Articles and News

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.

By Bill Dehner, AutomationDirect.com A recent study by the Identity Theft Resource Center concluded that in 2016 U.S companies and government agencies were breached 1,093 times. That’s a new record and a 40% increase from the 780 breaches in 2015.

By Cory Fogg, Automation.com Smaller manufacturers wishing to automate, may not have all the specialists they need on staff. With hiring processes taking days or weeks, the FactoryFix automated platform is working to connect these manufacturers with specialists in minutes

The Rate-Predictive Control (RPC) algorithm earned a United States patent in 2016 and is an inherently adaptive (or “naturally self-tuning”) process control algorithm.

This follows the acquisition of the Automated Technology Group (ATG), one of the UK’s largest independent suppliers of control and power solutions for industrial automation, in September 2015.

Nemaska Lithium is developing the Whabouchi spodumene deposit to meet the growing global demand for lithium batteries to be used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, as well as in various consumer electronics.

The AMCI by IDEC product line includes controllers, stepper motors, and integrated solutions for the FC6A MicroSmart PLC. Integration is a combination of two or more components that usually make up a system.

Red Trident, an industrial control systems (ICS) cyber security and process automation firm focused on protecting critical infrastructure, has joined the Bedrock Automation Systems Integration Network.

AES needed an expert integrator who knew the demands of recycling firsthand, with an engineering staff that could coordinate the equipment and automate the entire facility. Vecoplan, an industry provider of building and automating recycling technology, knew it could take on that project.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation This article discusses the evolution of the programmable logic controller (PLC), and predicts what the future might hold for this crucial piece of equipment.

With the integration of the OPC Unified Architecture Standard (OPC UA) into operation and control systems, both existing machines and new designs can be made IoT ready, and so can be integrated into the Smart Factory environment.

By Alex West, IHS Markit Early this month ABB; a supplier of robotics, process automation, and electrification components, acquired B&R Automation, an industrial software and automation hardware company. So what does the B&R Automation acquisition mean for ABB?

The goal of the project is to minimize adverse effects and make sure associated industry players are represented as the Swiss government makes important decisions that promote a sustainable environment.