New for 2015: NFPA 79 Undergoes Updates and Revisions
The 2015 edition of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) safety standard 79 for industrial machinery includes a number of updates and revisions designed to conform with the international standards, including IEC 60204-1. While many changes are stylistic and organizational in nature, there are also several new and clarified terms and definitions aimed at preventing misinterpreted requirements for various types of circuits and protective devices.
Other changes include the addition of conveyors and conveying machines under the material handling machine designation, clarified sizing requirements for motor power conductors, and warning and type requirements for safety enclosures. More details about the 2015 edition of NAFP 79 is available in the “Codes and Standards” section
of nfp.org. —via Siemens Totally Integrated Automation
Growth Returns to the Market for Motion Controls in 2014
For the motion control market, 2014 may well prove to have been a very good year according to a new study by business information and analytics provider IHS, Inc. Once revenue numbers are added up, the company predicts that worldwide product sales for the past year will have reached $12.2 billion, more than 6 percent over 2013’s total.
IHS’s market definition includes general motion control (GMC) and computer numerical control (CNC) servo motors, servo drives, and position control hardware.
The generally optimistic report follows two years of global market decline, with economic recovery in North America partially offsetting slowdowns elsewhere. IHS attributes 2014’s success to improvements in both Europe and Japan, while continued growth in the American market has been boosted by a strong recovery in the semiconductor sector.
And there’s more to come. IHS predicts the pace of growth to continue in 2015, with the global market forecast to increase by 6.7 percent to reach $13.1 million in revenues. This would surpass the market’s previous peak in 2011 by 2.4 percent.
A New Tool for Balancing Packaging Lines
The consultants at OEEGuru.com have released a packaging line balancing tool designed to help packaging professionals assess the speed profile of their lines. The tool is based on the v-profile principle commonly used throughout the industry, allowing users to create their customized line profile and visualize the results. After entering the equipment or work cell names, the designed or actual speeds of the equipment, and a factor for accumulation between assets, the user is presented with an easy to read v-profile of their line. As properly designed line will fall within the green shaded area, ideally maintaining a smooth v-profile as the line moves further away from the constraint. Deviation from a smooth v-profile indicates areas of opportunity. Designed specifically for the CPG industry, the tool has been actively used by OEE Guru Consultants in real world applications, helping them identify areas of improvement and leading to significant improvements in line performance. Unlike complex and expensive simulation software, this tool is easy to use, and best of all, completely free. Check it out at
www.oeeguru.com/packaging-line-balancing-tool.
Packaging Line Engineering and Intergration
According to a recent survey taken by 99 machinery buyer respondents from Packaging World and Healthcare Packaging email database, there’s a trend toward machine builders getting into the line design & integration business. Is this for everybody? What does it mean for the OEM business? Are you planning on starting down this path, or have you already begun? Finally, would you be interested in discussing this trend in a future
article? Let us know.
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