Articles and News

Siemens PLM Software is a provider of software solutions to drive the digital transformation of industry, creating new opportunities for manufacturers to realize innovation.

Initially developed to train Bedrock end users and partners in programming applications to the IEC 61131-3 standard, the software and the IDE can be used to build PLC, DCS, and SCADA RTU applications that are cryptographically authenticated to the Bedrock platform.

Bosch Rexroth has made the Sercos SoftMaster available as free open source software on SourceForge.net. They also offer a free Sercos-on-a-Stick livesystem--a complete stand-alone demo Sercos driver package on a USB thumb drive. This includes the SoftMaster based on Intime Distributed RTOS from TenAsys Corporation, and a test application.

The MAQ20 data acquisition and control system uses a Python API; this employs an object-oriented approach for communicating with MAQ20 systems, thereby providing an interface where the low-level Modbus commands are hidden from normal use.

The control system migration of the mill’s Flakt Dryer machine from a mixture of legacy ABB MOD300 and Allen Bradley PLC’s to PlantPAX was the fifth PlantPAX control system installed by GPA in the Pulp & Paper industry specifically.

By introducing change management and version control software from M.A.C. Solutions for more than 400 of its programmable devices (PLCs and HMIs) at its facility in Oxfordshire, Diamond Light Source intends to minimize the risk of machine downtime caused by PLC back-up or software code errors

This white paper is designed to help small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) recognize their vulnerability to industrial cyberattack and forge an effective cybersecurity plan based on established standards and practices.

By Galina Antova, Claroty We cannot afford to rely on the same (sub)standard we used in IT security over the past 10 years. We have to act ahead of the threat – we have to do something now.

By Bill Lydon, Editor, Automation.com EPLAN's integration with the Siemens TIA portal is intended to enable engineering data to be exchanged bidirectionally between the worlds of electrical engineering and automation engineering.

By Marty Edwards – Managing Director, Automation Federation With the ever-increasing drumbeat of cyber-attack pounding louder and louder in the background, organizations utilizing automation systems of any kind need to take proactive, defensive steps immediately to avoid significant business disruption and lost revenue.

The report highlights a number of challenges and suggests that more technical security testing has a significant role to play in ensuring higher levels of security assurance are met.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation Most small and medium sized businesses don’t have a robotics programmer on staff. However, by learning the three main methods of programming — teach, lead and offline — they can prepare for the introduction of almost any type of robotics technology. This article explores the three main methods of robot programming.

Video help has been incorporated into the instruction set of Do-more! Designer. Over 50 instructional videos are currently available with new ones being added as they become available.

By Brian Joe, Emerson Automation Solutions Until recently—when engineers wanted to monitor plant equipment such as steam traps, pumps or heat exchangers—they were often faced with difficult, complex and expensive projects. New apps and wireless instruments make equipment monitoring much less expensive than with traditional methods

The operating system that supported the Tyson Foods' Wisconsin plant's human machine interface (HMI) application was facing obsolescence. The new solution is based on the Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture system that incorporates both the Logix control platform and FactoryTalk production management software

The survey found that over half (54%) of ICS companies interviewed have experienced at least one cyberattack in the last 12 months – with one-in-five (21%) experiencing two incidents in the same time frame.

The modular CK design enabled the operator to tailor the actuator specification to precisely match the requirements of the application. The selection of CK actuators complete with Centronik digital control units required only the provision of a mains electricity supply to provide automation of the previously hand operated valves.

By John Rinaldi, Real Time Automation In their latest series of announcements, it’s clear that OPC UA is key to Microsoft’s strategy of entering and dominating the factory floor through its Azure cloud services.

The 2017 Hannover Fair taught us one thing above all others. Manufacturing winners and losers will be defined by their understanding and application of Industry 4.0 and IoT solutions.

By Kent Lennartsson, Research Manager, Kvaser AB The use of CAN began in the automotive industry and has since branched out into a multitude of sectors, including industrial automation. However, CAN in itself is not equipped to handle the control processes needed for this complex industry. Instead, a secondary, higher layer protocol was required to make adoption possible.