James R. Koelsch

Contributing Editor

Since Jim Koelsch graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, he has spent more than 35 years reporting on various kinds of manufacturing technology. His publishing experience includes stints as a staff editor on Production Engineering (later called Automation) at Penton Publishing and as editor of Manufacturing Engineering at the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. After moving to freelance writing in 1997, Jim has contributed to many other media sites, foremost among them has been Automation World, which has been benefiting from his insights since 2004.

Why the MQTT Protocol is So Popular

This first installment in a four-part series on key industrial network technologies explains how an ultra lightweight data transfer protocol became a widely used data gathering tool for Internet of Things applications.

IIoT Retrofits for Legacy Equipment

If you’re like most manufacturers, you’re not operating a greenfield site with the latest internet-ready equipment. However, you’re likely facing numerous digitalization initiatives. Here’s how you can do it via strategic retrofits to existing equipment.

When Artificial Intelligence Comes to Control

Applications of machine learning and other forms of artificial intelligence have been recognized in robotics and analytics. Now the technology is adding some spice to basic control applications.

How Augmented Reality Became a Serious Tool for Manufacturing

Making monsters appear in games like Pokémon Go is not the only application for augmented reality these days. Industry is using the technology too, harnessing CAD data for training workers, standardizing workflows, and enabling collaboration.

More from James R. Koelsch

Is The Digital Transformation Changing Industry’s Approach to Quality?

An update to the Automation World survey on the use of automation for quality inspections detects some surprising changes in the era of digitalization. Quality may be becoming associated more with process feedback than classical inspection technologies.

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Cybersecurity Lessons from Safety

Experts have long advocated for the alignment of cybersecurity and safety to ensure overlapping protections. A number of methods, from protection layering to analytical methods, provide guidance on how to achieve this.

The Role of MES in an IIoT World

As the Industrial Internet of Things continues to gain momentum in manufacturing, many wonder about the future of manufacturing execution systems and their relation to digitalization initiatives.

Going to grayscale is catching on as a best practice in alarm management. Reserving color for abnormalities draws the operator’s attention and prompts more immediate corrective action. Courtesy: Honeywell

How Serious Are You About Alarm Management?

An Automation World reader survey detects a rising interest in alarm management best practices. It finds that, though many users are investing in new software, many are also missing the boat by giving their alarm philosophy short shrift.

Battle for Cybersecurity Spreads to Sensors

Even the lowest level of the Purdue model has become a target for hackers who want to attack manufacturing facilities. Automation vendors are scrambling to help users defend sensors and other intelligent devices.

ERP Lands Starring Role in Intelligent Manufacturing

The cloud, the Internet of Things, machine learning, artificial intelligence—all are in the script making enterprise resource planning a rising star again.

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Energy Efficiency: A Little Knowledge Goes a Long Way

There has been a lot of talk in industry about energy efficiency in manufacturing facilities, but the realities of high cost and limited returns have stymied action. Some best practices, though, could tip cost calculations in favor of moving forward.

The Great Graphics Debate: Is Going Gray Good for HMIs?

Just when you think industry has settled on a look for HMI graphics, things change. But HMIs are not video games, and colorful, action-packed screens are not necessarily the best way to support safety and enhance productivity.

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How to Keep Shutdowns From Becoming Disasters

Turnarounds are not an everyday occurrence for continuous processes. To compensate for the lack of practice operators get, more plants are deploying software that can reduce the risk associated with shutting down and restarting these processes.