Automation World

Thank you Automation World for featuring us on the cover of your September issue! Check out the story on how we're helping our customer Amy's Kitchen improve product consistency, reduce food giveaway, and increase labor productivity here: https://lnkd.in/ecnyF4sV

The biggest myth we come across in the manufacturing industry is that manufacturers think they need to be an industry giant to fully digitalize their operations. You don’t need big-ticket items like robots, artificial intelligence (AI) or augmented reality (AR) to improve efficiency. Capturing and standardizing processes is a relatively easy goal when the right approach is used - coupled with the realization that overall equipment efficiency (OEE) is not the silver bullet many manufacturers think it is. In this article for Automation World, TilliT CEO James Balzary shares why he believes that manufacturers are reluctant to digitalize, and why they don't need to be! https://hubs.la/Q02Ny7cg0

Avnu Alliance's new #certification program will enhance the #testing and #certificationprocess for #networkswitches. Automation World #AvnuAlliance #AutomationWorld https://lnkd.in/gf9BEXB4

How Smart Process Sensors Benefit Discrete Manufacturing. Digital networks, such as #Modbus serial or #DeviceNet, have been available for?decades, but many individual #fielddevices used with machinery don’t support these buses?because the initial cost, and the complexity of installation and operation, are prohibitive. Other industrial #Ethernet networks—such as #EtherNetIP and #ModbusTCP—have become popular, but they may not be offered natively on individual #discretemanufacturing devices and are?somewhat less suitable for running directly to a multitude of field locations. Some users have taken advantage of the #HART over analog 4-20mA, but this doesn’t address discrete devices. To address these and other issues, the recent development and adoption of IO-Link, as?specified in IEC 61131-9, now provides a cost-effective and fit-for-purpose standard to support bi-directional communications of up to 32 bytes of data between a #controller and a field device. These master modules and hubs connect to the host using #protocols such as EtherNet/IP and?work as efficient and reliable digital gateways between many field devices and a host. Typically,?no special software is needed, while an #IO Device Description (IODD) device profile supplies the detailed information about capabilities for each type of device. Many discrete field sensors and devices now incorporate IO-Link, such as: * #photoeyes * #proximitysensors (ultrasonic, inductive, capacitive) * capacitance level switches * #pushbuttons and beacons. In addition, analog #processsensors for #flow, #level, #pressure and #temperature are available with?IO-Link technology. Learn more about this from?AutomationDirect's Kevin Kakascik at?https://lnkd.in/eZjEQa2p

While this may sound like a fringe concept, increasingly familiar #technologies and #processes, such as #virtualization, #edge and #cloudcomputing, #DevOps and open-source #software are all aspects of the movement towards #software-defined #automation. G Brooks-Zak, P.E. Outlier Automation Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) Automation World #OutlierAutomation #CSIA #AutomationWorld https://lnkd.in/gnrMw3bk

#PoEsystems can now deliver up to 90W per port, enough to #operate the most power-hungry #IoTsensors, #devices and #controllers. Henry Martel Antaira Technologies Automation World #AntairaTechnologies #AutomationWorld https://lnkd.in/gaJg4nXH

Get insights on the issues associated with integrating #edgecomputing into a legacy #manufacturing environment, as well as how edge computing aids #predictivemaintenance, manufacturing #operationsresiliency and #cybersecurity. Steve Mustard International Society of Automation (ISA) National Automation, Inc. #podcast

#OEE is a common #manufacturing #metric that provides insights into how well your manufacturing #equipment is operating. But did you know that OEE results can be applied in multiple ways? Jim Toman with system integrator Grantek highlights 4 key OEE applications: * As a success measure to compare one operation versus another—either line to line, shift to shift or plant to plant. It allows managers to understand where an operation is performing better in one situation versus another. * Production scheduling based on past performance to make more reliable commitments to customers. * Incentivize production teams by showing them what their OEE number is over the course of a shift so that they know whether they're ahead or behind in meeting the target. * Canary in the coal mine for maintenance. This is when an OEE number continues to degrade over a period of time to the point that it's a clear negative trend. OEE provides the ability to then look into the underlying data to understand what kind of issues might be developing on that piece of equipment. Listen to the full OEE podcast discussion with Jim at: https://lnkd.in/eXdqk_tC Or read all the highlights on the Automation World site at: https://lnkd.in/e5YxDjfR

FANUC America Corporation's #scholarship fund will provide $50,000 annually to #support North American #manufacturing careers. Automation World #FanucAmerica #AutomationWorld https://lnkd.in/gdSKKb_b

Complementing a central #highcost #HMI with #lowercost #HMIs for specific functions allow #operators to focus on dedicated #functions without navigating through an intricate #interface. Ramey Miller Siemens Automation World #Siemens #AutomationWorld https://lnkd.in/gwXWiFbF