2013 is not only the 10th anniversary of Automation World; it also marks the 20th anniversary of the HART Communications Foundation, developers of the HART communication protocol and WirelessHART technology. HART is a global standard for sending and receiving digital information across analog wires between smart devices and control or monitoring system. More specifically, HART is a bi-directional communication protocol that provides data access between intelligent field instruments and host systems.
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May 21, 2013 |
By Renee R. Bassett
Interested in wireless networking options? Multiple suppliers provide WirelessHART products that interoperate, and the The HART Communication Foundation wants you to know where to find them.
May 09, 2013 |
By Renee R Bassett
Software licensing agreements can be complicated for an enterprise. Using a multi-plant cereal maker as an example, a maker of enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI) software explains how concurrent licensing compares to traditional named licenses in terms of cost and administration.
Manufacturing intelligence software bridges many gaps, enabling information to be collected and shared across many boundaries: plant floor and control room, operations and business management, etc. It also can present challenges, not the least of which is knowing which software licensing method to use to cost-effectively get everyone the information they need.
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Networks: Wired & Wireless
Sign up to receive timely updates from our editors and download this FREE Special Report exploring the most widely adopted protocols for fieldbus, Ethernet and wireless networking in the process industries, as well as the latest trends in wireless applications.
April 12, 2013 |
By Renee Robbins Bassett
You know how some people could stand at the edge of a construction site and watch construction equipment move earth for hours? I can do that with industrial machines.
At Automate 2013, for example, I was transfixed by the packaging robot demo from Fanuc and the IQ Motion System with MRJ4 Servos demo from Mitsubishi Electric.
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April 01, 2013 |
By Renee Robbins Bassett
Globally, years of neglect, doing more with less and a need to save water-processing-related energy costs are driving the adoption of new automation solutions.
While many organizations work to ensure humans in developing countries have safe and abundant drinking water, the need to upgrade water and wastewater treatment systeme in developed countries is also getting attention.
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March 22, 2013 |
By Renee Robbins Bassett
How experimentation with remote monitoring and control of home systems—ranging from home HVAC to lighting and pool controls to boat refrigeration units— led to the development of an industrial HMI tool that can be accessed from any portable device.
When it comes to operator interfaces, mobility is top of mind and everyone wants it yesterday. When you want to control a packaging machine or monitor tank levels at the far side of the plant, enjoying the convenience of a smartphone or tablet computer at home makes the long walk to a tethered HMI feel like you’re hitching your wagon to a horse to buy groceries. The increasing use of modern Web browsers and mobile operating systems, however, is allowing the development of industrial-strength wireless monitoring and control applications to make the jump to lightspeed.
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