Greg FarnumNetworksConsolidated Monitoring: Risky Convenience or New Paradigm?Centralized monitoring of multiple sites from a single location—perhaps delivered as a service by a third party—offers a host of possible productivity and cost benefits and maybe even a radically new way of doing business. But how secure are the drastically expanded networks such monitoring entails?December 9, 2014HomeVisualizing Energy ConsumptionHaving a clear view of your plant floor operations—knowing what to look for and instrumenting what you can—can cut industrial energy costs. Metering is the best and most accurate method, but mathematical models can help as well.July 2, 2014HomeUsing the Performance Curve to ‘See’ Energy ConsumptionSam Pelonis, president of Pelonis Technologies, a manufacturer of AC and DC fans and motors, says one way to find the right balance of power and cooling ability, energy efficiency and maintenance cost is to use performance curves in design planning. These are graphical aids that can be developed for a number of conditions, including fan volume, system static pressure, fan speed and brake horsepower.June 30, 2014MotionUnderstanding High-Speed Motion Control NetworksToday’s faster and more complex machines place new demands on motion control, particularly in the area of communication. While rivalries persist among automation vendors over hardware and network protocols for high-speed motion control, there is considerable agreement concerning what machine builders and users need to be aware of.April 29, 2014ControlThe Changing Landscape of Modern SafetyToday’s functional approach to industrial safety can yield significant benefits for machine builders and users, but commitment and knowledge are required to reap them.February 20, 2014NetworksHelpful ToolsAs a sidebar to our January cover story on wireless solutions, this article offers a few resources to learn more about setting up and troubleshooting your wireless network.February 3, 2014NetworksIndustrial Wireless: Broken Signal SolutionsIndustrial wireless isn't rocket science, but it is complicated. These tips will help you make it work.February 2, 2014ControlSwitched to SafetyThe European Union’s Machinery Directive spurs bottling line maker Krones to revise its safety engineering model all the way down to the safety position switches.August 27, 2013ControlPackSafe Improves Risk AssessmentThe safety standards state that a risk assessment must be performed on a machine in order for it to be deemed safe. This is a standardized procedure for determining the level of risk presented by a machine or system and its components, followed by a risk reduction phase for minimizing or eliminating those risks.August 26, 2013ControlPackaging Machine Safety Turns DynamicProgrammable, smart devices coupled with new approaches and new standards are changing safety from a static add-on to a dynamic partner in packaging machine productivity.August 23, 2013Page 1 of 6Next PageTop StoriesPlant MaintenanceAn Alternative to On-Site Service TechniciansSystem Integrator Interstates introduces its Smart Hands service to remotely address maintenance activities that can distract from your employees’ core job duties.RoboticsExplosive Robot Growth Expected, New DIY Robot Tech EmergesDesignAnheuser-Busch Makes Beer, Seltzers, and MachinesSensorsRobot Vision System OptionsSponsor ContentWhy should you invest in cloud ERP?
