Much of the UK's 1998 manufacturing budget will be decided and allocated at this year's UK Manufacturing Week, which attracts more than 20,000 key buyers and specifiers, and more than 500 exhibiting companies. In addition, it is the only exhibition to showcase all aspects of the manufacturing process from the design stage to end product production through plant and factory maintenance.

Representatives of the manufacturing industry gather in pursuit of new products and applications, meeting new suppliers, and learning about the latest technologies.

John Battle, Minister of State for Industry, Energy, and Science, will present the Industrialists' Summit's key address which will focus on innovation in UK manufacturing. In addition, a special feature on the University of Cranfield's role in the development of advanced technologies will highlight Design and Manufacturing Excellence and Expertise.

Exhibiting companies are split into two halls: Hall 2 is for production and plant exhibitors, and Hall 4 focuses on design. The schedule includes an educational platform, political forum, showcase for state-of-the-art technologies, and a recruitment fair.

Manufacturing Week is co-located with the following shows: Computers in Manufacturing Tooling '97, and Inspex. A combined audience of more than 40,000 people is expected.

This event is organized by Reed Exhibition Companies Ltd. and Independent Exhibitions. Supporting industry associations include the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), Engineering Employers Federation (EEF), and the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE). For more information visit www.manweek.co.uk/

Couplings

Hansen quick-release hose couplings include the HK Series of self-sealing couplings and the ST Series of straight-through couplings. Both are available from 1/8 to 21/2 inches in steel, brass, and stainless steel. Alternative seal materials are available to handle most industrial and process fluids.
Guyson International Ltd.
Booth 2425
Southview Business Park,
Guiseley, Leeds LS20 9PR, England
FAX +44 1943 850042

Diaphragm pump

Type VC0201 linear electromagnetic- diaphragm pump performs at 20l/min and has a rated pressure of 0.1 bar on continuous duty. Features include quiet operation, low vibration, oil-less construction, long life, and high efficiency. The VC0201 is suitable for applications such as solder removal, scientific analysis equipment, health-care products, and ozone producers.
Nitto Kohki Europe Co. Ltd.
Booth 4049
Unit 21, The Empire Center,
Imperial Way,Waterford, Herts, WD2 4YH, England
FAX +44 1923 248815

Gearhead

The Stealth^TM planetary gearhead for servomotors features the HeliCrown(R) helical gear. Gearheads are available in 4 frame sizes with reduction ratios of 5:1, 20:1, 30:1, 50:1, and 100:1. A balanced pinion supported by a floating bearing provides true alignment of the input pinion and the helical planetary gears, allowing input speeds to 10,000 rpm.
Bayside Precision Gearheads
Booth 4112
27 Seaview Blvd.
Port Washington, NY 11050
FAX (516) 484-5496

Linear motion system

The basic Lo-Pro aluminum-based low-profile linear motion system is available with a commercial/wiper wheel plate. Drive options include a belt, chain, lead-screw, and pneumatic cylinder actuator. This system is available in four sizes, providing a wide range of capacities from small to large loads. Lo-Pro is based on the Dual-Vee system and may be built to any length.
Hepco Slide Systems Ltd.
Booth 4161
Lower Moor Business Park,
Tiverton Way, Tiverton, Devon, EX 16 6TG, England
FAX +44 1884 243500

Solenoids

Two series of solenoids are available. Series 65 miniature solenoids are dc pulse-operated and magnet-maintained. They are suitable for low-energy applications such as equipment powered by dry cells. Available for either push or pull action, Series 65 includes 3 and 20W versions as standard, operated by dc pulses of 5, 6, 12, 24, or 48V. In addition, Series 44A provides drop-in replacements for earlier models, with identical mounting and electrical characteristics. The standard range includes ac as well as dc versions, with push or pull action.
BLP Components Ltd.
Booth 4345
Exning Rd., Newmarket,Suffolk CB8 OAX, England
FAX +44 1638 660718

Light sources

MVS-700 Series of high-intensity strobes incorporate flash-lamp technology and a reflector design. This series delivers over 40% more light-per-watt than the MVS-2020 Series. Both series meet CE 97, EMI, and safety requirements. Other products include the XeC-100 continuous xenon light source for color line-scan applications, the MVS-5700 IR illuminator for surveillance applications, and the MVS-5450 for applications requiring a high level of light uniformity.
EG&G Optoelectronics
Booth 2429
Bay T53, Shannon Free ZoneCo Clare, Ireland
FAX +353 61 472390

Aqueous washer

MARR STORM is a front-loading aqueous washer for fast degreasing and cleaning of larger components weighing up to 500 kg and measuring up to 800 mm in diameter and up to 500 mm high. Consistent results are possible due to a full 360-degree high-intensity spray of heated water-based cleaning solution at a regulated speed, for a pre-set time cycle, around each component load. This is discharged from each of a series of 22V spray jets at a rate of up to 4l/min at a pressure of up to 60 psi. The spray is then filtered, re-heated at a temperature of up to 60C, and recirculated from a high capacity 300l tank.
Guyson International Ltd.
Booth 2417
Snaygill Industrial Estate
Keighley Rd., SkiptonNorth Yorkshire, BD23 2QR England
FAX +44 1756 790213

Mixing machine

The Unipre two-component meter/mix/dispenser type G 32 includes electronically controlled, fully adjustable output ranges from 1g/sec to 10 kg/minute. To avoid the use of undesirable solvents the Unipre GP 25 SD mix head offers dynamic mixing using a disposable mix tube which can be cleaned using a built-in air-purge system.R.F.
Bright Enterprises Ltd.
Booth R4640
Enterprise House
London Rd., West Kingsdown,Sevenoaks Kent, TN15 6AP, England
FAX +44 1474 853944

Fans

Ac and dc axial flow fans and ac centrifugal blowers are available. Two PMC compact stepping/driver units feature a 37% increase in torque for the PMC 33 models and a 39% increase in torque for the PMC 35 models. In addition, two single-phase ac 230V, 60 and 90W electromagnetic brake motors have also been added to the product line.
Oriental Motor Ltd.
Booth 4250
Unit 7, Farnborough Business Center
Eelmore Rd., Fanrborough Hampshire GU14 7XA, England
FAX +44 01296 770769

Microstepping driver

The IM481H 96W bipolar drive incorporates advanced ASIC technology to reduce motor heating. The IM481H drives stepping motors to size 23 and measures 1.1 3 2.7 3 0.17 inches. Features include short-circuit and thermal protection and adjustable automatic current reduction at full step and fault outputs. This driver accepts an input voltage of 12 to 48V and has 14 built-in microstep resolutions from 400 to 51,200 steps/revolution, in binary and decimal, that can be changed at any time without resetting the driver.
Intelligent Motion Systems Inc.
Booth 4144
Box 457
Marlborough, CT 06447
FAX (860) 295-6107

Valve

The PN40 rated, full-bore, brass-ball valve is BSP-threaded. Fitted with an electric single-phase synchronous unidirectional motor, the standard power supply is 220V ac at 50/60 Hz. Standard rotation time for 90 degrees is 100 seconds, but rotation options include 20 seconds for 90 degrees and 180 seconds for 90 degrees. Connection options for the PN40 include: male/female, male/male, female/Hose-union, and NPT thread. Other options include a 24V power supply, relay, IP55 protection against water, bidirectional, a transparent plastic cover, and two LEDs that indicate valve position.
LeenGate Valves
Booth 4341
Clover Nook Industrial Estate
Somercotes, Derbyshire, DE55 4QT.England
FAX +44 1773 521591

Nylon

Fine-nylon MG is a rapid-prototyping material for use in medical device applications. This material has been USP Class VI-certified by NAMSA, allowing a medical device prototype created in fine nylon MG to be taken into the operating suite and undergo exposure of 24 hours or less within a living body.
DTM Corporation
Booth R4634
Otto-Hahn-Strasse 647021 Hilden, Germany

Information service

The information service, Inside Web, provides desktop access to British library collections via the World Wide Web. The database holds content listings from over 20,000 journal titles and 16,000 conference proceedings held by the British library. Articles can be ordered and delivered in as little as two hours. Information is provided across a range of disciplines involved in the research, development, production, and marketing of industrial products.
The British Library
Booth 4375
Boston Spa,
Wetherby,West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, England
FAX +44 1937 546571

Tooling pastes

Two tooling pastes are extruded onto an undersize core in foam or wood, and then CNC-machined to precise dimensions to deliver seam-free models with a smooth finish. The epoxy version features fast 40-mm-thick layers and is useful for the production of full-vehicle models. A polyurethane version is extruded in 20-mm-thick layers and is suitable for the production of single-panel models. Also available are Araldite(R) industrial adhesives for use in applications such as aircraft construction and maintenance to performance sports products.
Ciba Specialy Chemicals
Booth 4420
Customer Service Center,
Duxford, Cambridge CB2 4QA, England
FAX +44 1223 493322

Lubrication management tool

LubriPlan 2000 total lubrication management tool runs on a PC or networked computer in a Windows-type environment. A plant survey is included in the package. Features of this system include the ability to control all lubricants stock, automate stock control, produce work orders automatically, and prevent over- or under-stocking. LubriPlan 2000 can be used to produce comprehensive reports and store machine photographs and manuals. A password system provides data security.
Shell Oils
Booth 2348
Delta House,
Wavell Rd., Wythenshawe,Manchester, M22 5SB, England
FAX +44 161 499 8648

Printers

Two printers include the EXCEL(R) 178i and the Apollo impulse printer. The EXCEL 178i prints up to four lines of information and a range of bar codes, can selectively embolden, and has a tower print capability. Dynamic environmental compensation features allow this printer to be tolerant of changing environmental conditions.
Videojet Systems Int'l
Booth 2231
153 Dixons Hill Rd.
Welham Green, Hatfield Herts AL9 7JE, England