News » World News Competition aims to find world’s most efficient motors
A global awards scheme aimed at the finding the world’s most efficient electric motors has been announced by Clean Energy Ministerial – a global forum that brings together many leading economies with the aim of sharing best practices and promoting policies and programmes that encourage the transition to cleaner energy technologies.
Europe’s machine-tool exports hit a record – but home sales shrink
Machine-tool production in Europe grew by 6% in 2012 to reach a total of €22.2bn and is expected to expand again slightly this year to reach €22.5bn, according to the latest figures from the sector’s trade body, Cecimo. Most of the 2012 growth came from exports with some manufacturers, especially in southern Europe, now relying entirely on exports.
World’s number 2 motor-maker slims down its brands
Regal, which claims to be the world’s second-largest motor-maker, is consolidating its global activities into four main brands – Marathon, Leeson, Fasco and Genteq.
Eastern Europe offers growth potential for packaging machinery
The European packaging machinery market was worth more than $12.62bn in 2012 and will reach $14.63bn by 2016, according a new report from the market analyst, Frost & Sullivan.
Toshiba buys Canadian motor-maker
Toshiba International (TIC) is acquiring the assets and intellectual property of Elettra Technology (ETI), a Canadian manufacturer of custom industrial motors, including assets of the former Westinghouse Motor Company Canada.
EU demand for gearboxes and geared motors set to slump
Sales of industrial gearboxes and geared motors in the Emea (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) region will fall by 4.2% this year, according to a new report from IMS Research, now part of IHS.
German merger could revolutionise panel-building
A merger between two German engineering companies could revolutionise the way that control and switchgear cabinets are designed and built, with much of the process being automated – from the initial circuit design to final assembly of the wiring using robotic machines.
Car-makers turn to brushless DC motors
Car-makers are turning increasingly to brushless DC motors instead of brushed DC and stepper motors, according to a new study from IMS Research, now a part of IHS. It predicts that shipments of brushless DC motors will increase by 52% between 2012 and 2017 to reach a total of more than 462m.
ODVA plans standards for exchanging machine information
ODVA is forming a special interest group (SIG) to develop standards for exchanging information between machines, and between machines and supervisory systems. The resulting standards will provide data models and network services that optimise the exchange of machine information for purposes such as production, energy and condition monitoring, business intelligence, batch and recipe management, and multi-machine line control.
Moog buys Aspen Motion Technologies from Pentair for $34m
Moog has acquired Pentair’s Aspen Motion Technologies subsidiary for about $34m in cash. US-based Aspen, founded in 1996, designs and manufactures high-performance permanent magnet brushless DC motors, integrated digital controls and motorised impellers for motors. Its revenues for 2012 were worth around $36m.
Free tools help to specify drives and calculate energy savings
Eaton has released several free hardware and software tools to help specify its variable speed drives and work out how much energy they will save in a particular application.
GM is first US car-maker to build its own motors
General Motors has become the first US car-maker to manufacture electric motors and drives for electric vehicles in America. Until now, it has mostly relied on imported motors to power its EVs.
Oil and water drive demand for MV MCCs and soft-starts
The fastest growth in applications for medium-voltage motor control centres (MCCs) and soft-starters in the next few years is likely to come from the oil and gas, and water and wastewater industries, says a new report from IMS Research, now part of IHS.
Technology that unites PLCs with IT wins Hermes Award
Bosch Rexroth has won the 2013 Hermes Award for its Open Core Engineering, which unites the previously separate worlds of PLCs and information technology (IT). The award, made annually at the Hannover Fair, singles out outstanding innovations pioneered by individual companies. This year’s shortlist included Ebm-Papst and Hirschmann Automation and Control.
Machine-builders turn to direct-drive torque motors
The global market for direct-drive torque motor modules almost doubled from $98m in 2008 to $195m by 2012, and will be worth nearly $300m by 2016, according to a new report from IMS Research, now part of IHS.
