Articles and News

ABB has developed a solution for modularization with plug and produce capabilities and a pilot is currently ongoing with one of the major life science companies, Bayer AG.

The expansion allows ANCA to serve its customers and user base in North America and South America with a larger demonstration floor, classrooms for training, machine assembly and process development, and an enlarged reception area.

Tompkins Robotics, a division of Tompkins International, and RightHand Robotics announced a collaboration that will combine the portable, automated sortation system, t-Sort, with RightPick, robotic piece-picking systems.

Radiflow and Yanai Engineering, announced that the two companies are offering a new tool set to enable partners to provide managed Security Operations Center (SOC) services for operational technology (OT) networks with industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.

The first stage of cavitation is the formation of vapor bubbles within the liquid system because of the fluid's static pressure falling below the fluid vapor pressure

At the exhibit sponsored by the International Society of Automation (ISA) and its umbrella organization, the Automation Federation (AF), hundreds of young people and their parents as well as other visitors competed in a computerized game based on an actual industrial automation and control system.

Caterpillar creates machinery that powers businesses, builds communities, and enriches lives, from diesel-powered engines and gas turbines to hydraulic excavators and agricultural tractors. With the help of SAP, Caterpillar has manufactured heavy-duty equipment with IoT sensors for several customers

This version expands the “Devices,” “Streams,” and “Interfaces” models, adds many new data items, and includes edits for clarity and usability.

The Dragos Platform integration with OSIsoft's PI System is designed to provide broader visibility of operational data and industrial network data

Once the program launches, the Wyncode Custom Cohort responsibilities shift to actively managing various components such as monitoring student performance, evaluating course progress, coordinating communication between client, instructional staff and participants as well as employment contracts, orientation and housing.

ISA membership costs just $120 per year and gives you access to dozens of benefits. But even more than these line items, it gives you a way to belong to the profession that you’ve chosen for your life

The lab is part of CSU’s Fermentation Science and Technology (FST) program. Support from both the university and members of the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork program was vital to getting the brewery operational.

CodeMeter, a solution for protection, licensing, and security, has been selected by Phoenix Contact as the technology to streamline license and entitlement management of their PLCnext control system solution.

Modern leak detection equipment can prevent pipeline theft.

By Bill Lydon, Editor, Automation.com The ISE program offers a range of undergraduate and graduate courses, designing a curriculum that allows students to think laterally, envision and analyze multiple perspectives in the creative design process.

By Benson Hougland, Opto 22 Products developed using open systems technologies are in widespread use throughout the commercial sector, providing a host of benefits to vendors and their customers. But the open systems movement has been slow to penetrate the often closed and proprietary world of industrial automation—denying end users, OEMs and system integrators the same types of benefits.

Membership in the organization will allow Güdel-TSC to expand its reach and make strategic business connections through access to automation trade shows, conferences, other networking events, market research, consensus standards and certification programs.

Tompkins Robotics announced its partnership with SI Systems, a global provider of the picking robots for order fulfillment and kitting. The partnership was formed to create faster, space optimized ''no pick labor required'' solutions.

The recent Indegy poll of nearly 100 executives from various critical infrastructure organizations underscores the lack of preparedness in key sectors including energy, utilities and manufacturing.

A properly designed control system must provide an effective trade-off between performance and robustness. One of the main reasons to investigate the fragility of fractional-orde PID controllers is to

By Siegfried Müller, MB Connect Line Nowadays it‘s difficult to imagine that a new appliance will be developed without a safety risk analysis, or by using safety elements without corresponding certifications. In fact, standards and norms regulate how security components have to be designed and deployed. Within information technology, such regulations don‘t exist yet.

EZ-LINK is available free-of-charge from the Apple and Android app stores for phones and tablets, and provides access to the controller’s parameters with fully spelled out names in plain text with help topics that explain each parameter and option.

The focus will be on developing a corporate culture that influences more innovation and internationalization. Jenoptik will establish or expand local R&D teams and production facilities in all major markets.

Resistance temperature detectors require a temperature transmitter to function. This is not a disadvantage of an RTD, since its function does not require a temperature transmitter to be installed.

The annual championship—which celebrates excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), innovative thinking and teamwork—takes place 18-21 April in Houston, Texas and 25-28 April in Detroit, Michigan.

Agilion is a supplier of industrial Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS) focusing on applications in production, logistics and maintenance. The company is recognized as a pioneer in the field of RTLS in the Ultra Wide Band (UWB) frequency spectrum.

The RIA Certified Robot Integrator program was established in 2012. The program was designed to set standards for the industry and identify a quality benchmark for robot integrators to meet.

By Rachel Bugaris, Panduit Corp AVTs automate the functions of handheld voltage testers for this specific task and display information about the status of voltage inside equipment without exposure to electrical hazards.

A resource for engineers, plant managers and distributors, this catalog provides customers with product specifications, dimensional information, Cv values, and pressure versus temperature ratings.

The survey of more than 200 manufacturing organizations found that 51 percent of respondents believe their DSN maturity is at least "above average" compared to competitors, yet only 28 percent have started implementing DSN solutions.

Self-regulating responses are very common in the process industry. Many flows, liquid pressures, temperatures, and composition processes are self-regulating. This post offers a method for tuning PID c

By Bill Lydon, Editor, Automation.com Digitalization and education were once again at the forefront of the 11th annual Manufacturing in America. Held March 14-15 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI, the summit also saw discussions on the role of blockchain technology, and also provided ideas and solutions to help manufacturing companies to achieve operational excellence.

The FDC is an educational resource for hands-on learning. It aims to inspire young people and to encourage a pipeline of talent into science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers.

SCARA robots used in the automobile industry will cross over 33 thousand units by 2024. This can be credited to increasing usage in applications such as high-speed assembly and handling operations.

By H2W Technologies A voice coil actuator, also known as a non-commutated DC linear actuator, is a type of direct drive linear motor. Voice coil actuators are typically used in focusing applications, oscillatory systems, mirror tilting, and miniature position control.

U.S. students pursuing a degree in engineering are urged to apply by the April 10, 2018, deadline for Emerson’s 2018 ASCO Engineering Scholarship program.

As part of the design process, the Shadow Robot Company needed specific bearings with very tight tolerances in dimensional accuracy. This is important for accuracy of the smart grasper’s movements. So, the team contacted SMB Bearings as the business is known for its supply of non-standard bearings.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation According to Apple, the large green spaces, wellness centre and 805,000 square-feet of solar panels at its second campus makes it the best office in the world. This article explains how large businesses can benefit from renewable energy.

The development of the HART-IP and WirelessHART communications protocols have created a growing need for battery-powered solutions that can operate without maintenance for decades and provide reliable

The first webinar will take place on Thursday, April 19 at 2:00pm eastern time. The series will feature information intended to help manufacturers and utility providers learn how they can protect operations from downtime and errors that can result from unmanaged automation program changes.

As part of the collaboration between Radiflow and RSA, the companies have integrated Radiflow’s iSID Intrusion Detection System and RSA’s NetWitness threat detection and cyber-incident response suite

When a pump control switch is in auto, the storage tank low level switch or the pressure tank high level switch can stop the pump.

Inductive Automation defines Enterprise Integrators as those with a high level of Ignition certification, a global presence, the ability to take on enterprise-wide projects, and 250 or more engineers, among other requirements.

Starting in April, DENSO’s R&D satellite will begin collaborating with local startups to pioneer new technologies. DENSO will tap into Israel’s technology strengths to develop more technologies, both internally and through collaborative research with local companies and universities.

Sensai works to increase throughput and decrease downtime with AI technology that enables manufacturing operations teams to monitor machinery, diagnose problems and implement solutions.

The CRS patents and IP offer Nemalux access to the future of the Internet of Things (IoT) market using existing lighting infrastructure. Some of the enhanced company services included OEM services and customized LED solutions.

The U.S. Small Business Administration recognized Control Station’s international growth with the 2018 Connecticut Exporter of the Year Award. The award is presented annually to a Connecticut-based business that demonstrates consistent growth in export sales and profits.

ISA/IEC 62443-4-1-2018, Security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems Part 4-1: Product Security Development Life-Cycle Requirements, specifies process requirements for the secure development of products used in an IACS. It defines a secure development life-cycle for developing and maintaining secure products.

The FieldComm Group Plant of the Year is an international award presented to end user companies in the process automation industry to recognize exceptional application of FOUNDATION Fieldbus and / or HART Communication technologies.

Wavelet decomposition enables differentiation between faulty & healthy conditions for effective diagnostic procedure for wind turbine condition monitoring.

The Kaspersky Lab report, “Threat Landscape for Industrial Automation Systems in H2 2017,” also found that for all other industries (manufacturing, transportation, utilities, food, healthcare, etc.) the proportion of ICS computers attacked ranged from 26 percent to 30 percent on average. The vast majority of detected attacks were accidental hits.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation Traditionally, the way to succeed in an engineering career has been to work your way up the corporate ladder, but is the influx of new start-ups changing this? This article looks at how engineering businesses can retain staff in the era of the start-up.

Awards will be granted to TU Dortmund and West Virginia Universities to fund research programs tied to engineering design and simulation. Winners were selected from 20 submittals. Funds will be used for research that provides proof of concepts, demonstrations of feasibility and related activities.

By Ashley Little, DO Supply, Inc. Rather than working in a caged off area, cobots are designed to collaborate with human workers and enhance the production teams’ capabilities rather than replace them.

Finland-based Orfer Oy needed to automate to speed up its packaging operations. With this in mind, Orfer standardized on the Toshiba Machine TH650A high-speed SCARA robot for the BoxCellPlus.

Customization of products that deviate from vendor and industry standards leads to a number of problems on projects. Engineering and as-built documentation costs can increase because of the deviation

The mission was to drive scrap down from the historical 10 percent autoclave levels down to below 4 percent. Plasan Carbon Composites implemented the FactoryTalk Historian Site Edition (SE) and FactoryTalk VantagePoint EMI enterprise manufacturing intelligence software from Rockwell Automation

By Robert Glass, ABB It’s widely understood that improving the efficiency of equipment and processes will make a business more competitive and reduce operational costs. This article explains how to reduce sugar plant carbon emissions.

If a pressure sensor/transmitter is giving a non-linear response, replacement of the sensor and/or the transmitter will be required.

Heath Ceramics needed a wireless temperature monitoring system to collect data during the kiln process and to help establish a temperature profile for future runs. This product quality solution also had to feature multiple inputs for temperature sensors, along with professional software to analyze results.

These sessions will be held on the Tuesday – the EXPO set-up day. At the exhibit itself, CAMI will have hands-on exhibits for visitors to experience CableEye.

About 225 jobs at Protolabs’ Plymouth, Minn. plant will relocate to the Brooklyn Park building, enabling the company to expand the injection molding capacity in the Plymouth facility to support increased customer demands. The new Brooklyn Park plant is scheduled to become fully operational by the end of 2018.

OmniSOC is a pioneering initiative of these Big Ten Academic Alliance universities with a goal to help higher education institutions reduce the time from first awareness of a cybersecurity threat anywhere to mitigation everywhere for members.

By Molly Bakewell Chamberlin, Embassy Global LLC (with Jim Lally, PCB Group, Inc.) I, like many, remain truly grateful for the selfless and meaningful contributions of Bob Lally to my early professional development, particularly in my technical article work. It is an honor to tell his story.

Turck’s production facility in Mexico has nearly doubled, as 65,000 square feet were added. Six new work cells and new equipment will help to accelerate the manufacturing of customer orders. In the U.S., Turck has added 38,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space near its Plymouth, Minnesota, headquarters.

Discussions during the one-day conference on Wednesday, September 12 will focus on cybersecurity, maintenance and robotics. GAMS kicks off with a networking luncheon and keynote address followed by four educational sessions led by top industry experts.

The IIoT essentially involves acquiring data from hundreds—if not thousands—of process and equipment sensors, and transmitting the data to central locations via wireless or hardwired networks. Once ac

Unity Scientific was recognized outstanding achievement in the Engineering and Production Technology Leadership category, for applying 3D printing and electronic alignment technologies in the manufacturing process.

By Jonathan Wilkins, Marketing Director, EU Automation Digital, internet-connected devices mean that consumers can dictate exactly what they want — more customisable products. As manufacturers invest in more sophisticated automation and modernise processes, they can begin to offer these products to customers.

The STAAR summer camp is an immersive, week-long residential programme for Year 10 students who demonstrate an interest in, or aptitude for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

By Bob McIlvride, Director, Communications, Skkynet Cloud Systems In the rapidly-evolving space of Industrial IoT (IIoT), we are seeing some growth in understanding about what makes a good IIoT protocol. For IIoT to work well, the tools you employ must suit the unique requirements.

ABB announced a new Collaborative Operations Center in Västerås, Sweden, intended to help provide predictive analytics and Key Performance Indicators to improve customer processes.

Mission-critical specialists are in-demand in a variety of critical infrastructure areas, focused on events that could result in serious consequences, such as loss of life, harm to the environment or

Integrating the usability and familiarity of this Windows OS with ARM CPUs gives developers more options and it also brings Microsoft computing to the low power consumption, mobile market.

The yacht, called the Mini 650, is the project of two Italian boat builders, Francesco Belvisi and Daniele Cevola. They are building it for the 2019 solo transatlantic yacht race, called the Mini-Transat, which starts in France and ends in Brazil.

The shaft speed of a motor is directly proportional to the frequency and is inversely proportional to the number of poles.

Funded by a €1.8 million grant from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, the project will develop a miniature, trustworthy collision detection sensor system that could drastically improve the safety of autonomous vehicles.

By Michael Risse, Seeq Corporation Time series data storage and management has long been an interesting—if quiet—market category. With multibillion-dollar markets at stake, industry heavyweights are vying for position in a once-quiet category.

ISA provides members with opportunities to gain knowledge, skills, leadership development, and friendship. There are also opportunities to give back, through collaboration, mentorship, volunteerism, s

This will serve as the company’s technology showcase, including engineering and assembly of the Autocraft Autonomous Guided Vehicles, as well as an additive manufacturing (3D printing) laboratory.

The conference program incorporates the critical insights of experts who will deliver peer-reviewed technical papers; provide important technical updates; highlight trends and innovations; and review best practices and success stories in the process analytical arena.

Digitalization, IIoT and the smart factory will usher greater operational intelligence, more efficient production, and safer work environments.Smart sensors, ubiquitous connectivity, and remote access

From April 23-27, 2018, HANNOVER MESSE and CeMAT will run concurrently with a particular emphasis on integration in supply chain and manufacturing. The theme -'Integrated Industry – Connect & Collaborate' - encompasses the range of Industry 4.0 technology, thinking, and creative applications

By John Mitchell, CP Automation European manufacturers are estimated to spend over €400 Billion every year on maintenance activities. This article discusses the issues that stop manufacturers cutting costs and improving productivity – the essence of lean manufacturing.

Doxel AI construction systems take a holistic view of every project, tying together existing tools in AI, robotics and LIDAR imaging.

A boiler-turbine unit in coal-fired power plants is used to convert fuel chemical energy into mechanical energy & then into electrical energy.

By Ingemar Serneby, Emerson Automation Solutions In recent years, industrial automation companies have made enormous advancements by incorporating processors into control devices, instrumentation and networking components. But an instrumentation engineer may feel perplexed when looking at all the options for something as basic as a differential pressure transmitter.

Based on Industry 4.0 concepts, this technology runs in an XMPP server cloud and compiles IEC 61850-8-2 XMPP and IEC 61850-7-420 protocols for DER (Distributed Energy Resource) via a plug & play gateway.

Siemens, and the eight founding Charter of Trust members, welcomed The AES Corporation, Atos and Enel to its global cybersecurity initiative at the 2018 CERAWeek conference in Houston, TX.

The OTTO Industrial API connects self-driving vehicles to existing automation systems and processes, providing integration of OTTO with standardized integrations with industry-standard software and protocols.

A tank level is measured using a differential pressure transmitter (DPT-1) and a bubbler tube. The tank is vented to atmosphere.

The Capital Grid project was initiated to replace aging grid infrastructure and increase transmission capacity in the District of Columbia and Maryland, to address current and future energy needs.

Nozomi Networks’ end-to-end platform is designed for ICS cybersecurity. Capabilities include real-time ICS monitoring, industrial network visualization, hybrid ICS threat and anomaly detection, asset inventory and vulnerability assessment, all delivered through a single solution.

This guide covers general-purpose synchronous motors without excited rotor windings, and provides design metrics for polyphase alternating-current permanent magnet motors rated 500 horsepower and less.

The course “Consulting Engineering Essentials” taking place on March 29 in New Orleans, provides an overview of ownership responsibilities and offers insights to help develop project engineers into well-rounded consulting engineers.

Kuehne + Nagel will deploy Honeywell's supply chain technology solutions globally at its warehouses, including voice-directed solutions, cloud-based software and warehouse automation solutions.

The combination of Siemens industrial experience and Secure-NOK’s technology is intended to offer a flexible solution for infrastructure in industries such as Power Utilities, Oil &Gas installations, Transportation Systems and others with a growing need to protect against cyber threats.

The Endress+Hauser product portfolio of electromagnetic flowmeters is designed for precise measurement of volume flow without restricting production flow rates or causing any pressure drop.

ABB will partner with the communities of Deering and Buckland to install modular “plug-and-play” microgrids that will leverage ABB Ability Microgrid Plus automation system and PowerStore storage technology, to maximize the adoption of wind power.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation For manufacturers, a world without unplanned downtime would be the perfect utopia. The question is, is abolishing unplanned downtime a far-fetched dream, or is it closer than we think? This article shares a vision for a downtime free age.

Loss of a fraction of a percent of line flow rate can be detected and located within meters in a very short period of time.

By Bill Lydon, Editor, Automation.com HARTING has been expanding into edge computing for Industry 4.0 and IoT applications. 2018 for HARTING will see an enhanced focus on digitalization, education and edge computing.

By Stefan Hoppe, OPC Foundation The Industrial Internet of Things – abbreviated to IIoT and known in Germany as Industrie 4.0 – is a technology trend that is the enabler of the 4th industrial revolution, and is bringing about a transformation in the way we do business.

WoMaster held Cyber Security training for its partners to demonstrate how they can provide a complete protection of IIoT network according to ISASecure - IEC 62443-4-2 from currently existing threats

Art in STEM is absolutely necessary for automation professionals to better appreciate process and better visualize what the future holds.

The CMS Certification Committee will offer a pilot examination for the industry's first Level-One Certification for coordinate measuring machines (CMM) operators. The Coordinate Metrology Society will also offer a pilot assessment for a CMS Level-Two Certification program for 3D Scanner users during their upcoming conference.

The project is backed by Future French Champions, the partnership between CDC International Capital and Qatar Investment Authority, which will own 32% of B2A Technology’s share capital alongside key executives, managers and employees.

The larger facility offers more than 15,000 square feet of space. SignalFire expects to operate with full functionality in its new corporate headquarters by the end of March 2018.

The integration of KNX into CODESYS will be presented for the first time at "light+building" in 2018. The product offer consists of a configurator for I/O channels, a KNXnet/IP protocol stack in the form of a runtime system component, and a data exchange function with the ETS5 configuration system.

With the 3rd edition of the IEC 61131-3 standard and some additional wishes from the implementers, an update was needed. The final version 1.01 will have the major changes in Table 26 – Mapping IEC 61131-3 elementary datatypes to OPC UA built in datatypes, which in addition contains a new column with a NodeID for each type , and in Table 39 – Numeric Identifiers for IEC 61131-3 defined nodes.

The Vršany Lom open-pit quarry covers an enormous area and mining takes place at several locations simultaneously. The entire network is now running entirely on Westermo WeOS-powered devices, consisting of 60 Westermo Lynx switches and 40 Wolverine Ethernet extenders.

From February 19-22, 2018, in San Antonio, Texas, approximately 130 people gathered for four days of product presentations, emerging technology discussions and a market trend outlook at the Siemens Factory Automation SCADA/IPC Days 2018.

The ICS Village is a traveling interactive experience that showcases ICS technologies and highlights the security controls that enable them to power the secure operations of chemical processing plants, pulp and paper manufacturing facilities, power generation systems, oil and gas processing, telecommunications networks and other elements of critical infrastructure.

A Type X pressurization system reduces the classification within the enclosure from Division 1 to nonhazardous and, therefore, permits the use of ignition-capable equipment inside the enclosure.

Commenting on the Lebanon, Ohio facility, Thorsten Julich noted the in-house development of Siemens IPC technology for this market segment will include both software and motherboard manufacturing.

The CNC Quick Tip videos provide answers to frequently asked questions about various CNC functions. The first videos in the series address the layout of Mitsubishi controls, customizing counters on the monitor page, and performing a program search using an SD card, memory or HDD.

The combination brings together AVEVA’s design, engineering and construction capabilities with Schneider Electric’s industrial software business, which ranges from simulation through to real-time manufacturing operations management.

With this new certification, EDC has established itself as a strategic solution partner and system integrator focused on helping manufacturers with obsolete drive and control technology to automate manual processes and upgrade aging equipment.

As part of a commitment to provide trained engineers who understand the complex process environment, NovaTech has sought to coordinate with the IPE Program at USC Aiken.

As part of an initiative to integrate more renewable sources into its energy mix, JPS has incorporated about 160 MW of renewable energy into the power grid, accounting for about one quarter of its total generation capacity.

Sotzing has primary responsibility for ensuring the development and deployment of the company’s Sea Machines 300 technology system, as well as managing the engineering team.

ASHRAE Standard 223P: "Designation and Classification of Semantic Tags for Building Data” provides a dictionary of semantic tags for descriptive tagging of building data including building automation and control data along with associated systems.

The old pyramid model of control is being replaced with a new model of zones and intrazone conduits based on ISA and IEC standards.

Working in tandem, Schneider Electric experts helped upgrade Dow Corning’s existing Foxboro I/A Series control system to the EcoStruxure Foxboro DCS in phases, ensuring continuous, transparent operations

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation Robots are rapidly appearing in manufacturing facilities, but are they taking over? This article explains how automation is impacting the US manufacturing workforce.

The U.S. industrial valve industry will see growth of 1.45% in valve shipments in 2018, a rate that brings the value of those shipments up to $4.615 billion for the year. That rate of growth is slightly behind 2017 when it was 1.89%, which translated to shipments worth $4.549 billion.

Together, the combined company intends to offer products that measure position with precisions that will benefit industrial automation, next-generation construction, autonomous vehicles, and smart cities.

RTS will become a wholly owned subsidiary of congatec. The company will continue to operate independently, doing business as it always has, providing it’s software to run on any x86 hardware, but now with worldwide sales and technical support teams ready to support the product.

As part of the cooperation between the two companies, Wireless Data Systems will integrate and support Radiflow’s industrial intrusion detection and security gateway products as part of the cybersecurity solutions and system integration services that Wireless Data Systems provides

When equipped with the CXPI option, the DLM Series oscilloscopes will decode and display CXPI frames in real time, produce a list display of the decode results, and allow highlighting of points on the list for display in a zoom window.

As part of the MOU, EQUATE will test Honeywell technologies, including the latest additions to the Honeywell Connected Plant portfolio, as well as assess EQUATE’s requirements and ideas at Honeywell facilities.

At the Hannover Messe 2018, Siemens will be showcasing a series of examples which demonstrate how users can harness the potential of Industrie 4.0 by implementing Digital Enterprise solutions.

The North American robotics, machine vision and motion control markets continue to set new records. This was the tone as The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) revealed its annual report on automation and robotics market statistics.

The installation is part of Otis’ sustainability efforts and is anticipated to beat the Florence facility’s five-year greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal of 15 percent, compared to 2015 energy consumption, by year three.

By Craig Witt, MotionPoint Disruptive technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence and machine learning get a lot of press and attention today. Yet marketers across the manufacturing sector have one of the most powerful digital transformation technologies right at their fingertips already

A tuning methodology called lambda tuning solves many of the challenges of tuning a PID controller for an integrating process. The lambda tuning method allows the user to choose the closed loop respon

The Siemens portfolio ranging from production planning and engineering software to automation and drive technology, including industrial communication networks and cloud-based solutions is designed to optimize battery production

By Dr. Alexander Horch, HIMA This article explains why the process industry needs to switch from passive to active defense mode for cybersecurity and what it must do to ensure plant security in the digital era.

As president of FDS, he will lead the team to develop solutions that harnesses the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to integrate the wireless monitoring of industrial equipment health with computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.

With the WindEDIT Lite app, users can monitor any PLC parameter, and change set points and other values. Data register, input, output, timer and counter values can be monitored and controlled using the standard Dialog Interface.

In a P7ID diagram, a "circle" enclosed in a "square" indicates it is an instrument that has a shared display or a shared control.

YESCO implemented Schneider Electric’s System Platform as a SCADA solution to gain better access to data that was often not readily available to improve performance.

At the ARC Industry Forum which was held in Orlando, Florida, from February 12 – 15, HIMA presented its comprehensive functional safety concept which offers security by expanding the scope from the safety instrumented system to its security-relevant environment.

Petrochemical and oil processing industries usually take advantage of advanced control platforms to improve the product quality and yield.

Truitt has an engineering background with 35 years of experience transforming businesses, optimizing manufacturing and supply chain operations and deploying software and technology solutions. Most recently Mitchell served in finance management roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) for 18 years in various business units including Applications and Supply Chain & Operations.

The students designed and built the “Jiggy Jukebox,” which gives music lovers a voice into the music selection at proms, radio stations, and even restaurants. The company announced the winner on Saturday, February 17, to kick off its National Engineers Week celebration.

With the recent release of their H2Know solution, Magnus is monitoring and controlling the supply of water to the fracking operations of key oil company clients across the U.S.

By Graham Smith, Curo Talent Something that isn’t talked about nearly enough is the fact that the IT sector, which, by nature, should enable remote working, hasn’t moved away from the inflexible office environment. This article explains how remote working could close the IT skills gap.

ISA offers real solutions to mitigate cybersecurity risks. The organization has the standards, training, and technical resources for manufacturers and other industry organizations to improve operation

In his new role at ABB, Gilliam will lead a team that represents all of ABB’s current business units. The team will take responsibility for educating and informing food manufacturers on the impact digitalization is having on the industry

The customers and interested parties can browse through all available terminal blocks and can also access intelligent, technical product information such as 3D CAD models, PDF data sheets, product videos or other websites with a click

A joint working group between OPC Foundation and FieldComm Group, tasked with developing a protocol independent companion specification for process automation devices, was formed in late 2017.

A complex process is not a complicated process with a large number of measurements and actuators. It is complex because its variables are highly coupled and correlated. As much as possible, control sh

The collaboration is helping to establish measurable cybersecurity criteria for network-connected power management products and systems.

Initiated by Siemens, the Charter of Trust calls for binding rules and standards to build trust in cybersecurity and further advance digitalization.

Located in Eagan, the building on Lone Oak Road has more than 13,000 square-feet of space. It triples the amount of room Somic operates from at its current headquarters in Bensenville, IL.

A distillation column refers to one piece of equipment in the distillation process, which will contain several loops.

This is the first installation in Continental Europe to provide a detailed network model which will support the safe operation of PSE’s national power network and its interface within the European energy market. The initiative is part of Poland’s efforts to upgrade and modernize the country’s grid.

By Ramona Schindler, Siemens Industry, Inc. With the machine tool industry in flux currently, as it seeks to find its way into the digital world, the entire process chain necessitates the integration of suppliers who can respond to the needs of the industry.

Softing's toolkits are designed to speed up development of OPC Classic and OPC UA servers. They provide a comprehensive collection of annotated libraries which facilitate the launch of products with OPC functionality.

ABB has won an order worth around $45 million from German transmission system operator TransnetBW to upgrade a substation in Philippsburg, in the southwest German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.

Over his 30-year career, Mr. Ford has served in various roles at Automatic Data Processing (ADP), Mentor Graphics, and Autodesk. He's developed CAD software, acquired and integrated technology and service companies, and created strategic partnerships with companies such as Apple, Dell, Lenovo, and Alcoa.

Learn best practices for inspecting, testing and documenting a safety instrumented system. Explore applications for these practices in the field, including valves and simpler instruments.

Aimed at helping industrial manufacturers increase productivity and customer satisfaction, the Forum will define standards for an open, interoperable, secure process automation architecture. The Business Guide expresses the motivation and vision for this architecture as a business imperative for both users and suppliers of industrial control systems.

By Matt Collins, ide Systems It’s essential that engineers know how to test cables effectively to ensure they are fit for purpose. This article explains what engineers should look for when testing electrical cabling.

By Bill Lydon, Editor, Automation.com The interoperability of process control systems has been a largely philosophical debate, up until this point, but tangible examples of interoperabilty may soon be on their way

The four partner companies in the ADAS iiT Consortium have pooled their expertise to create a unique one-stop solution for simulating and validating Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for autonomously operated vehicles.

The plant control system refurbishment with zenon resulted in an operational cost reduction of 30 per cent and a 15 per cent production increase through the elimination of downtime and sub-optimal operation.

The program includes Ignition Onboard and Ignition Edge Onboard. Ignition by Inductive Automation is an industrial application platform with tools for building solutions in human-machine interface (HMI), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

In an effort to better serve customers, Ascent is consolidating the engineering teams from its longstanding Michigan businesses, Global Tooling Systems, Odyssey Industries, Brown Aerospace and Ascent Integration – North America into an Engineering Center of Excellence at its Macomb campus.

DCS upgrades must consider the safety, reliability, and operation of a plant. Be careful when selecting a system, so you do not fall in the frequent-migration trap.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation In the 1993 science fiction film, Jurassic Park, visitors could take a tour in an autonomous Ford Explorer that used tracks on the ground to navigate. This was a good prediction of future technological advancements, but the autonomous vehicles of today are far more advanced than the Jurassic Explorer. This article explains how autonomous vehicles are beginning to transform the manufacturing industry.

This manufacturing location will support regional demand and provide a consistent supply of RTP Company’s custom compounded thermoplastics to customers operating in Europe.

A "circle" enclosed in a "square," which indicates it is an instrument with a shared display or a shared control.

When fully operational, these projects are intended to produce enough clean energy to power more than 350,000 households, reducing CO2 emissions from conventional generation by more than 1.5 million tons.

The office is located in Arlington, WA, part of the Seattle Metropolitan area. PDS provides full service precision spindle sales and service for CNC routers, milling machines and robotic units.

Nearly any industrial pipeline leak results in costs in the tens of millions of dollars, and costs are increasing over time. About a third of the documented costs involve property damage and cleanup

74 robot units per 10,000 employees is the new average of global robot density in the manufacturing industries (2015: 66 units). By regions, the average robot density in Europe is 99 units, in the Americas 84 and in Asia 63 units. The top 10 most automated countries in the world are: South Korea, Singapore, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Denmark, USA, Italy, Belgium and Taiwan.

As part of their agreement, Invasystems will adopt the Falkonry LRS machine learning system and empower well operation engineers to predict equipment and system failures. This is designed to help oil and gas operators reduce downtime and increase production by detecting patterns and conditions in existing operations data.

Siemens AG and Perceptive Engineering Ltd announced a partnership which offers Perceptive’s PharmaMV and Siemens Simatic Sipat software products closely integrated to provide a solution for advanced control and optimization applications in both continuous and batch pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The high-bay warehouse provides space for 6,900 pallets and around 120,000 storage containers in an area of 4,500 square meters and is operated in fully automated, paperless fashion.

By following the simple procedures outlined in the Bedrock SCADA Security Platform Specification, developers can upgrade any OPC UA compliant client into a secure OPC UA channel, across which users can exchange data between plant floor operations and SCADA applications.

With ‘Integrated Industry – Connect & Collaborate’ as its lead theme, HANNOVER MESSE 2018 aims to enable visitors to experience the new forms of business, work and collaboration that are being made possible by our increasingly connected, digitally networked industrial landscape.

By Bill Lydon, Editor, Automation.com In the race for industrial profits, it’s not uncommon for organizations to run legacy equipment as long as they can, and avoid costly replacements and rewirings. While this can be a viable strategy in many areas, when it comes to industrial control network cyber security, it can be a deadly vulnerability for today’s organizations

An alternative methodology for designing multi-loop control structures based on steady-state indexes & multi-objective combinatorial optimization problems.

This two-day, multi-stream, event will be held in collaboration with PDT North America (PDT) at the Marriott Hotel, Tysons Corner, Virginia, USA on May 15-16. The theme for PLM Road Map North America 2018 (PLM Road Map) will be, "Charting the Course to PLM Value Together: Expanding the Value Footprint of PLM and Tackling PLM's Persistent Pain Points."

The PID term as described refers to the loop control technique used in controllers. A PID control loop includes proportional, integral, and derivative functions to control the process.

At NGK, Boyle will manage the product, catalog and pricing team to further catalog and content efforts for the NGK ignition, NTK sensor and Wells Vehicle Electronics product lines.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation A survey carried out by flavoured syrup supplier, Monin in October, 2017 found that 61 percent of Brits prefer coffee over tea. In a similar vein, this article compares the pros and cons of using traditional programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and newer programmable automation controllers (PACs).

The starter kit is a complement to SPECTRO’s spectrometers and will be provided by Bernd Kraft. By using these certified multielement standards, customers can be certain that their analysis devices are optimally adjusted from the start – a prerequisite for correct analysis results.

The first rollout will be at the company’s Reno, Nevada, facility and will feature virtual reality training designed by Rosendin’s building information modeling (BIM) department as part of a true construction workflow. Other company sites will implement the technologies throughout 2018.

The Maritime Link is a 500 megawatt (MW) high-voltage direct current (HVDC) connection that will enable clean, renewable energy, generated in Newfoundland and Labrador to be transmitted to the North American grid in Nova Scotia.

Sponsored and organized by DiscoverE, Engineers Week, 18-24 February 2018, celebrates how engineers make a positive difference in our world and seeks to raise awareness around the need to attract more young people to the engineering profession.

The Object Management Group (OMG) released three new standards, six requests for proposal, two requests for comments, and elected new board members at its quarterly Technical Meeting in December in Burlingame, CA, USA

The Industrial Internet of Things is an important advancement, and a real opportunity to increase ROI and asset value. But first, industrial control systems have to be made secure from hackers and cyb

Schneider Electric Software will work closely with Cylance to enable heightened levels of security for customers leveraging the Industrial Software Platform for Engineering, Planning and Operations, Asset Performance and Monitoring and Control across their industrial and infrastructure operations.

Harting is highlighting the role of Gigabit Ethernet through its portfolio of connection technology, including support for CC-Link IE, the gigabit industrial Ethernet version of the CC-Link fieldbus.

After another busy year talking to a wide range of users, suppliers and industry consultants, and attending over 20 industry conferences and related events, I have another year’s worth of informed insights to share on the latest trends that will shape automation in 2018.

Designed exclusively to meet the needs of LDAR and air compliance professionals, the three-day event, to be held 5-8 March 2018 in Galveston, Texas, features a technical program and lineup of expert speakers as well as ISA-led training, a vendor exhibition and networking activities.

By Philip Allen, Grace Engineered Products Driving to work last week, deep in thought, pondering the many reasons companies use Permanent Electrical Safety Devices (PESDs) in their electrical safety programs I finally stumbled across a perfect analogy for electrical safety principles.