Drives&ControlsTHE LEADING MAGAZINE FOR AUTOMATION, POWER TRANSMISSION AND MOTION CONTROL

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MEDIA INFORMATION 2019

Drives & Controls Exhibition is the UK’s leading event for drives, automation, power transmissionand motion control. The show brings brings together key suppliers of state-of-the-art equipmentrepresenting the multi-tasking culture of today’s design engineer, covering critical areas such as energyefficiency, machine safety, drives, motion control, robotics and automation plus much more, all underone roof. With the advent of the smart factory, Drives & Controls Exhibition is an essential source oftechnological andengineering information and is fully supported by GAMBICA and the EPTDA.www.drives-expo.com

To receive a copy of the exhibitor’s brochure for the 2020 show, please contact: Damien Oxlee on +44 (0)1732 370342 / +44 (0) 7951 103754 damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.ukAndy Wylie on +44 (0)1732 370341 / +44 (0) 7939 607855 andy.wylie@dfamedia.co.uk

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

For more than 30 years, Drives & Controls has been the magazinethat readers turn to for news and information on the worlds ofmotion control, automation and mechanical powertransmission. We also provide comprehensive coverage of alliedsubjects such as machine safety, industrial communications,hydraulics, pneumatics and sensors.

Drives & Controls is widely regarded as the leading UKpublication in the motion control and automation market. There are several reasons for this.

For a start, we are part of a small, focussed organisation – our only other publications are Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Plant & Works Engineering, Power Electronics Europe, Aftermarketand the recently-launched Smart Machines & Factories – so we are close to the market we serve, and know it well.

Second, we have built up a reputation for editorial quality andintegrity. Unlike many other technical publications, we do notcharge so-called “colour separation fees” or demand otherpayments for items to be included in editorial sections of themagazine. For example, every item in our comprehensive newproducts section is chosen by the editorial team on the basis ofits potential interest to our readers and on its topicality – not onwhether someone is prepared to pay for it to be included.

Another distinguishing feature is the breadth and depth of ournews coverage of both technological and business issues. Wereport not only on UK developments, but also on news from theglobal automation industry, which inevitably has implications forthe UK market. As well as the wide-ranging news coverage in our

printed editions, wealso carry the latestnews on our globalWeb site, often ingreater depth than ispossible in the magazine.

Then there is our exhibition,which has established itself asan almost unmissable event foranyone wanting to keep up-to-date with developments in oursector. It has a feelgood factor that ismissing from many other exhibitions thatare organised by anonymous groups withno real knowledge of the industry theirshows are targeting.

The Drives & Controls Show is held at the Birmingham NEC,alongside other key industrial exhibitions, including MACH, Air-Tech and Plant & Asset Management, creating the UK’s majorengineering showcase. The event, held biennially since 2006, hasestablished itself as the most important meeting place for theUK manufacturing industry.

Drives & Controls has carved a unique place among Britishtechnical magazines, and we are building and expanding fromthis solid base. We thank those that have supported us so far,and look forward to working with you again in the future.

Tony Sacks, Editor

The UK’s leading exhibition for Drives, Automation,Power Transmission and Motion Control Equipment21-23 APRIL 2020 | HALLS 9, 10 & 11 | NEC BIRMINGHAM

42

� FOOD AND BEVERAGE

October 2018 www.drivesncontrols.com

Keeping food firms

running like

well-oiled machines

Product recal

ls are the nemesis of

every food and drink ma

nufacturer.

The average recall can se

t a <rm back

by more than £8m in dir

ect costs,

according to the Grocery

Manufacturers

Association – but the im

plications are far wider

than the sum stripped fro

m the bottom line.

In the worst cases, recall

s have the potential

to cause harm, risking th

e health of those who

consume the a:ected p

roduct. Even if this

concern is not realised, i

t sends shockwaves of

fear through households

and retailers alike.

All of this can leave a som

etimes-indelible

stain on the reputation o

f the food or drinks

manufacturer that recal

ls a product. Research

shows that more than hal

f of people would

switch brands following a

recall and 15% of

those say they would ne

ver buy that particular

product again.

More worrying still is the

fact that recalls by

the Food Standards Agen

cy because of

contamination jumped

three-fold between

2012 and 2017. In a rece

nt survey of food

industry workers, almost

half blamed the rise

in recalls on cost-cutting

.

Yet keeping costs low is

a key element to

success in today’s compe

titive market, and

manufacturers have to e

nsure optimum

productivity and accurac

y when preparing

products to achieve eco

nomies of scale. This is

where the dichotomy be

gins because that

typically requires fast-mo

ving, automated

machinery, which must b

e properly lubricated

for optimum performanc

e and it is this

lubricating oil that can po

se a risk of

contamination to foodst

u:s.

E;cient automation and

eliminating the risk

of contamination do not

, however, have to be

mutually exclusive. Mach

ine-builders and

operators can prevent oi

l leakage using

technologies that go be

yond simply using

“food grade” lubricants,

which can still leak

onto products. Sealed be

arings, and

abandoning grease lubri

cation entirely for

alternatives such as “dry”

or “solid” lubricants,

are typically more e:ect

ive at preserving

product safety.

Sealed bearings are exc

ellent, but it is

essential to use models

that have been

designed to withstand t

he high-pressure

washdowns encountere

d in food production.

If the seals are not secur

e enough, water can

penetrate the structure, c

ausing leakages and

early bearing failures.

One poultry processor e

xperienced this

problem and was forced

to replace hundreds

of nickel-plated, cast-iron

bearings every few

months. It switched to be

arings with

composite housings, stai

nless-steel bearing

inserts and a multi-lip sea

l that prevents grease

displacement and water

ingress. Changing to

these bearings (SKF’s Foo

d-Line Y-bearings),

which are designed spe

ci<cally for wet and

humid food and bevera

ge processing

environments, quadrupl

ed the company’s

bearing service lives and

the reduced the need

for relubrication, cutting

costs considerably.

Another innovation is se

mi-solid oil that also

does not require relubric

ation and will not leak

out because it is held sec

urely within the

bearing. For example, SK

F bearings with Solid

Oil, incorporate a polym

er matrix that cannot

be =ushed out, even dur

ing washdowns.

One company that mov

ed from stainless-

steel, deep-groove ball b

earings to these

components on a bottle

-<lling station, found

that its bearing service l

ives were extended

from 12 weeks to two ye

ars, and that leakage

was eliminated. The cos

t of maintenance was

also reduced dramatically

.

Abandoning grease and

opting instead for

“dry” lubrication is anoth

er alternative for

ensuring the smooth ope

ration of fast-moving

machines in food produ

ction settings.

Graphite is an e:ective lu

bricant – in bearings

with graphite cages, par

ticles eroded from the

cage leave a thin layer on

the surface of the

balls to eradicate metal-

to-metal contact.

This proved especially be

ne<cial when it

was introduced in a waf

er-baking oven,

eliminating the risk of le

akage. The change

also reduced labour requ

irements by 150

hours per year as well as

cutting planned

downtime by 26 hours e

very 16 weeks. �

Food and drink manufacturers face a tough balancing act between lubricating fast-moving automated

equipment e(ectively, and eliminating the risk of oil contamination. Phil Burge, SKF’s UK marketing

and communications manager, examines ways of achieving this.

Using bearings designed speci)cally for wet and humid food and beverage processing environments can extend

lives considerably as well as cutting costs

THE UK TEST equipment manufacturer MeggerGroup is buying SKF’s Baker Instrument businesswhich makes equipment for testing and diagnosingelectric motors and other rotating machines. Theterms of the deal of have not been disclosed.SKF acquired Baker for $14m in 2007. At that time,the Colorado-based business employed 62 peopleand had annual sales of around $11m. SKF said thatthe move into motor diagnostics was important toits energy e:ciency business, and was in line with itsmove to support its customers’ sustainability e9orts.But now SKF is selling o9 operations that it doesnot regard as being core to its business, to focus onrotating shafts and allied technologies and services.Most recently, it announced that it was selling itslinear and actuation technology business, SKFMotion Technologies, to the venture capitalcompany Triton for $310m. To date, its divestmentshave raised around $760m.Baker Instrument has been a leader in electricmotor testing for more than 50 years. It pioneeredstress testing for motors and dynamic testing forpredictive maintenance.

Megger’s CEO Jim Fairbairn, says: “We areexcited to acquire a recognised industry leaderwith equipment and online testing capabilitythat will complement Megger’s product range.We look forward to working with the Bakerteam to drive continued growth andinnovation.”

� NEWS

4 September 2018 www.drivesncontrols.com

� Around 546 million electricmotorswere produced aroundthe world last year, and thenumber will rise to 982 million by2023, according to a report fromResearch and Markets. It says thatthe market expanded with a CAGRof more than 10% from 2010–2017and forecasts a similar growth from2018–2023.

�Tatsoft, the US developer of theFactoryStudio for Industry 4.0software, has ended a long-runningcontractual dispute with SchneiderElectric Software by reaching asettlement moments before the matterwas due to go to trial. Under the deal,Tatsoft has accepted a $1m paymentand protection on its legal costs, said tobe run to several million dollars.� The Belgian motor suppler VanHoucke has set up a UK subsidiarywhich will make it easier for UKcustomers to buy Czech-made MEZmotors, which have been promoted inthe UK since last November byWellingborough-based Welkon. With theestablishment of Van Houcke UK,customers can now place orders with aUK company, obtain VAT invoices and payinto a UK bank account, which they couldnot do previously.

� Bauer Gear Motor has acquired analuminium diecasting plant in Italy,enabling it to develop its manufacturingcapabilities, increase the stability andreliability of its supply chain, open up r&dopportunities, and cut lead times. Nownamed Aluminium Die Casting SRL(previously Italscale SRL), the operationproduces castings from 3g to 20kg. Mostof Bauer’s gearmotors incorporate diecastaluminium casings and components.� Festo has revamped its UKdistribution arrangements, creating anOGcial Partner network where thequality of the partners and regionalcoverage are key criteria. Partners haveto undergo an extensive audit process,and will combine local stockholdingwith access to Festo’s 33,000 standardcatalogue products.

�Dorset-based AB Precision (Poole)is pulling out of the automation sectorwith the loss of up to 40 jobs. It willnow focus on its other activities –defence equipment and explosiveordnance disposal.

� The global market for multi-axismotion controls grew from $496m in2014 to $585m in 2017, and will reachmore than $736m by 2022 – a CAGRof 5.66%between 2018 and 2022 –according to a new study fromMarket Research Store. � The Glasgow-basedengineering business, RainbowTechnology Systems, haslaunched a new division focusingon automation projects. Thedivision will specialise indeveloping bespokeequipment to automateproduction processes forinnovative applications.

Baker specialises in equipment for testing andmonitoring electric motors and other rotating machines

GreyOrange’s PickPal robot isclaimed to accelerate pickingprocesses dramatically

Megger buys Baker motor-testing business from SKF

GREYORANGE, A SINGAPORE-headquarteredbusiness which specialises in AI-powered roboticssystems for flexible automation in warehouses andfulfilment centres, claims to have attracted thelargest round of funding ever raised by anindustrial robotics company. The company will usethe $140m of funds from Mithril Capital to developthe next generation of flexible supply-chainsystems.GreyOrange designs, manufactures and deploysrobotics systems that automate distribution andfulfilment centres. Founded in 2011, it now hasoperations and r&d centres in India and Singapore,offices in Japan and Germany, and has recentlyestablished a US headquarters and manufacturingfacility in Atlanta and an r&d centre in Boston. Oneof its backers is Mitsubishi.The company’s technologies include an AI-enabled autonomous robot called Butler, whichmoves racks of items weighing up to 1,600kg tooperators. Butler is also designed to optimise thesupply chain from inventory storage andreplenishment to order picking. There is also arobot called PickPal that combines AI withmachine vision to “revolutionise” automatedfulfilment, working with the Butler to acceleratepicking processes dramatically.The new funds will allow GreyOrange todevelop and deploy intuitive, flexible and scalablesystems for end-to-end automation across thesupply chain, from factories to fulfilment centres,and beyond. It plans to expand its operations inEurope, Asia and the US.www.greyorange.com

$140m funding round is ‘biggestever’ for industrial robotics

:

34

� ENERGY EFFICIENCY

September 2018 www.drivesncontrols.com

1,000 VSDs brew uptasty savings for SriLanka’s tea industry

S ri Lanka is the world’s fourth-largestproducer and second-largestexporter of tea, with the beveragecontributing more than $1.5bn tothe country’s economy – about 3% of GDP.The industry employs more than a millionpeople in Sri Lanka, directly and indirectly. The tea industry is also a major energyuser, accounting for more than 3% of SriLanka’s total electricity consumption. Thebiggest single energy-consuming process is“withering” – drying the freshly pluckedleaves on long trays or troughs, usuallylocated in the upper Foors of the factories.Warm air is passed through the leaves for upto 18 hours to remove weight and moisture,leaving them soft and supple, while causingbiochemical changes that give the tea itscharacter.The withering process represents about41% of the energy used in a typical SriLankan tea factory.The process has therefore been anobvious target for the Sri Lankangovernment as part of its Renewable EnergyResource Development Plan which aims toincrease the country’s use of renewableenergy and decrease its greenhouse gasemissions by 20% by 2020.Sri Lanka’s Sustainable Energy Authority isleading a multimillion-dollar project aimed

at making the tea-withering process moreeDcient and reducing its impact on theenvironment. The project will facilitate theimplementation of 1,000 bio-digesters aswell as 1,000 variable-speed drives in teafactories throughout the country, in additionto promoting the use of photovoltaictechnologies.As part of the Erst phase of a tea-witheringproject, the Welsh drives-maker Invertek issupplying 200 of its Optidrive Eco drives viaits Sri Lankan sales partner, Hayleys Aventura.The drives have been installed at 38 sitesacross Sri Lanka, in accordance withguidelines laid down by a technical team atthe United Nations DevelopmentProgramme (UNDP), which is directing theproject in conjunction with Sri LankanMinistry of Power and Renewable Energy.The project is being supported Enancially bythe Global Environment Facility.“The quality of the produced tea dependsmainly on the withering process,” explainsAnushka Chandrasoma, assistant manager atHayleys Aventura. “In the traditional system,withering troughs use DOL (direct online) orstar/delta starters to start their fans, anddampers to control the air Fow to obtain thewithering of the tea-leaves. By replacing thetraditional starters with VSDs, operators cancontrol the air-Fow by reducing the fan

speed, enabling savings of around 20–25%of the energy used in the withering process.”“Each tea-withering trough uses largeamounts of energy to drive a motorpowering fans that aerate the tea leaves toremove the moisture of tea leaf, drying themby up to 40–50% over a 12–18 hour period,”adds Nick Thorne, Invertek’s sales managerresponsible for Sri Lanka. “By replacing theexisting starters, combined with theeDciencies delivered through the OptidriveEco, the amount of energy used will bereduced dramatically.”The VSDs that Invertek is supplying for thetea-withering project have IP66 enclosures,protecting them against the dust andmoisture that are ever-present hazards in theSri Lankan tea factories.“The Optidrive Eco’s advanced onboardfeatures also mean there is no need forperipheral equipment, reducing costs andthe need for additional space,” says Invertekproduct manager, Dylan Davies. “It alsoprovides intelligent maintenance intervaltiming that allows maintenance reminders,reducing the need for costly downtime.“With its motor control monitoringfunction,” he adds, “it also means that anyfaults in the motors are identiEed early, againreducing any potential downtime that couldaCect the aeration of the tea leaves.” �

UK-made variable-speed drives are playing a key role in a multimillion-dollar project to make Sri

Lanka’s tea industry more e&cient and to reduce its impact on the environment. The project aims to

cut the energy used in the critical withering process by 20–25%.

:

22

� ROBOTS IN AGRICULTURE

October 2018 www.drivesncontrols.c

om

Robots offer broccoli farmers

a helping hand

More than 75,000 ton

nes of

broccoli are grown and

harvested in the UK every year.

Commercial growers typically

rely on a team of seven people to harvest the

crops by hand. This monotonous work often

takes place in unpleasant conditions, an

d

can lead to repetitive strain injuries and

other

health issues.

Labour is a signi>cant cost for UK growers,

and changes to the National Living Wage are

set to see manual harvesting costs increase

by 35% by 2021, thus threatening the

competitiveness of UK growers and

potentially driving production to low-cost

countries overseas.

The growers rely on their >eld workers to

assess the size of each head of broccoli

accurately before deciding whether to cut it

or leave it in the >eld. They have just sev

en

seconds to make this decision, cut the head,

place it in a bin, and get ready to assess

the

next plant. Their ability to do this reliabl

y

inevitably deteriorates over a working shift,

potentially leading to high levels of waste

and other costs.

To help future-proof production for UK

broccoli growers, the Leicestershire-based

agricultural r&d specialist KMS Projects set

out to create an automated harvester that

could reduce the need for manual

harvesting, thus cutting production cos

ts

and improving harvesting speeds.

Ten years of development have led to a

system called RoboVeg which uses three

industrial robots mounted on the front of a

standard tractor to cut and harvest the

broccoli. It uses sophisticated imaging

techniques, together with arti>cial

intelligence, to identify the broccoli plan

ts

and to assess their suitability for harvest

ing.

Even if a large area of the broccoli head

is

covered by leaves, the imaging system can

assess its suitability for cutting. KMS uses

deep learning techniques to train the rig

to

classify di=erent sizes of broccoli head w

ith

high accuracy. The system learns

continuously from the data it collects. The

size of acceptable broccoli heads can b

e

chosen to within a few millimetres and the

preferred length of stalk can also be

speci>ed.

Once a head has been selected to be

harvested, a robotic arm cuts through its stem

and gathers it, before it is sucked up throu

gh a

plastic tube and deposited undamaged in a

trailer at the rear of the tractor. Only thos

e

heads that meet the customer’s speci>cations

are cut and lifted, leaving immature or

oversized plants in the >eld.

The heads are cut using a “hand” that

sends a sharp cutting tool cleanly throu

gh

the broccoli stem.

RoboVeg has been designed to be

operated by one person who both drives the

tractor and supervises the harvesting sy

stem.

Harvesting speci>cations and instruction

s

can be uploaded either via an HMI inside the

tractor cab, or remotely via an onboard

communications hub. The tractor

communicates data in real time as it moves,

allowing both the driver-operator and other

farm sta= to keep track of its progress. It also

has the potential to map yields in real-tim

e.

The harvester has a modular design that

makes its ?exible enough to adapt to di=ere

nt

planting schemes, plant varieties, topographies

and grower preferences. It could be adapted to

be self-propelled, or even customised to take

on additional activities such as ?oreting or

weeding between plants.

The modular design also means that the

harvester is to some extent future-proofed

because upgraded robots and cameras could

be added later on a “plug-and-play” basis.

Three six-axis Fanuc M20iB robots are

mounted onto the rig, which is powered and

moved by the tractor. Each robot arm is

>tted with a cutting tool, and can harvest a

head of broccoli every three seconds – t

wice

as fast as manual pickers. The hollow wrist

and body of the robots not only keep w

eight

to a minimum, but are also IP67-protected to

guarantee reliable operation outdoors a

nd to

protect against the ingress of dust, soil

and

water. Servo technology and a six-axis ran

ge

of movement also help to facilitate the fast,

A UK company is developing a robotic b

roccoli-harvesting technology which c

ould revolutionise the

UK vegetable-growing industry as it st

ruggles to cope with spiralling costs.

The future of UK agriculture?:

KMS’ robotic broccoli harvester

could become a common sight

on British farms from next year

TECHNOLOGY �

15

www.drivesncontrols.com September 2018

GERMAN RESEARCHERS say thatthey have found ways ofreducing the amount of rare-earth materials needed to buildelectric motors by up to 80%. Ina five-year project that has justended, the researchers fromeight Fraunhofer Institutespooled their expertise to findways of reducing the need forrare-earth materials through acombination of optimisingmanufacturing processes,developing new approaches torecycling, and looking for newmaterials that could replacerare-earths.The project was triggered bythe rare-earth crisis that startedabout a decade ago whenChina, which dominates theglobal production of thesecritical materials, cut off suppliesto Japan, and limited exports toother countries, causing thecost of the materials toskyrocket. Rare earths – whichinclude neodymium,dysprosium and yttrium – areused in a wide range ofapplications, from electricvehicles and wind turbines, tomobile phones.

The crisis revealed thevulnerability of Germanindustry, in particular, to anydisruption in the supply of thesematerials.The Fraunhofer project, calledCriticality of Rare Earths, set outto find ways of using rare earthsmore wisely and to findsubstitute materials, especiallyfor dysprosium and neodymiumwhich are key to high-powermagnets used in electricmotors.

The Fraunhofer team basedtheir work on two examples ofmotors, one of them used widelyin automotive gearboxes. “Ourgoal was to halve the need forrare earths in these benchmarkmotors,” says project spokesmanProf Ralf Wehrspohn, who headsthe Fraunhofer Institute forMicrostructure of Materials andSystems.The researchers analysed theglobal markets for rare earths,and developed concepts forreusing or recycling thematerials when designingmotors. They also targetedmagnet manufacturingprocesses to 8nd ways of cuttingwaste. For example, theyshowed that injection mouldingcan be used to form magneticmaterials into desired shapes,together with a plastic binder,and then sintered. This approacheliminates the time and cost ofhaving to rework magnets. In another sub-project, theresearchers developed amethod for recyclingpermanent magnets fromelectronic devices, windturbines and cars. The magnets

are treated with hydrogenwhich causes them todisintegrate. The resultingparticles are then re-poured orsintered to produce recycledmagnets that can achieve 96%of the capacity of new magnets.The design of the benchmarkelectric motors has also beenoptimised. By preventing themotors from becoming too hotduring operation, theresearchers found that magnetswith a lower temperature

stability, and thus a lowerproportion of dysprosium, canbe used.The researchers alsodiscovered alternative materials

that can act as powerfulmagnets, but do not containrare earths. They testednumerous combinations ofmaterials and demonstratedsubstitute alloys that contain,among other things, cerium,and have a good magneticperformance. The substitutematerials were also analysed fortheir current and expectedsecurity of supply. The German researchersestimate that, by combining all

of the techniques that theydeveloped during the project,the amount of dysprosium andneodymium needed for electricmotors could be slashed to 20%of previous levels.“We tackled the topic fromthe quantum physical computersimulation of magneticmaterials, to near-net-shapemagnet production, to therecovery and recycling of rare-earth metals at the end of aproduct’s life cycle,” Wehrspohnreports. “Thanks to the breadthand depth of competences,which are also unique on aninternational scale, we havemade very concrete progressand identified further startingpoints for the more efficient useand substitution of rare earths.We now want to bring theseresults to the market withpartners from industry.”

Researchers say they can cut rare-earth use in motors by 80%

One of the benchmark motors investigated by the Fraunhofer researchers is

used widely in automotive gearboxes.Photo: Fraunhofer IFAM

“Our goal was to halve the need for rareearths in these benchmark motors”

� For moreTechnology News visit www.drivesncontrols.com

:

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DRIVES & CONTROLS 2019 EDITORIAL PROGRAMME

This information is provisional and subject to change

2019 Annual Buyer’s Guide for Drives, Automation, Power Transmission & Motion Control

Despatch dates 2019 Advert deadlineJanuary 22 DecemberFebruary 25 JanuaryMarch 22 FebruaryApril 29 MarchMay 26 AprilJune 31 MayJuly 20 JuneAugust 26 JulySeptember 30 AugustOctober 27 SeptemberNovember 25 OctoberDecember 29 November

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COMPANY SIZEDescription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TOTAL1-49 Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .932150-99 Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2226100-199 Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2654200-499 Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2659500+ Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3140TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20000

JOB FUNCTIONDescription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TOTALDesign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9506General/Corporate Management . . . . . . . . . .4617Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2483Research & Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1153Purchasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .581Sales & Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .635Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .443Consultant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .582TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20000

GEOGRAPHYDescription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TOTALEast Anglia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .878East Midlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2368London . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .401

Midlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3413North West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2315Northern Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147Northern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .739South East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4473South West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1701Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .766Wales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .883Yorkshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1845Other United Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20000

MAIN ACTIVITYDescription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TOTALAerospace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .955Automotive / Auto Components . . . . . . . . . . .518Banking, Insurance & Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . .7 2Bricks, Pottery, Glass & Cement . . . . . . . . . . . . .834Chemical & Allied Trades(inc Plastic & Rubber) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .568Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .630Consulting, Professional& Scientific Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .963Defence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing . . . . . . .5102

Food, Drink & Tobacco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1572Gas, Water, Electricity & Nuclear . . . . . . . . . . . .681Health Service / Medical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .318Instrument Engineering/Manufacture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104Mechanical Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1688Metal Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .833Mining and Quarrying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .555Oil Production & Exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235(Other) Manufacturing Industries . . . . . . . . . . .288Pharmaceutical Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .537Printing, Paper & Packaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1266Public Admin / Local Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . .161Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering . . . . . . . . .253Textiles, Clothing & Footwear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230Transport & Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190Warehousing & Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .956TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20000

READERSHIP BY PRODUCT INTERESTDescription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TOTALMechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17296Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17584Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19262Hydraulic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3014Pneumatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4028

CIRCULATION ACTIVITY Data provided by DFA Media

CIRCULATION COMPARISON

The best objective data on who’s reading a magazine comes fromthe independent Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) which everyyear analyses and certifies the circulation of many – but not all –trade magazines. Publishers have to meet strict criteria to qualify foran ABC certificate. Some of them fail to achieve these criteria.Others don’t even apply for certification.

As well as showing the total number of copies of a magazine beingdistributed, the ABC certificates also breaks down circulations into“controlled” and “non-controlled”.Non-Controlled. Non-controlled copies can be sent to anyone.ABC doesn’t audit who is getting these copies. Drives & Controls has nonon-controlled circulation. But for some other titles in theindustrial press, up to 90% of their circulation is non-controlled.Controlled. Controlled copies are sent free only to individuals who meet“terms of control” that define their job title or field of activity.

ABC breaks controlled circulation down into three categories:

n Copies requested by individuals.n Copies requested for an individual by someone else in an organisation.n ”Non-requested” copies where the publisher has to show thatthe addressee fits the criteria for a defined target group. Thesesubscriptions may be going to companies that no longer exist or toindividuals who are no longer with a company. For some magazines,more than 90% of their circulation is non-requested.

The number of requested readerships is therefore the best indicationof who is actually reading a magazine – and who regard the publicationhighly enough to ask to subscribe to it. (See graph above.)

Another important factor is how recently people have asked tosubscribe. In some cases, it may be three years since a subscriber askedto receive a magazine. The best publishers invest heavily to keep theirrequested circulations up-todate. More than 80% of Drives & Controls’ readers have asked to subscribe in the past 24 months.

WHO’S READING THE MAGAZINE? WHAT THE ABC FIGURES MEAN

For more than a quarter of a century Drives & Controls has been themagazine that readers turn to for news and information in the world ofAutomation, Motion Engineering and Power Transmission.

In addition, we also provide comprehensive coverage of alliedsubjects such as machine safety, robotics, industrial communications,hydraulics & pneumatics, sensors and machine vision.

Drives & Controls is widely regarded as the No 1 publication for designengineers working within the automation and motion engineeringmarkets. Our circulation currently stands at 20,005 copies monthly, and is the highest of all the engineering magazines claiming to cover ourindustry, furthermore we have the highest individually requestedreadership as confirmed by the Audit Bureau of Circulations of 17,346.Check for yourself at www.abc.org.ukFor further information, please contact Damien Oxlee on +44 (0)1732 370342 /+44 (0) 7951 103754 damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk or Andy Wylie on +44 (0)1732 370341 / +44 (0) 7939 607855 andy.wylie@dfamedia.co.uk ABC Audit period 1 Jan 2017 – 31 Dec 2017

Drives &Controls

Automation CDA DPA Design Solutions

Eureka IndustrialTechnology

Example of E-Cast

Example of Sponsored Panel

DISPLAY ADVERTISING RATES

FULL COLOURNumber of insertions: 1 3 6 10Full page £3220 £3170 £3100 £3020Half page £2280 £2210 £2140 £2080Third page £1980 £1830 £1760 £1700Quarter page £1290 £1240 £1210 £1190

ADDITIONAL CHARGESFacing Matter Guaranteed £190Guaranteed Page Position £210Solus £390

GATEFOLD FRONT COVER3 pages + front cover panel(max 2 per company) £10,250

FRONT COVER PACKAGEFront Cover Panel + Inside Front Cover £5800

Target your campaign – choose from DFA’s full range of titles and 80k+ contacts from Hydraulics and Pneumatics,Plant & Works Engineering, Smart Machines & Factories, Power Electronics Europe and DFA exhibition’s visitor data.

Select by: n Business n Activity n Job Function n Areas of Interest n Number of Employees

Select from e-Cast or Post.n Target your campaign to the second, direct to your clients n Ability to interrogate results and measure campaign effectivenessn Plan for future programmes with confidence

PRODUCTS & SERVICES DIRECTORYStandard size 80 x 40mm: £1080 per annum for 10 issues Double size 160 x 40mm: £2000 per annum for 10 issues

APPOINTMENTSQuarter Page - £1000 Half Page - £1680 Full Page - £2680

INSERTS A great way to attract sales leads by inserting your company literatureinto the main body of Drives & Controls. Full circulation or split regionalruns available. Contact the sales team for information.

Web site Ad Options

Rates: Size (pixels)

File size (max) Resolution Format

Leaderboard Banner £670 728 x 90 20kB 72dpi gif/jpg/html

Full Banner £490 468 x 60 20kB 72dpi gif/jpg/html

Leaderboard Tile £360 125 x 125 15kB 72dpi gif/jpg/html

Narrow Skyscraper £620 120 x 600 20kB 72dpi gif/jpg/html

Skyscraper £720 160 x 600 20kB 72dpi gif/jpg/html

E-Newsletter Ad Options

Rates: Size (pixels)

File size (max) Resolution Format

Leaderboard Banner £770 468 x 60 20kB 72dpi gif/jpg/html

Skyscraper Banner £670 120 x 600 20kB 72dpi gif/jpg/html

Drives & Controls’ frequently updated global Web site(www.drivesncontrols.com) has established itself as aleading online resource for design engineers and technicalmanagers around the world who are involved in automation,power transmission and motion control.

Each month, the site typically attracts well over 47,000 pageviews and more than 19,000 users, and the numbers arecontinuing to grow. (Data from Google Analytics). Banneradvertising on the Web site is available on a cost per month basis.

DRIVES & CONTROLS ONLINE ANNUAL BUYER’S GUIDE ADVERTISING Home page: £2290Sectional sponsorship: £1360 (there are 24 dedicated sections in the Guide)Enhanced entry with logo: £570 (includes logo with your entry in the July/August printed Buyer’s Guide)

E-NEWSLETTERS: Drives & Controls e-newsletter is sent to approximately 22,500design engineers every month.

Direct Mail/List rental: £195 per 1,000 (minimum order £500) e-Cast rate: 1k – £395 2-5k – £325 / 1,000 6-10k – £275 / 1000 10k+ – £225 / 1000 Lease: POA

DFA DIRECT MAIL & E-CAST SERVICES

E-Newsletter Sponsored Panel: We have created a new initiative which gives a platformto promote new products or a technical article of yourchoosing. This can be linked to your website for furtherinformation. The cost is £650 per month.

ONLINE ADVERTISING & SPECIFICATIONS

MATERIAL REQUIREMENTSPrinted Web Offset. Advertising copy can be supplied as QuarkXpress or InDesign files(including all support files and fonts), high-resolution, press-optimized pdf, eps, tiff or jpg files.

All graphics should be supplied at 300dpi at size to be used. All colours should be CMYK orgrayscale for mono. Please also supply a colour proof to the Production Manager at the addressbelow as we cannot be held responsible for any colour variations otherwise.

Please contact our Production Manager, Sarah Blake, with any queries regarding supply ofmaterial, reproduction, etc.

LOOSE AND BOUND INSERTSPlease contact our Production Manager, Sarah Blake, for mechanical data.

INSERT DELIVERY PROCEDURE1) All insert deliveries must be accompanied by an advice note detailing Insert Title, Drives &

Controls/month of issue, quantity and number of pallets.2) Each face of each pallet/box should be clearly labelled detailing Insert Title, Drives &

Controls/month of issue and the quantity.3) All pallets should be wrapped with corner pieces in place to provide stability and weather

protection and to limit any damage during transit. 4) Inserts supplied in bundles should have no more than one turn per bundle.5) Inserts supplied in boxes should be unbanded and have no more than one turn per box.6) Inserts must be packed flat with tight folds, no distortions or any curled edges.

Inserts must be delivered to our printers at the address below between the hours of 08.00 and 16.00, Monday to Friday: Tracy Henson, Warners Midlands plc, The Maltings, Manor Lane, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH United Kingdom

A map of directions is available on their website: www.warners.co.uk/contact-us/

Please ensure that you ask for a proof of delivery.

CANCELLATIONS 4 weeks preceding the publication date.

DFA Media LtdDirector of SalesDamien Oxleet: +44 (0)1732 370342 m: +44 (0)7951 103754 e: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk

Sales ManagerAndy Wyliet: +44 (0)1732 370341 m: +44 (0)7939 607855 e: andy.wylie@dfamedia.co.uk

Commerical DirectorRyan Fullert: +44 (0)1732 370344 e: ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk

Business Development Manager DFA DirectIan Atkinsont: +44 (0) 1732 370340e: ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk

EditorTony Sackst:+44 (0) 1732 370345 f:+44 (0) 1732 360034e: tony@drives.co.uk

Production ManagerSarah BlakePoor Row Cottage, Cage Lane, Smarden, Kent TN27 8QD, UKt: +44 (0) 1233 770781e: sarah.blake@dfamedia.co.uk

Eastern USA Sales:Karen C Smith-Kernct: +1 717 397 7100 f: +1 717 397 7800e: KarenKCS@aol.com

Western USA and Canada Sales: Alan A Kernct: +1 717 397 7100 f: +1 717 397 7800e: AlanKCS@aol.com

Head Office:DFA Media Ltd192 High Street, TonbridgeKent TN9 1BE, UKt: +44 (0) 1732 370340 f: +44 (0) 1732 360034e: info@dfamedia.co.ukwww.drivesncontrols.com

ABC audited circulation

Front Cover/Supplement CoverPanelType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182 x 190

Full A4 PageType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 x 178Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 x 210Bleed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 x 216

Half Page Horizontal Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124 x 178Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 x 210Bleed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152 x 216

Half Page VerticalType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 x 86Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 x 96Bleed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 x 102

Third PageHorizontal Type . . . . . . . . . . . 80 x 178Horizontal Trim . . . . . . . . . . 104 x 178Horizontal Bleed . . . . . . . . .110 x 178Vertical Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 x 72Vertical Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 x 72Vertical Bleed . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 x 78

Quarter PageStandard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124 x 86Horizontal Type . . . . . . . . . . . 59 x 178Horizontal Trim . . . . . . . . . . . 77 x 210Horizontal Bleed . . . . . . . . . . 83 x 216Vertical Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 x 43Vertical Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 x 52Vertical Bleed . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 x 58

Junior Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190 x 130

Double Page SpreadType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 x 394Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 x 420Bleed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 x 436

Half Page SpreadType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124 x 394Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 x 420Bleed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152 x 436

Third Page SpreadType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 x 394Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 x 420Bleed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 x 436

Quarter Page SpreadType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 x 394Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 x 420Bleed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 x 436

Products & Services advertStandard entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 x 40Double entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 x 40

(Dimensions: height x width mm)

MECHANICAL DATA