SMC’s CO2 emission-reducing initiatives. Production process and product performance improvements with a focus on the environment   Over the past several years, SMC has continued to take on its social responsibility to seriously promote and support sustainability in order to minimize negative impacts to the environment. SMC is always looking to develop newer and greener solutions with CO2 reduction as a top priority as a leader in the field of pneumatics. One of the key components of our comprehensive approach is the designing of compact and lightweight products. Smaller, lighter products require less raw materials to make and less time to process. In addition, the products themselves use less energy. All of these efforts contribute to reduced CO2 emissions. SMC’s fully integrated technical, production, and sales departments are able to respond to the needs of our customers from around the world with a shared goal of finding new methods to effectively protect the environment.  

SMC customers can feel the full force of its electric actuator range thanks to ongoing investment in its product portfolio that now delivers total movement and control for any application. SMC has stepped up a gear to give its customers freedom of movement and control with its wide range of electric actuators and controllers that now offer a total solution and greater adaptability across a variety of applications. Workpieces can be moved in any direction and at a variety of speeds and loads thanks to the full range of mechanics and controllers available from SMC. “At SMC we work closely with our customers and respond to their needs.  Today, we offer a complete series of mechanics and controllers so our customers have the freedom of choice to move workpieces in any which way they need.  Importantly, they don’t have to adapt to our products; our products are designed to adapt to their needs,” said a spokesperson from SMC. SMC’s series of mechanics have been developed for environmental resistance, and include basic designs to those that are built to cope with specialist conditions, such as, clean room specifications, dust-tight/water-jet-proof or secondary battery compatible. Further flexibility is achieved with the introduction of SMC’s LE motorless, which is ideal for operators who require the mechanics but prefer to use their own motors.  Alternatively, operators can opt for a pre-configured and fully-equipped solution that, with just one part number, gives them a complete package featuring all the essential components from mechanics and control to wiring. Handing total control to customers, SMC has also developed a range of controllers to complement the mechanics on offer.  The portfolio offers digital I/O commanded controllers, whereby operators can achieve direct parametrization at the controller, and the choice of DC servo/step, with programless or step by step programming, or AC servo motors. Taking its controllers to the next level to give additional direct network connectivity to a range of protocols, including the key players EtherNet/IP™, PROFINET and ETHERCAT, SMC has introduced the JXC*1 and JXC*3 fieldbus command controllers. Whilst the JXC*1 controls one actuator, the JXC*3 can control up to four devices and allows for synchronization or arc/linear interpolation. The JXC*3 offers two models – one commanded by parallel digital I/O and the other commanded by Fieldbus technology and compatible with EtherNet/IP™. This combined advanced functionality and remote control and diagnosis, means that SMC’s electric actuators are the ideal partners for the Industry 4.0 scenario, helping customers to deliver the smart factory concept.  “There is no doubt that, for those who are moving towards Industry 4.0, SMC offers the smart solutions for smart factories.  We work in partnership with our customers and our electric actuator and controller range has been developed to meet their requirements and give them the freedom of movement and control they require.” concluded SMC spokesperson. To find out more about SMC’s electric actuator and controller range visit www.smc.eu.

Industry Solutions. What are the similarities between a car and a bar of chocolate?. None at all, and their production process even less. So that is why we've got teams of experts around the world specialized in the characteristics of each industry: in their laws, regulations, standards or specific technology requirements. We are concerned about the specifics of your production process.

The MACM is a new centring unit from SMC that helps to align and position heavy workpieces on the move, so manufacturers can install and operate more compact conveyor lines. Manufacturers seeking solutions to help save space and energy need look no further than SMC’s latest centring unit. The MACM helps to align and position workpieces up to 1,000 kg on conveyor lines, so smaller cylinders can be used. Further advantages of the MACM are achieved by its flexibility, as it can move in any direction and rotate transferrable workpieces 360°, while maintaining ±1 or less centring accuracy. A spokesperson from SMC, the world’s leading expert in pneumatics, said: “Space and energy usage are key challenges for manufacturers and the MACM has been designed to help our customers achieve savings in these areas and operate more compact and efficient conveyor lines.” Other features of the MACM include a built-in air locking mechanism and the option of mounting an external photo sensor to offer greater control during the process. Further usage benefits are achieved with the choice of three table materials and a table centre movable range up to Ø100 mm, which makes the MACM ideal for general automation and material handling plants.

SMC – LEADING EXPERTS WITH A PASSION FOR INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION. SMC is pursuing worldwide customer satisfaction supporting automation through the most advanced technologies. Founded in April 1959 in Tokyo, Japan, SMC Corporation today employs over 20,800 talented employees in 83 countries worldwide. The SMC Group entered the pneumatics market back in 1959 and, since then, we have evolved, together with our customers’ requirements, to build a comprehensive automated control equipment portfolio. 12,000 basic models with over 700,000 variations, designed to provide you with greater competitiveness. Although listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange since 1989, our most important asset resides in our strong technical expertise. Five technical centres, 2 of them located in Europe (UK & Germany) staffed with 1,600 dedicated engineers, vouch for our technical drive. Technical support that translates into the development of ad-hoc solutions to help tackle your challenges. Customer satisfaction is at the heart of our mission; constant communication with our market is the mechanism. 8,700 sales engineers comprise a highly trained sales team that supports and strives to find the best to solution for you.

VXB Series, angle seat valve for air, steam and heated water that delivers an extended operating life, low leakage levels and a compact design, now providing an easy visual check too. SMC, the worldwide leading expert in pneumatics, has enhanced the design of its VXB Series angle seat valve, with a status indicator that provides visual confirmation of the valve open / closed status. A spokesperson from SMC said: “We detected the market was demanding this upgrade to reduce troublesome and costly production downtimes due to valve failure. The integration of the indicator facilitates fault diagnosis, giving our customers the opportunity to react in time.” VXB Series can deliver up to 5 million air and 3 million steam cycles. It also has a special FKM rubber seal that minimises internal air leakages to just 10 cm³/min or less. With a compact design of just 100 mm height in the 3/8 valve, the VXB is the ideal solution for applications including temperature control, hot water systems, industrial washing machines, sterilising and cleaning equipment. Further design features help users keep costs to a minimum by extending the lifespan and efficiency of the valve through a double protective construction. Foreign particles are prevented from interfering with the VXB’s performance thanks to a protective seal and a resin scraper. Available in three port sizes, 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4, the VXB can be ordered in bronze or stainless steel (316L equivalent) with a pilot port location that can be placed in three of its four sides.

SMC has extended its multi-axes control step motor controller range, with the launch of the JXC92. This new unit can control up to three electric actuators simultaneously, creating a range of savings and simplifying the process in terms of equipment, wiring, space and programming. SMC has stepped up interpolation performance and speed tuning control credentials for its leading range of LE electric actuators with the launch of its JXC92. This multi-axes control delivers programming and equipment savings as it can manage three actuators from the one device, instead of having to use a trio of controllers to perform the same task. It complements SMC’s JXC*3, which controls four axes at once, and shares its EtherNet/IP™ compatibility, making them both valid solutions for industrial environments. A spokesperson from SMC, the world’s leading expert in pneumatics, said: “Our customers are looking for solutions that make processes simpler and save time, space and overall costs. The JXC92 is a direct response to this need and is an excellent addition to our multi-axes control range.” Not only is the JXC92 highly flexible, but it also saves valuable space as less wiring is required and the controller is smaller in size when compared to using three individual units. Valuable time is also saved when it comes to programming the motor controller and it’s also quicker for operators to connect and disconnect the PC cables, as they can set up to three axes at any one time, with just one step connection. Overall the JXC92 provides a complete solution in one, with the ability to make linear (3 axes) and circular (2 axes) interpolation, and is capable of positioning and pushing operations, making it ideal for a wide range of applications.

SMC is building on the success of its ZSE20(F)/ISE20 pressure switch range that features 3-screen display, 3-step setting mode and selectable delay time function, with the ZSE20(F)#/ISE20# (A, B and C). The extended series will help operators deliver efficiencies in terms of control and time saving. SMC is kickstarting 2018 by extending its ZSE20(F)/ISE20 digital switch range. The A, B and C variations share the original ZSE20(F)/ISE20’s display, setting, selectable delay time, as well as the lightweight and compact design. All models simplify the visualisation process for operators, while saving time as there are fewer push button operations to perform. The added variations also match the terms of enclosure, output type and media of the current series:  · A Model-> Current ZSE30(F)/ISE30A-> IP40, NPN/PNP and Analogue output  · B Model-> Current ZSE40(F)/ISE40A-> IP65, NPN/PNP and Analogue output  · C Model-> Current ZSE80(F)/ISE80-> IP65, NPN/PNP and Analogue output, for fluids. A spokesperson from SMC, the world’s leading expert in pneumatics, said: “Following the success of our ZSE20(F)/ISE20 pressure switch last year, we have taken the step to extend the range with these latest models. Customers have been particularly impressed with the functionality of design, its ease of use and accuracy of information that is readily available with minimal delay. They have found it both energy efficient and cost effective to operate.” Further flexibility and advantages of the ZSE20(F)#/ISE20# include the peak and bottom values are maintained, even if the power supply is cut, offering greater control in the process. Also, being compact and lightweight, the models not only deliver space savings, but due to the weight reduction there are less inert moments when the sensor is mounted in mobile applications such as robotic arms.

Industry is being offered ‘peace of mind’ in 2017 as SMC highlights the opportunity to improve production and ultimately costs through a focus on efficient temperature control. SMC, the worldwide leading expert in pneumatics, is helping industry keep its cool as the focus on rising production costs hots up in 2017. The company has launched its new initiative, ‘Give Yourself Peace of Mind’ that highlights the benefits for plant operators, for example, in the machine tooling, printing and packaging industries, to effectively control the temperature of heat generating equipment using thermo-chillers.  A spokesperson from SMC said: “Poor temperature control is still an issue for many operators who lose out financially due to high levels of rejection rates, poor product quality and unreliable processes.  “Our HRS thermo-chiller range is the smart solution that delivers proactive temperature control of heat generating devices within strict limits.  This effective control gives customers peace of mind due to improved productivity, machine performance and extends the service life of the equipment.  It’s one thing less for operators to worry about, so they can concentrate on more pressing production needs.” The HRS thermo-chiller range features a standard, basic and high level type to cater for a wide range of applications.  The HRSE is the entry level type, which features 12 alarms and uses air-cooled refrigeration, with a cooling capacity of 1.0 to 1.9 kW and temperature stability of ±2.0 ºC.  Alternatively, the HRS and the HRSH offer air-cooled and water-cooled refrigeration types, heating capabilities with advanced control functions and remote control via RS232C, RS485 and contact I/Os.   They are both suitable for almost any application, including outdoor installations when using the larger models. The HRS is the standard type and is the original thermo-chiller from SMC, with a reputation for offering customers peace of mind thanks to its accuracy and reliability.  Key features include a temperature stability of ±0.1 ºC to ±1.0 ºC, a wide range of cooling capacities reaching 13 kW and up to 42 alarms, depending on the model. The HRSH is the most advanced thermo-chiller from SMC, featuring a triple inverter that controls the compressor motor, fan and pump and is subsequently highly economical to run.  It has a temperature stability of ± 0.1 ºC, a large cooling capacity up to 28 kW and as many as 44 alarms. To find out more about SMC and how it’s the single supplier for many of its customers thanks to a worldwide network of experts and support, together with an extensive range of global-friendly products, including its Thermo Chiller range, visit www.smc.eu.

Release the pressure. By Andy Still, Industry Projects Manager, Energy, Europe The subject is more than serious. Pneumatic equipment accounts for about 20% of all factory power consumption and there is a proven way to improve energy efficiency: reduce the operating pressure. SMC explains how companies can achieve this objective and thus fall in line with manufacturing’s most important current trend. For most industrial plants, typical operating pressure (or main compressed airline) is between 6 and 7 bar. However, by simply lowering the pressure to 5 bar, facilities can reduce their energy consumption up to 15%, while dropping the pressure to 4 bar offers savings of up to 29%. The global understanding of pressure reduction is that it will affect performance. Although this statement is true for some equipment, it must be said that most workstations will keep running normally. Industrial companies cannot afford loss of performance or time stop in their operation, so they need a safe and reliable way of reducing pressure. With this thought in mind, at SMC we have devised a solution based on comprehensive system analysis at the outset of the project. The objective is to make sure that first the available power is utilized in an optimized way and second to smooth the demand peaks. Identification of the main problems In just a few days, without interrupting operation, an audit is carried out. There are many facets to this analysis. A first step is to evaluate the compressor operation and address the filtration components to ensure the system will not exhibit any pressure drops and deliver consistent flow across the entire pneumatic circuit. SMC determines air quality by carrying out a dew point analysis and collecting a particulate sample of the compressed air. Then, we also undertake ultrasonic leak detection; tagging, photographing and cataloguing each leak, with a short ROI if repaired. Finally, our experts investigate any equipment exhibiting increased air demand, and identify compressed air inefficiencies and energy costs.