When one major mining company underwent digital transformation, it achieved results that would be the envy of most mines. Production increased about 15%. Energy costs went down after ventilation demands were cut in half. And safety was enhanced with autonomous drills that moved workers away from potentially hazardous areas.
With the spring tradeshow season coming upon us, and discussions beginning to come up about the new innovations that will be showcased this year it is important to also slow down and think about the innovations that were unveiled last year. We are often so focused on what is coming that we don’t really take the time to consider the full impacts of what we only recently learned about.
Fitness trackers for people are a genuine success story: more than 40 million are already in use worldwide, helping individuals to stay healthy and improve their fitness. Monitoring and saving vital data like heartrate and blood pressure, the device tracks not only current fitness but also follows an individual’s fitness development over time.
Maintaining highly efficient operation is important in today’s industrial market. Moreover, users are searching for ways to not only make their systems operate efficiently, but also provide a financial benefit. The financial benefit is materialized in saving regenerative energy.
We live in a time where variable frequency drives (VFDs) are now the standard when it comes to motor control. As they’re being installed primarily in commercial and industrial buildings, both new and old applications are reaping the benefits these intelligent devices bring. But just like all electronics, VFDs do not last forever.
To date, food producers have so far often been sceptical about the use of connectors in sensitive areas. Given their profiles and footprints, they fear that interfaces will interrupt the smooth, easily washable surfaces needed for cleaning in areas close to the product.
Sawmills and lumber mills take freshly cut logs and process them into construction grade wood of all shapes and sizes. The process of turning a log into a usable piece of lumber has more or less stayed the same; the largest change to the manufacturing process is that it has become largely automated. In order to accomplish the advances in industrial automation, leading edge processors are incorporating variable frequency drives.
What is the best way to power a fan array in a critical operation? For those who may not know what a fan array is, a fan array is exactly what it sounds like – a series of smaller fans designed to carry the load once handled by a single larger fan.
The WEG drive system, consisting of 5000KW 4160V 8-pole W60 induction motors, MVW01 medium voltage drives with input panel, control a semi-autogenous mill (SAG) at the Meliadine mine in the Nunavut territory, Northern Canada. The SAG mill is one of the main equipment of the site, responsible for the grinding process of the extracted ore and, therefore, requires the equipment used for its propulsion and control to have very high reliability and availability.
Pneumatics have been used in automated machines for well over 100 years, with pneumatic technology developing and evolving for over a thousand years in some form or another, for example as boat sails. There have been many innovations over the years, and the basic pneumatic components such as valves, solenoids, cylinders, hoses and fittings are well developed and mature. These devices can be combined in many ways to provide simple and reliable machine control.
A new age in digital transformation is requiring manufacturers to rethink their existing business models and corresponding infrastructure. To remain relevant and competitive in the age of Industry 4.0, manufacturers need to do more than simply adopt digital technologies and deploy predefined processes in isolated islands of automation as they have done in the past.
Every year there are more and more types of vehicle applications moving towards electric. The benefits are clearly unquestionable: reduced emissions, lower noise, less maintenance, and increased performance. But, most all-electric construction equipment offerings to-date have largely been confined to mini-excavators and small wheel loaders while only a few manufacturers have unveiled full-scale heavy equipment prototypes.
If you’re involved in meat and poultry processing, plastics and steel manufacturing, or another industry that has a high rate of accidents resulting in amputations, then you’re likely aware that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is stepping up National Emphasis Program (NEP).
Industry as we know it is changing rapidly – from a shortage of skilled workers and high turnover to advancements in connectivity and IoT. Innovation is driving us to augment in-house experience and institutional knowledge with intuitive technology and partner support. As a result, machine builders are being asked to play an expanded role in supporting customer operations that encompass the full lifecycle of the equipment.
Pistachio trees didn’t exist in this country in the 1930s. Today, the U.S. is the world’s second-largest producer – and worldwide demand continues to grow. Once reserved for royalty, pistachios have become a global snack sensation. People are hungry for the green nut because of its unique flavor, along with its natural health attributes. Like almonds, walnuts and other nut varieties, pistachios are packed with protein, antioxidants and fiber.
What will the automotive marketplace look like in 10 years and how do I prepare for it? That’s the question foremost on the minds of the powertrain plant personnel I encounter in my work as an industry consultant. It’s not an easy question to answer given that we are in the midst of a truly revolutionary time in the automotive industry.
This project is funded [in part] by the Government of Canada.
Ce projet est financé [en partie] par le gouvernement du Canada.
