EuroWire September 2018

Best of both worlds at exhibition and symposium

upon in the September issue of sister publication Wire & Cable ASIA , which you can also claim a free copy of at the exhibition. The second exhibition and technical symposium we feature in this issue takes you across the Atlantic, to Rhode Island, USA, for the IWCS Cable and Connectivity Symposium. Running from 14 th to 17 th October at the Rhode Island Convention Center, IWCS is a premier event in cable and connectivity materials, products, processes and applications.

wire China and IWCS feature heavily in this latest issue of EuroWire . The first is, without doubt, the largest trade exhibition in the wire and cable industry throughout Asia. Two years ago, more than 1,600 exhibitors were on hand to display and launch the latest products from a burgeoning industry to over 44,000 buyers. Those visitors can expect to meet decision makers from wire manufacturing and nishing machinery manu- facturers to measuring and control technology during the four-day show at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. There will also be a number of technical forums to focus on trending issues and difficulties in the development of the industry. Our coverage of wire China starts on page 60 with editorials from some of the exhibiting companies. This is expanded

More than 160 papers will be presented in 21 sessions over three days, in addition to the exhibiton, which is held from 2pm to 6pm on Monday, and 10am to 6pm on Tuesday.

Our coverage starts on page 55.

David Bell Editor

Publishing Team

Editor:

................................................................................................................................David Bell

Features Editor (USA):

.....................................................................................................................Dorothy Fabian

Editorial assistant:

..................................................................................................................Christian Bradley

Design/Production:

............................................................................................................................Julie Tomlin

Production:

..............................................................................................................................Lisa Wright

Sales & Marketing: UK & ROW sales.............................................................................................Jason Smith (International) Italian speaking sales...................................................................Giuliana Benedetto Chinese speaking sales ............................................................................................Linda Li Advertisement Coordinator: ..............................................................................................................................Liz Hughes Accounts Manager: ................................................................................................................................ Julie Case Subscriptions: ................................................................................................................................Julie Case Publisher: ....................................................................................................................Caroline Sullens Founder: ..........................................................................................................................John C Hogg

* US$33 purchase only Front cover: Mexichem Specialty Compounds See page 92 for further details US copies only : EuroWire (ISSN 1463-2483, USPS No: 022-738) is published six times a year, January, March, May, July, September and November by Intras Ltd and distributed in the USA by UKP Worldwide, 3390 Rand Road, South Plain eld, NJ 07080. Periodicals postage paid at Rahway, NJ and at additional mailing o ces. POSTMASTER : Send address changes to EuroWire, Intras Ltd, C/O 3390 Rand Road, South Plain eld NJ 07080. www.read-eurowire.com © 2018 Intras Ltd, UK ISSN 1463-2438

Intras Offices

USA :

Advertising/Marketing Intras USA – Doug Zirkle Danbury Corporate Center, 107 Mill Plain Road, Danbury, CT 06811, USA Tel : +1 203 794 0444 Email : doug@intras.co.uk

E urope :

46 Holly Walk, Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 4HY, UK

Tel : +44 1926 334137 Fax : +44 1926 314755

Email : eurowire@intras.co.uk Website : www.intras.co.uk Website : www.read-eurowire.com

TheProfessional PublishersAssociation Member

4

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Regulars Market News Contents

September 2018

Bigstockphoto.com Photographer fanjianhua

8

Sommaire Français 80 Nouvelles du Marché 92 Index des Annonceurs Indice Italiano 84 Notizie del Mercato 92 Indice degli Inserzionisti Deutsch Inhalt 72 Neuigkeiten 92 Inserentenverzeichnis Содержание на русском языке 76 Ηοвости рьінка 92 Перечень рекламодателей Indice Español 88 Noticias de Mercado 92 Indice de Anunciadores

Diary of events

9

Corporate News

39

Transatlantic Cable

44

Technology News

55

IWCS 2018

60

wire China 2018

92

Editorial Index

92

Advertisers’ Index

6

September 2018

Technical Articles

70

82

Alternative to soldering: Back-cast resistance welding electrodes made of tungsten and copper ensure optimum current transfer By Michael Bisaha, Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH & Bayerische Metallwerke GmbH Widerstandsschweißelektroden ausWolfram und Kupfer sorgen für optimalen Stromübergang von Michael Bisaha, Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH & Bayerische Metallwerke GmbH Альтернатива пайке: приварные электроды для сварки сопротивлением, сделанные из вольфрама и меди, обеспечивают оптимальную передачу тока Михаэль Бисаха, Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH & Bayerische Metallwerke GmbH Alternative zu Lötverfahren: Hintergossene

Alternative au brasage: Électrodes de soudage par résistance réalisées par la méthode back-casting en tungstène et cuivre assurant un passage de courant optimal par Michael Bisaha, Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH & Bayerische Metallwerke GmbH Alternativa alla brasatura: Elettrodi per saldatura a resistenza in tungsteno e rame realizzati mediante back-casting garantiscono un passaggio di corrente ottimale a cura di Michael Bisaha, Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH & Bayerische Metallwerke GmbH Alternativa al braseado: los electrodos de soldadura por resistencia de tungsteno y cobre realizados mediante back-casting garantizan una transferencia de corriente ideal Por Michael Bisaha, Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH & Bayerische Metallwerke GmbH

74

86

78

90

Subscribe Now!

Next Issue

Getting Technical

Halogen-free compound solutions to address thermal stress cracking in extreme conditions

Feature

Visit us online at: www.read-eurowire.com

wire India 2018

7

September 2018

IWCS 2018 October 14–17 October: IWCS – symposium and trade exhibition – Rhode Island, USA Organisers : IWCS Tel : +1 717 993 9500 Email : phudak@iwcs.org Website : www.iwcs.org

Dates for your diary. . .

2018

November

27–29 November: wire India – trade exhibition – Mumbai, India Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf India Pvt Ltd Fax : +91 112 697 1746 Email : info@wire-india.com Website : www.wire-india.com

2019

February

28 February-2 March: TEL – trade exhibition – Istanbul, Turkey Organisers : Voli Fuar Hizmetleri

Fax : +90 212 604 5051 Email : info@voli.com.tr Website : http://tel-fair.com

March

5-7 March: Cables 2019 – conference and technical programme – Düsseldorf, Germany AMI Cables – conference – Düsseldorf, Germany Organisers : AMI Tel: +44 117 314 8111 Website : www.ami.international

May

13-16 May: Interwire – trade exhibition – Atlanta,

Georgia, USA Organisers : Wire Association International Fax : +1 203 453 8384 Email : sales@wirenet.org Website : www.wirenet.org

June

18-20 June: wire Russia – trade exhibition – Moscow, Russia Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf Fax : +7 499 246 9277

Email : info@wire-russia.com Website : www.wire-russia.com

Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com “The Rhode Island State House, the capitol of the US State of Rhode Island” Photographer: Demerzel21

8

September 2018

Corporate News

▲ ▲ The new building of Sikora AG creates more space for production and logistics (Visualisation: Gruppe GME)

Topping-out of new building for production and logistics

Sikora has also been offering its technologies to the metal market. The new building offers space for production and logistics on three floors including a stacked storey with areas for communication and creativity purposes for new ideas and innovation. The building is being erected on the site of the old production building, which had been demolished. Production has been moved to a building only 400m from Sikora headquarters, ensuring a very short connection to management, administration and the research and development team. Sikora AG – Germany Website : www.sikora.net

with their commitment the basis for our project. “It is remarkable to see for the very first time, due to the completion of the shell, the true dimensions of the building. This is a special moment.” The expansion at the production headquarters in Bremen, Germany, is a strategic investment in the future. “We invest in further growth and global competitiveness,” added Mr Frank. Strong growth as well as diversification of the company to new markets, and accompanying new and further development of technologies and devices, were the impulses for the expansion.

SIKORA celebrated together with the involved parties and guests topping-out for the new production building at its location in Bremen/Mahndorf, Germany. The new building offers an effective area of 7,000m 2 – three-and-a-half times more space than the previous building. Completion of the building work is scheduled for November 2018. “With the topping-out event, we have reached another milestone on the way to completing our new building for production and logistics. We are on schedule with the building work,” said Dr Christian Frank, CEO. “This is possible thanks to the engagement of all parties who created

9

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

Expansion at Borealis Innovation Centre

BOREALIS and Borouge, providers of value-creating polyolefin solutions for the global wire and cable industry, have inaugurated the newly expanded high voltage (HV) electrical testing facilities at the Borealis Innovation Centre in Stenungsund, Sweden. Four million euros has been invested in order to expand and equip the facility with cutting-edge testing equipment, which is said to be unique among polymer producers. The facility enables the companies to continue their position as innovation leaders in the most demanding segments of wire and cable. It also opens up new opportunities for collaboration with customers and value chain partners. The wire and cable laboratories in Stenungsund have been important development centres for cable insulation products since 1970, when the first cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cable insulation products were produced at the Stenungsund plant. The scope of testing activities has been expanding steadily over the decades, starting with testing on electrical cables and cable extrusion lines in 1986. In 2009, a new three-layer continous vulcanisation (CV) extrusion line was installed. The completion of this most recent two-year investment project in electrical testing now significantly expands the range of testing activities. The newly enhanced Stenungsund HV testing centre offers alternate current (AC) and direct current (DC) simulation testing for the performance of commercial cable materials in the medium (MV), high (HV), and extra high voltage (EHV) ranges. When developing new materials, testing is crucial to help ensure material safety and promote quality assurance. Within the framework of customer and value-chain cooperation, the HV testing centre can also open up an entire spectrum of new project types, and can accelerate the time tomarket for new innovations. “We are extremely pleased to inaugurate our expanded Stenungsund facility – and not only because we are proud to offer truly cutting-edge testing equipment. These local facilities will allow us to step up collaboration with our global customers and value chain partners to become even more innovative,” said Bart Verheule, Borealis head of marketing, energy.

Investments like this are proof of our commitment to set the bar ever higher in our aim to bring energy all around.” Increased demand for electricity, growing urbanisation, the efficient supply of energy from renewable sources, and the interconnectivity of power grids are just a few of the trends driving the wire and cable industry. To meet and even anticipate these trends, Borealis and Borouge continue to invest in research and development and testing to deliver step-change solutions based on proprietary technologies. Collaboration with customers and value chain partners takes place for the mutual advancement of electrical competence, but has also been a key factor in providing improved material solutions that support the global energy industry in their efforts to implement more sustainable technologies. For one, transmission technology must ensure the efficient connection of remote, clean energy sources to the grid. Here, Borealis has built on its years of operational experience in extruded HVDC materials and its proprietary Borlink™ technology to set higher standards in proven system performance, setting a new world record of 640 kilovolt (kV) for extruded HVDC cable technology in 2017. The tailor-made Borlink compounds used for these cables are produced in Stenungsund. ▲ ▲ The newly expanded Borealis Innovation Centre in Stenungsund, Sweden

Borealis Group – Austria Website : www.borealisgroup.com

“They also boost Stenungsund as a hub for wire and cable expertise and production.

10

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

‘Factory of the Future’ topping-out celebration

LEONI is celebrating the completion of the building shell of the Factory of the Future after a recent topping-out ceremony. This marks the next milestone in the realisation of its Competence Centre in Roth, Germany: Through digital technologies, intelligent products and solutions and cloud-based services the company will here create the basis for production. The megatrends of e-mobility, autonomous driving and connectivity are leading to serious changes in the structures of the automotive sector. In particular, the wiring – the vehicle’s nervous system – must adapt to these new requirements. Increasing data rates and rapidly growing power demands call for new, more flexible data and power architectures. “We want to take even better advantage of the opportunities presented by digitalisation in the future. To this end, we are expanding our portfolio to include intelligent cables, systems and services. The Factory of the Future will provide ideal underlying conditions for innovation and efficient production,” said Bruno Fankhauser, member of the board of directors of Leoni AG with responsibility for the wire and cable solutions division. In addition to the development and production of data cables for autonomous driving, solutions for even safer, more efficient and more reliable power distribution in electric vehicles are being developed. Every watt saved can be translated into range (mileage), and every minute saved in the charging process enhances the appeal of electric driving.

▲ ▲ The new Leoni site

This includes, for example, a charging cable for so-called high-performance direct current charging. The cable temperature rises substantially during charging and therefore requires active cooling using a liquid. The LEONiQ technology enables the cable to monitor its own temperature and the possible ingress of liquid, and visualises the charging status using luminous fibres – like Leoni’s intelligent charging cable iEVC. System simulation is another area due to be expanded. The focus here is on the functional simulation of energy and data transmission systems to support customers in the development process of finding a solution even earlier, significantly accelerating this process. Leoni AG – Germany Website : www.leoni.com

12

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

Cimteq and AESA’s strategic partnership

loop between design engineering, manufacturing and quality control. The closed loop saves materials and improves product quality for our customers. We do this by seamlessly combining best-of-breed products from Cimteq and AESA.” Manuel Felder, senior area sales manager AESA, said: “This cooperation will allow us to provide a full-fledged solution for cable manufacturing covering the entire management of production processes, starting from design to final testing. This will allow customers to have a thorough control of manufacturing, enabling for continuous improvement and optimisation of plants’ capabilities.” Cimteq Ltd – UK Website : www.cimteq.com AESA Cortaillod – Switzerland Website : www.aesa-cortaillod.com New director of operations Miltec UV has appointed Oliver Hamann as its new director of operations. Mr Hamann brings more than 20 years of extensive knowledge in systems engineering, opto-mechanical design and manufacturing, fibre optics, lasers, microscopy, computer vision, particle characterisation and spectroscopy. He has a Master of Science in Physics from the Universitat Hamburg in Germany, his country of origin. Miltec UV – USA Website : www.miltec.com

TO stay ahead in the competitive industry of wire and cable, it is paramount that cable manufacturers improve their productivity and profitability in the face of increasingly complex challenges. The cable market is continuously evolving, and new, increasingly stringent requirements are regularly introduced. To keep their competitive edge, manufacturers must consistently introduce improvement initiatives to boost yield whilst ensuring, and continuously enhancing, product quality. The partnership between Cimteq Ltd and AESA SA will provide customers with the combined skills, knowledge and products to provide a complete integrated solution, helping customers to become more profitable by saving materials and increasing quality. Cimteq provides an innovative set of integrated products that are designed to manage the design and manufacturing functions of the cable manufacturer’s business. CableBuilder and CableMES reduce waste, improve quality and traceability, reduce lead time, improve customer service, improve product design and improve data and costing accuracy. AESA has been providing measuring systems, devices and quality-performance services for 40 years. It leverages its know-how to pioneer innovative solutions which provide clients with an advantage in terms of quality and process improvements. The CIQ quality management system supports additional traceability features as well as extended quality improvement and data management capabilities. Ali Shehab, Cimteq CEO, said: “The partnership will give us the leading edge in being the first system that completely closes the

15

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

Tenova’s robots collection for steel plants

IMPROVEMENT of the safety level in the workplace and reduction of the length of the productive cycle: these are the primary objectives of the agreement for the implementation and sale of robotics solutions for steel plants, concluded between Tenova – a company of the Techint Group specialised in innovative solutions for the metals and mining industries – and Polytec Robotics, a company providing robotics solutions for the metals industry, a brand of BM SpA. Thanks to the collaboration with Polytec Robotics, Tenova moves forward in the development of key technologies of the so-called “fourth industrial revolution”, with the goal to be leader in Industry 4.0 solutions for the metals industry. Tenova – whose approach is characterised by high standards of innovation, reliability and safety – has found a valuable partner in Polytec Robotics. Thanks to its high technological standards, PolyTEN is a range of solutions that allow steelmakers to increase safety in the furnace area, combining improvements in productivity and cost reduction. Within the PolyTEN collection, PolyEye Beesafe is a state-of-the-art anthropomorphic robot – part of the Tenova technological platform called “No Man on the Floor” – which was designed to enable the full operation of the furnace without workers in the field. PolyEye Beesafe makes it possible to view the inside of the furnace and conduct a thorough inspection to identify potential malfunctions and facilitate predictive maintenance interventions. The advantages of the offered solutions concern operations: enhancement of the safety level for operators; improvement of

▲ ▲ Safety plays a large part in the introduction of robotics for the steel industry

working conditions; increase in production capacity and plant reliability; and optimisation of production process activities. The agreement between the two Italian companies – major players in the steel sector – enables Tenova to be present on the market with its own suite of robotics solutions, fully created by Polytec Robotics. With more than 130 installations in steel plants, rolling mills and pipe plants worldwide, Polytec Robotics has been able to develop in a few years a complete range of “smart” robotic islands. These can be installed in existing plants as well as in new ones, integrating and optimising the entire production process to make it more efficient and safer for operators. Tenova – Italy Website : www.tenova.com

16

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

Davis-Standard acquires Brampton

DAVIS-STANDARD Brampton Engineering of Brampton, Ontario, Canada. Brampton Engineering, LLC is a provider of multi-layer AeroFrost® air-blown and AquaFrost® water-quenched film systems, film winding and many other film production solutions. “We are pleased to welcome Brampton Engineering with their globally recognised blown film technology to our team,” said Jim Murphy, Davis-Standard president and CEO. “Brampton Engineering’s focus on customer support, technology and its employees align well with the values of Davis-Standard.” Gary Hughes, CEO of Brampton Engineering, said on teaming with Davis-Standard: “Davis-Standard is a global leader in plastic extrusion technology and we are proud to join their team. Davis-Standard brings resources and support to our business to better serve our customers worldwide and we are excited about the solutions we can present together.” Mr Murphy added: “We are very enthusiastic about working with Gary and the Brampton Engineering team and are excited about our future together.” Davis-Standard LLC – USA LLC has acquired

Website : www.davis-standard.com Brampton Engineering – Canada Website : www.be-ca.com

▲ ▲ Operations underway at Brampton Engineering

19

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

Decalub green cleaning TecHnOlOgieS FOcuS On: Wire Cleaning ( for plating and high glossy finish )

Wire Rod Lubrication ( for frictionless drawing )

Rod Dry Preparation ( with no speed limit )

INOSYM has been supplying reels to the cable and wire industry for 18 years and to over 65 countries worldwide. Specialising in steel and plastic reels that are manufactured to European and USA standards, Inosym offers reels to meet the varying needs of modern manufacturing plants. The company is committed to providing its customers with reels and bobbins at competitive prices. Within its 30,000m 2 of factory production space, Inosym has invested in robotic welding, robotic handling, CNC machines and automated electro static painting. All reels are manufactured to high quality, and suitable for advanced cable and wire production environments. Inosym reels were developed to provide cable and wire manufacturers with a product that was realistically priced and of high quality. Inosym Reels – New Zealand Website : www.inosym.com Serving industry for 18 years ▲ ▲ A welding robot at work at Inosym Reels

DECALUB 31, avenue de Condé 77500 CHELLES, FRANCE E-mail: info@decalub.com Website: www.decalub.com

Tecalsa/Reisucal ann- ounced the agreement of collaboration which has been reached with the company Secat Pte (Saturn Engineering Consulting & Trading Pte) based in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. The agreement was signed by Kien Nguyễn, vice director of Secat Pte, and Ruben González, sales manager of Tecalsa SL. Secat will represent Tecalsa’s interests in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia. Agreement signed has

Tecalsa SL – Spain Website : www.tecalsa.eu

▲ ▲ Kien Nguyễn, vice director of Secat Pte, left, and Ruben González, sales manager of Tecalsa SL, at the signing of the agreement

21

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

Cold welding solution streamlines production

cold pressure welding machine, capable of joining copper strip as wide as 45mm and as thin as 0.2mm. Precision engineered to create reliable permanent welds stronger than the parent material, the ST40 enabled VPT to reduce the operational scrap rate on the line by 15 per cent during production trials. PWM has now supplied VPT with three ST40 welders that run full-time in production. Adaptations such as automatic flash trimming and annealing of the weld (to soften it and make it less brittle), and automation of the weld cycle and die opening system have been developed to streamline the process. VPT will field the new system across all tube mill production lines and currently has four more ST40 units on order, with more to follow. “Technical assistance from PWM, particularly from its chief design engineer Ivan Turner has been incredible throughout,” added Mr Napier. “Any problems we had during the development and early fielding of the units were quickly resolved. For example, we went through four design improvements to arrive at our current tooling.” Steve Mepsted, managing director of PWM, said: “This has been a fascinating bespoke project to work on. VPT shares our commitment to quality and innovation and together we’ve created a customised welding solution that significantly improves business performance. We’re delighted with the outcome.” PWM Ltd – UK Website : www.pwmltd.co.uk

A CUSTOMISED cold welding system developed by British company PWM in partnership with USA manufacturer Virtus Precision Tube (formerly Luvata) has streamlined and improved the process of copper tube production. The system has improved uptime, reduced costs and created a better working environment for operators, according to Joe Napier, VPT’s engineering programme manager. “We produce over 40 million pounds of roll-and-weld copper tube each year, in sizes from ¼" to ½," he said. ”The cold welding system we have developed with PWM is part of our continuous improvement programme. It supports our on-going drive to develop high-performance tubing solutions for the HVAC and refrigeration heat exchanger markets. “Copper strip is supplied in large narrow rolls and, approximately every 20 minutes, the tail end of one roll has to be joined to the head of the next roll. The new cold welding process is more straightforward than the crossweld process we used for a decade, and works the first time, every time. It’s faster, easier to standardise, and requires less operator input and training. Most advantageous of all, the new weld is stronger and capable of handling the tensions we place on the strip during tube production.” Before approaching cold weld specialist PWM, VPT also tried alternative methods of joining strip such as brazing, dovetail profiles, lap joints and laser welding.

PWM successfully test welded VPT’s strip using a portable ST40

22

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

New CEO at Ungerer KLAUS Lenz has been appointed as the CEO of Ungerer Technology GmbH. Mr Lenz has close to 40 years of experience in the metal strip industry and started his career at ThyssenKrupp in Krefeld, Germany. He has been involved in several projects and company/ equipment optimisations worldwide such as at ShanghaiKrupp stainless, China; ThyssenKrupp stainless in Mobile, Alabama, USA; Fives DMS and Andritz/ Sundwig, and several more projects worldwide before joining Ungerer. His main focus is to maintain the company and its technological leadership through new developments in the field of measurement systems where Ungerer has introduced several key technologies. He will rely on the expertise of company engineers as well as strong partnerships with research and development centres. In addition to cutting edge technology, Mr Lenz’s customer-focused strategy includes the development of worldwide service. One service centre in China has already been opened and a second one is planned for the second half of 2018 in North America. Ungerer Technology GmbH – Germany Website : www.ungerer.com Exclusive TPE partner M Holland Company, a distributor of thermoplastic resins, is partnering with global thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) producer Elastron to provide an alternative source of thermoplastic vulcanisates (TPVs) and other compounded TPEs to the domestic wire and cable market. Elastron entered a distribution agreement with M Holland in 2017. The two companies have been qualifying Elastron materials in advance of Elastron’s new compounding facility in Gainesville, Florida, USA, scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2018. The new facility will produce TPVs as well as styrene ethylene butylene styrene (SEBS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), and thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) compounds, all of which are materials widely used in wire and cable and automotive markets. M Holland – USA Website : www.mholland.com

New face at T&T Drew Borman recently joined T&T Marketing, an M Holland company. Based in southern New Hampshire, USA. Mr Borman will be the account manager for New England. He holds a degree from UMass-Lowell in plastics engineering. For the past seven years he has been a global account and supplier executive managing PET, PVC and olefins for a large chemical distributor.

T&T Marketing Inc – USA Website : www.ttmarketinginc.com

▲ ▲ Drew Borman

23

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

AESA Cortaillod celebrates 40 years

AESA, a Swiss company that innovates in cable quality metrology, is celebrating its 40 th anniversary this year. During the last four decades, AESA has demonstrated its expertise, sound understanding of test equipment performance, and how it relates to the measurement of electrical parameters. The company constantly strives to leverage its know-how to pioneer novel solutions that provide its customers with a competitive edge in terms of quality and process improvements. AESA applies its tradition of excellence and innovation using the latest technologies to produce equipment for the electrical characterisation of cables to meet the ever-increasing requirements and demands of the wire and cable market. Recently the company proposed a new concept that consists of integrating all the required components for fast and accurate measurement into compact units. These devices are equipped with an embedded network analyser and Windows-based PC. This not only offers operating comfort, but also ensures reliable measurements and efficient data management. Today, profitability is the driving force behind business operations. Manufacturers must consistently introduce improvement initiatives to boost yield while ensuring product quality. A key requirement in helping cable manufacturers assess improvement initiatives is accurate and reliable measurement data.

▲ ▲ The Scorpius DT COAX measuring system from Aesa

Consequently, AESA does not limit itself to offering high-performance devices. The company also offers a data management system that allows for the centralisation and monitoring of all available quality data. During the last 40 years, AESA has established trusted relationships with cable manufacturers worldwide. No matter if it is small companies or large industrial groups, working in telecoms, global energy, automotive or other sectors, it has been listening to specific needs to develop and propose tailored solutions.

AESA Cortaillod – Switzerland Website : www.aesa-cortaillod.com

Designed for minimising costs

FIB Belgium SA is a global supplier of heat processing solutions for patenting, galvanising, oil tempering and annealing lines. Its portfolio covers bell and pit furnaces for cold heading quality wire and batch annealing of wires. FIB’s design aim is to minimise operating costs and allow, through its modular concept, the adaptation of the equipment to further upgrade possibilities while minimising the investment costs. New technologies include Imflex®, a low-energy austenitising and annealing furnace; an environment-friendly patenting solution for steel cord; a compact galvanising furnace; and a new, acid-free galvanising line. Austenitising and annealing wires in the new generation of open fire furnace, Imflex has shown energy savings of 17 to 25 per cent, compared with the traditional solution. Combined with FIB polymer quenching technology, steel cord, hose wire or bead wire lines have a lower environmental footprint. For the galvanising process, FIB has developed a more efficient technology

▲ ▲ FIB – a global supplier of heat processing solutions for patenting, galvanising, oil tempering and annealing lines

are critical for the end user, FIB employs highly qualified in-house technicians to support customers. FIB Belgium SA – Belgium Website : www.fib.be

leading to more compact kettles. Telediagnosis is commonly used on FIB equipment, allowing the end user to take advantage of internal support. As service, diligence and top level advice

24

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

ALCUMUS ISOQAR has awarded Metalube the BS OHSAS 18001, an internationally recognised British standard for occupational health and safety management. The company has also received recertification for ISO 9001:2015 and 14001:2015. OHSAS 18001 enables Metalube to manage risk and help aid compliance with legislation, as well as maintain a safe and healthy working environment for employees and visitors to its factory in Irlam, Manchester, UK. The accreditation provides the company with cost savings through reducing or eliminating costs associated with work-related injuries or illness. It also enables the company to measure health and safety performance by establishing a framework for controlling and measuring health and safety performance. The aim is to also reduce the occurrence of accidents and incidences by staying abreast of relevant legislation, reducing the likelihood of prosecution and fines. Robert Brown, managing director, said: “Occupational health and safety represents a top priority for Metalube. “The OHSAS 18001 certificate reflects our commitment as a company to implement to the highest safety standards and to ensure that these exemplary principles are well maintained. We are also thrilled to be recertified for ISO 9001:2015 and 14001:2015.” Metalube Ltd – UK Website : www.metalube.co.uk Hat-trick of awards for Metalube ▲ ▲ Quality manager Lesley Hallam is pictured with the BS OHSAS 18001 award

26

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

AWI breaks £10m sales barrier after trio of new contracts

▲ ▲ Packing at Alloy Wire’s site

MAJOR new orders to supply into the aerospace, petrochemical and nuclear sectors have helped a UK manufacturer smash the £10m barrier for the first time in its 72-year history. Alloy Wire International (AWI), which supplies more than 60 different ‘high performance’ alloys, has seen sales increase by £3m since 2016 and puts the sustained expansion down to its ability to offer three-week lead times and the growing demand for its emergency manufacturing service. The company has also invested heavily in its stock, with 200 tonnes now available at any one time – the largest holding it has ever held. Alloy Wire International makes round, flat and shaped wire in a range of material that is growing by the month, with more than 60 currently available to choose from. The firm stocks in excess of 200 tonnes of material, which allows it to offer lead times of three weeks from the order being placed. It has also recently invested in an additional 4,000ft 2 of production space and launched its own ‘Wire Finder App’ as part of a marketing drive to help customers find the right wire for their applications.

AlloyWire International – UK Website : www.alloywire.com

28

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

Industry leaders join forces to serve USA manufacturing

“IVC Technologies is very excited to offer condition-based monitoring services through a world-class organisation such as Pruftechnik,” said Pete Epperson, president IVC Technologies. “With over 30 years in the CBM field, we have seen many vibration platforms come and go. I can say with great confidence that IVC’s analysts will be carrying Pruftechnik analysers far into the future as we continue on our path of delivering the most versatile and valuable condition monitoring services in the industry.” Pruftechnik Inc – USA Website : www.pruftechnik.com IVC Technologies – USA Website : www.ivctechnologies.com Repsol completes €25m turnaround Repsol allocated more than €25m to the turnaround at its Tarragona, Spain, petrochemical complex. This has allowed inspection, maintenance and technological innovation and environmental tasks, as well as cleaning and repair equipment. The maintenance work carried out in the different units during the turnaround involved around 400,000 man-hours. Repsol – Spain Website : www.repsol.com

PRUFTECHNIK Inc and IVC Technologies have joined forces to provide a comprehensive condition monitoring solution for clients throughout North America. Pruftechnik Condition Monitoring Services powered by IVC Technologies combines the strengths of Pruftechnik’s suite of alignment and condition monitoring tools and IVC Technologies’ 30+ years of providing extensive condition monitoring services to the industry. Bringing together these two industry innovators will enable manufacturers to boost their maintenance organisations’ reliability performance. “Pruftechnik USA was able to add more than 30 new people to the organisation since its creation in 2016 to provide high-quality customer service,” said Florian Buder, CEO Pruftechnik North America. “However, it has become obvious that it is an ideal timing and opportunity to collaborate with an established world-class organisation, such as IVC Technologies, to reach the next level and to extend our service offering across the continent, especially in the condition monitoring field. “I am extremely excited about this new partnership with IVC. We are now ready to fulfil any kind of customer request nationwide with qualified service personnel.”

29

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

Two new drawing lines for MMK-Metiz

EJP has received an order from Russian OJSC MMK-Metiz for the supply of two drawing lines to be installed at its Magnitogorsk works. One is a combined drawing line for bright steel with diameters between 8 and 30mm. The 30-ton drawing line will be equipped with a driven cold rolling stand in order to be able to produce square bright steel sections from round input stock. The second line is a chain draw bench line for the production of bars with diameters of up to 68mm. With the new lines, which will come with a number of innovative features, MMK-Metiz will expand its product range, among others, towards larger diameters. The product quality will give a straightness tolerance of 0.1mm/m and diameter tolerances of h8 and h9. The new lines will boost output by approximately 15 tons per hour of bright steel products. With a drawing force of 30 tons and drawing speeds of up to 80m/min, the combined drawing line CDS 300 will produce finished bars in diameters from 8 to 30mm – from coil-to-bar, from coil-to-coil, or bar-to-bar, as desired. EJP will install a driven cold rolling stand between the blasting plant and the drawing machine. The function of the rolling stand is to pre-form the material so that it will be possible to directly draw from round to square. The high-precision drive control will make the forming process more controllable than previously. The servo-electric actuation of the drawing jaws achieves more flexibility in bar and tube drawing, cuts the set-up times and reduces the maintenance effort. The DB 800 chain draw bench will be designed for drawing forces of up to 80t and the production of bars in diameters of up to 68mm, straight from bar to bar. Both lines will be equipped with eddy-current testers for inline inspection of the surface quality. In the case of small to medium diameters, the machine can process three bars simultaneously. technology at MMK-Metiz, explained why his company has chosen EJP as supplier: “We conducted a comprehensive market analysis and EJP clearly came out on top when we drew up the technology shortlist. Denis Kanaev, director

▲ ▲ Driven cold rolling stand improves flexibility and quality

then we have already received another order for a combined drawing line CDS 300. More proof of the continuing good international reputation of technology ‘Made in Germany’.” EJP will be the general contractor for the supply of the two lines. Installation is scheduled to take place in Autumn this year with commissioning in spring 2019.

per cent. Once our new lines are running, we will be one of the leading producers in Europe in terms of product quality and delivery performance.” Jacques Paraskevas, managing director of EJP, is convinced that having the manufacturing base in Germany has proved to be the right strategy for the company. “The order from MMK-Metiz is the biggest in our company history. However, since

EJP Maschinen GmbH – Germany Website : www.ejpmachines.com

“The EJP lines fulfil our requirements 100

30

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

Sepiolite masterbatch for HFFR compounds

DELTA Tecnic perceives a growing interest, across different countries and for different cable applications, in synergic additives that improve cable behaviour in the event of fire. Since the beginning of this year Delta Tecnic has developed several technical projects with different manufacturers of compounds and cables which, with half the year gone, have already gone into production to meet the demands of customers. A few months ago Delta Tecnic announced the launch of Sepiolite Masterbatch for HFFR compounds, developed for use in compound formulations in combination with classic flame-retardant fillers in order to improve fire properties and optimise the cost of the final FR compounds. The result is a more solid char with better mechanical properties that limits the flame propagation, prevents the burned polymer from dripping and also strongly reduces fume generation and reduces swelling. This product, having passed the development phase, is now an approved product and is being purchased on a regular basis by the company’s main customers.

▲ ▲ The new website design from Schleuniger

Schleuniger’s new website Schleuniger has launched its new website. The new design makes it easier to navigate and includes new features such as a product finder, download centre, and browse-by-industry function. The new global address www.schleuniger.com, will automatically direct the visitor to the appropriate site, no matter where in the world they are located. Schleuniger Inc – USA Website : www.schleuniger.com

Delta Tecnic – Spain Website : www.deltatecnic.com

31

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

Ready for Industry 4.0

THE term “Industry 4.0” – together with the “Industrial Internet of Things” (IIoT) – shapes the discourse on sustainability and competiveness of the industry. The interaction between human, machine and production during the running production process enables independent production control via intelligent machines. are equipped with interfaces for Industry 4.0. How the customer benefits is shown in the following overview. Data transmission: In classic production lines, Sikora devices receive nominal values from a programmable logic controller (PLC) of the customer and in return transmit real measuring values. The received information is the basis of process optimisation. Visualisation of measuring values and plant control: With the integration of the Ecocontrol processor system into the production line, the customer gains various new networking and control possibilities in the area of Industry 4.0. All of the company’s measuring devices are connected to the Ecocontrol. It visualises the transmitted data, creates trend and statistical data and, on this basis, initiates specific measures for plant control. The regulation is done by increasing or decreasing the line speed or extruder rpm. Furthermore, the Ecocontrol is able to mirror the recorded production data to any desired display systems in the line, where it can be further processed. Sikora measuring technologies

▲ ▲ Visualisation of technology development towards Industry 4.0 at Sikora

mobile diagnosis by Wi-Fi transmission, for example, from the Laser Series 6000 or Spark 6000 to the Sikora App or SAM (Smart Assistance Manager). In addition, remote maintenance via safe cloud access is increasingly gaining importance for customers. The development of special maintenance software tailored to individual customer requirements that enables predictive product maintenance will also be possible in the future. For example, a Laser Series 6000 device may then send an automated fault message when the gauge head is dirty.

Mobile data accessing: The Sikora processor devices provide the industrial network protocol OPC UA, which increasingly prevails as a standard language of the IIoT and allows a comprehensive data exchange with IT systems. The devices are equipped with all standard interfaces, and therefore fit for Industry 4.0 and, with regard to the hardware, optimally designed for future developments. Via an Ethernet interface, remote maintenance is also possible with the Ecocontrol and this allows the company’s employees to access a system independent of the location.

Sikora

service

offers

customers

Sikora AG – Germany Website : www.sikora.net

comprehensive regarding the area of Industry 4.0. These include services

ECC’s new thermoplastic jacketing compound

CableArmor® 1750 is a LSZH thermoplastic, colourable, flame-retardant polymeric jacketing compound that is supplied in pellet form ready for extrusion in a conventional thermoplastic extrusion line. Cables jacketed with this compound are recognised for balanced properties including flame retardancy, and heat and deformation resistance at operating temperatures up to 105°C. This material also exhibits chemical resistant properties and superior mechanical properties. CableArmor® 1750 is a REACH/RoHS compliant compound that is suitable for use as a jacket material for UL rated tray cables, industrial power, mass transit, communications and shipboard applications that require flame protection, low smoke and low corrosivity properties.

Electric Cable Compounds – USA Website : www.electriccablecompounds.com

▲ ▲ CableArmor® 1750 jacketing compound from ECC

32

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018

Corporate News

Bringing LAN cabling to top hat rails

R&M, a Swiss cabling systems developer and provider for high-quality network infrastructures around the world, is supporting high-density LAN cabling on top hat rails. With a width of 18mm, the new slimline DRM45 DIN rail adapter corresponds to 1 HP (horizontal pitch), the typical pitch pattern on standard 35mm top hat rails (DIN EN 50 022). When it comes to structured cabling for local area networks (LAN), planners, installers and building owners want compact solutions. Increasingly, small building distributors or switch cabinets for industrial, functional and residential buildings not only require controllers, network connectors and other technical building system components, but also RJ45 network connections. These are needed, for instance, for the Internet of Things, industrial Ethernet, Internet connections for machines, and controllers for smart buildings. In such cases, the 35mm top hat rail is often the installation platform of choice. R&M has developed the slimline 1HP DRM45 adapter to meet this demand. The shielded and unshielded versions of the RJ45 copper modules Cat 6A EL, Cat 6A ISO and Cat 6A coupler fit into the housing. In fibre optic cabling, the adapter supports LC Duplex and SC Simplex connections. The adapters can be clicked into and snapped out of the top hat rail in just a few steps. The copper and fibre optic adapters are equally easy to insert, click in and, if required, replace or remove.

higher packing density. The integrated ground spring can also be enabled or disabled from the front. A hinge connects the dust cap with the adapter so that the cap does not get lost. There are nine cap colours available to denote individual network services. If the adapter is not in operation, the dust cap can be closed quickly. The labelling window is also accessible from the front. The labels can either be written by hand or printed. ▲ ▲ R&M increases packing density with the slimline DRM45 DIN rail adapter for copper and fibre optic connectivity

R&M – Switzerland Website : www.rdm.com

The plug connections can still be accessed from the front with a

33

www.read-eurowire.com

September 2018