Articles and News

There is a greater transition to “smart manufacturing” environments which use standardized IP-centric networks to leverage the Internet of Everything.

The entire Deutschmann Automation UNIGATE series for Profinet is now certified according to Profinet specifications.

By Brian Phillippi By making machines smarter through local processing and communication, the IIoT could solve problems in ways that were previously inconceivable. As innovation grows so does the complexity, which makes the IIoT a very large challenge that no company alone can meet.

Microchip plans to introduce Ethernet controllers with EtherCAT.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Kepware Technologies recently introduced a new Local Historian Plug-In for the KEPServerEX communications platform and a Splunk plug-in to support big data systems. The products were born from customers’ requests for an easy to install and use historian for various plant applications, including labs, test situations, and at remote sites.

Softing’s OPC UA Server Module for ControlLogix is now Certified for Compliance by the OPC Foundation

Sercos International celebrates its 25th anniversary as well as 10 years of Sercos III technology.

M&M Software elevated its membership status to that of sponsoring member of the FDT Group.

By Bill Lydon, Editor The FieldComm Group was formed and became operational on January 1, 2015, by combining all assets of the former Fieldbus Foundation and the HART Communication Foundation. The new group will further intelligent device technologies and their adoption. Ted Masters, President and CEO provided insights into the value of the new organization.

Iconics achieved OPC UA Client Lab Certification from the OPC Foundation for its GENESIS64 V10.85 Platform Services.

Version 2.0 of the Matrikon OPC UA Embedded Software Development Kit (SDK) has been certified by the OPC Foundation’s Independent test labs to be compliant with the Embedded OPC Server profile.

By Tony Armstrong, Linear Technology Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) can be powered via energy harvesting. Here’s how to design a nanopower device that works with very low levels of power and current.

Big data storage and fast processing capabilities need to become one hybrid system.

Immediate access to secure, end-to-end networking service now widely available.

PROFIBUS is number one but PROFINET and EtherNet/IP are catching up.

Interview with Christopher Di Biase, Principal Consultant, Rockwell Automation.

Netilities graphical software tool is useful for engineering, monitoring and troubleshooting PROFINET installations.

By Bill Lydon, Editor The Internet of Things (IoT) definition as promoted by major industrial automation suppliers and computer industry suppliers is “IP to the edge.” IP to the edge means using Internet Protocol over wired or wireless Ethernet to communicate with end devices. This concept may not be common sense engineering and sound design for industrial automation systems.

Wireless Control Foundation: Continuous and Discrete Control for the Process Industry, aims to improve wireless control planning, commissioning and troubleshooting.

MEDUSA development platform for battery-free wireless sensors and actuators allows developers to design components driven by RF energy harvesting