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.

News Remote 1 Pic

Trends in Adoption of Remote Access

In a just-released report from PMMI Business Intelligence, 29% of CPG respondents said they do not allow any remote access in their facilities.

Getty Images 1179759607

Manufacturing and New Automation Technologies - What is Around the Bend?

Predictive analytics, digital twinning, and augmented and virtual reality technologies are all finding uses in manufacturing operations – from line installation and maintenance to process training.

Getty Images 1176692964

Guidance on Industrial Blockchain Use

The Industrial Internet Consortium releases a white paper that provides direction on the use of blockchain applications for Industrial Internet of Things applications.

Ethernet Cable Connected Zt C Thunderbird

Stratus Technologies Updates ztC Edge

An upgrade of the ztC Edge Portfolio addresses deployment simplification, as well as security, manageability, and performance enhancements.

Xqwe3 Dd Q 1280 5f69f2d8221c8

Technology Matters: IIoT Missteps, Cybersecurity Readiness, and Volkswagen's Industrial Cloud

Automation World explores a new report that outlines key steps around the Industrial Internet of Things many manufacturers overlook, how to assess your cybersecurity readiness, and why Volkswagen created an automation app store for its plants.

Getty Images 476586896 Food Inspection

Artificial Intelligence Advances Food Safety

Landing AI is helping food producers overcome not only the limitations of their human workforce but of traditional machine vision as well, using machine learning to better evaluate issues around food safety.

Will Aja, vice president customer operations, Panacea Technologies.

Technological Transitions During a Pandemic

As companies continue to operate while adhering to social distancing regulations and implementing contact tracing due to the global pandemic, the adoption of virtualization and mobility technology has accelerated.

Getty Images 914921068

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.

Getty Images Robot Employment (1)

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.

Getty Images 1062903070

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.

More in Home

Getty Images 180405693

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.

Automation Timeline 5 1

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.

Getty Images 152401860

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.

Getty Images 513229796

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.

Db2019 Al00678 Medium

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.

Getty Images 875007734

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.

Getty Images 1220078124

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?