Peppers Cable Glands has been one of the leading cable gland and enclosure accessories suppliers for 75 years, and even though we’re confident in what we do and how well we do it, we never stop trying to be better. What makes us so successful is the way we commit to developing our company, and we continually look at what we could be doing to improve the service we can offer to our customers.

In a world where speed and agility are more critical than ever, businesses must find ways to stay ahead of the curve. Peppers has done just that with its recent significant investment in the innovative Quick Response Cell. This forward-thinking system is designed to provide customers with faster lead times on orders, enhancing overall delivery service and setting a new standard in the industry.

At Peppers, we fully recognise that our customers uphold high standards for quality and service. With the integration of the Quick Response Cell, we are confident in not just meeting, but exceeding these expectations. The key to this system's success is its capability to streamline our operations and significantly improve our response times.

One of the standout benefits of the Quick Response Cell is its ability to process customer orders more efficiently. With this advanced system, we can reduce lead times, ensuring our customers receive their products when they need them. This efficiency is critical in today's fast-paced business environment where delays can cost both time and money.

Sales Manager Grayham Churchouse said, “The Quick Response Cell also allows us to respond more agilely to fluctuating customer needs and market conditions. By leveraging automation, we can quickly adapt to changing demand, ensuring we are always ready and able to meet our customers' requirements.”

Investing in the future of customer satisfaction is not just good business practice—it's essential for long-term success, and the Quick Response Cell is a testament to our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our customers. This initiative represents our drive to remain at the cutting edge of the industry, ready to tackle whatever the future may hold.

We are excited about the launch of the Quick Response Cell and are confident that it marks a significant step forward in our mission to provide world-class service to our customers. It's not just about staying ahead of the competition—it's about building strong, long-lasting relationships with our customers and delivering on our promise of quality, reliability, and innovation. That's the Peppers way.

www.peppers.co.uk

This artilce can also be found in the issue below.

Users of Tab-Ex® 03 from the Pepperl+Fuchs brand ECOM Instruments can now update their intrinsically safe tablets to Android 13 independently, quickly and easily. With the update to the latest version of the operating system, current users benefit from numerous advantages and new features. New customers will receive their tablet directly with Android 13.

Android 13 improvements include optimisations in security, productivity, personalisation and Samsung DeX. To increase the security, the status of the tablet can now be checked immediately. For this purpose, the new security dashboard shows whether there are security problems on the tablet and how they can be quickly fixed. The protection of the user's privacy is also further increased with Android 13, for example if another person is using the tablet.

Tablet for digital workflows in explosion-proof areas

ECOM Instruments offers the Tab-Ex® 03 tablet in the variants DZ1 for use in Zone 1/21 and Division 1, DZ2 for Zone 2/22 and Division 2, and D2 for Division 2. Based on the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3, the Tab-Ex® 03 combines state-of-the-art technology for harsh environments and use in hazardous areas. Samsung Knox ensures high data and device security. The Samsung DeX mode supports a quick switch to the desktop version. In addition, the tablet has more RAM and external storage than the previous models.

With the Tab-Ex® 03, mobile workers get a tablet which enables significant time and cost savings in the completion of their daily work. On the large screen with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels, complex images such as construction drawings, manuals, maintenance or repair instructions can be viewed with more detail and in a larger size compared to smartphones. For taking photos and videos, the tablet is equipped with a 13-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash on the back as well as a 5-megapixel camera in the front. An optional camera-free version is also available.

Despite its slim and lightweight design, the Tab-Ex® 03 delivers industry-leading performance in mobile devices for hazardous areas. It is easy to operate with gloves or the S Pen stylus. Desktop version as well as suitable peripherals and accessories especially for industrial use make the Tab-Ex® 03 the perfect companion for the modern mobile worker.

ECOM's Digital Products & Services division completes the all-round solution. The Tab-Ex® 03 can be fully adapted to individual requirements, pre-configured or integrated into an existing MDM and thus offers optimal support in everyday work. 

https://www.ecom-ex.com/

From May 24 to 26, WELTEC BIOPOWER and its Japanese partner FT BIOPOWER will exhibit at the environmental trade fair N-Expo in Tokyo. The experienced manufacturer will present its proven plant technologies, services and processes for the energetic utilization of biogas from sewage sludge, waste and agricultural residues. 

WELTEC and FT BIOPOWER have already been working together successfully since 2019 (see press release 08/2022). Until recently, FT BIOPOWER was still operating under the name "Katonoki". Now that the company has evolved and experienced higher demand on the topic of biogas, the change of name was only a logical conclusion. One of the joint projects was the construction of a plant in Urahoro on Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's main islands.

In earthquake areas, such as the Japanese plant site, the design challenge lies in the specific statics of the stainless steel tanks, which are adapted to the tectonic location. With the experience of the manufacturer WELTEC BIOPOWER, the plant was specifically designed with the geological conditions in mind.

"The plant was completed in 2022, and today we can draw a first conclusion: January and February are the coldest time of the year in Hokkaido. At night, temperatures can drop to - 20°C. Normally, the digester temperature in our competitor's plant decreases and the power generation drops. However, the output of the Urahoro plant remains at almost 100 percent," explains Vladimir Bogatov, Area Sales Manager for the Asia-Pacific region.

Visitors to the N-Expo in Tokyo from May 24 to May 26, 2023, can get more information about all energy plants from WELTEC BIOPOWER and its Japanese partner FT BIOPOWER at booth U503.

Android 13 update announced for the third quarter of 2023

The current IS530.x smartphone and IS930.x tablet series from i.safe MOBILE will soon be able to run with Android 13. This update option provides more features and increased security for end-users

  i.safe MOBILE is proud to announce that their IS530.x smartphone and IS930.x tablet series will continue to be available in the product portfolio and can be updated from Android 10 to Android 13 starting in third quarter of 2023. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. assisted in the upgrading of the Qualcomm® SDM660 System-on-Chip (SoC) devices to the latest Android version.

i.safe MOBILE GmbH is innovation and world market leader for explosion-proof mobile devices and solutions. i.safe MOBILE is based in Lauda-Koenigshofen (Germany) and one of the most innovative developers of mobile communication devices such as mobile phones, smartphones and tablets for safe use in hazardous areas. Engineers and specialists develop practical products and customer-specific software solutions based on legal regulations such as ATEX, IECEx and NEC 500.

Not only the IS930.x tablet series, but also the IS530.x smartphone series will soon be available with ANDROID 13. The update option is provided free of charge and can thus be requested and downloaded remotely from all connected devices at any time. 

Our industrial smartphone IS530.1 combines the important ATEX and IECEx standards for explosion protection with high performance and communication requirements for use in networked industries. Automation, industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT) constantly present users of industrial communication devices with new challenges that can be easily mastered with the smart and innovative IS530.1: Equipped with Bluetooth® 5.0, a multifunctional ISM interface, huge internal 64 GB memory and the highest camera resolution in its class (13 MP main camera and 5 MP front camera), it enables users to deploy it without any difficulties in critical environments. The smartphone IS530.1 from i.safe MOBILE is ATEX and IECEx certified for zone 1/21 and can therefore also be used in potentially explosive areas. The device is also available for zone 2/22 as IS530.2. Under its i.safe MOBILE brand, the company has developed an extremely robust device for use in harsh industrial environments in non-hazardous areas. This rugged version is available under the name IS530.RG.

A high working speed is one important requirement in industrial environments. This is ensured the powerful Qualcomm SDM660 SoC inside the IS530.x and IS930.x series devices and a large internal memory capacity of 64 GB (expandable to 128 GB via microSD) and a 4 GB RAM. To act even more flexible, secure and adjusted to customers’ 

requirements, updating to Android 13 provides more features and improved security. Some of the new Android 13 features are customizable apps, improved privacy controls and cross-device features, enhanced audio features, new media controls, pre-app language preferences for fluid moving between languages.

All new devices of the IS530.x smartphone and IS930.x tablet series will be shipped with Android 13 from the third quarter of 2023. “We are glad to announce that the Android 13 version will be soon available to our customers. With this new software update, we meet the requirements of our customers who constantly asked for high-level communication devices with state-of-the-art software features”, summarizes Martin Haaf, CEO of i.safe MOBILE.

www.isafe-mobile.com

The explosion-proof 5G industrial smartphone IS540 impressed with innovative and user-oriented product design

Lauda-Koenigshofen, 04 May 2023.  i.safe MOBILE GmbH, innovation and global market leader for explosion-proof mobile devices and solutions, has won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award for its product design of the IS540, the first 5G smartphone for industrial hazardous areas. The design of the smartphone is completely tailored to the dedicated application area in explosive industrial environments: The in-house design team has combined the protective robust frame in black industrial style elegantly and at the same time strikingly for the safety area, with red line elements and an SOS button. Thanks to the rubberized honeycomb structure of the side panels, the device has a good grip, fits very well in hand and is easy to operate even with wet hands as well as gloves. The dedicated 16-pin ISM interface for accessory connection and the battery are secured with high-quality stainless steel screw connections and round off the design concept.

With the development of the IS540 smartphone, i.safe MOBILE has launched the world's first 5G smartphone for ATEX and IECEx zone 1/21. The R&D team placed particular emphasis on performance, safety, clarity and usability. This has now cleared the way for international industrial customers from the chemical, petroleum processing, pharmaceutical and other demanding process industries to use the device in explosion-proof applications in the 5G network and in 5G campus networks.  

With around 20,000 entries each year, the Red Dot Design Award is one of the largest design competitions in the world. The competition is divided into the three disciplines: Red Dot Award for Product Design, Red Dot Award for Brands & Communication Design and Red Dot Award for Design Concept. The Red Dot Design Award looks back on a history of more than 60 years: In 1955, a jury met for the first time to evaluate the best designs of that time. In the 1990s, Red Dot CEO Professor Dr. Peter Zec developed the name and the brand of the award. Since then, the prestigious "Red Dot" award has become the internationally respected seal of design excellence. The award winners are presented in the yearbooks, museums and online.

www.isafe-mobile.com

Hi-line Industries, a UK-based leader in the design, manufacture and installation of energy-efficient compressed air purification equipment, is well known for the long-standing support it provides to the local sporting community in Burton upon Trent. The company is a main sponsor at both Burton Albion Football Club and Burton Rugby Football Club. Now, Hi-line’s Managing Director Steve Smith is adding to this tradition by raising thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK through his endeavours in White Collar Boxing, a series of high-profile fundraising events organised by Ultra, the UK's largest charity sports organisation.

Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB) is a unique opportunity for people to experience the wonderful world of boxing in a safe and enjoyable environment, while simultaneously raising money for Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and getting into shape. The organisation is a spin-off of the original White Collar Boxing, which began in New York in 1988 when two ‘white collar’ workers, a doctor and an attorney, trained for a few weeks before boxing each other at a black-tie event. UCWB commenced in 2009, becoming a corporate partner of CRUK in 2013. Today, the organisation is one of CRUK’s largest fundraising partners, donating over £25 million to date. 

In memory of his late mother June Smith, Hi-line’s Managing Director Steve Smith decided to get involved when UWCB announced it would be staging a series of bouts in Burton upon Trent between 18 March and 18 April 2023. UWCB has now organised events in over 100 towns and cities in the UK. 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Continued ……

All those agreeing to participate in a UWCB bout receive eight weeks of free training at a local boxing gym with professional coaches. Once training is complete, participants get paired with an opponent from the same group of trainees based on weight, fitness, ability and age to ensure a fair and competitive bout under strict safety guidelines.

Every participating boxer must pledge to raise at least £50 for CRUK, but Steve Smith wanted to do more, setting up a Just Giving page with a target of £3,000. At time of writing, the total had already exceeded £4,600.

“I wanted to raise money for research into cancer cures because this devastating disease must cease,” he said. “At Hi-line we have a long association with supporting local sport, so UWCB seemed the ideal opportunity to make a further contribution. I must offer my thanks everyone who has made a donation. We associate ourselves with success at Hi-line Industries and take our social and charitable responsibilities very seriously, so a massive thank you to all who have helped make this fundraising event so hugely successful.”

A video of the entire bout between Steve ‘Nitro’ Smith (wearing blue) and his challenger Matt Long is available to view on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3l9k42cKjA. Anyone wishing to support Steve Smith and pledge a donation to Cancer Research UK can do so at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/steve-smith222

The company are also sponsoring a MotoX race team started by their Fabrication Manager, Darren Stretton. The team features a group of like-minded dirt bikers and ride at AMCA level, meeting throughout the Midlands. The all Yamaha team wear Hi-line blue with bikes in full Hi-line decals.

This artilce can also be found in the issue below.

BEKA associates have introduced two new Power Isolators which although primarily intended for powering their Pageant Operator Panels, may be used with any certified apparatus having compatible input safety parameters.

Performing the same function as a conventional galvanic isolator, the new power isolators employ an alternative configuration which delivers more power into a hazardous area. The BA212 is a single channel device, delivering 4W of usable power into a IIA or IIB flammable gas, or a combustible dust atmosphere, within Zone 0, 1, 2, 20, 21 or 22.

The BA243 has four separate galvanically isolated outputs, each can deliver 1W of usable power into a IIC flammable gas. These four outputs may be remotely combined by a certified network to provide 3.6W of usable power into a IIC hydrogen atmosphere located in Zone 0, 1 or 2.

Both models have IECEx, ATEX and UKEX [Ex ia Ga] IIC intrinsic safety associated apparatus certification, plus Ex ec increased safety component certification allowing installation in Zone 2. The isolators are DIN rail mounting, have input and output LED indicators with tagging facilities.

BEKA Application Guide AG210, which can be downloaded from the BEKA website www.beka.co.uk describes the function of these isolators and how they can safely power Pageant Operator Panels.

For further information please visit https://www.beka.co.uk/power-isolators or phone the BEKA sales office on +44 (0) 1462 438301.

In the context of the desired decarbonisation, hydrogen is becoming increasingly important as an energy carrier (thermal utilisation) and as a starting material for chemical production lines (molecular utilisation). Plant operators and manufacturers of specific subcomponents often plan to use methane-hydrogen mixtures initially, and then to continuously increase their hydrogen content. The long-term goal is to completely substitute methane with hydrogen. However, it is often disregarded that the safety concepts and technologies suitable for the original methane operation are only functional to a limited extent or not at all for protecting plants, single components and infrastructure during operation with high hydrogen concentrations.

Particularly in the area of explosion protection, as well as pressure venting at medium to very high overpressures, the existing concepts must be carefully reviewed using the available models, and possibly re-evaluated. A comparison of the explosion characteristics of stoichiometric methane-air and hydrogen-air mixtures quickly makes this necessity clear.

Fig. 1:Comparison of explosion characteristics under atmospheric conditions (20°C; 1.01 bar) 

Sources: BAM final report on research project 2539 and own investigations.

If the maximum explosion pressure at atmospheric conditions is about 8 bar in each case, significant increases can be observed both in the KG value (rate of pressure rise) and in the laminar flame propagation speed. This may mean that safety devices tested with methane explosions show too high inertia for the rapid pressure increase. Valve-type protective systems can be severely damaged when they respond that they do not return cleanly to their original state and their functionality is impaired or they are operated unsafely. Special care must be taken when designing and assessing the geometric dimensions and sizing. For example, certain length-to-diameter ratios of vessels and pipes, especially for hydrogen as a Class IIC gas, favour the tendency towards detonative transition. If explosions propagate from one vessel to another via a pipe, there is also the risk that the ignitable mixture is pre-compressed in the second vessel, which results in significantly higher explosion pressures compared to explosions under atmospheric conditions. A hydrogen-air mixture is also more susceptible to ignition than a methane-air mixture due to the lower ignition energies and ignition temperature. In addition to the expected more severe course of events, the probability of occurrence is also higher.

Hydrogen explosions under prepressure

In addition to the aforementioned secondaryprepressurisation in the event of an incident, there are applications in which ignitable mixtures are deliberately precompressed and can ignite uncontrollably under certain circumstances. For several reasons, these scenarios pose a special challenge with regard to the design of the corresponding equipment and to the constructive protection concepts.

Firstly, the existing normative regulations do not provide any models for the design of safety relief devices for gas explosions under prepressure. Due to the prepressure at high dynamics, the problem at hand is neither covered by DIN EN 14994 (Gas explosion venting protective systems) nor by DIN EN ISO 4126 (Safety devices for protection against excessive pressure). Thus, there are no assured design standards, which means that the problem is in the "grey area of safety technology". Secondly, the explosion dynamics are significantly influenced by barely assessable turbulence-generating effects, which primarily result from the geometry at hand. Thus, it is difficult to predict what explosion pressures, flame propagation speeds and rates of pressure rise are to be expected. Whether a detonative transition occurs and whether an explosion venting device is suitable to protect the present scenario therefore requires separate investigations.

One possible way to validate a safety concept for the "hydrogen explosion under prepressure" problem dealt with here – in addition to very complex numerical simulations – is experimental verification. For this purpose, the protection scenario is simulated as realistically as possible with flameproof components and the explosion pressure resistant concept is tested with regard to its functionality via repeated explosion tests. Starting from a stoichiometric methane-air reference test, either the proportion of hydrogen in the methane-hydrogen-air mixture, the prepressure or the combustion air ratio is increased when testing a pure hydrogen-air mixture, depending on the problem. By registering the pressure curves within the simulated structure, the maximum explosion pressure can be inferred and the tendency towards detonative transition can be estimated. The aim of the verification is always the identification of safe operating parameters as well as to check product suitability, as no standard product certification is available due to the lack of a normative basis. When selecting a suitable product/explosion venting device, it is important to ensure that it is not only suitable for explosion venting, but also guarantees a long and reliable service life under the prevailing conditions during normal operations. If the explosion venting device was an explosion vent or rupture disc, the burst pressure, operating ratio, working temperature as well as the occurrence of vibrations and cyclic loads and, of course, the corresponding material must be taken into account when making the selection.

REMBE GmbH Safety+Control has been a leader in the technological fields of Process Safety and Explosion Safety for almost 50 years. As such, the careful selection of suitable safety systems and (explosion) relief devices is a key aspect of the company's service portfolio. REMBE has thus built up a profound understanding of how to analyse customers' processes and plants and identify suitable protection technologies. In collaboration with REMBE Research+Technology Center GmbH, an independent testing laboratory accredited to EN ISO / IEC 17025:2018, REMBE can also validate even highly complex protection concepts on an experimental basis. Especially in scenarios where new technologies need to be tested, no assured design standards are available or high-precision protection concepts are required, it is precisely this multidisciplinary approach that enables REMBE to develop high-quality solution concepts. In collaboration with the customer, the company combines experimental verification with its extensive expertise in explosion safety and explosion venting solutions to create highly specific protection concepts tailored to the customer's processes.

 Fig. 2: REMBE produces high-quality explosion vents and rupture discs that are not only aesthetically appealing, but also suitable for safely venting hydrogen explosions under prepressure.