Articles and News

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The industrial IoT solution is built on the FactoryTalk Cloud platform from Rockwell Automation, powered by Microsoft Azure. Rockwell Automation and Microsoft have long collaborated on solutions required for industrial digital transformation. The Metso solution is a direct result of these efforts.

The Liwa Plastics Industries Complex is being built in Sohar, on Oman’s northern coast. This package order is for 15 analyzer houses and associated analysis systems consisting of process analyzers and sampling instruments.

By Markus Brettschneider, ABB Food and Beverage This article explains how food plant managers can add a similar level of connectivity to retrofit most motors with smart sensors to bring their plants to the digital age.

By Jan Pingel & Matthew Burd, Honeywell Process Solutions One of the most important characteristics of a connected plant is the ability to increase and enhance collaboration to help solve previously unsolvable problems. The emergence of the cloud-based historian is a key component, therefore, to bringing the connected plant to life because it greatly enables this type of collaboration.

Edwards will begin his tenure at the Automation Federation on 26 June. Current Automation Federation Managing Director Mike Marlowe will continue with the organization as Managing Director Emeritus until his retirement in December.

The first step of the CLPA Security WG focuses on network security, especially when the user adopts the SeamLess Message Protocol (SLMP) and CC-Link IE Field Basic where general IP communication is used for both cyclic and transient communications.

As part of the investment, OSIsoft and SoftBank will collaborate on developing new products and services enabling digital transformation and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and strengthening OSIsoft’s presence in new markets.

Powerful market forces are driving exciting changes in the use and design of laboratory automation and robotics.

For this project, ABB will supply the production hoist and all related mechanical and electrical systems at the South shaft of the K3 mine. Mechanical equipment for the friction hoist will include ABB’s synchronous motor and ABB’s SIL 3 rated Safety Brake System to provide safety, security and reliability for hoist operation.

By George Schuster, Rockwell Automation Many safety teams, in comparison, are stuck in the dark ages. That’s because they still rely on antiquated data-collection and reporting techniques. A Connected Enterprise provides an opportunity to close this disparity – and revolutionize industrial safety through the use of safety data.

Mr. van Vuuren has been certified as a Certified Licensing Professional, and is currently in charge of service sales in the EMEA and APAC regions for Silicon Valley-based Harmonic, and will be a valuable asset in assisting Skkynet with complex partnership and sales negotiations.

One significant order involves the supply of 70 LP range linear pneumatic actuators for the operation of large gate valves. The order for these actuators includes the assembly and factory testing of local control panels with digital valve positioners.

Standardization has changed the game in many industries, making life easier for engineers and manufacturers alike. Nowhere has standardization been more keenly observed than in frame grabbers.

The technology cooperation agreement is aimed at testing and improving the use of technologies in power transmission, power distribution, telecom networks, control and instrumentation applications.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation The combination of data from multiple platforms is now possible because of the OPC UA protocol - an in-demand feature - as the Internet of Things (IoT) gains traction. This article discusses how the open source protocol OPC UA is beneficial for automation.

The program focused on how E&P companies can improve history matching, uncertainty management and quantification across the entire reservoir characterization workflow through Roxar Tempest ENABLE, Emerson’s history matching and uncertainty estimation software solution.

By Cory Fogg, Automation.com Smaller manufacturers wishing to automate, may not have all the specialists they need on staff. With hiring processes taking days or weeks, the FactoryFix automated platform is working to connect these manufacturers with specialists in minutes

The Rate-Predictive Control (RPC) algorithm earned a United States patent in 2016 and is an inherently adaptive (or “naturally self-tuning”) process control algorithm.

Real-time analytics enable manufacturers to make smarter, better, faster decisions to achieve greater productivity from existing equipment.

Okuma’s donation of $100,000 in machine tools to the engineering technology programs at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC), enables students to gain valuable hands-on machining experience and the skill set needed to enter the manufacturing workforce

Fahrion will assume this role in addition to his leadership of the Edge Intelligence Communications Product Division of the company.

According to the Global IoT Decision Maker Survey published by International Data Corporation (IDC), nearly one-third (31 percent) of those surveyed have already launched IoT solutions, and another 43 percent are looking to deploy solutions in the next 12 months.

Using the Coriolis effect that causes a laterally vibrating tube to distort, a direct measurement of mass flow is obtainable using a Coriolis flowmeter.

The objective of the gathering was to examine operational technology/Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) cybersecurity challenges facing both the US and the UK.

The Fluke Pressure Calibration Tool Grant Program lets educators have a chance to win Fluke pressure calibration tools for their labs by giving Fluke’s product design team input on the specific challenges facing technicians working in the process industries.

This follows the acquisition of the Automated Technology Group (ATG), one of the UK’s largest independent suppliers of control and power solutions for industrial automation, in September 2015.

PCB's accelerometers were used by Lockheed Martin to measure the dynamic environment of the instrument platform in flight, and to characterize that environment to improve the interpretation of instrument data.

Nemaska Lithium is developing the Whabouchi spodumene deposit to meet the growing global demand for lithium batteries to be used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, as well as in various consumer electronics.

This free June 6 session will explore emerging trends in material handling and the best ways to ensure that equipment is designed and operates reliably and safely.

The Puget Sound Electrical JATC team — students Matthew Pulk, Andrew Wissink, Pavel Lutsyuk, and Xerxes Shelly, and advisor Steve Uhrich — used Fluke Connect Wireless Sensors and software to provide the information necessary for re-commissioning a customer's solar photovoltaic system and confirming that the photovoltaic system generated the power anticipated.

Dual-simultaneous dispensing enables two Nordson ASYMTEK dispensing valves or jets mounted on a single Z-head to simultaneously dispense fluid at two locations to increase throughput. Automatic Dual Simultaneous (ADS) systems automatically adjust the relative positions of the two valves in X, Y, and Z axes.

In the U.S., the plan will add large-robot assembly capabilities to the systems integration and service operations already in place at the Sepro America operation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Leveraging ISA standards during the industrial project design phase can enable companies to achieve sustainable benefits.

ABB’s solar conversion technology is suitable for power ranges from small kW to multi-MW, and is backed up by a comprehensive package of communication, monitoring and control solutions, designed to maximize solar power profits and support across the entire life cycle of a project.

This addition of North Hills Signal Processing to the DDC family expands DDC’s transformer product and technology portfolio with MIL-STD-1553, RF wideband, interface and power magnetic solutions, along with expanded manufacturing capabilities and engineering resources.

Harris, is the winner of the International School of Hydrocarbon Measurement (ISHM) Memorial Award for his technical paper and presentation in 2016 discussing improving field calibration through integrated technologies.

Level 1 DCS overview displays can help eliminate keyhole & tunneling effect some operators may experience from focusing on level 2, 3 & 4 control graphics.

The AMCI by IDEC product line includes controllers, stepper motors, and integrated solutions for the FC6A MicroSmart PLC. Integration is a combination of two or more components that usually make up a system.

By Katherine Brocklehurst, Belden IT and OT are very different organizations that have begun to converge very rapidly. This convergence has led to conflict, perhaps which has even been felt in your organization. This article addresses a major cause of their conflict and how to start resolving the growing pains.

CBV expects to reduce plant operating costs by up to 30 percent and maintenance time by up to 40 percent when ABB Ability Electrical Distribution Control System is fully implemented at other locations.

SETPOINT’s technology gives BKV a solution for applications that require a fully API 670-compliant machinery protection system. It also provides BKV with condition monitoring solutions

DeVry University is expanding DeVry Bootcamp to include 11 online Advanced Manufacturing Programs in collaboration with 180 Skills, an online career and technical education company for the advanced manufacturing industry

The companies plan to offer RPA consulting services and solutions to customers in a broad range of industries, including banking, retail, security, healthcare and education.

The scope of the working group will include examining the overlap between business and production processes, engineering and process automation solutions.

DesignSpark Mechanical 3D modelling software tool was used in the development of the ‘Daedalus’ jet-engine flight suit, which was demonstrated at a recent TED conference in Vancouver

FCI Co-founders, Robert Deane and Malcolm McQueen along with Magnetrol’s Judy Stevenson were inducted into the Measurement, Control and Automation Hall of Fame during the MCAA Industry Forum last month in Atlanta.

Winners will be selected based on the three key pillars of a comprehensive safety program: a strong safety culture, well-executed compliance procedures, and effective use of current, machine-safety technology.

Comtrol’s IO-Link Masters are available in three industrial Ethernet protocols: EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP and PROFINET IO, which are all capable of running OPC UA with MultiLink.

By Marius Mützel, Kistler Group In the past, fiber-reinforced plastics (FRPs) were mainly used in the aerospace sector −but in response to the trend towards boosting efficiency and optimizing resources, their use in the automotive industry is now increasing as well. It is essential to use lightweight construction materials so as to achieve the increased efficiency levels required by law, and also to reduce CO2 emissions.

According to the joint CIGI, ISOC and UNCTAD Global Survey on Internet Security and Trust, conducted by global research company Ipsos, before the latest attack, 6 per cent of Internet users globally had already been personally affected by ransomware, with Internet users in India, Indonesia, China and the United States the most likely to be affected.

The automotive sector is one of the main driving forces modernizing the French economy: with a robot density of 940 units per 10,000 workers, France currently ranks 2nd within the European Union - the UK ranks 10th with 606 units

This hands-on, interactive workshop is an extension of the Telecommunications Industry Association’s (TIA) Connectivity Jam and takes place June 8, 2017 in Dallas, Texas.

An improved cascade control structure with a modified Smith predictor is proposed for controlling open-loop unstable time delay processes.

The April 2017 event was a part of a regular schedule of interoperability events. It featured more than 20 devices from 13 different suppliers. These events provide ISA100 WCI member organizations an opportunity to validate the ISA100 Wireless brand promise of assured interoperability.

Bob and Mac began their partnership in 1964 with the development of a thermal flow switch designed to provide service in the the oil/gas industry. Starting in Mac’s home garage, the two engineers improvised with a kitchen candy thermometer, soldering iron, and a bowl of water to prove the validity of their initial sensor concept design and then began manufacturing the devices for a major U.S. oil company.

VIRES is a German-based, provider of simulation software solutions that support the development, testing and validation of driver-assisted and autonomous driving technology.

By Alan Grau and Dave West, Icon Labs Just as cyber-attacks take many forms and exploit a wide range of vulnerabilities in the target device, so too is cybersecurity multi-faceted. A fundamental, but often ignored, aspect of cybersecurity for IIoT devices is strong authentication.

Kepware and Microsoft’s industrial IoT solutions integrate with the help of OPC UA. KEPServerEX can move industrial control data to the Azure cloud platform by utilizing both OPC UA and MQTT via the Azure IoT Gateway SDK and Azure IoT Hub.

OMEGA Engineering sponsored the Sim-City robotics team from Simsbury High School. The team ranked 19 out of the 68 teams in their division at the 4-day FIRST Robotics National Championship in St. Louis, Missouri from April 26 through April 29.

By Alex West, IHS Markit Overall, a number of themes could be discerned at HANNOVER MESSE this year, including cost-cutting, production efficiency, downtime reduction, quicker time-to-market, product customization, and lower development costs.

The directive now provides a recognised, international common basis if there is need for clarification among project partners. Furthermore, the directive will help mitigate language barriers: Each paragraph is printed in both languages side by side. The tables have the same structures in both languages.

The objective is to strengthen and further build up the business area of material logistics with the broadened product portfolio. Super Dry Totech offers solutions in dry storage with a broad range of desiccant dry cabinets and the automated Dry Tower handling & storage system.

The study found more than three-quarters (76 percent) of Americans surveyed believe the U.S. should invest further in the manufacturing industry.

An enhanced PID controller simplifies tuning and improves loop stability and reliability for loops dominated by discontinuous measurement updates.

Transitioning from Manual to Automated Conformal Coating, by Michael Szuch, Nordson ASYMTEK and Optimizing the Plasma Treatment Process Prior to Conformal Coating to Eliminate ESD Induced Failures, by David Foote, Nordson MARCH, will be presented on Wednesday, May 24, 2017.

The industrial routers mbNET, mbNET.mini and the remote service portal mbConnect24 now support the discovery facilities of different PLC systems, also over the Internet. The thinking behind these features is the ability of common programming systems to find existing controllers in the network without known or assigned IP address.

The company will award free Extrovert 4G-equipped Logic Supply industrial computers to as many as five of the most exciting project proposals submitted to their "Be an Extrovert" contest.

The three-day class, from June 6-8, will focus on physics of flow and various flow measurement technologies available, along with a basic understanding of digital communications. The course will be a combination of classroom and hands-on training.

The core components of the new EDC are the 20m-high high-bay warehouse and the highly automated picking. The high-bay warehouse’s area of 4,500 square meters offers space for 6,500 pallets and around 120,000 warehouse containers and is operated fully automatically and in a paperless way, among others by employing RFID technology.

Prior to joining 3eTI, Iyer was vice president with at Honeywell Aerospace where he led international and domestic aerospace and defense programs. Before joining Honeywell, he served in the US Air Force for more than 17 years in several top leadership positions.

Lenze has joined forces with the IoT specialist ei3 to offer a combination of remote analysis and remote maintenance services. It is a white label product which means that there is no visible evidence of the ei3 brand, and the product appears under the name and logo of the OEM.

A magnetic flowmeter is a volumetric flowmeter, which does not have any moving parts and is ideal for wastewater applications or any dirty liquid.

FCI offers a range of application solutions from off-the-shelf devices to custom-engineered systems. They combine flow measurement accuracy with a design that is compatible with caustic, corrosive, humid and high temperature environments.

Using the TaskMaster infeed system with Braille module, cartons are fed, aligned, embossed, and transferred to the folder gluer all in one operation – at up to 1000 feet per minute. This unit can either run offline or be put directly in front of an existing folder gluer.