It is believed that the automation cells and production lines of the future will see symmetry in interaction between robots and humans. The Ping-Pong robot has shown the first fruits of efforts to meet this collaborative challenge. Sustaining long table tennis rallies with its human opponent, the Ping-Pong robot consistently returns the ball to […]
The adoption of general purpose robotic arms that are flexible and programmable was a significant step in reducing the complexity and cost, as compared to custom fixture based manufacturing lines. However, traditionally these industrial robots have relied a fair amount on rudimentary sensors (like proximity sensors, encoders etc.) for sensing the environment. These sensors […]
This article explains how a remote connectivity solution helps load cell application service technicians ease their troubleshooting task. Before the introduction of the electronic load cell, mechanical lever scales were widely used in many industrial and commercial applications. The accuracy of these mechanical scales depends on the scale calibration and maintenance. Today, load cell-based […]
The ongoing pursuit of ever-better overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) scores has become a real focus for end users across industries in recent years. OEE itself, however, is not a conversation end users routinely have with their machinery suppliers. The focus instead tends to be on areas such as baseline speed, cycle times and overall […]
The smart grid is the future of our power supply. Smart grids need smart buildings. Equipped with modern building automation, these buildings can be used as a counterbalance in the complex interplay between power generation and energy demand. The growing importance of user-generated energy and the different ways in which energy can be stored […]
Scalable energy data management systems integrated into PC-based control equipment cover everything from the building to the machine and even each individual motor. The only way to uncover all potential energy savings is by taking a comprehensive view of the entire business – the administrative level with its offices, conference rooms, and cafeterias; the […]
The emergence of the industrial internet of things (IIoT) megatrend has created both hope and confusion among for the operation of industrial plants. Much of the early hype is focused on the impact of technological advancements on existing automation platforms. John Conway, VP for Strategy and Partnerships at Schneider Electric writes in a White Paper […]
Comprehensive and transparent energy data saves money from the building to the machine. More than ever, managing energy consumption in buildings, production facilities and machines is critical to the success of a company. Making correct cost reduction decisions requires the ability to collect and process all energy-related data. Scalable energy data management systems integrated into […]
Energy efficiency is an important goal for all refinery and chemical complexes. Efficiency should not be achieved at the expense of safety. This article describes the design of a model predictive control (MPC) system for a refinery furnace, which includes an unusual safety feature. The large furnaces on a refinery have heat loads in […]
Recent innovations in technology now enable plant operators to calculate the optimal mix of water, chemicals, temperature and flow required to achieve safety standards while saving at least 20% in energy cost and by reducing the downtime for cleaning by at least 20%. A typical clean-in-place (CIP) process requires large amounts of water, chemicals […]
