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Author Profile

Feature Image for Bill Lydon

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.

208 Results Found
  • Rockwell Automation Embraces Cloud Based Manufacturing Business Digitalization

    Rockwell Automation Embraces Cloud Based Manufacturing Business Digitalization

    Rockwell Automation embraces cloud-based digitalization of entire manufacturing businesses with the acquisition of Plex Systems for $2.22 billion.
    By: Bill Lydon
    01 September, 2021 | 3 minutes
  • Cybersecurity Investment Tax Credits

    Cybersecurity Investment Tax Credits

    The government should create cybersecurity investment tax credits for industry to stimulate more protection. This article was originally published in InTech's July/August issue.
    By: Bill Lydon
    30 August, 2021 | 2 minutes
  • Building OPC UA IIoT Applications with MQTT for Bandwidth Constrained Applications

    Building OPC UA IIoT Applications with MQTT for Bandwidth Constrained Applications

    OPC UA and MQTT are open-source technologies representative of the industrial automation architectural shift toward greater flexibility and interoperability. The OPC UA IIoT Starter Kit combines them so users can create solutions for bandwidth-constrained applications.
    By: Bill Lydon
    09 August, 2021 | 3 minutes
  • The Modular Production Evolution Continues with Bright Machines

    The Modular Production Evolution Continues with Bright Machines

    Bright Machines Modular Production Approach reflects growing trend of standardized machine modules to improve efficiency and profitability.
    By: Bill Lydon
    06 August, 2021 | 2 minutes
  • Open Integration, ‘Digital Chain’ May Solve IIoT Device Management Challenges

    Open Integration, ‘Digital Chain’ May Solve IIoT Device Management Challenges

    The Open Integration Partner program, initiated by Endress+Hauser, seeks on simple, fast, and manufacturer-independent integration of components and devices.
    By: Bill Lydon
    13 July, 2021 | 2 minutes
  • COPA Accelerates Process Manufacturing Competitiveness

    COPA Accelerates Process Manufacturing Competitiveness

    The Coalition for Open Process Automation (COPA) launched the COPA QuickStart for companies to leverage the Open Process Automation System (O-PAS) standard to be more competitive and profitable. The move to open industrial and process automation systems is analogous to the shifts that occurred when PC technology displaced minicomputer and mainframes.
    By: Bill Lydon
    12 July, 2021 | 3 minutes
  • Ethernet-APL: Closing Industrial Digitalization Gap

    Ethernet-APL: Closing Industrial Digitalization Gap

    The ACHEMA Pulse Live Days the Ethernet-APL organization, with members FieldComm Group, OPC Foundation, ODVA and Profibus & Profinet International showcased Ethernet-APL joint activity demonstrating, “IT-centric Instrumentation,” for process control, including hazardous areas.
    By: Bill Lydon
    30 June, 2021 | 3 minutes
  • Endress+Hauser Showcases its Digitalization Innovations

    Endress+Hauser Showcases its Digitalization Innovations

    In the world of increasing interest in open systems, Endress & Hauser showed its technological openness and innovation in the areas of sensors, edge devices and smart instrumentation.
    By: Bill Lydon
    27 May, 2021 | 3 minutes
  • BioPhorum MTP Testing Plugfest

    BioPhorum MTP Testing Plugfest

    Bill shares his observations of the recent BioPhorum MTP (Module Type Package) standard Plugfest days, where users and vendors collaborated moving towards the goal of achieving plug-and-play equipment interoperability for the biopharmaceutical and other industries. The user and vendor participants in the PlugFest were highly professional and focused on positive outcomes.
    By: Bill Lydon
    14 May, 2021 | 4 minutes
  • Microsoft Industrial Digitalization Platform Leverages OPC UA

    Microsoft Industrial Digitalization Platform Leverages OPC UA

    Azure IoT leverages OPC UA so industrial operations personnel get support for open systems and “don’t forget what [they] already know” when connecting OT systems to the cloud.
    By: Bill Lydon
    05 May, 2021 | 3 minutes
  • Industrial Digitalization: How an Edge Embedded Time Series SQL Database Delivers Performance

    Industrial Digitalization: How an Edge Embedded Time Series SQL Database Delivers Performance

    SQL features not typically available on an embedded device greatly simplify data management for software developers. In an interview with the founder of ITTIA LLC, Bill Lydon discusses industrial IoT edge devices and facilitation of OT data analytics.
    By: Bill Lydon
    29 April, 2021 | 4 minutes
  • Welders on Demand: Collaborative Robots Solving Skills Gap & Increasing Business

    Welders on Demand: Collaborative Robots Solving Skills Gap & Increasing Business

    Collaborative robots are being used to address the shortage of welders, which, according to the American Welding Society, will reach a deficit of 400,000 workers by 2024.
    By: Bill Lydon
    26 April, 2021 | 7 minutes
  • IEC 61499 Programming Standard: Will it Become Mainstream?

    IEC 61499 Programming Standard: Will it Become Mainstream?

    Giving a boost to the idea of a multivendor converged IT/OT industrial control system based on open standards, the 4diac open-source IEC 61499 project could dramatically accelerate industrial digitalization.
    By: Bill Lydon
    12 April, 2021 | 8 minutes
  • Preview Hannover Messe 2021: Innovative Product Presentations

    Preview Hannover Messe 2021: Innovative Product Presentations

    During the 2021 Hannover Messe Digital Edition Preview event, experts, associations, research organizations and suppliers presented their ideas and technologies for factories, energy systems and supply chains supporting “Industrial Transformation” theme.
    By: Bill Lydon
    19 March, 2021 | 11 minutes
  • Preview Hannover Messe 2021: Automation, Globalization and Digitalization Presentations

    Preview Hannover Messe 2021: Automation, Globalization and Digitalization Presentations

    “Globalization, digitalization and automation are game changers that continue as core themes for Hannover Messe that showcases thought leadership and solutions for industry to be more successful,” said Dr. Jochen Köckler, CEO Deutsche Messe AG, during the 2021 Hannover Messe Digital Edition 2021 preview event Feb. 3, 2021.
    By: Bill Lydon
    18 March, 2021 | 5 minutes
  • John Deere Digitalization & Automation Increases Farming Productivity

    John Deere Digitalization & Automation Increases Farming Productivity

    In addition to automation in factories, John Deere has applied a wide range of technologies to the difficult task of automating farming. Leading edge technologies and Industry 4.0 concepts are incorporated in John Deere’s new products, increasing productivity enabling farmers to produce more to feed a growing global population.
    By: Bill Lydon
    15 February, 2021 | 3 minutes
  • Moderna Builds Native Digital Process Automation on Amazon Web Services

    Moderna Builds Native Digital Process Automation on Amazon Web Services

    Moderna’s award-winning cGMP clinical development manufacturing facility—based in Norwood, Mass.—has a native digital process automation design built on Amazon Web Services (AWS). It serves as a great example of the integration of an entire manufacturing business using the latest technological building blocks, architecture and IoT ecosystem.
    By: Bill Lydon
    09 February, 2021 | 3 minutes
  • 26 Automation Trailblazers Who Changed the World

    26 Automation Trailblazers Who Changed the World

    The International Society of Automation (ISA) explores the lives and careers of some of those who have made the biggest impact on the world of automation.
    By: Bill Lydon
    22 January, 2021 | 11 minutes
  • Amazon Industrial Digitalization Platform

    Amazon Industrial Digitalization Platform

    Discrete and process manufacturers constantly struggle to create integrated manufacturing systems using disparate automation systems within a facility. Amazon Web Services now provides a flexible and open solution for achieving effective holistic operations, from sensor to enterprise.
    By: Bill Lydon
    06 January, 2021 | 6 minutes
  • OPC UA FLC (Field Level Communication) Enables Integrated Manufacturing Business

    OPC UA FLC (Field Level Communication) Enables Integrated Manufacturing Business

    The OPC UA FLC (Field Level Communication) initiative revolutionizes industrial communications to achieve integrated manufacturing business operations from sensor to enterprise and cloud.
    By: Bill Lydon
    04 January, 2021 | 5 minutes
  • Automation Fair at Home 2020: Rockwell Automation Evolution

    Automation Fair at Home 2020: Rockwell Automation Evolution

    The annual Rockwell Automation conference, Automation Fair at Home 2020, included a range of presentations highlighting the company’s Lifecycle Services, support of IT/OT integration and digitalization offerings with partners including Accenture and PTC.
    By: Bill Lydon
    11 December, 2020 | 5 minutes
  • ODVA Discusses New Principal Member, Cybersecurity, 2021 Directions

    ODVA Discusses New Principal Member, Cybersecurity, 2021 Directions

    ODVA’s briefing included naming HARTING a new principal member, details on CIP Security enhancements for EtherNet/IP that enable user-level authentication, and the standard organization’s strategic priorities for 2021.
    By: Bill Lydon
    10 December, 2020 | 4 minutes
  • SPE Pioneer Summit 2020: Revolutionizing Industrial Automation at the Edge

    SPE Pioneer Summit 2020: Revolutionizing Industrial Automation at the Edge

    Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) and Advanced Physical Layer (APL) are building blocks for a dramatically new manufacturing and process automation digitalization architecture.
    By: Bill Lydon
    02 December, 2020 | 4 minutes
  • Schneider Electric Climate Change & Sustainability Commitment: Innovation Summit World Tour 2020

    Schneider Electric Climate Change & Sustainability Commitment: Innovation Summit World Tour 2020

    Attending the Schneider Electric Executive Briefing as part of the Innovation Summit World Tour 2020 provided insight into the company’s leadership values, thinking and direction from Chairman and CEO Jean Pascal Tricoire; Philippe Delorme, executive vice-president, energy management; Peter Herweck, executive vice-president, industry automation; and Chris Leong, chief marketing officer.
    By: Bill Lydon
    06 November, 2020 | 3 minutes
  • Industrial Cybersecurity: PAS Optics 2020 Event

    Industrial Cybersecurity: PAS Optics 2020 Event

    The PAS OptICS 2020 virtual event explored the key operational and cybersecurity challenges facing industrial organizations as well as best practices and strategies to address them.
    By: Bill Lydon
    05 November, 2020 | 6 minutes
  • Envisioning the Future: Ignition Community Conference 2020

    Envisioning the Future: Ignition Community Conference 2020

    The Inductive Automation Ignition Community Conference 2020 (ICC2020) has become an important event for automation professionals, and this year’s virtual event due to the pandemic was no exception.
    By: Bill Lydon
    14 October, 2020 | 4 minutes
  • Industrial Automation in the Maker Era: Raspberry Pi Industrial Edge Platform

    Industrial Automation in the Maker Era: Raspberry Pi Industrial Edge Platform

    Sfera Labs has a vision to provide innovative technology bridging the best of the Maker World with the industrial automation market with the introduction of the Iono Pi Max.
    By: Bill Lydon
    13 October, 2020 | 4 minutes
  • Edge Computing: Chip Delivers High Performance Artificial Intelligence

    Edge Computing: Chip Delivers High Performance Artificial Intelligence

    The Hailo-8TM inference chip expands the number of industrial Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications possible for a wide range of industrial applications including optimization of production, processes, track & trace, logistics, quality, machine functions, and predictive maintenance by eliminating inherent limitations of server and cloud solutions with processing at the edge.
    By: Bill Lydon
    12 October, 2020 | 4 minutes
  • Pandemic Accelerates Manufacturing Digitalization

    Pandemic Accelerates Manufacturing Digitalization

    Attending the AVEVA World Digital Virtual Press Roundtable provided thoughts and insights about the impacts of the pandemic and recovery.
    By: Bill Lydon
    14 September, 2020 | 4 minutes
  • AVEVA Roundtable Insights: Digitalization Reenergizing Industry

    AVEVA Roundtable Insights: Digitalization Reenergizing Industry

    AVEVA hosted a virtual roundtable panel discussion Aug. 26, 2020 with key people from the world’s largest oil & gas organizations to understand how technology is reenergizing industry.
    By: Bill Lydon
    03 September, 2020 | 7 minutes
  • Rockwell Automation Advances Digital Edge Architecture with ASEM Acquisition

    Rockwell Automation Advances Digital Edge Architecture with ASEM Acquisition

    “Seamlessly connecting all levels of a business and turning raw data into powerful insights happens when devices are integrated and data is standardized. No one vendor can do this alone," said Rockwell Automation Chairman and CEO Blake Moret.
    By: Bill Lydon
    12 August, 2020 | 3 minutes
  • ROKLive DX Strategists Conference: Manufacturing Digitalization Keys to Success

    ROKLive DX Strategists Conference: Manufacturing Digitalization Keys to Success

    Retired Procter & Gamble VP Tony Saldana highlights the opportunities successful digitalization offers and outlines the skills, actions and mindsets manufacturing companies need to thrive during the pandemic and the Fourth Industrial Revolution Era.
    By: Bill Lydon
    06 August, 2020 | 8 minutes
  • OPC Foundation Empowers Sensor-to-Cloud Digitalization

    OPC Foundation Empowers Sensor-to-Cloud Digitalization

    OPC Days 2020, a virtual event held June 22- 25, provided the latest information about OPC UA (Open Platform Communications United Architecture), the protocol-agnostic framework for the Industrial Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 initiatives.
    By: Bill Lydon
    28 July, 2020 | 6 minutes
  • Era of Empowerment for Automation Professionals

    Era of Empowerment for Automation Professionals

    Automation professionals are critical to successfully selecting and applying these technologies and guiding management to maximize their productivity. This role will continue and expand, as more companies look to make informed productive technological investments and implementation decisions to yield profitable results.
    By: Bill Lydon
    15 July, 2020 | 2 minutes
  • Open Standards Mean More Options for Industrial Automation

    Open Standards Mean More Options for Industrial Automation

    By Bill Lydon Open system options continue to emerge from nontraditional suppliers and standards groups, and this is a trend that I expect will accelerate and enable multivendor interoperability at all levels of the system architecture.
    By: Bill Lydon
    15 July, 2020 | 3 minutes
  • Wired and Wireless Networks Advance in Power

    Wired and Wireless Networks Advance in Power

    Both wired and wireless networks have been undergoing a significant evolution during the past decade, enabling greater opportunities to those who leverage the advancements in the next one.
    By: Bill Lydon
    14 July, 2020 | 5 minutes
  • Enhanced Integration Drives Need for Enhanced Cybersecurity

    Enhanced Integration Drives Need for Enhanced Cybersecurity

    There is an increasing recognition that an integrated cybersecurity approach is required for an entire manufacturing and production company. Many manufacturing companies are realizing with the integration of IT, OT, automation and other functions that designating one leader responsible for all cybersecurity for the company is most effective.
    By: Bill Lydon
    14 July, 2020 | 5 minutes
  • Pushing Plant Computing to the Edge and to the Cloud Factories

    Pushing Plant Computing to the Edge and to the Cloud Factories

    By Bill Lydon Time synchronization and accelerate the continued integration of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) groups. This trend has been facilitating changes in organizational structures, and the creation, in many cases, of integrated IT/OT groups.
    By: Bill Lydon
    13 July, 2020 | 2 minutes
  • The Growing Impact of the Cobot Revolution

    The Growing Impact of the Cobot Revolution

    By Bill Lydon Accelerating the application of collaborative types of robots is the integration of vision systems with artificial intelligence, and this integration is enabling a range of new applications.
    By: Bill Lydon
    12 July, 2020 | 1 minutes
  • Digital Transformation Leads to Integrated Factories

    Digital Transformation Leads to Integrated Factories

    By Bill Lydon, Implementing Digital Twin concepts is quickly becoming fundamental for organizations achieve real-time integrated manufacturing.
    By: Bill Lydon
    12 July, 2020 | 2 minutes
  • Continued Evolution for Process Automation

    Continued Evolution for Process Automation

    By Bill Lydon The Process Automation industry has been heavily impacted by the influx of new technologies and, as we enter the next decade, several organizations are providing roadmaps in order to help process automation companies enable the best practices to leverage these technologies and drive competitiveness and productivity forward.
    By: Bill Lydon
    02 July, 2020 | 3 minutes
  • Worldwide Blossoming of Country-Centric Open Manufacturing Initiatives

    Worldwide Blossoming of Country-Centric Open Manufacturing Initiatives

    By Bill Lydon The impact of open manufacturing initiatives continues to be a worldwide affair. These initiatives continue to grow as industry recognizes the need to modernize and the Industry 4.0 movement (called “Industrie 4.0” in Germany, its country of origin) continues to accelerate.
    By: Bill Lydon
    01 July, 2020 | 2 minutes
  • Digitalization Driving Manufacturing to New Heights

    Digitalization Driving Manufacturing to New Heights

    By Bill Lydon Manufacturing and production companies are realizing digitalization requires structure, organizational changes, and integration of information technology (IT), operations technology (OT) and automation technology.
    By: Bill Lydon
    30 June, 2020 | 2 minutes
  • PTC LiveWorx on Moving Digitalization from Vision to Reality

    PTC LiveWorx on Moving Digitalization from Vision to Reality

    The multi-session live event, recorded and available on demand for those who missed it, described how digitalization is a competitive imperative for manufacturing and production companies that want to thrive and survive.
    By: Bill Lydon
    18 June, 2020 | 6 minutes
  • Leveraging the Digitalization Toolbox to Distance Workers in the COVID-19 Era

    Leveraging the Digitalization Toolbox to Distance Workers in the COVID-19 Era

    By Bill Lydon Running a manufacturing plant in the COVID-19 pandemic era means distancing coworkers and minimizing their interactions. Fortunately, there are a range of industrial automation solutions available that can help organizations achieve these new goals while also being consistent with digitalization investments to improve productivity.
    By: Bill Lydon
    03 June, 2020 | 5 minutes
  • Innovative Engineering Solutions Contribute to COVID-19 Medical Protection

    Innovative Engineering Solutions Contribute to COVID-19 Medical Protection

    By Bill Lydon Many organizations in the manufacturing industry have shifted assets in order to innovate and produce solutions that are contributing to the protection of medical personnel on the front lines of the COVID-19 fight. In this article, we highlight two of these innovative engineering solutions that are keeping these crucial personnel safe
    By: Bill Lydon
    29 May, 2020 | 4 minutes
  • The Missing ‘Industry 4.0/Digitalization’ Link – Open Programming Standard Conformance & Certification

    The Missing ‘Industry 4.0/Digitalization’ Link – Open Programming Standard Conformance & Certification

    By Bill Lydon Achieving the benefits of digitalization requires organizations to leverage Industry 4.0 and IoT (Internet of Things) concepts, technology, and architecture with open standards.
    By: Bill Lydon
    27 May, 2020 | 4 minutes
  • ODVA General Meeting Focuses on Industrial Digitalization

    ODVA General Meeting Focuses on Industrial Digitalization

    By Bill Lydon More than 120 industry professionals from more than 50 companies attended to focus on supporting industrial digitalization through the association’s device connectivity technologies, which include the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) and the network adaptations of CIP: EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, ControlNet and CompoNet.
    By: Bill Lydon
    30 April, 2020 | 5 minutes
  • Hannover Preview 2020: Digitalization and Mobility Reach Higher Importance in COVID-19 Environment

    Hannover Preview 2020: Digitalization and Mobility Reach Higher Importance in COVID-19 Environment

    By Bill Lydon While the April Hannover Messe event is cancelled, industrial companies remain focused on digital transformation techniques, methods and ideas.
    By: Bill Lydon
    01 April, 2020 | 4 minutes
  • ODVA 2020 General Meeting Focuses on Industrial Digitalization

    ODVA 2020 General Meeting Focuses on Industrial Digitalization

    By Bill Lydon, Automation.com One of the last automation events to occur before the coronavirus shut down business gatherings around the world was the ODVA 20th Annual Meeting of Members in Palm Harbor, Florida, USA on March 5, 2020. More than 120 industry professionals attended to focus on supporting industrial digitalization through the association’s device connectivity technologies, which include the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) and the network adaptations of CIP: EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, ControlNet and CompoNet.
    By: Bill Lydon
    24 March, 2020 | 5 minutes
  • New FDT Architecture Delivers Manufacturing Digitalization Platform

    New FDT Architecture Delivers Manufacturing Digitalization Platform

    By Bill Lydon, Automation.com One of the last automation events to occur before the coronavirus shut down business gatherings around the world was the ODVA 20th Annual Meeting of Members in Palm Harbor, Florida, USA on March 5, 2020. More than 120 industry professionals attended to focus on supporting industrial digitalization through the association’s device connectivity technologies, which include the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) and the network adaptations of CIP: EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, ControlNet and CompoNet.
    By: Bill Lydon
    24 March, 2020 | 4 minutes
  • 2019 PAR Insights from the Annual Pharmaceutical Automation Roundtable and Survey

    2019 PAR Insights from the Annual Pharmaceutical Automation Roundtable and Survey

    By Bill Lydon The current state of pharma manufacturing maturity and the future of automation in the sector were important topics at the annual Pharmaceutical Automation Roundtable (PAR) held October 2019 at a Novo Nordisk facility.
    By: Bill Lydon
    22 March, 2020 | 5 minutes
  • 2019 PAR Insights: Automation Workforce Development Trends

    2019 PAR Insights: Automation Workforce Development Trends

    Members of the annual Pharmaceutical Automation Roundtable (PAR) held October 2019 reflect on workforce skills, training, certification and development.
    By: Bill Lydon
    21 March, 2020 | 6 minutes
  • ARC 2020 Conference Wrap-up: How IT/OT Integration Helps to Accomplish Digitalization

    ARC 2020 Conference Wrap-up: How IT/OT Integration Helps to Accomplish Digitalization

    By Bill Lydon Focused on the theme, Driving Digital Transformation in Industry and Cities, the February 3-6 event had over 800 attendees from 20 countries representing more than 300 companies, along with many breakout sessions and workshops.
    By: Bill Lydon
    17 March, 2020 | 5 minutes
  • Growing Problem with Counterfeit Electrical Products

    Growing Problem with Counterfeit Electrical Products

    Counterfeit electrical products are a growing problem that can have serious consequences. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reports fiscal year 2008 seizures totaled more than $272.7 million in counterfeit and pirated goods, a 38 percent increase in domestic value over fiscal year 2007. In the category of Top Safety and Security Commodities for fiscal year 2009, electrical products moved from 5th to 2nd position just behind pharmaceuticals.
    By: Bill Lydon
    25 February, 2020 | 2 minutes
  • New Gigabyte Industrial Ethernet Open Protocol - CC-Link IE

    New Gigabyte Industrial Ethernet Open Protocol - CC-Link IE

    The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) announced the release of the open architecture gigabit (GB) CC-Link IE Field Network. I recently met with two members of CLPA Americas to get an update on the latest CC-Link IE standard.
    By: Bill Lydon
    24 February, 2020 | 3 minutes
  • Product Spotlight: Micro DCS - Small to Midrange Process Control

    Product Spotlight: Micro DCS - Small to Midrange Process Control

    The Freelance system combines easy engineering with open system architecture. ABB describes Freelance as a small footprint DCS for small to medium sized plants in the process industry and for applications requiring DCS functionality in a compact system with intuitive and efficient engineering tools.
    By: Bill Lydon
    22 February, 2020 | 3 minutes
  • World Economic Forum 2020 - Fourth Industrial Revolution or Evolution?

    World Economic Forum 2020 - Fourth Industrial Revolution or Evolution?

    By Bill Lydon, Contributing Editor Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies are disrupting the manufacturing industry, and that disruption has risen to the highest levels: a topic for discussion at the 2020 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in late January
    By: Bill Lydon
    07 February, 2020 | 5 minutes
  • Single Pair Ethernet Industrial Automation Joins IoT Revolution

    Single Pair Ethernet Industrial Automation Joins IoT Revolution

    By Bill Lydon, Contributing Editor Attending the Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) Symposium hosted by Harting Electronics and the SPE Partner Network organization, I learned more about the 10BASE-T1 Single Pair Ethernet. SPE is an exciting development enabling seamless ethernet connectivity from sensor to enterprise, connecting the IoT universe.
    By: Bill Lydon
    03 February, 2020 | 3 minutes
  • ISA95 In the IoT & Digitalization Era

    ISA95 In the IoT & Digitalization Era

    The ANSI/ISA95 standard, generally referred to as ISA95, is an important tool for digitalization. It provides the framework, modeling, and vendor independent common information models which can be applied in any manufacturing or process industry production architecture.
    By: Bill Lydon
    06 January, 2020 | 3 minutes
  • Inside the Rise of 5G Industrial Automation Networking

    Inside the Rise of 5G Industrial Automation Networking

    Hannover Messe 2019 created a buzz with the 5G Arena showcasing the latest 5G developments, products and solutions for the industry. 5G is starting to make the goal of wireless industrial automation a reality. Companies are already starting to deploy private 5G networks within plants and are seeing increases in performance, determinism, low latency, and reliability.
    By: Bill Lydon
    10 December, 2019 | 4 minutes
  • Fabtech 2019: Edge Computer Integrates Machine Work Cell Control & Automation

    Fabtech 2019: Edge Computer Integrates Machine Work Cell Control & Automation

    Siemens introduced the Sinumerik Motion Control (MC) open, industrial PC-based CNC for fabrication and metal-processing machines at Fabtech 2019. The introduction is an affirmation of the growing trend to use Edge Computer platforms to integrate all control & automation functions in a machining work cell including CNC, PLC, Drives, motors, safety and other production related functions to achieve higher levels of productivity and profits.
    By: Bill Lydon
    10 December, 2019 | 2 minutes
  • PLC Programming Preference Survey - Insights and User Comments

    PLC Programming Preference Survey - Insights and User Comments

    The PLCopen organization and Automation.com conducted a joint survey of PLC programming preferences. Here are some of the results to inform you of current trends in PLC programming and users thoughts on vendors.
    By: Bill Lydon
    03 December, 2019 | 3 minutes
  • Industry 4.0 Concepts for Discrete Manufacturing Applied to Process Automation

    Industry 4.0 Concepts for Discrete Manufacturing Applied to Process Automation

    Industry 4.0 initially focused on discrete manufacturing, and now there is an additional focus on process automation
    By: Bill Lydon
    02 December, 2019 | 11 minutes
  • The Industrial Automation Transformation Change Agent - Inside Inductive Automation's ICC 2019 Conference

    The Industrial Automation Transformation Change Agent - Inside Inductive Automation's ICC 2019 Conference

    By Bill Lydon, Automation.com The 2019 Inductive Automation Ignition Community Conference was another high energy, creative, and stimulating leadership event. With the company illustrating the power of the next level of software technology and leveraging this with a new business model, Inductive Automation illuminated their progression to be more responsive to industry and customer requirements.
    By: Bill Lydon
    19 November, 2019 | 6 minutes
    Sponsored By Inductive Automation
  • Inside the Integration at Milwaukee's New Fiserv Forum Sports & Entertainment Complex

    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 Lydon
    05 November, 2019 | 5 minutes
  • Why Automation Professionals Need to Go Beyond the Obvious and Create Elegant Solutions

    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 Lydon
    30 October, 2019 | 3 minutes
  • Epicor Strategy Empowers Digitalization for Small & Medium Manufacturers

    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 Lydon
    24 October, 2019 | 5 minutes
  • Why Industrial Cybersecurity Needs to Start at the Top and Be Embraced by All

    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 Lydon
    26 August, 2019 | 2 minutes
  • Does Your Company Have Vision to Leverage Disruptive Industrial Automation Innovations?

    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 Lydon
    29 July, 2019 | 6 minutes
  • Democratizing Digitalization to Achieve Manufacturing Competitiveness at PTC LiveWorx 2019

    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 Lydon
    25 June, 2019 | 4 minutes
  • Insights from 2019 3DEXPERIENCE Forum: Inside Boeing's Digital Transformation Journey using ISA-95

    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 Lydon
    11 June, 2019 | 3 minutes
  • Tension in Industrial Automation: Open Systems and the User's Dilemma

    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 Lydon
    08 May, 2019 | 6 minutes
  • 2019 Hannover Messe Wrap Up: The Growing Realization of Industry 4.0 & Digitalization

    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 Lydon
    30 April, 2019 | 6 minutes
  • Can Manufacturers Compete When Trapped in Existing Automation Architectures?

    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 Lydon
    01 April, 2019 | 5 minutes
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