Articles and News

Automation.com, May 2011 By David A. B. Laing, VDC Research Group VDC Research Group teamed up with Automation.com to conduct a survey on the market for power protection products including the hard wired surge suppressors often used in industrial machines and facilities. This article provides a summary of those survey results.

Automation.com, April 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor The openSAFETY standard supporters are posing an interesting idea to the industry - use a single Ethernet-based safety protocol, openSAFETY, on all automation applications regardless of industrial Ethernet protocol used for controls.

Improved Solid State Hydrogen-Specific Analyzing Systems

Dick Morley On Black Holes, Nanotechnology and Chocolate

Automation.com, April 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Energy has become a hot topic with vendors and standards organizations, many of which are offering and creating solutions for energy users.

Automation.com, April 2011 By Roy Kok How did Scotty know? How do you know when your systems are normal? Are the Dilithium crystals at their proper temperature and vibrational frequency for this Warp Speed and area of space? Could he be sure he caught every last Tribble, and none are blocking the cooling ducts to the Anti- Matter Drive?

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.

Automation.com, April 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Hannover Messe 2011 was larger than any other in the last 10 years, with more than 230,000 visitors. More than 6,500 businesses from 65 countries came to Hannover to display their solutions. The attendance numbers represent a growth of 10 to 15 percent over the comparable 2009 event.

Do we need to include valve in SIL verification or can we limit up to the solenoid operated valve considering valve as a mechanical device.

Automation.com, April 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor The asset management study was done through Virginia Tech’s Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Survey results indicate companies that elevate the importance of APM through involvement of upper level management or organization-wide involvement tend to out-perform others based on a variety of metrics.

Automation.com, April 2011 By Jeff Kamin, QComp Robots are the buzz for anyone in manufacturing, assembling, packaging or distributing products. Many end users rely on an integrator or OEM to provide a robot solution without really understanding the potential benefits and liabilities. This article poses some of the questions that a robotic user should consider prior to selecting a robot and a robot programmer/installer.

Automation.com, March 2011 By PLCopen North America The use of skid mounted equipment has become popular for a number of reasons but they pose some unique automation and control challenges that can be solved by using IEC 61131-3 and PLCopen standards.

By Chandu Bhatasana, Aker Solutions In gas flow metering, the impact of uncertainty in flow measurement depends on quantity of gas, commercial value of gas metered and uncertainty in measurement. For a high throughput gas metering system, a marginal reduction in uncertainty helps reduce the financial exposure.

Automation.com, March 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor The intent of this energy initiative is to create a comprehensive approach to the optimization of energy usage for the industrial consumer that is scalable, open and inclusive for both users and suppliers.

Automation.com, March 2011 By Tony Paine, Kepware Technologies Expect in 2011 to see smart grid solutions, smart meters, and a real-time, automated, metering infrastructure (AMI) to be rolled out across the country.

Automation.com, March 2011 ODVA is taking IPv6 seriously because it could have major implications for existing EtherNet/IP installations and product developers. This is not unique to EtherNet/IP, the change has an impact on all Ethernet devices and infrastructure including business, industrial, home, and mobile communications.

Automation.com, March 2011 In just a couple weeks in Chicago, ProMat 2011 will take place. The largest material handling event of the year will be display new automation solutions. Ironically, perhaps something familiar will take center stage, with a twist: A forklift.

Automation.com, March 2011 The largest material handling event of the year will take place later this month in Chicago, ProMat 2011. New automation solutions will be on display. Perhaps the automation solutions for material handling in the food sector carries the most unique requirements for palletizing robots, stretch wrapping equipment, labeling systems, pallet control systems and laser-guided automatic vehicles.

Automation.com, February 2011 While the intense debates continue over industrial wireless standards many automation professionals are applying industrial wireless solutions to achieve greater efficiency and profits for their companies.

Automation.com, February 2011 OPC UA elevates automation systems to the level of current computing technology by leveraging web services and Internet Protocol (IP), enabling automation systems to deliver increased value.