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Verifying Quality without Compromising Production Output Through Holistic Traceability

March 28, 2024 Shipping a mislabeled product is at the heart of some of the largest recalls, damaged supplier relations, compliance violations, and warranty costs across multiple industries. Customers relying on “just-in-time” delivery can experience costly downtime if the quality of a label or barcode is not maintained upstream. Handheld high-volume traceability systems continue to be a…

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Making the Sustainable Transformation of the Process Industry a Success

March 25, 2024 By Krystie Johnston and Dr. Manfred Jagiella Sustainability facilitates opportunity when approached with a mindset to preserve resources and promote circularity. We share one Earth, and it is our global responsibility to care for it for the next generation. Endress+Hauser is one global company that understands this responsibility – and practices it…

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Upgrading Legacy Automation: Implications, Challenges, and Best Practices

March 25, 2024 On today’s factory floor, upgrading legacy automation equipment is often a taboo subject. “Why fix what isn’t broken”? “What fix it unit it is broken”? “Why borrow trouble”? There are many quick rebuttals to team members who have faced a close call on the production floor around legacy equipment. Legacy automation, characterized…

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Why Noark’s 12VDC Shunt Trip Coils for MCCBs Make Power Systems Reliable and Safer

March 21, 2024 This article discusses why Noark’s 12VDC shunt trip coils for molded case circuit breakers (MCCBs) make your power systems more reliable and safe. Circuit breakers are an essential component of any modern electrical system. Designed to protect your home or business from potential overloads or short circuits, these devices are your first…

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Revolutionizing Material Movement with Autonomous Mobile Robots

March 19, 2024 The MD Series AMRs are designed to automate midrange material movement applications with ease In today’s fast-paced manufacturing and logistics industries, the need for efficient and flexible material movement solutions has never been greater. Traditional methods like conveyor systems, forklifts, and manual pushcarts have served us well, but they come with limitations….

Maximizing Motor Efficiency: Navigating the Impact of VFDs on Motors
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Maximizing Motor Efficiency: Navigating the Impact of VFDs on Motors

March 15, 2024 Introduction Running a motor directly from the power source produces uniform, sinusoidal waveforms but wastes energy due to continuous speed operation regardless of the load requirements. To enhance efficiency, variable frequency drives (VFDs) control motor speed, reduce energy consumption, and minimize equipment wear. However, VFDs use pulse-width modulation (PWM) to supply electrical…

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A Guide to Modbus Communication Interfaces

March 11, 2024 Modbus is a widely used industrial communication protocol with several variants, including Modbus RTU, Modbus ASCII, and Modbus TCP/IP. It was initially developed by Modicon (now part of Schneider Electric) in the late 1970s and has since become a de facto standard for connecting various devices in industrial automation. Technical Aspects of Modbus:…

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The Digital Substation: Thinking “Outside the Box” Could Play a Crucial Role in the Future of Substation Automation

March 4, 2024 The future of power system substations may be redefined by the application of virtualization. At least that is what an increasing number of utilities are envisioning as they explore the opportunity for increased virtualization in substation design. In this future, there would be a significant reduction in the hardware used in substations….

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The Power of OPC-UA in Industrial Automation

February 27, 2024 In the world of industrial automation, the need for seamless communication between devices and systems in paramount. This is where OPC-UA (Open Platform Communications United Architecture) comes into play. OPC-UA is an open and secure communication protocol that enables interoperability between different devices and software applications. In this blog post, Omron explores…

Helping McMaster University Adapt its Buildings for the Future
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Helping McMaster University Adapt its Buildings for the Future

February 22, 2024 McMaster University is using technology to better control and manage its legacy thermal systems and create smarter buildings McMaster University is using technology to better control and manage its legacy thermal systems and create smarter buildings. Carmichael Engineering Ltd., a Canadian systems integrator, worked closely with ABB Canada’s leading experts and its highly…

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Grid Transparency Behind-the-Meter Is Key Challenge for Power Utilities, Study Reveals

February 20, 2024 Siemens has released key insights into how electric utilities in the United States and Canada are managing the rapid adoption of behind the meter distributed energy resources (DERs) in its new report “Seeing behind the meter: How electric utilities are adapting to the surge in distributed energy resources.”  Data from the study…

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All-in-One Automation Platform: Enabling Data-Driven IIoT with Deterministic Motion Control and Cybersecurity

February 12, 2024 As the industrial internet of things (IIoT) continues to gain momentum, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and system integrators (SIs) are faced with the challenge of implementing data collection systems without compromising deterministic motion control or cybersecurity, In this article, Omron explores how all-in-one automation platforms can address these concerns, allowing OEMs and…

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The Powerbase of Digital Storage Centers: Control and Power Distribution Products

February 7, 2024 Noark dives into the world of digital storage centers and see how control and power distribution products keep these critical information hubs running smoothly. While they may not be the most glamorous gadgets in the tech industry, these essential components play a vital role in ensuring the reliability, efficiency, and safety of…

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SEW-Eurodrive Demonstrates StarterSET for Vertical FFS Machines at ATX 2023

February 6, 2024 By Krystie Johnston Flexible, modular, and independent Across Canada and around the world, innumerable products are packaged, transported, and processed in a variety of ways before finally being distributed. The packaging machines that assist with this process are vitally important, and when automated, must be able to complete these tasks with various…

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FLIR’s Thermal Camera Technology: A Crucial Component in Industrial Settings

February 6, 2024 By Krystie Johnston Thermography is an invaluable tool for industrial inspections and building maintenance, new 80° wide angle lens tackles big targets and tight spaces Thermal imaging technologies like the ones from FLIR improve safety, operational efficiency, and cost savings in many automated and industrial applications. By capturing the infrared radiation emitted…

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Machine Safety Strategy in Manufacturing: Why it Matters and How to Get Started

January 31, 2024 Guidance on initiating the development of a machine safety strategy Machine-related accidents in the workplace can have devastating consequences, causing injuries, disabilities, and even fatalities. These incidents also result win significant financial losses for businesses. To mitigate these risks, it is crucial for companies to establish a comprehensive machine safety strategy. This…