igus has announced that a mobile surgical microscope from Prechtl TechSolutions has won the 2025 manus plastic bearing competition. A jury of experts recognised the engineers who used lubrication-free polymer bearings and were able to increase the reliability of the microscope.

During a recent break-in at Apex Dynamics' UK headquarters, two gearboxes were used to smash through a wall at the back of their premises. Although the gearboxes suffered cosmetic damage and won't be sold, they are still going strong. Much like the company itself, which has expanded its UK operations following strong sales in 2024.

Event-based vision technology revolutionises fluid flow analysis, reducing data volume while maintaining high precision - ideal for research, industry, and automation applications. A new system from iAL_5150 combines particle image velocimetry with a uEye camera from IDS Imaging Development Systems.

Contrinex's uniquely robust inductive sensors are trusted in a wide variety of demanding or critical applications, with an extreme example being their use in a nuclear power plant. The sensor is used to verify that a grab on a specialised crane is closed when lifting.

Zebra Technologies and Merck have announced a new collaboration aimed at co-creating solutions to address challenges around product verification, authenticity and trust.

Euchner is excited to be sponsoring the flight simulator at MachineBuilding.North, where visitors can test their piloting skills flying a virtual P-38 Lightning twin-engine aircraft known for its distinctive design and precision handling. To add a little friendly competition on the day, Euchner is offering a prize to the top-scoring participant - a free 1-day or 2-day training course at the Euchner Academy in Chesterfield, worth almost £700.

More than 4 million tons of lubricants are produced and consumed in the EU every year. The majority of these lubricants are currently still obtained from fossil raw materials. There is enormous potential for avoiding CO2 emissions in the recovery of high-quality base materials from waste oil. A consortium of research institutes and industrial companies is developing effective recycling technologies for corresponding material cycles. Kluber Lubrication is the only manufacturer of specialty lubricants involved in the project.

Precision drive system specialist maxon has released a new handbook to help engineers select DC motors and drive system products. 'Selection of DC Drives - Guidelines with Calculations' provides a systematic approach to drive selection. The new book also explains the formulae and their relationships to confirm drive system choice.

A robot system that is capable of repairing rails and points is set to change the way European rail networks are maintained. Using industrial robots from FANUC, the system has been designed and manufactured by Robel Rail Automation, a German specialist in the maintenance of rail infrastructure.