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Industrial Automation and Control
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Digital Transformation
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Bill Lydon
Bill Lydon, an experienced industrial automation technical and business professional, is currently a consultant providing insights, facilitating thinking and coaching for digital manufacturing transformation. Lydon has 35 years of experience, including industrial, Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), process control/DCS, electrical power/utility and building automation with technology and business experience ranging from design, application engineering, corporate experience, co-founder & president of a start-up company. He started his career as a designer of computer-based machine tool controls; in other positions, he applied programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and process control technology. He's trained and experienced as a group Creative Problem Solving & Value Engineering facilitator.
Working at a large company, Lydon served a two-year stint as part of a five-person task group, that designed a new generation automation system including controllers, networking and supervisory and control software. He also designed software for chiller and boiler plant optimization. Bill was the product manager for a multimillion-dollar controls and automation product line and later cofounder and president of an industrial control software company with solutions for factory and process control and automation.
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Inside the Integration at Milwaukee's New Fiserv Forum Sports & Entertainment Complex
Since its opening in August of 2018, Fiserv Forum has quickly become home to many passionate Milwaukee Bucks basketball fans. Yet, aside from the on-court product, the new entertainment and sports center in downtown Milwaukee is an integrated facility, working to enhance fan experience, comfort and safety.By: Bill Lydon05 November, 2019 | 5 minutes -
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Why Automation Professionals Need to Go Beyond the Obvious and Create Elegant Solutions
Automation professionals may well benefit from taking a chance to develop options beyond the obvious, finding elegant solutions that are superior.By: Bill Lydon30 October, 2019 | 3 minutes -
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Epicor Strategy Empowers Digitalization for Small & Medium Manufacturers
While many manufacturers are aware of the benefits of digitalization, it can be difficult to figure out where to begin, in order to reap those benefits. EPICOR has put together an architecture for companies, particularly small and medium manufacturers, to implement Industry 4.0, and Internet of Things conceptsy.By: Bill Lydon24 October, 2019 | 5 minutes -
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Why Industrial Cybersecurity Needs to Start at the Top and Be Embraced by All
Organizations that invest in a cybersecurity culture are unlikely to be a cybersecurity disaster news headline.By: Bill Lydon26 August, 2019 | 2 minutes -
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Does Your Company Have Vision to Leverage Disruptive Industrial Automation Innovations?
When technology that has the potential for revolutionizing an industry emerges, typically only a few companies with vision see it as attractive and leverage it.By: Bill Lydon29 July, 2019 | 6 minutes -
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Democratizing Digitalization to Achieve Manufacturing Competitiveness at PTC LiveWorx 2019
By Bill Lydon, Automation.com While attending LiveWorx 2019, for example, it was obvious to me that that PTC has created the most open system architecture which manufacturers can use to leverage digitalization and collaboration to achieve strong competitive positions in their industries.By: Bill Lydon25 June, 2019 | 4 minutes -
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Insights from 2019 3DEXPERIENCE Forum: Inside Boeing's Digital Transformation Journey using ISA-95
The digital transformation continues to flow throughout manufacturing, generating electricity among the audience at event after event. At the 2019 Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE in May, it was Boeing, and Lucia Chung, Senior Director, IT Factory Operations, who provided insights into Boeing’s digital transformation effort.By: Bill Lydon11 June, 2019 | 3 minutes -
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Tension in Industrial Automation: Open Systems and the User's Dilemma
By Bill Lydon, Automation.com Suppliers either adapt with technology, or they lose customers and die. This is true in every industry. The industrial and process automation industries will be no exception.By: Bill Lydon08 May, 2019 | 6 minutes -
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2019 Hannover Messe Wrap Up: The Growing Realization of Industry 4.0 & Digitalization
Illuminating the theme of ‘Integrated Industry - Industrial Intelligence, the 2019 Hannover Messe, hosted 6,500 exhibitors from 75 countries and 215,000 attendees from 95 nations. The event, which featured Sweden as the partner country, hosted over 80 forums and conferences which highlighted many new digitalization trends and technologies.By: Bill Lydon30 April, 2019 | 6 minutes -
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Can Manufacturers Compete When Trapped in Existing Automation Architectures?
Manufacturing companies are becoming more aware of the need to modernize production methods and automation to compete globally, but many still find themselves stuck in a sunk investment trap.By: Bill Lydon01 April, 2019 | 5 minutes -
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How the Internet of Things Impacts Manufacturing
Dramatic advancements in technology are driving the Internet of Things, creating more tools for industrial automation and the process industries.By: Bill Lydon18 March, 2019 | 9 minutes -
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Hannover Messe 2019 Preview: Digital Networking Humans & Machines in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
During a January preview for the event, over 120 journalists, including yours truly, gathered for presentations and discussions from the Hannover Messe team, and over 40 exhibitors, expanding on the topics and technologies that so many will experienceBy: Bill Lydon26 February, 2019 | 5 minutes -
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Bill’s Top 10 Automation & Control Trends for 2019 – Accelerating Change & Reaching the Tipping Point
The pace of technological change in the automation industry seems to be accelerating as we head into 2019, driven by innovations developed for Internet of Things and general computing.By: Bill Lydon29 January, 2019 | 23 minutes -
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What is Open Source & Why Should You Care?
Lydon brings more than 10 years of writing and editing expertise to Automation.com, plus more than 25 years of experience designing and applying technology in the automation and controls industry. Lydon started his career as a designer of computer-based machine tool controls; in other positions, he applied programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and process control technology. In addition to working at various large companies (e.g., Sundstrand, Johnson Controls, and Wago), Lydon served a two-year stint as part of a five-person task group, where he designed controls, automation systems, and software for chiller and boiler plant optimization. He was also a product manager for a multimillion-dollar controls and automation product line and president of an industrial control software company.By: Bill Lydon10 December, 2018 | 5 minutes -
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How Programming Standards Improve Automation and Controls
IEC 61131-3 software standards improve the quality of applications and the efficiency of building applications. Structured modular software improves the reuse of applications.By: Bill Lydon26 November, 2018 | 7 minutes -
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Redefine and Transform How You Execute Automation Projects
Improving on what has always been done can only result in incremental improvements at best or continued complications. We have to redefine and transform how we execute automation projects.By: Bill Lydon03 September, 2018 | 3 minutes -
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Industry 4.0 Make to Order Manufacturing at Valpak, Who Would Have Guessed?
I was impressed by a tour of the Valpak Manufacturing Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, hosted by Siemens, which is a great example of a company applying Industry 4.0 make to order manufacturing concepts.By: Bill Lydon15 August, 2018 | 3 minutes -
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How Industry 4.0 and Digitization Improves Manufacturing Responsiveness, Quality, and Efficiency
Automation is essential to the implementation of Industry 4.0 and IoT strategies as manufacturers realize low labor rates are no longer a winning strategy.By: Bill Lydon18 June, 2018 | 11 minutes -
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How to Leverage the ISA Ecosystem to Advance Your Career in Industrial Automation
The automation industry is experiencing rapid changes and challenges; the diversity of ISA members is a great resource of experience, ideas, and know-how.By: Bill Lydon13 June, 2018 | 3 minutes -
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Digital Factory Comes into Focus at Hannover Messe 2018
Resembling more a bustling city than a trade fair, the 71st Hannover Messe was very busy and chock full of energy and innovation this year, with over 200,000 attendees from 75 countries. Focusing on the theme 'Integrated Industry – Connect & Collaborate', the Digital Factory was front and center.By: Bill Lydon22 May, 2018 | 8 minutes
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