Research for first issue of 'In focus' series from Axis explores UK manufacturing challenges and why cost and quality pressures are driving demand for greater operational insight.

David Strain, technical director at Technidrive, examines the motor and drive technologies underpinning commercial food production and explains how these technologies give manufacturers tighter control across production lines.

Kendrion's Pure Flow Pressure Regulator 48.3 helps medical device manufacturers on the path to MDR readiness.

Watlow highlights its POWERSAFE medium-voltage integrated heater and control platform, a purpose-built solution that helps industrial operators electrify large thermal loads while simplifying infrastructure, improving operational reliability and supporting decarbonisation initiatives.

Specifying a vision system is rarely the hard part. The real time cost sits around it: choosing the right lens, matching the lighting to the surface, mounting everything so it survives the line, then spending time tuning processing items and threshold values until the OK/NG judgement holds up against real-world variation. OMRON says its new FHV7-AI Detection Camera removes all of that setup pain.

Rockwell Automation has announced its FactoryTalk Analytics VisionAI solution with new VisionStream and VisionLink capabilities, helping manufacturers simplify vision inspection deployment, improve quality control and extend the value of existing vision investments.

Contrinex is renowned for both its technical leadership and the robustness and reliability of its factory automation sensors. During this period of unusually warm weather, PLUS Automation notes that Contrinex's unique Condist sensing technology provides long, stable sensing distances across a wide temperature range.

ABB has extended its all-compatible drive portfolio with the introduction of IP66 / UL Type 4X rated variants across its ACS580 General Purpose, ACH580 HVACR, and ACQ580 Water and Wastewater drive families.

As the UK accelerates towards large-scale, low-carbon hydrogen production, electrolysis processes are taking centre stage. This is placing increased demand on energy efficiency to optimise the viability and sustainability of hydrogen yield. Valves and sensors designed specifically for the demands of electrolysis are vital to optimise efficiency, and they also have a critical role in ensuring system safety, as Tony Brennan, Regional Business Development Manager for the energy sector at Burkert, explains.

Belden has announced the release of its new ProSoft Technology ELX3 ProLinx Edge Gateway. This offering unites operational technology (OT) protocol conversion with lightweight, Docker-based edge application hosting on a single ruggedsed hardware platform.