Sensors, Sensors, Sensors

AutomationDirect’s sensor line includes miniature rectangular ultrasonic and diffuse photoelectrics with background suppression. Shop now.

Nov 2nd, 2007

AutomationDirect has the proximity sensors, photoelectric sensors and limit switches you need to sense the presence of objects in a variety of applications. Our high-quality line of proximity and limit switches come from high-tech European manufacturers with years of experience developing and supplying reliable sensors.

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When Will AI be Common in Manufacturing?

Companies want to rely less on skilled labor and more on AI and machine intelligence, but currently only 1% of all manufacturers are utilizing this technology in their operations.

Quest developed a flexible robotic system to load meat and poultry into an Ossid ReeForm E40 thermoformer.

Robotics Special Report: Food-Safe Solutions Emerge

New opportunities for the direct and indirect handling of foods emerge as manufacturers begin developing robots for handling unpacked goods.

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Workers Wanted? Contact the Robot Employment Agency

Start-up MusashiAI introduces intelligent autonomous robots for quality inspection and forklift driving—allowing the redistribution of human labor to more value-added jobs.

The T5 pick-and-place delta robot from Gerhard Schubert GmbH features a fifth axis that allows for high performance in small spaces.

Special Report: Robots Drive the Manufacturing Revolution

New innovations in robotics for the packaging industry enable greater flexibility, efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness for those CPGs looking to automate a range of applications.

Pearson’s dual-cell solution is able to handle four palletizing lines dedicated to the customer’s new case style, along with two additional lines, when needed

Robotics Special Report: Cobot-Placed Top Sheets Protect Frozen Foods

The installation of 12 robotic palletizers for frozen food products necessitates the addition of two cobot cap-sheet placers to keep the cases free from dust.

Larry White, executive director, Resource Consumption Accounting Institute

Industry 4.0 Capabilities Come to Enterprise Finance

Traditional financial accounting information is not up to the challenges of an Industry 4.0 world. A focus on acquiring data in real-time opens up a new world of insight and decision making.

The core components of IO-Link communication, the implementations of the protocol layer and the functions remain unchanged.

Can IO-Link and SPE Work Together?

Integrating an existing industrial communication standard with an up-and-coming method often creates headaches. But several industry experts see an easy path to integrating IO-Link and Single Pair Ethernet.

Making Sense of the Industrial Analytics Market

As organizations continue to see the value in industrial analytics, making sense of the sheer amount of data produced can be a difficult task. Finding the right product and developing a proper workflow is important to get long-term use out of the system.

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Robotics Solutions Future Looks Bright

The demand for cobots will continue to grow, and robotics will expand outside of end-of-line applications, according to a new report by PMMI Business Intelligence.

New web-based PMMI Media Group event will bring the packaging and processing industry together, virtually.

Register Now for First of Its Kind PACK EXPO Connects

The new web-based PMMI Media Group event will bring the packaging and processing industry together, virtually Nov. 9-13.

Diane Sacra, director of marketing, LNS Research

The Prescription for Transformation is Clear: Better Analytics

Manufacturers seeking industrial transformation and operational improvements should take a look in one place, its own data.

High-efficiency glass is made possible through a sputter coating line, which adds a metallic film to the glass surface. Source: AGC Glass

Data Analysis Helps Glassmaker See Through Its Processes

Using OSIsoft’s PI to monitor thousands of data points across a high-intensity float glass production system that runs 24/7, AGC has been able to reduce downtime and improve operations.

What Affect Does Automation Have on Supply Chain Management?

Learn about the connections between supply chain operations and automation technologies, ranging from analytics and MES to HMI and SCADA software.

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IIoT Blind Spots: Where are They and Do You Have Them?

A crucial component of automation advancement, yet one that is lacking at most manufacturers, is the deployment of IIoT connectivity across an entire enterprise, including key areas such as receiving, warehousing, and shipping.

The Robex Staxx palletizer is offered on the Flexx Machine-as-a-Service program.

Paying for Performance

The new automation model focuses on services that reduce a manufacturer’s financial risks by shifting the responsibility of asset acquisition on to the OEM or technology supplier via performance-based service level agreements or cloud-based subscription.

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Moving Automation Up the Line

According to a new report by PMMI Business Intelligence, OEMs and suppliers should assist manufacturers to identify new automation projects that lie outside the traditional end-of-line packaging and palletizing.

Larry Grate, GICSP, director of technology, Premier System Integrators

Securing Your On-Premise or Cloud Industry 4.0 Systems

With the amount of data that moves throughout an Industry 4.0-enabled manufacturing environment, choosing the best tool to secure your on-premise or cloud systems can be a challenge.

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Assessing Your Cybersecurity Readiness

With COVID-19 increasing the need for remote connections to your network, the need for solid cybersecurity protections becomes ever more important.

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Organizations Join Forces to Address Digital Transformation Challenges for Oil and Gas

To address the digital transformation challenges oil and gas companies have historically faced, Doris Group, Schneider Electric, and Aveva have partnered to create digital twin technology to help face these challenges.

Heather Johnson, automation manager, Interstates.

Simulation Environments: Worth the Investment?

Establishing a simulation environment in a facility can have many benefits when it comes to testing, risk management, downtime, and even troubleshooting. But deciding if the investment is worth it depends on the facility itself.

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JLS Automation President and CEO Craig Souser explains the HMI and control technologies from B&R Industrial Automation used on its packaging machines.

JLS Automation Factory Tour

In this video, Craig Souser, JLS Automation president and CEO, leads a tour of JLS Automation's factory, highlighting the robotic, augmented reality, HMI, and control technologies used in its packaging machines.

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Volkswagen Looks to the Cloud for Productivity Gains

The open Industrial Cloud initiative at Volkswagen is expanding to include multiple new manufacturing and technology partners in an app store-like approach to boost Volkswagen’s production operations.

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Symbiosis for OEMs and Manufacturers

Strong relationships can enable both to prosper as OEMs broaden their scope and educate manufacturers about fast-moving and complex automation advancements that they may not have the time or resources to stay informed about.

Kinetix 5100 servo drive from Rockwell Automation

Integrated Motion Technologies

A trio of new servo drive products highlight the integration of multiple motion control components to provide more compact size, higher power, and ease of installation.

Timothy S. Matheny, P.E., president, ECS Solutions

Reducing Validation and Execution Efforts by Standardizing

Before development of a project begins, it’s important to have a full understanding of the best practices and standards associated with the system to avoid building from the ground up and to save time and money.

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A Circular Problem: Labor Shortages and Expanded Manufacturing Automation

The continued issue of labor shortages in the manufacturing sector can also create problems for companies that want to expand automation in their operations. Can OEMs help?

JLS Celebrates 65th Anniversary with Virtual Founder’s Day Event

As part of its 65th anniversary celebration, JLS held a virtual Founder’s Day event on August 19, 2020.

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Technology Matters: Robot Employment Agency, MRP-Led Operations, and Data Analytics

Learn about the creation of a robot employment agency, why cloud-based MRP can handle many of the same tasks as ERP, and the critical factors behind effective industrial data analytics.

Aveva to Acquire OSIsoft

The combination of the two companies’ software technologies will reportedly enable Aveva to further advance its ability to deliver big data, cloud, and artificial intelligence-driven insights.

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The Pandemic is Shaping the Future Supply Chain

Some of the greatest innovations happen during times of disruption.

Brian Fenn, vice president of operations, Avanceon,

The Training Without Application Blues

Application is just as important as the training itself. Finding a way to keep your staff up to date with on-the-job knowledge while allowing them to apply said skills is a task that Avanceon looked to solve with an internal learning management platform.

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Automation Expansion Challenge: ROI

According to a new report by PMMI Business Intelligence, one main challenge manufacturers face when expanding automation in their operations is justifying the return on investment.