Two new stroboscopes from SKF offer enhanced
features to enable safe machinery inspection in a flash

SKF, the leading knowledge engineering company, has introduced two new portable, compact, easy-to-use, multi-function Stroboscopes, allowing rotating or reciprocating machinery to be inspected safely and efficiently while in operation. The Stroboscope TKRS 10 and TKRS are high quality instruments, that as well as being ergonomically designed, incorporate unique functions such as the phase shift mode facility, allowing the object of interest to be rotated to the correct position for viewing. As an essential instrument for maintenance technicians, both stroboscopes are useful for operator driven reliability (ODR) programmes. 

The TKRS 10 and TKRS 20 stroboscopes are useful for both machine operators and maintenance technicians, enabling a wide range of reciprocating equipment such as fan blades, couplings, gear wheels, machine tool spindles and belt drives to be inspected in running operation.

The TKRS stroboscope series enable the flash rate to be adjusted in seconds. The useful phase shift feature allows the object of interest to be positioned for easy viewing.

The TKRS 10 model has a maximum flash rate of 12,500 flashes per minute and a xenon tube light source and is suitable for operator driven reliability programmes.

For more demanding applications, the TKRS 20 model has a maximum flash rate of 300,000 flashes per minute and a powerful LED light source, making it suitable for use for most outdoor applications. Additionally, this model enables up to ten user programmable flash rate memories to be quickly recalled; a useful feature when inspecting similar machines. 

The TKRS 20 model has been designed to give engineers enhanced functionality and performance with up to twelve hours of operation before recharging. The TKRS 20 is supplied with a remote laser sensor that enables the flash rate to be easily triggered, and also allows the stroboscope to be used as a tachometer.
Both TKRS stroboscopes have an easy to read LCD display, feature a tripod mounting thread for ease of use for extended periods and are supplied in a sturdy case with universal charger.

The TKRS 10 and TKRS 20 incorporate the latest technology and design features for improved reliability and performance and are part of SKF's comprehensive range of tools and instruments. For further information, view website: www.mapro.skf.com  or e-mail: phil.burge@skf.com

Henkel invests heavily in young engineers

Formula Student 2011: Bayreuth University wins special award for best use of adhesive

For three years now, Henkel has been engaging in promoting young engineers. In addition to offering numerous training programs, participation in the annual Formula Student contest for engineering students at the Hockenheimring has become a central component of Henkel's commitment in this area. The special award for best use of adhesive, which Henkel instituted in 2009, was won in 2011 by the team from Bayreuth University.

The design competition attracts a great deal of interest internationally, with teams from colleges and universities from all over the world taking part. It ranks as a kind of unofficial Olympics for engineering students. Competing against all other entrants, the teams have to design and build the prototype of a new racing car from scratch, present it as a business case, and test its performance in various trials and a final race. 78 teams in the Combustion category and 31 more in the Electric category made it to the final round to be judged at the Hockenheimring at the beginning of August.

For the General Industry business of Henkel as one of the main sponsors, the fiveday event is one of the highlights every year. Up to eight Henkel adhesives experts were available at any time to give the contestants advice or lend a helping hand - in the pits, working on the cars themselves, or at the Henkel stand. The latter was not only well-stocked with high-performance repair and maintenance products from Henkel's Loctite and Teroson brands, but also featured workbenches and even a heating cabinet to accelerate curing of different adhesives.

Special award for best use of adhesive
In order to inspire these enthusiastic students to become even more creative, Henkel established a special award for the best use of adhesive throughout the whole contest. Submissions are judged on the attractiveness and creativity of the bonding application, the way the adhesive was selected and verified, the presentation made to the jury, and the students' knowledge about bonding technologies.

Pictured: Bonding of an aluminum part for a drive shaft with Loctite 648 and winners of the special award for the best use of adhesive: the Bayreuth University team pose at the Henkel stand

From a large number of submissions, seven teams made it through to the final round. The award went to Bayreuth University, ahead of last year's winner Zwickau University, with Coburg University taking third place.

"Last year, the entries were already of a very high standard," says Rudolf Neumayer, Head of Application Technology, Industrial Adhesives, Europe. "But this year, they raised the bar several notches further. This trend shows that we are definitely moving in the right direction with our educational approach."

Henkel's level of engagement in the entire contest earned high praise, not only from the contestants themselves but also from the organizer. "Henkel was present with a large team and often performed last-minute rescue jobs," said Ludwig Vollrath of VDI (the Association of German Engineers), who is in charge of the event. "People were highly impressed by that."

Multiplier effect and greater awareness of the brands
Henkel therefore also profits from this commitment. "The five-day finale of the contest was itself attended by around 2,500 students, professors and design specialists," says Patricia Silva, Marketing Manager, General Industry. "No other event throughout the year draws so many highly interested people with a will to experiment. Having such a representative target group all in one place means that we can achieve important multiplier effects and heightened awareness of our brands."

"Bonding is simply the most dependable solution!"
This view is shared by many people, including Moritz Berard (23), a student from Karlsruhe University, who participated in the contest. "For me, bonding is one of the best solutions there are, and easily the simplest and most dependable one," says Berard summing up. "It opens up whole new worlds and gives an immense amount of design freedom."

Although more and more students beginning to realize this, Henkel's engagement is actually a medium to long-term investment that not many companies take the trouble to make. But the benefits can already be estimated today, thinks Alfred Kaltenbach, Area Sales Manager for Baden-Württemberg of Henkel's General Industry business.

"In Germany alone, about 2,200 young engineering graduates start their careers by going straight from university into private enterprise, where sooner or later they will occupy key positions," he explains. "When engineers who have previously learned about our adhesives and sealants then design new components, they will already be familiar with all the advantages of adhesive bonding technologies and will include this joining technique in their design considerations right from the beginning. This way, adhesive bonding, which was unfortunately often regarded as a last resort in the past, will gain the status it deserves. And we intend to make sure that the young engineers' experiences with Henkel have been entirely positive."

For further information, e-mail: evelyn.necker@henkel.com  or view website: http://www.360bonding.com/?  Refer to next page

New high precision volumetric dosing range from Intertronics

Following the recent announcement of their exclusive UK distribution deal for the preeflow® dosing brand from ViscoTec, the engineers at Intertronics are delighted to introduce the preeflow® eco-PEN series dispensing equipment and matching controllers. These all-electronic systems are ideal for continuous highly accurate dispensing of adhesives, solder pastes, encapsulants, oils, catalysts, etc. in industries such as optics, fibre optics, medical devices, electronics, displays, LEDs and academic laboratories where highly accurate dots, beads or continuous flow are required.

preeflow® dispensers feature a unique patented design of rotating positive displacement pump. A rotor inside an elastomeric stator is driven by a motor. This pumps the liquid very accurately and virtually stress free. Speeding up the motor increases the dispense rate, and reversing the motor allows suck-back to prevent stringing or dripping. Dispensed quantities are defined by size of pump (there are three sizes of eco-Pen), speed of motor, and size of dispensing nozzle, which are attached to eco-Pens by standard luer-lock fittings.

preeflow® dispensers feature a unique patented design.

The result is a dispensing or dosing process which is very accurate and completely process stable, not subject to temperature-based material changes, viscosity variations or the vagaries of time/pressure dispensing.

Eco-PENS may be hand-held, or fitted to automation. The controls are fully electronic, with a simple menu structure on a screen. The eco-PEN dispensing pumps can cope with any liquid, from free-flowing water-like fluids, to heavily filled conductive adhesives. Short fluid paths and simple disassembly makes cleaning and maintenance very simple.

preeflow® eco-PEN units are available in three sizes with minimum dosing quantities of 0.001ml, 0.004ml and 0.015ml. Dispensing may be based on ml volume or gram weight for ease of use.

For further information, e-mail: info@intertronics.co.uk or view website: www.intertronics.co.uk  Refer to page 65

Mixing epoxy without including air improves performance

It has been found that traditional hand mixing of 2-part epoxies - especially in cases of extreme viscosity difference - can result in the inclusion of substantial quantities of air bubbles, as well as much mess and waste. The resulting mix tends to be non-homogeneous and inconsistent/unreliable in performance. The Thinky ARE-250 from Intertronics can address these issues.

Tests with the Thinky ARE-250 using 2-part epoxy structural paste adhesives showed that small exact quantities can be mixed reliably and cleanly in a fraction of the time taken by hand and with consistent optimal results every time, even compared with a hand mix plus secondary degassing process. Results included reduction in mixing time from 20 minutes to 20 seconds and complete elimination of observable air bubbles with a consequent 15% improvement in lap shear test strengths.

The Thinky ARE-250 from Intertronics.

For further information, e-mail: info@intertronics.co.uk or view website: www.intertronics.co.uk  Refer to page 65