PLC

Discrete, Process Automation and Packaging Come Together at The Automation Conference

Grant Gerke — Wed, 23 May 2012 01:04:20 +0000

The first annual Automation Conference, bringing together process, discrete and packaging professionals in one conference, kicked off this morning with keynotes speakers from Boeing and ExxonMobil.

Website Targeted to Packaging Machine Community

Gary Mintchell — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:17:47 +0000

Targeting the needs of those who design, build, buy and operate packaging machinery, Mitsubishi will bring all its packaging oriented solutions together in one site.

Factory of the Future: Virtual PLC Grids?

George Shurtleff — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:33:34 +0000

After Automation World columnist Jim Pinto gave his prognostications for 2012, reader Phil Christopher offered his own vision for the factory of the future. It includes a virtual grid of PLC technology and autonomous carts for assembly lines.

Maybe You Should Think About Integrating Safety with Machine Control

George Shurtleff — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:57:25 +0000

Machine builders are finding that integrating these two functions boosts productivity, streamlines design, and shortens delivery and the commissioning process. Two explain how they benefit from the integration.

Allen-Bradley PLC Migration Kits

Peter Cleaveland — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:28:58 +0000

These Migration Kits enable users to upgrade an Allen-Bradley PLC CPU without re-programming or re-wiring.

Breaking the Barrier to Alternative Energy Sources

George Shurtleff — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:12:27 +0000

From chemically storing wind power’s kinetic energy to generating steam from biomass, developments in automation and supporting technologies are overcoming the obstacles to green power generation.

Programmable Logic Controller CPUs

Peter Cleaveland — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:33:35 +0000

CPUs for the FA-M3 PLC family features a scan speed of 100,000 program steps per ms.

Walled Garden or Open Field?

George Shurtleff — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:59:22 +0000

There is thoughtful debate over the best approach to automation in a fully digital world. Some argue for moving the walls out to include everything; others argue for the complete demolition of all walls.

Integrated PLC, Advanced Motion Controller

George Shurtleff — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:18:53 +0000

A3200 MotionPAC is a software-based programmable logic controller (PLC) that is completely integrated with the company’s A3200 motion controller to increase programming efficiency, decrease development time and increase quality.

Controller Software Brings Scalability to Smaller Form Factor PACs

Gary Mintchell — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:37:32 +0000

Rockwell Automation promoted its increased scalability in controllers during last November’s Automation Fair. Now the controller software is catching up with the hardware.

Green Hills Software Announces Major Upgrade to Integrity 11 RTOS

Gary Mintchell — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:01:43 +0000

Green Hills Software (www.ghs.com) has announced a major new release of its flagship Integrity real-time operating system. Integrity 11 includes performance, communication and ease-of-use features that address the demanding requirements of next-generation sophisticated embedded systems.

Automation to the Students

Dave Greenfield — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:28:09 +0000

ABB provides technical college with programmable logic controllers and motor drives for use in an automation lab to help students better understand industrial technology.

Empower People for Manufacturing Success

George Shurtleff — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:34:42 +0000

Engineers add more value to a manufacturing enterprise than anyone else.

Belden, Yokogawa Electric Sign Long-Term Supply Agreement

prometadmin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Belden's Hirschmann brand of industrial Ethernet products will be used in Yokogawa's global industrial automation and control solutions for process markets.

Continuous Process Challenges Controls Retrofit Team

prometadmin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Rendering is the process of recycling waste animal tissue into stable materials that are used as ingredients in making livestock and pet rations and other products. Upgrades to a rendering plant are particularly challenging because the plant receives a continuous stream of waste tissue from processing plants that has nowhere else to go.

Adapting Packaging Machines to PLC Control

prometadmin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

An Automation World LinkedIn group member seeks advice on how best to convert his packaging machine designs for PLC control and avoid technology supplier pressure to buy all system components from one source.

Pack Expo 2011 - Video Coverage

prometadmin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 05:00:00 +0000

The Automation World staff attended the Pack Expo Las Vegas 2011 show in late September and shot video of the latest automation and control products at the show.

ABB Opens New Solar Inverter Production Center

prometadmin — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:54:31 +0000

Center will feature a 400 megawatt per year capacity as well as an engineering center to support inverter production and nearby motors and drives factories.

Wago Wind Power Support Reaches New Heights