coils and many other sensitive items. For further information, e-mail: gmacgregor@macgregorsystems.com or view website:: www.macgregorsystems.com