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Automation.com, June 2011 By Robert McIlvride and Andew Thomas, Cogent Real-Time Systems What does redundancy look like in an OPC-based system? A typical scenario would have two OPC servers connected either to a single device or PLC, or possibly duplicate devices or PLCs. Those two OPC servers would then connect to some kind of OPC redundancy management software.

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.

Motion control systems are capable of extremely precise speed, position, and torque control. This article compares the three main motion control choices: standalone controllers, PC-based controllers, and PLCs. It describes how indexing, direction and electronic gearing are accomplished, examines future trends in motion control, and describes products available today for motion control.

By Bill Lydon, Editor, Automation.com Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) has been a hot topic at several conferences over the last 18 months. With the promise of connecting all devices in a single unifying network from sensor to enterprise, this article will explore why TSN is on the tip of everyone’s tongue.

The industrial revolution now underway, commonly referred to as Industry 4.0, is powered by advancements that include smart manufacturing, advanced analytics and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

By Clint Hayes, Bosch Rexroth Corporation Precision can be optimized by focusing on drive and mechanical factors that affect control engineering performance. Equipped with even with the most sophisticated motion controller, machine designers may find it difficult to achieve exact linear motion precision unless their mechanical components are accurately specified for the application. That’s why understanding the parameters for the given application, and the market, is the first step in attaining the required degree of precision.

Fiber Bragg grating (FBG)-based sensing technology originally developed by NASA represents a 20-fold improvement over existing sensing solutions and could represent a quantum leap forward for industries as diverse as automotive, aerospace, oil & gas, nuclear energy, medical devices, and wind energy.

Combining PLC processing and HMI monitoring and control into a single hardware platform is becoming a more available and popular option. This article compares the combined HMI+PLC unit with the separate HMI & PLC system and highlights where each excels.

Total orders rose to $11.2 billion, boosted by large orders (above $15 million) including a power transmission link in Europe, a mining automation project in the Americas and a gas treatment plant in Africa.

Orders decreased across all divisions and regions compared to the second quarter of 2008 on a combination of lower volumes and price decreases resulting from both lower raw material costs and reduced demand.

Requirements for open architectures and enhanced cybersecurity, driven by digital transformation, will shape the future of these systems. This article was originally published in the Automation 2021: Control Systems Ebook.

From Greg McMillan and the ISA Mentor Program team.

Safety, equipment and environmental protection, process efficiency and capacity, product quality, and control system maintenance depend on PID tuning.

The cause of a loop problem could be in the final control element, sensor/transmitter, software parameters, logic configuration, operator practices, or process design.

In this entry in the Ask the Automation Pros series, automation experts share their thoughts on the need and use of simulation in process control.

Russ Rhinehart asks the automation pros for their thoughts about the need for and use of simulation in process control.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Manufacturing Intelligence (MI) systems allow the aggregation and subsequent visualization and analysis of data to drive business decisions. Pharmaceutical companies share their companies' perspectives on MI solutions and their implementation plans.

PACs and MCCs from Rockwell Automation helped standardize plant-wide control and contributed to UK completing the project under budget and six months ahead of schedule.

ABB reported higher orders and revenues in the first quarter of 2012, led by growth in North America.

ABB reported third-quarter net income of $1 billion. Orders declined 15% and revenue was down 5%.