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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Spanish Unions And Magna Debate Mass Layoffs
October 14, 2009 4:23 am | by Daniel Woolls, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsMADRID (AP) — Spanish unions met Wednesday with representatives of Magna International Inc. to discuss its new proposal for an Opel plant targeted for job cuts, an official said. As part of its takeover of Opel from General Motors Co., Magna wants to eliminate 1,300 jobs at an Opel plant near Zaragoza in northeast Spain and move one of its two assembly lines to Germany.
Auto Sales Down 10.4 Percent Post-Clunkers
October 14, 2009 4:14 am | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Retail sales declined in September by the largest amount this year as car sales plummeted following the end of the government's popular Cash for Clunkers program. But outside of autos, sales were better than expected. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that retail sales dropped 1.
Ford Adds 4.5m Cars To Flaming Switch Recall
October 14, 2009 4:12 am | by Stephen Manning and Tom Krisher, AP Business Writers | News | CommentsDETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it will add 4.5 million older-model vehicles to the long list of those recalled because a defective cruise control switch could cause a fire. The latest voluntary action pushes Ford's total recall due to faulty switches to 14.3 million registered vehicles over 10 years, capping the company's largest cumulative recall in history involving a single problem.
'Don't Die On Me!': Staying Alive With Predictive Maintenance
October 13, 2009 9:45 am | Articles | CommentsIn recent years, modern packaging machines have become more intelligent. They are incorporating more decentralized intelligence in order to protect the machine from expensive breakdown situations using error diagnostics and reactions without any detour through the control. With today’s generation of intelligent servo drives, predictive maintenance functionality is now built into the electronics.
Help, I've Been Nerded
October 13, 2009 8:59 am | by by David Mantey, Editor, PD&D | Blogs | CommentsI suppose that the hair would be parted on the other side and I’d be wearing a lavender vest rather than a kindergarten blazer featuring an assortment of arts and crafts, but the photo could just as easily come as the result of an evil motherly plot to sabotage my cool factor (pause for guttural laugh), as it did from a few minutes of Photoshop 101.
Simple Tube Cutting
October 13, 2009 8:07 am | Product Releases | CommentsReed Manufacturing Co . (Erie, PA) offers an easy-to-grip Spring-Loaded Tubing Cutter. The spring-loaded cutter wheel self-feeds with constant pressure as the tool is rotated around the tubing, which means operators only have to turn the cutter in the direction of the marked arrow.
Breathe Easy
October 13, 2009 8:07 am | Product Releases | CommentsFarr Air Pollution Control (APC, Jonesboro, AR) introduces an updated portable dust and fume collector that combines three-stage filtration with versatility. The Zephyr® III collector comes with a choice of three main filters, and is ideal for welding fumes, grinding dusts, or soldering fumes.
Have A HART
October 13, 2009 8:06 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe FL3100H UV/IR and FL3101H UV Flame Detectors from General Monitors (Lake Forest, CA) are now compatible with the HART communication protocol. The flame detectors are designed to detect fires over a wide field of view and provide alarm outputs directly. The FL3100H uses both the ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) spectral ranges, making it resistant to false alarms caused by lightning or arc welding.
Diesel-Powered For Efficiency
October 13, 2009 8:05 am | Product Releases | CommentsMTU Onsite Energy (Mankato, MN) has developed a new MTU diesel-powered generator set, covering a range of 250 to 3,250 kW. The Series 1600 engine is new for MTU, and is the smallest the company produces, yet it combines reliability, high power density, and fuel efficiency.
Accurate Light Meter
October 13, 2009 5:18 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Traceable Light Meter Pen from Control Company (Friendswood, TX) reads from 0 to 1,860 foot-candles with a resolution of .01, and from 0 to 20,000 Lux with a resolution of 1. Tough ABS plastic housing, an O-ring seal, and membrane keypad help keep dirt and dust out, which makes the product ideal in harsh plant environments.
Flame-Proof Clothing
October 13, 2009 5:17 am | Product Releases | CommentsFlamesafe Workwear (Caulfield, Victoria, Australia) has released the Flamesafe Maxisoft FR Cotton apparel range, which includes undergarments, polo shirts, T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoods, gloves, jackets, and more. All products meet and exceed international safety performance standards, according to the company.
Get Online, Anywhere
October 13, 2009 5:17 am | Product Releases | CommentsProSoft Technology (Bakersfield, CA) has announced the release of the RadioLinx Intelligent Cellular solution, designed to provide global wireless connectivity for industrial devices. The RadioLinx gateways utilize the existing cellular infrastructure to connect devices across geographically diverse locations, and can connect devices through the Internet.
Easy Coupling
October 13, 2009 5:16 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Style 177 QuickVic Flexible Coupling from Victaulic (Easton, PA) offers a flame-free pipe joining solution that reduces installation time and cost. The new coupling is an extension of the patented installation-ready line, and with no loose parts and no requirement to disassemble before installation, this line provides a competitive edge.
GM Trimming Fat With Opel, Hummer Sales
October 13, 2009 4:24 am | by Elaine Kurtenbach, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsSHANGHAI (AP) — General Motors could finalize the sale of its German auto unit Opel as early as this week, the U.S. automaker's CEO said Tuesday. Fritz Henderson, visiting China for the first time since GM was restructured last summer, was also upbeat about the prospects for the sale of the company's Hummer unit to Chinese buyer Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Corp.
Siemens Nabs $888m Turbine Deal With Four States
October 13, 2009 4:07 am | News | CommentsFRANKFURT (AP) — Siemens AG has won orders worth some euro600 million ($888 million) to supply 250 wind turbines in the United States and Canada, the German-based industrial conglomerate said Tuesday. A quarter of the order is destined for the Canadian province of Ontario, while the rest of the turbines will go to California, Oklahoma, Washington and Wyoming, Munich-based Siemens said.
