Articles and News

This paper offers an overview of the responses in five major global economies in which CIMdata delivers its annual PLM Market & Industry Forum: The United States, Germany, India, China, and Japan.

In the company’s whitepaper, Radiflow explains that while the reporting on cybersecurity incidents and attack campaigns is on the rise, each reporting organization uses a different analysis methodology.

The Building Intelligent Infrastructures Forum, on Feb. 15, will include keynote presentations, use cases, lunch, and two panel discussions: Smart Cities Infrastructures and Intelligent Transport Systems.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) can be used to analyze large-scale industrial processes to improve operating performance.

As part of the acquisition, the Atlona team will join Panduit’s Enterprise business group. Atlona will continue to serve its customers from its global headquarters in San Jose, Calif. for all sales, customer support, and training related inquiries.

By Stephen Hayes, Beckhoff Automation One of the key economic concepts for government to iron out before IDT can deliver performance, is the contributory capacity that robots, automation and AI fulfil in the overall economy.

They are developing a profilometer that will provide part inspection. Based on an optical technology, the profilometer for composite placement has in-process inspection technology designed to help manufacturers meet strict standards by providing measuring information without limiting the process functionality.

The KASTO solution is based on a UNICOMPACT storage system which, with a height of 15 m and a length of 115 m, has space for around 10,000 cassettes. Each cassette can accommodate material up to six metres in length and has a payload of up to 3.4 tonnes.

Kaspersky Lab Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS CERT) experts have identified and patched seven previously unknown vulnerabilities in Moxa’s ThingsPro Suite.

More observation improves accuracy and reduces error of all kinds in industrial and process industry applications.

With a goal of increasing productivity and shortening the development time of new products, Maxiforja has adopted Femap software, the Plant Simulation solution in the Tecnomatix portfolio, the Teamcenter portfolio, NX software and Line Designer from Siemens in order to reach its goal of becoming a digitalized enterprise.

By Carlos Millan, Oceaneering International For decades, automated guided vehicle (AGV) technology has delivered materials handling and logistics solutions to automotive companies. Automotive manufacturers, in general, have embraced the lean principles of advanced logistics and manufacturing solutions.

Rego has proven himself over his 18 years of growth within PI USA’s sales operations and in progressive sales leadership while working at PI USA’s Auburn headquarters.

A forward decoupling algorithm can be used to cancel out MIMO interactions, making more traditional control methods applicable to complex systems.

By Nick Boughton, Boulting Technology Every plant has its unique lifecycle, which sees both equipment and employees evolve over time. This article explains the concept of virtual commissioning and its benefits when installing new plant equipment.

Organizations interested in submitting must send a letter of intent (LOI) by the LOI deadline indicated in the RFP document. Submitting a LOI is not legally binding and does not commit an organization to being part of a submission team.

HARTING Customised Solutions (HCS) is now manufacturing tailor-made solutions in its 500m2+ facility. These products and solutions are primarily intended for mechanical and plant engineering.

Legacy industrial devices are "insecure by design" and vulnerable to interruption from cybersecurity threats or unintentional network incidents. Risk is increasing as Ethernet networking becomes more

This acquisition is intended to provide Hitachi Solutions with capabilities across cloud-native application development, data platform modernization, big data, machine learning, and advanced analytics along with modern workplace and managed services solutions.

Under the terms of the agreement, Schneider Electric will collaborate with Nozomi to provide customers in the industrial manufacturing and critical infrastructure segments advanced anomaly detection, vulnerability assessment and other cybersecurity solutions and services

The 2019 Smart City Guide demonstrates a new approach to IIoT-based technologies from initial design of system-integration projects to cloud management and network control.

By Bill Lydon, Editor The HART (Highway Addressable Remote Transducer) protocol, adopted worldwide, provides digital signal and measurement data from smart field instruments in a wide range of control, monitoring, and automation applications.

This integration enables industrial manufacturers and operators to replace OpenSSL, an open source crypto library, with Mocana’s cybersecurity software solution that is FIPS 140-2 validated and compliant with industrial cybersecurity standards.

Selecting the best drive technology for each application can become a tedious job for the microscope designer as well as the researcher. PI’s “Nanopositioning for Microscopy” brochure is designed to simplify this selection process with flow charts and application tables.

Many factors come into play when selecting a new or upgraded control system, with careful consideration of each resulting in the best outcome.

Nichols will manage the commercial vehicle show portfolio, which currently includes the North American Commercial Vehicle Show (NACV Show 2019). He also will develop new North American events in the fire and safety segment of the company’s portfolio of INTERSCHUTZ exhibitions & conferences.

OPC is a client/server protocol. The server has a list of data points (normally in a tree structure) that it provides. A client can connect to a server and pick a set of data points it wishes to use.

Using the Siemens platform for digital innovation, Konecranes has been able to connect the data from all of these organizations to create one 360 degree view of how prototypes are running and performing, and correlating requirements to, real world performance data.

Headquartered in Braunschweig, Germany with a global network of distribution partners, Etalon will operate within Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division.

By Graham Smith, Curo Talent We’ve all heard of the wider IT skills shortage, but the lack of security skills in the industry is even more critical. This article explains the role of automation in IT security and how it could address the skills shortage.

The competition gives the industry’s most innovative young companies the chance to vie for a $10,000 cash award and the spotlight at the Automate 2019 Show and Conference—a showcase devoted to automation industry trends, leading-edge technology and business innovation, taking place April 8-11 in Chicago, Illinois.

All circuits to be worked on should be tested with a multi-meter prior to performing work to ensure that no voltage or current is present.

ISA is a nonprofit professional association that provides technical resources and programs for those who apply engineering and technology to improve the management, safety and cybersecurity of modern automation and control systems used across industry and critical infrastructure.

While updating the plant’s control layer, IT teams at Arkansas Steel began considering additional opportunities to improve operations. What they found was an issue with workforce utilization: Operators’ attention was divided between the process of creating tie plates and handling data.

By Robert Glass, ABB Digitalization encompasses a transformation in the way industrial environments work. For the food and beverage industry, this means companies can better comply with legislation through a transformation in areas including connectivity, smart sensors, traceability, cloud computing and monitoring.

Through this acquisition, eSimulation can offer a range of solutions to the midstream and upstream industries. For example, ControlSoft’s MANTRA advanced process control (APC) platform can help stabilize gas plants, condensate stabilizers, and fractionation facilities and enable operators to effectively hit optimization targets

Due to the high demand and requests for training in the field of industrial automation, AutomationDirect is now offering unlimited access to selected Interconnecting Automation training series for anyone interested in learning about industrial controllers.

Through the acquisition, FreePoint will accelerate the development of its ShiftWorx platform for machine monitoring in manufacturing while providing configuration and customization to meet enterprise customer needs.

The patent covers analytics for detecting anomalous behavior in ICS networks incorporating specialized ICS protocols such as Modbus and DNP3, and specialized ICS devices such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs).

While taking advantage of full Modelica standard support, users can benefit from the Simcenter Amesim solver and its platform capabilities such as performance analyzer or linear analysis.

By Asael Sharabi, Emerson Automation Solutions Inventory is one of the most important assets of an organization, and its effective management is increasingly recognized as a key component of financial health and profitability.

AXISCADES will be working directly with Altizon’s Datonis platform and products R&D group to design and build manufacturing applications that help manufacturers accelerate their Industry 4.0 journey

The companies have joined forces to launch a digital maintenance service that combines Iconsys’ expertise in industrial data collection and integrated manufacturing systems with Senseye’s prognostics and predictive maintenance software.

The performance of conventional PID controllers in robotics falls short in applications which are nonlinear and uncertain. Almost all industrial processes are nonlinear and uncertain.

The ISA/IEC 62443 standards are developed primarily by the ISA99 committee of the International Society of Automation (ISA), with simultaneous review and adoption by the Geneva-based International Electrotechnical Commission.

By Andrew Kling, Schneider Electric Hackers follow a process to launch an attack, and there’s a concurrent process for manufacturers to defend themselves from these attacks. By describing both of them, organizations can ensure they’ve addressed every element of their cyber risk strategy.

Keegans will provide strategic vision, change leadership and development and implementation of the company’s people programs, and lead cultural transformation for Rockwell Automation to support its delivery of the Connected Enterprise.

Data access will be through Aker BP’s Cognite cloud platform, their drilling monitoring solution and other 3rd party applications. OPC UA-based information modelling enables Aker BP to use models that can be shared between companies.

The following article describes how a field device management solution employing FDT Technology helped a major bioethanol producer streamline device commissioning and maintenance tasks, and at the same time, increase productivity and savings as part of a major Greenfield project.

Yokogawa’s FlowNavigator is a software tool that is used to configure the flow parameters for multivariable transmitters and vortex flowmeters and thereby ensure the precise measurement of mass flow.

By Glenn Schulz, FDT Group and Katherine Voss, ODVA The following article describes efforts by the automation industry to develop next generation standards and technology, which enhance security throughout the lifecycle of industrial control devices in today’s connected world.

The best way to determine potential ROI is by tracking some vital key performance indicators or KPIs.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation A shocking amount of capital is tied up in inventory. Along with accounts receivable and accounts payable, inventory represents $1.1 trillion in cash – equivalent to 7 per cent of the United States GDP. This article explains the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in accessing this cash.

The output from a magnetic flowmeter is a linear signal that is proportional to the velocity of the flowing fluid.

The following article describes how ongoing technology developments by FDT Group will help optimize industrial organizations and their maintenance departments by enabling cloud-based enterprise data access, device diagnostics, mobility applications, and the use of augmented reality in asset management and predictive maintenance programs.

For suppliers of industrial control products and solutions, implementation of the FDT standard is a forward-looking strategy supporting the new era of automation.

The following article describes how technology collaboration between two open, automation industry standards organizations is changing the paradigm for integrating control systems, applications and devices within a unified architecture – all aimed at optimizing information exchange throughout the industrial enterprise.

The industrial revolution now underway, commonly referred to as Industry 4.0, is powered by advancements that include smart manufacturing, advanced analytics and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

The mission of the IoT Breakthrough Awards program is to recognize the innovators, leaders and visionaries from around the globe in a range of IoT categories, including Connected Home and Home Automation, Industrial and Enterprise IoT, Smart City technology, Connected Car and many more.

To become a HEIDENHAIN ATP, CCD staff completed several rounds of advanced training on the 5-Axis HEIDENHAIN TNC machine controls and successfully passed an extensive exam.

As the cobot market is experiencing an increasing number of competitors – both from the established industrial players and start-ups – it is vital, however, to keep ahead of the curve.

By Antony Bourne, IFS A new generation of point AI solutions will prove themselves in 2019. They’ll build new trust, urgency and understanding of what ‘AI’ actually is, and just how much it can deliver. Here are 3 key predictions for manufacturing for 2019—and beyond.

TrendMiner was selected upon rigorous test case analysis. In a first stage TrendMiner’s smart self-service analytics solution will be rolled out to the engineers and production experts to support operations with a “big data” approach.

By John Fryer, Stratus Technologies Manufacturing professionals looking to implement IIoT and edge computing need to ask themselves the following questions to identify underlying challenges and figure out how to address them.

Gräff assumed the position of Managing Director at HARTING Technology Group at the beginning of 2015, and was initially responsible for the Market and Development area at HARTING Electric and the Development division at HARTING Electronics.

Smart, flexible robots allow manufacturers to shift to market demands far more quickly and efficiently and without advanced programming.

Kaizen is a continuous improvement approach to work that seeks to achieve small, incremental changes in processes to improve efficiency and quality.

A valve positioner adjusts the pneumatic output to a valve actuator so that the requested position of the valve from a controller is achieved.

Pulsar’s products provide solutions related to level, open channel flow, pipe flow, sludge interference measurement, and pump control for water utilities and industrial customers worldwide.

Chattering alarms are the most found nuisance alarms that will probably reduce the usability and result in a confidence crisis of alarm systems for industrial plants.

Learn about the methods of state-based control as it applies to models defined by ISA-106.

By Stefan Reuther, COPA-DATA Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Regardless of the phrase used to describe digitalization in manufacturing, there’s no denying that a shift has already taken place. This article gives three predictions for industrial automation in 2019 — no buzzwords included.

This database, called FLUIDAT, is used by the company for configuration and calibration of its portfolio of flow meters and controllers, and for calculating pressure differences, valve seats, etc..

A process stage in the process model can be mapped to a unit procedure in the procedural model, which in turn is mapped to a unit in the physical model.

The support for PROFINET @ TSN technology will be on its portfolio of netX multiprotocol network controllers. netX is a single-chip ASIC that provides a master and/or slave communication connection to all Industrial Ethernet systems, fieldbuses and Industry 4.0 protocols.