Latest Articles

Categories

How-To: Building a PLC Project with Modbus Communication

How-To: Building a PLC Project with Modbus Communication

Modbus is a communication protocol stemming from the early days of Modicon PLCs, but is still common today. These two example implementations of Modbus transactions will get you started.


Banner Engineering Releases RGB Programmable Light Towers

Banner Engineering Releases RGB Programmable Light Towers

Banner Engineering recently released a series of programmable multicolor (RGB) indicators for advanced industrial machine status and diagnostics.


How IIoT is Transforming Predictive Maintenance

How IIoT is Transforming Predictive Maintenance

The objective of predictive maintenance is to foresee potential machine failure with the help of machine learning algorithms provided with vast quantities of data.


What Happens When You Cross a Leopard With a Mercedes?

What Happens When You Cross a Leopard With a Mercedes?

Evacuations, a temporary shut-down of an automobile manufacturing plant, and a trip to a wildlife veterinarian!


News Apr 04, 2022 by Seth Price
Methods of Marking and Labeling for Wiring and Tubing

Methods of Marking and Labeling for Wiring and Tubing

Labels are such a small detail in the world of robotics and automation, they are often given very little attention. However, they play a vital role in proper system function - from installation to troubleshooting.


HAI Robotics Showcases ACR Systems at MODEX and SITL 2022

HAI Robotics Showcases ACR Systems at MODEX and SITL 2022

HAI Robotics demos its autonomous case-handling robotic systems at two trade fairs, continuing to strengthen its presence in the U.S. and Europe.


News Apr 02, 2022 by Stephanie Leonida
Characteristics of Highly Automated WMS Systems

Characteristics of Highly Automated WMS Systems

This article explores various characteristics that are common in advanced and highly automated warehouse management systems (WMS).


Info Byte: Preventing Relay Burnout with Flyback Diodes

Info Byte: Preventing Relay Burnout with Flyback Diodes

Inductive loads, such as solenoids and contactors, can cause arcs and failures back into electromechanical switching devices, causing costly downtime. The solution is cheaper than you think.


Beijer Electronics Releases New M-Series of Distributed I/O Modules

Beijer Electronics Releases New M-Series of Distributed I/O Modules

Beijer Electronics recently announced the M Series of distributed I/O to provide on-machine control with a variety of communication options for system flexibility.


News Mar 31, 2022 by Shawn Dietrich
Combating That Killer of Industrial Pneumatic Systems - Water

Combating That Killer of Industrial Pneumatic Systems - Water

Moisture inside industrial pneumatic systems is a major cause for concern, and if the air is not filtered or dried properly, it can lead to serious failures.


Bosch Rexroth Obtains a Majority Stake in Kassow Robots

Bosch Rexroth Obtains a Majority Stake in Kassow Robots

Bosch Rexroth has invested in future automation by acquiring a majority stake in collaborative robot manufacturer Kassow Robots.


News Mar 30, 2022 by Seth Price
Troubleshooting for PLC Modules and I/O Devices

Troubleshooting for PLC Modules and I/O Devices

Failures of I/O systems are a common source of headache for control engineers. Troubleshooting those devices that have polarized connections (source vs sink, and NPN vs PNP) is a technique worth refining.


3D Printing Builds its Way into Unusual Markets

3D Printing Builds its Way into Unusual Markets

Several companies and startups have taken steps to bring the benefits of 3D printing into many different manufacturing fields - some of them are a bit unexpected.


News Mar 29, 2022 by Damond Goodwin
My First Experience Programming a Collaborative Robot

My First Experience Programming a Collaborative Robot

We've read about the capabilities of collaborative robots, but often, one question still remains - how do you program a cobot? Last week, I got a chance to get my hands on a cobot for the first time.


The Technology Used to Find the ‘Endurance’ Shipwreck

The Technology Used to Find the ‘Endurance’ Shipwreck

Autonomous underwater vehicles were used to find Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, which sank on an exploration mission over a century ago into the freezing depths of the Weddell Sea in Antarctica.


News Mar 28, 2022 by Seth Price
How to Best Use PLM in Automation

How to Best Use PLM in Automation

Product lifecycle management (PLM) and industrial automation are growing closer together. This article explores recent trends and application examples of this software in industry.


Automata, Pioneer in Automation for Life Sciences, Raises $50M in Series B Funding

Automata, Pioneer in Automation for Life Sciences, Raises $50M in Series B Funding

Automata, a global specialist in life sciences laboratory automation, has raised $50 million in Series B funding to accelerate their work in life sciences laboratory automation.


News Mar 26, 2022 by Sara McCaslin
SPC Pillar: Design of Experiments (DoE)

SPC Pillar: Design of Experiments (DoE)

The fourth pillar of effective statistical process control (SPC) is the use of designed experiments used to learn as much as possible from a limited number of experiments, yet remain statistically relevant enough to be useful.


Women in Engineering, Manufacturing, and Aerospace: the Sky’s the Limit

Women in Engineering, Manufacturing, and Aerospace: the Sky’s the Limit

Women in engineering including those in aerospace and manufacturing fields both past and present have been paving the way to industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing operations today.


News Mar 24, 2022 by Stephanie Leonida
Understanding the Basics of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)

Understanding the Basics of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)

Power delivered to devices can be changed by raising or lowering the voltage and current. But this method does not always produce intended results. Pulse width modulation (or PWM) can be used to better control variable loads.