Articles and News

Autopro Automation Consultants is a engineering and integration firm that specializes in the design and implementation of industrial automation solutions.

The equipment will provide students with hands-on CNC programming experience and help to familiarize them with advanced CNC machine tool operation and control techniques.

ASHRAE Guideline 13-2014, Specifying Building Automation Systems, provide designers of building automation systems (BAS) with background information, recommendations for good practice, project considerations, and detailed discussion of options with respect to the design of a BAS system.

Version 2014.1 specification updates enhance FOUNDATION for Remote Operations Management (ROM) and the usability of FOUNDATION technology.

TSI Solutions is a factory automation systems house located in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

Fuses, circuit breakers, power distribution blocks and surge protective devices (SPDs) for commercial, utility and residential solar segments reduce installation costs, maintain reliable operations, help enhance safety and maximize energy harvested.

Founded in 1939, Riken Keiki has been specializing in developing gas detection and monitoring solutions to help ensure safety in industrial sites for almost a decade.

The world market for operator terminals was worth $2.32 billion in 2013, and will generate revenues of approximately $3.16 billion in 2018.

By Dr. Alex Tarter, Ultra Electronics For less than the price of a nice dinner, and a weekend's effort, almost anyone can build a penetration device that can be slipped into a pocket, surreptitiously connect to the network, and used to remotely access systems anytime and from anywhere desired.

Originally installed in April 2012, the system captures braking energy for redistribution into the SEPTA power network while generating revenue with behind the meter load response to sustain the local grid and the wholesale energy market.

Isolated amplifier products carry the CE approval.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Communication technology is taking a role in strengthening U.S. manufacturing. Tom Bianculli, Motorola Solutions’ Senior Director of Emerging Business, talks about the type of technological advances that will improve operations on the manufacturing floor.

When performing a temperature calibration, it is important to remember that the uncertainty of calibration is not the same as the accuracy of the device.

Analyst views of the Internet of Things (IoT) vary drastically depending on how one defines the topic. As a result, there is the potential for much hyping.

Applied Motion Products was founded in 1978 and specializes in providing advanced stepper and servo motor drives to a broad range of industrial and OEM customers.

Course content has been prepared and written by a team of Subject Matter Experts who are Level 3 Certified Infrared Thermographers, each having over 20 years of professional experience.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Industrial control systems are the “brains” of any automated manufacturing system. Many of these systems require motion systems - “brawn” - to accomplish the physical aspects of automation. Motion technologies have improved and are refined to meet the new manufacturing requirements. MDA North America provides the opportunity for engineers to sharpen motion knowledge and learn from industry experts first hand.

By Bill Lydon, Editor After a successful debut in 2012, Industrial Automation North America (NA) is coming back to Chicago. Industrial Automation NA is co-located with the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS). The shows will welcome visitors at McCormick Place on September 8-13, 2014. As an added bonus, this year Industrial Automation NA will feature the inaugural Motion, Drive & Automation North America (MDA North America).

Six 100” video screens attached to six industrial robots help cruise ship operator take on-board entertainment and amenities to the next level.

The use of plant-wide feedforward control can move a plant quickly and smoothly for more flexible and efficient manufacturing.

Attendees at Sensors Expo who download the Sensors Mobile App can explore specific areas of the show through the scavenger hunt and collect points for each emBeacon they encounter.

April U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $175 million, up 2.1 percent from March’s total and down 3.3 percent from April 2013.

By Bob Dolin, Echelon The emerging Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) represents the next generation of control networks for building automation. But unlike the consumer Internet of Things, the IIoT isn’t starting from scratch.

While the global PLM market slowed in the second half of 2013, China had another strong year, with nearly 13% growth to US$845 million.

SKF Mobile Apps can be downloaded free to smartphones and tablets from the Apple app store and the Google Play store for use anywhere and anytime.

L.P. Larson is a predictive maintenance solution company based in Braintree, Massachusetts.

Rosemount 5300 Guided Wave Radar (GWR) level transmitters are now certified to IEC 61508 for safety instrumented functions up to SIL 3.

Exploring the Global Shale Gas Initiative—Potential opportunities for ISA

The 57th ISA Power Industry Division (POWID) Symposium attracted almost 200 attendees and 18 exhibiting companies.

SETPOINT CMS software will use OSIsoft’s PI System technology for its underlying real-time data infrastructure.

In 2013, about 179,000 industrial robots were sold worldwide, an all-time high and 12 percent more than in 2012. China, of course, is by far the biggest robot market in the world regarding annual sales.

Honeywell will supply technology to integrate Suncor Energy’s control and safety systems, manage alarms, and provide simulation software that enables critical operations planning and operator training.

Transparency Market Research says the global smart cities market is expected to reach a value of USD 1,265.85 billion by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 14.0% from 2013 to 2019.

The office will be used for sales, training, parts warehousing and robot demonstrations.

Wetzel joins IMPERX from TRUESENSE Imaging, formerly Eastman Kodak Company Image Sensor Solutions group, where he held various product and sales management roles

The demise of DC variable speed drives has been predicted by many people for years, but the inherent advantages of DC current for applications requiring accurate control of motor speed and torque, especially at low or zero speeds, mean this technology is still very much alive.

By Pat Garrehy, Rootstock In our litigious society, the day is quickly coming when any manufacturer better be able to trace the history of anything they make. Where the law requires you to maintain accurate records for each unique Lot and/or Serial Number purchase and sale, you need Lot Serial Control.

WEBENCH PCB Export lets engineers create a power supply printed circuit board (PCB) layout and export it to computer-aided design (CAD) development platforms.

There is more hydrogen sulfide in our crude oil input than ever before. The H2S concentration in crude oil is of great concern to anyone transporting oil in their pipelines, buying oil, or receiving oil as feed to a refinery.

Siemens is using a mobile robot cell in its Bad Neustadt production facility for electric motors.

KUKA will be demonstrating its welding competence at the 19th Beijing Essen Welding & Cutting Exhibition from June 10-13.

igus and Germanischer Lloyd developed a new test standard for cables used in motion control applications aboard ships and in offshore applications.

The research report on mobile robotics market provides detailed analysis on a global basis, with further breakdown into various sub-segments.

CYE Petrol will use Emerson’s Micro Motion Certified Bunker Measurement Solutions to enable accurate, transparent fuel deliveries from two new bunker barges being built in Turkey.

The HIMA global group achieved record sales of 105 million euros, a 16% increase over the previous year. The global sales increase was significantly higher than the industry average.

Although it was a more costly option initially, the automated barrier door was clearly the best choice for protecting employees, minimizing downtime and keeping long-term maintenance costs low.

By Keith Schmitz, Rytec High Performance Doors At MINOR’S food processing plant in Cleveland a forklift picks up a bin of their product and carries it into the next room. Unlike most facilities the forklifts here never take a break because there is no one sitting in the driver’s seat.

April U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $391.53 million down 20.4% from March but up 9.8% when compared with the total of $356.52 million reported for April 2013.

Hoosier Energy operates eight power plants, including three renewable energy facilities and a 1,700-mile transmission network.

Transparency Market Research says the Photonic IC market was valued at USD 160.1 million in 2012, which is expected to reach USD 996.2 million by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 31.3% from 2013 to 2019.

Piecewise Controller Design for Affine Fuzzy Systems

Growth in this market is driven by the use of ultrasonic flowmeters for custody transfer applications and the resulting product development of multipath meters. Inline ultrasonic meters account for two-thirds of revenues, with the remainder divided between clamp-on and insertion meters.

This 12-page brochure contains detailed information of Mencom industrial connectors.

InStep’s PRiSM software uses advance pattern recognition to provide a quantitative comparison between current and historical asset operational behavior for the early identification of equipment health and performance problems.

The 8,900-square-foot facility features a training room, demonstration room and office space.

If an article is written by the sales and marketing department, be on the lookout for a biased view of a product or service.

The next five years will be extremely fruitful for device makers; the market should reach $70B by 2018, before decreasing.

Deutsche Messe had consolidated revenues of more than €312 million and a net profit of €13.4 million, its second best result since 2001.

ISA announced the training courses and preliminary technical program for its 2014 Process Control & Safety Symposium, to be held 7-9 October 2014 in Houston, Texas.

NASA's Ames Research Center had a need for a rugged, wide-input, compact PC to oversee all navigation and data collection processes for one of their ongoing planetary rover projects.

The software grants are for students in manufacturing programs at community colleges and universities in Virginia.

Schmit was most recently Executive Vice President at Daifuku Webb Holding Company.

WAYJUN WJ60 series 8-ch DI/DO Isolated Digital Signal Module has a Slim-line plastic housing with integral 35mm DIN rail mounting , terminals, and power supply(8-32VDC)

HIMA Paul Hildebrandt GmbH + Co KG closed fiscal year 2013 with record sales of 105 million euros. This 16% increase in sales over the previous year was significantly higher than the industry average growth rate. Orders received thus far in 2014 indicate that double-digit sales growth will also be achieved this year.

Transparency Market Research has announced the addition of the "Circuit Breakers and Fuses Market- Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2013 - 2019" report to their offering.

12 technical sessions and 35 technical papers covered leading-edge topics in sampling, chromatography, spectroscopy, chemiluminescence and other analytical techniques.

Based on xCORE microcontrollers from XMOS and Synapticon’s SOMANET technology, the kits enable efficient, standards-compliant and safe motion control applications, ranging from simple single-axis solutions to distributed motion control systems.

Sercos hosted 25 technology and automation vendors and end users to its 13th PlugFest on May 7 and 8 at the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing at the University of Stuttgart, Germany.

Herbert Senzano Lopes, a master’s degree student at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), designed a solution to show how flare gas from pipelines could be reused to generate energy.

Customers of pressure gauges and temperature measurement products can now order online through the USG Factory Direct E-Store.

The brochure lists ABB measurement products that may be applied to the various components, such as well heads, separators, fracking fluids, pump jacks, tank levels, storage, and gas transmission.

At four plants, Metso will supply an extensive Metso DNA automation system for all process controls and plant information management.

MicroCal has a 30-year history of developing and supplying microcalorimeters, used extensively to study proteins and other biomolecules in drug discovery and development.

Reference Recorders Shake Up Old Standards

aeSolutions will market and deliver ISA's series of safety, cybersecurity, and alarm management courses throughout North America.

Plant owners are particularly interested in security products, services, and solutions that can detect and delay threats and are able to employ cutting-edge innovation and technology.

By installing the eWON VPN routers and Talk2M Internet-based remote access system, Aquatic Engineering & Construction is able to monitor and quickly resolve issues on its heavy-duty tensioner equipment, located onboard remote marine vessels.

WAYJUN products carry the CE approval for safety.

In the industrial production process, there are many continuous variables, such as temperature, pressure, flow, level and speed all are analog. To make the programmable controller to handle analog signal, need achieve the A / D or D / A conversion.

With Modbus, RS485/232 to Analog Current or Voltage Signal Converters, 12-bit DA converter, analog signal output accuracy>0.2%

Transparency Market Research has announced the addition of the "Motor Vehicle Sensor Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth and Forecast, 2012 – 2018" report to their offering.

Metso will supply a DNA automation system, IQ quality control system, IQ Dilution Profiler for a dilution headbox, and a IQ Moisturizer system for moisture profiling to Pratt Industries in Valparaiso, Indiana.

ABB and Marbles Kids Museum are launching a play-based power grid exhibit, called Kid Grid, to generate interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in young children.

Rotork valve actuators upgrade and automate flow control equipment in many areas of Thames Water’s operations.

Spectrum Technologies supplied an enamel stripping system for the magnet wire coils used in the stators for the gear box in Volkswagen's latest range of electric engines.

Shah is responsible for R&D, new product development, and product & technology strategy by working closely with key customers.

LEAP represents a departure from the way plants are typically designed and built by using parallel workflows to keep automation systems off critical implementation paths.

Pepperl+Fuchs’ F31K2 valve position feedback sensor survives the harsh and corrosive environment found at Dutch salt-making company Frisia Zout.

Established in 1974 in Cambridge, UK, the company started off in a small building with just a few employees but now has three manufacturing locations and several offices in ten countries.

Next Frontier for the Operator-Automation Relationship

Delta’s CliQ and CliQ II DIN rail power supply and module series have more models now certified according to ATEX Directive 94/9/EC with group II, category 3G (Zone 2), nA or nA nC type of protection, IIC with T4 temperature class according to IEC/EN 60079-0 and IEC/EN 60079-15.

By Bill Lydon, Editor There has been significant automation in petrochemical processing plants. However, it is surprising how little automation has been adopted in other parts of the oil & gas industry. This has changed over the last four years because the cost of operations is growing faster than profit margins.

The first official certificate for a successfully tested EtherCAT device was issued not long after the new North American EtherCAT Test Center was accredited by the ETG.

ITTIA's research says DB SQL significantly outperforms SQLite in write throughput, boasting high insert and update performance both on flash media and hard disk.

AT&T, Cisco, GE, IBM and Intel formed IIC earlier this year to support better access to data with improved integration of the physical and digital worlds. Moxa is one of the first industrial automation companies to join the Consortium.

By Kevin Callahan, Alerton BAS are getting more powerful and easy to use all the time. Key features and benefits to look for this year include BAS software, control modules and wall sensors.

The identification of deadtime and ramp rate can provide tuning, rapid modeling, and future values for smart reset, feedforward, and setpoint responses.

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.

The HART Communication Protocol is now a China National Standard (GB/T 29910.1-6-2013) approved by the Standardization Administration of the China Industrial Department.

Rotalec has been a distributor of high technology industrial machine automation products, product identification systems, and mill products for over 30 years.