Creating reliable Ex-certified wireless solutions requires balancing safety, durability, and performance. These priorities become even more important in demanding high-salt locations such as offshore platforms, wind farms, and coastal refineries. Meeting the unique environmental challenges found in such areas requires Ex wireless enclosures, which protect wireless equipment and deliver reliable performance in hazardous and corrosive settings.  Marine and coastal conditions challenge every aspect of design. With the right materials, protective coatings, and precision engineering, Ex wireless enclosures can maintain safety and performance year after year while meeting the strict requirements of hazardous-area certification.  Achieving the resilience needed for Ex wireless enclosures to operate effectively in harsh environments takes more than compliance. It requires understanding how materials behave in real-world environments and applying proven design principles that turn difficult conditions into long-term reliability and value for customers. […]

An Interview with Tash Taylor, Quality Engineer at Extronics  We’re proud to share that our certifications have once again been renewed. For us, audits aren’t just boxes to tick; they’re proof of the care, discipline, and pride we put into our work every day. They validate the systems we’ve built, the designs we’ve refined, and the culture that refuses to cut corners.  Our recent audits for ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems), ISO 80079:34 (Safety in Hazardous Environments), and MET Certification (Product Safety Testing) reaffirm that commitment.   Together, they highlight the strength of our processes, the resilience of our solutions, and the trust we continue to earn from customers who depend on us in the most demanding environments.  To highlight what this means in practice, our Quality Engineer, Natasha Taylor, shares insights into how these certifications […]

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons have become a valuable technology for adding location tracking capabilities to your hazardous areas. With the right planning and configuration, BLE beacons can provide accurate indoor and outdoor location. This allows organisations to cost-effectively add location tracking of personnel and assets whilst reducing the total cost of ownership.  This article provides practical guidance on deploying BLE beacons to achieve optimal tracking performance. It covers indoor and outdoor setup considerations, best practices for beacon placement, and configuration tips for maximizing location accuracy.  What is the difference between a beacon and anchor?  For trilateration purposes it is recommended to use beacons. A beacon is simply a term used to describe a fixed beacon that is contributing to a tag’s position. An anchor is typically the term used when discussing Wirepas Mesh networks.   […]

Ensuring product quality within manufacturing is crucial to business success. Quality is the bedrock of any company, whether considering people, products, processes – quality sits at the heart of excellence. This article discusses two indispensable tools which operate in tandem to not just guarantee quality but also efficiency: PFMEA – Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis – and DFMA – Design for Manufacture and Assembly. The terms may sound technical, but their value within manufacturing is integral for a successful business. In essence, there are ample lean tools to assist any manufacturing businesses to succeed. From 5S to Six Sigma, there is a broad toolkit for companies to choose from to enhance their operations. Focusing on quality between production and design, PFMEA and DFMA form excellent foundations to start with. PFMEA guards against process pitfalls, while […]

Solar insolation is not insulation! Sometimes these two terms can get confused.  Solar insolation is the incident solar radiation onto an object.  Specifically, it is a measure of the solar energy incident on an area over a period of time.  Typically expressed as either:  Kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m2); or  Watts per square metre (W/m2)  The energy from solar radiation can either be absorbed or reflected by an object. When the radiation is absorbed, it is converted into thermal energy and the object will heat up. If you have ever sat on a hot metal park bench in summer and burnt the back of your knees, then you have experienced firsthand the effects of radiation absorption. The metal structure of the bench has absorbed the solar radiation, which has heated the material making it hot […]

Background John Crane, a global leader in rotating equipment solutions, supplying engineered technologies and services to process industries, have launched the John Crane Sense® Turbo, a first-tomarket dry gas seal digital diagnostics solution to monitor conditions at the heart of the compressor. The Turbo solution consists of sensors embedded into a dry gas seal that monitor process conditions and seal health. By using John Crane Sense® apps, users can monitor the seal from anywhere and receive alerts about process upsets or other operational irregularities. This allows you to respond immediately before manageable issues become more significant failures that require downtime. It also ensures you’re getting the most out of your equipment. Traditional forms of seal monitoring provide some information, but they don’t give a complete picture or sufficient indication of a seal’s health. Understanding health […]