Articles and News

Since the introduction of an industrial speed controller in 1972 for the film processing industry, Contrex has been producing speed and motion controllers.

App combines all GoTo Focused Delivery Program catalogs onto the Apple iPad for faster, easier access to GoTo product information.

Automation.com, February 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor During a half day session at the Sixteenth Annual ARC World Industry Forum Conference some automation vendors made it clear they are adopting OPC UA. This adoption is intended to close the gap between advances in the general computing industry and industrial automation systems.

Automation.com, February 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor OPC UA is emerging as a fundamental technology for implementing Digital Factory concepts to increase production efficiency. The concept was reinforced at the ARC Forum in a session titled, Transforming Manufacturing with OPC UA: From Embedded to the Enterprise.

Robotics in the Cloud from Google IO Conference

Validation of Holt's CAN controller at C&S group guarantees conformance and correct protocol response when operating within a CAN network.

With a year-to-date total of $5,508.81 million, 2011 was up 66.4% compared with 2010.

Ventyx completed the integration of Mincom and ABB Network Control into one enterprise solutions organization.

Automation.com, February 2012 By Bill Lydon Rockwell Automation firmly believes there are users that only want simple controllers and users that want integrated control and information products. In order to meet these requirements Rockwell has two separate product and software architectures, Connected Components and Logix.

The water and wastewater products company installed a MicroLogix PLC, PowerFlex 4 drive, and EtherNet/IP to automate its demonstration plants.

Using the product finder, customers can now make a pre-selection according to medium type, medium temperature, sensor material and design, voltage supply, connection type and ATEX category.

Automation.com, February 2012 By Adam VanOort, DataNab ModBus and BACnet are the best protocol options to support on open I/O and control devices. Both protocols use RS485 as the communications backbone, i.e., the physical network that supports the data traffic. But what about IP?

Automation.com, February 2012 Barbers Farmhouse Cheesemakers in the UK uses Rockwell Automation’s ControlLogix PAC and 3D laser scanners to control an Arcall C52 cheese cutter. Another PAC controls a suite of conveyors driven by servo motors. All communications are via EtherNet/IP.

An unnamed manufacturer of cable and conductors in Spain used Rockwell Automation’s Integrated Architecture, including CompactLogix PLCs connected to PanelView Plus operator terminals via EtherNet/IP.

Automation.com, February 2012 By Jessica Forguites, Rockwell Automation Embedding Ethernet switch technology into devices brings new advantages to high-performance applications. It simplifies machine design, configuration and maintenance.

Automation.com, February 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor These results of the Pharmaceutical Automation Roundtable (PAR) Emerging Technology Benchmarking Survey addressed major automation topics including DCS vs. PLC, Fieldbus Technology, Smart Devices, VFDs, PAT, APC, Wireless, Operator Interfaces, Computing Technology, Validation and Skills gaps.

Mechatrolink is the most widely used motion control network in Asia, and is gaining ground in the U.S. An annual Regular Membership in MMA normally costs $1,500, but until March 31, 2012, it’s free.

Energy Savings Estimator gives customers using drives, motors, couplings and gearboxes the ability to estimate potential energy savings across an entire drive train.

Automation.com, January 2012 By Matthew Littlefield, LNS Research There are a whole slew of new technologies and system architectures being adopted in the automation industry at a very rapid pace. Companies today face the very real possibility that if they don’t effectively understand, adopt, and leverage these new technologies to their advantage; they will be left in an increasingly uncompetitive position.

Siemens Simatic PCS 7 will be the control platform for Dow Corning’s batch, continuous and discrete process automation solutions.