Articles and News

Automation.com, May 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor ABB creates new role, appoints Brice Koch, to oversee relations with ABB’s largest customers and the development of opportunities in strategic growth areas such as rail, wind, water, solar, energy efficiency and smart grids. Koch will also be responsible for developing ABB’s service business.

Automation.com, May 2011 By Roy Kok Over the years, we’ve had sensor upgrades, improved controllers, better operator visibility, data archiving and analytics, and now we have enterprise integration for improved material management, corporate agility, regulatory compliance and a host of other features.

Modernization of a municipal waterworks with SCADA standardization: Past, present, and planning for the future

Automation.com, May 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor The size of Hannover Fair can be overwhelming but there were industry and technology trends reflected in products and presentations at the event. Here are some specific examples for illustration - in most cases there are many more companies that have products supporting these trends.

A PLC from AutomationDirect helped this farmer/inventor develop a new kind of hay baler that lets farmers harvest hay day or night, regardless of the weather.

Infoteam Software will distribute ISaGRAF in Europe, Germany and China.

Automation.com, May 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Here are a few highlights from ABB Automation & Power World 2011. The event attracted a record number of participants, totaling more than 4,200, and featured over 400 educational workshops and hands-on training sessions, over 45 customer-presented case studies, and an exhibition of ABB and partner products.

Siemens provided the PLC, CNC, HMI, RFID, Profinet and safety systems to Toledo Powertrain for a Flexible Assembly Configuration System (FACS) to build the GF6 six-speed, front wheel transmission.

Automation.com, May 2011 By Frank Hurtte, River Heights Consulting The question we would like to explore is pretty simple. Back 20 years ago it was significant, today it’s huge. To illustrate the point, let’s look at what might happen when a special machine builder experienced issues in the field.

Dick Morley On Black Holes, Nanotechnology and Chocolate

N.O. Holder & Associates is now representing Advanced Micro Controls (AMCI) in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Automation.com, April 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Hannover Messe 2011 was larger than any other in the last 10 years, with more than 230,000 visitors. More than 6,500 businesses from 65 countries came to Hannover to display their solutions. The attendance numbers represent a growth of 10 to 15 percent over the comparable 2009 event.

AutomationDirect will sell KEPDirect OPC Server for use with its controllers and remote I/O.

The RNU, a PLC-based fuel governor, is a "plug and play" direct replacement for the existing Woodward range of NetCon controllers.

Automation.com, March 2011 By PLCopen North America The use of skid mounted equipment has become popular for a number of reasons but they pose some unique automation and control challenges that can be solved by using IEC 61131-3 and PLCopen standards.

Rockwell will monitor and control coal handling, ash handling, mill reject, water treatment and fire protection systems at Avantha Power in India.

Online game simulates a Plant Manager’s experience and challenges players to increase productivity, sustainability and the overall health of an industrial plant.

The 2011 catalog wraps Banner's sensor products together with lighting and indicators, machine vision, wireless and machine safety products.

ARC predicts strong growth of the PLC and PLC-based Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) market through 2014 in China, but provides no numbers.

Consisting of two identical vans, IIAT presents WAGO’s latest Automation, Interconnect and Electronic solutions directly to industrial professionals.