Articles and News

Driven by globalization, intensifying competition and rising customer demand for more options and higher quality products, a connected plant floor has become a necessity. Zebra’s survey shows the number of organizations achieving a fully connected factory is expected to rise dramatically over the next five years.

Under the terms of the agreement, Claroty will market its real-time OT/ICS network monitoring and detection solution to Schneider Electric's customers through the company's Collaborative Automation Partner Program (CAPP).

By Robert Glass, ABB As food manufacturing plants become more connected through the Industrial Internt of Things (IIoT), the threat of cyber-attacks and how much damage they can do, has increased. This article offers advice on how to ensure your manufacturing process is kept secure.

The training course is for Steam Plant Operations, Steam Plant Maintenance Personnel, Steam Plant Supervisors/Managers, Facility Operations/Maintenance Personnel and anyone associated with energy conversion.

The specification “PLCopen Safe Motion” version 1.0 – official release – is now available on the PLCopen website for downloading. This new solution is based on an existing functionality as already specified in PLCopen Safety: SF_SafetyRequest.

By Zach Arnold, Arnold Machine Material handling conveyors are often a key element of automated manufacturing systems. They safely and efficiently transfer parts across the warehouse floor from station to station or even through other automated systems.

By Marianne Williams, Emerson This article explains how the latest generation of vibrating fork level switches feature increased health monitoring functionality, which enables maintenance to be planned and process availability to be increased

As part of a five year, $15 million roll-out investment in technology, Jesse Garant Metrology Center’s latest expansion includes a more diverse range of advanced imaging systems, including industrial CT systems for inspecting large parts and assemblies.

5ME’s multi-patented cryogenic machining process is a technology designed to enable higher metal removal rates and longer tool life by delivering liquid nitrogen at 321°F through the spindle/turret, cutter body, cutting tool, and directly to the cutting edge.

By Bill Lydon, Editor, Automation.com There is a great deal of hype around IIoT, and much of it may never be realized, but Fluke and their Accelix platform is a real-world solution which may finally deliver the tangible IIoT gains that companies have been yearning for.

By Tom Bass, Emerson Automation Solutions Pumps in remote locations can be monitored with wireless transmitters in a cost-effective manner to improve uptime, avoid incidents and increase reliability.

In addition to RMR Enclosures, AmerisourceBergen also deployed CPI eConnect Monitored Power Distribution Units (PDUs), cable management and thermal management accessories.

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.

Manufacturers who are thinking about adding a robot to their production floor will have a clear view of what’s available. Those who plan on expanding automation in their factory will see which model would fit best.

Together, the three events address disciplines central to automation—robot safety, motion control, motor technologies, vision systems, and collaborative robots.

By Steve Gansen, Cisco With manufacturing there has been a real struggle with a slowing demographic and attracting new talent, causing a considerable amount of institutional knowledge to walk out the door into retirement. Manufacturers can no longer be complacent in dealing with talent.

With the creation of a separate business unit for the process industry, HIMA aims to focus their business strategy on stronger global growth and closer customer contact.

The Product Knowledge Workshop will take place on October 4-5 in San Marcos, California, and October 17-19 in Beijing, China. These workshops are designed to provide customers comprehensive training on FCI thermal dispersion mass flow meters, flow switches, and level switches.

FG05M, an overview course that provides technicians, engineers and managers the basic understanding of industrial process measurement and control and a foundation for communicating with other control systems professionals, is now offered in a training format that delivers the same valuable information in small, computer-based chunks.

By Bob McIlvride, Skkynet Cloud Systems More and more companies are recognizing the value hidden in their process data, and are looking at ways to tap into it. If you need to provide access to OPC data on your plant system, say for analytics, predictive maintenance, or real-time dashboards, you'll need to secure your system from the kind of threat that WannaCry poses