Articles & Blogs

Image of Leveraging Digital Twins for Technology Design and Manufacturing Leveraging Digital Twins for Technology Design and Manufacturing

Digital twins integrate simulation with machine learning and data analytics to let engineers test, refine, and perfect designs.

Image of Cultivated Meat Technologies and Efficiencies Cultivated Meat Technologies and Efficiencies

New meat substitutes and other so-called alternative proteins are being introduced all the time. Automation is core to their manufacture.

Image of The Cautionary Tale of Loran and LoRaWAN The Cautionary Tale of Loran and LoRaWAN

LoRaWAN is a high-efficiency communication technology akin to a kind of low-data long-range Wi-Fi for IoT devices.

Image of Simplifying the Sourcing of Fiber-Optic Cables Simplifying the Sourcing of Fiber-Optic Cables Publish Date: 2024-02-22

Fiber-optic cables offer superior bandwidth, reduced electromagnetic interference, and enhanced data security for industrial applications.

Image of Unique Device Identification Technologies Automate Medical ID and Barcode Reading Unique Device Identification Technologies Automate Medical ID and Barcode Reading Publish Date: 2023-10-26

The U.S. FDA Unique Device Identification System rule improves patient safety by providing a consistent way to track and identify all medical devices.

Image of How SCARA, Six-Axis, and Cartesian Pick-And-Place Robotics Optimize and Streamline Electronics Manufacturing Processes How SCARA, Six-Axis, and Cartesian Pick-And-Place Robotics Optimize and Streamline Electronics Manufacturing Processes Publish Date: 2023-07-12

Fabricated chips, components, and fully assembled electronics are high value, so they justify investments in automation technologies.

Image of Water Scarcity Problems Solved with Advanced Agricultural Irrigation Water Scarcity Problems Solved with Advanced Agricultural Irrigation Publish Date: 2023-03-23

Agricultural irrigation controls have become increasingly sophisticated. Many growers have replaced traditional systems with advanced components.

Image of Robotics in Today’s Automotive Manufacturing Robotics in Today’s Automotive Manufacturing Publish Date: 2023-03-14

The vast majority of automotive manufacturing centers employ robotics. As automobiles, they can justify plant investments that may not yield ROI for years.

Image of Component Designs to Satisfy Functional Safety Standards Component Designs to Satisfy Functional Safety Standards Publish Date: 2022-12-15

Safety is a top priority in industrial applications to protect employees and equipment, requiring automated machinery to satisfy functional safety requirements.

Image of Basics of Safety Interlocks Basics of Safety Interlocks Publish Date: 2022-11-10

Keeping plant personnel safe requires that they be protected from mechanical threats to bodily harm. This field is called industrial risk reduction.

Image of Programming PLCs: A Technical Summary with Siemens Examples Programming PLCs: A Technical Summary with Siemens Examples Publish Date: 2022-05-25

With the fourth industrial revolution and Industry 4.0, comprehensive and intelligent automation is defined by advanced controls, monitoring, and diagnostics.

Image of Visual Signaling for Informed Management of Production Lines Visual Signaling for Informed Management of Production Lines Publish Date: 2022-04-20

Visual signaling components quickly and effectively communicate machine data and other actionable information to personnel through lights or other visual means.

Making Use of IO-Link in Industrial Applications Publish Date: 2022-02-08

With the fourth industrial revolution and Industry 4.0, comprehensive and intelligent automation is defined by advanced controls, monitoring, and diagnostics.

Connector, Gland, and Grip Options for Industrial-Automation Cabling Publish Date: 2021-05-27

The various connectors used to join cables and components in industrial automation must transmit all power and data-signal streams carried over the cables.

Cabling Sensors to Address Induction, Electrostatic Coupling, and Conduction Publish Date: 2021-04-30

Today’s automation components are routinely designed to avoid noise by protecting signals from the electromagnetic environment.

Addressing VFD and Motor Noise with Specialty Cable Publish Date: 2021-04-28

Variable frequency drives (VFDs) precisely power various electric-motor types in automated machinery. Also discussed are cables designed for VFDs.

Update on EtherCAT for 2021 Publish Date: 2021-01-28

EtherCAT uses the telegram structure of Ethernet data to establish a primary and its relationship with secondary sensors and actuators on the factory floor.

M12 Connectors Versus the Alternatives in Industrial Applications Publish Date: 2021-01-14

M12 connectors are a round cable-termination option used to connect components to systems in automated machinery.

IO-Link 1.0 to IO-Link 1.1 Publish Date: 2020-11-03

IO Link is a single-drop digital communication interface (SDCI) to network small sensors and actuators to IO-Link controller hubs or primaries.

Maintaining Electrical Power Quality Within Automated Systems Publish Date: 2020-10-20

How to resolve the two main types of power-quality problems arising from within equipment, noise and harmonic disturbances.