DLM Design complete innovative project in Dubai

Wednesday, 24th October 2018

Dynamic Load Monitoring Ltd (DLM) and UAE distributors, Technik-1 Lifting successfully complete the supply and commissioning of Firing Line Monitoring System to a pipe lay vessel docked in Dubai last month.

Technik-1 contacted us looking for a system to measure vertical load being applied to the pipe rollers in the Firing Line of a pipe lay vessel. The system was designed to replace pressure transducers and provides higher accuracy when measuring force applied to the Firing Line Rollers.

DLM specialise in design and manufacture of Shear Pin Load Cells which are used frequently within the offshore industry. Technik-1 is specialist in load instrumentation services with a strong and loyal clientele in the oil and gas industry. DLM worked with the Technik-1 to design, build and install a complete load monitoring system comprising of 12 Subsea Standard Shear Pin Load Cells and a Siemens PLC and HMI system. The system includes a master HMI in the Control Room and slave HMI on the Bridge. Both the HMI screens provided an operator interface to view the status of each roller, monitor the status of the HPU, provide calibration for all 44 analogue inputs and allow for manual or automatic control of the vertical hydraulic movement of the rollers with feedback from vertical position sensors.

Chris Scrutton, Technical Manager from DLM comments: ‘This was a very technically challenging but satisfying project to work on. After the system was commissioned by DLM and Technik-1 engineers seeing the automated control functioning correctly on the first attempt was rewarding, the vertical movement of each roller was kept to within 2mm of level by automatically compensating for the variation in hydraulic cylinders”

DLM work with customers from conception through to completion and even commissioning. If you are looking for system design or some more information on what we can provide, please contact sales@dlm-uk.com

LEEA welcomes local MP to centre of global lifting industry

Wednesday, 24th October 2018

On Friday, 12 October, Jonathan Djanogly, MP for Huntingdon, visited the offices of The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) in the town’s Hinchingbrooke Business Park.

The association is the respected and authoritative representative body for its members who work in every aspect of the lifting industry – from design, manufacture, refurbishment and repair, through to the hire, maintenance and use of lifting equipment.

LEEA’s CEO, Dr Ross Moloney extended an invitation to the MP to visit LEEA to help develop a rapport between the industry and policy makers. Three members of the Association’s Board, Tony Longmire, Kat Moss and Kevin Smith, together with Andrew Wright, LEEA’s Head of learning and development, gave Mr Djanogly MP an insightful tour of LEEA’s impressive training facility.

“We were very proud to highlight how Huntingdon is the centre of the global lifting industry, with LEEA established as the leading representative body for all those involved in the lifting sector worldwide,” said Moloney. Inspectors and engineers from across the UK and our 70 member companies come to Huntingdon to be trained by LEEA.

Ross Moloney also explained to Mr Djanogly the importance LEEA attaches to maintaining the gold standard that membership represents. “It sends a clear signal of excellence in lifting services to those who use and work with cranes and lifting equipment in a variety of sectors,” said Dr Moloney. Other matters discussed during the visit included the vital subject of safety and mitigating risk of accidents; how the Middle East is showing the way in how public procurement can drive the raising of standards; developing an apprenticeship standard for the industry; and the association’s determination to work with schools and colleges to encourage new talent into the industry.

New â€“ Small â€“ Self-Sufficient Data Logger PCE-VDL-24I with 2400Hz Sampling Rate

Wednesday, 24th October 2018

PCE Instruments has used the experience of the recent years to develop a mobile, small and powerful data logger. The development and production were guided exclusively by the suggestions, experiences and wishes of the customers. For all the branches of industry, a new data logger of the PCE-VDL series offers solutions for the detection of 3-axis acceleration, for example, upon shock or vibrations. The first two data loggers PCE-VDL 24I and PCE-VDL 16I are now conquering the market after intensive and successful work.

The PCE-VDL 16I has five integrated sensors for temperature, humidity, air pressure and light, as well as a 3-axis acceleration with a sampling rate of 1600 Hz.

The PCE-VDL 24I has a very fast sampling rate of 2400 Hz. Thus, the PCE-VDL 24I is perfect for recording the acceleration, for example, during machine inspection and preventive maintenance. Due to its very small design, the data logger can be mounted at almost any point on the machine and used for 3-axis acceleration. With the PCE-VDL 24I, it is possible to measure and store a precise reconstruction of the pulses coming from acceleration and impact force in all three axes. Especially in case of machines, motors and generators, it is advantageous to be able to record the snapshots of variable process steps and to document all the abnormalities. Thus, future problems can be detected in advance and resolved, for example, when the velocity of various speed ranges drops and critical machine errors occur. The new data logger can contribute to the preventive maintenance of machines and noticeably reduce high service expenses. Additional information can be used to limit the number of areas affected by large vibration amplitudes and retrofit damping systems.

The data logger PCE-VDL 24I cannot only be used for stationary machines, it can also be installed in moving objects. Particularly in the field of industry and transport, it is advantageous to determine impacts, shocks and accelerations of objects in all 3 axes. Due to the constant presence of gravitational acceleration and its graphical and numerical illustration in the measurement results, even small changes in position, displacements and generally tilting movements in a three-dimensional space can be detected due to a high sampling rate with the highest resolution.

With the PCE-VDL 24I, it is possible to display the exact time course and to put a time stamp during the recording of many measurement values. Only on this condition, the real processes can be made visible subsequently via an acceleration-time-diagram. Due to the high sampling rate of 2400 Hz, especially the higher frequency oscillations or vibrations coming from very short shock or impact pulses are definable. In the case of periodic oscillations with higher frequency components, a high sampling rate is urgently required in order to make the recordings and later evaluation on the PC possible. Diagrams give us new insights, for example about long or short peak loads, as well as the recording of very many measuring points at very short time intervals.

With the data logger PCE-VDL 24I, effective machine monitoring is possible and can increase and prolong the performance and lifetime of equipment and machines.

More information at:
https://www.pce-instruments.com/english/measuring-instruments/test-meters/data-logger-data-logging-instrument-kat_40040.htm

Hastings Shannon lifeboat gets the DuroWipers treatment

Wednesday, 24th October 2018

Hastings lifeboat station has welcomed its brand-new Shannon class all-weather lifeboat which is kitted out with the very best in marine equipment, including Class 50 DuroWipers.

The Richard and Caroline Coltonis the latest to join the RNLI's fleet and boasts 50% more speed than the Mersey class lifeboat previously stationed at Hastings.

“The wipers come with a ten-year guarantee which makes them maintenance free", said Noel Gould, owner, DuroWipers.

“That’s how confident we are in the strength of our wipers and although it doesn’t do us any favours when it comes to future marine servicing and maintenance, it’s in new business where we do so well. The wipers’ reputation speaks for itself.”

DuroWipers originally secured the contract to supply 57 RNLI vessels, including the new Shannon class lifeboats, with wiper systems back in 2012.

This vessel is the third new Shannon class to be kitted out by DuroWipers in 2018.

In April, the newbuild Barbara Annelifeboat went into service at Lytham St Annes and in May, the £2.2m Humfrey Berkeley13-25 went into service out of Leverburgh equipped with the same top-quality wipers.

The Shannon class is the first modern all-weather lifeboat propelled by waterjets instead of propellers, making it the most agile and manoeuvrable all-weather lifeboat in the RNLI fleet.

Measuring just over 13m in length and weighing in at 18 tonnes, the Shannon is the smallest and lightest of current all-weather lifeboats. It can be launched straight off the beach via a new and improved Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLARS), which will also be used at Hastings.

The new vessel Richard and Caroline Coltonis named after the late Mr Richard Colton of Wellingborough and his late wife Caroline Colton.
Throughout his lifetime, Mr Colton was a supporter of the RNLI and when he passed away in March 2015, he left an extraordinary legacy to the RNLI comprising of two of the world’s rarest Ferraris.

The classic cars were sold at auction for an impressive £8.5 million – the most valuable items ever left to the RNLI – and the money was used to fund the new Hastings lifeboat.

Richard Colton’s legacy is also funding the new Shannon launch and recovery rig for Hastings, which will be named Richard and Mark Colton, after his late son Mark.

The current Mersey lifeboat Sealink Endeavourwill stay operational at Hastings, being used for all call-outs, until the crew have been fully trained and passed out as competent to handle the new vessel. At this point the Mersey vessel will be retired.

Expect more to come from DuroWipers as more new Shannon class lifeboats are launched in 2019.

Away from the RNLI, DuroWipers also counts The Royal Navy, DFDS Ferries, Wightlink, Red Funnel, P&O, Damen, the Colombian navy and Norwegian operator Umoe Mandal, as previously satisfied customers.

Call for papers for All-Energy and sums 2019 now open and online

Tuesday, 16th October 2018

The Call for Papers for both All-Energy 2018 and the co-located Smart Urban Mobility Solutions (SUMS 2019) has been launched The duo of events will be held at Glasgow’s SEC on 15 and 16 May 2019.

The All-Energy 2019 conference will look at topics that come under all four ‘pillars’ of the event – renewable power; low carbon heat; energy efficiency in the built environment; and low carbon transport (via SUMS 2019).

“Decarbonisation, decentralisation, digitalisation and democratisation (i.e. end-user choice) all play important roles in the conference; so too does climate change particularly in line with the IPCC’s latest report and wider social impacts; Brexit-effects; planning for success and the alignment of data requirements through all stages of delivery; and innovative solutions and finding answers to the questions we used to ignore,” explains Event Director, Jonathan Heastie of Reed Exhibitions who own and organise the duo of events.

“SUMS not only looks at low carbon transport and charging infrastructure but at smart mobility in all its guises from connected and autonomous vehicles to smart parking/payment and multimodal journey planners. The full list of topics coming under the conference spotlight at both events is online. Both conferences are free to attend for all with relevant business/professional interests. Although the Call for Papers is only just being published I can assure all prospective conference attendees that they will be taking part in a truly world-class event.

“We look forward to reviewing a stimulating collection of submissions and sharing them with our industry ‘champions’ over the coming months and also to involving session sponsors at the earliest opportunity. The Call for Papers closes on 20 December.

“With just over seven months before the doors open at SEC for our duo of events I am delighted to report that exhibition sales continue to run ahead of where we were at this time last year, we are looking forward to a busy exhibition and conference where business is most certainly done, and that always engenders a real buzz.”

Some of the exhibitors from Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK who have already confirmed their space booking include 2G Energy, ABB Turbocharging, Centrica, Clarke Energy, Deutsche Windtechnik, Enercon, Greenbyte, Ingeteam, Knights Brown Construction, Moventas Gears, Nordex, PARAT Halvorsen, Powersystems UK, Schneider Electric, Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks, Senvion UK, Siemens Gamesa, Vensys Energy, Vestas, Visualwind and Wood.

All-Energy is held in association with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Renewable Energy Association (REA), Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG), Innovate UK and Glasgow City Council, with the Society for Underwater Technology as its Learned Society Patron. SUMS lists Transport Scotland, ITS United Kingdom, Energy Saving Trust, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, REA, Glasgow City Council and Innovate UK amongst its supporters.

Looking back
All-Energy 2018 and SUMS 2018 attracted a total audience of just over 7,000; 300+ exhibiting company; nearly 500 speakers, including four Ministers (the First Minister of Scotland; the UK’s Minister for Energy and Clean Growth; and both Scotland’s Energy and Transport Ministers) in a packed and informative conference; and compliments in plenty. A large number of the conference presentations can be downloaded free of charge from the shows’ websites.

24-Year-Old SP Load Cell Continues Reliable Service

Tuesday, 16th October 2018

A 20t capacity load cell, manufactured by Straightpoint (SP) in 1994, has been returned to Holyhead Marine Services, of North Wales, UK having completed its latest inspection and calibration. The Load Link is the latest in a series of historical force measurement devices to pass through SP’s in-house testing facility recently.

In order to maintain the accuracy and function of a marine lifting load / force measurement product, be it SP-branded or otherwise, scheduled calibration and maintenance needs to be carried out to ensure continued safety when applied in the field.

SP can apply and exert a wide spectrum of known loads and forces, from just a few kilograms or pounds to many hundreds of tonnes, in order to test and calibrate load cells and force sensors supplied by clients. Machines installed at SP headquarters in Hampshire, UK are UKAS ISO 17025 / NIST traceable rigs, Class 0.5 standard, and certified by the National Physical Laboratory in London.
Josh Young, calibration technician at SP, who completed the latest inspection on Holyhead’s Load Link, outlined the process: “We always carry out a visual and functional check of the load cell prior to putting it in the test machine. This includes checking that the gaskets are sealing the unit sufficiently and that the load cell powers on and responds to loading by hand. For every re-calibration we do a set of ‘as found’ readings which are taken before any adjustment. It’s from here we can see if the load cell meets tolerance and then adjust it accordingly.”

He continued: “We exercise the product to its working load limit and back to zero. Then we take our as found readings; if it passes we take the load cell out of the machine and re-zero. However if it doesn’t pass as found then we must adjust it and take a set of definitive readings.”

Young explained that it is common to receive a load cell that has been working in the field for many years. “In total, a third of the load cells we get for recalibration could be deemed to be ‘old’,” he said. “It’s one of the most interesting facets of working in the team; it demonstrates the quality of the products we manufacture but these historical units serve as time capsules from which we can measure the technological advancements we’ve made—and continue to make.”

David Ayling, director at SP, said: “We spend a lot of time and money on enhancing our product range, and working with our industry partners to expand our offering and challenge the performance of our existing load cells. However, we rarely take an opportunity to celebrate the longevity of our more traditional products that continue to perform accurately and reliably in the field. The aforementioned Load Link from the marine sector is a prime example.”

LiftEx 2018: the unmissable global lifting industry event

Wednesday, 10th October 2018

LiftEx 2018, the free-to-attend flagship event of LEEA (The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association), is the unmissable global gathering for the lifting industry. It takes place at the Arena MK in Milton Keynes on 14-15 November.

The Lifting Equipment sector spans an enormous number of vertical segments including: rail, construction, renewable energy, civil engineering, entertainment, road & maritime transport, health & safety, utilities, logistics and manufacturing. LiftEx provides a dedicated event to address the many different challenges, solutions, regulations and best practice advice under one roof.

Visitors can catch up with suppliers and view demonstrations and explore the latest solutions from over 80 of the industry's top vendors. This will of course include a broad array oflifting equipmentsolutions from companies such as Carl Stahl Evita, Durham Lifting, Hird (UK), Lift Gear UK, Lift Turn Move (LTM), Petersen Stainless Rigging, PMS Industrie, Modulift, Reel UK, Reid Lifting Solutions, Rope and Sling Specialists, Slingmax Rigging Solutions, Suhbo Industrial, Sumner Manufacturing, Their Winches and Cranes, and William Hackett Lifting Products. Height safety equipment will be on show from checkmate, Diamond H Lifting Equipment, SpanSet Group, and Unitex UK. Columbus McKinnon, George Taylor and Company, Gunnebo Industries and Speedy Services are among the companies showing materials handling solutions. Safetmade Marine Products and Water Weights are among the Testingcompanies exhibiting. IT will be represented in the form of solutions fromCoreRFID and Motion Software.

Visitors can also see wire ropes from Hendrik Veder Group (HVG) and wire rope splicingfromSahm Splice and Talurit. Wire rope Inspections is the focus of Tensology. There will be the lifting rings of CODIPRO and Jergens Lifting Solutions; load monitoring solutions from DLM, JCM, Load Monitoring Systems and Straightpoint; hydraulic tools from Worlifts; Machine moving and lifting from Rapid Response Solutions; Winchesfrom Atlas Winch & Hoist Services; chains from Chains; ropes and cords from English Braids; while Crosby and Van Beest will display rope accessories.

Trade bodies are represented by the Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) and, of course, The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) – established across the globe as the leading representative body for all those involved in the lifting industry worldwide – will be welcoming visitors to its stand to find out more about how the association supports and develops the sector, as well as helping members to reach out to end-user markets.

With over 1000 industry peers from construction, rail, renewable energy, shipping and road transport, oil & gas, civil engineering, entertainment and manufacturing expected, the event offers an ideal networking forum.

The Speakers’ Corner, located on the show floor, will host complimentary sessions and specialty programs on topics, designed to help visitors in their everyday role, will cover the latest in safety regulations, technology innovations and industry best practices.

The event is also geared to making a vital contribution to the industry’s sustainability by engaging with the next generation of talent into the sector. Through the participation of careers advisors, teachers, universities, colleges and regional boards, LiftEx 2018 offers the ideal opportunity for encouraging young people into STEM careers in our sector.

LEEA Awards 2018
Winners of the LEEA Awards 2018 will be announced and presented during the LiftEx 2018 Awards Dinner on 14 November 2018 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, which is within the Arena MK complex in Milton Keynes. THE LEEA Awards 2018 is a new award scheme developed by the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association to reward its members and their employees who have made significant contributions to lifting standards in our industry.

LEEA is excited to welcome Matt Dawson, MBE, as speaker at the LiftEx Awards Dinner and presenter of the LEEA Awards. From well-known rugby player to a national TV personality, Matt Dawson was a contributor to England’s victory at the 2003 World Cup and is Team Captain on BBC1’s much-loved ‘A Question of Sport’.
For further information on LiftEx 2018 and the LiftEx 2018 Awards Dinner, visit www.liftex.org.

English Braids is a UK manufacturer of synthetic ropes

Wednesday, 10th October 2018

English Braids is a UK manufacturer of synthetic ropes & braided cords. Our products have been used for over 50 years in a wide range of applications including marine, lifting, engineering, commercial marine winching, entertainment & manufacturing. We use the highest quality yarns, modern machinery and a stringent quality control process.

As a UK Dyneema® partner and manufacturer of ropes in the UK. Dyneema® forms part of the business overall strategic direction which is aligned to technical products delivered with first class customer service. Developed by DSM some 30 years ago and known as the world’s strongest, lightest fibre – 15 times stronger than steel, yet floats on water – Dyneema® works to stop bullets, repair human joints and improve the longevity of apparel.

In addition, our Tutus static rope is an EN 1891 low stretch kermantel ropes with high strength for use in rope access, fall safety systems, rescue and caving with a high proportion of sheath to cover ratio which provides improved abrasion protection & reduced sheath slippage.

Come and meet our experts on our stand at Liftex to find out more about our exciting developments and new products on offer. We can also discuss any specific requirements you may have.

Masculinity in Engineering Survey

Wednesday, 10th October 2018

Equal Engineers is launching its first survey investigating masculinity in engineering in time for World Mental Health Day (10 October 2018), a first-of-its-kind for the sector. The survey will be open for 5 weeks, closing on 16 November 2018.

Engineering and technology in the UK is a predominately male profession, with men comprising over 89% of the workforce. Many diversity efforts pivot on getting more women into engineering.

This survey will explore if the culture of engineering is affected by the stereotype of what an engineer looks like, and how men are expected to behave.

Do men feel included or excluded in the push to increase diversity? Could a more diverse profession benefit both women and men?

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50, with male construction workers 3.7 times more likely to take their own life. Are men able to be open about their mental health challenges, or is the stigmatisation too great? Does this manifest itself as a macho culture in the workplace or on-site which prevents an inclusive culture?

This survey would like to know your views and opinions – the real ones, not the ones that you feel that you should express. We expect respondents to give us their real answers, not just the "right" answers.

The survey is the brainchild of Dr Mark McBride-Wright, Managing Director of EqualEngineers, who set the company up after years of working in the sector and seeing not only the challenges that the lack of diversity can bring, but also the risks posed to health, safety and wellbeing. Being a gay safety engineer himself, and setting up networking group InterEngineering for LGBT+ engineers gave him the drive to set up an organisation covering all aspects of diversity.

Mark says:
"For me, inclusivity in the workplace is a health and safety issue. Not being able to be open about who you are, because of attitudes and lack of diversity around you can lead to mental health issues and decreased wellbeing. In construction, for example, an industry where suicide rates among men are more than three times the national average, more needs to be done to ensure that commitment to these issues goes much further than token inclusion policies.

My hopes for this survey is to capture the voice of men in the engineering and tech industries, individuals who perhaps feel excluded from the focus on diversity and inclusion efforts of organisations. We need to rapidly overhaul the way in which we approach culture change programmes within our industry, and we need to ensure everyone feels included, and is able to find their voice as part of the diversity narrative."

Ian Childs, Executive Manager, Morson International says:

"As the UK's No.1 Technical Recruiter, Morson engages with a huge engineering community. Our business has taken great strides to improve the diversity of our contractor population, doubling the number of female engineers we employ. Now it's time to look deeper and assess how these cultural changes affect the workforce as a whole. The stigma around mental health keeps too many people silent. Safety is paramount in many of the sectors that we operate in and whilst employers take great strides in protecting their people from physical harm, the same effort is now needed to address mental ill health. We are pleased to be supporting EqualEngineers in this study."

Initial results from the EqualEngineers Masculinity in Engineering Survey will be reported on International Men's Day on 19th November.

Revolutionary Aqua-Zorb from Premier Separator Services

Friday, 5th October 2018

The Aqua-Zorb water-free cell marketed by Premier Separator Services Ltd is a simple and effective means of removing water from the bottom of Diesel fuel and hydraulic oil tanks. By using a fabric sheath containing a water-absorbing formula, the Aqua-Zorb product eliminates the need to train fuel tanks to remove water. The cell can be easily replaced to provide a constant method of maintaining the integrity of the fuel, whether it is in storage or service tanks.

The water content of diesel naturally falls to the bottom of the tank and can create a breeding area for bugs the impact on the quality of the diesel. Traditionally, water is removed by draining it off at the base of the fuel tank, with the associated health and safety and disposal issues. Aqua-Zorb elicited the need for draining of a fuel tank, and the expanded sheath – which contains the water – can be disposed of using conventional waste collection searches, as there is no diesel contained in the cell.

The Aqua-Zorb fabric sheath is dropped into a tank and the weight of the steal backing-plate positions it at the bottom of the vessel. The hydrophilic formula inside the sheath only absorbs water and swells up to hold the waste liquid. The sheath can be removed using the attached cord to inspect the level of absorption, and be replaced if necessary with a new Aqua-Zorb cell.

Widely used in the haulage and agricultural industries, Aqua-Zorb is a reliable and safe means of maintaining the condition of stored fuel. Product tests have shown no leakage of the water from the expanded sheath, no contamination of the fuel from the products and no issues relating to removal and replacement of the product in the storage tank.

Contact us on:
Tel: +44 2381 800 107
Mob: +44 7890 530050
Email: info@premiersepservices.com
Website: www.premiersepservices.com

Month: October 2018

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