Integrated safety on a valve terminal

At Festo's Pack Expo booth was a demonstration of how a Profibus fieldbus node can be connected to a safety network. This allows reliable communication to a pneumatic valve manifold, thus eliminating additional hardware.

Oct 7th, 2013

Festo Corporation

Universal I/O: Just in Time for the Digital Transformation

A standardized version of I/O provides users and machine builders with the opportunity to scale systems quickly, but traditional I/O still holds an important role.

Diane Sacra, Director of Marketing, LNS Research

Autonomous and Remote Ops Trend Up as COVID-19 Changes the Landscape

According to LNS Research, approximately 50% of industrial leaders have an autonomous plant initiative formalized. However, transformation comes with challenges and hurdles. Learn what considerations you should take moving forward.

John Deere Hybrid 944K Wheel Loader distributing aggregate in Georgetown, Texas.

John Deere and Audi Apply Intel’s AI Technology

Artificial intelligence is changing how welding quality inspections are handled—from inspecting specifics such as porosity to providing alerts about faulty welds as they happen.

Luigi De Bernardini, CEO at Autoware and President of Autoware Digital.

Why IIoT Demand Continues to Grow

Whether it's the need to scale up or down, re-strategize production, or re-deploy employees, Industrial Internet of Things technology has been essential in making these transformations possible.

The Artificial Intelligence Explosion in Industrial Automation

Take Five Video: From supply chain and workforce training to automated quality inspections, artificial intelligence capabilities are being added to automation technologies—changing how users interact with hardware devices and software applications.

Check out The Cobot Spot from Universal Robots

Check out The Cobot Spot from Universal Robots

Looking for automation solutions for packaging and palletizing? This is your destination for all things cobot. Whether it’s webinars, video case studies or product information, you’ll find it all in this one spot.

Larry White, CMA, CFM, CPA, CGFM, Executive Director of the Resource Consumption Accounting Institute.

Dangerous Manufacturing Rules of Thumb

Find out how fixed and variable cost confusion, counting profit as a percentage of sales, over focusing on cost management and product cost, and pursuing return on investment the wrong way can hurt your facility and your profits.

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Amazon’s Cloud-Based Machine Learning for Predictive Maintenance

The new Lookout for Equipment service from Amazon Web Services analyzes machine data in the cloud to predict machine failures.

Siemens Industrial Edge offers option to connect to Google Cloud services.

Google Cloud Targets the Manufacturing Industries with Siemens

Siemens is integrating Google Cloud’s data cloud and artificial intelligence/machine learning technologies with Siemens’ Industrial Edge platform.

Flexible feeding system using vision, motion, and robotics technologies developed by Armo Tool in conjunction with Omron Automation and Taylor Fluid Systems.

The Rise of Flexible Feeding System Technology

Why flexible feeding systems, which incorporate robotics, vision, and motion technologies are beginning to replace the vibratory bowl feeders that have long been used sort small parts for assembly and packaging.

Daniel C. Malyszko, Director of Operations and IIoT Consultant, Malisko Engineering

Leverage Your Existing OT System As You Create Your Digital Transformation Roadmap

Malisko Engineering's director of operations provides a guide to understanding your company's essential stepping stones to digital transformation and how to utilize the automation technologies already implemented in your operations.

Industrial Wearable Uses and Applications

Industrial wearables, such as augmented reality headsets, are a growing presence in industrial operations of various sorts. Watch this Take Five with Automation World video to find out more.

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Evonik Uses Modular Process Control for Greater Customizability

Siemens’ Simatic PCS Neo process control system is helping chemical manufacturer Evonik make its production model more flexible.

Can MES Replace SCADA?

A look at the overlaps and differences between SCADA and MES technologies and how their functions can be combined, with an example of a manufacturer that has done it.

5G Expands Autonomous Mobile Robot Capabilities

At TCL’s plant in Huizhou, China, improved 5G wireless connectivity enabled the company to add dozens of ForwardX autonomous mobile robots to improve production operations.

Festo uses predictive maintenance in the automotive industry to increase efficiency in the maintenance of servo-pneumatic welding guns by avoiding unforeseen downtimes and service and complaint costs. Source: Festo.

How Festo Applies Artificial Intelligence for Predictive Applications

To showcase the use of AI in its automation technologies, Festo highlighted two use cases involving predictive maintenance and predictive energy.

Based on linear servo track technology, the Orboter has movers called “Probots” on which actuators can be mounted.

Wireless Network for Manufacturing Offers the Reliability of Wired IO-Link

The use of wireless in manufacturing plants is still met with a good deal of skepticism today. Much of this doubt is based on experience with traditional wireless, which is simply not reliable because it’s neither fast enough nor scalable.

Blake Griffin, senior analyst, Interact Analysis presenting on predictive maintenance strategies at PMMI's Executive Leadership Conference.

Live at the ELC: OEMs Can Monetize Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance is an emerging technology for packaging and processing equipment that has the potential to disrupt the OEM business model.

Inputs for materials, equipment, and labor will be getting more expensive across the board, but a tight labor market will be the biggest limiting factor for CPGs. Automation is a great way to circumvent this.

Live at the ELC: Economic Forecast for Brands Timing Their Packaging Machinery Procurement

The U.S. and global economies are poised for a long period of expansion, meaning more consumer spending power and top line growth for brands, but also higher input prices for CPGs, including materials, machinery, and labor.

Randy Otto, CEO, ECS Solutions

Additional Report Parameters Enhance Process Performance

Looking to gain more insight into your company’s quality, cost, personnel, and energy activities to make more informed decisions? Start by contextualizing your data with parameters suggested by ECS Solution’s CEO.

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Why the “As-a-Service” Model is Changing Automation Technology Purchases

Learn how software-as-a-service and machines-as-a-service business models are changing how manufacturers purchase, use, and upgrade their industrial automation technologies in this 'Take Five with Automation World' video.

Beckhoff Highlights Material Handling and Machine Vision Updates

Beckhoff’s press conference at Hannover Messe focused on new functionalities for its XTS, XPlanar, and TwinCAT Vision products.

Operator load station application using FreeMove and Fanuc robot.

Safety Certification Issued for Industrial Collaborative Robot Technology

Veo Robotics’ FreeMove system receives ISO 13849 safety certification from TÜV Rheinland.

Applications for this AI-powered imaging system include printed circuit board inspection, detection of foreign objects, identification of surface level metal defects, and product uniformity issues.

Flir Systems and Neurala Develop AI-Powered Industrial Machine Vision

The goal of combining artificial intelligence with industrial vision systems is to enable manufacturers to place automated inspection points anywhere and be able to quickly reconfigure them for new applications as needed.

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How Artificial Intelligence is Being Used to Streamline Training

DeepHow is using artificial intelligence to make the creation, delivery, and consumption of digital training materials more efficient.

Cybersecurity Concerns Grow in Post-COVID Era

As industrial networks migrate to the cloud, cybersecurity threats in the manufacturing sector are increasing in tow. Watch this Take Five video to find out what industries are being targeted, who these e-criminals are, and how to protect your factory.

How Intelligence is Powering Supply Chain’s Next Wave

Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies are behind a host of emerging applications, especially for manufacturing demand planning and warehouse applications.

The future of AI includes semantically aware cognitive robots.

A New Class of Machine Will Be Born Robotic

In the future every machine will be an intelligent and “understanding” robot if it’s using the code-free Robust.AI cognitive engine.

Digital twins can be used to help optimize production lines, including motor and drive configurations.

Motors and Drives Come Together for Motion Efficiency, Performance, Reliability

Beyond the advances made to both motors and drives in terms of energy efficiency, safety, cleanability, and more, suppliers emphasize the importance of how they work together in a complete motion system.

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Nozomi Networks’ Cybersecurity Added to ABB and Tempered Networks’ Products

Nozomi’s real-time network visibility becomes part of ABB’s distributed control system and Tempered Network’s Airwall technology.

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Spatial Computing and Digital Twin Drive Interactive AR Simulations

PTC’s Vuforia Engine Area Targets brings augmented reality and digital twin technologies together to create interactive, photorealistic simulations of factory environments.

HP 3D printers at Ford.

Ford and Nissan Use HP 3D Printing to Address Production Sustainability

Used 3D-printed powders and parts are being turned into components for Ford’s Super Duty F-250 trucks; the technology is also being used to create replacement parts for older Nissan models.