Search

By Punya Prakash, Texas Instruments Building automation systems are striving to keep up with a renaissance in processing prowess by incorporating hierarchical and distributed architectures, low-power processing and control capabilities, advanced sensors and many other exciting new technologies. In fact, sometimes the most pressing challenge is how to make sense of it all.

By Bill Lydon, Editor A pharmaceutical company describes how they invested in multivariate tools and were able to gain better process understanding and improve batch outcomes. In effect, they were able to transform data to actionable information.

By Jason Cook, MAC Solutions When it comes to selecting an enterprise-wide alarm management system, businesses should consider the pros and cons of a third party specific alarm management tool over a DCS vendor’s offering

By Nigel Rozier, Raima From batch processing to sophisticated real-time processes, effective data management is the key to boosting efficiency, increasing productivity and reducing costs in industrial applications. This article explores the role of data management solutions embedded within industrial automation systems.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Manufacturers worldwide are in a productivity race enabled by a wide range of new automation technology. In order for your company to remain competitive, it needs to apply new technology to grow and survive in the world economy. To do this, manufacturing companies must stay up to date on the latest developments.

By Mike Roberts, LNS Research Leaders understand that if you’re not moving forward, making year-over-year gains in key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics, then you’re destined to face some serious challenges down the road.

By Greg Goodwin, LNS Research The writing is on the wall: Paper is being slowly but surely phased out of our daily lives, and as goes the consumer so eventually will the enterprise.

The MagnetArc welding process developed by KUKA Systems is in use for production around the globe.

By Bill Battikha, Bergotech Management knows that training is required to meet global competition; however, management is squeezed between operating with a skeleton staff and tight budgets. The solution adopted by many organizations is online training.

By Rick Zabel, Publisher Automation Insights Network is a select group of controls and automation professionals who agree to help us cover news, emerging trends and technologies on various automation topics. Every two months, we will ask people in the Network to share their observations, knowledge and expertise with us. We take that information, distill it, and pass it on to our reporters and editors for use in future stories.

By Uson LP White paper contains pointers that can help any manufacturing engineer determine which leak testing equipment can recast the QC department into a strong ally of the production schedule while still upholding the highest quality standards.

By Anto Budiardjo, President of Clasma Events Inc. Buildings 2.0 is a vision that intricately intertwines buildings with Internet technologies. It says the future of buildings is one which is controlled, managed and connected to the Internet in a way that goes far beyond simply placing a web server to the control system or in the use of IP. This article describes the concept of Buildings 2.0.

By Rick Zabel, Automation.com The proposed name change of ISA (to "International Society of Automation") is up for a vote again during ISA Expo in Houston, October 14-16, 2008. Last year, the change was voted down, but I have yet to hear a compelling argument against the change. And there are many reasons for the change. If ISA is truly the global society of automation professionals, then its name should reflect its cause. It's time for a change!

There is a growing challenge on the plant floor if you haven’t experienced it yet, I am sure you will soon. A study by ARC predicts that the number of factory floor devices with an IP address is going to TRIPLE in the next four years and those devices are pushing lower and lower into the controls architecture… from systems, to sub-systems down to sensors… so Ethernet equipment with an IP addresses are increasing rapidly.

The significant benefits of error proofing both automated and manual assembly procedures are becoming increasingly evident in all industries. The objectives are both increased quality and increased productivity.

By Steve Lankford, Diamond Phoenix There are many things to consider when taking on a material handling project. It's in your best interest to have a systems integrator take responsibility for delivering a system that meets your expectations and goals.

By Carl Hosier, Honeywell Process Solutions Many manufacturing facilities have taken to integrating plant subsystems with their DCS to maximize productivity and improve overall efficiency. Applying this same concept to power generation could help electricity and steam generators streamline production in a way that makes sense to both their pocketbooks and the regulators.

By PLCOpen Backgrounder article explains what PLCOpen is, and what it does.

White paper explains why mobile device vendors and users can choose to forego today’s pre-standard 802.11n radios and stick with proven solutions that support some combination of 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g.

The first step in any power quality strategy is developing a complete understanding of your electrical environment, implementing a good power distribution system design and using good grounding techniques. If you want virtually maintenance free protection from a wide range of power problems, the constant voltage transformer, correctly applied, is still one of the best forms of total power conditioning.