Shop Talk | April 2017

May 9th, 2017

Our writers share insights on the interesting—and sometimes quirky—automation applications they’re covering outside the factory environment. Focus includes personal robot assistants, translation wearables, UPS use of drones and farming in space.

Casa Sauza CEO trains on data analytics

Casa Sauza Automates Tequila Production in Mexico with Industry 4.0

Implementation of Industry 4.0 in this tequila producer’s plants has consolidated automated and efficient production environments. Through this incursion, Casa Sauza has become a benchmark in automation for the tequila industry in Mexico.

Krispy Kreme’s Drive Retrofit

The world-famous doughnut maker is upgrading its Siemens drives to optimize production, save costs, improve worker safety, and enable remote monitoring of equipment.

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Improving Human-Machine Interaction with Spatial Computing

The Digital Twin Consortium and AREA are working together to accelerate use cases for spatial computing—technologies that integrate digital twins and augmented reality to facilitate more dynamic interactions between workers and machines.

Evolve's B&R-controlled process fuses 2D-printed layers into solid 3D parts, combining the flexibility of additive technology with the material quality and production volume of injection molding.

Motion Control Brings Injection Molding Quality to Additive Manufacturing

With the help of B&R’s automation technology, Evolve’s selective thermoplastic electrophotographic process produces product 10 times faster than 3D printing while delivering assembly quality materials.

To bridge the IT/OT divide, OT personnel will need to become more familiar with IT methodologies, and IT personnel will need to spend more time familiarizing themselves with the nuts and bolts of OT.

Solving the Industrial Skills Gap

While the skills gap facing industry has been well publicized, overcoming the challenges it presents requires a targeted approach that considers the nuances of the problem.

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A Solid Foundation for Design

Often, limitations in time, staff, and resources lead companies to skip the design phase when pursuing automation projects. However, doing so can be extremely detrimental.

Is Internet of Things Control via SCADA Too Risky?

Ben Manlongat of system integrator Outbound Technologies explains the risks of remotely accessing SCADA data—even if it's 'read only'—and how to secure this critical automation system component.

ERP’s Growing Importance to Production Operations

How manufacturers are leveraging the connection between ERP and plant floor systems to improve production operations.

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TwinCAT3 Adds Virtualization, OPC UA Pub/Sub Functionality

With its new TF6105 function, TwinCAT 3 supports OPC Unified Architecture pub/sub communication methodologies. TwinCAT/BSD Hypervisor allows for the simultaneous execution of virtual machines and TwinCAT real-time applications on an industrial PC.

John Deere's 8R autonomous tractor.

John Deere Debuts Autonomous Tractor: “One Giant Robot”

The 8R tractor is a step towards solving labor and productivity challenges, but the move to autonomous farming is a five-stage journey.

John Clemons, Director of Manufacturing IT for Maverick Technologies

Demand-Driven Smart Manufacturing

The new MESA International Smart Manufacturing Model provides the answers the industry is seeking on production agility, resource effectiveness, and quality control.

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Educational Partnerships Expand Across Industry

Universal Robots, Bosch, Danfoss, and Festo have all launched new partnerships and collaborations with academic institutions in the interest of bridging the automation skills gap.

Screenshot of Movicon ProLean OEE in RXi Edge Analytics.

Emerson Announces New Edge Technology Portfolio

By combining its Movicon.NExT, WebHMI, Connext OPC UA server, and PACEdge platform, Emerson focuses on helping users approach digital transformation one step at a time.

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

Rethinking Manufacturing Investments for a Learning Economy

Discover how investing in companies where intangible capital is the key to building long-term value.

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What Happens When The Agile Culture Becomes a Trend?

While the Agile framework has much to offer, if not correctly implemented it could result in lost value.

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Real-Time, Voice Programming for Robotic Applications

Comau's MI.RA/Dexter software allows end users to program robots in real-time using simple verbal commands, such as “look,” “touch,” and “execute.”

Panduit’s SP1 Single Pair Ethernet shielded plug connector provides simple field termination to 18 AWG 1-pair shielded copper cable compliant with ANSI/TIA-568.5 (draft) SP1 and IEC 61156-13 and -14 (draft) standards.

How Single Pair Ethernet Brings Ethernet to the Edge

Designed to provide communication, power and extended distance cable runs, Single Pair Ethernet is poised to digitally connect analog devices, simple I/O, and sensors to industrial control networks.

Unilogo Robotics’ Cleanline packaging system targets liquid product CPGs in industries like cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and household cleaners and chemicals.

Linear Servo Track System Allows Production-on-Demand for Liquid Filling

With the help of a track system from B&R, this Polish OEM is building machines that make it practical for liquid products CPGs, like cosmetics or pharma companies, to plan for short and specialized product runs.

Trademark Plastics Inc. cross-trains machine operators to be the first line of quality by inspecting parts beside the molding machine.

Trademark Plastics Adapts to Market Changes with ERP

Trademark Plastics Inc. connects all its production equipment data into its DelmiaWorks enterprise resources planning software to align orders, production, and quality management.

TMRW is a plant-based innovation company working to reimagine how plant protein can feed people.

ERP System Helps Startup TMRW Foods Grow in the Right Direction

Icicle Technologies’ enterprise resource planning system is helping the plant-based protein producer make sure it has the data it needs—for traceability, HACCP, costing, and more—to optimize its growth.

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How Industry is Using Cloud, Edge, and Fog Computing Today

Comparing 2021 survey data on industrial cloud, edge, and fog computing use to a similar 2019 survey shows how the pandemic is transforming industry’s use of these technologies.

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ArcelorMittal Launches 5G Steel Initiative

ArcelorMittal France is launching a private 5G network with Ericsson and Orange Business Services to deliver high data throughput for all connected devices, including autonomous vehicles and remote-controlled machinery.

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A Digital Thread for Industrial Lithium-Ion Battery Innovation

A new partnership between Rockwell Automation and Cadenza Innovation will create a digital thread to gather real-world data pertaining to the performance of lithium-ion batteries to improve their cost, efficiency, and safety.

Cybersecurity at the Forefront of Industry Concerns in Early 2022

Log4j presents industry with another serious security concern as the new year begins. Meanwhile, ISA 99 updates its cybersecurity approach.

Rafael Amaral, Chief Technology Officer, Nukon

Demystifying Digital Operations: Why OEE isn’t the Only Tool You Need

Discover how emerging digital IoT platforms can help orchestrate operator and equipment to effectively bridge the OEE diagnosis-to-action gap.

Industrial Robots Get Collaborative

Watch 2021's Top Automation World Video: Learn how new technologies are allowing industrial robots to work alongside humans in factory environments.

Comau Mi ra Dexter Robot

No-Code, Voice Programming for Complex Robotic Applications

Comau's MI.RA/Dexter software allows end users to program robots in real-time using simple verbal commands, such as “look,” “touch,” and “execute.”

Dave Roosa, Senior Engineer, Avanceon.

Don’t Fall Victim to Commissioning Gremlins: The Value of a Controls Expert

Having an experienced controls expert on your design team will bring valuable insight into what needs to be addressed during the design phase and how to implement it.

New Cloud & Cybersecurity Strategy for Rockwell Automation

Rockwell acquires Plex, Fiix, Oylo, and Avnet adding cloud-based software and cybersecurity services to its industrial control portfolio.

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Visual Dashboards for Robotic Workcells

OnRobot's WebLytics allows end users to create data visualizations of key performance indicators that can help them uncover new insights and improve OEE.

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PLC, PAC, or IPC?

Determining which type of controller to use in an automated system can lead to some difficult choices. Focusing on the application and specific capabilities of each controller type helps ease this decision-making process.

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The Importance of Change Management to Digital Transformation

The addition of a new Archive Management of Change module to Rockwell Automation's FactoryTalk AssetCentre can help end users to increase uptime, ensure code quality, and mitigate cybersecurity risks.