Any electrical product that has active components are required by law to be properly Electro Magnetic Compatibility, or EMC, tested. As a part of this EMC testing program, certain lighting products are required to go through this testing as a part of the conformity that is required for the CE
ECS Engineering Services have been contacted in regards to the replacement of three Archimedes screw pumps which were operating at the Severn Trent Water’s Mansfield Sewage Treatment Works. NMCNomenca. ECS Engineering Services have been operating for more than 20 years to deliver high standard engineering solutions. The company focuses on
Last week, the UK experienced a heatwave. Across the entire country, temperatures reached as high as 36°C. As the temperatures went through the roof, the demand for air conditioning and other cold room repairs also increased. This data has was found by the refrigeration contractor Synecore. The company found that
Tridonic, one of the leading providers of smart lighting systems in the world, has announced that they are looking to grow their offering of dimmable LED modules. This expansion will come for the spotlights and downlights that are on offer from the company. The Tridonic modules come with the SLE
With little under a month to go until the highly-anticipated 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations come into force, Bureau Veritas is calling on duty holders to step up efforts aimed at reducing the safety risk posed by poor electrics. Due to be published in July, BS 7671
Aerosols and consumer chemicals manufacturing firm James Briggs Ltd has successfully entered a new emerging market. The Oldham based company won a deal with Iranian protective coating specialist firm Dana Chem. This will see it supply the firm with its branded Hycote paint products. The Hycote brand has been made
University of Bristol Engineers have developed a new shape-changing material using Kirigami – Origami’s big brother. As well as just folding paper, the ancient Japanese art involves cutting it; which usually would create a weakness, but in this case gives the material the ability to be formed into complex 3D
Saint-Gobain has revealed its new strategic approach, as well as its updated logo. Adapting to social changes, where all people along the value chain can now influence buying decisions, including product users, owners and end-consumers, Saint-Gobain is repositioning its brand to support its promise to create great living places for
A new red brick colour has been created for the Saint-Gobain Weber External Wall Insulation (EWI) system chosen by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) for their property upgrade programme in the Dinnington area. The weber.therm XM EWI system, finished with weber.rend RB Render Brick in the new Georgian Red colour,
Any electrical product that has active components are required by law to be properly Electro Magnetic Compatibility, or EMC, tested. As a part of this EMC testing program, certain lighting products are required to go through this testing as a part of the conformity that is required for the CE marking on a product. It being vital to obtain the CE marking on a range of lighting products, the electrical testing of products is an important factor of the development process before a product is put on to the market. The LIA Laboratory is the largest independent test laboratory in the UK for the ISO 17025 requirements and the product certification, or the ISO 17065, on behalf of the National Certification Body. While being at the forefront of this testing market, the LIA are focused on making sure that they stay at the cutting edge of technological developments. By making sure that they have access to state of the art equipment, the laboratory can deliver a wide range of fast and affordable EMC services. Whether the service required is just a quick check or a more comprehensive inspection, LIA have the capacity to test products to ensure that they are operational and safe. LIA offer faster checks as well as checks of one mode voltage, full tests for one mode voltage and tests that can take place for a product with a dimming function. LIA also boast a service which offer assistance with the constraints of the market as well as the reduction of risk and the ability to demonstrate safety and conformity needed with relevant legislation and regulation. The Laboratory that is operated by the Lighting Industry Association work to offer the best service possible while carrying out the tests and inspection, with the cost of the tests starting at £700.
ECS Engineering Services have been contacted in regards to the replacement of three Archimedes screw pumps which were operating at the Severn Trent Water’s Mansfield Sewage Treatment Works. NMCNomenca. ECS Engineering Services have been operating for more than 20 years to deliver high standard engineering solutions. The company focuses on tailor made designs as well as projects that are connected to water, energy and environmental processing and managing. There specialisms made them an ideal candidate for the work that was required in the Mansfield Sewage Treatment Works. The Treatment facility is located near to the River Maun and operates in order to process most of the effluent water that is discarded from farms and homes that are in the surrounding area. The three screw pumps that needed replacing from the inlet station of the facility had been working non stop since the 1970s. The data monitoring the pumps however showed that they were experiencing a drop in efficiency caused by the long term wear and tear of the work being carried out. Each of the pumps needed to be replaced one at a time. Working this way took longer but the plan made sure that the Mansfield facility could continue to operate during the scheme of works. The pumps were found to be beyond any hope to refurbish, and so needed to be replaced completely. The Tier 1 contractor for Severn Trent Water, NMCNomenca, made this decision then looked to contact ECS for their specialist assistance. ECS thought that the work to replace the 13.5 meter long pump would take 8 weeks, with the original pumps removed by crane then recycled before the new pumps were installed. The pumps then needed to be re-screeded by hand in order to make sure that the space was at the optimum for efficiency. ECS have also offered a comprehensive maintenance plan that will support the new installations and protect them in the future in order to maintain the efficiency of the pumps for a good many years to come.
Last week, the UK experienced a heatwave. Across the entire country, temperatures reached as high as 36°C. As the temperatures went through the roof, the demand for air conditioning and other cold room repairs also increased. This data has was found by the refrigeration contractor Synecore. The company found that they saw a 92% increase in the number of callouts they had to fix broken or underperforming air conditioning units or walk in chillers. According to the company, Thursday last week was their busiest day, after the hottest day recorded in June in more than 40 years. The refrigeration contractor’s air conditioning service department were able to deal with the sudden increase in the volume of calls well as managing to successfully accommodate all of their maintenance contract clients as well as fitting in new customers needing assistance in the heat. The massive surge in the emergency calls regarding air conditioning units must have been a steep challenge to overcome however the company managed to live up to their company promise to make sure that an engineer was onsite within 48 hours. This is a massive achievement for Synecore and they deserve the recognition they have been receiving for overcoming such a challenge. The staff of engineers as well as those working in customer service and taking the calls have been praised by the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Manager of Synecore, Gary Piper. The staff for the company managed to make sure the surge of work was prioritised correctly and that they were able to assist companies and clients. The main focus initially wa to deal with the issues that arose with walk in chillers, as a number of different businesses such as restaurants experienced problems caused by the heatwave. Synecore has also suggested that going forward those with refrigeration systems or air conditioning keep up to the maintenance of the systems in order to make sure it functions safely as well as lasts longer.
Tridonic, one of the leading providers of smart lighting systems in the world, has announced that they are looking to grow their offering of dimmable LED modules. This expansion will come for the spotlights and downlights that are on offer from the company. The Tridonic modules come with the SLE SUNSET EXC. The light that is provided by the SUNSET light creates a more intimate atmosphere with its warmer colour and it has been said that the lighting modules replicate quite closely the light provided by an incandescent lamp. The SUNSET range of lighting module has been announced as the fourth product as part of the SLE EXC series. The other lighting modules that are available as a part of this range is FOOD, ART and FASHION. Each of these modules give off a different light and it allows lighting manufacturers the ability of offer a range of light colours. Tridonic work to offer cutting edge lighting solutions to the market. The company’s research and development market are looking into how the can continue to develop the LED lighting systems as well as how lighting can be connected to other technologies in a drive to “smarter” homes and living. Along with the SLE SUNSET EXC, Tridonic have also revealed that the has created the fourth generation of the DLE ADVANCED module that will provide efficient and flexible LED driver selection. This new product has improved module efficacy by 12% and it is possible that there could also be a reduction in costs too. This could be a leap forward for installing LED driver and lighting systems in construction projects and buildings. The white diffuser that is featured alongside the module makes sure that an even level of light is emitted. This level of light given off can also be altered.
With little under a month to go until the highly-anticipated 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations come into force, Bureau Veritas is calling on duty holders to step up efforts aimed at reducing the safety risk posed by poor electrics. Due to be published in July, BS 7671 – IET Wiring Regulations 18th edition will apply to all new and rewired installations designed after January 2019. The legislation is set to include a number of significant changes in relation to protection against fire, protection against overvoltages and clarity on special location installations, in a bid to optimise safety in domestic, industrial and commercial locations. The more stringent standards will look to address the risks presented by faulty electrical installations and wiring systems, after estimates show that electricity is the leading cause of over 20,000 accidental fires in the UK each year1. In the run up to implementation, global certification firm Bureau Veritas is urging all duty holders to review their existing electrical safety standards and intensify their ‘safety first’ approach to compliance. Nathan Cliff, electrical principal engineer for electrical systems at Bureau Veritas, said: “With poor electrical installations still responsible for five accidents in the UK every single day, it’s no surprise the 18th Edition will force us as an industry to place a greater emphasis on the protection of people. “For duty holders, our advice is clear – do not wait until the regulations take hold to take action. Instead, start by reviewing existing electrical safety protocols to ensure they take a ‘safety first’ approach to protecting employees, students and residents so that best practice is achieved every step of the way.” According to Bureau Veritas, one important aspect for duty holders to consider is that the 18th edition puts a greater onus on a risk assessment when it comes to protection against transient overvoltage (e.g. lightning) required for buildings to protect against the risk of fires and loss of supply. In addition, protection must be provided for high risk and sensitive locations, such as medical locations, heritage buildings, banks, IT centres etc. Nathan adds: “For many, these new regulations will no doubt be hard to decipher and put into practice. However, it’s literally a matter of life and death for duty holders to get to grips with these reforms as soon as they can as achieving compliance now ahead of the January 2019 deadline will, ultimately, help to save lives.” To find out more about Bureau Veritas please call 0345 600 1828 or email info@uk.bureauveritas.com. Alternatively, please visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk
Aerosols and consumer chemicals manufacturing firm James Briggs Ltd has successfully entered a new emerging market. The Oldham based company won a deal with Iranian protective coating specialist firm Dana Chem. This will see it supply the firm with its branded Hycote paint products. The Hycote brand has been made in the Royton area of Greater Manchester since 1982. It includes products for valeting, maintaining and painting vehicles. Although there was some skepticism surrounding the future of British exporting after the EU referendum in June, the weakened pound has increased UK export activity by 8% to its highest rate in the last two years. The manufacturing company says that the its international performance has fallen in line with the wider positive outlook. It is now looking to increase its presence in Europe and further afield. The partnership with Dana Chem has added to a number of international firsts for the firm. Over the last year and a half the company has entered new markets across Southeast Asia and the Middle East throughout the last year and a half. ‘An exciting new era’ James Briggs CEO Tim Pugh said of the deal: “James Briggs has continued to realise its strategy of targeting new international territories, such as Iran, that are receptive to high quality, British-developed products. “While Brexit has meant a necessary realigning of our export activity, our wider strategy has always looked beyond the single market and we’re confident it will continue to serve us well in the near and long-term.“ He continued: “Our partnership with Dana Chem marks the beginning of an exciting new era for James Briggs, and we look forward to expanding our presence in Iran as our partnership and products begin to gain traction.” In August, Applied Graphene Materials (AGM) worked with James Briggs Limited on a joint development programme. The business has developed a form of graphene it says can deliver a six-fold improvement in barrier and anti-corrosion properties. James Briggs is expected to use the product in primers to offer greater protection from weathering.
University of Bristol Engineers have developed a new shape-changing material using Kirigami – Origami’s big brother. As well as just folding paper, the ancient Japanese art involves cutting it; which usually would create a weakness, but in this case gives the material the ability to be formed into complex 3D shapes with a broader choice of geometries than Origami allows. Metamaterials are a class of material which are engineered to produce properties which don’t occur naturally. They are currently used to make artificial electromagnetic and vibration absorbers, and high-performance sensors. The research, which has been developed within a PhD program run by the University’s EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Composites for Innovation and Science (ACCIS CDT), has been published in Scientific Reports. PhD student Robin Neville has developed the technique using Kirigami, and creates mechanical metamaterials which change shape seamlessly. These exhibit large variations in mechanical performance with small geometry changes, and it can be adapted to modify its configuration by using mainstream actuation mechanisms. These can also be produced using off-the-shelf thermoplastics or other thermoset composite materials, and can be upgraded by embedding different sensing and electronics systems, to obtin fully integrated smart shape-changing structures. The Professor of Smart Materials and Structures in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and ACCIS, Fabrizio Scarpa, said, “Mechanical metamaterials exhibit unusual properties through the shape and deformation of their engineered subunits. Our research presents a new investigation of the kinematics of a family of cellular metamaterials based on Kirigami design principles. This technique allows us to create cellular structures with engineered cuts and folds that produce large shape and volume changes, and with extremely directional, tuneable mechanical properties.” Robin Neville, PhD student, added: “By combining analytical models and numerical simulations we have demonstrated how these Kirigami cellular metamaterials can change their deformation characteristics. We have also shown the potential of using these classes of mechanical metamaterials for shape change applications like morphing structures.” In the future, these Kirigami-based metamaterials could be used in robotics, morphing structures for airframe and space applications, microwave and smart antennas.
Saint-Gobain has revealed its new strategic approach, as well as its updated logo. Adapting to social changes, where all people along the value chain can now influence buying decisions, including product users, owners and end-consumers, Saint-Gobain is repositioning its brand to support its promise to create great living places for people and improve daily lives. Saint-Gobain’s logo has also been redesigned to reflect its consumer-focused strategy. An interpretation of the ‘bridge’ symbol, which has represented Saint-Gobain for more than 40 years, the new logo will incorporate new colours and buildings to create a vibrant skyline, that reflects the dynamism that drives Saint-Gobain. Pierre-André de Chalendar, chairman and chief executive officer of Saint-Gobain, said: “Thanks to digital, consumers want to get to know the brands they live with. Saint-Gobain has been behind the scenes for many years, helping to create sustainable buildings that enhance people’s daily lives, but now it’s time to connect with our customers on a more personal level. “Our materials and solutions are designed to help increase the comfort of people today, wherever they live, work and travel. But we need to do this sustainably, helping to safeguard the planet for future generations. We will use our brand values – our expertise in materials, a culture of innovation, and an understanding of customer needs – to achieve this.” Mike Chaldecott, general delegate and regional managing director for Saint-Gobain Construction Products in the UK and Ireland, said: “Throughout our 350 year history, we have continued to innovate, creating solutions that improve people’s daily lives. To continue delivering such innovative solutions, we must listen to the end-user and provide buildings that meet the demands of modern life, as well as benefit occupant health and wellbeing.”
A new red brick colour has been created for the Saint-Gobain Weber External Wall Insulation (EWI) system chosen by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) for their property upgrade programme in the Dinnington area. The weber.therm XM EWI system, finished with weber.rend RB Render Brick in the new Georgian Red colour, has been created to accurately match the established red brick Georgian properties in the area. The senior Building Surveyor for RMBC required that the properties being thermally improved should match the traditional aesthetics, as far as reasonably practical, and the Saint-Gobain Weber laboratory at Flitwick, Bedfordshire, subsequently developed the new colour to add to the existing palette. Additionally, a distressed finish has been achieved by artistic application of weber.sil P, a silicone enhanced masonry paint, to create an even more natural, aged brick effect. This process has been enthusiastically welcomed by both RMBC and the residents in maintaining the traditional colours of the now thermally enhanced properties. The 88 properties in this project were built in the 1930s and were identified as hard to treat, some with solid walls and some with narrow cavities of varied dimensions. To achieve a target u-value of 0.28W/m²K from 1.48 W/m²K, 80mm of expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation has been fixed to the outer walls as part of the weber.therm XM system and finished with the weber.rend RB Render Brick finish, a combination of two coloured mortars used together to create the brick effect finish. Once the insulation material has been fixed to the structure, an initial coat of weber.rend LAC render is applied over the insulation with a mesh-cloth reinforcement laid into it. A second pass of weber.rend LAC is then applied which is finished with a lightly comb-scratched surface to encourage the bond with the weber.rend RBB base coat which acts as the mortar line in the brick effect. This is applied at 7-8mm thick and ruled to achieve a flat, in-plane surface. When this has taken-up a 2-3mm coat of weber.rend RBF face coat is applied and the surface lightly textured with a soft bristle brush to create the brick face. When this coat has taken up the brick pattern is marked carefully and cuts are made through the face coat render to expose the base coat to achieve an authentic, bonded brickwork appearance. The weber.rend RB system is a cost effective and attractive finish giving excellent weather protection for varying climatic conditions. In conjunction with the brick effect, the existing rendered panels were replicated using weber.therm XP, a through-coloured one coat render in ivory achieving the welcome, fresh contrast RMBC required. The Hall Construction Group, Kingston upon Hull, successfully tendered as the main contractor for the project and Mark Thompson, contracts manager, explains the broad scope of the programme. “We have carried out work to the roofs, some window replacements and DPC work, but the main element has been the EWI. We brought in Skyline as the applicator and together we created warmer, more efficient and attractive properties, producing an excellent match between the EWI properties and others in the area. Residents are already telling us that the properties are wonderfully warm and that they have had to turn their thermostats right down!” Skyline Construction Services Ltd., Wakefield, West Yorkshire, is a Weber recommended applicator who was appointed to install the EWI at Dinnington. Contracts manager John Mullins worked with Weber to develop the new Georgian Red for Rotherham: “The client needed to match the traditional red brick finish of properties in the area and chose from colour samples we completed on test panels on site. Getting the distressed brick finish required very accurate roller work from my teams but the result is excellent and has been much praised in the community. As winter comes in the residents are really experiencing the great benefits of the Weber EWI system, which brings the U values up to modern building standards, and enjoying greater warmth for less expenditure on their heating costs. We believe that the Weber EWI system is the market leader and does everything we require in this type of project.” Residents of the Dinnington properties welcomed the greatly improved appearance of the properties and are enjoying the high performance benefits of good thermal insulation. For more information about this project, or for technical support, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.netweber.co.uk. Customers in Ireland should call 028 9335 2999 or visit www.weber.ie A free download of the new weber.app for iPhone and iPad users is also available from iTunes and from Google Play for Android smartphones and tablet users. Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on Twitter @SGWeberUK for the latest company news and updates.
