Hello %%if(%%firstname%% is empty,Colleague,%%firstname%%)%%:
To receive the latest automation information, add enews@automation.com to your address book.
Read the online version if links don't work in this Machine Control Update.
Machine Control Update from Automation.com & InTech
Forward - Subscribe - Edit Subscription - Past Issues - Machine Control Portal - Automation.com - ISA - InTech
May 2011
Sponsor:
Automation.com

Automation.com goes mobile!

Automation.com goes mobile!

Now get all of the latest automation news, products, resources, trends, jobs and cartoons on your mobile device.

Visit mobile site.

 

Sponsor:
Beckhoff Automation

Cost-effective EtherNet/IP I/O Solutions - Wherever You Need Them

Cost-effective EtherNet/IP I/O Solutions - Wherever You Need Them

Reduce EtherNet/IP infrastructure costs with Beckhoff I/O solutions - seamless connectivity to 3rd party EtherNet/IP devices is assured. Page includes a link to download a free EtherNet/IP Tag Wizard applet with automated mapping features to streamline integration of Beckhoff I/O into EtherNet/IP systems.

Click here to learn more.

 

Sponsor: ISA

IIS Symposium 2011
June 20 - 24, 2011

54th Annual ISA POWID Symposium

The 57th International Instrumentation Symposium (IIS) will provide an outstanding opportunity to gain valuable technical information and training in the traditional areas of measurements/sensors, instrumentation systems, data and advanced system/sensor technology, and many other state-of-the-art areas.

More information.

 

Sponsor: automationtechies

Don’t gamble with your hiring needs

Don’t gamble with your hiring needs

automationtechies is your best bet for finding the Controls, Automation or Process Engineer that fits your needs. Our recruiters have industry experience and will fill your direct hire and contract positions.

Contact one of our experienced recruiters today.

 

Sponsor: Automation.com

Looking for automation talent?

Career and Job Center

Reach tens of thousands of automation professionals visiting Automation.com each month. Your job posting will be included in our Career & Job Center and featured on our home page and in our Automation Weekly e-newsletter.

Post Your Job Today.

 

Live News Feeds

RSS Feed for Machine Control
Add Machine Control Feed to Google
Add Machine Control Feed to My Yahoo!

Visit the Machine Control portal and use the icons to subscribe to the live feed.

Learn more about RSS feeds.

 

Automation Networks

LinkedIn GroupFacebook GroupTwitterYouTube

Contact Us

For editorial inquiries, please contact either Rick Zabel or Bill Lydon.

For advertising inquiries, please contact Richard Simpson or Chris Nelson, or see our Media Kit.

View our Privacy Policy

Featured Articles

Customize Embedded Control  
Control Design, April 2011
By Dan Hebert
As the degree of customization increases, embedded control advantages become more pronounced, but so do upfront costs and risk.

Measuring position or speed in harsh environments  
Control Engineering Europe, March 2011
By Mark Howard, Zettlex
The failure of position or speed sensors in the field can have a massive technical or commercial impact. So how do you make sure your sensors will not fail when the going gets tough?

S-Curve Profiles Deep Dive  
Automation.com, April 2011
By Chuck Lewin, Performance Motion Devices
S-curves are an important tool for minimizing the effective transfer time of a machine load, particularly when the motor is connected to the load via a mechanism. In the real world, this represents the vast majority of actual motion control applications.

Increasing Motor Efficiency with Power Factor Control  
By Mark Steinmetz, Vincotech
Using an electronic drive to regulate the output speed of a motor for the mechanical load required—with the addition of Power Factor Control—improves efficiency of the drive by correcting the out of phase voltage and current being used.

International machine safety standards  
Control Engineering, April 2011
By Mike Miller and Wayne Solberg, Rockwell Automation
The international safety standards mandated by the European Commission’s Machinery Directive are reshaping how global machine builders approach machine safety system design.

Browse more articles on the Machine Control portal.

Product Announcements

Beckhoff releases IP 67 EtherCAT Box with Analog IOBeckhoff releases IP 67 EtherCAT Box with Analog IO
EP4374 I/O box is a flexible, moisture and dust-resistant EtherCAT I/O solution that combines two analog inputs and two analog outputs into one device.

WAGO introduces JUMPFLEX Interface AdapterWAGO introduces JUMPFLEX Interface Adapter
Interface Adapter provides JUMPFLEX signal conditioners and relays with a tool-free interface to the WAGO-I/O-SYSTEM or other PLC interfaces.

Siemens introduces XP100 explosion-proof motorsSiemens introduces XP100 explosion-proof motors
XP100 motors are UL and CSA listed for gas and dust ignition-proof environments and are suitable for Division 1, Class I, Groups C & D, Class II, Groups F & G, hazardous area classifications.

Nexen Group announces Universal Rack Roller Pinion SystemNexen Group announces Universal Rack Roller Pinion System
Universal Rack Roller Pinion System delivers precise linear positioning with zero backlash for high-precision motion control applications.

Red Lion Controls adds SQL Sync to Crimson 3.0 softwareRed Lion Controls adds SQL Sync to Crimson 3.0 software
SQL Sync service allows customers to synchronize logged data from their G3 HMIs directly with Microsoft’s SQL Server, eliminating the need for third-party software or a custom script.

B&R announces ACOPOSmulti65 machine-mounted inverterB&R announces ACOPOSmulti65 machine-mounted inverter
The inverters are designed with IP65 protection, which makes it possible to attach them directly to the machine.

Other Product Announcements

Browse more Product Announcements on the Machine Control portal.

Search all Products by keyword, category, manufacturer or release date.

Resources

NORD Drivesystems publishes electric motor catalog
The catalog provides an overview of NORD's asynchronous low-voltage motors, and addresses in detail the implications of the switch to IE2.

Animatics publishes Motion Control and Servo Motors catalog
The catalog features Class 5 SmartMotor products, cables and connectors, and motion control products.

sercos/IP Library Released as Open Source Software
The driver software is available for download in C# source code without any license fees or usage limitations.

BEI Sensors releases Position Sensor Selection Guide
The new eight page guide allows engineers to locate the ideal position sensor at a glance. Easy-to-read charts summarize the most critical specification criteria side-by-side, which allows for quick comparison and part selection.

igus publishes cable carrier catalog
The latest edition features a completely revamped, easy-to-use layout and a number of either new or expanded product lines.

Browse more resources on the Machine Control portal.

Application Stories

Drive Technology For A Bottling Plant  
IMPO, March 2011
By NORD Drive Systems
Hacklberger Beverages is one of the largest breweries in the German area of Bavaria. NORD mechanical and electronic drive technology is used in the packaging, palleting and conveyor systems.

Absolute positioning on a budget  
When the Rock-Tenn paperboard mill in Aurora IL wanted to automate the positioning and tensioning of the belts on its paperboard dryer conveyor system, it took an innovative combination of high-end, absolute encoders and basic, low-end control and drive technology to get the job done.

Switch to Servo Motors Makes for Faster Package Changeover  
Control Design, February 2011
By Peter Graham
Edson Packaging needed to develop a solution that would make product changeovers in minutes rather than hours. Doing that required a shift to servo motors.

Baldor controls conformal coating machine  
Baldor's real-time Ethernet motion control system helped Advanced Coating Robotics create a conformal coating machine that combines three-dimensional spraying accuracy with high throughput.

Control platform inks the deal  
Process & Control Engineering, January 2011
By Jason Thelander
The ink cartridge filling machine developed by Precision Mechatronics fills five 50 ml ink cartridges every 20 seconds. A PC- and EtherCAT-based Beckhoff control platform with integrated Motion Control functionality controls it.

Browse more application stories on the Machine Control portal.

White Papers

Demystifying the European Machinery Directive  
By Andras Szende, TUV Rheinland North America
The evolution of the Machinery Directive over the last decade has spawned new safety and compliance issues. This whitepaper will de-mystify and clearly articulate the requirements for manufacturers of both SEMI and Industrial Automation equipment and machinery.

Find More Space in Your Control Panel  
By Eaton
Optimize your panel designs. Learn options for distributing loads in industrial control panels and how to safely apply them, while adhering to Underwriters Laboratories standard 508A and National Electrical Code, NFPA 70-2011.

Machine Vision for Factory Automation  
Many key tasks in the manufacture of products, including inspection, orientation, identification, and assembly, require the use of visual techniques. By replacing human inspection with machine vision, the net result is greater productivity and improved customer satisfaction through the consistent delivery of quality products. This paper helps users match machine vision options with application requirements.

Three Ways to Enhance Packaging Line Performance  
By Microscan Systems, Inc.
This white paper focuses on optical character recognition (OCR) and its growing use in packaging lines for compliance with date and lot tracking regulations. Machine vision OCR helps manufacturers adhere to these mandates in an efficient and cost-effective manner, and can also improve line performance.

Know Your High-flex-life Cable  
By Northwire
February 5, 2011 - Cable designed to survive 10 million to 20 million flexing cycles is high-flex-life cable. It’s different from high-flex cable, which is designed to be supple and highly flexible. High-flex-life cable may actually feel stiffer than high-flex cable. The two products are distinctly different and mutually exclusive.

Browse more white papers on the Machine Control portal.

Company & Organizational News

March manufacturing technology consumption up 57.6%  
March U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $511.15 million according to AMTDA and AMT. This total was up 57.6% from February.

Minarik acquires Automation Technology  
Automation Technology is a motion control distributor in the Intermountain and Pacific Northwest trading areas.

Festo appoints Richard Huss CEO  
Huss comes to Festo US from Bosch Rexroth, where for the past 10 years he was Vice President and General Manager.

ODVA announces machinery initiative  
ODVA launched a Machinery Initiative designed to improve the integration of machinery with the industrial manufacturing ecosystem.

China‘s PLC and PAC Market to grow  
ARC predicts strong growth of the PLC and PLC-based Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) market through 2014 in China, but provides no numbers.

Browse more company and organizational news on the Machine Control portal.

Project News

Heason to control Synchrotron at Brookhaven National Laboratory  
The project involves six EPICS based control systems, with each controller capable of 4 axis synchronised motion control.

ABB automation takes copper mining to new heights in Peru  
The solutions include a mine-wide electrical package integrated with a System 800xA process control system, and gearless mill drives – all engineered to operate at the 4,600 meters above sea level.

ABB to supply three large GMDs for Mauritanian gold mine project  
The three ABB gearless mill drives (GMDs) are part of an expansion project at the Tasiast gold mine that is scheduled to go into commercial operation in early 2014.

Hexagon Metrology supplies measuring system to Milwaukee Machine Works  
The Leitz measuring machine has a supersized measuring capacity of three meters wide by four meters long, and two and a half meters high, tailor made for the large scale machined components.

Browse more project news on the Machine Control portal.

Featured Training

Introduction to Industrial Automation and Control (FG07)
June 6, 2011 - June 10, 2011
Location: Morristown, NJ, USA
This popular course combines lecture and hands-on labs to provide an overview of industrial measurement and control. Technicians, engineers, and managers are provided with a foundation for communication with other control system professionals. Serves as a solid fundamental course for introduction to other ISA courses.

RSTechED 2011
June 12, 2011 - June 17, 2011
Location: Orlando, FL
With over 100 different sessions appealing to users and managers at all levels within an organization, RSTechED provides a highly interactive, classroom-style environment set up for people working in manufacturing, process and machine builder industries.

ControlLogix and RSLogix 5000 Training Seminar
June 28, 2011 - June 30, 2011
Location: St. Louis, MO, USA
Get familiar with the Process Automation Controller (PAC) which is a much different industrial automation and control device than the PLC. This hands-on automation training seminar-workshop uses Controllogix and CompactLogix processor software by Allen Bradley, called RSLogix 5000.

Applying Motor Controls and Drives (SP15)
July 19, 2011 - July 20, 2011
Location: Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
This course gives you a broad perspective of DC motors, AC motors (single and three-phase), and Variable Speed Drives (for AC Induction Motors and DC Motors).

Motion Control Training Videos  
Thomson Industries training videos help machine builders select and apply industrial linear actuators, square rails, round rails, ball screws, gearheads, clutches and brakes.

Browse more training and seminar opportunities on the Machine Control portal.

Featured Events

2011 Siemens Automation Summit
June 27, 2011 - June 30, 2011
Location: Orlando, FL, USA
Join Siemens to see live, hands-on demonstrations showcasing best-in-class solutions, hear from others how they have successfully applied solutions that you can use in your operations, and network with your peers and Siemens management.

Pune Machine Tools Show 2011
August 25, 2011 - August 28, 2011
Location: Pune, INDIA
Pune Machine Tools Show 2011 is an exclusive showcase of engineering, machine tools, automation, & automotive technology. it has covered over 2,50,000 sq ft. exhibition area and also will have participant over more than 500 companies from all over India.

Interactive Manufacturing Experience
September 12, 2011 - September 14, 2011
Location: Las Vegas, NV
From some of the United States’ largest industrial technology innovators to the heads of small machine shops and providers of workholding, drilling and grinding tools, manufacturers from across the country will gather this fall at an unprecedented industry summit to chart a new course for the domestic manufacturing industry.

2011 Material Handling and Logistics Conference
September 18, 2011 - September 21, 2011
Location: Park City, UT, USA
The Conference offers over 60 sessions featuring interactive technical roundtables to deliver tactical results; keynote speakers to present their vision and wisdom to help set strategies; seasoned technology users to share priceless project lessons; and plenty of tutorials and workshops to expand your knowledge of emerging technologies and practices.

AUTOMATION 2011
September 20, 2011 - September 23, 2011
Location: Mumbai, India
Automation 2011 will highlight products trends, services and solutions in the field of Factory Automation, Process Automation & Control System, Field Instrumentation, Robotics, Drives & Various Bus Technology, Building Automation, Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Browse more industry events on the Machine Control portal.

Add an event to our calendar.