Articles and News

Automation.com, June 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor Hannover Messe provides a unique event to directly see a wide range of automation technology, its application on a wide range of equipment, and the opportunity to talk with users. These are trends and products from the fair that I think are worth noting.

Van Nuis will be responsible for overseeing business operations throughout North, Central and South America.

The Safe Motion Profile guarantees that the safety-related functions of the peripheral devices are available across the entire Sercos network in a uniform and manufacturer-independent manner.

Automation.com, May 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor Plant people use all five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch) in troubleshooting, diagnosis, and determining areas for improvements. At Fluke headquarters in Everett, Washington, I experienced firsthand new products that amplify our senses and go beyond them to increase productivity and effectiveness.

RTMSafety middleware for robot automation meets the functional safety requirements for Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 Systematic Capability per IEC 61508.

Orders were up 11.3% from February but down 1.4% when compared with the total of $502.89 million reported for March 2011. 2012 is up 12.9% compared with 2011.

infoteam Functional Safety Management Process (iFSM) is now officially certified by TÜV SÜD according to IEC 61508:2010.

PowerScan D Cabled Barcode Reader System is now certified for use in Class I/II/III, Division 2 hazardous locations.

Part 3 – Extensions to the Function Blocks extend the scope of the safety specification, and harmonize the diagnostics interface for easier handling by the user.

The Safe Motion Profile guarantees that the safety-related functions of peripheral devices are available across the entire network in a uniform and manufacturer-independent way.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International announced a workplace electrical safety awareness program developed to answer the question, "How do you know if your workplace is properly protected from electrical hazards?"

Automation.com, April 2012 By Merson NFPA 70E is the standard for electrical safety in the workplace, and explains in detail how to prevent electrical hazards. The white paper identifies and explains some of the key changes.

Automation.com, April 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor Ford's Powertrain Group has taken a complete systems approach to automation, driven by goals to improve operations, efficiency and flexibility. PROFINET has been an enabler for Ford's manufacturing architecture and became one of the tools used to achieve their goals.

Guide outlines the essential principles of explosion-protection with respect to electrical equipment installed in harsh, hazardous environments.

Automation.com, March 2012 By Staffan Dahlström, HMS Industrial Networks Despite a turbulent market, we saw a growing interest in industrial communication solutions in 2011. Trends include the growth of networks (70 at last count), the need to save energy, integrated safety networks and remote access.

The video shows how the STA can monitor potentially hazardous events as well as initiating emergency shutdown procedures or alerting personnel of unsafe process conditions.

Catalog covers sensors, lighting and indicators, machine vision, wireless and machine safety.

Omron Industrial Automation and Omron Scientific Technologies combine sales forces for machine automation systems and safeguarding.

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

MP300 series switches are now in compliance with ATEX and are approved for zone 22 in potentially explosive dust atmospheres.