Articles and News

Nonincendive is allowed in Class 1, Division 2; Class 1, Zone 2, and Non-hazardous rated areas. Use in higher hazard areas, such as Division 1, Zone 1, or Zone 0 areas, is not allowed.

The key technological embellishments in 2.1 set the stage for FDT’s transformation towards a complete, standardized Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architecture enabling sensor-to-cloud, enterprise-wide connectivity for next-generation automation solutions.

Microsoft has announced several updates and advancements at Digital Factory Hall at Hannover Messe 2018, the world’s largest annual manufacturing exhibition in Hannover, Germany.

The HARTING Technology Group has been cooperating with systems integrators and IT specialists within the MICA.network user organisation since 2016, giving customers access to data-based efficiency improvements for their machinery. The network showcases solutions for machine data pooling and ERP applications based around the MICA Edge Computing System

By Dr Khasha Ghaffarzadeh, IDTechEx Agriculture is facing major long-term challenges. Some forecasts suggest that world population is set to grow by 2.3 billion by 2050. This, together with rising global income levels that typically increase food demand per capital, would require raising food production in 2050 by 70% compared to 2005 levels.

Lasers are providing successful results at a vineyard in Sonoma County, California. This is the first time the laser bird repelling technology is used in California. Since adopting the robotic laser, the vineyard has achieved a 99.8 % bird reduction and annually saved around 25,000 USD.

MiR is a supplier of collaborative autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for industrial applications. The AMR market is an emerging category within the approximately $1.1 billion logistics systems segment of the professional services robot market and is expected to grow rapidly in the years ahead.

The collaboration is intended to drive enhancements in several areas that include enabling data science in real-time, streamlining the deployment of the PI System on AWS, and enhancing operational data insights with Internet of Things (IoT) devices and sensor data.

As a real-world application of digital twin technology, this solution will be used by Italpresse Gauss customers to perform maintenance activities with greater effectiveness.

Rolling element bearings are common components in rotating machinery. Defects in bearings during manufacturing can cause vibration, noise, and even system failure. Defects in bearings must be found at

The partnership is intended help businesses connect their machines and physical infrastructure to the digital world, allowing them to translate the data they produce into business results. Analytics and digital services will help them increase productivity and efficiency across their business.

Molex and TTTech announced a collaboration based on their shared vision of open, flexible and interoperable systems in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

In his new role as President of SATO America, Tim assumes the execution responsibility and oversight of the company’s North and Central America, Caribbean, and Mexico business.

In its Partner Country role, Sweden is taking over from Mexico as the nation featured in 2018. In 2018, Forbes named Sweden the world’s best country for doing business and the Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index ranked Sweden as the most competitive economy in the world.

By John Mitchell, CP Automation The rise of non-linear loads in industrial environments over the last two decades has resulted in the growing problem of harmonic currents and utility-level voltage distortion. This technical article explores active and passive filtering.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation Since its release, Amazon has sold over 20 million Echo devices with Alexa — the voice activated assistant. It has changed the way we complete many daily tasks, from shopping, to getting weather updates. Could it do the same for manufacturing?

Endress+Hauser received the HERMES AWARD for a hygienic compact thermometer featuring a self-calibrating sensor for process temperature measurements that meet stringent safety and quality specifications.

The R&D activities of the last fiscal year reflect the company’s ambition to maintain its position among sensor producers in response to the changes in the market triggered by digitalization and Industry 4.0.

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.

Key topics in TIA Portal V15.1 include simulation and virtual commissioning options which enable better digital design of integrated work processes, as well as the expanded application focus with Simatic S7-1500R/H controllers, Sinamics S210 drive integration, Multiuser Engineering, software units and OPC UA functions.

With version 5.0, the CSIA Best Practices and Benchmarks Manual has been updated to reflect new material, including a new chapter on cyber security. The entire manual was reviewed for organization, clarity and compliance with a global relevance.

The EdgeX Foundry Governing Board selected two winners for the Innovation Award, which recognizes individuals who have contributed the most innovation solution, and Contribution Award, which highlights leaders who have helped EdgeX Foundry advance momentum this year through working groups, special projects, and/or contributed large amounts of code, bug fixes or documentation.

Seeq will join more than 500 control system integrators from around the globe on April 24-27 in San Francisco for the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) Executive Conference.

Temperature is the most important common measurement that is critical for process efficiency and capacity.

The guides are intended give companies best practices for wired and wireless network architectures when deploying cloud and mobile industrial IoT solutions. The free resources are the latest addition to the Converged Plantwide Ethernet (CPwE) program.

Construction will be conducted in two phases and is expected to be completed by 2024. The company also plans to add 350 jobs in the fields of engineering, mechatronics, purchasing and material management, as well as production and logistics operations, over the next five years.

Voith Robotics will offer self-teaching robots made by Franka Emika, along with software solutions, apps, services and process consulting, to customers in various industries and markets throughout the world.

By participating in “Girls Day” and “Future Day,” the pneumatics specialist hopes to draw the interest of children and youth in compressed air as a technology.

Type K (chromel–alumel) is the most common general purpose thermocouple with a sensitivity of approximately 41 µV/°C.

Civionics were the creators of Percēv IIoT predictive sensing technology. Artificial Intelligence (AI) built into each Percēv wireless sensing node works to maximize battery life and enable predictive maintenance capabilities to be deployed on both new and legacy assets.

With double-digit sales growth in 2017, Phoenix Contact has exceeded the two billion euro mark, achieving a turnover of 2.205 billion euro. At the same time, the number of employees increased to 16,500 personnel worldwide.

The Palo Alto Networks NGFW aims to put in place protection to secure the complex interfaces between office and automation networks. The NGFWs allow Siemens customers to select from a variety of security levels and adjust them in-line with their own specific needs.

By Chad Smith and Carol Ptak, Demand Driven Institute Manufacturing needs Lean methods to stay competitive in the more complex environment of the twenty-first century. Lean needs an effective customer-centric planning approach to bring that vision to reality.

The framework was developed with a focus on industries vital to national and economic security, including energy, banking, communications and the defense industrial base.

Modak will join both the Global Marketing and North America Operations Leadership Teams, reporting directly to Annette Clayton, CEO and president, North America Operations and Chris Leong, Chief Marketing Officer.

The plant is designed to extract 99 percent of ethane and 100 percent of propane and heavier hydrocarbons from natural gas in the Permian basin. Honeywell’s UOP Russell solution includes design, supply and installation of a modular cryogenic plant, refrigeration, dehydration and acid gas removal units

Georgian College students will be able to put their knowledge into practice by using a new set of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to simulate assembly line production in one of the college’s electrical labs.

Stadium designs and manufactures products for a range of applications including the smarter home, industrial robotics, medical equipment and aircraft cabin controls, working with customers in the industrial, aerospace and defence, medical and transportation sectors.

Nukon leveraged historical data in TasWater’s OSIsoft PI System using ananalytics application from Seeq, (an OSIsoft Gold Sponsor and ISV). Nukon delivered a proof-of-concept and solution, specifically a detection model for Midway Point’s sewage pumping stations and surrounding areas.

The informative isa eBook, Calibration Essentials, covers everything you need to know about today’s industrial and instrumentation calibration processes.

By Larry Smentowski, Rockwell Automation Safety hazards, aging assets and security threats can negatively impact your business, including your employees, revenue, plants, intellectual property, vehicle quality and customers. You can help improve risk management by setting your sights on four key areas: safety, quality, obsolescence and security.

ABB’s microgrid solution includes a 30 megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system, which is one of the largest of its kind to be deployed in a gas-fired power plant. A 30 MW battery energy storage system can supply 6,000 homes with the power supply, where the average supply would be 5 kilowatt (kW).

By Bill Lydon, Editor, Automation.com Initiated by Siemens, the Charter of Trust calls for binding rules and standards to build trust in cybersecurity and further advance digitalization. Will this elevate the industrial cybersecurity discussion?

TSN is designed to provide advantages for automation applications in industries such as automotive, mechanical engineering and food & beverage. The first Siemens products are expected to be available towards the end of 2018

By Larry Turner, HANNOVER FAIRS USA The HERMES AWARD is an industrial technology prize awarded at HANNOVER MESSE, the manufacturing technology trade show held annually in Hannover, Germany. This year, Washington, D.C.-based Upskill is the only American finalist.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation With the rate of technological change faster than ever, companies can’t leave their research and development (R&D) to chance. This article explains how artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a role in product development.

Glass manufacturing is energy intensive. The majority of energy consumed in the process is from natural gas combustion used to heat furnaces to melt raw materials, which then turn into glass.

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.