Articles and News

At Rimer Enterprises in Waterville, Ohio, the installation of a Vertical Lift Module (VLM) automated storage and retrieval system has reduced the potential for work related injuries and has recovered over 90% of otherwise wasted floor space.

November U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $437.79 million, up 0.6% from October and up 20.7% when compared with the total of $362.63 million reported for November 2012.

Global sales of motion control products recovered in 2013 to reach $12.2 billion, but growth was far too weak to overcome the 2012 market declines.

Economic analyst for the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA) says the U.S. appears to be headed down an economic path similar to that of 2013. Oh, Lordy.

By Bill Lydon, Editor The huge installed base of automation software running on Windows XP will be vulnerable to cyber-attacks with the end of Windows XP support April 8, 2014. More than 12 years old, Windows XP is the longest supported version of Windows ever and therefore is the most used in industrial automation systems.

By Bill Lydon, Editor I recently had the opportunity to discuss Ocean Data Systems – a little company you likely have never heard of - with Roy Kok, their VP of Sales and Marketing. Their product, Dream Report, is OEMed by a number of well-known software providers. Here is a synopsis of my interview with Kok.

With 23 years of experience in the supply chain and logistics industry, Erickson will manage Knighted application development teams to produce supply chain software solutions.

By Jonathan Wilkins, European Automation If the IoT becomes a fully fledged reality, system compatibility would no longer be an issue. Automation parts would be able to recognize whether they are reconcilable with equipment or overall systems without being shipped to the customer.

As part of its trade mission to CeMAT Hannover 2014, The Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity is funding and supporting up to 10 eligible companies who apply.

By Thomas R. Cutler During 2013 the past-paced, ever-changing elements of automation impacting manufacturing, material handling, and logistics was remarkable. The prognosis for more automation innovation in 2014 is axiomatic and transformative companies will illuminate the possibilities of great efficiency, productivity, and profitability.

Festo borrowed the concept of energy transfer through the action of waves on water to show how delicate products like fruits and vegetables can be intelligently sorted by smart wave-action conveyors.

The company is relocating staff to a new 54,000-square-foot facility located at 13560 Morris Road, Alpharetta.

Siemens developed the controller of the storage and retrieval machines and the conveyor system for the body buffer on the basis of its Simatic S7 controllers.

Interactive catalog has an online mirror edition for researching/selecting components, loading a shopping cart, developing a bill of materials, and finding distributors.

July U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $351.21 million, down 23.6% from June and down 23.6% when compared with the total of $459.44 million reported for July 2012.

By Thomas R. Cutler Holistic is not the first word that comes to mind regarding automation; neither is order-taker. Yet thousands of interviews over the past twenty years have revealed that many system integrators who provide automation services, particularly in material handling, better match the description of order-takers.

SPEC (System Plast Engineering Calculator) evaluates applications for steel or plastic chain and modular belt conveyors.

The global market for Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) grew by 8 percent in 2012, thanks to e-commerce.

The Tamar conveyor system had to handle "green totes" - something the existing conveyor system couldn't do.

The role of technology in warehouses has shifted from purely reducing costs and has increasingly expanded into adjacent benefits that can drive differentiation and profitable growth for businesses.