Busbars are astonishing pieces of technology that make complex power distribution simpler, more affordable and flexible. Different coating or plating materials provide varying levels of conductivity and duration of the product’s lifecycle.
Busbars are typically made from corrosion resistant copper, brass or aluminium in solid or hollow tubes. They are produced in a range of shapes including flat strips, solid bars and rods. Some of these shapes allow for more efficient
You may already know what electroplating is but what you may not know is how it works. Electroplating can be described as a common metal finishing or improving process used in a number of industrial applications.
It’s not new though as the earliest form, which became the modern electroplating process, occurred in the early 19th century. At this time, the development of bigger electric generators meant higher currents which drastically improved the process. With the advancement of industrial and manufacturing practices over the past two hundred years, this process has greatly evolved.
Whether it’s conspiracy theories, Hollywood or reality; there’s certainly no shortage of newsworthy mentions of new military technology being developed. Autonomous systems, for example, is vital to solve many of the most difficult problems we currently face. These include exploring uncharted oceans, deep space, providing aid in emergency situations and probably more applications in the defense industry.
Already we have Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Microsoft with Cortana. These systems all operate on autonomous technology and the demand
Shot blasting can be described as a method used to clean, strengthen or polish metal surfaces getting it ready for the application of overlays or coatings. Industries using this method include automotive, aerospace, construction, rail and ship building among others. It removes rust or old layers of paint which is important when preparing surfaces for further processing like paint application, powder coating and welding work.
Great road cars, sports cars and racing cars all have one important thing in common – total design and engineering! These are not just sports cars; they’re automotive engineering genius. With such striking features, phenomenal power to weight ratio, intelligent design and mind-blowing top speeds, who wouldn’t want to get behind the wheel?
The weather has turned positively autumnal with a drop in temperature and leaves starting to drop from the trees. At this time of year commuters across the country groan and begin to think about how often the weather is likely to disrupt their daily journey to work. Leaves on the track is frequently put forward as the major reason for causing seasonal disruption to services on our rail network, and whilst at face value the reason sounds a little far-fetched, leaves on the track are in fact, a real safety hazard.
So why do leaves on the rail network cause so many problems? There are 2 key areas where leaves cause problems:
There are a few reason for plating or coating busbars. Cosmetic reasons or provision of insulation are a couple but the most common reason for coating busbars is to inhibit corrosion.
Busbars are commonly made from copper, which in itself is quite resistant to corrosion but busbars are often used in environments where higher levels of protection are needed. Over time, copper oxidises and can impact the surfaces conductive properties. So plating or coating busbars, not only reduces corrosion but also improves the longevity and conductive properties of the item.
In 2014 South West trains introduced electrical multiple units (EMUS) on some routes from London Waterloo. This along with projects to lengthen platforms and trains on other services is just small part of an £800 million investment to improve rail services on the network. In 2015 South West trains ordered a number of Siemens class 707 EMUs for use on the Windsor to London Waterloo commuter service and the first body shell for the 707s was completed in October 2015 at the Siemen’s factory in Germany.
Last month testing of the 707s began in earnest at the Siemen’s dedicated test track in Widenrath, Germany. The state of the art testing site has been designed to test UK fleets to Network Rail standards and should keep disruption to UK train services to a minimum during the testing phase.
When it comes to manufacturing parts or components the way each one is finished reflects the quality of workmanship. If you don’t finish a job properly, then it doesn’t matter how careful you’ve been with the initial production, cutting or moulding, the end product is not going to look good. And the way the end product looks will always have an impact on saleability.
There could, of course, also be an impact on your costs. If your customer is unhappy with the finish of an order, you may have to start all over again, meaning more waste and increased costs. And there’s the health and safety aspect of poor finishing. Rough or sharp edges won’t be acceptable to your customer and may also cause injuries to those working with them.
Subcon 2016 is only a few weeks away now and with that in mind the organisers have asked some of their speakers their views and opinions on some key areas of manufacturing.
Not surprisingly, when asked about the biggest challenge facing the industry this year, 4 of the 7 said that they saw political and economic uncertainty as a major challenge in the coming months. The debate about staying or leaving the EU means that people are reconsidering longer term commitments and may even be delaying projects as they are unsure as to how they will be affected. Things will be clearer after the referendum in June, but there still may be longer term issues to consider depending on the outcome. It would be prudent for any business to consider the impact on them should the result be that the UK exits the EU. Of course it will take time for any exit policies and agreements to be put into place, but there’s likely to be some sort of immediate impact on existing contracts and projects. Should the vote be to stay in, then of course, things will settle back down, but it still may take a little time for that uncertainty to settle completely.
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